Clinton News Record, 2016-07-27, Page 22 News Record • Wednesday, July 27, 2016
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Left to right: Hendrik Frosted, Kristin Frosted and James Armstrong.
Frosted's exchange information from 1984.
Photos by Justine Alkema Clinton News Record
Local man and former exchange student reunite on Facebook after 32 years
Justine Alkema
Clinton News Record
In 1984, Hendrik Frosted
from Denmark did an over-
seas work exchange in
Huron County for his college
agriculture program. He
stayed with James Arm-
strong who lived just outside
of Bayfield at the time. 32
years later, they reconnected
on Facebook in a matter of
minutes, and that reconnec-
tion lead to Frosted coming
to visit the area once again.
Armstrong heard about
the exchange program on a
backpacking trip to New
Zealand several decades ago.
He thought it was a cool pro-
gram, and he needed some
help on his cash crop and
cattle farm, so he decided to
have a student over.
The pair had a great time.
Frosted stayed for six
months, working, meeting
Armstrong's friends and
enjoying local activities.
"I was so lucky I came to
stay with James," said
Frosted. "He was the only
one who wasn't married and
didn't have any kids, so he
had a lot of friends and did a
lot of things, and I would go
with him."
It's Frosted's first time
back since then. He recon-
nected with Armstrong on
Facebook three years ago.
When Armstrong's name
first popped up, Frosted
wasn't sure it was him. So he
started looking through his
pictures.
Then, he saw a photo of
white tractor which Frosted
used to drive. At that
moment, he knew it was the
right James Armstrong. He
messaged him, and Arm-
strong replied a few minutes
later, confirming that he was
indeed Henrik's host from 32
years before.
They chatted over the
internet for the next few
years eventually leading to
Frosted's visit back to
Canada.
Frosted, his wife Kristin
and his son Thomas were
back in the area for the past
two weeks. They went to Nia-
gara Falls, Toronto, Grand
Bend, Goderich, Bayfield,
Bruce Power, reunited with
Armstrong's friends which
Frosted met on his exchange
and more. Much of their visit
was simply enjoying Ontar-
io's west coast and hanging
out at Armstrong's cottage
which is just north of Bay-
field and has a view of the
Lake.
Armstrong had nine more
international exchange stu-
dents after Frosted over the
next many years. He men-
tioned that 7 out of 10 have
come back to visit.
As for the future, the two
old friends can now keep up
online, and Frosted has
invited Armstrong to come
to Denmark for their next
reunion.
Clinton "Scarecrow Festival" is now "Harvest Festival" with new changes and additions
Justine Alkema
Clinton News Record
For several years in the fall,
Clinton has hosted the Scare-
crow Festival put on by the
Clinton and Central Huron
BIA. However this year, they
are growing the festival and
changing the name to the
Harvest Festival.
"We are changing the
name of the festival to show
appreciation for our farm-
ers," said BIA member Roz
McFarlan.
One reason they are
expanding the festival in size is
to create unity between all the
different groups in Clinton.
"We have a lot of organiza-
tions in Clinton, but they
rarely work together," said
McFarlan. "There's a Kinsmen
event and an Optimist event
but not a combined event"
For this reason, they are
reaching out to many local
groups such as the Opti-
mists, Kinsmen, K-ettes,
Kinettes, Girl Guides, fire-
fighters, 4H Huron, Junior
Farmers and more.
Last year, there were 10
events at the festival. This
year, there will be around 30
events, though it will still all
take place on one day, which
will be Thanksgiving Satur-
day on October 8.
Some of these new activi-
ties are a Cowbell Brewery
beer garden, tug of war com-
petition with a pro -trainer/
score -keeper, tractor show
and shine, reptile show and
petting zoo.
One new event they are
very excited about is a farm-
er's appreciation breakfast
hosted by the Legion.
Events which they've held
in the past and will have this
year again are local perform-
ers and entertainers, bingo,
Snippety the Clown and
Friend for face -painting and
balloon crafting, a colouring
and letter writing contest for
students in grades 1-6, deco-
rating contests for busi-
nesses, scarecrow contests, a
chili cook -off and a pie -eat-
ing contest featuring the
Mayor and Fire Chief, if they
can be persuaded to partici-
pate again.
More information can be
found online at www.cchbia.
ca or on the BIAS Facebook
page, Clinton and Central
Huron Business Improve-
ment Association.
"[We are] looking forward to
thanking Central Huron farm-
ers and celebrating our neigh-
bourhood on Thanksgiving
Saturday;" said McFarlan.
CIVIC HOLIDAY MONDAY AUGUST 1
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