The Citizen - Jan. 10, 2025 by North Huron Publishing Company Ltd.

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THIS WEEK 4 • Editorials 8 • Sports 13 • 4-H Awards 15 • Obituaries

Citizen

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Friday, January 10, 2025

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Volume 41 No. 2

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, ON N0M 1H0

County supports Blyth daycare By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

Scramble in front On Saturday, the U9 LL Blyth Brussels Crusaders were in action at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre, welcoming the Goderich Sailors Black team east to the village for an 11 a.m. game. While these youngsters didn’t keep score for their half-ice game,

there was plenty of fun (and chaos, surely) to be found within the action on the Brussels ice. Now into the back half of the season, the Crusaders are in action again this Saturday morning in Brussels again, this time against the Central Perth Predators. (John Stephenson photo)

Late last year, Huron County Council authorized issuing $350,000 in Municipal Child Care Start-up funding to North Huron to create new child care spaces in Blyth. The agreement, which entirely utilizes funds from the provincial and federal governments, states that the money will go towards creating 26 new, licensed, full-day child care spaces in Blyth for children up to four years old by March 31, 2026. Huron County Council approved the county entering into an agreement with the Township of North Huron for the funding at council’s Dec. 18 meeting. In her report to council, Huron County’s Manager of Ontario Works and Children’s Services Cheryl Patience said that the provincial Ministry of Education has committed to creating 86,000 new child care spaces throughout Ontario as part of its child care agreement with the federal government. She stated that the Ministry of Education has allocated a number of child care spots to each of Ontario’s Consolidated Continued on page 7

U18 BB Huron Heat win gold at Woodstock tourney By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen This weekend, the U11 HL and U13 HL Huron Heat teams will be in Wilmot to take part in the annual Kyla Kowalik Tournament, while the U11 A Heat will be in New Tecumseth for the annual ODR Winter Classic. Play for the U11 HL team begins on Friday morning against the host Wilmot Wolverines, while, that afternoon, the U13 HL team will play Woolwich. That evening, the U11 A Heat will play the Hamilton Hawks to open their tournament. The next day, play continues for the U11 HL Heat with games against the Waterloo Ravens and the Lakeshore Lightning. The U13 HL Heat will play the host Wilmot Wolverines and North Simcoe that day, in addition to taking part in a skills competition that afternoon as a bonus to tournament play. In New Tecumseth, the U11 A Heat team will play the Sudbury Lady Wolves and Mississauga Hurricanes.

On Sunday, Jan. 12, the Huron Heat will host their annual U7 Jamboree in Clinton at the Central Huron Community Complex with games being played from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. In regular season play this weekend, the U18 C Heat will play the Mitchell Meteors on the road tonight, Jan. 10. On Saturday, the U15 C Heat will play the St. Marys Rock, the U13 A team will play the Bluewater Hawks, the U9 C team will play the Lambton Attack and the Senior team will play Seaforth, all on the road, while the U9 B Heat will host the London Devilettes and the U11 C Heat will play the Central Perth Predators, both in Seaforth, and the U18 BB Heat will welcome the Owen Sound Ice Hawks to Clinton. The next day, the U9 B Heat will play an exhibition game with the Sarnia Lady Sting on the road, the Senior team will host the Woolwich Wild in Hensall and the U18 C Heat will welcome the St. Marys Rock to Seaforth. The U13 A Heat will play

the Panthers in St. Thomas and the Senior C team will play Monkton, also on the road. Next week, on Tuesday, Jan. 14, the U9 B Heat will host the Grand River Mustangs in Brussels and the U15 A Heat will play the Sabres in South Huron. Then, on the weekend of Jan. 1719, the U9 C, U11 C and U13 C Heat teams will all head to Belmont to take part in the annual B.A.D. Tournament. On Friday, Jan. 17, the U9 C team will open play with games against the Mount Forest Rams and St. Marys Rock, while the U13 C Heat will play the Upper Maitland Mustangs and Parkhill. The U11 C Heat will also open play on Friday, facing the Wingham 86ers and the Central Perth Predators that day, followed by Saturday, Jan. 18 games with the Sarnia Lady Sting and the Tillsonburg Lightning. Also on Saturday, the U9 C team will play the St. Thomas Panthers and the Upper Maitland Mustangs, while the U13 C Heat will play the

Lambeth Lancers. The next day, the U13 C team will play another Lambeth Lancers team as the tournament extends into Sunday play. On Thursday, Jan. 9, the U13 C Heat played the Central Perth Predators on the road and the U15 C Heat welcomed Lucan/South Huron to Brussels, but scores were not available at press time. Looking back, the weekend of Jan. 3-5 was a good one for the U18 BB Heat, who won gold at the 27th annual Woodstock Wildcats Tournament, defeating the hosts in the finals on Sunday afternoon by a score of 3-2. Tournament play for the Heat on Friday at noon against those same Woodstock Wildcats, ending instead in a 3-2 win for the Wildcats, followed by a 1-1 tie with the Bluewater Hawks that night. The next day, the Heat posted their first win of the tournament, a 2-0 shutout over the Ilderton Jets, followed by a 3-2 win over the Bluewater Hawks later that night.

That earned the team a spot in the finals, which the Heat used to beat the Woodstock Wildcats by a score of 3-2 to claim tournament victory. Also that weekend, the U13 B Heat were in Sarnia for their regional Silver Stick Tournament. The girls played in the first game of the tournament on Thursday, Jan. 2, posting a 3-3 tie with the Wallaceburg Lakers, followed by a 5-0 victory over Team Wyoming later that night. However, the next afternoon, the team lost to the Ann Arbor Biggby team by a score of 5-0, followed by a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the North Durham Blades later that night, ending their tournament. In regular season action on Sunday, Jan. 5, the U11 A Heat lost to Bluewater at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre by a score of 2-1 and the U13 HL Heat beat the Mooretown Lady Flags, also in Brussels, by a score of 4-1. Also that day, the U9 B Heat played the Devilettes in London Continued on page 11

PAGE 2. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025.

HE receives letter from Solicitor General By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

At the Dec. 17, 2024 Huron East Council meeting, Mayor Bernie MacLellan reported what he said was positive news in regards to staggering price increases for Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) service in 2025. After a Court of Appeal decision on the Ontario government’s Bill 124, years of back pay to police officers fell onto municipalities that use the OPP. This led to many

mayors and reeves in Huron County reporting potential increases of hundreds of thousands of dollars in 2025 as a result of the appeal decision. (Province-wide payments to affected public sector employees has been reported to be in excess of $6 billion and counting.) MacLellan had discussed the matter with Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson, he reported to council, who said she would take it back to her colleagues in search of a potential solution. Soon thereafter, MacLellan and other municipalities

received a letter from Solicitor General Michael Kerzner saying that costs would be reduced by more than $77 million across the province, including within Huron East. The letter states that the billing changes include: a 3.75 per cent reduction of the total 2023 reconciled costs to all communities to approximate the full (100 per cent) impact of the Ontario Provincial Police Association (OPPA) salary increases, excluding the one per cent increase that was

guarantee, should their chosen candidate resign or be released for performance-related reasons during that time period. During the deciding process, Councillor Anita van Hittersum asked if anybody had worked with any of the four companies. Clerk and acting CAO Carson Lamb replied that the township had previously utilized the services of N.G. Bellchamber, but that all four firms are very reputable. Bellchamber’s proposal was $250 per hour, for approximately 80 to 110 hours, not including out-ofpocket expenses. Councillor Mitch Wright spoke in favour of the proposal from WES. “It’s got a short timeline, which is better than a long one, and it’s not quite the lowest cost, but it’s close to it. And they provide the best guarantee…

the fact that they’re willing to offer a long guarantee usually means they’re good at what they do, and never have to honour that guarantee,” he said. WES has quoted an estimated timeline of between six and eight weeks to find North Huron’s new CAO. In Lamb’s estimation, WES will likely be able to find a worthy CAO during that period. “They feel quite confident that they can meet those timelines, or they wouldn’t have put it in,” he explained. WES will now be working under the direction of the newlyappointed CAO Recruitment Team, which is comprised of Reeve Paul Heffer, Deputy-Reeve Kevin Falconer and Wright. An advertisement has already been drafted by WES and has been posted online.

NH seeks a permanent replacement for Evans By Scott Stephenson The Citizen North Huron has begun the search for a new Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) in earnest, following the sudden exodus of previous CAO Dwayne Evans in late 2024. At its Dec. 16 meeting, council voted to award the contract for CAO recruitment services to Waterhouse Executive Search (WES) in the amount of $22,000. WES was one of four recruitment companies considered by council, the other three being Ward and Uptigrove, Logic Executive Search, and N.G. Bellchamber and Associates. WES’ $22,000 fee includes psychometric testing for aptitude, management, and leadership testing and job advertisements. They also offer a 19-month replacement

built into the 2023 estimates; a 44 per cent reduction on overtime 2023 reconciled costs to all communities, and a 10 per cent reduction of 2025 invoice amounts to all communities to approximate the full (100 per cent) impact of the OPPA salary increases, excluding the one per cent increase that was already built into the 2023 estimate. “The total billing statement that was initially provided to you for 2025, inclusive of the increases resulting from the new collective agreement, was $1,937,842. Today’s proposed billing changes will provide an estimated $285,973 in financial relief for your municipality, bringing the new total for OPP services being billed to your municipality in 2025 to $1,651,868,” Kerzner stated in his letter to MacLellan and the municipality. *** At that same meeting, Huron East Council also accepted tenders for gravel and dust control for 2025. For gravel, council accepted three tenders that night for the North, Central and South Patrols, respectively. The successful bidders will provide the municipality with the loading, weighing, hauling and spreading of “M” gravel in the municipality to the tune of 20,000 tonnes in the North Patrol, 34,000 tonnes in the Central Patrol, and 34,000 tonnes in the South Patrol. In the North Patrol, Joe Kerr Limited was the successful bidder with a total of $226,925.25, including HST, edging out Clarence Carter and Sons ($244,224.48), McKenzie and Henderson Limited ($288,591.93), McCann Redi Mix ($314,439.02) and Lavis Contracting ($323,597.44).

In the Central Patrol, McCann Redi Mix was the successful bidder for a total of $482,648.63, including taxes, beating out Joe Kerr Limited’s bid of $484,322.86, McKenzie and Henderson Limited at $498,909.91, Lavis Contracting at $543,195.95 and Clarence Carter and Sons at $544,925.87. Clarence Carter and Sons was the successful bidder for the South Patrol contract at a total of $179,326.91, including taxes. The three other bidders were McKenzie and Henderson Limited ($194,620.45), McCann Redi Mix ($202,334.72) and Lavis Contracting ($209,778.65). The total amount for next year’s gravel is $888,900.78, including HST, which is included in the year’s transportation budget. As for dust control, the honours went to a numbered company in the name of Clifford Holland for effective chloride composites with a price tag of $339,700 before taxes. The 2025 unit price will be $430 before taxes, which is just a dollar more than 2024’s $429. This will be the fifth straight year that Holland has provided this service to Huron East, dating back to 2021 when the unit price, before taxes, was just $274. Holland beat out Pollard Highway Products’ $361,030 (unit price: $457.50) and Da-Lee Dust Control at $433,196.50 (unit price: $548.35 for 35 per cent liquid calcium chloride). The tender amount of $435,679.40, including HST, is included in the 2025 transportation budget. Council approved acceptance of all four tenders with little discussion.

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025. PAGE 3.

NH no longer metering residential water By Scott Stephenson The Citizen As of Jan. 1, all residential properties in the Township of North Huron have transitioned from metered water and sewer billing to a flat-rate system. As per the 2025 Fees and Charges Bylaw, the new fixed flat-rate for water is $54 a month with an additional $22 monthly charge for reserves. The monthly sewer rate for residential properties is $40, with an additional $22 monthly charge for reserves. Commercial, industrial and institutional water and sewer rates will continue to be metered. All previously metered residences will be receiving their final metered bill this month, and

their first flat-rate water invoice should be arriving in early February. Any “In Care of Tenant” agreements were also discontinued as of Jan. 1. Both water and sewer invoices are now being sent directly to the registered property owner. All existing water meters will remain installed at residential properties, but they will no longer be used for billing purposes. The road to the decision to switch from a metered to a flat-rate system for residential units began at North Huron’s May 21, 2024 council meeting as part of a planned update to its water and wastewater financial plans. Numerous options were considered, from increasing the number of meters, to metering residential sewage, to removing

the aging meters entirely. The final decision to switch over to the flat-rate system was made at North Huron’s Sept. 16, 2024 meeting, following a report on the impact of water and sewer metering presented by Director of Public Works Dax McAllister. The report offered some historical context on water metering in North Huron. It stated that the municipality’s first water meters were installed in Wingham in the early 1980s. Now, there are 1,294 meters in total throughout the township, which are divided into four separate meter reading routes. On each of those routes, approximately 146 meters were deemed unreadable due to either accessibility issues or mechanical issues caused

Emergency During a particularly snowy stretch of Friday, Jan. 3, Huron County paramedics, the Ontario Provincial Police and the Fire Department of North Huron responded to a twovehicle collision just west of the intersection of Blyth Road and Allboro Line, east of Blyth. According to the OPP, a person who stopped to assist experienced a medical (Shawn Loughlin photo) issue and was taken to Clinton Public Hospital.

