Pam Wright/The Chatham Voice
Experts say the size and style of the nails in this piece of wreckage that washed ashore recently in Erieau indicate the piece likely came from a large sailing schooner that was built in the 19th century.
Vessel’s remains could be from 1800s schooner
By Pam Wright Local Journalism Initiative pamwrightlji@gmail.com
The remnants of a wooden ship that recently washed up on the beach at Erieau has piqued the interest of local residents and maritime historians.
That’s according to former Erieau harbormaster Jeff Vidler who reported
the wreck to officials at the Kingston-based Marine Museum of the Great Lakes, as well as the University of Michigan.
“They think it was a cargo vessel about 270 feet in length and it could be from a wreck that’s unknown.”
- Erieau’s Jeff Vidler
“They’ve said it’s a very significant find,” Vidler
Daniel Rose, collections and programs co-ordinator at the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes, called the discovery of the section of wooden ribs unique.
“It’s definitely a fascinating piece,” Rose said. Continued on page 3
told The Voice, noting the 35-foot piece that’s been uncovered likely comes from a wooden schooner built around 1850 or after. “They think it was a cargo vessel about 270 feet in length and it could be from a wreck that’s unknown.”
Jeff Vidler/Special to The Chatham Voice
Ship wreckage draws interest far and wide
Continued from page 2
He noted the size and design of the nails indicate it’s part of the hull of a sailing schooner, probably built in the mid-to-late-19th century, prior to the introduction of steel-hulled ships around 1900.
“This comes from a time when ships connected this part of the continent to the rest of the world,” Rose explained.
Rose said that in order to pinpoint the ship’s age the wood needs to analyzed with a mass spectrometer, which can pinpoint when the boards were taken from a tree, narrowing it down to within five to 10 years of when it was built.
“Carbon dating technology has taken a huge leap,” Rose said, adding the equipment is utilized for specialized studies at universities.
According to Rose, the waters of the Great Lakes act as a “fantastic preservative,” noting the wood lasts much longer underwater than it would if it was exposed to air.
Vidler, a navy veteran who served for 25 years, said a local historian has expressed interest in preserving the boat, but there are plenty of logistical issues to consider.
“We can try and get it removed off the beach to save
he said, as another winter gale could see the lake reclaim it.
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Jeff Vidler/Special to The Chatham Voice University and museum experts in Michigan and Kingston are taking a big interest in the remains of a ship recently washed ashore in Erieau.
Tougher encampment laws coming
By Pam Wright Local Journalism Initiative pamwrightlji@gmail.com
It’s not yet clear how it will benefit Chatham-Kent, but new provincial legislation aimed at cracking down on encampments and open-air drug use is being welcomed by Mayor Darrin Canniff.
To place an order please visit our website or call 519-352-2831 We deliver locally to Chatham-Kent ($6.00 delivery fee) or pick up at South Chatham Village (40 Elm St.) Friday’s 11am-12pm or New Life Thrift Store (202 Queen St.) Saturday’s 10:30-12:30pm
According to a media statement released by Premier Doug Ford Dec. 12, the government is stepping up with new funding and enforcement tools for police to address the burgeoning homelessness problem and make parks and public spaces safer for Ontarians.
“I’m happy to hear about this,” Canniff told The Voice following the announcement, noting it means municipalities will not have to take the drastic step of using the notwithstanding clause to clear encampments.
“It’s the best of both worlds if we don’t have to do that. Moving forward, we’re getting some additional help to deal with the problem.”
Canniff was one of 12 Ontario mayors to sign a letter to Ford advocating for the use of the clause to deal with encampments. The move proved to be controversial, sparking backlash against using the notwithstanding clause from Ontario’s legal community, as well as other elected officials across the province, including five Chatham-Kent councillors.
When commenting on the new rules, Ford said the public deserves better.
“Mayors and residents from communities across Ontario have been clear that enough is enough when it comes to encampments and illegal drug use in our parks and public spaces,” Ford stated. “Families deserve to enjoy their local parks and playgrounds without fearing for their kids. People facing homelessness or addiction and mental health challenges should be supported in the right settings.
The federal government’s approach of legalizing dangerous drugs for use in our communities has failed and it needs to end.”
The new measures will see an additional $75.5 million invested to further support homelessness prevention and provide people living in encampments with access to reasonable
alternative accommodation. The money comes on top of the $700 million already funnelled to homelessness prevention programs annually, as well as $378 million that will be dedicated to addiction and recovery treatment (HART) hubs.
Chatham-Kent has made an application for a HART hub but locations have yet to be decided by the province.
Tougher legislation related to safety around encampments is also coming under the Safer Municipalities Act, which includes amendments to the Trespass to Property Act, applying to private business, offices, stores, hotels, parks and vacant land. If passed, the amendments will strengthen penalties for people who deliberately and continually break the law by way of continuously trespassing, with penalties taking place through the courts.
The Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act will, if passed, permit police and other provincial offense officers to direct people using illegal substances to leave the public space. Tickets may be issued or arrests may be made. Penalties could include fines up to $10,000 or six months in prison.
The government is also exploring new judicial approaches that offer rehabilitation as an alternative to incarceration related to minor or non-violent drug crimes.
The breakdown in funding includes a $5.5-million top up to Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit to free up shelter spaces and assist those living in encampments to secure housing; $20 million to expand shelter capacity and create temporary shelters; and $50 million for ready-to-build affordable housing projects.
Notwithstanding clause
By Pam Wright Local Journalism Initiative pamwrightlji@gmail.com
Even with changes announced by the province over the handling of homeless encampments, opposition to Premier Doug Ford’s proposed use of the notwithstanding clause to clear such encampments is increasing.
At a recent Chatham-Kent council meeting, North Kent Coun. Rhonda Jubenville gave a notice of motion asking fellow councillors to oppose the province using the clause in any form, saying it tramples upon the basic human rights of Canadians. The notice of motion was expected to come before council for a vote at the Dec. 16 council meeting.
