Memories & Musings
November, 2020

Teresa & Rosie

By Leona Keraiff

 I would like to introduce you all to two gals who have spent most of their lives here in Crawford Bay: Mother and Daughter, Theresia (Teresa) Fruhling and Roswitha (Rosie) Strom. We recently had a wonderful speaker phone chat where happily no masks were necessary!

When I brought up our famously popular Fall Fairs much laughing ensued. It turns out that Rosie’s first Fall Fair in 1962 surprised her as she didn’t expect to see chickens, cows and other livestock on her walk from the school to the Fair. At this point Teresa commented that she was only on the Fall Fair Committee one time because a particular secretary really coveted the donated prizes.  This resulted in Rosie’s one time win at the Fair (for her hand sewn Barbie Doll skating outfit which included skates) being a fishing reel (no rod attached) and Teresa’s expected Fine China tea cup and saucer prize for her cosmos blooms was instead $2. Rosie’s late husband, Einar, also entered the Fair winning first place for his very own churned butter.

I was reminded by these two that the Tea at the Fair was a huge part of the festivities. Imagine the present day hall kitchen and bathrooms reversed within the building. That tiny kitchen was also the route through which traffic flowed from the Main Hall to the small Hall where the tea took place. “It was chaos” Rosie said, as she tried to help serve baked goods and tea in the middle of wandering visitors. She guesses it was during the mid-eighties when Rosanne Ballard spearheaded the present kitchen/bathroom configuration and refinishing of the Hall floor.

Rosie recalls: “Grade 7 P.E class in the Hall learning the Hawaiian Hula Dance, Guide and Ranger meetings before going to Mrs.Haverstock’s (now Sussums’ place on Jacobson Road), school daytime “sock hops” with a record player, the “Enfield Rifle“ in the gun cabinet, Christmas dinners, my bridal shower, New Year’s Dances where the recorded music got so loud  we woke up with a hangover although we only drank pop.” Teresa added that her husband Joe loved to dance but “we had to stop going because the music got so loud when they turned up the record player”.

Rosie stated “The Women’s Institute folded so the Christmas Tree Committee began. We would raise money for the childrens’ gifts by doing a pancake breakfast in the Park for the Kokanee Karnival. The gifts were ordered from Sears. The Kokanee Karnival also held yearly dances in the Hall”.

Rosie remembers first joining the Hall Board with Einar during a time when the Hall “was in dire straits financially because of a big oil bill they couldn’t pay.” The Bakers and Ron Turner also joined then. We started Bingos with Joe Baker calling to raise that money as well as other fundraisers. Also, we ALL donated $100 to help. Later, we all got our money back AND there  was money to put away for the future.” Rosie also volunteered a second time...

Teresa made me laugh upon hearing that:”Mrs. Dobie retired from cleaning the Hall when Roswitha was on the Board so who did she ask to help? Her Mother, me! I cleaned for one Winter only then back to working for Imasco.” She went on to say, ”Mrs. Dobie was annoyed with me because when Dieter Dohman wanted to train his 2 dogs (Dobermans) in the Hall, I let him have the key. Mrs. Dobie said “I never let that key out of my hand!”  Running through my head was: “They let dogs on that wooden floor!” 

Lastly and most endearingly, Rosie & Einar Strom’s wedding reception and dance for 75 guests was held in our Community Hall July 15,1972. Anne (Jameson) Schweitzer was bridesmaid and toasted the newly married couple. Neil McEachern was best man. Ali Linkowski prepared their celebratory dinner in the Hall kitchen. A live band from Nelson entertained the crowd, especially with their performance of “Help Me Make it Through The Night” to which Einar and Rosie danced their first dance. The two of them chuckled for the next 45 years every time they heard that song!