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Washington Evening Journal
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Carnegie museum offers ‘Lunch & Learns’ as perk to members, volunteers
FAIRFIELD — The Carnegie Historical Museum in Fairfield is offering a new “perk” to its members and volunteers.
For the past 10 months, the museum has been hosting monthly “Lunch & Learns” featuring a guest presenter. The first presenter was Tom VanderLinden, whose program in July 2022 focused on the changing nature of pharmacy and the training of pharmacists over the years.
Other guests who have given talks at the Lunch & Learns have been Terry Baker on Fairfield Civil War icon Mehitable Woods; Herb Shafer on pioneer life and migration; Joe Hunt on Fairfield manufacturing; Pat McLain on the Johnny Clocks Museum north of Richland; Joan Salts on the Bonnifield Cabin; Jim Rubis on the history of the Fairfield Public Library and Carnegie Library; Martha Flinspach on Methodism in Fairfield; and Jordan Whitney on being the sixth generation of his family to work for Whitney Monuments since it began in 1875.
The idea to launch this monthly programming series over lunch came courtesy of Kathy Tollenaere, now a former Carnegie board member who was also instrumental in the museum’s remodeling during the pandemic. Tollenaere said she took the idea from Reiman Gardens in Ames, where they hold presentations for their volunteers every Friday.
“I thought, ‘We need to have a perk for our members and volunteers at the museum,’” Tollenaere said.
Tollenaere said she’s been pleased with how the Lunch & Learns have gone so far. They average about 15 people in attendance, and are always from noon to 1 p.m. so they are convenient for people who can take their lunch break at that time. They are followed by a question-and-answer session with the presenter. Tollenaere said the dates of the presentations are only shared with members and volunteers.
The theme of the presentations tends to revolve around history, though not always. For instance, the next Lunch & Learn will feature Fairfield High School English teacher Fred Hucke and two of his speech students. To prepare for the event, Tollenaere said she’s doing research into the history of elocution classes in the schools, which is what speech class used to be called, where students were judged on the diction and volume of their speech.
Tollenaere said she has guest speakers lined up through April 2024, and will include Dennis Lewiston on the Jefferson County park system; Jane Rowe on World War II and Fairfield; Karen Denenberg on the Fairfield Home School Program; Lawrence Eyre on Parsons College; Joe Hunt on Fairfield Manufacturing (Part 2); and Therese Cummiskey on her choice of topics.
To become a volunteer or member of the Carnegie Historical Museum, visit the museum’s lobby where membership forms are available. Checks can be made out to the Carnegie Museum Foundation. In addition to being invited to these monthly Lunch & Learns, members and volunteers will receive the quarterly email newsletter, and will be invited to other special events.
Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com
