Appeared in the April 14 Issue of the Interlake spectator…
The Arborg and District Multi-cultural Heritage Village held its fifth annual dinner and theatre and dance fundraising event, at the Arborg Community Hall on Apr. 9, 2011.
It was a fun event that featured a play called, “The Olden Girls: You Call This a Present?”. It was a take-off on the popular “Golden Girls” television sit-com.
The actors did well conveying the spirit of the original cast, with Jan Larkin playing Sophia, whose birthday was being celebrated in the play, and Lillian Snifeld as Dorothy, Katie Jones as Rose, Vicki Johnston as Blanche, and Haida Simundson playing the role of Sophia’s estranged sister who came all the way from Sicily to celebrate Sophia’s 80th birthday.
Several politicians, who will be running in the upcoming elections in the Interlake, made a surprise appearance in the show, being cued to come onto the stage by the phrase “donkey’s ass” (said in good humour). They were playing the part of guests at Sophia’s party.
“Blanche” thanked the four men for coming to the party, and teasingly bade farewell to each of them.
“You know I love it when you come around. Don’t be a stranger,” she said to James Bezan, MP for Selkirk-Interlake.
After the play, guests enjoyed a lavish dinner of roast beef with many tasty side dishes, followed by an over-the-top selection of desserts, which were set aside in a special dessert room. Most of the food was donated by community members and local businesses.
The walls were lined with donated items that were being auctioned off. There was also a silent auction table. All the work was done by about 40 volunteers.
During the dinner, guests were challenged to donate one hour of their time on projects that need to be completed for the Arborg and District Heritage Village. Projects needing volunteers include landscaping around the Ukrainian Bake Oven or the interpretive Centre, setting up a Tipi and helping to create an authentic Aboriginal encampment, helping with bus tours, washing windows, planting flowers and trees, building steps, painting siding, doing website updates, or a making a sign for the Hykaway Grist Mill, to name only a few of the odd jobs that need to be undertaken.
Volunteers of all ages are needed any time between now and the fall. Some of the people who took up the challenge included whole families.
The Village, which has official heritage status, continues to grow in popularity as a tourist destination. It is located on Hwy 68, one-eighth of a mile east of Arborg, on 12.9 acres of land purchased by the organization. Many old buildings and artifacts have been moved onto the site, the first building of which was moved there by two teams of horses in Oct., 2000. It was built in 1898.
About 450 tickets were sold this year, at $35 a piece. The event took in $32,966.25 this year, up slightly from last year.
“We have expenses to pay from this such as the door prize of $2500 plus rental of hall, alcohol and miscellaneous expenses so are hoping to clear approximately $27,000,” said Pat Eyolfson, co-chair of the board.
