Was your family one of the pioneers of the Abbotsford area? If so, the MSA Museum Society would like to hear from you.
Together with the MSA Pioneer Association, the museum has begun collecting accounts of and by families that settled in the Matsqui, Sumas, and Abbotsford areas between 1890 and 1950. The collection will be published in book form in the spring of 2013.
“We’re excited to begin work on this project,” said Dorothy Van der Ree, executive director of the Museum Society. “It provides an ideal opportunity for descendents of pioneer families to ensure that their stories, photos, and history in the community are preserved for future generations.”
Anticipating that much of the material will come from interviews, the Museum Society has recruited trained volunteers who will visit individuals in their homes and record their stories.
“All anyone has to do is talk — tell their story. We’ll do the rest,” said Van der Ree. “Of course we’d also love to include any photos, letters, or other memorabilia, anything that helps tell the story of a family during this time.”
Anyone interested in arranging for an interview or contributing to this project in anyway should contact the MSA Museum Society at 604-853-0313 or by email at msamuseum@shawbiz.ca.