Grimsby Lincoln News_December 2021

DOWNTOWN GRIMSBY BUSINESS OWNER ON GRINCH WATCH

The Grinch isn't the only one capable of stealing Christmas — or Christmas decorations, in this instance.

Grimsby's Renee Rebelo has had her Christmas spirit dampened and feels the person responsible might be a Grimsby resident.

Rebelo and some friends had just returned from Grimsby's Santa Claus parade earlier this month, when they stopped by her downtown financial consultation business on Elm Street.

"I went and hit the switches but nothing was working

THREE REPORTED DECORATIONS THEFTS SINCE NOVEMBER

then one of my friends was like, 'you don't have light bulbs in there.' I'm like, what?" Rebelo said

Upon further inspection, it became apparent all four of the kaleidoscopestyle light bulbs placed on the outside of her property, were missing.

The light bulbs projected multiple colours onto nearby surfaces. Rebelo says each cost her $20.

Camera footage later showed a masked individual walking up to her property at 2:30 a.m. and leaving moments later with the light bulbs.

She said she found it "pathetic" that someone would steal decorations, and had this person otherwise asked for money, she'd have given it to them.

"However, it's the fact that someone felt entitled enough to just help themselves to something that didn't belong to them, because I would not do that to someone else," she said.

She said that because it's a downtown location, the theft has made her wary of the perpetrator's motivations.

"Was it because they

In going public with the incident, Rebelo said she hopes the perpetrator themselves, or someone they know, might see this and it might prevent them from taking future such actions

to turn off or deflate. These may reduce the possibility of "spur of the moment" theft incidents.

wanted to make the house in darkness and they wanted to come back the next night?" she asked.

"And were (they) going to try to break in for a bigger theft? Or was it just someone who was drunk walking home from the bars, but decided this was funny?"

Rebelo said the incident means she likely won't put up decorations in the future, not just for Christmas, but other occasions as well

"Because if they'll take something as trivial as a light bulb, what if it was something of value?"

Rebelo said that she did not go to police about the matter, given that her suspect was masked, but she did share photos of the suspect and their visible tattoo in a community watch Facebook group, after hearing of it happening to others as well

"Grimsby is a small town and I find that small towns, through social media, can really come together," Rebelo said.

She said raising online awareness about a potential light bulb thief may sound silly, but "it could've been bigger."

What happened to Rebelo isn't an isolated incident. While it's hard to know how common an occurrence it is, as many may opt to not contact police, Const. Phil Gavin of the Niagara Regional Police Service notes there have been three reported incidents of decoration theft in West Niagara since November.

"The nature of Christmas decorations means that they are displayed outside and will be left unattended during long periods," he said

Given the niche nature of the crime and the often low value of property stolen, he said it's hard to accurately separate these incidents from general acts of theft in the police records database.

"The (suspect's) motivation can vary to include keeping it for themselves, resale, or just for a thrill," he said

Gavin suggested those concerned over the possibility of decoration theft can consider doing some of the following: Keep expensive decorations closer to the house, secure decorations using a rope or a bike lock and attach them to a deep ground spike or a tree/shrub; and use an electric timer overnight that causes the decorations (lights, lasers, inflatables)

STORY BEHIND THE STORY: After learning of the theft incident, reporter Moosa Imran connected with a Grimsby resident to talk about how the theft, even though it was small, impacted her decision to decorate going forward.

The white lightbulbs in this photo are replacements for the kaleidoscope style bulbs Rebelo says someone stole from her property, the night before the Christmas parade

Moosa Imran/Metroland

Continued from front

In hopes of repairing infrastructure, the province is doubling down in Niagara West.

Grimsby, Lincoln, Pelham, Wainfleet and West Lincoln will be receiving more than $5 million from the province to allocate to infrastructural repair, stimulating economic growth and creating job opportunities for residents.

The $5.2-million investment, announced by the provincial government earlier this month, is more than double the provincial allocation from the previous year, according to a press release.

The funding will focus on building and repairing roads, bridges, water and wastewater systems in the selected municipalities. The investments comes from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF), through which the province aims to invest a further $2 billion across Ontario into similar needs over the next five years.

"Our government is committed to supporting our local rural municipalities by creating jobs, attracting economic growth and investment, and making Niagara West the best place to live and grow," said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West.

Grimsby will receive $2.2 million, Lincoln $1.28 million, Pelham $984,505, Wainfleet $118,721 and West Lincoln $619,535.

Premier Doug Ford said rural and northern communities would be at the forefront of economic development in Ontario.

"With this investment, we are saying 'yes' to helping these communities build and repair the vital infrastructure they need to keep their communities working for decades to come," he said.

This year, the province has allocated approximately $200 million to more than 400 small, rural and northern communities across Ontario, the press release stated.

CHRYSTIA FREELAND'S CAUTION IS EXACTLY WHAT CANADA NEEDS

If the federal government's fall economic statement could be summed up in a word, it would be "unexpected."

It was a surprise to hear Chrystia Freeland earmark tens of billions of dollars in new spending that until recently had not even been on the public radar. More amazing still, Canada's Finance Minister made no mention whatsoever of the $78-billion-worth of new goodies the Liberals had promised Canadians during the federal election less than three months ago.

Somehow, all the new big-ticket programs and initiatives that had supposedly justified Justin Trudeau's election call had vanished into thin air. And that omission was downright unexpected.

But if you're looking for an explanation, go no further than something else that was unexpected and that Freeland absolutely had to confront in the days leading up to the economic update. It's called Omicron.

The global emergence of this new and highly transmissible variant of COVID-19 means that many earlier bets are, for the moment at least, off. Today no one, not the epidemiologists, not the public health officers and certainly not our politicians, knows how far Omicron will spread, how many it will infect or kill and what it will do to our overburdened health care system as well as our recovering economy.

To pile on another challenge facing Freeland, Ottawa reported recently that Canada's inflation rate for November hit 4.72 per cent — a 30-year high.

That brings us to the second word that applies to this economic update: "caution." No one knows what Canada will look like three or four months from now when the government unveils its next federal budget. Until then, it's simply wise and responsible management for the Liberals to keep their fiscal powder dry.

That's not to overlook the pricey new commitments Freeland made.

Among them is the $30 billion for recent and future pandemic measures, including $4.5 billion set aside to cover any new measures that are needed to tackle the Omicron variant. Who can complain here? The Liberals have had to respond to a situation beyond their control.

Even so, while Canadians should give the Liberals the benefit of the doubt in the face of a highly doubtful near-future, Freeland should have at least said something about how this government eventually plans to bring spending under control. How will it chip away at a federal debt that has for the first time topped $1 trillion? It was just over 30 per cent of Canada's gross domestic product in 2019 but has since ballooned to 51.2 per cent.

That vital information should have been expected.

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LETTERS & COMMENTARY

ERS IN BAD NEED OF ATTENTION

Re. St. Catharines Family Looking for Answers, Dec. 14:

My deepest sympathy to the family. This is a horrible situation that should never have happened.

With no disrespect to anyone, I do not believe this problem is directly related to any specific race.

Our ERs are a mess and it is not only the fault of the doctors and nurses. They are understaffed (always have been) and the system has yet to catch up with the 21st century.

Reporting to family doctors is minimal and incomplete, when they can read the handwritten notes. Why is this not computerized?

The waits are ridiculously long and have been since way before the pandemic. No one in pain or very ill should have to sit for many hours waiting for a doctor to see them.

I understand that we forfeit some benefits with public health, but this sys-

tem needs to be fixed. We don't need a new highway in Toronto; we need our hospitals fixed.

MICHELLE DOEPPING, FORT ERIE

CELEBRATE OUR VARIOUS FAITHS TOGETHER

Re: Nativity scene nixed from St. Catharines city hall, Dec. 10

The decision to not erect the nativity scene at St. Catharines city hall stinks an awful lot like Quebec secularism laws.

To truly be respectful of all faiths is to allow space for those faiths to be celebrated, not hide them all away in fear of unequal representation.

Whatever the reasoning, the message received is Christianity on its own is offensive.

Removal of the scene is offensive to many, and regardless of justification, it is also a suppression of religious expression.

Groups offended by the presence of the nativity scene at city hall should be

invited to set up their own holiday displays. Let us acknowledge our common humanity and celebrate our faiths together.

HILARY ADAMS, ST. CATHARINES

CARELESS DISPOSAL OF POT ROACHES THREATENS PETS

People who smoke cannabis need to be more considerate of the impact a tossed roach has on pets.

Twice recently, in the Cedar Park Drive area of Welland, our dog has digested traces of cannabis from roaches tossed away on boulevards or lawns and almost died.

To see your pet with its head bobbing, uncontrollably urinating, falling down, completely lethargic and passed out on the floor is not a sight any pet owner wants, let alone the emergency trips to vets.

I don't care if you smoke, but think about this before you recklessly toss the roach away while walking.

DOUG MORRIS, WELLAND

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Returning from a walk on the footbridge between Port Dalhousie and Jaycee Park, the skies opened up and the rains came. The wood on the bridge glistened. Photographer: Peter Jurmain, St. Catharines. Niagara this Week and the Niagara Region promote residents' photography skills. Please visit www.niagararegion.ca for information about submissions.

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THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS OPINION NOT EVERYTHING WAS TERRIBLE AND PANDEMIC'Y THIS YEAR, WRITES JAMES CULIC

As superintendent of Buffalo's public school system, Kriner Cash is required to live in Buffalo. But does he?

When asked where exactly he lives by a reporter this year, Cash replied by saying, "I live everywhere. I'm ubiquitous."

This was my absolute favourite quote from the year 2021. It was a breathtakingly audacious response to such a simple question. The level of absurdity achieved by this quote was unmatched by anything in

LETTERS & COMMENTARY

WHAT'S THE

Re. Niagara politicians falling hard for the integrity scam, Column, Dec. 1: I agreed with most of what he said in regards to integrity commissioner reports. They are costly and often baseless. In a perfect world, all public servants and elected officials would behave professionally, showing decorum and respect to their colleagues,

JAMES CULIC Column

any other story I read this year. It did the full 360 cycle and went all the way around past embarrassingly bad, and back to being hilarious and good.

Speaking of things that ran the cycle through embarrassingly bad and occasionally good: the year 2021. It's almost over. It started pretty bad, then it got kinda good, and now it's back to being bad. Things were starting to feel good then Omicron showed up to

end the year on a sour note. But let's look past that and try to focus on the good. Let's look for the silver lining and have a trip down the 2021 memory lane. So, here they are: my favourite things from the past year.

Aside from the story about the Buffalo school superintendent who lives "everywhere" my favourite story this year was about the Bridgeburg Family Restaurant here in Fort Erie. I wrote a story earlier this summer about how they had done the now-infamous "pandemic pivot" and repurposed their business. Amid the pandemic restrictions which devastated the restaurant industry, the Niagara Boulevard restaurant owners switched gears and

morphed into a hybrid restaurant/corner store/ fresh produce vendor.

I liked this story because I like stories of people finding clever ways to overcome the obstacles that life throws at them, and this was that at its finest.

It was a clever move to pivot to a business model that wasn't constantly being upended by the neverending restaurant rule changes, and it was an even more clever move to keep a handful of tables inside the store so that I can continue to go there and get the best breakfast in Niagara.

On the food theme, the best meal I had this year was corn on the cob that I got from this little hut at the side of the road out in Pelham. The roadside hut doesn't have a name or regular hours, but if you happen to be on Webber Road

next summer and see a sign that says 'sweet corn', do yourself a favour and pull over and buy a bundle because it is bonkers delicious.

Crazy good corn wasn't the only local hidden gem I stumbled across in 2021 though. I also accidentally found myself walking down the Kinsmen Park Trail out in Beamsville, and wow, why did nobody tell me about this place? I always thought Beamsville was just farms and cows, but turns out it also has some really nice hiking paths.

As for the entertainment side, even though most of us didn't go to a movie theatre, concert or a stage play this year, there was still plenty of awesome stuff to keep us happy.

Rapid fire hot takes: my favourite album was 'Donda' by Kanye West, my fa-

vourite book was 'Warrior of the Altaii' by Robert Jordan, my favourite video game was 'Resident Evil Village', my favourite movie was 'Becky', my favourite TV show was 'Midnight Mass', and my favourite TV show moment was when 'Cowboy Bebop' got cancelled, because hot damn that thing was bad. And there you have it, despite the inherent badness of 2021, there were some bright spots amid the grey. Including my absolute favourite moment of the year, which came June 1 at 10:45 p.m. when my daughter was born. That was pretty cool. I'd do that again.

James Culic is Niagara This Week's columnist and he wants a second ... cat. Email him at jculic@niagarathisweek.com or holler on Twitter @jamesculic.

their positions and ultimately to themselves. However, there are those who through personal philosophy, ignorance or plain stupidity are incapable of respecting others, different opinions, established protocols, work place rules or sometimes, even the law. What then?

As I recently learned, we don't have a mechanism here to remove elected officials who are repeatedly out of line. They can't be fired or impeached. The only real way for those unruly officials to receive any type

of consequence or punishment is through the integrity commissioner process.

Sadly, this can be time consuming, incredibly frustrating and very expensive.

So yes, I agree in principle. The present system stinks and frankly, I resent seeing my tax money being used in this way, especially at this time of year. But in the absence of some kind of impeachment process, what is the alternative?

Allow inappropriate, harassing, disrespecting or potentially illegal activities to go unrecognized or

unpunished?

SILVANA LAGROTTERIA, THOROLD POLITICIANS STAND IN WAY OF TRANSIT EFFICIENCIES

Re: 'Outstanding issues' stall Welland's vote in support of inter-regional transit, Dec. 10: At a Nov. 25 council meeting Niagara Region council made a move to improve and modernize public transit, voting in favour of combining all Niagara's existing services into one integrated transit commis-

sion. This is a great and long overdue concept. This is only the first step in the triple majority process needed to transfer responsibility for public

Several municipalities have lent their support, but Welland city council would not agree with the plan unless certain conditions were attached. This is another example of how local municipalities work in silos and are more concerned about their municipality versus what is best for the entire region.

Requiring this triple majority process demon-

strates the challenges local politicians face in facilitating change in Niagara. It is important to note transit is only one example of duplication that exists between the upper and lower tier governments.

Ibelieve the main issue with moving Niagara forward is Niagara has 139 political positions. This paired with the requirement for a triple majority creates this cumbersome bureaucratic process to create any service efficiencies.

ALLEN MCKAY,, ST. CATHARINES

LIPS ON A WOODPECKER!

in armed vehicles who thanked him and handed him a bottle of water. The mind boggles, freezes a bit and then shivers.

