March 18, 2021

READY FOR SPRING!

AD SPOT - NON PRINTING

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL

SPRING TIRE CHANGEOVER $24.99

BICYCLES, SCOOTERS & ACCESSORIES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED

FROM

ELMIRA CANADIAN TIRE 325 ARTHUR ST. S., ELMIRA • 519-669-2727

TURN BIG PURCHASES INTO SMALL PAYMENTS. No fee. No Interest.on equal monthly payments.

Ontario's #1 Weekly Community Newspaper

24

$150+ Purchase

MONTHS

MARCH 18, 2021

This Weekend Friday

50 Saturday

110 Sunday

Elmira, Ontario, Canada | observerxtra.com | Volume 26 | Issue 11

Living Here | 20

130

Southbound traffic was blocked between Elmira and St. Jacobs Tuesday evening after a transport truck carrying steel coils tipped over at the roundabout. Emergency crews responded to the scene just before 5:30 p.m. The 48-year-old male driver of the truck was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The roundabout was closed for several hours while investigators remained on scene Steve Kannon and crews attempted to right the vehicle. The Traffic Service’s Branch continues to investigate the incident. Charges are pending.

Region opens new vaccine clinics, but pace still remains slow Damon MacLean Observer Staff

THE REGION OF WATERLOO IS starting to administer the Moderna vaccine, branching out from exclusively using the Pfizer-BionNTech as has been the case since December.

Health officials are also extending the

period between the first and second shots of the vaccine, part of a new process laid out March 12 in the weekly pandemic briefing. What once was a two- or three-week gap between doses has now be extended to 16 weeks between injections. In the region, that process began March 10 but does not

apply to residents of longterm care or retirement homes who were at most significant risk to exposure will receive their next dose at the 21-day increment, said Shirley Hilton, who heads the region’s vaccine distribution task force.

The rollout remains slow in the region, largely

due to a lack of vaccine supplies. Hilton said she is sympathetic to the public’s concerns, particularly around the process for setting appointments for those over the age of 80.

“We’ve heard you loud and clear and we’ve added additional human resources to assist with making those calls and the

team will begin working 12-hour shifts today, right through the weekend and then into next week...The calls will begin at 9 a.m. and up until 9 p.m. daily.”

This week saw the opening of new vaccine clinics, including a location in Wellesley village.

That followed the opening Friday of a site at the

Langs Community Health Centre in Cambridge.

Next Monday will see the opening of the region’s largest vaccination clinic at 66 Pinebush Road in Cambridge.

“Grand River Hospital, in partnership with Cambridge Memorial Hospital and other → VACCINES 4

100% compost A natural soil enhancement for lawns

AD SPOT - NON PRINTING

519-584-4755

webstoneprosoils.ca

2 | COMMUNITY NEWS

T:5"

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, March 18, 2021

Woolwich Township installed solid barricades Wednesday to prohibit any access to the Peel Street bridge in Winterbourne. The structure was deemed unsafe in 2017, though council recently voted to Damon MacLean rehabilitate it for pedestrian use at some point in the future.

Wear a mask, wash your hands and physically distance to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Learn more at ontario.ca/covid-19

6 4 BRAND NEW,

T:13.5"

A harmless coffee break can do more harm than you think.

LUXURY

RENTAL SUITES REMAINING

STARTING AT $1950/M + UTILITIES

2 BEDROOM 735 SQ FT; 3 BEDROOM 882 SQ FT; 3 BEDROOM 904 SQ FT; 3 BEDROOM 2 BATH 1784 SQ FT

2 LEVEL WITH PRIVATE ENTRANCE/PARKING/LAUNDRY

AVAILABLE JUNE 1, 2021. 3 RIVERSIDE DR W ELMIRA.

FEATURES Solid stone counters, custom maple cabinetry, full size stainless appliances including dishwasher, tiled backsplash, tiled tub/showers, individually controlled heating and cooling, luxury vinyl flooring throughout, softened water, on site laundry, some have private terraces.

VARIETY OF FLOORPLANS TO CHOOSE FROM.

Floorplans available to view.

Quality built by

CALL OR TEXT 519-574-6105 Paid for by the Government of Ontario

EMAIL HORSTS@ROGERS.COM Retirees welcome. First come first served.

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, March 18, 2021 | 3

School zone cameras

Page Three

If it matters to you.

It matters to us.

News tips are always welcome.

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

The region has doubled to 16 the number of photo radar locations it plans to roll out this year. Schools zones in front of Foundation Christian School on Katherine Street in Winterbourne and St. Clement school on Lobsinger Line were first identified for the townships.

Added to the list are Clearview Mennonite School on Three Bridges Road in Woolwich and Wellesley PS on Queen’s Bush Road.

From the archives The region’s pre-1951 structural history is now available all in one location as a way to increase awareness about the buildings that have served the cities and townships. Some 220 properties make up the Waterloo Region Public Building Inventory.

From the Mar. 17, 2016 edition of The Observer

WSA, CCC to receive provincial funding to support senior programs Province announces $155K in new funding for groups in Waterloo Region Sean Heeger

He says organizations can use the money for the likes of wellness programs, social connections, and educational programming that is telephone- or online-based. He says it does not have to be web-based, but connecting seniors virtually is the key.

Seniors have been one of the groups most affected by the COVID19 pandemic, and many shifts have been made by organizations to ensure they are able to continue to provide them with services. Many have increased telephone-based programming such as check-ins, while also using newer platforms like Zoom to provide online classes, presentations, and other forms of connecting seniors who may feel isolated.

The WSA and CCC have both implemented new programming through many means and hope to continue expanding on the work they have done with the funding coming to them.

WSA coordinator Nancy Lucier says the organization is extremely grateful for the funding they will be receiving and are already looking into how they will use it to better programming at the senior’s centre.

“We’re thankful every year that we are able to

Observer Staff

THREE SENIORS’ ORGANIZATIONS IN THE region will share in $155,000 in provincial funding provided with the goal of keeping older Ontarians active during the pandemic.

The money will also help the groups bolster their online presence.

The $154,730.35 in new funding was announced last week by Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Mike Harris.

Locally, Community Care Concepts (CCC) and the Woolwich Seniors Association (WSA) will each benefit from $54,014.41, while Saint Luke’s Place in Cambridge will receive $46,701.53.

“I think that the really big thing here and the important piece is we really want to make sure that we’re keeping seniors as active as possible during a really tough time for them. We’ve seen a lot of seniors having to stay at home and not being able to get out to some of these organized events and centres to participate in some of the great activities. So, the nice thing with this funding is it’s going to help bolster a bigger online presence for a lot of these organizations to be able to still be out making an impact in the community,” said Harris.

→ SENIORS 4

Nick DenBoer’s video for deadmau5 and The Neptunes was nominated for a JUNO Award.

Submitted

St. Jacobs native finds himself up for a JUNO Award Artist Nick DenBoer’s handiwork on display in video for deadmau5 and The Neptunes Damon MacLean Observer Staff

FROM HIS ROOTS IN CHICKEN farming in St. Jacobs to now being nominated for a JUNO Award, video artist Nick DenBoer has followed an unconventional path.

DenBoer was in his Toronto studio this past week when he received an email from deadmau5’s manager, Joel Zimmerman, that his video for the song ‘Pomegranate’ by deadmau5 and The Neptunes was up for ‘video of the year.’

The news caught him

somewhat off guard.

“I thought that had come and gone already. It’s almost a year ago I made the video, and I thought the award ceremony season was already over – I just kind of counted it in my mind that we had a shot. So it’s kind of a cool surprise,” said DenBoer.

The nominees were announced last week, with the awards to be presented May 16.

The video DenBoer is nominated for is for the track Pomegranate made in collaboration between deadmau5 and The Neptunes, a duo consist-

ing of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo.

Pomegranate was the third video DenBoer has made for deadmau5 but the first for The Neptunes.

The project called for long hours during the two months it took to put the video together, one month of which was rendering time alone.

“This video is a little less ridiculous than a lot of stuff I’ve done in the past, because, obviously, with Pharrell Williams involved, I didn’t want to go super crazy and freak him out. I dialed it back a little bit for this video,” said DenBoer,

who is known for his wacky style of video FX and animation that holds a certain comedic tone.

The journey into the creative world was a slow one for DenBoer that saw some detours on the way after graduating from Elmira District Secondary School.

“I left EDSS in like 98, and moved to Toronto and started taking some courses at OCAD (Ontario College of Art and Design),” he said, noting he wasn’t inspired by the outdated technology the school was using. → JUNO 4

Wednesdays is Senior’s Day - Receive 20% Discount* W • O • O • L • W • I • C • H

P

H

A

R

M

A

C

Y

FREE DELIVERY | 10 Church St. W., Elmira 519.669.8282

Always Fast, Friendly & Professional Services • Compression Stockings (Standard & Customized AD SPOT - NON PRINTING • Compounding • Compliance Packaging • Free Blood Pressure Check • Free Blood Glucose Monitor & Teaching Samer Mikhail Pharmacist | Owner • Ostomy & Home Health Care *See store for details.

OPEN: Mon. to Fri. 9am - 7pm; Saturday 9am - 4pm; Closed Sundays

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, March 18, 2021

4 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Woolwich Seniors Association president Stuart Weber and coordinator Nancy Lucier say they are Sean Heeger thrilled to be receiving funding from the government.

SENIORS: Funding will help groups looking to keep people active, deal with extra challenges due to pandemic →FROM 3

The region opened a vaccines clinic in Wellesley and Cambridge (above) this week.

Submitted

VACCINES: Planning for a wider rollout as supplies allow →FROM 1

community partners, is overseeing the operation and staffing of this vaccination clinic,” said Hilton.

“The broader vaccination clinic at 435 The Boardwalk in Waterloo will be moving into the larger space to allow for more vaccinations beginning on March 29, and will be expanding hours of operation as well.

“Planning is still underway for other vaccination

locations throughout Waterloo Region including primary care sites to serve North Dumfries, Elmira and other geographies,” she added.

Vickie Murray of Grand River Hospital said there have been some people showing up at sites looking to receive shots, whether due to confusion or by intent, claiming to be in a priority group, adding it can be difficult to determine eligibility.

There have been 48,036 doses administered in the region, covering just 5.8 per cent of the population.

Some 13,716 individuals have been fully vaccinated, a total of 2.3 per cent.

In neighbouring Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, the health unit has administered 21,405 people have been vaccinated, covering 8.4 per cent of the population.

receive support from the provincial government, because it allows us to continue our community organization’s [work by] providing programming for older adults in Woolwich and surrounding areas. And it’s very important. It’s a really important organization in that we have such a great network of older adults that stay connected with each other,” said Lucier.

“The most important thing is that we’re able to stay connected with seniors in our community.”

She says they have already been able to check in with more people through phone calls, bring people together via Zoom,

and continue to look to the future as they bring more programming to the population.

Cathy Harrington, executive director at CCC, said she too is happy to receive the funding as it will help the agency further its programming after major changes had to be made related to the pandemic.

“Seniors active living centres provide an important component of Community Care Concepts’ broad continuum of community-based services that support seniors across our rural communities to live independently in their own homes. We are grateful for the funding provided through the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility

to support our mobile model of seniors active living centres which are an important source of connection and well-being for seniors living in rural communities across Wellesley Township,” said Harrington.

“While this past year has forced us to transition from a variety of in-person group social and recreational activities, this funding has been critical in helping us to offer a variety of virtual and remote programs as well as maintain critical well-being checks and connections to address social isolation, ensuring that the health, safety and well-being of seniors in our community is addressed.”

JUNO: A non-traditional path to where he’s at today →FROM 3

“Why am I here learning VHS?” DenBoer asked himself shortly before dropping out about a year and a half into the program, making a big change at that point. “I went into construction for 10 years – I was doing renos and ripping apart houses and building cottages. So it was just a total detour.”

While doing that work, he kept his hand in the creative stuff, joining a high school buddy’s band and taking photos and videos as they toured the country.

“I just kept my foot in [the door], making videos and stuff. And then when YouTube came around in 2005, I was making these weird remixes of infomercials just for fun while I was doing construction work. It’s never like I really started to do a career in this stuff – it was always just hobbies.”

At least until his following started blossoming, that is. He caught the attention of Ken Block,

a rally car driver and founder of DC Shoes, who enlisted him to remix one of his car videos that blew up and became an official ad for the company.

Following those ads, DenBoer then worked on a political series during the U.S. election race between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, at which point Conan O’Brien’s team reached out to him.

He would work as a staff member there for about three years.

He next drew attention when, alongside Davy Forced, who helped on the most recent video, he created a parody of ‘The Shining’ called ‘The Chickening,’ which was intended to be a pilot in a TV show pitch to Warner Brothers.

“We thought we’d pitch the show to [them]... a redo of old films in their film library. With a massive collection of old properties and films that they have, we thought, ‘what if we took all these old films, kind of chopped them down to 30 minutes and

gave them a new narrative by kind of injecting new characters, altering the characters altering the storyline with visual effects and editing?’”

The pitch didn’t go over so well, but the project did grow a cult following after Kenny Hotz, known for his antics from the competition-based TV show Kenny vs Spenny and who took part in the short, decided to email 80 people copies of it. DenBoer was upset until they received a call back from the Toronto International Film Festival, which decided to play it as part of their Midnight Madness; since then, the short has played more than 140 different festivals.

Following the release, KFC approached DenBoer and hired him to make some ads for them based on his chicken charm. The journey has come sort of full circle for the man who grew up on a poultry farm in Woolwich Township.

Denboer’s work can be viewed on his youtube or on his website, smearballs. com.

Thursday, March 18, 2021 | THE OBSERVER

COMMUNITY NEWS | 5

Easter Bunny Parade returns to Wellesley Sean Heeger Observer Staff

SOCIAL DISTANCING MIGHT KEEP THE Easter Bunny from dropping off chocolates for a traditional Easter egg hunt, but he is set to parade down the streets of Wellesley once again.

Last year, the Inspiring Minds Early Learning Centre came up with a way to ensure the Easter Bunny could still make his trip to Wellesley village in lieu of the usual egg hunt. This newly created event came in the form of the Easter Bunny Parade, a socially distanced event that sees

the bunny ride in a Jeep, making stops to wave at the kids.

Krista Schott, director of the Inspiring Minds Early Learning Centre, said the goal was to have a safe event that still allowed kids to mark the holiday.

“It came out of something that happened last year, so when we were right in the beginnings of COVID. Wellesley has always been a great community and trying to have lots of different community events, and someone reached out wondering if anybody had an Easter Bunny costume, and would they

The Easter Bunny will be making the rounds of Wellesley Apr. 3. Sean Heeger

be able to drive around Wellesley. That’s how it started. Because we’re still in the midst of COVID – we typically would offer an Easter egg hunt for families, but obviously we can’t do that – we’re going to go ahead with the Easter Bunny parade again this year,” said Schott of the decision to go again with the alternative arrangement.

Taking place April. 3, the event sees the Easter Bunny driven around in

a Jeep, visiting kids in the village. Schott says someone will drive ahead of the bunny’s vehicle – which will have the doors and potentially the top off depending on weather – honking their horns to let families know of his arrival.

Unlike similar holiday events last year which proved extremely popular, the parade which will be undertaken by the Easter Bunny will not require families to regis-

ter for a visit. Schott says the bunny will be going up and down every street in the village.

In keeping with safety and trying to limit the contact kids and their families could have with the bunny and others, no candy is going to be given out during the parade.

Instead, giving back to the community and having a fun event during these unprecedented times is the real goal behind the second iteration of the parade.

