The year end Society Activities report as presented at the Annual Membership Meeting
January 22, 2019 * * 2018 End of Year Report
Membership: Membership List 2018 -143 members; Membership List 2019 -168 members
Fundraising: Memberships; 2018 Calendars; Fundraising Dinner; Gift Shop; Continued and increasing support from Boundary County Commissioners and Glenda Poston, Clerk
Facilities: Repairs were made to the roof; installed lighting over outdoor Agricultural Exhibit; Repairs made on 2 large cracks in the stucco facade on the north outside wall
Special Projects/Grants:
Six-foot long framed historic photos (from Aiken’s Grocery) placed on display (on loan) in local businesses- JB’s Tire and Automotive, Inc; Boundary County Courthouse; City of Bonners Ferry; Kootenai River Brewing Company; The Plaza Downtown; and Boundary Tractor Co.
Two “Round Tables” of the agriculture community and the Idaho Humanities Council Grant committee -held in February and April in preparation of the “Agriculture in Boundary County” interpretive panels
A total of 113 4th grade students visited the Museum in late May and early June for their annual tour
Partnered with Idaho State Historical Society and The Kootenai Tribe of Idaho- Photo display at the Idaho State Museum in Boise; a financial gift of $100 was made to the new Museum in Boise in honor of the Kootenai Tribe; the State Museum opened its doors in October, 2018- the Society received an invitation and were pleased that Tribal Chairman Gary Aitken, Jr. attended.
Partnered with The Bonners Ferry Herald for “Do You Remember” and “This Week in History” articles
Donated 2 framed photos, a History Book, a 2018 Calendar, and a Gift Membership for the Community Breakfast Auction sponsored by Bonners Ferry Rotary Club
Purchased BOSE Sound System using funds from 2017 Fund Raising Dinner
Partnered with the Daughters of American Revolution and the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho for a new stone marker to be placed at the site of the existing Wild Horse Trail sign near the Golf Course
Volunteer, Randy Cummings assisted the Laherty Family in replacing the grave marker of Charles Laherty d. 1898, the first burial in Copeland Cemetery
Programs:
Spin-Ins – 5 were hosted throughout the year
March 4th “Idaho Day” -113 fourth grade students performed an Archaeology Dig
April – Education Committee visited all 4th graders in local elementary schools for “The Mr. Bonner Story” -113 students involved
Free First Saturdays – June through October
Opening Day Program- May 5th -“Remembering 1918”- wall display of photos and information, a WWI program narrated by Howard Kent; period games, stories and a cake walk for children; lunch consisting of “Doughboy Stew” (served up by Howard Kent, Vic White, and Dave Gray), beer bread, “Soldier Biscuits”, and cake
May /June – 4th grade school tours involving 5 classrooms and 113 students, plus teachers and aides, bus drivers, and adult helpers
June – Dedication of “Agriculture in Boundary County” – grant from Idaho Humanities Council and Boundary County
July – Kootenai River Days -100 Gift Bags were assembled for visitors All-Class Reunion activities for the classes of 1968 and 1978
September – CCC Program – “The CCC in Idaho: Building Our State While Supporting People in Hard Times,”- made possible by the Idaho Humanities Council Speakers Bureau, featuring Dr. Patricia Hart and Ivar Nelson
Copeland Cemetery Walk-partnered with Copeland Cemetery Association for an historic tour
October -Fundraising Dinner – “A Little Taste of Germany” – Auction by John Sater; net proceeds $8,920.65
November – Hosted P.E.O. Chapter AP at the Museum with program on Drainage Districts by Terry Howe
Partnered with Idaho State Historical Society and The Kootenai Tribe of Idaho for a banner project at the Capitol Building in Boise: theme “My Town Idaho” – submitted an image of a painting by Joseph Tomelleri of The Kootenai White Sturgeon
Partnered with Bonners Books for a book release program -The Dreamer and the Doctor, by Jack Nisbet
December – Completed 1 year of ‘This Week in History” article, partnering with the Bonners Ferry Herald; will continue through 2019
Museum Collection: 2018- Boundary County Museum Collections
Donors; 108 Accessions inventoried (objects, photos, books, archival papers): 682
Past Perfect Program (objects, photos, books, archival papers): 34,045
Of Special Interest Donations:
Rug made by Iva Doll on her loom (which is used to make rugs for Gift Shop)
Antique Wooden Case from DeHart’s Drug Store – from Mandy’s Gift Gallery
Pink Depression Era Dish Set that Eveline Ruhberg purchased piece by piece as a young girl
Dr. Thomas A. Bishop Photograph Album, donated by John Sater
Museum Statistics: 2018
Contracted with Marty Huddleston for janitorial work
Volunteers: 30 Volunteer Hours: 1,965 hours
Visitors to Museum: Total -1,656 (Students-221/BoCo-395/ld-223/OutState-725/OutCountry-92)
Admission Fee: $2,617 Donations and Donation Box: $773.63
First Saturdays-Free Day for Visitors-Sponsored by: Cal and Barbara Russell, Dave and DottieGray, Vic and Donna White, Marj Pinkerton, and Howard and Donna Kent
Groups Visiting the Museum: P.E.O., Chapter AP; All Class Reunion visitors; KV Mennonite 5th& 6th Graders; Bonners Ferry Rotary Club; Classes of 1949,1968 and 1978; Girl Scouts of America