CANADA—Nearly 80 members from eastern Canada attended an annual “Winterlude Weekend” from February 17 through 19, with activities such as curling, board games, hockey and ice skating.

On the Sabbath, members from the London and Ottawa-Montreal congregations joined the Milton congregation for services. Milton member Michael Kasaboski said the excitement that morning was “palpable.” David Blondeau, another Milton member, said he was “impressed with the turnout by those from out of town.”

That evening, members took a trip to a local curling club, where they ate a catered meal. Following they meal, they spent about two hours curling, talking and playing board games. Kasaboski said it was “extra exciting to be able to share the sport” with other members who had never done it before.

The winter sports theme continued into the next day, with participants launching into an 8 a.m. hockey game and free skating session at an ice rink in Milton. For lunch, Local Elder Tyrel Schlote invited members to his property, where they relaxed around warm fires, enjoyed hot drinks, and ate a potluck lunch featuring chili dishes which had been entered in a cook-off. They also participated in various team games, including an obstacle course.

Dinner that Sunday was a Jamaican-themed catered meal at the Canadian regional office. Members were encouraged to dress in their best Jamaican-themed costumes, and a vote was held for best costume. After the meal, they watched the movie Cool Runnings.

On Monday, a public holiday in Canada, the members took a morning hike. The excursion on the snow-covered Niagara Escarpment gave hikers the chance to take in the cliffside views and appreciate the natural beauty of the region. Afterwards, the hikers ate hot soup and homemade bread at the home of Regional Director John Macdonald.

“It was really wonderful to see the brethren laughing and talking,” said Phyllis Murray, a member of the Milton congregation. “The Philadelphians know how to persevere in any weather.”

The region of Ontario where the events were held experienced an unusually low amount of snowfall this winter. But on the Thursday before Winterlude was set to begin, the area received enough snow to provide a winter atmosphere without negatively impacting the travel.