Mr. and Mrs. Winter 2013 were announced and crowned on Monday night at the Heritage Senior Centre in the Margo Fournier Centre.
The furry crowns were handed from last year's winter royalty, Ken Clark and Iris Borrowman Clark, to this year's royal couple Kost (Joe) Ferchuk and Margaret Ferchuk.
On Friday afternoon they received a phone call from Bill Norman, from the nominations committee, who informed them they had been nominated to be this year’s hosts for the 49th annual Winter Festival.
“Bill told me he was congratulating us because we had been picked for Mr. and Mrs. Winter Festival … and I said ‘pardon? It isn’t eve April 1 yet and you’re telling me a joke?’” Mrs. Ferchuk said.
“We were shocked, we were. We were really, really surprised,” Mrs. Ferchuk said.
“My first thought was that they must be pretty hard up to find anybody,” Mr. Ferchuk added.
Norman was the man on charged with the chore of informing the shocked couple of their upcoming duties of Mr. and Mrs. Winter, but he didn’t divulge the reasons for their nomination or who had brought them forward.
Mrs. Ferchuk guesses it is for their involvement in their church, St. Michael’s.
“Probably involvement in our community. I’m only saying that because we’re quite involved in our church,” she said.
“I teach the religion class. I prepare the children for their sacrament,” said Mrs. Ferchuk.
Mr. Ferchuk is similarly involved with St. Michael’s.
“I’m her back up,” he said and grinned.
“He does registrations … he prepares the juice for the kids, puts out some snacks for them, he plays that part.”
Mr. Ferchuk is also skilled at woodworking.
“When the children receive their sacraments, he makes crucifix’s for the kids,” Mrs. Ferchuk added.
“My first thought was that they must be pretty hard up to find anybody,” Mr. Ferchuk added. -
They also assist an older lady who is part of their parish by picking her up on Sundays and taking her to church.
They later discovered it was members of her church who got them in the running for the fuzzy crowns.
“There were a few of them from our parish that got together and nominated us. I don’t know who,” she said.
As for what to expect over the next couple of weeks, they are not quite sure but are anticipating a busy schedule.
“They told us yesterday at church that we’d be very busy but that it’s a lot of fun and they said it’s like going on a two-week holiday but you sleep in your own bed,” Mrs. Ferchuk said.
