Southpoint Sun - May 29, 2024

boys’ parents, Lindsay and Dylan, first met at the

Mobile MRI up and running at ESHC

By Mark Ribble

The new mobile MRI Unit at Erie Shores HealthCare is up and running as the hospital announced last week that they had completed the

first MRI test in the unit.

The mobile unit is expected to remain in operation until the permanent MRI suite is ready sometime by the end of this year.

“This is a pivotal moment for Erie Shores HealthCare and our community, “ said ESHC CEO and President Kristin Kennedy on Thursday, May 23. “The mobile MRI unit allows us to address the immediate needs of our patients, reducing wait times and improving

access to critical diagnostic services right here at home.”

According to Kennedy, the unit will immediately begin accepting patients.

The MRI project for Erie Shores has a two-pronged approach, with funding from the provincial government through Ontario Health and through community donations, most notable of which was a recent $1 million donation from Unico and Primo Foods.

Fundraising efforts to

date have raised about half of the $5 million required to get the permanent unit in place.

The province has pledged to supply funds for the ongoing operation of the unit once the capital expenditure is reached by the hospital (with community help).

The mobile unit will operate eight hours per day, five days per week, which will significantly reduce the need for patients to travel to other regions for MRI tests and

ensuring timely access to vital diagnostic services.

Leamington Mayor — and Warden of Essex County — Hilda MacDonald, who was at the unveiling, says this will be a big bonus to the region.

“It used to be okay to travel to Windsor for that,” she said. “There’s an appreciation by the people in the region for this to be so close to home. And sometimes people are just too sick to travel.”

SEE MRI - Page 2

Leamington Fair when they were just 15 years old. More Fair photos are on page 9. SUN photo by Paul Forman

DR. PATRICK CERVINI

Chatham-Kent Leamington MPP Trevor Jones, echoed that sentiment.

“This milestone represents a significant advancement in our services,” he said. “It’s a very important step forward in care close to home. This administrative team here did an amazing job.”

Erie Shores Health Foundation Executive Director Penny Bellhouse reminded everyone in attendance that, although it’s an incredible accomplishment, the fundraising efforts must continue.

“We have a little ways to go,” she said. “Let’s bring the MRI inside.”

Dr. Patrick Cervini, Chief of Radiology at Erie Shores, said the unit should allow them to do about 25 MRI tests per day, which should lessen the load in the region.

“This will really help with getting wait times down,” he said.

Lawn watering restrictions implemented in Wheatley

Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission (CK PUC) is implementing lawn watering restrictions for all residential and commercial custom-

ers on municipal water in Wheatley and Tilbury.

The water restrictions

came into effect as of May 24 and are as follows:

• This applies to lawn

watering, all irrigation and other non-essential uses of the potable water supply.

• Customers with odd-numbered addresses are allowed to water their lawns on odd-numbered days.

• Customers with even-numbered addresses are allowed to water their lawns on even-numbered days.

• There will be a twomonth grace period for newly sodded lawns.

“Due to the limitations

of the current temporary water treatment plant in Wheatley and the extended hot weather that this region has been experiencing, lawn watering has placed extra demands on the water system,” said General Manager Darren Galbraith. This is the first step in the restrictions. CK PUC may need to implement further restrictions if the water system does not see any relief.

Erie Shores HealthCare’s Lead MRI Technician, Jennifer Beausoleil, checks out scans on the computer inside the mobile unit. SUN photos

Erie Shores HealthCare’s Lead MRI Tech, Jennifer Beausoleil, gets help from fellow technician Jessica Morley in demonstrating the MRI unit set-up.

Salvation Army opens new pavilion, gardens

By Mark Ribble

Perfect weather shone down upon the Salvation Army Leamington community on Saturday, May 25 as they held an open house for the unveiling of their new ‘Gather Pavilion’, community gardens and prayer gardens. Well over 200 friends, neighbours and volunteers showed up for the celebration, which included a BBQ, children’s games, fellowship and live music presented by a Salvation Army brass band.

Volunteers were honoured with a specail gift as well.

Among the dignitaries present were Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald and Salvation Army’s Ontario Divisional Leaders, Colonels Shawn and Brenda Critch.

Salvation Army Leamington leaders, Majors Judi and Ron Wickens, were thrilled with the turnout.

“This is wonderful,” said Judi. “It’s surpassed anything we could imag-

ine.”

Also on hand were Neil and Annie Loewen of Nello Construction of Leamington, whose company built the pavilion without charging the Salvation Army for its construction.

“My wife and I were both helped as children by the Salvation Army,” said Neil Loewen. “We’ve been blessed in our business to have had a good year, so we wanted to give back.”

Neil grew up in Blen-

heim and Annie grew up in Leamington. The Salvation Army is near and dear to both of their hearts.

Going forward, the pavilion will be used for outdoor activities and as a place to meet and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere for anyone and everyone.

The prayer gardens include a suicide memorial tree, which was also donated by a local company.

“This community really came together,” said Deacon John Vezina of the

Erie Shores South Catholic Family of Parishes. “A lot of people did a lot of work.”

Vezina shared stories of how neighbours showed up with shovels when they saw the crews out working and how he was able to contact all of the service clubs in town,

who all responded with help and donations for the project.

Major Ron Wickens was also quick to credit Vezina for all of the work he did on the project.

“Deacon John really got things going,” he said. “And he worked for countless hours on this.”

The ribbon cutting to open the new pavilion included, from left, Major Ron Wickens, Colonel Brenda Critch, Colonel Shawn Critch, Annie Loewen, Neil Loewen, Deacon John Vezina, Mayor Hilda MacDonald and Major Judi Wickens. SUN photos

All of the children in attendance enjoyed the games, as well as the BBQ hotdogs offered at the Salvation Army Leamington celebration.

Kingsville entertainer nominated for Tribute Artist of the Year

Rick Stephenson – His Sinatra has been nominated for the second time by the Josie Music Awards for Tribute Artist of the Year and for the first time Vocalist of the Year (Traditional genre). There were over 75,000 artist submissions and the top 3% were nominat-

B ank n otes

ed. The 10th annual Independent Josie Music Awards will take place October in Nashville. Rick was also nominated for six awards in the 2024 FairPlay Red Carpet Music Awards in Europe. Rick resides in Kingsville and has just returned

Box Office Open Thursday-Saturday 11AM - 1PM

Purchase Tickets Online at: BANKTHEATRE.COM

DALE’S FRIDAY COFFEE HOUSE

MAY 31

Pass the Hat. Doors open 6:30 pm. Show 7:00 pm. MILL ST. MARKET FRIDAY, JUNE 7

5:00 - 10:00 pm. Presented by the LAC, sponsored by the Municipality of Leamington and Uptown Leamington BIA. Music produced by The Bank Theatre.

LAC - SAM SLY & THE SMOKE 7:30 pm

Ashley Lynn Experience Duo 5:00 pm

SHOTTEN - CRACK THE WHIP 7:30 pm

Denny Bastrache Duo 5:00 pm

TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA

JUNE 14, 15, 21 & 22 @ 7:30 PM

JUNE 16 & 23 @ 2:00 PM

Directed by Dean Valentino! Doors open 30 minutes before show. Tickets $15 per person + tax.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube. Email banktheatre@gmail.com Visit BankTheatre.com 10 ERIE ST. S., P.O. BOX 434 LEAMINGTON, ON N8H 3W5 519-326-8805

Hello,

I

an area to get all my beans out!

from Orillia where the “Frank Sinatra Comes Home to Orillia” show was a smash hit with two shows and live streamed all over North America. A former long-time resident of Orillia, Rick enjoyed partnering with both the Orillia Concert Band and the Orillia Big Band and his long-time pianist John Brown. Trombonist Steve Lashbrook from Rick’s previous orchestra, The Endangered Species Big Band, rounded out the horn section.