This last stretch of strange began when I was scanning the weekend New York Times Book Review and spotted a just-released bestseller titled "Is Superman Circumcised?" If it's a question, I'm guessing "yes" and quite likely a jackhammer and a hatchet were involved because he's like the world's toughest guy. Forget New Year's Eve with Anderson and Andy, try to score an invitation to that bar mitzvah!

Then, at the opposite end of the scale of strength, a babyfaced, dumbass 17-year-old kid named Kyle Rittenhouse, not old enough to buy a rifle, took an AR-15 across state lines, killed two people and wounded athird in Wisconsin and a judge and jury could not find him guilty of a single crime, including jay walking, which he was doing as he ran down the middle of the street waving to police

Somewhere between the Man of Steel and Pudge comes that domestic terrorist in Haiti, an ex-cop who managed to amalgamate nine vicious street gangs and take 17 American and Canadian missionaries hostage and is now controlling the country's supply chain and demanding the PM step down ... and his name is Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier. Right now he's the most powerful man in Haiti. Fast forward to next year when, "Today at the United Nations. Haitian Prime Minister 'Jimmy The Barbecue' addressed the assembly of 193 sovereign states, urging them to marinate their meat in the fridge overnight and keep a clean and wellgreased grill."

Then things really went off the rails when a news leak revealed Wiarton Willie faked his own death. Actually, Willie's handlers, including the mayor of Wiarton, faked the poor thing's life. Using a big brown last-minute substitute in to perform the annual Feb. 2 "shadow ceremony," nobody made mention that the albino prognosticator had died of an abscessed tooth months before. The new groundhog, unable to see his shadow, predicted that there was not enough evidence to lay charges.

Then a pack of 14 Eurasian wild boars were spotted ripping up the countryside north of Pickering in a section of the On-

tario Greenbelt, which prompted a startled Premier Doug Ford to say: "Wait! What? There's still some Greenbelt I haven't paved?!?"

Apparently these aggressive and invasive porkers are resistant to everything, including bullets. A boar's coat is so wiry, hunters need to shoot three times to finish one off. But as the trappers in the Greenbelt discovered, they cannot resist "fluffernutter," a mash up of marshmallows and peanut butter.

Then, in a stormwater pond in Ancaster, Fisheries and Oceans Canada scientists discovered Chunks, an obese, orange goldfish that weighs an ungodly four pounds and is shaped like a football. Chunks is the only remaining fish in that pond that was once the home to as many as 40,000 other fish. Their collective nickname was "Snacks."

Then the anti-vaxxers took the stage of strange when, after attacking and intimidating doctors, nurses, nursing home workers and disrupting a Remembrance Day ceremony for our veterans — they went after ice cream?!?

After the iconic Chapman's ice cream company offered a pay raise for vaccinated employees, the truth-deniers and pro-diseasers trashed Chapman's online and called for a boycott of their product. Please, buy all the Chapman's you can as they come up with new flavours like "Pistachio For Droolers" and "Clotted COVID Cream

To Die For."

Two years into the worst plague since the Spanish Flu of 1918 and we're still begging and bribing citizens to complete a simple task that could save lives, theirs and ours. Incroyable.

Then suddenly the new COVID mutation, "Bubblehead-18" popped up in Saudi Arabia, where despite pleas from the widow of Jamal Khashoggi, murdered by the head of state Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Justin Bieber performed a pop concert.

By appearing in a country that put 184 people, mostly dissidents, to death in 2019, Bieber stole the "Worst Commercial Decision of 2021" away from Tim Hortons, which crawled into corporate bed with him just last month.

By subtracting The Bieb's personal wealth of $285 million from what it will be after the Saudi Arabian gig, we will be able to establish what it costs to sell your soul in today's market. The Bieb gets his peaches down in Georgia and personal advice from Kanye West. 'Ye', he does.

As 2021 comes to a close (loud applause here!), the world gets stranger than a meme without a window or even a wall.

For a comment or a signed copy of humour columnist William Thomas's The Dog Rules — Damn Near Everything email: williamjthomas@gmail.com

Niagara regional council has approved a 2.87 per cent tax increase for 2022, but not before a last-ditch budget-trimming effort at the final meeting of the year.

Niagara Falls Coun.

Bob Gale implored his fellow councillors to find further savings at last Thursday night's full council meeting, held to give final approval. The rate had been set Dec. 9 with a vote of the budget committee of the whole.

"I cannot support a budget with a 2.87 per cent levy increase and further the

increases to water rates," Gale said.

"We raised taxes 4.8 per cent in 2019, six per cent in 2020, 2.9 per cent in 2021, and now we're proposing a 2.87 per cent increase in 2022," he said. "Also, in each year of this council term we have raised water rates.

"We cannot blame these tax increases on previous councils, not when we have in the bank millions of dollars in reserves, specifically the taxpayer relief reserve and the water rate stabilization reserve (funds)."

Gale said council builds reserves for years like this,

with an ongoing public health emergency. He proposed that to provide taxpayer relief from the pandemic's impact, council lower the property tax increase and water rates to "under two per cent."

The Region's treasurer and commissioner of corporate services, Todd Harrison, told council during budget deliberations that all the Region's departments came in at or under budget guidance this year, which was set at two per cent. Therefore, any savings would likely entail cuts to services.

Council had already agreed to use $6 million in

reserves to offset the increase and lower the rate from about 4.35 to 2.87 per cent, on a regional operating budget of $250 million.

The overall operating budget includes an additional $177 million for outside agencies, boards and commissions, including Niagara Regional Police and Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority.

Further budget-cutting would likely require a bigger draw on the primary reserve fund designated for emergencies or major unforeseen one-time costs that might cause the tax rate to soar.

Niagara-on-the-Lake

Coun. Gary Zalepa, who again chaired the budget committee, said the idea of using reserves for operating expenses was not good stewardship.

About $10.5 million of the levy budget increase goes mainly to collectively bargained police salaries, which make up more than 90 per cent of the Niagara Regional Police budget and are difficult to mitigate.

"If the department budgets were problematic and we're looking at one-time items, then I'm comfortable with using a reserve to do that. But using reserves to fund ongoing op-

erating is a recipe for financial disaster and mistakes," Zalepa said.

Since provincial legislation doesn't allow municipalities to run deficits, council will have to replenish the reserves. Zalepa said a request to draw further on reserves would bring more budget pain next year.

"So in my simple math, that's a 1.4 per cent increase to 2022 we have already saddled the next council with," Zalepa said.

"I think that's just poor money management on all levels. I can't support that use of reserves and discuss further use of reserves to back up behind the goal line even further.

"We directed staff to a process that got us a really strong departmental budget guidance. We came in on all levels with that, but we have some pressure with the boards and agencies, and I don't see why we

BILL SAWCHUK

SPEEDING CONCERNS NOT ENOUGH TO WARRANT CHANGES

between Livingston Avenue and Main Street East.

Ultimately, Palomba said staff believed trafficcalming measures were not warranted, as 85 per cent of drivers along the road were compliant with the rules.

ABBY GREEN agreen@metroland.com

It's business as usual for motorists on Roberts and Winston roads in Grimsby.

Monday, Dec. 6's committee of the whole meeting was cut short due to a power outage affecting most of the Main Street East area, but before the power outage, council received two reports from staff about traffic in the town. Michael Palomba, transportation technologist with the town, presented two reports to council: one on Roberts Road, and one on Winston Road. Both reports ended with no recommended action.

Staff said they were first contacted by residents in the Roberts Road area three years ago saying they were worried about speeding in the area, particularly

Coun. Lianne Vardy asked how far over the speed limit the remaining 15 per cent of drivers were, to which Palomba said they were driving around 80 to 90 km/h.

He highlighted that those drivers were very infrequent, with the area seeing maybe three to four in a day.

"That's enough to make me nervous," said Vardy. "That's almost double the speed limit."

Vardy suggested the town look at doing a pilot project for the area, possibly using removable speed bumps. Palomba agreed that they would look into it, and said they'd be looking into such projects for the spring.

The second report council received was on Winston Road, between Oakes Road North and Hunter Road.

Coun. Dorothy Bothwell was the one who brought concerns about that area to council back in June. She had asked council to look at high speeds in in the area and the possibility of reducing the speed limit. She requested a pedestrian crossing and wanted the existing wayfinding signage changed.

Over a 17-day period, staff found 86 per cent of drivers complied with traffic rules.

Staff determined that intervention as far as speed limits and additional signage is not warranted at this time. They did, however, say they would need to do further analysis to determine if a mid-block pedestrian crossing would be beneficial.

In his presentation, Palomba noted that Niagara Regional Police officers have assisted in the area, doing targeted enforcement during peak times, which Bothwell said she appreciated.

He also suggested that area would be a good fit for apilot project in the new year.

STAFF WILL CONSIDER PILOT PROJECTS ALONG WINSTON AND ROBERTS ROADS

NIAGARA BRACES FOR MASSIVE WAVE OF OMICRON VARIANT

NIAGARA'S ACTING MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH PLEADS FOR PEOPLE TO AVOID SOCIAL GATHERINGS OVER CHRISTMAS WEEKEND

PAUL FORSYTH pforsyth@niagarathisweek.com

Niagara is about to see a tsunami of new COVID-19 cases driven by the new Omicron variant that all other peaks of previous waves will pale in comparison to, says the region's acting medical officer of health.

Dr. Mustafa Hirji said Monday it's imperative that Niagara residents already beaten down by 21 months of lockdowns and cancelled family get-togethers avoid any big gatherings over Christmas this weekend, with new data showing even double-vaccinated people have substantially less protection against infection from the Omicron virus.

"Cases are going to explode to a level we haven't seen before," he said in a briefing with reporters.

Data is showing a person infected with Omicron can spread it to 3.5 other people, meaning growth in Omicron cases will be exponential, said Hirji. Even if Omicron symptoms turn out to be somewhat less severe — something Hirji said the jury is still out on — the sheer number of cases compared to Delta variant mean our hospital system could quickly become overwhelmed with sick people, he said.

"We're getting close to hitting the peaks of the second and third waves," Hirji said of new cases, showing charts projecting caseloads skyrocketing. "I imagine we'll be well above those peaks by the middle of this week," he said.

"By Christmas Day, we'll set an alltime new high in the province.

"We are going to see a big increase in hospitalizations."

Hirji said data out of South Africa shows protection against infection with two doses of vaccine that was about 87 per cent for Delta only appears to be about 33 per cent for Omicron, although it might be a little higher in Canada due to the way doses were spaced out here. But data also shows a booster shot can push protection against Omicron infection up to

about 75 per cent, he said.

"Those booster doses are going to be really important going forward," said Hirji.

But with the province opening up boosters to anyone age 18 and over, he said it will be as long as six weeks or more before all those doses can be given, even if the number of shots being given in Niagara ramps up to 6,000 or 7,000 per day.

"This is going to be many weeks and we all need to understand that," he said.

Hirji said new restrictions imposed by the province such as capacity limits at restaurants and stadiums won't be enough to stop the spread of Omicron. "It's not nearly strong enough," he said.

That will make masking, avoiding crowds, physical distancing and staying home if you have symptoms crucial to trying to slow the spread down, said Hirji.

This weekend could see things go sideways fast if people opt to have big family and social gatherings, he warned.

"People who are having holiday gatherings at this weekend are going to be at a lot of risk that somebody is going to be bringing infection to those gatherings," he said.

"That is going to give the virus a lot of help spreading.

"We need to limit our social contacts, we need to keep our holiday gatherings small," said Hirji. "We need to dig deep to deal with the difficult situation we're in. I don't think it's the way anybody wanted to celebrate these holidays, but unfortunately I think it's what we're going to need to do to keep our communities safe."

Hirji stressed the importance of keeping Niagara's schools open

if at all possible after the holidays as Omicron sweeps across the region, even as the number of kids aged five to 11 whose families opted to get them vaccinated with first shots remains at a disappointing level of only about onethird — despite that age group being the one most at risk of infection.

"There's huge social benefits from kids being in school," said Hirji. "I think kids really suffer when they're not in school."

Acting medical officer of health Dr. Mustafa Hirji said Niagara is about to see an explosion of new COVID-19 cases driven by the highly infectious omicron variant. He's pleading with residents to avoid big social gatherings over Christmas this weekend.

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50/50 RAFFLE FOR HOPE IN SUPPORT OF WOMEN'S PLACE Tickets now on sale at womensplace5050.ca! Every ticket keeps the jackpot growing and builds a safer future for women and children experiencing domestic violence. Ticket deadline: Dec. 31 (11:59 a.m). WomensPlace5050.ca.

POINSETTIA SHOW This year’s Poinsettia Show features traditional holiday landscapes with modern touches of brilliant colours and lights that will leave you feeling energized. Step into the holiday season with this spectacular display. Nov 20 2021 to jan 9 2022. Floral Showhouse, 7145 Niagara Pky, Niagara Falls.

OPG WINTER FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS Canada’s largest FREE outdoor light festival. Experience the spectacular displays with 3 million lights along the Niagara Parkway, Dufferin Islands and across Niagara Falls. Nov 13, 2021 - Feb. 21, 2022.

BUTTER TART THURSDAYS Delicious butter tarts available. Plain, raisin or pecan $2/1, $10 for 6 or $20 for 12. To order in advance, please call 289-686-8624 Scottlea Presbyterian Church, 515 Scott St., St. Catharines.

BALL'S FALLS HOLIDAY TRAIL The NPCA welcomes the community to the 2nd annual Ball’s Falls holiday trail this winter season, open now until Jan. 9, 5-10 p.m. The Holiday Trail is an evening trail walk experience featuring a 1.5 km (round trip) illuminated path. Ball's Falls Conservation Area, 3292 Sixth Ave, Lincoln.

don’t missa word!

*SaleincludesScratch&DentandBargainproduct only. DoesnotincludethepurchaseofGiftCards.Saleexcludesall SpecialtyandScholasticproductandmerchandise.Cannotbecombinedwithotherpromotionsanddiscounts.In-storeOnly.

(HELD@MOUNTAINRIDGECOMMUNITYCENTRE 105MOUNTAINRD,GRIMSBY)

TOWNOFGRIMSBY PlanningDepartment

YouareinvitedtoaPublicOpenHouse

ApplicationshavebeenreceivedbytheTownofGrimsbyforaZoningBy-lawAmendment, DraftPlanofSubdivision&DraftPlanofCondominiumforthelandsknownas9& 11KermanAvenue.

Theproposeddevelopmentconsistsof 3single-detacheddwellingsonnewly createdlots,and44semi-detached dwellings.Twoofthesingle-detached dwellingswillfrontontoKermanAvenue, andthreeofthesemi-detacheddwellings aretofrontontoSumacCourtwhilethe remainingsingle-detacheddwellingand semi-detacheddwellingswillfrontupon aprivateroad,whichwillbeCommon Element.SumacCourtisproposedtobe extendedeasterlyintothesiteandbe completedwithanewcul-de-sac.

