Dorintosh celebrates 80-year anniversary

Aug 8, 2017 | 12:50 PM

There was music, plenty of food, displays, smiles, hugs and much to celebrate as the Village of Dorintosh celebrated 80 years as a community last weekend.

The event took place Saturday, August 5, with a variety of activities which included a horseshoe tournament, a quilt show, artifacts from the community, a large potluck supper and much socializing among those who made it out to the celebration. Members of the Lions Club took part in the event as well.

Long-time resident Mary Anne Schwartz helped organize the event and said well over 100 people stopped by the village hall throughout the day. 

“All the people that came was a highlight,” she said. “I am very happy about how things went, people enjoyed it and had lots of laughs. The furthest person came from seven hours away. Joe Twidale and Adrienne Ouellette were great as emcees as well. Sandra Bannister from village council was here, and she’s been on council for 27 years, which is wonderful.”

The many items on display came from her own collection and from others in the community who had keepsakes such as pictures and calendars from previous and current local businesses.

“I’m one of these people that likes to save artifacts and write ups about Dorintosh,” she said. “A lot of people said it was interesting and meaningful to see all these things from the past.”

She said she believes Dorintosh is a special community because of the support that those from the community give to one another. She said its proximity to the provincial park makes it a place a lot of people know.

“It’s a small community, but everybody knows everyone and if someone has a birthday everyone celebrates it,” Schwartz said. “People talk about people they’ve met here, or they’ve gone for steaks [at the Parkland Hotel]. There’s a little bench in front of the Sikup store and it’s called the wisdom bench. If you want to discuss anything, current things of today or of the past, it’s always discussed there.”

During the celebration a new village sign was unveiled to commemorate the anniversary. It features a picture of a well known tree in the community. 
 

kathy.gallant@jpbg.ca  

On Twitter @ReporterKath