Eagle 2003 March

Vol. 12, Issue 7

 March, 2003

Vol. 12, Issue 7

 March, 2003

Perhaps the world’s politicians may want to enact the Kyoto Accord sooner as opposed to later, that is if one draws any parallel between greenhouse gas emissions, global warming and dramatically altered weather patterns. When talking about climate one has to be careful not to make statements based on a short term results, but this winter in central Nova Scotia has certainly been one for the ages. We endured most of the traditional cold snap throughout much of January that we’ve become used to, but it was merely a “warm up” (somehow that doesn’t seem appropriate) for what was in store in February and early March. Temperatures plummeting to - 24 degrees C with a wind chill of -38 produced conditions as uncomfortable as many can remember for ages. In other weather related activity, the 102 highway was closed between Brookfield and Milford for most of one day resulting in serpentine traffic crawling up the 289 and down the #2 through Brookfield. We can not find any proof of the rumor that Tim Horton’s / Roops Tiger Express was behind the closure as a method to spur business on a slow day. Whatever the cause, our community was deluged with traffic for eight hours on Valentines Day. At the height of the worst weather, the Brookfield Lumber Company’s sawmill building caught fire and was completely leveled in the middle of the night. The Brookfield Fire Department’s efforts were gallant in inhuman conditions of cold and wind, which rendered equipment useless in a very short period of time. The happy news in February in Brookfield is that the Brookfield Men’s Club enjoyed a successful anniversary with a wonderful supper provided by the ladies of the Baptist Church, followed by an enlightening presentation by South Colchester Academy principal, Jim Burns, on progress and development of the new school. The BMC will reconvene on St. Patrick’s Day, Monday, March 17 at the regular time of 7:30PM. All men in the surrounding area are welcome to attend - remember to wear you greenery!

We hope by Saint Paddy’s Day the club’s leprechaun, Vic Burrows, will be up and about again after a health set back - Vic is of course head of the Sick and Shut in committee, and usually on the other side of the bed bringing good will - we hope he is good as new very soon. Former Brentwood resident Charlie DeBay, Vic’s brother, is in hospital in Moncton recovering from a stroke and Letha Mowatt was in Dartmouth General Hospital for knee reconstruction surgery. Larry Murphy had an operation on his hip. Joyce Fraser-Sears also was hospitalized for a while.

Once again the Eagle coffers were fattened by outpourings of generosity from readers including Gordie and Carol Campbell, Doug and Marian Kenrick, and Wayne and Arlene Fisher, recently relocated at Shortt’s Lake - we appreciate all of your kindnesses.

The 19th annual Truro Sport Heritage Award dinner held in late February looked like a gathering of the Brookfield clans as many people with ties to the village were honoured. Kicking off the evening was an inspiring address by guest speaker Sue Kaye - Sue is a member of the Canadian National Ladies Ice Hockey Team and a five- year standout at Concordia University, a perennial powerhouse. Sue is the granddaughter of Al MacLellan, the former owner of the Sunrise Motel and original member of the Team Center Committee that founded the Sportsplex. Sue’s parents are former local softballer, Glenn Kaye and SCHS grad, Kathy. Additions to the Honour Roll at the TSHS dinner were two former Brookfield Hockey stars: Ron (Alfie) Conrad, a highly decorated player/coach with the Elks, and Donnie Dennis, a major contributor to the Provincial Intermediate champion Elk team of the 60’s. Also inducted into the Honour Roll was Stu Rath, former sponsor of the Junior B Elks hockey team. Katrina Wallace was honoured as the outstanding female 15 years of age and younger Athlete of the Year for her standout performance both with the Brookfield Junior High Bobcats Soccer team which has gone undefeated in her last two years, and for her play on various Brookfield Elks and Nova Scotia Raiders hockey teams. Jason Smith was named the outstanding Male Athlete of the Year 15 years and younger. Jason is known for his talents in football, volleyball, basketball and track and field, and is the grandson of Cy and Emmy Miller and the son of John and Susan (Miller) Smith formerly of Brookfield. Heidi Cook was named the Outstanding female 15 years and older for her standout performances on the motocross circuits. Annie (Jackson) Gibson was honoured with the outstanding Senior award - Annie was a fantastic athlete through the 60’s in track and field and was a member of the 1968 Atlantic champion Brookfield Elkettes softball team. Of course it is a major honour just to make it to the stage of one of the final three nominees, and we can only speculate that the Awards Committee must have felt it would not be appropriate that all the awards go to Brookfield linked athletes. The Brookfield Junior High Soccer team was a finalist in the outstanding team award, Brookfield Junior high teacher Kelly Spencer was a finalist in both the coach of the year category and the outstanding adult male category, and last but not least, the Brookfield Senior Softball Elks were a finalist for the outstanding team award. All in all one of strongest showings at this dinner related to athletes who, at minimum, have a strong Brookfield connection.

