Navigating the pandemic has been a challenging experience. That is how Souris Legion Board Member Mark Gillis describes the last two years. The Legion did its best to keep up with the protocols opening when they could and closing when they had to based on Provincial Health Orders. At one point the Legion tried opening when meals were required to serve alcohol but that was not a successful venture.
With what looked like a long-term closure it was understandable that the manager at the time left to find other work, remarked Gillis.
The Legion itself has been fortunate during COVID. There were no big expenditures and the Legion qualified for government grants, which helped the organization to maintain status quo. However now it faces the challenge that many businesses have faced, finding staff to open again.
“We were very happy that Jason was willing to come work for us.”
David Rourke admits he does not have all of the answers, but he feels he knows the questions and that farmers will have to play a big role in helping alleviate the climate change dilemma.
The founder of AgQuest recently completed a book “A Road to Fossil Fuel Free Farming: An Example and a Challenge”. It is a combination of wake up call, personal agri-biography and path forward that he hopes will get people in general, and farmers in particular, thinking about their role in the environment and how to help heal the planet.
Rourke, who came from Winnipeg and moved out with wife Diane and started farming in the Minto area in 1980, said the experience originated from what he and his family had been doing. He founded an experimental farm of AgQuest in 1983 and was involved in many innovative practices over the years. One concept they had worked on was an ethanol plant. Several years ago, he was asked to speak on the topic of biofuels. He agreed on the condition he could also speak on zero carbon farming. In order to do this, Rourke had to find out what it was.
For 30 years, Souris has celebrated the autumn season with a popular outdoor event, Scarecrow Days. For three days, with above average temperatures, from October 1 - 3, the streets of Souris were filled with scarecrows of all shapes and sizes combined with many community events.
“The level of participation in the activities and promotions offered by organizations and businesses met or exceeded our expectations,” said Chair Pam Whitfield.
The Scarecrow Competition theme was “30 years: Party like it’s 1992”, which did bring some flash backs of Michael Jackson, Prince and Elton John.
The last veteran of World War II living in Boissevain has reached her 100th birthday.
On Thursday, September 30, Minnie Pearce celebrated making the century mark. A resident of Evergreen Place personal care home, she had a special birthday celebration, which included a parade in her honour. Her son Rick said the parade came about when the family wanted to do something to mark their mother’s big day that others in Evergreen could enjoy as well. A few days before the parade, he said they were planning to have a few animals involved, as his mother always liked them, with the idea she could be outside if the weather was good.
“Mom always liked parades,” Rick said. “It started as a little parade and grew a bit, and as something the other residents could see too.”
