The 100-year celebration of Richard鈥檚 village was deemed a real success Aug 6.聽The day started with a colourful parade with many entries from small children to 鈥渙ldie goldies.鈥澛犅燭he festivities are the usual at these special gatherings, but at 3 p.m. the 101-year-old) St. Raphaels鈥� Roman Catholic Church celebrated a church service with Father Vu from Hafford presiding.聽This heritage building was packed with interested individuals with each person having to sign their names at the church entry.聽A big thank you to the hard working volunteers who put in endless hours to make this special day a reality.聽I enjoy talking to the pioneers who attended because their stories of the early days always interest me as they endured so many hardships.
My younger sister Janet and Mike from St. Brieux were in the area this past weekend and stayed over at our house Saturday evening. We attended the baby shower in Battleford for Melissa Olinyk on Sunday with a large group in attendance.
Tom Wolokoff from Flin Flon, Man., has been employed in the mines for many years.聽He visited his sister Sharon (Peter) Swistun and daughter Nelda on their Whitkow farm during July.聽The Wolokoffs farmed in the early years in the Iffley area.聽Sister Vera now resides in Flaxcombe (near Kindersly) and her daughter Tanya lives in Medicine Hat, Alta.聽聽Sharon and Peter grain farm, have some exotic animals and raise Simmental cattle.
鈥淢r. Music鈥� will be a big attraction in Rabbit Lake Thursday, Aug. 25. Show time starts at 7:30 p.m.聽This is sponsored by Rabbit Lake Senior鈥檚 Club.聽For more information please call Jim at 306-841-7041.
Another pioneer from Mayfair has recently passed away, 97-year-old Lena Koliniak (nee Pluta) got married in 1943 and raised four children while working hard on the farm.聽Lena and John (deceased) retired from farming in 1979 and moved to North Battleford.聽Condolences to her daughter Elizabeth (Roman) Ewanchuk and family from Whitkow (Redfield) area.聽Elizabeth has spent endless hours with her mom the past couple of years in River Heights Lodge.
Morris and Sonia Prescesky attended the Prescesky family reunion Sunday, Aug. 7 in Richard Hall.聽This was an excellent idea as some farther away relatives camped for two days taking in the Richard鈥檚 100th celebration and this family gathering, also celebrating 100 years of farming in that area.聽Some of the older folks who joined in are Mary Pain, Nellie Welford and Mary Prescesky (Morris鈥檚 mother) from North Battleford.聽Willie Prescesky was one, plus others, who supplied musical entertainment for the afternoon.聽There were approximately 150 people at this wonderful reunion but the rain showers kept them inside the hall for a good portion of the day.
I attended the John Arcand Fiddle Fest from Aug. 11 to 14聽聽held at his farm site called Windy Acres west of Saskatoon.聽There were many instructors from different provinces giving group fiddle and guitar lessons for the many interested people from pre-beginner to advanced.聽A cultural camp is always held during the days which is dedicated to Metis crafts, dance and story telling.聽All the material to make the crafts and music lessons are included in the gate admission, plus the awesome entertainment on stage during the complete day until later in the evening.聽On Saturday evening, one of the highlights was John Arcand and Calvin Vollrath fiddle concert.聽This concert recapped a 30-year-journey of their travelling, co-writing and performing together.聽They are indeed two of the greatest fiddle players in Western Canada and what a fantastic show they put on for the large crowd.聽There were so many very talented musicians, but Ed Peekeekoot from Vancouver Island put a different twist on things, from his blazing guitar work to foot stomping fiddle and haunting Native flute performances.聽He took the audience on a wild, varied musical journey including folk, classical and jazz, while adding humour and Cree philosophy with every selection he played.
Calvin Vollrath, who now lives in St. Paul, Alta., has composed over 600 fiddle tunes.聽All the musicians had venues selling their musical books, CDs and more.聽Vollrath has 62 of his own albums, numerous music books of the original compositions and instrumental DVDs that go with the books.
Many of the fiddle music camps started at Emma Lake in the old round hall about 30 years ago.聽Since then, fiddle music has resurfaced and young children seem to take a real interest in this instrument.聽The manufacturers make all sizes of fiddle and guitars and are readily available in music stores.
