The Chatham Voice, April 25, 2024

Pam Wright/The Chatham Voice

The Chatham-Kent Barnstormers unveiled the team’s new uniforms for home and away games before a packed crowd at Sons of Kent April 18. Here, players Jalen Butcher and Garret Day show off the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers uniforms for at-home games. See story on page 2.

Barnstormers unveil new uniforms

The Chatham-Kent Barnstormers will be looking sharp when they take to the field in less than a month’s time.

The team’s new vintage-themed uniforms, that pay homage to the Chatham Coloured All-Stars, fea-

ture jerseys with black and white pinstripes with red accents for travel games, and a dusty cream colour with black trim for playing at home.

The Barnstormers’ official insignia is red, gold, black and white.

Owner Dom Dinelle said he wanted the uniforms to reflect C-K’s rich baseball history.

“First of all, I wanted to keep it

historical and get back to the Chatham All-Stars,” said Dinelle, noting the Coloured All-Stars uniforms featured pin stripes back in the day, adding the cream is a vintage colour that’s gaining in popularity.

“I didn’t want to have the regular blue and red that everybody is wearing,” he said, adding the design was also inspired by U.S. colleges, particularly Vanderbilt University.

“It looks a little bit like Vanderbilt and I really like the colours,” Dinelle ex-

plained. “This is what I like and thought it would have a good effect in the community.”

Dinelle said the players will wear high cut pants at home in another nod to the AllStars.

The Barnstormers’ away uniforms are sponsored by Main Street Credit Union, with Kent & Essex Mutual Insurance stepping up to sponsor the at-home uniforms.

The countdown is on. The fledgling Barnstormers will take first flight against the

Brantford Red Sox May 17, with the home opener set for the following day when C-K takes on the Kitchener Panthers at Fergie Jenkins Field. The May 18 game begins at 7:05 p.m.

The newest addition to the Intercounty Baseball League, the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers join eight other teams from across Southwestern Ontario. The team will play 42 games in the regular schedule. Tickets are still available and can be readily purchased online.

Pam Wright/The Chatham Voice Brock Whitson, Spencer Marcus and Greg Kemble show off the Barnstormers’ black and white pinstripe travel uniforms.

Prices spike for C-K-run kids’ camps

By Bruce Corcoran bruce@chathamvoice.com

Municipally run summer children’s day camps have seen their rates more than double this year.

The weekly rate for the StayN-Play camps that take place in numerous communities around Chatham-Kent have gone up to $135 from $61. KIDventure camps, which take place at Erickson Arena in Chatham, will see rates shift up to $205 per child per week, up from $127.

All camps are geared towards children aged four to 12.

Several municipal councillors have heard from the community over the price hike, prompting staff to respond.

“As you are aware, operational costs have steadily increased over the years while we have maintained the same fees, making it a challenge to offer our low child-to-staff-ratios for quality care,” a message to councillors earlier this month stated. “We remain committed

to offering low child-to-staff ratios to ensure quality care and a safe and fun environment for all children in Chatham-Kent.”

Kelly Emery, director of children’s services for the municipality, said this is the first price increase for summer camps in more than five years. And it represents a rate that’s about 75 per cent of the provincial average for summer camp pricing offered by Ontario municipalities.

In London, for example, day camps similar to the StayN-Play option here are run at a per-child cost of $145.40 per week. For their Surprise Camps, similar to the KIDventure camps here, the cost is $176 for a week.

Municipal staff did request a rate increase last April – to $75 for Stay-N-Play and to $156 for KIDventure – but council opted against that. Instead, it chose to keep the prices unchanged and covering any deficit for the programs from corporate variance funds, and defer the rate hikes

to the four-year budget process.

That process started in November, and the new increases were approved.

Emery, said the previous pricing for the municipality cost Chatham-Kent money, and earned some angry communication from other agencies that offer summer camps around the municipality.

“We got some pushback in the last couple of years from other community agencies and businesses. We were their biggest (camp) competition,” she said. “Plus, the camps cost us money at $61 per week.”

Early signs indicate the new pricing is spreading the camp interest to the other agencies. Emery said one group told municipal staff one of their camps is already full, and has a waiting list.

As for the new pricing, Emery said they stayed well below what the average weekly camp rates are in communities across the province.

On top of that, there are subsidies available for qualifying families, plus the A.L.L, (activities, lessons and leisure) for Kids Program, which helps cover the cost of recreational activities for children whose parents could otherwise not afford it.

Emery said registration for camps is on a firstcome basis, but 10 per

cent of spots are reserved for subsidy-assisted families.

Contributed image

Prices have more than doubled for Chatham-Kent-run summer camps.

‘The Last Straw’ opens students’ eyes on plastic use

By Pam Wright Local Journalism Initiative pamwrightlji@gmail.com

Art students at John McGregor Secondary School are sounding the alarm about the lasting damage plastic has on the environment.

Spurred by an idea from local artist Mark Rinehart, they’ve created a project called The Last Straw. It aims to promote social justice through art by raising awareness about garbage, forever plastics, greenwashing and environmental racism, whereby Canada’s waste

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is shipped to impoverished countries.

It’s a big problem. Every Canadian produces about 720 kilograms of waste annually, meaning Canada leads the world as the largest per capita creator of garbage. It’s currently estimated that only nine per cent of plastics are recycled.

In response, students used garbage to create a miniature house, to symbolize the growing problem.

The concept was conceived by Reinhart, an equity and inclusion representative with the Lambton Kent District School Board. Dubbed “Tiny Futures,” the initiative allows artists to conceptualize and create art projects that explore ideas about the future.

Reinhart donated a doll-

house that he and his sister had when they were children, and JMSS art pupils revamped it using cast-off plastic waste. Students say The Last Straw opened their eyes.

“I feel like it shows how genuinely disgusting this world can be,” said Marina Thompson. “Canadians are not cleaning up after themselves. I think this project emphasizes that. I feel like our generation and future generations will have to deal with that later on in life and who knows if future generations will clean it up or let it rot there.”

Emily Muise and Jayce Galick share Thompson’s concerns.

“I was aware it was a major problem,” Galick said. “But I didn’t realize how bad it real-

ly was until we researched it as a class. It’s a lot worse...the numbers are up there. Even one piece of plastic created 100 years ago, it’s still going to be there.”

Muise said that while she was aware of the garbage and plastics problems, she didn’t know specifics, such as the fact that less than nine per cent of Canada’s so-called recycled materials are actually recycled. Much of the plastic waste is shipped overseas to be recycled but ends up being landfilled or burned.

“I didn’t realize other countries had to deal with our garbage,” Muise said, adding she does what she can for the environment, such as composting, and tries to limit waste and use of plastics.

Continued on page 5

Pam Wright/The Chatham Voice

John McGregor Secondary School art students, along with teacher candidate Samantha Gurrey, far right, were part of The Last Straw project. The initiative was designed to raise awareness about the lasting impact of plastics on the environment.

