THE BECK BULLETIN Number 47 October 1, 2006 A CARING COACH When the average person wins a scholarship, the money is almost always earmarked for personal expenses. But Amy Beck (1.4.3B.7.2.2.4,) had other ideas. When she won a $500 Stacey Levitt Women and Sport Scholarship, she gave the money away. She used it to buy new jerseys for the Montague Eastern Eagles girls soccer team she coaches. Amy said seeing the reaction of the girls when they received their new jerseys was well worth it. “They were pretty excited because the ones we had were probably about five different sets mixed together,” she said. She saw the scholarship on the UPEI website, where she is in her third year studies for a psychology degree. She decided to apply and if she won, vowed she would use the money for the new uniforms. “The reason I applied was to do that. I applied for it just for that purpose,” she said. Amy was a star athlete in junior and senior high, claiming female athlete of the year honours in her Grade 9, 11 and 12 years, by excelling in basketball, soccer, badminton, track and cross country running. Despite her involvement with athletics, she still graduated with a full scholarship to UPEI, with a 96 per cent average. For the last several years, Amy has been almost as involved in coaching as in playing. In addition to the soccer team, she also coaches the Montague High girls basketball team. MEDALS FOR ALYSSA A Murray Harbour teenager, Alyssa Chapman, continued her winning ways at the Canadian Special Olympics in Brandon, Manitoba, in July. Alyssa is a swimmer and won a gold medal in one event and took bronze in another. She is a veteran competitor and has taken part in many competitions including games in Truro, N.S., Moncton, N.B. as well as the Canada Games. Alyssa said it took a lot of practice to win the 50 metre breast stroke and come third in the 200 metre back stroke, but the effort was well worth it. “I was working on my breast stroke a lot,” she told Clark Thompson of The Eastern Graphic. “I felt good. I was really happy and really proud of myself.” The fifteen-year-old athlete is no stranger to the winners podium. “I’ve won a lot of medals,” she said. “I couldn’t count them all.” So far she has concentrated on swimming but now she’d like to branch out. “I want to try out for soccer,” she said. Alyssa is the daughter of Kenneth and Michelle Chapman of Murray Harbour. A YOUNG TIGER Ryan Chapman (1.4.6.5,1.2B,4,1.) of Murray Harbour is making a name for himself on the golf course. The 15-year-old is proving to be one of the best PEI golfers in his age bracket. Playing with the Montague team in June, they placed second in the PEI School Athletic Association Midget Golf Championship. The Montague team was just two strokes behind the winning team from Stonepark School coached by Norman Beck (1.4.3B.7.3.6.). In the individual results, Ryan captured the gold medal with a round of 76. He was also a member of the PEI team in the Canadian junior boys golf championship played in Sussex, N.B., in August. On the first day of the competition he battled extreme wind conditions to shoot an 81 and lead the PEI contingent. An excellent showing considering he is still classed as a juvenile and is 4 years younger than some of the older juniors. On the second day of the competition, things did not go as well and Ryan shot a 91, and all four members of the Island team ended tied with scores of 172. Ryan plays out of the Eagle’s View Course in Murray River. MONTAGUE COMPUTER CHANGING DIRECTION After 16 years in the computer sales and servicing field, Montague Computer is making some fundamentals changes and from now on will be known as Synergy Technology Solutions. The president of the business, Debby Beck, (1.4.3A.3.4.3.) says that from now on the company will specialize in software development, website design and hosting, graphic design, print and copy services, specialized business training, e-mail marketing strategy and technology consulting. "It’s really an exciting new direction to be taking,” Debby told The Eastern Graphic. “It’s the type of work we’re really good at." Debby said provisions have been made for those customers who still rely on the business for their hardware purchases and servicing. "We’ve partnered with Microage, in Charlottetown," she said. They carry the same type of stock and their ability to go to the customer make them a good fit for Montague customers. A POLITICAL HOT POTATO One of the hottest issues in Prince Edward Island this summer was a new electoral map to redistribute seats in the Legislature. Three separate maps were introduced in an effort to arrive at one acceptable to all. The first maps would have seen a loss of seats in rural PEI with the gains going to Charlottetown. The third map combined city and rural ridings in a way that gave rural areas a stronger voice. The city of Charlottetown decided to take the matter to court arguing that with 25% of the population, it deserved 25 per cent of the seats. Other legal challenges could be in the works. George Beck (1.11.8.3.2.) of Montague was so upset he wrote a strongly-worded letter to the editor of The Guardian. What message is Charlottetown Council trying to give to the residents of rural PEI, he asked? “It is a known fact that Charlottetown has always had the most power by far, of all communities on PEI. Now, they are so greedy they plan to spend upwards of $300,000 to fight the province to get more power.” He said council is happy to have rural Islanders spend their money on the various services and entertainment in the city but then treat the rural residents as second class citizens. “Mayor Lee and his council should remember that if it wasn’t for rural Islanders maybe Charlottetown couldn’t afford a city council.” George went on to say that the problem of representation is not Liberals against Conservatives; any political party can run any candidate in any district. “If they represent themselves properly and do all their