“Regardless of the situation that we’re in, there are still ways that we can make sure that we are celebrating together. We’ve always been really very grateful of the support that we’ve received as a not-forprofit organization within Wellesley Township as a whole. And this is one way that we can give back and be a part of the community as well,” said Schott.

The Easter Bunny Parade will start at 10 a.m. on April 3. The route the bunny will take will be posted online in the days leading up to the event.

Brothers Braydon and Owen Weber are looking forward to Braydon’s food drive birthday this Sunday on Killdeer Road in Elmira. Damon MacLean

Elmira boy celebrating a birthday by helping others Damon MacLean Observer Staff

BIRTHDAYS ARE A TIME FOR celebration, but during a pandemic, the option of getting together to mark the milestone is a challenge. Rather than keeping things to his immediate household, one Elmira boy has decided to run a food drive to share the joy on his special day.

Looking to boost community engagement and support, Braydon Weber opted to collect food and cash donations to help those most in need.

Monica Weber says her son Braydon has had other friends that have done the same thing, which is where he got the inspiration for his sixth birthday.

“He’s been talking about that since the fall when he had a few friends do that, these food drive birthday parties and so on. He had just suggested that maybe he could do it.”

The drive is being held in support of Woolwich

Community Services’ food cupboard. The team is open to donations of any kind, but there is a list of items that are needed more than others, one that includes canned pasta, Cheez Whiz, canned peas, canned carrots, shampoo, deodorant, laundry detergent, and toothpaste.

Braydon hopes to see his friends stop by to help, as well as his extended family members.

Anyone who may want to stop by to say “happy birthday” can drop off a non-perishable food item, or perhaps drop something off directly to WCS, said Monica Weber, noting Braydon’s brothers will also be taking part.

This is the second time Braydon’s birthday plans have been altered due to the pandemic.

Last year, the family had plans for an event to mark his fifth birthday, but was forced to cancel.

“He had his birthday plan with friends, but it had to be cancelled

because this was one of the first weeks of lockdown.

So, we did promise him that once everything’s cleared out we would have a party with friends,” said Weber.

This year’s celebratory food drive is set to take place this Sunday on Killdeer Drive in Elmira , from 1:30 to 3 p.m.

“We’re just hoping to fill up most of the back of our truck with some items,” she said, noting they’ve already received some donations from coworkers following some posts made on her Facebook and Instagram accounts, raising awareness for her son’s special day.

“Thank you for blessing people,” said Braydon.

This isn’t the first regional initiative the family has taken on. They also participated in this year’s Coldest Night of The Year, which raised $93,565 directly supporting WCS. Social distancing measures will be in place for the party.

HEATING, COOLING, GAS PIPING, SHEET METAL

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS of service to Elmira and surrounding areas

Thank you for your continued support.

SALES - SERVICE - INSTALLATION Locally owned and operated

519-496-3347

ELMIRA

www.shillco.com

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, March 18, 2021

6 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Wellesley approves another breeding kennel in a split decision Sean Heeger

bid, Coun. Shelley Wagner was opposed, not satisfied with the applicant’s plans for the kennel. When, for instance, she asked Edwin Bauman about best practices for the health of breeding females, he was unable to answer.

She was concerned when he did not know that after breeding for two cycles in a year, most experts say it is good to give the female between six to 12 months off before breeding again.

“If you’re going to breed a bitch twice – so two heats

Observer Staff

JUST WEEKS AFTER A DIVIDED council approved a breeding kennel application, Wellesley councillors split again this week in giving the go-ahead to another operation.

In a 3-2 vote Tuesday night, council approved the application of Edwin and Tina Bauman to run a breeding operation at their farm property at 3972 Ament Line, Wallenstein.

As with the previous

back to back – your best practice is to take one or two heats off. So, if you breed one of your bitches twice in one year, you should give her at least six months or another year off before you breed her again. So, I’m going to put this simply, but I as a female certainly would not want to have had children every nine months for eight years of my life after I was married – it’s a lot of stress on the body. So, it’s

no different for a bitch; when you’re breeding her every heat after heat after heat, best practice is to give her one or two heats off in between,” said Wagner.

Mayor Joe Nowak then followed up by asking animal control officer Todd Loveday if such practices were outlined in the township’s kennel bylaw.

Loveday said that was not the case, noting that kennel bylaws in

neighbouring municipalities have no such provisions either.

Coun. Peter van der Maas, who joined Wagner in opposing the application, asked about plans for veterinary care, with Bauman noting during the meeting that his veterinarian is located in Burlington, something which gave pause to Wagner who wanted to know what would happen if a puppy needed urgent medical

care and had to be taken to Burlington.

The Baumans are looking to breed golden retrievers and cocker spaniels, starting with 10 dogs. With the application approved, they plan to build a new structure on their property to house the animals.

The building will include poured concrete flooring with in-floor heating, self draining floors, a supply of fresh water and a new heating system.

Friday Mar. 26 & Saturday Mar. 27 (12Noon – 6:00PM) Chicken Wings Cooked Fresh to order!

Sauced the way you like ‘em – BBQ, honey garlic, sweet Chili, Classic Buffalo

$12.99/lb Please order ahead for freshness and pick up time!

at

RiverSong

632 Hawkesville Rd., St. Jacobs

519-500-1715 | info@chefduff.ca

Township mayors Joe Nowak (Wellesley), Sandy Shantz (Woolwich) and Les Armstrong (Wilmot) were at the opening Monday of the SUBMITTED region’s new vaccination clinic in Wellesley village.

Waterloo Region steps up virus monitoring Damon MacLean Observer Staff

General Contracting Agricultural Residential New Buildings Commercial Renovations www.stirtonconstruction.ca 8012 8th Line.RR #2 Drayton, ON | 519-638-5462

FEATURE ITEM:

3.49

$

LEAN

GROUND BEEF DELI SLICED

HAM KIELBOSSA

/lb Reg.$4.89/lb

4.29 /lb

$

2065 Floradale Rd. Elmira, ON. Our plant is 100% Gluten Free

PHONE: 519-669-2300 TOLL FREE: 844-669-2300

Reg.$4.99 /lb

HOURS: Tuesday - Friday 8am - 6pm Saturday 9am - 3pm Sunday CLOSED

THE NUMBER OF COVID-19 CASES remains relatively high in the region – there were more than 30 new cases a day this week, down considerably from the post-holiday peak, but well above the summer numbers. Still, the numbers are relatively stable, say public health officials.

Overall, there have been 11,349 cases since the pandemic began more than a year ago. Of those, 10,788 have been resolved, a recovery rate of 95 per cent. The number of fatal cases hit 239 at midweek.

The number of outbreaks at the likes of long-term care homes and workplaces continues to fall, however, with the region currently monitoring 16 locations, down a half a dozen from a week earlier.

With the numbers stable, the Public Health department is monitoring for variants of the virus, mindful that some are more contagious than the original.

“In Ontario, over 1,000 cases have been confirmed as a variant, and over 6,500 have screened positive for a variant. We expect to see a continual increase in the number of cases locally that screen positive for a variant. At this time,

our percentage of cases that screen positive isn’t growing as quickly as it is in Ontario overall,” said medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang during the weekend pandemic briefing March 12.

The region has now reported 223 cases of variants of concern on its online dashboard – 17 have been confirmed as the B.1.1.7 first identified in the U.K, and the remaining 206 have not had their lineage determined at this point.

The changing nature of the virus means it’s no time to relax our vigilance, said Wang.

“It is critical that we continue to keep up with measures such as limiting close contacts, maintaining physical distance, and wearing face coverings.

These measures protect against the spirit of COVID-19, including its variants.”

With new strains and the ongoing reopening of the economy following the most-recent lockdown, the public health system is adapting accordingly, she added.

“Due to recent changes – the end of this stayat-home order – the enhanced case and contact management that we’re doing for cases assumes that any case could be a variant today.

And stricter school screening guidance has led to

an increase in the unseen work that public health staff are regularly engaged in to slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Wang.

Between February 22 and March 7, public health managed 2,739 contacts, monitored 117 workplaces, which is up from 74 in the preceding two-week period, and monitored nine school and childcare groups. They also investigated 75 long-term care and retirement homes, up from 63 in the preceding two period.

“Case contact and outbreak management continue to be fundamentally important to controlling the spread and are much more effective when people are limiting their non-essential social interactions and trips outside of the home.”

As the vaccine rollout continues in the region, albeit slowly, Wang warns of the importance of continuing to stay at home and follow public health measures.

“We continue to be in a risky period. While our indicators are relatively stable, the variants are increasing provincially and locally, and most healthy areas have started to experience an increase to their rights.

While vaccine supply has improved, and vaccination clinics are ramping up in Waterloo Region,

there will not be enough supply coming in the next few weeks to avert a third wave. Therefore, we need to keep up with our strict public health practices for at least the next few months. We still need to exercise caution, but the light at the end of the tunnel grows brighter every day.”

In Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, there were 107 168 active cases, down from 168 a week earlier.

That catchment area’s cumulative total was 4,947, of which 4,735 (94.7 per cent) have been resolved.

There have been a total of 105 fatalities since the pandemic began, one in the past week.

The province is seeing some slight increase in the number of weekly cases, with the total now at 320,448, an increase of some 9,000 in the past week.

There have been 7,173 deaths attributed to the virus, representing a mortality rate of 2.2 per cent. The ministry reports 300,769 cases (93.9 per cent) have been resolved.

The latest numbers from Health Canada show 31,517 active cases, an increase of about 1,400 in the past week. The cumulative total of confirmed cases now stands at 915,868, with 22,519 related deaths, a mortality rate of 2.5 per cent.

Thursday, March 18, 2021 | THE OBSERVER

ↆ P O L I CE

COMMUNITY NEWS | 7

R E POR T

An early morning blaze levelled a home in Linwood Mar. 12, with all residents evacuated uninjured.

Firefighters from Linwood, Wellesley and St. Clements responded to a call just after 4:30 a.m., arriving Joe Merlihan at the Manser Road address to find the house fully engulfed by flames.

A fire Mar. 11 at an on-farm business, Forestview Kitchens, on Crowsfoot Road was largely contained to a dust collector bin. Firefighters from Maryhill, Breslau and Conestogo were on the scene for about Damon MacLean an hour and a half.

Number of collisions down on Ontario roads, but higher percentage are fatal, OPP reports The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) this week released its 2020 collision and fatality data, noting historic highs in deaths among some vehicle user classes.

During a year that saw a significant reduction in traffic on OPP-patrolled roads, collisions in 2020 resulted in a higher fatality rate than in the previous year. Of note is that there were 26 per cent fewer collisions in 2020, but the fatality rate was 22 per cent higher when compared to 2019 collisions.

In 2020, there were 55,581 collisions, 285 of which were fatal (305

MARCH 12 8:32 AM | Waterloo

Regional Police received a report of a theft of a catalytic converter from a truck in the area of Snyders Road East in Wilmot Township.

The theft is believed to have sometime overnight on March 9th. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-8477.

4:22 PM | Waterloo

Regional Police received a report of thefts from motor vehicles at a residence on Katherine Street South in Woolwich Township. Two vehicles that were parked on the driveway were entered and rummaged through. A garage was also entered, and a vehicle located within the garage was also gone through. Personal property was stolen from the vehicles and the garage.

The theft is believed to have occurred sometime overnight on March 10th to March 11th. Anyone

lives lost), whereas in the previous year, there were 75,128 collisions, 304 of which were fatal (335 lives lost).

A significant number of the fatalities were preventable and attributed to careless and dangerous driving behaviours, say police.

Among the deaths, 62 were linked to speed, 51 to alcohol/drug use and 45 to driver inattention.

Lack of seat belt use contributed to 55 driver/ passenger deaths.

Transport trucks (or other commercial vehicles) were involved in 6,145 of last year’s collisions. with information is asked to call police at 519-5709777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

8:25 PM | Police received

a report of a fraud that occurred at a store on Farmer’s Market Road near St. Jacobs Woolwich Township. The store reported that on February 21, a female used a quick-change scam to take money from a cashier. The business suffered some financial loss. The female has been

Forty-two motorcyclists were killed, marking a sharp increase over the 27 deaths in 2019.

Failing to yield right-ofway and excessive speed were leading factors.

In 37 of the incidents, no other vehicles were involved, underscoring the fact that motorcyclists are vulnerable road users who cannot afford to take any unnecessary risks.

Marine fatalities reached a 12-year high and were almost double over 2019, with 32 people killed in boating incidents.

Capsized vessels (17) and falling overboard (12) were leading primary described as white, wearing a toque with a large pompom on the top, a black jacket, black spandex pants and black boots. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-8477.

MARCH 15 9:56 AM | Waterloo

Regional Police responded to the area of New Jerusalem Road in Woolwich Township for a report of

causes, with paddlers accounting for half of those who died. As is the case every year, the majority of the deceased (29) were found not wearing a life jacket - a simple measure that could have significantly reduced the number of deaths.

Last year’s 23 off-road vehicle fatalities marked the highest number of deaths in 14 years. Eight of those who died were not wearing a helmet.

Four of the riders were wearing a helmet, but with the chin strap unfastened. Alcohol/ drugs was a factor in approximately one third a break and enter at a construction site. Sometime between March 14 at 9 p.m., and March 15 at 7 a.m., unknown suspects cut the padlock off a large construction trailer and stole an undisclosed amount of construction tools. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-8477.

The risk of flooding prompted the closure last week of the low-level bridge in St. Jacobs. DamonMacLean

of the deaths.

The OPP has responded to 15 snowmobile fatalities so far this season, surpassing the 13 deaths during the 2019⁄20 season.

Driving too fast for the conditions was a factor in half of the fatalities. The

OPP is reminding snowmobilers to avoid riding on frozen waterways, especially this late in the season. To date, three people have died after their snowmobiles broke through the ice or were driven into open water.

takeout Lunch & dinners Dinners

Meatloaf or Ham includes:

March 19 & 20 3:30-7:30pm

coleslaw, rolls, mashed potatoes, vegetable & dessert

Lunches

Saucy Garlic Chicken or Meatloaf includes:

March 24 & 25 11am-4pm

coleslaw, rolls, mashed potatoes, vegetable & dessert

Delivery available Thurs, Fri, Sat. Call for details.

CAFÉÉ HOURS: Tues.

Tues.-Thurs.

Thurs. 8-4, Fri.-Sat. 8-7:30

r orde pre-Quired e r

(519) 669-2142 | 2238 Floradale Rd., Floradale | www.bonnielouscafe.com

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, March 18, 2021 | 8

Opinion

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

Connect: observerxtra.com/staff

Verbatim

The Monitor

“While we were concerned after our first round of results last spring, the second round in the summer provided some hopeful results. Now, the results of this latest poll show that people are having more trouble coping with the effects of the pandemic.”

Canadian opinions of the Chinese state remain sour: 14% say they have a favourable view of China, part of a long downward slide that’s seen that number drop from 58% since 2005. A slight majority are also in little mood for Beijing’s upcoming Olympics: 56% say team Canada should sit the 2022 games out.

CMHA Ontario CEO Camille Quenneville says the need for more supports has never been clearer.

Angus Reid Institute

OBSERVER EDITORIAL

Housing market is detached from what economy is doing

A

fter a lull at the onset of the pandemic, the housing market has been heating up across the country, and especially so in areas such as Waterloo Region, where the price for an average single-family home topped $910,000 last month.

Despite the economic downturn and ongoing uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, home prices are becoming even less affordable (not to be confused with newfound efforts in the region to marginally increase the housing stock for the most disadvantaged).

A new report from the Royal Bank of Canada makes clear the situation, one in which we’ve seen in the last six months the steepest increase in national benchmark housing prices on record. The country’s most expensive markets, Vancouver and Toronto, recorded above-average gains of $143,000 and $139,000, respectively, which is perhaps not surprising.

