ESTEVAN - The Souris Valley Museum has created a calendar for 2025 that celebrates local history and raises funds for museum initiatives.
The calendar features photos by museum board chairwoman Brenda Olson and fun historical facts from the museum's history wall, including details about Estevan, the museum and Stan Durr, who was the major donor to the museum. Durr not only contributed much of the items found within the museum, he provided some of the buildings on the grounds.
Museum director Melanie Memory said she came up with the idea for the calendar because Olson's photos are for sale at the museum.
"She takes a lot of pictures of the Roche Percee Rocks and the landscape, whether it's the farmers' fields or the sunsets or the oil pumpjacks … or animals and stuff like that," said Memory in an interview with the Mercury and SaskToday. "I thought maybe we should make it into a calendar and try to sell them for our museum."
The calendars are printed at Graphic Press in Estevan. Memory was pleased with the quality of the print job and the overall finished product.
Facts included in the calendar include when Estevan became a city, when the Estevan Bruins junior A hockey club was formed, when the first hospital was constructed, when the museum first opened and when the Schneller School House was added to the museum's grounds.
Revenues from the calendar's sales will go to programming for children that centres around the museum, its artifacts and all it has to offer to celebrate local history. But it has also been raising funds for the restoration of a locomotive, which is a hit with the kids.
"Whenever we go outside in nicer weather … they always ask about the train, and they love the train. So, we need to get it back to how it should be," she said.
The museum has raised $13,500 so far for the locomotive project and has to raise $35,000. Not only will it receive fresh paint, but any needed repairs will be completed and the locomotive will be restored to its original condition.
The ALCO Locomotive was built in 1944, used for hauling coal and remained in service until 1993. The locomotive joined the museum's collection in 2000.
The calendars cost $25 each and can be purchased at the museum and The General Store. Memory said the museum accepts cash, debit/credit cards and etransfer payments to [email protected], which is also the museum's email address for inquiries about the calendar.
People can also reach the museum by phone at 306-634-5543 or through Facebook messenger. Memory said they make a great Christmas gift. If all of the calendars are sold, then Memory said more could be printed.
