The Orleans Star Dec. 22, 2022

Peter Abercrombie is one of the few original residents living on Taffy Lane who have been decorating their homes for the past 45 years. FRED SHERWIN/PHOTO

Trippin’ the (Christmas) lights fantastic

By Fred Sherwin

The Orléans Star

Orléans has always had a reputation for having some of the best, most brightly decorated houses in Ottawa, largely due to the residents of one street in particular – Taffy Lane.

The small street in Orléans Wood has become a mecca for fans of holiday lights and Christmas decorations for more than 30 years now and at one time was featured in Maclean’s magazine.

Peter Abercrombie is one of four original residents still living on the street. When he first moved into the house on Dec. 22, 1977, he decorated a small six-foot spruce in the front yard with a couple of strings of blue incandescent lights.

Over the years, he kept on adding to the lights and decorations, and before too long, it became one of the most photographed residences in all of Ottawa.

The home is easily identifiable by the eightfoot wooden cutout of Frosty the Snowman carrying a candy cane in the front yard.

In an effort to keep improving the holiday display, Abercrombie has added 2,800 more lights this year bringing the total to somewhere between 16,000 and 17,000. He also added a set of three-foot high soldiers which he inherited from Gilles Leger on Belcourt Blvd. Leger, whose home was a must-see stop on any tour of Christmas light displays in Orléans, can no longer decorate his house anymore due to health reasons.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Take a tour of Orléans’ best and brightest light displays

Continued from page 1

Even with Leger’s absence, there are still plenty of homes to see in and around Orléans starting with 268 Pintail Cres. in Chatelaine Village where the father and son team of Brian and Patrick Albert have combined more than 40 inflatable figures with over 20,000 lights synchronized to Christmas music.

From Pintail take Lawnsberry back to Jeanne d’Arc Blvd. Drive west to Orléans Blvd. Take a left-hand turn on to Orléans Blvd. and then proceed to the next set of lights where you will turn left again on to Sugar Creek Way.

Don’t be surprised if you run into a small traffic jam, because this is where you can access Taffy Lane. The best way to enjoy the light displays on the street is to leave your car in the Orléans United Church parking lot and proceed to Taffy Lane on foot. It should take you anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes to stroll down the street and return to your vehicle.

When you finish walking down Taffy

Lane, you will return to your car by walking down Sugar Creek Way where you will find the home of Tony Sullivan who is using his fantastic holiday display to raise thousands of dollars for local charities with the help of his fellow Saltwater Santas.

When you eventually get back into your car, take Orleáns Blvd. south to Lumberman Way on the other side of the Hwy. 174 overpass. Turn left on to Lumberman Way and then right on to Grey Nuns Drive. Follow Grey Nuns to Fieldstone Crescent where you will see two brightly lit residences –one at 1678 Grey Nuns Drive and the other just on the corner at 1692 Fieldstone.

From there, find your way back to St. Joseph Blvd. and turn left. Drive two blocks eastbound and turn left again onto Dussere Street across from the St. Hubert.

Dussere runs into Cholette Crescent where you will find the Giroux residence at 1143 Cholette Crescent on the left. There is another nicely decorated house beside it at 1135 Cholette Crescent.

From there, take Dussere back to St. Joseph Blvd. and continue east to Prestone Drive. Turn right on Prestone and follow it up the hill. Continue south past Tompkins Avenue and the take your first left after Tompkins on to Deavy Way where you will find another impressive display.

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Montcrest Drive. Turn left on Montcrest and then right on to Cheverny Crescent, where you can see another wonderfully decorated house at the corner of Cheverny and Brissac Way.

Continue along Deavy Way and turn right at Tompkins Avenue. Take Tompkins across Tenth Line Road, then turn left at the next set of lights on to Princess Louise Drive where you will see a number of nicely decorated houses including the home at 475 Princess Louise Dr.

Continue down Princess Louise to

Other houses that are worth checking out if you have the time are at 6086 Rivercrest Dr. in Chapel Hill, 1646 Trim Road between Watters and Portobello, and 412 Larkhaven Cres. in Queenswood Heights. Finally, if you have the time drive to Navan, there are some nicely decorated houses on Trim Road and on Navan Road, just west of Trim.

1481 Deavy Way

The year of getting back to normal was far from it

By Fred Sherwin

The Orléans Star

2022 will be remembered as the year society inched back to a sense of normalcy. I say “inched” because the past year has been far from normal.

2022: The year in review

Supply chain issues still plague a number of industries including the auto industry, the printing industry and the food industry which has seen prices skyrocket to levels most of us never could have imagined when the year began.

Still, there reason to be optimistic about despite all the dire predictions of an elon-

gated recession.

The travel industry, including the cruise industry, has bounced back with a vengeance. So has the hospitality industry.

2022 will be remembered as the year actors returned to the stage and kids returned to the field, rink, pitch and baseball diamond.

That’s not to say there haven’t been a few bumps along the way, especially last spring when things were on again and off again nearly every week. But by year’s end, the arts community and minor sports organizations were back in full swing.

The year began under a dark cloud as the Omnicron variant forced yet another shutdown of schools, restaurants, gyms and other small businesses.

It wasn’t until Feb. 3 that the Ford government finally gave the all clear, allowing restaurants and gyms to reopen for good.

That same month, it was announced that the Orléans YMCA-YWCA would be permanently closed.

