The Villager 2020 April by Villager Community News

April 2020

Traffic lights in Washago. . . . . . . . . . 5 COVID-19 scams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Nature is still open . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Local resident honoured . . . 16 & 17

Message from Mike Burkett Mayor of Severn Township As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve around the world and in our region, the health and well-being of our community is our top priority. We’re working closely with Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, County of Simcoe, and our community partners to monitor and respond to COVID-19. The situation is changing rapidly and we’re adapting to new information every day. Our emergency management team is meeting regularly to prepare. As Mayor, I’m proud of Township of Severn staff—they have stepped up to meet the daily challenges COVID-19 brings. We have a plan to ensure all emergency and essential municipal services continue, while keeping our staff safe. We appreciate that residents are limiting their calls to the office to essential items only so that we can keep our staff resources dedicated to keeping emergency and essential services running for you and our community. We’re taking proactive steps to slow the spread of COVID-19 locally. Public health officials are recommending protective measures such as social distancing. In response, we temporarily closed our facilities to the public, we cancelled our recreation and library

programs, and postponed our meetings of Council. We all have a responsibility to take actions to stay healthy and slow the spread of COVID-19. Help protect your family, your neighbours, and our community by following the recommendations from public health officials: • Wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly and often • Cough and sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth • Keep surfaces clean and disinfected I encourage you to stay informed. For • Stay home if you’re sick and avoid contact up-to-date information COVID-19, visit our with people who are sick • Maintain a social (physical) distance of website at townshipofsevern.com/covid19 and follow us on Twitter @SevernTownship. two metres.

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MORE ON COVID-19 Heartwarming, comforting, disappointing, afraid. All of this and more during this health crisis. See page 4. Orillia is not only Severn’s neighbour, we rely on that city for so much – the hospital, doctors, big box stores, car dealerships, and much more. What happens in Orillia is important to Villager readers. See page 13.

Uncertainty has developed in many areas of our lives. If you may be considering a real estate move this year, when you’re ready, let’s talk about your goals and explore the options available in our local market. Your best interests are my first priority.

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COVID-19 information, updates and well wishes By Simcoe North MP Bruce Stanton

As you are aware, at the time of writing, all non-essential businesses and offices have closed in Simcoe Region, including my office which is restricted to only essential meetings, by appointment. However, please do not to hesitate to contact us. We are available on my website (BruceStantonMP. ca), by Facebook (FB/BruceStantonMP), and through email and telephone. Please note the contact information below. News on government measures to halt the spread of COVID-19 comes almost hourly and the government has introduced a multi-faceted $82 billion financial aid package for businesses and individuals impacted by this emergency. Parliament has been temporarily recalled to discuss and speed passage of these measures. I will update you further as details become available. For constant updates and information on all aspects of the governments Corvid-19 actions, from travel restrictions and bringing Canadians abroad safely home, to relief and assistance available here at home, please visit www.Canada.ca During this time of limited travel and due to the limitations of social distancing, passport services in my offices and at Passport Canada, have been suspended. There are means to get a passport if you must travel for emergencies or health reasons. Contact my office and we will be pleased to assist you and please visit https://www.canada. ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/ services/canadian-passports.html

While our government is doing its best to keep Canadians safe from the COVID-19 crisis, there are still many of our ministries working to keep us safe in other ways. In particular, and important to Simcoe Region and its many lakes and rivers, we are at the start of the spring run-off. Parks Canada waterway hydrologists are monitoring Trent Severn Waterway levels daily at six key points in our region. March, April and May are critical months as melting snow and rain fill waterway lakes. Attention is also focused on the weather as heavy rainfall and prolonged warm temperatures will cause rivers and lakes to rise suddenly. While flood mitigation is a primary springtime concern of waterway staff, care is also taken to ensure that water flows and levels are adequate to protect fish spawning sites, and for use in the following summer. For those wishing to have Water Management Updates sent directly to them, you can keep posted by joining an email bulletin list. If you would like to be added to that list, please email: Ont.TrentSevern@pc.gc.ca. You will receive information as it becomes available. Be safe during the spring run-off this season and remember the following tips: • Keep family and pets away from the edges of all bodies of water • Avoid all recreational activities in or around water • Where you can, move objects such as chairs or benches away from the water’s edge to avoid losing them during the spring thaw

