Hometown News Lanark, North Leeds & Grenville January 2017

Hometownnews PART OF THE DISCOVER COMMUNTIY NETWORK

Vol. 4

No. 1

YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER - LANARK, NORTH LEEDS & GRENVILLE

JANUARY 2017

Exciting year ahead for Smiths Falls brewery as it gears up for local production 4 Degrees Brewery to be first new business for County Fair Mall

Smiths Falls - Chris Must

editorial@pdgmedia.ca

A shopping mall is not the traditional location for a brewery, but thinking outside the box is becoming the way of the future in Smiths Falls.

As town officials and representatives of the Saumure Group of Companies got together on Dec. 14 to announce that the company had bought County Fair Mall to save it from demolition, the announcement also included the news that 4 Degrees Brewing Company would be moving into the empty store formerly occupied

by Staples.

Nick Ritchie of 4 Degrees said he and his partners made a quick decision to accept a suggestion from the Saumure Group to locate their new brewery at the mall. The original plan was to open the brewery at another Saumure-owned property, the former Smiths Falls District Collegiate Institute building on Gould Street.

The mall will be a better location said Ritchie.

“It’s a more visible space,” he said. “There’s just natural traffic that goes there.”

Ritchie co-founded 4 Degrees Brewing with Andrew Howard in 2012, partners Joe Adams and Chris Haines joined them in 2015, and Tim Vandermeer in 2016. Their lifestyle collection of beers, True North of 7 and True South of 7, have so far been brewed in Niagara Falls by the Taps Brewing Company. The partners have planned all along to open a Smiths Falls operation and hopefully create up to 30 local jobs in the process.

Work towards opening the brewery is under way, and the partners hope to have an opening event by February.

Although the brewery will be primarily a production facility, the company will also offer tours and there will be a retail outlet for the purchase of beer and other merchandise including glasses, hats and shirts.

Although they want to remain focussed on beer production, 4 De-

grees would be willing to partner with a restaurant entrepreneur interested in opening a brew pub at the mall, said Ritchie.

The original plans for the Gould Street location are in the process of being modified to fit the new space at the mall.

“It’s a blank canvas,” said Ritchie. “That’s the beautiful thing about it.”

Twenty bars and restaurants currently offer 4 Degrees products, as well as two sports teams, the Ottawa Outlaws and Toronto Rush ultimate frisbee teams.

Plans are in the works to bring those teams to Smiths Falls for an event at Lower Reach Park.

Ritchie said 4 Degrees is on its way toward the goal of creating 30 jobs.

Five people have already been hired in sales and accounting positions.

In addition to the new brewery, 4 Degrees plans to launch two news beers this month as part of its hometown collection — Old Sly’s ’69, an IPA containing 6.9 per cent alcohol, and Frost & Wood ’55, a 5.5 per cent lager.

Culture

lifestyle January is Alzheimer Awareness Month. This is the first of a three part series on our senior health series

Page 14

The co-owners of 4 Degrees Brewing, from left: Chris Haines, Joe Adams, Tim Vandermeer, Andrew Howard and Nick Ritchie are excited to open their brewery in Smiths Falls this year. The brewery is expected to have an official opening in February. Photo Credit: Submitted

As part of their hometown collection, 4 Degrees will be launching two new beers this year. Old Sly’s ’69, an IPA containing 6.9 per cent alcohol. Frost & Wood ’55, a 5.5 per cent lager. Photo Credits: Submitted

community

An art piece constructed from printing plates from The Perth Courier, depicts past and hints at future of Perth

Hometown News reporter Jane Hobson takes to the street to talk to people about thier New Year's resolutions.

Page 12

Page 5

FIND US ONLINE Facebook/DiscoverPerth Facebook/DiscoverCarletonPlace Facebook/DiscoverSmithsFalls www.HometownNews.ca

Page Two

January 2017

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Letter from our Editor

Another year has been put the bed and with that, for me, comes reflection and thought about the future. But I do not make resolutions. Why wait until Jan.1 to make a change?

To me that’s procrastina-

tion. If there is something you want to change or fix in your life, I say don’t wait for a magic date to start.

Studies have shown that most resolutions don’t get followed through on. In fact, a study that tracked 200 New Year's resolvers for two years found that 77 per cent maintained their pledges for one week, but only 19 per cent had still kept to their goals after two years. Jane Hobson hit the streets and talked to people in the community about their New Year’s resolutions and as it turns out, most of them weren’t planning on mak-

ing any either. Read Word on the Street on page 5 to find out why.

That said, 2017 is bringing a lot of change to Hometown News — but let me assure you, the timing of these changes is coincidental. They are solid plans, not resolutions.

For starters, we are welcoming a new member to the Hometown News team — Toby James. He is our new sales manager.

He’s a familiar face in the community to many, especially to our Perth readers.

Also new with this issue is the resurrection of our health column. Health Matters will be a regular column that will provide our readers with qualified

From the Lanark & District Museum Collection

Bennet Rosamond (standing), retired president of the Rosamond Woolen Company.

Alex Rosamond (sitting), president of the Rosamond Woolen Company. This photo was taken in the president's office of the Rosamond Woolen Company, now the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum. Photo Credit: Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, 3 Rosamond Street East, Almonte, Ontario

Hometown News is happy to welcome Toby James to the team. His 10-year background in sales and marketing makes him a strong fit as sales manager.

After completing a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of Guelph in 2005, James returned to his hometown of Perth because of the supportive lifestyle it offers to young professionals and families.

Since then, James has held positions that require fundraising, marketing and sales skills. When he returned to the area after university, he managed the Responsive Marketing Group’s call centre in Smiths Falls for three years after working for the Kemptville Advance newspaper as an advertising sales representative.

James then took his fundraising and advertising experience and combined it with a sales position with The Ride-

au Group in Perth. For five years, he maintained more than 300 accounts in a geographic division spanning from Prescott to Bancroft.

As he joins Hometown News, James is excited to meet with clients while also supporting the current sales staff and working alongside the publisher and editorial team.

“Hometown News has all you want in a newspaper,” says James. “The editorial content captures the community’s stories,

Hometownnews

Publisher

Reporters:

Patricia Krotki pmkrotki@pdgmedia.ca

editorial@pdgmedia.ca Kathy Botham Sarah Cavanagh Jane Hobson Chris Must Sally Smith

April Scott-Clarke april@pdgmedia.ca

nity pages on Facebook and remain dedicated to maintaining that presence.

The new year is bringing lot of change to our communities as well. As you saw on the cover, Chris Must talked to the boys at 4 Degrees Brewing and got the details about them opening a brewery in the old County Fair Mall in Smiths Falls next month.

Carleton Place is alive as ever and Sarah Cavanagh has provided us with a list of reason on page 18 as to why entrepreneurs looking for a location for their business in 2017 should consider Carleton Place. And both Smiths Falls and Carleton Place

have already started planning events for the Canada 150, see page 4 for a preview.

So far, it looks like 2017 is shaping up to be a funfilled and busy year. Be sure to pick up a copy of Hometown News each month to learn about what’s happening around you, and to visit our website regularly to stay upto-date between issues.

As always, if you have something you’d like to say — good or bad — my ears are always open. Send your letters (actually, I prefer emails) to april@ pdgmedia.ca.

April Scott-Clarke Editor, Hometown News

a hometown Welcome...

A Blast from the Past:

EditoR

advice and practical tips on how to improve your health. Read this month’s installment on beating colds and flu faster on page 13.

Late last year you may have noticed that we launched our new website Hometown News www. hometownnews.ca. This site is more visually appealing to our readers and makes it easier to find the news you want to read about your community. If you haven’t checked it out, we encourage you to do so and let us know what you think — email us your thoughts at editorial@ pdgmedia.ca. Of course, we’re still active on all of our Discover commu-

PART OF THE DISCOVER COMMUNTIY NETWORK

challenges and news while the print quality and online presence make it the full, perfect package. I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with such a great team who all believe in what they’re delivering to the community each month.”

When he’s not working or playing with his kids, James plays in the Perth men’s golf and hockey leagues as well as volunteers with the Perth and District Minor Soccer Association.

Photography:

Got a story or submission:

Kathy Botham

editorial@pdgmedia.ca

advertising:

pdg media:

advertising@pdgmedia.ca Toby James-Regional Sales Manager toby@pdgmedia.ca

48 Maple Avenue N, Smiths Falls, ON K7A 2A5 Phone: (613) 206-0708

January 2017

3

News

Pankow remains committed to basic income project Smiths Falls - Chris Must chris@pdgmedia.ca Smiths Falls councillors have rejected a proposal for the town to participate in a pilot project to test the concept of providing a guaranteed basic income in Ontario, but Mayor Shawn Pankow remains committed to the concept.

At a meeting of council’s Committee of the Whole on Dec. 19, councillors were told by Chief Administrative Officer Malcolm Morris that Pankow had written to the province in May 2016 suggesting that the town might be interested in participating in the project – a step which some councillors said they were unaware of and would not support.

“Here we are in December talking about whether we want to be involved,” said Councillor Jay Brennan. He argued council had not given the project its blessing when the concept was initially discussed several months ago. The mayor’s letter was sent prior to that discussion.

The mayor received a reply to his letter, dated June 7, from Dr. Helena Jaczek, Minister of Community and Social Services. The letter indicated that the pilot project, including the selection of participants, was still in the inception stage.

“The basic income pilot will test a growing view at home and abroad that a basic income could build on the success of minimum wage policies and increases in child benefits by providing more consistent and predictable support in the context of today’s dynamic labour market,” the minister added.

“It’s something that I have done a lot of research into,” Pankow said. After reading an academic study on a similar pilot project conducted in Dauphin, MB in the 1970s, Pankow added that he concluded the new project would be “a natural fit for Smiths Falls.”

The findings of the Manitoba study were suppressed following a change in government, said Pankow. But in 2011 University of Manitoba researcher Dr. Evelyn Forget released a study showing that the fiveyear project virtually eliminated poverty and led to improved health.

Pankow said the decision of which communities will be chosen for the project will be up to the province, but he felt Smiths Falls could benefit because the town has lower than average income, higher than average unemployment, above average reliance on transfer payments, and challenges to the health and education systems due to poverty.

“It’s pretty clear that the current system isn’t working,” he said.

Announced in the 2016 provincial budget in February 2016, the pilot project is currently being spearheaded by former senator Hugh Segal.

The pilot project would run in several communities, providing people on social assistance with a basic income for three years. An individual would have to be a resident of the community for at least a year to qualify to take part in the project.

Segal, a long-time advocate for a basic income, recently produced a discussion paper on the is-

sue. In the introduction to the paper Segal stated that: “The main purpose of a basic income pilot must be to test replacing the broad policing, control, and monitoring now present in Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), with a modestly more generous basic income, disbursed automatically to those living beneath a certain income threshold.”

Segal’s proposal sees people between the ages of 18 and 65 in Ontario living below the poverty line receive a basic income of $1,320 per month. Individuals with disabilities would receive $500 more.

Four communities are to be chosen as sites for the three-year pilot project. Trial participants would be randomly selected to receive the basic income benefit. There would also be a control group that would not receive the benefit. The control group would be studied over time to help understand the impact that the basic income benefit has on other groups.

“I suspect there would not be a direct cost to the town of Smiths Falls,” said Morris during the Dec. 19 meeting, adding that the project would be administered by the provincial government.

The discussion at the Dec. 19 committee meeting focussed on a proposal for a delegation from Smiths Falls to attend the upcoming Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference and lobby the province to be part of the study. A majority of councillors spoke against the proposal.

Brennan said it would

We’re hiring!

Hometown News is looking for reliable freelance writers to cover events and news within the communities of Smiths Falls and Perth. This is a flexible gig but we are looking for someone who is interested in writing at least three to four articles per month.

We are interested in writers who a) want to write about the happenings in these communities and b) are able to generate story ideas from these communities.

We pay a flat rate per article, average article length is 500 words.

If interested please contact April with writing samples.

april@pdgmedia.ca

be more appropriate for the province to approach Lanark County, since social services in the local area are administered at the county level. Hosting a basic income pilot project for several years might adversely affect the town’s relationship with Lanark County regarding the provision of social services, he said. He added that social services are a provincial issue that the town should stay out of.

“I think this is something that has merit,” said Councillor Lorraine Allen, who spoke in support of the town being involved in the project.

“People who live in poverty and have mental illness of one kind of another are struggling.”

