Exhibition: Raerd & the Raerders

As part of the Tsjerkepaad event this summer, an exhibition titled “Raerd & the Raerders” is on display at the Laurentius Church in Raerd. The exhibition was organized by the members of the Dokumintekommisje Raerd, a group of villagers dedicated to documenting the village’s history.

After a year and a half of preparation—which involved gathering information and countless photographs—they succeeded in putting together thirteen large informational panels that depict the past and present of various aspects of Raerd society. The collected photos and short texts illustrate and explain the relevant themes. In addition, two large horizontal panels, each measuring about five square meters, tell the story of the village’s history and the various neighborhoods that make up the village.

Themes featured on the information panels include the school, the farms, the ice skating club, St. Laurentius Church, youth facilities, and cultural topics such as singing and theater (including the “Ipenloftspul” festival). Together, they provide a wonderful picture of what community life was like more than a hundred years ago and how it has evolved to the present day.

The exhibition in the Laurentius Church can be viewed during Tsjerkepaad from July 4 through September 5 on Saturday afternoons from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Of course, in addition to the exhibition, visitors can also admire the beautiful church interior, which was restored between 2009 and 2012.