In closing, on behalf of my wife, Heather and my entire family, I wish you and your loved ones well over the next weeks and months. As fellow Canadians, I know we are all aware of, and will follow, all protocols that will most certainly help to stop the spread of COVID-19. They include self-isolating for a minimum of 14 days if feeling symptoms or returning from out of the country; washing your hands frequently with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds each time; not touching you face, eyes or nose; and keeping a minimum of 2 meters from everyone when you are in a public situation. NOTE: by the time this is published, there may be additional requirements. Please, pay attention and follow all as advised by public health experts. If you begin to feel flu-like symptoms, you can call Telehealth Ontario at: 1-866797-0000 or contact the Simcoe-Muskoka Health Unit at 1-888-225-7851 for next steps to take. As terrible and stressful as this is, we will get through this crisis. Many of us may become ill and recover well. Some of us may need more acute care from our outstanding health care professionals, to whom we owe our deepest admiration. But please know that I am here to support you in every way I can, along with the help of governments, at all levels, and the fellowship of 37 million Canadians who are in this with you. Sincerely, Bruce Telephone: 705-327-0513 Email: bruce.stanton@parl.gc.ca Website: BruceStantonMP.ca

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No matter what, the sun always rises over Lake Couchiching. Photo by Ellen Cohen, August 31, 2016.

Ellen Cohen Publisher

thevillagerpress@rogers.com

705-717-0322 The Villager, a Severn Township community news magazine, is an independently owned and operated publication delivered to households and businesses on or before the first day of every month. It is mailed through Canada Post north from the Severn Township/Orillia border to Severn Bridge and includes parts of Ramara Township. In addition to Canada Post delivery, The Villager is distributed each month through high traffic locations along the Highway 11 corridor and in many other select locations in Orillia. For a complete list of locations email thevillagerpress@rogers.com. Editorial and advertising material is protected by copyright. Reproduction of any article, photograph or graphic is forbidden without the express permission of the publisher. The sentiments of our columnists do not necessarily reflect those of The Villager. The Villager’s liability to advertisers for errors is limited to the portion of the advertisement in which an error occurs and only if the error is the fault of The Villager. Community event submissions and prearranged editorial contributions must be received by the 10th of each month for the following month’s publication. Advertising space must be booked by the 10th of each month in order to appear in the following month’s publication, with 5 business days thereafter to complete the advertising artwork and proof approval process.

The Villager P.O. Box 5 Washago, ON L0K 2B0 Art director: Cathy Cleary

From the Publisher:

People are kind and thoughtful, gracious and loving In March of 2020, this happened: A local OPP officer hand-delivered greeting cards to a resident at the Leacock Care Centre. The resident was in isolation and hadn’t seen his family for weeks. The cards were from the resident’s family. He cried with joy. An elderly woman who lived alone, with no family nearby, answered her phone one night. It was her neighbour, a nurse, making sure all was okay. The next day, the nurse picked up groceries and prescriptions for her. The nurse calls her every day now. A brother, whose family is separated by distance from Vancouver to Severn, set up group video calls with siblings and nieces. They talk about their day and their feelings. They laugh and cry together. The calls now take place several times a week. An elderly man at the local grocery store, careful to keep his distance, points to the last chicken breast in the hopper and motions for an elderly woman to take it. “I don’t need it,” he says as he walks away without any meat.

I’m done with partisanship forever When stress levels are high and isolation takes its toll, I’m sure many of us review some our preconceptions, some of our judgements. I know I have. I have been very critical of Doug Ford, his policies and his behaviour. I had no confidence in him to run our province. In fact, I have written to Jill Dunlop, our Simcoe North MPP several times to express my opinions. On March 18th, I wrote Jill again. But this time was different. I had shed my partisan opinions and looked only at what Doug Ford and his team were doing for Ontarians. Here’s an excerpt of that letter: Jill, I never thought I’d write this while Mr. Ford was still our premier: today I feel proud to be an Ontarian and am grateful for all the work you and the entire provincial team does and will continue to do to keep us safe and well-informed. Premier Ford is showing leadership that is helping me to stay calm and confident. A personal thank you to you. I’m sure you are exhausted and have no chance right now for any life balance between your duty and your family. We are all making sacrifices and yours are very much appreciated. I meant every word. I may never agree with his political policies, but I am grateful for his leadership during what is a gut-churning crisis. As for our Prime Minister, I know that when I turn on the television to watch his daily briefing, I can count on a well-delivered, measured, decisive and thorough review, and a plan for moving on to the next day. And all of this while he is in isolation and his dear wife is ill. I am proud to be an Ontarian. I am proud to be a Canadian. Letters to the publisher are welcome and may be emailed to thevillagerpress@rogers.com. Letters may be edited.

