Raymond-Casco Historical Society welcomed Society of Local Volunteer Executives members to their new museum at Watkins Farm in Casco last week. The historical society has joined SOLVE, which consists of members of Cumberland, Oxford and Androscoggin County historical societies.

Meetings are held every other month to exchange information and ideas, share data on organization, funding, insurance, other business practices and operation, for historical societies.

Attending the recent meeting at the Raymond-Casco Historical Society new museum were representatives from Cumberland, Denmark, Harrison, Sebago, Sweden, and Windham historical societies. The next meeting will be held at the Windham Historical Society Aug. 11 at 9:30 a.m. We expect to reap great rewards in this alliance with other historical societies.

The society collections committee is hard at work designing the interior of our new museum and making plans for a grand opening late July. Now is the time to donate your treasurers. If you have pictures, memorabilia or artifacts you would like to donate to your museum, we now have a safe place to display them. We are most interested in items relating to your family heritage, you can share them with our museum visitors for their enjoyment and learning.

Gather together great-grandfather’s tools and ledgers, grandmother’s first sampler and sewing basket and the old kitchen utensils, long unused but with too much sentimental value to discard. The value of donated items is tax deductible.

Dedication of the Raymond-Casco Historical Society museum is slated for end of July. It is truly a dream come true. New members are needed, as members; you will want to be a part of this historic event. As 2008 members you will be listed as founding members in our Dedication Remembrance Book. Recently we changed our fiscal year to a calendar year – January to December. Annual dues are $15 for a single membership and $20 for couples. To be included and become a museum-founding member, send your check to: Raymond/Casco Historical Society, P.O. Box 1055, Raymond, ME 04071

The next regular monthly meeting will be Monday, July 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the historical society museum on Route 302 in Casco. If you would like to become a member and get in on the grand opening plans, call Wayne Holmquist at 655-7672 as workshops are planned weekly.

Historical society prepares for museum opening