Having a repeat summer hostess/tourist booth operator made it easier on both the Bentley Museum, which didn’t have to train a new person, and the summer employee who knew what was expected of the position.
Seventeen-year-old Kacey Maerz is back again cheerfully meeting and greeting people and doing all other tasks expected of her for the summer months.
After she had applied for the position, the museum board found out that the government STEP program had helped pay for their summer employee in the past was no longer being offered, and that left the museum scrambling a bit. The museum applied to the town for help in covering the cost and the town agreed so Kacey was informed she did have her summer job after all.
“I got my job back,” she said with obvious pleasure.
“(After working here last year) I know more history about Bentley and the (Pico) house (that houses the main part of the museum) and everything. I like the job,” she says. “It is a good environment to work in. I like the people and they seem to like me.”
Another reason the Bentley School student, who is going into Grade 12, likes the job is “(w)hen it is not busy I can do other things like school stuff.”
She is working on a distance learning course that could end up helping her toward a social work degree if after graduating and taking a little time off to travel she decides to return to college.
“A lot has changed,’ Kacey said. “There are more displays, the house has been painted, there are new artifacts, the new building is open, things are more spacious, the Ag building has changed, and there is more open area in the house too.”
“It is not as busy (so far) as last year,” Kacey has noticed. “Maybe it is the weather or maybe they (visitors to the area) saw the museum last summer. When people do visit they seem to go down memory lane and really enjoy it.”
She knows more what to expect this year, unlike when the experience was new to her last year. “It will be especially busy again during fair and rodeo week,” she says and she is thinking about what to put on the float the museum will enter in the annual parade, this year holding with the Bentley Show & Shine theme.
A lot of tourist information and pamphlets are also available at the museum.
Bentley Museum summer hours are Wednesday through Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until after the September Labor Day long weekend. Admission is free.