Chapleau Christmas Decoration Contest on Facebook sponsored by Kevin Walker results in two winners

The first Chapleau Christmas Decoration Contest held on Facebook resulted in a tie, according to Kevin Walker, of  "I'm so Chapleau" fame who organized it.

Just struck me that Kevin, who is from Chapleau, now lives in Fort Erie, but was able to connect to Chapleau through Facebook, and conduct a contest, no problem.

Kevin, who was born and raised in Chapleau, is the son of Billy and Betty-Lou (Simard) Walker, while his grandparents were Bill and Della Walker and Bud and Kay Simard. His brothers are Larry and Bob.

Out of about 40 entries of Christmas decorations in Chapleau all posted on a page set up by Kevin, the two winners were Claire Henderson and Roxann Lynn.

Claire entry

Roxann entry

Each received a security cam from Kevin.

He advised that Claire had the most likes on the site and Roxann the most likes with all the shared likes from posts not on the site resulting in a tie.

I chatted with Kevin on Messenger and he told me that he held the contest "out of love for my hometown".

"I got the idea one day from looking at all the decorations down here in the Niagara Region and thought about Chapleau and all the great houses and all the decorations on them."

He added that it brought back memories to when he was young driving around town with his parents and looking at houses, and felt it would be a good idea..

"I love Chapleau and everyone there."

Kevin's "I'm so Chapleau" comments were most popular so I went back to one he contributed about Christmas and the holiday season. His comments then summed up so well the reason he sponsored the Christmas Decoration Contest. 

He wrote: "When I think about it.  we are all so Chapleau!! Who doesn't remember their childhood in our small northern town without a smile! This year why not make an effort to have an old fashioned Chapleau Christmas and with that I would like to wish everyone a safe and festive Merry Christmas! Oh and a very Happy New Year."

His Facebook contest with photos of decorations from Chapleau certainly brought back fond memories to me and I extend my congratulations to Claire and Roxann, and all those who participated.

As many readers know I taught at College of the Rockies in Cranbrook, BC, where I founded a college graduate program in New (Social) Media Communications, and even though I am now retired, am most interested in applications of social media. Kevin's contest

is a super example, and has great potential for the future to bring Chapleau folks together, no matter where we may live now.

In  looking at the photos submitted, I thought  of Red Skelton and something he said at the end of his television show. It went something like this, "If by chance you should remember something I've said,(or seen) and it brings a smile to your face or a chuckle to your heart, then my purpose has been fulfilled." 

Thanks Kevin. Happy New Year to All. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Kevin Walker shares "I'm so Chapleau" anecdotes for holiday season and Christmas

Kevin Walker returns with his very popular "I'm so Chapleau" anecdotes just in time for the holiday season and Christmas.

As many will recall, Kevin's earlier edition of Chapleau anecdotes went over real well, so in chatting with him recently, I asked if he may have a few suitable for the festive season. He did, and here are the results.

"I'm so Chapleau I can still hear the words GAME ON yelled out at the road hockey game at INGO's place! Great times on Boxing Day. We would all meet for food and drinks and of course Road Hockey. I can still feel the sting of the ball hitting my legs when I was in nets.. lol who else had Boxing Day blowouts?"

 "I'm so Chapleau and who can forget what to do with your old Christmas Trees? Yep drop em off at the Arena for the big bon fire to start the Chapleau Carnival! Does anyone still go out and get a real tree?"

"I'm so Chapleau who else remembers going downtown to see the Lighting of the Christmas Tree.. this still goes on right? Anyways it was and is a great way for the town to get together for a special time to talk and reunite with old friends and family!"

"I'm so Chapleau Christmas meant a time to spend with family and relatives.. We used to celebrate Christmas two or three times lol.. Once Christmas Eve then twice Christmas Day one at home and one at Aunt Joan's place.. great times had by all.."  (Kevin's Aunt Joan is Joan (Simard) MacGillivray)

I'm so Chapleau I still think of the car rides we used to take with the parents when we were kids to look at all the decorations around town.. it was always a great time... the town was always decorated to the hilt.. Who else used to do this?"

(Kevin, who was born and raised in Chapleau, is the son of Billy and Betty-Lou (Simard) Walker, while his grandparents were Bill and Della Walker and Bud and Kay Simard. His brothers are Larry and Bob.)

"I'm so Chapleau that to me December 24th meant going to the Sportsman Hotel and getting reacquainted with Ex Chapleauites who had come home for the holidays!! Always a great time getting caught up with old friendships... Who else remembers this Christmas tradition?"

