ND Times Issue 18 2023 September 07

New look for Winchester Public School

containing the current main office and principal's office, as well as the kindergarten classrooms, is less than a decade old.

by Brandon Mayer

Winchester Public School is a few tonnes lighter this school year. That's because in early August, the last section of its separate "portapack" building was removed and hauled away to another school as its classrooms will no longer be needed.

The portapack building was relatively unique, as far as portable classrooms go. It featured seven classrooms all connected via a hallway, with its own set of boys and girls washrooms, and a separate staff washroom and custodian room. It was wheelchair accessible and had two outside entrances. The building sat vacant last school year as student enrollment didn't justify the use of the extra classrooms.

The building was removed gradually this summer in four sections, with the last section being removed on August 3. It is reported that if additional classrooms are needed in the future, individual portable classrooms will be added, as is common practice at most schools.

After the building's removal, landscaping work quickly commenced. Students this school year are sure to enjoy a very special treat: more yard! It was only a year ago that construction finished on a new section of the main school building, designed as a childcare facility and currently leased to Happyface Nursery School for the use of infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Although desperately needed, the new section did take up some precious yard space which has now been returned with

the removal of the portapack building.

Winchester Public School has seen many changes over the years. Adults who went to school there will probably remember when the main entrance was on the north side of the building, with a cozy main office and adjoining principal's office nestled beside the staff washrooms. The section of the building

The tall, familiar part of the building facing the hospital, known by many as the "tower", is the oldest part of the building. Based on an engraving at the very top of the structure, it was built in 1926! Its 100-year anniversary is very quickly approaching. Inside the building, at the base of the tower, part of a stone archway can be seen - likely the former outside entrance of the tower, and a reminder that even the section containing the "old" main office was an "addition" at some point in history.

All of the changes to the beloved local school over a long period of time show progress and a commitment to the education of local youth. Farewell, portapack building! You served your purpose well, and the extra play space you left behind will surely be appreciated in the years ahead!

The vacant yard where the portapack once sat. The construction fence remained up for a few days after the removal.

The last section of the portapack with its familiar red door, set on wheels and rotated, ready to be hauled away.

Steve Clark resigns from Cabinet

by David Shanahan

In the wake of two official reports which found he had failed in his responsibilities as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Steve Clark announced his resignation from that office on Monday. In his letter to Premier Ford, and in a statement issued on social media, he said:

“As someone who has given my life to serving the people through our democratic institutions, it is my responsibility to adhere to the principles of Ministerial accountability. I will continue to serve my constituents as the MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.”

This sudden and dramat-

ic downturn in Steve Clark's political career has come as a genuine surprise to many of this constituents. Known over many years as an honest, articulate, and honourable man who represented his riding with efficiency and integrity, the conclusions of two reports, by the Auditor General and the Ontario Integrity Commissioner, has left his reputation severely damaged and his future political prospects more uncertain after his resignation.

It has to be said that, at this stage, that there is no suggestion that Steve Clark, as Minister for Municipal Affairs and Housing, did anything illegal, with the focus centering on his exChief of Staff, Ryan Amato.

As a Minister, the Integrity Commissioner's Report found that Clark contravened sections of the Members' Integrity Act, 1994 "by failing to oversee the process by which lands in the Greenbelt were selected for development, leading to the private interests of certain developers being furthered improperly".

By not supervising Amato, who, working closely with developers, chose 14 of the 15 tracts of land to be released from Greenbelt restrictions on development, Clark facilitated a process that has raised serious questions. The two Reports strongly rebuked him for this failure to do his job as Minister, and the

What a Reunion, Thank You!

Integrity Commissioner, while noting that he believed the Minister's claims "that he chose to absent himself from directing this file or receiving information on it" after Amato told him he could "leave it with me", still concluded that "Mr. Amato's communications to developers must be attributed to Mr. Clark because I find he failed to oversee an important initiative in his ministry which led to some developers being alerted to a potential change in the government's position on the Greenbelt with the result that their private interests were furthered improperly" [Report Paras 574-575]. These private interests are said to have potentially benefitted to the amount of more than $8 billion.

The Commissioner's conclusions are best summed up in this section: "It may seem incredible that Minister Clark would have chosen to stick his head in the sand on such an important initiative being undertaken by his ministry but I believe that was exactly what he did". [Para 251] Those who have known Steve Clark over the years will be surprised, to say the least, at this "head in the sand" attitude on his part, but the Report also provides a possible motive.

Steve Clark, as M.P.P.,

had always been opposed to using Greenbelt lands for private development, and the sudden u-turn by the Ford Government on the issue after the last election caused him real concerns. The Commissioner's Report noted: "Minister Clark did not appear ‘keen to be doing this project’, Minister Clark acknowledged that he was ‘not in a very happy mood.’ He explained ‘given the fact I was making the decision which was counter to some of the decisions I had made in the first term. And so it's a tough decision.’" [Para 246]

Rather than resign on principle, Steve Clark was happy to let his Chief of Staff handle the unpleasant job of choosing which Greenbelt properties would be released for development. This was an unethical refusal to accept his responsibility as Minister of Housing. Given that he was basically opposed to the Greenbelt initiative, but that he was the Minister with the job of implementing his government's policy on it, perhaps stepping down would have been better than stepping aside.

His decision to resign now may not be the end of this controversy. The Premier has not changed his mind about releasing those 15 tracts of land to development, in spite of the

questionable way in which they were identified. More housing is, in the government’s opinion, worth the $8 billion profit made by a few developers. The irony is that the government’s own studies have shown that the Greenbelt properties are not needed in order to reach the housing targets for which Ford and Clark were pushing.

The Integrity Commissioner had recommended that Steve Clark be reprimanded by the Legislature as: “I acknowledge that Minister Clark has never before been the subject of an inquiry under the Act”, and that “this recommendation would be a sufficient penalty to be imposed at this time”. It is unclear, as yet, whether that reprimand will be needed now that the Minister has resigned. It is equally unclear what effect the entire episode will have on Steve Clark’s future career as an M.P.P.. In addition, there had already been strong rumours that this would have been his last term in the Legislature, as he was apparently thinking of retiring from politics at the next election. This latest development may add to that calculation..

All we can say (after getti ng some sleep and cleaning up): what a wonderful Reunion!

After 18 months of planning and preparing, we were so proud to welcome hundreds of NDDHS student and staff alumni "back home" this past weekend.

- 350 guests at the Friday Night Reception

- 350+ at the Open House and Staff Lounge

- 450 guests at the Din-

ner and Dance

Thank you to everyone who attended and made this weekend a success. It was a wonderful chance to reconnect with friends and colleagues, and to fundraise for a new round of NDDHS beautification projects.

We had guests join us from around the world - as far away as France, Costa Rica, Ireland, Florida, Georgia, Texas, Massachusetts, British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia, New York, and more.

We would love to keep a digital album of any photos you have from Reunion weekend. Please email them to info@nddhs60.ca and we'll make sure to save them for future Reunion events!

How can you help further? Income tax deductible donations accepted!

If you enjoyed the Reunion, or you couldn't attend but want to support the efforts of our volunteers, you are able to make a donation (with a charitable tax receipt

provided) to the Reunion Committee quickly and easily online.

Every $20, $50 or $100 donation builds the momentum for us to create new projects at NDDHS. Receipts are provided for any donation over $20, so get a head start on lowering your tax bill next filing season for a great cause!

We will soon have a total amount raised from the NDDHS60 Reunion weekend, so keep posted on the number by checking out our Facebook page.

Thanks again to everyone who attended, supported, spread the word, and volunteered to make the NDDHS Reunion a big success. We couldn't be more proud of

how it all came togetherand we could not be more proud to be alumni of NDDHS.

All the best and enjoy the rest of your summer!

submitted by Eric Duncan and Gina Jaquemet, Co-Chairs, NDDHS60

Photo of happier days: Steve Clark sworn into the Ford Cabinet by Ontario Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell in June, 2018

I’m happy to help!

portive community,” notes Campaign Assistant Cindy Ault Peters.

“Thank you to everyone who is helping. It’s going to be a fun day on September 16.”

Bill Ewing likes to help people. For 20 years, he has owned Bill’s Towing & Recovery, getting people out of difficult situations and keeping them safe. “We need to support each other,” he says.

So, when he was asked to get involved with The Grand Parade to help build the new Dundas Manor, Bill was all in: “When I heard about this event, I said let’s do it. We need Dundas Manor in our community.”

The Grand Parade is set for Saturday, Sep-

tember 16. It’s a family-friendly fundraising walk in support of the new Dundas Manor.

Team captains can sign up online and create teams of friends and family to raise funds and walk together. The walk – 2.5 or 5 kilometres – winds through Winchester.

Bill is a Supporting Sponsor for The Grand Parade and is one of more than 20 local businesses and organizations who are providing financial support and volunteers.

“We couldn’t have this parade without our sup-

choice, choose local

Grand Parade walkers start their journey on Fred Street, at the back of where the new home will be located. They will pass by the current Dundas Manor and stop for a rest at Sweet Corner Park downtown. Every walker who raises $150 (adult) or $75 (youth), or more, qualifies for a Grand Parade t-shirt. And, if you would like to walk but don’t want to start a team, please join the WDMH Foundation one!