The lights are on in Washago Residents of the Washago area often exclaim ‘getting onto County Rd. 169 from Muskoka Street feels like taking your life in your own hands’. In fact, the sightline is so poor, drivers are forced to inch their car onto County Rd. 169 inch by inch while watching carefully to make sure cars are not approaching. The good news is, after many years of anxiety, the installation of traffic lights has been approved. The lights will be operational by 2021, with the necessary preparation and engineering work taking place this year. For Mayor Mike Burkett, the journey has also been long, starting 9 years ago when he was first elected. Mayor Burkett and the then Deputy Mayor Judith Cox, asked Simcoe County council for help. “We asked many times for their support and over these many years,” said Mayor Burkett. “What they did was traffic study after traffic study – to no avail. The amount of traffic, they said, did not warrant traffic lights.” After all the effort to try to get the county to agree to lights, recently Severn Council learned of a precedent-setting decision that took place in 2018. The mayor of Essa Township had asked for and been given permission to install a set of traffic lights that weren’t warranted by traffic studies. He didn’t ask the county for money. A builder was footing the bill. The county, therefore, gave approval for Essa Township to install lights on county property. Armed with this information, Mayor Burkett and Deputy Mayor Dunlop moved

The Township will move forward with the installation of traffic lights at the intersection of Muskoka Street and County Rd. 169. forward with a plan. They first got approval from County Council to install lights on county property. They were then successful in getting approval from council for $50K for the necessary engineering work, funds that are in the 2020 budget. “Even though traffic studies did not support the installation of lights, knowing the county would support an installation on county property if someone, besides the county, paid for them was a big help in finally being able to move forward with this project. The mayor and I were then successful in getting our fellow council members to support us. They understand how terrible the sightline is at that intersection and how extremely dangerous it is,” said Deputy Mayor Jane Dunlop. Council committee supported the motion unanimously and it will now be ratified. The

estimated cost is $250K. There is a secondary but very important benefit to traffic lights at the corner of Muskoka Street and County Rd. 169. Washago Centennial Park with its beach, playground, walking path, dog park and boat launch, will be easily accessible to cars but, more importantly, to pedestrians. Among other benefits, the community centre’s day camp kids will be able to walk safely to and from the park, and festivals and event- goers will be able to safely move from village events to the park. This is especially important for Canada Day events, one of the biggest celebrations in the area. “We are so pleased to be able to do this for our community,” said the deputy mayor. “We’ve eliminated danger and opened up access to that beautiful park for so many people.”

To all our valued customers: Effective immediately, we will reduce our hours to 9 am -5 pm Monday-Saturday, Sunday 10 am – 3 pm. We stress that if you’ve been out of the country, please isolate for 14 days and do not enter our store. We will be very happy to process your order over the phone and arrange for you to have it picked up. We are open for customers to shop in-store, but ask everyone to keep a 2 metre (6’) distance between you and our staff and other customers.

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Let’s all work together and keep everybody as safe as possible.

Washago

Thank you for your patience and understanding from everyone here.

705-689-2611

NOTE: please visit our Washago Home Hardware Facebook page for ongoing updates.

Bring on the Bumblebees By Ron Reid

108 Mississaga St. E., Orillia

705-329-3939

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My friend Ginny Moore has a passion for bees – you might say she “has a bee in her bonnet”. Like many of you, she has heard over the past few years that bees are in trouble. When most of us hear that news, we automatically think of honeybees. And most of the media stories about threatened bee populations uses a photo of a honeybee to spice up their narrative. But that’s false news, says Ginny. In fact, honeybees are an introduced species to North America, well looked after by thousands of bee-keepers, and despite local problems with disease or pesticides, not in trouble at all. The real concern is our native bees, a diverse collection ranging from tiny mason bees and sweat bees to much larger bumblebees. Many of those species are declining rapidly and are the real focus for conservation concern. Bumblebees are a good example. Southern Ontario hosts 17 native species of bumblebees; one of those is classed as endangered, and several others are headed in that direction. We know more about this group than most native bees, because they are relatively large and obvious, and because of volunteers like Ginny – last year she documented six species just in her yard. Unlike honeybees which overwinter in large numbers, bumblebees have a short life span. Only individual queens survive the cold months, sheltered in a rodent burrow or rotting logs. Each spring, each colony has to begin from that single female. These queens emerge early – they can raise their body temperature by shivering. She then begins the process of establishing a grassy nest and laying eggs for a first brood. Warm days in April are a good time to watch for these large-bodied queens as they search for the first flowers for nutrition. The queens gather both nectar and pollen and store them in a waxy cup which provides a food source during inclement weather. Bumblebee queens actually brood their eggs to keep them warm, just as birds do. The eggs hatch after only a few days, and the task then shifts to feeding these pupae, which take several weeks to emerge as “workers” which are initially all females.

As the colony grows to its maximum size of somewhere between 40 and 100 bees, these workers bring back loads of pollen, at the same time pollinating many types of flowers. Finally, late in the season, the queen shifts to producing males and a few new queens; these mate and the fertilized queens are the only ones to find shelter for the coming winter.

