Now, with one son in his mid-20s and another just
starting grade 12, she said it was the perfect chance
to apply when Ewashen said he would be moving on,
and she thought about it for a long time before actually
handing in her application.
"This is a wonderful opportunity," she
said.
But she said the position is more than planning
exhibits, applying for grants and writing press
releases - although those all fall under the job
description as well.
"It’s an everything job," she said,
meaning along with curating, she’ll also be
responsible for maintenance and caretaking of the
building and grounds, as well as living on the property.
Even though she’s in the process of downsizing
her house to move to the end of Heritage Way, she’s
very happy about it.
"I love people, I love history, I’m
very diplomatic."
A self-described people person, Zeberoff said she
loves talking about and teaching Doukhobor culture.
She used to volunteer by speaking to visiting Japanese
students about Doukhobor culture, and in the last
two years she has spent a lot of time volunteering
at the Doukhobor Discovery Centre.
"I’ve put over 400 hours in the last
year and a half volunteering here," she said.
Zeberoff said that currently, she is training with
Ewashen to learn more about the centre’s history
and how to apply for grants.
"If you don’t sit down and spend the
hours writing, you’re not going to get the
funding."
Although she’ll be on her own come the end
of October, Zeberoff said she’s not worried.
"I’m not afraid to ask for help."
She already has many ideas as to what she’d
like to do at the centre for when it reopens next
May under her curatorial watch. An exhibit she’s
been roughly planning in her head showcases the
linens and lace of the Doukhobor culture.
"That would be really special," Zeberoff
said, who has many pieces in her personal collection.
She has plans for activities and contests too,
including a Russian writing contest.
"It would be really great to honour Tolstoy
in a play," she said, because without Tolstoy,
it’s a slim chance that Doukhobors would’ve
settled in this area.
"With the whole picture in mind, I’m
looking forward to it," she said.
Her plans for the winter include going through
all the museum’s artifacts, reading about
the history and going into the centre’s vault
and seeing what has happened in the museum since
its inception.
Zeberoff said that she’s had great support
from the board of directors and Ewashen himself.
"They have been really wonderful. It’s
like a big family," she said. "Well, some
of them are family."
She said she’s so excited that she has had
trouble sleeping the past few nights, and realizes
that the position comes with many responsibilities.
"I just hope I can do as good of a job as
Larry," she said.
The Doukhobor Discovery Centre is open until Sept.
30. It will reopen May 1 under Zeberoff’s
curation.
