This is Kelsi's speech she made to her classmates
Ladies and Gentlemen & Fellow Classmates: Where can you go that is full of laughter, sometimes crying & and always, always lots of things to do& learn that is good for all ages- birth to at least 93? I consider myself one of the lucky ones that are allowed to have such a place once a year in the summer. The location is in Neepawa Manitoba. River bend Park to be specific. Way before I was born my great grandparents children would often get together to go camping. What was once a very casual event has now turned out to be one of the best times of the year to look forward to for all of their families. My great grandparents, all of their seven children and now all of their children make this a top priority yearly. Everyone camps- some in big fancy trailers with air conditioning some without it doesn’t really matter. We are in a tent which every year seems to need at least 8-10 people to put it up. Everyone seeming to be an expert on putting up tents and then no one really knows how it works. But, We won’t go there. The tents on a windy day usually end up across the highway and someone is usually chasing after it. There are specific events that are done on an annual basis but things are never ever the same from one year to another EXCEPT for the feeling you get when you do them. One thing that happens every year is the Frank Szuski golf tournament named after my great grandfather where everyone does their best to fight for the trophy. It is really neat to see my grandpa’s name on the trophy (there was much less competition when he won) to now watching my great grandfather handing it over to one of my cousins or uncles who were just babies when it was first awarded. I am proud to say the kids also have a trophy too which is for the peanut scramble. Now, it’s the great grandchildren who are allowed to do this. My sister has won once and I won it- nice to see my name engraved on it. If you win you bring the peanuts the next year. Both trophies are handmade I might add. We usually have a family scavenger hunt where everyone’ families are mixed up into a couple of judges. One year we had to find “Waldo” in the trailer park- you wouldn’t believe how many strangers agreed to be called Waldo while the judging was on. There is usually lots of bargaining with the judges and there is usually a skit or dancing involved. My grandma’s trailer is the place you go to if you need a sugar fix. She has her special “jello” beans for any kid who says please. She also knows how to take care of “beasts” that enter anyone’s tent or trailer. Her beasts of course are those huge, ugly, 6-legged things called flies. We have had an outlaw party- where even the snowbirds arrived to entertain- (the snowbirds being anyone under twelve who could run with their arms flapping). We’ve had 2- 25th surprise wedding anniversaries and many many spur of the moment special birthday parties. Like, when somebody turns 40, 50, or 65. When my great grandma turned 85 she was given water balloons in one box so she could pay-back her children who for any difficult times they had gave her. They were glad it was a hot day. Last year, just weeks before my cousin was leaving for the Czech Republic for one year to setup a cell phone system, we had the Flamingo Gourmet restaurant outside my Auntie Debbie’s trailer. It was a complete 4 course meal, the trouble was the menu was written in Czech so you never knew what you were ordering. You got three things at a time so I’m sure I was the one who ordered a napkin, ketchup and a spoon in the first course not being allowed to get the second course until everything off your plate was all eaten. At night the musicians in our family come alive around a burning fire. Fiddles, guitars, harmonicas and spoons boy do we entertain. We have to make friends fast with the other campers in the campground as everyone thinks they are a singer! No wonder the dogs join in. Things do vary from year to year- we have had baseball games, volleyball, badminton and even tours of Neepawa in an airplane when my uncle would take us up in his plane. Now we settle for flying my great uncles homemade planes. Extended family members ( and believe me there is lots) often drop by from all over Canada to say hello and visit. It’s the only time I know I will see at least one or 2 of my great grandpa’s or great grandma’s brothers or sisters. One of the things I look forward to the most is almost every year there is a new family member- either a new baby or marriage. I know that when the week-end is over, I know that the next year we’ll all be together again- with more surprises, happy news, sad news, and life stories. The tradition continues and I’m glad I am apart of it.
Ladies and Gentlemen & Fellow Classmates: Where can you go that is full of laughter, sometimes crying & and always, always lots of things to do& learn that is good for all ages- birth to at least 93? I consider myself one of the lucky ones that are allowed to have such a place once a year in the summer. The location is in Neepawa Manitoba. River bend Park to be specific. Way before I was born my great grandparents children would often get together to go camping. What was once a very casual event has now turned out to be one of the best times of the year to look forward to for all of their families. My great grandparents, all of their seven children and now all of their children make this a top priority yearly. Everyone camps- some in big fancy trailers with air conditioning some without it doesn’t really matter. We are in a tent which every year seems to need at least 8-10 people to put it up. Everyone seeming to be an expert on putting up tents and then no one really knows how it works. But, We won’t go there. The tents on a windy day usually end up across the highway and someone is usually chasing after it. There are specific events that are done on an annual basis but things are never ever the same from one year to another EXCEPT for the feeling you get when you do them. One thing that happens every year is the Frank Szuski golf tournament named after my great grandfather where everyone does their best to fight for the trophy. It is really neat to see my grandpa’s name on the trophy (there was much less competition when he won) to now watching my great grandfather handing it over to one of my cousins or uncles who were just babies when it was first awarded. I am proud to say the kids also have a trophy too which is for the peanut scramble. Now, it’s the great grandchildren who are allowed to do this. My sister has won once and I won it- nice to see my name engraved on it. If you win you bring the peanuts the next year. Both trophies are handmade I might add. We usually have a family scavenger hunt where everyone’ families are mixed up into a couple of judges. One year we had to find “Waldo” in the trailer park- you wouldn’t believe how many strangers agreed to be called Waldo while the judging was on. There is usually lots of bargaining with the judges and there is usually a skit or dancing involved. My grandma’s trailer is the place you go to if you need a sugar fix. She has her special “jello” beans for any kid who says please. She also knows how to take care of “beasts” that enter anyone’s tent or trailer. Her beasts of course are those huge, ugly, 6-legged things called flies. We have had an outlaw party- where even the snowbirds arrived to entertain- (the snowbirds being anyone under twelve who could run with their arms flapping). We’ve had 2- 25th surprise wedding anniversaries and many many spur of the moment special birthday parties. Like, when somebody turns 40, 50, or 65. When my great grandma turned 85 she was given water balloons in one box so she could pay-back her children who for any difficult times they had gave her. They were glad it was a hot day. Last year, just weeks before my cousin was leaving for the Czech Republic for one year to setup a cell phone system, we had the Flamingo Gourmet restaurant outside my Auntie Debbie’s trailer. It was a complete 4 course meal, the trouble was the menu was written in Czech so you never knew what you were ordering. You got three things at a time so I’m sure I was the one who ordered a napkin, ketchup and a spoon in the first course not being allowed to get the second course until everything off your plate was all eaten. At night the musicians in our family come alive around a burning fire. Fiddles, guitars, harmonicas and spoons boy do we entertain. We have to make friends fast with the other campers in the campground as everyone thinks they are a singer! No wonder the dogs join in. Things do vary from year to year- we have had baseball games, volleyball, badminton and even tours of Neepawa in an airplane when my uncle would take us up in his plane. Now we settle for flying my great uncles homemade planes. Extended family members ( and believe me there is lots) often drop by from all over Canada to say hello and visit. It’s the only time I know I will see at least one or 2 of my great grandpa’s or great grandma’s brothers or sisters. One of the things I look forward to the most is almost every year there is a new family member- either a new baby or marriage. I know that when the week-end is over, I know that the next year we’ll all be together again- with more surprises, happy news, sad news, and life stories. The tradition continues and I’m glad I am apart of it.