We have been lucky to receive the inside scoop on the Fergus Falls opening of Between Fences from former MoMS team member, Krista Schmidt. Our industrious starlet helped the Otter Tail County Historical Society generate press surrounding the exhibit by writing press releases, answering questions about the MoMS experience, and speaking to local service groups about Between Fences. Krista even appeared on a local TV spot! Below is Krista’s first-hand account of Fergus Falls’ successful exhibit opening -- Read on to learn opening-day details, from attendance numbers to provoking discussions that emerged from the exhibit topic:
“The opening for Between Fences in Fergus Falls took place last Friday evening, February 5th, and it went really well! Over 90 guests enjoyed an evening that featured catered food, a program about property disputes in Otter Tail County, and the first showing of the exhibit. Between Fences looked beautiful in a special program wing of the museum, and the local exhibit was absolutely stunning.
It was really fun overhearing visitors' comments as they
looked through the exhibit. One gentleman remarked, "You know,
fences are all over the place, but I've never really noticed their impact until
now." Another lady started a discussion with me based on her
observation of more and more fences going up in Fergus Falls. We wondered
if a sudden increase in new fences stems from a general feeling of uncertainty
about the world. Are people building fences as a subconscious way of
establishing their own security on a planet that continues to witness
natural disasters, terrorism, and political instability? Will building
these boundaries ultimately make us more or less secure?”
What do you think MoMSers? We would love to hear your take on these issues – feel free to respond to this blog post so that we can keep this discussion going!
Fergus Falls has some intriguing Between Fences programming lined up for the future, including a discussion entitled “Military Fences: From the Maginot Line to the Vietnam Wall,” and a lecture on local government arbitration of fence disputes – we anticipate some more impressive reports from the Otter Tail County Historical Society.
-- Roxanne Berschler, SITES -- Washington, D.C.
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