Village News

Born into the world – a blanket swaddles us.
Tottering, falling, walking – a blankie accompanies us.
Playing and building – a stack of blankets become our fort.
Moving out to a dorm – we remember our blanket.
Running to escape a fire – a blanket is put on our shoulders.
Flying on a long trip – a blanket is passed to us.
And at the end of life – the blanket is what we touch last.
Through cycles of generations – quilts carry rich memories.

No wonder providing blankets to the world became a major project, year after year, for the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). People in need and people in trauma need blankets! Weighted blankets have recently become popular to help people deal with stress. Mennonites have always loved quilts and big blankets.

This year we are honoured to give tribute to the MCC Centennial with its very own exhibit in our Gerhard Ens gallery at the Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV). So much good has been done in the world through MCC: foodbanks, thrift shops, blanket drives, refugee legislation, overseas development work and so much more.

“Since 1920, MCC has worked with the church, partner organizations and supporters. We share God’s love and compassion by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice. We started by helping families affected by war and famine in southern Russia (present-day Ukraine). We now work in more than 50 countries around the world.” (mcccanada.ca)

Mennonite Heritage Village is also thankful for our own quilting ladies. We miss seeing them every week working on beautiful handmade quilts in our quilting room. When this pandemic is over make sure you hear their stories that tell of the beauty and importance of quilts.

Currently we are planning a virtual Spring Gala Fundraiser to celebrate the grand-opening of the MCC Centennial exhibit, with speeches from MCC leadership and the premier of a short film about Steinbach and Mennonite community entitled ‘Belong’. It will be a good time to get your weighted blanket or quilt and sit back and enjoy a local Spring Gala from your couch. More information to come. Keep those donations coming! This is a hard time for all museums, especially big ones. We do hope to open our grounds in May.