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Devastating fires prompt warning By Kim Goggins Three homes completely destroyed; three families left homeless; human injuries and pets killed. That is the devastating result of three local house fires in this area in the last few months and as colder weather approaches, Severn Township’s fire prevention officer Dianne Kyle is asking residents to take precautions. “The real way to stay safe is to think about the consequences of your actions,” she says. “For example, if you hang your tea towel on your oven door, what happens to that tea towel if the pan (on the stove) catches fire? It will help spread the fire. If we take care of our electrical equipment, check for frayed cords on our appliances, don’t use extension cords for permanent wiring, stay in the kitchen when we cook and basically practice safe housekeeping the risk will be reduced.” Although Severn’s 2014 fire statistics were not available by The Villager’s press time, more than $750,000 worth of home damages resulted from fires in the Township between January and November 2014. In June, a dryer fire destroyed a home, causing $250,000 in damages; in October, a fire started from something cooking on the stove and destroyed a home and in November a possible electrical fire (the cause is still under investigation) destroyed a home and caused $350,000 worth of damage.
The inaugural ceremony to swear in the new Severn Township Council took place on Dec. 4, 2014. Seen here are (front, left to right) Deputy Mayor Judith Cox and Councillor Jane Dunlop, (middle) Councillor Ian Crichton, (back, from left to right) Councillors Donald Westcott, Mark Taylor and Ron Stevens, and Mayor Mike Burkett. Also in November, a house fire in Ramara summer because an exit that may be used Township started with lit candles during a in the summer may be blocked by snow in power outage and left a family homeless the winter.” with their pets perishing in the fire. This winter, Kyle suggests having chimneys cleaned by a certified technician and remembering to turn off space heaters as well as not having them close to curtains or furniture. She advises people to have a Business profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 carbon monoxide alarm along with smoke detectors installed in their home as this is the Year in review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 time of year the risk is higher. Recipe of the month . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Finally, plan a fire escape, she says. “Draw up a home fire escape plan with the whole Community happenings . . . . . . . . 22 family and practice it during the winter and
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A story behind every painting By Kim Goggins A young Egyptian woman squats on a rocky ledge, perfectly balanced, as she leans forward to clean rags at the water’s edge. The bright colours of her dress and headpiece indicate she is young and unmarried, but as she looks into the ripples of the river, she sees her elderly mother’s reflection. This specific woman, as an individual, exists only as the subject of a story revealed in the painting of local artist Kelley Hampel. The piece is called Rock of Ages and the woman’s image is made up of a collection of women going about their daily lives that Hampel has seen or envisions she would see in Cairo. But what is truly unique about this watercolour – and all of Hampel’s work, including the stills – is that there is a story that takes place before and moves beyond this moment in time captured on canvas. In this case, the young woman looks past the ripples and out into the water to see a cruise boat and realize the tourists have nothing to do with her life. “Most of my work is about people, everyday people,” says Hampel, noting that there is always a story behind her paintings. “I always have a story behind everything. It’s just part of the way I think. I’m a writer, too, so it’s a storytelling aspect of the way I see things.” Hampel’s insight into the lives and struggles of ‘regular’ people in all parts of the world comes, in part, from her travels. But her art is also influenced by her father who was deeply involved in the labour movement in the 1930s and became a representative of the United Nations doing trade missions for
Local artist Kelley Hampel has been teaching painting for 18 years but only started showing and selling her work five years ago. Canada before becoming an arbitrator for the Canadian Government. Rarely is a watercolour or pastel painting just based on one photo she has taken of an interesting scene or person. Rather, several photos are used or one image is used within a larger picture. Her revered watercolour Cairo Microcosm (seen on her website www. kelleyhampelfinearts.com) was created using 17 photographs she took while visiting Egypt but the vision wasn’t really about Cairo. It could have been downtown Toronto, she explains. It’s about people going about their life’s journey and oftentimes coming at cross purposes with each other. “When I have an idea for something, I mull it. The actual painting time is often a lot less. For some people, painting takes them a long time but for me it takes less time because it’s like parts of a novel, if you want to liken it to that,” she explains. “You know where the story is going, you do have playing with
the words and how you’re going to express that, but you know the direction. So I know all of that before I even pick up a brush. I have it all planned in my head.” Hampel teaches painting and folk art to people with special needs, as well as children who are home schooled, and holds art workshops through Orillia Parks and Recreation, art associations, and privately, at her home. Her love of painting began at a young age and it was clear she was talented early on in her life. She was even accepted in and completed her first year and some additional courses at the Ontario College of Art in the 70s before she had to drop out to work to support herself. With all of this experience and talent, it’s hard to believe she has only been showing her artwork and selling pieces for the last five years. “I’d paint, but I wouldn’t put it out there for people because I was waiting to be good Continued on page 20
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Kim Goggins Publisher, Editor-in-Chief villagereditorial@rogers.com 705-259-1607 Ellen Cohen Publisher, General Manager thevillagerpress@rogers.com 705-717-0322 Register for the most current Severn news – delivered regularly
www.severnnewsonline.com The Villager, a Severn Township community news magazine, is an independently owned and operated publication delivered to households and businesses by the first of each month. Our delivery area is north from the Orillia/Severn Township border to Severn Bridge and includes parts of Ramara Township. The Villager is also available in select retail shops and restaurants along the Highway 11 corridor from the north end of Orillia to Severn Bridge, including Washago. Editorial and advertising material is protected by copyright. Reproduction of any article, photograph or graphic is forbidden without the express permission of the publishers. The sentiments of our columnists do not necessarily reflect those of The Villager.
