february 2010

February 2010

New School Sought for Grand Bay-WestfieldMandy Fillmore has lived in Grand

Bay-Westfield all her life and now she’s raising her three children here. One child attends Grand Bay Primary School while another goes to Inglewood Elementary. Her youngest child is starting school next year. Fillmore wants to see more opportunities for her kids and all children in the community. “I’d like to see more for them in the schools,” she says. “I’d like them to have the same opportunities that kids in Rothesay and Quispamsis and even in the city have for extra curricular programs and facili-ties, things like libraries, gyms, access centres. Right now we don’t have it.” While she likes the idea of a small school she knows a larger, newer building could offer the programs that aren’t available in the old Grand Bay Schools. Fillmore joined others at the recent District 8 Education Council Town Hall Meeting, calling for a new school in Grand Bay-Westfield.Mayor Grace Losier told the audience of about 35 parents and school officials in the

auditorium of River Valley Middle School how Grand Bay Primary and Inglewood had changed very little since the days when she attended those schools. She says the town is growing with a new collector road being built and housing developments in the works and the time to start asking the government for a new school is now. Losier says the educational opportunities afforded children attending these old schools don’t mirror those being offered in the newer Westfield Elementary and the lack of a proper gym at Inglewood and Grand Bay means the schools cannot even meet the prescribed curriculum of the Department of Education. “The community has to get behind it and want it,” says Losier. “There’s a good course of voices here and a real willingness to work toward this. Our minister (Jack Keir) is supportive. He understands there is a disadvantaged community here and we want all our kids to be afforded the same opportunities.”This is the first of a series of town hall meeting being planned by the District 8

Education Council. While other issues were discussed, like special needs students, trades in the schools and high school enrolment, the need for a new GBW school was the main topic of the night. Some suggested a new school facility could become more of a community cultural centre, similar to the Centre Scolaire-Communautaire Samuel-de-Champlain building for the French community in Saint John. District 8 Education Council Chair, Rob Fowler agreed there is a need for a new school in Grand Bay-Westfield. “We have substantial growth coming to the area and we have very old, antiquated buildings with very little if any recreational facilities,”says Fowler. “Grand Bay Primary and Inglewood particularly, I wouldn’t call them gymnasiums that they have. They are just extra large classrooms. You can’t hold any type of physical activity of any significance in those kind of facilities. It’s not a reasonable expectation for kids to grow up in that kind of environment when there are much better facilities everywhere else.” Fowler says a new school building in the town would mean the closure of Grand Bay Primary, Inglewood and possibly Morna Heights School. He says even if we got the go-ahead today, a new building is still years away. He says the next step is to form a local steering committee and submit the request to Fredericton. “I think the government would have a hard time turning it down on the merits of the proposal,” he says. “When you look at the opportunity to close down three antiquated, run down, older buildings into one brand new facility with a whole lot of community support, I wouldn’t want to be one of the guys to say no.”

Westfield Scouting Celebrates 50th AnniversaryAl Thompson has been a scouter for 62

years, 48 of them with Westfield Scouting based at Westfield United Church. That’s almost as long as the 50-years the Westfield charter has been in existence. The scouting movement began here in January 1960 in this church and is still going strong. That success and the long relationship with the Westfield United Church, was celebrated on the weekend of January 16 and 17. Former Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Leaders were invited along with current members for campfire songs, skits and sharing stories and memories. A collection of Westfield Scouting memorabilia was on display in the church and even the Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, Graydon Nicholas was on hand for the festivities. 81-year-old Al Thompson was beaming throughout the weekend.

“We weren’t real rural and we weren’t real city, we were in between,” says Thompson when asked why Westfield Scouting has been so successful. “We had no gym here. All we had was outdoor rinks. Everything was done outdoors. We were outdoors in the summer, winter, spring and fall.” Thompson believes that connection with the outdoors is what kept the kids interested through all these years. And he says that tradition continues here. They just received 14 pairs of snowshoes for the Cubs and Scouts.Hundreds of boys

and now girls too, have gone through the

program at Westfield United Church. Thompson says many of the community leaders of today were once Scouts. He says the reward for him is seeing his former Scouts today and seeing what they’re now doing. “There are kids here in Beavers, Cubs and Scouts and their fathers and uncles were in Scouting here too,” says Thompson. “It means something.”

Thompson gets emotional when he remembers a World Scout Jamboree he attended years ago during the Falklands War between Britain and Argentina. Scout groups from both those countries were on stage dancing a jig together and Thompson remembers one of the leaders saying, “If Scouting ran the world, there would be no wars.”There were no jigs at the 50th Anniversary of

Westfield Scouting but long time, west-side scouter Dave Goss brought his guitar and lead the kids in a few songs. Al Thompson could be seen singing along too.

Dave Goss & Al ThompsonDEC Chair Rob Fowler

Eleanor McClune & Lt-Gov. Graydon Nicholas

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RiverValleyNews.ca is a community newspaper published monthly by Midwood Media Inc.

PO Box 3069, Grand Bay-Westfield, New Brunswick E5K 4V3

Publisher and Editor - Gary Mittelholtz

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To Advertise call Ian at 506-645-1501 For Editorial Content & Classified advertising call

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Webpage: rivervalleynews.caIssue #4500 published in February of 2010

Next issue: March, 2010 Deadline for content & advertising:

Friday, February 12, 2010

From the Publisher

Letters to the Editor

For many years River Valley News has always been available at Kirkpatrick’s Mercantile in Hoyt. But the future of the only store in the community is now uncertain. The store has been closed for the past few weeks and the gas pumps have been removed. The store has been in Hoyt for 60 years. The owner told River Valley News the busi-ness is in a state of transition and it may still reopen but no firm decision has been made. We’ll keep you posted on the future of Kirkpatrick’s Store. In the meantime, readers in the Hoyt and Wirral area can pick up their copy of River Valley News at Three Bridges Restaurant in Hoyt. The restaurant is open Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 8pm and Monday to Friday from 11am to 7pm. We’ll make sure an adequate number of papers are there to serve the needs of readers.Of course you can always

receive the latest news from the River Valley by going online to our website at rivervalleynews.ca. There you’ll find the latest full print edition of the paper as well as past issues. You’ll also have access to individual stories, photos and other content you won’t find in the printed paper. You can also subscribe to River Valley News online and receive all the latest stories and the print edition by email. Go to our webpage and enter your email address where it says to subscribe.

Mr. Gault,As someone who is very interested and proud of the early years of

our community, I have been following your columns with a great deal of interest and amusement. Many names are familiar to me through my mother’s and aunt’s (the Nase girls) stories of that time. Coming from a family who has had a presence in this community before it was a community and owning a house that is 225 yrs. old, ya’ tend to have a bit of old stuff jammin’ the place up!Camp Nature belonged to Dr. MacIntosh, a former curator of the

N.B. Museum on Douglas Ave. and a friend, Mr. Lovett. “Camp Nature”, according to my mother, was a beautiful little area just west of the bridge on RTE.177. The area was old growth trees and a carpet of moss. A small trail through the woods along “Camp Nature Brook” or Cunningham Stream lead to the train tracks in one direction and the present Rte. 177 in the other. There was a log cabin in the heart of the area and possibly a couple of smaller out buildings as well. I have a picture of the area I’ll take down to the town office for you to see. The present site isn’t quite as attractive. It is now occupied by the government pit.I also have a picture of the “Old Kirk” somewhere, but, will have

to go through a pile of photo’s to find it. My Grandmother told me once that the church was destroyed in a fire. I’m pretty sure it was a forest fire either pre-Westfield Fire or was actually a “finger” of the Westfield Fire(?) If you’re wandering around the old site in the spring or summer, the old stone foundation is still visible.Peter Lohnes, “Mount Hope Farm”

