On 29 April 2016 a fundraising luncheon was held to launch History Month in Mount Gambier. Working in partnership with the City of Mount Gambier and History SA SI Mount Gambier extended invitations to contributors of the 1986 Mount Gambier Folk Book to provide updates and participate in this major event.
In 1985 members undertook a major fundraising project that encouraged local families to provide a written snapshot of their family at that time. Members then went about getting interest from the public, family, friends and associates.
Contributors were asked to pay $2.00 for a page of good quality paper and invited to write their story in their own handwriting. The project was very successful with $317 in funds raised which was subsequently donated to support local & global community projects.
The stories were varied and interesting and members agreed to arrange for the stories to be professionally bound with a foreword prepared by Don McDonnell, the then Mayor of Mount Gambier. The book was subsequently presented to the Mount Gambier Library to add to its current history collection.
Almost 30 years on while Danni Reade of the Mount Gambier library was maintaining the library’s collection she happened upon the book and was delighted to see the names and stories of many people she knew. Danni made contact with our club indicating interest in showcasing this book in some way on its 30th anniversary in 2016.
The project has developed from this initial contact with President Margie Russon, a retired university librarian undertaking research at the Mortlake Library reading archived club minutes to ascertain how the project originally unfolded.
Stay tuned for more exciting news as this project unfolds.