ND Times Issue 12 2023 June 15

Support the new Dundas Manor

For 45 years, Dundas Manor Long-Term Care Home in Winchester has helped to keep families together – even though they are living apart due to health challenges. It is the only long-term care home in Dundas County and is an essential part of our local healthcare system. Now, it’s time for a new Dundas Manor.

Magic happens at Dundas Manor every day – despite the many limitations of an old and crowded building. With your help, the magic will continue in a brand-new home.

Planning for the new home is almost complete and we are ready to expand the circle of compassionate care in our communities.

Ontario since

MPP presents plaque to Naomi’s Family Resource Centre

Tid bit musings

by Elva Patterson Rutters RSSW

Interpretation is usually validated by experience in conjunction with education or knowledge. Interpretation with zero reference point is simply speculation. The ability to discern interpretation independent of a basis of reference, results in abstract or null points. We must validate experience!

At one time, the basic colours were the colours in our 8-pack crayon box, whereas now the hues are so varied it leaves one feeling you don't know your colours. Is it red, ruby, wine, maroon, burgundy, blood, fire engine, and the list goes on. Someone who is visually impaired has no reference point if they have never seen colour at any time. Once a reference point has been instilled, the colour or action takes on a deeper meaning. Your experiences leave you with a taste for or against a behaviour or an action. That may be labour, or a dentist appointment, etc. that evokes varying interpretation. All are valid.

Linguistically, the angst can be eased with a change in terminology. Replacing "should" with "I'd like to" instantly reduces the presenting stress. "I can't", with a qualifier such as "I can't this summer", puts a manageable time frame to the limitation. We each have a moral responsibility to regulate our responses to interpretation, keeping everything in context. Our self care and concern for the community may mean our interpretations need to be addressed by an outside force. If it is a fire, then you need to call the fire department and ensure your safety. If it is a lack of compassion, perhaps toxic relationships need to be re-evaluated.

submitted by Renee Moores, Naomi’s House

MPP Nolan Quinn presented a plaque to staff from Naomi’s Family Resource Centre on May 23 to acknowledge the partnership and good work happening between the SD&G OPP and Naomi’s House to assist victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.

Marking the end of a two year project from the Ministry of the Solicitor General for anti-human trafficking initiatives, the OPP is delighted to work with agencies that support their efforts in community safety.

Renee Moores, Executive Director of Naomi’s House, shares that “OPP Inspector Hemmerick and his detachment have made vulnerable women a priority in the OPP’s service delivery by increasing community safety initiatives and anti-human trafficking services. As a result, we have improved inter-agency communication and increased our ability to provide crisis shelter services. This is meaningful to Naomi’s as our residents benefit from the cohesion.”

Naomi’s House is funded by the Ministry

Canada Day Notice from Lions Club

submitted by Ed Duncan, Committee Chair

This year, the Township of North Dundas will be doing fireworks at North Dundas District High School at 9:30 p.m. The Mountain Township and District Lions Club will not be hosting this year's North Dundas Canada Day celebration in South Mountain. We have decided as a club that we are going to put our energy into more Lions Club events other than Canada Day. We would like to thank all of the businesses and our community who made donations by money and prizes since our first event in 2013. We also would like to thank all our volunteers, Chesterville Lions, Winchester Lions and the Winchester Legion for their help and support over the past years.

of Children, Community and Social Services for operations and by the generous donations from our community, all of which are 100% directed to the residents at Naomi’s House. We operate a

9-bed emergency shelter, a 24/7 crisis line, and transitional housing supports to departing residents. If you or someone you know wants to have a supportive talk, call us 24/7 at 613-774-2838.

With summer approaching, many are concerned with boredom for the youth. There is every opportunity to acquire your local fair board entry lists to get your creative juices going. Again, your interpretation of your youthful summers can be a positive motivator for accountability and initiative to acquire new skills.

The more broad your experiences, the greater your interpretation will be! Go for it: you have one life to live, live it well.

Left to right: Julia Nagy (Naomi’s Staff), OPP Sergeant James Blanchette, Renee Moores (Naomi’s Executive Director), MPP Nolan Quinn, OPP SDG Inspector Marc Hemmerick, and Justine White (Naomi’s Manager).

History of the Horse: Community says goodbye to Horse Tony

by Brandon Mayer

The entire North Dundas community –and even some people who live outside of North Dundas – are having to say goodbye this month to a local landmark and popular waypoint for directions. A horse statue, formerly located on private property at the intersection of County Roads 43 and 3 (west of Winchester) is no longer watching over highway traffic like it once was.

People as far as Kemptville have commented on the statue being missing from its noble perch. It is without a doubt that countless people who use the busy County Road 43 – even just to pass through North Dundas – will notice the statue’s absence. In fact, it has been in place for decades, and had both a name and a rich history.

Many people will recognize the name Shirley Fawcett from a 2021 ‘Meet Your Neighbour’ article which was part of a Township series. Shirley is now just two months away from turning 90 years young. It was her late husband Roy Fawcett who purchased the horse – named Tony –as a fixture to harness up to an antique horse buggy in the mid-to-late 1980s. Roy’s daughter, Julie McKay, speculates that he might have purchased it for a Santa Claus parade or for the celebration of Winchester’s Centennial in 1988.

“By the 1990s, a young local girl asked if she could put a blanket on Tony for the winter,” Julie explained. “Following that, our family continued the tradition to outfit him.” Tony’s decoration with features such as colourful clothing or flowers surrounding him was one of the things that made him most recognizable to locals and people from far and wide. Also common was Tony’s use as a landmark for navigation. For motorists travelling to Inkerman or South Mountain from the west end of Winchester, an easy visual reference

of the correct turn off was always to “look for the horse”.

Tony’s significance as a landmark is not nearly as special as his significance to his family. Tony was named in honour of Roy’s father (Julie and her siblings’ grandfather), W.J. Fawcett.

The elder Fawcett served in the cavalry in WW1, and had a horse named Tony as a boy growing up on the family’s Holstein farm. Taking care of the beloved horse has always been a family affair. “Three years ago, my brother Rob and I gave Tony a much-needed paint job,” Julie added.

The explanation for the disappearance of Tony is a simple one – Roy passed away in 2018, and Shirley has finally decided to sell their house.

Shirley still has her bookstore on Main Street, “Embracing the Arts”, and goes to work six days a week. She hasn't sold the house yet and continues to live there, but her son John sold the horse in preparation for the sale of the house.

It is amazing how much one symbol can become ingrained in the

lives of so many people. I distinctly remember being scared the first few times I drove past the horse, believing for a fleeting moment of terror that it was a deer ready to jump out in front of me. When my family and I moved to South Mountain from Winchester, I distinctly remember my mom explaining that she would have no problem visiting us because she would just have to “turn at the horse”. I had to explain to her that coming from Avonmore meant her direct route would not take her past the horse at all. Oh dear… the playful argument that ensued!

Tony: you were loved and cherished by so many, to the point that a whole community will miss you. The least we can do is preserve you in print and share you in memories. May your new home bring new life and happiness to countless more faces.

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X does not equal X

by Brandon Mayer

Small towns talk, and they love to talk about bad drivers. Sure, people who live and work in large cities can’t drive either, but the small town vibe is different. Bad driving in a community where everybody knows everybody gets a lot more personal. Residents here also have a perceived sense of “ownership” over their streets and roads, so the arms tend to fly up in a classic “what on earth are you doing?!” gesture when they see someone going too fast. A popular sentiment is, “if you run over my child or dog speeding down my street, the police will be the least of your worries”. I agree!

Many are of the opinion that a speed limit of 40 km/h is appropriate in any residential neighbourhood. It is already this way everywhere inside Kemptville town limits and I agree that this does make for a safer area in places where people are constantly moving around and children are

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

RE: The Children's Treatment Centre Dundas County Bike-A-Thon 2023 May 27, 2023.

The Dundas County Bike-A-Thon was a beautiful sunny day to raise monies for the Treatment Centre for abused children in Dundas County and elsewhere in the Counties.

Team Sam Laurin raised $3,195.00 in Dundas County. Congratulations to all! It's never too late to donate monies to this charity which exists without government support.

Yours truly, Douglas Grenkie Chair for Dundas County

at play. There will always be people who find it too slow, but I’m not one of them – not for inside town limits. A lower speed provides additional reaction time and minimizes the severity of any collisions that do occur.

When it comes to outside of towns and villages, and specifically on our county roads, my opinion differs. The speed limits and some other traffic control features in some parts of these roads make little sense to me. One consideration when determining a speed limit or the type of intersection that will be used in a particular spot is whether the measure will be TOO controlling. This is not just because it would impede traffic flow, but because it tends to diminish drivers’ overall respect for rules of the road. Isn’t that fascinating? If we, as motorists, see a few seemingly pointless stop signs or a section of road with an unnecessarily low speed limit, we stop taking driving rules seriously altogether. And of course, in that case, driving becomes more dangerous

BRAIN DROPPINGS

by Peter Johnson

John Sebastian once wrote: “Did you ever have to make up your mind? Pick up on one and leave the other one behind. It's not often easy, and not often kind. Did you ever have to make up your mind?”

