December 22, 2022

Merry Christmas!

Ukrainian refugees preparing to celebrate Christmas ... twice

take the mind off what is going on, she added.

UKRAINIAN REFUGEES

HOSTED IN THE local community have needed to make more than a few adjustments since arriving in this country. Just now, that means marking a Christmas away from home. With the holiday season upon us, they’re reflecting on their first Christmas in Canada, as well as their traditions and the state of the things back home.

“I’m thinking about my mother,” said Mariia Mamaisur, who’s staying at the Woolwich Guest House for Ukrainian Families in Transition in St. Jacobs.

“It’s hard because she was sad. A lot of people are now thinking about the season of cold and that Russia can start more aggression at this time – a lot of people think so. I think if Russia starts attacking Kyiv [again], it will be harder than [the] first time because they are now more prepared for it. I’m very afraid about it, and I want to take my mother here or I want to take her to a village near Kyiv. I also think it’s dangerous there and, yeah, she is very sad and she is alone – my brother also not in Ukraine now, so it’s very bad,” Mamaisur said.

While the guest house will still hold celebrations, it is to help

“You don’t want to celebrate because you’re feeling bad about your family members; people just yesterday asked me maybe we need to do something on New Year’s. Of course we can, but it’s not the same feeling as before and really like I don’t want to celebrate because I feel bad about it. So, I just wanted to celebrate for these people – I do not want [them] to be upset about the situation because they’re here alone without their family members, without friends,” Mamaisur explained.

For most Ukrainians the biggest celebration is New Year’s, explained Andrew Shulgin. That’s when the presents are traditionally given.

“We have two Christmases in our country. The first one the same as here is for Ukrainian Catholics, and for Orthodox Ukrainian Christmas on January 7. So, our Santa Claus comes to Ukraine on December 31. We are very confused as to why Jesus comes on Christmas when Santa Claus comes, so it confuses us,” he said.

For their Christmas in January there are many traditions involved. Typically, they will hold a 12-dish supper representing the 12 apostles in the Bible. They will bring either their

Bill Atwood

Observer Staff

→ UKRAINIANS 4

Ukrainian refugee children at the St. Jacobs guest house got a visit from Santa on Dec. 18. Submitted

News tips are always welcome.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com Online: observerxtra.com/tips

Wellesley eyes large tax increase

Staff

WELLESLEY HOMEOWNERS CAN EXPECT A 14 per cent increase in the township portion of their property taxes next year, led by payments on the loan for the new township rec. complex.

Ratepayers will see a jump of $179.29 based on an average home assessed at $389,000.

Of that, just shy of $100 will go towards repaying the debenture on the $27-million Wellesley Township Recreation Centre. That accounts for a 7.77 per cent increase in taxes.

The township is currently looking at a 4.43 per cent general tax levy increase, along with an extra one per cent for infrastructure projects and 0.75 per cent for greening initiatives. Those figures were arrived at last week following preliminary budget deliberations by Wellesley councillors.

That combined 6.18 per cent joins with the debenture figure for a total of 13.95 per cent.

Mayor Joe Nowak said inflationary pressures were a factor in the increase to the general tax levy, noting the 4.43 per cent was whittled down from the first draft of the budget.

“We’re facing inflation rates sitting at six, seven per cent – somewhere in

that range – right now. So council is tasked with deciding whether to try and maintain what you have, or whether you cut back services. And cutting back services didn’t seem to be an option for this council,” he said in an interview.

The draft operating budget for the township forecasts expenditures of $10,652,146 next year, up 13.6 per cent over the $9,380,209 in 2022.

Some $157,000 of the increased spending will come from assessment growth predicted to be 2.43 per cent, said township treasurer Fiona Gilbert.

The township is also boosting its greening levy by half a percentage point, and introducing an infrastructure levy to help with the growing deficit in funding for the likes of repairing roads and bridges.

“We’ve actually added a one per cent infrastructure levy. Other communities have done that for some time,” said Nowak.

“It adds another $13.50 to the average household, but we have aging infrastructure and some of the plans that we have for infrastructure work over the next few years in particular are major construction works, rehabilitation of roads and those types of things.”

The cost of such projects

Event is a binGO

From the archives

The 148-year-old Breslau Hotel was torn down by the Region of Waterloo without any firm plans for the land. The region acquired the site last year for $1.8 million with plans to level the landmark to make way for a highway bypass. The hotel has been deemed to have no historical importance and any items of value have been removed from the inside. From the Dec. 24, 2005 edition of The Observer

EMSF seeking sponsors as it replaces portable stairs

Steve Kannon Observer Staff

THE ELMIRA MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL is known for its big crowds, but there are a host of small things that go into making it possible.

Take, for instance, the parking situation that sees thousands of people shuttled in hay wagons to and from the festivities in the downtown core. In even finer detail, there are small sets of stairs that allow passengers to embark and

disembark.

Ahead of next spring’s return to an in-person festival, Murray Taylor is working on that very detail, looking to replace the existing wood stairs with new, safer metal versions. The festival needs 25 sets of them at $400 a pop, and he’s hoping sponsors will step forward to help with what boils down to one of those essential functions most of us don’t really think about.

“If there’s no parking, there’s really no festival,”

said Taylor, pointing to the logistics of welcoming tens of thousands of people to downtown Elmira for one day of celebrating all things maple.

In return for a $400 donation to cover the cost of a set of stairs, a sponsor will see their names emblazoned on the stairs that will be in use for many years to come.

“Once your name is on, it’s on for every year the festival comes back out. There are thousands of people who are going to

see your name on the side of it once that big day is here.

“It can be families in memory of a family member who maybe was prominent in the festival or maybe sold maple syrup. That can be a service group. It can be a street that can get together and put their own name on it,” he said of the sponsorship opportunities.

“The new stairs are a huge improvement. They’ve got to handrails

If it matters to you. It matters to us.

Wellesley council this week granted permission to the Paradise & District Lions Club to run a jackpot bingo event throughout 2023. The lottery license applies to the fundraiser held regulary at the St. Clements Community Centre.

EMSF voluteer Murray Taylor with the current wooden steps and the new steel versions that will replace them. Leah Gerber

Steve Kannon Observer

UKRAINIANS:

Adjusting to the local customs, and celebrating traditionally

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godmother or godfather a dish known as kutia or kutya, which is a sweet soup made of raisins or dried fruit, grain, poppy seeds, nuts and honey. They will then sing songs known as kolyadka and each person from oldest to youngest will eat of the kutia.

Children will also dress up in costumes such as animals and carol door to door.

“If this person who opened the door wants to be lucky in this year, they don’t open the door for evil and bad things. They need to ask the kids to come to the door and sing the song and after they need to give money to the kids,” explained Mamaisur.

“So like Halloween, but more positive. We’re thankful that you came, that’s why they give you money, not just to make you go away,” added Shulgin.

A nativity scene in Ukraine is called a Vertep, which is a travelling theatre performance of the traditional story.

Celebrations this year will look different, in line with the Canadian customs to mark Christmas Day.

“This year, we decided to make them the same as you usually do in Canada. So, we want to celebrate the 25th of December and to give some presents for our kids, and to celebrate like you,” Mamaisur said.

They will also be hosting a more traditional

Ukrainian Christmas on January 7 as a thank-you to those who have supported residents at the home.

“We have two goals. First of all to say thank you to the people who help us. The second one is to share our history about our traditions. But the main thing is, of course, just to collect all the people as much as we can and say thank you and give some of our national traditional food for this day,” Shulgin said.

For Oleksandr Svitlyk, this time of year is also for thinking about his family.

“I never celebrate Christmas and New Year without my family. I was always with my parents, with my grandparents when we usually come together and celebrate these holidays together, but this time, they are all there. And here it’s hard for us not to be with our families, but we must do it because we have a little daughter and [and because of the] awful things going on in Ukraine,” he said.

His wife Kateryna noted the challenges Ukrainians in the country are still facing as they try to settle in here.

“So many lights and beautiful Christmas trees… and I think my family doesn’t have electricity, and next week Olek’s family will only have four hours per day of electricity. So last year, we had all the celebrations too. We had a beautiful Christmas tree in Kyiv. And so now it’s very different celebrations and very different holidays.”

Birdfeeders are a good location to take stock of bird populations, including cardinals and woodpeckers, says local bird counter John Pries. Submitted

Linwood area tagged for bird-count effort

well. Not just the number of species,” he explained.

LINWOOD RESIDENTS WITH BIRDFEEDERS

ARE being asked to make sure they are full on December 29 for the annual Christmas bird count run by the National Audubon Society.

The changing climate may be leading to shifts in migration, a trend that can be quantified by such counts, notes John Pries, a St. Jacobs resident and bird counter.

“One of the reasons to do it is to look at the changing species population over time. And sometimes, because of climate change, for example, you would have birds that normally will over winter move south [now] moving further north because the weather is more suitable for them. So we can begin to look at patterns of populations that are changing because then we actually count the number of birds we see as

Every year since 1900, counters for Audubon have counted birds in different areas , usually in a 20-kilometre radius. Counters try to follow the same routes around the same times each year to ensure accuracy, Pries said.

“What we’re doing is getting a snapshot. It’s not necessarily representative of all of southern Ontario, but it’s representative of a particular area within southern Ontario.

To see those changes in population, and changes in diversity of the different species is a really good indicator of what’s happening in general in the area,” he explained.

Full feeders will also help ensure the count is accurate, Pries said.

“It gives us a really good opportunity to get a bunch of birds that regularly come to the feeder. I regularly see nuthatches and juncos and chicka-

dees and four different species of woodpeckers –and a lot of different birds that may just be passing through.”

North America is home to several hundred species of birds, Pries explained.

“From the Mexican border, to basically the Arctic Circle, we have somewhere in the order of over 760 species of birds that are residents.”

Pries, who is the owner of the RiverSong banquet hall, said the site is ideal for bird counting.

“We have 154 species of birds just on this five-acre property. If you had asked me when we moved in here how many different species of birds I might see here over the course of the past 15 years that we’ve been here, I probably would have said maybe 40 or 50. For me, that would have been reasonable. We have so much diversity here that you’ll see a whole range of different kinds of birds

here,” he explained.

The count is important for people that are not average birdwatchers, Pries added.

“There’s a lot of people that see birds as birds. So there’s no distinction, maybe this is the red colour of the cardinal, the blue of the blue jay and the brown is a sparrow and that’s the extent to which they know birds.

When they get out with a pair of binoculars and look at these birds and [they’ll] see how diverse they are, and how different they are in terms of their habits and the different types of foods they eat and all the rest of that,” he stated.

“The other thing is just to be aware of the environment around them to understand that with development, for example, we’re paving over fields that used to provide seeds for birds through the winter and berries and shelter and all these other things.”

EMSF: One of the many small, but essential things that make the festival possible

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of steel, they’re anti-slip, they’re galvanized –they’re beautiful,” he said.

“The old ones had handrails on one side – some

people could slip off the one side – now the new ones have handles on both sides.”

The $400 donation goes to cover the cost of each

set.

“The $400 is strictly for the materials. No one is making a cent off of this entire endeavour,” said Taylor, noting a local

At This Time Of Year…

Thoughtsturntolovedones,bothpastandpresent, Ofhappychildhoodmemories Unwrappingtoys,helpingwiththebakingandlickingthebowl, Rememberingalwaystheirkindnessandlove. Sweettimesgoneby

Duringyourtimeoflossandsorrow,thankyouforthe confidence placedinus.

1172 Henry Street, Wellesley, N0B 2T0 519-656-2880 chris@futher-franklinfuneralhome.com www.futher-franklinfuneralhome.com

manufacturer is donating the labour.

Anyone looking to get involved can reach Taylor at parking@elmiramaplesyrupfestival.com.

Bill Atwood Observer Staff

Wellesley death likely due to fentanyl overdose, police say

Leah Gerber Observer Staff

A 22-YEAR OLD WOMAN

FOUND dead at a home in Wellesley Township last week likely died from a fentanyl overdose, police say.

Waterloo Regional Police found bright green-coloured fentanyl at the home in the area of Nafziger and Gerber roads. They were called to the scene about 6 a.m. on December 14.

“The deceased was located within a residence with vital signs absent,” said police spokesperson Cst. André Johnson. “The deceased was located by someone known to her.

“There is no information to suggest that the suspected overdose was intentional,” he said.

Later that same morning, police attended another suspected fentanyl overdose in Kitchener.

A year ago, the Waterloo Regional Police Service released an alert message about the increase in coloured fentanyl in the region.

“There are reports of several variations of coloured fentanyl causing an increased risk of overdose in Waterloo Region. These batches are dangerous and may be stronger and/or contain substances that cause unexpected adverse reactions,” the release said.

The release went on to say coloured fentanyl was found in green, blue, red, purple and multi-coloured batches.

Fentanyl is included in the opioid class of drugs. According to police, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 100 times stronger than morphine. Fentanyl has been found mixed with other drugs including cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine. It’s also found in fake pills meant to resemble OxyContin, Xanax and Percocet. An amount even as small as a grain of sand can be lethal.

In November this year alone, police and paramedic services responded to 88 opioid overdose incidents in the region. Six of them were fatal.

As of December 1, police and paramedics had responded to 1,232 opioid overdose incidents, including 71 fatal overdoses. Two of those fatal overdoses were in Woolwich Township and one in Wilmot Township.

Police are telling people that if they use drugs, to carry naloxone with them and know how to use it, never use alone, not to use at the exact same time as the people they are with,

not to mix substances, and to use at the Consumption and Treatment Services site at 150 Duke St. W., Kitchener. According to the alert release, “Anyone who is involved in a drug poisoning including the person needing help and anyone at the scene is protected from simple possession charges if you call 911 by the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act.”

Naloxone kits are available for free along with other harm reduction supplies in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge. To find out where, visit regionofwaterloo.ca/ harmreduction.

