It was a jam-packed and celebratory Canada Day weekend for the Wallaceburg & District Museum.
Not only did the Museum host Wallaceburg’s Canada Day festivities on July 1, the group also commemorated their 40th anniversary throughout the weekend as well.
A 40th anniversary dinner was held in the Jeanne Gordon hall on Saturday, June 29, 2024.
“The Wallaceburg & District Museum was started 40 years ago after the Town of Wallaceburg made a deal with Wallaceburg Hydro to purchase this building for about $1, so it could be used to house the Museum,” Henry Vanharen, president of the Wallaceburg & District Historical Society, said during a speech at the dinner.
“It was the fulfillment of a dream of the Wallaceburg & District Historical Society for several years to finally have a place to house the collection that had been growing for many years. Previous to purchasing the building, they had permission to store a lot of their artifacts here in the building anyway.”
Vanharen said it was “really great” to see a lot of the past volunteers, as well as their current volunteers and staff at the dinner.
“We are not here to celebrate 40 years, we are here to celebrate and acknowledge the people that have made it all happen,” he said.
“I have recently been reading and digitizing the meeting minutes and compiling a list of the board members, executive and staff and found the list extensive and full of dedicated people that came together, laid out their plans and made great things happen. Many of these people came from varying backgrounds and may not have realized what it took to form a board, make motions, hold AGMs and work with all levels of government. Even without experience, they were able to get the job done and form the foundation to what we enjoy today.
Vanharen added: “I myself fall into this category of inexperience in this position and know that it is not an easy task, but the task is necessary.”
Vanharen said combing through the minutes has made him “realize and appreciate” what all of the volunteers do for the Museum, the Historical Society and the community they serve.
“This speech would go on for hours if I had to name all of the people that I’ve look up on our meeting minutes, there are so many that have provided countless hours over their time here,” he said.
“The results of their work is evident in what we have here. The comments by our visitors reinforced the fact that this is a gem in the community’s eyes. I know as well that we must thank the Municipality and Council for their contributions over the years and hope to continue this relationship for many more.
Vanharen added: “In closing, I’d like to personally thank each and every one of our current staff members and volunteers and all of the previous volunteers that have worked here at the Museum. Even though we don’t always see eye to eye, we do find a way to go forward for the good of the Museum and the community.”
Before the dinner, a ceremony was held outside of the Museum to unveil a brand new bench. Have a look at the video, below:
Here are some photos of the bench unveiling and dinner:
A couple days later, the Museum hosted entertainment, vendors and children’s activities for the town’s Canada Day festivities.
Have a look at the photos, below:
Follow the Wallaceburg & District Museum on their official website https://www.wallaceburgmuseum.ca/.
