While the Alder Grove Heritage Society is keen on preserving history, it did not shy away from using modern technology in order to accomplish that.
Tami Quiring is the president of the society, and she decided to utilize her birthday as an opportunity to give back to the non-profit.
So, on May 30, Quiring set up a birthday fundraiser on Facebook.
“This year for my birthday, I’m hosting a fundraiser for my favourite cause, the Alder Grove Heritage Society,” her post read.
The goal was to raise $1,800, in order to digitize 29 Aldergrove Star microfilms that were donated to the museum last year. The rolls document past editions of the Aldergrove Star, and its predecessor, the Aldergrove Herald.
“Obtaining most grants is extremely challenging,” Quiring said. “Especially for a small museum like ours.”
She further explained that while the society was successful in receiving a grant from the B.C. Historical Digitization Program, it wasn’t enough to cover the entire project.
“The grant didn’t cover the whole expense, so the Aldergrove Heritage Society had to cover the rest,” the society’s president said.
READ MORE: From the attic to online: how the Alder Grove Heritage Society is digitizing history
Quiring elaborated that the grant covered the first payment made at the start of the digitization process. But, funding was needed for upcoming payments, which were due partway through the process.
Nevertheless, Quiring did it.
The fundraiser met its goal within four days of her birthday, and surpassed it with “very generous” donations.
“The total raised on Facebook was $1,805. We also received a donation of $2,000, another donation of $1,000, yet another of $100 and a $40 donation,” said the birthday girl.
The grand total was $4,945.
Quiring said the funds will be “earmarked” for ongoing digitization of the newspapers.
“We still have 1992-2000 issues to do,” she noted. “Up until the Langmann family sold the newspaper to Black Press Media.”
The president stressed the importance of community support when it comes to keeping the museum alive.
“We rely 100% on donations, memberships, book sales, and grants to keep the doors open,” she said. “We are all volunteers, there are no paid staff members.”
Quiring also paid homage to the society’s secretary/treasurer, Alison Adamson, who also held a birthday fundraiser in support of the museum.
Asked specifically to devulge her age, Quiring declined, simply replying: “Older than some things in the archive but not as old as other things in the archive.”
For more information on the Alder Grove Heritage Society, people can visit aldergroveheritage.ca
Is there more to the story? Email: news@langleyadvancetimes.com
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