Yesterday And Today, A Salute to Blyth's 125th Anniversary, 2002-07-31, Page 11New group in town
The executive for the one-year-old Blyth Optimist Club in 1991 was, in back, from left: Brenda
Young, president; Alan Young, secretary-treasurer; Jim Phelan, second vice-president; Jeff
Peters, director; Murray Siertsema, director. Front: Pat Brigham, first vice-president; Elaine
Brown, director; Lance Bearss, director; Fred deBoer, director. Absent: Laurie Sparling,
director
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THE CITIZEN, YESTERDAY and TODAY, WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 2992. PAGE IL
Optimist Club starts strong, folds 9 years later
The Blyth and District Optimist
Club began in the spring of 1990
with 26 members. Don Carter was
the charter president.
In keeping with the organization's
motto, the Club was involved in
many activities and events geared to
the young people of the community
or as fundraisers for projects which
would benefit youth.
On Saturday, March 27, 1991, the
Optimist Club- sponsored a Much
Music video challenge, which drew
a large crowd. They had video
dances parties for the youth, aged
12-18.
In June of the year they put a float
in the Rutabaga Festival.
At the annual Thresher's Reunion
they had a food booth as well as
running kids' games and a mini-
tractor pull.
One of the most popular events
was the annual Halloween party for
children of Blyth and area.
They also had food and clothing
drives for the Huron County
Christmas Bureau.
During the Christmas break, the
Club sponsored free skating for
children and their families. The
Optimists held babysitting courses
and originally sponsored the
Peacemakers program at the Blyth
Public School.
Another annual event was a hike
rodeo.
Financially the Club helped out
the figure skating club and bought
hockey jerseys. They sponsored
spelling bees and baseketball tree
throw competitions.
However, by the. late 1990s
membership had dwindled. With
only- seven members left to try and
keep all the worthwhile activities
going, the Optimists decided to fold
in June of 1999.
The remaining money in the Club
account when to the new soccer
fields at the south edge of the
village.
Threshers
bring living
museum
to Blyth
With the Huron Pioneer Thresher
Reunion and Hobby Association
marking its 41st show this year,
reminiscing recalls changes which
have taken place through the years.
When the concept was first
developed, the aim was to reunite a
gang of men who had travelled the
countryside performing the task of
threshing farmers' fields. That
original group consisted of the
Hallahan brothers of East
Wawanosh, Dennis, Willie Joe,
Daniel, John, Simon and Raymond
as well as Alec Manning, Jack
White, Hugh Chisholm and many
other local men.
Notices were sent to other
threshers in the community,
in-forming them of the planned
gathering. Machinists who had
worked with the steam threshers and
owners of machines were invited to
show off their equipment and
discuss old times.
The first reunion, held at the old
Orange Hall in Blyth, apparently
caused somewhat of a commotion.
Upon arriving at the hall the Orange
Master refused the threshers
entrance. Assuming some liquor had
been consumed, the Orange Master
would not allow then into the
building.
Since indoor activities had been
curtailed, the men carried on their
party in front of the hall. Several had
brought fiddles and other musical
instruments so they began playing in
the street.
As the group carried on, the street
began to fill with spectators and
soon overflowed. The Orange
Master, having decided the threshers
weren't .such a bad group after all,
let them into the hall.
For the next four years the group
of men got together at an old horse
barn. They had five steam engines
on display and entertained
spectators with their homegrown
style of music.
The contribution of the threshers'
Continued on page 12