The Chatham Voice, June 17, 2021

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Open air, open for business

By Pam Wright Contributing Writer

Nancy and Dan Marentette had a hard time waiting for their favourite restaurant to open.

So much so that they brought their own picnic table and ate take-out in the back of their truck in the Mike’s Place parking lot two weeks ago.

Like the rest of the prov-

ince, the Tilbury-area couple is more than tired of Ontario’s restrictions on face-to-face dining.

“It was time to get out of the house,” Nancy joked, with respect to their makeshift pickup truck feast.

“We’re so glad they’re open,” said Dan, laughing as he raised a cold one.

Continued on page 2

Pam Wright/Special to The Chatham Voice

Sophie the goat gets help getting into her specially designed cart from Charlotte’s Freedom Farm founder Lauren Edwards.

Sophie came to the farm after she was injured right after birth due to being partially frozen. Not being able to have tours and events at the farm because of the lockdown has hurt the bottom line. The farm is in need of used items, including towels, bedding and kiddie swimming pools. For further information or to make a donation visit the farm’s website online.

THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 2

News

Patrons return to outdoor patios

he’s looking forward to the season.

“It’s going to be a great summer,” Buckler added.

“But oh my God, it’s late.

We’ve been waiting to open for a long time.”

Mike’s Place has always done a good take-out busiIf it is your dream, we can build it. ness, he said, thanks to a loyal following. The take out portion about Precision Design & Build equalled 25 per cent of regular pre-pandemic sales.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

Continued from page 1

Owner Mike Buckler, who has been running the business for 43 years, said allowing in-person outdoor dining was way overdue.

Nevertheless, he said

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- Linda, Active Lifestyle Centre

Pam Wright/ Special toThe Chatham Voice

From left, Scott Rivait, Charlotte Martin, Mike’s Place owner Mike Buckler and Nancy and Dan Marentette toast the reopening of outdoor patios Friday.

was able to keep his 26 employees on the payroll thanks to government wage subsidies.

Buckler said it’s too early to tell how the reopening will play out, adding new COVID-19 safety rules are part of the territory.

“I’m not sure if this is our new normal,” he said.

“It’s hard to say if people don’t want to get vaccinated. I hope people kick in and get vaccinated.”

June 11 marked day one of the first step of the Roadmap to Reopen the province’s three-stage plan. The steps are direct-

ly tied to the number of Ontarians who take the COVID-19 vaccine.

Each stage is at least 21 days long. If all goes well and vaccination rates continue their upward trajectory, the rules will be relaxed even further.

But in order to move into Step Two, 70 per cent of adults in Ontario must be vaccinated with one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine – we are at 74.35 per cent – and 20 per cent must have had their second shot – we are at just under 13 per cent.

As the result of the pan-

demic, the province has relaxed the rules around outdoor patios.

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent followed suit by introducing a temporary patio bylaw and loosening the regulations on permanent patios.

According to Paul Lacina, director of building development for Chatham-Kent, no formal application for temporary patios or outdoor patios on private property at this time is currently required.

Municipal officials will attend each property on a case-by-case basis and

will investigate if a complaint is received.

A provision has also been made to allow 15 per cent of a restaurant’s required parking space to be used as a permanent patio, or to allow for a live music venue.

To date, three permanent patios have been built in Chatham-Kent. Two of those are on municipal property and one is on private property.

Lacina said he estimates there are “well over” 50 temporary patios set up on private property throughout C-K.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

PAGE 3

News

Senior centre founder about to turn 100 Longtime volunteer retired ‘only’ four years ago

By Pam Wright Contributing Writer

Mary McDonnell is living proof active living pays off.

The Copper Terrace resident, a founding member of Chatham’s Active Lifestyle Centre (ALC), turns 100 on June 22.

Her involvement with the facility has been her life-long passion.

“The centre was the most important thing in my life for 48 years,” the McDonnell told The Voice in a recent interview, adding she just retired from the treasurer’s position at 96.

“I had to stop because of my eyesight,” she added. “But my mind is still sharp.”

Born Mary Lacina in Czechoslovakia in 1921, McDonnell immigrated to Kent County with her parents at age 2. She

grew up in Charing Cross in a house that is still standing, and went on to marry Frank Bartosek in 1940, with whom she had daughters Joanne and Nancy.

McDonnell was a stayat-home mom and her husband ran Frank’s Service Station at the corner of St. Clair Avenue and Gregory Drive in Chatham.

But when Frank passed away, she found herself at a loss and decided to reach out. With the help of a young priest named Father Conlon, she and her friend Catherine Flanagan started a social coffee and cards group for area widows and widowers at St. Ursula’s Catholic Church.

Now called the Maple City Centre for Older Adults, the group moved on, opening a modest

drop-in space at a Chatham restaurant called Spooners in 1970.

Good news travelled fast and with increasing membership, they opted to rent a wing at the Chatham Cultural Centre in 1982, becoming the Maple City Senior Centre.

In 1989, members finally decided the group needed its own digs and the Active Lifestyle Centre was born.

At the time the City of Chatham was looking to build a new arena, but the ambitious seniors decided their project was just as important.

McDonnell said members marched on city hall to sway council’s decision.

“We had to change their minds,” she said.

Securing land was the next step. This was aided

by John Bradley, who gift-

Contributed image

Mary McDonnell, 99, will turn 100 on June 22. For nearly half her life, she was a driving force first in creating the Active Lifestyle Centre and then helping to run it.

ed the centre with a parcel of land at 20 Merritt Avenue.

Funding for the project came from the City of Chatham, the provincial government and fundraising.

Eventually, McDonnell said, membership rose to 1,600, making it the largest senior’s centre in Southwestern Ontario.

A full range of programming for the 50-plus crowd was, and continues to be, offered, featuring everything from billiards to quilting to Tai Chi.

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physical activities.

“Staying active is the key,” she said.

McDonnell married Chatham lawyer Don McDonnell in later years, meeting him when he was doing some work for the centre. But he also passed away.

McDonnell’s daughter Joanne said her mother remains active at Copper Terrace, advocating for the rights of residents in long-term care.

The birthday girl has three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

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McDonnell stayed involved with the centre at every turn, earning many accolades.

Asked about the changes she has witnessed over the past century, including living through the Second World War, McDonnell said the introduction of computers is the greatest change she has witnessed.

She has managed to take it all in stride.

Her recipe for healthy and happy life includes being involved and engaging in mental and

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THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 4

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Dresden Fox run rules supreme

By Pam Wright Contributing Writer

Dresden’s Terry Fox Run continues to hit it out of the park.

In its 25th year, in the midst of a pandemic, the 2020 virtual event managed to raise $46,037, putting it in the top spot for money raised per capita in Ontario.

Dresden’s run, which continues to draw overwhelming community support year after year, also ranked 23rd for the amount of money raised in the province.

It’s another triumph for organizer Cindy Brewer, who has been co-ordinating Dresden’s Terry Fox Run since its inception.

Brewer has now turned the reins over to Megan Robinson, joking that she’s “glad to go out with a bang.”

Brewer said the run’s per capita performance is “pretty startling” considering the fact the pandemic forced Dresden to

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hold its first-ever virtual event.

The use of social media made the difference, Brewer explained.

“We really changed gears in 2020,” she said.

“We put a huge focus on social media and tried new things that were way out of our comfort zone.”

The Dresden committee created a series of 40-second commercials to recruit and encourage participants.

Chatham-Kent was well represented among Ontario list of the top 25 per capita funds raised. Blenheim’s Terry Fox event came in at 16th place and Tilbury was No. 20.

