Left to Die by Gary Collins


Date: Apr 11
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Where: Theatre
Coffee & Culture

2024 marks the 110th Anniversary of the historic convergence of ice, seals, and men in late March 1914 and the grim reminder of the dangers of the hunt.

Join award-winning author, Gary Collins as he shares his personal connection to the dramatic stories of men, both young and old, from all over the province that year to pursue the annual seal hunt. Among the vessels that took them to the ice was the S.S. Newfoundland, a wooden-walled steamship captained by Westbury Kean. With no wireless aboard the ship, the stage was set for seventy-eight of the men who went over the side and their fates sealed.

Tickets: $12 (plus HST). Free for Rooms Members. Get your tickets online or by calling (709) 757-8090. Includes admission to the exhibitions and a coffee from The Rooms Café.

About the Author:

Gary Collins was born in Hare Bay, Bonavista North. He spent fifty years in the logging and sawmilling business with his father, Theophilus, and son, Clint. Gary was once Newfoundland’s youngest fisheries guardian. He managed log drives down spring rivers for years, spent seven seasons driving tractor-trailers over ice roads and the Beaufort Sea of Canada’s Western Arctic, and has been involved in the crab, lobster, and cod commercial fisheries. In 2016, he joined the Canadian Rangers.

Gary has written numerous books, including the award-winning children’s illustrated book; What Color is the Ocean, which he co-wrote with his granddaughter, Maggie Rose Parsons.

Gary’s first novel, The Last Beothuk, won the inaugural NL Reads literary competition, administered by the CBC, and was long-listed for the International Dublin Literary Award.

Gary’s latest work, Away from My Island: The True Story of Eliza Gill is a story of family, heroism, and ultimate sacrifice

Events & Programs

10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Kickstart your weekend by joining us at The Rooms! Spend Saturday mornings with your little ones in our charming Harbour View Room. It's a delightful opportunity for unguided playtime amidst a variety of toys and books for infants and toddlers aged 0 to 4.

No prior registration is necessary; simply pay your admission at The Rooms front desk and drop in anytime between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm!

Please note that caregivers must accompany their children throughout the session. Our program room can host up to 20 adults with their little ones.

The Playdate is included in the cost of admission. Free for Rooms Members.

With support from Thomas and Susan (Kent) Foran Family Foundation.

10:30 am - 11:00 am
Tour

In Beaumont-Hamel and the Trail of the Caribou exhibition find out about the impacts of the First World War on Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and how events overseas dramatically altered our lives at home.

Tour is approximately 30 – 40 minutes and included in the cost of admission.

2:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Tour

Denyse Thomasos: Just Beyond, one of the finest painters to emerge in the 1990’s, the late Trinidadian-Canadian artist, Denyse Thomasos (1964-2012) left an indelible, yet frequently overlooked, mark on contemporary painting. The exhibition features selections devoted to the artists’ primary areas of research, illustrated with major works on loan from museums and private collections in Toronto, Montreal, and New York City.

Tour is approximately 30 – 40 minutes and included in the cost of admission.