Police advise that if you suspect someone is having an overdose, call 911. Administer naloxone if you suspect it is an opioid overdose. Perform rescue breathing or chest compressions. Do not give any other substances because this could make the situation worse. If there are no improvements, continue to give naloxone every two to three minutes until paramedics arrive.

Police are asking anyone with information about the recent suspected fentanyl overdoses in Kitchener or Wellesley to contact them at 519 570 9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Anonymous tips can be left at www.waterloocrimestoppers.com.

Winter’s here, and it’s probably gonna keep to the middle of the road

Gerber Observer Staff

WINTER HAVING OFFICIALLY LANDED, WE can expect a white Christmas in a few days’ time.

“We come up now to the week before Christmas, it’s looking like a good thing here in your area and Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph area that looks like it’s going to be, definitely, a white Christmas. Not something you can guarantee these days,” said David Phillips, senior climatologist for Environment Canada.

Even though there will be snow in Waterloo Region for Christmas, overall, there’s actually been less snow than normally expected at the beginning of winter.

“We’ve had less snow than we normally would get. Every month has been warmer than normal. We had one of the most gorgeous falls that people can remember. And a lot of that heat left in the lakes and the land, kind of temper temperatures that would normally be colder in December,” he explained.

But he believes the snow should stay until Christmas at least, and tempera-

tures will be about as cold as they should be at this time of year: “Not brutally cold, not polar vortex cold, but they are cool enough to keep whatever snow falls to stay. No warm rain storms or melting temperatures to take that snow away.”

Phillips says that the weather this winter should be fairly normal, with “something for everybody.”

Phillips says a typical winter usually has about six days below minus20 degrees Celsius. Last winter there were ten of those days. The winter before that, there were three of them. Phillips predicts this winter will be milder than last winter, but worse than the year before.

“So we always would get those cold days, but sometimes they’re more frequent than others,” he said. “My sense is that [this year] will probably be somewhere between those two winters.”

All told, there’s something of a mixed bag ahead.

“My sense is that it’s going to be more of an up and down. So people who hate winter, well, I mean, it’s not going to be a tough

one. People who love winter, it will be enough days for them to enjoy what they do.

“So my recommendation would always be not to procrastinate. If the weather is decent for what you want to do, whether it be just strolling or walking in a winter’s night, or skiing or ice fishing or snowmobiling or snowboarding, well I think there will be moments like that, but you can’t delay it.

Phillips says to calculate a “normal” winter, climatologists find the average from the past 30 years.

“It’s not based on last year or the year before or something. We get 30 years of data, say 1981 to 2010 or 1991 to 2020. You average all the numbers together, and that gives you a sense of what is typical, what is normal in your area.”

As far as spring goes and maple syrup season, Phillips predicts that if this winter stays course as a fairly average winter, then there should be no surprises and spring should come along typically rather than the sudden warm-ups, which are terrible for maple syrup production, that have been experienced in the recent past.

BUDGET: Inflationary pressures a factor, says mayor

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have “virtually doubled” over the last couple of years, he added.

“It’s quite a hit. There’s

the inflationary pressures I would imagine that we’re dealing with just like everyone else.”

The 2023 budget is

expected to be back on the agenda January 10 when council looks to finalize the document for the year ahead.

Leah

Opinion

When local news matters

Connect: observerxtra.com/staff

Spirit of Christmas goodwill should be widely embraced

Dear Santa, We know things are a little busy for you right now, but we hope you can find the time to have a look at our wish list. Some of them you’ve heard from us before, and probably from a few others, too.

Just to refresh your memory, we asked only for gifts for others, as we’d like to spread the good cheer in keeping with the character of the season. We’ve pointed out how residents of the townships, region, province and even the country as a whole haven’t always got what they deserved, especially from the politicians and bureaucrats who are supposed to be serving the public interest. Sometimes they get just the opposite, in fact.

Again, we ask this in the true spirit of Christmas – please note that we are not looking for anything for ourselves. We only want what is best for others. That said, here is our wish list for some of the folks who have graced the pages of The Observer – some naughty and some nice.

For Woolwich council: The spirit of skepticism. That way, councillors might figure out that many of the policies formulated by bureaucrats – here and at Queen’s Park – are designed against the public interest, not for the people.

For Wellesley council: A back-to-basics approach, in which councillors tend to make spending decisions as if the money was coming out of their own pockets, there is no bottomless well and taxpayers’ wallets actually matter.

For regional council: A primer on basic economics. And the perils of mission creep. A book on basic math and democracy wouldn’t hurt, either.

For regional residents: Deliverance from years of mismanagement, pet projects and bureaucratic bloat.

For Premier Doug Ford: Some insight into democratic principles and toning down the ideology.

For Ontarians: A respite from the rapidly changing landscape, literally and figuratively.

For Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: A bit more substance to go with the style. Oh, and awareness that virtue signalling does not equal leadership; likewise for wasteful spending.

For the people of the US: A whole lot less Donald Trump. Better yet, none at all.

For pundits and cartoonists: A whole lot more Donald Trump. Fish, barrel, rifle.

For our readers: All the best for the holiday season. And a very Merry Christmas.

Christmas is the closest thing we have to a universal holiday; even the purveyors of junk food shut down for the day. Not everyone gets a pass from work, of course. From convenience stores to essential services, some people have to toil while the rest of us get to enjoy a day off, whether we celebrate Christmas or not.

It’s a time of year that should be relaxing and carefree. Many of us can count our blessings even in this time of rampant inflation and economic uncertainty, but that’s not the case for everyone in our community. For some, the season means extra hardship as an already bare cupboard suddenly seems particularly barren. Then there’s the stress of dealing with the disappointed looks in their children’s eyes.

This harsh reality does not jibe with our sense of what Christmas should be. Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to do something to change reality in our little corner of the world. While response to local drives has been good, it’s not too late to make a difference by dropping off a toy, clothing item or food item in support of those who need them.

More broadly, Christmas often finds us concentrating on what’s important in our lives – family and friends, in particular – and is a prime time for contemplating what we can do collectively to keep the pleasant atmosphere intact for increasingly larger chunks of the year. The enjoyment of a better quality of life goes well beyond a few weeks in December. Or should.

Nuclear fusion: a case of IN and OUT

Nuclear fusion, the ‘holy grail’ that would finally end all the world’s energy problems, has been receding into the future at the rate of about one year per year all my adult life – it was always “about 30 years away” – but suddenly we’re catching up. Unfortunately, the change of pace comes too late to save us from an acute global climate emergency.

The good news came last week from the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. They have finally achieved ‘ignition’: that is, they have managed to get more energy OUT of fusing hydrogen molecules together to make helium than they had to put IN to make the fusion happen.

Theoretically, that reaction should release a huge amount of energy from a relatively tiny amount of hydrogen. That’s the whole reason for working on the problem, and the physics works just fine. But it’s the engineering problem from Hell, and in more than 50 years of experiments they’ve always had to put more energy IN than they got OUT.

Indeed, a long-running joke in the field has been that research on getting useful energy out of nuclear fusion is subject to the “Law of the

Conservation of Difficulty”: whenever one problem is solved, a new one of equal difficulty emerges to take its place. But those days may now be over.

The big news from the Livermore Lab is that they focused 2.05 megajoules of laser light onto a tiny capsule of hydrogen fuel for a few nanoseconds and triggered an explosion – well, first an explosion, then an implosion – that produced 3.15 MJ of energy. That’s ‘ignition’: 54 per cent more energy out than in.

In scientific language, that’s ‘proof of concept.’ Nobody really doubted that fusion could eventually be made to produce useful energy one way or another, but it still needed to be demonstrated in practice. Now it has been.

In terms of the actual energy output, however, it’s pathetic: about enough to boil one kettle. The heavy lifting of making fusion energy work on a huge scale at a commercially viable cost has still to be done, and the Livermore lab isn’t even working on those issues.

Other people are, however, and the signs are promising.

The biggest project is the 35-country International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in France, a huge underground magnetic fusion device that broke ground in 2010, will go active in 2025, and should be producing really interesting results by the mid-2030s.

Half a dozen smaller and more recent private startups are exploring alternative ways to the same goal, and several promising ones hope to have demonstration reactors up and running within this decade. The front runners are Commonwealth Fusion Systems in Massachusetts and General Fusion, a Vancouver-based Canadian-UK partnership.

The ‘Skunk Works’ at Lockheed Martin is also still in the game, working its way through progressively more advanced models of a compact fusion reactor at the rate of one every couple of years. One way or another, the job will get done.

The long-term promise of fusion power is dazzling. It offers effectively limitless energy from an inexhaustible fuel: isotopes of hydrogen that are derived from water (deuterium) and from enriched lithium (tritium). The process cannot result in melt-down,

...

... it matters where you get your local news.

“We're seeing more and more families asking for our assistance for the first time. With the threat of a recession, we anticipate this number will continue to grow. Now more than ever before, we are here for people who need us.” The Salvation Army’s John Murray notes times are particularly tough this holiday season.

A new poll this week finds that nearly 80% of Ontarians feel that “health care is currently in a state of crisis in Ontario,” with 55% pointing to the Ford government as most responsible for the current situation. Ontario Federation of Labour

ANALYSIS OF CURRENT WORLD EVENTS

GWYNNE DYER

Global Outlook on World Affairs

Christmas is a nostalgic time like no other

Andy Williams tells us “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” It’s also the most nostalgic.

Nostalgia is a powerful force, never more so than at Christmas. This season is a time of traditions, a link to our past – some personal, like grandma’s recipe for stuffing, and others shared with many others, like watching A Charlie Brown Christmas.

For me, it’s just not Christmas without Bing Crosby, along with fellow crooners such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Perry Como and the aforementioned Mr. Williams. The movies, TV specials and, of course, the music, most of which predate my own time but are indelibly linked to my Christmases past.

Many of us hold the yuletide season in our hearts, if only because yuletide events are among our most cherished childhood memories, despite the impressions those old notions of Christmas have either come under attack or gone by the wayside.

Nostalgia is particularly prominent around the holidays, experts note, adding that can be both good and bad.

“People feel more nostalgic during the holidays because many memories are reawakened and relationships renewed,” says Krystine Batcho, a professor of psychology at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y. and an expert on nostalgia, in an oft-cited American Psychological Association piece.

During the holidays, families and friends get together to celebrate and reconnect; they get caught up on one another’s lives, reminisce and browse through old photographs. Even from afar, friends and relatives

get back in touch, with phone calls, letters, greeting cards and posts on social networking sites.

“For many, holidays bring back memories of simpler times along with the sense of the security of childhood or the carefree feelings of being young, with fewer of the worries and stress that accompany responsibilities. Most often, holidays remind us of people who have played important roles in our lives and the activities we shared with them.”

For children, of course, Christmas often boils down to what’s under the tree. The day could never come soon enough, and it was always still pitch dark out when you got up to see what Santa had left you.

Gradually, the holiday became more about enjoying the company of family and friends, many of whom you hadn’t seen all year. My fondest memories are certainly linked to those get-togethers, rather than the stuff I got. Those feelings are even more pronounced given that many of those people are no longer around to argue over who gets the last bit of stuffing or how Christmas used to be so much less commercial.

Of course, Christmas has become highly commercialized – some of the symbols we use today were in fact created by marketers – almost to the point of overkill. But there has always been something – a feeling in the air perhaps – that made the season lift the spirits beyond anything the so-called greeting-card holidays could ever do for us. That feeling of warmth

and goodwill, no matter your take on Christmas, is tangible; in some ways, it appears on the wane today as business, stress, and political correctness intrude on the holiday –much as they do on our lives as we progress from childhood into our adult lives.

Many of our nostalgic attachments date back to childhood, Christmas being a font of such memories, notes neuroscientist and author Dean Burnett in a discussion last holiday season with The Naked Scientists podcast.

“Our strongest memories will come from our childhood. When we are developing, our childhood experiences tend to be the most formative. And it’s not logical. A lot of the things our brain prioritizes when it comes to experiences are emotion. Strong,

emotional memories will usually override objectively useful ones. And when you’re a child, what is more emotionally stimulating than Christmas? You’re not in school anymore, you’ve got time off, you’re with your family all the time. You get given loads of presents and there’s lots of colourful things everywhere, and music that you can dance to. There are lots of treats,” he says.

“When you’re a kid, Christmas is an extremely powerful experience. Especially when you’re younger and maybe don’t understand, ‘all I know is when I see trees and baubles, I get lots of good stuff, so I must remember this - this is clearly quite indicative of good times ahead’. When you grow up, and you hear this particular piece of Christmas music for example, you associate that with all

those good times. When you hear it again, those memories come flooding back as it’s triggering the connections.”

Christmas more than any other time of the year transports us back to our childhood, reminding us that maintaining our childlike enthusiasm would make Christmas, and many other things, far more enjoyable.

“It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty founder was a child himself,” offers up Charles Dickens, who knew a thing or two about Christmas spirit.

Ideally, we would really give into our younger selves: most of us knew better, if less. The holiday does tend to bring out more of our humanity, as if it were a reset button of sorts. Our compassion for others, our empathy and feelings of shared fortunes are taken out of the attic along with the decorations and leftover wrapping paper. Christmas is one step back towards our humanity, the rest of the year two steps away from it. Simple math shows how far we’ve strayed … and what we might become.

Again, Dickens observes how Christmas brings out our better natures, in contrast to other times of the year.

“I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.”

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STEVE KANNON Editor's Point of View

Puttin' one word after another here at The Observer, from where we wish you a very Merry Christmas indeed.

In 2022 Santa is 1,751 years old.

Christmas wasn’t always on December 25.

“Santa Claus is Coming to town” was broadcast from space in 1965 aboard Gemini 6.

