The Dunvegan Recreation Association’s annual Community Halloween party is back. A tradition in our little hamlet for nearly 40 years, it was mothballed during Covid. However, on Monday, October 31st, trick-or-treaters and their families are once again invited to celebrate pumpkin day together at the DRA hall (19053 County Road 24). Event organizer Anne Forrester-Bertrand told me there will be “a bean bag toss, a fishing pool, pumpkin squirt, arts and crafts, lots of spooky decorations and a haunted stage.” By trying out all the games, kids will be given stickers that can be redeemed for candy. Prizes will also be awarded for innovative costumes… and loot bags will be handed out to take home. If you have a child (or grandchild) who loves Halloween (and who doesn’t, aside from me), make a point of dropping by. The fun begins at 6:30 and it’s 100% free.
Goodie bag appeal
The DRA needs your help with items to fill the take-home bags of candy they hand out at theCommunity Halloween party. They’re looking for individually wrapped chocolates and candies, and snack-size bags of chips. Once again, Mona Andre has kindly offered to hostthe Halloween collection depot on her front porch. She lives right in the centre of town at 19083 County Road 24. Year after year, Dunveganites have responded generously. May this year be the same.
Cutting to the chase
Last Saturday night’s film at the Cinema DRA event was a real winner. Full of twists and turns, the 2019 murder mystery – “Knives Out” – kept everyone in suspense till the very end. While the house was in no way packed, the audience size more than doubled from the previous month’s screening. Which no doubt pleased the organizers, Laurie Maus and Bob Garner. Another bonus was that the DRA’s theatre-style hot-buttered popcorn maker was back in operation. Now all we have to do is find noise-free bags to put it in. The downside of the hall’s excellent acoustics is that the rustling of the paper popcorn bags is very distracting. If you’ve ever wondered where the expression ‘cutting to the chase’ comes from, it’s Hollywood. An idiomatic way of saying ‘get to the point’, it refers to how movie makers often cut from a slow scene to a more exciting one, e.g., a car chase, to keep the audience interested.
Musical open house
Another Dunvegan event that sunk beneath the viral waves was Denis Lavigne’s periodic musical jam sessions. Which was a real shame, because they were just beginning to build up a head of steam. However, the good news is that Denis is resurrecting his musical free-for-all on Saturday, October 29th starting at 7:00 pm in the DRA hall. If you’d like to meet other musicians and play a little County, Blues or Rock & Roll, Denis hopes you will come and join in the fun. He’s already has commitments from a number of local musicians, including Ottawa’s former busker-in-residence, Steve Merritt. There’s no admission and everyone is welcome. Don’t play music? Well, just come and listen and, if the spirit moves you, dance. The event is being held at 19053 County Road 24. For more information, give Denis a call at 613-363-8562.
DRA’s Potluck & AGM
Here’s one more thing you should mark on your kitchen calendar: the Dunvegan Recreation Association’s 2022 Potluck Supper and Annual General Meeting on Friday, November 5th. If it’s anything like past AGM’s, folks will nibble appetizers, imbibe liquid refreshments of their choosing and say hello to old friends and, hopefully, new neighbours. Once the dinner gong is struck, we’ll proceed in an orderly fashion to the sixteen-foot long buffet table filled with homemade main dishes, sides and desserts. Dinner done, the business part of the meeting will commence. This will consist of the Treasurer’s report, the President’s review of the past year… and then the bi-annual election of the Executive Committee. I’m told that everyone on the Committee has agreed to stay in his or her role. So it should be pretty uneventful. “But you never know,” Secretary Vivian Franklin told me. “Surprises can happen.” Remember, you don’t have live in the Dunvegan region to attend the AGM. It’s open to one and all. So if you and/or your family have participated in any of the DRA’s many programs, please come and show your support for the volunteers who make events like these possible. All the AGM’s organizers ask is that you bring a main dish, salad or dessert. Hot coffee, water, soft drinks and juice will be provided free of charge.
Almost free lunch
Last, but not least, I have yet another offer of free food for you: a hearty lunch of piping hot soup, delicious chilli, Terry’s homemade butter rolls and more. The only catch is that the host of this delicious repast – the Glengarry Pioneer Museum – needs a helping hand with theirannual ‘season closing’ work bee next Saturday, October 22nd from 9:00 am until around noon. Curator Jennifer Black assures me that none of the tasks are too onerous. Volunteers will help prepare temperature-sensitive artifacts such as textiles and framed works for winter storage. Others will help with small maintenance tasks around the site. If you’ve wanted toget a glimpse of what happens behind the scenes at the museum, this work bee is a great way to dip your toes in the water, so to speak, and meet some wonderful people. “With lots of hands helping,” Jennifer told me in an email, “we can be done in time for lunch.” If you, or someone you know, are interested in joining the fun, just give Jennifer a call at 613-527-5230.
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