On Jan. 29, the first elements of the “Freedom Convoy” rolled into Ottawa with the intention of occupying the area in front of the Parliament buildings to protest against COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates.

Within days, the demonstration had completely paralyzed the downtown core and for the better part of the next three weeks it would take on the atmosphere of part protest, part carnival and part civil disobedience. It wasn’t until Feb. 20, some 22 days after the protest began that the police moved in to remove the protesters and reopen Ottawa’s streets, arresting 70 protesters and towing away 21 vehicles in the process.

The demonstration cost the City of Ottawa millions of dollars in administration costs and downtown businesses lost millions more in revenue.

On a more positive note, two athletes with local roots captured gold at the Winter Olympics. Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann teamed up with Valérie Maltais from Quebec to win the team pursuit event in speedskating. Weidemann also won a silver medal in the 5000-metre event and a bronze medal in the 3000-metre event, while Blondin captured silver in the mass start event. Both young women returned to Ottawa and received a hero’s welcome in Beacon Hill and Orléans respectively.

On March 1, the city’s recreation facilities opened without the need for proof of vaccination. By March 31, the requirement to wear a face mask was also lifted, but it would

A ‘derecho’ windstorm in May caused millions of dollars in damage to farms near Navan and Sarsfield, including the McWilliams farm on Perrault Rd. where a barn that had stood for 120 years was razed to the ground in minutes. FILE PHOTO

be six more months before the federal government lifted the need for mandatory testing for people re-entering the country from abroad.

The provincial election campaign kicked off on April 28 and ended on June 2 with the Ford government winning a second majority. Here in Orléans, Liberal MPP Stephen Blais was easily re-elected.

On Saturday, May 24, a freak windstorm called a “derecho” tore a path of destruction through the former township of Cumberland

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

(L to r) Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weideman receive their gold medals along with Valerie Maltais from Québec after the threesome won the team pursuit event in speedskating at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. FILE PHOTO

DEC. 24: Open ’til 6pm

DEC. 25: Closed

DEC. 26: Open 9am to 6pm

DEC. 31: Open ’til 7pm

JAN. 1: Closed

Christmas Angels event raises $10K for a great cause

By Fred Sherwin

The Orléans Star

Ten families with children under-going cancer treatment will have at least one thing less to worry about this holiday season thanks to the efforts the owners and manager of Taproom260 and a lifelong granter of wishes who are carrying on a tradition started 11 years ago.

The Christmas Angel program was started over a decade ago by the late Jim Morrison who, with the help of a small group of regulars at the old D’Arcy McGee’s pub on Centrum Blvd., started what was then called D’Arcy’s Angels.

That initial group of friends included former Children’s Wish Foundation chair Pat Lowell, former Variety of Ottawa executive director Michael Brennan and Morrison’s former partner and Taproom 260 owner Andrew Quincey who promised to keep the program going after Morrison succumbed to cancer in October 2018.

This year’s event took place on Dec. 10 and raised $10,000 – $3,000 more than last year’s total. The money raised will be used to purchase $1,000 in gift cards for 10 families

with a child or children being treated for cancer in the CHEO oncology unit. In the past, some of the recipients have included several single-parent families.

Each family is chosen by the oncology unit staff based on need. The only caveat insisted on by the Christmas Angels is that each family be given $1,000 in gift cards.

“Cancer doesn’t discriminate based on your income,” says Lowell. “It doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor, but it affects low-income families, and especially singleparent families with limited resources to a much greater degree. So anything we can do to help them get through the holidays is what this is all about.”

Besides some great live music provided by three local cover bands, all of who donated their time, the event included a live auction with items donated by local businesses and a raffle with over 20 prizes also donated by local businesses.

When all was said and done, Lowell was thrilled at both the turnout and the money raised.“Fantastic turnout. Everyone is having a blast and we managed to raise quite a bit of money,” said Lowell.

It was a full house at Taproom260 on Saturday, Dec. 10 for the Christmas Angels fundraising event for families with children undergoing cancer treatment at CHEO. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO

At the heart of it all are the owners of Taproom260, Andrew and Anne Marie Quincey, and the restaurant’s manager Anne Peterson who do everything from booking the bands to securing the raffle prizes and

silent auction items.

The event also wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of Long & McQuade on St. Joseph Blvd. who provide all the musical equipment.

2022

2022 was supposed to be a bounce-back year with an economic resurgence not seen since the roaring ’20s. Instead, it was a year of chaos and confusion as lingering supply chain issues and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine resulted in runaway inflation, anxiety over a possible nuclear response by Russia and staffing shortages in nearly every industry across the board.

The year is ending with economists warning of an imminent recession causing people to limit their spending which has led to a slowdown in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Restaurants were hoping and praying for a banner holiday season after three straight years of COVID-related shutdowns, which were the result of two-and-a-half years of questionable policy decisions by governments worldwide.

In hindsight, the COVID pandemic restrictions may have saved lives, but they have caused untold economic hardship and a seismic shift in our society where government oversight and overreach is not only accepted but welcomed.

Thankfully, 2022 offered up a few distractions to the chaos such as the Winter Olympics in Beijing, the Amber Heard/Johnny Depp trial and the recent World Cup.

Sticking to the positive, 2022 also saw the return of a number of local events such as the Blackburn Fun Fair, the Craft Beer Festival, the Petrie Island Canada Day Celebration and the Navan Fair, which had all been canceled for the past two years.

