By now, readers may be growing weary of hearing of the DRA’s Music & Mayhem Christmas Revue, and I promise this will be my last kick at the can… until next year. However, I thought everyone should know that the M&M cast and crew broke its own fundraising record. This December, the troupe amassed an after-expenses total of $5,541.99 for the Alexandria Food Bank, beating last year’s impressive figure by almost $800.
Obviously, a great deal of the credit for this feat goes to the revue’s creative director, Rosemary Chatterson, and her amazing team: (in alphabetical order) Elizabeth Caddell, Rosemary Chatterson, Flip Flockton, Alyson Graham, Scott Graham, John Macaulay, Wendy Macleod, Allan MacDonald, Jim McRae, Audrey Nixon, Gerry Schmidt, Nancy and Gord White, and Shashtin and Jim Winchester.
However, none of this would have been possible without the support of the 404 audience members who not only bought tickets, but also donated a whopping $1,064.90 in additional funds at the door. Alexandria’s Caisse Populaire Desjardins also played a vital role. Its generous sponsorship not only covered the production expenses, but also added to the overall monies raised.
Well done, one and all.
Sad change at church
I was dispirited to hear that deteriorating health has forced Reverend Julia Apps Douglas to resign from Kenyon Presbyterian Church in Dunvegan and St. Columba Presbyterian Church in Kirk Hill. Rev. Julia graduated from Knox College, University of Toronto in 2005. Prior to her entering full time ministry, she had extensive pulpit supply experience in the Presbytery of Montreal, and the Presbytery of Hamilton. For those unfamiliar with the term ‘pulpit supply,’ it’s similar to being a supply teacher in the school system… sort of a “have bible, will travel” business model.
Following last Sunday’s service, a retirement party for Rev. Julia was held in the Dunvegan church hall. Members of both congregations joined to wish her well in a bittersweet event that was marked with the entire emotional gamut from laughter to tears. Thank you, Rev. Julia. You will be missed
While it sounds a bit like musical pulpits, Rev. Jim Ferrier — who retires from Maxville’s St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church at the end of this year — has been appointed by the “head office” as the Interim Moderator for the Kenyon and St. Columba congregations. Welcome to Dunvegan, Jim.
Christmas Eve at the kirk
Every seven years, the heavens align and Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday. And 2017 is one such Christmas. This coming Sunday, there will be no morning service. Instead, the lovely stone church in Dunvegan will hold its traditional Christmas Eve service… conducted by the church session… from 7:00 to 8:00 PM.
Everyone in the community is welcome to join in the celebration and raise their voice in song as the Kenyon Presbyterian Church marks the occasion with carols, hymns and readings. The special service will also feature singer Paul Villeneuve, accompanied by Brenna Villeneuve and Cadence MacIntosh on violin.
Yule euchre fun
As the clock marched relentlessly towards noon last Friday, Ann Stewart, the DRA’s euchre boss, was heard to remark, “will anyone else be coming?” She was speaking to the only two players who had shown up by that point. No sooner were the words out of her mouth than the front doors flew open and there was a long line-up waiting to purchase their scorecards and 50/50 tickets. In the end, the crowd (which included Dunvegan’s resident golf expert, René Trottier, filled five tables. And that’s without the usual table of four from the Palace in Alexandria.
The group enjoyed steaming bowls of potato & bacon soup, platters of homemade egg salad, turkey & cranberry and salmon & dill sandwiches and a heaping tray of Sandra Diagle’s Christmas cookies. The luncheon done, the card play commenced and here are the results. Winners of the informal “Share the Wealth” draw were Gilles Lalonde, Doug Robillard, Hughie Lecuyer, Donald Clark and Lucy Theoret. Claire Van Putten won the “Most 4s” prize. And Phyliss Terry claimed the door prize. As for the top euchre scores, Helen Bellefeuille was in first place, Gilles Lalonde was in second and Rene Trottier and Ginette Lecuyer shared third.
DRA Euchre will be in hibernation for the months of January and February. However, but Linda Burgess and I will see you next March.
When credit is due
As my small cadre of readers are aware, I am oft at odds with some of the North Glengarry Council’s decisions. Nevertheless, I must admit there are times when they get things right. And their resolution to establish the Glengarry County Archives back in 2013 (in conjunction with our neighbours to the immediate south) was one such decision.
After just four short years, the archives, under the direction of Allan MacDonald, is already the largest repository of historical records in eastern Ontario and contains the foremost collection of history about Glengarry County found anywhere… including past issues of the Glengarry News from 1892 to 1960.
And it is this treasure trove that I turned to for inspiration for this final item. I thought it might be fun to turn back the pages of time and see how a December Glengarry News in the late 19th century compares to the present day, only to find that it wasn’t all that different. Sure the places and players have changed. But the underlying marriage of Christmas and commerce was in stark evidence even back then… albeit the ads were a tad more verbose. Here’s an excerpt from an advertisement for Alexandria merchants J. Simpson & Sons in the December 23rd, 1898 edition of the Glengarry News:
EVERY year our trade increases, every year we offer greater inducements than the year before, both in lowness of price and the newness and high quality of our merchandise.
This year as an extra inducement for you to trade at our store, we have decided to give to every cash customer a trade cheque good for five per cent of the amount of purchase, which means that they save five cents on every dollar’s worth of goods they buy from us. This is, we believe, the first time anything of the-kind has ever been attempted here, and is a chance every person desirous of saving money should take advantage of.
Our stock was never more complete than at present, our prices never so low. In furs we have the best bargains in town. In overcoats, no other merchant attempts to offer as good value. In clothing our prices are at least one dollar per suit lower than other stores’ prices. In underwear, we have a larger stock and better assortment than ever.
Come to our store between now and January 1st, 1899, and we will convince you that it is the best place in Alexandria to trade. Wishing you all a Merry Xmas and Happy New Year.
Then I skipped ahead a decade to December 4th, 1908. There I discovered that the weather was foremost on the minds of Glengarrians back then as well. A column entitled The Week’s Catch reported, “The open weather has greatly facilitated the completion of outside work. There was a big area of fall plowing done during the past week.” Sounds to me like the same type of weather we had this November. But ours was blamed on global warming and we had to hang our heads in collective shame and pay carbon taxes on it.
Happy Christmas to all my loyal readers. Thank you for lending me your eyes.
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