A crowd of about 170 had the opportunity Thursday night in Steinbach to hear from Manitoba's Lieutenant Governor. Janice Filmon was guest speaker at the MHV Auxiliary fundraising dinner.

(Lieutenant Governor Janice Filmon)The museum this year is operating under the theme, "Beyond Tradition: The Lives Of Mennonite Women."

Filmon says her position has traditionally been filled by a man and in fact, she is only the second woman in 147 years to be Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba. Filmon says it was time for a woman to fill that role. She says women look at things differently than men.

"We've got a lot of issues out there that perhaps have not been represented in the same way that I hope with my own sense of what I can do within the role," she says.

Filmon considers it an absolute delight to have the privilege to be Lieutenant Governor. She says it is a very important role and hopes that she can make a difference through what she learns and whom she meets.

But Filmon is quick to point out that she would never diminish the traditional role of women, which is where she says she spent majority of her life. She says at the same time we need to make sure our women have the same opportunities as men. Filmon adds the roles of women should be viewed as "essential skills for living", saying they should be honoured and valued.

On January 28, 2016, our province celebrated the centennial of Manitoba women being granted the right to vote in provincial elections. Filmon was the founding Chair of the Nellie McClung Foundation; she led a campaign to have the Nellie McClung monument installed at the grounds at the Manitoba Legislature.

Auxiliary President Linda Schroeder says when they started planning this dinner, they thought it would be great to bring in the Lieutenant Governor as guest speaker, a female holding a non-traditional woman's role. Schroeder says they were thrilled when she accepted the invitation.

Thursday's event raised about $12,000. This money will be used to fund the museum's education program, with the rest going towards the museum's "Foundations For A Strong Future" campaign.