Fire victim asks for help My name is Amanda Woelfel. I was one of the people injured in the fire on Hawkins Drive in October, 2014. I am now in St John’s Rehab at Sunnybrook Hospital on one long road to recovery. I was badly burned and lost everything I own in the fire. This was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me. If there is anyone that would like to help I would appreciate it. This has been a really hard time. I have lost everything – clothes, computer, phone, and all of my belongings. If there is any way you can help me rebuild my life please contact me at 289-233-4414. Amanda Woelfel Peterborough, ON
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.
Round about needed at Highway 12/Fairgrounds Road
Advertising, editorial and community event submissions are due on the 10th of the month for the following month’s publication.
This would seem a perfect opportunity to construct a traffic circle at that intersection, rather than signals. Circles are much safer and keep traffic moving. They require no maintenance and are unaffected by power outages. Let’s move into the modern world!
Advertising inquiries: contact Ellen Cohen at thevillagerpress@rogers.com or 705-717-0322.
Glen Morehouse Bayshore Village
The Villager P.O. Box 5 Washago, ON L0K 2B0 Art direction and logo design: Cathy Cleary, www.cathycleary.tel
Letters to the editor are welcome and may be emailed to villagereditorial@rogers.com. Letters may be edited.
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Light at the end of the tunnel By Kim Goggins Joyce MacKeen’s pain was so intense during the church service that tears were streaming down her face and she could barely hold the cross she was carrying. Her good friends Phillip Gutwein and Bunny Philip were concerned about her and approached her after the service. “They wanted to know what was wrong and I told them my hands ache so badly,” recalls MacKeen, who says she has osteoarthritis. “The arthritis had just blown up in the past few months.” Gutwein knew he could help his friend, just has he has helped others with pain in the Washago area. As the owner of Light Therapy Bio Med, Gutwein has come up with TheraPet, a light emitting diode (LED) light therapy hand-held device. It works by putting out infrared light through an LED array in several different wavelengths. A high rate lithium battery enables the array of LED to put out a power density that helps reduce pain and inflammation, among a list of other things. “If you’re looking for an antiinflammatory effect you’ve got to have at least 10 jewels of energy density in a 10-minute period of time,” explains
Gutwein. “This device puts out 30 jewels in 10 minutes so it gives a good treatment to stimulate an anti-inflammatory effect in a short period of time.” MacKeen has used it on her hands and hip for close to three months and says it has reduced the swelling in her hands and takes away her pain for a period of time. Pets can respond even better because their metabolisms are faster, says Gutwein. Gutwein, himself, knows a lot about chronic pain and it’s this first-hand knowledge and experience that compelled him to create TheraPet and TheraLED. A former industrial mechanic for Kodak, Gutwein spent his last 18 months with the company with quite a bit of back pain. Not wanting to depend on pharmaceuticals, he sought the help of a pain clinic in Brampton and this is where he was first introduced to light therapy. At the time, LED forms didn’t exist but there were laser forms – huge beasts the size of stereos with a single point about the size of a marker tip. His doctor was working on such a device and tried it on Gutwein for a couple of minutes. For the first time in a long time,
Washago resident, Phillip Gutwein, owner of Light Therapy Bio Med has created an LED light therapy device for pets called TheraPet that is available for purchase. The device, also known as TheraLED, has shown high rates of success on people, but the device still needs Health Canada and FDA approvals before it can be sold for human use. he says he had no pain and for several hours afterwards he continued to have no pain. That was the spark for him. At the time, Kodak was offering
buy-out packages and with the blessing of his wife, he took the one-year severance package and set to work to see what he Continued on page 19
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Canada-China relations better than ever By Simcoe North MP Bruce Stanton
Dear Friends: I would like to take this opportunity to make you aware of the government’s recent efforts to strengthen CanadaChina relations. We have secured the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement— something Canada has sought for nearly two decades. This important protection agreement gives Canadian investors increased protection when conducting business in China, allowing them to invest their money safely. It also includes a most - favoured - nation
