January 12, 2023

Celebrating a traditional Ukrainian Christmas

Leah Gerber Observer Staff

ST. JACOBS’ JAKOBSTETTEL

INN WAS filled with guests celebrating an Orthodox Christmas on Saturday.

Ukrainian families staying at the Woolwich Guest House for Ukrainian Refugees in Transition were excited to invite the volunteers who have helped

them in Canada to a traditional Ukrainian Christmas celebration, teach them about their culture and give something back.

Andrii Shulhin and Mariia Mamaisur are the coordinators hired to administer the guest house and find the Ukrainian families for whom the place would be a good fit. They’ve wanted to host a thank-you

event for months now.

“So why we also decided to make the celebration because we feel very uncomfortable with that we received a lot of donations and help [from] Canadians and we feel that we need to give them back right the same, the relationships form, the good times with us,” said Shulhin. “So we don’t want to be the nations that are always living by dona-

tions and all the receiving, we also want to give to people who help us.”

Mamaisur added, “ I think everybody is very interested in how it looks like here inside, like what we are doing, or [about] the people who are living here – they don’t know who exactly gets these things (donations). They only know about me and Andrii.”

“We talked about what they could do,” said Rosslyn Bentley, the executive director of the Woolwich Community Health Centre, which oversees the administration of the guest house. “Because they wanted desperately to thank the volunteers, we were thinking that maybe we could do a barbeque at the end of the summer. But

The families staying at the Woolwich Guest House for Ukrainian Refugees in Transition in St. Jacobs hosted an Orthodox Christmas celebration on Saturday. Top left, Matviienko Mariia, 16, Karyna Polianska, 14, Skorobogatskykh Anastasiia, 18, and Inna Polianska. Bottom left, Margarita Atsekhovska, 11, Diana Serbynenko, 11, Karia Yakovenko, 8, Vladyslava Polianska, 7, and Dubyna Oleksandr, 4. Middle, Andrii Shulhin and Mariia Mamaisur by the Christmas tree. Top right, Anne Brubacher, a volunteer at the site. Bottom right, Matviienko Dmytro pours drinks for guests at the party. Leah Gerber

→ UKRAINIAN CHRISTMAS

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Riverworks options From the archives

Heading into the final stretch of the 2017 budget deliberations, Wellesley council came up with a tax levy increase of 2.985%. That represents an average household impact increase of $3.05 per month based on a residential property with an assessed value of $325,107. From the Jan. 12, 2017 edition of The Observer

Tapping into Woolwich’s growing diversity

Gerber Observer Staff

ABBY COOPER IS AN ELMIRA resident looking to offer community workshops around the themes of inclusion and diversity. To that end, she’s presenting a series of three workshops taking place in January and February.

“The goal for this threepart series is to establish intercultural communication within our community. So to do this, I’d like to promote intercultural understanding by empathizing, appreciating, being self-aware and open to various forms of cultures and races,” said Cooper.

“We’ll learn how people within different ethnic groups communicate and perceive the world around them due to racial inequities. And we’ll also learn how to confront and overcome racism by building community capacity. So we’ll be developing our own solutions to the challenges people within different ethnic groups face, to

allow us all to have a better control over our physical, social, economic and cultural environments.”

She says she has space for about 35 people, and the workshops are free and open to everyone.

Cooper is a Sri Lankan-Canadian woman who moved to Elmira two years ago. She has a background in marketing and many years’ experience leading workshops, albeit in a corporate setting. She says this is her first community-based workshop.

“It’s really important now because Elmira is slowly growing. I see people from different ethnic groups, they’re slowly trickling in. There are people here that can relate to feeling, maybe sort of flying under the radar,” she said. “I’m not speaking for other people, but there is a general sense of this chameleonism where sometimes you feel like you kind of have to blend in and feel like you’re part of the larger majority of a racial group and feel

like you have to just fit in. But, in reality, why can’t we welcome all the different cultures?”

It’s different here than Toronto, where she was surrounded by cultural diversity.

“I grew up in Toronto initially, and I was around people from Pakistan, Portugal, Turkey, Somalia. People from all over the world. So being exposed to that much multiculturalism helps me sort of see

that possibility and how we can get there. But even though it was so diverse, I still experienced racism growing up.”

With a grant from the Township of Woolwich, Cooper will bring in

speakers to present on each of the three workshops’ themes, including looking at the diversity that exists in Elmira, discussing micro-aggressions and healing, wellness, compassion and empathy.

Jeff Smith, Woolwich’s director of corporate services, says the township provided Cooper with a $250 grant for speakers at the workshops.

“The township supported this event since this is an important topic in both Woolwich and beyond. Additionally, it fits within the township’s strategic plan goal to provide for inclusive and accessible communities and it meets the requirements of the township’s grants policy,” he said.

Cooper says the workshop series is meant for people who want to know more about what it means to be actively anti-racist, noting she has received a lot of support from the community for these workshops.

Elmira family experiencing airline havoc over the holidays

Gerber Observer Staff

AN ELMIRA FAMILY WAS FORCED to spend $4,000 to get home after their flight with Flair Airlines was unexpectedly cancelled, leaving them scrambling in Mexico.

After a week-long family vacation driving around Yucatan, Sonya Boht, her husband Julian Gavaghan and their children Arthur and Sophie were met with a nightmare upon arriving at the Cancun International Airport for their flight back to Waterloo Region last week.

They arrived at the airport January 4 at about 9 a.m. for their 11:50 a.m. flight. When they tried to check in, Boht says Flair staff were handing the would-be passengers sheets of paper. “Then they put up a sign in the window and left,” she said.

“It was really scary

that they had no human person who was talking to you, just shoving a piece of paper and the piece of paper is clearly indicating... their stated reason for cancelling the flight was weather,” she said.

“In big capital letters under everything [it stated] that the reason was uncontrollable, and it was out of the airline’s control, so [the paper was indicating] ‘we don’t have to do anything to help you.’”

Along with the cancellation notice, the paper indicated a make-up flight was scheduled a week later.

Though Boht’s original flight was refunded, there was no compensation offered for accommodation or food due to the fact the flight was cancelled because of an event outside the company’s control.

“I was panicking, for sure. Standing in an airport, in a foreign coun-

try with two little kids, not knowing where you’re going to eat that night, if we’re going to be stuck there or if we’re going home or what’s happening.”

Boht messaged her family back home asking them to help find an alternative flight. Her brother found one with another airline that left the Cancun airport at 2:30 a.m. the next morning and landed in Toronto. It cost $4,000 for the family of four.

“It was unbelievable,” she said. “It shakes you, right? You’re like, ‘are we actually going to get home?’ Not until we touched down in Toronto was I like, ‘OK, we’re fine.’

“What I come out of it thinking is, you get what you pay for. And that the bargain isn’t worth the risk. I would never book with them again, which sucks, because they’re a

Canadian company, and you want to support local companies. But if they aren’t going to provide a service that other airlines do, it’s not worth it, when a holiday is supposed to be fun. When things go wrong, they did nothing to try to help us deal with the problem.”

Earlier that week on January 1, a Flair Airlines flight from the Region of Waterloo International Airport destined for Cancun was cancelled just before it was expected to take off because ground equipment came into contact with the aircraft.

The Region of Waterloo, which operates the airport, would not provide comment and directed all inquiries to Flair Airlines.

Flair Airlines did not respond by press time.

Arthur Gavaghan, Boht’s son said, “it turns out that Flair’s true flair is for sucking.”

If

matters to you. It matters to us.

Expanded business options are now permitted at the Riverworks property in St. Jacobs, as council this week approved a zonechange application from the owners of the site at 1440 King St. N. The new commercial uses include a hairdresser, barber or beautician; commercial or trade school; entertainment or recreation facility; private club; or a licensed establishment.

Leah

Elmira’s Abby Cooper presents a series of community workshops starting later this month. Leah Gerber

Leah

Elmira’s Abby Cooper presenting a series of three workshops aimed at boosting inclusion in the community

Elmira’s Sonya Boht and Julian Gavaghan, along with their children Sophie and Arthur, were left scrambling after Flair Airlines cancelled their flight home from Mexico. Leah Gerber

Besides the grant from the township, Woolwich Community Services staff let her use the community hub space at the Woolwich Memorial Centre for free.

“I’m hoping that I get a good turnout. People are interested and willing to learn and help us get to a stronger place and a more welcoming [place]. Even though this town is already welcoming as it is, it helps to know that people do want to learn and become better at communicating better with each other and creating a more welcoming space.”

She stresses that she wants people to feel comfortable and safe in the workshops.

“It should feel like a learning process for all of us through our shared experiences, ideas and solutions. And I just want people to feel like they’re being part of a community that cares, and a community that strives to understand and improve and work together to support and promote racial equity.

“I hope that everyone feels connected to this initiative in some way. And feels open enough to come and learn and be a part of this group and sort of go on this journey with us.”

The series takes place January 22, February 5 and 12. Workshops begin at 1 p.m. and last one hour.

Cooper says she also has plans to do more workshops in the future around larger diversity and inclusion issues. She also plans to run a multicultural festival in Elmira and already has performers interested in participating. She is actively looking for volunteers to help organize the festival.

“My whole goal is to ensure that this whole series and future series are always creating an open and positive environment.

And I want all voices to be heard, and for each of us to be understood.”

Anyone interested in learning more about Cooper’s workshops or the multicultural festival can contact Cooper at www. abbycooper.ca.

Wellesley council approves 14% tax hike in 2023 budget

Leah Gerber Observer Staff

A 14 PER CENT TAX hike it is, as Wellesley council this week quickly approved the 2023 budget as hashed out last month.

Homeowners face a $180 increase in the township portion of their property tax bills, based on an average home assessed at $389,000.

There was little discussion Tuesday night as councillors approved a general tax levy increase of 4.43 per cent, along with an extra one per cent for infrastructure projects and 0.75 per cent for greening initiatives. That total of 6.18 per cent is joined with a 7.77 per cent increase to help pay for the new Wellesley Township Recreation Centre, bringing the total to 13.95 per cent.

Staff cited inflation and large increases in prices

for construction and products the township relies on as justification for the increase.

“Inflation at the end of October sat at 6.9 per cent overall. Some of the major cost incurred by the municipality like fuel, salt, aggregates, construction materials and equipment have increased by 15 to 40 per cent, some even more than that,” wrote Rik Louwagie in his brief

overview for the budget sessions.

The increase can be justified, said Mayor Joe Nowak at the January 10 meeting.

“There’s been a lot of work on that budget, a lot of effort by staff. I know it’s been a difficult one to deal with, but I think if you look across the region, the other municipalities are struggling much along the same lines and I think

WOOLWICH COUNCIL

some of them are actually a little higher than what we’ve delivered,” he said.

“It’s the first time we’ve got an infrastructure levy and I think that that’s going to help us down the line, hopefully. There’s a lot of major projects that we’re going to be dealing with over the next few years, so we’re going to position ourselves in a good place right now.”

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 the 2022 budget.

Staffing costs are also a big driver. Beyond obligations in current collective agreements, there are inflationary pressures, as well as budgeting for new hires in relation to the opening of the new rec. complex, expected in the fall.

8.5% tax hike considered as Woolwich budget talks begin, drawing pushback

WOOLWICH HOMEOWNERS ARE LOOKING AT an 8.5 per cent increased in the township share of the property tax bill as 2023 budget deliberations get underway.

The projected increase includes a seven per cent hike to the general tax levy plus 1.5 per cent for a special infrastructure levy.

