Sharon Mech

Sharon doesn’t live in Hilliard, but she has always loved the Village. She can’t quite recall when she first came to the Historical Society—it’s been many years now—but she remembers her very first visit to the Historical Village clearly. It was Heritage Day, and her Guild had been invited to spin. While there, she wove on the 1790 loom for the very first time, and the way the old loom was set up troubled her deeply.

A few years later, Megan Martin reached out to her, and that call led to a new chapter of service at the Village. She began volunteering, and over an extended period, she and a few others wove off the last of the “rug warp,” carefully undressed the loom, and began the process of restoring it to its original four-shaft glory—with full support from the Society’s administration. Just before Heritage Day a couple of years ago, the loom was re-warped and brought back to life.

Although she doesn’t live nearby, she finds Hilliard to be a lovely city and wishes she were closer. For her, the real joy of volunteering at the Hilliard Ohio Historical Society (HOHS) is the people. The volunteers are dedicated, welcoming, and fascinating to work with. The Village itself is a hidden gem—one that even many Hilliard residents are surprised to discover. “The volunteers support one another,” she says, “and I’m honored to be among them.”

Sharon especially loves sharing the Village with visitors, particularly young people, and helping them imagine what life was like “in the old days.” A maker at heart, she finds joy in spinning, weaving, knitting, crocheting her own handspun, teaching, and giving tours when others are busy. What excites her most is bringing the past alive for 21st-century people who have never experienced life without supermarkets, electricity, internet, TV, and easy transportation. She also enjoys the simple ritual of closing the Village at the end of the day—shutting windows, fastening shutters, and leaving the Village safely “tucked in.”

Sharon would like to see the visitor experience grow in two key ways. First, by showing more of what children did in the past. While the exhibits do an excellent job highlighting adult roles, children also contributed in many ways. During WWI, for example, kids collected scrap materials, planted gardens, and knitted socks. On farms, they often gathered eggs or milked cows. She imagines adding activities that children could try themselves, as well as replacing the scavenger hunt with story-based challenges—puzzles that get kids thinking and exploring, like: “Aunt Millie is coming to stay. You need sugar and hair ribbons, collect the eggs, and meet her train. Where do you go? How do you get there? Where will you put her trunk?”

Second, she envisions more living history opportunities: fewer static displays and more working equipment, demonstrations, and hands-on activities. Drawing connections between exhibits—like how a knitting stitch helped win WWI—and offering special themed days, such as a “day on the farm” or even a barn-raising, could help bring the Village’s stories vividly to life.

For her, HOHS means family. “It’s a family I’m so glad to be part of. I look forward to coming every Sunday.”

Beyond the Village, she has long served her community as a volunteer with the Medical Reserve Corps and as a cantor at her church. Though her job keeps her busy, she still makes time for the activities she loves: cooking, baking, reading, walking, Nordic walking, biking, sewing, quilting, and always discovering something new.

Submitted by Bob Eggerichs