Essex Free Press - February 13, 2020 by Essex Free Press

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www.YouHear.ca Thursday, February 13, 2020

Vol. 140

A LOOK INSIDE ETFO strikes outside EDHS PAGE 2 _______________ Municipal roads key issue during special town meeting PAGE 11 _______________ ECHRS displaying 1980 explosion exhibit over the month of February PAGE 9 _______________ Amherstburg Freedom Museum celebrates Black History Month PAGE 11 _______________ U of W presents EDHS’s new esports team with $1000 donation PAGE 20 _______________

Looking For A Good Home

“PRINCESS” See Page 5 for adoption info.

Issue No. 06

519-961-9285

New Station #2 fire hall in the works - it is hoped shovel breaks ground this spring -

“We made it the most economical we could, with future growth in mind.”

Plan 2017-2021 highlighted the location of Fire Station # 2 should be looked at to improve response times. He said with the largest population of the area located in McGregor, which is where many of the firefighters live, Arnel does expect this new location will provide for better response times. Around a year ago, Essex Council awarded the Request for Proposal for Prime Consultant Services for McGregor’s new Fire Station to Architecttura Inc. Architects in the amount of $105,830.40. Getting the new facility started is not a fast process, Arnel noted. Last April, a Steering Committee for the project was created, and consists of firefighters and residents of McGregor. Since its formation, the Steering Committee members have looked at locking down what the design for the new facility would have to entail. Arnel said, though the design has been completed, architects are now working on the construction drawing. It is hoped to get the Request for Proposals for construction of the building will out shortly. The plan is to have 2.5 bays included in the new facility, with indoor parking for five fire service vehicles, which will be larger than the current facility. It will also have an exhaust system,

- Rick Arnel Essex Fire Chief

Continued on Page 2

Essex Fire Chief Rick Arnel displays the plan that is working towards implementing a new fire hall in the McGregor. area

by Sylene Argent Representatives of Essex Fire & Rescue and the Town of Essex have been working toward building a new fire station in McGregor for quite some time. It is hoped construction on the new 8,000-square foot Fire Station # 2 facility will start this spring. Essex Fire Chief Rick Arnel said the new facility, once built, will no longer be in Gesto, but will be located at 3575 North Malden Road. In April of 2018, the Town of Essex approved the purchase of

property at the corner of County Road 15 and North Malden Road for the future station. The decision to acquire the property was a result of the Facility Audit Report on Station # 2 that Stephenson Engineering Ltd. conducted in November of 2016. The Facility Audit Report determined the current facility does not meet the needs of Essex Fire & Rescue Services. Issues outlined in that 2016 report included a the lack of space in the current station, the lack of a proper exhaust system

in the station’s apparatus bay, and the lack of an area to store and decontaminate personal protective equipment, a functional kitchen, and change rooms. Arnel said the Master Fire

2 I Community

by Sylene Argent On Friday, members and supporters of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) picketed at various points throughout the Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB), including at Essex District High School. ETFO declared twodays of full-service withdrawal for Thursday, February 6 and Friday, February 7. These strike dates impacted all GECDSB elementary schools, according to publicboard.ca. Friday’s strike was hosted as part of the rotating strike across the Greater Essex County

Essex Free Press

I Thursday, February 13, 2020

ETFO strikes outside EDHS more generous benefit plans,” in regards to the ETFO strikes. “We firmly believe students should be in class, and we continue to stand ready to negotiate and reach a deal Ontario students deserve,” he added. If an agreement has

District School Board area. On Thursday, ETFO hosted a province-wide strike. Brittany Beneteau, a Captain with the ETFO in the GECDSB said, “We are defending and standing up for public education.” Collective bargaining with the province had broken off. “From ETFO’s perspective, fair contract talks must include: appropriate funding for Special Education; a strategy to address classroom violence; maintaining our internationally recognized Kindergarten program; and fair hiring practices,” ETFO President Sam Hammond stated in a news

not been met, another province-wide strike is planned for this Tuesday and another rotating strike is planned for the GECDSB area on Wednesday. In addition, according to publicboard. ca, the GECDSB members of the Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers’

Federation (OSSTF) will stage a one-day strike on Thursday, February 13. This will also require the closing of all GECDSB elementary and secondary schools. Friday is a PD day for both. Beneteau said the ETFO received a lot of support during its strike.

New Station #2 fire hall in the works...

release posted on etfo.ca on February 4. Beneteau said Ontario has a word-class educational system, and teachers and educational assistants will fight for it for present and future generations. According to Ontario Newsroom, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, stated “Our government has put forward reasonable proposals at the negotiating table, including a commitment to maintain full-day kindergarten, and it is deeply disappointing parents are still seeing repeated escalation at the expense of our students to advance higher compensation, including

Continued from Front Page

and will house a larger training room that will accommodate all of Essex Fire & Rescue’s around 60 firefighters at the same time, which will lead to more consistent training messages. The burn units, currently house at the Essex Water Treatment Plant, which are used also by neighbouring fire services and St. Clair College’s training program, will be moved to the North Malden location. The Steering Committee, Arnel said, decided the new facility will have a gender-neutral wash and shower facilities, with individual stalls. Arnel is hoping the new facility will be ready for use before this Christmas, but noted it is difficult to predict construction periods. “We’re all excited,” Arnel said of the

project. “We made it the most economical we could, with future growth in mind.” In the 2020 Town of Essex Budget, which has been approved in principal to date, $2.7M has been allocated to longterm debt and other funding sources for the new Station #2 Fire Hall. The Town of Essex has not yet determined what will become of the current Station # 2 fire hall, once it is no longer occupied by Essex Fire & Rescue. Arnel added that when looking at future budget projections, the Town currently has $2.5M projected for 2024 for an upgrade for Fire Hall # 3, which is located in Harrow. This station, he said, was deemed to be too small and not adequate for today’s fire apparatuses.

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Thursday, February 13, 2020 I

News I 3

Essex Free Press

Municipal roads key issue during special town meeting

Essex Council reps met to discuss various town issues during Monday’s special meeting.

by Adam Gault Essex Council held a special Council meeting on the evening of Monday, February 10. During the roundtablestyle meeting, discussions on a variety of Town issues were held in a more candid forum than a regular Council meeting. A first for Council, one of the primary ideas behind the meeting was to discuss Townrelated issues between Councillors in a conversational setting to

determine if they should be brought forward more formally in the regular Council chambers. “I think that this is something that Council has been batting around for awhile,” Essex CAO Chris Nepszy said of the evening’s proceedings. “What I understood the intent to be when we talked about these roundtable discussions was to have a forum for Council to have an open, casual discussion about items that you might not feel fit bringing up in

Council Chambers.” With that, the dominating theme of the special meeting was the subject of municipal roads, in line with recent discussions of the state of several Town roads being key issues at recent Council meetings. Citing extensive traffic counts on major Town roads over the last decade, there was a discussion on how to prioritize which roads are in most urgent need of maintenance, with one potential idea being

to enact a five-year plan to approach the issue. “We’ll start something, a top 10, top 20 list, and come back with those costs and those ratings,” Nepszy said, as direction was given to bring back a new Roads Assessment this coming summer. “[Administration] will then walk [Council] through the state of our roads and where they fit, urban and rural, and try to get some data back to you.” Continued on Page 6

4 I Opinion Essex Free Press

Editorial &Opinion

I Thursday, February 13, 2020

Howling at the Moon ••• Comment by Sylene Argent ••• Keeping history in the present

Serving Essex and the surrounding communities since 1896.

Published Thursdays as an independent weekly newspaper, owned and operated by The Essex Voice Limited. A London Publishing Corporation Publication OFFICE HOURS: Mon. - Thurs. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. OUR STAFF Sandy Kennedy / Andrew Beaudoin - Office Jessica Azar - Graphic Design / Social Media / Production Lana Warwick - Graphic Design Greg Belchuk - Advertising Sales Manager Sylene Argent - Editor/News Reporter Shelley Beaudoin - Graphic Design / Production

CIRCULATION The Essex Free Press is an audited publication with controlled circulation of 10,000.

DELIVERY Delivery concerns can be addressed by contacting our office during regular office hours at 519-776-4268

ARCHIVES The Essex Free Press has been digitized from 1895 to 1968 and is fully searchable at http://ink.ourontario.ca.

OPINION & COMMENT The opinions expressed on these pages are those of their original authors and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Essex Free Press, its Editor or Publisher.

LETTER POLICY The Essex Free Press welcomes letters to the editor on topics of interest to our readers. Letters should be typed or neatly handwritten and present the issues as clearly as possible in 300 words or less. We reserve the right to edit for length, grammar, and legal considerations. All letters must contain the name, address, and daytime phone number of the writer for verification purposes. Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. If you have a legitimate concern and cannot sign your name to a letter, please contact the editor to discuss alternative means of handling the issue.

