Mary Holub and David Burroughs work on the Museum’s garden produce stand. The fund-raiser in late July shattered previous Country Store income records, thanks to a plan for feeding the hungry of the area.
Museum sees record year with produce stand
Although there was not a Museum-sponsored Country Store in the summer of 2020 since the Plymouth County Fair’s Pioneer Village was closed, the Museum was able to cope with COVID-19 by having a Garden Produce Stand on the Museum’s lawn.
The Museum not only coped with the loss of the county fair but even set a new record for income during fair week, according to Judy Bowman, Museum administrator. She credited a Museum member with coming up with a very successful fund-raising idea.
“Thanks to an idea from museum member, Bob Long of Maryland, and his many relatives, the Museum received money from people all over the country with instructions to buy garden produce for area food banks and the needy,” Bowman said.
“All of this was possible because the Lynn Buss family continued their tradition of donating a large amount of sweet corn to the Museum,” Bowman added. Several others also donated produce to the Museum.
The Bob Long family sent in cash contributions, making it possible for the Museum to distribute many dozens of ears of sweet corn to the following groups: Plymouth County — Christian Needs Center, Good Samaritan Society, Pride Group, Rejoice food drive, and Mid-Sioux Opportunity; and Woodbury County: Mary Treglia House, Siouxland Food Bank, and Sioux City Gospel Mission.
“The produce stand, following the theme of ‘Growing the Museum,’ was a win-win situation for the Museum’s coffers and for the needy of the area,” Bowman said. “We will forever be grateful to Museum member Bob Long for coming up with such a winning idea during this pandemic.”
Working the Garden Produce Stand were managers Mary Holub, business manager at the Museum, and David Burroughs, along with volunteers Eva Mouw, Jim and Mary Rohlfs, and Bowman.
