COLUMN: Report from the Legislature – Celebrating Cooks Creek Heritage Days

Once again one of my favourite late-summer traditions, the Cooks Creek Heritage Museum, held its 52nd annual Heritage Day on Aug. 25.

I have attended the Cooks Creek Museum Heritage Day event for the past 25 years. I always enjoy the opportunity to say hello to Springfield-Ritchot friends and neighbours whether they are longtime residents or new to the community.

Visitors to the Cooks Creek Museum Heritage Day celebration are known to travel from Springfield, Ritchot, Niverville and from all around Manitoba. The hundreds of people who attended were entertained by talented performers, such as The Sokol Polish Dance Ensemble, Musica Singers, Cook’s Creek Squares, Caribbean Paradize Band and the Polish School of Dance Sokol to name a few.

Of course, the variety of tasty Polish meals, homemade pies and baked treats such as the clay oven baked bread and cinnamon buns were a must have for the attendees.

As the Cooks Creek Heritage Museum is dedicated to pioneers who came to our province from Slavic countries in Eastern Europe, the Museum features many artifacts gathered to showcase the lives of these pioneer families, who chose to settle in the Cooks Creek area. The Manitoba Prairie Quilters, Springfield Tractor Club, and blacksmith demonstrations were a featured part of live activities you could watch. Soggy Bottom Farm and a Vendor Market were also visitor favourites and well attended. Various activities for children and a scarecrow parade rounded out the event, which revolved around the restored pioneer homes and buildings including the Reid blacksmith barn and a candle house.

Despite the number of visits I have made to Cooks Creek Heritage Days, I am always impressed by the stellar organization of the Cooks Creek Heritage Museum Board and its volunteers and friends. Their efforts and diligence have again given those who attended Heritage Day festivities an experience to remember.

The work I value most is serving you and your family as your MLA for Springfield-Ritchot. I welcome any questions or comments by email to Ron@RonSchuler.com or by mail to Box 150, Oak Bank, MB R0E 1J0.