Not to diminish the loss of honey bees due to disease or pesticides, we should be very concerned about the loss of our 17 native species of bees. You can help your local bumblebees by leaving a few untidy spots in your yard that might provide good nesting places, and by providing an abundance of blooming flowers throughout the season. Spring dandelions are especially valuable, if you can resist the urge to lop them off until after they have finished blooming. Avoid the use of pesticides. Above all, don’t panic if you see an early bumblebee buzzing around your yard. She is searching for a suitable spot to nest. Bumblebees can sting, but they seldom do so unless they are harassed. Like songbirds, they add colour and interest to your surroundings, and are fascinating to watch as they pass through their annual renewal of life. A regular contributor to The Villager, Ron Reid is a natural heritage consultant and the co-founder and former executive director of The Couchiching Conservancy. He has written more than 30 magazine articles and co-authored three books. He lives in Washago with his wife, Janet Grand.

Locally foraged cedar tea – brew the soothing ‘Tree of Life’ By Chef Becky Flat cedar is sacred among Canadian Indigenous cultures. It is often used in ceremony and times of prayer. It is believed to improve respiratory organs and relieve bronchitis and pneumonia; to have an anti-inflammatory effect; and to increase circulation. People from Indigenous cultures will also tell you the aroma is said to fill the spirit with a sensation of stability and safety, needed now more than ever, and that it is conducive to reflection and will carry your prayers to the Creator. Whatever benefits you have from sipping this beverage, it is hoped that you will find it soothing. It is easy to make. Villager readers are invited to brew and enjoy some of this tea, known as ‘Tree of Life’ in Six Nations medicine.

INGREDIENTS: • 4 cups of water • 2-3 palm-size pieces of flat cedar • Maple syrup • Fresh lemon METHOD: Place water in a pot along with cedar and bring to a boil for 7-10 minutes. Let steep until it is an amber colour. Pour off any oily substance and then strain into mug. Add maple syrup, 1 tbsp. or to taste, and a quick squeeze of fresh lemon. NOTE: recommended 2-3 cups, no more than that, per week

Author’s note: the comments in this recipe are HARVEST CEDAR BOWS RESPONSIBLY AS not intended as medical advice but meant for NATURE ALSO REQUIRES MEDICINE entertainment/leisure only.

Chef Becky Lennerton is proprietor of Black River Food Company and a teacher in our region for Loblaw Companies Limited.

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To my clients, friends and family: Please stay safe during these stressful times. While you’re at home and feeling a bit isolated, make yourself feel better by making ‘real’ phone calls. There’s nothing quite as wonderful as the sound of a friend’s voice.

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Best wishes to our club members! By Marylynne White, President Although we were able to have a March meeting, future meetings have been cancelled until further notice. As we all know, things are changing by the hour but until the Washago Recreation Centre is safe to re-open, we will not formally reschedule our meetings. We will notify and update our members by email. Those members who do not have email will be called by telephone. If any members require more information, please call 705-689-4719. As mentioned, our club was able to meet in March and we certainly were happy to spring into action! We had some changes as March began. In the past, during the winter months of January, February and March, our club has had Pot Luck lunches. This was decided years ago because snow storms in those months sometimes caused club cancellations. In the other months of the year, we had designated groups who purchased food

items that were cooked in the Community Centre’s kitchen. Due to increasing health concerns, we have decided to try something different – we decided everyone could bring a brown bag lunch made at home. We call this new initiative the “BB Lunch.” This was done for our lunch on March 4th. Success! Many members even decorated their lunch bags and earned prizes for their creativity. Our club members are the best! They embraced the change and made it fun. Also in March, we enjoyed our new “Member’s Story”, this time told by Jean Adamson. Her life in a rural area was most interesting. Along with that, Jean is a master baker and cook. Our board meetings are graced with her delicious yummies! As usual, after lunch and our speaker’s presentation, we got up out of our chairs and moved to some great music which was followed by a rousing Irish sing-a-long.

Our trips, birthday cakes, speakers, jokes and social time and so much more, continue to make our club joyful! On behalf of our club members, I wish everyone good health and hope that we can get back together soon. Please self-isolate if you’ve been outside of the country and everyone, please, follow all recommended health guidelines. Only by working together, we will reduce the curve.

To our readers: Due to the ongoing issues regarding COVID-19, please check our Facebook page for updates on publication of our May issue. facebook.com/TheVillagerCommunityNews

CPA, CGA Physiotherapy, Massage Therapy, Chiropractic, Homeopathy & Acupuncture CLINIC CLOSURE…but we are still here for you. Given our business requires close personal contact, we have taken the ultimate precaution and closed our clinic in order to keep clients and practitioners safe. We are determined to follow social-distancing protocols and to be part of the solution as regards reducing the spread of COVID-19. We will be monitoring our telephones and emails regularly and will help with home programs and pain management advice. Please feel free to contact us at any time – just to chat if you’d like.