But much of the increase has been driven by markets on the periphery of those cities, a phenomenon in part attributed to the pandemic-related jump in remote work that has seen people move in search of larger, cheaper homes. Ironically, driving up prices in their wake.

The report notes that single-family home prices soared $147,000 in Barrie and $145,000 in the Fraser Valley since August. Hamilton-Burlington (up $137,000), Kitchener-Waterloo (up $114,000) and London-St. Thomas (up $104,000) weren’t far behind. Single-detached homes also got a lot more expensive in other BC markets, virtually all of southern Ontario, and parts of Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.

Our search for space saw demand drop for small condos in the larger cities, where prices were up just $12,000 on average nationally, though they actually fell in Toronto.

Already, many people – especially younger ones, but increasingly cutting across all demographics – despair of owning a home as the economy sinks, works become more precarious and, sometimes inexplicably, housing costs rise.

With prices, government policy is largely to blame, mostly through immigration and, down through the ranks, poor land-use planning and growing taxes and fees.

The big issue, of course, is whether we’ve got a housing bubble ... and when it will it pop.

Not just yet, apparently, as the market continues to heat up. Even in this region, sales each month reach new heights, as do costs.

Average home prices are now far out of reach of many residents, which doesn’t seem sustainable. Some economists and market watchers are waiting on a correction.

Still, there are plenty of us who see housing as a safe investment, unlike, for instance, the stock market, which remains volatile. Both markets are a gamble, however, and both were and continue to be heavily manipulated by the financial sector, the very industry responsible for the systemic corruption at the root of our economic woes.

Speculation, of course, is another word for gambling.

There’s a simple reality, however: housing prices do not always go up.

Price decreases could help those looking to get into the market down the road, but that upside could be offset by the fact credit is harder to come by. Lenders are hanging on to their money, and tightening requirements when they do part with it.

If there is a take-away lesson to be learned when it comes to real estate, it’s don’t take any undue risks. And gambling, which is how we’ve been viewing the housing market, is risky to the core. If we keep betting on ever-increasing prices – with equity loans to match – and allowing too many people to over-leverage themselves, there’s going to be a great deal of pain if the market sees a correction or if interest rates start rising to historical levels. Don’t wager the farm on the boom times lasting forever.

ANALYSIS OF CURRENT WORLD EVENTS

Round up the suspects: the Quad awakes

I

t has been quite pleasant living on a planet where most of the great powers were not locked up into two hostile nuclear-armed alliances, but nothing lasts forever. Creeping shyly onto the stage via Zoom, the successor to NATO emerged into public view last week.

It’s called the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue – the ‘Quad,’ for short. It’s intended to be to China what NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) was to the old Soviet Union: an alliance to deter and contain the ‘evil regime,’ now located in Beijing, until it finally collapses.

The core four in the Quad are countries that have all fought China in the past 75 years: the United States and Australia (in the Korean War), Japan (before and during the Second World War), and India (sporadic border wars).

It was the militaristic Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan who originally proposed Quad 1.0 in 2007, but new Australian, U.S. and Japanese leaders shelved it in 2008. Donald Trump re-launched it as part of his anti-Chinese policy in 2017, and this time the other former players were also up for it. Joe Biden has just given notice that he’s also on board for Quad 2.0.

Most of the ‘usual suspects’ (the other NATO members) also

GWYNNE DYER

Global Outlook on World Affairs

want to join the team as players, or at least as substitutes: a Canadian warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait in January, and Britain, France, Germany and the Netherlands will all deploy warships to the Indo-Pacific region later in the year.

Is ‘NATO in Asia’ really getting ready for another decades-long cold war and/or a possible hot war? Every nuclear weapons power except Israel and perhaps Russia would be part of this confrontation, and there are many more potential flash-points in the Asia-Pacific region than there ever were in Europe.

This new alliance will provide employment for a generation of military professionals in many countries and a strategic rationale for pouring money into their arms industries. But what’s driving it is not just the usual exaggerated ‘threat assessments’ of the military.

There is absolutely no evidence that China plans to invade anywhere (except Taiwan, which all members of the Quad acknowledge is technically part of China). In

fact, apart from minor border clashes, no Chinese regime, Communist or otherwise, has invaded anywhere at all for centuries. So why worry?

There’s something older and deeper at work here. It’s the age-old ‘balance of power’ strategy that appeared among the Sumerian city-states about 2500 BC, and has dominated international politics for most of the time since.

All the major powers in a given region (Mesopotamia 3,500 years ago), or continent (Europe 350 years ago) or even the entire world (NATO vs. the Soviet Union 35 years ago) see every other big power as a potential enemy. And history teaches that today’s friend can be tomorrow’s enemy, so you must always be stronger.

In particular, countries worry about an emerging great power that might get big enough to upset the whole applecart – Spain in the 17th century, France in the 18th, Britain in the 19th, Germany in the early 20th century, Russia in the later 20th – and make alliances against it.

These arrangements have usually ended in great wars, but recently not so much: 40 years of Cold War against the Soviet Union ended without a ‘world war.’ Now China’s growing →DYER 10

Thursday, March 18, 2021 | THE OBSERVER

OPINION | 9

More extreme weather is going to cost us, in more ways than one

W

e’re still a week away from spring making its official arrival, but milder temperatures earlier this month melted much of the snow, causing some of the typical spring flooding, though with relatively little impact.

Our region is usually spared such hardships – you have to go back more than four decades to the Cambridge flood of 1974 to find something on a large scale. We’re also fairly immune from the hurricanes, wildfires and earthquakes we see elsewhere on the globe. And while tornados are a possibility, past occurrences haven’t come with the same frequency or wrought the kind of destruction we see in, say, the U.S. Midwest.

We’re not immune, however, from the impacts of a shifting climate, including more extreme weather.

If climate models are on target, we can expect more extreme weather days ahead, even putting aside the human contribution to global warming/climate change.

Predicted changes would significantly decrease the duration of the annual snow season and lengthen the growing season. They could increase the frequency and severity of extreme heat events in summer.

If the models hold, we can expect more than just rising temperatures.

Greater impacts could include changes in precipitation patterns, in soil moisture, and possibly in the frequency and intensity of severe weather events.

Changes in weather patterns may affect the frequency and intensity of pollution episodes.

Increased heat stress, and possible increases in the number or severity of episodes of poor air quality and extreme weather

STEVE KANNON Editor's Point of View

events could all have a negative effect on human health. A warmer climate may facilitate migration of disease-carrying organisms from other regions.

Ontario falls prey to a number of natural hazards: drought, heat waves, floods, rain, snow and ice storms, tornadoes, and even hurricanes, although they’re rare.

Small changes in average climate conditions are expected to generate significant changes in extreme events.

Experts anticipate fewer extremely cold days and more extremely hot days and more severe thunderstorms, which can cause injury and property damage.

Staying out of the climate change debate,

JOE MERLIHAN

STEVE KANNON

DAMON MACLEAN

SEAN HEEGER

Reporter 519-669-5790 x101

PATRICK MERLIHAN

Print/Web Manager 519-669-5790 x105

CASSANDRA MERLIHAN

Graphic Designer 519-669-5790 x109

According to a new insurance-centric study from the Canada Climate Law Initiative, severe weather damage in Canada caused $2.4 billion in insured losses in 2020, more than half of which was due to flooding.

Flooding is Canada’s costliest and most frequent natural disaster, with flooding damage accounting for 80 per cent of federal disaster assistance payments over the past couple of decades.

The government plays no small role: for every dollar that insurers pay out for home and business insurance claims because of severe weather, the insurance industry estimates that the government pays out $3 to recover the public infrastructure that was damaged.

There have been some flooding incidents this year, but it’s been a rela-

tively quiet time, though spring has yet to arrive in earnest. We’re unlikely to be so lucky in the future.

AGW skeptic or otherwise, there’s no denying the climate is in flux, and that we’ll have to deal with the consequences, which include more disasters and strains on both insurers and government budgets.

The growing frequency of weather-related disasters, and resultant strain on insurers and, thus, ratepayers is tackled in the CCLI report written by UBC law professor Janis Sarra, Life, Health, Property, Casualty: Canadian Insurance Company Directors and Effective Climate Governance.

“Mean global temperatures are already 1 degree C higher that pre-industrial temperatures. Canada is warming at twice the global rate, and the Canadian Arctic at almost three times the rate.

Huffing and puffing or not, the third wave of the pandemic is upon us, health officials say.

Founded in 1996.

Publisher 519-669-5790 x107

the insurance industry is nonetheless spending a considerable amount of time crunching the numbers – assessing risk is their business, after all – and they see plenty of reasons to worry. Lately, the industry has been more proactive, essentially urging mitigation efforts through pitches to government and the public alike.

Insurance companies, which top no one’s most-popular list, aren’t doing so for the public’s benefit per se. The industry doesn’t care about you, it cares about its profits. In the ideal world, it collects ever-increasing premiums and pays out nothing, with government forcing consumers to keep paying nonetheless.

But its goals somewhat align with the public’s in that most people want to avoid making claims as much as insurers want to avoid paying them.

Editor 519-669-5790 x103

Reporter 519-669-5790 x102

DONNA RUDY

Sales Manager 519-669-5790 x104

Find Us: 20-B Arthur St. N., Elmira, Ontario, N3B 1Z9 Contact Us: Phone: 519-669-5790 Toll Free: 1-888-966-5942 Fax: 519-669-5753 Email: info@woolwichobserver.com newsroom@woolwichobserver.com Web: https://observerxtra.com Social Media: Facebook: observerxtra Twitter: woolwichnews Instagram: observerxtra Professional Associations: • Ontario Community Newspaper Association (OCNA) • News Media Canada • The Greater KW Chamber of Commerce

About Us: Independent, locally-owned and the only weekly community newspaper serving the residents of Woolwich and Wellesley Townships. Real news, real reporting concentrating on the close-tohome issues in our communities. When it comes to reaching our residents, The Observer is unsurpassed.

Press Oversight: The Observer is a member of the National Newsmedia Council - an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practises and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, contact: 519-669-5790 ext 103 or editor@woolwichobserver.com.

If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a complaint, visit mediacouncil.ca or call 1-844-877-1163 for more information.

“If the current warming rate continues, the world could reach human-induced global warming of 1.5 degrees C as early as ten years from now, with serious consequences for economic activity, water and food security, and the health and well-being of countless individuals.

In Canada, increasing temperature and precipitation extremes are already contributing to the frequency and intensity of acute events such as floods, wildfires, windstorms, heatwaves, and droughts.”

It’s clear that severe weather is on the rise across Canada. Events that used to happen every 40 years can now be expected to happen every six.

Homes are damaged more frequently by heavy rainfall, hail damage, storm surges, tornadoes and hurricanes. The once-in-acentury flooding in southern Alberta in 2013, which costs billions, will likely reoccur much sooner than 2113. The same with disasters elsewhere. There’s no denying the devastation, and the huge economic impact.

Despite the warnings, perhaps the largest barrier to any major change is human nature: we’re quite content with our lives today, and see no need to change that for some potential long-term benefit, one that’s unlikely to materialize in our lifetimes.

Interestingly enough, should the forecasted problems arise, it won’t matter at that point if the climate changes are naturally occurring or manmade: we’ll still have to cope with such things as rising sea levels, increased storm activity, desertification and other threats to farmland, to name a few.

Expect the unpredictability to continue. And it’s not going to get better on its own accord.

Subscriptions: Annual subscriptions to The Observer mailed within Canada/U.S. are available by contacting the office or visiting online: observerxtra.com/subscribe Delivery Concerns: Issues with local delivery can be made online: observerxtra.com/delivery.

Immediate issues can be directed to The Record by calling 519-894-3000.

Letters to the Editor: Letters must be exclusive to this publication on a topic of relevance to the community. It must contain the author's name, address, contact info and be no more than 300 words. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. The Observer declines announcements, poetry, thank-you and unsigned letters.

Deliver to: editor@woolwichobserver. com or online: observerxtra.com/letters

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, March 18, 2021

10 | O P I N I O N

A practical guide to tree hugging

U

p until yesterday, I thought the term tree hugger was one that described people who want to go out and immerse themselves in nature and be one with the forest. And I’ll concede that I associated this phrase with hippies and other flower-children types too.

I want to publicly apologize to all the tree huggers out there for this. For I now realize now that it is far more complicated than that.

You see, I had a life-changing experience yesterday that showed me that anyone can be a tree hugger given the right circumstances.

In fact, yesterday, I think I became one too.

It happened while I was walking my dog in the woods near my home. And much to my surprise, this transition did not involve any spiritual awakening or profound realization that

STEVE GALEA

Not-So-Great Outdoorsman

the woods are alive, and that we are all part of some unified great life force.

Nor was there a single thought that the trees were ancient, wise, sentient beings eminently worthy of our love and respect.

It was far simpler than that. It was not a spiritual experience at all. In fact, I’m ashamed to admit, my reason for hugging trees was purely physical.

You see, I hit a patch of ice and it was either hug a tree or fall flat on my butt.

That tree meant nothing to me – at first anyways.

But my affection towards it grew exponentially when I also discovered that the ground I was on was not perfectly level and covered in ice.

Worse still, it became very evident that the slight slope I was on grew steep

enough to cause the kind of acceleration that makes you reconsider your views on helmets. Basically, that slope was a slalom course with hardwoods and a ski jump at the end.

Anyone, walking along the road who might have looked into the forest would not have ascertained my precarious situation, however. Instead, they would have viewed a middle-aged man hugging a tree, perhaps a little too tightly – which is how, I suppose, small-town rumours get started.

Fortunately, there was no one around to see any of this, except my dog, who was more than a little confused by my public display of affection towards trees.

After all, her kind has other uses for them.

What happened next was a classic example of practical tree hugging – the kind that deserves a chapter in any survival

manual. I let go of my tree, slowly slid downhill to the next and quickly reached out and then hugged it too.

Then I did the same to the next, until I made it all the way down the slope into the crunchy snow.

I’m got going to lie to you – I think the trees and I connected, especially the birch I hit at the bottom.

I’ll even go so far as to admit that I now look at trees a little differently.

For instance, I have a new appreciation for the soft woods. And I will never be able to walk past that spruce without thinking about our brief time together and how great it smelled. The same goes for the basswoods and the ironwoods as well as the poplars and that red oak, even though it was rough around the edges.

All I can say is thank goodness I never had to hug any maples though.

Things would have got way too sappy.

DYER: Looking for a way to spread the blame for failing to counter China →FROM 8

strength is great enough to set the wheel in motion again, and its behaviour would have to be utterly saintly to stop the others from ganging up on it in the time-honoured way.

There are aspects of the Chinese Communist regime that are indeed ‘evil’: its behaviour towards ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and Tibet, for example, and indeed towards dissenters among

its own Chinese people.

Treaty-breaking in Hong Kong and building military bases on disputed islands in the South China Sea in defiance of international law are hardly ‘confidence-building measures’ either.

But there is no need for this Quad alliance. It’s as implausible to believe that China would invade some country beyond its borders now (except Taiwan, of course) as

it was to think that the Soviet Union would ever have seriously considered invading West Germany.

The Quad is a waste of time and resources, and (given nuclear weapons with many triggers) an unnecessary risk.

One staircase thought, however. Are Biden’s advisers cunning enough to realize (a) that China under current management will eventually invade Taiwan and is

bound to win; (b) that it would be suicidally dangerous for the U.S. to intervene; and (c) that all America’s current and prospective allies think the same?