homework, they can get elected.” NEW ELECTORAL MAP NEEDED Two Kings County men are prepared to go to court to protect rural interests in the dispute over electoral representation. George Ferguson (1.4.4,11A.2.2.) of Murray River and Tony Carroll of Sturgeon have hired a lawyer and say they will challenge the new map in court. They are upset that the Murray River-Gaspereaux district would be split, with Gaspereaux being linked to Montague and Murray River joined to Belfast. George argues that communities linked together socially and economically, should also vote together. “We fish together, we socialize together, we travel the same routes,” George told Matt Veno of The Eastern Graphic. George argues that “communities of interest” should have been given more consideration when drawing the new boundaries. In a letter to The Graphic he cites a Saskatchewan case in which the courts decided a case on this very basis. The two are looking for support from others in rural areas who feel the proposed maps wouldn’t properly represent their area. "We welcome the co-operation of the community in our challenge. Everyone is welcome to come in on it and help with funding any way they can," George said. CELEBRATING THE PAST There was feasting and entertainment on Saturday, Sept. 9th, at Roma at Three Rivers in eastern Prince Edward Island. The occasion was the third annual Fete Roma at the reconstruction of the French settlement that was there in the early 1700s. Jean Pierre Roma headed up a thriving French settlement on the site between 1732 and 1745. There were tours of the site, along with reenactments and demonstrations of how the French settlers lived. All of this was topped off by a feast of roast pig cooked on a spit. Gwen Beck, (1.4.3B.7.2.2.) the Artifacts Coordinator at the Historic Site, is starting to build an impressive collection from the Roma period, and the objects were on display. During excavations on the site in the late 1960s, a number of objects came to light. They included a Chinese porcelain tea cup, an 18th Century French wine bottle, a copper-alloy spigot, and a thimble. Gwen is hoping to add to the collection in the coming months with the help of the public. She is asking anyone who might be in possession of articles relating to the Roma (1732-1745) or MacDonald (1823) eras to either donate them, or lend them to the exhibit. WEDDING ANNIVERSARY Bert and Pauline (Gordon) Harris (1.4.6.5,9.) celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 20, 2006. That was six months early, but there was a very good reason for it. Their children were home in August accompanied by their families. They have three sons, and six grandsons. Bert and Pauline were married on January 19, 1957, in Charlottetown. The anniversary celebration was held in the Murray Harbour Community Centre with a large turnout of family and friends. DEATHS BROOKS: Grant Vincent Brooks (1.3,1,3.2.4.) died in the Saint John, N.B. Regional Hospital on May 30, 2006. He was 83. Born in Beach Point, P.E.I., he was the son of the late Sydney and Clara (Penney) Brooks. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn (Ritchie); a sister, Pansy Heron of Pictou, N.S.; and a brother, Bruce (Juliette) of Etobicoke, Ont. Grant was predeceased by his sister, Violet and his brother, Victor. A committal service was held at the Murray Harbour Cemetery on Saturday, August 12 at 11 a.m. This was followed by a reception at the Murray Harbour Community Centre. KILLICK: William (Bill) Killick died in hospital in Britain on Sept. 12 after a short illness. He was 92 and a founding member of The Killick Society, the group that researched the genealogy of the Killicks, the family of Vere Beck’s mother. In an email to Society members including Jim Beck, Clive Killick outlined Bill’s contribution. “Bill had concentrated much effort into researching the Killick families in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. His research has enabled many of his wider family of relatives, of which I am a distant one, to understand our common heritage. He has provided the Society with so much information, knowledge and advise that we will be forever in his debt.” The funeral was held Thursday, 21st September, at St Mary's, North Mymms, Brookmans Park, Hatfield, Hertfordshire. PENNY: Cecilia Jane Penny of Murray Harbour died at the Garden Home in Charlottetown on Thursday, August 3, 2006, at the age of 93. She was the wife of the late Cecil Penny (1.5,4.3.2.). She is survived by a daughter, Barbara (Roddy) MacKenzie, Lower Montague, and a son, Ronald (Maretta) Penny of Charlottetown, as well as nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Other survivors include sisters Ethel Beck of Montague, and Olive MacLeod of Murray Harbour, and a brother, Percy Richards. She was predeceased by her daughters, Dorothy Penny and Kathleen MacLean, by her son, David Penny, sisters, Vivian O’Connor, Edith Gillis, Greta Richards and brothers, Clarence and Melvin Richards. The funeral service was held on Saturday, August 5, at the Church of Christ in Murray Harbour with interment in the Murray Harbour Cemetery. Organizing and Collecting Pictures By Jim Beck (1.4.6.6.1.) The Vere Beck Family now has thousands of pictures of family members, as well pictures of grave sites, homes, boats, farms, genealogical records and others. There are also video segments. With all these resources, there is a need of organizing this material. There are many to do it. We need volunteers to devise one or more ways to organize these pictures. These pictures are available as computer files and can be copied to CD’s or DVD’s. Beyond organizing and cataloging the pictures that we have is the need for obtaining pictures of family members or groups that we do not presently have. Vere and his wife, Elizabeth, had twelve children but one, (Eliza, 1.8,), did not marry or have children. One possible way to divide the work is to have one or more volunteers for each of the other