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Bonfire takes place at fire hall

The Ootischenia fire hall was aglow with flickering flames and warm spirits, Saturday night.
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Despite the cold weather

Chris Stedile

 

Castlegar News

 

The French Immersion program at Stanley Humphries has a little extra coin available for their student trip after a generous fundraiser out in Ootischenia raised $400.

The program is for youth in Grades 9 and 10 and as part of  French Immersion, the students will be taking a trip to France in June.

The event was held out at the Ootischenia fire hall on Jan. 3 from 4 - 8 p.m.

Program volunteer and parent, Charlene Howes said a lot of people have Christmas trees but don’t always have a plan in regards to what to do with them after Christmas is over. The Ootischenia Fire Department was on board immediately when a member of the SHSS French Immersion program approached them with the idea that they should take the trees and have people donate a minimum of $5.

That idea was all well and good but what were they to do with the trees once they had them?

The two parties had contemplated bringing them to the dump themselves but instead opted to turn this into a family event. The trees were set aflame to fuel a giant bonfire with hot chocolate and goodies provided by the local McDonald’s.

“We had people from Ootischenia drag their trees over,” said volunteer/parent Charlene Howes.

“They didn’t even put them in their trucks or anything, just dragged them by sled with their children and dogs. It was great.”

The kids that came out didn’t care how cold it was, playing near and away from the fire and especially enjoying the rides they received on the fire trucks.

Overall, Howes said the turnout was great, the people even greater.