Currently, Rick is putting the finishing touches on his new album, “Singing for Sinatra”, some of which was recorded at SLR Studios in Windsor with owner Marty Bak and Sebastien Laviolette. This album features songs that Rick feels Sinatra would have sung given the chance. They include some more modern songs with Rick’s unique “Sinatra-esque” styling. Listen for yourself at HisSinatra.com or face book.com/HisSinatra

Kingsville Friendly Club news

Kingsville Friendly Club president Bob Bell welcomed 32 members out to play cards on Tuesday, May 21 at the Unico Community Centre.

Scores in Bridge: Kim Hamm 3470, Jean Kuipers 3210, Bert Patrick 3050. Euchre: Margaret Fittler 103, Sally Bell 94, Dave Patterson and Bob Bell 90. Most lone hands: Dave Patterson, Willy Fittler and Anne Burrell with 5 each. Cribbage: Sue Girardin 951, Stuart Wheelton 858, Marie Geeves 855.

Door prize winners were Carrie Schultz, Ken Marinuik and Carol Spitse. Snacks were provided by Kathy Hedge and Brenda Anger.

There were 44 out to play cards at the Unico Centre on Friday, May 24, welcoming Mary Lou Patrick. Bridge: Bob Bell 4430, Gillian Pinkney 3060, Carolyn Brown 2990. Euchre: John Gerhardt 94, Brenda Anger 91, Lila Withers 87. Most lone hands: Willy Fittler 6. Pepper: Moe Hansen 316, Carrie Schultz 281, Mary Lou Patrick 277. Most peppers: Moe Hansen 8.

Door prize winners were Winnie Moore, Alta Van Vliet and Ed Fraser. There was food galore with snacks provided by Maggie and Moe Hansen, Carolyn Brown, Annette and Bob Cranston and Clare Shaw.

Saturday,

Saturday, June 8 7:00

Gaither Homecoming Artist Kevin Pauls together with Covenant Award winning duo The Wiebes bring you an

This evening of powerful music and storytelling will lead you on a journey through reminaged gospel classics and includes

Gaither Homecoming Artist Kevin Pauls together with Covenant Award winning duo The Wiebes bring you an evening of gospel music that you won't want to miss. This evening of powerful music and storytelling will lead you on a journey through reminaged gospel classics and includes

hymsing

RICK STEPHENSON AS HIS SINATRA

opinion ~ expression ~ and other musings

Baseball, hotdogs, apple pie and .... tornadoes?

The sudden tornado warning on Sunday night had me thinking it was still early for tornadoes in these parts but the big one that hit 14 years ago actually occurred on June 6, so there goes that theory — since May has completely flown by and dropped us into June this coming weekend.

I remember a doozy of a storm when I was only seven or eight years old.

One of my brothers was playing baseball at Margaret D. Bennie School on a hot summer afternoon when the sky got black and then turned kind of green.

In those days, everybody parked in the lot right beside the school and walked all the way to the back corner of the school yard, where the ball diamond was.

Even my dad, who was the coach and was probably approaching 50 years old, carried that heavy bag of equipment, all the bases and the lime spreader all that way, and then back again after the game was over.

And don’t forget the rosin bag!

When that storm came in, it sent everyone scrambling for their cars and my mom — who was deathly afraid of tornadoes — grabbed me by the arm and pulled me all the way back to the parking lot, where we just made it into the car in the nick of time.

The term “tail end of a tornado” became part of my vocabulary that day, after my mom repeated that to everyone she saw for the next week or so.

I don’t know what the “tail end of a tor-

1938 LaSalle convertible sedan

Nick Romanick was living in Windsor in 1949 when he saw a 1938 LaSalle convertible sedan (junior version of Cadillac) at a gas station and bought it from a university student who needed money. It still had the original convertible top and was one of only 265 built.

Romanick was in the body and paint business and had already worked on several old cars when he decided to give his LaSalle a proper restoration. He add-

ed fresh metal where there was rust and eventually made use of two LaSalle parts cars. He finished his LaSalle in gleaming black with all new chrome and installed a white convertible top to match his whitewall tires. In 1952, he replaced the original flathead V-8 engine with a 1949 Cadillac overhead valve V-8 with automatic transmission. He was careful not to modify the

THE OLD CAR DETECTIVE

Bill Sherk

frame because a future owner might wish to restore it to original.

Nick drove his LaSalle to many antique car club outings and also used it to tow his boat and trailer. In 1960, he traded it for a 1907 Maxwell and his LaSalle went to a man in Michigan.

nado” would be now that I think of it. Does it mean that we only got the point at the bottom of the spout?

My only experience with tornadoes was my annual watching of the Wizard of Oz, so it was a little petrifying for a kid.

My mom often spoke in such scientific terms that I really just went along with it, not knowing that the terms probably never existed in the first place.

If she didn’t have an actual term for anything, she usually just made up a word or phrase and it was automatically part of the vernacular going forward.

She was one-of-a-kind in that regard.A spoiler of children and a lover of laughter.

I miss her dearly. Her 99th birthday would have been coming up in June, but she only got to live 76 of those years.

So back to MD Bennie and their ball diamond.

We spent many hours at that field, which was one of the better diamonds in the area at the time. Queen Elizabeth also had a decent diamond, as did Seacliff Park and the fairgrounds.

Plenty of competitive baseball and fastball were played on all of those diamonds. I’ve spoken before about going to those Sun Parlor Fastball League games under the lights at the fairgrounds, and how the crowds numbered in the hundreds. It was a different time.

This was before the Kinsmen diamonds were created on land donated by Heinz. I played my first year of baseball for Jim Wiper, my first coach on the Pirates, and we won the Atom championship that year — back in the time when they actually kept score and called the divisions what they were meant to be called.

Mark Ribble

All of our games were played on a diamond directly behind the Rhine Danube Club, in the far southwest corner of what is now the soccer field. The trains often passed by during our Saturday morning games — so close you could almost touch them.

The Kinsmen sponsored the entire house league program, while the Legion, Moose Lodge and IOOF Lodge took care of the “all-star” sponsorships.

All house league teams were named after big league teams and — in the early days — were formed by what school you went to.

The Gore Hill area kids were on the Pirates, but there were also the Maple Leafs (I know, a hockey team), Yankees, Dodgers and others.

As the school-determined system faded, coaches were allowed to draft their own team, which meant I eventually got to play for the Dodgers and Canadians in my house league baseball career.

And as all avid baseball players did in those days, we watched the weather. I don’t remember getting rained out a lot, but we did do some praying to the weather gods so we could play our games.

Unless you were my oldest brother Dennis, who loved baseball, but not as much as hunting. I’ve heard stories about him praying for rain on occasion, because he wanted to go duck hunting instead of playing ball.

The Supremes still reign supreme

When one wonders who the all-time top pop female group in North America is sales-wise, the two groups that come to mind are the Supremes and the Spice Girls.

