Gigi Angell has become a familiar face to many as they pass by the Dahlonega Gold Museum through the center of town. From early spring to very late fall, Gigi is often found gardening and watering the flowers and shrubs that adorn this treasured landmark in Dahlonega, Georgia.
Since beginning as a Friends volunteer in 2013, Gigi has served hundreds of hours and made a remarkable impact on the efforts produced by Friends of Dahlonega Gold Museum. With a green thumb and a desire to support her community, Gigi and her daughter work together to plant the annuals in the flower beds during the seasons. From the passing guest to the regular visitors, her efforts provide warmth and welcome to all. In fact, many local community members often recognize her hard at work and make sure to honk and wave as they pass!
In addition to gardening, Gigi also spends her volunteer time dressing in period clothing to help each guests' experiences come alive with living history demonstrations. Perhaps more remarkable is that her daughter makes her dresses and Gigi enhances the period clothing with her own knitting and crochet accessories. She has several dresses, each to match the various ages of the museum. Each dress has been researched, very old instructions wrestled over, then finally created to add the final touch to the historic clothing.
Gigi takes great delight in educating guests on the fashions of the times (circa 1825 to 1880). She has the gift of transforming a historical litany of "every day 19th century fashion" into a dynamic story enjoyed and remembered by guests.
She doesn't stop there! From volunteering with Friends for special Halloween events to parades to seasonal festivals, Gigi is anxious to help out in whatever capacity is helpful to the site.
During the holiday season, Gigi decorates the rooms and grounds of the museum for the town’s “Old Fashion Christmas”. It takes her up to 16 hours for just her part of the decorating! Once every ornament and bit of greenery is in place, then it is time for her to get ready for the Gold Museum’s open house. Once again, decked out in historic clothing, she sweeps throughout the museum answering questions in classic garb.
Gigi is truly an integral part of the Dahlonega community and her service to making the site better preserved and the guest experiences more meaningful is truly a gift. Thank you, Gigi!