eleven families. Of course, more limited tasks can be devised such as a grandparent securing pictures for all of his or her offspring. The original photos are not needed but good quality digital images are. Some volunteers might be interested in simply scanning photos that are now presently in our collection. Vere and his family came to Guernsey Cove in 1813. In 2013 a special 200th anniversary Vere Beck Family Reunion should be planned. It is not too early to start preparing for this Reunion. One way to enhance this special occasion is to gather many more pictures of relatives. Digital copies of professional pictures of now departed relatives are particularly desired. Although a lot of pictures are available, many more are needed. This is an opportunity to get involved in the family reunions and to ensure that your family is well-represented in any publications, including books, CD’s and DVD’s. If you are interested, contact me (jamesverebeck@comcast.net, 517-349-6688) or the editor of the Beck Bulletin, Ivan Munn. (imunn@accesswave.ca) CD LAUNCH Well-known Prince Edward Island entertainer, Garnet Buell (1.6B.6.5,2.) of Murray River, has released his second CD, entitled “Old Gospel Favourites.” Garnet is perhaps best known now for his fund raising Ceilidhs held annually in support of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown. He and his supporters have raised more than $100,000 for the hospital in recent years. His first recording, “A Boy and His Dog” was released a couple of years ago and orders are still arriving from all parts of North America. Garnet has been entertaining for more than 60 years. He started singing and playing the guitar at the Murray River and Murray Harbour community halls and the Abney School while just a boy. His record launch was held in the Murray River Hall. The CD will be available at Amelia’s Bakery in Murray River, Stewart and Becks in Montague, and the lighthouses in Wood Islands and Cape Bear. COUNCILLOR CRITICAL OF MAYOR Councillor Rick Beck (1.11.8.3.4.1.) of Montague says the mayor did not do enough to persuade the government to build the new high school at a new site. At the Council meeting in early August he said more involvement by Mayor Richard Collins may have made the difference. Rick said the province’s recent decision to go ahead and renovate the school at its current location is extremely disappointing. He described the government’s response to a request from local citizens to move the school as short sighted and irresponsible. “The government didn’t listen to the people,” he said. Mayor Collins is a member of the School Board and sits on the Board’s planning committee. He has avoided the dissension, citing a conflict of interest. Rick argued that the mayor should resign from the school board planning committee. “If he had gone to bat for the town like he should have,” Rick said, “it would have been a completely different outcome.” The deputy mayor, John MacFarlane, came to the mayor’s defence, saying he didn’t think involvement by Mr Collins would’ve made any difference in the outcome. MARKING A MILESTONE FOR THE STATION The Montague Train Station has played a central role in the town from the day it opened for business in 1906. The trains stopped running in 1989, but for the station that only meant a change of use. A committee headed by former Mayor Arnold Wightman took possession of the station and started it on its way as a tourist center. Located on the waterfront in the heart of Montague, it’s become home to The Station Craft Shop, The Station Café, and headquarters for both Cruise Manada Seal Watching and the Montague Marina, which doubles as a tourist information centre. To honor the Station’s 100th anniversary The Montague Waterfront Development Corporation held a celebration there on Labor Day, September 4th. Many people took part in the program and contributed to the event. Among them, Jock Beck (1.4.3B.7.2.2.) who has had a long association with the Waterfront Development Corporation serving at one point as its chairman. Jock picked up his guitar and sang of his memories of the Montague waterfront in the 1950s. The ceremony was moved to the Fire Hall because of inclement weather. THE PENNY FAMILY HISTORY This is the 200th anniversary of the arrival of James Penny in Murray Harbour. John Herring, (1.4.2.6,7.2.) who is married to Valerie Penny, researched and wrote a brief history of the Penny family tracing their story since 1806. "I wrote this primarily for the benefit of the Penny family so that younger members ... including my own children, ... could gain an understanding of their family history,” John said. James Penny managed to get a 300 acre grant from John Cambridge, the proprietor of Lots 63 and 64. Like other settlers who bought land from Cambridge, James paid with the timber he harvested from it. His son, James, began the habit of lighting fires on the shore in the evening to guide fishermen in to harbour at night. Later he switched to hanging a lantern on the end of his barn for the same purpose. In 1869 the Colonial government bought a small piece of land from him and erected a lighthouse on it. Four generations of the Penny family served as lightkeepers until the light was automated in the early 1960s. The land beside the light is still in the Penny family and Valerie’s parents, Vernon and Shirley, spend every summer there. John, who is a member of the Beck steering committee and serves as our treasurer, submitted his history to the Eastern Graphic which carried a full page spread on the story on September 6th. You can read John’s manuscript here. The Vere Beck Family Home Page The Marfleet Home Page We're always looking for news of Beck family members. If you know of any significant events drop me a line with the information. imunn@accesswave.ca That's it for this edition .. please share it with relatives who aren't on line. The next edition will be out on December 1st. Copyright © 2006 The Beck Bulletin