Society Business.
2008 April - June Newsletters
Edition: 2008-14
Date: Sun, 06 April, 2008
Good evening!
It was another busy week all around. Gotta love it - everyone has a job to do, and they're doing it! And with a smile, no less! More volunteers are stepping forward every day, people want to contribute and participate, the July schedule makes sense!, and costumes are being sewn right and left. It's all coming together ... thank you, all of you!
What's been going on?
Big thank you, first of all, goes to Shelburne Town Council! The LL08 Society submitted a request this past week for a blanket approval for businesses and restaurants to once again set up sidewalk sales or outdoor cafés during the 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale that will be held on Sat, 7 Jun. Unanimously, and without hesitation, Town Council has granted us the blanket approval. So, we're in business - start planning!
The Town's councillors get a second big thank you - they also approved the necessary street closures in the historic district for the Waterfront Weekend and the Grand Re-enactment Weekend. Don't want anyone getting run over, after all!
This week, received an estimate for security for both weekends - ouch!
Taking reservations for booth space on the waterfront during the Waterfront Weekend and the Grand Re-enactment Weekend. The rules are very simple - there is no charge whatsoever to be there, however, you are responsible for providing your own booth/display and for cleaning up after yourself. And with some anticipated electrical upgrades in some sections of the waterfront over the next couple of months, it looks like power will be a little easier to come by this summer. Another however - do make plans to bring your own generator, just in case. Especially if you're going to use a lot of juice!
- There will be lots of room during the Waterfront Weekend, and last count, it looks like we'll have at least 50 vendors and exhibitors filling every inch of the Dock Street area. And thinking outside the booth as it were, we thought we'd organize the vendors and exhibitors into little "neighbourhoods" like Artists' Row, Food Court, Community Corner, Carvers' Village, Species at Risk Lane, that kind of thing - have some fun with it, complete with street signs! If you haven't already contacted me to reserve a space on the waterfront, please do so as soon as possible so I can assign you a neighbourhood. Plus if you have any ideas for snappy neighbourhood names, send them to me! Oh, and if you're looking for something fun to do, I'm also looking for someone to paint street signs ...!
- Finally settled on a layout for the waterfront during the Grand Re-enactment Weekend. Space will be a bit more limited for waterfront vendors and exhibitors as a portion of the waterfront will be set up 18th century style and reserved for the various re-enactments and skirmishes. However, there will be booth space available, roughly covering a similar area as Founders' Days. If you're interested in setting up on the waterfront during the Grand Re-enactment Weekend, please give me a call!
Quick update on the longboats - a dozen strong bodies and weak minds turned up at the Muir-Cox Shipyard yesterday (yes, Sat!) at 8 am to turn the first boat over. This will allow the work crew easier access to the bottom of the boat to install the remaining planks - otherwise they'd have to lie on the floor to do it! Although the bulk of the turn-over was thankfully done with winches and trucks, some manual adjustments were still required by the work crew. Reports are "she ain't light!".
And we're very pleased to report that the oars for the longboats are finished! We picked up 21 11-ft oars in Mahone Bay yesterday - the 20 we ordered and an extra one thrown in by Fancy's Oars, plus three little novelty ones about 3 ft long that will be used as prizes for the boat races this summer!
And finally, a public service message from John, our wise webmaestro, for local innkeepers. If you'd like to list your hotel/motel/B&B on the LL08 website, you can fill out the form at http://www.loyalistsatshelburne.com/linktrade.php. This will allow visitors cruising our website to link directly to your accommodations website.
COMING UP:
- Red Sky Theatre's Raven Stole the Sun will be at The Osprey on Mon, 14 Apr, 7:30 pm. Tickets are $8 for adults and $ for students.
- "Improving your Flyers, Cards & Ads", a CBDC workshop that will be held on Wed, 16 Apr, 12-1:30 pm at NSCC, Shelburne Campus. Lunch is included in the cost of the $10 workshop. Call Ardith at 875-1133 to register.
- The Osprey is also holding a fundraising dinner and wine tasting at the Charlotte Lane Café on Sat, 19 Apr, 7:30 pm, with Chef Rollie preparing a three-course gourmet feast. Tickets are $50 each, all inclusive, at The Whirligig Bookshop.
- Three weeks from today, Sun 27 Apr, the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra will perform at Shelburne Regional High School! The concert will start at 2 pm and feature 65 classical musicians. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students at The Whirligig Bookshop. Check the website for more details.
- And plan to join us on Sun, 4 May for the Loyalist Landing Celebration commemorating the first arrival of the Loyalists on 4 May 1783. See the website for details!
- Don't forget that the very next day, there will be a special Loyalist stamp issue and cancellation at the Shelburne Canada Post outlet. Great items for the philatelists and souvenir collectors!
- Sat, 7 Jun, Spring Into Shelburne! with our 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale, an afternoon auction and evening entertainment. Details for the evening entertainment should be finalized this week - you will love it!! It will be the perfect ending to the day!
And finally, don't forget that the next regular meeting of the LL08 Society will be held next Sat, 12 Apr, 10 am in the Town Council Chambers. Agenda to follow.
Have a great week!
Edition: 2008-15
Date: Sun, April 13th, 2008
Good evening! It was a busy week and an even busier weekend! We had our regular Society meeting yesterday - it lasted a record 3.5 hours! The minutes of meeting should be out tonight and they contain lots of great info, so do be sure to read them!
- As announced at yesterday's meeting, Stephen Antle of Bowood is finalizing the details to bring The Jimmy Flynn Show to Shelburne on Sat, 7 Jun! The show will be the finale to our Spring Into Shelburne! event with the 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale and the waterfront auction. Should be a great show - Jimmy Flynn is such a hoot!
- The schooner Peers' Fancy will be participating in the Waterfront Weekend, 11-13 July and while here, will be available for tours and cruises. The ship is captained by Clark's Harbour native Gail Atkinson and is "womaned" by an all-female crew! Gail sent me an e-mail this week saying that they will be running a sail training program aboard Peers' Fancy this summer - following is an excerpt from her e-mail:
"We'll be implementing a sail training program aboard Peers' Fancy. Ideally, I'm basing it on week long intervals. Everything will be by-the-book, with special emphasis on safety, of course. Typically, trainees can be ages 14-25. With all of your connections there I thought there might be some interest in sponsoring potential trainees. Our focus mainly is to provide opportunities for youth who otherwise would not have access to sailing programs - underpriviledged youth, minorities, etc. Sail training (globally) has proven to be a very successful approach to character building - raising self-steem, instilling leadership qualities, etc. It's long overdue that Nova Scotia gets going with this. Also, it's important to us that areas like Shelburne have the opportunity to participate so we'll be focusing on the south/southwestern shore area. Since we'll be in your area, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to perhaps have trainees from the area. They could embark in Shelburne or join earlier for the trip down. With our present vessel we have only room for four trainees at a time, plus myself, and a Mate. The cost of sponsoring a trainee is 150.00/day and of course includes everything. If you think there might be any interest let me know and I can address all questions, as well, I can forward a copy of our program, etc."
I've since contacted Gail and asked her to send along a copy of her program. So, this is a heads up and something to think about. If you're interested, I can put you in touch with Gail. And as more information is available, John will post it on the website!
- We're very pleased to announce that planning is underway for an LL08 drawing contest at Hillcrest Academy! On Wed 23 Apr, volunteers from six Shelburne County organizations - the Society, the Prince of Wales Historic Dancers, the Black Loyalist Heritage Society, the Shelburne Historical Society, the Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society and the Native Council Zone 13 - will conduct interactive workshops at Hillcrest that will include some history on the 225th anniversary of the celebrations, 18th century dancing and games, drawing a family tree, designing your own African cloth, and learning about Mi'kmaq customs. Following the workshops, the drawing contest will be announced while the active little minds are still full from the morning's activities! Thank you to all the volunteers for making this possible, to Carol Mahaney at Hillcrest for taking the lead and to Bill & Betty Camp at The Whirligig Bookshop for donating the prizes! The winners and their artistic entries will eventually be featured in The Coast Guard - will keep you informed on the progress of the contest!
- Blair Brown, a "fire artist" from Barrington Passage who was recently featured in The Coast Guard visited the Muir-Cox Shipyard this week to view the construction of the longboats. As the oar sponsorship project gets underway, Blair will be "engraving" sponsors' names on the longboat oars using his artistic wood burning skills. Blair will also be setting up a booth at the Waterfront Weekend so you'll be able to watch him at work!
- MLA Sterling Belliveau also visited the Muir-Cox Shipyard this week to view the progress on the longboat!
- Really exciting news! Liz Rigney and the Live at 5 crew will be in Shelburne on Mon, 28 Apr to do a segment on the longboats! Liz was referred to us by Ohio sweetie Neville MacKay - thank you, Neville!
- And if you really like to plan ahead, then you should start planning your entry for the Whirligig & Weathervane Festival that will be held on 20-21 Sep! Dale Clark will be conducting a whirligig building workshop on Wednesdays 6-9 pm, 14 May - 11 Jun at Shelburne Regional High School. Cost is $30. If you're interested, get in touch with Adam Dedrick at adedrick@staff.ednet.ns.ca or 875-2831.
COMING UP:
- Red Sky Theatre's Raven Stole the Sun is at The Osprey tomorrow night Mon, 14 Apr, 7:30 pm. Tickets are $8 for adults and $7 for students.
- The CBDC workshop "Improving your Flyers, Cards & Ads" will be held this Wed, 16 Apr, 12-1:30 pm at NSCC, Shelburne Campus. Lunch is included in the cost of the $10 workshop. Call Ardith at 875-1133 to register.
- The Charlotte Lane Café will be hosting a fundraising dinner and wine tasting next Sat, 19 Apr, 7:30 pm. Tickets are $50 each, all inclusive, at The Whirligig Bookshop.
- The Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra will be here on Sun, 27 Apr!! Don't miss out on a very memorable afternoon! Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students at The Whirligig Bookshop. Check the website for more details.
- The Our Community - Something for Everyone volunteer showcase will be held at Lockeport Regional High School on Sat, 3 May from 11 am - 3 pm. This year's showcase will feature, very appropriately, a Loyalist theme! For more info, contact Marilyn Johnston at the municipality or Frances Scott in Lockeport.
- The Loyalist Landing Celebration on Sun, 4 May. See the website for details! Posters should be out this week!
- The Loyalist stamp issue and cancellation at the Shelburne Canada Post outlet on Mon, 5 May.
- Spring Into Shelburne! on Sat, 7 Jun with the 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale, afternoon auction and The Jimmy Flynn Show. It's going to be a fun day!
That's it - have a great week!
Edition: 2008-16
Date: Sun, April 20th, 2008
Good afternoon! Spring has definitely sprung - be still my foolish heart!
The big news this week - Sam's baby has arrived! Yes, our own Sam Stewart of All-4-One Graphics took delivery of her baby this week - the LL08 brochures. All 35,000 of them!! And they are beautiful! As of Friday afternoon, 26,000 of them had been delivered to Transcontinental Media in Yarmouth for distribution through The Trading Post at the beginning of May. The remainder will be disseminated throughout the county and province over the next few weeks as Society directors, members and volunteers take them on the road. If you'd like some copies of the brochure to take on the road as well, display at your business or just to look at your ad, you can pick some up at Sam's store on Water Street. A huge thank you to Sam for her initiative, hard work and professionalism - ya done good, kiddo! Another huge thank you to all of you who bought ads in the brochure - we are truly humbled by your faith in us ...
It was business as usual this week with directors and members continuing to work on their various events. I personally spent part of the week filling out event insurance forms - what joy! And what a huge task really. Turns out that a form has to be filled out for each and every individual LL08 event, whether the Society hosts the event or not. If it's listed as an LL08 event, we quite likely have to be insured for it! And that's in addition to the insurance that the organization hosting the event already has! Don't get me started ... but after this week, it's no mystery why so many well-intentioned groups planning a community festival sometimes just give up. If the paperwork doesn't discourage you, the regulations certainly will!
Some good news/bad news this week from the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo. Way back in Nov 2006, we had approached them about including a skit on the Loyalist landing in their July 2008 show, as they had done in July 1983 during the bicentennial celebrations. They confirmed this week that they would not be able to recognize LL08 as they already have an extensive list of anniversaries they must acknowledge. However, they do plan to include a short article on the celebrations in their souvenir program - wow! So, I have a special favour to ask of all of you out there - if you attend the Royal NS International Tattoo in July, can you please pick me up a copy of the souvenir program if it contains an article on the LL08 celebrations? I'll gladly reimburse you. I'd like a copy for the LL08 scrapbook - something to pass on to the LL33 generation!
And more good news - also received confirmation this week that the Amherst VIC will create a commemorative Loyalist Landing flowerbed right at the border for all visitors to the province to see! Note to all of you coming from out of province this summer - take some pics for the scrapbook please!
Unbelievably, the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra will be in Shelburne next Sunday, 27 Apr - can't wait! Don't forget to buy your tickets for a show that will definitely make you jump to your feet for a standing ovation, I guarantee it! The concert starts at 2 pm at Shelburne Regional High School. Tickets are available at The Whirligig Bookshop and will also be available at the door - prices are $10 for adults and $5 for students. By the way, feel free to wear your 1783 duds to the concert as we'll all be in costume!
The Loyalist Landing Celebration will be held on Sun, 4 May and the amazing thing about it - we will be commemorating the arrival of the first Loyalists exactly 225 years to the day - Sun, 4 May 1783! There will be a day-long series of events to mark this historic occasion:
- The day will start with an 11 am ecumenical worship service at the Shelburne Community Centre. Apparently, congregations from around the county have been invited to attend this service which will feature guest speaker Rev. Dr. Lionel Moriah - you may recognize him as the pastor at Lockeport Baptist church a few years back.
- Following the service, you'll be able to grab a bite at your favourite eating establishment as nearly every restaurant in Shelburne will be open for lunch that day!
- At 2 pm, there will be a commemorative ceremony and blessing on the waterfront, where the first of our two longboats will be christened and launched.
- Then at 5 pm, a Loyalist-style supper of turkey vegetable soup, fresh rolls and biscuits, and good old-fashioned bread pudding will be served at the Shelburne Lions Club on Elliott Street in remembrance of the rations that were given to the newly-arrived Loyalists in 1783. Supper is $7, payable at the door, with all proceeds to the Lions Club.
- And finally, the day will be capped off by a bonfire on town property across the street from the Lions Club, starting around 7 pm.
The Loyalist stamp issue/cancellation will be held the very next day on Mon, 5 May at the Shelburne Post Office. From 10 am to 1 pm, Post Mistress Susan and staff will be happy to use the Shelburne LL08 cancellation on your favourite stamp, including the LL08 stamp which features three well-known local faces. You can bring your own envelope or purchase a souvenir Shelburne LL08 cachet envelope designed specially for the occasion. The Canada Post regional manager from Bridgewater will even be there to cut the cake and the Post Office staff will be suitably attired 1783-style!
Hope you'll join us for both events!
It'll be Jun before you can say "Spring into Shelburne!" and you know what that means? Second Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale on Sat, 7 Jun! The busy day will kick off at 8 am as Shelburne opens its doors wide and treasure hunters come out in full force. Don't forget too that Woodworkers and Tim-BR Mart will also be holding their annual yard sales as part of the day's activities. Then at 2 pm, Bob & Wanda Guay invite you to attend an auction at the Cox Warehouse on Dock Street. Rounding out the day, Bowood will feature The Jimmy Flynn Show at the Calestone Centre, 455 Sandy Point Road. Tickets are $25 and will be available at various locations throughout Shelburne County.
COMING UP:
- Bowood hosts The Songwriter's Circle with Bruce Guthro, featuring Charlie A'Court and The Hupman Brothers next Sat, 26 Apr; and Canadian Idol contestant Dwight D'Eon on 10 May. Check out Bowood's new website - www.bowood.biz for all the details on these and other upcoming events.
- The Osprey Arts Centre is holding five big events in the next two weeks - Select Cinema's "The Kite Runner" on 29 Apr; Good Rockin' Daddys on 3 May; Puirt A Baroque on 9 May; artist Lio Lo exhibit "Flower Power" on 10 May; and Gina Symonds Rec Room Jam also on 10 May. Get all the details on their website at www.ospreyartscentre.com .
- Sat, 3 May. The Our Community - Something for Everyone volunteer showcase at Lockeport Regional High School. Runs from 11 am - 3 pm. The LL08 Society will be there - look for the two Sues!
Have another great week!
Edition: 2008-17
Friday, Apr25, 2008
Good afternoon! Caught you by surprise, haven't I? Getting the newsletter out early - between Saltscapes tomorrow and the Youth Orchestra concert on Sunday, my weekend's a write-off!
Very first order of business today -
Don't forget that the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra Concert is this Sunday, 27 April, starting at 2 pm, at the Shelburne Regional High School. There are still tickets available at The Whirligig, plus tickets will be available at the door - $10 for adults, $5 for students. As you will have read in the article in this week's Coast Guard, the last time this talented orchestra was here was 25 years ago for the bicentennial celebrations, and now they're back for our 225th! So not only will you get an opportunity to enjoy some nationally-recognized talent for an incredible price, you also get to be part of history in the making. I should clarify that this event is not a fundraiser for the Society. From the start it was organized as a "break-even" project, with 1/3 of the cost covered by sponsors, 1/3 covered by the Society and 1/3 covered by ticket sales. If, for some reason, we don't make enough on the ticket sales, it may then end up as a "get in the red" project! So please come out and support the Loyalist Landing 2008 celebrations! And feel free to dress Loyalist style if you'd like to show off your new duds!
