A Farewell -

April 18, 2024

By Gary Dyck

Hello, fellow wayfarers! It has been a wonderful, busy five years for me as Executive Director of Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV). Unfortunately, my time here at MHV is coming to a close this week. I am so thankful for this role I had in the community, for the great people I have met along the way and the work we accomplished.

Personal highlights of my past five years include:

– The ‘All My Relations’ initiative which is helping MHV and our constituency to connect better with our neighbours, to be a more socially engaged organization.

– The ‘Well-being’ initiative which is improving our green spaces, making our pond with its new trail, large fountain and trees a destination for visitors. Also, the thousands of free passes we have provided low-income families and other non-profits that work with the vulnerable so that they could have times of rejuvenation here. I would even add ‘Winter in the Village’ to this initiative as it provides a satisfying and grounding way for people to get outdoors and ‘take in’ our village setting during winter.

– The restoration projects. The expertise in keeping our 30+ heritage buildings and monuments looking good is amazing. I loved seeing a retired sawyer and his coffee shop friends exuberantly restore our World War Two-era sawmill during my first year here.

– People. I loved working with MHV staff and volunteers to host festivals for 1000s of people (ie. Canada Day) or just running into one of you in the village and chatting about our heritage and personal connections.

I hope we keep running into each other in the coming years and keep helping our village along. It is worth it! Please keep supporting MHV and the precious role it has in our world. MHV’s volunteer orientation is April 25^th, and then the outdoor village buildings and restaurant open to the public again on May 1^st.

Upcoming Events:

Book Launch – “On Stony Ground: Russländer Mennonites and the Rebuilding of Community in Grunthal” by James Urry, April 18, 7pm. James Urry’s new ethnographic publication is for anyone interested in how people adapt and rebuild their lives in times of great upheaval. Come and enjoy a lively presentation by James Urry, livestreamed from New Zealand with opportunity for questions and refreshments.

Volunteer Orientation, April 25, 6pm. Ever wonder what it takes to run a printing press? Want to learn how to churn butter or bake bread in a brick oven? Whether serving ice cream in the short order booth, face painting, or blacksmithing, we have plenty of unique volunteer opportunities for you to explore. This is your chance to try something new! Join us for a BBQ at 6pm with a brief orientation of the volunteer opportunities to follow. New and returning volunteers are welcome – bring a friend!

MHV Spring Market, April 27, 10am – 4pm. Join us for our first Spring Market at Mennonite Heritage Village! Explore the work of local artisans and creators. There will be a lunch canteen, wagon rides and kids activities! If you are a vendor, space is limited to between 25-30 booths, so please contact giftshop@mhv.ca or call 204-326-9661 for details about reserving a booth.

It Takes a Village… Spring Gala 2024, May 24^th. Celebrate the MHV’s 60^th anniversary and the 150^th anniversary of Mennonites in Manitoba by contributing to this ongoing legacy. Tickets are on sale now at www.mhv.ca

Upcoming Events:

Mennonite Village Photography Exhibit, open now till summer 2024. See a beautiful collection of never-before-seen photographs left behind by four Manitoba Mennonite photographers who lived and worked in the early twentieth century. The images are from glass and film negatives from 1890 to 1940. After being scanned and given a new life in print, the photos provide a clear view into Mennonite life and early settlement in Manitoba.