Alyson Graham and her team of volunteers deserve a big round of applause for putting on yet another excellent annual general meeting for the Glengarry Pioneer Museum last Friday night. Everything went off without a hitch… apart from the fact the keynote speaker couldn’t remember how to pronounce the word “monarchy.”
Over sixty members and guests were in attendance. Highlights of the evening included a potluck buffet with everything from salads to sushi; a ceremony honouring Lindsey Howes as Volunteer of the Year and Dane Lanken as Pioneer Award recipient; and the election of a full slate of officers to the museum’s Executive Committee. Matt Williams will take over as committee chair. Garry Smith accepted the position of vice-chair. Marlie Tilker will stay on as treasurer, as will Erica-Rose Burgess as secretary. And James Prevost will assume the role of past chair.
What was censored?
Saturday evening, if you’re done getting ready for the Easter Bunny and are looking for a break, head on down to the DRA Hall. It’s movie night in Dunvegan and this month Laurie and Bob are screening Only the Brave. While a relatively obscure film from 2017, the write-up on the IMDB web site looks very promising.
Based on true events, it follows the story of a municipalforest fire fighting crew. Sort of like if North Glengarry had a forest fire squad… assuming we had any forests, of course. Known as the Granite Mountain Hotshots, this front-line team of firefighters is put to the test with the notorious 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona. The film stars Josh Brolin, Miles Teller and Jeff Bridges and has a run time of 134 minutes (118 minutes for the Mainland China version). Be interesting to see if we can guess which scenes the Chinese censors thought were inappropriate for those behind the Bamboo Curtain.
The lights will dim at 7:00, so please show up a bit early to stake your viewing spot. And don’t forget to bring your comfy cushions or chairs, your favourite beverage and preferred treats. The DRA will supply popcorn and cookies. There’s no admission, but donations to DRA programs are always appreciated.
Clerical or secular cleansing?
On Saturday, April 27th, the choice is yours. Or you can cover your bases, by volunteering for both.
Kenyon Presbyterian in the heart of Dunvegan is looking for help to banish the cobwebs of winter and the detritus of fall from the church, the church hall and the grounds. (I’m not sure if this includes the graveyard, but I suspect not.) The cleaning bee is scheduled to run from 9 AM to 12 noon. In case you were wondering, the KPC web site assures me the event is free.
Just down the road, the Glengarry Pioneer Museum is also in need of helping hands for their annual Spring Cleaning Day. With ten historic buildings and the plots of turf twixt them, curator Jennifer Black would appreciate all the help she can get. This work bee gets underway at 9:00 AM and usually takes up just the morning. As an added incentive for you and your family to show up, the museum provides snacks and a lunch. To help Jennifer plan her cleanliness attack, please RSVP by April 23. Call 613-527-5230 or e-mail: info@glengarrypioneermuseum.ca.
Getting hotter…
According to Wikipedia, the childhood game of hiding and seeking an objectis known by a number of names, including: Huckle Buckle Beanbag, Hot Buttered Beans andHunt the Thimble, Hide the Thimble. To be honest, none of these names are familiar to my Canadian ear. However, I do have strong memories of the practice of informing the seeker how near he or she is to a hidden object by yelling out “getting colder” when moving away from the object or “getting hotter” when approaching it.
It was almost as if someone shouted “getting hotter” when I came across “Historical Notes of Dunvegan L.O.L.” in the 1978 edition of the Tweedsmuir Diaries, a collection of Dunvegan-related articles and stories compiled by our hamlet’s former Women’s Institute. The rather detailed account was written by Mrs. Norman M. MacLeod of Skye, the wife of one of the last members of the Lodge. It’s clear from what she wrote that, 40 years ago, Mrs. MacLeod had the Dunvegan L.O.L. minute books in her possession. The question is: What happened to them after that?
If anyone can help me track down Mrs. MacLeod’s family so I can inquire after the fate of these records, I would be very grateful. Not “monetary reward” grateful, but appreciative nevertheless.
Euchre on April 26
Please don’t forget that — to skip over Good Friday — Dunvegan’s first luncheon tournament in the 2019 Euchre season will be held on Friday, April 26th. Ann Stewart will be presiding over the card game side of things, while Linda Burgess, Sandra Daigle and I will insure that the euchre enthusiasts do not have to play on an empty stomach.Admission for this afternoon of food and fun is still only $5.00. So please join us at 19053 County Road 24 from 12:00 noon to around 3:30 PM.
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