From all of us at Junction Rehabilitation, we wish everyone all the very best.

Please keep safe and healthy and optimistic – and we’ll see you soon!

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Writing Your Next Chapter

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Be acutely aware of scams during COVID-19 crisis By Jill Dunlop, MPP Simcoe North

March was Fraud Prevention Month and given the recent developments surrounding social distancing and self-isolation due to COVID-19, it’s important for everyone to be aware of fraudulent schemes. It is disconcerting to know that there are people in our community looking for opportunities to take advantage and prey on the vulnerable during stressful and uncertain times. Be aware, make smart choices with possible COVID-19 scams currently circulating: private companies offering fast COVID-19 tests for sale; consumers purchasing large amounts of products and reselling them at higher prices; door-to-door fraudsters offering fake decontamination services; fraudsters posing as police issuing fines to consumers wearing masks; and fraudsters urging people to invest in new stocks related to the

disease are some. Watch for malicious email campaigns and fraudulent and deceptive online ads. I, myself, fell victim to a scam last month involving an email from a friend asking for a favor and requesting I purchase four $100 I-Tunes cards on their behalf. I was asked to scratch the back and email the number back to them. Not questioning, I stopped to purchase the cards and during the process was made aware of this scam. Prior to the completed transaction, I was able to call my friend confirming the scam which I embarrassingly almost fell for. You can protect yourself from fraud. Ask questions and don’t make snap decisions especially from those who apply pressure. Even if you believe the call is legitimate, do not give anyone any personal information. Be aware that the fraudulent caller may even claim to be from a financial institution or government agency, or representing a

local health unit. Do not answer your door to anyone claiming to be offering COVID-19 services. Government agencies or any trusted private business will not be soliciting in this manner. On another note, please pay strict attention to health guidelines as laid out by your local health professionals and our government. Complete and updated information is available at www.ontario.ca. Do not hesitate to contact me and my staff at jill.dunlopco@pc.ola.org. Orillia office 705-326-3246. On behalf of the Government of Ontario, I want to assure you that we are taking all steps possible in order to keep your family safe. From my staff and my family, I wish you and your loved ones all the very best during these very difficult times.

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Lions plan future events while working together remotely By Sandra Galloway Crawford, Past-president In March, the Washago & District Lions Club was notified by the governor that all Lions clubs would be closed until further notice. This means that we have also postponed our training programs and any other group meetings that had been scheduled. While our hall is closed and our meetings cancelled, our members will keep busy. We’ll work remotely, through telephone and/ or email, preparing as much as possible for future events. This includes the enormous amount of preparation it takes for our ever-popular Canada Day Celebrations that take place at our hall, including our famous pancake breakfast, and in Washago Centennial Park where, in past years, we offer 10 bands over 10 hours. We’ll also begin work on our Oktoberfest event for the fall of 2020. Our plan is to have two live bands. Plan for dancing and great food, too.

On another note, we are pleased to announce that the Lions Club has a new Country Jam organizer. Karley Cooper will run the country jams on the second Wednesday of every month, as soon as we are able to start up our group activities. Karley has an extensive background in the music business, including singing often when her mother ran the Karaoke events. An accomplished musician, Karley has 3 bass guitars, one acoustic and two electric. She sings in her father’s band, The@Large Band, musicians who will perform at our Canada Day 2020 event in the park. Please watch for future announcements in The Villager delivered to your door and at facebook.com/TheVillagerCommunityNews. On behalf of all Washago Lions members, please follow all current or future health protocols regarding COVID-19. Help Accomplished musician, Karley Cooper is the keep your family and everyone else safe new Lions Country Jam organizer. and healthy.

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Severn recreation programs postponed, facilities closed By Pat Harwood, Manager of Recreation & Facilities As Severn Residents are aware, all recreation facilities are closed and programs have been postponed. While we all take a breath and do everything we can to stay healthy and safe, we are working remotely (from home) to keep in touch with our colleagues and answer your emails and telephone calls. We are determined to be ready when the COVID-19 danger is past, so please check periodically with the Severn Township website to see updates about what will be available at that time. I am sure you will understand that some programs may have to be cancelled entirely for this season, but when safe to do so, we will offer the best programming possible. For those of you who are new to the area, or who haven’t taken advantage of Severn’s facilities and programming, in normal

circumstances we have an abundance of facilities and parks we use for recreation – in Coldwater, Marchmont and Washago. Severn has outdoor and indoor spring and summer programming, everything from children’s Little Kickers and T Ball, adult and senior fitness, yoga and dance, and even some activities for those who are looking for something more creative. Among other features of our parks, there are ball diamonds throughout the township available to book for children, youth and adults. During this time, with no official activities, Washago Centennial Park is an excellent place to visit. There is an enclosed off-leash dog run; an easy to walk path around the park, and the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets in the area. If you walk the park during the health crisis, please keep your distance from others, at least 2 meters. Exercise all recommendations of our public health experts and officials, and please do

