Issue 34 2023 August 31 NG Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Portrait of a Friend

delion Festival and was a member of the Executive of the Friends of the Ferguson Forest Centre. He used his love of trivia to create “Trivial Pursuit” activities for seniors, which he facilitated at Orchard Walk Retirement Community in Manotick, Bayfied Manor in Kemptville, and Kemptville and District Home Support.

by Maggie Boyer

This past week, Friends of the North Grenville Public Library (FNGPL) met to receive an oil painting of their founder, Patrick Babin, graciously donated by local artist Jennifer Gow. Although Jennifer never met the man, through friends in the area, she heard many stories about him. Pat was a true mover and shaker in our community. I personally met him over 20 years ago, when a bunch of us started up a group called North Grenville Council for the Arts.

Among the many things we promoted, one was called the Dandelion Festival. Like so many other projects, he became involved with our

group, and from there he started up the Friends, and volunteered in almost every other fundraiser possible, including the Kemptville Music Festival. He also got me involved in producing the Friends newsletter, something I still fondly do in his name today.

Pat loved this community; at one point he moved away, only to return two years later, realizing his mistake. Once North Grenville snares you, it is hard to leave. In 2004, Pat saw an opportunity and leapt into action, researching everything there was to know about Friends of the Library groups, both locally and nation-wide.

The FNGPL has flourished over the years into a volunteer organization that helps breathe vitality and life into the Library. In 2011, the group was honoured nationally. Pat was instrumental in putting together the book that they used to submit the application that got them national recognition. There is hardly an organization in town that Pat didn’t volunteer for. Not only was he the force behind FNGPL, he also sat on the Library Board for many years.

He played a role in organizing the annual OPP BBQ that raised close to $1,000 for the Library every summer. He volunteered for the Salvation Army, the Dan-

Jennifer, with her passion for oil painting and her avid involvement in our community, saw an opportunity to honour a man who had meant so much to so many of us. She produced a remarkable likeness of the man, having only picked up oil painting two years ago, after being instructed by another well known artist, Jayne Couch Molony (Jayne also gives much to our community, and has sponsored free art classes for over a year now, thanks to community grants. She has also volunteered at the Youth Centre, again sharing her deep knowledge of drawing and painting). Jennifer has also produced a children’s book, with all proceeds going towards Ukraine relief. They can be purchased at the B&H and Brewed Awakenings.

The painting will be given a place of honour at the Library, Pat’s favourite hangout.

Artist Jennifer Gow with Judy Fader Leveve, Friends of the Library, Co-Chair & Secretary

60th anniversary to be celebrated at B&H

Nominate a leader in your community

submitted by United Counties of Leeds and Grenville

B&H Your Community Grocer features local products, meats and produce.

B&H Your Community Grocer is celebrating the significant milestone of six decades in business. The store is owned by Jim and Judy Beveridge.

To help celebrate, B&H will be hosting a pancake breakfast in the store's parking lot on Saturday, September 23, in partnership with the Rotary Club.

The late Keith Beveridge, the store's co-founder and Jim's father, was a Rotarian. The breakfast is free but donations to the Kemptville Youth Association will be appreciated.

Immigrant Entrepreneur Award nominations

submitted by United Counties of Leeds and Grenville Nominations are now open for the 9th Annual Leeds and Grenville Immigrant Entrepreneur Award. This award is for anyone born outside of Canada who owns/ operates a business in Leeds and Grenville and also lives here. Anyone can nominate an individual and their business (including self-nominations).

Designed to showcase and highlight the amazing businesses and hard work done by our local immigrant entrepreneurs, the winner will be announced in October at the Bridges to Better Business event. The award is presented by the St. Lawrence Rideau Immigration Partnership.

Nominations are open until September 9th, 2023. You can nominate through the Immigration Partnership Facebook page, send an email to Lauren at lauren@eecentre. com, or phone/text 613-213-4455.

Not just ladies night

submitted by Deron Johnston

The Old Town Kemptville Business Improvement Area (BIA) is excited to announce the upcoming “Not Just Ladies Night” event, which will be happening on Friday September 8th from 6pm to 9pm in Downtown Kemptville. It will be an evening filled with unique experiences including: demos and mini-workshops, exclusive offers and a special “Wicca 101 Workshop”. There will even be tarot card readers and a psychic medium available (for a fee).

Not Just Ladies Night is free to anyone who is curious about Downtown Kemptville or anyone who simply wants to have a memorable night out. Whether you arrive with your friends, are out on a date night or are flying solo, we’re ready to showcase Downtown Kemptville plus a few extras.

Not Just Ladies Night will begin at 6pm at the Royal Canadian Legion #212 at 100 Reuben Crescent with appetizers and a chance to mingle while enjoying some light entertainment. We’ll prep you with all of the information you’ll need for your downtown adventure. You’re free to go wherever and do whatever you want to at your own pace.

Please join us for a night that you won’t forget. And don’t worry, “Whatever happens downtown, stays downtown!”

Like and follow our Facebook page “Old Town Kemptville BIA” to find out more details as we release them in the days leading up to this unique event.

If your organization or your downtown business would like to get involved in this exclusive event, please contact:

Deron Johnston

Executive Director - Old Town Kemptville BIA, bia@northgrenville.on.ca

Do you know a person who volunteers their time to help grow and develop your municipality's economic vitality or tourism appeal? The Leeds Grenville Economic Development Office is asking individuals, municipal councils and economic development committees to nominate candidates for the annual Bill Thake Memorial Award for Economic Development Leadership.

The award winner will be announced prior to the Economic Development Summit on November 17th and will be officially honoured at the event. Nominees will be recognized at a local municipal presentation by the Warden.

If you have someone in mind within the 10-member municipalities of Leeds Grenville, consider putting their name forward.

You can connect with us at econdev@uclg.on.ca or call Deanna Clark at 613-342-3840, ext. 5360.

The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, September 22, at 4 p.m. For more information, visit our Summit 2023 webpage at https://invest. leedsgrenville.com/en/ contacts-news-events/ economic-developmentsummit-2023.aspx.

Kemptville Folk Club does the Street Piano

by Peter Johnson

The Kemptville Folk Club took part in the Street Piano series at the North Grenville Public Library patio last Saturday. It was dry and windy, so playing outside meant lots of clothes pins on the music pages.

We had lots of talent show up: Sue from The Grateful Kids, Donnie Higgins, from The Donnie Higgins Experience, Ross Templeton, Mich Leflar, Reinder Kuntz, Paddy G. from 'Pugilists R Us'...she has a broken wrist, Anne Lyon (formerly of The K-Towne Trio, David Butler (resident historian), and myself (also a K-Towne Trio alumnus).

On a day when it looked like most of the 'out-and-about' people were at the campus for Poutine Fest, or down in Prescott at The Upper Canada Folkfest, I thought we might have a sparse turnout, but I was very wrong---and gladly so.

All in all, a wonderful two hours of many talented people with lots of collaborations. Thanks to those who came out to provide the entertainment, and of course to the enthusiastic audience. So, our third and final gig for the Street Piano is in the books. We kicked off the season on Canada Day, and finished it off yesterday at the season finale. It was a lot of fun and we got some welcomed exposure.

Thanks to all who helped set things up and tear it all back down. My back is happy for the help.

Impromptu Collaborations: Anne Lyon, Susan Hanson, Paddy Gaffney and Peter, doing some John Denver

The quiet man

by Maggie Boyer

Our community has been blessed over the years with many amazing people who have given from their hearts to make this community so vibrant either through volunteering or through donations. It is with extreme sadness that I am sharing that one such person will be leaving us soon, moving on after seventeen years of serving our community. Many people are not aware of Frank Hoffman, owner of North Grenville's Canadian Tire. Frank will be leaving this community to move on to London, Ontario, taking over a large expansion of that community’s Canadian Tire store.

Some of us know him through the store’s Jumpstart program. Jumpstart is more than just about getting kids active. It's about giving kids from families in financial need the same chance to participate as their neighbours, their classmates, and their friends. Whether it's the chance to try a new sport, or to continue with a favourite one, no kid should be left out. Every year, Frank hosted this event, but, in his fashion, he always went those extra miles, getting the fire and police services, local businesses and volunteers involved.

Perhaps many of us only know him from his presence at these events, but Frank was involved in so much more. I have a list of many of his ac-

complishments, but this would fill more than a page in this paper. He was involved with the Knights of Columbus, the Kemptville District Hospital Foundation, a founding organiser of the Dog Park, hosted and sponsored the display of the Rotary Club’s Duck race every year, first sponsor and continuing sponsor of the Kemptville Live Music Festival, sponsor of many golf tournaments and the barbecues for Friends of the Library, and supported the Salvation Army and Big Sky Ranch. My list goes on, and I am sure to have missed many other accomplishments.

