Growing up by the Grand River was fun. The River was always interesting. Swimming, fishing, watching turtles and frogs, the formation of ice, the Spring breakup of ice and the challenge of Spring flooding.

We lived with my grandfather (Shelley). He had a collection of arrowheads that he had found and he told us a story of how he found a skelton in the back field. Obviously, Native people lived on this land especially in the area where the Conestogo River joined the Grand River. My grandfather described plowing with a single plow and horse, old farming methods, his love of horses and family history.

How could a person not become involved in our history? This is why I dedicate a lot of my time to preserving our local history. Our forebears worked out an existence, raised their families to have a better life. They paved the way for us and deserve to be remembered.

Elinor Rau, Elmira - Woolwich Citizen of the Year