I love it when there are historical events going on in Town. These types of events are typically my favourite things to cover for the Essex Free Press. Though history is in the past, there is always something new to learn. I am always impressed with the information people are able to dig up on local historical events, or on historical events that locals were involved with. I wish my brain had the capacity to remember those interesting facts and figures more accurately. I sometimes feel like I am learning information for the first time, when I know I have heard the material before, whether it be from covering an event or watching an interesting documentary. I wish local history was added to the high school curriculum. I have always said this. I remember being in high school, thinking nothing significant really happened here. Boy, was I wrong. Two British soldiers, James Hancock and John Dean, were captured during the Battle of River Canard during the War of 1812, I believe Hancock fired the first shot and would become the first British man to die of the War of 1812. Those who lived along County Road 50 during this era could have also heard the cannon fire of the Battle of Lake Erie.

In addition, rum running was common during prohibition as alcohol was smuggled across the Detroit River, the Underground Railway ended locally, and so on. Right here in Essex, we had two major explosions, one in 1907 and the other in 1980; the latter historical event is currently being highlighted at the Essex & Community Historical Research Society (ECHRS) until the end of the month. There are also thousands of service men and women who fought in Canadian conflicts or served their nation during peacekeeping missions from our own neighbourhood, who had or have their own stories to tell. I am a documentary watcher, and I am grateful my natural instinct is to turn on a program that helps us all to remember the sacrifices men and women made to protect our freedoms before settling on a sitcom or reality show. When I get to write about historic events, especially those about WWI and WWII, it is always my mission to ignite a deep interest in others about these eras, like I fortunately have had ignited in me. We have so much to be grateful for, including the right to strike, such as teachers and other educators are doing presently for a number of reasons. The Town of Essex will recognize Heritage Week from February 17 to

23, which is celebrated provincewide. This year’s theme is “Bringing the Past into the Future,” and will include the presentation of Essex’s Heritage Preservation Awards during the Regular Council Meeting on Tuesday, February 18, starting at 6:00pm at the Essex Civic Centre. On Wednesday, February 19, historical storyteller, Seamus Gunn, will present “The Birth of Essex” at Essex District High School, beginning at 8:30 am. In addition, Youth Community Heritage Preservation Awards will be presented to two students. Finally, on Thursday, February 27, local historian Richard Herniman, will make a presentation at the Harrow Early Immigrant Research Society (HEIRS), titled “Harrow’s Hidden History,” which will start at 1:30pm at the Harrow Arena. I hope those who can attend any of the aforementioned events will take advantage of learning from these opportunities, in addition to heading down to the Amherstburg Freedom Museum to see the “Journeys” exhibition, which is on display in recognition of Black History Month.

ADVERTISING Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of an error, the portion of the ad occupied by the error, will not be charged for, but the balance will be paid at the usual rate. It is the responsibility of the advertiser to check an ad on first publication, and the publisher accepts no responsibility for errors in multiple insertions. The Essex Free Press reserves the right to reject or edit any advertisement likely to offend community standards. Display Advertising Deadline: Friday at 2:00 pm

Commentary - OFA

Agriculture is a big player in climate change mitigation by Drew Spoelstra, Executive Member, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

COPYRIGHT The entire contents of The Essex Free Press and its website, including but not limited to layout composition, artwork, news copy, editorial copy and photographs, are protected by copyright. No portion there of is to be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the specific permission of the publisher.

The Essex Free Press

Office: 16 Centre St. Essex, Ontario Mail to: P.O. Box 115 Essex, Ontario N8M 2Y1

Phone: 519.776.4268 Fax: 519.776.4014

email: contact@essexfreepress.com

www.essexfreepress.com

Ontario’s farmers are leaders in innovation and adaptation. This is evidenced not only in the way we embrace technology, but also the farm practices we use to ensure that we are competitive, sustainable, and profitable – not just for 2020, but for the future generations that farm after us. Many Ontario farmers have invested significantly in environmental stewardship initiatives to mitigate the impact of climate change, that also provide positive long-term benefits to our water, soil, and air quality. Conservation tillage, using cover crops in rotations, and planting wind breaks are activities that the farming community has largely embraced. These actions demonstrate our ongoing commitment to not only improving soil health but also to sequester carbon to help address climate change concerns. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is working to ensure farmers and the agri-food industry

are recognized, and fairly compensated for their work to mitigate the effects of climate change. On-farm stewardship activities have been generating carbon offsets for many years. OFA is particularly focused on raising awareness throughout the industry and all levels of government about the positive contributions agriculture makes in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Current carbon pricing policies are intended to provide economic disincentives to carbon emitters to encourage a reduction in their emissions, but little is being done to compensate those who already follow practices to sequester carbon and reduce emissions. Because there are currently no replacements for fossil fuels for agricultural production, the current carbon tax system cannot drive conservation efforts on farms,

Continues on Page 5

Thursday, February 13, 2020 I

Commentary - OFA it serves only to reduce already thin farm margins. OFA, along with our provincial counterparts, will continue to advocate with provincial and federal governments to ensure farmers are fairly compensated and incentivized for driving necessary environmental enhancements to address climate change. Adoption of precision agriculture tools across the industry have helped to manage water resources in cropping systems, and result in the most accurate, efficient use of fertilizers and crop inputs in our history. While Ontario farmers have

Opinion I 5

Essex Free Press

Agriculture is a big player in climate change mitigation Continued from Page 4

embraced the adoption of farm practices to improve the environment and reduce the impact of climate change, there are areas where we can do more. Precision agriculture tools offer some of the latest, most advanced technology for field crops and livestock management systems, but we shouldn’t let the adoption rate be limited by the availability and reliability of broadband and cellular coverage in rural Ontario. Reliable, affordable broadband access to rural and remote areas of Ontario, is critical to enable more farmers to incorporate these environmental

benefits to their everyday practices. Tree planting, planting wind breaks, and proper woodlot management are also environmental practices farmers use to improve our environment, air, water and soil conditions. Many Ontario farms have woodlots that, when managed properly, can offer significant environmental benefits. These benefits include carbon sequestration, reduced soil erosion, and watershed and wildlife habitat protection. As part of our pre-budget submission, OFA has asked the provincial government to expand the current Farm Forestry Exemption provisions within the Assessment Act to incentivize more farmers to retain and manage their on-farm

woodlots. OFA continues to advocate for the positive role agriculture has in addressing climate change and recognition of the contribution farmers are making to mitigate environmental impacts. We’re fortunate to have a leading voice at the decision table with government. OFA President Keith Currie was appointed to the Ontario Advisory Panel on Climate Change in November 2019 and is one of 10 members of the group. Keith’s role on the panel will ensure agriculture is part of every conversation and decision, and most importantly, acknowledged for our ongoing role in managing climate change.

Pet Of The Week: Princess

Jeff Willms*

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Willms Financial Services Inc.* Greenwood Centre 3200 Deziel Drive, Suite 508 Windsor, ON N8W 5K8

Princess is looking for a workout partner (although, she may not know it). Home workouts should suit her just fine, even if she complains about having to get up from her comfy cushion. She is not fond of being picked up, but she will stay by you, count off your reps, and give you her own affection when you’re done. This pet comes with 6 weeks of pre-paid pet health insurance. For more information, visit www.ospcainsurance.ca or call 1-866-600-2445. Visit the Windsor-Essex County Humane Society shelter to visit at 1375 Provincial Rd., Windsor. Ph: 519-966-5751. The adoption center is open everyday at 11am.

Tel: 519-974-3200 ext. 2223 Fax: 519-974-3282 willms.financial@sunlife.com www.sunlife.ca/wfs.inc.

*Mutual funds offered by Sun Life Financial Investment Services (Canada) Inc.

