I am writing you to nominate Chuck Timmons of Dowagiac, Michigan, as one of your

“Unsung Heroes.” I wholeheartedly support Mr. Timmons for any award and can think of nobody more deserving. Chuck’s involvement with the Dowagiac Area History Museum goes back to the early 2000s. When the local history museum was located on the campus of Southwestern Michigan College. Throughout the years, he has been on the museum advisory committee and helped with events and exhibit construction.

Since 2012, however, Chuck Timmons has been an indispensable colleague. In fact, it would not be a stretch to say that the Dowagiac Area History Museum would not be the institution it is without Mr. Timmons. At that time, the decision was made to move the museum from Southwestern Michigan College to the City of Dowagiac with a reduced staff (from six employees to one). The City of Dowagiac undertook a major renovation project to house the museum and I was tasked with moving the museum in 10 months — it could not have been done without Chuck.

Chuck and other volunteers helped close the old museum and set up the museum in the new facility. During the transition, I estimated that Mr. Timmons volunteered more than 500 hours of his time to the project, in addition to his role as chair of the advisory committee. He helped move exhibit cabinets and artifacts, served as a needed advisor, helped with the installation of exhibits and made himself available anytime I needed him.

As the only staff person for the Dowagiac Area History Museum, I rely upon volunteers to help me with many tasks — no volunteer is as reliable as Chuck Timmons. Since opening in 2013, he has helped me with many projects and, if a family emergency arises, Chuck can help me staff the museum. He helps with events, planning and is an invaluable advisor to me.

Another of Chucks’s contributions to the museum was his work on the second floor renovation project in 2015. When the museum opened in 2013, we had renovated the ground floor and basement with plans to raise funds to renovate the second floor. The project moved forward in late 2014 with the start of construction. For that project, Chuck Timmons built mobile wall units, helped move artifacts from storage, constructed exhibit displays and provided invaluable assistance in other areas. I conservatively estimate that Chuck Timmons volunteered at least 800 hours of his time to the second floor renovation project in 2015 alone — it would not have been completed without his hard work.

In addition to his work for the museum, he organizes the Memorial Day Parade with the Free and Accepted Masons, helps with area blood drives, volunteers his time to other organizations and helps transport friends who need assistance. Chuck Timmons is a truly amazing person in the Dowagiac community and he has been invaluable for me at the museum. He likes to do his work under the radar and will probably give me a hard time for nominating him, but he is deserving of accolades from his local community.

— Steve Arseneau