ND Times Issue 14 2024 July 11 by The North Grenville & North Dundas Times

Chesterville students enhance community through garden project

The Grade 4/5 class from Chesterville Public School (CPS) gathered last week to launch their collaborative garden project with the food bank at the United Church and their community garden. This initiative, which began with a simple food drive, has blossomed into a multifaceted eﬀort to enhance the social and emotional well-being of the local community.

The project originated in February 2024 with a food drive spearheaded by the kindergarten team. Inspired by the enthusiastic participation of students, the Grade

4/5 class decided to expand eﬀorts in collaboration with the local food bank. Christine Cross from the Food Bank visited the classrooms to discuss the community's needs, sparking a range of creative ideas among the students.

“We started with a focus on collecting food items, but the kids quickly realized they wanted to do more than just ﬁll shelves,” said Robyn Carrière, Grade 4/5 Teacher. “Their ideas ranged from learning to crochet and making items for the community, to constructing buddy benches and enhancing local spaces

with art.”

Ultimately, the students concentrated their efforts on two main projects: building buddy benches and planting a community garden. These projects were designed to create welcoming, inclusive spaces that foster social connections and emotional support.

Project Highlights include:

Buddy Benches: Constructed with materials donated by St. Lawrence College, these benches were built and stained by the students in the college’s mobile trailers. The benches now serve as a symbol of friendship

and support in the community.

Community Garden: Located behind the church, this large garden was established with seeds and plants donated by BMR in Winchester and CPS students. The garden is intended to provide fresh produce for the food bank and community members, and serve as a gathering space for the community.

“I have never seen such a committed group of young people. They are amazing and absolutely community-minded,” said Cross. “They know they’re making a diﬀerence, and they want to make a diﬀerence.”

Looking ahead, the students have numerous ideas for expanding the project next year, including creating a “tree of helping hands”, and adding artwork to the entrance of the building. They are also exploring the possibility of working with local orchards to provide fresh fruit.

“The enthusiasm and creativity they’ve shown is truly inspiring. This project has been about more than just the physical tasks; it’s been about learning the value of community and the impact they can have,” said Carrière.

The Grade 4/5 class with UCDSB staﬀ and community partners at the United Church for their garden launch on Tuesday, June 18.

South Mountain Duck Race donations go to worthy causes

The Duck Race in South Mountain – in which 1,000 ﬂoating replica ducks are dropped into the South Nation River to “race” in the water current ﬂow from County Road 1

to Bridge Street every year –isn’t just about having some light-hearted fun. The annual event also raises money for worth causes!

This year’s event took place on May 4, run by St.

Daniel Knights of Columbus Council 11725, with permission from the Township of North Dundas and South Nation Conservation. As reported by Knights of Columbus representative,

Richard Pickard, the charitable donations resulting from the funds raised are as follows:

- $500.00 to Dundas County Hospice

- $1,000.00 to Community

Food Share

- $1,000.00 to WDMH Foundation (Diagnostic Imaging Fund)

- $1,000.00 to WDMH Foundation (New Dundas Manor)

Thanks to all those who bought tickets to the event, and those who enjoyed the BBQ. Your money was truly well spent, right here in North Dundas!

SDG Library goes ﬁnes-free

In a move to provide more equitable and accessible service, SDG Library has eliminated overdue library ﬁnes as of June 25, 2024. Past ﬁnes have been forgiven.

SDG Library joins over 100 libraries across Ontario alone in transitioning to a fine-free system. Library ﬁnes can be a signiﬁcant expense to those with low or no income and cause people to stop using the library.

The decision was made by the SDG Library Board in June’s meeting. With the elimination of fines, SDG Library hopes to reduce barriers and welcome people back to the library.

“The decision from our Board means more people across SDG Counties will have access to reading and educational materials, with no fines restricting their

ability to read, watch, or listen to the items in our collection,” said Rebecca Luck, director of library services.

“A big thank you goes out to staﬀ and the Board for their vision of a ﬁnes-free library system.”

An exception to the ﬁnes-free movement is interlibrary loan materials, which are materials borrowed from other libraries in Ontario. Fees for lost and damaged items will also remain in eﬀect.

Anyone with existing ﬁnes will have the amount removed from their account.

In 2022, SDG Library removed late fines from its children’s material.

From 2018 to 2023, ﬁnes accounted for less than 1 per cent of SDG Library’s budget.

The Ontario Library Association estimates that for every $5.00 collected in ﬁnes, the cost to an organization could be as much as $5.95. This is a combination of time spent between a frontline Library staff member and a library user, communications, and staﬀ time to collect and complete deposits.

ABOUT SDG LIBRARY

The SDG Library encompasses 15 library branches and three express depots across the Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry Counties.

Although the change means no late ﬁnes will be accrued, the Library asks that items be returned on time so that others may enjoy them as well. Reminders by email and/or phone will continue to be sent to borrowers.

Community Food Share donation presented to Angie Holmes

WDMH Diagnostic Imagine Fund donation presented to Justine Plummer

Dundas County Hospice donation presented to Catherine Clement

New Dundas Manor donation presented to Cindy Ault Peters

Some of the Friends of the South Mountain Library at the Open House on June 22 celebrating their 20th anniversary. The framed certiﬁcate from the SDG Library system is in recognition of the group’s ﬁnancial, advocacy, and service contributions over the years.

L-R: Sandy Pym, Ed DiZazzo, Liz Earl, Lorna Driscoll, Cindy Burrell. Photo credit: Sandy Pym

Celebrating a great student

Everyone at Dundas Manor was feeling proud recently as we celebrated one of the many students who have supported our residents this year … and we won an award!

At a special ceremony, residents, families and staff saluted North Dundas District High School (NDDHS) student Paul on his last day at the home.

“We are so proud of Paul,” said Administrator Susan Porier. “Paul has been a great help in our kitchen and maintenance departments during his co-op term. He knows every

Tid bit

musings

by Elva Patterson Rutters, RSSW

"Would have, could have, should have," and "hindsight" are each other's shadow. When the moment is over, leaving a time of reflection and clarity, we need to hold true to the fact we made the best choice we could, with the information we had at that time. It is important to cut ourselves some slack while understanding and learning from the experience. Life is an extended time of learning with science and medicine opening the doors of new understanding. Be gentle with yourself and with others!

Mental illness has carried a harmful stigma with catastrophic actions over the years. Question yourself as to "why" you are limiting interactions or beliefs. The need to control and manipulate often manifests in wrongful and hurtful

resident and staﬀ member by name, and brings joy to everyone he meets. Paul has kept the grounds impeccable and takes pride in his excellent work. We know Paul will take this experience and be successful in the next chapter of his life.”

Things got even better when Mr. Reaney presented Dundas Manor with the NDDHS Co-op Placement of the Year award. “What an honour for our home and our team,” noted Susan Poirier. “We are so proud of our collaborations with local school boards, colleges and universities. In fact, we’ve

had more student placements at Dundas Manor this past year than ever before.”

And best of all! Paul was also the recipient of the Dundas Manor Residents’ Council’s annual bursary, presented at NDDHS’s graduation ceremony. There was a special party at the Manor to celebrate, complete with a cake made by volunteer Margaret Countryman, and piano playing by Carole Guﬀroy. Everyone sang ‘For he’s a jolly good fellow’!

Thank you, Paul from your whole Dundas Manor family! You will be missed!

Clint Coleman’s 90th Birthday Party

Come Celebrate with Us July 13th 1-5 pm South Mountain Ag Hall, 2967 Lough Rd

actions. The onus is on you to become knowledgeable. Then the "would have, could have, and should haves" are reduced.

The understanding or misunderstandings of mental illness and death, formulate two areas of diversity in our societal and personal actions. Is keeping away from mental illness situations a matter of safety or of fear? How does an adult teach a child about the illness if the child is shielded? This is said with the understanding that safety is paramount. Sometimes our own personal lack of knowledge sets limits and boundaries that "hurt" the afﬂicted. there are professionals who fail to comprehend the complexity of mental illness based on historical experiences or the lack of scientiﬁc developments. Mental illness, like any illness, is not chosen but acquired through body chemistry imbalances. Likewise, if an individual

Scavenger Hunt by Car in support of House of Lazarus

A Bunch of People Arts and Events (ABOP) is at it again! This time they are inviting everyone to join a fantastic Scavenger Hunt by Car!

“Grab a friend, name your team, get in your car and ﬁnd the answers to the clues! First Team wins $100 and the proﬁt from this event goes to House of Lazarus!”, said event lead, Suzanne Millaire.