"I'm so Chapleau I love the small town Christmas hospitality... Many a time during the holidays I found myself walking home from who knows where and hearing music and seeing lights on... The best part is you could just walk up and knock on the door and be invited in for a drink or two lol... yep small town hospitality you can't beat it!!"

Kevin now lives in Crystal Beach on Lake Erie  but for 17 years he worked for the Ministry of Natural Resources in Chapleau as an incident commander, then on to Pickering for a while now at his present home.

His great passion has always been music, and he now spends considerable time writing and performing. He advised that in 1987 he appeared at the Chapleau Winter Carnival. For more on Kevin and his music, I highly recommend a visit to his web site: http://www.reverbnation.com/bloodshoteyez

Here is Kevin's wish for you: "When I think about it we are all so Chapleau!! Who doesn't remember their childhood in our small northern town without a smile! This year why not make an effort to have an old fashioned Chapleau Christmas and with that I would like to wish everyone a safe and festive Merry Christmas! Oh and a very Happy New Year."

And the same to you Kevin! I would just add that when reading Kevin's "I'm so Chapleau" I think of Red Skelton and something he said at the end of his television show. It went something like this, "If by chance you should remember something I've said, and it brings a smile to your face or a chuckle to your heart, then my purpose has been fulfilled." 

HERE IS LINK TO KEVIN'S EARLIER I'M SO CHAPLEAU http://michaeljmorrisreports.blogspot.ca/2014/07/kevin-walker-stirs-up-talk-and-brings.html

My email is mj.morris@live.ca Please feel free to send along your "I'm so Chapleau" for the holiday season and Christmas.

Kevin Walker stirs up talk and brings back memories with 'I'm so Chapleau"

Kevin Walker wanted to stir up talk and bring back memories among his friends on Facebook so he started short anecdotes called "I'm so Chapleau" and suddenly he had a success story.

The more he posted the more others commented and added their own "I'm so Chapleau" anecdotes. I also joined in and asked Kevin if I could share some of them.

Kevin, who was born and raised in Chapleau, is the son of Billy and Betty-Lou (Simard) Walker, while his grandparents were Bill and Della Walker and Bud and Kay Simard .His brothers are Larry and Bob.

He now lives in Crystal Beach on Lake Erie  but for 17 years he worked for the Ministry of Natural Resources in Chapleau as an incident commander, then on to Pickering for a while now at his present home.

But Kevin's great passion has always been music, and he now spends considerable time writing and performing. He advised that in 1987 he appeared at the Chapleau Winter Carnival. For more on Kevin and his music, I highly recommend a visit to his web site: http://www.reverbnation.com/bloodshoteyez

And now here is a sample of "I'm so Chapleau" by Kevin Walker.

"I'm so Chapleau as a child in the 60's I remember all of us loading up the car and going for a monthly trip to Wawa just to go to the Drive In Theatre and the A&W... I still remember how good the Root Beer and Teen Burger tasted... not the same as today!"

"I'm so Chapleau I remember when we were kids, One of our highlights was going to the CPR trestle by the Planer to snag Suckers when they were running!"

"I'm so Chapleau I remember going to the Fox theatre on weekends and having a 15 cent pop and 10 cent bag of chips"

"I'm so Chapleau that I remember walking 2 miles to school in -40 weather over the horseshoe bridge."

"I'm so Chapleau I remember having to go to Timmins as a child because we were evacuated from a forest fire near the Golden Route!! Where did you end up?"

"I'm so Chapleau I can remember Jumping off the walkway into the snow below when it was first built...!! At least the second flight... who dared jumping any higher?"

"I'm so Chapleau when we were young the big thing was going to Bucciarelliville to swim at the beach... Only to come out and get doused down with salt because of all the blood suckers in the lake haha"

"I'm so Chapleau on my favorite things to do was to hang out on second rock.  It's where the Arena is now.. but when I was young that was all bush.. its not much now but as a kid it was a huge chunk of land..lol and then taking trips down Billy's Trail.. anyone know why it was called that?"

" I'm so Chapleau sometimes when I hear a train whistle blowing... I think back to when I was a young kid on a hot summer night with the windows open listening to the sound of the frogs and a distant train coming home!"

I don't recall who first made the comment about you can take the boy or girl out of Chapleau, but you can't take Chapleau out of us as no matter where we are, we remain "so Chapleau". Let's hear from you with your anecdotes. Post them on Facebook or send them along to Mario at the Chapleau Express. Thanks Kevin! My email is mj.morris@live.ca