Baldwin’s Birds Charlee’s Hero WOD to raise awareness and support families

What does equality mean to you? Is it a blanket term or are there related conditions? Defining and supporting equality requires clarification and understanding of the connotations. Crying "equality" with no reference to ability is threatening our growth as a society.

As a society, we like to claim equality in terms of employment, color, sexuality, spirituality, and opportunities. In reality we need to address whether an individual has the qualifications and experience to attain equality. To simply accept one based on color, sex, or whatever the defining characteristic is, could jeopardize someone's well-being. For example, a person being accepted as a firefighter without the physical strength and insight is of danger to the colleagues and the fire's occupants. When we speak of equality, we must not discriminate based on particular characteristics just because of those characteristics.

As we educate ourselves and others, it is crucial to bring into awareness the responsibilities and training of the individual. It is true,"you can be whatever you want to be" IF you put in the training and education, along with experience. Experience is gained through doing, and that can/will include making mistakes. We hopefully learn from our mistakes. Equality will be achieved through your attitude and aptitude!

Theft at local Walmart location

by Brandon Mayer

It’s something that certainly doesn’t happen every day in a small town – masked individuals running out of a busy department store with stolen electronics. But it’s something that happened here in Kemptville early last week at the local Walmart location.

Social media users were initially alerted to the theft in a post by a customer who was in the store at the time, which was later taken down. Another Walmart employee confirmed for the Times that three male suspects walked confidently through the store, laughing as a witness noticed them.

Thefts from department stores are not particularly rare. One estimate suggests that Walmart loses the equivalent of 1% of its gross revenue to theft, or about $1 for every $99 spent. While this is only one source and can’t be independently verified, it is without a doubt that sur-

submitted by Jane Adams

The amazing team behind Charlee’s Run is at it again –and they are inviting everyone to join them.

This year, a new event is being planned and all proceeds will support the Winchester District Memorial Hospital’s Family Birthing Unit.

Charlee’s Hero WOD (Workout of the Day) takes place on Saturday, May 13 from 9 am to 3 pm at CrossFit Kemptville. Workouts will run every hour on the hour and are scalable for all fitness levels. The cost to participate is just $20 per person. Kids under 12 can participate for free. Local vendors will be on site.

Charlee’s Hero WOD aims to bring the community together to raise awareness for pregnancy and infant loss, to offer support for those in need, and to provide an outlet for families to remember the little ones that have been lost too soon.

“We hosted Charlee’s Run last year and the community has asked for another event to support our goal to raise awareness around pregnancy and infant loss. After losing our daughter Charlee, we never wanted another family to feel alone. If our story could reach even one family in, then it was worth it,” explains Charlee’s Run organizer Mallory Holmes. “Thank you to my CrossFit Kemptville colleague Aly Johnson for kindly offering the idea and the space for this fundraiser.”

“Thank you to Mallory and Aly for organizing another special event in honour of Charlee,” says Justine Plummer, the WDMH Foundation’s Manager of Direct Mail & Events. “We are looking forward to working out!” reptitious shoplifters often take advantage of the busy environment of department stores. What is rare about last week’s theft is the brazen nature of the alleged crime.

To register, email charleesrun@gmail.com with the name(s) of people who would like to join and which time slot you prefer between 9 and 3. Spaces are limited to 10 per hour, so don’t wait to secure your spot! For more details, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/121826624578726 3/?ref=newsfeed.

A spokesperson for the Ontario Provincial Police confirmed that an incident took place at a “store on Colonnade Drive in Kemptville”, but did not name the store as is protocol for OPP statements.

“At approximately 18:44 on March 12, 2023, three young males entered a store on Colonnade Drive in Kemptville,” said Const. Ann Collins of the OPP. “The three males had face coverings and walked directly to the electronics department. Once the display was accessible, the three males grabbed various iPad tablets totalling $4,500 and took off running towards the emergency doors. Video surveillance outside the store shows the males running north at the corner of the LCBO parking lot where they entered a white vehicle.”

The three males are described as follows:

- Caucasian, 16 to 20 years old, brown hair separated in the middle with dreadlocks. Male was wearing a red puffy jacket and grey sweat pants. Thin and possibly around 5'8.

- Darker complexion, 18 to 22 years old, black hair wearing a blue sweater and grey sweat pants. Appears to be a bit older than the other two.

- Black, 16 to 20 years old, black hair, thin, wearing a white puffy sleeveless jacket with dark sweater under. Dark pants and red running shoes.

Const. Collins confirmed that the incident took approximately three minutes from start to finish. Anyone with information regarding what happened is encouraged to contact the Grenville County OPP at 613-258-3441.