December 21, 2022

A Letter from President Drew Saur for 2023

December 20, 2022

New Year Greetings to Members & Friends!

For the Historical Society, 2022 was a very good year. Our Annual Christmas social made a triumphant return. Our Museum volunteers accomplished what I consider record levels of work. We launched an all-new website. Our collections grew in meaningful and significant ways. We re-engaged with the students of the Honeoye Falls Lima School District. Our program committee has done another bang-up job planning for 2023; please have a look at the enclosed brochure. There is something for everyone.

I must appeal to you, however, for something that concerns me: like many communities, we are having a difficult time getting people to volunteer with our organization. Will you please consider stepping up? In particular, we need:

Volunteer Museum docents to host our Museum every Sunday afternoon. Can you spare just two hours every month or two? Please call me at 585-281-0014 if you even think you might be interested.
To keep the Annual Christmas Social running smoothly for 2023, we need to line up volunteers well in advance, including music teachers who are willing to bring students to perform a recital. Please contact me if you or someone you know is willing to do this.

Here are some Museum highlights from 2022: We received many donations from donors near and far who found us via our Facebook pages. In addition to donations, we search local garage / estate sales and purchase items off eBay. The most significant additions to the Museum’s collections during 2022 were:

From Michelle Howland: Material related to the Howe family of Mendon Center and the Mendon Center School where her mother and grandmother were teachers.
From Tom Conroy: Material the Conroys accumulated during their tenures as Presidents of the Mendon and Honeoye Falls – Mendon Rotary Clubs as well as framed posters for the Sage-Rutty Mendon Antique and Classic car shows from 2000 – 2011. He also donated a framed 1852 plat of the Towns of Rush and Mendon as well as 1872 and 1924 framed plats of Honeoye Falls.
From Chris Cousineau: Photos and a framed 1905 wedding certificate (Alice Miller – Arthur Tobey)
From Paul Templeton: Lehigh Valley Railroad photos and miniature semaphore devices from Rochester Junction.
From the estate of Sally Gilbert: Sally’s postcard collection and memorabilia related to Honeoye Falls and Mendon.
From Patricia Barclay: A reprint version of the 1872 Monroe County atlas and memorabilia from Mendon District School #9.
From Drew Saur and Charles Woolever: Two new tables for one of our work rooms as well as a complete Rittenhouse chime unit.
From Eric Anderson: Catherine of Sienna material.
From Debbie Malm: Rittenhouse items.
From Cliff and Denis Dickinson: A collection of Honeoye Falls Distillery bottles.
From Charles Woolever: A Lehigh Valley Railroad switch lock.
From The Town of Rush Historian’s office: A number of Sibleyvillle Inn items.

The Museum floor saw the following in 2022:

A special display of Honeoye Falls and Mendon dairy and milk products companies.
The goat cart display was completed.
New LED lamps were installed in the Mantegna Exhibit Room.

Thanks once again to Gary Albright, Kathy Eastman, Bill Lane and Charles Woolever for all they do to curate, cultivate, and document our collections each week of the year. Special thanks also go out to Denise & Cliff Dickinson for a new initiative, photographing thousands of items in our collection, which is the beginning of a long preservation journey that will take several years. Please be sure to take a Sunday afternoon between 2–4pm to stop by and see the fruits of our labor!

Our goals for 2023 include:

Continued work with the Village of Honeoye Falls to determine how to stabilize temperature and humidity on the second floor of the Museum, and to make structural improvements to the Museum building.
Continued indexing and photographing our archival materials and donations of artifacts to the Museum.
Continued development of our new website at hfmhistorical.org, which we hope you bookmark and visit often.

Please fill out a membership renewal form and return it with your dues payment. Remember to include your e-mail address to receive timely and detailed notices of Historical Society program meetings and other events of interest. Any questions, please call me at 585-281-0014 or e-mail me at president@hfmhistorical.org.

I am grateful for your ongoing support. We hope to see you on the first Thursday of each month to enjoy our programs, and on Sunday afternoons for Museum hours from 2–4pm. May your 2023 bring health, safety, and joy, and I hope that your upcoming holidays help you find ways to reconnect with your loved ones.

Sincerely,

Drew D, Saur, President
president@hfmhistorical.org • 585-281-0014