Councillor Joe Gallipeau indicated that he would also support the pilot project. A guaranteed minimum income would improve public health, he said, because many people with low incomes “can’t afford to eat healthy.”

However, councillors John Maloney and Dawn Quinn said they viewed the project as throwing money at a problem that could better be addressed through education, and were not in favour of Smiths Falls being a site for the pilot project.

Quinn said students in school should be taught from an early age how to budget their money. She added that her observations of Lanark County Housing as a councillor left her unimpressed with the inefficiency of the bureaucracy involved in administering poorly constructed and managed housing projects “that should never have been built.”

Brennan responded that he was not criticizing the merits of a basic income or the pilot project itself, but only that he opposed Smiths Falls being part of the study for the reasons he had previously stated.

Mayor Pankow was absent from the meeting but

said he had intended to be there but was caught up in traffic following a medical appointment in Ottawa. Councillor Chris Cummings was also absent from the Dec. 19 meeting.

With three councillors opposed to Smiths Falls hosting a pilot project, and only two in favour, the matter will not be coming back to council.

Pankow said following the meeting that members of the public who support Smiths Falls hosting the project can write to the premier and the Minister of Community of Social Services, and contact local MPP Randy Hillier to make their views known.

“Every individual in our community has an opportunity to move this forward.”

Pankow noted he has also been contacted by groups interested in holding a public meeting in Smiths Falls in January to discuss the basic income project. Details are still being worked out.

2017 icy dip raises close to $30,000 for Interval House

perth - terry o'hearn terry@pdgmedia.ca It was a record Polar Bear Plunge this year in Perth on Jan. 1, with the recipient Lanark County Interval House (LCIH) raising approximately $28,000 according to their initial figures. The number of plungers was significantly higher than last year with 83 registered. The biggest money raisers were Erin Lee of LCIH, and 83-yearold Legion Member Eva Gentle.

Town Crier Brent McLaren opened the activities on the banks of the Tay River beside the Perth Legion to a crowd of about 400 people. It was announced that the 2018 recipient will be

The Table Community Food Centre of Perth.

Brian Perkin of Lake 88.1 Radio handled the emcee duties, and a full team of Lake 88 staff Angie, Bob, Cathie, Kevin, and Tracey – made the plunge together.

“Chief Polar Bear” Dave Lavery made the arduous journey back to Perth from Kabul, Afghanistan and was able to maintain his tradition of double dipping — that is plunging into the icy waters of the Tay River both at the start and the end of the event. He had his wish come true for: “freezing temperatures, lots of snow and ice, and many participants from Perth and area to take part in this crazy, wet event.”

Originally held at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Petawawa, where founder David Lavery was a serving member of the Canadian Armed Forces, the event moved to Perth in 1994 with Lavery, and he was assisted

by Stan Munro, Jeanette Buker, and others at the Royal Canadian Legion.

This year’s fund raising has pushed the total over the quarter million dollar mark since that first year.

Perth is considered to be one of the most successful and safest true Polar Bear Plunges in the country, and much of that success is due to the volunteers from Perth Fire Department, Lanark County Paramedics and others.

January 2017

4

community Smiths Falls gearing up for year-long party to mark Canada 150 Smiths Falls - Chris Must chris@pd gmedia.ca The 150th anniversary of Confederation won’t pass unnoticed in Smiths Falls, as the town is planning a full year of celebrations.

Planning is still underway, but a number of celebratory events are already confirmed. The town has also been successful in securing funding to help with event expenses. Ingrid Bron, economic development and tourism coordinator, informed town councillors on Dec. 12 that $16,900 will be received from the federal government’s Canada 150 Fund to assist with two of the events. Applications for provincial funding are still pending.

“We are pleased that economic development and tourism received approval of funding from Canada 150, because 90 per cent of the applications are rejected,” Bron reported.

Town staff have focused their planning around the celebration of a number of

themes in Smiths Falls history, including the town’s Irish heritage, and the importance of rail and water transportation.

The first event of the list of confirmed activities for 2017 is an exhibition of Russian fashions, textiles and photographs at Heritage House Museum, opening Jan. 20 and running until March 31.

Another January event will be the opening night of Film Night International at the Station Theatre, Jan. 26.

Events in February will include the Fill-a-Bowl Fundraiser Feb. 11, hosted by the Local Immigration Partnership, the Friends of the Library Trivia Challenge, Feb. 12, and another event at Heritage House Feb. 16 called “Lushes with Brushes.”

Irish heritage will be celebrated March 16 with an Irish stew family luncheon hosted by Heritage House, followed by the Green Mile run on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. The Railway

Museum will also host an “Emerald Gala” on March 18.

The annual Spring Fling Running Thing, a half marathon and fundraiser for hospital equipment, will be held April 30 and forms part of the local Canada 150 event line-up.

From May 5 to Aug. 25 Heritage House will host an exhibition entitled “Our Town: Smiths Falls in 1867.” Other May events will include an art show and sale at the Smiths Falls Memorial Community Centre, and the opening of the Railway Museum for the season.

In June, events include the commemoration of D-Day at Evergreen Avenue, the June 4 Fly-In Breakfast at Russ Beach Airport, and the Relay for Life on June 4. The weekend of June 17-18 will see the town host two large festivals, the Healthy Living Festival and Rideau Paddlefest. Other June events will include National Aboriginal Day June

Rideau Paddlefest, to be held June 18, 2017, is one of the local events forming part of Smiths Falls’ Canada 150 celebrations. The Healthy Living Festival will be held June 17, making for a busy weekend. Photo Credit: Chris Must

21, Highland on the Rideau with the Gordon Pipe Band June 24, the Smiths Falls Triathlon on June 4, Recreation Hall of Fame inductions on June 25, a voyageur canoe event at Centennial Park June 27, and the chamber of commerce golf tournament and “Irish Homestead Dinner” on June 28.

The highlight in July will be the July 1 Canada Day

parade and celebrations at Lower Reach Park.

July will also see Smiths Falls host a champion grooming dog show at the community centre July 2931, and the Rolling Thunder Car Show at Lower Reach Park July 30.

Highlights in August will include the “Race the Runway” drag races at the airport Aug. 12, the Urban Jungle Obstacle and Fit-

ness Challenge on Aug. 13, and Trainfest at the Railway Museum Aug. 26-27.

A highlight in September is the Rise Above the Mud Obstacle Challenge, a fundraiser for the Smiths Falls Community Hospital Foundation on Sept. 30.

For the month of October Heritage House Museum will host “Saved by the Bell: Victorian Mourning and Superstitions.”

Smiths Falls fire chief seeks resources for water rescue Carleton Place - Submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca Carleton Place plans to make its mark with a year of special events and activities to celebrate Canada’s 150th.

The town wasted no time kicking off its celebration, with a New Year’s Day Levee at the Carleton Place arena.

There was free skating, hot dogs and hot chocolate and children's activities lead by the Carleton Place Winter Carnival Committee.

A dedicated group of volunteers have spent nearly a year planning the 2017 events, all of which will be low or nocost and family friendly.

In partnership with the Town of Carleton Place, the committee has set up a calendar of events that can be found on the Town of Carleton Place website (www.carletonplace.ca).

If you are interested in getting involved, there are plenty of opportunities. Volunteers will

be needed at each event or activity throughout the year. High school volunteer hours can be gained along with valuable experience, and don’t forget some fun!

Additionally, local community groups are encouraged to expand on the celebrations.

Whether it’s in the creation of a new event to add to the calendar or in helping to make an existing event bigger or better, the committee wants as many people involved as possible.

All events presented by community organizations will be well promoted in conjunction with other 150th celebration calendar events.

As a bonus groups will have access to promotional freebies and the town’s Canada 150th banners for photos. If you are interested in assisting in any way, contact Carleton Place Community Programmer, Jessica Smith at jsmit h@carletonplace. ca for more informa-

tion.

This year is shaping up to be a very busy year in Carleton Place and the anticipated boost in tourism will create an ideal opportunity for local businesses.

The CP Canada 150th committee is calling out to local community groups and businesses to commit to being Participating Partners and assist in promoting the celebration.

Participating Partners will receive promotional recognition through print media and handouts and branded materials to distribute at their place of business.

You can stay up to date on event announcements and upcoming activities though the committee’s social media channels: facebook. com/cpcan150, twitter. com/cpcan150 and instagram.com/cpcan150 Start planning how you are going to celebrate Canada’s 150th at home today!

Smiths Falls - Chris Must editorial@pdgmedia.ca The Rideau looks like a recreational paradise for many, but for those tasked with ensuring public safety, it can look like an accident waiting to happen.

Smiths Falls Fire Chief Normand Beauchamp informed town councillors recently that the waterway is very busy, and poses numerous risks. At the Nov. 28 meeting of council’s Committee of the Whole he presented a report recommending that the town spend up to $48,000 over the next five years to ensure that firefighters have the training and equipment needed to respond to potential emergencies on the Rideau. These expenses included updated personal protective equipment, shore-based rescue equipment, and $18,000 for a small boat.

In 1994 council adopted a bylaw establishing the levels of service to be provided by the fire department. This bylaw included providing “Level 1” water and ice rescue service. Level 1 water rescue spec-

ifies firefighters will carry out shore-based rescues using rope and f lotation devices, and on the water using a boat. Firefighters will not actually enter the water. The department received water and ice rescue equipment, provided by the Rideau Corridor Search and Rescue Committee, in 2001. The committee also provided firefighters with training.

Fifteen years later, said Beauchamp, “We must replace a few pieces of equipment soon.”

If not, the chief said, the department should stop offering these services.

About five kilometres of the Rideau Canal pass through Smiths Falls, Beauchamp reported.

Annually, 1,700 boats pass through locks in Smiths Falls. Potential mishaps include the risk of drowning, boats catching fire or being involved in accidents, the need to make a medical evacuation from a boat, an inf lammable liquid spill from a boat, or the emission of potentially explosive vapour.

Statistics show that

the Smiths Falls Fire Department responds to an average of three ice or water rescue incidents every two years.

Parks Canada does not offer water and ice rescue to users of the canal. The responsibility of police is limited to body recovery, said Beauchamp.

Actually rescuing people is a municipal responsibility under the Fire Protection Act, he said.

If council approves the chief ’s plan, a trainer will be brought to Smiths Falls in 2018 to train all firefighters.

Councillor Chris Cummings said he was inclined to “err on the side of caution” and would support the chief ’s call for more equipment and training.

“We’re aware of a problem now, and a risk to our community,” said Mayor Shawn Pankow.

“I’m glad to see council looking at that positively,” commented Beauchamp.

The matter will be coming back to council in the new year for further action.

January 2017

5

community

WORD ON THE STREET Regional - Jane Hobson ja n e @ p d g m e d i a . c a The new year is here and this often comes with an ambitious feeling of rejuvenation. It’s a great time to reflect, refocus and revamp goals from the previous year.

After all, new year new you — right? Maybe not.

Even though 2016 is officially in the past, the stench of last year’s unachieved goals tends to linger in the fresh air of the new year, clouding the chance of successful resolutions in 2017.

“There’s something artificial about a New Year’s resolution because the start of a new year does not necessarily mean you’ll suddenly be in the right time and space to make a change,” said Natalie Dickinson, a clinical social worker and general therapist in Hintonburg.

“For some people, the new year is the catalyst to achieve goals, but that’s not necessarily enough to lead you to success.”

There are many reasons that can prevent people from sticking with their New Year’s resolutions.

According to Minding our Bodies, a healthy eating and physical activity initiative for mental health from the Canadian Mental Health Association, goals should be SMART — specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely.

If one of these characteristics is missing, the goal will be harder to stick with.

New Year’s resolutions that are abandoned and pushed aside are often large, life-altering goals that don’t fit these characteristics, Dickinson said.

Specific means the goal is clear and easy to understand. Instead of the goal being losing weight, it should be something more specific like exercise for two hours

each week.

Measurable goals mean you can see the change occur. For example, exercising for two hours each week might mean you measure your success by trying to run around the block without being winded by April.

Attainable means that the New Year’s resolution actually has to be possible – you can’t run a half marathon in March if you’ve never run a marathon before. Try to run five kilometres by March instead.

Realistic means the goal suits your lifestyle but still requires commitment. It doesn’t make sense for someone who eats a lot of sweets to completely cut sweets out, but a realistic goal would be to only have sweets on the weekend.

Timeliness is key when setting a goal because it gives a timeframe to encourage you. If you do not set a deadline for your goal, you’ll never feel like you have to start it.

