A project anticipated to be published in 2013, Carlyle's new history book, "Blacktop to Black Gold", publication was pushed back and after years of diligent work it will be unveiled to the community on Thursday, Oct. 9.
The long awaited event will be held at Carlyle Memorial Hall between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., with a program at 3 p.m. There will be music at 4 p.m. by The Happy Wanderers, while coffee/tea and dainties will be available as well. Not only will volume two, "Blacktop to Black Gold", be unveiled but there will be a silent auction for two copies of volume one, "Prairie Trails to Blacktop".
The journey began in the spring of 2010, with meetings and volunteers gathering to see how they could contribute to the project. During the next three and a half years many people helped gather histories and photos, proofread, and more. With a core group of seven committed to driving the project forward Audrey Brady, Irene Doty, Lynn Brady, Beth Corrigan, Nedra Clark, Barb Haddow, and Alyce Stockton are excited to share with Carlyle, the R.M. of Moose Mountain, White Bear, and Kenosee, the final result.
A rather difficult task, the committee and volunteers tracked down histories to include in the book. The main issue with approaching this endeavour included convincing younger families to submit histories. The younger generations didn't seem as interested as generations past when the first book was published.
"We wanted it to be comprehensive and we didn't get as good of a response from businesses and young people as we had hoped and she [Stockton] did a lot of contacting people, dug out a lot of things we otherwise wouldn't have had," Lynn Brady explained.
Two other beneficial connections included Haddow within Kenosee Lake and a lawyer recently moved to the area working at White Bear, Jeff Howe, who was able to have a history submitted from White Bear First Nations as well.
Though these were some actively tracking down histories for the new history book, the committee explains they wouldn't be where they are without the support of the community. This came through the Lions Club who provided start-up funds for the project and continued to make annual donations. While others may not have given dollar amounts, they too were essential in the completion of the project.
"Everybody was great. If it wasn't dollars it was a cake or a dessert, coming to work at the auction sale, the community were very good to us," Corrigan explained.
While Lynn added, "We held several fundraising events [catered an auction sale, raffles, worked at rink kitchen, held a BBQ, and more]. We were generously supported by the community they saw different ways to help and pitched in."
"Some people wanted to help and just didn't know how, so when they find out they can donate a pie, that they can still help that way it's very good," Doty explained.
And though the donation of a pie might seem small, the History Book Committee explained that it had a huge effect on the project.
"Which it seems like a little thing but for us it was huge," Corrigan stated.
Laughing, the group added that the Town of Carlyle and the R.M. of Moose Mountain provided great support.
"When we looked for money from the town and R.M. they both supported us generously, but the R.M. gave us a dollar more because they want the first book," Lynn smiled.
With the great support from the community and the efforts of the History Book Committee the book began to take shape.
Doty, who had worked on the previous history book Prairie Trails to Blacktop, explained the process, though similar it was also a very different experience now working with today's technologies.
"What a difference!" Doty exclaimed. "With that one we had set up an office in town, it was upstairs from the, then, town administration building. We were given the full access of that and there was a group of women that worked at it every day all day. If you went upstairs any time of the week, not Sundays of course, but you'd go up and find someone working, lots of times many."
Lynn added, "The computer age made this completely different. We worked together, but alone at our computers."
"we weren't all in one room working, our one room was the internet," Corrigan continued. "We felt a little disconnected and yet we were always connected, we just weren't working side-by-side at a desk."
Grateful to those who got their histories in the Committee is very excited to share the finished product with the community.
"So at our event that's coming up we're hoping to have lots of people come and celebrate with us, pickup books, and buy extra books," Lynn said, further explaining that they make wonderful Christmas presents.
"We're anxious to see it, we don't have the books yet, but they've assured us they'll be here by then [Oct. 9]."
"That'll be such an exciting moment to see that book," Doty stated.
The Committee is happily waiting for the unveiling of the book on Oct. 9 as the program at 3 p.m. will include something they feel is extremely important, giving books to specific organizations such as the library, museum, and schools.
Though a struggle at times the hard work and dedication to the completion of volume two is sweet success having seemed so long ago they started on the project in 2010.
"I can remember being hesitant to get involved because it was such a big project," Lynn recalled. "I can remember thinking it would be so nice to update this book, but how would you ever do it and here we are."
"It was something I was interested in, it came at a good point in your [Lynn] life because you were retiring, and we called in the expertise of the crew that put the first book together," Corrigan stated.
The process though easier with the advent of technology still weighed on those working on the project. With Doty having been involved with the first history book she admitted there were times she felt down about how the project was going: "I have to admit after that first year of being involved and trying to get the book together, knowing the first book was completed, printed, and distributed within a year plus a few months, it was almost a downer for me personally."
The ease of using computers and technology, was hindered by the lack of interest by some to submit histories and the fact that they had fewer numbers working on the project than the first book.
Despite feeling discouraged at times, Doty never showed it to her other Committee members as Corrigan stated Doty was actually the motivator, a main driving force, through this long journey.
The journey though is now over and the excitement to see the books and share the Blacktop to Black Gold with the community is nearing the present, soon to become history itself.
"I've always said history is in the making every day," Doty stated. It is this truth that spurred the committee forward in writing down the histories of the area since 1982 (when the previous history book concluded) and now comes with the unveiling of the new book on Thursday, Oct. 9.