It is with much sadness we report on the passing of Gisele Eddy who first made her presence felt in a big way at South Colchester high in 1970 as a vivacious french teacher. “Gigi” loved life and the many kids who came under her tutelage over many years at SCHS, and will be missed - sympathies to husband Norm and sons Danny and Frankie Lambert. We are also sorry to hear of the passing of Reverend Lee Carter, a Brookfield native who, after going into the ministry, preached at several churches in the region. Lee died in Woodstock, Virginia. Condolences go to SCHS art teacher, Christine Sandeson, whose husband, Rob, a Truro town councillor, passed away.

Academically there was much to celebrate, nowhere more so then the MacDonald household in Brentwood who completed the Trifecta with mother Gaye MacDonald and son Mason MacDonald both being named on the Principal’s List at NSAC - and daughter Mallory being awarded honours with distinction in her grade 10 studies. Gaye is the biology teacher at South Colchester High on sabbatical this year while completing her Masters of Science Degree. Some of the students receiving Academic Honours were: Grade 12: Catherine Ann Turner - Robert, Daniel Fisher, Brittanie Graham, Thomas Hughes, Becky Kenrick, David Leopold, Denise MacKenzie, Stephen Maynard; with distinction: Greg Barr, Laura Boudreau, Jim Willie Parks, Michelle Chase, Marie George, Shaun Robertson, Lilla Roy. Grade 11: Patricia Geddes, Emma Holly; with distinction: Matthew Benvie, Tristan Forrester, Brandi Sutherland, Jessica Veenhuis, Tyler Watkins. Grade 10: Jane Fleming, Ashlie Kimber, Joe Leck; with distinction, Sarah Bennicke, Amanda Clark, Leah Densmore, Petra Graham, Alycia Putnam, Julia Roy, Justin Stewart, Nick Whidden. At BJHS - Grade 9 Honours Chris Cloney, Bethany Cormier, Will Fisher, Jessica Fleming, Andrew Gaudet, Kevin Stone, Jenna Wright; with distinction Ben Allinson, Karla Armsworhty. Grade 8; Matthew Brenton, Lauren Fiander, Sarah Killen, Travis Smith, Jessica Wright; with distinction Matthew Leck, Claire Mattocks, Chad MacKinnon, Ben Roy, Sarah Rutherford, Cassandra Sears, Emily Worsley. Grade 7 - Chris Berry, Carly Levy, Sarah Naugler, Carly Wright; with distinction - Kristen Adams, Caila Henderson, Nick McLellan, Jenny Mae Roy, Joe Robert, Dallys Serracin-Pitti, Chelsea Tompson.

Escaping winter’s chill were Dan and Lexie Stewart and Dan and Kathy Dean who travelled to the Dominican Republic while Randy and Betty Roop visited Randy’s brother Bob in Florida. Chris and Mandy Nelson were in Cuba. Holland College tourism students, Jenna VanTassell and Erin Patton, took an interesting “field trip” in the form of a Caribbean cruise, no doubt to better enable them to advise future clients. Glenn and Grace Illsley visited daughter Lisa in Hong Kong. Ellen Sutherland , Edith and Ruth Watson travelled to Kitchener - Waterloo to take in the curling at the Scott Tournament of Hearts. Daisy Hingley travelled to Ottawa to be on hand for the birth of her grandson - proud parents are Chris and Lisa George. Eva (Carter) Lutes hosted Marg Sutherland’s daughters for a mid-winter vacation at the historic Carter house- Marilyn Fallon, Karen Davis and Charlene Fraser were home to visit with their mother. We welcome the MacKinnon family to the Marion Smith house. Krista Williams and family have re-located to Maud’s Place. Can anyone shed some light on the report of Brownie leaders getting not one, but two, vehicles lodged deep in snowbanks in the wilds near Carter Falls, while ostensibly teaching their young charges how to co-exist with nature? Club-man Win Matheson rescued red-faced leaders, Janice Leck and Gina Cormier, or so rumour has it.