Frank, his wife Lorna and daughter Jessica, were also great lovers of animals. They took in stray or unwanted cats, litters, paid for all of the vet bills and then found them homes. In total, they supported four cat shelters. They also took in dogs, and North Grenville can thank Frank for the dog park here. He helped found this park in part due to having his own two dogs and nowhere safe to walk them.

With all of these accomplishments, I asked him what has stayed with him the most through all these years. What was his proudest moment?

A single mother in our community lost her home in a fire, including her car which was in the garage. Frank and his staff repurposed a mini van and filled it with toys and ac-

Frank is such a kind generous man. He could always be counted on for donating and supporting all the great charities in our community. He dedication and passion about Jumpstart was truly amazing. Good luck Frank at your new store. We will miss you!

Judy Littau, Royal Lepage

cessories. They contacted her father and asked him to bring her to the store in order to surprise her. He will never forget that day, and how shocked the woman was to find out, not only was the van filled to the brim, but that the car was also given to her. They say that it is in giving that people receive the most joy. And this is so true of Frank. Most of what he did in our community was done quietly, with no fanfare.

There are also the bikes he gives away for free every year. He was approached by the police services to get a discount on a bike for a disabled person in our community. When asked how much it would cost, he said “it’s free”. And he continued to do this every year.

He has touched each and everyone in this community, whether you were aware of it or not.

It is with profound sadness that we say goodbye to him. He gave so much to this community and it is our loss and London's gain.

The store will be closed September 6, Frank’s last day, and then we welcome the new store owner, Rick Johnson from Red Deer, Alberta. Reopening September 7.

"Frank would like to thank everyone in the community of North Grenville for your great support for all those years and for shopping locally!"

Frank Hoffman is a business leader in our community, his absence will be greatly noticed. Here’s wishing the new owner all the best. They have shoes ( boots) to fill. With Frank, his wife Lorna, who is his partner in everything he did with the community and the Canadian Tire Corporation. I wish Frank and Lorna all the best in their new city and new store… it will be one of ( if not) the biggest in Canada!

Debbie Wilson, NG Councilor and co owner of Grahame's Bakery

There's a reason why Claire Larabie liked you best. You'll be missed!

Jim and Judy Beveridge

From the minute he arrived in North Grenville, Frank was determined to make an impact on this community by not just being a great employer, but finding countless ways to give back. In addition to the countless fundraisers and sponsorships he has overseen, and the major contribution to the Municipality’s lending library, there have been many quiet acts of generosity few will know about . Frank has touched the lives of so many in this community through his service, caring and dedication. He will be greatly missed and we wish him well in his new endeavours

Mayor Nancy Peckford

It was an absolute pleasure working with Frank. He was such a dedicated member of this community and always helped when the need was great. His last act of kindness was amazing. All I did was ask if he could help me locate a bike for someone in need and he went above and beyond as usual. It is a great loss for us that he is going but I know the next

community he will arrive in will be greater for him being there. I wish him nothing but the best!

Constable Ann Collins

Sept. 4

Potential school bus transportation disruption

submitted by STEO Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario (STEO) provides safe, reliable transportation for students in the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO) and the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB).

STEO is a not-forprofit organization that negotiates annual service contracts with school bus companies that own the school vehicles and employ the school bus drivers.

Since March 2023, Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario (STEO) has been working to secure student transportation services with the existing school bus companies that provide transportation for both CDSBEO and UCDSB.

STEO has made every effort with the existing school bus companies to secure student transportation service for the upcoming school year, while recognizing the challenges companies face in recruiting and retaining drivers.

Unfortunately, STEO’s latest in a series of offers was rejected by the school bus compa-

nies on August 19, 2023, which means that there is a potential for disruption of transportation services at the start of the school year.

At present, STEO and the bus companies remain very far apart with respect to the overall compensation requested. The total compensation value of the school bus operators’ position far exceeds funding available to school boards for transportation.

The most recent STEO proposal was a multi-year offer that provided annual increases above the rate of inflation, included all driver recruitment and retention bonuses being funded by the provincial government, and continued the practice of full compensation for rising fuel costs.

The school bus companies rejected this offer and responded with a counteroffer that far ex-

ceeds the funding available to school boards for student transportation services. This response demonstrates a significant gap between the parties that the school boards cannot bridge without removing funds from the classroom.

STEO transports approximately 30,000 students to school daily and understands the stress this potential disruption will cause families. STEO continues to explore all options for providing transportation services for the 2023/2024 school year.

Updates will be posted to www.steo.ca/QandA.

MUNICIPAL OFFICE HOURS

The Municipal office is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Visit our events calendar to find out what’s happening in the community: www.northgrenville.ca/events

Sign-up to receive Mayor Peckford’s e-newsletter at: northgrenville.ca/connect.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

COUNCIL MEETINGS

Please see the Council agenda for further details on how to participate in Council meetings. All Council meetings will be live streamed on YouTube at: youtube.com/user/NorthGrenville/ featured and on the Municipality’s website at: www.northgrenville.ca/meetings.

To make a deputation in relation to an item on the agenda, please provide your comments no later than two hours prior to the start of the meeting to clerk@northgrenville.on.ca Council agendas are available at: www.northgrenville.ca/meetings.

• Tuesday, September 5 at 7:00 p.m. (Open Session) – South Gower Pavilion

• Wednesday, September 13 at 6:30 p.m. (Open Session) – Virtual

COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Committees may be meeting in-person or virtually. Please see the Committee agenda for details on how to attend. Agendas can be found on the Municipal website at www.northgrenville.ca/meetings

• Community and Economic Development Advisory Committee – Tuesday, September 5 at 3:30 p.m.

• Agriculture and Rural Affairs Advisory Committee – Wednesday, September 6 at 4:15 p.m.

• Health, Wellness, and Fitness Advisory Committee – Monday, September 11, at 5:00 p.m.

• Heritage Advisory Committee – Tuesday, September 12 at 4:30 p.m.

• Indigenous Advisory Committee – Thursday, September 14 at 4:30 p.m.

• Housing Advisory Committee – Thursday, September 14 at 5:30 p.m.

VOLUNTEER AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Facilities Attendant (Part-Time)

The Municipality of North Grenville is seeking to fill part-time positions of Facilities Attendant in the Parks, Recreation & Culture Department. Interested applicants may submit a cover letter and resume outlining qualification in confidence to Human Resources by 4:00 p.m. on Monday, October 2, 2023.

Phone:613 329 0209

Advisory Committees

Join the conversation regarding the community! The Municipality continues to accept applications for members to various advisory committees. Visit northgrenville.ca/committees for more information on how to apply. For questions, please contact the Clerk by email at clerk@ northgrenville.on.ca or by telephone at 613-258-9569 ext 171

COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN

Financial incentives are available for businesses and property owners to continue the revitalization of Downtown Kemptville. As part of the Downtown Kemptville Community Improvement Plan, intake is now open for the following financial programs: Façade & Signage Grant, People Make the Place Grant, Building Fees Grant, and Tax-Increment Equivalent Residential Grant.

The Development Charges Exemption is still in place for downtown. Intake is on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. If you have questions or are looking to apply, please email vision@ northgrenville.on.ca or call 613-258-9569 ext 177.

The Municipality of North Grenville 285 County Rd. 44, PO Box 130 , Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 Tel: 613-258-9569 Fax: 613-258-9620

general@northgrenville.on.ca www.NorthGrenville.ca

Building: 613-258-9569 x130 Fax: 613-258-1441

Fire Services Info: 613-258-9569 x201 Fax: 613-258-1031

By-Law Services: email: bylawinquiries@northgrenville.on.ca 613-258-9569 x211

Police Administration: 613-258-3441 Animal Control: 613-862-9002

Mills on the penny

by Brandon Mayer

Very few people believe that they make enough money in their job. Most people who believe they aren’t paid enough are probably right. It seems like the hardest jobs pay the least. The two hardest jobs I have ever worked paid me a pittance.

Working in a factory was one of those jobs. Eight hours a day, five days a week. Every minute on the plant floor had to be productive. If you weren’t in pain by the end of the long, mentally and physically draining day, chances are you weren’t working up to the supervisors’ standards. Being raised in a household where hard work mattered, I used to work myself to total exhaustion. To this day, I still have carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists as my reward. The pain keeps me up at night.

