OUTDOOR SKATING Hockey is going very strong in all the Freetown areas in the 19805. There are both boys and girls taking part in the minor hockey programs. South Freetown and Lower Freetown children play hockey out of the Bedeque and area arena while the children from the Freetown Village area play in the Kensington Community Gardens.

There have been many players that have been on Island and Regional Championship teams in recent years. With the Bedeque Arena suffering two major fires in the span of five years, it is hard to find records of Island Champions.

Chris Reeves, Todd Drummond and Kevin Stavert were members of the 1976—77 Atoms that captured the Island “C” Division.

In girls hockey, Janelle Drummond played on the Bedeque Senior Girls Team that won the Island Championship team in 1983-84 and 1984-85. Natalie Burns played on the same team in the 1984-85 season.

Blaine Drummond, Aaron Driscoll and Scott Bridges played on the Shoppers Drug Mart Bantams that captured the Atlantic Purolator Championship in Fredericton, NB. in April 1983. This team played in the Summerside Recreational Centre. These boys played on the Summerside Kinsman Midgets for the next two seasons and captured the Island Championship in the Air Canada Midget League on P.E.I.

Freetown students who were members of the Three Oaks Senior High School P.E.l. Hockey Championship team in 1983-84 and won awards at the Sport Awards Banquet of the school are Peter Banman for being the Most Valuable Player during play-offs, Todd Drummond, Most Dedicated Player, Darryl MacLean, Most Improved Player, and Chris Reeves, Leading Scorer and Most Valuable Player during the regular season.

Kent Paynter, a grandson of Albert Stetson, and Andrew Paynter of Freetown has been drafted to play with the Chicago Black Hawks after playing two years with the Kitchener Juniors in the O.H.A. League.

Many other Freetown boys and girls too numerous to mention have played on Recreation Hockey teams in various rinks in the larger general area.

NOTES: Chris Reeves is a son of Donald and Ida Reeves. Blaine and Todd Drummond are sons of Irwin and Joyce Drummond. Kevin Stavert is a grandson of Alvin and Fausta Stetson. Janelle Drummond is a daughter of Sidney and

Marion Drummond. Natalie Burns is a daughter of Donald and Lorna Burns. Aaron Driscoll is a grandson of Elva and Leo Mallett. Scott Bridges is a grandson ofWilfred and Peggy Burns. Darryl MacLean is a son of Harold and Ina MacLean. Peter Banman is a son of Larry and Margaret Banman.

Submitted by Joyce Drummond

Outdoor Skating

Skating on ponds and in fields was an exhilarating winter sport. Those who enjoyed skating took advantage ofthe frozen ponds. There was often ice in Frank Reeves’ field around the Freetown school. It was a race for the school children at dinner time to see who could get their skates on first and get to the ice for a game of hockey or just to skate. Clow’s swamp and John Lewis’ swamp were two areas that often had a good sheet of ice. Hockey was played on every available spot. Equipment was very limited. All that was needed were hockey sticks, a puck and a pair of skates. If you were lucky you might have shin pads. A couple of boots to mark the goal posts and you were ready for a few hours of good fun. Sometimes the ice wasn’t very thick around the reeds and bushes and you could go through. Your feet might be dampened, but never your spirits.

There were times when it was so cold your boots and laces froze, and if it wasn’t too far, you walked home on your skates, and hands and feet being numb, tried to inveigle someone to take off your skates for

you. Then the pain when the feeling came back!

One lovely winter afternoon, word had gotten around about the great sheet of ice in one of Deacon’s fields. A group had come to skate when two ladies, Laura Lidstone and Eva Burns, arrived with horse and sleigh. They unhitched the horse and put him in the barn. As they went to get their skates out of the sleigh, Deacon’s ram made his appearnce. He was a belligerent ram, and was made more so by the teasing of Morris Deacon and Allan Clow. Everyone that appeared was a challenge to him. You had to be quick to get to safety or else get a good hard butt. The ram circled the sleigh with them in it, and there they stayed for an hour or so, until someone happened along and noticed their plight. By this time, everyone else was ready for home. We laughed at the incident but the ladies didn’t think it was very funny.

Submitted by Hilda Lewis 171