“It’s great to see the three of them all on there,” Brewer noted.

The veteran organizer said she is excited about Robinson taking over.

“I want to hand it over and watch her go,” Brewer said. “She has a lot of ideas and a lot of energy.

“And I’m just a phone call away.”

THE CHATHAM VOICE

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

Spray it, don’t say it

PAGE 5

News

Local artist makes a name for herself though graffiti art

By Bruce Corcoran bruce@chathamvoice.com

Less than two years ago, Chatham’s Ella Matesic had never tried graffiti art.

These days, her work is in several high profile places and she has one of Chatham-Kent’s most prominent citizens in her corner.

Matesic, 19, a graduate of Ursuline College Chatham, first took up spray paint as a medium when she opted to give it a try during the RM40 celebrations in 2019.

In fact, Matesic was the only local artist entered in the contest, which took place on the property of RM Classic Cars between Chatham and Blenheim.

“There were six people in it,” Matesic recalled of the contest, held when she was 17. “I didn’t win anything. But it was super fun. I’m always looking for new mediums.”

She may not have won, but the man behind RM – Rob Myers, noticed her work. The two connected, in large part thanks to COVID-19.

“His regular graffiti person was from the (United) States. He couldn’t come across due to COVID,” Matesic said. “I got called out do to some graffiti work for him. It turned out great for me.”

Myers said he was impressed with Matesic from the get go.

“Her eye for art and design is very creative and

she shows a lot of confidence in what she works on with a very talented eye,” he said. “Our family met her at RM’s 40th anniversary since she was one of the contestants that did graffiti painting on a container as a competitor.

Since then, we have hired her to do more artwork for us and most recently she has been working with my wife Cathy on a very intricate piece of stone mosaic that will be an amazing piece once completed.”

Matesic said the collaboration effort with Cathy Myers, which will be revealed at a later date is a mosaic floor roughly about 200 square feet in size.

“Cathy is lovely. I had an awesome time working with her. The two of us have collaborated really well. She’s a talented artist,” she said. “I had never worked on a large-scale project with someone else.”

As for Rob Myers, Matesic said he seems to trust her to deliver.

“He more or less said, ‘Paint this wall.’ There was a lot of freedom.”

Grabbing those cans of spray paint in the summer of 2019 has certainly created opportunities for Matesic, who is heading into her second year studying architecture at Carleton University in Ottawa.

After showcasing her talents at RM40, Matesic

Sarah Schofield/The Chatham Voice

Ella Matesic, right, and Loaded 2 Go owner Pete Tsirimbis stand in front of a massive mural Matesic did last year for the business. Great things have happened for Matesic, 19, after first trying graffiti art just two years ago.

was commissioned by Gail Hundt of the Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce to spice up the chamber’s boardroom.

“I did a mural inside the board room there. Gail was super fun. She has lots of energy. She wanted something fun inside the office,” Matesic recalled.

The spray painting didn’t stop there. She has also painted a food truck, and did work inside and out for Loaded 2 Go in downtown Chatham.

Owner Pete Tsirimbis praised Matesic’s work.

“Ella has been an absolute pleasure to work with,” he said. “Her art has exceeded our expectations every time. She is an inspiring and talented young local artist with a very bright future.”

Matesic said she enjoyed working with Tsirimbis.

“He basically said to go crazy. He gave me some slogans and wanted me to showcase some of the food they served,” she said of the huge wall of graffiti on the side of the building.

After a little back and forth with general design options, she was ready to start spraying. But there was one problem.

“I only designed about half of it, and the other half I wound up just winging it. I didn’t account for just how large it was. But it worked out very well,” she said.

That project also led to a bit of trepidation for the artist.

“The scariest part was how high I had to be on a ladder. That mural is well over 10-feet high. When you are near the top, it can be a bit stressful,” she

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said.

All this from a hobby.

Matesic said her interest in art began at a young age.

“My mom always put me in art camps. I really liked to draw and I did that on my own all the time,” she said. “I find art both calming and stimulating.

With every project I take on, there is a different set of boundaries, from what the person is asking you to do to what you want to do.”

She said she enjoys the

back and forth planning.

“It’s exciting. It’s a collaboration. It ends up being something way different than what I initially was intending,” she said.

Still, she is focused on “a lot of 90-degree angles” when she returns to school in the fall.

“Art will always be a hobby. If I can do that through my whole life, I’d love to,” she said.

Matesic said the work keeps coming, as she has another project slated for later in the summer.

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THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 6

C-K comes through One thing that should not surprise us is how the people of Chatham-Kent won’t let something like a global pandemic get in their way of helping others.

The latest signs of this incredible fact are led

by Dresden’s Terry Fox run. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dresden run topped every other location in Ontario in terms of funds raised per capita.

After 25 years, the run continues to lead the pack.

Not only did the North Kent community lead in per capita fundraising, but actual dollars raised ranked 23rd in Ontario. Twenty-third is just amazing, when compared to the plethora of larger communities hosting Terry Fox runs.

The success of the Dresden event is a testament to retiring organizer Cindy Brewer and the volunteer support base, as well as the participating area residents.

Megan Robinson will take over for Brewer this year, inheriting a fundraising sports car that is firing on all cylinders.

On the weekend, with the province opening up a little more in terms of reduction of pandemic restrictions, Epilepsy Southwestern Ontario hosted a Drive-Thru Ribfest. People lined up each day to get their hands on ribs, chicken, pulled pork and other treats, helping to raise $15,000 in the process.

Yes, you could say folks were selfish in wanting to treat their tastebuds, but 2,300 people contributed to raise those funds for the organization.

“The community really came through,” organizer Sandra Pidduck said.

That should be Chatham-Kent’s mantra. “We come through.”

Because they came through in early May with the Hike for Hospice as well.

Participants of the virtual event managed to raise more than $143,000. The trail was set up, and people could essentially walk there or elsewhere when they wanted.

To manage to virtually come together to that extent is impressive.

There are other fundraising events on the horizon, including the Festival of Giving for the Chatham-Kent Children’s Treatment Centre. We encourage everyone who can take part in the event virtually, as well as the online auction, to please do so.

Then again, as mentioned, this community tends to hop on board important community support efforts without much urging, if any.

Letters to the editor policy The Chatham Voice welcomes letters to the editor.

Our preferred method to receive letters is via e-mail to bruce@chathamvoice.com (use “Letter” in the subject line).

Advertising policy

The publisher of this newspaper, CK Media Inc., reserves the right to clarify or refuse any advertisement based on its sole discretion. The publisher reserves the right to reject, discontinue or omit any advertisement without notice or penalty to either party.

Liability for errors or non-insertion is limited to the amount paid for the cost of space occupied by the error. Claims of errors must be made prior to the next publication date.

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

Opinion

Past time to level playing field Editor’s note: This letter is addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The media outlets publishing this letter are competitors. We publish news in every region in Canada. In both languages. We don’t always see eye-to-eye.

So an open letter to you – and the prominence we’re giving it in our publications – is unprecedented. But then so is the threat to news media in Canada. And, frankly, so shocking is the inaction of your government that it demands this unprecedented step.

For months, you and the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Steven Guilbeault, have promised action to rein in the predatory monopoly practices of Google and Facebook against Canadian news media. But so far, all we’ve gotten is talk. And with every passing week, that talk grows hollower and hollower.

As you know, the two

web giants are using their control of the Internet and their highly sophisticated algorithms to divert 80 per cent of all online advertising revenue in Canada. And they are distributing the work of professional journalists across the country without compensation.

This isn’t just a Canadian problem. Google and Facebook are using their monopoly powers in the same way throughout the world – choking off journalism from the financial resources it needs to survive.