However, if you play with the numbers of who has reached #1 the most, the Supremes have had 12 songs compared to only three for the Spice Girls. These #1 hits included “Where Did Our Love Go”, “Baby Love”, “Come See About Me”, “Stop! In the Name of Love”, “Back In My Arms Again”, “I Hear A Symphony”, “You Can’t Hurry Love”, “You Keep Me Hangin’ On”, “Love Is Here and Now You’re Gone” and “The Happening”.

Sales-wise the opposite applies, as the Spice Girls have sold over 100 million records worldwide, while the Supremes have sold somewhere between 50 million and 55 million, mostly in North America. Obviously, recordkeeping in the ’60s and ’70s wasn’t as accurate and no doubt that the Spice Girls’ worldwide fan base

is much higher than that of the Supremes.

However, when we think of the all-time best-selling pop female singer, one name that certainly stands out is Diana Ross. Born on March 26, 1944, she became part of one of Motown’s greatest acts – the Supremes – in the 1960s when they were definitely one of the best-selling female groups in the world.

In fact, with a total of 12 number-one singles, they remained the top-selling female group in North American. And Diana Ross, with or without the Supremes, has had an incredible total of 18 #1 hits on the Billboard Charts. That was a tremendous feat in her day.

Since going solo in 1970, Diana had six #1 hits from 1970 through 1981 that included blockbusters like “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, “Touch Me In The Morning”, “Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Go-

ing To)”, “Love Hangover”, “Upside Down”, “Coming Up”, and the biggest hit of the year called “Endless Love” (a duet with Lionel Ritchie). In 1981 it was #1 for nine amazing weeks in a row. At that time, it made her the female solo act with the most #1 songs in the U.S.

Diana continued putting out more top 20 hits through the early and mid-’80s like “Why Do Fools Fall in Love”, “Mirror, Mirror” and “Muscles”. In 1984, Ross had a top 20 hit called “All of You” with Julio Iglesias, along with “Swept Away” and “Missing You”. On a sad note, with the death of Florence Ballad in 1976 and the passing of Mary Wilson on February 8, 2021, there is no longer any possibility of the original Supremes group ever getting together.

This 1938 LaSalle convertible sedan might still be around.

Count Her In event tackles barriers for female athletes

By Mark Ribble

What began with a simple question from her daughter has blossomed into a movement for Kingsville resident Kara Murray.

“Why do we always watch boys’ teams play?” she had been asked. “Don’t the girls play too?”

something about it.

This question, along with other issues that came forward over the past couple of years, prompted Kara to do

And so ‘Count Her In’ was born, and last year the not-for-profit foundation raised $1,200 for Kingsville Minor Baseball as the organization changed their girls’ di-

More demolition for Wheatley

Preparations are underway for the demolition of several more buildings in Wheatley that were damaged by the August 26, 2021 explosion.

visions over from slopitch to fast-pitch. That donation enabled the girls fast-pitch program to purchase all the necessary equipment for the changeover.

For Kara and her committee, it’s about girls getting the opportunity to play sports all the way through their youth and getting the same benefits as the boys get.

“We know that 62 percent of girls stop playing sports once they reach their teen years,” says Kara. “That number for boys is just 10 percent.”

Abby Jakob also found there were difficulties in getting the same opportunities as the boys during her athletic youth years, and she gave an emotional speech at last year’s fundraising event that

talked about how much her parents sacrificed to get her to athletic events in other areas, since there wasn’t much in Windsor-Essex.

And so, the tandem of Abby and Kara have formed a committee, which also includes Chloe Mastronardi, Cassidy Macor and Sydney Fenos, and the five ladies have launched an upcoming event called Count Her In.

The event takes place at Pelee Island Winery Pavilion in Kingsville on Thursday, June 13 with proceeds going to local female sports teams, girls’ talent clinics, coaching clinics and equipment.

The goal is to spread awareness and bring equal opportunities to female athletes in the com-

munity.

“We are committed to creating a supportive environment where girls can develop their skills, build confidence and pursue their athletic passions without limitations,” says their event poster.

The event starts at 6 pm and runs until 9 pm with Dr. Abby Jakob as the keynote speaker. She will share her experience as a female athlete and the barriers that existed when she was competing.

Everyone is welcome and you can expect appetizers, cash bar, games and door prizes.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available.

You can get more information through their Instagram page:

@CountHerInYQG or countherinyqg@gmail.com

On-street parking and municipal sidewalks adjacent to the fencing will be unavailable during the demolition. Road closures are not anticipated.

Demolition contractor

The steel fencing along the east side of Erie Street North and the north side of Talbot Road East is being relocated onto the roadway in preparation for the demolition.

Salandria Ltd. is mobilizing equipment to the site as of Monday, May 27. Internal work within the buildings started Monday as well, with demolition of the buildings to follow within a week.

Community Calendar

SATURDAY, JUNE 1

LEAMINGTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY NATIVE PLANT AND COMPOST SALE from 9 am - 12 noon, 479 Bevel Line Road, Leamington. Cash sales preferred or E-transfers. Gardening advice & memberships available.

SUNDAY, JUNE 9

STRAWBERRY SOCIAL - 12 noon - 2:00 pm at St. John’s Anglican Church, 60 Erie. St. N., Leamington, in support of outreach programs. Hotdog & chips, strawberry shortcake or strawberry sundae, beverages. $12 per person, $30 per family. More info: 519326-3111 or st.johnleamington.org

SUNDAY, JUNE 9

SPEQTRA OPEN HOUSE - from 12:00 - 3:00 pm, 3100 McCormick Rd., Harrow. Special Equestrians Therapeutic Riding Association has a new location and is celebrating with an Open House. All are welcome to join the festivities. Free lunch, giveaways, pony rides, face painting, etc. More info: 519-322-8365 or www.speqtra.ca.

SUNDAY, JUNE 16

FATHER’S DAY PANCAKE BREAKFAST, hosted by Kingsville Lions Club, from 8:00 am - 1:00 pm at the Kingsville Lions Hall, 23 Mill St. W., Kingsville. $10 per person, $5 for children 2-12 years old, under 2 years eat free. Pancakes, sausages, coffee, tea & juice. All welcome.

SATURDAY, JULY 27

WONDERBROADS 3rd ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT - 4-person scramble, 18 holes w/cart, hotdog & beverage. Register your foursome at 2024wonderbroadgolf.golfgenius.com. Fundraiser in support of Wonderbroads Dragonboat Racing Organization which is comprised of breast cancer survivors from Windsor/Essex County.

ONGOING

WESTOVER - Kingsville Community Centre, 1860 Division Rd. N. Tuesdays 6:00 - 7:00 pm. Pre-treatment or after-care program for substance misuse. Do you, a friend or family member struggle with substance misuse? Come learn about the solution process. Drop-in group session. No registration required.

SOUTH ESSEX COMMUNITY COUNCIL - ADULT DAY PROGRAM - Join us at Faith Mennonite for a day service providing social, recreational and personal support to clients and respite. For more information or to register, call SECC at 519-326-8629 or visit our website at secc.on.ca.

FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE at Leamington United Mennonite Church, 78 Oak St. East, for those who enjoy morning coffee/tea and conversation, the first Wednesday of each month. Upcoming

dates: April 3 at 10:00 a.m. in church auditorium. All welcome, no RSVP required.

URSA MAJOR’S LITTLE BEAR CAFE COMMUNITY BREAKFAST every Monday (except holidays), 1860 Division Rd. North, Kingsville. Ursa Major Day Support Program’s community breakfast awaits with free coffee, tea, and simple eats — available while supplies last. Open to the whole community. We welcome everyone to join in the good food and fellowship. For more details, visit www.UMLSC. org or email contact@umlsc.org.