He was referring to dating sisters but it brought to mind a good topic: What kind of person should I choose to be? Greetings North Gremlins. Welcome to the next instalment of:

“What The Heck Is This Going To Be About?”

I had two memorable encounters last week. The first was during a walk with my Geezer Walking Group. An elderly woman asked, “Do you mind if I say hello to

for all.

One of my favourite examples of this is not in North Dundas or North Grenville at all, but is actually on the Ottawa side of the border, near Kenmore. At the intersection of York’s Corners Road and Marvelville Road, a four way stop sign controls the traffic. For decades, motorists local to the area have asked, “why”? The purpose of a four way stop is to control low visibility or high traffic intersections. The intersection at York’s Corners and Marvelville is neither low visibility nor high traffic most of the year, though I suspect that visibility drops significantly in the late summer and early autumn due to corn growth. This would explain the four way stop. The rest of the year, most drivers barely slow down. I’m not kidding! It’s so common to see drivers in all four directions roll through this stop sign at 40-50 km/h that anyone could probably observe at least a handful of cars doing it in the span of a 15 minute observation. It's possible to see far in

all directions, and so if there are no cars coming, local drivers “save the brakes”, so to speak. I am not condoning this – just reporting the facts! One day when going through there, I noticed that a pick up truck waited about 30 long seconds to make sure I was going to stop before proceeding, likely because he is used to seeing cars simply speed through.

Another spot that causes confusion is where County Road 3 meets Cameron Road in Inkerman. When entering town from the northeast on County Road 3, after the initial curve, proceeding straight will bring you off County Road 3 and onto Cameron Road. Technically, drivers should signal a right turn if they intend to proceed straight onto Cameron Road. Instead, it is more common to see drivers signal a left turn to take the curve that simply keeps them on the same road they are already on – County Road 3. Some signage would probably help those who aren’t familiar with Inkerman, before they start to

lose faith in the whole road system!

The most frustrating spot for me is the new 60 km/h speed limit on County Road 43, between South Gower Drive and Kemptville town limits. The 60 km/h reduction makes sense for the intersection itself – perhaps 500 metres in all four directions approaching the intersection of County Road 43 and South Gower Drive. Instead, the speed reduction extends far too long, particularly going west from the intersection all the way into Kemptville. This 2-3 km section of road is a well paved, wide, high visibility, straight section of road with only sparse homes and businesses. If any standard section of county road in Eastern Ontario can be labelled as “X”, then this particular section of County Road 43 would be “X”. Except here, X does not equal X, because no other similar section of county road would have a 60 km/h speed limit. I get tailgated going 80 km/h through there, which tells me others agree.

As is usually the case, there are two sides to this problem. Drivers need to respect road rules and use safety common sense, but the province and municipalities also need to impose rules that match the actual traffic and environment conditions. Making everyone see road rules as useless because they are unnecessarily strict ends up making roads more dangerous, rather than safer. Ontario is already a place where speeding is seen as tolerated. Lets face it – a thin majority of drivers go 100 km/h on our county roads, and when was the last time anyone got pulled over for it?

It's time to break out the algebra. X must equal X. If it’s safe to travel 80 km/h on one stretch of road, it should be safe to go the same speed on an identical stretch of road nearby. No one is asking for a German autobahn, but a little common sense would travel a long – and more efficient – way.

your dog? Is she friendly?”

I said that my dog – Eleanor – would love to meet her. And so, they had a wonderful time getting to know each other. It turns out that the woman had just recently lost her canine companion and she found this interaction both pleasing and difficult. She was close to tears, it was such a profound moment for her. Eleanor continued on her way, leading her Geezer Pack to its next adventure, unaware of what affect she had just had on a kindly, appreciative senior.

My next encounter was less random. I drove up the street of an old friend, hoping he was outside, puttering in his yard. He was surprised to see me and told me that he

had been intending to call me to say how much he had enjoyed my articles in the paper. I was a bit surprised – I don't really imagine that there are people out there who take the time to read my writing – let alone like them! Appreciative is a word that I would use to describe my years of association with this gentleman. Bill...let's call him Bill, because that is what his mother named him.

Bill and I crossed paths several times during our years in education; at two local public schools and later at a university. When I followed him into retirement, he had yet another job waiting for me; as a supervisor of Canadian students at an American university, train-

ing to get their certification to teach in Ontario.

Again, I accepted his offer and worked with 25 talented teaching candidates over the next 5 years. It was a wonderful way to share my experience and expertise while I waited for the woman of my dreams to join me in her retirement.

Sitting in the shade of Bill's garden, on a lovely May morning, we reminisced about our time together as professionals in education, and what we had been up to, since we opted for the golden years of retirement. Later, after I was warmly greeted by Bill's wonderful wife, I loaded Eleanor back in the truck and headed for home.

Since that day, I have been thinking about those two encounters and how I have been affected by them. Appreciation. I am very lucky to have crossed paths with people like Bill throughout my life. I have been truly blessed with wonderful people all around me: my wonderful children, their lovely children, my extended family, my musical friends and the people in this exceptional community. I keep shaking my head and muttering to myself, as old people are wont to do, 'What did I ever do to deserve this?'

As my 75th birthday draws nigh, I find that I am more aware of my many blessings. “With age comes wisdom” – Oscar Wilde,

613 329 0209

“Did you ever have to make up your mind?”

Antique car club visits Chesterville Heritage Centre

This is how we roll!

by Brandon Mayer of old, reliable engines filled Chesterville’s downtown as the cars rolled in, honking their old-fashioned horns at pedestrians stopping to take pictures. The owners skillfully backed the cars into library parking spaces, creating a row of history the likes of which Chesterville has likely not seen for decades.

Members of an antique car club – comprising Model A Ford owners from the local area and far beyond –made a scheduled stop at the Chesterville Heritage Centre on June 9. The nine Model A Fords rolled into Chesterville around 10:45 am on Friday, with some stopping for gas at the McEwen station and others exploring the surrounding area. Right on time at 11am, the cars made their way to the Chesterville Heritage Centre at 14 Victoria Street to meet members of the Chesterville and District Historical Society for a tour of the facility.

Each car was unique, but nevertheless unmistakably the same model of car from the same nostalgic era. The cars were made between 1928 and 1931. The sound

One car owner needed to park on a more level surface on the street in front of the Heritage Centre – the starter on his car had recently broken, so he needed to park somewhere suitable for a push start!

The dozen-and-a-half car owners, members of the Chesterville and District Historical Society, and a few members of the community all enjoyed a tour of the recently renovated Heritage Centre.

Astoundingly, only about

1/10 of the artifacts owned by the Historical Society are on display. Volunteer work is being done to digitize records of the artifacts, but many are still in boxes or located in the facility’s storage room, as volunteers can only do so much at a time. Support is being sought from the Township to help ensure that the important work of the Historical Society can continue.

There are lots of quiet days in small towns where not much of anything happens, but June 9 certainly wasn’t one of them. It will be remembered for years to come as the day when history met history.

submitted by the Winchester Skating Club

It doesn’t matter what’s on your feet, as long as you can still skate!

Roller skating has returned to the Sam Ault (Winchester) Arena for the 2023 summer season. Presented by Winchester Dairyfest, this free event for all ages runs Friday nights from 7 to 10pm. Skate borrowing is available, if you don’t have your own, and the Winchester Skating Club runs a $1 canteen.

Tons of roller skaters took to the cement arena slab for opening night on Friday, June 9. The rink was packed with people showing off their skating prowess, ranging from first timers to old pros. DJ ADJ kept the party going with excellent music choices, while lights and a disco ball added to the fun.

WSC skaters and coaches were there too, getting some skating time in, happy for the workout, regardless of what style of skate they were wearing. Between rounds of the rink surface, some skated in to share a shift in the canteen, selling drinks and treats to snacking roller skaters.

Roller skating runs every Friday night until August 11 (except August 4).

SNC is fighting the spread of the invasive European Water Chestnut

River and the Castor River in Eastern Ontario. Since these locations are outside of its known distribution in Ontario, it is considered a serious concern. “European Water Chestnut is a very aggressive and rapidly spreading invasive plant, so it’s important that we act quickly to protect our local waterways,” explains Michelle Cavanagh, Team Lead of Special Projects at SNC.

Bridge Conservation Area. Several more locations have been identified along the Castor River between Embrun and Casselman. SNC staff will work to manually remove the invasive plant in these locations starting in June 2023.

submitted by SNC South Nation Conservation (SNC) is working to combat a fast-spreading invasive aquatic plant called the European Water Chestnut which was first discovered

within the South Nation Watershed last year.

In the summer of 2022, SNC received reports of the presence of the invasive plant in various locations along the South Nation

Surveys were completed to validate the reports and record established populations after initial removal in August 2022.

Currently, the European Water Chestnut populations have been confirmed along a 6 km stretch of South Nation River between Oak Valley Pioneer Park and Cass

The work to remove the plant will include monitoring, eDNA sampling and control and manual removal activities, in accordance with the Prevention and Response Plan for European Water Chestnut in Ontario developed by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

While the plant is not directly harmful to humans, it does form extremely dense floating mats of vegetation quickly and begins to shade

out native plant species, decreasing plant biodiversity in waterways. Aside from its effects on ecosystems and the plants and animals that live there, it also makes recreational activities like swimming, angling, and boating difficult within highly infested areas.

