Two Rivers Giving Circle
Honors Jane Rissler

The Two Rivers Giving Circle was delighted to honor Jane Rissler, the director of the Jefferson County Museum, with its 2022 Preservation Award.

The award, a handcrafted platter made from local clay by award-winning potters Pam and Ren Parziale of Sycamore Pottery in Leetown, was presented at a ceremony and reception yesterday at the museum.

Giving Circle member Linda Case (left in the photo) presented the award to Ms. Rissler standing in front of a historic flag conserved for the museum collection with help from a Two Rivers Giving Circle grant. The flag is from Charles Town’s Green-Copeland American Legion Post 63, founded in 1929 by local African Americans who had served in World War I.

In her remarks about Ms. Rissler, Ms. Case said, "She has worked to build bridges to all sectors of the community...and made a strong push to diversify the museum collection and provide exhibits that recognize the contributions of all.”

The Two Rivers Giving Circle is a field of interest fund of the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation. Since its inception in 2008, it has provided more than $110,000 to Eastern Panhandle organizations engaged in natural resources conservation and historic preservation. Each year, the Giving Circle also recognizes one or more individuals who have been leaders in one or both of these fields.

A Jefferson County native, Ms. Rissler received a bachelor's degree from Shepherd College, a master’s from West Virginia University, and a Ph.D. in plant pathology from Cornell University. In 2005, while she was still working as a scientist and commuting from Jefferson County to Washington, DC, she began volunteering at the county museum. When she retired in 2011, she was hired as the museum director.

Read more about the ceremony and Ms. Rissler's accomplishments here.