commitment that protects Canadian investors against discrimination in China. And, we reached an agreement giving Canada Approved Destination Status for Chinese tourists. Since 2009, Chinese tourism to Canada has skyrocketed, supporting jobs across the country. But there is still more work to be done, and our government remains committed to building even stronger ties. During his most recent official visit to China, Prime Minister Stephen Harper helped deliver on that commitment with a series of initiatives that will help increase Canada’s trade in the region. This includes the increased use of China’s currency—the renminbi—in trade, commerce and investment between our
two countries. This will help establish North America’s first offshore renminbi centre in Canada, leading to increased economic opportunities for Canadian businesses. While in Beijing, the Prime Minister also oversaw a series of commercial signings between Canadian and Chinese firms. Together, these signings are expected to create more than 2,000 jobs in Canada. And, while
in Hangzhou, the Prime Minister announced that Canada will open new trade offices in two of the fastest growing regions of China—the cities of Hangzhou, Xi’an, Xiamen and Tianjin. This will help Canadian businesses flourish and bring Canada’s trade network to a total of 15 locations across the country. By expanding trade with China, our government is helping boost Canada’s economy.
Annual Meeting
Tuesday, January 20th, 2015 • 8:00 P.M. at Ramona Hall 2212 Fairgrounds Road, Washago, Ontario
January Paint Sale 25% off! • Cabinet Doors • Door Hardware • Windows • Awnings • Trim, Moulding • Interior & Exterior Doors • Dulux Paint & Stain
lifeMaster and Diamond
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Exceptional females By MPP Garfield Dunlop
I am encouraging local schools and community and volunteer organizations to identify nominees for the Leading Women Leading Girls Building Communities Recognition Program. The Leading Girls Building Communities Recognition Program for females under the age of 18 recognizes and celebrates girls who demonstrate exceptional leadership in working to improve the lives of others in their schools or communities. The Leading Women Building Communities Recognition Program is for those aged 18 and over. Nominees will have demonstrated exceptional community leadership to improve the lives of others. I would be pleased and honoured to nominate girls/ women in my riding for this most prestigious program. I encourage local schools and community groups to contact my office in Orillia or Midland for the list of criteria and necessary forms. I will gladly forward them to the Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues. The Leading Women/Leading
Girls Building Communities Recognition Program provides an opportunity to acknowledge their contributions and applaud their successes. Since the program was introduced in 2006, more than 650 women and girls across Ontario have been recognized for their leadership qualities. The deadline for nominations for the Leading Girls and Women / Building Communities Program is Jan. 23, 2015. You can reach my Midland office at 705-526-8671 and my Orillia office at 705-326-3246. New Year’s Levee I would also like to take this opportunity to remind you about my upcoming Annual New Year’s Levee. It will take place Sunday. Jan. 4, 2015 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion in Coldwater. I hope you will join my wife Jane and I, and members of my staff, as we share refreshments and lunch and welcome in the New Year. The event also features local musical entertainment that I know you will enjoy! Pancake Breakfast Please circle Feb. 7, 2015 on your calendar. That’s the date of my Annual Pancake Breakfast. The event takes place from 8 a.m. until noon at the Royal Canadian Legion in Orillia. I look forward to seeing you there!
Call Melissa McKee today to book your personal ‘tea & tour’.
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Scales Nature Park hatches SIGNS OF HEARING LOSS rescued Blanding’s turtle eggs • Difficulty understanding speech • Asking people to repeat themselves • Difficulty understanding women and children • Difficulty hearing on the phone • Favouring one ear • Ringing in one or both ears • Difficulty hearing in noisy situations • Isolation, depression and irritability • Family & friends suspect hearing loss
Katherine Rui HEARING INSTRUMENT SPECIALIST
The Difference is Clear.
