Society Business.
2008 January - March Newsletters
Edition: 2008-01
Date: Sun, 06 Jan, 2008
Welcome to 2008! The big news is that 2008 is finally here and A Celebration to Remember has begun. For so long, it was just a vision, an idea in the future, but the future is now here - so happy 225th anniversary to all and let's have some fun!
First off, thank you so much for making our first 2008 event, the Loyalist Levée on 1 Jan, a great success. In case you haven't heard yet, we had nearly 200 people show up! And a whopping 57 of those people were wearing Loyalist attire - it was beautiful ...!
We would like to thank everyone who made the Levée possible -
- the Town and Municipal councils for agreeing to do a joint Levée in the first place
- Mary Lee and Penny for their help, their cooperation and most importantly, their enthusiasm
- Deputy Mayor Tony, Warden Paulette and MLA Sterling for their participation and their support, not to mention the nice job they did with the cake!
- the Melansons, Pat DeMolitor, the Smith Family, the New Jersey Volunteers, the Prince of Wales Dancers, and even the King's Orange Rangers from Liverpool! for volunteering their time, greatly contributing to the ambiance and colour of the event, and for keeping us wonderfully entertained throughout the afternoon
- the Sandy Point Recreation Group for preparing such a feast for the eyes and the tummy
- the SVFD Ladies' Auxiliary for generously providing access to their kitchen facilities
- Sobeys Shelburne for very kindly donating the large cake beautifully decorated with the Loyalist flag
- and finally, a big round of applause to everyone who attended and supported the event!
What a great way to start a great year - thank you!
If you're a hog fan - and I ain't talkin' pork chops - you'll be thrilled to know that a Motorcycle Show & Shine event has been added to the roster for the Waterfront Weekend, 11-13 Jul 08. Volunteer Ernie Dexter (local artist, easy rider and a good man) has very kind-heartedly offered to plan and lead this motorized event, so stay tuned for more details! Thanks, Ernie!
As we've been getting ready for 2008, we have been approached by several people who want to create crafts or souvenirs using the LL08 logo. We think it's terrific! We had hoped that Shelburne County individuals and businesses would be able to see, and take advantage of, the many financial and creative opportunities created by the 2008 celebrations. However, we'd like to remind you that the LL08 logo has been copyrighted by the Loyalist Landing 2008 Society and therefore, it cannot be used in any way without the express written consent of the Society. So, if you're interested in using the LL08 logo, please contact me first!
Heads up! The next regular meeting of the LL08 Society will be held Sat, 12 Jan 08, at 10 am in the Town Council Chambers. Look for the agenda later this week. The meeting will be open to everyone and all are welcome.
Edition: 2008-02
Date: Sun, Jan 13, 2008
Good morning! Thought I'd forgotten all about you, didn't you? Between all the meetings and trying to have a life, the weekend was over before I knew it. So I decided to throw caution to the wind and wait till this morning to do the newsletter. I know, I'm just living on the edge ...!
Now that the festive season is over and it's back to business as usual, it's time to roll up our sleeves and get crackin'. We've got a celebration to put on! The LL08 Society held its first regular meeting of the new year on Sat, 12 Jan. It was a good meeting and we got a lot done - the minutes are out already, so have a read!
And moving right along, the next LL08 signature event will be a "Movie & Pasta Night" on Mon, 4 Feb. This event will be hosted by the Black Loyalist Heritage Society as a kick-off to Black History Month. The featured movie will be the film premiere of the docu-drama Rough Crossings, a film based on the book “Rough Crossings: Britain, the Slaves and the American Revolution” by Simon Schama. In 1792, almost 1,200 former slaves boarded ships in Halifax harbour to make the last of the "rough crossings" to Sierra Leone, Africa, to form a new society. Rough Crossings follows them on their epic journey out of the new slave owners' Republic, into the harsh Nova Scotian wilderness, and then back over the Atlantic to a "free and virtuous black society" in Sierra Leone. It will be an evening that will not only feed your tummy, but also feed your spirit. Look for the full details in next week's Coast Guard!
Jeff and Dianne Strang of the Ideal Discount Store in Shelburne would like input from you on any ideas or suggestions you may have for LL08 souvenirs and items to be stocked at their store. Their goal is to have a good range of items at very affordable prices. Jeff also wants to put the word out to Shelburne County retailers in particular, and Nova Scotia retailers in general, that these items will be available wholesale to any business that wants to sell them retail. If you've got any ideas or are interested in talking business, please contact Jeff at idealdisc@ns.aliantzinc.ca as soon as possible!
Shelburne Regional High School will be holding a fundraising concert on Sat, 26 Jan at 7 pm. ECMA nominee Troy MacGillivray, a multi-instrument traditional Celtic musician from Antigonish will the featured entertainer, accompanied by Allan Dewar, pianist to Natalie MacMaster, and Brent Chaisson of the musical Chaisson family of PEI. The concert will open with local talent Alex Buchanan and his band, and the SRHS Choir. There will also be a bake sale and 50/50 draws. Funds raised will help finance an upcoming educational trip to Europe for the students. Tickets, which are $15, are available at the High School, The Rose Bouquet and the Jordan Branch Vet Clinic. Sounds like a lot of fun and a great way to support our young people!
And a heads up to all you crafters, flea marketers, antiquers and collectors! As part of the Waterfront Weekend, to be held from 11-13 Jul, we'd also like to hold a "Crafts, Fleas & Collectibles Market" at the Shelburne Community Centre. As you know, there will be a Motorcycle Show & Shine in the parking lot, along with a couple of other motor-related events yet to be confirmed, so we thought why not fill the Community Centre as well? The idea is to have a whole range of events that will appeal to a whole range of people all around Town during that weekend, so that not only will the waterfront be alive with activity, so will the rest of the Town! There will be no cost whatsoever to participate and we'll take care of the advertising. The rules will pretty well be the same as the Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale: 1) you're responsible for your own set-up/dismantle, 2) you pick up after yourself at the end of the weekend, and 3) any money you make is yours to keep! So, I'm putting out the call - if you or your group/organization would be interested in participating in a craft/flea/antiques/collectibles market, please contact me to sign up! It's going to be one fantastic weekend!
Have yourself a great week!
Edition: 2008-03
Date: Sun, Jan 20, 2008
It has been a very busy week! Suddenly, out of nowhere, the world has collectively realized that 2008 is here and that the Loyalist Landing 2008 celebrations have actually started - and the e-mails and phone calls haven't stopped since!
Quick rundown of what's been happening this past week:
- First of all, John has the Levée pictures up on the website! Can't help but smile when I look at the pictures - it was such a great event ... Anyone know what Nancy's last name is?
- Also up on the website is the intro to the longboats chronicle. For the past month or so, a steady stream of volunteers has been cleaning and setting up the Mill Building, where the lines will be drawn and some of the lumber milled. The 25' steam box is nearing completion and.... whoa Nellie! If you want to know what else is going on, look it up on the website!
- Everything is falling into place very nicely for the three showcase weekends in July. Less than six months to go! Hopefully, the snow will be gone by then ...
- Lorraine Chapman and I met with the ladies from the Shelburne County Figure Skating Club yesterday. It was a very productive and energetic meeting, and everyone left knowing exactly what they had to do! The Club will be giving a skating performance on Sunday, 2 Mar called "Loyalists on Ice" in honour of the LL08 celebrations - watch for more details in the coming weeks. Definitely mark this event on your calendar. Even if you don't have little ones skating in the show, I guarantee you won't want to miss it. Plus, don't you want to be one of the people who can say 25 years from now - remember that incredible skating pageant in 2008?
- Loyalist Landing 2008 Society Crier Fred Greenwood, already a popular guy by all accounts, is already booked for his first gig! He'll be the announcer at the "Loyalists on Ice" skating performance on 2 Mar ... - Treasurer Jim, with a little help from friends and fellow philatelists Hank Falk and Doug Johnston, has been putting the final touches to a proposal for a special stamp cancellation to commemorate the 225th anniversary. The idea is to also have an appropriate photo stamp, which the Post Office offers as part of their product line. The stamp will be good for postage but will have the design of our choice. In addition, there will be a suitable cachet envelope with a scene worthy of note and the three items in combination will, we think, make a wonderful souvenir of the area and the 2008 celebrations!
- Ernie Dexter has been polishing up the Motorcycle Show & Shine that will be held at the Community Centre as part of the Waterfront Weekend activities, and quite a few people have already signed up for the "Crafts, Fleas & Collectibles Market"!
- And the details have been confirmed for the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra concert that will be held on Sunday, 27 Apr at the Shelburne Regional High School. The orchestra's manager tells me that the students have already started practicing for the concert and that the programme will feature spirited pieces!
And that's just the stuff I know about!
COMING UP THIS WEEK:
1. Our favourite hookers, the Shelburne County Sirens, will have a display at the McKay Memorial Library, 254 Water St. in Shelburne, starting this Wednesday, 23 Jan. The exhibit will run until Saturday, 2 Feb.
2. Don't forget SRHS' fundraising concert next Saturday, 26 Jan at 7 pm. The evening will feature a great line-up of entertainment, plus there will be a bake sale and 50/50 draws. The tickets are $15 and are available at the High School, the Rose Bouquet and the Jordan Branch Vet Clinic.
Edition: 2008-04
Date: Sun, 27 Jan, 2008
Some of the stuff we've been working on:
- Treasurer Jim submitted a request for a stamp cancellation last week, with the understanding that it would take a few weeks to review. Lo and behold, his request was approved three days later! Must have made a good case! So now Shelburne will have its very own stamp cancellation (just like Shag Harbour ...!) commemorating the LL08 celebrations - another little piece of Shelburne history in the making!
- The boys have been at it every day this week at the Mill Building, as the construction of the longboats gets underway. If you're in the neighbourhood any weekday morning, pop in - and you'll get to see another little piece of Shelburne history in the making. But don't get too close, or Bill Cox may put you to work! You can also keep an eye on the construction on the website.
- Plans are progressing very nicely for the open air concert that will be held on Sat evening, 12 Jul as part of the Waterfront Weekend activities. Headlining the evening will be "Les Dix Acadies", a group consisting of 19 Acadian dancers from Pubnico way. Although I've never seen them myself, they come highly recommended and they're thrilled to be part of our 2008 celebrations! Also booked for our listening and toe-tapping entertainment is our very own Smith Family, featuring Leona, Robert and Robbie. I could listen to them all day ... Still working on the third act - should hopefully have details by next week.
- Doug Langley ordered up a whole bunch of LL08 baseball caps this week as a Society fundraiser. They are royal blue - the blue of the Loyalist flag - and will feature a stitched LL08 logo on the front, with Shelburne and Nova Scotia on each side. Saw a sample - well done and excellent quality. They'll be selling for $10 each. The first batch should be here in the next week or so and I'll be sure to let you know where you can pick one up!
And now for a little bit on costumes. I know that many of you are grabbing the scissors by the handle and making your own costumes - I'm even getting pictures all the way from Toronto! However, if you're not so sewingly-inclined, there are a couple of people you can turn to locally who will be glad to fix you up with some duds.
- Marion Flemming informs me that she has a couple of "work dress" costumes for sale. The costumes consist of six pieces - skirt, short gown, apron, fichu (that little shawl around the neck ..), mobcap and one pocket. Please see below for more on the "one pocket" ... She has two of these costumes available for sale at $150 each if you buy just one, or $125 each if you buy two or more. Plus, she'll basically make you anything you want - machine-sewn costume, hand-sewn attire, various accessories. You can reach Marion at 875-3983 or edon@ns.sympatico.ca.
- Another local resource is Jocelyn Drane. Did you know that Jocelyn actually studied costume design, with the purpose of designing and sewing costumes for the entertainment industry? How exciting! And over the years, she has also studied period clothing and has, in fact, dressed many members of the local re-enactment community. Jocelyn will be glad to make you a machine-sewn costume, hand-sewn attire and various accessories. You can reach her at 875-2022 or dwdrane@ns.sympatico.ca.
Now back to that pocket! A quick 18th century dress lesson - garments did not have attached pockets back then, men or women. I don't have a clue where the men stored their stuff, and honestly, I don't think I want to know, because I already know way too much about what they did with that long shirt! But the women did wear "pockets", little sacks really, that were attached at their waist with a string or ribbon and hung over their hip. They would then have a slit on the side of their skirt that would allow them to reach into their pocket. Thank goodness they finally figured out it was a whole lot simpler to just attach the pocket directly to the garment ...
COMING UP THIS WEEK:
1. Don't forget that our favourite hookers, the Shelburne County Sirens, are still showing off their wares at the McKay Memorial Library, 254 Water Street, Shelburne, until 2 Feb.
2. If you haven't already, don't forget to order up your tickets for the February LL08 Signature Event - Movie & Pasta Night - on Mon, 4 Feb. It will be held at the Birchtown Community Centre from 5:30 - 8:30 pm and will feature the film screening of "Rough Crossings". Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students, available from the Black Loyalist Heritage Society at 875-1310.
3. And heads up - Valentine's Day is just around the corner! Why not romance your sweetie at "Romanza", a concert by three acclaimed tenors from Vancouver who will sing about love. The concert will be held on Sun, 10 Feb, 3 pm at the Osprey Arts Centre in Shelburne. Tickets are $20 each and available at the Osprey.