SNC is reminding residents to be aware of invasive species within the watershed and encourages them to report any discoveries to the Conservation Authority. Invasive species sightings can also be made online at www.eddmaps.org or by phone to the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters ‘Invading Species Hotline’ at 1-800-563-7711.

“Recreational users of the rivers play a key role

in monitoring the health of our waterways. The more people who are on the lookout for these new invaders, the quicker we can act when they are found,” adds Cavanagh.

To learn more about European Water Chestnut please visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/water-chestnut

NC staff removing the European Water Chestnut from the South Nation River

Fertilizer - Seed - Crop Protection

Farm severance off the table

by Nelson Zandbergen courtesy of Farmers Forum

The Ford government has pulled the plug on a controversial proposal that would have permitted some farmers to convert some of their prime agricultural land into housing lots. A dozen farm organizations came out swinging against the farm lot severance idea after it was proposed in April.

It’s been decades since farmers were allowed to “sever” — or carve out — single residential lots from prime agricultural land, under a long-defunct policy that allowed them to build retirement homes. The recent proposal would have again permitted some farms to sever as many as three housing lots, which Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark later assured unhappy

farm leaders was only meant to accommodate generational change on the farm.

“It has never been our intention for severed lots to be transferred or sold to nonfamily/farm owners, nor for these lots to have anything more than single-family homes,” the minister wrote in a May 29 letter to the President and Vice-President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). But the proposal to allow up to three severances is now off the table.

“We will not be moving forward with the proposal on rural lot severances,” Clark’s press secretary, Victoria Podbielski, said in a May 31 statement.

“Farming is often a multi-generational family enterprise, and our government has been asked by

many farmers to make it easier for the next generation to live and work in the same place where they grew up,” she said by email. “At the same time, we have clearly heard the concerns that have been raised about the need to preserve Ontario’s farmland – and we share that goal.”

The government is still accepting public feedback on the proposal through the Environmental Registry of Ontario and recently extended the submission deadline to Aug. 5. The OFA, the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario and 10 other farm organizations had banded together on May 18 to complain about allowing more rural severances at a time when Ontario is already reported to be losing 319 acres of farmland daily to development. The

prospect of more houses going up amid farms would also make it “difficult or impossible” for livestock farmers to operate, expand and grow their farms, according to the groups’ joint statement, which urged the government to instead direct development to urban and rural settlement areas.

The Ontario Farmland Trust, which opposed the new severance allowance, estimated that between 145,000 and 510,000 housing lots would be carved out of Ontario farms, equivalent to losing 1.25% to 4.3% of the Province’s farmland. Oxford County planner Dustin Robson told Farmers Forum that his county alone would have seen as many 18,500 new residential lots carved out of local farms.

Huron-Perth OFA director and Seaforth dairy farmer Ethan Wallace applauded the proposal withdrawal. Wallace said he was “very thankful the government took the opportunity to listen and hear us, and to change their plans after seeing how it could affect rural Ontario and agriculture.”

He acknowledged that Ontario does “need to find a way” to build 1.5 million homes over the next decade — a Ford government goal — in light of the housing crisis. However, Ontario farmers still have the option of building at least one extra house (called an “accessory” dwelling) on their farms under existing law, according to municipal officials. In many municipalities, they are eligible to build two new

homes for a total of three dwellings on the farm. Another proposed update to the Provincial Policy Statement would standardize and limit the number of farmhouses on one farm property to three across the Province.

Minister Clark introduced a separate, unrelated piece of legislation, Bill 97, related to rental housing which has no bearing on the farm-lot issue but, because of the timing, is often conflated with the severance proposal.

Buying local food supports Ontario’s farms and food businesses

by Louis Roesch, Director, OFA

This week is Local Food Week in Ontario – an annual event where Ontarians are encouraged to eat local and enjoy the many different types of foods produced close to home. Although it’s often marked with photos of freshly picked asparagus or strawberries that are now in season, it’s an opportunity to celebrate the incredibly wide range of food we are able to produce right here in Ontario.

Did you know that Ontario farmers produce more than 200 different foods, from a wide range of meats and field crops like grains and soybeans to dairy, eggs, fish, honey and more? Whether fresh, frozen, processed, Ontarians can enjoy a large variety of healthy,

high-quality food that is grown by Ontario farmers and processed locally.

I’m proud to be one of those local food producers. I farm with my family in southwestern Ontario between Chatham and Thamesville where we raise our own livestock and grow crops. We have our own onfarm further processing meat plant which is where we obtain all cuts of pork, beef and poultry. We also have our own government inspected on-farm egg grading station. As well as our own eggs, we also sell Ontariomade cheese, a whole range of canned goods and even popcorn grown in our area.

I’m also proud that we don’t sell anything that is not a product of Ontario. We started our store to sell our own products to local

Call Elevator: 613-774-4246

Home: 613-774-3305

consumers, and over the years, it’s also become a way for us to support other farmers and food producers by carrying their products too. You’ll find many local food businesses just like ours or farmers markets across Ontario where you can pick up everything you need for a local Ontario-grown meal all in one spot.

As you can probably tell, local food is very important to our family, but to us, it also means community. Through our store and our catering business, we get to know and interact with a wide range of people both locally and a little further afield – brought together by a shared appreciation for good, local food. We appreciate the public’s interest in local food, which has been and continues to be a

• Cell: 613-229-2142

12650 Ormond Road, Winchester, Ontario

cornerstone of success for Ontario agriculture.

At the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), we encourage Ontarians to shop locally and enjoy local food all year round. Shopping local means you’re supporting farms and businesses in your community, which in turn means jobs in the agri-food sector and in rural Ontario, and the economic growth and prosperity they contribute to our entire province.

Consider this: our agriculture and agri-food sector contributes an estimated $47 billion to the provincial economy every year, and employs more than 10 percent of Ontario’s workforce. That makes local food a big deal in Ontario, and every local food product that Ontarians buy supports farm

and food businesses of all sizes across our province.

Our local federations of agriculture also play a key role in promoting local food as well and helping connect consumers with farmers and food businesses in their areas. In my region of Chatham-Kent, for example, I was part of an initiative by our local federation of agriculture to create Buy Local! Buy Fresh! maps and a website to introduce and guide consumers to local food and farming businesses to help them enjoy a true farm-to-table experience.

You can find out what’s available in your area through a quick Internet search or by visiting the websites of Farm Fresh Ontario or Farmers’ Markets Ontario.

At OFA, we also believe

strongly in helping the next generation of Ontario consumers get to know and appreciate local food. Our Six by Sixteen initiative helps teach young people to find local food, make healthy food choices and learn how to cook – with the goal of being able to prepare six nutritious meals by the age of 16.

In honour of Local Food Week, keep an eye on our social media channels this week to learn more about Ontario’s local food system and the great food products grown and produced here in Ontario.

Construction zones: Don’t forget the courtesy!

the traffic when they need to leave home.

Construction is usually a sign of much needed infrastructure upgrades, and an indication that local officials are taking seriously the maintenance required to keep streets and utilities functioning smoothly.

Winchester residents –and those who commute through Main Street West in Winchester – have seen such progress taking place over the last few weeks.

The Township announced last month that rolling lane closures could

be expected on Main Street West beginning on May 15 and lasting until September 1. The work being completed is new sewer main construction. The work generally occurs between 7am and 5pm Monday to Friday, though it is expected that some lane closures will have to stay in place beyond these hours, as was the case recently with the street being cut open. A set of traffic lights is patrolling the busy one-lane area, with individual linked traffic control units at the end of each driveway to help residents navigate through

One resident who lives in the residential area on the north side of Main Street is speaking out regarding the traffic issues being caused not by the construction, but by the blocking of side streets and driveways by inconsiderate motorists. “Apparently, the community has forgotten that you shouldn’t park in front of a street entrance or driveway while waiting at the light,” said the resident who asked to remain anonymous. “The amount of times I have tried to get out of the end of my street and couldn’t because there’s a vehicle there is astronomical. Drivers can leave an opening for the road while waiting at their 3-minute light!”

The resident has no problem with construction and the progress that it brings, but feels that drivers are forgetting the basic tenets of common courtesy. For example, if motorists who are turning onto Main Street to head away from the construction zone could do so through an opening between waiting cars, it would prevent further congestion from the side streets and

therefore make the commute into and out of town quicker for everyone.

“I get that the light is new, but seriously, the amount of individuals that are blocking driveways and ends of streets is sad,” the resident added. “As a community, we need to think of others and use common sense. Everyone is in a rush but at the end of the day you are hurrying up to wait!”

The construction on Main Street seems to be progressing well, though it has not been without setbacks.

Last week, on June 7, a water main was accidentally broken during construction, causing residents west of the LCBO on Main Street to be without water for a period of time. The water and sewer infrastructure in Winchester and Chesterville is aging and is being updated gradually as new developments are proposed and built. Those wishing to access the east side of Winchester without going through the construction zone can take the Winchester bypass on County Road 31 and enter town via St. Lawrence St., but so far, traffic delays from the construction have been minimal.

Forest fire smoke disrupts local life

be expected during overcast conditions.

