the store and the post office closed for good in 1967 . So , no more Gourin until 2014 , when , under an Alberta Culture program , Minister Heather Klimchuk , re-established the Gourin name as a locality in the Athabasca County .
The families who established Gourin love to celebrate . In 1964 , these families and their descendants celebrated fifty years in Canada . They marked the occasion by erecting a small monument on the edge of the first homestead . In 1989 , these families celebrated their 75th anniversary in the town of Atmore , Alberta , a mere three miles west of Gourin and the site of the homesteads of the Duigou and Le Rouzic families . They erected a larger and more permanent monument to replace the first one . The plaque states that by 1989 there were over 450 descendants , but today it is estimated that there are 1500 inclusive of births and marriages .
A 100-year family reunion occurred in July 2014 at the fine facilities and grounds in Plamondon . Over 400 family members attended and celebrated . Events included meeting and visiting with all the cousins , games , a banquet on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday , ending with the celebration of a Mass and the release of balloons with the names of deceased loved ones written on them . A notable highlight of the celebration was a flag-raising ceremony at the monument in Gourin where three flags were raised : the Canadian flag , the Alberta flag , and a flag of Brittany in acknowledgement of our roots . As well , a history book of nearly 400 pages was published with 230 copies sold . The index contains over 1200 names .
The families feel these celebrations are important because they “ help us know who we are and remember where we came from ,” says Lou Duigou , co-editor of the history book with his wife , Lynne , and their daughter , Nicole . “ It ’ s also interesting to see what the various descendants have done or are doing with their lives .” These descendants now work in many fields such as oil and gas , agriculture , education , medicine , art , music , and robotics .
Spring Again
Let me stand here for a moment — warm sun on the back of my dark jacket .
My neighbourhood has begun to soften : delicate leaves against the sky , a bush , unremarkable last week , shouts its pinkness from a block away , May ’ s afternoon clouds more robust than February ’ s .
Joggers return . Two of them — shocking white legs — pad along the middle of my street .
In the schoolyard a white Frisbee soars . “ Throw it to me !” “ Here ! Here ! Here !” Later , in the sun-deprived hallway , I imagine a student says , “ Ms . Johnson , can we have class outside ?” “ Only if it rains ,” she deadpans .
Something stirs in my garden ; something stirs in me .
Keith Worthington from Poet on a Cargo Plane
news & views SPRING 2015 | 29