As of press time, Jubenville, along with councillors Alysson Storey, Morena McDonald and Michael Bondy have all signed a letter joining councillors from across Ontario asking Ford to forego use of the clause. The letter
comes on the heels of a letter signed by 12 mayors –including Chatham-Kent’s Darrin Canniff – endorsing the premier to use the clause.
The notwithstanding clause is needed because of a decision in January 2023 by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Justice M.J. Valente ruled that the Region of Waterloo could not use a municipal bylaw to evict people living in an encampment in Kitchener because that bylaw was deemed to be in violation of Section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
A letter to the premier against using the clause signed by more than 450 people in Ontario’s legal community has also been submitted in protest.
In earlier reports, Canniff said he signed the mayors’ letter on behalf of himself, not the municipality, noting he sees using the notwithstanding clause as another “tool in the toolkit.”
Jubenville said she’s con-
cerned about the use of the notwithstanding clause because she is a “firm supporter and believer” in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The councillor said she’s concerned that the rights of those who live in homes outweigh those of Canadians who exist without one.
“I think it is a very slippery slope,” Jubenville told The Voice.
Storey has also expressed her misgivings and the tone of Ford’s comments regarding the clause.
“I’m uneasy with that type of messaging and where it might be leading,” Storey said. “We cannot bypass local democracy to suspend Charter rights. I understand and share the frustration and concern of elected officials from across Ontario about encampments in our communities. It’s a stark reminder about the lack of attainable housing, the lack of access to mental health services and lack of addiction services.”
A hotbed of fundraising
The power of theatre, and community support, was on full display this fall.
Chatham Coun. Michael Bondy, who studied the notwithstanding clause concept in university, said using the clause is a “massive over-
reach.
“I pray it doesn’t happen,” Bondy explained. “We don’t need to eliminate any of our charter rights.”
When the curtain fell on the last show, the effort had raised nearly $25,400 for Four Counties Health Services Foundation. The funds will go towards
The Crossroads Community Players put on a series of performances of “Hotbed Hotel” in November at the Thamesville United Church.
the purchase of a portable ultrasound unit for Four Counties’ emergency department.
The price tag on such a unit is $55,000, so the theatre fundraising has them close to halfway there.
The Chatham Voice
Opinion
Yes, Virginia
Editor’s note: The following edito rial is a reprint of the classic 1897 editorial from the New York Sun, a response to a letter from an eightyear-old girl questioning if Santa was real. It’s a Christmas classic. Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except what they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas, how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus? You
might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are, unseen and unseeable, in the world.
You may tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus? Thank God he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
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Traffic concerns in Chatham’s Birdland
Editor: Being a Chathamite who has returned from world travels, I find this idea of building a large complex in the middle of Birdland full of unknowns.
Yes, I live not far from this area and I do shudder to think of all the traffic that this complex on Lark Street will generate.
We in Birdland are already faced with congestion along Baldoon, especially from the courthouse traffic. This, plus the people who try and save 10-20 seconds by speeding down Baldoon as a shortcut rather than going around, makes it a really busy
area at certain times.
Speed bumps would be a great idea but, I doubt politicians would consider this.
In my opinion, we are building mostly for out-of-towners who are looking for a cheaper place to live. This is not a popular opinion, but it’s mine.
the world, I can say that Chatham offers a small-town, easy-going-city vibe. Let’s hold onto that at least for a while.
Believe me when I say that adding more cars and people to this quiet area is going to be problematic.
A good idea also would be that if you are going to build this complex, make the developers incorporate energy efficiencies like solar and heat pumps, at least. Yes, the developers will make less money, but who cares?
Having lived all over
Why not do an opinion poll of people who will be affected, or is that too democratic?
Beware of politicians and developers bringing good tidings and cheer. All will be good, or it might not be.
David Marinigh Chatham
Photo brought back memories
Editor: I wanted to take a moment to share how much I appreciated the Nov. 21 edition of The Chatham Voice.
Since moving into my new home at Chatham Retirement Resort, The Voice has become part of my weekly routine. On Nov. 20, I decided to grab a copy and was delighted to see the feature on Michelle Wright. Seeing her story brought back a wonderful memory for me. In 1982, my husband and I won tickets from BX93 in London to see Michelle perform early in her career. Not only did we thoroughly
enjoy the show, but we also had the incredible opportunity to meet her afterward. She graciously signed a picture for us – a treasured keepsake to this day.
It’s amazing to see how far she’s come since then. Back then, she was a local up-and-coming artist, and it was exciting to witness the beginning of her journey. Thank you for featuring such heartwarming stories that reconnect us with fond moments of the past.
Elaine Loree Chatham
Share the pain
Editor: Thanks a Lot, Rick Williams. (Re: “Reader wishes to break up C-K,” a letter to the editor in the Nov. 21 Chatham Voice.)
So, you would have Chatham residents pay all the taxes for council’s pet projects? Not fair. Don’t you realize how high our taxes will go while you’re sitting pretty?
but have a heart! Keep in mind that socialism is the shared misery of all (Winston Churchill).
Bryan Marino Chatham
I agree council is out of control with their pet projects, unrestrained spending with absolutely no thrift or accountability in sight,
May Christmas deliver the
gifts
Editor’s note: Churchill, in the house of commons in October of 1945 actually said, “The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings. The inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.”
Opinion
Reader wants comparison done his way
Editor: Our citizen’s group is requesting council’s support of a notice of motion that will serve to ensure Chatham-Kent’s current services can be sustained.
On Oct. 21, council adopted its asset management plan overview document. Under provincial legislation the municipality is required to identify and address its
stewardship costs for delivering services to the public. Key takeaways from the report include:
• Adopting a full lifecy cle approach is critical to ensure C-K considers the entire lifecycle cost when it acquires assets. Often, assets are acquired without understanding the long-term and cumula-
tive costs of ownership that it will place on future generations.
• Once C-K acquires an asset, the municipality must fund the remaining lifecycle costs, such as operations, maintenance and likely inevitable renewal. These other lifecycle costs are far more significant than the initial construction
or purchase cost and are often multigenerational.