Annual General Meeting

In-Person and Via Zoom

Tuesday, June 27th, 2023 6:30 PM

Dundas County Hospice

4353 County Rd 31, Williamsburg

If interested please call or e-mail the office.

Phone: 613-535-2215

E-mail: info@dundascountyhospice.ca

Jean Baker

A loving mother, grandmother, and greatgrandmother, Jean Baker (nee Cumming) passed peacefully with her family by her side on May 27, 2023.

Beloved wife of the late Allan Baker, loving mother of Debbie (Jack Richardson), grandchildren; David Richardson (Ali), Steven Richardson (Ali), Lauren Richardson (Jason), Hayley Young (Frank), and great-grandchildren; Jack, William, and Chas. Predeceased by daughter and son-in-law, Dianne and Terry Young, brothers, Donald, Cameron, and sister, Evelyn Cumming.

Jean was born on June 9, 1932, to James and Althea Cumming. She was the youngest of four siblings and grew up on the family farm in Maxville, Ontario.

In 1949, Jean was crowned princess of the very first Maxville Highland Games. She was honoured to have represented her hometown. She went on to train as a Bell Telephone Operator stationed in Winchester, Ontario. Not long into this career, she would connect a call for a young man who would eventually become her life partner of 59 years.

Massive forest fires raging in Quebec and in the area of Calabogie caused major air quality problems throughout parts of Ontario and Quebec last week. Smoke from the forest fires became visible to the naked eye in the areas of Kemptville and Winchester on June 5. At that time, the haze seemed relatively minor, and resembled the kind of airborne smoke that might form

by Brandon Mayer in a small area near a large local house or barn fire. Nevertheless, meteorologists from Environment Canada were already predicting that the smoke would get much worse, and they were right. By June 6, a thick smoky haze was visible everywhere outside, and the smoke worsened by June 7. The outdoors almost seemed to have a “yellow tint” during periods when the sun was out, and even without cloud cover, it was as dark outside as would

Area health units were advising against people going outside for measurable periods of time, particularly those with pre-existing conditions that make breathing difficult, such as asthma. Schools in the area suspended outdoor recesses and outdoor field trips “out of an abundance of caution”. In many schools, precautions included keeping windows closed and preventing students from lining up outside before boarding buses as well. The severity of the smoke was becoming so bad by June 6 that the UCDSB was beginning to cancel outdoor activities ahead of time.

Local youth and adult sport leagues were taking precautions as well. The North Dundas United Soccer Club cancelled practices and games on June 6, and then in the morning hours of June 7, pre-cancelled all events between June 7 and June 10. In Kemptville, a grand opening event for the new Crozier Park playground was postponed over health concerns.

By June 8, the air was much clearer, and activities were resuming as normal for the most part locally, though in areas such as Toronto, the air quality remained bad for a few more days.

Jean and Allan were married in 1955 and would begin their lives together on Allan’s family’s farm. Jean became an active partner raising, breeding, and showing purebred cattle. Together they were honoured with the Master Breeder award from the Holstein Association of Canada in 1984.

The farm would become the focal point of many memories the family, many friends, and neighbours would share together. Jean cherished these memories as people were the center of her world.

Jean was an active member of the Winchester United Church and United Church Women’s Group. She was an avid quilter, euchre player and loved to play the piano and sing.

In 2014, Jean moved to Rossland, BC to be closer to family. For the 9 years Jean lived in BC, she spent her time at Golden City Manor and Columbia View Lodge. Jean lived every day with a smile and had a kind word for all.

The family would like to thank all the staff at Columbia View Lodge for their care and compassion as well as Doctors Susan Benzer and Stephanie Cameron. As an expression of sympathy, donations in Jean’s name may be made to KBRH Health Foundation Columbia View Lodge Garden of Gratitude Project. This project will prioritize restoration of the three garden courtyard areas at CVL. To support this project, contact the KBRH Health Foundation at (250) 3643424 or visit www.kbrhhealthfoundation.ca to donate online.

Interment will be held on a later date at Maple Ridge Cemetery, Chesterville, Ontario. Kole Roth of Clark’s Funeral Services has been entrusted with arrangements.

You are invited to leave a personal message of condolence at the family’s online register at www.clarksfuneral.ca

by Brandon Mayer

The sun’s round shape was visible through the smoke on the morning of June 6. There was no cloud cover – the thickness of the smoke caused both the darkness, and the red-ish yellow tinge of the outside environment.

Dundas Manor inspires happiness and joy. But our building does not.

Dundas Manor is a place of joy and happiness, jokes, prayers, and peace. It is filled with activities, books, exercise, music, and balloon fights. Life at Dundas Manor is all about living – with care and compassion. From venturing out to local fairs to a toe-tapping fiddler in the living room, there is always something happening.

Dundas Manor...right now

Dundas Manor is warm and cozy – but it is also crowded and dated. It was built in 1978 for 60 residents. While 38 beds were added over the years, the kitchen, dining areas and gathering spaces didn’t change.

The dining space is so limited that some residents literally eat their meals in the hallway. Staff members work in offices that used to be closets. Two people can barely pass by one another in the narrow hallways. The building is deteriorating, and renovations are not practical or cost effective. It’s time for a brand new, larger, safe, and comfortable home.

The new Dundas Manor... because of you

The new home will have four resident home areas, called Homesteads. Each one will have a wonderful gathering space as well as beautiful outdoor gardens nearby. Hallway dining will be a thing of the past as there will be four large, bright dining rooms with enough space for everyone. All rooms in the new home will have only one or two residents – and everyone will have a window view, which is not the case now.

Current and future residents – and our local communities –rely on Dundas Manor to provide 24/7 care, 365 days a year. We need to keep caring for those residents in a new, safe Dundas Manor. They deserve nothing less.

For more information about the new Dundas Manor and the Expanding the Circle of Compassionate Care campaign, please visit www.dundasmanordream.ca or contact the WDMH Foundation team at 613-774-2422 ext. 6162 or 6169.

$11M OF $18M RAISED!

The estimated cost of the new building is $63 million. The provincial government is providing $45 million. Our campaign goal is $18 million. And we’re well on our way! To date, more than $11.1 million has been given by our generous community. Thank you!

Can you help? There are many ways you can give to turn this dream into a reality. For all the details, please visit www.dundasmanordream.ca or contact the WDMH Foundation team at 613-774-2422 ext. 6162 or 6169.

Proud to be a donor? Let others know!

We want to celebrate, thank and honour our donors’ incredible generosity by thanking you publicly. We realize that this type of recognition is a very personal choice. We also know it often inspires others to join you in giving.

Here are some of the ways that donors can choose to be recognized for their significant gifts:

Your name or family name published on the Donor Wall inside the new Dundas Manor.

Your name or family name on a beautifully designed metal laser-cut parking lot sign at the new home.

Your name or family name engraved in a brick in a retaining wall on the beautiful grounds of the new home.

You can name a public space in the new home.

Your name listed in our Impact Report.

To learn more about these opportunities, please visit www.dundasmanordream.ca.

¨ ✁

Dundas Manor has been a gift to our community for over 45 years. By choosing to invest in local health care, you are helping to ensure that the staff and volunteers at Dundas Manor can care for our residents and community for many years to come in a new home. Thank you so much for your support!

Donor Name(s) {person(s) or organization who paid for the gift}:

Name: Day Phone:

¨ Mr. ¨ Mrs. ¨ Mr. & Mrs. ¨ Dr. ¨ Ms. ¨ Miss Evening Phone:

Address: City:

Prov: Postal Code: Email:

#1 Give a Pledged Gift Over Time

Gift Amount

¨ Yes! I am proud to support the new Dundas Manor with a pledge of $

¨ I would like to make an initial payment of $ , leaving a balance of $

¨ No, I would prefer not to give an initial payment at this time.

¨ Payment(s) will begin on _________________________ on a basis for a period of _______________________________ or until _____________________________________(date).

#2 I Would Like to Support the New Dundas Manor Now with a Gift of $___________

Method of Payment

¨ By cheque or cash Please make payable to WDMH Foundation.

¨

Visa ¨ MasterCard ¨

Signature Date

¨ Regarding my annual or quarterly pledged gift, please send me an ¨ annual reminder or ¨ quarterly reminders

¨ Please deliver a campaign lawn sign to my address so that I can show my support and encourage others to give.

I can pick up my own campaign lawn sign at the Community Care Building, 530 Fred St, Winchester on Friday, June 16 from 1:30 – 4:30 pm

566 Louise Street Winchester, ON K0C 2K0 (613) 774-2422 x 6162

wdmhfoundation.ca foundation@wdmh.on.ca facebook.com/wdmhfoundation

Charitable Registration #: 89282 4368 RR0001

Thank you to everyone who has already made a donation to help build the new home. This has been a dream for the team at Dundas Manor for more than a decade and it is close to coming true. We can’t wait for moving day! We still need community support. Please join us by giving as generously as you can to help build the new Dundas Manor. Thank you!

Winchester: 473 Main St. 613-774-2832

Prescott: 270 Edward St. 613-925-5901

Morrisburg: Village Plaza 613-543-3731

Crysler: 12 Queen St. 613-987-2117

www.mcdougallinsurance.com

Top 20 Dad phrases

1. Do you think I'm made of money

2. Money doesn't grow on trees

3. He's thick as two short planks

4. When I was your age ...

5. I'm not sleeping, I'm just resting my eyes

6. I'm not going to tell you again

7. Were you raised in a barn

8. Don't talk back to your mother

9. If you were told to jump off a cliff, would you?

10. They don't make them like they used to

Father’s Day Q&A

What is something dad always tells you?