Edition: 2008-05
Date: Sun 3 Feb 2008
Good evening! A couple of tidbits to start off, and then I'm afraid it's all about that dreaded "B" word ... yes, business!
Tomorrow's going to be a very busy day in the area -
First, at 8 am tomorrow morning, we will take the next step in the construction of the two 18th century wooden longboats when a full-time, dedicated crew will augment the volunteers who, to date, have been cleaning, organizing, measuring and getting everything ready for the big day. So keep an eye on the website for photos and the next diary entry!
And then, tomorrow evening, the Black Loyalist Heritage Society, in conjunction with their Black History Month celebrations, will be hosting the February LL08 Signature Event - Movie & Pasta Night - from 5:30 - 8:30 pm at the Birchtown Community Centre. Supper will include spaghetti, salad, tea/coffee and dessert, and the feature film will be "Rough Crossings", a BBC production based on the novel by Simon Schama. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Call Shari or Jackie at 875-1310 to reserve a seat. See you there!
And now, down to business!
First item - volunteers. Loyalist Landing 2008 is getting warmed up with - already! - the second event in our year-long celebration happening tomorrow. And it's been very heartening so far to have an enthusiastic core of volunteers organizing events or willing to help at the drop of a hat - thank you, all of you! However, as things heat up and 20 events are going on at the same time, we're definitely going to need more help! What's that saying - our strength is our volunteers? Then be our strength! If you've thought, even for a brief second, that you might like to volunteer some time to help with the LL08 events, think no more! It's time to take the plunge! Even aside from the fact that you'll be working with some really terrific people (!!), there are so many other benefits:
1) get to unleash your creative and organizational spirits - you may surprise yourself,
2) get to try all kinds of new and exciting things - without risking a fine or jail time ...,
3) get to meet new people, make new friends and contribute to your community,
4) get to be part of Shelburne's history - last chance for another 25 years, and
5) bonus - get to have a lot of fun!
So please contact me - I promise you won't regret it!
Next item - Annual General Meeting. It's that time of year again when we must satisfy the terms of our incorporation and account for our deeds! It's time to audit our books, resign our positions en masse and then elect new directors for 2008. Thanks to the diligent record-keeping of Treasurer Jim and the volunteer audit services of Dave Laycock, the audit should be a piece of cake! Where we will need help, though, is with the election of new directors and the appointment of a new executive - and that's where you come in. If you're interested in becoming a director of the Society for 2008 and having a personal hand in making the LL08 celebrations a success, then here's your big chance. But be forewarned - you will be put to work! It's showtime, and as a director, you will be expected to pull your weight - this means organizing or contributing to at least one major LL08 event, actively fundraising, and volunteering as and when called upon. Interested candidates will also be required to present a brief "résumé" outlining why they want to be a director and what they will contribute to the team. The Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday, 23 Feb, 10 am, in the Town Council Chambers. Nominations will be accepted at the meeting and nominees will be asked to verbally present their "résumé" before the votes are taken.
And a heads up! The next regular meeting of the LL08 Society will be held Saturday, 9 Feb, 10 am, in the Town Council Chambers. Please watch for the agenda later this week. This meeting is open to everyone.
Edition 2008-06
Date: Sun 10 Feb, 2008
Good evening! It may be wet and miserable outside, but the sun is definitely shining on LL08!
First off, lots of fantastic news!
* The folks at CIBC started off the week with a very generous $2,500 donation to be used to pay for free admission at the Shelburne Museum Complex during the three July showcase weekends. That means that on Sat and Sun 12-13 Jul, 19-20 Jul and 26-27 Jul, admission to the Shelburne County Museum, the Ross-Thomson House & Store Museum, the J.C. Williams Dory Shop Museum and the Muir-Cox Shipbuilding Interpretive Centre/Museum will be absolutely free!
* Next up was the Bank of Nova Scotia. Shelburne manager Larry Pelletier confirmed that the bank was donating $1,000 to be used for the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra concert on 27 Apr!
* Adding to that, Shelburne Sobeys manager Steve Burns advised that his store would also be sponsoring the concert on 27 Apr - they're feeding the orchestra before they head back on the road!
* The next bit of good news came from Frank Anderson of SWSDA who confirmed that the Regional Development Authority has secured a $50,000 contribution from NS Economic Development to be used for the LL08 celebrations. Mr. Anderson, armed with the Society's business plan and a firm belief in LL08, has been working tirelessly for months now on our behalf to secure funding for the celebrations!
* And, it did not end there - Clearwater Seafoods informed us that it will be donating $3,500 to the 2008 celebrations!
* Then to top it all off, our MP Gerald Keddy, a staunch supporter of LL08 from the very beginning, rose in the House on Friday and used his 60-second time allotment to speak about the preparations and upcoming events of the Loyalist Landing 2008 celebrations! Live, from the House of Commons - talk about national publicity!!
So, on behalf of the Loyalist Landing 2008 Society, extra big thank yous go out to CIBC, Shelburne Historical Society, Bank of Nova Scotia, Sobeys, SWSDA, Clearwater Seafoods and Gerald Keddy. You folks absolutely made our week!
The minutes from Saturday's LL08 Society meeting went out this morning. Be sure to read them if you want to stay in the loop and find out the latest! Plus our trusty web guy John is keeping the calendar of events up-to-date - he's even adding event posters on the website so you can get the full details in full colour! As you'll see, March is going to be a very busy month - so keep an eye on the calendar. You don't want to miss any of the fun!
And something else you don't want to miss out on - Sam Stewart of All 4 One Graphics has created a 225th anniversary Loyalist Landing 2008 licence plate. It's bright, colourful and a real eye-catcher. And it says Shelburne right on it - pretty neat ... So pop by Sam's shop and check it out. They're selling for $25 each (plus tax), and Sam will also give a reasonable quantity discount to any businesses that want to purchase a quantity to sell to their customers.
Also available now are LL08 baseball caps - you may actually have seen a few around town already as a half dozen were sold the minute our Retail Sales guy Doug Langley took them out of the bag at the meeting on Saturday! The cap is the blue of the Loyalist flag, and features the LL08 logo on the front with Shelburne on one side and Nova Scotia on the other. Good looking and good quality. They sell for $10 each - contact Doug at 875-1258 or drop me an e-mail. Our hope is that lots and lots of people (hint, hint) will buy them and wear them everywhere - what better promotion for 2008? Doug also informs me that he still has some LL08 lapel pins available - at $5 each, they're proving to be quite popular as well. And just to show you what good quality they are - I hate to admit that I forgot to remove mine from the lapel of my coat last time I washed it ... ooops. When I realized, I figured - well, there goes that pin! But no, when I took the coat out of the washing machine, I was surprised to find that the pin was still in place, the back still on, and incredibly, the pin was still right side up. It hadn't budged! So it goes to show how sturdy and durable it is - although I wouldn't recommend putting it through the regular cycle on a regular basis ...!
Date: Sun, 06 Jan, 2008
Welcome to 2008! The big news is that 2008 is finally here and A Celebration to Remember has begun. For so long, it was just a vision, an idea in the future, but the future is now here - so happy 225th anniversary to all and let's have some fun!
First off, thank you so much for making our first 2008 event, the Loyalist Levée on 1 Jan, a great success. In case you haven't heard yet, we had nearly 200 people show up! And a whopping 57 of those people were wearing Loyalist attire - it was beautiful ...!
We would like to thank everyone who made the Levée possible -
- the Town and Municipal councils for agreeing to do a joint Levée in the first place
- Mary Lee and Penny for their help, their cooperation and most importantly, their enthusiasm
- Deputy Mayor Tony, Warden Paulette and MLA Sterling for their participation and their support, not to mention the nice job they did with the cake!
- the Melansons, Pat DeMolitor, the Smith Family, the New Jersey Volunteers, the Prince of Wales Dancers, and even the King's Orange Rangers from Liverpool! for volunteering their time, greatly contributing to the ambiance and colour of the event, and for keeping us wonderfully entertained throughout the afternoon
- the Sandy Point Recreation Group for preparing such a feast for the eyes and the tummy
- the SVFD Ladies' Auxiliary for generously providing access to their kitchen facilities
- Sobeys Shelburne for very kindly donating the large cake beautifully decorated with the Loyalist flag
- and finally, a big round of applause to everyone who attended and supported the event!
What a great way to start a great year - thank you!
If you're a hog fan - and I ain't talkin' pork chops - you'll be thrilled to know that a Motorcycle Show & Shine event has been added to the roster for the Waterfront Weekend, 11-13 Jul 08. Volunteer Ernie Dexter (local artist, easy rider and a good man) has very kind-heartedly offered to plan and lead this motorized event, so stay tuned for more details! Thanks, Ernie!
As we've been getting ready for 2008, we have been approached by several people who want to create crafts or souvenirs using the LL08 logo. We think it's terrific! We had hoped that Shelburne County individuals and businesses would be able to see, and take advantage of, the many financial and creative opportunities created by the 2008 celebrations. However, we'd like to remind you that the LL08 logo has been copyrighted by the Loyalist Landing 2008 Society and therefore, it cannot be used in any way without the express written consent of the Society. So, if you're interested in using the LL08 logo, please contact me first!
Heads up! The next regular meeting of the LL08 Society will be held Sat, 12 Jan 08, at 10 am in the Town Council Chambers. Look for the agenda later this week. The meeting will be open to everyone and all are welcome.
Edition: 2008-02
Date: Sun, Jan 13, 2008
Good morning! Thought I'd forgotten all about you, didn't you? Between all the meetings and trying to have a life, the weekend was over before I knew it. So I decided to throw caution to the wind and wait till this morning to do the newsletter. I know, I'm just living on the edge ...!
Now that the festive season is over and it's back to business as usual, it's time to roll up our sleeves and get crackin'. We've got a celebration to put on! The LL08 Society held its first regular meeting of the new year on Sat, 12 Jan. It was a good meeting and we got a lot done - the minutes are out already, so have a read!
And moving right along, the next LL08 signature event will be a "Movie & Pasta Night" on Mon, 4 Feb. This event will be hosted by the Black Loyalist Heritage Society as a kick-off to Black History Month. The featured movie will be the film premiere of the docu-drama Rough Crossings, a film based on the book “Rough Crossings: Britain, the Slaves and the American Revolution” by Simon Schama. In 1792, almost 1,200 former slaves boarded ships in Halifax harbour to make the last of the "rough crossings" to Sierra Leone, Africa, to form a new society. Rough Crossings follows them on their epic journey out of the new slave owners' Republic, into the harsh Nova Scotian wilderness, and then back over the Atlantic to a "free and virtuous black society" in Sierra Leone. It will be an evening that will not only feed your tummy, but also feed your spirit. Look for the full details in next week's Coast Guard!
Jeff and Dianne Strang of the Ideal Discount Store in Shelburne would like input from you on any ideas or suggestions you may have for LL08 souvenirs and items to be stocked at their store. Their goal is to have a good range of items at very affordable prices. Jeff also wants to put the word out to Shelburne County retailers in particular, and Nova Scotia retailers in general, that these items will be available wholesale to any business that wants to sell them retail. If you've got any ideas or are interested in talking business, please contact Jeff at idealdisc@ns.aliantzinc.ca as soon as possible!
Shelburne Regional High School will be holding a fundraising concert on Sat, 26 Jan at 7 pm. ECMA nominee Troy MacGillivray, a multi-instrument traditional Celtic musician from Antigonish will the featured entertainer, accompanied by Allan Dewar, pianist to Natalie MacMaster, and Brent Chaisson of the musical Chaisson family of PEI. The concert will open with local talent Alex Buchanan and his band, and the SRHS Choir. There will also be a bake sale and 50/50 draws. Funds raised will help finance an upcoming educational trip to Europe for the students. Tickets, which are $15, are available at the High School, The Rose Bouquet and the Jordan Branch Vet Clinic. Sounds like a lot of fun and a great way to support our young people!
And a heads up to all you crafters, flea marketers, antiquers and collectors! As part of the Waterfront Weekend, to be held from 11-13 Jul, we'd also like to hold a "Crafts, Fleas & Collectibles Market" at the Shelburne Community Centre. As you know, there will be a Motorcycle Show & Shine in the parking lot, along with a couple of other motor-related events yet to be confirmed, so we thought why not fill the Community Centre as well? The idea is to have a whole range of events that will appeal to a whole range of people all around Town during that weekend, so that not only will the waterfront be alive with activity, so will the rest of the Town! There will be no cost whatsoever to participate and we'll take care of the advertising. The rules will pretty well be the same as the Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale: 1) you're responsible for your own set-up/dismantle, 2) you pick up after yourself at the end of the weekend, and 3) any money you make is yours to keep! So, I'm putting out the call - if you or your group/organization would be interested in participating in a craft/flea/antiques/collectibles market, please contact me to sign up! It's going to be one fantastic weekend!
Have yourself a great week!
Edition: 2008-03
Date: Sun, Jan 20, 2008
It has been a very busy week! Suddenly, out of nowhere, the world has collectively realized that 2008 is here and that the Loyalist Landing 2008 celebrations have actually started - and the e-mails and phone calls haven't stopped since!