The difference is that other countries are putting their foot down.

Australia’s parliament – with support from all parties – has enacted comprehensive new legislation requiring the two web giants to negotiate collectively with that country’s media. And they’ve backed up these new rules with enforce-

ment teeth.

Time and again, you and your government have committed to similar action. The Minister of Canadian Heritage has specifically and repeatedly committed to tabling legislation this spring.

But after months of promises, there is still no legislation. And with the summer parliamentary recess approaching and the strong possibility of a fall general election, words alone will not sustain Canadian journalists through the long months of legislative inaction and relentless power plays by Google and Facebook.

Indeed, recently, Facebook announced short-term commercial arrangements with a few Canadian media outlets.

Until all news media in this country can negotiate collectively with Google and Facebook, the two multinationals will continue to use their

market dominance to drive terms that are in their interests.

Let’s be clear: Canadian news media are not looking for new funding or new taxes, or user fees.

We’re not calling for – and certainly don’t want – restrictions or regulations affecting freedom of speech.

In fact, the health of our democracy depends on a vibrant and healthy media. To put it bluntly, that means that you, Prime Minister, need to keep your word: To introduce legislation to break the Google/Facebook stranglehold on news before the summer recess. It’s about political will – and promised action; your government’s promise.

The fate of news media in Canada depends on it. In no small way, so too does the fate of our democracy.

Jamie Irving Chair, News Media Canada

The Chatham Voice is printed by: One of Canada’s 50 Printers The contents of this newspaper are protected byTOP copyright.

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THE CHATHAM VOICE

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

Opinion

Support for the Muslim community Editor: The Chatham Ministerial Association is shocked and dismayed by the despicable act of terrorism that claimed the lives of four members of a Muslim family in London recently.

We stand in solidarity with all our brothers and sisters in the Muslim community, and pray for the day when hateful acts such as this will no longer happen.

We pray for God’s comfort for the son in hospital, and for his extended family.

May we, in turn, strive to rid our minds and country of all prejudice and bigotry, which bring only sadness, suffering and pain into the world.

Rev. Mike Maroney On behalf of the Chatham Ministerial Association

Park upgrades appreciated Editor: Stewart McKeough and those who carried out his wishes deserve a big “thank you” for all the improvements which have been made to McKeough Park on Grand Avenue.

I admire it every time I drive by.

I have many memories of living and growing up in an apartment in the area. My two brothers and I spent many hours playing in that park. It had everything a child at that time could imagine – a wading pool, a much larger pool including a diving board, swimming

lessons, swings for toddlers, swings for the older children, slide, teeter-totters and sand box.

Very few children have lived in the area for a long time and its use as just a playground has not been needed.

Of course, many of the items we enjoyed (and survived) back then would not pass safety regulations. But now it will attract young and old alike – rocks, flowers and trees.

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Patio Open Fri. & Sat. Noon - 8:30pm • Sun. Noon - 8:00pm

11521 Wildwood Line, Rondeau • 519-674-0006 (Just outside the park gate)

www.rondeaujoes.com • rondeaujoes@hotmail.com

Dine with us on our patio (now open) or take Mamma’s home with you!

Mon. 3pm - 9pm Tues. - Thur. 12pm - 9pm Fri. & Sat. 12pm - 10pm A unique dining experience for the whole family.

231 King St. W, Chatham • 519-360-1600 Downtown Chatham www.mammamariasristorante.ca

Enjoy your favourite Rossini’s dishes once again on our patio (dinner only).

Call 519-352-2920 to make your reservation!

POP THE CORK AND JOIN US ON OUR BRAND NEW PATIO! Mon-Friday 11:30-9pm Saturday 9am-9pm Sunday 9am-2pm

June Schmitchen Chatham

Kind gesture to be paid forward Editor: On June 7 at a grocery store payout counter, on discovering I had forgotten my wallet, I phoned my wife to bring it. I apologized to the cashier who informed the people in line behind me of the situation.

A woman, a stranger to me, walked up to the cashier and stated she would pay for my groceries and did so. I informed her that my wife is coming and we can repay her

PAGE 7

Wednesday - Sunday Patio Dining Starting at 4 pm.

634 Grand Ave E, Chatham

See You On the Patio!

Call 519-354-7818 to make reservations!

Walk-ins welcome, seating is limited!

22 William St. South, Downtown Chatham

ALC Breakfast on the Patio

Monday & Friday Mornings 8:00am - 11:00am Bacon, Ham or Sausage, 2 eggs, homefries, toast & coffee.

EVERYONE WELCOME! Beverages & Cocktails Mimosa / Caesar $6.00 Milk/Juice $2.00 Coffee / Tea $2.00 Pop/Water $2.00 20 Merritt Ave., Chatham 519.352.5633 • activelifestylecentre.org •

$

8

THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 8

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

News

Habitat returns to ’Burg

2021 Habitat for Humanity build set forWallaceburg The Chatham Voice

A quiet cul-de-sac will soon give way to excavators, as Habitat for Humanity Chatham-Kent (HFHCK) breaks ground on its 2021 build in the community of Wallaceburg.

Plans for the build at 324 Bethel Rd. were put on hold last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on the community.

However, Habitat is back and will build its seventh home in Chatham-Kent, and the second time a home will be put up in Wallaceburg.

For Melanie Dramnitzke, the future homeowner, and her two children Terri and Rhonda, it is just the beginning of something they never thought possible.

“I am in complete shock and overwhelmed with so much joy as I never thought this could be possible. Habitat for Humanity is doing so much

more than just building a house, they are building a strong foundation to help me better my future. I can’t thank them enough for helping me make my dreams become a reality,” Dramnitzke said in a media release.

In previous years, HFHCK held groundbreaking ceremonies where volunteers, businesses and organizations that give their time, talent, and financial support would come together to celebrate the start of the build. However, this past year has been unlike any other with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to current provincial protocols, a small ceremony with the partner family will be held when it is safe to do so.

But this did not stop various community partners from sending warm sentiments and encouraging words for this year’s build.

Among them is Sacwal Flooring Centres Chatham

who has actively been involved with Habitat for Humanity CK since 2015.

“Upon completion of that initial project, we realized that aligning Sacwal with this dedicated group of volunteers was a great fit for us, with our products, services, and most importantly, with our Mission Statement Vision: to be a beneficial and positive community citizen, always striving to meet and exceed the expectations of the great people of C-K,” Alanna Aarssen, president of Sacwal, said.

Since 2017, Sacwal has committed to donating and installing flooring products for all of HFHCK’s builds.

Habitat will also be partnering with AUBI construction for the first time on this year’s build.

Mark Timmermans of AUBI commented, “AUBI decided to partner with Habitat for Humanity as a way to get involved in the community and give back

to people in need. Every family should have a decent home to raise their family and here at AUBI we believe Habitat for Humanity provides that exact opportunity.”

Mayor Darrin Canniff acknowledged the municipality has been a supporter of HFHCK during their previous builds.

“The need for affordable housing is growing and it is great to see organizations such as HFHCK persevere through the pandemic to continue building homes and supporting local families into homeownership.”

Partner families with Habitat for Humanity purchase their home through an affordable, zero-interest mortgage geared to their income – making the transition to homeownership possible for many families in the community.

For more information on HFHCK, visit www.habitatchatham-kent.ca.

Bruce Corcoran/The Chatham Voice

Melanie Dramnitzke can’t wait to get started helping build her dream home with Habitat for Humanity Chatham-Kent and its many volunteers and supporting businesses. The new build will take place on Bethel Road in Wallaceburg.

