Remembering the good parts of the past year is important for all of us. It helps us to put our disappointments, anxieties, and failures into perspective. We tend to dwell on the negative aspects of our lives much more than we give thanks and appreciation for our accomplishments, our relationships and our blessings.

A community organization, like Mennonite Heritage Village, can fall into the same behaviour and attitude. We have unexpected bills to pay when our yard tractor needs repairing. We encounter leaks in the many roofs after heavy rains or windstorms that need to be fixed. Sometimes staff members fall ill, and their planned programming needs to be adjusted, or other staff are given a crash course on managing the activity so that guests can still participate. These unforeseen issues can keep us from remembering the many positive interactions with guests and the many successful events that we have hosted in 2025. When we list and evaluate the positives and negatives of the year, MHV and its staff are very thankful and appreciative for the good year we have experienced. Let’s list a few highlights:

1. Exhibits – Although our Curatorial department has been understaffed for the better part of two years and therefore, unable to devote time to planning a new exhibit for 2025, we were privileged to highlight the 500th anniversary of the beginnings of Anabaptism with two travelling exhibits. Radical Roots was brought to us in June by Gareth Brandt in the form of a lecture evening and an art display. As well, an exhibit was coordinated with a local group of churches, called On Fire For Christ, and it was displayed for 4 weeks in August, depicting the struggles and the commitment of early Anabaptist leaders and groups of the 16th century. The stories we tell of the early Mennonite settlers to Manitoba, are linked to the stories of early Anabaptism and we were thrilled to promote these two excellent exhibits in 2025.

2. Restaurant and Rentals – The Livery Barn Restaurant and our Private Events department are important for MHV because the restaurant serves typical Russian Mennonite cuisine which elicits memories and stories for our guests, and our rentals department attracts people from around the province who enjoy our facilities and grounds for events and receptions, creating awareness and interest in future visits. Both departments have benefited from the excellent Manitoba summer weather that all of us enjoyed, and this brought many guests throughout the year. Revenue was strong for both departments, with Private Events increasing by 16% over 2024 numbers, and the Livery Barn Restaurant increasing by 18% over 2024 sales. We are thankful for the great staff who engaged with our guests and provided important food and hospitality services.

3. Programs and Events – Our Programs department and our Visitor Experience department continue to create many festivals and events throughout the year, while also promoting our education department for students of all ages. Nearly every month of the year there is a public activity or event, from Author events, to Markets, to Fundraisers, our staff is engaging our supporters with topics that interest them. Our large events in summer attract thousands of local guests, as well as people from around the province to learn about our history in a peaceful outdoor environment. We host 3000 children from daycares, early-year schools and high schools, as they experience history and interact with our volunteer interpreters. The key to success in events and programs is our large group of committed volunteers who find meaning in supporting the work of MHV, as we exhibit the history of the past in order to understand our present context. We are very thankful for the 300 volunteers who share their knowledge, experience, and smiles with guests, staff, and fellow volunteers. We are blessed.

When you start to list the many highlights of the year, the list keeps on growing. These three highlights are just a start. We will need to continue the list of appreciation in a future column. Thank you to all museum supporters for your encouragement, your suggestions, and your continued financial support.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!