Meet our Volunteers

Laura Enns

 Laura (Wiebe)  Enns, a teacher, mother and grandmother, has a keen interest in history and has recently joined the volunteer staff at our archival centre.  She has had a wide range of teaching experience mostly in the public school system, but has also taught at the MEI elementary school.  In addition, she and her husband, Ed Enns, taught English in Lithuania during the summers of 1997 and 1998.  Ed and Laura returned to Lithuania in 2002 and 2006 and Laura again taught English while her husband, Ed Enns, supervised the building of the lecture hall, gymnasium and student residence of the Lithuanian Christian College.  She taught English at the College, at an orphanage and for employees of a shipping company.  “What a rewarding experience this was,” comments Laura.  Teaching a new language is all about communication so I had a great opportunity to get to know my students well.”  Laura’s connection with Lithuania did not end with teaching.  She has acquired a daughter-in-law who is a graduate of the Lithuanian Christian College.

  While traveling in Russia and the Ukraine, Laura became interested in her own Mennonite history and visited the former sites of Mennonites in the Ukraine and Russia.  Because of Laura’s interest in history, her husband encouraged her to join the volunteers at the Mennonite Historical Society archives.  Through Erica Suderman, Laura became aware of the need for volunteers at the archives and has since joined Erica and her team of volunteers who are working on the InMagic project.

In addition to volunteering at the archives and at M2W2, Laura’s hobbies include quilting, reading, traveling, walking.  Monday’s volunteers have enjoyed getting to know Laura Enns and appreciate the skills she brings particularly to the InMagic project.

             by Laura Enns and Lora Sawatsky

Linda (Froese) Shirley

 I first discovered the Mennonite Historical Society when I moved to Abbotsford, British Columbia in 2005. Since then I have visited it often to help research my family tree and by doing so became grounded again to my Mennonite roots, therefore wanting to give back to those who have helped me along the way so others may be helped.  At present I am working in creating and entering databases for the Mennonite Historical Society.

 I am a Medical Office Assistant and work for two doctors, one a general practitioner, the other a psychiatrist.  I have two grown children who both reside in the Abbotsford area.  I have a vast interest in hobbies, genealogy research, creative writing, was a member of the National Amateur Publishers Association where I was awarded an English Laureate Award for one of my writings about the history of my family.

 I also like to sew, cook, sail, knit, read and work with my husband on his hobby of model train building.  All in all I enjoy life and like to keep active.  One of my goals is to erect a headstone that contains all the names of the destitute in the graveyard in my hometown in Rosthern, Saskatchewan.