Lincoln, grade JK: “Test the bacon!”

Isabelle, grade 2: “I love you”

Blake, grade 6: “Come here, buddy”

Trystance, grade 3: “Go clean your bedroom”

Tyler, grade 5: “Be quiet”

Everett, grade SK: “Bye, have a good day”

Liam, grade 2: “Go to bed”

Quinn, grade JK: “Use the potty” (when my tummy hurts)

Nate, grade 1: “Clean up your room”

Blake, grade 5: “Get up, let’s go!”

What is your favourite thing to do with dad?

Lincoln, grade JK: Cut the grass

Isabelle, grade 2: Daddy-daughter days

Blake, grade 6: Go to the park

Trystance, grade 3: Going to Calypso

Tyler, grade 5: Make food

Everett, grade SK: We go snowmobiling

Liam, grade 2: Playing soccer

Quinn, grade JK: When he throws me in the pool

Nate, grade 1: Playing with him

Blake, grade 5: Playing video games together

What’s dad’s favourite food?

Lincoln, grade JK: English sandwiches

Isabelle, grade 2: Chocolate and brownies

Blake, grade 6: Chinese rice

Trystance, grade 3: Pizza

Tyler, grade 5: I don’t know!

Everett, grade SK: Pie

Liam, grade 2: Ribs

Quinn, grade JK: Cheese pizza

Nate, grade 1: Breakfast sandwiches

Blake, grade 5: Steak or KD

What nickname does dad call you?

Lincoln, grade JK: Just Lincoln

Isabelle, grade 2: The Biz

Blake, grade 6: Buddy

Trystance, grade 3: Tryssie

Tyler, grade 5: Buddy

Everett, grade SK: Everett

Liam, grade 2: Bud

Quinn, grade JK: Quinnden

Nate, grade 1 : Nate

Blake, grade 5 : Sunny boy

11. Stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about

12. Don't tell your mother

13. Waste not, want not

14. You're not going out in that

15. We were grateful to have an orange for Christmas

16. Now, don't go spending a lot on me

17. A little hard work never hurt anybody

18. You'll understand when you're older

19. You don't know you're born

20. Don't let the bedbugs bite

looks like mom)

Blake, grade 6: We are pretty much the same height

Trystance, grade 3: We both like pizza

Tyler, grade 5: We both get up early

Everett, grade SK: We both love pie

Liam, grade 2: His name is my middle name

Quinn, grade JK: We both have wavy hair

Nate, grade 1: We have the same personality

What does dad always forget?

Lincoln, grade JK: Sometimes he forgets to cut the lawn

Isabelle, grade 2: His wallet

Blake, grade 6: He forgets me

Trystance, grade 3: To give me my allowance!

Tyler, grade 5: Usually everything

Everett, grade SK: His tablet

Liam, grade 2: Going to sleep

Quinn, grade JK: Nothing

Nate, grade 1: His keys

Blake, grade 5: To go to Circle K

How does dad make you laugh?

Lincoln, grade JK: He tickles me

Isabelle, grade 2: Bad dad jokes

Blake, grade 6: By mocking how I laugh

Trystance, grade 3: By making funny faces at me

Tyler, grade 5: Dad jokes

Everett, grade SK: By saying jokes

Liam, grade 2: By tickling me

Quinn, grade JK: By saying something funny

Nate, grade 1: By tickling me

Blake, grade 5: By telling jokes I told him a long time ago

How are you and dad the same?

Lincoln, grade JK: We cut the grass the same

Isabelle, grade 2: We look alike (my brother

Happy Father’s Day to all Dads, Foster Dads and Step Dads

Blake, grade 5: We think the same way

How are you and dad different?

Lincoln, grade JK: I don’t have a beard

Isabelle, grade 2: I love dogs and he doesn’t as much

Blake, grade 6: He doesn’t eat as much as me

Trystance, grade 3: He’s doesn’t like cake as much as me

Tyler, grade 5: He’s an adult, I’m a kid

Everett, grade SK: We wear different clothes

Liam, grade 2: Because he’s more bald

Quinn, grade JK: Daddy is bigger than me

Nate, grade 1: I have more hair

Blake, grade 5: He’s bald and has a beard

Why do you love dad?

Lincoln, grade JK: He does all sorts of things

Isabelle, grade 2: Because he’s my dad!

Blake, grade 6: Because he’s my dad!

Trystance, grade 3: He’s funny, nice, and sweet!

Tyler, grade 5: Everything!

Everett, grade SK: Because he is funny!

Liam, grade 2: Because he plays with me!

Quinn, grade JK: Because he’s my dad!

Nate, grade 1: Because he buys me lots of stuff!

Blake, grade 5: Because he’s my dad!

Fertilizer - Seed - Crop Protection

Oxford Station

613-258-3445

888-342-7839

Addison 613-924-2632 877-246-5013

The best father-daughter activities

Happy Father’s Day

(NC) Father’s Day is coming up, and there is no better time to nourish your special bond. If you are looking for fun ways to spend the holiday with your daughter, check out this list of sure-to-be-favourite activities:

Gardening. You can spend a nice summer morning out in the yard. Gardening is hard work that requires a lot of knowledge, but it is also fun. You can teach your daughter about different types of plants and how best to take care of them.

Biking. This is one of the best sports to do with someone else, because you can still talk while cycling. Plus, there are so many beautiful places you can bike to, making it fun to exercise and relax together.

Cooking. If you are planning on having a Father’s Day meal, why not prepare the food together? Cooking is not only an essential life skill, but is good fun if done right. Who knows, you might even spark your daughter’s interest in the chemistry involved with cooking.

Fathers have the special ability to teach girls that they are just as good as boys are, and that they can be anything they want. If you are a dad who believes girls deserve an equal chance, consider donating to an organization like Beautiful World Canada, which provides comprehensive higher education scholarships to girls in sub-Saharan Africa.

Learn more about how you can help girls around the world achieve their dreams at www.beautifulworldcanada.org.

Happy Father’s Day

Kelly Windle speaks to Council about insurance issue

by Brandon Mayer

A local business owner

finally had her opportunity to speak during an open Council meeting to voice her concerns about the Township’s new insurance requirements for public events. Kelly Windle is a Winchester resident who owns the Planted Arrow flower and gift shop, and also runs the annual Garden Party Markets, which are popular attractions for residents and fellow business owners. Kelly has stood vocally in opposition to a new Township rule that requires vendors in public events to secure a $5 million liability insurance policy, which she argues is unprecedented when looking at other municipalities.

On May 30, Kelly got the opportunity to speak to the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and three Councillors during the

regularly scheduled Council meeting. She began by extending an invitation for the Council members to attend a Garden Party Market to see how much the event means to the 50 local vendors who choose to do business in North Dundas. Kelly also invited Council members to talk to the vendors, as well as members of the community, to get a true sense of the importance and popularity of the Garden Party Markets and Christmas Markets.

“I have people tell me that they plan their family vacations around the Market,” said Kelly during the meeting. She pointed out that the Markets have been a success over the last few years and that she would like them to continue. The Markets also support local charities by allowing them to attend and raise funds for their causes.

Kelly’s direct request to Council was simple: lower the liability insurance requirement from $5 million to $2 million. She was quick to point out that $2 million is the industry standard, and also revealed that vendors have been cancelling due to the premiums for a $5 mil-

lion policy being too high. If Kelly were to purchase a blanket policy to cover all of her vendors, she said it would cost her over $2,200. This is money that she would normally put toward portable toilets, bands, and advertising.

“I do find that we are pricing ourselves out of events in our community, and I would like Council to consider… waiving the $5 million for $2 million,” Kelly concluded.

Councillor John Lennox was the first to ask Kelly a question, hoping that she could define “industry standard”. Kelly explained that industry standard insurance requirements are calculated using several factors, including the type of industry seeking insurance. Councillor Lennox then commented that he can’t ethically justify asking taxpayers to cover the cost in the event that something “catastrophic” happens at an event where a $2 million policy would not cover the damage.

Mayor Tony Fraser invited other Council members to provide comments, but no others had comments. He then spoke up himself,

pointing out that there are differences between business events and events such as Bike Night, which are not-for-profit. The Mayor further stated that concessions were already made to allow the Township and taxpayers to assume the risk for very low-risk activities –such as musicians in the park – but that business activities are different.

“I do appreciate all the effort to bring people to the community,” added Mayor Fraser. “As we’ve evolved and been presented with the challenges from our insurance brokers, we need to be mindful of the risk we’re taking because we’re involved so we become part of the effort… At the end of being challenged in court for liability, the Township is the one that’s going to end up paying because it has the deepest pockets, that’s just the standard way it works.”

