Village News

The Morning Show hosts on AM 1250 like to play a game they call “The Radio Edition of Did You Know.” With apologies to Michelle, Al and Jayme, I’d like to play a round of “The Village News Edition of Did You Know.”

Did you know…that Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV) can issue a charitable-donation receipt for the donation of an artifact? For example, if someone donates a car that has a significant Mennonite story attached to it and has a substantial economic value, it would be seen as an in-kind donation. In such a situation we would invite the donor to have the car appraised by a certified appraiser. MHV would then purchase the car for the appraised value, and the donor would make an equivalent donation to the museum. The cash donation would then be eligible for a charitable-donation receipt. While many artifact donations have significant historical value, rarely is the economic value worthy of a charitable-donation receipt.

This is also a valid way to make other donations to the museum. If someone wishes to donate hay for our livestock, we will exchange cheques and issues a receipt for the donation.

Did you know…that MHV takes artifacts on loan? Our collection includes a number of artifacts that the owners are not prepared to part with permanently but, for a variety of reasons, chose to leave the item in the care of our curators. We typically write loan agreements spanning three to five years so that we are obliged to maintain contact with the owner to renew the agreements from time to time. Some valuable pieces have been added to our collection in this way.

Did you know…that you can enjoy lunch at the Livery Barn Restaurant (LBR) without necessarily paying admission to the Village? Guests who come only to eat lunch are not expected to pay the usual admission fee. This practice is designed to give local people the opportunity to enjoy the change of scenery that a stroll down the Village Main Street offers en route to a fine lunch at the LBR. If guests then decide to tour the village after lunch, we ask that they pay admission on their way out. We enjoy seeing local people bring their out-of-town guests to enjoy this unique experience.

Did you know…that the former “West Reserve” will celebrate its 140th anniversary this summer on Saturday, July 18? Mennonite settlers first came from the Chortitza and Fürstland areas of Russia to this region west of the Red River in 1875. Within two years, 25 villages were established here. Today the area includes Altona, Plum Coulee, Winkler and quite a number of those original villages.

Did you know…that there are a number of ways to ensure that one’s estate makes a significant donation to support the work of MHV? A very simple option is to include MHV as a beneficiary in one’s will. A common method is to allocate a percent of the proceeds of one’s estate to charity, to as many organizations as one wishes to support. Another method is to include a charity as a “son” or “daughter.” For example, in a situation where one’s family is grown and independent, someone who has three children might specify that the estate is to be divided into four equal portions, one for each child and one for the charity.

Life insurance is another option. One can purchase a life insurance policy naming MHV as the beneficiary. While it is impossible to predict when this benefit will be available to MHV, one can be assured that it will be a significant amount.

There are many other things to be learned at MHV. One good way to learn more about our work is to register as an MHV volunteer. Check out the “Involvement” section of our website for volunteer opportunities.