Brigade arrives Wednesday in RR

By Ken Johnston
Editor

History will arrive in Rainy River this Wednesday when the David Thompston Brigade makes a stop on a journey from Rocky Mountain House to Thunder Bay via canoes. They are retracing the historic path of David Thompson who was a cartographer and mapped this region out extensively.
Rainy River Community Coordinator Anthony Mason has been busy with preparations for their arrival.
The first boats will arrive between 1:30 and 2 p.m. ahead of the rest of the brigade. The earlybirds will be here to accomodate elementary school kids who will be at school for the last day of the year.
Recreation Director Meghan Shanks has organized kids games and there will be voyageur singing and story telling at Hannam Park.
Around 4-4:30 p.m. the rest of the brigade will arrive at Hannam Park. While they are getting set up and showered, the public is invited to the Rainy River Recreation Centre where singer Rodney Brown will be performing for families free of charge from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
There will also be a Fort Frances Museum travelling exhibit at the Rec. Centre.
At 6 p.m. there will be opening ceremonies with dignitaries at the Rec. Centre. That will be followed by a roast pork supper for the brigade and the public, for which there will be a charge.
After supper there will be more music with Rodney Brown, the voyageurs and story telling.
At 8 p.m. there will be a dance in the Rec. Centre parking lot.
The next morning they will gather for breakfast at the Legion. If the public wants to attend there is a charge. They will then depart for Emo at 7:30 a.m.