Find out what’s Happening

Join us in a discussion with Pat, who hosts a bi-weekly show on MOOSE FM and will bring together representatives of Respite Now, who will talk about obtaining support workers, Purple House Services to talk about overnight and short term respite to provide families with some relief and to engage participants in an adventure, and Canopy Services representing Passport Funding to share how families and caregivers can access funds to support their initiatives.

This is part of a continuing series on “Making our Communities Better Places”, and will be opened with music by Gord Kidd.

Open to all, no admission charge, light refreshments provided. Hosted by the Baha’i community of Haliburton.

Tales of Miners’ Bay

Who: Russ Wunker

Tickets: $15/person

Local historian and colourful character, Russ Wunker, takes us on a journey back in time to discover Miners’ Bay. Russ has many stories but one of his favourites is the mystery of the Lost Indian Silver Mine: A century ago, local residents knew the story of the mine that gave Miners’ Bay its name. Today, the story is muddled, or forgotten. Local geology may provide a clue to this mystery.

Russ will also tell us about the early days of tourism at Miners’ Bay. As a gateway to Haliburton County, this area helped shaped our tourism industry. Vintage postcards, photographs and memories tell the tale.

Bio

Russ was born in Toronto, but has spent the majority of the past three quarters of a century at Miners’ Bay. He attended a one-room school until its closure. Grades 7 & 8 were at the new Lutterworth consolidated school, followed by five years at Haliburton County District High School, where he served as Student Council President, and won the History Award in Grade XIII.

He attended Nyack College, in New York state, majoring in History, Philosophy, and Theology, and received a BA. Next came a Masters degree (Canadian-American Relations – The War of 1812) from the University of South Florida in Tampa. While working on that, he taught at a private college in Clearwater.

He returned every summer to Miners’ Bay, working at the family summer resort.

Russ offered his services as a volunteer to local Member of Parliament, Bill Scott in the 1972 election. He ended up staying in Ottawa for over a decade. In addition to serving as assistant to the local member of Parliament, he was Special Assistant to Jake Epp, Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, Chief of Staff to Epp as Minister of National Health and Welfare, and Energy Mines and Resources.

Between those two sessions in government, he worked as Director of Personnel, Director of Operations and Organization, and held other positions at National Headquarters of the Progressive Conservative Party. He was liaison between the Party and the Republican National Committee.

Russ was involved in many election campaigns, both provincial and federal. In 1984 and 1988, he served as Assistant to Norman Atkins, National Campaign Chairman.

He left government in 1988 to take over the running of Miners’ Bay Lodge, continuing to do so until 2018. In the offseason he assisted a Canadian Christian organization in taking Apollo astronauts, and business and political leaders on reconciliation trips to Africa and East Block nations, and consulted for a Forensic Accounting Firm, and a Canadian Health Care Business.

He has served on a number of Boards, both domestic and international, including nine years on the Board of the Canadian Center on Substance Abuse.

Russ is a collector of all things historical, specializing in the American Civil War, local and Canadian history. While spending winters in North Carolina he assisted in the development of three museums, as well as local historical and architectural preservation projects.

Russ and Dottie, his wife of over 50 years, retired in 2018.

IT’S BACK!!! SAVE THE DATE
January 24th & 25th at Pinestone Resort

After a longer than planned hiatus
THE HALIBURTON HIGHLANDS DOGSLED DERBY
is making a triumphant return!
The mushers have missed it as have the fans and our family, so this
January 24th & 25th
we will once again welcome dozens of teams and mushers
from all over to complete at
The Pinestone Resort and Conference Centre.

The details were just finalized yesterday so please watch our
January newsletter or socials for all the details.
If you would like to volunteer please reach out by email.
Rooms will be open at Pinestone for the public to book
(mention Winterdance referred you for a preferred rate)
as of December 26th.

Hope to see you at the races!
(no charge for spectators)

Everyone is invited to attend!

Admission is by donation.

Non perishable food items for the Central Food Network would be appreciated.

Lunch will be available from the Wilberforce Legion Ladies Auxiliary

Minden District Fur Harvesters Memberships available at $10 per year.

Pelt preparation and fur handling contests:

Categories: Adult –  prepared at home and prepared at the workshop.                                        Junior (under 16):  prepared at workshop only.

Confirmed Invited guests include:

     Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry                                               

     Milcun Firearms Training Centre

     Luca Angilletta – firearms training

     Citizens for Crown Land Protection spokesperson Krystle Pegg

     Fur fashions and accessories by Carly Kenny

Hunting/fishing supplies, accessories  and clothing – Jeff Griffin

          and more……

For further information please call Ted Nottage  (705) 448-2877