INDIVIDUALS WHO REQUIRE ASSESSMENTS TO ENTER TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR ADDICTIONS can contact Ian MacNeil, Social Worker with Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare, located at 33 Princess St. (1st floor) in Leamington, on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. You can leave a message 24/7 at 519-984-2531. Contact Ian at this number for more information.

ERIE SHORES TOASTMASTERS MEETING in person at 6:30 pm every other Wednesday at the Leamington Library, 1 John St., Leamington. Develop your Communication and Leadership Skills in a positive, friendly environment. For more info Email: ErieShoresTM@yahoo.com Facebook: Erie Shores Toastmasters or go to ErieShores.toastmastersclubs.org.

STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH? Reach out to Hope 4 Me Peer to Peer Support Group. Virtual and in-person meetings available. Contact Tracy, Sue or Nancy at hope4mepeer@gmail.com for information about the group.

WHEATLEY BAPTIST CHURCH - 47 Talbot St. E. Everyone is welcome to come worship with us. Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Bible study Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. Adult fellowship Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. For more info call 519-825-7433.

THE KINGSVILLE FRIENDLY CLUB meets every Tuesday to play Cribbage, Euchre & Bridge at 12:45 in the Unico Community Centre at 37 Beech St. in Kingsville, and every Friday to play Bridge, Euchre & Pepper at 12:45. Come early if you want to play a particular game and have your choice of a seat.

ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT SOMEONE’S DRINKING? Al-Anon Family Groups meeting information: 519-790-7739 or www. alanonwindsoressex.com

IF YOU WANT TO DRINK, THAT’S YOUR BUSINESS If you want to stop, we can help. Call Alcoholics Anonymous: 519-999-1234.

To place your event in the Community Calendar... Phone: 519-398-9098 • Email: sun@southpointsun.ca • or drop off at 194 Talbot St. E. Unit 2, Leamington SUBMISSIONS NOT GUARANTEED.

The Count Her In Committee, from left, are Chloe Mastronardi, Cassidy Macor, Kara Murray, Abby Jakob and Sydney Fenos. SUN photo

Residents weigh in on Wheatley development issues

By Mark Ribble

The Wheatley Village Resource Centre was alive with ideas on Saturday, May 25 as Chatham-Kent

Economic Development Services held a community consultation session with regard to Wheatley’s revitalization.

About 25-30 residents attended and were split into groups for discussion and exercises to help Wheatley’s Economic De-

velopment Officer Kyra Knapp and the Wheatley Task Force in their quest to rebuild the town after the explosion.

Task Force Chair Howard Gabert talked about the ongoing work to get some plans in place and how the input from the

meeting participants would be used to help that work along.

He then introduced Kyra Knapp, who put the participants through exercises designed to bring ideas to the forefront, which will then be used with the Wheatley Trade Report Survey to help shape the plans for Wheatley’s uptown.

“The results will feed into a community action plan,” said Knapp. “We’re not just building back what we had before the explosion, but building back better.”

Chatham-Kent’s Director of Planning Services, Ryan Jacques, was also on hand and participated in one of the citizen groups.

Demolition of the remaining affected buildings was expected to start this week, with mostly inside work being done before residents notice any outside demolition.

Until we meet again.

Love you and miss you Daddy & Gegee.

Mary Jane, Derrick, Pattie & Jim xoxoxo

Knapp said another round of community consultation is scheduled for August of this year, with the Community Action Plan due out in early 2025.

With pride, we announce the graduation of Meagan Chorba from the University of Windsor with an Honours Bachelor of Science, specialization in Integrative Biology, recipient of Lead Medallion. She will continue her studies at University College Dublin in Veterinary Medicine. Congratulations on your hard work! With

Howard Gabert of the Wheatley Task Force speaks to those in attendance as Wheatley Development Officer Kyra Knapp prepares her presentation.

Plenty of ideas were discussed when it came to the group sessions, with local business owner Tracey DeClerck recording the results for her group. SUN photos

Fair tops 8,000 in attendance mark for 176th edition

The 176th annual Leamington Fair enjoyed a warm, sunny weekend, despite a few early showers on Saturday morning, May 25, and lit up the Leamington skyline with the lights and sounds expected every summer from the fairgrounds.

An array of rides, games and food vendors greeted attendees and the popular children’s bicycle giveaway saw 20 bikes in the hands of excited youngsters.

Live bands performed on stage on Friday and Saturday evenings, as well as Sunday afternoon, giving fairgoers an opportunity to clap their hands and tap their toes.

The smell of fried onions, cotton candy and freshly popped corn filled the air, along with the screams of riders trying out rides like Alien Abduction and the giant Ferris wheel.

The demo derby attracted 14 competitors and filled the grandstand with spectators Saturday evening.

Leamington District Agricultural Society spokesperson Carrie Smith said that 8,300 wristbands were sold at the front gate and the weekend was an overall success, and the society is looking to make it “bigger and better next year.”

Photos by Deanna Bertrand and Paul Forman

A nighttime view of the Leamington Fair midway on Saturday, May 25.

Karol Ashley, with Jorge Gonzalez and Adrianna Ruiz take a ride on Route 66.

Ayuel Awuol, Matthew Amador and Bulaya Maneno all enjoyed their trip down the giant slide on Saturday evening.

The poultry barn offered an opportunity to watch chicks emerge from their eggs in the incubator. Volunteer Valerie Kienitz is holding two-day old chicks.

Young fairgoers Luke Radigan and his sister Gianna were seen frolicking amongst the cooling suds in the fair’s Bubble Zone.

Leamington Fair officials, from left, Dan Wiper, Carrie Smith and Frank Niehus meet with Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald and Chatham-Kent Leamington MP Dave Epp.

The stands were filled for the demolition derby which featured four smash-ups of Bombers, full-sized standard stops, trucks and vans. Taking home wins for the respective events were: Adam Halpert (#27 Bombers), Mark Arnew (#0 FSSS), Nick Marentette (#6 Trucks aka Be Gentle) and Chris Hornick (#24 Vans). Pete Larocque, who placed 2nd in Bombers, also took home the trophy for longest haul driving from Sarnia.

Kids’ bicycle winners, from left, Amber Adomaityte, Esteban Guenther, Athena Hart, Ryan Aziz, Christina Harms, Shania Howran, Liam Belleau, Kiana Hylton, Killian Housten and Delilah Hernandez.

Kids’ bicycle winners, from left, Mya Terron, Darien Van Roie, Madison Maksoud, Aiden Banman, Ledger Agla, Adnan Alhashash, Omar Alhashash, Kaylee S., Lilah Howran and Chris Fehr.

Friendship Club gets upgrade through Trillium Grant

By Mark Ribble

The Wheatley Friendship Club has received a $66,000 Trillium Grant from the Ontario government and put it to great use in helping with major renovations at the club on Erie Street North.

Three areas were helped at the club through the grant, with major renovations to the billiards room, the library and a chairlift on the basement stairs to help those with mobility issues reach those newly

renovated areas.

The Friendship Club building — formerly a school — is well over 100 years old and the renovations have helped make the club much more comfortable for the 150 members who use it on a regular basis.

Chatham-Kent Leamington MPP Trevor Jones was on hand for the announcement at an open house on Wednesday, May 22, and even took on a few members in a friendly game of snooker.

“The value is in our community,” said MPP Jones. “Social and mental wellness give us a greater outlook.”

