Each month the Langruth Community Business Council (Lynne) mails out a
newsletter called "Langruth Views" to the residents in the municipality
to help keep people abreast of the happenings in the community. If you
wish to subscribe to the Langruth Newsletter and have it mailed to you
each month (great value for the price), please send the mailing fee ($6.50Cdn
for those in Canada, out of country letter rate for those outside of Canada)
to:
Langruth Community Business Council, Box 145, Langruth,
Manitoba R0H 0N0
Keep up the great work Lynne!
Sample topics of a Full Edition: Changes in the R.M. of Lakeview
Council; Coming Events, Congratulations, Scholarships; Community Profiles;
Business Council (items discussed); Calendar of events in Langruth.
Index of Langruth Newsletters:
Note: sometimes I also add news tid-bits from other sources. - Walter.
Newsletter: November, 1998
Changes in R.M. of Lakeview Council
Elections throughout the province took place
on October 28th. The results ofthe R.M. of Lakeview are as follows:
Reeve:
Isaac Wiebe was challenged by Henriette Kleemola. In a very close race
Isaac defeated Henriette 111 to 109.
Ward 1
Ron Jackson chose not to let his name stand for re-election. Brent Armstrong
being the only candidate filing nomination papers for this ward got in
by acclamation.
Ward 2
Jim Rinn in by acclamation.
Ward 3
Lynne Jonasson chose not to seek re-election. Three other candidates filed
nomination papers. The results are as f'ollows: Gary Hill-47 Wayne Reed-14
Don Smith-61. Don Smith elected.
Ward 4
Philip Thordarson in by acclamation.
In the Pine Creek School Division, the trustee
for Ward 1 was not contested so Phyllis Thordarson will resume her position
representing this area.
Coming Events
Oct. 30th---Halloween Dance
Nov 6th----Legion Banquet
Nov. 8th ---Dessert Theater
Nov. 28th--Craft Sale
Nov 29th--Game & Fish banquet
Dec. 4th---5th Annual Tree Lighting
Community Profile - Gudrun Thordarson
This new addition
to the newsletter is a profile of interesting people and places of our
community.
My first choice
was a visit with Mrs Einarson. Because of her delightfull personality I
thought it would make my first interview easier. I was right and besides
I've been wanting to drop in for a visit for some time. It is sad that
we always seem to need an excuse to spend an afternoon as enjoyable as
this was.
Gudrun Thordarson
first came to Langruth in 1934 with her father and two brothers. They came
from Sinclair, Manitoba which is near Pipestone and Reston. When they left
that area in the "dirty thirties" the sand having blown in banks nearly
covered the fence posts. The area around Pipestone is quite sandy and there
was no water, or hay there for cattle so people moved away in search of
somewhere better for their livestock. This drought went on for 7 years.
At the time of their
arrival Langruth had two grocery stores, Hanneson's Hardware, a restaurant,
Butcher shop and other businesses. The stores were busy and stayed open
until 10 p.m. They arrived in Langruth in July and she married her husband
Dori Einarson in October.
The first house
they lived in was a shanty in the area behind where Mary Kovacs lives.
From there they moved to a little house on the west side of Pete Tkachyk's
and then on to the house on the corner across from the school which is
now vacant. They had a family of six children at this time; Doreen, Verna,
Norman, Brian, Joan and Ralph. During the winters they lived up at Amaranth
along the lake as her husband fished up there. When the youngest son Ralph
was a year old they moved into the house on the main street where Mrs.
Einarson still lives.
In 1939, Mr. Einarson
quit fishing and managed the lumber yard which he continued to do for the
next 26 years. He passed away in 1968 after being ill for some time.
Mrs Einarson
celebrated her 93rd birthday last January. A remarkable age and an even
more remarkable person. During the conversation she commented that she
doesn't know why she has lived so long. She recently attended her nephew's
funeral and said that it doesn't feel right that she should live to such
an age that she would be attending his funeral.
She has 18 grandchildren
and when I asked how many great grandchildren she had, she remarked, "27,
but they always keep adding on to them."
When I arrived
she had been crocheting something and there on the table lay the quilt
blocks pieced together for "something to do". To date she had crocheted
12 large lace tablecloths. That in itself is an accomplishment.
Mrs Einarson
had a hip replacement 6 years ago and cataract surgery on both eyes. She
does have a knee that bothers her but with a her walker gets around quite
well.
She attended
her granddaughters wedding at the coast this summer but has no plans to
travel this winter. She may go to Winnipeg for Christmas but is very content
to stay home for the winter. With a small amount of home care and the having
wonderful neighbors she is able to remain very independently in her own
home.
In 1980 Mrs. Einarson along with her daughter-in-law on a trip to Iceland.
It is very rugged but very beautiful country and she would love to go back
for another visit.
A small white mum continues to bloom beside the house, even after a heavy
frost; a similarity to the person living in the house who continues to
carry on with beauty and softness, strength and determination overcoming
obstacles put in her path.
As you walk
through the dining room the walls are lined with family pictures; the pictures
of a family who have strong regard for their mother's happiness and independence.
All this
makes Mrs. Einarson a truly remarkable person . I thank you for the lovely
afternoon and being able to share your stories.
Newsletter: December, 1998
Community Profile - Jack Mulvena
The next time you
listen to the weather and you hear statistic's about the prairie
provinces and their average temperature and records; the chances are that
Jack Mulvena has had been a part in making these figures available.
