Leduc West Antique Society

THE IGNITOR NEWSLETTER

VOL.18 No. 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 2007

Living the Past for Future Generations

Your 2007 Executive:
www.leducwestantique.com

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - Walter Burak

Talking to one of our members over the past weekend she mentioned she could not remember the last time farmers were in the fields this late. Perhaps the year can be salvaged with perfect weather through the rest of the summer. Things at the Heritage Park are starting to take shape for this season and hopefully the weather will favour our event dates. In the last newsletter all the events were posted for the year and now a bit of review. Check the web site if your newsletter is misplaced.

Alex Lewoniuk, chair of the Member's Building Project, submitted what has happened so far.

- Took inventory of current building practices suitable for equipment storage: steel, pole frame & steel, fabric; including photo samples of Alberta installations.

- Took inventory of the process and strategy utilized by ATHS (Truck club) and Pioneer Acres in developing their Truck Museum (60'xl80' or 10,800 sq. ft.) Current task is to identify the economic models of commercial examples in the market place to be used as a benchmark for configuring our charitable donation model.

Alex has not yet called for additional committee members, but will do so once he has completed the gathering of background information. He will likely recruit 2 other members and presently has 1 volunteer on standby. Timeframe prediction is as follows:

to have concept completed by fall, campaign during the winter and have a spring 2008 construction.

The Alberta Government has had numerous articles in various newspapers on Charities. A new program labeled Community Spirit is coming this fall. A copy of the latest article is posted below. (Lowe, Lorna. "Charities and Albertans benefit from increased tax credit". The Pipestone Flyer, May 03, 2007. SectionA.Pg.25.)

Paul Collis has submitted an invitation to their Annual Picnic.

The EDMONTON POWER HISTORCIAL FOUNDATION (EPHF)

Is hosting the

Annual Picnic

SATURDAY, JUNE 2nd, between 1:00 and 5:00 P.M.

At: Leduc West Antique Society Grounds

Food for the picnic will be provided by EPHF

All members of LWAS are welcome/invited to attend

Please let us know if you are interested in coming ASAP or by May 25

PLEASE CONTACT SHIRLEY KRULL

AT 412-3458 between 8 AM and 3 PM

to confirm your attendance

Leduc West Antique Society Annual Exposition - Lori Ross

The 2007 Leduc West Antique Society Exposition will be featuring International Tmcks and Tractors. Ron and Darrell Morris are pleased to be bringing their 1907 International tractor to the show. This tractor will be 100 years old this year! The serial number of this tractor is 1227, as far as we know it is the oldest International tractor in the world. The Bower family of Red Deer originally purchased this tractor in May 1907 for $1,450. This tractor has a hit and miss engine. It is a one cylinder, 15-horse power "Famous Engine" on a Morton truck. Only 14 International tractors were built in 1906 and 153 in 1907.

The Morris family will be demonstrating threshing using this 1907 tractor and an 1885 Dor and Fils hand feed threshing machine.

We look forward to seeing you at the show!

A Few Words About Clay. Leaves. Gardens and What is Going on at LWAS - Bill Smith

Some would wonder if the so-called spring would ever come. After over 6-months of snow, then mud how is anyone ever going to get any work done? However, all has not been lost at Leduc West Antique Society - the site received 150 loads of clay! This enhanced our clay inventory to an all time high. Some leveling of low areas east of the sawmill occurred and a base for the new storage shed, which has been excavated east of the sawmill. There is a mountain of clay by the log house for Railroad Avenue. Excavation was started at the Bodnar Building but at the moment it would be an ideal swimming pool.

We were fortunate enough to have correctional Canada boys help May 8, 9, & 10. With their capable help under Marg's guidance some 50-60 bags of leaves were raked up and hauled away. All this was around the entrance at the main gate. What in improvement to welcome our visitors.

A new garden spot has been developed on the west end of the field, or near the sawmill. Wally, with the help of the correctional workers, constructed a fence around it. It is decorated with tractor wheels. Fruit trees are planted and the workers should have some great vegetables to dine on at lunchtime this year.

The big Engine Building has undergone a major and welcomed addition, and would you guess, our retired Power Gang is adding heat and a phone. Talk about Eager Beavers under the whip of Paul, a hard taskmaster.

The Blacksmith group had a number of meetings in their shop this winter, roads permitting entry. We can thank Elmer who regularly kept the snow plowed in the yard.

The LWAS Annual Meeting held in February had a very fine crowd. Food was great. Howard sure knows how to pick good country music. It's nice to see membership input during discussion of our plans for the future. A welcome was extended to Curtis Henkelmann; it is always nice to see new faces in these positions with fresh ideas.