Quick rundown of what's been happening this past week:
- First of all, John has the Levée pictures up on the website! Can't help but smile when I look at the pictures - it was such a great event ... Anyone know what Nancy's last name is?
- Also up on the website is the intro to the longboats chronicle. For the past month or so, a steady stream of volunteers has been cleaning and setting up the Mill Building, where the lines will be drawn and some of the lumber milled. The 25' steam box is nearing completion and.... whoa Nellie! If you want to know what else is going on, look it up on the website!
- Everything is falling into place very nicely for the three showcase weekends in July. Less than six months to go! Hopefully, the snow will be gone by then ...
- Lorraine Chapman and I met with the ladies from the Shelburne County Figure Skating Club yesterday. It was a very productive and energetic meeting, and everyone left knowing exactly what they had to do! The Club will be giving a skating performance on Sunday, 2 Mar called "Loyalists on Ice" in honour of the LL08 celebrations - watch for more details in the coming weeks. Definitely mark this event on your calendar. Even if you don't have little ones skating in the show, I guarantee you won't want to miss it. Plus, don't you want to be one of the people who can say 25 years from now - remember that incredible skating pageant in 2008?
- Loyalist Landing 2008 Society Crier Fred Greenwood, already a popular guy by all accounts, is already booked for his first gig! He'll be the announcer at the "Loyalists on Ice" skating performance on 2 Mar ... - Treasurer Jim, with a little help from friends and fellow philatelists Hank Falk and Doug Johnston, has been putting the final touches to a proposal for a special stamp cancellation to commemorate the 225th anniversary. The idea is to also have an appropriate photo stamp, which the Post Office offers as part of their product line. The stamp will be good for postage but will have the design of our choice. In addition, there will be a suitable cachet envelope with a scene worthy of note and the three items in combination will, we think, make a wonderful souvenir of the area and the 2008 celebrations!
- Ernie Dexter has been polishing up the Motorcycle Show & Shine that will be held at the Community Centre as part of the Waterfront Weekend activities, and quite a few people have already signed up for the "Crafts, Fleas & Collectibles Market"!
- And the details have been confirmed for the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra concert that will be held on Sunday, 27 Apr at the Shelburne Regional High School. The orchestra's manager tells me that the students have already started practicing for the concert and that the programme will feature spirited pieces!
And that's just the stuff I know about!
COMING UP THIS WEEK:
1. Our favourite hookers, the Shelburne County Sirens, will have a display at the McKay Memorial Library, 254 Water St. in Shelburne, starting this Wednesday, 23 Jan. The exhibit will run until Saturday, 2 Feb.
2. Don't forget SRHS' fundraising concert next Saturday, 26 Jan at 7 pm. The evening will feature a great line-up of entertainment, plus there will be a bake sale and 50/50 draws. The tickets are $15 and are available at the High School, the Rose Bouquet and the Jordan Branch Vet Clinic.
Edition: 2008-04
Date: Sun, 27 Jan, 2008
Some of the stuff we've been working on:
- Treasurer Jim submitted a request for a stamp cancellation last week, with the understanding that it would take a few weeks to review. Lo and behold, his request was approved three days later! Must have made a good case! So now Shelburne will have its very own stamp cancellation (just like Shag Harbour ...!) commemorating the LL08 celebrations - another little piece of Shelburne history in the making!
- The boys have been at it every day this week at the Mill Building, as the construction of the longboats gets underway. If you're in the neighbourhood any weekday morning, pop in - and you'll get to see another little piece of Shelburne history in the making. But don't get too close, or Bill Cox may put you to work! You can also keep an eye on the construction on the website.
- Plans are progressing very nicely for the open air concert that will be held on Sat evening, 12 Jul as part of the Waterfront Weekend activities. Headlining the evening will be "Les Dix Acadies", a group consisting of 19 Acadian dancers from Pubnico way. Although I've never seen them myself, they come highly recommended and they're thrilled to be part of our 2008 celebrations! Also booked for our listening and toe-tapping entertainment is our very own Smith Family, featuring Leona, Robert and Robbie. I could listen to them all day ... Still working on the third act - should hopefully have details by next week.
- Doug Langley ordered up a whole bunch of LL08 baseball caps this week as a Society fundraiser. They are royal blue - the blue of the Loyalist flag - and will feature a stitched LL08 logo on the front, with Shelburne and Nova Scotia on each side. Saw a sample - well done and excellent quality. They'll be selling for $10 each. The first batch should be here in the next week or so and I'll be sure to let you know where you can pick one up!
And now for a little bit on costumes. I know that many of you are grabbing the scissors by the handle and making your own costumes - I'm even getting pictures all the way from Toronto! However, if you're not so sewingly-inclined, there are a couple of people you can turn to locally who will be glad to fix you up with some duds.
- Marion Flemming informs me that she has a couple of "work dress" costumes for sale. The costumes consist of six pieces - skirt, short gown, apron, fichu (that little shawl around the neck ..), mobcap and one pocket. Please see below for more on the "one pocket" ... She has two of these costumes available for sale at $150 each if you buy just one, or $125 each if you buy two or more. Plus, she'll basically make you anything you want - machine-sewn costume, hand-sewn attire, various accessories. You can reach Marion at 875-3983 or edon@ns.sympatico.ca.
- Another local resource is Jocelyn Drane. Did you know that Jocelyn actually studied costume design, with the purpose of designing and sewing costumes for the entertainment industry? How exciting! And over the years, she has also studied period clothing and has, in fact, dressed many members of the local re-enactment community. Jocelyn will be glad to make you a machine-sewn costume, hand-sewn attire and various accessories. You can reach her at 875-2022 or dwdrane@ns.sympatico.ca.
Now back to that pocket! A quick 18th century dress lesson - garments did not have attached pockets back then, men or women. I don't have a clue where the men stored their stuff, and honestly, I don't think I want to know, because I already know way too much about what they did with that long shirt! But the women did wear "pockets", little sacks really, that were attached at their waist with a string or ribbon and hung over their hip. They would then have a slit on the side of their skirt that would allow them to reach into their pocket. Thank goodness they finally figured out it was a whole lot simpler to just attach the pocket directly to the garment ...
COMING UP THIS WEEK:
1. Don't forget that our favourite hookers, the Shelburne County Sirens, are still showing off their wares at the McKay Memorial Library, 254 Water Street, Shelburne, until 2 Feb.
2. If you haven't already, don't forget to order up your tickets for the February LL08 Signature Event - Movie & Pasta Night - on Mon, 4 Feb. It will be held at the Birchtown Community Centre from 5:30 - 8:30 pm and will feature the film screening of "Rough Crossings". Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students, available from the Black Loyalist Heritage Society at 875-1310.
3. And heads up - Valentine's Day is just around the corner! Why not romance your sweetie at "Romanza", a concert by three acclaimed tenors from Vancouver who will sing about love. The concert will be held on Sun, 10 Feb, 3 pm at the Osprey Arts Centre in Shelburne. Tickets are $20 each and available at the Osprey.
Edition: 2008-05
Date: Sun 3 Feb 2008
Good evening! A couple of tidbits to start off, and then I'm afraid it's all about that dreaded "B" word ... yes, business!
Tomorrow's going to be a very busy day in the area -
First, at 8 am tomorrow morning, we will take the next step in the construction of the two 18th century wooden longboats when a full-time, dedicated crew will augment the volunteers who, to date, have been cleaning, organizing, measuring and getting everything ready for the big day. So keep an eye on the website for photos and the next diary entry!
And then, tomorrow evening, the Black Loyalist Heritage Society, in conjunction with their Black History Month celebrations, will be hosting the February LL08 Signature Event - Movie & Pasta Night - from 5:30 - 8:30 pm at the Birchtown Community Centre. Supper will include spaghetti, salad, tea/coffee and dessert, and the feature film will be "Rough Crossings", a BBC production based on the novel by Simon Schama. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Call Shari or Jackie at 875-1310 to reserve a seat. See you there!
And now, down to business!
First item - volunteers. Loyalist Landing 2008 is getting warmed up with - already! - the second event in our year-long celebration happening tomorrow. And it's been very heartening so far to have an enthusiastic core of volunteers organizing events or willing to help at the drop of a hat - thank you, all of you! However, as things heat up and 20 events are going on at the same time, we're definitely going to need more help! What's that saying - our strength is our volunteers? Then be our strength! If you've thought, even for a brief second, that you might like to volunteer some time to help with the LL08 events, think no more! It's time to take the plunge! Even aside from the fact that you'll be working with some really terrific people (!!), there are so many other benefits:
1) get to unleash your creative and organizational spirits - you may surprise yourself,
2) get to try all kinds of new and exciting things - without risking a fine or jail time ...,
3) get to meet new people, make new friends and contribute to your community,
4) get to be part of Shelburne's history - last chance for another 25 years, and
5) bonus - get to have a lot of fun!
So please contact me - I promise you won't regret it!
Next item - Annual General Meeting. It's that time of year again when we must satisfy the terms of our incorporation and account for our deeds! It's time to audit our books, resign our positions en masse and then elect new directors for 2008. Thanks to the diligent record-keeping of Treasurer Jim and the volunteer audit services of Dave Laycock, the audit should be a piece of cake! Where we will need help, though, is with the election of new directors and the appointment of a new executive - and that's where you come in. If you're interested in becoming a director of the Society for 2008 and having a personal hand in making the LL08 celebrations a success, then here's your big chance. But be forewarned - you will be put to work! It's showtime, and as a director, you will be expected to pull your weight - this means organizing or contributing to at least one major LL08 event, actively fundraising, and volunteering as and when called upon. Interested candidates will also be required to present a brief "résumé" outlining why they want to be a director and what they will contribute to the team. The Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday, 23 Feb, 10 am, in the Town Council Chambers. Nominations will be accepted at the meeting and nominees will be asked to verbally present their "résumé" before the votes are taken.
And a heads up! The next regular meeting of the LL08 Society will be held Saturday, 9 Feb, 10 am, in the Town Council Chambers. Please watch for the agenda later this week. This meeting is open to everyone.
Edition 2008-06
Date: Sun 10 Feb, 2008
Good evening! It may be wet and miserable outside, but the sun is definitely shining on LL08!
First off, lots of fantastic news!
* The folks at CIBC started off the week with a very generous $2,500 donation to be used to pay for free admission at the Shelburne Museum Complex during the three July showcase weekends. That means that on Sat and Sun 12-13 Jul, 19-20 Jul and 26-27 Jul, admission to the Shelburne County Museum, the Ross-Thomson House & Store Museum, the J.C. Williams Dory Shop Museum and the Muir-Cox Shipbuilding Interpretive Centre/Museum will be absolutely free!
* Next up was the Bank of Nova Scotia. Shelburne manager Larry Pelletier confirmed that the bank was donating $1,000 to be used for the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra concert on 27 Apr!
* Adding to that, Shelburne Sobeys manager Steve Burns advised that his store would also be sponsoring the concert on 27 Apr - they're feeding the orchestra before they head back on the road!
* The next bit of good news came from Frank Anderson of SWSDA who confirmed that the Regional Development Authority has secured a $50,000 contribution from NS Economic Development to be used for the LL08 celebrations. Mr. Anderson, armed with the Society's business plan and a firm belief in LL08, has been working tirelessly for months now on our behalf to secure funding for the celebrations!
* And, it did not end there - Clearwater Seafoods informed us that it will be donating $3,500 to the 2008 celebrations!
* Then to top it all off, our MP Gerald Keddy, a staunch supporter of LL08 from the very beginning, rose in the House on Friday and used his 60-second time allotment to speak about the preparations and upcoming events of the Loyalist Landing 2008 celebrations! Live, from the House of Commons - talk about national publicity!!
So, on behalf of the Loyalist Landing 2008 Society, extra big thank yous go out to CIBC, Shelburne Historical Society, Bank of Nova Scotia, Sobeys, SWSDA, Clearwater Seafoods and Gerald Keddy. You folks absolutely made our week!
The minutes from Saturday's LL08 Society meeting went out this morning. Be sure to read them if you want to stay in the loop and find out the latest! Plus our trusty web guy John is keeping the calendar of events up-to-date - he's even adding event posters on the website so you can get the full details in full colour! As you'll see, March is going to be a very busy month - so keep an eye on the calendar. You don't want to miss any of the fun!
And something else you don't want to miss out on - Sam Stewart of All 4 One Graphics has created a 225th anniversary Loyalist Landing 2008 licence plate. It's bright, colourful and a real eye-catcher. And it says Shelburne right on it - pretty neat ... So pop by Sam's shop and check it out. They're selling for $25 each (plus tax), and Sam will also give a reasonable quantity discount to any businesses that want to purchase a quantity to sell to their customers.
