January
2018
Volume 29, Issue 5
The
Brookfield Men's Club and The Eagle wish all our
readers a bountiful,
and healthy 2018! We are indeed fortunate to live
in such a special
community, where so many contribute and, but it is
hard to visualize
a place that is so interwoven into the lives of
her residents, as
well as those who reside (temporarily, we hope!)
away from the Little
River valley! The BMC is part of what makes things
special here; they
will kick off 2018 on Monday January 15 at 7:30
with their monthly
get-together at the Fire Hall - we welcome you to
come along. After
a remarkably benign autumn weather-wise, we have
been locked in a
deep freeze since Christmas including very low
temperatures and
raging winds. The BMC will help push away the
chills!
2018!
Can it be almost 20 years ago when most were
gripped with
apprehension if the computer-controlled systems
that seemingly
operate everything would survive the switch from
1999 to 2000, a year
before the end of the millennium. Fortunately, the
cyber-coders took
the necessary precautions, and chaos was averted.
The
BMC again sponsored the Christmas
Decorations/Beautification contest.
Some of the old judges have been put out to
pasture/muzzled, and the
fresh eyes have chosen the following winners to
receive the gold
ingots, (or a reasonable facsimile). The Eagle,
organ of the BMC, was
scooped by Colchester Weekly News with this info
security leaks
are being actively investigated with Trumpian
fervor! Those enshrined
in the annals of history are: Best Overall -
Nancy and Greg
VanTassell; Best Religious Theme - Frank and Hazel
Locke; Most
Original (with amazing, larger-than-life cutouts
of our NHLers, Lyle
Carter and Zack Sil) - Stephen Henderson/Tracey
Williams; Best
Outdoor Tree - Bill Campbell; Best Back Yard - Bob
and Jean Lawrence;
Best Christmas Card Effect - Ric and Wendy Locke;
Best Commercial -
Geoff Stewart Welding. Honourable Mention to Colin
and Jackie
MacPhee, Brian and Sherry Stewart, and Kyle and
Megan Morgan. Thanks
to all who made our village shine - it is a wonder
shepherds and wise
men did not follow the illumination!
Congratulations
to the organizers and volunteers of the South
Colchester Minor Hockey
Association (SCMHA) with Gail MacFarlane at the
helm, for an
excellent job with the Phil Sears Memorial
Friendship Hockey
Tournament held at the Sportsplex as 2017 wound
down. It was great to
see so many high-energy kids flashing around the
ice - Initiation,
Novice, and Atom teams of girls and boys (ages
4-10). The parents,
grandparents, guardians, and friends flocked to
the rink as well,
creating traffic gridlock on Carter Road! If
anyone questioned the
need for a sidewalk there, it was laid to rest, as
cars and
pedestrians jostled for space/right-of-way - and
that was in the
absence of the soon-to-appear snowbanks, which
contribute to the
safety hazard. Luke Fielding (Jeff, Stephanie) is
turning heads
he is one of 20 named to the N.S. Minor Midget AAA
All-Star team and
will play this week in the East Coast Ice Jam
Tournament in Bedford.
While handing out bouquets, don't forget Leah
Bowers and crew who
produced the 19th Annual "Food for the Spirit"
concert to
support the local Food Bank. Goodly sums of food
and cash were forked
over to this sadly-necessary agency. MCs Lisa
Henderson and Joel
Dawe, sound engineer Rod Nielsen, and Ms.
Everything, Joanne Hatfield
made the transitioning acts mostly seamless. And
the performers, all
of whom donate their time and talent! Say
thanks to the
afore-mentioned Hatfield for guiding the Knox
Junior Choir, her
ukulele students, Village Blend, and partnering
with Shelley MacLeod,
as well as performing herself with Cherry Lane
(Mark Hamilton, Tim
and Lorraine Ross). Tim was kept busy with the
Before Monday band,
and accompanying Jake Smyth, Andrea Geldart and
the Middle Stewiacke
church choir. Others who shone were Megan Isenor,
Charles Bowers,
Anitra Whidden (with Amanda Greaves), Sarah
Matheson (with David
Dean), Sarah Alexander-Williams, and Peter and
Doris Betts. The
incomparable husband-wife duo of James Hill
(ukulele) and Anne
Janelle (cello) put a beautiful bow on the night.
Members
at the Brookfield Curling Club are hoping for a
recovery from a
stroke for long-time member, and all-around good
guy, Bill Stone of
Stewiacke. His daughter Becky, and grand-daughter
Ainsley McCoul, who
live at Shortts Lake, are extending the family
tradition of Stones'
throwing (curling) stones excellence going. Marg
Osborne was
hospitalized, and young Bob Henderson mashed some
fingers.
Firefighters from several brigades responded in
frigid conditions to
an epic New Year's Day suppertime blaze at the
Skylyn Bridal shop in
the former fire hall on Trunk 2. Owner Josephine
Grandy's apartment
and all contents were consumed in the inferno,
which obstinately
resisted all efforts, including torrents from an
aerial ladder truck.
The acrid smoke billowed in copious volumes over
homes on Laura Drive
for several hours.
