'@VisitChapleau' on Twitter excellent example of social media application by economic development corporation to promote community

Aerial view of Chapleau 2015

"@VisitChapleau" on Twitter is an invitation for newcomers to pay a virtual visit to Chapleau before making a trip there, but it also provides a "nostalgic carpet" ride for those of us who lived in the community. 

A project of the Chapleau Economic Development Corporation (CEDC), @VisitChapleau is an excellent example of a social media application to extol the benefits of a community.

CEDC describes it as "an invitation to become lost in your passion -- fishing, hunting, enjoying art and nature, looking for Northern Lights in our beautiful part of Northern Ontario."  With a mix of awesome photos depicting Chapleau and area and text (140 characters in each post) they are succeeding.

"Michael Levesque Trails: This photo was taken during the summer of 2014. That summer CEDC staff mapped the trail with GPS in order to show it on local maps and visitor guides:" Stephen Lee

Before I go any further though, and in the interests of full disclosure, for the past 22 years, a good part of my life has centred around appplications of New (now called Social)  Media Communications. I taught my first course in writing for new media in 1994 at College of the Rockies, and added other courses when the college launched a full graduate program -- although retired now, I still am involved daily in social media applications.

Let me share some of my discoveries on @VisitChapleau during a recent visit to it on Twitter.

"Chapleau River: The dock, as seen in September 2015. The quality of life, the joy that comes from living so close to this.. it's wonderful:" Stephen Lee

I really liked the invitation to those of us who no longer live in Chapleau to send "tweets" about what makes us proud of the community, and our favourite spot. I hope many will respond to the invite and include photos.

My favourite spot, based on my visit home in 2015 is the Louis Dube Peace Park, located across from where I grew up and played at the 'Big Rock'.

I could not help feeling nostalgic when I saw a hockey tournament is planned for "Taste of the North" the Chapleau Winter Carnival from February 19 to 21. My first involvement with the carnival was in 1958 when I was president of the Chapleau High School Student Council, and chair Jimmy Dillon appointed me to the committee. It continued one way and another for most of the years I lived in Chapleau.

There is also the ice sculpture contest.

Just a word on Taste of the North. It was coined in 1974 when Walter Wilson was carnival chair.

I also noted that the 19th Annual Pike Fishing Derby is scheduled for February 13..... apparently it is SOLD OUT!

Throwback to circa 1910 Chapleau hockey champions

The site also advises that over 100 photos were submitted in the 2016 Welcome Guide Photo Challenge, and posts the winning photos in the four categories of adventure, wildlife, people and fishing. Simply amazing! My congratulations to the winners and all those who participated. 

Here are a couple of comments made by visitors:

"I've been to your town. Such a beautiful place. I really hope I can make it back to do some fishing again."

"A perfect day would be snowmobiling, skating, ice fishing and a good movie."

I chuckled upon reading references to the weather with a quote from an old popular song:

"Some say the weather outside is frightful, but we say let it snow, let it snow!"

As one who loved travelling back lanes and backyards as a kid in Chapleau, I really enjoyed this one:  "Here is to the small towns and back roads. The getaways and pure clean doses of nature."  

That just about sums it up. 

I extend my most sincere congratulations to the folks at CEDC who are maximizing the potential of social media in a most positive way. My sincere thanks to Stephen Lee for his assistance and co-operation, and apologies to Ann (Bedford) Midgley for taking "nostalgic carpet" out of context... I just had to use it Ann.

Finally, on a most personal note, I so much appreciated that CEDC paid tribute to the community's veterans  on @VisitChapleau last Remembrance Day.

See you on Twitter at @VisitChapleau!  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Letters to Santa Claus from 1940s to recent photos bring back fond memories of growing up in Chapleau

Dr G E Young old house At Christmas

When we were kids growing up in Chapleau in the 1940s, after World War II, Branch Number 5 (Ontario) of the Royal Canadian Legion, sponsored the annual Santa Claus visit and Parade each year.

Ted Soucie, a World War II veteran, and Legion member, was responsible for a column in the Chapleau Post, where we, me included, would send letters to Santa.

In his column, Mr. Soucie would also include updates on Santa, such as this one in November 1949 advising that Santa had written him, advising that his plane was now ski equipped, and the ice was forming "nice and thick" on the river at Chapleau where he would land. His sleigh and the reindeer would be waiting.