• Since lifecycle costs are spread across multiple decades, Chatham-Kent must approach its asset planning with a longterm view to ensure it effectively manages the assets and assists in making informed choices.
• Currently, the 10year funding gap for the non-core assets is
$407,150,000. Non-core assets include such categories as police, fire, ambulance, facilities, libraries, public health, Riverview Gardens, social housing, transit, recreation and waste service.
• This amount will only be compounded further once the core assets funding gap is completed.
In that same Oct. 21 meeting, council agreed to advance the Community Hub project another $2.2 million. This HUB project will increase the size of the current footprint of the Civic Centre, Chatham library and museum by 52 per cent. The additional footprint is a new asset for C-K, equivalent to almost two new Chatham libraries, that was not included in
the AMP report, nor were the lifecycle costs identified.
Our citizenry is very concerned that we are missing the big picture. We have spent so much time being singularly focused on a hub project that consists of three assets, that we have missed the clear message from the report that the basic services that we currently enjoy across C-K are under attack and cannot be sustained.
We are requesting immediate action to address this issue, and to cease all unnecessary expenses until a robust financial plan is in place that ensures current services can be sustained.
John Cryderman Chatham
Holiday Jam returns Dec. 28
The Chatham Voice
Music and hunger relief are in the air.
The annual Holiday Jam
for Hunger event takes place Dec. 28 at Sons of Kent.
The show, which features a host of local per-
formers, is a fundraiser in support of Outreach for Hunger, and Hope House Chatham-Kent.
This musical tradition
Independently Owned & Operated
started in 2004 and has continued every year since, spending two years online in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
“All of the participating musicians have strong connections to Chatham-Kent and generously share their talents to benefit Chatham-Kent organizations.”
- Organizer Alysson Storey
shows have raised close to $34,000 for local charities.
Ashley Wilton Sales Rep 519-437-7564 Elliot Wilton Sales Rep 519-358-8755
Organizer Alysson Storey said local musicians are quick to offer their support.
“All of the participating musicians have strong connections to Chatham-Kent and generously share their talents to benefit Chatham-Kent organizations,” she said in a media release. “It’s thanks to them the annual Holiday Jam for Hunger
With the news earlier this year from Chatham-Kent Public Health that one-in-five families in C-K have to choose between food and rent every month, it’s clear the need is greater than ever.”
Many of the participating musicians have been involved with the Hunger Jam over the years, with a new band joining the line-up this year.
Headlining the event is the Soul Remedy Or-
chestra, featuring Bryan McLellan, Don McLellan, Toby O’Hara, Clancy O’Hara, Finn O’Hara, Cal O’Hara Joel Tomlenovich.
“This band features some of the most experienced and in-demand musicians in Chatham-Kent,” Storey said.
“The dance floor is always full when they start to play.”
The Dave Trinca Xperience (DTX), and 40 Hours Over will also be performing.
Sons of Kent Brewing and an anonymous donor are sponsoring this year’s event.
Holiday Jam for Hunger starts at 7 p.m. and admission is by donation.
Christmas ‘squirrels’ take to the streets
By Jim Blake jim@chathamvoice.com
In what has become a beloved seasonal tradition in Wallaceburg, 90 runners took to the streets on Dec. 7 to celebrate the Christmas spirit of giving.
The 13th annual Jingle All the Way Run raised approximately $1,800 to donate to the Elder Tree program which will provide 50 senior citizens in need with various items, including ornaments, cards, and personal items.
Participants in the 5K run dressed in all manner of Christmas garb and finished the event at the Black Goose for breakfast.
Karen Eddleston founded the event at the Power Attic Gym with her running group known as the “Squirrels.”
“A group of girls would run and we called ourselves the Squirrels be-
cause when a car would come along, we would just scatter to the side of the road like squirrels,” she laughed. “We ran in Sarnia for a while but then realized we could just do this at home. We started with 44 people and we try to cap it at about 90 people or so.”
Eventually, the group partnered with the Defiance Running Club and Mark Childs, owner of the Black Goose.
“We used to collect canned goods and donate them to charity but now it’s so much simpler when we collect money because it can be used to buy exactly what’s needed. It’s just so much more effective.”
Funds for Elder Tree are also raised through a penny sale organized by Tina Vilaranda at the Canadian Belgium Dutch Club.
“Tina does a lot of
shopping for the seniors who will be getting help through Elder Tree,” she said.
“We’re just some good people out for a run for a good cause, “she said. Mark Childs said “being
alone at Christmas is not fun, and if our gift bag (made by a local sewing club) can remind them
that someone cares, then mission accomplished. There is a lot of goodwill in our community.”
Jim Blake/The Chatham Voice
Ninety runners took to the streets of Wallaceburg recently for the 13th annual Jingle All the Way run. This year, the run raised funds for the Elder Tree project.
Black Excellence nominees sought
Chatham Voice
nomination time for the 2025 Black Excellence Awards.
A joint venture involving the Black Excellence committee, along with Buxton’s Next Generation
(BNG) and Buxton National Historic Site & Museum, the event features awards and a gala.
The awards will celebrate the black community and the greater community in the following categories: Female of
the Year, Agriculturalist of the Year, Youth of the Year, Male of the Year, and Black-Owned Business Citizen of the Year.
“We are excited to announce that we have increased the youth of the year category. We felt it
was important to break up the age brackets to better represent the youth on our community,” Michelle Robbins, co-chair and curator of Buxton National Historic Site and Museum, said in a media release.
Nominations will close, Jan. 18. Winners will be announced at the gala on March 1.
To nominee a worthy individual or business you can do so by filling out the form found on the Black Excellence Awards Facebook page. “It’s important to note that people can be nominated posthumously and also on that night we will be recognizing our Trailblazer Award, our most prestigious award,” cochair Doug Robbins said.
News
Doc recruitment coin approved
By Pam Wright Local Journalism Initiative pamwrightlji@gmail.com
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent has entered the “Hunger Games” of physician recruitment in Ontario.
