Carson resident awarded $1,500 for Friends of Nevada State Museum

The CVS Health Foundation is awarding a $1,500 grant to the Friends of the Nevada State Museum, thanks in part to Kathy Pierson and her volunteer services.

Pierson is the manager of the CVS located off of Highway 50 in Carson City. A longtime resident, she graduated from Carson High. She has been with CVS for almost 38 years.

“I feel fortunate to volunteer with the Friends at the Nevada State Museum, at the Capital and at the Governor’s Mansion. It is a wonderful feeling to interact with the children of all ages and share Nevada’s history. Engaging with visitors to these historic places, is a passion I hope to enjoy for many years,” said Pierson.

The Friends of the Museum support the State Museum in many ways. They help facilitate education programs through outreach to schools, lead tours for school groups and visitors from out of town. Members also assist with science programs and other education at the museum during family and school events. There are many programs available at the museum, including watching demonstrations of the original Coin Press on the last Friday of every month. The press was in operation when the building was a US Mint in the 1800s.

Pierson has invested around 150-200 hours of volunteer services with the Friends of the Nevada State Museum from January to October this past year.

Volunteer Challenge Grants are awarded to CVS employees or teams that volunteer or who raise funds for charitable events. Each year, CVS employees volunteer thousands of hours to nonprofit organizations in their communities. The CVS Health Foundation awards grants which support these efforts and provides additional financial support to the causes supported by CVS employees. These grants usually range from $500 to $5,000, and are awarded directly to the organization on the CVS employee’s behalf.

During 2017, the Friends of the Nevada State Museum raised more than $5,100 to support the goals and mission of the museum through a murder mystery fundraising dinner held at the Governor’s Mansion. In addition to serving as tour guides for the museum and the State Capitol, the Friends have helped the museum with the purchase and installation of sound systems, tables and chairs, concourse blinds, and microscopes for the discovery lab.

“We’re hoping to do another big fundraising event again,” said Pierson. “We like to do one big event every year. And I plan on applying for the CVS grant again this year too.”