Apprentice: Noah

The Rice County Historical Society has recently begun a new high school volunteer program, the Museum Apprentice Program. The next round of orientation will begin on September 25. Apprentices in grades 8-12 will meet every Tuesday from 3:30-5:30 and learn what is involved with work at a museum, and will do independent projects involving research, collections, exhibits and more!

Below is a testimonial from a current MAPster:

My name is Noah and I have been volunteering at the Rice County Historical Society for the last three months as a member of the MAP program.  During the MAP program I have been kept busy doing many different kinds of interesting tasks around the museum.  Recently, I have been repairing old, worn books in the Rare Book Room.  My time hasn’t just been about repairing books though.  I have helped catalog photos, move files, and research bikes as well.  Another job I have had was helping with the log cabin during the fair.

I currently live in Faribault, with no intention of moving away.  I am homeschooled, and in the eighth grade.  Being the eldest child, I have three younger siblings; two sisters and one brother.  Some of the things I enjoy are playing games and reading.  Spending time with my family is also something that I enjoy.  I have fun doing things in my homeschool group.  Currently I have been going over to a friend’s house every two weeks to play games with him and a few other friends.  I have recently caught wind that our film group may be starting up again soon.  The group stopped making films for a while because both the director and producer/main cameraman got behind on their schoolwork and had to catch up.  Our group (Phantom Films) has turned out a number of short movies, and it’s a blast doing them, so I can’t wait to start doing it again.

It has been enjoyable experience volunteering here at Rice County Historical Society.  I’ve gotten to work on interesting projects, sit around all day at the fair, and spend time with different people.  Who knows what I will be doing here next!

Volunteer Spotlight: Brian Schmidt

Brian Schmidt became connected to the Rice County Historical Society through his passion for collecting artifacts from the former Fleckenstein Brewery. After getting to know the staff at the RCHS Museum, Schmidt decided he wanted to be part of “a wonderful group of people that likes to preserve the history of Faribault and Rice County.”

Schmidt, who lives in Faribault, has been a volunteer for the past three years. He gives of his time as a member of the collections committee, fair committee, buildings and grounds committee, and helps in any other way he can such as hanging signs in Heritage Hall prior to the 2012 Rice County Fair.

For just over 20 years, he has worked for MOM Brands (Malt-O-Meal). He also worked at the former Treasure Cave blue cheese factory in Faribault for 11 years and for the United States Postal Service for one year. During his high school years, he worked for Larry Bhur at Sears (where Napa is located today).

Schmidt was born in San Jose, Calif., in 1962, and moved to Faribault in the early 1970s with his family. Today he is married with a house in Faribault, and he and wife, Toni, have two sons, Derek and Jarid.

His main hobby is learning as much as he can about Fleckenstein Brewery and collecting artifacts from that former Faribault business. He also likes to fish, travel, browse at garage sales, and learn new historic facts about Faribault and Rice County.