Saturday, Aug. 15

[Note: I'm going to use the "large" setting for pictures this time. I've had some comments that people have not been able to click on the small or medium size photos and make them larger for the last several posts. I'm sorry. I don't know why that is, but I will post them as "larger" this time in case that continues to happen. Maybe it's a Canada thing. (I'm back in the states now)]

Saturday, Aug. 15

This was a busy day. As the stand-in for Region 9 VP’s Win & Sharon Seitzinger who weren’t able to make this Rally (which is the official summer Chapter Rally), I got to go to the Executive Board Meeting from 8:00 am – 12:00. Now you would think that getting to breakfast before 8:00, I would finally get to taste the scones people were talking about; but, no, today they ran out of the good stuff at 7:55.

The Board Meeting was very interesting; I’d never been privy to what goes on “behind the scenes.” Afterwards, Bud Ritter, Chairman of the Nominating Committee (of which I am the Region 9 representative), asked me if I would take over for him next year. Foolishly, I accepted. So now I am officially on

the Executive Board and should try to attend the two Chapter Rallies each year.

At 12:30 we boarded buses for our trip to St. Jacob’s Farmer’s Market, Flea Market, and St. Jacob’s Village, about a half-hour’s drive from Fergus. (picture is a mural I liked on the way there)

The Farmer's market was rather rushed (45 min), but I did manage to find some things I had to get (prices were too good to pass up). Got a little fresh fruit, too, most of which I had eaten before the trip was over. Beautiful fresh flowers there too.

In the Village, I went to the Mennonite Museum and learned a bit about them. They are, in general, a little more liberal than the Amish are. (Ontario, like Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana, has a fairly large Amish/Mennonite population).

I had about a half-hour after that to quickly see the rest of the small town.

On the way back from St. Jacob’s, since we were running a little ahead of schedule, the bus driver took us to see the only remaining covered bridge in Ontario. It is called “The Kissing Bridge” though it probably has a more official name too. There was a wedding going on in a beautiful park alongside the bridge, but judging by the dresses some of women were wearing, I'd say it was not an Amish or Mennonite wedding.

A little girl in a frilly dress was swinging on a long swing hanging from a tree limb all during the ceremony which somehow made the whole scene even more idyllic-looking.

Dinner tonight was the fancy farewell dinner they usually have on the last night of a rally with catered meals, as this one was.

(although the signs on the table said “Welcome to Fergus.”)

White tablecloths and flower centerpieces and real silverware made it very festive.

After dinner we had a general business meeting, voting in the new slate of officers. Then we said good-bye to the new friends we’d made, and old, and wished everyone safe travels. A few people had a campfire but I decided not to go.

I took down my awning (so I wouldn’t have to do it in the sunny, hot morning, put my chairs away, took a shower, and cleaned up the Roadtrek a bit. Then I went to bed looking forward to getting to sleep late for the first time in 4 days!

It will be a month before I get to the next rally I'm planning on attending (in Salt Lake City, Utah --- a genealogy-focused rally).