In this week’s update: Community Service Program tax credits grant for Swedish Pavilion fully used, next Swedish Genealogy Workshop a week from Saturday, Smithsonian Democracy in Dialogue program, and more!
In this update, keep up to date on what staff and volunteers at the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum are working on to lift up the history of Lindsborg and the surrounding region. This weekly update both looks back at what happened and looks ahead at what’s coming.
For October 20-26, 2025:
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A big THANK YOU to everyone who has donated to or supported our Community Service Program tax credits grant, as we have now FULLY used this grant opportunity through the Kansas Department of Commerce!
Last week, new contributions to the “Raise the Roof” portion of the 1904 World’s Fair Swedish Pavilion repairs fundraising campaign meant that we have completed our grant – originally awarded to the museum in summer 2024. Overall, this opportunity has raised $240,541.15 for repairs and improvements to the Pavilion. Individuals and families who donated generously after staff phone calls to them put us over the top.
Contributions under the grant paid for critical structural repairs (costing $151,500), allowing us to safely reopen the Pavilion to the public in summer 2025. This also brings us about halfway toward the funds we will need under the “Raise the Roof” campaign to repair the Pavilion’s roof in a more durable and historically accurate way.
If you would like to help with Raise the Roof, you can learn more at www.oldmillmuseum.org/raise-the-roof.
We have several recognition reward levels available: These include recognition on our website and an invitation to a special VIP event once all of the funds needed for the roof (at $100 or more) and opportunities to have a “roof tile” with custom wording added to a permanent honor wall (at $1,000 or more)!
Finally, it is possible that in November the Department of Commerce may reallocate tax credit grant funds from other organizations that have not fully used their grant to us. If this happens, we may be able to offer more tax credits under the grant for donations made before December 31, 2025. Keep following us here for more information if that becomes available!
- The next daylong Online Swedish Genealogy Workshop on Saturday, November 8 is open and available for registrations (THAT’S JUST A WEEK FROM THIS SATURDAY!)
Also, we are excited to be opening registration for the first “Discover Your Past” Virtual Genealogy Workshop, set for Saturday, January 31, 2026!
Rather than the usual focus on Swedish genealogy research resources, this time the sessions will be able to apply to any genealogy or family research, regardless of country background! Museum members can register with a $20 discount. We hope you can join us!
- We are excited to be officially named to take part in the Smithsonian Institution’s Democracy in Dialogue Virtual Exchange Program! You can read more about the program HERE and keep watching these updates for upcoming details coming soon on the specifics of our participation.
- We will be hosting the McPherson County Chamber Connections meeting on this Thursday, October 30 in the Swedish Pavilion!
- We held our Volunteer Social last Friday, with about a dozen valued museum volunteers in attendance to celebrate their amazing contributions to the continued operations of the museum.
- We made a donation request for improvement to the Swedish Pavilion flower beds.
- We received a $500 grant from the Kansas Museums Association, which will go to repairs on the Swedish Pavilion porches. As part of this project, we are looking for a company willing to donate their time to pressure wash the porches and a paint company willing to donate deck paint.
- Aubrey worked on two upcoming grant applications, and also worked on overall grant and fundraising planning.
- Aubrey ordered and reordered gift shop merchandise to replenish the shelves after a successful Svensk Hyllningsfest weekend.
- Adam updated events on the website as well as updating information on the Raise the Roof area of the website.
- Adam briefly researched potential grant opportunities from a private foundation.
- Tyler continued working on scanning historic publications.
- Staff held their weekly team meeting on Tuesday.
- Adam helped with creating a coupon to bring as a door prize for Lenora to bring to a genealogy conference in Utah happening this week.
- Adam prepared and sent an online gift shop book order.
- Lenora helped several people interested in historical and genealogy research, including: a Zoom Swedish Genealogy tutorial with a Svensk Hyllningsfest workshop participant, assisting a Hyllningsfest visitor from New Mexico with museum archives research, and making copies of a school history for an individual researching the Mt. Hope District 64 one-room school.
- Lenora attended weekly coffee at Sunflower Terrace for continued community outreach.
- Lenora has continued working on an indexing project under contract with ArkivDigital.
- Need a great gift for the genealogist or history enthusiast in your life? You can now purchase a gift certificate good for a free registration to one of the museum’s Online Swedish Genealogy Workshops anytime in 2025 ($50) or a 2025 Pursuing YOUR Past presentation ($10). Your gift recipient will receive a one-time-use code by email or mail good to pay for the registration fee for one of these popular sessions!
Thank you to our weekly volunteers!
Last week, volunteers included Leland Nelson, Betty Amos, Pete Peterson, Karmon Almquist, Julie Ann Neywick, Jerry Hammerton, Teagen Miller and Kylan Lindquist!