At its Dec. 9 meeting, council approved a lengthy multipronged motion brought forward by South Kent Coun. Anthony Ceccacci that will see Chatham-Kent up the ante to try and attract new doctors.
“The main goal of this is to try and get us in the game as a municipality,” Ceccacci told council as communities across the province are competing for new physicians through incentive programs.
“We’ve heard the numbers. We know how stark of a reality it is,” he said, noting there are more than 30,000 residents who are without a family doctor or nurse practitioner. “Anything
at this point is better than nothing.”
West Kent Coun. Melissa Harrigan, who helped craft the motion, said the new incentives allow for transparency and the municipality can modify the program in the future if need be.
“This gives those who are working in primary care recruitment a really great base to work from, as Coun. Ceccacci said, to really get in the game and be competitive and also give a bit of runway,” she said, adding she wants new doctors currently training in Chatham-Kent to know they’re welcome in Chatham-Kent and that the community wants them to stay.
But on the flip side Chatham Coun. Brock McGregor said direct incentive programs are difficult to compete in.
“Unfortunately, we are not just competing against municipali-
ties, but against the provincial government itself as well,” he said, noting the province offers incentives of $80,000 to $125,000 for doctors to practise in Northern Ontario, with some communities adding up to $80,000 more.
McGregor said it’s important to recognize C-K is competing in this game because new doctors are a limited resource.
“It’s been throttled by the provincial government after years and years and years of not training enough family doctors,” he said, as well as ineffective incentives.
“As a municipality, we can’t solve that problem,” he said, noting that even the president of the Ontario Medical Association said incentive programs are a “Hunger
Games style of framing,” pitting communities against each other.
The approved motion will see the municipality draw $420,000
from strategic reserves to fund a primary care family physician incentive reserve of $140,000 annually for the remainder of the 2023-27 multi-year budget.
Hot food and hospitality
Pam Wright/The Chatham Voice
The true meaning of Christmas was evident at the Spirit and Life Centre in Chatham recently in Chatham where a team of Interfaith Caring Kitchen volunteers cooked and served a sit-down holiday meal for some 300 residents. According to Don Brosseau, who oversees the kitchen, this year’s menu featured roast beef with all the fixings. Among the servers were Barbara Brady of St. Ursula’s Catholic Church, left, and Linda King of Blessed Sacrament. The event began as a joint effort between local Catholic parishes and the Chatham-Kent Muslim Association.
Need help managing your electricity bills? Programs like the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) and the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP) offer financial support to eligible households. Applications are still open, and eligibility expanded this year. Now is the perfect time to review your eligibility and apply before the year ends.
Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)
LEAP offers an annual financial grant to help low-income households manage overdue electricity bills and avoid disconnection. Qualified customers can receive up to $650 annually ($780 if your home is electrically heated). Eligibility is based on household income and size.
Assistance is only available if you are behind on your bill – or in arrears – and at risk of having your service disconnected. You cannot receive more than your outstanding bill amount. As a result, you may not receive the full grant in one application; however, you can reapply multiple times within the year until the grant is fully used.
To apply, customers can contact one of the following social agencies for assistance:
Chatham-Kent: Salvation Army Family Services 19 Raleigh Street Chatham (519) 354-1430
St. Thomas: St. Thomas Elgin Social Services
230 Talbot Street, St. Thomas (519) 631-9350
Strathroy-Caradoc: The Salvation Army Community Services
71 Maitland Terrace, Strathroy (519) 245-5398
OESP provides ongoing monthly credits on your electricity bill, ranging from $35 to $75, based on household income and size. Higher credits are available for households that rely on electric heating, use medical devices, or have Indigenous members.
income eligibility thresholds were raised this year by up to 35%, expanding access to more families.
- $71,000
If you’re receiving OESP but haven’t reapplied since changes took effect on March 1, 2024, you may qualify for a higher creditconsider reapplying.
Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP) Income thresholds & credit amounts, effective March 1, 2024: Visit ontarioelectricitysupport.ca to view credit amounts for electrically heated homes, review eligibility requirements, and to apply.
As this year draws to a close, our familia at Mamma Maria’s Ristorante want to thank our amazing customers and community - your support has been overwhelming and we are excited to continue serving you this holiday season and into 2025. From our family to yours, we wish you a healthy Merry Christmas!
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Supporting The Business Community in Chatham-Kent for over 35
Dear readers and advertisers
We’d like to use this space to express our sincere gratitude to all our readers and advertisers. Your support is the lifeblood of The Chatham Voice.
To our advertisers, thank you for choosing our publication as a means to spread the word about your business. You are the reason we’re able to keep providing the members of our community with the quality coverage they need and deserve.
To all of our readers who turn to us every week for the latest local news and stories, thank you for being there. We do it all for you.
As we approach the dawn of a brand new year, our mission remains the same as ever: to give the Chatham-Kent community a voice. Thank you, once again, for allowing that voice to be heard.
NOTICE: The Chatham Voice will not be publishing on December 26, 2024
Our office will be closed from December 24 until December 27 at 9:15am to give our team time to spend time with their families.
Merry Christmas to All
Christmas tour well attended
By Jim Blake jim@chathamvoice.com
More than 160 Christmas-loving people attended the annual Catherine McVean Chapter IODE Christmas House Tour in Dresden Dec. 7-8.
Karen Melton, one of the organizers, said seven homes were on the tour, a mix of town and country properties.
“We’re delighted with the event this year, she said. “We had people from Dresden and Wallaceburg but we also had people from as far away as Brights Grove and Leamington.”
Melton said after last year’s tour was canceled, there seemed to be a re-
newed interest in the event.
“Some homes had to pull out late last year and we couldn’t get replacements in time. We already have five homes confirmed for next year, so the future looks very good,” she said.
The tour has been held for about a decade and is a fundraiser for the many projects sponsored and supported by the IODE.
“We don’t earmark the tour proceeds to any particular project,” she said.
