March 21, 2018

Prescribed burns at Point Pelee Park

Parks Canada is conducting prescribed fires at Point Pelee National Park between March 19 and April 15, when conditions are favourable.

Prescribed fires planned for 2018 will be located near the Visitor Centre (1.43 hectares), Cactus Field (3 hectares), Marsh Boardwalk (0.58 hectares) and Sleepy Hollow (1.97 hectares).

This prescribed fire program is an important part of the park’s Lake Erie Sand Spit Savannah restoration project.

The Park will remain open to visitors during the prescribed fires. Some areas will be closed for short periods of time to ensure visitor and staff safety.

The prescribed fires will only be initiated when the environmental and weather conditions are suitable. Extensive planning and careful execution will ensure that the prescribed fires are controlled and contained within predetermined boundaries. Some smoke will be present and visible, but staff will monitor wind conditions and direct smoke away from publicly used areas.

Prescribed fires contribute to the restoration of Point Pelee National Park’s globally rare savannah ecosystem by reducing the number of exotic plants, preventing the spread of invading shrubs and trees, and improving habitat for Species at Risk.

This is an important step in restoring healthy, resilient ecosystems that support a variety of birds, butterflies, and Species at Risk which depend on open, sunny savannah habitat to survive.

Uni-Fab expanding: 33 new jobs

By Bryan Jessop

A rural Leamington business is using a ‘Fab-ulous’ opportunity to support the region’s employment rate.

In part through the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, Uni-Fab on Highway 77 south of Mersea Road 5 is expanding its operation with the installation of new machinery and the hiring of an additional 33 full time positions. Uni-Fab is one of five locations throughout Windsor and Essex County to benefit from the province’s latest funding program, an initiative set out to generate new employment opportunities. The Leamington-based business received $585,970 through a successful application for the fund while also investing nearly $5.4 million of its own resources to increase output for clients throughout the United States supplying parts to the automotive industry.

agreement for receiving Southwestern Ontario Development Fund money, Uni-Fab was required to hire a minimum of 10 new workers. President Abe Fehr explained that once the expansion process is complete, 33 employers — or possibly more — will join the previous workforce of 135.

“It’s created a very positive feeling throughout the plant.”

— Abe Fehr

As part of an expansion process that introduced a new building immediately west of the existing location, UniFab has installed a new Salvagnini panel bender as part of its metal fabricating operation. The $4.5 million machine will begin functioning by late June of this year, allowing for the automation of the forming and cutting process for sheet metal. The device was installed about a year-and-a-half ahead of schedule.

The new building, which began operating in August of last year, has also welcomed a Toshiba bridge mill through a $1.2 million investment. The 10 foot by 20 foot machine was initially put to use when the new building opened and requires two workers per shift to operate, including a programmer. The panel bender, meanwhile, is tended to by an additional three employees. Also, a new smoke collection system has been set up to catch smoke emitting from the end of welding guns instead of allowing it to be pulled to the other end of the shop and collected there.

“With all the new equipment in and the new plant, there are better working conditions for our staff,” Fehr explained. “It’s created a very positive feeling throughout the plant.”

Fehr applied for the fund about two years ago and received word that his application was accepted about a year-and-a-half ago. To retain the nearly $586,000, the company must complete its expansion and hiring process by September of 2020 — a deadline that will be met with about two years to spare.

Uni-Fab originally began operating in Oldcastle near Windsor in 1991. It relocated to Leamington in 1991 with a workforce of 68 employees, a number that has since doubled. Although it also works alongside the aerospace and oil and gas industries, the majority of the company’s clients are based in the automotive sector. Roughly 90 per cent of those clients are machine and tool operations in locations across the U.S. including Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin that supply automotive companies across the globe.

Other local companies benefiting from the fund are Jahn Engineering, Reko International, Technicut Tool and Windsor Industrial Services. Since being introduced in 2013, the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund has offered investments totalling about $163 million while creating and retaining 41,000 jobs.

“It’s a good idea. By creating new jobs, the tax base increases which means the government gets its money back,” said Fehr.

For up-to-date information about potential area closures, check the park’s website at parkscanada. gc.ca/pelee and Facebook page at facebook.com/PointPeleeNP.

With the construction of Uni-Fab’s new building, the welding capacity of the original structure has been doubled. Currently, the company is hiring machine operators, welders, fitters, assemblers and machinists. As part of the

Fehr hopes to host an open house at Uni-Fab by late summer of this year to officially introduce the new components of the business to the public.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has a contest just for kids! The RCMP needs names for A foal at the

breeding farm in

up to 12 foals to be born this spring at the RCMP breeding

in

Individual winners and one school class will be selected from across Canada.

“This is a chance for kids to be a part of the Musical Ride’s history, by giving a name to one of our foals in 2018,” said Superintendent Mike Côté, Officer in Charge of the RCMP Musical Ride & Heritage Branch. “The school class entries are a great opportunity for students to work together and come up with a name. We look forward to meeting some of the winners during this year’s tour.”

To qualify, entries must meet the following criteria:

• Names must begin with the letter “P”.

• An individual entry must include a child’s first name only, city, province or territory, and a parent or guardian’s email address.

• School class entries must include the teacher’s name, school, city, province or territory, and teacher’s email address.

• Entrants must be 14 years old or younger.

• Only one entry per child will be eligible.

• Online entries must be received no later than April 30, 2018.

• Mail-in entries must be postmarked no later than April 26, 2018.

Winning names will be chosen by instructors of the RCMP Musical Ride Branch and announced in May, along with the names of the winners, on the RCMP website. Winners will also receive an RCMP prize pack.

Submit your entry:

• By email to www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/annual-name-the-foal-contest

• By mail to Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Musical Ride Branch, c/o RCMP Name the Foal Contest, PO Box 8900, Ottawa, ON, K1G 3J2.

Pakenham, Ontario. (Photo courtesy of CNW Group and Royal Canadian Mounted Police)

farm

Pakenham, Ontario.

WFCU Painting Competition + Exhibit

The WFCU Painting Competition + Exhibit was an opportunity for emerging, mid-career and established artists to present their most accomplished works at the Leamington Arts Centre (LAC) for a chance to win cash prizes. The exhibit’s focus was to highlight and celebrate the arts in the region and to offer financial support and an audience for artists. $1,200 in cash prizes were awarded from WFCU. Pictured here, from left to right, are: Mary Filipchuk (accepting for Vera Graham, Honourable Mention); Elaine Guitar Van Loo, Honourable Mention; Chad Riley, LAC Director; Beth Prince, Manager, Community Investment and Marketing Innovation, WFCU; Graeme Skelton, judge; Maham Gull, 3rd; Jesse Gledhill, 1st; and Sanja Srdanov, 2nd. A total of 62 entries from 28 artists entered with 39 works selected to be in the exhibit from 26 artists. Absent from photo were: Ken Grahame, Honourable Mention; and Sarah Beveridge, judge. (Submitted photo)

Karaoke on Saturday at the Legion

WHEATLEY LEGION NEWS BRANCH

324

Jan Watson

Fun Darts continues to grow. There were 26 players out on March 9. The three leading teams tied with wins – Garry Hope and Steve Clements – Mary Ann Dutot and Terry Taylor – Mary Robinson and April Simpson. Julie Reid, Rosemary Duquette and Jim McClellan won 4 games.

Five teams tied with 3 wins – Marcelle Chittle, Larry Evoy and Terry Jackson – Carol Balestrieri and Sherry Decaluwe – Debbie Seili, Mike Bruner and Steve Acott – Velma Hope, Mike Simpson and Arnold Seili – Terri Taylor, Nikole Clements and Tracey Burner. Erika Simpson, Bobby Broom and Gord Crook won 2 games. Lady doublers were Mary, April, Rosemary, Carol, Sherry and Debbie. Jim says, “It’s great to see Garry Hope out feeding the quarter jar again!” I say, “Garry, it’s great hear that you are feeling better.”

Join the Fun Darts players on Fridays starting at 7:30 p.m. Please note that there will be no Fun Darts on Good Friday March 30.

Tommy Brown and Roger “Sob” Lamb, a birthday boy, ran the Meat Draws on March 10. Terry Scratch and I were two-time winners, and single winners were Terry Stevenson, Bill Robertson, Todd Stevenson, Hilda Tuffin, Merissa Lamb, Bob Lamb and Jane Pursel. Peter Jackson won the 50/50 draw.

All are welcome to the Meat Draws this Saturday March 24. Tickets go on sale at 3 p.m.

Then, on Saturday night starting at 7 p.m., tune up your singing voice and enjoy an evening of Karaoke. Everyone is welcome.

Drop in for a hot lunch on Wednesdays starting at noon. This week smoked pulled pork on a bun with a side of coleslaw will be available for only $6 each. Tickets are now available for the Good Friday Fish Fry being held on March 30 from 5–7 p.m. Enjoy fresh Lake Erie perch, fries, cole-

slaw and more for only $15 per person (kids 8 and under $8 payable at the bar). Bring your Easter guests for a great tasting Wheatley treat.

Coming up… the 2nd Annual Rick Pickle Memorial Dart Tournament on March 31 is now full… April 14 Steak Barbecue followed by the Birthday Bash featuring Toast & Jam… May 5 the annual Tom and Annie Howe Dart Tournament.

Planning a wedding/shower, birthday/family gathering or funeral luncheon? The upstairs hall is available to rent. Call Sue at the Branch Monday to Friday between 12 noon and 5 p.m. at 519-825-4161 for details.

Jett Brookes

Jett Brookes, 19 years, died on Sunday, February 11, 2018 in Regina Saskatchewan.

Beloved son of Sharon Martin and Kenneth Wesley Brookes. Dear brother of Becky, Travis, Josh, Geralyn, Johnathon and Nicholas. Dear grandson to Allen Martin (late Ruth), Mary Lou Laliberte (late Francis), late George Brookes (late Maime).

Jett was a former student at Gore Hill Public School in Leamington.

In kindness, memorial donations may be made to the Canadian Mental Health Association as your expression of sympathy.

Visiting is at Janisse Funeral Home, 1139 Ouellette Avenue, Windsor (519-253-5225) on Saturday, March 24, 2018 from 3 p.m. until the Time of Sharing and Remembering at 3:30 p.m.

Online condolences may be made to www.janissefuneralhome.ca

Kingsville Bridge Results

Kingsville Bridge Club, Mar. 14: 1st George Hildebrandt and Henry Hildebrandt, 2nd Peter Scott and Mike Thomson, 3rd Bill Chaplin and Chris Brennan, 4th Sandy and Joyce Gammie. Bridge is every Wednesday at the Lions Hall in Kingsville, 7 p.m.

RIB’S RAMBLINGS

Mark Ribble

Scrapbooks and yard sales

I got looking through some old scrapbooks a week or so ago and can’t believe some of the things I’ve held on to.

It made me wonder if other people had held on to some of their childhood scraps too, and also made me regret some of the things I’ve thrown out along the way.

I’ve written before about my G.I. Joe and other childhood memorabilia I’ve kept in a closet for years.

Occasionally, we’ll hear about someone uncovering something inside a wall while doing renovations to an old building and those kinds of things fascinate me.

I had a conversation with Nick Wilhelm last week about a pin he discovered among some jewelry he’d picked up a yard sale awhile back. Inside this box of trinkets was a pin for the Point Pelee Pirates.

Nick called me, thinking my connections to the Point may shed some light on the pin, but I don’t recall that at all and it must have been before my time. I’ll pass that info on to my oldest brother Dennis, who will most likely recognize the pin.

There’s something about reminiscing about days gone by that makes people happy. I guess it’s a nod to much simpler times.

On the weeks that I write about businesses or songs or TV shows from the past, I get more comments than those weeks I devote to my beloved Maple Leafs.

So that tells you something. Either readers don’t want to hear about the Leafs or they really like reminiscing about the old days in this area.

My experience is limited, compared to those who are a bit older than I.

I’m not old enough to remember the original Tomato Festivals in the 1950s, and I came along near the very end of the annual Heinz Picnics. I wasn’t around for Howdy Doody or Dobie Gillis, but managed to see all of the Three Stooges shorts in syndication.

When I look back at the scrapbooks my mother kept for me when I was a kid, I’m always anxious to read the clippings from the Leamington Post from my old baseball and hockey games.

Seeing names in there from kids who I remember, whom I haven’t seen or heard of in years, makes me think about the old days.

I recently had a visit with Murray Loop and he showed me his childhood scrapbooks. It was fun to look at things he was studying in school in the late 1930s, and he had some newspaper clippings that he had put in there from the news of the day that were quite interesting reads.

Back in those days, as it was when I was a kid, we had to produce clippings and stuff for ‘current events’ in class. I can’t imagine they do that in today’s schools. If they do, good for them. I hope they keep it going.

Of course it’s a different world now than what it was when I was a kid. Current events nowadays consist of stories of war, terrorism or mass murders, all things that you don’t want your kids dwelling on for too long.

Back then, I could clip something about a faraway land and also find a writeup on Nolan Ryan’s latest no-hitter and we’d be good to go.

And that news would be days old once it reached us here in remote southwestern Ontario. Or at least it seemed that way.

Unlike today, when pictures of catastrophe are all over the internet for everyone to see almost immediately.

Of course, the Kennedy assassination played out almost live on national TV, but I really don’t recall a lot of big disasters unfolding before our eyes until the Los Angeles riots which were sparked by the beating of Rodney King. That was 1992 and I remember being glued to the TV watching the looting and rioting that took place live.

I’m old enough to vaguely remember the race riots in Detroit, but it didn’t seem like it was aired live on national TV like the LA ones some 25 years later.

Then came O.J. Simpson and his media circus, followed closely by the Oklahoma City bombings and of course, Waco.

Those things jump out at you as big deals in the news over the years.

Now, not a week goes by without some sort of mass murder or natural disaster.

It’s a different world, and I guess that explains why everyone likes to reminisce about the ‘good old days.’

1974 Dodge Challenger found in a barn

The following story arrived from Oliver in Mississauga: “Hi Bill. I always enjoy reading your weekly stories in the local paper. In 2012, I spotted an ad on Kijiji for a 1974 Dodge Challenger. The ad only appeared once. I called and was told the car was stored in a barn half an hour north of Belleville, Ontario, and had been there for seven years.”

THE OLD CAR DETECTIVE

Bill Sherk

Oliver drove along a gravel road to reach the barn

and there it was: a solid and complete 1974 Dodge Challenger with 80,000 miles on the odometer. It was a car that Oliver, born in 1966, had always wanted as a child, especially with the twin air scoops in the hood. The owner was the brother of the original owner but never drove the car himself. He placed the ad only once

because he did not want to be flooded with calls. He told Oliver that all engine and body numbers matched. Because the price was right, Oliver took the man at his word and towed the car back home, then put it up on a hoist. And sure enough, he had a “matching numbers” car!

