The Moorestown Indian Springs Questers is one of the many chapters throughout the United States and Canada that dedicates its resources to preserving and restoring historical artifacts and buildings. The 25-member committee provides funding for local historical organizations like the Moorestown Historical Society to allow these nonprofit organizations to fund their projects.
The Moorestown Indian Springs Questers has funded projects such as the Alice Paul bookcase, the Mt. Holly farm journal, samplers at the Moorestown Historical Society and the Walt Whitman stove in Camden among many other projects.
“When I retired, I looked around for something that would interest me in history and about the world,” said committee member Gail Greenberg. “I learn about questers because I was a guest speaker for them. There’s generally a limit of 25 members because it becomes difficult if the group is large, but as soon as I heard about an opening I joined.
“We’re an international organization,” Greenberg continued. “There’s chapters all over the U.S. and Canada and basically we educated ourselves about history through studies and speakers as well as donate funds for preservation and restoration of artifacts.”
According the Greenberg, the 30-year-old chapter has given $32,000 in small grants since 1991. The most recent project the organization provided funds for included donating $1,200 to the Moorestown Historical Society to restore a Quaker wedding certificate.
For the Moorestown Indian Spring Questers to donate funds to these local organization, the committee does a series of fundraising. Over the years, the committee has fundraised through boat trips at Toms River, garage sales, events at the Iron Hill Brewery and bus trips to wineries. The organization also applies for grants from the international questers in which they can redistribute for potential projects.
“What I really enjoy about this organization are the trips,” said Greenberg. “We take trips to different museums and historical societies that I wouldn’t ordinarily know about or go to if it wasn’t for this organization. It’s also important to me that I am able to help local historical societies restore things that are important.
“One of my favorites that I have helped restore was to Walt Whitman to restore his hat,” Greenberg continued. “They also had 42 significant documents that we were able to restore and frame. I also really liked the plaque that we did at the Jacob’s Chapel, Cemetery in Mt. Laurel. We did that in 2005.
“What I would like people to know about this organization is that we have funds to award for worthwhile projects,” said Greenberg. “No one has come forward with any projects since we did the Quaker wedding certificate.”
Nonprofit historical organizations that have interesting projects that can be restored or preserved can contact Greenberg at camrat@aol.com. The organization typically donates funds under $5,000 and has even donated funds as small as $300.
