December 9, 2015

Carter presents Dance-o-logy homage to the ’80s

By Pat Bailey

It was a decade of big hair, neon fashion and the introduction of MTV to the music scene.

And last week, Dec. 2-4, dancers from Cardinal Carter Secondary School took to the stage in four sold-out performances, and paid homage to the ’80s and some of its outstanding musicians of the decade.

It was the 14th presentation of ‘Dance-o-logy’, a performance introduced by teacher Maggy Sonoski years ago, with the encouragement and support of then vice-principal Theresa Georges, in an attempt to boost the program and showcase the talent within the school.

But Sonoski, who’s been working on the show since July, has always believed the onstage performance helps the dancers develop self-confidence, while learning the elements of dance and choreography.

“But more importantly,” said Sonoski, “my wish is that they learn that with determination, focus and drive, good things can happen.”

“Not only were they engaging their bodies in dance and physical activity, they were also engaging their minds in other disciplines such as history, art, geography, geometry, problem solving and social studies,” she added.

Despite the overwhelming amount of work involved, Sonoski said she feels it’s important to continue the show, to give other students, prospective students and the community a taste of what is learned in class and what is possible to achieve by working together and committing their time and energy to this annual performance.

Sonoski can’t believe how much the production has grown over the years. With 134 dancers involved, including her own students, dance teams from Carter’s feeder schools (Queen of Peace, St. Louis and St. John de Brebeuf), the Cardinal Carter Exploring the Arts class and the Cardinal Carter Adult Community Dance Troupe, Sonoski is of the belief it’s important to share her passion for dance.

“We include the feeder schools to share our passion for movement,” she said. “We are honored to be able to share our talents and gifts with the young ones so that they too can be a part of our Carter dance family.”

But she said this wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of her students. She said in order to pull this off, her students have been practicing in their daily classes, as well as two extra practices a week since September.

“Our dance team students also go out to feeder schools twice a week to teach the various elements of dance, choreography and performance they have learned in class,” she said.

“I enjoy the students very much, it’s an honor to work with such gifted, talented and dedicated youth,” she added. “They are hungry to learn and engage their minds and bodies in the beautiful art form that is dance.

The result? Four sold-out performances.

This year’s theme, ‘Totally ’80s’, featured a wide variety of dance from lyrical to hip hop, and featured some top music from the ’80s – including Michael Jackson, Madonna, Devo, Elton John, Prince and Guns N Roses.

The reason for the ’80s theme, said Sonoski, “this year I wanted to educate the audience and dancers on the decade.”

More importantly, “My hope is that the audience not only has a chance to see what I teach in the dance room, but also to be inspired by these young students.”

“They truly inspire me,” said the proud teacher and choreographer. “Their zest, synergy, Catholic values and dedication is admirable.”

Easy and Enjoyable Shopping

The Cardinal Carter dance team, including Selena Spano and Gabrielle Policella, has a little fun performing a ‘Prince Medley’.

A scene from ‘Thriller’, by the Cardinal Carter junior and senior dance classes.

Council revokes by-law to reconstruct the Hillman Marsh Dyke

Leamington Council received an administrative report at the Monday, Dec. 7 meeting regarding the East Marsh Dyke Reconstruction. The report began with the five major aspects of the marsh area: 1) Inadequate dyke structures, specifically the Hillman/East Marsh dyke and the Marentette and Lloyd Dykes adjacent to Point Pelee National Park (PPNP); 2) Inadequate shoreline protection from Wheatley Harbour to PPNP; 3) Inadequate protection of the barrier beach at Hillman Marsh; 4) Inadequate road infrastructure; 5) Municipal and residential risk and liability.

The report goes on to say that the estimated cost to deal with the “infrastructure inadequacies” was $35 million back in 2010. “Of the $35 million identified, $10 million was direct cost to the municipality, $12.5 million was the cost to private landowners under the Drainage Act, and $12.5 million in costs would be cost shared between private property owners, the municipality, Drainage Act participants and

perhaps other agencies. Given that the East Marsh Dyke improvements have been estimated to be approximately 70% higher in 2014 than the 2010 estimates, it is probable that the total cost of all works is also much higher than the $35 million estimate in 2010.”

The immediate problem is what to do about reconstruction of the East Marsh Dyke that separates Hillman Marsh from the lands to the south. Last year’s estimate of the cost to rebuild the dyke was just under $6 million, about $1.5 million of which would be the municipal share, about $1.3 million sourced from the Province, and about $3.1 million falling on the shoulders of the benefitting property owners.

As the report states, “Proportionately, the East Marsh Dyke represented 10% of the required infrastructure works in Southeast Leamington. The challenges associated with the ability to pay for improvements to the East Marsh Dyke provides great insight into the financial magnitude of this

matter, and the need to establish attainable objectives for the Southeast Leamington area.”

There were three options for Municipal Council: 1) reaffirm the current position that farming and housing can continue and get on with the repairs, 2) admit that the cost to preserve farming and housing is too high and look to ways of amending current land use and ownership, or 3) ignore the urgency of the need, receive the report, and wait until some financial miracle comes along to save the day, hoping, of course, that it comes before a major storm out of the east breaches the protecting dykes and floods the entire area.

The first delegate pointed out to Council that this dyke fix will cost landowners about $2,500 per acre. “A lot of these costs can be mitigated by protecting the shoreline along Hillman Marsh.” He added that living with the uncertainty is grossly unfair — it is time for a decision.

The second delegate emphasized that continued residential and agricultural use is viable in the long term if armour stone protection is constructed to protect the natural areas of Point Pelee and Hillman Marsh where erosion is threatening all of the structures intended to protect southeast Leamington.

A third delegate who farms in the area told Council to just let them alone.

Leamington CAO Peter Neufeld explained that the municipality is not trying to force the issue, but rather administration and the public need to know that if there is grave doubt about the long-term sustainability of the area, make it clear with the political decision and allow planning to go ahead.

Municipal council voted to accept option two and to revoke the by-law to reconstruct the Hillman Marsh Dyke.

Council to hire integrity commissioner

Leamington Director of Legal and Legislative Services, Ruth Orton, has reported to Leamington Council on the cost of hiring an Integrity Commissioner on a “retainer basis”. The report states, “It is the opinion of Administration that the appointing of an Integrity Commissioner by Council is an important step to ensuring the continued accountability, openness and transparency of the Municipality to its stakeholders and the general public.”

The cost is $280 an hour for services performed (plus mileage, disbursements, etc.).

Council voted in favour of hiring an Integrity Commissioner at the Monday, Dec. 7 meeting.

Blue Dot Leamington asks for Council endorsement

By Bill Chaplin

Leamington Municipal Council received a report from administration on the ecological progress and priorities of Leamington. The report was in response to a request from the organization Blue Dot Leamington for a declaration of endorsement for an Environmental Bill of Rights that municipalities across Canada are supporting.

Leamington has a long-standing policy not to issue proclamations or display support of any and all organizations. The basis for the policy is a desire not to cause public humiliation or offense to organizations that might be refused support due to personal preferences or prejudices of councillors when others are supported. When an organization needs the assistance of Leamington’s municipal government, help is given or withheld based on the nature of the request, not the organization making the request.

As the report outlines, Municipal Corporation already “endeavors to meet or exceed the principles espoused in the proposed Declaration in order to ensure a healthy living environment in Leamington. To that end, Council and Administration included in the Strategic Planning sessions held in January 2015, directions that the Municipality wanted to be environmentally sensitive (green) when considering the application of planning principles, economic development initiatives, and perhaps most importantly, the installation and maintenance of municipal infrastructure. While these principles are not new to the Municipality, the Strategic Planning session brought new emphasis to these guiding principles when administration makes recommendations to Council, and during Council priority setting deliberations and decisions.”

The report cites many specific projects and accomplishments that help reassure both council and the public that environmental stewardship is being taken seriously. The complete report can be seen on the municipal website as report CAO-09-15, Blue Dot Leamington – Request for Declaration, along with a copy of the declaration that Blue Dot wants Council to endorse and the wording of the policy referenced in the report.

Council supports the ideal and goal of Blue Dot, and was seriously tempted to ignore their policy.

Blue Dot organizer Lisa Jeffery cited Antigonish, Nova Scotia, who recently went against a similar policy to support the declaration. She congratulated Council for their ecological stewardship and progressive efforts.

Deputy-Mayor Hilda

École St Michel Remembrance Poster Winners

Leamington Legion Br. 84 president Bob McKee recently visited École St Michel to present certificates to the winners of the Remembrance Poster Contest. Submissions were in black and white and in colour. Front row, left to

Celeste Trealout (2nd, black and white poster); Anna Khoury (3rd, colour poster);

MacDonald led the move to supporting the Blue Dot organization’s desire to get Leamington identified as a Blue Dot community while avoiding making a declaration that would open Council to other groups’ demands.

Come out and play, support Toys For Tots!

Best Western Plus invites the public to “Come Play With Us!”, while at the same time supporting Toys For Tots in the Leamington area.

The event takes place Sunday, Dec. 13 from 2:00-5:00 p.m. Bring a toy to donate to Toys For Tots and enjoy a free family afternoon playing in the pool, on the waterslides, at the 2-storey play centre or enjoying a game or two of badminton. Everyone is welcome!

Best Western Plus is located at 566 Bevel Line, Leamington.

Mrs. Jeffery explained that even adopting the Blue Dot principles as guiding the municipal policies would suffice to get Leamington recognized.

The policy prevailed and municipal council endorsed the recommendation.

right:

Zoe Laliberte (honourable mention, colour); Semara Trealout (honourable mention, black and white); Kate Ramsay (1st, black and white); Karyna Lim (1st, colour). In back are Legion president Bob McKee and principal Mr. R. Szwed. (Submitted photo)

Being a fan has ups and downs

Last week certainly had its ups and downs for me, sports-wise.

At least I had something to root for.

The week began with the Leafs debuting young Garrett Sparks between the pipes where he earned a shutout over Edmonton in his first game.

Apparently, no other Leafs netminder had earned a shutout in his debut and very few NHL goalies had accomplished that over all of these years.

With the Leafs in a rebuilding phase that dates back a decade and the Lions ousted in the first round of the playoffs last year, the Tigers and Blue Jays were my hope for some fine baseball in the fall. One of them made it, while the other one didn’t.

Sparks’ honest, emotional interview after the game should give any kid aspiring to play in the NHL goose bumps.

Of course, he went on to get shelled 6-1 two nights later and suddenly he’s back to reality, but those are the things that happen in the world’s best hockey league. He rebounded nicely on the weekend and who knows, we may have a keeper here.

That old familiar feel of the NHL playoffs is almost a distant whisper now.

Things are equally as frustrating in the NFL.

Sure, you can count the shortened season playoff appearance by the Leafs when they had Boston beat in game 7, only to collapse and lose, but I don’t even think I had time for that playoff hockey feeling to set in before they were gone.

Since then, it’s been a long, lonely road.

With things looking up in Leaf-land, I can only hope that the future holds brighter results, something I’ve been hoping since 1967.

Last Thursday, all of us Lions fans had visions of playoffs dancing in our heads as they built a 20-0 lead over the mighty Green Bay Packers at Ford Field, only to watch it slip away on the mother of all Hail Marys, Aaron Rodgers to Richard Rodgers, via air mail.

What a crushing blow to a team that was just finding a way to win after a dismal start to their season. Especially after beating Green Bay at Lambeau Field just two weeks prior.

As for those Detroit Lions, they are the most puzzling team of all. Last season, they fell behind early and often and then proceeded to come back and win games left and right.

This year, they are building leads in a lot of games, only to see those leads (big ones) evaporate.

So, the Lions are back to the drawing board, while my Maple Leafs continue to doodle on their drawing board, tinkering lightly with their grinder-laden lineup, hoping someone will catch fire offensively.

Such is life as a sports fan.

I mean, your teams can’t win all of the time.

They find unique ways to lose and fans in Motown are losing their patience. So is Martha Ford, the team’s owner. Heads have rolled already and I have to believe they are going to continue rolling.

The disappointment that hung over the Detroit Tigers near season-end was quickly replaced by the optimism for the Blue Jays, who had emerged as an odds-on favourite to go all the way. They didn’t, but it was fun to watch.

So here’s to 2016 and what it might bring – maybe one of my teams will actually make something happen. I won’t hold my breath, though.

It may be a long time coming.

What kind of wine goes with turkey?

Please submit wine-related questions for publication and I will also share my experiences with local wines. You can reach me at grapeaspirations@gmail.com and on Twitter at @gr8grapz.

This seasonal question comes from Robert in Ottawa: I am serving a traditional turkey dinner for Christmas Day. I prepare the turkey with lots of herbs and spices (and less sage and poultry seasonings). What kind of wine should I serve?

Robert, there are a number of choices, all depending mostly on how you prepare the turkey and to a lesser extent on what your side dishes are.

Let’s Wine Together

The traditional route is to go with white, which can range from a Riesling or Gewurztraminer if you prefer a simpler turkey (salt, pepper, sage), to a rich Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc if your turkey is highly seasoned (oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary, etc.). For a new twist, try a Pinot Noir or even a more fruit-forward Cabernet, or a fruity Rosé. The fruit-forward reds will make for a luscious, even unctuous complement to almost all seasonings, especially if you have cranberries in the stuffing or on the side.

And from Ann in Leamington: For New Year’s Eve we are hosting a celebration. There will be lots of different appetizers because each guest is bringing their favourite. Instead of beer and mixed drinks, we’ve decided to serve a non-alcoholic punch and perhaps sangria this year. What wine(s) would you suggest for the sangria?

Ann, Sangria is a great party beverage and can be tweaked or customized in many different ways. Start with your favourite red wine, preferably one that is very fruitforward – meaning that you notice predominantly the fruit flavours when tasting it – as fruit is the essence of a good Sangria. I would recommend a local Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Meritage or Shiraz/Syrah. These all have dominant fruit characteristics in both the aromas and the flavours.

From there, the choices are endless as to what kind of fruit you wish to add: oranges, lemons, limes, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, pineapple… get as creative as you wish. Ideally, chill the mixture for at least 24 hours in a well-sealed container to let the wine percolate through the fruit and mingle with all of the fruit juices. You can squeeze the citrus and crush the other fruits first and put the juice and the fruits into the wine, but this is less visually aesthetic. It is, after all, a party!

Best returns of the season to my followers. Whatever and wherever you celebrate, please enjoy responsibly. I look forward to answering more of your questions in the New Year.

