LAC LA BICHE - The Chapelle Historical Society of Plamondon hosted its annual Chapelle’s Fun Family Day on Saturday, March 9.
LAC LA BICHE - The group was formed 20 years ago to highlight the significance of the old church in Plamondon. The church and chapel building is a central part of the Chapelle Family Fun Day.
The free event got underway at 2 p.m. at the Chapelle historical site in Plamondon, located southeast of the St. Isadore Church. The site is home to the small white church that was built in 1911. Also on the grounds is an enclosed pavilion.
Those who attended Saturday’s family fun day participated in various activities, including a scavenger hunt, live musical entertainment, crafts, and a hot dog roast over a large campfire. Visitors were also provided with a tour of the little church and given information about the chapel and its historical significance to the area. Fireworks lit up the sky to close out the festive day.
The annual toboggan rides were cancelled at this year's event due to a lack of snow, but organizers say visitors still enjoyed the family-style events through the day.
Hope Higgins, a board member of the Chapelle Historical Society of Plamondon, said the yearly family fun day is an opportunity to bring people together, but also to teach them about the history of the nonprofit organization, which was formed in 2004. Higgins added that the event averages around 100 people a year, which she says is a good turnout for a small hamlet.
“We try and take this family day to show the history of our society but also celebrate and come together as a community,” she told Lakeland This Week. “Everyone is always able to create lasting memories and most families have been coming for years. It's a time to have some family fun with a reminder of a simpler time.”
Higgins says the goal of the group is to maintain a community centre where residents and visitors can share a little piece of history of the local community.
According to information on display inside the church, it is the oldest community building in Plamondon. Over its history it has been used as a place of worship, a health clinic, a school, a movie theatre, a community centre, as well as a museum.
The church can be made available for tours through requests to the society's social media pages