Dear Gary:You must have a “Beacon of Attraction” for writers. I am over-

whelmed by the mass of new writers that you have attracted. Good for you. The paper has grown and is continually improving. I was impressed that Rosalind Armstrong (95?) wrote that piece on dulse, I had to write her a note and congratulate her.Rosalind, “I read you article on “Dulse”. Good for you, and I

learned some things that I never knew before. I didn’t know the Irish knew dulse (the Irish settlers in Saint John must have felt at home here). I never heard the term “lava” before, as used in North Devon. Two years ago, I met two former school principals who taught in my School Area in Ontario. Ralph, now deceased, liked it. Peter Kurita, a Canadian-born Japanese, loved it. His mother used to use it in Japanese soups, and when dried and crushed used it in her food preparation. He lived in Vancouver before the war and was interned in a camp in the Rocky Mountains, his whole family

were deemed “enemy aliens”. I interviewed him and gave him a position as teacher in my school in Langstaff, and later promoted him to principal at one of our schools. His elder sister graduated from Vancouver High Schools, but was not allowed to train at the Provincial Normal School. So she worked and went to Japan and became a teacher, and then the War came. She was stuck in Japan. After the war an American pilot for whom she translated when he was shot down, wrote to Peter’s mother to tell her that the sister had been killed by bombs in the last months of the war.Back to dulse. Many years

ago we collected some at Dark Harbour, Grand Manan. It was wet from the water and one year I was making a movie of the Herring Fishery of New

Brunswick and collected some around Grand Manan Islands. My sisters and brother in Ontario and South Africa always yearn for a taste of dulse. When I first went to Toronto to college and then work I searched the stores and they didn’t know what it was. So I went to Eaton’s College Street store and bought some “Digby Chicks”, small skinned and boned herring, which was packed in wooden boxes for the West Indies trade. I remember wandering through the store with pieces of Digby Chick wrapped in my cloth handkerchief and eating it surreptitiously while walking around the store. The taste reminded me of dulse. For years, dad often sent small packets of dulse to us in Ontario and that was special.Thanks Gary for all your industry.David Smith

Comment from Janis Mazerolle on the WebpageMy husband and I live one street over and frequently walk our

dog on Crestwood Drive. We have commented many times on the pretty angels in the Bowe’s yard. I am so glad that I now know the story behind them. It makes them even more special. Coincidentally, my birthday is January 23rd too.

Dear Editor,While shopping in an antique store in Florida, my sister picked up

this post card. The post mark was 1906. We are unable to identify the area. I wonder if any of your readers are familiar with Beatty’s Beach, Blue Rock.Thelma Lourie-GosseEditors Note: We contacted local historian and author David Goss

and asked him about this postcard and he sent along the following description:

Yep, that is Beatty’s Beach all right, sometimes spelled Beatteay’s, but also known as the Nice’s Beach, Blue Rock Beach and Beacon Beach. It existed from about 1890 until about 1914. Brass Bands like the Carleton Cornet Band would play there on Sunday afternoons. The men would dive into the cold bay in their long, shoulder to mid thigh suits. There was a raft offshore. The ladies usually bathed, but did not swim. Their suits covered even more of their bodies. Bathing was considered therapeutic, despite the fact that the Blue Rock Hill Sewer ran down Ludlow Street and emptied into the Bay via a creek in the middle of the beach! There were at least two working wiers on the beach, one of them was called the Dolly Watter’s Weir. (Extracted from my book Saint John West and its Neighbours and Saint John West Vol 11, which have just been reprinted and are available in your area at Guardian Drugs.) David Goss

Beatty’s Beach Postcard from 1906

We welcome your letters and comments at River Valley News. Please include your name because anonymous letters will not be published. Use regular mail or email to send along your comments to the appropriate addresses found to the left of this page.


James Bogart CA Accounting Services

Gagetown, NB Tel: 488-2415 Fax: 488-3188

Donald G.J. CormierBarrister - Solicitor - Notary Tel: 674-1464 Fax: [email protected]

Real Estate & Morgages Will & Estates

Power of Attorney

The long time MP for New Brunswick Southwest is stepping down immediately

as Minister of Veterans Affairs and as New Brunswick’s senior representative in Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government. Greg Thompson will remain as MP of this riding but he will not re-offer in the next federal election. Thompson was first elected to parliament in 1988 and has won 6 out of the last 7 elections. Thompson who is 62, told River Valley News he wanted to retire on his own terms and he felt the timing now was right for himself, his family and the government. “I wanted to go out on a high, not a low and I feel good about what I have done, so really I just felt the time was right,” says Thompson. “I felt that I’ve done the best job that I could and am pretty proud of my record and that’s really the note I wanted to go out on.” He says his decision leaves his successor in Veterans Affairs plenty of time to get up to speed on the portfolio before a new session begins and the local riding associa-tion has time to find a candidate to replace him

before the next election is called.Thompson says his responsibility as minister requires a lot of travel and has not allowed him

to spend as much time in the riding as he would have liked. “In some regards the consistency suffers because you’re not there when you normally would be so I’ll have a chance to refocus on my riding in the last months or years of my tenure as a member of parliament,” says Thompson. “I’m really grateful to the people of New Brunswick Southwest for the confidence they’ve placed in me. In the closing days of my career I can really refocus on the riding.”Thompson says being a member of parliament and representing your constituents is the best

job in government. “The most gratifying part of the job is the difference you can make in the lives of ordinary constituents that come to you with a problem and often with no other place to go and you can make a difference in their lives and be there for them when they need you,” says Thompson. “The letters and support I get from ordinary people is really gratifying.”Thompson says when the next election is called and he retires from politics, he and his wife

are looking forward to doing the things they enjoy here in New Brunswick. “I like landscaping and my wife loves gardening and I do too but she’s better at it then me, so we can focus on that,” says Thompson. “I love landscaping and rock wall building and I actually love working in the woods with my chainsaw and cutting my own hardwood. I also enjoy golf although anyone who knows me at Westfield will tell you I’m not a very good golfer. Maybe I can get out with Milt a few times. He’s the worlds second worst golfer.”Greg Thompson couldn’t end the interview without speaking about the woman who used to

own the River Valley News. “Diane Bormke was a great supporter of mine,” he says. “I really miss Diane and all the things she did for me. She believed in me and never asked for a thing. It was always about her community.”Thompson says his role as a member of cabinet is truly gratifying but the truth is you’re on

the road all the time and you don’t have a chance to enjoy your home, your friends or your community. He plans to change that soon.

Greg Thompson Resigns As Minister And Won’t Run In Next Election

Creativity in the CountryThe Village of Gagetown is known as a centre for art and craft. In May,

some of our artists and artisans are going to share their expertise with you. Come and enjoy a spring day in the Village, and return with new skills and a piece of your own work. Classes to be offered are: Creating a fur teddy bear (May 1), Sheep to Yarn (May 2), First steps in acrylic painting (May 15), T-shirt painting (May 16), Introduction to metal jewellery (May 29) and Portrait drawing (May 30). For further information please contact us by e-mail: [email protected], by phone: 506 488-9894, or by mail: Creativity in the Country, c/o 139 Tilley Road, Gagetown, NB, E5M 1H5Information will also be posted on the Village website: www.villageof-

gagetown.ca. Classes will be limited in size so do contact us soon. We look forward to seeing you in May!

Sara Shackleton, spinning wool with two of her goats. Sara and her sister, Krista, will be teaching the course “Sheep to Yarn”.

Melaine Hall, Jessica Beckett, James Tibbets, President Ed DeSaulniers and 2nd Vice Linda Scott accepting for Stephanie Mailman. Sara McCullough is absent from photo.

