Waterford ― Whether it be here or overseas in Berlin or Milan, Holly Camerota has always had a flair for communication.

Camerota moved to Waterford in 1954, and spent 24 years here before she and her husband Louis moved in 1978 to Milan. In 1987, it was on to Berlin, during which time she wrote English translations of a German daily paper to send to diplomats and folks in Washington, D.C.

She worked at the paper up to the fall of the Berlin Wall, she said.

Coming back to her home town in 1991, it was with a new worldview, she said, and she sought a job that could satisfy the spirit of intellectualism and multiculturalism she had incurred while abroad.

She found a job at Connecticut College, where she was able to take language courses while working as a web editor, public relations assistant and communications specialist.

After Camerota retired, Kristin Widham, the president of the Waterford Historical Society and a former classmate of Camerota’s, asked Camerota in 2019 if she would help organize a new local art event called Art in Waterford.

The two, with help from other historical society volunteers, staged the first event in April 2019.

Camerota said she has a firm belief that history is a key component of community, and she has since 2019 volunteered her hand with society events since taking on an early role as publicity chair.

“As I worked with her a little bit more on some of her events, I said, "You know, you really need some help with your publicity,” Camerota said.

Society volunteer Deb Walters said Camerota stepped into the role with a lot of experience in digital work and was eager to do her best to bring more attention to the society and its activities.

“She’s done a fabulous job,” Walters said, at finding ways for the society appeal to audiences it hadn’t before.

Camerota has identified ways for the society to reach more members of the community and better publicize the rich slate of free events it offers.

After her initial involvement, Art in Waterford continued to be held for four years on the Jordan Green, Camerota said. The now annual event incorporates famous local artists such as the Whites ― George, Nelson and family ― residents of the town’s Pleasure Beach area, as well as other local furniture makers, painters and sculptors.

Last year’s event was held at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Camerota said.

Additionally, Camerota has helped the nonprofit group apply for grant funding for programs, advertise on Facebook and involve students from the town’s public schools.

“What was really cool last year is that we did field trips for third and fifth graders from all the Waterford Elementary schools,” Camerota said. “And they came to Jordan Green by school bus, and they toured our buildings, and we had special programs all set up for them.”

The programs were reminiscent of reenactment events the society has last held more than ten years ago on the Jordan Green, she said.

“But this was kind of a resurrection of that type of program. So again, getting the children in there to learn something about their town, their town's history, and have some fun in the process,” Camerota said.

As for social media, she said she shares society events to Facebook’s Waterford Community Forum and What’s Going on in Waterford.

“I share it with a couple of New London sites too because I want to try to embrace people in the area, not just Waterford people. And so I get really good traffic on Facebook and I try to make it lighthearted. Just put things up there, little pieces of history and so on,” she said.

Historical society thriving again

“We've gotten the historical society revved up again,” Camerota said. “It was pretty quiet there for a while.”

Widham, a 20-year volunteer of the society, also confirmed that public interest in the society had waned amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

““It’s very rewarding,” she added. “You feel as though you’re doing something purposeful and rewarding. Waterford Historical Society has evolved into that once again. We’ve revived it essentially,” she said.

Much of that purpose has been made easier through public outreach, Walters said.

“Anything that she loves and that she thinks is valuable or important, she just is a cheerleader for. She loves to learn, she’s very attentive to detail and is not afraid to get excited or even giddy about something,” Walters said about Camerota.

“Therefore, when she reaches out to people, she touches a range of people in the community ― everyone,” she added.

“I love the town and there's new people coming in all the time, you know, with, for example, EB, with its tremendous growth,” Camerota said. “There's new people coming in all the time and I think it's important for people to know the background of their town.”

d.drainville@theday.com