Five individuals, two organizations, and one business were honoured last week as recipients of the “2000 Heritage Awards” handed out by the Fort Frances Museum advisory committee.
Individuals nominations included
•Alice Widurski (nominated for her work with the Fort Frances Historical Society);
•Dr. Arend Visser (nominated for his efforts in promoting awareness of Metis Culture);
•Vi Plumridge (for preserving the town’s heritage through art);
•Steve and Joan Both of Barwick (for preserving the heritage of their farm); and
•Tina Visser of Emo (for long-time service as a member of the Women’s Institute).
Organization awards were given to the Rainy River District Women’s Institute Museum in Emo (nominated for its vision in preserving history) and the Little Grassy Research Committee (for its book “Water Under the Bridge”).
St. Jude’s Gourmet Coffee of Fort Frances received the business award (for preserving the old convent building).
“It’s great!” Asta Westberg, a member of the the Little Grassy Research Committee, enthused yesterday.
Westberg, along with Jerry Fish, Joy Luoma, Evelyn and Leonard Rencher, and Shirley and Leonard Larsen published “Water Under the Bridge” five years ago after 14 years of researching and gathering information and pictures.
The book covers 100 years of history of the areas around and including McCrosson & Tovell and the Little Grassy River.
“Being so novice and not having a clue what we were doing, we did [pretty good],” Westberg said of the book’s success.
“Water Under the Bridge” was chosen by Moorehead University for the “G.K. Haukebo Resource Award in Category III–Geneological Emphasis.”
Plumridge, nominated for her commitment to preserving the town’s heritage by painting numerous heritage buildings, was equally surprised by her award.
“I’m thrilled that somebody even thought about doing that!” she said yesterday.
Plumridge currently is working on pen and ink paintings of the Fort Frances Museum as it looked in 1898, and of the Rainy Lake Hotel in 1929.