PARADISE & DISTRICT LIONS CLUB

ↆ LAST WEEK:

Truth: A lack of turkey in Japan led KFC to market “Kentucky for Christmas” since its launch in 1974. KFC starts taking orders in October for the upcoming Christmas season.

Truth: The pine tree emperor moth is also known as the Christmas caterpillar – it is covered in different colours. Eating one at Christmas is said to give a little extra luck in the new year.

Lie: Elf on the Shelf started as a picture book created in 2005 by Carol Aebersold and daughter Chanda Bell.

You can play online by reading any online post at www.observerxtra.com. Vote for the lie and be notified if you are correct immediately.

„ P ublic input key in fight against Bill 23, other changes

To the Editor, Over the past year and more, our regional communities and paid staff put thousands of hours into crafting a new Region of Waterloo official plan. The plan allows for massive new development and housing without jeopardizing the countryside line, without taking anymore farmland than what was in the old official plan. Now our provincial government has been changing the plans of other regions to take large swaths of farmland for development.

In the public consultation stage, we have until 11:59 p.m. on January 4 to get as many supportive submissions as possible into the Environmental Registry of Ontario to help encourage the government to approve the Region of Waterloo Official Plan without any changes such as the massive amounts of sprawl Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark has forced in Halton and Hamilton’s official plans.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

which anyone is welcome to use in total or part:

In your role as public servants, I ask you, the Ontario government, to respect and support the Waterloo Regional official plan. It was put together over many months of hard work by the residents, councils, and municipal staffs within our region.

It is the plan we want. It is a plan that accommodates more growth than provincially required, protects our groundwater upon which we are 100% dependent, and reserves the most productive farmland in the world to produce food for our growing province. The plan is the product of local knowledge, hard-won experience, and awareness of the growing horrors of climate change. We want Ontario to benefit from the fact that we, one of the fastest growing economies in Canada, have done the hard work as required by the province.

Sandra Bray ELMIRA

„ Citizens need to combat Ford’s power grab

potentially resulting in huge property tax increases.

„ Removing the ability of citizens to appeal development proposals, while giving developers the ability to appeal municipal decisions and, if they are successful, forces the municipalities to pay their legal costs.

„ Removing the authority of regional and municipal governments for planning, eliminating their ability to meet climate action commitments, to protect farmland and to address local housing needs.

Developers can build what they want where they want.

„ Removing the ability of conservation authorities to protect the lands under their jurisdiction, rendering them almost useless.

„ Initiating a gradual dismantling of the Greenbelt, threatening farmlands, water sources and natural areas; and contributing to car dependent urban sprawl.

INSEASON HOME + GARDEN (Terry Koudys)

Anonymous x 2

Belmont Repair

Bender Developments Ltd. (Bernice Bender)

Helen Brick

Co ee & T (Ti any Robb and Jason Walsh)

Creative Hair Works (Janet and Je Holland)

Brian and Roza Cunningham

Dietrich Plumbing & Pump Ltd.

Friday AM at 11 – St. Clements Old – Old Timers Group

Hank’s Auto Wreckers (Mike and Laurie Nissen)

Keith Hehn

Ted and Diane Hennebry

Fran Hergott

Inseason Home + Garden (Terry Koudys)

Josslin Insurance

K & K Liquidation and Auction (Kailey and Kris)

Jackie Kuhn

Je rey Kuhn and John Halpin

Jim Kuhn and Family

Auto Fleet Services Inc.

Beverley Baechler

Mike, Lori, Dustin and Nicole Beam

Beanzie (Brenda Brenner)

Diane Bender and Family

Louis and Mary Bender

M. Blundell/A. Kuhn/G. Tapper/C. Weidinger

CMT Engineering Inc.

C.T. Tooling Inc.

Deb Cserhalmi

Curry/Linseman/MacDermott Families

Tom Dietrich

Beth and Ross Drayton

John and Donna Druar

Margaret A. Forwell

Paul and Linda Frey

Mike and Laura Furst

Ed and Anita Gerstenkorn

Donald and Deborah Harte

Steve and Brenda Heibein

Heidelberg Metal Inc.

The Olde Heidelberg Restaurant & Tavern

Marie Hergott and Family

Mark Hergott

Donna Herrgott

IDA Pharmacy St. Clements

Jones Feed Mills Ltd. (Julie and Je Jones)

Murray and Denise Jordan and Derek, Nora and Henry Jordan Rick and Beth Kumpf

George and Lynda Lorentz Martin & Mousso Renovations Inc.

Stephen Menich and Mary Ellen Cullen Murray and Marlene Miles

Joe and Barb Nowak

John and Janet Pfa nger St. Clements Heart & Home St. Jacobs Printery Steed and Evans Limited

MaryAnn Stemmler

Paul and Brenda Stewart

John and Denise Sutherland (J & J Craftsmen)

Jim and Judith Taziar

Tiger Plumbing Inc. (Ed Van Dam)

Up & Down Lifting Solutions

The Wagner Family (Jim and Lynn Wagner)

Bryan and Patty White

Robert and Lorraine Ottman

It’s an easy process to submit comments and you don’t need to be an expert, just a citizen of Ontario or group/organization. Please speak up and encourage others you know to submit comments supporting these official plans that have already been unanimously approved by our local municipalities.

My ERO submission,

To the Editor, Doug Ford is trying to create a dictatorship. He is: „ Trying to give himself the power to appoint supreme court justices.

„ Removing the ability of municipalities to levy development charges, crippling them financially,

→ FROM 6 produces no radioactive waste, and doesn’t take up much land.

Once fusion can produce large amounts of electricity at an affordable price, we can stop burning fossil fuels entirely. Unless there are further dramatic improvements in battery weight and storage capacity, we’ll probably need hydrogen for aircraft and ships, but you just use the abundant electricity to split water for the hydrogen.

peasant you can also retire your existing fission-based nuclear plants. So what’s not to like about fusion? Only the delivery date.

„ Creating “strong mayor” powers, eliminating democratic municipal government.

Rise up Ontario, save our democracy. Join with others to oppose this power grab.

Stemmler

Brad

Wind and solar power will probably remain competitive in cost, but if you’re a superstitious

It is highly unlikely that there will be even a single prototype fusion reactor producing commercially relevant amounts of electricity before 2030. Greenhouse gas emissions may have stopped rising by then, but they probably won’t be falling yet. So current forecasts say that we will be irrevocably committed to +1.5°C higher average global temperature by 2029.

By 2040 we could be seeing a major roll-out

observerxtra.com/letters Write a letter to the editor and submit it online today.

of fusion power plants if we’re lucky, accounting for as much as five per cent of global energy use, but any faster would require implausible changes in the way the world works. By then we’ll be staring +2.0°C in the face – or already experiencing it, if some of the big feedbacks are starting to kick in.

The Paradise and District Lions Club would like to thank the following businesses and individuals listed below who generously contributed $50.00 or more to our 15th Annual Tree of Light Campaign which was another resounding success!

SPECIAL THANKS also to Co ee & Tea, Creative Hair Works, Exotic Wings & Pet Things, Mark Hergott, John Hartung, IDA Pharmacy, InSeason Home + Garden, Kate’s Hair Den, Father Irenaeus Koziak, Emma Koenig, Rick and Beth Kumpf, Hailey Lance, Le Village Hair Salon, St. Clements Library (Pauline), Serge Mammoliti, Santa, Styles By Lori, John Sutherland, Eric Traplin, Olivia VanWyck, Dr. Erin Walker Denistry, Patty White. A very special thank you to Terry Koudys (InSeason Home + Garden) for going above and beyond to help in our fundraising e orts.

GARY FREDE and RHONDA RUSSELL

MARY HAFFNER

JOY BLOOMS FLOWER FARM (Murray and Sharon Runstedler) LINWOOD VETERINARY SERVICES

BEV LORENTZ McARTHUR MECHANICAL LTD. NIAGARA FAUCETS PAUL and JO-ANNE STRAUS RTS COMPANIES INC

Joe and Renate Lehmann Paul and Sue Marshall Steve and Jill McGuinness New Orleans Pizza (St. Clements)

Jake Redpath Richmond Heating & Air Pamela Ringrose Paediatric Physiotherapy

and Dave Roeder and Denise and Murray Jordan

Clements Food Town

and Dianne Saunders Savage Auto Body Margaret Schuller

Soehner Transport

Siopiolosz and Family

Smit

Meats (Stemmler Family)

and Catherine Straus Dolores Straus Brian and Becky Strauss Brian Verspagen and Family Butch Voisin Pavement Markings Cindy Voisin Don and Rita Voll Doug and Barb Wagner

MAJOR BENEFACTORS

TOP STAR

LORENTZ FARMS LIMITED (George and Lynda Lorentz) THOMAS PFAFFINGER DR. ERIN WALKER DENTISTRY

DYER: Fusion not a short-term solution to our crisis

Wilson NEW HAMBURG

Didn’t dodge that one

A return to the Titans

News

that hits home. Local people in action.

Sports tips are always welcome.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com

Team Scores: observerxtra.com/scores

Sugar Kings sweep through three games ahead of Christmas

Steve Kannon Observer Staff

SANTA CAME EARLY FOR THE Elmira Sugar Kings, who swept through a three-game weekend, giving up just two goals in the process.

The wins saw Elmira boost its record to 18-13-1, the 37 points lifting them

into fourth place in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Midwestern Conference.

The Kings got rolling on the road December 16, defeating the Caledon Bombers 4-0. Returning home, they beat the KW Siskins 5-1 on Saturday, then besting the Bombers 4-1 in a rematch Sunday

The greatest gift of all

With Christmas rapidly approaching, many outdoorsmen and women are in full panic mode. Some might even be using the new winter camouflage they bought to hide. And that’s understandable. Gift giving is never easy.

In fact, for outdoors enthusiasts of all stripes, it can be particularly painful. That’s because we typically see gifts solely through an outdoors lens. For instance, if our significant others say they want jewelry, we naturally assume they mean duck bands. Or if they suggest that they would like electronics, we take that to mean they are asking for a fish finder.

The point is we rarely, if ever, get it right.

Lucky for you I worked out the solution to this conundrum years ago.

With that in mind, here is my gift to all you befuddled, outdoors enthusiasts who have yet to find anything remotely resembling what the non-outdoorsy folks in your life would like for Christmas. (By the way, it would help if you looked in a place other than a bait and tackle shop.)

Ready for the best

Christmas gift-giving advice you ever got? OK, why not give your non-outdoorsy family and friends the gift of not having to hear another hunting or fishing story, if only for a day?

Trust me, they’ll consider it the greatest gift of all.

That’s easy, you say? Yeah right.

It actually takes a lot of self-control, selflessness, and sacrifice.

This means you cannot look at your Christmas tree and say, “That reminds me of the time I was up north and shot four spruce grouse out of the same tree.”

Nor does it mean you can retell the story of how you got your biggest gobbler, which you can’t help but notice, dwarfs the turkey being served.

And when the grandkids mention Santa and his team of reindeer, you can’t – just for the duration of the gift, mind you – correct them and say that they are not actually reindeer, but

afternoon at the WMC.

“We played really well on Saturday. Friday was probably our worst effort of the weekend,” said head coach Scott McMillan.

“I think what we saw that on Friday was not a very good effort by us, but we rebounded. I think probably we were looking ahead to Saturday a little

bit too much. We played one of our best games of the year on Saturday, and then playing three games in two and a half days, there wasn’t a lot left in the tank on Sunday. The guys’ effort was good, so I was happy with Saturday and Sunday.”

Last Friday in Caledon, Madden MacDougall’s

goal just a couple of minutes into the game, assisted by Brock Reinhart, proved to be enough, though the visitors didn’t stop there.

At 9:14, Ryan Forwell put the Kings up 2-0, assisted by Joey Martin and Austin Mumby.

this time on a power play, with assists going to Logan Crans and Mumby. Less than four minutes later, it was 4-0 Elmira courtesy of a power-play goal from Luke Della Croce, assisted by MacDougall and Reinhart.

That would be it for the scoring, as the

In the second, MacDougall struck again at 3:41, →KINGS 11

Strong year sees EDSS football player named WCSSAA MVP

Bill Atwood Observer Staff

IN JUST HIS SECOND SEASON playing football, EDSS Grade 10 student Karsten Smith was named MVP for WCSSAA’s junior level. The award is just the latest chapter in a continuous rise for Smith, who had never played football before last fall.

In the spring he played for the Waterloo Predators (now known as the Junior Warriors) regional AA team and was part of Ontario’s U16 team that finished

We will be observing the holidays from

second in the Eastern Regional Challenge this past July.

“My coach called me later in the night and told me that I was the MVP of the league, so obviously I was very surprised. Still, at that moment, I really didn’t know what that word meant – I really just thought I was MVP of the team, which obviously felt really good to be recognized. After knowing the next day when I talked to one of our coaches, knowing how big of an award it was, it really felt [great],”

explained Smith.

In the 10-year history of the award, this is the first time a Lancer has claimed it. That follows another historic first for the team, as it won its first-ever WCSSAA championship last month.

“It was a really good season. I think we came out with some experienced players, but also a lot of inexperienced players, and we really came fast,” Smith said.

“I think it just kind of snowballed and we really became a really

strong team – we just kept winning and then no one wanted to stop winning.”

According to coach Alex Derma, Smith was an important part of the championship team.

“Without him we had a huge void. He allowed us to cover the outside run easier because he would handle the middle because he would just make every play in the middle of the field for us,” Derma explained.

Smith also took on a leadership role with the

Dodgeball Canada, Dodgeball Ontario and Explore Waterloo Region this week announced that the first-ever Canadian Mixed Open Dodgeball Championships will be held in Waterloo on June 10-11.

Frank Schneider, controller at Ball Construction and former president of the KW Titans, has returned to the team as vice president of basketball operations and general manager, the team announced this week. Schneider was president during the inaugural 20162017 season, and stayed with the club through its first three years.