MARK RIBBLE Rib’s Ramblings

CARMEN DANNER

Leamington student receives national environmental award

Brianna Jackson receives first Hometown Heroes Youth Award

Earth Day Canada’s Hometown Heroes Awards recognizes and celebrates environmental leaders. Earth Day Canada (EDC), with support from the RBC Foundation and Mill Street Brewery, has announced that Brianna Jackson from Leamington has been selected as EDC’s first-ever Hometown Heroes Youth Award winner.

As a student leader on her high school EcoTeam, Brianna initiated, created and implemented a successful initiative to educate the community about the recurring harmful algae blooms that are threatening Lake Erie. In collaboration with the EcoTeam, she took her research findings and designed a program called Algaecation to teach and empower the community to take action.

Brianna’s efforts began at Leamington District Secondary School, where she and the EcoTeam educated over 950 students. After school, she delivered Algaecation to intermediate-level students at six local elementary schools. Those students then shared this information with their own school community, which led to the education of over 10,000 Leamington residents.

Brianna also spoke with over 300 families and collected 284 signed pledges from community members pledging to take one step to reduce their contribution to the algae blooms.

Finally, Brianna organized an Algae Bloom Summit and invited scientists, politicians, industry leaders and conservation groups to speak at the event. The summit engaged and educated 200 people, including farmers, students, school board officials and concerned citizens. The summit received significant media coverage

and brought awareness of the algae bloom issue to the broader community and beyond.

Leamington District Secondary School student Brianna Jackson has been selected as Earth Day Canada’s first Hometown Heroes Youth Award winner for her work to bring awareness to the community about harmful algae blooms that threaten Lake Erie and other important environmental issues and initiatives.

Brianna’s efforts resulted in a school-wide ban of single-use plastic water bottles and prompted school administration to supply students with reusable bottles. In one year, her efforts prevented over 81,000 plastic water bottles from going to landfill. Brianna’s leadership and work has established a legacy of environmental achievement within her school and local community.

“Brianna’s accomplishments are inspirational to youth across the country,” says Deb Doncaster, President of EDC. “By involving and educating her peers and the community at large, Brianna has had a significant positive effect on the health of her community, and is well deserving of being the first Youth Award winner.”

“To me, this award means that it is possible for students to make a tremendous impact in their community and their country by standing up for what they believe in and never giving up

on their aspirations,” says Jackson. “I would like to challenge other young Canadians to take charge of their future by protecting our air, our water and our land. No matter how old you are, you hold the ability to take charge of your future and together we can change the world!”

The Hometown Heroes Youth Award winner receives a $5,000 cash prize to donate to a local environmental group/cause of their choice or can choose to put the cash prize towards their post-secondary studies in the form of a scholarship.

Brianna will be presented her award at Earth Day Canada’s Gala on Earth Day, April 22, 2016, in Toronto.

The Hometown Heroes Award Program was established in 2004 by EDC to recognize and celebrate environmental leaders who foster meaningful, longterm community awareness and action.

from her own property when she was selling her house this summer. Rather than have the bulbs go to waste, Ross thought they’d make a wonderful addition to the home’s property. So, with a rather small window of opportunity to plant the bulbs, Ross recruited some staff members from the home to lend a hand, including Tyler Driedger. (SUN photo)

By Bryan Jesssop

Thanks to the efforts of a Grade 12 class at Leamington District Secondary School, the ‘odds’ of a more enjoyable holiday season improved for half a dozen youths.

The university preparation and data management class at LDSS organized the school’s first Casino Day, where students created their own games of chance based on their knowledge of organized counting and probability. Four other classes were invited to try their luck at

Leamington District Secondary School’s Casino Day was presented by its Grade 12 university preparation data management class in the cafeteria Friday, Nov. 13. Proceeds raised through the event were used to purchase items at Leamington’s Dollarama store to fill six Operation Christmas Child boxes, which are being distributed by local churches to locations throughout the world.

the original Casino Day games, appropriately enough held on Friday the 13th last month. Coincidentally, the unlucky digit presented itself as the number of students in the course who created and operated their respective game tables. Proceeds from the $2 admission/ticket purchase fees —

which allowed guests a chance at winning raffle prizes — were used to purchase items for Operation Christmas Child the following week at Leamingotn’s Dollarama store. The six games raised money to fill six boxes — one for each of the annual program’s three age categories for both boys

and girls. Items included toys, arts and craft supplies and hygiene products to fill boxes that were delivered by the course’s teacher Dylan Langlois to Full Gospel Tabernacle Church — one of multiple churches in the Leamington area that ships the shoebox-sized packages to underdeveloped regions across the world.

The Casino Day project took two weeks of preparation, including brainstorming and theoretical probability calculations to ensure a maximum potential ‘profit’ for each game. Each attraction — promoted with the creation of posters by each of the respective six teams — had to be based entirely on chance and could not duplicate existing casino attractions such as craps, blackjack or roulette. After Casino Day ended, ‘Royal Hearts’ by Jesse Fast and Quinn Bowman emerged as the most profitable/difficult to win among the six games.

“It was a pretty tight competition,” said Langlois. “There were a few groups that were within a couple tickets of them (Fast and Bowman). The Friday the 13th thing just sort of lined up for us. It was a coincidence that we played on a bit.”

The class decided to support Operation Christmas Child for the first time last year, an initiative that turned out successful enough for the group to get involved with the program again for 2015.

“It’s more personal when you start thinking about who this is going to,” Langlois explained of the class’s decision to support OCC for a second time. “This way, they’re able to make a more personal contribution. With Christmas coming, it all tied in very well.”

Students from Leamington District Secondary School’s Grade 12 university preparation data management class reveal promotional posters for games they created for Casino Day, held Friday, Nov. 13 in the school’s cafeteria. The winning game — Royal Hearts — was created by Jesse Fast and Quinn Bowman.

Cardinal Carter presents Dance-o-logy homage to

Story on front page

Jacqueline Komsic, Dimitria Liovas and Lauren Piroli, members of the Cardinal Carter dance team, perform their interpretation of ‘Every Breath You Take’.

Members of the senior dance class take to the stage to perform ‘Masquerade/ Phantom of the Opera’ at Cardinal Carter’s presentation of ‘Dance-o-logy’.

Bianca Figliomeni protrays Marilyn Monroe, as she dances to ‘Candle In the Wind’ at last week’s ‘Dance-o-logy’ performance at Cardinal Carter.

‘Puttin on the Ritz’, left Dimitria Liovas and right Kelsey Augustine.

‘Whip It’, left Melissa Gebrael and right Dimitria Liovas.

‘Wake Me Up Before You Go Go’, left to right, Brennah Winterburn, Selena Spano and Giuliana Porrone.

in the in the in the in the in the

ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20

Aries, a conversation takes you to a place you did not expect. Now that it's out in the open, you may be able to breathe a sigh of relief. Don't hesitate to express yourself.

TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21

Taurus, though you usually lean toward being practical, you may find yourself on an unexpected journey this week that highlights your spontaneous side.

GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21

You have several different ways to express your creativity this week, Gemini; you simply have to find the outlet that works best for you right now. Experiment with different options.

CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22

Cancer, although you may want to swoop in and help a friend in need, give this person the space he or she needs right now. In the long run, this approach will prove more helpful.

LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23

You have a chance to push limits and boundaries this week, Leo. Take every opportunity that comes your way to try something new. You never know what you will discover.

VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept 22

Virgo, you may not be able to escape all of your daily responsibilities right now, but you can certainly daydream some of them away. Take this chance to clear your mind.

LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 23

Libra, you have a knack for avoiding complex issues that pop up this week. But this will only last so long, and before long you will have to face some hard decisions.

SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22

It can be frightening to reveal your deepest feelings, Scorpio. However, when a friend comes to you bearing his or her soul, you may have to dig deep and share your own experiences.

SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/Dec 21

Health goals become more pressing as various issues weigh on your mind, Sagittarius. Work with a doctor to develop a plan for moving forward in a healthy way.

CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan 20

Capricorn, you may be catching glimpses of what is around the corner, but you're not ready to take the first step in that direction. This will happen soon enough.

AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18

Your moods are fluctuating regularly, Aquarius. Voice your feelings and it will help you address any insecurities or other issues that are on your mind.

PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 20

It may seem like you're working on jobs for others, but behind it all, you're actually working on yourself, Pisces.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS

DECEMBER 6

Janine Turner, Actress (53)

DECEMBER 7

Sara Bareilles, Singer (36)

DECEMBER 8

Ian Somerhalder, Actor (37)

DECEMBER 9

Judi Dench, Actress (81)

DECEMBER 10

Bobby Flay, Chef (51)

DECEMBER 11

Nikki Sixx, Musician (57)

DECEMBER 12

Dionne Warwick, Singer (75)

LDSS class offers CIP ideas

By Bryan Jessop

Leamington’s homeowners aren’t the only ones bringing ideas on how to improve the community to the municipality’s council chambers.

Leamington District Secondary School Grade 9 geography teacher Heather Poublon brought her class of 17 students to municipal headquarters to present their own Community Improvement Plan ideas Wednesday, Dec. 2. A handful of ideas presented by individual students and groups of two or three were heard by mayor John Paterson and manager of planning services Danielle Truax, who in turn took notes on each presentation and offered constructive criticism on their strategies and suggestions.

“They did really well with their presentations,” said Truax. “I can’t believe the terminology they were using. It was incredible to hear.”

“I really appreciate the efforts they made to figure out how the town could be made better,” Paterson added. “This was a really unique opportunity and a great idea.”

Paterson continued to explain that many of the ideas presented by the group of students were both legitimate and feasible, including proposals that municipal council is actually in the midst of discussing or planning. These include the construction of public skateboard parks, basketball courts, community gardens, widened sidewalks, more pedestrian-friendly access to amenities including

parks, expanding MCR Drive as a throughway road and new features for the waterfront/marina area.

“I was excited to hear them make a proposal on the skate park,” said Paterson, who noted that many of the ideas are similar to those that have been focal points of the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council represented by six students from Cardinal Carter and six from LDSS. “That’s the sort of thing where we have to know if there’s a real interest from local youth — if its something that will be used.”

The mayor noted that while some of the class’s ideas would require participation from the private sector, others — such as multi-level parking structures and the elimination of street-side parking — fall in line with council’s interest in implementing a more concentrated use of land.

“It was very meaningful,” Poublon said. “When they’re given the chance to commit to a real-life situation, the kids put more effort into it. I was so impressed with their ideas — I’m very proud of them.”

The project began with a walk through different sites around urban Leamington, allowing students to make note of land usage in different areas and to come up with ideas for their own Community Improvement Projects. After groups worked on their CIPs for two days in-class, presentations were made to fellow classmates in a sort of trial run. After visiting Leamington’s municipal website, Poublon sent an e-mail mentioning the project. Paterson replied later that day with an invitation suggesting students bring their CIP projects to council chambers. Since then, Truax has offered to visit the class as a special guest. Poublon explained that the same project — which is new to the school’s curriculum — will be reintroduced for the next semester and for school years to come.

School boards name new leadership

Trustee Connie Buckler (Lakeshore/Tecumseh) is the new chairperson of the Board of Trustees for the GECDSB (Greater Essex County District School Board). She was selected for the position by her colleagues at their annual organizational meeting.

Trustee Ron LeClair (Amherstburg/LaSalle) was acclaimed to the position of vicechair of the Board of Trustees.

Trustee Alan Halberstadt was chosen chairperson of the Education Committee, and Trustee Dave Taves was acclaimed chair of the Operations and Finance Committee. All positions are one-year terms.

Barbara Holland and Mary DiMenna were acclaimed as chair and vice-chair of the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board (WECDSB) at its annual organizational meeting.

Mary DiMenna has been a trustee representing Catholic ratepayers, parents and students in Essex, Kingsville and Leamington since 2003.

A chairperson and vice-chairperson are elected annually at the Board’s organizational meeting in December to a one-year term that begins immediately.

Union Gas to purchase easement

Union Gas requires a non-exclusive easement for a major gas transmission pipeline and has agreed to enter into an agreement with Leamington to put the 7 km extension under the rail right-of-way running north from town. The municipality owns the property. In payment for this easement, Union Gas has agreed to pay Leamington $500,000, which will be put into the trail network reserve.

Construction of the pipeline will necessitate closing this section of the trail, but only during construction, and restoration of the trail after construction.

Our Thanks & Holiday Best!

The Leamington District Chamber of Commerce and the Community Christmas Parade Committee would like to thank everyone who could take part in the 2015 COMMUNITY Christmas Parade –LIGHT UP THE NIGHT AND CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD. Our major sponsors this year include: The Municipality of Leamington, Leamington Uptown BIA, Southpoint Sun, and Blackburn Radio. We would also like to thank our other sponsors for their generous donations to help run the 2015 Annual Community Christmas Parade; Toys for Tots, Realty House Sun Parlour, O.P.P., Leamington Fire Department, CF Greenhouses, Canada Post, Cassiah’s Dance Company, Counter Effects, DeGoey’s Nursery & Flowers, Economy Rental, Enchanted Adventure Parties, Express Canada, Fehr Car Wash, Highbury Canco, Lally Southpoint Ford, Leamington Agricultural Society, Leamington Lions Club, Dundas Excavating, Leamington Chrysler, Leamington Public Works, Colasanti’s Tropical Gardens, JEM Limousine, Southern Logistics Inc. Uni Fab,Twin Oaks Towing, Bayview Laser Engraving and Leamington GM.

Thank you also Mike Ciacelli from Public Safety Services for donating the radios for the use of communication for the parade. A special thank you for the crew at the Public Works department for all their hard work preparing the town and parade for this wonderful night.

Thank you also to all the sponsors who donated gifts for the Christmas Parade Fundraiser, it is because of you that we can keep the community parade so successful! And also to all that joined us for our A1 fundraiser.

Thank you very much to the Municipality of Leamington for bringing Santa and Mrs. Claus in on the spectacular Santa Claus float.

Thank you to ALL the volunteers, public works, and to everyone who worked behind scenes to make the 2015 a successful Community Christmas Parade. We couldn’t have done it without you!

And finally thank you to all the participants – all your hard work on the floats is spectacular! A Christmas Parade is always a great way to bring the community together.

Thank you to community for all the support with the 2015 Leamington Community Christmas Parade

What another great turnout from the many spectators and the phenomenal floats entered on this beautiful evening were OUTSTANDING. With the help of the many volunteers, and the town, we had another very successful Community Parade. The judges had another extremely difficult decision with the 60 entries this year. Here are this year’s winners:

Best Church: Leamington United Church with close second to Church of St. John the Evangelist

Best School: Christain Fellowship Learning Centre with close second to Ecole St. Michel

Best Non Profit: Leamington Flyers, with close second to Sun Parlour Rodeo & Crime Stoppers

Best Commercial - Small Business: Tie - Bailey Inc. and DiMilo Auto Body with a very close 2nds to Realty House, Sun County Realty and Cassiah’s Dance Company.