CH budgets for fireworks By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen At its Dec. 16 meeting, Central Huron Council voted to allocate $25,000 in the 2025 budget to a fireworks display for July after making a decision to the contrary at an earlier meeting. Council had, with the Clinton Homecoming and a special drone show being organized by the Clinton Kinsmen, opted to forgo the annual fireworks display in 2025, not wanting to infringe on any of the other planned events. However, at the Dec. 2 meeting, Councillors Alison Lobb and Adam Robinson brought forth a notice of motion to approve the $25,000 as part of the 2025 operating budget, meaning that it would be approved ahead of the final adoption of the 2025 budget. Council passed the motion with little discussion. *** Also that night, Central Huron Council voted to extend its existing fire agreement with North Huron for one year, subject to North Huron also agreeing to the extension. Also in the motion, council specified that North Huron’s capital purchases in 2025 will be limited to

the replacement of Rescue 7 ($300,000) and the purchase of extrication equipment ($60,000) unless otherwise approved in writing by all other parties to the

agreement, which includes Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, Morris-Turnberry and North Huron, in addition to Central Huron. Council approved the extension.

by end-of-life failures. At that meeting, Councillor Chris Palmer expressed surprise that roughly 584 water meters were unreadable. “The gas company, the propane guys, the other fuels, you cannot stop their meter readers… they have to have accessibility. So why can’t we have that same ruling?” McAllister responded that, if council chose to continue with meter reading, a bylaw would need to be put in place to make access to water meters mandatory. The Sept. 16 report also explained that the reading of each of the meters was done by Veolia Water, which typically took staff an average of three to five days to complete per route. Deputy-Reeve Kevin Falconer made the point that adding more meters would likely mean needing a much more robust meter-reading team. McAllister told council that switching to a radiofrequency-based system would reduce the amount of time spent on each route down to half a day, as they could read meters as they drove instead of stopping at each residence. “I don’t think it would add anything on to Veolia’s workload. It would probably decrease it,” he said. Councillor Mitch Wright shared his opinion that a metered water system is the best practice for municipalities. “It’s supposed to be a user pay system - you want users that use more to pay more than residents that use less,” he explained. “If you have a flat-rate, it means people with lower incomes, who tend to use less water, are basically subsidizing the usage of people who have greater incomes and use more water… the other reading I’ve done indicates that municipalities that use flat-rate tend to have consumption 30 per cent higher than municipalities that use metered services, which means you need larger infrastructure on

both the water and wastewater side in order to deal with the increased flow.” Wright also enquired as to whether the cost of replacing aging meters would need to be funded with money from capital reserves, or if it would be covered by user fees. At that time, Director of Finance Chris Townes explained to Wright that, when the meter system was first implemented, users paid for both the meters and their installation, after which the township became responsible for their maintenance. The Sept. 16 report had favourable things to say about water metering, namely, that meters help detect water loss, which occurs when there are leaks in the water system. Water meters give an indication of how much water is being consumed by users. This information is used to compare the amount of water being generated at the water plant to the amount of water being used by users. The difference provides a rough idea of how much water loss is occurring in the distribution system. The report also offered some quantitative data on water loss, stating that “One leaking toilet could use up about [one cubic metre per day] of water or more. This can result in a loss of about $42/month and $504/year per leaking toilet. A leaking faucet with 60 drips/minute equates to about seven and a half cubic meters a year or $10.50 per year per leaking faucet.” Despite these benefits, staff ultimately recommended that North Huron cease using the metered system for residences due to budgetary constraints. This does not preclude the possibility of the township switching back to the metered system at a later date. The new system and rates will be reviewed at the end of 2025 to see if any adjustments need to be made to the rates going into 2026.

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A New Year! (Arthur Pink) "Go forward!" Exodus 14:15 Is not this a timely word for each of us as we enter into, and journey through, a new year? We need to clearly realize that there is no such thing as remaining stationary in the spiritual life. If we do not progress - we inevitably retrograde. How that solemn fact should search our hearts!

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Christian friend, your history this year will be either one of going forward — or backsliding. This new year will mark either an increased fruitfulness in your soul and life, to the glory of Him Whose name you bear - or increased leanness and barrenness, to His reproach. It will witness either a growing in grace - or a decline in your spirituality. It will record either an increased love for the Word, use of the Throne of Grace, strictness of walk and closer communion with Christ - or a growing coldness and a following of Him afar off! "Go forward!" Exodus 14:15 A Grace Gem Submitted by: Immanuel United Reformed Church Listowel, ON 519-291-3887

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PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025.

Editorials & Opinions

Founding Publisher: Keith Roulston Publisher & President: Deb Sholdice • Editor: Shawn Loughlin Reporter: Scott Stephenson • Photographer: John Stephenson Advertising Sales: Brenda Nyveld

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Tale as old as time As we enter budget deliberation season, we expect to see a certain amount of volley-and-return from municipal finance departments and councils. You know the gambit: the treasurer opens with a budget that would see a 20 per cent increase in taxes, the council moans and the taxpayers throw up their arms. After several rounds, the final increase lands at 10 per cent and everyone is relieved, especially the treasurer who just had a large increase passed but is seen as a hero for avoiding the initial increase (which was likely never the true goal). Wilmot Township may be in the process of qualifying for the X Games of municipal budget politics. The opening salvo for their budget target is a whopping 50.87 per cent increase to property taxes (the “volley”). The acting chief administrative officer explained that years of low tax increases and a failure to budget properly for funding capital projects has left the township critically behind neighbouring municipalities. Council has promised to work to bring down the proposed increase to a more reasonable level (the “return”). The most cynical among us wonders if the municipality might also be using the increase as a scare tactic that would make its controversial land assembly project more attractive by proving the need for a more industrialized tax base to sustain its assets and services. – DS

The party’s over Well, it happened. It’s over. Justin Trudeau has said he’ll step down as Prime Minister and leader of the federal Liberal Party, proroguing parliament and giving the party until late March to select a new leader. Trudeau bowed to years of pressure on Monday and finally stepped aside as calls to resign - from political friend and foe alike - intensified. And, instead of giving way to a snap election, this break, he hopes, will give the Liberal Party a chance to save some modicum of support. Whether Trudeau was to blame for all the country’s ills became irrelevant at a certain point and many Canadians (recent polls showed approval of Trudeau below 20 per cent) just wanted him gone as new threats beyond the country’s borders complemented the lingering woes within them. The irrational, visceral hatred of 2022’s Freedom Convoy slowly gave way to a more universal and measured disapproval in his leadership being felt by many mainstream Canadians seeking change. And whether that change will be Conservative Pierre Poilievre, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh or another Liberal Party leader remains to be seen, but, for now, things are on hold in Ottawa during a crucial time. Many beer cans will collide and high fives will be slapped, but what will the country truly gain by losing its leader at such a pivotal point in time? A new leader? Perhaps. For now, the country feels as though it’s in disarray. Whether you liked him or not, Canadians had a 10-year relationship with their government. Trudeau was the devil we knew. Now, we must ready ourselves to meet the devil we don’t. – SL

An Ontario for all In 2005, Ontario set an ambitious and laudable goal: to become fully accessible for people with disabilities by 2025. This promise, embodied in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), aimed to remove barriers in transportation, public spaces, education and the workforce, ensuring all Ontarians could participate fully in society. But as we cross into 2025, that vision remains unfulfilled. While the province touts investments in infrastructure, accessible buses and retrofitted buildings, the enforcement of accessibility standards has been woefully inadequate. Successive governments have been warned for over a decade that progress was insufficient to meet the 2025 target. Yet, the response has been marked by complacency, deflection and a lack of urgency. Meanwhile, the government has shown remarkable zeal in pursuing other initiatives. We’ve seen a focus on dubious goals like allowing beer and wine in corner stores, distributing expensive rebate cheques and planning a spa in Toronto. These priorities reveal a troubling disconnect: the province appears more invested in superficial popularity than in delivering on its foundational promises. Accessibility, it seems, has been relegated to the back burner. The AODA was meant to be a transformative law, not just a box to tick. Its failure underscores a broader issue: a lack of political will to prioritize long-term societal benefits over short-term political gains. By sidestepping its responsibility to enforce accessibility standards, the government has not only failed people with disabilities, but has also let down all Ontarians who believe in equality and fairness. It is time for Ontario to re-evaluate its priorities. Accessibility cannot remain a secondary concern, overshadowed by headline-grabbing policies and superficial achievements. The government must recommit to its original promise, with concrete actions to enforce standards, allocate sufficient resources and hold non-compliant entities accountable. Anything less perpetuates the cycle of exclusion and broken promises. – SBS

Looking Back Through the Years January 14, 1965 The location of the Brussels Lions meeting place was discussed, and it was concluded that they would continue meeting at the library. The president and secretary were to meet with the ladies who catered to arrange for improvements to the library’s kitchen facilities. The W.M.S. of Melville Presbyterian Church gathered in the church parlour on Jan. 8 at 2:30 p.m. Rev. W. P. Morrison led the service to induct the new officers for 1965. He then delivered a New Year reflection centred on the role of prayer in the lives of believers. Three reasons for prayers going unanswered were highlighted by Morrison: first, sins that remain unacknowledged and unforgiven; second, requests driven by selfinterest; and third, “You do not receive because you do not ask.” A hymn was performed, and the session concluded with prayer. The annual meeting of Huron County members of the Waterloo Cattle Breeding Association took place on Jan. 5, drawing a full house to the agricultural boardroom in Clinton. Unit directors and staff shared their reports. Manager Wilbur Shantz highlighted a growth in activity for 1964, with an increase of 2,299 breedings. He also noted the success of the young sire proving program and the rising reliance on proven sires, with 55 per cent of total services in the Holstein breed now involving proven bulls. January 9, 1980 Graeme Craig was acclaimed as the Liberal nominee for HuronBruce in the Feb. 18 federal

election during a meeting attended by approximately 360 people at Blyth’s Memorial Hall. Craig, who was eager about the election, mentioned that Tory promises, such as the proposed relocation of the Canadian embassy in Israel, had impacted the residents of Huron. He highlighted that, due to the threat of the move, Dominion Roads in Goderich lost a significant order and had to lay off employees. Morris Township Council members raised salaries by eight per cent for themselves and township employees during their regular council meeting on Monday. The reeve’s salary rose from $1,000 to $1,100, the deputyreeve’s from $870 to $950, and the councillors’ from $820 to $900. Council chose to maintain the special meeting rates from the previous year, with $20 for the reeve and $15 for the other council members. The Bluevale community decided at a public meeting to establish a Chamber of Commerce. While the primary goal of the organization at this time was to monitor the funds raised for renovations to the Bluevale Hall, ensuring that Bluevale maintained control over the hall, the Chamber of Commerce would also serve to manage other initiatives, such as improvements in the village and surrounding areas. Despite a wave of protests from municipalities across Huron, Baton Broadcasting Incorporated, operators of CKNX and CFPL television stations, denied that its coverage of the 1994 municipal election was lacking. January 11, 1995 In an effort to encourage regular

physical activity, Brussels Public School participated in the Huron County Health Unit’s “Families in Motion” project. The kick-off for the month-long program took place during an assembly on Jan. 6 at the school. Grade 7 students, along with Patty Bennett, Huron County Director of Education Paul Carroll, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Maarten Bokhout, Wendy Martin, Public Health Nurse Marguerite Thomas, and the Spink family, took part in a performance to explain the program. January 14, 2010 A Seaforth man won $1,000,000 on an Ontario Instant Millions ticket he purchased at GT Mini Mart on the town’s main street last week. “I was shaking, I was so excited,” 45-year-old Paul Haley said of his win. “I thought I was playing the game incorrectly. I’m so happy to win.” With his winnings, Haley planned to buy a new vehicle, complete some home renovations and invest. Huron County OPP media relations and community service officer Joanna Van Mierlo was in Blyth on Jan. 6, giving a presentation to the Grade 6 class and the Grade 7/8 class about crimes and their consequences. Van Mierlo covered topics such as theft, bullying and jail time. There were 13 tables of euchre players at the Londesborough Community Hall on Friday, Jan. 8, when the Happy Gang Seniors hosted their regular monthly card party. The event brought together many local residents, creating a lively atmosphere filled with friendly competition and socialization among participants.

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025. PAGE 5.

Other Views

Jimmy Carter lived a remarkable life

few short weeks before the most selfinvolved U.S. President in recent history takes office again, we lost one of the presidents who has contributed more good to the world than just about anyone else. Jimmy Carter, who served as president from 1976 to 1981, died at age 100 at his home in Plains, Georgia. But long before, and long after he left the White House, he was a man who made a difference. He was only a young man, a U.S. Navy lieutenant who was working on a nuclear submarine project in Schenectady, New York, when the world’s first nuclear reactor in Chalk River, Ontario, north of Ottawa, had a meltdown. Carter led a team of men on the mission, which required the reactor to be shut down, taken apart and replaced. An exact replica of the reactor was built at a playground nearby, with Carter and his troops practising taking it apart and putting it back together as quickly as possible. When it came time to work on the actual reactor, the men worked in shifts of 90 seconds; the high radioactivity made anything longer extremely dangerous. In Carter’s case, he was lowered into the building with a winch, and he had to run over to the reactor casing and had one screw to turn. He had radioactive urine for many weeks afterwards. They were tested continuously. He was told it was likely that he would never have children, yet he had four children with his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn. He retired from the Navy and took up peanut farming in Plains, Georgia, taking over his parents’ 360-acre farm. The farm now is part of the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park. Later, he became Governor of Georgia and then, in 1976, won the election for President, taking over the nation’s top office in January,

Keith Roulston

From the cluttered desk 1977. He broke the rules normally associated with that office, doing away with pomp and circumstances. He also appointed 41 women as judges, though none to the Supreme Court, although later Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of the women he appointed, rose to that office. Although a southerner at a time when many southern governors resisted allowing Blacks to vote, he named 57 people of colour to the bench. Yet, he was not popular, facing high inflation and, in 1979, he made a decision to welcome Vietnamese boat people to the U.S. following the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam, something opposed by 62 per cent of Americans. Then he was the president when Iran rebelled against the U.S.-backed Shah of Iran and, on Nov. 4, 1979, Iranian supporters of the ongoing revolution’s regime stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking 52 hostages, including diplomats and civilian staff. As the hostages languished in captivity for months, Carter’s popularity further deteriorated. In April of 1980, the U.S. mounted an attempt to take back the hostages, only for the effort to collapse due to logistical failures. Eight service members died in a helicopter accident during the attempt. Ironically, just after Carter lost the election to Ronald Reagan, he was able to free the captives. But unlike many former presidents who

simply set up libraries to celebrate their accomplishments, Carter’s good work increased after his defeat. He monitored elections in more than three dozen countries. He and Rosalynn worked on several building projects as 4,300 homes were built by Habitat for Humanity, including his work at a Canadian project. He set up The Carter Center, which today has a global staff of 3,000, whose work concentrating on international diplomacy and mediation, election monitoring and fighting disease in the developing world and continues to set a standard for what former presidents can accomplish. In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his many contributions to making the world a better, more peaceful place. But his work was not all high-profile. He was a religious man who volunteered to teach Sunday school in his Plains church. His funeral will be in Washington on Jan. 9. Current President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, who will become President for a second term on Jan. 20, will attend. It’s hard to think of two men more different who have shared the President’s quarters than Carter and Trump. There’s nothing humble about Trump, as there was about Carter. Both had some lack of success in their first term in the White House, Trump being unsuccessful in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and seeing more American lives lost than any other western democracy because he refused to admit the disease was serious. He was unpopular enough that he lost the 2020 presidential election. But Trump kept talking and changed enough voters’ minds that he won re-election. Carter went on to other great tasks and in the long run accomplished so much.