“We support the schools in town, food banks, the women’s shelter, Meals on Wheels, and several other things. We’re small but mighty and wherever we see a need we try to help.”
DOWNTOWN DENTAL
Contributed image
The home of Kathy, Mike and Heather Brown was one of the homes featured on the recent IODE Christmas House Tour in Dresden. The tree decorations are a combination of special family keepsakes dating back 100 years and travel acquisitions gathered from around the world.
P2C offers a route to homeless support
The Chatham Voice
A team of partners has developed a pathway for Chatham-Kent’s homeless to access essential medical and social supports.
The Pathway2Care (P2C) initiative, put together by partners from various corners of the Chatham-Kent
Ontario Health Team (CKOHT), the program involved a diverse team of health and social service professionals. That team provides person-centered care, bridging gaps between hospital and community resources, according to a media release from Medavie Health Services, one of
the CKOHT members. Partners in P2C include Reach Out Chatham-Kent (R.O.C.K), the Municipality of Chatham-Kent housing services, the Canadian Mental Health Association of Lambton-Kent (CMHA), the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) and the Chatham-Kent EMS.
Renee Geniole, executive director of R.O.C.K., said the team effort is an excellent approach.
“R.O.C.K. is grateful for the opportunity to work with community partners in creating safety nets for people experiencing houselessness in new and innovative ways,” she said in a media release.
“Surrounding those with complex needs with such a rich and supportive team will have impacts that we may never fully realize.”
The P2C program supports individuals transitioning from hospital to the community by helping to ensure they have the resources needed for their recovery, thus reducing the likelihood of hospital readmissions.
The team, made up of a paramedic, housing stability worker, and peer-2peer leaders, collaborate to address any immediate health concerns and the social determinants of health, such as housing and emotional support.
will have significant impact on the lives of the members of our community,” she said.
P2C began with the launch of its outreach clinic in September. Every Wednesday afternoon from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at R.O.C.K (at 39 Richmond St. in Chatham) the P2C team provides drop-in health, housing, and peer support.
Since its launch, the outreach clinic has connected with more than 40 individuals, offering immediate support and connections to local health and social services.
Jennifer Crowell, supporting housing supervisor for the municipality praised the collaboration concept of P2C.
The P2C program expanded later that month to include an in-patient hospital collaboration. For community members who provide consent, the process begins with a referral from the CKHA social work team to the EMS community paramedic program.
“Bridging the gaps in services and providing the individual with a supportive team from various organizations allows them the opportunity to improve their health and wellbeing. This program
From there, the P2C team steps in to deliver integrated support tailored to the needs of each individual.
Hope Haven gets its overnight funds
By Pam Wright Local Journalism Initiative pamwrightlji@gmail.com
Chatham-Kent council has agreed to help the unhoused stay warm this winter.
At the Dec. 9 council meeting, elected officials approved a request from Hope Haven seeking $65,000 to keep the shelter open overnight until March 1.
A handful of heartrending deputations were made at the outset of the meeting, imploring council to support the request.
One came from Julie McLachlin, a woman living in her car with no family, who told council keeping the centre open at night may mean the difference between “life or death.” McLachlin asked councillors to close their eyes and imagine having no food, no warm clothes, no money, nothing to drink, no shelter, noting the wind and cold can make “every inch of your body hurt” and hypothermia is a real possibility for those sleeping outdoors.
The ability to stay warm is a “basic human right,”
she added, stressing the fact the unhoused are not “garbage” or “throwaways.”
Reach Out Chatham-Kent (R.O.C.K.) Missions executive director Renee Geniole, who spoke in support of the request, said keeping Hope Haven open during cold winter nights is the “best option to potentially save lives,” by lending a hand to some of “our hardest to serve citizens.
“This is a temporary solution that takes some pressure off and allows people a lifeline that we
weren’t going to be able to offer before now,” she said.
Chatham Coun. Alysson Storey, who put the motion forward following a recommendation from C-K housing services program manager Kim Crew, said the deputations “really brought home” the issues facing Chatham-Kent.
In her work representing C-K with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Storey said every community in Canada is facing the same “intractable” problem and all are “desperate” to fix it.
“We need more support from the federal government and from the province,” she said, adding she appreciated the “strength and courage” of the people who made deputations.
Chatham Coun. Amy Finn, who seconded the motion, echoed Storey’s comments.
Finn, who visited Hope Haven during its first week of being open overnight, said people are very appreciative they have a place to come in from the cold.
According to Jodi Guil-
mette, Chatham-Kent’s general manager health and human services, the funding boost for Hope Haven will be covered entirely by the province though its Homeless Prevention Program budget.
Guilmette said the money is part of base funding it receives from the government, but there has been no dollar increase even though the need continues to rise.
Hope Haven is open daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and nightly from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. The overnight service began Dec. 1.
Pam Wright/The Chatham Voice Chatham-Kent
Federal homeless funding held up
By Pam Wright Local Journalism Initiative pamwrightlji@gmail.com
Chatham-Kent council has given unanimous support to a motion seeking federal cash to help address encampment and homelessness issues here.
Put forward by Chatham Coun. Brock McGregor at a recent council meeting, the request to the Ministry of Housing, Infrastructure and Com-
munities was made because of what he calls a “lack of co-operation and action” between the province and the federal government. Ottawa has already earmarked cash for projects related to encampments and homelessness.
According to McGregor, Ontario communities are currently unable to access the “significant” funds right now because the province has not signed an agreement with the Govern-
ment of Canada. However, he said Sean Fraser, the federal minister in charge, has stated he will step around the issue and work directly with Ontario municipalities.
“This is a fairly simple actionable item,” McGregor said in speaking to the motion. “This is one of those unfortunate examples when politics gets in the way of helping people. I think that the intention is to work with some larger municipalities, but I hope Chatham-Kent, with our significant need, can make a case here that we should be part of this program as well.”
Image courtesy Metro Creative Graphics
Chatham-Kent council wants the municipality to work around the provincial government to access funding to help the homeless.