Voice Of Inspiration “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” ~ Maya Angelou

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519-776-4222 www.countychevroletessex.com

6 I News / Community Essex Free Press

I Thursday, February 13, 2020

Municipal roads key issue St. Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Anglican during special town meeting... Church hosts Thrive night

Continued from Page 3

Continuing with the subject of Town roadways, Council then discussed â&#x20AC;&#x153;troubledâ&#x20AC;? intersections throughout the municipality, with King and Erie in Harrow, and the intersections of Arthur, Gosfield, and Maidstone, and Talbot and Maidstone, in Essex Centre taking top priority. Regarding the unusual meeting of three roads at Arthur, Gosfield, and Maidstone, it was discussed that part of the reason for the strange layout is to allow larger trucks to move between

Arthur and Maidstone, with it being noted that it had been discussed in the past to reconfigure Maidstone into a straight thoroughfare while â&#x20AC;&#x153;dead-endingâ&#x20AC;? Gosfield just before it reaches its norther terminus. It was noted there have been continued concerns around trucks navigating the intersection and continued access for area residents should there be any potential reconfigurations to the intersection. As for Talbot and Maidstone, bemoaned by many as one of the

Voice Of Inspiration â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door. â&#x20AC;? ~ Coco Chanel

Townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most frustrating intersections, it was discussed that it be given a wider berth on the northwest (gas station) corner to allow for easier right-hand turning onto Maidstone for westbound drivers. In addition, the idea of looking at shifting the centre lines, to allow for simpler and safer left-hand turns, was also discussed, with the Town currently waiting for engineersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; recommendations regarding these intersections. Many of the potential issues of the roundtable discussion were not able to be fit into the meetingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two-hour time limit, but are planned to be discussed at a similar meeting in the future.

by Julianna Bonnett Those involved with Thrive, a youth and family program members of St. Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Anglican Church and Essex United created, got together on Sunday to enjoy the first of many dinners this year. The main goal of the Thrive program is to build community in its church and to explore important issues in playful ways. This time, Thrive was based on the film and book, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,â&#x20AC;? making connections between struggles and disadvantages that the story had with real life issues. Rev. Chris Brouillard-Coyle of St. Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Anglican Church said the event is meant to demonstrate how some can

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quickly make assumptions about people based on their physical or mental disabilities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We notice with a lot of our younger generation, and any generation, that people judge when they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand the disability. So tonight, we are trying to showcase what it could be like if they had that disability,â&#x20AC;? Brouillard-Coyle said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most of our activities are really playing off a lot of the things in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Harry Potter,â&#x20AC;? like fear, judgement, and finding the courage to achieve something.â&#x20AC;? Each activity was designed to encourage participation, regardless of age, which made it easier to

Continued on Page 10

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Thursday, February 13, 2020 I

Community I 7

Essex Free Press

ACT Committee’s first tea party gets warm response

The ACT Committee’s first Downtown Essex Tea Party on Sunday had celebrity servers: Essex Mayor Larry Snively, MP Chris Lewis, Fire Chief Rick Arnel, Councillor Morley Bowman, and Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche.

by Sylene Argent On Sunday, nearly 50 individuals threw on their most fashionable fascinators and dusted off their favourite drinking cup to participate in the

Arts, Culture, and Tourism (ACT) Committee’s first Downtown Essex Tea Party. Organizers hosted the Downtown Tea Party at the Essex Railway Station to

couple the old-time theme of the event within the ambiance of an attractive historic building. Patti Oshar, Vice Chairperson of the ACT Committee, said she had

Local author looks at the struggle of women in politics submitted to EFP From the birth of the suffragette movement in Canada to the results of the national 2019 election, local resident Fred Groves charts the progress of women’s involvement in municipal, provincial, and federal politics in his new book, “Elect Her – Still struggling to be recognized as equals.” Grove’s passionate belief in the phrase, “If we don’t know where we came from, how do we know where we’re going?” was the driving force behind his work on “Elect Her” for the past three years. The book, published by Crossfield Publishing, combines fascinating facts

and interviews of 66 women from across Canada, including several local female politicians - Essex Town Council Councillor Sherry Bondy, former Members of Parliament Cheryl Hardcastle and Tracey Ramsey, Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald, Lakeshore Town Councillor Kelsey Santarosa, and Caldwell First Nation Chief Mary Duckworth. With a compelling forward, written by Lakeshore Deputy-Mayor Tracey Bailey, “Elect Her,” features in depth conversations with Jan Kishkon, daughter of Windsor’s only female Mayor Elizabeth Kishkon. Hedy Fry, the longest

serving female Member of Parliament, former Cabinet Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Sheila Copps as well as Susan Thompson, Winnipeg’s only female Mayor. Groves will have a book signing at Biblioasis Book Store (1520 Wyandotte St. E in Windsor) on Wednesday, February 19, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. For more information on “Elect Her - Still struggling to be recognized as equals,” visit: crossfieldpublishing.ca.

just gone to the theatre to see the “Downton Abbey” movie, when she and fellow Committee members were tasked with coming up with a unique event to help the community shake off the winter blues. Oshar then thought a tea party would be a great way for friends to spend a Sunday afternoon, so she and fellow event Committee members got to the drawing board to plan the “fun raiser.” “We just thought this would be something nice for the community to enjoy,” Oshar said. Guests, for a fee, were treated to tea, finger foods, and had the opportunity to decorate cookies and make cards in a Valentine’s Day theme during the unique event. Celebrity servers – Essex Mayor Larry Snively, MP Chris Lewis, Fire Chief

Members of the Arts, Culture, and Tourism (ACT) Committee – (back row) Patti Oshar and Tony Panciccia; and (front row) Diane Quinn-Ouellette and Tracy Armstrong – hosted the first Downtown Essex Tea Party inside the Essex Railway Station on Sunday afternoon.

Rick Arnel, Councillor Morley Bowman, and Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche – served the visitors, of all ages, who

took part in the event. Attendees also had a chance to win door prizes, and were urged to dress for the occasion.

8 I Community Essex Free Press

I Thursday, February 13, 2020

Kingsville artist to appear on new competition series, “Landscape Artist of the Year Canada”

Photo submitted: Kingsville artist Denise Antaya will be a part of the world broadcast premiere of Landscape Artist of the Year Canada, which will air on Sundays at 9 pm ET/PT, starting February 16, exclusively on Makeful.

by Sylene Argent Kingsville’s Denise Antaya will appear as one of the 18 artists, of amateur and professional status, who will compete for top prize during Makeful’s new competition series, “Landscape Artist of the Year.” The series will premiere on Sunday, February 16, starting at 9pm. Sook-Yin Lee will join the artist as the series’ host. Landscape Artist of the Year is the Canadian

adaptation of the Sky Arts UK show. In the series, the participating artists, from all over Canada, have just four hours to create a landscape masterpiece, while taking in the scenery at an inspiring natural backdrop. Six artists compete at each location. The eventual winning artist in the series will earn the “Landscape Artist of the Year Canada” title, and will also take home $10,000. The winner’s art will also be displayed at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. Antaya is excited to see the series hit the airwaves. She was involved in the filming back in September. She first heard of the competition series from the Windsor & Essex County Plein Air Society. Two of her former school peers also informed her of the opportunity. Antaya said she is a fulltime artist, and was excited about applying for the opportunity. Though she has always been an artist, she spent many years working in advertising. Around ten-years ago, her husband passed away. At this point, she decided to follow her passion, so she quit her job and attended art school, the Academy of Realist Art in Toronto. Antaya explained she was thrilled when she learned she was accepted as one of the participants for the show. She said pods were setup when she

and fellow competitors went to their site on their day to shoot their segment with the series. They had four hours to complete a landscape masterpiece, which was then assessed by judges Marc Mayer, a former Director of the National Gallery of Canada, and award-winning artist and educator, Joanne Tod. The judges determined the winners of each location. Two people from the six participants in each episode were selected move forward in the competition, Antaya said. A neat aspect of the show is that the competition also had 50 artists try their luck as wildcards. If any of the wildcard artists’ work caught the judges’ eye, they too may have had a chance to compete in the final. “It was terrifying, but it was amazing,” Antaya said of the experience of being on the series. “There is a lot of pressure.” She noted that every artist experiences those days where they may not be able to paint as they would like. She was hopeful she would be on point for her film day. “It was a lot of fun. I met amazingly nice people,” Antaya said of her experience on the series. “I am really glad I did this. It was a great experience.” Antaya said it was amazing just

Continued on Page 10

Thursday, February 13, 2020 I

Community I 9

Essex Free Press

ECHRS displaying 1980 explosion exhibit over the month of February

Laurie Kowtiuk, President of the Essex & Community Historical Research Society, shows oﬀ part of the exhibit now on display at the old Carnegie Library building on Gordon Avenue. The exhibit showcases photos and information about the 1980 Essex explosion.

by Sylene Argent Over the month of February, an exhibit highlighting Essex’s natural gas explosion that took place in the early hours on Valentine’s Day in 1980 will be on display at the Essex & Community Historical Research Society (ECHRS). The exhibit was created to make information

from old newspaper articles and an assortment of photos from an array of collections available to the public for viewing. The reason for the exhibit, featuring Essex’s second explosion, is that the event, which shook the small town and left over a year of rebuilding in its commercial core, took place

40-years ago this month. When viewing the material, what stands out to most visitors to the local historical building is that no one was killed in the explosion that occurred near Talbot Street and the former train tracks. Laurie Kowtiuk, President of the ECHRS said that there is always something new to

learn about this historical event. According to essex. ca, the 1980 explosion took place after a car was driven into a natural gas meter, which filled the then

hardware store there with natural gas. One block of buildings on the east side of Talbot was levelled after the explosion took place, in addition to all the buildings on the west side of the street, from Wilson Street to Victoria Avenue, being damaged. Essex’s first explosion took place in August of 1907. Two railway workers were killed and others were injured. A boxcar full of dynamite ignited on a hot day. A new display will be highlighted at the ECHRS facility every month. In December, visitors enjoyed looking at a 1920 display, complete with swimsuits and clothing from the era, in celebration of the time period that took place a century ago. ECHRS is dedicated to preserving and promoting local history. Currently, volunteers are busy continuing to preserve and

digitize area land deeds as well as creating family trees for its members. New members can have their family tree worked on by ECHRS volunteers when they join. DNA testing is also keeping the volunteers at the local historical club busy. Currently on display at the ECHRS facility are items donated from George Billing and his daughter, Jean. This family came from North Ridge, Kowtiuk said. Items include a sickle, old books, photos, costume jewelry, and household items. Coming up, ECHRS will host its annual fundraising dinner at the Essex Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch (201) on Saturday, March 28 to help cover the expenses that will ensure the local historical group’s facility can continue to be maintained.