705.326.3292 www.ellishearing.com 48 MISSISSAGA ST. W. ORILLIA, ON L3V 3A8
Scales Nature Park and the Canadian Some nests were caged, and others marked, Wildlife Federation are pleased to report as part of Laurentian University graduate on the success of the Saving Turtles at Risk student Hannah McCurdy-Adams’ research Today (START) Muskoka Turtle Project. One into nest predation in Muskoka. Nineteen of the results is that this year a total of 345 nests had their eggs removed and brought turtle eggs were successfully incubated in to Scales Nature Park for incubation. captivity and the hatchlings were released New this summer was the introduction back into the wild. of a Turtle Hotline, Seventy-four were 705-955-4284, for baby Blanding’s the public to call turtles, a threatened or text the project species. These team directly if they hatchlings were encounter ‘rare, returned to where nesting, or injured their nests were turtles in Muskoka.’ found, in the hopes These calls led to that they will help new turtle locations, replenish turtle new nest sites, and numbers in the injured turtles to wild. The turtle eggs send for treatment. Photo by Kelsey Bedard: Blanding’s turtle were rescued from Injured turtles from eggs were rescued then returned as hatchlings partially predated Muskoka continue to where their nests were found. or perilously located to be sent to the nests throughout the southern Muskoka Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre, as the region, as part of the project, which is Georgian Bay Turtle Hospital (near Orillia) is a collaborative partnership between still in development. The hotline will resume Scales Nature Park, the Canadian Wildlife in April 2015, when turtles start coming out Federation (CWF), the Georgian Bay Turtle of hibernation. Hospital (GBTH), the Rogers Foundation, A total of 10 full-time staff and 41 and Laurentian University. Other new volunteers were involved over the summer, partners that helped the project grow and logging thousands of hours of field work succeed this year include the Georgian Bay and community engagement activities. Biosphere Reserve, Johnston’s Cranberry “Turtle Troubles” outreach programs were Marsh, the Gravenhurst Conservation Club conducted at 32 events or venues, reaching 1,304 participants with messages about and Turtle Jack’s Muskoka Grill. The START Muskoka turtle team conducted turtle conservation, such as how to move a scientific studies and community outreach snapping turtle off the road and why turtle events throughout the region. Project staff sightings should be reported. and volunteers waded, swam, or paddled “I commend all of the volunteers and staff watercraft to find turtles in wetlands and for the long hours in the field despite the water bodies. They drove Muskoka roads weather and the bugs,” states Jeff Hathaway, every day throughout the month of June, coordinator for the START project. “I’d also like to thank our partners and funders for searching for nesting turtles. This year, 524 turtles were captured and their co-operation, vision and support. It’s a marked with shell notches, which prevents team effort, and our team got a lot bigger double counting and allows for long-term this year!” study. Each of these turtles was measured Thirty turtles received radio transmitters and weighed, and other data was collected. and were tracked by the team throughout Including last year’s pilot project, the total summer and fall. This helps to determine number of turtles marked so far in the study locations of important sites such as nesting area is 623, of which 266 were species-at- and hibernation areas, and road crossing risk. Researchers and volunteers also located hotspots. This data will help to protect a total of 215 turtle nests, over half of which wetlands and its species, and develop a had already been dug up by predators. Continued on page 11
Winter kale Caesar salad with double smoked bacon (A winter twist to a summer favourite) Make dressing a day ahead so that the flavours can marry together.
Ingredients:
• 1 egg white • 4 lemons (juice two and cut other two in half ) • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil • 2 tsp. grainy mustard • 1 tbsp. worchestershire sauce • 4 roasted garlic cloves • 2 tbsp. grated parmesan reggiano • sea salt to taste • cracked black pepper to taste • 3 tbsp. mayonnaise • 1 bunch large red or white kale or a mixture of both • 1 lb. double smoked bacon from your local butcher • 1lb. fresh anchovies (cleaned) • 1 cup canola oil • ½ cup shaved parmesan cheese • 1 day-old baguette • 1 tbsp garlic powder • 1 tbsp fresh thyme
Preparation:
In a large bowl whisk together egg white, mustard, juice of one lemon, worchestershire, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Add mayonnaise, mix up and place in fridge, covered, for up to 24 hrs. Croutons Break baguette into bite size pieces throw in bowl and toss with a drizzle of olive oil, garlic powder and Thyme with salt and pepper to taste. Place on lined baking sheet and toast until brown. Salad Quickly blanch kale in lightly salted water. Cook bacon until crisp. Leave whole or break in two. Throw anchovies in bowl and dust with flour. Deep fry
until golden, drain and set aside. On a board, place your kale, brush with dressing and randomly place bacon, fried fish on kale leaves. Sprinkle with salt and cracked black pepper. Lightly drizzle juice of the one lemon. Garnish with grilled lemon halves Recipe provided by Chef Becky of Black River Food Company
Washago and District Lions Club Annual Draw Winner is: Ed Lee, Orillia, Ontario • Ticket #4834 Washago Lions thank the community for their continued support!
