Looking back - 1978: Appreciation shown for Bruce Pilkey
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- Published on Friday, February 16, 2018
By Jessica Morton
Neepawa Banner & Press
80 years ago. Tuesday, February 15, 1938: The two day blizzard that struck the district Saturday and Sunday was the worst experienced here for several years. Few farmers ventured to town Saturday and some who did remained here for the weekend rather than chance being blown in on the road home. The highways were blocked in every direction and there will be a great deal of work done before traffic will open again. Thirty extra men were engaged by the local C.N.R. to send out with the snowplows to dig out the yards. In town, every householder had to bend his back to make paths to the thoroughfares and some business men had to engage trucks to cart away the banks that had heaped up on their properties.
70 years ago. Thursday, February 19, 1948: Twelve hundred spectators from town and surrounding districts attended the Lion’s Club annual winter carnival at the arena Saturday afternoon and evening. Presenting a large troupe of accomplished skaters, the show brought to Neepawa some of the best figure skaters in Canada, who presented a varied program that kept the audience in an uproar of delight. The Neepawa kiddies opened up the program with a group number that showed some good talent. Following the evening performance the visitors were entertained by the Lion’s Club in the Moonlight Banquet Room.
60 years ago. Tuesday, February 18, 1958: The first cash bingo of a series of four sponsored by the local Junior Chamber of Commerce held Saturday evening proved both successful and entertaining. The attendance was not as large as expected due to numerous other attractions. All proceeds are to be used for the JayCee’s project for the 75th anniversary celebration.
50 years ago.Tuesday, February 13, 1968: Thieves made off with a safe and an estimated $500 to $700 in cash after breaking into the Neepawa branch of the Canadian Legion early Sunday morning. The safe was found later Sunday morning at the city dump in Brandon and police report the bottom had been chopped out of it by the thieves to get the contents. Police said the thieves had apparently tried to open the safe and, when unable to do so, they carried it out. They cleaned out the till and emptied a cash box before carrying out the safe, which weighed between 250 and 300 pounds. Discovery of the safe in Brandon was reported about 8:30 a.m. Sunday, indicating the thieves had probably left Neepawa immediately after the break in.
40 years ago. Thursday, February 16, 1978: Since the opening of the Yellowhead Arena in 1972, and for the last couple years in the old arena, Bruce Pilkey has volunteered as time keeper for minor hockey games. He’s most dedicated to his job and seldom misses a game. Bruce played hockey as a boy, “but certainly not in a rink like this one,” he said. Bruce played in the days when Eaton catalogs served as shin pads and a hockey stick only cost less than a dollar! With his skates, stick and catalogs, Bruce was all set for the big game. As well as being a volunteer time keeper, Bruce has acted on the rink committee and collects Yellowhead membership fees every season. In appreciation of all the hours he spent at minor hockey games, the Minor Hockey Association gave Bruce a Neepawa Minor Hockey jacket, which he is wearing in the picture.
30 years ago. Tuesday, February 16, 1988: Normally at this time of year, the students and staff at Hazel M. Kellington school are in the midst of their preparations for their annual science fair. But, not this year. Instead of hosting a science fair, the Neepawa elementary school will be the site of a learning fair on Feb. 18. “It’s brand new concept for us,” said assistant principal Bob Bradley. “It’s base will be broader than science taking in a number of areas. The expanded base means the learning fair will involve public participation along side the displays by students.” “The learning fair will let the public see what kids are doing these days and the kids can examine the talents of other members of the community.” “It will also expose our own kids to new and unfamiliar situations and experiences through the displays of adults.” The fair scheduled for Thursday will have students touring the various displays during school hours. “We’ve had a science fair annually, continually, so we thought it would be a nice change to have a learning fair,” said the assistant principal. “It’s possible the science fair and the learning fair will alternate, with the science fair returning next year and the learning fair the following year,” he added. The students will be exposed to a variety of crafts by adults including leather work, clay sculpturing, pottery making, spinning and weaving. In addition there will be displays by the RCMP, Neepawa Fire Department, the Neepawa hospital staff, ambulance personnel and dentists along with a computer career awareness program. Those entering the school will receive a map to enable them to plot their journey to the various displays.
20 years ago. Monday, February 16, 1998: The chief of staff at Neepawa Hospital said he expects it will be business as usual, even though the hospital will be without the services of a full time anaesthetist by the end of the month. “We hope we can carry on as always,” Dr. Owen White said last Thursday. “We have an anaesthetist from Minnedosa on an on-call basis, and there are others in the area too.” The town will lose its only anaesthetist Feb. 28 when Dr. Robert Goodwill leaves to set up practice in Iowa.
10 years ago. Monday, February 18, 2008: Neepawa’s Winter Wonderland is back for a third year this Saturday, with an afternoon of activities lined up. More than a cure for the mid-winter blahs, Neepawa Leisure Services Manager, Jess Allen, said the event was also organized to highlight some of the town’s recreational areas. This year’s line up will include a chilli cook-off, snow board and ski jump competition, skating, a snow treasure hunt, as well as the chance to play sponge hockey with the Neepawa Natives. Hot chocolate, hot dogs and chilli will be sold throughout the afternoon, and bonfires will be kept burning to ward off the chill.