When setting goals, Dickinson said it also comes down to setting yourself up for success. Figure out what you’re going to need to make yourself successful and make sure you have access to those support systems.

“If you’re trying to quit smoking, for example, you should talk to your doctor and you should figure out what products will help you the best if that’s what you need,” Dickinson said.

Most people do not stick with their New Year’s resolutions because the goals are too big, agrees Beverley Gail Rice, a registered psychotherapist (qualifying) in Carleton Place.

“Choose one goal and break it down into small easily doable steps for each week or each month,” Rice says. Rather than the goal being to lose weight, a more

reasonable goal could be finding one healthy dinner recipe to try to each week.

“One small success raises self-confidence and leads to more success,” she says.

It’s important when setting goals for the new year not to make it into an exercise of self-loathing if the goal isn’t achieved, Rice added.

So as 2017 inevitably proceeds, remember that resolutions can be healthy ways to set goals for a bright new year, but don’t forget to accept that you might have moments of failure. Plan some rewards for yourself to help get through the hardest days. Don’t forget to set SMART goals, cheer yourself on and stay positive.

“[My resolution is] to put in more of an effort at school. I don’t usually stick to any resolutions anyways. People think they can become a new person because it’s a new year.” -Colin McLaughlin. Photo credit: Jane Hobson

“I didn’t make a New Year’s resolution because I make one and it lasts like a day. People think the new year is a fresh start but that’s not really accurate, the goals should be SMART goals, not new year’s goals.” -Michelle Baillargeon. Photo credit: Jane Hobson

column: Carleton Place Social Notes Carleton Place Sarah Cavanagh editorial@pdgmedia.ca So long 2016...

December can be a month of such contradiction. It’s plump with merriment surrounding the holidays, the hustle and bustle of decorating and shopping and catching up with friends and family. It’s vacation from work and school and the official start of the winter season. It is also a month of nostalgia; of finality as one year closes and another is about to begin. It can be overshadowed by sorrows, of homesickness for our youth, of departed loved ones missed, and general holiday financial stresses.

Despite the impending holiday bills and bitter cold,

January has an aura of rebirth. It’s a clean slate – the chance to make this New Year whatever you want it to be. It is no different for a community.

For Carleton Place, 2016 saw its successes as well as its fair share of challenges. It was a year of change downtown with the BIA becoming “Downtown Carleton Place” and with a changing of the guard so to speak.

Cathie McOrmond no longer at the helm passed the torch to Kate Murray who brought with her new role, some new events and ideas.

We said farewell to our dear friend Wandering Wayne and were reminded to cherish the footsteps that still lay before each of us.

Our town came together (as we have come to expect)

“I didn’t make a New Year’s resolution. Sure the new year is a fresh start, but people should be making goals all year.

I’ve been working on making sure I’m doing my exercises, I took a university course and I’m taking another one in the new year. I try to do meaningful volunteer work. Since I’m retired, I try to keep relationships with my friends and I visit my family.” -Mary-Clare Tanguay. Photo credit: Jane Hobson

and Rachel’s Army was born.

Together we danced and played and trick or treated our way to raising $15,000 to help a brave 4-year-old girl kick cancer. When the Fort McMurray wildfires broke out, Carleton Place rallied – dozens of events and fundraisers helped send over $12,000 in relief to our neighbours in Alberta.

The beloved home of the Rhippo Burger was destroyed by fire but again Carleton Place came together to help raise the roof and after a summer at the SBU, soon we will welcome a new home for our Law & Orders classics!

We came out with friends and family and celebrated Canada Day in epic fashion at Riverside Park, took in a few movies under the stars,

browsed the market at the Bridge Street Bazaar and laid out the red carpet for some of the world’s strongest men!

Chilly the Penguin returned in February with the Winter Carnival crew at Riverside Park and Zip-E the clown made sure to visit whenever he was in town.

There were parades and Man Caves, Maker’s Markets, Farmer’s Markets, car and truck shows, and festivals of wool and picnics of years gone by.

We walked with Linda Seccaspina and travelled back in time in our own backyard. There were new murals and some new faces in retail –Giardino’s coiffed its way onto the scene, Brown and MacFarlane joined us on Bridge Street and a new Bridal Boutique was unveiled.

People’s first of Lanark County celebrated 10 years of making people’s lives bet-

“[My resolution is] to take more care of my mind, body and soul. I make the same New Year’s resolution every year because I know how important it is. Sometimes I have to remind myself throughout the year of my resolution. [The new year] gives people a sense of a beginning by having a start date. I think it depends on the person’s willpower and how badly they want it to happen!” –Ashley Pelletier. Photo credit: Jane Hobson

“I never makes resolutions but I think it gives people the excuse to attempt a lifestyle change, but most flame out. If you’re serious about a change, don’t wait until Jan. 1, do it now!” –John Edwards. Photo credit: Jane Hobson

ter in our community and Interval House got a boost from the new Farm 2 Fork events.

The kids got a new skate park and our CP Canadians won another cup. We had rowers and swimmers that put our town on the map and one of our alumni got his pass to the stars.

It was announced that we’d be getting a new ER, losing a CAO and Miller’s Crossing broke ground. There was arguing over chocolate and storm water ponds, signage and décor. Town Hall got a facelift and the old barracks was lost to fire. Our public works department had their work cut out for them when a quarter of the town lost water pressure but through it all (all around the clock) they carried on. Through power and water outages, heat waves and ice storms our town opened their hearts, homes, dinner tables and

showers to their neighbours.

There is a lot about 2016 that we should be very proud of Carleton Place.

Like all families, we may squabble but in the end we have each other’s backs. I have no doubt that 2017 will bring with it many opportunities for us to shine. There will be controversy, there will be frenzied Facebook rants, and yes there may even be some gossip but I guarantee that there will be new businesses, new neighbours, new parties to attend, new reasons to smile and to cheer.

Thank you for sharing 2016 with me and with all of us at Hometown News and Discover Carleton Place, and thank you from myself and my family for being part of why we love living here.

You make our community great and I am #cpproud to call this home. Look out 2017, here we come.

January 2017

6

community

Carleton Place band heads to Memphis for blues competition CARLETON PLACE - JANE HOBSON ja n e @ p d g m e d i a . c a “We never thought we would actually win the competition but we tore that place down!” said Kevin Ficzere, lead guitarist and vocalist of Blues and Company, a threepiece blues band from Carleton Place. The band won the Ottawa Blues Society Road to Memphis Competition in December 2016.

Blues and Company has played more than 200 shows in the Ottawa area and will travel to Memphis, Tennessee at the end of January for the 33rd International Blues Challenge (IBC). Hosted by the Blues Foundation, more than 250 international blues bands will play at venues located on historic Beale Street in Memphis from Jan. 31 to Feb. 4. Blues and Company is scheduled to play two gigs.

“We did the [Ottawa Blues Society Road to Memphis] competition to keep our name out there, to stay involved and to support the Ottawa Blues Society,” said ‘Big’ Dave Hamilton, who plays bass guitar for Blues and Company. “It’s amazing that

we won.”

We’ve hit the ground running but it’s fun, said Doug Corneil, the drummer, who convinced the band to compete.

“I originally told Doug I wasn’t doing the competition because we wanted to take the winter off,” Ficzere said as Hamilton and Corneil laughed.

Corneil even cancelled a trip down south for the winter since they won.

“Now we’ll be working I guess,” Ficzere laughed.

Blues and Company mixes electric and contemporary blues to create can’t-get-it-out-of-myhead original tunes like Victim of Circumstance, Texas Bound and Bones in the Closet.

“We all come into it with different influences but together it’s greater than anything. When we’re on stage — it’s magic,” Hamilton says.

“Our chemistry and the passion we have is addictive when it comes together — better than any drug,” Ficzere agreed. “I would go crazy if I wasn’t doing this.”

Influenced by legendary blues artists like B.B. King, T-Bone Walker and Mud-

dy Waters, Ficzere says Blues and Company combines Jimi Hendrix-esque psychedelic blues with Chicago-style notes. Blues and Company has played at RBC Ottawa’s Bluesfest, Calabogie Blues and Ribfest and their songs have been played on the radio in steady rotation.

“For me, playing comes from the passion of studying your heroes, like Hendrix,” said Ficzere, who has been part of the Ottawa blues and rock scene for more than 25 years. “First you imitate, then you improvise, and then you find who you are through your music and you become that person on stage.”

Since the win, the band is rehearsing twice a week to prepare for the IBC and for other upcoming gigs.

The band will go to Blues Summit Eight, hosted by the Toronto Blues Society, which runs Jan. 20 to Jan. 23. They’re also playing at the RCHA Club in Kingston on Feb. 18 at 8 p.m.

Amidst everything on the horizon, Blues and Company is also trying to produce its next album called Straight Up, No Chaser. The band has

Members of Carleton Place band Blues and Company, ‘Big’ Dave Hamilton, Kevin Ficzere and Doug Corneil (left to right), jam at rehearsal. Blues and Company will travel to Memphis, Tennessee at the end of the January for the International Blues Challenge. Photo credit: Jane Hobson

a page at indiegogo.com to raise funds for the album. Blues and Company is asking for local support to raise $7,000. Broken down, $5,500 is needed to produce and promote the album and $1,500 is needed for the music video.

“The mission of the album going forward is to get that high-energy boogie with a good back beat that moves everyone to the dance floor,” Ficzere says.

Blues and Company is offering awesome perks to people who donate, such as a few signed copies of the new album, partying with the band, and receiving signed merchandise.

Hamilton is also offering his very own signed, origi-

nal paintings.

“We’re going to donate 10 per cent of all new album sales to Big Brothers Big Sisters Smiths Falls,” Hamilton said. “That’s what differentiates us from other groups; we know where we come from and it’s our chance to say thank you.”

Blues and Company says getting Straight Up, No Chaser in the hands of its fans as soon as possible is important because there is a demand for their music.

“There’s no time to spend your life doing something you don’t love,” Hamilton said. After being diagnosed with cancer in 2010, Hamilton left his job as a public servant to

spend his time painting, writing, reading, creating, playing music and teaching English at Carleton University in Ottawa.

“Freedom is when you don’t owe anybody anything and you love what you do,” Ficzere added.

“All those small shows, all the things that seemed insignificant, those were really stepping stones to where we are now. Looking back, I guess that’s kind of how life works.”

“If you can lose everything today and be happy tomorrow, that’s how you know you’re doing something love,” Hamilton said. “There’s no time for anything else.”

Lanark County Crime Stoppers announces video contest winners CARLETON PLACE - JANE HOBSON ja n e @ p d g m e d i a . c a Lanark County Crime Stoppers (LCCS) announced the winner of its annual High School Youth Video Challenge in late December. There is traditionally a first, second and third place team but this year, two teams tied for first place.

“The video contest allows

students to educate themselves and show their peers that they all have the right to be safe in their school and in their community,” said Cathie McOrmond, the public coordinator for LCCS. “All the videos showed a lot of creativity and hard work from the students and they all delivered an excellent message.”

Each first place team

received $400 to split between three teammates.

The third place team won $200 to split between three teammates.

The first place winners were Zack McCullough, Tyler Williams and Gregory Drew on one team, and Kara Cylne, Jackson Hawthorne and Gethyn Hatch on the other team.

The winning team for third

Winners of the Lanark County Crime Stopper video contest pose for a photo with Outreach Coordinator Cathie McOrmond (far right) while holding their cash prizes at Perth and District Collegiate Institute on Dec. 20, 2016.

Two teams tied for first place and one team made third place. Photo courtesy of Paul Gallien.

place consisted of William Mongeau, Lee Lapointe and Brandon Cordy.

The video challenge required students in Lanark County to create a video that tackles and improves safety at their high school.

The goal of the video is to “promote student awareness and responsibility in promoting the Crime Stoppers Program as an effective tool in the fight against crime in the school community,” according to the LCCS website. This year, the video submission deadline was Nov. 15, 2016.

The video submission had to include the LCCS title and logo as well as the phone number and website, and had to be between three and five minutes long.

“High school represents the youth of the community and often when crimes are committed in high schools, they go unreported for fear of retaliation [from

bullies],” said McOrmond.

“Crime Stoppers gives students an opportunity to take charge without fear.”

In 2016, the LCCS received 8.4 per cent more tips than they did in 2015.

The amount of calls received increased by 1.2 per cent since 2015. The overall amount of tips that led to charges laid was 1.1 per cent.