The new normal is finally starting to feel like the old normal again, but many questions remain as we are about to welcome 2023. Will supply chain issues continue to hinder the economy and for how long? When will the war in Ukraine be resolved and at what cost? Will Will Smith’s career ever recover from the slap heard around the world?

These are all important questions that will impact our recovery. Maybe not the Will Smith thing, but the others certainly will.

There is a thought shared by experts that some changes brought on by the pandemic are here to stay, such as our addiction to convenience and our growing reliance on online shopping and delivery services like Amazon, Skip the Dishes and Uber Eats. Amazon is particularly invasive as it does to small business what Uber has done to the taxi industry. Some might sat that’s progress, but over time the costs will far outweigh the benefits, but by then it will be too late to turn back.

We are, in many ways, our own worst enemies. We not only tolerate the new normal, we welcome it.

So as one year comes to an end and another is about to begin, I am anxious about what lies ahead while remaining cautiously optimistic –without optimism there is only doom and I refuse to surrender to fear and pessimism. So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone and let’s see what the future has in store.

– Fred Sherwin, editor

Fred Sherwin Owner and publisher Jody Maffett Editor

New year offers new perspective, challenges and opportunities

With the holiday season upon us, I would like to wish the residents of Orléans a happy and safe holiday season. I hope each of you is able to spend time with family and loved ones during this festive time of year.

I know that 2022 has not been the easiest of years for residents of Ottawa and Orléans.

The year began with many challenges, including the illegal occupation in Ottawa. Even the east end of Ottawa felt the effects of the convoy.

our community who are facing uncertainty and isolation.

Queen’s Park Corner

Stephen

From day one of the occupation, I was vocal in the Legislature, pressing the Ontario government to support Ottawa’s struggling businesses.

The National Capital region was also hit by the largest derecho storm in Ottawa’s history, with winds up to 190 km/h that left a trail of devastation and heartache.

But throughout these challenging times, our community stuck together through hardship. Sticking out for our neighbours is how we get through difficult times, and I am so proud of the community volunteers who have stepped up when needed.

During the holiday season, there are many in

I am kindly asking that if you are willing and able to, please consider donating to the Orléans-Cumberland Community Resource Centre’s 2022 Christmas Program, which provides food and mental health services to those who may need a helping hand during the holidays.

There were many positives in 2022 as well, and I would like to welcome the many new businesses that have opened their doors in Orléans this year.

Small businesses are the heartbeat of Orléans, and we are so fortunate to have you join our high-spirited community.

Over the holidays, I hope you can spend time with your family celebrating all your achievements and reflecting on these last few difficult years. With 2023 just around the corner, I hope you also have a chance to reflect on new and exciting opportunities that may present themselves in the New Year.

From my family to yours, Merry Christmas and all the very best in 2023.

Blais

Presenting the 30th annual Fredzee Awards

Has it been 30 years already? It’s hard to believe that three decades have passed since the very first Fredzee awards.

I was single, footloose and fancy-free back then. My hair was much darker, my waist was much thinner and I had far fewer wrinkles than I have today.

Back then I was an aspiring young columnist with the Orléans Star, writing about personal triumphs and missteps and offering the odd armchair quarterback commentary about the issues of the day.

Today, I own the paper. Talk about coming full circle. With that said, here are this year’s 2022 Fredzee Awards...

The year’s BIGGEST winners...

1) Mark Sutcliffe

(From university dropout to the top job in the city... needless to say, 2022 has been a very good year for Ottawa’s newest mayor.)

2) John Doe

(An individual from California, who so far has been able to remain anonymous, won the $2 billion Powerball Lottery in the United States in November leaving themselves with the choice of taking a lump sum payout of $628 million after taxes, or the full amount in 29 annual payments which will also be taxable.)

3) Joseph Chahayed

(The grandfather of 10 and owner of Joe’s Service Station in Pasadena, California. He became a millionaire and instant celebrity overnight for having sold the $2 billion winning Powerball ticket.)

Up Front

The year’s BIGGEST losers...

1) The airline industry

(As COVID restrictions were lifted millions of people began traveling again, flooding a system that was ill-prepared for the onslaught causing countless cancellations, massive lineups, and endless delays at airports all over the world.)

2) Twitter employees and Tesla shareholders

(Now we know why so many people were skeptical of Elon Musk’s takeover of the social media giant. In response to Musk’s handling of Twitter, Tesla stock has dropped by nearly 50 per cent.)

3) Liz Truss

(The ill-fated British politician was interim Prime Minister for 50 days following the resignation of former British PM Boris Johnson.)

Biggest Local Stories of 2021

1) The Freedom Convoy, also known as Occupation Ottawa, paralyzes the downtown core for 22 days in February.

2) The LRT commission and final report (Justice William Hourigan releases damning report on the failures in the procure-

ment, construction and testing of Ottawa’s $2.1 billion light rail system.)

3) Derecho storm leaves path of destruction through Navan and Sarsfield (Freak windstorm on May 24 destroys over 1,000 trees and causes millions of dollars in damage to homes and local farms in and around Navan and Sarsfield.)

Top International News Stories

1) The War in Ukraine.

2) The January 6 insurrection and attack on the U.S. Capital building.

3) Iranian protests following the death of Masha Amini.