That would add $84.32 to the bill of an average home in the township, based on an assessed value of $418,000.

The draft discussed Monday night by Woolwich councillors includes an operating budget of $23 million, a nine per cent increase from the 2022 budget, and capital spending of $30,515,000, up 19.5 per cent over what was budgeted last year.

Inflation was a big factor in this year’s budget, said director of finance Richard Petherick.

“We are still very much in a very high inflationary environment. We’ve seen

cost escalations increase pretty dramatically. We saw the inflation go up well past eight per cent – I think right now currently, we’re sitting at about 6.8 per cent,” he said as the meeting got going.

Monday’s budget session was the first for most of those around the council table. Four of the six – Ward 1’s Evan Burgess and Nathan Cadeau, Ward 2’s Eric Schwindt and Ward 3’s Kayla Grant – were sworn in for the first time just weeks ago. Mayor Sandy Shantz is the lone returnee from the last term, while Ward 3 Coun. Bonnie Bryant formerly served on council.

There were plenty of questions and more than a little pushback against the proposed large tax increase.

“I’ve heard from a number of residents that have a real concern with the 8.5 per cent number,” said Bryant. “The people I’ve spoken with are very concerned, because they are finding they’re dealing with their rising mortgage rates because they’ve had to renew and

they’ve had to lengthen their terms of amortization. They’re looking at rising grocery costs. They’re looking at everything as a whole, and they’re finding they’re struggling. They just feel this number’s too high.”

She suggested staff look at reducing the increase to five per cent, with director of finance Richard Petherick noting that would mean having to cut some $400,000 from the budget as currently drafted.

Councillors appeared to be looking for ways to reduce spending and, thus, the tax impact.

“I’m just echoing Coun. Bryant’s concerns. Inflation is on the minds of everyone, as well as the cost of living – 8.5 is quite high,” said Grant of the tax increase. “I would kind of push for staff to try and help us lower it as much as possible to help out our residents. It’s asking quite a lot, I feel.”

Councillors took aim at a variety of proposed expenditures, looking for cost savings in the likes of deferring capital programs and putting off

requests to hire additional staff members.

Looking at plans to denture some $3.5 million, for instance, Burgess suggested delaying the rehabilitation of the Peel Street bridge in Winterbourne, a project estimated at $2.75 million.

Given that one of the proposed new positions is a supervisor for capital projects, putting off some of the work slated for 2023 might also put off that hire for a year or two, he suggested.

Director of infrastructure services Jared Puppe said dropping the position might force the township to postpone $4 or $5 million worth of projects this year.

“We’re asking because it’s a need,” he said.

Schwindt asked Puppe about setting the department’s priorities. “If you lost 10 per cent of your budget, where would you cut?”

The next budget session is planned for tonight (Thursday), when councillors will be reviewing the budgets of the recreation and fire departments.

Steve Kannon Observer Staff

One of the first orders of business for the new council in Wellesley Township was passing a budget for 2023 that includes a 14% tax increase. File photo

POL ICE REPORT

Police release Festive R.I.D.E. program results

Waterloo Regional Police this week released figures from the Festive R.I.D.E. (Reducing Impaired Driving Everywhere) programs held between November 17, 2022 and January 2, 2023.

Over the duration of the Festive R.I.D.E. programs, police checked 6,481 vehicles. Police also laid numerous charges, including, 16 impaired-related charges (seven impaired by alcohol

DECEMBER 28

8:00 AM | Perth County

OPP are investigating after a vehicle was reported stolen from a residence located on Line 61 in the Township of Perth East. Police were notified after the victim realized their vehicle was no longer parked in the driveway. The vehicle was left parked overnight with the keys left in the vehicle, a black 2000 Dodge RAM.

2:30 PM | A member of the Wellington County OPP stopped the operator of a red pickup truck on Wellington Road 17, Mapleton. As a result of the investigation, a 62-year-old driver from Alma was charged with ‘drive no licence’ and ‘defective brakes’ contrary to the Highway Traffic Act. Further, the driver was also charged with ‘operate a motor vehicle without insurance’ contrary to the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act. The defendant is scheduled to appear in the provincial offences courtGuelph at a later date.

DECEMBER 31

8 : 23 AM | Waterloo Regional Police responded to a report of a theft from a business located on Arthur Street South in Elmira. The suspect was described as a white male, mid-20s, under 6 feet tall with a slim build. The suspect was seen wearing a black hoodie, black pants, and a black toque. Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.

JANUARY 1

10:22 PM | Perth County OPP stopped a driver travelling 52 km/h over

charges and nine over 80 charges), 12 three-day suspensions, 33 Highway Traffic Act charges and three Cannabis Control Act charges

“We continue to see dangerous and illegal activity on Waterloo Region roadways,” said Staff Sergeant Griffiths of the WRPS Traffic Services Unit in a release. “These actions put all road users at risk. The Waterloo Regional Police Service is committed to

the limit – 134 km/h in an 80 km/h zone – on Line 34 in Perth East. A 21-yearold Windsor man was charged with ‘drive motor vehicle - perform stunt - excessive speed.’ A 30-day-driving suspension and 14-day vehicle impoundment were initiated as per statute. The accused is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Stratford at a later date to answer to the charges.

JANUARY 2

4:00 AM | Perth County OPP investigated another break and enter at a Raymond Drive, Millbank address. Officers responded to an alarm at the address, where four suspects arrived in a Black Dodge Ram. Once police arrived, it was determined that unknown person(s) attended the address and smashed the front window. Once inside, the suspects loaded the back of the truck with multiple power tool sets and fled the scene. The value of the stolen goods was placed at more than $35,000.The OPP are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the persons involved or vehicle captured on surveillance cameras. Anyone with information regarding these incidents should immediately contact Perth County OPP at 1-888-3101122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or leave an anonymous online message at www.hpcrimestoppers. com where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

JANUARY 4

11 : 52 AM | Waterloo Regional Police

reducing impaired driving and saving lives through enforcement and education.”

The Waterloo Regional Police Service issued a reminder to motorists about the dangers and risks associated with driving impaired. All young drivers, novice drivers, and commercial drivers are required to have zero presence of alcohol and/or drugs in their system while driving.

responded to reports of a collision involving two vehicles in the area of King Street North and Farmers Market Road near St. Jacobs. As a result of the investigation, one of the drivers was charged with ‘careless driving.’

3:00 PM | A fatal collision brought Wellington County OPP to Wellington Road 17 and Eighth Line near Alma. Police responded to a report that a collision had occurred between an SUV and a transport truck. Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Services and local fire departments, including Floradale, also attended the scene. The driver of the SUV was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the truck was uninjured. Police are continuing to investigate. Anyone who may have witnessed this collision is asked to contact the Wellington County OPP at 1-888310-1122.

6 : 30 PM | Wellington County OPP responded to a report of a collision on Wellington Road 26. As a result of the investigation, a 69-year-old Guelph-Eramosa woman was charged with ‘operation while impaired’ and ‘operation while impaired- 80 plus (mgs of alcohol in 100ml of blood)’ contrary to the Criminal Code. The accused is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Guelph at a later date.

JANUARY 7

3 : 00 PM | A Perth County OPP officer stopped a vehicle travelling on Perth Line 43 in the Township of Perth East after it was found to be speeding. During the investigation, police

Snowmobile operator facing multiple charges

A Toronto man was charged just ahead of the holidays in connection to a collision that occurred almost a year ago.

On January 22, 2022, Wellington County OPP observed two snowmobilers off of Sideroad 10, near Lake Belwood. Officers attended the area to check on the well-being and sobriety of the snowmobile operators. However, one of the snowmobiles then left

were notified that the driver was a prohibited driver. A 46-yearold Mitchell man was charged with ‘operation while prohibited.’ The driver’s vehicle was impounded for 45 days. The accused is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Stratford at a later date to answer to the charge.

JANUARY 8

11 : 22 AM | Waterloo Regional Police conducted a R.I.D.E. enforcement in the area of Church Street West in Woolwich Township. A driver provided a roadside breath sample and registered an “alter” reading. As a result of the investigation, a 48-yearold Woolwich man was issued a three day driver licence suspension.

6 : 47 PM | Waterloo Regional Police responded to a report of a robbery in the area of Snyder’s Road East in Wilmot Township, where a man brandished a knife towards two employees while inside a business and demanded cash. The male then fled the store. The employees did not sustain any physical injuries. Police say the same suspect is linked to a robbery in the area of Fischer-Hallman Road and Seabrook Drive in Kitchener that occurred about 5 p.m. Police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the individual. The investigations remain ongoing by the Robbery Unit. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777, ext. 8255. To provide anonymous information, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit online at www. waterloocrimestoppers. com.

at a high rate of speed. Officers continued to make patrols and located a single-vehicle collision involving the snowmobile on Sideroad 10.

The snowmobile operator was transported to a trauma centre by Air Ornge with serious injuries.

As a result of the investigation a 21-year-

old Toronto man was charged with ‘dangerous operation,’ ‘operation while impaired’ and ‘operation while impaired - 80 plus (mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood)’ contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada. The accused is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Guelph at a later date.

OBSERVER EDITORIAL

When local news matters

Connect: observerxtra.com/staff

No sign of restraint or public priorities in budget process

Woolwich’s largely rookie council – only the mayor returned from the previous term, while Coun. Bonnie Bryant served previously – got a crash course in budget-ease Monday night, the first in a series of deliberations around the 2023 budget.

Just weeks into the position, they’ve had a large, sometimes convoluted document dumped in their laps, full of language justifying ever-increasing expenditures and tax hikes. Nowhere in the document is spelled out the dangers of exponential spending and the impacts of compounding. There’s also no mention of the “just say no” option.

Also missing is any case for zero-based budgeting, forcing bureaucrats and their ostensive bosses (councillors) to justify every penny. Assume the budget is zero dollars, and then add from there. That’s not going to happen. Instead, we’ll get tax increases, with rationales about maintaining services. The argument that people want services has already been trotted out, as it always is, with little backing to support that assertion.

We’re certain to hear more dubious justifications such as pointing to other municipalities eyeing large tax hikes. In Woolwich, as with other jurisdictions in the region, there’s no talk of cuts to administrative costs, payroll cuts and management layoffs to reflect both the pandemic-led downturn, skyrocketing inflation and overall fiscal reality, the latter long absent from government considerations.

What we did hear a great deal about Monday night was the infrastructure deficit, with runaway costs for road and bridge projects. A longstanding infrastructure levy makes up 1.5 percentage points of a proposed 8.5 per cent increase in property taxes.

Woolwich has been setting aside more money for a rainy day – i.e. the coming infrastructure storm. It’s been allocating some surplus funds to reserves, and has in place a special infrastructure levy: it’s another tax, but with the money allocated for a real need rather than being flushed away. In that vein, however, the township has done little to rein in its operating budget in order to make a real dent in the deficit rather than taxpayers’ wallets. The extra funds set aside are a good start, but they have not kept up with the growing list of projects. Even at today’s estimates – real costs are likely to be much higher, as there’s a history of being well off the mark with forecasts – the township is losing ground.

Woolwich is not alone in that regard. Despite plenty of lip service, governments continue to do very little in the way of long-term planning, let alone actual follow-through. The township is somewhat ahead of the curve, even if progress is limited.

At the municipal level there’s always been an expectation that senior levels of government would come through with the money to pay for the bulk of infrastructure projects. Now, with budget woes of their own – exacerbated by the pandemic – the province and the federal government have empty coffers, though Ottawa in particular has not been averse to massive borrowing, forcing future taxpayers to cover the costs of today’s spending.

