Lögberg-Heimskringla - 24.01.1997, Blaðsíða 3

Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 24, januar 1997 • 3
Looking for a Golden
by Kevin Jón Johnson
we wade into the new year, I
approach the end of my first
year as President of Lögberg-
Heimskringla, a task as great in reward
for experience as it was challenging to
my decision making, organizational skill
and application. We, on the Board of
Directors, have taken arms against a sea
of troubles and, by opposing, ended them,
so that the passage in 1997 looks both
smooth and improved.
All of the meetings, which gather and
direct the consensus for leading this
paper, remain inky to most people outside
of the Board, as the faculties of reason
and conscience remain hidden behind an
expression or smile. However necessary
the inward workings, there expression
remains somewhat obscured. We aim for
smoother seas, but will likely encounter
the odd gale or tempest; the ship is sturdy,
though, and the piloting competent.
Nelson Gerrard, in his letter pub-
lished last issue, pointed to an interesting
and unique aspect of L-H — its reliance
on volunteered submissions. We always
hope and strive for the opportunity of
increased revenue, so that we can put
some money into the pockets of our
courteous writers, for at least some token
of thanks would relieve the labour —
however well motivated and frank — of
writing, researching and posting sub-
missions.
The solid quality of our articles, with
the range from domestic homespun to
finer weave, keeps readers with us, and
we have experienced a modest increase
in subscribers throughout 1996. A
continued expansion of the subscriber
base may allow us to reflect our gratitude
to our writers with a little remuneration
— something uppermost in my mind, but
until that golden day has dawned, we
must pacify and relieve our writers with
sincere thanks alone.
If our thanks has not looked clear,
sunny and golden to you so far, we look
for a quick and positive change in climate.
Until our sincerity can have a value in
dollars, we offer you words — something
we can barter with more ease.
Kindest regards to readers and writers
in 1997; our hull has passed now the more
barren shores. □
The King of Big Cauchon
By Stewart Thompson
This is a story about an Icelandic friend
of mine, Alex Jonasson, who I had the
good fortune to meet in the mid 1980s.
Alex was bom in Riverton, Manitoba and
raised on Hecla Island. He started fishing
Lake Winnipeg at the age of 14. Like a
lot of our fellow Icelanders, Alex was
pulled out of school at a young age to help
the family. At that time, all the fishermen
on Lake Winnipeg were of Icelandic
stock. As history now shows quite clearly,
Icelanders pioneered the fishing of
freshwater fish in all areas of northem
Canada.
Alex lives in a small, picturesque,
quiet community north of Lake Winnipeg
called Wabowden. Usually around April,
there is a lot of work to be done, tying
nets with leads, floats, bridles, etc.,
sorting out nets for two different lakes,
painting boats, and the hardest of all —
looking for experienced fishermen. When
it is time to go north, usually three big
boats are tied together, with the middle
one pulling five “yawls” or skiffs. The
boats are loaded down with fuel,
groceries, nets, etc., and the fíve boats are
tied behind, to be towed to the main fish
camp on “Big Cauchon Lake.” All this
takes a lot of preparation and skill.
Once underway, the boat crew takes
over with Alex in charge. It usually takes
two days through Lake Sipwisk, out onto
the mighty Nelson River and then a right
tum on to “Cauchon.” This boat operating
takes great skill, as there are innumerable
reefs and rocks to maneuver between and
around. As Alex has mn this route for over
twenty years, one always feels things are
under control when he stands behind the
wheel.
On our trip last summer, as we
approached camp, approximately 10
miles south, we had to travel under a
bridge built by Hydro. It looked narrow
and it was. From where I sat in the
wheelhouse, I swore there was not enough
room, and as one boat had a cooler on it,
Continued on page 5
w Do you have friends interested in Icelandic culture
and stories about lcelanders around the world?
Lögberg-Heimskringla is the ideal way for
your friends and family to keep in touch with
news about Icelanders — all year long!
mmt
tí.
y-ifi

. .-'L '•
llÍlÉ
Beckel at work at the Christmas Cheer Board of Greater Winnipeg.
Byrdye Beckel awarded
Manitoba ’s highest honour
By Eleanor Nordal
recognition of her commit-
ment to mobilizing thou-
sands of volunteers to help
Winnipeg’s less fortunate at Christmas,
Byrdye Beckel was inducted into the
Order of the Buffalo Hunt, the highest
honour the province can bestow.
Premier Gary Filmon presented
Beckel with the rank of Provost of the
Hunt at a ceremony, Saturday, 7 Decem-
ber 1996, at the Manitoba Legislative
Building during their annual open
house.
“For 21 years, as executive director
of the Christmas Cheer Board, next to
Santa Claus, Byrdye Beckel probably
had the most recognized name in
Winnipeg during the holiday season,”
the Premier said. “She will always be
remembered for her un-selfishness and
commitment to making Christmas a
time for the less fortunate to enjoy. She
will always have a special place in the
hearts of Winnipeg residents.”
Prior to joining the Christmas Cheer
Board in 1974, Beckel worked as co-
ordinator of volunteers for Meals on
Wheels. Upon taking over re-
sponsibility for the Christmas Cheer
Board, she designed and implemented
a central registry system to eliminate
hamper duplication. She also piloted the
development of the “Feed a Family”
program which, at the present time,
looks after almost a quarter of the
hampers distributed throughout
Winnipeg.
Premier Filmon also noted that the
“development and mobilization of a
central core of volunteers to produce
and deliver thousands of Christmas
hampers to deserving families
throughout Winni-peg” comprised one
of Beckel’s biggest contributions to the
Christmas Cheer Board.
Byrdye Beckel is the daughter of
the late Una Torfason and Bjarni
Bjarnason. Her paternal grandparents
were Hólmfrí ður Jósefsdóttir and Pjetur
Bjamason. Her matemal grandparents
were Katrín Gissurardóttir and Bjami
Torfason. □