Best Commercial - Large Business: Tie - Highbury Canco and Mastronardi Produce, with very close 2nds to Leamington Rona, Leamington Superstore and Security ONE.

Best Theme: Leamington Rotary Club with a close second to South Essex Community Council WOW, this parade must have been extremely hard to judge so thank you goes out to this year’s judges for their very tough decisions…… Alberto Bernal Acero, Joe Saad, and Don Nicholson.

Thank you also to Cordell Green and Keri Robinson for MC’ing

Left - Olivia Lord and Chloe Gagnier present their Community Improvement Plan ideas to Leamington manager of planning services Danielle Truax and major John Paterson as LDSS Grade 9 georgraphy teacher Heather Poublon also listens on Tuesday, Dec. 1 in municipal council chambers.

Above - Leamington manager of planning services Danielle Truax and mayor John Paterson listen to Community Improvement Plan presentations from Grade 9 LDSS students at council chambers Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Open House showcases local authors/artists

By Pat Bailey

Christmas shoppers had a field day at Setterington’s Gifts on Saturday.

In addition to the wide variety of inspirational Christmas gifts on display, they also had a chance to meet some of the local writing talent.

For gift store owner Jacqui Galy Iles, it was an opportunity to showcase the authors behind some of the books she sells, encourage area residents to shop local, appreciate what businesses within the town have to offer and celebrate the talents of local writers, artists and photographers.

Four such residents were on hand for a special book signing Saturday.

For Sherry and Todd Stahl, married for almost four years, they are not only a couple — they are also a team.

When Sherry’s devotional ‘Water in the Desert’ needed some illustrations, she turned to her husband to take on the challenge.

The book, based on Sherry’s own struggles during a rather

difficult phase of her life, as well as ‘desert stories’ from the Bible, has been re-published and now includes the artwork of her talented husband.

Sherry is hoping her book inspires those who are also going through hard times and gives them strength to ‘keep walking’.

Todd, who is an artist/author, was displaying his new book ‘40 Days In the Man Cave’. This book, too, features Todd’s artwork.

His book was designed to give young adults and men of all ages the opportunity to kick back in their man cave for 10 minutes each day to do what they love to do – relax, read, laugh, etc. but take God in with them. Todd said his hope is it inspires men to become better men, husbands, fathers and friends.

He said it’s about the importance of finding a ‘cave’ of sorts and making it your own sanctuary – one that includes God.

For author/teacher/social worker Dana Romualdi, her works have come full circle.

The author of ‘Magic Kisses’ penned this journey of grief using a fictional story of a young girl’s loss of her father. The story is from the perspective of the youngster and deals with the thoughts and feelings children often have when going through the grieving process.

It offers advice on helping children deal with loss – be it a family member, friend or pet.

As a teacher and a social worker, Romualdi has worked with youngsters dealing with grief and realized there was a need to help these children. Her book also offers a discussion guide which highlights the importance of talking about grief to enable the healing process to begin.

She has also enlisted the works of a talented local photographer, Joan Omstead of Wheatley, to illustrate the story with her beautiful photographs.

It’s another local partnership that has resulted in the completion of two children’s books, with another on its way.

The former solicitor for the municipality, Brian Sweet, has teamed up with well-known local artist Harold Burton to tell the story of ‘Freddy Farmer’ and ‘Freddy Farmer Book 2’. Burton said the partnership has worked out well. Sweet has come up with a few tales of Freddy’s hijinks and Burton has made those tales come to life.

He said the duo has admittedly compromised at times when one makes suggestions to the other – but said it’s all been done with kindness.

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS CRAFTS

- December 7-18 at Leamington

Library, 1 John St. Drop in at the library and make a craft during the 12 days of Christmas. There will be a different craft prepared for parents and kids to make together. Stop at the desk and ask for your supplies and then have fun crafting together. Also, browse the great collection of holiday titles and stop at the North Pole Selfie Station and take a pic with your finished creations. All ages welcome.

FREE KIDS CHRISTMAS

PROGRAM - Friday, December 11 at 4:00 p.m. at The Bank Theatre, presented in partnership with SECC's New Canadian Youth. Program features the play "Charlie Brown's Christmas, a story and a visit by Santa!

FAITH REFORMED CHURCH

ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BAZAAR, Saturday, December 12, 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., 1115 Seacliff Dr. Kingsville(at Graham Sd. Rd.). Bake sale, marketplace, bazaar & luncheon. Something for everyone!

HERITAGE CHOIR ANNUAL

CHRISTMAS CONCERTSaturday, December 19, 7:00 p.m. at the Heritage Centre, 31 Pickwick Dr., Leamington. Old and new carols, German and English, for your enjoyment to honour God. A freewill offering for the Music Therapy Program at the Leamington Mennonite Home will be taken. ENJOY - SING - GIVE GOD THE GLORY!

FOOD & FELLOWSHIP SUPPERMonday, December 21, 5:006:00 p.m. Leamington United Church, 9 John St., welcomes those who are alone or having trouble making ends meet. No charge.

BLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICEMonday, December 21 at 7:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 311 Sherk St. Leamington. For many, this season is anything but cheerful. For those who have lost loved ones, lost a job, are struggling with finances or illness, this is not an easy season. The Blue Christmas service is offered for those in the community who are not having a Merry Christmas and the friends that support them. All are invited to come and visit with one another in a liturgy that speaks

of the love of God for the grieving. CHRISTMAS DINNER -Christmas Day, December 25, 12:00 noon. For those who will be alone (or those who will go without). The Church of St. John the Evangelist (Anglican), 60 Erie St. N., Leamington. Call 519-326-3111 to register by December 20th. If you are unable to join us, we will be pleased to deliver your meal (Leamington, Wheatley, Kingsville area only). There is no cost or obligation.

STUDIES IN THE PROPHECIES OF DANIEL - every Sunday at 7:00 p.m., Seventh-day Adventist Church, 220 Erie St. N., Leamington. For more info call 519-322-1644. All welcome. FREE 12-WEEK PARENTING CLASS - hosted by Windsor Essex Community Health Centre, every Tuesday starting January 5 to March 29, from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m., at Leamington United Mennonite Church, 78 Oak St. E. Topics: nutrition, child development, discipline, safety, health & wellness. Prizes & giveaways. Free childcare provided. For more info or to register call Nicole at 519258-6002 ext. 503.

Community Calendar is a FREE service for FREE events. Please see the COMING EVENTS section in the CLASSIFIEDS for events with admission charges.

“Everyone should have that kind of relationship,” said Burton. All four books are available at Setterington’s Gifts and Books of Faith, 13 Russell St., Leamington.

BANK THEATRE NOTES

10 ERIE STREET SOUTH P.O. BOX 434

LEAMINGTON, ON N8H 3W5 519-326-8805

DECEMBER 11TH @ 4:00 PM

FREE Kids' Christmas Programme - The Bank Theatre and the new Canadian youth from SECC (South Essex Community Council) present a FREE Christmas Programme for little children in our community. We invite parents and grandparents to bring their little ones to enjoy a presentation of "Charlie Brown's Christmas" performed by the youth from SECC; storytelling by Rick Taves; a visit from SANTA as well as cookies and juice.

DECEMBER 12TH @ 7:30 PM

AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS

The Bank Theatre and Abridged Opera Company under the direction of Erin Armstrong and featuring Will Trigo Ebere present this contemporary opera written by Gian Carlo Menotti. A vivid retelling of the story of the Magi from the point of view of a young and disabled boy living near Bethlehem. Originally created for television this production has a running time of 50 minutes but if you would enjoy a longer performance, each performer has prepared a seasonal piece to be included in a short sing-a-long. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and are available at Wharram's Jewellery and Counter Effects in Leamington.

DECEMBER 18TH @ 7:00 PM

DALE’S LAST FRIDAY COFFEE HOUSE

A great night of acoustic music, refreshments and Community. No cover charge but there is a free will “pass

Artist Harold Burton, pictured, and author Brian Sweet have teamed up for three books featuring Freddy Farmer.

Daniele Carepa checks out the books written by authors Sherry and Todd Stahl.

Dana Romualdi hopes to assist youngsters dealing with grief in her book ‘Magic Kisses’.

Action Centre gets into the holiday spirit

By Bryan Jessop

Members of a facility established to help them cope with the loss of Leamington’s Heinz factory are in turn offering helping hands of their own.

The Leamington UFCW Local 459 Action Centre at 261 Erie St. South was opened during the summer of last year to its 750 members shortly after the plant closed, offering those displaced workers assistance in finding new jobs or the training and education necessary to acquire new employment. With 473 of those individuals having been set up with new jobs or new education or training opportunities, the membership is greeting the holiday season by giving back to the communities it calls home.

The Action Centre kicked off a toy and non-perishable food drive on Thursday, Nov. 19 that will continue on to Tuesday, Dec. 15. The steadily growing collection of donations became significantly bigger still following a Wednesday, Dec. 2 Christmas party for former Heinz workers and their families, hosted by the Action Centre. Members of the general public can drop off donations at the facility (519-326-2603) during operating hours.

Donations will be dispersed between the Leamington Salvation Army food bank and the Windsor Homes Coalition Inc. food bank. Each person attending the Dec. 2 party — which featured a free lunch — was asked to bring one canned good, although many arrived with several donations.

“There have been a lot of nice donations coming in,” said Windsor Homes Coalition Inc. executive director Gary W. Pryor. “It means word has got out to Leamington and the rest of the county. It’s great to see everyone come together like this.”

The Coalition’s food bank supplies dwindled down to

nothing more than tomato juice and bread and as of Friday, Nov. 20, the facility had to close its doors for the first time in more than 40 years. Swift response from residents throughout the county allowed it to reopen the following Monday.

The Leamington Action Centre is funded through the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities and includes partnerships with and access to several employment, financial, training and education programs established throughout the county. Partnerships have been formed with groups including South Essex Community Council, Greater Essex County District School Board, Family Services Windsor Essex, the New Canadian Centre of Excellence, St. Clair College, Windsor Essex Counselling Service, the United Way, Great Lakes Technical Training and several others including employment agencies for physically challenged members.

Members of the LAC are entitled to services that include those from three based in Leamington — the New Canadian Centre of Excellence, SECC and Employment Assessment Centre, the latter two based out

of offices at 215 Talbot St. East.

“It’s been a great partnership,” said EAC supervisor Laura Lucier of the relationship between the Action Centre and the LAC, which operates under the Greater Essex County District School Board. “We’re about figuring out what the members are all about, what they need and we take the necessary steps forward from there. We’re happy to be a part of this.”

The Centre can also set up members with CPR and First Aid lessons, truck driving schools and offers weekly Spanish courses.

“If it wasn’t for the help we get from across the community, we wouldn’t be able to help people move forward,” said Leamington Action Centre coordinator Helene Caine. “We’ve helped a lot of people, which we couldn’t have done without the support of the MTCU.”

“If it wasn’t for the help we get from across the community, we wouldn’t be able to help people move forward.”

— Helene Caine

Caine is assisted at the Centre by five peer helpers — all former Heinz workers — who assist with walk-in clients. The site offers a rotating job board and a vast assortment of literature on services, programs and organizations that the LAC can help members utilize.

Leamington Action Centre coordinator Helene Caine looks on as retired Heinz worker Mark Stasso enters a ticket for raffle prizes during the Centre’s Heinz staff Christmas party at the Erie Street South building Wednesday, Dec. 2. Those who attended the party were given one ticket for each canned good, toy or gently-used clothing item donated in support of the Leamington Salvation Army food bank and Windsor Homes Coalition Inc. food bank.

Leamington Rotary Club Generosity

Leamington Rotary Club representatives were present at the Monday, December 7 Municipal Council meeting to present a cheque for their sponsorship of new equipment for the fitness studio at the Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex. The TRX exercise equipment cost $4,500 and will be paid for through the generosity of the Leamington club. From left to right are: Tracey Pillon-Abbs, Leamington director of development; Rotary club member Diane Samson, Rotary Club president Wendy Parsons; Leamington mayor John Paterson. (SUN Photo)

“To transform our

by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders.” – FIRST

The Leamington Rotary Club recently visited Cardinal Carter Secondary School with a surprise donation of $2,000 for the Cougar Robotics 4923 team.

The club supports Cougar Robotics’ mission to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communi-

cation and leadership.

This year will be Cardinal Carter Cougar Robotics’ third year in the FIRST Robotics competition that includes over 10,000 Ontario students and over 300,000 throughout the States and many more from around the world.

In order to maintain a local team and support youth participation in competi-

tions, Cougar Robotics must raise about $10,000 each year. To do so, team members participate in fundraising activities and outreach to companies and organizations for donations, mentoring and assistance. It is through the generosity and community support like that of Leamington Rotary that makes it possible for Cougar Robotics to cov-

er the costs of parts, tools, competition fees, transportation, supplies, hardware, software and team uniforms. For more information on Cardinal Carter Robotics, contact cougarrobotics4923@gmail.com

The 2015-2016 Cougar Robotics team from Cardinal Carter Secondary School received a surprise $2,000 donation from Leamington Rotary Club. In front, from left to right, are: Spencer Rodriguez, Quinn Chambers, Gavin Cameron, Hannah Iacobelli, Craig Tavares, Jackson Klassen, Rotary Club president Wendy Parsons, Rotary New Generations representative Donna LaPointe, Charmaine Gaoi, Arial Simpson. In back: teacher/mentor Brad Chambers, Spencer Prior. (Submitted photo)

OPP investigation leads to numerous charges

A joint investigation undertaken by Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) road officers, the Essex County OPP Street Crime Unit and the Essex County OPP Major Crime Unit resulted in charges being laid against two men.

Patrol officers responded to a call from a concerned citizen in Essex who witnessed suspicious activity at a residence on Brien Avenue on Nov. 24.

Officers arrived and arrested two males at the scene. A total of 19 criminal code charges were laid as a result of this thorough investigation.

A 27-year-old Leamington man was charged with the following offences: break and enter and committing an indictable offence; possession of break and enter instruments; possession of stolen property over $5,000; possession of stolen property under $5,000 (x2); theft over $5,000.

A 26-year-old Essex man was charged with the following offences: possessing firearm obtained by crime; unauthorized firearm possession; unsafe storage of a firearm; break and enter and committing an indictable offence; possession of break and enter instruments; possession of stolen property over $5,000; possession of stolen property under $5,000 (x5); theft of a motor vehicle; theft over $5,000.

