BY
BILL BRADLEY
A wee bit of Newfoundland culture is taking place this Sunday
evening at the Anglican Church Hall on Dennie St. in
Capreol.
"We're celebrating a genuine Newfie tradition, a Jigs Dinner,
that goes back hundreds of years on the Rock, we have a special
dinner  along with entertainment as well-even our famous
Newfie jokes," said organizer Roy Hillier.
He is a native Newfoundler himself from Point-au-Gaul, on the southern tip of the island, on the Burin Penninsula.
"It is all about hospitality and also about helping those in need. In our case we need to raise money for our church.
Recently we spent $27,000 just on repairing the roof so at
this event we hope to raise $2,000 for the church," he said.
Food is a key draw. "There will be servings of corned beef,
cabbage, carrots, turnips, mustard pickles, onions, and of
course blueberry duff-that's a blueberry pudding cooked in with
the vegetables," Hillier said.
Hillier expects this year's Jigs Dinner to become an annual
event.
"There are lots of Newfoundlanders here in Greater Sudbury,
I would say 1,500 strong. Many came in the 1950s and 1960s when
the iron ore mines at Belle Island just off from St John closed
down. The mines here were hiring so many came from the east."
Hillier himself came 40 years ago to try to get work on the
ships on the Great Lakes.
"Compared to the sea off Newfoundland, the Great Lakes were
just puddles to me. I couldn't get on the ships, so I worked
some construction, and then tried Inco.
Entertainment for the evening will be by Stan and The Valley
Boys doing traditional Newfie jigs.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children. Dinner will be served at 5 and 7 pm. For more information, phone  Roy at 969-5024.
