When I awoke last Sunday, I realized that it was the first day in over a month that I hadn’t immediately fired up the old iPad and checked the latest weather predictions. It came as an enormous relief to be finally freed of the “ball & chain” that is the Weather Network’s seven- and fourteen-day forecast. And it turns out I’m not alone. When I was talking with Bill Gilsdorf last week, he mentioned that the one thing he does not miss, now he is less involved in organizing outdoor events at Dunvegan’s Glengarry Pioneer Museum, is the constant worry about weather.
I know that the vagaries of meteorological fluctuations are old hat to my readers in the farming community. But, when it comes to agricultural activities, there is usually a window of opportunity. While not large, it may extend for a few days or even weeks. However, with the planning of outdoor cultural and recreational events, you usually have but one shot at it.
I’m relieved to say that, somehow, we lucked out for this past Saturday’s Dunvegan Winter Carnival. No wind to speak of. No bone-chilling cold. And a gentle snowfall that would have made Norman Rockwell’s heart sing. What made my heart sing was the ever-widening range of folks who decided to be Dunveganites for a day.
Breakfast stats, hot off the griddle
Some like North Glengarry’s mayor, Chris McDonnell, could only make it out for the Buffet Breakfast. While Maxville ward counselor, Carma Williams, managed to squeeze in both sites, or “campuses” as bureaucrats are so fond of saying these days. They, together with over 165 other hungry diners, created a culinary bell curve down at the charming community hall in Dunvegan. Terry, Ursula, granddaughters Maya and Abby and I opted to go down early. And we made it just in time. As we were finishing the last of our scrumptious fast-breaking feast, the hordes began to swarm through the front door. This kept up until around 9:30 when the stream of newcomers began to slow.
Event co-organizer, Kim Raymond, tells me that the number of meals served were up by at least 10%. “By the end, we had… been completely cleaned out of most items,” said Kim. She was very pleased to see so many of the new families who have been attending DRA events recently and folks who haven’t made it to the breakfast in a few years.
As Kim pointed out in her post-event e-mail to me, “it takes many kind clever hands to pull off an event such as this one, which happens over such a short period of time when you think of it (less than 5 hours in total).” She and co-organizer Vivian Franklin, wanted to thank the following people for their invaluable contributions: Greg Byers, Dennis Ranger, Bob Linney, Marlie Tilker, Lynn and Bruce MacGillivray, Laurie Maus and Bob Garner, Heather and Evan McIntosh, Bonnie Lang, Linda Fraser, Myrna Ladouceur, Nancy McKinnon, Sean Burgess, Karen Odermatt, Mike Hall, Amber Kilgour, Sarah Jane, Heather and Caleb Raymond, Jaydan Willock, Richard Quesnel, Robert Campbell and Sara Hay.
A special note of thanks also goes to Vivian Franklin’s other sap-boiling brother, Mallory, from Bridge End, Glen Nevis. He very generously donated the pure maple syrup for the Carnival breakfast.
Host it and they will come
Every year that Terry and I host the outdoor portion Carnival day, I’m amazed at the cross-section of families who come from far and wide to spend an hour or two — or the entire day — enjoying the sliding hill, skating on the frozen pond and taking a sleigh ride or two through the bush. Volunteers Bob Garner, Jim Tilker and his son-in-law Zack (who thankfully helped me welcome visitors) estimate that Sam and Jake Wensink and their team of Belgians must have pulled between 125 and 150 carnival goers around the trails.
Early in the day, Maxville’s Celtic musician extraordinaire, Paddy Kelly, and his wife and two grandchildren showed up to strap on skates and try their hand at the scavenger hunt. They were followed by: Rad (Robert) Josephs and his wife Helen from Kirk Hill; Jamie and Erica Arsenault with their infant son, Winston, from Blythe Road; and Jennifer and Brien Mullen and their young son, Blake, from Vankleek Hill. And my spies spotted many other families from the Laggan, Dalkeith, Greenfield and Dunvegan. One of these families is brand new to the area: Cedric Menard and his wife, Valerie Paquette. They and their children, Tex and Dakota, moved into Amelia Ayre’s old house just to the east of René and Sherrill Trottier’s farm. It’s so refreshing to see newcomers like this actually reaching out to their new community.
I was also delighted to see that youngsters who grew up in the Dunvegan area and attended the Carnival many years ago were now bringing their young families to the event. For example, Chad McRae and Ashley MacLeod spent a fun-filled day with their three children, and Chad’s sister’s children. Steven and Julia MacIntosh, who live on Skye Road, showed up with their two children in tow. Steven is Doris MacIntosh’s youngest son.