Also available now are LL08 baseball caps - you may actually have seen a few around town already as a half dozen were sold the minute our Retail Sales guy Doug Langley took them out of the bag at the meeting on Saturday! The cap is the blue of the Loyalist flag, and features the LL08 logo on the front with Shelburne on one side and Nova Scotia on the other. Good looking and good quality. They sell for $10 each - contact Doug at 875-1258 or drop me an e-mail. Our hope is that lots and lots of people (hint, hint) will buy them and wear them everywhere - what better promotion for 2008? Doug also informs me that he still has some LL08 lapel pins available - at $5 each, they're proving to be quite popular as well. And just to show you what good quality they are - I hate to admit that I forgot to remove mine from the lapel of my coat last time I washed it ... ooops. When I realized, I figured - well, there goes that pin! But no, when I took the coat out of the washing machine, I was surprised to find that the pin was still in place, the back still on, and incredibly, the pin was still right side up. It hadn't budged! So it goes to show how sturdy and durable it is - although I wouldn't recommend putting it through the regular cycle on a regular basis ...!
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: 2008-07
Date: Sun 17 Feb, 2008
Good evening! Not much to report this week - after all the excitement of last week, we could use a breather anyway!
Ever so slowly, all the different threads of the 2008 tapestry are weaving themselves into a Loyalist Landing design -
- Planning for events is progressing "within acceptable parameters" - every day, one more detail falls into place, one more event falls into place.
- The Chamber of Commerce and the CBDC are busy putting together a Town beautification strategy.
- Local businesses are inquiring about costumes and period attire for their employees.
- The construction of the longboats is in full swing now with the dedicated work crew, and the volunteers will begin the prep work for the second longboat tomorrow. With any luck, the first longboat will be ready to launch on Sunday, 4 May as part of the Loyalist Landing Celebration.
- The Founders' Days Committee will hold its first meeting tomorrow night to start planning this year's Founders' Days Weekend, the third July showcase event.
- The Town's Waterfront Development Committee has approved 27 hanging flower baskets along Dock Street that will be decorated with red, white and blue flowers!
Lots going on and lots of people busy behind the scenes! Don't know about you, but it gives me a warm feeling and tremendous pride to know that so many people are working as a team toward the same goal ...
Check the website! John has uploaded the video clip of MP Gerald Keddy speaking about LL08 in the House of Commons on 8 Feb!
Jeff & Dianne Strang of Ideal Discount Store inform me that they have more 3' x 5' Loyalist flags on the way, at an even lower price! The store will also stock 3' x 6' red/white/blue bunting as well as flag poles and brackets. And by the end of April, you'll also be able to get some 12" x 18" Loyalist stick flags that will sell at $1.25 each. Jeff and Dianne also have plans to stock many Loyalist red/white/blue decorations and are even hoping to have a catalogue that will be available for viewing on their website. The Society is also working out the details with Jeff to have him sell a number of items with the Loyalist landing logo.
COMING UP:
1. On Wed, 20 Feb, 12:30 pm at the McKay Memorial Library, the lovely Haley Cox will give a presentation on her journey aboard the Freedom Schooner Amistad.
2. On Sat, 23 Feb, the LL08 Society will hold its Annual General Meeting at 10 am in the Town Council Chambers. Full details and agenda to follow.
3. After the AGM on 23 Feb, there will be a regular meeting of the LL08 Society - same location. Agenda to follow.
4. On Sat, 1 Mar, the Osprey Arts Centre will present "Song Enchanted Evening" featuring the talents of Lisa Buchanan and friends, as well as the singing debut of Kathleen Glauser of Charlotte Lane Café fame. The show begins at 8 pm and tickets are $12.
5. And on Sun, 2 Mar, the Shelburne County Figure Skating Club will perform "Loyalists on Ice" from 2-4 pm at the Shelburne Arena. Tickets at the door - $3 adults, $2 students and seniors, free for skaters and children 5 and under.
Edition: 2008-08
Date: Sun 24 Feb, 2008
Good evening!
We're baaaack! Further to the Society's Annual General Meeting yesterday, we're now legit for another year. Thirteen fools, er, I mean dedicated individuals, stepped forward as directors - some brand new and some returning - to execute Loyalist Landing 2008, and hopefully, bring the year to a wildly successful conclusion. We've got a good, strong team - and we're ready to work!
Check out the website when you get a chance. John has added a new "receipts" or recipes feature with excerpts from local author Eleanor Robertson Smith's book "Loyalist Foods in Today's Recipes".
It's actually one of those recipes we'll be using when a brave crew from the Society helps out at the Recreation Roadshow. The roadshow is a new municipal program for children that's taken out to the communities - hence the name! Roadshow staff travel around, providing fun activities in various communities; in turn, the community hosting the roadshow provides the facilities at no cost. The program always involves a physical activity component to tire the little ones out (yeah, right!), plus myriad other interesting activities to spark little imaginations and keep little hands busy. The roadshow is usually planned for school closure days and children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult. The municipality plans to eventually take the show to all seven districts, but this time, the roadshow will be at the Sable River Community Hall on Thu, 6 Mar and at the Gunning Cove Firehall on Mon, 10 Mar - both days, from 1-5 pm. And that's where the Society comes in - we'll be taking to the road with the roadshow. Of the many activities planned for those two afternoons, one will be baking cookies - Earliest American Cookies or sugar cookies, one of Eleanor's recipes. Should be a lot of fun ... and messy - hence the brave crew!! Stay tuned as details are finalized. And if you'd like to come along to help, you get to eat some cookies ...!!
Something truly amazing has happened! Even though they're not yet built, the two longboats have already been requested for an event in 2009! Next year will be the commemoration of the Founding of the Royal Navy Dockyard, 1759-2009, and the weekend of 17-19 Jul will feature some 60-plus "tall ships" of the Sail Training International Fleet and an historical Longboat Flottila in Halifax Harbour. And we've been invited! If that doesn't float your boat, I don't know what will!
If you're thinking of going red, white and blue this year, Jeff & Dianne Strang of Ideal Discount inform me that they have received a shipment of 3' x 5' Loyalist flags for $9.99 each, as well as 3' x 6' half-circle Loyalist red, white and blue pleated fan bunting, with grommets, for $19.99 each. Jeff claims that's the best price in Canada, and I believe him! I priced bunting myself a while back - the cheapest one was twice that price, and it wasn't even pleated. The store is also stocking 5' wooden flag poles for $6.99 each and nylon brackets for $5.99 each. Time to get decked out for LL08!
The Society's Retail Sales & Promotion Committee needs some more members. If you think you might be interested, contact Committee Chair Doug Langley at 875-1258 or doug.l@ns.sympatico.ca.
COMING UP:
1. Bowood, aka the former Boys' School, is open for business! Stephen Antle, Bowood's Cultural Productions Manager (aka the entertainment guy), is planning a whole line up of entertainment and he's kicking things off this Friday night, 29 Feb. Bowood will present "Art and Paul: The Show They Never Gave", a satirical tribute to Simon and Garfunkel. And in case you're wondering, yes, it is the same show that just played in Halifax! According to the great reviews it got, the performers were so mesmerizing, you'd swear they were the real thing. And they'll be singing all your S&G favourites - guaranteed to take you back! The performance will be held at The Calestone - Bowood, 455 Sandy Point Road, Lower Sandy Point. Doors open 7 pm and the show starts at 8 pm. Tickets are $25 + tax and are available at The Whirligig Book Shop in Shelburne or at the door on Friday night.
2. On Saturday, the Osprey Arts Centre will present "Song Enchanted Evening", featuring the vocal talents of many local ladies including Lisa Buchanan and Kathleen Glauser. The show begins at 8 pm and tickets, available at The Whirligig Book Shop, are $12 each.
3. And finally on Sunday, the Shelburne County Figure Skating Club, joined by the Prince of Wales Historic Dancers, will present "Loyalists on Ice" at the Shelburne Arena. Tickets will be available at the door - $3 adults, $2 students and seniors, free for skaters and children 5 and under. Should be a wonderful performance!
It's going to be a busy weekend!
Date: Sun 17 Feb, 2008
Good evening! Not much to report this week - after all the excitement of last week, we could use a breather anyway!
Ever so slowly, all the different threads of the 2008 tapestry are weaving themselves into a Loyalist Landing design -
- Planning for events is progressing "within acceptable parameters" - every day, one more detail falls into place, one more event falls into place.
- The Chamber of Commerce and the CBDC are busy putting together a Town beautification strategy.
- Local businesses are inquiring about costumes and period attire for their employees.
- The construction of the longboats is in full swing now with the dedicated work crew, and the volunteers will begin the prep work for the second longboat tomorrow. With any luck, the first longboat will be ready to launch on Sunday, 4 May as part of the Loyalist Landing Celebration.
- The Founders' Days Committee will hold its first meeting tomorrow night to start planning this year's Founders' Days Weekend, the third July showcase event.
- The Town's Waterfront Development Committee has approved 27 hanging flower baskets along Dock Street that will be decorated with red, white and blue flowers!
Lots going on and lots of people busy behind the scenes! Don't know about you, but it gives me a warm feeling and tremendous pride to know that so many people are working as a team toward the same goal ...
Check the website! John has uploaded the video clip of MP Gerald Keddy speaking about LL08 in the House of Commons on 8 Feb!
Jeff & Dianne Strang of Ideal Discount Store inform me that they have more 3' x 5' Loyalist flags on the way, at an even lower price! The store will also stock 3' x 6' red/white/blue bunting as well as flag poles and brackets. And by the end of April, you'll also be able to get some 12" x 18" Loyalist stick flags that will sell at $1.25 each. Jeff and Dianne also have plans to stock many Loyalist red/white/blue decorations and are even hoping to have a catalogue that will be available for viewing on their website. The Society is also working out the details with Jeff to have him sell a number of items with the Loyalist landing logo.
COMING UP:
1. On Wed, 20 Feb, 12:30 pm at the McKay Memorial Library, the lovely Haley Cox will give a presentation on her journey aboard the Freedom Schooner Amistad.
2. On Sat, 23 Feb, the LL08 Society will hold its Annual General Meeting at 10 am in the Town Council Chambers. Full details and agenda to follow.
3. After the AGM on 23 Feb, there will be a regular meeting of the LL08 Society - same location. Agenda to follow.
4. On Sat, 1 Mar, the Osprey Arts Centre will present "Song Enchanted Evening" featuring the talents of Lisa Buchanan and friends, as well as the singing debut of Kathleen Glauser of Charlotte Lane Café fame. The show begins at 8 pm and tickets are $12.
5. And on Sun, 2 Mar, the Shelburne County Figure Skating Club will perform "Loyalists on Ice" from 2-4 pm at the Shelburne Arena. Tickets at the door - $3 adults, $2 students and seniors, free for skaters and children 5 and under.
Edition: 2008-08
Date: Sun 24 Feb, 2008
Good evening!
We're baaaack! Further to the Society's Annual General Meeting yesterday, we're now legit for another year. Thirteen fools, er, I mean dedicated individuals, stepped forward as directors - some brand new and some returning - to execute Loyalist Landing 2008, and hopefully, bring the year to a wildly successful conclusion. We've got a good, strong team - and we're ready to work!
Check out the website when you get a chance. John has added a new "receipts" or recipes feature with excerpts from local author Eleanor Robertson Smith's book "Loyalist Foods in Today's Recipes".
It's actually one of those recipes we'll be using when a brave crew from the Society helps out at the Recreation Roadshow. The roadshow is a new municipal program for children that's taken out to the communities - hence the name! Roadshow staff travel around, providing fun activities in various communities; in turn, the community hosting the roadshow provides the facilities at no cost. The program always involves a physical activity component to tire the little ones out (yeah, right!), plus myriad other interesting activities to spark little imaginations and keep little hands busy. The roadshow is usually planned for school closure days and children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult. The municipality plans to eventually take the show to all seven districts, but this time, the roadshow will be at the Sable River Community Hall on Thu, 6 Mar and at the Gunning Cove Firehall on Mon, 10 Mar - both days, from 1-5 pm. And that's where the Society comes in - we'll be taking to the road with the roadshow. Of the many activities planned for those two afternoons, one will be baking cookies - Earliest American Cookies or sugar cookies, one of Eleanor's recipes. Should be a lot of fun ... and messy - hence the brave crew!! Stay tuned as details are finalized. And if you'd like to come along to help, you get to eat some cookies ...!!
Something truly amazing has happened! Even though they're not yet built, the two longboats have already been requested for an event in 2009! Next year will be the commemoration of the Founding of the Royal Navy Dockyard, 1759-2009, and the weekend of 17-19 Jul will feature some 60-plus "tall ships" of the Sail Training International Fleet and an historical Longboat Flottila in Halifax Harbour. And we've been invited! If that doesn't float your boat, I don't know what will!
If you're thinking of going red, white and blue this year, Jeff & Dianne Strang of Ideal Discount inform me that they have received a shipment of 3' x 5' Loyalist flags for $9.99 each, as well as 3' x 6' half-circle Loyalist red, white and blue pleated fan bunting, with grommets, for $19.99 each. Jeff claims that's the best price in Canada, and I believe him! I priced bunting myself a while back - the cheapest one was twice that price, and it wasn't even pleated. The store is also stocking 5' wooden flag poles for $6.99 each and nylon brackets for $5.99 each. Time to get decked out for LL08!
The Society's Retail Sales & Promotion Committee needs some more members. If you think you might be interested, contact Committee Chair Doug Langley at 875-1258 or doug.l@ns.sympatico.ca.
