GRAND FALLS - WINDSOR HERITAGE SOCIETY INC.

We continue to receive various collections/artifacts. We are working on refurbishing the switcher we acquired in the fall of 2022. We continue to provide support to the Grand Falls House Foundation in their efforts of preserving the house its contents and grounds. We continue to publish a quarterly newsletter. We continued to be open to the public Monday - Friday 9-5 every week except during the tourist season when we were open 7 days a week and welcomed many visitors (international national provincial and locals). Again this year we held an appreciation dinner during national volunteer appreciation week as a 'Thank you/Give Back' to our many volunteers. We held out AGM where we elected our executive and appointed board members. We continued to participate in the 'Day of Mourning' wreath laying ceremony which honors those individuals who were killed or injured on the job from the central region; the Labor Day Parade our float was 'Honoring women who worked in the mill'; and the Remembrance Day Wreath laying ceremony. Through federal/provincial/other funding means we hired 5 summer students who looked after our visitors offering them tours and answering any questions they may have. The students also worked on recording and entering data into Past Perfect.

This year we were the recipient of the inaugural Premiere's Medal for Heritage! We attended markets and fairs to promote the Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Centre and sell our books and other items. Our memory wall project kicked into high gear with two walls (108 plaques per wall) being completed before the end of the year. In July we planned and hosted (along with assistance from the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor and the Grand Falls House Foundation) a garden party at the Grand Falls House where we served coffee/tea sweets. 250 people from the general public toured the house and we had approximately 50 volunteers take part that day. We had special invitation that went to the previous employees of the house to join us before the general public. It was well appreciated. We also had a special attendee when the Premiere requested to attend our event. In December we sponsored a family movie and snacks at the local theatre. This was well received and much appreciated by the families that attended from the area approximately 180 attendees. This year we hosted two training sessions in conjunction with Museum Association of Newfoundland and Labrador. We had attendees from our organization as well as attendees from other heritage centres/museums provincially.