MEADOW LAKE — The Meadow Lake Museum members hosted the North West Museums Association spring meeting May 5.
In attendance were 47 members representing 12 of the 15 museums belonging to the association. Represented were Glaslyn, St. Walburg, Turtleford, Frenchman Butte, Lashburn, Maidstone, Neilburg, Wilkie, Loon Lake, Goodsoil, Rabbit Lake and Meadow Lake. Not represented were Bresaylor, Cut Knife and Unity.
At the registration table were Millie Henderson and Beatrice Skopyk.
A guided tour of the Meadow Lake Museum’s main building and a building housing antique machinery was given.
We then adjourned downtown to the seniors’ clubroom for a meal catered by the centre members. Western music was supplied by 93-year-old Wilf Morgenstern on the keyboard. He was accompanied by Dennis Lehoux, Larry Eback and Dave Moore.
Networkers Laura Heilman of Wilkie and Meadow Lake chairman Jack Moffet welcomed all to the meeting.
On behalf of the City of Meadow Lake, Deputy Mayor Merlin Seymour gave a brief history and welcomed us. The first Hudson’s Bay post in the area was opened in 1873 by the Cyprien Morin family. It burned down in 1919. When the land was opened up for settlers, the settlement became a village in 1931. With the coming of the railroad, nine elevators were built. They were dismantled in the 1990s.
Each member introduced themselves and provided one word that described what their museum means to them.
Gwen Zwiefel presented a poem, which she wrote, entitled What it Means to be a Museum Volunteer. Everyone signed the printout and it will be sent to the Museums Association of Saskatchewan, which has all paid workers.
Zwiefel gave a report on the progress of the book Women of Influence.
Delegates for the Museums Association of Saskatchewan convention in Humboldt were named.
A time for problem solving and sharing of fundraising ideas followed.
Special events at the various museums this summer were announced, as members support one another whenever possible.