In that light, now is the time for municipalities to rein in spending, cutting that which doesn’t directly benefit the public. It’s a needs-versus-wants situation, with councillors having to be particularly aware of real versus stated needs.

Rising capital costs can be offset by cuts to operations – if it’s not essential, it should be on the chopping block. That doesn’t mean it goes, but it needs to be justified. History shows that there’s been little in the way of earnest justification for spending decisions.

What’s really important at this stage is that councillors know they call the shots. Setting the tone early in this term of council will help ensure the people – i.e. those that the elected officials actually represent – see better governance.

Where do you look when somebody says: “In the age of Apaches and laptops, everything I did in the course of two combat tours was recorded, time-stamped. I could always say precisely how many enemy combatants I’d killed. And I felt it vital never to shy away from that number.

“So, my number: Twenty-five. It wasn’t a number that gave me any satisfaction. But neither was it a number that made me feel ashamed.”

That was Prince Harry fulfilling his contractual obligation to spill his guts in his new book ‘Spare.’ (“An heir and a spare”: he is second-in-line to the British throne.) And to my surprise, I was shocked by what he said. Not by what he did, but by the fact that he put a number on it.

I have been in close contact with the military world for much of my life, as a naval officer, an academic, a journalist, and a documentary filmmaker. I have interviewed at least a hundred veterans about their experiences in war – and none of them ever mentioned how many people they had killed. Well, almost none.

There is no formal ban on talking about your ‘kill count,’ but it’s in extremely bad taste. As retired Col. Tim Collins, formerly of the British Army, put it: “Harry has badly let the

Combined

and provincial debt in Canada has nearly doubled from $1.1 trillion in 2007⁄08 to a projected $2.1 trillion this year, with Ontario as the most indebted province relative to the size of its economy, a debt-to-GDP ratio of 38.7%.

Fallout from a shocking disclosure

side down. We don’t do notches on the rifle butt.”

Rear Admiral Chris Parry, ex-Royal Navy officer, said: “Over 35 years of service, I’ve never heard anybody in the Armed Forces say what their score is. I think it’s highly unusual and I think, if we’re going to be kind, it must be the ghostwriter who has put these words into Harry’s mouth.”

Probably, but Harry must have had a final veto on the content.

I know what happened to him. He took $40 million from his publishers for four books, but this is the only one that matters and they wanted their money’s worth. They needed shocking material, and the contract Harry signed obliged him to produce it.

So they deployed enough ‘friends’, editors (and maybe lawyers too) to get it all out of him – drug use, frostbitten penis, kill count, quickie behind the pub, punch-up with his brother, everything. By the end, he was probably too dazed even to notice that he was breaking a basic military taboo, and would not be forgiven.

Enough about Harry, but what an extraordinary thing!

The whole business of soldiering, when you get down to basics, is efficient killing – and yet that is the one and only aspect of their profession that soldiers will not talk about. I don’t think they are ashamed of it, but that’s not what they were brought up to do. Nobody was.

Many years ago I interviewed William Manchester, an American writer who fought as a Marine in the Pacific War in 1944-45. He told me about the first time he killed a man.

“I was utterly terrified –petrified – but I knew there had to be a Japanese sniper in a small fishing shack near the shore.... And there was nobody else to go, and so I ran towards the shack and broke in.

“I was absolutely gripped by the fear that this man would expect me and would shoot me, but it turned out he was in a sniper harness and he couldn’t turn around fast enough. He was entangled in the harness so I shot him with a .45 and I felt remorse and shame.

“I can remember whispering foolishly ‘I’m sorry’, and then just throwing up... I threw up all over myself. It was a betrayal of what I’d been taught since a child.”

In almost every other walk of life, killing somebody is the

...

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

“Trudeau’s alcohol escalator tax is fundamentally undemocratic. If politicians think Canadians aren’t paying enough tax, then they should have the spine to at least vote on the tax hike.”

Franco Terrazzano of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation notes that after the 2023 tax hike, Ottawa’s alcohol excise taxes will have increased by 18.4% since 2017.

federal

Fraser Institute

ANALYSIS OF CURRENT WORLD EVENTS

GWYNNE DYER Global Outlook on World Affairs

We’re on our own in battle against skyrocketing food prices, inflationary woes

Anyone who’s shopped for groceries, gone to a restaurant or had any dealings with foodstuffs knows his or her wallet took a big hit in 2022. There’s little relief in sight this year.

Anyone in the market for groceries – and that’s all of us, one way or another – will have noticed rapid and significant price hikes, the result, we’re told, of escalating commodity prices and the cost of transportation.

A new report from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says food prices globally rose 14.3 per cent last year, the highest level since the food price index began recording data in 1990.

The index had already gained 28 per cent in 2021 from the previous year as the world economy recovered from the impact of the pandemic.

Food prices surged after Russia's invasion of Ukraine last February on fears of disruptions to Black Sea trade. They have pared some of their gains since, in part because of a UN-backed grain export channel from Ukraine and the prospect of improved supplies in producing countries, but much uncertainly remains. And uncertainly leads to instability, higher costs and price gouging (i.e.greedflation).

In Canada, the annual Food Price Report found an average family of four spent some $15,200 on groceries in 2022, up almost a thousand dollars from the year before. And while the rate of inflation is predicted to slow, that same average family will have to find almost $1,100 more to keep themselves fed, with spending estimated at $16,300.

Food Price

Report is an annual collaboration between research partners Dalhousie University, the University of Guelph, the University of Saskatchewan, and the University of British Columbia. For 2023, the study predicts consumers can expect food prices to continue to rise by an estimated five to seven per cent, with the most substantial increases in vegetables, dairy, and meat.

The report’s authors suggest worried consumers need to be smart shoppers by checking flyers for specials, creating and sticking to a budget and shopping list, looking for substitutes for expensive

foods (such as frozen fruits and vegetables instead of fresh, and plant-based proteins like chickpeas or lentils instead of meat), or freezing meat when it comes on sale.

“We haven’t seen food prices increase this high in Canada for over 40 years and based on our findings, the increases we have predicted are still quite high but not as high as the increases for 2022,” said Dr. Simon Somogyi of the University of Guelph. “That may be cold comfort for Canadians, as food prices are already high, but if inflation can come down, it’s possible that we could see price increases for 2023 at or below five per cent.”

“To say that it’s been a challenging year for Canadians at the grocery store would be an understatement,” added Dr.

Sylvain Charlebois, project lead and director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University. “Consumers will continue to get smarter about grocery shopping as they navigate through this so-called food inflation storm.”

What most consumers can’t expect is much in the way of help from political quarters: taxes will continue to rise even as Canadians deal with rising prices for essentials.

That’s certainly true locally when it comes to plans for large property tax increases and no sign of restraint or proper prioritizing of expenses by municipal governments. Taxes will be boosted well beyond wage gains most residents can expect to see in 2023. It will be citizens that will have to make the budgetary choices that

politicians are unwilling to make.

When it comes to food, we’ll be looking for cheaper alternatives or doing without some items altogether. Skyrocketing prices are also likely to make us more mindful of food waste.

Some 58 per cent of food produced in Canada is lost or wasted each year somewhere along the chain from farm to fork. That’s about 35.5 million tonnes valued at $50 billion. Some 4.82 million tonnes of food, or nearly $21 billion worth, is lost or wasted during the processing and manufacturing process. Some 2.38 million tonnes of food, or more than $10 billion worth, is lost at the consumer level.

Food that is grown, raised, caught, or harvested, but never eaten, is considered to be

food loss and waste. For example, a piece of fruit that is damaged during transport; food items in grocery stores that spoil before they can be sold; leftovers from a meal prepared at home that are not eaten; or food dishes prepared in a restaurant that are never served and are instead discarded.

All told, the annual cost of avoidable food loss and waste in Canada is $1,766 per household.

About a third of what we waste is food that could be rescued, redirected instead to food banks and other areas in need. Recovery of surplus food to feed people is not in itself a solution to food insecurity, but the best use of food is when it’s consumed by people rather than, say, being recycled or, worse yet, simply sent to landfill. The recovery process involves both redirecting items to food banks or use by commercial operations to create new food products.

Food waste is especially prevalent in North America, of course, where we’re rich enough to do so. Not that we don’t complain about the price of food nonetheless.

When we buy two-forone deals or choose larger packages but let the extra items spoil, we’re contributing to the problem. (The same is true of producers who package and market foodstuffs in a way that makes smaller portions less economical.) We throw away items that have passed their best-before dates but are still good. As with the supermarkets, we toss produce that looks a little blemished but is fine in reality.

When we toss food, all the resources to grow, ship and produce it get

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STEVE KANNON

Editor's Point of View

Residents submit some required reading for councillors looking at higher budgets and tax increases.

Betting sites allowing people to bet on how long individuals keep their New Year’s resolutions started last year in the UK. makeitorbreakit.com is the world’s largest site.

More than half of people make New Years resolutions are unsuccessful in keeping them after six months.

The top 3 New Year’s resolutions this year are to exercise more, eat healthier and lose weight.

DYER: Insulated from the realities of war ... and its impact

→ FROM 6

ultimate crime; in war, it is the soldier’s duty. And in ground warfare, you are actually aware of the humanity of the people you are killing. Even if you are in the artillery and rarely see the enemy, you see the consequences of what artillery does to human flesh and bone.

It creates at the very least a discomfort, an uneasiness that is

best dealt with by not talking about it. So while soldiers will talk about other aspects of battle quite frankly, at least among themselves, only a few misfits would ever mention how many people they have killed. Insert a little distance into the equation, however, and everything changes. Fighter pilots are happy to talk about their ‘kills’, and even have

a system where five ‘kills’ makes you an ‘ace’. An infantryman who talked like that would be viewed as a head-case.

And perhaps this can be Harry’s excuse. He was flying a helicopter gunship, and viewing the results on a screen. The distance between him and the men he killed wasn’t very great, but in practical terms his insulation from reality was almost total.

FROM 7

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chucked, too, including massive volumes of water, for instance. We also need to consider the energy and resources expended in bringing food to our tables. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, if food waste were a country, it would have the third-biggest carbon footprint after the US and China.

Moreover, research shows food waste contributes an estimated eight per cent of all greenhouse gases worldwide.

In that vein, about 25 per cent of Canada’s methane emissions (a greenhouse gas that traps 25 times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide) come from landfills. That’s the rationale behind diversion programs such as the green bin employed in Waterloo Region.

Officials stress that by taking action on food waste, we can save money, protect the environment and create new business opportunities for our agrifood entrepreneurs. And

we can help the country take steps towards meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goal to cut global food waste in half by 2030.

While farmers, processors and retailers are doing more to prevent loss and waste, we can have an impact at the individual level by making small changes that start with being conscious of the problem. That should also help in countering rising prices – as noted, we’re the only ones looking out for our wallets.

FROM 1

→

that was kind of busy, and there weren’t that many families here yet. So this Orthodox Christmas, we thought would be a good idea, because we’re all through Christmas celebrations. We’re all on that downside, we’ve got the January blahs, right? Not that we need any more food, but Mariia started to tell us about the special food for the holiday. They wanted so desperately to be able to say thank you in a very special way. So this is perfect.”

“I guess it started with us preparing for them. And today, it feels like we’re like one family all together,” said Dan Girardi, a volunteer since the beginning who has been instrumental in fundraising for the project.