Today, as a newspaper editor, educator, and mental health counsellor, I make more than double what I

used to make as a factory worker. That is to say that EACH role pays me more than double, hourly. Yes, the roles can be busy and stressful and are saddled with responsibility and informed by education and experience, but they are also jobs I love. I enjoy going to work every day. I have to imagine that being a school bus driver is a job of passion. It certainly isn’t a job driven by the pay rate. My oldest son starts grade 7 in a week, but he may not have a bus to bring him to school, 20 kilometres away. My wife and I can’t be the only parents who received an email from the UCDSB last week stating that a contract offer from Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario was rejected by school bus companies, and that school buses may therefore not be up and running in time for the new school year. I had the displeasure of receiving the email twice – once as a UCDSB staff member, and once as a parent. You can

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read about the new traffic light on County Road 22 and Bennett Road and how it will make roads safer for North Grenville. Unfortunately, it tells me, as a resident of Whitney Road, that once Lafarge gets its pit into full production, we will be inundated with gravel and sand trucks.

Back in the day when Whitney Road was in the Township of South Gower, a pit was to be opened which would increase truck traffic on Whitney Road. There was a protest and an Ontario Municipal Board hearing was the result. It was proved that the intersection of Whitney Road and County Road 22 was unsafe for fully loaded dump trucks turning left onto County Road 22 off Whitney Road. It was also proved that Whitney Road was not wide enough for two large vehicles to pass each other safely. Before the

read a release about it in this newspaper.

This will not be a warm welcome to the grade 7 routine for my son, and I’m sure that hundreds if not thousands of other students will feel the pain as well. Whose fault is it that a critical part of the education system may not be up and running when the new school year starts? Not the bus drivers. Let me say it louder: NOT THE BUS DRIVERS!

It’s easy to throw around words like “greedy”. When the CUPE education support workers were on strike (one of whom was me), “greed” was tossed around as an underlying cause. Oh, what nonsense. If you don’t pay people what they are worth, there will be no one to fill critical jobs. Critical services rely on critical jobs. You can’t make an omelette if you’re not willing to buy eggs.

I would refer to the wage that bus drivers actually make as laughable, except it’s not funny at all. In our area, I have seen job post-

ings with a range of $15.50 - $19.25 hourly. One of the companies that serves the school I work at has a listing for $15.50 hourly. Yes, that’s minimum wage. It’s a tough labour market these days. McDonalds pays its new hires $16.50 per hour. And yet we have the nerve to call bus drivers “greedy” when they expect living wages for driving our children around. Remember, there are no other adults on that bus. School bus drivers are not just drivers, they are also authority figures. If your child suddenly starts getting brutally beaten up by another student on route to school, you don’t expect the bus driver to simply keep driving, do you? Of course not. School bus drivers are education workers too. Stop expecting them to accept pay that labels them as “just a driver”. Besides, they are drivers with class B licenses who are driving a giant, clunky tube that seats up to 70 unbuckled and precious children at a time.

A wage of $15.50 is

horrendous for a school bus driver. I wouldn’t even call it “pennies on the dollar”. I would call it “mills on the penny”. Yes, although they haven’t been used in about 60 years and probably weren’t well known or used since far earlier than that, the USA once had a denomination smaller than the penny – one tenth of a penny, to be precise, named the “mill”. Only a piece of money so worthless can be used as an adequate analogy for the insult of expecting school bus drivers to work for $15.50 per hour.

There will surely be parents who believe that bus drivers should take it on the chin and get back to work. As previously stated, I grew up in a house that valued hard work and doing one’s fair share. There was no complaining. You got up and did your duty. No whining and no protesting. When someone needed help, you helped them. If something needed doing, you did it. But these are tough economic times. If a person can

work at McDonalds for more money and more hours than they can get driving a school bus, they may financially not have a choice. Bus drivers do not owe parents and students anything. If the wage is not fair, the job is not worth it. If they won’t do it for “mills on the penny”, that is their right in a free society. So what do we want? Do we want to hire any person who’s willing to work for insulting money, and put them behind the wheel of a bus, with your child’s life in their hands? Or should we demand that education money be distributed fairly, with bus drivers getting their fair share of the pie? If we want to hire people we can trust with our children’s lives, it’s time to give bus drivers the slice they deserve.

OMB hearing, a school bus met a dump truck on Whitney Road where it passes through the wetlands. The dump truck would not move over and as a result, the school bus, with children on board, ended up in the wetlands. Thank goodness, it wasn't on the side of the road where the water was deep.

Then amalgamation happened and the pit on Irishtown Road opened. Whitney Road ended up being the quickest route between the Bennett Road pit and the Irishtown Road pit. Then the same school bus met a dump truck in the wetlands. The bus was on the side where the water was deep and did not give way, so the dump truck ended up in the wetlands. Residents of Whitney Road went to the Council of the time and asked to have the speed limit on Whitney reduced to 60 km/h, but the Council refused to do that. At that time, there were two

daycares located on Whitney Road in the blind dip on the road. Council did widen Whitney Road through the wetlands (I wouldn't be surprised if the pit owners paid for that) and they put up a "Limited Visibility 50 km/h " sign west of the blind dip and a "Children Playing" sign west of the wetlands.

Meanwhile, the current Council has paved Whitney Road and since this raised the road at my house, there is now a blind spot when pulling out of our laneway. Because the speed limit is still 80 km/h, this creates some very concerning situations. Every road north of us has been marked as 60 km/h making Whitney Road a raceway with some of the traffic exceeding the 80 km/h speed limit, even the sand and gravel trucks. Some of the drivers are really good and drive slowly where the houses are. A BIG thank you to those people.

the north grenville

There is still the issue of Whitney Road not being able to accommodate large vehicles passing safely. Thank goodness the Municipality did not put proper ditches on Whitney Road when they paved it. A large sand truck pulling a live bottom trailer met a farm tractor pulling a trailer out in front of our house. The sand truck was able to pull over into our laneway, but if there had been a ditch, the driver would not have been able to pull far enough over.

Recently, a resident of Whitney Road asked Council if the speed limit could be dropped to 60 km/h. They were told to get a petition. What do I say to that? Put up the 60 km/h signs and make Whitney Road safer, just like the County and Lafarge have done by installing those traffic lights!

Lynn Paibomesai

UNITED COUNTIES OF LEEDS AND GRENVILLE COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES DIVISION APPLICATIONS FOR QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS

The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Community and Social Services Division, is accepting applications from qualified contractors in all trades who wish to be included on the Qualified Contractors list for available work within our public housing portfolio. Work may be required at the following locations:

• Brockville • Cardinal • Gananoque • Kemptville

• Lansdowne • Mallorytown • Merrickville

• Prescott • Spencerville • Westport

Please be advised that the minimum liability insurance and automobile liability insurance coverage is $2,000,000. Copies of insurance, WHMIS certification WSIB Clearance Certificate, and current trade certificates must be included with your application. Applications are available through the Bids & Tenders Portal found at: https://leedsgrenville.bidsandtenders.ca

Or by contacting Tammy Herbison, Housing Administrative Assistant at 613-342-3840, extension 2122

If you have any questions, please contact the office of the undersigned.

Chris Morrison, Manager

Housing Department United Counties of Leeds and Grenville

25 Central Avenue West Brockville, ON K6V 4N6

Phone: 613-342-3840 x 2328

Fax: 833-775-0561

Mailing Address

P.O. Box 1854

Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0

Taking an active role in representing agriculture is rewarding

is open for election and delegates to our annual convention in November will vote on who will fill that role for the next three years.

on the OFA board decided not to run for re-election and he encouraged me to consider the role.

people and new ideas.

by Ethan Wallace, Board Director, OFA

The strength of organizations lies in the commitment and passion of their members and volunteers. That’s particularly true for an advocacy organization like the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA).

We represent the interests of our farmer members all across the Province, whether it’s to all levels of government or other stakeholders, media, consumers or in local communities through the activities of our 51 county and regional federations.

Through a democratic process, it’s the members of these federations who elect the people who will represent them on our provincial board of directors. However, OFA also has three directorat-large positions which are open to any OFA member from anywhere in Ontario.

This year, one of these director-at-large positions

Being an OFA board director is not a small commitment, but it is an incredible way to become involved and influence meaningful change for farmers and rural Ontario.

Directors advocate on behalf of Ontario farm businesses, connect with grassroots members and industry partners on key issues and priorities impacting the agrifood sector, and influence policy development and strategic planning for the organization.

I am a dairy farmer in Huron County, and being involved in agricultural organizations has always been an important way for me to give back to our industry.

Twelve years ago, I first became involved with the Huron Federation of Agriculture, when the local dairy producer committee selected me to be its representative to that organization.

From there, I became a member of the OFA’s Policy Advisory Council and was eventually elected president of our local federation of agriculture. Three years ago, the provincial director who had represented our region

At the same time, I had the opportunity to take part in the OFA’s Queen’s Park advocacy day as a future leader delegate. It was an interesting and fascinating experience to meet with political representatives and share our story with people outside of agriculture – and I decided to let my name stand for that provincial director position that was opening up.

There’s no doubt that it’s a time commitment on my part and one to be honest I wasn’t sure I would be able to make, but it has been a rewarding decision. I’ve always believed that if I want to be in the agriculture industry for the long-term, I need to do my part to help shape it and ensure it is both profitable and sustainable into the future for the next generation of farmers.