In which case their real aim might be to spread the blame: they’d rather be just one of the Quad crowd that abandons Taiwan, rather than bearing the blame alone?

But I suspect they’re not that clever.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

 WE Charity created positive change in communities To the Editor, I feel that it is very important to let people know that, surprisingly, not everything we hear in the Canadian news these days is true!

I was recently interviewed for a Fifth Estate piece about WE Charity that was aired on The National on March 7, and appeared in print online on March 8.

I had only agreed to speak with the guarantee that I would be permitted to speak about the only part I truly knew about, and that was my personal experience alongside our volunteer group from Mount Forest. Unfortunately CBC reporting took parts of my answers to certain questions and tacked the words onto answers to other questions in order to make it seem that I agreed with an attack on WE Charity, which obviously was the “goal” of their piece.

When I told them that our experience had been completely positive and that WE Charity had always sent us regular updates about the work our money was helping to finance, they kept repeating, “But surely you were upset to learn that other groups also were fundraising for the deep bore well at Osenetoi (Kenya), just as you were?”

In actual fact we always knew other groups were raising funds for this community. Many things

can happen to donations if situations change. For example, at Osenetoi, after our visit in 2011, the famine there continued to the point that the local people were close to death from starvation. WE sent us information explaining that they needed to do food drops for the people there, which is not usually part of their mandate whatsoever.

Of course we agreed that necessity dictated we redirect some of our donations to this outreach. To put the drilling before the hunger of the people would have been illogical but certainly not mentioned on the news.

I can’t pretend to understand why politicians would choose to decimate a Canadian charity and the lives of two honorable men, Marc and Craig Kielburger.

Free the Children/WE Charity was helping Canadian youth embrace volunteering and caring about others. Projects and efforts were creating very positive change both in communities here at home and in countries such as Kenya. We witnessed that first hand.

What has happened in the Canadian news world that has led to stirring up a controversy by putting imaginary words in trusting people’s mouths rather than presenting an objective, balanced piece? The trend of creating drama and the destruction it leads to and then following it up months later with a feeble apology is just not what Canadians expect or want from our newscasters!

Donna McFarlane Mount Forest

75 Arthur St. South, Elmira, ON N3B 2M8

Visit our Pharmacy today!

We offer many services that may benefit you

• Medication management • Free blood pressure monitoring (Blister pack) • Free Prescription delivery • Free blood sugar monitor training (Elmira and local area) • Ostomy Supply • Compression Stockings • Seasonal flu vaccine • Travel Vaccine administration service

• Medication review Meds-Check • Incontinence products • Prescription Transfer to our pharmacy just like 1-2-3

Monday - Friday Saturday

9:00am - 6:00pm 10:00am - 3:00pm

Sunday

Tel: (519) 669-5655 Fax: (519) 669-5595 Raj Patel Pharmacist / Owner

Closed

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, March 18, 2021 | 11

Business

Leading the way.

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

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

Housing starts down

Region seeks bids

The trend in housing starts was 242,777 units in February 2021, down from 244,963 units in January 2021, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

This trend measure is a six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates of housing starts.

As part of a plan to accelerate the rate of affordable rental housing construction, the Region of Waterloo is accepting proposals for projects that would generate new units, convert existing units into affordable rentals, allow for acquisition of land/property to build new units, and repair existing units. A total of $5,665,653. www.regionofwaterloo.ca

Region to start naming workplaces with significant outbreaks

Public Health reverses course on policy as the province heads into a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic Damon Maclean Observer Staff

FACING A THIRD WAVE OF the COVID-19 pandemic, the Region of Waterloo is set to begin releasing the names of businesses and workplaces with notable ongoing outbreaks.

The new policy was announced Wednesday, setting a fairly high threshold: either 15 or more cases with at least 15 per cent positivity amongst staff and patrons, and at least 20 people in the workplace or 50 or more cases in addition to sustained transmission in the workplace or facility. Information won’t be released if there are significant privacy concerns.

“Outbreaks are a reflection of what we see in the community. As cases increase, we also expect to see increases in the number of workplace outbreaks,” said Dr. Ryan Van Meer, the region’s associate medical officer of health, said in announcing the change.

“Public Health works closely with workplaces and the Ministry of Labour to ensure appropriate infection prevention and control practices are in place. We are implementing this update to our workplace outbreak reporting to

keep Waterloo Region informed of significant, active workplace or facility outbreaks.”

This new addition to pandemic statistics will be released weekly.

Currently, there are 16 active outbreaks in the region. Throughout the crisis, the largest source of outbreaks in Waterloo Region have been in longterm care and retirement homes, which represent 35 per cent of the total.

Other locations include workplaces at 31.3 per cent, schools as 10.7 per cent, hospitals at 6.1 per cent, licensed child care facilities at 4.3 per cent, independent living at 1.6 per cent and universities at 1.1 per cent.

The decision follows numerous occasions where Public Health has opposed the release of names. In the past, Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, the region’s medical officer of health, has defended that position, citing privacy concerns and the potential harm to identifiable locations and people.

Circumstances like the arrival of a third wave may have prompted the change of heart, with Wang having previously indicated information might be released if warranted.

She pointed to locations such as restaurants where the virus could be spread → WORKPLACES 13

WCR chugging along at low speed Volunteer-based organization in maintenance mode as it waits for vaccine rollout Damon Maclean Observer Staff

ITS OPERATIONS CURRENTLY ON HOLD, the Waterloo Central Railway (WCR) is very much looking for public health officials to get a vaccine program on track and rolling through the region, the sooner to get back to regular service.

Like many others, the non-profit operation has been sidetracked since last spring, and it appears unlikely trains will be rolling any time soon.

“I’m 100 per cent sure we will not be operating this spring. Our operations are going to be contingent on the progress of the vaccine program,” said WCR general manager Peter McGough, noting the idea of riding in a 90-foot-long steel cart where windows don’t open may not be very appealing until the pandemic is under control.

Such concerns also extend to the volunteers who keep St. Jacobs-based operation up and running.

“Ninety-five per cent of the operation is run by volunteer, and the volunteers ... don’t want to come back either until there’s a vaccine in place.

So we want to make sure our passengers are safe and also that our volunteers are safe. The earliest we’re thinking right now is maybe the end of the summer,” said McGough, adding that a large number of the volunteers are seniors, which means the consequences of contracting the virus could be more serious.

Under current public

Matthew Schilling prepares for the arrival of the Budd cars as the Waterloo Central Railway uses some downtime to carry out work Damon MacLean at its St. Jacobs headquarters.

health regulations, only a couple of volunteers are allowed onsite at a time, causing a halt in some ongoing projects. Right now the, the essentials and general maintenance are the priority. Holding a ‘short line’ license from Transport Canada, the crew at WCR has to meet the same regulations as every other railway regardless of whether or not they’re in operation.

The team is playing a bit of catch-up now due to the first lockdown last March. At that point, WCR decided to defer for another year an examination of a boiler in their steam engine, a routine inspection takes place every ten years under the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA).

“We decided to move it up a year since we were not going to be running anyway. And hopefully it will be done in the

spring, early summer,” said McGough. The steam engine is one of three in the country.

The pandemic forced most of the WCR operations to shut down last spring, including its special train for the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival, which was cancelled. That program remains on hold, as the festival has opted to go virtual this year. The organization’s regular train schedule and bevy of special events also remain on the shelf.

Having to reduce capacity in the workshop and on the rail yard, WCR launched a newsletter back in the spring and continues to keep those in the community engaged.

One of the newest additions coming to the site is a fleet of five Budd Rail Diesel Cars, which are currently being serviced in Toronto ahead of delivery to St. Jacobs later this

year.

The new cars are part of WCR’s vision of expanded service down the road.

Back in the 1930s, McGough notes, there were five passenger cars on route between Elmira and Kitchener, so there’s an opportunity to draw on the past. In that vein, McGough has expansive hopes for the future. The current location in St. Jacobs will stand, but there’s a possibility of a home base being built in someplace like Elmira as part of a five- and ten-year plan.

The organization is drawing on the experience and offerings of other historical rail operators such as the Strasburg Rail Road in Lancaster County, Pennslyvania.

“I think the sky’s the limit. We’re looking at a premium service on all our trains, offering up a chance to go on Strasburg Rail Road, southeastern Pennsylvania. They’re in the middle of Amish country, and that’s kind of what we’re trying to emulate.

We want to put parlour cars in each train, have a premium service.”

In the meantime, the goal is to get back to a stage where volunteers can do more work ahead of a return to service.

“We’re hoping that as some of the protocols are changed or lifted, that we can do more in the shop.

We’ve monitored very closely what the province is asking – as far as the shop goes, we’d like to get two or three more people in there,” said McGough, adding the hope is for a return to normalcy as soon as possible.

PRE-PURCHASE: MYSIDE25 ORDER SOON TO SAVE $15.00

AD SPOT - NON PRINTING

www.observerxtra.com/allen

SEE AD ON PAGE 23

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, March 18, 2021

12 | B U S I N E S S

LAPTOPS • IPADS • MACBOOKS

We’re not so good at reporting farm safety messages

We Repair All Makes & Models

March Specials Chrome Books

APPLE MacBook Air

I

n keeping with the public’s growing interest in where food comes from STARTING AT FROM and how it’s produced, maybe people also want 99 99 $ $ to know something about farm safety lately…like, how farmers stay safe when they’re so often in Blowout harm’s way.

Special!

If you think it seems 99 reg. $ all you read about are tragedies, you’re 13” farm Touch 16GB 32GB right. Research out of the Intel i5, 4GB, 320GB HD From intel i5 3340, 2.4ghz, From i5-5300 2.3hgz, 8gig Ram, University of Alberta, 8gig Ram, 500gig HDD, $ using a media database 500gig, 14" screen 99 reg. reg. Screen, Windows OS maintained by the Cana14" Windows OS $ $ 15999 33999 dian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA), showed that of the more than 850 publicly availWOW! 99 $ able news media reports of 32GB 9.7” Screen FROM agricultural injuries and Intel i5-6300HQ 8GB 1TB HD Intel i3, 4GB, 250GB HD Intel i5, 4GB, 250GB HD fatalities in Canada from 4GB Geforce GTX-960 Video 2010-17, only a little more than six per cent included reg. reg. $ $ a prevention message.

19999 39999FROM 99 $ 00 $ The study, released a FROM 16GB little earlier this year then brought to light just last week by the University of Illinois Agricultural Communications DocuBESIDE THE OBSERVER www.realitybytescomputers.com mentation Center, covered Second 20 B Arthur St N. it all: fatal and non-fatal 920 St. David St.519N. 519-669-5551 Location ELMIRA, ON FERGUS, ON injuries, age and gender 519-669-5551 519-787-0006 of those affected, urban and rural media, French and English, as well as whether they involved machinery.

“Prevention messages were more likely to occur when at least one child or female victim was involved in an event,” the study’s authors say.

“Prevention messages are rare in media reporting of farm injuries and are decreasing over time.

Improved reporting is needed to aid in farm injury prevention.”

It’s great to have the spotlight fall on this study this week, Canadian Agricultural Safety Week.

It was launched Monday with a $1.4-million,

179

499

APPLE 449iPod 5G

Dell Latitude APPLE E6430 iPad Air

APPLE MacBookPro

Lenovo $ T450

349$549 11999 $29999

Lenovo HPProBook Dell Gaming 15” Laptop Desktop PC 299 Laptop

iPad 5

99 $ 99 $ 149 299 749 UNLOCKED iPad Air-1

$

189

iPhone - 6’s

169

OPEN FOR CURBSIDE

Community Care Concepts

OWEN ROBERTS Food For Thought

two-year federal grant to CASA. A part of that money is supposed to go to awareness-raising activities. As well, it will be used for community engagement, and for developing and maintaining safety resources and tools to address existing and emerging safety needs provincially and nationally.

Good mental health is an important part of farm safety. “Farmers face a wide range of occupational stressors,” says University of Guelph Prof.

Andria Jones-Bitton, a leading farm mental health researcher. “Some of those stressors have been around for centuries, like weather, a demanding workload and finances.

The research we’ve done has also shown there are newer stresses.”

Indeed, she and her collaborator Dr. Briana Hagen have found the vilification of farming and agriculture has a big impact on farmers, as is what Jones-Bitton describes as “intense pressure from wanting to preserve the legacy of a family farm.”

Such distractions can make farming tougher than it already is. And being distracted around powerful machinery and livestock is not a recipe for safe farming.

Here’s why all this matters. In an average year, agricultural fatalities account for the deaths of more than 100 adults and children in Canada.

We live in an agriculturally intensive area, and

unfortunately you may know someone who has been a casualty. In our area, where unintended occupational deaths are headlines not footnotes, farm safety really does affect everyone.

So back to the media not reporting on prevention. Indeed, it’s unlikely that in a story about a tragedy, a reporter would include what could seem like a gratuitous or unfeeling sentence about how it could have been prevented. That hesitancy is likely contributing to the Alberta research team’s woefully low prevention-reporting numbers.

And some prevention messages of a technical measure are better left to farm media, where you’d expect to find more specific farm news.

But that doesn’t exonerate anyone. I have three grandkids who are farm kids, and I know my daughter and son-in-law read their local weekly paper. That makes it a good venue for farm safety messages, perhaps with a less technical bent, like farm-related drive-safe tips.

In fact, we can all use such tips year-round, but especially in the spring when planting season arrives and machinery, producers and workers are seen more often on the roads.

And with that, I guess I just wrote about prevention.

Let’s keep farm safety in mind this week and beyond – respect slow-moving vehicles, drive cautiously up a lane for on-farm sales, and remember livestock are not pets.

of Woolwich, Wellesley and Wilmot

Helping Seniors and Adults with Disabilities to Live Independently in Their Own Home Meals on Wheels • Transportation Day Programs • Homemakers • Maintenance Friendly Visitors • Community Meals • Social Programs Transportation from Hospital to Home FREE Community Exercise and Falls Prevention Classes FREE Short Term Home Support For information, services or support contact Community Care Concepts

519-664-1900

|

1-855-664-1900

We are finalists in eight categories for the OCNA’s 2020 BNC Awards General Excellence Circ. 12,500 - 22,499 Best Editorial Circ. over 10,000 Humour Columnist of the year Cartoonist of the year Best Front Page Circ. over 10,000 In House Promotion Local Retail Layout Best Community Website Circ. over 10,000 observerxtra.com

Thursday, March 18, 2021 | THE OBSERVER

B U S I N E S S | 13

Rural Recovery Coordinating Committee sees townships working together to get through pandemic Damon MacLean Observer Staff

THE REGION’S RURAL TOWNSHIPS ALL in the same boat due to the pandemic, the four municipalities have been working together under the umbrella of the Rural Recovery Coordinating Committee (RRCC). A year into the crisis, the group continues to meet regularly to draw attention to the difficulties the townships face.

“The way things started off initially was to support one another, with best practices and sharing knowledge and expertise around the implementation of policies, new procedures, new protocols, and issues that were arising in the community,” said David Brenneman, chief administrative officer for

Woolwich Township.

Initially a collaboration between Woolwich, Wellesley, Wilmot and North Dumfries, the townships soon enlisted the help of rural community support agencies to help build a connection to resources and add additional voices to the conversation. Today, the board includes the likes of Woolwich Community Services, Wilmot Family Resource Centre and Community Care Concepts.

Following initial meetings that were a platform to find common ground on protocols and procedures related to the pandemic, the focus shifted to two areas: getting information out to the community and the longer-term issue of affordable housing.

“We looked at the possibility of whether it

would be possible for the four townships to come together and collaborate on affordable housing projects, but it soon became obvious that there were a lot of nuances to every township in terms of land that might be available and what their priority that might be relative to affordable housing,” said Brenneman, adding that conversations around seniors housing are also taking place.