Start licking your rebate chops!

stentatiously declaring our profound and eternal generosity, The Chaff is thrilled to announce our incredible rebate bonanza: $2,000 for every single reader! Yes, you read that correctly. Two grand. Two stacks of maple-soaked loonies to warm the cockles of your beleaguered hearts this frigid winter. All we ask in return is that you, esteemed Chaffers of the Greater Chaffing Area, remit your Chaff tax - a modest, entirely reasonable $2,500 - to fund our not-necessary community endeavours. With the Chaff tax, your contributions will build a better, worse tomorrow: widened potholes, artisanal and awfully ineffective drainage ditches and possibly a golden bust of our spiritual leader placed in the middle of the least convenient intersection. It’s the social contract, reimagined: give us your money, and we’ll give it right back to you (minus a small administrative fee for processing, evaluation and existential contemplation). But don’t delay! Rebates are expected to be delivered at some unspecified yet completely forthcoming time. We’re aiming for “soonish”, which, in Chaff time, falls somewhere between “next week” and “when the snow reveals its secrets in spring.” “We’re putting Chaff dollars back in the Chaffed-up fabrics of our beloved Chaffers’ pockets,” proclaimed the Tricky Minister of Chaff Finances and Footlong Submarine Sandwich Tsar Dervid Hamson in an exclusive e-mail (sent to himself for archival purposes). Naturally, critics have emerged from their unlit dens to sling their barbs. Some have labelled the initiative a “paper shuffle” and a “self-licking Chaff cream cone.” Others decry the program as a “political stunt” orchestrated to boost The Chaff’s flagging reputation in

Scott Stephenson The Chaff the wake of last year’s embarrassing, unspeakable scandal. To these naysayers, we say: “Can a bribe not also be a blessing?” Imagine the possibilities of your rebate! You could invest in annoying-child removal services or finally commission that portrait of your beloved but butt ugly family donkey Doug. With $2,000, the world, or at least the Chaffiverse, is your oddly-shaped oyster. Perhaps you’ll splurge on a new, flushable toilet - complete with a seat - or curate a private collection of Chaff-branded merchandise to cherish for generations. For families, an additional $200 will be bestowed for each eligible offspring under the age of 18. That’s right: your children are worth precisely $200 in Chaffonomics. Unlike certain provincial counterparts, we won’t discriminate by income; all Chaffers deserve the same opportunity to be marginally appeased. But what if your offspring are over 18? Fear not! We’re exploring the possibility of retroactive rebates for your adult children who still rely on your Wi-Fi password, laundry machines and basement fridge’s contents. Picture a world where your Chaff tax funds revolutionary ideas like big, stinky compost heaps that double as art installations or an interactive museum dedicated to the evolution of The Chaff’s font size choices. Imagine neighbourhood block parties sponsored by the Chaff tax, where hot

chocolate flows freely, marshmallows are roasted to perfection and every guest leaves with a complimentary tote bag adorned with our spiritual leader’s enigmatic smile. Some skeptics might question the necessity of the Chaff tax, but rest assured, it is a cornerstone of our grand vision. Imagine, if you will, a world without The Chaff’s rebate bonanza: a bleak, uninspired landscape devoid of artisanal drainage ditches and golden busts. Could you truly live with yourself knowing you denied future generations the joy of such magnificence? How would future historians document your lack of foresight? Would archaeologists one day unearth your unopened rebate cheque and weep for the squandered potential? But what truly sets the Chaff rebate bonanza apart is its transformative vision. We aim to bridge the gap between imagination and reality, fostering a sense of collective joy and community pride. With every rebate issued, we’re not just returning money; we’re reinforcing the belief that a sloppy, whimsical and prosperous future is within reach, one lusty loonie at a time. So, hurry! Submit your Chaff tax today and prepare to bask in the warmth of a rebate that’s as timely as it is timeless. After all, community building isn’t just about making the world better for us; it’s about making us look good doing it. And remember: every dollar you send is another slap in the face toward a brighter, more absurdly delightful future. Together, we can pave the way to an era in which Chaff rebate bonanzas are not just events, but cherished annual traditions, when every Chaffer feels not only appeased, but gloriously complicit in our shared pursuit of wildly unnecessary community improvement. After all, isn’t that what makes a society truly great?

Shawn Loughlin Shawn’s Sense

Keep up the good work

ecause of the way the calendar fell and to give the hard-working staff of The Citizen a well-deserved holiday break, much of what you read in the Jan. 3 issue was, I’m sorry to say, prepared ahead of time. Now that we’re back in real time, let’s catch up. We’ve missed rightly celebrating some people - or, giving them their flowers, as the kids might say - so let’s not waste any time. First, there’s Sebastian Zapeta. The 33-yearold, according to the Associated Press, set a 57-year-old Toms River, New Jersey woman alight on the New York subway as she slept on Dec. 22. The article says that Zapeta allegedly “fanned the flames with a shirt, engulfing her in the blaze, before sitting on a platform bench and watching as she burned.” As 2024 turned to 2025, there was ShamsudDin Jabbar, who plowed a pick-up truck into a group of people ushering in the new year in New Orleans, killing 15 and injuring over 30 others. Jabbar was killed in the resultant shootout with police, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t recognize what he did there. There were also a few incidents in which the perpetrators have yet to be identified and, perhaps more importantly, they didn’t quite get the job done, but I think it’s important that we recognize their efforts. The same article about the woman being burned to death in the New York subways made mention of a 45-year-old man being pushed onto the tracks in front of an oncoming train. The man is now in critical condition and a person of interest has been arrested. Also in New York, this time in Queens, there was a drive-by shooting late on New Year’s Day that left 10 teenagers wounded and police looking for four suspects. I mean, we’re celebrating this stuff now, are we not? Just before Christmas, during the “Weekend Update” segment of Saturday Night Live, a mere mention of Luigi Mangione, the 27-year-old man who allegedly shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City, saw many audience members cheer in delight. But it’s not just happening in liberal, Donald Trump-hating cesspools like New York City and its 30 Rockefeller Plaza, people all over the world are holding rallies and posting on social media to support the killing of Thompson, on a busy street in one of the world’s most populous cities. Mangione, as most people know by now, had allegedly penned a three-page manifesto about the killing before he is said to have carried it out. His motive is said to be the awful nature of for-profit healthcare in the U.S. and the rise of companies denying care to patients they insure for increasingly complex and callous reasons. UnitedHealthcare and companies like it are, no doubt, responsible for countless deaths and cases of unnecessary suffering. And yet, shooting and killing someone you think is a bad guy is not how a civilized society works. I don’t want to put my lifetime membership in Woke Society in jeopardy, but killing people with whom you disagree isn’t the way forward. Over 18 years in this job, there are more than a few people who don’t think I’m a great guy. To that end, there are more than a few people who I’ve crossed off my Christmas card list over the years. Furthermore, there are plenty of people who have significant transgressions under their belts, say, drunk driving, adultery, theft, fraud and the list goes on, and yet most of us don’t turn into Se7en’s John Doe and start offing people to make the world a better place. The work being done in for-profit healthcare is despicable and needs to be addressed, but celebrating Mangione (and his ilk) opens the door to a future in which no one is safe.

PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025.

U13 Huron Heat defeats Mooretown 4-1

Convincing victory The U13 Huron Heat team skates to a 4-1 win over Mooretown on Sunday, Jan. 5, at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre. (John Stephenson photos)

At the Branch

Revelers don ugly sweaters at pre-Christmas party By Jo-Ann McDonald We start the new year with a bit of news from 2024. The final night of blind mixed Thursday night darts had 20 darters out to play. The firstplace pair was Sheron Stadelmann and Eric Ross and the second-place team was Evelyn Hillier and Bruce Fischer. High shots were by Bruce hitting 133 and John Stadelmann hitting117. The Branch held a very successful ugly sweater night with trivia and meat draws, along with musical entertainment by Jim Lee and Louise Poirior on the Friday night before Christmas. There were 10 happy folks going home with meat prizes and Nancy Bridge went home with a prize for the ugliest sweater. The trivia team named “The Workers” were the winners of the trivia contest. It was a great night with turkey on a bun that was delicious and enjoyed by all. A great way to end the 2024 year. There was no karaoke to end the month, but Stubby D will be back at the end of January. The final event for the Branch for 2024 was catering to the McGavin family Christmas. The group of

over 30 adults and six little ones under two was a lively event. Neil and Marie welcomed the family before the traditional turkey dinner was served. Dinner, family games, a family photo and lots of visiting with everyone kept the group busy. It was a lovely evening for all. Working for the Branch were JoAnn, Judy Lee, Tanya Martin and Linda Bird. The Branch took time for a break over the Christmas season, closing Dec. 24 and reopening on Dec. 31. To welcome the new year, a group of 22 Comrades went on a bus tour of other Legions celebrating the new year with traditional levees. The bus left at noon and headed to the Kincardine Branch first, arriving at the opening and enjoying a delicious lunch. The group spent about an hour there and then was back on the bus and off to Lucknow Branch. A full house of folks welcomed the Brussels Comrades. Again, great food and drinks were enjoyed for an hour and then back on the bus and we headed for Goderich Legion. Great entertainment and light snacks were enjoyed and chatting with members of the Goderich Branch.

The group loaded up again and headed back to Brussels, returning to the Branch at 6 p.m. It was a great day, good weather, lots of laughs, some trivia on the bus, and a great way to start 2025! The Branch is back to normal hours again and the blind mixed darts were back in action on Jan. 2. There were 22 darters taking aim at the boards. The first-place team was John and Sheron Stadelmann. Randy White and Lynda Davis placed second and in third place was the pair of Jason Wagatha and Sandra Brown. The high shots of the night were by Sandra hitting 140, Barbara Cadotte hitting 130 and Louise Poirior hitting 125. Another team earned a skunk and they were Rhonda Davis, Georgina Salter and Rob DeForest. It was back to business with the catering crew feeding the Brussels firefighters for their Christmas celebration on Saturday evening. There were over 30 there to enjoy the roast beef and chicken meal before presentations were made. They concluded the evening with games, games and more games with lots of laughs by all. The catering crew included Jo-Ann, Deb Ross,

Tanya Martin, Jodi Houston and Rhonda Fischer and Nanci Ducharme kept busy at the bar. The Branch has four more catering events in the month of January, so you can expect a call soon. Eight Comrades were to travel to Hanover for district crib on Saturday, but the inclement weather forced them to cancel the day. It has been postponed until the end of the month. The Brussels Cadet Corp is still accepting new members. Young people between the ages of 12 and 18 are invited to come out on Tuesday evenings to learn what Cadets are all about. It is free! There are many facets to Cadets, including drills, leadership, marksmanship, camping, survival, marching, first aid, and lots more. Stop in to the Branch and check it out Tuesday evening from 6:30-9 p.m. The Brussels Legion Pipe Band is also looking for more members. Interested in piping or drumming? They will teach you. Thursday

evening is practice night or call Don Martin for more information. The new Catch the Ace draw will begin in February. Look for tickets to be in the usual outlets in the next couple of weeks.

NEWS FROM BRUSSELS

BGW ponders garment industry A NOTE FROM BETTY By Betty Graber Watson Call 887-9231 Well, Happy New Year to you. What a blessed life we lead. Remember 2000? It was such a big deal bringing in a new century and now, here in 2025, a quarter of it is already spent. Wow. As the 12 days of Christmas passed, the stress level decreased and much fun was had. Christmas gatherings tailored to suit the most were held, visits happened that had been postponed and grandchildren made their appointments for sleepovers. There was lots of relaxed fun for all. And now everyone is back to school and

work and all that entails. As we watch the effects of the warming atmosphere shown in floods, landslides, fires, increased temperatures and crop failures, we wonder what to do. You are probably doing the best you can, protecting your spot on the world. A television show the other night gave me a bit of a start. I knew the garment industry was a big problem - ah yes 5R’s - but the reminder that it is the secondlargest polluter was sickening to hear. The show told of how material can be sorted, recycled, combined and reused. The good news from the show was that three companies in the United States use only recycled material. Patagonia was the only name familiar to me and they ask their customers to bring the articles back when they’re no longer being worn. Their new items use 98 per cent recycled material and those shown looked good. If the garment industry needs some reminders on how to improve their

ways, we need to find who and where the technology exists to get our clothes into the recycling big picture. Maybe Lisa Thompson could help. Mental health is a big deal lately. Much is being noted and, for some, it’s a first to even consider mental health as part of our well-being. As we do a health check in this new year, we need to take a good look at body, mind and soul. Situations change, we age and the people in our lives change. Each day is new and changes need to be noted. It’s up to us to know when coping is not going well. A big reminder of all this came lately when a good friend knew she needed help. She succinctly phrased her situation by saying, “I was doing alright, until I wasn’t.” Well, that said it all. She knew she wasn’t handling things and also was wise enough to call in the help. Take care of yourself, watch your coughs and wash your hands lots. Bye now. Betty GW

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THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025. PAGE 7.

Next euchre Jan. 20

Explosive entertainment Fireworks light up the night sky over Blyth as residents ring in 2025 with a dazzling display on New Year’s Eve thanks to Blyth Community Betterment. (Shawn Loughlin photos)

By Deb Hakkers Welcome to 2025! I hope everyone had a great holiday season with lots of time to recharge and reflect on the last year and maybe even focus on some places for change in the year ahead, while also taking the time to spend some time with family and friends, We celebrated Christmas Day with the Hakkers family in Goderich with family travelling from B.C., Thunder Bay, London and Toronto, as well as all of us who are close by. It was great to catch up with everyone. Jon, Quinton and Katie joined us for supper and a little family time on Dec. 28. We are not far apart and see each other fairly often, but it is important to take time for each other during the holiday season. On Dec. 29, we celebrated with Mom at Huronlea. We got together with those of us close by and were happy to have Aunt Nancy join us for the evening. Dec. 31 took us to Hellen’s to make Oliebollen (a Dutch tradition) and for an afternoon of visiting with the Hakkers family. We spent the evening and rang in the new year at Gayle’s. Then, on New Year’s Day, we had a nice visit with Bodie, Aunt Ollie and Paul. By the time my birthday rolled around on the fourth of January, we were ready for a quiet day due to weather, with lots of messages from family and friends - as well as shoveling - followed by a lovely dinner at The Boot.

Fred returned to his normal schedule last Thursday and school resumed Monday, getting me back to normal. When I see this all written down, no wonder I was tired! This week we wish a happy birthday to Robert Bromley on Jan. 10, and Lexi Daer and Grant Sparling on Jan. 13. We hope everyone enjoys their special day, The Legion euchre results for Jan. 6 are: ladies, first place, Jennette Buker (76); second place, Donna Walsh (64); lone hands, Jane Glousher (two); men’s, first place, Mac Brooks (79); second place, Carol Lahey (73); lone hands, Virginia Caesar (four); share the wealth, Robin Roth, Cam Yuill and Lou Lahey. The next euchre is on Jan. 20. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. and the game starts at 1 p.m. The cost $5 per player and that includes a light lunch. To sign up or to cancel, call or text Kathryn Aires at 519-8956764. If there is anything special you would like to see mentioned in this column, please e-mail me at debhakkers@gmail.com or call me at 519-525-8640 (evenings only please). Until next week, take care of yourselves and each other! From our family to yours, have a safe, happy and prosperous 2025!

