Volunteer James Dudley has been working on archiving SOAR365’s history by preserving photography. His ongoing efforts to scan and digitize photos of events and activities dating back to the 1960s will also help SOAR365 commemorate important milestones in our history.

“I am scanning photos for SOAR365 because they want to digitize them on their network so they can be preserved for future generations,” said James.

James enjoys his “fun and interesting” work with computers and says he has gained new skills in the process.

“I have learned how to use scanning tools to digitize photos on my computer,” he says. “I have also met two wonderful people, Liz Harris and Diana Miller, who mentor me when I have a problem and provide new photos for me to scan.”

James was born in Chesterfield, attended Midlothian High School, and graduated from John Tyler Community College with an Associate Degree in Mass Communications in 2019. He enjoys computers, video games, and television – and has even taught himself how read a little bit of Japanese!

Diana, SOAR365’s Vice President of Marketing, praises James’ dedication and skill. “His attention to detail is valuable and appreciated,” she said. “He has worked meticulously on this project and has helped us catalog hundreds of photos that were deteriorating. Now they will be enjoyed by generations to come.”