Purple Grove news

Hello out there to all our readers, far and wide! We are digging out, yet again, from another heavy snowfall! A huge shout-out to all our snowplow operators, EMS people, Hydro crews, and transport drivers who bring in the groceries, and tow trucks for digging people out!

Thank you to all our farmers who, in addition to their regular chore schedule, have to blow snow too just to get that milk truck in and to feed the animals! We are fortunate that the news system works as well as it does and that the books in our personal and local libraries are a great way to review history or just relax!

Some more cures for cabin fever could be board games, puzzles and hobbies that help pass the time! It will be interesting to see how many quilt tops get put together this winter! Thank you to neighbours checking in on neighbours as well!

Our community is shocked and saddened by the news of Quinn Martyn's passing. We extend our sincere condolences to Scott and Sarah, all their family and the many friends who knew Quinn well. A kind and generous young man who will be sorely missed by everyone who loved him.

We also remember Cathy Dadson of St. Thomas, Nancy Ann Harvey of Kincardine and Henk Oudshoorn of Goderich, and extend our sympathy to their families.

The Ripley Figure Skating Club competed in Aylmer last Saturday and brought home quite a few medals! Well done, girls! Thank you, coaches and parents, for presenting the opportunity to build their skills again!

And it looks as if those young hockey players are at it again too. Congratulations to the clubs hosting tournaments over the weekend; makes for a busy time for everyone!

Happy belated birthday to Judi de Boer, Helen Van der Glas, Debbie Taylor, Meighan Hunter, Julianne House, Kathy Drennan, Susan Roberts, Anne McBride, and Jenn Logtenberg of Whitehorse, Yukon, Jan. 31!

Jim and Fran Farrell were pleased to have a great visit with Doug and Sherry Howatt last Saturday. Fran and Sherry were the only girls in Grades 1-4 at S.S. No. 16 Crewe school from 1963-67. Bill Mole, Brock Hasty and Grant Phillips were their classmates. In April of 1967, the students of Crewe school, along with several other school sections, moved to Brookside Public School. Many fine memories from our small rural schoolhouses, learning how to share, warming up soup and food on the wood stove, knitting, reading, arithmetic, spelling and oral math and geography quizzes! Memories of snowstorms, not unlike the winter we're having this year! A huge thank you to many of our former teachers who helped us learn and grow in life lessons too!

The de Leeuw and Bridge families were together, Sunday, to celebrate family birthdays in January and February. Harvey and Bren de Leeuw went with Becca and Arlo Farrell and the Huron-Bruce Blizzard team to Mitchell last Saturday for a hockey game.

The Purple Grove Women’s Institute will meet Feb. 5, at the Ripley Fire Hall at 1:30 p.m. Fire chief Jeff Bradley is our speaker.

Several organizations are taking the lead from our schools being cancelled and roads closed, so they re-schedule their meetings. It’s a good idea to check with someone before you leave home!

RIPLEY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

After two cancellations, due to inclement weather, the Ripley Agricultural Society moved its annual meeting to a Zoom platform, Monday, Jan. 27.

Our 2025 executive committee includes president Kevin Falconer, first-vice Tracy Robinson, second-vice Kennydi Nicholson, with new director Cole Snobelen joining the board. The directors are Melissa Arnold, Stephanie Farrell, Jessica Haldenby, Paul Harris, Rob MacInnis, Brooke Neitzel, Joe Neitzel, Kennydi Nicholson, Rachel Page, Cole Snobelen, Tom Stewart, Julie Thompson and Jessica Yungblut

Appreciation to retiring president, James MacDonald, and retiring board directors, Karl Heinisch and Maddy Gallant, for their contributions and service to our organization. James will stay on as past-president and we thank him for his guidance to make our fall fair a great event.

Karl is retiring as director and was our 2017-18 past-president. His support over the years has played a key role in the continued vibe and success of the fall fair and we appreciate your commitment to our organization.

Thank you to Maddy for her position as director over the past few years and her term as our 2019-21 Ripley-Huron Fall Fair ambassador. We are fortunate that Maddy will continue her role with our ambassador committee.

We look forward to celebrating our 162nd Ripley-Huron Fall Fair, Sept. 26-28, with the theme: "Til The Cows Come Home."