Pioneers honored on 66th anniversary

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When I arrived at Peavine, some 50 km north of High Prairie, the ladies of the community were already busy preparing food for the 66th wedding anniversary of Sarah and Fred Carifelle.

As an outsider, I expected to be greeted at the community hall door with some suspicion, but instead, I was told by the first person I came across, Lewis Carifelle, to on in, "Grab a cup of coffee. Everyone should be arriving pretty soon" he said.

Walking inside the hall the first thing that hit me was the aroma of cooking food. Decoration of congratulations to the two pioneers, who fostered 15 children, were everywhere.

It reminded me of books I had read when I was a child, of how people once came together like this for perhaps a barn raising or a community picnic.

This evening, two important people of the community, Sarah and Fred, were being honored.

As I lingered by the coffee pot, chatting with the cooks, people began to wander in and in good country fashion, offered me some great conversation.

By 7 p.m. the hall was full and people were dressed for the occasion. Small girls in little curls and fancy dresses and little boys with sweaters and slacks and clean faces roamed the hall freely, while mothers and fathers talked with one another.

A community band with the ever present fiddle tuned up their strings in preparation for the dance to follow the banquet.

And then the guests of honor arrived.

A hush fell over the crowd of about 200 people as master of ceremonies, Frank Carifelle, grandson of the couple, thanked everyone for coming.

Sarah and Fred were seated at the head table along with their sons and daughters. They listened intensively as members of their family took a turn at the microphone to say something about them.

"I'm 55 years old and so very proud to still have my parents. I wish each and everyone of you who came here today the same privilege my family and I have, our loving parents," said Joe Carifelle.

"This afternoon I went to town and when I returned I asked Mom (Sarah) 'where's Dad?' She didn't know. I found him hiding under the blankets in his bedroom. He said he didn't want to get married again," added Joe, to the laughter of the crowd.

A young man got up to the microphone and in a quiet voice said, "Sarah and Fred are unbelievable people."

"They compensated me when I lost my aunt. They have been like parents to me," said Dwayne Carifelle.

Both Sarah and Fred are extraordinary people, said Frank. "When my uncle passed away, they took care of his three sons," he said.

As I watched all the pleasantry unfolding. I thought how lucky these two pioneers of the community were, to have so many people love them.

Sarah and Fred with 98 grandchildren, 156 great-grandchildren, and 11 great-great-grandchildren are truly blessed.

"My grandfather worked hard all his life and in a sense is a master of many trades. He was a sawmill operator, a logger and a trapper and always provided for his family," said Frank.

"My grandmother was a great housewife and an excellent mother to all her children," he added.

A plaque announcing congratulations to Sarah and Fred was presented to them by Thelma Gauthier on behalf of the Peavine settlement and its council. And a letter from Mayor Rollie Johnson and the town council of High Prairie was read aloud. It congratulated the couple on their achievement.

A beautifully designed certificate from Lesser Slave Lake MLA Pearl Calahasen, which wished Sarah and Fred the best in years to come, was presented to the couple.

Friends and relatives from Wabasca, Valleyview, Sucker Creek, Grouard and Edmonton arrived to witness Sarah and Frank's 66th wedding anniversary.

Elder Joe Willier blessed the banquet in Cree and then the head table was served dinner by community youth.

Then with the fiddle playing good old country music, people joined together for some great country dancing, a fitting way to end Sarah and Frank's wedding anniversary.

As I drove away from Peavine, my thoughts ere not only on the happy couple, but also on the whole community, which showed their love, their warmth and community togetherness, simply by honoring two wonderful people, Sarah and Frank Carifelle.