The population of St. Jacques-Coomb’s Cove increased tremendously from August 4 to 12 as the community held its 2012 Come Home Year program.
Former residents from all across Canada and from parts of the United States returned to spend quality time with family and friends, to enjoy Newfoundland traditional food and music and to catch up on all the news with family and friends.
The following people took time out from the South Coast Arts Festival on August 11 to talk about the Come Home Year event and to explain why they especially wanted to return home this year.
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Back1.jpg: Tammy Brenton
I left Coomb’s Cove 15 years ago to move to Yellowknife. My sister was up there and I just followed her to that part of the country. Today I’m a finance officer with the Government of the Northwest Territory. I love it in that part of Canada. We enjoy outdoor activities and that area is really suited to activities such as camping, fishing, boating and ski-dooing in the winter. The winters are very cold up there of course as the temperature can drop to minus 40 but you sort of get used to it. I wanted to come up this year for the big event. My Mom and Dad are still here as are many of my friends so we’re having a great time.
Back2.jpg: Joanne Crouse Skinner
Actually I moved from St. Jacques to Lunenburg Nova Scotia with my family when I was just one. For the last 20 years I have been living in Dartmouth where I work out of my home as a hairdresser. The main reason I wanted to come back this year is that I especially want my two children to be fully aware of their Newfoundland heritage, our culture and our history. That’s very important to me, and I’m going to make sure that I do a good job of that over the years. We’re having a ball and I’m going to hate to have to go back home next week.
Back3.jpg: Albert Lawrence
I’m originally from St. Jacques but today I live in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, which has been my home base for the last six years.
I’ve been a sea captain for the past 25 years and I manage two clam vessels for Clearwater Seafoods Ltd. We fish out of Argentia so I spend eight to ten days a month in Newfoundland. We come home every year to keep in touch with family and friends.
Back4.jpg: William Lloyd Herridge
I left English Harbour West in 1972 and moved to Fortune. In 1976 I joined the Canadian military where I spent the next 30 years of my life. I haven’t been back to this area for 20 years so I wanted to come back for this big event to visit some of my friends who still live in this area. It’s good to see old friends and to take in the many activities of this special time. We’re having a great time this week in participating in as many events as possible.
Back5.jpg: Holly Armstrong
I’m originally from English Harbour West but today I work in Listowal, Ontario as a pharmacist in a Shopper’s Drug Mart store. It’s kind of nice there and we’re established as a family unit now. But my thoughts often drift back to Newfoundland and we come home every year. I cry before we leave, I cry when I’m here and I cry when we have to return. It’s been especially nice this year as many of my friends have returned for the Come Home Year, and we’re having a fantastic time.
Back6.jpg: Ralph Fiander
We moved to Ontario from St. Jacques seven years ago to be with our family as my wife has Parkinson’s. We thought she would receive better treatment in Ontario but in the end I don’t think it has made great deal of difference in her condition. I was home three years ago and this time around my four grandchildren bought an air ticket for me to come back for the 2012 Come Home Year event. This activity here today brings back a lot of memories as my wife (Marion) and I played in number of these festivals years ago.
Back7.jpg: Shelia Alexander
I left St. Jacques when I was 18 to pursue a Nursing Degree in St. John’s. I ended up nursing in Texas where I met my husband who is in the Unites States military, so we have lived in a number of areas in the United States in the last 16 years. Today we live in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Although I have American citizenship I am still a Newfoundland girl at heart. It’s very important for me to bring my children back to make them aware of this side of their family. I also want to make sure they know about their Newfoundland heritage and Newfoundland customs and traditions. My Mom passed away two years ago and I wanted to come back this time too to have some closure to her passing. We’ve had a great time this week in enjoying the traditional music and foods such as fried cod and cod tongues.
