WATSON LAKE
The first event of the new year was the first New Year’s Eve Family Dance at the recplex partnered by the Watson Lake Community Club and Watson Lake. It could be said to have been a success, with 16 families for a total of 75 participants joining together to play games, drink punch, nibble on finger foods and dance to a live band.
2010 was greeted at 8:30 p.m. with the prerequisite noisemakers and lots of cheering; a first-time event for many of the children. The event was wrapped up by 10 p.m., leaving plenty of time for adult celebrations for those parents who wished to carry on with the evening.
Olympic dreams
The Olympic Truce plane, a Hercules, landed in Watson Lake on January 4, with military and Ranger personnel aboard as well as two of the Olympic Mascots. They were greeted by a good-sized and enthusiastic crowd which included mayor and council.
Nike donated several pieces of sports equipment to the youth of the town and many people were given bright red mittens emblazoned with the Olympic symbol. The children of the town rarely are given the opportunity to see mascots, and it would be safe to say the two gigantic and playful ‘stuffies’ were the hit of the evening.
About youth
Watson Lake’s own Amanda Brown has been chosen to represent the Yukon, the town, and the Liard First Nations at the 2010 Indigenous Youth Gathering. She will be representing the Yukon with the four host nations and VANOC with 350 other chosen aboriginal youth from all over Canada. Brown was chosen based on her education, athletic ability and good life choices.
There is to be a huge performance by the selected youth for the world to see on February 21, Yukon Day. The content of the performance is shrouded in secrecy. Though it is to be a surprise, it is possible to glean more information from this website: www.yfn2010.org.
Hard!
The 28th Annual Outdoor Curling Bonspiel is on the weekend of February 19. Anyone who doesn’t need to take their curling too seriously is welcome to sign up a team. Those who are more intent are also welcome, with a warning that the lake ice rink doesn’t always reward the most skilled and deserving with victory. Interested folks can contact Jean or Scott MacLean at 536-2990.
This is a historical event and usually draws a big crowd.
Festival
February 12, 13, and 14 is the annual Kiki Karnival, an event that breaks the monotony of the Yukon winter very nicely with a lot of things to do for the three days of Karnival.
There will be a hockey tournament. Snowmobile drag races on Wye Lake for all ages will bring out a crowd. There is a food fair, a community dinner, and especially for the kids, snow pitch, road hockey, sliding and drag racing on kiddie kats, and a one-dog pull. Pancake breakfasts will be served each morning to start the day off with a good helping of interior warmth.
Planks and speed
The ski hill is open! The tows are running on weekends from 11 a.m. till dusk and on holidays the same hours apply.
January 20 is night skiing beginning at 6:30 p.m. and going till 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday and 6:30 p.m. till 10 p.m. on Friday.
Be advised there is full snowboard and ski rentals at the chalet.
Of course, all skiing is subject to weather; facilities will be closed if it is colder than 25 below. Fair enough!
The Ski Club is hosting a murder mystery night on February 6 with the theme being Olympic Games. For details on how to be a participant in an evening of good food and merry murdering, call 536-8031 on weekends. Also, look for posters advertising this event.
Meghan Kimmitt is the person to contact for expressions of interest in ski racing.
Also at the ski hill, the school program is beginning. It’s a part of the physical education program for Grades 4, 5, 6, and 7, who will be skiing once a week for three weeks. On the fourth week, all the grades ski together. This is a terrific program and a rare opportunity for the community’s school children to learn to ski. The ski hill is one of the outstanding features of Watson Lake winter recreation and we are grateful for it and for the volunteers who keep it going.
Eager students
The Earth Sciences students at the secondary school have conceived of an ambitious project: they want to go to Hawaii in the spring of 2011 to study the volcanoes of that lovely place. To begin their fundraising, they have made themselves available for snow removal. For a mere $50 you can get a standard driveway and a walkway shoveled clear of snow. In this part of the Yukon there are major snowfalls, making this a good fundraiser. Call 867-334-8667 to book your student-led snow removal.
Once appropriate licensing has been obtained, there will be fund-raising bingo games as well.
Any business sponsorship would be most appreciated.
Anyone with news or an event they wish to have published, please contact Tor Forsberg at torforsberg@yahoo.ca, or call 536-2984.
Tor Forsberg is a freelance
writer who lives in Watson Lake.