Vol. 1 #7 Grand Bend Strip, August 1, 2007

Vol. 1, No. 7

G R A N D B E N D ’S F R E E C O M M U N I T Y N E W S P A P E R

RESTORE US I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and ďŹ nd pasture.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

- John 10:9-11 - as read at the funeral of Bill & Helene Regier

August 1-14, 2007

2 • GrandBendStrip.com

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Special Edition: Remembering the Regiers

Helene Farwell, 1951

Bill Regier, 1950

Helene and Bill

We can never know the depth of the pain the Regier family has experienced. I speak for my family and our community when I say our thoughts and prayers are with them all as they pursue healing and comfort.

I’ve learned a lot about our community this week. Learned a lot about Bill and Helene Regier, Jesse Imeson, the media, and myself, too.

I learned that Bill was more than just the man who cleaned the school my brothers and I attended all those years ago. More than the man with whom I would collect the offering at church. I learned about Helene and her life and loves. I learned that their strength, faith and love could not be shattered by one man.

I also learned about focus. To be focused means to be aware of your purpose and your intention.

Helene and Bill were focused on their goals in life: faith and family.

For them, the two went hand in hand. Everyone who met them ben-

Grand Bend Strip P.O. Box 218 Grand Bend, Ontario N0M 1T0 CANADA Phone: (519) 614-3614 Fax: 1 (866) 753-2781 mail@grandbendstrip.com http://www.grandbendstrip.com

Publisher: Casey Lessard Editor: Casey Lessard Editorial Assistant: Anjhela Michielsen Editorial Assistant: Michelle Martin Advertising Sales & Design: Casey Lessard Chief Photographer: Casey Lessard Contributors: Rita Lessard - my mom Tom Lessard - my dad Jenipher Appleton - nature/birding Cameron Rankin golf pro, Sand Hills, Port Franks Distribution: Casey Lessard, Rita Lessard

efited, and their contributions will remain physically and spiritually in the Mount Carmel church community.

Jesse Imeson was focused enough to not let anything get in the way of what he wanted. We’ve all suffered as a result.

The media has been focused on the day’s headlines, learning as much as possible in as short of time as possible. Everyone wants to be the first with the story, no matter the cost.

Jamie Tomes, a family friend, addressed this last point after looking at my coverage on GrandBendStrip.com. He thought I had lost my focus, and at that time, I believe he was right.

My focus since then has been to remember what we lost Monday.

We lost two caring citizens and we also lost a part of ourselves.

We know we can never restore our innocents - Helene and Bill Regier. Let’s pray that we can restore our innocence.

Casey Lessard Publisher/Editor Grand Bend Strip is printed every two weeks in the summer and 4602 copies are delivered free to all homes and businesses in Grand Bend, Zurich, Dashwood and Port Franks using Canada Post. An additional 1400 copies are available to other residents and visitors at local stores and restaurants.

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Wednesday, August 1, 2007

GrandBendStrip.com • 3

Special Report: Remembering the Regiers

“It’s heart-wrenching. Heart-wrenching.”

Pat and Marion Sullivan Pat Sullivan was the fourth Pat Sullivan in Mount Carmel; the f irst one settled there in 1836. Pat and Bill Regier were born in the same year and spent their childhoods together on Bronson Line. Marion Sullivan and Helene Regier were born in the same year and went to high school together. The two couples were very close and shared many good times together.

As told to Casey Lessard Marion: Everywhere you went, they were always there. And all at once they’re not going to be there.

Pat: It’s heart-wrenching. Heart-wrenching.

That’s all I can say. I could say many things, but I mean, how do you say it under these circumstances?

M: I got a phone call on Monday afternoon from one of the boys’ mothers-in-law. So it was pretty real, I knew it was real and I had to believe it and it was just, I was just in disbelief that this could have happened. Why? We’ll never know why or how, which is a good thing, but it just leaves you in despair as to what is happening out there. We personally fear for our grandchildren. What is happening? Are they ever safe anywhere? I mean this is living proof. You are not safe anywhere.

P: Bill and I grew up about two farms apart and you know it was everything together from day one in school, even a little bit before that.

We started school together, practically sat across from each other all through school and we went through our school years together.

We’d bike to school, we’d walk to school, our parents drove us to school.

We played hockey together on the ice in the fields as young lads. We commuted back and forth to RCAF station Centralia many years working there, and with our farming operations we shared duties in the farming operation before combines, thrashing

grain. And as we became adults we socialized a lot together. Bill and I commuted or went to Zurich and went to dances. Bill met Helene, I met Marion and they were friends so our lives blended together that way and then our married lives blended together too after we were married. As we grew older we were involved with our parish council in Mt. Carmel, Knights of Columbus, the centennial committee in 1987, which was a big, big project, and many, many years on the cemetery board. Bill and I, our lives have been blended together for all our lives really. And of course our families grew up together and that’s the way life evolved with Bill and I. And it was really great.

M: I’ve known Helene since high school in Exeter. I worked in London and Helene worked in the bank in Zurich. We both got married and our children grew up together.

They went to the same school, they went to high school, they ran 4H together, our oldest daughter and Carol did ballet together and it was next to family. We were invited to all their family celebrations and they were invited to all of ours.

I liked Helen because she never said no to anything. When any community effort was in progress or to be done, Helene always seemed to be on the list and she was always willing.

She just did it in her quiet way. She did a lot behind the scenes work that a lot of people never knew about.

P: Bill was always ready to go and cooperate with any project we came up with in the parish or in the community and he was a driving force, there’s no two ways about that.

He was always agreeable to socialize. We’d plan to go to dances and parties and he was always agreeable. You know, it’s a bonding that started right from day one.

M: Family was a very, very big part of their lives and then later on their grandchildren.

1952 - Former RCAF station Centralia rec centre

Bill and Helene Regier with Marion and Pat Sullivan. “There was a dance every 2nd Friday there.”

They were very involved even with their grandchildren’s lives and I don’t think they ever missed any occasion, family oriented.

P: And also they’re involved in their church.

Their family and church were their prime goals in life. And community.

M: They were very caring and involved with the important aspects of life. They were very, very focused.

P: I’ll miss seeing them on an ongoing basis, at Mass on Sundays, and down here and just being able to say hello to them every time we met them.

M: What I’m going to miss most is them not being there because they were always there, at every community celebration. No matter what it was they were there. And many times behind the scenes making these occasions possible. They were always there.

P: This is difficult. Difficult. But life has to go on and we have to have faith in our system, our law enforcement, and faith, period. Faith in our community. I guess that’s how you will heal.

M: In our hearts we know Helene and Bill are in a better place and we cannot live in fear.