The table was filled with traditional Ukrainian food, including Herring Under a Fur Coat, which is a dish made of layers of herring, beet, carrot, potato, mayo and onions, pancakes with cream cheese and salmon, stewed pork knuckle, the familiar homemade

perogies, and many other dishes and desserts.

Later, after the meal was served, some speeches were scheduled as well as some traditional Ukrainian singing.

The event took a fair bit of preparation. Shulhin kept track of the work: there were 60 guests invited, 260 perogies, 16 litres of borscht, six kilograms of kutia (a dish something like a sweet porridge made of wheat berries, honey, and dried fruit) and 12 total dishes made. He said the majority of the food was bought at the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market, and their traditional costumes made from supplies they bought at Len’s Mill Store where a Ukrainian who had stayed at the guest house now works.

“We tried to use all local resources to make the party great,” he said.

Clint Rohr, a St. Jacobs resident, had the initial idea to turn the former inn into a place of refuge for Ukrainians. “Back in March it was hard to imagine this kind of day,” he said at the event.

Last winter, Rohr says he was thinking about the call for shelter for Ukrainian refugees while out for a walk, and when he saw the empty Jakobstettel house, he thought it was a good place for refugees to stay.

The community rallied around the idea and people and business owners worked together to clean and renovate the former inn to make it habitable.

Mamaisur and Shulhin were the first to come to the home, and the first families arrived soon after.

So far, 39 Ukrainians have landed at the inn, with 17 having moved on to other accommodations, says Shulhin.

The former inn is temporarily being donated for this use by the owner of the property. The home is set up for Ukrainian families to stay for a period of time while they find work and more permanent places to settle elsewhere.

The house is currently housing 22 Ukrainians, including 11 kids who all worked together to put on the event.

Tereshchenko Iryna stirs the perogies prepared for the event, while Andrii Shulhin brings out a bowl ready for serving. Leah Gerber

re-sign

News that hits home. Local people in action.

Sports tips are always welcome.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com

Team Scores: observerxtra.com/scores

Ice holes explained ... or speculated on, at any rate

When people speak of ice fishing, they often discuss gear, tactics and where to fish ad nauseum, but very few people talk about the most important part of the activity: the hole.

I’m not sure why this is the case. For it has been my experience that, without the hole, ice fishing success is drastically reduced.

Despite this, there are few articles devoted to the art and science of creating a hole in the ice.

Sure, we all know that the worst way to do it is with your boot. In fact, if you have punched through the ice with your boot, get off the ice. Now! The ice is too thin.

Ice fishing holes, like everything else, have evolved over the centuries.

When ice fishing was first invented, ancient man used to drill holes in the ice by sending the heaviest angler out first. This worked for the most part, but was hell on large identical twins.

Thankfully, soon after that, the spud was invented.

The spud is essentially a chisel attached to a heavy metal bar. No one knows why it was named after a potato. I am guessing that the fellow who invented it really liked potatoes. But that, of course, is purely speculation.

The point is the spud worked well for years. And still does.

There are only two downsides to using the

STEVE GALEA Not-So-Great Outdoorsman

spud. First, you need to watch your toes, which is probably one of the main reasons why no one wears open-toed sandals when ice fishing. The other down side is when you ask a person to pass the spud, you run the risk of having a potato thrown violently at you.

The upside of a spud, however, is that it allows you to create square holes, which the marketing people said allowed you to corner a fish.

Luckily, the manual ice auger was invented soon after. Again, this is purely speculation, but I have always suspected it was invented by retired pirates with rough peg legs who took up ice fishing. If you think about it, this makes perfect sense because you can’t put a square peg in a round hole.

Again, I could be wrong.

The manual ice auger was all the rage for many years because a) it was more efficient to use and b) back in the old days when it was still a novelty, drilling a hole in the ice was probably the most fun a person could have in January. Which gives you some indication how bleak winters were back then.

The round hole was also one of the greatest technological achievements

This year’s Elmira Sugar Kings sweater auction to benefit Friends of Hockey

Steve Kannon Observer Staff

FOLLOWING THEIR GAME NEXT WEEKEND, the Elmira Sugar Kings won’t give you the shirts off their backs ... but they’ll happily sell them to you.

The team hosts its annual fundraising sweater auction January 22 following the matinee game against the Listowel Cyclones. This year’s recipient of the money raised will be Friends of

Hockey, the Elmira-based organization that helps families offset the costs of playing hockey, including the likes of equipment and registration fees.

The event typically raises between $5,000 and $10,000, with the money going to a charitable organization, said Rob Waters, the team’s president.

The specially designed jerseys that will be unveiled that day were paid for by Elmira’s Bauer Homes, he added, noting

community support has always been strong.

“It’s certainly been a well received, well attended event in the past, and we have many sponsors and many fans – there are some people that collect the jerseys, so it’s a wide range of people in attendance.

“We’re very fortunate to have Bauer Homes in Elmira – they purchased the jerseys for the auction, and they’re partnering with the Sugar Kings,” said Waters.

“We are excited to support the Elmira Sugar Kings charity game and proud to partner with Friends of Hockey as the beneficiary of the auction,” said Mike Heckendorn of Bauer Homes.

It’s the support of local residents and companies that allow Friends of Hockey (FOH) to do the work it does, said the organization’s Kyle Rank.

FOH was formed in 2009 to provide assistance to families who

The KW Titans have re-signed Shakwon Barrett, a 6’6 Canadian point guard who won the 2021-22 Rookie of The Year award from the National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC). The Toronto native spent his formative years at the internationally accredited Oakwood Collegiate Institute, a Grassroots Canada Basketball high school.

The EDSS boys hockey team showed there was no rust to shake off after the holidays, posting a 10-win over Forest Heights Collegiate on Tuesday as classes resumed this week. The Lancers are back in action again today (Thursday), hosting Waterloo Oxford.

Titans

Barrett Lancers back on the ice

The Elmira Sugar Kings' host a charity game Jan. 22, with specially designed sweaters to be auctioned off to raise funds for Friends of Hockey. This week, Kyle Rank of Friends of Hockey and Sugar Kings captain Adam Grein were at the WMC with Chris McCormick and Mike Heckendorn of Elmira's Bauer Homes, sponsors of the event. Submitted

WOOLWICH WILDCATS

■ Atom U11A

Jan/07/2023 vs Guelph Gryphons

HOME: 7 VISITOR: 2

GOALS: Connor Gillies (3), Julia Hallman, Hayden Hunter (2), Xaiden Weber

ASSISTS: Dominic Blake (2), Gavin Castle (4), Reid Denbok, Ben Ellis, Jack Frede, Julia Hallman

■ Bantam U15BB

Jan/07/2023 vs Flamborough Sabres

HOME: 1 VISITOR: 3

GOALS: Carter Weir

ASSISTS: Adam Bloch, Harrison Hartwick

■ Bantam U15BB

Jan/08/2023 vs Erin -Hillsborogh

SCOREBOARD

HOME: 4 VISITOR: 0

GOALS: Harrison Hartwick, Sam Kruschat, Adam Bloch, Mac Zettel

ASSISTS: Carter Weir, Adam Bloch (2), Jackson Kellough, Levi Adams

SHUTOUTS: Mills DeVrieze Woolwich Wild

■ Atom U11 LL-1

Jan/08/2023 vs Waterloo Ravens LL-2

HOME: 0 VISITOR: 4

■ PeeWee

Jan/07/2023 vs Cambridge Roadrunners

HOME: 3 VISITOR: 3

GOALS: Megan Nixon, Ellie Clemmer, Camrynn Dewar

ASSISTS: Stella Grundy, Ellie Clemmer, Megan Nixon, Brynn Berfelz

→ FROM

of that time. But only because technology was really moving at a snail’s pace back then. (Never forget, our ancestors used the pointed stick for centuries.)

it was harder, though not impossible, to place a boot through.

Rust shows as Kings drop first game back before rebounding with a win

Steve Kannon Observer Staff

BACK FROM THE HOLIDAY BREAK, the Elmira Sugar Kings found themselves on both the good and bad side of a 5-1 outcome last weekend, dropping a decision in Waterloo by that score on Saturday before rebounding the following day to share the pain with Brantford.

The KW Siskins showed why they were one of the frontrunners in the GOJHL’s Midwestern Conference in hosting the Kings January 6. Though there was no scoring in the first period, the home side outshot the visitors 14-5 on route to a 42-22 advantage by game’s end.

While it was the Kings who got on the board first in the middle frame courtesy of Luke Della Croce, assisted by Joey Martin, that would be it for Elmira’s scoring. In a three-minute stretch later in the period, the Siskins put up three goals – the first shorthanded and the others on the power play – and put the game out of reach.

Two even-strength goals followed in the third period to round out the scoring.

Elmira netminder Daniel Botelho stopped 37 in the losing cause that saw the Kings go 0-3 on the power play, while the Siskins were 2-5.

Shifting gears at home Sunday, the Kings went from tackling the conference’s second-place team to facing the one at the bottom of the standings. That fact was reflected in the numbers.

Elmira scored first, Jayden Lammel’s goal coming at 4:15 of the opening period. Assists on the power-play marker went to Austin Mumby and Adam Grein.

as the Kings enjoyed a man advantage. Grein (Lammel, Good) capped the scoring at 10:33 to give Elmira the 5-1 victory.

Shots were 44-10 in favour of the home team, with goaltender Hayden Sabourin posting the victory. Elmira was 2-6 on the power play, with Brantford going 1-4.

This weekend will provide another test for the squad, who’ll play three games in as many nights.

Since then the only real innovation regarding holes has been the size of them and how quickly we make them. Gas- and electric-powered augers have allowed us to drill bigger holes faster.

I suspect one day soon, we will have flame-throwing ice augers, which might mean the end of ice fishing entirely.

Until then, avoid asking anyone to pass the spud.

FOH: Auction set for Jan. 22 game

Ancient ice anglers found that the round hole was a fine passage for slipping fish up through the ice. On the flip side, it was also appreciated by fish that slipped out of their hands. Even so, ice anglers chose to settle on the round hole because might not otherwise be able to enroll their kids in minor hockey. The group typically allocates $10,000 to $15,000 each year to purchase equipment or to cover costs such as registration fees.

“The support from the Sugar Kings and Bauer Homes makes [this] possible – it’s nice to have their support in being able to raise money. Hopefully, we get lots of people out [January 22] to help us give back to the community, either helping kids with equipment or the financial backing that they need,” said Rank.

He noted FOH has seen an uptick in requests for assistance in the past year given the state of the economy, led by inflationary pressures.

“Inflation has obviously tightened things, everybody’s paycheques a little bit,” said Rank. “So anything we can do to help kids get out there and play, enjoy and have some good experiences, meet some friends and become better citizens in the long run, that’s the goal of our program.

“We don’t ever want to hear of a kid that can’t play because of financial restrictions.”

Proceeds from the auction will help FOH with that effort, he added.

The live auction event follows the matinee game (2 p.m.) on January 22 at the Woolwich Memorial Centre. Along with the game sweaters, they’ll also be a jersey signed by the entire team up for bids.

“We knew Saturday was going to be tough. We’d had three weeks off, and that first game back is always a hard one. They had played the night before, so they were up to speed and we were still trying to catch up,” said head coach Scott McMillan of the game in Waterloo.

Despite the outcome, McMillan had praise for his players.

“Their work ethic is always top notch. It was just a matter of us being a little bit rusty and us not executing – it wasn’t a lack of effort, by any stretch,” he said. “Even though the score wasn’t good, the fact that we worked hard all night was impressive.”