DraftPlanofSubdivision

Theplanonthereversesideofthisnoticeshowsthelocationoftheaffectedlandsandthe proposeddraftplanofsubdivision.

Thepurposeandeffectofthe proposedZoningBy-lawAmendment istochangethezoning fromtheexistingResidentialDetached1RD1.15andNeighbourhoodDevelopmentNDzoning toResidentialDetached3RD3.50zoningforthe2single-detachedlotsfrontingKermanAvenue, andResidentialMultiple1RM1zoningontheremaining45lotsfrontingtheprivateroad.

Thepurposeandeffectofthe proposedDraftPlanofSubdivision istocreate3new single-detachedresidentiallots,and44semi-detachedresidentiallotsandablock. Thepurposeandeffectofthe proposedDraftPlanofCondominium istocreateaprivate CommonElementroadonthesubdivisionblockthroughthedevelopment,withaccessto SumacCourtandKermanAvenue.

TheTownofGrimsbywillbehostingaPublicOpenHousetoexplaintheproposed development. AnopenhousemeetingistypicallyheldshortlyaftertheTownreceivesa developmentapplication,atthebeginningofthereviewprocess.TownStaffhavenotreviewed theapplicationyet,andarestillawaitingcommentsandanalysisfromotherdepartmentsand agencies,aswellascommentsfromthepublic. Therefore,therehavebeennodecisionsmade abouttheproposeddevelopmentyet.

ThepurposeoftheopenhousemeetingisforTownStaffandtheapplicantto:informyou abouttheproposeddevelopment;informyouaboutplanningprocesstofollow;answeryour questions;andhearyourcomments.

Theopenhousemeetingwillbeheldasfollows:

Date:January10,2022

Time:6:00p.m.

Location:viaZoom

Ifyouwishtoappearasadelegationatthemeeting,pleaseregisterwith jmartin@grimsby.ca nolaterthannoononJanuary7th,2022.Noteonlythoseindividualsthatregisterwillbegiven thezoomlink.Ifyoudonotwishtospeak,ourmeetingswillbelivestreamedat https://www.grimsby.ca/livestream/.

Additionalinformationregardingtheapplications,includingappealrights,isavailableontheTown’s websiteat www.grimsby.ca/currentplanningapplications,atTownHallduringnormalbusinesshours (8:30to4:30),oryoumaycontact:

TownofGrimsby,PlanningDepartment

160LivingstonAvenue,Grimsby,OntarioL3M0J5

Jingle Bells

Dashing through the snow

In a one-horse open sleigh, O’er the fields we go, Laughing all the way. Bells on bob-tails ring, Making spirits bright. What fun it is to ride and sing

A sleighing song tonight, oh!

Jingle bells, jingle bells, Jingle all the way. Oh what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh, hey!

Jingle bells, jingle bells, Jingle all the way.

Oh what fun it is to ride, In a one-horse open sleigh. Now the ground is white,

Go it while you’re young. Take the girls tonight, Sing this sleighing song. Get a bobtailed bay, Two forty for his speed, And hitch him to an open sleigh,

And you will take the lead.

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells,

Jingle all the way.

Oh! what fun it is to ride, In a one-horse open sleigh, hey!

Jingle bells, jingle bells, Jingle all the way.

Oh! what fun it is to ride, In a one-horse open sleigh, Oh, what fun it is to ride In one horse open sleigh!

you a merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin

We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year

Oh, bring us some figgy pudding

Oh, bring us some figgy pudding

Oh, bring us some figgy pudding

And bring it right here

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin

We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year

We won’t go until we get some We won’t go until we get some We won’t go until we get some So bring it right here

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin

We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year

We all like our figgy pudding

We all like our figgy pudding

We all like our figgy pudding

With all its good cheers

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin

We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year

We wish you a merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Following newly announced provincial guidelines, West Lincoln is tightening restrictions on municipal facilities.

To avoid the spread of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus, additional

safety measures will be implemented at township recreation facilities, including the West Lincoln Community Centre, Caistor Community Centre, Silverdale Community Centre, and Wellandport Community

Centre:

Effective Dec. 20, 2021, proof of vaccination will be required for youth aged 12 and up who are participating in organized sports at recreational facilities, unless they have a valid med-

ical exemption.

Beginning Jan. 4, 2022, the only form of proof of vaccination (or proof of medical or clinical trial exemption) will be the province's enhanced vaccination certificate QR code.

The QR code along with valid ID can be presented at the time of entry, either electronically or in paper format. The QR code will be scanned each time a patron enters the facility, as vaccination information is not being recorded or stored.

Earlier this month, the provincial government lim-

ited indoor areas that usually have a capacity of 1,000 or more people, to 50 per cent. As of Dec. 18, the same measure is being applied to various locations and facilities across the province in which there is considered to be a large crowd with a high risk of contact without a face mask or covering.

PROVIDING WARM MEALS TO THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY

There were about 55 full bellies Saturday evening thanks to Person Centered Care of Niagara.

Volunteers with the Jar-

vis Street organization handed out Christmas meals to community members. It came on the heels of a similar event held over Thanksgiving.

"It's just a way to give back for people that don't have much. We've been a

company for almost six years, so we've always been in Fort Erie and I feel like it's really nice to give back to your community," said MaryJo Rider, program coordinator. "I grew up here, so I know the struggles of individuals."

Rider posted flyers on social media and throughout town, asking people to register. Her soon-to-be husband, and chef, Matt Vassair, helped cook the supper, which included turkey and gravy, mixed veggies, potatoes, stuffing, cranberries and buns.

All told about 10 volunteers helped put every-

WEST LINCOLN COUNCIL NOTEBOOK

tect and separate sensitive lands, access to roads, rail and water," he said

thing together. A few local businesses, including Autopits and Chuck's Roadhouse, made donations to support the effort.

Rider said it felt nice to give people something a little special heading into Christmas and that even if only five registered it still would have been worth it.

"It's been a really great day. We have haven't been here long, but everybody's hungry, it seems, because (the food's) all basically gone," she said.

Remarks from the regional councillor and a look back on the township's environmental impact mitigation plan, here's a recap of some of the things discussed at the Dec. 13 West Lincoln council meeting

REGIONAL COUNCILLOR NOTES

Niagara regional councillor for West Lincoln, Albert Witteveen, was on hand to give councillors his monthly report.

Witteveen began by discussing communications he had with Niagara Region Police District 8 Staff Sgt. Shaun Parrent. Witteveen told council about concerns he raised to Parrent about trespassing issues at St. Martin Catholic Elementary School in Smithville. Witteveen said Parrent responded by dispatching police units to monitor the area.

Also in his notes was the region's official plan. He said an important focus in the next steps of the official plan was using regional land more efficiently.

"The criteria was to pro-

He said re gional staff were working diligently to protect these areas of employment and ensure long-term growth in the aforementioned industries. He said the region had even denied some requests to have some land turned into residential areas, instead opting to keep it for employment purposes.

ONE YEAR REVIEW OF PLAN TO MITIGATE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

In February 2019, the Township of West Lincoln was awarded a staff support grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). The purpose of the grant was to supplement 80 per cent of the salary of an employee, through the FCM's Climate Innovation program. In May of 2019, a climate change sustainability coordinator was hired and in November 2020, the township endorsed a subsequent plan to mitigate its environmental impact as a municipality.

At the Dec. 13 meeting, Meghan Birbeck, planner for the planning/building/

environmental committee, presented to council a recap of the last year, showing where the township was in relation to its plan.

According to Birbeck, the plan originally contained 14 objectives with 45 total action items and an initial goal of implementing 28 items within the first year. The township was able to successfully implement 12.

Among its biggest successes, was the formulation of The Green Team; an all-volunteer team of individuals who worked on green initiatives on behalf of the township, the switching of street lights across the township to LED and energy efficient bulbs, and the creation of waste audits for the municipality.

Among its future goals were to introduce more action items, monitor the success of these actions items, as well as the production of greenhouse gases and report back to council on an annual basis.

This was the township's final council meeting for 2021. Council meets again on Monday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m.

Person Centered Care Niagara handed out Christmas meals to those in need. In the photo, back from left: Tom Francey, Chris Librock, Selena Carlson, Dan Librock, Mar yJo Rider, Logan Taylor, Jan Librock and Corinna Carlson. Kneeling in front: Matt and Cash Vassair

Luke Edwards/Metroland

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How to create a photo wall collage

Awall collage or gallery wall is a great way to display your favourite photos and memories in your home. It may seem daunting, but if you follow a few simple tips and tricks, you’ll have a professional-looking focal wall in no time.

Start with a theme. Wall collages look tighter and more cohesive when the elements fit together around a unifying theme. Whether it’s family vacations, nature shots or a special event like a wedding, pick one subject to curate your photos and stick to it.

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Use quality photos. While taking photos with your phone is convenient, once you blow up and print them, these images won’t be of high enough quality to display like artwork. For first-rate photos that look fantastic in print, try a camera from Canon. Available at Henry’s, the brand has a range of cameras for all levels of expertise that give you more control over lighting, autofocus and creative possibilities.

It’s all about lines. What’s

the secret to sharp, Pinterestworthy wall collage? Making sure your frames or canvases share similar lines across the space. Imagine a grid going across the space, with different pieces sharing a few grid lines. For example, the outer edge of the frame at the bottom-left corner should line up with the inner edge of the wooden letter in the top-left corner.

Mix up the aesthetic. Variety is appealing to the eye, so it’s important to incorporate some diversity into your collage, whether it’s a statement piece like an antler set, quotes on wood blocks or a range of

frame sizes. If you want to stick to only photos, make sure to mix it up to create visual interest and keep the eye engaged.

Test out your layout. Practice the “measure twice, cut once” rule but for hanging. Start by experimenting with a few layout options on the floor before even thinking about hammering a nail. Play around with it, snap some pictures and take a day or two to sit on it. You can even try putting the outline of your layout on the wall in painter’s tape. Once you’ve decided, a level is your best friend.

— News Canada

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NEW CATHOLIC SCHOOL COMING TO LINCOLN

MINISTER LECCE MAKES SEVERAL FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENTS IN TRIP THROUGH NIAGARA

The provincial government has announced funding for two major infrastructure projects for West Niagara's education sector, including a new Catholic school in Lincoln.

Minister of Education

Stephen Lecce made the announcement outside St. Mark Catholic Elementary School on Wednesday, Dec. 15. He was joined by his parliamentary assistant and Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff, along with Niagara Catholic District School Board officials and local politicians. The Beamsville school is an example of why a new school is needed, politicians and

officials said.

Lincoln Mayor Sandra Easton said anyone who has come to pick up or drop off their child at the school

knows just how busy it is.

"I certainly look forward to shovels in the ground. I look forward to those smiling faces in the

playground and happy parents when they come to deliver and pick up their children," she said.

Lecce said the land ac-

quisition agreements for the new site are currently being finalized, but that the plan is to have the school open by Sept. 2024.

It will include 421 spaces, and Lecce said it will be a modern facility and include everything students need, including the latest health and safety measures.

He said his goal, with the announcement, was "to give young people a sense of hope that the facilities that they're educated in are modern have the highest standard of air ventilation, are internet-connected, and ultimately are accessible so that every child can use these spaces and they learn within them."

The minister was in town for a few announcements Wednesday. In addition to the new Beamsville school, he also announced plans to build a school in south Niagara Falls as well as expansion at Lakeview Public School in Grimsby to provide 88 more childcare spaces. All told, the promises total just shy of $30 million in infrastructure funding in Niagara.

Plans at Lakeview include one infant room, two toddler rooms, and three preschool rooms.

LUKE EDWARDS ledwards@niagara thisweek.com

A new Catholic elementary school is coming to Lincoln. In the photo, from left: Adrian Ferro, Rev. Chris Szczepanik, Stephen Lecce, Sam Oosterhoff, Lianne Prince, Larry Huibers, Camillo Cipriano and Chiara Nicolazzo.

Luke Edwards/Metroland

CelebrateSafely

www.ontario.ca/page/celebrate-safely-during-covid-19

Openawindowwhere possible

Wearafacecoveringif gatheringwiththosewho arenotfullyvaccinated orstatusunknown

Considercelebrating virtuallyoroutdoors

THE PERFECT GIFT FOR YOUR CHILD IN 2022

Stay6ftawayfrom otherswiththosewho arenotfullyvaccinated orstatusunknown

Stayhomeifyouare feelingunwell

Washyourhandsoften oruseanalcohol-based handsanitizer

It's a new year — well, almost — so why not give your children a gift they really deserve?

The gift: a mutual fund that invests in a broadly diversified portfolio of stocks around the world.

Why is this important? It is not about the money, but rather the educational experience of owning an investment.

The key is allowing your child to watch their investment fluctuate in value. In-

when the market is doing well. Then, when the markets go down in value and you have lost money, many investors sell.

The problem is expectations. If you don't fully understand and expect that some years stock values will decline, then when that happens, it is very easy to panic and sell.

It's all about managing expectations.

That is your gift as a parent to your children.

vestment

statements should also be given to your child.

The most important opportunity to learn is when the value of their investment declines.

They need to understand that some years of losing are just part of the game. This knowledge will be helpful when they are an adult.

One of the most significant risks of investing is human behaviour. People are thrilled to buy investments

Peter Watson is registered with Aligned Capital Partners Inc. (ACPI) to provide investment advice. Investment products are provided by ACPI. ACPI is a member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of ACPI. Watson provides wealth management services through Watson Investments. He can be reached at www.watsoninvestments.com.

OnbehalfofTownofLincolnCouncil,IwouldliketowishyouaMerryChristmas, HappyHolidaysandaHappyNewYear!

I’mpleasedtosharethewinningpieceofartfromtheChildren’sChristmasCardcompetition. WereceivedsomanylovelyentrieswhichwehavepostedrecentlyonourTownofLincoln Facebook,TwitterandInstagramaccounts.Pleasetakealookifyouhaven’talreadydoneso. ThankyoutoalltheyoungLincolnresidentswhosharedyourartistictalentsandfestivecheer withusthisyear.

Manythankstocommunitymembersforcomingtogetherandhelpingoneanotheroverthe pasttwoyears.Pleasecontinuetodoyourpartandfollowthepublichealthprotocolsinplace untilweweatherthisstorm.Together,wewillgetthroughthisandemergestrongerthanever! Lincolnhasathrivinglocaleconomyandahighqualityoflife,makingusatrueleaderin Niagara.AsaCouncil,westrivetomakeLincolnthebestplaceinNiagaratogrow,prosper andbelong.

