Days are getting longer and crocuses are blooming. Another sure sign of spring: the 21st annual Heritage Tea.
It is sponsored by the Maple Ridge Historical Society and will take place Saturday, April 6, 1-4 p.m., at the Seniors’ Activity Centre (12150 – 224th Street, Maple Ridge).
Admission is $7.
One of the favourite features of the Heritage Tea set up is a large display created each year by the Maple Ridge Museum. This year photos being featured show the varied buildings, activities and lives of the individual neighbourhoods within Maple Ridge.
Many long-term inhabitants can remember telling visitors that they lived in Hammond, Haney, Albion, Webster’s Corners, Whonnock, Ruskin or Yennadon. It was not until the arrival of door-to-door mail delivery and a centralized post office that residents were forced to identify themselves unwillingly as living in Maple Ridge.
These photo displays always prompt memories, and motivate people to bring in their own family photos to be copied for the museum collection.
Booklets about the neighbourhoods within Maple Ridge will be on sale, along with other historical items.
Without fail, the tea helps us learn even more about our own history and make new connections.
This year there are several high school reunions planned for the weekend of the Heritage Tea, which always seems to add to our attendance.
The Maple Ridge High School graduation class of 1958 is planning a reunion dinner on the evening of April 5, in the Maple Ridge secondary cafeteria.
Also invited are members of the classes of 1957, 1959 and 1960.
For further information, call Margaret Kury at 604-467-4082.
As if this wasn’t enough celebration for the weekend, the classes of 1962 and 1963 and friends will be having a dinner at Meadow Gardens Golf Club on the day of the tea, April 6.
The person to contact about this event is Heather (Drysdale) Harrison at 604-465-5569.
Heather is very pleased that organizers have managed to dig up (not literally) five retired former teachers from their era who hope to attend the dinner.
You will not need to show your high school graduation certificate or birth certificate to attend the Heritage Tea. The previous restrictions about length of time spent living in Maple Ridge have been dropped. Anyone who is interested in our community’s heritage is welcome to attend the tea and informal reunion. People always enjoy the freshly made sandwiches and other refreshments, along with the displays and friendly interaction.
There is still time to remind your out of town friends and relatives about our 2013 tea on April 6th. We hope to see you there.
Sheila Nickols is past president of the Maple Ridge Historical Society.