A sold-out Round Up Banquet and Dance a fantastic time

Festive atmosphere: Saturday’ evening’s centennial Round Up Banquet and Dance at the Armoury

By Marcus Day

Maple Creek News

Double celebration: Two 100-year milestones were marked in Maple Creek

Just fantastic” … “It was grand” … “Lovely” …

The Southwest Saskatchewan Oldtimers’ Museum & Archive enjoyed a 100th birthday celebration that inspired plenty of superlatives.

All 130 tickets for the Saturday evening Round Up Banquet and Dance at the Armoury were sold.

Among the dignitaries were Jeremy Patzer, MP for Swift Current-Grasslands-Kindersley; Doug Steele, Cypress Hills MLA; Michelle McKenzie, the mayor of Maple Creek; and Elden Jamieson, reeve for the RM.

Patzer presented Connie Martin, centennial committee chairperson, with a certificate congratulating the SW Sask. Oldtimers’ Association on reaching its historic milestone.

McKenzie brought greetings on behalf of the Town of Maple Creek.

“It was a fantastic evening,” McKenzie said afterwards. “It was a lovely event.”

McKenzie said at times she had felt very emotional, particularly during remembrance of SW Sask. Oldtimers’ Association members who had passed in the last year.

Through her work at the hospital, she said, she had come to know families of members.

Connie Martin, head of the special events committee, responsible for putting the Round Up Banquet and Dance together, said the focus had been on members and guests coming together for a fun evening.

“It is about sitting, visiting and socializing,” she said.

In a nod to the Round Up’s history, the Armoury had been decorated with branding irons and elk antlers.

Back in the day, a permit was required to serve elk meat at the banquet.

Saturday’s evening featured a roast beef dinner catered by Mama T’.s

It also included cocktails, a travel lottery, a silent auction of a panoramic photo donated by the museum’s past president Darcy Dietrich, raffle prizes, dancing, and music from Terry and Terry (Terry Neudorf and Terry Winter)

An event highlight was an historical overview of the Oldtimers’ Museum & Archive presented by Royce Pettyjohn, the Master of Ceremonies.

Through a narrated slideshow, he traced the non-profit organization’s history from its founding on March 1926 as way of commemorating the early frontier history and settlement of the Cypress Hills area from 1870 to 1918.

The earliest photographs show the 1926 president and secretary: Andrew Caswell and Dr. Jack Stewart.

In 1926, W.R. Abbott was appointed the first Honorary President of the S.W. Sask. Oldtimers’ Association. He was a former North West Mounted Police (NWMP) Sgt. Major at Fort Walsh and 2nd Mayor of the Town of Maple Creek.

A S.W. Sask. Oldtimers’ Museum & Archive photo showed W.R. Abbott wearing the Town of Maple Creek Mayor’s chain of office alongside his wife, Jane.

As is traditional, the Round Up saw the transfer of the mantle of Honorary President.

The outgoing Honorary President is Darlene McDougald, wife of the President, Angus.

She has been a treasurer on the Dr. Noble Irwin Foundation for two terms, and a board member of the SW Sask Oldtimers’ Museum, serving as treasurer 2006-2020.

The new Honorary President is Frances Needham.

For Eric Lawrence, a past Honorary President and longstanding community member, the evening was a double anniversary.

It coincided with his 80th birthday celebration – a good way to help him recuperate after a ranch accident,.

Terri Mason also had a fabulous time.

“It was grand – and getting to meet Jeremy Patzer in person was also grand – he hears from me fairly regularly when I’m mad about something.”

• The AGMs of the S.W. Sask. Oldtimers’ Association & the S.W. Sask. Oldtimers’ Museum Association will be held on Monday December 21,at 7pm in Log Museum (218 Jasper Street). The agenda will include the adoption of the annual financial statement and the election of officers.