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Your LOCAL Media since 1918! Volume 106 Issue 15
www.tofieldmerc.com
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
GREAT TURNOUT AT TOFIELD’S WINTERFEST Kari Janzen Staff Reporter Tofield saw a busy weekend with the 10th annual Winterfest drawing many into town, though there was not a hint of snow anywhere to be seen. The 4-H Turkey Bingo kicked things off Friday, and Saturday held a day full of activities and events to attend. The Tofield Community Hall was packed Friday evening, with 268 people coming to participate in the Tofield 4-H Beef and Multi club’s annual Turkey Bingo. Fifteen rounds of bingo with various patterns were played, with the final round being a blackout. “Some bingo players bring their own daubers. That’s how serious they are,” said the club’s assistant beef leader Kassidy Cameron. “We did very well and we are grateful for the support from residents from Beaver County. We fundraise to eliminate costs for members. All funds raised go towards activities for the 4H members, member fees, apparel, etc.,” said event organizer Kari Cameron. The club will have a ground beef bingo in March. Many young families and people of all ages came out for Breakfast with Santa on Dec. 2, one of the first events on Tofield’s Winterfest’s schedule for Saturday. Kevin Smook of Home-Time Realty said 255 breakfasts were served and $1,500 was raised for the Christmas Hamper. Owner of Tofield IGA, Dave Hare, said he usually plans on feeding anywhere from 150-250 people.
Breakfast with Santa has been set for the same weekend as Winterfest since the festival first began, but the event has quite a history. “We've been doing it for 44 years. Winterfest came on our backstraps,” said Hare. The idea of having an event where children could meet Santa at breakfast first originated with Hare’s wife. “We used to do photos. Kevin would pay for all the developing, and then you could pick your picture up at the IGA. At first, it was a really good thing, but everyone has a phone now,” Hare said. “From the beginning, I’ve supplied the food, the Legion supplies the building, and at one time they supplied the manpower, but as all their guys got older, I got the firemen involved. The firemen have been doing it for around 15-20 years now. And we had the RCMP involved at one time, too. They used to go pick Santa up at the airport,” Hare said with a laugh. “The Legion hosts it, as the facility, and there were Legion members who cooked, but over time the fire department came on board. It’s really key for IGA to be involved, for the food, and then the proceeds for this go to the Christmas Hamper,” Smook said. The one-day-per-year Stuff the Bus program for the Christmas Hamper was also happening on Saturday. This year 176 of the $15 hampers and 149 of the $10 hampers were purchased. During Covid, when receiving physical donations from the public was not recommended, paper cut-outs Continued to page 20
KARI JANZEN PHOTOS An elf riding a reindeer hands a candy to a little boy during the Winterfest Parade on Saturday evening.
A truck was decorated as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer during the Winterfest Parade on Saturday evening.
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