To the Editor:
Meda and I spent the afternoon of Jan. 13 — her birthday — as volunteers at the Florida Pioneer Museum. We had the joy of introducing two new volunteers to the museum.
Maria Pacheco, a retired college grants and scholarships person, and Tom Godfrey, a retired Air Force fighter pilot are the new volunteers.
Both were excited and happy to be giving back to the community.
Our first visitors were a father and two sons who showed great interest. They were followed by an extended family of nine Nicaraguans.
They received a tour followed by a visit with Meda. They sang Happy Birthday to her in English and then in Spanish. As they left all nine hugged her.
An army family from Special Operations South at Homestead Air Reserve Base brought their 2-year-old son. His mechanical aptitude and interest were astounding for his age.
A man retired from the British Royal Navy and a woman from Asia walked all the way from Losner Park in downtown Homestead to the museum after taking the City of Homestead National Park Trolley tour. Another walker, a woman, came from far south of the museum.
The Robert Burrs from the Redland Riot came by to select questions for the Jan. 20 Riot. Traditionally from 275 to 300 visitors to the museum come from as far away as West Palm Beach and Fort Myers to take part in what seems like a motorized scavenger hunt which usually concludes with an award event at the Schnebly Redland Winery.
Last month a Miami Dade College marketing class completed a project creating a marketing plan for the museum.
The museum will be open free to the public from now until Apr. 28 on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons from 1 until 5 p.m. Stop by and learn about the history of our community. You will be amazed at the artefacts on display — all representative of the 1904-1940 period.
Bob Jensen
South Miami-Dade
