"Chris Van Alebeek has 25 grandchildren, had worked outdoors all his life, and was bored after four years' retirement. So he began a new career this year - as a crossing guard, shepherding school children across the busy stretch of Holland St. East, on their way to and from Marie of the Incarnation School. Mr. Van Alebeek was born in Dendungen, in the Dutch province of Brabant in 1900. He lived in Holland, working as a farmer until 1952, when he, his late wife Wilhelmina, and their five sons and two daughters made the move to Canada. The family emigrated, he told The Witness, because he had seen too much hardship and danger during the two world wars and wanted a better life for his children. The Van Alebeeks came straight to Bradford and stayed here. Their youngest children, twin girls, were born in Canada."
"Bradford Salad Festival organizer Leo Kleiss said yesterday that pre-sale of tickets for the festival are going well and he expects that very few will be left by the time the festival gets underway. Advertising and community bulletins should bring people from all over Southern Ontario and the estimate is that up to 15,000 people will attend. Area motels and hotels have been booked for the past two months. Last week the Bradford Rotary Club issued a challenge to the Bradford Lions Club to participate in what should be one of the funniest moments of the festival - donkey baseball. The Lions have accepted the challenge and the event will be staged Sunday, July 18. In addition, the Big A Amusements will be opening their variety of carnival rides and games on Tuesday, July 13 to run through until the following Sunday at 6 p.m. Tickets for all the events including the teen dance, salad feast and the baseball games can be purchased at the Festival office in the old Bank of Commerce building at the corner of Barrie and Holland St."
"The town of Bradford bulged at the seams last week as an estimated 20,000 people jammed into the community to make an unprecedented success of the annual Bradford Salad Festival. From last Wednesday night, through Sunday, every event scheduled by the Salad Festival Committee surpassed organizers' highest hopes. Visitors and residents alike consumed hundreds of pounds of fresh salad, sliced their way through a ton of beef, sipped on soft drinks and other refreshments, danced til the wee hours of the morning, and generally paid tribute to the greatest growing area in Ontario."
"Angele Breland, the 13-year-old girl who set out on her bicycle for Montreal in The Great Canadian Race made it all the way and took a prize. Not only that, she'd like to do it again. She is not a bit tired. In fact, her mother said she can't stop moving. While her family drove into town from their home on Graham Sideroad the other day, Angele walked. She was the youngest biker in the race from Toronto to Montreal. The group set out Saturday, June 19, using everything from unicycles to stilts. Angele said one fellow was riding his bike backwards."
"Katie Merschilz, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Merschilz, Thornton Avenue, Bradford, received her secretarial science diploma from Ryerson Polytechnical School recently. Katie is presently employed by the Minister of Government Services."
"Peter John Winterkorn, 227 Church St., Bradford, was admitted to the Bachelor of Arts degree by the University of Toronto and the University of St. Michael's College Friday, June 18. The degree was conferred for an English specialist program in conjunction with a history minor program. Next year, Peter will complete a Bachelor of Education degree with the Faculty of Education of the University of Toronto."
"As Bernard Horn retired after 30 years of teaching at Bradford District High School, the building ceased to be a high school. Mr. Horne saw each addition built on the old school built on the old school building but he will never teach in the new school, scheduled to open in September. Mr. Horne, geography teacher at Bradford District High School, taught for 42 years. He wasn't always a geography teacher nor was he always a high school teacher. His first post was at a log school house in Muskoka Township. He taught six elementary grades which was a real challenge. Children had to do a lot of seat work as instruction time was limited. During the winter, they were isolated. The nearest doctor was 16 miles away in Gravenhurst."
"Many wise men in the game of softball have often said if you can hit the ball, they can always find a position for you, whether you can field or not. This basically holds true for Gary Baynes as his bat is strong enough that it would make any coaches decision in removing him from a game, very difficult. But the decision is even harder as Gary plays about three or four positions as if he's been there regularly. Barring the pitching mound, unless your allowed to throw the ball behind your back, there isn't any position in the field that Gary wouldn't feel at ease at after an inning or two."
"Sheep killed or mauled by dogs earlier this month in the Newton Robinson area are going to cost West Gwillimbury taxpayers more than $1,200. The attacks occurred on the farms of Donald Ramsay, William Row, Jr., and Alonzi Aurora, and left 21 sheep dead and several more injured to the point where they have to be destroyed. The attack on the Ramsay farm on the Ninth Concession, was totally unexpected because the sheep were in the barn. The family awoke the following morning to a scene of carnage."
"Arthur Evans, retiring Simcoe-Centre MPP said Thursday night he was leaving politics because "we should have new blood". He was speaking at an all-candidates meeting held in Sir William Osler School by the Bradford and West Gwillimbury Progressive Conservative Riding Association. Three contestants for the nomination in Simcoe-centre spoke after Mr. Evans reminisced about his last 16 years at Queen's Park. Evans described his various duties, told a joke about Stuart Smith, and promised the nominees that the winner would have all his support and advice."