Two really exciting things happened this week -
- First, received written confirmation from National Defence that we will indeed have a visit from HMCS KINGSTON, a Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel, during the Waterfront Weekend 11-13 Jul! The ship will be here for the entire weekend and will be open for tours to the public. Our thanks to MP Gerald Keddy for making this possible ... If you want to see what the ship looks like, click on http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/kingston/.
- The second piece of news is that Mainland Amusement will also be here for the Waterfront Weekend! They provide a mix of the usual adults' and kids' rides, as well as carnival games, etc. They'll be at Privateer Days in Liverpool the week before, then make their way down here for our weekend. Mayor Comeau has already given permission for them to set up in the field just outside the Government wharf, so they'll be part of the waterfront activities!
Of course, don't forget all the other LL08 events coming up in the next few weeks -
- The Loyalist Landing Celebration next Sun, 4 May starting at 11 am. Posters are up everywhere, check out the article in this week's Coast Guard and look for the schedule of activities in next week's paper. Plus, you can always pop into our website for all the details. Please note that most of the Shelburne restaurants will be open for lunch next Sun, so you'll be able to grab a bite after the worship service before you head to the waterfront for the launch of the first longboat!
- The very next day on Mon, 5 May, the staff at the Shelburne Post Office invite you to join them for a Loyalist stamp issue and Shelburne stamp cancellation reception. It runs from 10 am to 1 pm. Look for the flyer in your mailbox this week!
- And finally, on Sat, 7 Jun, we Spring into Shelburne! with our 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale, afternoon auction at the Cox Warehouse, and The Jimmy Flynn Show at Bowood in the evening. Check the website for all the details. I'm already receiving calls from yard salers asking where they can set up for the day. As you know, we have received a blanket approval from Town Council to set up anywhere in Town, as we did last year. The rules for the day will be simple - don't block any business, don't set up in front of anyone's property without their permission and, if you set up on the sidewalk, leave room for pedestrian traffic. And for all you yardless yard salers out there, we're planning to set you up in the parking lot and green space at the Shelburne Community Centre on King Street!
One last note. Came across a copy of the April issue of Commerce Magazine, Southwestern Nova Scotia's Business & Lifestyle Magazine. There are two articles in there profiling prominent Shelburne County businesses - Windward Flutes and Wilson's Home Hardware. Congratulations to Yola and Forbes Christie of Windward Flutes for making their new business a success in such short order (the article also mentioned the unveiling of the Shelburne Fyfe this year as part of the 225th anniversary!), and congratulations to David Wilson and his family for 80 years of success!
COMING UP:
- Bowood hosts The Songwriter's Circle with Bruce Guthro tomorrow night, 26 Apr, and Dwight D'Eon on 10 May. Get the full details at www.bowood.biz.
- The Osprey Arts Centre has five big events coming up - Select Cinema on 29 Apr, Good Rockin' Daddys on 3 May, Puirt A Baroque on 9 May, Lio Lo on 10 May and Gina Symonds Rec Room Jam also on 10 May. Check their website www.ospreyartscentre.com for more details.
- Our Community - Something for Everyone volunteer showcase at Lockeport Regional High School next Sat, 3 May, from 11 am - 3 pm.
- The Black Loyalist Heritage Society is holding a cheesecake and tea/coffee event on Mother's Day, Sun, 11 May, 1-3 pm at the Birchtown Community Centre. Cost is $4 a slice.
- Mother's Day!! Don't forget Mom ...
Edition: 2008-18
Friday, May 2, 2008
Good afternoon! Another full and busy weekend ahead, so decided to send this out early!
Before we get into this weekend's activities, I just want to pass along some thankyous.
- First one is to the 65 talented students who make up the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra. What a wonderful concert they gave us last Sun, 27 Apr! Didn't I tell you they were good?
- The second one is to all of you who attended and supported the LL08 Spring Fling event. We're so pleased to get so much positive feedback on the concert and to know that you enjoyed it as much as we did!
- Another thank you goes to Osprey Arts Centre Director Susan Hoover for her assistance in making sure everything ran smoothly - and it did!
- A big thank you to Scotiabank for making a generous donation of $1,000 to the Society to help defray costs for the concert!
- Accolades go out to Sobeys Manager Steve Burns and his deli staff for making (and wrapping!) 65, yes 65 sandwiches for the members of the Orchestra. As soon as the NSYO left Shelburne on Sun afternoon, they were heading up Truro way for an 8 pm concert. As they wouldn't have time to stop for supper, they asked if we could provide "brown bag suppers" for the students to eat in transit. Sobeys readily agreed to prepare sandwiches for them all!
- And final thanks go to Debbie Savory of MacDonald, Chisholm & Trask Insurance in Shelburne. Claiming she has a "soft spot for kids", Debbie very kindly donated 96 bottles of water for the Orchestra!
So another successful LL08 event under our belt - only 40-some left to go!
Coming up this weekend -
Susan Oswell and I will be at the Our Community - Something for Everyone volunteer showcase tomorrow, Sat 3 May, at Lockeport Regional High School. The event runs from 11 am - 3 pm. Stop by to say hi!
And on Sun, 4 May, don't miss the Loyalist Landing Celebration. I've got your day all planned for you! This day of commemoration will begin with an ecumenical worship service at 11 am at the Shelburne Community Centre. Special guest speaker at the service will be Reverend Lionel Moriah, former Minister for the Baptist Church in Lockeport and now teaching at Acadia Divinity College. Keep in mind that most of the restaurants in Shelburne will be open for lunch, so once you've replenished your energy reserves at your favourite eatery, you can amble on down to Dock Street for the 2 pm waterfront ceremony for the blessing and launch of the first longboat. We had originally planned to christen the longboat at the same time, but we have now decided to hold off on the selection of names until both longboats are built. Plans are now underway to christen the two longboats during the Waterfront Weekend ... The weather on Sunday promises to be outstanding, so following the waterfront ceremony, we invite you to enjoy a pleasant stroll through our scenic Town as you work up an appetite for the "rations" at the Shelburne Lions Club at 5 pm. For $7, you'll get turkey vegetable soup, fresh rolls and biscuits, and good old-fashioned bread pudding - all stuff that would have been on the menu in 1783! Please note that all proceeds from the "rations" go to the Lions Club. At 7 pm, the day will be rounded out with a roaring bonfire in a gravel area on Town property located up the street from the Lions Club - bring your lawn chair!
PS - For anyone wanting to play a little part in Shelburne's history, the first longboat will be taken out of the Muir-Cox Shipyard at noon on Sunday. Extra muscle is always welcome!
And if you're into philately or just looking for a unique LL08 souvenir, drop by the Shelburne Post Office on Mon, 5 May. That's when the Loyalist picture postage stamp goes on sale, and you can also get a Shelburne stamp cancellation. Would you like a Shelburne LL08 cachet envelope with that? Between 10 am and 1 pm, Post Mistress Susan and staff will host a reception for the launch of the new stamp products. The Society will be there, as will the Canada Post regional manager from Bridgewater. Also on hand will the three local fellas "slash" celebrities pictured on the Loyalist stamp ... don't forget to get their autograph on the stamp sheet ...! There'll be cake, coffee and lots of excitement - do drop by!
Once this weekend is over, our thoughts will turn to June and our Spring Into Shelburne! event. Start rummaging through the house, garage and barn for treasures to sell at your yard sale! Also don't forget that the Society will be holding a fundraising auction at the Cox Warehouse in the afternoon, courtesy of Bob & Wanda Guay. As you're rummaging through the house, please keep us in mind for any old, big or cumbersome items you may want to get rid of (sorry, we can't take any husbands ...) that might be good for the auction. Give me a call and we'll gladly arrange for pick up!
Tidbits:
- A regular meeting of the LL08 Society was held last night, 1 May; minutes will be out today.
- May, Jun and July events have now been updated on the website; thank you, John!
- The Shelburne County Calendar on our website has also been updated. Double check your events before I do another run-through next week to add anything I may have missed, but check it out if you think there's nothing to do in Shelburne County ...
And these days, I can't help but grin from ear to ear as I go about Town! All those Loyalist flags and red, white & blue bunting sprouting up everywhere just warms my heart and makes me so proud ...! We're lookin' good! On the subject of flags, I received an inquiry this week about the protocol for hanging flags, especially if you're adding a Loyalist flag to an existing Canadian or NS flag. Everything you ever wanted to know about flag etiquette but were afraid to ask can be found at http://www.flagsunlimited.com/flags_www/cdn_e/cdn_e_order-of-precedence.asp.
Coming up:
- Upcoming shows at the Osprey Arts Centre - Good Rockin' Daddys on 3 May, Puirt A Baroque on 9 May, Lio Lo on 10 May and Gina Symonds Rec Room Jam also on 10 May. Visit www.ospreyartscentre.com for full details.
- Dwight D'Eon is at the Bowood Calestone Centre on 10 May. Get the full details at www.bowood.biz.
- Treat Mom to some cheesecake and a cuppa at the Birchtown Community Centre on Sun, 11 May, 1-3 pm. Cost is $4/slice. Sponsored by the Black Loyalist Heritage Society.
- Sun, 11 May is Mother's Day!!
Date: Sun, 06 April, 2008
Good evening!
It was another busy week all around. Gotta love it - everyone has a job to do, and they're doing it! And with a smile, no less! More volunteers are stepping forward every day, people want to contribute and participate, the July schedule makes sense!, and costumes are being sewn right and left. It's all coming together ... thank you, all of you!
What's been going on?
Big thank you, first of all, goes to Shelburne Town Council! The LL08 Society submitted a request this past week for a blanket approval for businesses and restaurants to once again set up sidewalk sales or outdoor cafés during the 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale that will be held on Sat, 7 Jun. Unanimously, and without hesitation, Town Council has granted us the blanket approval. So, we're in business - start planning!
The Town's councillors get a second big thank you - they also approved the necessary street closures in the historic district for the Waterfront Weekend and the Grand Re-enactment Weekend. Don't want anyone getting run over, after all!
This week, received an estimate for security for both weekends - ouch!
Taking reservations for booth space on the waterfront during the Waterfront Weekend and the Grand Re-enactment Weekend. The rules are very simple - there is no charge whatsoever to be there, however, you are responsible for providing your own booth/display and for cleaning up after yourself. And with some anticipated electrical upgrades in some sections of the waterfront over the next couple of months, it looks like power will be a little easier to come by this summer. Another however - do make plans to bring your own generator, just in case. Especially if you're going to use a lot of juice!
- There will be lots of room during the Waterfront Weekend, and last count, it looks like we'll have at least 50 vendors and exhibitors filling every inch of the Dock Street area. And thinking outside the booth as it were, we thought we'd organize the vendors and exhibitors into little "neighbourhoods" like Artists' Row, Food Court, Community Corner, Carvers' Village, Species at Risk Lane, that kind of thing - have some fun with it, complete with street signs! If you haven't already contacted me to reserve a space on the waterfront, please do so as soon as possible so I can assign you a neighbourhood. Plus if you have any ideas for snappy neighbourhood names, send them to me! Oh, and if you're looking for something fun to do, I'm also looking for someone to paint street signs ...!
- Finally settled on a layout for the waterfront during the Grand Re-enactment Weekend. Space will be a bit more limited for waterfront vendors and exhibitors as a portion of the waterfront will be set up 18th century style and reserved for the various re-enactments and skirmishes. However, there will be booth space available, roughly covering a similar area as Founders' Days. If you're interested in setting up on the waterfront during the Grand Re-enactment Weekend, please give me a call!
Quick update on the longboats - a dozen strong bodies and weak minds turned up at the Muir-Cox Shipyard yesterday (yes, Sat!) at 8 am to turn the first boat over. This will allow the work crew easier access to the bottom of the boat to install the remaining planks - otherwise they'd have to lie on the floor to do it! Although the bulk of the turn-over was thankfully done with winches and trucks, some manual adjustments were still required by the work crew. Reports are "she ain't light!".
And we're very pleased to report that the oars for the longboats are finished! We picked up 21 11-ft oars in Mahone Bay yesterday - the 20 we ordered and an extra one thrown in by Fancy's Oars, plus three little novelty ones about 3 ft long that will be used as prizes for the boat races this summer!
And finally, a public service message from John, our wise webmaestro, for local innkeepers. If you'd like to list your hotel/motel/B&B on the LL08 website, you can fill out the form at http://www.loyalistsatshelburne.com/linktrade.php. This will allow visitors cruising our website to link directly to your accommodations website.
COMING UP:
- Red Sky Theatre's Raven Stole the Sun will be at The Osprey on Mon, 14 Apr, 7:30 pm. Tickets are $8 for adults and $ for students.
- "Improving your Flyers, Cards & Ads", a CBDC workshop that will be held on Wed, 16 Apr, 12-1:30 pm at NSCC, Shelburne Campus. Lunch is included in the cost of the $10 workshop. Call Ardith at 875-1133 to register.
- The Osprey is also holding a fundraising dinner and wine tasting at the Charlotte Lane Café on Sat, 19 Apr, 7:30 pm, with Chef Rollie preparing a three-course gourmet feast. Tickets are $50 each, all inclusive, at The Whirligig Bookshop.
- Three weeks from today, Sun 27 Apr, the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra will perform at Shelburne Regional High School! The concert will start at 2 pm and feature 65 classical musicians. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students at The Whirligig Bookshop. Check the website for more details.
- And plan to join us on Sun, 4 May for the Loyalist Landing Celebration commemorating the first arrival of the Loyalists on 4 May 1783. See the website for details!
- Don't forget that the very next day, there will be a special Loyalist stamp issue and cancellation at the Shelburne Canada Post outlet. Great items for the philatelists and souvenir collectors!
- Sat, 7 Jun, Spring Into Shelburne! with our 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale, an afternoon auction and evening entertainment. Details for the evening entertainment should be finalized this week - you will love it!! It will be the perfect ending to the day!
And finally, don't forget that the next regular meeting of the LL08 Society will be held next Sat, 12 Apr, 10 am in the Town Council Chambers. Agenda to follow.
Have a great week!
Edition: 2008-15
Date: Sun, April 13th, 2008
Good evening! It was a busy week and an even busier weekend! We had our regular Society meeting yesterday - it lasted a record 3.5 hours! The minutes of meeting should be out tonight and they contain lots of great info, so do be sure to read them!
- As announced at yesterday's meeting, Stephen Antle of Bowood is finalizing the details to bring The Jimmy Flynn Show to Shelburne on Sat, 7 Jun! The show will be the finale to our Spring Into Shelburne! event with the 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale and the waterfront auction. Should be a great show - Jimmy Flynn is such a hoot!
- The schooner Peers' Fancy will be participating in the Waterfront Weekend, 11-13 July and while here, will be available for tours and cruises. The ship is captained by Clark's Harbour native Gail Atkinson and is "womaned" by an all-female crew! Gail sent me an e-mail this week saying that they will be running a sail training program aboard Peers' Fancy this summer - following is an excerpt from her e-mail:
"We'll be implementing a sail training program aboard Peers' Fancy. Ideally, I'm basing it on week long intervals. Everything will be by-the-book, with special emphasis on safety, of course. Typically, trainees can be ages 14-25. With all of your connections there I thought there might be some interest in sponsoring potential trainees. Our focus mainly is to provide opportunities for youth who otherwise would not have access to sailing programs - underpriviledged youth, minorities, etc. Sail training (globally) has proven to be a very successful approach to character building - raising self-steem, instilling leadership qualities, etc. It's long overdue that Nova Scotia gets going with this. Also, it's important to us that areas like Shelburne have the opportunity to participate so we'll be focusing on the south/southwestern shore area. Since we'll be in your area, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to perhaps have trainees from the area. They could embark in Shelburne or join earlier for the trip down. With our present vessel we have only room for four trainees at a time, plus myself, and a Mate. The cost of sponsoring a trainee is 150.00/day and of course includes everything. If you think there might be any interest let me know and I can address all questions, as well, I can forward a copy of our program, etc."
I've since contacted Gail and asked her to send along a copy of her program. So, this is a heads up and something to think about. If you're interested, I can put you in touch with Gail. And as more information is available, John will post it on the website!
- We're very pleased to announce that planning is underway for an LL08 drawing contest at Hillcrest Academy! On Wed 23 Apr, volunteers from six Shelburne County organizations - the Society, the Prince of Wales Historic Dancers, the Black Loyalist Heritage Society, the Shelburne Historical Society, the Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society and the Native Council Zone 13 - will conduct interactive workshops at Hillcrest that will include some history on the 225th anniversary of the celebrations, 18th century dancing and games, drawing a family tree, designing your own African cloth, and learning about Mi'kmaq customs. Following the workshops, the drawing contest will be announced while the active little minds are still full from the morning's activities! Thank you to all the volunteers for making this possible, to Carol Mahaney at Hillcrest for taking the lead and to Bill & Betty Camp at The Whirligig Bookshop for donating the prizes! The winners and their artistic entries will eventually be featured in The Coast Guard - will keep you informed on the progress of the contest!