In relation to the pandemic itself, the goal was to get information out to the public about the rapidly changing situation and evolving public health measures.

“The other big priority that we’ve stayed focused in on is making sure that we’re getting good strong information out to the community – all of the

townships and the residents – about what sort of workshops are available through the counselling support agencies in terms of helping manage through the pandemic, people’s mental health, and their emotional wellbeing.”

Getting the word out isn’t always easy in the rural areas, particularly among Old Order Mennonite groups, Brenneman noted. For that reason, the committee enlisted the help of Sarah Farwell, the COVID-19 response lead for Ontario Health in Waterloo and Wellington counties, “when we were trying to ensure appropriate COVID testing, or even messaging was getting out to the wider community, especially the old order and the conservative Mennonite group.”

In addition to being a

WORKPLACES: Region will release names of businesses where outbreaks are significant and where there is a publich health benefit to being more open → FROM 11

not only between employees but to patrons as well.

Workplaces that let down their guard when it comes to following public health guidelines can be more prone to outbreaks among employees, even if steps are taken to protect customers, she said.

“Public health precautions however are not always consistently applied in employee-only areas. Common areas where we’ve identified

increased risk include workers carpooling together, workers coming to work while symptomatic – in some cases, despite screening measures in the workplace. And not maintaining physical distancing in employee-only areas, such as in lunchrooms, break rooms and meeting rooms.”

A workplace blitz carried out by public health officials last month found a 55 per cent

compliance rate among businesses in the region.

The region has a webpage providing additional information around COVID-19 and safety measures at www. regionofwaterloo.ca/en/ health-and-wellness/ coronavirus-resources-for-workplaces.aspx. It includes workplace guidance based on the type of business to continue working with best practices.

“Our guide for work-

places helps employers determine who is a close (high risk) contact that needs to self-isolate and get tested,” Van Meer told the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, adding there are other ‘upstream’ public health measures workplaces can use to prevent high-risk contact.

These include physical distancing, PPE, preventing close contact during lunches and breaks, as well as environmental cleaning and disinfection.

Kitchener-Conestoga Youth Council They are looking for young visionaries with a passion for helping their y and an interest in learning more about the pollical process. community Apply by emailing my office by March 31.

TIM LOUIS Tim.Louis@parl.gc.ca

20 YEARS OF SERVICE Lavern Frey joined the team at Mar-Span in 2000 as a committed employee on the truss production line. Before coming to Mar-Span, Lavern owned and operated a dairy farm for 24 years before driving a milk truck for 3 more years. Lavern has been a diligent and committed employee for over 20 years. His physical strength and willingness to fulfil whatever task was before him has made him a valuable employee at Mar-Span for all these years. Thank you Lavern and may God bless you in the years ahead.

519-638-3086

7221 Sideroad 16 (1km east of Drayton)

HOURS: Mon - Fri: 7:30am - 5:30pm

STE ANDED EVAN S

L A U IRT

V

JOB FAIR

Start your career with Steed and Evans today!

Monday March 22 from 9am to 4pm

Member of Parliament, Kitchener-Conestoga TimLouisMP.ca

you do that, you’re able to make a bigger difference for the community,” said Brenneman.

The RRCC has plans of meeting regularly until the pandemic is over and to continue on afterwards.

“We’re going to continue to collaborate. And we’re going to continue to focus in on community priorities that are meant to make a positive difference, really, in the lives of our residents.”

IN RECOGNITION OF

STEED AND EVANS

Our Kitchener-Conestoga Youth Council is accepting new applications!

519-578-3777

voice for rural residents, the committee also hosted a number of virtual activities online to keep people engaged with one another, which relates to the team’s unofficial motto, ‘we’re stronger together.’ “[It’s] always been part of the culture in rural areas. A lot of organizations are small, so you need to leverage the combined sum total of staffing and financial resources. And, when

@TimLouisKitCon

To Register visit www.steedandevans.ca

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, March 18, 2021 | 14

Arts

Read a local best seller every week.

Local stories that inspire.

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

Gleaning some insight

Cabaret series online

Community radio station CKWR FM 98.5 is presenting “Stone Soup: A Gleaner’s Story,” produced by veteran broadcasters Paul Francescutti and Daiene Vernile, on Mar. 23 at 6 p.m. It tells the story of the Cambridge-based group’s effort to “rescue” unwanted food and redirect it to feed people around the world.

Drayton Entertainment is offering up its Livestream Cabaret Series on Sundays.

The concerts are only available in real-time, so viewers must tune in to the livestream to watch them. Next up is Lee Siegel at 7 p.m on Mar. 21, followed by Mark Cassius on Mar. 28 (2 p.m.), Kelly Holiff on Apr. 11 (7 p.m.) and Little Big Band on Apr. 18 (7 p.m.).

www.ckwr.com

www.draytonentertainment.com

She’s got more than a few stories to tell Breslau teacher and author Carolyn Huizinga Mills releases her first novel, The Good Son Sean Heeger Observer Staff

AFTER ALMOST TWO YEARS OF working and writing tirelessly, Breslau’s Carolyn Huizinga Mills can finally bask in the achievement of having her first novel published.

‘The Good Son’ is set to release March 20, and while this is not her first foray into the world of being a published author – her 2017 children’s book ‘The Little Boy Who Lived Down the Drain’ being her start – she is already looking ahead with another novel on the way, and one more in the works.

With the novel, it was a case of the second thing first: Huizinga Mills had submitted publishers a manuscript she’d been working on for some 13 years, and while waiting to hear back she started in on another book. When she finally got in front of a publisher, she would end up not only getting a two-book deal, but The Good Son would also end up becoming the novel to be published first.

“I had written a different novel that was the one I was really focused on, and I worked with a mentor on it and then I submitted it to Cormorant Books.

When they offered to take

it, in the course of our conversation, I mentioned I've been working on another novel which was the second one – which will now be the first one coming out.… So, both books are being published but they wanted to publish this one first because they thought it was the stronger of the two or the one that was more compelling,” said Huizinga Mills, who teaches Grade 7 when she’s not behind the keyboard.

“It was kind of an interesting twist how it came about. And really what inspired me to write this one is there's kind of a rule in writing: Once you've submitted a piece of work while you're waiting to hear back, you're supposed to jump into another project so that you don't drive yourself crazy waiting to hear back, so I was jumping into another project, which turned into The Good Son.” Huizinga Mills classifies the book as a family drama – it has elements of a mystery and thriller but does not truly fall into either category –that “centers on relationships and childhood experiences, and how those shape the people we become or the decisions that we make, and especially how our perceptions

of those experiences shape us.”

When she originally started the book, it focused on two brothers – the final version would end up with a brother and sister – and the exploration of how something affecting that relationship could also alter your entire future.

“I was trying to imagine if as a child, something happened that affected the way you looked at a sibling who maybe you admired.

I had two brothers and I wanted the younger one to really admire his older brother. But if something happened that affected that, how it could trickle throughout your whole life to change your relationship with [not only] that person, but everything you did; your relationship with other people the types of jobs you chose where you ended up living,” she added.

One of the things she tried to incorporate into all of her novels was setting them in small-town Ontario. By doing this she hoped that people who come from places such as these would be able to pick up the book and see elements from their hometowns within the storylines.

Breslau teacher Carolyn Huizinga Mills with her newly published first novel.

Sean Heeger

→ NOVEL 24

KWLT is now streaming improv podcast/web series Damon Maclean Observer Staff

THE KITCHENER-WATERLOO LITTLE THEATRE (KWLT) has partnered with the City of Waterloo to bring an improvised soap opera to the area through a podcast/web series ‘Around the Square,’ weekly throughout March.

Peter Aitchison, a board member of KWLT who took on the role of manager, is directing, producing and editing the series alongside his fellow team members and the eight actors on screen.

“I was playing around with ideas of what can we do, by ourselves in our

homes together on the internet,” he said of the project’s origins.

KWLT was then reached out to be the City of Waterloo who was interested in reviving an outdoor improv series that was forced to shut down due to the pandemic.

“When the city came to us, in probably late November, early December, and said, ‘we used to do this soap opera in the Waterloo Town Square, and we weren’t able to so we were thinking of maybe doing a radio drama or something’ and asking for our help.

I thought, ‘I think I can do one better. I’ve been playing around with this

Originally episodes idea, and if we get people in were expected to run at their homes, set up with a three minutes per scene, camera and a green screen, totalling some 30 minutes, we might be able to cut but have been cut down. something together that Aitchison estimates his works.’” team (Monica Maika, the And so Around the executive producer and Square was born. audio editor, assisting The series centers on director Joe Gull and Paul controlled chaos in realBudel tech team and origworld environments. inal score maker) put in a “When we came into collective 80 hours weekly it, there was a general perfecting the episodes in framework of don’t try addition to three, threeand get anywhere. The hour rehearsals per week. minute you try and insert AD SPOT - NON PRINTING Above all, the producyourself into the process, tion asks for viewers’ you end up manipulating engagement, requesting it and missing out on the magic that happens when a them to submit a single word or photograph to group comes together and the KWLT team using the just allow the story to tell hashtag #KWLTimprov. itself.”

“Send us words. It doesn’t matter what it is, doesn’t matter where it comes from, just a word.

Because we start every episode with a word that creates a theme, which we then use to inspire our characters in this little world we’ve created. We also have people sending us photos, and that’s a lot of fun. Take a picture of a place in Waterloo, and send it to EP@kwlt.org and we’ll try and put our actors in that space. So, if you think it might be funny, present us with something to work with – we’ll see what we can do.”

Now halfway through the production, the possibil-

ity of creating something similar in the future is a possibility.

“We’ve got new skills, we’ve got new equipment, the idea that we could, put up these green screens and cameras in our rehearsal space, and a have it there so that people could go in and play. Literally, just play and create content, and then share.”

KWLT is currently accepting donations online. All Around the Square can be listened to on any major podcast streaming services or watched on the Create Waterloo YouTube channel or on Instagram TV @createwaterloo.

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, March 18, 2021 | 15

Classifieds

Advertising

Placing a classified ad

Seven days.

One paper.

Please call or email for display advertising quote for Help Wanted, Auctions, Real Estate, Public Notices and Obituaries.

A bestseller every week.

Please talk to our ad dept for pricing and to order a Pro Services Directory.

All classified advertising is prepaid. Ads will be accepted in person, email, or phone during regular office hours. Deadline is Wednesdays by 10am. Order online at: observerxtra.com/classifieds.

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

Help wanted

Family Album Announcements pricing and info can be ordered online at: observerxtra.com/order-family-album.

Help wanted

JOURNEYMAN PLUMBER (SERVICE) Tri-Mech Inc. is a mechanical company specializing in Gas Fitting, Hydronic Heating, Geothermal, Furnaces, Air Conditioning, Sheet Metal, Plumbing, and High Pressure Cleaning Systems. We service agricultural, light commercial and residential systems.

Residential:

$9 per 20 words (20¢ per extra word)

Commercial:

$15 per 20 words (30¢ per extra word)

Help Wanted

Work Wanted

ARRO CRUSHING IS HIRING CRUSHER operator/heavy equipment operator We offer competitive pay, overtime and production bonus. Position starting In March.

For more info call 519-897-0779 or email jared@arrocrushing.com

OFFERING SPRING YARD AND GARDEN cleanup, pruning, planting, lawn mowing services, junk removal.

Ve r y re a s o n a b l e rates. Call or text 519-465-3477.

Word ads cont. pg 19

We are currently seeking an experienced Journeyman Plumber who is interested in service work, a team player and able to work with minimal supervision. Qualifications in Refrigeration, Gas Fitting, or Sheet Metal would be an asset but not a requirement.

For Sale APPROXIMATELY 35 TONS OF BARLEY. Will sell smaller lots.

Call 519-846-5409.

Help wanted

Tri-Mech offers competitive wages and health benefits. Wages are dependent upon qualifications and experience.

Applicants are invited to submit a letter of application or resume by fax to 519-638-3342, or by email to jobs@trimech.ca

IMMEDIATE FULL TIME POSITIONS AVAILABLE:

Help wanted

- LOCAL DELIVERY DRIVER - LOAD BUILDER - FORKLIFT PLEASE DROP RESUME OFF 1205 KING ST N., ST.JACOBS

Help wanted INVENTORY CONTROL/PURCHASING Tri-Mech Inc. is a mechanical company specializing in Gas Fitting, Hydronic Heating, Geothermal, Furnaces, Air Conditioning, Sheet Metal, Plumbing, and High Pressure Cleaning Systems. We service agricultural, light commercial and residential systems.

We are currently seeking an individual who is interested in purchasing, receiving, and inventory control, is a team player and able to work with minimal supervision. Computer skills would be an asset.

Tri-Mech offers competitive wages and health benefits. Wages are dependent upon qualifications and experience.

Applicants are invited to submit a letter of application or resume by fax to 519-638-3342, or by email to jobs@trimech.ca

Help wanted listings continue on next page Help wanted

Edenborough Ltd. Casual Pa time Office Admin Position • General office admin tasks • Working knowledge of Microso Office mandatory • Data entry • On-line catalogue maintenance • Seasonality and Vacation coverage Please send resume to gi s@edenborough.com

Help wanted

Help wanted

Looking to fill positions for:

JOURNEYMAN PLUMBER (LEAD INSTALLER) Tri-Mech Inc. is a mechanical company specializing in Gas Fitting, Hydronic Heating, Geothermal, Furnaces, Air Conditioning, Sheet Metal, Plumbing, and High Pressure Cleaning Systems. We service agricultural, light commercial and residential systems.

We are currently seeking a Journeyman Plumber who is able to take leadership on jobs, team player, and able to work with minimal supervision. Qualifications in Refrigeration, Gas Fitting, or Sheet Metal would be an asset but not a requirement.

Tri-Mech offers competitive wages and health benefits. Wages are dependent upon qualifications and experience.

Applicants are invited to submit a letter of application or resume by fax to 519-638-3342, or by email to jobs@trimech.ca

AZ TRUCK DRIVER (Float/Roll Off) HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR GENERAL LABOURER Required: - Professionalism with customers and coworkers - Punctual and hard working - Employ safe work practices Year round work with competitive pay including benefits Forward resume to dave@kieswetterdemo.com and kirk@kieswetterdemo.com or fax to 519.883.0170 Kieswetter Demolition Inc. 235 Madison Ave S., Kitchener | 519.883.4125

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, March 18, 2021

16 | C L A S S I F I E D S

Help wanted

Help wanted

ↆ S ERVIC ES ↆ

James Thoume Construction Limited

is a family owned and operated excavating and gravel supply company. We are growing and are looking for hard working individuals to join our team and grow with us. Available positions:

Celebrating 10 Years of Service

A/Z Flatbed Driver

Diesel Mechanic, Labourer & Dump Truck Driver .

As a growing Landscape Supply and Trucking company, we are looking to add an additional A/Z driver to our team. $24.00-$27.00 per hour

We offer competitive wages and benefits package. Applicants must include a driver abstract with their resume and can apply by email: info@thoume.ca or drop it off at: 7270 Side Road 14, Ariss, ON

• • •

Main Responsibilities 8-10 hour shifts Monday to Friday (Daytime only).

Overtime is paid Local deliveries and pickups of product.

Self loading and unloading using a Moffat (willing to train) Keeping paperwork in order Proper circle checks every morning Load security

• • • • •

Qualifications Valid A/Z License with good driving record Able to communicate written and verbally Dependable and Reliable Flatbed experience an asset Forklift / Moffat experience an asset but will train

•

Help wanted

• •

NOW HIRING FULL TIME ROOF TRUSS ASSEMBLERS Must be team oriented, ambi�ous & responsible No experience required Mar-Span offers compe��ve wages, produc�on bonuses and employee benefits.

