On Saturday, March 27, the Mill Spring Agricultural Development Center invites the public to volunteer and make historyout of history!

The New Mill Spring Ag Center building (formerly Mill Spring School) is inviting the community to volunteer to help salvage an historical, abandoned building for a new-lease on life!

The former school, built in 1928, had a final graduating class of 1992 and there is deeply-felt community nostalgia for its history. (view video of the Open House held in December, 2009 at tryondailybulletin.com. click on Videos.)

As of last weeks announcement of the 100 Day-Long Friends of Agriculture Volunteer Campaign, 25 folks have registered. Our goal is to sign on 50 more people this week, for our March 27 Volunteer Day, says AmeriCorp member Moira McCormick on staff at the Agricultural Economic Development and Soil and Water offices currently located in Annex building #4 in Columbus. Bring tools and let me know if you have special skills when you call to register, continues McCormick.

Packets went home with civic-minded clubs and classes at PCHS, for students to have the opportunity to earn much-valued community volunteer hours for credit and for college applications. Many who are becoming Friends of Agriculture in Polk County have been bitten by the excitement bug of whats going on at the old school and are deciding to stay involved.

Volunteers can fall into one or both of the shifts available: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.&bsp; Job descriptions for each shift include: basic organizing, yard-work, scraping and painting, light construction, hand-gardening/plantings, and landscaping. Free lunch will be provided for all volunteers that day from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

This community-minded spirit supports the first phase of necessary renovations and improvements for the center whose mission is to serve as a resource for agricultural development, farmland preservation, education and community service and business development. The center will also offer meeting facilities, classrooms, training kitchens, administrative offices, demonstration gardens as well as a business incubator with a small business-services center.

Register by calling 828-894-2281 and sign up for morning or afternoon shift. Mention if you are an individual or a group and what special restoration/construction/gardening skills you may have. Or e-mail lsprague@polknc.org.

Volunteer credit hours are available for any students/civic club members or other organizations.

All volunteers are acknowledged on their website, www.polkfarms.org and are invited to attend the Ag Center Open House Sunday, May 2.

Volunteer a day and help make the way for the preservation of rural Polk County.