Each Canada Day, the Westmeath Recreation Association honours a community volunteer. This year the volunteer is Laurette Couturier.
Our Volunteer of the Year 2014 is a person who has many years of involvement in the history and social actitivties of the Westmeath rinks since the 1920s.
Laurette Couturier, born in 1921, was a daughter of Alec and Mina Ethier. She has three siblings living in Westhmeath – her sister Lillis Couturier and brothers Frank and Emmett Ethier. There was also Vivian, Joe and Earl. In 1940, she married Emard Couturier and they had four children – Shirley, Billy, Lynn and Rene.
One of her memories was the many meals put on for the Westmeath hockey teams and served at her parent’s hotel/home. As a young girl Laurette always helped with the preparation of these meals.
Lynn described her mother as being a hard worker. Her parents had a farm just out of the village and Laurette pitched in with the haying and milking, etc.
Later on, Laurette co-ordinated many end of the year meals for the hockey teams served in the dining hall, upstairs in the old rink. The teams would pay for the meal and the funds would go towards the upkeep of the rink.
In the early 60s, a rink committee was formed. Laurette wa a key member of this committee along with Emart Couturier, Irene Laderoute, Bryan Kenny, Reuben Desjardins, Gail and Ron Ethier and Max Grylls, just to name a few. One of the objectives was to recover any profits from the canteen, hockey and other functions and direct these to the building of a new rink. When Laurette took over the running of the booth, she turned over all the profits to fundraiser. Later, volunteers took the booth a week at a time, in order to continue the fundraising.
A curling club was started in 1960 when Nellis and Lola Tate took over the rink. Nellis started pebbling the ice with a water barel and a perforated pipe attached, especially for curling night.
Max Grylls, Johnny and Alice Wright, Claire Harkins, Lola Tate, Gail and Ron Ethier, Yvette Watson, Billy Laronde, Bryane and Lynne Dupuis were some names Laurette remembered as part of that early curling club. Laurette, as well as playing, always made the donuts for the Wednesday night games.
Occassionally, the Pembroke Curling Club would curl in Westmeath. Used to artificial ice, the members would complain about the mysterious grooves and crevices on the natural ice. The Pembroke Club was invitged one yewar for a closing dinner. Laurette made the cake with cherry win and she said the Pembroke visitors all loved it.
In 1967, on Cenennial/Canada Day, Wesmeath Day was initiated and a very successful fundraising chicken dinner was orgnaized out of the old rink. There was a parade that day as well. Thi was the official launch of many more fundraising events that led to the building of the new rink.
Laurette recalls bringing water to the rink in milk cans for fundraising evnets and being worried about the potato salads spoiling, since there were no fridgeds available.
She was one of the founding members of the Seniors Group in the 70s. She served as treasurer for many years, as well as co-ordinating many lunches of course.
The seiores were able to get several grants at that time and used the funds to upgrade and furnish the hall with a hardwood floor and curtains, acquire kitchen accessories and even install a septic tank.
Laurette is a charter member of the Catholic Women’s Leauge and was president for its 25th anniversary year. She held most executive positions on the CWL and is still active contirubtes baking and volunteers to help at events. Last year the CWL reached its 75th year and Laurette has been there for it all.
Laurette does have some relaxation, she is an avid euchre player.
Laurette Couturier is an excellent example of a volunteer who gave so much of her time and providd so much leadership to her community for so many years.