Triathlon Committee Presents Cheque to Council

Triathlon directors Dave Campbell and Ben Balkwill were present at the Municipal Council meeting Monday, Dec. 7 to present the municipality with a cheque representing money used to purchase new cadence meters in the indoor cycling studio at the Kinsmen Recreation Complex. The cadence meters, about $300 each, are used to track the speed, distance and other exercise details for spinners. This year the total donation to the municipality is $5,000, bringing the total from triathlons to $25,000. From left to right are

Ben Balkwill, Director of Development Tracey Pillon-Abbs, Mayor John Paterson, Dave Campbell.

Fee schedule annual update

Leamington Municipal Council was presented with the administrative recommendations for changes in the municipal schedule of fees for 2016 on Monday night, Dec. 7. The reasoning behind the changes is described in the report: “The cost of delivering services to users increases annually based on internal (staffing, equipment, etc.) and external cost factors (materials, utilities, insurance, purchase of service contracts, etc.). The decision to reduce fees or forego fee increases may be justified where market sensitivity would result in a reduction in users and therefore a reduction in total revenues based on a fee increase. However, all else equal, holding 2016 fees at the 2015 level will result in a net increase in demand from taxation revenue to cover increased operating costs not passed along to service users through fee increases.”

Members of Council had questions about the fee structure and fee changes, even the absence of fees.

Councillor John Jacobs asked if the fire department could charge insur-

Ladies Half-Day Bonspiel Winners

ance companies when they respond to traffic incidents on municipal roads. Administration will to investigate that option.

Another comment from administration was they are trying to make fees more efficient to charge by reducing the number of categories that the municipality has. Council passed the new fee structure.

Subdivision development clears hurdle

Leamington Council has agreed to remove the Holding Symbol from the zoning of the Phase 2 lands of the Destiny Estates Plan of Subdivision, currently under construction to the north of Robson Road, just east of Malibu Drive in south Leamington.

By assuring the municipal engineer that technical requirements have been met, this clears the way for construction of townhouse units when building permits are issued.

me signs.

Always remembered, always loved

From your loved ones you watch over, From your world up above.

Love you always Richard, Nicole, Kevin and McKenna, Brooke, Richard and Lincoln xo

The Family of the late FRED EPPLETT would like to express sincere gratitude to our dear family and friends for the many acts of kindness that were shown to us in the recent loss of our wonderful Dad, Grandpa and G.G. We greatly appreciated the many emails, messages, phone calls and cards we received and thank those who visited with us, shared memories, brought food contributions to our homes, sent beautiful floral tributes or made memorial donations in his memory.

A special thank you goes to the doctors, nurses and staff of 3 West at the SunParlour Home for the outstanding compassion and care shown to him.

Thank you to Rev. Janet Brigham and the Wheatley United Church for the lovely service and for sharing our memories of Dad for us.

“Butch” we thank you so much for your superb tribute to the Captain, we will remember it always.

Thank you to the Wheatley Legion for having us, to the Car Barn catering to us and to the Ladies Auxiliary for all of their baked goods.

And finally, a thank you to Dan and his staff at Hammond Funeral Home for their help in easing us through this difficult time.

We are very honoured that so many people came to bid Fred farewell and to support our family - not a single expression of sympathy we received will ever be forgotten. The Epplett Family

Nick

was born December 17,

in

He has two children, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He will celebrate his birthday with family.

The Sun Parlour Curling Club held a Ladies In Club Half-Day Bonspiel on November 28. Nineteen ladies attended the event. Congratulations to Julie Armstrong, Joan Kettle and Sharon Bee who were the overall winners. Ladies were also able to do some Christmas shopping from event sponsor Thirty-One. (Submitted photo)

Klym Sr.

1925

Chatham.

Canadian Foodgrains Bank Conservation Agriculture - Part I - Mozambique

Southpoint Sun editor Sheila McBrayne was in Africa visiting Canadian Foodgrains Bank Conservation Agriculture projects in Mozambique and Kenya November 11 – 21.

A little background on Mozambique: Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country’s development until the mid-1990s. The ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In December 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim Chissano stepped down after 18 years in office. His elected successor, Armando Emilio Guebuza, promised to continue the sound economic policies that have encouraged foreign investment. President Guebuza was reelected to a second term in October 2009. However, the elections were flawed by voter fraud, questionable disqualification of candidates, and FRELIMO use of government resources during the campaign.

After flying over 16,000 kilometres on three flights to reach our destination in Africa, the first four days were spent in Mozambique, which was in its dry season. In Mozambique the Canadian Foodgrains Bank is working with World Renew, Mennonite Central Committee and partners to build sand dams. The sand dams are professionally engineered, but the physical work of mixing and pouring the cement is done by the farmers in the village that it will serve. The dam stops and holds the water during the rainy season and pulls along with it sand that collects on rocks that are strategically placed by the farmers. When the water evaporates, which it does in the extreme heat, the farmers then dig wells in the sand where water is in reserve. Sand wells allow the farmers access to water throughout the dry season and allows them to grow vegetable gardens near the dam. The farmers are not only able to provide for their families, but have enough abundance that they can sell their vegetables to pay

for their children’s schooling or buy livestock. The pictures on the right show a sand dam completed as well as a farmer practicing Conservation Agriculture. In most cases, using the CA farming techniques doubles their yields.

Our first day (Thursday) we went out to visit several fields. It was 36 degrees C in the morning and by afternoon it peaked at 45ºC! The purpose of this trip is to show Canadians who support the work of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank where their donations go and how they are truly effecting change through Conservation Agriculture. There are three main principles of Conservation Agriculture: 1. Crop rotation: By not planting the same crop in the same field each year, the soil is able to regenerate nutrients. Much like our cash crop farmers would rotate between corn and soybeans, they rotate maize and sorghum.

Lucia Afonso, who farms half an acre by herself, is in her second year of using the Conservation Agriculture techniques. Through two translaters – local dialect to Portugese

(Continued on Page 17)

By building sand dams farmers are able to dig wells like this to provide water year-round.

Canadian Foodgrains Bank Conservation Agriculture - Part I - Mozambique

(Continued from Page 16)

to English translater – she says she definitely saw a difference in her yields when she tried it last year, so this year she will try harder to get more mulch and follow the techniques. The farmers who built sand dams were also able to plant vegetable gardens. These lush gardens in an otherwise dry area, allow the farmers to feed their familes throughout the entire year as well as sell excess vegetables for money. The money is reinvested into buying livestock or is used to pay for children to attend school. The sand dams have allowed these families the security of having access to water during

By using mulch to keep moisture in the ground and protect it from the hot sun, farmers are seeing an increase in their yields.

the dry season.

The use of mulch to keep moisture in the ground and to protect from the sun can be difficult for farmers who use their corn stalks and any foliage to feed their livestock. One of the biggest hurdles is finding enough mulch, but once they see the difference it can make in yields they agree that it is worth the extra work.

These farmers have also become teachers/leaders in their communities. As only some farmers are part of the Conservation Agriculture program with direction from program

sponsors, they then pass on their knowledge to others. When neighbours see that the new way of farming is producing better yields, they then start to shadow their neighbours. And this is what the program is meant to do. The farmers become the teachers of these techniques and the methods expand throughout an entire community.

In part II (next week) we will learn about the advances being made in Kenya and how Kenya differs from Mozambique.

Sheila McBrayne at a market sharing a laugh with a local woman selling her vegetables.

Man charged after July crash into house

The Leamington OPP have charged a man after a July 2015 crash where his vehicle struck a residence on Oak St. E., off the end of Danforth Ave., in Leamington.

At the time of the crash the male exhibited signs of impairment, but due to his injuries he was unable to provide a breath sample. A warrant was obtained for his blood alcohol content and the results were sent to the Centre of Forensic Sciences (CFS) in Toronto.

Those results were just recently obtained and a 28-year-old Leamington man has been charged with: impaired operation of a motor vehicle, exceeding 80 mg Blood Alcohol Content, possession of a Schedule II substance, and taking a vehicle without consent. He has a December court date where he will answer to the charges.

The Churches of Leamington and District Welcome You

ANGLICAN

BAPTIST

Leamington Evangelical Mennonite Mission Church 1408 Deer Run Rd, Leamington 519-326-9734

Sunday Worship Services 9:15 am (German), 10:45 am (English)

Leamington Evangelical Mennonite Church 108 Mersea Rd 3, Leamington 519-322-9915

Sunday Worship 10:30 am

Leamington United Mennonite Church 78 Oak Street East, Leamington 519-326-2727

Sunday Worship 9:45 am

Summer Worship Services 10:00 am

Meadow Brook Fellowship 219 Talbot Street East, Leamington 519-326-3605

1 Sunday Worship Service at 10:30 am

North Leamington United Mennonite Church

625 Mersea Rd 6, Leamington 519-326-7928

Sunday Worship 10:00 am

South Point Community Church 475 Bevel Line Road, Leamington 519-322-1858

CONGREGATIONALIST

Sunday Gatherings 10:30 am

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

Iglesia La Buena Semilla 269 Sherk Street, Leamington 519-733-0342

Sunday Worship 6:30 pm

Leamington District Memorial Hospital

Saturday Services: Bible Study 9:30 am Worship 11:00 am

LUTHERAN

St. Paul’s LutheranEvangelical Church 311 Sherk Street, Leamington 519-326-3966

Sunday Worship Services 10:30 am (Eng)

MENNONITE

Faith Mennonite Church

269 Sherk Street, Leamington 519-326-6391

Sunday Worship Services 10:50 am (Summer 10 am)

194 Talbot St. W., Leamington 519-326-2373, Chaplain’s Office ext. 4443

PENTECOSTAL

FGT Family Church

285 Talbot St. E., Leamington Free bus rides available 519-322-2316

Service Sunday 9:15 am & 11 am am

Leamington Christian Centre 98 Elliott Street, Leamington 519-322-1504

Sunday Worship Services 10:30 am

English/Spanish 6:30 pm

Templo Christiano De Leamington

39 Talbot St. E., Leamington 519-325-9654

Sunday Worship Services 3 pm

Mount Zion Full TabernacleGospel

6 Mill Street, Leamington 519-252-0031

Sunday Worship 7:30 pm

United Pentecostal Church

312 Erie St. St., Leamington 519-326-7056

Sunday Worship Services 11 am

PRESBYTERIAN

Knox Presbyterian Church

58 Erie St. S., Leamington 519-326-4541

www.pccweb.ca/knoxleamnington/

Sunday Worship Services 10:30 am

ROMAN CATHOLIC

St. Michael’s Parish

29 Elliott Street, Leamington 519-326-2643

NO MASSES FROM JULY 14 TFN

St. Joseph’s Church

310 Sherk Street, Leamington 519-326-2643

Saturday Mass: 5 pm (English)

Sunday Masses: 7:30 am (English)

9 am (Italian, English) 10:30 am (English)

12 Noon (Portuguese)

3 pm (Spanish), 7 pm (English)

St. Anthony’s Parish (Maronite Rite)

280 Talbot Street East, Leamington 519-322-2282

Sunday Masses 9:30 & 11 am (Lebanese, English)

SALVATION ARMY

The Salvation Army Citadel 88 Setterington Street

Leamington 519-326-4901

Sunday Worship 10:30 am

UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA

Leamington United Church

9 John Street, Leamington 519-326-9461

Sunday Worship Services 10:30 am

Mersea United Church 1301 Mersea Road 8, Wheatley 519-825-4157

Sunday Worship Services 9:30 am

Olinda-Ruthven United Church 1907 Queen Blvd., Ruthven ON 519-326-3138

Sunday Services at 9:30 am

New comet approaching Earth for one time only

By Gary Boyle, The Backyard Astronomer

There is a new comet in the early morning sky that can be seen before dawn. Comet 2013 US10 (Catalina) has travelled an estimated one million years from the distant Oort Cloud and will pass this one and only time through our solar system. Its closest approach to Earth is on January 12, 2016. Once it’s gone it will never return.

The comet should be visible to the naked eye towards the end of December from dark locations and away from light pollution. Binoculars – or even better, a telescope – will show the green glow of the comet’s nucleus.

For more information or to check out a chart tracking Catalina’s movement, visit www.wondersofastronomy. com

This chart tracks the comet Catalina in December and January. Catalina will pass through our solar system one time only.

Wins Gift Basket

Negotiations to continue re: trails along County Rd. 20

Leamington agreed some time ago to pay up to $336,600 for temporary trails alongside County Road 20 from Sherk Street to the town line. In subsequent study, this share of the work ballooned to approximately $2.4 million — far too much for a temporary fix. Negotiations between Essex County and Leamington bogged down over the issue of paying for about $600,000 worth of curbing that would need to be replaced.

Considering the importance of improving County Road 20 for current and future users, the County has now issued a Request for Proposals for an environmental assessment with the purpose of paving the way to “correct operational deficiencies, to examine roadway capacity and safety with particular consideration to vehicle, cyclists and pedestrian movements, and the addition of active transportation facilities…” for the foreseeable future.

Once the study is completed, Leamington Council has to again negotiate with the County about what constitutes Leamington’s fair contribution toward the active transportation options.

Municipal Council was further encouraged by the comment from Mayor John Paterson that the environmental assessment should be completed in the very near future.

strikes cruiser and pickup, driver arrested in stolen vehicle

A Leamington man was arrested Wednesday night, Dec. 2 in Leamington after being found in possession of a stolen vehicle.

At approximately 8:15 p.m. a 2008 Jeep Cherokee was reported stolen in Leamington. A short time later, OPP officers on patrol observed the stolen Jeep and while attempting to stop it the stolen vehicle struck the marked police cruiser. Prior to fleeing, the Jeep also struck a pickup truck. Police attempted to stop the vehicle again after it turned the wrong way down a oneway street and were struck again by the Jeep. The stolen vehicle stopped and the driver fled. He was arrested after a short pursuit on foot.

A 53-year-old Leamington man was arrested and charged with: failing to stop for police, dangerous driving, resisting arrest, possession of stolen property over

OBITUARY

Sandra Burnham

Sandra Margaret Emily (Campbell) Burnham, age 63, of Novi, Michigan, passed away Friday, December 4, 2015.

Beloved and devoted wife of 33 years to Robert E. Burnham. Loving mother of Alexander. Sandra was preceded in death by her loving parents, John and Irene Campbell, of Leamington.

Sandra was crowned Miss Canada in 1974, then went on to represent Canada in the Miss Universe and Miss World pageants.

The family is receiving visitors Wednesday from 3:30-9:00 p.m. at the L.J. Griffin Funeral Home, Northrop-Sassaman Chapel, 19091 Northville Rd. (at 7 Mile Rd.).

She will be in state Thursday, December 10, 10:00 a.m., at St. Paul Lutheran Church - Northville, 201 Elm St. (at High St.) until time of funeral service at 11:00 a.m.

