By Jessica Gorman
Our museum plays an important role in our community. It’s so much more than a building with some exhibits and those exhibits don’t tell a generic story of the past. They tell our story, the story of our history. As much as we want you to visit, to see our exhibits, to attend our speaker events, we also work hard to make sure that you are able to learn about that story no matter where you are whether through this column, our books, social media, our Flickr page, and our YouTube channel.
These things are all made possible because of the financial support of the community. We are deeply grateful for that support. I personally believe that our financial contributors deserve a tremendous amount of credit for the role they play in ensuring that our history is preserved. The only reason we are able to do this work is because our friends and neighbors and even people all across the country who faithfully contribute financial support to our mission. To each and every one of you, thank you!
Every year, I explain why our annual fundraiser gala is so important. I feel a little bit like a broken record every time I mention that the museum is a nonprofit organization, but that’s how this thing works. Currently, preserving our history comes at a cost of a little over $50,000 a year. Our gala brings in a large portion of that operational expense. All proceeds go directly to running the museum so that we can continue to preserve artifacts, photos, and documents. It makes it possible for us to plan speaker events, to publish books, to provide digital access to our resources, and to plan for the future. This gala is also an act of stewardship of every dollar that has ever been donated. It’s making good on the promise that we will continue the work of preserving our history.
This museum is not a static, stagnant thing. There is so much to do (I have quite the list), but before we do anything else, we have to pay the bills. Last year, we completed a large portion of our expansion project to create space for new exhibits. Those exhibits are on hold until we have the financial means to move forward. We also have an additional space to finish out with plans to convert it to a research library for public use. We are working to increase our capacity to preserve more of our history and to serve our community better, but every single decision starts by consulting our budget.
This year’s gala is a little over a month away. We invite you to the museum on Monday, September 14 at 6 p.m. for a night dedicated to providing the financial resources necessary to preserve our history. Once again, we’ll have a sweets ‘n treats auction featuring “Dr. Feelgood” Richard Campbell and Tracy Campbell as auctioneers. Silent auction items will also be available. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the museum, our website, or by mailing a check to P.O. Box 1094, Minden, LA 71058. Cost at the door is $30. Can’t attend but still want to support the museum? Donations are always welcome and greatly appreciated. Guests are invited to bring a cake or other baked good to be auctioned off. If you would like to donate a service or item for the silent auction, please contact Jessica Gorman at (318)377-3002.
If you think our history is important, we hope you will attend. We hope you will help us continue the work of preserving and telling the story of Webster Parish. Our history is so important and it is vital that we protect it.
For more information about the gala and how you can support the preservation of our history, you can visit our website, www.dorcheatmuseum.com, follow us on Facebook, visit the museum, or call (318)377-3002.
(Jessica Gorman is Executive Director of the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Webster Parish Historian, President of the Minden Cemetery Association, and an avid genealogist.)