- Blair Brown, a "fire artist" from Barrington Passage who was recently featured in The Coast Guard visited the Muir-Cox Shipyard this week to view the construction of the longboats. As the oar sponsorship project gets underway, Blair will be "engraving" sponsors' names on the longboat oars using his artistic wood burning skills. Blair will also be setting up a booth at the Waterfront Weekend so you'll be able to watch him at work!
- MLA Sterling Belliveau also visited the Muir-Cox Shipyard this week to view the progress on the longboat!
- Really exciting news! Liz Rigney and the Live at 5 crew will be in Shelburne on Mon, 28 Apr to do a segment on the longboats! Liz was referred to us by Ohio sweetie Neville MacKay - thank you, Neville!
- And if you really like to plan ahead, then you should start planning your entry for the Whirligig & Weathervane Festival that will be held on 20-21 Sep! Dale Clark will be conducting a whirligig building workshop on Wednesdays 6-9 pm, 14 May - 11 Jun at Shelburne Regional High School. Cost is $30. If you're interested, get in touch with Adam Dedrick at adedrick@staff.ednet.ns.ca or 875-2831.
COMING UP:
- Red Sky Theatre's Raven Stole the Sun is at The Osprey tomorrow night Mon, 14 Apr, 7:30 pm. Tickets are $8 for adults and $7 for students.
- The CBDC workshop "Improving your Flyers, Cards & Ads" will be held this Wed, 16 Apr, 12-1:30 pm at NSCC, Shelburne Campus. Lunch is included in the cost of the $10 workshop. Call Ardith at 875-1133 to register.
- The Charlotte Lane Café will be hosting a fundraising dinner and wine tasting next Sat, 19 Apr, 7:30 pm. Tickets are $50 each, all inclusive, at The Whirligig Bookshop.
- The Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra will be here on Sun, 27 Apr!! Don't miss out on a very memorable afternoon! Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students at The Whirligig Bookshop. Check the website for more details.
- The Our Community - Something for Everyone volunteer showcase will be held at Lockeport Regional High School on Sat, 3 May from 11 am - 3 pm. This year's showcase will feature, very appropriately, a Loyalist theme! For more info, contact Marilyn Johnston at the municipality or Frances Scott in Lockeport.
- The Loyalist Landing Celebration on Sun, 4 May. See the website for details! Posters should be out this week!
- The Loyalist stamp issue and cancellation at the Shelburne Canada Post outlet on Mon, 5 May.
- Spring Into Shelburne! on Sat, 7 Jun with the 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale, afternoon auction and The Jimmy Flynn Show. It's going to be a fun day!
That's it - have a great week!
Edition: 2008-16
Date: Sun, April 20th, 2008
Good afternoon! Spring has definitely sprung - be still my foolish heart!
The big news this week - Sam's baby has arrived! Yes, our own Sam Stewart of All-4-One Graphics took delivery of her baby this week - the LL08 brochures. All 35,000 of them!! And they are beautiful! As of Friday afternoon, 26,000 of them had been delivered to Transcontinental Media in Yarmouth for distribution through The Trading Post at the beginning of May. The remainder will be disseminated throughout the county and province over the next few weeks as Society directors, members and volunteers take them on the road. If you'd like some copies of the brochure to take on the road as well, display at your business or just to look at your ad, you can pick some up at Sam's store on Water Street. A huge thank you to Sam for her initiative, hard work and professionalism - ya done good, kiddo! Another huge thank you to all of you who bought ads in the brochure - we are truly humbled by your faith in us ...
It was business as usual this week with directors and members continuing to work on their various events. I personally spent part of the week filling out event insurance forms - what joy! And what a huge task really. Turns out that a form has to be filled out for each and every individual LL08 event, whether the Society hosts the event or not. If it's listed as an LL08 event, we quite likely have to be insured for it! And that's in addition to the insurance that the organization hosting the event already has! Don't get me started ... but after this week, it's no mystery why so many well-intentioned groups planning a community festival sometimes just give up. If the paperwork doesn't discourage you, the regulations certainly will!
Some good news/bad news this week from the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo. Way back in Nov 2006, we had approached them about including a skit on the Loyalist landing in their July 2008 show, as they had done in July 1983 during the bicentennial celebrations. They confirmed this week that they would not be able to recognize LL08 as they already have an extensive list of anniversaries they must acknowledge. However, they do plan to include a short article on the celebrations in their souvenir program - wow! So, I have a special favour to ask of all of you out there - if you attend the Royal NS International Tattoo in July, can you please pick me up a copy of the souvenir program if it contains an article on the LL08 celebrations? I'll gladly reimburse you. I'd like a copy for the LL08 scrapbook - something to pass on to the LL33 generation!
And more good news - also received confirmation this week that the Amherst VIC will create a commemorative Loyalist Landing flowerbed right at the border for all visitors to the province to see! Note to all of you coming from out of province this summer - take some pics for the scrapbook please!
Unbelievably, the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra will be in Shelburne next Sunday, 27 Apr - can't wait! Don't forget to buy your tickets for a show that will definitely make you jump to your feet for a standing ovation, I guarantee it! The concert starts at 2 pm at Shelburne Regional High School. Tickets are available at The Whirligig Bookshop and will also be available at the door - prices are $10 for adults and $5 for students. By the way, feel free to wear your 1783 duds to the concert as we'll all be in costume!
The Loyalist Landing Celebration will be held on Sun, 4 May and the amazing thing about it - we will be commemorating the arrival of the first Loyalists exactly 225 years to the day - Sun, 4 May 1783! There will be a day-long series of events to mark this historic occasion:
- The day will start with an 11 am ecumenical worship service at the Shelburne Community Centre. Apparently, congregations from around the county have been invited to attend this service which will feature guest speaker Rev. Dr. Lionel Moriah - you may recognize him as the pastor at Lockeport Baptist church a few years back.
- Following the service, you'll be able to grab a bite at your favourite eating establishment as nearly every restaurant in Shelburne will be open for lunch that day!
- At 2 pm, there will be a commemorative ceremony and blessing on the waterfront, where the first of our two longboats will be christened and launched.
- Then at 5 pm, a Loyalist-style supper of turkey vegetable soup, fresh rolls and biscuits, and good old-fashioned bread pudding will be served at the Shelburne Lions Club on Elliott Street in remembrance of the rations that were given to the newly-arrived Loyalists in 1783. Supper is $7, payable at the door, with all proceeds to the Lions Club.
- And finally, the day will be capped off by a bonfire on town property across the street from the Lions Club, starting around 7 pm.
The Loyalist stamp issue/cancellation will be held the very next day on Mon, 5 May at the Shelburne Post Office. From 10 am to 1 pm, Post Mistress Susan and staff will be happy to use the Shelburne LL08 cancellation on your favourite stamp, including the LL08 stamp which features three well-known local faces. You can bring your own envelope or purchase a souvenir Shelburne LL08 cachet envelope designed specially for the occasion. The Canada Post regional manager from Bridgewater will even be there to cut the cake and the Post Office staff will be suitably attired 1783-style!
Hope you'll join us for both events!
It'll be Jun before you can say "Spring into Shelburne!" and you know what that means? Second Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale on Sat, 7 Jun! The busy day will kick off at 8 am as Shelburne opens its doors wide and treasure hunters come out in full force. Don't forget too that Woodworkers and Tim-BR Mart will also be holding their annual yard sales as part of the day's activities. Then at 2 pm, Bob & Wanda Guay invite you to attend an auction at the Cox Warehouse on Dock Street. Rounding out the day, Bowood will feature The Jimmy Flynn Show at the Calestone Centre, 455 Sandy Point Road. Tickets are $25 and will be available at various locations throughout Shelburne County.
COMING UP:
- Bowood hosts The Songwriter's Circle with Bruce Guthro, featuring Charlie A'Court and The Hupman Brothers next Sat, 26 Apr; and Canadian Idol contestant Dwight D'Eon on 10 May. Check out Bowood's new website - www.bowood.biz for all the details on these and other upcoming events.
- The Osprey Arts Centre is holding five big events in the next two weeks - Select Cinema's "The Kite Runner" on 29 Apr; Good Rockin' Daddys on 3 May; Puirt A Baroque on 9 May; artist Lio Lo exhibit "Flower Power" on 10 May; and Gina Symonds Rec Room Jam also on 10 May. Get all the details on their website at www.ospreyartscentre.com .
- Sat, 3 May. The Our Community - Something for Everyone volunteer showcase at Lockeport Regional High School. Runs from 11 am - 3 pm. The LL08 Society will be there - look for the two Sues!
Have another great week!
Edition: 2008-17
Friday, Apr25, 2008
Good afternoon! Caught you by surprise, haven't I? Getting the newsletter out early - between Saltscapes tomorrow and the Youth Orchestra concert on Sunday, my weekend's a write-off!
Very first order of business today -
Don't forget that the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra Concert is this Sunday, 27 April, starting at 2 pm, at the Shelburne Regional High School. There are still tickets available at The Whirligig, plus tickets will be available at the door - $10 for adults, $5 for students. As you will have read in the article in this week's Coast Guard, the last time this talented orchestra was here was 25 years ago for the bicentennial celebrations, and now they're back for our 225th! So not only will you get an opportunity to enjoy some nationally-recognized talent for an incredible price, you also get to be part of history in the making. I should clarify that this event is not a fundraiser for the Society. From the start it was organized as a "break-even" project, with 1/3 of the cost covered by sponsors, 1/3 covered by the Society and 1/3 covered by ticket sales. If, for some reason, we don't make enough on the ticket sales, it may then end up as a "get in the red" project! So please come out and support the Loyalist Landing 2008 celebrations! And feel free to dress Loyalist style if you'd like to show off your new duds!
Two really exciting things happened this week -
- First, received written confirmation from National Defence that we will indeed have a visit from HMCS KINGSTON, a Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel, during the Waterfront Weekend 11-13 Jul! The ship will be here for the entire weekend and will be open for tours to the public. Our thanks to MP Gerald Keddy for making this possible ... If you want to see what the ship looks like, click on http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/kingston/.
- The second piece of news is that Mainland Amusement will also be here for the Waterfront Weekend! They provide a mix of the usual adults' and kids' rides, as well as carnival games, etc. They'll be at Privateer Days in Liverpool the week before, then make their way down here for our weekend. Mayor Comeau has already given permission for them to set up in the field just outside the Government wharf, so they'll be part of the waterfront activities!
Of course, don't forget all the other LL08 events coming up in the next few weeks -
- The Loyalist Landing Celebration next Sun, 4 May starting at 11 am. Posters are up everywhere, check out the article in this week's Coast Guard and look for the schedule of activities in next week's paper. Plus, you can always pop into our website for all the details. Please note that most of the Shelburne restaurants will be open for lunch next Sun, so you'll be able to grab a bite after the worship service before you head to the waterfront for the launch of the first longboat!
- The very next day on Mon, 5 May, the staff at the Shelburne Post Office invite you to join them for a Loyalist stamp issue and Shelburne stamp cancellation reception. It runs from 10 am to 1 pm. Look for the flyer in your mailbox this week!
- And finally, on Sat, 7 Jun, we Spring into Shelburne! with our 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale, afternoon auction at the Cox Warehouse, and The Jimmy Flynn Show at Bowood in the evening. Check the website for all the details. I'm already receiving calls from yard salers asking where they can set up for the day. As you know, we have received a blanket approval from Town Council to set up anywhere in Town, as we did last year. The rules for the day will be simple - don't block any business, don't set up in front of anyone's property without their permission and, if you set up on the sidewalk, leave room for pedestrian traffic. And for all you yardless yard salers out there, we're planning to set you up in the parking lot and green space at the Shelburne Community Centre on King Street!
One last note. Came across a copy of the April issue of Commerce Magazine, Southwestern Nova Scotia's Business & Lifestyle Magazine. There are two articles in there profiling prominent Shelburne County businesses - Windward Flutes and Wilson's Home Hardware. Congratulations to Yola and Forbes Christie of Windward Flutes for making their new business a success in such short order (the article also mentioned the unveiling of the Shelburne Fyfe this year as part of the 225th anniversary!), and congratulations to David Wilson and his family for 80 years of success!
COMING UP:
- Bowood hosts The Songwriter's Circle with Bruce Guthro tomorrow night, 26 Apr, and Dwight D'Eon on 10 May. Get the full details at www.bowood.biz.
- The Osprey Arts Centre has five big events coming up - Select Cinema on 29 Apr, Good Rockin' Daddys on 3 May, Puirt A Baroque on 9 May, Lio Lo on 10 May and Gina Symonds Rec Room Jam also on 10 May. Check their website www.ospreyartscentre.com for more details.
- Our Community - Something for Everyone volunteer showcase at Lockeport Regional High School next Sat, 3 May, from 11 am - 3 pm.
- The Black Loyalist Heritage Society is holding a cheesecake and tea/coffee event on Mother's Day, Sun, 11 May, 1-3 pm at the Birchtown Community Centre. Cost is $4 a slice.
- Mother's Day!! Don't forget Mom ...
Edition: 2008-18
Friday, May 2, 2008
Good afternoon! Another full and busy weekend ahead, so decided to send this out early!
Before we get into this weekend's activities, I just want to pass along some thankyous.
- First one is to the 65 talented students who make up the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra. What a wonderful concert they gave us last Sun, 27 Apr! Didn't I tell you they were good?
- The second one is to all of you who attended and supported the LL08 Spring Fling event. We're so pleased to get so much positive feedback on the concert and to know that you enjoyed it as much as we did!
- Another thank you goes to Osprey Arts Centre Director Susan Hoover for her assistance in making sure everything ran smoothly - and it did!
- A big thank you to Scotiabank for making a generous donation of $1,000 to the Society to help defray costs for the concert!
- Accolades go out to Sobeys Manager Steve Burns and his deli staff for making (and wrapping!) 65, yes 65 sandwiches for the members of the Orchestra. As soon as the NSYO left Shelburne on Sun afternoon, they were heading up Truro way for an 8 pm concert. As they wouldn't have time to stop for supper, they asked if we could provide "brown bag suppers" for the students to eat in transit. Sobeys readily agreed to prepare sandwiches for them all!
- And final thanks go to Debbie Savory of MacDonald, Chisholm & Trask Insurance in Shelburne. Claiming she has a "soft spot for kids", Debbie very kindly donated 96 bottles of water for the Orchestra!
So another successful LL08 event under our belt - only 40-some left to go!
Coming up this weekend -
Susan Oswell and I will be at the Our Community - Something for Everyone volunteer showcase tomorrow, Sat 3 May, at Lockeport Regional High School. The event runs from 11 am - 3 pm. Stop by to say hi!
And on Sun, 4 May, don't miss the Loyalist Landing Celebration. I've got your day all planned for you! This day of commemoration will begin with an ecumenical worship service at 11 am at the Shelburne Community Centre. Special guest speaker at the service will be Reverend Lionel Moriah, former Minister for the Baptist Church in Lockeport and now teaching at Acadia Divinity College. Keep in mind that most of the restaurants in Shelburne will be open for lunch, so once you've replenished your energy reserves at your favourite eatery, you can amble on down to Dock Street for the 2 pm waterfront ceremony for the blessing and launch of the first longboat. We had originally planned to christen the longboat at the same time, but we have now decided to hold off on the selection of names until both longboats are built. Plans are now underway to christen the two longboats during the Waterfront Weekend ... The weather on Sunday promises to be outstanding, so following the waterfront ceremony, we invite you to enjoy a pleasant stroll through our scenic Town as you work up an appetite for the "rations" at the Shelburne Lions Club at 5 pm. For $7, you'll get turkey vegetable soup, fresh rolls and biscuits, and good old-fashioned bread pudding - all stuff that would have been on the menu in 1783! Please note that all proceeds from the "rations" go to the Lions Club. At 7 pm, the day will be rounded out with a roaring bonfire in a gravel area on Town property located up the street from the Lions Club - bring your lawn chair!
PS - For anyone wanting to play a little part in Shelburne's history, the first longboat will be taken out of the Muir-Cox Shipyard at noon on Sunday. Extra muscle is always welcome!
And if you're into philately or just looking for a unique LL08 souvenir, drop by the Shelburne Post Office on Mon, 5 May. That's when the Loyalist picture postage stamp goes on sale, and you can also get a Shelburne stamp cancellation. Would you like a Shelburne LL08 cachet envelope with that? Between 10 am and 1 pm, Post Mistress Susan and staff will host a reception for the launch of the new stamp products. The Society will be there, as will the Canada Post regional manager from Bridgewater. Also on hand will the three local fellas "slash" celebrities pictured on the Loyalist stamp ... don't forget to get their autograph on the stamp sheet ...! There'll be cake, coffee and lots of excitement - do drop by!
Once this weekend is over, our thoughts will turn to June and our Spring Into Shelburne! event. Start rummaging through the house, garage and barn for treasures to sell at your yard sale! Also don't forget that the Society will be holding a fundraising auction at the Cox Warehouse in the afternoon, courtesy of Bob & Wanda Guay. As you're rummaging through the house, please keep us in mind for any old, big or cumbersome items you may want to get rid of (sorry, we can't take any husbands ...) that might be good for the auction. Give me a call and we'll gladly arrange for pick up!