Interested applicants please submit resumes in person to 30 Dumart place Kitchener Or by email to information@rmadams.ca

Please apply with resume in person or email resume to marv@marspan.com We would like to thank all applicants, however only those selected for interview will be contacted.

Help wanted

BOOKKEEPER

As a growing Landscape Supply and Trucking company we are looking to add an additional bookkeeper to our team.

NOW HIRING

Main Responsibilities • Performing day to day accounting activities including accounts payable (A/P), accounts receivable (A/R), payroll, general ledger, bank reconciliations and government reports and invoicing.

• Ensure quality control over financial transactions and financial reporting.

• Some management of phone calls and dealing with correspondence, complaints and queries • Oversee office equipment, supplies, etc • Dealing with correspondence, complaints, and queries • Ensure required company information is up-to-date in Avetta and Cognitive programs

Are you looking for the opportunity to work with your hands, and create something that you can stand back and be proud of? Are you ready to work with a team of dedicated cra�speople who value collabora�on? This is the job for you!

Fermon Construc�on is looking for experienced construc�on workers to join our team. We work on a variety of projects in residen�al, commercial, and agricultural construc�on. We specialize in framing, concrete, and steel construc�on. If you are interested in an exci�ng career in the trades that offers variety and compe��ve compensa�on packages Please call Fermon @519-699-4095 or email your resume to Fermon@fermonconstruction.com

SOLUT IO NS

$ / 6 1 $ , : 5 ) , 7 6 / $ , 0 , 0 / , 2 / 1 ( $ 7 $ 5 2 5 $ 5 & $ + , 7 ( 1

3 2 / $ 5 ' ( 3 $ 5 7 0 ( 1 7 6

5 2 ) 6 3 6 2 $ 7 , ' 6 % 7 (

0 3 7 / $ , 5 , ' 5 , ) $ 3 7 6 7 6 / ( 6 2 / 2 3 + 2 1 ( $ 7 ( 6 7 6

SHELLY & SCOTT TAYLOR 28 Pintail Drive, Elmira, ON, N3B 3G9

519-669-0003

taylortax@rogers.com

Help wanted

We are hiring…..

Landscape lead hands Landscape labourers Lawn care technicians

We are a local company located in Elmira.

Must have valid G drivers licence To apply, please email resume to: marv@groprolawncare.com

Farm Equipment Sale for Van Ireland Dairy of Walkerton.

Mon. March 22nd – 1:00 P.M.

Help wanted

...& SMALL BUSINESS ACCOUNTING

Auction

7221 Side Rd. 16 Drayton, ON

ↆ P U Z Z L E

GENERAL SERVICES

< * ( 6 7 3 % 8 + 2 3 $ 5 , 9 ( / ( ' 1 + 7 5 ,

8 6 ( '

/ ( $ * 8 6 ( < 5 $ 8 * 3 (

) $ & ( 6 $ * ( '

0 ( 7 ( 5

Qualifications • 1-2 years in full cycle accounting • Above-average accuracy and attention to detail and high ability to problem solve • Excellent time management and organizational skills • Solid working knowledge of GAAP, professional and high degree of confidentiality • Excellent interpersonal and communication (verbal and written) skills • Self-motivated, pro-active, ability to work independently and with others • Proficient with SAGE, Microsoft Word and Excel • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and complete repetitive tasks • Dependable and Reliable Interested applicants please submit resumes in person to 30 Dumart place Kitchener Or by email to information@rmadams.ca

Sale will be held at the Farm located at 200 Durham Rd, Walkerton SILOS & BIN: (3) Kitchener Stave Silos- 20’

x 80’; Butler 7 ring Grain Bin 18’ dia. Full floor aeration 5000 BU.

FEEDING EQUIPMENT: Valmetal Belt

Conveyors(18”x20’ to 70 range) textured; Chain conveyor 11.5” x 18’; Belt feeder 18” x 160’; Agri-metal Hammer mill 10HP w/14’discharge auger; Valmetal TMR 200 chain mixer; ; (2) Patz 98-B Surface drive silo unloaders; (2) Patz RD2100 ring drive silo unloaders; (2) Valmetal V2000 Silo Unloaders; (2) Large control panels to run equipment;

CATTLE EQUIPMENT: Urban calf feeder U20; Lely Juno 100 feed Pusher; Agrimetal Big Bale Stationary Straw chopper conveyor; 15 Galvanized Gates (4’-12’); Agri-metal super 960 Feed cart; (3) Houle hyd. alley scrapers; Calf Penning; Calf barn ventilation, fans, tubes and Edge controller; Closed top self-locks & BSM Freestall Loops; SCR Heat detection system; Qty of Rollup Doors (Various Sizes). Approx. 120’ x 25’ Feed Room Addition with Metal Beams.

FARM HAS BEEN sold and operation is changing. Any changes or corrections will be made verbally day of the sale and take precedence over all previously printed material.

DUE TO COVID regulations MASKS must be worn, only buyers to attend.

THIS IS JUST a partial listing, View website for full listing, Photos and terms website www.davidcarson.on.ca APPOINTMENTS

CAN

BE

MADE

prior to sale to view items by calling Josh 519-357-8837 or on sale day from 10Am to 1PM

Carson’s Auction Service R.R.#3 Listowel, ON N4W 3G8

Tel: 519-291-2049 | Fax: 519-291-5065 Website: www.davidcarson.on.ca | Email: info@davidcarson.on.ca

Thursday, March 18, 2021 | THE OBSERVER

ↆ LO CA L ↆ

C L A S S I F I E D S | 17

PR O F E SS I ONAL

SERVICES

GENERAL SERVICES

MarCrest Backhoe

CALL TO BOOK! TODAY.

AVAILABLE FOR YOUR ESSENTIAL TRANSPORTATION VAN, MINIBUS & WHEELCHAIR LIFT BUS TRANSPORTATION “Specializing in small group charters”

5196695557

Visit our website! countrymilebl.com

ↆ

Elmira, ON

Visit our website

www.biobobs.com or call today!

519-648-3004

or

800-232-6396

IN-STORE SERVICES • Window & Screen Repairs • Glass & Plexi Cutting • Key Cutting • Knife & Scissor Sharpening • Lawnmower Blade Sharpening • Paint Colour Matching • Interior Design Consultation • Bike Repair

Septic Installations · Tile Repairs Small Footings · Silo Footings

Maynard Martin 2512 Kressler Road RR1 St. Clements, ON N0B 2M0

22 Church St. W., Elmira

519-669-5537

Tel. 519-699-0507

STORE HOURS: MON - SAT 8-6, SUN 12-5

GENERAL SERVICES Thorncreek Farms

Poultry Barn Pest Solutions

Visit us online to see our entire rental lineup.

Poultry Pest Management Pest control with residual built in

Various sizes & rates

CLEAN • DRY • SECURE Call

519-669-4964

519-504-2698

Serving KW and surrounding area

100 SOUTH FIELD DRIVE, ELMIRA

ↆ

WHERE TIRES ARE A

SPECIALTY, NOT A SIDE LINE.

Farm • Auto • Truck Industrial On-The-Farm Service 35 Howard Ave., Elmira

519-669-3232 ↆ

ↆ

AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES

TIRE

519-669-0524 www.woolwichrentals.ca 100 Union St, Elmira, Ontario

THOMPSON’S

Auto Tech Inc. Providing the latest technology to repair your vehicle with accuracy and confidence.

519-669-4400

HOME IMPROVEMENT

John Schaefer Painting FREE ESTIMATES Interior/exterior Painting, Wallpapering & Plaster | drywall Repairs

519-503-6033 (CELL) 519-669-2251

30 ORIOLE PKWY. E., ELMIRA

36 Hampton St., Elmira

- Design and build -

AGRICULTURAL | RESIDENTIAL FRAMING • ROOFING RENOVATIONS • EAVESTROUGHS

www.marwilconcrete.ca

Wayne Martin | 519-504-2016

519-577-0370

darwayconstruction@icloud.com | Alma, ON

HOME IMPROVEMENT COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL

ST. JACOBS

GLASS SYSTEMS INC.

INC

• Store Fronts • Thermopanes • Mirrors • Screen Repair • Replacement Windows • Shower Enclosures • Sash Repair

Randy Weber

ECRA/ESA Licence # 7000605

www.rwelectricltd.com TEL:

18 Kingfisher Dr., Elmira | 519.669.1462

AMOS R O O F I N G

1553 King St. N., St. Jacobs, ON N0B 2N0

• Residential • Commercial • Industrial

ↆ

Driveways • Sidewalks • Curbs Patios • Finished Floors • Retaining Walls • Steps • Decorative/Stamped and Coloured Concrete

• Specializing in residential re-roofs • Repairs • Churches A Family owned and operated business serving KW, Elmira and surrounding area for over 35 years.

WORKMANSHIP GUARANTEED

CALL JAYME FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE.

519-664-1202 / 519-778-6104 FAX: 519 664-2759 • 24 Hour Emergency Service

519.501.2405 | 519.698.2114 In Business since 1973 • Fully Insured

HOME IMPROVEMENT Since 1998

•Final grading •Lawn repair & complete seeding well equipped for large stoney areas •Spike Aerator/Overseeding •Natural & Interlocking Stone •Retaining Walls, Walks & Patios •Help for Top Water & Drainage issue

Murray & Daniel Shantz

ALMA, ONTARIO | PHONE: 519.846.5427

DESIGN CENTRE

• FLOORING • Custom KITCHENS • BATHROOM VANITIES • SICO Paint • Custom WINDOW BLINDS

KITCHEN, BATH & WINDOW FASHIONS

Blinds, shades, drapery & more • Custom cabinetry made in Canada Free In-home consultations • Our experienced designer will help you work within your personal taste and budget

Call someone you can trust - your local Home Hardware Popular Brands Available

BLANCO, MAAX, MIROLAN, STEEL QUEEN

www.LetUsFloorYou.ca

Hours: M-F 8:00 - 5:00 & Sat 9:00 - 3:00

Evenings By Appointment

1011 Industrial Cres. Unit #2 | TEL: 519.699.5411

Tel:

22 Church St. W., Elmira 519-669-5537 or 1-844-866-5537

STORE HOURS: MON-SAT 8-6, SUN 12-5

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, March 18, 2021

18 | C L A S S I F I E D S

“PROUDLY REMEMBERING OUR PAST; CONFIDENTLY EMBRACING OUR FUTURE.”

Community Information Page COVID-19 Woolwich Township Update Township Office The Township office is open walk-in public traffic; however, it is strongly recommended to have book an appointment before visiting the office to ensure staff are available to assist you. We do have several services that are available online and can be found on our website: • Tax & Water Bills can now be paid online: www.woolwich.ca/taxes • Building Permits can be applied for and paid online: www.woolwich.ca/buildingpermits • Report Issues or Service Requests (By-law Enforcement, Potholes, Signs, Streetlights, Trees, Winter Maintenance, etc.) online: www.woolwich.ca/reportit For current information on facilities and services, please see Woolwich.ca or call 519-669-1647. For health information, call Region of Waterloo Public Health 519-575-4400.

To view current media releases or to stay informed the township’s response to COVID-19, visit: www.Woolwich.ca/COVID19

Council Meetings – Remote

P.O. Box 158

24 Church St. W. Elmira, Ontario N3B 2Z6

Phone:

519-669-1647 or 877-969-0094 Fax: 519-669-1820

After Hours Emergency:

519-575-4400 www.woolwich.ca

For additional information, including pre-registration & COVID protocol details please check the website at: Woolwich.ca/RecCheck

Local Business Resources Provincial business supports: https://www.ontario.ca/page/businesses-get-help-covid19-costs Federal business supports: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economicresponse-plan.html#businesses Did you know? MPP Mike Harris launched a website to help businesses access available financial supports: https://reliefwithinreach.ca/waterloo-region/ COVID-19 Screening Requirements for Businesses: Public Health requires all businesses to screen patrons and workers before entering or coming to work. Visit https://bit.ly/3sI9r9h for more information about when to actively or passively screen.

Visit www.shoplocalwoolwich.ca to buy gift cards and to list your business! For more information about government programs and other business supports call Jenna at 519-669-6020 or email: EconomicDevelopment@woolwich.ca

Regional Face Mask By-law

Recreation Programs and Facilities

Face coverings are required in transit, taxis, ride sharing and enclosed public places. Children under five and people with certain medical conditions or disabilities are exempt. Please be kind to those unable to wear a face covering. To make a complaint, call 519-575-4400.

The Township of Woolwich is excited to welcome residents back to our recreation facilities and programs.

The Woolwich Memorial Centre is now open for aquafit, family & lane swims, walking track, fitness classes & fitness centre use pre-registered visits.

Eligible priority groups can skip the queue and pre-register online. Once you’ve pre-registered you will be contacted when an appointment is available. Priority groups can pre-register now at regionofwaterloo.ca/VaccinePreReg

For registration, help or alternative participation options, call 519-669-6004.

Public Health Information

PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR HOUSE IS Support the local businesses that keep your community and its newspapers thriving.

WE DO SIGNS OF ALL KINDS!

MY COMPANY

my company tag

line

MY NAME

job title address

Phone: 555-555 -5555 Fax: 555-555-5555 my@email.com www.mydomai n.com

2999

$

plus tax

Specializing in Posters, Banners & Trade Show Booths

Our Everyday Low Price!

500 FULL COLOUR BUSINESS CARDS Make a Great First Impression at a Great Price!

• With or without UV gloss (1 side) • Single sided • Full Colour • 12 pt C1S stock • Print ready file

Car Wraps Also Available!

Indoor & Outdoor Signage Huge assortment of materials to print on Laminating, sewing, wind slits, grometting available Hardware included • Installation available

Get Your Message Out And Keep People Informed!

AS LOW AS

$

12995

• We have an In-house Graphics team to help with the perfect design, or supply your own print-ready file

Call today

for more information!

Our consultants are always available to price your project!

• These banners are excellent for trade shows and presentations • They are affordable, lightweight, durable and easy to setup or take down • Includes padded carry bag • Full colour, single sided

Call Today to Get Started!

ARTWORK EXTRA

Have You Written A Book?

Call for a copy of our Idea Guide for a full listing of available products • • • •

NEWSLETTERS

Retractable Banners

Raptor, Magnum, Frontier, Extreme Frontier

We can help you get your book into print!

Lawn Bag Signs

• Family History Books • Cookbooks Inquire about our • Manuals • Catalogues Publishing Packages • Children’s Books and free Author’s Guide

M&T Printing Group is Ready to Serve You

675 DAVENPORT RD., WATERLOO • 519-804-0017 www.mtprint.com

DOOR HANGERS

Catch the attention of your prospects and drive traffic to your business!

Large enough to include plenty of information, but small enough to provide budget friendly pricing and easily distributed.

Thursday, March 18, 2021 | THE OBSERVER

Woolwich kids could be back on the pitch starting in May

ↆ REAL

3 Arthur St. S., Elmira 519-669-5426

Sue From

Alli Bauman

226-750-9332

519-669-5426

SALES REPRESENTATIVE

suefrom17@gmail.com

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Solid Gold Realty (II) Ltd., Brokerage | Independently Owned and Operated

COMING SOON!

Sean Heeger

$510, 000

New Hamburg

Observer Staff

AFTER HAVING TO SCRAP LAST season because of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdown, the Woolwich Youth Soccer Club (WYSC) is gearing up for 2021.

