Serving two years in the Peace Corps in the land-locked African nation of Lesotho was good experience for Amy Vandegrift, the new executive director of Marion County Historical Society. "I learned how to adjust to a new culture and how to get things done," she said of her time in the Peace Corps.
Lesotho RPCV Amy Vandegrift is new executive director of Marion County Historical Society
County historical society has enthusiastic leader
New director has had diverse experience
RON COWAN
Statesman Journal
December 11, 2007
Serving two years in the Peace Corps in the land-locked African nation of Lesotho was good experience for Amy Vandegrift, the new executive director of Marion County Historical Society.
"I learned how to adjust to a new culture and how to get things done," she said of her time in the Peace Corps.
Vandegrift, volunteer coordinator at A.C. Gilbert's Discovery Village for the past five years, was a member of the historical society board for the past year.
When she heard that Ross Sutherland was leaving the job after 4 1/2 years to work at Benton County Historical Society, Vandegrift jumped at the chance to take the job.
"I love history," she said. "I have a passion for history. My major in college (Miami University, Ohio) was history."
Pamela Vorachek, who was Vandegrift's boss at Discovery Village, said she made her interests obvious at the children's museum.
One of Vandegrift's projects was "My House to Your House," exposing children to foreign cultures. Vandegrift also could bring in hundreds of volunteers to work at events.
"She did an incredible job for the village," Vorachek said. "Everything that Amy did was good. She had a special rapport with the teenagers.
"She loves history. I'm pleased that this is a new and exciting adventure for her."
Vandegrift has worked in the history field before.
She was part of a staff of 10 at McLean County Museum of History in Bloomington, Ind., for five years before joining Discovery Village.
Vandegrift lived in Salem from 1976 to 1989, then returned to Salem in 2001 before joining Discovery Village.
"I really like history museums; I like where they're going," Vandegrift said.
"This one offers a lot of challenges. One does everything here. It's allowing me to connect with the community in a way that's real comfortable with me."
She comes to the society during a period of relative stability. The organization went through a time of uncertainty after its two staff members resigned and Mission Mill Museum took over management until Sutherland was put in place as the new director.
The society, currently housed in what was the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill Retail Store, was formed in 1950 to promote historical research and education by collecting, preserving, studying and exhibiting historic artifacts, manuscripts and photographs.
It is one of the earliest such societies in Oregon and has published books and journals since 1955. It opened its museum and research library in 1984.
The society partners with its neighbor, Mission Mill, on events such as the Quilt Show, Magic at the Mill and Sheep to Shawl.
With a budget of $100,000 annually, the society serves about 1,000 visitors per year with its permanent exhibits of Marion County history and reaches 1,500 to 2,000 students annually with its outreach programs.
"I'd like more people to know we're here and more people to take advantage of us," Vandegrift said.
Money always is the first need of any nonprofit, but one of the greater challenges is relating the past to the present.
"That whole understanding of where you come from, who your family is, who your community is," she said.
The museum has been reinvented as an archival museum, storing county history for use by the community and those with an interest in history.
"We have to look at bringing education to the community, programming to the community," Vandegrift said.
The society currently has an after-school program with Aumsville schools, encouraging students to look more deeply at history.
Cathleen Schulte is the museum's part-time educational outreach coordinator.
Vandegrift sees the society working more actively with other area historic groups and wants to address how its mission has changed since emerging from Mission Mill management.
"I've worked in museums, but I have a sharp learning curve, and I'm looking forward to that," Vandegrift said.
The Ohio native, 60, has no interest in retirement at this point.
"I don't want to retire," she said. "Stepping into this is an exciting, wonderful challenge."
rcowan@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6728