God does not want us to live in fear. One of my favourite quotes is: “Many happenings are a mystery, and if we understood all the things that happened on earth, we would be as wise as God Himself.” God will look after us and we have to have faith in Him. Other than that, how can you function? Talking to people helps. Our phone has rung many times, which is good, from people who know we knew them well. You are not going to contact the family at this time. It makes us feel good for us to talk. People call, and they say, “I just

want to talk.”

It’s on your mind. You wake up, you think about it. It’s just we have these little trigger events that are occurring all the time, which is good. We are happy that people want to phone and talk. We are happy about that, but you leave the house and you come in the door and the answering machine is beeping and that’s just the way it is because the community is going to need time to heal. I mean this is very vivid and very real.

I believe God has a plan for all of us, but I don’t think this was in God’s plan. He gave us free will. He won’t take that away from us.

God’s not responsible for people’s free will.

It happened, it’s horrific, it was a horrific act and the person obviously has a very, very sick mind. He is on the run and he is going to do whatever he has to do.

P: The mystery for me is, why did he come here and do this to such innocent people?

God gave him the tools. He could have rehabilitated his life and he didn’t use the tools he was given.

Bill and Helene would not have done anything to promote this. They had absolutely nothing to do with this. It is just a matter of this young man not using the gifts he was given.

M: I believe forgiveness can happen and in my heart I am sure that both Bill and Helene would forgive him because until you forgive you will continue to bleed so you are really suffering yourself over it by not forgiving.

P: That’s the way I feel and as difficult as it will be for them, I’m sure Bill and Helene’s family would tell you the same thing.

1987 - Our Lady of Mount Carmel church centennial celebrations

Helene and Bill Regier with Marion and Pat Sullivan dance to music by Harvey and Donna Smith, Lois and Glen Hodgins

4 • GrandBendStrip.com

Special Report: Remembering the Regiers

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

“They were real people.”

Stephen and Josephine Dietrich The Dietrich and Regier families were both originally Germans from Alsace in France. The Dietrichs moved here in 1868 and the Regiers moved at about the same time to Zurich. Stephen Dietrich was raised down the street from Bill Regier, and they would talk regularly. As the Dietrichs’ son-in-law Jamie Tomes says, Steve and Bill would talk on the phone before church, see each other at church, and call each other again after church. Stephen’s brother and Bill’s sister have been married 55 years and live in Lucan.

The Regiers welcomed Josephine when she emigrated from Holland, and the couples remained close friends.

As told to Casey Lessard Stephen: That morning I called him and he told me the whole story about this Imeson, or whatever his name is. He’d seen it in the paper. I usually don’t buy a paper Sunday morning and he told me the whole story. That was at 11:00 that morning. We just joked about it.

No one ever thought that something like this would ever happen. It’s almost impossible for anything that terrible to happen to your best friend and neighbour.

Our way of living here is when someone comes to the door, we open the door. We think it’s a neighbour or someone who needs help; he needs the telephone or maybe he needs to get in touch with someone ‘cause he needs some gas. And we are very glad to help.

I think that’s the way country people react. In cities, it’s different. They don’t know anybody.

Here we know a lot of people and we think someone needs help, so you help him. You don’t think that they’re gonna come in and kill you.

Bill and Helene were our friends all our lives. Even before my time, Bill’s father and my father were great f riends because we always lived in this area. We know these families so well going back many generations.

I was at their wedding. We had many good times and parties, and they were people you could always depend on. When Bill said, ‘I’ll be there,’ you could count on him to be there.

If they owed you any money you’d be repaid the next day - always. Not everybody is like that.

You knew who they were and what they were doing... they were real people. It’s a terrible thing when you lose friends and neighbours who are like that.

I talked to Bill almost every day. He’d call and ask what I was doin’ on the farm ‘cause we were both farmers in our day and we still help on the farms here. Some people you have nothing in common with - you just avoid ‘em.

It’s as simple as that. You’ve gotta have the same interests in life and we did.

Helene was a ver y good f riend of

Josephine’s. Josephine emigrated f rom Holland originally. I brought her up to their place before we were married. They made her feel right at home ‘cause she didn’t know anybody. She was a stranger in the community.

That’s the type of people they were.

Josephine: Helene was so good. She always put her hands on mine in church.

S: ‘Cause she knows she can’t walk. Helene was the type of person that wanted to make you feel at home. And she was very active in the church, CWL and anything that was going on.

The church is very important. When you’re born here, you’re baptized here, you’ve lived all your life here, and you have children here.

If we had closed the church, this whole community would have fallen apart. You would destroy a whole community.

My own family is going into the fifth generation in this area. We thought it was a very important thing. So that’s why we are so interested in saving the church. Hopefully we’ve saved it now that it’ll carry on for a few generations.

We think the restoration company is doing very good work. They took us up the scaffolding on the church Friday. They showed us every angle and the material they’re using. I said on the way down, “You know this church will probably be in better condition than the day it was built.” Bill thought the same.

J: Helene would always pick me up to go places like the Catholic Women’s League meetings. She was a neighbour and a good friend.

S: I’ll miss the conversation we had together.

And going places together and doing things together. Bill and I worked together so many years. We were on the cemetery board. Every time there was a funeral or something we’d look after everything in the cemetery. I looked after the finances. We got along so good you see because he was so dependable. When you’d pick him up he was ready. He’d come out the door. That’s the way he lived. It’s not easy, to miss people like Bill and Helene.

October, 1955

Bill Regier and Helene Farwell are married by Fr. Monaghan at St. Boniface church in Zurich.

J: They’ll be missed.

S: It’s going to be a long time before we can even think about what has really happened here. You don’t get that off your mind in a short time at all. It’s just too terrible. If you keep busy it helps to get this off your mind sometimes so you can at least sleep at night.

It’s just...I don’t know. He was a sick man.

Mentally sick. That’s what he was to do what he did.

The quicker they find him, the better. Our grandchildren don’t even want to stay home unless their parents are right there.

I told Doug (Regier) this morning, “You’ll just have to live with this now. You just carry

on and do what you can and keep busy in your life and that helps.” What else can you do?

You cannot change the past. You have to live with what happened. Our daughter Pauline died at 19 in a car accident. It just happened.

Our son died of leukemia and there’s nothing that the medical profession could do about it. So you just have to live with it. You can’t change it. Because it’s no fault of ours in either case. If you were at fault, well you’d have that guilty feeling. But in this case, no.

Even if this man is caught now and justice is served to him it won’t change the situation for them ‘cause they’re gone. Life is over for them.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Special Report: Remembering the Regiers

“They could not live without the church.”

Nell McCann Bill Regier’s f irst cousin Nell McCann has been the secretary at Our Lady of Mount Carmel church for the last 18 years. During that time, she has had regular interaction with Bill and Helene, especially this past year while Bill worked on the church restoration; recently, the church was at risk of closing for lack of funds to restore the roof and steeple.

As told to Casey Lessard

“I’ll miss our talks.”