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Help fire fighters help you By Dianne Kyle, Fire Prevention Officer
~ Short and Long ~
Special $150.00
When every second counts, having clear access to fire hydrants is essential for Severn fire fighters as they respond to a fire. Snow accumulation or the results of plowing and snow clearing can completely cover or restrict access to fire hydrants. Blocked hydrants mean slower response to extinguishing fires which can result in disastrous consequences if fire fighters have to spend time locating a buried hydrant and clear snow away from it. Residents who have a hydrant near their home are asked to
keep an eye on the hydrant and if possible keep the snow cleared around it creating a clear a path to the hydrant from the road and remove snow from all sides so it is visible from the road, and easily accessible to connect a fire hose to it. Seconds count during a fire and the time it takes a fire fighter to dig out a buried hydrant could make all the difference in the outcome of a fire. Clearing a hydrant may be the last thing you want to do after shoveling out your property but the extra effort could save your life.
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Scales Nature Park hatches rescued Blanding’s turtle eggs Continued from page 8 protection plan for the region’s turtles over the next two years. The project has funding commitments to run until 2016 and will hopefully continue beyond that. More graduate students will come on board next year to add to the conservation research being done. According to Hathaway, “There are six species of turtles in Muskoka, and five of them are listed as species at risk in Ontario. Our region still has good populations of these species, and it is mostly because more wetland habitat is still present in Muskoka than farther south, but road mortality and other threats are increasing. We hope to keep turtle populations, and their habitats, healthy for the future.” The public can get involved in the START Muskoka Turtle Project by reporting sightings, volunteering with survey or outreach teams, or providing/donating equipment and supplies. The START Muskoka Turtle Project encourages everyone to help make a difference. If you wish to financially support the project, there is an online Adopt-A-Turtle fundraiser
through CWF at HelpTheTurtles.ca. “CWF is proud to be working with Scales Nature Park on the START Muskoka Turtle Project that will directly support turtle conservation in the region,”says Wade Luzny, CWF CEO and Executive Vice-President. “The project is a powerful combination of doing in-the-field conservation research and at the same time providing valuable public education and outreach about the need to conserve our wildlife, like freshwater turtles.” To view CWF’s latest Hinterland Who’s Who PSA on these amazing reptiles, and for more information about freshwater turtles, please visit HWW.ca. Freshwater turtles as a whole are in decline throughout Canada with varying degrees of endangerment. Threats to turtle populations include road mortality, subsidized predator populations, poaching, persecution, and habitat loss. The START Muskoka Turtle Project targets all six turtle species in the Muskoka region (painted, snapping, Blanding’s, map, musk, and spotted), with a particular focus on
Blanding’s turtles since this species is the most likely to be impacted by road mortality and human activities in the area. Scales Nature Park is an education and conservation facility that celebrated its fifth season of operation this summer. Its nature centre features the largest live collection of Canadian reptiles and amphibians, providing unparalleled opportunities for learning about these creatures. Scales Nature Park’s hands-on outreach presentations can be booked for any event, school or group, and are popular with both adults and children. Contact them today to schedule your presentation. Although the park is now closed for the winter, group bookings and outreach programs continue year-round. There are also opportunities for volunteers to get involved at Scales Nature Park, with the development of the Georgian Bay Turtle Hospital, animal care and with any of their on-going projects.
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Ramona Winterfest Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015
What a great way to spend Family Day Weekend! Severn Township fire fighters held their 2nd Annual food drive to support the Sharing Place Food Bank throughout the Westshore area on Dec. 6, 2014. They collected 1,717 pounds of food and $260.
Advertising inquiries
Contact Ellen Cohen at thevillagerpress@rogers.com or 705-717-0322
Cross Country Poker Run ~ Walk, Ski or Snowshoe ~
Our hard packed trail is carved through the forest, circling around a large beaver pond. Keep your eyes open for deer, moose and wild turkey tracks. Several large owls have been spotted as well. The four check points along the trail guarantee you a warm welcome and a chance to draw that winning hand. Depart the Hall anytime between 10:00 a.m. & 2 p.m. You must be back to the hall by 4:00 p.m. for your hand to be entered for the cash prizes!
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Euchre Tournament 1:30 p.m. Children’s Craft Corner (no extra charge)
Silent Auction $5.00 Admission
Covers both the Poker Run and the Euchre Tournament
Delicious hot food available all day! Licensed by LLBO.