Six Students received bursaries from Bayview Branch #22 on January 11th, 2010. The bursa-ries are given out each year from the Poppy Benevolent Fund. They are Scott M c C u l l o u g h ,


GBW Council Briefs - Jan. 11 2010Corporal Rob Landry presented council with the RCMP statistics

for the month of December. Landry told council that nothing really stands out and again this month there were lower numbers for traffic tickets. He explained that mischief calls were up slightly from the same month last year. Landry told council that mischief can be anything from causing damage to complaints of a loud party. When things get out of hand, he says the police use the criminal code to resolve issues. In December in GBW there were 49 traffic warnings issued and 20 tickets handed out. In the rural area, 43 traffic warn-ings were given and 13 tickets written. Vehicle collisions reported in the area outside of town was high at 19 compared to only 3 colli-sions within Grand Bay-Westfield.Mayor Losier told council the value of new housing starts in the

community was up in 2009 over the previous year, despite a slow start. It was 2.7 million dollars compared to 2.5 million in 2008. Council reminded pet owners that it’s time to pick up a new 2010

licence for your dog. Sewerage bills for the year will be sent out in the latter part of January.Council agreed to pay 2010 membership dues of $722.63 to the

Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Mayor Losier reminded council that as a result of lobbying by the FCM the town should receive GST rebates and Gas Tax refunds of almost $445,000 this year.The town agreed to donate its free day at Harbour Station this year

to the 2010 Francophonie Games being held at Harbour Station in June. Bills totalling $354,512.94 were paid.

Local naturalist and birder, Jim Wilson spoke at the January River Valley Garden Cub Meeting about ‘Living in Harmony with Wildlife on your Property’. Pictured above: Garden Club President Tracy Parker and Jim Wilson.

The Virtuous GardenerPreparing for Spring - Part One

by the Greenish ThumbMost of the seed catalogues arrive around Christmas and now

is the time to decide what you would like to grow this gardening season. Every year the seed companies produce something new for us to experiment with. However, unless you can produce the right conditions for growing plants from seed indoors you may find the results disappointing. For this reason, I leave the growing of tender annual flowers to the professionals. The nurseries have a wide choice of variety, colour and size, all ready for planting outside at the appropriate time. I restrict my choice of annual flower seeds to those that can be directly seeded in the garden and essentially look after themselves. If they re-seed themselves next year that is a bonus.

Bachelor’s Buttons (Black Bull) is one that I will try this year. It has chocolate flowers and grows to 30 inches. Calendula (Scotch Marigolds) now come in a variety of colours from pale yellow to bronze and if dead headed regularly will flower all summer until frost. Cosmos come in all shades from white to dark red. They tend to be tall, 3-4 feet. New this year is “Sensation Candy Stripe,” white with rose edges and pale stripes. Morning Glories make a good addition to trellises and fences growing 6-8 feet. New this year is “Carnival” which is candy striped in shades of blue, white and pink. Nasturtiums are good value as leaves and flowers are edible adding interest to summer salads. The flowers come in all shades of cream, yellow, orange and red and the leaves, depending on the variety, are various shades of green. One is marbled green and white. One of my favourite annuals is the poppy. They come in all colours and sizes, both single and double, and will reliably reseed the following year. To keep them flowering all summer they need to be dead headed but remember to leave some seed heads for the following year. New this year is the California Poppy “Purple Gleam” which has the usual attractive blue/green foliage but the flowers are deep lilac instead of the usual cream/yellow/orange. Sunflowers are spec-tacular and easy to grow. They now come in shades of red as well as the usual yellows. Children love to grow them as they grow so fast. The varieties that provide bird seed are a bonus. (Beware the racoon!) I love sweet peas but have had little success with them in the past. I shall try again this year. There is a perennial sweet pea (Lathryus Latifolius) which might be worth trying as it is said to be salt, wind and drought tolerant and at a height of 6-8 feet, can survive where little else will.Perennials grown from seed are very good value for

money. They can be started early in the spring or later in the summer. I find I have more success by planting later as growing conditions outside are easier to manage than inside with our “dry as a desert” and” low light” conditions. Very few perennials will flower in their first season but seeds germinated in summer will produce healthy plants which, if set out in the garden, will make a wonderful display the following year for only a fraction of the cost of buying from nurseries. I see that there is now available a Coneflower (Echinacea) mixture “Paradiso”, a mixture of white, pink, red, yellow and orange blooms, guaranteed to flower from July to October and hardy to zone 3. Perennial asters (September Ruby - tall and “Pinkie - short) are easy to grow and are beloved by butterflies and bees as is Butterfly Flower (Asclepias) which is available in pink and white. This will flower the first season if planted early.For this column I have consulted two catalogues

specific to A t l a n t i c Canada and one from Ontario. They were Vesey’s, Halifax Seed and Dominion Seed House. There are many others which are available on line and have i n t e r e s t i n g and unusual o f f e r i n g s . Have fun!

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Queenstown Orange Hall being Plowed but not by Province

The Orange Lodge in Queenstown is open this winter and the parking lot is now being cleared after each snowfall. Lodge officials were finally successful in finding someone in the local area with equipment heavy enough to do the job. Many feared the only commu-nity meeting facility between Brown’s Flat and Gagetown would be inaccessible this winter after the province decided to end the practice of plowing churches and commu-nity halls. Until this year the Department of Transportation plowed the parking lot free of charge. That policy changed last spring as a cost saving measure for the province.Lodge officials initially had trouble finding someone to plow the yard and were worried about their ability to keep the hall open this winter. When word of this predicament spread, the community banded together and a committee was formed. Petitions and protest letters were circulated and both the Minister of Transportation and the Premier were lobbied to change the policy. The Master of the Lodge, George Lacey says they finally convinced Denis Landry, the Minister of Transportation to agree to plow the hall until January 5th but word of that decision never got passed down to the DOT crews who actually do the plowing. Lacey says they’ll be able to do the plowing for now but there is a concern down the road they won’t be able to continue paying for it. “For this winter we should survive,” he says. “But we’re kind of disappointed by their reaction to the whole thing.”


Cancer Survivors - In Their Own WordsRachel Quinn of Grand Bay-Westfield

The first ever Canadian Cancer Society’s Grand Bay-Westfield Relay for Life will be held on Friday, June 11th from 7pm to 7am on the running track at River Valley Middle School. The Relay for Life is a 12 hour celebration of survival, a tribute to the lives of loves ones and a night of fun, friendship and fund-raising to make cancer history. You can Celebrate the Survivors’ victory lap, be inspired by the luminary ceremony, enjoy activities and entertainment, all the while knowing you are supporting a great cause. In the months leading up to the Relay for Life we’ll be publishing the stories of cancer survivors from this

community. These are the personal experiences, told in their own words, of friends and neighbours who have battled cancer. We begin the series with cancer survivor Rachel Quinn of Grand Bay-Westfield.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in January of 2005. About a month before, I knew there was something wrong. I sensed that my body wasn’t right. Once I was diagnosed, I quickly had surgery, a mastectomy. I had a month to recover and then jumped right into chemo and after another short break, started radiation. It’s a horrible feeling, the worst feeling I ever had in my life. You’re terrified. You feel threatened with

your survival, you’re terrified for your kids and your husband. It’s a total loss of control because you think how could this possibly happen to me. It just can’t be happening. There’s certainly denial for a period of time. It’s just a terrible thing to be told that you have it. I think that’s the worst part of the whole thing, being told that you have it and facing it yourself. You do feel very defeated, physically, emotionally and spiritually but you just have to fight your way