ACW notified of furnace failure By Scott Stephenson The Citizen At the final Ashfield-ColborneWawanosh (ACW) Council meeting of 2024, the agenda included minutes from the Sept. 24, 2024 meeting of the Auburn Hall Board (AHB). In addition to those minutes, Deputy-Mayor and AHB

member Bill Vanstone brought a piece of new business regarding the Auburn Hall to the attention of council and staff. A few days prior, the hall’s furnace had unexpectedly broken down. “They had to get a new furnace,” Vanstone explained. “So, on our budget, we’re probably looking at another $5,000 or $6,000 for our

NH receiving max amount from county

Continued from page 1 Municipal Service Manager (CMSM) between 2022 and 2026, but that Huron County has committed to 175 more spaces over and above that figure during the same five-year timeframe. “Priority communities are to be identified to reflect the Ministry of Education’s ‘Access and Inclusion Framework’. The priority communities in Huron County target higher-populated and newgrowth communities, as well as remote, under-serviced regions, such as Blyth,” Patience said in her report. “As a CMSM, the county receives annual funding for minor capital renovations to aid in the creation of these additional child care spaces and can issue these funds to applicants from licensed child care centres who commit to doing so within a two-year timeframe.” The $350,000 being transferred from the county to North Huron is the maximum allowable start-up grant amount for the spaces being created. Council didn’t have much to say about the report, but Central Huron Deputy-Mayor Marg Anderson did

question whether all under-serviced areas were being considered when new child care spaces are being created and if the presence, or lack thereof, of before- and after-school programs by the local school boards were being considered. Specifically, she mentioned the hamlet of Londesborough in Central Huron, which recently saw before- and after-school programs at Hullett Central Public School discontinued, resulting in further child care complications for many local families. Patience said that there are a number of communities within the county that are under-serviced and that the county was working to address what it could. Furthermore, Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan said that he had recently had a productive meeting with a director from the Avon Maitland District School Board about greater synergy between the municipality and the school board regarding use of spaces during off hours, so perhaps there was an opportunity to bring that information into the mix. Council voted to approve the agreement, which doesn’t utilize any county funds.

share of that cost. I just wanted everybody to know that that’s going to put us over and above on the budget.” According to the minutes submitted by AHB member Patty Cooke, Auburn Hall is also in need of a few less urgent, but still important repairs. There are ceiling tiles that need to be replaced, and the toilet in the women’s washroom has been running continuously for some time. The minutes also suggest that at least $1,000 a year be put aside to fund necessary

kitchen repairs and upgrades. There is also an outdoor basketball net that needs to be repaired, which the Auburn and District Lions Club have expressed an interest in funding. The minutes describe the general bookings for Auburn Hall as in good shape and very busy, which the AHB views as all the more reason to make these repairs and upgrades. This year’s ACW budget meeting is currently scheduled for Friday, Mar. 14 from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.

NEWS FROM BLYTH

MAITLAND VALLEY CAMERA CLUB

Photography by Liz Allan

PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025.

Sports

Wingham Ironmen begin 2025 on the right foot

Incoming Last Friday night, the Wingham Ironmen posted a 4-2 win over the Mitchell Hawks at the North Huron Wescast Community Complex, followed by a Sunday afternoon loss in overtime to the division-leading Mount Forest Patriots, showing that they have what it takes to tangle with the division’s top teams. (John Stephenson photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen The Wingham Ironmen have come into 2025 ready to play, winning on Friday night against the Mitchell Hawks and losing on Sunday afternoon, in overtime, to the division-leading Mount Forest Patriots. On Friday night, Mitchell scored

the first two goals of the game, played in Wingham at the North Huron Wescast Community Complex, but after that it would be all Ironmen, who would win by a score of 4-2. Ryan Gansevles scored the first goal at 3:41 of the first period, assisted by Ethan Scrimgeour, followed by a Kaden Brame goal at 8:50 of the first, assisted by Talbot

Geiger. However, at 17:40 of the first, Jesse Coombs scored his 13th goal of the season, assisted by Tanner Dietz and Tate Berfelz, and Wingham wouldn’t look back. Berfelz scored at 4:44 of the second period, assisted by Dietz and Coombs, followed by a Dietz goal, assisted by Coombs and Tyson Fischer. In the third period, Dawson Dietz would score at 12:48, assisted

by Noah Wettlaufer and Brett McCutcheon, to seal the deal for the Ironmen with a win by a score of 42. The Mitchell Hawks served nine minutes in the penalty box on four infractions, including a match penalty for Jonathan Tenhag for hitting from behind, while the Ironmen were called four times for a total of eight minutes in the box. James Hopper won the game for Wingham in the Ironmen net, stopping 24 of 26 shots, while Jack Bree was tagged with the loss for Mitchell, stopping 26 of the 30 shots that came his way. The Sunday afternoon matinee with the Mount Forest Patriots also began with the visitors scoring the first two goals, followed by the Ironmen roaring back. First, Luke Eurig found the back of the net at 19:41 of the first, assisted by Matt McLellan and Aidan Doig, followed by another Eurig goal, this time shorthanded, at 10:18 of the second, assisted by Cameron Lytle and Mason Eurig. However, the Ironmen would score three straight goals in the second period to lead by a score of 3-2 going into the third. First, Tanner Dietz scored at 10:29 on the power play, assisted by Ethan Smith and Jesse Coombs, followed by two Nigel Kreager goals, first at 14:43 assisted by Noah Wettlaufer and Dawson Dietz, and again at 17:52, this time assisted by Tayt Bramhill and Dawson Dietz. Mount Forest’s Gavin Downs then scored the only goal of the third period at the 1:18 mark, assisted by Quinn Habermehl. However, just 16 seconds into the first overtime period, Luke Eurig completed his hat trick, scoring his 39th goal of the season to win the

Have We Got Yo our Nu umber?

game for the Patriots, assisted by Aidan Doig and Mason Eurig. James Hopper was handed the overtime loss, stopping 32 of 36 shots for the Ironmen, while Drew Cribbin won the game for the Patriots, stopping 28 of the 31 shots he faced. In terms of penalties, the Patriots were whistled three times for six minutes in the box, while the Ironmen were called four times for eight minutes. This came after an unpredictable end to 2024, which saw one of the team’s games suspended after two periods of play. There was no scoring in the first period of the Ironmen’s Dec. 22 game with the Fergus Whalers on the road, but it was Wingham’s Jesse Coombs who opened the scoring just 11 seconds into the second period, assisted by Tanner Dietz and Tate Berfelz. Dietz would then double the Wingham lead with a goal at the 43-second mark, assisted by Coombs and Berfelz. Over the course of the period, however, the Whalers would equalize. Joshua Russell scored his team’s first goal of the game at 6:18 of the second, assisted by Evan Ahearn and Keegan Clarke, followed by an Owen Clarke goal at 17:57 of the second, assisted by Boden Brimmell and Andrew McClure. Noah Ricci stopped 33 of 35 shots for the Ironmen and Trevor Woods stopped 27 of the 29 shots he faced for the Whalers. Each team had an identical three penalties called for a total of six minutes in the box. The third period of the game will be played later this year after a problem with the ice during the second-intermission flood made the Continued on page 12

Dead dline February 21, 2025 for 202 25 Book

The T Citiizen is now plan nning its 2 2025 Telephone Te Bo ook.

Is your number correct in the recently delivered Bell Canada phone book? Do you have a new listing since that t book was compileed? If so, please let us know so we can make our phone b book as complete and usefull as possible. Call 519-523-4792, email: inffo@northhuron.on.ca

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THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025. PAGE 9.

Sports Wallace Jamboree to host U6, U7, U9 Crusaders Minto Mad Dogs in Brussels and the U18 LL Crusaders and the Huron-Bruce Blizzard White team in Ripley, but scores for those games were unavailable at press time. Looking back, on Jan. 5, the U8 Burgundy and White teams played a pair of Mitchell Meteors teams in Blyth, while the U6 team played the Mid-Huron Huskies, all in Blyth, although scores were not kept for those games. The U11 LL team played the Meteors in Mitchell that evening, but a score for that game was unavailable at press time, while the U11 Rep team was in Southampton and lost by a score of 6-3 to the Saugeen Shores Storm. On Jan. 4, the U7 Burgundy and White teams played a pair of MidHuron Huskies teams in Blyth and the U8 White team was on the road to play the Howick Hornets and the U9 LL team hosted the Goderich Sailors Black team in Brussels, but scores were not kept for those games. On Jan. 3, the U11 Rep team lost to the Saugeen Valley Steelheads in Brussels by a score of 5-1. Also that weekend, the U13 Rep team was in Gananoque for a tournament, while the U15 LL team was in Palmerston

for tournament play, but scores from those tournaments were not available at press time. The first game of 2025 for the Crusaders was a tough one as the U11 LL team lost to the Mid-Huron Huskies 2 team in Seaforth by a score of 13-1 on Jan. 2. In the last few days of 2024, both the U13 Rep and U15 Rep teams were in Kincardine for their annual regional Silver Stick Tournaments. The U13 Rep team opened play with a 6-1 win over the Mount Forest Rams on Dec. 27, followed by a Dec. 28 win over the St. Thomas Junior Stars by a score of 4-2 and an 8-5 loss at the hands of the Tavistock Titans. The team’s record earned it a spot in the tournament’s quarterfinals on Dec. 29, which ended in a 7-2 loss to the Tavistock Titans once again. On the U15 Rep side of things, the Blyth Brussels Crusaders played in the very first game of the tournament on Dec. 27, which ended in a 6-1 loss for the locals to the Mount Forest Rams. The team lost again later that evening to the Arran Elderslie Icedogs by a score of 5-1. The team was then given Dec. 28 Continued on page 12

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A little Bobby Orr for you It was all for fun on Saturday morning at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre as the U9 LL Blyth Brussels Crusaders took on the Goderich Sailors Black team, as they didn’t keep a score for the action, but that didn’t stop players from giving maximum effort on the ice. (John Stephenson photos)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen This weekend will be a fun one for some of the youngest Blyth Brussels Crusaders teams, as they head to Wallace for its annual Jamboree. The U6, U7 Burgundy and White and U8 Burgundy and White teams will all be there with games beginning on Thursday. Also tonight, Friday, Jan. 10, the U21 Crusaders will be hosting the Shelburne Wolves in Brussels in the only non-tournament game on the schedule for the evening. The next day, the U11 LL Crusaders will begin play in the Minto U11 LL Tournament in Palmerston, beginning with a game with the host Minto Mad Dogs, followed by a

game with Arthur at noon that day. In regular season action, the U9 MD team will host the Huron-Bruce Blizzard and the U13 LL team will play the Mid-Huron Huskies, both in Brussels. The U9 LL team will play an exhibition game with Central Perth that morning as well, also in Brussels. The U15 LL team will play the Kincardine Kinucks later that day and the U18 Rep team will host the Minto Mad Dogs, both in Brussels. The next day, Jan. 13, there is only one game on the schedule and it’s the U13 Rep team playing the Central Perth Predators on the road. On Jan. 14, the U11 Rep team will play the Huron-Bruce Blizzard in Lucknow, followed by a trio of games on Jan. 15: the U13 LL team will play the Central Perth

Predators and the U18 LL Crusaders will play the Mid-Huron Huskies 2 team, both in Blyth, while the U9 MD team will be on the road in Bayfield to play the Mid-Huron Huskies. On Jan. 16, the U13 Rep team will play the Wingham Ironmen and the U15 LL Crusaders will play the Central Perth Predators, both on the road, followed by the U15 Rep Crusaders playing the Huron-Bruce Blizzard and the U13 LL team playing the Drayton Defenders, both on the road, the next night. Also that weekend, the U9 MD team will head to Parkhill for its regional Silver Stick Tournament. On Jan. 6, the U18 Rep Crusaders played the Huron-Bruce Blizzard in Lucknow, followed by Jan. 7 games between the U13 Rep team and the

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PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025.

JANUARY IS ALZHEIMER’S AWARENESS MONTH

Dr L McCarthy • Dr S Doorn

Possible Signs of Dementia

Ten common signs of dementia are described below. If you are concerned about any of these changes in yourself or someone else, contact a health-care provider or your local Alzheimer Society.

Loss of initiative

Misplacing things

Losing interest in spending time with friends and family and in taking part in activities. Needing prompts to become involved.

Putting things in strange places, like a remote in the refrigerator.

Forgetting how to do something you’ve been doing your whole life, such as preparing a meal or getting dressed.

Having difﬁculty managing ﬁnances or not knowing what numbers are and how they are used.

Forgetting words, substituting words or using the wrong words that don’t ﬁt the conversation.

Forgetting who a family member is or not remembering new information.

email: reception@winghamoptometry. com

Experiencing severe mood changes or behaving out of character, such as being suspicious or withdrawing.

Problems with abstract thinking

Changes in language and communication

Not knowing what day of the week it is or getting lost in a familiar place.

Changes in mood, behaviour and personality

Difficulty doing familiar tasks

Memory changes that affect day-to-day abilities

9 Patrick Street West, Box 88, Wingham, ON N0G 2W0 Tel : 519-357-1282 • Fax: 519-357-4509

Disorientation in time and place

Impaired judgment

More than 15 people in Canada are diagnosed with dementia every hour. For more information check out the Alzheimer Society’s website at www.alzheimer.ca

Not recognizing a medical problem that needs attention or wearing light clothing on a cold day.

Changes in sight or motion Not seeing objects when walking or difﬁculty placing items on a table.

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For more information, contact your local Alzheimer Society. Visit alzheimer.ca/find.

Office 519-887-9571 mccall.lvstk@hurontel.on.ca

Individual & Corporate Tax Returns for

401 Albert Street, Box 340 Brussels, ON N0G 1H0 Phone: 519-887-6336 407 Queen Street, Box 199 Blyth, ON N0M 1H0 Phone: 519-523-4577 email: riversidefuneralhome@hotmail.com www.riversidefuneralhome.ca

January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

Howson & Howson Ltd. Flour Mill Blyth 519-523-4241

Personal I Farm I Business personal & corporate tax returns I consultation bookkeeping I financial statements estate/succession planning

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Check out the alzheimer website for more info * about dementia * living with dementia * help and support * how to get involved * special events www.alzheimer.ca

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With your support, we can create better outcomes for people living with Alzheimer's. Help fund critical research by donating to the Alzheimer Society of Canada. Nationwide Support.

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THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025. PAGE 11.