The estimated cost of the new Dundas Manor is $63 million. The provincial government is providing approximately $45 million. Our campaign goal is $18 million. And we’re well on our way! We are so grateful!

For all of the details about The Grand Parade, to sign up, or to donate, please visit htps://thegrandparade.org/location/ winchester.

For more informa-

tion about 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.

Wild world

by David Shanahan

Editor Brandon is currently vacationing Brandon, so I have been allowed back for this issue, with appropriate warnings to behave myself. With that in mind, let me ask you: hasn’t the world gone completely insane? Tornadoes hitting Ottawa, high temperatures everywhere, wildfires in Quebec spreading smoke as far away as New York City, wildfires above the Arctic Circle! Glaciers melting and exposing long-lost corpses and sunken ships, and dire warnings for the future of the planet. Think about it: the eight hottest years on record all occurring since 2015, eight years ago. The hottest year was 2016. The ten hottest years on record have occurred since 2010.

And still we have the naysayers, the ones who are convinced that climate change is a hoax, the word used by US Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy during the

first GOP presidential primary debate. He said, and I have to quote him or you may not believe me, “The climate change agenda is a hoax � The reality is more people are dying of bad climate change policies than they are of actual climate change.” No doubt he believes that COVID was a hoax too, as so many still claim in spite of the millions of deaths worldwide. Who is staging these hoaxes, and why? What is being gained?

I always come back to one question when it comes to the many and increasingly common conspiracy theories going around: why do people believe a few online posters instead of the vast majority of people who know something about the subject? Why do we want to believe in deep states and Illuminati and DaVinci Codes? This is not to say that I think “experts” are always to be believed, or that there isn’t often a time gap between what experts know and

The taboo water issue

what the public believes at times. And it is always salutary to remember that the experts used to assure us that allowing leeches to drain blood from sick people was the way to cure them, or that smoking was good for our health.

We do tend to believe what we want to, regardless of the evidence for or against the thing believed. We like to be tolerant of ideas, to the extent of accepting the completely false notion that “all religions are the same and teach basically the same thing”, or that “people are basically good”, in spite of the facts of history demonstrating that we really aren’t, given the opportunity to behave without restrictions.

Now, people will disagree with both of those statements, which is perfectly ok, as long as there are reasons for doing so, other than an automatic denial based on finding them disagreeable. So how do we find our way in this

confused and confusing world? Our problem is exacerbated by the gradual development over the past couple of centuries of the idea that there are no absolutes: no ultimate standards applicable to all. Relativism, “doing your own thing”, “what is true for you isn’t necessarily true for me”, all have had their effect on how we judge things now. And yet, at the same time, 1+1 still equals 2, oxygen is essential for breathing, everyone dies at some point, and you can’t walk through a solid wall. Basic facts we all accept, so why the vagueness about what should be clear in other areas?

The fact is that we, as the human race, is losing its way, losing its battle to save the planet and ourselves, losing faith in each other, and losing any sense of shame. By shame, I mean the growing willingness of people, like politicians for example, to openly lie, knowing it’s a lie, knowing that we know it’s a lie,

so as not to alienate their supporters. How did we get to this? It wasn’t just Trump, though his arrival on the scene has certainly accelerated the process. We accept this behaviour, we accept that people can believe completely contradictory things and never think it’s odd to do so. It is as though we are being slowly brainwashed, gradually coming to believe impossible things to be normal, opposite things to be complementary. We believe that all points of view are equally valid, no matter how much they conflict with each other, or with reality. What’s happening here?

Socrates, a very wise man indeed, said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” That is a warning to our times. We are accepting too much without examining it. We are living our lives without thinking about what we believe, what we do, and why we do it. People may counter that we have no right to judge

others or their beliefs. I agree, if that means not condemning them for their opinions. But if by judging we mean evaluating, then I think Socrates has a point. It may have always been the case that the majority accepted uncritically whatever authority told them was true, and that has probably caused more tragedy than anything else. That phenomenon hasn’t changed, really. It’s just that now, the identity of the authority has changed, fragmented, assumed by everyone from politicians, religious leaders, and even the single nutcase tapping away on his home computer, giving his unique take on life, the universe and everything. Like me, I suppose. We definitely need to start examining, evaluating, thinking. The answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything is not 42! (For the uninitiated, see “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy”).

endeavours? More importantly, why does it seem like we are now struggling to add additional water and sewer connections to existing and well-established systems?

There is a polarizing debate that exists when it comes to water infrastructure, so much so that I refer to it as the "taboo" water issue. The debate is, should expanding towns like South Mountain have a municipal water system? The reason this topic is polarizing is because people who live with a private well either love it or hate it.

the source aquifer, it can also have an unpleasant "rotten egg" smell. Some people love their well water for its natural taste, and despise the chlorine taste and smell of municipal water.

There are obvious benefits to municipal water. It's guaranteed safe to drink, it works in power outages, and it comes with virtually no maintenance costs. However, it costs money, and as stated previously, some people simply don't like it.

"It's about time someone gave as much attention to the smaller villages in North Dundas as what is routinely given to Winchester and Chesterville! Bring water now! I'm tired of rust stains and rotten egg smell!"

by Brandon Mayer

Does small town water infrastructure seem to be working backwards?

I have always wondered what caused the apparent "boom" of small towns adding municipal water

as a utility between the 1950s and 1990s. In fact, if you look up the majority of the small town water systems in the area, they were built during this period. Where did all the money come from to tackle such massive

Wells provide "free" water but there is a tonne of maintenance costs, and when building a new home, a well is very expensive. The water is also typically safe to drink but it is not guaranteed safe, and it can be harder on appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines. Depending on

Who is right? There is no right or wrong answer. An opinion is an opinion. Some residents of North Dundas' smaller villages will read this article and say "Don't you dare put the bug in the Township's ear about bringing water here! I'm not paying for that! Our water is fine! It's better than anything the Township could offer!" Other people will read my words and think,

Using South Mountain as an example, the new subdivision is filled with homes that have up-to-code wells, likely producing aesthetically good water. These wells were bought and paid for not so long ago, so subdivision homeowners are likely happy with the status quo, and not looking to "fix what isn't broken", so to speak. In contrast, a quick drive down Main Street reveals one major problem: barely any wellheads are even visible. A few decades ago, wellheads used to be buried to make yards more aesthetically pleasing. This is now a code violation as it makes the well

susceptible to contamination. A lot of these older wells in the older part of the village are likely also experiencing quality and quantity issues because of their age. Some of these homeowners are likely wishing there was some way to have municipal water put through town.

How do you make a decision on such a big issue when opinions are so divided on whether or not it's a good call? The only town in the area that has put in a new water system in the last 20 or so years is Maxville, a village that is approximately the size of South Mountain, but perhaps a bit larger. Residents there, at the time, were very divided. Many had begged for water to deal with well quantity and quality issues. Others were furious at having to pay some upfront costs for a utility they didn't want. But the costs of a system can't be justified if not everyone in a village takes the service. It's a true quandary. Should people who need access to clean water

Nanda Wubs Huizenga Marketing Consultant nanda@ndtimes.ca 613.223.9785

Local Arts Council expands its reach

The North Dundas Arts Council (NDAC) welcomes a busy year ahead, thanks to an enthusiastic response from local Artists attending its monthly meetings this past summer. Plans include the continuation of Winchester Open Mic Café and the 'Art in the Branches' program, introducing a short film festival for youth with industry judges and cash prizes, holding a Christmas benefit concert, and supporting a movement to establish a new arts centre complex in Winchester.

Starting September 10, Winchester Open Mic Café returns to the Old Town Hall every Sunday afternoon from 2 pm to 5 pm. Coordinator Ann Brady says that guests appreciate the warm welcome, the great live music, and the sixties ambience of the room. "We are proud to offer our guests a safe and relaxed, alcohol-free environment where everyone is welcome," she adds.

The 'Art in the Branches' program at the Winchester Library extends its exciting summer-long exhibit of art

North Dundas native appointed as a Justice of the Peace

by Brandon Mayer

A newly appointed Justice of the Peace in Pembroke has his roots right here in North Dundas. A release from the Ontario government gives some background information on new JP Carl DeJong:

"Justice of the Peace Carl Everett DeJong worked for the Ottawa Police Service for 16 years, most recently as a sergeant in specialized investigations. In collaboration with victim services agencies and other partners, he worked on developing a system to help identify, refer and provide appropriate supports for high-risk victims, drawing upon his prior experience investigating intimate partner violence as a detective constable in the partner assault unit. Prior to this, Justice of the Peace DeJong worked as a sergeant assigned to temporary custody and prisoner care, assisting with restructuring plans made in response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the police representative on the Board of directors for the Ottawa Mission, Justice of the Peace DeJong advised on various strategies to support people experiencing homelessness and poverty and advocated for wellness supports for staff."

JP DeJong grew up in Chesterville and graduated from North Dundas District High School before becoming a police officer with the Ottawa Police service. He and his wife and family continue to reside in Ottawa while he works as Justice of the Peace in Pembroke.

The 168th Spencerville Fair

by North Dundas District High School Art Students into September, with a very special exhibit of works by Indigenous Art Students in honour of Orange Shirt Day.

"Kathi Poirier has been wonderful not only in how she nurtures her art students, but in helping NDAC coordinate this important exhibit," Ann Brady says. "She really takes to heart that every child matters, and we do too."

