Village News

The Mennonite Heritage Village is a not-for-profit organization which operates for the benefit of our community. Every dollar that is generated through admissions sales, through meeting room rentals, in the restaurant, in the General Store, and at Village Books and Gifts, is used to pay utilities, to clear snow off the parking lot, to mow the grass and trim the trees, to pay our staff who coordinate all maintenance and activities, to repair and maintain the heritage buildings on our property, and to create programs and events which are enjoyed by all ages throughout the year.

Besides on-site sales, MHV also applies for grants from various government agencies. Some of these are one-time opportunities to spearhead a project, like the thatched roof that was redone on the Waldheim House in 2017, or the restoration of the pond shoreline a few years ago, and the renewal of the 30-year-old Village Centre flat roof in 2018/2019. We are thankful that the federal government, provincial government and local municipal governments value and support culture and heritage organizations as we preserve and exhibit the stories and artefacts that have shaped our communities.

The remainder of our budget, approximately 25%, comes in the form of donations. We are extremely grateful to the many businesses in our community who continue to support our award-winning exhibits, our education programs for schools, our pioneer demonstrations at events, and our preservation of heritage buildings and commemorative sites. Businesses understand the importance of MHV as a place for the community to gather, to reflect and to be inspired to work for better neighbourhoods and for caring communities.

With all this activity at MHV and all these various forms of support from governments and companies, where do you and I fit into the picture? With over 200 volunteers on our grounds and in our buildings each year, many of you donate your time, skills, and your experiences. Without these contributions, MHV would feel empty. Volunteers welcome all community members to share stories and experiences throughout the year and to learn about the community that we all call home.

However, we also appreciate every one of you who sends us an annual donation. You help us to complete the financial picture each year when you include Mennonite Heritage Village in your year end giving plan. Whether the gift is $50 or $100, or whether it is $500 or $1000, each of you is a part of what makes MHV an important pillar of our community.

With the continuing postal strike, you may be wondering how to get your donation to us before December 31. The easiest way is to go to our website (mhv.ca ), find the donate button on the top of the page and enter your information in the secure portal. A second way to donate is to call us and ask reception to process your donation over the phone with a credit card. Your donation receipt will be sent in the mail after December 31. Our favourite way of handling donations is by seeing you, when you drop by our front desk between the hours of 9am and 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday. We appreciate your support and want to thank you in person. There is a common saying, ‘it takes a village…’, and we truly believe that it takes all members of our community to fulfil our museum mission and to continue to be a strong supporter of a caring and growing city and region.