Kenesserie team in fundraising mode

By Michael Bennett Local Journalism Initiative The Ridgetown Independent

Kenesserie Camp has launched a capital campaign aimed at the coming summer to ensure kids can enjoy the camp for decades.

The ‘Solid Ground & Soaring Future’ campaign was created to raise funds for critical infrastructure upgrades needed to keep the camp running well into the future.

The campaign fundraising goal is $500,000, which is broken down into a $300,000 Building Fund, $100,000 Equipment Fund and $100,000 Sustainability Fund. Dan Richards, Kenesserie’s executive director, said $142,000 has already been raised for the campaign from private donors and funding from the United Church of Canada, the incorporated

ministry of the Kenesserie Camp Corporation.

The ‘Solid Ground & Soaring Future’ campaign will fund a new commercial kitchen, relocate cabins, upgrade utilities and continue to help the camp expand safely.

The camp averages about 450 local children each summer and employs upwards of 25 local youth and young adults as counsellors and leaders.

The summer program consists of seven week-long sessions plus a full week of staff training before the camp opens.

“Kenesserie Camp isn’t just about campfires and games; it’s about building lifelong friendships, discovering hidden talents and sparking a love for the outdoors that stays with you forever,” Richards said. “Imagine the impact you could have on a

child’s future by helping Kenesserie continue to create these magical summers for Chatham-Kent children and youth.”

Kenesserie Camp survived not only the pandemic years but a very hectic 2023 when less than a month before the first week of camp, a Chatham-Kent Public Health inspector declared the dining hall, three cabins and staff lounge, the Vesper Point outdoor chapel and campfire pit could not be used due to shoreline erosion safety concerns.

Camp Kenesserie will host an open house on June 2, from noon to 6 p.m. as renovations are expected to be completed for parents and children to see.

Anyone interested in donating to the ‘Solid Ground & Soaring Future’ campaign can go online to kenesserie. com.

Students support ban on single-use plastics

Continued from page 4

Ontario’s Blue Box program, which the students say is a provincial greenwashing tactic, was among the topics studied as part of The Last Straw. According to the group, it allows plastic manufacturers and producers to increase their plastic production under the guise of environmentally friendly services.

Climate change, the fact that plastics don’t break down, and the closure of landfills because they’re running out of space were also examined.

As a result, the art students decided to take further action by writing a letter to Chatham-Kent Leamington MP Dave Epp. The letter calls

on the federal government to support a ban on single-use plastics and a Global Plastics Treaty.

The federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault, is copied on the letter as well.

“We feel that it is unreasonable to financially profit and invest in the plastics industry when it comes at the expense of our future. Many of us feel dreadful about the future and believe there is more that the Chatham-Kent region can do to help,” the letter reads.

“As a farming community, we feel that sustainable environmental practices should go hand in hand with farming practices. In protecting our land, we are prolonging

the fertility of our soil, clean drinking water and air.”

Student teacher and artist Samantha Gurrey, who helped JMSS art teacher Jenn McQuade with The Last Straw project, said it’s key that students learn how art can help fuel change.

“I think it’s important that students can learn that art can give you a voice for whatever social justice practices they are passionate about,” Gurrey said. “You can put your concerns into art and let it speak for itself.”

In order to build awareness, The Last Straw was presented to all 600 JMSS students. Plans are in the works to expand the project to other schools if the interest is there.

Opinion

Camp cost hikes understandable

For parents who utilize the municipally run summer camps, it stinks that fees have shot way up this year.

For everyone else, well, they should not be placed in a position to help subsidize it, except in specific financial cases.

Further, if the sticker shock has you exasperated as a parent, blame municipal councillors more so than Chatham-Kent staff.

In April of 2023, staff sent a report to council recommending a more limited hike on the Stay-N-Play and KIDventure camps. Instead of increases of 123 per cent and 61 per cent respectively, staff proposed hikes of 23 per cent per program. However, council said no and sent the situation to the four-year budget planning process which began last fall.

Sure, there would have been another jump in the price from 2023 to 2024, but with an initial rate hike last year, it would not have been such a shock.

As Kelly Emery, director of children’s services for the municipality, told this newspaper, by running the Stay-NPlay camps at the per-child cost of $61

a week (pre-2024 levels), C-K was not covering the cost. In other words, other taxpayer cash was being used to cover the shortfall, regardless from which reserve the funds originated. There are subsidy programs for people with limited financial ability to help get their children to summer camps. We wholeheartedly approve such programs.

But the notion of other taxpayers shelling out coin to help send the kids of parents who are in much better financial situations is just plain annoying.

Furthermore, the registration process for summer camps, which opened April 22, takes place largely online. When the clock struck midnight, parents could log in. In the past, those camps filled in minutes.

So anyone who could not be online at that time, whether it was for work, family, lack of home Internet or other reasons, chances are you would not have the opportunity to put your children in any of those day camps. It’s an imperfect system, but it is improving.

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Shifting downtown never good in Chatham

Editor: I would like to comment on Chatham-Kent council wanting to take over the Sears building in the Downtown Chatham Centre. This is ridiculous in the first place.

A big portion of the downtown was demolished to build the Downtown Chatham Centre, a white elephant. Some great, well-built buildings were done away with.

Stores moved into the centre and over the years these stores all moved out.

What did the people of Chatham gain? All the old businesses that were here are all gone now also. A man can’t even buy a suit in downtown Chatham anymore. Any store that was any good is all covered up

with paper in the windows now.

Chatham’s downtown used to be a vibrant place anytime of the year, especially at Christmas time. Stores were open Friday nights until 9 p.m.; also late on Thursdays.

The baby skyscraper (Boardwalk on Thames) was supposed to help the downtown; it didn’t. It took too many years to build and that was when a lot of stores closed on the main street.

I have pictures of Chatham many years ago in a scrap book; this is the way Chatham was once. I was proud to live here.

The old city hall was built many years ago along with the museum and the library, also many buildings were

built on the same order of architecture, such as Central School. These buildings stood the test of time. It is because people knew what they were doing when they built them. Also, it was said at a council meeting in January that some councillors were looking at cell phones, texting and laughing and talking and whispering.

Apparently they were not paying attention to some of the delegations and someone in the audience who had a cap on that said, “What happened to protocol?” You people probably won’t listen to the people now either.

David Hamilton Chatham

Little encouragement for business recycling

Changes to recycling and waste collection in the province – at least in terms of who pays for what – is causing problems for property and business owners across the municipality.

If you own a home that has curbside garbage and recycling pickup, don’t try to take anything to a municipal transfer station unless you want to pay for it.

Recently, I went to deposit an old foam mattress topper into a trash bin at a local transfer station, along with some cardboard from our office. The staff told me that they could not accept the materials unless I paid for it. Eventually, seeing the limited amount of what I had in the truck, they let me dispose of it there, but said now that I was aware of the new rules, I’d have to pay if I came back.

Huda Oda, manager of waste for the municipality, said businesses aren’t supposed to take waste or recyclables to a transfer station.

“The environmental compliance approval from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) – they have specific rules on how we run them (transfer stations). It limits who we service,” she explained. “These are essential for residents who do not have curbside pickup, and they are not to service businesses.”

