Nobleford Centennial Society adds to history

SOCIETY WAS SPECIFICALLY FORMED TO CO-ORDINATE ANNIVERSARY EVENTS AND TO REPRINT THE AREA HISTORY BOOK

The Nobleford Centennial Society was formed in 2018 to create and publish the addition to “Sons of Wind and Soil” history book in honour of Nobleford’s Centennial year.

“The Society is a small volunteer group of committed community members from Nobleford and area,” said Kirk Hofman, the chief administrative officer for the Nobleford town council. “The new book ‘Sun, Wind and Soil’ is now published and a very good read,” Hofman said.

The Nobleford Centennial Society was specifically formed to co-ordinate anniversary events and also to reprint the area history book.

“We reprinted the 1976 ‘Sons of Wind and Soil’ history book and updated a second volume called ‘Sun, Wind, and Soil,’” Lee Moltzahn of the Centennial Society said. “Both volumes are bound in one 700-plus page book as ‘Nobleford-Monarch History.’”

Moltzahn says that open house sessions were held for people to get assistance in writing their history for the book. The Society has also put a float in Nobleford’s annual parade to advertise the coming centennial while currently working with other groups to finalize plans for the celebrations in August.

At a special Mayor Centennial Committee organized by the Village in 2014, the Nobleford Centennial Society offered to take the responsibility for organizing the Centennial events, including the Heritage Day celebrations.

Grants from FCSS made it possible for the Society to put on Thanksgiving community and family celebrations that were a part of fundraising for the centennial events. Other centennial fundraising events included bulb fundraisers and generous community group donations. It took five years in total to fundraise for the Centennial celebrations.

Hofman said that the society accepted donations for the history book, including one from FCSS. The society also auctioned off a first edition and second edition of the town history book, raising $675 for the first and $1,000 for the second.

Additionally, the society offered to organize events for the Centennial celebrations. This offering was made at a special Mayor Centennial Committee, which is a meeting of community groups that were organized by the Village in 2014.

The job of organizing Centennial events includes organizing the Heritage Day celebrations, which are hosted by the Nobleford Heritage Society.

“The Village of Nobleford applied for a $25,000 federal government anniversary capital grant and was approved,” Hofman said. “This funded silhouette signage, 1918-2018 entry flag pole signs, and centennial park/pavilion portions.”