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Volunteers appreciated, year reviewed at Dickson Store Museum’s annual meeting

Dickson Store Museum held its annual general meeting and volunteer appreciation on Feb. 2

Dickson Store Museum held its annual general meeting and volunteer appreciation on Feb. 2 in the Bethany Lutheran Church Hall with 45 people in attendance.

The evening began with a tasty roast beef supper that was enjoyed by all. It was prepared and served by Nettie Pettman.

This year we had a theme: Volunteers Are Museum Sweethearts. The church hall was decorated with a banner and heart shaped centre pieces personalized with volunteers’ names on each heart. Place settings were decorated with cinnamon hearts and the placemat was an evening coffee news entitled “The Dirt on Dickson”. Everyone enjoyed the humour of this publication. The Doll Sisters provided fine entertainment.

Shauna Mundell, Tracy Rowbotham, Harold Kemtrup, and Antonia Nissen have agreed to remain on the board for a two year term. Ted Richard, Sandy Shippelt, Sylvia Fokkens, Doreen Nicholson, Tonny Van Der Kolk, Bill Taylor and Jean Weltz will be serving on the board for one more year. Thank you to everyone for your dedication and hard work.

The museum worked on an Oral History Project which entailed interviewing eleven community members, in 2012. The interviews are on DVDs and have become a part of the museum collection. They will be used for research, exhibits, etc. The photograph project is still a work in progress. The museum has undertaken this project so that original photographs will be kept in safe storage. Reproductions will be used for exhibits and research purposes. The museum was able to hire a full time manager, a part time assistant, and three summer students.

Funding for projects and staff was provided by grants from Alberta Museums Association (provincial government), Canada Summer Jobs and Young Canada Works (federal government). As a non-profit society the museum appreciates these funding opportunities.

In 2013, the museum plans to install an exhibit on the telephone and evolving communication. If funding is available, an old operating switch board would be included in the display. If you have any stories about operating a switchboard, the party line, installation of the telephone, and/or telephone exchanges please send them to the museum by email at dicksonstoremuseum@gmail.com or call us at 403-728-3355.

Last season the museum held several special events, which included Opening Day, Royal Garden Party, Canada Day, Thrilling Thursday, Teddy Bear Picnic, Sunday Afternoon at the Museum, Harvest Festival, Julestue, and the production of “The Poplar Grove Ladies Club”. It was a very busy year with all of these activities but it was also a very rewarding and successful year.

For museum events, education programs, tours, information, etc. check our website at www.dicksonstoremuseum.com. We invite you to come to opening day, May 18, to view our exhibits, meet the staff and enjoy complimentary homemade goodies and refreshments.