Welcome to Lake Flashback. Reporter Lexi Bainas has been combing through oldnewspaperswiththeassistance of the Kaatza Station Museum and Archives so we can jog your memory, give you that nostalgic feeling, or just a chuckle, as we take a look at what was making headlines this weekaround Cowichan Lake in years gone by.
This week around the Cowichan Lake area…
10 years ago:
Memorial bench honours Nichole Stock.
As this year’s Nichole Stock Penny Drive gets into full swing, the girl who died in 1999 at age 17 from complications dur- ing heart surgery is being remembered with a memorial bench next to Village Market.
A plaque on the bench reads, “Cowichan Lake’s Penny Girl: A very special young lady who dedicated her life to helping B.C.’s sick children. Her memory will live on forever in all of our hearts.”
The bench was paid for from money raised in the community, spearheaded by Carolyne Austin. It cost $650.
“I just felt that we needed to have something in town to remember Nichole,” said Austin.
Since more money was raised than was needed to pay for the bench and plaque, the funds will be transferred to the Penny Drive fund at the Royal Bank.
“I cried when I first saw the bench,” said Lori Stock, Nichole’s mom. “It’s very nice what Carolyne has done.”
A cherry tree in Nichole’s memory has also been planted next to Friendship Park. It was donated by Rankin Trucking.
“Carolyne deserves all the credit for this,” said Ken Stock, Nichole’s dad. “She really worked hard to get this done. It’s wonderful.”
The Nichole Stock Penny Drive Fund has about $3,000 and more money is being donated every day. Ken has already taken several buckets of change to the seniors’ centre, where it has been rolled and deposited into the account.
The money raised will be presented at the Variety Club’s Show of Hearts Telethon, which will be televised on Global TV Feb. 16-17.
25 years ago:
A social note in the Jan. 20, 1993 edition of The Lake News is of note to many Cowichan Lake residents.
Carol Peterson reported on the day [Nov. 14, 1992] that Lake Cowichan’s famous golfer Dawn Coe became Dawn Coe-Jones, marrying James Edward Jones in Tampa, FL.
“The radiant bride was given in marriage by her three brothers, John, Mark, and Alan. Dawn is the daughter of the late John and Edith Coe. The groom is the son of Major Gen. Jim Jones and Sandy Jones of Tampa…Alan Coe was one of the groomsmen.
“Maj.-Gen. and Mrs. Jones greeted the 200 guests at the reception held at the Tampa Palms ballroom. Master of ceremonies was Jack Crossetto, from Painted Post, NY. The toast to the bride was given by Jim Peterson of Lake Cowichan, a long-time friend of the bride.”
The many out-of-town guests included friends and relatives from Vancouver Island, according to Carol Peterson.
40 years ago:
Even the front page of the Jan. 18, 1978 version of The Lake News is so packed with news that it’s hard to choose one item.
However, we are going to push the politics and labour news to one side this week, and report on “Greenwell school fire snuffed: Young cyclist sounds alarm”.
It’s a good story.
“A 10-year-old girl riding her bike saved the day at A.B. Greenwell School Saturday when she spotted smoke coming from the school and rushed to turn in the alarm.
“Kelly Burns said she saw smoke coming from an open window at the back of A.B. Greenwell Elementary School while riding her 10-speed bike in the area. She quickly pedalled to the other side of the school yard and told some youngsters on trail bikes to call the fire department as the school was on fire. The youngsters rushed to the nearby house of a friend where they called in the alarm.
“The Lake Cowichan Volunteer Fire Department arrived in time to extinguish the fire, which had burned wall covering and cupboards on the east wall of the building.
“Fire Chief Tom Gordon said the blaze was the work of an arsonist. A book of matches was found near the spot where the fire started just inside an open window. He estimaed damage at about $1,000.”
lexi.bainas@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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