On the business end, as I mentioned in a previous column, people have been stealing garbage totes from businesses and residences in our area in recent months. We’ve lost two already this year, one of which was taken shortly after the Waste Connections Canada truck went by about 7 a.m.

People use the totes as cargo containers for food and beverages

Bruce Corcoran

they are digging out of a dumpster from a nearby business.

So, with that in mind, I was considering just taking the garbage on a weekly basis to the Harwich Transfer Station.

However, as Oda mentioned, the transfer stations aren’t there for commercial businesses, according to provincial legislation.

In regard to commercial recycling, Oda said in a report to council last October that only a small percentage of commercial outlets took part in recycling when it was offered through the municipality. That led to the decision to cut off pickup from those locations.

However, there is now really very little encouragement for those participating companies to continue to recycle.

I contacted the municipality about recycling options for a business, and was told by a customer service representative to “just throw them out” if we couldn’t make arrangements for pickup.

Oda said, with the province stepping in to oversee recycling, it’s left a “gap for industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) recycling collection.

It is up to those sectors to arrange for private pickup options.

Some businesses, especially ones operating on really tight margins, may very well send their recyclables to the landfill.

Oda said that could entail, at most, an estimated 152 metric tonnes

of recycling not winding up where it should go.

She said Ridge Landfill takes more than 36,000 tonnes of garbage from Chatham-Kent each year.

Oda said the ICI recycling participants never included big box stores,

so it’s not like these outlets would be sending massive amounts of cardboard to the landfill.

“Even before the transition, the big box stores would have had their own bins and their own contractors to pick up

their cardboard,” she said.

The impacted business are...small business... the ones who use totes to take their recyclables to the curb for collection.

Oda said the municipality is asking the province

to tweak its recycling collection model.

“What we’re doing in Chatham-Kent is we’re advocating fro the inclusion of non-eligible (ICI) sources, such as businesses,” she said.

Continued on page 8

The Chatham Voice

Seven new initiatives to help connect people to primary health care teams are part of a $6.4-million investment by the province.

According to a news release from the Ministry of Health the goal of the funding is to connect more than 23,000 people to primary care teams in Chatham-Kent, Lambton County and the London region.

The plans include a new mobile bus to connect Indigenous people in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex with Indigenous-led, culturally relevant primary care services in person and virtually.

New mobile primary care ser-

*Price

Recycling will wind up in a landfill Health-care cash reaches SW Ontario

Continued from page 7

“The ministry (of Environment, conservation and Parks) is beginning to at least listen.”

In the meantime, some of us search for options, while others are

vices are also in the works for Chatham-Kent, which will include clinics for respiratory and diabetes management, cancer screening and traditional healers to help provide culturally appropriate care.

Other initiatives in this project include expanding the reach of services in London, Tillsonburg, Elgin County and Lambton County.

Chatham-Kent–Leamington MPP

Trevor Jones said the announcement will “positively impact” the lives of more than 23,000 Ontarians.

“These initiatives underscore our commitment to enhancing healthcare accessibility and promoting holistic well-being across Ontario,” said Jones in a media release.

just trashing their recycling. We don’t need any added pressure on our landfill sites, and surely don’t need any excuses for the provincial government to cut corners to establish new sites.

Warm, Accessible Space to Say Good-Bye

Thank

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$100,000 win Big City Mayors meeting set for June in C-K

The Chatham Voice

Chatham-Kent will have the chance to shine in June when Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) come to town.

The event will bring mayors from 29 municipalities from across the province together to discuss critical matters and policies that impact Ontario’s cities.

The mayors of Toronto, Ottawa, London and Windsor are among those who have been invited to attend.

The province-wide homelessness crisis is expected to be discussed, as well as ongoing and emergent issues, including

housing and infrastructure and provincial/municipal funding.

Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff said the issues facing mayors from large Ontario cities are becoming increasingly relevant to Chatham-Kent as it grows.

“Through the OBCM, we’re at the table with distinguished mayors from large cities across the province, participating in discussion about matters that are critical to the continued success of our community,” Canniff said in a media release.

More details will be made available to the public as the event draws closer, officials said.

Contributed image

Peter Gatfield of Chatham is $100,000 richer following a recent lottery win. He won the cash playing Instant Plinko and purchased the ticket at Queen’s Variety & Laundromat on Queen Street in Chatham.

BBQ icons to hold master class Saturday

By Bruce Corcoran bruce@chathamvoice.com

Local pitmaster Jeff Jenkins is leading a charge to put Chatham-Kent on the barbecue map.

Jenkins, owner of Dog Days BBQ, along with Brandon Davidson of SmoKING BBQ, have several smoking and grilling events planned for the area this year.

The first of which takes place Saturday at the Active Lifestyle Centre in Chatham. About two-dozen people have signed up for a barbeque master class delivered by competitive barbecue heavyweights Moe Cason and Bob Trudnak.

“We are hosting them here in Chatham. It’s our kick off to the barbecue season here in southwestern Ontario,” Jenkins said. Class participants are coming from as far away as Hamilton to take part. Skill sets vary from back-

yard grillers to competitive smokers.

Support for the event comes from the likes of Schinkels’ Gourmet Meats of Chatham, Crossroads Pellets of Blenheim and Bog Line Smokers out of Park Hill, Ont., south of Grand Bend, which is supplying an offset smoker for Cason and Trudnak to utilize for the master class.

For anyone not attending the class, but who still wants to meet Cason and Trudnak, Jenkins said there will be an open house at Dog Days restaurant on Lacroix Street in Chatham on April 25.

“It’s just casual. Come out and meet the guys,” he said.

Cason and Trudnak will be in the area until April 29, Jenkins said, as he plans on taking them on a tour of a number of local restaurants on the Sunday. He said the class and the weekend overall are part

of an effort to raise awareness of barbecuing and smoking in the region. He and Davidson have started the Southwestern Ontario Barbecue Society.

“We’re just trying to build a community of barbecue enthusiasts. We want to offer competition, offer classes and give local companies an opportunity to be part of what we’re doing,” Jenkins said. “We’re just trying to bring something interesting to Chatham-Kent.”

Another interesting event for Chatham-Kent involving meat and grills, as well as beer, is the second annual Barnyard Amateur BBQ Competition at Red Barn Brewing Co. July 26-28.

Jenkins said the inaugural event in 2023 was a one-day affair that saw 4,000 people show up to enjoy food, beverages and competition.

This year, he said six bands will be around to

Competitive pitmasters Moe Cason, left, and Bob Trudnak are coming to Chatham on the weekend to teach a master class in grilling at the Active Lifestyle Centre. Organizers say the event kicks off the grilling season.

entertain while two-dozen grill enthusiasts will compete and local grill

companies will be selling food to the public.

“This is setting the foun-

dation for what we want for years to come,” Jenkins said. Contributed

image

Remembering the Ferguson Opera House

By Pam Wright Local Journalism Initiative pamwrightlji@gmail.com

A grand opera house that played a significant role in Thamesville’s history is about to be immortalized for all time.