Despite the constant concern over the virus and what could happen to sports leagues in the event of another lockdown, planning is underway for how the season will look, with a tentative start date for the middle of May. WYSC vice-president Stuart Doherty, a coach with the U-11 team, says he is confident the season will start on time.

“I’m optimistic it’s going to start and that there will be no delay as a result of COVID. That’s optimistic over the last couple of days because here the health officials are talking about a third wave, but, with the nicer weather opening up, people getting outside more, the vaccine getting distributed to the highest risk population, I’m fairly optimistic that we’ll start on time,” said Doherty.

Because of the different colour coded levels each region is placed into, where Waterloo Region sits nearer to the season will determine what will be able to happen during a game, and what will be prohibited for safety’s sake.

He said the organization is still working out the logistics – it has the framework from the governing body as a template – with regards to games and what

ESTATE

46 Arena Drive, Milverton

Welcome to Southside Estates' community of Milverton Meadow's. This 1415 Square foot Luxury former Model 2-story townhome, features 2 Bedroom, 3 Bathroom, an open concept main floor, fireplace; appliances are all included (Fridge, Stove, Washer, Dryer and Dishwasher). Premium quality vinyl windows with exterior doors, rough in for 3 pc. bathroom in basement. All this located in quiet town with all ameni�es including high speed fiber-op�c internet availability, located a short drive from Listowel and Stra�ord. Perfect opportunity for a first �me buyer or a family wishing to downsize. Call your REALTOR® today to book an showing .. this one will not last long. MLS# 40072449

D L O S

Stuart Doherty

can take place during a game. The details will come out over the next month.

The likes of heading the ball and throw-ins could all be eliminated from play depending on where things stand with regards to COVID-19, and the WYSC is going to be working hard to make the game as safe as possible for those taking part, said Doherty.

Other safety protocols under review include having a complete health screening before the game, contact tracing for all who attend the game – including potentially limiting the number of spectators allowed – and hand sanitizer stations.

Registration opened a few weeks back and more than 400 have shown an interest and signed up to play, which is well ahead of what Doherty predicted.

“So far, it’s exceeded my expectations. We are beyond the points that we were forecasting in terms of the numbers of kids.

We’re well north of 400 registrations at this point which was super promising in my mind… it’s a little under where we would be on a normal year, but it’s much above what I expected.

I think I expected more hesitation,” he added.

ADDRESS: 3 Arthur St. S., ELMIRA | DIRECT: 519-503-2753 EMAIL: leonmartin@remax.net

SELLING? CALL US FOR A FREE MARKET EVALUATION. Farm Services

Word ads continued from pg 15 For Sale CHINA CABINET. TWO DOORS WITH GLASS, plus two front windows.Oak unit, built-in light, glass shelves. A ver y nice piece.

6 6 . 5 " W,1 8 " d e e p , 76.5"H. Two doors at bottom. $60.00. China cabinet. Two doors with glass and scroll.

Drawer. Two bottom doors. 15"x32"x65.5H. BOTH for $95.00, OBO. Moving, must go. Please call 519-502-4158. No Sunday calls, please.

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

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

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

KILN DRIED CORN & CORN SCREENING Delivered by Einwechter. Minimum 15 ton lots.

Call George Haffner Trucking 519-574-4141 HILLCREST HOME or 519-669-2045.

BAKING ANNUAL Spring Sale March 16 Wanted - 27. 519-669-1381. WANTED TO RENT 15% discount on 2-3000 SQ FT CLEAN printed polyesters; dry heated storage selected fabrics - half space St. Clements price. 10% discount Area 519-699-4679. on all other fabrics poly/cottons, flannel, Trades & fleece, 100% cottons, Services broadcloths, liverpool, etc. 10% discount on RON'S DRYWALL AND quilt batts, tablecloth, RENOVATIONS. OVER coverying material, 35 years experihosiery. And More! ence. Please call Check out our open 519-496-7539 or email stock dish sets. ron.spncr@gmail.com

Sell it in the Observer All classified advertising is prepaid. Ads will be accepted in person, email, or phone during regular office hours. Deadline is Wednesdays by 10am. Order online at: observerxtra.com/classifieds.

Residential:

$9 per 20 words (20¢ per extra word)

Commercial:

$15 per 20 words (30¢ per extra word)

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

ↆ FA M I LY

100% LOCAL

WYSC is optimistic about season

C L A S S I F I E D S | 19

AL B U M

Thank you

Metzger, Hettie (Bauman) December 31, 1927 – March 16, 2021

Passed away peacefully at Groves Memorial Hospital, Fergus on March 16, 2021 at the age of 65 years. Dear sister of Sharon and Chester Martin of Elora, Sandra Wall and Jeff Walentynski of Waterloo, Karen Wideman of Elmira and John Ross of Elora, Mike Wideman and Joanne Rutherford of Durham. Will be missed by her nieces and nephews Kyle and Shonna Martin, Lindsay Martin and Tim Freeman, Ryan Martin; Jacob Wall; Katelyn and Joel Vanhie, Courtney Wideman and Justin Fountain, Megan Wideman and Elliott Paulger and four great-nieces and nephews.

Predeceased by her parents Ephraim and Ruth (Mickus) Wideman and brother-in-law Abe Wall. At Lorraine’s request, cremation has taken place, a private family service will be held. As expressions of sympathy, donations to Groves Memorial Hospital Foundation would be appreciated by the family and may be obtained through the Dreisinger Funeral Home, Elmira.

Peacefully passed away on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at her residence, RR 2, Wallenstein, in her 94th year.

Loving mother of Mervin and Wilma Metzger of Heidelberg, Amos and Loreen Metzger, Clarence and Viola Metzger all of RR 2, Wallenstein, John and Barbara Weber of RR 4, Listowel, James and Martha Metzger of RR 2, Wallenstein, Verna and Glen Shoemaker of Elmira, Florence and Elmer Gingrich of Alma. Lovingly remembered by 30 grandchildren and 44 great-grandchildren. Sister of Mrs. Adah Burkhart, Mrs. Elizabeth Martin, Emmanuel and Adeline Bauman. Sister-in-law of Mrs. Erla Bauman. Predeceased by her husband of 66 years Sidney Metzger (April 26, 2017), her parents Titus and Ada H. (Martin) Bauman, a son, a grandson, and a great-grandson all in infancy.

Also predeceased by her brothers and sisters Josiah and Velina Bauman, Edwin and Selina Bauman, John and Hilda Bauman, infant twin brothers, Selina and Isaac Horst, Lydia and Joseph Martin, Katie Bauman, Moses and Barbara Bauman, Titus and Salome Bauman, and Henry Bauman; and brothers-in-law Elam Burkhart and Joshua Martin. A drive past viewing took place on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 from 1 – 8 p.m. at the family residence, 6563 Sideroad 18, RR 2, Wallenstein. Service and burial by invitation only will take place on Thursday, March 18, 2021 at Olivet Mennonite Meeting House. Masks are required.

❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

Thank you Thank you so much to family and friends for the many Get Well cards and all the Birthday cards celebrating my 85th Birthday.

God Bless you all!

Margaret Frey

Obituary Wideman, Lorraine Ruth

Death Notices NODDER, PEGGY LILIAN - Passed

away peacefully at her daughter's residence in Elmira, on Thursday, March 11, 2021, in her 100th year.

1172 Henry Street, Wellesley, Ontario. N0B 2T0 519-656-2880 chris@futher-franklinfuneralhome.com www.futher-franklinfuneralhome.com A Continuing Tradition Of Trust & Reassurance

Christopher W. Franklin Funeral Director

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, March 18, 2021 | 20

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

Getting there to get shot

World Water Day Mar. 22

Community Care Concepts and Kiwanis Transit have partnered together offering free transportation to vaccination clinics for seniors and adults with unique needs Individuals with pre-booked appointments for vaccinations can contact CCC at 519-6641900 or 1-855-664-1900 or Kiwanis Transit at 519-669-4533 or 1-800-461-1355 to book service.

World Water Day will be celebrated Mar. 22 in an online event. The World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the global water crisis, and a core focus of the observance is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. www.worldwaterday.org

Wrist injuries and golf DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I golf about three to four times a week and have been doing so for the last two years.

Lately, though, I've been experiencing pain in my wrists that makes golfing extremely uncomfortable. A friend of mine had similar symptoms and he ended up having surgery to treat tendinitis. Is there a way to reduce the pain that does not require surgery?

ANSWER: Wrist injuries can occur in people who play golf often and can be due to overuse, poor mechanics or trauma. The right treatment depends on the underlying cause.

The good news is that for most people with the type of wrist pain you describe, surgery is rarely needed.

Many golfing-related wrist injuries are a result of overuse, particularly in recreational golfers who may take a break during the winter months and then play a lot during warmer months. For example, some golfers may go to the driving range and hit 200 balls in one session, or they may start playing several rounds of golf a week after being off the green for several months. Both situations could lead to wrist injuries.

Some wrist issues may be the result of poor mechanics. For example, if a golfer is swinging the club inappropriately or "casting" the club, it could lead to pain at the back of the wrist due to injury to a tendon called the extensor carpi ulnaris. In time, that can result in chronic wrist pain.

Wrist injuries also can come from some type of trauma. A golfer may

▢ Mayo Clinic

Professional Clinical Health Advice

be playing in the rough, for example, swing hard and catch the club in the long grass or the root of a tree. That can twist the wrists and, depending on the power of the swing, cause serious wrist tendon damage or even break a bone. Similar injuries may happen if a golfer takes a large divot out of the turf or hits a rock or other solid objects with a club.

When wrist pain and swelling first appear, the best steps are to rest the area and put ice on it to bring down the swelling.

Using heat on the injured area can relieve soreness and stiffness too. A compression wrap or a wrist brace also may be helpful. If you try these home remedies and symptoms continue for more than a week or the pain continues to worsen, I would recommend seeking medical attention.

Before visiting your health care provider, you will want to think about when your symptoms began, how they started, and how long the pain lasts. This information, along with a physical exam of your wrist can also help shed light on how the injury may have occurred and determine if tests such as X-rays, ultrasound (USS), computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are needed to diagnose the problem.

If the condition is tendinitis, it may get better with rest and hand therapy. You may need to wear → MAYO CLINIC 24

Hope Tupling (right) and sisters Olivia and Rachel Lidster have formed the Garbage Club, working to clean up litter one town at a time.

Sean Heeger

Cleaning up Elmira, one trash bag at a time Seven-year-old enlists friends in “Garbage Club” to pick up litter Sean Heeger Observer Staff

THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY. FROM tree planting to river cleanups, the work being done in this area is part of a worldwide environmental movement.

Taking the local part to heart, seven-year-old Hope Tupling created the Garbage Club, with a goal of cleaning up the trash she sees around Elmira.

After learning in kindergarten the impact our discarded trash has on the planet and its animal inhabitants, Hope began to pick up garbage around her schoolyard during breaks. With some inspiration from her father, she recruited her sister to the cause.

“So, what inspired me was my dad brought it up to me, and I started to do it with my sister. But

when my sister went to our grandparents’ house, I decided to try to start a club – we have some nextdoor neighbours we’re really good friends with them, and I asked them if they were interested in [joining me]. They were, so we started,” Hope explained of the club’s origins.

With her friends on board, she started the initiative last weekend, with the girls picking up about 12 bags of litter.

Hope says doing this work makes her feel like she is helping the world because there is just so much garbage piled up.

Hope’s mother Anna Tupling says she is extremely proud of her daughter for the work she is doing and following through with something about which she is so passionate.

“We’re really proud

of her because we know that it’s something that’s important to her especially now more than ever with the state that our world is in. She feels really strongly about it. She’s following through, she wants to make the difference and she’s taking that initiative in whatever way she can to make the difference. We’re really proud and we want her to know too that like a lot of times people think that small actions don’t matter, but her small actions will matter,” said Tupling.

She notes Hope loves school, but also cannot wait for it to be over so she can spend her break picking up garbage around the town. She even sees this as being something which will give Hope something to do in case her usual activities are put on hold because of COVID-19.

“She’s talked about

creating posters to post around the neighbourhood to inform other people about the importance of picking up their own litter and keeping it clean. [She is] also [talking about] advertising a little bit for their club so that they know that there are people who are looking out for the Earth and picking up garbage. I can see it lasting all throughout the summer as well,” Tupling added.

Looking ahead, Hope says she wants to finish cleaning up Elmira and move on to other areas within the region.

Tupling says there is a lot to work out moving forward including starting social media pages and buying more equipment for the girls, and they are going to begin looking into everything to make their initiative thrive.

Do expensive vehicle repairs always seem to come when you’re not financially prepared for them?

We are always willing toAD sit SPOT down -and talkPRINTING to you about NON our programs we can offer you. Together we can ease the burden of vehicle repair bills and help you keep your vehicle well maintained.

Two locations in Elmira to serve you better

20 Oriole Parkway E. | 47 Industrial Drive

- Al

Tel: (519) 669-1082

www.leroysautocare.net

Thursday, March 18, 2021 | THE OBSERVER

A taste of Ireland, in keeping with the season

H

ere’s a great easy Irish recipe ... just in time for the day after St. Patrick’s Day! Although it was originally a religious holiday to celebrate the bringing of Christianity to Ireland whereby Catholics and Protestants would come together once a year, it has also evolved into a celebration of Irish heritage and traditions.

Even though many of us might recognize it here, it’s actually a public holiday in the province of Newfoundland and, of course, in Ireland itself.

They say everybody’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day – does this not mean we should all get the day off?

The Irish church will lift any Lenten restrictions from eating and drinking for the day, which is why you’ll see such great feasting and partying taking place.

This dish is hearty but is actually friendly to a low-carb diet.

No true-blooded Irishman, would be caught

L I V I N G H E R E | 21

ↆ COM M U NITY

Recipes from the chef's table

dead eating this without a big pile of potatoes!

As much as potatoes are part of Irish culture, they didn’t exist there until the 15th century when they were brought over from the Americas. They grew well on their rugged terrain.

Green is certainly a colour associated with the Irish partly because of their hilly, grassy landscape, but also because as well as potatoes, and other root vegetables, things like cabbage leeks and celery also grow well there.

For those of us living in Waterloo Region, you could almost call St. Patrick’s Day the Irish Oktoberfest or the other way around. In that vein, this dish would also be very friendly in Bavarian cuisine.

Food is one of the great ways to unite the world!

“A GOOD JOB DONE EVERY TIME”

Kleensweep Carpet Care

Rugs and Upholstery

•Mattress Cleaning •Residential •Commercial •Personalized Service •Free Estimates West Montrose, ON

T. 519.669.2033

COLLEEN

Cell: 519.581.7868

Truck & Trailer Maintenance Cardlock Fuel Management

COMMERCIAL 24 CARDLOCK FUEL DEPOT HOUR M&G MILLWRIGHTS LTD. • Design • Installation • Custom Fabrication

519.669.5105 1540 FLORADALE ROAD P.O. BOX 247, ELMIRA

www.mgmill.com

NANCY KOEBEL

Freedom 55 Financial is a division of The Canada Life Assurance Company

Email: nancy.koebel@f55f.com

Irish Beef & Cabbage ▢ 4 average carrots, diced

▢ 1⁄2 lb smoked

▢ 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar

sausage, sliced

▢ 1⁄2 cup BBQ sauce

▢ 1 large onion, diced

▢ 1⁄2 tsp. each caraway,

▢ 2 cloves garlic, minced

▢ 1 small head

cabbage, rough chopped

allspice

▢ 1⁄2 tsp. chili flakes (optional)

▢ Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in deep saucepan over medium heat and add beef. Stir to brown lightly and add onions and garlic.

