CHAPS Business

2019 President’s Message

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The yearly planned activities of CHAPS was suddenly interrupted and altered during the late evening of March 23rd, 2019. The Big Hill Creek overflowed it’s banks resulting in the flooding of our Museum basement.

Thanks to members of the Cochrane Fire Department and CHAPS volunteers, many historical and cultural artifacts, books, photo albums and other objects were saved. We were very fortunate to not of lost our entire basement and contents.

This event shattered our sense of safety. Though heartbroken and devastated, CHAPS members and volunteers rallied together to repair the damages. This publicly  demonstrated how CHAPS members and volunteers are dedicated and devoted to help protect, preserve and maintain the history of Cochrane and the surrounding areas.

As a result, many individuals, non-profit organizations and local businesses made financial donations to help recoup our losses.

Remember “out of tragedy, good things happen”. Human nature cannot live without the news. Through the local news print and social media applications, information about CHAPS has spread very quickly. This raised public awareness and visibility has helped mobilize people to support our identity, goals , values and purpose.

We must keep and improve this “recognition process” moving forward in 2020. We must move ahead with vigor, passion and fixed determination to achieve our goals. We all need to keep going.

 
 
It’s important for our volunteers to know what an enormous gift you give by simply helping and caring. Thank you.
 
Larry Want
President
 CHAPS

Opening day for Cochrane Historical Museum

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Our local Museum opens for the summer with Jade Lewis returning for a third season. Jade with her family and friends have created two fabulous short videos that bring our rich history to life. Watch them here on our Youtube channel.

Timothy Collard joins Jade. In his own words

“Tim Collard holds a Bachelor’s degree in History from St. Mary’s University. He will be pursuing his Master’s in History at the University of Calgary in the fall focusing on historiography and the role of narrative in history. Tim moved to Cochrane with his family in 1984 and grew up in the community. His first job was at MacKay’s Ice Cream and he graduated from Cochrane High in 2001. For the past two years, Tim has been a regular busker at the Cochrane Farmer’s Market and can often be found around town playing guitar with his father. Tim is passionate about the stories that shape a community and he is excited for the opportunity to share some of the stories of Cochrane this summer at the Cochrane Historical Museum.’

CochraneNow.com photo of Jade and Tim

Museum damaged in Ranche flood | Cochrane Times

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Melting and subsequent ice blockage along Bighill Creek has caused extensive flooding in the Cochrane Ranche area, damaging the Cochrane Museum.The Cochrane Historical and Archival Preservation Society were alerted to the flooding late night on March 23.
— Read on www.cochranetimes.com/news/local-news/museum-damaged-in-ranche-flood

Nothing Really Outstanding – Aileen Copithorne

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Aileen Copithorne talks about the freedom experienced growing up in Cochrane. CHAPS Cochrane has a YouTube Channel with over 40 interesting stories of Cochrane. 

Aileen Davies grew up in Cochrane in the home that is now the Cochrane Historical Museum.

She has many stories of growing up in a small town.

She tells a story of biking with friend, Dorothy Reed when Mr O’Keefe, the Bank Manager once offered them ride to 12 Mile Coulee to watch the Stampede Fireworks. They left their bikes behind Andisons’ store. Not thinking that fireworks were after dark they didn’t get home until late. Both parents had searched river and creek areas looking for them. “Our parents were so glad to see us we didn’t get in too much trouble.”

“Dorothy and I had stick horses which we rode over the hill to the brickyard. We also had stilts made by uncle Jack. The family across the road had tall stilts and used to sit on roof of house across the street just to watch people.  Their name was  Kinsley.”

Aileen went to school in brick school that used to be where Holy Spirit currently sits. She remembers looking south one day to see the Brushy Ridge fire.  Students were glued to the windows and the smoke was horrendous.

“I was the lone graduate in my class of grade 12. It was very lonely in high school.” She had classmates in earlier grades but they did not stick it out to Grade 12.

