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Bernice Clausen named winner of July 5 Bingo jackpot

This past Wednesday, Clausen won $262 as the winner of the Bingo jackpot.
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Botha Booster. FILE PHOTO

Louise Bellair

Botha Booster

A big congratulations goes out to Bernice Clausen who was the big winner of the jackpot on Wednesday at last week’s Bingo evening on Wednesday, July 5. She won $262. Way to go Bernice! Bingo evening again will be next Wednesday evening, July 19, starting at 7:15 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m. So make sure you come out for one fun-filled evening with lots of excitement.

Don’t forget to head to the Senior Centre every Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. for some great conversation and enjoy a cup or two of fresh hot coffee.

This summer we will be looking back on some pioneers that were written about in Wes Bright poem, which was enclosed in last week’s column. The first two people that the poem mentioned was Bassler and Eyestone, the hardware owners of that time.

Lou Bassler could be described as a gypsy, back then. His family emigrated from Germany and settled in Ann Arbor, Michigan. From there he stayed for a while in Kansas and Nebraska, then in 1904 or 1905 he settled in Botha. Before he moved to Botha he married Mary Emma Crounse. Lou snowshoed to Stettler to bring a doctor out to help Mary when their child was born. Lou was a homesteader on Section 2. While on Section 3 he ran cattle, and farmed Section 11. Later Lou had a farm on the outskirts of Botha with pastureland and grain fields. Lou and Mary had five children in total. Lou was a collector and loved auctions.

Wilbur Eyestone was an old friend of Lou’s and often babysat Lou’s grandchildren with him, while the children’s parents went to Stettler to shop. He taught Lani, Bill and Molly to memorize the Preamble of the Constitution, Hiawatha, and a poem that named all the parts of the body.