April 5, 2017 –
Crafts Club donates Canada 150 commemorative quilt to Villa Beausejour silent auction
Villa Beausejour manager, Aline Roy dropped by the McLennan Crafts Club recently to enquire about having a quilt made for a Villa silent auction.
The response from the craft club members was immediately positive and enthusiastic.
“When I asked how much it would cost and told them that I was the manager at the Villa Beausejour they said they were donating it. This is so nice of them to do this, very, very nice.”
The club members usually work on their own individual projects but the commemorative quilt was a collaborative project involving Eleanor Daly, Carole Michaud, Diann Rondeau, Gina Daly and Becki Henderson.
Seeing that 2017 is Canada’s 150th birthday, the club decided on a Canadian motif to mark the occasion.
The craft club members involved in the project will present Aline Roy with the finished product on April 13 and along with other items the quilt will be part of a silent auction at the Villa’s annual family barbeque on June 28. Bidding on the quilt will begin in late April.
Traveling to Peru with Toastmasters
What does Peru offer tourists when they arrive? If you talk to Gary Braithwaite, quite a lot.
He and his wife, Silvia Braithwaite, have made a number of trips to Peru over the last decade. Peru is her country of origin. Braithwaite made a presentation about their travels to Peru at a Smoky River Sweet Talkers Toastmasters meeting. It was held in the council chamber at the M.D. of Smoky River No. 130 administration office in Falher on March 28.
The year-round warm weather and exchange rate are among the draws for him.
“It’s always sunny and your money goes twice as far,” he says.
“Tourism is popular and the people go out of their way to make visitors feel welcome.”
The history of the Inca civilization and the colonial Spanish influences stand out for him as well. Braithwaite talked about these and other attractions as part of his 35-minute presentation. He used a series of travel photos to highlight the attractions.
Braithwaite was evaluated on how he presented his information, including use of language and mannerisms, and if he stayed within the allotted time for his presentation.
April 12, 2017 –
Spring barbecue and social in Guy
A spring barbecue and social was held at the Guy community hall on April 1.
The meal consisted of a hamburger/steak dinner, salad and dessert.
Eight volunteers helped with meal preparation.
The event was a fundraiser for the hall.
A community garage sale was to be held at the hall on April 8 as well.
April 19, 2017 –
Girouxville Co-op Ltd. is celebrating 75 years in business
Girouxville Co-op Ltd. is 75 years young in 2017 and the organization is hosting a series of events to commemorate the anniversary.
The co-op held its annual general meeting at the Girouxville community hall in the evening of April 11. A large crowd turned out. Following the dinner – which featured beef on a bun and cake to mark the anniversary – outgoing President Rene Blanchette welcomed everyone and he read the minutes of the annual general meeting and the financial report for 2016, and both were approved. Blanchette also read his president’s report and offered an historical perspective about the co-op.
“Good evening, fellow members, and welcome to our 75th annual general meeting. This evening, we officially begin our Diamond Jubilee Anniversary celebrations.
“Seventy-five years ago, a small group of visionaries from the local region believed that working together by pooling their resources, would enhance the quality of life not only for its members but to the greater surrounding region.”
This led to the co-op becoming a member of Federated Co-operatives Ltd.
“The vision was to provide a service that would source quality products in abundant quantities and establish a retail in which its members would share in the profits. Without question, the vision they had 75 years ago is still the vision that propels this organization today. Over the course of these 75 years, our co-op has seen many successful years, and at times struggled to meet financial needs.”
Easter bake sale at the Falher Library
The Friends of the Falher Library held their annual Easter bake at the library on April 13.
The baked goods included cakes, cookies and cupcakes. The public dropped off their baked goods on April 12 and 13 for the sale.
All proceeds from the event will go to programs and amenities for the library.
There was also a draw for an Easter draw basket at the end of the sale.
April 26, 2017 –
Smoky River Regional Water Management Commission’s tap water, clearly top of the line
The Smoky River Regional Water Management Commission’s (SRRWMC) annual government inspection for 2016 received a 96 percent passing grade.
While some people have misgivings about tap water and think bottled water is more dependable from a health perspective, tap water is held up to far greater scrutiny and exacting standards.
People can also take clean drinking water for granted not realizing that it requires complex, reliable infrastructure and vigilance to ensure consistent quality and supply.
Twice a year, the SRRWMC takes water samples and under government direction those samples are tested for 214 different parameters. Out of those 214 parameters, only 26 were detectable in the tap water and all 26 were within the guidelines.
The SRRWMC is also obliged to take quarterly samples on trihalomethanes (THMs) which are formed along with haloacetic acid when chlorine comes in contact with the organics in the water.
Ecole Heritage holds Easter service
Teachers and students at Ecole Heritage observed Easter on April 13. The event was held in the gym, with dimmed lights.
Deacon Reg Bouchard and three students narrated the story about Christ’s crucifixion and his rising from the dead. A multimedia presentation, in French, was part of the service as well. At certain intervals, students walked in with various items symbolic to the crucifixion. They were placed next to the readers or on the wall the behind them. This included three crosses signifying Christ and the two others who died on Easter Sunday, over two thousand years ago.