Surrounded by his EDSS coaches, Karsten Smith was named WCSSAA junior football MVP after a season that saw him play multiple positions on the field. Submitted

STEVE GALEA Not-So-Great Outdoorsman

A self-sponsored advertisement

On December 3rd, the Annual Kiwanis Santa Claus Parade was held under some of the most severe weather conditions experienced in the history of the Parade. Success of the Parade is dependent on many people.

It is important to reflect and give credit to those who, even under the nasty conditions, showed commitment and dedication to ensure that others in our community could enjoy the Parade, and, most especially, for the children to see Santa Claus first-hand.

So my personal thank you goes out to:

•the hundreds of volunteers who helped decorate and ride on floats, •our public and high school students for their enthusiasm and assistance with costuming and candy distribution, •the members of the four bands whose music seemed to sound so much better when played in the rain, • the staff of the Township’s main office and yard works, •our volunteer firefighters, •our banner carriers, •our Royal Canadian Legion members, •our WRPS police and auxiliary officers •our Kiwanis Club members, •the parents who brought their children downtown, •the hundreds of children coming to see Santa, •AND, of course, to Santa Claus. You made us proud. What we enjoyed serves as an example of what is meant by the phrase --- Our Caring

WOOLWICH WILDCATS

■ Bantam U15BB

Dec/18/2022 vs ErinHillsburgh Devils

HOME: 0 VISITOR: 0

SHUTOUTS: Mills DeVrieze

■ Bantam U15BB

Dec/19/2022 vs Centre Wellington Fusion

HOME: 0 VISITOR: 1

WOOLWICH WILD

■ Atom U11A

Dec/10/2022 vs Owen Sound Ice Hawks

HOME: 2 VISITOR: 1

GOALS: Emma Forwell, Haylee Zinken

ASSISTS: Samantha Maric (2)

■ Atom U11A Dec/11/2022 vs Owen Sound Ice Hawks

HOME: 3 VISITOR: 1

GOALS: Sophie Hahn, Charlie Wilson, Haylee Zinken

ASSISTS: Emma Forwell, Molly Bauman, Maggie McAdam

■ PeeWee U13A

Dec/10/2022 vs Owen

Sound Ice Hawks

HOME: 4 VISITOR: 2

GOALS: Megan Nixon, Taylor Rayfield, Seryna Hessels, Elle Schwindt

ASSISTS: Megan Nixon, Addison Gunn, McKenzie Rank, Seryna Hessels, Taylor Rayfield

■ PeeWee U13A

Dec/11/2022 vs Stratford Aces

HOME: 0 VISITOR: 0 SHUTOUTS: Elle English

GALEA: Keeping it to yourself ... at least for a day or two

are in fact caribou. Which is something you know a little bit about because you went to northern Quebec in 1989 and hunted them.

Nor can you mention how you had an ice fishing sled which was far more efficient and better designed and constructed than Santa’s sled. Or note how you once almost got frostbite because you went snowshoe hare hunting in socks that were about the same thickness as

those stockings that were recently hung over the chimney with care.

As you can see, it is not an easy gift to give at all. But, if my spouse is any indication, it is one that is definitely appreciated.

This is not to say it should be the only gift you give. Do that and you might not ever have an audience to tell your hunting and fishing stories to again. But it is the gift that answers your better half’s letters to Santa or

your vegan sister-in-law’s prayers.

The good news is you only need to lay off for a day or two. If you do it much longer than that, they will not appreciate the effort as much next year.

Better still, it is that one gift you do not have to cloak in wrapping paper and decorate with a bow. Speaking of bows, remind me after Christmas and I’ll tell you about the time I arrowed that big buck...

Happy Holidays to all.

team.

“He was the first captain we named along with our quarterback. And we knew right away he was going to be a silent leader. He’s not a rah, rah cheery kind of guy, he’s just ‘this is what I do.’

“If he ever needed practice off or he was injured or whatever, he would go coach those kids that were taking over his spot and say ‘hey, this is where you need to be.’ And you’d see him pulling kids aside and showing them where they have to go and why you have to go there. His demeanor, the way he delivers and the way he speaks to people, it makes it easy for kids to listen to him because… they realize the way he’s talking to him he is trying to help them.”

Along with that leadership role came more responsibility for Smith. After spending his first year exclusively on the defensive line, Smith played several positions in all phases of the game throughout the season, including middle linebacker, running back, fullback, placekicker and punter.

“I started off playing on both sides of the ball, just because I was one of the experienced players and I think I had that confidence level that others didn’t. And with some injuries, I had to move around and I think I was able to be

successful in most of the positions that I played,” Smith said.

While he does have natural skill, Smith is also very coachable, Derma stated.

“You can approach Karsten anytime about anything. And ask him, ‘how do you feel about this? What do you think is the best situation for you to be in?’ So when you can talk to a player like that and you know that the response he’ll give you is going to be one that you trust, it makes it a lot easier to work with him. A lot of junior kids, you basically have to tell them where they need to go because they’re not either experienced or confident enough to know they have to go there. But with Karsten you can have a conversation, he’s like another coach on the field,” he explained.

“He’s just very aware, the cerebral part of his game is very high, where he knows where to be and where to go. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t make mistakes, it’s still Grade 10 football, but he’s just very accountable and he’s always where he needs to be.”

The MVP award will help the Lancers’ football program to continue to grow, Derma added.

“Grade 8s coming [to EDSS) see there’s a winning program here. They’ve got an MVP of all Waterloo. They were undefeated. All these things contribute to building that

culture that you want to have,” he said.

Smith plans to play for the regional team again in the spring, with the hope of making the provincial team again. Although that will be more of challenge now that Smith has moved into the older age group, he said.

“I’ll be going against people that are aged up to 18; being 15, that is a three year gap, so it’ll be harder. Obviously I’ll try my best to make the team and if I do, it’d be even more of an accomplishment than last year,” said Smith.

Derma sees Smith continuing to progress at the senior level.

“If he keeps going in the same direction he’s going in and the same rise of development that he has been the last two seasons here, he’s going to be a very good player. He’ll be competing for senior MVP at the end of his grade year 12 or 12 plus year if he keeps going at this level.”

Smith credited his coaches for allowing him to get as far as he has.

“They helped push me through the games and they had a lot of faith in me starting the season. I think they relied on me a lot and I think that they’re able to push me to my highest to allow me to get the MVP and allow us to win the championship. So I don’t think we’ve been able to do it without my team and my coaches.”

Kings cruised to victory, outshooting Caledon 43-24. Elmira was 2-5 with the man advantage, while the Bombers were 0-3. Netminder Daniel Botelho picked up the shutout.

While the score was 4-0, McMillan said the team seemed to coast through the latter part of the game, with some fatigue from the season catching up with the players.

“I asked them after the game if they’re mentally exhausted from it – it’s been a tough year.”

Back on home ice Saturday, the Kings faced a tougher test in the secondplace Siskins.

Elmira set the pace, with the lone goal of the opening period coming early – 2:13 – off the stick of Martin, assisted by Tanner McDonald.

In period number two, the Kings went up 2-0 on another early goal from MacDougall (Della Croce, Jayden Lammel) just 91 seconds in. It was 3-0 at 7:36 when Jackson Heron scored, assisted by Reinhart and Chris Black.

In the third, the home team went up 4-0 –Forwell (Marin, Brady

Schwindt) at 5:58 – before the Siskins finally got on the board with less than two minutes remaining on the clock. Dustin Good’s empty-net goal, assisted by Reinhart, at 19:35 capped Elmira’s win.

Shots were 29-25 in favour of the Siskins, with goaltender Hayden Sabourin stopping 28 for the win. Both teams were 0-2 on the power play.

“There are teams that have kind of separated themselves from the rest of the league, and when we can get a win against those teams, it feels good,” said McMillan, referring to the gap between the Stratford Warriors (54 points), Siskins (49) and Cambridge Redhawks (45) and the fourth-place Kings (37 points).

Perhaps looking for a measure of payback after being shut out on home ice two days earlier, the Caledon Bombers played a tighter game Sunday at the WMC. At least to start.

After a scoreless first period, it was Caledon who got on the board first with a goal at 8:39 of the middle frame. But in a span of less than six minutes, the Kings took back control.

WOOLWICH COMMUNIT Y FUND

Della Croce started the run, scoring at 10:33 with help from MacDougall.

Captain Adam Grein’s unassisted shorthanded goal less than two and a half minutes later gave the Kings the lead with what proved to be the game-winner.

Lammel, from Della Croce and MacDougall, capped the run by scoring the goal that made it 3-1 heading into the second intermission.

The lone goal of the third period was potted by Martin at 16:42, assists going to Della Croce and MacDougall.

Elmira outshot the Bombers again, this time 31-19, with Sabourin stopping 18 to post the W. The Kings were 0-2 on the power play, while Caledon was 0-4.

With those three wins in the bag, the Kings switched into holiday mode for a couple of weeks: their next games isn’t until January 7 when they head down the road to Waterloo to face the Siskins. In the meantime, there will be some practices and scrimmages to help the players maintain their form, said McMillan.

Helping good people do great things

December 12, 2022

Jim Schwindt – Chair 519-577-5927

Ted Brough 519-669-2217

Inga Rinne 519-742-8750

Grace Sudden 519-648-2893

This past year has seen significant reduction in Covid concerns and a gradual return to our pre-pandemic way of life. Although the last two years have been trying for everyone, we’ve all learned some valuable lessons. We’ve learned that simple things like social distancing; washing hands regularly, and meeting on-line whenever possible can prevent the spread of influenza, colds, etc. The other thing that has become evident during these difficult times is the unflagging generosity of our populace. In fact, many charities have reported an increase in donations over the last two years.

In the spring of 2022, the Woolwich Community Fund was able to grant $15,500 thanks to your financial support and the sound management of the Kitchener-Waterloo Community Foundation. This year’s recipients were: Woolwich Community Services, The Ripple Effect, Strong Start, Kate’s Kause, Junior Achievement, and the Brain Injury Association.

Thank you for your support, and I hope we can count on you again this year. Donations can be made to the Woolwich Community Fund, c/o The Kitchener-Waterloo Community Foundation.

As an endowment fund, the Woolwich Community Fund will continue to grow and gifts of cash and securities will help. Please help us support the youth of Woolwich, and accept our wishes for a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2023.

The Woolwich Community Fund –c/o Waterloo Region Community Foundation 260 King St. W., Unit 206, Kitchener, Ontario N2G 1B6 | www.woolwichfund.ca

Phone 519-725-1806 | Charitable Registration # 13217 0994 RR0001

Sincerely

Jim Schwindt Chair

Donations may be sent to The Woolwich Community Fund at the address below:

MVP: Young player is looking ahead to next season

KINGS: Coach sees offence starting to come together as team heads into a much-needed break for the holidays

Business

Leading the way.

Shining a light on local enterprise, stoking the economic engines.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com New Business: observerxtra.com/enterprise

Assessment base grows Workers on the move?

Ontario’s property inventory continued to grow in 2022, with more than $37.8 billion in new assessments, according the MPAC data released this week. Residential homes made up over $28.6 billion of the increase, while commercial and industrial properties comprised of $4.6 billion. The assessed value of Ontario's 5.5 million properties is now estimated to be more than $3.08 trillion.

Tourism industry bracing for a long recovery

Bill Atwood Observer Staff

A NEW REPORT FROM THE Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) released last week claims that the province’s tourism industry will not fully recover from the impact of the pandemic until 2025.

“The holidays are a perfect time for family and friends to discover adventures in Ontario. However, consumers are pinching their wallets as cost-ofliving skyrockets, and a recession looms large –weakening the recovery trajectory for Ontario’s tourism industry,” OCC Rocco Rossi president said in a release.

“We need a comprehensive strategy to safeguard the ailing sector and support its sustainable recovery.”

The report’s findings came as no surprise to Michele Saran, CEO of Explore Waterloo Region.

“We always knew that reopening would not equal instant recovery for the tourism industry. We were the first industry impacted by the pandemic, we were the hardest hit and we will be the last to recover.

Pre-COVID, tourism was a $36-billion industry in Ontario, generating $5 billion in tax revenues.

In 2022 we are achieving approximately 64 per cent of that number as a province.”

The region’s tourism industry took a massive hit, Saran said.

“There was next to no leisure visitation, there were no conventions and there were no sport tournaments. The lowest point was April 2020 when our hotels were running at 18 per cent occupancy.…

It was only in spring of 2022 when things started to really improve consistently,” she added.

The pandemic also posed a threat to the St. Jacobs-based Waterloo Central Railway, said operations manager Bob Fallowfield.

“We made a very tough decision not to run, and being a not-for-profit organization, we rely almost exclusively on ticket fares for our survival. So it actually posed an existential threat to our railway.”

Elmeda Weber, owner of Kitchen Kuttings and Elmira Wagon Rides, said it was local support that kept the operations afloat when visitors stayed away.

“Elmira Wagon Rides was shut down over that time. The store stayed open and we didn’t get day-trippers at all, but we did get a lot of local

support,” Weber said.

Since business resumed, the Waterloo Central Railway has seen operations costs increase, Fallowfield said.

“The price of diesel fuel directly impacts our railway – you’re looking at $9,000 to fill a tank on a diesel locomotive. [Normally] it’s $7,000 or $6,500.”

While Saran pointed out that airfare costs, as well as food and beverage costs are skyrocketing, the tourism industry in Waterloo

Region may not see as big of an impact.

“We are hearing that there is so much pent-up demand for travel that tourism may buck the trend, with people choosing not to forgo that coveted holiday. Waterloo Region is mainly a drive market, so it’s a bit more of a cost-effective getaway for most,” she said.

The report called for a number of actions to be taken that can be taken to help with the recovery, including immigration

reform, the extension of staycation tax credits, and helping tourism businesses become more environmentally friendly. All of these recommendations would be helpful, said Saran.