back up. As a survivor you have to look at those areas of your life and work your way back up again. You have to come to terms with

it. It might not be good news for you but you have to face it and deal with it. The treatments were really

hard. There are harder things for people to deal with but it’s not easy. I was really sick with all the chemo. The surgery was no big deal but the chemo was the hardest thing. It’s hard for your kids to watch you go through that. Whenever I had chemo, the kids would be away just for the first few days after I came home until the worst of it was over. I still go in for check-ups and

each time you feel slightly more confident. It’s been five years for me. I still get a little uneasy feeling. I spent five years surviving and working at survival. After you’re hit with something like this, I realized I had to change some things in my life, physically, emotionally,

spiritually and I still work at those things every day. I can’t forget that I have had it. I want to move on but you have to work hard at your health. I think about it every day. I was asked to speak as a cancer survivor at a Relay for Life event

in Saint John a year after being diagnosed. I hesitated to do that because I knew I would be very emotional. It was still very close at that time but I felt I had to push myself through that. I made myself do it. My main message was to say thank you to the runners and walkers for doing this. There is so much people don’t know about cancer and prevention and I think we all have to become more aware. There is so much that can be done with any money that is raised. Cancer is close to everyone. We think it’s not going to happen to

us but it can happen. I believe, after being a survivor for five years, that there can be a lot less cancer in the world. I think the things that should be done are more preventative. Treatment is necessary but I think there’s so much out there about preventing cancer in the first place that people don’t know about and we have to educate ourselves about it. That is so important. The organizers are seeking teams to make the very first Grand

Bay-Westfield Relay for Life a success so please join with friends, family and colleagues and register as a team. By joining us, you’re helping to make cancer history. Interested teams please contact Jim Balcomb at 738-8441 or by email: [email protected]. Cancer survivors wishing to participate are asked to email Erika Kelly at [email protected]. For further information or to register online please visit: www.

cancer.ca

Rachel Quinn

News from Westfield SchoolTutors NeededWestfield Elementary School is looking for tutors after school from

2:30-3:30 and 3:30-4:30. The rate of pay is $8.50/hr (uncertified) and $13.50/hr (certified). If you are interested, please call 757-2020WESTFIELD SCHOOL LIBRARY OPEN TO PUBLICWestfield School is opening its library to the public. In order to

promote literacy in our community, Westfield teachers are volun-teering their time from 4-7pm to run the library for people in the Grand Bay-Westfield area. The library is open to adults, parents and children. You can come and read with your child and get a library card to check out books to take home. The library is open on the following dates: Westfield Tuesday Night Library - January 26, February 9 & 23, March 9 & 23, April 6 & 20, May 4 & 18, June 1,

GBW Celebrates Winterfest For the first time, Grand Bay-Westfield will join with other Greater Saint John Area Communities for Winterfest. On Sunday, February 21, the town will host a number of outdoor and indoor events. The schedule is still tenta-tive but plans include a free public skate at the River Valley Community Centre, a demonstration of snowshoeing and x-c skiing at the River Centre, indoor walking, an outdoor family snowball game and entertainment for the kids. Keep an eye on our website at rivervalleynews.ca for all the details when they become available.


THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF GRAND BAY-WESTFIELD A & W - Angus & Winnie

by Murray Gault Those of us who travelled on the commuter train to high school

or work became a close knit group. Everyone got to know everyone else. In 1948-49, I was in my last year of high school when I became aware of a new presence among the high school crowd, a girl that I had never seen before. She was blonde and beautiful and I could feel palpitations in my chest so loud I felt everyone could hear them. Her name was Winnie Gorham and she lived at Crystal Beach, so she had to cross on the ferry and walk to Westfield Beach station to get on the train. It was also quite a walk from Crystal Beach to the ferry. It’s strange how one’s voice and movements freeze when they encounter a person of the opposite sex who they are attracted to. However, Winnie made it easy for me and I soon relaxed when in her company. We started dating and I spent a lot of evenings at the Gorham home at Crystal, quite often watching wrestling on the telly. Mrs. Gorham was always very nice to me and brought tea and

sweets and talked about life in general. Sometimes Winnie and I would stay in town after school and go to the show, coming home later on the bus. One of her sisters (Elsie I think) sometimes went with us. One of our first dates was to be a drive in my father’s car on a Sunday afternoon. I drove to the ferry but found that it had been unable to cross as the ice was running heavily. I was very disappointed and went to Ivan Kierstead’s store and looked out the window to see if it might eventually come. I waited quite a long time but it didn’t appear. Then, miraculously who should come walking up the road from the ferry landing but Winnie! She had come with some others in a rowboat.Winnie’s father was Arthur Gorham who was one of the ferry

operators and a fine man. He brought his car from his house every day and left it by the ferry landing, just out of sight of the ferry. The ferry didn’t run all night at that time, closing at 11 or 12 PM (I forget which) and the operator left at the appointed hour and went home. If there was an emergency, Bill and Edison Thompson lived very near and would be awakened to look after it as they were both operators. Art Gorham got used to me coming and going to court his daughter, walking the half mile or so to and from Crystal Beach. One evening he took pity on me and told me to use his car and bring it back before closing time. This I did many times until one night when I was very tired and brought the car back to find that the ferry was on the other side. I decided to wait in the car until the ferry came back and promptly fell asleep. Art couldn’t see the car from the ferry so he waited in the cabin for me to appear. He waited for over half an hour past his going home time, then decided to walk. He, of course, only went a few yards when he saw the car and me fast asleep. He wasn’t happy, especially since he had to start up the boat to take me across. My popularity decreased. However, my

popularity also decreased with Winnie for other reasons as she had fallen in love with Eddie Leggett and eventually married him.I met an older man on the train who hailed from Welsford, who

sometimes used the train to get to work. Other times he travelled with his brother Stanley Jones by car. In the fall of 1949, after having graduated from Saint John High School, I started to work at the North End Branch of The Bank of Nova Scotia at the corner of Main St. and Douglas Ave. When I arrived the first day, having walked from Union Station to the bank, the manager Harry Burton intro-duced me to all the staff and lo and behold, there was Angus Jones, the assistant accountant, much to my surprise. It was interesting to watch Angus as he was a real country boy with no pomp or ceremony as he waited on customers and the older women flocked to him for his boyish charm and simplicity. Like all boys brought up in the country, Angus rolled his own cigarettes and these were the days when it was OK to smoke anywhere, even at work in the bank. I watched him one day as he was looking after a well-to-do woman, leaning with his elbows on the counter. He then reached into his jacket pocket and brought out the “makins”. He took out a cigarette paper and held it in his left hand while he poured tobacco into it with his right hand, letting the overflow drop on the counter. He then proceeded to roll the cigarette while more tobacco fell to the counter and he took great pains to lick the paper. The finished product wasn’t very pretty with tobacco sticking out both ends so he used his fingers to clear one end so that he could put it in his mouth. He left the tobacco sticking out of the other end and proceeded to scratch a match on the seat of his pants, all the while talking to the lady customer. When the match lit the cigarette, there was a burst of flame and smoke that got in the customer’s face until the loose tobacco was consumed. Then Angus drew a deep drag which you could tell he greatly enjoyed, and proceeded to blow the smoke into the lady’s face again. She took her hand to brush away the smoke from her face, smiled at Angus and carried on with her business. Angus had charm and he also was very good to me, helping me to learn the intricate workings of the bank and I appreciated his help. His habits never changed while I was there but in 1950 they transferred me to Belleville, Ontario and a whole different world.The events that I have mentioned happened over sixty years ago,

but these and many other incidents still stick in my mind. Imagine, remembering how a man rolled his cigarette over sixty-two years later.

