Artists Interpret Mining in New Exhibit

Mining Museum Secures Funds for New Projects

The National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum (NMHF&M) announced on February 22 that it received grants from two charitable organizations to support its mission.

The Summit Foundation, headquartered in Breckenridge, has provided $5,000 to support the renovation of a restroom to make it comply with Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility guidelines. When completed, the work on the gender-neutral restroom in the gift shop area will improve services to visitors with mobility difficulties.

The Colorado Mining Exhibit Foundation has granted $2,000 to support renovations of the new temporary exhibits gallery and the cost of bringing the first exhibit to be housed in that gallery to Leadville. “Sequencing through Time and Place: The Carissa Mine” is an interpretation of a historic gold mine in Wyoming by three artists—a photographer, a studio artist, and a dancer. The exhibit will be on display until September.

NMHF&M Executive Director Stephen Whittington commented, “Support from these foundations is much appreciated and helps us to improve our operations and fulfill our mission. Both projects will make visiting the museum more pleasant for the public.”

The mission of the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum is to tell the story about mining, its people, and its importance to the American public. The museum is open year-round.

Information about the museum and its facilities can be accessed on the NMHF&M web site at www.mininghallofame.org.

“Women” Film Series Premieres February

“Great Colorado Women” Film Series premieres statewide on Thursday, Feb. 28, starting at 8:30 p.m. on Rocky Mountain PBS.

The first episode features the story of Helen Bonfils: “Miss Helen: Bringing Culture to A Cow Town.” Bonfils was known affectionately as “Miss Helen” and also as “Poor Little Rich Girl.” She was one of Colorado’s most generous philanthropists and the leader of a cultural revolution.

The series resumes later in March, Women’s History Month as follows:

• Thursday, March 21 at 8:30 – 9 p.m. Arlene Hirschfeld: “Denver’s Spirit of Volunteerism”
• Thursday,  March 28 at 8:30 – 9 p.m. Gudy Gaskill: “Blazing the Colorado Trail”
• Thursday, April 4 at 8:30 – 9 p.m. Doreen Pollack: “Giving Silence a Voice”
• Thursday, April 11 8:30 – 9 p.m. Mildred “Babe” Zaharias: “The Greatest Athlete”

About the Films

The films focus on historic and contemporary Colorado women and their little-known, under-reported achievements in a five-episode series. “So many women in the Hall are unsung heroes, hidden figures who have endured with superlative strength, beauty and love. They deserve absolute respect and acknowledgment,” says Betty Heid, CWHF’s executive producer of the series. Enchanted Road Productions, along with Betty Heid, produces these programs.

CWHF won a Heartland Emmy for the Season One Film “Saving the Soul of Denver” with Hall Inductee Dana Crawford, a visionary preservationist and developer who worked to preserve historic downtown Denver. In addition, another Season One film, Marilyn Van Derbur Atler “An Incest Survivor’s Odyssey” won the Los Angeles Film Award for Most Inspiring Woman in a Film.

Emmy winners! The category for Best Music Composition/Arrangement was awarded to CWHF for the episode, “Saving the Soul of Denver” featuring CWHF Inductee Dana Crawford, who is a visionary preservationist and developer who worked to preserve historic downtown Denver

Season Two is part of what is a multi-season series. Each episode of Great Colorado Women meets Colorado Academic Standards for K-12 and can easily be integrated into classroom studies. These stories provide role models to remind women and girls; men and boys, that they can aspire higher to achieve their dreams.