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not litter. Also, keep your eyes open for the local bald eagles. While we wait for the current health crisis to pass, and if you’re out walking in one of the many Severn parks, please keep your eyes open for vandalism. If you see something, please call us as soon as you are able at 705-325-2315. Visit www.townshipofsevern.com for updates and the official press releases as it relates to COVID-19, particularly any changes in services or health protocols.

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Good neighbours By Steve Clarke, Mayor of Orillia

Severn Township and Orillia are good neighbours. We care for each other. We rely on each other. In Orillia, we are acutely aware of this and we know that during the past weeks, Severn residents have been impacted by the closure of businesses and services you rely on Orillia to provide. In particular, your needed medical services have been greatly impacted. Your own doctor’s office is closed but, thankfully, most will let you leave a phone message in order that you might receive a consultation or advice. As well, Soldiers’ Memorial has cancelled all elective procedures and is closed to visitors, except under special circumstances such as the patient is a minor or the patient is palliative. Please check the hospital website for more information. To further your challenges, residents from the City of Orillia and surrounding townships

are asked not to go to emergency if you believe you have COVID-19 symptoms. Please know the right course of action is to go to the COVID-19 assessment centre on the west side of the hospital, on Volunteer Drive. Access is from Mississaga Street. As regards our recreation centres, outdoor playgrounds and other City of Orillia facilities, all are closed until further notice. It is important for Severn residents to know that if your community does not provide certain goods or services you need during this time, businesses in Orillia may be able to help you. Some may offer limited access to shopping in person, while others have a telephone or online ordering service, with curbside pickup. Some businesses will process your orders online and offer delivery through Canada Post or an alternative delivery company. I encourage you to call any business you would normally support and ask what service they are able to provide. Orillia, like Severn Township, declared a state of emergency in this unprecedented

time. This allows our city and your township to dedicate more resources and be in a better time to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 virus. However, we can only do this with everyone’s help. I cannot state this more emphatically: we know that each one of us has the ability to help ‘flatten the curve’ by strictly following the mandated hygienic practices laid out by public health officials. If we do not do this, our communities will become very sick and there is no way our health care providers will be able to keep up. Let’s all be good neighbours. You must stay home and self-isolate for 14 days if you’ve been out of the country. Practice social distancing and keep 2 metres between you and other people. Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap. And, if you sneeze or cough, do so into your sleeve. On behalf of the City of Orillia, our staff, and our families, I wish you, our good neighbours, all the very best.

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Burning garbage in Severn Township By Dianne Kyle, Fire Prevention Officer, Severn Township I returned home from work one day to the odor of plastic burning. Now that the temperatures have risen, I like to open my window during the evening and lately there has been burning of garbage during the evening and the odor is very distinct. The fact that anyone feels it is ok to burn household waste materials is very disturbing. We pay for our waste management services so why not use them? Open air burning of garbage releases toxic fumes into the atmosphere and adds to the destruction of the ozone layer. Materials such as plastics have toxic chemicals and the ash residue left after burning is full of chemical and metals such as lead which can also penetrate the soil with rain or by wind. Once released into the air, this creates not only a danger to the environment but also becomes a health concern for life.

Nowring ters e Off Boos n i k S

We all enjoy a campfire with clean dry wood at the appropriate time. Fires occurring in March are not campfires and I feel the only purpose of these fires are to dispose garbage. Yard clean up is just around the corner and the Township of Severn has an Open-

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Air Burn Permit System in place to regulate safe burning. To learn more about this system please check out our website at www.townshipofsevern.com. If you burn without a permit, charges could be laid under the Fees & Services By-law. Burn smart. Don’t burn garbage.

