Historical Society holds biggest fundraiser of the year

The Lorain County Historical Society held its annual BBQ Auction at Jack Matia Honda in Elyria on Oct. 14. The event, which supports the historical society, featured a live auction, drinks and food provided by Pappy Bob’s in Oberlin.

“This is the largest fundraiser we do,” said Kerri Broome, executive director of the Lorain County Historical Society. “We have events that span the calendar, but this is by far our largest.”

Broome said, the planning for the event has been underway at the historical society since July.

“We sold 200 tickets, priced at $30 apiece, and we also have a couple of raffles during the event,” she said.

Broome said this is her first time at the event, because she became the executive director on Aug. 1 of this year.

“This has been the main thing I have been working on since I’ve had the job,” Boone said. “The big thing for me has been getting to know everyone in the area, because I’ve never worked in Lorain County before.”

Broome has previous nonprofit experience working in Cleveland, but is excited about what her current position will bring.

“Preservation is something that is very near and dear to me,” she said. “I live in Wellington, so I’m very passionate about the cultures here and look forward to preserving the history of the county.”

According to Broome, the biggest thing is to help the smaller historical societies in the county.

“I feel it’s important for us to have a good relationship with the city-wide historical societies and see how we can help them preserve the history,” she said. “They have a better idea of their specific areas, so it only makes sense for us to help each other.”

Lorain County has history that’s worth preserving and her goal is for people in the community to realize that, Broome said.

“We learn from the past, so it’s important to stay connected to events of the past as society changes,” she said. “It’s important for kids to know who their grandparents were and where they came from.”