HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-06-30, Page 11PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN. WEDNESDAY. JUNE 30
After two decades, Clint Emmrich of Walton and his son Eddie, now of Australia, have been
reunited. A family gathering was held on Saturday at the Emmrich’s. The visitors have also
been enjoying some of the highlights of the province before departing for the west. In back,
from left: Clint’s wife Judy and their children Katie and Jamie. In front: Clint, Eddie and his
wife Jodi.
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1999. PAGE 11.
The news from
alton
Compiled by Patty Banks Phone 887-6156
Dancers perform at recital
Father, son reunite after 20+ years
Last week you read about Clint
Emmrich and the rescue that he
was involved in. Once again I had
the privilege of meeting with him
and his family to be a part of a very
special time in their lives.
What a lot of people don’t know
about Clint is that he has an older
son. Actually Edward Clinton
Emmrich (now Eugster) is 28 years
old. But Clint who had divorced
Eddie’s mother has not seen him
since he was a small boy.
It was at the wedding rehearsal^
for his and Judy’s marriage that
they finally learned where the boy
was living. They happened to see
the name Emmrich in the registry
book. It turned out to be Clint’s
son’s baptismal record with an
address. The address led him to
Moncrieff. After a lot of driving
around he spotted his son in a
backyard. He was around eight
years old and that was the last he
saw of him.
Eddie and mother disappeared
once again. Clint heard they were
in Switzerland and then later in
Australia.
Clint spoke of how hard it has
been never knowing whether he is
okay, not knowing what he was
doing or what kind of a person he
was. There was an emptiness
inside, worry and a kind of
gnawing that ate at him through the
years. There was a commercial on
Grade 4s thank to volunteers
The talent show and Grade 4
appreciation program were the
highlights for this week at Walton
Public School.
There were some original ideas
this year as Andrea VanderVeen,
Laura Elligsen and Jennifer Eedy
did a skipping routine to Cruel
Summer. There were pianists such
as Nikki and Andrea VanderVeen,
Stephanie Lubbers, Andrew
VanVliet and Jim Raithby, that
lent their talent.
Justin Biesinger along with
Stompin Tom, sang The Good Ole
Hockey Game. Laura Elligsen sang,
TV back then that would ask, ‘Do
you know where your children
are?’ That was very painful to hear.
Eddie knew nothing about his
father in Canada. His step-father
adopted him and any questions that
he had were kind of put off and
never answered. There was always
a piece of his past that he didn’t
know about. It was like never
knowing the other side of his
family. He had no idea what Clint
looked like or that he had a brother
and a sister.
In November of ’96, Clint’s life
as well as Eddie’s, changed in a big
way. It seems that Eddie’s
grandma, who lives in Kitchener,
contacted Clint and asked if he was
interested in getting in touch with
his son. On Nov. 11, 1996 Clint put
in a phone call to Brisbane,
Queensland, Australia and for the
first time in two decades spoke to
his son.
It was Eddie’s new bride, Jodi
who answered the phone. By then
they knew that Clint was the name
of Eddie’s father, and it took her a
minute for it to register and she
excitedly called Eddie to the phone.
Clint said it was a very emotional
time for him and Eddie confirmed
that it was the same for him.
They have kept in contact since.
For Clint his life is happier and
there is peace of mind and
Dreams to Dream and it was
announced that she is competing in
a talent search later this fall.
Shayne Cochrane, Scott
Somerville and Mike Dietz showed
the people their dancing skills as
they danced to Baby, One More
Time and Crush.
Bridget Blake, Jodi McIntosh and
Nicole Williamson sang Summer
Breeze with Laura Bowers
accompanying at the piano. This
same group of girls also danced to
Lions Sleeps Tonight. Bridget
Blake and Nicole also sang a
number accompanied on the piano
contentment. For Eddie his circle of
life is complete, he has a whole
new family.
Eddie and his wife arrived from
Australia on Wednesday, June 23
and went to his Grandma’s home
where Clint, Judy, Katie and Jamie
picked them up. It was an
emotional meeting, overwhelming
as one can imagine.
Since then they have toured this
area, went to Goderich, saw
Niagara Falls and toured the Euclid
factory in Guelph where Clint
works. Some of the trucks that are
made there are shipped to Australia
to the coal mine where Jodi’s dad is
superintendent.
They have been to Duff’s United
Church were Eddie was baptized
and to Moncrieff to see where he
used to live.
They have spent time going over
family pictures and sharing lots of
laughter and tears. Judy and the
kids have known about Eddie all
along and have been excited to
finally meet him. Judy said she is
glad to have an extended family
and Clint said how supportive of
this reunion she has been. Katie
and Jamie think it is neat to have a
big brother and a wonderful sister-
in-law.
The young couple will be leaving
Sunday and will tour Quebec, then
head west where they will leave for
home from Vancouver, B.C.
by Michelle Blake.
A sister act of Laura and Sarah
Elligsen did a dance routine. Then
a mother/daughter act consisting of
Darlene VanderVeen on guitar and
Andrea singing performed the
song, You Are My All and All.
Darlene sang harmony and the two
voices blended well together.
Nicole McIntosh, Sherry Lee
Wernham, Rachel Purdy and
Jessica Baer made their performing
debut by singing, Twinkle, Twinkle
Little Star.
Then it was time for the Grade 4
Continued on page 16
The first Lydia Laine School of
Dance and Theatrical Arts recital
for Brussels students was held at
the Walton Hall on Sunday, June
27. Lydia is a dance teacher and
she and her staff in Ailsa Craig
have 18 dance schools in S-W
Ontario.
She hired Tanya McArter to
teach students from Brussels,
Walton and Blyth. Next year she
will also teach in Wingham.
She had three classes this year.
Junior students are Brooklyn
Vercruyssen, Jaren Johnston, Sadie
Chalmers. Intermediate are
Cassandra King, Annemeika
Kerkhof, Kendra Siebert, Kelby
Krota, Morgan Armstrong, Emily
Kerkhof. The senior class is
Cassandra Banks, Stephanie
Rijkhoff and Kelby Krotz.
This year the girls learned their
five basic positions, demi-plies and
grand plies plus releves. The
children were incredible as were
the costumes and the music.
The closing act with the Yodelers
from Vienna was the hit of the
show. It included all the classes and
brought much laughter and
Grade 8s earn
recognition
It was graduation for the Grade
8’s in Seaforth on Friday. It was
wonderful to see that many awards
given out were won by former
Continued on page 12
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