He replaced all the seals, replaced the 760 Holley carb with a 650 Edelbrock carb, and installed new tires on the original rims. Very little work was required to get the car back on the road. Oliver has driven it to numerous cruise nights in the Mississauga area and tells me the car is “90% original.”

The original colour was Baby Blue but the new darker finish looks great. The black finish on the hood is part of the rally package. The car was built in Michigan.

The Challenger was introduced in 1970 to challenge the Mustang and Camaro in the highly competitive pony car market. It sold well its first year, then trailed off to just 16,437 in 1974, its final year.

With its 110-inch wheelbase, it gave the driver a sportier feeling compared to the larger Dodge Charger with its 115-

inch wheelbase.

The standard V8 for the Challenger was the 318 but Oliver’s car has the optional 360 V8, which is more rare. His engine has needed no work since he bought the car. Happy motoring!

I’m always looking for stories.

Email billtsherk@sympatico.ca

1974 Challenger on the road again.

place Tuesday, March 13, where employees were greeted by an initial turnout of between 200 and 250 customers.

Winners opens in Leamington

By Bryan Jessop

A new branch for a retail chain has been quick to acknowledge that support works both ways.

On the morning of Tuesday, March 13, Winners officially opened its newest store at 250 Erie St. South in Leamington. While giving the region’s employment base a healthy boost, the retailer also presented a donation of $5,000 to the Canadian Women’s Foundation. The grand opening was greeted by an estimated 200 to 250 shoppers, who formed a line up well outside the building’s main entrance.

The event was attended by mayor John Paterson and other representatives from the Municipality of Leamington, who along with the first rush of customers, were greeted by Winners employees and management.

During the business’s official opening, the Canadian Women’s Foundation became its first charitable recipient, as a contribution of $5,000 was presented shortly after the doors of Winners Leamington opened for the first time. The CWF is a registered charity established to assist women and girls with leadership initiatives and to remove them from violence and poverty. Through donations to its program Shop For Gen 1, Winners has supported the creation of more than 450 women’s shelters across Canada. Since 1999, the company has also supported the Sunshine Foundation, a charity organization dedicated to helping children with severe physical challenges or life-threatening medical conditions

“Charity is something very near and dear to us. We want to take that to the next level here in Leamington.”

— Orissia Griffith-Tanner

experience their dreams.

“We’re really excited about building strong bonds in the community,” said Winners Leamington store manager Orissia Griffith-Tanner. “Charity is something very near and dear to us. We want to take that to the next level here in Leamington.”

At the new Leamington location, Winners employs a staff of 42 workers and a management team of three. The store occupies a portion of the space once utilized by Zellers prior to its local and Canada-wide closure in 2013. Much of the Leamington Zellers mall was demolished in June of 2017 to make room for new businesses, including Winners.

Winners, owned by parent TJX Companies since 1990, was founded in 1982 and operates out of headquarters based in Mississauga. Prior to the opening of the Leamington store, its closest location was the branch on Dougall Avenue in Windsor. The new space on Erie Street South in Leamington includes about 12,000 square feet of retail sales space. Planning and preparation for the new location took place for about one year prior to last week’s grand opening. For more on the new store’s hours of operation and inventory, visit the site www.winners.ca.

March mental health seminar to discuss social media

Adults share the responsibility of helping young people use social media in a safe and appropriate manner. There are numerous hazards involved with children interacting online and the March installment of the Mental Health Seminar Series will help equip parents/ guardians with tools to identify concerns and minimize the risks.

The seminars will be led by executive director Joanna Conrad and Jodi Ouellette, the Youth Justice Manager and Groups Facilitator of the Essex County Diversion Program.

The session in Leamington is on Wednesday, March 28 at 7 p.m. at the Roma Club, 19 Seacliff Dr. E. The seminar begins at 7 p.m. and is free of charge.

There is also a session in Windsor being held a week prior at Kennedy Collegiate Institute on Thursday, March 22, also at 7 p.m.

For more information contact Tracey Rilett at 519735-6260.

Leamington mayor John Paterson is joined by staff members and management representing Winners for its grand opening at 250 Erie Street South, where a donation of $5,000 was presented for the Canadian Women’s Foundation. The grand opening took

March is Easter Seals Month

Kids with physical disabilities don’t want your stares or sympathy, but they do deserve your admiration and respect. Kids and all individuals with physical disabilities face incredible challenges each and every day, but with a little support and assistance they can become unstoppABLE. That’s the message Easter Seals wants to spread during March is Easter Seals

Month.

“Kids with physical disabilities have incredible strength and determination. They have to try harder and persevere through daily challenges most people can’t imagine; whether it’s their own mobility limitations, lack of accessible facilities or the stigma that comes from being a little different from other kids,” said Kevin Collins, Presi-

dent and CEO, Easter Seals Ontario. “And yet, when they get a little help, many are able to go on and accomplish great things.”

Families contend with overwhelming expenses raising a child with a physical disability. From accessibility equipment to home renovations, therapists and travel to and from medical appointments, costs often exceed more than $40,000

a year. Most families can’t afford all of the expenses on their own. Easter Seals strives to help families provide the equipment their children need.

“We wholeheartedly believe that with a little help kids with physical disabilities can be unstoppABLE,” said Collins. “Through the generous support of our donors, the programs we provide at Easter Seals Ontario are intended to help kids get to the next level and achieve their potential; to be more independent and self-confident so they can accomplish their goals and be all they can be.”

March is Easter Seals Month is the beginning of Easter Seals Ontario’s annual fundraising and awareness campaign for kids with physical disabilities. The goal during this month is to increase awareness surrounding the ongoing challenges and needs kids with physical disabilities experience while raising much-needed funds to support the organization’s programs and services.

Province-wide fundraising initiatives include: the annual Easter Seals direct mail campaign, containing the traditional Easter “seals”, arriving in homes across the province; and between March 9 and April 1, the Easter Seals Paper Egg Campaign takes place at retailers across Ontario where shoppers are invited to support the organization by purchasing a $2 paper egg.

Locally, the annual Easter Seals Telethon will air on Sunday, March 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Windsor-Essex.

For more information, visit EasterSealsTelethon. org

About Easter Seals: Easter Seals Ontario has been a champion for children and youth with physical disabilities for the past 96 years. Programs and services include funding for essential mobility equipment and communication devices, fully accessible summer camp opportunities at its two properties, Camp Merrywood and Camp Woodeden, postsecondary scholarships and special education and other information resources for parents. Easter Seals relies solely on the generosity of donations from the public to be able to offer its programs and services.

Fundraisers planned for NatureFresh Field

By Bryan Jessop

Leamington District Secondary School is cooking up a four-part fundraiser to help finance its new outdoor athletic facility.

The school’s hospitality department is spearheading a series of dinners available to the public in an effort to help cover the costs of building NatureFresh Field on the grounds of its new Oak Street West location. The first of the four dinners — dubbed the “Lasagna Extravaganza” — took place Wednesday, March 7, with three more events to follow.

On Tuesday, March 27, the school will present “Fish Fry for the Field,” using fresh, local fish with a choice of homemade chips or a locally sourced gourmet salad. Next up, the Roast Chicken Dinner will be offered on Wednesday, Apr. 25, to be complimented with roasted potatoes and locally grown mixed vegetables. The event will conclude Wednesday, May 23 with “Mediterranean Escape,” a meal of Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. Participating students and teachers Joe Youssef and Janine Deneau are still planning the menu for the fundraiser’s final installment.

“This is kind of a trial thing for us,” explained Youssef. “We’re trying to get everyone involved, including teachers. Whether its helping to cook, serve or advertise, it’s something we’re doing as one big team.”

As part of the fundraising committee, Youssef and other LDSS teachers were brainstorming ideas to help raise funds for the yet-to-be-built athletic field. Youssef suggested recruiting hospitality department students — which includes three classes taught by himself and another three taught by Deneau — to plan and prepare a series of dinners to be hosted by the school.

The Lasagna Extravaganza sold about 70 tickets to a combination of staff, students and parents, some of who picked up an order to go while others dined at tables set up by students in the new school’s atrium. Youssef estimated that approximately 150 orders could be accommodated, including a limited number of walk-in guests.

of NatureFresh Farms, South

financial backing of the project. The school is hosting a series of fundraising dinners to help fund the field, which began with the

Three more dinners have been scheduled for March

23 (Mediterranean Escape). (Sun file photo)

“Whether its helping to cook, serve or advertise, it’s something we’re doing as one big team.”

— Joe Youssef

“We haven’t really tested our limits yet, but we can crank out a lot of food with the new facility,” he explained.

Anyone interested in purchasing one of the meals is encouraged to contact the school (519-326-6191) or place an order via one of its involved students at least one or two days in advance. One of the three remaining meals can also be accounted for using the Greater Essex County District School Board’s “School Cash Online” service at https://gecdsb.schoolcashonline.com — the same web-

based service that can be used to pay for a student’s schoolrelated fees.

During a groundbreaking ceremony held in late May of last year, NatureFresh Farms announced an investment of $250,000 into the future outdoor athletic complex, to be utilized by soccer, football, and track and field teams. The total cost of the project has been estimated at $1.5 million, including the creating of eight rubberized lanes and high jump and shot put areas. During last year’s ceremony, it was estimated that the most likely completion date for the complex would be in the spring or autumn of 2019. At that time, NatureFresh Farms owner and president Peter Quiring explained that local businesses and groups were being sought out to offer their support for the project, branded Operation Flag Pole.

As of this month, a sum of about $580,000 had been raised toward the construction of NatureFresh Field. For more information or to make a donation, visit the website www.naturefresh.ca/naturefresh-field.

Representatives

Essex Fabricating, Leamington District Secondary School and the Greater Essex County District School Board complete a groundbreaking ceremony at the future site of NatureFresh Field to the cheers of LDSS students in late May of 2017. NatureFresh has committed $250,000 towards the field and is seeking other community partners to step forward to assist with the

Lasagna Extravaganza on March 7.

27 (Fish Fry for the Field), April 25 (Roast Chicken Dinner) and May

Earth Day contest calling for student submissions

In celebration of the countdown to Earth Day (Sunday, April 22), the Essex Region Conservation Authority and Detroit River Canadian Cleanup are asking students in the Windsor-Essex Region to highlight how they will reduce their plastic consumption. This is in conjunction with Earth Day’s 2018 goal of providing information and inspiration to fundamentally change attitudes and behaviours surrounding plastics.

“Plastic pollution has become one of the biggest threats to our natural habitat, and we see it every day in our rivers and waterways, and on our beaches and landscapes. We’re asking local students to think creatively about what they would do differently each day and how they can implore others in the community to follow their lead,” said Danielle Breault Stuebing, Director of ERCA’s Communications & Outreach Services.

Students have a number of creative options to tell their story. ERCA welcomes pictures, poems, essays and even photographs for the contest. The submissions will be separated into five grade-based categories, with one winner declared from each category. “We wanted this contest to be as open as possible,’” Stuebing added. “It’s really about young people sharing their thoughts, perspectives and ideas on how to create a game plan and be leaders in the community to help end plastic pollution.”

The student submissions will be shared with the public on the ERCA website and social media pages. The winning students will also be recognized at ERCA’s annual Earth Day tree planting event, which happens at 10 a.m. on April 22 in East Windsor. Five winning submissions will be rewarded with an Earth Day prize pack at the Earth Day Tree Planting event.

Submissions can be submitted with the subject heading “Earth Day Contest”:

• By email to Contest@erca.org

• By mail to 360 Fairview Ave. W., Suite 311, Essex, ON N8M 1Y6.

• By fax 519-776-8688.

A full description of contest rules and ERCA’s Earth Day activities can be found online at www.erca.org/EarthDay

Traffic stop leads to arrest for drug, criminal offences

On February 28 at approximately 9:45 p.m., a member of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) conducted a motor vehicle stop on Hwy 3 in Lakeshore when the vehicle was observed travelling at a high rate of speed.

Further investigation revealed quantities of illicit narcotics in the vehicle resulting in the arrest of two persons.

A 28-year-old Leamington man was charged with the following Criminal Code (CC) and Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) offences: possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking; possession of a Schedule II substance (x2); failing to comply with probation order (x2); failing to comply with recognizance; possession of weapon for a dangerous purpose; obstructing a peace officer; and possession of property obtained by crime (under $5,000).

A 21-year-old Windsor woman was charged with possession of a Schedule II substance and breach of recognizance.

A quantity of suspected methamphetamine, an edged weapon and drug paraphernalia were seized during the arrest.

Elections Ontario launches voter registration campaign

Throughout March, Elections Ontario is promoting e-Registration across Ontario to improve the accuracy of the Voters List. This new online tool has simplified the registration process for Ontario voters. Ontarians can confirm, update or add their voter information online in a few easy steps.

Elections Ontario will hold local events in several electoral districts to ensure it reaches as many eligible voters as possible. The Chief Electoral Officer will be promoting the campaign in the media across the province, informing voters on technology changes ahead of the election on June 7, 2018.

Most Ontario residents are already registered to vote, but with electoral districts increasing from 107 to 124, it is important for voters to confirm their information is correct. With up-to-date information from voters themselves, Elections Ontario can deliver the Voter Information Card (VIC) to the right person at the right address for the June election.

The VIC is mailed to every voter whose name and address appear on the Voters List. It includes important information about where to vote, when to vote and the many ways to vote. For the election in June, the VIC will be the key to an improved, modernized voting system and a better experience for voters.

Candidate information session for those considering running in the 2018 Municipal Election

The Municipal Clerks in Essex County welcome all interested potential municipal candidates, or even those who would like more information, to join them at a free Candidate Information Session on Thursday, April 26 at 7 p.m.

“We are pleased to present this free information session, in partnership with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs” said Mary Birch, Director of Community and Council Services/Clerk for the County of Essex. “We encourage residents to come out, ask questions, and learn more about becoming civically engaged.”

The Candidate Information Session will feature topics such as:

• The role of local and County council.

• The role of municipal staff.

• The role of School Board trustees.

• Nominations and the eligibility to run.

• Candidate and third party advertiser rules and duties.

• General campaign rules and election finances.

• Compliance audits and penalties.

• Testimonials of being an elected official.

The Information Session will feature speakers from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and a Senior Municipal Leader with both political and administrative experience. More information is available by visiting countyofessex.on.ca/candidate or by contacting the County of Essex at COEInfo@countyofessex.on.ca

CLEC selects

new executive director

The Board of Directors, following an extensive search process, has selected Karen Bolger as the new Executive Director for Community Living Essex County beginning in April 2018. Karen was offered and accepted the position in February.

Ms. Bolger has been with Community Living Essex County since 1985, working her way up through progressively responsible positions within the agency. Her current position has been as Director of Community Living Operations, a position she has held since 2011.

“I’m very excited to be given the incredible opportunity to help lead Community Living Essex County into its next chapter as a very successful and highly innovative organization,” said Karen. “We have a fantastic team and it will be my pleasure to work alongside many talented and dedicated people.”

