December 5, 2022 |
The Christmas season has begun here in Carbon County. Christmas parades, Christmas concerts, nativity scenes are all part of the celebrations happening around the area.
Even the Carbon County Museum is offering Christmas activities. Intended for the entire family, you may even meet the big man himself, Santa Claus.
Next Saturday, December 17th, is the first Christmas Open House at the Carbon County Museum in Rawlins. From 10 in the morning, until 5 at night, Thomas Mensik, the new museum director, is offering a selection of things to do. Mensik, who joined the museum in September, described what will be on offer.
Pictured above: File photo of the Carbon County Museum. Photo by Cali O’Hare/Bigfoot 99.
The raffle basket will contain donations from local businesses, such as gift cards, and items from the museum itself. Tickets are $3 a piece, with no purchase limit. Mensik talked about another way to acquire raffle tickets.
Canned good donations go to the St. Vincent De Paul Society in Rawlins. St. Vincent is a nation-wide faith-based charity organization focused on helping the needy. The Carbon County Museum director said one of the goals of his Christmas Open House is to gather food donations for the community.
Mensik said, last month, he and the museum’s Visitors’ Services Manager Kelia McCuddy noticed a blank spot on the county’s holiday calendar. He said they wanted to offer another activity for people to do during the Christmas season.
The museum director said he and McCuddy are doing the majority of the Christmas Open House by themselves. He would like to find people willing to help set up and run the event. Mensik said to call the museum if you would like to volunteer.
Mensik mentioned one person he wrangled into volunteering at the Open House. A very special guest will be making an appearance at the museum.
With such an auspicious guest, folks are going to need to know exactly when and where the Carbon County Museum’s Christmas Open House will be. The museum director had the details.
Mensik said he wanted to expand the museum’s scope and presence when he took the director’s position in the fall. To achieve his goal, Mensik created a Carbon County Museum YouTube channel. Featuring videos donated by Ricky Durant, who’s relative, Thomas Durant, helped build the Union Pacific railroad, viewers are able to see how the area looked in the late 50’s and early 60’s. Mensik said he’ll also be starting a museum podcast sometime next year. The director was tight lipped about any of his other future ideas.
Mensik said he is working on ways to invite more people to enjoy the county’s museum system. The Christmas Open House is one plan he’s been able to make a reality. Mensik said he has big changes in store for the museum next year.
The Carbon County Museum’s Christmas Open House is on December 17th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
