History of the San Diego region has ties to the culture and heritage of the Old West. El Cajon was home to Olaf Wieghorst, who lived in El Cajon from 1945 to 1988. After his death, his home and works of art became the museum located on Rea Avenue in El Cajon. To help keep open this bridge to the Old West, the museum holds several fundraisers, such as the annual Fashion Show Luncheon May 30 in the Ronald Reagan Center.
History of the San Diego region has ties to the culture and heritage of the Old West. El Cajon was home to Olaf Wieghorst, who lived in El Cajon from 1945 to 1988. After his death, his home and works of art became the museum located on Rea Avenue in El Cajon. To help keep open this bridge to the Old West, the museum holds several fundraisers, such as the annual Fashion Show Luncheon May 30 in the Ronald Reagan Center.
Pam Briter, board president, said that all of the funds raised go to educational programs for elementary school students and art workshops for selected high school students. The museum brings in more than 800 third and fourth graders each year.
“Olaf Wieghorst was known as the father of American Western painting,” she said. “So I thank you for opening up your wallets to support the museum.”
Several members of the museum modelled clothes by Draper’s and Damon’s of Rancho Bernardo and Glamour Girlz, El Cajon’s high-fashion boutique for women.
“This year is our best fashion show yet,” said Lori Roberts, a board member.
Kylie Wallace, 8, sat next to her mother Ann Wallace. Between the two of them, they won a door prize and two raffle prizes.
“My favorite part of today was the fashion show. I like all the dresses,” Kylie Wallace said.
Several gentlemen went about selling raffle tickets, poured the ladies their coffee and iced tea. They also helped the models step down from the runway.
“They are Olaf’s posse,” said Pam Reiter, chair of the Special Events Committee.
“If Olaf were here, he would be doing the same thing. He was such a gentleman,” said Earlene Hollmichel, museum director. “Olaf would say that he never met a stranger. He loved everyone and talked to anyone. We get people coming into the museum all the time telling stories of how they would walk by his house and say something about how they liked his work, and he’d invite them right into his home.”
Monica Zech, public information officer for the city of El Cajon, said, “I like this event because who Olaf was. He loved El Cajon just like I do. And the museum itself has always been a big supporter of the city. They got involved with the centennial and this year they will be part of the America on Main Street event.”
The museum holds the key to American West culture, much in the way that the artist himself opened his door to people who wanted to see his work.
“He was really in love with the Old American West culture,” Bruter said. “He wanted children to understand the cowboys and mountain men of that time.”
Bruter reminded everyone to put June 14 on the calendar for the America on Main Street event. The museum will feature mountain men and cowboys as well as an old-fashioned chuck wagon-style dinner.
For more information about the Olaf Wieghorst Museum and the programs it offers, go to www.wieghorstmuseum.org.