Share a “Memorial Tribute” with the family at griffinfuneralhome.com

$5,000. The police cruiser, the truck and the stolen vehicle received significant damage. No one was injured.

Giovanni Esposito

Giovanni Esposito, 90 years, passed away on Sunday, December 6, 2015 at Leamington District Memorial Hospital.

Beloved husband of Antonina for 65 years. Dear father of Elisa Umbenhower (Bill), Vince Esposito (Nina). Loving Nonno of Giovanni, Danielle Baclig (Jason), Anthony, Francesca. Predeceased by his parents Vincenzo and Elisabetta, his siblings Caterina Esposito, Maria Sarro (Vito), Giuseppe (Mattia), his in-laws Giuseppe and Teresa Aiello. Dear brotherin-law of Nicola Aiello (late Rosaria), the late Caterina Salmeri (Francesco). Giovanni will be missed by many nieces and nephews in Italy.

Giovanni was a fisherman all his life... he loved to fish! Giovanni’s family wishes to thank the staff on 8W at WRH Ouellette Campus, Chartwell Leamington and Leamington District Memorial Hospital.

Visiting at the Reid Funeral Home & Reception Centre, 14 Russell Street, Leamington (519-326-2631) on Wednesday from 2-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.

Mass of the Resurrection at St. Joseph’s Church, 310 Sherk Street, Leamington, on Thursday, December 10, 2015 at 10 a.m. Entombment Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made by cheque to the Leamington Hospital Foundation (Hospice) or Salvation Army Food Bank.

Friends may share memories at www.reidfuneralhome.ca

On Saturday, Nov. 21, Ten Thousand Villages in uptown Leamington hosted an Open House. Customers enjoyed coffee and goodies while they shopped, and entered their name in a box to win a gift basket. The lucky winner was Nancy Schrade from Comber. (Submitted photo)

Drag racing with a 1957 Ford Fairlane

50 years ago

I recently visited “Hairport” in Leamington where Brian Bailey gave me a haircut. Before he finished, I had another story. Around 1963, Brian’s friend Bert Bergen purchased a 1957 Ford Fairlane with a 292 V8 bored out to 301, 4-barrel carb, dual exhausts, whitewall tires, and a continental kit. Brian helped Bert work on it.

A quarter mile had been marked off by local hot rodders on the Albuna

Line northwest of Leamington and Brian and Bert decided to join in the fun. Their

Gore Hill Gator Drive collects over 1,200 items

Gore Hill Public School staff and students again showed their commitment to the school community by collecting over 1,200 items for the school’s annual Gator Drive. Canned and other food items, toys, toiletries, and hats, scarves and mittens were collected each day for two weeks. The items were donated to the Salvation Army’s Leamington Food Bank.

had a Hurst floor shift and the boys welded the spider gears together inside the differential to give themselves the equivalent of Posi-traction. The tires skidded when going around corners but no sacrifice was too great in the search for more horsepower.

Andy Kline operated a wrecking yard on the town line, and he was the guy to see whenever you blew your transmission. Rear tires on these cars wore out incredibly fast, and Ted Shurlock at Ted’s Tire near the west end of town was the guy to see.

Brian and Bert added “dumps” (a.k.a. cutouts) to their dual exhausts. These came out just below the rocker panels with caps attached to little chains. The noise was deafening whenever Brian and Bert popped the caps, and the increase in horsepower was awesome!

The two boys soon frequented the Detroit Dragway at Sibley and Dix. They also raced at Grand Bend and at Sparta near St. Thomas. Brian can’t remember their E.T. (elapsed time) but when they crossed the finish line, they were going VERY FAST! Bert sometimes went to the drag strip on his own because Brian was in a band called the Silver-Tones and gigs sometimes interfered with trips to the strip.

All this excitement lasted about 3 or 4 years. It began just after Brian and Bert got their driver’s license and ended when they applied for their marriage licenses. By the time Bert sold the ’57 to another young fellow, Brian was buying groceries.

Drag racing was over but not the interest in horsepower. Brian’s next car was a red and white 1961 Impala with the big-block 348 under the hood. Today Brian and his wife Margaret drive a VW Passat and it has all the horsepower they will ever need.

I’m always looking for more stories. Email billtsherk@sympatico.ca or write Bill Sherk, P.O. Box 255, 25 John Street, Leamington, ON N8H 3W2. Everyone whose story is published in my column receives a free autographed copy of my book: “Old Car Detective Favourite Stories, 1925 to 1965.”

Too busy drag racing to take pictures of the ’57 Ford, Brian and Bert will enjoy looking at this 1957 Meteor convertible with lakes pipes and fender skirts. The Meteor was the Canadian version of the Ford and built only in Canada.

Town

’57 Fairlane

Gore Hill student Rachel Wong helps load items donated to the Salvation Army for the school’s Gator Drive.

Gore Hill’s Principal’s Council members proudly stand in front of the Salvation Army truck that the school was able to fill with almost 1,200 items. From left to right are Nickolay van Veenschoten, Kailey Foster, Barrett Enns, Madison Gagnon, Kapree Joyce, Travis Reid, Rachel Myers, Samuel Austin, Rachel Wong, Omar Elaloul. In back are Salvation Army volunteers ready to help load the generous gift.

Bailey Atom girls undefeated at tourney

The Southpoint Stars Bailey Machining Atom girls travelled to St. Thomas Dec. 4-6 to participate in the Panthers on the Prowl Tournament.

Friday morning they faced the London Devilettes Green. It was the first tournament ever for several of the girls. Alessia West started the scoring for Southpoint. In the second period, Leah Youssef picked up a rebound from Alessia West and scored. Evan Gualtieri took a shutout and the girls won their first game with a 2-0 final score.

On Friday evening, Bailey Atoms played the Barrie Sharks Magic. Abbey Mazzella scored the first goal on a breakaway. It was a tie game going into the third period. Southpoint kept driving the net and Abbey Mazzella saw her opportunity to pop in her second of the game to give the Stars the lead. Mila Pereira and Blair Bailey set up Danika Romanyk for her first goal of the tournament. Bailey Stars took another win with a 3-1 final score.

Saturday afternoon the Stars faced the London Devilettes Ice Breakers. Both teams were undefeated entering this match, so both wanted the win. The girls played hard and there were several scoring opportunities for both teams. Evan Gualtieri made some excellent toe-kick saves to keep her team in the game. As the third period came to a close, Gualtieri took her second shutout of the tourney when the game ended in a 0-0 tie.

The Southpoint Stars were tied for first place as Saturday’s games came to a close. Early Sunday morning they faced third place Flamborough Falcons and it was do or die – a tie or a win. Halfway through the first period, Leah Youssef banked a shot to Alessia West who rushed the puck to the net. She took a hard shot and Sienna Gale was ready for the rebound as she slammed it in the net for her first goal of the season. Adriana West rushed the puck up from the behind the net and went in to score the second goal for the Stars unassisted. In the third, Abbey Mazzella broke away and sent Brook DaCosta a saucer pass to tuck into the net for Bailey’s third goal. Minutes later, Alessia West caught a breakaway and scored her second goal of the tourney. A minute later Alessia West scored the fifth goal for the Stars to secure the lead and a 5-2 win, and it was off to the championship game!

On Sunday afternoon the Stars faced the London Devilettes Ice Breakers for the championship. Both teams battled hard but as the first period came to a close the Devilettes scored the first goal. In the third period, and with the clock was ticking, Meghan Simpson passed the puck to Adriana West who sent it back to Raegan Woodiwiss for a perfect shot on net to tie up the game. Less than a minute later, Danika Romanyk made a sweet pass to Abbey Mazzella from behind the net to score the second goal for the Stars, giving them

the lead. There were just minutes left in the game and the Devilettes were running out of steam, but the Stars didn’t stop playing until the bitter end. It was victory for the Bailey Machining Atom Girls as they won the championship with a 2-1 final score.

This was an amazing experience for all of the girls and a proud moment for all of the staff, parents, family and friends who attended. Thanks to Tony Youssef, Eric West and Kevin Gale, the wonderful coaches who put their hearts into this team.

Bailey Machining Atom girls were the undefeated champions at the Panthers on the Prowl Tournament held in St. Thomas Dec. 4-6. Team members, front left to right: Bricelyn Koehler, Abbey Mazzella, Sienna Gale, Evan Gualtieri, Brooke DaCosta, Adriana West, Meghan Simpson, Megan Derbyshire. Middle row: Leah Youssef, Alessia West, Emma Weil, Danika Romanyk, Abigail Neufeld. Back row: Coach Eric West, Mila Pereira, coach Tony Youssef, Raegan Woodiwiss, Blair Bailey, coach Kevin Gale.

Kinsmen Intermediate Stars shut out Lakeshore

The Leamington Kinsmen Southpoint Intermediate Stars played the Lakeshore Lightning on Sunday afternoon. The Lady Stars played amazingly throughout this game. Kayla Collison led the attack as she scored the only two goals of this onesided contest that ended with a final score of 2-0. The shots on goal were 30-6 in favor of the Stars. Scoring assists were Abbey Gualtieri (2), Kasia Dyck and Krista Marshall. Sam “The Wall” Hartlieb was fabulous in net and recorded yet another shutout!

Saturday night the Stars travelled to LaSalle to battle the Windsor Wildcats. This was a hard fought contest right to the end; however, the Lady Stars lost by a final score of 3-2. Joline Driedger and Kayla Collison scored the Stars goals. Assists were by captain Lea Marshall and Kim Goyeau.

Novice White skates to 8-1 victory

The Novice White team travelled to Essex on Nov. 28 and came away with an 8-1 victory. It was a total team effort as all members of the team shared the puck and played hard throughout.

The offence was led by James Sonoski and Nicolas Mastramatteo who each scored a pair of goals. Singles were added by Avery Hopper, Daniel Saad, Colton Sellwood and Max Youseff.

Matthew Mastramatteo earned the win between the pipes.

Weil’s Atoms take on Essex

Weil’s Atoms took on Essex Black for a battle for the top. Good goaltending from Essex nullified Weil’s attack as they carried the play for most of the game. Weil’s Zander Grilo scored the first goal from an assist from Abel Teichroeb and Luca Rino. Josh Tiessen tied it up with a pass from Tyler Franklin and Caleb Jardim. The game resulted in a 2-2 tie.

RECREATION EVENTS RECREATION EVENTS

LEAMINGTON KINSMEN RECREATION COMPLEX LEAMINGTON KINSMEN RECREATION COMPLEX

Winter 1 session has begun – there are still a few openings. View the Activity Guide online www.leamington.ca/recreation for details on all programs & classes!

Christmas Gift Certificates - available in any $ increment for everyone on your list! 3 month New Year Shape-Up special, meet with a Personal Trainer, Student memberships, Youth memberships, Youth Skate/Swim/Gym Punch pass. Complex Gift Certificates are always welcome under the Tree!

Complex Pool: have you considered becoming certified as a Lifeguard? The Complex is looking for more lifeguards. An interesting, part-time career for teens or young retirees. Ask for more details.

Youth Programs: Red Cross Swim lessons, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Parent/Tot and Youth Indoor Soccer, Kirk Bowman Hockey Camps, Kindernastics, Power Tumbling, Youth Distance Running. Power Tumbling, Jr. Racquetball, Youth Basketball, Velocity Volleyball Academy, Babysitter Training Course, Home Alone Course.

Adult Programs: Fitness & Aquatic Fitness – 55 Classes per week, Indoor Cycling Spin Classes – 11 classes per week, Zumba, Mom & Baby classes – Stroller Fit, Mom & Tot Aquafit, Weight Room & Cardio Fitness, Masters Swimming, Scuba Lessons, Racquetball/ Squash, Pickleball, Table Tennis, 55+ Badminton, Health Track – a prevention/maintenance program, Red Cross First Aid CPR/AED Training, Personal Trainers & Nutrition & Wellness Coaches.

Birthday parties, Group parties, Team parties – book your Activity and Pizza Party at the Complex. Kids love all the fun of an activity – choose from swimming, skating, gym or kindernastics!

It’s a proven fact that Daily Exercise & Strength Work-outs help to Reduce Stress, and give you More Energy! Keep your body limber, agile and toned! For high intensity, cardio burning, core sculpting postures, check out the Complex Fitness Schedules!

Come Exercise at the Kinsmen

249 Sherk St., Leamington 519-322-2337

email: complex@leamington.ca www.leamington.ca/recreation

No pane, no gain

Thursday night was a strange one last week.

The most recent Leamington Flyers home game started off on a bit of an unusual note and ended on one that was just plain odd (a bit of a contradiction in terms, but you get the idea). Leamington’s first goal against the London Nationals started off as a harmless-looking play where Scott Emerson flipped the puck deep into the opposing zone from between the red line and the visitors’ blue line, possibly to give his cohorts time to make a line change.

They ended up with more time than they needed, as the puck bounced under the Nats’ goalie and into the goal for the Flyers’ 100th tally of the season — also good for 428 donations to the Leamington Toys For Tots drive.

A first in Flyers history was put in motion with just under five-and-a-half minutes left in regulation. Two players crashed into the boards along the sin bin side and wouldn’t you know it, the adjoining pane of glass cracked into two pieces, leaving the larger of the two in a sort of rudimentary Alberta shape. Despite spectator suggestions to simply slap some duct tape over the crack, arena staff proceeded to carefully remove the two pieces.

It was then declared that the remaining 5:26 would be played out on the Unico Arena, on the other side of the Kinsmen Kanteen. It was the first time that I’m aware of where a Junior ‘B’ hockey game was played on two different surfaces. For a while, I was afraid the remainder of the match would be played at a different date — perhaps Thursday, Feb. 4, before the third and final 2015-16 regular season tilt between the two teams at Highbury Canco Arena.

The local men’s rec

league teams were gracious enough to surrender the final 20-plus minutes of their ice time to let the game continue. It kind of goes without saying that not all of the 1,337 spectators stuck around. No idea where they would have put them all.

I’ve heard a couple different explanations as to why the game was moved over to Unicold. One suggested that the Complex didn’t have any spare panes of glass lying around. Another insisted that it would have taken another 15 minutes to install the a new one. I remember covering the Wheatley Sharks when I worked in Tilbury a few years back, when two shattered sections of glass were replaced by sheets of plywood (insert your own “two minutes for boarding” joke here).

Anyway, the thought of “I wonder if that’ll be the strangest thing that happens in organized sports tonight” never crossed my mind because the chances of something more bizarre unfolding in the same night were next to nil.

Or so I thought.