Bordered by the Ottawa, Smiths Falls, Kingston and Renfrew Crime Stoppers programs, LCCS has had a lot success over the years, said McOrmond who has been involved with the program for about 20 years.

“Lanark County Crime Stoppers is planning on launching a Facebook page early in the new year as part of a new social media campaign,” McOrmond said.

The social media campaign will be focused on increasing community awareness of LCCS throughout the

county. Tips will not be submitted on the Facebook page, McOrmond clarified. If someone is in immediate danger, always call 911.

Crime Stoppers is an international program that relies on anonymous tipsters to help police solve crimes. LCCS originally established in 1992, is a community-based branch of the program. Crime is solved usually by offering cash rewards and guaranteed anonymity to tipsters with information that leads to arrest or charges laid. There are more than 700 Crime Stoppers operations in Canada, the U.S. and Europe.

LCCS encourages individuals with information to submit tips via Crime Stoppers website www. lccs.ca or on the phone (1-800-222-8477). Tipsters are not asked to give any identifying information.

January 2017

7

community

opinion:

Lanark County townships and Am I the only one? towns asked to build a pound

If you leave the room and people have more hope than when you entered it then you are a great person. When I’m not feeling very hopeful I sure love spending time with people who tell me that things will get better, everything is going to be okay, you’re going to get through this.

I handed a gift card to an almost homeless person the other day.

As I got closer I saw she was drugged up and underdressed in ragged clothes. I wished her a Merry Christmas. She looked really shocked like no one’s wished her anything in a long time.

When I got home I started wondering if there was somebody more worthy of my donation because of the drugs.

Then I stopped myself.

Without hope I imagine I would be paralyzed with fear and my stomach would be in knots all the time. I might even turn to drugs to mask some of these uncomfortable feelings.

It’s easy to judge people but it’s more important to help them.

A friend committed suicide when we were 22 years old. He planned his own funeral arrangements, wrote

the letter and didn’t want anyone to feel bad. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted,” the letter said.

We knew he had problems but didn’t realize how bad it was. He lost hope. That painful and confusing time is the reason I value hope because hope saves people.

Don’t steal people’s hope. Sometimes that’s all they’ve got. Look around you. What if people are just waking up trying to figure it out every day? Isn’t that a better perspective than all those other stingy thoughts?

If you are without hope or surrounded by people without hope call someone you know cares about you, for you are drowning. Hope is an expectation of positive outcomes, and we all need that. There’s no shame in asking for help. Even well taken care of and nurtured people fail and fall, even if they won’t admit it.

The system is fundamentally flawed and the resources aren’t easy to navigate or available when you need them.

We can’t fix people’s problems but we can show a little humanity and nudge them into a more hopeful state. As Dr. Paul Farmer said, “The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world.” Let’s keep our noses at a friendly level and choose to help each other get through life.

Signed, Am I the Only One ?

Carrie Wynne’s column reflects her own opinions and not necessarily those of Hometown News.

Regional - Sally Smiths

editorial@pdgmedia.ca Two years ago the towns and townships of Lanark County were asked to consider the possibility of building a joint pound; Kathy Hoyland, chair of Lanark Animal Welfare Society (LAWS) in Smiths Falls and Laura Lowson, a private pound keeper of that town, returned to county council in early November to broach the subject again with more urgency.

A lot has changed in the last two years and the two felt it was good to float the proposition again. LAWS is slowly regaining its feet after a tumultuous year of dramatically reduced funds, but in order to return to financial health the shelter had to close its doors to dogs.

Lowson and her husband Marty took on pound keeper responsibil-

ities and presently take in dogs from Montague and Merrickville at the pound; Anita Stuart takes in dogs to her pound facility in Lanark Highlands from Drummond/North Elmsley, Tay Valley, Perth and Lanark Highlands.

At the moment, all is running smoothly but in Lowson’s opinion this could change quickly.

LAWS is raising funds for a new building. The current building is 30 years old, pipes are freezing, the shelter is draughty and cold, and there isn’t enough money to fix what needs to be done as well as carry on with day-today necessities. Hoyland, at the meeting, agreed with Lowson’s assessment; “LAWS can't be depended on to provide a pound for dogs.” The shelter works hard to look after the cats turned in to it. The dog pound is physically part of, but administrative-

ly autonomous from, the shelter.

Lowson takes that a step further. She says that, for her, someone should be taking over pound duties by the end of 2017. In other words, she is doing some succession planning.

John Fenik, in the chair at the County Council Community Services meeting in November, says the situation isn’t as dire as Lowson suggests. “Some municipalities [look after dogs] on a joint venture; some say what they have is okay.” For instance, he adds, “if our situation with Anita changed, we would arrange something with Ottawa.”

This makes Lowson shiver as the Ottawa Humane Society OHS is an “open-admission shelter” through which “they seek to reduce the number of stray animals whose final solution is often destruction” according to the

OHS website. Lowson’s pound operation, on the other-hand, is no-kill.

She has an answer, and that’s why she and Hoyland were at County Council talking to the reeves and mayors. The solution, she says, is to band together and build a pound. She has plans, developed in Parry Sound, that do something similar.

These are plans, she adds, that were recommended by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Minutes from the Community Services meeting of Nov.9 show that “direction was provided to staff to have this item included on the next Lanark County CAO’s meeting agenda for discussion, as it related to a municipally partnered pound, including options for cats.”

Lowson gets the final word: “We have to put a fire under them.”

lifestyle

Prosthetics, bras coming to Smiths Falls for breast cancer survivors

SMITHS FALLS Howaida Sorour-Roberts

editorial@pdgmedia.ca

Breast cancer affects one in nine Canadian women and for many, that harrowing diagnosis results in surgery to remove one or two breasts, yet there are few mastectomy boutiques in Lanark County.

There are several shops in Ottawa where breast cancer survivors can be fitted for prosthetics and specialty bras, there’s one in Kingston and one in Carleton Place, but nothing in between — this is about to change. Starting in January, Michele’s Doorway to Splendour, on Beckwith

Street in Smiths Falls will host Kelly’s Mastectomy Boutique on the last Monday of every month.

“We’ll be providing women with prosthesis and mastectomy bra fittings, and because Michele’s is closed on Mondays, this provides the privacy that clients expect,” said Diane Hayes, certified fitter and owner of Kelly’s Boutique, based in Ottawa.

Anyone interested in getting a bra or prosthetic fitting is encouraged to call and make an appointment with Hayes at 613 2488989.

“I’ll probably take the first appointment for 10:00 a.m. and every half hour after that,” said Hayes.

The idea of partnering with Michele’s Doorway to Splendour came at the suggestion of a client from Smiths Falls, who had availed herself of Kelly’s services in Ottawa and knew the Smiths Falls store.

“You just feel when something is right and this [collaboration] felt right” said Michele Baitley, owner of Michele’s Doorway to Splendour.

For Hayes it just made sense to extend her services to women who might not have the resources to travel to Ottawa or Kingston, or just don’t feel up to it.

Hayes has been doing fittings and providing breast cancer survivors with prosthetics for the past 13 years.

“Kelly was my sister-in-

Diane Hayes owner of Kelly’s Boutique and Michele Baitley, owner of Michele’s Doorway to Splendour. Photo Credit: Howaida Sorour-Roberts.

law and was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer at the age of 31 in 2003,” said Hayes. Six months after Kelly’s diagnosis Hayes opened her store. Her sister-in-law lost her battle with cancer in 2005 and had had so much radiation therapy she was never able to wear a prosthesis. The business was named after her with her blessing.

Kelly’s Boutique offers full prosthetic fitting services, brassiere fitting, mastectomy swimwear and a line of headwear for chemotherapy patients. The business carries products from the top manufacturers and offers breast prosthesis and brassieres from

Amoena, and Anita for a complete range suitable for most body and surgery types. Kelly’s prides itself on its range and flexibility, offering custom mirror image breast prosthesis for those that want them. Hayes’ background includes extensive sewing experience making modification of mastectomy garments easy for patients as they are done at her Ottawa premises.

“For now we’ll be offering bras and prosthesis once a month, but eventually hope to have bras available here in Michele’s store all year round, and I’ll be training Michele to do the fittings,” said Hayes.

January 2017

8

lifestyle Senior fitness can make living a little easier

A mixed group of seniors and adults go through their final stretches at the end of a Tuesday morning group session at Natatia’s One-On-One fitness, at the Gallipeau Centre in Smiths Falls. Photo Credit: Howaida Sorour-Roberts.

Smiths Falls Howaida Sorour-Roberts

editorial@pdgmedia.ca

It’s the little things that get harder to do and that slowly build and leave too many seniors virtually immobilized and unable to enjoy life.

Things like climbing the stairs, or getting down on the floor, or tying a shoelace. For many seniors these are tasks that seem nearly impossible due to pain, diminish-

ing flexibility or weight gain. But some seniors are discovering that regular exercise with a knowledgeable professional can make those little tasks seem like a breeze again.

“I would say, after the first couple of months I started to feel better, and all the little things I would avoid because of pain – well I don’t have pain anymore,” says Paul Weagle, who has joined

senior group fitness sessions with Natatia Gemmell owner of Natatia’s One-on-One Fitness.

Weagle, who is nearly 70, has only been working out for a little more than six months.

Joint pain is the most common pain that seniors experience, whether knees or hips and pain tends to prevent people from moving.

“I had a lot of pain in my knees but now my

knees are much better and I can go up several flights of stairs without taking a break,” says John Brauneisen, who is also in his late 60s.

He started individual sessions at One-on-One Fitness a year and a half ago.

When Gemmell first opened One-on-One Fitness she wasn’t particularly focused on seniors and their health needs, but that changed.

“We have a lot of seniors in this area, and I wanted to give more people more options and I saw there was a need for senior fitness, so I made that a focus,” says Gemmell.

Sessions at One on One Fitness whether as a group or as individuals all start with an assessment.

“I will assess the individual’s strength, flexibility and balance, I also sit down with newcomers and go through their health profile, discuss their health issues and concerns and then base the program on their health history, the

physical assessment and their specific goals,” says Gemmell.

Each client has a program designed specifically for them; even those participating in group programs, will have exercises included in the group session that benefit each member’s needs and goals.

“I had a client who could not get down on the floor – it had been five years – but it’s amazing how far she’s come, she can now get down on the floor and get up without any help,” says Gemmell.

Being able to move is great, but targeted exercise can have other less obvious health benefits.

“I was on blood pressure medications and they wanted to put me on cholesterol medication as well, but with the exercise I’m doing my cholesterol is down and doesn’t need medicating, and my blood pressure has improved so I’m on the lowest dose,” says Brauneisen, Both Weagle and Brauneisen have embraced

Gemmells knowledge of nutrition and both have lost weight. Brauneisen has lost 60 pounds and Weagle has lost 25 pounds. Weagle admits he could have lost more if he more closely followed the advice he’s been getting.

More than anything though both men, are delighted with the changes they’re noticing.

“I like the benefits I’ve derived, my health is better, my energy is up, and now when I bend down for any length of time, it doesn’t hurt,” says Weagle.

“I could barely walk a kilometer when I started, now I can do three kilometers,” says Brauneisen.

According to her clients, Gemmell’s sessions are fun, and she has a knack for motivating people.

“I like the way she’s very passionate and very knowledgeable and that she can inspire you to go beyond what you thought you could do,” concludes Weagle.

Collaboration across health fields benefits everyone Smiths Falls Howaida Sorour-Roberts

editorial@pdgmedia.ca

For a variety of reasons, more and more people are turning to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for what ails them. The old divide between conventional medicine and alternative medicine is eroding and a new integrative approach is emerging.

“Conventional medicine doesn’t have the market cornered on health and wellness,” said Peter McKenna, executive director of Rideau Community Health Services.

For many people the decision to seek treatment outside the conventional medical system is driven by a search for answers to complex health issues.

"That's why we have family health teams, there is a need for more collaborative approaches because it is more effective" said Robert Rodine, DC, RYT chiropractor and owner of Restorative Health in Smiths Falls.

A doctor of chiropractic, Rodine's skills and training are not limited to spinal adjustments. He offers a broad range of therapies, such as soft tissue therapy including active release, acupuncture and dry needling.

The conventional medical community is starting to take note of those out there offering alternative treatments and taking those treatments seriously.

“Our nurse practitioners and physicians will sit down with their patients and have the conversation about other forms of treatment that might be beneficial,” said McKenna.