“Our biggest challenge is the labour shortage, so any immigration policies that allow for us to bring in more people to fill open positions would be well-received,” she added.

Beyond the costs of diesel coming down, grants and limiting future

Will 2023 be the Year of The Farmer?

The idea that corporate farms are rampant in agriculture is false. But like many untruths, it won’t go away, so it needs to be constantly managed.

One of the latest and boldest efforts to bring a dose of reality to the argument comes from an advocacy group called Illinois Farm Families. It’s created a campaign called Year of The Farmer and has gone as far as to buy advertising time during the 2023 Super Bowl to plead its case that family farmers are in control.

Here’s why. The aptly named group, which includes an assortment of

beef, corn, pork, soybean and dairy producers in the state, has research that shows consumers believe just 47 per cent of Illinois farms are family owned.

The true figure is 96 per cent.

That chasm could hardly get bigger, and a Herculean effort is needed to narrow it.

With the Super Bowl, the group is starting as big as it gets. Then after the football game, print, radio, digital and social ads will be placed throughout the year.

The amount of money they’re spending on this campaign hasn’t been

disclosed, but the group is confident it can make a difference.

It has trust on its side. It believes trust in farmers will rise if people connect them more with family traits and virtues, instead of corporatism and its negative connotations. So the video ad they’re producing will feature 30 farm families, who will be thanked in the narrative for all the challenges they’ve faced over the past

few years.

“When people hear that 96 per cent of Illinois farms are family owned, then they’re no longer as concerned about a lot of our management techniques,” Lindsay Mitchell, director of communications at Illinois Corn, told Prairie Farmer. “Consumers trust families, they understand families, they assume that families have the same values that they do, and they’re willing to give us a little bit of the benefit of the doubt when it comes to management practices.”

It’s the same everywhere. Farmers need

space to grow crops and raise livestock, and that space is dwindling even though food production must increase. Governments let farmland disappear and prioritize it very little. This is taking a toll on farmers, who are facing huge mental health challenges as a result. They dominate farm ownership, but the pressure they’re under to produce reasonably priced food as their costs skyrocket is incredible.

Farmers think that their stories engage the public enough, governments will respond.

“I want the campaign to

restrictions would be the biggest help for the railway, Fallowfield said.

“Any sort of recovery or provincial or federal grants are always appreciated. We certainly don’t want to get closed down again. I think every time the government maximizes the doom and gloom of COVID and the pandemic, I think it sort of stalls any sort of progress we’ve already begun to make,” he said.

As her businesses rely on local support, the return of in-person events have aided in the recovery, Weber said.

“The maple syrup festival [coming back next year] for sure that’ll really help and even just having the [BIA] Moonlight Madness [earlier this month]... people were just ready to get back out and ready to do what they’re used to,” Weber said.

Despite challenges Fallowfield is remaining optimist.

“I know that our organization, our volunteers and our board are super capable people, and we’re well supported by the region. So I am hopeful. We’re not knocking on doors saying, ‘hey, remember us?’ We’ve been blessed by having supportive people in the region and good people within our organization.”

help Illinois farmers feel good about their legacy, what they came from and what they’re laying down for the future,” says Mitchell. “I also hope the campaign helps non-farmers and influential people across the state feel differently about agriculture and ask questions.”

Farmers far and wide are counting on the element of trust to resonate with people, so they too will become advocates for fair farm policy. Because there are so few farmers as a percentage of the general public, they need allies. They need the public, and the public needs them.

Many workers will be eyeing greener pastures in the new year despite economic uncertainty, research from consulting firm Robert Half shows. According to the company’s biannual job optimism survey, half of respondents are currently looking or plan to look for a new role in the first half of 2023, up from 31% six months ago.

Elmeda Weber of Kitchen Kuttings in Elmira knows firsthand the impact of tourism shifts. Bill Atwood

Local operations have not been immune from the conditions that led report to conclude it could be 2025 before normalcy returns

OWEN ROBERTS Food For Thought

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Modernizing Ontario’s agri-food research system

It’s no secret that our world is facing some big challenges. Issues like climate change, environmental sustainability and food security are complex and far-reaching – and impacts are already being felt to varying degrees around the world.

Farming can be a source of solutions for many of these challenges, but research and innovation are critical to helping make that happen.

In Ontario, we are lucky to have some topnotch agricultural research talent at colleges, universities and other institutions. We also have terrific agricultural research infrastructure in the form of research stations for crops, livestock, fruits, vegetables and more.

They are part of a long-standing commitment to agricultural research by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), which dates to 1962 when the province created the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario (ARIO).

ARIO is a provincial agency whose mandate includes providing strategic advice to Ontario’s minister of agriculture on matters related to agricultural research, working to modernize provincial agri-food research infra-

structure, and promoting Ontario agri-food research and innovation. ARIO also owns 14 agri-food research properties across the province, which are managed by the University of Guelph through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance.

ARIO is governed by the ARIO Act, which was last updated in the 1990s. Many things have changed since then, and to help both farmers and the agrifood research community respond effectively to newly emerging issues and prepare us for the challenges that lie ahead, OMAFRA has begun a process to modernize the Act.

I’m a grain farmer in Eastern Ontario, and I know first-hand how important research and innovation are on our farm. It’s what gives us new products to protect our crops against pest and diseases, new practices to keep our soil healthy, and new crop varieties to help us grow more and better food.

I am also a member of the ARIO board of directors, which gives me a unique understanding of how the research system works in our province.

In my opinion, one of Ontario’s best kept secrets has been ARIO. It’s been

Ag. tribunal appointment Payouts for dairy sector

The federal Ministry of Agriculture and AgriFood this week announced the appointment of Emily Crocco as chairperson and full-time member of the Canada Agricultural Review Tribunal. She will adjudicate cases brought before the tribunal and divide the work among the three part-time members. Her five-year term is effective January 17, 2023.

The fourth round of Ottawa’s payout to dairy farmers, the result of deals struck in the wake of free-trade agreements, is now available. Producers will receive compensation payments based on their milk quota. For example, the owner of an 80 head dairy farm will receive $38,000 in direct payment compensation. Total compensation from the fourth round totals some $468 million.

Ottawa launches consultations on new sustainable ag. strategy

The federal Ministry of Agriculture and Agri-Food last week announced the launch of consultations to develop a sustainable agriculture strategy (SAS).

The strategy will serve as a guide to support the livelihoods of farmers while growing a sustainable sector. By identifying goals and a way forward,

Canada’s agriculture sector will be equipped to recover quickly from extreme events, thrive in a changing climate, contribute to world food security, while also contributing to Canada’s overall efforts to cut emissions, the ministry said in a release.

Producers have already taken action on sustainability in a wide range of

ways. The government says it wants to amplify the work already underway and increase adoption of these best practices. Their expertise will be used to identify the best solutions in the development of the new strategy.

“The Sustainable Agriculture Strategy will pave the way to help us sustain the livelihoods of farmers.

Drawing from their expertise and best practices, we can ensure that the sector is more resilient in the face of climate change, said Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau in a release.

The SAS will be developed in close collaboration with the agricultural sector. Provinces and → SAS 15

SAS: Strategy to concentrate on issues

territories will be engaged through the consultation phase and focus on how to best work collaboratively towards developing the strategy. The process will include public consultations, targeted workshops and an advisory committee. Co-chaired by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the CFA, the advisory committee will be comprised of industry experts, including producers and representatives of associations and non-governmental organizations. The members will collaborate to identify shared challenges and solutions as we take steps towards finalizing the Strategy in the next year. The committee’s inaugural meeting occurred December 12.

Among the groups serving on the committee are the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute, Canadian Pork Council, Canadian Wildlife Federation, Dairy Farmers of Canada and the Fruit & Vegetable Growers of Canada.

“The Sustainable Agriculture Strategy comes at a critical time for Canadian producers. Farmers are being asked to balance immediate financial pressures with long-term sustainability goals. This approach, which considers all facets of sustain-

ability – environmental, economic, and social – is needed to ensure we can find pragmatic business solutions that support continued competitiveness and reduce the sector’s environmental footprint,” said Mary Robinson, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

A Sustainable Agriculture Strategy will bring together, under one umbrella, action needed in the agriculture sector as identified through various public and stakeholder engagements. A strategy will collectively identify goals and actions from other ongoing initiatives as well – such as consultations on developing a path towards reducing fertilizer emissions in the sector, a National Adaptation Strategy, the new Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Canada’s contribution to the Global Methane Pledge, as set out in Canada’s Methane Strategy, and the development of the Canada Water Agency.

The overarching and integrated strategy will focus on five priority issues – soil health, climate adaptation and resilience, water, climate change mitigation, and biodiversity.

The consultations run until March 31.

OFA: Research needed to tackle increasing challenges in the sector

there, quietly in the background for decades but something all of us, farmers and non-farmers alike, benefit from. We have a great framework in place that lets us nurture and pursue publicly funded research, but now it’s time to modernize it so we can foster the innovation and collaboration we need to help us tackle these new, big challenges.

This requires long-term thinking, and we must be looking at our research and our farming landscape through a lens of generations, not years. Improving soil health, for example, is a slow, steady process that needs a commitment of decades. This means we need long-term research to help us discover and adapt

new best management practices that are going to truly make a difference for our ability to farm sustainably while also ensuring we’re able to produce the food the world needs.

Modernization will also let research focus on new areas where we haven’t seen a lot of investment in the past, like smart farms, robotics, automation or One Health – the approach that plant, animal and human health are interconnected.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) welcomes a chance to weigh in on the modernization of the ARIO Act and Ontario’s agri-food research system.

Research can only truly make a difference for agriculture if outcomes

are shared and adopted by farmers and others in the agri-food industry. It’s important that agri-food research meets the needs of the sector and better knowledge sharing to get research results into practice.

→ FROM 14 and sustain Ontario’s soil, air, and water resources.

It’s essential that ARIO enables innovative research that supports farmers and farm businesses, and that any processes to set research priorities for the agri-food sector include farm organizations and agricultural commodity groups.

We believe that agrifood research is a critical tool for Ontario farmers, providing new technologies and practices that improve agricultural productivity, develop new agricultural products,

Agriculture is a knowledge-based industry and research is essential to the sector’s future competitiveness by providing tools to generate improved plant and animal genetics, more efficient production systems, and safer, better quality products.

I believe that we are very fortunate in Ontario to have the agri-food research system and infrastructure available to us through ARIO and by modernizing and strengthening that agency, we will have the tools few need to help us tackle the challenges of the 21st century and beyond.

ↆ Jennifer Doelman, director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Research is a critical tool for the sector, says the OFA’s Jennifer Doelman, director, a grain farmer in Eastern Ontario.

such as climate adaptation

According to a new survey by Cineplex, two-thirds of Canadians watch movies as part of their holiday traditions. The country’s most beloved holiday movies are the nostalgia-filled classic Home Alone, the comedic National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and the sentimental comedy Elf.

It’s a busy and fruitful time for local folksinger

compose the music for the lyrics.

LOCAL FOLKSINGER

CARLA MULLER’S

NEWEST single was 15 years in the making. The song Snow Came Falling was inspired by the drive home she and her husband took in a snowstorm from the Guelph hospital after the birth of their daughter Charlotte in 2007.

“It was just the kind of snow that just changes the whole landscape, like everything’s flocked in white, everything’s beautiful. The crunch of the wheels of the car in the snow ... it was a great storm, but it was just so gentle. My husband’s driving with white knuckles on the steering wheel, and I just kept in the back with Charlotte and singing to her to keep her quiet, and [within half an hour] I had the whole song. I just kept singing it in the loop so I wouldn’t forget it,” Muller explained.

Muller later worked with guitarist and collaborator Sean Cunnington to

“The problem I have is that I’m a songwriter who doesn’t play an instrument. So it requires almost a mind-meld of sorts,” the Woolwich based singer explained.

While Muller has continued to write music the release of the single was put on hold while she opened her business, Baby Charlotte, in 2008.

In March 2020 Cunnington was one of Ontario’s first reported COVID-19 deaths.

“I guess I always thought he’d be there. I always thought we would get them done. So we just sort of kept working on hashing out the songs and writing them with plans to put an album out some day. I wanted to have a number of other lullabies because I was going to do this on a lullaby album,” she explained.

“I thought that if I could lose him, I could lose me. I need to get these down for the people I love,” Muller added of the impetus for pushing ahead.

Muller is currently working on a five-album project with several other artists, including Scott Metcalfe, Nathan Hiltz, Ross MacIntyre and Mark Lalaman. “The in Between Project,” totaling 58 tracks, will include several songs that have special meaning to Muller and her family.

“We kind of started that with me thinking I really want to get these done, but 15 songs that are fraught with emotion do not make a great album. So I kind of had to space them out and we’ve spaced them out over five albums that will come out in the next two years,”

Muller explained.

Snow Came Falling will be included on the Christmas album included in the project.

With the song Muller is hoping to have listeners take a moment and reflect on what matters most.

“When was the last time you really believed some-

thing, really believed it? It might have been a parent or grandparents or even a sibling that tricked you into believing something but you believed it with your whole heart. Can you remember that last time?” she asked.

“That’s the feeling. I want to remember that. In a lot of my music I kind of go back to my 8-year- old self, my 14-year-old self, even my 20-year-old self with new babies and now my 51 year old self. I guess you could say that my songs have a strong sense of self.”

Muller is also using the release of the song to help raise funds for the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, with 50 per cent of the proceeds from the single going towards the cause.

“They’re really having a hard time. A dollar used to buy three meals and now it buys two meals, and that’s significant. Groceries are just too expensive. We need to share the wealth that we have of food. We need to share that with our neighbours,” she said.