On April 28, the community is invited to attend the unveiling of a commemorative plaque in honour of the Ferguson Opera House, an impressive structure that once

stood west of the intersection of Victoria Road and London Road (Longwoods Road).

The two-storey brick building, which housed offices and stores on its main floor, featured a 400seat theatre on its upper level. According to historical records, the venue drew top-notch performers to the East Kent town during Thamesville’s heyday.

Built by the prosperous

Ferguson family in 1887, the opera house was the focal point in an era when Thamesville was at the height of its prosperity with a bustling economy. The Fergusons, a family that emigrated from Scotland, purchased a partially built mill on present day Ann Street. The family flourished and selflessly gave back to their adopted town.

“The Fergusons made a fortune,” said Thames-

ville Historical Society volunteer Chris Crawford. “But they were really community minded and they gave back.”

According to Crawford, the Fergusons founded a private bank and gave out generous loans. If the borrower paid the money back on time, the individ-

ual faced no penalty, and this helped draw people to the town, Crawford said.

Continued on page 13

Contributed image

The storied history of the Ferguson Opera House in Thamesville will be celebrated with a plaque unveiling April 28 at 1:30 p.m. The former structure was located at the current site of the Bank of Montreal and the post office.

Celebrating the life of Randy Coote

He was a man of elegance and style. He was an entertaining raconteur, a symphony-level musician with a sense of humor that shone through even in life’s darkest moments.

He was also my friend.

Randy Coote died last week, his body ravaged by cancer and the effects of years of stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column that left him unable to write for more than two decades.

Before he was forced to retire, he was an excellent crime and court reporter and entertainment editor for the Chatham Daily News. He became known locally as “Mr. Entertainment,” with images of him, his pencil-thin mustache and ever-present fedora or Panama hat, plastered on signs and billboards throughout the city.

If you were an entertainer of note who came through Chatham in the 1990s, he interviewed you. From his humorous discussion with three-time Grammy winner Polka King Walter Ostanek about the possible melding of polka and punk music to his testy exchange with then-Mayor Bill Erickson about his plan to blast crows out of the sky with shotguns, Randy kept the 40,000 or so then-readers of the Daily News informed and entertained.

The stories about Randy are many, but I’ll share one with you that indicates the type of fun we had together.

At this particular time, Randy was one of five editors who worked the very early shift at the Chatham Daily News, starting their day at 6 a.m.

When sports editor Mike Bennett came in to check messages on the

overnight sports line where local teams called in their scores, he came across one from Randy saying that he couldn’t come into work because he was in jail.

It turns out that Randy had been visited that morning by the police who had served him with what was known as a W/C, a Warrant of Committal for unpaid parking fines.

Since he didn’t have the cash, off to jail he went.

His message asked if we could bring money for the fines.

We raided the newsroom coffee fund, threw in a few dollars, and sent Tory James, one of our photographers, to bail him out (after waiting an hour or so to give him a taste of prison life).

On the way back to the paper, Randy asked if anyone but the editors knew about his predicament. Tory lied (as instructed) and said of course no one did.

In the meantime, we had a steady stream of Daily News employees line up in the sports department to hear the message of a very worried-sounding Randy pleading for us to rescue him.

He ended up going through the classified, circulation, and advertising departments on his way to our newsroom, which was at the back of the second floor, as fellow workers along the way had a giggle at his expense.

He had been treated well in jail, having been given breakfast and a pack of cigarettes before he was sprung. They did take his belt and shoelaces (fearing the worst, of

Plaque unveiling

Continued from page 12

The south portion of the Ferguson Opera House was damaged by a fire in 1955 and was eventually torn down in the 1960s. The Bank of Montreal and the post office are now located on the site.

course) while having plenty of fun with their celebrity “guest.”

Randy spent his final days at the Chatham-Kent Hospice marveling at the level of care and compassion he received. He felt special and said that if he was a millionaire lottery

winner, he would give the hospice a good amount of that money because their business model “doesn’t get them a lot of repeat customers.”

Randy took his job and responsibility to the community very seriously but demonstrated to anyone who met him that he had fun doing it.

Rest well, Randy, and hold some bail money for us.

Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is governed by a volunteer, skills-based board of directors, which is responsible for setting policy, establishing strategic direction and monitoring organizational performance. Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is seeking individuals with skills and experience in the areas of:

• Board & Governance Expertise

• Construction & Project Management

• Patient & Health Care Advisory

• Business Management

• Quality & Patient Safety Management

• Finance

• Government/Government Relations/Labour Relations

• Knowledge & Experience in Research

• Ethics

• Stakeholder Engagement

• Legal Expertise

• Clinical Experience

• Health Care Administration & Policy

• Strategic Planning

• Information Technology

Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is firmly committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and to ensuring there is representation from the communities we serve. Chatham-Kent Health Alliance promotes a climate that welcomes, understands, and respects the diversity of our patients, families, staff, volunteers, directors, and community partners.

The plaque is the second to be installed by the Chatham-Kent Heritage Network, with the Chatham Coloured All-Stars in Chatham as the first.

The ceremony to unveil the plaque begins at 1:30 p.m. with a reception to follow at the Thamesville Town Hall Museum.

The Fergusons have left other reminders in Thamesville, including Millsite, Robert Ferguson’s home on Ann Street, and Tecumseh House, the Victorian mansion owned by John Ferguson, which is now the home of the Westover Treatment Centre.

Applicants are invited to bring their skills, experience and enthusiasm necessary to serve on our Board of Directors via this online application. Please send CV or resume directly to Annette Zimmer, Executive Assistant, Governance Coordinator at BoardRecruitment@ckha.on.ca. We will make the necessary accommodations for applicants to support all aspects of the recruitment process. Please notify the governance coordinator at BoardRecruitment@ckha.on.ca if you require assistance with any accommodations. All applications will be acknowledged, held in confidence, and kept on file for future consideration.

Jim Blake

Randy Coote

Honouring Our First Responders

For their courage, skill and dedication, we recognize the men and women whose work as first responders saves lives and protects the greater good. Thank you for your service to our communities!

Let’s hear it for all our police officers.

Every day, they kiss their families good-bye, fasten their duty belts and head out to prevent crime before if happens without knowing if they’ll be able to do it all over again tomorrow. It takes a special kind of courage to be a police offer. They help our kids when they’re lost. They’re on call at all hours of the night to mediate the worst domestic disturbances. They do all the legwork that drives a successful conviction when the law has been broken. It’s not easy to be a crime-fighter and police officer. On a daily basis, officers witness the heart-wrenching destitution and violence experienced by the homeless, the mentally ill and the substance-addicted. They console the parents of missing children and investigate criminal acts. They see the tough side of life that wears people down and that many lucky people in our cities and towns never really have to deal with. But worst of all, they battle negative public perception in the very streets they patrol. Give a big shout out to the more than 68,000 Canadian police officers who carry the badge and swear to keep us safe.

Courage Under Fire We Salute Our Firefighters.