Finally, NDAC wishes to thank the Winchester Legion Hall for hosting its monthly meetings there. "Our next

meeting is on Monday, September 10 at 7 pm, and we welcome all local Artists and supporters of the Arts to attend. We are forming a new board of directors and want to ensure that we remain relevant and useful to local Artists as an organization," Ann says. For more information, people can contact NDAC on its Facebook page at "North Dundas Arts Council" or by email at northdundasartscouncil@ yahoo.ca.

OFA and partners searching for sustainable solutions for deadstock

by Paul Maurice, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

For livestock farmers, it’s an unfortunate reality that sometimes, animals die on the farm from causes beyond human control. When that happens, it’s important that those animals are handled and disposed of responsibly and properly, and without impact on human or animal health, or the environment.

In Ontario, the livestock industry depends mostly on rendering – a highly regulated process that turns deadstock safely into new, useful products – as a solution, but increasing restrictions and challenges are making management challenging for both farmers and rendering companies.

That’s why the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) joined together with provincial livestock organizations to request help from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) to address the livestock mortality issue with both short and long-term options that will result in practical and sustainable solutions.

The study recommends the setting up a coordinating body, ideally led by an existing organization, to ensure ongoing development and implementation of solutions that respect geographic differences and the needs of the various livestock sectors in Ontario.

Continued investment in sustainable deadstock management is another recommendation, particularly ensuring ongoing, uninterrupted collection, and building a business case for the value deadstock could offer a circular economy, including to waste management companies.

The report also recommends a review of existing deadstock regulations to ensure they’re based in science, avoid overlap and allow the industry to take advantage of new opportunities presented by sustainable circular economies.

In the winter, OFA hosted a presentation of the initial study results to farmers and industry stakeholders as part of our annual Research Day. Following that, OFA also took part in a stakeholder meeting, where farm organizations, government, renderers, waste disposal companies and others discussed the study’s findings and concluded that a working group should be formed to work towards a more coordinated approach to deadstock management and develop next steps.

It should also be noted that the challenge of sustainable deadstock management is not unique to Ontario. The international scan conducted as part of the study showed that not only is there no single solution that works for all farmers or all livestock species, but countries around the world are looking for answers to the same problem.

Deadstock is a serious concern that our agri-food system needs to deal with collectively so that we can avoid impacts on human health and the environment and minimize risk to Ontario’s livestock herds.

The Spencerville Agricultural Society is very excited to bring you this year’s fair which will host new experiences, new attractions, and the same family-fun that you’ve all come to know and love. Come check out and participate in your fair favourites, including our Baby Show, Pet Show, Livestock Show, Royalty Show, as well as all of our exhibit building competitions, with tens of thousands of dollars in prize money to be won! For details about all of our shows and exhibits, please see our 2023 Fair Book online.

This year, in addition to our classic attractions, including our Touch a Truck, Parade, Demolition Derby, Midway, and Vendor Show, you can also expect some changes that we know will bring even more fun to our fair:

· Due to high demand, our Truck Pulls and Tractor Pulls will be separated, with Truck Pulls appearing on Friday night and Tractor Pulls on Saturday.

· Our Purebred Beef and Cattle Show has been moved to Sunday at noon, and now includes a simmental class as a point show for the Ottawa Valley Simmental Association.

· The Barn of Learning has been relocated to our historic cattle barn, and will be host to this year’s Farmer’s Olympics, happening all weekend long.

· FREE admission to the entertainment arena with your fair ticket on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday of the Fair.

· Revamped exhibit building classes to bring you more variety to look forward to.

New to this year’s fair, we are excited to announce the following:

Entertainment on every night of our 4-day fair, including, for the first time ever, an Open Mic Night on Thursday, September 7.

· On Friday night, we will be opening our new Trackside Tavern for spectators of legal age to enjoy a drink while they watch our Truck Pulls.

· Partnering with the Spencerville Optimist Club, we will be hosting a Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, September 9.

· The Baker’s Building will host our first ever Antique Showcase, which will display classic and traditional farm equipment used throughout Canadian history.

· The Spencerville Fair Tasting Experience, which will showcase our brand-new Spencerville Fair Vodka!

Finally, we will also be joined for live performances by Twin Turbos, Little Bones, Amanda Keeley, Ty Wilson, Teigen Gayse, Colby Drummond, Gail Gavan, and George Fox. More announcements to follow as we work through all of the details. For updates regarding the fair, please visit our website at www.spencervillefair.ca, or find us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Come

Home to Your Fair!

Nanda Wubs Huizenga Marketing Consultant nanda@ndtimes.ca

Preventing diabetes risk due to COVID-19 infection

Mental Health Matters

What is bullying?

Community Volunteers support local health care

Will COVID-19 and the complications associated with this disease ever vanish? Never bet on it. Virus experts say COVID-19 will rise its ugly head again this fall. With it, they add, the complication of both types of diabetes will increase. It's the last thing we need when obesity is already causing a worldwide pandemic of type 2 diabetes. So, how can you reduce the risk? It's easier than you think.

First, type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not make enough insulin. Lifelong replacement and management of this hormone is the only option. With the more common type 2 diabetes, the body does not respond normally to insulin. We call this "Lifestyle Diabetes". Why? Because it is preventable by avoiding obesity. Some cases can be reversed by losing weight.

What causes these two types of diabetes in COVID patients? At this point, no one is certain. Some point out that patients with infections have higher blood sugar. Other experts believe chronic infection may play a role. But it is the consensus that patients with severe COVID-19 have a higher risk of developing these two types of diabetes. Fortunately, they report that the risk is small.

What do experts advise to lower the risk of being struck by the virus again? For good reason, they urge everyone to keep up to date on vaccination. Look at history to know how vaccination has saved many lives.

The other advice must be repeated over and over with or without a pandemic. Follow a sound lifestyle. Start early in life and stick with it. Maintain a healthy weight to escape degenerative diseases like type 2 diabetes. Remember that during a pandemic it's the obese who end up in the intensive care unit fighting for air and their lives.

Stop smoking. Damaged lungs will mean more smokers die. How could it be otherwise?

Get into better shape. It does not matter how. Start slowly if running or weightlifting. Ergometric exercises are easy and effective. Put palms facing and push together for 10 seconds repeatedly. You will be surprised how the bicep muscles strengthen. Never let your arms and legs become so weak you cannot get up from the toilet seat!

The big message is to improve immunity. It’s mind-boggling why one vital fact is rarely mentioned by experts. That is, a few inexpensive, safe, and effective vitamins and minerals enhance immunity.

Vitamin C is the "forever vitamin". Why? Because it involves so many health benefits. For instance, researchers report that during an influenza epidemic, elderly patients suffering from pneumonia were treated with only 200 milligrams daily. It decreased mortality by an amazing 80 percent.

Vitamin D provides another boost to immunity. The starting dose is 5,000 international units (IU) daily for two weeks then decrease to 2,000 IU daily. It's also prudent to add 400 mg of either magnesium citrate, malate or chloride, zinc 50 mg, and selenium 100 micrograms daily.

Vitamin C is water soluble and lost in urine, so it should be taken in divided doses 3 times a day. During times of stress, vitamin C in the blood quickly depletes and so does your immunity. The solution is to keep white blood cells loaded with C so they can immediately pump virus fighters into vital organs.

Start preparing for the next pandemic. It will come as sure as night follows day. Make vitamin C and the other suggestions a daily habit. Compared to prescription drugs that may have lethal problems, these natural remedies have never killed anyone.

And remember, the voyage of a thousand miles begins with the first step.

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

by Brandon Mayer

Many adults over a certain age commonly talk about how much worse bullying was when they were in school. These adults will tell you that their childhood took place during the days of stolen lunch money, massive wedgies, relentless teasing and intimidation and full on beatings. It would be wrong to suggest that bullying no longer exists in the school system, but it’s certainly nothing like it used to be. Schools now have zero tolerance policies which ensure that consequences for the bully are essentially mandatory, and supervision is far better than it used to be. Attitudes have also shifted heavily away from the nonsense that being bullied is a "right of passage" to adulthood.

Bullying, by definition, is a repeated action over a period of time. Not minutes or hours, but days, weeks, months, even years. Kids are kids - they will be mean sometimes, and a single instance of hitting or name-calling does not constitute bullying. Misrepresenting a single incident as "bullying" can muddy the problem for those who are truly experiencing it.

Kids are naturally inclined to use strong words to make sure that they are taken seriously. It is very common for kids to say that someone is "bullying" them, or that they are "being bullied", after just one or two incidents of someone being unkind. It's absolutely important for all instances of unkind treat-

ment to be dealt with, but don't be afraid to ask your child for more details so that you can properly present the facts to your child's educators for a follow up.

Bullying has signs, but some bullying victims feel very intimidated and may try to hide what's going on. This is why family time is important. Depending on a child's age, there are certain times when important topics like school are more likely to come up, such as during dinner time or at bedtime. It's important to stick to a routine to ensure that these important parts of the day are not rushed. If your child has always had a good experience at school but suddenly hates school this year or is having behaviour problems, don't be afraid to ask questions.

If you do suspect bullying, remember that educators are dedicated people who care about the children they work with. They will handle incidents swiftly, thoroughly, and with discretion. It is understandable that you will be upset about what your child is going through, but the best way to handle it is to work with school staff on a solution.