Elaine Colquhoun Elaine Colquhoun (left in photo) grew up in Zurich with Helene (Farwell) Regier (right in photo). An only child, Elaine felt a connection with Helene because she was the only child of her father’s second wife. Twice widowed, Elaine recently moved back to the area, where she was looking forward to seeing her old friend more often.

As told to Casey Lessard My friend in town here wouldn’t phone me.

She came right here and she sat there and she said I have bad news for you. My grandson, Graham, was here - he’s 14. “The look on your face,” he said. “I won’t forget it.” It was just a terrible, terrible shock.

I was glad I had my grandson here; he just went home last night. I’ve had so many calls.

He counted 40 in two days. People knew that Helene and I were close and they said, “So sorry about Helene and Bill.” I’ve had a lot of comforting calls and the church service was very comforting the other night. My friends took me to that.

I don’t know when I met Helene. I’ve known her that long. All my life. She was a precious friend. We played together, we went to school together, we walked home together.

We were just about a block and a half apart so we played together all the time.

She was really close, like a sister. Because I had nobody else, you know. My mother died.

My dad remarried but my grandparents raised me. There were other kids playing there, but Helene and I, we had little secrets, you know, like girls do.

She had a beautiful playhouse that everybody was envious of, ‘cause her father was a carpenter and we went to the playhouse and played in it and we had sleepovers and stuff like that. And then we went to high school together in Exeter.

The odd time we went out with boys together but not really. I was married quite young - I had just turned 18 - and then she was married a little later.

She was a perfect lady, a perfect girl. I can’t say a thing bad about her, I can’t.

I remember when she learned to ride her bike. I’ll never forget it, she ran into a tree

and I never, ever forgot that. We biked a lot because, you know, we didn’t have cars.

We never really disconnected. We always would send cards, birthday cards, and nice little gifts, little things.

She came here to see where I lived, you know, and I went down there. My daughter lives near Strathroy so I went past her place and I’d stop in the odd time when I’d pass the place.

We did reminisce quite a lot, yes, and she’s been here quite often since I came here and she started coming to ‘muffin time,’ we called it, and she really enjoyed it. She picked me up the last two times ‘cause she’d come from Dashwood around this way. She was really enjoying that, seeing all the kids that we went to school with.

Friends up in Zurich got a quilt that we made in Grades 4, 5, and 6 and Helene was looking forward to seeing it. And the ladies brought it for me the other day for me to see it. Helene had a block with her name on it and I had a block and all the kids in our class and she wanted to see that so that bothers me.

How anybody could even do that. If they would have taken their vehicle or something - anything - but leave them. It’s terrible, terrible, terrible. I just pray that they get him. He could have just taken the vehicle and got out of there.

With my husbands, I knew they were dying, both of them. It’s just unbelievable the shock of it, the shock.

God must have had a reason, but only God knows what it was.

I’ve gotta use my faith for everything, you know? My husbands died and now this. Why? We don’t understand, but we have to have faith that there is a God. You find comfort with your friends and through prayer. I pray that they get that guy.

And the family, oh the family, I feel so sorry for them. It’s the family I really, really… to lose their mother and dad in such a terrible way, I just can’t imagine.

I’ll miss our talks. Now that I live here I can phone her and talk to her and we reminisce a lot, you know, growing up together. Helene and I could talk about pretty near anything.

We had a lot of good laughs.

She was like a sister, that’s exactly what she was like. I’m glad I know her, I’ll tell you that.

GrandBendStrip.com • 5 I’m sure they’ll be no peace until he’s caught. I just can’t believe what people are going through; I didn’t realize that it was so deep until I get talking to people. Especially at the prayer service Wednesday night. Some hadn’t been out of their house since this happened. And I know some have actually moved out of their homes and gone with family that are off at a distance.

I obviously know that life has to carry on.

That’s my faith, too. I know it’s hard and we’ll get over it and we’ll go on somehow.

This community will heal. You have to believe that there is a reason why this happened. I think that there is going to be a lesson to come out of this. I’m sure Bill and Helene have played their roles in life. They have done everything they’ve had to and done it well. They’ve really worked for their church and everything. I just believe that something is going to come out of this where we’ll all benefit. And hopefully they are happy where they are.

We can forgive (the killer) if he comes to justice and he gets his fair dealings with it. I realize he’s probably a troubled man. It sounds like his background hasn’t been what most kids have grown up with. But in the same breath I just don’t think it should have went that far.

Nobody knows their end and I say thank God we do not know how we’re going to end.

I’ll miss the contact with them. I know once this is over and we start having meetings with organizations that’s when we think they should be here, you know? Where are they? I think that’s the part that’s really gonna hit me hard.

Keep going. Work towards what you believe in. Bill and Helene would definitely want us to carry on.

I’ve known Bill from day one. He was like a brother to me. Bill’s mother and my dad are brother and sister. Bill and I went to school together. We were always in the same grade.

We graduated. We both married. And we both stayed in the community.

Bill and Helene’s whole lives were around the church. Their children were all baptized and married here. They’ve celebrated anniversaries here and Bill and Helene had their 25th and their 50th here. I was at all of those celebrations.

They could not live without the church. If they were ever away or anything he’d be back here to pick up a bulletin to see what he’d missed on the Sunday.

The renovation was his huge thing. He was just right into that. He and I talked constantly. He called me everyday on the renovation to see how they were doing, who was working, what they were doing that day.

The kids are very church involved, too. The boys always there every Sunday. Carol comes when she visits. And they partake of everything the community does. They are interested in the church and everything. Dale was up there on the scaffolding right at the top where Bill was. They were up as far as the steps went.

Bill was just so happy that it was happening. Thank God he saw part of it being done.

He would have been happy to have seen the finished product. He said to me, “We’re gonna have something that’s gonna look nice.”

They were very good people. Very good people. Church going people. Community people. Involved in numerous organizations.

Helene was especially involved in the CWL. She was a real CWL lady. Bill’s always been involved with the school.

Helene was the organist for the funeral choir. So they asked me, you were at all the funerals – what did Helene play? So we went through the songs and they’re playing all the old hymns she would play.

The community and their faith, their church, were most important. It was their whole thing. It’s going to be a big hole in the community.

It’s overwhelming. I’m just still in shock. I really haven’t got to the point of saying, “Yes it’s true.” If people are sick and die you’re expecting it. But this is just so out of the ordinary. Nothing’s ever happened like this in this community before. I’m shocked, that’s all. It 1987 - Mt. Carmel church centennial just hasn’t totally hit me yet.

Bill and Helene Regier in period costume.

6 • GrandBendStrip.com

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Special Report: Remembering the Regiers

“As I say to Bud, ‘Maybe one less meltdown a day.’”

Bud and Helen Ryan Bud Ryan has known Bill Regier since grade school. Helen Ryan worked with Bill for decades, and Helene Regier often helped Bill when he worked as the custodian at Our Lady of Mount Carmel school. Both have known the couple through church and living in the area.