Take Hwy 169 south from Washago. Turn left on Fairgrounds Rd. We are located 4 km on the left. For more information, please call Silvia at 705 689 2862 or Eileen at 705 689 6101
5 R E & K DUO HQH 0 DF . HQ] L H * ! ,! * ! *0 ƫ / / + % 0 ! / ƫ Ĉ Ā Ć ġ ć ĉĊ ġ ă Ĉ ć Ć ƫ
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2014 was memorable Whether it was the cold, snowy days of winter or the hot days of summer, we took advantage of our free time and had a lot of fun in this area in 2014. From raising money for ALS research to taking part in cultural events, it was a year to remember.
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Wishing you and your loved ones a healthy, happy and safe 2015.
Don Campbell Real Estate Limited Brokerage Independently Owned and Operated
Happy New Year! Leah C. Cavanaugh, Sales Representative
705-325-1366 • 1-800-498-8775 www.century21.ca/leah.cavanaugh leah.cavanaugh@century21.ca
GARFIELD DUNLOP, MPP Simcoe North
Email: Garfield.dunlopco@pc.ola.org Website: www.garfielddunlopmpp.com
ORILLIA OFFICE: 14 Coldwater Rd. W., P.O. Box 2320, Orillia, ON L3V 6S2 Telephone: 705-326-3246 of Toll Free 1-800-304-7341 Fax: 705-326-9579 MIDLAND OFFICE: 482 Elizabeth St. Midland. ON L4R 1Z8 Telephone: 705-526-8671 Fax: 705-526-8600
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New recreation programs begin this month By Pat Harwood, recreation coordinator In January a new session of recreation programs begin with the Township of Severn Culture and Recreation Department focusing on fitness, family and fun. For those who enjoyed a little too much of the festive eating season there are a multitude of fitness programs. Sports
Sampler for the youth provides an opportunity to try out various sports throughout the Township at school facilities. The Great Moose Adventures is an active and exciting creative outdoor adventure for children aged five-12 years at Cumberland Beach Public School. For the teens, we have two basketball
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programs offered to get friends out to shoot some hoops. Yoga, Kickboxing, Zumba, Belly Fit, Keep Fit for Bones, and Hatha Yoga for teens, adults and seniors are all back by popular demand. Little dancers in the household are offered Move with Me! Music and Movement and Kinderdance. These programs are designed to appreciate music with dance with a little “show” at the end of the session for parents and grandparents alike. Although soccer in our area is shut down for the winter – Little Kickers is being offered to learn basic skills, have fun and meet new friends. Little Kickers is coed for three-to-five year olds. Missed and returning? Pilates,
Booty Boot Camp, and Tai Chi are back for people 16+ and better. Instructors are anxious to get you moving in the right direction. New? Snowshoeing is being offered on two different days, times and months. Bring your own snowshoes and be guided through a fun workout while enjoying the outdoors. Also new is Creative Fly Tying and Instruction for those who enjoy fly fishing and are preparing for warmer days ahead. Severn Township has lots of programs to keep you moving during the winter. Check the Township’s website often for updates and special events at www.townshipofsevern.com. Keeping active is the Severn Township way!
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Life below a blanket of snow By Ron Reid
108 Mississaga St. E., Orillia
705-329-3939
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One of my favourite Christmas carols is the tale of good King Wenceslas’ who looked out during the feast of Stephen “on the snow round about deep and crisp and even”. In the Czech Republic, where King Wenceslas is the patron saint, the feast of Stephen falls on Dec. 26, so the reference to snow certainly fits. Otherwise, this is an oddball Christmas carol – the good King’s reign over Bohemia in the 10th century was cut short when he was assassinated by his brother Boleslaw. There aren’t any carols about Boleslaw. But it is the image of a blanket of snow that is especially striking, for that describes our winter landscape as well. This snow has an ecology all its own, and a community of animals that have adapted to snow in a variety of ways. Some animals simply sleep the winter away – bears, for example, settle into a den, lower their metabolism, and sleep for months without eating or drinking. Groundhogs and chipmunks do the same, while other wildlife like skunks and raccoons “semihibernate”, emerging when the weather is mild to seek out food. A few of the animals that choose to live above the snow pack adapt by growing extra hairs on large feet to support their weight, and even by changing colour. Snowshoe hares, for example, our most common local “rabbit”, change their summer brown coats to pure white. Weasels do the same, including the ermine or short-tailed weasel, whose white winter fur is set off by a jaunty black tip on its tail. Most fascinating to me are the small mammals that take advantage of snow’s insulating qualities. As repeated layers of snowfall build up, the air-filled snow traps heat from the ground below, keeping temperatures under this white blanket within a few degrees of the freezing mark even during the coldest spells. As the snowpack matures, water vapour in the lower sections creates layers of sugary crystalline snow that make for easy
tunneling by mice, voles, shrews and other small creatures. This community of small mammals continues to be active all winter, feeding on bark and seed heads, secure from most predators under their snowy blanket. Occasionally they will tunnel to the surface, which seems to be a way to provide ventilation to prevent a build-up of carbon dioxide in their winter havens. For these creatures, long cold winters are ideal. Mild spells can bring disaster, causing the snow layers to collapse and become dense, and
Voles, as well as mice and other small creatures keep busy all winter under the layer of snow. even forcing them to risk travel on the snow surface to get to new feeding grounds. Waiting for them, of course, are the hawks and owls that migrate south to feed on our small rodents. Both snowy owls and roughlegged hawks nest in the arctic, and both show up in our area when prey numbers or deep snow further north are unfavourable. Their presence helps to keep mouse and vole populations in check, doing their part to maintain the balance of nature.