The bottom line? Bullying is less of a problem than it used to be, but it remains one of parents' top concerns when sending their kids off to school. This back-toschool season, be reassured that schools are safe, and that you can help by maintaining a strong connection with your child and their school so that you can stay informed about their educational experience.

by Jane Adams

The newest members of the Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH) Board of Directors say they want to learn and contribute to local health care. Andrea Jewell and Tamara Williams are ready to get to work!

Andrea Jewell says that joining the WDMH Board is bringing her back to her rural roots. She was born and raised in Shawville and spent the first ten years of her career at Shawville Community Hospital. She is a Registered Nurse who has also worked in Pembroke and more recently at The Ottawa Hospital and Bruyère. She served two terms on the Board of the College of Nurses of Ontario and says she’s at the point in her career where she wants to give back.

“I saw the recruitment ad online, noting that WDMH was looking for a new member with a healthcare background,” she says. “I didn’t know a lot about Winchester Hospital but everyone I talked to said ‘you have to go and see it - it’s amazing!’. So I did. It felt like coming home.”

Andrea, her husband and dog Abby live in the south end of Ottawa. She loves to travel, read and dabble in acrylic painting.

Tamara Williams likes talking about data and quality. She began her healthcare career in 1999 as a Physiotherapist at a community clinic and The Ottawa Hospital and moved into a role implementing data collection procedures for the regional joint replacement registry. From there, she worked at the Canadian Institute for Health Information and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. “I enjoy looking at system data and quality indicators,” says Tamara. “It’s all about the patient experience and making it the best it can be.”

Tamara has used WDMH’s Emergency Department since she moved to Metcalfe more than 20 years ago. When her husband suffered a significant head injury, Tamara saw first-hand how important it was to help patients navigate the health system. “It’s good to know our community hospital is there. The service has always been great.”

Tamara and her husband live in Metcalfe. She has a health coaching business and volunteers with the Russell Running Club and the Dave Smith Youth Treatment Centre. She is also an avid knitter.

Two other Board members have completed their full terms on the WDMH Board. Thank you to Renee Belhumeur and James Pitruniak for their commitment to local health care. For the 2023/24 fiscal year, the Board will be led by Chair Bruce Millar, Vice Chair Jennifer Milburn and Treasurer Annik Blanchard.

WDMH is governed by a Board of Directors made up of volunteers from local communities. Board members share their time and expertise and are responsible for the oversight and accountability for the Hospital’s mission, vision and values, quality and performance monitoring, strategic planning, financial stewardship and relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

“Thank you to all the Board members who share their time and expertise and bring diverse skills to the table,” notes WDMH CEO Cholly Boland. “They help us fulfill our commitment to compassionate excellence.”

If you would like to provide comments or suggestions about hospital services, please contact Cholly Boland, President and CEO, Winchester District Memorial Hospital at 613.774.1049 or by email at cboland@wdmh.on.ca.

Director Andrea Jewell Director Tamara Williams

Back to Class for 60 CECCE Schools

brand-new schools.

Engage to elevate

To set the tone for this school year, the CECCE has selected a new theme inspired by one of the three core values in the Board’s strategic plan. Students, their families and staff are encouraged to spread the word about all the ways they and their community members engage throughout the 2023-24 school year.

francophone school board outside Quebec was founded in 1998 and has been inspiring students to discover their passions, develop their talents and contribute to humanity for a quarter of a century. Now that is worth celebrating!

Most of the 27,000 students at Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE) schools have headed back to school. Those at École

élémentaire catholique des Deux-Rivières in Arnprior and École secondaire catholique Sainte-Marie-Rivier in Kingston are even starting the year in

‘’Engage to elevate’’ is about feeling proud, driving action and celebrating people and their resulting initiatives.

Time to celebrate

This year marks the Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est’s 25th anniversary. Canada’s largest

The Weather with Connor

east. This line was something I like to call “training thunderstorms”, a line of storms that continuously moves over one area over a period of several hours. It arrived in Ottawa early in the afternoon and reports of flooding were quickly coming in as the torrential rain wreaked havoc on the city.

“The Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2023. I love the fact that 60 French-language schools in Ontario serve almost 27,000 students every single day. Over the past two and a half decades, thousands of families in the Centre-Est region have chosen French-language

education for their children. As a proud Franco-Ontarian, I am hopeful that an even better future lies in store for Ontario francophones thanks to the efforts and engagement of staff members who do an incredible job of providing the best education to CECCE students,” said CECCE Chair Johanne Lacombe.

“It is important to recognize how engaged our staff are in educating our future change-makers and how committed families are to ensuring their children become assertive, mature, engaged and ethical adults capable of critical and cre-

ative thinking. CECCE communities work in synergy to create opportunities for students to learn and grow. This year, we are doubling down on that engagement in all schools as well as with the new École élémentaire catholique des Deux-Rivières in Arnprior, which will enable even more students to access a Catholic francophone education of choice,” said CECCE Director of Education Marc Bertrand.

Hello, everyone! Welcom e back to another week of The Weather with Connor. This week, I’d like to talk about another chase that I need to catch up on writing about. This column will be about the August 10th, 2023 flooding event in Ottawa.

This day was a bit of a weird one, as the day turned into something models were not showing at all. I knew that storms were going to fire up early in the day, which ended up being the morning, and move to the east. This is what happened, but I didn’t expect storms to form into what they did.

As storms started to strengthen and evolve, it all formed into a line and cluster, and headed into Ottawa. I started driving towards the City, and when I got to about North Gower, started to realize what was about to happen. A flash flooding event would start to unfold.

That line of storms wasn’t similar to other lines that typically move southeast or just straight

I started by going onto Prince of Whales out of Manotick where the rain was so heavy, I couldn’t even see where the road was in front of me. It was flooded over too, on fresh pavement without lines, which made it even more difficult. At this point, I started to hear rumours about Merivale Road, so that was my next destination.

Merivale Road was a disaster, both northbound and southbound, around the Hunt Club area. The road had completely flooded over, about waist deep, underneath a bridge at Merivale and Colonnade Road. Five cars were submerged underneath and had to be towed away. Obviously, both directions of the road were closed, which sent the area into chaos as people had to go down small roads to get back onto another route to take them where they needed to go. All of this after only about one hour of rain.

Next, I headed over to the Walkley Road area as I had heard that some residential streets were deeply flooded near Canterbury High School. Along the

way, I found an intersection that was flooded at the Food Basics on Walkley. Cars were struggling through it, but it wasn’t bad enough for trucks to struggle as they just went flying by, spewing water everywhere. I watched that little flood fix itself as the drain caught up.

Next, I headed into the Elmvale Acres neighborhood. This was the worst area of my flood coverage journey. The parking lot at the Hillcrest High School was flooded deep, with a car submerged and water going inside the school itself. Water was running out of the parking lot and quickly down Hamlet Road. It flowed quite far, all the way to Saunderson Drive, which is the lowest point of the neighborhood. This area was also about waist deep, but water was going up driveways and touching houses, flooding some basements in the area.

When all was over, it rained heavy for about 5 or 6 hours straight. Some parts of the City saw over 100mm of rain in 3 hours (I had a report of 120mm in the Bank/Heron area). This was one of the wildest flash flooding events in the City of Ottawa in a long, long, long time. And since this day, there really haven’t been any storms at all. Mother nature has been giving Ottawa the break it needs after the crazy summer it’s had.

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Emily Blanchard* Kim Monkhouse* Nathan Lang* Melissa Cooper*

Marc Bertrand, Director of Education, along with Marie-Diane Dallaire, Principal of École élémentaire catholique des Pionniers and Ryan Perry, vice-principal

Featuring Connor Mockett

Decades of Caring – For You!

Our 2023 Report to the Community

Welcome to a joint update from Winchester District Memorial Hospital, the WDMH Auxiliary, Dundas Manor Long-Term Care Home and the WDMH Foundation. It’s our annual opportunity to share some of the highlights from the past year and to thank our local communities for your incredible support. We also want to thank our healthcare teams for their commitment to the very best care.

Happy 75th Birthday!

More than 75 years ago, an entire community came together to plan for the new Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH). They identified a need and worked together to bring health care close to home.

Seventy-five years later, more than 80,000 patients were cared for this past year- by close to 900 staff, physicians, volunteers and students. The WDMH team added new services, including a Pulmonary Function Testing Clinic and a Lung Screening Program. A new electronic health record now ensures crucial health information is available for both providers and patients. And we have launched a volunteer program in the Emergency Department to support patients and families. Beyond WDMH, we continue to work with our local health partners to advance the Great River Ontario Health Team.

WDMH is an employer of choice. In fact, we are almost fully staffed. We also continue to welcome students throughout the hospital. And our research program is growing, as a leader in Health Canada-approved clinical trials.

As we look back on 75 years, we are grateful to those who had a vision and made it happen. Today, we all benefit from those who have supported WDMH over more than seven decades of caring. Thank you!

Giving Back – In a Big Way!

While the hospital officially opened on December 8, 1948, the WDMH Auxiliary was already hard at work. On August 3rd, 25 ladies from Winchester, Elma and Russell met in the town hall to start planning. And amazing community volunteers have been involved at their local hospital ever since.