“As a board of directors, we had to decide what we would do in 2024 for events. Amanda Burger, founder and President of the Board, explained: “Sue, as vice-president, always runs the Car Rally / Scavenger Hunt, and we had decided not to do it this year; however Sue ran into a supporter who always does the Car Rally, and he told her how he intended to win this year! So we changed our minds and it is happening!”

The event on Saturday, July 27, 2024, starts at the North Dundas Business Centre in Winchester. Participants are expected to check in at 10:30 am at 457 Main St. E, Winchester. Participants will need to sign a liability waiver and complete the registration information before they are given the list of items to hunt for starting at 11 am. Everyone must be back before 2 pm. The hunt is focussed on the North & South Dundas areas. Pre-Registration has already begun and will continue until July 22, 2024. To pre-register, email: abunchofpeopleartsandevents@gmail.com

“It’s so fun! Amanda and I have already tested it out to see how long it would take and how hard it is. We had such a blast and all proﬁts go to a local charity,” Sue stated. “House of Lazarus strives to be a ﬁrst-stop community hub that coordinates support and provides resources to those in need. Let’s help them Build Community, and Share Hope!”

A Bunch of People Arts and Events’ philosophy is: What is better than having a good time? Knowing the proﬁts from what you enjoyed are going to help the community! That is the Art of Giving! That is A Bunch of People Arts and Events.

For more information, email: abunchofpeopleartsandevents@gmail.com

OPP Canada Day traﬃc initiative results in many charges

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) oﬃcers across East Region laid a total of 2,412 charges during their Canada Day traﬃc initiative, which ran from June 21 to July 1.

These initial results, which may increase as additional reports are added, include:

- Speeding (1,309)

- Stunt Driving (47)

- Impaired driving (87)

- Distracted driving (24)

- Seatbelt charges (134)

- PFD/Life jacket charges (marine) (32)

- Helmet charges (oﬀ road vehicles) (11)

The remainder of the charges fall under the Highway Traffic Act, Liquor Licence Act, Off Road Vehicles Act, Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act, and Canada Shipping Act. Officers also issued nearly 900 warnings.

“The number of violations our oﬃcers saw during this period is disturbing, particularly when it comes to seatbelts, life jackets and helmets. We all know they can save lives. As for speeding, we also know the severity of collisions increases with higher speeds,” said Inspector Walid Kandar, OPP East Region Traﬃc & Marine Manager

Oﬃcers across OPP East Region will be out all summer, working to ensure safety on our highways, trails and waterways. Please do your part.

is sheltered from the realities of death, the understanding is often not age or situationally appropriate. Terminology is a key component to processing these feelings. Don't refer to death as "sleeping" for that invokes a fear of going to sleep which we all do daily. Your faith or concept of "life after death" is challenged when you have a close friend or family member depart from this earthly existence. The first death in a circle of care strikes havoc as everyone copes in their own way. Everyone has different memories, different understandings, different feelings and different expectations. Each person's experience is valid within itself. This re-iterates the necessity of having all your final arrangements (and a will) completed in advance. The emotional reaction creates tension and chaos. No-one gets out of life alive!

culverts

Part of the recipe

by Brandon Mayer

“I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them.”

This is a quote spoken by the character Andy Bernard in the TV show “The Oﬃce”, toward the end of the series (to my knowledge, it wasn’t a quote borrowed from elsewhere, but I’m not certain). The line is said in the context of the fact that Andy, who now has his dream job working at his alma mater – Cornell University – still ﬁnds himself reminiscing about his time spent with his “pals” as an average working paper salesman in the small city of Scranton, PA.

13109 County Rd. 3 Winchester, ON K0C 2K0

This same logic applies to many aspects of life. Hindsight is 20-20, and it’s simply striking how often we ﬁnd ourselves learning lessons or coming to realizations by reﬂecting on the past, rather than clueing in when it really matters – in the moment. A short while ago, I came across a social media joke depicting a furious cartoon character (so furious its head was nearly exploding) with a caption that read something like “my mom as soon as she gets home from work and the dishes aren’t done”.

Of course, many social media users, likely teens, were reacting with laughter to the post. It’s relatable. In fact, I remember my dad being furious with me one day when he came in from

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I feel that it would be remiss of me, as a taxpayer in North Dundas, not to draw more attention to the Hallville Community Park, or lack thereof.

In 2021, announcements were made about the funding that was secured for the park. Residents were ecstatic to hear they would be the beneﬁciaries of these funds for a long-awaited project.

In 2022, signs were installed at the site of the park, information sessions held, and concept drawings presented and approved by Council, requests for proposals were drafted for engineers and architects. Hallville residents shared their excitement of this community project.

In 2023, the Township awarded Novatech the contract for engineering and landscape architecture services (this ﬁrm committed to com-

mencing work right away). Environmental impact reviews were completed, test holes were dug, more concept plans presented, test well drilled, Hydro One completed layout designs, and the culvert replaced at the Kelso St. entrance, pricing quotes were completed on a slew of the park’s features, and three ﬁnal concept design plans presented for comment. It appeared to be full steam ahead on this highly anticipated project.

Then all the work and communication updates stopped… 2024 was to see the construction of phase 1 & 2 begin, but here we are more than 6 months into the year and we have seen no new progress, and received no updates from Meaghan Meerburg, Director of Recreation and Culture.

Hallville community

work one summer afternoon to find my teenage self watching videos while none of the basic household chores were done. I remember being self-righteously oﬀended that he was mad. “What kind of dad gets mad at their kids for just enjoying themselves?” was my thought. Oh the arrogance! “Dad, you’ve worked all day and are the glue holding the family together most days and I can’t be bothered to take a break from 8 hours of relaxation to do a load of dishes and take the garbage out!”

Now that I experience the same with my own kids (although I admit, they are very helpful and take much initiative), I can’t believe how I acted back then. Where does that sense of entitlement and cluelessness come from? One of life’s great mysteries…

Another social media post I saw had a similar “let’s all laugh at the parents of the world” type of vibe regarding a mom ﬂipping out with the phrase “we’ve got food at home!” halfway through being asked about stopping at McDonalds. Isn’t it funny how “McDonalds vs no

residents are now quickly running out of patience with the lack of communication from the Township, the lack of progress at the park site, and the significant eye sore and risk for injury and squatters that the former unusable Hallville rink location has become. Residents have been left waiting while reading about the wonderful improvements made at several other parks and playgrounds within the Township of North Dundas.

Hallville is the only residential community within the Township of North Dundas without any park or green space for the residents to enjoy. It is the community that has seen the most significant increase in population. Something is not adding up!

If the Township is lacking in funds to ﬁnalize the project, maybe they could

McDonalds” seems like such a brainlessly obvious choice when you’re a kid and not the one paying. Oh, the innocence of childhood! This same logic goes for purchasing items like toilet paper and dish soap and lawnmower fuel, etc (this list could go on for pages and pages) – these items come at a signiﬁcant cost, which ends up shocking everyone when they move out of their childhood home, where these items were “free”.

Don’t think for one second that the current generation is the only ungrateful or clueless one! No matter how young or old you are, you had these same moments of arrogance and innocence in your youth. The only difference with this generation is that they have social media to broadcast their (hopefully temporary) stupidity to the world!

One thing I have realized, as I inch closer and closer to turning the ripe old age of 30 in September, is that the revelations and epiphanies and hindsight will probably never stop coming. I will never stop reﬂecting on past realities and coming up with new

look at liquidating some properties. I am sure that if Ian Drew can develop the infrastructure needed to transform a vacant farmers ﬁeld into a subdivision, within the same number of years as the Township has had to commence work at the park, then he is maybe the contractor required to build the park at a faster rate than what we are currently experiencing. Maybe it’s time to contract some local builders or tradespeople to get this park built!

Ms. Meerburg, I would like to know your reasoning on why the residents of Hallville should partake in your Meet Me on Main Street event when you have no interest in meeting the promises made to our little hamlet.

Sincerely, Hallville resident awaiting the “Park of Dreams”

realizations of just how much I wish I had known back then. I suspect many other readers will feel the same.

