On Tuesday evening, Dec. 1, the Halkirk Elks, held their Christmas dinner meeting with the Halkirk Hicks 4-H club ( under the direction of Clara Nibourg) preparing the food. Over $10,000 in donations had been previously approved and were presented to representatives from the Castor/Halkirk handivan, the Halkirk Hicks, Castor Air Cadets, Child Life and the Stettler atoms team during the evening. Other donations will be mailed to the Circle Square, Valley Ski Club, ISTAR, Purple Cross and Victim Services. A loan of $3,000 was also approved to the Halkirk Senior Society towards the researching of a new history book.
A good-sized crowd turned out Sunday morning, Dec. 6, for the Elks annual breakfast with Santa, despite the heavy snow fall. The junior high students helped with the breakfast while another group ran a fundraiser bake table to help offset the cost of ski trips. Great job kids.
All of the Mother Teresa students went to Red Deer on Monday to attend the extraordinary production of Beauty and the Beast at the College. Principal Veronica Pinkoskie had arranged for question and answer period with some of the performers. Rocky Dahmer was the bus driver.
We send out special birthday greetings to Dale Kent, who will now be picking up his pay cheque at the post office. Some of the family were home to celebrate on Sunday.
Congratulations to Travis and Genelle Bunbury of Alliance on the birth of a 7lb 10 oz baby girl, Harlyn May, born on November 21 in Viking. Harlyn has a big sister, Ryleigh (6) and big brother, Thayer (3). This is the sixth grandchild for Ross and Sheryl Bunbury and the 23rd great-grandchild for Bill and May Jamieson.
Lowell and Janette Berry welcome another great grandchild. Addison Eva was born in Stettler, proud parents are Jan and Carson Rock from Gadsby. Addison’s grandparents are Nancy and Greg Chick.
County of Paintearth held their Christmas supper on Friday night. Some couldn’t make it with the snow and cold.
Jillian Schaffner, who sings with Gracenotes, has been performing a lot this month as they fundraise for a trip to NewYork in the spring.
Dorothy Anderson and Aileen Jackson had lunch with Don and Kjerene Engel in Edmonton on Monday and they send hellos to all their friends in Halkirk.
Halkirk 100 years ago: The coming of the railroad changed the lives of the homesteaders. Prior to that time the area residents relied on goods and services from the country stores, brought first from Red Deer, then Lacombe and finally from Stettler. Country stores were located at Foreman, which boasted a baker, two blacksmiths, shoemaker, barber, laundry and post office operated by ER Foreman from 1905 to 1914. Higginsville, operated by Henry and Emma Higgins had a store, lumberyard, stopping house and stables, a blacksmith opened by George Ainsworth only during the summer. The post office started around 1904 and as many as 18 sacks of mail arrived weekly and were distributed to other points. O’Dells, owned by P. Chatham was located East of Higginsville and also had a store, stopping house and stables. Emsburg general store and post office was operated by Mr. and Mrs. Gillis. Father Ferroux opened a post office at Notre Dame and from 1908 to 1915, Leon Thibault was postmaster. (Taken in part from Halkirk Home Fires - to be continued.)