Space and time constraints preclude my documenting all of the people who took part in the fun. But I did want to mention one unique visitor: Steven “Spider” Merritt. Steve moved to Dunvegan in 1967, back in the days before Highway 417 opened up this area to the influx of newcomers from the city. Steve is a talented itinerant musician and a collector of musical instruments He dropped in on Saturday to add a touch of live music to the festivities, and I’m delighted he did. Although, I did wonder how he got here with all his gear. His normal mode of transport, regardless of the season, is a bicycle. Further research uncovered the fact that sisters Vivian and Eileen Franklin ferried him back and forth. He not only played at the new Carnival bonfire pit, he also entertained the children warming up in the house. One of my fondest memories of the day is of Steve perched on the sleigh playing his banjo to his fellow passengers as the horse-drawn conveyance crested the hill. (The story of how Spider got his nickname and some of his recollections of life in and around Dunvegan, will the subject of a future column.)
Moving indoors, Terry reports that the demand for her warm butter rolls, hot chocolate, coffee and soup was strong and steady. By the end of the day, only 24 of the 192 rolls she had baked remained. And nearly all of the soup was gone. Another big hit, new to this year’s menu, were mountains of chocolate chip cookies lovingly baked by Linda Burgess and Erica Bugera. Thank you both!
Terry wanted me to mention the many kind visitors who carried dishes to the kitchen and took turns with the washing and drying… and extend a special thank you to Leina Williams, Linda Burgess, Laurie Maus and Sara Hay (all of whom Terry says were simply amazing) for helping her fulfill the onslaught of soup, hot chocolate and coffee requests. It should be noted that only one of the names on this list, Laurie, is from Dunvegan. Which reinforces my assertion that being a Dunveganite is truly a state of mind.
Have starter block… will travel
Another big hit on Saturday was Denis Comier’s and Dorice DesBiens’ outdoor fire pit and marshmallow toasting experience. As you may recall from an earlier column, Denis retired from the Air Force and Dorice is an interior designer. They bought the former Penner home at the corner of Concession 8 and County Road 30.
Denis tells me that the secret to fire pit success (a plethora of flickering flames and a dearth of choking smoke) are wax and sawdust fire starter blocks and careful fuel management. Based on Saturday’s performance, Denis is obviously a real pro. He even has a custom-made steel poker that’s about four or five feet long (1.2 to 1.5 meters, for those born after 1975). Thank you, Denis and Dorice for supporting your community in this way.
“Star Wars” winner, lost & found and more
Before ending my report on the 2016 Dunvegan Winter Carnival, I wanted to cover a few final items, starting with the name of the winner of the “Star Wars” scavenger hunt. I’m delighted to report that this winter’s hunt attracted at least fifteen families. Saturday evening, the hunt’s designers — daughter Ursula and granddaughter Maya — drew the winner’s name: Lily Legault. Not only did Lily win the draw (and a goodie-packed basket of Mars Canada products donated by my son-in-law, Todd Thorburn), her entry showed an amazing depth of knowledge when it came to Star Wars trivia. Congratulations!
Star Wars scavenger hunt winner, Lily Legault (left), with sister, Ella and mother, Heather.
Never in the decades-long history of the Carnival have so many items ended up in the post-event lost and found basket; it must have had something to do with the relatively mild weather. Here’s what was left behind: black plastic skating helmet (size M); white wool toque with dark pom-pom; black, pink and white Scandinavian-style toque with dangly ear flaps; super-cute black and red mittens for an infant; adult size, white leather, fleece-lined mittens; dark grey Polartec “Black Diamond” gloves with black cuffs. If any of the items listed below are yours, please call Terry or me at 613-527-3413 to reclaim them.
Last, but not in any way least, is an apology to any volunteer whose name I may have overlooked. If I did leave out your name, please e-mail and tell me.
A battalion marches on its wallet
A few days ago, my good friend Robin Flockton e-mailed to ask for my help… and I, in turn, ask for yours. Robin is preparing his next talk in the series “Glengarry and the First World War” entitled: The 154th Overseas Battalion – Rise and Demise.
Robin has found that, when the 154th was authorized on December 1st, 1915, the province of Ontario and the United Counties both contributed $1,000. The Cornwall Canadian Club contributed $1,939. And the residents of Dunvegan contributed an astounding $625, or over $14,000 in today’s money! No other community came close.
Robin is intrigued by how such a small hamlet was able to raise such an impressive amount. And he is wondering if any of you have information or documents from 1915 relating to Dunvegan’s contribution to the 154th battalion’s fund raising effort. If you do, please call or e-mail me.
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