Before I go any further with this, I have just seen some photos on Facebook of Santa's 2015 Chapleau visit, and congratulations to all on making it a huge success.

As I was browsing through digital versions of the Chapleau Post kindly provided to me by Doug Greig, I realized that I had recent photos of some of those who had written letters in the late 1940s, and I had visited with them during the past three years --- some at the 90th anniversary reunion  of Chapleau High School in 2012, others at that great party at the home at the home of Butch and Brigitte Pellow in Toronto in 2014. I saw others when I was home in the Summer to launch "The Chapleau Boys Go To War" with my co-author and cousin Michael McMullen.

Such fond memories of growing up Chapleau!

And yes. some were there for all three occasions, again proving the maxim that you can take folks out of Chapleau, but you can't take Chapleau out of us.

Anyway, I decided to do that was then with a few of the Santa Claus letters from our growing up days in Chapleau, to photos of this is now with some of the same people taken in the past three years. So here goes.

"Dear Old Santa: You will soon be here now. So long since I saw you. Wish you would bring me a sewing machine, a sweet grass sewing basket, printing sets, story books and a game. Thanks a lot." -- Doreen Cormier

Ian, Jim, Ann, Doreen (2014 at Harry/Brigitte party

"I would like two Gene Autry guns. I would like 5 and a half foot skis and a Dale Sleigh. I would like a standard size ukulele and a hockey game, pool table, hockey stick and puck and a Pedro Target game."  -- Bill Cachagee

(Bill Cachagee and Doreen Cormier later married and now make their home at Fox Lake First Nations Reserve)

Bill and Butch

"So glad you are visiting again. I am writing a letter for my baby sister, my twin brother and sister and myself. Patsy my baby sister wants a new doll, also Bunny slippers. My brother wants a  model builder and fire truck. My sister wants a doll house and furniture. I would like boots or skates, a sewing kit, also Chinese checkers."  -- Ann Keays

(Ann Keays and Jim Machan married. I could not find letter from Jim to Santa. They attended the CHS reunion in 2012 and the Toronto party.)  

"I would like a two wheeled bicycle but my Mother and Daddy think I am too small yet." -- Ken Schroeder

(Ken and family members spend part of each Summer at Chapleau where they have a cottage)

Ken and Elsie (Collings) Pellow 2012 CHS reunion

"I am glad you are coming to Chapleau again this year. Would you please bring me a Fleetwing sleigh, carpenter set, blackboard, and a Lone Rider cowboy outfit with gun." -- Bruce Poynter

(Bruce spends Summers at Mulligan's Bay)

MJM with Bruce 2015

"Will you please bring me a Barbara Ann Scott doll, and a Bubble set. also some books and crayons.Bring Georgie a horse and Teddy a duck on wheels."  -- Sharon Swanson

(George and Ted are Sharon's brothers. Sharon lives in Chapleau)

Sharon with MJM and Mike McMullen

And finally, my letter, " I am very glad you are coming back to Chapleau. I would like a pair of skates and a pair of binoculars."

I am the guy from Chapleau, who lives in Cranbrook BC but writes weekly about "that place' in Ontario, and loves going back and forth to Orlando, Florida.

 I did not find letters to Santa from Ian Macdonald and Harry Pellow but  left them in the photos because they are still so interested in the community. Michael McMullen is too but moved there in the early 1950s. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Adelaida Duffney captures beauty of Louis Dube Peace Park in Chapleau

Adelaida Duffney  arrived in Chapleau from the Philippines in 1985, and has been an active member of the community ever since.

She married James Patrick Mulligan, the son of Edith (Simard) and Hugh Mulligan. Sadly Patrick passed away after suffering a heart attack. They had two sons, Ben and Brian Mulligan.

She later married Desmond Duffney who moved to Chapleau from Newfoundland and Labrador.

Adelaida commented: " I am so blessed that my destiny brought me to Chapleau. 

"I knew I was in the right place away from home when my first husband passed away.

Everybody was and is so good to me".

Adelaida recently received a new camera and one of her first "assignments" was to visit the Louis Dube Peace Park (name changed now from Chapleau Peace Park) and take some amazing photos. 

Adelaida and I are friends on Facebook and she kindly agreed to let me share some of

them with blog visitors.

Thank you so much for sharing your photos.

My email is mj.morris@live.ca