A community work-bee at the hall on Saturday, April 29 was to work on another part of the list for the playground. It was a beautiful day for the workers. Volunteers took out the old chain link fence so that a new two rail split cedar one can be put up.
Approximately 10 adults and one four-year-old child showed up to remove the wire and posts and to fill in the holes with dirt. The child got to pick up nails to put in the bucket and to run some errands.
Danny King worked the backhoe to help with the posts.
At 12 noon, everyone stopped work to go into the hall where lunch was provided. Linda King, Wendy Pollard, Judy Tobin, and Rita Vandenborre worked outside at the barbeque and inside in the kitchen.
TNRD director Carol Schaffer baked delicious cookies for the work-bee.
As people finished lunch, Schaffer stood up and thanked everyone for coming out to help. She wanted it known that she was disappointed that those who were the loudest proponents for the park weren't present. The majority of the workers were grandparents.
It was then back outside to work until done.
Kids learn about environment
On Friday, April 21, the Vavenby primary students went on a field trip to Raft River School to participate in Earth Day activities. They took part in several different stations to see how to take better care of their planet.
The first was the water station, where the children were taught not to use so much water.
At the compost station they sorted garbage and learned about recycling of plastic, juice boxes, and paper. The class is now more conscious about the amount of garbage being disposed of in the room. Each day the children count how much has been thrown out.
The third station was about bee hives and honey bees. Ray Harms brought in an observation frame with one frame inside that was full of bees for the everyone to look at. Then the students got bees painted on their arms or hands.
Raft River used their new garden boxes it got for the site of another station. Here the students turned over the soil.
By lying on the ground, Raft River children were forming letters to make the words "Nature Rocks". Hunter Chrystal and Ethan Meidl of Vavenby formed the letter K.
The students said that they learned a lot and had a good time. Apparently the weather was good until the very end when it rained and everyone had to run for the cars. Not the best way to end a fun day.
Residents work on wish list
There was a Vavenby community meeting on Monday evening, April 25. The reason for this meeting was that the Wells Gray Country services committee had a prioritized list for the Vavenby park sent in by the Vavenby Community Park working group.
The list included a playground, fencing, a hall/park sign including a section to list upcoming events, a picnic area including a concrete slab, and landscaping. This meeting was to get suggestions for the playground.
As people entered the hall they were handed sheets of paper by Area A services coordinator Sheri Madden on which instructions of what to do were printed and a list for residents to put down what they would like to see at the new playground and to put their wishes down by priority.
There were pictures around the room of the Blue River and Avola playgrounds to give people an idea of the type of equipment they might like for their own kids' use. The lists were handed back to Carol Schaffer, TNRD Area A director.
Potluck at the church
A community potluck lunch was held at Vavenby Church on Wednesday, April 27. There was soup made by Colleen Rothwell as well as a large variety of other food. It was a beautiful day, which added to the cheerful attitude inside the building.
The next potluck luncheon will be May 25. June's potluck will be the last one until the fall.
Be a phone buddy
On Tuesday, May 10, there will be a Vavenby Trails and Recreation Society meetiing at the church at 7 p.m.
This will be an information meeting about being a phone buddy to the elderly.
Lynn Frizzle will be present. Anyone interested is welcome to attend.