Tidbits:
- A regular meeting of the LL08 Society was held last night, 1 May; minutes will be out today.
- May, Jun and July events have now been updated on the website; thank you, John!
- The Shelburne County Calendar on our website has also been updated. Double check your events before I do another run-through next week to add anything I may have missed, but check it out if you think there's nothing to do in Shelburne County ...
And these days, I can't help but grin from ear to ear as I go about Town! All those Loyalist flags and red, white & blue bunting sprouting up everywhere just warms my heart and makes me so proud ...! We're lookin' good! On the subject of flags, I received an inquiry this week about the protocol for hanging flags, especially if you're adding a Loyalist flag to an existing Canadian or NS flag. Everything you ever wanted to know about flag etiquette but were afraid to ask can be found at http://www.flagsunlimited.com/flags_www/cdn_e/cdn_e_order-of-precedence.asp.
Coming up:
- Upcoming shows at the Osprey Arts Centre - Good Rockin' Daddys on 3 May, Puirt A Baroque on 9 May, Lio Lo on 10 May and Gina Symonds Rec Room Jam also on 10 May. Visit www.ospreyartscentre.com for full details.
- Dwight D'Eon is at the Bowood Calestone Centre on 10 May. Get the full details at www.bowood.biz.
- Treat Mom to some cheesecake and a cuppa at the Birchtown Community Centre on Sun, 11 May, 1-3 pm. Cost is $4/slice. Sponsored by the Black Loyalist Heritage Society.
- Sun, 11 May is Mother's Day!!
Sponsored by:
Town of Shelburne
Municipality of Barrington
Transcontinental Media
Municipality of the District of Shelburne
Website sponsored and created by:
©copyright 2007/2008 The Official website of the Loyalist Landing 2008 Society.
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
Nova Scotia Tourism, Culture and Heritage
South West Shore Development Authority
Clarence Betleyoun Fine Art
Major Sponsors:
UELAC
Loyalist Group Supporters
Edition: 2008-19
Sun, May 11th, 2008
Good evening! A little cool out there today, but hey, the upside is - less blackflies! This week, it's all about thank-yous.
ˇLots of kudos to the organizing committee that put together the ecumenical worship service last Sunday, 4 May! It was such a lovely service, the choir was indeed heavenly under Bill's musical direction, Rev Moriah provided inspiration and hope, and it was truly wonderful to see so many people come together to worship. We were very proud to be part of it ...
ˇNext up is a big thank you to the folks at Seaway Fabrications. They very kindly donated their time (on a Sunday!), their equipment and their expertise to assist in the launch of the longboat. They made it look so easy!
ˇThank you to the Shelburne Volunteer Fire Department - on a Sunday, on short notice, they provided a Zodiac and a crew to ensure that everyone was safe on that very cold-looking water!
ˇOur gratitude to the Shelburne Harbour Yacht Club - Commodore Ken Taylor very generously allowed us to use the Yacht Club's "authentic 18th century" Personal Flotation Devices for the longboat crew. Thank goodness we never had to use them!
ˇAnother thank you goes to the Shelburne RCMP Detachment for providing a VIB (Very Important Boat) escort from the Muir-Cox Shipyard to the Town wharf!
ˇWe would also like to acknowledge the restaurant owners in Town who readily agreed to open for lunch - it was so good of you to give up your day off ...
ˇThe penultimate thank you (didn't think I knew such big words, did you?) goes to Carol Morash and the Shelburne Lions Club. They prepared an absolutely delicious Loyalist supper - that was easily the very best turkey soup and bread pudding we've ever tasted! We really appreciate all the hard work and effort they put into preparing the supper, decorating the Club and being part of the day's events.
ˇThe final thank you is for everyone who attended, participated in, and contributed one way or another to the Loyalist Landing Celebration. The enthusiastic turn-out for the day was unexpected and wonderful! A community came together to remember and celebrate its heritage - and that's exactly what it was all about ...
For anyone who's wondering - we ended up canceling the bonfire at the end of the day. Just around 7 pm, it started to sprinkle, and not knowing if it would continue or stop, we decided to call off the event. I guess we'll have to take a raincheck on that one!
Oh, and check the website - John has uploaded a video of the longboat when it was turned over a few weeks back and the photos from the launch.
Next came the Loyalist stamp issue and cancellation at the Post Office on Monday, 5 May. What a day - it turned out to be the biggest little event yet! The day, the crowd and the interest far exceeded anything we had dreamed of with the Picture Postage stamp and cachet envelope selling out in less than two hours! And apparently, it hasn't stopped as the Post Office staff are still taking orders for the stamp and envelope. Although the supply was exhausted in just one day, we have taken delivery of enough stock to keep ahead of the orders. A huge thank you goes to the ladies at the Post Office - for doing such a nice job with the decorations, for providing cake and coffee, for promoting this event, for looking so perfect in their Loyalist costumes, and for making this "little" event such a continuing success! And remember, these postal items make great gifts and souvenirs - see the ladies at the Post Office to get yours.
We'd also like to thank Sterling Belliveau, Shelburne County MLA and LL08 supporter. On Thursday, 24 April, he presented Resolution #1800 in the Assembly recognizing the Loyalist Landing 2008 Society and the 225th anniversary celebrations. He then presented each MLA with an LL08 baseball cap! With any luck, there are now 52 blue baseball caps bobbing on heads across the province, advertising Shelburne and our celebrations! The resolution and the video clip should be up on the website in the next couple of weeks.
Coming up next on the busy and exciting Loyalist Landing 2008 agenda is the Spring into Shelburne! event on Sat, 7 Jun. Get ready for a full day starting with our 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale at 8 am, a waterfront auction by B&W Auctions at the Cox Warehouse at 2 pm, and The Jimmy Flynn Show at the Calestone Centre, Bowood, at 8 pm.
The rules for the yard sale will be the same as last year - no fee, you're responsible for your own set-up and dismantle, please clean up after yourself, and any money you make is yours to keep. Shelburne Town Council has granted a blanket approval so you can set up pretty well anywhere in Town as long as you're not taking up some homeowner's or business' sidewalk space. We've also requested permission to use the parking lot at the Shelburne Community Centre - should know by next week. Wherever you do set up, please make sure you're not impeding motor or foot traffic, or we'll get in trouble with Wilmont!
Of course, Woodworker's Home Hardware and King Street Tim-BR Mart will again be holding their annual yard sales and I've already had a few community organizations and individuals contact me to confirm that they will be participating again this year. If your community organization, club or business is planning to hold a yard sale, let me know - and then I'll let everyone know!
As far as the afternoon auction is concerned, we're accepting donations! Anything at all really, but items suitable for an auction would be very much welcome and appreciated. Drop us a line - by e-mail or phone - and we will make arrangements to pick up the goodies. Check the basement, the barn or wherever - there's probably something there that would fetch a handsome price at the auction. And keep in mind that all proceeds from the auction will go to the July Loyalist Landing events!
COMING UP:
At the risk of disappointing you, I will no longer be listing upcoming events. The list is growing every week, and to be honest, it's becoming a job unto itself making sure I don't forget any! So, to keep things simple, I'll just remind you to check out the Shelburne County Calendar on our website. As soon as I receive notice of any event, I post it to the calendar - the calendar is actually more current than I am! So send me your upcoming events, and I'll ensure they are posted on our website at www.LoyalistsatShelburne.com.
Heads up! The next regular meeting of the LL08 Society will be held next Saturday, 17 May, 10 am in the Town Council Chambers in Shelburne.
Edition: 2008-20
Sun, May 18th, 2008
Good evening!
This past week, Treasurer Jim, Website Manager John, Director Susan and I attended a trade show, reception and banquet at the Destination South West Nova Association AGM & Conference. The event was held at the Annapolis Basin Conference Centre at the old Cornwall base from 15-16 May, and the LL08 Society was invited to attend the trade show and reception, and give a presentation at the banquet. Jim and John came up with a neat way to start our presentation - John played the video of MP Gerald Eddy announcing the LL08 celebrations in the House of Commons! So thank you, Mr. Eddy, for that cameo appearance! The presentation went very well, with the Society even receiving personal accolades from Mark MacDonald, the President and CEO of Bay Ferries. And then, quite unexpectedly, the Society was presented with a South Shore Award for contributing to the quality of the visitor experience in Destination Southwest Nova Scotia and the tourism industry in Nova Scotia. Wow! It turned out to be quite a week! Gulp ... now we really have to make sure we do a good job!
During our stay in Annapolis Royal, we had the opportunity to tour the Historic Gardens in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the Loyalist carpet bed. We did find the bed - all neat and tucked and ready for flowers. Unfortunately, as the flowers to be used in the design of the carpet bed are all annuals, it's still too early to plant them ... But we did take pictures of the empty carpet bed, and with any luck, we'll be able to have a before and after picture for the LL08 scrapbook!
Planning is proceeding for the Waterfront Weekend, with lots and lots of vendors and exhibitors lining up. Early last week, I received confirmation from the Lunenburg Ship Modelers that five of their members will be here to exhibit their model ships, and even got an e-mail from Mount Saint Vincent University asking if they could set up a booth to promote the university ... The list of vendors for the Crafts, Fleas & Collectibles Market at the Shelburne Community Centre has been handed over to the two ladies who have very graciously offered to take the lead on this event as they have extensive experience in the craft market - Dorothy Peacock and Nancy Thomas (with a little help from Mary Elizabeth!) ... As well, Chair Al is working on the possibility of bringing in a scallop ship that would be open for tours and where you could also learn how to shuck a scallop ... May have another exhibitor at Ernie's Motorcycle Show & Shine ... I'm starting to think it'll be nearly impossible to publish a "final" schedule for the weekend as the list of activities keeps growing!
Next event to gear up for is the Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale on 7 Jun as part of the Spring into Shelburne! event. We have received confirmation from Town Council that the Community Centre parking lot will be available for anyone to set up their tables, and in fact, quite a few of you have already indicated that you plan to set up there. The Native Council Zone 13 has dibs on Atlantic House Park - they plan to set up a huge teepee! The LL08 Society will likely set up beside them with an info booth only this year, as we plan to walk around Town and get to see everyone! I've even been told by one lady that she plans to sew up some Loyalist costumes and sell them at her yard sale. One thing I do keep forgetting to mention - we would like to encourage as many people as possible to wear their Loyalist costumes or attire for the yard sale. We certainly plan to get dressed up for the occasion! What a vision - a couple of thousand people milling about Town, many of them dressed 18th century style ... guaranteed to make our 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale a truly unique event and experience!!
Don't forget that auctioneers Bob and Wanda Guay are looking for donations of items suitable for the afternoon auction that will be held as part of the day's events on 7 Jun. If you think you have something we can use, please call Bob and Wanda, or contact me - we'll gladly arrange for pick up. Keep in mind that this auction will be a fund raiser for the Society, with all proceeds going to the Grand Re-enactment Weekend!
And of course, The Jimmy Flynn Show will round out the day's activities. It will be held at the Cantonese Centre at Bowood. Doors open at 7 pm and the show starts at 8 pm. Tickets are $25 and available at various locations around the County. Check www.bowood.biz for more details.
Another event during the evening of 7 Jun will be a fundraising Celtic harp concert at the Birchtown Church with singers/songwriters/harpists Ardyth and Jennifer. For more details, you can check our website's Shelburne Calendar or contact the Black Loyalist Heritage Society at 875-1310.
Jeff Strang at Ideal Discount informs me that he is expecting a shipment any day now of Loyalist stick flags. They make great additions to window boxes, flower pots and gardens, and will sell for only $1 each! And in case you're wondering why Treasurer Jim and I don't have our Loyalist bunting up yet ... Jeff sold out! But I should be able to pick some up in the next week or so as he expects another shipment of flags, flag poles and bunting. The whole County is looking so cheerful and festive with all that red, white and blue - it's wonderful! Plus, four of the LL08 banners are now up on utility poles around Town and the remaining 16 should be up in the next couple of weeks, along with 20 Loyalist flags - we'll get there eventually!
It's going to be another busy week around Shelburne County - please check out the Shelburne Calendar for all the events.
Edition: 2008-21
Sun, May25th, 2008
Good evening! It was another busy week as usual on the LL08 front however, for me personally, most of it was paperwork - ho hum! I know that Chair Al was busy assisting Town staff in putting up the LL08 banners - and don't they look great? The banners that is ... not to say that the Town staff don't look great too ... And in case you're wondering, the job's not quite finished - we are awaiting delivery of special brackets for 20 flags to go up on various utility poles as well. The streets of Shelburne are going to look very festive indeed! Treasurer Jim was where he's been since February - at the Muir-Cox Shipyard building longboats. Doug Langley has been retailing and putting together the little details for the Governor's events during the Founder's Days Weekend, while Diann was lining up more potential participants for the Aboriginal Month Event on 3 & 4 October. Webguy John Oswell was sitting frustrated in Sandy Point as our website's server crashed and Susan was burning the midnight oil sewing up a sailor costume for John. As usual, Fred was seen crying all over Town ... And Regimental Bob was toiling away at the Cox Warehouse this week, sorting through the various articles that will be going up on the auction block on 7 Jun. Just another week at the LL08 office!
Busy week coming up! Liz Rigney from Live at 5 will be here tomorrow to do a segment on the longboats and interview three of Shelburne's venerable boatbuilders - Bill Cox, Charles Wesley and Curtis Mahaney. Then on Tuesday, we're off to school as the winners of the LL08 drawing contest are announced at Hillcrest Academy - stay tuned for pics of the winners and their masterpieces in The Coast Guard! And the Basement Theatre is at it again, this time with Hoodwinked playing at the Osprey Arts Centre this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Check our Shelburne Calendar or www.ospreyartscentre.com for more details.
The first of four Loyalist book launches by the Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society will be held on Friday, 6 Jun, 7 pm at the Osprey Arts Centre. This one will feature a new book by Stephen Kimber titled "Loyalists and Layabouts: The Rapid Rise and Faster Fall of Shelburne, Nova Scotia 1783-1792". There will be a reading by Stephen, book signing and sales, and the Prince of Wales Historic Dancers will be performing. Admission is $5 at the door.
Finally got my bunting from Ideal Discount this week. Tried to get some before, but they were sold out! And no wonder - everywhere you look around Town and even in Clyde River, there's that striking red, white and blue bunting! Also bought some stick flags - wow! These are stick flags on steroids! I was expecting the usual little ones with the flag maybe 4" x 6" (sorry, cms not available ...), but these flags are 12" x 18" - and they're only 99 cents. Needless to say, there are now two in each of my patio pots! The Strangs have been very busy themselves bringing in all kinds of LL08 memorabilia - 2" button pins, mugs and postcards, including t-shirts with a cute Loyalist cartoon figure specially designed and drawn by Dianne. Check it out!
While at the store, I was approached by a very nice lady asking me where she and her daughters could set up for the Town-wide yard & sidewalk sale on 7 Jun. They're coming in from North East Harbour. They were here as shoppers at last year's event and so enjoyed themselves, they decided to come back this year as yardsalers! They'll be setting up in the parking lot of the Community Centre with all the other yardless yardsalers. And I was very pleased to get word this week that the community's churches will be participating in the yard sale again this year - so weather-wise, we're absolutely covered! But, in the highly improbable, extremely unlikely, I'm in total denial event that it does rain on 7 Jun, the Town-wide yard & sidewalk sale will be held the following Saturday, 14 Jun.
Bob & Wanda Guay of B&W Auctions are still looking for donations of items for the fundraising auction that will also be held on 7 Jun as part of the Spring into Shelburne! event. The auction will be held at the Cox Warehouse on Dock Street and will begin at 2 pm. This is a fundraiser for the Society, with all proceeds going to the Grand Re-enactment Weekend. The auction will be held rain or shine.
And, of course, there will be some evening entertainment to round out an exciting day of bargain hunting and treasure seeking. The Jimmy Flynn Show will be held at the Calestone Centre at Bowood, starting at 8 pm. Doors open at 7 pm and tickets are $25. There will also be a fundraising Celtic harp concert at the Birchtown Church that evening, hosted by the Black Loyalist Heritage Society and the Shelburne Historical Society. See the Shelburne Calendar on our website for full details on this event. Both concerts will be held, rain or shine.
As part of the Chamber of Commerce's Communities in Bloom beautification project, you are invited to learn to plant your own container. There will be two sessions - one at Lavender Hill Nursery on Thursday, 12 Jun at 6:30 pm and one at Spencer's Garden Centre on Saturday, 14 Jun at 9 am. Experienced gardeners will be on hand to assist you and you'll get a discount on the plants for your container. Fee is $10 and you have to bring your own container(s), rubber boots, washtubs, baskets, etc. Call Cathy or Elizabeth at 875-4020 to register.
I think that's it - have a great week!