When the alarm sounds, the men and women of our fire departments answer the call without hesitation, saving thousands of lives and homes from devastating fires. For the important role they play in protecting our lives and for their brave and selfless sacrifice, we thank the dedicated men and women of our nation’s fire departments. We gratefully recognize their service to our communities, and we honour the memories of those who have fallen in the line of duty. You are all heroes, and we thank you for all that you do.

Compassion. Support. Caring. Healing. Commitment. Understanding. Comfort.

Words can’t begin to describe the life-changing contributions nurses make each and every day in our healthcare system. Nurses are the backbone of our health-care system, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, they account for almost half of the country’s medical workforce. We would like to take a moment to thank these dedicated men and women who follow the calling to make a difference. Their tireless efforts and hard work as caregivers, advocates, educators and innovators make our community and our world a better place.

Being a paramedic is no small task!

Paramedics are there to ensure emergency medical care is given to those who are sick or injured as quickly as possible. Paramedics are front line workers who must be prepared to handle all sorts of situations - often at their own risk. Thanks to the professionalism and skills of our paramedics, lives are saved each and every day across Canada. When tragedy strikes, paramedics work in conjunction with families to do what is best for the patient and offer the best possible emergency health care. For their courage, skill and dedication, we recognize the men and women whose work as first responders saves lives and protects the greater good. Thank you for your service to our community!

Honouring Our First Responders

For their courage, skill and dedication, we recognize the men and women whose work as first responders saves lives and protects the greater good. Thank you for your service to our communities!

1. Cook a meal

Bringing home-cooked food to the local police or fire station can show the local first responder community that you care. Day-to-day life as a police officer, firefighter or paramedic can be stressful and the schedule irregular, meaning that home-cooked meals may be a luxury that will make these first responders grateful. And if you take the meal over yourself, you have a great chance to say a verbal thanks as well. Of course, since an alarm can sound at any time, it may be best if the meal is one that can be returned to later if the diners have to leave off in the middle.

2. Send a letter of thanks

These days, many people don’t take the time to write letters –electronic communication has driven paper out of favour. This means that sending a physical letter thanking first responders for their service may take on greater importance, feeling more personal, permanent and heartfelt than email. If you gather multiple letters from the community and deliver them all at once, the impression on the recipients could be significant. The first responders in your community will be grateful for your thanks and support.

3. Send a practical gift basket

A gift basket is a classy way to express thanks. If you customize one of these presents to suit the tastes and needs of the local fire department or police force, it could be an incredibly thoughtful choice, one that will make your gratitude clear. Such a basket could include gift cards to restaurants in the area, allowing first responders to relax and unwind with good food between their high-stress assignments.

4. Use word of mouth

When you have a good experience with local first responders, spreading the word either online or in person can do a great service to the department. It’s not a direct thanks to the police, fire and paramedic personnel, but speaking well of these individuals is a gesture of gratitude, one that is easy and impactful.

5. Just say ‘thanks’

Just about every day, you likely pass police officers, firefighters and paramedics going about their daily business. Just saying a simple “Thank you for your service” can be a great way to show that individual you respect and appreciate what he or she is doing for the community. It’s extremely simple, and could make a first responder’s day.

Giethoorn a friend of nature

By Pam Wright Local Journalism Initiative pamwrightlji@gmail.com

Herman Giethoorn’s life-long passion of photographing nature brings him joy.

That passion has taken the Wallaceburg resident around the world and most recently saw him re-

ceive the Sydenham Field Naturalists’ Friend of Nature Award for 2024.

“I love nature,” Giethoorn said in a recent interview. “Over the years I’ve photographed everything from wild birds to wild elephants.”

A founding member of the SFN in 1985, Giethoorn is the longest serving

member of the club’s executive and is also the group’s official photographer.

Weather permitting, Giethoorn can be found outdoors most days, documenting all aspects of flora and fauna.

“I’m still going strong,” the 79-year-old said. “I’m still active and I like to get out as much as I can.”

Born in Dedemsvaart in the Netherlands, Giethoorn emigrated with his family to Wallaceburg in 1956. He attended D.A.

Gordon Public School and Wallaceburg District Secondary School. He acquired his first camera in the mid-1960s and started shooting professionally in the 1970s.

Along with photographing the rich biodiversity of Southern Ontario, Giethoorn’s love of nature took him to West Africa in 1975.

Continued on page 17

Sept

Sept

Oct

Oct

Pam Wright/The Chatham Voice

Wallaceburg photographer Herman Giethoorn takes aim with his camera at Peers Wetland. The life-long nature advocate was recently awarded the Sydenham Field Naturalists’ Friend of Nature Award for 2024.

Shutterbug travels far and wide

Continued from page 16

There, he had the opportunity to take pictures of wild elephants.

In 1980, he took a two-week cruise to the Galapagos Islands to get a first-hand look at animals and plants in the unique environment.

Native to the southern United States, Giethoorn said it must have arrived in Chatham-Kent after being blown off course in a hurricane.

“I’m still going strong. I’m still active and I like to get out as much as I can.”

- Herman Giethoorn, 79

Giethoorn has been all over Canada shooting nature, and has made trips to the United States, including stops in California and Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park. A member of Valan Photos, his professional work has appeared in countless publications around the globe. He has an extensive home library and is keen on identifying the wide variety of species he encounters.

While Giethoorn said it’s hard to choose a favorite plant or animal that he’s photographed, shooting minke and humpbacked whales in Quebec was a highlight.

Rondeau Provincial Park and Pinery Provincial Park continue to be regular stops for Giethoorn, as is Point Pelee National Park.

“There are a lot of volunteer and educational opportunities where people can learn about nature. You can meet people who share your interests and that’s an important part.”

Closer to home, Giethoorn has photographed a number of species of rare birds such as the yellow-crowned night heron.

- Herman Giethoorn

However, Peers Wetland just outside Wallaceburg is his favourite local spot.

“That’s a fantastic place. I’ve photographed thousands of pictures there over the years,” he said, adding the Roberta Stewart Wetland along the Syne River

is another gem.

Giethoorn advises those who are interested in helping nature to get involved, and joining the SFN is a good start. The group regularly undertakes projects to restore natural habitat and hosts work parties to do things such as planting trees and eradicating invasive species.

“There are a lot of volunteer and educational opportunities where people can learn about nature,” Giethoorn said of SFN. “You can meet people who share your interests and that’s an important part.”

Over the years, Giethoorn said he seen attitudes towards nature

improve, but there are exceptions including a lack of respect in natural areas.

“ATVs and snowmobiles ruin things,” he said. “They run over everything.”

Those wanting to see more of

Giethoorn’s work can visit the Wallaceburg and District Museum. The photographer has an exhibit there until April 30, showcasing 40 framed shots in a show called “Flora and Fungi.”

CKHA adds new OB/GYN

The Chatham Voice

The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance has welcomed a new obstetrician and gynecologist physician to the team.

Dr. Abdulhamid Azaghdani has joined the Women and Children’s

department, following a career that took him to Newfoundland and then Qatar for four years, prior to coming to Chatham-Kent.