Nancy Wallace-Gero, CLEC's current Executive Director, will retire April 13 after a distinguished 32-year career with the agency.

“While we will certainly miss Nancy as she retires, we feel confident that Karen is a great choice to succeed her,” said Ron Giofu, President of Community Living Essex County's Board of Directors. “Karen's experience, passion and knowledge of the developmental services sector made her a prime candidate for the executive director job and we believe she will do a great job in moving the agency forward. We look forward to working with her as she begins her new duties.”

Secondary Plan: Public Open House

The Municipality of Leamington is undertaking a Secondary Plan to identify land use designations and determine specific policies to provide direction for future development of four subject areas (see map). Questions around how and where to distribute development, types of development, and how to support growth are key issues to be dealt with through this process.

The project team is inviting the public and stakeholders to attend the Public Open House meeting to learn more about the study. The purpose of the meeting is to allow the public an opportunity to review information related to the draft Secondary Plans for each study area, ask questions and provide comments to project team representatives.

The open house is Thursday, March 22 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. in the gallery at the Municipality of Leamington town hall, 111 Erie St. N.

A report documenting the process will be available for review at the end of the study. Project updates and a copy of the report will be available on Municipality of Leamington’s website at www.leamington.ca/secondaryplan

Public comments are welcome. Information collected will be used in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.56.

Should additional information be required, to share comments or to be added to the project mailing list, email the project team at leamingtonsecondaryplan@dillon.ca or contact either of the following project team members: Danielle Truax, Manager of Planning Services, Municipality of Leamington, 111 Erie St. N., Leamington, ON N8H 2Z9; or Karl Tanner, RPP, Dillon Consulting Limited, 3200 Deziel Dr., Suite 608, Windsor, ON N8W 5K8.

Conservation Authorities support plan to clean up Lake Erie

The Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA), along with the eight other Conservation Authorities that work in the Lake Erie watershed, is pleased with the recently released Lake Erie Action Plan to reduce phosphorus in Lake Erie by 40 percent.

“As the western basin of Lake Erie is particularly susceptible to Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), our region experiences the impacts of phosphorus and these related HABs more than any other,” said Richard Wyma, ERCA’s General Manager. “In addition to the obvious environmental impacts, HABs can impact human health, pet health, and economic health through lost tourism revenue and increased water treatment costs. They also impact our ability to simply enjoy Lake Erie, which is part of the fabric of our region.”

The Lake Erie Action Plan was recently released by the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario. It identifies Conservation Authorities as key partners and outlines a number of activities they will be doing to contribute to the effort to improve conditions for the Great Lake.

“ERCA and other Lake Erie Conservation Authorities have robust monitoring programs to target actions through science, landowner relationships, watershed planning and a broad range of projects and programs,” said Dr. Katie Stammler, ERCA’s Water Quality Scientist and Source Water Protection Project Manager. “We continue to support many activities and best management practices that are outlined in the Domestic Action Plan and hope that senior levels of government are willing to make investments in our local environment to help improve water quality.”

The plan has numerous recommendations for implementation across rural, urban and agricultural areas. It includes increased scientific research and monitoring, and education and outreach to Lake Erie community residents. An improved understanding of climate change and its impacts on the lake is also included. For the past three years, ERCA has been working through the Great Lakes Agricultural Stewardship Initiative to research the ‘best’ best management practices to reduce phosphorus.

“With continuing partnerships and additional investments, the Lake Erie Action plan provides an opportunity to ramp up that work,“ Wyma said.

Use of “Smart Packaging” Maximizes Operational Efficiency at Pure Flavor

Pure Flavor®’s use of IFCO Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) has had a positive impact for the Leamington, Ontario-based, vertically integrated provider of a wide variety of fresh produce products year-round to retailers across North America. After six years of collaboration, Pure Flavor®’s use of IFCO RPCs has continued to grow rapidly to include packaging for a wide range of products, including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and eggplants.

“IFCO is a valuable partner,” said Jason Veno, Packaging Operations Manager for Pure Flavor®. “Not only do they provide us with ‘smart packaging’ that protects and cools our products extremely well, they maximize our operational efficiency by ensuring we have an adequate supply of RPCs year-round, even during peak growing seasons. That predictability means we can continue to serve our customers and their shoppers efficiently, effectively and on time,” said Veno.

IFCO now provides Pure Flavor® with over one million RPCs annually. They are used to package fresh produce at locations in San Antonio, Texas, Romulus, Michigan and Leamington, and are then shipped to retailers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

IFCO and Pure Flavor® have developed a forecasting model that tracks the company’s produce orders and growing seasons and ensures on-time delivery of the right number and type of RPCs throughout the year. In addition, some RPCs are stored on-site, providing the Pure Flavor® operations group with greater flexibility to manage its product flow.

Karen Bolger

Ditch Bank Fire

Leamington Fire Service responded to a call on Monday morning, March 19, regarding a ditch bank fire on Mersea Rd. 19 between Mersea Rd. C and Mersea Rd. D. Pictured, the 700-foot stretch of ditch bank is brought under control by LFS crews.

Eldercollege Workshop: Photography As Art

Chad Riley of the Leamington Arts Centre (LAC) led an ElderCollege workshop –“Photography As Art” – on Friday, March 9. The workshop was funded through a grant from the federal New Horizons For Seniors Program. Over 40 people attended the workshop, which was held at the LAC.

ElderCollege was seeking artists to conduct workshops on various artistic themes with the intention of generating courses in the future for ElderCollege and for the added purpose of encouraging folks aged 55 and better to explore photography as more than just taking pictures.

Chad covered the history of photography as well as the various ways in which photography has developed as an authentic art form, often in surreal and abstract forms.

ElderCollege appreciates Chad’s participation and the role the LAC has played in developing an ElderCollege program in the Southeast Essex region.

Lucas J. Martin, Cremation Specialist

Natalie T. Pomerleau-Perron, Cremation Specialist

Chad Riley was recently invited to lead a “Photograph As Art” workshop at the Leamington Arts Centre. The workshop was one of the programs offered by ElderCollege. Approximately 40 people were in attendance. Pictured are Chad Riley (left), LAC Director, and Lloyd BrownJohn, Director, Canterbury ElderCollege. (Submitted photo)

Inspired Healthy Living - Learning to thrive instead of survive

Many people today are plagued with chronic pain and illness that keeps them from truly enjoying life and those they care about. The Holistic Health and Wellness Expo brings together practitioners and service providers from Windsor and Essex County to help you take small steps towards health in all areas of your life.

The foundation of a healthy life is eating right, exercise, rest and stress management, and reducing the toxic load that our bodies take on. These things can be simple but can also feel difficult if they are new to you. Being able to meet people who are on a healthy journey and who can provide tips and strategies to make it simple and easy is inspiring and encourages people to make small shifts that will have big impact.

Eating fresh produce, moving your body in a way that feels fun and energizing, reducing the toxic chemicals and products in your home, and learning to truly relax are proven to reduce pain and inflammation in the body which causes much of the disease people experience.

The best part about the expo is that you can try everything while you’re there to see if it’s right for you!

Forty vendors and practitioners will be offering: relaxation sessions through Access Bars and massage; detox sessions through ionic foot and lymphatic drainage treatments; healthy food with produce, buddha bowls, green juices, vegan and gluten free desserts and more; healthy mind and emotions with life coaches; and hypnosis, yoga, crystals, herbs, otoscope hearing assessments, biogeometry assessments, iTovi health scans, nutri-ceutical recommendations and more!

The 4th Holistic Health and Wellness Expo will be held Saturday, March 24 and Sunday, March 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lakeside Pavilion in Kingsville’s Lakeside Park. The event is FREE but organizers will be accepting donations for local mental health initiatives in schools.

More and more students are faced with stress, lack of sleep, poor diet and social media overdose. This results in anxiety and depression as well as lack of focus and concentration, which makes learning and wellbeing difficult. Sharing health strategies with more families and more students can make a difference, and help catch the kids falling through the cracks. When diet changes and mindfulness are introduced, there are improvements in performance anxiety for sports, presentations, job interviews and projects and kids are able to thrive. Thriving kids means a thriving community for the future!

The last expo saw 320 people learn more about their health and donate over $250 to The Healing Hands Foundation, which in turn made it possible to support a local elementary student and her mental health awareness photography exhibit. This year there is an added online component with the Inspired Healthy LivingLearning to Thrive instead of Survive online Health Summit. People are busy and even if they want to be healthier they don’t have time to sit through the amazing guest speakers and workshops because they have other activities and events going on. With the addition of the online summit, people from anywhere will be able to access these amazing health presentations from the comfort of their own home on their own schedule that is convenient

A variety of booths, demonstrations, vendors and special guest speakers will be on hand at this year’s Holistic Health and Wellness Expo at the Lakeside Park Pavilion in Kingsville Saturday, March 24 and Sunday, March 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Music, food and art therapy will also be featured at this year’s event, which offers free admission to all ages (Submitted photos)

for them.

Topics will include cancer research, auto-immune disease, thyroid health and hormones, diet and nutrition, hypnosis, shamanic healing, lymphatic drainage, essential oils, mindfulness, yoga nidra, chiropractic care, the power of intention, journaling, thermography and so much more.

There will be health speakers from Toronto, Whitehorse and the United States sharing their expertise with the public. Each of these speakers has been inspired to practice healthy living, is using their gifts to inspire and support others to be healthy and will share action steps you can take right away to make positive shifts in your health. The online summit will run from Monday, March 20 to Sunday, March 25.

Vendor spots for the local in-person expo are full but the group is always accepting guest speakers and looking for vendors for future events.

This event is coordinated and hosted by Lindsey Ecker, Mental Health Advocate, Certified Mindfulness Instructor, Health Strategist and Aromatherapist. She is the founder of Wildhood Nature Immersion Therapy, Mindful Movement for Mental Health, and a motivational speaker encouraging others to live their best life via mindfulness and healthy lifestyle choices. It is also sponsored by The Healing Power of Nature group, which is a group of women committed to health for their families and friends.

If you would like more information on this event or any other workshops, please contact Lindsey at lindseyecker@hotmail.com or 519-322-8340.

DALE’S FRIDAY COFFEE HOUSE

Friday, March 23 OFFSITE Knox Hall, Knox Presbyterian Church, 58 Erie St. S., Leamington. Doors 6:30 p.m. Show 7:00 p.m. Admission - Pass the hat.

LOVE, SEX, AND THE I.R.S.

A bedroom farce on steroids!! Opening Night Wednesday, April 11 - 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 12 & Friday, April 13 - 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 14 - 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 15 - 2:00 p.m. OFFSITE - Leamington United Church Hall , 9 John St., Leamington. Tickets $20 Available at Wharram’s Jewellers, Counter Effects, and online.

“SHOW

THE LOVE”

A double compilation CD featuring 23 regional musicians produced by Quantum Sound Productions to raise funds for The Bank Theatre. CD purchase $20, doubles with matching fund campaign and available by contacting banktheatre@gmail.com or in Leamington at Home Building Centre, Counter Effects, Leamington Arts Centre, Bradt’s Butcher Block, & Municipality of Leamington.

HELP THE LEAMINGTON BIA SUPPORT THE UPTOWN REVITALIZATION PROJECT OF THE BANK THEATRE

Every $20 donated receives a ballot for a chance to win 1 of 3 $250 gift baskets. Stop into Gabriele BrandSource, Bradt’s Butcher Block, The Jean Academy Inc. or Wharram’s Jewellery Ltd. and donate for your chance to WIN!

MEETINGS

Board Meeting - Tuesday, April 10 at 7:00 p.m., enter stage door at back of theatre and downstairs. Membership $5All welcome!

AGM - Tuesday, May 8. More info TBA

THE BANK THEATRE MATCHING FUND CAMPAIGN

The Municipality of Leamington will match dollar for dollar, all private and corporate donations until April 23, 2018 up to $400,000. Naming rights, seat sponsorship, individual and corporate giving options and more information is available on our website. Thank you for your support! To learn more visit our sponsorship pages on our website at www.banktheatre.com. THANK YOU - Media Sponsors: Southpoint Sun, Southpoint Printing, Blackburn RadioWindsor’s Country 95.9/92.7, YourTV Windsor.

RENOVATIONS

During renovations at The Bank Theatre upcoming events will be held at offsite locations. Visit our website for updates. www.banktheatre.com

12 Step Programs Free Me From Addiction

Like all human beings, I’ve experienced my share of pain, and suffered considerably. I was born into a violent, alcoholic home. When the clock struck six, and my father wasn’t home yet, I knew there was going to be hell to pay that night. My earliest childhood memories at the age of four and five, are of my father coming home drunk, creating mind bending chaos by throwing plates, swearing in the most vulgar manner, slurring, being super aggressive, beating my mother from time to time, and threatening to kill her with the shotgun that was in the apartment. I remember being terrified of losing my mother, and terrified of being killed. My strategy of protecting myself as best as I could was to hold my breath, so my father wouldn’t hear me in my bed, and therefore, wouldn’t realize I was there. I felt like a coward in realizing that I could not help my mother. I felt so bad about not being able to help her. I suffered physical, emotional, and psychological abuse from my father. I was traumatized as a child. Three and half years ago, I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Today, I’m fifty-five years old.

At a young age, I had low self-esteem. I learned to be ashamed of myself. I never felt good enough for myself, or anyone else. I had serious behavioral problems in school. I caused chaos in classrooms for my teachers and classmates. At the age of eleven, we moved, and I was not able to adapt properly. I always felt different from others, wasn’t able to fit in, felt unwanted, and suffered a tremendous sense of loneliness. In order to try and comfort myself, I started using food as a substance, primarily junk food, and food that was sugar laden, like chocolate and ice cream. I also used other foods like potato chips and candy. I started drinking alcohol, and smoking cigarettes at the age of 12, and this gave me a feeling like I could let go, and try to fit in, so I became really good at consuming alcohol, and was well on my way to smoking two packs of cigarettes a day for the next twenty eight years. At the age of thirteen, I started smoking marijuana on a daily basis. I experimented with cocaine, L.S.D., and hashish later in my teenage years.

“I tried to commit suicide at the age of seventeen”

Thankfully, I was afraid of needles. At the insistence of my first love, I stopped smoking marijuana at the age of seventeen, but started drinking alcohol on a daily basis. At the age of fifteen, I became sexually promiscuous. I had no regard for myself, or for others. All of this substance abuse masked the pain I had suffered as a child, and was suffering as a teenager, and only made things worse.

I tried to commit suicide at the age of seventeen by overdosing on a bottle of painkillers, as a result of being in so much pain. At the age of nineteen, I slammed my car into a steel barrier at approximately one hundred miles per hour (160 kilometers per hour). I was serious about wanting to stop the pain, and kill myself. Thankfully, my Higher Power had other plans for me.