It’s a big step, but it’s one that I encourage anyone who is interested in making a difference to consider taking. Getting involved in the way that I did by becoming active in the local organization is a good way to gain experience – and I don’t know of a local federation in the Province that wouldn’t welcome new

Every fall, the OFA offers a unique opportunity to learn more about the activities of our organization and the impacts that we can have through our actions – our regional meetings.

It’s where you can learn more about the activities, events and programs that your local federation is involved with to help promote agriculture, meet your provincial director and member service representative for an update on OFA’s activities, and find out how you could take a more active role in our organization.

It’s also your opportunity to bring questions, concerns, issues and priorities to the attention of your local and provincial leadership and choose who will represent you on the Policy Advisory Council and at the OFA annual convention this fall.

A full calendar of meeting dates and locations is available on the OFA website, with events happening from August right through until November.

Nominations for director-at-large candidates will be accepted from October 15 to October 30. More information will be available on the OFA website in the coming weeks.

Business owner charged after defrauding numerous East Region residents

submitted by Grenville County OPP

A construction business owner has been charged with 22 fraud-related offences following an investigation that included 11 victims, and approximately one million dollars in total losses.

In October 2022, the Grenville County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received information alleging that a business had not completed agreed-upon contractual work of numerous victims' residences in Eastern Ontario.

The OPP's investigation was assisted by the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), MRC des Collines-de-l'Outaouais, the Forensic Accounting Management Group (FAMG) and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

On August 17, 2023, a 46-year-old resident from

Luskville, Quebec was arrested and charged with the following Criminal Code offences:

- false pretense over $5,000 (three counts),

- fraud over $5,000 (eight counts), and

- theft over $5,000 (eleven counts).

The accused was later released from custody and will appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Brockville on October 13, 2023.

The accused's name has not been released as the information has not yet been sworn to by a Justice of the Peace. Additional details will be released as it becomes available.

Your rights when starting home renovations or repairs:

- Get written estimates from at least three (3) contractors.

- Never pay the full amount of the contract before the work is done, as this

will protect you from losing money if the company goes out of business or declares bankruptcy before finishing the project.

- Check the contractor and business in the Consumer Beware List to see if there are any complaints or charges against the contractor in recent postings of charges and convictions under the Consumer Protection Act or with the Better Business Bureau, Chambers of Commerce and your city for any information they may have on the contractor.

- Never accept an estimate over the phone or without the contractor inspecting the area.

- Remember… if a deal sounds too good to be true, it likely is.

Learn how to hire a reliable contractor and see what you need to include in your contract with them.

Anyone who suspects they have been the victim of

cybercrime or fraud should report it to their local police and to the Canadian AntiFraud Centre's online reporting system or by phone at 1-888-495-8501.

Children

Adults - $150.00

Children 6-12 $5.00

Children 5 and under Free Sunday

Adults - $15.00

Children 6-12 $5.00

Children 5 and under Free Weekend passes are available for $35.00

Advance sale till September 6th for $30.00

(Online Only)

Rough Camping

All Weekend - $100.00

Includes two weekend fair bands and your camping pass!

Passes are available Online, and at the gate. Admission Prices Include HST

12095 Baker Rd. Winchester, ON

nealshcr@xplornet.com

168th Spencerville Fair

Thursday,

September 7th – Sunday, September 10th, 2023 On the George Drummond Memorial Grounds www.spencervillefair.ca

PM to 11:00 PM

11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 7:00 PM

Canadian Raptors Conservancy Anniversary Tower (2) 12:00 PM, 6:00 PM,

FireGuy Circle Entertainment

Farmers Olympics Cattle Barn (5) 5:00 PM

Truck Pulls Grandstand (10)

5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Trackside Tavern

H.E. Baker Building (3)

6:30 PM

ion (4) 10:00 AM

Pet Show Grandstand (10) 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Blacksmith - Don MacKay Anniversary Tower (2) 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Chainsaw CarverTom Stefan Anniversary Tower (2) 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Fair Entry Exhibits Exhibit Building (8) 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Spencerville Fair Tasting Experience

Tasting Experience (12) 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Rockwall – Tribeck Inflatables Court Yard (23) 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Marketplace, Craft, Artisans Market Place (19)

10:00 AM, 1:00 PM,

5:00 PM

Kobbler Jay

Family Entertainment (13) 10:30 AM

Pony & Horse Show

Outdoor Horse Ring

(15) 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Midway (Tickets available at Midway Stand)

Robertson Amusements Ltd & Gable Bros Midway (16)

All You Can Ride Bracelets - from 4:00

The Royalty Show

Little Sir & Little Miss Competition Spencerville Fair Junior Ambassador And Ambassador Competition Drummond Building

(1)

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Giant Pumpkin Weighin Drummond Building, Arena (1)

8:00 PM -12:00 AM

Live Entertainment Little Bones Opening act, Twin Turbos Must be 19+ Entertainment Center (9)

Admission included in the fair ticket.

Saturday, September 9th

8:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Pancake Breakfast Drummond Building

(1)

8:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Barn of Learning Cattle Barn (5)

8:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Antique Showcase

H.E. Baker Building (3)

9:30 AM

Heavy and Light Horse Show Drummond Building, Arena (1)

10:00 AM, 12:00 PM,

2:00 PM, 4:00 PM, 6:00 PM

Farmers Olympics Cattle Barn (5)

10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Poultry Show Canarm Poultry Pavilion (4)

10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Fair Entry Exhibits Exhibit Building (8)

10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Blacksmith - Don MacKay Anniversary Tower (2)

10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Chainsaw CarverTom Stefan Anniversary Tower (2)

10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Marketplace, Craft, Artisans Market Place (19)

10:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Spencerville Fair Tasting Experience Tasting Experience (12)

10:00 AM - 8:00 pm

Rockwall - Tribeck Inflatables Court Yard (23)

11:00 AM

Parade, “The Splendor of Fall!”

Parade Line Up Route (24)

11:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Ride The Midway Robertson Amusement Ltd & Gable Bros Midway (16)

11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Helicopter Ridesweather permitting

SOUTH

INDUSTRIAL PARK #2 Industrial Rd., Hwy 43 - 3km east of Hwy 16 613.258.7464

613.774.6446

Sunday, September 10th 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Antique Showcase H.E. Baker Building (3)

AM - 4:00 PM Barn of Learning Cattle Barn (5)

AM Western Games Horse Show Drummond Building, Arena (1)

PM Farmers Olympics Cattle Barn (5)

AM - 3:00 PM Poultry Show Canarm Poultry Pavilion (4)

AM - 3:00 PM

Rockwall - Tribeck Inflatables Court Yard (23) 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM Fair Entry Exhibits Exhibit Building (8) 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Ride The Midway Robertson Amusement Ltd & Gable Bros Midway (16)

AM - 4:00 PM

Barn of Learning Cattle Barn (5)

AM - 4:00 PM

Chainsaw CarverTom Stefan Anniversary Tower (2) 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Blacksmith - Don MacKay Anniversary Tower (2) 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Marketplace, Craft, Artisans Market Place (19)

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Spencerville Fair Tasting Experience

Tasting Experience (12) 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM,

2:00 PM

Canadian Raptors Conservancy

Family Entertainment (13) 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 3:00 PM

FireGuy Circle Entertainment (17) 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, 2:30 PM

Kobbler Jay

Family Entertainment (13) 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Helicopter Ridesweather permitting ($60 per person)

Ball Diamond 1 (21) 11:00 AM

Dairy Goat Show Drumond Barn 2 (7) 12:00 PM

Purebred Beef Cattle Show

Outdoor Cattle Ring (14) 1:00 PM

Power Wheels Demolition Derby

Ages 3-9

Grandstand (10)

Demolition Derby after kids

1:00 PM

Demolition Derby Demolition Ring (11)

1:00 PM

Live Entertainment George Fox

Colby Drummond

Gail Gavan

Entertainment Center (9)

Admission included in the fair ticket Entertainment Centre (*Headliner)

Thursday Night

September 7th, 2023 7:00 PM – 10:30 PM

Open Mic Night

Presented by Live from the Mic Open to all ages. Pre-registration required.

Midway

Robertson Amusement Ltd.

Performers must arrive with plug-in-ready instruments.

The ticket price is included in fair gate admission.

Friday Night

September 8th, 2023

9:00 PM – 12:00 AM

Twin Turbos Little Bones*

The ticket price is included in fair gate admission.

If you do not have a same-day admission, admission will be collected upon entry.

Age of Majority Photo ID Required.

Saturday Afternoon

September 9th, 2023

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Amanda Keeley

The ticket price is included in fair gate admission.