Down in the billiard room, the concrete floor had to be dug up and repaired before a new floor could be laid. In addition, a new ceiling had to be installed along with new lights and a fresh coat of paint on the walls. The billiard room was an old classroom at one time, with blackboards still on the walls.

The chairlift replaced an older chairlift and was installed by Southwest Stairlifts. The library, located along the basement’s main hallway, has new flooring and brighter lighting for easier, more comfortable access.

The Friendship Club bustles with activities such as cards, chair yoga, watercolour classes, quilting, billiards, the treasure room and regular rounds of bingo — all for people 50 and over.

“Since Covid and the Wheatley explosion, it is wonderful to see the Friendship Club finally get back up and running with help from the Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant,” said club secretary and treasurer Linda Wigfield. “We are now able to welcome our members back.”

Club president Helen Symons was quick to thank Christine Lehn, Executive Director of the Leamington Half Century Centre, for her help in writing the grant applica-

Cody Dama

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Cody Dama on Thursday, May 16, 2024, at the age of 36 years old.

He was taken far too early and will be missed by his parents Kathy and Jed Malott, and John and Karen Dama. Cherished brother of Adam John “A.J.” Dama and nephew to his Aunt Linda who was always there for him and he loved very much. His many friends will miss his sense of humour and kind nature.

Private cremation services will take place.

When Cody crosses into God’s loving arms, his grandparents Heinrich and Helen Harfmann will be there to greet him.

In memory of Cody, memorial donations may be made to the Canadian Diabetes Association as well as the Teen Challenge Program.

Arrangements entrusted to Reid Funeral Home, 87 Maidstone Ave. East, Essex (519-776-4233).

Family and friends may share their memories online at www.reidfuneralhome.ca

tion.

Lehn was quick to credit club leaders for their work on the grant.

“Linda, Pat and Helen deserve the credit here,” she said. “It was their vision. I was just happy to help.”

Helen Symons also thanked Advanced Basement Systems, Southwest

Stairlifts, Simpson Electric and Ab-Tech Renovations for all of their help with the work that was done.

“The positive impact of the Wheatley Friendship Club cannot be overstated,” said MPP Jones. “Thanks to everyone who made this possible.”

hosting two big events this week

The Nature Fresh Farms Recreation Centre is hosting two events this week with the Cirque LuzDalia appearing Thursday, May 30 with two shows at 4:30 and 7:30 pm.

On Saturday, June 1, Noble Champions Group brings their inaugural pro wrestling show to the confines of the gymnasium with a show at 7 pm.

For tickets to Cirque LuzDalia, visit their website at cirqueluzdalia.com and for tickets to the wrestling show, visit ncgwrestling.com. Both shows may also have tickets available at the door.

Two Creeks hosts The Batch

The Wheatley Two Creeks Association kicks off its 32nd season with The Batch on Sunday, June 2 at 6:30 p.m.

The five musicians met at a local cannabis company and formed The Batch, recreating an array of their favourite music ranging from rhythm and blues to classic rock and soul. Featuring Detroit City blues guitarist Nicky T., the soulful Jeff

Carriere and the classic styling of Mark Dawson, The Batch is sure to be a treat.

There is no admission, but the hat is passed to help offset costs. Food is available from the Scouts. Bring lawn chairs or a blanket. Two Creeks is on Kent Rd. 1, a kilometre north of Wheatley. For the full summer lineup, check out www.twocreeks.ca.

Helen Symons, Linda Wigfield, MPP Trevor Jones and Christine Lehn.

MPP Trevor Jones breaks to open a game of snooker as his opponents Brian Walker, Bob McLean and Dave Cohoon plan their strategy. SUN photos

Two Gentlemen of Verona coming to The Bank Theatre stage

By Paul Forman

Loyalty between friends versus submitting to passion, Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen of Verona takes centre stage this June at The Bank Theatre in Leamington.

Thought to be Shakespeare’s first play – at the very least his first comedy – serves as a precursor to the English playwright’s other early works which includes As You Like It and Twelfth Night.

Directed by self-confessed Shakespeare junkie Dean Valentino, this version of Two Gentlemen of Verona takes place in the 1950s and includes a live four-piece band, choreographed dance by Jennifer Fatallah, and even an adorable dog named Charlie.

“One gets a little bit of everything with this show,” said Chair of the Theatre Committee Corey Robertson. “This production is sure to be fun, and though modern, gives Shakespeare fans a reason to attend.”

The play features two friends, Proteus and Valentine, making their way from Verona to the streets of Milan. Both fall in love with the Duke of Milan’s

daughter, Silvia, with Proteus betraying his girlfriend at home. Conflict ensues, with an eventual resolution between the two travellers, while deep affections prevail in the end.

“Borrowed from an old Spanish tale, Two Gents is a fine example of Shakespeare working his themes of love, family, mistakes and reconcilia-

tion,” said the play’s director Valentino.

He added, “Shakespeare’s stories are universal and offer stock and trade for every storyteller. Ours is a shorter version of the original as we’ve eliminated redundancies and have removed prejudices whenever possible.”

The production has a cast of 12, including leads Brett Hallick as Proteus,

Julian David as Valentine, Maggie Marchenkowsky as Speed, Perla Pichardo as Launce, Shayla Hudson as Silvia, Avery Thomas as Julia and Dean Valentino as the Duke of Milan.

Two Gentlemen of Verona will have a two-weekend run at The Bank Theatre, on June 14, 15, 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m. and June 16 and 23 at 2:00 p.m.

TREE TRIMMING & REMOVAL

Tickets are $15 per person plus tax and can be purchased online at banktheatre.com, at the box office on Thursdays through Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. or at the doors 30 minutes prior to the show.

On the left is Maggie Marchenkowsky playing Valentine’s page Speed. On the right is Perla Pichardo portraying Proteus’ servant Launce and Charlie in the role of Crab the dog. Paul Forman photos

Friendship and betrayal are both evident themes between the two gentlemen of Verona, with Brett Hallick, on the left, playing Proteus and Julian David, on the right, playing Valentine.

NOTICE OF A RATE HEARING

If the application is approved as filed, a typical residential customer and a typical general service customer of Essex Powerlines Corporation (Essex Powerlines) would see the following increase effective January 1, 2025:

Residential (750 kWh)

General Service less than 50kW (2,000 kWh)

$6.19 per month

$7.09 per month

Other customers, including businesses, will also be affected.

Essex Powerlines also filed a related application requesting approval for a new deferral account and two sub-accounts related to the Distribution System Operator Pilot Project (DSO Pilot Project). Essex Powerlines states that the DSO Pilot Project is aimed at alleviating constraints on the distribution system in the Leamington service Area. The deferral account will be used to accrue commodity costs that exceed the cost of power for any kWh procured by Essex Powerlines through the DSO Pilot Project. The sub-accounts will track local capacity cost (net of funding) and energy cost (net of funding and Hourly Ontario Energy Price). Essex Powerlines has requested that the new deferral account be effective from February 19, 2024 to March 31, 2026.

The OEB will review both applications as part of one combined proceeding. It’s important to review the applications carefully to determine whether you may be affected by the proposed changes.

There are three types of OEB hearings: oral, electronic and written. The applicant has applied for a written hearing. The OEB will determine later in the process whether to hold a written or an oral hearing in this case. If you think a particular hearing type is needed, you can write to us to explain why.