After a considerable amount of work, I’m able to forgive my parents today. I’m able to have compassion for both of them, have understanding of where it is they come from, and love them as they are. I’m also able to forgive myself for the numerous mistakes I’ve made in my life, and have done my level best to make amends to the people I’ve harmed. A big part of the reason why I’m able to do this is as a result of working the 12 Steps in various recovery programs.

Although I would have been suited to attend Al-Anon or Al-Ateen, which is a 12 Step program for people who are affected by being associated in any way with a practicing alcoholic, Narcotics Anonymous, which is a 12 Step program for people with addiction to drugs, or Nicotine Anonymous, which is a program for people addicted to nicotine, the 12 Step programs I’m a part of are: Alcoholics Anonymous and Overeaters Anonymous. Some other 12 Step programs that exist are Gamblers Anonymous, Love and Sex Addicts

Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous

The set of guiding principles which outline a course of action for tackling problems including alcoholism, drug addiction and compulsion.

STEP 1: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.

STEP 2: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

STEP 3: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.

STEP 4: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

STEP 5: Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

STEP 6: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

STEP 7: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

STEP 8: Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

STEP 9: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

STEP 10: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

STEP 11: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

STEP 12: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Anonymous, Online Gamers Anonymous, and Debtors Anonymous, to name a few. If a person is addicted to something, chances are, there will be a 12 Step program available to help a person be free of the addiction. I also attended a rehabilitation centre for alcoholics five times between the age of nineteen and twenty-four.

As a result of the 12 Step programs I’m a part of, and receiving treatment at a rehabilitation centre, I recently received the gift of thirty years of sobriety, recently received fourteen years of being cigarette free, am in my fourth year of abstinence from using food as a substance, and have been receiving the gift of maintaining a one hundred and thirty six pound weight release for more than two and half years now, one day at a time. I simply cannot take credit for any of this. I attribute all of these modern miracles I experience on a daily basis to the Grace of God. Of course, it’s necessary for me to do the footwork like go to 12 Step meetings, work the 12 Steps on a daily basis, read the literature, pray, meditate, exercise, do self care, and help others who are continu-

ing to suffer from addiction.

I’m not a religious person. I’m okay with, and respect those that are, but I do my utmost to be a spiritual person. 12 Step programs are spiritual in nature. We are free to choose our Higher Power as we are moved to do so, and this is one of the most freeing experiences I’ve received in 12 Step programs. When I came to my first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting at the age of nineteen, I was a proud atheist. The members told me that was okay. I was afraid to be there, but I’m so grateful I went. I remember attending my first meeting. I was full of fear, but after listening to the speaker, I felt truly understood for the first time in my life. For the first time in my life, I felt like I wasn’t alone in trying to deal with my inner demons. I knew that I belonged with these other people who were quite similar to me in that we shared the same addiction. In time, I came to experience that we would share in the same solution.

As an adult in recovery over the years, I’ve experienced my share of ups and downs. Some of the highlights have been being in an ongoing process of recovery from substance abuse, experiencing the birth and life of my daughters, establishing fulfilling relationships, experiencing travel and adventure, learning to live a minimalist lifestyle, and helping others. Some of the low lights have been the loss of my son, and a failed marriage. Such is life. I’m continuing to learn how to live life on life’s terms, without abusing substance.

Today, I have a wonderful relationship with my Higher Power, whom I choose to call God. I’m completely free of all substances. I’m happy and joyous beyond words, experience a great deal of peace, am in the best physical health of my life, and the vast majority of days, I feel free of any craving, or compulsion of substance, and am becoming free from the bondage of self, one day at a time.

One day, I looked around the room at a 12 Step meeting, and saw a couple of members named Joy and Grace. I thought about it, and realized my name is Freedom. I’m able to feel all of my feelings without wanting to numb them. These are the best days of my life on a consistent basis. I’ve been given an amazing life! After a process of thorough and fearless soul searching, I know who I am today. I can love, and accept myself as I am. I can allow myself to be loved today. I can love others.

I started reaching out for help at the age of nineteen, and continue to do so. I cannot do this alone. One of the symptoms of these diseases of addiction are alienating oneself from others. The vast majority of addicts including myself suffer with mental health issues. We have abused substance in order to try and deal with the pain caused from our past experiences, and mental health issues.

Over the years, my Higher Power has brought so many wonderful people into my life to help me, and this has made all of the difference in my life, and in my being! By the Grace of God, I’m able to do this for others today. This writing is an extension of the love and compassion I have for people who are suffering with ongoing addiction. Diseases of addiction are deadly! Addiction and mental health issues are the plagues of these modern times. Being in the abyss, wanting to take one’s life, is common among people who suffer with addiction. I’m hopeful sharing part of my life experience through this writing will give people hope and courage. I’m hoping this article will save lives. I’m not interested in profit or fame. It’s important to note there are millions of recovering addicts from all over the world. I am but one of them. I do not represent 12 Step programs. Also, another wonderful, powerful, spiritual principle in 12 Step programs is anonymity. We can rest assured that our anonymity is protected in 12 Step programs. I am hopeful this writing will help people to receive recovery from these insidious, deadly diseases of addiction through 12 Step programs, and live lives of health, happiness, peace, and freedom on a consistent basis.

Love and Peace, Paul Emile

P. S. I lived in Leamington for a couple of years. Please publish a part of, or this entire true story. There’s a reasonable chance it will save people’s lives.

Happy Birthday Dad

Cheers to 80 Years! ~ March 20th ~

Please accept this as your individual thank you for helping John and I during his cancer battle. Instead of using paper and stamps I will continue to help our environment by planting more trees. The outpouring gestures by many individuals were so appreciated. You may have given us delicious food, sent a card, telephoned, e-mailed, facebooked, given a hairdo, removed snow, hauled recycling, said a kind word and the list goes on and on.

Thank you for honouring John’s requests and helping to celebrate his earthly life. There were countless donations given to so many charities , instead of buying flowers that wilt away. He was always thankful for the 15 years after his near fatal heart attack, giving time to dote on 5 grandchildren. He thought he would die of heart problems---never cancer. There were also countless, unsung gestures done quietly and privately with no recognition. God loves a cheerful giver.

By Launa, Sarri, Sonia and my sister Sandy living with us the last 2 weeks, John was more comfortable and able to stay home. Faithful family, grandchildren, loyal friends and neighbours never gave up. Our church families and clergy from Talbot Street United, Wheatley United, Tilbury United, Kent Presbytery members and St. Patricks Roman Catholic church supported us over the three month span.

Our Chatham-Kent home health care team is an amazing group. CCAC-Bayshore care co-ordinator, registered nurses, PSW, and nurse practitioner were exceptional. Life Transitions owner James MacNeil and staff were so helpful developing new innovative ideas. Thank you to our local Knights of Columbus members and staff for the rental of their user-friendly hall.

May my extreme gratitude and faith, exude a kind, gentle sense of continuously paying it forward.

“Let there be peace on earth---” God bless all, from Carolyn McMahon

IN MEMORIAM

Happy 90th Birthday Edith Knight (Moorcroft)

McMahon, Carolyn - 3x65

Born in Montreal, March 18, 1928, she moved to Windsor in 1940. In 1947 she married the love of her life, Ray Knight. They had six children: Cathy (Jeff Watson), Sharon (Bob Bailey), Lorie (Larry Begin), Bob (Louise Laroche), Kevin, and David. The family moved to Point Pelee in 1957, and Ray and Edith later retired to Leamington. Edith is adored by her children, nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, all of whom wish her many more years with them.

IN MEMORIAM

Please accept this as your individual thank you for helping John and I during his cancer battle. Instead of using paper and stamps I will continue to help our environment by planting more trees.

The outpouring gestures by many individuals were so appreciated. You may have given us delicious food, sent a card, telephoned, e-mailed, facebooked, given a hairdo, removed snow, hauled recycling, said a kind word and the list goes on and on.

In Loving Memory of Murray Mellow

Thank you for honouring John’s requests and helping to celebrate his earthly life. There were countless donations given to so many charities , instead of buying flowers that wilt away.

Who passed away March 25, 2017

Alec Whittal is happy he has a baby brother, AIDEN PHILIP DONALD

Born January 23, 2018

His parents Alison and Allan are now blessed with two healthy sons. Proud grandparents are Claire and Paul Whittal and Phil and Marlene Kroeker. Aiden will be loved by many family and friends.

IN MEMORIAM

In memory of my loving husband and best friend, Dave Cooper “Coop”

Who passed away 8 years ago March 25, 2010

He was always thankful for the 15 years after his near fatal heart attack, giving time to dote on 5 grandchildren. He thought he would die of heart problems---never cancer. There were also countless, unsung gestures done quietly and privately with no recognition. God loves a cheerful giver.

By Launa, Sarri, Sonia and my sister Sandy living with us the last 2 weeks, John was more comfortable and able to stay home. Faithful family, grandchildren, loyal friends and neighbours never gave up. Our church families and clergy from Talbot Street United, Wheatley United, Tilbury United, Kent Presbytery members and St. Patricks Roman Catholic church supported us over the three month span.

Our Chatham-Kent home health care team is an amazing group. CCAC-Bayshore care co-ordinator, registered nurses, PSW, and nurse practitioner were exceptional.

Life Transitions owner James MacNeil and staff were so helpful developing new innovative ideas. Thank you to our local Knights of Columbus members and staff for the rental of their user-friendly hall.

May my extreme gratitude and faith, exude a kind, gentle sense of continuously paying it forward.

“Let there be peace on earth---” God bless all, from Carolyn McMahon

One year has passed since that sad day, When one we loved was called away; God took him home, it was His will; Within our hearts, he liveth still. Sadly missed by wife Joyce and family

IN MEMORIAM

Today is remembered and quietly kept No words are needed as I do not forget. For deep in my heart you will always stay Loved and remembered every day. Always on my mind, forever in my heart. Love Dorothy and family

Who passed away one year ago March 24, 2017

I miss you babe!!! Your wife, Carole In Loving Memory of RogeR

Roger, 37 years with you my love, just wasn’t enough time!

I miss your arms that held me tight Your snore that filled our room at night

I miss those lovely eyes, your voice, your laughter I miss we won’t share what should of been our next chapter

I miss our long rides with my arms wrapped around you

The sunsets we shared and hearing “I LOVE YOU!”

I am told the pain will ease in time and I will think of you without a tear, But that will be impossible as I need to have you here!

Safe in my heart you will always stay

Until my last breath, until my last day.

In Loving Memory of our precious daughter and granddaughter Kylee Grace

March 25, 2014 - December 28, 2014

Today it would be wonderful to see you play or smile, but Heaven lent you to this world for just a little while. And in that short but precious time you brought along much love and all that love is with you now in Heaven up above. Your leaving caused so many tears and such a lot of pain, but God needed one more angel so he took you back again.

Loved and missed, Daddy and Grandma Cooper

Love: MC & Russell, Susie & Jason

UNIQUE WORKSHOP organized by Arts Society of Kingsville, Wednesday, March 21 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at Kingsville Arena, 1741 Jasperson Lane, with woodworking artist Dan Dumont. Learn how to make your own wooden pen on a lathe. Register ASAP in person at the arena or by calling 519-7332123. Cost: $30 to cover materials.

LEAMINGTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY MEETS Wednesday, March 21, 7:30 p.m., at Leamington United Church. Speaker: Ron Kerr. Subject: Bee Keeping. LHS looks forward to having you join them for an evening of horticultural fellowship. For more info call Peter Scorrar 519-326-8529.

PAST PELEE QUESTERS WILL MEET Thursday, March 22 at 7:00 p.m. at WFCU, 318 Erie St. S., Leamington. Speaker: David Pepper. Topic: Japanese Antiques. PPQ is an organization for the study of antiques, preservation and restoration of artifacts, existing memorials, historical buildings, landmarks and education. Guests are always welcome. Info: Jackie 519-326-1361.

FISH DINNERS BEING SERVED every Friday from until March 23 at St. Michael’s Church, corner of John and Elliott St. in Leamington. Serving 4-7 p.m. Meal includes fish, baked potato, coleslaw, homemade desserts, beverage. Adults $12, children under 12 $5.

WHEATLEY’S EASTER EGG HUNT - Saturday, March 24 at Lamarsh Park, 11:00 a.m. Bake sale on site. Hosted by the Legion Ladies Auxiliary.

BICENTENNIAL BRANCH UELAC GENERAL MEETING on Saturday, March 24 at 1:00 p.m. at Church of the Epiphany, 96 Main St. W., Kingsville.

KARAOKE NIGHT at Wheatley Legion Branch 324, Saturday, March 24 at 7:00 p.m.

THE ESSEX COUNTY ORCHID SOCIETY MEETS

Sunday, March 25, 1:30 p.m., at St. Stephen’s Anglican Church Hall, 5280 Howard Ave., Oldcastle. Speaker: Gilberto Arrieche-Sayago. Topic: Introduction to Mormodes. Orchid sale, supplies, refreshments. Free admission. More info at www. essexcountyorchidsociety.web.com or FB.

GRIEF SHARE - SURVIVING THE HOLIDAYS - Tuesday, March 27 at 1:30 p.m. at Knox Presbyterian Church. There is no charge for this event.

WHEATLEY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY MEETING on Wednesday, March 28 at 7:00 p.m. upstairs at the Wheatley Legion. Everyone welcome. Memberships available.

GOOD FRIDAY FISH FRY March 30, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. at Wheatley Legion Branch 324. Fresh Lake Erie yellow perch, fries, coleslaw and more. $15 per person (under 10 $8).

RICK PICKLE MEMORIAL DART TOURNAMENT Saturday, March 31 at Wheatley Legion. Sign up sheet at bar.

LEAMINGTON BLOOD DONOR CLINIC at the Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex, Wednesday, April 4, 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. New donors & walk-ins welcome! To book an appointment or for additional information, please contact us at 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283) / www. blood.ca / GiveBlood App.

SKATE WHEATLEY PRESENTS “THIS IS YOUR MOMENT - GOING FOR GOLD!” skating carnival on Saturday, April 7. Showtimes are 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Admission $10, age 5 and under free.

HUSH (HEARING U SAY HELP) ROCK AND BOWL FUNDRAISER for The Bridge Youth Centre at Empire Lanes, Ruthven. Sunday, April 8 at 2:00 p.m. $20 per person includes 2 games and shoe rental. Door prizes. For details call Splat 519-2592189 or email hearingusayhelp@outlook.com.

ANNUAL SPRING FLING COMEDY/VARIETY SHOW. Olinda-Ruthven United Church, 1907 Queen Blvd., Ruthven. Sunday, April 8 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets sold at the door $10/person or $25/ family. Call 519-567-4819 for more information. All proceeds to go GessTwood Church Camp.

MOM TO MOM SALE. Saturday, April 14 at St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church, 60 Erie St. N., Leamington, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. We all know how kids grow. Why not bring your things to sell! Contact Lee or Lisa Smith at 519-322-1469 for any questions or to book a table.