Now that I coach both of my kids’ sports, and also sit on the executive board of one of the local sports clubs, I realize that the sports I played as a kid didn’t just “happen”. It wasn’t just a bunch of moms and dads driving out to watch a baseball or soccer or hockey game – there is so much work to be done to make organized sports a reality for kids, and most of it is volunteer work! Even just the realization that somebody, somewhere, has to tirelessly comb through names and ages and place the kids on teams to build up all the diﬀerent rosters in the league – this is something typically done by an already exhausted mom or dad on their own time on an evening or weekend. It is not a job that comes with a lot of “thank yous” or even awareness that it’s happening, but kids wouldn’t have sports without it! Why do we have to live these experiences for ourselves before we really clue in? Why can’t we put

Dear Editor, I am a casual employee at the LCBO. No, I do not make $22-30/hr. I make MINIMUM WAGE. I have NO beneﬁts. What you have seen reported in the media is only applicable to the very few full-time employees of the Board. The LCBO operates on a model of hiring as few full-time employees as possible. Stores operate with 70% casual employees who are entitled to no benefits, severance, or guaranteed hours.

DID YOU KNOW? – The LCBO generates $2.5 billion annually, funding healthcare, education, infrastructure, public transit and more.

DID YOU KNOW? – It's costing us Ontario Taxpayers $225M to end the agreement with The Beer Store, in order to expand sales to private companies like convenience stores and grocery stores.

THINK ABOUT IT –Handing over the alcohol

ourselves in others’ shoes, instead of going through life with a total lack of appreciation for all that others do, only to ﬁgure it out later and wish we had shown some understanding and gratitude?

One editorial is not going to change the world, and maybe it shouldn’t. Perhaps being an arrogant little toe rag is part of the recipe for growing up. If every generation follows the same pattern, with its teenage years marked by a period of “big shot who needs to be humbled”, then maybe the brain needs those experiences to reach maturity. I’m a big believer of the idea that people become wiser as they become older, and that experiences shape this development. If only I had realized this sooner (catch 22?). Oh well – it’s all part of the wild ride called life!

market to grocery and convenience store chains like Loblaws and Circle K, diverts public revenue into corporate proﬁts, while also cutting jobs and driving down wages and working conditions for LCBO employees.

It also means decent jobs in the LCBO for folks like my colleagues – and maybe your 19 year old looking for a summer job – won't be there. And seriously!? Are the Circle K, Loblaws and box store CEOs going to hand over the money they make selling alcohol? Of course not! As a result, we will have less money for those other public services.

Doug Ford wants to make life better for his wealthy buddies. It’s why he plans to fast-track privatized alcohol sales and hand more of the public revenues generated by the LCBO over to the CEOs and big box grocery and convenience chains like Loblaws and Circle K. Doug Ford can’t be trusted.

“Buck a Beer” Doug is looking to call a snap election this fall, riding high (so

Welcome to rurban living?

by Lorna Jean Edmonds

Am I mistaken or have many traditionally ‘rural’ ridings and the counties, cities and communities within them more recently evolved into something different? Look around you – are your neighbours the same? Are the shops the same? Are the services - roads, schools, health care - the same – better and/ or worse? What about the environment and the arable land for farming? What has changed and what has stayed the same?

I am referring to the communities and their ridings which not so long ago were truly rural but are now feeling a shift. These ridings were not caught up in the immediate tentacles of the Toronto, Ottawa, London and their major highway lineal ‘reach’ that led to widespread developments and urban sprawl. These represent the bastion of rural ridings with cities that garner populations historically of less than

he thinks) on his “wins”. Are Ontarians dumb? No. Are they dumb enough to fall for the “convenience” of buying alcohol in convenience stores, etc? None of my customers think so.

Frontline LCBO workers are proud that the revenues we help to generate give back to our communities. We won’t back down in our ﬁght for a strong future for the LCBO and the public services funded by LCBO revenues.

We have a better plan and we're ready to strike for it: Grow the LCBO to meet demand and increase convenience. Open more stores, including LCBO Express locations, increase the hours of operation, and increase warehousing, logistics and e-commerce capacity in-house! Expand public revenues by growing the LCBO. Let's grow with Ontario!

200,000, like Kingston and its riding Kingston and the Islands, and some without even a city larger than 20,000 like its neighbor, my riding of Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston. Perth-Wellington, Simcoe North, and Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry are other examples and there are many more!

In 2020, I moved full time to a rural community in South Frontenac. Quite frankly, I knew very little about rural living and its livelihood. It’s magical yet it too has its limitations. It’s expensive. Energy is costly and, for too many, reliable high-speed internet is still out of reach. You want to buy local, but food can be pricey. Just buying the basics in supplies and tools I needed to purchase can be arduous unless I (ab) used the luxury of Amazon for even some of the little things. Being a farmer, and keeping your farm in the family, or at all is getting harder and harder. Urban creep is seriously stretching

Having more permanent part-time and permanent full-time job opportunities means greater product knowledge and even better customer service. Workers deserve job security and fair severance provisions too! Community allies can join the fight for the future of the LCBO by taking action at KeepItPublic.ca. So when you hear we are walking the picket lines this month, while the LCBO closes ALL its stores for two weeks, don't get angry at the staff. Get angry at YOUR provincial government. LCBO employees want to keep the revenue they work hard to earn in our communities. For roads. For schools. For hospitals. NOT for private store CEO's. Lynn Kennedy

municipal infrastructure –water, sewers, roads and community and emergency services to mention a few.

As many rural Ontario ridings become a mixture of rural and urban-like communities with people who have lived here all their lives to newcomers from near and afar, life and their livelihood are changing. The newbies are commuter families, retired persons and tele-workers who choose to reside outside of a major city or move for ﬁnancial and lifestyle reasons! They are joining families who have resided in rural Ontario for many years, if not centuries. By virtue of moving in together, they collectively bring a new set of wants and needs. The landscape has changed. These ridings are no longer what we think of traditionally rural and much more of a melange of the rural and the urban. Just look at the changes in size and demography of a number of our small

towns like Carleton Place. Sprawling and diversifying suburbs are surrounding long-standing communities, further redeﬁning the traditions and cultures of predominantly farming, natural reserves, lakes, parks, small towns and villages! As an Ottawa commuter and tele-working city, Carleton Place for example has become bigger and more diverse. It is one of the fastest growing communities in Canada. Innovation with new businesses and boutiques are drawn to these emerging communities from both a price sensitive perspective and new families to serve. With the high cost of living of recent years, sadly, the demand for food banks and affordable housing is daunting coupled with the continued inability to access basic health care, rehabilitation and social services in a clinic/centre or at home typical of rural ridings. This is not to mention the cost to the environment

in terms of the use of fossil fuels, loss of arable land, and the generation of excessive waste, particularly plastic.

We have critical needs in basic public infrastructure and a changing population of aging, persons with disabilities, and indigenous communities and those with young families. Farming is essential to our livelihood as are welcoming new immigrants. Our economy and tax base must grow to support these changes by investing in innovation, jobs and supporting new residents. And do so while navigating the mitigation of climate change and food and housing security and sustaining our agricultural lands, parks and natural resources. The fabric and landscape of these distinct communities across Ontario have changed.

Recognizing this, how do we wish to move forward? A key step is to relook at who and what we are and call it what it

is – the fusion of ruralites with urbanites into the ‘rurbanization’ of these regions and communities. Perhaps it’s no longer rural but ‘rurban living’. If so, then new thinking and leadership strategies with a rurban framework is needed. I love living here, but unless we speak loud and clear to our new reality, our livelihood will, in time, come at a price. No plan is a plan and inaction will result in some grim realities. Let’s start to advocate even more than we are now for critical investments that align with our rurban needs and will sustain and enhance the richness these ridings must continue to offer. Where we live is pretty special!

Let’s start a conversation about your thoughts about rurban living. Please take a moment to complete this 3 minute survey at https://tinyurl.com/LJEDMONDS.

Fireworks dazzle the skies of ND on Canada Day

by Brandon Mayer

It was another successful Canada Day celebration at North Dundas District High School on July 1, with a ﬁreworks display organized by the Township and put on by local firefighters. Last year’s celebration took place on the grounds of the local high school as well.

Vehicles began piling into the grounds of the school well before 9pm, and guests had ample time to get comfortable in their lawn chairs and blankets, with the show starting closer to 10pm. The brilliant display lasted about 15 minutes, packed with action. The ﬁreﬁghters had the igniting

The Law Office of Connie Lamble

process down to a science, setting oﬀ ﬁreworks in such a rhythmic coordination that it almost looked choreographed!

Similar to last year, there were no daytime festivities within the Township, unlike in years previous when bouncy castles, music concerts and other activities would provide a lead up to the fireworks experience. While it is unclear what has

caused the severance of a former partnership between the Township and one local Lions Club, residents can only hope that in years to come, we might see a return to the calibre of Canada Day daytime celebrations that we have come to miss. In the meantime, the hard work of the ﬁreﬁghters to give a fantastic light show is enough to keep smiles on faces. Happy Birthday, Canada!