As told to Casey Lessard Helen: Custodian was a good word for Bill, but caretaker was even better because he certainly looked after things.

Bill saw humour in a lot of things. A few years ago, when the school’s garbage pickup was tendered out, a truck would come into the school and back up to the dumpster area.

All of a sudden I heard this “Water! Water!

Water!” I know the truck driver smoked, and apparently one of his cigarettes got away on him. Well, you know what most of the garbage would be, so he had a fire in the barrel of his truck. Well, Bill had enough sense to realize the water wasn’t gonna help much. He just grabbed a couple of fire extinguishers. Bill seemed to know what to do when there was something to be done.

The only time I ever saw Bill upset - and it was always geared to weather – was when the mud would hit. It was his job to come after lunch and get rid of the mud in the halls.

Well, honestly, by the time one o’clock came around and the kids were coming in, he’d be trying to get this mud looked after and it was almost like a mud river in the hall. That’s the only thing I really ever heard Bill complain too much about.

He was a social fellow too. He really was.

And as far as having anything too detrimental to say about Bill, I kind of agree with the neighbor who said the only thing Bill did that ever hurt anybody was hurting himself, having an extra half a beer.

Helene used to come to school with Bill quite frequently and help him clean. He’d make some silly remark, and you’d think she was gullible but she wasn’t, but her response was “Oh, Bill, you don’t believe that do you?”

She was very quiet and a demonstrative person when she heard something that affected people or kids. She cared.

Bill was a fellow who, if you asked him something, you could almost see him pondering it. He never responded very quickly. He

wanted to make sure he knew exactly what you wanted. He might question you on what your objective was. He never really objected or balked. He might suggest another route.

Bud: I remember playing ball with him. You know, he was good at that. Never missed a night’s dance in Zurich when they were going together before they were married. Always see them there in Zurich at New Year’s Eve dances and the rest.

When I bought my first combine Bill Regier was the first man I combined for. I drove my combine right from Zurich down to Bill’s when he lived on the 25 acres back on the side road. Did his wheat before I even did my own, you know. He was well appreciative that way. I appreciated it too, for the business.

Nothing wrong with doing something like that.

Going back to the time when they were still going together (before they were married), Helene was always a well-dressed girl.

Everybody looked up to her.

H: Helene did like her clothes and she looked after herself. Her home was immaculate and she expressed herself; she had an articulate twist to her. Helene liked to shop.

Her clothing and her maintenance and her attire indicated that she was into a bit of fashion and creativity. They had a very nice, comfortable home.

We had staff dos at Helene’s. I think at some places the custodian might not be part of the staff party, but Bill went above and beyond.

The last time I saw Helene she was out at the garden centre in Exeter and I went up and spoke to her. She said, “Oh golly, Helen,” she says. “You think you’ve got everything done and you’ve got enough, but I’ve just gotta stop and see if there’s something else that might fill a corner.”

She was a shopper and the other day, on Thursday I guess it would be, sidewalk sale days were kind of starting then and they had some stuff set up and I ran into Gladys Talbot, who worked with me and Bill. Gladys said, “You know, we were just walking down here and I just figured this is one time of the year when I would see Helene, at the sidewalk sale days.”

Monday, we had been in Sarnia for the afternoon. We stopped for supper on the way

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1993 - Our Lady of Mount Carmel school staff photo

Helen Ryan is third from left. Bill Regier is kneeling in front.

home. We were coming up the road and our son Larry was heading out and he backed up.

We got in the house and I said “What’s up now?” because we had talked to him earlier in the day over him being on television and the fact that he recognized that man.

He had gone to talk to the other fellows that had been with him, you know, just to solidify the idea that this was the fellow from Windsor that they were looking for.

He had been out to Exeter for a bite to eat on Monday night at 5 or 6 o’clock and this is when he heard that Bill and Helene had met such a horrific end to such a wonderful life, and he was here to tell us. I just dropped everything: head, heart, hand.

We’re of the opinion that he was probably not too far from our place in his travels from the east to the west.

B: We’re in direct line from east to west.

He could have even walked up our lane. Who knows?

H: It’s been hard on all three of us. And then when they took Bill’s truck, Larry’s truck is much the same, pretty near the same colour, pretty near the same style. You kinda wonder.

It’s the topic of conversation wherever you go. I feel sorry for so many people.

The community is maybe not as frightened as they were, but we’re tense, we’re on edge.

It’s kind of rattled us. But I think in that sense we’re a bit closer to the hip than we used to be. You know, when strange things go on it

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Aug. 4 - Ben Shane & Bobby K

creates a clinging and that was kind of evident on Wednesday night (at the prayer service).

I actually feel for the young lad that so horrendously took our friends. According to what you read, he hasn’t had a fair shake at life at all, but that does not give him any right to remove someone’s life.

You try to think about something else, try to do something that gets your mind occupied, try to get off the farm because the farm’s too closely related to the incident. It occurred on Bronson Line. As I say to Bud, “Maybe one less meltdown a day.” It doesn’t go away.

I weep very easily when it comes to family things. So I can hardly imagine what that family’s going through.

That had to be one awful, fearful situation.

B: I would bet a hundred dollars to your one dollar that they’re sitting right next to “the big lad” (laughs). That’s where I would put them at. If they’re discussing what happened, well then, they’d probably say, “Well, we should’ve did this, we could have did that, we didn’t do that and now we’re up here, so whatta ya know?”

H: And I’m sure they’re concerned about us and our state of emotions, ‘cause Helene and Bill, they wouldn’t want you being worried about them.

You have to believe that God knows everything and He sees everything and He’s gonna look after us. You have to have a bit of faith or life’s pretty… life’s pretty nasty without faith.

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Wednesday, August 1, 2007

GrandBendStrip.com • 7

Special Report: Remembering the Regiers

The gift of life can never be taken away Message from Father Ray Lawhead as recorded at the Regier funeral For the past week there’s been a lot of stories in the news. Sad things. News that’s rocked the community, rocked the friends and family, anyone who knew Bill and Helene.

Not nice news.

But I’m here to tell you that I have some news for you and it is good news. It’s not mine. I’m passing it on. Doing much the same as Bill and Helene did the way they lived their lives. The news is that Jesus Christ has a gift for us. Many gifts in fact. But Jesus Christ has given us a very special gift. He has given us the gift of eternal life. The gift of life.

As we face this horrendous act, this evil, what do you do? How do we respond? As Jesus would say, and as Bill and Helene would say, there is only one response to evil like this and that is love. We must cling to and share that which is far more powerful than the evil that we’ve seen. That love heals. Love builds.

Love is what gave us their lives in the first place.

We know that as Jesus lived his life on this earth walking with his apostles, he spent His whole life teaching and preaching and showing by example what it means to love. What it means to treat each other as a brother, as a sister. To build up life. But he confronted evil.