The Mayor invited Clerk Nancy Johnston to speak more about how the insurance decisions were made. She explained that a meeting took place with the President and Vice-President of Halpenny Insurance Brokers, and that it was on their rec-

ommendation that the Township mandated $5 million liability insurance for event organizers and vendors. She further pointed out that other municipalities in the area were contacted before the issue was presented to Council, and that all except South Dundas confirmed they have the same $5 million policy for events (South Dundas only requires $5 million when alcohol is served). Clerk Johnston also provided some figures as an example - $2 million of insurance would cost a food vendor about $14, while $5 million would cost $18. Kelly asked for and received the name of the company offering these rates, and pointed out that she had received different quotes from the same company.

“As a business owner here in town who pays taxes, who is bringing revenue into this community, who is bringing tourism into this community… I’m not looking for a handout,” said Kelly. “I’m looking for support from my Council, support from my Township to encourage that I can continue to do business here and some of the other businesses

can continue to do business here.”

Mayor Fraser concluded with a statement that he is confident the existing policy is what is best for the community. Kelly agreed that if she had received the same quotes, she may not have felt the need to speak to Council, but that with the numbers she did receive, what may seem like a small difference in premium cost can make a big difference to business owners. Mayor Fraser asked that further discussion on the specifics of the numbers take place outside of the allotted delegation time.

Councillor Lennox added a word of positive support for Kelly for having the courage to speak to Council regarding a matter that was important to her.

Mayor Fraser added onto this point, but also noted that Council members must work impartially for the benefit of all. No change in the Township’s insurance policy is expected. A significant amount of other routine business was discussed at the May 30 meeting, which can be viewed on YouTube.

Local agriculture groups donate to Community Food Share

How to win the life insurance game

Sarah Chisholm, Financial Advisor

O’Farrell Wealth & Estate Planning | Assante Estate & Insurance Services Inc.

submitted by Dundas Federation of Agriculture

June 5-11 is Local Food Week! It’s an opportunity to celebrate and recognize the abundance of fresh, healthy, affordable local food that we are privileged to have access to across the Province.

The Dundas Federation of Agriculture (DFA), along with Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO), the Dundas Dairy Producers Committee (DDPC), and the Dundas Soil and Crop Improvement As-

sociation (DSCIA) recognizes that many within our community need support and especially as the cost of living continues to climb with inflation.

The DFA, CFFO, DDPC and DSCIA are helping to increase access to local food by giving back to our community. Today’s donations are of $500 from each of the local agriculture groups to Community Food Share. This $2,000 donation is helping our community increase its access to local food while improving local food literacy.

Our agricultural community encourages all to support local and encourage an increased use of local food by public and public sector organizations when possible, supporting our agricultural community today and into the future.

Community Food Share would like to also remind our local producers that they accept fresh produce and will work with our farmers for any donations of meat.

Life insurance is all about risk mitigation. It’s about protecting your loved ones financially if something should happen to you unexpectedly. There are so many insurance products out there that it is often difficult to sift through policies and find the one that is right for you. Insurance companies aren’t always great at being clear about which insurance plans are best for each individual client. Here are a few things you should know about life insurance and some tips on how to pick the policy that is right for you.

Insurance companies are for profit businesses

Insurance companies make their money off calculating risk. Typically, the more likely you are to die the higher your insurance premiums will be. Insurance companies group people into different categories of risk (ex. non-smokers, smokers) and they know how much they need to charge in premiums based on calculating the risk of death for each grouping of people. A smoker will typically pay 3-5 times more in insurance premiums than a non-smoker because of statistical data that indicates that smokers are more likely to die sooner than those who don’t smoke. When it comes down to it insurance companies do protect you in case of unexpected death, but they are also in it to make money.

The best policy is the longest you can afford

As a general rule, the longer the policy the better. A Term 20 insurance policy will cover you for 20 years with a fixed premium that will not increase. A Term 10 policy will provide you with the same coverage but only for 10 years. At this point if you wanted to keep it you would face a premium increase.

Term 10 policies are cheaper than Term 20 because there is less risk involved for the insurance company. A Term 10 policy might cost you $20/month while a Term 20 policy would be $30 or $35/month. While paying $20 for the same coverage might seem attractive in the short term, the issue comes up when it is time for it to be renewed.

At the ten year mark it is certain that your insurance premiums will go up as you will be a decade older and if you decide to keep the original policy it could cost you as much as 3 to 5 times more premium.

One option is to apply for a new policy altogether but there is no guarantee that you will be healthy enough to qualify for a new policy ten years down the road. This is why paying a bit more for a longer-term policy is better than saving $10-$15 a month for a shorter policy. You end up paying less in the long run and are guaranteed the insurance pay-out for longer should something happen to you unexpectedly.

In certain situations, it might also make sense to buy a Term 65 (which guarantees you coverage until you are 65) or Term 100 (which guarantees you coverage until you are 100). However, these policies are more expensive because it poses more risk for the insurance company.

Buy young

It may seem counterintuitive to buy life insurance when you are in your 20s, have no money and likely no dependents to look after if you pass away. However, this is the best time to buy life insurance. Unless you have a health condition it is likely that you will be in the best shape of your life and as a result your insurance premiums will be at an all time low.

Think long-term.

If you buy a Term 20 insurance policy when you are 25 it will last until you are 45. In that time are you likely to have built a career?

Gotten married? Had a family? Probably. Therefore, it is good to get locked into a plan young. It will never be cheaper to get insurance than right now.

The most important part of buying insurance is understanding your options. A good financial advisor will typically look at how much debt you have, what your annual income is and if you have children or a spouse to calculate the amount of insurance you need. Using this information, they will be able to advise you on the insurance product that works best for your situation. There is no reason to go into a meeting with an insurance agent blind. Know what your needs are and what you are willing to spend before you buy into a policy to avoid getting trapped in an agreement that is not in your best interest.

L-R:DSCIA President Wray Holmes, DFA President Ryan Devries, Community Food Share Team Leader Jane Schoones, DDPC Vice-Chair James Harbers, and CFFO Member Brian Vandenburg.

Report from the 4-H Dairy Club

submitted by Makenna Raistrick, Dundas Dairy Club

Our first and second meetings were held on April 8 at Fawcett View Farms for the Ready, set, show. We had different seminars such as clipping, showmanship, judging and a few guest speakers.

The third meeting was on April 18 at Scheepers Farm outside of Winchester. At this meeting, we discussed what we should look for in our show calf. We also learned how to prepare and give proper reasons for judging night that is coming up. After the meeting, we enjoyed a snack.

The fourth meeting was held on May 23 at Velthuis Farms in Mountain. Here, we learned how to wash our show calves, and were split up into groups to practice. We had guest speaker Phyllis McMaster to give us tips and tricks on how to judge hay. We also judged a class of Holstein calves.

Our next meeting is being held on June 12, 2023.

Jason Walkden, Chesterville Fire ghter 1977-2023

Jason Walkden peacefully passed away at the WDMH on Tuesday, June 6th surrounded by family. He was the loving husband of Shelley Summers and dear father of Jacob Walkden, Noah Walkden and Brandon Lovely. Jason was an exemplary Fire Captain at the Chesterville Fire Station who joined the North Dundas Fire Service 20 years ago. Fellow Firefighters will be attending the service tomorrow and bringing the original 1953 Chesterville Fire Truck to honour his passing. Donations to Vista Centre Brain Injury Services in Cornwall or the Dundas County Hospice would be greatly acknowledged by the family.

Read the complete obituary on the Marsden Mclaughlin Funeral Home website.

CROSSWORD

Ormond Cemetery

Memorial Service

June 25, 2023 @ 7:oopm

12659 Ormond Road, Winchester, ON Message by Pastor Mollie McKibbon, Music by Sharon Baird

* rain location Harmony

Community Church

12010 Ormond Rd, Winchester, ON

Part-Time Direct Support Professional – JOB

POSTING

Location: Winchester, Ontario & Williamsburg, Ontario

Hours: 4-Week rotating scheduled shifts, opportunities to work up to 40 hours

Hourly Rate: $24.70 per hour

Benefits: SunLife Pension Plan, In-Lieu of Benefits and Automatic Vacation Pay

Community Living Dundas County fosters an inclusive and vibrant community by creating opportunities for adults with an intellectual disability.

Qualifications:

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in Human Services (Development Support Worker (DSW), Social Support Worker (SSW).

• Excellent interpersonal communication

• Ability to work effectively as a team member in collaboration with outside agencies.

• Criminal Reference Check

• CPR/First Aid

• Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (CPI)

• Valid Ontario driver’s license

Position Summary :

Exude a positive image that reflects the vision, mission, and values of the Agency. Responsible to deliver person-centered support services to adults who have an intellectual disability as they develop their capacity to live, learn, work and participate in all aspects of living within the community. Work in accordance with CLDC’s Agency policies and procedures. Complies with health and safety standards for performance and ensures safe working conditions are observed.

Do you encompass our values of People First Language; Respect & Dignity; Autonomy; Growth & Development; Inclusion and relationships?

Apply with a cover letter and resumé to:

Morgan Chambers, CHRP

Human Resources

Generalist

Community Living Dundas County mchambers@cldc.ca

In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code, CLDC will provide reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment and selection process. All personal information is collected under the authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Solutions to last week’s

Solution to

Summer health kick-off tips

submitted by Dana Douglas, MScFN, RD

Leeds, Grenville & Lanark DHU

Healthy Hydration

Fluids are absolutely necessary for our bodies to function properly. Fluids help move nutrients and waste through our bodies, keep blood pressure normal and control body temperature. Fluids also help protect and cushion our joints and organs. When we get busy, it can be easy for us to forget to drink enough fluids. This can put us at risk of becoming dehydrated, especially during warmer weather.

