As the busy season kicks off at the Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV), the museum is putting out a call for volunteers to help keep things running smoothly.
Program Coordinator Jaysa Thiessen says there are a variety of volunteer roles available, many of which do not require any historical knowledge.
“You can help with admissions, you can help park vehicles, you can drive a barrel train, you can work in a food booth, sell tickets for the barrel train. We have tons of positions that don't require any knowledge of the Mennonites or history in general.”
For the roles that do require some training, MHV is hosting several orientation sessions this week to help new volunteers get started.
The first session takes place tonight, June 3, and focuses on the blacksmith shop.
“They fully operate the forge depending on their skill and previous history with working in a blacksmith forge, so they'll get the fire going in there and they'll be working on a project that they maybe bring from home or a project that we specifically ask them to be working on there. They stick their gear right in the fire and it's hot and they're pounding it, and people love watching it,” Thiessen says.
This position is ideal for those with prior experience or a strong interest in learning how to operate a traditional forge.
“We provide the hands-on training for that. That's what our training session is. The experienced volunteers are there operating the forge, showing the new volunteers what to do and then if a new volunteer wants to come at an event day, we'll have them shadow an experienced volunteer for the first couple of times till they get their feet under them and then they're free to go and we'll have them in those spots by themselves once they're confident.”
On June 4, MHV will host a training session for tour guides. Thiessen notes that much of the learning for this role happens on the job.
“We have a tour guide handbook that runs through all of the buildings that we have on our grounds. It lays out various facts about the building itself, the specific one that we have on our grounds, but then also general history about how this specific building was important for Mennonite communities.”
Thiessen explains that many tour guides also bring a personal touch to their tours.
“Their own personal history that they throw in as they're touring the group around, stuff like that. So that's really neat, and that's a personal thing that some people bring when they come and volunteer as a tour guide.”
The final training session takes place on June 5 and will focus on the printery.
“That is when new volunteers will learn how to operate our turn-of-the-century printing press. So they've got all the ink there and they have all the type that they set up into some sort of design that they want to print and then the training evening is showing them how to set up the printing press, get it all ready and then actually operate it and be printing things on the machine, and then obviously the clean-up process as well.”
Thiessen encourages everyone to consider volunteering, highlighting the impact and joy it can bring.
“It's a way to use your time really well to support a local organization like the Mennonite Heritage Village and it's just fun, and it's so much fun to be part of a community who is all working towards the same goal at the Mennonite Heritage Village.”
She also points out that volunteers are well-appreciated at MHV.
“All of our volunteers, when they come on an event day, they work their shift, two to three hour shift and then they'll receive a $10 meal voucher that they can use at any of the food booths that are open that day.”
The perks don’t stop there as volunteers get free admission for the rest of the event.
“So, you work Pioneer Days, your little shift, you go grab lunch and then you enjoy the rest of the day at the museum, wandering around, enjoying the event.,” says Thiessen.
All training sessions begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Mennonite Heritage Village. For more information or to sign up as a volunteer, visit mhv.ca or call 204-326-9661.
With files from Carly Koop