Sports U13 A Huron Heat beat London, end ’24 on a high

Back at it It’s a new year and there’s hockey to be played. Above, the U11 A Huron Heat lost to the Bluewater Hawks by a score of 2-1 while below, the U13 HL Huron Heat beat the Mooretown Lady Flags by a score of 4-1, both on Sunday and both at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre. (John Stephenson photos) Continued from page 1 and the Senior C team hosted the Upper Maitland Mustangs in Brussels, but scores for those games were unavailable at press time. On Jan. 4, the U11 HL Heat lost by a score of 1-0 to the South Huron Sabres on the road, while the U13 HL Heat lost by a score of 2-1 to the Mooretown Lady Flags, also on the road. The U15 C Heat welcomed the Mitchell

Meteors to Goderich, but lost that game by a score of 5-0. The U11 A Heat hosted the St. Thomas Panthers in Blyth, the U9 HL Heat played the Aces in Stratford, the Senior team played the Lucknow Sepoys on the road, the U9 B Heat played the Woolwich Wild, also on the road, and the U9 HL and U9 C Heat teams played a pair of Sabres teams in South Huron, but scores for those games

were unavailable at press time. On Jan. 3, the Senior C team played Milverton on the road, but a score for that game was unavailable at press time. Jumping back to late 2024, on Dec. 29, the U13 A Heat beat the London Devilettes by a score of 1-0 and the U15 B Heat lost to South Huron/Lucan by a score of 1-0, both in Clinton, while the U13 B Heat beat the South Huron Sabres by a score of 2-0 and the U13 HL Heat beat Lucan/Ilderton, also by a score of 2-0, both in Brussels. The U9 C and U9 HL Heat teams played a pair of Jets teams in Ilderton, with the U9 C Heat’s game being played as part of the regular season and the U9 HL team’s game being played as an exhibition. On Dec. 28, the U11 C Heat played to a 1-1 tie with the South Huron Sabres on the road, while the U13 C Heat lost to the Twin Centre Hericanes in Blyth by a score of 20. The U9 B Heat played the Wilmot Wolverines, the U9 HL team played the Central Perth Predators and the U9 C Heat team played the Lucan Irish, all in Seaforth, but scores were not kept for those games. Then, back before the holiday break, the U13 A Heat beat the South Huron Sabres in Clinton by a score of 2-1. The U11 HL Heat lost to the North Middlesex Junior Stars on the road by a score of 2-1 and the U11 A Heat played to a 1-1 tie with

the South Huron Sabres in Clinton. Also that day, the U13 B Heat lost by a score of 2-0 to the Central Perth Predators on the road and the U18 C Heat beat the Lucan Irish on the road by a score of 2-1. The Senior C team played Monkton at the Brussels arena, but a score for that game was unavailable at press time. One day earlier, the U15 C Heat lost to the Central Perth Predators by a score of 4-1 in Goderich, the U13 C Heat beat the Central Perth Predators by a score of 5-0 in Blyth and the U11 C Heat beat the Stratford Aces on the road by a score of 7-3. The U11 HL Heat lost to the Lucan Irish by a score of 3-2 in Seaforth, the U15 A Heat lost to the Chatham Crush on the road by a score of 2-0, the U13 B Heat beat the Rams in Mount Forest by a score of 2-1, the U13 HL Heat beat Lucan/Ilderton on the road by a score of 1-0 and the U18 BB Heat beat the Guelph Junior Gryphons in Clinton by a score of 7-0. Also that day, the U9 B Heat played the Guelph Junior Gryphons and the U9 C and HL teams played two Lambeth Lancers teams, all in Seaforth, but scores were not kept for those games. On Dec. 19, the U18 C Heat ended their game with the South Huron Sabres at the Blyth and District Community Centre tied at one.

NO OTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

Huron Eaast Zone Map Modernization

The Municipality of Huron East has initiated a review an nd update of the Zone Maps of the Huron East Zo Z ning i By B -law. l Follllowing i the ho h sting i of open houses in i November 2024, a public meeting will be held pursuant to Section 34 of the Planning Act on Tuesday February 4th, 2025, at 5pm at the Huron East Council Chambers at 72 Main Street, Seaforth. The purpose of the project is to modernize the Zone Map ps, improving readability and accuracy; there has been no major update to the maps since 2006. To vieew the proposed Zone Maps and for more details on the project, please visit the Huron East websitee or scan the QR Code below. Have Your Say: Persons wishing to participate in the planning process may submit comments, objections, or concerns by mail to the Municipality or to Shae Stoll, Planner (ssttoll@huroncounty.ca) or 519-524-8394 ext. 3. Individuals may speak during the public meeting and/or ssubmit written comments by January 29th, 2025, to be included on the Council agenda. Your Rights: Third parties do not have the right to appeal the decisio on; only the Municipality, property owners, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, a specified perrson under the Planning Act or public body that has an interest in the matter, may appeal the decision. P Please refer to the County of Huron website for details about appeal rights.

Jessica Rudy, Clerk, Municipality of Huron East Dated at the Municipality of Huron East this 6th day of January, 2025 72 Main Street S, P.O Box 610, Seaforth ON N0K 1W0 Phone: 519-527-0160 1-888-868-7513 (toll free) Fax: 5 519-527-2561

PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025.

Sports Crusaders team finish ’24 with strong performances

Crashing the net The U9 LL Blyth Brussels Crusaders took on the Goderich Sailors Black team on Saturday at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre, and while the teams didn’t keep score, they certainly were able to find the back of the net. (John Stephenson photo) Continued from page 9 off before a Dec. 29 game with the Minto Mad Dogs, which ended tied at one. There was one regular season game played by a Crusaders team on Dec. 29 and that was the U8 White team taking on Central Perth in Blyth, although a score was not kept for that game. One day earlier on Dec. 28, the U6 team played the Mitchell Meteors and the U7 Burgundy and White teams played a pair of MidHuron Huskies teams, all in Brussels, but scores were not kept for those games.

Jumping back before the holiday break, on Dec. 22, the U13 Rep team played the Kincardine Kinucks in Tiverton, which ended in a 3-3 tie. The U11 LL Crusaders lost to the Huron-Bruce Blizzard White team in Blyth by a score of 13-0, while the U9 LL team played the Howick Hornets in Blyth, but a score was not kept for that game. On Dec. 21, the U13 Rep team beat the Saugeen Shores Storm in Blyth by a score of 3-2, while the U13 LL team beat the Huron-Bruce Blizzard in Brussels by a score of 63 and the U18 Rep team beat the

AEMHA Ice Dogs by a score of 64, also in Brussels. Also that day, the U7 Burgundy and White teams played two Goderich Sailors teams and the U9 LL team played an exhibition game with the Mid-Huron Huskies, all on the road, but scores were not kept for those games. On Dec. 20, the U11 Rep team lost to the Saugeen Shores Storm in Brussels by a score of 4-0, while the U8 Burgundy team played the Howick Hornets, also in Brussels, but a score was not kept for that game. Two days earlier, the U13 LL

Crusaders beat the Wingham Ironmen in Blyth by a score of 2-1 and the U18 LL Crusaders lost to the Goderich Sailors, also in Blyth, by a score of 6-3. On Dec. 17, the U13 Rep team lost to the Mid-Huron Huskies by a score of 3-1, but the U15 Rep team beat the Goderich Sailors by a score of 10-3, both in Brussels. One day earlier, the U15 LL Crusaders lost by a score of 10-1 to the Mitchell Meteors in Blyth, the U13 Rep team beat the South Bruce Blades by a score of 4-3 on the road and the U18 Rep team beat the MidHuron Huskies by a score of 3-0, also in Blyth. On Sunday, Dec. 15, the U18 Rep team beat the Bruce Peninsula Predators on the road by a score of 5-2, while the U11 LL team lost by a score of 15-0 to the Drayton Defenders Black team in Blyth. Also that day, the U8 Burgundy and U8 White teams played two HuronBruce Blizzard teams in Blyth, but scores were not kept for those games. On Dec. 14, the U8 White and U7 White teams played two Wallace Sabres teams on the road, the U9 LL team played the Ironmen in Wingham, the U7 Burgundy team played the Zurich Thunder on the road, the U9 MD team played the Huron-Bruce Blizzard in Lucknow and the U6 team played the MidHuron Huskies in Hensall, but scores were not kept for those games. Also that day, the U13 Rep team beat the Mount Forest Rams by a score of 7-3 in Blyth, the U15 Rep team lost to the AEMHA Ice Dogs in Blyth by a score of 8-0, the U15 LL Crusaders lost to the Sailors in Goderich by a score of 4-0 and the

U21 team lost to the Listowel Cyclones on the road by a score of 4-1. The U11 Rep team also played the Howick Hornets in an exhibition game in Blyth that night, ending tied at two. On Friday, Dec. 13, the U11 LL Crusaders lost to the Mid-Huron Huskies II team by a score of 10-1, while the U11 Rep team lost to the Mid-Huron Huskies by a score of 20 and the U21 team tied the MidHuron Huskies at four, all in Brussels. Also that weekend, the U13 LL team was in Wellesley to take part in the Richard Vollmer LL Memorial Tournament, but came up short, losing all three games the team played. Play began on Friday night with a game against the Shallow Lake Lakers, which the locals lost by a score of 5-2. The next day, the Crusaders lost to the Tavistock Titans by a score of 4-0, followed by a 6-0 loss at the hands of the Twin Centre Stars II team. On Dec. 11, the U18 LL Crusaders were scheduled to host the Kincardine Kinucks, but that game was cancelled. One night earlier, the U13 Rep team was scheduled to play the Central Perth Predators in Brussels, but a score for that game was unavailable at press time. On Dec. 9, the U7 Burgundy and U7 White teams hosted a pair of Goderich Sailors teams in Blyth, but scores were not kept for those games, while the U15 Rep team lost to the Shallow Lake Lakers on the road by a score of 5-1. The U15 LL team played the Goderich Sailors in Blyth that night as well, but a score for that game was unavailable at press time.

Ironmen creeping up on Whalers in standings Continued from page 8 surface unplayable. On Friday, Dec. 20, the Ironmen hosted their final home game of 2024 and it ended with a 5-2 win for the home team over the Mitchell Hawks. Logan Burnham opened the scoring for the Ironmen at 2:06 of the first period, assisted by Tanner Dietz and Adam MacRobbie, followed by a Micah Kraayenbrink power play goal for the Ironmen, assisted by Tanner Dietz and Jesse Coombs, at 7:07 of the first. Mitchell cut the lead in half, however, at 10:06 of the first, with a Nathan Jewitt goal, assisted by the Bens: Tenhag and Medhurst. Wingham would then score two more goals to close out the period and never look back. Tayt Bramhill scored at 13:47, assisted by Tyler Copeland and Noah Bloemberg, followed by a Tate Berfelz goal at 14:51, assisted by Jesse Coombs and Tanner Dietz. Patrick Holloway scratched back for the Hawks in the second, scoring at 2:35, assisted by Ben Tenhag and Nathan Jewitt, but Coombs would finish it for the Ironmen just 23 seconds into the third period, assisted by Tanner Dietz and Wade Robinson. James Hopper earned the win in the Wingham net by stopping 17 of 19 shots, while Aidan Hill was in the Mitchell net for the loss,

stopping 19 of 24 shots. Each team faced an identical two penalties for four minutes in the box. Back on Dec. 18 in Mount Forest, the Ironmen played a game with the Patriots originally scheduled for earlier in the season, which was cancelled due to weather. The Ironmen lost that one on the road by a score of 4-2. The Patriots opened the scoring with a Charlie McKenzie goal just 52 seconds into the first period, assisted by Will Lewis and Mason Eurig. However, the Ironmen would storm back, tying the game with a power play goal scored by Jesse Coombs at 3:15 of the first, assisted by Logan Burnham and Tanner Dietz, and then take the lead at 3:33 of the first with a Noah Wettlaufer goal, assisted by Nigel Kreager and Brandon Bishop. However, after a scoreless second period, it was all Mount Forest in the third, beginning with a Matt McLellan goal at 1:47, assisted by Gavin Downs. Mason Eurig would then score the winning goal at 3:10 of the period, assisted by Luke Eurig and Aidan Doig, followed by Gavin Downs with the icing on the cake at 9:45, assisted by Matt McLellan and Evan Harper. Marshall Nicholls won the game for the Patriots in the Mount Forest net, stopping 31 of the 33 shots he faced, while James Hopper was handed the loss for the Ironmen,

stopping 30 of 34 shots. The Patriots were whistled five times for 10 minutes in the penalty box, while the Ironmen were called three times for a total of six minutes away. In terms of the standings, the Mount Forest Patriots still have a firm hold on first place in the North Pollock Division of the Provincial Junior Hockey League with 50 points and a record of 24 wins, five losses, two overtime losses and two shootout wins. The Hanover Barons are in second place with 48 points and a record of 23 wins, two losses, one overtime loss and one shootout loss, followed by the Fergus Whalers in third place with 41 points and a record of 19 wins, five losses, two overtime losses and one shootout loss. With 33 points, the Ironmen are in fourth place, where they’ve been for much of the season, with a record of 15 wins, 13 losses and three overtime losses, followed by the fifth-place Kincardine Bulldogs with 32 points and a record of 15 wins, 12 losses, two overtime losses and two shootout wins. Rounding out the bottom third of the standings, the Mitchell Hawks are in sixth place with 17 points and a record of seven wins, 18 losses, two overtime losses, one shootout win and one shootout loss, followed by two teams tied one points at 16:

the seventh-place Walkerton Capitals with a record of seven wins, 21 losses, two overtime losses and one shootout win, and the lastplace Goderich Flyers with a record of six wins, 19 losses, one overtime loss and three shootout losses. Looking ahead, the Ironmen are at home for their lone game this weekend, a Friday night contest with the Walkerton Capitals,

followed by another one-game weekend, with a Friday, Jan. 17 game on the road with the Hanover Barons. To round out the month, the Ironmen will host the Walkerton Capitals on Friday, Jan. 14, followed by a second straight home game on Saturday, Jan. 25 with the division-leading Mount Forest Patriots.

Tickling the ivories When Huron Christian School in Clinton held its annual Christmas concert late last year, Grade 3 teacher Steve VanBreda was among the talented teachers leading their classes. (Scott Stephenson photo)

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025. PAGE 13.