The Detroit Lions — the NFL’s version of the Toronto Maple Leafs — found one of their new and innovative ways to lose that night. Football’s undisputed kings of managing to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, the Lions were up 20-0 against the Green Bay Packers with less than six minutes to go in the third quarter. Things started to unravel for Detroit (as they often do), but the final two plays were what made Leamington’s two points on two rinks night look commonplace.

With the fourth quarter clock at 0:00, the Lions were called on a face mask penalty. The replay revealed that the Detroit player’s thumb barely grazed Aaron Rodger’s mask — he was clearly brought to the ground by

the shoulder, but the yellow flags rained down on the Ford Field gridiron like seagull crap on a freshly washed car regardless.

The 61-yard, Hail Mary pass that followed crushed all hopes of a Lions’ season series sweep of the Packers for the first time since 1991. The funny part, if you look closely enough or hit ‘pause’ just before the leaping catch is made, is the formation of Green Bay receivers and Detroit defensive backs. There is a line of four Lions standing behind a line of four Packers, kind of looking up and scurrying about like a scene from an old Popeye cartoon where he’s trying to catch the baby as she’s falling from the 20th floor of the city’s tallest building. I swear I could hear all four Detroit players shouting “I’s gots ya, Sweet Pea!”

The moments leading up to the game-winning pass included a commendable effort by Jason Jones to grab Rodgers and haul him down, but was otherwise a pitiful effort by the D-line to prevent the throw. Rodgers had enough time to unfold a lawn chair, have a seat, chug back a tall glass of ice tea, watch the ice cubes melt and then fold the chair up again and stuff it back into one of those lousy, ill-fitting canvas bags that they all come with nowadays before lettin’ ‘er rip.

Sometimes I think the league’s officials really have it in for Detroit (you might know a few of their fans that go nuts on Facebook for the following three days). It wasn’t exactly the first time the Lions lost a game that could have been won without a horrendous call made a few seconds or minutes earlier. It’s as if officials are doing everything they can to keep Detroit out of the playoffs (as if they don’t do enough on their own to stay out of the post season). Hmmm… Green Bay’s lost four of the last five and they’re the only wild card team (that I know of) to win a Super Bowl. At the same time, the Lions went into the match on a three-game winning streak. Maybe some creative officiating was necessary to prevent a wild card game snooze-fest and subsequent lull in network TV ratings (yup, there I go on one of my lousy refereeing conspiracy theories again, much like when a smallmarket Canadian NHL team is threatening to make the playoffs).

UMEI senior girls vs. Michel Graton

Olivia Toews of the Lightning bumps the ball over the net and onto the Michel Graton side of the court during a WECSSAA Tier II senior girls volleyball match at UMEI Thursday, Dec. 3. The Lightning won the match in three straight sets with scores of 25-19, 25-9 and 25-8. The UMEI team played an away match at Maranatha Tuesday, Dec. 8. Results were not available by press deadline.

Peewee girls compete in tournament

The Community Trophy Peewee girls participated in the St. Thomas tournament on the weekend and had a fairly successful showing. They went 2-1-1 with 3 shutouts but it wasn’t enough to make it into the playoffs. The Stars played the home team in what proved to be a difficult game with Southpoint not playing aggressively enough to win the puck battles. St. Thomas scored twice in the second before the Stars Alyssa Lamb scored with assists coming from Ava Hildebrandt and Charlene Smith. St. Thomas scored 2 more goals and the game ended 4-1.

With three more games to play, Southpoint had to turn things around and they did. They outplayed LaSalle in the second game but were unable to put the puck past a strong LaSalle goalie. Southpoint goalie Courtney Jeffery performed equally well and the game ended in a 0-0 tie.

Oakville was the next opponent and the Southpoint girls started to find the net. Alexa Taylor scored two, Charlene Smith scored her first of the season, and Alyssa Lamb added another. Paige Derbyshire and Tarez Raheb both had two assists and Ava Hildebrandt and Mya Brown picked up one each. Courtney earned her second shutout. The final game the girls played Mississauga and won handily 6-0. Alyssa Lamb had a hat trick. Charlene Smith scored with an assist going to Brienna Tiessen. Alexa Taylor and Meagan Derksen each had a goal and an assist. Courtney recorded her third shutout.

Sunbrite Peewees battle for the win

It was a hard fought battle between the first and second place teams in the Essex County Interlock League. The Southpoint Sunbrite Peewees came out on top with a 6-5 win.

Tyler Swaddling opened up the scoring, assisted by Ben Morin and Matteo Fortuna. Back-to-back shorthanded goals were scored by Marcus Stanley, assisted by Evan Ouellette, and Massimo West. Dawson Collison scored the third goal with assists from Tyler Swaddling and Corrigan Heinrichs. Mitchell DeFrancisco of Sunbrite scored the fourth goal with an assist from Tyler Swaddling and Ben Morin. Finally, Sunbrite’s Dawson Collison scored the winning goal with an assist from Mitchell DeFrancisco and Matteo Fortuna.

Cardinal Carter senior girls vs. Harrow

Marlee LaSala of the Cougars bumps a Harrow Hawks’ serve during a WECSSAA Tier II senior girls volleyball match at Cardinal Carter Thursday, Dec. 3. Harrow won the first set 25-20, the Cougars took the second 25-21 and Harrow won the tiebreaker 28-26. Cardinal Carter were hosted by their Leamington Lions rivals Tuesday, Dec 8. Results were not available by press deadline.

WFCU Intermediate girls outgun Wildcats

The WFCU Southpoint Intermediate Stars welcomed the Windsor Wildcats to the Highbury Rink on Sunday afternoon.

Naples Bantam girls lose to Lakeshore

The Naples Pizza Southpoint Bantam Stars battled the Lakeshore Lightning on Sunday afternoon. The Lady Stars played hard throughout this game but the Lightning scored 8 goals, posting an 8-2 win.

Southpoint goals came from Shelby Hunter and Kaylie Goodchild. Scoring assists were captain Hannah Chacko (2), Chelsea Andary and Raine Schiefer.

Both teams exchanged several goals throughout this matchup, but the Lady Stars outgunned the Wildcats to win this game 5-4. Jillian Iles lead the Stars offence scoring a natural hat trick. Other Stars goals were by Connie Wiebe and Kate Derbyshire. Scoring assists were Kelsey Almasi, Chase Cabral, Jada Schiefer and Krysten Garant.

Gillett Bantams win two

Dec. 1 saw the Gillett Sheet Metal Bantams #7 face their Southpoint rivals #10 coached by Joe Durocher. The Gillett boys were coming off a win in Tilbury and wanted to get off to a good start. The action was fast with very few whistles. Colton Ippolitti got the Gillett boys on the scoreboard first on a nice feed from behind the net by Andrew Verhaeghe. The first period ended 1-0 in favour of Gillett.

The fast pace continued in the second period and Ippolitti notched his second of the game, again with a helper from Verhaeghe, and the period ended 2-0.

Neither team let up the pressure in either end, with chances on nearly every rush. Nick Friesen got credit for a long point shot that seemed to elude everyone to bring Southpoint #10 to within a goal and make the score 2-1. Less than a minute later Ippolitti answered that goal by completing his hat trick on a low shot from high in the slot. Helpers went to Camron Taouil and Eric Wright.

With the score 3-1, Southpoint #10 wasn’t giving up without a fight and kept the pressure on. Tyler Dibbley made some great saves, and the Gillett boys played tight defense in front of him. With the Southpoint goalie pulled for an extra attacker in the final minutes, the pace was furious as Gillett worked hard to keep Southpoint #10 at bay. Andrew Verhaeghe added an empty net goal, assisted by Jordan Blake and Coleton Ippolitti, to make the final score 4-1 for the Gillett Bantams.

Overall a superb effort and a well played game for the Gillett boys, lead by Ippolitti on the strength of his hat-trick and 4 point night.

Dec. 5 the Gillett Sheet Metal Bantams paid a visit to Kingsville to take on the White #4 team. If the fans were looking for a high scoring affair, they were to be disappointed as a close game ensued.

The scoresheet remained blank through the first two periods of play, with chances at both ends. The Southpoint boys generated lot of offensive zone play, but the Kingsville goaltender played well, keeping them without a goal. Tyler Dibbley was his match in the Southpoint net, turning away all comers for the first two periods.

In the third period the intensity continued with chances at both ends, with neither side able to solve the goaltenders. The Southpoint defense played well, giving up few chances. With Southpoint pressing late in the third, Camron Taouil hopped on a loose puck behind the Kingsville net and roofed a sharp angle shot over the Kingsville netminder to finally break through. Kingsville continued to press, and

pulled their goaltender with 2 minutes remaining for the extra attacker.

Southpoint stayed on their game, and Dibbley stopped all the remaining shots for his first shutout of the season and a 1-0 win for the Gillett Sheet Metal Bantams.

County Bridge Results

Leamington Half Century Centre, Nov. 30: North/South - 1st Roy Trowell and Ron Martin, 2nd Nina Towle and Helen Preyde, 3rd Murray McNeill and Al Morrison. East/West - 1st Bill Chaplin and Roger Cote, 2nd Patricia Sanford and Lily Shuster, 3rd Sonia and Ernie Jackiw. Bridge games are played each Monday at 12:45 p.m. Members and new members welome.

Kingsville Bridge Club, Dec. 2: North/South1st Peter Scott and Mike Thomson, 2nd Joyce Stewart and Roy Trowell, 3rd Marilyn Robbins and Joyce Moran. East/West - 1st Bob Lee and Henry Hildebrandt, 2nd Chris Brennan and Bill Chaplin, 3rd Roger Cote and Frank Duransky. Bridge is every Wednesday at the Lions Hall in Kingsville, 7 p.m.

Select 7s make strides in Belle River tourney

Friday, Dec. 4 the Scotia Bank Select 7s began their first ever tournament in Belle River. Game #1 featured the Caps versus the Milton Winterhawks. The Caps went down 1-0 late in the first period. At the end of the period the Caps trailed by 3. The Caps had their chances in the third but couldn’t find the back of the net and the game finished at 4-0. Solid effort between the pipes by Andrew Demant. Game #2 on Friday afternoon saw the Caps take on the Centre Wellington Fusion. Southpoint was unable to stave off the Fusion in the first period, allowing 1 goal in the last minute of the period. The Fusion made it 2-0 early in the second before Grant Symons netted the Caps’ first goal of the tourney. Finishing the second with a 1-1 tie and gaining their first ½ point of

the tourney, the Caps came close to knotting the third period. Centre Wellington scored with 2 minutes remaining to make the final score 3-1. Solid defensive efforts by the Caps D-core James Sonoski, Logan Lefaive, Caiden Fuller, Mason Dault and Owen Deneau.

Game #3 was another early game on Saturday morning versus the Barrie Jr. Colts. Although the final score was 5-1, the Caps gave up 4 goals in the first period. Once they woke up they were able to tie the game 1-1 to make the final 5-1. The lone Caps’ goal was scored by Grant Symons. Andrew Demant finished the game strong after a shaky first period.

Game #4 was the Caps first elimination game in the quarter-finals versus the eventual winner Flamborough. The first period

was back and forth. Southpoint opened the scoring with a nice series by the starting line. Liam Brown netted the goal with assists going to Mason Dault and Symons. Flamborough quickly replied with the tying marker. Flamborough and Southpoint exchanged goals one more time in the first with Symons making it a 2-2 game. After that, it

was all Flamborough. With a couple bad bounces and a solid tender at the other end the game finished up 7-2. The coaching staff thanks the players and families for making this an enjoyable first tournament experience. Visit the website to find out when the Scotia Bank Caps are next in action at www. southpointminorhockey. com.

THE S’AINTS SLEIGHING HUNGER

A CHARITY CONCERT BENEFITING LOCAL FOOD BANKS OPEN TO ALL AGES Sunday, December 20

THE TENORS UNDER ONE SKY TOUR Tuesday, December 22

EDDIE MONEY & STARSHIP Saturday, January 16

DANCING WITH THE STARS LIVE! DANCE ALL NIGHT TOUR! OPEN TO ALL AGES Friday, January 22 4pm & 9pm

VANCE JOY FIRE AND THE FLOOD TOUR WITH SPECIAL GUEST REUBEN AND THE DARK OPEN TO ALL AGES Monday, January 25

TRACY MORGAN: PICKING UP THE PIECES Saturday, February 6

ARETHA FRANKLIN PERFORMING

MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL Friday, February 26

MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL Saturday, February 27 4pm & 9pm BURTON CUMMINGS AND BAND Friday, March 4

Tickets on sale December 13!

JOHNNY REID WHAT LOVE IS ALL ABOUT Saturday, March 19 PAUL ZERDIN 2015 AMERICA’S GOT TALENT WINNER Saturday, March 26

Southpoint Select 7s team shake hands with their opponents before the Centre Wellington game at a tournament in Belle River. Team members are, in no particular order: Andrew Demant, Liam Brown, Carson Koehler, Dylan Marchand, Mason Dault, Aleviyah McAndrews, Landon Bradley, Zack Liebrock, Caiden Fuller, Nicholas Brophey, James Sonoski, Owen Deneau, Logan Lefaive, Grant Symons, Holdyn Bailey. (Submitted photo)

Five goals for, 400-plus stuffed toys, three goals against and the use of two rinks paved the way for the Leamington Flyers to finish the opening half of the regular season with one more victory.

What could easily be described as one of the most bizarre Junior ‘B’ hockey games in recent memory ended in a 5-3 win for the Flyers over the visiting London Nationals.

Leamington Toys For Tots representatives were hoping for anything but a repeat of the 0-0 outcome from the last time the two teams met at Highbury Canco Arena, as the first Flyers goal was to trigger a barrage of stuffed toy donations thrown onto the ice by spectators.

Nearly 12 minutes after the opening faceoff, a fluky goal by Scott Emerson set the stage for 428 stuffed toys to hit the ice. From about halfway between the red line and the London blue line, Emerson flipped the puck into the visitors’ zone. The disc made its way under net minder Connor Hughes before he could block it, bouncing onto the goal line and into the back of the net for Leamington’s 100th goal of the regular season.

The Toys For Tots donations — slightly shy of last year’s 478 — were collected by players representing the Southpoint Stars girls hockey teams.

Assists on the opener came from Joe Urbanic and Nicolas Mainella.

A Flyers power play had just expired when Mitch Amante sent a knee-high wrist shot past Hughes to make it 2-0. Essex 73’s call-up Tyler Scott and Cale Phibbs drew assists on the play. Liam Hogan was next to put a mark on the scoresheet, faking a shot on Hughes before

darting across the crease and sending an ice-level backhand shot into the net’s left side. The unassisted effort came during a four-on-four after both teams took minor penalties 31 seconds apart.