A regular contributor to The Villager, Ron Reid is a natural heritage consultant and the cofounder 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.
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Light at the end of the tunnel Continued from page 5 could do. “I thought maybe there’s something that can be offered to people (inexpensively) that will be helpful,” he recalls, noting his doctor’s ‘invention’ was $5,000 to purchase. ”So over several years of research I learned that certain power levels of certain wavelengths of infrared light do interface at the cellular level and actually have an anti-inflammatory effect.” It was in 1994, as Gutwein was developing earlier versions of the light therapy, device, when he realized the true benefit to animals. He saw an old German Shepherd barely able to lift his hind legs up on the curb, which was only five or six inches high. He approached the owner and told him what he was working on and asked him if he wanted to try a light therapy device on
his dog. “Several weeks later, I’m witnessing the same dog walking better,” smiles Gutwein, with his own dog close by his side. “He was stepping up onto the curb better. It affected his health. You can see pain in a pet. You can see them wincing in pain. On the other side of it, you can see that they’re also having a better day.” By 2002 he was ready to apply for a patent for the small, handheld device and received it two years later. According to Gutwein, TheraPet can improve multiple problems in animals by relieving muscle spasms, accelerating wound recovery, easing arthritic pain, and increasing the speed and quality of tissue repair, among other things. Although many of his friends, like MacKeen, have tried the
device on themselves with success as part of Gutwein’s research, TheraLED – the same light therapy device as the one available for pets - still needs FDA and Health Canada approvals. There are currently about 250 of the TheraPet devices for sale and Gutwein is now ready to move forward with Health Canada and FDA approvals for TheraLED.
“My particular wish is to give a person suffering from pain the device at a price point that is more than affordable,” he says. “I really just want to see it on the shelves at a price point where there’s no second thought.” Visit www.therapet.ca for more information.
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From All Of Us... Thank You for a Wonderful Year! All Our Very Best During The Holidays & A Very Happy New Year!
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A story behind every painting
Lions help those with diabetes
Continued from page 3
By Lion Sandra Crawford, past president
Nov. 14, was marked World Diabetes day, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, codiscoverer of insulin and co-founder of what is today known as the Canadian Diabetes Association. The colour blue has been adopted as the official colour of the International Diabetes Federation, because it reflects the sky that unites all nations and is the colour of the United Nations flag. As Lions we can help to raise public awareness of this disease. Today, approximately 9 million Canadians live with diabetes or pre-diabetes. An estimated 3 million with diabetes and an estimated 6 million who are pre-diabetics and who will eventually become a diabetic. Nearly one million people have diabetes without being aware that they have the disease. Lions help to raise public awareness of
diabetes. To find out if you are at risk, please get tested. Camp Huronda is a camp for children and youth with type 1 (Insulin-dependent) diabetes. Owned and operated by the Canadian Diabetes Association since 1971, it is located on a beautiful wooded peninsula on Lake Waseosa near Huntsville, Ontario. Medical and dietary care is under the direction of doctors, with nurses and dieticians on staff throughout the summer. Camp Huronda is supported by foundations, private individuals, corporations, service clubs and the Lions family. The Honorary Lions Guardian Funding Program has enabled the camp to purchase equipment and make renovations to facilities.
enough,” she says sheepishly. The first time she revealed her paintings at a local art show, the response was overwhelmingly positive, with the media asking, “Where has this artist been?” She does recognize that what she was doing – not placing value on her art - is exactly what she tells her students not to do. “We second guess ourselves and we undermine our own success,” she notes. “I’m kind of becoming an advocate for the idea that being a starving artist is a very negative mindset. If people think, I give it away because it’s all about the art, then how do you finance any more of the same?” Hampel hopes to turn part of her home in the Westshore area into a studio so the public can view her paintings. Although her goal is to sell her paintings, she is so connected to each, she wants to find the perfect home for them. “It’s like having a litter of puppies,” she laughs. “You want to make sure that they all have a good home where they’ll be loved and respected.”
