Published Jan. 17 2017

Weather continues to be a major concern for many residents snow rain ice and temperatures up and down; been plowed out already more than in all last year. Worry about ice under foot and on the eaves and piles of snow on rooftops. Were there really three snow days the first week back at school?
The curling season is now half over at the club in Wilberforce. There are still a few openings on teams that will be playing Tuesday Wednesday  and  Thursday  evenings and  on Wednesday  daytime mixed leagues. Why not sign up for this second half? Call Ross at  705-448-3744  or John at  613-339-9960  for information and enjoy this winter sport.

Eight teams played in a bonspiel at this club on Saturday Jan. 14. Taking first place was the team of Steve Grant Johanna (Jo) Grant Norm Grant and Sue Grant. In second spot was Tim Winder Denise Winder John Trevainen and Donna Trevainen. In third place was Doug Gedye Wendy Gedye Rick Phipps and Jan Phipps. Congratulations to them. Also to teams skipped by Ron Roberts Doug Stephen Derrick GregCory Stillman and Ron Barr. Always good to have a good mix of local and visiting teams
The Grant team has many connections here. Norm’s parents were the late George and Pat (Tallman) Grant. Sue’s mother resides in Wilberforce.
Belated sympathy is extended to the family of Leola (Covert) Pacey who died on Dec. 29 2016 at the age of 95. Leola was born in Highland Grove to John and Muriel (Bowen) Covert. She married Harcourt (Sonny) Pacey and they resided in the village of Harcourt raising their family and being a big part of life in that community. Her last years since 2012 were spent happily at Hyland Crest in Minden. She will be well remembered by many in this area and by family members that include daughter Doris (John) Meharrie Donna (Gary) MacDonald and son Doug (Lynell) Pacey brothers Ross (Fern) Covert and Don (Edna) Covert and brother-in-law George (Ruth) Pacey. Leola was predeceased by Sonny and her sisters Shirley and Dolly. Visitation and funeral service was at Baragar Funeral home in Bancroft on Jan. 2 spring interment at cemetery in Wilberforce.

A party was held for Brenda Berning and Sharron Flowers to honour them as they retire from their positions at the Scotiabank as it closes on Tueday  Jan. 17. Friends family members and co-workers gathered at the LWMC to wish them happiness in their retirement. Hope they enjoy themselves as they move from many years in the banking world.

Belated condolences are extended to the family of Aldyth Sisson Bishop who died on Dec. 26 in the hospital in Haliburton. She will be greatly missed by her husband Curry Bishop and all of her family. May I share my first memories of Aldyth. The school year was 1948-1949 and I was fortunate that high school students from this area were for the first time being transported to Haliburton. The Grade 11 and 12 classes were in the same classroom. Imagine that. Over by the windows were the Grade 12 students while we Grade 11s were over by the side blackboards. Having taken Grade 9 and 10 in Wilberforce I was very interested in learning who all these people were. I soon did as Mr. Thayer Mrs. Hall and Miss Williams in turn moved back and forth between the classes. Over in Grade 12 was good looking blonde Aldyth Sisson sitting right behind Curry Bishop. Guess Sisson-Bishop love story that lasted over 63 years may have already begun.
– By Hilda Clark