A rare visitor to the Doukhobor Discovery Centre, Bill Merilees of Nanaimo, BC. Bill was a founding member of the Kootenay Doukhobor Historical Society and the first President in 1967.

As a member and president of the founding committee, Bill played a key role in creating the museum, which opened with the main building in 1971.

Now, 36 years later, he reflected on the present Centre with pride, and marvelled at the current state of development of the original concept. In this photograph, curator Larry Ewashen presents Bill with a souvenir museum calendar.