So You Think You Can Dance

Saint John

Southern New Brunswick’s got moves! Strip off those winter woollies and join us to be astounded and delighted by nationally ranked performers from Sussex to St. Stephen in our winter session of So You Think You Can Dance? Join us each Sunday in the Market Square Atrium at 1pm, to vote for your favourites, along with judges from across the country. See our region dance for their lives, and compete to come out on top! The competition will be held each Sunday until the finale February 21st. Each Monday, The Wave will announce the winning dancers. Those successful dancers meet on Tuesdays to learn the upcoming choreog-raphy that they will practice their hearts out for the next week for you to enjoy! Winners receive full tuition to the dance school of their choice and a dance-wear shopping spree! Just watching these dancers move, twist, and turn will have you breaking into a sweat – the perfect remedy for those winter blues! So You Think You Can Dance? Come watch our community prove it!


Living by the St. John River by David Smith We overlook Caton’s Island, where years ago Mr. Howard Robinson used to plant non-native trees from all over the world and where ducks used to gather in clouds during the northern flight migrations each fall, which made him make the island into a Federal Waterfowl Sanctuary. D’Arcy Brown, the caretaker who lived in the white house on the mainland bank, (demolished) would handle the motor boat and scow and bring people and animals to and fro from the Island. Each day Mr. Robinson would be driven into Saint John to the Telephone Company and the Telegraph Journal by George Hector who played the banjo and lived in Gagetown. George was always a pleasant and polite fellow, even to those who were just casual friends. And I remember how excited we were when we found a deposit of “fool’s gold” on the north side of the island, where there was a white bench on a sand beach to sit and rest and look up river. We were always intrigued at the Historical Society’s cairn that reminded us of the original French settlers, Robert Grave who built his trading post to trade with the Indians. There was another trading post at a later date off Anderson’s Point and also one on Oak Point. The book, ‘Caton’s Island’ by James A. Fraser C.S.A gives a detailed account of the settlement of the Island from the earliest French traders up through all the English owners by the grant system until Mr. Robinson and Mr. Parker. A friend, who was a boy soldier during the War, and was stationed on Chesley Street attending classes at the Vocational School, purchased a metal detector and found many foreign coins around the Oak Point trading post. These included coins used locally plus Spanish doubloons and other strange currency. After we came down here in 1958, the Island appeared to me as a place of great potential. Mr. Hardy Parker of Welsford owned it then and I was interested in buying it for our residence. Mr. Parker offered me the Island for $l00,000, but I found the price too high for me at that time. Since then I have reflected on the problems of winter access across the ice, young children growing up there and the difficulty of weekly shopping. D’Arcy told me that the land was quite arable and would easily support a large vegetable garden. I was particularly taken with the house that Mr. Robinson had built and felt that the other rebuilt house that was located behind the cairn would give us the space we thought we needed. Up at Evandale, the old Eveleigh Hotel has just re-opened and they are serving breakfast all day, large beef or chicken dinners with all the fixin’s in their hotel dining room and they even have a “burger bar” for quick lunches. While on the lawn they have a swimming pool instead of swimming off the Evandale Wharf, like guests have done for years. Today, most guests arrive by car, whereas years ago they would arrive by sailboats and launches or the river boats. There was also daily train and bus service.

The old Eveleigh Hotel before the major renovations occurred turning this old River Boat Inn into a modern resort. Even the name has been changed to the Evandale Resort, complete with swimming pool and a large marina for boats. The hotel has been renovated from top to bottom including all the guest rooms and the dining room. The hotel and dining room is also open through the winter.


Trail Magic (Sept. 24, 2003) by Lorne Blagdon If you remember my last article, Naomi and I were staying with Cindy and David, friends of mine, who live in New Hampshire. My wife Kim, had come to visit us there. On Sept. 24th Kim took Naomi to the Post Office to get our bump box, (a parcel we had mailed to ourselves from New York State filled with sweaters and my boots and various other items that we knew we would need but did not want to carry). Our bump box had not arrived yet. Cindy drove Curly Dan and I to Franconia where we waited for Kim and Naomi. When they arrived we said our good-byes. Kim drove home to New Brunswick and Curly Dan, Naomi and I started up the arduous climb. Although it was difficult, the views were spectacular. In my opinion the absolute best on the whole Appalachian Trail. Mt. Lincoln and Mt. Lafayette were beautiful. Both of these mountains are over five thousand feet high. The leaves were turning red and orange and the mountains

were magnificent. We took too much time enjoying the views and we did not make Gale hut where we were planning on staying. In the White Mountains you are not allowed to camp where ever you want. The Appalachian Mountain Club or AMC has exclusive rights. You are required to stay at one of the lodges which are very expensive. However, they allow Thru-hikers to work for stay. Thru-hikers really resent this and write all kinds of nasty comments in the log books at the lodges. After all, most of us have walked 1800 miles (2900 kms.) from Georgia without paying a cent to sleep in a shelter and camping where ever we wanted. Thru-hikers have several names for AMC like American Money Club and others that I will not repeat in this article, but use your imagination. When we arrived at the summit of Mt. Garfield we found a burnt out basement. Flying Bear and Laughing Bird were there. We decided that we would illegally camp out in the basement. The wind was blowing a strong gale but the basement offered some shelter. I went to get water and Naomi made supper. We all bedded down at 8pm. The wind just howled and it was desperately cold. In fact, the wind was blowing so hard that my sleeping bag was slapping me in the face. Even though we had hiked over dangerous cliffs, walked inches away from poisonous snakes, had bears within a few feet of us at night, hiked through hurricanes and flash floods, this was the first time that I felt that our lives were in danger. At 9pm I told Naomi, “Let’s move before we freeze.” She agreed. We hiked back down the mountain until we were below the tree-line. I found a spot where we could crawl under the thick, stubby spruce and put out our ground sheet. Although we spent a cold night, we survived. The next morning we climbed back up the mountain to the basement. I was truly afraid that our friends would be froze to death. Curly Dan, Flying Bear and Laughing Bird were all still alive and did not seem any worse for the wear.

A hiker on Franconia Ridge in New Hampshire.


The Poop on Soup By Ross Mavis

If ever an excuse was needed to make soup; the recent cold weather provides more than enough

reasons. Nothing can warm your body and soul quite like good, hot, soup. It’s not just the nourish-ment but also the opportunity to warm your hands on a mug of soup even before the steaming liquid food enters your body. According to my sources, there are more than 15,000 soup recipes the world over. I hate to quibble but I’m sure this number is way too modest.

There really isn’t anything I can think of that does not lend itself to being cooked into a great soup. That is one of the unique qualities of this hearty liquid food. You are never stuck pondering what you might turn into a gut warming, nourishing soup. Vegetable, meat, poultry or fish are all fare game. I’m sure if I was to drop into your house uninvited on any given day, I would still be able to find ingredients in your kitchen to make us a lovely bowl of soup. Doubt my talents? Invite me to try.For example, my wife Willa and I arrived home late the other evening. Our

house at the foot of Pancake Hill was cold. A fire had to be lit and supper started. While Willa kindled the wood stove, I put my mind to supper. Let’s see now….we pretty well finished the roast chicken yesterday. The rack in the fridge was still on the old white platter Willa’s dad had given her many years ago. It was the perfect size for a medium size roast chicken. We have been able to source free range, meat king chickens and they are absolutely incredible. These chickens taste like chicken tasted when my mum or Willa’s mum roasted chicken, years ago.Even though most of the bones had been pretty well picked clean, there was