RUMMAGE SALE at Leamington United Church, 9 John St., on Friday, April 20 from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and Saturday, April 21 from 9:00 a.m. - 12 noon.

ONTARIO PURPLE MARTIN ASSOC. MEETS Saturday, April 21 at 9:00 a.m. at Orchard View Golf Course, 1357 County Rd. 34, Ruthven. Meet with lots of knowledgeable Martin People who are very willing to share their experience and help with questions regarding all aspects of Purple Martins. All are welcome. Info: Paul 519-738-3476.

“LOVES, LIES & THE DOCTOR’S DILEMMA”, presented by Thamesville United Church Drama (TUChD), April 21, 22 (matinee), 27, 28, 29. Dinner and play $35, show only $16. Times vary. For more information or to order tickets go to www. universe.com/tuchd3

BOXERCISE FOR PARKINSON’S. Free class for Parkinson’s patients. Now accepting registration. Open to residents of Essex County. Call Andre 519-551-0539.

COFFEE BREAK – ALL ARE WELCOME at First Baptist Church, 3 Fox St., Leamington on Wednesday mornings from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Delicious coffee, tea and goodies are served. Participate in or cheer on games of shuffleboard or table games. There is a time of Q&A with Pastor Mike or Pastor Jason. It’s a great time of fellowship and an opportunity to meet new people.

MATHEMATICS TUTORING FOR GR. 6-8 will be held Wednesday afternoons from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. in a classroom situation. The class will be led by retired teacher David Kolotylo who specialized in mathematics. No charge. 10 students maximum per class. Registration required. Individual tutoring available upon request. Students must bring their math notebooks, pens, pencils. For more information call 519-326-3111 and leave a message for Deacon Deborah.

MATHEMATICS TUTORING For Gr. 6-8 on Tuesday afternoons from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. in a classroom situation at Faith Mennonite Church, 269 Sherk St., Leamington. Class will be led by retired teacher David Kolotylo who specialized in mathematics. No charge. 10 students maximum per class. Registration required. Individual tutoring available upon request. Students must bring their math notebooks, pens, pencils. For more information call Pastor Ruth Boehm at 519-326-6391.

T.O.P.S. - TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY - a support group that meets every Tuesday evening at Faith Everlasting Church, 587 Hwy. 77, Leamington. Weigh In 5:30 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. Meeting 7:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. First meeting is free.

CAREER CLOTHING IS AVAILABLE at St. John Anglican Church Angel Cupboard for anyone who requires professional clothing to attend job interviews or for starting a new position. Call 519-3263111 and leave a message for Charlotte to set up an appointment.

MONDAYS - SENIORS DROP-IN, 1st and last Monday of the month only at 10:30 a.m. at Leamington United Church. Guest speakers, refreshments, games, exercise. It’s free, fun, and wheelchair accessible. All seniors welcome.

Community CALENDAR

ADDICTION RECOVERY: Family Education and Support Program: call 519-990-2530.

ADDICTION RECOVERY GROUPS now running at St. John the Evangelist, Erie Street. Mondays at 6:30 p.m. - Westover After Care. Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. - SMART Recovery. Fridays at 7:00 p.m. - Cocaine Anonymous.

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

WHEATLEY HERITAGE SOCIETY is open Tuesdays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. For appointments other than normal hours contact Heather Vannieuweneburg at 226-248-0382 or e-mail wheatleyheritage@gmail.com.

KINGSVILLE HISTORICAL PARK MUSEUM, 145

Division S. S., at rear of Kingsville Legion, is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. This local military library is open to the public. Civic and military artifacts on display, as well as documentation on many local veterans. For more info call 519-733-2803 or email khpi@mnsi.net

RANDY ATKINSON FUND provides money for extras that OHIP doesn’t pay for or to help with unexpected expenses for cancer patients (e.g. hospital parking etc). If you, your group or organization would like to have a speaker explain the fund and its availability in this area, call 519-682-2580.

THE SALVATION ARMY LEAMINGTON CC YOUTH DROP-IN CENTRE open every Tuesdsay, 6:008:00 p.m. at the church, 88 Setterington St. The centre provides a safe supervised location and use of our computer lab, movies, videogames or table tennis etc. For more info contact us at 519326-4901.

MOODS DISORDER GROUP MEETS the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at Leamington District Memorial Hospital, 1st Floor. Info: Nancy at 519-971-4050 or nrkolah@sympatico.ca

EARLYON CHILD AND FAMILY CENTRES DROP-IN ON WEDNESDAYS from 9:00 a.m. - 12 noon at Wheatley Area Public School, 226 Erie St. N. The weekly sessions provide up-to-date information for all stages of family life, from preconception and prenatal care, first year development, to nutrition, toilet training, toddler curiosity, early school experiences. Visit www.chatham-kent/EarlyON for more details. Cancellations due to weather, etc. will be posted on social media.

SOUTHWEST OUTDOORS CLUB MEETS the second Tuesday of every month (except August) in the upstairs hall of the Wheatley Legion starting at 7:00 p.m.

DO YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAVE PARKINSON’S? Parkinson’s Support Group meets every Tuesday from 10:30 a.m.-12 noon at Leamington Half Century Centre, 160 Talbot St. E. Facilitators: Bob Prince and Laurie Stone. Note: Individuals are encouraged to call 1-888-851-7376 before attending their first meeting.

PLAY ROTARY TV BINGO GAMES - Tuesday nights, live on TVCOGECO from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Support the community and purchase your cards from Adamson Guardian Drugs, Wheatley. Pick up your cards early! Play 5 different games on 3 faces in 1 hour. $3 for 15 ways to win and $2000 in prizes.

WINDSOR-ESSEX COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE, 33 PRINCESS ST. IN LEAMINGTON, IS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS who are interested in supporting young children Monday mornings and afternoons, 9:45 a.m. - 12:00 noon or 12:30 - 3:00 p.m.. Contact Volunteer Coordinator Dodie Wilson 519-253-8481 ext. 226.

BE A YOUTH MENTOR – South Essex Community Council’s SPARK AfterSchool Program is looking for mentors to share their skills with local youth ages 7-12. The program runs Tuesday - Thursday 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Volunteers attend once a week. Help with homework, crafts or sports. Call 519-326-8629 for more information.

DO YOU WANT TO LEARN HOW TO USE YOUR ELECTRONIC DEVICES? South Essex Community Council’s Teens Teaching Tech Program can help. Smartphones, computers, tablets, social media, we can help with it all. The program runs from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. on the 1st & 3rd Tuesday of each month at SECC, 215 Talbot St. E. No appointment necessary, just stop by! For more info call 519-326-8629.

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEED FOR BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS Windsor-Essex from the Leamington and Kingsville area. If you believe that you can make a difference in a child’s life and can commit to a minimum of one year, for a few hours a week, check out the website and online orientation at www.bigbrothersbigsisterswe.ca.

ARE YOU AFFECTED BY SOMEONE ELSE’S DRINKING? The Wheatley Serenity Al-Anon Family Group meets every Monday at 7:30 p.m. at the Wheatley Friendship Club (north entrance), 171 Erie St. N.

PREGNANCY & RESOURCE CENTRE, 33 Princess St. (Central 33) Suite 212, Leamington, offers free and confidential services provided by registered nurses and trained volunteers. Free pregnancy tests. Call 24/7 for free and confidential support - 519-326-0612. Business calls: 519326-3821.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP? Join us, no charge, at St. John’s Anglican Church, 60 Erie St. N., Leamington, Wednesdays from 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. Call 519-326-3111 for more information.

HELP AN ADULT LEARN ENGLISH - South Essex Community Council is looking for tutors to help adults learn English. One evening per week. Training and materials provided. No teaching experience needed, just a passion for helping people. Call 519-326-8629 ext. 381 for more info.

MAKE AN IMPACT IN A SENIOR’S LIFE - South Essex Community Council is looking for Friendly Visiting and Security Check calling volunteers. Commitment is an hour per week and worked around your schedule. Share your time and brighten someone’s day. Call 519-326-8629 or email volunteer@secc.on.ca

EPILEPSY SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS are held the first Tuesday of the month, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, at the Windsor United Way office, 300 Giles Blvd. E., Windsor. New members welcome. Info: Windsor/Essex Epilepsy Support Centre, 519890-6614, epilepsywindsor@epilepsysupport.ca or visit the website at www.epilepsysupport.ca.

CANADIAN TRANSPORTATION MUSEUM AND HERITAGE VILLAGE (CTMHV) on the Arner Town Line is in need of volunteers to help with kids programs such as ‘Pioneer for a Day’, special events, shows, meetings, or in the museum, log cabins and period buildings, etc. If you have a few hours to spare and would like to help out, contact Judy Anderson, Education and Volunteer Coordinator at CTMHV, 519-776-6909 or email education@ ctmhv.com

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS WINDSOR-ESSEX ARE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS from the Leamington area to volunteer in a group mentoring setting called On Track to Success which takes place from September to June. Info at www.bigbrothersbigsisterswe.ca/ or call 519-945-5232 ext. 23 to speak with Rose Culmone, Director of Programs.

t first glance, Chances Gaming Lounge & Bistro looks like just another building in downtown Leamington. The facility on Mill Street East, right behind the Princess Centre building, is one of Leamington’s hidden gems of entertainment.

According to hall manager Annette Doan, Chances has come a long way over the years.

“We’re no longer your grandmother’s gambling hall,” she says.

Over the past 23 years, she has seen the evolution of the establishment from a former bingo hall to a fully functioning gaming lounge.

They have over 75 machines where you can play electronic games of chance with interesting progressive jackpots. Of course, if you want to play some bingo as well, they offer daily sessions.

They are home to Leamington’s only Taptix gaming machines, where jackpots can grow to over $3000 for a progressive win.

Louise Saad, who is the marketing manager for Chances, says their hope is to become the destination of choice for area folks who want a fun night out.

“We are definitely Leamington’s best kept secret and we want people

LEAMINGTON’S BEST ENTERTAINMENT

to know we are here,” she says. Featuring a full restaurant and fully licensed bar, Chances has something for everyone. Wednesday is Ladies Night and features many food and drink specials.

need anything and I enjoy playing the different games they offer,” she said.

Ken M., another local regular, likes to come in on his days off.

A Not your grandmother’s gambling hall Chances Gaming Lounge & Bistro

‘‘ ‘‘

We are definitely Leamington’s best kept secret and we want people to know we are here

“A group of four can order a drink and appetizer platter for less than $25,” says Saad.

The lounge is locally owned and is operated in partnership with OLG, the government agency that oversees lotteries, casinos and gaming establishments.

It also provides an outlet for local charities to raise much-needed funds.

Since 2014, Chances Leamington has helped local charities raise about $400,000.

Local businesses have also partnered-up with Chances in providing special nights featuring local entertainment.

Dorothy Kinsman, who is from the Kingsville area, is a regular patron at Chances and loves the atmosphere there.

“The staff is very friendly and helpful. They’re always here if you

“They have the best breakfast in town,” he says. “I came for the breakfast and stayed for the games.” He’s been coming back ever since, and also credits the staff with making the whole experience a comfortable and pleasant outing.

“It’s a very clean place, with no smoking and very good food,” he adds.

The lounge is open 364 days a year.

“We’re only closed on Christmas Day,” says Doan.

In addition to the food, drinks and gambling entertainment, Chances also gives away some great prizes in their monthly draws where Players’ Club members have a chance to win. Last month, one lucky member won a $2500 travel voucher.

As marketing manager, Saad aims to bring in those younger folks who don’t realize the fun they can have. She promotes it as a date night destination or a night out with the girls or guys.

“Stop in and check us out. We feel we’re the best entertainment venue in Leamington,” she says.

Chances is located at 14 Mill Street East in Leamington.

Dorothy Kinsman tries her luck at one of the Taptix games.

This group from Leamington SC United raised $1340 at a Chances Fundraiser night.

Flyers take on Stars in semis

By Bryan Jessop 2017-2018

For the Flyers’ final regular season home ice game, they settled for a 2-2 draw against the St. Thomas Stars. To start the semifinals against the same adversaries, their offense was equally efficient, although the Leamington team’s defense wasn’t nearly as generous.

The Flyers kicked off Round 2 of the Western Conference 2018 playoffs with a 2-0 win over the visiting Stars at Highbury Canco Arena Thursday, March 15. The nineday break that followed a four-game sweep of the Komoka Kings seemed to do Leamington no harm, as all four lines kept the opposition busy for the entire 60 minutes.

The two teams spent much of the first period testing the waters, although both sides came up with a handful of scoring chances. Both Anthony Hurtubise for the Stars and Connor Meyerink of the Flyers however stood strong in their respective nets to keep the opening 20 minutes scoreless. Leamington outshot their guests 12-10 by the time the first buzzer sounded.

The home team started the second period with an aggressive offensive tone, appearing to be on a power play. St. Thomas however was treated to the one and only man advantage of the first 40 minutes, although the Flyers penalty killing unit kept the Stars’ attackers at bay.

“I’m really happy with that one,” said Flyers head coach Tony Piroski of the semifinal opener. “It was a complete team effort with 20 guys battling hard. I’m really pleased with how the whole team played. They had their chances, but Connor was good again. This will be a long series — St. Thomas has some very skilled players. Every game is going to be a battle.”

“Our guys were unbelievable tonight,” Meyerink added. “There was no lack of effort out there. We expect them to be a hard team to beat — they play a lot like us. If we go after them hard on their ice, we can do some damage there for sure.”

Leamington played the final 51 minutes of the game without Dalton Langlois, who suffered a leg injury in front of his own team’s net. An estimate on the amount of time he’d miss was not available as of press deadline.

“Our guys were unbelievable tonight, there was no lack of effort out there”

- Connor Meyerink

The middle frame evolved into a evenly contested, back and forth affair that seemed to suggest spectators were in for another 20 minutes of scoreless action. With 2:14 to go, Josh Pope-Ferguson put the first mark on the scoresheet by tapping home a rebound from the right side of Hurtubise’s net. The St. Thomas goalie made the initial save on a Griffin Robinson shot from further out, but couldn’t beat Pope-Ferguson in the scramble to take control of the rebound. Maddux Rychel drew the second assist.

Inspired by the late period goal, Leamington’s offense continued to push for a more comfortable lead in the middle frame’s dying seconds. The hosts were rewarded as the clock ticked down to 37.2 seconds when blueliner Levi Tetreault wired a quick wrist shot from the point to the left of the St. Thomas net. The shot caught everyone in a black jersey off guard, quickly zipping in and back out of the goal’s top right corner. The second goal was scored unassisted.

It was the Stars who finished the second stanza with a modest shots on goal advantage, firing 14 at Meyerink while Hurtubise faced 13.

Leamington’s defense tightened even further for the final 20 minutes. Despite a commendable effort by the St. Thomas forward lines in the final minutes, Meyerink kept his first shutout of the season intact with the support of his fellow defenders. The Stars applied heavy forward pressure for most of the final five to six minutes, but couldn’t come up with rebounds on any of the half dozen shots they mustered. At the other end, Hurtubise faced another 11, although he too played a role in keeping the third period scoreless. The guests’ netminder made his way to the bench just after his team’s second unsuccessful power play expired, but the score remained unchanged.