Alltheverybesttoeachandeveryoneofyouforasafeandjoyfulholidayseason.

—MayorSandraEaston&Members ofTownofLincolnCouncil

@TownofLincolnON

THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE OF OWNING A MUTUAL FUND IS INVALUABLE, WRITES PETER WATSON

PETER WATSON Column

Linda&JohnAllan

InmemoryofEvaandRonAnnable

JohnAmama

InmemoryofmywifeHenny

Anonymous Bestwishes!

Anonymous

ToseeHospitalRebuiltinGrimsby

KevinandKarenAntonides Mayeveryonekeeptheirfaithand kindnessthisChristmas.Wishing everyonegoodhealthandmuch happinessthroughouttheholiday seasonandthenewyear.

KevinAntonides

AschairoftheWLMHFoundation GoverningBoard,Iwishour communititespeace,joyand prosperitythroughoutthecoming year.Duringthisseason,wetake timetoreflectonthegoodthingswe havelikeourpartnershipwithyou.

Pam&TaylorArkinson

InmemoryofJoelArkinsonand RyanWharton.MerryChristmas

Mr.&Mrs.Avila

MerryChristmasMike&TaraAvila

Dan&ValerieBaarda

Wewanttowishallourfamilyand friendsaveryBlessedChristmas.

CorreenBaas,Greg,Josie& SammiDobie

BabcockFrank&Irene

Bestwishesandgoodhealthtoour family.InmemoryofsonsJohn& MarkRookerbrotherRossK.

MyrlaBalint

InmemoryofSamuelBalint

MaryAnnBarich

InmemoryofLovedOnes

BarichFamily

Warm&healthywishestoour familyandfriends!

Dave&PatBarker

InmemoryofDr.GlenPierce

AnnBetzner

InlovingmemoryofLeonBetzner, DavidBetznerandAllenGastle

WinonaConcreteandPipeProductsLimited Asproudsupportersofourlocalhospital,wearepleasedtojoinour communityinbrighteningthefutureofhealthcareatWestLincolnMemorial HospitalbyparticipatingintheTreesofHealthyWishesCampaign.Wewish ourfriends,familyandcommunityahappyandhealthyholidayseason.

WestLincolnMemorialHospital FoundationGreetings

EdBoelke

Iwishgoodhealthtomyfamily andanendtotheCOVID pandemicworldwide

Ab&Diane SeasonGreetings

Greg&MarionClark

InlovingmemoryofCarmelHidinger

Joanne&MurrayClarke

Cla-ValCanadaCorp.

P&BCollins

Itisanhonourtoworkwithdonors,volunteersandfriendswhose ongoingsupportcontinuestohaveapositiveimpactonthehealth andvitalityofourcommunity.Throughoutthispastyearwehavebeen workingtogethertobuildastrongandflexiblefundraisingprogramfor theyear,alongwithabuildingcampaignforaNEWWLMH!

ThegenerosityofourdonorshasenabledtheFoundationto approvegrantstotaling$2.2Mformuchneededmedicalequipment. Todate,$451,405hasbeentransferredtoWLMH,fulfillingneedsfor Emergency,MaternalandNewborn,ClinicalSupportServicesand CommunitySurgeryprograms.Theremainingcommitmentof$1.75M isintheHospital’sprocurementprocess.Thesefundsareexpectedto betransferredtoWLMHwithin2021or2022.

The TakeittotheFinish…BuildingaHealthyCommunityCampaign continuestowardssuccessinhelpingbuildandequipthenewWest LincolnMemorialHospital.Welookforwardtowhenconstructionwill begin.Ourcommunitywillbeservedwellbythenewstateoftheart facility,providingclinical,surgical,emergency,maternityandnewborn servicesinasafe,warmandcaringenvironment.Throughyour generosityandourcommunitiesworkingtogether,wewillachievethe overallnewhospitallocalsharegoalof$50M.Youwillfindanarticle inthisissuebyourCampaignChair,AndrewSmiththatthiscampaign isdoingwell.WeareverygratefulforAndrew’sleadership,thework ofourvolunteersinvolvedinthecampaign,andthereceptivityand generosityofthosewhosaidyestolearningmoreaboutthecampaign andrespondedwithgiving.

Itisanexcitingtimeasthecomingyearwillsee‘shovelinthe ground’foranewWLMH!Wearesothankfultoallofthosewhohave beenonthisjourneywithusandcontinuetosupportthemissionof strengtheninghealthcareinWestNiagara.

Weextendourwarmestwishesforjoy,peaceandhealththisholiday season!

WithGratitudefortheHealthandVitalityofourCommunity,

KevinAntonides Chair,WLMHFoundation

PamelaEllens ExecutiveDirector,WLMHFoundation

AnnieBoekestyn ABlessedChristmastoyouall

Andrew&KaraBowles

OurwishisforahealthyWest Niagara.Let’sbeatCOVIDonce andforall

Scott&RobinBradley

InlovingmemoryofKenShaw, MargaretShaw,HowardBradley, DorothyKing,HazelKinch& AlexShaw

Bart&EstherBrooks WishingeveryoneaHealthyand Happy2022!

LauraBrooks

Rememberinglovedonesat thisspecialtimeofyear.Merry Christmas

Larry&CharlotteBucknall MerryChristmasandGood HealthtoEveryone!

Doug&KarenBurke

Inlovingmemoryofourson

MichaelPaulBurkeSept.26 1975-Dec.91995

Sandra&PatCesco

InlovingmemoryofRogerand JeanMassiandMaurizioCesco

James&ElizabethChurch

InmemoryofourParentsOrlan &DorothyChurch,Harry&Kay CampneyandoursisterDianeRubel

Staysafe-MerryChristmas

WilliamColyn

InlovingmemoryofMargaretColyn

Ken&BeverleyCooper

Barb&RobCosby MerryChristmaswishestoeveryone

Coulter/Baarda

Inmemoryofourdearsister WendyBaarda(2021).Missing youmorethanwordscansay

TheCoulterFamily

Inlovingmemoryofourparents andgrandparentsWib(1998) andGloria(2000)Coulter.Will neverstopmissingyou

NormaCox

MerryChristmastoallmyfamily andfriendsbothfarandnear

Bob&JoanCranfield

Inlovingmemoryofour2great grandchildren,Rylie&AveryMiller

Kevin&DoreenCulp

InmemoryofUncleOz(Gordon Larmon)

BevDavies

Goodhealthtoallandhere’sto ournewhospital!

JanedeVisser

MerryChristmas

DewittFamily

InlovingmemoryofFredDeWitt. Youareforeverinourhearts. Wishinghealth,loveandjoytoour familyandfriendsthisChristmas, andthroughouttheyear

AnneDiggins

Jim&CarolDrummond

Inlovingmemoryofourparents. Dr.andMrs.OwenL.Croftand Mr.andMrs.RalphDrummond

PattiDueckman

MerryChristmasJake&Ollie

Susan&ColinDuncan

InmemoryofKay,Len,Malcolm, DeniseCrossandVi&BillDuncan

MarjorieDyball

TomyheroMarjorie.LoveGordon

BarbEichstaetter

InlovingmemoryofAndy(Opa), Ilse,Carol,Norm,Sophie,Mike

Stacy,SebastianElia&Family

InlovingmemoryofDad&Sean

Gordon&PamelaEllens

Christmasisaseasonof enjoyingthesimplethingsthat makelifebeautiful.Mayyou havegreatmemoriesthatwill touchyourheartalongwithjoy andhealthduringthisseason andthroughouttheyear.

MarthaEllens

Wishingfamilyandfriendsa

BlessedChristmasandaHappy NewYear

Ron&CarolineEyk

MerryChristmasandHappyNewYear!

RobFalconer

InmemoryofmymomAnnBoldt

MaureenFarringtonandFamily

InlovingmemoryofThomas

Farrington,BelovedHusband, Father,andPapa

LynnFee&Family

ToourIncredibleHealthcare

ProvidersatWLMH...PLEASE

KeepTheFaith.Weneedyou& appreciateallyoudo!

Don&RuthFielding

InmemoryofDinahMancini, John&DollySkaistys,Frank& LucyFielding

Russ&Bev

InmemoryofRaymondand BettyFisher

PeterFortune

InmemoryofmyParentsMr.& Mrs.Fortune

Arlene&KenFrid

Becauseheliveswecanface tomorrow

John&CherylGanann

MerryChristmas!Wishingyou AlltheBestfor2022!

Keith&IrisGibson

MerryChristmas&AHappy HealthyNewYear

LindaGibson

InlovingmemoryofmyDear HusbandDouglaswhopassed awayin2019.Missyousomuch

RobGibson

InmemoryofHelen,Robert& MargaretGibson

Lastyear,westartedthismessageoffbynotinghowremarkablea year2020was.

It’ssafetosaythat2021hasfollowedasimilarpath.

Overthepast12months,ourteamsacrossHamiltonHealth Sciences,includingthoseatWestLincolnMemorialHospital(WLMH), havecontinuedtodemonstrateresilience,dedication,andcourage servingpatientswithunwaveringcompassioninthemostchallenging oftimes.Staffandphysicianscontinuetorisetoeachoccasionand meeteverydifficultendeavourheadon.

AtWLMH,wesawmanystaffbringtheirhighlyspecializedskills tootherhospitalsites,helpingoutinthehardesthitpatientcare areas,andothersvolunteeringtheirskillsatvaccinationsites.Some programsatthesitesawtwistsandturnsasthehospitalfollowedthe government’sdirectioninresponsetotheunrelentingvirus,changing thewayourprovidersdeliverandpatientsreceivecare.

AllofthatturbulencedidnotstopprogressonmajorWLMHinitiatives.

Forthefirsttimeinthesite’salmost75-yearhistory,patientscan nowgettimelyandcriticalcomputedtomography(CT)scansinWest Niagara.Thismomentousachievementwastheresultofmanyyearsof workbymanyhands–inthehospital,theFoundation,thecommunity andatQueen’sPark.Thesiteisnowalsohometotwonewx-ray machinesandanewmammographysuite,allowingmoreopportunity forpreventativescreeningclosetohome.

Asweheadinto2022,wearejustmonths–yes,months–away fromconstructionbeingabletostartonthenewhospital.Gettinghere hastakenimmenseeffort,energyandemotionalinvestment.Ithas beenalongroadtravelled,butwhenshovelsfinallybreakgroundon thislong-overdueproject,wethinkwewillallagreethatitwastime wellspent.

OnbehalfofHamiltonHealthSciences,wewouldliketowish ourstaff,physicians,volunteers,families,donors,communityand supportersaveryhappy,healthyandsafeholidayseason,andwhat promisestobeaveryexcitingNewYear.

RobMacIsaac PresidentandCEO HamiltonHealthSciences

LeslieGillies VP,CommunityMedicine&Population Health,&ExecSiteLead,WLMH HamiltonHealthSciences

AMessagetotheWestLincoln MemorialHospitalCommunity

Karen&JonGinsburg

WishingthestaffatWLMHseasons greetings,healthyandhappinessforthis newyear

AntoniettaGiro

MerryChristmas&SeasonsGreetingsto familyandfriends.Inlovingmemoryofmy husbandBrunoGiro

Alan&MargaretGoddard

Love,Peace,HealthandHappinesstoall ourdearFamily&Friends

EvelynGohs

HealthyNewYeartoalleveryyear

Adriana&DaveGreen

Warmwishestoallforasafeandhealthy newyear

AmandaGreen

DanielleGreenwood

WishingallthestaffatWLMHawonderful holidayseason.Extraloveandgratitudetothe maternitywardwhodeliveredustwohealthy babies(now6&3).Wearesoblessedtohave suchawonderful&wellstaffedhospitalinour community.Keepupthegreatwork!

Don&JoanGretzinger

MerryChristmas&thank-youtoallthestaff fortheworkyoudo&havedonethrough theyearsforourfamilies

Dave&LynneGrosvenor

MerryChristmastoall

Christine&JohnGudas-Murphy

Inlovingmemoryofourparents;Aldonaand GeorgeGudas,and,SusanandJimMurphy

Joanne&DavidHall

MerryChristmasandahealthy2022forall!

Jay&StefanieHamilton

LyleHarris InmemoryofShirleyHarris

Rex&JoyceHarrison

MerryChristmastoourfriendsandfamily

BobHarrison

InmemoryofwifeJoananddaughterJoanne

Arthur,Aimee,Seamus,Ciaran &RonanHilson

Maythemagicandsparkleofthisholiday seasonfillyourheartwithjoyandpeace. MerryChristmas!

FrancesHilvers

InlovingmemoryofHarryHilversNovember23,1933-November26,2017, CindyHilvers-GreavesOctober13,1963

-July11,2016andBrianGreavesOctober 18,1962-November23,2019

John&JoanneHolbourne

MerryChristmas&GoodHealthtoall

Boelo&JanetHoltkamp

Inlovingmemoryofourparents,Jackie&Tommy Tinsley,MienekeandBoeloandourbeloved ‘Pacito.Thecurrentandpast‘TreesofHealthy Wishes’havealwaysbrightenedthisseasonof remembering.Justimaginehowcomfortingand beautifultheywillbetheveryfirsttimetheyare turnedoninfrontofournewWLMH

SylviaHouse

Lookingforwardtoseeingthenewhospital whenitisbuilt!MerryChristmaseveryone

JudyHyde Inmemoryofmylovedones

Janet&Martin

WishingyouALLGod’sRichestBlessing’s for2022

A.J.&ShilpaJethva

MerryChristmasandHappyHolidaysto ourfriendsandfamily

Darrell&DianeJones

MerryChristmasJulia&Kelly&Brody... Kiss,Kiss,Kiss

Heather&DougJunke InmemoryofLovedOnes

Mary&AndrewKebalo

Lucy&PeterKelly

Wisheseveryonenearandfarahealthy, safeandMerryChristmas

EdwardJamesKelter Inlovingmemory

David&GayleKemp

MerryChristmas&HappyHealthyNew YeartoourFriends&Family

Bob&AudreyKerr

Toone&allablessedChristmasand rewardingNewYear

Brian&ElizabethKikkert

PrayingforanabundanceofLove,JoyandPeace forall.InlovingmemoryofgrandmaK.Koudys

AliceKlamer

Bestwishesfortheholidayseason!Mayyoube blessedwithhealthandjoyasyouexperiencethe wonderofChristmasandabeginningofaNewYear

Headingintoanexciting yearforWLMH

FromSophie,ChloeandHailey MerryChristmas

Adrian&KathyKoornneef

HaveaMerryChristmasanda HappierNewYear

PeterKoornneef WishingeveryoneaMerry ChristmasandaHappyNewYear

CarlKovacs MerryChristmasandGood Healthforallin2022!

