RIVERS
BANNER December 9, 2016
ersary v i n Celebrating our 108th An
Gazette-Reporter
Serving the Rivers, Rapid City and Oak River areas for 107 years
Volume 109, Issue 24
89¢ + tax
Rapid City’s Rena Cornish celebrates a century By Sheila Runions Banner Staff
O
n Dec. 3, 1916 John and Laura Phillips welcomed another child into their home 2.5 miles west of Glanton district (Jct. 25 and 10). This daughter Rena was a sister to one brother and two other girls; she later became a sister to two more brothers. Fourth in a family of six and now at 100 years of age, she is the only remaining sibling of John and Laura Phillips. When she married Victor on Nov. 18, 1936, she became known as Rena Cornish. Vic and Rena lived on her family’s farm (32-12-19, RM of Elton) until his death on June 1, 1990; that fall once harvest was completed, Rena moved into Rapid City Legion Gardens, where she remains today. She has spent all 100 years living within a 25 mile radius of where she was born. Rena’s career was a hard-working farm wife and stay-at-home mom, the only expected job of women in those years. Touted as a card shark, she drives her “magic scooter” to Valleyview Senior Centre twice a week to play 500, canasta and cribbage. When she moved to town, she became a loyal library patron and is considered one of the most avid readers at Rapid City Library. She reads large print books now and to mark her significant celebration, the library dedicated six new large print books in her honour. On Dec. 4 her three children (daughters Shirley and Jean live near Brandon while
son Morley lives in Rapid City) planned an afternoon come-and-go birthday party. That evening, 32 family members gathered at granddaughter Judy (Greg) Esplin’s home for supper. Rena has six grandchildren, 10 greatgrandchildren and 11 great-great grandchildren. One grandchild lives in Denmark and one in New Zealand so not everyone was able to attend on her special day, but all three kids were present and four of the six grandchildren, as well as several greats and great-greats. Grandson Ken Chapman welcomed the gathering and thanked them for coming on a terrible weather day. He said an “extraordinary person is celebrating an extraordinary birthday and we are so grateful she is here today.” Rena then said a statement of her own when she thanked her party guests for coming, “It’s been quite a day.” Valleyview Senior Centre was decorated with plants and flowers recei ed for her day as well as table centrepieces of boxes wrapped in pink paper and tied with gold ribbons. he shuffleboard table was well covered and housed photo albums, newspaper clippings and a letter from her second cousin Len “Scotty” Wells (formerly of Rapid City), who wrote,”A life well lived, admired and loved by all.” Congratulations, Rena, on this very momentous occasion!
Photo by Sheila Runions
After a few words of welcome by grandson Ken Chapman, Rena Cornish cuts her birthday cake.
An old-fashioned Christmas
By Sheila Runions Banner Staff
R
apid City’s Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual old-fashioned Christmas on Sunday, Dec. 4. They respect religion and allow time for people to attend church without having to miss services for their festivities. The day began at 12 noon when the craft sale opened to the public; 25 exhibitors from Rivers, Brandon and Rapid City filled Rapid City Legion Hall where shoppers had 2.5
hours to browse and purchase. Admission was by silver collection and/or food donation; se eral bo es were lled with food which will be donated to Rapid City United Church, which distributes Christmas Cheer hampers. Four door prizes were awarded — three from exhibitors and one from a community-minded citizen — to three local winners and one from Brandon. Dotty Hyndman won a pillow from Faye Cor-
nish, Alyssa Burr received Mary Kay lotions, Sheila Sharp got embroidered towels by Gladys Simpson and Velma Johnson won a Gene Hyndman pie. In 30 minutes (2:30-3 p.m.) the hall was emptied of exhibitors and transformed into a theatre, complete with rows and rows of chairs and the smell of popcorn. The movie shown by an overhead projector was Ice Age. Following that, participants
in the old-fashioned Christmas were encouraged to cross the street to a well-sheltered bale enclosure on the old Town of Rapid City office lot. Here, the re depart ent onitored a bon re and supplied condiments for people who chose to roast wieners or whatever other food they brought. During this supper “hour” patrons also had the option of a horse-drawn sleigh ride, courtesy of Peter Schueler (All About Leather)
or a truck and trailer ride from Doug Finlay (Oakview Equipment); both businessmen gave rides throughout the town, not into the country on that cold, windy and snowy day. The old-fashioned Christmas ended (6-7 p.m.) with Evangel Worship Centre leading the crowd in singing several Christmas carols, all inside the Legion Hall, which had once again morphed into something “new” and more suited for music.