Welcome to February and this week’s “Monday Morning Museum Update”! Keep up to date on what staff and volunteers at the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum are doing in your community every day in celebrating the history of Lindsborg and the surrounding region.
This weekly update both looks back at what happened last week and looks ahead at what’s coming.
Upcoming and news:
-The big news this week is that Kansas Heritage Trust Fund grants were announced on Saturday; and the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum has been awarded $87,350! There were 36 applications, and the museum was one of just seven that were selected for the grant. This will help fund critical restoration to the Old Mill’s exterior brick work and drainage systems.
-Lindsborg Folkdanslag, is now hosting the Dance Basics Class in the Swedish Pavilion each Monday evening.
For January 30-February 5, 2023:
All Staff
- Attended AdHoc on Wednesday.
- Traveled on a “staff field trip” to make connections and develop new ideas at the Kauffman Museum and the Harvey County Historical Museum in Newton.
- Met with Paul Blodgett, Project Manager at the Hal Ross Flour Mill under the Kansas State University Milling Department. Staff received a tour of the educational mill and were able to discuss future partnerships.
- Attended a webinar on the SPRINT grant process through the Kansas Department of Commerce and planned out what projects we’ll seek funding for under the grants.
- Attended the first “fundraising bootcamp” with CKA Coaching.
Lenora Lynam, Executive Director
- Presented the case for receiving the Heritage Trust Fund grant on Friday.
- Organized a special mill committee to brainstorm ways to promote the Old Mill in the agricultural and milling communities and to connect with possible corporate sponsors.
- Coordinated with the guttering contractor.
Caroline de Filippis, Community Development Director
- Processed new donations and memberships.
(January 24-27)
- Communication with CVB, K-State’s Department of Architectural Engineering & Construction Science, and Bethany College on future partnership programs.
- Arranging food trucks for Millfest.
- Met with Lindsborg Cultural Directors Group and set up shared Google tools for the group.
- Communication with McPherson County representative.
- Prepare reports summary for the Board of Directors Meeting
(January 31-February 3)
- Attend webinar on building a fundraising board.
- Submit grant application to Kansas Musuems Association.
- Arrange for possible pickleball play during Svensk Hyllningsfest.
- Communicate with City of Lindsborg for permitting on a potential beer garden. Communicated with another representative on potential projects or partnerships under the SPRINT grant.
- Prepare Heritage Trust Fund Speech.
Adam Pracht, Marketing and Communications Director
- Social media posts.
- Interview for news release on a $20,000 grant.
- Arranged for two local high school history classes to visit this week.
- Created new signs for new gift shop items and new admission pricing.
- Prepared an annual report for the board of directors
- Prepared paperwork for listings in the Kansas Travel Guide.
- Created printable coloring pages for kids to enjoy.
Caroline and Lenora
- Met with representatives from The Land Institute on Millfest and future partnerships.
- Met with an artist on a proposed mural and garden project north of the museum building.
- Worked on sending out invitations to the Donor Reception on February 19.
- Complete internet provider switchover.
Volunteers
- Jerry Sperling, Cathy Ahlstedt, Ron Wilson, Julie Ann Neywick, Susan Achenbach, and Carol Gusenius – front desk coverage.
- Tom Holmquist – Tuesday and Wednesday morning – dismantling old and outdated exhibits in Academy Building storage.
- Amber Pracht – adding alternate text for new product pictures in the online gift shop.