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10 I Community Essex Free Press

Kingsville artist to appear on new competition series... Continued from Page 8 to be chosen to be on the show. “I am excited to see it air and be able to talk about it,” she said. She encourages other artists to take advantage of these types of opportunities. “Artists need to do things that push them out of their comfort zone to grow.” Though Antaya was tightlipped about the series’ details, those interested in watching the world broadcast premiere of “Landscape Artist of the Year Canada,” to find out who wins, can tune in Sundays at 9 pm ET/PT, starting February 16 on Makeful. Log onto https:// tv.bemakeful.com/ to learn more Photo submitted: Kingsville artist Denise about the show, or visit her website Antaya is excited to see “Landscape Artist of the at deniseantaya.com to learn more Year Canada” air. She was one of 18 Canadian about Antaya. contestants in the new competition series.

I Thursday, February 13, 2020

St. Paul’s Anglican Church hosts Thrive night...

Continued from Page 6

understand Biblical stories. According to St.

Paul’s member, Sydney Brouillard-Coyle, many

Rev. Chris Brouillard-Coyle and Sydney BrouillardCoyle are pictured during Thrive Night, which took place at St. Paul’s Anglican Church on February 9.

characters from Harry Potter have similarities to Biblical figures, such as Moses. “This night was made for us to discuss our faith in a way for my generation to understand it better,” Sydney said. “A lot of us now aren’t as connected with traditional expressions and faith, so this is a way for us to express our faith in ways that are more meaningful.” Thrive will continue to have themed events like their” Harry Potter” night throughout the year.

Bring the past into the future with

HERITAGE WEEK 2020 “The Birth of Essex” with Seamus Gunn

February 19, 8:30am and 10:00am Essex District High School, 244 Talbot St N. Call 519-776-7336 ext 1128 to pre-register.

Join the Town of Essex and the Essex Municipal Heritage Committee for these upcoming events:

“Harrow’s Hidden History” with Richard Herniman

February 27, 1:30pm Harrow & Colchester South Community Centre, 243 McAffee St. Snacks and beverages provided.

Check out the full schedule of activities at

essex.ca/HeritageWeek

Thursday, February 13, 2020 I

Community I 11

Essex Free Press

Amherstburg Freedom Museum celebrates Black History Month with “Journeys” exhibit by Julianna Bonnett Back by popular demand, Amherstburg Freedom Museum celebrated Black History Month in partnership with Artists of Colour on Saturday night. An exhibition called “Journeys” was unveiled to tell the story of black enslavement and was open for the younger generations to see the courage and determination of people who refuse to accept slavery. The exhibit

featured nine artists, including Dennis K. Smith. Smith, one of the original members of Artists of Colour, said he has been painting for awhile, but since joining Artist of Colour in 2008, things changed for him. “I’m just very thankful for the experience and being able to create artwork that showcases our history,” Smith said. “Being able to feature our work in the Amherstburg Freedom Museum is a

great thing for us and for our younger generation of kids to see.” Formed in 2008, The Artists of Colour was a group comprised of individuals, who speak of the history within the community through visual and oral language of art. More than 70 people showed up to the exhibit opening that featured live performances. In addition, all artists were present. Curator and Administrator of

Scouts host annual Divisional Kub Kar Races by Max de Liberato On Saturday, the Essex Area Gilwellians hosted its annual Kub Kar Race Day at the Harrow Ag Building for the Essex Area Scouting groups to enjoy. Groups from Amherstburg, Belle River, Comber, Cottam, Emeryville, Essex, Harrow, Kingsville, and Leamington participated. The Scout’s racing event has been going on for four decades, according to Robert Boose, a senior member of the local Scouting organization. The event gathers troops from all over Essex County to participate in a time trial race. Scouts used to gather for the event in high schools, or back in the mid-1970s at the Amherstburg Mall, but now the event takes place in

Harrow, due to a decrease in participation, Boose noted. Saturday’s event brought around 200 Scouts together, from Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Ventures, and Leaders. “We’ve been doing it for 40-years now, we do it from here to Woodstock and everywhere in between.” Ric Greene, a member of the track team said. The crowd’s body language was that of 200 fairly quiet and reserved people. But, with every person engaged in a conversation, the aura is far from quiet and reserved. Parents gather around the track, in some cases bumping shoulders, to capture the moment of truth; not for the sweet feeling of victory, but the joy and enthusiasm of their children when their heat is launched

down the track’s opening slope. The races were broken into the three youth divisions, each division was broken into heats. Each heat was timed from start to finish to determine a top six in the division, who were then given trophies. Participants also had the opportunity to win trophies for most original and visually appealing designs. Continued on Page 18

Amherstburg Freedom Museum, Mary-Katherine Whelan, said they started the exhibit in 2018 and people just couldn’t get enough of it. “The stories the artists are sharing is what really draws people in,” Whelan said. “A lot of people don’t realize the history that has happened in Windsor and also Essex County, so we love showcasing that to the public to see.” The “Journeys” exhibit will be on display until April 29. For more information on Artists of Colour, visit its website at theartistofcolour.com.

The Artists of Colour exhibit “Journeys” was unveiled at the Amherstburg Freedom Museum on February 8.

12 I Classifieds Essex Free Press

Classifieds

Fax: 519.776.4014

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LESSONS _____________________ KTS RAG QUILT CLASS ď&#x161;ş$45.00 plus supplies. Tuesday, February 18 - 10 am to 6 pm. Or Thursday, February 20 - 6pm to 10 pm and Friday, February 21 - 6 pm to 10pm. Call 519-991-5745. 05-2t _____________________

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FARMING _____________________ WANTED Farm Land to Rent Cash or Share Crop Call JeďŹ&#x20AC; Siefker (cell) 519-796-1240 or (home) 519-776-9501. 1-t _____________________

STORAGE

_____________________ STORAGE FOR LEASE - in Essex. Approx. 1 acre outdoor, fenced-in storage. Call: 519-776-4875 for details. 02-1t

CLASSIFIED RATES

PLACING A CLASSIFIED AD: Classified ads can be submitted in person, by phone or fax or email from Mon. to Thurs. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. All classified and personal ads require payment, prior to print. We accept Visa | MasterCard | Debit | Cash | Cheque. CLASSIFIED DEADLINE IS TUESDAY BY 10:00 AM

Phone 519.776.4268

MARTYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SMALL ENGINE REPAIRS ď&#x161;ş Tune-ups, repairs, & service on snowblowers, riding lawn mowers, chainsaws, & more! 519-733-0986, (c) 519-965-5918. 4-tfn _____________________ INCOME TAX â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ConďŹ dential preparation of Personal, Farm, and Senior Returns. Free pick-up and delivery in Essex County. E-ďŹ le or regular ďŹ ling. Over 35 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience. Call Tim Mousseau 519-975-2414 or toll free 1-855-9752414. 04-12t _____________________ INCOME TAX PREPARATION: Good rates on personal, rental, and business returns. E-ďŹ le or paper ďŹ le. Call Jeannette Grass (519) 776-7090. 5-12* _____________________

HELP WANTED

_____________________ FULL TIME GENERAL LABORER at Essex Feed Warehouse. $15/hr, must be able to lift 55lb and work weekdays & weekends. 6-1t Resume required.

Word Ads - 25 words or less ........................ $6.00 + HST Extra words .................................................... 20Â˘/word Display Classifieds ....................................... Call for rates

www.essexfreepress.com

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HELP WANTED

_____________________ HELP WANTED: Aphria Inc. is looking for Greenhouse Production Associates to join their team. Duties include daily crop maintenance, harvesting, crop rotation, inventory counts, and cleaning of greenhouse. No public transportation available. Located in Leamington, ON. Compensation starts at $14.00/hour. Full time hours Monday through Friday. Please apply at careers@aphria.com or mail resume to P.O. Box 20009 269 Erie St. S. Leamington, ON N8H 3C4. 9-t _____________________ HIRING! GENERAL LABOURERS WANTED ď&#x161;ş Please fax your resume to 519-723-2336. 1-tf _____________________ HELP WANTED ď&#x161;ş Seeking part-time employment for an Assistant Early Childhood Educator. Preferred to have post-secondary education, but not necessary. Send Resume or inquiries to contact@storybookelc.ca, if interested.

