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The day-long buzzing of the chainsaw at the Pioneer Museum of Alabama was music to the ears of Barbara Tatom, museum director.

So much so, that she often left her office to go, stand and watch.

Sam Voska of Enterprise sometimes noticed she was watching and would acknowledge her presence with a smile. Other times, he was so involved with stump grinding that he didn’t even notice she was there.

Throughout the day, Voska ground about 40 stumps of various sizes on the museum grounds. He enjoyed every minute of the workday.

Voska, an Enterprise firefighter, was a very unexpected volunteer at the Pioneer Museum of Alabama.

He attended the museum’s “Thunder on the Three Notch” event, May 12 and 13, and, while talking with several museum board members, he learned that volunteers are needed and greatly appreciated.

“I’ve always enjoyed history,” Voska said. “I like reading about history and enjoy going to historically-based events. I especially enjoyed ‘Thunder on the Three Notch.’ The Pioneer Museum of Alabama is an outstanding museum of Alabama and pioneer history.”

Voska also has a volunteer spirit and often lends a helping hand where one is needed. And, he also has a side business – grinding stumps.

“When I learned that the museum had ‘yard work’ to be done and stumps to grind, I immediately volunteered, Voska said.

The museum grounds were “littered” with stumps – small, medium and large.

“The larger stumps could be avoided but the smaller ones were hard to see,” Tatom said. “Many of the very small stumps were covered with grass, weeds and vines and that made walking tricky.”

Tatom said she and the museum’s staff and board of directors couldn’t adequately express appreciation for the work Voska has done.

“Not only do the grounds look so much better, walking them is much easier,” Tatom said. “We thank Sam and we greatly appreciate his interest in the Pioneer Museum of Alabama and his tireless volunteer spirit.”

As for Voska, volunteering is his second nature.

“It’s what I love to do,” he said. “At the end of the day, I look back to see what I have done. Hopefully, I will have done something worthwhile for others.”