Sooke has never been short on lovely young women, and 1961 was no exception. Pictured here are three young girls who voted to ride in the parade for All Sooke Day, proudly supporting their community and helping put up posters.
Diane Zelenko, 14, voted as queen, is at left holding the hammer. I remember her as a young high school girl working at the till at Doug Brownsey’s store in the 1960s. She loved to remind us that she had been the All Sooke Day Baby back in 1948. Her dad Jack Zelenko drove the school bus. Diane went on to marry Ross Pitre, a Sooke fisherman; sadly, she recently passed away.
Next is Lynda Sullivan, 15, a granddaughter of the Eustace Arden Sheringham lighthouse family. Lynda became a hairdresser, married Lorne Fisk, one-time Sooke Fire Chief, and is still active in her chosen volunteer group, Sooke Harbourside Lions.
On the right is Sandy Jones, 16, daughter of Stan and Marion Jones, of the Jones family that is so well known in this community for their volunteer service and their business developments, such as Cedar Grove Shopping Centre. Sandy married and moved to the Bulkley Valley in northern B.C.
Our first All Sooke Day was held at the Sooke Flats as a community picnic in 1934 and progressed through the years as a powerhouse of community involvement. Everyone either worked at All Sooke Day, or attended to enjoy the events. Everyone would come to All Sooke Day to see friends from far and near, who would return to renew old friendships.
Back in those days, the retail stores in the city of Victoria closed half days on Wednesdays, and All Sooke Day was held on Wednesdays for a while. Vancouver Island Coach Lines ran buses to bring Victorians out to Sooke to enjoy the fun, the barbecued salmon and Leechtown beef.
By the '50s and '60s, logger sports had taken over and All Sooke Day had won international acclaim, bringing global loggers sports champions to vie for the prestigious titles.
Times changed and the final All Sooke Day was held in 2002. Fortunately, the museum produced a documentary film in 1986, allowing us to view a vivid reminder of this exciting period in Sooke's history.
Elida Peers, historian
Sooke Region Museum