This past May, the Auxiliary hosted a tea and fashion show to celebrate the hundreds of volunteers who have supported WDMH’s care team over the years, raising millions of dollars to purchase everything from chairs to IV pumps to equipment for the operating room. At the event, Auxiliary Co-Chairs presented another cheque –for $233,141! – to the hospital. These funds will be used to purchase nine patient care equipment items for various departments at WDMH. What an amazing team!

We are also grateful to the community volunteers who sit on the Patient and Family Engagement Committee, various hospital committees, and the WDMH Board of Directors. Thank you for your commitment to health care close to home.

To learn more about WDMH, visit www.wdmh.on.ca. Don’t forget to sign up for our monthly e-newsletter.

It’s Magic!

There have been parties next door at Dundas Manor Long-Term Care Home too as the Manor celebrates 45 years of caring. Happiness and joy continues! We are proud of the care that we provide and want to thank our team, our committed volunteers and Board of Directors, as well as our wonderful residents and families for their never-ending support.

We are proud to share that Dundas Manor was recently awarded Accreditation with Exemplary Standing. This is the highest award possible and was achieved despite the challenges of an aging and cramped building. Just think what we will be able to do with a beautiful new building - with additional space, privacy and so much more!

At its annual summer party, the Dundas Manor team looked back on the past four decades, recognized staff service and even had a surprise visit by Elvis. So much to celebrate!

Gratitude!

Neighbours helping neighbours. In our local communities, it happens every day. And at the WDMH Foundation, we get to see the benefits first-hand. It is our honour to meet and work with generous donors and community volunteers who want to give back and support local health care – at Winchester District Memorial Hospital and Dundas Manor Long-Term Care Home.

And you certainly have! Because of you, the WDMH Foundation has written a cheque to Winchester District Memorial Hospital for $1,143,828.00 this year. This money has been used to purchase 222 new pieces of equipment to care for patients as well as education for staff.

It has also been our pleasure to work closely with the Dundas Manor team and campaign cabinet volunteers and to launch the Expanding the Circle of Compassionate Care campaign to build the new Dundas Manor. Construction will begin this fall.

Dundas Manor is an essential part of our local healthcare system. We are so grateful to everyone who has donated to help make this long-awaited dream a reality. The community portion of the project cost is approximately $18 million. Our generous community has given over $11.8 million so far!

Thank you to all our donors for keeping WDMH in your hearts, and for making some room in there for Dundas Manor too! It is a privilege to connect with you every day.

To request a copy of our annual report and/or financial statements, please email foundation@wdmh.on.ca.

New Equipment at

Champions!

by Brandon

Mayer Players from two of the North Dundas United Soccer Club (NDUSC) leagues posed proudly for pictures after their tournament wins on August 16 and August 19.

First to take home their win was the U13/15 Black Chesterville team, who finished their final game with a score of 7-2 against Forest Green Mountain, after a season with not a single loss.

Micah Van Gilst took home this year's U13/15 Golden Boot, with a total of 13 goals in the six regular season match ups and two playoff games.

Also taking home a win was the U11 Red Mountain team, who defeated the Chesterville Silver team in the A-Finals at the U11 August 19 year end tournament.

Great job, boys and girls!

Thinking ahead is the best investment

by Brandon Mayer

It typically doesn’t take more than hour or two of highway driving before the average motorist will come across a broken down vehicle. Sometimes the problem is unclear just from looking at the car, as would be the case with a dead battery or faulty fuel pump, for example. But sometimes, the problem is obvious even to the untrained eye.

Have you ever seen a vehicle on the side of the highway with a missing wheel or a badly blown-out tire? What about a vehicle with one of its wheels twisted completely out of alignment with the other three? Most of us have. It happens far too often. My first thought is always “how lucky is the driver that this didn’t end up being a total wreck”. It’s probably true that driving skill also has something to do with these situations not turning out much worse.

The statistical problem lies in what we don’t see. How many “single vehicle accidents” are the result of a malfunction in critical mechanical parts, such as the wheels, axels, ball joints, or bearings? How many occur because of ignored warnings, when a vehicle was giving its driver ample clues that it was experiencing engine trouble only to shut off unexpectedly at highway speed? Some estimates place the implication of mechanical failure in car accidents as high as 10-15% of all accidents.

What can you do about it? Trust your senses! A shake, a rattle, a squeak, a thump… these new or worsening symptoms are a cry out for maintenance from your car. This also goes for strange engine noises or behaviours, a steady pull to one side or the other, vibrating noises that change depending on which way you are turning, maintenance lights on the dashboard, dimming lights or electrical abnormalities –really, anything unusual.

When it comes to your car, thinking ahead really should be the first investment for your safety and for the safety of those who ride with you, such as your children. Our local area is lucky to have honest and hardworking mechanics working in garages that are well equipped to serve you. Be confident that you can trust them for your routine maintenance, and repairs when something goes wrong. It’s a decision that could – literally – save your life.

Micah Van Gilst

The U11 Red Mountain team

The U13/15 Black Chesterville team

Fertilizer - Seed - Crop Protection

Summer Spotlight Dairy Show

by Kelly Fawcett-Mathers

The Summer Spotlight Junior Dairy Show was held on August 26 in conjunction with the Chesterville Fair. The show was spearheaded by Hugh and Dianne Fawcett who were extremely pleased with the turnout of exhibitors and quality of animals presented. This show brought together youth from as far west as Napanee and as far east as Ormstown, QC. Those participating were extremely keen and brought a great energy with them, many stating how much fun they had and the great vibe felt within the barn.

Judge Curtis McNeil from Goderich commented on the “tremendous group of showpeople. Everyone should be very proud of these young people; it takes a lot of work at home, as we all know."

He went on to congratulate the exhibitors, their parents and leaders for the work that they put in. Taking Champion Showmanship honours was Taylor Mathers of Winchester. Reserve Champion Showperson was Emily Smygwaty from Russell, followed by Felix Loiselle from St-Stanislas de Kostka, QC for Honourable Mention. In the afternoon, Judge McNeil placed the confirmation classes, winning with Sunnylodge SL Sidekick Jade, the entry of Taylor Mathers for Champion Calf. Reserve Champion Calf was the entry of Hailey Smygwaty with Hodglynn Alligator Barbie, and Honourable Mention Calf was entry of Emily Smygwaty with Weeberlac Tennessee Whiskey.

Local businesses were

Call Elevator: 613-774-4246

Home: 613-774-3305

appreciated for their sponsorship of the show and the jackpot prizes awarded to the champion and reserve showpeople and calves. Show sponsors included Rutters Elevators Inc, Sunnylodge Farms Inc, Sybrenson Farms Inc, Fawcettview Farms Inc, Brugline Farms Ltd, O'Farrell Wealth & Estate Planning, TD Agriculture Services, and Dundas Feed & Seed. Special thanks to Chesterville Fair for being gracious hosts for this event.

Show Results:

Novice Showmanship: 1st: Ethan Velthuis (Mountain, ON); 2nd: Ashton Bryson (Ormstown, QC)

Junior Showmanship: 1st: Emily Smygwaty (Russell, ON); 2nd: Felix Loiselle (St-Stanislas de Kostka, QC)

Intermediate Show-

manship: 1st: Taylor Mathers (Winchester, ON); 2nd : Lydia De Vries (Sydenham, ON)

Senior Showmanship: 1st : Samantha Hildbrand (St. Albert, ON); 2nd : Kate McEwen (Metcalfe, ON)

Champion Showperson: Taylor Mathers; Reserve Champion Showperson: Emily Smygwaty; Honourable Mention Showperson: Felix Loiselle

Spring Calf: 1st: Weeberlac Tennessee Whiskey (Emily Smygwaty); 2nd: Riverdown Alt Thats Time Out (Aubrey Moodie)

Winter Calf: 1st: Winright SL Sidekick Jade (Taylor Mathers); 2nd: Hodglynn Alligator Barbie (Hailey Smygwaty)

Fall Calf: 1st: Beslea Lambda Aberdeen (Joelle De Vries); 2nd: Strathburn Beslea Victorious Esquire

ET (Lydia De Vries)

Summer Yearling: 1st: Sunnylodge Diamondback

Kinsely (Ryan Smygwaty); 2nd: Rosenhill

Brayden Cali Red (Samantha Hildbrand)

Spring Yearling: 1st

: Archo Chief Dakota (Keith Quinn); 2nd: Rapid Bay Reviresco Lady Belle

(Maeve McIntyre)

Champion Calf: Winright SL Sidekick Jade (Taylor Mathers); Reserve

Champion Calf: Hodglynn Alligator Barbie (Hailey Smygwaty); Honourable Mention Calf: Weeberlac Tennessee Whiskey (Emily Smygwaty)

Champion Showpeople: L to R: Mark Smith (Sponsor, Sunnylodge Farms Inc), Felix Loiselle (Honourable Mention Showperson), Emily Smygwaty (Reserve Champion Showperson), Taylor Mathers (Champion Showperson), Curtis McNeil (Judge).

