Dedicated Museum Employee Goes Above and Beyond to Support his Facility and Community
calendar icon June 19th, 2020
Dedicated Museum Employee Goes Above and Beyond to Support his Facility and Community

One thing the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted is the importance of teamwork and the unique contributions everyone makes – at work, at home and in the community. When something like this happens, it bands us together to endure as a group, and really brings to light the value everyone brings to the table. Without one clog, the machine simply doesn’t work.

 

Situations like this also highlight the special individuals that really make a difference. Their response reveals their dedication and the pride they feel for their work and community. These individuals are working hard to keep everything going and running smoothly, so that when things eventually return to some semblance of normal, the organization is well prepared.

 

For the Lang Pioneer Village Museum, this individual is their Facilities Coordinator, Graham Varrin.

 

Graham manages the care of the County of Peterborough’s Lang Pioneer Village’s 40-acre Cultural Heritage Site and the 30+ museum buildings that it encompasses. These include historic homes, historic businesses, a working Grist Mill, farm animals, a large event facility and office building, and a modern interpretation centre with exhibit space and research facilities. No small feat!

 

For the duration of the pandemic, Graham has remained working on site to maintain the museum’s physical spaces, the museum collection and the security required at a time when the grounds were vulnerable to vandalism and unapproved access. Not only that, he was also redeployed to assist with the County of Peterborough’s Facilities team to help ensure that both the public and County employees remained safe.

 

“Graham has kept our Museum in one piece, he has kept it looking beautiful for the day we can re-open, and he went above and beyond his role to help others in other departments and in our community – he also helped another volunteer-run site just down the road a number of times,” explains Elizabeth King, Assistant Manager at the Lang Pioneer Village Museum. “He always considers the safety and well-being of our community, our staff and our volunteers in all that he does.”

 

Thank you Graham for your commitment to your work and your community. Today, the Lang community, Public Services Health & Safety Association and all of Ontario recognize you as a true Hero at Work!

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