Brian&SylviaLaird Staysafe

LoriLaird Inmemoryofmydad,Billvan Asperen.Missingyou,always

Doug&SueLawrence Specialthankstofirstlinestaff fordoingamazingworkdaily. Youareappreciated!

John&BeatriceLazeo Christmaswishestoallour Family&Friends,Cheers

John&SueLeBlanc

InlovingmemoryofsonJohnE. Sheridan(1962-2021)

Michael&CarolLipischak MerryChristmastoall

Michael&MarthaLoncarich

Jim&PamLove

GoodHealth,PeaceandJoy

John&JosephineLumley

Inlovingmemoryofourson,Allan

TodMacKellar

Thankyouforyourserviceto ourcommunity

S&MMagdic

B.JamesMahy InmemoryofmywifeJeanand mysonCameron

MargaretMallows InlovingmemoryofColin Mallows1937-2018

Jane&Ken InlovingmemoryofourDads

HopeMartin Healthy&SafeHolidaySeason topatients&staff

CarolMazur InlovingmemoryofKaroland RoseMazur

Joni&RandyMcCann Happy,HealthyHolidayWishes

LillianMcDonald AHappy&HealthyNewYear

JohnMcDougall InmemoryofMarg

Rob&DaraMacleod MerryChristmas.Enjoythe HolidaySeason!

A&DMcMaster WishingeveryoneahealthyNewYear

L.McQueen WitheverlastingloveAllan Andrews1939-2021

CerisMelbourne InlovingmemoryofSyd Melbournefromhisfamily

NancyMenicanin

ByKellyCampbell, VP,CorporateServicesand CapitalDevelopment,HHS

WehaveneverbeenthisclosetorebuildingWestLincolnMemorial Hospital(WLMH).Witheverydaythatpasseswegetalittlecloserto thefinishline.

FromHamiltonHealthSciences’(HHS)perspective,wecannotget shovelsinthegroundsoonenough.Thecurrenthospitalhasserved itspurposeandredevelopingthesitewillcreatethecareenvironment ourpatientsandteamsdeserve.

Whileweareclose,westillhaveafewmoreitemstocheckoffthe MinistryofHealth’slist.

Lastmonth,wereceivedtechnicalproposalsfromthethreeteams competingtobuildthehospital.TogetherwithInfrastructureOntario, wearecloselyreviewingtheseproposalsnow.

InJanuary,theteamswillsubmitthesecondpieceoftheRequest forProposals(RFP)whicharethefinancialplansfortheproject.Once wereceivethesedocuments,wewillhavetheinformationneededto selectthewinningteam.

Aperiodofnegotiationwiththepreferredproponentwillfollowas weworktowardgettingacontractsignedbyallparties.Weshouldbe inapositiontoannouncethesuccessfulteaminthespring.

Then,weheadintoaprocesscalled“financialclose”whichis essentiallythepointwherewecangivethebuild-sitekeystothe successfulteam.Thescheduleforconstructionwillbedeterminedby thesuccessfulteam,basedontheirproposal.Wehaveleteachteam knowthatourdesire–andthecommunity’sdesire–istogetthis projectmovingasfastaspossible.

OurteamatHHSknowshowimportantthisprojectistothe hospitalandthecommunityaroundit.Wearegratefulforeveryone whocontinuestostandbythehospital,supportourteams, generouslydonatetoequipmentandtherebuildcampaign,provide excellentcaretopatients,andkeepnewhospitalplanningmoving diligentlyandquicklytowardthefinishline.

Weareexcitedaboutallthat2022canandwillholdforWLMH.

GettingCloserTo TheFinishLine!

Ithasbeenanincredible2021!

Together,asacommunity,wewere taskedwithraisingthelocalshareof $50million,andwearesocloseto reachingthefinishlinewithjustless than$1milliontogo.

Everyonehascertainlyhad muchtomaneuverthisyear;and fundraisingduringapandemichas notbeenwithoutitschallenges. Wearesucceedingbecauseofour dedicateddonorsandvolunteers whohavecontinuedtoworksteadfastlyinsupportoftheTakeitto theFinish,BuildingaHealthyCommunityCampaign.

Wewishtoacknowledgeallthathasgoneonbeforeustoo.There havebeenmanyinvolvedintheeffortstoseethevisionforanew hospitalcometofruition.

Throughoutthecampaign,ourvolunteershavelearnedoverand overagain,fromtheirconversationswithdonors,thatWLMHistruly acommunityhospital.Theyhaveheardhowmuchthecommunity believesinthefutureofWLMHandthatgivingbackhasbeenan expressionofappreciationfortheexemplarycaregiventotheir family,friendsandlovedones.

TheTreesofHealthyWishescampaignhasbeenaveryspecialpart ofourfamily’slife.Weparticipatedinthelaunchofthiscampaign 15yearsago.Lightingthetreesupandgivingtodosohelpsour campaigntobuildandequipthenewhospital.Eachgiftbringsus onestepclosertocrossingthatfinishline.

AsCampaignChair,andonbehalfoftheCampaignteammembers, wewouldliketosaythankyoutoallourdonors,volunteers,staff, advocatesforthenewhospital,andeveryonewhoismakinga differencetoensureabetterhospitalforhealthcareinthiscommunity. WeknowthatthecareatWLMHisunique andspecialandit’sworthinvesting inlife.

Welookforwardtoserving youinthedaysaheadandin 2022!Let’scontinuetocheer eachotheronward!

AndrewC.Smith CampaignChair

Miculan(JosephandInes)

Inlovingmemoryofourdear parentsJoeandInes.Notaday goesbywhereyouarenotinour heartsandthoughts.Missingyou both,andwithmuchlove,Brenda andDoris.ThankyouWLMHfor allthecareyouprovide

LuciaMuraca&Family Inlovingmemoryofour husband,fatherandgrandfather Carmen(2014)andson,brother, uncle,husbandandfather Joseph(2009).Lovedand missedeveryday

Oliver&CatherineNiemi Maywehaveahealthy& peaceful2022

JohnOfrady

HappyHolidaystoallatWLMH

Bryan&JoanneOram

ThanksWLMHforallyourgreat service&happyhealthyholidays toall!

Murray&JoanPackham

InmemoryofJamiePackham 1966-2021

JoanPanes

Inmemoryofmyhusband,Jim andmyfriend,Ann

HelenParker Goodhealthtoall

AnneParent MerryChristmastomywonderful sonsanddaughter-in-law.Iwant tothankyouforallthelove, specialtimesandhappiness youhaveallgivenme.Special thoughtatthistimetoour wonderfulhusband,fatherand grandpa.Wemissyouandyou

areforeverinourhearts.Merry Christmasandlotsoflovetomy grandkidsStoneandZane.

Peter&BarbaraPhelps

MerryChristmas

Stan&LindaPopp

InlovingmemoryofFamilyand Friends

Ron&Alice MerryChristmas

Mr.andMrs.GiuseppeRosaPresti

BenitaPrince

Bestwishestoallthedoctors &nurses

George&SylviaPrins

BlessingstoEliseRosa, daughterofMattandMaria Oliveira

Ross&BarbaraPyett

Rememberingourlovedonesat thisspecialtimeofyear.Peace andhappinessin2022!

Sharon&DirkRathe

InlovingmemoryofMaryLouand RichardSandmaier(1934-2008)

Sharon&DirkRathe

InlovingmemoryofHarryRathe (1928-2011)

Joyce&WallyReid

MerryXmas&Happy&Healthy NewYear

HildegardRempel

Wishingallgoodhealth, happiness

MerryChristmasandallthe bestintheNewYear,

GordonRiding

Can’twaittoseeshouvelintheground nextspring

SharonRizzuto

MerryChristmastoAll!

JeanRobertson

InmemoryofhusbandGeorge,daughter JudyAnn&(Chummy)RobertsonWilliam

Howard(Duke)&JudyRobertson

Thankyoutothenursesanddoctorsat WLMH

PhyllisRomaniuk

Happy&Healthywishestofamily&friends

Paul

MayeveryonereceivethewonderfulcareI receivedatWLMH

WayneRussell

InmemoryofMom,DadandJune

Wayne&PatSaigeon

MerryChristmastoFamilyandFriends

ShelleySanders&Family

InlovingmemoryofArt&MinnieMcAndrew andJohnSanders.Missyouallverymuch

Bernie&JanetScholman

Thankyoutoallthededicatedstaff

DorothySchrodt

InlovingmemoryofourLovedOnes.Maythe spiritofChristmasbewithyouallyearround

Keith&MarySeabrook

MargaretSebben

RememberingmylovinghusbandWarren, father,grandfatherandgreatgrandfather. Wemissyoumorethenwordscanexpress

CorneliaSeeley

HappyHolidays.Toallbecareful&staysafe

GarySexton-FinancialFocus

Maypeace,joy,hopeandhappinessbe yoursduringthisholidayseasonand throughouttheyear

O.G.ShawMPC

Dave&BevShoesmith

Thanksforthewonderfulcareduringmy2 monthstayrecoveringfromabrokenhip-Bev

JanetShuker

RememberingLynnthisChristmas.Dad, BapaGrandpa,Husband.WithLove

Dave&JeanSmith

Doug&MarilynSmith

MerryChristmas&ourbestwishesfora healthy2022

CarolynSouthward

InlovingmemoryofsisterEvaAnnableJuly1, 2021andnephewRonAnnableNov.21,2021

TheSpenceFamily

InlovingmemoryofMaryandJimSpence,Lillie Spence,LenSpence,MoniqueAllain-Spence andLilianHadsley

NancySperanzini

Inlovingmemoryofmybelovedhusband Larry.Happy,Healthywishesforallthis HolidaySeason!

KarriSpiece

AllGrimsbyresidentsgethealthyasthe newhospitalisbuilt

DianeStampfler

Inlovingmemoryofmyparents

MichaelStenzel

InlovingmemoryofHelmuthStenzel

William&CarolineStephenson

InlovingmemoryofWilliam(1929-2021)& Caroline(1933-2017)Stephenson

J&BStewart

MayALLStayHealthy&Safe

BeverleyStewart&GerryThomas

InlovingmemoryofLuellaandPentlandBook

Wendy&DonStewart

Linda&NeilSutherland

InlovingmemoryofKay,Ken&DianaSully andTom,Nancy&JeanSutherland

Graham&PearlSweeting

George&JanTakach

InlovingmemoryofourangelGeoffrey

Balintandallfamilymembers&friendswho havepassedbeforeus

Barry&MargeryTaylor

TheTaylorFamily

InlovingmemoryofMarieandFrankTaylor andPaulTaylor,givenbytheTaylorFamily

NancyTaylor

InlovingmemoryofRonHewitt

ClaraTerryberry

InlovingmemoryofEarlTerryberryand HarryandEvelynYoung

J.B.Thompson

Inmemoryof:EdraE.Thompson

BerylTickle

InLovingMemoryofJohnTickle,fromwife

Beryl,sonMartyn,daughterAlicia&their families.ForeverinourHearts.

NadiaT

ThankyoutotheHealthCareWorkerswho takethetimetotakecareofuswhenin hospital.Youmaynotrememberusbutwe remembereachoneofyou!

SharonTrojner

Inlovingmemoryofmyfamily-Don,Lois, Lynn,andJohnRevell.Rememberingand lovingyoualways

Mara&NikolaTurajlic Bestwishestoourdearfamily&friends

Dave&SaraTyson

MerryChristmasandasafe,healthyand happy2022

UnionLodge#7

Hank&DorothyUnrau

Wishingthemedical&nursingstaffbest wishesfortheseason

Fred&DianneUsher

AlltheBestintheNewYear

E.&A.ValliandFamily Wishinghealthyyearsahead

Monty&ThanaVandeyar SafeandHealthyHolidayforall

John&LizVanRyn

SheilaVdoviak

InmemoryofJohnVdoviak

Brian&NandaVerheul

Mary&JimVolk

InlovingmemoryofShirleyMartin,who gavesogenerouslyofhertime,talentsand resourcestoourcommunity

Bill&SueWetmore HappyHolidays

Jim&CarolWheeler

Mrs.MarieWhitbourn Inmemoryofparents,Fred(husband), Susan(friend),Jim(cousin)

Peter&JoanWiebe Ahappy&healthy2022

Sandie&PeteWilhelm

Inmemoryofallourloveoneswhohave gonebeforeus

Ms.JuneWilkinson

Inmemoryofparents&friendSusan, cousinJim

James&ElaineWilsack

WinonaConcreteandPipeProducts Limited

Asproudsupportersofourlocalhospital, wearepleasedtojoinourcommunityin brighteningthefutureofhealthcareat WestLincolnHospitalbyparticipatingin theTreesofHealthyWishescampaign.We wishourfriends,familyandcommunitya happyandhealthyholidayseason.

Barry&BarbaraWinwood

SeasonsGreetingstofriendsand neighbours

TheWorsterFamily

MerryChristmastoallandbestwishesfor awonderfulNewYear!

GradaWortel

InmemoryofmywifeGradaWortel

Ernie&SandraYemm BlessingsfortheSeason

Jim&JoanYork

Wishingahealthy&happyChristmasto our3children,Lisa,Tricia&Todd-allborn atWLMH

Maddy&CeesZonneveld InmemoryofLovedOne

Sandra&WayneZumstein

RememberingourParentsNoraand CarsonZumstein

EdwardN.Zwart

MayGod’sloveandpeacefillyourhearts andhomesthisChristmas

Dave&LynnZwart

InlovingmemoryofRonandPhyllis HaggarandRichardZwart

LouisEdwardZych

InLovingMemory

PITY THIS POOR KITTY: SHOT IN THE FACE BUT NOW RECOVERING

LINCOLN COUNTY

HUMANE SOCIETY TOOK 'CURTIS' IN, SURGERY BILL OVER $2,000

A cat that was shot in the face with a BB gun is recovering at the humane society after surgery and could soon be on his way to a new, caring home.

Curtis, as the cat has been named by staff at the Lincoln County Humane Society, was taken in Dec. 1.

The shelter said a resident in Grimsby noticed a stray cat limping, contacted staff and dropped him off.

X-rays found a .177 calibre pellet lodged behind his eye. The pellet had to be surgically removed, along with his eye.

Since his surgery, he has became an affectionate cat, the humane society said.

"He thrives on staff attention and is amazingly resilient after surviving a cruel and harrowing

ordeal" said executive director Kevin Strooband.

If his original owner cannot be found, he will be put up for adoption.

As the surgery cost more than $2,000, the shelter is asking the public for help covering the costs.

Donations can be online at www.lchs.ca, emailed to donations@lchs.ca, mailed, or

dropped off at the shelter's St. Catharines location.