Two action-packed events in support of the WDMH Foundation

At the Chesterville Kayak Club Poker Run presentation are (l-r): Club President Miles Gordon, Heather McDiarmid, Tony Sunman, Kim Smith and Bonnie MacIntosh.

As the WDMH Foundation’s Manager of Direct Mail and Events, Justine Plummer knows a thing or two about jumping in and having fun. Recently, Justine took part in two action-packed events in support of the WDMH Foundation – and was feeling the eﬀects for a couple of days afterward!

Charlee’s WOD – Workout of the Day – took place on May 25th. It involved a 2,000 metre run, 11 box jump burpees and 29 sit-ups – repeated four times. A few days later on June 8th, 66 kayaks headed down the river for a three-kilometre ride and poker run with the Chesterville Kayak Club.

“I participated in both events and it almost drained me,” laughs Justine. “I haven’t done CrossFit for years and I was just trying to keep up. And after the kayak ride, I was deﬁnitely feeling it in my abs for a few days. But it was so fun and we are so grateful to the organizers and everyone who joined in!”

The results are deﬁnitely worth the pain! Charlee’s WOD raised $2,340 for the WDMH Family Birthing Unit. And the Chesterville Kayak Club trip supported four local charities, including $450 for the WDMH Foundation’s Cancer Care Navigator Fund.

“Thank you to everyone who organized and took part in these two special events,” sums up Justine. “It was great to meet everyone and have some fun together!”

To chat about fundraising events for WDMH, please contact Justine Plummer at 613-774-2422 ext. 6172 or jplummer@wdmh.on.ca. To chat about fundraising events for Dundas Manor, please contact Cindy Ault Peters at 343572-6345 or cpeters@wdmh.on.ca.

Humane societies help people, too

from CommunityWire

Animal welfare nonproﬁts work to ﬁnd loving adoptive homes for dogs, cats, and smaller animals like rabbits, but new research has found that these organizations also help another species: our own.

The report, “Toward a Humane Society for Us All: The Social Impacts of Animal Welfare Nonproﬁts,” reveals that humane societies and SPCAs across Canada are delivering supportive and even lifesaving programs and services that help vulnerable animals and people alike.

“Most Canadians know about the adoption services provided by animal welfare nonproﬁts and that in many regions they are also responsible

WDMH Foundation AGM focuses on teamwork and giving

Douglas Robinson bought his family’s farm from his grandparents close to three decades ago. At the time, he remembers a community volunteer coming to meet with him to ask for a donation for Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH). He was happy to give what he could. Thirty years later, Douglas and his family are still giving –this time for the new Dundas Manor.

Douglas is giving in another way too. At the WDMH Foundation’s Annual General Meeting this month, Douglas joined the Board of Directors. “We all have to do something,” said Douglas. “Members of our family have been cared for at WDMH and have lived at Dundas Manor. We will all use these services someday.”

Douglas and his family have pledged $25,000 to the Expanding the Circle of Compassionate Care Campaign, and he encourages everyone to give what they can. “We have pledged that money over the next 10 years which works out to about $200 a month,” he explains. “When you break the amount down over several years, it isn’t so bad. It really adds up. I’m telling my friends and helping to spread the word.”

At the Annual General Meeting, that focus on teamwork was highlighted. WDMH Foundation Managing Director Kristen Casselman noted: “The WDMH Foundation has existed for thirty years. While much has changed over three decades, the basic premise of why we are here has not. We care for one another. We all want to have excellent care close to home. And we all know that it takes a village to make that happen. Thank you so much for that.”

Board Chair Trisha Elliott echoed Kristen’s comments: “Because of our wonderful donors, the WDMH Foundation has written a cheque to Winchester District Memorial Hospital for $922,993.77. Among other things, this money has been used to purchase nine new pieces of equipment to care for patients.”

Trisha also provided an update on the new Dundas Manor: “From the Sapphires & Snowﬂakes gala, to gnomes popping up on front lawns, to the recently-launched Raise the Roof Lottery where you can win a shiny, red Jeep, our community has stepped up to help build this special new home in our community. To date, $13.3 million of the $18 million needed has been raised. And we will get there together. Thank you to those who have already donated and to all those considering a gift to Dundas Manor.”

In addition to welcoming Douglas to the Board, three Board members were thanked for their commitment of time and expertise as they ﬁnish their term on the Board: Bruce Millar, Tina Asselin and Laura Fletcher.

“We are still looking for additional Board members,” summed up Kristen Casselman. “We would love to welcome you to our team.” Anyone interested in joining the Board is encouraged to contact Kristen at 613-774-2422 ext. 6169. The Board meets six times per year, and volunteers are also asked to attend Foundation and community hosted events.

EOHU

reminds of

the

importance of routine immunizations increase in pertussis cases

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) is alerting the public about a concerning increase in cases of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, in the region. The rise in cases underscores the importance of the public being up to date with their routine vaccinations, including the pertussis vaccine.

Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory disease that usually begins with a runny nose and mild fever, but symptoms progressively worsen to severe coughing ﬁts, which can cause vomiting in the most extreme cases. The disease spreads through droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze, and is particularly dangerous for infants under the age of one and pregnant individuals.

Vaccination is the most eﬀective way to prevent the spread of pertussis. According to Ontario’s routine immunization schedule, individuals should get vaccinated against pertussis multiple times throughout their lives to ensure they remain protected against the disease:

During childhood: infants at 2, 4, 6 and 18 months (4 doses) and one dose between 4 and 6 years old

for frontline cruelty investigations. But these often small organizations are having an even bigger impact. They are changing and saving both animals’ and people’s lives,” says Dr. Kendra Coulter, lead author of the report, Professor in Management and Organizational Studies, and coordinator of the unique new Animal Ethics and Sustainability Leadership program at Huron University (Western).

Coulter and Dr. Erin Jones, a researcher and dog expert, surveyed the leaders of local and provincial animal welfare nonproﬁts across Canada, to gain a fuller understanding of the diversity of their work, and assess who benefits and how.

The supports animal

welfare nonprofits are providing for families experiencing abuse are particularly significant. “Animals and people are often abused simultaneously in the same home, and many human victims refuse to leave because they fear for the safety of their animals if left behind,” Coulter explains. “Animal welfare nonprofits are responding to this challenge, and many can provide emergency housing for the animal victims of domestic violence. This can truly be the difference between life and death for people and animals, and help victims become survivors.”

Most of the nonproﬁts can also offer tangible resources like emergency

pet food and some low- or no-cost veterinary care to animal caretakers who are struggling ﬁnancially or in crisis. This helps prevent animal surrenders, which is especially important because many local shelters are already full or over capacity with animals who do not have loving families.

Coulter, a globally recognized leader in the analysis of animal protection, says Canadian eﬀorts reﬂect international trends in animal welfare that use both responsive and preventative approaches, as well as the distinctness of local communities’ needs and opportunities. The report is available at: humanejobs.org

Teenagers: booster dose once between 14 and 16 years old

Adults: booster dose once in adulthood (before age 65) and once in every pregnancy

"The recent rise in pertussis cases is a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining high vaccination coverage in our community,” says Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Oﬃcer of Health at the EOHU. “Vaccines are safe, eﬀective, and essential for protecting children and other individuals who may be at higher risk from preventable diseases."

Many children have fallen behind on their routine vaccinations due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important for parents and guardians to ensure their children are fully vaccinated according to Ontario’s routine immunization schedule.

If you or a family member are not up to date on your vaccinations, please contact your health care provider to receive missing immunizations. Residents without a health care provider can receive their routine immunizations at the EOHU.

For more information or to schedule a vaccination appointment, please contact the Eastern Ontario Health Unit at 613-933-1375 or 1-800-267-7120 or visit our website at EOHU.ca.

Congratulations to all 2024 graduates!

Graduation season is upon us. Within the last couple of weeks, students pursuing various levels of education from elementary school up through all levels of postsecondary education have been honoured as they achieved their ultimate goal – a diploma or degree! Here in North Dundas, the Times was proud to provide funding for two bursaries for students at North Dundas District High School. One is awarded to the student with the highest mark in Grade 12 University English, and the other is awarded to the most articulate and creative writer in Grade 12 University English. Both bursaries are worth $250, and it just so happens that Times readers may recognize the name of this year’s recipient of both awards – Shealyn Elliott! Shealyn’s words have appeared in the Times on

multiple occasions, and the Times could not be more thrilled at the outcome of the bursary awards! Congratulations!