BLYTH Y 519-523-4244

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www.ruralvoice e.ca

4-H Leaders’ Association honours members

The big one Evy Verschaeve, right, won the Murray Cardiff Citizenship Award late last year when the Huron County 4-H Leaders’ Association handed out its annual awards for 2024. The Cardiff award, presented by Murray’s grandson Matt, left, is the organization’s highest honour and the final award presented that night. (John Stephenson photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Late last month, the Huron County 4-H Leaders’ Association held its annual awards gala, honouring the best and brightest members of the local 4-H program that has meant so much to so many over the years. President Holly Holyoake of Lucknow and Vice-President Laura Higgins of Brussels presided over the night’s activities with dozens in

attendance to celebrate the achievements of the past year. Don Dodds, who has spent more than six decades volunteering with the program, received special recognition that night, with the association thanking him for his generations of service to the work of 4-H. Here are those who were honoured that night in Clinton at the Libro Hall in the Central Huron Community Complex. Reporting Awards

Honoured Megan Metske, left, was the winner of the Don Pullen Award, given annually at the Huron County 4-H Leaders’ Association’s awards gala. Laura Higgins, right, made the presentation. (Photo submitted)

• Secretary Book Award: Mercedes Prout • The Citizen/Rural Voice Press Reporter Award: Clayton Hern Huron County Goat Club • Lisa Thompson MPP Award: Jake Heessels • Champion Showperson at Seaforth Fair: Lily Shapton • Top Novice Member: Lindsay Van Beets and Sofia Gardiner • Joan Van Sligtenhorst Award of Merit (Top Member): Lily Shapton • Joan Van Sligtenhorst Award of Merit (Reserve Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Jake Heessels • Joan Van Sligtenhorst Award of Merit (Reserve Goat at Seaforth Fair): Lily Shapton • Most Improved Member: Alycia Van Beets and Thomas Weernink • TD Canada Trust Award (Champion Sweepstakes Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Lily Shapton North Huron Sheep Club • Riegling Accounting Award (Reserve Champion Ewe Lamb at Seaforth Fair): Rory Jamieson • Lucknow Sheep Leaders Award: Gabby Johnston • Skylar Whitehead Auctions Award: Laykin Simpson South Huron Sheep Club • Lisa Thompson MPP Award (Champion Sheep Showperson at the Seaforth Fair): Emily Datema • The Old Mill Award: Emily Datema • The Green’s Meat Market Award (Champion Market Lamb at Seaforth Fair): Reese deBoer • Miedema Meats Award (Reserve Champion Market Lamb at Seaforth Fair): Emily Datema • Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers Award (Reserve Champion Sheep Showperson at Seaforth

Fair): Rachel Gras • Shillalah Farms Award (Champion ewe lamb at Seaforth Fair): Rachel Gras • South Huron Sheep Club Leaders’ Award: Rachel Gras, Molly Bolinger and Melanie Sinclair • TD Canada Trust Award (Champion Sweepstakes Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Lily Shapton Libro Book Project Awards • Novice: first, Myles Theophilopoulos; second, Brett DeJonge; third, Henry Drennan. • Intermediate: first, Halle Barton; second, Clayton Hern; third, Grace Theophilopoulos • Senior: first, Megan Metske. • There were no entries in the Junior category Volunteer Recognition (Leaders) • One year: Sarah Govers, Brook Hendriks, Laura Jutzi, Anne Marie Kraft, John Krebs • 10 years: Kim Lawlor • 15 years: Melissa Veldman, Reg Vinnicombe • 30 years: Cathy Drennan • 65 years: Don Dodds Go for the Gold • Hoegy’s Farm Supply Award (winning Go for the Gold team, which went on to win the provincial competition at the Royal Winter Fair): Rachel Gras, Evy Verschaeve, Emily Datema, Paige Bruinsma, Avery Bruinsma • Royal Champion Team: Molly Bolinger, Avery Bruinsma, Paige Bruinsma, Mackenzie Terpstra, Evy Verschaeve Huron County Swine Awards • Huron County Pork Producers

Award (highest score in Central Huron Swine Club): Reese deBoer • Dodds Century Farm Award: Darcy Fear • Meridian Credit Union Award (Champion Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Darcy Fear • Huron County Pork Producers’ Second Award (Reserve Champion Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Jessalyn Hendriks • Bruce Bergsma Memorial Award (member with mostimproved score): Claire DeBoer • Central Huron Swine Leaders’ Award (top first-time club member): Connor Lyons Huron County 4-H Members Seals • Six clubs completed: Molly Bolinger, Clara DeBoer, Hailynn Greidanus, Colyn Hallahan, Sam Kramers, Wyatt De Jonge, Jamie Deuschle, Tysen Greidanus, Kirsten Hofman, Janelle Parsons, Reese deBoer, Henry Drennan, Ayden Hallahan, Josephine Kraft, Raelynn Pennington • 12 clubs completed: Troy Coultes, Loralei Gross, Kara Shapton, Kayla Drennan, Simon Gubelmann, Grace Theophilopoulos, Rachel Gras, Regan Parr • 18 clubs completed: Max Johnston, Megan Metske, Mercedes Prout • 24 clubs completed (The Gay Lea Award): Darcy Fear, Lily Shapton, Evy Verschaeve • 30 clubs completed: Jessalyn Hendriks • 66 clubs completed: Emily Bieman • Emily Bieman, Kayla Drennan, Continued on page 19

Ag. Expo moving to REACH after arena closure in Goderich This February’s Mid-Western Ontario Ag. Expo, formerly named the Goderich and Area Farm Show, has moved to the Regional Equine and Agricultural Centre of Huron (REACH) in Clinton after the sudden closure of Goderich’s Memorial Arena. This comes after Goderich Town Council’s Jan. 3 decision to close the beloved building until further notice due to “significant safety and accessibility concerns”. In a story filed with CTV News by Scott Miller, he reported that council would not clarify what brought about the sudden closure, but reiterated that the building was no longer safe for people to be inside of it. Council made the decision to close the 75-year-old building after a closed-to-the-public session of council. In a press release issued by the farm show’s manager, Nick Cadotte, he said that he and his team were “blindsided” by the closure and had received “zero communication” about the situation in the time leading

up to the decision to close the arena. Cadotte said that he and his team then acted to find a new home for the show, ensuring it would go ahead, in Clinton at REACH. In the press release, Cadotte said the event was a success in 2024, its first year, and has seen a vendor return rate of 80 per cent for this year’s show. He also noted that he saw economic spin-off within the community and that the organizers made a donation to the local 4-H organization thanks to the success of the event. The Mid-Western Ontario Ag. Expo is scheduled for Feb. 19-20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Admission at the door is $5 per person. “We’re excited to bring the show to Clinton and area confident that this new venue will allow us to create an even greater experience than last year,” Cadotte said in the press release. “Despite the lastminute challenges, we’ve ensured that the show will go on without missing a beat. I can’t thank the REACH team enough for working with us.”

PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025.

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Articles for sale GERBERS FIREWOOD SERVING you for over 20 years. Your number one source of quality slabwood and bodywood. Delivery available. No Sunday calls. 519-274-1236, 519441-2085. ------------------------------------------REPRINTS OF PHOTOS taken by Citizen photographers are available to purchase. All are in colour. 4x6 $5.00, 5x7 - $6.00, 8x10 - $10.00. Phone to order 519-523-4792 or email info@northhuron.on.ca ------------------------------------------THE CITIZEN IS AVAILABLE TO purchase at these locations - Auburn Esso, Belgrave Variety, Blyth Food Market, Blyth Variety, Blyth Ultramar, Brussels Foodland, Brussels Variety, Charlie’s Variety (Clinton), Clinton Convenience, Fogal's YIG (Wingham), Seaforth Foodland, Fincher's (Goderich), Goderich Victoria St Shell, Goderich Petro-Canada Gas Bar, and The Citizen office in Blyth. ------------------------------------------Market 6" X 20' auger on wheels. Cup flighting with electric on/off. $2500. Six ton galvanized feed tank with flex auger. $1000. 3408 Case IH corn head. Call for details. John. 519-357-6944 -----------------------------------------

Card of thanks FYFE - Our Sincere Thank You. We would like to extend our sincere thanks for all the kindness and sympathy shown us by neighbours, relatives and friends in the death of our beloved husband, stepfather, uncle, grandfather and greatgrandfather Earl Fyfe. Your kindness will always be held in grateful remembrance. Also a thank you to all who made donations to Clinton Public Hospital and Blyth United Church in Earl's memory. Shirley Fyfe and family ------------------------------------------THOMPSON - I would like to thank our amazing family, neighbours and friends for all the love, support, cards, calls, treats, meals, visits and flowers since Jeff’s passing. Grateful to Dayna at McBurney’s funeral home, Rev. Alex Jepson and the wonderful folks at Brussels United Church. Extra special thanks to Mom, Kali, Steve and Reed, my rocks. Mary Ann Thompson.

Coming events “FRIENDLY PROGRESSIVE” EUCHRE. Tuesday, January 14, 2025. Starts at 1:00 P.M. Cranbrook Community Hall. 84335 McNabb Line, Brussels. Cost $5.00 per person. Light Refreshments. Call Bruce or Rhonda Fischer to sign up, 519-440-6455 or 519-274-0800. Must bring a partner. Proceeds to benefit the Cranbrook Community Hall.

Classified Advertising For sale Coming events For sale HURON COUNTY BEEF PRODUCERS' Annual General Meeting, Wednesday, Jan. 15, at Brussels Legion. Supper at 6 p.m. Meeting at 7 p.m. Tickets at door. (Beef 4-H Members are free.) ------------------------------------------Please join us for our Famous Fish Fry at the Wingham Columbus Centre Friday January 17 from 12 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Eat in $20 - choice of battered or grilled white fish and a buffet of garden and caesar salad, french fries, baked potato, mashed potato, gravy, dinner rolls , also coffee and tea. Take out $18 - fish, potato, coleslaw and dinner roll. We also do chicken fingers for the “non” fish lover. Butter tarts $2 or homemade cheesecake and other desserts $5 ea. Kids are 1/2 price. Taxes are included. Call early to book your fish as we tend to sell out. 519-357-1270. We also do frozen soups and meals all year round. We have a large variety, stop in to check them out.

Help wanted

Notice

For Sale: Well-Established Insulation Business

$*0

12 27 7,&( 2) $1 $ 118$ $/ / *(1(5$ $/ / 0((7,1* 78(6'$ $< < --$ $18 8$ $5 5< < WWK /XFNQR RZ Z &RPPXQLW\ LW LW\ \ &HQWUH 'LQQHU 3 30 0 7LLFNHW 7 NH HWWV V 0HHWWLLQJ 3 30 0 6SHF FLLDO %\ \ /D DZ Z 8SGDWWH H 0HHWWLLQJ /H HWW 8V NQR RZ Z < <R RX DUH &RPLQJ

• Established 36 year business under Snowden Insulation name • Includes 5 tonne truck, trailer, ladders and all equipment needed • Large client base with trusted vendor and contractor contacts • Initial set up and training can be provided if requested.

Owner Retiring For additional details contact: Ron Snowden at 519-528-2279

Help wanted

Responsibilities: - Maintain the cleanliness and organization of products, ensuring all products are displayed attractively. - Assist customers with inquiries. - Stock shelves, ensuring proper rotation to maintain quality. - Communicate effectively with team members to ensure smooth operations within the department. - Sell promotional items and inform customers about special offers or new products as needed. - Perform regular inventory checks to monitor stock levels. - Daily production of necessary products Requirements: - Previous experience in retail sales or customer service is preferred. - Strong organizational skills to maintain an orderly work environment. - Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with customers and team members. - Willingness to learn multiple departments. - Physical ability to lift heavy items and stand for extended periods. - Work in a cold environment. - Ability to follow direction in a fast-paced environment. Benefits: • On-site parking • Store employee discount (with Scene+ points card) • Scene+ employee specific perks Schedule: • Day shift • Evening shift • Holidays • Every day of the week including weekends HOW TO APPLY: Applicants should send a résumé and cover letter outlining how they meet the specific requirements of the position to: shawna.pavao@sobeys.com or in person at Brussels Foodland 38 King Street Brussels, ON by January 26, 2025. While we sincerely appreciate all applications, only those candidates selected for interview will be contacted.

Help wanted AZ Driver (Part-time)

We are currently hiring for the following positions;

Ideal candidates will have a passion for excellent customer service. In all positions, candidates will be responsible for maintaining the quality and presentation of the department while providing exceptional service to our customers. These roles require strong organizational skills and the ability to communicate effectively with customers and team members.

519-523-4792 huroncitizen.ca

Ontario Dairy Goat Co-operative, Teeswater is hiring an

is the cornerstone of the community. We are proud to support the community by providing good food, local jobs and by supporting local suppliers and organizations. Our employees enjoy a fun work environment, opportunities for development and career advancement.

Meat Cutter Bakery Clerk Deli Clerk

The Citizen

Help wanted

BRUSSELS

OXFNQRZII RZ ZIIII# #JPDLO FRP RU FDOO -LP

Please view the full job description on our website: www.ontariodairygoat.com or indeed.com Submit résumé by email to: clayton@ontariodairygoat.com We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

In memoriam CALDWELL - In loving memory of a special mom, grandma and greatgrandma, Gladys Caldwell who passed away January11, 2014. We lost a mother with a heart of gold, How much we miss her can never be told, She shared our troubles and helped us along, If we follow her footsteps we will never go wrong. We miss you from your easy chair, Your loving smile and gentle air, Your vacant place no one can fill, We miss you mother and always will. She was a mother so very rare, Content in her home and always there, On earth she toiled, in Heaven she rests, God bless you mother you were one of the best. Each time we look at your picture, You seem to smile and say, Don’t be sad but courage take, And love each other for my sake. Lovingly missed by your family.

All word ads in The Citizen classiﬁeds are put on our webpage at www.huroncitizen.ca

In memoriam In Loving Memory of Brian Rintoul Brian it has been three years since you passed away and your presence is always missed. You are forever in our hearts. Sometimes we just look up, smile and say

“We knew that was you” In Loving Memory Trudy and Family

Swap shop Citizen-To-Citizen “SWAP SHOP” ad Call 519-523-4792 or email: info@northhuron.on.ca

• Free ad up to 25 words, person to person only (no businesses), items valued at $1,000 or less. Price must be included in your ad.Your ad will run three times unless it sells faster! • The Citizen reserves the right to limit the number of items or ads per person. FOR SALE - Skidoo 440 snowmobile. Needs some care. $600. 519-887-6488. 02-3 --------------------------------------------------

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025. PAGE 15.

Obituaries Funeral Home, Seaforth, on Saturday, Dec. 7 followed by Isabelle’s funeral service later that afternoon. Spring interment will be in Brussels Cemetery. Donations to the Canadian Cancer Society or a charity of your choice would be appreciated by the family. Condolences may be forwarded through www.haskettfh.com.

ISABELLE (SELLERS) YOUNG Isabelle (Sellers) Young of Seaforth passed away peacefully at Seaforth Long Term Care on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 at the age of 95. The beloved wife of the late Norman Young (2017), Isabelle was the cherished mom of Murray and Deb Young, Ralph Young, Nancy Young, the late Garry Young (2024), and Sandra and Silby Jessome. She was the proud grandma of 10 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and eight great-great-grandchildren. Isabelle was predeceased by her parents Ward and Cora (Souch) Sellers. Isabelle always had a jar of pickles ready, as she loved her preserves. Together, she and Norman had beautiful gardens to grow the vegetables they would use for preserves. She used to knit quite often and would make different pieces to share with her family. Isabelle typically never went far without a flashlight in reach as you never knew when the hydro might go out! Visitation was held at Haskett

PAUL WATSON Dec. 19, 1958 - Jan. 2, 2025 Paul Watson passed away at the Wingham and District Hospital after a lengthy illness. He is survived by his wife Susan. He was predeceased by his parents Frank and Winnifred Watson and his sister Jill. Paul was one of six siblings who, together with their families, are scattered across Canada. Paul was born in Nottingham, England and came to Canada with his family as a child. His growingup years were in Elliot Lake and Espanola, where he worked for E.B. Eddy and the local radio station 99.3 FM as a D.J. He loved music, so D.J. work was a perfect job. After moving to Mississauga, he ran his own freight company,

worked for a pallet management company and finally managed Morris Browns, a food import business at the Ontario Food Terminal. Paul always freely offered his opinions and political insights, which were always right. He was an excellent cook and a follower of “Chef John” on YouTube. He was a passionate gardener and, together with Susan, transformed their rural property. He loved music; John Denver was a favourite. Paul enjoyed spending time walking tractor and automobile lots. Paul had a soft heart for all animals, especially cats. He leaves behind six cats, whom he pampered. Most of all, he will be remembered for his generosity and kindness to so many people. Private arrangements have been entrusted to McBurney Funeral Home, Wingham.

