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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-05-26, Page 1The Citizen i— Volume 21 No. 21 Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, May 26, 2005 Jamboree this weekend The Blyth fairgrounds will be an exciting place to be this weekend as the Bam Dance Historical Society hosts its annual Campout Jamboree. The campers will begin arriving in time for Friday. May 27’s events. There is a bluegrass show beginning at 7 p.m.. followed by a jamboree at 8:30 p.m.. Anyone is welcome to get up and play. Saturday morning- there is a smaller show, followed again by a jamboree at noon. The highlight is the Barn Dance show and dance at 8 p.m. Saturday evening. Rounding out the weekend of toe-tappin’ tunes and socializing is a country gospel show on Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon. The Barn Dance Historical Society was formed in 1994 by a group of people who wanted to keep the history of the 1950s travelling Barn Dance alive. In that spirit, the Campout has offered the same sense of musical fun for the many who attend. The brainchild of Society members President Wayne Otterbein and director June Therrien, the idea for a social camping event was initially for a membership drive. However, it was soon clear that it was also as an opportunity for people to get to know each other. For its growing membership the camp has become a an excellent way to become acquainted with folk who share the same interest, organizers say. Brussels hosts annual community yard sale Folks in Brussels are hoping for sunny skies on Saturday as the community hosts its annual yard sale. As in previous years a map is available showing many of the homes with treasures to sell. Man missing As of deadline on Monday. Huron OPP were still searching for a Brussels man who had been missing since late afternoon Friday. May 20. When last seen. 36-year-old Brian Kamrath was in a “depressed state of mind over personal issues”, police said. On Sunday officers found his black Saab convertible abandoned on Bluewater Highway, just south of Bayfield. Police said there were mechanical problems with the car, and believe Kamranth may have tried to get a ride to find assistance. Canine and emergency response team members searched the area near the car. Later an air search was done by helicopter and officers went door to door from Bayfield to St. Joseph’s. Officers are asking for the public's assistance. Anyone who may have seen someone walking on the highway in this area on Friday or who stopped to offer assistance to a man. is asked to call OPP at 1-888- 310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1- 800-222-8477 (TIPS). Kamrath is described as being 6' 1” tall, with a muscular build, and weight of approximately 200 pounds. He has green eyes, a shaved head and was last seen wearing work clothes. Officers have checked with some of his closest friends, but no one has seen him. They also conducted a -search of his home. Young actors wanted The Blyth Festival is searching for 10 young actors to portray siblings in the world premiere of The Thirteenth One by Denyse Gervais Regan. Based on the true story of her family’s life during the Great Depression, The Thirteenth One takes place in the Gervais family farmhouse in Elie, Manitoba. The Gervais family is having trouble making ends meet when they discover that another baby is on the way - the 13th one. To create the necessary atmosphere, the festival requires 10 young actors to appear as the children in the household. Five girls, ages five to 13 and five boys, ages Continued on page 23 Downtown merchants are offering bargains as well. To get the batteries charged for a day of bargain hunting, the Crusaders hockey team is for the first time, serving breakfast at the pool pavillion. With the arrival of spring and nearing of the end of the school year, students are involved in track and field practices and meets. Hullett and East Wawanosh schools held their events last week. Two Hullett competitors, Brad Greidanus, left and Brandon Gibson keep it close as they near the finish line in this race. (Vicky Bremnerphoto) _______________ Genealogical Soc. marks 25th By Bonnie Gropp Citizen editor The Huron County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society is celebrating 25 years with a special event, June 1 at the theatre of the Huron County Museum, Goderich. Guest speaker will be Ron Walsh, president of the OGS. According to Ken Hunking of Londesborough. treasurer of the Huron Branch, the purpose of the OGS is “to encourage, assist and bring together all those interested in the pursuit of family history.” The focus of the Huron branch is to help people find ancestors who lived in Huron. Currently the branch has over 300 members, with about 50 living in Huron. The remainder are from all over North America. Hunking estimates that over the years they have had about 1.500 members. The branch meets monthly from April to November, with a featured guest speaker. “They talk about some aspect of geneology,” says Hunking. “It could be about family trees, or. even about how DNA is now being used to match chromosomes of family members.” Other branch activities include the maintenance and operation of the branch library in the log cabin at the Museum. The building is full of research materials and is open from April to November on Wednesday and Friday afternoons, plus Thursdays in July and August. Those tracing their roots will find reference books, family trees, Huron County cemetery and census transcriptions, old directions and other genealogical reference material. Volunteers are availabe to assist people in finding the right material to help in their search. Branch volunteers transcribed information from cemetery monuments in the early 1980s and published this in i booklet form, which is offered for sale. These are also available for reference at the five town libraries in Huron. “This was a project of OGC and transcriptions of cemeteries in all parts of Ontario were similarily recorded. Census information from 1861 has been published and is also available at the five libraries. “The late Rev. Dr. Robert J. Graham, indexed many of the older township history books which had been printed without indexes. These are located at the iog cabin.” The branch also has a volunteer research co-ordinator to advise and assist. "If people write in they can set them in the right direction and give more details.” Over the Huron branch’s 25-year history only two people have held the position of research co-ordinator. The current one is Helen Dale. “We get 75-80 letters a year from people seeking information on their ancestors.” Dale will check all readily-available resources from such things as county marriage registers and the land record index microfiche, then responds. She also provides the inquirer’s family name to members at the monthly meeting. To become a member one has to join OGS at a cost of $45 a year, then pay $9 a year to the Huron branch. However, says Hunking, you don’t have to be a member to take part in the activities. “Guests are always welcome to attend meetings and do research at the log cabin.” Everyone is welcome to attend the June 1 celebration. Admission is free. The library will be open prior to the meeting. For more information contact Hunking at 523-4228 or the branch president. Pat Saundercock at