It has been a very busy year at the Boundary Museum now located at the beautiful Fructova heritage site.
Our community was very fortunate to be able to employ three students, Robin Sandhu, Lindsay Savitskoff and Alia Popoff with funding through the Young Canada Works program.
Robin and Lindsay worked at the museum and Alia spent the majority of her time working on the community archives, located in the lower level of Grand Forks City Hall.
All three helped out at the heritage flour mill and the Christina Lake Welcome Centre and all did an amazing job.
The beginning of the season saw staff at the museum giving tours to many school groups. This included among other things, washing clothes on a washboard to learn how their great grandmother’s may have done it, also attempting to pull a long bow to discover a traditional way of hunting by First Nations people.
A live demonstration of the outdoor brick oven, complete with wood fire, was always given and the favorite treat was the freshly cooked cinnamon buns.
We have had hundreds of guests coming through our doors from all corners of the world, a majority of them keenly interested in learning more about the Doukhobor culture.
We entertained children of all ages in our tipi at the Christina Lake Welcome Centre, as we hosted our cultural days there. One of the most popular activities quickly became jam making – one way to preserve fruit and it goes so well with bannock or Russian bread.
As a result of a grant of $5,000 from the Grand Forks Credit Union, we were able to put the finishing touches on our new shade house and oven house extension.
Both buildings have been used extensively this year to host events such as educational activities for adults and children, our first wedding, the Amanda Thate concert, the Red Hat ladies, a memorial, the Fructova School reunion and several teas and luncheons.
We also hosted guests from the Hardyview and Boundary Lodges, who enjoyed reminiscing over lunch while listening to music on a 1915 phonograph. As well, we used the phonograph when we hosted over 40 former students and guests at the aforementioned Fructova School reunion. We hope to make this an annual event.
It is evident that our guests enjoyed themselves as much as we did by their comments in our guest book: “Lovely!” “Wonderful!” “What a Gem!” “Thank You!” “Great Displays!” “Great local history!”
If you did not make it to the Boundary Museum this year, please make it a destination for next year.
The Boundary Museum closed for the season on Sept. 29 however it will remain open “by appointment” for you and your guests.
Please call Lawrence at 250-666-0565 to book your appointment.
– Submitted by Wendy Bedard, co-ordinator Boundary Museum