Ultimately, in the end, it was extreme evil.

Evil that resulted in the death of the Son of

God. And yet we know that death did not end in tragedy. That the love of Jesus Christ conquers. The love of Jesus Christ overcame. And what’s going to give us the courage and hope and strength to overcome is the same thing. It is the love of Jesus Christ. It is the love that we share among ourselves.

That love reminds us that we are a people who live in hope. That we are a people who are not afraid of tomorrow, because we know that Jesus has made promises to us. That he has promised never to leave us but he has prepared a place for us. That he has elevated all of us to that of the family of God. By virtue of our baptism, He claimed kinship divine. That we are united with the author of life.

In the gospel reading we heard how Jesus talks about how we might have life and have it to the full. Now you think about having life, you think you’re either alive or you’re not. But we grow in our love as we grow in life. The more love we are able to share, the more love we are able to except from Jesus Christ. The more fully alive we will be, because the more free we will be. We won’t have the fears, the anxieties. And that freedom allows us to reach out to people. To help them to realize there’s good news out there. We need to share that good news.

1974 - Dashwood

Bill and Helene lived their lives by that.

They were an example. Not just to their family – a tremendous example to their family - but an example to the whole community, anyone who got to know them. And this is what we are called to be.

The greatest memorial to Bill and Helene is not money or even how well a litergy is performed. It’s the love that you share in your hearts. The love for Christ. The love for each other. Learning to take what we share today and bring it into your life. And bring it into your workplace, into your homes. Make sure people know that there is something to smile about.

Not matter how evil something may seem, no matter how under stress you may be, when you wake up in the morning you can smile because Jesus Christ is with us. Jesus Christ walks with us. We are His family.

Another part of scripture talking about the shepherd is where he says, “My sheep hear my voice. My sheep know me.” Do you hear Jesus? Can you hear Him? He’s been speaking all week long in a very special way. His words of comfort and love have been pouring from all over.

The community, the greater community, has been that example, that reminder to us of the gift that Jesus has given us. The gift of family.

Beyond relations, we are united in spirit.

Jesus is speaking. He is talking directly to every one of you. As he looks in your eyes he’s asking you and telling you, “Don’t be afraid.

The gifts that I give are yours forever. The gift of life that I give you, the gift of life that I gave Bill and Helene, can never be taken away. Ever.”

Huron Country Playhouse

Friedsburg Days tug-owar winning team

Marvin Neeb, Bob Robinson, Bob Hodgins, Dennis Lamport, Vern Sorenson, Pat Sullivan, John Laport, Mike Hartman, Dennis Morrissey, Gary Leger and Bill Regier. Proceeds of the win went to the beer tent.

G

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Legends A Salute to Musical Pioneers Conceived, Written & Directed by ALEX

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Helene Regier, Nell McCann, Marion Sullivan, Theresa Larkin and Diane Kaak would visit nursing homes to perform line dancing routines.

Starring Keith Savage

August 8 to September 1 Box Office: 519-238-6000 • huroncountryplayhouse.com

8 • GrandBendStrip.com

Monday, July 23: Bill and Helene Regier’s bodies are discovered on their Mount Carmel farm.

Special Report: Remembering the Regiers

Tuesday, July 24: Police believe Jesse Norman Imeson, wanted for murder in Windsor, is responsible for the Regiers’ deaths.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Wednesday, July 25: Father Ray Lawhead delivers the Regier family’s prayers for protection of community and of the police.

Mourning the loss of innocents and of innocence Photos by Casey Lesssard

Monday, July 30: More than 1,000 gather to mourn Bill and Helene at Mount Carmel church, which the Regiers have fought to restore.

Monday, July 30: CWL and Knights of Columbus members line the walkway that takes the Regiers to their final destination on Earth. The couple is buried in a plot at their home church.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

GrandBendStrip.com • 9

Special Report: Remembering the Regiers

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10 • GrandBendStrip.com

Special Report: Remembering the Regiers

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

“They quickly became friends.”

Three years of friendship seemed like a lifetime Father Ray Lawhead Facing what is likely the biggest crisis he and his parish will ever have to face, Father Ray Lawhead is leading Mount Carmel through the aftermath of the murders of two church community leaders, Helene and Bill Regier. Our Lady of Mount Carmel is Lawhead’s first parish as a priest; he has been at the church for three years.

As told to Casey Lessard This man has made victims of many people. Obviously the most extreme are those whose lives he has taken so violently.

But he has made victims of so many people that he has come into contact with.

The only person I would blame is this man himself. He has used people. It’s not the first time. He’s taken advantage of the trust of people and their goodness. So the only person I would blame - the only person - is this man.

As a priest, you can’t really prepare for something like this.

The shock and the emptiness that the family is feeling is something you know you have to help them through. I have helped other people that have dealt with things. Not like this, though. This is difficult.

The part that you can’t prepare for is dealing with something like this when it’s people you know and care for because it just adds a whole other element to it.

When you come to a new parish, sometimes it takes a little while to know people. You’re trying to get to know the different family connections. With Bill and Helene, it was very easy to get to know them. They were very friendly. They were very much a part of the church so they were always around. That was one reason I got to know them so well - they were always here. They were at daily mass when they could. Of course with Helene involved in the CWL, Bill with the Knights of Columbus, and the building restorations being a huge thing for both of them, I always saw them.

They became not just parishioners; they quickly became friends. I’ve known them for three years but it seems like a lot longer. Very, very good people. They were just the kind of people everybody seemed to know because it was easy to let your guard down with them. You didn’t feel like you had to put on a mask or something. They’re just great people.

Seeing them all the time, of course I would ask them questions about their farm. At first they were saying, “Why don’t you come down and see so and so?” and that was the first thing that happened. Then I went down to see their farm. I went inside and we sat in their sunroom there and had some coffee.

Bill always listened to the radio. I don’t even remember which AM station he was listening to but he always listened to the news. So we were listening to that and we just got talking.

Then I remember it was a little while later some lambs were born so, of course, Helene called me up, “You’ve gotta come and see them.”

After that I’d be driving by and I’d see the truck out there or I’d see Bill out there. A couple times he was watering so I’d pull in and we’d go in and have a coffee. I would just stop by or they’d give me a call real quick saying, “Do you have any time? Wanna come down?” It was like that so I just got to know them in that way. It was a place to go and relax.

Bill was always my rain gauge. Every time it rained he’s the one I’d always call. “What’d we get last night?” He was just a great guy.

Helene was just an amazing person. One of the reasons she’s so well known is because of her involvement in the CWL. But not just the CWL. If there were things happening in the parish or community she was always there lending help and support.

