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Bingo is on next week

BOTHA BOOSTER -- Another long weekend is upon us this coming Monday with Monday being the Civic Holiday.

BOTHA BOOSTER -- Another long weekend is upon us this coming Monday with Monday being the Civic Holiday. So hopefully everyone will be able to relax and get out and enjoy the great outdoors.

Dan Burnec and family and friends celebrated his 95th birthday at the Botha Hall this past Sunday, July 24. So hope you had a fantastic birthday, Dan. Happy belated birthday to you and many more to come.

Bingo evening happens again the evening of Aug. 3. So grab your Bingo dobbers and head down to the Botha Seniors' Centre at 6:30 p.m. as the Bingo balls start rolling at 7:15. Congratulations go out to the last loonie pot winner at the last Bingo game.So make sure you come on down that evening, who knows, you could be one of the winners that evening.

Let's look back on the man that started the ball rolling to get the Botha Old-Thyme Dance Club started and still going- Len Ollivea. He started talking and discussing his idea with four other couples which they all agreed on.

Len's father and mother both came over from Upton, England in 1919 and started farming in Priddis, Alberta. Len's father was Herbert Victor Ollivea, and he was the oldest milk shipper to the Union Milk Co, until he retired in in 1960.

Len's mothers was the daughter of Percy Edward Weegar and he worked with the CPR for 23 years.Anyways, Len and Mae met and were married on Nov. 28 in Calgary, several years ago. While they were in Calgary, their family increased with Barbara Gayle, followed by Leonard Bruce, later Kathryn and last but not least, came along Herbert Gene.

After leaving Calgary and buying a farm which they never lived on just S.W of Coronation, their family increased again by Victor Wayne, followed by Wendy Irene.

In 1909, they bought Dick Marsh farm and moved there in 1960, where they milked cows and raised pigs. In 1968, they sold the milk cows and bought Limousin cattle. Their children first attended the Botha school followed up by the Stettler High School.

Len also was the 4-H leader for years, while his children were members.Unfortunately in 1968, Len lost his arm in a combine accident and he was very grateful for his relatives and neighbors who jumped in and helped out.

In 1985, Len and his wife moved to Stettler and purchased the C & C Eavestrough and renamed it L & M Eavestrough. Len also worked at the Stettler school as a groundsman for a couple of years. So between farming and running his business, Len was a very busy man. Len was also very interested in Old Thyme Dances and he wanted to start up a club.He got busy and talked to some couples and four other couples thought it was a fantastic idea. So this is where and when the Botha Old-Thyme Dance club started up and as time went on there were more and more of a crowd all the time.

So here's hoping everyone has a great long weekend, hopefully the weather is nice and everyone can get out and enjoy themselves. with lots of fun.

Happy Civic Holiday, everyone!