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Prayers go to two Lioness By Lioness Estelle Ness
This was to be the month that our good friend Lioness Anna Mcdonnell would write this article. Unfortunately shortly after our last meeting in November she was rushed to Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital, having had a stroke. Now each day must seem like 36 hours to her as she struggles to regain her health. Our prayers are with her and our president Jean who is also struggling with health problems. On Remembrance Day two of the Washago Lioness represented us at the Cenetaph in Orillia. Dorothy Hanwell proudly remembered her father who served in the 1st and 2nd World Wars while Shirley Samarelli remembered with pride her husband who served in the 2nd World War, both also remembering all vets’ sacrifices.
During a short period of time in November the Lioness of Washago baked and sold 325 of their world famous meat pies, hosted a Court Whist day with luncheon and enjoyed our Xmas Bazaar of Yesteryear and lunch with Santa. To all the generous folks of the Washago and Orillia area we say thank you once again for supporting us. We have been able to help those less fortunate. Our December meeting saw us induct a new Lioness. Past Region Chair Ken and Lioness Liaison Estelle did the honours and now Paula McFadden is a bona fide Lioness as well as a Lion. We have a wonderful event to look forward to in the New Year. Our grandson and his wife are expecting their first baby in March. I wonder how my hubby will like sleeping with a
great grandma? This year has been especially busy for me. I was offered the job of Lioness Liaison for Lions District A-12. This means I have the good fortune of visiting eight Lioness Clubs and approximately 120 Lioness. It is hard to believe what these ladies achieve. This past year they gave over $60,000 back to their communities plus made pledges.
Lioness Shirley Samarelli (right) remembered her husband who served in WWII and Lioness Dorothy Hanwell remembered her father who served in both World Wars during Remembrance Day ceremonies.
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MUSIC OF ABBA, CASINO RAMA – January 15, 2015
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MYSTERY TOUR – February 25, 2015
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Community Happenings Send your group’s upcoming community event to villagereditorial@rogers.com.
December 31, 2014
January 1 – February 7, 2015 January 7, 2015
The Coldwater Lions’ New Year’s Eve An historical exhibition commemorating Fireworks will take place at 6 p.m. the bicentennial of the birth of Canada’s first Prime Minister, exploring themes linking December 31, 2014 mid-19th Century Canada to Canada today. Ring in the New Year dancing to Johnny DJ Produced by the John A. Macdonald 200 (John Ashe), with a light lunch and party Committee, Orillia Museum of Art & History, favours at the Orillia Legion beginning Downtown Orillia. at 8 p.m. Mississaga Street East. For more information, call 705-325-8442. January 4, 2015 Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop is December 31, 2014 hosting his annual New Year’s Levee at Celebrate New Year’s Eve at ODAS Park at the Royal Canadian Legion in Coldwater an all-ages event featuring The Desotos! between 1 and 4 p.m. Join him and his Rock and roll dance music, party favours, wife, Severn Township Councillor Jane spot dances and midnight buffet. Begins Dunlop, along with members of his staff for at 8 p.m. at ODAS Park Banquet Hall. There refreshments and lunch as well as musical will be a bus to Orillia after 1 a.m. For more entertainment. information call 705-325-0353.
In Memoriam
January 8 – 9, 2015
The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour will take place at the Orillia Opera House at 7 p.m. in conjunction with Sojourn.
January 10, 2015
Winter program registration for the Washago Community Centre will take place at the centre between 9 and 11 a.m.
February 7, 2015
Join Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop for his Annual Pancake Breakfast at the Royal Canadian Legion in Orillia between 8 a.m. and noon.
February 14, 2015
Jim Smith will be missed by many It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Lion Jim Smith on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014. Our sincere Sympathy goes out to his wife Heather, family and friends. There was no funeral service, as Jim’s ashes will be taken back to Scotland in the spring. A few words about Jimmy from a long-time friend, Jim Hanwell: “Jimmy Smith was a devoted Lion in Washago, five times Past President, Melvin Jones Fellowship and many Executive positions over the many years of service.” Jimmy, you will sadly be missed by all. Washago Lions
Winter program registration for the Washago Community Centre will take place at the centre between 5 and 7 p.m. Programs begin Jan. 19, 2015.
Ramona Winterfest takes place at the Ramona Hall and Fairgrounds with a Hawaiian Luau theme. Cross Country Poker Run; euchre tournament; children’s craft corner, silent auction and more. Delicious hot food all day.
February 17, 2015
St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Washago will hold its Annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. Cost is a free will offering.
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