During this hearing, we will hear questions and arguments from participants about this case. We will also hear questions and arguments from participants that have registered as Intervenors. After the hearing, we will decide whether to approve the application.

HAVE YOUR SAY

You have the right to information about this application and to participate in the process. Visit www.oeb.ca/notice and use file numbers EB-2024-0096 and EB-2024-0022 to:

• Review the application

• File a letter with your comments

• Apply to become an intervenor

IMPORTANT DATES

You must engage with the OEB on or before June 10 , 2024 to:

• Provide input on the hearing type (oral, electronic or written)

• Apply to be an intervenor

If you do not, the hearing will move forward without you, and you will not receive any further notice of the proceeding.

PRIVACY

If you write a letter of comment, your name and the content of your letter will be put on the public record and the OEB website. If you are a business or if you apply to become an intervenor, all the information you file will be on the OEB website.

AVIS D’AUDIENCE SUR LES TARIFS

Essex Powerlines Corporation a demandé à modifier ses tarifs de distribution d’électricité et à établir un nouveau compte de report.

Si la requête est approuvée telle quelle, la facture d’un client résidentiel type et d’un client de services généraux types d’Essex Powerlines Corporation (Essex Powerlines) serait modifiée à la hausse de la manière suivante à compter du 1er janvier 2025 :

Client résidentiel (750 kWh)

Client de services généraux dont la demande est inférieure à 50 kW (2 000 kWh)

6,19 $ par mois

7,09 $ par mois

D’autres clients, notamment les entreprises, seront également touchés. Essex Powerlines a également déposé une requête connexe demandant l’approbation d’un nouveau compte de report et de deux sous-comptes liés au projet pilote d’opérateur de réseau de distribution (projet pilote ORD). Essex Powerlines soutient que le projet pilote ORD vise à atténuer les contraintes sur le réseau de distribution dans la zone de service de Leamington. Le compte de report sera utilisé pour accumuler les coûts des matières premières qui dépassent le coût de l’électricité pour tout kWh acheté par Essex Powerlines dans le cadre du projet pilote ORD. Les sous-comptes permettront de suivre le coût associé à la capacité locale (déduction faite du financement) et le coût de l’énergie (déduction faite du financement et du prix horaire de l’énergie en Ontario). Essex Powerlines a demandé que le nouveau compte de report soit en vigueur du 19 février 2024 au 31 mars 2026.

La CEO examinera les deux requêtes dans le cadre d’une procédure combinée. Il est important d’examiner les requêtes attentivement afin de déterminer si vous serez concernés par les changements proposés.

À SAVOIR

Il existe trois types d’audiences à la Commission de l’énergie de l’Ontario (CEO) : les audiences orales, les audiences électroniques et les audiences écrites. Le requérant a demandé une audience écrite. La CEO décidera ultérieurement de traiter l’affaire par voie d’audience écrite ou orale. Si vous estimez qu’avoir recours à un type d’audience en particulier serait préférable, vous pouvez écrire à la CEO pour lui présenter vos arguments.

Au cours de cette audience, nous entendrons les questions et les arguments des participants sur cette affaire. Nous entendrons également les questions et arguments des participants inscrits en tant qu’intervenants. Après l’audience, nous déciderons d’approuver ou non cette requête.

DONNEZ VOTRE AVIS

Vous avez le droit d’être informés au sujet de cette requête et de participer au processus. Visitez le site www.oeb.ca/fr/participez et utilisez le numéro de dossier

EB-2024-0096 et EB-2024-0022 pour :

• examiner la requête;

• envoyer une lettre comportant vos commentaires;

• présenter une demande pour devenir un intervenant.

DATES IMPORTANTES

Vous devez communiquer avec la CEO au plus tard le 10 juin 2024 si vous souhaitez :

• fournir des renseignements sur le type d’audience (orale, électronique ou écrite);

• présenter une demande en vue de devenir un intervenant.

À défaut de cela, l’audience se déroulera sans vous et vous ne recevrez plus d’avis dans le cadre de la présente procédure.

PROTECTION DES RENSEIGNEMENTS PERSONNELS

Si vous écrivez une lettre de commentaires, votre nom et le contenu de cette lettre seront ajoutés au dossier public et au site Web de la CEO. Si vous êtes une entreprise ou si vous demandez à devenir un intervenant, tous les renseignements que vous déposez seront disponibles sur le site Web de la CEO.

Commission de l’énergie de l’Ontario /ATS: 1 877-632-2727

Du lundi au vendredi, de 8 h 30 à 17 h oeb.ca/fr/participez

Essex Powerlines Corporation 519-737-6640

Du lundi au vendredi, de 8 h 30 à 16 h essexpowerlines.ca

FIREARMS AUCTION

SPORTSMAN AUCTION

JUNE

ZEN PETS GROOMING -

CPPS Certified Groomer in Leamington. 15 years experience. For all your pet grooming needs, please call or text 519-564-9620 or message me on Facebook. COVID-19 certified & compliant. mr1-tfn

IRWIN PLUMBINGResidential rough-ins and repairs. Starting April 2nd 519-825-7245 will be changing to 519-324-2202. A text is preferred if capable. Call if not. ja6-tf

ELECTROLUX SALES & SERVICE: Complete line of vacuums and shampooers/ floor polishers. Will provide free estimate on Central Vac installations. Contact Dan Bailey. 519-322-8625. tf

For more information and pictures of firearms check out our

GARAGE SALE

GARAGE SALEWoodworking tools, household items, etc. Friday, May 31 & Saturday, June 1 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, 86 Antonio Court, Leamington. my29

WANTED TO BUY

GOLD SILVER JEWELLERY + ALL COINS - Buying - 57 years experience. Saturday, June 1st at Roma Club, 19 Seacliffe Drive East Leamington, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm - Note the time - also Cash Paid for ALL Gold + Silver Jewelry + **OLD COINS; Canada, USA, World War Medals, Windup Watches, Mintsets, Old paper money. Free estimates, No obligation** Locally owned** 57 Years of satisfied customers. Always more than expensive brochures delivered in your mail. House calls also available for larger amounts. Dan Jones B.A.B.Ed. 519818-1805. my15-29

FOR RENT

SUTTON PLACE APARTMENTS - 11 McGaw St., Leamington. Upscale affordable apartment. Excellent location, walking distance to large retail chain stores. 1 bedroom, 1 bath, fridge, stove, water, heat, hydro included. In-suite storage, elevator, outdoor balcony, common room, lobby, 1 outdoor parking space, secured access included. On-site laundry room. $1595 per month. To request an application, email gourmetgreenshouse@gmail .com, text or call 519-7916751, or call 519-326-2208 to leave message. tf

RESTAURANT FOR RENT

SHERK APARTMENTS

Two bedrooms, one bathroom, fridge, stove. Common area laundry room. Secure entrance. One parking space included. Outdoor balcony/patio. On-site manager. Excellent location, nearby amenities. $1895 per month. Water, heat and hydro included. Request an application by email gourmetgreens@gmail.com

CAMELOT SHIRES

APARTMENTS

LEAMINGTON LAKEFRONT APARTMENTS

Upscale and affordable apartments for rent in Leamington’s ONLY waterfront rental apartment building, overlooking Leamington Marina and Park. Minutes from the beach. Amenities include:

•Library and social rooms

•Coin-less Laundry

•Beautiful lobby

•Underground parking available •Outdoor balconies with water or city views

•FREE utilities

•Secured access and 24-7 onsite management Call Mike & Kevin for leasing information 519-326-8819 or visit www.ska-apartmentrentals.com

