Only 76 Days Until Groundhog Day
Seulement 76 Jours Restent!
Groundhog Day Mon, Feb 2 2009
WILLIE UPDATE
Well, another Wiarton Willie Festival under our belt. That officially marks 52 years celebrating Groundhog Day in Wiarton. With February 2nd falling on Saturday, it was a whole new experience. This year was complicated by stormy weather in the south which made traveling to Wiarton a problem. Usually it is the other way around. There is no accounting for the twists and turns of global warming. We had some exciting new events this year with the obstacle course and the Snow-pitch tournament. Many thanks to Chris Thomas for organizing these events. Keep them coming Chris!! The weather Prediction Morning could not have been better, mild for February, no wind, no snow, no rain…almost perfect. We also added some new features to help us celebrate. The jumbo tron, which made the folks inside happy, they could stay warm and still watch the festivities. The jumbo tron featured video clips from past festivals and showcased our faithful sponsors. Because of the jumbo tron we were able to run a video clip from our troops stationed in Afghanistan. A nice contact for us and a little respite for the troops. Many thanks to Captain Chalifour in Afghanistan, Richard Thomas and Gary Byers for making this happen. Major kudos to David Haley for suggesting that we Pipe Willie to centre stage. Our own Dr. Ken McNay and Harvey Brush did the honours. Only a Piper would wear a Kilt outdoors in a Canadian February!!! Folks may not have noticed but the tune they played on the way out was called Cock of the North and Dr. McNay has now renamed it /Hog of the North/. Great job fellas!
It takes a lot of people working several months to pull off a successful Festival. Committee members always step up to the plate, work hard over several months and bring in others to help in the crunch. Sharon Watts and Karen Treulieb are the co-chairs, sponsors, coffee supplies, bow maker extraordinaire, parade float designer, builder, driver, not surprising, women of many talents. On top of all that they kept the Committee in line or should I say, *organized *during the many weeks of preparation.
Now consider the members of the Propeller Club…these folks give new meaning to multi-tasking. Joanne Lancaster, Lorraine Blacklock, Bob Carder faithfully attend meetings, and many others help with arranging the media room and refreshments, direct Sat trucks and general traffic, sell tickets, co-ordinate sausage and pancakes for more than 400 people and fish dinners for over 300, wash floors cook, serve, organize the penny carnival, chaperone kids events, play cards and still have the energy to sing and dance and they do all this from Thursday to Sunday evening. Prediction morning they are always there dark and early, and I’m talking 3:30am early, ready to do all and any bidding. No request goes unattended. Clearly, unabashed Willie supporters!
The men of many talents include John Aiken who not only prepares Committee minutes but along with Al Given, Bob Woolvet, and Public Works staff, Don Crain, set up the stage, put up and take down barricades and signs, clear snow, deliver flyers, poles, fencing, place mats, installs clocks and provide a wealth of history to keep it all in perspective.
New Committee members brought a range of talents and interests. Allison Taylor who gave the expertise of her very talented graphic design skills in designing the Festival Brochure. Mucho kudos Allison. Sharon Goodwin, our resident extrovert worked the Prediction morning site and parade to make sure folks had access to Willie souvenirs. Suzy Meilhausen co-ordinated the window contest and without her help it may not have happened. Mucho thanks Suzy.
Of course what would the Festival be without the Parade? Willie wannabe, Terri Hastings of RE/MAX fame, worked the Committee, organized the parade, judged the Window contest and as a member of Willie’s Shadow Cabinet, Terri attended events with much glee.
And speaking of the Shadow Cabinet, the guy who started it all, Mac McKenzie was out in force, making mayhem with the media and generally having fun, along with Joe Bell who was performing magic tricks on the side, while Evan LeBlanc breezed into town to do his Shadow Cabinet duties and throw a great Wake Up Willie Bash and Jim Mitchell, co-ordinated all the events, managed Willie and did it all in a white tuxedo! Bob Richardson did Sauble Beach proud and had a lot of fun in the process. Mayor of the Land and of the Marmot, Gwen Gilbert, took part in virtually every event. By all accounts Folks performed their major job, that of *shameless supporter of Wiarton Willie* with flying colours and had a grand time to boot.
Guiding the Committee through all this was Councillor Yvonne Harron who made sure we stayed on budget and Councillor Dan Kerr who brought new and brilliant ideas to the meetings. His best coup this year was the ebay auction which garnered more than $1,700.00 to support the Festival. The winning bidder was Mike Schofield from Calgary Alberta. Mike bid on the opportunity to be part of Willie’s Shadow Cabinet as a graduation present for his son Cooper James. The whole family, Mom Avis and service dog Kodak flew in from Calgary to take part in the festivities.
Soooo many others helped, the Fire Department, the OPP Detachment, Public Works staff, Holly Morrow who organized the Colouring Contest, Salvation Army for letting us use their parking lot, Green Door and Sullivans fed the media. Wiarton Fall Fair Ambassador, Victoria Arnold, Bruce County Queen of the Furrow Carrie Waugh, and the Miss Mid West Pageant Queens served as gracious hostesses. Councillor Wray Lamont, Gail Sprague and Dave Elliott who came out in costume. Wilma Sargo of Investors Group and Dana Elliott who staffed the phones and took calls early Saturday morning. Lori and Lisa Monahan who took souvenir photos of the kids with the Willie figures and David Elliott who was our official Festival 2008 photographer.
Last but definitely not least a big *THANK YOU *to all our Sponsors. You make the job for Festival organizers and volunteers more enjoyable because of your generous support. Henderson Paddon was the official sponsor of the 2008 Wiarton Willie Prediction. Our Platinum Sponsors included Solways IGA, Tim Hortons and the South Bruce Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. Golden Sponsors are, Barfoot Welding, Bruce Power, Bruce Peninsula Tourism Association, Miller Waste Management, Ontario Clean Water Agency RBC Royal Bank, Sandra Armstong Promotions, Sparling Propane, Tim-Br Mart, and Wiarton Stone Quarry. Other Sponsors include Harold Sutherland, Kirklands Valu Mart, Kemble Mountain Roastery and T.D. Financial Group. As well, we are fortunate to have a faithful cadre of business people who provide valuable in-kind services year after year. Bruce Telecom, Gadd-About Bed and Breakfast, Mix 106, Ranking River Trading and we are happy to add two new in-kind Sponsors this year in the name if Sally and Leighton Bed and Breakfast and Spirit Rock Motel.
Many thanks to all who made 2008 a success and on to a bigger and better 2009!!!!!
