Our Rotary Valentines date ended with Blackburn diamonds

Chris Davis presents Toni Lucas with won ring to unite them
Scott Korbett photo

Toni Lucas

Pincher Creek's Rotary Club held a Valentines Day dinner at the Lions Den February 14. Steaks were cooked to perfection, champagne flowed, sweets were tasty. There was good conversation and laughter throughout the room.  Chris and I took pains to attend together.  He commented that I looked beautiful as we readied for the evening.

Dan Crawford soliloquizing with wife Shannon in the left foreground

Pincher Creek Rotary President Lynn Brasnett presided and Dan Crawford was the emcee. The goal was to help raise funds for the Rotary exchange program.

Rotary exchange students Caroline Laurent and Arianna Korbett with cakes to auction

Two exchange students helped with the festivities and spoke of the value of the exchange program. Caroline Laurent is from Belgium and has been hosted in Pincher Creek since last fall.  Arianna Korbett  is a local who will soon be departing Pincher Creek to discover the wonders of Croatia. Their excitement about the possibilities that one faces, and the other is experiencing, shone through their attitudes their and impromptu speeches. New discoveries, adventures past and future.

Arianna and Caroline set up a photo booth in the foyer of the hall to help couples commemorate the special evening and also to and raise funds for the program. Chris and I availed ourselves of their services. I felt somewhat awkward being on the wrong side of the camera.

~Editor's note: but she looked GREAT!!!  (I used up my all caps and exclamation marks with that one).

Chris has been entering a few contests and draws recently. And winning. His name was drawn on a two day RHL Huskies 50/50 (Editor's note $240.00!!), and at the basketball tournament at Matthew Halton School he won a beautiful Valentines Day basket in a draw to support the Hawks Rugby program. I am not comfortable with gambling. Neither is he. Over the years we have had many discussions about what gambling does to our society. Although there were many tempting baskets and prizes to be won, I walked past most of what was on the raffle table, only to commandeer the grand prize: a diamond ring from Blackburn Jewelers valued at $1,000.    I took pictures of it and put it back.

Laura and Scott Korbett in the photo booth with raffle grand prize, a Blackburns diamond ring

Laura and Scott Korbett were having their photos taken by the young entrepreneurs in the foyer. I handed them the ring and stood back to get a picture.

After the dinner came dessert, before which the cakes were raffled off. To the best of my knowledge Chris has never met a cake he didn't like. He bid and shared the cake with the table, cutting a huge slice that did not disturb the pretty heart decoration on the top, placing that one ceremoniously in front of me to the delight of those at our table.

mmmmm cake ~ Editor

Many sponsors had given generously toward the evening and everyone was given a chance peruse the possible winnings and to buy more tickets before the draws began. The ladies distributed prints of the photos that they had taken earlier. Chris suggested that I go get tickets. I declined.

After all the draws were done but one the offer to buy more tickets before the ticket for the diamond ring was drawn. Chris talked to me then bought a ticket along with a few other last minute hopefuls.

Once again he placed the offering in front of me, this time in the form of a ticket.

We watched the bowl get mixed thoroughly and Caroline Laurent picked the winning ticket. The room was tense with anticipation as eyes perused for the announced number, 4011. I had not yet glanced at our ticket, expecting someone was going to jump up and run to the front in excitement. The hall was silent for a pregnant pause when no one stepped forth to accept the winnings. I glanced down and the number was on the ticket on the table in front of me. I told Chris we won, my voice barely a squeak.

The ticket was verified and Scott Korbett gave the ring to me with great ceremony.

It wasn't my ticket, it was Chris who had bought it. I don't think I touched the case the ring was in. Chris took it and presented it to me, and said "It's yours, if you say yes." I said yes.  Time will tell if he really won during the evening, and he will have a long time to judge for himself.

There are hurdles to jump, plans to make, details to agree upon.  I think we are going to have a very exciting year.

I hope your Valentines Day was magical.

Toni Lucas

It was! ~ Editor