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A generous collection of oil lamps, and
afternoon tea at the home of a cookbook legend

September 26th, 2018

Several residents from Points West Living Wainwright enjoyed a bus trip recently to the nearby community of Irma; their destination, the Irma Museum. With its handful of historic buildings, the museum houses treasures from the early farming days in the area. One of these collections was donated by a PWL Wainwright resident.

300+ lamps

Doreen Bell and her late husband Irving gave the museum more than 300 oil lamps they had collected over the years. There are so many lamps, that a new building has been built on the museum site to house them and the many other articles Doreen and Irving have donated.

“Doreen was proud to speak about her husband and the acquisition of the various lamps,” says recreation coordinator Shauna Lee Carlson, who joined residents on the bus trip. Rows upon rows of the beautiful lamps are displayed along the walls of the new building.

Birthplace of Company's Coming cookbook author

Irma happens to be the birthplace of the egendary Jean Paré, the author and founder of the Company’s Coming cookbook series and publishing company. Her childhood home built in 1928, and the Anglican Church built in 1934, form the central part of the museum.

Afternoon tea presented by museum board members

After exploring the museum, PWL Wainwright residents sat down to enjoy afternoon tea. “Members of the museum board presented a lovely tea of home baked goodies and tea in china cups. We were most appreciative!” says Shauna Lee. “There was much talk of Jean Paré’s recipes, which ones we have tried, and our favorites.”

Rhubarb crisp to share the goodness

“Then the goodness just kept on coming,” says Shauna Lee. “There was a rhubarb patch out back of the museum that caught our eye, so we asked if they would mind sharing some with us. I promised it would be used. The very next day, back at PWL Wainwright, a group of us made rhubarb crisp, using one of Doreen Bell’s recipes. That afternoon, the church service was led by an Irma congregation, and afterwards, we all enjoyed some of the rhubarb grown behind Jean Paré’s house.”

Photo: PWL Wainwright resident Doreen Bell stands among the many treasures (including more than 300 oil lamps) she and her late husband Irving donated to the Irma Museum.

More photos at Flickr: A generous collection of oil lamps, and afternoon tea at the home of a cookbook legend

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