Newsmakers of the Year

1) Vladimir Zelensky – The Ukrainian president has become a household name for his defiance and resistance in the Russian invasion of his country.

2) Masha Amini – The 22-year-old’s death at the hands of Iranian security forces resulted in unprecedented protests in that country and outrage around the world.

3) Brittney Griner – The U.S. basketball star LGBTQ+ spokesperson returned to the United States earlier this month after serving nines months in Russian detention for drug possession.

The Hate to Say We Told You So, But We Told You So Award

To the airline industry for failing to properly prepare for the increase in travel after COVID restrictions were lifted even though experts had been warning about the possible onslaught for months.

Things That Make You Go Hmm Award

After the world’s supply chain issues were partly blamed on a shortage of shipping containers it was learned that one of the stadiums being used for the World Cup in Qatar was made out of – you guessed it. – 974 shipping containers! In other news, hundreds of shipping containers have been used to form a wall on the U.S. border between Arizona and Mexico.

The PR Misstep of the Year Award

To the Monfort Hospital for renaming the Orléans Health Hub, the Aline-Chrétien Health Hub without consulting the public or the people who helped raise millions of dollars in donations. After people in the local francophone community questioned the decision to drop Orléans from the name, the Montfort Hospital agreed to add Orléans to the Health Hub’s logo and signage.

The Karma is a Bitch Award

To the Russian soldier who decided to replace the ballistic plate in his armoured vest with an abandoned MacBook he had found in the battlefield. Turns out a MacBook doesn’t offer the same protection as a ballistic plate.

A Special Place in Heaven

To Queen Elizabeth II, Betty White, Gilbert Gottfried, Angela Lansbury, Kirstie Alley Olivia Newton-John, Sidney Poitier, Guy Lafleur, James Caan, Sally “Hot Lips” Kellerman, John Madden, Jerry Lee Lewis, Meat Loaf and my father – all of whom passed away in 2022.

Fred Sherwin

What a year! There was no shortage of momentum in Orléans South-Navan (formerly Cumberland Ward) in 2022.

We saw major investments in our parks and greenspaces, including upgrades to the outdoor rinks in Navan and Sarsfield, and a new rink shack at Vista Park that will be available for use this winter!

Through a partnership with the federal govern-ment, we were able to secure a new picnic shelter at Millennium Park, and the new district park in Cardinal Creek Village finally broke ground.

to save the beloved Nantes Woods, which would not have been possible without collaboration with the Greater Avalon Community Association.

As a city and as a community, we also had our fair share of crises to deal with. The derecho in May was especially challenging for our community, and our rural neighbours continue to rebuild from the deva-station. But no matter what was thrown our way, our community rallied around each other time and again.

Dozens of new road safety measures were added throughout the ward, and we benefited from multiple road resurfacing projects totaling over $10M, including long awaited upgrades to Milton Rd and Frank Kenny.

Staff is also reviewing several problematic intersections at my request, and I look forward to actioning modifications in this next term of council.

One of the accomplishments I’m most proud of this year was a successful land swap

I feel so fortunate to represent this amazing community, and I look forward to our continued partnership and collaboration in the New Year.

While the festive season can be the most wonderful time of the year, it can also be difficult and isolating for many. A reminder that the Mental Health Crisis Line is available 24/7 by calling 1-866-996-0991.

Wishing everyone a safe, happy and healthy holiday season! Looking forward to seeing you all in 2023!

Let’s spend this holiday season being open, honest and understanding

For a number of people the holiday season is not all peace, love and joy. Many can be afflicted with a sense of impending doom and anxiety at the thought of spending so much time with extended family and what topics of conversation they are going to try to avoid at all costs.

But maybe this season, instead of relying on “so how about them Sens this year?” maybe we should consider actually engaging on the trifecta of traditional nonmentionables of sex, religion, and politics. Ok, so the first one is pretty awkward to discuss with kinfolk, and the second one isn’t exactly at the forefront of modern-day discussion in Canada, but the third certainly is.

core values, current affairs, and the future of our country and society?

After on and off government-imposed lockdowns, a lot of us are very out of practice when it comes to the lost art of conversation.

Writing in ALL-CAPS on the virtual cesspool that is Twitter isn’t exactly productive practice, either.

I truly believe that the best way to foster understanding and to move society forward is through respectful debate and conversation where all parties are honest with themselves and each other. Without that nuanced discussion, we reduce each other to avatars and abstractions.

Why are we so afraid of talking about what’s on our mind or expressing our political positions openly, anyway?

I think it stems from wanting to avoid arguments. But really, what better opportunity is there to test assumptions and get to know your family better than actually having an engaging, respectful conversation about

Bridging the divide and fostering more respectful discussion takes practice. Flexing your ability to express your thoughts and feelings clearly and respectfully without relying on emotion or fallacy takes practice but is going to be the most important tool we have as individuals to emerge from this entrenched period of civil discord. Why not start with your family? They’ll still love you in the end anyway!

Orléans Outstanding Youth Award recipients announced

By Fred Sherwin

The Orléans Star

The Orléans Star is proud to announce the recipients of this year’s Orléans Outstanding Youth Awards.

The Orléans Outstanding Youth Awards were first launched in 2005 as a way to recognize the many accomplishments of young people living in Orléans and the surrounding community.

