Newsletter

June 2020 Newsletter

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JUNE 2020

After being closed for ten weeks, our doors are open again. Hand sanitizer stations are available throughout the facility, along with masks and gloves for those who want to use them. Social distancing spaces are marked off and we will take every precaution we can to provide a safe environment for our visitors. Hands-on exhibits have been covered, but there are still plenty of interesting areas to enjoy for the first time – or again, if you are a repeat visitor.

The Attic Treasures display in the temporary gallery had just been opened shortly before we closed the doors, so it remains in place, and is a fun stroll through many items that have been tucked away in our storage units; some never before displayed. Do come by and see what we found in our own "attic."

Although our visitors truly enjoyed the jigsaw puzzles set up in the foyer, that little diversion has been temporarily suspended. Once it is safe for things such as that to be handled, we'll get a puzzle going again for those of you who are puzzle people.

This is the weekend originally scheduled for the all-school reunion – an event we were so looking forward to. Those five-year reunions have brought many former Scott County students to our galleries, giving us a chance to enjoy old friends and make new ones. Well, another year – maybe it will be all the sweeter for having to wait.

Other activities here and around the community have been cancelled or postponed. The end of school tours we usually enjoy in May were, of course, cancelled, along with some scheduled historic sites bus tours, and the summer programs for kids here at the museum.

We recently received a one hundred dollar grant from Midwest Energy, designated for the summer kid's program. Those funds will be used for summer programs next year. Our sincere thanks to Midwest Energy.

We also want to thank the family of Lloyd K. Fouser for designating the Scott County Historical Society as the recipient of his memorial funds. We are so honored to receive such gifts, and give much consideration to how those special funds may best be used. Thank you, Darrell and Celia.

Our condolences to the family of Juanita Janssen, who passed away in March. Juanita was a long-time and faithful member of the historical society, giving generously of her time, talent and resources.

A special thanks to those of you who have included over-and-above amounts in your membership dues checks. We are so grateful for your support. We want you to know that our excellent staff did not go unpaid through the weeks we were closed. Those employees are much too valuable to risk losing. And each of them continued to do as much work as possible at home and here at the museum. Nothing was neglected even though the galleries were closed.

The annual meeting of the historical society, scheduled for April 19th, was cancelled, along with that program we were looking forward to; the portrayal of Abraham Lincoln, by member, Tim Rust. We'll try to reschedule that meeting this fall. So much depends on the health of our county, state and nation!

These past months have been challenging, to say the least. Isn't it interesting, that almost overnight we went from "Where does the time go?" to "How can each day last so long?" Never have so many closets been cleaned out, so many photographs catalogued, so many new recipes tried out! And maybe you have finally found time to read that book you've wanted to read, call that long-neglected friend, write an actual snail-mail letter. Scott County has remained almost free of this devastating virus. We have been and continue to be so very blessed.

Wash your hands, keep social distances, stay well.

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