Saturday Night

September 9th, 2023

9:00 PM – 12:00 AM

Ty Wilson Teigen Gayse*

Saturday Night $20

Age of Majority Photo ID Required.

Admission onto the Grounds with a sameday concert ticket after 4 pm.

All tickets include HST.

Sunday Afternoon

September 10th, 2023

1:00 PM – 5:30 PM

Colby Drummond

Gail Gavan

George Fox*

The Ticket price is included in the fair gate admission.

Thursday, September 7th

5-11 PM $3.00/Ride

Friday, September 8th

11-4 PM Standard Pricing

4-11 PM All-You-Can-Ride Bracelet Tickets Only Available At the Midway

Additional Information

• 4-Days of Musical Entertainment (First Time Ever).

• First ever Open Mic Night allowing local artist to perform on our stage!

• Truck Pulls have been moved to Friday Night and introducing our ‘Trackside Tavern’.

• Friday Night Musical Entertainment is included in your fair admission.

• Spencerville Fair Tasting Experience, Try our very own Spencerville Fair, Vodka!

• Beef Show has been moved to Sunday of the Fair!

• Join us for our first ever, Pancake Breakfast on Saturday morning.

Real Estate - Wills & Estates - Corporate - Family Law

North Grenville Historical Society Merrickville’s Makers Market

submitted by Margaret Armour

Fall is settling in around us. Do you know where your favourite artisans and makers have been? They’ve been in their creative spaces – their studios, their gardens, their kitchens, their sewing rooms –creating a veritable bonanza of handmade greatness.

Mark your calendars and come out to see what Merrickville’s Makers Market group has been up to. The fairgrounds in Merrickville is the place to be on September 9, 2023 from 10 AM to 4 PM for the fall edition of this popular market. More than 60 members and friends of Merrickville’s Makers Market will be on hand at the outdoor market.

by J. Kenneth Mews, Past President

In a couple of weeks, we will be getting back to our regular schedule of public meetings. On September 13th, our first speaker of the season will be Michael Whittaker.

As a child, he often had a random find in his pocket. As an adult, he became more focused on different collectibles, but this talk will focus on tools. One unusual tool found in an antique shop more than 30 years ago stimulated his collecting. Generally, old-fashioned, hand-forged bladed tools are his focus, and he is a firm believer that one is not enough. With two, one can compare and contrast. More than two moves into the range of a study or collection. Consequently, he has slowly acquired small groups of similar tools for similar tasks. As form follows function, tools tell tales.

Come out and join us on September 13 at the History Hub, 148 Prescott Street, Kemptville. Meeting starts at 7:00 pm.

A great experience at RYLA

submitted by Vic Budz

Recently, the Kemptville Rotary club was pleased to have RYLA participant Kira Schiissler present on her experience at this outstanding leadership camp. The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is designed for students who are already leaders in their schools and who would like to sharpen their leadership skills. Kemptville Rotary sponsors up to two students for this camp which is held in May of each year.

Kira explained to us how the 3 day event was structured and described the exercises and activities involved. She also told us how the camp had changed her with respect to her ability to pursue her goals. Kira clearly emerged from this camp as a more confident and forward looking person. She followed up with a great Q&A session.

People coming to the market can expect to see some familiar faces and some new ones too. Market spots are offered to the membership of the group first, but scheduling conflicts and family responsibilities mean that not everyone is able to be at every market. Spots are then offered to other makers and artisans so there is always an element of surprise seeing the whole lineup for the first time. Even if you’ve been to a market in Merrickville in the past, you will be thrilled with the variety and abundance of new handmade goodness.

Margaret Armour, spokesperson for Merrickville’s Makers Market says that’s the beauty of this talented group.

“Some of our makers like to focus on a theme and tailor their wares to the season. Others like to focus on new items and maybe even improve versions of some of their popular items. Regardless of which route our makers take there will be an abundance of top-notch hand produced products from hot sauce to quilts, jewellery, salad bowls, home décor and more.”

She adds that some attendees may leave the market with a newly sparked creative spirit that will have them exploring their own creativity.

The Merrickville Fairgrounds are a short walk from the historic Rideau Canada in Merrickville. Market goers are encouraged to stroll through the beautiful village, sample the restaurants, visit the fabulous shops and enjoy the hospitality, beauty and, of course, exceptional handmade wares.

Merrickville’s Makers Market runs from 10 AM to 4 PM. Admission is free and there is lots of parking nearby.

Highlights from the 2023 AMO Conference

submitted by Jill Sturdy, Municipality of NG Mayor Peckford and Council, along with a small number of senior staff, joined more than 2,400 participants at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario's 2023 AMO Conference at RBC Place London and the DoubleTree by Hilton in London, Ontario from August 20 to 23.

The 2023 Conference provided North Grenville’s Council with the opportunity to advocate on key priorities for our community, including funding to support the creation of two residential hospice beds at Bayfield

Manor, and the expansion of rural transit across North Grenville.

“Council was very pleased to meet with key ministerial officials to highlight the imperative to establish rural hospice beds in North Grenville and the implementation of a municipal-wide transit system which will be launched in the spring of 2024,” said Mayor Nancy Peckford. “We are seeking funding opportunities at all levels of government, including the Province.”

In her capacity as Warden of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Mayor Peck-

ford joined Counties Council colleagues for additional discussions on paramedic services, long term care, mental health and housing with various ministries.

North Grenville Council and staff also seized the opportunity to participate in a number of sessions on infrastructure, housing, youth engagement, improving primary health care, parks and recreation and climate change mitigation.

“Thank you to municipal staff for developing key advocacy materials that enabled us to make the best case possible for investing in North Grenville’s quality of life,” added Mayor Peckford.

The annual conference is an opportunity for municipal officials to work together on solutions to today’s big challenges, to learn, and to create new opportunities that benefit Ontario’s communities.

Ontario investing in critical upgrades and repairs

submitted by MPP Steve Clark

The Ontario government is investing nearly $140K through the Partner Facility Renewal Program for upgrades and repairs to three children’s and social services facilities in Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes. This funding is part of the government’s $21 million investment this year to ensure that 158 children’s and social services agencies across the Province continue to connect people to support at safe and accessible facilities.

“Ontario’s children’s and social services organizations are at the heart of our communities. Our government is proud to invest in Leeds and Grenville to ensure people can continue to access the high-quality programs and services our agencies provide,” Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes. “By funding these repairs, we are helping staff focus on supporting people in need of services in a safe and accessible space.”

Funding is provided to agencies such as shelters for women and children, homes that provide daily support for individuals with developmental disabilities, facilities for survivors of human trafficking, and facilities for children and youth with special needs.

This year, 627 projects across the Province are being funded so that community agencies can complete repairs and upgrades on projects such as improving accessibility, upgrading security features, and facility renovations to better support programming. Community agencies receiving funding this year in Leeds and Grenville include:

- Brockville & Area Community Living - $45,800 to help with interior/exterior and accessibility improvements,

- Community Living North Grenville - $33,500 to help with a new roof, a new A/C unit and repair of leaking vents, and

- Family and Children’s Services of Lanark, Leeds and Grenville - $60,600 to help with flooring and safety concerns in their Smiths Falls location.

"Our community partners play a crucial role in delivering high-quality programs and services to the people of Ontario,” said Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. "With this funding, we are ensuring people across the Province can access the vital services they need, where they need them.

QUICK FACTS

- Community agencies deliver vital programs related to anti-human trafficking, autism, child welfare, children’s mental health, development services, child development, Indigenous health and wellness, interpreter and intervenor services, violence against women, and youth justice services.

- There were more than 72,000 adults eligible for developmental services in Ontario and approximately 19,000 received supportive living services in communities across the province in 2022-23.

- In 2021-22, more than 63,000 children and youth received community-based rehabilitation services such as occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and speech and language pathology.

- As well, more than more than 75,000 students received school-based rehabilitation services in publicly funded schools from children’s treatment centres.

- Over the past five years, Ontario’s emergency women’s shelters served an average of 14,300 women and dependents each year.

Discover healing and connection through BDH Bereavement Support Walking Group

submitted by Sue Walker

In times of loss, finding solace and understanding can make all the difference in the journey of healing. At the Beth Donovan Hospice, we are excited to introduce our upcoming fall Bereavement Support Walking Group, offering a gentle and comforting space for those navigating the path of grief.

Grief can be an isolating experience, but it doesn't have to be faced alone. Our walking group provides a safe haven for individuals who have lost loved ones, where they can share their stories, connect with others who understand their pain,

and take steps toward healing together.

The benefits of our Bereavement Support Walking Group are manifold. Participants can:

- share and connect: engage in open conversations with others who have experienced loss, sharing memories and stories without judgment.

- cultivate healing: physical activity and fresh air can help in reducing stress and anxiety, aiding in the emotional healing process.

