Testing their speed and endurance, left-right are Lise Roby, the activities coordinator for the Villa Beausejour, and manager Aline Roy. Sitting on the log is Jean Lalonde, the maintence man for the Villa.
Mac Olsen
Express Staff
@SmokyRiverExprs
Residents at the Villa Beausejour took a trip back in time on Feb. 11.
Lise Roby, the activities coordinator, had them participate in a ‘Sugar Shack’ activity. It’s an annual event to highlight the French and Metis heritages of the 19th century. Roby explains that the French and Metis would cut down their own logs to build shacks and extract syrup from trees for the dough.
A log sawing challenge was held in the Villa’s cafeteria and fried dough with syrup was served later.
Roby got into the spirit of the event by wearing a Metis serge. She and manager Aline Roy managed to saw their piece of wood in a time of one minute, 18 seconds. Seniors of the Red Willow Lodge in Valleyview also attended the event. Residents of Pleasantview Lodge in High Prairie couldn’t come due to mechanical problems with their bus.
Resident Lena Vandeligt with her fried dough.