I Thursday, February 13, 2020

Email: contact@essexfreepress.com

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REAL ESTATE

_____________________ Buying or selling a farm? Do you know the right questions and answers? Farm Experienced Realtor Carl Idzinski, Keller Williams Lifestyles Realty - Brokerage. 519-817-8891. 22-tt

CLASSIFIEDS WORK! Advertise here!

Continued from Page 13 _______________________________________________

REAL ESTATE

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HELP WANTED

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Thursday, February 13, 2020 I

Classifieds...

Continued from Page 12

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REAL ESTATE _____________________

PERSONAL _____________________

FARM FOR SALE - 6780 HOLDEN ROAD, OLDCASTLE, ONTARIO. 116.71 acres (12.75 acres of bush), 103.96 workable black loam/clay tiled land). 1586 sf brick ranch home with two car garage; 4800sf of outbuildings and 2200 bushel grain bin. Part West ½ Lots 2-3, Concession 6, Sandwich East as in R378203, Save and except Part 1, Plan 12R7600, S/T SS9167, Town of Tecumseh, County of Essex, Province of Ontario. Contacts: Vince – 519-737-1183; Sue – 51903-5t 784-8041

PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN (NEVER KNOWN TO FAIL) O most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of heaven, blessed mother of the son of God, immaculate virgin, assist me in my necessity. O star of the sea, help me and show me that you are my Mother. O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to help in my necessity (Make your request). There are none that can withstand your power. “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you.” (Three times). “Holy Mary, I place this prayer in your hands.” (Three times). Say this prayer for three consecutive days and then publish it and it will be granted to you. With grateful thanks. D.D. 42-1t*

Sell It! Find it! Rent It! Buy It! in The Classifieds

519-776-4268 _____________________

WANTED

_____________________ CASH PAID for scrap cars and trucks. Free removal. Please phone: 519-776-1361 46-t or 519-791-5046. _____________________ CASH PAID for antiques, costume jewellery, furniture, gold, sterling, coins, tools, complete estates. We take it all! Free appraisals. Call 519-727-8894. 1-tfn

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THANK YOU _____________________ THANK YOU - Erie Chapter 19 Order of the Easter Star congratulate its Quilt Draw (Licence #M820722) winner Janet Boynton, of Windsor and the Christmas Basket winner Ila Mae Johnson, of Harrow. Many thanks to everyone for their support in this project.

Find us online

www.essexfreepress.com issuu.com/essexfreepress

16 Centre St., Essex contact@essexfreepress.com

Classifieds / News I 13

Essex Free Press

519.776.4268

Tecumseh welcomes four legged staffers in Lakewood Park submitted to EFP The Town of Tecumseh welcomed several four legged staffers in Lakewood Park this week to assist with Goose Detterance. Apollo, Archer, Aura, Brigid, Celeste, and Evelyn, from Caora Border Collies in Leamington, were on the job this week to disrupt geese that settle in the park. The dogs work off leash and are clearly identifiable by their reflective vests. A sign will be placed in the parking lots to indicate that the dogs are working and the Town requests that users not interfere with the handler and dogs while they are on-site and keep their own dogs on leash. “We have heard input from the public that uses Lakewood Park and those residents that live along the park that goose control needs to be a priority,” said Gary McNamara, Mayor of Tecumseh. “This method is harmless for the geese and works much more effectively than other measures.” The six dogs will work one at a time during various time periods at the Park. They are clearly marked with reflective vests and are only off-

leash for the period where they herd the geese. They use a “stalk and stare” method which mimics the behaviour of wild predators. The dogs do not touch the geese or harm nests or goslings, their method is herding and they circle back to their handler after pushing the geese out of the area. The dogs are trained on sheep, ducks, and geese in addition to obedience and manners. They are people safe and only respond to their handler. Work will include going into the lake along the shoreline as geese tend to wait out the dogs in the water. “Parks staff have tried a number of control options to try to deter the birds from nesting and settling in the parks,” said Paul Anthony, Director Parks and Recreation. “Canada Geese are intelligent birds and have gotten used to the flashes, bangers and other measures we have tried. They are also used to domestic pets that use the park and get used to methods of shooing them away. Border Collies

have been shown to be successful in other park areas, which is why we decided to use this method in Lakewood.” The program will run for the next three months and will be reviewed following that time to determine additional days and times throughout the summer and fall as required. As the dogs mimic the behaviour of a predator and they are being used at various times of the day and early evening, the geese will eventually move on to avoid them. The dogs are

out now to prevent nesting in the park in the spring. It is hoped that this program will reduce the number of geese in Lakewood Park significantly so users can continue to enjoy the park area free of goose droppings. Information on this and all Town news and events is available at www. tecumseh.ca, Twitter (@TownofTecumseh), and Facebook (Town of Tecumseh).

14 I Personals

FromThe Heart

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IN LOVING MEMORY

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In loving memory of

Gerald Vanhoorne - February 12, 2019 Beautiful memories silently kept, Of one that we loved and will never forget.

~ Love; Liz and Family

Essex Free Press

To place a personal notice, email your photo and content to contact@essexfreepress.com or drop by our oﬃce at 16 Centre St., Essex. Personal notices must be received by Monday at 12:00 noon to appear in the Thursday edition. _________________________________________________________

OBITUARIES

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MCLENON, Mildred Hazel (nee Malott) - Of Essex, passed away peacefully on February 8, 2020 at the age of 95 years at Erie Shores Hospice. Preceded in death by her loving husband and best friend, Howard (September 17, 1984). Beloved daughter of the late Laura & Carl Malott. Loving mother to Howard, Jr. Dear sister of Earl, Mary (Jim), Ethel (Andy), Dorothy, Gertie, Bertha, Bob (Ella), Bill, and Ray (Elaine). Dear grandma of Shannon and Kandace; great-grandmother of Joshua and Alycia. She will be remembered by her nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends. Visitation took place at Kendrick Funeral Home (Kingsville) on Wednesday February 12, 2020 from 10a.m. to 1p.m., followed by a Celebration of Mildred’s life at the funeral home. Burial followed in Greenhill Cemetery. In memory of Mildred, the family would appreciate donations to Erie Shores Hospice. Memories can be shared at www.Kendrickfuneralhome.com. _____________________________________________________

DROUILLARD, Helen Margaret (nee Cahill) -

Passed away peacefully with her family by her side at the Royal Oak LTC on February 7, 2020 at 93 years of age. Loving wife of Leo with whom she celebrated 71 years of marriage. Dear mother of Richard (Deborah), Jerome (Rebecca), Robert (Debbie) and Ken (Marion). Treasured grandmother of Cherie, Darryl, Kerri-Lynn, Cory, Courtney, Jeﬀrey, Stephanie, Ashley, and James. Great-grandma of Sierra, Colsen, Steele, Addisyn, Nolan, Ellery, Jerome, Layla, Scarlet, Thomas, and Bentyn. Predeceased by her siblings Earl (Cecile), Gordon (Mary-Ann), and James. Sister-in-law of the late Frank, late Paul, Lucille Bondy (late Romeo), late Julia, Rose Landry, late Rev. Robert Drouillard, Anna, late Mike, and Claire. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. Helen was a member of the CWL at St. Clements Parish for 73 years. She was a devoted mother, who helped run the family farm for most of her life. The visitation for Helen was held at the Kennedy Funeral Home Ltd. (519776-7378) 128 Talbot St. N, Essex. The funeral mass was celebrated at the St. Clements Parish (Walker Road in McGregor). Interment followed at St. Clements Cemetery. Donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society. You may send your condolences online at www.kennedyfh.com.