- build a support network: forge meaningful relationships with individuals who understand the com-

plexities of grief, providing a network of support beyond the walking sessions.

- rediscover joy: while honouring the memories of their loved ones, participants can also find moments of joy in the present.

We invite anyone in need of companionship and understanding during their bereavement journey to join our walking group. Together, we can take steps towards healing, creating a space where memories are cherished and hearts find comfort. This group will be offered weekly for 8 weeks beginning Wednesday, September 13th. The walk will

The return of Hershey’s?

and it would appear that not enough consumers are willing to pay government taxed retail prices.

Just last week, it was announced that Hershey Canada has bought back its former chocolate factory in Smiths Falls. Canopy Growth invested a massive amount of money in upgrades to the factory over the years, and it appears that Hershey Canada now sees it as an ideal place – a familiar place – to expand its operations.

begin each week at 10:30am sharp, meeting at the Northend Dog Park parking lot in Ferguson Forest, Kemptville. Participants can expect to walk through some of the forest nature trails, followed by a time of gathering with light refreshments and conversation.

To join, learn more or register, please contact Megan Dillenbeck at counselling@bethdonovnahospice. ca or 613-258-9611 x4. Remember, you're not alone in this journey – our Bereavement Support Walking Group is here to walk with you, step by step.

shey, they told us, they recognize an opportunity, they have a growth plan and they see that facility in Smiths Falls as an opportunity to fulfill that growth plan.”

The phrase “long drive” is a relative term. Smiths Falls may not be a part of our local community in the geographical sense, but many people who grew up in this area likely considered the former Hershey’s chocolate factory to be a “local” attraction when visiting there as a child – or with their children. For a kid, 30 or 40 or 50 minutes can be quite a long drive, but the promise of chocolate at the end surely made it shorter!

When the company announced the closure of the Smiths Falls chocolate factory in 2007, many people in the local area were both sad and angry. The “buzz” at the time consisted largely of an outcry against sourcing the company’s labour from cheaper labour markets such as Mexico rather than supporting local. There were campaigns to save the factory and campaigns to boycott Hershey’s. It was quite a lot of drama for such a small town.

Smiths Falls residents

had a right to be angry at the closure. The Town had been a gracious host of the company’s operations since 1961, providing a serviced area, plenty of eager workers, and a fitting street address – “1 Hershey Drive”. The Town’s water tower was even prominently painted with a Hershey bar, and a slogan reading “Chocolate capital of Ontario”.

The factory sat vacant for years after the departure of Hershey’s, until it was bought by Tweed Marijuana – now known as Canopy Growth Corporation – in 2013. The return of hundreds of jobs to the area as the 700,000 square foot factory came back to life was welcome, but a decade later, industry has screeched to a halt once more.

Canopy Growth is reported to have never made a profit, with almost $6 billion in losses suffered to date. This is not necessarily indicative of poor management – the marijuana industry in general in Canada is failing. The law permits the growing of one’s own marijuana, within set limits,

"This project is a strategic acquisition and is another step in our continuing investment in our supply chain network to enable our leading snacking powerhouse vision," said Todd Scott, Hershey's senior communications manager.

Smith Falls Mayor, Shawn Pankow, said in a recent radio interview: “Her-

The Town’s reaction will be less of a welcome and more of a “welcome back”. “Hershey's, I think, simply recognized Smiths Falls is a big part of their history, they're a big part of our history and the facility was available for the right price and they know our workforce will be here to support the operations,” added Mayor Pankow.

While Hershey’s is not commenting at this time on future production or hiring plans for Smiths Falls (given that it is too early to speculate, it stands to reason that the chocolate will once again be flowing in the “Chocolate Capital of Ontario” in the years ahead.

The former design of the Smiths Falls water.

Photo by Mike Vincent.

by Brandon Mayer

FOR SALE

Mens Ten Speed Bike for sale, gently used and in great condition. $50.00 firm. Send email to fraserrj670410@ gmail.com

Pair of 6 inch aluminum I-beams. 16 ft long. $150 (613)282-1836 phone calls only please

Antique Farm Machinery for lawn decoration. Call 613-258-3561 after 6:00pm

Sawmill for Sale

Heavy duty dimensional sawmill (Southern) for sale. Equipped with two 20-inch edger blades and a 32-inch main blade, which produces a finished board with each pass. Ideal for quarter sawing hardwood flooring. Max cutting size is 6” X 12” x 20 ft. This mill is in good operating condition and is equipped with a 4-cylinder, 60 hp diesel engine The mill is located near Merrickville, ON. Phone 613-258-3854

1.5 ton York Central A/C unit. 3 years old. Perfect condition. Asking $1500. 613-222-9452

Now booking orders for new crop small square bales of hay. Call or text Jon. 613-227-3650

Dollhouse , Foxhall Manor by Real Good Toys, with side extensions. Currently under refurbishment. $1500. tineboyer@gmail.com

Cedar posts and rails for sale. Jon 613-227-3650.

4X4 round bales of hay and straw for sale. Jon 613-227-3650.

Dry firewood for sale $110 a cord plus delivery fee. Call or text Jon 613-2273650

MISCELLANEOUS

HISTORIC HALL AVAILABLE FOR RENTALS in Beautiful Burritts Rapids! Start a book club in time for cooler weather in a hamlet near walking trails and parkettes. Our hall is well

equipped for any gathering or celebration, and we offer very competitive rates. http://burrittsrapids.com

WANTED

Used license plates wanted 613 302 6288

Looking to harvest cedar trees for hedges off acreages from landowners. Please call Joanne 613-799-0958

Experienced+local farming family looking to buy a farm. Min. 10ac tillable

with a liveable house. Open to creative solutions. davidrbailie@gmail.com.

Looking to rent farmland for cash crops. Call or text Mitch @ 613-262-1204.

FOR RENT

2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment. Laundry, appliances included.

1 block proximity to all amenities. Immediate occupancy, $1975/ month. Call Jeff at 613978-4700

COMMUNITY EVENTS

RECURRING EVENT

PROBUS: Fellowship, Fun and inFormed presenters are part of the PROBUS gathering on the third Wednesday of each month at St Paul's Presbyterian Church Hall at 9:30AM. For more information contact at n.g.probus97@gmail.com

Kemptville Legion: Open Fridays 3-9. Free Pool and Darts. Everyone Welcome

BINGO, Kemptville Legion, 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, doors open at noon

NG Duplicate Bridge Club, Masonic Lodge 311 Van Buren Kemptville, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at 12:15. All Levels of bridge players are welcome. Info call 613-795-7155

EUCHRE on Tuesday, September 5 and 19 at Pierce's Corners also known as the Marlborough Community Centre, 3048 Pierce Road. Registration starts at 6:30 p.m. and play starts at 7:00 p.m. $5 per player. For information contact debiar@ymail.com.

BID EUCHRE on Tuesday, September 12 and 26 at Pierce's Corners also known as the Marlborough Community Centre, 3048 Pierce Road. Registration starts at 6:30 p.m. and play starts at 7:00 p.m. $5 per player. For information contact debiar@ymail.com.

WIZARD CARD GAME TOURNAMENT on Sunday, September 10 at Pierce's Corners, also known as the Marlborough Community Centre, 3048 Pierce Road. Registration starts at 12:15 p.m. and play starts at 12:30 p.m. $5 per player. For information contact debiar@ymail.com.

Spencerville Community Choir rehearsals start Monday, September 4, 7:00 pm at Spencerville United Church in preparation for Christmas concerts. Open to men and women who love to sing. No audition required. For registration information contact maryharding96@gmail.com

Baby steps

dry and they deteriorate.

Sounds good right? But these are small baby steps, I realise that.

by Mz Penny

I have finally trained myself to always carry a cloth bag to the grocery store. I had no choice. My favourite store stopped carrying plastic bags and now also charges for paper ones. This is all good and forces me now to remember to actually always have one on hand. No more plastic bags filling up my closet. However, I do seem to have a growing amount of cloth ones (due to sometimes forgetting my bag at home).

My next step was to always walk out the door with a travelling mug, especially if I am driving further than usual. It’s a thermos style, keeps my coffee hot and my ice water cold. No more empty plastic water bottles cluttering up my car (yes, I do tend to just toss them on the back seat). I have bought glass containers for the fridge and freezer, replaced my shampoo and conditioner with bars that look like soap, and my laundry detergent plastic container has been switched to little packs of what seems like cloth that you toss in with the laun-

Recently on Facebook, I saw a post that brought home to me just how small my steps are towards becoming plastic free. Facebook does have some good qualities if only people would stick to the good rather than abusing what it was meant for…but that’s another separate article. Last time I was out shopping, when I got home and removed all my groceries, I found that almost every item was packaged in plastic.

I have made what I had thought were some major steps towards saving our planet from plastic. But I need to do more and that post on Facebook reinforced the need for it.