A t Switzer-Car ty, we're more than a school bus company We're a people company with a mission to provide the safest and most reliable transpor tation ser vices

• Leading driver health care benefits and competitive pay

• A family friendly environment where you are appreciated and treated with respect

• 72 and 20 Passenger local routes are available

If you are interested in joining our team don’t delay! Please apply on line at www Switzer-Car ty com or call us at 519-326-2607 x 3 We look for ward to hearing from you soon! Do you have a G Class driving license and are looking for regular part time employment? We are currently accepting applications for school bus drivers. Training begins shortly and we are pleased to offer our employees:

• Free training provided

Please apply online at www.Switzer-Carty.com or call us at 519-326-2607

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

MARIETTA’S FLOWER GALLERY in Belle River is looking for a part-time Floral Designer with a minimum of 3 years experience. Please contact 519-903-2473 from 9:30 am - 5:30 pm. my29-jn5

local business directory

•Erie Shores HealthCare ER, 194 Talbot St. W., Leamington (up to 18 years of age)

• Windsor Regional Hospital ER, 1995 Lens Ave. (up to 15 years of age)

•Windsor Regional Hospital ER,1030 Ouellette Ave. (16+ years of age)

•Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare

24 hour Community Crisis Telephone Line 519-973-4435

•Mental Health First Response Team, (16+ years of age with a serious mental illness)

240 Grand Ave. W., Suite 100, Chatham 519-436-6100 Toll Free1-866-299-7447

•Chatham-Kent Women’s Centre 24 Hour Crisis Counselling 20 Sandys St., Chatham 519-351-9145

•Chatham-Kent Victim Services 24 Third St., Chatham 519-436-6630

•Chatham-Kent Sexual Assault Crisis CentreSexual Assault Crisis Intervention 405 Riverview Dr., Suite 101, Chatham 519-354-8908

•Sexual Assault Crisis Line 519-253-9667

•Trans Lifeline 1-877-330-6366

•LGBT Youthline 1-800-268-9688

•Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868

WORD

– Mar 21/Apr 20

You may have a chance to get to know someone better this week, Aries. Trust your instincts rather than listening to what is running through the rumor mill.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21

Taurus, you may be ready to shake things up in regard to your social life or even with a professional pursuit. Work out the path you want to take.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21

Following your curiosity may lead you down some interesting paths, Gemini. Things can change on a moment’s notice, so be prepared to respond.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22

An intellectual debate could grow somewhat tiresome this week, Cancer. You need to know when to pull out of the conversation to help maintain your mental well-being.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23

Have an important conversation with a loved one, Leo. You need to clear up a misunderstanding that has been growing more significant. Once you take care of this, smooth sailing awaits.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22

You may want to rely on someone else to bring some stability and comfort to your life, Virgo. Now may be the time to seek out a new relationship.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23

Libra, have a good time over the next couple of weeks. You deserve it. Recognize that fun interactions do not necessarily have to be shallow experiences. You can learn something new even while being entertained.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22

It might feel like your peer group has shifted in a way that no longer gels with you, Scorpio. It may be time to find some new friends who share your current interests.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21

You may seek validation from peers or even people on social media if you feel like you are being inhibited by current insecurities, Sagittarius. Others can corroborate your value.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20

Proactive changes you make this week may improve your love life, Capricorn.That can be a good thing if you have encountered relationship issues lately.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18

Aquarius, setting out on an impulsive adventure could be worth the effort right now. It can be refreshing to spend time outside your usual surroundings.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20

Putting up a tough front may be a protection strategy right now, Pisces. Over time, you may need to let your guard down and ask for some help if the situation is chronic.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS

MAY 26 Stevie Nicks, Singer (76)

MAY 27 - Lily-Rose Depp, Actress (25)

WHITECAPS DROP HOME GAME TO WILDCATS

Barons open season with big win over Windsor Juniors

The Leamington Senior Barons opened their Essex County Senior Baseball League season with a 10-0 whitewashing of Windsor Athletics Juniors on Friday, May 24 at the Kinsmen diamonds.

Dawson Iles threw five commanding innings on the mound, with Kam Wall finishing up to combine on the shutout.

Iles, who struck out 10, was happy with the defence behind him.

“Pretty good to start the

year off,” said Iles. “Boys came in well on the defensive side of the ball, looking to build off this win with more to come.”

Wall went two-for-three at the plate with a double, a triple, a walk and four RBIs.

“Great opening day,” said Wall after the game. “Nerves were high but the boys settled down and got the win. Looking forward to another fun summer with the team.”

Leamington Barons pitcher Kam Wall delivers a pitch during the final inning of the Baron’s 10-0 win over the Windsor Junior Athletics on Friday, May 24. First baseman Thomas Jennings (#77) readies himself for the play. SUN photo

The Leamington Whitecaps 13U Fastpitch team dropped a Friday night home game to the Windsor Wildcats on Friday, May 24 at the Kinsmen diamonds. In the photo on the left, Leamington’s Mariam Carr slides safely into third base during the final inning. In the photo on the right, Leamington pitcher Kennedy Gabriele unleashes a pitch earlier in the game. SUN photos

REGIONAL ELEMENTARY TRACK MEET

Essex County public elementary schools competed in regional track and field meets at Essex District High School last week. Many local schools were involved in the meets over the course of the week. This 800m girls race held on Friday, May 24 included athletes from Mount Carmel Blytheswood, Malden Central, Gore Hill, East Mersea, Comber Centennial and Colchester North. SUN photo

Dutchy

leads the way at Talbot Trail

By Bob McLean

On Tuesday May 21, there were 54 senior men’s league members who challenged the hilly Talbot Trail course.

Four players who enjoyed terrific scores under 40 were Dutchy 37, Kreug 38, Pearcie and Nasher 39s.

Tom Dunn shot an excellent 40. Both Rick Thompson and Dave Clark merited impressive 42s. Eight players ended up scoring very praiseworthy 44s: Al Zanuttini, Fuzzy, BW, Gerry VD, Arkey, Hillier, Phil Humphries and Mike Wright. Trigger Dibbley shot a very commendable 45. Nifty 50 scores went to Ron Will and Mac Hyatt.

The CP winner on the tricky #7 hole was Dutchy. His excellent shot

ended up an “unknown” distance from the hole.

Nasher’s brilliant shot on #9 to within seven feet earned him the CP victory. Ron Will drained a superb nine-foot putt on #2 to claim the LP win.

All the players will challenge themselves to improve every week. However, remember the most important thing is to enjoy the fellowship of the other members.

The league is proud to report that one of its distinguished 92-yearold members, Gerry Becigneul, was recently honoured for his service and valour during the Korean War. Gerry said to me, “I’m no hero! Those who gave their lives during the battles were the heroes.”

Gerry was proclaimed

an Ambassador for Peace by Kang Jung-ai, South Korea’s Minister of Veterans Affairs, on April 25 at Gapyeong City, South Korea: “It is a great honour and pleasure to express the everlasting gratitude of the Republic of Korea and our people for the service you and your countrymen have performed in restoring and preserving our freedom and democracy. We cherish in our hearts the memory of your boundless sacrifices in helping us re-establish our Free Nation.”

Talbot Trail is very proud of this wonderful, energetic Talbot Trail senior league member. We can all “Just Have Fun” because of gentlemen like Gerry.

Erie Shores senior men’s golf

The Erie Shores senior men’s league had a great day of golf on May 22.

