Looking back - 1997: Neepawa nurse organizes support during Flood of the Century
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- Published on Tuesday, May 2, 2017
By Cecil Pittman
The Neepawa Press
80 years ago. Tuesday May 4, 1937: Mountain Ave. is to have another fine brick building. Work was begun last week on the new Alguire Block, between Alguire’s Billiard Hall and the Bank of Commerce. It will be a one story building, about 62 by 33 feet, with a full size basement and it will be constructed with arrangements for two store premises for rental purposes. William Clyde and O. Ramstead have the contract. William Pellow is digging for the foundation.
70 years ago. Thursday, May 1, 1947: Steven Benson receives birthday congratulations— 85. Steven Benson was born on May 2, 1862 in the Township of Manvers, County Durham, Ont. Being the sixth in a family of four sons and five daughters, born to Mr. and Mrs. Steven Benson. He was driving a horse on the farm at the age of nine years, getting most of his schooling in the winter months and secured his entrance at Omemee Highschool in 1883, but on the death of his father at the end of the year 1883, he took over the management of a 250 acre farm.
60 years ago. Thursday, May 1 1957: W. G. (Gib) Weir, MP for Portage-Neepawa and Liberal candidate for the constituency in the June 10 election, was highly praised Monday evening by Prime Minister St. Laurent. In his opening remarks to 3,000 persons in Winnipeg, the Prime Minister described Mr. Weir as a tower of strength as his preliminary assistant. The Portage member was also described by Mr. St. Laurent as a great Liberal for Manitoba.
50 years ago. Tuesday, May 1 1967: Chicago, April 27— The National Safety Council announced today the Neepawa Salt Plant of the Canadian Salt Company Ltd., located in Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada, has been presented the council’s Award of Merit for its excellent safety record. The award is presented only where an establishment’s record satisfied rigid requirements laid down in the council’s award planning for recognizing good industrial safety records. Howard Pyle, president of the National Safety Council, in a letter of congratulations to Martin F. O’Day, manager, explained that the local plant qualified for the award because of its injury-free period of 885,171 man-hours, from Aug. 30 1960 to Dec 30, 1966.
40 years ago. Thursday, May 5, 1977: The selection committee for the Kem Frampton Athlete of the Year award has made its selection for 1976. This year, selected as Neepawa’s male athlete of the year, is Grade 12 student Rick Fraser: and, female athlete of the year in Neepawa is Mrs. Marilyn Buchanan. This is the first year the trophy has been presented. It was donated last year by a number of Neepawa sports bodies in honour of Ken Frampton, who was retiring from the position of sports writer at the Neepawa Press.
30 years ago. Thursday, May 7, 1987: The Neepawa Press was presented a first place and two third place awards during the Better Newspaper Competition awards night held in Winnipeg’s International Inn, on May 1. The Press took the Best Editorial category for the community newspapers, while finishing third overall in the Best in Class category for Metro Newspapers with a circulation over 4,000, and third in the Editorial Page category for Metro Newspapers over 4,000 in circulation. The competition was sponsored by the Manitoba Community Newspaper Association.
20 years ago. Monday, May 5, 1997: Watching the flood of the century seep into southern Manitoba caused Glynis Black to spring into action last week. The Neepawa nurse organized a massive pick up of supplies for flood-stricken Manitobans, ranging from bedding and blankets, to canned food and toys. “It’s been absolutely incredible,” Black said of the response. “I got this brain wave last Friday and donations have just poured in.” Black said a trailer full of donations for families displaced by the flood has already been sent into Winnipeg. It will be distributed by the Red Cross and Salvation Army.
10 years ago. Monday, May 7, 2007: The Town of Neepawa will be losing a driving force for the establishment of a local beef slaughtering plant when CAO Sheila Mowat resigns May 18. Mowat, who was hired as the Town’s Chief Administrative Officer in December 2003, is leaving to become the executive director of the Manitoba Cattle Producers Association. “I don’t think I’ll be able to continue with the beef plant,” Mowat said, adding it could present a conflict of interest in her new position. “It wouldn’t fit,” she said.