There is a growing awareness that when CAM therapies are combined with conventional medicine they can have dramatically positive effects. And health practitioners across all disciplines agree that there is no one-size-fits-all treatment for patients.

"We treat individuals as individuals, rather than using a broad

spectrum approach to attempt to meet everyone's needs," said Katie Weststrate, ND, RYT, nutritionist and owner of Ahimsa Naturopathic in Merrickville and Perth.

Most patients present with symptoms that can be caused by a number of different issues and it's up to the health care professionals to figure out which treatment will solve the problem at its root.

"For example if a patient comes in with headaches, the issue may be musculoskeletal, so maybe [a chiropractor] or a massage therapist would be appropriate. But maybe they're suffering from dehydration or an eye problem, and just taking a pain medication isn't solving the problem," said Weststrate.

Many of Weststrate’s and Rodine’s patients have been referred to them by conventional medical doctors. “Most of the time patients come to see me because they want another approach, sometimes it’s

Dr. Robert Rodine, chiropractor, and Dr. Katie Weststrate, naturopathic doctor find that many of their patients are referred to them by conventional doctors as health care moves towards more collaborative health teams.

Photo Credit: Howaida Sorour-Roberts.

by conventional referral, usually around gastro-intestinal issues,” said Weststrate.

When that happens both Rodine and Weststrate say they like to maintain open lines of communication with the patient’s primary health care provider.

“Say I have a patient with low back pain and I start a course of treatment with them, I might contact their family physician (with their con-

sent) and discuss their issue,” said Rodine. “That way everyone knows what the goals are and is working together. The more everyone knows, the better the outcome.”

CAM covers a wide range of health care options. It refers to everything from Chinese medicine to naturopathy and chiropractic to yoga and reiki, to name but a few.

“The number one element of collaborative

care is recognizing the strengths of each type of care and its limitations,” said Rodine.

That understanding will also lead to more collaboration, which ultimately can benefit the patient.

“I may say, no, I can’t deal with this particular condition, but usually I can help a patient in some capacity even if just to refer them to the appropriate care,” concluded Weststrate.

Discover the communities of Lanark & Northern Leeds Grenville

Carleton Place Winter Carnival Returns Carleton Place Sarah cavanagh editorial@pdgmedia.ca For a fifth year the Carleton Place Winter Carnival returns to the community on Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Riverside Park, Carleton Place High School and the Canoe Club. This free day of family fun is made possible each year by a dedicated team of volunteers and community sponsors. The festival will welcome back Chilly the Penguin and with him a new year of entertainment, games and trolley rides! The 2017 carnival will celebrate it’s fifth year in unison with Canada’s 150th by throwing an epic birthday party for Chilly. Chilly has sent out invites to all his friends in the mascot

world and RSVPs are already rolling in. Jolo the Wolf, some super hero friends, a handful of princesses and maybe even Olaf and a Patrol Pup will be popping in to wish Chilly well.

There will be many of the familiar favorites – games, balloon twisting, face painting, an interactive Photo booth, the Winter Market and some new surprises. There will be furry friends to learn about and visit with all day, and free candy and cake too.

Each year this event welcomes over 700 people. It’s a chance to go play outside all day and start thinking ahead to spring, not to mention enjoy the natural beauty that Riverside Park and the Mississippi have to offer.

The Carleton Place Winter Carnival Committee hope that each year this event continues to grow and welcome new friends from other communities to come and join in the fun. Residents and businesses are invited to be a part of the event by volunteering for the committee board, as a Carnival day helper (running games and activities, set up and clean up) or by sponsoring various activities and entertainers.

For more information or to find out how you can help contact the Carleton Place Winter Carnival Organizing Committee at cpwintercarnival@ gmail.com or visit the website at www.cpwintercarnival.com.

TOP RIGHT: Don't forget to hop on the Chilly Express for a tour around the festivities at Riverside Park. This year grab a hot chocolate at the train station while you wait. Photo Credit: Submitted BOTTOM LEFT: Chilly the Penguin made a surprise visit to Caldwell Public school in Carleton Place last November to invite all the students and staff to his birthday party. Photo Credit: Submitted.

BOTTOM RIGHT : The horse drawn trolley is a crowd favourite at every carnival. Hop on and ride from Riverside park to the outdoor rink at the OPP station. Photo Credit: Submitted.

merry christmas & happy new year from all of us at Rideau Lakes Building Centre!

Your trusted building & hardware supply partner

613-272-0209 rlbc@rideau.net

Events around the region Almonte & Mississippi Mills

Perth

Smiths Falls

Carleton Place

Would you like to see your community’s events for next month listed here? Please send details of the events to events@pdgmedia.ca for information on our ads contact advertising@pdgmedia.ca or call (613) 206-0708 The events listed here are submitted to Hometown News, Events are subject to change or may be cancelled after date of publication. Hometown News is not responsible for such changes

Westport & Rideau Lakes

Regional

Art piece depicts past and hints at future of Perth Perth - Sally Smith

editorial@pdgmedia.ca There’s a good reason to climb the stairs to the council chambers on the second floor of Perth Town Hall — and it’s not necessarily to sit and listen to councillors.

On the wall opposite the two tall doors is a tree of photo engraving plates designed, assembled, and built by Lauren Walton and Jim Connell. Walton, clerk of Perth, and Connell, retired director of protective services and chief building official, took some of the plates donated

by John Clement, retired publisher of The Perth Courier (the museum also has some) and artistically built a tree of Perth’s past with copper leaves representing the future.

The tree, built in two vertical pieces, hangs on a horizontal French cleat, reaches the height of the wall, weighs about 500 pounds and is 8 1/2 feet wide. Connell was confident the structure behind the wall would support the weight, as he had worked with the architect who renovated Town Hall in 2000.

The tree, designed to “look gnarly and wind-

swept,” gives character and visibility to Perth and area’s history, Walton says.

Connell adds that the art piece is “not static” but created with the past in mind and with a nod to the future represented by the small copper leaves shaped “with hammer and chisel” to add form and give a 3-D appearance. Walton describes it as ‘relief,’ a technique that gives the impression the material has been raised above the background plane. Blowtorches bent, soldered and discoloured the copper in places, adding visual interest.

Connell observes that today’s technology replaces the physical representation of yesteryear with electronic data making this type of historical art piece perhaps a one-of-akind.

The two decided on a tree as a “way of making the plates look interesting,” Walton explains.

When they went through the plates, they selected by size, subject, colour and texture. Connell says the plates have different hues which, again, add to the overall visual impact.

Both Walton and Con-

nell kayak and hike, and over the years have collected interesting bits and pieces of driftwood, moss and rocks on their adventures, as well as finding bits and pieces on their properties; the branches and trunk primarily come from Tay Valley and Drummond/North Elmsley.

Work began on the tree in November 2015 and it was presented to council on Sept. 27, 2016 as a gift commemorating the town’s 200th Anniversary.

Walton remembers the project as “taking the better part of a year” to pull together, “and 28 solid days of work.” It was finished two days before being presented to council. Walton says they didn’t rush the creation - they enjoyed its progression.

Beside the tree, in a narrow black frame, is an explanation of the metal printing plates. “Letterpress, or ‘relief ’ printing, is the process by which an ink raised surface is pressed against a sheet of paper to make a copy, and is the oldest form of traditional printing.” It adds that this was the “primary way information was

distributed, including through The Perth Courier, until offset printing displaced its role between the 1950s and 1970s.”

When looking at the plates, everything is a mirror-image - “note, texts and cuts are laterally inverted…When printed, the image becomes right side up, readable!”

It’s a permanent installation “reflecting Perth’s history,” says John DeRosenroll, Perth chief administrative officer. The location was chosen to give it the most visibility for the public when they come to meetings.

Clement sold the paper in October 2006. “There were tons of plates - hundreds, thousands - boxes and boxes,” he said. He kept those of historical value and carted them to the third floor of Town Hall expecting they would sit there for a good length of time.

Clement admits he knew nothing about the art project until May or June of 2016, and first saw it in July or August. “When I saw it, I was blown away,” he says, recognizing it for the work of love it was by both Connell and Walton.

Plates, driftwood and copper leaves combine forming the overall structure of the printing plate tree. Photo Credit: Sally Smith.

The Courier became an institution in the community with Clement’s family having ties to it since 1852. When it was sold it was recognized as the second oldest community newspaper publishing in Canada, the first being The Picton Gazette.

The museum has a way

of presenting things, Connell says, but there’s also an artistic way — the way he and Walton put Engravings of the Day, which is the official name of the art peice, together. “This way makes people think and shows them what has gone on before.I think we succeeded in doing that.”

Local author’s research gives glimpse into soldier life Regional Howaida Sorour-Roberts

editorial@pdgmedia.ca He’s written two books, was the editor of Legion Magazine for nearly 10 years and he resides in Merrickville where he’s busy researching book number three. Dan Black co-wrote Old Enough to Fight (2013) and Too Young to Die (2016) with John Boileau, both books are published by Lorimer of Toronto and are about Canada’s boy soldiers in the First World War and Second World War, respectively. Both are available in bookstores across Canada and online.

“We felt it was important to tell the stories of these kids, whether they died or came back,” explains Black.

Researching their stories included many hours at the Library and Archives Canada, which has the largest collection of Canadian military service files and unit war diaries. In the course of that research, Black said he experienced ‘amazing moments’ that resonate with him months later.

“I was going through a young soldier’s personnel file and was looking at his pay book, and there was a jagged hole that continued through most of the book. The book had been damaged by shrapnel, and there appeared to be old bloodstains on it. The pages were still stuck together at the site of the hole, and it struck me that this book had probably been on the soldier when he was killed

and more than likely hadn’t been handled much since.

It really hit me that I was handling something from the past, but it seemed so present,” he recalls.

Black says at times the stories would give him pause, especially while writing the first book when his son, Conor, was about the same age as the boys he was writing about. He often found himself trying to imagine what their parents must have felt when their son enlisted and headed overseas.

As a staff writer, assistant editor, managing editor and finally editor of Canada’s award-winning Legion Magazine, Black immersed himself in military history and the stories of the men and women who served in uniform.

But his interest and connection to Canada’s military is far more personal.

“My grandfather, Clarence Black, was in the First World War and was seriously wounded during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. He ended up losing a leg after being hit by shrapnel and remaining out there, alone, on the cratered battlefield for a long time. He was only 22 at the time. After the war he carried on with his life, raised a family and was a real gentleman who loved fishing and the outdoors. He was a wonderful grandfather, too, with a great sense of humour— my childhood hero,” Black recalls.

His grandfather, like most veterans, rarely spoke of the war or his

experience. In fact, recollections of the war were so rare that Black still vividly remembers the one time his grandfather mentioned that chapter of his life. That memory formed the seed from which he nurtured and developed the Legion Magazine story The Long Shock of War in which he retraces his grandfather’s journey from Canada to France, to the Somme, and back.

He also has an uncle who served with the Royal Canadian Air Force during peacetime.

For all that military connectivity, Black didn’t start his career as a military journalist or historian. After graduating from Humber College’s Journalism program in 1980 his goal was to work in print and in a newsroom. An honours student, who had been the editor of the college paper, he had his sights on the Toronto Star.

“It was hard to come out of college and land a job at TorStar, which is what I wanted, but I was on fire and went ahead and blanketed the country with applications. My first job was with the Brockville Recorder and Times,” he recalls.

Back then Black says it was a dynamic newsroom populated by a team of passionate journalists who, early on, made a decision to collectively critique their own work on a weekly basis.

“We’d discuss things we should have included in our stories and things we should follow up in future

stories,” he says.

Black worked for the Brockville newspaper for seven years before applying to Legion Magazine and joining that publication as a staff writer. He retired in 2015 after a very successful run as editor.

“Working with Legion Magazine introduced me to many veterans. I’ve always had tremendous respect for what these men and women have sacrificed. My job gave me the wonderful opportunity to travel with them to the commemorative places of war,” he explains.

Those assignments took him to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Hong Kong, visiting battlefields and military cemeteries with Canadian war veterans who, as younger men, fought and lost

close friends in battle. He also reported on Canada’s modern-day military with assignments in Canada and abroad, including Bosnia and Croatia in the 90s, shortly after that conflict ended; Haiti, before and after the 2010 earthquake, and on board the frigate HMCS Fredericton in the Indian Ocean. The travelling was something Black had always wanted to do after watching his father travel the world with the Canadian International Development Agency.

Besides writing for newspapers and magazines, Black has written two plays that have been produced locally, both of which feature storylines that centre on a war veteran’s experience.

