HIGH TIDINGS
THE HARBOURVILLE RESTORATION SOCIETY
H.R.S. P. O. BOX 854 Berwick, N.S. B0P 1E0
www.harbourville.ca
Christmas Edition - 2002The Harbourville Restoration Society will work for sustainable social and economic growth in Harbourville while remaining true to the values and traditions that define our community.
Season’s Greetings from the Chair
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for all their help and contributions this year. To see work finally start on the wharf is a great feeling. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Evangeline Swindell, Chair, and the members of the Board of the Harbourville Restoration Society send Season’s Greetings.
Christmas in Harbourville
Christmas in Harbourville is many things to many people. Some of us look back to moments of joy from Christmas’ past, some eagerly anticipate Christmas present while others dream of future Christmas’. For some, Christmas is a time to be endured. For all, we wish some bright rays of the season into all our lives. One Christmas in the 1930’s, Wilfred and Harold Brown had an idea. A man they called Uncle Percy Morse, with the help of Dave Spicer kept the light on Isle Haute. Elsie Morse, of Advocate did the housekeeping. Each fall he came to Harbourville to gather together the supplies they would need for the winter. They bought barrels of apples, cans of lard, as well as flour, sugar and other necessities. Percy stayed at the Brown home. He would not be back again in Harbourville until spring.
Wilfred and Harold with the help of Fred Spicer and Lester Finley dragged large logs together on the shore beneath the Brown farm. They built a large pyre. It needed to be large because it was meant to send a Christmas greeting to the island. The fire was lit when it was dark.
In the spring, Percy told them, "Nobody will know the good feeling I had when I saw the fire from Isle Haute and knew people in Harbourville were thinking of us." Harbourville continued to light a fire Christmas Eve as long as Percy Morse was on the island. Percy sent back the same greetings with a fire of their own on Isle Haute. Jennie Morton
One Christmas there was a severe snowstorm on Christmas Eve. My Mom and Dad walked home in the morning because they were worried the pipes might freeze. We went to Eldon’s parents on Christmas Day because there was no heat, pulling the children on toboggans. We didn’t get back home until eight p.m. I don’t remember the year, I think it was in the late 1960’s, perhaps 1968. Judy Kenneally
This Christmas memory is thanks to the wonderful folks in Burlington, who for years organized a Christmas sleigh ride and potluck at Burlington Hall. There were several sleighs......I remember two horse teams, one belonging to Doug Kemp and the other to Mark Baltzer and Peter Daniels team of oxen...this was some time ago as my son Josh was six or seven at the time, and he turns thirty next week. One particular moment comes back to me... a short glorious race across the snow covered field, the jingle and clank of harnesses, the laughter and shrieks of adults and children, a cold wind in our faces, the warm smell of hay and horse, and the other team running beside, as the late winter sun lingered over the North Mountain...and I remember thinking that there was nowhere on God’s wide earth I would rather be. Lois Bearden
At five o’clock, it seems the rush to get ready for Christmas ends and Christmas begins. The small, white clapboard United Church on the cliff is filled to capacity. The tree is lit with strings of coloured lights and boughs of evergreens with bright red bows, decorate the window sills and old brass gaslight. Happy greetings fill the room. The church sighs, remembering past years when it was regularly filled Sunday after Sunday with the people of Harbourville. But something about this gathering makes up for the year’s loneliness. The people are here because they want to be here. Babies sit on laps, the old squeeze into the rigid Methodist pews beside the young. The community comes together and comes alive. The building fills with music and candlelight.
It is at this time, that the uniqueness of Harbourville is most apparent. Each person is an individual onto her or his own self, but in a very real way everyone belongs to the community as a whole. People feel free to wear what they want, whether it is their Sunday-best or that wonderfully comfortable pair of jeans. They bring beliefs that are true to their experiences with some having no ties to Christianity, yet there exists something sacred.
A wonderful memory comes from a service several years ago. A little boy about three sat beside his father in the crowded church. He was fairly close to the old oil burner in the centre of the room. As the service progressed, he shed layer after layer of his clothes, until he was down to the bare necessities. When the service was over he re-dressed and skipped down the aisle holding his father’s hand.