The animal cruelty case is

with the Niagara Regional Police Service and anyone with information is encouraged to call

NRPS at 905-688-4111 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) (Incident Number: 21-137552).

Curtis was dropped off at the Lincoln County Humane Society after a Grimsby resident noticed the stray limping. X-ray shows the BB gun pellet lodged behind the cat's eye.

LCHS photo

would use regional reserves to manage that. I didn't support the budget (at committee) because of the use of reserves. I still don't think that's a good idea."

Welland Coun. Pat Chiocchio and Mayor Frank Campion echoed Gale's concern.

"I'm with Coun. Gale in looking at this increase," Chiocchio said. "I think we could bring it down to below two per cent, especially with the times that we're going through right now with COVID, and as Coun. Gale stated this isn't over.

"I worry about the businesses. I worry about the people that are struggling today. So I am not in favour

of what we're seeing here tonight."

Campion said he made his position clear during the budget committee debate, and he didn't want to belabour the point but said council needed to get the final number closer to two per cent.

Fort Erie Coun. Tom Insinna was unhappy about the 11th-hour suggestion to

reduce the budget, likely by drawing on reserves.

"Where was all this talk about slashing and burning when it came to $17.8 million that we are going to give to developers and businesses?" Insinna said. "This conversation should happen six months ago. So I'm a bit ticked because now, at the last minute, we're going to want to try

and justify how we're going to change things when we had the opportune time to do that, but nobody wanted to do that then.

"So now we're going to nickel and dime everything. I'm not going to pick on the police or any other agency, but there are ways that we could have done this and not at the last minute.

"We've been presented with a budget I think is fair ... It's got to be realistic. It's going up 2.87 per cent, which is in line with inflation."

FINDING THE JOY

families of people with dementia face is adjusting to the new reality, she said. For instance, perhaps grandma has always made the holiday meal for the whole family, but can no longer handle the stressful afternoon in the kitchen. Or maybe going to multiple family functions is too much.

The holidays can be stressful for anyone, but even more so for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

Fortunately, there are a few easy ways to make sure your family get together is still the meaningful day it's supposed to be. Sarah Putman, director of education at the Alzheimer Society of Niagara, said a lot of it comes down to some simple adjustments and setting realistic expectations.

"In order to enjoy your holiday visits and your interactions, you do need to really think about taking a step back and really looking at what your expectation is and knowing that not everything's going to work out exactly how the expectation is set out," she said. "And that's OK. We can let go of those little things, and we can find the joy in in the holiday and what's happening."

Some of the challenges

If that's the case, Putman encourages families and caregivers to adapt while still being inclusive. Maybe someone else cooks the turkey and grandma helps do some prep work so she still feels involved. Perhaps a caregiver decides to only put up a few decorations, enough to feel festive but not so much to be overwhelmed.

It's also important to set expectations for other family members, Putman said, especially those who may not visit regularly. If they can go into the holidays understanding a person's limitations, and how their losses might affect things, it can go a long way to helping the day go smoothly.

Putman also said it's important to remember the losses associated with Alzheimer's and dementia. Most people think of memory loss, but there can be other issues too, with language or attention. Making sure everyone understands those going into the holidays is a good first step.

People with dementia often do better in one-on-

one situations and when there are fewer distractions. They also may need a quiet place to rest or get away from the activity.

Putman also reminds people that there are often feelings of guilt or frustration on the part of people with dementia or their caregivers, and that's normal.

"It's not malice. It's just

regular to feel those types of emotions up and down with regards to the changes and losses that come with dementia," she said. Family members can also come armed with things to talk about that can get the person with dementia engaged. Reminiscing, old photo albums or long time favourite Christmas songs

and movies are often topics that will resonate, Putman said.

While dementia can be a challenge, Putman reminds people that there can still be good times after a diagnosis.

"At any stage of the dementia, whether it's the early, middle or late, that there are moments of joy

and happiness and people can live really well," she said. "We can change a lot in the way we communicate and the environment around people to really support people who are living with dementia and allow them to continue to participate in the activities of the holidays and to find a lot of meaning in that."

Holiday celebrations may need to be adjusted when a family member has dementia. However, with some preparation. families can still have a great get-together.

Pexels photo

2022NEWYEARSEVEGALA

DISTILLERS OFFER HOLIDAY COCKTAIL RECIPES

Niagara may be wine country, but its burgeoning distillery scene can help get anyone into the spirit over the holidays.

Unsure of what to make or looking for something different to enjoy while you have some time to relax? Here are two cocktail recipes to try, from Beamsville's Dillon's Small Batch Distillers and Niagara-onthe-Lake's Spirit in Niagara Distillery.

THE WINTER SIDECAR

Courtesy of Dillon's Small Batch Distillers. Makes one cocktail.

Ingredients

For the rosemary honey syrup:

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup liquid honey

1 fresh rosemary sprig

For the cocktail:

1 1/2 ounces Dillon's Pear Brandy

3/4 ounce Cointreau or

orange liqueur of choice

3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice

3/4 ounce rosemary honey syrup

2 dashes Dillon's Ginger Bitters

Handful of ice cubes

Dehydrated lemon wheel, for garnish

Instructions

1. Make the rosemary

honey syrup. Combine the water, honey and rosemary in a small pot and bring to a

Dillon's

DILLON'S SMALL BATCH DISTILLERS

Address: 4833 Tufford Rd., Beamsville

Telephone: 905-563-3030

Website: www.dillons.ca

SPIRIT IN NIAGARA DISTILLERY

Address: 458 Lakeshore Rd., Niagara-on-the-Lake

Telephone: 905-934-1300

Website: www.spiritinniagara.com

THE CHRISTMAS COSMO

Courtesy of Spirit in Niagara Distillery. Makes one cocktail.

Ingredients

simmer, stirring until the honey has dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

2. Remove the rosemary sprig and transfer the syrup to an airtight container. The syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

3. Place a coupe glass in

the freezer to chill at least one hour before you plan to serve the cocktail.

4. Make the cocktail. Add the brandy, Cointreau, lemon juice and syrup to a cocktail shaker. Add the ice and shake for 10 to 15 seconds.

5. Strain the cocktail into the chilled coupe glass and garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel.

1 1/2 ounce SiN Juiced Up vodka

1/2 ounce Cointreau

1/2 ounce lime juice

1 ounce cranberry juice

Instructions

1. Put all ingredients into a cocktail shaker or jar. Shake well to combine.

2. Strain into a glass of your choice.

3. Enjoy!

Spirit in Niagara Distillery photo

Small Batch Distillers photo

From left: Spirit in Niagara Distillery has taken one of the more popular cocktails out there, the cosmopolitan, and put a Christmas spin on it; Dillon's Small Batch Distillers has whipped up a winter sidecar for your holiday get-togethers.

OBITUARIES | REMEMBERING THE LIVES OF THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY

Age18Age95

RICHARDS,JohnEdward

ItiswithgreatsadnessandanguishthatIreportthatJohnEdwardRichards,bornJune6,1923diedMonday, June21,2021,atGreaterNiagaraGeneralHospitalafterafallandstroke.Hewas98yearsold. JohnwasborninIpotestiRomaniaunderthenameJohnRechenucandemigratedtoWindsorCanadaat theageofthreeyearsoldandworkedhardgrowingupsupportinghisparentsfarmingduringtheGreat Depression.InhisearlyteenshealsoworkedforCanadaPackersandhadapassionforbaseball.Hehad apromisingbuddingprofessionalbaseballcareerthatwasdivertedearlywhenheenlistedintheRoyal CanadianAirForceattheageof18in1941.

DuringhisbasictrainingJohnorganizedabaseballleaguemadeupofAlliedcountrymenfromAustralia, England,Canadaandothercountries.ThisearnedhimcommissionasaFirstOfficer,andnavigatorinthe RCAFtransportcommand.

Johnwasteamedwithvariouscrewsandaircraft(Dakota’s,PBY’s)inWWIIandflewineverymajorbattlein theEuropeantheatredroppingsuppliesandparatroopersunderfire.HewasshotdownoverArnhemin1943 aspartof437Squadronandwasoneoftwosurvivors.HewassecretlyreturnedtoBritishforcesescorted frombehindenemylinestotheBritishundergroundbyaseven-year-oldDutchgirlviaculvertsanddrainage tunnels.JohnhasbeenrecognizedbytheRCAFandprimeministerandhasbeeninterviewedandvideotaped bytheCanadianGovernmentabouthismanymilitaryexperiencesasamatterofhistoricrecord.Hewasa foundingmemberof437HuskiesSquadronwhichtodayfliesCanadianArmedForcesaroundtheworld. AfterthewarJohndevelopedabusinessacumenworkingforDunnandBradstreet,andlatersellingInsurance andfurniture.

JohnmetandmarriedAdeleHipgrave(died2008)in1945whoworkedforDunnandBradtsreet,andchanged theirnamestoRichardsshortlythereafterbecausehedidnotwanthiswifeorchildrenteasedashewasin hisyouthoverthepronunciationofhisname.Theyhadthreechildren;JoanBeverlyRichards;PatriciaEmily (nowPiche);andMichaelJohnRichards.Johnissurvivedbyallofhischildrenandhisgrandchildren,Paula andMatthewPiche;Stephanie(nowLemay,Martyson-in-lawandgreat-grandchildrenBrielleandJohn)and JaimeRichards,andsonanddaughterin-lawDonPicheandLouiseRichards.

JohnisalsosurvivedbyCousinVickie(andhusbandDavid)WolfeandRosemaryScottonhisfamilysideand werehisonlyconnectionstohismotherandfatheranddistantrelativesinRomania.

JohnlovedboatingandfishingnotablylivinginNorthBayOntario,withacottageontheSouthShoreand familyonAdele’ssidenotfarawayinCallandarandMuskokaOntario.HefoundedTheNorthBayCarpetCentre andTheInteriorShoppeinthe70’saswellashelpedpioneerorganizationofmodernhumanetreatmentand developmentofmentallyhandicappedpeoplewiththeassistanceoftheGovernmentofOntario.Hewas PresidentandsupportedtheearlycreationoftheAssociationfortheMentallyRetardedinNorthBaywhich nowhasgrownandisknownastheOntarioAssociationforCommunityLiving.

JohnmovedtoMississaugainthemid1970’swithwifeAdeleandsonMichael,thenafter2014asawidower eventuallymovedtoNiagaraFallswherehemetVeraHarrisandbegantogodancingtogetherattheRoyal CanadianLegion.ItquicklybecameclearthatVeraandJohnweresoulmatesandtheirrelationshiptogether becameveryimportanttothem.VeraandherfamilystoodwithJohntohisfinaldays,andafterwards supportinghisneeds.VeraandtheHarrisfamilyoftheNiagaraRegionassuredthatDadwaswelltakencare ofandassuredthatJohnleftthisworldknowinghewasloved.Toallwhohaveexpressedsuchbraveactsof loveandkindnesstoJohn,weoweeachotherareciprocaldebtofrespectandgratitude.

JohnRichardswasamanthatnoteveryonegotcloseenoughtoknowandunderstandwell.Butthosewho didgettoknowhimlovedhisintegrity,dignity,self-deprecatingsenseofhumour,generosity,kindnessand heartfeltconcernforothers.Hewasagreatmanwithadeeploveoffamilyandfriends;agreatCanadianand wasmyFatherandmybestfriend.GodBlessyouDad;youhaveearnedyourpeace.Youwillbelovedforever. MichaelJohnRichards.

A sweet little flower, nipped in the bud, no grief or sorrow knew; just came to earth to win our love and then to Heaven withdrew. No stain was on your little heart, sin had not entered there; and innocence slept sweetly on that pale white brow so fair. You were too pure for this cold earth, too beautiful to stay, and so God’s holy angel bore our darling one away.

CROSS,StanleyRoy

Itiswithdeepsorrowand muchlovethatwemournthe passingofStanleyRoyCross onMay3,2021attheageof 89withfamilybyhissidein DouglasMemorialHospital. Hewillbelovingremembered byhiswifeEvelynof71 years,hissonLarry,andhis daughtersLynne(Alan)and Kelly(Gregory).ProudgrandfatherofAmy(Matthew), Krista(Keyr),Robert(Ashleigh) Brooke(Jordan),Casey (Taylor)andgreat-grandfather toAlexa,Kylie,Wyatt,Haley, JosieandPaxton. Heisalsosurvivedbyhis brotherArthur(Gerry)Cross andmanyniecesand nephews.HissisterMarlene Schneiderhassincepassed andhewaspredeceasedby hissisterJoanandbrother William.

StanwasborninHamilton andmovedtoCrystalBeach wherehebecameamanof manytalents.Heworkedat BuffaloForgeinBuffaloand FleetIndustriesinFortErie. Hethendecidedtobranchout onhisown,aspartownerof theRidgewayBowlingAlley, PlaymoreAmusementsand otherventures.Inretirement, heworkedinsecurityatthe FortErieRaceTrackforafew yearswhilebuildinghisdream home.

Stanlovedtoplayandwatch sports;baseballandgolfwere hisfavourites.Butmostofall helikedtospendtimewithhis family

ThankyoutoDr.Scher, thenursesofPalliativeCare andthenursesatDouglas Memorial.

Aprivateservicewasheldby thefamilyonOctober15, 2021.Memorialdonations maybemadeinStan'sname totheCanadianCancer SocietyortheOntarioRhett SyndromeAssociation.

Itiswithheavyheartsthatwe announcethepassingofAnna BrewsteronDecember19, 2021,attheageof68. Predeceasedbyherloving husbandJack,theirsonJJas wellasherparentsMatthew andKrystynaZarek. Sheissurvivedbyherloving daughterJennifer(Richard) Wilkinsonanddaughter-in-law Nicole.Hermemorywilllive onthroughheradoringgrandchildrenJake,Biancaand Luke.Sadlymissedbyher sistersMargaretBarrettand Izabel(David)Flowers,nieces andnephewsBradley, Michelle,Kyle,Andrewand Kittaswellasmembersofthe Brewsterfamilyandherlarge circleoffriends.Annaloved hermusic.Shecompleted level8forpianoatTheRoyal ConservatoryofMusic.Anna graduatedfromtheToronto InstituteofMedicalTechnologyasaMedicalLaboratoryTechnologist.She workedatMountSinai HospitalinTorontoand DouglasMemorialHospitalin FortErie.Sheretiredin2013. Thefamilyextendstheir thankstothecompassionate staffofDouglasMemorial Hospital.

AMassatSt.George'sRoman CatholicChurchwillbeheld onWednesdayDecember29, 2021,at11a.m.,withinterment tofollowatRidgeway MemorialCemetery.Covid19 protocolswillbeinplace, includingmandatorymask, socialdistancingandcapacity limits.