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Nature is still open By Mark Bisset So much can change in a few days. On March 7th, two-hundred and sixty of us got together for the annual celebration that our Annual General Meeting has become. Members, donors, volunteers and some who were just curious helped us break attendance records for the third year in a row. A week later, the world had shifted onto a different footing. COVID-19 made its way to Canada and into the very region in which we live and work hard to protect. The Couchiching Conservancy responded quickly, and I want to share our approach with you and perhaps answer some questions as to how the next few weeks of our work will unfold. Following the advice of our health care professionals and political leaders, we have closed the office at Grant’s Woods and asked staff and volunteers to work from home. Because our people are our single biggest asset, and because many of our volunteers and supporters tend to be in the demographic most at risk from COVID-19, we applied an abundance of caution in keeping everyone safe. We have the technology that allows everyone to work remotely, so we are using it. We will continue to respond to email as normal and our phone lines will be

monitored for messages, so there should be little or no disruption in communications. To allow us to continue training volunteers, particularly for our crucial Citizen Science work, we have purchased the teleconferencing platform Zoom to shift to webinar formats where appropriate for workshops. We will provide instructions in using the platform, which is very userfriendly. At this stage, and since much of our work will soon be taking place outside, we will carry on with stewardship work and landowner contact as usual. However, we will be practicing social distancing and, of course, we won’t be shaking hands – a tough habit to break in our community. There is one important caveat: if anyone in our community does not feel comfortable executing a public task, we will respect that without question. We will continue to monitor the situation and if more drastic measures are required, we will take them. In the meantime, please take care of yourself. We need each other, and Nature needs us. As one of our funders is fond of saying, sustainability begins at home. Warmest regards, Mark Bisset

Mark Bisset is the Executive Director of The Couchiching Conservancy, a local land trust protecting nature for future generations. To learn more please visit their website, www.couchichingconserv.ca.

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One of Couchiching Conservancy’s notable acquisitions in the Black River Wildlands, was named the Ron Reid Nature Reserve in recognition of his life’s work in local conservation.

A remarkable honour for local resident Ron Reid Ron Reid’s monthly column in The Villager is always among the best. He has a way with words, and through his words he entertains, explains, enlightens and teaches us about some of the most remarkable sights and sounds in nature that sit right in our own backyard. Readers honour him for his knowledge and his generosity in sharing it. The Couchiching Conservancy also honours Ron, a founding member of the conservancy. They recognized his dedication to local conservation by naming a recent important acquisition, Black River Wildlands, the Ron Reid Nature Reserve. Recently, we learned of another honour, this one bestowed on Ron by Trent University. Ron will receive an honorary doctorate of science in acknowledgement of his significant contributions to science and conservation in Ontario and beyond. Continued on next page.

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17 In his usual kind and modest way, Ron’s comment to The Villager was, “For a little guy, this is a pretty big honour.” Trent University describes Ron and his accomplishments this way: As a natural heritage consultant and a field biologist, Ronald Reid has had a profound and protective impact on the nature that surrounds us, from waterfronts and wetlands to escarpments and beyond. His work with the province of Ontario and other organizations led to the protection of millions of acres of land including sensitive, natural habitats; the largest-ever expansion of the Ontario parks system; and wide-scale environmental planning. Among other initiatives, he contributed to the Niagara Escarpment Plan which became a model for the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan and the Greenbelt Plan. Mr. Reid is the founder of the Couchiching Conservancy in Orillia, Ontario with his wife, Janet Grand, and other community members, and was the organization’s first executive director. Since 1993, the organization has protected over 13,000 acres of special, natural lands, especially within the Carden Alvar. Mr. Reid also provided guidance and advice to many other land trusts in Ontario and beyond.

In September 2018, the Conservancy officially named its largest nature reserve in his honour. The Ron Reid Nature Reserve provides habitat for several species listed by the Species at Risk Act. Mr. Reid is the author or key contributor to several books devoted to nature and conservation including, Canoeing Ontario’s Rivers (with Janet Grand), as well as Creative Conservation and Beyond Islands of Green (both co-authored with Stewart Hilts). Mr. Reid’s outstanding accomplishments have been widely recognized and celebrated through a number of awards from the Ontario conservation community. The other 2020 Trent University recipients of honorary doctorates are: Mobeen Khaja - social justice and cultural champion; honorary doctorate of laws in recognition of extraordinary community activism Dr. Ilse Treurnicht - entrepreneur, Rhodes Scholar and one of Canada’s innovation leaders; honorary doctorate of laws in recognition of her entrepreneurial leadership in Canada’s innovation community. Waneek Horn-Miller - celebrated Olympian and Indigenous community advocate;

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#ITSTARTS in Simcoe County Press release from Simcoe County In recognition of International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21, the County of Simcoe proclaimed March as #ITSTARTS Month. The annual #ITSTARTS campaign promotes inclusion, acceptance, and equity within the vibrant, diverse and growing communities that make up Simcoe County. #ITSTARTS aims to raise awareness about the value and importance of multiculturalism in our communities. The social movement encourages Simcoe County residents to complete an #ITSTARTS card and share a photo or video through social media using the hashtag #ITSTARTS. Residents are asked to tag @simcoecounty (Twitter), @CountyofSimcoe (Facebook) and @CountyofSimcoe (Instagram) in The Township of Severn is supporting the County of Simcoe’s #ItStarts public their messages. #ITSTARTS cards in English are available at local education initiative. It’s an important initiative that asks our leaders and our residents to promote a unified community that stands up and embraces acceptance, inclusion, libraries. Both English and French versions can be equity and diversity. What follows is the press release from Simcoe County. On the Continued on next page. following page is the proclamation.