After 60 minutes, Leamington registered a combined 36-30 shots advantage while keeping St. Thomas zero for two on the power play. The Flyers were not granted any man advantage opportunities.

The Flyers didn’t have much time to savour the victory, as Game 2 brought the teams to St. Thomas Friday, March 16. There, the Stars came out on top by an overtime score of 3-2. Pope-Ferguson started the scoring at the halfway mark of the first, before Cal Horvat and Brett Fisher allowed the hosts to tie the score and then take the lead in the second period. Dylan Weston tied the game in the latter half of the third, but Christian Clark beat Noah Hedrick for the game winner less than three minutes into overtime. St. Thomas was one for one on the power play while the Flyers were zero for one while outshooting the hosts 30-26. Sunday, March 18 brought the teams back to Highbury Canco Arena for Game 3. Leamington lost the match, with the final score reading 2-1. Fisher and Peter Fleming both scored on the power play for the Stars after two scoreless periods. Fleming’s game winner was scored during a five-on-three advantage. PopeFerguson cut the lead in half with 6:30 to go, but that was as close as Leamington would get to forcing overtime. The Flyers outshot their guests 28-26 and were zero for one on the man advantage while St. Thomas was two for seven.

The fourth game in five days sent the teams back to St. Thomas Monday, March 19. There, the Flyers bounced back from a 2-1 deficit for a 3-2 victory to even the series. Kyle Fisher opened the scoring in the first for the Stars, although Bryce O’Brien tied the game prior to the 20-minute mark. Kevin Hu netted the only goal of the second stanza, but Pope-Ferguson and Blake Bain replied in the third for the Leamington win. The Flyers outshot the home team 36-17 while both sides were zero for three on the power play.

Game 5 will be played Thursday, March 22 at 7:10 p.m. in Leamington. Game 6 will be at 7:30 p.m. in St. Thomas Friday, March 23 and if necessary, Game 7 will be at Highbury Canco Arena Sunday, March 25 at 7:10 p.m

Rest of the West

In the West’s other semifinal series, the underdog Chatham Maroons started off with a 5-4 double overtime win to take a 1-0 lead over the first-place London Nationals. On Saturday, London drew even in the series with an 8-0 win. From there, the Nationals took a 2-1 series lead by winning Game 3 on Sunday in a 3-2 decision. Results from Game 4 on Tuesday were not available by press deadline.

Curtis Ferreira of the Stars approaches Leamington’s Andrew Thoms as he controls the puck to the right of the St. Thomas net during the second period of Game 1 in the Western Conference semifinal series at Highbury Canco Arena Thursday, March 15. The Flyers won 2-0. (SUN Photo)

Maddux Rychel looks to the point to offer a pass while Matt Couto of the Stars guards the path between him and the visitors’ net during the first period of Game 1 in the Western Conference semifinals. Rychel assisted on the winning goal in a 2-0 Leamington victory.

(SUN Photo)

Cody Schneider of the Flyers pushes Ryan Bangs of the Stars away from the puck as teammate Blake Johnson picks up the disc behind the Stars net during the third period.

(SUN Photo)

Skate-a-thon held for golf course

By Bryan Jessop

With the time of year for the transition from the ice rink to the golf course fast approaching, a well-timed fundraiser took place at Wheatley Area Arena.

For the second time in about three months, the Wheatley Optimist Club and members of the local Junior Golf program joined forces to raise funds for a new irrigation system needed at Talbot Trail Golf Club. The event served as a chance to wrap up this year’s March Break for about 15 youths and half a dozen parents while also showing support for a desperately needed sprinkler system at the Talbot Trail course.

The pledge collection process for participating skaters concluded with the Sunday, March 18 skate-a-thon, sponsored by The Optimist Club. After what essentially served as a 90-minute public skate for pledge collectors and supporters, the youths were treated to a pizza party and photo opportunities.

The amount collected for the Talbot Trail sprinkler system was still being tabulated as of press deadline. Since the community-wide fundraising drive began later last year, about $130,000 has been raised through the National Sport Trust Fund. Presently, about $45,000 more needs to be raised to finance the project, not including the amount raised via Sunday’s

skate-a-thon.

“When we got to $130,000, it was humbling,” explained Talbot Trail Golf Club manager Steve Marshall. “It’s encouraging to see a small community like this put up that kind of money.”

About half the youths who attended the March 18 skatea-thon were members of Talbot Trail’s Junior Golf program, some of whom also attended the walk-a-thon in early December of 2017. Between those events, a steady stream of donations from Wheatley and Leamington-area businesses, groups and individuals have arrived, including many members and users of the Wheatley golf course.

Parts required for the installation of a new sprinkler system have already been ordered and will be put in place by Atkinson Irrigation of London, Ont. — a company that works exclusively with golf courses. The dates set aside for

Hard Work and Determination Pays

Off for Leamington Equestrian

Congratulations to Sheaden Kiss of Leamington and her equine partner Mighty Little Scotch! Together they were the 2017 Western Style Dressage Association of Canada Intro and Basic grand champion in the Junior Division (age 16 and under).

In the local chapter of the St. Clair Western Style Dressage Association of Ontario, the duo won the Intro and Basic grand champion, the Intro Open grand champion and Basic Open reserve champion.

Sheaden, age 11, is a student at École St-Michel in Leamington. She and Mighty Little Scotch, age 8, have been riding together for four years. They have grown as a team under the coaching of Bill Windsor of Windsor Farms & Equine Centre of Leamington. Bill brings with him a calm and encouraging atmosphere that has allowed the pair to experience new challenges and confidence in each other. Pictured are Sheaden Kiss alongside Mighty Little Scotch and Bill Windsor of Windsor Farms & Equine Centre. (Submitted photo)

the installation will depend on weather and course conditions, although Marshall explained that some time starting in April would be ideal. For all nine holes, the process is expected to take 18 days provided there are no interruptions triggered by rain or other conditions. Any golfers using the Talbot Trail course at the time of installation will be required to skip which ever hole is being worked on during the day of their visit.

The Wheatley Optimist Club is hoping to organize a golf tournament to raise the remaining funds required for the sprinkler system. Although details have not yet been decided, the Optimists are considering a weekend in May of this year.

Donations of $20 toward the project can be made by cheques to the National Sport Trust Fund and are eligible for a tax receipt.

Talbot Trail Golf Club manager Steve Marshall looks on as his son Mack Marshall moves along with some help from a skating apparatus — his first outing on skates — during the course’s Skate-a-thon at Wheatley Area Arena Sunday, March 18.

Mackenna Weaver helps Ella and Mila Epplett stay on their feet during the Talbot Trail Golf Course Skate-a-thon at Wheatley Area Arena Sunday, March 18..

fun page

ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20

A few bumps along the way do cannot derail you when you are motivated, Aries. Just keep chugging forward and you can plow through any obstacles that spring up.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21

Find a way to work a vacation into your schedule, Taurus. You can probably use a respite from the daily grind, and a change of scenery is just what the doctor ordered.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21

Gemini, if you slow down and listen to others, you may learn something new about yourself. Sometimes you have to view yourself through another’s eyes.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22

You may have to trust a friend to handle something you would much prefer to handle yourself, Cancer. Trust that this friend will do a good job and express your gratitude.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23

Open your eyes to the bigger picture, Leo. Only focusing on the smallest details will prevent you from seeing the grand scheme of things.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22

Virgo, an unexpected situation momentarily takes you off guard. Take a step back and reassess the situation. Some careful reflection will help you find a solution.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23

Libra, when someone calls on you for advice, offer it without reading too much into why it is needed. You are there to lend support and a different viewpoint.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22

Take inventory of your weaknesses, Scorpio. By recognizing your shortcomings, you can become a stronger person and both your personal and professional lives will benefit.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21

You cannot always remain under the radar, Sagittarius. Sometimes your actions will be out in full view, and you need to accept any praise and criticism as it comes.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20

It’s time to prepare for an adventure of sorts, Capricorn. The excitement may be mounting this week as you get all of the details in order. Start packing for travel.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18

Lend support to a spouse or romantic interest because he or she will need it this week, Aquarius. You can’t fix all problems, but you can show your support.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20

There’s little time to waste this week, Pisces. Be sure you have all of your details set and ready to go. Efficiency is key.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS

MARCH 18

Sutton Foster, Actress (43)

MARCH 19

Clayton Kershaw, Athlete (30)

MARCH 20

Ruby Rose, Model (32)

MARCH 21

Scott Eastwood, Actor (32)

MARCH 22

Keegan-Michael Key, Comic (47)

MARCH 23

Brett Eldredge, Singer (32)

MARCH 24

Jessica Chastain, Actress (41)

JESSOP’S JOURNAL

Bryan Jessop

Playoff and on

Going back a few years, I recall reading a story about complaints from the general public somewhere in the northern mainland U.S. about wolves.

It seems the big, bad wolves were killing and eating too many cute, adorable little deer for the liking of the area’s campers, hikers and other casual outdoors enthusiasts. Some of these people (a large portion of whom were likely tourists) were mortified to discover freshly killed deer that hadn’t been so much as nibbled upon. The tragically uninformed assumed that wolves were doing this simply because they’re cruel, bloodthirsty, fur-covered demons. The truth of the matter was that these deer were being killed and ‘stored’ by female wolves who would be giving birth to pups in the not-too-distant future. It should come as no surprise that a wolf with a womb full of babies can’t move quickly enough to catch a LIVE deer, but as humans, we have a tendency to solve problems that don’t exist… thus creating new and REAL problems.

The complaints, apparently, were consistent enough that wildlife authorities took it upon themselves to execute a ‘wolf cull’ of sorts. Well, anyone with even the slightest idea on how ecosystems work could see what came next.

With no predators to keep deer populations in check, the cute little droves of Bambis were free to consume every scrap of vegetation they could find. No deer being killed and eaten by wolves meant more hungry bellies devouring every leaf they could reach. This newfound problem did no favours for the habitats of smaller woodland creatures and eventually left the deer — the very species that pseudo animal lovers were trying to protect — with nothing to eat.

Oops.

Needless to say, restocking those forests with a suitable wolf population had to be done tout de suite. The absence of species like wolves is precisely why deer culls are necessary in places like Point Pelee National Park.

I recently read a web forum post based on rumblings about a cull of sorts for the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League that could be nothing more than a rumour. Basically, word has it that THREE teams — the Buffalo Regals, Pelham Panthers and Fort Erie Meteors — will be given the bum’s rush, at least for 2018-19.

Now in the past, I’ve used the space of this very column to suggest that the league as a whole would be better off without the Regals. They were losing games by more than 20 goals on a nearly routine basis and icing rosters of less than three full lines. Buffalo continued to serve as the Golden Horseshoe Conference’s doormat for 2017-18, but the team at least showed some signs of improvement. Yeah, they finished 19 points out of the last playoff spot and 82 points behind the league-leading Caledonia Corvairs, but 23 of their 48 losses were by margins of three goals or less — including five in overtime. Coupled with their two wins, that means they at least made half of their 50 games interesting. Can you really give a team the boot immediately after it takes a significant step in the right direction?

As for Pelham and Fort Erie, they finished 12 and 22 games below .500, respectively this season. That’s bad, but grounds for being banned from the league? I don’t think so, especially when there are teams that do a worse job of keeping the league financially viable. Pelham actually drew slightly better crowds than Caledonia — figure THAT one out! Yes, the lack of parity is a far bigger problem in the “Shoe” (and to a lesser extent, the Midwest) than it is here in the Wild, Wild West. The GHC’s first round of playoffs was more predictable than the sun’s rising and setting schedule. All four 1-4 teams swept all four 5-8 teams. Niagara Falls beat Thorold by scores of 7-1, 8-0, 8-1 and 3-2. If not for that last game, you’d think it was the ‘first versus eighth’ series, right? Wrong. It was fourth versus fifth — the ONE quarterfinal match-up you’d expect to offer a few good nailbiters. In the Midwest, all the teams with home ice advantage also advanced. Only the fifth-place Kitchener Dutchmen weren’t swept (they pushed the series to seven games against Waterloo). In the West, two of four longshots advanced — fifth-place St. Thomas beat fourth-place Sarnia in five and sixth-place Chatham upset third-place LaSalle in seven. So to conclude, underdogs were 0-16 (.000) in the Shoe, 3-16 (.158) in the Midwest and 8-12 (.400) in the West. It’s often difficult to determine which of the three groups has the most talent, since

Flamingo bowling scores

The following are the Flamingo Restaurant bowling leagues scores for March 5.

Games Over 200: Richard Dickau 201, Al Bison 200-209, Jack Valade 201, Heinz Kosempel 247-225-200, Robert Nykyforuk 201, Chris Kosempel 239, Willy Fittler 229, Gary Garnham 205-213-228.

Series Over 550: Al Bison 583, Heinz Kosempel 672, Robert Nykyforuk 563, Chris Kosempel 568, Willy Fittler 552, Gary Garnham 646.

High Handicap Games: Heinz Kosempel 283, Willy Fittler 278, Chris Kosempel 278. High Handicap Series: Gary Garnham 790, Heinz Kosempel 780, Henry Trynka 750. Standings: S.W. Property 42, Rhine Danube 41, Dickau Construction 40, Weil’s Food 39, Fittler Farms 37, Del Fresco 32.

each team only plays two regular season cross-conference games — and those are early on, before anyone has a chance to develop/improve. What’s NOT difficult to determine is where parity is the healthiest. If as a spectator of Junior B hockey you’re looking for a game/series that could go either way, well, as they frontiersmen of 19th century America often said “go West, young man!” That intensity level is reflected in attendance — six of the seven teams that averaged better than 500 spectators per regular season home game (including the Leamington Flyers) hail from the West.

Anyway, back to the GOJHL ‘cull’ discussion. Rumour or not, I’m personally not in favour of the idea. Whether the league hosts 26, 23 or five teams, there will always be powerhouses and also-rans. Junior B is a development league and the more teams there are (within reason — let’s not put any more strain on the already sparsely-numbered minor hockey associations), the more players there are who’ll have a chance to develop.

I guess whittling the “GO” down to 23 teams (24 if Cambridge comes back in one form or another), would open the door for the league to implement the two conferences of about a dozen teams each that it’s been contemplating for the past couple years. That way, you’ve got seven or eight teams that miss the playoffs instead of just two or three. That, on paper at least, should make for more interesting quarterfinal battles.

What it doesn’t do is offer some players with untapped potential the postseason experience they could use to some day move up (to the CHL or land a college/university scholarship). Tough choice for a league that has to operate as a springboard for CHL and OUA hockey while at the same time maintaining the interest of fans.