The second period was scoreless despite a breakaway chance for newcomer Aaron Langlois and another Leamington shot that rang off the post. The Flyers steadily gained control of the game’s flow, establishing a favourable shots on goal margin of 15-6.

London put itself on the board 39 seconds into the third period when Alex Simino sent a law shot past Tyler Wall and into the Flyers’ net from close range. Leamington briefly regained its three-goal advantage when Derek Elliott swooped across the Nats’ crease from right to left before sending a wrist shot into the lower right corner. Scott was credited with the only assist.

London again pulled to within two 92 seconds later when Colin Wilson beat Wall with a low shot while charging in from the left side of the goal.

With 5:26 on the clock, a col-

LEAMINGTON ‘BEARS DOWN’ ON NATS BY BRYAN JESSOP

lision between players along the boards caused a pane of glass to crack on the penalty box side of the rink, between the London blue line and top of the faceoff circle. After the two pieces were removed, it was decided to avoid further delay by finishing the game on the other side of the dressing room hallway at Unico Arena. The men’s recreational league teams agreed to offer the ice despite having nearly 23 minutes time remaining in their own game.

A small fraction of the 1,337 spectators who watched the first 54:34 of the game stood shoulder-to-shoulder along the glass at Unico while others watched from the second-floor windows of the Kinsmen Kanteen.

The Nationals pulled Hughes for a sixth skater with more than two minutes on the clock before Amante took a Zak Parlette helper and raced in on the empty net for his second of the night and 14th of the season.

Callum Ruddock finished the scoring for London with less than a second remaining, sending a wrist shot past Wall’s glove from the right of the goal and just outside the crease.

“For the most part, we played pretty well,” said Flyers head coach Tony Piroski. “We were a bit rusty at times, but we’re getting back from a nine-day break. Our practice yesterday was a little sloppy and it left me worried about the game tonight, but we did okay.”

The switch to the smaller Unico rink late in the game was a first for the Flyers, but Piroski explained that the team was able to adapt.

“It’s just a matter of keeping the puck in deep. You can’t play too fancy on smaller ice like that.”

The Dec. 3 contest ended

with a 37-25 shots advantage for Leamington and was the first as Flyers on the home ice surface(s) for Aaron Langlois and David Storey, who Piroski explained add an elevated level of toughness to the team.

“It felt good to be out there,” said Langlois. “It’s been two-

and-a-half years since I played, so the nerves were there for the first couple shifts. I’m trying to get my legs back in shape and I think I’m starting to improve.”

Langlois played baseball as a starting pitcher at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan before sustaining an elbow injury that grew worse

during the following summer. The elbow was operated on by Dr. Jason Smith in Toronto, saving Langlois about $50,000 that would have been charged had the procedure been done Stateside. The rehabilitation process that followed has allowed him to return to hockey.

The win against the Nationals avenged a Nov. 4 5-2 loss in London and put the Flyers seven points ahead of St. Thomas, Chatham and London, each tied for second place at the time with 34 points.

tied time

Rest of the West

The LaSalle Vipers ended a three-year drought against the Maroons by defeating Chatham 5-3 on Wednesday, Dec. 2 while the Nationals defeated the Strathroy Rockets 3-1. Sarnia defeated Lambton Shores 5-2 on Thursday prior to winning 6-4 against the St. Marys Lincolns the next day. The St. Thomas Stars handed a 5-4 loss to Lambton Shores on Saturday while Strathroy won 5-4 against St. Marys. Sunday tilts featured a 6-2 win for the Maroons over Lambton Shores as St. Thomas won 4-0 against the Rockets.

UPCOMING HOME GAMES: Thu., Dec. 10 vs. Lambton, 7:10 p.m. Thu., Dec. 17 vs. Lambton, 7:10 p.m.

UPCOMING AWAY GAMES: Fri., Dec. 11 vs. St. Marys, 7:30 p.m. Sun., Dec. 13 vs. Strathroy, 7:30 p.m.

Derek Elliott of the Flyers and Callum Ruddock of the Nationals get tangled up during a race for a loose puck in London territory in the first period of a Thursday, Dec. 3 GOJHL game at Highbury Canco Arena. Elliott scored the game winner in a 5-3 final. (Sun photo)

On the Unico Arena surface, Mitchell Crevatin reaches ahead to prevent London’s Kevin Madden from shoveling a pass to the front of the Leamington net during the dying minutes of the third period. (Sun photo)

Players with the SMHA Stars collect stuffed toys for Leamington Toys For Tots following the Flyers’ first goal against the London Nationals Thursday, Dec. 3. (Sun photo)

Linesman Andy Anthony carries a broken pane of glass toward the Zamboni doors. (Sun photo)

Timbit Mites Black and Red Do Battle

The Southpoint Minor Hockey Association’s Timbit mites Black and Red teams do battle in a six-minute mini game during the first intermission of a Monday, Nov. 30 Wheatley Sharks game against the

Lions ‘clocked’ by Hawks

By Bryan Jessop

Time was not on the side of the Leamington Lions boys hockey team during a recent match against the Harrow Hawks.

The visiting Harrow team held on for a 2-1 win against LDSS Wednesday, Dec. 2 at Unico Arena, bringing Leamington’s early regular season record to an even 1-1-1. The third period’s curfew buzzer sounded with 4:36 on the game clock with Harrow’s net under heavy pressure from Lions’ forwards during a delayed Hawks minor penalty.

“They got some good bounces with their chances and we missed out on ours,” said LDSS coach Butch Rickeard. “Our goal is to get better with every game. Even though we didn’t win, we saw a lot of positives on the ice. We’ll gain the momentum we need.”

The Hawks scored the only goal of the opening frame, a Justin Bondy tally buried at roughly the halfway mark. From the left side of the Leamington net, Bondy set loose a low wrist shot that found the right corner of Matt Ciliska’s net. The Lions had two breakaway chances to start the second period in a 1-1 stalemate, but were foiled by goalkeeper Ben Simonis on both occasions.

“Our goal is to get better with every game. Even though we didn’t win, we saw a lot of positives on the ice.”

— Butch Rickeard

Spencer Wiebe evened the score early in the middle stanza, firing a waist-high wrist shot that eluded the glove of Simonis. Josh Koning drew the only assist on the tally, scored during a Leamington offensive rush. With just under three minutes to go, Logan Robillard one-timed a pass from the corner from directly in front of the Lions’ goal for the game winner. Both teams were denied on one breakaway opportunity during the second period.

A late boarding penalty hampered Leamington’s efforts to salvage a point and despite pulling Ciliska with more than fiveand-a-half minutes on the timer for the fifth skater, couldn’t quite solve Simonis a second time.

With the win, Harrow elevated its record to 2-0-0 to take sole possession of first place in the six-team Cullen Conference. The Hawks and Lajeunesse Royals — the group’s only 1A teams — are ranked first and second, respectively. Leamington, Riverside, Kennedy and Herman occupy third through sixth, respectively.

“I don’t pay much attention to the size classifications,”

Rickeard noted. “A big school doesn’t necessarily have a lot of hockey players.”

To address the issue of the 4:20 p.m. curfew reducing the actual length of third periods, Rickeard explained that upcoming home games for the Lions may forgo the second-intermission floods — a decision that allowed the team to play full games of 45-minute stop time at Heinz Arena last season.

Leamington will play its next three games with home-ice advantage — Wednesday, Dec. 9 against Lajeunesse, Tuesday, Dec. 15 against Riverside and Wednesday, Dec. 16 versus Kennedy. All games will start at 3 p.m.

buzzer indicating a 37-35 Wildcats victory. The Cougars’ first road game was played Tuesday, Dec. 8 at Michel-Gratton. Results were not available by press deadline. The junior game against Villanova was followed by a 50-39 win for Cardinal Carter’s senior team against the Wildcats.

Right The Cougars’ Chanb Nohra grabs a rebound late in the second quarters.

Harrow Hawks goalie Ben Simonis stops a breakaway shot from Leamington’s Brayden Klemens during a WECSSAA boys hockey game at Unico Arena Wednesday, Dec. 2. The Hawks won 2-1 to bring the Lions’ record to an even 1-1-1.

Wallaceburg Lakers.

Canadiens edge Sharks in OT

By Bryan Jessop

The Canadiens took control of the majority of the first period, forcing the Sharks to commit several icing calls and to use their timeout with more than eight minutes remaining. Mitchell Prudence opened the scoring during a rush by tipping a Justin Pinsonneault pass from along the boards and to the right of Colin Tetreault’s net over the goal line. Brett Bowman also assisted.

Zack Bedard evened the score four minutes and 10 seconds later, releasing a low shot into the right side of Adam Leboeuf’s net during an offensive rush. Brenden Crundwell gave Lakeshore the lead during the early stages of a double minor power play, taking hold of a rebound and sending it into the right side of the Wheatley net from close range.

The Canadiens established a shots on net lead of 21-8 after the first 20 minutes. Andreas Gossmann was sidelined for the remainder of the game after taking a hit just inside the Sharks’ zone. The team indicated that the injury was sustained by the upper body, but was not a head injury. Gossmann is expected to be out for a week to 10 days.

The Sharks’ offence jumped to life early in the second, potting three straight in just under four minutes. Bowman sent an ice-level laser past Tetreault from in front of the net to tie the score at 2-2 after taking a pass from Brady Hillock. Cole Butler gave Wheatley the lead 1:22 later when he onetimed a Delaney MacDonald pass from directly in front of the crease. Connor Goodchild also assisted.

Bowman came up with his second of the night during a power play to give the Sharks a 4-2 lead. With heavy traffic scrambling in the Canadiens’ crease, Bowman took one of several whacks at the loose puck to send it bouncing over the goal line. Frankie Ciacelli was credited with an assist. Lakeshore’s offence responded with most of the heavy pressure in the second half of the period, awarded with a Steven Sartor power play goal, also buried during a scramble in front of the net. The Canadiens’ fired 12 shots at Leboeuf through the middle 20 minutes while the Sharks tested Tetreault with nine.

As the scoreboard indicated, the third period was a backand-fourth affair that started with the game-tying goal by Lakeshore’s J.J. Percy. The Sharks took another one-goal lead with just over eight minutes on the clock before Percy tied the game again by tipping a shot over Leboeuf’s blocker to make it 5-5. Brady Hillock replied 10 seconds later

Sebastian Kanally of the Canadiens tries to push the Sharks’ Brett Bowman off the puck during the second period of a Monday, Dec. 7 Great Lakes Junior C game at Wheatley Area Arena. The Canadiens won 7-6 in overtime.

by picking off a Canadiens clearing attempt before taking a few strides toward the net and sending a wrist shot into the top left corner of Tetreault’s net. Logan Percy, acquired recently from the Junior B Chatham Maroons, tied the game with 4:15 on the clock with a short break that ended with the defenseman tapping a low shot over the goal line.

Both teams had golden opportunities to drive home the winner in overtime, but it took a Brandon Ireland shot from the crease with 30 seconds remaining to give Lakeshore a one-point lead over Wheatley in the race for fifth. The Canadiens amassed 48 shots while the Sharks fired 31.

“That was a tough loss,” said Sharks head coach Dave Wiper. “We didn’t show up for the first, but we got our legs going in the second period. The boys didn’t quit. It was a great effort. Belle River’s a big team and it’s tough to contain them down low.”

The Sharks made it two in a row with Wiper at the helm on Wednesday, Dec. 2 with a 6-4 win in Mooretown. Brent Blais scored the only goal of the opening 20 minutes to give the Flags a 1-0 lead at the first buzzer, but Ciacelli replied early in the second after being set up by MacDonald and Butler to tie the score at one-all.

Alec Segers and Ryan Lyle made it 3-1 Mooretown, but the Sharks battled back to tie the match on tallies by Nick Tavolieri-Essex and Butler. Both goals were scored on pow-

er plays with assists going to Mitch Lantin and Bowman and then MacDonald. Parker Gilhuly gave the Flags another one-goal intermission advantage by beating netminder Eric Morneau late in the second frame.

The third period was all Sharks despite a modest 12-10 shots on net advantage. Prudence tied the game after taking feeds from Pinsonneault and Bowman. Bowman potted the game winner with just over a minute left after taking passes from Prudence and Pinsonneault. Pinsonneault finished the scoring with four seconds on the clock with an empty netter. Relieving goaltender Adam Leboeuf earned the win and an assist on the last goal.

The Sharks held a slim 36-35 shots on net advantage en route to pulling within a win of a .500 record. Wheatley was two for six on the power play while Mooretown was held to zero for five.

“That was a character comeback there,” Wiper said. “We stuck to the game plan and kept chipping away. These guys just don’t like giving up.”

The Sharks next home game will be Monday, Dec. 14 against the Essex 73’s at 7:30 p.m.

Rhine Danube bowling results

The following are the Rhine Danube bowling league scores for Nov. 23.

Games Over 200: Ernie Purr 207, Ozzie Wolf 208, Kevin Kosempel 213, Heinz Kosempel 211-214, Alex Smith 277, Chris Kosempel 225-257, John Paliwoda 214, Manfred Dickau 225, Aaron Dickau 223-235, Mauro Paglione 214279-219, Brent Bishop 219-203, Jack Valade 203-201.

Series Over 550: Ernie Purr 587, Ozzie Wolf 589, Kevin Kosempel 565, Heinz Kosempel 574, Alex Smith 597, Chris Kosempel 650, John Paliwoda 551, Manfred Dickau 611, Aaron Dickau 615, Mauro Paglione 712, Brent Bishop 600, Jack Valade 594.

High Handicap Games: Alex Smith 331, Mauro Paglione 316, John Paliwoda 296.

High Handicap Series: Mauro Paglione 823, John Paliwoda 797, Ernie Purr 779.

Standings: Dickau Construction 57, Del Fresco 43, Weil’s Food 42, Fittler Farms 33, Taki’s 32, Rhine Danube 24.

EMPLOYMENT OPPS.

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CAREER TRAINING

HEALTHCARE DOCUMENTATION SPECIALISTS in huge demand. Employers prefer CanScribe graduates. A great work-from-home career! Contact us now to start your training day. www.canscribe.com. 1.800.466.1535. info@canscribe.com.

HEALTH CANADA BENEFIT GROUP - Do you or someone you know suffer from a disability? Get up to $40,000 from the Canadian Government. Tollfree 1-888-511-2250 or www.canada benefit.ca/free-assessment

Do you have a DISABILITY? Physical or mental. We can help you get up to $40,000 back from the Canadian Government. FOR DETAILS check out our website: disabilitygroupcanada.com or CALL us today Toll-Free 1-888-875-4787.

