1957: BIFD discusses purchase of lifesaving gear

Down Memory Lane #208
By Fred Mellen
These items were taken from the August 1, 1957 issue of the Bow Island Graphic Newspaper. *You will notice that the last paper was dated July 18 – so there is one paper missing. It probably had lots of interesting news within it – rats!
Bow Island
– Mr. and Mrs. George Garrecht are receiving congratulations on the birth of a son, 8 lbs and 6 ? oz. on July 22 at the Medicine Hat Hospital.
– At a meeting of the Bow Island Volunteer Fire Brigade on Wednesday evening the firemen discussed their ability to purchase an up to date piece of lifesaving equipment known as a resuscitator which is entirely automatic and which the community is badly in need of. Another point of interest which was discussed was that 90% of the fires which have occurred in Bow Island in the past seven years, since the beginning of the present Brigade, have been caused by carelessness of people in their burning of garbage and rubbish. The Fire Chief, Walter Ulmer wishes to impress upon the minds of local citizens the danger at this time of year when everything is so dry. Please watch your fires.
– The Bow Island Jubilee Golf Club wish to express their deep appreciation to the following for the use of their trucks for repairing of the golf course; Bud Knapik, Scotty Hurt, Pat Knibbs, John Lerner, John Egan, Jim MacDonald and to all others for helping. A special thanks goes to Elmer Bergh of the Bow Island Drug for the work he has done and also for the donation of the lovely sign.
– Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Tunstall were recent visitors to Calgary and while there Mr. Tunstall attended some good wrestling bouts.
– When many of the local residents received their water bills for this past month they wondered if it was worth while trying to raise a garden. With the intense heat and dryness during the month of July, several users had bills between the $10 and $20 mark. Ed note: This is the highest water consumption month ever recorded in the Town of Bow Island but as the figures are not available for this issue we will try to get them for the next.
– Scouts of the First Bow Island Troop as well as members of the Scout Association gathered together Monday for an evening of fellowship and to say farewell to their Scout Master, Frank Dann who has given so much of his time and efforts in making the troop what it is today. He will be greatly missed by the boys and the adults who have taken an interest in this world wide organization. Walter Ulmer, Chairman of the Scout Association and Steve Hadnagy presented Mr. Dann with a bronze statue of a Scout, which stands about a foot high on a hardwood base. A gold plaque on the side is inscribed to Mr. Dann from the First Bow Island Troop. Grant Whitney, past Chairman of the Association also expressed sincere appreciation to Mr. Dann for his splendid work in the organization here. The trophy is a beautiful one and we are sure it will always remind Mr. Dann of his pleasant memories with the Bow Island Scouts.
– Mr. and Mrs. Judd Couillard are receiving congratulations on the birth of a new son, born July 24 at the Taber Hospital. Stuart Dale were the names chosen for the new arrival and he weighed 6 lbs., 4 oz.

That’s all for this week. This has been another Stroll Down Memory Lane with Old Fred Mellen.

Get More Bow Island Commentator →