Russians come to Hillsboro
Staff writer
A small group of Russian entrepreneurs along with their official translator and their program facilitator came on March 17 to visit Hillsboro. Yes, Hillsboro.
The group from Moscow, Nougorod, and other villages in Russia traveled to the U.S. through the Open World, Inc. economic development program. The city of Hillsboro was suggested to the Russian entrepreneurs by Glenn Lygrisse of Butler County Community College, who was a former Hillsboro resident. Wichita Rotary member June Costin also accompanied the group.
Hillsboro was selected as a small progressive town where the visitors could "see entrepreneurship in a small town."
The Russian group had lunch with city officials Mayor Delores Dalke and Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce president Jared Jost, as well as Costin and Lygrisse, who accompanied the group to Hillsboro. The group toured Container Services, Inc., in Industrial Park, and then toured the Hillsboro Museum sites, including the Peter Paul Loewen House (formerly known as the Adobe House).
Museum director Stan Harder was excited that they were coming because he wanted to ask the Russian group several questions.
"I wanted to ask them about the Russian china we have at the museum and how to correctly pronounce the names," Harder said.
"We are proud of the artifacts that have come from Russia," he said. "Because they emphasize the fact that Mennonite settlers came from Russia."
Harder was also interested in showing the group the outdoor stove that is behind the Loewen house and asking the group the authenticity of the stove.
After the introductions and signing the guest book, the group, led by an interpreter, examined the stove and said it was similar to what they had in Russia. They said that the grill on the side actually was on top of the brick stove in some of the towns in Russia.
The group then toured the Loewen house and was told by Harder some of theuses of the furnishings in the house.
"They identified with the house and the clay brick making," Harder said.
"One of the ladies said she participated in making clay bricks in Russia."
According to the Open World facilitator traveling with the group, they will spend 10 days in the United States before returning to their homes in Russia.
"I think they had a good time," Harder said. "They said 'thank you for preserving our Russian heritage here in Hillsboro.' "
Hopefully, the group will share the information they received about entrepreneurship in Hillsboro and their visit to the Hillsboro Museum.
