There was an enthusiastic and prolonged standing ovation in a packed West Ferris Legion Br. 599 hall Saturday evening after Bill Parfitt, a 99-year-old Second World War veteran, was introduced before a ‘Raise the Roof’ fundraising dinner and dance.
The event raised just over $4,000, bolstered by additional contributions on Sunday, pushing the Legion over the $20,000 mark and past the midpoint of the $40,000 campaign goal.
More than 100 people in attendance were told Parfitt, the patriarch of a long-time farming family in the Widdifield portion of North Bay, flew 24 missions as a tail gunner in Lancaster bombers over Europe. Parfitt said one of the last flights was for a food-aid drop over Holland after the Allies defeated Nazi Germany.
His presence highlighted the importance of the event, beyond the need to replace the shingles on the 30 Legion Drive building – which originally served as the elementary school in Nipissing Junction for six decades. The smoked brisket dinner, dance and silent auction brought the community together in many ways, part of the Legion’s mission, with a vast network of businesses and families each doing their part in three short weeks to make it a success.
Major sponsors included the N7 Cattle Co. of North Bay, Pellets by Murlyn of Cache Bay, Parfitt Farms, Hamelin’s Outdoor Power Equipment, Eagle Tree and Landscaping Services, Rug-A-Roo Flooring of Callander, Jeff and Tanis No Frills, Laporte’s Nursery and Greenhouses and Back in the Bay Magazine.
Local entertainers also chipped in by providing live music. Robin and Liliane Danielson, Josh Dimmel and Gary Davison each played for an hour or more. The Broome Turners also volunteered to play but their finale set was scheduled too late in the evening for the crowd and volunteers on hand, organizers determined.
It all started with TJ Finch of the Finch Family Farm in Widdifield telling the Back in the Bay Magazine publisher he had a freezer of Black Angus N7 briskets to over a local cause, if there was an evening coming up sooner than later. A new advertiser to the magazine, he had recently teamed up with Leon’s North Bay, Max Propane and Cobs Bread to help out the Nipissing Country Music Association with a two-day burger and tunes promotion.
Back in the Bay’s Dave Dale and Lori Laporte were already combining forces to help out the Legion’s ‘Raise the Roof’ fund with shadfly T-shirts sales, so it was suggested he consider a dinner fundraiser. It made good sense because a couple of TJ’s relatives actually attended the Nipissing Junction school before it became the RCL Br. 599 home.
Meanwhile Gary, the lead Back in the Bay Magazine ad salesman and a fulltime King Sportswear representative, said he’s in for a charity adventure as well and could likely get a few other performers to donate their time.
The stars aligned very quickly for everybody involved.
That same week, Lea Bale, Lori’s aunt and part of the recently-created Br. 599 Ladies Auxiliary, dropped off an 1886 survey map of the area for the magazine. She attended the Nipissing Junction school featured in the Spring Edition. Lea provided the number for Mark Montgomery, Legion facilities manager Aug. 19 and he connected organizers with Sue Godfrey, Legion events coordinator. The Sept. 7th date was secured in the first conversation and an organizing meeting was held Aug. 21.
From there, everything fell into place as the Finch, Davison and Dale crew worked their network of community contacts.
Hamelin’s donated the keystone silent auction items with Gary picking up two battery-powered leaf blowers valued at $300 each. TJ pulled in Pellets by Murlyn, providing the natural wood fuel for smoking the briskets, spices, sauces and pellet heaters to keep the smoking crew warm. He also borrowed smokers from James Ahola of Gateway Home Hardware, cousin Tammy Harling and her husband Frank Turcotte, and brought in James Moore of Rug-A-Roo and Matt Parfitt of Parfitt Farm to sponsor briskets and buy tickets, in addition to fresh local potatoes for the dinner.
Another highlight near the end of the evening was the waltz for Dave and Wilma Gallant, who were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.
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Writer, photographer and proud father. My mom's family is from the Soo with its Algoma Highlands, dad hailed from Cobden in the Ottawa Valley and I spent my teen years in Capreol. Summers were at the beach on the Vermillion River and winters at 'The Rink.' Born in East York but Toronto never was my thing. Ever since a kid looking out the window on long trips, I imagined living on the highway in a little house with a big yard and trees growing all around me.
