Helen and Joe Oswald were Slovakian ex-pats familiar to many Islanders
To the Expositor:
As a first generation Canadian whose parents immigrated from Slovakia in the early ‘30s I was interested in reading about the ambassador’s visit to Bradlo and the Manitoulin.
Slovakia being a small country of five and a half million people has not made much of an impact on immigration numbers in Canada other than the number of hockey players drafted by the various Canadian leagues. The Manitoulin Island was a destination for some Slovak families especially friends of mine, Helen and Joe Oswald. They farmed and raised their family here. One would remember Helen who travelled with Doug Hore providing entertainment at many Manitoulin events.
I have visited Eastern Slovakia and found the countryside similar to the Manitoulin except for the lakes—a mixture of forests and farms. Canada truly is a melting pot of people and cultures.
Emil Zamiska
Killarney