With all that acquired knowledge of Canada’s military history, and inti-

Photo Credit: Howaida Sorour-Roberts.

mate familiarity with the sacrifices the individual men and women have made, he still manages to be an incredibly supportive father, taking pride in his children’s choices and accomplishments. When his son announced his decision to join the military, Black took it in stride.

“As a parent, it gives Alice and I a sense of trepidation that comes with that understanding, but I wish Conor all the success in the world — he’s doing well and has clearly embarked on something he wants to do,” he says.

Black’s daughter, Katy, has been working as an emergency flight nurse based out of Iqaluit, making regular trips with patients into Ottawa. Both of them, like their dad and mom, are following their passion.

January 2017

13

lifestyle

Health Matters Home tips to help combat cold and flu season

Dr. Alex Keller, ND & Dr. Jenn Keller, ND

As the days get colder and winter’s impending doom settles in, cold and flu season starts wreaking havoc on family health.

There are many ways to prevent catching whatever nasty bugs are going around, but sometimes we just can’t escape them.

When that time comes, it’s best to support your immune system so it can effectively combat the bugs and get you back to feeling well as quickly as possible.

Here are some tips for simple home treatments you can do in a pinch when you suddenly find yourself or your family members sick with a cold or flu.

Hydration One of the most simple

and beneficial things we can do to support our immune system and blood flow is to drink adequate fluids. When we get sick, the immune system (our army) sends its soldiers to the area where it needs to combat the invading bugs, most commonly viruses when it comes to colds/flu, but occasionally bacteria.

To get there, the immune soldiers travel along a network called the lymphatic system, which is made up of lymphatic vessels (highways) and lymph nodes (battle zones). To travel along these highways and eventually clean up the battle zones, the immune system requires adequate hydration to keep things moving. Without enough movement, the highways

congest and the battle zones stay littered, which means it takes longer for the infection to clear. Be sure to stay hydrated when you’re starting to feel sick.

We love organic broths and warm herbal teas for extra immune boosting power, and of course water. Lots of water! Leave the coffee and spirits behind.

Warming magic socks We’ll acknowledge that this will not sound like the most comfortable, but just trust us and try it! This is great to boost immunity and decrease congestion.

What you need: One pair of thin cotton socks, one pair of thick wool socks How to do it: Soak the thin cotton socks in cold water. Wring socks out and ensure no dripping. Once ready for bed, put on the cold wet socks. Immediately cover them with the dry warm wool socks. Crawl into bed and sleep. When you wake up the socks should all be warm and dry—MAGIC! Why do it: Our bodies are smart. They will identify the temperature shift and immediately send blood to the cold area to warm it up.

By sending blood to our feet, we are increasing the overall movement of our circulation even while lying down and not moving. This

is important because as our blood moves, our lymph moves. As above, good lymphatic flow is necessary for good immune function.

So while we are quietly resting and rejuvenating, we support our bodies in fighting the good fight so we can feel better sooner.

Steam inhalations: This therapy is great for sinus congestion, the sniffles, coughs and throat infections.

What you need: Large bowl, large towel and essential oils (ideal eucalyptus) How to do it: Fill the large bowl with boiling water and a few drops of essential oils.

Place the bowl on a table.

Sit in front of the bowl and lean over it, while wrapping the towel around your head and bowl to form a mini steam room. Breathe in the steam through your mouth and nose. Do this for 10-20 minutes. It is most effective if repeated twice within the same hour and multiple times a day.

Why do it: The hot moist air will be both soothing to your mucous membranes and help to break up any congestion in your sinus cavities. Essential oils can increase this action and act as an anti-microbial agent.

Only use a few drops as they are very strong and

use caution as steam can burn.

For children, try creating a steam room in the bathroom by running the shower, closing the door and trapping all the steam in the room.

You can also place a few drops of essential oil near the drain of the shower and it will diffuse into the air.

Mustard poultice: Great for chest congestion and/or chest pain due to a chronic cough.

What you need: Dry mustard, flour, cheesecloth/flannel/old kitchen towel How to do it: Mix one part dry mustard with eight parts flour. Add enough warm water to make a paste. Spread the paste on the cloth. You want the cloth to be large enough to cover the chest area and then fold over to cover the spread paste. Apply poultice to chest and relax, covering up to prevent getting chilled. For adults, leave on for 15-20 minutes. For children, leave on for 10 minutes. Check every 2-5 minutes to avoid burning the skin. Do not use on children who cannot communicate to you that it is becoming too hot.

Why do it: Mustard is a rubefacient, which means it can stimulate blood cir-

culation. This treatment will increase blood flow to the lungs and encourage movement of mucous that may be trapped in the lung cavities. This has two benefits: you will feel much better having the mucous out of your body and it also prevents further lung infections. It’s important to understand that this WILL get hot and can burn the skin.

Check your skin every few minutes to ensure it’s not getting too hot and do not exceed the suggested treatment times above.

These simple home therapies are wonderful, inexpensive and effective in supporting our body’s natural ability to fight off infection. Try out these tips the next time someone in your family comes down with a cold!

Dr. Jenn Keller and Dr. Alex Keller are naturopathic doctors and the owners of Vis Tree Health in North Gower. By educating people on diet, healthy lifestyle choices and using natural therapeutics, they offer their patients a natural medical option when dealing with health concerns.

They also operate Vis Tree Farm, a certified organic produce and herb farm, where they offer health workshops throughout the year.

Food & Drink

Beer Wine and Sprits

Mark's guide

For more of Mark’s suggestions, visit his blog at www.markuncorked.com or follow him on Twitter @markuncorked

The partying is over, the leftovers are finished, your pants are fitting a little too snug these days and the bills are starting to arrive. Now you have to make good on those New Year’s Eve prom-

ises you made while the champagne was flowing. Maybe you’ll try to start that diet and exercise program you read about in the paper, or work on getting that darn budget under control. Well,

I can’t help you with counting calories or making sure you exercise but I can help you with pinching pennies.

There are lots of great wines out there at a good price and

you don’t have to sacrifice taste to save a few bucks.

Instead of purchasing well known wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay from popular areas like California or

France, which can be expensive, try picking lesser known wines with grape varieties like Tempranillo and Granacha from Spain or Touriga Nacional from Portugal. These wines are typically

lower priced and offer great value without sacrificing good taste.

They pair well with hearty dishes that are served during the cold winter months like roast beef or stews with root vegetables.

2007 Anciano Gran Reserva Tempranillo – Valdepenas, Spain

2015 Yalumba (The Y Series) Viognier, South Australia, Australia

This is one of those wines that you say “Wow! This is a gem.” Grapes from 30-year-old vines are matured for two years in oak and then another five years in the bottle, which produces a smooth full bodied dry Tempranillo with flavours of dark fruit and some balsamic. You can see the aging in the colour of the wine, which is more of a medium red changing to a garnet colour at the edge. A really good Spanish wine for under $13.

(LCBO 464214 - $12.95)

Viognier is one of those wines that doesn’t get a lot of recognition. It’s texture is soft like a Chardonnay with the minerality of a light Riesling and aromatic but not overpowering. Yalumba produces a quality Viognier with flavours of apricot and a nice soft citrus finish. If you are not into oaked white wines you might like a Viognier for its soft refreshing taste.

(LCBO 470062 - $13.95)

January 2017

14

Senior Health Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease is irreversible and destroys brain cells, causing thinking ability and memory to deteriorate. Alzheimer's disease is not a normal part of aging.

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Dr. Alois Alzheimer first identified the disease in

1906. He described the two hallmarks of the disease: plaques, which are numerous tiny, dense deposits scattered throughout the brain that become toxic to brain cells at excessive levels, and tangles, which interfere with vital processes, eventually choking off the living cells. When brain cells

degenerate and die, the brain markedly shrinks in some regions.

The image below shows that a person with Alzheimer's disease has less brain tissue (right) than a person who does not have the disease (left).

This shrinkage will continue over time, affecting how the brain functions.

MRI images courtesy of Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre

The effects of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a fatal disease that eventually affects all aspects of a person’s life: how they think, feel, and act. Each person is affected differently. It is difficult to predict symptoms, the order in which they will appear, or the speed of their progression.

The following are some of the changes you may expect as the disease progresses.

Cognitive and functional abilities: a person’s ability to understand, think, remember and communicate will be affected. This could impact a person’s ability to

make decisions, perform simple tasks, or follow a conversation. Sometimes people lose their way, or experience confusion and memory loss, initially for recent events and eventually for long-term events.

Emotions and moods: a person may appear apathetic and lose interest in favourite hobbies. Some people become less expressive and withdrawn.

Behaviour: a person may have reactions that seem out of character.

Some common reactions include repeating the same action or words, hiding possessions, physical outbursts and restlessness.

Physical abilities: the

disease can affect a person’s coordination and mobility, to the point of affecting their ability to perform day-to-day tasks such as eating, bathing and getting dressed.

Treatment There are several medications that can help with symptoms such as memory decline, changes in language, thinking abilities and motor skills.

Although there is still no cure for Alzheimer's disease, those who respond to these treatments can experience improvements in their quality of life for several years.

Courtesy of Alzheimer Society Lanark Leeds Grenville

10 Warning Signs

Whether you’re experiencing possible symptoms or are concerned for someone you care about, the Alzheimer Society has developed the following list of signs to look for: 1. Memory loss affecting day-to-day abilities – forgetting things often or struggling to retain new information.

2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks – forgetting how to do something you’ve been doing your whole life, such as preparing a meal or getting dressed.

3. Problems with language – forgetting words or substituting words that don’t fit the context.

4. Disorientation in time and space – not knowing what day of the week it is or getting lost in a familiar place.

5. Impaired judgment – not recognizing a medical problem that needs attention or wearing light clothing on a cold day.

6. Problems with abstract thinking – not understanding what numbers signify on a calculator, for example, or how they’re used.

7. Misplacing things – putting things in strange places, like an iron in the freezer or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl.

8. Changes in mood and behaviour – exhibiting severe mood swings from being easy-going to quick-tempered.

9. Changes in personality – behaving out of character such as feeling paranoid or threatened.

10. Loss of initiative – losing interest in friends, family and favourite activities.

If you are concerned about any of these signs, talk to your doctor.

Courtesy of Alzheimer Society Lanark Leeds Grenville

January 2017

15

lifestyle

Memory Care Day Program If you are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or any type of dementia, and you work during the day or simply need a break, our Circle of Friends Day Program can provide you with the support you need. Our unique day and night programs assist those who are caring for a loved one with memory loss, while providing participants with meaningful life-enriching time in a comfortable and safe home-like environment.

Call Liz at 613-253-7360 6 Arthur Street, Carleton Place Memory Care • Assisted Living • Respite • Trial Stays

Program Highlights n Half or full day, evening or overnight options to suit your needs n Basic health assessment n Supervision from our trained Resident Specialists n Chef prepared hot meals and unlimited snacks n Opportunity for socialization in a safe and secure environment

www.SymphonySeniorLiving.com

January 2017

16

culture Perth Inside Out:

by Terry O'Hearn

Resurrection of the HMCS Haida replica - Part IV The HMCS Haida replica based in Perth was a famous little ship in the 1960s and 70s, reaching peak popularity during the year is was launched for Expo 67.

It won “Ship of the Week” award at Expo; was visited

by Rear Admiral Delmer S. Fahrney (United States Navy, Retired) during Pirate Weekend at Alexandria Bay, NY, in September 1968; and was an attraction at many other events along the Rideau System and St. Lawrence River.

The final glory days were in Ottawa, when it was docked at the National Arts Centre during the day, and at the Ottawa Naval Base at night, in July, 1974. The vessel was sponsored by the Canadian War Museum that year, and by then had travelled more than 6,000 miles, and was wearing the camouflage paint of World War II. World War II veteran Jack Walker was the owner and builder of the 46 foot replica, and he also built St. Lawrence skiffs for a living. Walker passed away on

Dec.10, 2009 at age 85 in his hometown of Perth.

For many years, the replica Haida lay unprotected near Smiths Falls while her big sister, the original de-commissioned Haida, was moved from Toronto to a permanent berth in Hamilton, and recently underwent a complete refit.

While the story of the “Little Haida” could have ended at that yard near Smiths Falls, a local man named Greg Brady happened to drive by and flashed back to a vision from his childhood.

“About four years ago, I saw a boat in a driveway on the Golf Club Road. My mind drifted back to that incredible time when I was a kid and had wonderful dreams about that boat.

