 |
Canada Day reveller Adam Paterson
Justine Jorgensen photos except *
|
Justine Jorgensen
It was a beautiful day July 1st as Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village in Pincher Creek opened its doors to celebrate Canada Day along with the rest of the nation. From 10:00 am to 4:00 pm the museum offered a variety of activities including face-painting, a bouncy castle, balloon animals, an obstacle course and a duck race down the Pincher Creek. The event kicked off with a parade of antique cars, preceded by the colour guard, that transported veterans and special guests from the Legion to the Village.
|
|
Canada Day 2014 in Pincher Creek
Justine Jorgensen photos
|
 |
| Mayor Don Anderberg |
First came the opening ceremonies, featuring the singing of the anthem as well as guest speakers. Mayor Don Anderberg welcomed everyone and reminded the crowd of the focal point of the day's activities: the commemoration of the 100th year anniversary of World War I and the 75th anniversary of World War II. He expressed thanks to our military and veterans, and finished off by stating "We are truly fortunate to live in Canada, the greatest country in the world."
 |
| Reeve Brian Hammond |
Reeve Brian Hammond followed and spoke about the pride of Canadians, the pride for those who protect the country. Veteran Pierre Comox, who has served time in Afghanistan, came next to say "Isn't it a great day to be Canadian?"
 |
| Veteran Pierre Comeau |
 |
| Sgt. Norman Walker |
He was followed by veteran Norm Walker, who has served three overseas missions; Walker captivated the audience with the story of the Red Sash, a touching tale of the bravery and loyalty of the Canadians that served during World War I. Soldiers, after spending the day in the trenches, would take a length of rope and tie it in a loose loop around their shoulders. They would then crawl into No Man's Land - of their own accord, not by following an order - to rescue injured comrades, slipping them through the rope to drag them back. The ropes became stained with blood, thus igniting the symbol of the red sash. It is a battle honour - it shows what it means to be Canadian.The ceremony ended with a salute to the veterans and a cheer from happy patriots.
 |
| Blue Rock |
The day continued with dj music provided by Blue Rock, fun activities for the kids and everyone was welcome to delve into Canada's rich history through the museum's numerous exhibits. One such exhibit that was put together by board member Jack Kunst could be found in "Cyr School". It highlighted the anniversaries of the two World Wars. With one side of the room dedicated to one of each of the wars, visitors were able to see photos of Canadian soldiers, interview with veterans, and see the very flags that were brought into war both times.
 |
| Jack Kunst |
Later on in the afternoon, the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village (KBPV) and the Pincher Creek Rotary Club's second ever duck race was set into motion as the plastic ducks purchased by visitors were dropped into the creek.
 |
Start of the duck race
Dan Cameron photo* |
According to Dan Crawford, organizer of the event, the funds collected from the duck purchases will be split fifty-fifty between the Rotary Club and Kootenai Brown. "The Rotary Club is using it for the youth programs. Our big program right now is our Youth Exchange Program; this is a one year exchange program. Currently we have a student here from Belgium who will be returning (to Belgium) in August."
 |
| Aria Kunst |
 |
| Josie Jorgensen |
 |
| Josie Meyer gets her face painted* |
All in all approximately six hundred people showed up for the day at Kootenai Brown. Curator Farley Wuth explained that "We've been working on [setting up the event] for two or three months, and it's nice to see all the help we get from the community." KBPV Manager Trish Carleton spoke for the museum when she explained "It has kind of become a tradition that every year we host the Canada Day celebration. Making today happen has been a group effort; the staff and volunteers of the museum have all played a part in getting everything ready." She went on to express thanks to the volunteers and staff, as well as to all the community that comes out and supports the museum and its events.
 |
| Another episode of Grillin' Good Grub with Fran Cyr |
Over the summer the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village will be open to the public every day from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm from the May long weekend until end of August. Winter hours, from Labour Day on, will be weekdays from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
 |
| Green thumbed and red hatted - John Hancock |
 |
| Tim Jorgensen |
 |
| Whitney Holoboff |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for taking the time to comment. Comments are moderated before being published. Please be civil.