C-K council backs guaranteed income
By Pam Wright Local Journalism Initiative pamwrightlji@gmail.com
A motion brought forward asking Chatham-Kent council to support a Basic Income Guarantee (BIG) program for Canada prompted some big discussion at a recent council meeting. Ultimately, council voted 15-3 to support a resolution advocating for a minimum secure income for Canadians over the age of 17 to help address the many health and societal problems resulting from poverty and income inequality.
Brought forward by Wallaceburg Coun. Carmen McGregor, the lengthy motion builds on the work of the Chatham-Kent Food Policy Council that indicates support is necessary to reduce household food insecurity. Heavily associated with negative health outcomes, food insecurity is experienced by one-in-five households in Chatham-Kent.
In speaking to the motion, McGregor said the Senate is currently examining Bill 33. Introduced in 2012, the bill is intended to create a national framework to guarantee a “livable basic income.
“I believe that we can afford a guaranteed basic income,” McGregor told council. “What we can’t afford is the health costs and continually abandoning people to poverty and homelessness.”
The BIG program could build on other support programs that are in place, she said, as such a program would allow those affected to “fully engage in society.”
Currently, single people on Ontario Works receive $733 a month, with $390 of that designated for rent costs.
The Basic Income Pro-
gram was piloted in Thunder Bay, Hamilton and Lindsay in Ontario, and was very successful, McGregor said, before ending because of Covid.
However, North Kent Coun. Rhonda Jubenville said that while she appreciates the spirit of the motion, she couldn’t get behind it because of Canada’s federal debt.
“Right now, our federal debt is over $1 trillion,”
Jubenville said, questioning whether the government is to print or borrow more money, noting a BIG program will lead to devaluation of the Canadian dollar, further taxation and a shrinking labour force.
rigan said council needed to support the C-K Food Policy Council’s recommendation, noting many are in need of greater supports.
“We’re here in Chatham-Kent and we need to make decisions about
our neighbours in Chatham-Kent,” Harrigan added, noting partisan politics needed to be set aside for this decision.
Chatham Coun. Brock McGregor also voiced support, saying people are currently people “leg-
Instead, said Jubenville, there should be programs to get people out working instead of free handouts.
“Universal basic income is a risky and relatively unknown experiment which could have a large and negative impact on our society and our economy,” Jubenville stated.
South Kent Coun. Ryan Doyle said he couldn’t support a basic income program and that current social assistance programs should be expanded instead, pointing out that abuse of Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) funding made it difficult for employers to find workers.
“The amount of small business owners I talked to that couldn’t find workers, because they were sitting at home on CERB, on the free money they were getting is crazy,” Doyle stressed, noting increased taxation could push more people into homelessness.
Following further discussion, C-K Mayor Darrin Canniff stressed that council was supporting a concept, not a detailed request.
In her comments, West Kent Coun. Melissa Har-
Free Food Resources throughout Chatham-Kent
islated into poverty” in Ontario.
“We need government to look at solutions to lift people out of poverty,”
McGregor said, noting that as society we need to “do better.”
East Kent Coun. Morena
McDonald also offered her support for the basic income, pointing out that Canada already funds similar programs such as old age security and the child tax credit with both providing “incredible benefit.”
Business
Lions roar in support
immensely grateful for your patronage.”
The Lions Club has been pouring in support for victims of the fire this summer at 99 McNaughton Ave. in Chatham.
The club has greeted returning residents with Food Basics gift cards of $150 each.
Nina Marie’s will remain open until mid-January.
In all, the club raised nearly $19,000, with $18,000 of that being used to purchase the gift cards.
The local Lions say it was possible thanks to donations from local residents, the Chatham Royal Canadian Legion, and Lions Clubs from London to Winsdor.
“ Food Basics was fantastic and gave us break in the cost,” Lions officials said in a media release. Once everyone has returned to the building, the Chatham Lions are going to wrap up the support with a welcome-back BBQ lunch.
“I can’t even imagine what each of them has gone through, but they have held up despite all,” Lion Cynthia Hiatt said. “Some lost everything. We will continue to do what we are able.”
Hot meal for Christmas Quo Vadis in Chatham is opening its doors on Christmas Day.
The restaurant will be serving a hot meal for those in need. Hours on Dec. 25 are from noon to 3 p.m. for the meal.
End of a fashion era
Nina Marie’s in Chatham is closing down.
Marie Anderson, who closed her Blenheim store in 2019, said she’s retiring and shuttering the Chatham boutique.
“After almost four decades in the fashion industry, I have decided to retire,” she said in a media release. “The journey has been incredible, and I am
Anderson hopes someone with a passion for fashion steps up and continues operating the store.
Swifties tea time
Mrs. Bell’s Tea Room will be hosting a special tea party for all the Taylor Swift fans in Chatham-Kent.
The event will feature music videos on the screen, some Taylor trivia, making a card and friendship bracelet, and tea and treats.
The tea party, named Swiftie Par-Tay, will be held on Jan. 4 with 2 seatings, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Call 226 627-0248 to reserve a
table or book online at www.mrsbellstearoom.
com
Everyone is encouraged to wear their Swiftie gear, as a prize will be awarded to the best fan outfit.
Continued on page 29
The Chatham Voice
Contributed image
Lions Club members Jim Faubert, Cynthia Hiatt and Elda Faubert showcase just a few of the $18,000 worth of gift cards the club has purchased for fire victims at 99 McNaughton Ave. in Chatham.
Community Events
Thursday, December 19, 2024:
• Afternoon Jamboree at the Merlin Legion from 1-4pm, Bring your singing voice/instruments and join us for a great afternoon. Donation welcome.
• Noon Hour of Concerts of Seasonal Music with Nancy Tapley and Donald Poole. 12:15-1:00pm at Holy Trinity St. Paul’s Anglican Church, 81 Selkirk St. (at Victoria), Chatham. Come and relax from the bustle of the season and listen to seasonal music with local Chatham Musicians. Bring. your lunch, listen, come and go as you wish. Free admission.