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THE CHATHAM VOICE

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

PAGE 9

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THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 10

Ribfest tops $15K raised

By Pam Wright Contributing Writer

A steady stream of barbecue lovers helped push Epilepsy Southwestern Ontario’s (ESO) Drive-Thru Ribfest beyond expectation.

More than 2,300 hungry supporters turned out at Chatham’s Memorial Arena on the weekend to sample the wares and contribute to the cause.

“We exceeded our goal of raising $15,000 through donations,” said Sandra Pidduck Monday morning, adding a final tally

hasn’t been made.

“The community really came through.”

The event, the first to be held in more than a year, was carefully mapped out and COVID-19 safe.

Pidduck, who serves as an epilepsy educator for Chatham-Kent, said the event had strong support from the municipality and public health.

Volunteer support was strong as well, Pidduck noted.

“We had tons of people who wanted to help,” she added. “They said they didn’t care what they did,

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

Life

they just wanted to pitch in.”

ESO is strictly non-profit, relying solely on fundraising as it does not receive government funding.

According to Pidduck, the organization is a first stop for local residents diagnosed with epilepsy, which according to statistics is about 16 people out of 1,000.

One in 10 people will have a seizure in their lifetime as well.

“We help them find supports and access services,” she said.

Bringing awareness to

Contributed image

Volunteers, including Chatham-Kent Fire Services personnel, guided vehicles through Epilepsy Southwestern Ontario’s Drive-Thru Ribfest on the weekend.

local educators and workplaces is another important role of the agency, Pidduck explained.

Three out-of-town ven-

dors, Boss Hog’s, Silver Bullet BBQ and Ribs Royale BBQ, served up the goods.

Pidduck said the ribbers

wanted to come and help the non-profit achieve its goal.

“They told us. ‘We love Chatham-Kent.’”

Moving in right direction It may not feel “normal” just yet, but it certainly seems like a great many people wanted to get out and feel as close to normal as they could be over the weekend.

With the relaxed guidelines, Chatham-Kent residents emerged from their homes in numbers to shop in stores again, and to sit on a patio for a meal and a drink.

Local businesses appreciate the support. Keep it up, C-K, with social distancing, masking and hand sanitizing still part of the mix. We’ve come a long way, but we are not there yet.

Contributed image

Hungry supporters line up for Drive-Thru Ribfest on the weekend.

Bruce Corcoran As for the Corcorans, we hosted people in our backyard not named, well, Corcoran.

Three McFaddens visited briefly on Saturday afternoon.

We sat in the backyard and enjoyed our fill of food from the Drive-Thru Ribfest on the weekend.

Home for Lease in Northside Subdivision City of Chatham

Put on by Epilepsy Southwestern Ontario, people lined up in their vehicles to enjoy some tasty barbecue.

We had ribs, pulled pork, chicken and baked beans. All elements were delicious!

And it was consumed with some nice hydrating beverages in the shade with a sweet breeze to keep it comfortable.

We realized we had not seen one family member in about 18 months. That’s what COVID does.

But he came up from Toronto and maintained social distancing. He didn’t even want to go inside our house, despite the fact everyone has been vaccinated at least once.

But on a day like that, the place to be was outside.

We are blessed with a great deal of shade from a number of mature trees in the backyard. Add in some good food, beverages, great music (I was in control of that), and it was a fine afternoon.

One thing we also noticed on the weekend, with non-essential stores opening, the grocery stores seemed a little less busy.

That was win-win for us, as we could get through the grocery store in a timely manner, and local residents were supporting local businesses.

Factor in the patios, extended ones at that, as well as stores opening again to limited capacity, this past weekend felt like a large step forward.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 11

THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 12

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

Business/Life

Home sales set record in C-K The Chatham Voice

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Paid for by the Government of Ontario

Just when you thought the Chatham-Kent real estate market couldn’t get any hotter, along came May 2021.

According to figures from the Chatham-Kent Association of Realtors (CKAR), 182 homes sold last month, more than double what changed hands a year ago, and setting not only the hottest May on record, but the most sales of any month in history.

All those sales were 23 per cent above the five-year average and nearly 30 per cent beyond the 10year average.

On a year-to-date basis, home sales totaled a record 734 units over the first five months of the year.

This was up sharply by more than 67 per cent from the same period in 2020.

“We assume that with more people adopting COVID safety measures and vaccine inventory becoming more prevalent, this has allowed potential buyers and sellers to feel somewhat protected and safe in their home buying and selling process, therefore sales activity is still robust,” said Laura Tourangeau, president of CKAR, in a news release. “We’ve seen a surge in new

listings returning to the market, but this has done little to offset the white-hot pace of demand. With inventories still at record lows, market conditions are still deep into sellers’ territory.”

The average price of homes sold in May 2021 was $398,827, an increase of more than 26 per cent from May 2020.

The more comprehensive year-todate average price was $402,900, a jump of nearly 43 per cent from the first five months of 2020.

The dollar value of all home sales in May 2021 was $72.6 million, more than double the levels from a year earlier, up more than 158 per cent from the same month in 2020.

This was also a new record for the month of May. The number of new listings saw an advance of 75 per cent from May 2020. There were 238 new residential listings in May 2021. This was the largest number of new listings added in the month of May in more than five years.

However, active residential listings numbered 147 units on the market at the end of May, down more than 17 per cent from the end of May 2020. Active listings haven’t been this low in the month of May in more than three decades.

C-K’s Beach Bus back in business The Chatham Voice

Chatham-Kent’s Beach Bus returned to the roads on Saturday.

Public transit route S1, known as the Beach Bus, began operations now that Step One in of the Provincial government’s Roadmap to Reopen is underway.

Municipal officials said the Beach Bus will carry out the remainder of its 2021 summer schedule subject to further restrictions.

Route S1 will operate every Saturday through the Labour Day weekend. It will also operate on Canada

Day and the Saturday, Sunday and Monday of the Civic and Labour Day long weekends.

Each operating day will see four round trip departure times from Chatham to Mitchell’s Bay – stopping in Pain Court and Grande Pointe – and four round-trip departure times from Chatham to Erieau – stopping in Charing Cross and Blenheim.

Visit www.rideck.ca for schedule and fare information.

COVID-19 rules remain in place on all transit routes. Masks or face coverings are mandatory.

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 13

Life

C-K’s getting back to nature

By Pam Wright Contributing Writer

Chatham-Kent residents who opt to give Mother Nature a leg up by naturalizing their lawns are now free to do so.

At its May 31 meeting, council amended its Long Grass and Weeds bylaw to allow homeowners to plant native species – such as tall grass prairie – on their properties.

But it doesn’t mean homeowners will be allowed to let yards run amok with weeds. Property owners who choose the option must do so with intentional planting, designed to return land to its natural ecological state.

South Kent Coun. Trevor Thompson, who introduced the bylaw change, said naturalization encourages spaces for pollinators and slows water runoff into municipal drains.

Reducing the use of pesticides and herbicides is another benefit.

“The goal is to increase the amount of insects, birds and native plant species and spaces, and that I believe is something that everyone can support,” Thompson told council.

However, the councillor says he understands naturalized lawns aren’t everyone’s cup of tea.

“I’ll admit it does not fit everyone’s aesthetic preferences.”

A number of delegations from residents supporting the change were outlined to council, as well as the findings of a public survey that gave the initiative overwhelming support.

Possible abuses of the new rules were also discussed. Chatham Coun. Brock McGregor asked for clarification on the meaning of infestation and how such a problem would be managed.

Director of Public Works Ryan Brown said infestation is defined in

the bylaw as an “overrunning of a property by vermin, rodents and/or insects.”