They are unique in that there are no specific categories, instead individuals can be nominated for their achievements in a given area or in a combination of areas.

The Orléans Star received 28 nominations in total. Each submission was individually vetted by a panel of seven judges who were each asked to select their top 10 candidates.

The lists were then collated and the 20 nominees with the most judges’ selections were chosen to receive the award.

This year’s judges were former children’s entertainer and citizenship court judge Suzanne Pinel, city councillors Catherine Kitts, Matt Luloff and Laura Dudas, Orléans MP Marie-France Lalonde, MPP Stephen Blais and former French public school board principal Pierre Campeau.

This year’s individual recipients are:

• Emma Ellsworth

• Ayla Martin

• Fadila Hijazi

• Eric Mercer

• George Huang

• Asiq Gazi

• Sweny Saija

• Gavin Hickey

• Evan Simcoe

• Gabriel Toreja

• Elizabeth Vroom

• Claire Rea

• Jacob Cheslock

• Robyn Eustace

• Evangeline Tabiou

• Timeo Atonfo

• Sophia Cooney

• Sophie LaVasseur

• Valérie LaVasseur

Two teams have also been chosen to receive an Outstanding Youth Award this year. They are the U12 Cumberland Panthers, which won the Ontario Football Fall Cup provincial championship; and the St. Matthew Tigers varsity football team which won the city

championship and the National Capital Bowl.

Unfortunately, not everyone nominated can receive an award. This year’s Honourable Mentions include Adrian Laszkiewicz, Emma Barteau, Mackenzie Cosh, Jessica Bulinski, Donovan Rawlings, Scarlett Noordhof and Kamila Serra King.

Each recipient will receive their personalized trophy, or Honourable Mention certificate, along with several copies of the commemorative program, by special delivery.

The Orléans Outstanding Youth Awards would not be possible without the generous support of presenting sponsors Collège La Cité, Université St.-Paul and Collège Boréal, gold level sponsor M.L. Bradley Ltd. and more than a dozen individual award sponsors.

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Caring community answers the bell yet again

By Jody Maffett

The Orléans Star

Canada may be on the verge of a recession, but that hasn’t stopped the Orléans community from opening up their wallets and hearts to help their fellow residents.

The season of giving started with Santa’s Parade of Lights when a record crowd filled the firefighters’ boots and used the Tap the Boot app to raise more than $25,000 and donate over 8,000 toys.

Although Orléans residents have always been generous in the past, parade organizer Bob Rainboth was blown away by both the sheer number of people who came out to see the parade and the money and toys they donated.

“It was such a thrill to see so many people – 150,000 plus – both young and old enjoying the evening parade on perfect night weatherwise. But it was an even bigger thrill to see them donate so much money and toys which will be used to help lessen the burden for a lot of families this Christmas,” says Rainboth.

On Dec. 10, a packed house filled the Taproom260 restaurant and concert venue to support the Christmas Angels and help raise

more than $10,000 in the process, which is $3,000 more than the event raised last year.

On the same day, Ottawa District 7 firefighters collected 17,880 food items and nearly $17,798 during their annual food drive in support of the Orléans-Cumberland Community Resource Centre (OCCRC) foodbank.

One local resident in particular, Robert Paiement, organized more than 40 family and friends to help collect and sort the 280+ bins of food once it arrived at the Resource Centre. It’s a task he has been happy to do for more than 10 years now.

The food and money will not only help feed financially challenged families over the holidays, it will go along way to keep food on the shelves well into February and March.

It also augments the items the foodbank has received from donors and supporters of the OCCRC’s Christmas program.

Each year, the Resource Centre offers assistance in the form of toys and seasonal food items to families in financial hardship.

This year, more than 350 families registered for the program. That’s a 30 per cent increase from the number of families who were registered last year.

Fire fighters, volunteers and staff at the Orléans-Cumberland Community Resource Centre all pitched in to make this year’s Orléans Fire Fighters Food Drive another huge success. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO

Under the program individuals, local businesses and organizations can make a lump sum contribution depending on the size of the family they wish to support. The money is then used to buy gift cards and

specialty food items.

While Christmas is only a few days away, the OCCRC is still encouraging members of the community to donate to the program to add to the goodwill that already exists.

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vous souhaite

Joyeux Noël et Bonne année

Joyeux Noël! Merry Christmas!

Joyeus fête

Shenkman ready to kick off the New Year

By Jody Maffett

The

Orléans Star

The Shenkman Arts Centre is preparing to get 2023 off to an entertaining start with a January line-up that has a little something for everyone.

The year kicks off with the 11th annual New Year’s Comedy Night featuring Frank Spadone and Cassie Cao. Frank Spadone took the stage for the first

time in 1997 and hasn’t looked back. He has since traveled across Canada as a headliner, drawing large crowds wherever he goes. You may have even spotted him in a movie or two, including “Harold & Kumar go to White Castle”.

Cassie Cao is an award-winning comedian, writer and actor who you may have seen on CBC Gem’s “The New Wave of Standup”, Crave’s “The Jon Dore Show”, or on both seasons of “Roast Battle Canada”. She has also written for shows such as “Kim’s Convenience”.

A limited number of tickets are still available at $60 each.

Kora player, singer and composer Sophie Lukacs will appear on the Harold Shenkman Theatre stage on Jan. 26.

