Haileybury Heritage Museum honours volunteers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
TEMISKAMING SHORES - Four volunteers and members of the Haileybury Heritage Museum officially received life memberships at a special ceremony at the museum April 25.
Museum board chair Darren Woods told a gathering of museum supporters, family members and friends that the four individuals 'have given countless hours of their time to help preserve our Haileybury heritage.'
A life membership has been bestowed annually but 'the COVID virus took the world by storm, and most things came to a complete stop, including the museum,' said Woods.
The museum members and volunteers have been working on projects in the years since, and decided to hold an official gathering to honour past recipients as well as the newest, Dan Lavigne.
PAST HONOUREES
Past recipients include Chris Oslund, Pat Rhiness, and Brian Dobbs.
Outlining the contributions of the honourees, Woods said Oslund, the 2022 recipient, 'has been the backbone of our museum for decades.'
Rhiness, the 2023 recipient, has also been a member of the museum for years, as well as volunteering for the Haileybury food bank, and serving on the board for the Royal Canadian Legion Zone K1 and Area Veterans Home in Haileybury, said Woods.
'He is a great example of what a volunteer means to any community.'
Dobbs, the 2024 recipient, is 'an accomplished author, historian and community volunteer,' Woods related. 'He serves on the Cobalt Historical Society as well as being a member of our museum.'
Museum secretary Sarah Johnston related that Dobbs had worked with her on the museum's centennial project for the Great Fire of 1922 book.
'He welcomed me to the museum and he spent countless hours helping me do research. He introduced me to people in the community who could help me with the project.'
She noted his presence on local history Facebook group chats, and his willingness to answer questions and post pictures.
DAN LAVIGNE
Woods shared that Lavigne, the 2025 life membership recipient, is able to remember the people and events of Haileybury throughout his lifetime.
'His knowledge of the people and the events of Haileybury is astonishing. You can see Dan walking downtown stopping to talk to everyone.'
Woods noted that local singer/songwriter Steve Benoit has written a song about Lavigne.
Oslund made the presentation to Lavigne, stating that 'this individual has gone above and beyond to promote the history of our community and has been a supporter of the museum for over 35 years. He is endeared by many for his friendliness, good nature and his love of his hometown and for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He shares his wealth of knowledge without hesitation and can recall stories, dates and events of days gone by with great ease.'
Oslund said that he and Lavigne both started working at the museum in 1990.
'Danny was an integral part of the Great Fire of 1922 committee for both the 75th anniversary and the 80th anniversary.'
The seventy-fifth anniversary was the year in which the committee worked on the Great Fire book, and the eightieth anniversary was the year in which the Pioneer Spirit sculpture by Ernie Fauvelle (located at the Haileybury waterfront) was commemorated, Oslund noted.
Lavigne also worked to promote the fact Haileybury resident Leslie McFarlane, who had lived in Lavigne's home at one point before the Lavigne family, was the first ghostwriter of the Hardy Boys series of novels.
'Danny lent a helping hand on some major projects over the years including the restoration of the streetcar that we have here and the tugboat and ONR caboose.'
Together they have helped set up for numerous fundraisers to support the museum, he said.
He thanked Lavigne for being a volunteer 'for the best hometown by Farr,' a nod to Haileybury's founder C.C. Farr.
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