Thanks
to the volunteer farmers who gave of their time,
skill and equipment
to harvest the cornfield behind Ed Creelman
Park/Train Station. Kind
hearted citizens buy an acre of land, which
provides seed and
fertilizer, so more profit from the sale of
product goes to the
Canadian Food Grain Bank, which helps feed
starving people in Third
World countries. As an extra bonus, the federal
government matches
all donations, doubling the positive impact of our
generosity!
Jim
Parks was home at his mother's (Judy MacKay); he
is a professor of
higher mathematics at University of Victoria. Ryan
and Joanna
(Canning) Stefani brought their newborn daughter,
Maddyn along with
brother Kai home from BC to Krista and Terry's
home. Lots of
Sutherlands were home to help mark the always
congenial matriarch
Edna's 100th birthday - among them were sons Herk
and Robin, with
Mavis, B.J. from Indiana, his sister Brandi, from
Calgary and Susan
Sutherland. Peter, Kelly, and Jack Hazelton were
here from Ontario.
The Campbell diaspora from Stewiacke East that has
gravitated to
Brookfield was represented by Peter and family at
Brian and Gwen's,
Mac and Nadine at Paul's, Jay, Sherry and the
Ovsenny kids at Betty
Roop's. Peter, Katie, and Abe Kennedy came from
the land of 10,000
lakes to Larry and Lynne's. Great to see sibs
Robbie (Germany) and
Sarah Densmore (BC) back at Wade and Nellie's.
Gord and Denise
MacDonald came from Fort Erie, Ontario to his
mother Audrey's. Kathy
Patton was happy to have mother Jean Cameron and
sister Heather here
from PEI; Darren Smith came from L.A. to Andy and
Very Faye s and
the Greg and Heather Loewen family were at her
parents, Herb and
Betty MacFarlane s. Jared Stewart was home from
the west to see
his siblings, grandparents (Gerry, Marilyn
Stewart, Eefie Crowell)
and parents, Tammy Armstrong and Brian Stewart.
Patrick Jackson, son
of former SCA Principal Nevin (and Lisa) Jackson
was home to Truro
Heights from Bolivar, Missouri, where he attends
Southwest Baptist
University on a golf scholarship.
Exciting
news from Oromocto, where Brad George and Kathy
O'Donnell have a new
baby girl; second grand-child for Tony and Rhonda
George in a matter
of months! Four SCHS grads from the 1960s all
added a grandchild with
the birth of Maely Grace Abigail, born to golf pro
Laura McCallum and
former Jr hockey Elk Mark Kennedy. Both parents
won NS High School
softball championships while at SCHS. As all four
grandparents
(Larry, Lynne Kennedy, Patsy, Herb McCallum) left
their marks on the
fields, courts, arenas, and links of the area, we
are not going very
far out on a limb to predict this little girl will
make headlines
down the road. Former fireballer from the 1980
Canadian Senior Men's
Fastball Champions Brookfield Elks, Steve Healy,
and his wife Patty,
added to their grand-child count when their
daughter Jessica birthed
a son, Charlie Sinclair. Brookfield Elementary
French teacher Julie
Holland and hubby delivered baby Mae Louise
Holland early on
Christmas morning. Life is Good! Regan Bowers
(Charles, Leah) got
engaged to Ryan Stewart (Pat Stewart s grandson).
From
Centreville, Kings County comes word that New
Minas native Samantha
Chaulk accepted Stevie Healy Jr's engagement
proposal. Bob Roop s
daughter, Allison, accepted Greg Lamb s wedding
proposal, as did
Tracey Taylor (from Shawn Wallace). Best wishes to
all of these
folks in the upcoming chapters of their books!
Noted birthday
celebrants were Austin Ross (75), John Matheson
(80) and Eldon Miller
(85).
The
Eagle received very generous greetings and
financial support from
readers Ron Belanger, now ensconced in the
Annapolis Valley, and
frequent contributors Ken and Sharon (Trenholm)
Bird from Thamesford,
Ontario, fellow trillium-ite Elaine (Ross) Healey
(Wasaga Beach),
Middle Stewiacke's Joyce Geddes,former
Middle/South Branch couple
Marg and Don Fisher of Hilden/Shortts Lake, and
the salt-of-the-earth
guy, Big Bill Kennedy! Our thank you seems
insufficient; please know
how grateful the BMC is for your thoughtfulness!
There
are far too many entries in the obituary column
this edition - we
mourn the passing of: Don Berry of Shortts
Lake...Irene Stuart's
sister, Darlene Reid in Dartmouth...at Elk Court,
Bill Connors,
formerly of Middle Stewiacke - he was husband to
the late Dot
(Carter) Connors...at the Mira in Truro, in her
100th year, Frances
Carter of Truro, mother to dyed-in-the-wool Elks
fans Ralph, George,
and Danny, and aunt to BMC-er Larry Archibald.