Graduation marks the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and growth. It stands as a monumental milestone in one's life, representing the transition from one phase to the next. Graduation holds profound signiﬁcance, not only for the individual but also for their loved ones and society at large. More than just a basic milestone or achievement, graduation is also a moment of transition and transformation. It marks the passage from student life to adulthood, where individuals take on greater responsibilities and make significant life choices. For many, it is their first step into the professional world, where they apply their learning and

skills in real-world settings. This transition is often accompanied by a sense of pride and excitement, as well as a degree of uncertainty about what lies ahead. Graduates may feel a mix of emotions—relief at having completed their studies, nostalgia for their academic journey, and anticipation for the future.

Furthermore, graduation serves as a time for reﬂection and gratitude. It is an opportunity to look back on the experiences, challenges, and triumphs that have shaped one's academic and personal growth. Graduates often reminisce about friendships made, mentors who guided them, and moments of personal discovery. They may also express gratitude to their families, teachers, and friends who supported them along the way, recognizing the importance of community and encouragement in

Life with Connor the Weatherman

featuring Connor Mockett

Hello, everyone! Welcome back to another week of Life with Connor the Weatherman. This week, I’m continuing the stories from my storm chasing adventure in Tornado Alley in the United States. This week I will continue on the journey and talk about May 20th.

After arriving at our hotel in Goodland, Kansas very early in the morning on the 20th, we were able to sleep for about 7 hours and have a little bit of time to edit photos and videos from the tornadoes we’d seen the day before. We wanted to be on the road by

10:00am in order to get to our target storm area with plenty of time to spare, just in case we had to go somewhere else. We had our Super 8 hotel breakfast (the sausages were fantastic), packed up, and hit the road. We hopped onto I-70, westbound into Colorado towards the Denver area, ended up stopping for lunch with the chase team about an hour away from Denver, in Limon, Colorado, and watched storms start to develop along the Foothills from the comfort of our restaurant booth while stuffing our faces with a really tasty burger. Doesn’t get much better than that! We then hit the road

and headed north to a little area called Last Chance, Colorado, a little abandoned area at an intersection of two highways. During those few hours, an unbelievable amount of other storm chasers all converged on this one intersection to wait for the same storm. At one point, there were 40 storm chasers sitting in the same pull-oﬀ by this little intersection. I knew I’d see that many chasers eventually, but it’s a diﬀerent experience when you actually see it with your own eyes versus seeing it online in photos. After a couple hours of waiting, the storm we wanted was in sight, so we hit the road to go further

their success.

Ultimately, graduation is a time of celebration and pride. It is a moment to celebrate not only academic accomplishments but also personal growth, resilience, and determination. Families, friends, and communities come together to honor graduates and celebrate their achievements, recognizing the eﬀort and sacriﬁces that have led to this milestone. The sense of pride that graduates feel extends beyond themselves to their loved ones who have supported them throughout their educational journey. It is much more than receiving a diploma or degree; it is a multifaceted milestone that marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. The Times extends a sincere “congratulations” to all those who have graduated this season from all sorts of programs. May your future

north to get a closer visual of it. Almost immediately upon arrival to the storm, it really started to take off, strength wise and photogenic-ness wise. A gorgeous supercell was developing over beautiful green Colorado fields near Akron, Colorado. Shortly after its development, the rotation started and also picked up quickly. We got back in the vehicles and headed north and then east to keep up with the storm on some dirt roads. At this point, there were chasers absolutely everywhere, parked on the side of the roads or just in a really long line of traﬃc. Thankfully we were leading the line of vehicles, so we didn’t get stuck in it and were able to keep up with the storm.

At this point, the storm was crazy gorgeous. It had a shape on the backside that I’d never seen before. The colour was such a vibrant blue that you couldn’t miss what was happening. This is also when rotation was strongest. After stopping for some photos really quickly and to watch the rotation, which was almost right above us, we kept on going east on a dirt road when I looked out my left passenger window and said “on the ground!”. A brief tornado had just dropped to the ground, and its vortices were dancing in the tornado for

successes build on this wonderful milestone you have worked so hard to achieve!

a super short amount of time. Not many people even saw the tornado happen because it was so quick, and the funnel never fully came down to the ground.

After that tornado, the storm started to get interactions with other storms around, and went extremely high in precipitation to where you couldn’t see the circulation inside the storm anymore without having to be inside the storm blasting out your windshield from the hail. It was also getting dark out now, so it was very hard to see. During this portion of the storm’s lifespan, the hail core on the storm was so drastic, it dropped 15 centimeters of hail (yes, 15 centimeters) on a town called Yuma, Colorado, and severely damaged a lot of buildings from the golf ball or higher sized hailstones.

We ended up leaving the storm late at night, around 11:00pm, because it was too dangerous to keep chasing at night with the wind and the amount of hail it was throwing around. After we left the storm, we started the drive to our target for the next day on May 21st… Iowa!

The story of Iowa and the drive leading up to it will be told in the next Life with Connor the Weatherman column in a couple of weeks. Thanks for reading and I’ll talk to you all soon!

Amazing WDMH Volunteers

Every day at Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH), we are grateful for the volunteers who

provide support to patients, families and staﬀ members throughout the hospital. They are an essential part of

our care team. And they also raise thousands of dollars for hospital equipment each year and provide bursaries to

CCPA acknowledging government move to remove GST/HST

The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) was on Parliament Hill last week to acknowledge the federal government's decision to eliminate the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) on counselling therapy and psychotherapy services in regulated provinces. This historic move was made possible through Bill C-59, An Act to Implement Certain Provisions of the Fall Economic Statement, which recently received royal assent.

The CCPA extends special recognition to MP Stephen Ellis and MP Lindsay Mathyssen for their instrumental roles in this achievement. Both Members of Parliament put forward Private Members' Bills that signiﬁcantly contributed to this legislative success, highlighting their dedication to mental health care accessibility.

“We are thrilled that Bill C-59 has become law as it will transform the mental health care landscape in Canada by removing ﬁ nancial barriers that may prevent many individuals from accessing vital therapy services,” said VickiAnne Rodrigue, Quebec Francophone Director of CCPA. “We are par-

ticularly grateful to the MPs who supported this important measure.”

The CCPA also acknowledges the pivotal role played by Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland. Her recognition of the importance of this measure to Canadians and her eﬀorts to bring it to fruition have been crucial in making this tax exemption a reality.

Removing the tax on services provided by Counselling Therapists and Psychotherapists is an important and cost-effective way for the federal government to show Canadians they are listening. This initiative is expected to reduce the financial strain on those seeking assistance, potentially increasing the number of treatment sessions they can access. At a time of extreme inflation, this change will help ensure that more people can afford the mental health care they need, making a signiﬁcant diﬀerence in their lives.

The urgency of this measure is underscored by this year’s Canadian Mental Health Report Card, captured by a national survey organized by the Canadian Alliance of Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH), which gave Can-

ada a collective grade of ‘F’ on access to publicly funded services. Countless people in Canada face financial barriers that prevent them from receiving the care they desperately need, and these survey results show that much more needs to be done.

"This achievement reﬂects the tremendous effort and dedication of our association, members, and partners," said Dr. Kim Hollihan, CCPA’s Chief Executive Oﬃcer.

"With the GST/HST removed from these crucial services, more Canadians will be able to access the care they need. Our advocacy has made a real difference, and we are excited to keep working towards better mental health support across the country."

The CCPA remains committed to ongoing collaboration with the federal government to further enhance mental health care accessibility across Canada. The association encourages Canadians seeking mental health services to reach out to a counsellor, counselling therapist, or psychotherapist. For more information or to find a counsellor near you, please visit the CCPA directory of Canadian Certiﬁed Counsellors.

ﬁcially thank the volunteers for their amazing work. The afternoon included lunch and entertainment – and, of course, cupcakes!

As part of the festivities, 13 volunteers were recognized for their service. Congratulations and thank you to the following volunteers.

5 Years of Service:

- Marie-Claire Ivanski

10 Years of Service:

- Ross Bennett

- Lynn Dillabough

- Brenda Pascoe

- David Scharf

15 Years of Service:

- Janice Hyndman

- Bev Beck

- Norah Martel

- Ann Barkley

20 Years of Service:

- Karen Graham

- Lois Smith

local high school graduates. Recently, the WDMH Leadership team hosted an appreciation luncheon to of-

25 Years of Service:

- Tara Fawcett

30 Years of Service:

- Margaret Countryman

A national blood supply dwindle could be coming

Appointment bookings at Canadian Blood Services’ blood and plasma donor centres across the country are not keeping pace with the rise in demand for blood products. Demand for blood products was stable for nearly a decade, and at times even declined slightly. Now, hospital demand is quickly rising. While there is a dedicated group of people who have been donating blood and plasma regularly, there are simply not enough people donating to meet the growing demand. New donors are needed to help keep the national blood supply well stocked.