Champion Calves: L to R: Garry Brugmans (Sponsor, Brugline Farms), Kelly Fawcett-Mathers (Sponsor, TD Agriculture Services), Curtis McNeil (Judge), Emily Smygwaty (Honourable Mention Calf), Hailey Smygwaty (Reserve Champion Calf), Taylor Mathers (Champion Calf), Kylene Barton and Michael Aube (Sponsors, Rutters Elevators) Photo Credit: Lyndsay Berry Photography

Terry Fox - what a true legacy looks like

by Brandon Mayer

Quite often in this country, and in many countries around the world, we tend to idolize certain people. Sure, there are actors and musicians and authors who are very adept at their respective crafts, but for me it raises a simple question - what warrants fame?

If simply being good at one's job was a reason to be famous, there would be far more famous people in the world. Have you ever had a proud moment at work, when you performed a task with great skill, or handled a tricky situation with utmost professionalism, and wondered for a fleeting mo-

ment how cool it would be if everyone in the world had seen it and saw how great you are? Average people seldom get recognized for what they do, but everyone does great things.

Most kids value fame. At some point or another, they dream of becoming movie stars or famous singers. Humans are attention-seeking creatures. Attention fills our cup. So what happens when someone who never wanted to be famous gets famous anyway? Well, we like him even more.

The best part of Terry Fox's legacy (no introduction needed) is that he wasn't interested in fame. His own website still refers to him simply as "just a guy running across the country

to collect money for cancer research". This remains his description more than 40 years after his death and following decades of international recognition, streets named after him, and literally millions of people participating in events in his name. Forty years and $850 million later, "just a guy running across the country".

It has been said that "Canadians prefer modest heroes", and I think that is absolutely the case. Personally, I cannot overstate how much more respect I have for someone like Terry Fox than I do for any "famous YouTuber". I hope that young kids today feel that same thing in their hearts. A respect for Terry Fox does not need to come solely from a respect for the global fight against cancer. Too often, people shirk responsibility for their own goals, their own happiness, and their own shortcomings. Terry Fox didn't have wealth, fame, or extensive

North Dundas Cornhole League attends Nationals in Laval

by Brandon Mayer

Local opportunities for recreation continue to grow. The North Dundas Cornhole League - relatively new on the scene - had a chance to attend the Cornhole Nationals in Laval, Quebec on the weekend of August 19 and 20.

For those unfamiliar with Cornhole, it's a game played by throwing bags of resin pellets into a hole on a raised board. Boards are set 27 feet apart, and scoring is 3 points for in the hole and 1 point for on the board, with games going to a total of 21 pts. The bags used for the game were traditionally filled with corn before resin pellets were substituted, hence the name of the game.

The local league got started when Warren Schmidt and the other founders were preparing for a party and wanted to have a game ready to have some fun. "I had some scrap materials laying around and slapped together my first set of boards in a few hours, and we played all afternoon into the evening,"

said Warren. "I brought my boards home to continue to practice, and my daughter would ask if after dinner we could go and play so we would go out into the back yard and toss bags for 2 to 3 hours a night."

When the weather became too cold for playing in the backyard, Warren began searching for local leagues to play in. The closest was in Ottawa. After joining, Warran asked some members of that league how difficult it would be to start his own league in his own community. He ended up doing just that, registering the North Dundas Cornhole League with the Canadian Cornhole League. Others quickly joined, with 18 members in the first season which began in May. Warren describes it as "a very social league."

Warren told the Times that competing in the Nationals was great, but that the team didn't do so well.

"That was somewhat to be expected as most of us had only been playing for about 6-8 months," he added. "My teammate and I finished 3-6 for the day, while our other teammates didn't fare so well going 0-8. As with any local league, being able to attend

resources behind him. He simply made a decision to do all he could to help an important cause, and a more important decision never to quit. That attitude should be an inspiration for all Canadians.

One of the most striking things for me about the Terry Fox story is what became of the now-iconic camper van. The Ford camper van that acted as a touring vehicle for the small Marathon of Hope crew on the road was actually loaned to Terry Fox by the Ford Motor Company. After Terry's passing, it was returned to Ford, and subsequently owned by a few average families over the course of 20 years. It has since been found and restored, but I believe the simple fact that the vehicle spent decades in regular circulation exemplifies the Terry Fox movement perfectly. It was never about fame and glory - that vehicle was simply a tool as part of an important

endeavor. Nobody stopped to think, "holy cow, this is a rare and valuable artifact" in the years after Terry's passing. It was just a van.

Terry Fox has a true legacy to his name. Perhaps the type of legacy most worthy of glory and fame is the legacy of those who never wanted glory and fame.

Upcoming "Terry Fox Run"

This year's official Terry Fox Run will take place on September 17. Schools and individual organizations often organize their own fundraising events and schedules for these events. The Terry Fox Run began over 40 years ago after Terry Fox endeavored to run the entire way across Canada in 1980 to raise awareness about cancer and to raise money for cancer research after a battle with cancer that cost him most of his right leg.

Terry was from Port Coquitlam, BC, and he began his journey by dipping his leg in the Atlantic Ocean

Saint Mike’s student installed as Trustee

any national tournament is huge. I look forward to being able to take members from my league there next year, providing we can raise enough money as I have heard it is possibly being held in British Colombia next year."

The local league will run 10-week sessions this fall season, starting at the end of September and running until the end of November. There will be a winter and spring session, but the timing of these are yet to be determined. League members plan to take summers off to enjoy vacations and good weather. The league runs out of the Chesterville Legion on Tuesday evenings from 6:30-9:30 pm, and all are welcome. Warren notes that the game is very accessible, even for those who use canes and wheelchairs, etc. "The cornhole community is all about growing this game and reaching as many people as possible as it is a very social game."

There are still some details to work out, but Warren expects memberships will likely be priced the same as in the spring session - $110 for the season. The group is considering a drop in price

The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario has announced that Chloe Finner, a Grade 12 student at St. Michael Catholic High School, has been installed as the next Student Trustee for the CDSBEO. Student Trustee Finner, who served as Associate Student Trustee for the 2022-2023 school year, has assumed the position from Ella Scott.

The Board also welcomed Associate Student Trustee Brooke Guindon, a Grade 11 student at St.

of $15. Interested in joining? Check out the group's Facebook page called North Dundas Cornhole League, send an email to northdundas@ canadiancornholeleagues. com, or drop by during one of the League nights.

on Canada's East Coast on April 12, 1980, with the goal of running all the way home. Terry's journey was tragically cut short on September 1, 1980 in Thunder Bay, after running a remarkable 5,373 kilometres. His cancer had returned - this time to his lungs - and on June 28, 1981, Terry passed away, but not before insisting that his Run and the fight against cancer must continue.

Supervised by the Terry Fox Foundation, the Run has raised over $850 million in Terry's name to fund cancer research, with the amount increasing every year. Events are held both in Canada and internationally, with money being raised in other countries usually used to fund research in the host country.

Those interested in learning more about Terry Fox and his legacy can visit https://terryfox.org.

Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School, who was also installed at the August 29 Board meeting.

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we are pleased to welcome Student Trustee Finner and Associate Student Trustee Guindon in their new roles,” noted CDSBEO Chair Sue Wilson. “We know that they will make an outstanding contribution as the voice for all CDSBEO students, and we look forward to working with them this year."

“Thank you for welcoming me back to the team and for putting your trust in me,” noted Trustee Finner in her address to the Board of Trustees. “We look forward to collaborating with the Student Senate and I thank the Senate and the Board of Trustees for this amazing opportunity and privilege.”

L-R: Board Chair Sue Wilson, Student Trustee Chloe Finner, Associate Student Trustee Brooke Guindon, Director of Education Laurie Corrigan

As student trustees, Chloe and Brooke will represent the more than 13,300 students across the Board and will lead the Student Senate. The Senate discusses student issues, gathers student opinion, and helps to develop communications with all students across the CDSBEO. It also provides a means for student council leaders and senators to gain leadership skills.

The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario operates 39 elementary and 10 secondary schools across eight counties. The CDSBEO offers excellence in Catholic education through provincial leading programs to approximately 13,300 students.

CROSSWORD

4. Knickknack holder

5. Viper

6. Taverns

7. Run off to wed

8. Plushy

9. Nose-and-throat problem 10. Excited 11. Scarce

12. Not amateurs

15. Triangular formation

21. Ego

23. Luau souvenirs

25. Notch made by a saw 27. Cigarfish

Memorial Mass

St. Mary’s Cemetery, Chesterville 3065 Dunbar Rd.

September, 9 at 11:00

Bring lawn chairs, No rain date

OPEN PAINTING CLASSES

Beginning 7 Sept, every Thursday 12:30-3:30 Nelson LePrade Center, Chesterville $20.00 per session. Contact Carrie Keller-paintings2order@ eastlink.ca or Facebook or 613-774-1906

CALL TO TENDER #2023-01

SNOW CLEARING, SNOW REMOVAL & DE -ICING

Parking lots, entrance ways, helicopter pad, driveways, walkways of all three organizations: Winchester District Memorial Hospital, Dundas Manor and Community Care Building.

Tenders will be received until Friday, September 22, 2023 at 2:00pm EST Via Email to: Building & Support Services Manager @ shutchingame@wdmh.on.ca

All details and specifications can be obtained on the WDMH Website or by telephone: 613-774-2420 ext. 6209.

The lowest tender may not necessarily be accepted.

Solutions to last week’s Sudoku

Solution to last week’s Crossword

The singer from Winchester

had his own radio show in Chicago at WCFL. Graham invited George to sing on his program, beginning a relationship in ministry that would last for more than seventy years. When Billy Graham began his famous evangelistic meetings in 1947, George was part of the team, singing his way around the world with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and, as a result, it is estimated that he sang live before more people than anyone else in history.

