How You Can Help

Every offer of help is greatly appreciated here at the Minnich Haus. With that being said, we want to make it absolutely clear that we would NEVER, EVER ask you to contribute financially. We will never ask you for monetary donations. EVER. It is not out of pride, it is simply because we understand that everyone is struggling and we would never want to see this project become a financial burden on the community.  ​

There are many other fantastic ways to help us, but what we need most might surprise you: history. We cannot stress enough how important this one is. If you have lived in Dallastown long, you probably have stories about the house, or you have been inside and remember what it looked like, or perhaps you have pictures, or you might have even managed to acquire something that was originally part of the house. If you would allow us to make copies of pictures, or even take photographs of what you have, that would help us immensely. We know what Victorian houses look like, but we do not know what this particular Victorian house should look like (particularly the interior of the house), so anything that can aid us in the process of restoring it to its original state would be appreciated beyond measure. Do you have stories about the Minnichs? Do you have photographs? We want those, too! This restoration is not just about the house, it is also about its prior owners as well. They put their heart and soul into making this house a home, and we want to celebrate their lives as well.  ​

We are also in need of tools. We have been purchasing power tools slowly, but there are many others that we still need in order to make the restoration easier. If you happen to have a tool in your garage that you no longer use, let us know because we might need it. Having said that, gift cards to Lowes and Home Depot would also help tremendously, but they are not necessary (see above for our stance on financial contributions). ​

Are there other ways to help? Absolutely! This may come as no surprise to anyone, but some house maintenance is very time-consuming, taking time away from actual restoration projects. If you have some spare time on a weekend and you would like to spend it helping us with weeding, or lawn mowing, for example, we would be very grateful.  ​

Finally, we need knowledge. Are you an expert in any trades like carpentry, or building? Have you done a restoration project before and have some tips that you can pass down to us? We want to talk to you! We are learning as we go, and YouTube and books have been invaluable tools, but nothing could compare to face-to-face instruction, so if you have a moment to spare to pass down your experience to us, we will treasure that forever.  ​ This is, of course, not a comprehensive list of everything we need as projects evolve constantly and so do our needs, but if you still want to help and you just don’t know how, or if you have any questions at all, please just contact us. Send us a quick note and we will get back to you.

Above everything else, what we need most is intangible, but it would offer us the greatest support: your patience and encouragement. This is a monumental task, and things will likely get worse before they can get any better, but your patience and support while we navigate every project give us the strength and confidence we need to continue moving forward, and we appreciate it more than you can imagine. Every comment on Facebook or Instagram (we read them all!), or your quick shout-outs as you are driving by and waiting at the light, are the things that lift our spirits every single day and are truly the life force behind every new project that we begin.

Thank you.  ​