Frances Jean June 7, 1930 – Feb. 8, 2009

Ray Anson Aug. 25, 1927 – Feb. 9, 2005

Loving and kind in all their ways, Upright and just to the end of their days. Sincere and true in their hearts and minds, Beautiful memories they left behind. Always remembered and sadly missed by Doug (Robin), Janice (Bill), Ron (Wendy), Lois (Tim), Chris (Jennifer), and their families

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OBITUARIES

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LECUYER, Therese (nee McCann) - passed

away on Monday, February 3, 2020, at 67 years of age. Therese has now joined her husband, Richard David “Rick” who predeceased her on June 1, 2017. Loving Mom of Ken Lecuyer (Sandy Holmes) and Heather Snyder (James). Devoted Granny of her six grandchildren, Benjamin, Lily Grace, Oriel, Felix, Judah, and Arla Therese, whom she absolutely adored and thought about every day. Predeceased by her parents, Elmer and Jeanette McCann, and her in-laws Germaine and Gaetan Lecuyer. Dearest sister of Marg Dufour (John), Rose Marie Duquette (Art), Mary Jane Jenner (Doug), and Bernice Krauter (Bob), and sisterin-law of Francine Crout (late Rick), Ronald Lecuyer (Debbie), and Jan Tipton (Wes). Therese was a 35 year member of the CWL at Holy Name of Jesus and was also a devoted member of The Associates. She held true to her faith and was always very kind to everyone she met. She volunteered regularly for Hospice, and was a devoted member of a handicap accessibility group. Having a heart for missions, she loved using her time to count receipts and sell homemade blankets to raise money for such. She also found much joy working for years with special needs children. Therese loved people well, and will be missed by all. Visiting took place at the Reid Funeral Home & Reception Centre, 87 Maidstone Ave. E., Essex (519-776-4233) on Sunday, February 9 and on Monday, February 10, 2020 at Holy Name of Jesus Church, 146 Talbot Street South, Essex until Mass of the Resurrection. Fr. Dave Boutette oﬃciated. CWL combined with Parish Prayers Sunday. Cremation followed. If desired, memorial donations made to Hospice of Windsor Essex County would be appreciated. Family and friends are invited to share their memories online at www.reidfuneralhome.ca.

What’s Going On...

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C ALHOUN

I Thursday, February 13, 2020

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NOV. 16  FEB. 28  AMHERSTBURG RIVER LIGHTS WINTER FESTIVAL a variety of events in downtown Amherstburg. For all information: visitamherstburg.ca.

OBITUARIES

FEB. 2020 -The Essex & Community Historical Research Society - display of photos of the Explosion of Valentines’ Day 1980. 18 Gordon Ave. Tues. 12-5,Thurs. 12-7, Sat. 9-5.

HOSACK, Virginia Marion (nee Barnewell) - Our hearts are broken.... it is with great sadness that we announce Virginia Marion Hosack who passed away peacefully surrounded by love on Tuesday Feb 4th, 2020, at the age of 91. Beloved wife of the late Mark Hosack (2011). Loving mother of Dave Barnewall (Terry), Nancy Shaw (Jim), Connie Dame (Roy), Don Leroux (Sue), late Maggie Lesperance (Julian), Debi Lee (Randy), step-mother of late Randy Hosack (Pat), Sheryl Grimsbold (Gary), Mark Hosack (Shellie), and Jeff Hosack (Cathy). Virginia was the daughter of the late Harold and Bessie Barnewall (nee Dignean). She is survived by her only sibling, sister Barb Cunningham (Jake) from Essex, Ross Barnewall (Doris), Bryce Barnewall (Helen), Ruth Verhulst (Carl), Betty Dennis, Carrol Towns (George), and Newt Barnewall (Jackie). Beloved aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, and adored Nana. Virginia worked hard all of her life, but her main job was taking care of her family. Virginia loved life and laughter, she was happiest when spending time with family and friends. Virginia enjoyed golfing, curling, playing cards, fishing, and boating with the love of her life “Papa”. She faced all of life’s challenges with grace, humour, resilience, and strength. She was an inspiration to all who knew and loved her. A tiny little lady, with a beautiful smile, a backbone of steel, and a heart of gold. Cremation has taken place and a private family service will be at a later date. Donations made in memory of Virginia to the Salvation Army would be appreciated. Thank you to the Village on the Ridge for their awesome care and compassion. Funeral arrangements entrusted to McKinlay Funeral Home in Blenheim. Online condolences can be left at www.mckinlayfuneralhome.com.

FEB. 15 - CTMHV Indoor Automotive Flea Market- from 8am - 1pm at 6155 Arner Twnl. For more information, contact: 519-776-6909 or www.ctmhv.com.

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FEB. 15 - TRUE AMHERTSBURG FESTIVAL - from 5-10pm in Downtown Amherstburg. .5k Cupid Dash. FREE event. For more information: visitamherstburg.ca/true FEB. 18 - BLOOD DONATION CLINIC - Essex Centre Sports Complex, 60 Fairview Ave W from 2-7pm - 1 888 2 DONATE or www.blood.ca for information. FEB. 22  ALLYOUCANEAT SPAGHETTI DINNER at Cottam United. from 4:307:00pm. Donations to support Missions & Projects of the Sunday School. FEB. 22  ONTARIO PURPLE MARTIN ASSOCIATION MEETING at 9am at Colasanti’s The Willow Room -1550 Rd 3 E. Ruthven. All welcome. More info, call: 519-738-3476. FEB. 25  SOUP TASTING CONTEST at Essex Retirees’ at 12:00 noon. FEB. 26  THE ESSEX & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY MEETING at Essex Retirees Centre at 7:30pm. Speaker Rick Bradt - AMA Plastics Pots & more & silent auction. MARCH 8  WINDSOR SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERT - At 1:00pm at Essex United Church. For information, call the church oﬃce at: 519-776-5121. MARCH 14  KINGSVILLE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY’S SEEDY SATURDAY - 10am 3pm at the UNICO Centre, Kingsville. KidsZone, vendors, seed exchange, & more. HIATUS HOUSE: oﬀers counselling services in Essex County. Women’s Fresh Start group therapy is once a week. For info or to schedule an intake appointment, call the 24-hour Hiatus House helpline at 519-252-7781.

Thursday, February 13, 2020 I

Community Hub I 15

Essex Free Press

time, toys and crafts, healthy snack, and the last Thursday of the month is gym day! Bingo will take place on Friday, February 14 at 7pm in the church hall. sponsorship by: A small donation or canned good for the Essex Food Bank is most appreciated. Everyone welcome. Rev. Paul is hosting a movie night in the hall on Friday, February 21. The movie will be “The Pursuit of Happiness.” Doors and the movie begins at 7pm. Fresh food. Friendly neighbours at 6:30 We will host a Shrove Tuesday Pancake and Sausage Supper from 4:30 - 6:30pm. Free will offering. Everyone 191 Talbot St. S., Essex welcome. There is NO UCW meeting in February. Next meeting is March 9th at 1pm in the church hall. Please remember the sick and the Salvation Army Essex Church shut-ins. If you would like a name added submitted by Carolyn Barnett to the Prayer List, please add it to the list in the foyer. Join us on February 16 at 10:30a.m. for Family Worship. Major You can find us on the web at www.bethelmaidstone.com. Jim Hann will speak on the fourth of the Ten Commandments Our email address is bmuc@xplornet.ca and the office number in his sermon titled “Sabbath Rest.” Stay after the service for is (519) 723-2284. Office hours are Tues. & Thurs., 9am - 1pm. refreshments and fellowship. On Tuesday, Feb. 18, SA Connections is pleased to have Woodslee United Church Heather Taylor speak to us about recycling. Drop in between submitted by Sue Holman 10a.m. and 1p.m. Have lunch with us and meet new friends. Come join us for Sunday Service and Sunday School at 11:15 Major Jim will lead Bible Study at 1p.m. as we explore the Book am. Rev. Carl will lead the service. The Holy Scriptures will be of Luke. read by Jean Vetor and Jean will greet you at the door. Please remember in your prayers, those in our church family Please note, there will be no Sunday School this week. Our who are sick or shut in. A card, phone call, or visit would lift their excellent Sunday School Teachers earned this Sunday off. spirits. Please pray for our friends on our Prayer List. For the month of February, we are still collecting can goods Bethel-Maidstone United Please join us Sunday mornings at 10 am for worship, and for the Essex Food Bank, which is located at Essex United Church. coffee hour to follow. Our church and hall are wheelchair Valentine Tea: Saturday, February 15 from 2 - 4pm. Put on accessible. your favourite hat, join us for an afternoon tea, friendship, and The Annual Meeting is on Sunday, February 23. We will have the pleasant sounds of the harp. If you have a favourite tea cup soup and sandwiches following the service, followed by the you can bring that, too. Freewill offering. annual meeting. Please plan to attend. The World Day of Prayer Service will be held Friday, March 6 Preschool Playtime has resumed on Thursdays from 9:30am at 11am at St. Andrew’s United Church in Comber. - 12noon. Caregivers and kids 0-4 are invited to drop in for circle

519-776-4255

2021 Division Road North Kingsville, Ontario N9Y 2Y9 Phone: (519) 733-2305 kingsvilleworks@kingsville.ca www.kingsville.ca

TAX NOTICES

2020 Interim Property Tax Bills were mailed January 31, 2020 If you own property in the Town of Kingsville you should have received your 2020 interim tax bill. The tax due dates are as follows: February 28, 2020 May 29, 2020 Please refer to the brochure included with your tax notice for a listing of the payment options available. Avoid long lines by paying your taxes early or online through your bank. Failure to receive a tax notice does not relieve you from payment of taxes or penalties. Penalties are assessed the day following the due date at 1.25% and each month thereafter until paid. It is the responsibility of the taxpayer to ensure the Town has the correct mailing address. If you have not received your tax notice please call 519-733-2305 or visit the Municipal Oﬃce at 2021 Division Road North.