COMING UP:
1. Bowood, aka the former Boys' School, is open for business! Stephen Antle, Bowood's Cultural Productions Manager (aka the entertainment guy), is planning a whole line up of entertainment and he's kicking things off this Friday night, 29 Feb. Bowood will present "Art and Paul: The Show They Never Gave", a satirical tribute to Simon and Garfunkel. And in case you're wondering, yes, it is the same show that just played in Halifax! According to the great reviews it got, the performers were so mesmerizing, you'd swear they were the real thing. And they'll be singing all your S&G favourites - guaranteed to take you back! The performance will be held at The Calestone - Bowood, 455 Sandy Point Road, Lower Sandy Point. Doors open 7 pm and the show starts at 8 pm. Tickets are $25 + tax and are available at The Whirligig Book Shop in Shelburne or at the door on Friday night.
2. On Saturday, the Osprey Arts Centre will present "Song Enchanted Evening", featuring the vocal talents of many local ladies including Lisa Buchanan and Kathleen Glauser. The show begins at 8 pm and tickets, available at The Whirligig Book Shop, are $12 each.
3. And finally on Sunday, the Shelburne County Figure Skating Club, joined by the Prince of Wales Historic Dancers, will present "Loyalists on Ice" at the Shelburne Arena. Tickets will be available at the door - $3 adults, $2 students and seniors, free for skaters and children 5 and under. Should be a wonderful performance!
It's going to be a busy weekend!
Edition: 2008-09
Date: Sat 1 Mar, 2008
Good morning! Although more of the white stuff is coming down, it's actually good. Here's my theory - scientific as it may not be: the past few winters, we haven't had much snow and it's been rather warm, right? But we've had wet and cold summers. SOOOO, this winter, if we get lots of snow and cold ... come summer, we should have warm and dry. Right? Told you it wasn't scientific - but that's my theory and I'm sticking to it!
There really isn't much to report on this week. Have no fear, we haven't been sitting idle, taking care of lots of nit picky, administrative little things - a necessary evil! We've had loads of fun this week finalizing the details for shower facilities for the Grand Re-enactment Weekend, as well as the porta-potties for the first two Showcase Weekends. I'd be glad to share all the details ... no? Are you sure? It's really fascinating ...
And the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary confirmed this week that, pending unforeseen operational circumstances, they will be participating in our Waterfront Weekend with displays and Bobbie the Boat!
The 20 LL08 banners we ordered are in production, and so are 10,000 colourful new rack cards promoting us to the world. And, of course, Sam Stewart of All 4 One Graphics is doing the final touches to the wonderful LL08 brochure she's putting together - 35,000 copies of that will be distributed across Nova Scotia! Like I said, no one's sitting idle!
COMING UP:
1. As part of its Take the Roof Off Winter program, the Municipality is holding a Mini Winter Olympics event at Welkum Park today, 1 Mar, from 1-4 pm. A free afternoon of fun activities in the snow for the whole family. Some hot drinks and snack will be available!
2. Tonight, 1 Mar! "Song Enchanted Evening" will be held at the Osprey Arts Centre starting at 8 pm. As the title implies, it's an evening of song featuring the beautiful voices of Lisa Buchanan, Pat deMolitor, Merrie Howe and Shelly MacIntosh, as well as singing débutante Kathleen Glauser. Tickets will be available at the door for $12.
In addition to their usual great line-up of entertainment such as Select Cinema Presents and Hubbubgo, this coming season, the Osprey will also feature a couple of plays from Red Sky Theatre and Shelburne's Basement Theatre, a concert with a unique blend of celtic and baroque, Shelburne County recording artist Gina Symonds, a Youth Classical Concert starring Lucas Porter, and a presentation of Carmen by the Maritime Concert Opera. And as well as partnering with the LL08 Society to bring you the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra on 27 Apr, the Osprey will also be partnering with the Charlotte Lane Café for a Fundraising Dinner & Wine Tasting on 19 Apr, and the Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society for a Stephen Kimber book launch on 6 Jun. The Coastline Gallery will also be busy with an exhibit of new flower paintings by Lio Lo on 10 May and a photo exhibit by Shelburne County's own Linda Ross on 6 Jun. If you want to be in the loop for all the exciting events happening at the Osprey, you can e-mail ospreyartscentre@eastlink.ca and ask to be put on their mailing list! Between the Osprey and the LL08 celebrations, Shelburne County won't be the place to be bored in 2008!
3. There's going to be a lot of fun at the Shelburne Arena tomorrow, 2 Mar, as 60+ skaters from the Shelburne County Figure Skating Club present the LL08 March Signature Event - Loyalists on Ice. The performance will also include the talents of the Prince of Wales Historic Dancers. Should be a great show - especially watching the little ones skate; they're so cute ...! Loyalists on Ice is on from 2-4 pm. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for students and seniors, and free for skaters and children 5 & under. Bundle up and come enjoy the show!
4. And if all this snow and cold are getting you down, the Black Loyalist Heritage Society has a sweet way to cheer you up. The Society's 3rd Annual Chocolate Festival, originally scheduled for 10 Feb, will be held tomorrow, Sun 2 Mar from 1-3 pm at the Birchtown Community Centre. Now remember the cardinal rule of chocolate eating - there are absolutely no calories if you eat it standing up! Common knowledge ...
5. And don't forget that the Municipal Recreation Roadshow will be hitting the road this coming week. On Thu, 6 Mar, it will be at the Sable River Community Hall from 1-5 pm and at the Gunning Cove Firehall on Mon, 10 Mar, again from 1-5 pm. Both afternoons will feature free fun activities for the little ones in your life, and the LL08 Society will be on hand to participate in some 18th century cookie baking and games. Bring your wee ones and stay to help and play! Don't forget that children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult!
Edition 2008-10
Date: Sun Mar 9th, 2008
Good evening! Everyone was busy this week taking care of business - finalizing more details on more events, the usual run of meetings, lining up some sponsors, even entertaining some new events! It never ends ...!
Mostly tidbits this week -
- We received our 20 LL08 banners - they're outstanding! The company that produced them ranks our banners as among the very best they have produced, and that was after we paid them - so it must be true! What I love about the design is that the pictures and theme are 18th century, but the graphic design and material are definitely 21st century - it's a perfect balance. They will look amazing, lining the streets of Shelburne throughout this summer and beyond - we hope ...! I think the plan is to put them up by the 1st of May, just in time for the tourists. So keep an eye out for them!
- We also received our 10,000 rack cards - meanwhile I need an addition on the house ... We're very pleased with them - excellent quality, bright and cheerful, really convey the mood for LL08. We exhibited the cards in a crowded rack and viewed them from a distance. They "pop" off the rack and one's eyes are immediately drawn to the bright colours. Watch for them around town and across the province soon!
- Out of the blue, I received an e-mail this week from the Historic Gardens in Annapolis Royal, asking permission to recreate the Society's logo in their centre carpet bed for this summer - incredible! Of course, we said yes!! The carpet bed is about 8' x 12' - good size. So, either in June or in August, in between all the other summer events, we'll have to take a drive up to Annapolis Royal to have a peek!
- The longboat crew made excellent progress this week - the boat is actually looking like a boat! And I was almost speechless (I said almost ...) when I saw the size of it - it's a massive and impressive hunk of wood! If you're by the Muir-Cox Shipyard anytime, drop by and have a look - it's really so neat to have this going on right here in Shelburne ... You can also read all about it on the website as soon as the Loyal Scribe puts finger to keyboard to write the third instalment in the longboat chronicles! That is, when I allow the scribe to get near the keyboard ...!
- And still on the subject of the longboats, work on the special oars for the boats is about to begin this week in Mahone Bay. There will be 20 of them, 10' long and made of good ol' white spruce. The Society will soon be launching a "sponsor-an-oar-campaign". For a yet-to-be-determined donation, a sponsor will have his/her or company name put on an oar and will get a picture of the longboat with a certificate of sponsorship. We will also offer the sponsor a chance to sit in the boat and have a picture taken with the oar. If we can work out the bugs - read insurance - the owner might even get a chance to row his/her oar in one of the longboats!
- Another Society initiative soon to be available is related to philately. Treasurer Jim, working with Shelburne Post Mistress Susan, proposed a stamp cancellation to Canada Post as a tribute to our Loyalist heritage, and you'll recall that it was approved a few weeks ago. It will be used on any mail cancelled in Shelburne starting 5 May 08. In addition, after consulting some of the local stamp collectors, Treasurer Jim also created a cacheted envelope (# 10) and has applied for a "photo stamp" to complete the package. This initiative has not been undertaken solely as a fundraising effort - although costs will have to be covered - but as another promotion item for the Society. Something else to get people from away aware of and interested in Shelburne!! These stamp items will make fabulous keepsakes, are relatively inexpensive and will not take up very much space in suitcases returning home or when mailed as gifts. If anyone is interested in owning any combination of these keepsakes, e-mail me and I will have Jim send more details. As an aside, the Society has already started using the cacheted envelopes when sending anything through the mail!
Heads up, mom & dad - here's a list of free events going on this week to keep your March Break munchkins busy!
- Monday, 10 Mar, 1-5 pm, Gunning Cove Fire wall. The Municipal Recreation Roadshow, in partnership with the LL08 Society, will host an afternoon of 18th century cookie baking and games for the whole family. Children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Tuesday, 11 Mar, 7-8 pm, Shelburne County Arena. Broomball Family Fun Night sponsored by the municipality. All equipment will be provided.
- Wednesday, 12 Mar, 2-4 pm, Shelburne County Arena. Loyalist Family Skate sponsored by the LL08 Society. There will be hot chocolate and cookies to warm up hands and fill tummies. Skaters (and spectators) are welcome to dress Loyalist style!
- Friday, 14 Mar, 2-4 pm, Shelburne County Arena. Public Skate sponsored by the municipality.
If you're a skating fan, get out this week and enjoy it as this may be your last chance - the ice rink at the Shelburne County Arena will close for the season on Wed, 19 Mar!
COMING UP:
- The Municipal Recreation Roadshow scheduled for last Thu, 6 Mar was cancelled. The next Roadshow will be on Tue, 18 Mar, 1-5 pm at the Sable River Community Hall. We'll be doing some more cookie baking and game playing. Don't forget that children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult. Admission is free!
- Select Cinema Presents at the Osprey Arts Centre, Tue, 18 Mar, 7:30 pm. Tickets - $8 for adults, $5 for students.
- Planning has already begun for the Shelburne County 55+ Games for 2008. The summer season games will be held during the week of 14-20 Sep, and the winter season games will be held 25, 27, 28 and 29 Oct, culminating in a banquet on Sat, 1 Nov. Volunteers are needed on the planning committee and as event coordinators. If you'd like to get involved, the next meeting will be on Tue, 25 Mar, 10 am at the Shelburne Community Centre.
Edition: 2008-11
Date: Sun Mar 16th, 2008
Good evening! Thank goodness we're halfway through March, otherwise all this white stuff might get me down ... but no matter how much more we get, its days are definitely numbered!! Spring is literally just around the corner ...
Speaking of numbers, the LL08 Society held the Loyalist Family Skate this past Wed, 12 Mar at the Shelburne Arena. We deliberately set our attendance estimates low - people away for March Break, youngsters more into Wii than skating, etc. But what a pleasant surprise - we had about 70 people show up! The rink was full, covering every age group - it was wonderful! Thank you so much to everyone who attended, and we hope you had as much fun as we did! Thanks also go to Tim Hortons for the delicious hot chocolate, to Edgar and Raymond for taking such good care of us, and to all the LL08 volunteers who helped out.
On Thu, four of us motored out to Mahone Bay to visit Van Fancy's Oars, the company that is making the 10-ft oars for the longboats. Mr. Fancy gave us a quick demonstration on how the oars are made - and I mean quick, because it only took him 15 minutes to make one! Of course, a lot of that has to do with skill acquired over a 20-year period ...!
Received some good news and some bad news this week ...
Let's get rid of the bad news first. I regret to report that the 2008 Loyalist Open Cashspiel, a curling tournament to be hosted by the Shelburne Curling Club next weekend 21-23 Mar, has been cancelled due to lack of interest. Apparently, no one's interested in the $2,008 first prize ... go figure.
The good news.
- Sobeys became a financial sponsor of the LL08 celebrations this week when Shelburne store manager Steve Burns presented Chair Al and Treasurer Jim with a cheque! Although I must emphasize at this point that, from the moment he became manager, Steve has been a staunch and enthusiastic supporter of LL08 providing donations of food, drinks, cake, decorations, you name it, to many of the events that have been held already. Thank you, Steve and thank you, Sobeys!
- MP Gerald Keddy and his diligent staff have been working steadily behind the scenes to secure some "activities" for the Waterfront Weekend. This week, we received a copy of a letter to Mr. Keddy from Minister of Defence Peter MacKay himself confirming that the 14 Wing (CFB Greenwood) Pipes & Drums would be participating in the Waterfront Weekend. And although the operational schedule is still being finalized, it appears we are in the running to have a Kingston class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel participate as well! In addition, a hand-written note from Mr. MacKay at the bottom of the letter indicates that we may also get a ship for the event! When I got the news Wed morning, that scream of delight you heard echoing through the streets of Shelburne was me ... Thank you Mr. Keddy, Sarah, Jennifer, Joan and Jo-Ellen for all your hard work and efforts on our behalf ...