Stratford’s 2023 season Holiday time is movie time

Bill Atwood Observer Staff

Carla Muller draws on personal experience for the new single, Snow Came Falling. Submitted

The single Snow Came Falling is one of Carla Muller’s songs of self, and a fundraiser for the food bank

Help Wanted

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Farm Services

BAGGED PINE SHAVINGS AGRICULTURAL Spray Lime, 22.5kg. bag; feed grade lime, 25kg. Delivered. Call George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.

FERTILIZER AND SEED GRAIN - AT COMPETItive pricing. Call George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141.

ICE SALT & ICE MELT - ICE SALT COMES IN 20kg, Ice melt comes in 20kg bags. Call George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.

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LOOKING FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE (750-1250sq.ft.) to lease for a kids' recreation program. If you have an empty space sitting unused that you think would work, please contact Mark at 519-577-7874.

WISHING YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS and a Happy New Year. Peace, hope and love. Feel free to call anytime with any antique items you wish to dispose of. Call Terry 519-242-6900 or gallamore@golden. net

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Help Wanted

KILN DRIED CORN & CORN

SCREENING

Delivered by Einwechter. Minimum 15 ton lots. Call George Haffner Trucking 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.

KARATE HOLIDAY SPECIAL! SCHWEITZER'S MARTIAL ARTS 8 weeks plus uniform only $139.50! Taxes extra. Beginners only. Join now or give as a gift Special ends Jan. 7, 2023 Group classes for ages 4 to adult Classes taught by Renshi Becky Schweitzer, 4th Degree Black Belt and 12X World Karate Champion Location at St. Peters Lutheran Church - 2925 Lobsinger Line, Heidelberg Call 519-580-1418 or e-mail becky_schweitzer@ hotmail.com www. schweitzersmartialarts.com

Our highly sought after suites have a rare opportunity of the immediate availability of a 2 Bedroom unit in our tastefully decorated mature living rentals. This unit includes use of all amenities without extra fees. We are located in the heart of St Jacobs. For more information including pricing please visit www.stjacobshomelofts.ca or call (519)664-1919 ext. #1

Auction

44 ACRE FARM FOR SALE

Through our customized tender process, 205 Sandy Hills Dr. Woolwich Twp. (5km north of Elmira on Arthur St. East on Sandy Hills Dr.), for Allan and Dorothy Frey.

Initial Offer Deadline: TUESDAY FEB. 21ST, 6:00 P.M.

44 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, sandy loam soil, 25 acres workable, approx. 10 acres bush, a large, picturesque spring fed pond, well-maintained lawns & gardens. House (Built in 1990) – Brick and angel stone bungalow, 2 car garage & 12 X 24ft. deck, asphalt roof, vinyl windows. Main floor –(approx. 1750 sq. ft.) – Large kitchen with oak cabinetry, 3 bedrooms, bathroom, washroom, living room & laundry room. Finished walkout basement – Kitchenette, 2 bedrooms, bathroom, large rec-room with wood stove, cistern. Heating/cooling - 6 year old propane “air to air” furnace. Detached 24 X 32ft. insulated storage shed. Drilled well. A beautiful farm in a good location. 5 minutes to Elmira, 20 minutes to Waterloo, 25 to Guelph. See www.gerberauctions.net for photos. Contact Gerber Auctions for more info on process and to view.

AUCTIONEERS: Gerber Auctions Ltd. 519-699-4451

Community Information Page

COMMITTEE OF ADJUSTMENT NOTICE OF HEARING

MONDAY January 16, 2023 at 4:30 P.M.

Pursuant to the Planning Act and Ontario Regulations 197/96 and 200/96 take notice that the Committee of Adjustment for the Township of Woolwich will meet for the purpose of hearing all persons interested in support of or opposition to any of the following applications as described below. Please note this will be a virtual meeting only and public attendance at the Township offices will not be permitted. Below is information on how you can submit comments, view or participate in the meeting. You may also contact the Committee Secretary by sending an email to planning@woolwich.ca or by phone at 519-6696040 if you have any questions.

COMMITTEE OF ADJUSTMENT APPLICATIONS

MINOR VARIANCE APPLICATION A 1/2023 - William Swijters, 18 Snyder Avenue South, Elmira

ZONE / USE: Residential Mixed Medium Density (R-4) / single detached dwelling

PROPOSAL: The applicant is requesting relief from Section 6.13.1 b) to permit parking ahead of the building line to permit the creation of a duplex. The applicant has renovated the existing dwelling to create a second residential unit and is required to provide two parking spaces. As the property only contains a single car garage the second required parking space will be located in the existing driveway and ahead of the building line.

MINOR VARIANCE APPLICATION A 2/2023 - Mintvalley Farm Ltd., 425 St. Charles Street West

ZONE / USE: Agricultural (A) / single detached dwelling, dairy operation, farm storage buildings and manure tanks

PROPOSAL: The applicant is requesting permission to reduce the required Minimum Distance Separation between an existing dairy operation and the single detached dwelling at 420 St. Charles Street West from the calculated 117 metres to approximately 90 metres, to permit an addition to the front of the existing barn. The applicant is proposing to construct a 646 square metre addition to the dairy barn for additional housing and two robots.

CONSENT APPLICATION B 1/2023 – 2440979 Ontario Inc., 1431 Lobsinger Line

ZONE / USE: Industrial Commercial – Rural (M-3) / single detached dwelling, barn, accessory storage building and accessory office building

PROPOSAL: The applicant is proposing to sever an irregular shaped parcel of land from the corner property as follows:

• the proposed severed lands will comprise approximately 1.03 hectares in area with approximately 57 metres frontage along Lobsinger Line and approximately 138 metres frontage along Three Bridges Road and will contain the existing dwelling and accessory office building; and

• the proposed retained lands will comprise approximately 0.6 hectares in area with approximately 61 metres frontage on Lobsinger Line and contain the existing barn and accessory storage building.

The applicant intends to redevelop the proposed retained lands by demolishing the existing barn and constructing a new office building. Both the severed and retained lands will be privately serviced with wells and septic systems.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

As in-person meetings are not an option at this time, you can view or participate in the meeting as follows:

• view the Committee of Adjustment livestream on the Woolwich Township YouTube channel at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOnLlF3Srk2gLEBjkq8pIMQ OR

• participate by registering with the Committee Secretary on or before 12 noon on Wednesday January 11th. To register please email planning@woolwich.ca or phone 519-669-6040. When registering you must provide your name, phone number, email and the application number you would like to comment on. Once you are registered the Committee Secretary will forward information on how to connect to the Zoom meeting (i.e. zoom Wi-Fi login or conference call number).

If you are unsure whether or not you would like to speak at the meeting but want to listen and have the option to comment on a particular application, please register with the Committee Secretary (see above information). You will not be required to speak if you do not want to.

WHY REGISTER

By registering staff can ensure that you are permitted access to the virtual meeting, we know which application you are commenting on and, can call on you at the appropriate time to comment if you wish to do so. As it is virtual, registering will provide a level of security that is necessary to prevent unwanted guests from disrupting the meeting. Applicants and their consultants will be automatically registered and contacted accordingly by the Committee Secretary ahead of the meeting.

SUBMITTING COMMENTS

If you would like to comment on a particular application, staff always recommend that you do so by:

• submitting a letter by mail or delivering it to the Township office at 24 Church Street West, Elmira and placing it in the drop box on the Maple Street side of the building; or

• submit an email to planning@woolwich.ca

You can also contact the Township Planner at 519-669-6033 to discuss any comments / concerns however, this is not considered a formal comment. The Committee will consider submissions for or against the applications. All submissions must be made no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday January 6th (Note that this date is before the meeting). Any submissions received will be included in a comment package and presented at the meeting. This information is collected and maintained for the purpose of creating a record that is available to the general public at the Committee of Adjustment hearing. Please note that while the Committee may redact some personal information such as email addresses and phone numbers, your submissions will otherwise be made public in their entirety. This notice has been sent to commenting agencies, and to owners of property located within 60 metres (200 feet) of the subject properties. If you wish to be notified of any last minute changes to the agenda (i.e. withdrawal of an application) you must contact the Committee Secretary at 519-669-6040 or 1-877-969-0094 (Ext. 6040) or by email to planning@woolwich.ca.

Notice of Decision: Within 10 days of the meeting, a copy of each decision will be sent to owners, agents, those who submit written comments, and people who register for the meeting. If you wish to be notified of the decision of the Committee of Adjustment in respect to this application, you must submit a written request to the Committee Secretary or register ahead of the meeting. This will also entitle you to be advised of a possible Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.

Appeal of Minor Variance and Consent Applications: An appeal from a decision of the Committee of Adjustment to the Ontario Land Tribunal shall be filed with the Secretary-Treasurer of the Committee of Adjustment, in person at 24 Church Street West, Elmira. The Tribunal may dismiss an appeal without holding a hearing if the appellant did not make oral or written submissions to the Committee of Adjustment before a decision was given or does not provide a reasonable explanation for having failed to make a submission to the Committee.

QUESTIONS / FURTHER INFORMATION

Please feel free to reach out to Township Staff by phone or email to assist you should you have any questions. Contact the Committee Secretary at 519-669-6040 or 1-877-969-0094 (Ext. 6040) or by email to planning@woolwich.ca

Information Page

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

Monday, January 23, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.

Regarding Zone Change Application 1/2023

James K. Bauman, 6918 Middlebrook Road

Please note this will be a virtual meeting only and public attendance at the Township offices will not be permitted. Below is information on how you can submit comments, view or participate in the meeting. You may also contact Development Services staff by sending an email to planning@woolwich.ca or by phone at 519-669-6040 if you have any questions.

Take Notice that in accordance with the Planning Act, R.S.O., 1990, c.P.13, as amended, the Township of Woolwich has received a complete application for the proposed zoning amendment application more specifically described below. This notice summarizes the details of this application and includes a location map of the subject lands. Please be advised that Notice of a Complete Application does not indicate whether the municipality is in support of, or in opposition to the proposal. That determination will be made at a later date.

The Township of Woolwich will hold a Public Meeting, under Section 34 of the Planning Act, to consider the following Zone Change application. No decisions will be made at this meeting; its purpose is to provide additional information to the public and agencies and to receive comments and information from them.

APPLICATION DETAILS

The subject lands, comprising 33.8 ha in area, and located at 6918 Middlebrook Road, are zoned Agricultural (A). The property contains a single detached dwelling, livestock operation and industrial farm shop with associated outdoor storage. The applicant is proposing a site-specific amendment to permit an Agricultural Related Use being the:

• repair of agricultural equipment; and • fabrication and painting of farm equipment; within a 1.2 hectare area of operation.

APPEAL RIGHTS

TAKE NOTICE that if a person or public body would otherwise have an ability to appeal the decision of the Township of Woolwich to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal but the person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Township of Woolwich before the bylaw is passed, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision.

AND TAKE NOTICE that if a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting, or make written submissions to the Township of Woolwich before the by-law is passed, the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal unless, in the opinion of the Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to add the person or public body as a party.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

As in-person meetings are not an option at this time, you can view or participate in the Public Meeting as follows:

VIEW the Public Meeting / Council meeting livestream on the Woolwich Township YouTube channel at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOnLlF3Srk2gLEBjkq8pIMQ ;

PARTICIPATE in the Public Meeting by REGISTERING with Council/Committee Facilitator on or before 1:00 pm on Tuesday, January 17, 2023

To register please: • visit www.woolwich.ca/delegations for more information on speaking before Council and to register through the online delegation request form; or • email council meetings@woolwich.ca or phone 519-669-6004.

When registering you must provide your name, phone number, email and the application number you would like to comment on. Once you are registered staff will forward information on how to connect to the Zoom meeting (i.e. zoom Wi-Fi login or conference call number).

If you are concerned that you do not have access to phone or internet or are otherwise concerned about the reliability of your signal, please ensure that you submit written comments. Written comments do not negate your opportunity to also speak at the Public Meeting but do ensure your voice is heard should your electronic connection to the meeting not work.

If you are unsure whether or not you would like to speak at the meeting but want to listen and have the option to comment on a particular application, please register with the Council/Committee Facilitator. You will not be required to speak if you do not want to.

WHY REGISTER

By registering staff can ensure that you are permitted access to the virtual meeting, we know which application you are commenting on and, can call on you at the appropriate time to comment if you wish to do so. As it is virtual, registering will provide a level of security that is necessary to prevent meeting disruptions.

SUBMITTING COMMENTS AND REQUESTING NOTIFICATION

You can express your concerns/ comments about the proposed changes in writing to the Township of Woolwich. Any comments received on or before Wednesday, January 11, 2023 (Note that this date is before the public meeting) will be included in a report prepared by Development Services and presented at the Public Meeting. Any comments received after the Public Meeting, but prior to Council making a decision on the applications, will be considered.

The personal information accompanying your submission is being collected under the authority of the Planning Act and may form part of the public record which may be released to the public. This information is collected and maintained for the purpose of creating a record that is available to the general public at the Committee of the Whole and Council meetings. Please note that while the Committee of the Whole and Council may redact some personal information such as email addresses and phone numbers, your submissions will otherwise be made public in their entirety. Questions about this collection should be directed to the Records and Freedom of Information Officer at 519-669-1647 or 1-877-969-0094 ext. 6005.

Should you wish to be notified of future meetings and reports regarding the Zone Change application please:

• submit a written request, noting that you wish to be kept informed, to the Township of Woolwich, Development Services, 24 Church Street West, Box 158, Elmira, Ontario N3B 2Z6, or

• email your request noting that you wish to be kept informed to planning@woolwich.ca

If Council approves the change, a notice will be mailed to you explaining the By-law.

MORE INFORMATION

Additional information related to these applications can be viewed or obtained as follows:

Schedule an appointment to view the documents at the Township Administration building located at 24 Church Street West, Elmira weekdays between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm. To schedule an appointment please call 519-669-6040 or email planning@woolwich.ca

Dated at the Township of Woolwich this 22nd day of December 2022.

