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AGM Coming Up The Annual General Meeting of the Courtenay and District Historical Society will take place at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, September 21st in the museum Rotary Gallery. The meeting will be followed with a presentation by author Harold Macy beginning at 7:30 pm.
Lecture: Harold Macy offers a reading and PowerPoint presentation from his recently released book The Four Storey Forest at 7:30 pm, Wednesday, September 21st following the Historical Society AGM. Admission is free.
The Four Storey Forest, As Grow the Trees, So Too the Heart combines both natural and cultural history; fact and fiction. It is a memoir that tells the story of Macy’s fascination with nature as well as the regeneration of a Merville woodlot after the 1938 forest fire devastation as told through a fictional character named Jacob.
Click here to find out more
Woodlot Tour with Harold Macy
Macy is also providing valley residents with an opportunity to tour his Headquarters Creek Woodlot starting at 10 am on Saturday, October 1st. The two-hour tour is offered free of charge and will cover topics such as non-timber forest products and alternative logging methods. Participants will need to provide their own transportation to Merville but once there the walking is on good roadways. If it’s a nice day visitors might want to bring a lunch. Dogs are welcome. Directions will be supplied. Reserve your space through the museum by calling 250-334-0686.
Macy has lived in Merville for more than thirty years. He has worked for the BC Forest Service Research Branch, been a silviculture contractor and for many years was the forester at the UBC Oyster River Research Farm where he wrote and delivered courses on small scale forestry and agroforestry.
Science and Nature Discovery Programme
This exciting, hands-on programme is geared for home-learners, ages 5-12. All students are provided with the same course material and information. Children are encouraged to draw and label scientific diagrams and to read and write at their own personal levels.
The group-learning atmosphere helps students to build confidence in their social and public speaking skills, while the small class size allows the instructor to spend time assisting each student with their own particular needs. Each class comprises interactive discussions and slideshows, hands-on activities and experiments, group activities, scientific diagrams and project creation!
Classes run weekly from September to May and registration is ongoing.
Click here for info
KidsFest
2011 promises to be one of the best years yet for the annual Comox Valley KidsFest. On Saturday, September 10th the locally produced festival, which is set in and around Lewis Park, runs from 10 am to 3 pm.
Click here for more info
It's All There in Black and White
The year was 1931, and, like today, someone in the community had concerns in regards to preserving our heritage. To learn more read the Free Press article "The Neglected Post".
Read this newspaper article from our archives
A Word to the Wise
This month's installment of an Island K'ómoks word is...
"Ch'kwúwutn 'Indian-game place' - formerly the Island Comox people who lived at the southwest tip of Quadra Island played a traditional rugby-like game on the open flats near Cape Mudge - hence this name...".
The word and translation are courtesy of Sliammon Life, Sliammon Lands by Dorothy Kennedy and Randy Bouchard, published in 1983.
Summer at Capes
Summer is here and the living is easy at the Capes Escape house. We are very busy this August with everything from reunions to weddings, to just good old-fashioned family vacations. There is still some room in September if you are having company or need somewhere special for a break. Hopefully, we will be having a long and gorgeous fall.
For further information and availability please click here
Before Television
The two colourful rats pictured here were fashioned out of papier maché and wire. Sid Williams used them in his gig as Santa Claus to play a joke on a friend and fellow alderman.
The Comox Argus of December 17, 1958 noted that "Santa came to Council on Monday night in the form of Alderman Sid Williams. Loaded with gifts for councillors, press and visitors, St. Nick presented lady Alderman Mrs. Myrtle Vickberg with two stuffed rats to commemorate the valiant battle she has waged all year to clear the city of the creatures...".
Sid was known for creating theatre props and costumes out of bits and pieces - apparently rodents can be added to that list as well.
This newsletter finds us approaching the 20 year anniversary of Sid Williams' death on September 26, 1991.
Anniversary Give Away
This month our congratulations go out to the July winners of The Comox Valley book – F. McLean and Facebook fan Miz Liz!
We continue our year long 50th anniversary celebration of the Courtenay and District Historical Society with a monthly prize draw to receive a complimentary copy of the coffee table book by Paula Wild.
All current, paid-up members to the Society are automatically entered to win, and now we’ve increased your chances of winning by doing a separate draw for fans to our Facebook page.
Donations
Please consider supporting the Courtenay and District Museum through a charitable donation. Click on the link below to support donations to us directly or through the Comox Valley Community Foundation.
Click here to Donate Now
Museum Sponsors
Dogwood
Arbutus
Fir
Seedling
Photo of the Month
CDM #989.69.67
You can view more photos like this on our website. Click here to visit our holdings.
Museum Funding
The Courtenay and District Historical Society was registered as a nonprofit society in 1961 to preserve and interpret cultural and natural heritage of the Comox Valley. It has functioned as an independent society since that time. Funds are derived from the generous support of the City of Courtenay, British Columbia Arts Council, Comox Valley Regional District, British Columbia Gaming Branch, and from museum generated revenues and donations.
Proud sponsors of the Courtenay & District Museum:
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