The draw winners were Derek Horop and Guy McIntyre.

Closest to the hole on #3 was John Rutgers and on #16 Matt Dick.

The longest putt on #5 was by Tom Klassen and on #13 Heinz Kosempel.

The three low-net winners on May 13 were Wray Pollock 67, Orest Hyrenwich 70, and Rich-

ard Leslie 71. On May 22 it was Don Chalcraft 67, Gord Anderson 68 and Brent Metz 71. The winning team at 287 was Herb Grundner, Dan McQueen and Richard Leslie. In second at 293 were Wayne Wiseman, Derek Horop, Gord Anderson and John Mills. In third at 297, by retrogression, was the team of Cecil Mendel, Ken Segedin, Ian McIver and Matt Dick, and in fourth at 297

The Essex

RAVENS WIN OPENER

LOCAL PICKLEBALL PLAYERS

WIN GOLD

A number of local pickleball players participated in

were

PGA qualifier coming to Erie Shores

On Saturday, June 8, Leamington area golfers will have the opportunity to participate as a team in a local qualifier of the RBC PGA Scramble. The qualifier will be hosted at Erie Shores Golf & Country Club.

Now in its ninth year, the RBC PGA Scramble is the largest grassroots amateur golf program in Canada taking place at over 170 locations.

The winners of each local qualifier are invited to participate in one of 13

Regional Finals later this summer. From there, Regional Final winners will be awarded the chance to participate and win a National Championship at the prestigious Cabot Links Golf Course in Nova Scotia in the fall.

At select local qualifiers and Regional Finals, one spot will be awarded to the team with the lowest net score and one spot will be awarded to the team with the lowest gross score. There will also be two guaranteed spots

at the National Final for all-female teams. The program has steadily grown every year with last year featuring over 12,000 participants from coast-to-coast.

Registration for the Leamington event closes on May 30. The competition is open to teams of four eligible amateur golfers who all have an up-to-date Golf Canada handicap and are 19 years of age and older. Sign up at rbcpgascramble.com.

were Jerry Mallard, Tom Klassen, Brent Metz and Dave Binder.

The low rounds for the day went to Bill Ruiter 75, and John Rutgers and Bill Gherasim 79.

Ken Steingart had birds on #1 and #6, Stefan Kowal #1 and #12, Tom Miehl #2, Matt Dick #4, Richard Leslie #6, Herb Grundner #7, Ron Tremblay #10, Bill Gherasim #11 and Bill Ruiter also #11.

Varsity Ravens kicked off their 2024 season in fine fashion with a 31-0 whitewashing of the Oshawa Hawkeyes last weekend. They hosted the Niagara Spears on Saturday and will hit the road this weekend to take on the defending provincial champs from Hamilton. Above, from left to right, are coaches JP Lapain, CJ Church, defensive back Aven Dufresne and coach Andrew George. Photo submitted

the London Pickleball Club’s annual open tournament held at Fanshawe College May 24-26. Among the winners

gold medalists in ladies doubles, at left, Paulette O’Moore of Tecumseh and Sylvia Lutsch of Leamington in the 50-59 age group, Level 4.0.

Photo submitted

Dusting off the memories

Looking back feature on hold

For readers who have grown fond of our Looking Back column on our old page each week in the paper, they will be disappointed to know that we no longer have access to the newspaper archive site at Scholars Portal.

Our weekly look back at Leamington, Kingsville and Wheatley will be discontinued until such time the site gets back up and running. The last time this happened, it was many months before it returned. We will endeavour to include other features, which may include our puzzle page, trivia or other historical stories from time to time.

Leamington’s first theatre — the Lyric, forerunner of modern entertainment

by C. Scott Holland

Outside of a few sports and church functions, Leamington’s early entertainment venues were non-existent until just after 1900.

One of the first extremely popular attractions was the Lyric Theatre with its opulent façade outside and its high quality inside, which was erected on Talbot Street West. Its location was adjacent to the Gregory residence.

The opulent theatre was created and owned by two of Leamington’s most successful farmers, speaker and comedian Joe Henry and his nephew Gerald Deming.

In 1909 they purchased a building on the south side of Talbot Street West near the corner of Queens Avenue and transformed it into one of the finest theatres in southern Ontario.

As the Leamington Post stated when it opened, “No expenses were spared, inside and out!”

The original building was 120 feet long including its auditorium and stage, and was wide enough for 27 rows of seats with 20 seats per row for a total of 540 in the main section. Its upper balcony featured another 110 seats, and also housed the electrical system which was contained in a totally metal room because of new laws aimed at preventing fires.

Leamington architect W. Link designed the building and R. Ross, also of Leamington, was the electrician. Charles Cassius of Chicago created much of the ornate inside. The stage curtains came from the Detroit Scenic Co. and in order to keep the temperature down, the ceiling had several large fans. Its seats were manufactured in Walkerville, Ontario, by the Globe Furniture Co.

The Lyric opened on July 19, 1909

and would “have something new every night,” according to its owners.

Indeed, for nearly 30 years the theatre ran comedies, tragedies, concerts, vaudeville acts and movies (initially silent movies), plus had a popular Saturday matinee as an ad stated circa 1917 “featuring Charlie Chaplin on Saturday matinees for the kiddies.”

During WWI, admissions included a one-penny war tax.

By 1918, local businessman Sam French had become the Lyric’s manager. He made several changes to the structure, including the addition of steam heat for winter months.

A major change occurred in 1923 when its front was converted to include two 14’ by 25’ arcades (stores).

With the three trains that came to Leamington in the 1910s and 1920s, it was certainly one of the town’s top spots where people wanted to go. But with the increased competition, first from the Patricia Theatre in the 1910s, then the advent of talking motion pictures and the Capital Theatre in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the Lyric couldn’t retain the large crowds that had kept it going. When the Vogue Theatre opened in October 1939, it was the end of the Lyric Theatre era.

Bill White took over the building and a portion of the former venue became White’s Pool Hall, a business which eventually moved and thrived until the 1970s. Today, Mastronardi’s Barber Shop is a small portion of that original building.

It was a grand, distinctive building and the thousands of performances held there during its time allowed Leamington to thrive culturally and its citizens to enjoy themselves.

placid canal or out into the rougher waters of Lake Erie. This photograph of an unidentified family, standing outside the Cedar Beach Drug Store, was taken in the late 1940s or early 1950s.

Clippings from the Wheatley Journal

Photo courtesy

Kingsville Archives

Leamington’s

May 1994 - Wheatley Track Champs Ages 10 to 14. Front row: Matt Weil, Courtney Baldwin

Christina Beleutz, Darcy Omstead. Rear row: Lee Ann Wright, Jenny Harvey, Jeff Bailey, Shealyn Omstead, Casey Kimball.

Photo of the 1948 Kingsville High School Graduating Class. Bill (William) Wigle is in the back row, far left.

One of the most popular Leamington venues from the 1930s to the 1980s was the Vogue Theatre erected by CJ Caspar and opened on Sat. Aug. 5, 1939. A contest was held to name it and over 300 entries were submitted. Jack Hewer sent in the winning name.

Leamington’s Lyric Theatre in 1909.

Photo from Scott Holland Collection

Together we raised $140,000

ALL PROCEEDS BENEFITING CARE CLOSE TO HOME THROUGH ERIE SHORES HEALTH FOUNDATION.

Erie Shores Health Foundation would like to thank all our sponsors, donors, and participants who helped make our 2024 Run and Roll a success!