Pat Mulso, Perserving the Past

A special thank you to the many volunteers that helped to make our annual Autumn in the Village a huge success. We had approximately 500 attend the day’s events and 200 were not members of the museum, so we really appreciate the support of the community for this fundraising event. The children attending had fun shelling and grinding corn, making rope, wagon rides, participating in the archaeological dig, string weaving, quill pen writing, hoop and stick, and other activities in the school along with the opportunity to have a photo taken in the photography shop, see a blacksmith and woodworking demonstration along with soap making, weaving, spinning, embroidery, hardanger, barbershop, Czech Exhibit, Adams Originals, 1918 Fire Truck and a 1924 Model T. We had music in the village, items for sale in the general store, Merlin’s Magic Chocolates, kettle corn and our regular lunch specials. There were many opportunities to visit and reminisce about earlier times when life seemed to be much simpler.

The museum will be hosting a four-hour AARP Refresher Defensive Driving Class on Tuesday, Oct. 12, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. The cost is $19 and you will receive your certificate that evening. You do not need to be a member of AARP or the museum to take the class, but you do need to pre-register.

We began our annual FCHM membership drive on Sept. 1. If you are a current member this will be for your 2011 renewal of membership. If you are not currently a member and join now, you will receive membership for the remainder of 2010 as well as for 2011. Consider giving a family membership for a gift; we have certificates available.

Household memberships start at $25 and range up to $5,000. Any amount above $25 is tax deductible. Please help us to continue building the future by preserving the past.

We recently put steel siding on the north side of the Red Exhibit Building. This was completed with a Helping Hands Grant from the Albert Lea Thrivent Chapter 31179. The work was done by a volunteer crew and again we appreciate the volunteers as well as the grant to pay for the materials.

The Daybreakers Kiwanis have been very supportive to the museum with an annual donation toward our youth projects, helping to clean the village each spring as we prepare for school tours, volunteering during Discover History and again during Autumn in the Village by providing kettle corn as fund raising during this event. Thank you so much for all you do for us and the community.

Golden K II Kiwanis meet at the museum weekly, and they donate to the museum for the use of the building each week as well as an annual donation for our ongoing projects. They also help with our annual village clean up.

We received a grant from the Walmart Foundation that will help to continue our youth programs such as Discover History, summer day camps, youth programs and tours. We want to say thank you to the local Walmart for this opportunity to support our projects locally.

We also receive an annual donation from the Noon Kiwanis, Golden K I Kiwanis and the Noon Lions Club toward our Discover History project and/or youth projects. A special thank you to them also.

Without the support of all of these organizations, the community and our members, we would not be able to provide all the services that we do and maintain our museum facility and the 18 buildings in the village. Many volunteers work throughout the year to help us in many ways, and they too are appreciated very much.

We have many good things happening in our community; let’s work to highlight and remember those things for future generation.

Have a great week and remember, what happens today is history tomorrow.

Pat Mulso is the executive director of the Freeborn County Historical Museum in Albert Lea.