one portion of breast meat and a drumstick left untouched. Not really enough for a meal for two. Undaunted, I quickly diced a small onion, chopped a stick of celery and peeled two carrots before dicing them as well. These I put into the old cast iron Dutch oven over medium high heat on the propane range. A tablespoon of bacon fat was added and the vegetable mix was sautéing nicely while I searched the fridge for more victims. Aha, a small Pyrex dish of light chicken gravy was found hiding behind the

large bottle of rhubarb jam. Into a microwave safe bowl went the chicken bones, broken up to yield as much surface area to hot broth as possible. Two chicken bouillon cubes, four cups of water and the partially sliced drumstick were added. Three minutes nuked on high and things were starting to smell like supper. The hot broth was poured into the sizzling veggies in the cast iron pan and

whatever meat possible was stripped from the bones and leg. This was quickly chopped and added with the diced breast portion to the soup now reaching full gestation on the stove. To this I added the cup of chicken gravy with a flourish reminiscent of the baptizing of our grandson. My wife will kill me for saying that. Then came the tasting of the mixture; ahh, mmmm, yes just a little salt and

pepper will bring everything nicely together. Chopped fresh parsley was added. Crusty whole wheat rolls, butter and bowls of steaming chicken carcass soup graced our table that night. A glass of dry red wine sharpened the palate and supper was served. Now what could be easier or tastier? And that’s the poop on soup.

Your estate consists of everything you own at the time of your death. Some items that are owned jointly or have designated

beneficiaries like life insurance, RRSP, homes and camps are not included in your estate. There is a great saving of probate fees and time because they pass automatically to the beneficiary. Some couples arrange for everything to be owned jointly so there is no need to go to Probate Court when one of them dies. Even if a car is owned in just one name, or a small bank account is in one name only, they may be transferred without going to Probate Court if there is a valid will. A good rule to remember is the smaller your estate, the smaller the probate fees. A

lawyer, banker or financial planner can be very helpful in making sure you pay less money to the taxman.When you have a list of your property, you need to write down in plain English in your

own handwriting your instructions as to who gets what (beneficiaries), who handles your estate (executor) and who will look after your infant children (guardian). Money given to children is held in trust by a person called the trustee. The trustee, executor and guardian may be the same person but many think that separating the roles is better since two heads are better than one. If you sign your instructions at the bottom of the sheet of paper you have made a will. You do not need any witnesses. You can also take these instructions to a lawyer and have a formal will prepared and signed by two witnesses. Your lawyer may have some helpful advice and if you give the lawyer your instructions before you meet it will save time and money.For most couples, the decision is simple. Most couples leave everything to each other

and appoint the survivor to handle the estate (executor). The spouse is familiar with the financial details and will usually be supported by family and capable advisors when necessary. It is important to have a back up plan in case your spouse dies before you or at the same time. In that case it is common to appoint a backup executor to handle the estate and to lay out a backup plan for dividing their estate.Most commonly, but not always, the surviving parent will leave everything to the

children. The children may be infants and in that case there are some additional consid-erations such as appointing a trustee to look after the money.If all of the children are adults the best way to create a future battleground is to treat

children unequally. More family disputes happen after the death of a parent and the majority of those disputes result from a perception of unfairness. Money from an inheri-tance can increase the quality of life and open up opportunities that could not have been possible before, but human traits such as greed and anger can be magnified and without Mum or Dad around to settle the squabbles, brothers and sisters may never talk to each other again. Parents who treat adult children unequally claim to have good reasons. One child may

be in need and another well off. Unfortunately, life changes and what you see now may change and roles could be reversed. Parents may also want to punish a child for some-thing done in the past. A will is not the place or time to do that. I knew of one widow who actually cut off her son because he did not show up for Mothers Day. She did not imagine the permanent damage she caused to her family. Dividing the estate equally among the adult children and appointing them all as executors reduces the chances of an all out war.Ray Riddell QC is a resident of Woodmans Point, NB. He practised law in Halifax,

Nova Scotia for 30 years with particular focus in probate, property, labour law and civil litigation. He is presently on sabbatical.

When Is Unequal Ever Fair?By Ray Riddell QC


Osteoporosis - The Silent Thief Osteoporosis is a silent disease in that

there are no symptoms until the first fracture. These are fractures that are the result of little or no trauma. Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone density and deterioration of bone tissue. This can occur in males and females and is more common in older individuals.The risk of fracture is the concern for

one who is diagnosed with osteoporosis. Osteoporosis alone is not the sole indicator of this risk. The key risk factors for frac-ture are age equal to and greater than 65 years; a previous non-traumatic fracture; a family history of non-traumatic fractures and long-term use of oral corticosteroids such as Predinisone. More woman die due to complications of osteoporosis than from cancer of the breast, uterus and ovaries combined. Thirty-four percent of men who suffer a hip fracture due to osteoporosis will die of complications within a year of the fracture.We can’t prevent osteoporosis but we can prevent fractures due to osteoporosis.

Medication, diet and exercise can help reduce the risk, while genetics cannot be changed.Exercise is effective at any age in making stronger bones. Children who exercise on

a regular basis have stronger bones than those who do not. Exercising throughout puberty is particularly effective. Physical activity in men, in particular impact type, is associated with greater bone mass. In pre-menopausal women, both impact and non-impact exercise prevent bone loss, with impact exercise more beneficial. In post-menopausal women impact exercise may reduce the rate of bone loss or lead to some bone gain. In men and women, excessive physical exercise can be detrimental to bone strength.Impact – type exercises include brisk walking and marching on the spot. Non-impact

type exercise includes strengthening (resistance) exercises. These include exercises using hand held weights, exercise bands and body weight for resistance. Balance and posture exercises are important to re-teach muscles correct muscle patterns to protect the spine. Exercises should avoid end-range trunk forward and side bending and rotation. Exercising 4-5 hours per week at a moderate intensity and impact is the most beneficial.Exercise programs should be individually tailored for those who are at risk of frac-

ture, are at risk of falling or have fallen and have other medical conditions.Physiotherapists are your best resource for

prescribing an effective and safe physical activity program.Patricia Sennett is a Licensed Physiotherapist.

Contact her at:Human Performance Centre749 River Valley Drive, Suite 2Grand Bay – Westfield, NBE5K 1B6 738-8299

Saint John Heritage Extravaganza at Market

Square, Saturday, February 6, 2010.

Over twenty Heritage buffs will have tables with displays of book, collectibles, photos, and heritage information on Saint John and New

Brunswick. Local history buffs, archival staff, book writers, with twenty tables with photos, books, models,

displays, collectibles illustrating Saint John history at this heritage week event. Talks and

visits in the library, free, books and some other items for sale. 10 am till 4 pm.

Contact David Goss [email protected] or 506 672 8601

The South West New Brunswick Chapter of

the Professional Writers Association of Canada

(SWNB – PWAC) meets the second Tuesday of each month at the Saint John Arts Centre at 20 Hazen

Avenue from noon until 2 p.m. This intimate group of experienced writers meets monthly to discuss the business of writing. Anyone

interested in making money as a professional writer is invited to bring their lunch and learn

about PWAC and its ability to help writers develop their writing opportunities. Call Trudy at 832-0338 or email [email protected] for

more information.


Around The River Valley

Team Scotiabank is getting ready for the first ever Canadian Cancer Society’s Grand Bay-Westfield Relay for Life on June 11, 2010 from 7pm to 7am on the Running Track at River Valley Middle School. Relay for Life is a 12 hour celebration of survival; a tribute to the lives of loves ones; and a night of fun, friendship and fundraising to make cancer history. Interested teams please contact: Jim Balcomb at 738-8441 or by email at [email protected]

Grand Knight Keith Doiron presenting Knight Pat Chaisson & Haroldine Chaisson the Family of the Year Award for the Knights of Columbus, River Valley Council No 9176. The Knights of Columbus offer a Cribbage Night every Wednesday beginning at 7pm in the hall at St. Matthew Church. The cost is just $8 per person and a light lunch is provided.

