The Maymont Quilters is a unique group with no president, secretary or treasurer, just a couple of ladies handling the ordering of material and recording the expenses and receipts. A glance back to the war years shows batts cost $1 (today $7.95), broadcloth 47 cents per yard (today $3.99 and up a metre), and thread 12 cents per spool (today $2.25 a spool).
When the Second World War broke out, the Red Cross needed quilts. The Legion donated the use of their hall for the ladies to meet every Wednesday for a quilters' bee. The quilts were made by salvaging material from trousers, coats, skirts, etc., and donations from yard good stores. Even dyed flour bags were used. Word was received the quilts were used in air raid shelters overseas.
Frances Bohn, a quilter, left the community in 1944 to be married and was presented with a quilt on which all the members had embroidered their names. After the war some of the ladies enjoyed the Wednesday afternoon fellowship and wondered how to continue the club.
In 1946, the late Alice (Howard) Rogers, a war bride, were presented with a quilt as a welcome to Maymont. This gave the ladies the idea of making a quilt for each bride. The latest bride, Shauna (Gray) Ferris in October 1994 received quilt No. 186.
A memorial hall was built in Maymont in memory of the boys killed in action during the war. The quilters began making quilts for raffles, and also took orders with proceeds going to the hall. The quilters then met at the home of Dorothy Andrew where her daughter Kay got the job of cutting out pieces for the blocks while Dorothy's husband Alfred sat at the other end of the table and kept all the scissors sharpened (until his death in 1963). The quilters in 1959 presented their second embroidery quilt to Kay Andrew Greenslade at her shower in appreciation for her work.
After the memorial hall was built the quilters moved there. Proceeds given to the memorial hall since 1977 total $16, 349, with $706 to the seniors' centre.
In 1967, 11 members of the Maymont Quilters held a night out May 3 with supper at Mon's Café and a game of Kaiser at the seniors' centre. The quilters present were Loyola Van Der Haegen, Esther Bates, Sarah Beaudoin, Met Large, Grace McKenzie, Nellie Johnston, Thelma Schmidt, Gladys Brehon, Gertie Sherman, Bernice Wood and Kay Greenslade.
Over the years, many ladies have passed on or moved away. Still this month, as you drove by the memorial hall, you saw cars parked outside Wednesday afternoon. Yes, it was another quilting bee. Oct. 12 was quilting day in Maymont.
Later the same day, 11 members and former members of the Maymont Quilters met at Dawn Gray's Maymont Hotel café to have a time of fellowship and a delicious meal. The occasion was a farewell to Gladys Brehon who is moving to Saskatoon later this month. Gladys is a lovely quilter and she will be missed. We also welcomed Loyola and Myrtle to the evening meal, both are in North Battleford.
(Thanks to Kay Greenslade, who wrote much of the above history in June, 1967, as the then News-Optimist correspondent.)
Halloween safety tips: Never eat any treats until they are examined by an adult at home. Trick or treat with friends or with adult supervision. Don't go alone. Never enter the house or car of a stranger.
Halloween safety tips for adults: Welcome trick-or-treaters with your porch lights and any exterior lights on. Patrol your street occasionally to discourage speeding motorists, acts of malicious mischief and crimes against children.
Halloween safety tips for pets: Don't leave your pet out in the yard on Halloween: There are plenty of stories of pranksters out on this night. Don't dress up your pet unless you know they love it. Otherwise, it puts a lot of stress on the animal.
Halloween safety tips for motorists: Motorists should avoid all unnecessary travel on Halloween evening and, when driving, should drive slowly. Many accidents occur when motorists are backing vehicles out of driveways. Make absolutely sure there are no small children behind your car. Have a safe Halloween.
The trade show will be held Nov. 13 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Maymont Memorial Hall. There'll be lots of great vendors, so come and shop early for Christmas.
Note to children from parents: If we get dirty when eating, if we cannot dress on our own, please bear with us and remember the times we spent feeding and dressing you.
Thank you to Becky and the News-Optimist for lunch Oct. 20. It was nice to meet all the other reporters and to put a face to the news articles they are writing.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ralph Johnston, whose mom passed away this week.