We are now in the fish business with our lake or pond getting a stock of fish recently. If we can just keep the Herons away; the herons seem to think that this pond was set up to provide them with a steady diet of fish.

Elmer's endless work in the storage shed next to the Sandy Fracer Building resulted in great improvements. It was so low and flooding. Now the addition ofproximately 25 loads of well-packed clay, raised the floor 12 to 20 inches. No more flooding!

The Junk Box is now moved into the Founder's Building. The electrical requirements have been hooked up and it's about 50 set up. It is new Bill's Better Junk Box - a must to see on every visit. Come and See!

-BS

A VERY QUICK LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - Jennifer Bodnar

If you have any interesting hobbies, experiences or events that you would like to write about and include in Leduc West Antique Society's premier newsletter "The Ignitor" please contact me at:

JENNIFER BODNAR-DZIUBIAK
3230-97 STREET
EDMONTON, ALBERTA
PHONE: (780) 465-4429
FAX: (780) 469-6275
E-MAIL: JENNIFER@RODADEACO.COM

All written pieces must be received by July 30, 2007 in order for them to be included in the August 2007 edition of "The Igniter." Please note that all articles are subject to an editing process.

Letters to the Editor are more than welcome, also appreciated are
comments and criticism (and praise)!

KOLLECTOR'S KORNER - Bill Smith

As one travels about our country, one can drive into some great hidden treasures. Some are well known and readily seen, like "The World's Largest Easter Egg" at Vegreville. Driving by does not do justice to this great town attraction. Getting up to the "Great Egg" you realize just how immense it is. It is 27 feet high! The egg is 21 feet long and just over 16 feet wide, or the length of a car. It weighs approximately 5,000 pounds. The aluminum skin is composed of 2,208 nuts and bolts. It took 12,000 man-hours to build. All this came about in 1973, thanks to a small town 1-hour east of Edmonton with a big dream. It shows where 'there is a will, there is a way'. This egg contains 2,208 equilateral triangles, 524 star patterns, 3,512 visible facets, and 177 internal struts. It was the first time a computer was ever used for modeling an egg. Quite an achievement.

On to another Alberta attraction - off the well-beaten track, let's leave the main highway between Camrose and Stettler on Highway 21. Take a short side drive (a mere 19 miles), to Donalda on Highway 53. See a giant replica of a coal oil lamp; it's 42.6 feet tall and graces the end of main street. It was first lit up on July 1, 2000. But this is only the beginning. You now stroll across the street to the Lawson Lamp Collection and artifacts. Beth and Don Lawson collected coal oil lamps from 1939-1979, these were housed in the old telephone office of which Beth was the telephone operator until 1957 when the automatic 24-hour service came in. The Lawsons operated the Red &White store, the real backbone of the town. As they aged they decided to turn their collection over to the Village with the understanding that the Village would construct a Museum building suitable to house their collection. The whole district became involved and they did not go about this project halfway. It is such a credit to the Lawson's, the community and the Province. There are not hundreds but thousands of artifacts with about 70 of the beautiful building housing the collection, plus pioneer artifacts. The list goes on and on. If you are making one Alberta visit this year, you should visit Donalda.

Well, maybe not yet! Visit, Vegreville, visit Donalda, etc. only after you have visited Leduc West and seen our new acquisitions and improvements. We still need help, Vegreville and Donalda proved what can be done. There is an old saying "Many hands makes light work" and they don't mean a light bulb.

-BS

Announcements

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of
William Eric Belton - 'Bill'

On Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at the Vermillion Health Care Complex
At the age of 79 years.
From all of us at Leduc West Antique Society,
Our thoughts and prayers are extended to the Belton family at this time

Present The 23rd GRAND NORTH AMERICAN
OLD TIME FIDDLE CHAMPSIONSHIP
Hooper Place, 5 km west of Leduc on Hwy #39

July 14-16, 2007

Friday July 14 - 7:00 p.m. Toonie Jam and Dance

Saturday July 15 -
Competition - Junior Junior, Junior, Senior, Golden and Junior Twin Categories
Dinner and Old Time Dance - advance tickets only

Sunday July 16 -
Competition - Open, Traditional, Twin and Championship

Free camping on site (no hook-up)
Concession
More info: Arnie (780) 662-3608

* We will need some volunteers to help with the parking on Saturday, July 15 and Sunday, July 16. Please give Howard a call at (780) 985-3384 if you are able to help.

See You This Summer!

On behalf of the Leduc West Antique Society, we wish you a safe, healthy and happy summer and look forward to seeing you at all our fun-filled events!