Egremont Community Club turns 80

By Brandie Majeau

              Community members were invited to Egremont Hall on St. Patrick’s Day. The Egremont Community Club hosted a Jiggs’ dinner followed by a dance for the event.  For those unaware of what a Jiggs’ dinner is, it traditionally includes salt beef, turnip, cabbage, carrots and potatoes and is a comfort food quite often enjoyed by our east coast provinces.  For this event, ham was served in place of salt beef.  However, the menu didn’t seem to matter.  The air was filled with conversation and punctuated with laughter as guests moved from table to table, enjoying the company and festive atmosphere.

              The Egremont Community Club is known to host monthly events, often more, and as they celebrate their 80^th anniversary this year, they have placed themselves in the unintentional role of the heart of this small community.  Listening to this group of volunteers talk gives you the feeling that they have always been there.  One member reminisced about hosting bingos, another about putting on community plays, and another about catering weddings.  These events served as a means for regular upkeep and renovations of the community hall, as well as continuing their ability to host such events.  Egremont Community Club is well known for its annual events.  Egremont Days, always at the beginning of June, is a massive affair.  They are asking people to share their historical stories and pictures about the club or hall events to add to this year’s celebration.  Anyone with something to contribute is asked to contact egremontcommunityclub@gmail.com.   When volunteers of the St. Patrick’s Day event were asked if there was a favorite event, no one could seem to agree. They commented that it is hard to choose because everything they put on seems to be so well attended.

              The spring and fall crib tournaments draw huge crowds, not to mention their spring garage sale, Mother’s Day breakfast and harvest dinner.  This coming December will mark the third annual smoresland, an event that offers a craft and bake sale, the opening of the seasonal outdoor skating rink, a food bank drive and a visit from Santa gifting the children with gift bags and smores kits.  The previous 2 years have been an unbelievable success.  But there is also the garlic festival held in August, where guests are delighted with all things garlic. You may have heard of garlic soup, but have you tried garlic ice cream?  Last year also began a venture into holding a weekly harvest market.  This year, it will run from the Friday of May long weekend and every Friday until September.  As more vendors heard about this market, it grew from just a handful of tables to vendors that offer jewelry, crafts, baking, meat, honey, art, woodworking and so much more.  It probably also helps that freshly baked bread is always available on these Fridays from the outdoor pyetz oven.

              “We always have a good group of volunteers that seem like they can’t wait to please the community.” Said Larry Purschky, “And we get a lot of thank yous that make it all worthwhile.”  Talk to any Egremont Community Club volunteer or any guest that attends an event, and you begin to understand that it’s really all about getting people together.  It’s about a community club that was here almost a century ago and a desire to see that community continue. Donna Costain said it perfectly: “It’s been 80 years and it’s still going strong.”