Middlebrook

Obituary

Special Thanks

Sincere thanks for family and friends, for prayers, visits, caring and concern since the passing of my dear loved husband Earl in 2020.

Special thanks to Dr. Snider for knee replacement, to Larry and all caring family and friends at Chartwell Residence.

Wishing you all a safe and healthy Christmas and a prosperous 2023.

Love and appreciation, Joan A.

Birthday Happy Birthday Cassandra

Sippel, Audrey Elaine

Passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 17, 2022 at GRH Freeport Palliative Care, Kitchener at the age of 93. Loving mother of Luanne (Brian) Gingerich, Donna (Jim) Moore, and Richard Sippel. Grandmother to Kevin (Karen) Gingerich, Michael (Lauren) Gingerich, Jeff (Jen) Gingerich, Jonathan (Erin) Moore, and Karen Moore. G.G. to Faith, Katelyn, Leigha, and Rachel Gingerich. She will be missed by brother-in-law Bill Quirk, nieces, nephews, and their families. Audrey is now reunited with her beloved husband Eldon Sippel (1989). She was predeceased by her parents Norman and Florence Demerling, her brother Jim (Edna), her sister Sharon Quirk, and dear companion Walter Hagarty. Audrey was the ultimate Blue Jays and Elvis fan. She was a talented seamstress and in her later years an avid knitter and quilter. Audrey spent many years as head of Admissions for the Elmira Raceway and was known for her keen sense of humor and wit. Following Audrey’s wishes, cremation has taken place and a private family celebration will follow. As expressions of sympathy, donations to the Grand River Hospital Foundation or the charity of your choice would be appreciated and can be made through the Dreisinger Funeral Home, Elmira. ❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

Obituary

Elam M. J. Martin

Obituary

Weber, Noah W.

Passed away on Sunday, December 18, 2022 at the home of his son John and Salome Weber of RR 1, Wallenstein, in his 95th year. Beloved husband of the late Lydia Martin (2000). Dear father of Alvin (Selina) and Sidney (Mary) both of RR 3, Listowel, David (Maryann) and John (Salome) both of RR 1, Wallenstein. Leaves behind 23 grandchildren and 59 great-grandchildren. Brother of Susannah (the late Elo) Martin of RR 6, Mount Forest; Rebecca (the late Amos) Burkhart of RR 3, Wallenstein; and Annie of RR 3, Listowel. Predeceased by his parents David M. and Salome Weber, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Visitation was held on Monday, December 19, 2022 from 3 – 5 and 6 – 8 p.m. and on Tuesday, December 20, 2022 from 1-5 p.m. at the home of David and Maryann Weber, 7531 Wellington Rd. 86, RR 1, Wallenstein. Family service was held on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at 9 a.m. at the home then to Peel Mennonite Meeting House for further services and burial in the adjoining cemetery.

Elam M. J. Martin passed away at his home at R.R. 3, Harriston on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, at the age of 92 years. Elam was the husband of the late Lydia Martin (2014). Father of Harvey and Melinda Martin of Westmeath, Nancy and Levi Weber of Wallenstein, Lena and Edwin Martin of R.R. 1, Harriston, Levi and Martha Martin of R.R. 3, Harriston, and Jonas and Anna Martin of R.R. 3, Harriston. Remembered by 40 grandchildren and 71 great-grandchildren. Brother of Enos Martin of Drayton, Mrs. Barbara Martin of Elmira, and stepbrother of Reuben Bauman and his wife Hannah of Drayton. Brother-in-law of Lauretta Martin of Elmira. Predeceased by his son Henry Martin, sister-in-law Minerva Martin, brother-in-law Enos Martin, his parents Jonas and Amanda Martin, and by his foster parents Austin and Lucinda Snyder. Friends and relatives may call at the home of Jonas Martin, 6466 6th Line, R.R. 3, Harriston on Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and Friday from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. A family service will be held at the home on Saturday, December 24, 2022 at 9:00 a.m., with burial and further service to follow at Westdale Mennonite Church, Minto Township. Arrangements entrusted to the HardyLee Funeral Home, Harriston. ❖ www.hardyleefuneralhome.com

Obituary

Obituary

Dyck, Lillian Louise

Passed away peacefully at Freeport Hospital on Thursday, December 15 2022, to be with her Lord and Savior at the age of 91. Loving mother of Dianne Friesen, Randy (Ruth) Dyck and Jamie VanDyck. Proud grandmother of Dana (Joel) Crawford, Jared Friesen, Jeremy (Lisa) Dueck and Karalyn (Aaron) Smits and great grandmother of Cadence, Kirsten, Ethan, Tristan, Carter and Kinsley, and dear sister of Rita Willms, and sister-in-law of Nancy Fehderau, and brother-in-law Neil Fast. She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 68 years, Peter Dyck in 2019, her son at birth, son-inlaw Albert Friesen, parents Nicholas and Louise Fehderau, and her siblings Harold Fehderau and Elenore NeufeldFast, and brother-in-law Jake Willms. Lillian worked at various jobs including the bank and Schneider’s as a teenager before getting married and helping with accounting at her husband’s company P.G.Dick Electric Limited for 25 years. Her musical contribution on the piano and organ at Kitchener Mennonite Brethren Church was appreciated by many – initially accompanying the church choir in 1947and then her services on the piano and organ at church services, weddings, and funerals for over 50 years after. Throughout her life, Lillian cherished good friendships and nurtured them. The family would like to thank the wonderful staff (nurses, LHIN care workers, doctors) at Grand River and Freeport hospitals who made her life more comfortable to the end. The family will receive relatives and friends on Wednesday, December 28, 2022, from 3p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo. A celebration of Lillian’s life will be held in the chapel of the funeral home on Thursday, December 29 at 11a.m. with Pastor Adam Knowles of W.M.B. officiating. A receptionwill follow the service. As expressions of sympathy, donations to Multiply (MB Mission) or the Canadian Bible Society would be appreciated by the family and may be arranged by contacting the funeral home at www.erbgood.com or 519-745-8445.

❖ www.erbgood.com

LIOTA, Margaret Eleanor

Passed away peacefully with family at Chartwell, Elmira at the age of the 93 years.

Margaret, liked all goodies: ice cream, chocolate, candies of all kinds. And a good glass of wine. She enjoyed playing bridge and euchre especially with her buddy, Nanci Phelan.

Beloved wife of the late Joseph Liota (1985).

Loving mother of Joyce Reimer (Walter Gosk) and the late Betty Liota – Massett, Mother - In - Law to Tony Massett and his Partner, Jane Dover. Cherished grandmother of Adrian and Ariel Massett.

Predeceased by her sister Marion Sparks.

Cremation has taken place. A Celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Special thanks to the staff at Chartwell Elmira, who offered such kindness at the end of life. And too Mary Ann Bauman, with whom she shared a home for 15 years in Elmira. Such love and caring from all.

Messages and condolences may be left for the family at: www.tricitycremations.com or 519.772.1237.

Death Notice

MOSER, ELIZABETH - Passed away unexpectedly at Listowel Memorial Hospital at the age of 57 years on Tuesday, December 13, 2022.

PLEIN, MARJORIE MARIE "MARJIE"Of Howdenvale, formerly of Elmira, peacefully passed at Grey Bruce Health Services Owen Sound on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at the age of 75.

HAROLD G. STEFFLER - Passed away peacefully on November 30th, 2022 in Ottawa at the age of 106. Born in Elmira.

Love, Mom, Dad, Nicole, Nick, Colin, Courtney, Jack, Dobby, Molly, Mia, Jordan, Lucy and Binx

Employees at Home Hardware Stores Ltd. hosted a “Spirit of Giving” turkey dinner at the headquarters in St. Jacobs that generated more than 4,000 non-perishable food items, 100 hats, mitts and scarves, 38 toys, 260 rolls of wrapping paper, 150 rolls of tape, and some $2,500 in cash donations for Woolwich Community Services’ Christmas Goodwill Program. The company itself donated another $2,500 to bring the cash total to $5,000. Submitted

Living Here

It's about all of us.

Leading the way reporting about the people and places of home.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com Report it: observerxtra.com/tips

Powering up mealtime

Drawing on its customers, local utility Enova Power Corp. is supporting local families with a donation of more than 10,000 meals to The Food Bank of Waterloo. Through an eBilling campaign that ran from mid-October to late November, Enova donated six meals on behalf of each customer that registered for eBilling.

Local food ... shared

Local vendor Joyful Gift Baskets is donating $5 to Woolwich Community Services’ food bank with every basket purchased through Feb. 3. The baskets feature local products such as preserves, extending the support to the local food market.

Taking a stroll through a Christmas past

THE SMELL OF BURNING KEROSENE seems almost familiar to someone walking along the lanternlit paths in Doon Heritage Village during the holidays. Afterall, it wasn’t so long ago that burning fuel in a lantern was the norm when it came to lighting your way.

The Friends of Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum hosted the Starry Night event this season as a fundraiser, inviting guests to come explore the village in the evening during the Christmas season – its shops and homes decorated and filled with volunteers in costume re-enacting Christmas in Waterloo Region in 1914, at the time of the First World War.

When first entering the village, the imposing black Canadian Pacific locomotive looms out of the dark

next to the vintage Petersburg Station. You follow the path outlined by bubbles of light coming from the lamps, and make your way past the Martin Farm, through the covered bridge and into the village which includes a weavery, dry goods and grocery store, meat market, post office and tailor shop, blacksmith, sawmill, repair shop, church, firehall, another farmstead and multiple homes.

“That was a really interesting time in Ontario’s history because this is Canada, emerging as an increasingly industrialized society, but one that still had very strong rural roots and still very much an agricultural society as well,” said Sean Stoughton, the village coordinator for the museum. He also notes that this area in particular was interesting because it was a largely German cultural centre during the time when the First World

War broke out.

“It became a very complicated time in the community’s history,” he said.

The general store has dimly lit electric lights hanging from the ceiling and is filled with a variety of goods and trinkets, including a tray of oysters sitting on the counter. Stoughton says shipping

seafood on refrigerated rail cars became easier around 1914 and so oysters for Christmas was a trend at the time.

The sound of carols coming from the church hook you in like a shepherd’s crook. The church is lit with electric lights which fill the place with a warm glow. In the centre is a large

stove that would have been used to heat the whole place. At the front, three singers – one playing piano – lead visitors in traditional Christmas hymns such as “Lo How a Rose Er Bloomith,” and always finish their sets with a round of “We Wish you a Merry Christmas,” for everyone in the pews to sing along to.

How much screen time is too much screen time?

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My son began virtual learning when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down our local school system. He is 14 and enjoys school online, so we have continued this. Unfortunately, my son's only extracurricular activities are screen-based, as well. Should I limit his activities online, even though he's doing well in school?

ANSWER: In an increasingly digitalized world, where most people – even children – own electronic devices with screens, many parents worry about

the effects of screen use on themselves and their children.

To complicate matters, some screen time can be educational for children and support their social development. With the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders, many children and teens spent even more time playing video games to socialize with friends, since they

couldn't get together in person.

With screens virtually everywhere, controlling a child's screen time can be challenging. It's difficult to avoid screens completely. However, excessive screen time can affect people's mental, social and physical health.

Too much screen time has been linked to:

Obesity.

Poor sleep or insomnia.

Behavioral problems, including impulsive actions.

Loss of social skills.

Violence.

Less time for play.

Eye strain.

Neck and back problems.

Depression.

Difficulties with work or school.

Many people have cried, laughed or been startled while watching a movie. This is because their brains process and react to the sensory input as if it were happening to them. This same type of engagement is possible when a person plays a video game. While gaming, a gamer's

brain is processing the scenario as if it were real. If the game depicts a dangerous or violent situation, the gamers' bodies react accordingly. Their fight-or-flight response to that perceived danger is triggered by exposure to intense stimulation and violence in the game. Excessive video game use can lead to the brain being revved up in a constant state of hyperarousal.

Hyperarousal looks different for each person, and it can include difficulties with paying attention, managing emotions,

Visitors can also explore the homes decorated in the style of the different cultures that would have been in the village at the time.

The Seibert House represents an English family home with a large Christmas tree and a table filled with traditional English Christmas goodies such as plum pudding, or plum cake, along with the oranges and pineapple that were common to most groups to celebrate Christmas. Other foods that would have been served include onion soup, onion pie, steak or turkey.

“Some people are surprised that the Old Order Mennonites would celebrate Christmas,” said Stoughton. “Christmas celebrations at that time in the Old Order community would have been fairly small, fairly subdued.”

The Martin house is set up as an Old Order Menno-

controlling impulses, following directions and tolerating frustration. Some adults or children struggle with expressing compassion and creativity, and they have a decreased interest in learning. This can lead to a lack of empathy for others, which can lead to violence. Also, kids who rely on screens and social media to interact with others typically feel lonelier than kids who interact in person.

Chronic hyperarousal can have physical symptoms, as well, such as

a.m - 5:00 p.m

a.m

a.m

p.m

5:00 p.m

(519) 669-1082

▢ Mayo Clinic Professional Clinical Health Advice

Leah Gerber Observer Staff

Tabitha Hengartner interprets the Seibert House at the Doon Heritage Village. Leah Gerber

Lantern-lit tour through Doon Heritage Village takes visitors back to the yuletide festivities of 1914

ↆ COMMUNITY EVENTS CALENDAR

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23

Kleensweep Rugs and Upholstery Carpet Care COLLEEN

“A GOOD JOB DONE EVERY TIME” T. 519.669.2033 Cell: 519.581.7868

▢ Friday Food at the Elmira Legion. Doors open at 4 p.m., serving at 5:45 p.m. Menu: shepherd's pie, Caesar salad, roll, cherry cheesecake $10/plate. Join us in the lounge. All welcome.