She was a very bubbly person. A happy person. She never seemed on edge or anxious. She had such a strong faith, no matter what was happening. You know when this church here, when it’s future was uncertain, I remember her talking to me saying, “You know what, we just have to have faith. We’ll just keep praying.” It was that kind of a confidence in God that really gave her that sense of calm. She was just a great person.

Really, really great. She was one of those kind of people that become a major part of a community not just because she’s always there but because of the strength that she lent by her own faith and her own personality.

Their faith and the love for their children go hand in hand.

And that lends itself to the love and care they had for their parish and community. It’s really hard to divide the two.

Their strong faith was such that it was natural that it was passed on to their children, which is why the Regier family right now are drawing so much strength from not only their own faith, but the faith of Bill and Helene. They are still drawing on the faith that Bill and Helene showed and lived in their whole life. They didn’t do it to be an example; that’s just the way they were. They lived it. Their friendship with someone didn’t matter about their faith community, it didn’t matter where they lived. They were open to everyone; they really were.

On the first evening when this all happened I spent a lot of

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Pictured: groom Ivan Herrington, bride Lynne Desjardine, best man Bill Herrington, maid of honour Susan Desjardine, flower girl Bridget Eastman and ring bearer Andrew Dolbear

Lynne and Ivan were married Saturday, July 7, 2007 at Grand Bend United Church.

After their reception dance at the Grand Bend Legion, the couple honeymooned in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

They were “screeched in” by the locals at Trapper John’s.

Father Ray Lawhead addressed the media at a conference in front of the rectory July 25.

time where the family was gathered. Jim Hoffman, the funeral director in Dashwood, and I were there just trying to make it as easy on them as possible, answer some of the questions they had. We would go to the police and bring that information back to them. Mainly that first night was just being there with them because it was such a shock to them. Such an air of disbelief at that time. Everyone was feeling it.

The next couple days were spent trying to help them with some details of preparations and things like that so they don’t have to worry about it. Just trying to make it as easy and smooth as possible.

One of the first things we did together, myself and the family, was to pray. In their words, they said, “Mom and Dad would have wanted us to pray together.” And so we did. Their prayer and love for each other is such a strength for them.

We prayed for strength. For peace in their hearts as much as possible.

Our continuing prayer is that this person is apprehended before anything more happens. The last thing we want is anyone else to suffer the anguish of this kind of violent loss of a loved one. We pray for the bravery and safety of the community and the police officers who are out there risking their

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Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Special Report: Remembering the Regiers

GrandBendStrip.com • 11

“He’s responsible for his actions.” A prayer lives.

A lot of it, when it’s a situation like this, the prayer is almost a sense of helplessness. It’s like, “Lord we don’t know what to do. We just ask your help here.” It’s almost a prayer of surrendering to Him and His love and entrusting ourselves to Him. Sometimes people don’t realize how important even a phone call is. When someone says that they’re praying for you and your community, it’s a powerful thing.

Some will be afraid to call because they won’t know what to say. Just their concern alone makes a difference. It does. Even though they aren’t sitting right here you know they are united with you and it makes a huge difference. Especially for the family who are trying to deal with this.

At the prayer service there were far more people than I expected. They came f rom all over. And afterwards, there was a lighter atmosphere. You could tell that they were strengthened by being able to pray together and drawing strength from one another. The family wasn’t able to attend, so after the service my friend Jim Hoffman and I went to visit the family and shared with them what happened. If you could have seen the comfort that the family took from hearing how many people were there…

It’s an amazing thing what love can do. This is exactly what it is. When you know that

someone is there for you and loves and care for you, it’s amazing the strength that you can draw from that.

You’re trying to show your support for the Regiers and you wish you could somehow make it easier. You know you can’t. You know there’s nothing that you can do to take away what happened.

I think, right now, the healing is going to be a slow process. It needs to be done as a community as well. There’s always the personal healing that we deal with, but I think that will be easier to happen once this person is apprehended.

Right now fear is really holding people back from going around visiting like they would have in the past. There are a lot more locked doors right now. I know a lot of people, like let’s say an elderly couple that lived alone, have went to live with their children until they apprehend this fellow. It’s hard to have the healing when they are so afraid to come back.

It’s a very tough thing to discuss forgiveness right now. There’s so much that they’re trying to deal with. It’s something that has to be addressed in their own hearts.

Obviously we know that Jesus has always asked us to forgive and yet we have to understand that forgiveness doesn’t mean that all of a sudden we feel affection for this person.

Forgiveness is something that we can choose

to try to do and to allow ourselves to realize that it may take years before we are able to ever find ourselves being able to use those words. Not that we don’t work towards it but it’s an extremely difficult thing for the family to even use those words right now.

The act was horrendous and they need justice. They need it to be stopped so that it doesn’t happen again. But I can’t speak to how they’re feeling right now towards him.

One thing we certainly don’t want is hatred or revenge filling us because it affects us in so many negative ways. It’s hard to have peace in our life if we’re angry. I’m not trying to say that it’s easy. This is something that’s going to take a long, long time. Forgiveness doesn’t mean you excuse what happened. It doesn’t.

He’s responsible for his actions.

When something like this happens you need to come together. It’s too tempting because of the fear that’s out there right now - to just stay by yourself. That’s why it was so nice to have the prayer service where the community came together and there were so many people afterwards that were so appreciative because it showed that they’re not alone.

It’s nice to be able to come together and celebrate your faith, love and support for the family as one because it just reminds us again that we are still one family and community.

That’s something that can’t be taken from us.

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request from the Regiers As presented to the media July  by Father Ray Lawhead It is with profound shock and sadness that we come before you to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude for your support and prayers.

Bill & Helene were known as pillars of the community for their strong faith and family values. Bill was an active member of the Knights of Columbus and a huge advocate of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church Restoration project. Helene has served with the Catholic Women’s League for more than 50 years and was a past London Diocesan president.

Married for nearly 52 years, they raised 6 children and were deeply committed to their 16 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.

No words and truly convey the loss our family is living through at this time.

Please pray with us for the protection of our community and the safety of the police force.

Grand Bend Farmers’ Market Simply in Season Dining Partnership

has been after 7 years of hard work and fun

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Special thanks to the people who helped me along the way: Alvin Campbell, Dean Holmes, Brian Jones, Marty Shakespeare, Karen Alexander, Helen Dubuque, Gail Silwinski, Dianne Mosburger, Freddie Engel, Wayne Bannon, Beach, Joan Flannagan, Errol Skillender, Nettie Drew, and Karen Turnbull.

The first customers were Sandy and Norm, “the Pickle Man.” Many thanks to Li’l Audrey for entertaining us on the keyboard and banjo.

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See you there!!!

12 • GrandBendStrip.com

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Strip Outside

Maintain the letter Y when chipping!

Golf Tips

By Cameron Rankin When chipping, don’t try to lift the ball with your swing. Use the loft to get the ball airborne.

The following tips on your set up will help.

