Report of the Winkler Heritage Society
to the Manitoba Mennonite Historical Society
At its Annual General Meeting on March 16, 2009. sixteen of the eighty paid-up members of the Winkler Heritage Society heard a review of the Societys activities during 2008. The annual banquet focused on the community's heritage of music and music-making. Displays included instruments and band uniforms of the past, along with festival syllabi and past programs. Past chair, Ellie Reimer, referred to some artifacts already received which included several of K. H. Neufelds instruments. She also challenged members to keep the dream of a Winkler Museum alive, an item that has been on the agenda since the Society was formed. Reimer also reported on her new exciting project of starting a Junior Heritage Club of Grade VI boys (no girls so far) at the Emerado Centennial School in Winkler which meets once a week over the noon hour.
The auditor, Scott Beattie, reported an accumulated surplus of almost $12,800.00 and a copy of the audited statement was sent to the City of Winkler to verify the nature of the Societys expenditures, with a request for continued funding for the coming year.
As for inventory, Abe Suderman estimated the value of books, equipment, placemats, etc. to be at $4,191.50.
One hundred twenty copies of the Societys Newsletter, Heritage Happenings, are distributed every quarter. It has also published the first volume of 71 stories of I Remember When written by 96-year-old Winkler resident John J. Elias, and is in the process of publishing a second volume.
A rent-free room of some 500 square feet in the Winkler Centennial Library has been given to the Society for its archives until that space will be needed by the library. Archivist, Ed Falk, is busy cataloguing the materials contributed; while Grace Schellenberg is there on Wednesdays from 3:00 to 5:00 pm.(or by appointment) to welcome visitors, show them around and help with research.
Of ongoing interest is the 1.2 million dollar joint project of the City of Winkler and the Society of developing the Bethel Heritage Park on the site of the former Bethel Hospital. Besides several cairns, visitors will be able to pause on their walk to read the story boards throughout the park which will tell little bits of Winklers history and heritage. A special attraction will be a fountain in the centre of the park with a height of 18 feet and a diameter of 30 feet at its base. The fountain will feature two sets of 4 cherubs strategically placed representing angelic virtues (based on Ezekiel chapters 1 and 10). Added to that will be a statue of Jacobs angel - the Angel of
Peace.
Coming up in 2009, the Society is planning a fund-raiser for the Bethel Heritage Park on Thursday, May 14, 2009 with guests Felix Kuehn and the Red Coat Band.
For more information visit the Societys website:
http://www.winklerheritagesociety.ca
Respectfully
submitted,
Jerry
Hildebrand, chairman