Some time ago when I travelled to New Brunswick to visit a friend, I discovered a small town in the middle of nowhere between Edmunston and Dalhousie. The town has this gas station/store. The first time I walked in, I was amazed to see all these dispensers lining the walls. They had ev-

erything and all a person needs to have with them are a few containers to dispense the stuff into. I was amazed that it was so advanced, this small little town, compared with anywhere else I have ever been. Wherever possible, they used dispensers. Yes, they did still carry plastic, but it was limited to what they could not purchase in bulk containers.

We as a society must start pushing for the ban on plastic. We do have the power, but it has to start with each of us, en masse, refusing to purchase plastic containers. You need to start thinking each time you put out your recyclables that most of it will land up somewhere other than being recycled. We have to stop being such a disposable society, stop having to have all these bells and whistles and start thinking of our children’s future, what our legacy will be and what we are teaching them. Let’s not leave this planet in a mess for them.

We need to start taking giant steps.

Change to GST could save billions in energy costs for Canadians

submitted by Canadian Propane Association

As the Prime Minister meets with his federal cabinet to find ways to make life more affordable for Canadian families, his government should immediately consider removing the GST on home heating.

“Winter is coming and so is your heating bill. Like food and medication, heating a home in Canada is a basic necessity - it should not be taxed as a luxury item and cost savings need to be found,” said Shannon Watt, President, and CEO of the Canadian Propane Association. “As far back as 2019, the Parliamentary Budget Officer reported that Canadians would see well over a billion dollars in savings annually in residential energy costs by eliminating the GST.”

In 2021, the Canadian Propane Association first wrote to the Prime Minister proposing that the government make a legislative change to Part IX of the Excise Tax Act that would categorize heating energy such as propane, when used in residential applications, as zero-rated for purposes of the GST.

“Given the past year of inflation and increased interest rates, the government can provide an immediate reduction on the cost of residential energy,” said Watt. “Our 400 plus members are having discussions everyday with their customers from coast to coast to coast and the message they are getting about the fear of high costs is clear, which is why the case for our proposal for government action to make energy more affordable for Canadians is stronger than ever.”

Currently, residential energy is subject to the GST. The zero rate could apply to residential houses, condominiums, and other similar dwellings. Senior care facilities, hospices, school and university residential accommodation, monasteries, nunneries, and similar religious communities could also be included.

The change would see low emission propane and other heating fuels that are marketed exclusively to domestic consumers for residential purposes be zero-rated. The application would be similar to that applied to goods such as most groceries, as well as agricultural and fish products, among others.

“While the arguments among governments and political parties regarding carbon taxes continue unabated, the federal government should take a concrete step helping to make home energy more affordable for Canadians by making GST zero-rated,” said Watt. “It’s time that the federal government recognizes that home energy is an essential part of everyday life and should be made as affordable as possible for Canadians.”

The Food Corner

by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville

MELISSA OTTENHOF

Marketing Consultant

Phone:613 329 0209

Email: melissa@ngtimes.ca

Gazpacho is a dish that takes advantage of all of your hard gardening work. It may be called a cold soup but it has all of the flavours of fresh tomatoes, peppers, green onions and cucumbers. It’s a Spanish recipe, not so much Mexican. This recipe serves 4 people generously. As usual, increase the quantities as needed.

Garden Gazpacho

Ingredients

• 4 large peeled and chopped tomatoes

• 1 medium size peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber

• 1 seeded and chopped red pepper

• 5 sliced green onions

• 1 tablespoon crushed garlic

• 1 seeded and minced Jalapeño pepper

• 2 ½ cups of tomato juice

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 4 tablespoons of red wine

• The juice of one lime

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

• A couple of shakes of Worcestershire Sauce

Preparation

• Place the vegetables in a food processor or blender

• Pulse until they are well chopped

• Pour into a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients

• Stir to blend well

• Cover with film and refrigerate until well chilled

To serve, you can ladle the Gazpacho into soup bowls, or if you want to be fancy, you can use large balloon wine glasses. You can also float a Danish rusk on top or accompany your soup with fresh bread, such as Grahame’s oatmeal brown. Gazpacho can be prepared well ahead of time, including the day before. Trim your bowl or glass with a slice of cucumber.

You won’t believe the fresh flavour of Gazpacho. Give it a whirl, you’ll like it. It can be prepared well ahead of time, including the day before. Let me know how you did with it, as always, at pcormier@ranaprocess.com.

More Fire and Smoke to Come The story behind the Saint Lawrence Swordfighters Guild

by Brandon Mayer

A Swordfighters Guild?

Fires are a natural part of life in the forests that extend across Canada and the northern US. But it is not normal for these forest fires to consume entire communities, take lives of unsuspecting citizens in a surreal panic, and leave thousands of people and animals displaced. Tragedies happen sometimes. Now however, experts tell us, we can anticipate more monstrous fires on a more frequent basis.

Just when you think the great Canadian outdoors might offer a safe escape from all of the maladies in the world, the lakeside campsite has become another danger zone. Climate trends are making northern summers hotter, drier, and longer. That means that we can expect plenty more fires, more smoke, and more forced evacuations of campsites and cities alike.

These are discouraging times. An unthinkable war in Ukraine, Taliban rule in Afghanistan, migrants fleeing North Africa, and uneasy US-China relations.

Evil people deploy cyber attacks and scam the vulnerable. Good people fear the ominous risks of artificial intelligence. Everyone is nervously hoping the fall months don’t rekindle the COVID pandemic.

The world is a mess. There are many contributing factors, but surely one of the greatest is that the success of humans in growing our numbers has not been matched by a growth in intelligence. More and more people mean more congested cities and more encroachment on the natural systems that our planet has developed over billions of years.

There’s no escaping that a lot of people are and will be dealing with mountains of anxiety, depression, and for the worst affected, significant trauma.

It’s a challenging assignment in a short column to offer helpful advice. But how can we not comment on the current forest fires?

So here are a few thoughts. First, research shows that the more you prepare for negative events, the better you will fare in recovering from the associated trauma. This means that it’s worthwhile to prepare for an emergency. Hopefully, you will never need your list of things to pack when you have 15 minutes to evacuate. But having it ready will help.

Second, there are health benefits to altruism. When people help other people (or animals, and presumably trees and the environment too), they can experience physiological changes in the brain that improve the likelihood for happiness.

Third, getting involved is a good move. Helpers as well as people in need may build new or stronger support networks. This can improve self-esteem. Being connected and feeling positive are attributes associated with healthier, happier people.

For anyone experiencing trauma, there is no better course than to seek help. Don’t struggle alone. It takes courage to reach out, but the rewards are proven.

Finally, if you can do more, or give more to make the world a better place, then follow this advice. Spend your energy and money the way porcupines make love: very, very carefully.

The past few weeks have shown us that we’ll all need to think through the threat of forest fires – even if we live in as idyllic a setting as Lahaina on the beautiful island of Maui. We will need to protect our homes and plan a course for when fires and smoke threaten.

What the future holds, we cannot know. But we can make ourselves resilient, and that is what we must do.

It was Bram Stoker, in his novel Dracula, who made this point. “It is really wonderful how much resilience there is in human nature. Let any obstructing cause, no matter what, be removed in any way, even by death, and we fly back to first principles of hope and enjoyment.”

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

In North Grenville? What’s that all about? Matt McKee is the Founder and Headmaster of the Saint Lawrence Swordfighters Guild, a unique organization that has been facilitating both historical teaching and recreation in our local community for the last decade.

The St. Lawrence Swordfighters Guild was started in 2012 in Brockville. Matt McKee currently lives in Kemptville, and at the time that the Guild was founded, he lived just outside of Kemptville. He has had a local presence here for 15 years.

Matt was originally trained in Ottawa and opened the Guild in Brockville to avoid competing with the family organizations in Ottawa. Things got off to a “slow and quiet” start, but there was a lot of interest at the time from Kemptville residents. That is what inspired the idea to set up the Guild locally. The group was graciously offered a space at the North Grenville Municipal Centre, and they are now celebrating their 10th year in Kemptville.

What exactly happens at a “Swordfighters Guild”? Matt explained that they are a martial arts group, but they specifically focus on historical martial arts, affiliated with a group called Historical European Martial Arts, or “HEMA”. That group studies a 600-year-old manuscript, created in the 1400s by Fiore dei Liberi, to teach the nobility to be better fighters. However, because Fiore’s document is an educational tool, referred to by Matt as something of a “university course”, another challenge for historians is reverse engineering what people centuries ago knew before Fiore.

Matt pointed out that a lot of organizations “sportify” sword fighting. However, the Saint Lawrence Swordfighters Guild aims for historical accuracy. Matt has a martial arts background, but that is not what the Guild is all about. “Most of what we see today in terms of martial

arts and sports like boxing and MMA are actually sports because they have rules,” he added. These sports don’t allow things like biting your opponent, or poking them in the eye, for example. However, that’s not consistent with fighting that took place centuries ago.