There was more to George’s musical career than the live meetings. Over the course of his life, he made more than seventy albums, was nominated for ten Grammy Awards, winning one in 1965. He found himself in impressive company in 2011, when he received the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award alongside Julie Andrews, the Juilliard String Quartet, the Kingston Trio, Dolly Parton, and the Ramones!

Une Rentrée scolaire mémorable au CEPEO!

by David Shanahan

It was in the church on St. Lawrence Street in Winchester, built by a former slave from the United States, that the world first heard the voice of a young man named George Beverly Shea, who would come to be known as "America's beloved gospel singer", and was considered "the first international singing 'star' of the gospel world".

George was born on February 1, 1909 in Winchester, where his father was the minister in the local Wesleyan Methodist Church. There was so much history in that building, the work of Isaac Johnson, once a slave in Kentuckey, later

freed during the Civil War, who lived in Winchester for eight years in the 1870's and built a number of churches, as well as the Town Hall in Morrisburg. Isaac died in 1905, just four years before George Shea was born in Winchester and spent his life singing of a different kind of freedom to which Isaac Johnson could also relate.

Aside from singing in the choir in his father’s church in Winchester, the young George Beverly Shea sang at various Christian camp meetings around the Ottawa Valley. George went to school in Winchester before moving to Ottawa when his father took up a parish

there, finishing his education at Houghton College in New York, a Wesleyan College, now Houghton University. While working in the offices of an insurance company on New York City, George spent his leisure time working at a radio station, and that became his full-time job in 1938 in Chicago. He had been offered a job with NBC in 1933 singing hit parade songs on a national radio show called “Your Hit Parade”, but turned it down, as he didn’t feel comfortable singing secular songs. He was a host, interviewer, writer, administrator, and soloist on a program at a Christian station, WMBI from 1938 until 1944. In those years, he also sang on programs that were broadcast around the world, from Canada to China. In that time, two pivotal events had taken place in young Shea’s life.

In 1934, George married Erma Scarfe at his father’s church in Ottawa, and in 1940 he met a young preacher called Billy Graham, who

De droite à gauche, Stéphane Vachon, directeur de l’éducation par intérim, Marie-France Harvey, directrice de l’école élémentaire publique Grande-Ourse, Jacinthe Marcil, conseillère scolaire, Marie-Josée Brosseau, surintendante de l’éducation et Nadine Ebakisse, directrice adjointe par intérim de l’école élémentaire publique Grande-Ourse.

Le Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO) est heureux de retrouver ses élèves pour l’année scolaire 2023-2024! C’est avec bienveillance que nous avons accueilli aujourd’hui nos quelque 17 500 élèves dans nos 44 écoles. En route vers l’excellence!

Le directeur de l’éducation par intérim, Stéphane Vachon, était présent ce matin à l’école élémentaire publique Grande-Ourse afin de procéder au lancement de l’année scolaire 2023-2024. Ce fut également l’occasion de dévoiler le tout nouveau logo de l’école, qui continue de se démarquer par excellence académique, sportive et artistique!

He also wrote a number of the songs he sang at rallies and on radio, including one which dated back to his days in Winchester. His mother, who had taught him how to play piano, left a poem “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” by Rhea H. Miller, on the family piano and after reading the words he sat at the piano and composed the tune.

George was also involved in a number of movies through the Billy Graham organisation, including the very first film appearance of Irish actor, Liam Neeson. The future star of “Schindler’s List”, “Michael Collins”, and “Love Actually”, appeared as Christian in “Pilgrim’s Progress”, for which George was the narrator.

George Beverly Shea passed away on Tuesday, April 16, 2013, at the age of 104 after a stroke. The boy from Winchester, North Dundas, had travelled a very long way, was heard by millions of people all over the world, recognised by his peers in the music field, and had a long and remarkable life.

« En cette période de nouveau départ, c'est avec une énergie et une détermination renouvelées que nous accueillons nos élèves et notre personnel dans nos écoles. Cette année, nous allons continuer de cultiver une culture de l'excellence en offrant à nos élèves un environnement inclusif et sécuritaire qui nourrit la curiosité, la pensée critique et la créativité », souligne Monsieur Vachon.

Une communauté scolaire unie pour un monde plus vert et plus équitable

Cette année, le CEPEO réitère son engagement en faveur d’un monde plus vert et plus équitable en préparant ses élèves à la réussite scolaire, mais également à devenir des citoyens responsables, compatissants et respectueux de l'environnement.

Pour Samia Ouled Ali, présidente du conseil, il est essentiel que le CEPEO se positionne comme un modèle auprès de sa communauté en tenant compte des principes du développement durable dans l’ensemble de ses pratiques, de ses décisions et de ses actions au quotidien. « Notre engagement en faveur du développement durable témoigne des valeurs que nous inculquons à nos élèves, en leur apprenant à respecter et à chérir la planète dont ils héritent. En adoptant cette approche, nous avons un impact qui dépasse les limites de la salle de classe et nous nous portons garants du changement en semant les graines de la conscience environnementale dans le cœur de nos élèves ».

Mon école francophone depuis 25 ans!

À l’occasion de son 25e anniversaire, le CEPEO invite toute sa communauté à célébrer son quart de siècle de défis et de grandes réussites et à se tourner vers l’avenir ensemble.

Les inscriptions ont lieu en tout temps dans les écoles du CEPEO ou en ligne au cepeo.on.ca/inscription. Pour des renseignements supplémentaires, veuillez communiquer avec nous à l’adresse inscription@cepeo.on.ca par téléphone au 613 742-8960, poste 3004 ou au numéro sans frais : 1-888-332-3736, poste 3004.

Bonne rentrée à toutes et à tous!

Wesleyan Methodist Church, Winchester, digital archive, Toronto Public Library

George Beverly Shea, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

False rumour hits social media regarding home invasion

users were understandably concerned. “Home invasion” is not something you often hear about in small towns, after all.

Baldwin’s Birds

Spider-bird, not Spider-man!

by Brandon Mayer

There is a common expression – “small towns talk” – which most North Dundas residents would confirm to be true without hesitation. But do small towns speak the truth when they talk? Not always. Rumours can spread faster than fire.

A police and ambulance presence in Inkerman on the evening of August 30 was in fact related to a case of medical distress, not a home invasion or any other crime, as was rumoured online.

How do rumours spread?

What makes a rumour tick?

The story of the rumour itself is simple. On August 31, a social media user posted to the local Chesterville page on Facebook claiming that “There was a home invasion in Inkerman last night... a lot of police cars and a few ambulances.”

Many fellow social media

Burdockery

Shortly after the initial post, the social media user who made the initial post commented with some additional details upon request of many curious and concerned locals. “From what I've been told, one man entered the home, before dark, while the owners were home. Man was involved in a physical altercation with the intruder. One person left in an ambulance. Police were present for hours, yard taped off until this morning. Not targeted.”

Except at least some – or perhaps most – of the details shared on social media were false. The Times contacted the Ontario Provincial Police to confirm what really happened, and the result was a very different story from the one painted online.

“I can confirm that officers responded to a residence in Inkerman, but not for a home invasion,” said Officer Serge Duguay. “Two parties were in medical distress.” As is protocol, the OPP does not issue further details in such cases, for privacy reasons.

The obvious next question is – where did the false information come from?

There were certainly a lot of details for it to all be made up. Part of what happens in cases like these is probably similar to the “telephone game”. You may have played it as a child. The “telephone game” involves a row of people, and begins with the first in line whispering something into the ear of the next person in line, who has to repeat it to the next person, and so on. By the end of the line, the phrase has often been misheard so many times that it has morphed into something completely different – and funny – by the time the last person in line blurts it out.

Rumours are often not spread for the purpose of causing trouble. They spread because of the innate curiosity of human beings, and a desire to share what we think we know. For example, if a person was indeed observed entering the Inkerman residence on August 30, but not in uniform, it could have easily been a concerned friend, neighbour or family member who received a text and rushed over before emergency services arrived. There is no need to speculate – this is just an example that shows how easy it would be for someone to assume they had seen an intruder.

North Dundas residents,

Life speeds onwards apace as summer and all the bird activities carry on in the day to day routine of living. The competition for food goes on as usual, with the birds taking second place to our three different coloured squirrels which tend to dominate the scene, but not quite all of it, since they too "see each other off" and have to leave their respective feeding spot to do it. This, of course, gives the birds a chance to feed during the squirrels' fleeting chases of their immediate rivals, whatever their size and colour! The "Little Red" will often be seen pursuing a much larger black or grey variety with the tenacity of a wee red-headed Scot who always comes to mind whenever I see it happen!