Coﬀee and Conversations: Thursday at 10am. Come in and have a cup of coﬀee or tea and join in the conversation.

St. Paul’s Anglican Church Thank you to all who suppiorted the Pasta Dinner. Our next pasta dinner will take place on Friday, March 6th. The monthly Communion Service at Iler Lodge is on Thursday, February 20 at 10:30am and at Country Village on Tuesday, February 25 at 10:30am. On Tuesday, February 25 a Pancake Supper will take place at Trinity Anglican Church Cottam from 4:30 - 6:30pm. Pancakes, sausage, and more! Free will oﬀering. Ash Wednesday is on Wednesday, February 26 - Holy Communion Service with the Imposition of Ashes, 7pm at St. Paul’s. Regular Sunday Services are as follows: Weekly 11am BAS Eucharist Service & Sunday School. Third Sunday of the month is BCP type Eucharist Service from the BAS for the 11am service. Visit us online at: www.stpaulstrinity.org or our Facebook page. Phone: 519-776-7711. Email: oﬃce@stpaulstrinity.org. Located at 92 St. Paul Street, in Essex. Brooker News submitted by Ruth Newman

Our doors are open to all for Family Worship on Sunday, February16, at 10am. Phil Hernandez will be our speaker. Everyone is welcome. The Melo Annual Dinner meeting is on February 29 at 5pm at the Apostolic Christian Church. Please remeber Bob and Fran, the many shut-ins, and those in nursing homes.

Holy Name of Jesus Church

Ash Wednesday is on February 26th with Mass at 7p.m. The K of C is having a Perch dinner that day from 4:30 6:30p.m. Tickets at the door. Next Fish Fry is on Friday, February 28th from 4:30 - 7p.m. for Guatemala Hope Sign up now for COR that takes place on March 27-29. Registration forms are at the Info Table. Steubenville takes place on June 26-28 for high school age. Registration forms are found at each entrance. Choir members are needed for funeral Masses. No experience necessary. Please contact Lauretta at 519-776-6236. Remember to drop oﬀ your Foodland grocery tapes, cancelled stamps, and leftover eye glasses at the Info table. Please keep the Lecuyer family in your prayers on the passing of Therese who wrote this column for many years. Rest in peace Therese.

Paquette News submitted by Amy Hartley

On Sunday, February 16, Soup for the Soul Sunday will take place at Redeemer from 10am-1pm. On Tuesday, February 25 - Pancake Supper at St. Stephen’s at 4:30-6:30. On Saturday, April 4 - Redeemer Pasta Dinner from 4:007:00pm. St. Stephen has meat pies still available. Contact Marion 519-257-1945. Redeemer’s Sweetie Pies -frozen fruit pies are available Contact Amy: 519-919-0094.

Continue on Page 17

16 I Business Directory Essex Free Press

I Thursday, February 13, 2020

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Thursday, February 13, 2020 I

Community Hub / Business Directory I 17

Essex Free Press

Continued from Page 15

Harrow United Church submitted by Larry Anderson

We warmly welcome you to Harrow United Church! Please join us this Sunday at 10:30am for Worship Service which also includes Sunday School for our youth along with a well supervised Nursery. “Coﬀee and Conversation” follow each service in the Lower Hall. Upcoming “Faith Family Nights” will continue on March 11 and April 8 from 5:30 - 8:00pm. This is a time for families of all shapes and sizes to gather and explore our shared faith. A light supper will be provided. For more information, please phone the church oﬃce at 519-738-4223. Our Minister, Rev. Darrow Woods, along with our HUC faith community, sincerely welcome you to join us! Find information about us here: www.harrowunited.org.

Antioch Christian Ministries submitted by Linda Knight

Pastor Jay spoke on, “Let us arise and build.” There are broken cities and broken people all around us. Many in the congregation gave inspiring testimonies of all God is doing in them and around them. Sunday morning service begins at 10am. Come and join us! The Awaken Conference is from March 19th-21st. Registration is now open. For more information, visit our website at antiochcanada.ca. Be Blessed!

Essex Retirees’ Social Club Marg VanDaele had high score at Saturday afternoon Euchre. Diana Dennis came in second, and Dorothy Fields in third place. Cathy Dewhurst had the low score. Terry Durance had high score at Monday night Pepper. Pat Kitchen had the most peppers and Cecile Mulhal had low score. George Diesbourg had high score at Wednesday night Pepper. Betty Fields had the most peppers and Nelson St. Denis had low score.

Essex Christian Reformed Church submitted by Beverley Van Huizen

Join us on Sunday morning for our worship service, beginning at 10am with Pastor Gord Brown. Nursery supervision and Sunday school are provided. Make plans to stay for a cup of tea or coﬀee in our Fellowship hall. GEMS and Cadets will meet on Monday at 6:30 – 8:00pm. All girls and boys from Grade 1 - 8 are invited to attend. Come for fun and fellowship as we get to know each other and the Lord through Bible studies and games. Visit us online for service times and directions or just to listen to a sermon or two. www.essexcrc.ca.

Evangelistic church. Sign up at the back of the church. Please keep in your prayers and all the people who are sick, shut-in, and in Hospice.

Essex United Church

On Sunday, Feb. 16, Essex United will join St. Paul’s Anglican for worship on at 11am. Everyone is welcome! For the month of February, food donations are for the Salvation Army Food Bank. The Windsor Symphony Orchestra Concert is on Sunday, March 8, 2020 at 1p.m. at Essex United Church. For information, call the church oﬃce at: 519-776-5121.

Woodslee Friendship Club Card player winners for the week of February 3rd - 7th: Monday Euchre - Charlie Chevalier, Joanne McMurren, Irene Gignac, George Diesbourg, Sharron Youngson, and LeRoy Davison. Wednesday Pepper - Cecile Malenfant, Mary Lou Chibi, Helene Manley, Veronica Granger, George Diesbourg, Judy Morin, and Janette Chevalier. Friday night Euchre - Dave McMurren, George Sutherland, Jean Matalik, George Diesbourg, Mary and Lou Chibi. For Club information, call Claire at: 519-723-4694.

Golden Year’s Golf Report

Maidstone Cross submitted by Wendy Cunningham

Shrove Tuesday Pancake supper takes place on Tuesday, February 25th from 5 7p.m. at St. Mary’s hall. If you are celebrating a special milestone wedding anniversary this year, please let us know by signing the form at the back of the church. A breakfast will be held in your honour in the hall after Mass on Sunday, March 1st. If you like to volunteer at Gleaners in Leamington, please contact Carolyn Fuerth at carolynfuerth@gosﬁeldtel.com. There will be a Marian Day of Reﬂection on Saturday, February 15th at St. John the

The weather restricted attendance to only 32 golfers last Thursday. 52 aces were carded, with Andy Orsini’s 5, leading the way. 9 hole scores were as follows; 17- Andy Orsini had the best score, over 9 holes, with a 17. Bill Ward joined Orsini, over 18 holes, with the best score of 36. Laurie Hylton joined Ward and Orsini for the best score, 75, over 36 holes of golf. In team play, it was Team 09 (Laurie Hylton, Marie Lasi, Andy Orsini), with a combined score of 230, that took ﬁrst place. Team Aces (Dave Labonte Jamie Arquette, Lloyd Honey) placed second, and in third, it was Team 05 (Shirley Morel, Tom Hyatt, Al Christie).

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Trinity Church We hold in our prayers all those on our prayer list. The Sanctuary Lamp burns in memory of Pat Kistulinec, given by Sharon & family. For the month of February, donations to the Thank You Bank will be given to the Ronald McDonald House. On Wednesday, Feb. 19, we will get “crafty” as we enjoy a card making night. If you are interested, contact Pat Jackson. Bring your palms in from last year by Feb. 23, so they can be burned for our Ash Wednesday service. The Trinity Pancake Supper is on Tuesday February 25, from 4:30 - 6:30pm. The Ash Wednesday service will be held at St. Paul’s Church on February 26 at 7pm. Join us Sundays at 9:15 in “The Little White Church” in the cemetery in Cottam. All are welcome!

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18 I Opinion / Community Essex Free Press

I Thursday, February 13, 2020

Scouts host annual Divisional Kub Kar Races... Continued from Page 11

Story of a 1952 Volkswagen

John Cilia’s restored 1952 VW.