• Come join us at The Chatham Legion, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham from 11:00am–9:30pm. The kitchen is open to serve lunch from 11:00am–1:30pm. Come check out our daily specials. Senior Euchre starts at 1:00pm. Everyone is welcome.
Friday, December 20, 2024:
• Come join us at The Chatham Legion, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham from 11:00am–9:30pm. The kitchen is open to serve lunch from 11:00 am–1:30pm. Supper will be served from 4:00–6:00. No orders after 5:30pm. Tonight’s specials are Cabbage Rolls 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.
• The Wallaceburg Brass Quintet & Friends present A Holiday Celebration at Trinity United Church, 750 Wellington St., Wallaceburg. 7:00pm. Donations accepted.
• Scrumptious Perch and/or Chicken Dinner with choice of potato & coleslaw plus dessert. Served from 4:30 – 7 pm at Merlin Legion. 5 pc perch $20 – perch/chicken combo $20 and 3 pc chicken $15.50. Contact 519-689-4884 for more information. Take outs also available.
Saturday, December 21, 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.
• Come join us at The Chatham Legion, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham from 11:00am– 9:30pm. Line Dancing lessons from 10:00am to 12 noon. There will be meat draws at 3:30, 4:30 and 5:30pm. The kitchen is open from 3:00pm–6:00pm. Come out and check out our menu. Entertainment by Allen James band from 4:30-9:30. Everyone Welcome.
• The Mary Webb Centre for the Arts will be welcoming the Voiceprints Choir to help us celebrate the Christmas season with a special fundraising concert for our local Food Bank. This choir of 41 singers, a director and a keyboard accompanist will be performing two 45minute sets filled with popular Christmas music and carols. Tickets are only $15 plus a donation of non-perishable food items or monetary donations for the local food bank. Doors open at 6 pm. Concert is at 7 pm. Tickets available at local vendors and at marywebbcentre.ca.
• Join us at the Merlin Legion for Karaoke Bob – 7-11pm. Meal special with 1 lb wings, burger or jumbo hot with beer or alcoholic drink $11.50. Please call 519-689-4884 for more information.
Sunday, December 22, 2024:
• Join us at the Merlin Legion for a Classic Country Jamboree followed by a cabbage roll dinner $13 with potato, coleslaw, dessert with tea and coffee. No Frills meal & Hamburgers also available so bring your dancing shoes and don’t miss the fun event. Please contact 519-476-5870 to book your spot. Take outs also available 5 entry with musicians/singers. Free.
Tuesday, December 24, 2024:
• Come join us at The Chatham Legion, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham from 11:00am–6:00pm. The kitchen is open to serve lunch from 11:00am–1:30pm. Today’s special is Spaghetti with meat sauce. Come play Euchre at 1:00 Everyone is welcome.
Friday, December 27, 2024:
• Come join us at The Chatham Legion, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham from 11:00am– 9:30pm. The kitchen is open to serve lunch from 11:00am–1:30pm. Supper will be served from 4:00–6:00. No orders after 5:30pm. 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.
• Beef on a bun with sides $12.50 – take out also available at the Merlin Legion, 2 Stanley St. Call 519-689-4884. Don’t miss the delicious dinner!!
Saturday, December 28, 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.
• 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.
• Come join us at The Chatham Legion, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham from 11:00am– 9:30pm. Line Dancing lessons from 10:00am to 12 noon. There will be meat draws at 3:30, 4:30 and 5:30pm. The kitchen is open from 3:00pm–6:00pm. Come out and check out our menu. Entertainment to be announced from 4:30-9:30. Everyone is welcome.
Tuesday, December 31, 2024:
• Come join us at The Chatham Legion, corner of William & Colborne St. Happy New Year’s party tickets for dinner & dance is $50 each purchased at the Legion Bar. There will be no entry for the dance only. Doors open at 4:00 pm, dinner buffet at 6:00 pm Entertainment by Big City from 7:00pm to 12:30am.
Fun Stuff
68. Young domestic sheep
69. Football players need to gain them
70. Witness CLUES DOWN
1. Dormant Peruvian volcano
2. Norwegian composer
3. Indicates location
4. Pubs
5. Unable to walk easily
6. Electronic warfare-support measures
7. World leader
8. Midsection
CLUES ACROSS
1. Miller beer variety
4. Member of people inhabiting Bering Sea islands 9. Stomach 14. Investment vehicle 15. Fictional soccer coach Ted 16. Irregular in botanical parlance 17. Cease standing 18. “American Horror Story” actress 20. Grow milk teeth 22. Plant parts 23. Snow house 24. Most contemptuous
28. Note to repay 29. Old English 30. Wings 31. Financial institutions
33. Parks and Lopez are two
37. Mr. T’s “The A-Team” character
38. Relative biological effectiveness (abbr.)
39. Give off
41. Semitic alphabet letter
42. Farm state
43. Actress Sarandon
44. Back parts
46. Zoroastrian concept of holy fire
49. Touchdown
50. One point north of due east
51. Refurbishes
55. Silver and Dogg are two
58. Former Tigers catcher Alex
59. Type of envelope
60. Seriously considered
64. Unhappy
65. Past (archaic)
66. Asian wild dog
67. Old English letter
9. Jewish calendar month
10. Urological condition
11. A small quantity of anything
12. Mountain Time
13. Affirmative
19. Word element meaning ear 21. Carried away
24. Short-billed rails
25. Newborn child
26. Sword
27. Groups of people
31. Prickly, scrambling shrubs
32. Become less intense
34. Polishes
35. Indicates position
36. Songs sung to one’s beloved
40. The 12th letter of the Greek alphabet
41. Insects
45. Israeli politician
47. Pre-digital
48. Roaming
52. Ambience
53. Brew
54. Late
56. Make ecstatically happy
57. Semitic alphabet letter
59. Blend
60. Dash
61. Self
62. Exclamation of satisfaction
63. Hill or rocky peak
Campbell Toyota in new hands
Continued from page 27
A Hamilton dealership group has purchased Campbell Toyota.