As a break from just observing through our front room window, I thought that I would take up a comfortable spot in the garden to observe the Hummingbird activity "live", so to speak,

and particularly those in Inkerman, can sleep better knowing that there was no crime committed on August 30. The Times extends its well wishes to those involved in the situation on that night.

so I got into my car and opened the windows and used it as a "bird-hide" to get some pictures of them. My primary objective was to get some pictures of the Hummingbirds in flight as they came to feed from my suspended feeder. I managed to get some clearer pictures of them this way, but was very upset with those pesky wasps which were also vying with the birds for a sip of the sugar water. I have a few pictures of both the birds and their rival wasps in them. I really can see why the little birds are so twitchy about trying to put their tongues down a hole which might contain a not too happy "stinging beast". I know I would be! Towards the end of the day, the wasps disappear and the Hummingbirds can feed in relative peace when they only get chased

by one of "their-own", if that is any consolation to them! It was whilst I was following the Hummingbird activity that I noticed, out of the corner of my eye, something scaling and then clinging to my garage brick wall. What a surprise - it was a Red-breasted Nuthatch! We don't see them very often compared with the White-breasted variety which are regular visitors. This little fellow didn't stop for very long, and I presume that it had just stopped by to see if there were any flies or spiders to feed on under the eaves. Whatever his reason, it was a nice surprise! Perhaps you too are being treated to bird surprises and, if so, enjoy the moments. Stay safe and well.

Cheers, John Baldwin

family. "Arctium" is from the Greek word for bear and refers to the appearance of the flowers, which are bristly spheres instead of ordinary daisy-like Asters. The flowers mature as balls of hooked bracts that allow them to cling to clothing and animal fur. Bats and small birds are sometimes fatally trapped on the burrs, and the hooked burrs inspired the invention of Velcro in the early 1940s.

"Lesser" burrs are smaller and more spherical, even somewhat pointed to the top at times, and the growth of the plant is more upright and conical. Once you know the differences in the burrs and in the way they're deployed, you can pretty well identify fruiting plants while driving past at highway speeds.

before turkeys arrived in the 1980s, but when we're in New Brunswick, where Burdock is abundant all over the landscape, we record where the stands are to see if they decline as turkeys become abundant there.

by Fred Schueler and Aleta Karstad Fragile Inheritance natural history

It's getting to be the time of year when clothing and dogs may come back from outings knotted and bunched up with the hooky fruits of Burdock plants. These are species of the genus Arctium, native to Europe and Asia, but widely introduced across North America. The Burdocks are huge rhubarb-leaved, biennial herbs in the Aster

Locally, we have two species of Burdock, Arctium minus and A. lappa. A. minus, "Lesser Burdock," credited by Wikipedia with 1.8 m height and 30 cm roots, was the only species around in the 1970s, but through the years we've tracked the regional spread of A. lappa ("Greater Burdock)" in Eastern Ontario, wikied at 3 m tall, with a 1 m root. The species are hard to tell apart until they flower, but the "Greater" burrs are larger and flatter-topped and the plant is more sprawling. The

We've recently engaged with Burdock because when Fred protested that it wasn't an invasive species in eastern Ontario, he was put on the Burdock "Best Management Practices" team of the Ontario Invasive Plants Council. This plan is being funded by the city of Toronto, and being on the team has triggered us to notice that the Burdocks are much more abundant in Ottawa than in rural areas. This fits our idea that turkeys, the only birds that go after the Burdock seeds, may be controlling their abundance in rural areas. We don't have Burdock observations from

Besides controlling the burrs as nuisances, we mostly relate to Burdocks as vegetables, and in the Orient they're domesticated for this, and called "Gobo." The huge taproots are delicious both after the plant dies back in the fall, and before it shoots up in the spring, with only three problems: the roots are so long that no matter how deeply you dig, you only seem to get half of the total volume of the root, the skin is so rough and dirty-looking that it's unappealing to peel, and in some older roots the flesh contains so much tough fibre that it has to be peeled to the more tender core. They're best when cooked grated or sliced.

In the early spring, the

first-emerging shoots can be cooked as greens, or used fresh as a salad ingredient. In May and early June, as the stems get thick and tall and begin to leaf out, before the flowers form, we harvest the stems and peel them while the stem centre is still full and tender, before it becomes hollow and pithy.

The thick outer layer of even the heaviest young stems peels easily with a paring knife. We steam them, or boil them in just enough water to cover for about ten minutes. They have a slightly sweet flavour and are marvelously adaptable and nutritious in all kinds of

dishes. We cut them up and toss them into stir fry, and they're very nice used cold in bean salads. Of course, they're great hot out of the pot with salt, butter and pepper, or mixed with cooked leafy greens.

So far, Burdock hasn't taken over our Eastern Ontario garden, and we harvest the first-year plants or cut most of the taller second year plants before their burrs are mature and ready to snag passersby. That way we can keep them to ourselves to admire and harvest, and they don't get "shared" with those who haven't yet learned to manage and use them.

Nanda Wubs Huizenga Marketing Consultant nanda@ndtimes.ca 613.223.9785 ww.ndtimes.ca

Fred with a 53 x 64 cm

Burdock leaf

GIAG camp at Winchester PS

uncoordinated that the children were enjoying simply breaking open balloons filled with ice cold water and pouring it on their educators!

Do these names sound familiar?

submitted by Jane Adams

We have big news!

Some of the players who will be part of the WDMH Foundation’s first-ever NHL Alumni Hockey Game have been announced.

Do these names sound familiar? Chris Neil (Ottawa Senators), Wendel Clark (Toronto), Guy Carbonneau (Montreal), Mike Krushelnyski (Edmonton, LA and Toronto), Todd Gill (Toronto), Laurie Boschman (Ottawa), Gary Leeman (Toronto and Montreal), and Tom Fergus (Boston and Toronto) are scheduled to be on the ice with 32 lucky local hockey players.

The event takes place on Saturday, October 14th at the Joel Steele Community Centre and Sam Ault Arena in Winchester. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the game starts at 7:30 pm. Proceeds will support the General Equipment Fund.

To qualify to play with

these superstars, there is a $150 registration fee ($250 after September 15th), and players can either give or fundraise a minimum of $750 more (a minimum of $900 is needed to qualify to play).

To register as a player and set up your fundraising page, visit: https://bit. ly/wdmhhockey-registration. Then get your friends and family to help support you in playing your dream game!

The more money you raise, the better chance you have to choose your preferred playing position. Players will also have access to a VIP meet and greet after the game. Space is very limited so register and start fundraising soon. Please note that the NHL Alumni celebrity roster is subject to change.

And if you just want to come to watch the game and take part in all the fun, we have a website to buy tickets. Tickets to watch the game are $35 each. For $100, you can

Dundas Dairy 4-H Achievement Day

purchase a VIP ticket that also includes a Meet and Greet with the NHL Alumni players after the game. To purchase regular or VIP tickets, visit: https://bit.ly/wdmhhockey-tickets.

Throughout the evening, there will be a silent auction, raffles, games, and a free photo booth. Graham and Lori Ball will have Triple B Canteen open if you want to purchase dinner or a snack. Local hockey enthusiast Liam Maguire will be our emcee for the evening. Thank you to Jackson Events for their support. Please note that the NHL Alumni celebrity roster could change.

If you have questions or wish to purchase tickets at the hospital, please contact Justine Plummer at 613-774-2422 ext. 6172 or jplummer@ wdmh.on.ca.

The Dundas 4-H Achievement Day was held at the 131st South Mountain Fair on Saturday, August 21. Leaders Dave and Kelly Mathers, Brenda Velthuis and Dan Schuler were proud of their 4-H group for fostering a supportive team atmosphere throughout the day and commented on the level of sportsmanship demonstrated by their group both

in and out of the ring. The judge for the day was Lorne Briscoe.

Showmanship Results:

Champion ShowpersonTaylor Mathers, Reserve

Champion ShowpersonEricka Mathers

Honourable Mention

Champion ShowpersonChloe Hart

Novice Showmanship:

1. Ethan Velthuis,

2. Allison VanGilst

Junior Showmanship:

1. Ericka Mathers,

2. Makenna Raistrick

Intermediate Showmanship: 1. Taylor Mathers, 2. Alexandra Bloderer

Senior Showmanship:

1. Chloe Hart

Confirmation Results:

Champion Heifer - Winright Sidekick Jade (Taylor Mathers); Reserve Champion Heifer - Winright Lambda Ellen (Ericka Mathers); Honourable Mention Champion Heifer - Payneside P Goofy (Emma Hess)

Spring Heifer Calf: 1. Winright Lambda Ellen, the entry of Ericka Mathers; 2. Annalea Victor Jeanie, the entry of Allison VanGilst

Winter Heifer Calf: 1. Winright Sidekick Jade, the entry of Taylor Mathers; 2. Vriesdale Illustrator L D VO

P, the entry of Emily Velthuis

Fall Heifer Calf: 1. Payneside P Goofy, the entry of Emma Hess; 2. Bloderer Remi Rocketship, the entry of Alexandra Bloderer

The group received a welcome invitation to come for a tour of the Winchester Fire Station. One of the activities was a demonstration of just how quickly firefighters can get their gear on. The firefighters in this photo managed to go from no gear to fully geared up in just 1 minute 45 seconds. Impressive!

Four kindergarten friends enjoy homemade ice cream they created with just four simple ingredients. This activity was made possible by a generous donation of cream from Dan and Ashley Pettigrew at Winchester Foodland.

There's nothing quite like a surprise visit from the OPP to put smiles on children's faces! We discovered that a police car can fit about 10 kids in the backseat at once, but not comfortably!

As usual, the ever-popular Annual Staff vs Kids Water Balloon Fight ended in an embarrassing loss for the staff. In fact, the adults were so

Photo Credit: Kyleigh Jampen