BARBARA ANN (WEBER) MARTIN Barbara Ann (Weber) Martin passed away suddenly, but peacefully, at Listowel Memorial Hospital on Wednesday, Jan. 1,

Dow returns from Mexico PEOPLE AROUND BELGRAVE By Linda Campbell Call 357-2188

Kim Walker led the Christmas Eve service at Knox United Church in Belgrave, which began with the opening hymn of “O’ Come All Ye Faithful”. Later in the service, Connie Shiell read about Advent and the lighting of the Advent wreath, followed by Don Shiell lighting the candles of peace, joy, hope and the Christ candle. Then, on Sunday, Dec. 29, the guest minister at Knox United Church was Richard Hall, whose message was “The Gift Has Arrived”. On Epiphany Sunday, Jan. 5, Rev. Colin Snyder welcomed the congregation to the church for the first service of the new year and his reflection was entitled “Keep Searching”. Birthday greetings are extended to Mary Hunter and Florence Wightman, each celebrating a birthday on Jan. 14, and to Muriel Coultes, whose birthday is on Jan. 23. These are special birthday greetings, as these three ladies will all be turning 90 years young. Cards will resume on Friday, Jan. 10 at the Belgrave Community

Centre, beginning at 1 p.m. Everyone is welcome. The Community Coffee Break is set for Tuesday, Jan. 14 from 9:3011 a.m. at the community centre. Everyone is welcome. On New Year’s Eve, the Blyth and District Community Centre grounds were filled to capacity for many to ring in the new year watching the annual fireworks display by Blyth Community Betterment. Everyone enjoys the spectacular display. Thanks to Mother Nature, the snow didn’t start until after the fireworks had concluded. Many then enjoyed a free family skate at the arena, courtesy of the Blyth Firefighters’ Association. Thanks to the Blyth firefighters, Blyth

NEWS FROM BELGRAVE

Community Betterment and the Blyth Lions Club for a great night. Elly Dow had a Christmas to remember, travelling to Monterrey, Mexico with her son and family. Two weeks of basking in the warmth of the Mexican climate and family was not hard to take. The day before leaving, an early New Year’s Eve pool party served as a goodbye send-off. Upon return, they were back to firing up the snowblower to clean out the driveway. What a difference!

2025 after a brief hospital stay. The beloved wife of the late Lyle Martin (2012), Barb was the cherished mom of Grant and Pam Martin of Pakenham and Wanda and Jeremy Heibein of Listowel. She was the proud grandma of Todd, Neil (Mikayla), Adam, Graham; Jamari, Jada, and Marcus. Barb was the loving sister of David and Wendy Weber, Glen and Bonnie Weber, John and Ellen Weber, Richard Weber, and Mary Lou and Russ Loan, and Frank Schatz, and the dear sister-in-law of Joyce and Cliff Freeman, Jim Martin (Helen), Doreen and Ken Martin, Lynne Martin, and Arlene Martin. She will be fondly remembered by her many nieces, nephews, and special cousin Heather Morrison. Barb was predeceased by her parents, Vernon and Ruby Weber, grandson Ross, and in-laws; Cathy Weber, Glennis and Maurice Koenig, and Claude Martin. Barb was always passionate about her gardens and flower beds. On the farm, she had beautiful flowers and a large vegetable garden and, even when she moved into town, she brought her love of flowers and plants, only downsizing a little bit. Her mission through the Listowel Mennonite Church Sewing Circle contributed to the production of hundreds of handmade quilts donated to the Mennonite Central Committee relief effort. Above all, her family and her faith were important to her, and she cherished each moment spent with her children and grandchildren. Visitation was held at Eaton Funeral Home, Listowel, on Sunday, Jan. 5. Barb’s funeral service was held at the Listowel

Mennonite Church on Monday, Jan. 6. Interment at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Ethel. Donations in Barb’s memory may be made to the Listowel Mennonite Church - Community Suppers. Online condolences may be made at the funeral home’s website at eatonfuneralhome.ca.

CLARENCE DALE Clarence Dale passed away peacefully at Seaforth Long Term Care on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in his 82nd year. The loving husband of 57 years to Else (Petersen) Dale, Clarence was the adored father of Stephen (Deb) and Don (Suzanne) and the loving grandpa of Jessica and Lita, Colby, Connor and Carleigh. He is survived by his siblings, Marie and Norman, and many nieces and nephews. Clarence was a devoted employee for 48 years, starting his career at Bach’s in Seaforth, staying on with Vincent Farm Equipment, outside of Seaforth. He later retired from Delta Power Equipment. At Clarence’s request, cremation has taken place. A private family scattering will take place at a later date. Online condolences may be made at www.simplechoice.ca.

Remembering your loved one Honour your loved one by placing their obituary in

The Citizen. This is a free service provided by The Citizen. We encourage you to share the story of your loved one in a special remembrance of their life. Cards of thanks can be placed in our classified section, starting at just $ .00.

PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025.

McDonald recaps holiday season activity PEOPLE AROUND WALTON By Jo-Ann McDonald Call 887-6570

We had a great Christmas for travelling and even New Year’s Eve was good, but then there were a few days of stormy weather again. Family gatherings had little trouble getting together and, when asked if they had a good Christmas, the answer was usually yes, and everyone was able to get there. We had Christmas with my siblings on Christmas Day at our house and then our family gathering on Boxing Day here with lots of noise with seven grandchildren between the ages of four and 12. Another Christmas and New Year’s over and we’re now looking ahead to a great 2025! Celebrating is the normal for this time of year, but unfortunately, sadness is also part of this time of year. Our condolences to Jim MacLean and to Barry and Laurie Blake on the passing of Nella Blake. She was grandmother to three and a hardworking lady. Many will remember when she had the clothing store in Brussels. Our sympathy to all. Our sympathy is extended to the Little family on the passing of Ted Little. He will be missed by his wife Marlene and his three daughters Anita, Sarah, Heather and their families. Ted loved time with his family, driving for Trans Freight of Kitchener, playing Huron County darts and visiting with friends. Our condolences to the Little family. Our sympathy is extended to the McClure family in the passing of

Margaret “Margie” (Rogerson) McClure, wife of the late Glenn McClure. She will be missed by her children: Barb, Marie, Dave, Paul, Dan, Donna and their families, including 20 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. Margie worked for 22 years at Seaforth Community Hospital as switchboard operator and was a hard worker for the Cavan United Church. She was a warm, kindhearted, lovely woman, who our McDonald family would see at many Rogerson/Stevens family functions. Our condolences to all. Our condolences to the Martin family on the passing of Barb Martin. She was the wife of the late Lyle Martin and will be missed by her children Grant and Pam and family and Wanda and Jeremy and family. She was a grandmother of seven and is survived by a large extended family of Martins and Webers. Barb was a lovely lady who loved to sew. She made many small quilts to send to the Mennonite Connection Centre Relief Fund. I gave Barb yards of material from my mother after she passed, knowing it was going to a great cause. Barb loved to garden, kept beautiful flower beds and always had a smile on her face. She loved to help people when she could and she was a client of mine for 16 years. Our deepest sympathies to the Martin family. Our condolences to the Machan family on the passing of Roy Machan. He was the father of Josh, Jared and Jess and stepfather of Tara, Cindy, Tammy and Steven, in addition to being the grandfather of six and great-grampa of 11. Roy was born near Monkton, lived in Walton for many years before moving to Brussels. He will be missed by his brothers Gord, Russel, Robert, Gerald and sister Bonnie. He was the proud owner of Machan Construction and Machan

Farms with his brothers. He loved to hunt and fish, party and dance and spend time with family. Our sympathies to all. Congratulations to Carol McLachlan on her retirement after 53 years of a working career. Much of her career was keeping books for many businesses. She worked at McGavin Farm Equipment for many years, then McLaughlin Chevrolet in Seaforth, Huron Motor Parts in Exeter and lastly, Robinson Chevrolet in Seaforth. She also drove a bus, made beautiful decorated cakes enjoyed by many Walton and Seaforth people and ran a very successful costume rental business. She was a ball player with me for many years, a friend, golfer and cyclist who has taken up long bike rides in Huron County, all while being a mother of two and grandmother of three boys. She plans on keeping busy with all of the above. Congratulations Carol! We are pleased to hear that Leslie Knight is home from hospital. He still has some issues to address, but we hope he is doing well and is feeling better. His son Jeff is still in hospital with a badly broken hip. He has been in Stratford Hospital, but is hoping to get back to Wingham Hospital soon. The kids are back to school and we can’t say they were really excited about the school part, but seeing their friends again made them happy. They have a PD Day to look forward to, Family Day and it’s only nine weeks until March Break. Of course, nasty weather may also give more days off. As I write today, the weather man is forecasting squalls for this afternoon and tomorrow. Guess we will wait and see! The Walton Coffee Chat will return in the spring. That way we can save on snow removal and the heat until we have better weather.

See you in the spring! Thanks to a good Samaritan who has been moving a bit of snow around the parking lot. It allows a few vehicles to meet up with others and to leave their cars there. The snow falling is making many of the snowmobilers quite happy. Keep watch for snowmobiles crossing roadways. Young people will be having a great time out on the machines. Our own family is making plans to come to the country and enjoy snowmobiling on the weekend. I am sure the Greg and Jill Fritz family was excited to have Luke Fritz home for the holidays. He was home for 10 days to visit with family and friends. Luke is playing hockey in Lloydminster on the border of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Having a Christmas time birthday sometimes gets overlooked with the holiday gatherings. We have a December birthday, on the 21st, and anniversaries on the 18th and 31st, so we will celebrate in January with another birthday on the 12th. One for all and all for one! Lots of others celebrated over Christmas, including Connor Jarosz, Monique Baan, Ryan Bremner, Blake Dale, Michelle Blake, Michelle McNichol, Anne Curreri, Reagan Blair, Kerry Blake Dale, Alex Deitner, Mark Gillis, Rob Dionne, Alaina Poland, Greg Fritz, Elise Ringgenberg, Hope Lowe, MaryAnn Thompson, Judy Emmrich, Paul Flaxbard, Audrey Hackwell, Aubrey McClure, Frank

Schimanski, Dave Linton, Brent Melady, Claire Mitchell, Alexandria Shahshahani and Brayden Shortreed. The year continues with Michael Craig, Don Nolan, Blake Brand, Stephen Henderson, Ben Hoegy, Jodi McIntosh Nurse, Marie Blake (who is 99), Julie Mitchell, Caleb Ringgenberg, Logan Terpstra, Evelyn Blake, Luke Fritz, Judy Glauser, Susan McLachlan, Rob Mitchell, Lucas Jacklin, Sal Curreri, Dave Huether, Ryan Marks, Jaxon Bromley, Brian Marks, Rick Pethick, Canon Beuerman, Hailey Kennes, B.J. DeJong, and Joan Bernard. Happy birthday to all!

NEWS FROM WALTON

The Citizen

405 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4792

Advertise your business here! One of the most read areas of the paper

SUDOKU Fun By The Numbers

Giving back Late last year the Huron County Soil and Crop Improvement Association donated $5,000 to the Huron County Food Bank Distribution Centre. The group got together at the Clinton-area Huronview Demonstration Farm, ground zero for the association, to make the presentation. From left: Association Vice-President and North Huron Food Share Director Peter Nonkes, Association Secretary-Treasurer Sharon Devine, Huron County Food Bank Distribution Centre Executive Director Mary Ellen Zielman, Association President Will Feddes and Manager of Huronview Demonstration Farm Rick Kootstra. (Photo submitted)

Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mindbending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test! Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025. PAGE 17.

From the Minister’s Study

Jesus told us to love our enemies - that can be tough By Jason Hovius, Brussels Community Bible Chapel One of the hardest things Jesus ever asked us to do was to love our enemies. Ever tried it? It doesn’t come naturally. When we are wronged or mistreated, our first reaction is to seek revenge. Even our idea of taking the “high road” is twisted by our sinful way of thinking. What our culture deems the high road may involve proving our resilience or using persuasive speech, rather than resorting to personal insults. In the meantime, often we secretly rejoice in our heads when our enemy sees misfortune, or we fail to defend them when they’re being slandered by others. However, refraining from revenge is not enough to claim we truly love our enemies. Any reasonable person knows that loving someone involves more than keeping our hateful thoughts inside and hidden. As I’ve been reading through the Old Testament, David’s bumpy path to the throne has caught my attention. David did not have an easy ride. Most of his twenties was spent hiding in desert caves while Saul, the first king of Israel (and David’s father-in-law), hunted him down to take his life. God spared David, miraculously, time after time. If you’re cheering for Saul to just die already, you and David would not have been on the same page. In thrilling fashion, David spared Saul’s life multiple times, despite having ample opportunity to kill him. After Saul died in battle against the Philistines, David genuinely grieved, then rewarded the city that gave Saul’s body a proper burial. For a couple more difficult years, the household of Saul held the throne of Israel. Through divine providence, David eventually won the support of all Israel, all without taking things into his own hands. For most of history, the first order of business when someone became king was to “take care of” all other threats to throne. Kill or be killed, as they say. If David espoused that idea, all of Saul’s relatives and descendants would have been in danger. If put in any one of their shoes, I probably would have found a new identity and moved to some middle-of-nowhere village. Fortunately, David had enough faith in God to leave things in His Almighty hands. However, David wasn’t content to leave things as they were. Most likely unknown to anyone else, many years earlier, David had made

Evangelical Missionary Church

Sunday, January 12, 10:30 a.m. Pastor Mike Stanley preaching "Jesus Starts His Ministry” Matt. 3:13-4:11

a treaty with Jonathan, one of Saul’s sons, to show kindness to his family. Jonathan was now dead, but David wanted to keep his promise. He asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (2 Samuel 9:1) The answer came back: yes, indeed, there was! His name was

Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, son of Saul. He had been crippled since the age of five, when his nurse dropped him by accident, and his legs never healed right. He was living with a man named Makir son of Ammiel, probably because he could not sufficiently take care of himself without help. To be honest, there was no reason any king would

Welcome You to Sunday Service!

Celebrating appropriately Late last month, in the lead-up to Christmas, Huron Christian School held its annual concert and play to celebrate the reason for the season. Above, Henry Kaptein, left, and Adalynn Steenbeek were among the children who lent their talents. (Scott Stephenson photo)

Interim Pastor Elwin Garland 250 Princess St., Brussels • 519-887-6388

Childcare and Sunday School provided for children 0 to 8 during the sermon

Worship and Prayer Time Loving Fellowship Expository Preaching

119 John’s Ave., Auburn 519-526-1131

www.regionalministryof hope.com

Service Livestreamed Sundays at 11 a.m. on our facebook page

The Regional Ministry of

Contact Alex at ministter.brusselsandblythuc@gmail.co y @g om Website: brusselsandblythuc.ca b brusselsandblythuc ca P.O. Box 359, Brussels ~ 519-887-6259 P.