Hailing from Montreal by way of Budapest, Lukacs discovered the 21-string kora during a trip to Burkina Faso while she was in her 20s.

Lukacs uses the harp-like lute to perform

Happy holidays! Joyeuses fêtes!

compositions that are rooted in love, empathy, and vulnerability. Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for students.

On Jan. 28, children’s performer Jeremy Fisher will be in town to bring his new animated CBC show “Jeremy Fisher sings the songs of Jeremy and Jazzy” to life.

Taking families through his catalogue of catchy children’s music with a message,

Jeremy brings the characters and songs to life with his trademark earnest stager banter and sing along anthem. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children.

On Feb. 10, Jersey Nights will take over the Shenkman Arts Centre for a special Valentine’s presentation featuring the songs of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

The Jersey Nights performers will take you for a walk down memory lane singing such hits as Sherry, Walk Like A Man, Working My Way Back to You, Oh What a Night, and Big Girls Don’t Cry (to mention just a few). Jersey Nights includes a mix of nostalgic vocal hits by other artists that shaped a magical era of music.

Audience participation is a must as the audience gets to sing along with some of the legendary songs from a legendary era in music. Tickets are $62.50 per person.

You can check out the schedule and purchase tickets for all of the performances by visiting www.shenkmanarts.ca.

MATTHEW LULOFF Ward / Quartier 1 Orléans East-Cumberland

TIM TIERNEY Ward / Quartier 11 Beacon Hill-Cyrville

CATHERINE KITTS Ward / Quartier 19 Orléans South-Navan

LAURA DUDAS Ward / Quartier 2 Orléans West-Innes

2022 saw return of celebrations, gatherings and festivals

Continued from page 3

including the villages of Navan and Sarsfield where thousands of trees were destroyed and millions of dollars in damages was caused to area farms.

At the Wyatt McWillians farm on Perrault Road just south of Navan, the storm turned a 120-year-old barn into a pile of kindling in less than five minutes.

It would take nearly two months to clear away the debris and remove the damaged trees.

During the late spring and into the summer local residents were able to return to a number of area events which had been canceled during the pandemic, including the Blackburn Fun Day in June, the Canada Day celebration on Petrie Island and the Navan Fair in August.

Labour Day marked the unofficial start of the municipal election. With Jim Watson announcing his retirement at the beginning of the year, voters were able to choose the first new mayor in 12 years.

The race eventually boiled down to a contest between city councillor Catherine McKenney and Ottawa Business Journal publisher Marc Sutcliffe, with Sutcliffe emerging as the clear favourite among Ottawa voters.

Here in the east end, all four incumbent city councillors easily won re-election.

On Sept. 26, the trial began for former St. Matthew High School teacher and girls basketball coach Rick Despatie began.

Despatie, who changed his name to Watkins after he was arrested on numerous sexual offence charges, faces 14 charges involving four former female students who were all under the age of 16 at the time the alleged incidents occurred.

Because of scheduling issues, the trial had to be spread out over several months and is still ongoing.

As the year comes to an end, City Hall is still reeling from the findings of LRT commissioner Justice William Hourigan who determined that there were “persistent failures in leadership, partnership and communications” in the construction and maintenance and testing of the LRT.

In particular, he singled out former mayor Jim Watson, former city manager Steve Kenallakos, who announced his immediate retirement days before the report was released and former OC Transpo head John Manconi for “misleading” city council and committing “egregious violations of the public trust”.

Mark Sutcliffe, who received more

Left, the festival season kicked off with the Orléans Craft Beer Festival from June 9-11. Right, kids enjoy one of the rides at the Navan Fair in August. It was the first time the fair had been held since before the pandemic. FRED SHERWIN PHOTOS

than 50 per cent of the popular vote in November’s municipal election, promised to run a much more transparent and inclusive administration.

In the same election all four members of the Eastern Block were re-elected in their newly redrawn wards. Tim Tierney was reelected in Beacon Hill-Cyrville ward; Laura Dudas was re-elected in Orléans West-Innes ward; Catherine Kitts was re-elected in Orléans South-Navan; and Matt Luloff was re-elected in Orléans East-Cumberland.

Ring in the New Year with a taste of Portugal

STAR STAFF – Can’t afford to go down south this holiday season? Then take a culinary trip to Portugal by visiting Caravela Restaurante on Innes Road, where you can enjoy the very best in Portuguese fine dining.

When owner Fernando Diniz first opened the restaurant in December 2016, his goal was to bring a “Taste of Portugal” to food lovers in Orléans.

Born and raised on the island of Terceira in the Azores, Diniz joined forces with Chef Tom Moore, formerly of the hugely popular El Meson restaurant in New Edinburgh, to produce a menu that is heavy on seafood native to the Portuguese islands, mixed with dishes from the mainland.

He also hired his friend Henrique Sousa, who also worked at El Meson, to act as maître d’ and chief sommelier.

The response from local diners continues to be overwhelming, and for good reason –the food is plentiful and delicious.

Whether you order traditional dishes like the Cataplana, which is a type of seafood stew native to the Algarve region,

or the Alcatra à Terceira which is a pot roast that is slow-cooked after marinating for 24 hours in red wine, onions and garlic, you cannot go wrong.

Other house specialties include the Seafood Platter, the Shrimp and Scallops and the Grilled Octopus. For starters, you can try the traditional Canja chicken soup, or the seafood chowder which is among the best anywhere.

