White River Residents Welcome Rail Travelers for Annual Visit & Winnie Sale Re-enactment
The "Officer" Bryce Reindeau and the "Trapper" Blair McWatch received rave reviews for their performance in the re-enactment. Photos courtesy Deb Duplassie
Blair McWatch and Bryce Reindeau as the Trapper and the Officer. Photos courtesy Deb Duplassie
WHITE RIVER, ON – Early Sunday morning, September 30th, residents of White River gathered with passengers from the Rail Travel Tour’s for the White River Historical Society’s annual re-enactment of the purchase of Winnie the Bear.
Bryce Riendeau and Blair McWatch, students from St. Basil Elementary School, starred in this year’s re-enactment as the Officer and the Trapper respectively. They arrived at the Heritage Museum at 7:30am to prepare for their roles, getting in to costume and running through a few final details.
The boys then joined those waiting at the train station for their performance accompanied by a reading of local author Mia Sokoloski’s “The Romance of the Captain and the Bear”.
This annual weekend is something residents eagerly look forward to each fall around this time. The tour group arrive Saturday, that evening they are treated to a pot luck supper at the Senior’s Harmony Club and tales of Northern Ontario life from locals. For 2012 the group enjoyed accommodations at the Continental Motel Saturday evening.
Community Development Officer Deb Duplassie, volunteer responsible for this year’s re-enactment, was excited about the size of 2012’s tour group “Last year there were 18 people, this year we are expecting 40” Duplassie told OntarioNewsNorth.com
Following the re-enactment, which received rave reviews from locals and visitors alike, the rail tour group boarded the Budd Car once again to return to Sudbury. Each year the arrival of Rail Travel Tour Superior Colours & Heritage Rail Tour group is much anticipated by White River Residents who are well known for their warm and friendly hospitality. This is a great example of a community which has thought “outside the box” in regards to attracting tourists and ensuring their return year after year. Congratulations to all the volunteers who made this year’s visit to White River a very memorable experience for passengers of the Rail Travel Group’s 2012 Superior Colours & Heritage Rail Tour.
White River's Train Station was buzzing with anticipation Sunday morning prior to the re-enactment. Photos courtesy Deb Duplassie
Photos courtesy Deb Duplassie
MORE INFO
- Learn more about Rail Travel Tours at www.railtraveltours.com
- Learn more about the White River Heritage Museum