This month
we have chosen an individual who has been very dedicatedly
serving the government as a "Volunteer Weather Observer" for the
past 28 years.
Jack and Florence
and their family moved to the Big Point area in1966 when they purchased
the Steve Johnson property. Coming from Eddystone (Lonely Lake),
Jack felt this area had much better grass for ranching and so they
settled in as part ofour district. In 1970, Jack saw an article in the
paper where they wanted volunteer weather observers. Always having been
a bit interested in this data he replied and thus became "our own weather
man". The government arrived out here with a wooden box which stands on
a stand approximately 5 feet tall. It is louvered allowing the thermometers
to be protected from the bright sun and other elements.
One thermometer
records the high for the day and another the low as well as the present
temperature. Interestingly enough, on the morning of November 27th ofthis
year when Jack read his thermometers at 7 a.m. the temperatures were as
follows: O degrees at 6 o'clock in the evening---and at 7 a.m it was at
plus 2.5. The thermometer that records the high for the night showed that
during that night the temperature had risen to plus 4 degrees. For this
time ofthe year that it is quite unusual.
Every Monday
morning those readings are phoned into Environment Canada. Once a
month, a copy of those readings are sent in to the main office of Environment
Canada. The readings for these are taken every 12 hours: 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
(Jack says some of those mornings when there is a snow storm and
a cold wind blowing it isn't so easy to bundle up and go out at 7
in the morning with a flashlight to record these readings;
(especially now that he has to dig in his shirt pocket for those
darn glasses.) He has to be commended for his dedication to continue
for 28 years.
The weather
station also has percipitation/rain gauges which are to be recorded twice
a day. These recordings of the amount of moisture are very accurate readings.
Measuring snow is another thing though. To get a good reading you find
a place that isn't blown into a bank or swept away with the wind. A place
where the snow was able to accumulate without wind disturbance. It is then
measured with a ruler.
There are 55
ofthese weather stations in Manitoba alone and several months after all
the recordings are sent in Jack receives a printout of all the statistics
from the Prairie provinces. From April 1st this year to Nov. 1st, we had
450 mm of percipitation or 18 inches. That is about 114% ofnormal. Our
percipitation was one of the highest in the province this year with Binscarth
being higher than ours.
The coldest temperature
that Jack has recorded in those 28 years was -42 C or -44F. That was on
the night of Feb 1/2 in 1996. And the hottest temperature was 38 C or 202
F on August 6th, 1988.
Some other things
other than statistics that his recordings are used for are for companies
wanting to know reports for soil conditions and Insurance companies have
called verifying the weather on a certain day for claims.
After 28 years,
he and Florence did manage to get away for a 22 day trip to Alaska this
past summer which they both enjoyed. He enjoyed Dawson City the most because
many of the buildings from the Gold Rush Days are still there.
Jack took up
another task, and that was to train a steer to use as an ox to pull a Red
River Cart. He was 2 years old when he began to train him. Luckily he had
3 or 4 boys home at the time to hitch him up. He wasn't crazy about the
idea and used to lay down. Anyone who works with cattle know when they
get stubborn they just don't move. However, after awhile they had him trained
and once he was trained it didn"t matter how long it was before he used
him again; he was just as quiet and gentle as could be.
In his 11 years,
he was in the parade in Austin every year. Other notable jobs they had
were to be in the parade at Bird's Hill Park when the world wide Boy Scout
organization had there get together; to be in part of the entertainment
at the Keystone center in Brandon when a group of travelers, mostly from
the U. S. with their air stream trailers held a jamboree; and when Winnipeg
had their 100th birthday Jack picked up the Aldermen at city Hall- taking
them down main street to Portage avenue up to Memorial Blvd. and down Memorial
Blvd. to the Legislative Buildings. Besides this notoriety, Jack also took
part in many parades around the district and brought enjoyment to many,
old and young alike.
Jack and Florence
along with their son Kelly now live on what was originally Eric Isfeld's
place. Jack and Kelly run a herd of cattle together. Jack and Florence
raised a family of 11 children. John is now in Vancouver, Danny is at Ashern,
Frank is in Victoria B.C. and Jane is at Wapella, Saskatchewan. Kathleen
and Veronica are in Calgary, Colleen is in Boston, Mass. and Fatsy, Hugh
and Patrick are all in Winnipeg. They have 20 grandchildren and 1 great
grandchild.
Jack enjoys visiting with
neighbours and the many friends he has met over the years. He is a bit
ofa history buff enjoying the different history books ofthe area and has
a great enjoyment with farm related antiques. A quiet man who is so interesting
to visit with. Thank you, Jack for sharing your stories with us and congratulations
on serving as a weather observer. Your dedication is admirable.
Results from the Game & Fish Banquet
Here are the trophy winners: 1st typical--Asgar Sigurdson
2nd typical-Bob Jackson
Most even 5 point-Bob Jackson
Most even 4 point-Wayne Gardiner
Junior Highest Point--Jeff Kuharski
Canada Goose--Don Smith
Largest Pickeral-Einar Sigurdson
Largest Perch-Eydthe Sigurdson
Largest Pike--Einar Sigurdson
Winners of the draws were:
Grocery Hamper--Jim Stanley
"Wood Duck" picture--Viola Painter of Portage
2nd prize--Gift certificate -- Dennis Koschak of Ely, Minnesota
Langruth
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