If a complaint was lodged by a neighbour of a suspected infestation, Brown said a bylaw officer would have to attend and use “good judgment” to determine if an infestation is occurring.

East Kent Steve Pinsonneault said the new standards will be tough to enforce.

“I think this bylaw is going to be a nightmare to police,” Pinnsoneault said, adding it will lead to an increase in costs to the municipality and pit neighbours against each other.

Chatham Coun. Michael Bondy expressed concern about untended vacant lots where no one cuts the grass.

Brown said the bylaw doesn’t mean people can let their property “run wild” under the guise of naturalization, as new projects must feature “deliberate” planting.

Ontario’s noxious weed bylaw supersedes the municipal bylaw, Brown explained, adding it’s a specific list of what can and cannot be allowed to grow.

Rule breakers will be required to maintain their properties, he said, and adhere to standards.

Brown said he didn’t think enforcement will be a problem but if it is, public works will report back to council.

The original amendment only allowed for back and side portions of yards to be naturalized, but following an added recommendation from Thompson, council approved naturalization for front yards as well.

Thompson said the new approach involves a “change of mindset” stressing the fact naturalization is an “active endeavour.

“If there is a resident out there who

wants to try it out, I think we

should support this.”

Great Things at the are Happening

ALC Breakfast on the Patio

8

$

OPENING FRIDAY, JUNE 18TH Monday & Friday Mornings 8:00am - 11:00am

Breakfast on the Patio includes: • Bacon, Ham or Sausage • 2 Eggs • Homefries •Toast & Coffee Beverages & Cocktails • Mimosa / Caesar $6 • Milk/Juice/Coffee/Tea/Pop/Water $2

EVERYONE

WELCOME!

ALC Summer Farmer’s Market FIRST MARKET JUNE 26 8am - 1pm 20+ Vendors Check out all our participating produce, food & artisans!

Future Markets: July 10 & 24, August 7 & 21

Don’t Forget our Take Out Thursdays!

Thursday, June 24

Salisbury Steak

Cobb Salad

Beef burger served with grilled onions, sauteed peppers, potato and roll.

Served with a hard boiled egg, chicken, ham, peppers, carrots and celery.

$12.00

$12.00

Pre-Order by Wednesdays. Pick up Thursdays between 11:30am and 2:30pm.

Meals are served cold, ready for heating or freezing upon pick up.

No Take Out Thursday on July 1st - HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Driver Refresher Course

Needing to renew your licence and could use a refresher in-person course?

Driving classes (in-person, classroom sytle course) will be held when Government regulations are lifted - call now to get your name on the list.

We invite adults 50 years + to take part in the programs and services offered at the ALC. 2021/2022 Memberships are FREE with a daily user fee of $4.00 YOU CAN CALL TODAY TO RENEW OR SIGN UP! Sarah Schofield/The Chatham Voice

Naturalization of yards, as seen here outside the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority offices, is now an option for property owners.

20 Merritt Ave., Chatham 519.352.5633

• activelifestylecentre.org •

THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 14

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

Life

YMCA offering youth awards and recreation, volunteerism and community service, and YMCA youth leadership.

Applications are currently being accepted on-

X LAKESHO R

E E LIN

wi g

n

Notice of Completion of Draft Environmental Study Report

AM H

Gro

CHATHAM TO LAKESHORE LINE

line. The deadline is June 20 at 11:59 p.m.

For additional information, visit ymcaswo.ca/celebration-youth-awards.

ow

communities, mental health champion, leadership/entrepreneurship, health and wellness, health sciences, science and technology, sports

o rr

Award categories include; agriculture and environment, apprenticeship, female apprenticeship, business spirit, champion of inclusive

lo c

to

m

The Celebration of Youth Awards are open.

The awards, courtesy of the YMCA of southwest-

ern Ontario, honour local youth whose outstanding talents and achievements have made a difference in their community with a $1,000 award.

CH AT

The Chatham Voice

a ll y t o p o w e r

As the next step in the Chatham to Lakeshore Line project, Hydro One has completed the draft Environmental Study Report (ESR). This document outlines the Class Environmental Assessment (EA) process conducted and will be available for a 60-day public review and comment period, beginning on June 11, 2021.

A safe and reliable power supply is essential to ensure southwestern Ontario can continue to grow now, and into the future. That is why, in January 2020, Hydro One began a Class Environmental Assessment (EA), in accordance with the Class EA for Minor Transmission Facilities to build a new double-circuit 230 kilovolt transmission line between the Chatham Switching Station (SS) and future Lakeshore Switching Station (SS). This new line will accommodate anticipated electricity demand, improve reliability for homes and businesses and support local industries.

Through this process, three alternative routes and their associated variations were evaluated. Based on environmental and technical information collected and feedback received, Route Alternative 2A was selected as the preferred route for the new transmission line, shown on the map, or in more detail at HydroOne.com/Chatham-to-Lakeshore.

The draft ESR summarizes the EA process, route alternatives identified, environmental information collected, consultation undertaken, the route evaluation and selection process, and environmental effects and mitigation measures planned.

Having reached this milestone in the electricity transmission planning process, Hydro One will continue to work with landowners, as design and construction planning continues.

Next Steps and Providing Your Input The draft ESR will be available for comment from June 11 to August 10, 2021. Due to ongoing public health restrictions, the draft ESR can be viewed electronically on Hydro One’s website at HydroOne.com/Chatham-to-Lakeshore. Electronic copies of the draft ESR are also available on USB drives for sign out and/or curbside pickup at the following locations, pending operating hours (please call ahead): Atlas Tube Centre Chatham-Kent Public Library Chatham-Kent Public Library Chatham-Kent Civic Centre Essex County Library-Toldo Branch 120 Queen Street 2 Queen Street 315 King Street 447 Renaud Line Chatham, ON Tilbury, ON Chatham, ON Lakeshore, ON N7M 2G6 N0P 2L0 N7M 5K8 N0R 1K0 Tel: 519-654-2940 Tel: 519-682-0100 Tel: 519-360-1998 Tel: 519-727-0470 To help aid those without access to a computer, limited e-readers will be available at the above locations for sign out. In the event that public health restrictions cease during the review period, hard copies of the draft ESR will also be available for on-site review at the above locations.

Written comments or questions on the draft ESR must be received by Hydro One no later than 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 and must be addressed to:

Paul Dalmazzi, Environmental Planner, Hydro One Networks Inc., 483 Bay Street, North Tower, 12th Floor, Toronto, ON M5G 2P5 Phone: 1-877-345-6799 (community relations hotline) Email: Community.Relations@HydroOne.com

During the review period, Hydro One will respond to and make best efforts to resolve any issues raised by concerned parties, following which, Hydro One will finalize the ESR and file it with the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP). The project will then be considered acceptable to proceed as outlined in the ESR. A request may be made to the MECP for an order requiring a higher level of study (i.e., requiring comprehensive EA approval before being able to proceed), or that conditions be imposed (e.g., require further studies), however; only on the grounds that the requested order may prevent, mitigate or remedy adverse impacts on constitutionally protected Aboriginal and treaty rights. The MECP will not consider requests on other grounds.

Requests should include the requester’s contact information, as well as specify what kind of order is being requested (request for conditions or comprehensive EA), how an order may prevent, mitigate or remedy potential adverse impacts on Aboriginal and treaty rights, and any information in support of the statements in the request.

The request should be sent in writing or by email to: Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks 777 Bay Street, 5th Floor Toronto ON M7A 2J3 Email: Minister.mecp@ontario.ca Environmental Assessment Branch Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks 135 St. Clair Avenue West, 1st Floor Toronto, ON M4V 1P5 Email: EABDirector@ontario.ca Requests should also be copied to Hydro One per the contact information provided above.

