Stories

Boulerice, Wilfred & Fabiola #213 *

On May 5, 1930,Wilfred (Fred) Boulerice and Fabiola Auger were wed in holy matrimony.

Over the years, they survived the long and cold winters of the North, the hot summers, not to mention blackflies and mosquitoes as well as the  Great Depression years.

Although they had many hardships, there were more good times than bad. They enjoyed the company of each other as well as friends. Over the years, they began to have a family, just a small one of 15 children.

We have so many recollections of our home filled with singing, guitar picking and step dancing that we could go on forever, like their love.

This particular memory comes to our mind:

Dad told us a story about the days he was a young man, when his family moved to the area.  How his Father had one of the first cars, this far north and how bad he felt to have to sell his car and return to horse and buggy because the roads were too rough for a car.  He also was happy to be part of the opening of Highway 17.

Wilfred our Father and many who knew him as Fred, was the lead singer with an exceptional voice, singing in Latin, at the Bonfield Church.

In his late years, he would tend to his garden or sit on his rocking chair holding his pipe which was hardly ever lit, but we all can still smell the smoke over his lit pipe.

Fabiola was our Mother although our dad called her Fabi.

Mom loved to cook, even during the Depression years when she managed to make a meal that could feed an army.  She was very dedicated to her family. We remember being a very happy family and this was due to a very loving mother who kept us safe, and never let us know the hardships she had to endure.

Our mother believed her strength came from being a devoted Catholic, and attending Church. Holidays were her favourite times, having all of their family together in one place.  Her devotion to her family did not stop there; she also donated her time and talent of knitting and crocheting socks and hats to the hospital for premature babies.  In her later years, she would listen and sing to her favourite country music.

Written by Joan (Boulerice) Villneff and Harvey C. Villneff for the fifteen Boulerice children.

Madigan, John Gregory #1971 *

Our Dad: Greg Madigan

Anyone who knew our Dad knew that he could make a lasting impression in a short time.  Thankfully that was one of his strengths as we only had him in our lives for a short time.   However, the strengths and gifts that he passed on to us will last a life time.

The most important insight that our Dad passed on to us was the importance of family.
There were countless times that he sat us down, when we were fighting, and explained that we as sisters were each others’ best friends and that nothing was more important than family.  While we were sitting there we listened, but it wasn’t until we were a little older that that message sunk in.

There isn’t a day that goes by without all four of us talking to each other.  We all celebrate each others’ successes and we are in each others’ corners when one of us is feeling down and out.  Thank you so much for that Dad!

Another insight that our Dad passed on to us was to always speak our mind.  He believed in letting everyone know how he felt, and if he was angry, and then he said what he had to say, and then it was over.

If he was pleased with us and proud of us, then he let us know that too.  Our Father was not a man who let things build and keep them quiet.   Instead, you always knew how he felt, both good and bad, and that form of honesty always kept the lines of communication open and clear.  Again, thank you for that Dad as we are all successful in our personal and career lives because you taught us how to be honest and open.

People used to gather around my dad to listen to one of his infamous jokes.  He could do more impersonations, voices and actions that most considered him a true comedian.  Our Dad loved to laugh and he relished in making others laugh.  This is something that all four of us have taken from him.  The four of us of course find each other very funny and we thoroughly enjoy being together and giggling, but others around us enjoy the “Madigan Girls” senses of humour as well.  Thanks Dad!

One final thing that our Dad passed on to us was the gift of respect.  He raised us to respect our elders, but he also raised us with respect.  In our house we had an open door policy within our home.  There was never a need to close our bedroom doors as there was never any snooping or spying permitted.  Our Dad respected our privacy and our feelings, and because he kept the lines of communication open, there wasn’t much to hide.  We knew if we had something important to say, he would respect us and listen.  He would have words of advice to offer when we were finished, but he would always listen first.

