Grey Roots is proud to announce that it is the recipient of the Ontario Museum Association (OMA) Award of Excellence for Community Engagement for the original exhibit Facing the Flames: The History of Firefighting in Grey County.

Facing the Flames opened Saturday, September 21, 2019. This collaborative exhibit showcases stories of local fire and rescue, from the first brave bucket brigades to the current highly-trained professionals, and features more than 150 artefacts and an interactive children’s area.

To create this exhibit, the team at Grey Roots researched and toured local fire departments, interviewed thirty firefighters from across Grey County over the course of six months, and collected emotional and dramatic stories about the challenges, demands, and rewards of firefighting. A highlight of the exhibit is the fully restored 1923 LaFrance fire truck – Owen Sound Fire Engine No. 1. Grey Roots acquired possession of the LaFrance truck in 2015 and slowly restored it to its former glory thanks to generous donations of time and effort from local groups and many wonderful volunteers.

Facing the Flames has been well received by the local community and has drawn in new audiences to experience the dramatic history of Grey County firefighters. Grey Roots is proud to be recognized by the OMA for their outreach and community work in creating this exhibit. The Award of Excellence for Community Engagement was presented on Thursday, October 29, 2020 as part of the OMA’s first virtual conference. Recipients will be showcased in an OMA social media campaign starting on October 30, 2020. This is Grey Roots’ third OMA award since 2007.

This award-winning exhibit has been extended until May 2021. To book a time to visit this exhibit, please visit greyroots.com.

source: media release, Grey Roots