Column: Preserving the Past, by Pat Mulso

Happy Memorial Day! Wow, where did May go? I guess with the snow at the beginning of the month it just didn’t seem like May and now that it is warmer, the month is almost gone. Memorial Day when I was growing up was usually a day spent visiting with friends and family at the cemetery, putting flowers on multiple relatives graves and ended with a family picnic. My dad was not in the military, but my mother lost a brother in World War II, so we always went up north (about an hour and half from where we lived) to his grave. Please remember to thank those around you who have served in the military to preserve and protect our freedoms!

Eddie Cochran Weekend is just around the corner and we are busy with last-minute details. Please mark your calendar for all the activities that will be taking place. Starting June 7, the museum will have reduced admission of $2 and will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is a Friday night cruise-in social at the Country Inn & Suites/Green Mill starting at 6 p.m. with music and trophies.

On June 8 the 27th annual Eddie Cochran Weekend car show will be at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds. All proceeds go to the Freeborn County Historical Museum building fund. Registration is from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Cost is $10 for car and driver. There will be swap meet vendors and cars for sale (special area) $10 for each space. Spectators admission is $2 for adults – this gets you into the car show and the museum. There will be food concessions and adult beverages available.

Music will be provided by Megaforce Sound & Light at the car show. Car show awards will be presented at roughly 2:30 p.m. The museum exhibits and village will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and we will have our famous root beer floats available from noon to 4 p.m. There will be special presentations about the life of Eddie Cochran taking place in the museum at 1 p.m. Saturday. The car cruise will begin at 4:30 p.m. at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds; watch the paper for the cruise map soon.

The Music of Eddie Cochran & the ’50s will be presented at 7:30 p.m. at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center, cost is $15.

June 9 there is a rock ‘n’ roll service at the United Methodist Church at 10 a.m. with additional activities in the afternoon.

Please plan on joining us for the weekend as we celebrate the life of Eddie Cochran and kick off the summer with a great weekend! A special thank you to Jerry Monson, our weekend chairman that has done a fantastic job! “C’mon Everybody” let’s have a great weekend!

The museum will host a four-hour refresher defensive driving class from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. June 11 and another from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 29. The cost is $19 per person and preregistration is required. Please call or stop by the museum for more details or to register.

FCHM will host our second annual Style Show Brunch at 9:30 a.m. June 22 at First Lutheran Church’s Bethany Hall. The cost is $15 and tickets must be purchased in advance. Tickets are available at the museum, CVB office, the Chamber and Addie’s Floral. The theme this year is “Threads of Love.” Don’t miss out on the fun, get your ticket soon, seating is limited and we sold out last year. Proceeds of the event are designated for the museum building expansion fund. Vintage attire is optional.

 

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