The Bandits tied it up later in the frame via a power-play goal of their own, but Martin scored with just 12 seconds left in the period to restore Elmira’s lead. Brock Reinhart and Carter Lawson picked up assists on what would prove to be the game-winner.

The Kings weren’t done, however. Lammel scored again early in the second, assisted by Grein and Dustin Good, giving the team a 3-1 lead heading into the second intermission.

Logan Crans, from Lawson and Chris Black, scored at 2:11 of the third

The Kings (19-14-1) are in Listowel Friday night to take on the Cyclones (15-15-2), then travel to Cambridge Saturday to face the Redhawks (22-6-41). The team returns home Sunday night to welcome the Ayr Centennials (19-131-1), who sit one point ahead of them in fourth place. Game time at the WMC is 7 p.m.

“There are a couple of big ones with Listowel and Ayr – the teams that we’re kind of right around the second tier of the pack with – so, yeah, it’ll be a big weekend here,” said McMillan of the games just ahead.

The EDSS junior and senior girls’ volleyball teams took on their counterparts from Waterloo Oxford District Secondary Tuesday, with both Lancers squads emerging with 3-0 victories. Leah Gerber

Leading the way.

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

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com

New Business: observerxtra.com/enterprise

Home sales, prices down Hiring challenges ahead

There were 7,770 homes sold through the MLS system of the Waterloo Region Association of Realtors in 2022, a decrease of 24.8% compared to 2021. In December, detached homes sold for an average of $825,450, down 17.6% from a year prior and 1.7% from November.

While most companies (70%) have a generally optimistic outlook when it comes to hiring in the year ahead, a majority of Canadian employers (75%) expect to face hiring challenges, causing them a great deal of worry, according to a survey from The Harris Poll. The top hiring issue, which one-third of employers are concerned about (31%), is having to hire less qualified candidates to fill open positions.

Pharmacies gain expanded role in health services

Atwood Observer Staff

ONTARIO’S PHARMACISTS NOW HAVE AN expanded role in providing healthcare services. As of this month, new Ministry of Health rules allow them to prescribe medication for 13 minor ailments, a change that brings the province in line with much of the rest of the country.

“Ontario is the fourth last province to do this. All other provinces except for BC, Nunavut and Northwest Territories have already implemented this in some form. Alberta was first in 2007,” explained Jen Belcher, vice-president of strategic initiatives and member relations for the Ontario Pharmacists Association.

There’s a wide variety of ailments that pharmacists can now prescribe medication for, including hay fever, oral thrush, pink eye, dermatitis, menstrual cramps, acid reflux, hemorrhoids, impetigo, insect bites and hives, tick bites sprains and strains and urinary tract infections.

“This

TOWNSHIP OF

have a difficult time accessing a primary care provider, or they live far away from their doctor, 95 per cent of the population lives within a five-kilometre radius of a pharmacy.

“So it may even just be, location-wise, more convenient to you if you’re more rural or remote.”

Local pharmacist Samer Mikhail sees it as a cost-saving measure.

“For Ontario, as you know, the health department has a big budget to be considered. So the government is trying to see that financial plans can be helpful and kind of creating an economical way of providing the services to Ontarians,” the owner of Elmira’s Woolwich Total Health Pharmacy said.

WELLESLEY

enabling people to get more convenient and timely care for some of these minor conditions that can be safely managed in the pharmacy

setting.... This will help keep people out of walk-in clinics or emergency department for these non life threatening conditions. And for those that

don’t have a family doctor, it’s one way that they can access prescribing care,” she said.

According to Belcher, while many Ontarians

Because the conditions now being handled by pharmacists are generally minor, they do not requiring diagnostics such as x-rays, Mikhail explained.

“Of course one of the things that people will say is “the pharmacist will start kind of doing clinical examination and go ‘ open

WELLESLEY

TOWNSHIP OF Burial and Cremation Service Act, 2002

Notice of Decision

Take notice that on December 6, 2022, the Council of the Township of Wellesley approved the application for an expansion to an existing cemetery located at 4401 Ament Line in the Township of Wellesley, Region of Waterloo.

And take further notice that the applicant, Registrar, or any person with an interest therein may, within 15 days after publication of this notice, refer the decision to the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal for a hearing.

Further information may be obtained from the Clerk of the Township of Wellesley.

Dated this 6th day of January, 2022

Grace Kosch, Municipal Clerk 519.699.3946

Pharmacists such as Samer Mikhail at Woolwich Total Health Pharmacy welcome the new provincial measures. Bill Atwood

Bill

New

rules

allow Ontario pharmacies

to

prescribe medication for 13 minor ailments, including acid reflux, dermatitis and pink eye

“This change will help free up primary care providers to tackle some of the more complex issues,” Belcher said.

is one way of

O

New emphasis put on farming sustainability and resilience

OWEN ROBERTS

Inflation isn’t unique to America. But while governments cross their fingers with each economic report their staff presents, hoping that food prices and inflation will start tailing off, farmers have a different reality.

In a few months they’ll be putting their crops in

verall farm incomes in the US have reached record highs. That doesn’t look good, given the price of food. Yet nearly half of farm households there say they are in the red – expenses for the materials (or “inputs”) used for farming are out of sight, and even high prices aren’t offsetting farmers’ costs.the ground, which requires a lot of pre-planning. Among the most fundamental challenges is figuring out how much acreage to dedicate to the crops they plant. They’re making decisions on how they think markets will swing, what they think will make them some money, and on what they can afford.

Some farmers’ nerves will fray over these decisions, especially with the world at odds with its own future. How do you plan with confidence?

The US isn’t taking a wait-and-see approach on agriculture. In winter meetings in Puerto Rico this week, United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced funding for several new projects designed to help steady the ship.

First, he dedicated $81

million to increase US fertilizer production (that’s in addition to the $500 million he announced in the fall), followed by $12 million in grants to expand meat processing and production. He’s been critical of big companies holding farmers for ransom, forcing so many of them to take off-farm jobs to pay for their input costs while prices soar and company profits skyrockets. Ditto for monopolistic meat operations that chisel livestock producers while recording increasing profits.

of this is designed to create an opportunity for us to allow folks to stay on the farm because that’s part of the plan in terms of changing the thinking and trying to get to a point where American agriculture is not only incredibly productive but it’s profitable for all, it’s sustainable for all and resilient.”

convinced John Deere to bend and allow farmers to get under the hoods of their machines.

Many details remain to be worked out, but the bottom line is that farmers who think in certain situations they can repair their own machines cheaper and faster than company reps will get their chance.

If certain crops require higher production costs – if they need more costly fertilizer, for example –farmers might eye an alternative. They must make → FROM 12

Vilsack summed up his efforts this way: “All

Separately, the American Farm Bureau has been fighting a separate battle with another huge agriculture firm, John Deere, over farmers’ right to repair equipment they buy from the company. Also in Puerto Rico, bureau president Zippy Duvall announced the organization had finally

All this is leading to the next US Farm Bill, which will be assembled this year. Through this week’s actions, we’re being given more clear indications of the themes that can be expected, and the overall message that the US will show global leadership in supporting farmers.

PHARMACIES: In other provinces, people have come to embrace the convenient options, says Ontario association

your mouth,’ but, no, that is not one of the steps that will be done, because it is through a minor ailment condition, which does not need that type of clinical examination or bloodwork or imaging,” he said.

This is also beneficial to the patients, says the pharmacists association.

“If you don’t have a family physician, if it’s

BEYOU!

after hours or on a weekend, if you’ve called for an appointment, and they’re not able to see you for a couple of weeks – because we know that family physicians offices are working exceptionally hard right now to take care of everyone as well – so if you’re not seeing timely access to care, this provides you with another option for how you could access it,”

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Ages:12-16

In-personbi-weeklyTues.:4-5pm

CAREGIVERSUPPORTGROUP

In-PersonGroup

Thurs.Jan.5,Feb.2,Mar.2, Apr.6,May4,Jun.1:1-2pm

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Belher said.

While patients now have the option, it is not an either or thing, Mikhail said.

“The patient is not reaching a kind of a crossroad. You have to decide to go the pharmacist or to go to the doctor now – we are one team. The pharmacists work with a doctor for the patient to provide the treatment

plan assigned by the doctor. And that is the role of the pharmacist in the community, the link between the doctor and his patient,” he said.

The pharmacist is also required to inform the patient’s primary care provider, and they must inform the person receiving the prescription filled by the pharmacist who recommended it, added

Belcher.

While there may be some Ontarians who are hesitant about the change, there is plenty of evidence that this system works, she added.

“Many of these provinces in Canada show that pharmacists do a really, really good job with this, and that once the public kind of gets used to the idea of going to their pharmacists, they really enjoy getting that

Mikhail agreed that there might be hesitation, but there are clear benefits.

“I know in the beginning it’s a change that will get concerns, but it will help the community and the patients to achieve the service in some time in a way that is easier for them.”

NAVIGATINGSOCIETY'S

VirtualAdultWorkshop Weds.Jan.25:7-8pm

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VirtualAdultGroup

CONNECTINGTOGETHER: In-PersonChild(Ages5-9) andCaregiverYoga andMindfulnessGroup Mon.Jan.16-Feb.13:5-6pm MANAGING CAREGIVERFATIGUE

Thurs.Jan.19-Feb.16and May9-Jun.6:12:30-1pm

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Mon.Jan.23,Feb.27,Mar.27, Apr.24,May29,Jun.26: 10-11am

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VirtualAdultWorkshop

Tues.Jan.24:7-8pm

EMPOWERINGTHEGIRL

INME(AGES10-12)

In-PersonGroup

Weds.Jan.25-Feb.22andMay 3-31:5-6pm

COPINGWITHTHE

WINTERBLUES

VirtualAdultWorkshop

Thurs.Jan.26:7-8pm

VirtualAdultWorkshop Mon.Feb.6:7-8pm

CBTFORINSOMNIA

VirtualAdultGroup Tues.Feb.7-Mar.14:6:30-8pm

VirtualYouthWorkshop Mon.Feb.27:4:30-6pm

WHATISMINDFULNESS?

VirtualAdultWorkshop

Mon.Feb.27:7-8pm

COPINGWITHWORRIES

INOLDERAGE

VirtualAdultWorkshop Weds.Mar.8:1-2pm

VirtualParentingWorkshop Thurs.Mar.9:7-8pm

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VirtualAdultWorkshop Mon.Feb.13:6:30-8pm

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VirtualAdultWorkshop Mon.Mar.20:7-8pm

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Thurs.Mar.23-Apr.27:7-8pm

In-PersonGroup Tues.Mar.28-Apr.25:4:30-6pm NONEEDTOFRET(AGES8-11) In-PersonGroup Weds.Mar.29-Apr.26:5-6pm BUILDINGBETTER BOUNDARIES In-PersonGroup Thurs.Apr.6-May25:6-8pm PRACTICINGPOSITIVE THINKINGANDGRATITUDE VirtualAdultWorkshop Mon.Apr.10:7-8pm IMPORTANCEOFSELF-CARE FORPARENTS VirtualParentingWorkshop Thurs.Apr.13:7-8pm

VirtualAdultWorkshop Tues.May2:7-8pm STANDTALL(AGES7-9) In-PersonSelf-EsteemGroup Mon.May1-Jun.5:5-6pm

VirtualParentingWorkshop Thurs.May11:7-8pm 2SLGBTQIA+UNDERSTANDING ANDAWARENESS VirtualYouthandAdultWorkshop Weds.Jun.7:7-8pm THEIMPORTANCEOF SELF-CAREFORSENIORS VirtualAdultWorkshop Weds.Jun.14:1-2pm SUPPORTINGOUR2SLGBTQIA+ CHILDRENANDYOUTH VirtualAdultWorkshop Thurs.Jun.15:7-8pm CALMANDCONTENT:ADULT EMOTIONMANAGEMENTGROUP

Food For Thought

such decisions long before planting season arrives, to make sure the seed and other inputs they need are available.

service from their pharmacists,” she said

Local stories that inspire.