- Got confirmation from Halifax Public Gardens this week that they will dedicate their main carpet bed this summer to our Loyalist Landing celebrations. The flower design will depict the Loyalist flag with the inscription below it - Loyalist Landing Shelburne, 1783-2008. If you're in Halifax this summer, check it out!
Keep in mind that there are events coming up over the next few weeks and months that you need to mark on your calendar and/or start planning for:
- On Sun, 27 Apr, the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra will be performing at the Shelburne Regional High School on Woodlawn Drive. Posters should start going up this week and tickets will be on sale at The Whirligig Book Shop in Shelburne starting Mon, 24 Mar. Admission will be $10 for adults and $5 for students. Check out the LL08 Society website for more info.
- A Loyalist Landing Celebration will be held on Sun, 4 May to commemorate the day the Loyalists arrived in Shelburne Harbour 225 years ago. The day will feature a ceremony on the waterfront, followed by an ecumenical worship service at the Shelburne Community Centre, and the launch of the first of our two 18th century wooden longboats. We'll end the day with a Loyalist Bonfire & Rations event at the Shelburne Lions Club - a supper in remembrance of the rations doled out to the Loyalists for the first few months after they arrived followed by an honest to goodness bonfire! Watch for more details as we get closer to the date.
- If you're into stamp collecting, and even if you're not, the Shelburne Canada Post outlet will host an LL08 philatelic event on Mon, 5 May. Available will be a special issue Loyalist stamp, a Shelburne Loyalist stamp cancellation and Shelburne cachet envelopes; all great collectors' items and unique gifts. Stay tuned for more details on this event too. And if you're interested in acquiring some of the special issue stamps, drop me a line.
- And last, but absolutely not least, one of my favourite events - our 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale that will be held on Sat, 7 Jun as part of Spring Into Shelburne! The day will start off with the yard & sidewalk sale, followed by a waterfront auction in the afternoon and musical entertainment in the evening. So, start making your plans for the day, whether you're planning to buy, sell or eat your way through town! Last year's dry-run was a tremendous success, even more so than we anticipated - so now that we're old hands at it, let's make this year's event even bigger! And to make the day truly unique and memorable, we hope that everyone who has a Loyalist costume will wear it that day - think of it, hundreds of people milling around town, all dressed Loyalist style ... what an incredible sight that will be! One for the LL08 history books, that's for sure!
COMING UP:
1. On Tue, 18 Mar, the Municipal Recreation Roadshow will be visiting the Sable River Community Hall from 1-5 pm with all kinds of free fun activities for the whole family that will include games and 18th century cookie baking. Children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult.
2. Also on Tue, 18 Mar, Select Cinema will present an evening of short animation at the Osprey Arts Centre starting at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students.
3. On Wed, 19 Mar, the Black Loyalist Heritage Society will host their annual Easter Bake Sale at the Shelburne Mall, starting at 11 am.
4. On Tue, 25 Mar, the Shelburne County 55+ Games will hold a planning meeting at the Shelburne Community Centre at 10 am. Help is needed on the Planning Committee and as Individual Event Coordinators for the summer season games to be held from 14-20 Sep 08, the winter season games to be held 25, 27, 28 & 29 Oct 08, and the games banquet to be held on 1 Nov.
5. And if you're up in the Valley, the Oakdene Community Centre in Bear River will be holding a Loyalist Costume Workshop on Sat, 5 Apr, from 1-3 pm. Cost for the workshop is $15 and you're to bring your own lunch. The workshop will allow participants to view clothing, order patterns and discuss material options, plus there will be fabric available for sale on site. For more info, contact Angela O'Neil at 245-4155 or Jenny Stewart at 467-3184.
6. The Community Business Development Centre, in partnership with the Shelburne & Area Chamber of Commerce, has scheduled some workshops to get Shelburne County businesses ready for LL08. The first one will be held on Wed, 19 Mar, from 1-4 pm at the NS Community College, Shelburne Campus. It's titled "Preparing for Festivals" and will be presented by Debbie Lawrence, a business and career coach, and founder of Abundant Living (www.abundantliving.ca). The cost of the workshop is $10, which includes a nutrition break. Contact Ardith at 875-1133 to register.
If you were planning to be bored in the next little while, you're out of luck ... Have a great week!
Edition: 2008-12
Date: Sun, Mar 23rd, 2008
Good morning! Society directors and volunteers have spent the past week doing what we always do - working on events!! Do you realize that in just over three months, it'll be July and our three showcase weekends? Excuse me for a moment as I take a deep breath and try not to panic ...!
A good portion of the programme of events for the Waterfront Weekend 11-13 Jul is now in place - entertainment, booths, displays, exhibits, ships, fun stuff, food stuff, you name it - we've got it! We hope/plan to have most of it finalized by the end of April - more to come.
The Re-enactment Committee is planning the layout of the encampment site for the Grand Re-enactment Weekend 17-20 Jul - trying to find the best spot for the hanging tree, the lynching tree, etc. Those guys sure know how to have fun, don't they? Don't forget too that the NS Guild of Town Criers will be holding its provincial competition right here in Shelburne on 17-18 Jul as a kick-off to the weekend! Last time they were here was for the bicentennial celebrations in 1983 ...
Doug Langley and helpers have been busy working on the historical events that will be held as part of the Founders' Days Weekend 24-27 Jul - landing of Governor Parr, renaming ceremony, distribution of land grants, parade of Loyalist families, Governor's Ball, etc. It will be a July to remember ...!
And a heads up for the Shelburne County Exhibition parade on Tue, 5 Aug. I've been informed by Debra Hill of the Shelburne County Agricultural Association that the theme for this year's parade will be "Loyalist Landing". Start designing your floats!!
However, before we get ahead of ourselves, there are still lots of events going on between now and then!
- The Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra concert on Sun, 27 Apr, 2 pm, Shelburne Regional High School. Tickets go on sale this week at The Whirligig Bookshop - $10 adults, $5 students. If you've seen them perform at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium in Halifax, then you know what a fantastic concert it'll be. And if you've never seen them, trust me - you don't want to miss this opportunity. Picture 65 classical musicians, playing every manner of musical instrument. It's an experience you will not soon forget!
- The Loyalist Landing Celebration on Sun, 4 May. The day's events will start with a commemorative ceremony on the waterfront, followed by an ecumenical worship service at the Shelburne Community Centre, the launch of the first longboat in the afternoon, and a bonfire & rations event at the Shelburne Lions Club in the evening. Watch for the full schedule in the next couple of weeks.
- Loyalist Stamp Issue/Stamp Cancellation on Mon, 5 May, Shelburne Canada Post Outlet. This event will launch the special issue Loyalist stamp and the Shelburne Loyalist stamp cancellation. And there will also be special Shelburne cachet envelopes to round off the souvenir package. Full details to come.
- Spring Into Shelburne! on Sat, 7 Jun. A full day of events starting with our 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale, a waterfront auction in the afternoon and musical entertainment in the evening. As you begin to sort your potential yard sale items, don't forget that the LL08 Society is also looking for large items for the waterfront auction. Bob & Wanda Guay will be running the auction as a fundraiser for the Society, with all funds raised being used for the July weekends. And don't forget that Woodworker's and Tim-BR Mart will also be holding their annual yard sales that day - the place will be buzzing!
Coming up:
- Planning meeting for the Shelburne County 55+ Games. Tue, 25 Mar, 10 am, Shelburne Community Centre. The summer games will be held 14-20 Sep, the winter games will be held 25, 27, 28 & 29 Oct, and the Games Banquet will be held on 1 Nov. Volunteers are needed for the Planning Committee and as Individual Event Coordinators.
- Shelburne County 6th Annual Birding & Nature Festival. Fri, 28 Mar - Shelburne / Sat, 29 Mar - Baccaro, Barrington, Cape Sable Island / Sun, 30 Mar - Port L'Hebert and Port Mouton. The event will feature birding tours in the various areas, many guest speakers and even a treasure hunt! Call 1-866-732-7867 to register or visit www.discovershelburnecounty.com/birdfestival.html <http://www.discovershelburnecounty.com/birdfestival.html>.
- Loyalist Costume Workshop. Sat, 5 Apr, 10 am - 3 pm, Oakdene Community Centre, Bear River. You'll get a chance to look at some Loyalist costumes, order patterns, discuss material options and even buy some fabric. Cost is $15 for the workshop, bring you own lunch. Contacts are Angela O'Neil at 245-4155 or Jenny Stewart at 467-3184.
- Hubbubgo. Sat, 5 Apr, 8 pm, Osprey Arts Centre, Shelburne. The very popular annual youth band bash that showcases young Shelburne County talent. Tickets $8 adults, $7 students. Check out the full list of great events coming up at the Osprey at www.ospreyartscentre.com <http://www.ospreyartscentre.com>.
- Community Business Development Centre Workshop. Wed, 16 Apr, 12 - 1:30 pm, NSCC, Shelburne Campus. The CBDC will be holding the last of its three workshops as part of its Marketing Series 08. This workshop will be titled "Improving Your Flyers, Cards & Ads" and will be presented by Sandra Phinney, a freelance writer and partner with Parnell Phinney Productions. Cost is $10 and includes lunch. Contact Ardith at 875-1133 to register.
Edition: 2008-13
Date: Sun, Mar 23rd, 2008
Good afternoon - and a glorious one it is! Still a little too white for my taste, but hey, it'll come. Just in time for the black flies!!
It has been a very busy, productive and exciting week. Got lots to tell:
- First, the boys at the Muir-Cox are making great progress on the longboats - first one is actually looking like a longboat and the second one will be started sometime soon. Stop by for a look-see or read about it in the latest chapter of the longboat chronicles on our website.
- The final load of firewood for the Grand Re-enactment Weekend was brought in last weekend - it will be used by the re-enactors at the encampment site to cook, heat water, etc. exactly as they did in the 18th century ... Big thank you to Col John in Gunning Cove for supplying all the wood!
- Chair Al met with MP Gerald Keddy this week to update him on LL08. Apparently, Mr. Keddy has plans to participate in many of the summer's events, including the political boat races during the Waterfront Weekend. Seems he's considering putting in a "federal" team for the races ... Note to mayors, wardens and councillors - did someone mention spring training?
- Speaking with the Base Chief at 14 Wing Greenwood this week. We are confirmed for the 14 Wing Pipes & Drums during the Waterfront Weekend. It looks like they'll be coming down on the Sun, 13 Jul to provide the grand finale to the weekend with a good old-fashioned pipe band concert on the waterfront! And dare I say it - pause, as I do my very happy dance! - the Chief asked if we were interested in having a couple of Cormorants fly by? - insert more very happy dance! Should get word any day too on the Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel, plus we're still keeping our fingers crossed for a Navy frigate ...
- And further to the LL08 Society "Calling All Quilters" ad in the Coast Guard last week, Priscilla Wesley and Anna Smith, long-time quilters and gardening buddies, have very kindly stepped forward to organize the quilt exhibit that will be held during the Grand Re-enactment Weekend. The show will run in conjunction with the rug hooking display at the Shelburne Community Centre. Priscilla and Anna have spent the past week recruiting local quilters and planning the layout of the exhibit, complete with a history of quilting and a hands-on display where you'll be able to try your hand at stitching. If you're interested in adding your quilt to the exhibit or want to help out, please contact Priscilla at 875-2534 or Anna at 875-2332.
- Doug Langley has been busy doing more planning on the Governor's Ball & Banquet that will be held on Sat, 26 Jul during the Founders' Days Weekend. Polish up your 18th century dancing shoes as Doug is lining up two groups that specialize in 18th century song and dance. And start getting your fancy Loyalist duds and powdered wig ready for a most elegant affair!
- Speaking of wigs, I popped into Ideal Discount this week to see all the new "Loyalist" stuff that came in recently - white "powdered" wigs for men, even special night lights! Plus, Jeff & Dianne have added to the red, white & blue stock - they now have "sparklers" that you can use to jazz up your flower pots, wind socks, streamers for indoors and out, plus lots of bunting and flags. Jeff is also expecting a shipment of tricorn hats in late May/early Jun. Drop by and see all the goodies - guaranteed to get you in the Loyalist mood!
- And the Society received the final $2K instalment on a $10K NS Tourism marketing grant that we used to pay for the LL08 banners, rack cards, etc. What a great way to end the week! Thank you Pam ...
LOTS COMING UP!
- Loyalist Costume Workshop on Sat, 5 Apr, 10 am - 3 pm, at the Oakdene Community Centre in Bear River. Call Angela O'Neil at 245-4155 or Jenny Stewart at 467-3184 to register or for more info.
- Hubbubgo on Sat, 5 Apr, 8 pm at the Osprey Arts Centre. Tickets $8 adults, $7 students.
- The CBDC workshop "Improving Your Flyers, Cards & Ads" on Wed, 16 Apr, 12 - 1:30 pm at NSCC, Shelburne Campus. Cost is $10 and includes lunch. Contact Ardith at 875-1133 to register.
- If you haven't already, don't forget to pick up your tickets for the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra concert! It will be held on Sun, 27 Apr, 2 pm, at SRHS. Tickets are at The Whirligig Bookshop - $10 adults, $5 adults.