VACATION/TRAVEL

One End wall included. Pioneer Steel 1-800668-5422 www.pioneersteel.ca

DRIVERS WANTED WE ARE URGENTLY LOOKING FOR THE FOLLOWING AZ DRIVERS: OWNER OPERATORS **Now Offering Higher Mileage Rates** CROSS BORDER COMPANY HIGHWAY DRIVERS $.514 Cents Per Mile APPLY TO: recruiting@rosedale.ca OR CALL TOLL-FREE: 1-855-721-3962 For More Details JOIN THE FAMILY DRIVE THE BUSINESS www.rosedale.ca/drivers

LAIDLAW CARRIERS VAN DIVISION requires experienced AZ licensed drivers to run the U.S. Premium mileage rate. Home weekly. New equipment. Also hiring Owner Operators. 1-800-263-8267

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SOUTHPOINT SUN

3 OR 4 BEDROOM HOUSE in Leamington with large living room, kitchen & dining room, and full basement. $1000/month plus utilities. Available January 1st. Call 519-796-9159. de2-9

FIORE TOWER

NEWER 3 BEDROOM Apartment in Leamingtonavailable immediately. For details call 519-791-8301. de9

2 BEDROOM APARTMENT for rent in Leamington. Available immediately. $450/month plus utilities. Call 519-326-6445. de9

NEW 3 BEDROOM Semi (house) in Leamington. Fridge and stove included with full attached garage. Available January 1st. Call 519-816-0068. de9

4 BEDROOM HOUSE with large kitchen, dining room and living room for rent. Located at 538 County Road 20, Kingsville (old Hwy 18).

$800/month plus utilities.

Leamington Heights

400 Oak St. E., Leamington GREAT 2 bdrms, UTIL INCL! COME SEE! Social room w/events, pkg, secure entry, on-site mgmt. CALL TODAY! 519-324-9610 realstar.ca

Available January 1st. First and last required plus references. Call 519-326-4274 after 7 pm. de9

PLUMBROOK MANOR APARTMENTS

J J STITCHING - SEWING, alterations, and repairs. Pants shortened $8.50 plus tax. (Some exceptions may apply such as lined pants). If your clothing is too tight or too baggy, give me a call to see if it can be altered. Call Jean at 519-968-2261. 14 Johnson Avenue, Leamington. jjstitching@gmail.com oc28-de30

PRINTING: BUSINESS ENVELOPES,invoices, flyers, business cards, custom print jobs, whatever your printing needs, call Jim at The Sounthpoint Sun for quick and economical service, 519-398-9098. tf

CALL KAHL RECYCLINGWe come to you and haul away your junk. Scrap metal and appliances are free. Everything else has a fee. Call Ken 519-322-8305, 519-326-8559. ja14-tf

HI, MY NAME IS TINA. I am an experienced, hard-working and reliable cleaning lady looking for a few more clients in the Leamington/Wheatley area. I do weekly and bi-weekly services - my rate is $20 an hour. Please contact me for more information. Tina Hiebert 519-564-4909 or tina-john@hotmail.com de2-16

PLUMBING SERVICE

Ed Higginbottom 519-329-1779 eh48@hotmail.ca

137 Erie St. South 2 bedroom units available. 2nd & 3rd floor. 13th month free. Available immediately. Call Bob at 226-936-1676

southpointsun.ca

•

Please

SOUTHPOINT SUN

162 OAK STREET WEST, LEAMINGTON ONTARIO N8H 2B6

PHONE: 519-326-3033 FAX: 519-326-8418

OFFICE CLERK

• Seeking motivated and experienced personnel

• Entry level position

• General office work

• Benefit Package Available

Please send resume to: cindy@policellaplumbing.com

part time employment?

We are currently accepting applications for school bus drivers and pleased to of fer our employees:

• Competitive wages

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

• 72 and 20 Passenger local routes are available

• Free training available

At Switzer-Carty, we're more than a school bus company. We're a people company with a mission to provide the safest and most reliable transportation services.

If you are interested in joining our team please apply on line at www.Switzer-Carty.com or call us at 519-326-2607 x 3.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

IZA DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING is hiring Press Operators, Welders and Assemblers. Send resumes to ccocks@izadm.com or apply within at 1960 Road 3 East, Ruthven. no25-de16

GREENHOUSE

SUPERVISOR: FULL-TIME

48-54 hours per week. On call and weekends required. Must be able to work in a fast paced environment, schedule and supervise staff, repair and maintain equipment. Participate in Food Safety/Health and Safety audits and all documentation processes. $13-19 per hour based on experience. Degree is not mandatory. French and Spanish are an asset. Please send resume to: DiNiro Farms Inc, 319 Erie St North, Leamington, ON N8H 3V5. de9-16

with Health & Safety (WSPS) an asset

Mail resume to: 263 Talbot St.W. Leamington, ON N8H 4H3 OR E-mail resume to: cf@cfgroups.com OR Fax resume to: 519-322-2916

We are a vegetable greenhouse that focuses on high quality healthy greenhouse products and looking for Career Oriented Line Lead for one of our Specialty Packing Line.

LINE LEAD

Job Details:

• Full-time permanent

• Monday to Saturday

• $11.25 to start with the ability to advance

• Healthcare Benefits

Responsibilities:

• Packing and grading of produce as directed by Line Leads

• Maintain product quality standards that meet product specifications

• Maintain a sanitized and organized department that meets all food safety requirements

• Respect all other employees and work in a professional manner at all times projecting a good company image

• Other duties as assigned

• Ability to work in the greenhouse as required

• Flexibility to work extended hours, including Saturdays

• Follow all policies and procedures as it relates to Human Resources, Health and Safety and Food Safety

It is vital that you have a positive attitude, great energy, excellent attendance and punctuality.

Additional Important Key Attributes:

• Self-motivation

• Attention to detail

• Committed to customer service

• Work in various positions at the required speed of service and with the desired sense of urgency

• Ability to communicate any issues or concerns

• Independent transportation

• Excellent multi-tasking skills under pressure and manual dexterity

• Ability to lift up 20 lb boxes

• Ability to work as a team or independently

• Must be able to work in cold and hot environment

• Requires standing, and walking on a regular basis for prolonged periods

• Visual and audio sensory are needed

If you possess these attributes, please forward your resume to: hr@orangelinefarms.com Only those chosen for an interview will be contacted. We are a vegetable greenhouse that focuses on high quality healthy greenhouse products and looking for

Responsibilities:

• Progressively lead a packing line of 10 – 15 employees

• Ensure customer specifications are being followed and adhered to

• Working with scheduler to coordinate the personnel in order to meet production goals

• Report all machine issues to Operations Manager and Maintenance

• Report personnel issues to Human Resources

• Train new employees as necessary

• Maintain accurate records

• Complete all relevant required documentation in an accurate and timely manner, including recording all packaging completed and the packaging used and/or destroyed

• Maintain a neat and organized work area

• Follow all policies, practices and procedures as it relates to Human Resources, Health and Safety and Food Safety

Qualifications:

• Self- motivation and attention to detail

• Flexibility with working hours (Days Only including Saturdays)

• Independent transportation

• Excellent multi-tasking skills under pressure

• Ability to lift boxes up to 20 lbs.

• Work in cold and hot environments

• High School diploma or equivalent experience

• Basic math aptitude

• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels

If you possess these attributes, please forward your resume to: hr@orangelinefarms.com Only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.

SOUTHPOINT SUN

REGIONAL MANAGER – 0621

Kiara Footwear Ltd. dba Brida Shoes located in Leamington, Ontario is looking for a permanent full time Regional Manager for their Retail Operations located in Windsor and Brampton.

Successful Candidate will be responsible for the following:

• Plan, direct and evaluate the operations of the business;

• Hire and train staff;

• Develop and implement marketing strategies;

• Determine merchandise and services to be sold;

• Study market research and trends to assist with expansion; and

• Develop business plan and assist with expansion.

Applicant must have pervious management experience. Minimum 3 years of experience is required.

Successful candidate will be remunerated an hourly wage of $21.75 per hour plus benefits.

Please send resumes to: jobs@bridaonline.com

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

JC FRESH FARMS & greenhouses

JOB OPPORTUNITY

General Labor Warehouse, Vegetable Packer Hours vary on production. Minimum Wage. Please Fax resume to 519-733-8059.

CAREGIVER – NOC 6474

The Pierce family in Wheatley, Ontario is looking for a full-time live in Caregiver. Successful candidate will be responsible for:

- Driving and attending medical appointment;

- Assisting with daily activities;

- Prepare food and assist with housekeeping duties;

- Run errands as required. Successful candidate must have completed the caregiver certificate and have extensive experience. Driver’s License required along with clean driving record and criminal record check. Male Applicants are preferred. Applicants will be compensated an hourly wage of $13 per hour. Please send resume to: rhalabi@hulkaporter.com

JOIN THE TEAM!

Conestoga Meat Packers located in Breslau, Ontario is a vertically integrated processor of premium quality, fresh pork.

Come and be a part of our dynamic team and join us in building for the future together. We are expanding our business and have permanent full-time openings for Meat Cutters/Butchers - Retail or Wholesale on our day and afternoon shift. The start date would be as soon as possible.

Job Description:

• Cut, trim and prepare standard cuts of meat

• Remove bones from meat

• Prepare special orders.

• Wrap and package prepared meats

• Train meat cutters

• Use manual cutting utensil

We Offer:

Work Conditions and Environment:

• Physically demanding

• Fast-paced environment

• Handling heavy loads

• Cold/refrigerated environment

• Some areas may have odours

• Wholesaler, meat packing establishment

• Competitive wages (ranges from $16.60 per hour to $20.40 per hour)

• Competitive Benefits (Medical, Dental, Life Insurance, Vision Care, Pension, Group Insurance)

• Afternoon Shift Premium of 50 cents

• 40 hours per week

• Training will be provided

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines

• Completion of High School

• Commitment to safety and quality processes

• 1-2 years butcher/knife experience required

• Previous experience in retail/wholesale butchery environment.

• Butchery course an asset

• Ability to stand and perform repetitive physical tasks for extended periods of time

• Attention to detail and work well with others

• Perform critical thinking, have significant use of memory and continuous learning

• Excellent hand-eye coordination and decision making skills

• Basic English communication skills

• Basic security clearance

Working Location: 313 Menno St, Breslau, Ontario, NOB 1M0.

No public transportation available, transportation assistance may be available.

These positions are required for day (starting times vary from 6:00 am - 7:30 am) and afternoon shift (starting times vary from 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm) Monday - Friday

Please upload/send your resume in confidence to http://conestogameats.com or fax to (519-648-3421)

We thank all applicants for their interest, however only those invited to participate in our recruitment process will be contacted.

Armstrong Top Pack Ltd. is hiring 50 permanent, full time vegetable packers for its Leamington location to start as soon as possible. The wage rate is $11.00 for 44.0 hours per week. You should be able to lift up to 50 lbs. on a repetitive basis and be able to sort and pack fruits and vegetables in a fast paced environment.

No education or experience is required.

Apply in person from 9:00 to 5:00 at 500 County Road 18, Leamington, N8H3V5 or by email jobs@toppack.ca

NOTICES

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

IN THE ESTATE OF KATHLEEN MARVELLA WINGER

All claims against the Estate of KATHLEEN MARVELLA WINGER, (also known as Kathleen Marville Winger), late of the Municipality of Leamington, in the County of Essex, who died on or about the 3rd day of September, 2015, must be filed with the undersigned personal representative on or before the 29 th day of December, 2015. Thereafter the undersigned will distribute the assets of the estate having regard only to the claims then filed.

Dated: November 20th, 2015.Matthew M. Caron PEARSALL, MARSHALL, HALLIWILL & SEATON LLP. Barristers and Solicitors 22 Queens Avenue Leamington, Ontario N8H 3G8

LEAMINGTON BRANCH 84, ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION POPPY TRUST FUND ANNUAL STATEMENT

Total expenditures for the period October 1st 2014 to September 30th 2015: $9330.63. Expenditures include poppies and wreaths, student bursaries, Veteran Services, Veteran Gifts, Parkwood Veterans Care and Comfort, Youth Education, Poster and Literary Awards, Charitable Foundation Provincial Command of R.C.L., Legion Homeless Veterans Program, Administration supplies. Trust Fund Balance as of October 31st, 2015: $12,564.57.

The Leamington Legion would like to thank the residents and businesses of Leamington, the Leamington Air Cadets 535 Squadron and Leamington Flyers Hockey Club for their generosity and assistance during our annual Poppy Campaign. We also thank the students and staff of Leamington District Secondary School, organizations and citizens who took part in our Remembrance Day Parade and Ceremony. Robert McKee, President Tim Harold, Poppy Chairman

NOTICES

THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF LEAMINGTON NOTICE OF INTENTION TO REMOVE HOLDING (H) SYMBOL ZBH #123 – PHASE 1 GOLFWOOD LAKES INC.

TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Leamington intends to pass a by-law under Section 36(4) of the Planning Act on MONDAY, DECMEBER 14TH, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. to remove the Holding Symbol (H) on land described as Lots 1-45 and Blocks 46-54, Plan 12M-607 representing Phase 1 of the Golfwood Lakes Plan of Subdivision.

THE SUBJECT LANDS are designated Residential on Schedule “A-6E” of the Official Plan and are currently zoned Residential Holding Zone(R3(h)) on Map 61 of Zoning By-law #890-09.

THE PURPOSE of the Holding Symbol is to ensure the orderly development of lands and the provision of adequate municipal services. The Holding Symbol prevents the development of such properties until the Municipality is satisfied that adequate servicing is provided to allow for growth. The owner (Golfwood Lakes Inc.) has submitted an application to remove the Holding Symbol (H) currently applied to the residential zoning of the lots in Phase 1 of the Golfwood Lakes Plan of Subdivision. Golfwood Lakes Subdivision is located on the north side of Robson Road, immediately west of Erie Shores Golf Course (see inserted key map). The County of Essex granted draft approval of the Plan of Subdivision on April 9, 2008 for the development of 292 residential units. The developer entered into a subdivision agreement with the Municipality in March 2015 and has received final approval of Phase 1. Phase 1 consists of a new internal road off of Robson Road and will allow for the construction of 45 single detached dwellings and 15 townhouse units in a fully serviced area.

ANY PERSON interested in this matter and wishing to make representation either in support of or in opposition to the intended amending by-law should contact the undersigned before the meeting date. If you require any further information, please contact Danielle Truax, Manager of Planning Services.

DATED AT THE MUNICIPALITY OF LEAMINGTON THIS 9TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2015.

BRENDA PERCY, CLERK MUNICIPALITY OF LEAMINGTON 111 ERIE STREET NORTH, LEAMINGTON, ONTARIO N8H 2Z9 TELEPHONE 519-326-5761