Acceptance, inclusion, equity and diversity

Family, friends, customers and neighbours: Please be safe during these difficult times and exercise all recommendations as set out by the health authorities, especially practice social distancing; wash your hands often for 20 seconds with warm water and soap; and absolutely self-isolate for 14 days if you’ve been out of the country. We offer our prayers and wish you and your loved ones all the very best.

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19 downloaded from www.simcoe.ca/Itstarts, which also hosts resources, tips, and tools on taking safe and purposeful action against racism and discrimination. Videos and photos throughout the month will be shared and promoted through the County’s website and social media channels. The initiative, in its fourth year, is supported by the Local Immigration Partnership including Barrie Public Library, Georgian College, the Ethnic Mosaic Alliance, Lakehead University, Simcoe County District School Board, South Simcoe Police, OPP, Welcome Centre Immigrant Services (mobile unit) and YMCA of Simcoe Muskoka. The County of Simcoe is composed of sixteen member municipalities and provides crucial public services to County residents in addition to providing paramedic and social services to the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia. Visit our website at simcoe.ca.

TOWNSHIP OF SEVERN

Proclamation To designate March 2020 as #ItStarts Month WHEREAS Inclusion, acceptance, and equity are important approaches to the diversity of residents living in any community, especially in our growing and changing region; and WHEREAS March 21 is recognized as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; and WHEREAS The Simcoe County Local Immigration Partnership (SCLIP) is a community partnership focused on the development of settlement strategies for newcomers. These strategies bring together and support service delivery to newcomers in Simcoe County while promoting positive relationships, opportunity, and use of local resources effectively; and WHEREAS This month presents an opportunity to further the resolve as we pause to celebrate the diversity of the human race rather than allow our dissimilarities to become a reason for racial separation; and

Can you help us? Some Ramona residents are making 100% cotton masks, not certified and not a replacement for N95 medical masks, but for those who feel more confident wearing one when not at home. If you have any new pieces of 100% cotton, new flannel and elastic it would be greatly appreciated. Masks we make will be sanitized and distributed safely. Please call Eileen Cronk 705-689-6101.

WHEREAS We encourage all to celebrate the differences in each other such as race, culture, colour, national origin, gender, age, disability and religion; and WHEREAS During this period we will be hosting an awareness campaign and encouraging residents to take a stand and support #ITStarts to share their commitment to embracing acceptance, anti-racism and diversity. I, MAYOR MIKE BURKETT on behalf of Township of Severn Council, do hereby proclaim March 2020 as #ITStarts month in Severn and encourage everyone to take a stand and participate in and learn more about the #ITStarts campaign. Dated at the Township of Severn on this first day of March, 2020.

Mike Burkett, Mayor, Township of Severn

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Due to the ongoing issues regarding COVID-19, please check our Facebook page for updates on the publication of our May issue. facebook.com/TheVillagerCommunityNews

Stay in touch It is very difficult today to be optimistic about community events. Event organizers and participants are wondering if there will be any at all. As we know, most, if not all events that were to take place in the next couple of months are cancelled. Non-profit organizations, who run most of those local events, simply can’t take the chance of spending what little money they have to get organized only to have it cancelled last minute because of COVID-19. But participants of events can do something. Stay in touch. Visit the websites of your favourite festivals. Send them greetings and notes of support. If you can afford it in these less than prosperous times, send them a donation or offer to volunteer for them when the event comes back. Most of you, sadly, have a lot of extra time on your hands. Perhaps you could use some of that time to visit the following sites. They

are sure to have updates about whether or not the event will take place, has been rescheduled or cancelled. If nothing else, you and your family can take yourself away from the realities of today’s world while you spend time visiting our region virtually. Ontarioslakecountry.com Mariposafolk.com Experience.simcoe.ca

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Dressing the Lady ‘better than 35’ To all our valued customers – We recognize that current news and updates about COVID-19 can be overwhelming. We, too, were struggling with how to keep our customers safe and virus-free and felt the right thing to do was to close to the general population. However, if you are looking for something special or are just in need of some retail therapy, I (Pat) will be here by appointment for personal shopping. Call me or send me an email and I will be happy to put on my lipstick and come to work to serve you! In the days and weeks ahead, please take care of yourselves and look out for one another. Hugs from Pat, Sue and Suzanne 3363 Muskoka St., Washago • 705-689-6603

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