October 2, 2026
99
What a wonderful fall fair weekend in Ripley and it seemed as if everyone was there! Thank you, especially, Ripley Agricultural Society for all your planning and to all the volunteers for your help! Congratulations to our 2026-27 ambassador Joslynn Curran and junior ambassador Cassandra Bridge! Winners of the decorating contest are on the Facebook page along with many photos from community members. Congratulations everyone!
The Ripley Agricultural Society is excited to honour all the hard work that the members of the community do and we are celebrating the farmers with our theme for next year -“Hats off to Harvest!”
The Purple Grove Women's Institute members provided tea, coffee, squares, muffins and cookies to Ripley-Huron Fall Fair attendees in the social room where everyone enjoyed catching up on all of the day's activities, exhibits, parade and shows! As always, the fair is a wonderful day of fun and fellowship bringing all generations together!
Fran Farrell, Diane Clifford, Robyn Bridge and Bren de Leeuw were thrilled to represent the Bruce County District Women’s Institute, demonstrating quilt-tying in the Quilt Tent at the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo held west of Walkerton this past week. There were more than 5,000 students attending that day and they were pleased so many dropped by the booth and participated in the quilt-tying process. In the Quilt Tent, there were more than 50 quilts on display and each and every one of them demonstrated so much artistry and creativity! We were very proud to have our Purple Grove W.I. member, Diane Clifford, showcasing some beautiful pieces here!
Ripley-Huron Community School students attended the match on Thursday when the Canadian Cow Girls were performing and also the square-dancing tractors! It was a busy week for everyone!
And, of course, congratulations to the local organizing committee for a fabulous week at the International Plowing Match, and to the new Ontario Queen of the Furrow, Carmen Ward of Grey County, we wish you the best as you travel about the province.
Did anyone get over to Lucknow to see their Kites in the Field on Sunday? I'm sure it was a great time too.
Last week was also "Dolly Parton Day" to recognize a most favourite woman of country music, Sept. 25. Did you sing your favourite Dolly Parton song?
It was also the Full Harvest Moon, Sept. 26, which is the largest full moon for 2026. We've sure had a wonderful stretch of weather for combining beans and planting wheat.
Catching up with the birthday greetings to many folks in our community as September is always a busy birthday month! Happy Birthday to Callie Griffin, Brock Hasty, Irene West, Fred de Boer, Elizabeth Cubberly, Grace MacDonald, Ruth Harris, Carolyn Meurs, Glen Farrell, Heather Shantz, Jim MacKenzie and Jamie Farrell. Belated September wedding anniversary greetings to Gord and Carol Shantz, Anne and George McBride and John and Mary Farrell!
We extend our sympathy to the families of Leda White and Nancy Gibson of Lucknow. We will miss their contributions and presence in our community.
We also are thinking of those in our community who are in hospital and going through treatments - hope you are doing better very soon!
The Purple Grove Women’s Institute invites you to its next meeting, Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. at the Purple Grove Community Centre. Guest speaker will be Olivia Haufe, garden manager, at the Bruce Botanical Food Gardens in Ripley. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about all the great initiatives under way at the gardens. Please RSVP to purplegrovewi@gmail.com or reach out to president at 519-396-6521 or secretary Fran Farrell at 519-395-5628.
PURPLE GROVE W.I. AT GREY-BRUCE AREA CONVENTION
Thursday, was the Grey-Bruce Area Convention in Chepstow and five members of the Purple Grove Women's Institute were in attendance. Hosting branches were Jackson and Kinloss-Kairshea and Area president Ellen Waye welcomed everyone on a warm rainy day. Brockton's deputy mayor, Kim Hutchin, brought greetings and expressed her interest and appreciation for genealogy and Tweedsmuir histories. Donna Watke, first vice-president, introduced guests Betty Anne Thompson, Bruce County district president; and Linda Tottenham, Grey County district president, who each brought greetings.
Western Regional Board director Fran Farrell reported from the Federated Women's Institutes of Ontario (FWIO) and the recent work and updates from Erland Lee; and Area voting delegate Alyssa Phillippi reported on activity at the IPM Quilt Tent and W.I. display. Public relations is Linda Freiburger, and reporting Tweedsmuir curator is Ellen Waye.
Linda Zelem represented FWIO president Cheryl Sullivan, and reported on the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada (FWIC) and its upcoming Triennial Conference.
Everyone expressed appreciation for the women involved in preparing and organizing the activities at the IPM in the Quilt Tent for the Women's Institute Display. Special acknowledgement went to FWIO past-president Michelle Phillippi for her extensive involvement with the Quilt Tent and the IPM.
The group enjoyed the musical selections by Elaine Pearson of Jackson W.I. with a "home" and "country" theme!
Most thrilling of all, the Kemble W.I. in Grey County is the oldest active branch, established in 1897, and the Ladies of Saugeen Shores, established in 2026, as the youngest branch in Bruce County, were both present with two members from Kemble and four from Saugeen Shores!
A lovely ham-and-scalloped-potato dinner and dessert were provided by the Brant-Greenock branch.
The afternoon speaker was Samantha Misner, branch manager of the RBC in Wiarton, speaking on investments and setting goals, time frames, assessing risk and life changes with your financial and investment needs. She advised the ladies to use their lawyer, accountant, tax and investment counsellors as a team to provide the best for them. All of these financial arrangements should be reviewed regularly.
Linda Zelem installed the officers for the next year: past-president Rosanne Judge, president Ellen Waye, 1st vice-president Donna Watke, secretary/treasurer Linda Freiburger, Area voting delegate Alyssa Phillippi, Alternate Area voting delegate Barrie Owen, FWIO Western board director Fran Farrell.
The silent auction items and door prizes were distributed by the Kinloss-Kairshea and Jackson branches and the invitation to the Area Convention, Oct. 7, 2027, was extended. A grand day with 40 members in attendance.
Gathered with a gift basket that Bren de Leeuw had the highest bid on in the silent auction at the Grey-Bruce Area Convention, are Bren de Leeuw (left), Fran Farrell, Marilyn Reid and Janet Nixon of the Purple Grove W.I., along with Donna Watke and Linda Zelem; photo courtesy of Fran Farrell
Related Stories
No related stories.