This 79-year-old Sask. woman traffics in nostalgia with her museum-in-a-suitcase

Once a month, 79-year-old Elaine Gunsch makes her way over from the Borden Museum where she volunteers and packs items in a suitcase to the Borden Care Home.

The program is called Museum in a Suitcase, and for February one of the items she brought was an old-fashion iron.

“Can you image handling that on an ironing board,” Gunsch said.

Her items drew a reaction from the seven care home residents.

“My mother had one,” said one of the residents.

Among the several items she brought in February were old-fashion hair wave clips, hankies, a gas iron, a clock, books, paper dolls, a shift fashion item, Chinese checkers, old hats and an old Readers Digest Magazine. She props up a giant display board with historical information from the Museum while going around and talking about the items individually.

“It’s just great,” said Gunsch. “The residents are fun and they always got something to add. I usually learn more things than I put out.”

Gunsch began doing Museum in a Suitcase back in the fall. She says residents appreciate having her come in and share items that remind them of the past.

“The kids nowadays would never have played with anything like that,” said 92-year-old Elizabeth Belchamber in reference to the cutout dolls.

Belchamber says it makes you think of someone who had the item or wore the clothing when it was fashionable.

“I really enjoy it because it’s things I would have forgotten,” she said. “You think oh that’s way back when.”

Prior to retiring, Gunsch used to teach in schools throughout Saskatchewan, BC and Panama. She says Museum in a Suitcase brings back the inspiration she had when she taught.

“I guess you could say that, I never thought of it that way,” said Gunsch. “That’s just me there is no shyness involved in me I’m afraid.”