The search is on. Dig into your old backpacks for pins and badges and scour your memory bank for more stories to share.
Thanks to a colourful, eye-catching banner, advertising in The Morning Star, inclusion on the Silver Star Resort website and word of mouth by locals, Silver Star Mountain Museum counted more than twice the number of visitors seen in the 2015 summer season. During its 52 days open it welcomed 324 visitors from the Okanagan, almost 600 from British Columbia, Alberta and other parts of Canada as well as almost 250 international guests. By all accounts enthusiasm for the museum was high. “Enjoyed looking at the albums and recognizing some old friends,” commented a visitor from Long Beach, Calif. “Super resort. Will have to return in the snow!” a visitor from the U.K. wrote in the museum guest book. And from an Ontario resident, “Worked here from 1996 to 2004. Still get a warm, fuzzy feeling every visit!”
Popular walking tours introduced this summer included a guided tour of houses on The Knoll, “The Painted Ladies of Silver Star,” and a hike featuring “Rocks and Mining History on the Mountain.” Thanks to the 10 volunteer staffers who put in a total of 351 hours to make the season the best ever.
However, the Silver Star Mountain Museum committee members supported by the Silver Star Dreamweavers Society and the Vernon Museum and Archives are not the kind of people to rest on their laurels. The search is on for Silver Star pins and badges. And, for those with a long memory, museum volunteers are desperately hunting for one of the red “slippery” chairs that were replaced by the present green summit chairs. So if you have one or more of these sought-after items or a great Silver Star story to tell, either as a guest or past staff member, committee members would love to hear from you. This season interviews will be conducted toward the development of an oral history file for the Vernon Archives. If you are willing to be interviewed or wish further information, please send contact information to silverstarmuseum@gmail.com.
During the winter you can visit displays in the Chilcoot Lodge in Silver Star Village. Watch for an announcement about a fabulous upcoming fundraising event. Save the date: Jan. 19, 2017.