HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-07-23, Page 1Special Sports_____■_____Feature M Entertainment
Insert celebrates
Brussels’ 125th
anniversary
See inside
Area teen earns
spot on Regional
volleyball team
See page 10
From on-stage
and off, Vanstone
knows Boys
See page 18
CitizenTheNorthHuron
Vol. 13 No. 29 Wednesday, July 23,1997 70$ +■ 5$ gst750
Ethel girl Holstein Princess
A 20-year-old Ethel-area woman
has earned the title of Huron Hol
stein Princess, beating out two oth
ers at the Twilight meeting held
near Blyth at the farm of Art and
Corrie Bos, July 9.
Wanda Marlin, daughter of Lyle
and Barbara will represent the
county's Holstein producers for a
one-year term, promoting and stim
ulating interest in the club's activi
ties within the county. The
emphasis of the roie is public rela
tions and youth activities.
In addition to a knowledge of
Holsteins, the Princess must also be
educated about dairy farming in
general. She will be present al the
county show in August to present
ribbons and will attend the club's
annual meeting in November.
A second year student al the Uni
versity of Guelph Agri-Business
program, Wanda ran for the title
because she wanted to gain further
experience, her mother said in a
phone interview.
The Twilight meeting is an annu
al event of the Holstein Club. Some
4-500 people attend the barbecue,
which is followed by entertain
ment. This year's' guest speaker
was Neil McGavin.
Vying for the princess title this
year, in addition to Wanda were
Melanie Crawford of the Monkion
area and Tanya Franken of Brus
sels.
Avon’s Little
Women nice to
spend time with
See page 19
Police rescue 3
when boat sinks
The quick response of two OPP
officers in Goderich probably saved
the lives of three people, whose
boat had sunk in Lake Huron Satur
day evening.
According to a report from
Senior Const. John Marshall, police
recieved a call that a boat was sink
ing about 700-800 metres offshore
from Kitchigami Camp Point.
Const. Rob Pilon and Sgt. Shawn
Johnson responded and at 9:30 p.m.
located the three, Gregory
Townsend, 27, of Goderich, CFB
Petawawa, Corey Haylow, 25 of
Goderich and Kirsten Fry, 24 of
Goderich Twp., in the water.
The officers found a canoe,
stripped off their police gear and,
swimming alongside the canoe,
because of the rough water, reached
the victims.
Barn Dance
Remembering and rejoicing in
the past, while celebrating hope for
the future, is what a homecoming is
all about.
The flavour of a bygone era will
be recalled with a good-old, down
home, country and western time
when the CKNX Barn Dance
comes to Brussels, Saturday, Aug.
2, to help mark the village's 125th
anniversary.
The Saturday evening perfor
mance will feature musicians from
across mid-western Ontario as well
as others who have had long associ
ations with the Bam Dance.
After opening with two rousing
numbers performed by all the fid
dlers, Ernie King, a legend of the
original CKNX Barn Dance will
take the stage.
Other performers include Lloyd
Bank, Evelyn Harrison, Bruce
Robertson, Brenda Allen, Len
Love, Hank Bedard, Gerald David
son, Melissa Diebold, Rick Finney,
Vic Pasowisty, Lance Russwurm,
Cora Robertson, Al Widmeyer,
Wayne Riehl and stepdancers
"Tapps in Sync".
The tunes will range from coun
try /bluegrass classic Orange Blos
som Special to pop standard
Unchained Melody, with lots of fid
dling in the mixed.
Historically, the Barn Dance’s
roots date back to 1937, when
CKNX Radio founder Doc Cruik-
shank developed the idea of taking
local country and western musi
cians and giving them a live plat-
According to Marshall, the three
had left the Goderich Harbour
around 7:30 p.m. to watch the sun
set. While coming back to port they
discovered the vessel was taking on
water so headed to the nearest
shore.
Eventually, the engine stalled and
they started to sbund the air horn,
but the boat quickly sank about two
kms out.
Pilon, who injured his foot dur
ing the rescue as a result of striking
it against a rock, and Johnson took
the people to shore. Local cottagers
gave them blankets and took them
to a nearby campfire to warm up.
Weather conditions at the time
were northwest winds with one
metre waves, Marshall said.
The boat was salvaged the next
day.
in Brussels
form, via his program. Every
Saturday night, the Barn Dance
would travel far and wide through
southwestern Ontario, playing live
in arenas or theatres, wherever they
could find an audience.
Over the years the Bam Dance's
reputation flourished and many
notable musicians became part of
it, including Al Cherny, Tommy
Hunter and Larry Mercey. In fact,
of the 25 artists inducted into the
Canadian Country Music Hall of
Fame in November of 1989, seven
had performed with the CKNX
Bam Dance.
When Doc built the television
station, he brought all the talent
together for live TV and names like
Earl Heywood, Don Robertson and
the Ranch Boys and the Golden
Prairie Cowboys became household
names.
Eventually, rising production
costs and the fickle nature of the
television audience brought an end
to the Saturday Night Bam Dance.
With many of its performers
remaining active in the industry,
however, and promising new talent
always on the horizon, CKNX was
able to revive the Bam Dance in
the eighties.
The 1997 version has played in
Listowel and Lucknow with
upcoming concerts in St. Clements,
Blyth and Stratford, aside from the
Brussels performance.
The sounds of country music of
the past and its promises for the
future live on in the Bam Dance.
Blyth hosts Fish Habitat Day
The Steering Committee of the
Blyth Community Greenway
Project is inviting the residents of
Blyth to lake the plunge and
participate in Fish Habitat Day on
Saturday, July 26. The event will
run from 9 a.m. until noon and
from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Fish Habitat Day will give people
a chance to get directly involved in
the fisheries work being co
ordinated by the Blyth Optimist
Club as part of the Blyth
Community Greenway Project.
During Fish Habitat Day, stones
and rocks will be positioned in the
Blyth Brook to provide shelter and
Continued on page 3