Kenmore Heritage Society seeks volunteers to digitize archives, expand public programs

Mirella Alejandrino, president of the Kenmore Heritage Society, told the City of Kenmore podcast Let's Talk Kenmore that the all-volunteer nonprofit is expanding an archive project and recruiting volunteers and potential board members to help digitize historic photos and run public events. "We are kind of in the process of doing that now," Alejandrino said of the society's effort to move its collection into museum software.

The society formed after Kenmore's 1998 incorporation, when about 50 people who shared memories and memorabilia decided to create a heritage organization, Alejandrino said. "We were formed back in 1998," she said. The group has since preserved photos, yearbooks and other items and has published a local history book available at city hall and online.

Why it matters: the Kenmore Heritage Society maintains photographic and documentary records of the city's history and supports community events, education and public programming. Expanding the archive to a searchable digital catalog would make materials available to residents, students and city event planners, Alejandrino said.

Most of the society's holdings are photographs — "We have over 1,400 photos," Alejandrino said — and the group is using a software platform called PassPerfect to catalogue items. The society stores material in a rented storage facility because it does not have a physical museum space, she said. Physical copies of the society's local-history book sell for $25 at city hall and a digital copy is available on the group's website.

The society also runs recurring community programs. Alejandrino described the McMaster Awards, presented since 2002 to community members, a youth award and a business award. This year's recipients included former Mayor David Baker, youth recipient Emma Choi and business leader Jason Parker of Copper Works, she said. The group contributed 10 native-plant markers to the new Takodiz park (formerly Squires Landing) and worked on the Log Boom Park history path, which includes 11 information panels.

The society plans to relaunch a community photo contest to coincide with the city's Oktoberfest; Alejandrino said the contest will run during the festival and that past contest entries are archived on the group's website. She also said the society will again host free Santa photos on Dec. 6 in partnership with Kenmore Camera as part of Winterfest activities.

Volunteer recruitment was a prominent theme of the interview. "We are always recruiting volunteers and board members," Alejandrino said, noting the society meets monthly and that volunteers can contribute at varying levels of time commitment. She identified board member Paul Wright as leading the archive project and said Emily, the board newsletter editor, manages communications.

The interview included historical context the society provides to the public. Alejandrino explained the origin of the city's name and the contribution of John McMaster, who opened a shingle mill and influenced early housing for mill workers. The society maintains a HistoryLink self-guided walking tour of Kenmore and posts educational materials for students on its website.

The podcast host, Amber Clifton, said she had explored the society's website and urged listeners to consult it for resources and volunteer opportunities. "I'll put the historylink.org in the show notes," Clifton said during the episode.

No formal policy changes or municipal votes were discussed during the interview. The society's requests for volunteers and plans for digitization are organizational initiatives that would require volunteer time and, potentially, future fundraising or city partnerships.

Residents interested in volunteering, serving on the board, or accessing the society's photo archive and book were directed to the Kenmore Heritage Society website and the group's social-media channels for contact information and event notices.