The county court clerk is calling on volunteers to help update the county’s marriage records, pointing out the work is a perfect way for Tennessee Promise students to get their hours.

“Our office has approximately 50 marriage books with up to 500 individual marriages per book prior to 2007,” revealed County Court Clerk Jimmy Poss. “Currently, all marriage records prior to 2007 must be identified solely from hardback books and are not searchable by computer.”

Poss said entering the records into a computer data base is important to the community. “Primarily protection and preservation of the record in case of fire,” he explained, noting the records could be lost forever in case of a disaster. “Once entered the record becomes searchable to all citizens via internet.”

Poss said he gets many requests for marriage records from the Social Security Administration as well as those doing geological work. “I hope and goal is to enter these 40 books dating back to 1854 with volunteers needing to complete an internship or community service hours,” he said.

Those wanting to volunteer can come by the office and work however long they wish from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays.