Lanark, North Leeds & Grenville Hometown News November 2017

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Vol. 4

No. 11

YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER - LANARK, NORTH LEEDS & GRENVILLE

NOVEMBER 2017

Local sci-fi and fantasy author has been making novels a reality for 20 years

Stacks and stacks of books piled on Julie Czerneda’s old roll-top desk. Photo credit: Sally Smith.

Smiths Falls - Sally Smith editorial@pd gmedia.ca Julie Czerneda stands when she writes. She has a nifty table that goes up-and-down with the push of a button. It puts her keyboard at the exact height she needs, and the stand-up approach to writing, she says, prevents back aches.

It also helps her get more out of her writing.

For an author with a dozen or more books under her belt,

at least one on the go at the moment, and another five under contract, she wants all the writing time she can get.

She doesn’t write at a specific time each day, she doesn’t write to a routine - maybe two hours at a time - until it comes to the crunch or until she becomes so caught up in the story she writes all-out. “I write until I’m done.

I have to finish the book,” she explains. It’s then her husband,

Roger, steps in and “manages” her, she says, grinning. “He has to feed me. I’m totally oblivious.”

Czerneda has lived in Lanark County since December 2016.

She and her husband moved into a big, old house when snow was on the ground. The very day they moved she learned the deadline for her latest book had been pushed ahead and she had just four months to get it done.

Needless to say, Roger stepped

and took over the move.

There are still a few boxes here and there, still some renovation going on but Czerneda’s stand-up table sits squarely in front of the window in her office, ready for use.

Previously, the two had lived “a wilderness life,” but thoughtfully pulled up stakes and headed to a small community. They’re both creative individuals, her husband is a photographer and graphic designer, and Czerneda says they’d tapped out living in the woods. The move also brought them closer to their two children.

And finally, they’re around people, which in the wilderness, says Czerneda dryly, you’re not.

The 62-year-old has been writing fantasy for 20 years, non-fiction since 1985 and has been “making stories” since she was 10.

As a child she was a “voracious” reader and often, if she didn’t like the ending, wrote her own.

At first, science fiction was her favourite (and private) pastime.

Her husband wormed a confession out of her after the birth of one of their children that she had a drawerful of unfinished science fiction stories and persuaded her to dust them off, finish one and send it away for publication. She hasn’t looked back since.

Eventually she left her ‘real job’

as a senior science editor at a major publishing house and jumped squarely, with both feet, into her true passion — writing fiction.

She transitions between science fiction and fantasy, and in 1998 was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. She also signed a contract for three more novels that year.

Much of what she writes now is published by DAW Books, a division of Penguin Publishing Group that boasts discovering and publishing the hottest talents in sci-fi and fantasy. “So we have a steady income and job security,” Czerneda quips.

How does she write is really the question - outline, dialogue, worlds — how does she put it all together?

Before beginning A Turn of Light, the world of Marrowdell was planned and built to scale — mountains, rivers, homes, trails — each painted and sculpted.

Czerneda even moved a horizontal LED flashlight to ‘watch’ the sun come up in the morning and go down at night. This makes her characters’ actions believable, looking over the valley towards the river, or heading to the Bone Mountains. So before Czerneda writes about them, she can visualize them on the location model. continued on page 3.

New and unique fitness facility coming to Smiths Falls Smiths Falls - April Scott-Clarke april@pdgmedia.ca Construction started on Oct. 30 for a new fitness facility in Smiths Falls. Owner Natatia Gemmell says this new gym will be different than anything the town has seen.

Gemmell, who’s become wellknown in the community for her training expertise through Natatia’s One-on-One Fitness, is opening Functional Performance Fitness in the County Fair Mall.

As the name suggests, the gym will focus on functional movement and training but will be much more than a place for people to get their sweat on. It will bring a team of health care and child care providers all under one roof

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— yes, childcare.

“I think child care is going to be a big deal. It’s something we need in the town,” says Gemmell.

“There are so many stay at home moms that will now be able to do more for themselves and can take care of themselves while the kids are being cared for.”

Child care will be provided to members during scheduled hours, as well as access to massage therapy and physiotherapy. Other benefits include showers and infrared saunas in each of the men’s and women’s change rooms.

Of course, the facility will provide traditional group fitness classes ranging from yoga to TRX, pilates, Zumba, strength, cardio and boxing, as well as personal

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training and senior specific programming.

“It’s always been my vision to have a facility to offer all of these services under one roof. If we can all work together as a team to better someone’s health and better their quality of life, it will be amazing,” she says.

The new fitness facility will be located in the space that was previously occupied by Dollar Tree, and members will have 24-hour access.

Membership information is not yet available but Gemmell expects to have packages and pricing worked out by mid-November.

And with this new facility comes opportunity as well. Gemmell will be looking for personal trainers, group instructors, massage thera-

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Photo credit: Hometown News

pists, physiotherapists, front desk attendants and child care workers to be part of her team.

Those interested in applying can email to jobs@natatia.com.

So when can we expect to see this new gym unveiled? If all goes as planned, it will open in January 2018.

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www.Hometownnews.ca

November 2017

2

Page Two

Letter from our Editor

Fall means coats and camouflage

Fall is here and with that comes brisk temperatures (although we haven’t seen much of that yet), hats, coats and camouflage. Granted, the last might not be part of everyone’s wardrobe but I’m going to guess that it is for a large part of our readership.

Hunting is as much of a fall tradition as Thanksgiving and Halloween for a lot of people —our family included.

My husband has hunted since he was a kid and although I grew up around it, I never took to hunting until four years ago.

Now that I hunt, I feel like there is so much of the outdoors that I missed out on. Sure, I played in the woods and participated

in outdoor sports growing up but I was never as aware of what was around me as I am now. Who knew a squirrel made so much noise!

There’s something about just being in the woods — sitting and listening — that is calming but exhilarating at the same time. I will admit though, I am not into the full day sits. I can go and sit on a log, in a tree stand or in a blind for a couple of hours but after that, I have to move around.

I have yet to get a big game animal (maybe it’s due the fact I can’t sit too long?) but I’ve shot a few grouse. I’m also hoping to spend some time in a duck blind this fall.

Hunting is something we’ve introduced to our kids. We take our girls for hikes on our property and look for signs of wildlife, we feed them wild game and explain where it came from. When we drive in the car, we’re always looking for deer and turkey in fields as we pass.

Sometimes if we are really lucky, someone in the back seat will see a moose.

It’s funny because I never seem to see them, I guess they are a breed that only little kids can see.

My youngest isn't even three yet so her understanding of hunting is pretty low, but my 6-yearold knows exactly what’s going on.

I’ll never forget the first time she watched Bambi.

She was about four and I wasn’t sure how things would go — hunters aren’t exactly portrayed in the best light and a cute fawn is left motherless.

Her reaction though, blew me away. She rationalized that it was a little sad, but the hunter needed to feed his family so it was okay, and now Bambi would get to spend time with his dad and learn how to be an old buck.

As the girls get older and I get out in the woods and fields more, I feel like that hunting is going to become a well-established pastime for the whole family, not just for the adults.

What are your fall pastimes?

April Scott-Clarke, Editor, Hometown News

Letter to the Editor Dear Carrie: I much enjoy reading the Hometown news, especially your column.

In the October issue, your column, re: "The dark side of alcohol," touched a nerve.

You took me back, sixty years, to an event that took place at school, when l was eight- or nine-. There was a boy in my class, I'll call him " Billy."

I, being the youngest of twelve children, had naturally worn hand-me-downs, all my life.

My sister, who was the second oldest in the family, had shown up with a box of used clothing, And since there was a winter coat that fit me, I asked my mother ifl could give my old one, to Billy.

She.said yes, so the next day I took the coat to school. It wasn't hard to spot Billy in the school yard, He was the only one with no coat; he would get off the bus wearing only shoes, trousers and a white Long sleeve shirt. I went over and gave him the coat, he put it on, and offered a heartfelt thanks.

The next day when I seen Billy in the school yard, with no coat on, I went over and asked him why he Wasn't wearing the coat? ....He replied," my father sold it, for fifty-cents, to buy a bottle of wine."

Very truJy yours, Michael Labelle

Never before see photo of the Brown and MacDonald Woolen Mill in Carleton Place from the Guelph Public Library Archives (ON00126c6-0-0-0-0-766).

Photo Credit: Linda Seccaspina of Carleton Place

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November 2017

3

News

Smiths Falls library offers far more than just books Smiths Falls - Janelle Lebelle editorial@pdgmedia.ca

As the temperature drops and indoor activities grow more appealing, the Smiths Falls Public Library truly begins to shine. Bright sunlight streams in through the large windows, the warm fireplace is flanked by comfortable chairs and well-lit work stations invite computer users and readers alike. While book-lovers will find a haven here, there is something for everyone at the library where a full fall schedule is already in swing.

The Smiths Falls Public Library hosts Chess Club, which meets most Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Players of all ages and abilities are welcome to come and play,

hone their skills, and have fun. Chief Librarian Karen Schecter says, "Anyone may come and challenge an opponent to a game."

Tuesday at 5 p.m. is the library's Appy Hour, a oneon-one lesson on basic iPad use. Registration is required, as space is limited. The oneon-one class offers learners a chance to really get a solid understanding of their device without interruptions.

In order to register, pop by the main desk or call the library at 613-283-2911.

Thursday nights are Teen Night at the library, beginning at 6 p.m. "This fills a need for teenagers in town to have a space to gather together since the closing of the Smiths Falls Youth Centre earlier this year,” Schecter

says. “ It's a fun time and a good night out." The night includes dinner or a snack and a different activity each week. Teen nights are open to youth aged 12 and older, and new members are welcome.

Newborns and infants, along with their caregivers meet for Baby Time on Thursdays at 11:30 a.m.

Pre-schoolers meet for Story Time on Fridays at 10:30 a.m., which includes rhymes, letters of the week, and a craft. Schecter points out that these programs are geared for children, but offer their caregivers a chance to get to know other people in similar life circumstances and build valuable friendships. Both Baby Time and Story Time begin again Nov.

Build a Mountain of food drive keeps us in full swing

9 and Nov. 10.

For older children, Kids' Book Club will begin on Saturdays in November at 11 a.m. Those interested in participating in the book club can contact Debra at dkuehl@vianet.ca.

The library stretches its reach beyond its walls, making scheduled visits to several seniors residences in Smiths Falls and also delivering books to individuals who are unable to leave their homes. "We really try to reach out," Schecter explains. The library also offers ebooks, audiobooks, and a massive e-magazine collection to all users with a library card. "We have more than 50 magazines that anyone can access with their library card," Schecter says, adding,

A preschooler enjoying his book in the sunshine at the Smiths Falls Library.

Photo credit: Janelle Lebelle.

"there really is something for everyone."

The online collection is accessible anytime from any internet-enabled device.

The Smiths Falls Public Library is a rich, welcoming

resource for learning and leisure. It is open Monday through Thursday 1 p.m to 8 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 430 p.m. It can be found online at smithsfallslibrary.ca.

Gym, Tanning, Personal trainers, Sports Supplements and protein, Yoga, Spin, cardio classes and boot camps.

42 Union St., Smiths Falls

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The Smiths Falls Community Food Bank got a boost recently thanks to the annual Turkey Parade at St. James the Greater School. Photo credit: submitted.

Regional - Chris Must editorial@pdgmedia.ca As the annual Build a Mountain of food campaign enters its 11th year, the motivation that drives its founder remains the same.

“My goal from day one has been to try and fill as many shelves as possible,” Hugh Colton told Hometown News recently.

From humble beginnings in just one local community – Perth – a decade ago, the campaign now covers 11 small towns across Lanark, Leeds, and Grenville County.

Last year Build a Mountain of Food collected a total of 164,695 pounds of food and $108,982.41 in cash donations. The growth of the campaign is reflected in the fact that these numbers represent almost a third of all the food and cash donations collected over 10 years. The campaign’s cumulate 10year total as of last year was 720,217 pounds of food and $370,526.65 in cash.

“That just gives you an idea of how these commu-

nities come together, and the overwhelming generosity of them,” said Colton. “It’s been a successful campaign each and every year.”

The annual drive began, Colton recalled, with a simple thought: “Nobody should go hungry.” The Build a Mountain’s founder was worried about local statistics of the number of children living in single parent families and the fact that area food banks were finding it tough to keep up with demand.

Demand continues to grow today, Colton said, as even parents working two jobs can have difficulty making ends meet in today’s economy.

One key to the campaign’s ongoing success is the support of area grocery store owners, who allow food drive volunteers to set up at their locations and make their own food donations.

A long list of volunteers collect donations at the individual stores over the course of the campaign, as well as collecting contributions at Christmas parades through-

out the region.

The title sponsor for the 2017 campaign is Hinton Auto Group, Colton’s new employers. “They have been tremendously supportive of this,” he said. The company’s four dealerships – two in Perth and two in Smiths Falls – will compete to see which can collect the most food.

The campaign will kick off Saturday, Nov. 4 in Almonte and Carleton Place, then skip a weekend to avoid coinciding with Remembrance Day services. The campaign resumes Nov. 18 in Perth and Lanark, and will continue as follows: - Saturday, Nov. 25 –

Smiths Falls - Saturday, Dec. 2 –

Westport and Elgin - Saturday, Dec. 9 – Portland and Mer rickville - Saturday, Dec. 16 –

Athens and Delta If you want to donate but can’t make it out to one of these days, get in touch with Hinton Auto Group, either in Smiths Falls or Perth.

Local Sci-Fi and Fantasy author has been making novels a reality for twenty years

Standing and writing is Czerneda’s preferred work habit. Photo credit: Sally Smith.

continued from cover.

But that’s not all. “I need basic information inhand,” she says.

She does a lot of research, she top-loads before beginning. She has a book of names, she does

her scientific reading and she gathers information throughout the year, or years, before. “When there’s enough research, I get itchy to write,” she explains.

In A Turn of Light, many of the place names are tak-

en from the small villages along the Opeongo Road, which runs along the Ottawa River. “This was deliberate. I wanted history and place,” she says.

Because her husband is such a hockey fan, many of the names in To Guard Against the Dark are derived from NHL hockey players’ names.

As she’s been writing for many years, Czerneda has had time to look back over the decades and reflect.

“Writing is both intimate and public. Going public with your writing is a brave act,” she says. And she knows if “you don’t put everything into your writing, your public will know. But if you do, people will read you for life.”

After all is said and done, after the research, the outlining, the hours writing, the months preparing, for Czerneda, it’s still a “joyful activity.”

Find Julie Czerneda at www.czerneda.com or on Facebook @JulieCzernedaOfficialFanPage

November 2017

4

community Perth’s Pierre Hofstatter wins rare community award

Pierre Hofstatter (centre) and his wife Robyn (holding flowers) are joined by family, friends, co-workers, and Canadian Tire executives at a gala celebration marking Hofstatter’s receipt of a prestigious community involvement award. Photo credit: submitted.

Perth - Matthew Behrens editorial@pdgmedia.ca Announcements of Canadian Tire community involvement awards are about as rare as comet sightings – indeed, only nine winners have been named over the past century. But Pierre Hofstatter, the Perth owner of the iconic chain store, was recognized as one of those shining stars at a September gala.

Hofstatter was lauded for an outstanding body of community work, including his role helming a store that for two years running has raised more funds than any other location for the Jumpstart program (which allows young people without financial means to access lo-

cal sports programs). Along with the award, Hofstatter also brought home an additional $20,000 Jumpstart contribution for Perth programs, which he says will be used to provide all grade four students in the area’s eight elementary schools with swimming lessons for the next two years.

At the age of 16, Hofsttater began working in receiving, unloading trucks at a Mississauga Canadian Tire outlet. He quickly made his way up the company ladder, acting as general manager in a number of locations, including Wingham and Dunnville.

After serving five years as retail sales manager at down-

town Toronto’s head office, he and his wife, Robyn, took the jump to start fresh in Perth, where in 2000 they demolished the old store and paved it over to create a new location further back from Highway 7.

“It was an opportunity to own your business and have some freedom to run the type of business you wanted,” he recalls of the move to eastern Ontario. “In my time at home office, I got to see 50 different management styles, and I took some of that learning and developed one I thought was important.”

Hofstatter and his wife (who handles accounting as well as the garden centre) proceeded to grow the

store while raising four kids.

From the beginning, both recognized the critical importance of building a staff with shared values and work ethics. “It’s a large company with lots of moving parts and people, and the most successful dealers always surround themselves with really good people, because not one person can do this on their own,” he says. “Everybody plays an important role from the office to the mechanics to the cashiers. Everyone needs to go in the same direction.”

With a core staff of 80, Perth’s Canadian Tire employs almost 100 people during the summer months.

Among those who have watered plants or stocked shelves are their four children, as well as many individuals who got their first job there as teenagers and have since started families of their own. Hofstatter likens the store to a hub that’s part of a community web, adding Perth is “a community where you know everybody, and you feel part of a network of working together to make it a better place for everyone.”

Among the many popular individuals at Canadian Tire Perth are two store cats, who appreciate the attention they receive both from shoppers

as well as seniors who, often unable to keep pets in their current residences, frequently visit the store to spend an hour snuggling with the friendly felines.

A member of the Lions Club for over two decades, Hofstatter says that as a parent whose children were involved in activities from dance to hockey, he’s always appreciated the critical role volunteers play to maintain sports teams and after-school activities.

Hofstatter’s recognition of community needs dovetailed with the goals of the Jumpstart program, which gets children into pools, onto bicycles, and playing a sport.

“It helps get them off the couch and the video games and out into the fresh air, which is good for them physically and mentally.”

Among his significant bricks and mortar achievements was the construction of a kids clubhouse at the Perth golf course, providing a safe space for younger people to store their clubs and also socialize. He also worked with the club to lower youth fees, a move that helped grow the number of junior golfers from four to over 80.

A tribute video produced to celebrate Hofstatter’s

award, now playing on Vimeo, is full of praise from family friends, store colleagues, and social service workers, all of whom cite his dedication to bringing people together to meet specific community challenges. The self-deprecating Hoftsatter prefers to keep the focus on others, pointing, among many other such examples, to Perth’s fire chief, Trevor Choffe, for a recent initiative that provided much-needed activities for young people between the end of hockey season and the start of soccer.

With the support of Jumpstart and the Perth Firefighters Association, Choffe started the Firedawgs ball hockey league, which sees up to 250 local youngsters playing at the arena on Mondays. It was so successful that a complementary Thursday basketball program was created as well.

In both instances, Hofstatter says, older teenagers tend to play a mentoring role for younger kids, building social cohesion while earning volunteer hours.

Hofstatter is always happy to help, saying he particularly enjoys “connecting the dots to bring the community together and help young people as they grow up. It creates a full circle effect.”

Perth Inside Out: by Terry O'Hearn The clock is ticking on climate change

Michael Glover is the first to admit that he talks a big game when it comes to climate change. The director of Ecotay Educational Centre, situated west of Perth on the Upper Scotch Line, can also back that up because he walks the walk so to speak. The former National Research Council manager is not only carrying out personal green initiatives during the retrofitting of his 200-year-old farmhouse, but is constantly involved in keeping up with the latest technology, and in turn helping to educate the

public in matters of climate change.

Glover believes the future lies in Zero Emission (ZE) technology, rather than the government-promoted Net Zero Energy (NZE). A ZE house would use off-peak power only, and his farmhouse project on the Ecotay property demonstrates how it can be done at the local level.

Hoping to get local governments and other organizations involved, Glover recently hosted a climate change workshop at the barns of Ecotay with a theme: “Is it time to panic?” Discussion revolved around climate healing initiatives, and the event was covered in the October edition of this newspaper.

Glover feels that “A localized approach has several advantages. Local energy conservation, generation and storage all reduce the need

Michael Glover, Director of Ecotay Education Centre and eco-activist, stands in front of his 200-year-old farmhouse, which is being renovated and retrofitted to use sustainable energy technology. Photo credit: Terry O’Hearn.

for expensive transmission infrastructure that must be built to meet and exceed the peak hour of demand in the province.”

He went on to say that Ontario loses an average of 7 per cent of its centrally generated power to heat losses during transmission, and during peak times this loss rate rises exponentially. By practicing conservation and using solar generation, that peak demand would be reduced considerably.

“While Tay Valley and other municipalities will want to remain connected to the provincial grid to insure against local power disruptions, a reformed rate structure can reflect the economies associated with local efficiency, generation and storage, incenting their development and reducing the rate burden on local residences. Province-wide policies and programs will be necessary, but insufficient to meet these challenges,” he says.

Perth area municipalities and organizations have been thinking to the future for some time now. For example, a Mayor’s Task Force on Climate Change held an open house on April 25, 2017. The event provided “information about how Perth is joining

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Bob Argue, executive director of the not-for-profit group ecoPerth, was a keynote speaker at the recent Climate Change Workshop.

He praised Perth as being proactive in having a Climate Action Plan and Mayor John Fenik’s Task Force on Climate Change. There are several checks and balances in place to ensure the plan is carried out, and communication between ecoPerth and town officials is ongoing.

The other founders and principal players of ecoPerth

are Alfred Von Mirbach and Cheryl Nash. Some projects that the group have recently worked on include: Solar Photovoltaic (PV) and FeedIn-Tariff (FIT) and microFIT, whereby “EcoPerth can facilitate the purchase and installation of PV systems with installation by a local electrical contractor.”; and the Lanark Local Flavour project: “building a sustainable food community by linking local farmers to local consumers, expand capacity and access to sustainably produced food, inform the public about food issues, and to celebrate the people who grow our food.”

Just this year the minute hand of the Doomsday Clock maintained by the “Bulle-

tin of the Atomic Scientists” moved to a position closer to midnight, a metaphoric gesture that we are closer to the tipping point for humanity.

The group not only engages “science leaders, policy makers, and the interested public” on nuclear weapons and disarmament, but also on climate change and emerging technologies. Those esteemed gentlemen leave us with a sobering thought: “It is two and a half minutes to midnight, the clock is ticking, global danger looms.

Wise public officials should act immediately, guiding humanity away from the brink.

If they do not, wise citizens must step forward and lead the way.”

November 2017

5

community

Volunteering is a lifelong Men’s Shed members helping passion for Lois Hunter ecosystem by building bat houses Smiths Fals - Sally Smith editorial@pdgmedia.ca Lois Hunter has lived a lifetime of volunteering.

Starting early, before she was a teen, she volunteered at agricultural fairs around her home farm, and it became a lifestyle, a second nature, a belief in how to live her life.

She learned it well.

On Sept. 18, the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers was presented to her for her 67 years of volunteer work, mainly at the Lombardy Agricultural Society.

In her room at the Van Horne Retirement Centre in Smiths Falls, Hunter, a little diffidently, pulls out two small boxes. Easing off the lids, medals spill over the sides. The 92- (soon to be 93) -year-old, touches and holds them with a certain quiet dignity, cupping a lifetime of volunteering in her hands.

For her, a life of giving back started in grade school.

Between 1930 and 1939, the Rotary Club handed out vegetable and flower seeds to school children. The expectation was that the children would plant, water and tend the seeds and, when the small-town fairs started in early fall, take their ‘projects’ to be admired and judged.

That piqued her interest and imagination.

Hunter followed closely in the footsteps of her parents. For years, both were involved in the Perth Fair.

From them she learned how community shaped lives and how getting involved in community enriched her own.

But in those early days, it wasn’t flowers that really caught attention at fairs, it was cattle; and also in those early days it wasn’t girls who worked with animals. “Girls didn’t show as much as boys,” she says.

Later on, however, married and with children of her own, she remembers the time and effort that went into preparing cattle for shows, washing and grooming them.

With a slight smile she patiently responded that

Holstein dairy cattle are not blown dry because their coats have to be “smooth.”

It’s the beef cattle that get the hair dryers and their coats “shaped.”

Hunter married Donald in 1944 at the age of 20 and six years later was asked to volunteer with the Lombardy Fair board; six years after that she was elected to the board as a director and became chair of the Homecraft Division, a position she held until 1979. From there she went to the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies, and in 1981 was elected president of that board. She held the post for a year, remained as past president the next year and then “came back to the fair.”

“And I’m still with it,” she smiles.

All that time she was judging. There are over 230 fairs in Ontario and the fairs are divided into 12 districts; Lombardy Fair is in District 2 and there are 11 other fairs in this District.

To be a judge at the fair “you have to attend three judging schools. You have to be trained,” Hunter explains.

Students at judging schools are taught how to judge knitting, crochet and needlepoint under the Homecraft aegis, and field crops (among other topics) in the Agriculture and Horticulture Judging School.

(In a quick aside, Hunter recalled there were “wonderful exhibits at the Lombardy Fair this year.”)

Hunter also says she had the pleasure of teaching at judging schools in Wyoming, Mitchell, Port Perry, Belleville, Metcalfe and Kingston, and one for District 2 at McDonald’s Corners. The CNE in Toronto even took her on as a chaperone and judge for the Miss CNE Pageants from 197981.

During this time, as she was leading a busy home and volunteer life, Hunter watched the Lombardy Fairgrounds take shape. “We worked very hard to clear the land,” she says.

Carleton Place Matthew Behrens editorial@pdgmedia.ca

Lois Hunter still volunteers at Lombardy Fair. Photo credit: Sally Smith.

New buildings went up.

The main hall was built in a year, Hunter remembers, and they worked even harder to raise money to furnish it. Eventually the barn was built.

Busyness at home didn’t stop her from volunteering.

In 1993, Hunter received a 125th Commemorative Medal from then-Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Hal Jackman, for ‘citizen’s who made an outstanding contribution to their community.’

From 1995 to 1998 she was a member of the Rideau Valley District Health Council.

In 2000 she became an honorary past president for the Homecraft Division of all Ontario Fairs, in 2003 she was presented with the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, and in 2004 she became an honorary Life Member of the Conservative Party of Canada.

So the Sovereign’s Medal, a medal given to a “Canadian citizen who has made a significant, sustained and unpaid contribution to their community” while seemingly is just another medal, for Hunter it really is a culmination of a life’s work.

And as Hunter looks back over a long marriage, two children, six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, she might say it’s the volunteering that kept her going through easy and tough times. She might add it’s the volunteering that makes her appreciate all the wonderful people she’s met, and is still meeting.

A group of Carleton Place seniors has come together to put a dent in the housing crunch, but in this instance, the homes are for an at-risk species whose declining numbers mean the potential loss of a natural ally in the fights against mosquito-borne maladies like West Nile Virus as well as crop-damaging agricultural pests.

At the request of the Canadian Wildlife Federation, the Hackberry Men’s Shed – a group of over a dozen retirees who regularly gather to socialize while engaging their passion for woodworking projects – is just finishing a special order of 50 bat houses that will be deployed in the national capital region. The special houses are more appropriate living spaces than the household or church nooks, crannies and crevices where bats are often forced to sleep and hibernate.

Retired United Church minister John Peters brought the idea to the group after learning about White Nose Syndrome, a devastating fungal condition that has killed millions of little brown bats. Because bats can eat their own weight every night – upwards of 1,200 mosquitoes and other insects – the risk of their disappearance directly impacts a balanced ecosystem, not to mention their lesser-known role as crop pollinators.

“Having lived in an old house that bats liked to use, I have woken in the night with bats flying around the bedroom,” Peters says. “It can be a scary thing, especially for my wife. But I became used to it and found a way to deal

Carleton Place Men’s Shed members Terry Regnault (back to camera) and Paul Chamberlain work on the set-up for one of 50 bat houses they are helping to construct this fall. Photo credit: Victor Maltby.

with it. I respect them and welcome their presence as long as they stay in their area and out of my space.”

Peters hopes the group’s efforts will prove one modest but significant step to help bats reproduce and, as they have done in Europe, develop an immunity to the deadly syndrome. He points out that bats keep pest control costs down for farmers, reducing the use of toxic chemicals, while also assisting the health care system by eliminating disease-spreading nuisances before they wreak havoc on humans.

The Men’s Shed movement, which began in Australia, came to Carleton Place when resident Victor Maltby felt the need for more community contact. A retired biologist, Maltby says “there isn't enough community engagement, especially with older retired men. This helps get men out of the house, form friendships, and do projects that benefit the community and themselves at the same time.”

After about 18 months of planning meetings, group members, who now number almost 15, have since built a storage facility for their tools.

In addition to producing a series of handcrafted toys sold at Christmas bazaars, they’ve also churned out folding picnic tables for La-

nark community programs, food storage stands for the local food bank, and a series of hockey and walking sticks.

The Hackberry group built their four-chamber bat houses based on a Texas model for bat maternity houses. They also consulted Canadian researchers to ensure the houses were better suited to local bat species and a northern climate. With an average size of 18 X 18 inches, and a depth of 5 inches, the houses require a landing lip as well as interior wood grooves to accommodate bats’ proclivity for climbing.

The group also came up with solutions for mounting the units.

“It’s been a lot of fun, a lot of problem solving and, as one of our members says, it’s turned us into a Henry Ford factory,” Maltby laughs, adding the shed members are now debating whether they can accept the request for an additional 100 units of the time-consuming projects.

Peters, meanwhile, enthuses that while “this is a boon for bats, it is also a blessing to the human population. Perhaps it is one small part of the multi-faceted challenges facing our planet, but it is one part we can do something about. And I have always believed it is better to light one small candle than

As this is a new venture, it is hard to say what the interest will be from the community. The organizers have their sights set on larger spaces should the demand require bigger accommodations, but as it currently self-funded, money could be an issue. The organizers could certainly benefit from outside contributions to help cover costs for this labour of

love. A portion of the first week’s refreshments were donated and the balance of all other expenses were paid personally by the organizers.

Drop by on Fridays to join the conversation in the Mental Wellness Room.

Hours are 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Carambeck Community Centre or you can email David at ddrolling696@gmail.com

Mental Wellness Room created for socializing and support Carleton Place - Sara Ritchie editorial@pdgmedia.ca If you are a member of Lanark County Mental Health (LCMH) or other treatment programs and have Friday afternoon free, you may find the Mental Wellness Room your new Friday destination.

The Room is designed as a friendly, supportive space for people living with mental illness to socialize, relax or chat with others who are in similar circumstances. People are encouraged to stop by; play a board game, watch a movie or share victories/

frustrations from their week.

The Mental Wellness Room, which opened on Friday, Oct. 13 is located at the Carambeck Community Centre in Carleton Place.

It is a grassroots initiative designed to reach out to others living with mental illness. The organizers feel that people need a place to go to socialize and connect. They believe that there should be more venues available for socializing with peers and that it is important for people to have a safe space to share and be understood.

Organizers took the idea

for this social room and looked for locations for several months, but immediately stepped out when the room at Carambeck Community Centre became an option, and created this space, paying expenses out of their own pockets.

Some of the volunteers in the Room received peer support training made possible by a grant from the Bell “Let’s Talk” Community Fund in 2015. Peer support is based on the premise that people who have overcome adversity can offer their experience and support to

others that are facing similar circumstances.

The Room is meant to be a safe space in the community and in order for it to remain that way and achieve its goal of getting those with mental health issues to connect with others, anyone who visits the Room is asked to use discretion in revealing personal information they hear during their visit.

November 2017

6

community

Lanark County’s vital signs documented in landmark report

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The Perth & District Community Foundation’s executive director Lynn McIntyre is proud of the landmark Vital Signs report that documents community successes while outlining social needs that remain unmet. Photo credit: Matthew Behrens.

Regional - Matthew Behrens editorial@pdgmedia.ca Taking the pulse of a community can be an intensive undertaking, especially when data is limited, precedents are non-existent, and researchers commit to covering a space twice the size of their catchment area. But the Perth & District Community Foundation (PDCF) was undaunted by the challenge, launched two years ago, to document what was working in Lanark County and Smiths Falls and spotlight where communities could be improved.

The resulting social inventory, Lanark County Vital Signs 2017, was publicly released at an early morning breakfast meeting on Oct. 19. It was attended largely by local social service providers, community volunteers and PDCF board members, and one political representative (Tay Valley councillor Jennifer Dickson).

While the report had much to celebrate, it also pointed to significant challenges, with a particular focus on the lack of adequate, affordable transportation.

The Vital Signs report notes that shortfall intersects with issues ranging from education and employment opportunities to accessing health and community services.

“Lanark County really does punch above its weight in major metrics including a sense of belonging, charitable giving, and volunteerism,” said PDCF’s executive director, Lynn McIntyre.

But significant issues remain, including the disparity between the wealthy and the needy, and ensuring the area’s most vulnerable residents receive supports and services.

In addition to affordable transportation, more than 1,000 survey respondents, focus group participants, and “key informants” identified good jobs and stable incomes as pressing concerns, a finding confirmed by an unemployment rate 1.5 per cent higher than the provincial average.

Data collected by PDCF also revealed that 60.5 per cent of residents are not receiving requisite daily servings of fruit and vegetables.

Meanwhile, 8.5 per cent suffer from anxiety disorders and 10.6 per cent deal with mood disorders. Over a third of residents do not enjoy dental insurance, one in

five households spends more than 30 per cent of their income on housing, and youth homelessness remains a major challenge.

“This is really a health document,” said Paula Stewart, the county’s medical officer of health, noting 50 per cent of health is determined by social determinants such as poverty, transportation, housing, and a sense of community connection.

Vital Signs also includes a healthy mix of community success stories, spotlighting the role of the Smiths Falls Two Rivers Food Hub in linking local farmers to new markets, the work of Lanark Community Justice Program declogging the court system while providing restorative solutions for young people in trouble with the law, the leadership of the Rideau Environmental Action League in reuse and recycle programs and improved water quality, and Perth’s Table Community Food Centre for its wide range of empowering services.

The report also documented trends in the region’s creative economy, pointing out that arts, entertainment and recreation make up six percent of the labour force and the fastest growing segment of the employment sector, growing by 41 per cent since 2012.

While PDCF hopes to revisit the report four years from now, McIntyre also believes that it provides a roadmap for developing benchmarks, pooling resources to track key indicators, further research, and discussion on solutions to create healthier and more cohesive communities.

“We think this report is too good to sit on a shelf, and we need it to get wider distribution,” McIntyre said, adding that team members were impressed by the passion that underlies the data collected. “People poured out their heart about what they liked about this area and what the challenges were.

We had to open up the comment box because people were writing novel-length responses.”

Despite the obstacles ahead, McIntyre is hopeful, especially given what he names the area’s “can-do attitude, which you just don't get everywhere else.”

Copies of Vital Signs are available for online viewing at www.pdcf.ca/grants/vital-signs/

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Lanark County to investigate provincial policy that hinders development Regional - Matthew Behrens editorial@pdgmedia.ca Before year’s end, a consulting firm hired by Lanark County is slated to produce a report that municipal planners hope will guide discussion on responding to a 2014 provincial policy statement (PPS) within the Ontario Planning Act that many say is handcuffing area development and complicating longer-term infrastructure planning.

The PPS requires municipalities to maintain an inventory of residential property for new development, but no more than a 20-year supply. However, this development cap conflicts with those trying to plan infrastructure projects like pumping stations, arterial roads, bridges, and wastewater treatment centres that have much longer lifespans. On the one hand, towns have to build enough capacity to meet their growth needs, but if they are not able to plan based on longer timelines, it hampers their ability to

determine the best size and amount of infrastructure to build.

Paul Knowles, who serves as chief administrative officer in Carleton Place, uses the theoretical example of developers interested in producing a 600-home subdivision. To make it accessible, a bridge needs to be built over a river, but if the town is only allowed 150 units given the provincial development cap, the developer will not see their costs returned based on the lower numbers, and will likely abandon the whole idea.

“I understand the logic of it, which is supposed to facilitate orderly development,” says Knowles. “In the Toronto area, you don't want a subdivision being built five miles outside of everything else and skip the stuff in between, because you want your services to develop in a logical pattern.”

But what seems to be a policy largely aimed at the Golden Horseshoe region, fails to take into account

the different development dynamics affecting urban and rural areas.

“The problem is [the provincial government] capping the amount of growth for the whole county, and then the county has to decide who gets allocated what, which pits municipalities against each other,” Knowles adds, noting that if some municipalities are not developing all of their allocated lots, “they are tying up everybody else’s capacity.”

Carleton Place’s planning and protection committee received a staff report in October indicating that “there is high demand for development in the east end of the county but little demand in the west end.

Existing inventory in the west end could restrict development opportunities in the east end. If growth follows a historical pattern, the urban communities of Smiths Falls and Perth will see little growth while the other areas, including the rural areas, will see significant growth. This seems to

contradict the provincial direction to have growth in serviced areas.”

Perth’s director of development and protective services, Forbes Symon, agrees that the PPS is problematic, calling it a “fine grain issue” whose complexity makes it daunting to confront.

As someone who has come up against similar issues working in smaller towns, he believes “we can work through it with good facts on the table and if we keep our heads about us.

The key to dealing with these things is working collaboratively at the local level and coming up with a made-in-Lanark County solution.”

Exactly what that solution will look like remains to be seen. Newly appointed county planner Julie Stewart says once the consulting report comes back, “a meeting will be set up pretty immediately with municipalities to go over the results and see where we go from there.”

November 2017

ho l i d a y community events Almonte & Mississippi Mills November 4 & 5 Xmas Craft & Vendor Sale Almonte Curling Club 9:00am - 5:00pm Cheerfully Made Holiday Market Almonte Old Town Hall 10:00am - 4:00pm Christmas in the Valley Artisan Show Almonte Community Centre 10:00am - 4:00pm Christmas Pottery Sale Almonte Potters Guild 10:00am - 4:00pm

November 16 Holiday Street Market Downtown Almonte 5:00pm - 9:00pm

November 25 Country Christmas Pakenham Public School 10:00am

November 25 & 26 Pet Pics with Santa Pet Valu 10:00am - 4:00pm

December 1 Light Up The Night Downtown Almonte 7:00pm

December 2 Santa Claus Parade Stewart Community Centre 1:00pm Classical Christmas Concert Almonte Old Town Hall 7:30pm

December 3 Almonte Night Parade Downtown Almonte 5:00pm

December 9 Almonte Farmers' Xmas Market Almonte Community Centre 9:00am - 3:00pm Kintail Country Christmas Mill of Kintail 11:00am - 3:00pm

December 15 - 17 It’s A Wonderful Mississippi Mills Life Almonte Old Town Hall 7:30pm

December 23 Christmas Market Rock-n-Horse Farm 10:00am - 4:00pm

Carleton Place November 4 Fall Crafts Bazaar & Bake Sale Downtown Carleton Place 1:00pm - 8:00pm

November 16 Christmas Open House Downtown Carleton Place 1:00pm - 8:00pm

November 18 Christmas Bazaar Zion-Memorial United Church 10:00am - 2:00pm

November 18 & 19 Art & Woodcraft Show & Sale 261 Ramsay Concession 5A

9:00am - 3:00pm

December 2

November 25

Nick of Time Artisan Show McMartin House 10:00am - 3:00pm Santa Claus Parade Downtown Perth 5:00pm - 7:00pm

Christmas Craft Show Beckwith Public School 10:00am - 3:00pm Santa Claus Parade Downtown Carleton Place 5:00pm

December 2 & 3 Christmas in Carleton Place House Tour 613-858-6633

December 3 & 5 Town Singers Xmas Concert All Nations Church 3rd at 2:00pm, 5th at 7:00pm

Perth November 4 Perth Library Bake Sale Perth & District Union Library 10:00am - 3:00pm Lanark Co. Quilters Guild Xmas Sale Glad Tidings Pentecostal Church 11:00am - 2:00pm

November 5 Annual McDonald's Corner Craft Sale 613-278-1501

November 16 Christmas Open House Downtown Perth 5:00pm - 8:00pm

November 18 MERA Christmas Fair MERA Schoolhouse, McDonalds Corners 10:00am - 4:00pm

November 18 & 19 Holly Jolly Art Sale Algonquin College 11:00am - 4:00pm

November 24 Perth Community Fndn Christmas Gala Best Western Plus

November 25 Festival of Good Cheer Crystal Palace 10:00am - 3:00pm Midnight Makers Holiday Market Top Shelf Distillers 10:00am - 3:00pm Yuletide Fair St. Paul's United Church 10:00am - 1:00pm

November 26 Farmers' Xmas Market Crystal Palace 9:00am - 3:00pm

November 27 Holiday Train Rail Yard 8:00am - 8:30pm

Nov. 30 - Dec. 3, 9 -10 A Christmas Story Studio Theatre Crystal Palace 2:00pm

December 1 Festival of Lights Crystal Palace 6:00pm Ennis Sisters Christmas Show Perth & District Collegiate Institute 7:30pm

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December 2 & 3 Christmas House Tour facebook.com/heritageperthchristmashousetour

December 9 Lanark Santa Claus Parade Lanark Civitan Club 1:00pm

December 19 Perth Citizens' Band Xmas Concert St. James Anglican Church 7:30pm

December 23 Splash'N Boots: Jingle Boots Studio Theatre 2:00pm

December 31 The Brockolees NYE Party Farrell Hall 9:00pm - 1:00pm

Smiths Falls November 4 Annual Christmas Craft Sale Lombardy Agricultural Hall 10:00am - 3:00pm Candy Cane Bazaar & Luncheon Trinity United Church 11:00am - 2:00pm Christmas Tea - Bake Sale - Lunch and White Elephant Table Salvation Army Church 11:00am - 2:00pm

November 6 - December 23 Christmas comes to the Heritage House Heritage House Museum

November 18 Skate Exchange Modern Thymes 10:00am - 2:00pm Christmas Bazaar & Bake Sale Legion Branch 95 9:00am - 1:00pm

November 25 Santa's Workshop Salvation Army Thrift Store 10:00am - 4:00pm Mrs. Claus' Holiday Market County Fair Mall 10:00am - 3:00pm

November 27 Holiday Train Train Station, 63 Victoria St. 6:30am - 7:00pm

December 2 Free Photos with Santa Word of Faith Fellowship 79 McGill St. N. 10:00pm - 2:00pm Christmas in the Rideau Craft Sale Gallipeau Centre 9:00pm - 2:00pm

December 3 Victorian Family Christmas Party Heritage House Museum 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Shopping tips for a keeping stress low this holiday season

April scott-clarke april@pd gmedia.ca

Once Thanksgiving has passed, and sometimes even before, stores shelves become adorned with Christmas items and decorations. While some people ignore the green and red decor, others take this as a sign to start shopping.

However, statistics show that most people still do the majority of their shopping in December. According to Statistics Canada, retailers that sell toys, jewellery and watches report having increased sales anywhere from 130 per cent to 180 per cent in the month of December.

Whether you start shopping early or wait until the midnight madness sales on Dec.24, there is always the risk of overspending. To lessen the burden on your wallet and the ease some stress, here are some holiday shopping tips to get you through the season.

1. Start early Experts say to keep your eyes peeled all year long for gifts, because it’s when you least expect it that you’ll

find the perfect gift for that hard-to-buy-for friend or family member on our list. If it’s November and you haven’t started, don’t stress — just start browsing whenever you go out.

Make a point to go into a new store each trip, just to see what you can find. Even if you don’t buy anything, it will spark ideas.

2. Make a list, check it often Write down everyone you need to buy a gift for this holiday season, no matter how small the gift may be.

Also, determine how much you are willing or able to spend for each person and if you have ideas for them, slot that in too. Once you pick up items, draw a big line though each person’s name on the list. Seeing a dwindling list will make you feel accomplished and less stressed.

3. Do your research If big-ticket items are on your gift list, be sure to do some research. Know which make and model will best suit the receiver’s needs. Also, know the price points for each. When you

walk into a store already knowing this information, it will make purchasing easier and faster. You might even save a couple of bucks if you check out competing retailers and asked for a price match.

4. Watch for sales Black Friday in Canada isn’t what it is in the US, but still many national retailers offer Black Friday sales. Nov. 24 is the official day but “Black Friday” sales often start before the actual date. Cyber Monday, which is the Monday following Black Friday, is the day to do your online shopping.

Tons of retailers offer significant discounts and free shipping for orders placed on this day. So make sure you do your research!

These shopping tips can carry over to birthdays, anniversaries or any other gift giving moment in your life. When you start thinking about gifts early, know what you need, track your progress and do your research, you’ll be more likely to save a few bucks and avoid a lot of stress.

November 2017

d o o f r u o All y s d e e n g n i n i a t r e t n e ! e r o t s in one

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November 2017

9

lifestyle Health Matters

Dr. Mark Czubak

Sport drinks do more harm than good in youth, push water

Every year our local coaches and schools educate our young people to hydrate themselves during the school day and in preparation for sporting events. After recently reading an article published by the Canadian Pediatric Society about its findings on the use of sports drinks and caffeine energy drinks as consumed by youth, I felt water and hydration was an important idea to discuss.

Though we have a relatively small population, we produce per capita, some tremendous athletes. The dedication of our young people and parents should be a tremendous a source of pride. Athletics and the science of optimal performance should always go hand in hand.

What caught my eye

about the Canadian Pediatrician’s review paper was the urgency with which they discuss the drinks that kids and teenagers very commonly consume as a significant medical and social problem. They do not mince words. As the article into states, “Both sports drinks and caffeinated energy drinks (CEDs) pose potential risks for the health of children and adolescents and may contribute to obesity. Sports drinks are generally unnecessary for children engaged in routine or play-based activity. CEDS affect children and adolescents more than adults because they weigh less, and therefore experience greater exposure to stimulants per kilogram of body weight”.

The review paper then continues to say “although sports drinks are marketed to optimize athletic performance, studies showing the benefits for children are sparse.”

The doctors specify that sports drinks are, “...generally unnecessary for the average child in daily play-based sports.”

The first choice for any young athlete should always be water for hydration. The excess carbohydrates and electrolytes

that are present in sports drinks contribute only to obesity and dental caries.

In fact, all claims for improved hydration and improved performance with sports drinks or coconut water or other water replacements are not based on scientific fact.

It is important to emphasize that 95 per cent of our local kids and teens are playing sports for fitness, good character development and good team-building social connections. Few of our young people require electrolyte replenishment from excessive sweating, nor do they require a caffeine energy boost.

To gain some perspective, let’s look at the real reasons that sports drinks were developed.

It was 1965, the Beatles had just released “Rubber Soul” and the football players at the University of Florida were suffering from dehydration and heat stroke. It was hot in Florida and they had a crisis. Players were passing out during games.

To speed their recovery a local kidney specialist named Dr. Cade developed a drink made with sugar, salt and electrolytes.

Football fans will know

Garden Matters:

It’s Not Over Yet: Winter Gardening Winterscaping is a whole new element of gardening that incorporates elements of decorating.

Who wants to pass by an empty urn at their front door filled with frozen dirt when you can create a beautiful evergreen planter that will last all winter long. This is one of the hottest trends in gardening that happens at the coldest time of the year.

Any outdoor plant arrangement classifies as a winterscape, although the most common are wreaths, planters and hanging baskets. Decorating in winter extends the gardening season in a fun and low maintenance way. You really only have to water once and you are set for the season once it freezes.

You don't have to deal with bugs or diseases, there is hardly any maintenance and the performance is guaranteed. For many people, regardless of the season, that is an example of gardening at its finest.

There are so many colours you can choose to accent your evergreen cre-

ations with. Traditional red still reigns as the most popular colour but current trends have leaned towards more elegant white wash, mahogany and natural.

There is an art to creating a beautiful mixed evergreen display. Always use black earth as a base to fill your pots, and water well after this will freeze up and hold the branches in place. Try and use a variety of mixed greens to create texture and various shades of colour. Ontario Cedar, white pine, red pine and spruce are all excellent evergreen boughs to use. Red dogwood, birch, are the traditional branches for height and colour contrast but there are many designer branches now available at your local garden centre( like Gemmell’s) such as kuwa branches, painted jay branches and yangi branches. Everyone loves pine cones but have you ever tried lata stars, wild rosehips, buddha nuts (our favourite), banana stems, or lotus pods? There are so many interesting things available to make

your winterscaping project unique, elegant and stylish.

Evergreen planters and wreaths are the most popular amongst the winterscaping trends but what about evergreen hanging baskets? Like their beautiful summertime cousins, they make a terrific addition to yards. They look stunning on any front porch.

If you are not one to trudge out in cold and snow in the bush on a bough collecting mission then why not consider signing up for an Evergreen workshop? You get to create a fabulous planter in a warm greenhouse and then leave all the mess behind!

This season consider a foray into winterscaping. It is an excellent way to jazz up your property in the bleakest of seasons. Gardens spend so long cloaked in blankets of white snow.

What better way to take winter head on?

Kelly Heath Head Elf Gemmell’s Garden Centre

that the University of Florida team is called the Gators. Ultimately the drink worked, fewer ball players were hospitalized for heat exhaustion. Voila, Gator-ade.

When we fast forward to 2001, a company called Pepsi acquired the rights for the sports drink Gatorade and with their marketing and sales muscle, now brings in $1.3 billion in sales annually. Powerade, Coke’s version, is largely the same.

Companies that market sports drinks have successfully positioned their product, by name and high media exposure as a vital part of a sports event.

The logic does seem flawless. Sports practice, sports gear, sports drinks, right?

The Canadian Pediatricians position article tries to raise our awareness of this marketing ploy, and they simply recommend water.

So, which kind of water should we drink?

Filtered water dispensers (such as a Brita) are widely available, and are good at removing chlorine and unpleasant odors from town tap water. As long at the filter is changed monthly, a water filter on a tap is a good first line effort at cleaner drinking water. A water filter has a number of disadvantages however. The filter does not remove lead or fluoride in the water, nor does it remove residue from pharmaceuticals that are typically found in town water.

The Elkay EZH20 system is the water bottle fill station that you see in schools and hockey rinks. The principal here is simple – they reduce the enormous waste associated with thrown away plastic water bottle, and they provide kids and adolescents with quality clean water for hydration where they need it most, at the rink and at school.

The EZH20 is a filtration system that removes chlo-

rine, lead and larger particle matter, and bacteria.

The system has proven popular and has been shown to encourage hydration with water instead of sports drinks.

Finally, reverse osmosis (RO) water and their dispensers can be purchased at local grocery stores like The Independent and The Garden Market. The advantages of RO water are many, as they effectively remove all chemical, pharma and bacterial contaminants. RO water is recommended for home use, and the actual cost of a dispenser and weekly refills at the grocery store and still far less than purchasing regular bottled water or sports drinks.

For anyone needing the specifics of the article I am quoting, the link is: www.cps.ca/en/documents/position/energyand-sports-drinks Dr. Mark Czubak has practiced at Smiths Falls Family Chiropractic and Wellness for 20 years.

November 2017

10

lifestyle

Food & Drink

Holiday party season is fast approaching

Great gift ideas from stocking stuffers to gift baskets. Visit your Smiths Falls location for your holiday gift ideas.

Cooking classes are bringing a taste of Italy to Smiths Falls

Paola Scatozza’s cooking classes are a true hands-on experience for guests, who learn to make the food themselves and enjoy a four-course meal during the evening. Photo credit: Submitted.

smiths falls - chris must editorial@pdgmedia.ca No one knows more about how to live la dolce vita than the people of Italy.

Paola Scatozza, a native of the Abruzzo region of Italy who also lived in Belgium before coming to Canada with her husband Fernando, has been bringing a taste of Italy – and “the sweet life” – to her Smiths Falls neighbours for the last five years by teaching them to cook some old country favourites.

Scatozza began learning how to make pasta and traditional Italian recipes from

her mother, and other family members, at an early age.

“Like any big Italian family, we used to help in the kitchen,” she recalls. “Friday was pasta day.”

According to Scatozza, becoming a good cook means putting “your heart and soul” into the process. “First of all, you have to have the love of cooking,” she says.

“You have to experiment with different ingredients.”

Authentic Italian recipes rely on just a few good quality ingredients. Scatozza’s marinara sauce is made using just tomatoes, onions,

garlic, and possibly some fresh basil. “In Italy, less is more,” she explained. Another key to success is using whatever fresh ingredients are in season at the moment.

According to Scatozza, Italian food is similar throughout the country, but in each region people adapt the basic cuisine by using whatever fresh ingredients are grown locally. In the north, for example, people eat polenta, a dish made with corn flour.

“They all think they have the best recipes,” says Scatozza. “They’re all proud of their roots, the region where they came from.”

Scatozza’s home town of Castelmauro is about an hour south of the Adriatic port of Pescara, in the Abruzzi e Molise region, located on the opposite side of the Apennine Mountain range from Rome.

“My recipes are always very easy, very rustic and family-style,” explains Scatozza. “I’m staying with authentic rustic Italian cooking, because that’s what I know.”

Let's Eat

By Brian Turner

Smith and Barrel not your ordinary pub, not by a long shot

When you head out with friends and family for a Friday night, work-week'sdone celebration, a local pub is a natural choice.

You know you can find your favourite libation, an energetic, friendly crowd, and even some passable fare. But seldom do you expect hand-crafted fine cuisine to go along with your suds and smiles. The owners of the Grand Hotel in Carleton Place have changed all that with the Smith and Barrel Pub and Eatery.

The owners and management were stunned at the crowds that appeared shortly after their Sept. 11 opening and the unusually summer-like weather kept their patio at the corner of Bridge Street and Lake Avenue hopping.

I attended with my partner and neighbours on a Friday evening and, like everyone else visiting for the first time since the major renovations were completed, we were blown away by the decor.

The designers went for a traditional British Isles pub look and hit the mark with amazing accuracy.

Rich wood tones and leather accents made us feel

welcomed and comfortable and the faux-tin ceiling treatment added just the right touch of old-world charm.

We were hungry and the menu didn't disappoint. The pub’s classically-trained chef has created a wide variety of apps and mains to suit every taste.

Before we took one bite a quick look around the place told us he knows what he's doing. I've never seen such a wide representation of our local demographics. There were couples of all ages, office/work groups, families, friends from ages 4 to 84, and everyone was having a great time.

I ordered a reasonably priced 'beef cheeks' sandwich and my wife tried the crispy fish, crab, and shrimp sandwich.

Both came on fresh locally-sourced sourdough bread and were served with a choice of hand-cut fries or fresh-greens salad. My beef cheeks (Acorn Farm roasted beef chips) were topped with a freshly prepared celeriac and horseradish remoulade and the seafood affair benefited from a lobster tartar sauce and charred corn relish.

Scatozza and her husband explained that this style of cooking is thought of as “la cuccina povera” – “cooking for the poor.” In practice this means making use of a few fresh and simple ingredients.

The Scatozzas’ kitchen is equipped with a pasta maker, used to produce home-made fettuccini, ravioli, tortellini, and gnocchi. Other favourite recipes include osso bucco and chicken cacciatore.

An employee at Smiths Falls’ Zellers store until it closed about five years ago, Scatozza found herself with more time for cooking and experimenting after the closure.

When the duo first came to Smiths Falls in 1980, Scatozza recalled that it was difficult to find such basic Italian staples as mozzarella cheese. Today selections in the local stores are more varied, and it’s possible to buy more exotic items such

as fennel, rapini, and Belgian endive.

“We always entertain people, and people like our food,” said Scatozza. She first began teaching guests to cook when a friend asked to be shown how to make fresh pasta.

Today Scatozza hosts groups of six to eight people on Friday or Saturday evenings. The guests can enjoy a four course meal, learn how the food is prepared, and go home with a copy of the recipes.

“What I like to show people is a nice Italian atmosphere,” said Scatozza, adding that in Italy people take the time to relax and enjoy their meals.

Scatozza will be hosting a special class in late November focussing on the Italian Christmas Eve tradition of serving a meal of fish and seafood, including items such as fried calamari, scal-

Thanks to excellent table service, we all received our dishes hot and fresh out of the kitchen with little delay, even though the pub was packed. The bread was soft and chewy and perfectly complimented the meats and toppings that were cooked to perfection and had our table silent as we savoured every bite Of course, since this is a pub, we paired our selections with a glass of craft beer from a moderate but popular number of choices.

The chef takes full advantage of seasonal vegetables and local meats to add to the pub's main menu with a selection of unique daily specials. The appetizer choices are as numerous as the mains and display the chef’s skill at infusing some new tastes into old favourites such as his duck confit poutine or juniper and dill cured lox.

While many patrons use the term, upscale to describe the Smith and Barrel's menu, its price points can fit every budget with apps ranging from $6 to $26 and the mains from $14 to $29. Our evening out with wine, two pints and mains can to a very reasonable $74 with tax and tip. This is a foody haven you can put on your calendar as a regular stop.

The Smith and Barrel is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and you can reach them at 613 492 1566. The Grand Hotel opened their main dining hall in late October of this year and if their pub’s success is any indication, you’ll definitely want to make reservations. lops, shrimp and baccola (codfish). Guests can look forward to tiramisu and biscotti for dessert. Biscotti, meaning “cooked twice” is a type of cookie baked in a loaf, sliced, then cooked again.

To take a class, contact Scatozza at paolascatozza@ gmail.com.

Paola Scatozza learned to make her own pasta at an early age from her mother in Italy. The Smiths Falls area resident has been hosting small groups for dinner and authentic Italian cooking lessons for the past five years. Photo credit: Chris Must.

November 2017

11

lifestyle

Non-alcoholic beer: lots of flavour without the booze Brian Preston - The Travelling Sommelier brianpreston@hotmail.com

In my October column, I talked about dealcoholized wine and described a couple of the methods used to extract alcohol from wine.

These same methods apply to beer. Non-alcoholic beer (or NA beer, as it's sometimes called) starts its life as a normal beer. In fact it goes through almost the full process, ie, a mash, boiling the wort, adding hops, and fermenting.

But then non-alcoholic beer has to have its alcohol removed.

Non-alcoholic beer first started popping up in the U.S. in 1919.

Why? Prohibition. It was decided that the strongest a beverage could be is 0.5 percent alcohol by volume (abv) and this still applies today.

A wide variety of these products are available in most grocery stores across Eastern Ontario, and they are Canadian, US or European in origin depending upon the brand.

Budweiser Prohibition Brew Let's start with a Prohibition inspired American beer from Anheuser Busch of St. Louis, Missouri, inspired by the Volstead Act in 1919 and made by Labatts and produced under license across Canada. It comes in at 0.0% abv,

with 160 calories and 2 grams of sugar per 473 ml can. Unlike the label on regular Budweiser that says it was made using beechwood chips, this one says it includes rice but that isn't listed on the ingredients list on the back of the can. It poured a good head that lasted longer than PC Blonde and had a lovely golden colour with malt aromas and sweetness (from the rice?). It was quite smooth and tasty. $1.99 per 473 ml can.

PC Blonde Brew This is a lager style dealcoholized beer made by Brick Brewing Co. in Waterloo, Ont. for Loblaws. It comes in at less than .5% abv, with 50 calories and 3 grams of sugar per 355ml can.

It is pale clear yellow that pours a nice head with decent carbinated bubbles released.

This all dissipates faster than with a regular beer (common to all dealcoholized beers) but there is that familiar pleasant malty, cereal aroma with the body of a light beer.

It is a bit watery in body and mouthfeel, which is also common in dealcoholized beers, but it tastes refreshing and has a clean finish.

Other North American produced light beers like O'Doul's are similar.

Beck's

This beer is imported from Bremen, Germany and comes in a six pack of 330ml bottles listed at 0.0% abv, with 50 calories and zero sugar! Like all beers, the ingredients were water, malted barley, and hops according to the traditional Bavarian Law for brewing beer.

The North American beers also included additional combinations of extracts and natural flavour, yeast, sulphites, corn syrup or caramel colour. Beck's poured a golden colour with a full head that lasted several minutes. It had that European aroma that I love (dry, clean with a touch of bitter steely character) which was indiscernible from a regular Beck's.

It was medium bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and a dry, pleasantly hopped taste with a less sweet profile common to North American beers.

This one was my favourite. While $8.99 for a six pack, it is worth it!

To finish I thought I would include PC Radler-L emonade which I found on the shelf on sale now that summer is over. It was under $3.00 for a twelve pack at Independent in Smiths Falls.

I'm not sure if they have more stock but even at the regular price it is a refreshing drink (half non alcoholic beer and half lemonade) which, not surprisingly, tastes like a real Radler given that it is half juice. The lemonade is not overpowering but blends well with the beer base and comes in at less than .5% abv. There are 130 calories and 29 grams of sugar though in a 355ml can.

Pantry staples Candied fruit Christmas teas For all your holiday baking needs visit Modern Thymes in Smiths Falls

Curling opens new season and welcomes new players

Regional - Matthew Behrens editorial@pdgmedia.ca

While some families can document the arrival of fall without the aid of a calendar because certain members of the family disappear into man caves to binge-watch football and hockey, there’s still one seasonal sport that seems to invite participation from all ages and genders.

Simply stepping inside a local curling rink can be enough to understand the magnetic attraction of an activity that, originating in medieval Scotland, is often described as a form of shuffleboard on ice. When curlers gather, it feels more like a community dinner than a brewing adversarial battle. Even during times of intense competition, everyone from the thrower (who delivers rocks down the ice) to the skip (team captain) and sweepers (who feverishly push little brooms to encourage the rock to find a home within a series of concentric circles) tend to wear grins of satisfaction and enjoyment.

While curling offers a non-contact sport that is accessible to an older demographic, it also generates remarkable community health benefits, especially for rural women.

A 2013 academic study led

by Western University’s Dr. Beverly Leipert found that curling fosters “a sense of family inclusion and community,” while contributing to the pride, self-esteem and self-confidence of women aged 12 to 75.

Those findings were certainly confirmed as local curling clubs opened their doors this fall. It was not uncommon to see women taking the lead in providing instruction on the sport’s finer points, as veteran players came together with newcomers to begin a new season of an ancient

Perth’s Donna Hurtubise, who returned to the sport after a lengthy hiatus, delivers a rock at the Perth curling club. Photo credit: Jean-Denis Labelle.

sport.

At the Smiths Falls curling club’s open house, held just after Thanksgiving, Agnes McVeety was one of the first on the ice, helping a new group find their feet while learning how best to maneuver their brooms.

“I love the people here, they're lifelong friends,” said McVeety, a retired teacher who moved to the area with her husband and fellow curler, Jim, in 1980.

“You learn the basic skills, you learn more about the strategy, and pretty soon you're out there enjoying the competition with something that’s a real team sport.”

Her husband Jim agrees, declaring that “you can make it whatever you want, from just for fun to competitive. It's a sport where you get really focused, and if you just moved to town, it’s also a great chance to meet a lot of folks. We were new in town when we started, and we’ve met hundreds of people from here.”

Curling clubs tend to enjoy an uptick in membership during national competitions for men (the Brier) and women (Scotties Tournament of Hearts), as well as during the Olympics. The Smiths Falls club is always prepared for new-

comers with its “learn to curl” program, a series of 10 skills-building lessons that prepares participants for competition with men’s women’s, mixed, and junior leagues. Perth also offers learn to curl sessions.

Donna Hurtubise is a Perth curler who played while growing up on the prairies, returning to the ice (also known as the sheet) six years ago at the invitation of a friend. Hurtubise agreed to play as long as her friend would try golf, and the two now play both sports together.

“It's a sport of finesse, and while the ladies don't make the monster takeout shots some men can, ladies can still compete fairly evenly, especially at the club level,” says Hurtubise, who prefers to play in mixed groups.

“I was drawn by the social aspect,” she adds.

“It's one of the few sports that starts and ends with a handshake, followed by drinks. What's not to like?”

Those interested in trying their hand at curling, as well as those returning to the sport after a hiatus, can visit www.trycurlingnow. ca, enter their location, and find the nearest club.

Established in 1996 12

November 2017

business Humble businesses recognized at Carleton Place Business Awards Carleton Place Harrison Field editorial@pdgmedia.ca

Win or lose, the businesses nominated for the fifth annual business awards of excellence in Carleton Place felt grateful just to be nominated.

There are five categories for businesses to be nominated into: entrepreneur of the year, team of the year, excellence in customer service, community involvement, business of the year and people’s choice.

The Beckwith Butcher won the coveted business of the year award, while Bean Chevrolet Buick GMC won community involvement. Lakeside Mediterranean Shawarma won for excellence in customer service and Kirk Ortho-

dontics Carleton Place Carswell singled out his clude any sort of expanwon for team of the year. sous chef, Chris Lessard, sion.

The entrepreneur of the as someone that really “We’re really looking year awardWorking andAt people’s helps with the business. to become a pillar in the Heights (M.O.L.both Approved) choice award went “He’s phenomenal in the community. A big part Fork Kitchen, Lift to Black Tartan kitchen. He’s a big part of the business plan is to which will bePropane open one of helping put together give back to the commuChainsaw Operations year on Nov. 17.Work Platform menus and with creative nity. We plan to continue Aerial When weOverhead found Crane out we license,” said Carswell. “If to provide great service, Pre-Entry Confined Space it’s just your own ideas it were nominated, we were great food and to stay thrilled,” said Ian Car- can get boring or stale.” open,” said Carswell. swell, owner and chef of Lessard wasn’t the only They regularly help at the Black Tartan Kitchen. employee praised by Car- the food and all of the proinfo@cdnsafetytraining.ca “It’s really a reflection on swellcdnsafetytraining.ca though, explaining ceeds from the bread serthe staff and team here, how helpful his general vice at Black Tartan Kitchespecially the people’s Gregory Mills, en go to Y’s Owl Maclure Contact us for manager, pricing and availability. choice award. I couldn’t be has been over the year. in support of autism specmore proud of the team.”

“Greg has run a few trum disorder services.

There are currently businesses in the past so Carswell plans to stay nine employees at Black his experience is definite- for the long run in CarTartan Kitchen, with a ly appreciated. Running a leton Place. mix of both fulltime and restaurant is clearly not all “We felt like we would part-time. Carswell said about cooking,” said Car- be adding something to that they have a relatively swell. the community here. It small turnover rate, which Carswell has big plans felt like a good fit and still is rare for the restaurant for the future of the busi- does,” said Carswell. industry. ness, but that doesn’t inTo some of the nomi-

nees, the recognition was more than enough.

“The nomination means more to me, in a respect, than the award. The fella that won does a lot more than me,” said Brent Devlin, owner of Apple Hill Towing. “You always try to do your best in the community.”

Apple Hill Towing was nominated for Business of the Year, which was won by the Beckwith Butcher.

Devlin deals with a wide range of people; some happy, some not. “About 90 per cent of the time people are pretty appreciative.

The other 10 per cent of the time, they aren’t pleased to see us, be it drinking or speeding or whatever,” said Devlin.

The business awards focus on shopping local and supporting people within the community.

Local businesses share that same desire to shop local as well as give back to the community.

Whether it be ingredients for their next dish or an auto shop to have the car looked at, these local businesses are constantly looking for ways to keep business local.

Ian Carswell, owner and chef of the Black Tartan Kitchen, stands in front of the wall that his wife designed for the restaurant. The Black Tartan Kitchen took home the people’s choice award as well as the entrepreneur of the year award at the fifth annual Carleton Place Business Awards Gala. Photo credit: Harrison Field.

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