Looking back - 1996: Odd Fellows first to ‘adopt a ball diamond’
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- Published on Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Neepawa Press Archives. 20 years ago, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 1996: IOOF Grand Nobel Bob Lumsden is pictured presenting a $1,000 cheque to Gail White toward a baseball diamond adoption.
By Cecil Pittman
The Neepawa Press
80 years ago, Friday January 10, 1936:
Oakleaf, Orange Ridge, Big Valley and Birnie schools re-opened Monday with all the teachers back on duty after a two week vacation. Tobarmore school re-opened Tuesday, with Miss M. Wilson of McCreary engaged as teacher.
70 years ago, Thursday January 3, 1946:
Peter Ripco of Eden was a passenger to Winnipeg, Sunday. Peter, a member of the paratroopers, was a winner of the American Purple Heart for splendid service overseas.
60 years ago, Thursday January 5, 1956:
Former CNR agent at Kelwood dies at Flin Flon: Donald (Mac) MacDonald, 61, former CNR agent here died at Flin Flon, Dec. 20. Born at Shoal Lake, Manitoba, he had been employed by the CNR for 35 years. He served overseas in the First World War with the 52nd Battalion, CEF. He was a member of the BPO Elks and Canadian Legion.
50 years ago, Tuesday January 11, 1966:
Five Neepawa residents narrowly escaped from a brush with death on the way to Winnipeg last Friday morning.
Local undertaker Jack White was driving a car with passengers Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Leppert, Mrs. Fred Alguire, and his daughter, Mrs. Ray Byram, when they stopped at a railway crossing on the west side of Portage.
A train was approaching from the west and the automatic barriers had come down. The passengers noticed the train approaching about 100 yards away as they waited at the crossing.
Suddenly, an army truck smashed into the rear of the White’s car, hurdling it through the wooden barrier and onto the center of the tracks, where the car stalled.
Mr. White immediately ordered his passengers out of the car to safety away from the tracks. Then, while the train was still approaching only a short distance away, he managed to restart the car and drive it off the tracks.
Luckily, no one was injured in the accident, but a difference of a few seconds could have meant tragedy. The truck which struck the car from the rear was from Camp Shilo. Police estimated damage to the White car at between $500 and $700.
40 years ago, Thursday January 1, 1976:
The trestle bridge acted as the backdrop for a beautiful scene of ephemeral beauty as hoar frost covered trees and bushes in Neepawa last week. The frost created a wonderland of white, setting the remarkably beautiful scene for the joyous Christmas holiday.
30 years ago, Thursday January 2, 1986:
RCMP are continuing their investigation into a Dec. 19 break, enter and theft at the Safeway store in Neepawa. A Neepawa detachment RCMP spokesman said the robbery occurred in the early morning hours.
Approximately $10,000 in goods was taken during the robbery, said the spokesman.
The robbery was discovered by Safeway manager Ron Miller when opening the grocery store for the commencement of the business day. Because of the on-going nature of the investigation, the RCMP are not divulging further information on the crime at this time.
20 years ago, Monday January 2, 1996:
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) is the first organization to adopt a ball diamond under Neepawa Minor Ball’s Adopt a Diamond program.
The IOOF presented the Minor Ball Association with a $1,000 cheque, to be used on a cost-shared $23,500 grant.
The grant, to be cost-shared on a 50-50 basis with the Manitoba Sports Facility, will go toward the upgrade and construction of ball diamonds at the Neepawa fairgrounds.
Meanwhile, the Neepawa Rotary Club has announced it will donate half of its Jan. 27 casino night profits to the Adopt a Diamond program.
10 years ago, Monday January 2, 2006:
The Prairie Mountain Snow Drifters have opened a snowmobile trail south of Neepawa through the Hummerston Sandhills.
But the conditions of the trail and how long it stays open depend on the weather, said Snow Drifters spokesman Monty Simon.
“If it stays warm, we might not have enough snow,” Simon said last Thursday, as mist and freezing rain blanketed southern Manitoba.
Snoman (Snowmobile Association of Manitoba) executive director Duncan Stokes said the spate of warm weather during the holiday season is limiting access to many trails.