“600 years ago, when you’re fighting for your life, everything goes, so the style and techniques are very different from what you see on TV and what you see in sport,” said Matt. This important distinction is made when the Guild trains people. Many people comment that “fighting for your life” looks somewhat strange compared to sport. Matt pointed out that cutting is less common than is often seen in movies, because it is not effective against armour. Martial arts movies are actually slowed down so that audiences can follow along and understand the story between the characters.

The day-to-day happenings of the Guild are many. The group puts on a Canada Day show in Oxford Mills every year, and just last weekend gave a presentation with full armour at a Royal Heraldry

Society of Canada event. In terms of how local people can get involved, the Guild has a Candidate Program. The program covers things like how to move, proper footwork, how to hold yourself and stand, basic swings, cuts, strokes, how to balance, the importance of distance and timing, different stances and positions, etc. The Candidate Program is designed for new people who want to come and try it out.

Even though new participants (men and women of all ages) are always welcome, there is one caveat – the activity is very dangerous, so it takes patience and a commitment to safety. The Guild uses finely crafted swords made of steel, though they have no edges or points. However, they are still steel weapons which participants swing at each other. “I have to trust

you not to kill me with the steel bar you have in your hand,” added Matt. He pointed out that it’s complicated because you have to try to do the fighting correctly, while also trying not to hurt each other for real. “Our biggest safety equipment is each other,” said Matt. “We’re a family.” The group uses lots of safety equipment, and most people don’t get to swing steel at each other for about two years – it takes a lot of work and training.

For more information on the Guild, including how to get involved, visit its website at https:// sword-guild.com/ or send an email to swordfightersguild@gmail.com. You can also catch up with the Guild on Facebook at https://www.facebook. com/SwordGuild/.

Baldwin’s Birds

facing there without too much ado, but if I haven't seen him fly there and just look to find him, it takes a while to spot him or her!

This year, having had the male perch where he does has made getting pictures of him a little easier and has also revealed the other striking thing about him that I hadn't really noticed before. The different throat colours that he seems to have are not at all what you would expect from the colour in his name! At times, he has a very dark brown throat and then a very bright red one, but never a ruby one!

There are even transition times when he has both colours showing. This quirk of nature is not just evident to our eyes but also is detected by the camera which makes it all the more amazing. According to the experts, it is the result of different shades of light shining on their feathers! I shall say no more, not being qualified in this scientific subject, as to how this happens or how we perceive it to happen!

Stay safe and well, Cheers, John Baldwin

A trick of the light

My! How suddenly quiet it has become for bird activity around the house and garden. The back garden nesters have disappeared and only a few birds seem to be flitting about now and again, but we still have activity around our front feeders. We actually had a very shy and reticent feeder, a female Cardinal, feeding on one of our cylindrical hanging Birdie Block feeders, which is a first for us, right in front of one of our big windows! Both Cardinals are very hard to observe

for long at any time, as they are extremely elusive and don't dwell to feed for very long. Maybe the fact that I hadn't stocked my other feeders for a couple of days gave her the incentive to try the hanging ones that tend to last a little longer than the conventional feeders do, being fairly inaccessible to the Squirrels although they do try!!

We have had more activity from the Hummingbirds recently and one of them has taken to perching in one of our trees at

the front before venturing in to feed on our sugar water feeder. The white breasted female Ruby Throated Hummingbird is our most common feeder visitor, which now and again gets chased off by a male which is the tree dweller. I don't know if he is actually protecting the food supply or is just her partner. Anyway they go zooming off to somewhere else when he does make a showing. Occasionally, an interloper will appear from somewhere else in the neighbourhood,

Fall Sales Event

and then the perching male springs into action straightaway to see them off! He must be watching all the time from his perch in the tree and will stay there for quite long periods of time. If I happen to see him fly to his spot, I can then get my camera

Guide Dog Ride to benefit Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind

Democracy: New book tackles big idea

edly an important concept. Harmen believes that everyone doesn’t need to live the same way, but that we all need the same foundation in life. Democracy can provide that foundation, while personal responsibility determines each person’s unique way of life.

think. He noted a situation he remembers when the Conservative Party had a leadership race, and two of the contenders constantly mentioned democracy, which made him think more about what makes it tick.

submitted by Jeff Murphy

Sunday, September 10 marks the 35th edition of the National Capital Region’s longest running charity motorcycle ride, The Guide Dog Ride. The Ride, which features a Dice Run, is held each year in support of Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind. Funds raised at the event support CGDB’s mission to provide greater freedom and independence to visually impaired Canadians through the use of professionally trained guide dogs.

Registration takes place on the morning of the Ride at Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind’s National Training Centre, 4120 Rideau Valley Drive North, Manotick, between 9 and 10 am. The Ride costs $30 per person and includes one scorecard for the Dice Run and one meal at the post-ride BBQ. Cash, debit, and credit cards will be accepted, with 100% of proceeds going directly to Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind. Those returning for the post-ride BBQ will also have a chance to meet some future guide dogs and win some great prizes!

Riders collecting $100 or more in pledges, who turn in their pledged funds at registration on the morning of the Ride, will earn free admission for one person to the Dice Run and the BBQ. Pledge forms are available on Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind’s website.

The Guide Dog Ride is a rain or shine event. Individual riders and all brands and clubs are welcome! No pet dogs permitted, please. For more information and details of this year’s route, please visit www. guidedogs.ca or phone 613-692-7777.

About Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind was established as a registered charity in 1984. CGDB has provided more than 925 professionally trained guide dogs to Canadians who are visually impaired from coast to coast.

To learn more about this event or Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, visit www.guidedogs.ca or phone (613) 692-7777.

Author Harmen Boersma

– who lived in Kemptville for 30 years before moving to Peterborough County –has written a book giving his own thorough take on a big topic: democracy. It turns out that many aspects of North Grenville life and politics partially inspired Harmen’s views. “I have a lot of happy thoughts in Kemptville,” said Harmen.

A former elementary school teacher, Harmen published his book “Decisive Democracy: The Way of Life for All” three weeks ago. It is now available for purchase.

Democracy is undoubt-

“Decisive Democracy” is written to be enjoyed by everyone, but Harmen believes it may be most helpful and informative to young people (such as high school and university students) and new immigrants. For the latter group, Harmen notes that immigrants may not be familiar with democracy, depending on which country they have come from. “There is not a lot of democracy in countries around the world,” he added.

Harmen is no stranger to writing. Before “Decisive Democracy”, he wrote four smaller books, one of which was translated from Dutch. He became interested specifically in democracy when he joined a political party in Canada and got particularly interested in how people

After getting some writing started on the heavy subject, Harmen asked Friesen Press to do a manuscript evaluation which helped to encourage him and to focus. Now, with the finished product in his hands, Harmen is proud of his book. He feels that it summarizes a lot of the things that people need to know about life.

“I was astounded by how many books have been written about democracy,” said Harmen, noting that he has read a number of them. “Almost all books and most organizations that deal with democracy all look at democracy as a political entity. When you make democracy a political issue, you hand it over to the government. We are giving way too much power and credit to government, and not enough to personal responsibility.”

Some local level North Grenville governments in the past inspired some of the ideas in Harmen’s book. Other politicized situations, such as controversy that was stirred up when a local church wanted to host skating events, also played into the development of Harmen’s ideas.

Ultimately, Harmen believes that people were created to be responsible to live out their own way of life within the four pillars of democracy, which he identifies as Family, Faith, Work, and Community.

“Decisive Democracy” was published by Friesen Press, based out of Manitoba. It can be ordered from the publisher’s online bookstore. Many other online bookstores offer the book, and it is available at countless retailers around the world. Harmen encourages those interested in reading his book to shop around for the best price. Happy reading!

Kemptville Youth Centre Book Fair a success!

submitted by Bruce Wehlau

KYC held the 20th Annual Book Fair from August 18 to 20 at the Ferguson Forest Centre.

An estimated 2,500 to 3,000 people visited - the two kids’ tents were very popular with $1 a book!

Wonderful community volunteers collecting, sorting and displaying books over an eight-week period, together with both financial and volunteer support from Scotiabank, RBC & O'Farrell Financial, yielded KYC a record profit of about $25,000.

KYC thanks everyone concerned and hopes to see them again in 2024 - follow KYC on Facebook at kyc.team!

Real Estate Doesn’t Have “Because Real Estate Doesn’t Have to Be to Be Complicated.”

139 PRESCOTT ST. KEMPTVILLE, ON

Sue Barnes | Broker John Carkner | REALTOR® carknerbarnes.com

Chris Drozda | Broker ChrisDrozda.com