From left are Louise Browne, Ruth Dowell, Susan Wilson, Sue Elliott, Charlotte Wohler, Menard Electric General Manager Alisha Anker, Tim Bredberg, Menard Electric Board President Jay Frye, Lisa Schnell and Linda McCaffrey.
Menard Electric Cooperative General Manager Alisha Anker and Board President Jay Frye presented a $4,000 donation to Board Members of the Historic Marbold Farmstead Association during the association’s regular monthly meeting July 10th.
The association was chosen as one of three recipients this year of CoBank’s Sharing Success program, which matches a donation made by Menard Electric to organizations chosen yearly by the co-op’s Board of Directors. Menard Electric is a member of CoBank, a cooperative lending facility.
Association volunteer and past president Charlotte Wohler says, “This gift is just amazing for us and will go a long way towards what we want to do with the outbuildings.” She said the donated funds will be used towards the restoration of doors for the north annex, comprised by a summer kitchen, carriage house, wash house/dairy room and more.
The Association loosely formed in 2009, was granted nonprofit status in 2011, and purchased the property in 2012, when restoration work began. Tours are given two Sundays a month in the summer and two festivals are held each year. Charlotte estimates perhaps 700 individuals visit each year. “The ultimate goal is to restore the house and outbuildings to have a living history farm where we can educate current and future generations about farming and farm life in the 1880s-1910. In the future we hope to be a site where visitors will see the farm as it once was, with restored barns, livestock, gardens, orchards, and more,” says Wohler.
Menard Electric General Manager Alisha Anker says, “Menard Electric is happy to be able to partner with CoBank to provide the funds. The dedication and passion of the board members was evident here tonight as they discussed bringing history to life in the local area. Their commitment to this lovely site will allow us all to experience and learn how life on the farm a mere century ago was quite different than today.”
Jay Frye says, “Concern for Community is one of our founding principles, and the Board is pleased to participate in the Sharing Success program to support organizations, like the Marbold Farmstead, that bring a true value to our local communities.”