So much has happened since my last article…..like Christmas and New Year, that it seems a very long time ago since I last wrote! The winter weather has been up and down; I hope that lots of folks are embracing the winter and getting out and skating, skiing and enjoying the winter wonderland. If you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em is the best motto to get through the winter doldrums!
What better way to get through the winter doldrums than to join us for soup day. Every Wednesday at noon there is a huge pot of healthy soup simmering at the old school for all to share. If healthy doesn’t grab you, there usually are also fantastic deserts and goodies! This is a really nice way to catch up on town news and maybe meet the new folks in town. Thanks to everyone who cooks, bakes, and cleans up. A special thanks to Carol Madden who makes it all happen, and wishing you a speedy recovery Carol!
Our New Year’s celebration was a wonderful night! It was so nice to have so many from outside our community come and celebrate with us. The dancing was fun, the food was great, the company was fantastic – and we managed to make a little money too! Thank-you so much to Joris Ekering and Linda Nichols who really did the brunt of putting this whole show on – great job. Thanks too to all who helped decorate, prepare food, bartend, and clean-up – where would we be without you?
As we continue to work at making our Clem’s Hall an efficient, functioning yet pleasing facility, plans are underway to install an exhaust fan over the stove. This should make the hall more appealing for rentals, and also provide more options in the kitchen for our various functions. It also seems that, like a home, there is always something to be done. A leak in the roof was discovered, and thanks so much to Alex Kinasewich and Joris Ekering, it is being taken care of.
Community Literacy Unplug and Play week is this week – and Spences Bridge is hosting story time and craft activity for younger children, and badminton for older children and adults. This is all at the Cook’s Ferry Gym (Chief Wistemnista centre) at 6:30 on Wednesday, Jan. 28. You do not need to have children in order to attend the badminton; it is open to everyone. So get up off the couch, walk away from the “screens” and have fun with others and loosen up those muscles! There will be snacks and prizes.
The sizzling temperatures of the Desert Daze Festival seem a long way off – I certainly can’t imagine jumping in the river cool down just yet – but time will fly by. Sponsorships and grants are being applied for, musician applications are flooding in, and we are meeting to pull it all together. This is our sixth annual Festival, and we are very pleased to able to keep it going! If anyone is interested in being on the planning committee to take an organizational role you would be most welcome, just let me know. We are always looking for sponsors, so any business interested in a fair exchange of funds for promotion of your business also just let me know! I continue to provide updates as we nail down our line and so on, but in the meantime mark Aug. 7 and 8 on your calendar – just say “no” to all those wedding and family reunion invitations, and plan on attending the best ever sixth annual Desert Daze! Our website is going through a revision – but check it out periodically for updates: www.desertdaze.ca, and go our Face Book and “like” us and see what’s new.
I’d like to remind folks that the SBCC has an array of tech equipment in our “Community Tech Lending Library”. You are able to sign out a laptop, camera, video camera, projector and screen for your home projects. We have all this great equipment and it would be nice to see more folks availing of the opportunity. Thanks to Kathleen Kinasewich, we have an amended sign out policy with very clear guidelines and expectations. The lending period is three weeks, open to all Spences Bridge residents over the age of 18.
Our monthly bingo was off to a good start – Jan. 19 saw only a few players, but some funds were raised, and we hope to build on the numbers so as to have a booming bingo every third Monday of the month. Doors open at 6pm with the early bird starting at 6:30pm. There are refreshments available at the concession. All at Cleme’s Hall. Thank-you Craig and Oliva Watson for taking this on.
Plans are underway to get the SB Farmer’s Flea Market up and running in May. Working off of last year’s great success, we are discussing extending our hours and promoting the Market further afield. We are looking for a few more dedicated volunteers to assist in the running of the Market on certain Sundays. Many hands make light the work, so by sharing some of the duties we can avoid volunteer burn out, so why not take a Sunday or two though out the season. The market was such a great place for picking up fresh local food, crafts, and treasures as well as a wonderful social opportunity as folks gathered for a Sunday coffee and chat.
Although not a Spences Bridge Community Club issue or event, I will make comment here about the bridge. There is much discussion throughout the community regarding the dismantling of our dear old bridge. I was shown a piece of concrete where the re-bar was nothing but dust. This does back up the report that the structure was unsafe. This doesn’t stop folks from speculating about the cost of the new walkway off highway and the dismantling being more than a new pedestrian bridge would have been. Well, I don’t know the figures involved, I just see a piece of history and a means of travel disappearing, and it’s sad.
Check out our Facebook page for updates, news and announcements. Comments and questions will be answered there, or you can contact me at mavr@telus.net. Our next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 11, at the hall at 7pm. Please join us!
Mavourneen Varcoe-Ryan