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

Special screening Bandology at WLU

The documentary Colonization Road, which explores the impact of road building by settlers on Indigenous land and culture, will be screened Jan. 26 by the Wilmot Ecumenical Working Group on Indigenous/Settler Relationships. The event takes place at 7 p.m. at the Zion United Church, 215 Peel St., New Hamburg.

For the first time, non-profit Bandology will be hosting a March Break Music Camp in collaboration with the Beckett School at Wilfrid Laurier University. The camp is designed for those aged 7-10 and will focus on a wide array of music instruments and styles as well as fun games and activities. www.bandology.ca

The third time’s the charm for group of young performers

Gerber Observer Staff

AFTER A HIATUS DUE TO the pandemic, The KW Glee Club and the KW Symphony finally managed this week to team up again for a concert.

Due to the pandemic, the concert was postponed three times. The kids will be singing pop song favourites, including music by Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and Michael Jackson, all backed up by the KW Symphony.

The young performers are under the tutelage of artistic director Amanda Kind and music director Steve Lehmann.

“The best part about being in Glee is being on stage with your friends,” said Jillian Nunan, a member of the club who recently graduated from Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School in Guelph. This is Nunan’s fourth year with the club. She joined because her older sister was in it, she said

“The whole show week is the most exhilarating part. I would say that it’s the same for any kind of performance art, but specifically for Glee, being on stage and singing with your friends doing what you love most with the people you love most. And the chemistry on stage is crazy every time. It’s so much fun.”

Nunan will be perform-

ing a few solos in the show, including during a mash-up of Ain’t No Mountain High Enough and Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours as well as the show’s original song, Remember Today, she said.

She’s also looking forward to the mash-up of Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston songs, a Destiny’s Child and Beyoncé medley and another medley of Bond theme songs including the newer contributions from Billie Eilish and Adele.

“I want people to know how hard everyone has worked on (the performance),” said Ronan Hayes, a Grade 12 student at Centennial Collegiate in Guelph.

“Amanda and Steve obviously run it and they are a huge part of what makes it really great.

But there’s a big team of people working, like choreographers and dance captains. They all help us learn everything. But at the end of the day, it comes down to us to practice at home and practice working together and putting in hours and hours outside of rehearsal.

“If [people] want to come to the show, what they’re coming to see is just the amount of work that we have put in outside of school because of how much we love performing and singing and dancing.”

The concert features more than 150 kids ages

9 to 20 who take turns performing, and then come together at the end, said Kind.

“It’s been postponed three times already, and the third time’s the charm,” said Kind. “So we’re finally back and the students are so excited. I think singing together is something that they

deeply missed during the pandemic. The way these kids interact with each other and get to sing together, I have the pleasure of watching them do little videos on social media and it’s really fun.

“I think people when they think about kids’ choir, they just can’t imagine what the talent level

might be. But, truly, this area of southern Ontario, we have some of the most talented kids you’ve ever seen in your life and when people come to the show, usually their jaws drop, because they just can’t believe what they’re hearing.”

The show includes full choreography.

Nunan said the choreography of each song is taught on Monday evenings, and each student is responsible for practicing and rehearsing it on their own. “It’s a lot of responsibility.”

Kind says the show is meant for all ages, and that they perform a variety of songs so that there is something for everyone.

As well, this year the group is performing with special guest Yaa Yaa, a Ghanaian singer and performer who helped write an original song for the group to perform, as well as coached the kids for their finale performance of The Circle of Life.

Glee started in 2010 as an idea while Kind was teaching at The Renaissance School of the Arts. When they first started, the KW Glee Club had 40 singers and performed their concert in a local church, said Kind.

Since then the group has grown to include more than 150 kids in multiple Glee Clubs divided by age group including grades 1 to 3, 4 to 8 and 9 to 12. In 2014, The KW Symphony had reached out to do their first collaboration, and now this will be the fourth time the organizations perform together.

The Glee Club meets for full rehearsals on Saturdays and the senior group meets on Mondays for practice.

Read a local best seller every week.

Leah

Twice delayed by the pandemic, KW Glee got back on stage this week with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony

The KW Glee Club finally got back on stage with the KW Symphony, with more on tap in the aftermath of a pandemic delay. Submitted

Seven days. One paper.

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Phone: 519-669-5790 ext 104 Email: ads@woolwichobserver.com Job Listings: jobs.observerxtra.com

Placing a classified ad Help Wanted

Help Wanted

HELP WANTED IN BAKERY - FULL OR part time. Hillcrest Home Baking 519-669-1381.

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.

Farm Services

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.

KILN DRIED CORN & CORN SCREENING Delivered by Einwechter. Minimum 15 ton lots. Call George Haffner Trucking 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.

Farm Services

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

Wanted

STILL BUYING ALL ANTIQUES, COINS, jewellery, wrist and pocket watches, Omega, Rolex, Tudor etc. Fair, honest prices. Over 40 years in business. gallamore@golden.net or call Terry at Elmira 519-242-6900.

Automotive

2017 CHEVROLET EQUINOX LS, AWD 140700kms, BLACK, CLEAN, Includes snow tires on rims, HUSKY liners. Call Sarah (519)580-7124.

Coming Events

THE SHAREHOLDERS OF THE ELMIRA Farmer's Shed will hold their annual meeting in the Farmer's Plus board room on Fri. Jan. 27, 2023 at 1:30 p.m.

Order online at: observerxtra.com/ order-family-album

Take the stress out of family meal planning.

This one year weekly planner will save you money, waste less food and save time during the week to spend more time with those you love. newsmart.ca

Notice to Residents of Intent to Consider an Amending By-law to Impose Fees or Charges for Agricultural Enforcement Cost Recovery

Take Notice that the Council of the Township of Woolwich intends to discuss a by-law to amend fees or charges for Agricultural enforcement cost recovery fees on January 23, 2023 at the Committee of the Whole meeting. This meeting will be held remotely via Zoom and livestreamed to the Township of Woolwich YouTube Channel at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Township Administration building. For information on how to participate in this meeting please contact the Clerk’s department as follows; • visit www.woolwich.ca/delegations for more information on speaking before Committee of the Whole or Council and to register through the online delegation request form, • email councilmeetings@woolwich.ca, or • phone 519-669-6005.

Apply to Join a Woolwich Township Committee or Board Today!

The Township of Woolwich is looking for engaged citizens who are passionate about supporting our community to join a local committee or board.

We need committee members for:

• Board of Downtown Elmira Business Improvement Area

• Board of St. Jacobs Business Improvement Area

• Committee of Adjustment

• Dog Designation Appeal Committee

• Property Standards Committee

• Township of Woolwich Environmental Enhancement Committee (TWEEC)

• Woolwich Heritage Committee

The frequency of meetings and workloads varies from committee or board, for detailed information about the committees and how to apply, please visit the www.woolwich.ca/committees or contact the Clerks Office at 519-669-6005.

The application deadline is Friday, January 27, 2023. Appointments to Committees of Council will be approved in February 2023 for a term ending approximately in February 2027.

Interested but want more information? Contact Alex Smyth, Deputy Clerk by phone at 519-669-6005 or email at asmyth@woolwich.ca.

Celebration of Life

Celebration of Life for

Dave Koebel

Oct. 18, 1957 – Jan. 24, 2021

Our beloved husband, dad, papa, brother, brother-in-law and friend passed away almost 2 years ago. We will be celebrating his life on Sunday, January 22nd, 2023 at the Elmira Legion from 2-4pm. All are welcome.

Thank you

Thank You

To the Community of Elmira, Woolwich Township and beyond, We send a heartfelt thank you to all Brian McHugh’s wonderful customers, business neighbours (Joey, Adam, Tom, Leslie, Rebekah and more) and friends who have known him well through the years. Thank you for the many good conversations and the laughter. Thank you for all the supportive cards and messages when Brian was in the hospital and for the many Christmas cards, goodbye cards and lovely messages on paper or in person. A special thank you to his customers who sent a teddy bear when he was in the hospital :); the great books from a playwright friend; a bottle of Wellesley cider; and to the three kind women who generously left a donation at our doorstep. All of this outpouring of support has touched our hearts. We apologize if we have missed you. Brian dearly misses his old life and would still be running the store if health issues had not intervened. He is a strong person though and is managing well.

A special thanks to Observer reporter/ photographer Leah Gerber, for her well-written, thoughtful articles about the store closing and about the many unclaimed photos. Thanks to those who stopped by to pick up their past photos or found some for people they knew…that was such a help.

Remember that you can now order prints on-line through Kitchener fotosource and pick them up in town at the Village Pet Store off Industrial Drive.

Thank you to Leslie and Rebekah, owners of the coffee shop, Local Renaissance, for taking over the lab’s second-hand book sales and for continuing to raise money for Lisaard House, an important place to Brian.

Finally a sincere thank you to Alex Porter who managed the store so well and to Barclay Porter who was so generous with his time and energy…a skilled and kind person.

We wish Dierre Acheson, owner of Never Enough Thyme, all the very best as she oversees renovations and moves into the lab space to open her wonderful catering business in a new spot.

Thanks to this beautiful community, Brian, has truly enjoyed his time as the owner of Brian’s Photo Store and says “I miss you all, take good care.”

Sincerely, Brian McHugh & Family

Michael King

In Memoriam

Obituary

Bowman, Martin M.

Larry Martin

At Crowsfoot Smokhaus at 1872 Sawmill Rd., Conestogo, ON on Saturday January 28 between 2-4pm. There will be food provided. This will be a relaxed and drop-in style event.

Passed away on Monday, January 9, 2023 at St. Mary’s Hospital, Kitchener, in his 83rd year. Husband of Lovisa (Martin) Bowman. Brother of Lucinda Martin, Amos Bowman, both of St. Clements, and Rebecca Martin of Elmira. Brother-in-law of Henry Brubacher, Manoah Martin, and Melinda Martin. Predeceased by his parents Israel and Salinda (Martin) Bowman, brother John, sister Leah, brothers-in-law Samuel and Onias Martin. Burial and service will be held on Thursday, January 12, 2023 at Martins Mennonite Meeting House, 4401 Ament Line, RR 3, Wallenstein. ❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

Obituary In Memoriam

Martin, Wilma (Wideman)

Kraus, Carl

We Miss You So Much Dad

You were a Dad who was so special And who was loved so very much, And brought so much happiness To the many hearts you touched. You were always kind and caring And so understanding too, And, if help was ever needed Dad It so freely came from you. You were a gift to all the world And brought joy to everyone, And life has never been the same Ever since you have been gone.

