I first visited this town when I was a teenager. After winning an essay contest, I was invited to join The United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth, sponsored by the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs service clubs.
Kids from all across North America travelled by bus to New York, where we spent a week in the city and visited the United Nations.
En route we slept in hotels in the cities and were billeted in the homes of Lodge members in the smaller towns. Sometimes we toured famous local places before piling on the bus again to move on.
Our busload included kids from Washington, Oregon, BC and Alaska, and travelling with them was an education in itself. Once in New York, we were part of a much larger group.
Oddly enough, as I recall, we were not taken to see Fort Macleod. What I remember about the town was that we were given a breakfast in the Lodge Hall, where we were greeted by a Highland pipe band in full regalia. I was most impressed by the music, the ceremony, and of course, the kilts. At age sixteen, I had little or no comprehension of the historical significance of the place.
This summer, I visited the fort with my adult daughter, and we looked with interest at the artifacts that point to so much of importance from Canada's past.
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