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Sundridge town crier carries on a proud tradition

Written by Administrator
Saturday, 25 April 2009 07:48
New in 2010 the First Town Crier Competition. Friday, August 13th, 2010 Sundridge Community Centre Registration at 6:30 p.m. Competition starts at 7:30 p.m Categories Junior: 12 years and under Intermediate: 13 years to 19 years Senior: 20 years and over Prizes for all age categories Contact Carol Brown at 384-7262 Sponsored by Enzo’s Pizzeria and Sub Bar. The role of town crier might be purely ceremonial these days, but according to Harry Gregg, the loud guy with the bell and the scroll was the news media in a time before broadcasting and widespread literacy. “It's a tradition in a lot of small towns,” said Gregg. “The town crier brought the news to the masses.” Indeed, the job of town crier dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. It spread across Europe with the Roman Empire, and the British later took it around the world to, among other places, Canada. The tradition faded out as more efficient means of spreading information became available, but it has been making a comeback. Many communities have a town crier these days, adding a touch of tradition to festivals and other events while making announcements far more personal than those broadcast from a public address system. Gregg first took on the role of town crier in the village of Sundridge, Ontario nearly a decade ago. “I did it the first time in the year 2000, when we had our Millennium party,” he said. To look the part, Gregg borrowed a costume from a friend in the Kitchener area who has been town crier in his own community for many years. The pair have continued to share the costume back and forth. When Gregg puts on these fancy duds, he looks like he just stepped out of the 1700s. Gregg will be in costume and hopefully in fine voice at the coming Sundridge Sunflower Festival. During the main festival events, scheduled for August 15 in the picturesque Northern Ontario tourist destination, Gregg will move from place to place, informing visitors of times and locations of the various events, along with any other information the organizers need disseminated. He said that he will have some text prepared ahead of time. Town crier is not a difficult job, requiring mainly a loud, clear voice and an air of authority. There is, however, one thing any good town crier needs to remember. “It's not 'Hear ye,'” said Gregg. “It's 'Oyez!'” This interjection, which sounds like “O yea, o yea, o yea,” is Anglo-Norman in origin. It is a traditional British call to order, used in courts and by town criers since the Middle Ages, and brought to North America by British colonists. Visit Sundridge on August 15, and see Harry Gregg continue this time-honoured tradition. Sundridge, Ontario is located on Hwy. 11, between Huntsville and North Bay, on the northern shore of beautiful Lake Bernard. It is in the heart of the Almaguin Highlands, in the district of Parry Sound. The area, within the Canadian Shield, is known for its natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities. Whether fishing, boating, swimming, golfing, dining or just enjoying the natural scenic beauty, make sunny Sundridge a part of your Northern Ontario Vacation.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 04 August 2010 15:26

Harmony Guild Exists to Serve

Written by Administrator
Tuesday, 14 April 2009 10:47
When one first hears of the Sundridge Harmony Guild, it is very easy to misunderstand what they do. “People think it's a singing group,” said Carol Brown. Brown and her good friend Myrna Schneider are two of the longest-serving members of this local service group, which is about harmony in a community sense, rather than musical. Since about 1950, the ladies of the Harmony Guild have organized events and raised money for various causes, with a focus on residents of Sundridge, Strong and Joly. “We're there if you need our help,” said Brown. “Every penny we raise goes back into the community,” noted Schneider, explaining that the cost of the club's social activities comes out of the members' own pockets. The guild began as the ladies' auxilliary of the local Anglican church. It became a non-denominational group in the early 1950s, allowing a larger and more diverse membership. Schneider and Brown joined in the late 1950s. Over the following half-century, the Harmony Guild has held many breakfasts and dinners, yard sales and dances, fashion shows and bazaars, and participated in parades, festivals, tree lightings and other events. People still talk about the annual Halloween dances they held for many years, and the elaborate costumes that people wore. The arena was full to capacity and beyond, as people were sneaking in the back door. “That was an awesome dance,” said Schneider. “Fabulous,” agreed Brown. The group also once raised nearly $2,000 at a teddy bear auction of nearly 60 bears. Not all the Harmony Guild's endeavours have been successful, however. Their two past attempts at selling ice cream in the park managed to fall on the coldest day of the summer and the hottest day of the summer, leaving unsold ice cream and melted ice cream, respectively. Through these many endeavours, the Harmony Guild has supported many local causes, including the Christmas Cheer program, the medical centre, the food bank, the fire department, the arena and many families in need, whether they are victims of a fire or facing the expenses of medical treatment. Twenty members strong and still welcoming new members, the Harmony Guild continues to meet monthly at the community centre, where they plan their upcoming events, discuss club business and enjoy a variety of guest speakers, followed by a lunch. Ironically, the meetings are sometimes not so harmonious. “We argue, but we're the best of friends, all of us,” said Schneider. “We've all grown up here in this small village, we've all gone to school together, and we're like sisters.” For the Sunflower Festival, the Harmony Guild will be serving tea and goodies, for a $5.00 donation, at the community centre on Saturday, August 14.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 17 August 2010 22:08