Wasn’t that a party!

A full house welcomed Chapple’s reeve and council with thunderous applause as the township officially kicked off its centennial celebrations last Friday.
Dignitaries from surrounding district communities, as well as both the federal and provincial governments, mingled with the crowd under the roof of Barwick’s former curling rink.
Norm Hyatt, who co-emceed the event with Mark Hyatt, said he was overwhelmed with the turnout for the opening ceremony.
“We’ve waited for the centennial a long time,” he said. “A lot of you have come from a long way, and we welcome you.”
Reeve Cecil Wilson seemed equally overcome by the crowd as read the proclamation officially opening Chapple’s centennial celebrations.
“I’m not going to make a big speech at this time,” he said. “I’m just so happy to see everybody here. Just enjoy!”
And enjoy they did. The crowd sang along with the “Chapple Centennial Singers” as they ran through a medley of old folk and campfire songs. When the choir launched into Chapple’s theme song, penned by Ruth Teeple to the tune of the “Wabash Cannonball,” people tapped their feet and clapped along.
“I was watching you as [the choir] was singing,” Norm Hyatt told the audience afterwards, noting he saw many people singing along. “There are some people here ready to party!”
Local MP Robert Nault brought congratulations from Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and Gov. Gen. Romeo LeBlanc, as well as from himself. Ontario NDP leader and local MPP Howard Hampton also was on hand to honour the community, which was where he landed his first job as a teacher upon moving back to the district 22 years ago.
But perhaps the greatest tributes to Chapple came from its neighbours along Rainy River.
“We, the people of Manitou, have always had a special friendship with Chapple,” remarked Chief Jim Leonard of the Rainy River First Nation, noting it dated back to when Barwick was an outpost for the Hudson Bay Trading Company.
“This friendship between us forged a spirit of community,” he added.
Mayor Glenn Witherspoon of Fort Frances noted many of the communities in the district were built from the pioneer families in Chapple.
He also had high praise for Reeve Wilson.
“If anyone speaks highly of their community and fights for it, [it’s him],” Mayor Witherspoon said. “You people should be really proud of your reeve.”
“This little community has a tremendous spirit that helps each other,” echoed Rainy River Mayor Gordon Armstrong. “That’s what I think of when I think of Chapple. The little community that could.”