The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
On Saturday, September 22, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #241 held a supper and dance to commemorate their 50 years of existence in Snow Lake. They sold all 130 tickets they printed for the supper, and I noticed by the last minute scrambling around town that they likely could have sold half as many again. Those who didn't get one certainly missed one fantastic feast. Nonetheless, they were able to buy a separate ticket to take in the dance that followed. The evening began after ever-competent emcee Sharon Stubbs welcomed the crowd and then acknowledged Legion President Iona Johnston and Second World War veteran Eileen Burr. Stubbs stated that another vet, Ben Foord, sent his regrets along with congratulations on the branch's anniversary. I believe throughout the evening I might have also seen Korean War vet Roger Meuse in the crowd. Final introductions for the evening were made when Stubbs called attention to a table at the front of the hall. There, representing John Salahub, the last living charter member of Branch #241, sat his son David and daughter-in-law Lori Salahub. Lori was called to the podium and very capably conveyed a written message from the senior Salahub. Although she credited the Britannia Mine's year-end reports with some of the information therein, much of it came from Salahub's own amazing and descriptive memory. Lori also did an excellent job in communicating John's timing and humour. This message as well as the Memory Lane that Cathy Stabback put together, gave all in attendance a good feel for the hurdles that were overcome and the work that was done to bring a Legion to Snow Lake. The evening was capped with several hours of dancing to the vibrations of The Pas' DLO. It was a great event in celebration of the branch's 50th birthday. The following day, 25 or so people gathered for a Legion Memorial Service at Snow Lake's Brookside Cemetery. Shortly after gathering at 2 p.m., Comrade Joanne Bradley brought forward the Colour Party, led the group in prayer, and then called for the last post to be played, before reading the names of deceased Branch #241 vets. Branch #241 Veterans buried in Snow Lake's Brookside Cemetery are: Doreen Armsworthy; Covert Armsworthy; George Bartlett; Fredrick Burr; David Carrier; Bill Denby; Hanley Dahle; Gordon Doak; John Dutka; Bill English; James Grey; Ben Gogal; James Gowan; Stanley Karr; Jack Kerr; Wilf Lipton; Paul Neilson; Jack Paton; (Yvon) John Polec; Archie Payne; Mike Pawluk; Alfred Roberts; Bobby Roberts; Peter Roberts; Eric Stoltz; Edwin Stoltz; William Semaniuk; Abner Schellenberg; and Peter Smadella. See 'Cana...' on pg. Continued from pg. Veterans who are deceased and buried elsewhere are: George Armstrong; Jim Bates; Frank Ratcliff; Gordon Rupp; Charlie Bartlett; Clayton Robinson; Walter Brown; Gordon Syms; Fred Bridgeman; Stan Tomkowitz; Jake Bitzer; Albert Switzer; Tony Cote; Pete Tataryn; Lloyd Crockett; Stan Wojtak; Andrew Chudy; Tommy Young; Floyd Chatfield; Dorothy Cottle; George Gamble; Joan Graham; Harry Graham; Jack Goodall; Bill Gulka; Herb Halverson; Jim Higgins; Bill Kennedy; Joe Kerr; Jim Kjalgaard; Gordon Kitchen; Norm Lindsay; Stan Major; Bill Maruzchuk; Pete Medd; Gordon McKercher; Bill McLeish; Alex Michalik; Dan McMillan; John Petty; John Perry; Lorne Porter; and Ken Radford. Following the service, people laid Canadian flags on the graves of our vets and gathered for cake, coffee, and fellowship at the branch clubroom. My Take on Snow Lake runs Fridays.