The doctor said his family is grateful to have learned about Chatham, noting that while moving

a family across the globe can be daunting, they have been well supported.

“I look forward to integrating our family into the community and serving my patients well,” Azaghdani said in a recent media release.

After finishing his medical school training in Libya in 1993, Dr. Azaghdani completed a Fellowship of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in the UK, as well as further training through the Fellowship of the Royal College of

Surgeons in Canada.

CKHA acting chief of staff Dr. Zeke Milkovic said the hospital is pleased to welcome the new doctor to the clinical team and the community.

“He is a great addition to CKHA and will help us further our commit-

ment of delivering patient-and family-centred care to families in Chatham-Kent,” Milkovic said.

Physicians are encouraged to refer patients who are currently travelling out of town, or are on a wait list, to Azaghdani.

ckboomersonthemove@gmail.com

519-354-1836

OLG drops off $1.65M to C-K

The Chatham Voice Municipal officials recently accepted more than $1.65 million from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.

The funds, $1,652,698 to be exact, are the 2024 instalment of host community funding from the OLG. Chatham-Kent is home to Gateway’s Cascades Casino in Chatham.

Since opening the Dresden Slots back in 2001,

the OLG has sent the municipality nearly $17.8 million.

Each year, these funds help offset the costs of all municipally delivered services, as well as fund municipal grants, support for community groups, events, public art, and community initiatives, C-K officials said in a media release.

“OLG is proud to be a vital part of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent,” said Kathleen Devine,

OLG’s senior municipal relations manager, in the release. “Each and every year, 100 per cent of OLG profits are reinvested in Ontario to support provincial priorities. From critical infrastructure to important local programs, to community festivals, OLG’s profits are hard at work in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent and all across our province to build stronger communities.”

Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff said the level of

TUINA CENTRE

& Foot Reflexology)

support never ceases to surprise him.

Contributed image

Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation staff hand over the 2024 instalment for being the host community for Gateway’s Cascades Casino Chatham to municipal officials.

Community Events

Thursday, April 25, 2024:

• Join us for a fun filled afternoon with the Jam Session 1-4:30pm at the Merlin Legion, 519-689-4884. All are welcome with a $2 donatio. From 4-7pm: Homemade Panzerotti + Menu available.

• The Chatham Legion, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham open 11:00am–9:30pm. Kitchen open tfor lunch 11:00am–1:30pm. Come check out our daily specials. Senior Euchre starts at 1:00pm. Everyone Welcome.

• Weights and Cardio 11am-12pm at the ALC. Are you looking to gain strength, build stamina and get your heart pumping? Come join us for a class that will do all 3!

• Singing for Fun on from 12:30-2pm. Are you looking for a welcoming group to come and sing some favourites tunes! Our Singing for Fun group is always looking for a few more to join in! Come check it out at the ALC!

Friday, April 26, 2024:

• The Chatham Legion, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham open 11:00am-9:30pm. Kitchen open for lunch 11:00am-1:30pm. Supper served from 4:00-6:00. No orders after 5:30 pm. Tonight’s specials are liver & onions or fish & chips, $13.00. Take out is also available by calling 519-351-8733 or 519-351- 5639. Fun Darts start at 7:00 pm. Everyone Welcome.

• Come join us at the Tilbury Leisure Centre for Euchre: 1pm (10 Canal St. W)

• Greeting Cards 9am-3pm. Are you crafty? Looking for a creative outlet? We have multiple Greeting Card groups at the ALC! We create new cards to sell at the centre while chatting the day away!

• Friday night supper at the Chatham Moose Lodge, 850 Richmond St. is a breaded pork chop dinner with potatoes, vegetable, salad and a bun. Dine ins $13, pickups $14. All meals ate served at 6pm. Everyone welcome. Please call 519-352-8291 to place an order.

Saturday, April 27, 2024:

• Morning Breakfast Program at First Presbyterian Church (corner of Fifth St. and Wellington). A delicious and nutritious breakfast served free of charge from 9:30am-11:00am, serving indoors, no take out. Wheelchair accessible.

• Bill’s Place Community Space Drop-In. 11am-3pm. Come spend some time in a 2SLGBTQIA+ safe space 48 Centre St., Chatham. Hang out, have a coffee, do your homework, ask a question, read a book, or chat about life or what we’ve been working on. Get some clothes from our Out of the Closet program, use the Community cupboard & more! No RSVP needed! Come & go as you please. All ages & allies welcome.

• Euchre Tournament – Merlin Legion. 519-689-4884. Kitchen opens at 11:30; Registration at 12:15 and play time at 1pm. Join us from 4-7pm for our delicious Merlickin Chicken plus menu.

• Quilt Show at The Mary Webb Centre for the Arts. 1–5pm. Admission $5 per person. Accepting Quilts Thursday and Friday 1-4 pm, Sat. 9-12. Call Marg Eberle at 519-678-3289 or email marywebbcentreevents@gmail.com. Quilts can be picked up after 3:30 Sunday.

• The Chatham Legion, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham open 11:00am-9:30pm. Meat draw at 3:30, 4:30 and 5:30pm. Kitchen open for lunch from 3:00pm-5:30pm. Entertainment by the G.T.O. Band from 4:30-9:30. Come out and check out our menu. Everyone welcome.

• Ridge Players of Ridgetown proudly present ENCORE, showcasing 50+ years of Ridge Players Favorites. 7:30 pm at Erie St. Church, Ridgetown. Tickets are $20.00. Contact Jennifer @ 519-6762242 for further info.

Sunday, April 28, 2024:

• Quilt Show at The Mary Webb Centre for the Arts. 10-3:30. Admission $5 per person. Quilts ca be picked up after 3:30 Sunday.

• Ridge Players of Ridgetown proudly present ENCORE, showcasing 50+ years of Ridge Players Favorites. 2:00pm at Erie St. Church, Ridgetown. Tickets are $20.00. Contact Jennifer @ 519-6762242 for further info.

• Classic Country Jamboree at the Merlin Legion 1:30-5:30 with scrumptious Merlickin Chicken dinner to follow $12.50 (no tax) and includes potato, side, dessert with tea/coffee. Jam entry $5. Singers and musicians free entry. Bring your dancing shoes and don’t miss it!! Call Lori at 519-476-5870

Tuesday, April 30, 2024:

• The Chatham Legion, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham open 11:00am-9:30pm. Kitchen open for lunch 11:00am-1:30pm. Today’s special is spaghetti with meat sauce. Come play Euchre at 1:00 or spend the evening playing Shuffleboard or Euchre starting at 7:00 p.m. Everyone welcome.

Wednesday, May 1, 2024:

• Sprucedale United Church Broasted Chicken Dinner. 493 Victoria Ave., Chatham. Includes all the fixings. 4:30-6:30 pm – drive-thru only. Adults $25.00 –Children Under 12 $10.00. Tickets must be purchased in advance and picked up prior to the event. Please email sprprov@gmail.com with your information or call the Church office at 519-3540060 and leave a message.

