The name Paul Christianson is synonymous with the Lakers Car Club Spring Roundup and Show and Shine.
Christianson has been the president of the Williams Lake club for two years but he has been on the executive since 1999, holding every possible position. He joined in 1992 when he purchased his 1959 Cadillac.
Being a member of the Lakers is more about the people he meets along the way.
Every year at the show and shine he said this is apparent when he sees all the familiar faces from across B.C., as well as from the U.S.
“Sometimes I don’t remember their names but associate them with their cars,” he said, smiling. “They make the car club and car hobby more interesting. Looking at the cars is a big part of it, but the people are a huge part of it.”
Born in Spalding, Sask. in 1953, Christianson was the second of six children.
The family lived on a mixed farm in Naicam, about 191 kilometres east of Saskatoon, where his grandfather homesteaded in 1919. One of his brothers and his family live in the home their grandfather built there in 1919.
Christianson attended school in Naicam for 12 years and after graduation in 1971 went on an exchange trip to England and Wales with army cadets for eight weeks.
“It was a pretty big deal to be one of 12 kids chosen from across Canada to go there. I excelled at army cadets.”
In 1973, he left Saskatchewan in search of employment and got his first job at what was then Ferguson Lake Sawmills in Bear Lake, north of Prince George.
He worked for the winter, then headed home for a month.
While headed back to Bear Lake with a friend he ran out of gas in Williams Lake.
They ended up staying with his friend’s uncle and getting jobs.
“I started at West Fraser Sawmill in 1973 and retired 42 years later.”
At West Fraser he drove heavy equipment and did almost every job in the mill, but never worked with the planer.
Through a friend he met Peggy Williams. They were married in 1974 and had two children.
Their late daughter Shirina was a registered nurse who died in 2016 from a pulminary problem. Their son Clint is a welder who lives in Fort St. James and travels all over for work.
They have two grandchildren — Tristan Pearson in Ottawa and Rayanna Bosnich in Nanaimo.
For 15 years he ran a hobby farm at Big Lake, east of Williams Lake, where he raised hay.
“It was a good part of my life, but I ended up selling it after 15 years.”
The Christiansons love to camp.
They have a travel trailer and have done a lot of camping around the Cariboo.
In the past a favourite spot was Raven Lake.
Travelling is another thing they enjoy and have gone to Spain, England, Mexico, U.S., and the Maritimes, which they plan to visit again this year.
Today he and Peggy also own a 1971 Torino Cobra as well as the 1959 Cadillac.
Still basking in the glow from the success of the Show and Shine Sunday, May 28, Christianson said a man came up to him and asked if he was Paul. When he replied ‘yes,’ the man proceeded to say they were friends in 1973 at the sawmill.
”He said ‘I remember the time I didn’t have any food and you took me to your place and we had salmon sandwiches,’ He had moved to Ontario but then moved back to Williams Lake two years ago.”
It was an encounter that made him feel good, he added.
All of his siblings are still living in Saskatchewan.
The sense of farming he grew up with is still with him today and routinely causes him to observe farming and equipment in the Cariboo.
Going back to visit the prairies is something he likes, especially in June when the crops are coming up and in the fall when it is time to harvest.
“It’s still in my blood,” he said, but added he does not plan to leave Williams Lake.
“At this point I don’t mind the winters. I enjoy the sunshine in the winter and the relatively good weather we have in the summer.”
Living in the Cariboo Chilcotin has its variety too, he added.
“If you go east there is the wet belt and west and you are in a desert.”
His only complaint?
There are not enough paved circle routes for the Lakers to do cruises.
READ MORE: PHOTO GALLERY: Lakers Car Club Show and Shine draws 100s in Williams Lake
READ MORE: Lakers Car Club gearing up for annual spring roundup, show and shine, Williams Lake May 27, 28
monica.lamb-yorski@wltribune.com
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