Editorially speaking...
Nurturing and conserving history, as is the case of almost everything else in life, requires effort, enthusiasm—and money.
All of our provincial museums, historic attractions—even those that enjoy the rare luxury of various degrees of public funding—rely upon cores of dedicated volunteers. The Cowichan Valley is no exception.
To give an example of what’s involved in both promoting and saving our history, last month the British Columbia Historical Federation participated in ‘Giving Tuesday,’ which is described as a global day of giving that harnesses the power of social media to raise awareness and funds for important causes.
For its part, members of the Federation were asked to support the Centennial Legacy Fund which “supports community historians who are uncovering the diverse cultural, artistic, genealogical and geological history of B.C.”
This involves funding a student researcher, helping researchers access the B.C. Archives or helping to provide seed money for a community history project.
Chronicles readers who are inclined to support this cause (I know, one of so very many good causes these days) can still do so at this link: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/the-british-columbia-historical-federation/campaign/giving-tuesday-2022/
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Further to our recent Chronicles post on Youbou photographer Wilmer Gold is a press release by the Kaatza Station Museum promoting The Wilmer Gold Photo Collection: Diversity, Labour Activism, and Community in the Cowichan Valley.
One of the many fine Wilmer Gold photos in the Kaatza Station Museum collection. —www.knowledge.ca
Once our weather improves and the holiday season is over, a visit to the Lake Cowichan Museum is a great way to spend part of a day. I’ve done it numerous times, will do so again and always linger over the Gold logging photos on display in the old schoolhouse.
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An occupational hazard of being an online presence is receiving requests for information, something I always try to provide but almost always with some difficulty if there’s much time involved. Time, to me, is like money—I don’t got none! (Well, little enough of either to go round...)
Seriously, writing about history as I do is a full time job but I do make every effort to honour requests. I simply ask readers’ patience if their request involves my having to dig into my archives, as is the case of a recent query about the pioneering Ordano family of Cowichan Bay.
Happily, there’s a fringe benefit to being online and social media, too: people also provide me with information and photos. It should go without saying that I’m receptive to both.