Here we are at the end of 2011 and entering 2012. The weather has been phenomenal and we have had the added good fortune of the livestock being able to remain on pasture. The lack of snow has been a challenge for those who rely on it for water when they are swath grazing their animals, but we have been lucky, having a dugout on the quarter that wasn't pastured this summer, so the cows are happy and doing well.
The annual Minnehaha Christmas concert was held Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m. There were several youngsters on the program for the evening showcasing their talents. One of the outstanding items of the evening was Braxton Letwinetz with his rendition of Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues. Directly following the program, the youngsters gathered on stage to sing Santa in to the tune of Jingle Bells and Santa Claus is Coming to Town.
The Dec. 9 Handi-van bingo saw only a few winners for the evening with Annette Blaquiere calling. Winning the hams were Hazel Mosimann, Marion Ottas (2), Jessie Armstrong (2), Teta Harty (2), Annabelle Elliott (2), and Rose Anne Corbeil. Jessie Armstrong was also the winner of the blackout for a turkey. Winners of the kids' prizes, donated by Frank Poole, were Braxton Letwinetz and Ryan Bec. The next bingo will be held Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
The morning of Dec. 12 found a couple of former Edam boys donating their time and equipment to put up the town Christmas lights. Roger and Claude Ethier of Pillar Contracting of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., sons of Joe and Elsie, were in the area doing some work and stopped off to do some community service. Thanks guys.
The H. Hardcastle School elementary students performed in front of a full house on the evening of Dec. 19. Numbers included the Kitchen Rhythm band by the kindergarten class led by Mrs. Andrea Harty. To bells, song and dance numbers, boom whackers and Silent Night in sign and black light. The students sang Here Comes Santa Claus to welcome the jolly old fellow in. Santa then distributed candy canes to the students.
Tuesday morning, Dec. 20, Legion members, Charlie McCaffrey and Judy Carignan, were in HHS to present the awards for the Legion poster, essay and poem contests. Winners this year were: Grade 1-3 posters - Clayton Wolfe first and Abbey Harty second, Grade 4-6 colour posters - Latisha Easton first, Natasha Nedelec second, black and white posters - Brooke Bonsan first, Natasha Nedelec second, poems - Jessica Curry first, Haliey Brennan second, essays - Jessica Curry first, Jaimie Millard second.
Grade 7-9 colour posters - Jensen White first, Brittney Nedelec second, Black and white poster - Kennedy Schaefer first, Shyla Hamel second, essays - Treyden Brennan first, Jonathan Seipp second, poems - Payton Morin first, Jolene Nedelec second.
Grade 10-12 colour posters - Emma Head first, black and white poster - Emma Head first, essay Shanae Blaquiere first, poems Kelcey McCarthy first, Emma Head second.
Congratulations to all the winners and good luck in the next level of competition.
The evening of Dec. 20 found the students of the Turtle River Playschool playing to a full house of parents and grandparents. Their Christmas concert consisted of 10 songs and rhymes they had learned. These youngsters are (three-year-olds) Leah Fry, Ashton Harty, Bram Jullion, Karis Latendresse, Addison Poole, Beckett Rogers, Abby Sehn, Amy Stuart and Kobi Weber, (four-year-olds) Carter Cole, Brelyn Courtenay, Maddox LaClare, Jaycee Letwinetz, Brook Mack, Keagan Russet, Michael St. Amant, Kye Thom, Graydon Troesch and lead by teacher Laurie Hamel. These little people also welcomed Santa Claus and received gifts from him as well as candy bags. Congratulations on a job well done.
That should bring us up to date with the news. I'm hoping that I will be more successful meeting deadline as well as hoping that there will be a bit more news to write about.