An error in last month’s issue had Julia Roy attending the Canada Winter Games, actually it was older sister Lilla competing in the cross country skiing, and we neglected to mention that Jenna Wirtanen daughter of former Brookfield Memorial principal, Louise, and South Colchester High teacher, Peter Wirtanen, also competed in the Northern New Brunswick based event in gymnastics. The Cruise Missiles Hockey Club won the Musquodoboit Harbour Oldtimers Tournament by virtue of a tight 2-1 victory over Louisbourg in the final. The Brookfield Peewee AA Elks have won a spot at the N.S. Champsionships to be held in Pictou; while the Midget AA Elks need to win another series to advance, and the Midget A Elks are one win away from the provincials. Curlers have stolen most of the spotlight in and around in the village - Michael Weatherbie won the Adopt a Curler contest and will be a guest at the Brier in Halifax of Guy Hemming’s Quebec team. The Lisa Henderson coached 17 and under team travelled to a bonspiel in Shelburne, the team included Joe Leck, Alex Fortune, T.J. Smith and Roddy Creelman. Upcoming events will see the Juniors travel to Truro and Lunenburg followed by the Junior and Senior High playdowns in late March. The Junior curling program was glad to welcome home during the St. FX spring break former Provincial mixed High school champions Charles DeBay and Michelle MacDonald who were more then willing to help out at with the junior program at the Sportsplex. Defective judging in figure skating events is evidently not limited to the Olympics - Logan and Nancy Rutherford’s daughter, Anna, skated a flawless performance in the recent Skate Dartmouth competition and somehow was left off the medal podium despite being the class of the field (to an admittedly untrained eye). Take heart Anna, the audience was stunned by the precision and athleticism of your performance. Brookfield is being put on the map as a hotbed of Irish dancing - Leah Densmore has won the rights to travel to Ireland to compete in the World Championships in April, while Emily Works will stop off in Nashville for the North American Championships. Several community organizations have been very supportive in defraying the costs of these talented lasses. Elaine (Ross) Healey has retired from her nursing career in Wasaga Beach, Ont.

Kathy Patton and Hilary Paquet will be going to El Salvador, Central America in April with Canadian Baptist Volunteers to build houses as part of the Habitat for Humanity Easter 2003 building program. You can be part of this worthwhile endeavour by supporting their fundraising efforts. They are selling symbolic cinder blocks (of which the houses will be constructed) for $10, bags of cement $25, windows $50, doors $100, and roofs $250, during their "Buy a Block for Humanity" Campaign. To "buy a block", or for more information, please call Hilary 673-2381 or Kathy 673-3006. Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $10 or more. El Salvador is a poor country that has endured much destruction as a result of a civil war, which ended in 1992. Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and earthquakes in 2001 caused tremendous losses also. Many thousands of people in El Salvador live in inadequate housing. Habitat for Humanity is an international Christian organization that offers basic, sturdy, and safe housing to those in need at a low cost with an interest free mortgage.

An advance reminder the Brookfield Men’s Club will host the Ladies of the community at their Annual Ladies Night slated for April 21; one of the highlights of that evening is the presentation of the BMC Eagle Award in which a member of the community is formally thanked and acknowledged for their standout service in the area. The BMC would greatly encourage and welcome any nominations put forth - these can be mailed to BOX 195, Brookfield or hand delivered to any BMC member, hopefully before the end of March. Take the time to nominate a deserving resident. The 14th Annual Great Community Classic featuring 64 teams of curlers of all levels is a terrific event for beginners to pick up the game!! It will be hosted on the weekends of March 28 - 30 and April 4-6 - contact Hugh Matheson at the Sportsplex to participate either as a team or an individual. The Brookfield Curling Club will host the Johnson Cup Provincial Championship for Intermediate Men on March 21-23 - this will present a wonderful opportunity to see some terrific curling and anyone wishing to volunteer in the staging of this event should contact Joel at 673-2063. The date for the 8th annual Coming Home to Brookfield celebrations have been set, so now it is safe to plan your vacation back to Brookfield. This year’s gala will run from July 19 - 27 with the Whing Ding anchoring the final weekend of the homecoming. Watch for more details in the Eagle’s upcoming issues. The Homecoming Committee is interested in buying a used Ping-Pong table in good condition for use at that event. Please contact Judy at 2427 or Marian at 3464 if you have one at your disposal. The Colonel Ned Henderson 569 Air Cadet Squadron will hold a 50 year reunion on May 30-31 in Brookfield. Watch the April Eagle for more details or check www.davison.nu/ ~sqn.

Wanted - The Brookfield Community Assembly (BCA) will hire a student for a summer project compiling a Directory of Health Services in South Colchester. Employment will be for eight forty-hour weeks or equivalent. This will be open to High School graduates or University students. Computer literacy and ability to work independently will be important.