That time of my life is fondly remembered as one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen and have never forgot,” said Brady.

He went on to say that he used to see the boat in the Tay Basin “when I was a bright-eyed kid of about eight or nine years old. We had a cottage on Bennett’s

Lake at the time, so I was in Perth quite often.”

Brady added, “In the recent past, I have devised a plan for restoration of the boat. It was brought from that location on the Golf Club Road by Rideau Ferry Marine, Len’s Cove, to my residence. I also obtained other pieces of the structure from someone connected to the Perth Historical Society, parts such as the radar, and other superstructure. Once I got the boat here, it was too big to fit inside the garage, so it was tarped over. I want to form a group to restore it.”

The boat sat mostly unprotected on land at Port Elmsley the last few years that Jack Walker lived there.

He had devised a rig to take it out of the water on a sling and wheel it in to land.

Brady stressed that he wants to invite the public to participate in the restoration, and feels that at least $20,000 is needed for a basic restoration; and up to $50,000 for a complete restoration with display signs and heavy-duty trailer. A

Greg Brady, owner of the HMCS Haida replica, is hoping to see a project started to restore the ship to its former glory and again find its rightful place in Perth’s Tay Basin. Photo Credit: Submitted

trailer would have to be custom built for about $15,000.

“We hope to approach different organizations, businesses, and municipalities, and ideally the Perth Legion would take the lead for the organization, so I could concentrate on the restoration,” said Brady.

The boat would be electrically propelled, with a bank of Lithium-Ion batteries that could be charged at a regular marina electrical hookup. The batteries would

be also provide part of the ballast, and the electrical system would also power LED lighting, guns, and other sound effects. The hidden modern technology would really make the boat come alive, in Brady’s opinion.

“The restoration of the Haida replica would bring a lot of pride to the community of Perth and area. The number of people who came to Perth to see the Haida in its glory days was staggering, and there are still peo-

ple who come in the summer and ask why the Haida isn’t there anymore,” he says.

“This would be payback to the community, and is in no way about making money for any individual or organization. I believe Perth could count on an extra 10,000 people coming to see the Haida. I believe it drew more than a million visitors in Perth and it its previous travels during the 1960s and 1970s.”

Email: terry@pdgmedia.ca

Royal Canadian Legion bursary deadline quickly approaching Regional - Jane hobson ja n e @ p d g m e d i a . c a The Royal Canadian Legion offers a bursary assistance program every year for students pursuing post-secondary education who are children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of veterans. The 2016-2017 bursary applications must be submitted

by Friday, March 31, 2017.

These bursaries provide financial assistance for students pursuing university, college and other vocational programs after high school. The bursary can be granted at any

stage of a program.

Unlike many other bursaries, this one is based on the successful acceptance to a post-secondary institution or completed years towards a degree or diploma rather than academic standing.

The amount of funding that a student could potentially receive depends on the post-secondary education they intend to pursue or are pursuing.

Students who apply to the bursary program for a university course may receive $500 per school year.

Students entering a certificate or diploma course

of a shorter duration with reduced tuition fees may receive financial assistance determined by the bursary chair. Apprentices may apply for financial assistance for the purchase of tools and instruments.

Eligible applicants include ex-service personnel or currently serving members of The Canadian Forces and their children and grandchildren as well as commonwealth war veterans and their children and grandchildren.

Eligible applicants also include members of The Royal Canadian Legion and their children and

The Royal Canadian Legion bursary assistance program helps fund post-secondary education for students related to veterans. The Carleton Place legion is one of many branches where the application form can be picked up.

Photo Credit: Jane Hobson.

grandchildren along with associate members and their children. Ladies’ Auxiliary members and their children and grandchildren are also eligible to apply. Stepchildren or step-grandchildren may be considered where applicable in each of the above cases.

“The bursary helps students keep in touch with the veterans; it gives students a good memory about the Canadian military,” said Denny O’Connell, who has been a member of the Almonte legion for about 40 years.

The Almonte legion has

granted many bursaries over the years and often the students who receive it come back to the legion to help with various events and fundraisers, O’Connell said.

“The more we help the kids, the more the kids help us by remembering all the Canadians that have served over the years.”

Application forms for the legion bursary program can be found in high school guidance offices, awards offices at colleges and universities, provincial service bureau offices and branches of

the Royal Canadian Legion and Ladies’ Auxiliary. The application can also be printed online at www.on.legion.ca.

Applicants should know that e-mailed, scanned and faxed applications will not be accepted. Applications should be mailed to: The Royal Canadian Legion, Ontario Command, 89 Industrial Parkway North, Aurora, ON, L4G 4C4.

For more information and an application checklist, visit www.on.legion. ca or contact the legion branch in your area.

January 2017

17

culture

Eric Devlin – A life of dedication to country and community perth - Terry o'hearn terry@pdgmedia.ca Perth Legion President Eric Devlin gave more than 42 years of military service to his country at various times in the previous century. He served in the Canadian Army during World War Two, as well as in Japan, Korea, Germany, and with the Canadian Army in Active, Special Force, and Regular categories.

Deployments included Indo-China with the International Commission for Supervision and Control, and Canadian Armed Forces Regular and Reserve, including Supplementary List, Primary Reserve, and Cadet Instructor List.

That in itself is remarkable, but Devlin never intended to fade away with rocking chair and slippers after his military career was over.

At age 96 he is still going strong. In keeping with his personal policy, “when you leave town and come back, you put something back into the community,” he is still on two town committees, namely McMartin House and the Recreation Advisory Panel, after having served on Perth Town Council for many years. From 1989 to 1991 he was chair of the police committee, and for the following 20 years was on the Police Services Board after it was formed in 1991.

Born in Drummond Township on Dec. 1, 1920, to Joseph Henry Devlin and Mabel

May Whyte, the family lived in a house on what was then known as the Second concession of Drummond Township, about four miles east of Perth. Great grandfather William Allen Devlin came over from County Wexford, Ireland in 1819, three years after the Military Settlement in Perth was founded, making a home for his family on the Fourth Concession of Drummond.

In 1921 the Devlin family moved to Perth when father Joseph Henry became first a Children’s Aid Inspector, and a member of Town Council, and then a Division Court Clerk and Justice of the Peace in the 1930’s. Young Eric attended Perth Collegiate Institute (PCI) from 1933 to 1940 inclusive.

Marilyn Walker Devlin recently recalled her husband’s musings during the 2016 Grey Cup football game: “As we watch the pre-game Eric reminisces about using his money earned from delivering papers to buy a ticket for himself for the 1939 Grey Cup game in Ottawa.

He earned $3.25 a week.

He was 19. He saved $2.00 from every pay. He hitchhiked from Perth to Ottawa to buy the ticket at the gate. He thinks the ticket cost him $10.00.”

Devlin enrolled in the Royal Canadian Artillery (25 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, 9th LAA Regiment, RCA) of the

Canadian Army in May, 1942 with basic training at Lansdowne Park, Ottawa, followed by a posting to Petawawa that July.

He served with the Regiment in Vancouver, Port Alberni, Wainwright, Terrace, Vernon, Nanaimo, and Wainwright, then posted to Officers Training Centre in Aldershot, Nova Scotia. At Aldershot he was known as “Doubling Devlin,” as he had a penchant for pushing his platoon to high fitness levels by using the double time march during training.

An Infantry Training Battalion posting to Peterborough took place in October, 1945, and Devlin then attended a Sports Instructor Course in Kingston, Ontario in January, 1946. After a stint with The Royal Canadian Regiment in Brockville starting in March, 1946, he was released from service in late July, 1946.

Following World War Two, Devlin bided his time as a farm worker for short time during harvest season near Yorkton, Saskatchewan, then returned to Perth due to the illness of his father.

In January 1947, he obtained employment in the Credit Department of Andrew Jergens Co. Ltd. He also assumed the local positions of his father temporarily, until his father died in April, 1948. In The Perth Courier of May 1, 1947, the following appeared in a column titled “Rollin’ Around” (roller skating):

Citizen of the year award Carleton Place - Submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca Carleton Place citizen of the year for 2016, Connor Edwards accepted his award from former Citizens of the Year – Joan and Bob Bennett on Dec. 2 at the Carleton Place Arena. Edwards is the youngest recipient of the prestige community award that honours local residents who go above and beyond for their community. Passing the torch, Joan Bennett enlightened the guests at the annual Town of Carleton Place Christmas event on the many local organizations with which Edwards has devoted his time for the last 10 years. From coaching to being a youth mentor to volunteering at summer camps – this young man is setting the bar pretty high for next year’s nominees.

Photo Credit: Submitted

In the composite photo, left inset, Eric Devlin is shown on leave in 1942. Right inset, portrait taken in the mid 1960's in dress uniform for The Royal Canadian Regiment. Photo Credit: Terrance O'Hearn

“There is a great deal of talent among these young people, and you can bet that they’ll get all the help they need to develop it. Already there are two or three dance teams forming who show real promise. Eric Devlin and Joan Barrie show all the earmarks of being real skaters, and both are putting their minds on the steps, as they are done correctly.”

Devlin then resigned from Andrew Jergens and was confirmed in the positions for the Ontario Attorney-General appointments of Justice of the Peace, Division Court Clerk, and Bailiff, and Sheriff ’s Officer in Perth until October 1950.

“As a result of the invasion of South Korea

by North Korea in June, 1950, and the announcement of Canada’s par-

ticipation in August, I volunteered by mail through channels, for service with 25th Special Force Brigade of the Canadian Army,” said Devlin. He managed to see his sister married before going off to another war, as indicated by this notice in The Perth Courier of July 20, 1950: “A pretty wedding ceremony was held in the garden of Eric H. Devlin recently, when his sister, Helen Noreen, became the bride of F.L. Donald Evan Cameron, R.C.A.F. Mrs. Cameron’s parents are the late Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Devlin of Perth and the groom is the son of the late Dr. D.R. Cameron and Mrs. Cameron of Ottawa.”

Another newspaper article dated Nov.15, 1951, mentions that: “Mr. Ivan K. Penfold of Perth has been official-

ly appointed Clerk and Bailiff of the First Division Court of the County of Lanark by His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor under the division Court Act. Mr. Penfold has been acting in this capacity for the past year plus the duties of the Justice of the Peace.

He succeeded Mr. Eric Devlin in these positions and the appointment was only temporary. This official release verifies the investiture.” Of course Devlin left those positions to re-enlist in the Canadian Army, answering the call to service yet again because of the War in Korea.

These are a few insights into the early and military years of Eric Devlin’s life, and will continue in the next edition with the Korean War years and civilian life.

January 2017

18

business Carleton Place an attractive location for new businesses carleton Place sarah cavanagh editorial@pdgmedia.ca With an easy 20 minute highway commute to the nation’s capital, picturesque waterfront and historic downtown, it’s easy to see why so many people choose Carleton Place to hang out their shingle. So why is 2017 your year? Do you have a “can’t be beat” business idea? Franchise?

Then let’s discuss why this community is the perfect fit for you.

There are many key things to consider when choosing a location for your new business. First, there is the look and feel of the physical space and how it compliments what you do.

If you’re looking for a traditional retail store or service office, Carleton Place as many options. There are beautiful heritage buildings with space that includes hardwood, exposed brick and tin ceilings. There are also bright, modern professional spaces and nearly every option in between.

While the town does not have an indoor mall for a kiosk or booth there are a number of strip malls with modern styled office and retail space as well as outdoor summer markets.

Maybe you work from

home or telecommute?

What better way to appreciate the conveniences of fast and reliable internet service, cultural and recreational opportunities, restaurants and shops carrying everything from housewares and building supplies to business supplies and electronics.

Next on the list of things to consider is demographics. Businesses must consider their customer profiles and understand what the local market wants. A number of informal online surveys conducted by our Discover Carleton Place Facebook page shed light on some local wish list items for residents. If you are considering 2017 as the year to start a venture of your own in Carleton Place some common resident “wants” include: a cinema, an indoor children’s play land, ethnic food, men’s clothing store, athletic and sports apparel, shoes and lingerie. These market gaps are echoed in the 2011 Downtown Corridor study completed by Doyletech Corporation.

That study cited a lack of men’s apparel, outdoor lifestyle equipment and hobby-recreation store to serve the retiree community. Additionally the study noted that Carleton Place lacked a

common family restaurant and quick luncheon-type eatery as well as current pop-culture entertainment such as a movie theatre. It is not however just about supporting the needs of local shoppers, the addition of cultural and entertainment opportunities will create pedestrian traffic, browsers and tourists.

