TOY, STUFFED

Description: STUFFED DUCK, YELLOW FUZZY BODY. SOILED THROUGHOUT. BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES HAVE REMNANTS OF RED FABRIC APPX 6.5 CM FROM FRONT, EYES MISSING, BEAK YELLOW AND DETERIORATING, FUZZ IS RUBBED OFF INTERMITTENTLY.

History: ACCORDING TO THE DONOR WENDY AITKENS, "WALLY (WENDY'S FATHER) JOINED THE RESERVES IN LETHBRIDGE AFTER OBTAINING HIS DISCHARGE FROM REGULAR SERVICE AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR ENDED. EACH CHRISTMAS HE WOULD SUBMIT THE NAMES AND AGES OF HIS CHILDREN TO THE RESERVES OFFICE AND WE WOULD EACH RECEIVE A GIFT AND A BAG OF CANDY FROM SANTA CLAUS. THE PARTY WAS HELD AT THE ARMORIES NEAR THE AIRPORT AND IT WAS OUR ONLY ‘MEETING’ WITH A SANTA. WE ALL DRESSED IN OUR BEST – USUALLY CLOTHES THAT OUR MOTHER MADE FOR US (SEWING AND KNITTING). THE LAST YEAR I RECEIVED A GIFT FROM SANTA I OPENED MY PARCEL TO FIND THIS LITTLE YELLOW DUCK. THE DUCK WAS OFTEN TUCKED INTO MY DOLL BUGGY ALONG WITH MY DOLLS AS I PLAYED HOUSE. WHEN I OUTGREW PLAYING WITH THE DUCK AND DOLLS, MOM STORED IT IN A BOX OF TOYS. THE DUCK AND A FEW OTHER CHILDHOOD TOYS MOVED TO CALGARY WITH THE FAMILY AND THEY WERE ALWAYS BROUGHT OUT FOR VISITING CHILDREN TO PLAY WITH. I WAS DELIGHTED TO FIND THE DUCK AND OTHER FAMILIAR TOYS IN THE BASEMENT OF THE CALGARY HOME WHEN SHE AND HER HUSBAND BOUGHT THE HOUSE. THEY WERE SUCH A SPECIAL FIND THAT THEY MOVED BACK TO LETHBRIDGE AND WERE OFFERED TO THE GALT." WALLY IS MENTIONED IN THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD DURING THE 1950S ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE LOCAL RESERVES. SEE PERMANENT FILE SEE P20090030001 FOR FAMILY HISTORY.