Please visit the ministry’s website for more information on requests for orders under section 16 of the Environmental Assessment Act at: https://www.ontario.ca/page/class-environmental-assessments-part-ii-order All personal information included in your request – such as name, address, telephone number and property location – is collected, under the authority of section 30 of the Environmental Assessment Act and is collected and maintained for the purpose of creating a record that is available to the general public. As this information is collected for the purpose of a public record, the protection of personal information provided in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) does not apply (s.37). Personal information you submit will become part of the available public record unless you request that your personal information remain confidential.

THE CHATHAM VOICE

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

PAGE 15

Life/News

Outdoor activities in ALC’s forecast

By Bruce Corcoran bruce@chathamvoice.com

As we take our first baby steps back to normalcy, the Active Lifestyle Centre (ALC) in Chatham is taking matters outdoors.

Linda Lucas, executive director of the ALC, said the centre is now open for breakfast on its patio on Mondays and Fridays between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., will feature farmers’ markets over the summer, and will be offering some new programs as soon as indoor gathering is allowed again.

All this on top of their Take Away Thursdays.

The patio breakfast option features simple fare – a couple of eggs, bacon or sausage, homefries, toast and coffee – for $8.

“We used to have a cafe five days a week. We had

a patio last year as well,” Lucas said. “But we don’t want to absolutely compete with all the restaurants. Many restaurants are closed on Mondays.”

Lucas said the breakfast two days a week is in response to interest from area seniors.

“I am sure it is going to be huge, as they are all up early and looking for something to do,” she said.

Lucas said the first ALC Summer Farmers’ Market takes place June 26, with two more in July and another two in August.

The plan is to block off half the ALC parking lot to accommodate the 20plus vendors.

About half the vendors will be selling food. The ALC will have booths for greeting cards, woodwork and cloth masks, all

made by ALC members.

The kitchen will be selling items as well, and a barbecue and breakfast will be offered.

“Our seniors all want to come to the centre, but we can’t host them inside,” Lucas said. “This is also a good way to showcase our goods and also support the community.”

On Thursdays, the ALC offers a couple of menu items for take away, and people can call ahead to order, and pick the meals up between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on meal days.

Lucas said keeping things running at the ALC has been a challenge due to the pandemic.

“We have no membership this year. When we open up, we’ll just have a daily user fee,” she said.

“We used to have 1,500 members.”

Pam Wright/Special to The Chatham Voice

Michael Maness of Di Cocco Contractors smoothes out fresh concrete in Dresden recently as part of the installation of a new crosswalk in the downtown. Dresden is one of six communities in Chatham-Kent that will see pedestrian crosswalks installed.

Walk this way Crosswalk effort designed to improve pedestrian safety

By Pam Wright Contributing Writer

Contributed image

The Active Lifestyle Centre patio will be open for breakfast on Mondays and Fridays.

Work is underway make six Chatham-Kent communities more pedestrian friendly.

An $180,797 bid from Sarnia-based DiCocco Contractors was selected to build seven new crosswalks in downtown areas.

The work includes the installation of new sloping sidewalks where needed to increase accessibility and safety.

According to Mark Mc-

Fadden, the municipality’s head of engineering for traffic, transportation and underground infrastructure, the crosswalks came about as the result of frequent requests from business owners in the downtown cores.

There was also strong support from Chatham-Kent council, he said, adding councillors green-lighted the project in January.

McFadden said all associated BIA groups were consulted during the de-

sign phase of the project.

“The feedback was positive for each location,” McFadden said.

Blenheim, Wallaceburg, Dresden, Ridgetown and Tilbury will all see one new crosswalk built, while two new ones will be located on King Street in Chatham.

Thamesville was originally slated for a new pedestrian crosswalk but the community’s BIA opted out, as members didn’t want to lose parking spaces.

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THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 16

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

The Arts

Travel tales

Local man details his experiences as a tour guide overseas Africa.

“Most of the tours were And then the pandemic so well planned by the came along. Early on, he company that they went When you retire, retire decided to write a book off beautifully,” he said.

The chapters are divided again, and retire a third about his experiences according to themes. time, after that, you be- abroad.

“I had a lot of time, along One is on theft, a real come an author, right?

Well, for Chatham’s Den- with everybody else,” he danger to travellers. And nis Makowetski, that’s said. “It was my COVID it happened to Makowproject, along with walk- etski just two days into a how it’s worked for him.

It took the COVID-19 ing and growing a beard.” big tour. Someone stole Makowetski said he his travel satchel, which pandemic to turn the retired teacher into an au- never went into the tours contained his passport, as with the well as money to pay for thor.

He p e n n e d “What to do when you idea of writ- access to various sites and ing a book, events.

“Can You don’t have a passport but the ma“The chapter covers evHear Me in and your money, and the Back?” a you are in charge of 50 terial was erything from pickpockthere after eting to passport theft. compilation people?” leading 57 For me, the second day of book on his - Dennis Makowetski i n t e r n a - a tour I lost my bag with interesting tional tours everything in it. It had all experiences the tour material in it and as an international travel over a 15-year period.

“I didn’t plan on doing my passport,” he said. tour guide.

He said elements of the But, as mentioned, tour anything like this, but guide wasn’t Makowets- when I got home from book are about problem ki’s first career. Or second. the tours, it was my job solving, including when For 31 years, he taught at to write a report,” he said. his bag was stolen.

“What to do when you Chatham Collegiate Insti- “After the first tour, I realtute and Lambton Kent ized if I didn’t make notes, don’t have a passport Composite School. He one day blended into the and your money, and you retired, for the first time, next. I got into the hab- are in charge of 50 people? I had but went on to teach in- it to make to get a poternationally. He spent a notes after “It’s about the folks I lice report year in England, followed every day, met on the way. Some to prove by more than three years and I hung onto those were just fascinating.” my docuteaching in Italy.

- Dennis Makowetski ments were And then he retired notes.”

Nearly half stolen,” he again...only to become a travel tour guide with El- of the tours were for stu- said. “Trying to get the lison Travel & Tours out dents, and were usually money to pay for tour cultural in nature. The re- stuff along the way? I had of Exeter, Ont. For 15 years, Makow- mainder were adult tours. photocopies of my ID and Makowetski stressed passport, but that’s no etski took people of all ages on tours of all kinds, some of the problems that good to get money wire mostly to Europe. He led he encountered over the transferred to you. I had a few tours in Turkey, and years were generally not to wire it to a friend.”

Makowetski said a good another one in southern the norm.

By Bruce Corcoran bruce@chathamvoice.com

A son’s first hero, A daughter’s first love.

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Bruce Corcoran/The Chatham Voice

Dennis Makowetski, who “retired” more than two decades ago, has published a book from his third career, as a travel tour guide overseas.

number of the tours were to sites of old battlefields.

He dedicated a chapter to these stories.

He recalled taking a 96-year-old woman to the grave of her husband, who was killed in 1943 during the Second World War. “She’d never been there before,” Makowetski said.

In another instance, he led a 98-year-old veteran to the site of a particularly difficult confrontation where an explosion claimed the lives of 16 of his regiment friends.

There’s a chapter in there on medical emergencies that one can encounter

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just fascinating,” he said.

Makowetski said shifting gears from teacher to tour guide was quite easy for him.

“It’s a tie between teaching and guiding. It really is the same thing, without the onerous part of grading papers,” he joked.