The candles are extinguished and the people flow out the door on the way to their personal Christmas’.
K. NewkirkHarbourville Food Drive
The Hall will be opened on Dec. 2, Dec. 4 and Dec. 6 from 6 pm-8 pm to drop off items. There will be an actual drive on Saturday, Dec. 7. If there is anyone who could volunteer contact Holly MacDonald at 538-0570 (home) or 538-7149 (work).
Wharf Construction Begins in Harbourville
Construction has begun on the east wharf in Harbourville thanks to the hard work of the Harbourville Restoration Society and the generosity of the Annapolis Valley First Nation.
Incredibly bright lights often flood the harbour at night allowing the work to continue as the tide demands. The lights give a magical gleam to the village.
Through funds accessed under their interim Fishing Agreement with the department of fisheries and Oceans, the Annapolis Valley Band has been instrumental in these initial stages of wharf construction.
The Harbourville Restoration Society, which has been diligent in their fundraising endeavours for over four years to rebuild the wharves, has committed money raised to detailed engineering plans, feasibility and environmental studies and tender bids.
In this joint effort, AVFN has allocated $300,000 towards Phase One of this massive wharf reconstruction with the HRS committing to pay the $45,000 HST portion.
The HRS is still waiting for matching funds to release Provincial funds marked for construction on the west wharf. To date, no commitments have been received from government agencies so the task of raising funds will continue at the local level. The total project will amount to $1.2 M.
The donation jars have been picked up for the season and $26.00 was generously given to the HRS fundraising effort. Watch for them again next season-every penny helps!
Maria Huber donated $2,434.40 she raised selling ice-cream during the summer of 2002. (Acknowledgement should also be made of her donation from two flea markets held during the summer of 2001 in the amount of $980.00.)
The closing of SpinDrift for this season marks the departure of Jean Huntley-Maynard. We wish Jean all the best in her future endeavours, one of which is her association next season with Kings Folk Arts and crafts and Antiques in Morristown. SpinDrift will open next season under new management.
Thank you to Susan Barkhouse - Horticulture: Greenhouse/Nursery, NSCC Kingstec Campus for donating the shrubs for the Welcome to Harbourville sign.
The Chowder Supper held on Oct. 27 raised $ 450.00 for the upkeep of the Hall. thanks to the hard workers who volunteered their time and cooking skills, and to those who showed their support by attending. A great meal was had by all!
Ina and Norm Palmer report their granddaughter Cathy Grimm and her new husband Dan Oulton donated $100 to HRS in appreciation of the help Don and Lynne King and Art, Jan and Kerry Smith gave them at their reception.
Let’s Have Some Fun Together
It’s time to do a little celebrating. Everyone in the community is encouraged to come to the Hall on Sunday, December 1, for a Christmas Pot Luck Supper. Rumour has it that a jolly man in red will be there. It is a time for songs and games. If you can bring Christmas baking or crafts with you, there will be an informal auction. The Hall is open at 4:30- dinner begins at 5:00. We miss some of the old familiar faces.
Community News
The Harbourville community extends our sympathy to Sharon and Reg Havell on the unexpected death of their son Dean.
Eric Rhodenizer has been to Halifax to have his heart checked out. We wish him the best.
Best wishes to Elke and Cyril who were married in October.
Congratulations Malcolm and Alice Ogilvie on the recent celebration of your 50th Wedding Anniversary.
Lois Bearden has returned from Japan with many tales of adventure.
Lynne and George Spicer will soon be back from a month’s stay in Italy with Lynne’s nephew.
Holly MacDonald was heard across Canada on C.B.C., speaking of the death of her friend from Hall’s Harbour who died while commercially fishing with her husband several years ago.
We welcome Amy Banks’ new son Baden, a new grandson for Gordon Banks and Holly MacDonald and Molly Margaret Lucinda McCoy, a daughter for Jennie and Matt and granddaughter for Anna and Don Osborne.
The Seniors went on an outing this fall to Wandlyn Inn for lunch and then stopped off at Wheaton’s on their way back.