Edition: 2008-22
Date: Sun June 1, 2008
Good evening! Another week gone by and, as many of you keep reminding me - it's only six weeks till the Waterfront Weekend! We're hoping to put together the final (or as near as we can get it!) schedule in the next week or so, but let me tell you, it's shaping up to be a very full and exciting weekend! There will be lots to see and do for every member of the family, including, but not limited to, sky diving demos, waterfront concerts, hip hop performances, longboat races, dory races, "political" boat races, bathtub races, yacht and albacore races, navy ship tours, Tall Ship tours, scallop ship tours, model ship displays, a midway, vendors, exhibits, displays, demos, food court - pause for a breath ... - Loyalist Family Treasure Hunt, soapbox derby, Motorcycle Show & Shine, Crafts, Fleas & Collectibles Market, and a few others yet to confirm! And did I mention that admission to most of these activities will be free, including admission to the Museum Complex? Like I said, it's going to be a full and exciting weekend - plan to be there!
If you missed the longboat segment on Live at 5 on Wed, don't despair for it's now up on our website! Web wiz John taped the segment and it's been uploaded to the website, so check it out. Next on the to-do list is to hang a picture of Liz in the Muir-Cox Shipyard, ABOVE Bruce Frisko's picture ...
While you're there, click on the Hillcrest tab in the Photo Gallery. Winners of the LL08 drawing contest were announced at a school assembly at Hillcrest this past week. Pictures of the winning artworks have now been posted to our website. Thank you to all the students and staff at Hillcrest for making this contest possible, Bill & Betty Camp for generously donating prizes, the volunteers who participated in the Loyalist Multicultural Day at Hillcrest on 23 Apr and thus inspired the 300 budding da Vincis, and finally, congratulations to the winners!
Also now up on the website is a copy of Resolution No. 1800 dealing with the Loyalist Landing 2008 Society and the 2008 celebrations. This resolution was introduced in the Legislative Assembly by MLA Sterling Belliveau on 24 Apr. There's also a video clip of our Shelburne County MLA speaking to the resolution. Thank you to Mr. Belliveau for the very kind words!
Many kudos to John - we kept him very busy last week and he's still smiling!
If you're looking for hats and accessories for your Loyalist costumes, Beth Guye will open up her Down Memory Lane Collectibles shop on King Street tomorrow, weather permitting.
The Shelburne County Lobster Festival opens this week. LL08 Society Crier Fred Greenwood will be at the Sandy Point Lighthouse Park & Community Centre on Thu 5 Jun for the grand opening.
On Fri 6 Jun, Stephen Kimber will be at the Osprey Arts Centre at 7 pm to launch his latest book "Loyalists and Layabouts: The Rapid Rise and Faster Fall of Shelburne, Nova Scotia 1783-1792". Copies of the book will be available to purchase, and Stephen will do a reading and book signing. The Prince of Wales Historic Dancers will also perform. Admission is $5 at the door. The event is the first of four Loyalist book launches being held by the Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society during the Loyalist Landing 2008 celebrations! Check our website for details on the other three upcoming book launches.
Time to get down to business, and more specifically the Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale!! Inquiries are coming in daily from yard salers and shoppers alike, and from as far away as Halifax! Seems we made quite an impression with last year's event, and no one wants to miss out this year. Even Liz Rigney plugged it on Live at 5 - wasn't that incredible? So, let's put on a show they'll never forget!
Some of the stuff that will be going on in and around Town:
- Woodworker's Home Hardware and King Street Tim-BR Mart will be holding their very popular annual yard sales with lots of great bargains to be had.
- Community churches will be holding yard sales at their respective locations.
- Staff at Charlotte Lane Café will be selling homemade muffins, fruit smoothies and other breakfast delights to get you energized for a day of shopping. They'll be set up in front of the Sandy Lane Vacations office on Water Street.
- Sophia's Café at Shelburne Mall will once again be offering free slushies with lunch for the kids.
- The Native Council Zone 13 will be setting up a teepee at Atlantic House Park and selling native crafts.
- The Shelburne County Museum staff are also setting up a yard sale in front of the museum at 20 Dock Street.
- In addition to her regular delicious fare, Monique at The Beandock Café will also be firing up the BBQ.
- Camp Jordan will be handing out brochures and selling t-shirts, cookbooks and cookies.
- The Shelburne Volunteer Fire Department will hold a car wash and BBQ at the Firehall on King Street.
- Yardless yard salers will set up in the parking lot and grassy area of the Community Centre on King Street.
- Linda and Donnie will be selling special cards created for the LL08 celebrations.
- The Ideal Discount Store will set up in the parking lot of the Shelburne Mall as it did last year. Great opportunity to pick up your Loyalist flags and bunting!
- Look for the Shelburne Youth Bowling Council hot dog stand.
- And I'm told that folks in Sandy Point and Jordan Bay will once again be participating in the yard sale this year, making a nice little shopping loop through Shelburne, Sandy Point, Jordan Bay and back to Shelburne.
- When you're doing the loop, don't forget to stop in at the Beulah Burman Memorial Animal Shelter at 528 Sandy Point Road.
- And there's lots more!
One final run through all the details for the Town-wide yard & sidewalk sale:
1. Have lots of fun!
2. It all starts at 8 am next Sat, 7 Jun until 2 pm. If it rains (ain't gonna happen ...), the event will be held the next Sat, 14 Jun.
3. If you're having fun, sales are good and you want to keep selling beyond 2 pm, go for it!
4. If many homes on one street are participating, please put up a sign at the end of your street to direct the bargain hunters your way. Don't forget to take the sign down at the end of the day!
5. In addition to the Community Centre parking lot and green space, yardless yard salers can set up anywhere in Town. Only stipulation - please don't set up in front of someone's home or business without their consent, don't block access to any home or business, and leave enough room on the sidewalks for pedestrian traffic.
6. Please clean up after yourself, although you all did such an outstanding job cleaning up last year, by suppertime you never would have known we'd had a Town-wide yard sale! It even elicited favourable comments from one Mr. Hardy at the Town Office ...!
7. If you're so inclined, feel free to deck yourself out in Loyalist attire. I promise you won't be alone as directors, members and volunteers of the LL08 Society will be walking around Town all dressed up!
8. HAVE LOTS OF FUN!
And remember that it ain't over 'till the auctioneer says it's over! At 2 pm, head on down to the waterfront for a fundraising auction at the Cox Warehouse. Auctioneers Bob & Wanda have been busy sorting through all kinds of neat treasures and collectibles, and there's sure to be something to tickle every taste and pocketbook. Donations of items for the auction are still welcome and the auction will be held rain or shine!
Then at the end of the day, to end a very perfect day, you can tickle your funny bone at The Jimmy Flynn Show at the Calestone Centre, Bowood. The doors open at 7 pm and the show starts at 8 pm. Tickets are $25, available at various locations around the County. Check the www.bowood.biz website for more details. If you're in more of a reflective mood, the Black Loyalist Heritage Society and Shelburne Historical Society will be hosting a fundraising Celtic harp concert at St. Paul's Church, 23 Old Birchtown Road, starting at 7 pm. The Prince of Wales Historic Dancers will also be on hand to perform and yummy desserts will be available for sale. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for students. Both concerts will be held rain or shine!
It's going to be another great week in Shelburne County!
Sun, May 11th, 2008
Good evening! A little cool out there today, but hey, the upside is - less blackflies! This week, it's all about thank-yous.
ˇLots of kudos to the organizing committee that put together the ecumenical worship service last Sunday, 4 May! It was such a lovely service, the choir was indeed heavenly under Bill's musical direction, Rev Moriah provided inspiration and hope, and it was truly wonderful to see so many people come together to worship. We were very proud to be part of it ...
ˇNext up is a big thank you to the folks at Seaway Fabrications. They very kindly donated their time (on a Sunday!), their equipment and their expertise to assist in the launch of the longboat. They made it look so easy!
ˇThank you to the Shelburne Volunteer Fire Department - on a Sunday, on short notice, they provided a Zodiac and a crew to ensure that everyone was safe on that very cold-looking water!
ˇOur gratitude to the Shelburne Harbour Yacht Club - Commodore Ken Taylor very generously allowed us to use the Yacht Club's "authentic 18th century" Personal Flotation Devices for the longboat crew. Thank goodness we never had to use them!
ˇAnother thank you goes to the Shelburne RCMP Detachment for providing a VIB (Very Important Boat) escort from the Muir-Cox Shipyard to the Town wharf!
ˇWe would also like to acknowledge the restaurant owners in Town who readily agreed to open for lunch - it was so good of you to give up your day off ...
ˇThe penultimate thank you (didn't think I knew such big words, did you?) goes to Carol Morash and the Shelburne Lions Club. They prepared an absolutely delicious Loyalist supper - that was easily the very best turkey soup and bread pudding we've ever tasted! We really appreciate all the hard work and effort they put into preparing the supper, decorating the Club and being part of the day's events.
ˇThe final thank you is for everyone who attended, participated in, and contributed one way or another to the Loyalist Landing Celebration. The enthusiastic turn-out for the day was unexpected and wonderful! A community came together to remember and celebrate its heritage - and that's exactly what it was all about ...
For anyone who's wondering - we ended up canceling the bonfire at the end of the day. Just around 7 pm, it started to sprinkle, and not knowing if it would continue or stop, we decided to call off the event. I guess we'll have to take a raincheck on that one!
Oh, and check the website - John has uploaded a video of the longboat when it was turned over a few weeks back and the photos from the launch.
Next came the Loyalist stamp issue and cancellation at the Post Office on Monday, 5 May. What a day - it turned out to be the biggest little event yet! The day, the crowd and the interest far exceeded anything we had dreamed of with the Picture Postage stamp and cachet envelope selling out in less than two hours! And apparently, it hasn't stopped as the Post Office staff are still taking orders for the stamp and envelope. Although the supply was exhausted in just one day, we have taken delivery of enough stock to keep ahead of the orders. A huge thank you goes to the ladies at the Post Office - for doing such a nice job with the decorations, for providing cake and coffee, for promoting this event, for looking so perfect in their Loyalist costumes, and for making this "little" event such a continuing success! And remember, these postal items make great gifts and souvenirs - see the ladies at the Post Office to get yours.
We'd also like to thank Sterling Belliveau, Shelburne County MLA and LL08 supporter. On Thursday, 24 April, he presented Resolution #1800 in the Assembly recognizing the Loyalist Landing 2008 Society and the 225th anniversary celebrations. He then presented each MLA with an LL08 baseball cap! With any luck, there are now 52 blue baseball caps bobbing on heads across the province, advertising Shelburne and our celebrations! The resolution and the video clip should be up on the website in the next couple of weeks.
Coming up next on the busy and exciting Loyalist Landing 2008 agenda is the Spring into Shelburne! event on Sat, 7 Jun. Get ready for a full day starting with our 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale at 8 am, a waterfront auction by B&W Auctions at the Cox Warehouse at 2 pm, and The Jimmy Flynn Show at the Calestone Centre, Bowood, at 8 pm.
The rules for the yard sale will be the same as last year - no fee, you're responsible for your own set-up and dismantle, please clean up after yourself, and any money you make is yours to keep. Shelburne Town Council has granted a blanket approval so you can set up pretty well anywhere in Town as long as you're not taking up some homeowner's or business' sidewalk space. We've also requested permission to use the parking lot at the Shelburne Community Centre - should know by next week. Wherever you do set up, please make sure you're not impeding motor or foot traffic, or we'll get in trouble with Wilmont!
Of course, Woodworker's Home Hardware and King Street Tim-BR Mart will again be holding their annual yard sales and I've already had a few community organizations and individuals contact me to confirm that they will be participating again this year. If your community organization, club or business is planning to hold a yard sale, let me know - and then I'll let everyone know!
As far as the afternoon auction is concerned, we're accepting donations! Anything at all really, but items suitable for an auction would be very much welcome and appreciated. Drop us a line - by e-mail or phone - and we will make arrangements to pick up the goodies. Check the basement, the barn or wherever - there's probably something there that would fetch a handsome price at the auction. And keep in mind that all proceeds from the auction will go to the July Loyalist Landing events!
COMING UP:
At the risk of disappointing you, I will no longer be listing upcoming events. The list is growing every week, and to be honest, it's becoming a job unto itself making sure I don't forget any! So, to keep things simple, I'll just remind you to check out the Shelburne County Calendar on our website. As soon as I receive notice of any event, I post it to the calendar - the calendar is actually more current than I am! So send me your upcoming events, and I'll ensure they are posted on our website at www.LoyalistsatShelburne.com.
Heads up! The next regular meeting of the LL08 Society will be held next Saturday, 17 May, 10 am in the Town Council Chambers in Shelburne.
Edition: 2008-20
Sun, May 18th, 2008
Good evening!
This past week, Treasurer Jim, Website Manager John, Director Susan and I attended a trade show, reception and banquet at the Destination South West Nova Association AGM & Conference. The event was held at the Annapolis Basin Conference Centre at the old Cornwall base from 15-16 May, and the LL08 Society was invited to attend the trade show and reception, and give a presentation at the banquet. Jim and John came up with a neat way to start our presentation - John played the video of MP Gerald Eddy announcing the LL08 celebrations in the House of Commons! So thank you, Mr. Eddy, for that cameo appearance! The presentation went very well, with the Society even receiving personal accolades from Mark MacDonald, the President and CEO of Bay Ferries. And then, quite unexpectedly, the Society was presented with a South Shore Award for contributing to the quality of the visitor experience in Destination Southwest Nova Scotia and the tourism industry in Nova Scotia. Wow! It turned out to be quite a week! Gulp ... now we really have to make sure we do a good job!
During our stay in Annapolis Royal, we had the opportunity to tour the Historic Gardens in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the Loyalist carpet bed. We did find the bed - all neat and tucked and ready for flowers. Unfortunately, as the flowers to be used in the design of the carpet bed are all annuals, it's still too early to plant them ... But we did take pictures of the empty carpet bed, and with any luck, we'll be able to have a before and after picture for the LL08 scrapbook!
Planning is proceeding for the Waterfront Weekend, with lots and lots of vendors and exhibitors lining up. Early last week, I received confirmation from the Lunenburg Ship Modelers that five of their members will be here to exhibit their model ships, and even got an e-mail from Mount Saint Vincent University asking if they could set up a booth to promote the university ... The list of vendors for the Crafts, Fleas & Collectibles Market at the Shelburne Community Centre has been handed over to the two ladies who have very graciously offered to take the lead on this event as they have extensive experience in the craft market - Dorothy Peacock and Nancy Thomas (with a little help from Mary Elizabeth!) ... As well, Chair Al is working on the possibility of bringing in a scallop ship that would be open for tours and where you could also learn how to shuck a scallop ... May have another exhibitor at Ernie's Motorcycle Show & Shine ... I'm starting to think it'll be nearly impossible to publish a "final" schedule for the weekend as the list of activities keeps growing!
Next event to gear up for is the Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale on 7 Jun as part of the Spring into Shelburne! event. We have received confirmation from Town Council that the Community Centre parking lot will be available for anyone to set up their tables, and in fact, quite a few of you have already indicated that you plan to set up there. The Native Council Zone 13 has dibs on Atlantic House Park - they plan to set up a huge teepee! The LL08 Society will likely set up beside them with an info booth only this year, as we plan to walk around Town and get to see everyone! I've even been told by one lady that she plans to sew up some Loyalist costumes and sell them at her yard sale. One thing I do keep forgetting to mention - we would like to encourage as many people as possible to wear their Loyalist costumes or attire for the yard sale. We certainly plan to get dressed up for the occasion! What a vision - a couple of thousand people milling about Town, many of them dressed 18th century style ... guaranteed to make our 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale a truly unique event and experience!!
Don't forget that auctioneers Bob and Wanda Guay are looking for donations of items suitable for the afternoon auction that will be held as part of the day's events on 7 Jun. If you think you have something we can use, please call Bob and Wanda, or contact me - we'll gladly arrange for pick up. Keep in mind that this auction will be a fund raiser for the Society, with all proceeds going to the Grand Re-enactment Weekend!
And of course, The Jimmy Flynn Show will round out the day's activities. It will be held at the Cantonese Centre at Bowood. Doors open at 7 pm and the show starts at 8 pm. Tickets are $25 and available at various locations around the County. Check www.bowood.biz for more details.
Another event during the evening of 7 Jun will be a fundraising Celtic harp concert at the Birchtown Church with singers/songwriters/harpists Ardyth and Jennifer. For more details, you can check our website's Shelburne Calendar or contact the Black Loyalist Heritage Society at 875-1310.
Jeff Strang at Ideal Discount informs me that he is expecting a shipment any day now of Loyalist stick flags. They make great additions to window boxes, flower pots and gardens, and will sell for only $1 each! And in case you're wondering why Treasurer Jim and I don't have our Loyalist bunting up yet ... Jeff sold out! But I should be able to pick some up in the next week or so as he expects another shipment of flags, flag poles and bunting. The whole County is looking so cheerful and festive with all that red, white and blue - it's wonderful! Plus, four of the LL08 banners are now up on utility poles around Town and the remaining 16 should be up in the next couple of weeks, along with 20 Loyalist flags - we'll get there eventually!
It's going to be another busy week around Shelburne County - please check out the Shelburne Calendar for all the events.