Their Piri-Piri Chicken is excellent, as is the Bacalhau Com Natas which is cod, potatoes and onions cooked in a bechamel sauce, lightly browned on top and served in a casserole dish.

The desserts, which include Portuguese custard tarts, crême caramel, a chocolate coconut cheesecake, and a cookies and cream cake covered with cherries known as “the Fernando cake”, are also to die for.

If you still haven’t made plans for New Year’s Eve, then you should consider spending it at Caravela where they are taking reservations for three seatings at 3:30; 5:30 and 7:30.

The à la carte menu includes the soup of the day, cod cakes and your choice of either

the Seafood Plater or a Rack of Lamb served with a house salad. It also includes dessert, coffee or tea, and a glass of champagne. The cost is $90 per person.

The evening has sold out every year, so you may want to reserve your table as soon as possible. Reservations can be made by calling 613-424-9200.

Caravela owner Fernando Diniz is looking forward to welcoming guests to his restaurant on New Year’s Eve. FILE PHOTO

Abiding Word Lutheran Church remains a pillar of the community

By Jody Maffett

The Orléans Star

On Sept. 29, 1974, the first service, Sunday School and Bible Study for what would become Abiding Word Lutheran Church was held in the library of Garneau High School.

For almost 50 years, Abiding Word has remained part of the Orléans community. From it’s humble beginnings guided by it’s mission statement, the church continually focused on outreach and service to our community. Services at Garneau continued for three years until such time as two acres of land could be secured for construction of the church facilities at their current location at the corner of Belcourt Blvd and Sunview Drive. Upon completion, dedication of the new church was held in January of 1979.

Over the years, the church was blessed with increased church membership and as more church programs were instituted, it became obvious that the church’s original facilities had become inadequate. In light of this growth, some facility changes were required such as the construction of a balcony in the church sanctuary in 1992, the construction of a church parsonage adjacent to the church itself in 2001, and in February 2008, the largest construction of all – the addition of a fellowship hall.

But Abiding Word’s main focus over the past five decades has been on outreach through a wide variety of activities designed to make the community aware of our presence and to offer our service if we can be of assistance. Over the years some of these outreach activities included, hosting a playgroup to provide fellowship for children and caregivers, holding vacation bible school, conducting children’s church services which permit parents to hear sermons without the distractions of toddlers, presenting Christmas pageants to the community, hosting community garage sales and many other activities.

Perhaps the most well-known outreach program has been our presentation in each December of the Living Nativity, which presents the Advent story in the form of a free outdoor play complete with live animals, followed by hot chocolate for the audience.

Like all churches, the arrival of COVID-19 presented a set of challenges for Abiding Word. The repeated closings and eventual reopening under restricted conditions made it difficult to maintain contact with church members and potential new members. As a result, the resources required to continue outreach activities which existed prior to COVID have had to be scaled back, including the Living Nativity. It is hoped the event

will return starting next year.

Currently Abiding Word’s most successful service to the community is its food pantry.

Located in the church parking lot, the pantry provides free non-perishable food and personal hygiene items to those in need. Members of the community can pick up any of the pantry’s contents at any time of the day. The pantry is filled twice per week on Wednesdays and Sundays by church membership donations and on an ad hoc basis

by members of the local community.

Abiding Word is proud to be part of and continue to serve our community.

This year, our Christmas Eve service will be held on Saturday, Dec. 24 at 7 p.m. Abiding Word invites the community to join us, as we celebrate the birth of our saviour on this evening. If you would like more information or wish to contact us we can be reached by phone at 613-824-2524 or by e-mail at abidingword@rogers.com.

Pastor Harland Goetzinger is the presiding interim pastor at Abiding Word Lutheran Church on Belcourt Blvd. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO

The Year in Pictures 2022

(Clockwise

Jacob, a 2,000 lb. Belgian horse that miraculously survived a windstorm that swept across Navan on May 24; a church steeple lies in the parking lot in Sarsfield after is was toppled during the same storm; a youngster makes soap bubbles during the Canada Day celebration on Petrie Island; Olympic triple-medalist Isabelle Weidemann is mobbed by family and friends during a ceremony held in her honour on April 9 in her Beacon Hill where she grew up.

FRED SHERWIN PHOTOS

from left.) Troy McWilliams with

U12 Panthers, St. Matt’s Tigers named co-Teams of the Year

By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star

For the first time since the Orléans Star has been naming a Team of the Year, two teams get to share the distinction for 2022.

The U12 Mosquito Cumberland Panthers and the St. Matthew Tigers varsity football both won a city championship this year and they both went on to post-season provincial title games.

The U12 Cumberland Panthers completed an undefeated National Capital Amateur Football Association season by beating the Nepean Eagles 54-14 in the A-Cup final.

It was a totally dominating performance over an opponent that had won four games in a row heading into the championship showdown.

In fact, the Panthers had dominated the rest of the league all season long, averaging 56 points a game, while allowing an average of just five points per game. They shut out their opponents four times and only allowed eight touchdowns in 10 games.

As the NCAFA champions, the Panthers faced the Ontario Fall Football League champion Vaughan Rebels in the Ontario Fall Cup on Nov. 19 and the outcome was never in doubt as they rolled to a 54-12 win playing on a snowy field at Carleton University.