A day of sledding ended suddenly on the afternoon of Jan. 23, when this snowmobile burst into flames on Round Lake. As far as we know, no one was injured in this incident. The black smoke could be seen for quite a distance and the sound of the exploding gas tank reverberated around the lake. Snowmobilers kicked snow on the burning sled, trying to douse the flames. The intense heat from the fire created a pool of water under the machine. Once the fire died down, the smoking remains of the sled were dragged off the lake. Snowmobilers on the scene say the fire resulted from heat produced by riding the sled with the emergency brakes on. (Photo courtesy Ed Tracy)


New Brunswick Youth Orchestra Ignites the Imperial with “L’Hiver Hot”

A Saint John 225th Anniversary Concert featuring Sultry Chanteuse, Jill Barber

The New Brunswick Youth Orchestra (NBYO) is adding sizzle to Saint John this February, with back-to-back concerts featuring hot Latin beats, and guest perfor-

mances by the sultry chanteuse, Jill Barber, fresh off her tour with CBC Radio’s “Vinyl Café”.With this extraordinary mix of Canadian talent, the show is fast becoming the must-see

event of the season, providing a rare chance to see New Brunswick’s brightest young musicians showcase their talents among the majestic backdrop of the Imperial Theatre.“I think Saint Johners will be absolutely taken by the exceptional level of talent, energy,

and passion that will emerge from that stage,”said Ken MacLeod, president of the NBYO. “It’s world-class music at a world-class venue, and it’s something this city can take excep-tional pride in. The orchestra broke new ground when it was founded right here in Saint John 1965. So to bring it home to the Imperial during Saint John’s 225th Anniversary is truly a fitting tribute.”Inspired by the direction of conductor James Mark, the orchestra has been making

international waves lately with performances at Carnegie Hall in New York City, the “Forbidden City Concert Hall” in Beijing, China, and Auditorium Paganini in Parma, Italy, as well as a recent win at the East Coast Music Awards for Best Classical Recording. Today the group is made up of more than 70 young English and French-speaking musi-cians from all parts of the province, ranging from 12 to 22 years of age.And if you believe they don’t write songs like they used to, you’re sure to be inspired

by the evocative tunes of singer/songwriter Jill Barber. Hailing from Halifax, the double Juno nominee and multiple ECMA winner is currently on tour across North America and the U.K. to promote her new album Chances - a throwback to the golden age of music with ten original, fully orchestrated songs. Featuring six numbers that were co-written with Ron Sexsmith – who’s collaborated with Elvis Costello and Coldplay – the album is a timeless masterpiece that instantly transports listeners to another time and place.

In addition to orchestral performances with current CBC Radio star Jill Barber, the show will also feature an appearance by the Saint John High School Concert Choir supported by the full sound of a symphonic orchestra - a fitting tribute to Saint John’s 225th celebra-tions and the School’s historic status as the first high school in Canada The

choir is enjoying success in its own right, and was recently selected as the only choir in Canada to participate in the world choir competition in New York.L’Hiver Hot Concert is on Sunday, February 7, 2010 at Saint John Imperial

Theatre with a matinee at 2:00 and an evening performance at 7:00 pm. Ticket prices are $18.50 for seniors and students and $25.00 for general admissionTickets for the concert are on sale now and are available in person at the

Imperial Theatre box office, by telephone at 1-800-323-SHOW (7469), or online at www.imperialonline.ca. Only 1,800 tickets are available and are expected to sell out fast for this extraordinary concert event.


EventsCongratulationsMemoriamsLORD, MISTYDAWN E.

In sad and loving memory of my wife, Misty whom God called home,

February 4th. 2007 Misty, Although now we are worlds

apart, I still hold you close to my heart. There isn’t a moment of each passing

day that I don’t think of you Misty. My heart still aches in sadness.

My tears still flow. For what it meant to lose you

No one will ever know. Forever and always in my heart,

Your loving husband, Dennis

LORD, MISTYDAWN E. In sad and loving memory of our

daughter-in-law and sister-in-law Misty, whom God called home Feb.4th. 2007 Misty,The hardest thing in life to bear

Is to want you, and your not here. With broken hearts, we whisper low

“We miss you Misty, and love you so.” We all miss you so very much.

Heartbreakingly missed by, Mother-in-law, Susan, Father-in-law, Dennis,

The Lord Families The MacEachern Family

The Billiard Family The LeBlanc Family The Hooper Family

MULLEN, Edward In loving memory of “Edward (Bramps) Mullen” who passed away January 24,

2007. So much has changed since you’ve been gone, Through ups and

downs our lives move on, But as time rolls by one thing remains true, We’ll always have our memories of you.

Love Krista, John and Nickolas

Jason Aden Tracy Aug. 5, 1969 - Feb. 24, 2008

In loving memory of my husband Jason Tracy.

Missing you, you’re forever in my heart, always in my thoughts.

Love You Always! Chass, Maggie & Bella

SMITH - In loving memory of a husband, father and grandfather, Paul D. Smith who went to be with Jason on

January 18, 2009. We do not need a special day to bring

you to our mind. The days we do not think of you are

very hard to find. No one knows our heartaches, only

those who have lost can tell Of the grief that we bear in silence for

the one we loved so well. Memories are like threads of gold,

never tarnish or grow old. Remembering always,

Sandra, Jeffrey, Timothy, Michelle, Tyler and Jessie

Thank you to all the residents of Grand

Bay-Westfield for their donation of food given to the Fire Department during their Food Drive in December for the River Valley Food Bank. This thank

you also includes anyone that made a monetary donation. The supply of food

was greatly appreciated by all. Board of Directors,

River Valley Food Bank

Thank You A grateful “Thank You” from the Saint John Community Christmas Exchange

to all the churches, agencies and individuals that supported the Christmas Exchange in 2009.

To all who sponsored families and made donations and to the volunteers, who gave of their time so generously,

thank you.

Thank You Bob and I want to thank each and

every one of you for the lovely cards and gifts as well as food on the occasion of our 50th Wedding

Anniversary. It was overwhelming to see so many friends, neighbours and

relatives. It was truly a memorable occasion. A special thank you to our

family for organizing the event. God bless all of you. Bob & Joan McKay

Winners of River Valley Seniors Yearly Draw

1st Prize Double Quilt Velda Jennings 2nd Prize Child’s Quilt Kiwanis Club 3rd Prize Baby Quilt Velda Jennings

The Family of Jack & Betty Brown Invite you to join them

In celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary

Saturday, February 20, 2010 Church of the Resurrection

20 MacDonald Ave, Grand Bay-Westfield

1:00 – 4:00 PM Best Wishes Only

90th Birthday In honour of Irene Wheaton’s 90th Birthday, the family will be hosting

a celebration Saturday, February 6, 2010. Please come and join us from 2 - 4 pm at Patterson United Church,

Wirral, NB Best Wishes Only

River Valley Garden Club Thursday, February 11th

7.00 pm,Grand Bay-Westfield Centrum “Care of Your Gardening Tools”

Please bring any tools you think we might help you with.

Animal Rescue League’s Sweetheart Casino & Silent Auction. Friday February 12th, doors open at 7:30 at the RCL Branch # 69 - West Side. Come out and enjoy a fun filled evening while supporting the Animal

Rescue League. Tickets are $20, and are available at the Animal Rescue League and at the front door. For information on Early Bird Tickets,

please call 642-0929.