Edition: 2008-21
Sun, May25th, 2008
Good evening! It was another busy week as usual on the LL08 front however, for me personally, most of it was paperwork - ho hum! I know that Chair Al was busy assisting Town staff in putting up the LL08 banners - and don't they look great? The banners that is ... not to say that the Town staff don't look great too ... And in case you're wondering, the job's not quite finished - we are awaiting delivery of special brackets for 20 flags to go up on various utility poles as well. The streets of Shelburne are going to look very festive indeed! Treasurer Jim was where he's been since February - at the Muir-Cox Shipyard building longboats. Doug Langley has been retailing and putting together the little details for the Governor's events during the Founder's Days Weekend, while Diann was lining up more potential participants for the Aboriginal Month Event on 3 & 4 October. Webguy John Oswell was sitting frustrated in Sandy Point as our website's server crashed and Susan was burning the midnight oil sewing up a sailor costume for John. As usual, Fred was seen crying all over Town ... And Regimental Bob was toiling away at the Cox Warehouse this week, sorting through the various articles that will be going up on the auction block on 7 Jun. Just another week at the LL08 office!
Busy week coming up! Liz Rigney from Live at 5 will be here tomorrow to do a segment on the longboats and interview three of Shelburne's venerable boatbuilders - Bill Cox, Charles Wesley and Curtis Mahaney. Then on Tuesday, we're off to school as the winners of the LL08 drawing contest are announced at Hillcrest Academy - stay tuned for pics of the winners and their masterpieces in The Coast Guard! And the Basement Theatre is at it again, this time with Hoodwinked playing at the Osprey Arts Centre this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Check our Shelburne Calendar or www.ospreyartscentre.com for more details.
The first of four Loyalist book launches by the Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society will be held on Friday, 6 Jun, 7 pm at the Osprey Arts Centre. This one will feature a new book by Stephen Kimber titled "Loyalists and Layabouts: The Rapid Rise and Faster Fall of Shelburne, Nova Scotia 1783-1792". There will be a reading by Stephen, book signing and sales, and the Prince of Wales Historic Dancers will be performing. Admission is $5 at the door.
Finally got my bunting from Ideal Discount this week. Tried to get some before, but they were sold out! And no wonder - everywhere you look around Town and even in Clyde River, there's that striking red, white and blue bunting! Also bought some stick flags - wow! These are stick flags on steroids! I was expecting the usual little ones with the flag maybe 4" x 6" (sorry, cms not available ...), but these flags are 12" x 18" - and they're only 99 cents. Needless to say, there are now two in each of my patio pots! The Strangs have been very busy themselves bringing in all kinds of LL08 memorabilia - 2" button pins, mugs and postcards, including t-shirts with a cute Loyalist cartoon figure specially designed and drawn by Dianne. Check it out!
While at the store, I was approached by a very nice lady asking me where she and her daughters could set up for the Town-wide yard & sidewalk sale on 7 Jun. They're coming in from North East Harbour. They were here as shoppers at last year's event and so enjoyed themselves, they decided to come back this year as yardsalers! They'll be setting up in the parking lot of the Community Centre with all the other yardless yardsalers. And I was very pleased to get word this week that the community's churches will be participating in the yard sale again this year - so weather-wise, we're absolutely covered! But, in the highly improbable, extremely unlikely, I'm in total denial event that it does rain on 7 Jun, the Town-wide yard & sidewalk sale will be held the following Saturday, 14 Jun.
Bob & Wanda Guay of B&W Auctions are still looking for donations of items for the fundraising auction that will also be held on 7 Jun as part of the Spring into Shelburne! event. The auction will be held at the Cox Warehouse on Dock Street and will begin at 2 pm. This is a fundraiser for the Society, with all proceeds going to the Grand Re-enactment Weekend. The auction will be held rain or shine.
And, of course, there will be some evening entertainment to round out an exciting day of bargain hunting and treasure seeking. The Jimmy Flynn Show will be held at the Calestone Centre at Bowood, starting at 8 pm. Doors open at 7 pm and tickets are $25. There will also be a fundraising Celtic harp concert at the Birchtown Church that evening, hosted by the Black Loyalist Heritage Society and the Shelburne Historical Society. See the Shelburne Calendar on our website for full details on this event. Both concerts will be held, rain or shine.
As part of the Chamber of Commerce's Communities in Bloom beautification project, you are invited to learn to plant your own container. There will be two sessions - one at Lavender Hill Nursery on Thursday, 12 Jun at 6:30 pm and one at Spencer's Garden Centre on Saturday, 14 Jun at 9 am. Experienced gardeners will be on hand to assist you and you'll get a discount on the plants for your container. Fee is $10 and you have to bring your own container(s), rubber boots, washtubs, baskets, etc. Call Cathy or Elizabeth at 875-4020 to register.
I think that's it - have a great week!
Edition: 2008-22
Date: Sun June 1, 2008
Good evening! Another week gone by and, as many of you keep reminding me - it's only six weeks till the Waterfront Weekend! We're hoping to put together the final (or as near as we can get it!) schedule in the next week or so, but let me tell you, it's shaping up to be a very full and exciting weekend! There will be lots to see and do for every member of the family, including, but not limited to, sky diving demos, waterfront concerts, hip hop performances, longboat races, dory races, "political" boat races, bathtub races, yacht and albacore races, navy ship tours, Tall Ship tours, scallop ship tours, model ship displays, a midway, vendors, exhibits, displays, demos, food court - pause for a breath ... - Loyalist Family Treasure Hunt, soapbox derby, Motorcycle Show & Shine, Crafts, Fleas & Collectibles Market, and a few others yet to confirm! And did I mention that admission to most of these activities will be free, including admission to the Museum Complex? Like I said, it's going to be a full and exciting weekend - plan to be there!
If you missed the longboat segment on Live at 5 on Wed, don't despair for it's now up on our website! Web wiz John taped the segment and it's been uploaded to the website, so check it out. Next on the to-do list is to hang a picture of Liz in the Muir-Cox Shipyard, ABOVE Bruce Frisko's picture ...
While you're there, click on the Hillcrest tab in the Photo Gallery. Winners of the LL08 drawing contest were announced at a school assembly at Hillcrest this past week. Pictures of the winning artworks have now been posted to our website. Thank you to all the students and staff at Hillcrest for making this contest possible, Bill & Betty Camp for generously donating prizes, the volunteers who participated in the Loyalist Multicultural Day at Hillcrest on 23 Apr and thus inspired the 300 budding da Vincis, and finally, congratulations to the winners!
Also now up on the website is a copy of Resolution No. 1800 dealing with the Loyalist Landing 2008 Society and the 2008 celebrations. This resolution was introduced in the Legislative Assembly by MLA Sterling Belliveau on 24 Apr. There's also a video clip of our Shelburne County MLA speaking to the resolution. Thank you to Mr. Belliveau for the very kind words!
Many kudos to John - we kept him very busy last week and he's still smiling!
If you're looking for hats and accessories for your Loyalist costumes, Beth Guye will open up her Down Memory Lane Collectibles shop on King Street tomorrow, weather permitting.
The Shelburne County Lobster Festival opens this week. LL08 Society Crier Fred Greenwood will be at the Sandy Point Lighthouse Park & Community Centre on Thu 5 Jun for the grand opening.
On Fri 6 Jun, Stephen Kimber will be at the Osprey Arts Centre at 7 pm to launch his latest book "Loyalists and Layabouts: The Rapid Rise and Faster Fall of Shelburne, Nova Scotia 1783-1792". Copies of the book will be available to purchase, and Stephen will do a reading and book signing. The Prince of Wales Historic Dancers will also perform. Admission is $5 at the door. The event is the first of four Loyalist book launches being held by the Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society during the Loyalist Landing 2008 celebrations! Check our website for details on the other three upcoming book launches.
Time to get down to business, and more specifically the Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale!! Inquiries are coming in daily from yard salers and shoppers alike, and from as far away as Halifax! Seems we made quite an impression with last year's event, and no one wants to miss out this year. Even Liz Rigney plugged it on Live at 5 - wasn't that incredible? So, let's put on a show they'll never forget!
Some of the stuff that will be going on in and around Town:
- Woodworker's Home Hardware and King Street Tim-BR Mart will be holding their very popular annual yard sales with lots of great bargains to be had.
- Community churches will be holding yard sales at their respective locations.
- Staff at Charlotte Lane Café will be selling homemade muffins, fruit smoothies and other breakfast delights to get you energized for a day of shopping. They'll be set up in front of the Sandy Lane Vacations office on Water Street.
- Sophia's Café at Shelburne Mall will once again be offering free slushies with lunch for the kids.
- The Native Council Zone 13 will be setting up a teepee at Atlantic House Park and selling native crafts.
- The Shelburne County Museum staff are also setting up a yard sale in front of the museum at 20 Dock Street.
- In addition to her regular delicious fare, Monique at The Beandock Café will also be firing up the BBQ.
- Camp Jordan will be handing out brochures and selling t-shirts, cookbooks and cookies.
- The Shelburne Volunteer Fire Department will hold a car wash and BBQ at the Firehall on King Street.
- Yardless yard salers will set up in the parking lot and grassy area of the Community Centre on King Street.
- Linda and Donnie will be selling special cards created for the LL08 celebrations.
- The Ideal Discount Store will set up in the parking lot of the Shelburne Mall as it did last year. Great opportunity to pick up your Loyalist flags and bunting!
- Look for the Shelburne Youth Bowling Council hot dog stand.
- And I'm told that folks in Sandy Point and Jordan Bay will once again be participating in the yard sale this year, making a nice little shopping loop through Shelburne, Sandy Point, Jordan Bay and back to Shelburne.
- When you're doing the loop, don't forget to stop in at the Beulah Burman Memorial Animal Shelter at 528 Sandy Point Road.
- And there's lots more!
One final run through all the details for the Town-wide yard & sidewalk sale:
1. Have lots of fun!
2. It all starts at 8 am next Sat, 7 Jun until 2 pm. If it rains (ain't gonna happen ...), the event will be held the next Sat, 14 Jun.
3. If you're having fun, sales are good and you want to keep selling beyond 2 pm, go for it!
4. If many homes on one street are participating, please put up a sign at the end of your street to direct the bargain hunters your way. Don't forget to take the sign down at the end of the day!
5. In addition to the Community Centre parking lot and green space, yardless yard salers can set up anywhere in Town. Only stipulation - please don't set up in front of someone's home or business without their consent, don't block access to any home or business, and leave enough room on the sidewalks for pedestrian traffic.
6. Please clean up after yourself, although you all did such an outstanding job cleaning up last year, by suppertime you never would have known we'd had a Town-wide yard sale! It even elicited favourable comments from one Mr. Hardy at the Town Office ...!
7. If you're so inclined, feel free to deck yourself out in Loyalist attire. I promise you won't be alone as directors, members and volunteers of the LL08 Society will be walking around Town all dressed up!
8. HAVE LOTS OF FUN!
And remember that it ain't over 'till the auctioneer says it's over! At 2 pm, head on down to the waterfront for a fundraising auction at the Cox Warehouse. Auctioneers Bob & Wanda have been busy sorting through all kinds of neat treasures and collectibles, and there's sure to be something to tickle every taste and pocketbook. Donations of items for the auction are still welcome and the auction will be held rain or shine!
Then at the end of the day, to end a very perfect day, you can tickle your funny bone at The Jimmy Flynn Show at the Calestone Centre, Bowood. The doors open at 7 pm and the show starts at 8 pm. Tickets are $25, available at various locations around the County. Check the www.bowood.biz website for more details. If you're in more of a reflective mood, the Black Loyalist Heritage Society and Shelburne Historical Society will be hosting a fundraising Celtic harp concert at St. Paul's Church, 23 Old Birchtown Road, starting at 7 pm. The Prince of Wales Historic Dancers will also be on hand to perform and yummy desserts will be available for sale. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for students. Both concerts will be held rain or shine!
It's going to be another great week in Shelburne County!
Edition: 2008-23
Date: Sun June 8, 2008
Good evening! Hot enough for you? As pleased as I am to get actual summer weather, I'm just thankful it wasn't this hot yesterday - would have been too hard focusing on finding the best bargains while trying to keep cool! But this heat helps get rid of blackflies, doesn't it? There's always a rainbow ...
Now let's talk about yesterday! I think we can safely say that Shelburne's 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale was a resounding success! I hear that sales in many stores and restaurants were actually up from last year. There were cars lined up along Water Street starting at Irving's all the way down to the Legion, cars weaving in and out of side streets, people walking everywhere - it was a beautiful sight, wasn't it? Hope everyone had a very good day and lots of fun. My friend Shirley and I certainly did! Dressed in our Loyalist finery, we walked all over Town chatting up everyone while also managing to fill the back of the PT Cruiser with all kinds of must-have treasures!
Thank you to everyone who participated in one way or another by shopping or selling - not only did you make the 2nd annual event a success, you also made our June LL08 Signature Event a success! And just like last year, and as expected I might add, by 5 pm you never would have known we'd had a Town-wide event - the place was spotless! Thank you so much for making it a perfect event ...
Being an avid yard saler, I must confess that this event is my personal favourite. So I must ask a question at this point - should there be a 3rd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale next year, even though the LL08 celebrations will be over? Now that it's been started, probably can't stop it anyway ...! The synergy is certainly there with Woodworker's and Tim-BR Mart holding their annual yard sales too. It's a good idea whose time has come and an excellent way to kick start every summer - Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale in Jun, Founders' Days in Jul, Shelburne County Exhibition in Aug and Whirligig & Weathervane Festival in Sep. If we're interested in making the Town-wide event an annual rite of Jun, then I would be prepared to organize it every year - what little organization it actually needs ... I would be prepared to do the blanket approval thing, posters, promotion, etc. Let me know!
Big thank you goes out to Bob & Wanda Guay and the B&W Auctions staff for all their hard work with the fundraising auction yesterday afternoon. Treasurer Jim, friend Shirley and I volunteered to help out - man, that's exhausting work! So hats off to Bob & Wanda - putting on one of these ain't no walk in the park! And thank you as well to Stephen Antle at Bowood for bringing in The Jimmy Flynn Show last night to cap off the day. All in all, another successful LL08 event under our belt!
Next comes July and to quote Ed Sullivan - it's time for a really big shooo! The incredible diversity and number of activities that will be taking place during the Waterfront Weekend, the colour and pageantry of the Grand Re-enactment Weekend, and the wonderful combination of historical and contemporary events during the Founders' Days Weekend. It'll be a shooo not to miss! Lots of details next week - I promise!
Also coming next week, details on the Welcome to Shelburne County events whereby communities throughout Shelburne County will be highlighted. In the planning stages already - Sandy Point on Sun 29 Jun, Clyde River on Wed 2 Jul, Shag Harbour on Sat 16 Aug, and Sable River sometime in the fall. In order to make it as easy to organize as possible, the idea is to centre some community activities around an existing event. For example, the Sandy Point Rec Group will host its monthly supper at the Community Centre on 29 Jun, so we'll work some local activities into the afternoon, culminating in the community supper which is happening anyway. The activities don't have to be big or complicated; they can be as simple as a local artist opening his/her studio, tours of local gardens, walking tours of the community, etc. The point is to get locals and tourists alike to get to visit and see the various parts of the county. Time to blow our respective horns, as it were! If you're interested in showcasing your community, contact me!
The Queen of Hearts Dory Club, which will be participating in both the Waterfront Weekend and the Grand Re-enactment Weekend, is heading off to Gloucester, MA later this month for the International Dory Races. And they have very kindly offered to represent the LL08 Society and promote our celebrations while there. They'll be heading down with a bagful of LL08 brochures - thank you! By the way, that's who has been rowing the longboats in the harbour the last couple of Saturday mornings - practicing 18th century rowing commands for the July celebrations ...
Don't forget the two plant container workshops coming up this week as part of the Communities in Bloom project:
- Lavender Hill Nursery, Thu 12 Jun, 6:30 pm; and
- Spencer's Garden Centre, Sat 14 Jun, 9 am.
Registration is $10. Contact Cathy or Elizabeth at 875-4020.
The busy summer season gets underway this week - please check out the Shelburne Calendar on our website for details.
And heads up - the next regular meeting of the LL08 Society will be held next Sat 14 Jun, 10 am at the Town Council Chambers. Look for the agenda later this week.
Edition 2008-24
Date: Sun June 15, 2008
Good evening - what a beautiful day it's been! Just like the weather we'll be getting all through July ...! A couple of quick things to report on, then it's on to some of the details about the July celebrations, as promised!
- Further to my question to you last week about making the Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale an annual Jun event, the resounding answer across the board was - yes! So it's a done deal!
- The first two events in the Welcome to Shelburne County series have been organized: Welcome to Sandy Point on 28/29 Jun and Welcome to Clyde River & Area on 2 Jul. As you'll see, there's nothing big or complicated about each of the events, as they merely promote activities that are already taking place in that community but that you may not be aware of. The idea is just to simply alert locals and visitors alike to the fact that these small Shelburne County communities are there, are open and are each wonderful little treasures to explore. So mark those dates on your calendar and plan a nice little outing, close to home, easy on the gas budget. Posters are up on the website as well as around the county!
- Harmony Bazaar Festival of Women & Song has posted its schedule of events and talent for this year's festival on 25 and 26 July. Check out the Festival's website at www.harmonybazaar.com.