- Keep your weight on your f ront foot (nearest your target) - Position ball middle to back in your stance.

- Position your hands in front of the club head at address.

- See the letter “Y” - Optional: grip down your club on the shorter shots for more control.

During your swing, the above tips will ensure you make a descending blow on the ball, contacting the ball first and the grass after. Hold your finish to check that your forward arm and golf club shaft form a straight line.

Remember that letter Y finish.

Do the above and you will save a few strokes around the green.

It’s not too late to attract the rose-breasted grosbeak The monogamous birds like to rub bills during courtship Living in Balance

By Jenipher Appleton The rose-breasted grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus is one of the most stunning birds you will see in southwestern Ontario. They seem to be even more plentiful in our back yard than they were last year at this time.

Grosbeak Families

Growing up with a naturalist father, I was Cameron Rankin is the head professional at Sand expected to learn something about wildlife Hills Golf Resort in Port Franks.

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The rose-breasted grosbeak can bring cheer to your garden. Photo: courtesy Maria Corcacas

every day. I had frequently been informed (by my father) that the evening grosbeak was a member of the finch family. Consequently, I had always believed that the same was the case for all species of grosbeaks. It seemed like a logical assumption. Wrong again. The evening and rose-breasted grosbeaks are not in the same family at all. The similarity between the two is simply the size of their beaks, which are ‘gros,’ the French word for big.

The evening grosbeak (a beautiful yellow, black and white bird) is a member of the family FRINGILLIDAE, along with other finches like the pine grosbeak, goldfinch, redpoll, purple finch, house finch, crossbills and siskins. The rose-breasted grosbeak, on the other hand, is a member of the family CARDINALIDAE, along with the blue grosbeak, buntings, and cardinals.

throat. The female has brownish upper parts with dark streaking, whitish to buff under parts, and a white eyebrow. Both genders have a large chunky beak, ideal for cracking seeds.

They love black oil sunflower seeds. In our back yard, they favour the open tray feeder and the tube-style feeder. They will also eat insects, caterpillars, tree flowers, fruits and berries. We are currently observing ten or more rose-breasted grosbeaks on our feeders at any given time throughout the day. The young males are in their immature phase, with rusty streaked under-parts and the classic red triangular patch not yet developed.

May and early June is their nesting time when they are very busy tending young and eating enough to keep up their energy. They are monogamous and fairly solitary. Male and female rub bills to display affection during courtship. They raise one to two broods per year. If you hear a cheery song, similar to Features and Habits The male rose-breasted grosbeak has a black that of the robin only mellower, it is likely the head, back, and wings with a white breast and rose-breasted grosbeak. It is not too late to an obvious rosy red triangular patch under the start a feeder to attract them.

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Wednesday, August 1, 2007

GrandBendStrip.com • 13

Strip on Stage

Yes, it’s a 10!

Miss Saigon is a must-see, so get your tickets

By Casey Lessard

“That’s exactly what happened,” says Dave Nguyen, a Vietnamese refugee who has just come out of the Huron Country Playhouse’s opening night performance of Miss Saigon.

“There was no future for us or our children,” the Kitchener resident says. “We lived under Communism for five years. We moved to Bangkok, Thailand (as do the characters in the play). We went three days by boat.

I almost lost my daughter and wife in the ocean. We lived in a refugee camp.

“Every action Elena did is what happened to the Vietnamese people.”

“I was so happy he liked it,” said Elena Juatco, the Canadian Idol finalist who plays the lead role of Kim. “It gives you validation.

It makes you feel like you’re doing something incredible with the show. Miss Saigon was the first time I saw an Asian woman on stage portraying such a beautiful role. That’s around the time I fell in love with the theatre and wanted to do this as a living.”

Juatco’s character is a farm girl desperate for money near the end of the Vietnam war. She moves to Saigon and on her first night as a prostitute meets Chris, an American soldier.

“(Director) David (Connoll y) said, ‘Remember, this is a love story set in Vietnam.

We’re telling a love story,’” says Stephen Patterson, who portrays Chris. “The amount of information that you’re getting f rom Vietnam, then to find love in a world like that is incredible. To relive that night after night - it breaks my heart. It’s pretty wild.”

Chris and Kim are separated during the fall of Saigon, and a child is born, unbeknownst to Chris.

“I have to say, it’s been one of the biggest highlights of my career so far,” says Lee Siegel, who is powerful as John, the man who links the lead characters together and promotes a reunion. His song (accompanied by the ensemble) about abandoned children of such unions is outstanding.

“It’s based on something that’s real,” Juatco says. “What people went through is unimaginable. It’s what brings us to tears every night.

It’s what makes us keep going when we’re exhausted” “I think the important thing in the midst of all this singing and dancing is people forget that we’re singing because we’re trying to tell

Lee Siegel, Stephen Patterson and Elena Juatco are a powerful trio in Miss Saigon, playing until August 4 at the Huron Country Playhouse.

a story,” says Frank-Anton Howard, who has won awards in America for his role of The Engineer. “With the other productions that I’ve done before you get lost in the pageantry of it, the Cadillacs and helicopters. You don’t have the luxury here. You’re forced to do a different take on it.”

Connolly’s interpretation of the play for the Playhouse stage makes it one of the best productions the Huron Country Playhouse has ever produced. Miss Saigon makes you wonder why anyone would drive to Toronto to see a play for twice the price (or more). Drayton Entertainment has never done anything as ambitious and they have succeeded in setting

a new standard for theatre in this community.

“It’s something that you know people can connect to in their own way and they have their own memories,” Patterson says. “I would love to tell this over and over. It’s such a great, sad, beautiful story.”

“Thirty-two years later,” Dave Nguyen says, “the story’s still going on.”

The story won’t last forever on the stage, however. There are only a few days left to see Miss Saigon at the Huron Country Playhouse, and based on the quality of the production, there is no excuse for an empty seat in the house. Grab a friend and get tickets before the show ends this weekend.

Music in the Valley - www.musicinthevalley.ca Michelle Wright and Doc Walker Esli Dodge Conservation Area, Forest Saturday, August  – gates open at  p.m.

Tickets: $40 at CIBC Forest, Red Rooster in Forest, Huron Country Playhouse box office (519) 238-6000. Cash sales only at the door.

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a p a ssi onate dedi cati on to gri l l i ng

Make your summer sizzle!

Get an award-winning Napoleon grill and look forward to years of great grilling with our limited lifetime warranty

Grand Bend Heating Plus 14 Main Street, Grand Bend

(519) 238-6707

14 • GrandBendStrip.com

Strip Fun

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

They had five days of fun

Grace Bible Chapel in Parkhill recently hosted Five Fun Days, a summer vacation bible camp for kids, at various locations in Parkhill. Participants play games and take part in team building activities aimed at building the Christian faith in kids.