“School was  very regimented. Our Principal had a hand bell to call us back to class. If you didn’t behave you got hit with the bell. We used to have to line up girls then boys and march into school.”

“Cochrane used to be divided into east side and west side. You didn’t have friends from the other side of town. You visited the other side if you had relatives but there was little mixing. Many homes in Cochrane had barns behind them for horses and carriages. Homes had large gardens.” Aileen remembers Auntie Annie feeding a lot of men when they got off the train with food from the garden and from local chickens.

She attended a very rigorous 3 year Nursing program at Calgary General. “The first year you felt basically a slave, we were paid $6.00 per month, had no days off, had to attend lectures from Doctors during our off time and had a 10 PM curfew.  Year 3 you were a Senior and had more freedom.” Occasionally she came home on the midnight train.  The uniform was black stockings, striped blue and white dress, with apron and bib with white hat. “The stockings were terrible.” 

Since the train used to stop in Cochrane it was used to get into Calgary.

Thomas Davies Home

Aileen married John Copithorne and moved to their family place that originally sat where Gleneagles Golf Course currently is.

Aileen tells a story about John’s dad when driving their first tractor. He ran it through a fence into McPherson’s. When asked about his accident he said he hollered “Whoa but the damn thing didn’t stop”.

Copithorne family diary
Claude Copithorne 1920 using binder to harvest grain on Cochrane Hill.
John and Aileen Copithorne.

Aileen says they were lucky to grow up in Cochrane in an uncomplicated time. 

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Royal Canadian Legion Collaboration

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Dave Usherwood of the local Legion Branch has been in touch for the assistance of our members and followers. The Legion is planning on completing the Cenotaph. While planning is ongoing they are asking for assistance:

  1. Original Cochrane Bricks
  2. Photos of the pre – 1975 Memorial.

Opening of the Original Legion.

I will update this post after doing further research. Right now, we want to get this request out.

What is our Why?

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We want to share our “Why” with you.  I prefer to have other peoples perspectives but I’ll share a couple of my own first.

  • 20 years ago,  a volunteer group of people concerned with saving the history of Cochrane started the Cochrane Historical & Archival Preservation Society. 
  • 5 years ago,  CHAPS opened the Cochrane Historical Museum. This scope of this one project amazes and motivates me. CHAPS saved a historic building, fund raised, co-ordinated with several levels of government , had it moved to a wonderful location and had the building restored as a Museum. Truly Inspiring.
  • A dedicated, core group of volunteers has been keeping CHAPS active for 20 years. We are in need of help. We need to expand our membership, our influence and our volunteers.

In the next year, I want to interview a number of our volunteers and get their perspective on being involved in CHAPS. Stay tuned.

I hope you are asking yourself how I can help. I have a few ideas that don’t cost a lot of your time or money.

  • share and comment on our social media posts with your friends. We want to share our core message of saving and educating about our history to be spread widely. We’re seeing a massive swing lately. Help us keep it going!
  • Like our pages. CHAPS Cochrane and Cochrane Historical Museum have pages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Youtube. I’ll be adding social media icons to our webpage soon to help you find and like our feeds.
  • Become a member. It’s super inexpensive. $10.00 a year for an individual, $15.00 for a family. Here’s a link to our Member page.
  •  Attend one of our meetings. We are having more and more educational meetings. Stay tuned to our events webpage for updates. 
  • Donate to CHAPS to help us fund our projects. We have a Donate button on the top right side and bottom of our webpages. Our CHAPS Facebook page is running a fundraising campaign until the end of March. They have been hugely successful so far and we can always go over the top.
  • Lastly, most importantly, become a volunteer. We have a core group but they can’t do it forever. We can use your help however you want to become involved. A couple of my own ideas are:
    • Membership. Help us find new members and stay in touch with existing members.
    • Become a Director. Volunteer now and let your name stand at the September A.G.M. I did, scared me to death but I’m sure glad I did.
    • Research. Get in touch to hear the topics we’re planning.
    • Volunteer at the museum during the summer.
    • Attend or help with our summer time guided tours of Historic Cochrane.