Currently, only about 80 per cent of the available appointments are booked each week, leaving the national supply at risk of falling short as the summer rolls on and the supply dwindles. Patients are counting on people making the time to donate, to ensure a steady supply of blood and blood products.

“Today more patients need blood products than we have seen over the past decade,” says Dr. Kathryn Webert, medical director for Canadian Blood Services. “This is because there has been an increase in surgeries and treatments that require blood transfusions. The population is both growing and aging, and the number of patients with diseases that are treated

WDMH CEO Cholly Boland thanked the volunteers for everything they do:

“We can’t thank our volunteers often enough. Whether it’s the thousands of hours they work at WDMH, or the thousands of dollars they raise for WDMH, we couldn’t operate a hospital without our volunteers. They are truly priceless!”

with blood products is going up.”

Blood products play a critical role in everyday medical care. Many people with various health conditions require regular transfusion therapy. For example, a person living with thalassemia could need blood every two to ﬁve weeks, and a person living with leukemia may need blood from up to 8 donors every week.

In addition, new studies showing the beneﬁt of blood and products made from plasma, as well as advances in medical care that allow for treating some conditions more aggressively are putting increased pressure on existing inventories.

“Blood transfusions have a positive impact on patient health and recovery,” says Dr. Webert. “Donors are playing a leading role in saving lives. But without enough donors contributing to the blood supply, physicians may need to make diﬃcult decisions about when and where to use transfusions. It is vital that every available appointment is ﬁlled to avoid a negative impact to patient care.”

More people are donating blood now than this time last year. Over the past several years, of the people eligible to donate, only 1 in 81 did. Canadian Blood Services has been successful in growing its donor base, and today 1 in 76 donate blood. But despite the growth, still

more donors are required to match the growing need.

“As the universal blood type that can be given to any patient, O-negative donations are critically important in emergency care,” Dr. Webert explains. “When seconds count, and there is no time to check a patient’s blood type, they are given O-negative blood. O-positive blood can be given to any patient with positive Rh blood type.”

Today, hospitals continue to receive the blood and blood products they require but it is crucial that more people donate this summer to keep pace with the growing demand and to ensure the blood supply is prepared for unexpected emergencies.

You can be part of the solution. If you’ve never donated before, there is no better time to start. Recent changes to donation criteria means that many people who weren’t able to donate in the past, might be able to now.

If you are an existing donor, you can double your impact and help grow the community by inviting a new donor to join you when you make your appointment this summer. Book an appointment now on blood.ca, use the GiveBlood app, or call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888236-6283).

Service pin recipients included: (back row, l-r): Tara Fawcett, Marie-Claire Ivanski, Lynn Dillabough, Ross Bennett, Janet Hyndman, Bev Beck and Karen Graham and (front row, l-r): Norah Martel, Margaret Countryman, Lois Smith and Ann Barkley. (Missing: Brenda Pascoe and David Scharf)

Boyd, Dean James A call to care for parents

On the growing list of health pandemics – COVID-19, obesity, diabetes, liver disease, dementia, heart disease, and stroke – there is another one. It’s called benign neglect, and it is a product of our times. It happens when children don’t make suﬃcient eﬀort to help aging parents understand and manage their medications.

There’s a lot of guilt to go around. But that’s not to say this is easy work.

Ask your parents what medications they are taking and why. Better yet, have a close look at the medications in their possession and assess how well they are adhering to prescribed treatments.

Congratulations to those who ﬁnd all is well. For others, it may be a wake-up call.

Over the past several decades, detrimental trends have punished an aging society. Number one, the pharmaceutical industry has ballooned into a juggernaut of proﬁteering dealmakers with other powerful industries, not least of which are media platforms that depend on advertising dollars. Unsuspecting consumers are too willing to absorb everything they hear about pills to address problems that are often caused by lifestyle, not bad luck. Easier to pop a pill and enjoy life, like on the commercials, than work on the root issues.

Number two, we are living longer – and not always in the best of health. Furthermore, there is a large cohort of the population in North America, the baby boomers, now moving into their senior years. Just watch the costs escalate!

Number three, we have a shortage of healthcare workers. Number four, we take pride in being able to age, independently, without a lot of oversight.

These and other factors mean that a huge number of older people are growing old, living alone, dealing with multiple health problems, and taking all sorts of pills. The great shame is this last point, that many people are making their lives worse, or at risk of doing so, because they are taking too much medication, or the wrong medication, or not adhering to drug protocols.

Take statins as an example. These are complex medications designed to treat high cholesterol. As one website simpliﬁes the explanation, “they work by reducing the amount of cholesterol made by the liver and helping the liver remove cholesterol that is already in the blood.” But statins have potentially serious side and long-term eﬀects that researchers are starting to expose.

Studies show statins increase the risk of developing diabetes. This risk diﬀers between commonly prescribed drugs. Cognitive problems, muscle cramps, and other negative eﬀects result from long-term use.

Even if the medical establishment were to do a better job of weighing the pros and cons of statins versus natural approaches such as high-dose vitamin C, a great many elderly citizens would not beneﬁt. The pandemic of benign neglect is getting in the way.

The so-called silent generation, born between 1928 and 1945, now mostly in their 80s and 90s, need our care. It’s upon younger people to ensure that the quality of the remainder of their lives is not being jeopardized by chronic misuse of powerful drugs.

The boomers are moving into their senior years. Their large numbers can be a force for change in the way we care for the elderly.

What can we do here and now? One of the best things would be to ensure elderly parents are not falling victim to “pillitis”. Find out what they are taking and do your research. Just as there is a lot of misinformation online, there are also trusted sources. If you have questions, take those questions, and your parents, to a doctor’s appointment for a fully informed discussion.

Sign-up at www.docgiff.com to receive our weekly enewsletter. For comments, contact-us@docgiff.com. Follow us on Instagram @docgiff and @diana_gifford_jones.

If you’re looking for a caretaker of the earth, look no further than a farmer. Our community has lost a great farmer, family man and friend with the sudden passing of Dean Boyd, 63, on Monday July 1, 2024. Beloved husband of Terry (Cassell). Loving Dad of Brekyn (Ryan)

Ashforth, Parker Boyd and the late Kayleigh Boyd. Very special Grandpa to Dean and Blayke Ashforth. Cherished son of Joyce and Lynn Boyd and son-in-law of Shirley (the late Charlie) Cassell. Brother of David (Lynda), Lori (Blair), Brent (Diana), and Lisa (Doug). Special nephew of Kevin and Dale Boyd. Fondly remembered by both the Boyd and Cassell families. The family will receive friends at the South Mountain Agricultural Hall, 2967 Lough Road on Sunday July 7, 2024 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. where a Celebration of Life will also be held on Monday July 8, 2024 at 11 a.m. Lunch to follow; everyone welcome. Interment at the South Gower Cemetery afterwards. In lieu of ﬂowers, donations in Memory of Dean may be made to the Ontario Dairy Youth Trust Fund, Holstein Ontario.

Arrangements entrusted to the Byers Funeral Home, South Mountain (613-989-3836). Online condolences may be made at www.byersfuneralhomeinc.ca.

McCulloch, Thelma Rose

(nee Declare)

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of our dear Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother and Great-Great Grandmother on Saturday June 22, 2024 at the age of 85.

Thelma was the beloved mother to Tammy (Jason) of Brockville, Patsy (Rodney) of Bishops Mills and John (Jenifer) of Brockville. Grandmother to Robert ”BJ”, Jennifer (Ryan), Cody, Jesse (Brittany), Kaitlyn, Brandon, Jacob, Olivia, Frannie and Abby. Great grandmother to Haillie, Lydia, Layla, Tyson, Aaron, Keira and Kopelan and Great-great Grandmother to Sterling.

Thelma is predeceased by her husband Donald “Mack” McCulloch, her parents Stewart and Cecil Declaire and her 13 siblings.

Thelma’s family would like to thank the Leeds and Grenville paramedics, Kingston General Hospital ER and Stroke team and a special thank you to the Brockville General Hospital Stroke unit and Palliative care unit.

