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Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Graham Bertrand chair of Chapleau Winter Carnival with Jimmy Dillon as Carnival King in 1978

Jimmy, Graham, Debbie, Bonhomme, MJ
Graham Bertrand was the chair of 'A Taste of the North', the Chapleau Winter Carnival, while Jimmy Dillon, who was instrumental in reviving the annual winter celebration was honoured by being named King of the Carnival in 1978.

Debbie Ferguson, a Chapleau High School student was the Queen of the Carnival.

Graham, 34 years later, was co-chair with Nadia (Huard) Fortin of the 90th anniversary reunion festival of Chapleau High School, in 2012.

My files show that Graham was a member of the Chapleau Recreation and Festival Chapleau committees in 1973, so for more than 40 years he has been actively involved in the life of his community. With his wife Rose, he co-chaired the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of Chapleau as a municipality held in 2001.
 I won't even try to list all the ways he has volunteered  for Chapleau activities.

I will mention one though -- Graham was a great trainer for the Chapleau Intermediate 'A' Huskies when they played in the Northland Intermediate Hockey League. He also played donkey baseball!
Bill Scheer, Pat Swanson and Graham
In 1978, at carnival time the coach of the Intermediate Huskies was Doug Prusky and captain was veteran J.C. Cyr.

Jimmy Dillon helped revive the Chapleau Winter Carnival as chair of the  carnival committee during the 1950s as well as serving as manager of the Chapleau Huskies -- Intermediate ' teams who were always entered in the Northern Ontario Hockey Association playoffs.
Jimmy also ensured there was youth representation on the carnival committees. For example, I was president of the Student Council at Chapleau High School in 1957-58, and was a committee member. I think Ken Schroeder was involved in the ski races. Ken would also have been playing goal for the Chapleau High School hockey team at carnival.
My main job was to look after the referees for the hockey tournament, and we brought Leo Fletcher of Sudbury, one of the best of the time to be the neutral referee. He was housed in the YMCA -- a famous place in those years with Mamie Watson running the dining room with an iron fist so to speak. 
 At carnival time, those Intermediate Huskies teams vied for the Ernest  'Sonny' Bignucolo Memorial Trophy. Sonny, an outstanding goaltender was killed while on active service in Canada's Armed Forces.

I was once told  that Jimmy was a great manager who even accounted for "every piece of tape." 
He was also president of the Chapleau Liberal Party Association, and also a personal friend of Lester B. 'Mike' Pearson, who became prime minister, was the local Member of Parliament.
Keep Smiling Graham!  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

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Michael J Morris

Michael J Morris
MJ with Buckwheat (1989-2009) Photo by Leo Ouimet

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