• Chatham-Kent Public Library is proud to announce a visit by local author Rick Gray at 1:00pm in the Meeting Room at Chatham Branch. Rick has been gardening since he was a kid, over the years Rick has removed all non-natives from his half-acre back yard in Ridgetown, replacing them with over 300 species of native plants. Enjoy an afternoon listening to Rick and find out how CKPL’s Seed Library can help you get you started as a native gardener.

• The Chatham Legion, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham open 11:00am-9:30pm. Kitchen open for lunch 11:00am-1:30pm. Our daily special is meat loaf dinner. We have Fun Darts at 7:00 p.m. Everyone welcome.

Thursday, May 2, 2024:

• Join the Kiwanis Club of Chatham-Kent as they are off to the Startford Festival Theatre for “Something Rotten” and a visit to the Revival Restaurant. $215 includes Badder Coach from Chatham, prime theatre seats and one great meal at noon. For more info call Cathy Telfer at 519-359-1665 or email bustrips2024@chathamkiwanis.com.

• The Chatham Legion, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham open 11:00am-9:30pm. Kitchen open for lunch 11:00am-1:30pm. Come check out our daily specials. Senior Euchre starts at 1:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

Send your events to bruce@chathamvoice.com or michelle@chathamvoice.com

Fun Stuff

Patients connected to their records

By Bruce Corcoran bruce@chathamvoice.com

Accessing your own healthcare information is now little more than a mouse click or a screen tap away for people in Chatham-Kent.

Well, there is more security involved in that, but thanks to ConnectMyHealth, a new online portal, the public can access their personal health records across multiple participating hospitals in southwestern Ontario, including the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.

There is no charge for the access, and it’s open to anyone aged 16 or older.

Access can come via desktop computer, laptop, or even your mobile device.

Plus, there is no app to download.

Melissa Sharpe-Harrigan, executive transformation lead for the C-K Ontario Health Team, said having access to one’s health-care information can be empowering.

not serve as a potential way for hackers to get into the system.

“It’s incredibly secure. It’s not a permanent record that is left out on the Internet; it’s just a window through to your records.

It adds a level of security,” she said. “There is no direct connection between what you see and the hospital system. It just pulls it over as a view.”

Add to that the fact a user must provide multifactor identification to register and at each sign in, and Harrigan said organizers are “incredibly confident in ensuring patient information is protected.”

“It’s incredibly secure. It’s not a permanent record that is left out on the Internet; it’s just a window through to your records.”

- Melissa Sharpe-Harrigan

“It’s having access to your own information and owning your own health record,” she said. Once registered, individuals will be able to view various types of health records, including lab results, diagnostic tests such as X-rays, MRIs and ultrasounds, and more.

Individuals can also receive email notifications when new results are ready to be viewed, and can also print their health records to easily bring to appointments and for personal record keeping.

In the wake of the October cyberattack that impacted hospitals across our region, Harrigan said ConnectMyHealth will

going back decades,” Harrigan said. “I was able to retrieve the ultrasound images for when I was pregnant with my daughter. She’s now eight years old.”

“Through the portal, you can look at information on your health record from the hospital going back decades. I was able to retrieve the ultrasound images for when I was pregnant with my daughter. She’s now eight years old.”

- Melissa Sharpe-Harrigan

ConnectMyHealth does not limit a person’s ability to access records in just the present day either.

“Through the portal, you can look at information on your health record from the hospital

Being able to look at a bigger picture can allow patients to view trends in their health over the course of hospital and doctor visits through the years.

“For example, you can take your blood work – maybe you are measuring your sugar – and you can see a trend line. You can monitor your glucose journey over the course of that timeline,” Harrigan said. However, the immediate access to test results can be comforting as well. But Harrigan admitted ConnectMyHealth is not for everyone.

“From my vantage point, as a patient, it felt empowering,” the breast cancer survivor said. “I could come to my doctor

visits better prepared. However, some people want their doctor to explain things.

“During my active cancer treatments, I logged in twice a month. It was really reassuring,” Harrigan added.

To register for ConnectMyHealth online patient portal, or for more information visit: info. connectmyhealth.ca.

OBITUARIES

Kenneth “Ken” Charles Blake

72, Saturday, April 13, 2024

Nicholls Funeral Home

Leo Labadie

80, Sunday, April 7, 2024

Hinnegan-Peseski Funeral Home

William “Bill” Teslak

61, Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Hinnegan-Peseski Funeral Home

Randy Turner

Thursday, April 11, 2024

Hinnegan-Peseski Funeral Home

Norma Robinson

93, Friday, April 12, 2024

Blenheim Community Funeral Home

Lionel Gibson

77, Thursday, April 11, 2024

Kendrick Funeral Home

Catherine Bachynski

76, Thursday, April 18, 2024

Kendrick Funeral Home

Craig Spence

22, Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Alexander & Houle Funeral Home

Rose Eletha Welch

85, Monday, April 15, 2024

Badder Funeral Homes

Helen Marie McGaffey

86, Thursday, April 11, 2024

Badder Funeral Homes

Mary Ann Morgan

89, Thursday, April 11, 2024

Badder Funeral Homes

Ronald John LeBlanc

89, Thursday, April 11, 2024

Badder Funeral Homes

Kathleen Marie Van De Wynckel

97, Sunday, April 14, 2024

McKinlay Funeral Home

Ralph Ford 89, Thursday, April 11, 2024

McKinlay Funeral Home

Elizabeth Ann “Betty” Nead 94, Wednesday, April 10, 2024

McKinlay Funeral Home

Susanna Smit

82, Friday, April 12, 2024

McKinlay Funeral Home

Nela Annie Stefina Wednesday, April 10, 2024

McKinlay Funeral Home

Marc Vienneau

70, Monday, April 15, 2024

McKinlay Funeral Home

John Pierce McLagan

76, Monday, April 15, 2024

McKinlay Funeral Home

Peter “Guy” Stewart

78, Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Life Transitions

Edward Stuart Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Life Transitions

Susan Carnell Friday, April 12, 2024

Life Transitions

Wayne Seller 71, Saturday, April 13, 2024

Life Transitions

Randy Coote Sunday, April 14, 2024

Life Transitions

Edwyn Crundwell 90, Monday, April 15, 2024

Life Transitions

Samantha Douglas Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Life Transitions

See full obituaries at chathamvoice.com/obituaries

Help Wanted

Asphalt

ROBERT OUELLETTE

ASPHALT SEALING INC.

• Hot Asphalt

• Pot hole repairs

• Catch basin repairs

• Hot rubber crack repairs

• New driveways, parking lots, etc.

• 24 inch Milling Machine

We carry premium oil based sealer!

