For small towns across Saskatchewan the main gathering point is often the bar/hotel. It’s where coffee-row discusses the news of the day, where stories and jokes are swapped, and where reunions and afterparties often end up.
For over 50 years Lawson and Gail Harkness have been serving up more than just food and drinks, they’ve been serving up memories and stories that will be with them forever as they head off into retirement. Lawson Harkness says there are too many stories to share, but it’s the Telemiracle fundraisers he’s most proud of.
“Our Kinsmen Telemiracle (fundraiser) has been wonderful. It has brought the communities together and everybody sticks together like glue,” explained Harkness. “We’ve done that for 31 years and we’ve raised about $380,000 or more.”
(Pictured: Gail and Lawson Harkness. Picture by Steve Huber)
Together with his wife Gail, they owned and operated the Fife Lake Hotel for 50 years, three months, and three days. The journey all started when Harkness had just come out of the Royal Canadian Air Force, returning back to the Fife Lake area. Few jobs were available at the time and he found himself driving Coca-Cola trucks from Calgary to Lethbridge and back.
“I done that for six months and I said my mind was strong but my back was weak, so I came home for a long weekend and my Dad told me the hotel was for sale and, being stupid, I made an offer” smiled Harkness.
Little did he know, the hotel would be his for the next 50 years and it’ll be a place he will miss now that he’s retired.
“Definitely.” It’s been a good experience, a good job, and I know a lot of people,” he reflected.
A large retirement party was held for Lawson and Gail Harkness at the hotel this past Friday evening and the new owners have officially taken over the establishment. As for what’s next, Harkness, who’s now 80, says he and his wife would like to do some travelling.
“Every job has it’s good moments and bad moments and the good must have outweighed the bad because I’m still here,” chuckled Harkness.
You can listen to our entire interview below:
