First Blossom Festival honours Dobson-Golletz

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This article was published 12/05/2025 (318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Assiniboine Food Forest hosted its inaugural Blossom Festival on Sunday afternoon, marking the official unveiling of the Madame Keay Dobson-Golletz Memorial Orchard.

The event honoured the late educator and founding member of the Assiniboine Food Forest Initiative. The dedications included a new orchard gate, a commemorative stone featuring her favourite poem and reflections on her legacy, chair David Barnes told the Sun.

“This is the first time we are hosting the Blossom Festival,” he said. “We named it after the hope of seeing our orchard in bloom — and with some luck, the trees answered that hope today.”

The event began with friendly mingling and refreshments under the canopy of trees, with attendees sampling dainties and coffee before the formal ceremonies commenced at noon. The mood was both celebratory and reflective, as friends, family, and supporters gathered to honour Dobson-Golletz’s legacy.

Barnes explained Dobson-Golletz not only helped to found AFFI but also laid the foundation for the orchard itself, securing funding, planting the vision and rallying community support.

“Keay brought the idea for the orchard to us. She believed in food sovereignty, in future generations and in this land. This orchard is her dream made real,” he said. “She plans to use the fruits to nourish Brandon, so the fruits would not be sold.”

Nearly complete, the orchard now hosts a wide range of fruit-bearing trees and shrubs, including apples, pears, plums, cherries, apricots, grapes and Saskatoons. The final two rows are set to be planted this summer, bringing the orchard to full capacity.

“We’re proud to dedicate this day to Keay,” Barnes said. “And we’re proud to continue her vision of growing food for our community, for our children and for those still to come.”

Westman Regional Cabinet Officer Jason Gobeil delivered a deeply personal tribute to his former high school teacher.

“Keay was one of my angels,” Gobeil told the Sun. “If it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I would have finished high school. I don’t think I would have taken on the challenges that followed to become the man, the father and the husband I am today.”

Gobeil described Dobson-Golletz’s profound connection to the land and to her students, noting her gift for inspiring those who needed it most. “She taught us to treat people fairly, kindly, like they were our relatives. That’s what I carry with me — that it’s okay to be different, to be yourself.”

Referring to her as “an auntie” in his circle, Gobeil painted a portrait of a woman whose energy, encouragement and presence linger long after her passing in 2023.

“She helped ignite a spirit within every one of us,” he said. “We always felt good after seeing Keay. She had that energy.”

He concluded his remarks with a Dakota eagle song, a tribute to Dobson-Golletz’s spirit and teachings. In Dakota tradition, the eagle is a brother to the Creator, carrying messages, prayers and gratitude into the sky.

Sunday’s event wasn’t just a festival — it was a celebration of a life lived in service to others and to the earth. The orchard, now in its blossoming stage, stands as both a tribute and a promise: that with care, patience and community, seeds of kindness can yield fruit for generations.

As guests wandered through the trails, shared storiesmand stood beneath trees beginning to bud, many felt what Gobeil so eloquently put into words: “Keay’s presence is here. Her love for this land is still alive.”

The Blossom Festival, Barnes said, is expected to become an annual event, a time to come together, reflect and celebrate the fruits of community — both literal and spiritual — in the spirit of Keay Dobson-Golletz.

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