HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-10-17, Page 3THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2019. PAGE 3.
Falconer puts skills to use on winning bed
At the revival of Blyth’s Rutabaga
Festival earlier this month, it was
The Baga Bunch that took home
gold in the bed races, thanks in part
to having a bed-racing veteran
behind the scenes.
While Jeff Peters was designated
the captain of the team, it was Kevin
Falconer who did much of the heavy
lifting behind the scenes to build the
racing bed. Falconer, a Whitechurch
native and now a North Huron
Councillor, has been part of teams
that had built a number of beds in
the past. Whether it was for
Whitechurch events or reunions in
Lucknow, Wingham and Teeswater,
Falconer said he was no stranger to
fastening wheels to the bottom of the
bed and building it for speed and
handling.
Not only did Falconer have that
previous experience, but he also has
a career behind him as a welder and
sheet metal worker at a number of
local companies. He was able to dust
off those skills and put them to work
in the construction of the racer.
The team consisted of five couples
living in the east end of Blyth on
King and Wellington Streets: Kevin
and Lorie Falconer, Jeff and Janice
Peters, Shawn and Jess Loughlin,
Darren and Michelle Richmond and
Frank and Marian Hallahan.
Construction began with an old
bed frame the Hallahans used to
own that would eventually be
mounted atop two old mountain
bicycle frames.
Falconer cut the two bike frames
in half, rotating the two back halves
90 degrees and welding the centre
frame to the bottom of the bed
frame. In the front, he kept the front
of the bikes in their normal state,
attaching a bar to both stems and
constructing a steering bar in the
front for the rider, Janice Peters, to
keep control of the bed during the
big race.
Over the course of between 15 and
16 hours, he would weld all the
pieces together, even attaching
brakes to the front of the bed and
calibrating the structure over the
course of several trial runs.
While Falconer was busy working
on the nuts and bolts of building
the bed, other members of his
team were constructing items that
would eventually decorate the
bed. Janice, the former owner of
The Gift Cupboard in Blyth,
worked with team members to
design burlap rutabaga sacks
and caps for the runners and
supporters to wear, while Janice
herself dressed as a rutabaga
farmer.
The bed was also designed to look
like the driver was sitting in a field
of rutabagas, complete with rows of
sprouts surrounding her.
The Baga Bunch’s creation would
go on to win the bed race at the
Rutabaga Festival. Though it was
only one of two beds entered, the
group triumphed over the Huron-
Perth Junior Farmers thanks to
pushers Jeff Peters, Giulian
Larovere, Carson Richmond and
Heather Leckie.
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Be thankful in all circumstances!
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ
Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
In all circumstances! This comes as a surprise when one considers the vicissitudes of
human life. Sickness and health, poverty and wealth, joy and sorrow —are all
ingredients of the cup placed to human lips — so all must come within the scope of
thanksgiving. Why be thankful for everything? Because God causes everything to work
together for good to those who love Him.
A godly farm was asked to dine with a well-known gentleman. While there, he asked a
blessing at the table as he was accustomed to do at home. His host said jeeringly, “That
is old fashioned; it is not customary nowadays for well-educated people to pray before
they eat.”
The farmer answered that with him it was customary — but that some of those on his
farm never thanked God for their food.
“Ah, then,” said the gentleman, “they are sensible and enlightened! Who are they?”
“My pigs!” the farmer answered.
Some years ago an old black woman was put up at auction at a slave-market. She was
distressed lest she might be sold to a cruel master. A godly man bought her and set her
free at once. But she would not leave him who had set her free — and insisted upon
going into his household and working for him. Now when she could do what she
pleased — she would not go anywhere but to him. She would say: “He saved me! He
saved me!”
This is how we ought to feel toward Him who died for us and set us free.
A Grace Gem
Submitted by: Immanuel United Reformed Church,
Listowel, ON 519-291-1956
Fast like lightning
The Baga Bunch, comprised of five couples from the east end of King and Wellington Streets
and some of their extended family, took home the Rutabaga Festival bed race title earlier this
month thanks to the metal work of Kevin Falconer and the creativity and hard work of the rest
of the team. He’s no stranger to building racing beds, however, and put that experience to use.
(Denny Scott photo)
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
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