- Loyalist Landing Celebration, Sun, 4 May featuring a waterfront ceremony, an ecumenical worship service, the launch of the first longboat and the rations & bonfire event! Full details on the website.
- The Loyalist Stamp Issue/Stamp Cancellation on Mon, 5 May at the Shelburne Canada Post Outlet.
- Spring Into Shelburne! on Sat, 7 Jun, beginning with Shelburne's 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale, an afternoon auction and evening entertainment.
And heads up - the next regular meeting of the LL08 Society will be held on Sat, 12 Apr, 10 am in the Town Council Chambers.
Date: Sat 1 Mar, 2008
Good morning! Although more of the white stuff is coming down, it's actually good. Here's my theory - scientific as it may not be: the past few winters, we haven't had much snow and it's been rather warm, right? But we've had wet and cold summers. SOOOO, this winter, if we get lots of snow and cold ... come summer, we should have warm and dry. Right? Told you it wasn't scientific - but that's my theory and I'm sticking to it!
There really isn't much to report on this week. Have no fear, we haven't been sitting idle, taking care of lots of nit picky, administrative little things - a necessary evil! We've had loads of fun this week finalizing the details for shower facilities for the Grand Re-enactment Weekend, as well as the porta-potties for the first two Showcase Weekends. I'd be glad to share all the details ... no? Are you sure? It's really fascinating ...
And the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary confirmed this week that, pending unforeseen operational circumstances, they will be participating in our Waterfront Weekend with displays and Bobbie the Boat!
The 20 LL08 banners we ordered are in production, and so are 10,000 colourful new rack cards promoting us to the world. And, of course, Sam Stewart of All 4 One Graphics is doing the final touches to the wonderful LL08 brochure she's putting together - 35,000 copies of that will be distributed across Nova Scotia! Like I said, no one's sitting idle!
COMING UP:
1. As part of its Take the Roof Off Winter program, the Municipality is holding a Mini Winter Olympics event at Welkum Park today, 1 Mar, from 1-4 pm. A free afternoon of fun activities in the snow for the whole family. Some hot drinks and snack will be available!
2. Tonight, 1 Mar! "Song Enchanted Evening" will be held at the Osprey Arts Centre starting at 8 pm. As the title implies, it's an evening of song featuring the beautiful voices of Lisa Buchanan, Pat deMolitor, Merrie Howe and Shelly MacIntosh, as well as singing débutante Kathleen Glauser. Tickets will be available at the door for $12.
In addition to their usual great line-up of entertainment such as Select Cinema Presents and Hubbubgo, this coming season, the Osprey will also feature a couple of plays from Red Sky Theatre and Shelburne's Basement Theatre, a concert with a unique blend of celtic and baroque, Shelburne County recording artist Gina Symonds, a Youth Classical Concert starring Lucas Porter, and a presentation of Carmen by the Maritime Concert Opera. And as well as partnering with the LL08 Society to bring you the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra on 27 Apr, the Osprey will also be partnering with the Charlotte Lane Café for a Fundraising Dinner & Wine Tasting on 19 Apr, and the Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society for a Stephen Kimber book launch on 6 Jun. The Coastline Gallery will also be busy with an exhibit of new flower paintings by Lio Lo on 10 May and a photo exhibit by Shelburne County's own Linda Ross on 6 Jun. If you want to be in the loop for all the exciting events happening at the Osprey, you can e-mail ospreyartscentre@eastlink.ca and ask to be put on their mailing list! Between the Osprey and the LL08 celebrations, Shelburne County won't be the place to be bored in 2008!
3. There's going to be a lot of fun at the Shelburne Arena tomorrow, 2 Mar, as 60+ skaters from the Shelburne County Figure Skating Club present the LL08 March Signature Event - Loyalists on Ice. The performance will also include the talents of the Prince of Wales Historic Dancers. Should be a great show - especially watching the little ones skate; they're so cute ...! Loyalists on Ice is on from 2-4 pm. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for students and seniors, and free for skaters and children 5 & under. Bundle up and come enjoy the show!
4. And if all this snow and cold are getting you down, the Black Loyalist Heritage Society has a sweet way to cheer you up. The Society's 3rd Annual Chocolate Festival, originally scheduled for 10 Feb, will be held tomorrow, Sun 2 Mar from 1-3 pm at the Birchtown Community Centre. Now remember the cardinal rule of chocolate eating - there are absolutely no calories if you eat it standing up! Common knowledge ...
5. And don't forget that the Municipal Recreation Roadshow will be hitting the road this coming week. On Thu, 6 Mar, it will be at the Sable River Community Hall from 1-5 pm and at the Gunning Cove Firehall on Mon, 10 Mar, again from 1-5 pm. Both afternoons will feature free fun activities for the little ones in your life, and the LL08 Society will be on hand to participate in some 18th century cookie baking and games. Bring your wee ones and stay to help and play! Don't forget that children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult!
Edition 2008-10
Date: Sun Mar 9th, 2008
Good evening! Everyone was busy this week taking care of business - finalizing more details on more events, the usual run of meetings, lining up some sponsors, even entertaining some new events! It never ends ...!
Mostly tidbits this week -
- We received our 20 LL08 banners - they're outstanding! The company that produced them ranks our banners as among the very best they have produced, and that was after we paid them - so it must be true! What I love about the design is that the pictures and theme are 18th century, but the graphic design and material are definitely 21st century - it's a perfect balance. They will look amazing, lining the streets of Shelburne throughout this summer and beyond - we hope ...! I think the plan is to put them up by the 1st of May, just in time for the tourists. So keep an eye out for them!
- We also received our 10,000 rack cards - meanwhile I need an addition on the house ... We're very pleased with them - excellent quality, bright and cheerful, really convey the mood for LL08. We exhibited the cards in a crowded rack and viewed them from a distance. They "pop" off the rack and one's eyes are immediately drawn to the bright colours. Watch for them around town and across the province soon!
- Out of the blue, I received an e-mail this week from the Historic Gardens in Annapolis Royal, asking permission to recreate the Society's logo in their centre carpet bed for this summer - incredible! Of course, we said yes!! The carpet bed is about 8' x 12' - good size. So, either in June or in August, in between all the other summer events, we'll have to take a drive up to Annapolis Royal to have a peek!
- The longboat crew made excellent progress this week - the boat is actually looking like a boat! And I was almost speechless (I said almost ...) when I saw the size of it - it's a massive and impressive hunk of wood! If you're by the Muir-Cox Shipyard anytime, drop by and have a look - it's really so neat to have this going on right here in Shelburne ... You can also read all about it on the website as soon as the Loyal Scribe puts finger to keyboard to write the third instalment in the longboat chronicles! That is, when I allow the scribe to get near the keyboard ...!
- And still on the subject of the longboats, work on the special oars for the boats is about to begin this week in Mahone Bay. There will be 20 of them, 10' long and made of good ol' white spruce. The Society will soon be launching a "sponsor-an-oar-campaign". For a yet-to-be-determined donation, a sponsor will have his/her or company name put on an oar and will get a picture of the longboat with a certificate of sponsorship. We will also offer the sponsor a chance to sit in the boat and have a picture taken with the oar. If we can work out the bugs - read insurance - the owner might even get a chance to row his/her oar in one of the longboats!
- Another Society initiative soon to be available is related to philately. Treasurer Jim, working with Shelburne Post Mistress Susan, proposed a stamp cancellation to Canada Post as a tribute to our Loyalist heritage, and you'll recall that it was approved a few weeks ago. It will be used on any mail cancelled in Shelburne starting 5 May 08. In addition, after consulting some of the local stamp collectors, Treasurer Jim also created a cacheted envelope (# 10) and has applied for a "photo stamp" to complete the package. This initiative has not been undertaken solely as a fundraising effort - although costs will have to be covered - but as another promotion item for the Society. Something else to get people from away aware of and interested in Shelburne!! These stamp items will make fabulous keepsakes, are relatively inexpensive and will not take up very much space in suitcases returning home or when mailed as gifts. If anyone is interested in owning any combination of these keepsakes, e-mail me and I will have Jim send more details. As an aside, the Society has already started using the cacheted envelopes when sending anything through the mail!
Heads up, mom & dad - here's a list of free events going on this week to keep your March Break munchkins busy!
- Monday, 10 Mar, 1-5 pm, Gunning Cove Fire wall. The Municipal Recreation Roadshow, in partnership with the LL08 Society, will host an afternoon of 18th century cookie baking and games for the whole family. Children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Tuesday, 11 Mar, 7-8 pm, Shelburne County Arena. Broomball Family Fun Night sponsored by the municipality. All equipment will be provided.
- Wednesday, 12 Mar, 2-4 pm, Shelburne County Arena. Loyalist Family Skate sponsored by the LL08 Society. There will be hot chocolate and cookies to warm up hands and fill tummies. Skaters (and spectators) are welcome to dress Loyalist style!
- Friday, 14 Mar, 2-4 pm, Shelburne County Arena. Public Skate sponsored by the municipality.
If you're a skating fan, get out this week and enjoy it as this may be your last chance - the ice rink at the Shelburne County Arena will close for the season on Wed, 19 Mar!
COMING UP:
- The Municipal Recreation Roadshow scheduled for last Thu, 6 Mar was cancelled. The next Roadshow will be on Tue, 18 Mar, 1-5 pm at the Sable River Community Hall. We'll be doing some more cookie baking and game playing. Don't forget that children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult. Admission is free!
- Select Cinema Presents at the Osprey Arts Centre, Tue, 18 Mar, 7:30 pm. Tickets - $8 for adults, $5 for students.
- Planning has already begun for the Shelburne County 55+ Games for 2008. The summer season games will be held during the week of 14-20 Sep, and the winter season games will be held 25, 27, 28 and 29 Oct, culminating in a banquet on Sat, 1 Nov. Volunteers are needed on the planning committee and as event coordinators. If you'd like to get involved, the next meeting will be on Tue, 25 Mar, 10 am at the Shelburne Community Centre.
Edition: 2008-11
Date: Sun Mar 16th, 2008
Good evening! Thank goodness we're halfway through March, otherwise all this white stuff might get me down ... but no matter how much more we get, its days are definitely numbered!! Spring is literally just around the corner ...
Speaking of numbers, the LL08 Society held the Loyalist Family Skate this past Wed, 12 Mar at the Shelburne Arena. We deliberately set our attendance estimates low - people away for March Break, youngsters more into Wii than skating, etc. But what a pleasant surprise - we had about 70 people show up! The rink was full, covering every age group - it was wonderful! Thank you so much to everyone who attended, and we hope you had as much fun as we did! Thanks also go to Tim Hortons for the delicious hot chocolate, to Edgar and Raymond for taking such good care of us, and to all the LL08 volunteers who helped out.
On Thu, four of us motored out to Mahone Bay to visit Van Fancy's Oars, the company that is making the 10-ft oars for the longboats. Mr. Fancy gave us a quick demonstration on how the oars are made - and I mean quick, because it only took him 15 minutes to make one! Of course, a lot of that has to do with skill acquired over a 20-year period ...!
Received some good news and some bad news this week ...
Let's get rid of the bad news first. I regret to report that the 2008 Loyalist Open Cashspiel, a curling tournament to be hosted by the Shelburne Curling Club next weekend 21-23 Mar, has been cancelled due to lack of interest. Apparently, no one's interested in the $2,008 first prize ... go figure.
The good news.
- Sobeys became a financial sponsor of the LL08 celebrations this week when Shelburne store manager Steve Burns presented Chair Al and Treasurer Jim with a cheque! Although I must emphasize at this point that, from the moment he became manager, Steve has been a staunch and enthusiastic supporter of LL08 providing donations of food, drinks, cake, decorations, you name it, to many of the events that have been held already. Thank you, Steve and thank you, Sobeys!
- MP Gerald Keddy and his diligent staff have been working steadily behind the scenes to secure some "activities" for the Waterfront Weekend. This week, we received a copy of a letter to Mr. Keddy from Minister of Defence Peter MacKay himself confirming that the 14 Wing (CFB Greenwood) Pipes & Drums would be participating in the Waterfront Weekend. And although the operational schedule is still being finalized, it appears we are in the running to have a Kingston class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel participate as well! In addition, a hand-written note from Mr. MacKay at the bottom of the letter indicates that we may also get a ship for the event! When I got the news Wed morning, that scream of delight you heard echoing through the streets of Shelburne was me ... Thank you Mr. Keddy, Sarah, Jennifer, Joan and Jo-Ellen for all your hard work and efforts on our behalf ...
- Got confirmation from Halifax Public Gardens this week that they will dedicate their main carpet bed this summer to our Loyalist Landing celebrations. The flower design will depict the Loyalist flag with the inscription below it - Loyalist Landing Shelburne, 1783-2008. If you're in Halifax this summer, check it out!
Keep in mind that there are events coming up over the next few weeks and months that you need to mark on your calendar and/or start planning for:
- On Sun, 27 Apr, the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra will be performing at the Shelburne Regional High School on Woodlawn Drive. Posters should start going up this week and tickets will be on sale at The Whirligig Book Shop in Shelburne starting Mon, 24 Mar. Admission will be $10 for adults and $5 for students. Check out the LL08 Society website for more info.