A private family interment will take place at Roselawn Memorial Gardens at a later date. Donations in memory to Thelma can be made to the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation or to your local Palliative Care unit.

Send condolences or make a donation online at www.irvinememorial.com.

North Dundas Pet of the Week

submit your favourite pet pet photo to nanda@ndtimes.ca

Friesie the cat - age 9

Owned by the Vingerhoeds family

Around Town with Nanda

Have an event or special occasion that you would like photographed for the paper? Let me know. nanda@ndtimes.ca

Murphy age 2 English Springer spaniel (looking regal) Owner: Leevie Hart

Nights Cemetery Memorial Day Service

July 14, 2024 2 PM

In case of rain; Inkerman United Church Van Camp Road Mountain

Speaker Reverend Melody Trolly Special Music Trolly Brothers. 613-915-1604

UPCOMING EVENTS

Spencerville Agricultural Society planning general meetings. If you are interested in joining our committee, please email info@spencervillefair.ca to receive all of the meeting details. Aug 12, Oct 21, Nov 11. The Drummond Building, 22 Ryan Street, Spencerville Ontario Roller Skating Friday Nights. 7-10pm at the Sam Ault Arena in Winchester .FREE ADMISSION. Every Friday from June 7 to August 9, 2024. Bring your own skates. Roller blades welcomed. Helmets strongly recommended. 2024 Summer Library Games. Saturday, August 3, 2024 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM. Winchester Branch Music in the Park July 13 Rob Barclay sponsored by EcoShire Winchester. Sept 14 Spencer Scharf 10:30am/1:30 pm 100 club Park sponsored by Lofty Nest./ No Limits Auto Parts/ Precision Diesel

CHURCH Directory

Southgate Winchester Campus

539 Main Street, Winchester Phone: 613-258-6123

https://southgatechurch.com/

Services: Sundays at 10am (Kids program for toddlers - Gr 6)

Play Group for parents of babies to preschool meets Wednesdays at 10am.

The Pulse Youth (Gr 6 -12) meets bi-weekly on Fridays at 7pm.

The Ladies Group meets bimonthly. Contact the church ofﬁce for more info

The Gathering House

2 Water Street

Chesterville, ON K0C 1H0

613-448-1758 Sunday church service 10 am. Nursery and Sunday school available for children.

Various adult Bible studies throughout the week. Details at thegatheringhouse.ca

STEM program & Youth group Wednesdays at 6:30 pm

Playgroup drop in 10:30 am on Fridays HUB youth drop in 7 -10 pm

Fridays

Cafe Mon & Fri 9 am -4 pm Wed 12 -4 pm

Solomon’ Porch Nationside

Pentecostal Church

Pastor Scott Sayers

Meeting Sunday 10:30am.

9 William St. Chesterville, Ont. ( The Nelson LaPrade Centre) Box 292 Chesterville 613-448-2272

nationsidepentecostalchurch.ca

Winchester Pastoral Charge

Winchester United

Church/Hope Springs

United Church

Summer Schedule- all services at 10:00 a.m.

July 7 Winchester United July14 Hope Springs U.C.

July 21 Winchester United July 28 Hope Springs U.C.

Aug. 4 Winchester United Aug 11 Hope Springs U.C.

Aug 18 Winchester United Aug 25 Hope Springs U.C.

Winchester Baptist Church

486 Main Street, Winchester Phone: 343-649-2204

https://m.facebook.com/groups/ WinchesterBaptistOnt/ Services: Sundays at 11:00 (hymn sing 10:45) “Snack and chat” (lunch) after the service on the last Sunday of every month

Join us for prayer every Tuesday evening anytime between 6:30pm and 8:00pm

Come and celebrate with us the 165th anniversary of our congregation, Sunday September 15, 2024 at the 11:00 service

ACROSS

1. "Wise birds"

5. After-bath powder

9. Turn over

13. He writes in stanzas

14. Illicit sexual relationship

16. A Great Lake

17. Desire

18. Category

19. T T T

20. Derisive smile

22. Extremely wicked

24. Earth

26. Happen again

27. Territorial reserve

30. There are 4 on a car

33. Scholarly

35. Chairs

37. Dog command

38. Promotional statement

41. Used in baseball

42. Was aware of

45. Geometric curve

48. Lubricant

51. Mosque turret

52. Alter

54. European volcano

55. Foreshadowed

59. Aromatic compound

62. Asian nurse

63. Sofa

65. Tube

66. Alcoholic beverage

67. Malicious

68. Celtic language

69. Arouse

70. Phosphoresce

71. Got a good look at

DOWN

1. Creative work

2. Contemptible person

3. Lawmaker

4. Progestin or androgen

5. Label

6. Ends a prayer

7. Hermit

8. Deadline 9. Pensioner

10. Black-and-white cookie

11. In place of

12. Not more

15. Range

21. Toy with a tail

23. Regrets

25. Arm or leg

27. Facial disguise

28. Sugarcoating

29. Be bedridden

31. Scientist's workshop

32. Not fresh

34. Container

36. Immediately

39. Male sheep

40. French cheese

43. Atmospheric conditions

44. What we're called

46. Anagram of "Neat"

47. Wailer

49. Dispatches

50. Conclusion

53. Satan

55. Bears' hands

56. Leave out

57. Hindu princess

58. Woodworking groove

60. Being

61. Marsh plant

64. Without precedent

Nationview PS students lead the charge in real-world learning

Nationview Public School is proud to announce the success and ongoing impact of its Real-World Learning initiative, the Nationview Growing Project. Initiated in the 2021-2022 school year, this hands-on educational experience has united students, teachers, and community members in a mission to promote environmental sustainability, community support, and kindness.

The Nationview Growing Project began with Grade 3/4 students learning about seeds, plants, and soil, while Grade 5 and 6 students, inspired by a workshop with primatologist and anthropologist Jane Good-

all, embraced the philosophy that small actions can lead to signiﬁcant changes.

Dubbed "Kids Growing Kindness," students created logos, oﬃcial t-shirts, and social media campaigns, raising money for the House of Lazarus food bank's Operation Backpack program, which provides food bags for students in need at 12 local schools.

Following the initial success, the students brainstormed further initiatives, forming mini expert groups focused on various aspects of the growing project. Highlights of their activities include:

Agricultural Awareness: Grade 5 and 6 students pro-

Baldwin's Birds

duced an awareness video and informational texts about local farming, partnering with the Happy Face Childcare and the Mountain Township and District Lions Club. They also formed the Nationview Kindness Crew, promoting kindness and inclusion, supported by the Lions Club with t-shirts and a monthly Kindness Matters award.

Environmental Contributions: Meeting with Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry council members and Mayor Tony Fraser, students received encouragement for future projects like a pollinator garden, new trees for the schoolyard, and a buddy bench.

Expansion of the Growing Project: In Fall 2023, multiple classes joined the initiative. Kindergarteners received a food cycler to reduce food waste and make compost. They led a schoolwide composting challenge for Earth Day, using ZipGrow towers to cultivate lettuce for the House of Lazarus backpack program.

Annual Plant Sale: The annual Kids Growing Kindness plant sale on May 24 raised $1,537.20, again beneﬁting the Operation Backpack program. Grade 3/4 students also partnered with South Nation Conservation and Morrisburg Canadian Tire to plant 23 trees in the schoolyard, enhancing the

A Level Headed Nuthatch and a Finch Feed!

What a boon my common type hanging feeders and also the Birdie Block ones are, for actually getting clear views of all the birds that use and enjoy them. They are able to feed out in the open, with a clear view around themselves, which is essential to them all, as protection against would-be predators, such as Hawks, and other such birds that prey on them! Of course, whilst they are comfortably feeding safely, they become the focus of not just the eye of the beholder, but also that of your cameras! Many of you already know this fact and are probably enjoying the results of your own patient observations of our avian friends. I have taken the liberty of including some of our regular visitors, hence the cryptic title to my article.

The Level Headed Nuthatch refers to the un-natural pose this particular one was making, as it fed using a "normal" posture instead of its usual upside down one. Whichever posture that it cares to use, it is still a very striking bird to look at and its distinctive little call that it makes when negotiating the trunks and branches of the trees makes it a very outstanding and exciting bird to see.

The picture of the Finches shows how the birds cohabitate with each other, in a non adversary fashion, whilst feeding together, and the two House Finches get on well with the Goldﬁnch. They are so used to each other that they almost look bored!

Well I don't want to be tarred with that same brush, so I'll bring my article to a close. Until the next time, stay safe and well.