John Cilia of Scarborough, Ontario, is the proud owner of a 1952 Volkswagen, and even though his car was not among the Þrst twelve to reach Canada in 1952, his VW shows us what those cars looked like in that year. He cheerfully responded to my request for details: ÒHi Bill. I bought my 1952 Volkswagen here in Ontario. It had spent most of its life in the USA. The car was built in July 1952 and was sold through a Berlin VW dealer to Eduard Winter. ÒThe car was probably brought to the U.S. by a returning GI. When I got the car, it was very much in need of a total restoration. But the car was very prized as it was a totally matching numbers car and I had the Wolfsburg birth certiÞcate to prove it. ÒI then shopped literally the entire globe for NOS parts via the internet. The car is nicknamed by VW guys a ÒcrotchcoolerÓ as it has opening side body cooling scoops. This feature only appeared from the last half of 1951 to September 1952. The car is also an 11G sunroof model which is highly sought after today. ÒAfter the proper German cloth interior was installed and an Elomar radio, the car was accessorized with a real Rosenthal dash ßower vase and matching shifter handle ash tray. The car has a complete set of factory tools and jack plus a German operators manual and Berlin road map along with a German Þrst aid kit and a bulb and fuse kit. ÒThis was a very accurate and painstakingly tough build, not to mention very expensive. The car was Þnished in 1 ½ years, just in time to be entered in the Cobble Beach Concours dÕElegance show, where I was fortunate enough to win First Place in my Class. ÒI could never have done so well without the help of my friends and family, especially my wife, Lynette, and my body and paint man, Chris Burgess of CB Custom Auto Body in Scarborough. ÒI am now just about Þnished a 1949 Standard Model Bug all numbers car to the same level. And I have started restoring a super rare 1953 sunroof car. And my daily driver is a 1954 VW.Ó I’m always looking for stories. Email billtsherk@ sympatico.ca.

Ò[The Scouts] get to see that there arenÕt just scouting events in their small community; like their troop or patrol or Beaver Colony,Ó Rod Quinney, a Scout Leader, said. ÒThere is more Scouting going on in the world and a larger area. Essex County has people from Leamington up to Amherstburg to Belle River, so they get to see more.Ó The fastest Kub Kars get to advance to the regional invitation event in Chatham, where there will be 150 hopeful Scouts wishing to make it to the provincial level. The fastest car ever to run on the track completed it in just under 4 seconds, according to Greene. Not every division is ranked by speed. The youngest Scout troops, the Beavers, do not race for

Þrst place. ÒWith the

beavers

[thereÕs] no competition, just fun,Ó Boose said.

Thursday, February 13, 2020 I

Sports I 19

Essex Free Press

Essex falls to Amherstburg, defeats Blenheim

Photo by Laurie Beaten: 73’s forward Liam Hall battles Admirals defender Reid Stieler In front of the net Feb. 4.

by Garrett Fodor Fresh off a week of rest, the Essex 73’s hosted the Amherstburg Admirals on February 4 in what was a battle for third place in the Stobbs Division. Prior to puck drop for the 73’s last home game of the regular season, Essex honoured over-agers Josh Pope-Ferguson, Bryce O’Brien, and Connor and Riley Meyerink. The 73’s were quick to welcome the Admirals into their building. Former Addy Ty Moss roofed a shot over Aidan Pitre to open the scoring for Essex. But from there, the Admirals were quick to show they were in for a game. Amherstburg players spent much of the period pressuring, and cycling the puck, in the 73’s end, generating chances. The 73’s went short-handed five times in the period, and the Admirals made them pay when Bryce McGregor blasted a shot by Essex’ Goalie, Jax D’Hondt, with the man-advantage. The score was tied 1-1 after 20 minutes. Shots were 10-7 for the

visiting Admirals. In the second period, however, it was the 73’s players who used their speed and offense to draw the Admirals in, as the visitors took two penalties in the final five minutes of the period. As the 73’s dictated pace in the period, the puck was cycled around the offensive zone. As a result, a pair of shots was blasted by Pitre with the man-advantage. Essex skated into the second intermission with a 3-1 lead on the scoreboard and a commanding 21-14 lead in the shot column. But in period three, the Admirals responded. McGregor scored his second and then completed his hat-trick with six-minutes to play in the period. This set the stage for an exciting and nerve-wracking final few minutes of regulation play. After Evan Prince had his shot blocked and was hauled down, the Admirals took the play the other way on a 3-on-1. Andrew Clark made no mistake to put the puck in on the open side of the net as D’Hondt sprawled trying to get to the far side of the post. Despite a push in the final two-minutes of play, the 73’s were not able to beat Pitre again. The Admirals prevailed, 4-3. Final shots were 30-24 in favour of Essex. On February 9, the Essex 73’s closed out the regular season on the road in Blenheim. While the 73’s playoff matchup against the Wheatley Sharks was now set, the Blades were playing for position in the playoffs. A win would secure them a seventh place position, while a loss would put them in eight. The 73’s lineup was short eight regulars and featured four AP call-ups. From puck drop, the 73’s were quick on the draw. They were not shy to throw their weight around and were tenacious on the forecheck. Midway through the first period, the 73’s were rewarded. Jack Sanko opened the scoring by beating Chris Dewulf clean with an end-to-end rush. Closing out the frame, the 73’s added a pair of goals from Ty Moss and Alex Demers just 12-seconds apart. The 73’s were up 3-0 heading into the intermission. Coming out for the second period, the 73’s rewarded AP call-up Tristan Edmundson with some action between the pipes. He relieved Connor Meyerink. The teams skated to a scoreless period. After 40-minutes, the scoreboard read 3-0 for Essex, with the visiting team having a commanding 38-19 shot lead. In the third period, Liam Hall snapped a shot over Dewulf’s shoulder and below the bar off a faceoff to increase Essex’s lead to four. And with 14-seconds left to play, Edmundson was beaten for the first time, when a shot squeaked through his pads. The 73’s prevailed, 4-1. Final shot totals were 53-23 for Essex.

20 I Community Essex Free Press

I Thursday, February 13, 2020

U of W presents EDHS’s new esports team with $1000 donation by Sylene Argent For around a year, a handful of students at Essex District High School (EDHS) have been busy creating a new esports team. So far, the new team has been met with success and nods of approval, including from the University of Windsor, which provided a $1000 donation on Friday. The EDHS esports team is believed to be the only official club in the region at the secondary school level, and perhaps even beyond. Damon Proctor, who is one of the around 30 students on the newly formed EDHS esports team, said the students get

together a few times a week to play in the new esports same room at the local high school. The students are broken up into sub teams that focus on games like Fortnite, Super Smash Bros., Rocket League, NHL, and Overwatch; on their respective gaming systems. Early on, Proctor said the students who wanted to get involved with the team participated in a tryout by bringing their own computers to school. Judges from St. Clair assessed the hopefuls. The games room at EDHS was implemented around a year ago. To get it ready for student use, last

year’s Grade 11 Leadership Students visited stores and businesses to see if anyone was able to give a deal on needed equipment and electronics. The biggest donation for the games room came from the Greater Essex County District School Board, which provided the students with a $2500 grant. Six students worked on the grant application. “It has been more than I thought it would be,” Proctor said. “It is a fun place for students.” He added the game room is open to all students throughout the day, and the teams meet after school to practice for

Paul Meister, a chemistry PHD student, and Chris Houser, Dean of Science, from the University of Windsor (pictured centre) present a $1000 donation to EDHS’s new esports team during a celebratory luncheon on Friday.

tournaments. “It doesn’t matter the skill level, [students] can just come out to play,” he added. EDHS’s esports team has participated in three tournaments to date, which is usually against college students. Sometimes there is prize money up for grabs. Proctor said it is hoped other high schools start their own official clubs so they can compete against each other in the future. On Friday, during a celebratory pizza luncheon, EDHS’s esports team welcomed Paul Meister, a chemistry PHD student, and Chris Houser, Dean of Science, from the University

of Windsor. The duo from the local university presented the new team with a $1000 donation. Houser said the University of Windsor is currently building its own esports program, which will be an extracurricular. To his knowledge, this will be the first esports team affiliated with a university. St. Clair College already has one. He said there is interest at the University in an esports program from first year undergrad students to those who are working towards their PHD. The University of Windsor wanted to provide the $1000 donation to the EDHS esports team

to show support just as it supports robotic teams. He said under the esports banner, students learn a lot of skills that are needed at the university level, such as communication, critical thinking, and collaboration. The University, he said, wants to have a connection with the EDHS team as it continues to build its own program. PHD chemistry student Meister said getting involved with esports is a great way for students to interact. When the esports club was started in September at the University, he said 150 joined up immediately.