- A Loyalist Landing Celebration will be held on Sun, 4 May to commemorate the day the Loyalists arrived in Shelburne Harbour 225 years ago. The day will feature a ceremony on the waterfront, followed by an ecumenical worship service at the Shelburne Community Centre, and the launch of the first of our two 18th century wooden longboats. We'll end the day with a Loyalist Bonfire & Rations event at the Shelburne Lions Club - a supper in remembrance of the rations doled out to the Loyalists for the first few months after they arrived followed by an honest to goodness bonfire! Watch for more details as we get closer to the date.
- If you're into stamp collecting, and even if you're not, the Shelburne Canada Post outlet will host an LL08 philatelic event on Mon, 5 May. Available will be a special issue Loyalist stamp, a Shelburne Loyalist stamp cancellation and Shelburne cachet envelopes; all great collectors' items and unique gifts. Stay tuned for more details on this event too. And if you're interested in acquiring some of the special issue stamps, drop me a line.
- And last, but absolutely not least, one of my favourite events - our 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale that will be held on Sat, 7 Jun as part of Spring Into Shelburne! The day will start off with the yard & sidewalk sale, followed by a waterfront auction in the afternoon and musical entertainment in the evening. So, start making your plans for the day, whether you're planning to buy, sell or eat your way through town! Last year's dry-run was a tremendous success, even more so than we anticipated - so now that we're old hands at it, let's make this year's event even bigger! And to make the day truly unique and memorable, we hope that everyone who has a Loyalist costume will wear it that day - think of it, hundreds of people milling around town, all dressed Loyalist style ... what an incredible sight that will be! One for the LL08 history books, that's for sure!
COMING UP:
1. On Tue, 18 Mar, the Municipal Recreation Roadshow will be visiting the Sable River Community Hall from 1-5 pm with all kinds of free fun activities for the whole family that will include games and 18th century cookie baking. Children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult.
2. Also on Tue, 18 Mar, Select Cinema will present an evening of short animation at the Osprey Arts Centre starting at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students.
3. On Wed, 19 Mar, the Black Loyalist Heritage Society will host their annual Easter Bake Sale at the Shelburne Mall, starting at 11 am.
4. On Tue, 25 Mar, the Shelburne County 55+ Games will hold a planning meeting at the Shelburne Community Centre at 10 am. Help is needed on the Planning Committee and as Individual Event Coordinators for the summer season games to be held from 14-20 Sep 08, the winter season games to be held 25, 27, 28 & 29 Oct 08, and the games banquet to be held on 1 Nov.
5. And if you're up in the Valley, the Oakdene Community Centre in Bear River will be holding a Loyalist Costume Workshop on Sat, 5 Apr, from 1-3 pm. Cost for the workshop is $15 and you're to bring your own lunch. The workshop will allow participants to view clothing, order patterns and discuss material options, plus there will be fabric available for sale on site. For more info, contact Angela O'Neil at 245-4155 or Jenny Stewart at 467-3184.
6. The Community Business Development Centre, in partnership with the Shelburne & Area Chamber of Commerce, has scheduled some workshops to get Shelburne County businesses ready for LL08. The first one will be held on Wed, 19 Mar, from 1-4 pm at the NS Community College, Shelburne Campus. It's titled "Preparing for Festivals" and will be presented by Debbie Lawrence, a business and career coach, and founder of Abundant Living (www.abundantliving.ca). The cost of the workshop is $10, which includes a nutrition break. Contact Ardith at 875-1133 to register.
If you were planning to be bored in the next little while, you're out of luck ... Have a great week!
Edition: 2008-12
Date: Sun, Mar 23rd, 2008
Good morning! Society directors and volunteers have spent the past week doing what we always do - working on events!! Do you realize that in just over three months, it'll be July and our three showcase weekends? Excuse me for a moment as I take a deep breath and try not to panic ...!
A good portion of the programme of events for the Waterfront Weekend 11-13 Jul is now in place - entertainment, booths, displays, exhibits, ships, fun stuff, food stuff, you name it - we've got it! We hope/plan to have most of it finalized by the end of April - more to come.
The Re-enactment Committee is planning the layout of the encampment site for the Grand Re-enactment Weekend 17-20 Jul - trying to find the best spot for the hanging tree, the lynching tree, etc. Those guys sure know how to have fun, don't they? Don't forget too that the NS Guild of Town Criers will be holding its provincial competition right here in Shelburne on 17-18 Jul as a kick-off to the weekend! Last time they were here was for the bicentennial celebrations in 1983 ...
Doug Langley and helpers have been busy working on the historical events that will be held as part of the Founders' Days Weekend 24-27 Jul - landing of Governor Parr, renaming ceremony, distribution of land grants, parade of Loyalist families, Governor's Ball, etc. It will be a July to remember ...!
And a heads up for the Shelburne County Exhibition parade on Tue, 5 Aug. I've been informed by Debra Hill of the Shelburne County Agricultural Association that the theme for this year's parade will be "Loyalist Landing". Start designing your floats!!
However, before we get ahead of ourselves, there are still lots of events going on between now and then!
- The Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra concert on Sun, 27 Apr, 2 pm, Shelburne Regional High School. Tickets go on sale this week at The Whirligig Bookshop - $10 adults, $5 students. If you've seen them perform at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium in Halifax, then you know what a fantastic concert it'll be. And if you've never seen them, trust me - you don't want to miss this opportunity. Picture 65 classical musicians, playing every manner of musical instrument. It's an experience you will not soon forget!
- The Loyalist Landing Celebration on Sun, 4 May. The day's events will start with a commemorative ceremony on the waterfront, followed by an ecumenical worship service at the Shelburne Community Centre, the launch of the first longboat in the afternoon, and a bonfire & rations event at the Shelburne Lions Club in the evening. Watch for the full schedule in the next couple of weeks.
- Loyalist Stamp Issue/Stamp Cancellation on Mon, 5 May, Shelburne Canada Post Outlet. This event will launch the special issue Loyalist stamp and the Shelburne Loyalist stamp cancellation. And there will also be special Shelburne cachet envelopes to round off the souvenir package. Full details to come.
- Spring Into Shelburne! on Sat, 7 Jun. A full day of events starting with our 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale, a waterfront auction in the afternoon and musical entertainment in the evening. As you begin to sort your potential yard sale items, don't forget that the LL08 Society is also looking for large items for the waterfront auction. Bob & Wanda Guay will be running the auction as a fundraiser for the Society, with all funds raised being used for the July weekends. And don't forget that Woodworker's and Tim-BR Mart will also be holding their annual yard sales that day - the place will be buzzing!
Coming up:
- Planning meeting for the Shelburne County 55+ Games. Tue, 25 Mar, 10 am, Shelburne Community Centre. The summer games will be held 14-20 Sep, the winter games will be held 25, 27, 28 & 29 Oct, and the Games Banquet will be held on 1 Nov. Volunteers are needed for the Planning Committee and as Individual Event Coordinators.
- Shelburne County 6th Annual Birding & Nature Festival. Fri, 28 Mar - Shelburne / Sat, 29 Mar - Baccaro, Barrington, Cape Sable Island / Sun, 30 Mar - Port L'Hebert and Port Mouton. The event will feature birding tours in the various areas, many guest speakers and even a treasure hunt! Call 1-866-732-7867 to register or visit www.discovershelburnecounty.com/birdfestival.html <http://www.discovershelburnecounty.com/birdfestival.html>.
- Loyalist Costume Workshop. Sat, 5 Apr, 10 am - 3 pm, Oakdene Community Centre, Bear River. You'll get a chance to look at some Loyalist costumes, order patterns, discuss material options and even buy some fabric. Cost is $15 for the workshop, bring you own lunch. Contacts are Angela O'Neil at 245-4155 or Jenny Stewart at 467-3184.
- Hubbubgo. Sat, 5 Apr, 8 pm, Osprey Arts Centre, Shelburne. The very popular annual youth band bash that showcases young Shelburne County talent. Tickets $8 adults, $7 students. Check out the full list of great events coming up at the Osprey at www.ospreyartscentre.com <http://www.ospreyartscentre.com>.
- Community Business Development Centre Workshop. Wed, 16 Apr, 12 - 1:30 pm, NSCC, Shelburne Campus. The CBDC will be holding the last of its three workshops as part of its Marketing Series 08. This workshop will be titled "Improving Your Flyers, Cards & Ads" and will be presented by Sandra Phinney, a freelance writer and partner with Parnell Phinney Productions. Cost is $10 and includes lunch. Contact Ardith at 875-1133 to register.
Edition: 2008-13
Date: Sun, Mar 23rd, 2008
Good afternoon - and a glorious one it is! Still a little too white for my taste, but hey, it'll come. Just in time for the black flies!!
It has been a very busy, productive and exciting week. Got lots to tell:
- First, the boys at the Muir-Cox are making great progress on the longboats - first one is actually looking like a longboat and the second one will be started sometime soon. Stop by for a look-see or read about it in the latest chapter of the longboat chronicles on our website.
- The final load of firewood for the Grand Re-enactment Weekend was brought in last weekend - it will be used by the re-enactors at the encampment site to cook, heat water, etc. exactly as they did in the 18th century ... Big thank you to Col John in Gunning Cove for supplying all the wood!
- Chair Al met with MP Gerald Keddy this week to update him on LL08. Apparently, Mr. Keddy has plans to participate in many of the summer's events, including the political boat races during the Waterfront Weekend. Seems he's considering putting in a "federal" team for the races ... Note to mayors, wardens and councillors - did someone mention spring training?
- Speaking with the Base Chief at 14 Wing Greenwood this week. We are confirmed for the 14 Wing Pipes & Drums during the Waterfront Weekend. It looks like they'll be coming down on the Sun, 13 Jul to provide the grand finale to the weekend with a good old-fashioned pipe band concert on the waterfront! And dare I say it - pause, as I do my very happy dance! - the Chief asked if we were interested in having a couple of Cormorants fly by? - insert more very happy dance! Should get word any day too on the Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel, plus we're still keeping our fingers crossed for a Navy frigate ...
- And further to the LL08 Society "Calling All Quilters" ad in the Coast Guard last week, Priscilla Wesley and Anna Smith, long-time quilters and gardening buddies, have very kindly stepped forward to organize the quilt exhibit that will be held during the Grand Re-enactment Weekend. The show will run in conjunction with the rug hooking display at the Shelburne Community Centre. Priscilla and Anna have spent the past week recruiting local quilters and planning the layout of the exhibit, complete with a history of quilting and a hands-on display where you'll be able to try your hand at stitching. If you're interested in adding your quilt to the exhibit or want to help out, please contact Priscilla at 875-2534 or Anna at 875-2332.
- Doug Langley has been busy doing more planning on the Governor's Ball & Banquet that will be held on Sat, 26 Jul during the Founders' Days Weekend. Polish up your 18th century dancing shoes as Doug is lining up two groups that specialize in 18th century song and dance. And start getting your fancy Loyalist duds and powdered wig ready for a most elegant affair!
- Speaking of wigs, I popped into Ideal Discount this week to see all the new "Loyalist" stuff that came in recently - white "powdered" wigs for men, even special night lights! Plus, Jeff & Dianne have added to the red, white & blue stock - they now have "sparklers" that you can use to jazz up your flower pots, wind socks, streamers for indoors and out, plus lots of bunting and flags. Jeff is also expecting a shipment of tricorn hats in late May/early Jun. Drop by and see all the goodies - guaranteed to get you in the Loyalist mood!
- And the Society received the final $2K instalment on a $10K NS Tourism marketing grant that we used to pay for the LL08 banners, rack cards, etc. What a great way to end the week! Thank you Pam ...
LOTS COMING UP!
- Loyalist Costume Workshop on Sat, 5 Apr, 10 am - 3 pm, at the Oakdene Community Centre in Bear River. Call Angela O'Neil at 245-4155 or Jenny Stewart at 467-3184 to register or for more info.
- Hubbubgo on Sat, 5 Apr, 8 pm at the Osprey Arts Centre. Tickets $8 adults, $7 students.
- The CBDC workshop "Improving Your Flyers, Cards & Ads" on Wed, 16 Apr, 12 - 1:30 pm at NSCC, Shelburne Campus. Cost is $10 and includes lunch. Contact Ardith at 875-1133 to register.
- If you haven't already, don't forget to pick up your tickets for the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra concert! It will be held on Sun, 27 Apr, 2 pm, at SRHS. Tickets are at The Whirligig Bookshop - $10 adults, $5 adults.
- Loyalist Landing Celebration, Sun, 4 May featuring a waterfront ceremony, an ecumenical worship service, the launch of the first longboat and the rations & bonfire event! Full details on the website.
- The Loyalist Stamp Issue/Stamp Cancellation on Mon, 5 May at the Shelburne Canada Post Outlet.
- Spring Into Shelburne! on Sat, 7 Jun, beginning with Shelburne's 2nd Annual Town-Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale, an afternoon auction and evening entertainment.
And heads up - the next regular meeting of the LL08 Society will be held on Sat, 12 Apr, 10 am in the Town Council Chambers.