I couldn’t mention it last week, but the reason politicos Jamie MacDonald, Jeff Manley and Carma Williams were stopping by Friday’s DRA euchre luncheon was to congratulate Phyllis Terry — a longtime Dunvegan euchre player — on her 100thbirthday. I didn’t want to spoil the surprise. I needn’t have worried.
While I couldn’t attend, my stringer on the ground reports that Phyllis was way more interested in her cards than any old centenary celebration. She really didn’t pay much attention to the people from the Township — whoever they were — and dove back into her hand the minute she could break away from all the birthday nonsense. When it comes to cards, even at 100, Phyllis has focus.
Thanks go out to Ben Williams for airlifting the card tables and supplies from the DRA hall to the church hall and back; to Ann Stewart for organizing the birthday fixings; and Linda Burgess and Sandra Daigle for preparing and serving the pre- and post-game lunches. We are also extremely grateful for the Kenyon Presbyterian Church’s generosity in allowing us access to their hall while the DRA one was undergoing renovations.
The next DRA euchre luncheon will take place — at the DRA hall — on Friday, November 16th. It will be our first “Soup & Sandwich” lunch of the season. I hope to see you there.
Flick’s Canadian connection?
This coming Friday, October 26th, the Dunvegan Recreation Association is screening The Shining.Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, the 1980 Stanley Kubrick film stars Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall as Jack and Wendy Torrance. The couple, accompanied by their son, are hired as the off-season custodians of a summer resort deep in the Colorado Mountains. When the hotel is snowbound following a severe storm, the Torrance’s son discovers that the ghost of a former custodian haunts the hotel. It’s at this point things begin to turn really nasty.
Film buffs have long maintained that Colorado’s ‘Stanley Hotel’ was the inspiration for The Shining,after Stephen King and his wife Tabitha spent the night there while on holiday and discovered that they were the hotel’s only overnight guests. Since the 1970s, there have been numerous reports of paranormal phenomena at the hotel.
However, it has also been suggested that the movie has a Canadian connection: the ‘Algonquin Hotel’ in St. Andrews by-the-sea, New Brunswick.The sprawling wooden hotel, which first opened in 1889, is perched on a hilltop overlooking nearby Passamoquoddy Bay. The majority of the Algonquin’s ghostly activity seems to emanate from a tower that was formerly used as accommodation for employees. Lights have been reported in the tower’s windows, despite the tower being locked and unoccupied at all times. Rumour has it that King stayed at the Algonquin early in his career, and may have drawn inspiration from both the Stanley and the Algonquin hotels.
If you’ve never attended one of the DRA screenings, you’re missing out on a great little event. It offers the chance to see classic films without having to drive hours to and from the city. My only suggestion is that you bring a comfy cushion or chair and your favourite beverage. The DRA will supply the popcorn and cookies. There is no formal admission fee, but donations are always welcome.
A final hurrah
While the Glengarry Pioneer Museum is officially closed, they are opening their doors for one last event — Glengarry Paranormal, Revealings and Revelations at the Museum —on Saturday, October 27thfrom 7:00 – 10:00 PM. Ottawa-based experts from Bytown Paranormal will be offering a tour unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. You’ll be led by lantern light through the museum’s historic buildings and try your hand at ghost hunting. There will also be a special exhibit of “creepy artifacts” in the Orange Lodge building, along with a hot apple cider station to help keep you warm.
Curator Jennifer Black tells me they still have a few tickets left, but space is limited. The cost is $20 per person and tickets must be purchased in advance. They’re available to PayPal users though the museum’s website: GlengarryPioneerMuseum.ca. Or, if you’d prefer, call the museum at 613-527-5230.
A treasure trove instant
As history is sometimes referred to as the study of dead stuff, it’s fitting that the Glengarry County Archives has chosen the Glengarry Funeral Home in Alexandria as the site of their temporary exhibit: Treasures of Glengarry. For one afternoon only — Sunday, October 28thfrom 1:00 to 5:00 PM — county archivist Allan MacDonald will be showcasing rare photos, maps and other treasures from Glengarry County’s past. The Glengarry County Archives is the largest repository of historical records in eastern Ontario and contains the foremost collection of history about Glengarry County found anywhere. Knowing Allan’s keen eye for spotting noteworthy and thought-provoking examples from the collection, I have no doubt the exhibition will be well worth attending. Complimentary wine and cheese will be served. Goodwill donations would be appreciated.
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