Carleton Place is almost always discussed in the context of its proximity to Ottawa but let’s not discount the large rural populations and neighbouring small towns for whom this town is the source of big city needs outside the capital. Retail giants like Walmart and Home Depot pull from towns like Almonte and Perth who don’t have a nearer access for these popular big box stores. Some shoppers travel out of the city to visit those same stores in Carleton Place to avoid traffic, parking frustrations, over-crowding and a nicer shopping experience.

You must also consider if the community has a stable economic base. According to Deputy Mayor Jerry Flynn, Carleton Place has stable tax rates, long-range development plans and staff to avoid major financial pitfalls, all the amenities to complement successful

business and encourage long range investment. Add to that consistent population growth and you have a recipe for business success.

Other demographic considerations include a local skilled workforce, resources and also community culture and amenities. These elements are important as you want the community to also be an appealing place for your own family and that of your potential employees.

Carleton Place is a beautiful community, rich in local history and punctuated by the breathtaking Mississippi River. It is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise with dozens of local trails, water sports and championship hockey. It is home to worldclass broomball, 16 playgrounds, outdoor ice rinks, one of the country’s oldest canoe clubs, curling, softball nearly every night of the week when it’s in season and so much more! There are community events monthly, playgroups and accessible family services.

It also has public, Catholic, French Catholic and private schools, affordable housing and a community centre teaming with activities.

Carleton Place is an ideal community to raise a family with the amenities

of a city and the charm of a small town. Greg Smith, a local entrepreneur (GHS Enterprise), says “For me it is a choice for home life – running my own business when not at a client's site I'm able to enjoy the area with breaks from work as well as when I come home from work, quick accessible nature alternatives. The ease of access to all businesses in the Ottawa area is incredible with our four lane highway. When I have a meeting in Toronto I can access the train 20 minutes away in Smith Falls. Our hospital is second to none with top-notch service. All the essential service are right here from tech help to conference facilities and all levels of luncheon business development presence.

And the business community is generally supportive with the Chamber of Commerce being one of the best per capita chambers in the country, in my opinion.”

Competition can be a positive and a negative for a fledgling business. Traditionally seeing another business with a competing product or service in your area might deter a similar business from opening.

However, there can be a benefit when it comes to the overflow from an existing business or from

patrons comparison shopping. Carleton Place has many business and services that complement one another and you’ll find fewer communities with such a collaborative business spirit. From the Carleton Place Chamber of Commerce, Valley Heartland, Downtown Carleton Place and the town itself, you’ll find support for your new business. There are funding initiatives, training, networking events and many incentives like the chamber’s “Member 2 Member” program that encourage businesses to support one another. Many local community events invite and encourage local business owners to get involved and you’ll find at least a dozen large community events throughout the year that not only promote the town as a place for fun and recreation but also a place to shop.

In a community that stands on the precipice of two to five years of accelerated development now is the time to act. With nearly 1,000 new residences coming in the next 12-18 months, a plan to expand the local emergency room, bring in additional big box brand retailers, 2017 is the best time to get your foot in the door.

Historic Davidson Courtyard gets town support for facelift Smiths Falls - Chris Must chris@pd gmedia.ca A Smiths Falls building with a long history will get a new lease on life with financial support from the town.

Town councillors voted Dec. 5 to approve $12,350 in funding through the Community Improvement Plan (CIP) for renovations at Davidson Courtyard. The property owners, Lyne Houle and Scott Taylor, submitted an application to the CIP in May, outlining a number of proposed improvements.

The property at 7 Russell St. West was originally opened as Davidson Bakery in 1889 by H.A. Davidson. The bakery, which operated for over a century, was at one time considered the largest commercial bakery in eastern Ontario, delivering bread six days a week throughout the town of Smiths Falls, and was a major employer.

The site was converted in the early 1990s from a commercial bakery to its current mix of com-

mercial and residential uses. According to information provided by the town, the original bakery building was expanded upon multiple times over the years until it reached its current configuration with a central courtyard flanked on three sides by commercial units.

Davidson’s Courtyard is currently home to several small businesses including Dawn’s Closet, The Gilded Monarch, The Artisan Loft & Kidzsignments, and a soon-toopen eatery, Café Whim.

“This is why the CIP program exists, to support the growth of local businesses like Davidson Courtyard, while preserving and maintaining the buildings that the lay the foundation for our community,” said Economic Development Manager Cyril Cooper in a news release issued by the Town of Smiths Falls. “The future of our community depends on economic expansion, and we’re pleased to provide businesses with the tools they need to grow.”

The CIP grant will be used to restore the brick façade, the central courtyard area, signage, and renovations and upgrades to Unit E, the former site of the 7 West Café. According to their application, Houle and Taylor’s vision for the property is to preserve the “vintage industrial” theme, and to more firmly connect with the location’s industrial history.

“We want to keep the character of it and embellish it a bit, turn it into a commercially successful property,” said Taylor.

In Ontario the designation of a CIP area allows a municipality to provide financial incentive for investment into improvements to businesses located with the area. The goal of a CIP is to promote economic sustainability and quality of life by leveraging private investment in the community.

Each year town council will provide $50,000 in matching funds for distribution to applicants to the program.

The first CIP application in Smiths Falls was

Historic Davidson’s Courtyard, which will be receiving a facelift with financial support from the Town of Smiths Falls, originally opened as a bakery well over a century ago. Photo Credit: Chris Must.

approved in 2015 for 2123 Russell St. E., formerly the Manhattan Bar & Grill, and the new location of Chuckles Jack.

Chuckles Jack received $26,000 in funding to create a usable space and high-end dining establishment in town.

In December council also approved two $20,000 grants for ren-

ovations to two other Russell Street properties, exhausting all of the CIP funds designated for 2016. The applicant in the other two projects was Parkview Homes.

Although $20,000 is the maximum grant available from the CIP, councillors noted that the developer is investing hundreds of thousands in

the renovation projects.

“People are investing,” Councillor Jay Brennan at a Nov. 28 meeting. “I’m going to support this, and I want to thank the investors in our downtown.”

Councillor Lorraine Allen agreed that “The three properties are going to be a worthwhile addition to our downtown.”

January 2017

Helping add some shine Difficulty Choosing and Executor? to your golden years

19

business

the

VALUE

of advice Shawn Pankow CFP.CLU Choose your executor wisely

The job of an executor has always been difficult.

However, changes implemented by the provincial government has made it more challenging, time-consuming, and onerous. It has also laid a much broader, deeper and heavier burden of responsibility on the person you leave in charge of your estate.

Most people who take on the role of executor do so with little or no previous experience. He or she must deal with the family, funeral home, financial professionals, lawyers and accountants. He or she must pay the outstanding bills of the deceased, advise the various pension providers that the person has died, cancel the various services the person had and deal with the assets.

At the same time, the new executor is dealing with his or her own grief and the loss of a loved one. Family dynamics may be entering the picture and heirs may already be lining up looking for their inheritance. The executor needs to locate the will and in most cases, must rely on professional help to navigate through the estate administration process required to validate the will and appointment of the him or herself as executor.

Conflicts may already be arising over what happens with certain family heirlooms and treasures and the decisions made at this stage could leave ongoing bitter feelings between family members. Although the deceased may have made his or her final wishes clear in the will, family members may dispute those choices and look for a method to disrupt the division of assets.

Meanwhile, although the will and law entitles the executor to draw a fee from the estate, many don’t due to guilt or pressure from heirs who suggest any executor fee is coming out of his or her

share of the estate.

The greater the value of the estate, the more difficult the executor’s job becomes.

Vast business or real estate assets may mean more difficult decisions. A lifetime of accumulating chattels ranging from antiques to art, recreational vehicles to farm equipment, or from jewelry to collectables means detailed appraisals and valuations. Fair and equal distribution of these assets may be very difficult and liquidating the assets for fair value may take a lot of time and effort.

After the changes introduced by the province in the 2011 budget, executors have a greater burden today to provide full and complete disclosure of the deceased assets and provide true and accurate valuations of all assets. He or she must pay the Estate Administration Tax on the total value of the estate and be prepared keep the estate open for up to four years with the provincial Ministry of Revenue retaining the authority to audit, assess and re-assess estates for that period of time for the purposes of collecting the Estate Administration Tax. This may mean ongoing legal and accounting fees, and a holdback on the distribution of all assets until this four-year period has expired.

Considering all this and more, selecting an executor has never been more difficult. Careful consideration must be given to a potential candidate’s ability to manage the time and complexity required to do the job effectively. Simply selecting an oldest child, or all of one’s children may not be the best choice. It is important that the executor be a resident of Ontario (if you are a resident of Ontario) and that person’s job would be much more difficult if they lived hours away from the home of the deceased.

Many financial planners will discuss estate planning

with their clients and all these considerations are part of the discussion. In many cases, though we also find methods of reducing the complexity of one’s affairs, and possibly even eliminate the need to carry the will through the province’s estate administration process commonly known as probate.

It isn’t uncommon for people to divest themselves of many of their assets as they age. As people downsize, they may sell or give away many of their chattels or property. They may eventually sell their family home and move into an apartment or retirement home. Eventually, they may have converted all assets to cash that is invested in a portfolio supporting their income needs.

At this stage, by using investment funds or guaranteed investments with life insurance companies, one may appoint beneficiaries. The designation of beneficiaries means that person can pass on that proportion of his or her estate without delay and without cost after his or her death. It is a method of ensuring the full value of one’s assets goes directly to the individual or individuals he or she chooses. This means there is no need to navigate the will through the estate administration process, no requirement to pay the estate administration tax to the provincial government and no need to keep the estate open for four years.

While there are very valid reasons to take the will through the estate administration process, it may not be a necessary process in many cases. Speak with a financial planner who is experienced in estate planning and determine what methods may be suitable for you.

Shawn Pankow is a Certified Financial Planner with Pankow Financial Solutions in Smiths Falls.

January 2017

20

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Local producers receive Premier's awards for excellence

Aaron Klinck, Samantha Klinck and MPP Grant Crack. Photo Credit: Submitted.

Regional - staff

editorial@pdgmedi.ca

Three local agri-food producers have received a Premier’s Awards for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence, which gives recognition for work done by those in the agri-food industry in helping create jobs, boost the economy, strengthen communities and support a sustainable environment through innovative ideas.

Funny Duck Farms in Jasper was one of the names on the Eastern

Ontario award list for its innovation with its community shared agriculture (CSA) program.

Many CSAs experience a high turnover rate in clients because members want a more diverse selection, better control over volume or they simply forget to sign up for a new season.

Funny Duck Farms has solved this issue by developing an online system that allows members to order exactly what they want 50 weeks of the year.

By broadening the selection and teaming up with five other local producers including a baker, an artisanal cheese maker and a food co-op, Funny Duck Farms is able to support twice as many members and produce less waste.

“We are feeding 100 people, which is 35 families. We have a waiting list and are hoping to expand in the new year” said Samantha Klinck, owner of Funny Duck Farms. “It was pretty exciting [to get the award].

It’s nice to see recognition from the government for things that people in the agri sector are doing.”

Oat & Mill Ltd. from Smiths Falls was another of those recognized in Eastern Ontario. Each week, Oat & Mill Ltd. produces up to 300 litres of its treat — an oat-based ice cream alternative. The frozen dessert company has a variety of flavours, including peanut butter jelly chocolate chunk, butter pecan cheesecake and creamy pumpkin spice. While many other alternatives to dairybased ice cream rely on tropical ingredients like coconut, Oat & Mill uses Canadian-milled oats. In doing so, the company creates a market for local growers and a healthier alternative for lactose-intolerant consumers.

We s t p or t-ba s e d Scheuermann Vineyard & Winery was another winner. Allison and Francois Scheuermann successfully harvested their first wine in 2014 from their vineyard and have a selection of wines that include Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Vidal. The winery

added a open-grill restaurant recently, which has made it an agri-tourism destination where visitors can sip wine and sample local foods from a patio overlooking Sand Lake.

This is the 10th year of the Premier’s Awards for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence. Since its creation in 2007, a total of 475 producers, processors and agri-food organizations have received

an award. Each regional award winner receives a plaque and a $5,000 cheque.

“For us, the money goes back into the farm,” said Klinck. “There are always new projects we have in mind.”

The 2016 Eastern Ontario winners were handed their awards at a ceremony in Morrisburg on Nov. 24.