Every year on March 8 women around the world celebrate International Women’s Day (IDW). According to www.internationalwomensday.com “thousands of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.”
The theme for this year’s IWD is Connecting Girls and Inspiring Futures. At the Museum we thought a wonderful way to celebrate this year’s theme would be to showcase local organizations over the years that have connected girls and inspired them, such as the Girl Guides of Canada, 4-H Clubs of Quesnel and the Miss Quesnel Self Development Society. The earliest recorded Guiding activities in Quesnel date back to 1922 and the Girl Guides of Canada have been operating in the area on an ongoing basis since the 1933. The programs and activities offered through GGC provide girls with opportunities to discover new interests and to learn valuable leadership skills with friends. The main goal of the Quesnel and District 4H Clubs is to develop youth in areas of knowledge, leadership, citizenship, and personal development. For more than 60 years, girls in and around Quesnel have developed these skills under the mentorship of volunteers. There has been a Miss Quesnel selected through a pageant since 1956 with a brief hiatus in the early 1960s. When the group officially incorporated they registered as the Miss Quesnel Self Development Society, a name which speaks to their objectives. Many of the past participants have played a strong mentorship role for the group. We also celebrate the sports and arts organizations that have helped develop the interests and character of girls in our community. The many volunteers who have contributed over the years inspire us all. If you want to learn more about the contributions of women in Quesnel, the Quesnel Museum Gift Shop contains many books exploring the experiences of women in and around Quesnel. In addition, with a collection of more than 30,000 artifacts, appealing to all ages and interests, there is always something new to see and learn by visiting the Quesnel Museum. Stop by and visit; until the middle of May hours are 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Longer summer hours will come into effect near the end of May.