Two local youth earn highest youth award in guiding

50th Wedding Anniversary

Please join us in celebrating Kevin & Ethel Ferguson

June 24th, 2023

2 to 4pm

Southgate Church

1303 French Settlement Road

Roberts, W. Mark

Lieutenant-Colonel (Ret’d)

by Ann Lalonde

The Oxford Mills Sisterhood of Guiding has finished off another wonderful year. They held their annual Advancement and Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, June 6 at the Oxford on Rideau Public School. Each unit presented each member with their earned badges and gifts and those who are moving up to the next level received their Advancement Certificates, and Guiders received recognition for their volunteer service as well.

The highlight of the Awards evening however, was to honour two Rangers (the oldest youth level of Guiding) completing the program. Both Amanda Leang, and Bryanna Mitchell-Massey have been members of the Oxford Mills Sisterhood for over a decade, so it was a moment of mixed emotions as they stood for the last time in front of their

Mitchell-Massey

peers to be honoured for their Guiding achievements.

Both young ladies worked extremely hard over the last two years to earn their Gold Trailblazer Awards – the highest achievement to be earned as a youth member in Girl Guides of Canada. To say the Sisterhood is proud of Amanda and Bryanna is an understatement. To achieve this prestigious award, they have had to complete all 8 parts of their program, organize and execute a community service project and be responsible for a cookie campaign, all while leading the younger girls in unit activities. Their leaders have provided numerous references and letters of support for both Amanda and Bryanna to be considered for additional awards and scholarships.

Both young ladies were selected to receive the Youth Commitment Award and the Outstanding Youth Award, receiving certificates, pins and additional letters from MPP Michael Barrett, the Girl Guide Commissioners and Youth

Tid bit musings

by Elva Patterson Rutters RSSW

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

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

Ambassadors. The Awards presentation finished off with a slideshow of their many years in Guiding and, of course, no evening is complete without cake and refreshments.

It is with dedication, commitment and hard work that they achieved all of these honours while both working part time and maintaining academic success, both graduating grade 12 from North Grenville District High School this year.

It has been a pleasure seeing Amanda and Bryanna grow through Guiding and we wish them much success as they follow their post secondary educational journey in the fall.

Congratulations Amanda. Congratulations Bryanna.

In hospital, surrounded by love, on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in his 65th year. William Mark Roberts, loving father of Liam and Emma. Dear brother of John (Sharilynn Reith) and Leslie Gulick (Jeff). Predeceased by his parents; W.E. (Ed) Roberts & Doris (nee Madden), his sister Marlene and his brother David (Anna). Loving uncle to Kelly-Ann Johnson (David), Coulson Roberts (Justine), Stephanie Dales (Behn), Matthew Gulick (Emma Martin), Laura Gulick and Kristen Burn (Ryan). Great uncle to Anastasia Turner, William and Tori Johnson, Madden and Harrison Roberts, Nash and Teddy Dales, Callum Gulick and Blake and Gavin Burn.

Mark was a proud member of the Canadian Armed Forces, who willingly served our great country. He was exceptionally proud to be a Canadian.

Special thank you to Mark’s friends Todd Mitton, Ray Ethier, Kelly McMahon and John Lothian who provided him with love, companionship and support over the last 2 years as Mark battled his illness. True friendship comes through in times of need.

The family wants to thank the staff of the Elisabeth Bruyere Hospital. Mark spent the last 8 months of his life under their excellent care. The compassion and respect he received could not be surpassed. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Elisabeth Bruyere Hospital Foundation would be greatly appreciated. Friends visited the family on Sunday, June 11, 2023 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 pm at the Alan R Barker Funeral Home, 19 McArthur Avenue, Carleton Place. Funeral Service was held in the chapel on Monday at 11 am. Interment Springhill Cemetery.

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

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

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