Our Dad raised us with some pretty strict rules, but they were always driven by a deep unending love for “his girls”.  Sometimes people would ask if he was disappointed that he never had a boy, but our Dad never was.  By the mere mention of our names our Dad’s eyes would light up and he would gladly share a story about us that showed his pride and adoration for us.    Though his
life was short, it was one full of faith, devotion, sportsmanship, hard work and an ending love and devotion to our mom.

Our Father left lasting impressions on all us, and there isn’t a day that goes by that he isn’t thought of, and missed.  We all agree that the best “homage” to our Dad is when we unknowingly repeat one of his infamous catch phrases.  You will live forever Dad in our hearts and our minds.  Thank you for everything.

Love, Your Girls xxx ooo

Canadian Federation of University Women #1941 *

Honoured by the CFUW Members 2011. 

CFUW North Bay was founded in 1941. [Canadian Federation of University Women]
The first President was Miss Grace Morgan, a Master teacher at the North Bay Normal School [Teacher’s College].

There were 30 charter members committed to the
1. Pursuit of knowledge
2. Promotion of education
3. Improvement of the status of women and girls
4. Active participation in public affairs in the spirit of co-operation and friendship

CFUW is a national non-profit, non-partisan, bilingual organization of about 10,000 women university graduates in 122 clubs across Canada.

CFUW has consultative status with the United Nations committee on the status of women.
Through CFUW, we are also members of the IFUW, consisting of 82 affiliated member countries.

Membership is open to any woman who aspires to the goals and purposes of CFUW.
CFUW North Bay is an active group of 60 women which holds monthly meetings and interest groups.

Interest groups currently active are — book club, bridge, community service, gourmet lunch, gourmet dinner, heritage gardening, issues and advocacy, international links, roamers and sunrise breakfast.

Providing scholarships for girls has been a priority for CFUW since 1941. The first one was the Lottie Hamer Scholarship for proficiency in English was awarded to a North Bay girl proceeding to University. Once Nipissing University was formed, all scholarships went to women and girls who were attending the local university. In 2011, the four scholarships and one bursary are worth $500 each. High school scholarships, worth $200 each are awarded to two girls in the area.

CFUW North Bay Club
www.cfuwnorthbay.wordpress.com

CFUW Ontario Council
www.cfuwontcouncil.ca

National CFUW
www.cfuw.org

Babcock, Robert (Bob) #1961 *

Honoured by the North Bay Golden Age Club.

Credited for the success of the North Bay Golden Age Club

Mr. Bob Babcock, along with his wife Florence, established the North Bay Golden Age Club in 1961.  In October of that year they held their first meeting at their home, 732  Algonquin Avenue, with 22 members in attendance.  Bob Babcock established the Golden Age Club because he felt there was nothing being done for seniors in the range of age 50+, thus the name Golden Age.
Five weeks after Mr. & Mrs. Babcock had begun the club a new meeting place had to be found due to the tremendous growth in membership. A group of RCAF Vets (406 wing) gave the senior citizens the use of their club room one afternoon a week.  The Club established its priority objective as getting a centre of its own.

Three years later the senior citizens took over the old King Edward  School, on McIntyre Street East.  By this time membership had grown and totalled nearly 200.

Bob Babcock also saw a need for senior citizen housing. With a lot of hard work, his new dream came true and they purchased a piece of property at 135 Worthington Street West.  At this point, Ontario Housing Corporation realized the need for Senior Citizens Housing in the central core area.

Thus the Golden Age Club made a sale of the land with the agreement that a housing centre complex would be built.

The plan called for a full scale centre on the main floor with a 100 year lease renewable in 50 years.  Above the centre there would be 10 floors containing 106 apartments for Senior Citizens.  It took 13 years and a lot of hard work, but the proof lies in the centre.  All the Senior Citizens, tenants and members of the city, can come over and enjoy the club that moved into its new home at 135 Worthington Street West in 1974.  The membership, 50 years later, in 2011, stands at just over 500.

The club to this day works very hard as it did in the beginning, having events and membership, at a very nominal fee that seniors can afford.  This is done also as it was in the early days with the help of many volunteers.

What a wonderful tribute to have one man’s dream come true and still be going strong 50 years later.