In loving memory of our Dad, Harry, who passed away 1 year ago today January 13, 2022. We love you and miss you so much!! Your girls xoxo

Obituary

Martin, Martha

Passed away peacefully on Friday, January 6, 2023 at her residence, at the age of 65 years. Wife of Isaac Martin of RR 1, West Montrose. Mother of Melvin and Laurene of West Montrose, Mervin and Anna of Lucknow, Clarence and Anna of West Montrose, Esther Martin of Lucknow, Anna and Ivan Martin of Val Gagne, James and Eva, Elsie and Elam Martin all of Holyrood, and Nancy Martin of West Montrose. Sister of Harvey and Annie Martin, Amsey and Martha Martin, Henry Martin, and sister-in-law of Elmer and Minerva Sauder. Predeceased by her parents Melvin and Elvina (Eby) Martin, stepfather Leander, grandson Abner, and sister Erla Sauder. Visitation took place from 12:30-5 p.m. on Saturday, January 7, 2023 and from 1-6 p.m. on Sunday, January 8, 2023 at the family home, 5977 Line 86, RR 1, West Montrose. Family service was held at 9 a.m. on Monday, January 9, 2023 at the home, then to Meadow Grove Mennonite Meeting House for burial and public service.

❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

Death Notice

LEWANDOWSKI, SHEILA - Sheila passed away peacefully on December 22, at the age of 89.

Passed away peacefully with family by her side on Wednesday, January 4, 2023 in her 89th year. Beloved wife of the late Alvin S. Martin (2009). Dear mother of Clifford and Lillian Martin of Waterloo, Dianne and Willard Brubacher of Moorefield, Laura Martin of Wallenstein, James Martin, Leroy and Alice Martin, Lester and Cheryl Martin, Noreen and Keith Martin, all of Elmira, Ruth and Cleon Weber of Mount Forest, Daryl and Darlene Martin of Wallenstein. Lovingly remembered by 19 grandchildren, six step-grandchildren, 43 greatgrandchildren, and six step-greatgrandchildren. Sister of Erma Martin and sister-in-law of Susanna Bauman. Predeceased by her parents Elias and Lydia Ann (Martin) Wideman, stepmother Hannah (Bauman), siblings Edwin and Salome Wideman, Gordon and Helen Wideman, Tilman and Lucinda Wideman, Menno and Salema Wideman, Mary and Angus Martin, Clayton and Mary Wideman, Alvin Wideman, Abner and Vera Wideman, Lydia Ann and Milton Bauman, Ephraim and Ruth Wideman, Elvina Wideman and brother-in-law Milton Martin. The family received relatives and friends from 6-8:30 p.m. on Friday, January 6, 2023 and from 1-4 and 6-8 p.m. on Sunday, January 8, 2023 at the Dreisinger Funeral Home, 62 Arthur St. S., Elmira. A family service was held on Monday, January 9, 2023 at 9 a.m. in the funeral home chapel, then to North Woolwich Mennonite Meeting House for burial and public service. Special thanks to Bayshore nurses for their compassionate care. ❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

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Please call or email Donna Rudy: 519-669-5790 ext 104 donna@woolwichobserver.com

Peace of mind in Wellesley

Why travel to the Big City?

The Futher-Franklin Funeral Home in Wellesley can service all your needs in the beautiful surroundings of the country and at a cost less than the “Big City”.

A privately owned funeral home providing care and respect to you and your family! Futher-Franklin Funeral Home, 1172 Henry Street, Wellesley. 519-656-2880

With deepest sadness, Carl Kraus’ family announce his peaceful passing on January 6, 2023 at Pinehaven Nursing Home, Waterloo at the age of 86 years. Beloved husband and soulmate for 63 years of Joan of Elmira; cherished Dad of Deb (John) Goddard of Hanover, Bryan (Michelle) of Kitchener, and the late Wendy Price (2001) of Kitchener. Carl is survived by his siblings Elizabeth Jupp of Kitchener, Henry of Kingston, Edward (Shirley) of Stratford, and Leonard of RR 5, Stratford. Beloved Grandpa of Darcy Price (Josh), Christopher Price, Darien (Alisha), Olivia (Jordan), and Jared Goddard. He was also the proud Great-Grandpa of Lilly and Dylan Kraus. Predeceased by siblings Mary Young and Tom, both of Guelph. Carl was born in Spiritwood, Saskatchewan on March 10, 1936 and then moved with his parents Carl and Mary (Toth) to Ontario when he was ten. The family settled on a small farm outside of Winterbourne. Carl met Joan (Stickney) of North Woolwich at a local dance. They married in 1959 and raised their family in Winterbourne. Carl was known affectionately to his friends as the Mayor of Winterbourne. Carl and Joan resided there for 53 years before their 2015 move into Elmira. Carl worked at Conestoga Ford Tractor in Waterloo for many years, then at Zettles Tractor in Guelph until he took an early retirement to enjoy other hobbies. He was a true mechanics’ mechanic as he basically worked on anything that moved on roads or fields. He loved restoring old vehicles in his later years. He could always be found tinkering in his large garage but he was rarely alone as ones of all ages would drop by to visit and pick his brain about some mechanical problem that they had. Carl was a longtime member of the Elmira Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses and loved learning and sharing scriptural thoughts; for example Psalm 121 and John 5:28 - 29. He is fondly remembered by family, neighbours old and new, and many friends of all ages for his stories, hearty laughs, ready smiles and joyful spirit. His family extends their deepest appreciation to the Pinehaven Team Members and to Dr. Maidment for the loving compassionate care given to Carl during his seven years of residency. Thank you all for the many lovely comforting expressions of sympathy and for sharing your own fond memories of Carl; it is so appreciated. Condolences and shared memories can be sent to c.krausfamily@gmail.com or cards for the family can be addressed to the Dreisinger Funeral Home. All who wish to honour his memory may consider making a donation to the Alzheimer Society, or the Worldwide Work of Jehovah’s Witnesses. There will be no visitation. A private gathering will be held at a later date to honour Carl, and a Memorial Tree will be planted locally.

‘Grandfathers are just antique little boys’

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

Guesthouse open house New funding options

www.uwaywrc.ca

www.wrgrassrootsresponse.ca

Where lunch is about more than just eating

Gerber Observer Staff

ELMIRA HAS A LONGSTANDING, THRIVING community meal circuit that provides muchneeded fundraising dollars for the organizations and fellowship for the community members who attend. Despite two years of pandemic upheaval, the community meals are still being served.

Community Care Concepts provides services so seniors and special needs clients can remain independent in the community. Staff and volunteers coordinate lunch events once a month at different locations, with the intention to bring a meal to where people are, so they don’t need to leave their community. A typical lunch brings 80 to 100 people together, said executive director Cathy Harrington.

Community Care Concept’s lunches cost $12 for a full meal, and usually come with some sort of program like guest speak-

ers or entertainment. The gatherings allow seniors to learn more about other services available to them and hear about what’s going on in their communities.

“We often think of things like the nutrition, physical health, mental health, maintaining exercises, but the research has actually shown that one of the most protective factors to help people age well is to maintain some form of social connection with others. And that’s what we’re really trying to do is the lunches: provide an opportunity in a bit of a structured way for people to maintain those connections.”

Gale Presbyterian Church and the Elmira Legion are two more organizations that provide meals as fundraisers in the community.

Kim Denstedt is the co-chair of the board of directors at Gale, and Hilke Dann has been a long-time volunteer working to provide the church’s meals.

For about 20 years, volunteers at Gale Presbyterian in Elmira have been providing a monthly lunch for the community as a fundraiser for the church. Denstedt says they began when the church was still at its former location on Cross Street.

It started with 40 lunches, and by 2019 the

organization was providing 350 turkey dinners.

“Over the years, our lunches have become popular with different groups,” said Denstedt. “Some are people who work full-time, while others are retired and seeking a place to socialize with friends. We recognized the value of our

venue for this group.

“A whole variety of people, a lot of downtown businesses, people that work there would come for lunch. When my daughter worked at TD Bank, the bank manager at that time would sometimes reward the tellers by buying them lunch at our church. And there’s some other busi-

Restless legs syndrome in children

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My child moves around a lot at bedtime and has trouble falling asleep. She describes "bugs" on her legs. As someone who was diagnosed with restless legs syndrome, I am wondering if children can develop restless legs syndrome, too?

ANSWER: Yes, children can have restless legs syndrome. You also may hear it called Willis Ekbom disease, based on

the names of the physicians who first described this condition.

Just like adults, children can have sensations in their legs that makes it hard for them to fall or stay asleep. If the sensation happens regularly, they may have restless legs syndrome, which is

considered a sleep disorder.

Restless legs syndrome can occur in about 2% of school-aged children. It also can run in families. Children with symptoms may have a parent who has restless legs syndrome.

Similar to adults, restless legs syndrome can make it difficult for children to get a good night's sleep. It does not lead to other health problems in children. Treatments are

available that often can reduce or eliminate restless legs syndrome.

At first, it can be challenging to diagnose children with restless legs syndrome, which is characterized by an unpleasant or uncomfortable urge to move their legs. Some people describe it as a crawling, pulling or burning sensation in the thighs, calves or feet. Children may describe "bugs" or use other such descriptors.

The sensation is temporarily relieved when they get up and move around, or when they shift or stretch their legs. Children also can have "growing pains," which typically wax and wane, and are not associated with the need for movement.

Symptoms of restless legs syndrome typically begin at night after a person has been sitting or lying down for some time. These symptoms can occur during the day, too,

nesses that would either pay for their employees or purchase lunch for their employees and pick it up as takeout,” said Dann.

“And then an awful lot of people that were just from our church, people that knew about it. There was a group of ladies that used to come together and play cards together. And they would kind of come and sit down together and visit while they were having lunch.”

“Our volunteers have become a close-knit lunch crew who take pride in what we serve,” Denstedt said.

“It’s not just eating the lunch, it’s preparing it and just getting together for a couple hours,” added Dann.

The group has switched to take-out lunches since the pandemic, but when people were still meeting together the group was diverse.

“We had our regulars but also saw some new people every month,” said Dann. “It was a diverse

when a person is sitting, but they typically are worse at night. Children may sometimes have these feelings while sitting in a car or classroom.

Many people have mild leg twitches as they drift off to sleep. These movements, called "hypnic starts," are a normal part of falling asleep. They are not associated with restless legs syndrome. Restless legs syndrome is much more uncomfort-

Waterloo Region Grassroots Response to the Ukrainian Crisis is hosting an open house Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Hillside Residence site in Maryhill. The new guesthouse at 44 St. Charles St. E. has 13 spaces available to house newly arrived Ukrainian families.

United Way Waterloo Region Communities (UWWRC) and Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) last week announced they are working together as part of this initiative to distribute over $2.8 million locally, and that they are now accepting applications.

▢ Mayo Clinic

Professional Clinical Health Advice

Leah

Volunteers prepare lunch at Gale Presbyterian Church in Elmira. Submitted

Local groups demonstrate that the social aspect is a top draw, especially for seniors in the community

And now he’s engineering some laughs

Comedian Abbas Wahab offers up his take on the immigrant experience after opting for a change in his career path

WITH HIS PARODIES OF WHAT it’s like to interview for a job at some of Canada’s biggest companies, stand-up comic Abbas Wahab is quickly building a social media following. His videos have poked fun at the muffled sound of a Tim Hortons drive-thru worker, the frustrations of an Air Canada customer, and the Tetris-like aisles of Canadian Tire.

The idea came to Wahab having the same experience in multiple situations.

“Every job that I’ve ever had for years would always be like, ‘oh, Abbas, so I guess you’re the boss.’ It would always be that joke. So, I just did a kind of a general interview showing how that plays out, and it got a good reception. And then, coincidentally, the next day, I went to Canadian Tire and every employee was avoiding me. So, I did a sarcastic job interview for Canadian Tire, which is just kind of making fun of how crazy cramped the aisles are,” he explained.

