1941: Women want fall fair
The Edgewood and Inonoaklin Valley Women’s Institute met at the home of Mrs. McLeod on Friday, Feb. 7th. Mrs. J.B. McLeod was joint hostess.
The president, Mrs. Yeld, and 8 members and give guests were present.
The General report of the Fair Board was read and their recommendation that no fair should be held in 1941, through unsettled conditions, was vetoed. A letter from the Farmer’s Institute re: this matter was also read. They also decided that this recommendation should not be supported. The 1941 Fair goes on therefore.
Mrs. R.A. Yeld appointed a member of the Board, replacing Mrs. H.P. Coates.
A resolution was passed and carried that in future, the W.I. will sponsor the showers for prospective brides, unless any individual expresses a desire to do so.
Members made and brought aprons to sell at the meeting and $4.60 was realized. A comforter has been made and displayed as per Mrs. Murray’s appeal. Two more are being made. We are afraid we shall never catch up to Burton, who certainly deserve a medal.
The March meeting will be held at Mrs. Shipmakers.
A miscellaneous shower will be held in Egloff’s Hall on Saturday, March 1st, in honor of Miss Virginia Bemis. -Feb. 13,
1961:
Elder wins Author’s Award
Nakusp’s own poetess and author, Mrs. Edna A. Elder has recently gathered more honor to herself for her work when she was awarded honorable mention for a poem submitted in a contest in the Canadian Authors Association, Edmonton Alta., Branch.
Mrs. Elder’s poems, jingles and stories are well known here as she often writes originals for special occasions of the Church, the W.I., or the P.TA, etc.
Mrs. Elder convened the committee that was responsible for compiling, editing, and presenting the ‘Nakusp Anthology’ during the Centennial Year. It was presented to the Nakusp Library at the dedication service on June 30th, 1958.
This priceless book required many days and weeks of research, writing, editing and compiling and has recorded for the future the odds and ends, stories and histories that have gone into making this community.
Besides this Mrs. Elder has found time to write stories that are currently appearing in the “Western Producer” under the title of Cunningham Chronicles and also the many, many more jingles, sonnets, rhymes and poems scratched in note books or on scraps of paper.
Congratulations to Mrs. Elder on this award of Honorable Mention for her poem. Thanks for permission to publish in the Arrow Lakes News some of her poems and stories and especially for the permission to publish the award winning “Adolescence”
Adolescence
I called him back to run an errand for me
When he was half way to the garden gate;
Somehow, I thought it was a little boy I called;
He turned, and there I saw him
Standing tall and straight.
I looked again, and said, “It cannot be!”
‘Tis but a dream, a trick illusion of the mind and eye.”
I shook myself, and tried to concentrate.
There seemed to be a mighty noise,
Like waters tumbling down a jagged fall;
Or winds that sweep through forests and uproot
Trees that have stood through many storms and years;
And suddenly a quietness, like grasping firm a flower,
And crushing ‘til there’s nothing left by pulp.
Or like a rain of feathers falling faster, faster;
They are so very light, but suddenly,
More than my heart and lungs can stand.
I try to ward the off, to fight them back,
But still they come–and then I know
When I leave off my struggle; they will cease.
The years have come and gone
Like water in a waterfall,
Or wind that runs so quickly through the trees,
Or like a rose that fades and droops and dies,
Or like a feather falling from the skies,
My boy has grown up.
-Edna A. Elder, Nakusp, B.C. -Jan. 19.