Column: Pat Mulso, Preserving the Past

The year 2010 has come and almost gone, where does time go? Do you remember when we were worried about Y2K, the turn of the century, and now an entire decade has gone by. What has happened in the last decade: the 9/11 attack, Hurricane Katrina, I-35W Bridge Collapses, United States population reaches 300 million, the oil spill, and Barack Obama was elected as the 44th president of the U.S. to name just a few historical events.

What about your personal history during the past decade? Have you moved, changed jobs, had a medical condition or other major event? Has there been an engagement, a marriage, a baby or the loss of a loved one in your immediate family? These types of events should be noted in your journal or in some way for future family members. Did you take a family vacation or was there a baptism, confirmation or graduation?

Does your family have a family tradition or reunion that takes place each year? Do you insist that all family members get together for some reason other than a funeral? If you think back to your own childhood, is there a memory that sticks out above all others?

My most precious memories are times when our family had the least, but we had each other, and we knew we could count on one another no matter what! We made our own fun and made due just fine with what we had.

In today’s world, the younger generation has pressure to have everything right away; no one seems to remember the concept of saving to get something. With the economy as it is I think it is a very scary world for the young families trying to make their way in today’s world.

As the year comes to an end the museum looks to the New Year with many projects and plans for preserving the past and moving into the next decade. We encourage you to renew your membership or to become a new member if you are not currently a member. We also ask for your support as we continue our fundraising efforts for the Freeborn County Historical Society Building Expansion Project. With help of the community we can make this happen! If you have questions you can contact the museum at 507-373-8003 or e-mail me, Pat Mulso at pmulso@smig.net or check out our website www.smig.net/fchm for further information.

The museum will be hosting a four-hour refresher defensive driving class on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the lower level of the museum. The cost is $19 per person, and you must pre-register for the class. We currently have a few seats available. The next class will be Monday, Feb. 7, 2011, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

We are busy planning our events and projects for 2011 which will include: Discover History Days, library lock-ins, possibly another research trip to the Salt Lake City Genealogical Library, library projects, new roofs on the post office, general store and the red exhibit building, defensive driving classes, school tours and programs, programs and tours for the local nursing homes, historical bus trips, day camps, Eddie Cochran Weekend, Echoes from the Past, Autumn in the Village, 2011 Christmas Gathering and more.

The staff and I would like to say thank you to all the volunteers who helped at the museum during 2010. We couldn’t have completed the many projects or offered all the programs and events that we did without you. We appreciate your dedication and hard work. We wish you all a safe, happy and prosperous New Year!

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