3. Add in seasoning, sausage, and liquid and allow to simmer on low heat until tender and flavours combine.

2. Continue to stir occasionally and add in cabbage and carrots and allow to take on a bit of colour.

4. If a little dry while cooking, add splash of water or stock to prevent from burning or drying out.

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

THURSDAY, MARCH 26 ▢ Our Eye and Digital Fatigue vitually using Zoom at

6:30 p.m. How do digital devices cause eye fatigue?

What precautions can you take to reduce the symptoms associated with digital eye fatigue. Woolwich Community Health Centre Health Education session.

For your Zoom invitation email gberihun@wchc.on.ca

Vacuum Sales, Repairs Se Service All Makes & Models

TUESDAY, MARCH 30 ▢ Healthy Eating to Keep Blood Sugars in Range

virtually using Zoom at 6:30 p.m. Healthy foods can help keep your blood sugar in check. Join WCHC to will learn which foods turn to sugars in your blood stream, healthy lifestyle habits, tips on label reading.

Email gberihun@wchc.on.ca for your Zoom invitation.

WOOLWICH RESIDENTS SUPPORT FUND: On April 4, 2020, Woolwich Mayor Sandy Shantz launched the Woolwich Residents Support Fund (WRSF) on behalf of Woolwich Township Council.

The WRSF will initially address the anticipated unprecedented needs that many Woolwich residents will experience due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the WRSF will continue to address ongoing needs experienced by Woolwich residents long after the pandemic has ended.

In general, the fund will provide one-time financial support to an applicant. However, we realize that no two cases are the same.

Unique situations may require further support that otherwise would not be accessible for the ongoing needs of the individual.

Prior to an applicant drawing from the WRSF, the Fund Review Committee will access other community services and funds that may be able to support and/or provide for the individual.

While eligibility practices and an application process are in place, it should be noted that in unique, complex, crisis and acute circumstances funds may be provided at the discretion of the Fund Review Committee, assuming the core criteria of the fund are met.

9 Church St. E., Elmira

519-669-8362 Email: elmiravacuum@gmail.com

Quality & Service you can trust.

21 Industrial Dr., Elmira 519.669.2884 | martinselmira.com

Education and Treatment

Your First Step to Better Hearing

519-669-9919 charlene@bauerhearing.com 25 Industrial Drive, Elmira

Access to the Fund is available by contacting:

Bus: 519.744.5433

▢ 1 lb lean ground beef

CAL EN DAR

CHEF DUFF

MATERIAL HANDLING & PROCESSING SYSTEMS

▢ 2 Tbsp. olive oil

EVENT S

Individual life insurance, mortgage insurance, business insurance, employee benefits programs, critical illness insurance, disability coverage,

RRSPs, RESPs, RRIFs, LIFs and Annuities.

652 Waterbury Lane, Waterloo 24-HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE

TOTAL HOME ENERGY SYSTEMS

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL

YOUR OIL, PROPANE, NATURAL GAS AND AIR CONDITIONING EXPERTS VERMONT Castings

11 HENRY ST. - UNIT 9, ST. JACOBS

519.664.2008

Woolwich

   

Community Care Concepts of Woolwich, Wellesley and Wilmot Woolwich Community Services Woolwich Counseling Centre Woolwich Community Health Centre

SANYO CANADIAN

MACHINE WORKS INCORPORATED

Fund Administrator: Woolwich Community Services Fund Review Committee: Kelly Christie – Executive Director, Woolwich Community Services Cathy Harrington – Executive Director, Community Care Concepts

33 Industrial Dr., Elmira 519.669.1591

Woolwich Township Ward 1 Councillor

Donations to the WRSF may be mailed to Woolwich Community Services, 5 Memorial Ave., Elmira, ON N3B 2P6 or through the website on the WCS Donate page.

How can I help you?

519.514.6051

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

Healthy Communities

The place to get involved.

• Volunteer Opportunities • Projects & News • Sub-Committee updates

pmerlihan@woolwich.ca

www.merlihan.com

healthywoolwich.org

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, March 18, 2021

22 | L I V I N G H E R E

ↆ X-WORD

Enjoy this bright dessert

M

▢ America's Test Kitchen

ost lemon tart recipes feature butter in both the crust and the filling, but here we use extra-virgin olive oil instead. It makes the crust a snap: Just mix the flour, sugar and salt with the oil and a little water until a soft dough forms; crumble it into the tart pan; press it

Rigorously tested recipes that work.

into the sides and bottom; and bake it right away - no rolling or chilling required.

Using olive oil in the filling doesn't compromise

its firmness or sliceability, because the filling gets plenty of structure from the protein in the eggs.

Olive oil does, however, allow lemons' acidity to come to the fore in a way that butter doesn't. That means we can use a bit less juice and still enjoy plenty of bright lemon flavor.

▢ 5 tablespoons

▢ 1⁄2 cup extra-virgin

▢ 2 tablespoons

sugar

2. Whisk flour, sugar and salt together in a bowl. Add oil and water and stir until a uniform dough forms.

of the dough over the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough to even thickness in the bottom of the pan.

4. Crumble the remaining dough and scatter it evenly around the edge of the pan, then press the crumbled dough

3. Using your hands, crumble three-quarters

into the fluted sides of pan. Press the dough to even thickness.

5. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the crust is deep golden brown and firm to touch, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

For the filling ▢ 1 cup sugar

▢ 3 large eggs plus 3

lemons)

large yolks

▢ 2 tablespoons

▢ 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin

▢ 1 tablespoon

all-purpose flour

olive oil

grated lemon zest plus 1⁄2 cup juice (3

▢ 1⁄4 teaspoon table salt

1. About 5 minutes before the crust is finished baking, whisk sugar, flour and salt in a medium saucepan until combined.

of egg remain. Whisk in lemon zest and juice.

Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly and scraping the corners of the saucepan, until the mixture thickens slightly and registers 160

2. Whisk in eggs and yolks until no streaks

metal ring of the tart pan. Slide a thin metal spatula between the tart and the pan bottom, then carefully slide the tart onto a serving platter.

2. Remove the outer

3. Cut the tart into

degrees, 5 to 8 minutes.

3. Off heat, whisk in oil until incorporated.

Strain the curd through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Pour the curd into a warm tart shell.

wedges, wiping the knife clean between cuts if necessary, and serve. (Leftovers can be wrapped loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to three days.)

⚠ Recipe notes: Use a fresh, high-quality extra-virgin olive oil here; our favorite is California Olive Ranch Everyday Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Make sure that all your metal equipment - saucepan, strainer and whisk is nonreactive, or the filling may have a metallic flavor.

D IR ECTOR Y

Worship service moved online

Elmira Mennonite LENT 5: Deep Calls to Deep Deep in the Earth: Church Called to Deep Growth

Jonathan Brubacher Preaching

See www.elmiramennonite.ca.

58 Church St. W., Elmira • 519-669-5123

TIM LOUIS

Member of Parliament Kitchener-Conestoga

1187 Fischer-Hallman Rd. Unit 624, Kitchener, ON N2E 4H9 (519) 578-3777 Tim.Louis@parl.gc.ca TimLouisMP.ca

ACROSS 1. Timely 8. Split 12. "Not to mention ..."

15. Tinkerbell is

one of them

16. Baseball feature 18. Manicurist's concern 20. Continuous

movement from one place to another 21. Christmas wish 22. Chicken Cesar, BLT, eg.

24. Clever 25. Money management 27. Certain tribute 29. Boutique 31. Apply 32. "___ magic!"

35. Roofing material 37. Come to mind 39. Bet 41. Half a gone-by bird 42. Grand 45. Street performer 46. Buzzed

To finish:

1. Bake until the filling is set and barely jiggles when the pan is shaken, 8 to 12 minutes. Let the tart cool completely on a wire rack, at least 2 hours.

water

olive oil

1. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

salt

For the crust: ▢ 1⁄2 teaspoon table

ↆ FA I T H

pose flour

Lemon-Olive Oil Tart ▢ 1 1⁄2 cups all-pur-

WOODSIDE

Join Us Online Each Sunday

woodsidechurch.ca/live

Reach local people at the right time every week.

Advertise your professional services to Woolwich, Wellesley and beyond.

48. Dust remover 50. Back talk 51. Lost 52. Bigger than big 54. Most recent 55. The Boy in the

___ Pajamas 56. Warm, so to speak 58. Bakery buy 59. Operating room 60. "___ we there yet?"

62. Jail, slangily 63. Best seller 64. Addition column DOWN 1. Frigid 2. Between part and whole 3. Bonkers 4. Plagiarist 5. Fall preceder 6. Elevators 7. "Are we there ___?"

9. Brought into play 10. ___ of Legends 11. Confronts

12. Not a particular one 13. Bar topic 14. "My dear man" 17. Gauge 19. Detect 21. Trainee 23. Aforementioned 25. Blasé 26. Shoot 28. Math class calculations 30. Have not 33. Detective, at times 34. Like 36. Coin opening 38. Egg cream ingredient 40. Areas of a store 43. Addition column 44. Ancient 47. Pillbox, e.g.

49. Gray, in a way 51. 2B or NOT 2 52. Informal high 53. "I'm ___ you!"

57. Otalgia 61. Game delayer

ↆ S U DOKU

Thursday, March 18, 2021 | THE OBSERVER

L I V I N G H E R E | 23

SOME CODES STILL AVAILABLE ORDER SOON TO SAVE $15.00

FIRST 100 PRE-ORDERS

#DAMBOOK

$25

+ EXCLUSIVE POSTER OF QUOTES + EXCLUSIVE DAM BOOKMARK REGULAR PRICE .... $40.00

PRE-ORDER SALES:

observerxtra.com/allen 519-669-5790 | 1-888.966.5942

MY SIDE OF THE DAM: THE RETROSPECTIVE 1996-2003

■ EVERY COLUMN ■ MORE THAN 400 PAGES ■ MARTIN FAMILY PHOTOS ■ NEVER-BEFORE SEEN OBSERVER ARCHIVE IMAGES ■ FOREWORD FROM THE FAMILY ■ LIFE AFTER THE COLUMN THROUGH OBSERVER STORIES

THE BEST DAM COLUMN IN TWENTY-FIVE YEARS. Pre-Order My Side of the Dam Today! observerxtra.com/allen

24 | T H E B A C K PA G E

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, March 18, 2021

NOW OPEN!

VINYL

VINYL

FOR IN-STORE SHOPPING, ONLINE & CURBSIDE PICKUP

CLICK VINYL PLANKS

1

$ 00

IN STOCK! FROM

SPC CLICK VINYL PLANKS

$ 55

IN STOCK! FROM

PER SQ FT

REG 2.99

LAMINATE

$

NOVEL: She likes to set her stories in small towns →FROM 14

“All of my stories are set in small-town Ontario.

So, if you take any small town here, like Elmira or Baden or New Hamburg, you could almost plop them into my stories. And so, I think I pull a lot of the character of those small towns into my settings. I think they might recognize like parts of their small town, that it's not their small town, but it's every small town that has those similar aspects.”

While the book is set for release March 20, people who ordered from places like Chapters have been able to get their hands on the book already.

She says she is both excited and terrified for the book to land in the hands of readers, but so far, she has heard good things from friends who have picked up their copy.

Huizinga Mills has a virtual book launch party to celebrate the release of The Good Son on March

23. The free event will allow people to sit in and hear about the book while Huizinga Mills chats with Kayleigh Platz about the novel two years in the making.

Those who want a signed copy can also order one online for themselves – or get a gift for a friend with a personalized video message from the author.

To get a copy of the book email queries@bookshelf.ca and to sign up for the event visit Eventbrite.ca.

FROM

→FROM 20

necessary. Depending on the type of broken bone, however, surgery may be needed and that's why meeting a hand surgeon would be important.

To help prevent future golfing-related wrist injuries, take time to stretch, for example your back, legs, arms, elbows and wrists before you play.

Also, warm up with some easy practice swings before you begin a round of golf or start hitting at the driving range.

You may want to work on improving your swing, too. Taking a lesson with golf professional may

be useful to ensure your form is still good.

Finally, invest in quality equipment. Clubs with graphite shafts and irons that are cavity-backed reduce the vibration of impact and can help prevent injuries.

Something as simple as using fatter grips to keep you from squeezing the club too tightly and aggravating tendinitis also may be of benefit. 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.

Rent soft water starting at

$9.95

mth

*for first three months

.com 519.744.2248

427 Gage Ave • Kitchener

12”X24”

P O RC E L A I N TILE

$

12MM 99 THICK

FROM

PER SQ FT

REG 4.99 LAMINATE

1

$ 57

IN STOCK! FROM

TILE

TOP SELLER

1

$CARRARA 47

12X24 POLISHED FROM

1

TILE

PER SQ FT

REG 3.99

$ 99

IN STOCK! FROM

3 ” X6 ” O R 4 ” X1 2 ”

S U BWAY TILE

$ 99 HANDSCRAPED PER SQ FT

REG 3.99 HARDWOOD

$

2

IN STOCK! FROM

99 PER SQ FT

N EW

REG 5.99

PER SQ FT

REG 3.99

ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE 3/4” THICK

S O L I D OA K H A R DWO O D

$

2

99

GLASS & STONE PER SQ FT REG 5.99 BACKSPLASH

FROM

1

$ 99

IN STOCK! FROM

HARDWOOD

PER SQ FT

N EW

REG 6.99

PRODUCT!

ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE 5.5” WIDE

S Q UA R E BA S E B OA R D S

1

$ NATURAL 67

CLICK ENGINEERED FROM

1

BACKSPLASH

REG 3.99

ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE

1

FROM

PER SQ FT

HARDWOOD

PER SQ FT

REG 2.99 LAMINATE

$ 97

REG 3.99

12MM THICK L A M I N AT E

1

HIGH 99 GLOSS

IN STOCK!

PER SQ FT

ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE

MAYO CLINIC: Taking steps to avoid golf-related injuries a wrist brace, as well in the short term- even when you are playing golf. If that's not enough, an injection may help reduce inflammation in the injured area to allow for healing. If you still continue to have symptoms, surgery may be an option for chronic tendinitis.

Though unlikely, it is possible you could have a fracture or broken bone in your wrist. If this is the case, a cast may be needed to allow the injury to heal, and hand therapy may be

1

REG 3.99

ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE

RIGID CORE P L U S PA D V I N Y L AT TAC H E D

Sean Heeger

PER SQ FT

LAMINATE

ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE

The publisher opted to print Carolyn Huizinga Mills' second book first.

1

4MM THICK

3/4” THICK

FROM

PER LIN FT

REG 3.99 HARD MAPLE

2

NO TAX! $ 69

H U FG R OE M SELECTION

REG A R E A RU G4.99 S

PER SQ FT

99 $ 199 $ 99 $ 65 299 F U LLY ¢ STOCKED $ 99 PRODUCT!

ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE 47 ” W I D E V I N Y L

STA I R T R E A D S

ST E P & R I S E R I N C L U D E D

MDF PRIMED WHITE

BASEBOARDS

MORE STYLES E A CAND H SIZES TO CHOOSE

FROM

67

RUGS 5’ X7’

7’ X1 0 ’

$

FROM

FROM

4’ X 6’ 8’ AREA RUGS X1 1 ’F R O M

9

CLEARANCE

FROM ROM EACH OVER 1,000 PRODUCTS FNOW ONLINE!

/LIN FT

REG 59.99

SHOP IN STORE OR CURBSIDE PICKUP!

WWW.

.COM

1362 N. SKITCHENER 9AM-6PM 1 3VICTORIA 6 2 V I C TOST RIA T R E E T N O RT •H MON-SAT K I TC H E N E R | 5SUN 1 9 . 710AM-5PM 42.9188