The Canadian Diabetes Association’s Clothesline® Program

is asking for the public’s assistance in donating reusable clothing and

household items in the New Brunswick area. Proceeds from donations

support diabetes research, education, service and advocacy. In 2008, the Association diverted more than 42 million kilograms of clothing that

may have otherwise ended up in our landfills. Please Donate your reusable clothing and household items to the

Canadian Diabetes Association’s Clothesline® Call 1-800-505-5525 for a FREE pick-up or to find the drop box

nearest you.

Developing Pre-Reading Program “Talk With Me”

Early Language Services WESTFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2010 7:00 – 9:00 PM

To Register or for more information please contact “Talk With Me” office at

643-7562 This program is open to all parents, however, is specifically designed for parents of children aged 3-5 years. Financial assistance is available for baby sitting & transportation. This

program is free of charge

Silent Auction and Dance A benefit will be held at Bayview

Branch #22 RCL on Feb. 20 for Chris (Dave) Sargeant who is battling with

Cancer. Silent Auction - Viewing will be start at 4:00PM and Bids will close at 9:30 PM. Dance - 8:30 pm - 1:00 am Music provided by “Norm Boucher” Shuttle service available at end of

dance in GBW area. Kitchen will be open from 4:30 PM

Donations at the door. All proceeds collected from auction,

door, draws and kitchen will go to help this family. Come and support this local family! All donations gratefully accepted for auction and kitchen.

For more information call Linda Scott 672-3686 or Lisa Smith 757-1190.

Saint John Kennebecasis Valley Newcomers

If you are a woman new to this area and would like to join this national

organization, call Linda 216-0530 or e-mail us at [email protected]. For more information go to our blog at http://www.sjkvnewcomers.

blogspot.com/.

We get together for monthly lunches and coffees, bookclub, weekly bridge, mahjong, walking, Moms & Tots along with other interest groups and social get-togethers. Get in touch…meet other “newcomers” to the Greater

Saint John area.

Lorenzo Reading Series. Novelist and playwright Margaret Sweatman to read from her novel The Players as part of Lorenzo

Reading Series. Winnipeg novelist and playwright, Margaret Sweatman,

will read from The Players on Monday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. in the Ganong Hall

Lecture Theatre as part of UNB Saint John’s Lorenzo Reading Series.

Sweatman is the author of three

previous novels. When Alice Lay Down With Peter (2001) won numerous fiction awards: the Carol Shields

Winnipeg Book Award, the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize, the

Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction, and the McNally Robinson Book of

the Year Award. Sweatman is also the author of Fox (1991) – winner of the Manitoba Book of the Year Prize and the John Hirsch Award for the most

promising Manitoba writer – and Sam and Angie (1996). Sweatman, who

performs with the Broken Songs Band, won a Genie Award (2006) for best

song in a Canadian film.

The reading is hosted by the Lorenzo Reading Series and the UNB Saint John Bookstore, and supported by The Canada Council for the Arts.

Admission is free and all are welcome to attend. For more information contact

The University Bookstore at (506) 648-5540, inprint at (506) 648-2315, or

email [email protected].

February 18th 2010 Screening: Checking References

Reference checks are a fundamental feature of most screening protocols and are possibly even more critical today to comprehensive screening than at any time in the past. The reference checks provides the

opportunity to verify key components of the information candidates have

supplied about their experience and qualifications.

Facilitator is Lorene Johnson, Trainer for the Saint John Volunteer Centre

on Board Development. All Education Programs are sponsored by the United

Way of Greater Saint John Location: Saint John Volunteer Centre,

66 Waterloo Street, Training Room Suitev 224

Pre register call 506-658-1555 or email [email protected]

Registration: 11:45 am to 12 Noon Workshop: 12 Noon to 1: pm

Fee: $15.00 Failure to notify of cancellation 2 days prior to Workshop will result in the fee

being invoiced. Prior to registration please advise if you have any mobility

restrictions. Bring your lunch/ Coffee /Tea provided


St. Matthew Catholic Church Grand Bay-Westfield, NB

506-757-2274 [email protected]

Pastor: Rev. Brian Hansen

MASS TIMESSaturday - 5:30 pmSunday - 11:00 am

Reconciliation (Confession)Following the 5:30 Saturday Mass

Grand Bay Baptist Church77 Woolastook Drive Grand Bay-Westfield

738-8423

Sunday Worship - 8:30 am and 11:00 amSunday School - 9:45 am

Mom & Tot Group (0-4yrs) – Tuesdays at 10:00 am - noon Super Friends (K – Grade 5) – Wednesday at 6:30 pm

Youth Groups Friday evenings7:00-8:30 pm – Grades 6 & 78:00-9:30 pm – Grades 8 & 9

7:00-9:00 pm – Grades 10 – 12

Senior Pastor: Edward Powell, Associate Pastor of Youth: Adrian Gardner

The United Church of CanadaTWO RIVERS PASTORAL CHARGE

Bayswater-SummervilleLong Reach WestfieldUNITED CHURCHES

Minister: Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Stevenson Office: 757-2201 www.2riversunited.com

Westfield United Church Sunday School 10:45 am Westfield United Church Worship Service 11:00 am

Kingston Peninsula Worship Service 9:30 am Long Reach United Church - Feb 7, Feb 21

Summerville United Church - Feb 14, Feb 28

Church Directory

Grand Bay-Westfield man wins a 2009 Yamaha

all-terrain vehicleCombining Maritimers’ love for the great

outdoors and a great beer has turned into a record-breaking marketing campaign for Moosehead Breweries Limited.Knowing Alpine Lager has a loyal following

among hunters and outdoor enthusiasts, Moosehead rolled out a promotion featuring Alpine’s 12-can pack – both the cans and the carton – decked out in a camouflage print. The company coupled the “camo” design with a chance for consumers to win a 2009 Yamaha all-terrain vehicle. The campaign made Alpine’s 12-pack the number one selling beer package in New Brunswick in September.“Our Maritime customers love the outdoors. The

camouflage design and the chance to win an ATV hit home with a lot of people,” says Sarah Tippett, Assistant Brand Manager for Alpine.Called the “Tear It Open and Win” promo-

tion, each 12-pack carton contained a code that customers texted via cell phone to enter the contest for the ATV. A total of 25,444 entries came in from 163,000 cartons sold, which is a 16 per cent participation rate.“Those are overwhelming numbers. The industry

standard for this type of contest is 5 per cent,” says Tippett.Curtis Dykeman, 19, of Grand Bay-Westfield,

N.B. won the 2009 Yamaha Grizzly 550 FI all-terrain vehicle. Tippett says the company is considering launching similar “camo can” promotions in the future.Moosehead, one of Canada’s most celebrated

brewers, traces its roots to 1867 and today is the only Canadian-owned major brewery. The Saint John-based company is owned and managed by New Brunswick’s Oland family, whose members represent the fifth and sixth genera-tion to operate the business. Moosehead sells its beer throughout Canada, the United States and 15 other countries around the world.

In photo, from left, Jim Hanley, McLean Power Sports; Melissa Robinson, Moosehead Breweries; Alpine ATV winner Curtis Dykeman of Grand Bay-Westfield.


Faith Comeau of Grand Bay-Westfield sends in photos to River Valley News all the time and we thank her for doing so. Here are a couple of her recent submissions. We don’t know the dogs name or where these photos were taken but they both say something about the season. For her efforts Faith claims the Photo of the Month title and wins the Foot-Long Meal Deal courtesy of Subway. We’re looking for your photo for our next issue in March. Send it in by email to [email protected] or put it in one of the convenient drop boxes located in Guardian Drugs or the B-Hive Bowling & Entertainment Centre.

february 2010

Documents

grand bay primary school

new school building

new gbw school

new school facility

school officials

small school

old grand bay schools

closure of grand bay