There's something special happening in Labrador West, the umbrella name for the twin communities of Labrador City and Wabush. There's a thriving seniors' community that uses a club house donated to them by Labrador City. Every Wednesday afternoon the seniors gather there for an afternoon of boisterous card playing. During the rest of the week you can find them in the bowling alley or aqua fitness classes. Their zest for life and their openness to new experiences put them in a receptive mood to a very generous, but unusual invitation by the younger generation. A weekend of cards, music and dancing in a backcountry lodge 60 miles out of town accessible only by snow machines.
The local MHA Randy Collins, George Pardy, part owner of Miron River Outfitters, and Phil Brake who owns a 1957 Bombardier snowmobile came up with the idea last year. At first the seniors thought they were joking but when they figured the invitation was serious they got excited and responded with a resounding "yes" to the adventure.
When the offer came again this year it looked like the event was shaping up into an annual tradition so Land and Sea decided to tag along to see what goes on in the back woods with a bunch of fun-loving seniors.
So everyone piled on snow machines of all descriptions. The seniors packed themselves into the old enclosed Bombardier model with tales of how it tipped over twice on the return trip last year and they thought that was great fun. While the men were looking after the transportation, their wives were preparing for a feed that would meet everyone's tastes; roast beef, turkey, rabbit, caribou, salt beef with all the trimmings, puddings and that's just supper.
After a weekend of feasting, card playing, and dancing to a live band one of the hosts felt these seniors could teach young people a lot about how to enjoy life, to have the right outlook on life and to take each day and enjoy it to the fullest.
Everyone is already preparing for next year's "most excellent adventure" so it looks like this will indeed become a Labrador West tradition.