To help stay hydrated, make water your drink of choice. Keep a reusable water bottle with you throughout the day, whether you’re at work, school or play. Add herbs, fruit and vegetables for flavour. Enjoy other fluids like white milk or unsweetened fortified soy beverage. For adults, contrary to popular belief, decaffeinated coffee or tea also helps us stay hydrated. Save drinks like juice, pop, store-bought iced tea, lemonade and other fruit drinks for an occasional choice as they are higher in sugar and can take the place of healthier options. Remember to drink more in hot weather and when you are active.

Easy Summer Snack and Meal Ideas

If schedules change during the summer months, it can be difficult to stick to a routine. One tip is to continue eating regular meals and snacks throughout the day. For breakfast, when you’re on-the-go and not feeing hungry, start the day with something small like a piece of fruit or yogurt and then have something larger, like whole grain

The health consequences of cats

toast with peanut butter later on. Cold breakfasts may be more appealing than hot breakfasts during the summer months.

Keep cut and washed vegetables and fruit in the refrigerator for ready-toeat snacks. Pair them with hummus, cottage cheese, yogurt or even peanut butter for a healthy and fast snack. Get creative with salads by adding vegetables like beets, bell peppers, broccoli, radishes or shredded cabbage. You can also throw in nuts, tuna, edamame or cooked chicken to add protein. Try adding vegetables to sandwiches like tomatoes, avocado, spinach or lettuce. Cook larger batches of food when the weather is cooler and freeze leftovers in individual meal-sized portions. Then thaw leftovers and skip cooking on hot days when you don’t feel like cooking.

Exploring Local Produce

Cherries, rhubarb, strawberries, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, beans, cabbage and peas are all grown seasonally in Ontario during the month of June. Find local produce by visiting a farmer’s market or farm gate or look for the Foodland Ontario logo when buying from a grocery store. When you buy food that’s locally grown, it’s fresher and tastier as it hasn’t been transported over long distances. Buying local also helps support the community, creates jobs and supports economic growth in Ontario.

Some meals and snacks ideas using seasonal produce include:

- whole grain pasta with fresh vegetables tossed in a tomato sauce or pesto with some grated cheese on top,

- cherries or strawberries

added to yogurt or cottage cheese, - blended fresh fruit in a smoothie.

- top half of a whole grain bagel with fresh tomato slices and a hard-boiled egg, tuna or hummus.

Summer Food Safety

Barbequing is a common way of cooking in warmer months. When it comes to barbequing, there are additional safety precautions that need to be taken. Keep these 4 steps in mind: Separate, Clean, Cook and Chill.

- Separate: keep raw and ready-to-eat ingredients separated to avoid crosscontamination. This includes while grocery shopping, in the refrigerator, if transporting foods, and using different plates for raw and ready-to-eat ingredients. Throw out any marinade that had raw meat in it.

- Clean: wash hands in warm soapy water before handling food and after handling raw foods, and wash produce. Clean surface, and wash and sanitize utensils between use on raw and ready-toeat foods.

- Cook: cook meat thoroughly and use a food thermometer to make sure meat reaches a safe internal temperature. Beef steaks and roasts can be cooked to your preferred doneness as long as they were not mechanically tenderized and the outside is cooked.

- Chill: store foods like meat, eggs and dairy products in the refrigerator at 4 degrees Celsius or lower. Cool leftovers quickly and store covered in the refrigerator or cooler at 4 degrees Celsius.

For more information, visit www.healthunit.org, connect with us on Facebook and Twitter or call 1-800-660-5853.

Dog lovers may want to skip this week’s commentary. For cat lovers too, this column may prove a disappointment. A health risk assessment of household cats might be all you need to recommit to a dog.

Cats are the darlings of the Internet. And that may be the safest way to enjoy them.

There can be no doubt that cats provide crucial companionship for many people. Their entertainment powers rival dogs. But here are a few thoughts on the ways cats can have an impact on human health.

First, the killer instinct of cats has a startling effect on biodiversity. About a decade ago, the journal Nature published a study that estimated domestic cats kill 1.3–4.0 billion birds and 6.3–22.3 billion mammals annually! More recently, in Australia, a study found that the hunting success of feral cats, especially in areas affected by wildfires, has contributed to the collapse in population of small mammal species.

While charming household cats may not be successful in killing

Hookworms are another concern. These tiny worms are found in cat feces and in the soil and sand used by infected cats. Humans walking barefoot in contaminated areas can pick up the worms. The larvae penetrate the skin causing red, raised tracks that are very itchy. Fortunately, the worms can’t survive in their human host, so the problem goes away without treatment within a few weeks most of the time.

It’s your choice, choose local

larger prey, that doesn’t stop them from trying. It’s amazing to learn that nearly half of house cats have physically attacked their owners!

Most of these incidents are not serious. But when provoked, cats know to direct their sharp teeth and claws to the face of their victims. These are the injuries that result in emergency room visits.

What are some of the other perils of living with cats? Numerous diseases can be transmitted by cats, including bacterial infections. The cats usually become infected by eating contaminated raw meat. Humans touching these cats, their food, toys or bedding – and especially in handling cat poop – neglect to wash their hands. Salmonella can be caught this way.

Other bacterial infections can be caused by flea bites or fights with other infected cats. Cat scratch disease, for example, can be transmitted to humans by the lick of a cat. It’s normally not serious, but infection can lead to fever, eye infection, and more severe symptoms in children and people with weakened immune systems.

Ringworm is an infection caused by fungus spread by touching an infected animal.

Roundworm is a parasitic disease transmitted by swallowing the eggs, something children can easily do when playing in sandboxes and then not washing their hands.

Thanks to laws requiring vaccination, rabies in cats is rare. But watch out for feral cats that may have come in contact with infected wildlife.

Toxoplasmosis may be the greatest concern. It’s caused by a parasite found in soil, water, meat, or poop from an infected cat. Most commonly, people become infected when they do not wash their hands after cleaning a cat’s litterbox. There can be serious health consequences for people with weakened immune systems, including neurological disease. Pregnant women need to stay away from the litterbox and any other areas exposed to cat poop due to the risk of birth defects associated with toxoplasmosis.

With such a disparaging commentary on cats, we are certain to receive a ton of reader mail reminding us about dog attacks, dog-borne diseases, and other dog drama. But long-time readers will know that for us, there is no contest.

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UCDSB celebrates National Indigenous History Month

June 5, 2022 – The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB), which is situated on the traditional Anishinaabek and Haudenosaunee territories, has a deep connection with Indigenous education. As June is National Indigenous History Month, the UCDSB will be enhancing its focus on Indigenous education this month, providing schools across the District with additional opportunities to learn about and celebrate Indigenous peoples and culture.

Age-appropriate classroom teaching and resources were provided to UCDSB educators, including the Strawberry Moon and Summer Solstice ceremonies. One particularly exciting opportunity for students in Grades 4 to 12 is a virtual celebration hosted by the Olympic gold canoe-kayaker and Canada's Sports Hall of Famer, Alwyn Morris.

Alwyn Morris, a member of the Turtle Clan from the Mohawk Nation of Kahnawake, has achieved tremendous success as a competitive canoe-kayak sprint athlete. His Olympic Gold medal performance in the 1000m Kayak Sprint Double in 1984 not only inspired a nation but also solidified his position as one of the most influential Indigenous athletes of all time.

"We are excited to celebrate National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous People's Day with our students and educators," says Kelty Grant, UCDSB Principal of Indigenous Education. "By providing resources and engaging activities, we aim to bring Indigenous perspectives into our classrooms and create a learning environment that fosters understanding, respect, and appreciation. Through initiatives like the virtual presentation by Alwyn Morris, we hope to inspire our students and promote a sense of pride in Indigenous heritage."

Another opportunity taking place this month is the fifth annual Spirit of the Drum Powwow being held June 10 and 11 on Duck Island in Smiths Falls. Smiths Falls District Collegiate Institute partnered with the Town of Smiths Falls to bring communities together to celebrate the rich culture of Indigenous peoples who live and work in our shared communities. The Powwow will include traditional dancing, drumming, singing, craft vendors and food.

Classroom and at-home learning resources and activities related to Indigenous history and culture are posted to the UCDSB Virtual Learning Commons for anyone to use.

Also, the UCDSB is also currently working on a Land Acknowledgement project, customizing formal recognition for each school and the traditional territories they are situated on. This is a year-long project that is in collaboration with Indigenous members of the community.

“Providing Indigenous and non-Indigenous students alike access to rich and authentic programming about Indigenous culture and history is vital to ensuring we are being true to our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation,” says Chair of Board John McAllister. “I’m very proud of all we offer in this area and excited about where we are going.”

UCDSB puts focus on 2SLGBTQIA activities and resources in June

June is widely known as Pride Month and schools within the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) will take part in activities throughout the month to celebrate and show support of our two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual (2SLGBTQIA) students, staff members, and their families.