Services are live-streamed and can be found by searching “Blyth Christian Reformed Church”

More details at: brusselscommunitybiblechapel.ca

9:30 am

To talk to Pastor Mike please email pastormike@huronchapel.com

stpauls@hurontel.on.ca

www.holyspiritseaforth.ca

The Regional Ministry of Hope

23 John St E Wingham 519-357-4883

Come, the invvitation is opeen to all, Share in Goodd’s messag age for ev eveeryyoone!

All Are Welcome

BMG Community Centre (upstairs room) 800 Sports Drive, Brussels

holyspirit@tcc.on.ca

Welcome to Wors ship Celebrating Comm munion Sunday January 12 2, 11 a.m.

this Sunday at 10:00 am

at 10 a.m.

21 Jarvis St. Seaforth 519-527-1522

revjoann@hurontel.on.ca

United Chu ur urch

russels Mennonite Fellowship

Sunday, January 12

Trinity: 9:00 a.m. Parish of the Holy Spirit: 9:30 a.m. St. Paul’s-Trinity: 11:00 a.m. 166 Dinsley St. W, Blyth

BRUSSELS S

Worship with us at

Sunday, January 12

On-site and online - live.huronchapel.com

This story from 2 Samuel is often used as a picture of what God is willing to do for people who know that they are undeserving of his mercy and grace. Each one of us has proven our inclination toward evil, siding with God’s arch enemy, Satan, time and time again. We are all part of a race that is largely antiGod and frankly, we have nothing of value to offer to Him. Even what we think we have is all a gift from the One who graciously allows us another breath, another day of health, another meal on our plates. Dear reader, despite your own worthlessness and your sins against a holy and just God, He sent his only Son, Jesus, to give His life for you. Like David did for a crippled member of Saul’s household, God also offers you forgiveness and a right relationship with Himself. There is nothing you can do to earn it. Just believe that Jesus Christ alone can save you. It sounds so simple, and so it becomes a stumbling block to many, but many others, this writer included, have found it to be true.

The Anglican Churches of Blyth, Seaforth and Wingham

Blyth United Church

Nursery & Sunday School during worship

be able to justify showing grace to him. David summoned Mephibosheth to his palace in Jerusalem. We are not told of Mephibosheth’s feelings about it, but there is no doubt that he was nervous, hinted at by David’s first words to him (other than speaking his name), “Don’t be afraid.” David then promised to restore to him the land of his grandfather Saul and that there would always be a place for Mephibosheth at the king’s table. He was offering not just wealth and provision, but a relationship with himself! Mephibosheth answered, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” (2 Samuel 9:8) Later he said, “All my grandfather’s descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who eat at your table.” (2 Samuel 19:28) There was no repayment plan put in place. David wasn’t expecting a favour in return. He simply showed grace to a descendent of Saul for Jonathan’s sake.

“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Isaiah 40:3 The outreach program for January is Huron Hospice. Contact Alex at: minister.brusselsandblythuc@gmail.com

MEL LV VILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS

Sunday, January 12, 2025 9:30 a.m.

We extend a loving welcome to all to join us as Doug Sargent leads us in worship, prayer and praise to God. Soup & More 2 Due to ongoing kitchen renovations, our reopening date is now Friday, Januaary 17. We look forward to seeing you then. We miss you!

Facebook: Blyth and Brussels United Churches blythunited@tcc.on.ca ~ 519-523-4224

For pastoral care concerns please call 519-524-7512 2

PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025.

Volunteer in 2025; it’s the ultimate win/win situation

Giving back Eight sledges and accompanying sticks have been purchased for the Central Huron Community Complex courtesy of Carson Hymers, right, and a fundraising sledge hockey game he and his family organized last fall. The game between the Windsor Ice Bullets and London Blizzard attracted about 130 spectators and raised over $8,000, which was used to make the purchase. The family now hopes to host a “Try It Sledge” afternoon in the near future, as well as another fundraising game this fall. Hymers is joined by Central Huron Deputy-Mayor Marg Anderson, a champion of the cause. (Courtesy photo)

Huron East collision claims life A two-vehicle collision in the Municipality of Huron East has claimed the life of a Central Huron resident. Just after 1:35 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, members of the Huron County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Huron County Paramedic Services, and Fire Department of North Huron responded to a collision on Blyth Road near Hensall Road in Huron East.

Upon arrival, emergency services located the involved vehicles; a sport utility vehicle and a truck hauling a cattle trailer. The lone driver of the truck was pronounced deceased at the scene. The second driver was not injured. Neither vehicle had passengers on board. The deceased is a 32-year-old resident of Central Huron. Several cattle needed to be dispatched at the scene due to

injuries sustained in the collision. The cause of the collision is being investigated. Members from the West Region OPP Traffic Incident Management and Enforcement (TIME) team were at the scene to assist with the collision investigation. Blyth Road (County Road 25). Any person with information regarding this collision should contact Huron County OPP at 1888-310-1122.

babies laughing or children playing? Time out of doors is good for physical and mental health, with lots of situations to be aware of, your surroundings and the joy within it. Take time in your day to just pause and enjoy whatever is going on around you. Find meaningful alone times, perhaps with a book or a hobby. And never forget the health benefits of connecting with others. Another prescription for a fuller, happier life is to volunteer. Volunteering has been described as a win/win situation. You bring happiness to others and that satisfaction brings a better you. This is not to say that even this more realistic resolution will be easier. It, too, needs work to be successful. And some days will just not feel better. But, in this scenario, the resolution can be started over and over again; one step, one hour, one day at a time.

And so it has begun: a brand new year full of promise and expectation. What will it bring to each of us? January is filled with talk around making resolutions, many of which last just a few days or, perhaps, weeks because our resolves, or expectations, are too lofty. Perhaps we need to start with just one small change at a time and work our way into the bigger results over time. Perhaps, rather than a resolution we should all just try to live better, to be better people to ourselves, to those around us and to the world. Consider the familiar expression “smell the roses along the way”. Be more aware of the good things that happen each day, however insignificant they may seem at the time. The world tends to send out only negative vibes, especially in these times of so many forms of media, making the good things slide from our consciousness. By making a conscious effort at the end of each day to consider the day as a whole and making a point of shutting out the negatives and focusing on the positives, our world will take on a different feel. A few tricks will help get this “better” started. Put yourself in situations that foster happiness. Who can’t feel happy hearing

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THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025. PAGE 19.

Dozens of 4-H members honoured with awards

Awarded Above, Huron County Warden Jamie Heffer, right, goes about one of his first duties as the new Warden of Huron County, presenting the Huron County Warden’s Award at the Huron County 4-H Leaders’ Association’s annual 4-H awards. Seth Moffat, left, was the winner. Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, the association also honoured Don Dodds, below left, who has been leading with the organization for more than 65 years. (John Stephenson photo, above, photo Kim, centre, and Laura Higgins made the presentation.

• Time View Farms Award (Champion Senior Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Nolan Neitzel • Higgins Line Farm Award (Champion Intermediate Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Andrew Metske • Stan Jackson Awards: highest score in beef club, Megan Metske; fourth market animal, Evy Verschaeve; champion breeding heifer, Megan Metske; reserve champion heifer, Nolan Neitzel • Brandon Metske Award: Mason Weber Central Huron Dairy Club • CIBC Award (highest score): Loralei Gross • Orr Insurance Award (champion calf at Seaforth Fair): Aven Dykstra • Auburn Co-op Award (reserve champion calf at Seaforth Fair): Cal Dykstra • Midwest Co-op Award (Champion Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Bree Dykstra • D&D Glass Award (Reserve Champion Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Cynthia Matheson • Dairy Club Leaders’ Award: (top novice dairy showperson at Seaforth Fair): Gavin Gross • Huron Holstein Award: first, Loralei Gross; second, Holly Gross Sodbusters Club • Steve Corbett Award (highest score): Clayton Hern • McGavin Farm Equipment Award (novice member with highest score): Percy Parsons • Townsend Tire Award (youngest member): Keith Dekroon • Sodbuster Leaders’ Award: most improved, Brendan Hickey; most dedicated, Darcy Fear • Ross Gordon Memorial Award

(best crown on Junior Day at the Huron County Plowing Match): Dugal McIntosh • Bill Leeming Memorial Award (best finish on Junior Day at the Huron County Plowing Match): Clayton Hern • TD Canada Trust Award (top plow person at the Huron County Plowing Match): Cole Hugill • AgVise Award (member with highest points total at the International Plowing Match): Dugald McIntosh Field Crop Awards • Pickseed Award (top first-cut hay at Seaforth Fair): Trace Boven • Anderson Award (top secondcut hay at Seaforth Fair): Trace Boven • NK Seeds Award (top haylage at Seaforth Fair): Trace Boven • Coleman Farms Award (firstplace corn at Seaforth Fair): Clay Hoggart • SeCan Award (top wheat exhibit at Seaforth Fair): The Johnston Boys Huron County Awards • Ontario Plowmen’s Association Award: Mackenzie Terpstra • Top Gate Sign Award: Evy Verschaeve • Darrell Bergsma Dedication Award: Mackenzie Terpstra • Ben Lobb Award: Henry Drennan • Warden’s Award: Seth Moffat • Don Pullen Award: Megan Metske • Murray Cardiff Citizenship Award: Evy Verschaeve.

Sudoku Solution

Mary Hunter “Happy Birthday Mom!”

submitted, below)

Continued from page 13 Mercedes Prout, Emily Datema, Mackenzie Terpstra and Grace Theophilopoulos were recognized as youth leaders, while Dakota Coultes, Alex Coultes, Megan Metske, Mackenzie Terpstra and Evy Verschaeve were recognized as members in their last year of 4-H who have completed clubs in five of the last seven years. Belgrave Vet Club • Heartland Vet Services Award (top member): Mercedes Prout • Vet Club Leaders’ Award (top novice member): Brynley Moffat • Ethoguard Award (most dedicated member): Henry Drennan • Ethoguard’s Second Award (club leadership): Claire Vanderlip Libro Life Skill Awards • West Wawanosh: outstanding member, Reese deBoer; lives up to the motto, Jamie Deuschle • Hensall: outstanding member,

Grace Theophilopoulos; lives up to the motto, Clayton Hern Judging Competition Awards • Cloverbud Leaders’ Award top cloverbud judge): Lyla Fisher • Hensall District Co-op Award (top novice judge): Alyssa Matheson • Hill and Hill Farms Award (top junior judge): Anabelle Keys • Anonymous Award (top intermediate judge): Clair DeBoer • Hill and Hill Farms Award (top senior judge): Evy Verschaeve • CIBC Award (top overall judge): Clair DeBoer • Veldman Farms Award: first, Emily Bieman; second, Evy Verschaeve; first club, South Central Dairy Club; second club, Fluff and Feather Club, and third club, South Huron Sheep Club Belgrave Brussels Beef Club • Maple Ridge Beef Farms Award

(Top Junior Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Clay Hoggart • Huron County Beef Producers Award (top novice beef club member): Seth Moffat • Rail Line Farms Award (Top Novice Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Trace Boven • Stan Jackson Awards: Champion Market Animal, Max Johnston; Reserve Market Animal, Trace Boven; Third Market Animal, Colyn Hallahan; Third Breeding Heifer, Hailey Laing; Fourth Breeding Heifer, Beverly Mitchell • W.J. Bill Sproul Memorial Award (first-place group of three at Seaforth Fair, presented by the Auburn Lions Club): Beverly Mitchell, Hailey Laing and Henry Drennan Lucknow Beef Club • Brussels Agri-Services Award (Champion Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Nolan Neitzel

“Celebrating 90yrs Young!”

With love from all the Yahooties

SCOTT - In loving memory of our parents – Don who left us January 13, 2021, and Brenda who left us January 14, 2017. To the living, I am gone, To the sorrowful, I will never return, But to the happy, I am at peace, And to the faithful, I have never left. I cannot speak, but I can listen. I cannot be seen, but I can be heard. So as you stand upon a shore gazing at a beautiful sea,

As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity, Remember me. Remember me in your heart: Your thoughts, and your memories, Of the times we loved, The times we cried, The times we fought, The times we laughed. For if you always think of me, I will never have gone. Love Deb, Kim and Jon and families.

PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025.

Primary students support shoebox drive

Inside the box thinking North Woods Elementary School students packed 29 shoeboxes for “Operation Christmas Child” to send to needy children around the world. The primary students showed compassion by contributing items, with some even using their own money. (Scott Stephenson photo)

ACW applauds the work of volunteers By Scott Stephenson The Citizen

At its Dec. 17, 2024 meeting, Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh (ACW) Council voted to make amendments to its Volunteer Recognition and Appreciation Policy (VRAP). The policy was originally adopted at ACW’s Oct. 17, 2023 council meeting for the purpose of recognizing and celebrating the accomplishments of volunteers in the municipality through an annual recognition event. There are two categories: the Outstanding Community Group Award, which recognizes a community group or special interest group for its outstanding voluntary contribution to the well-being of the community in ACW, and the Outstanding Individual Award, which recognizes a single person for their outstanding voluntary contribution to the community. Last year’s winners were the St. Helens Hall Committee and Lila Rintoul, respectively. The proposed changes to the policy were brought forward in a staff report authored by DeputyClerk Kelly Thomson. They include switching the selection committee from the now-defunct Community Development Committee (CDC) to the extant Economic Development Committee (EDC). The EDC will determine the method of recognition for recipients, decide whether an event is appropriate or if recognition will occur during a council meeting, and review the applications and recommend nominees to council. To create awareness and boost submissions, the deadline for submissions is being moved from the third Friday in February to the third Friday in March. This will allow ACW’s volunteer recognition program to align with National Volunteer Week, which takes place annually in mid to late April.

In its inaugural year, due to a lack of nominations, the Annual Volunteer Recognition Event ultimately did not take place. Following a re-evaluation, last year’s winners were honoured at the Apr. 16, 2024, council meeting. Councillor Jennifer Miltenberg spoke in favour of the original initiative and the proposed changes. “I like the changes, and I like what happened last year. The group as well as the individual were given framed certificates, and they are proudly displayed in the St. Helens Hall… I think it was very well appreciated,” she said. Mayor Glen McNeil also felt that the VRAP is a worthwhile endeavour. “Recognizing our volunteers is very, very important,” he pointed out. Anybody can nominate a local volunteer that they feel deserves recognition, but all eligible candidates must be a resident of the township, own a business in the township or attend school in the township. Individuals outside of ACW may be considered if their contributions are with a township community organization that has a main focus within the municipality. Elected officials of ACW are not eligible, nor are paid full-time or part-time staff, unless their volunteerism is entirely separate, distinct from, and outside of their paid position. Eligible community groups must be non-profits based in ACW, with the majority of services geared towards township residents. Services must have been performed on a wholly volunteer basis and not for pay, and nominees must be aware of the nomination and sign the nomination form. Nomination forms are available both at the Municipal Office and on the township's website. All nomination forms must be submitted to the Clerk’s Department no later than March 21, 2025.

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