CRF Museum celebrates International Museum Day

The Cleo Redd Fisher Museum marked International Museum Day with its annual meeting, welcoming members and guests to celebrate local heritage, recognize community volunteers and unveil plans for the future.

Visitors were introduced to craftspeople skilled in traditional trades, heard updates on museum initiatives and took rides through town in the museum’s 1914 Ford Model T. The vehicle, once the pride and joy of longtime Loudonville resident Wayne Heffelfinger, was donated by the Heffelfinger family.

The meeting celebrated institutional achievements. Among them, the museum was recently honored with the Best Exhibition Award by the Ohio Museum Association for its “Johnny Appleseed: Cultivating a Nation” exhibit.

Additionally, curator Kenny Libben has been invited to speak at the American Association for State and Local History’s upcoming national conference and will participate in the International Council of Museums’ triennial elections this fall in Dubai — a rare honor for a representative of a small regional museum.

A central focus of the meeting was the museum’s volunteer community. Cindy Zody was named Volunteer of the Year for her work, volunteering three days a week to help keep the museum open and running smoothly. As part of a long-standing tradition, the Volunteer of the Year selects a special project for the public to support in their honor. Zody has chosen to champion the museum’s proposed collections storage facility, which will provide secure, climate-controlled space to house the growing collection, enable rotating exhibits and support long-term preservation efforts.

Although full plans will be announced later this year, supporters are invited to contribute to the project in Zody’s honor. Donations may be made at crfmuseum.com/donate or by mailing a check to CRF Museum, 203 E. Main St., Loudonville, OH 44842, with “Cindy” in the memo line.

As part of the meeting’s business agenda, members also elected three new trustees — Judy Dudte, Zody and Dave Switzer — to the board. The museum extended its thanks to outgoing board members Aimee Ross, Gail Hall and David Spreng for their years of service.

The museum also highlighted progress at the Copus Hill Historic Site, where volunteers helped clear the land in advance of ground-penetrating radar and magnetometer surveys conducted by Ohio Valley Archaeology Inc., made possible through a grant from the Richland County Historical Society. The data gathered is currently being analyzed and will guide the development of educational trails, interpretive panels and site improvements including fencing funded in part by the Ashland County Community Foundation.

In keeping with its mission to serve the community, the museum also announced extended hours for the summer. In addition to its regular weekday schedule, the museum will now be open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon during the Loudonville Farmers Market.

The Cleo Redd Fisher Museum continues to grow, thanks to the dedication of its staff, volunteers and supporters.