“Pride Month is another opportunity to have discussions around what it means to be inclusive and accepting within our schools. Our goal is to have every student be able to say, yes, I feel safe, accepted, and included at school,” says Dan McRae, Principal of Equity and Inclusion within the UCDSB. “In order for that to happen though, students need to feel like they are being heard and they see themselves in the day-to-day culture and life at the school all year long.”

During the month of June, schools will emphasize support for members of our 2SLGBTQIA community through planned activities and age-appropriate classroom discussions.

Here are just a few of the events and activities that are planned or completed:

- on June 1, all students across the school district were invited to wear rainbow colours to school to show their support for the 2SLGBTQIA community. This was an initiative that started with The Queen Elizabeth School in Perth and grew to an open invitation to all UCDSB students and staff;

- students in the Grade 12 Social Justice course at Almonte District High School are working with the Mississippi Mills Library to celebrate Pride Month by making video book reviews of 2SLGBTQIA-themed books to create an “Almonte’s Pick” section at the community library;

- the UCDSB Student Equity and Inclusion Committee will be hosting a virtual event for all secondary and intermediate student voice groups where students will hear directly from Queer Connection Lanark, NG Pride, Gananoque Pride Alliance, Cornwall Police Services and Russell Township; and

- the UCDSB has formed a list of Rainbow Reads for educators to share in the classroom, with books such as A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, I Love My Purse, and Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress for elementary students, and Dress Codes for Small Towns, We’ve Always Been Here and Zara Hossain is Here for secondary students. “Public education is for all students, and we truly want all of our students and their families to feel supported and accepted. Equity and inclusion, acceptance and support are not just buzzwords for us. We have made significant strides in creating safe and accepting learning environments over the last few years. We know that we have work to do, and we are committed to doing it,” says John McAllister, Chair of the Board.

Recognizing World Elder Abuse Prevention Day

As June 15th is observed as World Elder Abuse Prevention Day, it’s important to recognize not all seniors are in the best of circumstances. Every year it’s estimated 200,000 that 10% of seniors are victims of elder abuse. Physical, sexual, psychological, or financial abuse and can result in distress, impairment, or bodily injury. Every senior deserves the right to feel safe, and live free from abuse.

The theme of World Elder Abuse Prevention Day for 2023 is “Rights don’t get old.” Basic human rights of older adults are challenged and undercut every day. Experts believe elder abuse is not only significantly under-reported, it remains a hidden crime. Within the Eastern Counties alone, the Carefor Elder Abuse Prevention Program has seen an increase of over 40% in financial elder abuse cases in 2022.

Tanya Mayich, Carefor’s Elder Abuse Prevention Coordinator, and Community Network Chair for the Prevention of Elder Abuse for the Eastern Counties and Akwasasne shared, “Seniors are being targeted by persistent scams and fraud every day. Financial abuse against older adults can be devastating, and can often leave victims with no way to recoup their losses. It’s necessary to ask questions and to not share any important personal and financial information.”

It is imperative within our local community that we educate ourselves of the universal warning signs and the associated risk factors concerning elder abuse, and advocate for the rights of seniors. Tanya explained, “This day is celebrated to advocate for seniors so their voices can be heard. We must acknowledge elder abuse as a public and human rights issue throughout the community and around the world. Every older adult deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and we can only make a difference if we mobilize together as a community.”

Seniors have the right to live free from abuse and you can make a difference. If you know a senior experiencing any type of abuse, if you need support, or have any questions or need further information call Carefor’s Elder Abuse Prevention Coordinator at 613 932-3451 ext. 4244 or visit www.elderabusepreventionservices.com.205 Amelia St., Cornwall, ON K6H 3P3 • T/T : 613-932-3451 • F/T: 613-932-9298 • infoeasterncounties@carefor.ca • carefor.ca

About Carefor and the Elder Abuse Prevention Program

Carefor is a local not-for-profit charity that provides home healthcare and community support services across Eastern Ontario. Whether in the home, in the community, at care facilities or one of its clinics, 1,500 staff are part of the circle of care that is tailored to clients’ needs. The Elder Abuse Prevention Program served over 140 vulnerable seniors this past year in the Eastern Counties.

submitted by UCDSB

Baldwin’s Birds

A Real Head Scratcher!

I've had quite the dilemma this week as to which bird is which! There are times when this happens and it drives me to distraction when it does. For quite a while, we have had a couple of House Finches feeding with the Goldfinches, but the other day something didn't just look the same when the birds arrived to join the Goldfinches. What on earth could it be, they certainly looked the same

The Weather with Connor

around 2:30pm, storms had started to initiate in Quebec and began moving southwest towards Eastern Ontario.

but there was something not quite the same about them, but what was it? So into the bird-books to see what the difference was between what I was seeing and what I was thinking I should be seeing. The answer, as near as I can determine, is that I was now seeing a Purple Finch and not a House Finch, the similarities between the two being quite amazing. There is a lot of red on both birds, but the House Finch has a brown eye band and not so

much red on its rump. Even the books and electronic media acknowledge this fact, so I don't feel such a fool in not realizing these differences more quickly too! No doubt you have had this happen to you quite unexpectedly when catching only a fleeting glimpse during one of your own bird sightings.

Despite this deviation from the "norm", everything bird-wise in the garden has been progressing well and the Bluebirds have now

left their nesting activities, having brought their young brood into the world successfully. We didn't see the young at all this time, which isn't unusual, we have found.

The Wrens, on the other hand, are still busy to-ing and fro-ing to one of my nesting boxes just for a little while longer. No doubt all will suddenly go quiet in that direction soon as yet another breeding season is completed and more birds take wing. Maybe you too have had a chance to watch nesting activity take place in your own backyard and if so, I hope it has brought you as much joy as the birds do for us in our garden and backyard. Stay safe and well, Cheers,

John Baldwin

Tom’s Bucket Run a huge success

second half of June.

featuring Connor Mockett

Hello, everyone! Welcome back to another week of The Weather with Connor. I’ve got plenty to talk about in this week's column, from the first storm chase of the year, to the ridiculous wildfire smoke from Quebec.

I’ll start with the storm chase. On Friday, June 2nd, we had the first thunderstorm day across parts of Eastern Ontario and into Southwestern Quebec. Widespread severe thunderstorms were expected, and that morning, Environment Canada issued their first Severe Thunderstorm Watch of the year.

I did my forecast the night before, doing my usual severe weather style forecast for my Facebook page. During that time I started to hone in on a target area for my chase, which I shared the next morning on the 2nd. That area ended up being the town of Dalkeith, Ontario, a small little town just north-northeast of Alexandria. I left in the afternoon around 1:00pm, and

I’ll admit, I got a bit antsy sitting around Dalkeith waiting for the storm to come to me, so I ended up driving towards it. That decision ended up being bad, as I ended up in Hawkesbury, and then chased that storm for far too long as it died. I ended up in Rigaud, Quebec (which is about 30 minutes from Montreal), which put me out of position for the other storms that were occurring back closer to home in Ontario.

I tried to race back home to get back in front of the storms, but I was unsuccessful. I got closer to some storms around Alexandria, but was never able to get in front of them. I ended my chase in St. Andrews, Ontario (which is just north of Cornwall on HWY 138). Thankfully, with me messing up my chase, I didn’t miss much because the storms were quite messy and unphotogenic. I’m very antsy for a good chase, but that looks like it will have to wait for a while until the

Now I’ll pivot to something more widespread. During the week of the 5th-11th, the region dealt with the worst wildfire smoke we’ve ever seen. Thick and yellow smoke made its way through the region, with the worst of it coming on Tuesday the 6th and Wednesday the 7th, both during the overnight and early morning hours.

The photos out of Ottawa were astounding. Smoke was so thick, street lights were coming on because it was dark enough outside for them to be on. The smell outside was very obvious, it smelt like a campfire out there. Visibility was down to about 1-2km. For people with breathing issues, this smoke kept them in the house with nowhere to go.

Smoke was less on Thursday the 8th for most of the region (except the Ottawa Valley and west-eastern Ontario) as blue sky came back. Friday the 9th was better as well. Thankfully, both of those days were better, because that was the worst smoke we’ve ever seen here.

Thank you for reading, I’ll see you next time!

STEPHEN TROLLY Marketing Consultant

submitted by Tom Clapp

Thank you to the community for supporting Tom’s Bucket Run last Saturday. The team ran/walked in the 5K Ottawa Tamarak 5K run and collected donations. The donations support the WDMH Foundation for the Cancer Coach program and the Ottawa Hospital Foundation for breast and prostate cancer research. To date, the team has raised about $30,000. The 50% going to the Ottawa Hospital Foundation will be leveraged 1:10. This $15,000 now has a value of $150,000 for cancer research. Thus the total

value of the funds donated increases to $180,000. Special thanks to the major donors: South Mountain and District Lions Club, Ketchum Manufacturing, Prostate Cancer Support Ottawa, and Precision Engines.

There is still an opportunity to donate and support. Contact a team

member or go online at tomsbucketrun.ca. Again, thank you to all who donated, every dollar was important, and please know that all funds stayed local.

Rick Marceau, Chris Clapp, Murray Link, Libby Pelkey, Dawn Erickson, Cholly Boland, Tom Clapp, Cameron Sheppard. Lower: Jane Sachs, Reta Lalonde (missing: Jonas Fossitt).