- The Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society will be holding its next Loyalist book launch and reading on Fri, 27 Jun, 7 pm at the Osprey Arts Centre. This one is titled "Founding Families who Came and Stayed in Shelburne, Nova Scotia 1783-1787" written by local author Eleanor Robertson Smith. There will be various readings for Loyalist descendants, an art display by the Shelburne County Arts Council and various displays by the Black Loyalist Heritage Society. Should be a very interesting evening! Check the Calendar of Events on our website for more details. Also a big congratulations to SCAGS for recently being awarded a $4,000 grant from Heritage Canada!
- This Friday, 20 Jun, Lockeport and area kick off their Canada Day Celebrations 2008 leading up to 1 July. Get the full schedule of events at http://www.lockeport.ns.ca/page_1164290599140.html.
- A regular meeting of the LL08 Society was held on Fri night - minutes should be out tomorrow.
- The great news this week is that Cooke Aquaculture has become the latest sponsor of the LL08 celebrations! Manager Jeff Nickerson confirmed this week that the company will donate $4,000 to the Society to bring in a second Tall Ship for the Waterfront Weekend, as well as various in kind contributions still to be sorted out. Wow! Big thank you to Cooke Aquaculture for their support of LL08 and big pat on the back to Chair Al for working diligently to make it happen ...
- And for those of you asking - the Loyalist flags should be going up on the utility poles this week. Decided to forego the original bracket - too complicated and too expensive. Instead, a simple flag bracket will be affixed to the poles and the flags will blow in the breeze as they were designed to do!
OK, now it's time for some details on the July events, so here's a very quick rundown of the schedule of activities for the Waterfront Weekend and the Grand Re-enactment Weekend. The schedule for the Founders' Days Weekend should be finalized this coming week so it's not yet available. The schedule of activities for all three weekends will be printed in a special keepsake insert in the July first edition of The Coast Guard. Plus, by the end of this week, we're hoping to have all three complete weekend schedules up on the website for easy reference. We're getting there!
WATERFRONT WEEKEND 11-13 JUL 08
At the Govt Wharf: HMCS KINGSTON, Tall Ships Peer's Fancy and Liana's Ransom.
On the Waterfront: Official opening; launch of second longboat; christening ceremony for both boats; over 50 booths, vendors and exhibitors; sky diving demos; Mainland Amusements Midway; Coast Guard Auxiliary with Bobbie the Boat; RCMP Mobile Command Post; South Shore Modelers' Guild; Town-sponsored treasure hunt; dory races, longboat and political boat races; bathtub races; various boat races at the Yacht Club; fireworks display; and waterfront concerts on all three days.
At the Community Centre: Crafts, Fleas & Collectibles Market; Sue's Tattoos; 1st Annual Motorcycle Show & Shine; and interactive display & BBQ by the SVFD.
On Bulkley Street: Annual soapbox derby.
GRAND RE-ENACTMENT WEEKEND 17-20 JUL 08
At the Community Centre: Rug hooking display; quilt exhibit; Coastal Oldies Antique Car Show.
On King Street: 18th century encampment site open for tours and various interactive activities.
On the Waterfront: NS Town Crier Competition; unveiling of the Shelburne Fyfe; harbour ship skirmish; Loyalist Landing re-enactment and various re-enactment activities; marching parades; floggings?; Loyalist Garden Party; 18th Century Costume Exposition.
Other Activities: Third Loyalist book launch by Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society; Centennial House tour with a display of heritage and contemporary hooked rugs.
OK, that's it - the countdown to the July showcase weekends is on! Have a great week!
Edition: 2008-25
Date: Sun, June 22, 2008
Good morning! Lots of tidbits today!
1. I've been seeing Loyalist flags popping up on utility poles all around Town! Big thank you to Chair Al and the Town Works crew for their time and effort in getting them up.
2. Work on the second longboat is going full speed ahead and expected to be finished for the very special 11 July launch!
3. The Society would like to thank Doubleday Publishing/Random House - they have donated 25 copies of the new Stephen Kimber novel Loyalists & Layabouts to the Society. The books will be used as prizes and gifts during the July weekends, and how appropriate - Loyalist books, Loyalist celebrations!
4. Received a wonderful photo on Friday of the Loyalist Landing 2008 commemorative carpet bed at the Royal Historic Gardens in Annapolis Royal. As you may recall, the Gardens had approached the Society a while back about doing an LL08 carpet bed for this summer; turns out they used our logo for the design. The carpet bed is apparently the "centrepiece" of the Gardens and the great thing about the theme is that it doesn't apply to just Shelburne, as the whole province is celebrating the 225th anniversary of the arrival of the Loyalists. Big thank you and well done to the staff at the Royal Historic Gardens! The photo of the carpet bed should be up on the website in the next couple of days.
5. The schedules for the three July showcase weekends are done, or at least until something else gets added to them! John should have all three schedules up on the website in the next couple of days and you'll be able to print them off at will. I must say - all three weekends are going to be fantastic and will definitely make this a celebration to remember! The schedules for the three weekends will be published in a keepsake 1 Jul insert in The Coast Guard.
6. And this is where I put out two calls for volunteers for the Waterfront Weekend, 11-13 Jul!
First one - There will be three ships open for tours at the Shelburne Marine Terminal (Government wharf) during that weekend. Tours of HMCS KINGSTON will be free, however, we will be charging a nominal fee of $2 per person to tour each Tall Ship. So we're looking for volunteers to work 2 and 3 hour shifts, two volunteers per shift, to accept payment from people as they board the ships. For planning purposes, timings for the ship tours will be:
Fri 11 Jul
1 - 4 pm (1 three-hour shift)
6 - 8 pm (1 two-hour shift)
Sat 12 Jul
1 - 6 pm (2 three-hour shifts or 3 two-hour shifts)
Sun 13 Jul
10 am - 12 pm (1 two-hour shift)
1 - 3 pm (1 three-hour shift)
And naturally, volunteers will not be required to pay to tour the ships - hey, 4 bucks is 4 bucks ...
The second call is for "Weekend greeters" similar to the "Wal-Mart greeter". You'll walk around throughout the weekend sporting a catchy LL08 pin and tag that says "Ask Me!". The idea is to answer questions about, or direct visitors to, the many activities that will be taking place around Town. We'll make sure you're fully briefed and provide you with a full schedule and map of activities. It'll be a great way to meet people!
So if you're interested in any of these jobs, please contact me!
7. Lockeport is off to the races! Political boat races, that is. Joyce at the Mayor's office contacted me this week to officially register the Lockeport "dream team". I've been getting various inquiries from the other municipalities indicating that they are organizing rowing teams, but Lockeport is the first to actually grab the oars! Joyce also mentioned something about having a killer team ...
8. Before you know it, July will be over and thoughts will turn to the Shelburne County EX, taking place from 5-9 Aug. If you've ever thought of entering a float in the EX parade, this is the year to do it as it's gearing up to be the biggest and most colourful parade on record - so here's an opportunity to contribute to Shelburne history! I also see where the EX is looking for volunteers as well to help at the bingos which will run from 6 - 11 pm each night of the EX. If you're interested in volunteering some time, contact Don Leggett at 875-3464.
9. Congratulations and good luck to Jeff & Dianne Strang on their new venture - Bizness Wizard! They'll be offering a wide range of services from a laminating machine, a coil binder, colour copier and scanner right here in Town. They're also partnering with Cybergeek in Barrington so that if you need any computer repairs or supplies, you can do it all from Shelburne. A great little addition to the Shelburne retail landscape!
10. If you check the weekly Out & About feature in the Chronicle Herald, you'll be familiar with the event listings. You may also have noticed that there are tons of listings for Lunenburg County and just a few for Shelburne County - one of my pet peeves, especially knowing how much stuff is actually going on around the County! As I'm a regular contributor this year to the event listings for Shelburne County, I've been able to develop a nice little working relationship with the editor, also named Suzanne! She sent me an e-mail this week saying that she would love to see more event listings from Shelburne County and so, has asked me to pass on the request to you. If your club or organization has an event or a meeting going on, you can advertise it in the Out & About feature. And it's free! Events should be submitted at least two full weeks before the event in order to make it in on time. You can send your events to srent@herald.ca.
11. The Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society will be holding the second in its series of Loyalist book launches this coming Fri night, 27 Jun, 7 pm at the Osprey. Tickets are $5 at the door. For more details, check our website.
12. On Sat, 28 Jun, more excitement on the Shelburne waterfront! A production crew from New Brunswick will be here to film some segments for a movie they're doing on the Acadian expulsion. They're specifically looking for red coats and longboats - two things we just happen to have!
13. And on Tue, 8 Jul, little dynamo Rita Jenkins - rug hooker par excellence and Honourary Chair of the LL08 Society - will be hosting a Let's Give Cancer the Boot! Fashion Show at the Osprey Arts Centre. It starts at 2 pm and admission is free, although donations will be welcome at the door. All proceeds from the afternoon will go to the Yarmouth Hospital Oncology Unit and the Rosalin Nickerson Care Fund. The poster with full details is on the website.
14. One last thing. Is it just me or is there a fresh breeze blowing through Shelburne lately? Many new businesses and enterprises starting up in the last few months, new construction, older homes and buildings getting some TLC, community projects in the works. There just seems to be a new energy everywhere ... Whatever it is, it feels good ...
It's going to be another great week!
Edition: 2008-26
Date: Sun, 29th June, 2008
Good afternoon! Perfect weather to catch up on LL08 paperwork and sew some costumes!
Hard to believe that we're only two weeks away from the first of our three July showcase weekends! This community has worked long and hard to make it happen, and finally, it's almost here! The Town looks great with the banners and flags everywhere - everyone has gotten into the spirit! You can actually sense the excitement and anticipation in the air ... Don't know about you, but we plan to enjoy ourselves and have a great time!
And an incredible time it's going to be! If you've checked out the schedules for the three weekends on the website, you'll see that each weekend is just jam-packed full of exciting activities. We guarantee that there's something for every taste and you won't be bored!
The neighbours must have wondered about me this week as I went about the house screaming with joy and doing a happy dance in front of the windows! Three more fantastic events and activities have now been added to the schedule for the Waterfront Weekend, 11-13 Jul.
It started on Monday when I received a call from a Navy fella in Halifax. Soon as he identified himself, I figured he was calling to cancel HMCS KINGSTON ... gulp! But no, he was calling to say that the Naval Display Bus was also available during that weekend, and did we want them to come? Duh! It took me a whole microsecond to yell yes, and then the screams of joy started ... After I settled down a bit, he informed me that the Navy would also likely be accompanied by an Army Reserve Unit that would be bringing along a G-wagon - a militarized SUV that's being used in Afghanistan and other hot spots! The bus is a brand new huge piece of equipment the Navy takes on the road for recruiting, transport and display. If you want to read all about it and see what it looks like, click on
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/community/MapleLeaf/article_e.asp?id=4446. And if you want to see what a G-wagon looks like, click on http://www.sfu.ca/casr/ft-afghanarmour.htm. And yes, they will both be in Shelburne for the Waterfront Weekend!!
The Naval Display Bus and the G-wagon will be great additions to an already awesome exhibit, appropriately titled "Proud to Serve!", that will include the RCMP Mobile Command Post, the Coast Guard Auxiliary Prevention Trailer, Bobbie the Boat, the Barrington Ground Search & Rescue Command Post and Shelburne's Air Cadets - 738 Kingsmill Squadron.
Then just as I was starting to come down from the ceiling, I received an e-mail from 14 Wing Greenwood on Wednesday informing us that 413 Squadron would be sending a Cormorant helicopter to Shelburne on Fri, 11 Jul to do a Search & Rescue demo over the harbour, and what time did we want them to be here? More screaming ...! So the end result is that, barring any unforeseen military taskings, a Cormorant helicopter will indeed be coming to Shelburne on Fri, 11 Jul, 2:30 pm to do a Search & Rescue demonstration over the harbour. The demo will be held right off the Fishermen's Memorial and will consist of dropping and retrieving personnel from the water. But wait, that's not all! One of the unexpected treats about the Cormorant's visit is that the crew plans to arrive in Shelburne around lunchtime, and apparently will just "park" the helicopter somewhere in Town while they have lunch! They've scouted out a couple of parking spots and will send me the final details this week ... Stay tuned for more! Check out the Cormorant at <http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/site/equip/ch149/default_e.asp>. There's even a video if you want to see it in action!
For those of you inquiring about the Governor's Banquet & Ball, I'm pleased to report that the tickets are now on sale. The event will be held on Saturday, 26 Jul, 6:30 pm at the Shelburne Community Centre on King Street, as one of the events in the Founders' Days Weekend, 24-27 Jul. As it will be a period affair, Loyalist costumes and attire will be welcome. But if it just happens that your 18th century garb is at the dry cleaner's that weekend, no worries - 21st century semi-formal dress will also be very acceptable and appropriate! This most elegant evening will consist of a meet & greet, a five-course meal, and 18th century entertainment provided by Musique 400 and Drumlin. Tickets are $20 per person and must be purchased in advance as there is only a limited number available. Contact Gov Doug Langley at 875-1258 for more details and to buy your tickets! As a heads up - there is a lot of interest in this event, so if you are planning to attend, I would advise you to purchase your tickets sooner rather than later so as not to be disappointed ...
You've no doubt admired those beautiful wooden chainsaw carvings, now popular around the County. They're created by chainsaw carver James Mackay, owner of Timber Art. Well here's an opportunity to own one! The LL08 Society, through the initiatives of Doug Langley, has acquired a wooden carving of a soldier as the prize for our latest raffle. Tickets are $2 or $5/three and can be purchased through Doug. Tickets will also be available during the three July showcase weekends at the LL08 Retail Store in the west side of the Cox Warehouse. The winner's name will be drawn at the Governor's Banquet & Ball on Sat, 26 Jul.
This Wed, 2 Jul, Clyde River and Thomasville open their doors as part of the Welcome to Shelburne County! series. Check out the poster on our website and plan yourself a nice little day's outing!
Now that July is here, don't forget that the Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society will be holding its Loyalist Gatherings - Tea & Family Displays every Thursday, 2-4 pm, at the Gen Centre, second floor, 168 Water Street in Shelburne. For more info, check our website or contact the Gen Centre at 875-4299 or gencentre@ns.sympatico.ca.
Two wonderful events being held at the Osprey Arts Centre on 5 Jul - check out their website at www.ospreyartscentre.com for all the details! Also many other events going on around the County, so visit the Shelburne Calendar on our website!
It's going to be another great week! Happy Canada Day!
Date: Sun June 8, 2008
Good evening! Hot enough for you? As pleased as I am to get actual summer weather, I'm just thankful it wasn't this hot yesterday - would have been too hard focusing on finding the best bargains while trying to keep cool! But this heat helps get rid of blackflies, doesn't it? There's always a rainbow ...
Now let's talk about yesterday! I think we can safely say that Shelburne's 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale was a resounding success! I hear that sales in many stores and restaurants were actually up from last year. There were cars lined up along Water Street starting at Irving's all the way down to the Legion, cars weaving in and out of side streets, people walking everywhere - it was a beautiful sight, wasn't it? Hope everyone had a very good day and lots of fun. My friend Shirley and I certainly did! Dressed in our Loyalist finery, we walked all over Town chatting up everyone while also managing to fill the back of the PT Cruiser with all kinds of must-have treasures!
Thank you to everyone who participated in one way or another by shopping or selling - not only did you make the 2nd annual event a success, you also made our June LL08 Signature Event a success! And just like last year, and as expected I might add, by 5 pm you never would have known we'd had a Town-wide event - the place was spotless! Thank you so much for making it a perfect event ...
Being an avid yard saler, I must confess that this event is my personal favourite. So I must ask a question at this point - should there be a 3rd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale next year, even though the LL08 celebrations will be over? Now that it's been started, probably can't stop it anyway ...! The synergy is certainly there with Woodworker's and Tim-BR Mart holding their annual yard sales too. It's a good idea whose time has come and an excellent way to kick start every summer - Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale in Jun, Founders' Days in Jul, Shelburne County Exhibition in Aug and Whirligig & Weathervane Festival in Sep. If we're interested in making the Town-wide event an annual rite of Jun, then I would be prepared to organize it every year - what little organization it actually needs ... I would be prepared to do the blanket approval thing, posters, promotion, etc. Let me know!
Big thank you goes out to Bob & Wanda Guay and the B&W Auctions staff for all their hard work with the fundraising auction yesterday afternoon. Treasurer Jim, friend Shirley and I volunteered to help out - man, that's exhausting work! So hats off to Bob & Wanda - putting on one of these ain't no walk in the park! And thank you as well to Stephen Antle at Bowood for bringing in The Jimmy Flynn Show last night to cap off the day. All in all, another successful LL08 event under our belt!
Next comes July and to quote Ed Sullivan - it's time for a really big shooo! The incredible diversity and number of activities that will be taking place during the Waterfront Weekend, the colour and pageantry of the Grand Re-enactment Weekend, and the wonderful combination of historical and contemporary events during the Founders' Days Weekend. It'll be a shooo not to miss! Lots of details next week - I promise!
