We have come to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Gimli Public school.
It is a hundred years since the physical school was built, but we know that a school is much more than bricks and mortar. What gives it a heart are people: those who desired it, who planned for it, who raised money for it, who believed that it was possible, as well as the teachers, students, and staff. We know that nothing exists without a history and a context. Nothing gets built without a dream.
Let me take you back in time a bit to create the context for the creation of this school.
When the Icelandic settlers left Iceland for North America, they were unprepared for what faced them. In spite of its name , Iceland does not have winters like Manitoba.
The immigrants traveled from Iceland to Scotland, from there to Quebec City and across North America. Their final destination was not Willow Point. They landed there because they were being towed on a line of scows