Se

Less fussy and messy French toast recipe

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▢ Friday Food at the Elmira Legion. Doors open at 4 p.m., serving at 5:45 p.m. Menu: sweet and sour meatballs, egg rolls & plum sauce with rice, and dessert $10/plate. Join us in the lounge. All welcome.

Vacuum Sales, Repairs Service 9 C hurch St. E., Elmira

All Makes & Models 519-669-8362 Email: e lmir avacuum@gmail.com

▢ Woolwich Observer Free Skate and Swim at the Woolwich Memorial Centre. Bring the family & friends and enjoy swimming, skating or both. 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4

▢ Senior's Community Dining at Calvary United, St. Jacobs. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us for lunch and fellowship. Cost $12. Must register by noon on December 30 by calling 519-664-1900.

Some say French toast gets its name from pain perdu, which is French for "lost bread" (since it's a great recipe to help use up stale bread that otherwise might be "lost" or thrown away). But this custardy breakfast dish has been called all sorts of other names: everything from eggy bread to German toast to poor knights of Windsor! No matter what you call it, it's one tasty breakfast.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5

▢ Movie Shorts 4 Climate Change, Inspired by the work of Environmental Activist Greta Thunberg. Grade 9 to 12 students are invited to join us for a movie, snacks and discussion about climate change in our Township at the Woolwich Memorial Centre's the Hub from 6 p.m to 8:30 p.m. No Charge. RSVP to Kiara kiaram.wcs@gmail.com or 519-669-5139.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 6

Education and Treatment

We developed this recipe to work with a very specific kind of bread: supermarket pre-sliced white bread that measures 4 by 6 inches and is ¾-inch thick. (The size of the slices is the key to soaking up the right amount of custard on the

NANCY KOEBEL Bus: 519.744.5433 Email: nancy.koebel@f55f.com

Freedom 55 Financial is a division of The Canada Life Assurance Company RRSPs, RESPs, RRIFs, LIFs and Annuities 652 Waterbury Lane, Waterloo

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VERMONT Castings

▢ Friday Food at the Elmira Legion Branch 469. Doors open at 4 pm. 11 First Street East, Elmira 519-669-2932. Sausage potato chowder, grilled cheese sandwich, Mississippi mud pie $10.00/plate. Serving starts at 5:45pm. Join us in the lounge, all welcome

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11

Truck & Trailer Maintenance Cardlock Fuel Management 24 COMMERCIAL FUEL DEPOT HOUR CARDLOCK 25 Industrial Drive, Elmira

▢ Senior's Community Dining at Wellesley Community Centre. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us for lunch and fellowship. Cost $12. Must register by noon on January 6 by calling 519-664-1900.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25

▢ Senior's Community Dining at Linwood Community Centre. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us for lunch and fellowship. Cost $12. Must register by noon on January 20 by calling 519-664-1900.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9

Quality & Service you can trust. 21 Industrial Dr., Elmira 519.669.2884 | martinselmira.com Individual life insurance, mortgage insurance, business insurance, employee benefits programs, critical illness insurance, disability coverage,

▢ Woodside Evergreen for Seniors at Woodside Church, Elmira. "Eating Well for Less" by Amy Sonnenberg, Registered Holistic Nutritionist. Music by Joyce Ruppert and Encouraging Words by Pastor Daniel Moes, Woodside. Suggested donation $10 includes hot lunch. Preregister by February 5 at www.woodsidechurch.ca/evergreen or 519-669-1296.

THURSDAY, MARCH 9

Your First Step to Better Hearing 519-669-9919 charlene@bauerhearing.com

SANYO CANADIAN MACHINE WORKS INCORPORATED 33 Industrial Dr., Elmira 519.669.1591

Woolwich Healthy Communities healthywoolwich.org The place to get involved. • Volunteer Opportunities • Projects & News • Sub-Committee updates SPACE FOR RENT Advertise here for great weekly exposure in Woolwich & Wellesley townships. CALL Donna to book this space today! 519-669-5790 ext. 104

▢ Woodside Evergreen for Seniors at Woodside Church, Elmira. "Songs and Stories of Bringing Healing and the Gospel of Jesus to the Indigenous People of Canada" by Rick and Linda Martin of Niverville, Manitoba. Suggested donation $10 includes hot lunch. Preregister by March 9 at www.woodsidechurch.ca/evergreen or 519-669-1296.

1. HEAT AND GREASE: Adjust 1 oven rack to the lowest position and second rack 5 to 6 inches from the broiler element. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet well with vegetable oil spray.

▢ Elmira Mennonite Church www.elmiramennonite.ca

baking sheet.) If you want to use whole-grain sandwich bread, you will need a little more custard. The whole-grain breads are drier, so they absorb more of the custard.

Sheet Pan French Toast

America's Test Christmas –Sing for Joy: Your God Reigns

Rigorously tested recipes that work. ↆ The Community Events Calendar is reserved for non-profit local events that are offered free to the public. Placement is not guaranteed. Registrations, corporate events, open houses and similar events do not qualify for free advertising. See complete policy online. All submissions are to be made online at observerxtra.com/event-listing/.

To use whole-wheat, oatmeal, or multigrain sandwich bread instead of the white bread, use 4 eggs and increase the milk to 1-⅓ cups. Make sure the slices measure about 4 by 6 inches and are ¾-inch thick to ensure that they soak up all the custard on the sheet before baking.

4. SOAK: Place bread slices in two rows on the baking sheet. Working quickly, flip each slice in the same order you placed them on the baking sheet. Let bread sit until slices absorb custard, about 1 minute.

5. BAKE: Bake on lower rack until bottoms of slices are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Kitchen 9:30am Jonathan Brubacher Preaching

decreased immune function, irritability, jittery feelings, depression and unstable blood sugar levels. In children, some can develop cravings for sweets while playing video games. Combined with the sedentary nature of gaming, children's diet and weight can be negatively affected, as well. Sometimes children will even avoid stopping the game to go to the restroom, which can lead to hygiene issues.

Similar to tobacco, alcohol or drugs, screen time or video games can become an addiction if it damages your health and relationships, and you are unable to control it.

Some symptoms could include:

„ Having intense urges for screen time or to play video games, and these urges block out other thoughts.

„ Spending money on video games or screens, even though you can't afford it.

„ Cutting back on social or recreational activities because of preference for screen time or video games.

„ Continuing to play video games or participate in screen time, even though you know it's causing problems in your life, such as poor performance at school or work, or letting household responsibilities go.

„ Displaying signs of irritability, anxiety or anger when forced to stop playing, even for brief periods of time.

„ Lying to others about the extent of your use.

„ Needing more screen time over time to get the same level of enjoyment.

„ Neglecting your appearance, including lack of interest in grooming or clothing.

If you are seeing any of these signs, it may be time to revisit your approach to your son's behaviors and use of screens.

You'll need to decide how much media to let your child use each day and what's appropriate based on your son's reactions. Set reasonable limits for your child's screen time and video game types, especially if your child's use of screens hinders involvement in other activities.

Also encourage active screen time over passive screen time. Active screen time is when you interact with other people you know, or when you are cognitively or physically engaged. For example, play educational games, or games that require players to build something together -- or fitnesstype games that require movement while playing. Passive screen time includes watching screens with minimal cognitive engagement, such as scrolling through social media or watching online videos.

Consider these tips:

„ Follow guidelines for screen time, such as those suggested by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

„ Model healthy use

of screens and video games. Consider unplugging when you first get home from work, at dinner and when driving. Model other methods of relaxation and entertainment, such as taking a walk, playing a game, having a dance party or reading a book.

„ Encourage a balance between screen time and activities that require in-person social interactions, such as family activities or extracurricular activities.

„ Create structured, screen-free times, such as during mealtimes, in the mornings and before bedtime.

„ Consider using apps that control the length of time your child can use a device.

„ Keep screens out of bedrooms.

„ Require that all devices be charged outside of bedrooms at night.

„ Learn about the game rating categories and only allow your children to play video games suitable for their ages.

If you're concerned about a child or loved one's use of screen time, consulting a behavioral or addictions specialist can help determine treatment options.

ↆ Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit www. mayoclinic.org.

CHRISTMAS PAST: Celebrating in different ways

nite house at Christmas time, ready for breakfast, said Stoughton. “So you would come down and you would have a plate that had nuts, and maybe a couple of candies and pfeffernusse, which is the kind of hard German cookie. It means ‘pepper nuts.’ They’re spiced. They’re very hard little cookies for dunking in your tea or coffee.”

The Sararas House is set up to represent a German family home and at Christmastime includes a traditional German table-top artificial tree made of dyed goose feathers.

“This was also a time where you could now get an artificial Christmas tree, which was seen as a big fancy thing. It was very nice to have an artificial Christmas tree because it wasn’t just one someone had gotten out of the bush. It was artificial and that was such a great thing to have, because it meant that it was made by someone. They wouldn’t have seen being artificial as sort of the cheaper alternative. It was seen as sort of this nice, fancy thing to have a feather tree,” said Stoughton.

At the time, Christmas trees would usually be lit with candles, which presented a hazard, said Stoughton. People would need to keep a bucket of water handy near the tree because it was common for them to light on fire.

“So you might light up your Christmas tree for a little bit on Christmas Day. Really enjoy the look of it, then put all the candles out. So most of the time, the tree wouldn’t be lit.

“But some people, maybe

DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE

Aside from legal consequences of drinking and driving in the form of a ticket or loss of license, impaired driving can result in property damage, injury or even death. With this in mind, we would like to remind you to be smart when drinking. Drink in moderation and monitor the amount of alcohol you have consumed. Designate a sober driver at the beginning of the night and give that person the keys. If no one is capable of driving, have some money ready for a taxi home. It is better to leave your car behind and come back for it than to have it totaled in a collision.

If you are drinking at a friend’s home, ask for a place to sleep until you are sober. By staying at that friend’s house, you will limit their liability should you choose to drive and cause a collision.

When you go for your next drink, just remember that you are not the only one that may pay the consequences for your decisions.

someone in Toronto or someone in Montreal, they might be able to afford electric Christmas lights. How fancy would that be?”

The site also includes the McArthur House, which is meant to represent the home of a family from Scotland. Scottish people celebrate Hogmanay, said Stoughton. The Scottish would give their holiday visitors oats for health, salt for hospitality, and coal for warmth. They would sweep at the back door to sweep out any negativity from the year, and bang pots and pans to scare away bad feelings and hardships, he said.

Stoughton also said they usually include traditional Christmas characters in the village like the Weihnachtsmann, or “Christmas Man” in English. This is a German representation of a traditional forest spirit type of person that would have been one of many influences on today’s Santa Claus.

“He looks similar to Father Christmas, he’s more woodsy. He’s more closely connected to the kind of Northern European forest spirit characters. There’s been a number of them throughout history and mythology. He wears a green coat. He carries a fir bow or some evergreen with him. He’s more a winter forest spirit.”

Stoughton says most gifts at the time would have been smaller, mostly homemade gifts: “Nice pair of mitts, new scarf, dolls for the kids.”

That said, the hot ticket item at the time was a rifle, said Stoughton.

“We’ve got an advertisement from 1914 advertising

the gift that every healthy young lad would love to have, which was a .32 rifle. Yeah, we have an ad of a child – it’s probably like a 10- or 12-year-old boy – with his new Christmas present of a rifle that could come in .22, .25 and .32 calibers. So, not a toy rifle in any way. An actual rifle. That was a hot ticket Christmas item.”

There is so much the village tells about Christmas in the region in 1914. At that point, the first world war had been going on since the summer, and people had expected it to be over by Christmas. Stoughton notes that even though this would have been a first Christmas celebrating without loved ones, people still made a point to carry on their traditions.

“One of the things that I think is so important about the kind of site like ours, is the empathy we can have for people of the past. To really understand them. And when you can stand in someone’s living room, the way they would have had it for Christmas, and you can see what’s like yours, what’s not like yours, but you can recognize the same desires and joy that people are taking from the holiday season that you have in your own life,” he said.

“There’s a universal aspect to the celebrations, because people all over the world, over all times, have been gathering together in the coldest, darkest part of the year to remember that they’re still here and they’re still together with their friends and loved ones. And this is a time to be together because things are going to get better as the sun comes back to us.”

‘Tis the season for cranberries

Nothing says the holidays like cranberries!

There’s actually a variety that grows in Europe, however the ones we have here are indigenous to North America. They may not have appeared at the “first” Thanksgiving, but were certainly a natural pairing for both turkey and other game.

When the plant is blossoming, it has a long part resembling the neck of crane, thus the name!

Sometimes names for things are so obvious

that we don’t realize. For example “The Beer Store” got its name from the fact – wait for it...you guessed it – they sold beer there.

A crème brûlée is a wonderful dessert and actually not too heavy after a big meal. The cranberries also pair well with the white chocolate.

The word “brûlée” is

French, literally means “burnt” in English, although when they’re speaking of “burning” sugar in the French language, they’re actually referring to the caramelization, which isn’t exactly the same thing.

That being said, one must be careful when caramelizing the sugar on your custard, as it could easily be upgraded from golden caramelization to black and burnt.

Happy holidays to everyone!

Meanwhile, whip eggs and sugar until lemony colour, blend in starch and temper in cream.

Return pot to stove, stirring constantly cook over med-high heat until

to thicken, then remove from heat.

Blend in chocolate and run through strainer.

Place a few cranberries into the bottom of each ramekin and pour mixture in to about 3/4 full.

Place in fridge to chill for several hours.

Sprinkle yellow sugar on top and “brûlée” it up with a blow-torch. 8. Garnish with additional cranberries and mint sprigs.

ↆ Chef Bruce Duff is the operator of “Chef Duff at RiverSong” Banquet hall, Café and Culinary Centre just outside of St. Jacobs, which hosts private events, banquets, team building and cooking classes and also run breakfast and lunch in the café from Wed. – Sat; info@chefduff.ca.

CHEF DUFF

Recipes from the chef's table