Cheers, John Baldwin

local environment.

Pollinator Garden:

Grade 4/5 students focused on pollinators, working with local experts and businesses to plan and plant a pollinator-friendly garden. They received certiﬁcation from the Canadian Wildlife Federation and planted various perennials, shrubs, and trees, despite challenging weather conditions.

Continued Support for House of Lazarus: The Grade 5 and 6 class raised $1,107.07 through holiday treat bags and a craft sale. In collaboration with the House of Lazarus, students developed new initiatives to support the food bank, in-

cluding a Sports and Healthy Snack Fun Day, and educational projects on healthy food choices.

Sustainability Initiatives: Grade 2/3 students joined South Edwardsburg Public School’s real-world learning project, setting up marker recycling stations to contribute to environmental eﬀorts.

"Real-World Learning makes me feel happy because we are doing something good for the environment and learning new skills at the same time," says Grade 6 student Lily Rae Gilmer.

"Our goal with the whole project was to help everyone feel included, and I hope that the future students will continue this legacy," adds Grade 6 student Isabella Hoppe.

The Nationview Growing Project exempliﬁes how students can learn through real-world experiences while making meaningful contributions to their community. These projects have fostered a spirit of collaboration, environmental stewardship, and kindness among students, leaving a lasting positive impact.

The power of the people: Wetland mapping process paused

A map showing the proposed new local wetlands before the province put the process on pause. The dark green areas show current provincially signiﬁcant wetlands within the South Nation watershed. In light green are the new provincially signiﬁcant wetland areas proposed before the process was halted.

by Brandon Mayer

Late last month, many people in the North Dundas community and indeed, throughout the broader local area, were in a frenzy over the proposed drastic increase in designated wetlands under a new wetland mapping consultation process. South Nation Conservation was one of the agencies that gave notice that it would be designating a signiﬁcant amount of new land as wetlands, which essentially makes these lands untouchable (even by private property owners) without express permission from the Conservation Authority.

Landowners were – unsurprisingly – in an absolute tizzy over this. Williamsburg farmer, Steven Byvelds was one of the outspoken critics of the proposal. “I understand that using technology to start the mapping exercise is smart and eﬃcient,” said Steven. “However, once that is done, ground truthing must

be done with the landowner to ensure that the proposed wetland meets the regulation deﬁnition. I am hearing that this is not the case.”

Indeed, many people from all walks of life were opposed to the sudden and wide-reaching increase in wetland mapping. The Times heard from several concerned residents – not only farmers, but residential landowners as well.

In a refreshing spin that shows the “power of the people”, the wetland mapping update process has now been paused by the Province of Ontario.

“On behalf of the Ministry of Natural Resources, I request that you immediately pause your current wetland policy and mapping update process,” said Jennifer Keyes of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in a letter to local Conservation Authorities. “During this interim pause, we will work with you and the membership of your conservation

The Food Corner

authority over the coming months to clarify the application of the regulation within your jurisdiction and develop any needed guidance or locally-responsive approaches to the regulation of wetlands, in consultation with municipalities, landowners, businesses, the agricultural community, and the public.”

The original wetland mapping update process began April 1, in response to new provincial regulations that required locally significant wetlands to be mapped as provincially signiﬁcant wetlands, in addition to existing wetland mapping. An open house meeting at the SNC oﬃce was promptly cancelled following the news of the mapping process being paused. Landowners had been given a deadline of July 11 to object to newly proposed wetlands. It is not yet known when the mapping process will resume, or what the new deadline for appeals will be.

We once shared the making of Rhubarb-Strawberry Short Cake. Today’s recipe is for just the strawberries. When Liane was a child and we were visiting Orlando, Florida in winter, we used to drop down to Plant City. There was a roadside stand there where we used to get delicious and humongous servings of Strawberry Short Cake. We remember the experience to this day. So, since ‘tis the season for strawberries from our own ﬁelds, let’s enjoy!

Strawberry Short Cake

Ingredients

6 cups of strawberries in halves (or quarters, if overly large)

¼ cup of granulated sugar for the strawberries and another ¼ cup for the shortcake

4 teaspoons of baking soda and ½ teaspoon of baking powder

¾ cup of cold butter (preferably unsalted), cut into cubes

1 cup of buttermilk

1 ½ cup of 35% (whipping) cream

2 tablespoons of additional sugar (for the whipped cream)

1 teaspoon of vanilla

3 or 4 tablespoons of icing or confectioner’s sugar for sprinkling

We would love to hear from you!

send in your letters to editor@ndtimes.ca

Brick - Block - Stone - Chimneys - Parging - Repairs Foundation Repair & Waterprooﬁng Kevin DeJong Winchester, ON 613-316-0800 Dejongmasonary@hotmail.com

Carbon tax will damage the economy

by Patrick Meagher & Nelson Zandbergen courtesy of Farmers Forum

A secret government report has revealed that the federal carbon tax will retard economic growth, be a net loss for Canadian families and that the prime minister lied about it.

The federal carbon tax is inﬂicting real damage on the Canadian economy, with lost economic growth projected to hit at least $25 billion annually by 2030, according to a secret Environment Canada report reluctantly released by the Trudeau Liberals on June 13.

The analysis projects Canadian economic activity of $2.663 trillion by 2030 if the carbon tax remains in place. That’s $25 billion lower (or almost 1 % less) of what Canada’s gross domestic product would be without a carbon tax, according to the ﬁgures. One per cent is a huge number in a national economy that has lately struggled to grow by even one per cent.

The Oﬃcial Opposition Conservatives have taken a look at the numbers and calculated the negative impact at $30.5 billion, or an average of $1,824 in extra costs per Canadian household. But even with the lower estimate by some analysts,

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 400F

the hit per family would still be over $1,200 per year.

In the House of Commons question period on June 17, Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre zeroed in on the Liberal government’s attempt to hide the negative report on the carbon tax.

“Now that we’ve caught them hiding the true cost of their tax, how can we believe anything else they say about any other tax hike?”

In his reply, Environment Minister Stephen Guilbeault, wagged a ﬁnger at Poilievre and said: “Right now Eastern Canada is seeing its second heat wave before the summer has even started. People are being evacuated in Northwest Territories. What’s the Conservative response? Let the planet burn.”

Poilievre: “The fanatical rhetoric of that extremist minister won’t change anything. The reality is that nor will his carbon tax change the weather. His carbon tax is not going to eliminate a single forest fire, a single drought, a single heat wave. All it will do is turn up the heat on Canadian taxpayers.”

Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation director Franco Terrazzano agreed. “Once again, we see the government’s own data showing what hard working Cana-

dians already know: the carbon tax costs Canada big time. The carbon tax makes the necessities of life more expensive and it will cost our economy billions of dollars.”

The existence of the report came to light when the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO), Yves Giroux, testified that the government showed him the data but wouldn’t allow him to speak publicly. Giroux accused the government of hiding the information, prompting the Poilievre Conservatives to spend days pushing for its release. The governing Liberals finally relented on the verge of a vote that the Liberals were sure to lose in the House of Commons.

However, not all of the report had been released by June 18 and the Conservatives began calling for the rest of it.

Ontario’s grain and oilseeds sector alone will be saddled with $2.7 billion in carbon taxes on crop-drying by 2030, according to the Grain Farmers of Ontario. The Poilievre Conservatives promise to axe the tax if elected when Canadians head to the polls no later than the fall of 2025.

Mix the strawberries and the sugar together in a bowl, cover and refrigerate

Mix the ﬂour, sugar, baking powder and soda together in another bowl

Add the butter and cut it into the dry ingredients (get yourself a pastry cutter)

Pour in the buttermilk and fold it into the dry ingredients and butter mixture

Get the dough to the point where you can place it on a surface dusted with ﬂour

With your hands and a rolling pin dusted with ﬂour, ﬂatten into a 1 inch slab

Turn it over and ﬂatten it again till you get to about ¾ of an inch thick

Use a biscuit cutter or a handy glass that is about 3 inches across to cut rounds

Place the rounds on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper

Brush the tops with some buttermilk and sprinkle lightly with sugar

Bake for 15 or 20 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown

Make up some whipped cream (cream, vanilla and 2 tablespoons of sugar)

Now comes the fun part. Once the biscuits have cooled just a bit, slice them in half. Pull out your strawberries and heap them on the biscuit halves. Slather with whipped cream and sprinkle with icing sugar. Serve right away with dark coﬀee or Earl Gray Tea or perhaps an impertinent little cold rosé. All the best from pcormier@ranaprocess.com.