WilliamsFuneralServices, 722RidgeRdN,Ridgeway, entrustedwitharrangements.

ABRAMS,Dorothy

DorothyAbramswasaloving mother,grandmother,and sister.Shelefttheworld peacefullyFridaymorning, December17,2021.Shewas borntoJohnandEsterCain onApril15,1945.Shewas lovedbyherlatehusband StewAbrams;sonsStewart (Sussie)andMark; grandchildrenJoel,Amanda, andJacob;sisterClaira Brownlow(Sam).Predeceased byherbrothersJack,Tom, Albert,andsistersEsther, Margret,Violet,Smokie.Sadly missedbyseveralniecesand nephews.Dorothyenjoyed hercareeratGeneralMotors, pursuedtimeasanalderman forSmithville,andalsoreal estate.Sheenjoyedbeing outdoorsandtravelinginher RVacrossthecountry.Agreat cardplayer,shewouldplay herfellowtravelersforthe choreofwashingdishes.She enjoyedthepeacefulcountry living.VisitationatMerritt FuneralHome,287Station Street,SmithvilleonTuesday, December21from2-4and7-9 p.m.MassofChristianBurial willbeheldWednesday, December22,at10a.m.atSt. MartinofToursCatholic Church,176WestStreet (RegionalRd20),Smithville, withlimitedcapacity.Masks andsocialdistancingrequired. IntermentMerrittSettlement Cemetery,Smithville.If desired,memorialdonations toAlzheimer'sSocietywould beappreciatedbythefamily. merritt-fh.com

Time may heal the broken-hearted, time may make the wound less sore; but time will never stop the longing for the loved one gone before. Pleasant in

BREWSTER,Anna 1953-2021

MATHESON,Mary(neeElton) May25,1941toDecember13,2021

mademanylife-longfriends. ShethenstudiedMathematics, PhysicalEducationandFrench atTrinityCollege,Universityof Torontograduatingin1964 fromOISE.

HEPBURN,JunePhyllis

Itiswithdeepsorrowthatwe mournthepassingofour

MotherJunePhyllisHepburn neeWhiteonDecember13, 2021inher96thyearather homeinGarrisonPlace, surroundedbyherfamily.

Predeceasedbyherhusband

Alan"Mitch"Buchanan

HepburnandherbrotherJohn "Jack"CurtisWhite.Lovingly rememberedbyherdaughter

Deborah(David)andsons

Scott(Suzanne),Gregory (Kelly).ProudGrandmotherof Amy(Jason),Matthew(Laura), Spencer,Brooke(Jordan), Casey(Taylor)andhermany niecesandnephews.June wasborninSt.Catharinesand latermovedtoRidgeway.She wasamedicalsecretaryfor DoctorsinRidgewayandFort Erieuntilretiringin1991.June wasveryactiveinthe GeneologySocietyofNiagara. Shelovedhergarden, especiallyherroses.Her favouritecolourwasred.She alsospentmanyhoursinher kitchenbakingwonderfulpies andcookiesforherfamily. Shewasanavidseamstress, makingmanybeloveditems forherchildrenand grandchildren.Herfavourite momentswerespentwith family.Momwillremaininour heartsforever.Thankyouto Dr.Scher,Elizabethandother nursesofPalliativeCare,and allofthewonderfulnurses andstaffofGarrisonPlace.A privateservicewasheldby thefamilyonDecember17, 2021atRidgewayMemorial Cemetery.Memorialdonations maybemadetotheDiabetes FoundationofCanada.

CLARK,Frances"Fran"

Passedawaypeacefullyat homeafteralongbattlewitha braintumoronSaturday, December11,2021inher

72ndyear.BorninMontreal onNovember8,1950and movedwithherparentsDavid andGwenClarktowellandin themid1960's,whereshe attendedCentennialHigh School.Fransawemployment withSmithsStationeryand A&PFoodStore.Herlast employmentwaswiththe OntarioCoronersofficeinSt. Catharines.Sheleavesbehind herpartnerof25yearsFrank Jones.Shewillbemissedby herchildrenAmandaand Chad(Allison).Franadored hergrandchildrenPeyton, Alexander,andSawyer.She willberememberedbyher siblingsPatty(Robert),Lynne (Serge),Bruce(Karen)and Lindsey(Norma).Shewas predeceasedbyherparents DavidandGwenalsoher brotherRoss.Franleaves behindherbelovedShihTzu Sammyandlong-timefriends SylviaandGaryPeters.A CelebrationofFranslifewill takeplaceatalaterdate, pleasecheckbacktothe websiteforupdates.

Ifdesired,memorial donationstoWestLincoln MemorialHospitalcanbe madethroughthefuneral home,merritt-fh.com

Itiswithgreatsadnessthatwe announcethepassingofMary Matheson(neeElton)on MondayDecember13,2021at theageof80.Shewillbe greatlymissedbyherchildren; CatherineMcLellan(Troy),Ian, Ross(Jennifer)andPaulalong withherStep-Grandchildren Dylan,Charlie,Rowanand Kaede.Predeceasedbyher husbandof51years,John. Shewillbemissedbyher sisterJaneOlvet(Sid)and brothersJohnElton(Sharon) andPeterElton(Valerie)along withhersisters-in-lawPeggy Matheson,JanetMcBride (Tom)andViMathesonalong withmanyniecesand nephewsandhergoodfriend HelenHenderson.

MarygrewupinLongBranch, whereherloveofcardsand sportbegan.Shegraduated fromNewTorontoSecondary Schoolin1959thenwenton tocompleteGrade13at NeuchatelJuniorCollegein Switzerland,whereshe venturedalloverEuropeand

Marybeganherteaching careerin1964atJarvis Collegiate(TDSB)andretired fromeducationin1999at WestParkSecondarySchool (DSBN).Maryvolunteeredwith theRedCrossSociety becomingBranchPresident. ShewasaBeaverLeader (Sunny),coachedbaseballand soccerandtaughtSunday School.Inretirement,she volunteeredatSt.Andrew's AnglicanChurchandthe GrimsbyPublicArtGallery. Shewasamemberofthe GrimsbyGardenClub,the GrimsbyTennisClubandthe HistoricalSociety.Marywasan avidtennisplayer,lovedto playbridgewithherfriends andspendtimeinhergarden. Marylovedtocook,bakeand can(famousforherchopped pickle).HerfavoriteMealto hostwasSundayDinnerandif youwerefortunateenoughto getinvitedyouleftwithafull stomachandafullheart. Mary'sfamilywouldliketo thankthestaffattheUnited MennoniteHomewhotook suchgoodcareofherwhile shestruggledwithDementia. Inlieuofflowersdonations canbemadetoMcNally HouseortheUnited MennoniteHome.

Always so good, unselfish and kind, none on this earth your equal I’ll find. Honourable and true in all your ways, loving and faithful to the end of your days, honest and liberal, ever upright, just in your judgment, always right; loved by your friends and all whom you knew, one in a million, that person was you. One year has passed, our hearts still sore, as time rolls on we miss you more; a loving person, tender and kind, what beautiful memories you left behind.

And have you gone, forever gone and left us here to weep. Till we are called to follow you, and in the grave to sleep.

Your memory is as dear today, as in the hour you passed away.

And have you gone, forever gone and left us here to weep. Till we are called to follow you, and in the grave to sleep; yet since you could no longer stay to cheer us with your love, we hope to meet with you again in the bright world above.

Passedaway,peacefully,at HamiltonGeneralHospital, surroundedbyherlovedones onFriday,December17,2021 at78yearsofage.Shewillbe greatlymissedbyherfamily andfriends.Lovinghusband WayneLokeofFortErie. Dearlylovedbyherchildren; TinaTetu(St.Catharines), MarkTetu(Toronto),andDawn Small(husbandEd)(FortErie). Shewasadoredandwillbe lovinglyrememberedbyher fivegrandchildren:Amanda andAlexandraColson, KristopherTetu-Baverstock, MichelleTetuandZachary Small.Lovedbyhersiblings; René(Françoise),Claire

Savage,DeniseDubois(late Patrick),Diane(RhéalLavigne), GillesallofSturgeonFalls, Lionel(Rosa)ofKitchener, Daniel(Cathy)ofMilverton andRogerofOttawa. Predeceasedbyherparents, Lucienne(néeSoucy) (February7,2004)and HoraceLegault(September 23,2021)andherbrothers; Marcel(1944)andMarcel (1979).Yvetteenjoyedreading, swimming,photography,art andcooking;shewasa memberofChurchofGod International.Herfamily wouldliketoextendtheir appreciationfortheloving careYvettereceivedfromthe hospitaldoctors,nursesand staff.InhonouringYvette's wishesaprivatefamilyservice hastakenplace.Memorial donationstoChurchofGod InternationalCanadawould beappreciated.Arrangements entrustedtoConsiderate Cremation&BurialServices, 26NihanDrive,St.Catharines (betweenLakeStreet&Scott Street),289-362-1144.

OnlinecondolencesmaybemadeatCCBSCares.ca ALLEN,GregoryJames

GregoryJamesAllenwentto bewithhisLordandSaviour

JesusChristonWednesday, December15,afteracourageous16monthbattlewith mesothelioma.Thankstoour St.Ann'sCommunityChurch familyforwalkingwithus,and lovingussowellaswe journeyedthisroughroad.

ThankyoutoDr.Shannon Smith,Dr.DeniseMarshall, andtheamazingteamat McNallyHouseformakinghis lastdaysoflifeonthisearth socomfortable.

Gregtriedtoliveeverydayto thefullestandevenasthe cancerspreadandhisbreathingandpainworsened,he wasalwaysquickwithasmile andofcourse,alwaysreadyto eatatreat.Henevercomplained,continuingtothank theLordfortheabundanceof blessingshehadreceived duringhis57yearsonearth.

Alongwithotherfamily,Greg leavesbehindtheloveofhis life,hiswifeof31years,Kelly, hiskids,James(wifeRebekah)

andKatie(husbandDane),as wellashiscrazydogCinder. Gregwasoneofakind! Quirky,fun,hardworking, tenacious,loving,anddriven byhisdeepandabidingfaith. Hewasanamazingson, husband,brother,andfather! Wearesothankfulthat becauseofJesus,wewillsee himagainoneday!Oneof Greg'sfavouriteversesfrom theBiblewas,Ephesians2:89,"Godsavedyoubyhisgrace whenyoubelieved.Andyou can'ttakecreditforthis;itisa giftfromGod.Salvationisnot arewardforthegoodthings wehavedone,sononeofus canboastaboutit."Greg understoodthisverse,andput hisfaithinthefinishedworkof Jesusonthecross.Todayhe isathomewithhisLord.Greg wouldoftensay,'WhenIam gone,don'tthinkofmeas dead,forIwillbemorealive thenthanIhaveeverbeen!' ACelebrationofLifeforGreg tookplaceonMonday, December20.

LOKE,YvetteSuzanne (néeLegault)

GOODMAN, ThomasJames

January25,1951December15,2021

ThomasJamesGoodman

passedawayWednesday, December15,2021

surroundedbyfamily. Predeceasedbyparents

MargaretandThomas

Goodman,andbrother GeorgeGoodman.

Hewillbesadlymissedby brothersSandy(Susanne)

Goodman,JosephGoodman, andsisterBrenda.Loving uncletoDarrilyn(Roger)

Burnham,Christopher"Prof"

Goodman,TammyMacDonald, Samantha"Jean,Jeanthe dancingmachine"(Tj)Young, Joshua"tree"(Kathleen)

Goodman,Jamie"James"

Goodman,JessiGoodman,as wellasmanyothers.

"Onedayyou'lllook

ToseeI'vegone Fortomorrowmayrain SoI'llfollowthesun"

I'llFollowtheSunbyThe Beatles

ACelebrationoflifeisbeing plannedforthenewyear.

Surroundedbyhisloving family,onSunday,December 19,2021,atGod'sappointed hour,Hecalledourhusband, father,Opaandgreat-Opato HisEternalHome.Wefindour comfortintheconfessionwe makebeforeeveryworship service:"Ourhelpisinthe NameoftheLord",Psalm121. LeftbehindinourFather's carearehisbelovedwifeof58 yearsJohannaBreukelman (VanIperen),andhisbeloved children:EvelynBreukelman; HenryBreukelman(thelate Marilyn)andchildrenJolene Linde(Lauren,Austin,Isaac, Russell),RandyandSydney Breukelman(Blake,Layla), TracyandKelvinVis(Jordyn, Clarke,Logan,Parker),James andChelseaBreukelman

(Neveya,Carter,Rylee),and DianaBreukelman;Johnand AnitaBreukelmanandchildren

JustinandCherylBreukelman (Tyson),RichardandNatasha Neutal(Lucas),and LeviBreukelman;Jolanda Breukelman;andJanine Breukelman.Lovedbyhistwo brothers,onesister,in-laws, nieces,nephews,andhis manyfriends.Visitationat SmithvilleCanadianReformed Church,330StationStreet, SmithvilleonWednesday, December22from7-9p.m. withmasksandsocialdistancingrequired.Thefuneral servicewillbeheldat SmithvilleCanadianReformed ChurchonThursday, December23at11a.m.with limitedcapacity,masksand socialdistancing.Interment GraceUnitedChurch Cemetery.Specialthanksto thedoctors,nurses,andstaff ofGrimsby,TrilliumandSt. CatharinesGeneralHospitals fortheirdedicatedandcompassionatecare.Ifdesired, memorialcontributionsto JohnCalvinSchoolSmithville wouldbeappreciatedbythe family.

merritt-fh.com

TAYLOR,Lisa(neeMcCarville)

MARTIN,Stephen

Inlovingmemoryofadear son,whopassedaway December23,2000.

Nolengthoftime cantakeaway Ourthoughts ofyoutoday Forasyouwere youwillalwaysbe Treasuredforever inourmemory.

Missingadearsonand rememberingallthegood timessharedwiththefamily, Love,MomandDad

Memorial

Aredmapletree,honouring thelifeofDrBeverly(Reddon) Hattersleywasplantedin DouglasParkonNovember 15th.Aservicewillbeheldin thespringof2022. TheReddonfamilythanksall fortheirkindnessandcaring duringthesedifficulttimes.

