Peggy Revell
The Nestor Falls Winter Carnival is being declared a “big success” by organizers after running for its 28th year this past weekend.
“I hope everyone had a good time, and I hope they come back next year,” said Howard Dodd, a member of the Nestor Falls Recreation Committee which organizes the annual event that brings in people from far and wide for the weekend.
While Dodd admitted they had hoped to have a bigger turnout for Friday evening’s hypnotist show, there were plenty who came out on Saturday to participate in the slew of activities, including a fishing derby, poker tournament, cribbage tournament, magician show, snow golf, and more.
The numbers out for the fishing derby at least equalled, and maybe even surpassed, last year’s numbers, he noted.
“Towards the end of the day, it was just wall-to-wall in the hall as we were announcing the prizes,” Dodd added.
And with this year’s event now wrapped up, Dodd wanted to extend a big thank you to his fellow committee members who, although small in number, worked hard to put together and run the carnival.
“I’m very proud to be working with them,” he lauded.
One of the big wins for the weekend went to Dolly Evans of Nestor Falls, who was the winner of the participants’ draw prize—taking home a Nintendo Wii game system and game package.
Lance Brown of Nestor Falls was the winner of the 50/50 draw.
The winner of this year’s ice and snow sculpture contest was Pam Shrumm of Nestor Falls, who created a sculpture of an ice fisherman.
Jackie Lemon of Owen Sound won the poker derby while Cassy Lougheed of Vermilion Bay placed first in snow golf.
And the ever-popular scavenger hunt saw Diana Redford’s team, “Nestor’s Bush Wackett,” come in first place.
Meanwhile, first place for this year’s cribbage tournament went to the team of Betty Hele (Kenora) and Diane Widgren (Nestor Falls), with second place going to the team made up of Doris Valliant (Nestor Falls) and Margaret Benjamin (Fort Frances).
Taking third place was Chuck Harrison and Cynthia Cave (Barwick) while fourth place went to Ray Shebagegit and Kirk Copenace (Onigaming First Nation).
When it came to Saturday’s fishing derby, it was Clint Brown of Nestor Falls who captured first place in the northern category, followed by Al Brown of Nestor Falls in second.
Third place was captured by Shirley Brown, also of Nestor Falls.
Meanwhile, it was Jordan Wilson of Emo who reeled up the biggest walleye of the derby, followed in second by Stella Henry (Whitefish Bay) and Paul Evans (Nestor Falls) in third.
And in the lake trout division, it was Wayne Sandmoen of Nestor Falls who came in first place, followed by Steve Lougheed (Nestor Falls) and Todd Halverson (Nestor Falls).
Ryan O’Donnell of Nestor Falls hooked the biggest crappie during the derby, with Randi Haggbert (Nestor Falls) coming in second and Lisa Shebagegit (Onigaming First Nation) third.
When it came to the big prizes for the fishing derby’s participants’ draw. Ruth Sandmoen of Nestor Falls won the Strikemaster ice auger while Clayton Stang (Devlin) took home the second prize of an HT four-man portable fishing shelter.
The third draw prize of a clam ice shelter was won by Caleb Mitchell of Emo.