In any case, altering the playoff format is something a league has to do very carefully. I fear that once the NHL welcomes its 32nd team in 2020 (Seattle), it’ll screw up a perfectly even system where exactly half the teams qualify for the post season. Knowing that more playoff teams means more money, Bettman and his cronies will probably allow 24 teams to advance — third versus sixth and fourth versus fifth in each of four divisions, where the top two teams in each group receive first round byes… or something dumb like that. I can see why the GOJHL might want to change the playoffs a bit — the whole ‘wild card team as the fourth Sutherland Cup semifinalist’ thing is kind of awkward. The method used to make that change however must be considered thoroughly — we don’t need a case of too many deer and not enough wolves.

BUDDY GUY

Friday, April 13

DAVID FOSTER

Sunday, April 15

TERRY FATOR

Saturday, April 21

BRIAN WILSON WITH SPECIAL GUESTS AL JARDINE & BLONDIE CHAPLIN Friday, May 4

DARCY OAKE

ILLUSIONIST & MASTER MAGICIAN OPEN TO ALL AGES

RUSSELL PETERS

Friday, June 15

Tickets on sale March 31!

COLE SWINDELL

Saturday, June 16

Tickets on sale March 31!

YANNI

Friday, June 29

BRYAN ADAMS

Tuesday, July 3

SARAH McLACHLAN

Wednesday, July 4

Tickets on sale March 31!

Thursday, May 17 3pm & 8pm PITBULL

Friday, May 25

Tickets on sale March 31!

LEE BRICE

Saturday, May 26

DANIEL O'DONNELL

Sunday, May 27

BLINK-182

Saturday, June 2

Tickets on sale April 1!

DISTURBED

Wednesday, July 11

Tickets on sale March 31!

TREVOR NOAH

Friday, July 20

Tickets

Stars weekend action

The Southpoint Community Trophy Atom Stars played host to the LaSalle Sabre Cats in Essex-Kent playoff action in Wheatley on Sunday afternoon. The Stars battled hard all game; however, the Sabre Cats were able to score goals in each period which resulted in a Stars 4-0 loss.

The Southpoint Highbury Canco Intermediate Stars welcomed the Lakeshore Lightning to the Wheatley Arena in Essex-Kent playoff action on Sunday evening. This was a very exciting, hard-fought matchup. The game saw both teams exchange several scoring chances, while the goaltenders for both teams were definitely on their game. Stars netminder Erica Taylor, in her final game as a Star, played very solid all game, giving her team an opportunity to win this contest. The Lightning was able to score a goal late in the first period and added another late in the second to edge out the Stars by a final score of 2-1. Connie Wiebe scored the lone Stars goal, while Madison Dupuis and Megan Mercer chipped in scoring the ever-important assists.

The Southpoint Leamington Kinsmen Intermediate Stars battled the LaSalle Sabre Cats in playoff action. The Stars hit the ice with determination as they attacked the puck in all three zones throughout the entire game, notching a big 3-0 win. Paige Thompson led the Stars offensive attack scoring two beautiful goals. Taylor Babkirk scored the other Stars goal, while between the pipes Alyee Church was absolutely sensational as she shut the door on the Sabre Cats, making many key saves to earn yet another big shutout.

The Leamington Kinsmen Intermediate Stars entertained a different LaSalle team on Sunday evening in Wheatley. This would be the Kinsmen Stars final playoff game. These two teams competed so evenly throughout this game that saw a very fast pace and a fair bit of intense physicality.

The Lady Stars lit the lamp first at the end of the opening period. Defenceman Joline Driedger passed the puck to Rayvenne Sarkis, who found Kayla Collison skating through the neutral zone. Collison then evaded a couple of Sabre Cat defenders and wired a laser past the LaSalle netminder.

The second period saw an intense scoreless battle; however, the Sabre Cats evened thing up just seconds into the final period. The game ended in a 1-1 tie.

Alyee Church was once again fabulous in net for the Kinsmen Stars as she made amazing save after save to hold the high powered offence of LaSalle to just a single goal!

Semi-Competitive A Champs – Gettin’ Diggy With It

Charity Volleyball Tournament supports SECC, food bank

The 7th Annual Charity Volleyball Tournament on Saturday, February 24 was another amazing day with 28 teams and over 180 participants hitting the hard court for a great cause. The local South Essex Community Council (SECC) was the recipient of the funds raised and volunteers from the organization were onsite, assisting on the chaotic but fun day.

Games were played at four Leamington venues – Cardinal Carter Secondary School, Kinsmen Recreation Complex, St. Louis Catholic Elementary School and UMEI Christian High School.

Once again, with the range of talent this year, there were 5 divisions during the playoff portion: Competitive, Competitive Consolation, Semi-Competitive A, Consolation, SemiCompetitive B and Recreational. It was a flurry of activity in the town of Leamington!

The Competitive division final came down to a representation of Windsor talent again. It was an incredible battle to the end with Rampage Vball coming out on top over Border Volley in a nail-biting 2 out of 3 game final.

The Competitive Consolation final was a barrage of spikes and digs, and despite playing shorthanded without their captain, Corey Cole’s Advantage+ defeated Block Obama in a one-game final.

Any one of the 7 teams could have taken the top spot with the comparable skill sets of all the teams in the Competitive division.

The Semi-Competitive A and Consolation finals also did not disappoint with both matches requiring three games to decide the winner. After the dust settled, it was Gettin Diggy With It in the A division winning over Mission Unblockable, going right down to the last point.

The Consolation final had the always-entertaining Richard Heads being victorious over Team DJ PJ Productions, the defending 2017 champions.

The Semi-Competitive B final had Spike Tyson taking on Kiss My Ace. Despite a tough round of pool play, Spike Tyson turned it around during the playoff portion to be victorious.

The Recreational division final was dominated by Don’t Be Sh*t and all teams in the division are to be applauded for playing their hardest and managing with the diverse range of talent.

This was the 7th tournament organized by Ryan Whittle, Karen Repko and Leasa Barkovsky. Along with the money raised for SECC, items were also collected for the Leamington Salvation Army Food Bank, a regular beneficiary of each tournament, to assist during a time when donations are

low and demand is still high.

The day would not have been a success without the tremendous generosity of area businesses and countless other donors within the region. The support was overwhelming and greatly appreciated.

After the kneepads came off and pain relief cream applied, $5,700 was collected along with 461 food items. Thank-you to all the donors, participants and volunteers for their support in helping tournament organizers continue to create a positive impact within the community.

Church Directory

Competitive Champs – Rampage Vball

Left to right: Deanna Harris, Jacob Prodan, Eric Gietz, Justin Binder, Carleigh Ross, Josh Prodan (in front).

Left to right: Wade Ryan, Ettore Taricani, Alessandra Carlesimo, Ashlyn Dupuis, Ben Sokoli, Steven Kulesza.

Semi-Competitive B Champs – Spike Tyson

Front row, left to right: Brittany Colenutt, Joanne Evans. Back row: Kyle Couture, Nicolas Brousseau, Michael Roch, Michael Carpenter, Marc Lachapelle.

Recreational Champs – Don’t Be Sh*t

Left to right: Aaron Wright, Cindy Robitaille, Michael Palombo, Heather Krestick, Andrea Varady, Tracey Roberts.

Leamington Bridge Results

Leamington Half Century Centre, Mar. 12: North/South - 1st Bill Chaplin and Frank Duransky, 2nd Ron Martin and Roy Trowell, 3rd Vi Major and Pauline Mikolash. East/ West - 1st Al Morrison and Sue Duransky, 2nd Jim Perkes and Roger Cote, 3rd George Hildebrandt and Henry Hildebrandt. Bridge games are played each Monday at 12:45 p.m. Members and new members are welcome.

Peewees win Big Bear tournament

The Southpoint squad won all four of their games to capture the event’s championship. The team consists of,

from front to back and left to right, Eric Heinz, Nathan Ribble, Cole Bradley, Luca Rino, Grayson Vince, Josh Tiessen, Caleb Bradley, Kaden Gabriele, Cian Tiessen, Luke Scratch, Kaeden Sarkis, Abel Teichroeb, coaches Ryan Ribble and Kyle Gabriele, Andrew Marchand, Drennan Vince, Ethan Rodrigues, Jack Tiessen and coach Ed Rogrigues. Ethan Rodrigues took honours as Most Valuable Player.

The Southpoint peewee select team (left) prepares to face off during a game in the 2018 Big Bear Tournament held in Detroit over the March 4 weekend. (Submitted photos)

Novice Blue moves on to championship game

On Saturday, March 17 the Southpoint Capitals Novice Blue, sponsored by Leamington Chrysler, traveled to Essex to take on Essex Teal in the semi-final match of the playoffs.

Essex scored near the end of the first period and that fired up the Capitals to give it their all.

In the second period, Kyle Bradley made a nice pass to Max Mastronardi who took a wrist shot at the net that bounced off the goalies pads. Sean Amaral picked it up and shot it over the net-minder’s shoulder.

Logan Konrad passed off the boards to Chase Collins who also found the back of the Essex net.

Blake Epplett, with a hard shot from the point, confused the Essex net-minder and earned another goal for the Caps. The assist went to Jackson Weil.

Chase Collins found London Hildebrand in

Atom Grey’s Max Youssef scored three goals in semifinal game action versus Essex Orange.

(Submitted photo)

front of the Essex net and made a nice pass from the corner where Hildebrand earned his first goal of the season, giving the Capitals a 3-point lead.

Capitals’ defense of Brent Pimentel, Brayden Hutchingame, Connor Rumble and Logan Konrad

did not let anything past them in the third period.

Goalie Sonny Coppola had a great game, making many saves for the Capitals.

The team heads back to Essex again on Sunday, March 25 to participate in the championship game.

Atom Grey shuts out Essex in semi-final

On Saturday, March 17 the Southpoint Capitals Atom Grey faced Essex Orange at home in a semi-final game.

Southpoint topped Essex 6-0 after Max Youseff lit the lamp three times, Carson Koehler had a pair of goals and one came from Chase Simpson.

Owen Pimentel was credited with three assists and Cole Carreiro, Lucas Grilo and Chase Simpson each earned one.

A shutout performance came from netminder Jozef Zieba.

The Capitals will be playing in the championship game on Sunday, March 25 in Essex.

Southpoint Capitals Novice Blue took the win over Essex and move on to championship game! (Submitted photo)

The Old Page... Clippings from

• Business Cards • Postcards

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• Apparel & Promotional Products print@southpointsun.ca 519-398-9098

the Wheatley Journal, March 1988

Area 1 Champs

The Wheatley senior boys basketball team won the Elementary School Area 1 Championship recently but were eliminated in the Kent County finals. Front row: Todd Hopper, David Bradley, Trevor Neil, George Bergen, David Penfold. Back row: coach Ken Koehler, Joel Foster, Scott Butler, Darrick Lamb, Jeremy Colenutt, Derek Schroeder.

Pet Parade?

It would appear to a casual observer that the village of Wheatley “went to the dogs” (and cats) on Saturday. Hundreds of family pets appeared at the Wheatley Animal Hospital to receive a preventative rabies vaccination. Pet owners in Wheatley, Leamington, Mersea, and Romney were encouraged to bring in their pets to the rabies clinic.

The clinic was operated in cooperation with Dr. C.F. Rhoads and Dr. J.M. Leonn, endorsed by the four municipalities. Those bringing in their pets were charged one half of the regular fee for the shot.

By the time the last animal had received its vaccination, a total of 254 pets had been treated.

Tim Stevenson calms his brother’s dog while Dr. Leonn administers vaccine.

Donates steam era model

Mr. Bev Edwards of Merlin presented a scale model of an early steam tractor built by his father, Mr. John Edwards, to the Heritage Society. The late Mr. Edwards was a long time Romney farmer who operated an original steam tractor that powered threshing and corn husking machines.

Bev Edwards, centre, puts his finger on the miniature throttle of the replica as Heritage Club curators Robert Ellerbeck, left and Harold Hickson, right, look on.

Former Flyers win ACHA title

After being part of a Western Ontario Conference championship or two, four formerly Leamington Flyers have added another team title to their lists of accomplishments. Forward Kyle Perkowski, defenseman J.P. Grineau and goaltenders Austyn Roudebush and Michael Barrett — each of whom played multiple seasons with Leamington’s Junior B team — helped guide the Adrian College Bulldogs to an American Collegiate Hockey Association Division 1 championship title. The championship game ended in an 8-1 victory over the University of Illinois Fighting Illini Tuesday, March 13 at a neutral site in Columbus, Ohio.

Grineau, a Leamington resident, played 30 regular season games with the Bulldogs as a defenseman, wracking up six goals and 23 assists for 29 points. Last year was his first with Adrian, where he had two goals and 31 assists for 33 points in 33 games. Grineau played four full seasons with the Flyers plus part of the 2011-12 campaign, where his duties were split between defense and offense.

Perkowski, a Riverview, Mich. resident, also played 30 regular season games with this season’s Bulldogs, collecting 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points. He played the 2014-15 season with the Flyers, where he had 18 goals and 14 assists for 32 points in 43 games. He played in the USPHL and NAHL in 2015-16 and 2016-17 respectively before joining the Adrian College team for 2017-18.

Roudebush, of Toledo, Ohio, was undefeated in 22 reg-

ular season and all four ACHA playoff starts. He notched 10 shutouts overall — eight during the regular season and another two in the playoffs — with a regular season that featured a 0.91 goals against average and save percentage of .959. In the playoffs, Roudebush established a GAA of 1.00 and a save percentage of .966. In the championship game against Illinois, he also contributed with two assists while stopping 28 of 29 shots. He was declared Adrian’s Most Valuable Player. Roudebush played the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons with the Flyers before playing his first of four years with the Bulldogs.

Barrett, hailing from Lambertville, Mich., finished the regular season with eight wins and one loss. In that time, he built a goals against average of 1.96 and a save percentage of .932. His 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons were spent with the Flyers, followed by two years at Adrian.

Adrian is a private liberal arts college based in Adrian, Michigan — 108 km southwest of the Ambassador Bridge on the Detroit side of the U.S.-Canada border. This season’s Bulldogs were 34-1 overall, including a perfect 15-0 within their own conference. In addition to Grineau, the team 2017-18 squad included two other Essex County residents — former Chatham Maroons Mark Fratarcangeli of Tecumseh and Steven Szekesy of Belle River. Szekesy also played for the Greater Metro Hockey League’s Kingsville Kings.

J.P. Grineau of the Leamington Flyers carries the puck deep into London Nationals’ territory during a December of 2015 match at Highbury Canco Arena. Grineau, of Leamington was one of four former Flyers with the Adrian College Bulldogs who won the 2018 American Collegiate Hockey Association Division 1 championship Tuesday, March 13 against Illinois. Other former Flyers with the team included goalie Michael Barrett of Lambertville, Mich., forward Kyle Perkowski of Riverview, Mich. and goalie Austyn Roudebush of Toledo, Ohio. (SUN file photo)

E-mail, call or drop off your classified ad by Friday at

Ph: 519-398-9098 Email: journal@mnsi.net or

FOR RENT

ERIE

APARTMENTS

137 Erie St. South 2 bedroom units available. 2nd & 3rd floor. 13th month free. Available immediately. Call 519-791-1972

LEAMINGTON

LAKEFRONT

Upscale and Affordable in Leamington’s ONLY waterfront rental apartment building overlooking Leamington Marina and Park and minutes from the beach.