While his mock Tim Horotons interview has gained the most traction, Wahab’s favourite was his take on Mr. Lube.

“I don’t know if you’ve ever had an oil change at Mr. Lube, but they try to upsell you to the frickin’ end of the Earth,” he said.

Wahab immigrated with his family to London from Sudan at age six and described is upbringing as “living two lives.”

“Your home life is one life and then your school life is another life, it’s kind of what you would expect: Canadian smaller town London, Ontario, then at home-it’s religion, it’s like military discipline. You’re praying, every-

thing is authoritarian. At school it’s like ‘how do you feel about these things?

Let’s go around and talk.’ There’s none of that at the house,” he explained.

Wahab originally started his professional career as an engineer – graduating from the University of Waterloo – however he switched career paths after three years of working in San Francisco.

“I think I was destined for comedy all along. I just was kind of doing the old immigrant playbook: I thought I had to do engineering, and after two years of really, really not enjoying it, the novelties of all the purchases kind of wear off. I had a mindset shift, and I found a local open mic. It went terribly but then I got back up a week later and then rinse and repeat,” he explained. “For the last year, I was in the States, I would just do engineering by day and then open mics by night.”

Wahab hopes to inspire other immigrants to pursue the arts.

“I went to school with a lot of kids with the general mentality around me, and this was my mentality too – I don’t want to be a doctor, so I’ll be an engineer. This is literally the actual mentality vocalized, not just latent,” he said.

“I really hope that in the future, all these immigrant kids that come here don’t

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12

▢ Woodside Evergreen for Seniors at Woodside Church, Elmira, 10:30 a.m. "Providing Employment for Individuals With Dis(Abilities)" by Elena Haskell of The Raw Carrot Soup Enterprise. Music by an Acapella Quartet from Elmira Mennonite Church and Devotional Thoughts by Pastor Derek Osborne of Elmira Pentecostal Assembly. Suggested donation $10 includes hot lunch. Preregister by Jan 8 at www. woodsidechurch.ca/evergreen or 519-669-1296.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13

▢ Friday Food at the Elmira Legion. Doors open at 4 p.m., serving at 5:45 p.m. Menu: Mary's meat pie, mashed potato, veg, roll $15/plate. Join us in the lounge. All welcome.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15

▢ Elmira Legion's Hungryman Breakfast at the Elmira Legion Hall. Join us between 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for breakfast with all the fixings! Adults $8, Kids $5.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20

▢ Friday Food at the Elmira Legion. Doors open at 4 p.m., serving at 5:45 p.m. Menu: chicken drumsticks, noodles, veg, roll, dessert $10/plate. Join us in the lounge. All welcome.

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.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27

▢ Friday Food at the Elmira Legion. Doors open at 4 p.m., serving at 5:45 p.m. Menu: BBQ burgers & jumbo dogs, coleslaw, dessert $10/plate. Join us in the lounge. All welcome.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28

▢ Elmira Legion's Take Out Spaghetti Dinner. Pick up from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Menu: spaghetti with meat sauce, Caesar salad, roll, dessert. $13 per person. Order in advance call Donna Vervoort 519-669-5894.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9

▢ Woodside Evergreen for Seniors at Woodside Church, Elmira, 10:30 a.m. "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.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20

▢ Woolwich Gardeners February Speaker. Join us at St. James Lutheran Church, Elmira, 7 p.m. with Speaker Karin Davidson-Taylor (Royal Botanical Gardens). She will speak on "Healing Plants". Freewill donation for non-members. Open to the public. "Lug a Mug" for refreshments and treats.

Bill Atwood Observer Staff

Abbas Wahab

MAYO

Treatment for restless leg syndrome in children focuses on relieving its symptoms

able, and it often makes it hard to fall sleep and stay asleep.

Sometimes muscle and ligament strain can be misinterpreted as restless legs syndrome, too. Usually, however, a strain is relieved by rest; whereas, the symptoms of restless legs syndrome worsen when limbs are kept still.

Health care providers usually can diagnose restless legs syndrome based on symptoms. In children, symptoms can start as early as 5 to 6 years of age. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can coexist in about 30% of children who experience restless legs syndrome.

Sleep studies are not

necessary unless children cannot accurately describe their symptoms. Based on how old children are developmentally, it can be difficult for them to describe the unusual feelings in their legs, so it is important to speak with a health care provider about options.

Treatment for restless legs syndrome focuses on relieving its symptoms. Taking a warm bath, massaging the legs, or applying warm or cool packs can calm symptoms of restless legs syndrome. Stretching, followed by exercise at a moderate level regularly and establishing good sleep habits also can make a difference. Caffeine, alcohol or tobacco consumption can

trigger or worsen symptoms.

Research shows that too little iron in a person's diet can contribute to restless legs syndrome. Some young children or toddlers have a high consumption of cow's milk, which can lead to low iron. You may want to speak to your pediatrician about checking their blood iron level.

If the blood iron level is low, eating more iron-rich foods can help. Examples include red meat; dark green leafy vegetables; beans; and iron-fortified breads, cereals and pastas. Your health care provider also might recommend an iron supplement, which is usually the first choice to treat children.

No medications have

Just like adults, children can have sensations in their legs that makes it hard for them to fall or stay asleep.

been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for children with restless legs syndrome. Certain medications may be considered by a sleep medicine physician if children have not responded to other measures to manage symptoms.

For adults, if lifestyle changes are not enough,

medications are available to reduce symptoms related to restless legs syndrome. Medications that have been shown to help include several that affect a chemical in your brain called dopamine. Dopamine's job is to send messages from your brain to your body that control muscle movement.

Researchers suspect that restless legs syndrome may be linked to insufficient activity of dopamine in the nervous system.

Be aware that certain medications can worsen symptoms of restless leg syndrome, including overthe-counter sleep aids that contain diphenhydramine, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and anti-nausea drugs. Review current medications with your health care provider. He or she may recommend substitutes, as needed, to manage restless legs syndrome.

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.

Miso perfectly pairs with sweet orange and tender salmon

Miso is a thick paste made from fermented soybeans. Miso and its relatives have been essential ingredients in Japanese, Chinese and Korean cuisines for thousands of years, adding savoury umami taste to everything from soups to sauces to pickles.

The first step in making miso is preparing a (friendly!) mould called koji ("KO-gee"). The koji is

then mixed with cooked, mashed soybeans; salt; and sometimes water. That mixture sits for anywhere from a few weeks to a few years! Over time, the koji starts to break down the proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in

the soybeans. It converts the soybeans' proteins into amino acids, including glutamic acid, which give miso its trademark savory umami taste. At the same time, the koji turns the carbohydrates in the soybeans into simple sugars, which add some sweetness to the miso. According to the Japan Miso Promotion Board, there are 1,300 different types of miso!

Salmon with Miso-Orange Sauce

Help keep salt out of groundwater

1. Add orange zest and juice, miso, sugar, vinegar, cornstarch, and cayenne (if using) to a small saucepan. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.

2. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, sprinkle salt and pepper in an even layer. Place salmon fillets, skin side down, in the skillet. Wash your hands.

3. Cook salmon over medium heat, without moving salmon, until fat begins to puddle around fillets and skin begins to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.

4. Gently slide spatula under fish to loosen skin from skillet, then use tongs to flip fish. Cook, without moving fillets, until the center of each fillet registers 125 degrees

on instant-read thermometer, 6 to 8 minutes.

5. Bring miso mixture in saucepan to a simmer (small bubbles should break often across the surface of the sauce) over medium-high heat. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 1 minute. Turn off heat. Spoon glaze evenly over salmon. Serve.

MAKING THE MEAL: Elmira Legion among the groups offering up opportunities for people to gather for a meal

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group ranging in age from babies to 90 plus. Yes, we have high chairs and booster seats.”

Denstedt said that they also provide delivery to people who can’t leave their homes and provide meal tickets to Woolwich Community Services to distribute to those who need them.

Dann says they try to source as much food locally as possible and even use produce grown in the community garden located on the property.

“Before COVID, Gale fellowship hall was a place where strangers became friends and friends met for a nutritious, delicious, affordable  lunch with dessert and coffee.  Since COVID, our customers call or email to order meals,” said Dann.

Rae Ann Bauman, the Elmira Legion’s public relations officer, says Legion volunteers have hosted fundraising meals

since it first formed. Now, members try to host some kind of meal at least once a month.

Bauman has been involved with the legion for about 20 years, and over that time she’s seen the number of meals served continue to grow and grow. She says that for their last hungry man’s breakfast event before the pandemic, they served 600 meals. A typical Friday night event will bring out just under 100 people.

She noted there are a few annual meals that the Elmira Legion has become known for, including their schnitzel dinner, meat pies and chicken dinners. The recipes come from cookbooks put together by members and the ladies auxiliary, who created a cookbook as one of their first projects when they were formed. At the same time, “we’re very good at trying new things too,” said Bauman. They also

give out take-out meals, which they had to rely on when the pandemic hit.

Legion members fundraise their operating budget, said Bauman, and the community meals they provide are a large part of that effort. They also raise money to give away for various donations.

“When it comes to our organization, as much as we support our members and our veterans, we still rely on our community, “ said Bauman.

During the pandemic, the organization switched to take-out and the community continued to support them, she said. But the organization is emerging from the pandemic strong. Bauman says for their first in-person hungry man breakfast since the pandemic  on January 15, they’re expecting 400 to 600 people.

Said Harrington, “the importance of food and fellowship can never be underestimated.”

COMEDY: Show brings together different comedic styles

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necessarily have to fall into these preordained stencil careers. And I hope that any success that I end up getting in this will inspire kids to be, like, you can do it, and we don’t have to be engineers, we don’t have to be doctors, which are great careers….but I’m hoping that in the path I’m taking it’s a testament to people, like ‘yo, we can make the arts work.’ Until I did two years of engineering myself and was at the breaking point, that was the only point that I actually started thinking, ‘hey, why can’t I do comedy?’”

As part of his rise in comedy, Wahab self-released his first album, “Safe Black,” last year and is currently part of the three-person cross-country tour “They’re Going Places” with fellow comedians Moe Ismial and Jesse Singh. Their January 20 show at the KW Little Theatre has long been sold out.

“It’s just a really good, cohesive kind of unit where we generally tackle similar themes, but our comedy is completely different, even though… it’s a coherent 90-minute show, but we all have very different comedic styles or stories, and approaches and jokes. So, it’s like you got a little taste of this, this and that. It’s almost like a movie a little bit, I imagine, from an audience point of view,” Wahab said.

GLEE: Up next are a club for adults, songwriting classes

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Kind says the older kids rehearse for seven hours a week. “It’s like a sports league, everyone commits and works together.”

Next, Kind says they are launching a Glee Club for adults, and songwriting classes for the kids.

“I can only tell you that we are continually shocked by the demand

[for Glee Club] and the joy that people take in it,” said Kind.

“Our organization offers opportunities for almost anybody of any age, and that coming to see the show is the best way to figure out what we do.

If you’re interested in it, and are an aspiring singer or you just love music, coming to see the show is a

great way to kind of understand what we do.”

“If there’s anyone out there who feels like they don’t belong, and they love to sing and dance and to share the stage with people, they should definitely audition,” said Nunan.

More information can be found online at www. kwsymphony.ca.

Comedians Moe Ismial and Jesse Singh are also on the bill Jan. 20. Submitted