“Can You Hear Me in the Back? Reflections on 15 Years as a Tour Manager” is available on Amazon.ca or from Makowetski himself. Contact him either by phone or e-mail at 519355-7674 or beejnmak@ gmail.com to order.

He said the original plan was to have the book is available in local stores, but the pandemic ruled out that option.

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on tours, from sprained ankles to late night trips to aid stations, and even a death on a tour.

He recalled taking a tour member to an infirmary in Zambia in the middle of the night.

“We get the clerk at the hotel to get us a van, we pick up an armed guard and we head to the infirmary. I don’t know if the guard was for the van or for us,” he said.

Makowetski said other chapters focus on hotels – “from the terrible to the delightful” – to airline adventures, and a chapter on the people he encountered over the years.

“It’s about the folks I met on the way. Some were

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THE CHATHAM VOICE

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

PAGE 17

Life/News

Ramsden walks for MS

By Bruce Corcoran bruce@chathamvoice.com

Chatham’s Amanda Ramsden has Multiple Sclerosis. She’s had it for 10 years. Yet she’s only 26.

Ramsden is a fighter, however, and her latest scrap came in the form of fundraising for the MS Society recently, bringing 17 friends and family on a walk down Grand Avenue in Chatham, raising more than $2,300 in the process.

Her target of $1,500 is well in her rearview mir-

ror.

Ramsden said she first received the news she had MS when she was just 15.

The illness usually strikes people a decade or two older.

“Normally, it’s in your 30s (when a person is diagnosed). I’m just lucky, I guess,” she joked. “But I started my medication when I was 16. I’ve been on it this whole time.”

With MS, the immune system attacks the sheath that surrounds nerve fibres in the body. This causes scarring, or sclero-

sis. That scarring hinders the flow of electrical pulses from the brain to the target nerve.

Ramdsen said her MS has been in remission for the past seven years.

“It’s been good. I consider myself lucky. I don’t have a whole lot of symptoms,” she said. “My biggest issue is dizziness.”

After the walk, she admitted to feeling a bit light-headed by the end of the walk, which took place from St. Clair Street to the A&W parking lot on Grand Avenue West.

“Being out in the heat forces my body down.

There was some slight numbness too,” she said.

Ramsden said this is her first year participating in the MS Walk. She had considered doing it in past years, but had other issues get in the way.

She’s glad she found the time this year.

“I had friends and family who wanted to do it with me. It was awesome.

We had about 18 people walking. We paired off in groups of two and maintained social distancing. It

worked out really well.”

Ramsden said passing vehicles honked in support, and pedestrians passing by offered positives words as well.

Ramsden wants to take part in the walk again.

Amanda Ramsden

Vigil commemorates London tragedy

Think Google and Facebook care about community news?

Think again.

Flags sat at half staff on June 9 outside the Chatham Civic Centre as members of our community paid their respects and remembered the four members of the London Muslim family that were killed as part of a hate crime June 6. The Chatham-Kent Muslim Association sponsored the drive-by vigil, where a collection of toys and flowers were left and donations were gathered for the sole nine-year-old survivor.

Mayor Darrin Canniff On behalf of Chatham-Kent Council

Sarah Schofield/The Chatham Voice

Municipality of Chatham-Kent Woodlot Preservation Public Engagement The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is inviting residents to share their views on the issue of woodlot preservation in the community.

An online community engagement portal is open from June 14 to July 9, 2021. Residents of Chatham-Kent are invited to participate by visiting www.letstalkchatham-kent.ca and completing a customized survey designed to explore options to manage woodlots.

On April 26, 2021, Municipal Council enacted a temporary woodlot removal by-law, to be in place for 120 days. This public engagement process was also initiated to seek input from the public on options regarding preserving woodlots in Chatham-Kent.

Community input will inform future decision-making processes. The input received through this process will be shared with the public. Municipal Council is the decision-maker regarding woodlot preservation in Chatham-Kent.

Google and Facebook are using their power to scoop up 80% of online revenue generated by hardworking journalists and publishers across Canada. Other governments are standing up to the web giants and protecting local news in their countries. Parliament needs to act on their commitment to protect the future of your local news. Learn more at levellingthedigitalplayingfield.ca

News Media Canada Médias d’Info Canada

THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 18

Community Events Friday, June 11, 2021: • The Chatham Legion Br. 642, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham will be taking orders after 11:00 a.m. for tonight’s supper. Tonight’s specials are Bacon Cheeseburger with fries or Fish & Chips. $10.00 plus tax. Please phone 519351-8733 or 519-351-5639 to place your order.

Take Out Orders Only. Everyone Welcome.

• Friday night pickup supper at the Chatham Moose Lodge, 850 Richmond St. will be a Lasagna dinner with a Caesar’s salad and a bun for $10. Please call daily from 1 to 4 P.M. at 519-352-8291 to place your order.

Saturday, June 12, 2021: • Saturday Morning Breakfast Program at First Presbyterian Church (corner of Fifth St. and Wellington). A delicious nutritious breakfast served free of charge from 9:30am-11:00am.

This will be a TAKE OUT only.

Sunday, June 13, 2021: • 10 am-2pm, the Chatham Lions Club is hosting a Document Shredding Event at Maple City Mini Storage at 7690 Queen’s Line Chatham. Bring boxes and bags of documents that need to be shredded for your protection. Iron Mountain Document Shredding Service will securely shred your documents. The catch? Banker Boxes and similar size boxes will cost you a donation of $10 per box; regular grocery bag is a $5 donation each and large bags is a donation of $7. All the money raised is ready for local community needs doing what Lions always do – “We Serve”.

For further info please call 519-354-1836 or email at info@chathamlionsclub.ca. Completely contactless, curbside drop off. Check out the Chatham Lions Club at https://e-clubhouse.org/ sites/chathamon/ • St. Andrew’s United Church is happy to announce that our worship services will once again be open for people to attend at 10:30 am. We will be open at 15% capacity of our sanctuary. Following the guidelines masks must be worn in the building, contact information is collected for tracing purposes and social distancing markers are placed in the hallways and sanctuary of the church. We invite people to pre-register if they are planning on attending.

This can be done on-line from our website (standrewschatham.org) or phone our church office at 519-352-0010 to register.

Tuesday, June 15, 2021: • Wallaceburg Blood Donor Clinic - UAW Local 251, 88 Elm Drive South, Wallaceburg. 2:00pm 7:00pm. By appointment. Book now @blood.ca.

Call 1-888-2-Donate or 1-888-236-6283. Help Save a Life - Donate Blood.

Wednesday, June 16, 2021: • Victoria Avenue United Church’s Food Shopping Card & Pantry Programs will be restarting at St. Andrew’s United Church (Memorial Garden Entrance - Wellington Street) 9:00 to 10:30 am. COVID-19 PROVISIONS / CONTACT TRACING IN PLACE. MASKS REQUIRED / HAND SANITIZER PROVIDED. Friday, June 18, 2021: • The Chatham Legion Br. 642, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham will be taking orders after 11:00 a.m. for tonight’s supper. Tonight’s specials are Ham & Scallop Potato & Veggies or Fish & Chips. All meals include coleslaw and dinner roll. $10.00 plus tax. Please phone 519351-8733 or 519-351-5639 to place your order.

Take Out Orders Only. Everyone Welcome.

• Friday night pickup supper at the Chatham Moose Lodge, 850 Richmond St. will be a roast pork dinner with potatoes, vegetables, salad and a bun for $10. Please call daily from 1 to 4 P.M. at 519-352-8291 to place your order.

Tuesday, June 22, 2021: • Tilbury Blood Donor Clinic - Tilbury Arena, Ryder Hall, 49 Bond Ave. 1:00pm - 7:00pm.

