Memories & Musings
February, 2021

The Wastrodowski Family

By Leona Keraiff

Four generations of The Wastrodowski Family have stepped lively inside the walls of our Community Hall and some of their stories I wish to share with you now.

Adolf and Subina came in1954 from Saskatchewan. “They loved old time dancing in the CB Hall and hardly sat out any songs. The schottisches, polkas and waltzes were their favourites” says their daughter Marj.   (What on earth is a schottische? Sounds familiar.)

Marj told me that “me and my older brother Ron joined the teenaged square dancers from Crawford Bay to Boswell who trained in the CB Hall from 1956-59.  Mr. Jimmy James and his wife Fran(?) came from Nelson weekly to coach us. The group consisting of Ron, myself, Don Fraser, Teddy Piete, Adele McClure, Seiglinde Wirsig ...competed at the Creston Blossom Festival, an international competition, and won first place for consecutive years. Subina was the designer and seamstress of the matching square dance outfits”. Ron commented that “it was challenging but we won the gold medal”.

This brother and sister team were also accomplished badminton players. They won local, district and provincial championships. Marj and Bruce Rollick of Riondel (Canadian Champion as an adult) won gold in mixed doubles and Marj won silver in ladies singles. Imagine them practicing in our hall with that low ceiling! “Coaching was limited to some pointers from older players, the MacGregors; Percy and his sister, Rose, also Lyle Sellers.”

Ron also happily recalls lively evenings in the hall when Tommy & Leila Johnson (who then resided in the Bothamley House on Riondel Road) “taught us kids the six step jive.” “We even practiced after school!”

Ron’s fondest memory and the story he tells the most? “ Our principal George Petrescu loved to play volleyball and more importantly he loved to win. Friday afternoons, starting at lunch hour, we would form teams and play. As long as the team with Mr. Petrescu on it was winning, we could keep playing until the bell went, which meant no weekend homework!”

When I mentioned to Ron’’s son Colin that his Dad seemed to love dancing, he began to chuckle. Colin stated ”He loves it, so did his parents, he told lotsa square dancing team stories.” Colin went on to say that he keeps his Dad’s badminton racquet “around here someplace”. He also gleefully recalled that there was a “forbidden to touch”upright piano tucked in at the back of the stage. You guessed it... He and many other BOYS would ”flip up the cover and get a coupla  key strokes in” at every opportunity. Clearly the consequences were not too dire. Interesting to note that Tracy and Colin both played badminton in the hall as did their Dad & Aunt. Brother Ryan attended boy scout troop meetings in there too.

Marj married Barry Abbott in the hall, the 6th of July 1963. Mom Subina catered.”One hundred and ninety guests had to sit on benches to eat their dinner on their laps because the space was too small to have tables!” “Fried chicken, cabbage rolls, mashed potatoes, peas and carrots, green salad, jellied cottage cheese salad, homemade rolls, sweet squares and a traditional fruit cake wedding cake were on the menu. There was a live local band on the stage too.”

Ron’s wife Leanne was a huge contributor to the Christmas Tree Committee and to the many years of successful community potlucks. Both daughter Tracy and son Colin commented on the anticipation of Santa’s arrival being the highlight of their year and their fondest memory of the hall. “There was so much hype and excitement”, said Colin. Tracy added, ”We looked forward to it all year. No one was left out”. Colin remembers a bag of treats, a Lego set and a race car. Tracy recalls “It felt so great to hear your name called then to get to sit on Santa’s lap”. Colin’s son Kyle, (one of the fourth generation), followed Santa outside after one of these community celebrations and hurried back in to declare, ”Santa just got into Richard Prest’s truck!!”. I imagine a lengthy conversation ensued on that drive home.