Tea, cake and stories were all shared at the City of Williams Lake’s 90th Birthday Tea at the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin.
Held every year to mark the incorporation anniversary of Williams Lake, the event is a venerable lakecity tradition organized and maintained by the museum. This year was no different with dozens of lakecity locals gathering to celebrate the city’s birthday on March 15.
After tea and the cutting of the cake by Mary Latin Skipp and Shirley Crosina, both born in 1929, the year the city was incorporated, attendees in a spontaneous fashion stood up and told everyone when they came to the lakecity and some amusing stories from the past. Laughter and good cheer were shared by all as they looked back on the history of Williams Lake together.
Local cowboy poet Frank Gleeson, however, might have just summed everyone’s feelings up the best with a poem written especially for the event.
Simply entitled 90 Years Young, it is a heartfelt humorous look at Williams Lake and what it means to its residents.
90 Years Young
Now there’s some favourite towns around
That have stood the time and test
But, we have one that we hold dear
Cause we think it’s the best.
Yes as you travel through this province
You’ll find this special town
And people rave about it
As they come from miles around.
There’s youngsters and old timers,
That have settled for years you know
They shop and visit with their kin
As they did 90 years ago.
So, if you need a boat or nanny goat
You can find it all right near.
Shop with friendly folks and old cowpokes
You know that it’s all here.
We’ve got the famous Stampede
And you know they’ll keep it going
With old Tim and his well oiled crew
It’s bound to keep on growing.
We’ve got poets, pickers and singers
With that good old western style.
They’ll draw in a great big crowd
And leave you with a smile.
So let’s welcome all to town
And build here on our shore,
Work and play here every day,
And stay here 90 years or more.
So let’s celebrate for Williams Lake
And give her all three cheers.
We hope it stays alive and well
For another 90 years.