Four inducted to Killam Hall of Fame – Full story

During a special evening held Saturday, Apr. 27 in Killam, the Hall of Fame Committee, a self-supporting offshoot of the Killam Chamber of Commerce, inducted four people to their Hall of Fame, including two historical and two contemporary inductees. The following is a longer version than what we had room for in the paper this week, including biographies given during the evening of each nominee.

This year the committee honoured A. Edward Fee and Dr. Peter Voloshin as their historical inductees, and Geri Link and Lois Prichard as the contemporary inductees.

Sharleen Chevraux, emcee for the evening, explained the concept of the Hall of Fame, and the process, started three years ago, of including historical residents. This is the 25 year that the Hall of Fame committee has existed.

The new format was originally funded by a starter grant from the Town of Killam, and this year sought sponsorship from local businesses, which included S. James Agencies, Battle River Implements, Chevraux Farms, JJDK Adventures, and Campbell-McLennan.

Chevraux invited Mayor Bud James to speak first to start off the induction evening.

James welcomed all,and spoke a little of the value of volunteers within a community. “Communities like ours are defined by the people within them,” he said. “Those we honour tonight are our neighbours and friends who worked tirelessly to make our community a special place.”

Battle River-Wainwright MLA Doug Griffiths was unable to attend due to a conflicting date, but sent his congratulations in a letter which James read, where he sent congratulations to Geri and Lois, and to the families of Dr. Voloshin and A.E. Fee. “To say this recognition is deserved would be an understatement.”

Chevraux then introduced the families of the first inductee, A.E. Fee, and indicated that Doug Fee would represent the family as the first generation of his grandchildren.

Before introducing Fee, she quoted a statement from Prime Minister Stephen Harper for National Volunteer Week, Apr. 21-27, where he said in part, “Each year, over 13 million Canadians volunteer their time to better our communities, our country and our world.”

Chevraux gave her recollection of Mr. Fee, but said “I was too small to understand the hugely significant contribution he made to our community at that time.”

Fee came to Killam in 1910, where he bought, stocked and operated a Hardware store on the site of where Dan and Kathryn Fee operate their business today.

A few years later, he started a funeral home, a Massey-Harris dealership, the Empire garage and hall, and even a fur ranch. In the end, he downsized to the hardware store and funeral home.

Fee was known as an entertaining public speaker, and served four terms as the Social Credit MLA for Sedgewick, each time elected with landslide majorities, before retiring from political life in 1952.

Chevraux presented a plaque to family representative Doug Fee, who also spoke about his grandfather.

He started out by saying, “Every time I am in this community hall, I look at the Hall of Fame wall, with its impressive list of names. There are still many deserving members of the community; this town is a community of volunteers.

“I think that’s why I still call this place home, my grandfather picked well.”

Fee described his grandfather’s trip west from Ontario, and talked a little about his family, which included wife Stella, and sons Russell, Gordon, and Edward. He told how a fire burned half of Killam’s main street in 1919, including the Hardware store that was rebuilt and restocked in the same lot where it stands today.

Doug described how his grandfather was a big fan of William Aberhart’s Social Credit movement, and said he stopped in at the Alberta Legislative Library to try to see what he had done as an MLA.

“The first speech he gave was that of a skinflint,” he said, “demanding a reduction of wages for elected Members of the Legislature.”

A.E. Fee was also active on the committee that formed the first Alberta Treasury Branch, and Doug said that he’d intended Killam to be the first branch, but was beat to it narrowly by another MLA and had to settle for Killam having the second branch to open.

Doug said that Fee felt he had accomplished what he ran for when Highway 13 was paved, and felt he could retire from government in 1952.

He closed with the statement, “He was a pretty special guy, Grandpa, and this award means a lot.”

Clara Lewis introduced the next inductee, Dr. Peter Voloshin, who served as the town’s physician between the years of 1946 to 1957, coming to Killam after WWII.

Lewis said that Voloshin was known as a caring and compassionate man, and an avid volunteer in the town, even serving one term as mayor, in 1953. He also served as the secretary of Killam’s Cubs and Scouts organization as son James was a member, was on the Killam Roll of WWII veterans, as well as being involved in Legion activities.

Voloshin came to Killam with his wife Georgina, and lived there with children James, Carol, and Joey. James, who now uses his full name and practices medicine as well, as Dr. Peter James Voloshin, travelled from his home in California to accept on his father’s behalf.

Lewis punctuated her story of Dr. Voloshin with an acknowledgement of the tremendous number of changes that took place in that era; with returning vets, and the end of ration books, the area flourished, as did its population. New families meant new babies, and Lewis said that Voloshin would receive many midnight calls, and arrive at the hospital with pants pulled over his PJ’s, whistling and cheerful.