Itiswithprofoundsadness thatthefamilyofLisaTaylor (nee.McCarville)announce herpassingintheearly morningofSaturday,December11,2021,peacefullyat homewithherhusbandbyher side.Lisawasdearlylovedby anddevotedtotheloveofher lifeherhusbandMikeTaylor. CherisheddaughterofKevin andPatMcCarville(Heffell)by whomshewillbedeeply missed.Belovedsisterand companiontoSherriHorton andbrother-in-lawMike Horton.Deardaughter-in-law toRobertandFrancesTaylor

andhermother-in-lawMaree JoBrennan.Devotedsister-inlawandbestfriendtoKerri Taylor(Holloway)andbrotherin-lawBillHolloway.Sister-inlawandfriendtoBarband GarrettMantoandLisa Leeson.Lisawasveryproudof andalovingaunttoSophie, Taylor,Morgyn,Sam,Jake,and Grace.Itiswithextreme heartachethatsheleaves behindherbeloveddog Newman.Lisawillbeforever missedbyherentirefamily nearandfar.Lisahadmany friends,touchedmanyhearts, andwillbefondlyrememberedbyall.Ourfamilywould liketoextendaspecialthank youtoDr.MeyersofJuravinski CancerCentreforhissupport andaheartfeltthankyouto MerrittFuneralHome.A celebrationofLisa'slifewillbe heldatalaterdate.Ifdesired, memorialdonationstoThe LincolnCountySPCAcanbe madethroughMerrittFuneral Home(905)957-7031or merritt-fh.com

Lisa, Inlifewelovedyoudearly Indeathweloveyoustill Inourheartsyouholdaplace Noonewilleverfill

Remembering Ou LovedOnes

FrankPiorkowski,Flora Piorkowski,JuliaInnes (Piorkowski)andFrank Piorkowski

Inlovingmemoryofmy parents: Frank(July15,2009)

Flora(December12,1991) mysister,Julia (February23,2011) andmybrotherFrank (Dec28,2020)

Thoseweloveremainwithus Forloveitselfliveson, Andcherishedmemories neverfade Becausealovedoneisgone. Thosewelovecanneverbe Morethanathoughtapart, Foraslongasthereis memory, Theywillliveonintheheart.

Rememberedwithlove, Cathy,OscarandJennifer Ettinger

MASSI Beautifulmemories silentlykept, Ofonesthatwelove andwillneverforget.

BertMassi2020 AlMassi2004

Loveandneverforgotten, Marilynandfamily.

person,

one who was better God never made; a wonderful worker, so loyal and true, one in a million – that person was you. Just in your judgment, always right; honest and liberal, ever upright; loved by your friends and all whom you knew. Our wonderful friend – that person was you.

wonderful

friend and aide,

The rolling stream of life rolls on.

McRAE,Bryan

TolosesomeoneIloved somuchbringspain beyondbelief

Therearenowordstoease mypain,mysadness, andmygrief

I'velostsomeonesoclose,so wonderfulanddear

Ithinkaboutyourspecial waysandwishthatyou werenear

Butalthoughyouhaveleftthis world,you'llstaywithin myheart

Guidinglikeanangeleven thoughweareapart

Forloveiseverlastingandso aremymemoriesYourlegacythat'salways theretolightthewayforme.

MerryChristmas,Bryan. Wemissandloveyou.

Jennifer,Kyle,Lindsay andKathy

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Ourlocaljournalistsreportonthethingsthatareimportanttoyou andyourneighbours;whetherit’slocalpolitics,schools,businessesor upcomingcommunityevents—ifyou’rethinkingaboutit,chancesare we’rewritingaboutit.

MACKENZIE TO HEADLINE FUNDRAISER FOR NEW THEATRE

Grimsby Secondary School and soon-to-be principal for WNSS.

Apiece of the community's past will help promote a piece of the future.

Woolverton Hall will play host to well-known blues musician Spencer Mackenzie on Jan. 15. The show, which also features Miles Evan-Branagh on keys and will be opened by local musician James DeGreer, will raise money for the community theatre set to be built as part of the new West Niagara Secondary School. The show is being called Please Take Your Seat.

"I just think it demonstrates how much so many different groups are interested in developing the arts scene in Grimsby and West Niagara," said Mat Miller, principal and

The owners of the property, CastlepointNuma, held an outdoor music series in the summer, which inspired the move inside. The hall is also being used by GBF Community Services as a community hub. The hall was built in 1883.

When Miller heard they were interested in developing the arts scene in Grimsby, he reached out to the people at The Woolverton to see if they'd be interested in partnering.

"After meeting Miller ... I wanted to help with the campaign to see a theatre space in my hometown that will be available to both the student population and the community at large," said The Woolverton's Harley Valentine, aGSS grad.

Mackenzie has made a name for himself in the blues scene, winning the new artist of the year award at the 2016 Maple Blues Awards and following that up with blues artist of the year at the 2017 Niagara Music Awards.

"Playing a small part in the future success of the arts, culture and music in our community is some-

thing I am grateful to be able to do," he said. "I am looking forward to giving ticket holders a great performance on Jan. 15, 2022 and having the opportunity to be the first live music performer in such an historical landmark as the Woolverton Hall."

Tickets are $75 each and can be purchased at westniagara.dsbn.org.

FUNDRAISING EFFORTS GOING WELL

Miller said fundraising efforts for the new theatre are going well, with the main effort currently being the Save Your Seat campaign, where seats at the theatre can be purchased in honour or in memory of someone. The seats in the first two rows are about half sold, which he said is a great start. Seat sales range in cost from $2,000 to $300. Miller said they'd make a great last-minute gift for someone who loves the arts. Donors through the seat sale campaign or who make a standalone donation to the theatre can receive a gift receipt to claim on their income tax forms. Visit westniagara.dsbn.org to buy a seat. Or email mat.miller@dsbn.org.

Spencer Mackenzie will be headlining a fundraiser concert at Woolverton Hall for the community theatre set to be built at the new West Niagara Secondary School.

LUKE

EDWARDS ledwards@niagara thisweek.com

HOW CHRISTMAS HAS CHANGED THROUGH TIME

CHRISTMAS HAS BEEN CELEBRATED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THROUGH HISTORY

NICK FEARNS nfearns@niagara thisweek.com

Christmas isn't the same as when you were kid. But it always wasn't the same Christmas as was celebrated in the past.

Depending on how far back you look, Christmas becomes less recognizable to our modern eyes.

Jim Hill, senior manager of heritage for Niagara Parks, said the original European inhabitants in what was then called Upper Canada didn't celebrate the holidays much at all.

"The whole province, particularly going back to what it was, Upper Canada was seen as a very English Protestant place and holidays weren't celebrated," said Hill. "We know this coming from people visiting from England or travelling to live here and passing through Quebec during the holidays."

He said Quebec had "parties and amazing religious services and fun and food," which was not present in Canada at the time.

He said things became more familiar to a modern person in the Victorian era when different cultural celebrations spread across the province.

Beth Labrie is a museum interpreter at the Lincoln Museum and Cultural Centre.

Around the holidays the museum offers a twist on

their "strict but nice" historic school program. Kids get to decorate a tree and plan out the Christmas pageant that would one of the events of the year.

She was guiding chil-

dren through what Christmas celebrations would have been like in 1908.

The setting was the museum's one-room schoolhouse, which Labrie noted along with the church, "the

heart of the village."

Although they had a Christmas tree, the decorations would look a little unusual compared to a modern example. The tree was lots of Union Jack flags,

and it decorated with more natural motifs including birds, nuts and fruit.

Labrie explained how a Christmas tree had more German origins. Queen Victoria's husband, she said, was from Germany and shared many of his traditions.

"The cool thing about being in Upper Canada back then is you did start seeing these different groups of people having an influence," said Hill. "Indigenous people certainly had festive events not related to Christianity, but around their own calendar, which again followed the calendar of the seasons."

While it seems like winter might put a damper on celebrations, Hill said it was actually one of the easier times of the year to par-

McFarland House in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Nick Fearns/Metroland

IN THE PAST, WINTER WAS ACTUALLY A GREAT TIME TO PARTY

Continued from page 74

ty.

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Most farmers had more time off. Rivers and creeks would freeze and allow for easy transportation in horse-pulled sleighs.

"Travel is a joy in the winter compared to travel in the summertime and in early Canada," noted Hill.

"Food and health celebrations changed as different groups of people have come to Canada. I think that's still happening today. I think our celebrations get more interesting and more diverse and tastier."

Dan Laroche, visitor experience team leader for Fort George National Historic Site, said during the war of 1812 people may have gotten the day off, they rarely did so with pay.

"The holiday tradition of providing a decent meal for the troops on Christmas Day did exist in some regiments but it was provided at the soldier's own expense! " said Laroche. "Officers would socialize with the genteel and wealthy families in town and gather for balls and fêtes all winter long, including the holiday season. Trinkets would have been given to prominent young ladies. Skating on the ponds around Fort George and on the inlets of Lake Ontario, as well as snowshoeing, were also popular activities among the officers as they could afford to purchase the equipment needed."

If you lived in Niagaraon-the-Lake during the war, it would have been extremely tough times. Laroche said during there first year of the war, there were "food shortages for the military and civilian population," as goods were restricted.

In 1813, the entire popu-

lation of Niagara-on-theLake displaced after the entire town was burnt to the ground by American

forces and turncoat Canadian volunteers as they retreated back across the border to Fort Niagara.

From top: Alana, Victoria and Tiffany stringing together popcorn to decorate the Christmas tree at the Lincoln Museum and Cultural Centre's one-room schoolhouse; Historic decorations inside of McFarland House.

Niagara College photo

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2021OntarioEconomicOutlookandFiscalReview

BuildingtheFoundationforOntario’sRecoveryandProsperity

PROTECTINGOURPROGRESS

HIGHLIGHTSOFONTARIO’SPLANTOPROTECT OURPROGRESSINCLUDE:

PROTECTINGPEOPLE’SHEALTH

•Providinghospitalswithover$1.8billionin2021-22tosupport3,100newandadditional beds,including$53,383,900inworkingdeficitfundingforNiagaraHealth,aswellas $1,411,837ininfrastructurerenewalfundingforNiagaraHealthand$1,208,524in infrastructurerenewalfundingforHotelDieuShaverHealthandRehabilitationCentre.

•InvestingintheoperationofanewMRImachineatNiagaraHealth.

•Investing$342milliontoaddover5,000newandupskilledregisterednursesand registeredpracticalnurses,aswellas8,000personalsupportworkers,includingpositionsat NiagaraHealthandWestLincolnMemorialHospital.

•Investinganadditional$548.5millionoverthreeyearstoexpandhomeandcommunity care,including$8,203,800milliontoexpandtheCommunityParamedicineforLong-Term

BUILDONTARIO

HIGHLIGHTSOFTHEGOVERNMENT’SPLANTOBUILDONTARIO INCLUDE:

BUILDINGCOMMUNITYINFRASTRUCTURE

•DoublingtheannualinvestmentintheOntarioCommunityInfrastructureFundprogram. Thisadditionalmulti-yearinvestmentof$1billionwillbringthetotalinvestmenttonearly $2billionoverthenextfiveyearstoprovidecertaintyandpredictabilityto424small,rural communities,includingGrimsby,Lincoln,Pelham,WestLincolnandWainfleet.

•KeycommunityinfrastructureinvestmentsinNiagaraWestinclude$16milliontoexpand andrenovatethePeachKingCentreinGrimsby,$1,064,476tosupporttherehabilitationof MarleneStewardStreetParkinPelham,$529,322tosupporttherenovationoftheWainfleet CommunityComplex,$88,632.80tobuildachildren’seducationalgalleryattheLincoln MuseumandCulturalCentreand$302,288foraplayspaceresurfacingprojectinLincoln.

BUILDINGMORELONG-TERMCAREBEDS

•Investinganadditional$3.7billiontobuildanadditional10,000netnewlong-termcare bedsandupgrade12,000existingbedstomoderndesignstandards,includingupgradesfor

WORKINGFORWORKERS

CareprograminNiagara,$1milliontosupportanewmobilementalhealthandaddictions clinicinruralNiagara,andover$1milliontoreinforcethesupportfortheexpansionofa mobilehealthclinictocareforindividualsexperiencinghomelessnessinNiagara.

PROTECTINGSENIORS

•ExtendingtheSeniors’HomeSafetyTaxCreditto2022.

•Providinganadditional$72.3millionoverthreeyearstoincreaseenforcementcapacity, includingdoublingthenumberoflong-termcarehomeinspectorsacrosstheprovinceandin Niagara.

PROTECTINGSTUDENTS

•Providingmorethan$1.6billioninresourcestoprotectschoolsagainstCOVID-19.

•Allocatingover$600milliontoimproveventilationandfiltrationinschools,including $7,536,600totheDistrictSchoolBoardofNiagaraand$8,473,600totheNiagaraCatholic DistrictSchoolBoard.

AlbrightGardensinBeamsville,theUnitedMennoniteHomeinVineland,andnewbedsand upgradesforShalomManorinGrimsby.

BUILDINGHOSPITALINFRASTRUCTURE

•Investing$30.2billionoverthenext10yearstobuild,expandandenhancehospitals, includingrebuildingWestLincolnMemorialHospitalinGrimsbyandbuildinganewSouth NiagaraHospitalinNiagaraFalls.

BUILDINGSCHOOLSANDCHILDCARESPACES

•Investingabout$14billionincapitalgrantsover10yearstobuildmoreschools,improve existingfacilitiesandsupporteducation-relatedprojects,includingbuildingnewschoolsin LincolnandWainfleet,aswellasnewchildcarespacesinGrimsby.

BUILDINGHIGH-SPEEDINTERNETACCESSFOREVERYONE

•Makingahistoriccommitmentofnearly$4billionoversixyearstoprovideallregionsof Ontariowithaccesstoaffordable,reliablehigh-speedinternetbytheendof2025,including theexpansionofbroadbandInternettoLincoln,Pelham,WestLincolnandWainfleet.

HIGHLIGHTSOFTHEGOVERNMENT’SPLANTOWORKFORWORKERSINCLUDE:

•Protectingandcreatingjobsintheautomotivesectorbysecuringinvestmentcommitmentsof$5.6billionfrommajorautomanufacturers forelectricvehiclesupplychaincapacity.

•Creatinganewprovincewidetwo-year$40millionAdvancedManufacturingandInnovationCompetitivenessstream,whichispart oftheRegionalDevelopmentProgram.

•Proposingtoincreasethegeneralminimumwageto$15perhoureffectiveJanuary1,2022.

•Supportingbusinessesandtheworkerstheyemploybyenablinganestimated$10.1billionincostsavingsandsupportin2021,withmore than60percent,or$6.3billion,goingtosmallbusinessesintheprovince.

•SupportingtherecoveryofthetourismandhospitalitysectorsbyproposinganewtemporaryOntarioStaycationTaxCreditfor2022, includingvisitstoNiagaraWineCountryandpopularlocalattractionsinWestNiagara.

SAMOOSTERHOFF

“Ihopethishelpsillustratethefactsaboutthechangesthe governmentismaking.Asalways,youareencouragedto contactmyofficeforanyassistanceyoumayrequire.”