TISDALE — The Tisdale Museum has received $60,000 from Federated Co-ops to build a replica historic co-op gas station that will also serve as a workshop.
The money came from Federated Co-op’s community spaces program, which is providing $2 million towards 24 community projects this year.
“For us, it means we’ll have a workshop that we didn’t know how we were ever going to fund so that volunteers can work on a year-round basis for restoration,” said Cal Farough, the museum’s president. “It will provide opportunities as well for new volunteers.”
The replica will also provide some all-season classroom space.
Farough said the donation is also an important reminder to the volunteer organization that others believe in what the museum is doing, something that can be hard to remember when they are always fighting for money to both maintain what they have and expand.
“We’re excited that somebody believes we’re going in the right direction.”
The donation was publicly announced at the Beeland Co-op’s equity days steak dinner June 14. Todd Svenson, Beeland’s general manager, said he was excited to find out about the donation, which is a reflection of a philosophy that focuses on giving back to the community.
“It’s our second one in three years,” he said. “We had the Tisdale Elementary playground project for $90,000. This one, $60,000 for the museum, is awesome.
“The fact we’ve gotten two in three years is really unbelievable. You wouldn’t think we’d be so lucky.”
Darrell Davis, who’s both a museum board member and co-op employee, did much of the work writing the proposal and giving the detail needed to make it a success.
“He talked to me a while ago about the community spaces program and I said, ‘definitely, by all means, throw out a plan to apply for it,’ and I was happy to get the email that said they awarded it,” Svenson said. “It’s great on his part that he volunteered and it’s great that they were chosen.”
The museum is working with Beeland Co-op and Federated Co-op to make the replica co-op gas station as accurate as possible. It will be placed in the museum’s pioneer village, which contains many buildings that date from the homesteading days.
“We’re really fortunate that the group we’re working with in Federated Co-op are very history-conscious people,” Farough said. “Even in their own organization, they’re interested in this and that makes a world of difference.”