Lewis worked with Voloshin as a newly graduated nurse in 1955, and said working with him was a real treat because of his cheerful and compassionate nature.

Lewis presented the plaque to [Dr. Peter] James [Voloshin], who also spoke about the family’s time in Killam. He described his secretary’s reaction to a recent phone call from Lewis, where she said, “Someone’s trying to sell you something, it’s someone from Killam calling you.” Recognizing the name right away, I took that call, he said.
“I’ve heard things tonight I didn’t know about my father,” he said, “I was too busy getting into trouble.”

Voloshin added to his father’s history, saying that his father was also an accomplished musician, leading the choir at the Catholic Church.

Voloshin said that on average, his father would receive two calls per night that would get him out of bed, so the family would vacation every August,  just picking a dot on a map and leaving for the whole month, without a specific destination in mind. “I think that was so no one could find us,” he said.

Voloshin said that towards the end of his father’s time in Killam, his father’s cardiologist recommended he lighten his load, and taking that advice, he moved the family to Edmonton, then south to California. There he spent his retirement years, after retiring from active practice in 1968, before passing away in 2007.

Voloshin thanked the committee for recognizing his father’s contribution to the community.

Between each induction, musical interludes were performed by Darrell Holmstrom and Vern Erickson.

Chevraux invited Shelly Armstrong to introduce her mother and inductee, Geri Link.

Armstrong said, “It’s my true privilege and honour to introduce my mom.” She said the Links, Ruben and Geri, moved to Killam in 1963 and started a family business, Killam Tire and Rubber, which is now Fountain Tire, and operated by their son Rick.

“Mom knew that the key to success is community involvement,” Armstrong said, describing the many activities Link volunteered with, including working concessions for the Killam hockey club, coordinating the annual figure skating carnival, and sewing the costumes, as well as being active in curling and bowling at the Agriplex. Link also worked with Dorothy Felgate for seven years as brownie and girl guide leaders. As the wife of a businessman, Link also volunteered with the Legion, Fire Department and Lions Club. She took a turn on the ambulance rotation, and worked within the Chamber of Commerce for five years, on the economic development committee and welcome wagon.

Most recently, Link has worked with the Twice Nice society at their store in Killam since it opened, and on the Community Hall Board both as member and president on that committee.

“She has put endless hours into volunteer service. I believe my Mom has followed the girl guide motto all her life; ‘Lend a hand’.”

Link accepted her plaque and marvelled that she’s been in Killam for 50 years this October. “Not long after we moved here, I made the decision to live in Killam, not at Killam.” Link thanked her family for all they had to endure, like fresh baking headed elsewhere, “hands off!.” “It has been an interesting journey,” she said, “I will continue to try to make our town more interesting and fun.”

After another musical interlude, Chevraux introduced the final inductee, Lois Prichard, saying, “Lois has given unstintingly of her time and efforts for our community.” She then invited Robert Borth to introduce Prichard.

Borth said he first met Lois Blaeser in 1965 when he offered her a job at his store, Borth Pharmacy, where she worked until 1967 when she married Jay Prichard and settled down to raise their three boys.

Borth said one of the first things he can remember about Prichard’s volunteer work was her organizing a walk-a-thon from Killam to Strome to raise funds for the Agriplex, as well as volunteering with the Library board.

Prichard served with the Killam cubs and scouts from 1977 to 2000, also serving on their executive. As well, she worked as the coordinator for the Meals on Wheels for 10 years, also working on the Town Beautification committee. She volunteered at the Killam Street Fairs and Town Wide Garage Sales, as well as working with ‘Killam Calls’ to welcome new residents to town.

Prichard has served as the Chamber of Commerce secretary, and she organized and set up the very first “Big One” Christmas Fair and continued to volunteer with it for many years for as long as the Scouts sponsored it.

She provided and served lunch for the workers building the Community Hall, and has worked with the Cemetery cleanup, and volunteered in both the High School and Catholic Schools.

Prichard also helped plant and weed Killam’s community garden, and volunteered at the Killam Rodeo and the many concerts presented over the years.
She has served her community as the Killam news correspondent at The Community Press for many years. She has held every position in the CWL for two terms, and is now involved with the Food Bank as a volunteer.

“And she didn’t do any of this just to get her name on the wall,” Borth said, as he invited Prichard to accept her plaque.

Prichard expressed her appreciation to Borth for the introduction, saying “Robert brought me to Killam,” then expressed her thanks to the committee for honouring her, and to her family for sharing in the honour.

She said, “From now on, I will continue to volunteer in the Town of Killam to make it the best town in Alberta.”

After the program, Chevraux invited those present to peruse the displays from the nominees.