Aug 6, 2023

Hello Members and Friends

            Although we are on our summer break – no meeting in July – your Directors were still quite busy.

            Cher and I travelled to Princeton, BC for the Annual B.C. Historical Federation Conference.  We both enjoyed the conference immensely, met some interesting and quite wonderful people and learned a lot about B.C. History.  The conference began with a wine and cheese mixer on Thursday, July 22nd where we toured the Princeton Museum and participated in a game of guessing what antique articles were used for.  We didn’t win.

            Friday and Saturday were filled with presentations – so very interesting.  We met the organizers on Thursday, and we felt very fortunate that Marjorie Holland, who was the registrant, was willing to look after our stock of Reports.  She did an outstanding job – selling $334.00 of our merchandise!  We were the only society selling our Reports although there were books for sale by individual authors.  Saturday saw the end of the conference with a delicious dinner put on by their local Legion. We visited with Jon and Rika and other guests following the banquet. We learned a lot more about folk songs – Jon and Rika’s field of research – and enjoyed learning how the conference comes together.  We’ve been asked to host a conference and we think we could do it.  We’ll discuss the possibilities at our August meeting.  Lots of work for us but rewarding.

            We were most pleasantly surprised to receive our Grant cheque after dinner – $4000.00.  Cher texted Joan immediately! It was a surprise to the presenter, too. The camera wouldn’t work but Cher got a picture from Greg Nesteroff – thanks Greg. I spoke to Greg about being our guest speaker at the picnic, but he had a conflict of dates.  We’ll try to get him for an annual luncheon. I sent a note of thanks to Marjorie Holland and a boxed handkerchief to add to the Museum’s collection of handkerchiefs. Marjorie had assembled a display of handkerchiefs and a very neat hankie was one her father, who was an RAF pilot in WWII, brought back from the war – a detailed map of Italy to use in case he was shot down over Italy.

            We did up a new copy of the Phoenix booklet to take to the conference with Les Johnson doing all the hard work.  It has a new page about the Phoenix kiosk, some pictures of grave markers and an update on burials.  Les did a new cover and it is very attractive – sold quite a few of them at the BCHF conference.  Thanks go out to Les and to Lorraine at Select for giving us a good price on the printing.

            Got a quote from Justin Perras – the Fence King – re the fencing at the Upper Phoenix Cemetery.  The total for 150 feet of new fencing is around $2500.00 and dump fees for taking the old fencing will be extra. We will need to give him a deposit.  Will discuss at our August meeting.

            A fence post crew – Bob McTavish, Ted, Harrison, Dick Jones, John Walders, and Henry King – went up to Jewel Lake on the 27th.  They put 11 posts in – Ted said he had the biggest rock to remove! I think we were lucky putting the right-hand posts in a few years ago – lucky the whole area isn’t bedrock!! Will be putting the rails on when we obtain a supply.  We’ll need more than our original plan as two extra posts were installed.  Looks great – thank you guys!

            Peter Matheson has been helping us develop a “picture” of our plans for the Upper Cemetery.  He and I have been working on it since I got back from Princeton.  A thank you to the BCHF and RDKB – Area D Director, Linda Kay Wiese – will be going into the Gazette in the next week or so.  Les helped us out with a drone picture and Peter managed to put it together for us.  Joan is working on her article for the BCHF magazine.

            I had company when I arrived home from the conference – I knew they were coming!  My son, Donald, and my grandchildren, Aurora, and Gavin,  from Wasaga Beach, Ontario were here for a week. Donald and I took my mower up to Jewel Lake on the 26th and cut the grass around the cabin.  I’ll go up this week and see if it needs tidying again.  My mower would not fit in my car, so we stuck it in Donald’s rental – the manual mower that Gladys had at the cabin just did not work out for me.

           

Hope to see you at our Picnic next Sunday, August 13th – 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. at our Jewel Lake cabin. I haven’t been able to secure a speaker – Al Donnelly was looking forward to doing the honours, but he is experiencing some health problems.  We wish him a speedy recovery.  Bring your bag lunch and a chair.  We’ll provide coffee, lemonade, goodies, watermelon, and lots of chat.

            Bob and I will be attending the Greenwood Car Show on Saturday, August 19th as vendors.  Thanks to Jewel Creek Antiques, Al and Desiree for the invite.

            Our next meeting is Wednesday, August 16, 2023 – Grand Forks City Park – 1:00 p.m.

In history,

Doreen Sorensen

Secretary