Also coming next week, details on the Welcome to Shelburne County events whereby communities throughout Shelburne County will be highlighted. In the planning stages already - Sandy Point on Sun 29 Jun, Clyde River on Wed 2 Jul, Shag Harbour on Sat 16 Aug, and Sable River sometime in the fall. In order to make it as easy to organize as possible, the idea is to centre some community activities around an existing event. For example, the Sandy Point Rec Group will host its monthly supper at the Community Centre on 29 Jun, so we'll work some local activities into the afternoon, culminating in the community supper which is happening anyway. The activities don't have to be big or complicated; they can be as simple as a local artist opening his/her studio, tours of local gardens, walking tours of the community, etc. The point is to get locals and tourists alike to get to visit and see the various parts of the county. Time to blow our respective horns, as it were! If you're interested in showcasing your community, contact me!
The Queen of Hearts Dory Club, which will be participating in both the Waterfront Weekend and the Grand Re-enactment Weekend, is heading off to Gloucester, MA later this month for the International Dory Races. And they have very kindly offered to represent the LL08 Society and promote our celebrations while there. They'll be heading down with a bagful of LL08 brochures - thank you! By the way, that's who has been rowing the longboats in the harbour the last couple of Saturday mornings - practicing 18th century rowing commands for the July celebrations ...
Don't forget the two plant container workshops coming up this week as part of the Communities in Bloom project:
- Lavender Hill Nursery, Thu 12 Jun, 6:30 pm; and
- Spencer's Garden Centre, Sat 14 Jun, 9 am.
Registration is $10. Contact Cathy or Elizabeth at 875-4020.
The busy summer season gets underway this week - please check out the Shelburne Calendar on our website for details.
And heads up - the next regular meeting of the LL08 Society will be held next Sat 14 Jun, 10 am at the Town Council Chambers. Look for the agenda later this week.
Edition 2008-24
Date: Sun June 15, 2008
Good evening - what a beautiful day it's been! Just like the weather we'll be getting all through July ...! A couple of quick things to report on, then it's on to some of the details about the July celebrations, as promised!
- Further to my question to you last week about making the Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale an annual Jun event, the resounding answer across the board was - yes! So it's a done deal!
- The first two events in the Welcome to Shelburne County series have been organized: Welcome to Sandy Point on 28/29 Jun and Welcome to Clyde River & Area on 2 Jul. As you'll see, there's nothing big or complicated about each of the events, as they merely promote activities that are already taking place in that community but that you may not be aware of. The idea is just to simply alert locals and visitors alike to the fact that these small Shelburne County communities are there, are open and are each wonderful little treasures to explore. So mark those dates on your calendar and plan a nice little outing, close to home, easy on the gas budget. Posters are up on the website as well as around the county!
- Harmony Bazaar Festival of Women & Song has posted its schedule of events and talent for this year's festival on 25 and 26 July. Check out the Festival's website at www.harmonybazaar.com.
- The Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society will be holding its next Loyalist book launch and reading on Fri, 27 Jun, 7 pm at the Osprey Arts Centre. This one is titled "Founding Families who Came and Stayed in Shelburne, Nova Scotia 1783-1787" written by local author Eleanor Robertson Smith. There will be various readings for Loyalist descendants, an art display by the Shelburne County Arts Council and various displays by the Black Loyalist Heritage Society. Should be a very interesting evening! Check the Calendar of Events on our website for more details. Also a big congratulations to SCAGS for recently being awarded a $4,000 grant from Heritage Canada!
- This Friday, 20 Jun, Lockeport and area kick off their Canada Day Celebrations 2008 leading up to 1 July. Get the full schedule of events at http://www.lockeport.ns.ca/page_1164290599140.html.
- A regular meeting of the LL08 Society was held on Fri night - minutes should be out tomorrow.
- The great news this week is that Cooke Aquaculture has become the latest sponsor of the LL08 celebrations! Manager Jeff Nickerson confirmed this week that the company will donate $4,000 to the Society to bring in a second Tall Ship for the Waterfront Weekend, as well as various in kind contributions still to be sorted out. Wow! Big thank you to Cooke Aquaculture for their support of LL08 and big pat on the back to Chair Al for working diligently to make it happen ...
- And for those of you asking - the Loyalist flags should be going up on the utility poles this week. Decided to forego the original bracket - too complicated and too expensive. Instead, a simple flag bracket will be affixed to the poles and the flags will blow in the breeze as they were designed to do!
OK, now it's time for some details on the July events, so here's a very quick rundown of the schedule of activities for the Waterfront Weekend and the Grand Re-enactment Weekend. The schedule for the Founders' Days Weekend should be finalized this coming week so it's not yet available. The schedule of activities for all three weekends will be printed in a special keepsake insert in the July first edition of The Coast Guard. Plus, by the end of this week, we're hoping to have all three complete weekend schedules up on the website for easy reference. We're getting there!
WATERFRONT WEEKEND 11-13 JUL 08
At the Govt Wharf: HMCS KINGSTON, Tall Ships Peer's Fancy and Liana's Ransom.
On the Waterfront: Official opening; launch of second longboat; christening ceremony for both boats; over 50 booths, vendors and exhibitors; sky diving demos; Mainland Amusements Midway; Coast Guard Auxiliary with Bobbie the Boat; RCMP Mobile Command Post; South Shore Modelers' Guild; Town-sponsored treasure hunt; dory races, longboat and political boat races; bathtub races; various boat races at the Yacht Club; fireworks display; and waterfront concerts on all three days.
At the Community Centre: Crafts, Fleas & Collectibles Market; Sue's Tattoos; 1st Annual Motorcycle Show & Shine; and interactive display & BBQ by the SVFD.
On Bulkley Street: Annual soapbox derby.
GRAND RE-ENACTMENT WEEKEND 17-20 JUL 08
At the Community Centre: Rug hooking display; quilt exhibit; Coastal Oldies Antique Car Show.
On King Street: 18th century encampment site open for tours and various interactive activities.
On the Waterfront: NS Town Crier Competition; unveiling of the Shelburne Fyfe; harbour ship skirmish; Loyalist Landing re-enactment and various re-enactment activities; marching parades; floggings?; Loyalist Garden Party; 18th Century Costume Exposition.
Other Activities: Third Loyalist book launch by Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society; Centennial House tour with a display of heritage and contemporary hooked rugs.
OK, that's it - the countdown to the July showcase weekends is on! Have a great week!
Edition: 2008-25
Date: Sun, June 22, 2008
Good morning! Lots of tidbits today!
1. I've been seeing Loyalist flags popping up on utility poles all around Town! Big thank you to Chair Al and the Town Works crew for their time and effort in getting them up.
2. Work on the second longboat is going full speed ahead and expected to be finished for the very special 11 July launch!
3. The Society would like to thank Doubleday Publishing/Random House - they have donated 25 copies of the new Stephen Kimber novel Loyalists & Layabouts to the Society. The books will be used as prizes and gifts during the July weekends, and how appropriate - Loyalist books, Loyalist celebrations!
4. Received a wonderful photo on Friday of the Loyalist Landing 2008 commemorative carpet bed at the Royal Historic Gardens in Annapolis Royal. As you may recall, the Gardens had approached the Society a while back about doing an LL08 carpet bed for this summer; turns out they used our logo for the design. The carpet bed is apparently the "centrepiece" of the Gardens and the great thing about the theme is that it doesn't apply to just Shelburne, as the whole province is celebrating the 225th anniversary of the arrival of the Loyalists. Big thank you and well done to the staff at the Royal Historic Gardens! The photo of the carpet bed should be up on the website in the next couple of days.
5. The schedules for the three July showcase weekends are done, or at least until something else gets added to them! John should have all three schedules up on the website in the next couple of days and you'll be able to print them off at will. I must say - all three weekends are going to be fantastic and will definitely make this a celebration to remember! The schedules for the three weekends will be published in a keepsake 1 Jul insert in The Coast Guard.
6. And this is where I put out two calls for volunteers for the Waterfront Weekend, 11-13 Jul!
First one - There will be three ships open for tours at the Shelburne Marine Terminal (Government wharf) during that weekend. Tours of HMCS KINGSTON will be free, however, we will be charging a nominal fee of $2 per person to tour each Tall Ship. So we're looking for volunteers to work 2 and 3 hour shifts, two volunteers per shift, to accept payment from people as they board the ships. For planning purposes, timings for the ship tours will be:
Fri 11 Jul
1 - 4 pm (1 three-hour shift)
6 - 8 pm (1 two-hour shift)
Sat 12 Jul
1 - 6 pm (2 three-hour shifts or 3 two-hour shifts)
Sun 13 Jul
10 am - 12 pm (1 two-hour shift)
1 - 3 pm (1 three-hour shift)
And naturally, volunteers will not be required to pay to tour the ships - hey, 4 bucks is 4 bucks ...
The second call is for "Weekend greeters" similar to the "Wal-Mart greeter". You'll walk around throughout the weekend sporting a catchy LL08 pin and tag that says "Ask Me!". The idea is to answer questions about, or direct visitors to, the many activities that will be taking place around Town. We'll make sure you're fully briefed and provide you with a full schedule and map of activities. It'll be a great way to meet people!
So if you're interested in any of these jobs, please contact me!
7. Lockeport is off to the races! Political boat races, that is. Joyce at the Mayor's office contacted me this week to officially register the Lockeport "dream team". I've been getting various inquiries from the other municipalities indicating that they are organizing rowing teams, but Lockeport is the first to actually grab the oars! Joyce also mentioned something about having a killer team ...
8. Before you know it, July will be over and thoughts will turn to the Shelburne County EX, taking place from 5-9 Aug. If you've ever thought of entering a float in the EX parade, this is the year to do it as it's gearing up to be the biggest and most colourful parade on record - so here's an opportunity to contribute to Shelburne history! I also see where the EX is looking for volunteers as well to help at the bingos which will run from 6 - 11 pm each night of the EX. If you're interested in volunteering some time, contact Don Leggett at 875-3464.
9. Congratulations and good luck to Jeff & Dianne Strang on their new venture - Bizness Wizard! They'll be offering a wide range of services from a laminating machine, a coil binder, colour copier and scanner right here in Town. They're also partnering with Cybergeek in Barrington so that if you need any computer repairs or supplies, you can do it all from Shelburne. A great little addition to the Shelburne retail landscape!
10. If you check the weekly Out & About feature in the Chronicle Herald, you'll be familiar with the event listings. You may also have noticed that there are tons of listings for Lunenburg County and just a few for Shelburne County - one of my pet peeves, especially knowing how much stuff is actually going on around the County! As I'm a regular contributor this year to the event listings for Shelburne County, I've been able to develop a nice little working relationship with the editor, also named Suzanne! She sent me an e-mail this week saying that she would love to see more event listings from Shelburne County and so, has asked me to pass on the request to you. If your club or organization has an event or a meeting going on, you can advertise it in the Out & About feature. And it's free! Events should be submitted at least two full weeks before the event in order to make it in on time. You can send your events to srent@herald.ca.
11. The Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society will be holding the second in its series of Loyalist book launches this coming Fri night, 27 Jun, 7 pm at the Osprey. Tickets are $5 at the door. For more details, check our website.
12. On Sat, 28 Jun, more excitement on the Shelburne waterfront! A production crew from New Brunswick will be here to film some segments for a movie they're doing on the Acadian expulsion. They're specifically looking for red coats and longboats - two things we just happen to have!
13. And on Tue, 8 Jul, little dynamo Rita Jenkins - rug hooker par excellence and Honourary Chair of the LL08 Society - will be hosting a Let's Give Cancer the Boot! Fashion Show at the Osprey Arts Centre. It starts at 2 pm and admission is free, although donations will be welcome at the door. All proceeds from the afternoon will go to the Yarmouth Hospital Oncology Unit and the Rosalin Nickerson Care Fund. The poster with full details is on the website.
14. One last thing. Is it just me or is there a fresh breeze blowing through Shelburne lately? Many new businesses and enterprises starting up in the last few months, new construction, older homes and buildings getting some TLC, community projects in the works. There just seems to be a new energy everywhere ... Whatever it is, it feels good ...
It's going to be another great week!
Edition: 2008-26
Date: Sun, 29th June, 2008
Good afternoon! Perfect weather to catch up on LL08 paperwork and sew some costumes!
Hard to believe that we're only two weeks away from the first of our three July showcase weekends! This community has worked long and hard to make it happen, and finally, it's almost here! The Town looks great with the banners and flags everywhere - everyone has gotten into the spirit! You can actually sense the excitement and anticipation in the air ... Don't know about you, but we plan to enjoy ourselves and have a great time!
And an incredible time it's going to be! If you've checked out the schedules for the three weekends on the website, you'll see that each weekend is just jam-packed full of exciting activities. We guarantee that there's something for every taste and you won't be bored!
The neighbours must have wondered about me this week as I went about the house screaming with joy and doing a happy dance in front of the windows! Three more fantastic events and activities have now been added to the schedule for the Waterfront Weekend, 11-13 Jul.
It started on Monday when I received a call from a Navy fella in Halifax. Soon as he identified himself, I figured he was calling to cancel HMCS KINGSTON ... gulp! But no, he was calling to say that the Naval Display Bus was also available during that weekend, and did we want them to come? Duh! It took me a whole microsecond to yell yes, and then the screams of joy started ... After I settled down a bit, he informed me that the Navy would also likely be accompanied by an Army Reserve Unit that would be bringing along a G-wagon - a militarized SUV that's being used in Afghanistan and other hot spots! The bus is a brand new huge piece of equipment the Navy takes on the road for recruiting, transport and display. If you want to read all about it and see what it looks like, click on
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/community/MapleLeaf/article_e.asp?id=4446. And if you want to see what a G-wagon looks like, click on http://www.sfu.ca/casr/ft-afghanarmour.htm. And yes, they will both be in Shelburne for the Waterfront Weekend!!
The Naval Display Bus and the G-wagon will be great additions to an already awesome exhibit, appropriately titled "Proud to Serve!", that will include the RCMP Mobile Command Post, the Coast Guard Auxiliary Prevention Trailer, Bobbie the Boat, the Barrington Ground Search & Rescue Command Post and Shelburne's Air Cadets - 738 Kingsmill Squadron.
Then just as I was starting to come down from the ceiling, I received an e-mail from 14 Wing Greenwood on Wednesday informing us that 413 Squadron would be sending a Cormorant helicopter to Shelburne on Fri, 11 Jul to do a Search & Rescue demo over the harbour, and what time did we want them to be here? More screaming ...! So the end result is that, barring any unforeseen military taskings, a Cormorant helicopter will indeed be coming to Shelburne on Fri, 11 Jul, 2:30 pm to do a Search & Rescue demonstration over the harbour. The demo will be held right off the Fishermen's Memorial and will consist of dropping and retrieving personnel from the water. But wait, that's not all! One of the unexpected treats about the Cormorant's visit is that the crew plans to arrive in Shelburne around lunchtime, and apparently will just "park" the helicopter somewhere in Town while they have lunch! They've scouted out a couple of parking spots and will send me the final details this week ... Stay tuned for more! Check out the Cormorant at <http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/site/equip/ch149/default_e.asp>. There's even a video if you want to see it in action!
For those of you inquiring about the Governor's Banquet & Ball, I'm pleased to report that the tickets are now on sale. The event will be held on Saturday, 26 Jul, 6:30 pm at the Shelburne Community Centre on King Street, as one of the events in the Founders' Days Weekend, 24-27 Jul. As it will be a period affair, Loyalist costumes and attire will be welcome. But if it just happens that your 18th century garb is at the dry cleaner's that weekend, no worries - 21st century semi-formal dress will also be very acceptable and appropriate! This most elegant evening will consist of a meet & greet, a five-course meal, and 18th century entertainment provided by Musique 400 and Drumlin. Tickets are $20 per person and must be purchased in advance as there is only a limited number available. Contact Gov Doug Langley at 875-1258 for more details and to buy your tickets! As a heads up - there is a lot of interest in this event, so if you are planning to attend, I would advise you to purchase your tickets sooner rather than later so as not to be disappointed ...
You've no doubt admired those beautiful wooden chainsaw carvings, now popular around the County. They're created by chainsaw carver James Mackay, owner of Timber Art. Well here's an opportunity to own one! The LL08 Society, through the initiatives of Doug Langley, has acquired a wooden carving of a soldier as the prize for our latest raffle. Tickets are $2 or $5/three and can be purchased through Doug. Tickets will also be available during the three July showcase weekends at the LL08 Retail Store in the west side of the Cox Warehouse. The winner's name will be drawn at the Governor's Banquet & Ball on Sat, 26 Jul.
This Wed, 2 Jul, Clyde River and Thomasville open their doors as part of the Welcome to Shelburne County! series. Check out the poster on our website and plan yourself a nice little day's outing!
Now that July is here, don't forget that the Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society will be holding its Loyalist Gatherings - Tea & Family Displays every Thursday, 2-4 pm, at the Gen Centre, second floor, 168 Water Street in Shelburne. For more info, check our website or contact the Gen Centre at 875-4299 or gencentre@ns.sympatico.ca.
Two wonderful events being held at the Osprey Arts Centre on 5 Jul - check out their website at www.ospreyartscentre.com for all the details! Also many other events going on around the County, so visit the Shelburne Calendar on our website!
It's going to be another great week! Happy Canada Day!