2022 Legacy Ball Dachshund Derby to Partner with Frankenmuth Historical Association

The Frankenmuth Community Foundation is excited to announce their partner organization for the 2022 Legacy Ball Dachshund Derby is the Frankenmuth Historical Association.  Each year, the Foundation accepts applications from local organizations engaging in a major project who are seeking help in raising funds. Last year, the first time this concept was tried, was a great success as the Foundation raised nearly $45,000 to help the Chamber of Commerce bring the Frankenmuth Ice Rink to town. 

This year, the Foundation will help our local history organization better tell the fascinating story of Frankenmuth’s founding and evolution into one of Michigan’s most visited destinations. In 1995, in honor of the community’s 150^th Anniversary, the Frankenmuth Historical Association, located on Main St., built a seven-gallery museum of Frankenmuth history. With the help of the Frankenmuth Community Foundation’s 2022 Legacy Ball Dachshund Derby, the FHA’s new project will update these galleries to reflect the last 26+ years of our rapidly changing town and to revamp technological features the galleries currently lack. Part of the update includes reduction of the current gift shop space to accommodate a new 8^th gallery.

A timetable for the project includes a design phase starting in the summer of 2022. Once an artist rendering is completed, planning will commence to determine what information and artifacts will go in the new space, and further fundraising will be sought for the project. If all goes according to plan, actual fabrication will begin in 2023, with a grand opening in late 2023 or early 2024. 

Zentx Media Group, out of Freeland, Michigan will be doing the exhibit construction. Further collaboration will include local individuals, civic groups, and businesses that will aid in ideas, artifact and information collection, and construction, electric, and video creation for the project. FHA Director Heidi Chapman said, “The FHA feels that working directly with our community for the creation of this project is incredibly important, considering these are the people who actually lived through the history being shared with the public. This is the perfect way to "preserve, communicate, and celebrate" Frankenmuth's history for generations to come.”

Legacy Ball Dachshund Derby committee members who will be working with the FHA on this year’s event include Chairperson Anne Webb, FCF board

member Bethany Burnett, Legacy Ball founder Victoria DeGrace, Wayne Cormier, Joelle Abke, Kristi Krafft-Bellsky, Dave Bellsky, Danielle Daugharty, John Daugharty, and FCF staff members Jonathan Webb and Ashley Hopp. The 2022 event will be held at Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth on April 30^th. Sponsorship packets have been mailed to local businesses.