10 years as a community correspondent

St. Vital

I was searching the internet the other day and came across an article I wrote about Jack Countryman a long time ago. I realized I have been writing in The Lance and now the east edition of the Free Press Community Review for 10 years. Yikes, I had no idea.

My first article in April 2016 was about my heart attack and how my lifetime buddy and bridge partner, Jeff Gosman, saved my life by driving me towards the Kenora hospital until we met an ambulance. It was a very bad heart attack… the widowmaker, but somehow, I am still here.

The COVID-19 pandemic created a challenge because all current events were cancelled. That was when I started to write about growing up in St. Vital and found out the stories were fun, educational, and of interest to many readers.

Then I met Lola Zeemel, who grew up on Fernwood West, went to Norberry School the very first year it was open, and had the most amazing memory. She was 103 at the time. I re-interviewed Lola three times because I could not get enough of her stories and memories of growing up when St. Vital was a municipality filled with 10-acre lots and almost everyone grew fruit or vegetables and swapped with their neighbours.

I wrote about many personal experiences such as winning the King Charles coronation medal, throwing out the first rock at the Ironman Outdoor Curling Bonspiel and driving for Operation Red Nose.

Knowing a lot of people in St. Vital, I found a lot of interesting stories to write about… Jerry and Gerry Ilchyna, who had a bursary at Dakota Collegiate named after them for their decades of teaching, coaching and inspiring students… Dave Cullen, who lived to be 100 and ran a bridge club we played in when Jeff and I started back playing the game. Dave also curled right to the end of his life… nice guy Jim Fuller, who ran Top Hat Florist for 60 years… my friend, Paul Edmonds, who has become one of the best broadcasters in the business with the Winnipeg Jets. I worked with Paul at the Goldeyes for many years. I knew then he was a big-league talent working for a minor-league team.

I love Christmas and wrote of my favourite old-time memories. I had to write about Remembrance Day. My dad landed on D-Day on Juno Beach in 1944 and somehow survived. His stories are amazing and worth re-telling.

Lately, I have written a lot about being president of the St. Vital Museum for the past three years. I have written about landmarks that no longer exist, such as Scouts Park on River Road. And I wrote articles about my time at all three of the schools I attended…St. George, Norberry and Dakota.

Thanks to editor John Kendle for his support, advice and friendship. Thank you to everyone who read my articles and who have taken the time to email me with comments or their own views.

Looking back can be rewarding. Writing in the paper certainly has been.