Above: Tyler Mitchell and Johnny Hochachka of Parkhill are a two-headed, four-legged monster.

Above: Chandler Heathcote of Grand Bend tries to soak obstacle course racers. “We’ve been trying to get into the camp for a long time,” he said, “and finally we got in this year. It’s great.”

Right: Emily Godts runs the course.

Lunch Tues.-Sat. 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Dinner Tues.-Sun. 5 p.m.

A RESTAURANT

+ OVER 200 VENDORS

+ THEDFORD FIRE TRUCK

+ 7000 sq. ft. OF ANTIQUES

+ BEER GARDEN

+ VINTAGE BARBER SHOP

+ LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

+ 1930s GAS STATION

+ T33 FIGHTER JET

42 Ontario St. S. (Hwy 21) Reservations Recommended

(519) 238-6224

Proprietor Erryn Shephard Chef Ben Sandwith

Photos by casey Lessard

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

To Do: August 1-14 Listings accuracy not guaranteed

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1

 a.m. -  p.m. - Gill St. Parking Lot, Grand Bend Grand Bend Farmers’ Market

THURSDAY, AUGUST 2

Thedford Funion Days

SUNDAY, AUGUST 5

: a.m. to  p.m. Pinery Flea Market Live music with Neil Chapman

 p.m.

Christine’s on the River, Port Franks Rubber Ducky Race to raise money for the Northville Fire Dept. : p.m. on the patio - Christine’s on the River, Port Franks Live music with Mark & Julian Gables Live Music with Groove Tank

 p.m. - Goderich Courthouse Park BIA Summer Concert Series.

 p.m. - Area  Ipperwash Beach Centre Ipper wash Community Association Annual Meeting

FRIDAY, AUGUST 3

 a.m. -  p.m. - Forest Forest Farmers Market Thedford Thedford Funion Days - p.m. - Grand Bend Legion Meat Draw Bikini Bob’s Live Music with Jacob Moloy Band Gables Live Music with Groove Tank

SATURDAY, AUGUST 4

Gables Live Music with Groove Tank  p.m. -  p.m. - Christine’s on the River, Port Franks Live music with “Undecided”  a.m.  Main St. N., Bayfield Heritage walk. Admission: $5.

Contact Elaine Sturgeon (519) 565-2376 Forest Amphitheatre Music in the Valley Pinery Park Friends of the Pinery Family Fish Fry Thedford

GrandBendStrip.com • 15

To Do List  a.m. -  p.m. - Gill St. Parking Lot, Grand Bend Grand Bend Farmers’ Market  p.m. - Kimball Hall, Forest Kiwanis Meat Bingo : p.m. - Port Franks Community Centre Cottage/Home Safety Meeting.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 9

 a.m. -  p.m. - Coultis Park, Forest NLCHC Early Years Picnic  p.m. - Goderich Courthouse Park BIA Summer Concert Series.

: a.m. -  p.m. - Grand Bend Youth Centre Toronto Zoo Trip, Grand Bend Youth Centre

 a.m. to  p.m Benmiller Falls Reserve Conservation FRIDAY, AUGUST 10 Area (near Goderich) Gables Classic Car & Motorcycle Show. $10 per Live Music with The Joys vehicle. Jason Moir, (519) 524-6429 Oakwood Inn Pub Thedford Live Music with Brian Dale Thedford Funion Days -: p.m. - Goderich, Lions Harbour Park MONDAY, AUGUST 6 Earth, Air, Fire & Water - Celtic Roots  a.m. - : p.m. - Goderich (all week) Festival (all weekend) Celtic College Music, crafts, art, dance from Ireland, Over 50 professionals teach their craft in singing, dancing, harp, guitar, tin whistle, Scotland. Canada’s oldest Celtic festival. flute, mandolin, blacksmithing, stone carv- Winner of best cultural event in Ontario. ing and much more. Warren Robinson (519) Warren Robinson (519) 524-8221 524-8221 - p.m. - Grand Bend Legion Meat Draw TUESDAY, AUGUST 7 Animal Week at the Grand Bend Youth - p.m. - Municipality of Bluewater Centre. Call 519-238-1155.

Bayfield Complex Bayfield Antiques Show & Sale  p.m. - Grand Bend Legion Showcasing 35 outstanding antique Bingo dealers from all across Ontario. Wine and Cheese gala Fri. evening. Admission: Fri. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8 evening plus Sat. or Sun. - $8.00. Sat. or Until September  Sun. $5/day.

Huron Country Playhouse Legends. Contact box office for showtimes  a.m. -  p.m. - Forest and ticket information - (519) 238-6000 Forest Farmers Market

Custom Sandals & Foot Orthotics

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11

Oakwood Inn Pub Live Music with Brian Dale  a.m.

Bayfield,  Bayfield Main St. N. Heritage walk. Admission: $5.  p.m. - Corbett Corbett Fun Day - p.m. - Exeter, South Huron Rec. Centre Grounds Exeter Rodeo Adults: $15, 6-12 $10, 5 and under $3.

Contact Jo-Anne Fields (519) 235-2833 - p.m. - Grand Bend Legion Live Music with Mark Blayney

 a.m. to  p.m. - Zurich Village of Zurich yard sale and fireman’s breakfast. Bonnie Groot (519) 236-4351 ext.

232 Port Franks Ausable Port Franks Optimist Kids Fishing Derby

SUNDAY, AUGUST 12

: a.m. to  p.m. Pinery Flea Market Live Music with Brian Dale  -  p.m. on the patio - Christine’s on the River, Port Franks Live music with Julian  a.m. Fun Run, : a.m.  km run.

Exeter, South Huron Rec. Centre Ag Building South Huron Trail Run Contact Tim Cumming (519) 235-2610

TUESDAY, AUGUST 14

 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion Bingo

Grand Bend Youth Centre Storybook Gardens week - Join us for Survivor games, camping and a fun trip to Storybook Gardens in London. Call 519238-1155.

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by Registered Orthotic Technician Athletic & Orthopedic Bracing • Foot Orthotics • Orthotic Friendly Shoes & Sandals • Shoe Repair • Mobility Aids Home Healthcare Equipment Sales & Rental 38 Ontario Street South • Grand Bend

prospers@hay.net 70793 Highway 21 North Grand Bend, ON N0M 1T0

(519) 238-2451

TOLL-FREE: 1-866-798-0101

16 • GrandBendStrip.com

Strip at the Beach

Not So Pro serves up fun weekend - photos by Casey Lessard Hundreds of volleyball players converged on the Grand Bend beach the weekend of July 20-22 for the Not So Pro beach volleyball tournament. Above: Alex Sanger of Forest shows her powerful serve. Above right: Amy Robinson of Forest waits for the action to start.

Below: Kyle Struckett of Ipperwash Beach prepares for a spike. Right: Purple Rain played Jerc Inc. on the main court early Sunday.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007