A week earlier the St. Matthew Tigers varsity football team won the National Capital Secondary School Athletic Association (NCSSAA) Tier 1 championship with a 20-13 win over the St. Joseph Jaguars.

The Tigers were led by their quarter-back Jackson Plante who completed 11 of 18

passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran the ball six times for 46 yards and another touchdown. Plante’s favourite target was Jahim Kabongo Kabongo who caught the ball four times for 128 yards including both touchdowns tosses.

Tigers running back, Hugo Djeumeni, also had a good game, carrying the ball 21 times for 129 yards, but it was just a warm-up for what was to come.

Two weeks later, he would almost singlehandily defeat Northern Secondary School from Toronto in the National Capital Bowl played in Guelph.

Djeumeni ran the ball 30 times for 280 yards and a touchdown in the Tigers’ 24-15 defeat of the Red Knights. Plante also scored a touchdown running the ball and passed for another to Cristos Zigoumis.

It was only the second time that a team from Ottawa had won an OFSAA Bowl game since 2016, when the Tigers won the Metro Bowl for the first bowl win in the school’s history. It was also only the second time that a team from Ottawa had won the National Capital Bowl since the St. Peter Knights won it in 2009.

Honourable mentions for Team of the Year also go out to the Ottawa TFC U21 women’s team which won the Ontario Cup championship in August; the U12 and U19 Ottawa-Gloucester Devils which won respective provincial AA titles in March; and the St. Peter Knights senior girls soccer team which won the silver medal at the OFSAA ‘AAA’ championships in June. Kudos to all the teams for their incredible achievements.

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The U12 Cumberland Panthers, above, and the St. Matthew Tigers varsity squad, below, are co-Team of the Year honourees for 2022.

Orléans Star names male and female high school Athletes of the Year

By Fred Sherwin

The Orléans Star

This year’s male and female high school Athletes of the Year are a track athlete from Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School and a football player from St. Matthew High School.

Prior to the start of the 2022 high school track season, Elizabeth “Libby” Vroom, had not run in a single steeplechase race in her life, but over the course of four weeks in May and June, she broke four straight meet records on her way to becoming the OFSAA gold medalist. She then went on to become the national youth champion in the event, breaking a long-standing record in the process.

Vroom’s season started with a win at the Eastern Conference Track and Field Championship in late May. A week later, she would set a meet record at the National Capital secondary school championships and then a week after that, she would do the same at the OFSAA East Regional championships. Each time she would lower her personal best time by almost 10 seconds, but she would save her best for the provincial championships.

Running against the top high school steeple chasers in the province, Vroom lowered her personal best time by another 12 seconds and smashing both the provincial high school record and the Canadian interscholastic record in the process.

She would go on to win the national U20 title in the 3000-metre steeplechase at the Canadian Track and Field Championships in July before starting her first year at Queen’s University where she is a member of the Golden Gaels X-country team.

The winner of the male high school athlete of the year is Hugo Djeumeni who put together a pair of back-to-back performances to help lead the St. Matthew Tigers varsity football team to the city championship and the OFSAA National Capital Bowl.

Djeumeni ran for 109 yards on 15 carries in the first half alone against the St. Joseph Jaguars in the NCSSAA title game, which St. Matt’s won 20-23, and then followed that up by running for 280 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries in the Tigers’ 24-15 win over the Northern Red Knights in the National Capital Bowl

Hugo Djeumeni, above, from St. Matthew High School and Elizabeth Vroom, right, from Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School are this year’s male and female high school Athletes of the Year. FILE PHOTOS

16

1111 ORLEANS BLVD. orleansunitedchurch.com

Christmas Services

Redeemer Alliance Church

Worship Service

Sunday, December 23rd at 10am Candlelight Christmas Eve Service Monday, December 24th at 6pm & 7:30pm 4825 Innes Rd. • 613-837-9953 • www.redeemeralliance.ca

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES – Rev. Eric presiding 5:00pm, 7:00pm and 9:00pm

CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE

Celebrate Christmas at St. Helen’ Anglican Church

Christmas Eve

Saturday Dec. 24 4 p.m., 7 pm. & 10 p.m.

Christmas Day

Anglican Church

10:00am – Join us for a time of prayer and singing your favourite Christmas hymns followed by fellowship and refreshments in the Hall.

1111 Orléans Blvd. orleansunitedchurch.com

Paroisse Sainte-Marie

Sunday Dec. 25 at 1234 Prestone Drive, Orléans sthelens.ca

4831, chemin Innes, Orléans, (ON) K4A 4B3

4831, chemin Innes, Orléans, (ON) K4A 4B3

Téléphone : 613-830-9678 - Télécopieur : 613-824-1457

www.saintemarieorleans.org

Téléphone : 613-830-9678 - Télécopieur : 613-824-1457

www.sainte-marie-orleans.org

Messes de Noël, le 23 décembre 2018

Messes de Noël, le 24 décembre 2015

– à l’église 16 h, 18 h, 19 h 30, 21 h, 22 h 30 et minuit

- à l’église 16 h, 18 h, 19 h 30, 21 h, 22 h 30 et minuit

- à l’école De la Découverte, rue Scala, 16 h 15

Pour se rendre à l’école De la Découverte : de l’église à droite sur Portobello, à gauche sur Scala.

- à la chapelle Saint-Claude 20 h

- à l’église le 25 décembre 10 h 30

- Messes du jour de l’An