Amenities include:

• library and social rooms

• new Smart Card “no coin” laundry

• beautiful lobby

• underground parking

• outdoor balconies

• FREE utilities and window coverings

• Fully secured and 24-7 onsite management. Ask us about our limited time “New Tenant” incentives. www.ska-apartmentrentals.com Call Mike or Kevin 519-326-8819

WANTED

WANTED - RURAL HOUSE RENTAL for non-smoking couple with basic amenities, space for 2 outside dogs. Between Kingsville & Windsor 519-784-3598 mr14-21

COMING UP

BUYING JEWELLERY + COINS - All gold jewellery, (even broken) + coin collections, Thursday, March 28 at Unico building, downtown Kingsville (next to A1 Flooring). Free estimates gold & silver coins, sterling flatware, old watches. 50 years experience. House calls available. Dan W. Jones B.A.Ed. 519819-1805. mr21

KINGSVILLE LEGION

BRANCH 188 - Friday Night

Dinners 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Weekly Special - Friday, March 23 Lasagna and Battered Haddock $16. Other weekly menu items $14. Karaoke every 3rd Saturday of the month 8:00 p.m. 519733-5162 (office) or 519-7339081 (bar). ja6-tf

SERVICES

J J STITCHING - SEWING, alterations, and repairs. 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 Ave., Leamington. Email: jjstitching@gmail. com and check us out on Facebook. mr14-21

IRWIN PLUMBING - New homes, renovations, repairs. Same or next day service. Since 1999. Call Tim 519825-7245. mr8-tf

PARCEL ONE:

Legacy Auctions

LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Part of Lots 13 & 14, Concession 13, Geographic Township of Tilbury East, Municipality of Chatham-Kent.

OWNER: Estate of Marian Eskritt.

PUBLIC AUCTION

ACREAGE: 180 acres more or less.

B&B MOVING & DELIVERIES - Three guys with extensive experience moving and delivering furniture. 10% senior and student discounts. For all your moving needs, call Neil for a free quote at 519-566-1366. oc11-tf

PROPERTY/BUILDINGS: This property is vacant.

Old Fashioned Auctions

LOCATION: The premises are situate on the north side of the Glenwood Line, west of the Vanedie Road, and will be identified by signage on the property.

OIL & GAS LEASES: The title to this property is subject to oil and gas leases in favour of Millenium Gas Corporation and ONCO Petroleum Inc. Although these leases are no longer active, it is not possible to obtain determinations, and the successful tenderer will be required to accept title subject thereto.

ELECTROLUX SALES & SERVICE: Complete line of vacuums and shampooers/ floor polishers. Will provide free estimate on Central Vac installations. Contact Dan Bailey. 519-825-7698. tf

PARCEL TWO:

LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Part of Lot 14, Concession 11, Geographic Township of Tilbury East, Municipality of Chatham-Kent.

OWNER: Estate of Marian Eskritt.

ACREAGE: 50 acres more or less.

Antiques and Fine Furniture AUCTION

PERSONAL

PROPERTY/BUILDINGS: This property is vacant.

SOUTHPOINT PRINT: Envelopes, invoices, flyers, postcards, brochures, booklets, drivers logs, tickets, and many other custom print jobs. Call Mallory 519-398-9098 or mallory@southpointsun.ca. tf

LOCATION: The premises are situate on the south side of Kemp Line, west of the Vanedie Road, and will be identified by signage on the property.

OIL & GAS LEASE: The title to this property is subject to an oil and gas lease in favour of ONCO Petroleum Inc. Although this lease is no longer active, it is not possible to obtain a determination, and the successful tenderer will be required to accept title subject thereto.

Saturday March 24 at 1:00 p.m. Comber Community Centre Collector’s Sale of Estate & Consignment. Exceptional selection of Victorian and Oak Furnishings, Fine China, Crystal, Royal Doultons, Goebels, and so much more!

TERMS OF TENDER:

Dr. Brian E. Adamson 24 Oak St.

Auctioneer: Peter F. Clements 519.330.6816

NOTICES

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Eye examinations by appointment

HI MY NAME is Richard. Iʼm 39 and Iʼm looking for a nice wonderful lady to go out and share my life with. The woman I am looking for is kind, nice, honest, has a great heart, who is working every day, and who drives. For more information about me call or text me at 519-3259799. fe21-mr28

Sealed tenders, which need only identify the parcel for which the tender is being submitted, the tendered price and contact information, will be received by the undersigned until 4:30 p.m. on March 29, 2018, with the highest, or any, tender, not necessarily accepted. No deposit is required with the tender, but the successful tenderer will be required to enter into an agreement of purchase and sale without conditions, except as to title, by April 6, 2018, and submit a deposit of $10,000.00 at that time. Transaction to close on or before April 27, 2018, with vacant possession on that date. The properties are being sold in all respects in an “as is” condition.

All claims against the Estate of Audrey Gladys Lillian Raven, late of Leamington, who died on June 2, 2017, must be filed by April 30, 2018, with the undersigned failing which the estate assets will be distributed having regard only to claims then filed.

Interested parties may contact the undersigned to obtain any further information.

Dated/Leamington March 2, 2018.

ESTATE OF MARIAN ESKRITT

c/o JAY A. JOHNSON, SOLICITOR

TAYLOR DELRUE

Audrey Gladys Lillian Raven Estate c/o Richard A. McGrath, solicitor 2-99 Talbot St. E., Leamington ON N8H 1L4

40 QUEEN STREET SOUTH, P.O. BOX 459

TILBURY ON N0P 2L0

TELEPHONE NO. 519-682-0164

HELLO MY NAME is Stevie and Iʼm looking for some odd jobs to do around the Leamington area. I am available Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. With Spring coming on I can assist with yard work, painting, general cleaning and pet sitting. To contact me please call or text at 519-324-5879. Thank you. mr21-ap11

FARM FOR SALE BY TENDER

PARCEL ONE:

LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Part of Lots 13 & 14, Concession 13, Geographic Township of Tilbury East, Municipality of Chatham-Kent.

OWNER: Estate of Marian Eskritt.

ACREAGE: 180 acres more or less.

PROPERTY/BUILDINGS: This property is vacant.

LOCATION: The premises are situate on the north side of the Glenwood Line, west of the Vanedie Road, and will be identified by signage on the property.

OIL & GAS LEASES: The title to this property is subject to oil and gas leases in favour of Millenium Gas Corporation and ONCO Petroleum Inc. Although these leases are no longer active, it is not possible to obtain determinations, and the successful tenderer will be required to accept title subject thereto.

PARCEL TWO:

LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Part of Lot 14, Concession 11, Geographic Township of Tilbury East, Municipality of Chatham-Kent.

OWNER: Estate of Marian Eskritt.

ACREAGE: 50 acres more or less.

PROPERTY/BUILDINGS: This property is vacant.

LOCATION: The premises are situate on the south side of Kemp Line, west of the Vanedie Road, and will be identified by signage on the property.

OIL & GAS LEASE: The title to this property is subject to an oil and gas lease in favour of ONCO Petroleum Inc. Although this lease is no longer active, it is not possible to obtain a determination, and the successful tenderer will be required to accept title subject thereto.

TERMS OF TENDER:

Sealed tenders, which need only identify the parcel for which the tender is being submitted, the tendered price and contact information, will be received by the undersigned until 4:30 p.m. on March 29, 2018, with the highest, or any, tender, not necessarily accepted. No deposit is required with the tender, but the successful tenderer will be required to enter into an agreement of purchase and sale without conditions, except as to title, by April 6, 2018, and submit a deposit of $10,000.00 at that time. Transaction to close on or before April 27, 2018, with vacant possession on that date. The properties are being sold in all respects in an “as is” condition. Interested parties may contact the undersigned to obtain any further information.

ESTATE OF MARIAN ESKRITT c/o JAY A. JOHNSON, SOLICITOR TAYLOR DELRUE 40 QUEEN STREET

The newspaper keeps you informed, inspired and in touch. From local headlines to entertainment and sports, good news is in the bag!

E-mail, call or drop off your classified ad by Friday at

Ph: 519-398-9098 Email: journal@mnsi.net or sun@mnsi.net

Greenhouse Labour Positions Available

Wage: $14.00 per hour

Full Time Employment

40+ Hours a Week

Duties include Crop Work, Picking, Winding, etc. Fast paced environment, repetitive tasks, handling heavy boxes, bending, kneeling, attention to detail. No experience required. No education required. Must have own transportation.

Please send resume to: employment@wpgreenhouses.ca

WEST POINTE GREENHOUSES LTD., 404 ROAD 3, LEAMINGTON

Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority TENDER

For the Construction and Development of Cell 3 South at the Essex-Windsor Regional Landfill in Essex Ontario.

Mandatory Pre-tender Site Meeting: Thursday March 22, 2018 10:00 AM OR Thursday March 29, 2018 10:00 AM

Tender Closing Date and Time: Thursday April 19, 2018 – 12:00 Noon

Details: http://www.ewswa.org/about/business-opportunities-bids/

Greenhouse Worker

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Crop work, winding, pruning, harvesting

• Checking quality of harvested produce

• Other duties as assigned

WORK CONDITIONS:

• Fast-paced environment, repetitive tasks, standing for extended periods

• Bend, crouching, kneeling, hand-eye coordination, attention to detail

• Working at heights, hot environment

WAGE AND HOURS:

• 40 plus hours a week including Saturdays

• Wage: 14.00/hour, seasonal, full time

No Education Required. No Experience Required. Please forward your resume by email to: hr@orangelinefarms.com (627 County Rd. 14, R.R. # 5, Leamington, ON N8H 3V8)

General Labourers for 2018 Processing Season

• Day and night shifts 50-60+ hours/week (Mon.-Sat.)

• Working in warm temperatures

• Transport raw, finished & packaged materials; measure/ dump ingredients; check for basic quality defects

• Starting wage $14.00 per hour No education, and no experience required. lori.weil@weilsfood.ca 483 Erie St. North Box 130 Wheatley, ON N0P 2P0

PINNACLE ACRES

REQUIRES Full time greenhouse general labourers. $14.00/hr 50+ hours, 7 days/wk. Must be available Saturday & Sunday. Work site: 333 County Rd 18, Leamington ON, rural setting, must have own transportation. Crop maintenance and harvesting, other duties as required. Must be able to lift a minimum of 40lbs on a repetitive basis, fast paced environment, strong work ethic, punctual, reliable. Please apply via email: pinnalcejobs@hotmail.ca No experience or education required. mr7-21

STUDENTS

This summer bring your ideas to life & be your own boss!

Do you have ideas for creating your own company? Here’s your chance to turn those ideas into a real business this summer. The Summer Company program provides you up to $3000 and the opportunity to start your very own business and to develop your entrepreneurial skills.

The program is open to students between 15 and 29, who are returning to school in the fall. It can help bring your ideas to life. It’s exciting and highly rewarding, and it’ll give you the chance to be your own boss.

When it comes to actually getting your company up and running we’ll provide you with up to $1500 and the training you will need to help get you started. Then, when you’ve successfully completed the program at the end of the summer, we’ll give you up to $1500 for your return to school.

For more information or to sign up for Summer Company, contact Chatham-Kent’s Small Business Centre at 519-360-1998 or visit Ontario.ca/SummerCompany.

PART TIME EXPERIENCED cook wanted. Apply to Southgate Village 38 Park St., Kingsville, ON. mr14-21

M&M FARMS LTD - Greenhouse Worker positions available. Responsibilities: crop work, winding, pruning, harvesting, checking quality of harvested produce, other duties as assigned. Work Conditions: fast-paced environment, repetitive tasks, standing for extended periods, bending, crouching, kneeling, attention to detail, working at heights, hot environment. Hours: 45+ hours a week including weekends. Wage: $14.00 per hour, seasonal, full time. No education or experience required. Must have own transportation. Please forward e-mail to mmfarms@bell.net or Fax: 519-326-8047. mr14-ap4

KITCHEN & WAIT STAFF & ICE CREAM ATTENDANT

Please send resume to: freddysparkstop@gmail.com

• Compensation is $14.00/hour

• Monday through Friday (Occasional Saturdays)

• No education or experience required.

• Duties include hand-trimming, taking cuttings, hand harvesting, watering and cleaning of greenhouse. Please apply at: careers@aphria.com or

GREENHOUSE WORKERS NEEDED

Employees will be required to carry out all job tasks as specified by the operation manager.

Specific duties include: Pruning, clipping, harvesting and cleaning work area. Repetitive task, standing for extended periods, hot humid conditions, comfortable working on scissor lifts, handling weights of up to 23 kg or 50 lbs, report signs of insect or disease damage.

Permanent full time weekdays including weekends. $14.00 per hour. Will train the right candidate. Must be able to work within a group or on their own. Reliable and dependable.

Must have own transportation.

Apply:

Southshore Greenhouses Inc. 1746 Seacliff Drive Kingsville, Ontario N9Y 2M6

DRIVER

• Competitive Benefits after 3 months

• Local Routes with delivery to Kingsville/ Leamington

• Daily Over the Border Routes to Michigan or Ohio

• Paid Direct Deposit Bi-Weekly

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED)

Inattentive driving deadliest behaviour

Over March Break (Mar. 12-18) the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were focused on what has been the deadliest kind of driver on OPP-patrolled roads for the fifth consecutive year – the inattentive driver.

Inattentive drivers were behind 83 road fatalities on OPPpatrolled roads in 2017, surpassing speed-related deaths (75), alcohol/drug-related deaths (46) and those that are linked to lack of seat belt use (49).

Since 2009 (the year Ontario Distracted Driving laws took effect), 692 have been killed on OPP-patrolled roads in

collisions that involved an inattentive driver.

“By now, the majority of drivers and passengers have witnessed, had a close call or been involved in a collision with a driver who was texting, talking on their cell phone or engaged in some other form of distraction. Last year, the OPP responded to 8,711 crashes that were linked to driver inattention. These drivers have no regard for your safety, making it as important as ever that you lead by example on the road and be a strong voice in your community and on social media about this deadly driving behaviour,” said OPP

Deputy Commissioner Brad Blair, Provincial Commander of Traffic Safety and Operational Support.

If convicted of distracted driving, a fully licenced driver will receive:

Drivers who endanger others because of any distraction, including hand-held and hands-free devices, may still be charged with Careless Driving under the Highway Traffic Act or even Dangerous Driving under the Criminal Code of Canada. Both charges carry heavy fines and penalties.