Parkway Motors Auto Group acquired the dealership earlier this fall.
Campbell Toyota has been a cornerstone of the Chatham community, family-owned and operated for three generations.
Two key members of the Campbell Toyota family, Jeff Brewer and Bob Brewer, remain with the dealership as general manager and service manager.
“We are honoured that Wayne and Carrie Carroll, who have been exemplary stewards of Campbell Toyota, have entrusted us with this responsibility,” said Ilya
Pinassi, president of Parkway Motors Auto Group, in a media release.
• Business Voice is a bi-monthly column in The Chatham Voice that highlights some of the achievements made and efforts underway in Chatham-Kent’s business community. Send your information to bruce@ chathamvoice.com.
Improved diagnostic hours, screening at CKHA
The Chatham Voice
Diagnostic imaging efforts at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance are shifting.
Breast cancer screening, as well as hours for diagnostic services, are expanding.
In terms of mammographies, Adam Topp, president and CEO of CKHA, said the province widened the scope
to cover people aged 40-49, and the alliance reacted.
CKHA has two new mammography technicians, and Topp reported the imaging team has had, as of Dec. 2, done more than 100 tests on individuals in that age bracket.
Wait times sit at about 22 days, he said, which are the shortest in the Erie-St. Clair
region.
On top of the breast cancer screening, diagnostic services in general will have expanded hours for walk ins in Chatham and Wallaceburg.
Topp said in Chatham, the X-ray and ultrasound hours for walk-in patients are expanded to 5 p.m. from 4 p.m.
In Wallaceburg, those hours extend to 8 p.m.
Robert J. “Bob” Spence
91, Sunday, December 8, 2024
McKinlay Funeral Home
Theresa “Terry” Villemaire
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
McKinlay Funeral Home
Mary Louise Hawley
95, Wednesday, December 4, 2024
McKinlay Funeral Home
Loretta Amy Maceyovski 66, Sunday, December 8, 2024
McKinlay Funeral Home
Bruce Ronald McWhirter Friday, November 22, 2024
McKinlay Funeral Home
Margaret Eva Sloan 96, Monday, December 9, 2024
McKinlay Funeral Home
Gregory Eugene Shreve 91, Tuesday, December 10, 2024
McKinlay Funeral Home
Michael Seney
65, Saturday, December 7, 2024 Life Transitions
Keegan Wright 25, Saturday, December 7, 2024 Life Transitions
John Kostuk
81, Sunday, December 8, 2024 Life Transitions
Edna Gownlock
101, Sunday, December 8, 2024 Life Transitions
Sharron Cooper (Kozlof) 73, Sunday, December 8, 2024 Life Transitions
Wayne Unsworth 80, Monday, December 9, 2024 Life Transitions
Claudette Morin
87, Wednesday, December 12, 2024 Life Transitions
Ellen Holmes
84, Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Nicholls Funeral Home
Lucy “Anne” Moreland
83, Friday, December 6, 2024
Nicholls Funeral Home
Colleen Orton
69, Sunday, December 8, 2024
Nicholls Funeral Home
Jeffery “Jeff” Houle
54, Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Nicholls Funeral Home
Bill English 92, Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Blenheim Community Funeral Home
Collin Stass Jr.
47, Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Hinnegan-Peseski Funeral Home
Andre Morton 37, Thursday, December 5, 2024
Hinnegan-Peseski Funeral Home
Ian Smith 34, Sunday, December 8, 2024
Hinnegan-Peseski Funeral Home
Willy Wiebe
49, Thursday, December 5, 2024
Kendrick Funeral Home
William Armstrong 90, Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Kendrick Funeral Home
Isaac Knelsen 54, Thursday, December 12, 2024
Kendrick Funeral Home
Jenny Walker 98, Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Alexander & House Funeral Home
Georgette Paula Vanpraet
87, Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Badder Funeral Home
See full obituaries at chathamvoice.com/obituaries
Thinking of you at Christmas
HELENE NORWOOD (BROWN)
Aug. 30th, 1923 – Dec. 23rd, 2016
Hard to believe eight years have passed! I miss you SO much! You were such a Wonderful Mother & Human Being! Love You Always! Diane
from your
you
Remembering Family at Christmas
While the ache of your loss never leaves, it’s profoundly felt at Christmas. We miss you so much Your loving wife, Beth and your loving daughter, Alisha
Age Jan (John) Vanderheide ~ 1989
Elisabeth Vanderheide ~ 2010
Bob Holling ~ 2012
Patricia Rylett ~ 2013
Elisabeth (Betty) Jariett ~ 2018
Christmas Memories
Francis McGivern October 27, 2017
When snowflakes dance on winter winds And coloured lights shine Christmas cheer, When children’s laughter fills the air And family gathers from far and near, I try to celebrate with them And not let my hurting show, But the empty spaces within my heart, At this season, seems to grow. Till often times it fills the days And many night times too, With aching thoughts and memories of Christmases I spent with you So for now I’ll wipe away the tears And join with loved ones dear To celebrate this Christmas time, For I know that, in my heart, you’re here.
Loved & missed Laura,
family
Joseph McGivern
March 1942 - August 2023
We used to love this time of year but now everything I see reminds me just how much I wish that you were back here with me
For it’s little things I notice that so fill my heart with pain such as reading Christmas greetings with no mention of your name. And its lights may still be twinkling but the tree’s forlorn now, too because underneath its branches lay no gifts from me to you
But wheverever you are, dear Husband I hope somehow you will know that you’re in my thoughts this Christmas for I’ll always love you so Love Leona and family
Patrick
Shane, Jenny &
Dave (Webby) Webster
Merry Christmas to Jim & Ron
big brother Ken. I miss
guys
Wayne George Lachine
Grace Couture 1948 - 1995
Kim Robinson
Cherie Cartier 1969 - 2022 Dillon Dale 1992 - 2024
isn’t the same without yous. We miss you everyday. Love Jason
