March 25, 2025

Hello Members and Friends,

We’ve had an interesting start to spring I think with snow a couple of Sundays in a row. Good for the ski hills and as we say – we need the moisture!

We are all wishing Les Johnson well.  He is in Vancouver and hoping for a kidney transplant.  Mickey and I are taking a stab at assembling another report.  We definitely do not have Les’ skills. I’ve sent the PDF of Al’s second book on to Mickey – we’ll see what we can do with it. 

My emails regarding membership renewals were well responded to. I don’t usually need to send out so many notices because members seem to sign up at the Christmas craft fairs but that didn’t happen this year.  I’m really happy with the response rate.  Still hoping for a few more renewals and then I can straighten up the list. Thanks to all of you who responded!

I mentioned that we received an invite to the Christina Lake craft fair for next November. This weekend I saw the poster for Founder’s Day in Greenwood and have sent a note off to The Yellow Door for a form.  Sounds like some changes to the event this year.  Only one day  – July 19th  – and it is being held downtown this year.  Can’t quite feature the set up but we always enjoy being there.

On that note, congratulations to Desiree King for becoming President of the Board of Trade.  Al Laary is also a director.  So glad they are members of the Historical Society as they’ve been a huge help – especially with Phoenix Cemetery.

We are still in the process of firming up a date and time for a picnic at Brown Creek Hall.  Frank Talarico indicated that mid-June seems a favourable time.  Thinking of an early potluck dinner and then we’ll enjoy slides or pictures of Brown Creek history.  Will keep you up to date with what is happening and when.

At this month’s regular meeting, Bob McTavish asked if we would like the Boundary Woodworkers to repair the table at Gladys’ cabin.  A leg is broken (and I think it was always that way) and the table can’t be moved off its supports.  They will bring the table down to their shop and do the repairs.  We do not want the table refinished – want it to remain as it was in Glady’s time. It actually does polish up nicely with a little elbow grease.  They are also going to set a sheet of slate (from Jewel Lake) in the doorway.  The doorway entrance is sunken and in need of repair.  We are so grateful to the Woodworkers for their help with caring for the cabin.

We want to make a trip up to the cemetery soon.  Picket fences are a winter task for the Woodworkers, but I think the IOOF fence needs some repair or stabilizing. Would sure like to get it painted this summer.  I’d also like to get the front fence repaired but that’s not yet in the budget.  We would like to try to decipher some of the wooden markers and add a metal plaque (like we have for Mr. Walters) so the graves can be identified.  I’m wondering if any of our members have pictures of the big wooden markers that are decipherable?

Have had notice from Okanagan Library Archives that our link to the archives will be changing as they migrate to another platform.  I don’t think it is in effect yet – they will send us a note and we’ll give it a try and see if there are any problems.  This is what Paige sent:

We had a really interesting request for our reports from the Allen County Library in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. At first, I thought they had us confused with North Dakota but no.  They requested 1-6 and 16-18.  Reports 1–6 do not have an ISBN so not sure if they will work for them but they will have them in a few days!! Another reason why I would like to do a boxed set of 1–6 or put them together somehow.  Keep dreaming, Doreen!

We are going to attend Spring Fling at Pursuit Sports on April 26th – 10 – 3. The ATV Club invited us to attend – guest speakers, barbecue beginning at 11 am.  Drop by and say hi.

Our next regular meeting is on Wednesday, April 16, 2025 – 1 pm at the Boundary Woodworkers.  In May, we will be back at City Park – if it is not flooding!

In History,

Doreen Sorensen

Secretary