BACKHOE, MINI EXCAVATOR, TRUCKING & BOBCAT SWEEPER SERVICE

519-354-9157

Wanted to Buy: Antiques, costume jewellery, gold, silver, coins, military, furniture, tools. We Buy All - Paid Cash. 519-727-8894. Wanted Lessons Beginner Guitar Lessons. Call 519917-2339. Sell your items in the classfieds! Call 519-397-2020

For Sale

Silk Cemetery Saddle Arrangements. Everyday/ Holidays. Ready-to-go. Many colours available. $40. 519-354-3411

Wanted part time “licensed” driver for 1 stop grocery shopping in Chatham. Senior citizen needs “caring and responsible” person to take & return back home from stores. Contains about 3-4 hrs time, roughly 3 times per month, every 10-11 days, going to only 1 store each trip. This is a “paying” job only to the right person. Not a charity trip or use of a volunteer or a freebee scam. Reply by stating first name only, male or female, desired rate of pay for time/ vehicle/gas/etc. Use home phone number when writing me & best time to call you at that number. Write to PO Box #534, Stn. Main, Chatham, ON. #120 Wellington St. N7M 5K6.

Ministry

Redeemer of Love Ministry has a Christian male support group for males struggling with sexual addiction. Coffee and bible study weekly. Prayer line open 12am-7pm daily and a fellowship pot sharing meal on Sundays at 6pm. A house based ministry call Doug for more info 519-354-3532, if not in, leave a message, your call will be returned.

Saturday, May 4th

Preview: 8:00am, Auction Starts: 9:00am Tractor 1070 Case, Massey Ferguson 3165 backhoe, 2 upright air compressors like new, Lincoln welder, lg. tool box on wheels, drill press table model, Mercury boat motor, scrapper blade, snow blower, battery charger, 2 power washers (1) is new, large homemade gas lawn roller, generator, chain falls, 12 Massey Ferguson lawnmower with rototiller, chop saw, tanks & welding torches, antique pedal car, grinder, electric sander, Delta planner, Dewalt drill, router, saw, band saws, shop vac, model trucks & cars, Coca Cola cooler, Mcdonalds toys , lg quantity of dolls, 2 model airplanes (life size), wood clamps, extension ladders, many old motors, water pumps, transmission jack, lg quantity of tools (new) Go to this website for pictures & more info www.murrayknappauctions.com

TERMS: CASH OR CHEQUE WITH PROPER I.D. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCIDENTS DAY OF SALE. No Buyers Premium

MURRAY KNAPP AUCTIONEER 519-727-8894

Classifieds

In Memoriam Celebration of Life

In memory of our brother ARTHUR WILSON who passed away

7 years ago - April 25

Brother, always on our mind, forever in our hearts.

We love and miss you, your sisters.

Obituary

Celebrating the life of Jeannine Grin

March 21, 1958 - December 3, 2023

Obituary

Van De Wynckel: Kathleen Marie (née Van Meighem)

Susan Patricia Carnell of Chatham passed away Friday, April 12, 2024 at the Chatham Kent Hospice. Born in England, Susan was the devoted daughter of Robert and Jessie Beard. Loving wife of Richard Carnell and cherished mother of Sean Carnell and Rachel Carnell. Beloved grandmother of Christian Carnell and Brandon Carnell. Sister of Anita MacFarlane. Susan enjoyed her studies in flowers and secretarial work at College in England. Sue also enjoyed the Deer Run Golf Club women’s league for many years. Susan was also fond of gardening, sewing and music by the Eagles, along with the oldies from the 70’s & 80’s. She had special memories of many trips back to England and will be interred there later in the summer.

May 4th, 2023

12:00 noon - 4:00pm

Links of Kent

120 Indian Creek Rd W, Chatham

Kathleen passed away peacefully on April 14, 2024 at St. Andrew’s Residence, Chatham at the age of 97. Born in Wheatley, July 5, 1926, daughter of the late Prosper and Rosalie Van Meighem. Kathleen will be joining her beloved husband Andy. Married in 1950, she kept her lifelong partner for 74 years, missing him dearly everyday since his death in 2013. Loving mother to daughter Rosey and Bill Bourne and son Rudy Van De Wynckel. Her two cherished grandsons Tory and Andrew (A.J.) McAlorum. A.J. and wife Nancy gave her two great grandchildren Grace and Aiden. She never thought she would be so lucky to be a great Nanny. Kathleen is survived by sister-in-laws Annette LeClair, Alice Vanek and Georgette Van De Wynckel. Predeceased family; a sister Isabelle and Morris DeDecker, brothers in law Oscar LeClair, Robert Vanek, Rene, John, Richard Van De Wynckel. Kathleen and Andy were lifelong farmers in Raleigh township. Living on their farm by the lake since 1957. She could bake and sew and knit and make anything but gardening was her passion. Flowers and vegetables. She could grow anything, often bringing home a piece of a flower or root in her pocket from an unbeknownst garden. In retirement they travelled. Kathleen read about every place they visited by researching articles in National Geographic. Once even telling an agricultural tour host in California that she had read his article and he shockingly replied “yes that was my writing!” For many years they belonged to the Kent County Street Rods where every summer weekend created wonderful friendships. In 2017 Kathleen moved to St. Andrew’s Residence with Dr. James Wheeler’s medical care. Unwillingly yes, not wanting to leave her farm and gardens. But within a very short time she became so comfortable and thankful for the kind, caring, compassionate staff that she reminded us constantly that “no one received better care than her”. During her stay she listened to over 500 audio books, thanks to Michelle and CNIB. The family wishes to extend our sincere appreciation to Dr. James Wheeler, the amazing staff at St. Andrew’s Residence, Chatham Kent Library Home Service Michelle, Bayshore Nurse Shayna, VON PSW’s, and to family and friends who visited her. Your kindness will never be forgotten. Donations would be welcome in Kathleen’s memory to Canadian Cancer Society or Literary Angels Chatham-Kent Library or St. Andrew’s Residence. Online condolences may be left at www.mckinlayfuneralhome.com. McKinlay Funeral Home, 141 Park Street, Blenheim. 519-676-3451.

Wayne Arthur Seller, 71, surrounded by his family and watching the Masters, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 13, 2024, after a brief battle with cancer. Devoted husband of 51 years, Wayne is survived by his loving wife Dianna Seller (Moore) and daughters Kimberly (Jin) Seller-Park and Wendy Seller. He was a proud Papa to Kaitlyn, Lily and Marcus and Buppa to Alexis, Mya, Kylie and Isabella. Brother to Elizabeth (Robert, deceased) Cruse and Barbara Bedell, brother-in-law to Wes (Sandy) Moore, Aaron (Valerie) Moore and Colleen (Dale) Galbraith. Wayne is also survived by many nieces and nephews. Wayne is predeceased by his parents Arthur and Florence Seller. Wayne retired from Union Gas after 42 years of dedicated service. He was an avid golfer and member of the Indian Creek/Links of Kent golf club for 33 years, during which time he achieved 4 hole-in-ones. He enjoyed travelling to many countries around the world. Wayne will be missed by many and will always be remembered as the man of little words. Cremation has taken place. The family held a private service on Friday, April 19, 2024. Friends planning an expression of remembrance are asked to consider donations to the Chatham-Kent Hospice or the local Junior Golf Program. Arrangements entrusted to Life Transitions Burial and Cremation Service Inc.