A bit of Wilno in Afghanistan

Jon Whitehead, who grew up in the Wilno General Store, is now a proud young soldier with the Canadian military. He has just left for a tour of duty in Afghanistan and posts this photo of some of the Afghani kids. Jon is also a talented singer who was on Canadian Idol a few years ago. His lovely and talented sister Cindy worked here at Wilno Station when we first opened, and his musical uncle Robert Yeretch has done a number of performances here in the Red Canoe Cafe. When I first moved to Wilno, I lived in the apartment above the Wilno General Store in the heart of downtown Wilno. One of my favorite memories is listening to the Whitehead family rehearsing their songs for Mass on Saturday night at St. Mary's. They would practice in the store behind the counter while the customers came and went. Then, after a couple of years, when Tom and I opened the cafe, Cindy was a loyal and competent and fun-loving employee. We had a farewell party here at the Cafe when Mike and Diane sold the store and moved all the way to Rockingham. Mike, who is also a musician, has rescued us several times when visiting performers showed up without their amplifier patch cords and other necessary items. The delicious pasture raised beef in our burgers comes from Diane's sister and brother-in-law's farm near Douglas...Life in a small village is so intertwined!!! We are all keeping Jon in our good thoughts while he is in Afghanistan.