Cindy McDonald officially stepped into her role as community engagement coordinator/ fundraising manager at Fort la Reine Museum earlier this month. Though only a few weeks in, McDonald is already settling into the position and is eager to make a difference in the Portage la Prairie community.
“The first couple of weeks have been great,” says McDonald. “It's been a little bit of a learning curve trying to learn everything about the museum. As many times as I've been here in the past, I didn't know everything, so I’m learning a lot.”
Connecting with the community
McDonald’s new position focuses on promotion and fundraising for a variety of museum projects that are now gaining momentum.
“My job is going to be helping to promote the museum, get out in the community to talk about what's happening here, and to raise money for some of our major projects,” she notes.
She adds that two major restoration efforts are on the radar for the next couple of years.
“We’re going to be rebuilding the trapper’s cabin and the trading post. There are so many other things that need restoration here as well, but those are the two major projects for 2025 and 2026.”
Having volunteered at the museum before, McDonald already has a connection to the space, but stepping into an official position has given her a new perspective.
“I’m learning so much about what goes on here, and Emma is amazing,” says McDonald. “She has so many visions for this place, and she worked hard to get this new position, so I'm excited to work with her, and I think we can do great things for Fort la Reine.”
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More hands, more progress
For the Executive Director, Emma Ens-MacIver, having a second staff member on board brings renewed energy and opportunity to the team.
“Being able to take a step forward in the summer rather than a step back is going to be huge,” says Ens-MacIver. “I have more optimism going into this year than I have in the past because we did receive the extra funding to hire a second person, which I just think is very overdue here. It's given me a bit of restored energy and optimism. Now I feel that during the operating season, we can really move forward and be prepared for our off-season too.”
With the museum now open for the season, McDonald is excited to take on a visible role in outreach and community engagement.
“I am looking forward to helping Emma, taking a lot off her plate, and hopefully getting us some more visitors. There are a lot of people in this area who have never been, and it is one of the coolest places in Portage, so I’m just hoping to promote this place, raise money for our projects, and make Fort la Reine even better than it already is.”
With new leadership support in place and big projects on the horizon, Fort la Reine Museum is setting the stage for an exciting chapter. The team’s shared excitement is already setting a positive tone for what promises to be a strong year ahead.
“We have changes coming, but they’re all good things designed to bring more people in. So, keep your eye on our website and newsletter. I think it’s going to be a good year!”