Final farewells to
former Brookfield Baptist Church parson David Roy
of Truro, and to
our most senior citizen, Donna Matheson s mother
Merle Nelson, who
went to her reward at 109 years of age. Two
long-term Lafarge
employees passed - in West St. Andrews, retiree
Elroy Hill; among
others he leaves wife Elva, and sisters Mabel
Densmore and Esther
Wallace. Kevin Croft, an employee with Lafarge
passed away at 47, in
Truro. Gwen Archibald's family lost a brilliant
young man (57), when
her son Dr. Colin Archibald passed away in
Florida, a victim of
cancer. Colin was a very highly-regarded
university professor, and
did ground breaking and award winning research
work. The village
was shocked and saddened with the death of Susanne
Harrison, wife of
Rev Larry Harrison who led the Brookfield Pastoral
Charge for over 30
years and now, is in a second term as our MLA. A
motor vehicle
collision claimed the life of Rose, wife of Lucien
Wybenga, and
daughter-in-law of Dr. Milton and Alice Wybenga of
Shortts Lake. Give a thought or a prayer for all
our grieving families; please
accept our condolences.
Sherry
and Brian Stewart gadded about the Great White Way
during their trip
to NYC, taking in the acclaimed (and
Newfoundland-based) play Come
From Away . BMC Prez Jim Feener and wife Marlene
went to Ontario to
spend the holidays with their daughters Adinda and
Shelley and their
families. Barb and Roger Ryan did the same,
singing their carols with
son Patrick's family in London, Ont. Brent and
Meredith Harrison took
their kids Gavin and Paige to Florida; also along
were Stacey
Harrison and Jason Steele. Danny, Kathy, Holly and
Jill Dean jetted
to the Palm Beach area of Florida for an early
Christmas with Mark.
Caila Henderson and her best pal, Robbie Lebans
winged to St. John's
to hear their favourite band, Hey Rosetta give
their final concert in
their hometown. Brenda Geddes is wintering with
her daughter s
family in Arizona. Marg (Locke) and Brad Little
went to Manitoba to
assist daughter Emily, spouse Joel, and their twin
grandsons, Hunter
and Harrison. Zoe Barbour celebrated Christmas on
a Caribbean
Cruise.
On
Saturday January 27, stop in at the Brookfield
Curling Club
to watch 16 teams from the various leagues vie for
club supremacy in
a day-long Bonspiel. The BCC would love to
increase the number
of local participants, to keep this vital part of
the Sportsplex
operating. It is confounding that more residents
of greater
Brookfield/Shortts Lake/South Colchester do not
take part of this
wonderful asset, when based on the TV ratings,
Canadians are watching
curling on TV in droves!!?! Other opportunities to
try curling come
with the Mayor s Challenge on February
3, the St.
Patrick's Day 'Spiel on Saturday March 17,
and the 29th
Annual Great Community Curling Classic, which
goes March 23-25
this year. These events welcome, and are geared
towards people with
minimal curling experience. The playoffs leading
to Super Bowl LII
will kick off before we go to press, and the Eagle
is tempted to
offer his vision - despite the late Punch Imlach's
denigration
( predictions are for gypsies ). The NFC is far
superior to the
AFC, but we see the many top teams knocking each
other out/off -
sorry my beloved Rams (man/boy? - crush developed
on Roman Gabriel
and the Fearsome Foursome gang of mid-60s) -
finally relevant after
many years, but as we said in 2015 about the Maple
Buds, 2019 makes
more sense. Thus we expect the Steelers - Patriots
showdown not only
to crown the AFC champ, but produce the Lombardi
Trophy holder.
The
Nova Scotia International Student Program
is currently seeking host families for the Hilden,
Brookfield,
Stewiacke and surrounding areas for students who
would attend South
Colchester Academy, or Brookfield Elementary. Our
international
students are seeking homes in a safe, friendly
environment. They have
fitted in nicely in family, single parent and
senior homes. I will be
happy to meet with you should you have any
interest or questions
about hosting a short term, one semester or one
year international
student. Email:
Lacy Hines.
The
New
Horizons Senior Band
will be starting again on
January 18th
and those interested
in starting with the 18th
Wave can attend an info
session
at Colchester Legion Stadium at 3 p.m. (upstairs)
or email .
The Fitness
Centre at South Colchester Academy
will host another information/orientation session
on
Wednesday, January 10, 6-7 PM. Attendance at an orientation is
required for the adult public to use
(at no cost!) this fine facility to help all get
into swimsuit
shape(!!?!). Or if yoga
is more your style, Tuesday s
6
7 PM with Debbie Matheson at Knox Hall, or Chair
Yoga
at the Senior s Lounge
Thursday,
10:15
11;Megan Morgan will lead a Gentle
Yoga
at the Firehall on Thursday s
from 4
6 PM. More info on all of these can be found on
the community
website.
In other All
Around
the Circle Senior s Club
news, their monthly luncheon will be Tuesday,
January 16
doors open at 11:30. Wednesday
nights
are cards
night (crib, 45 s) at their lounge at the
Sportsplex. Brookfield
Garden
Club meets in that room at 7:30 PM the second
Monday of every month. Tanya Chase is hosting Tupperware
Bingo
at the Firehall in January
21
at 7 PM; $10 for 5 games and a free gift.
See
you at the BMC; 7:30 on the Ides of January - "Et
tu, Brutes?"
- no knives allowed!
The
Eagle
