Peggy Perry, who serves on the Chinook Senior Citizens’ Center Board, invited Samantha French, Blaine County Museum Director, to be a guest speaker at the Center on Friday, May 6. This will grow into a once a month ritual as French taps the valuable resource of history in our local citizens and revives interest in the Museum.

For this first meeting, French plans to share general information about the exhibits at the Museum. Her talk will also highlight recent changes, news on grant projects, and any upcoming events and plans. “It will be pretty general and fun,” French stated.

In addition, French will be bringing a box of prints from the A.M. Allison Photograph Collection. In this collection of portraits, places, and events relating to Blaine County, ranging in date from the 1920s – 1960s, many of the subjects require identification. Using their historical memory and their connection to this place, senior citizens will be invited to help with the naming.

To further revive interest in the Museum, next month French plans to follow with a guided tour of the facility. No date has yet been set for that tour, but French is hoping that it will ignite enthusiasm and give some of the residents a renewed sense of purpose. The tour would follow the lunch hour on that June date when it is decided.

“Especially during National Mental Health Awareness Month, I want to remind everyone that there is value in lived experience. The Museum is a pretty busy place, and we want the involvement of our senior community members. Hopefully, some of them choose to volunteer or to take on certain tasks that might add a sense of enrichment or fulfillment to their lives,” French concluded.