5 years ago,  CHAPS opened the Cochrane Historical Museum. This scope of this one project amazes and motivates me. CHAPS saved a historic building, fund raised, co-ordinated with several levels of government , had it moved to a wonderful location and had the building restored as a Museum. Truly Inspiring.

Mark Boothby Tweet

We have to say thanks:

  • to everyone that came out to our Photo Archive opening. Both members who shared stories and 15 excited, interested guests.
  • the support of the local media who have helped us share our message.
  • local admins of Facebook pages who provide a means for us to share.
  • everyone that has shared our message on any of our social media feeds.
  • to our existing members and volunteers.

Those other perspectives I spoke of:

  • an editorial in the Cochrane Eagle about maintaining our Heritage.
  • an article on CochraneNow about our Photo Archive.
  • an article in the Cochrane Times about a new exhibit in the Cochrane Historical Museum

New ways to support CHAPS

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CHAPS has always accepted donations to support the Museum, Historical Signs and other projects we have. All of our projects are listed under the Activities option on our website. We’ve just modernized that process.

Facebook and Paypal have offered their services at no cost to registered charities like CHAPS. We receive 100% of your donation.

This Facebook Fundraiser will run until the end of March. We’re already well on our way to our goal. Why not help us exceed it?

Thanks to everyone who has donated and shared our Fundraiser.

The second way to donate is to use the yellow Donate button you see on the right of this image or on the top right of this page. Clicking this button will take you to Paypal and you have the option of using a credit card or Paypal to make a donation.

Thank you to everyone who has already made a donation. If you prefer to send a cheque please see our contact page.

That was fun

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And as Arlene says the Museum is the perfect setting for Christmas. She’s right, it was lovely.

We had a full house, shared stories, snacks, refreshments and enjoyed each others company. The puzzles of historic homes were fun.

Thanks to Shannon, Gayle, Larry, Ed and everyone else who setup and provided snacks.

Merry Christmas 2018 from CHAPS Cochrane

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CHAPS wishes everyone a joyful, peaceful, loving and Merry Christmas.

Our gift to you are some memories of Historic Cochrane from our new Youtube site.

Please Subscribe and Like our Youtube channel. Look for this button in Youtube.

CHAPS YourTube site for other videos

We’d like to see you at our Christmas celebration at the Museum December 17th, 7:00 PM.

Click here for more details

Congratulations to the Glenbow for tracking down some History.

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This news from the Glenbow inspires me. We have so many photos in our archives with few or no details. I’m sure it’s within the collective memory of our members so we need to record it. This is one of our goals when we open our photo archives; to record peoples memories. Goto to our Activities page for more details on our Photo Archive event.

Here’s is the Glenbow story about recovering the people and circumstances from one of their photos. 

Jingle Dance Detectives

Activities Page

Thanks to our Fund Raiser Sponsors

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We’d like to thank the generous local firms that sponsored our silent auction.  This years’ Fall Fund-Raiser was a success.

These individuals and firms contribute to the cultural fabric of our area and keep the history alive.

Sponsors
Arlene Hepburn
Boston Pizza
Canadian Tire
COBS Bread Bakery
Daves Dry Cleaning
Fountain Tire
Gayle Want
Global Pet Foods
Kas Beynon
Original Joe's Restaurant & Bar
Cochrane Panda Flowers
Safeway Cochrane
Save-On-Foods
Schooners on First
Sobeys Liquor Cochrane
Vinestone Wine Co.
Dianne Mclennon
Cathy Elder
Shannon Want

2018 Fall Fundraiser Success

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About 90 members and friends of CHAPS attended the Annual Fall Fundraiser at the Royal Canadian Legion #15 for an evening of great food, entertainment, and chance to catchup with local friends and neighbors.  Live entertainment by Charlotte Burrell, 2 short films by Jade Lewis and silent auction were enjoyed by all.

  • by Bernice Klotz
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