Last Monday, July 30, the final meeting before the STARS ride this Sunday was held at the Agri-Plex. All the committee members attended and reported on the plans that have been made throughout the winter months.
Things look good and all is in place and ready for the big day. The Rumsey Fire Department starts off the day by cooking up one of their famous pancake breakfasts in the great outdoors. That usually gets going at about 8 a.m. Activities throughout the day include STARS office staff on site selling souvenirs, poker rally, quilt raffle, pie throwing, silent auction and presentations of prizes in the middle of the afternoon, after the riders return from the ride.
A roast-beef supper prepared by Country Cookers begins at 4 p.m. Almost everyone in the community has something to do with the ride in one way or another.
Everyone is invited to come and spend the day at the TL Bar Ranch on the west side of the Red Deer River at the Tolman bridge crossing. Bring your lawn chair, sunscreen and bug spray, and enjoy visiting and sitting in the shade.
The fundraising event for STARS began 23 years ago when Rosalie Macfarlane, then a nurse at Drumheller hospital, suggested to some of the cowboys in the area about starting a fundraiser for STARS, which was just getting off the ground then. With the Ag. Society behind the committee, the first year was very successful, raising more than $12,000. Since that time, money raised has varied, and went as high as $40,000 one year.
Visitors to the area from Kelowna, B.C., this past week were Dianne (Wolfson) Zak, (Hashy and Daisy Wolfson’s daughter and her daughter Candace and her family, Brooke, Shaylee, and Sarah).
While in this area, they visited with Jean and Eric Primrose, their family, Judy and Jim Nelson, Molly and Roy Cosens, and then onto Drumheller to see Abbie McNaughton and Bert Johnson, who are residents of Hillview Lodge. They rounded out their Alberta visit at the Tyrell Museum and with family members in Calgary.
Sunday, July 18, the Burnett family held a family reunion in the Rumsey Agri-Plex. Attending were all of Margaret and Noble’s family. All but four of the grandchildren were able to come. Margaret’s nieces also attended.
Margaret said they were very thankful for the opportunity to get together and they had a great time.
It was a great shock to hear of the untimely passing of Marie Jensen of Morrin. She and I were roommates at the Drumheller dormitory in the 1950s and were good friends.
Sympathy goes out to her sister Darlene and Robert Sinclair, brother Allen and Fifi Avramenko of Rowley, brothers Norlee Avramenko of Morrin and LeRoy Avramenko of Rowley.
The Avramenko family farmed east of Rowley for many years. I believe Allen lives there now.
Funeral services for Marie are set for this Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Morrin Community Hall.