By appointment. Book now @blood.ca. Call 1-888-2-Donate or 1-888-236-6283. Help Save a Life - Donate Blood.

Wednesday, June 23, 2021: • Victoria Avenue United Church’s Food Shopping Card & Pantry Programs will be restarting at St. Andrew’s United Church (Memorial Garden Entrance - Wellington Street) 9:00 to 10:30 am. COVID-19 PROVISIONS / CONTACT TRACING IN PLACE. MASKS REQUIRED / HAND SANITIZER PROVIDED.

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

Fun Stuff

Friday, June 25, 2021: • The Chatham Legion Br. 642, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham will be taking orders after 11:00 a.m. for tonight’s supper. Tonight’s specials are Liver & Onions, potato & veggies or Fish & Chips. All meals include coleslaw and dinner roll. $10.00 plus tax. Please phone 519351-8733 or 519-351-5639 to place your order.

Take Out Orders Only. Everyone Welcome.

• Friday night pickup supper at the Chatham Moose Lodge, 850 Richmond St. will be a Chicken parmigiana dinner with spaghetti, Caesar salad and a bun for $12. Please call daily from 1 to 4 P.M at 519-352-8291 to place your order.

Saturday, June 26, 2021: • Saturday Morning Breakfast Program at First Presbyterian Church (corner of Fifth St. and Wellington). A delicious nutritious breakfast served free of charge from 9:30am-11:00am.

This will be a TAKE OUT only.

• Burns Broasted Chicken Fundraiser Dinner organized by Music for the Mind. Proceeds being donated to the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Inpatient Mental Health Unit. Tickets are $20 each (can be purchased until June 25th) Drive-thru only. Pick up between 4:30pm and 6:30pm in the parking lot at the Legion Branch 642 on William St., Chatham. Dinner includes 3 piece broasted chicken, herb roasted potatoes, 1 coleslaw, slice of cheesecake. Go to the Music for the Mind Facebook page to get tickets, facebook.com/musicforthemindck or call 519437-5254.

• Have fun and keep busy all summer long with TD Summer Reading Club at Chatham-Kent Public Library! Chatham-Kent Public Library branches are offering a mixture of Grab & Go and virtual programs for your enjoyment this summer. Boredom Busters: Enjoy an assortment of activities and library materials to keep your summer boredom at bay! Register online at search.ckpl.ca or at your local branch and pick up your Boredom Buster curbside. “Are We There Yet?” Going on a road trip? Let CKPL staff know! We’ll give your child library materials and activities that are perfect for the car to make you hear ‘are we there yet?’ a little less frequently. Walk-a-Story: Read “Duck on a Bike” by David Shannon in communities across Chatham-Kent! Pick up a map to start from the Blenheim, Bothwell, Dresden, Highgate, Merlin, Ridgetown, Thamesville, Tilbury, and Wheatley branches. Storybook Trail: Head to Crothers Park in Wallaceburg to read “Duck on a Bike”

by David Shannon or Kingston Park in Chatham to read “Down by the Sea with Mr. Magee” by Chris Van Dusen. Virtual Art Gallery: Submit your artwork to be displayed in our virtual art gallery and in your local branch! Submit your work at a CKPL branch or to cklibrary@ chatham-kent.ca. Links to the virtual art gallery will be posted weekly to CKPL’s Facebook page @ckplibrary. LitBits: Pre-recorded storytime snippets with staff from across CKPL! Posted every Monday morning on CKPL’s Facebook @ckplibrary and YouTube channel. Zoom Storytime: Songs, rhymes, and stories for preschoolers with staff from across CKPL! Every Wednesday morning at 10:00 am beginning July 7. Register at your local library branch or online at search. ckpl.ca. Kahoot! Trivia for Kids: Every weekend on Facebook @ckplibrary. Quizzes are released Saturday mornings at 8:00 am and available to play until Sunday evening at 10:00 pm. Chatham-Kent Public Library has gone fine-free for children! Borrow any children’s material, including books, DVDs, audiobooks, Playaway Views, Launchpads, magazines, Storykits, Play Packs, puzzles, and more, without worrying about late fines. See you at the library this summer! Find Curbside Service hours at www.ckpl.ca.

CHATHAM-KENT ANIMAL RESCUE 50/50 LOTTERY! Tickets on sale now until June 30th at 11:59pm. Winner will be drawn July 1st at 9am. 3 tickets for $10/ 25 tickets for $20/ 100 tickets for $40. Buy tickets now ckanimal5050. com NOTE: you must live in Ontario and be 18 years of age or older to participate. April winner won $8040!!!

Are you affected by someone else’s drinking?

Al-anon can help! Call - leave message - 519350-3462 Submit your coming events to bruce@chathamvoice.com or michelle@chathamvoice.com

CLUES ACROSS 1. “Sleepless In Seattle” actress Ryan 4. One of Santa’s reindeer 10. Before the present 11. Type of butter 12. Location of White House 14. Motion 15. Tree part 16. Regions around the North Pole 18. Fits on a boat’s gunwale 22. Discuss after it’s happened 23. Milk substitute for coffee 24. Describes one who believes in supreme being 26. Equally 27. Famed director Forman 28. Popular apartment style 30. British School

31. Advanced degree 34. Order of architecture 36. Investment account (abbr.)

37. Snakelike fishes 39. Children’s tale bear 40. Norse personification of old age 41. Atomic #58 42. Moving your head 48. 1878 Kentucky Derby winner 50. Frankfurter 51. Small, seedless raisin 52. Device in papermaking machine 53. Go 54. Open payment initiative (abbr.)

55. “Westworld” actor Harris 56. Saturated with salt 58. Marry 59. Report on 60. Midway between north and northeast

CLUES DOWN 1. Rays 2. Self-centered person 3. One you look after 4. Prosecutor 5. Portion 6. Speaks ill of 7. Formal system for computer programs 8. To make angry 9. Rural delivery 12. Group of languages 13. Large First Nations group 17. Circulating life force in Chinese philosophy 19. Excludes 20. Body cavity of a metazoan 21. Swedish monetary unit 25. Works with 29. Partner to “to” 31. Rewards (archaic) 32. One of Caroline Islands 33. Type of alcohol 35. Eat a lot 38. Nuns 41. Dog 43. Become more serious 44. Choose 45. Newspapers use it 46. World’s longest river 47. Commanded to go faster 49. Cabs 56. Mr. T’s “A-Team” character 57. Document signed (abbr.)

Sudoku 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box.

Puzzle answers found on page 19

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

Obituaries We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Jitske “Janet” Savoie on Monday, June 7th, 2021.

Janet will be missed by her husband, Julien and her children Corrinne Wood (Dennis), Tanya Quenneville (Mike), Jason Bakker (Sarah), Marjorie Phillips (Ed), Jesse Savoie (Emily) and Stephanie Savoie. Amazing Grandma to Talitha, Jayden, Nia, Ashley and Nicholas Wood, Aiden Sterling, Cora and Gabriella Quenneville, Amelia and the soon to be Lilianna Janet Bakker. Janet was also very special to Andrew, Cameron and Jackson Hall. Loved daughter of the late Cornelis and Doreen Bakker and sister to John (Cindy) and Otto. Janet was a life long member of Blenheim Christian Reformed Church and she loved worshipping God with her church family. She loved crocheting and sold many of her creations at the Chatham Farmers Market (the Wednesday Market) on Longwoods Road. Please consider donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or to Blenheim Christian Reformed Church.

We will always love and miss our mom, wife, sister and grandma.

Mrs. Agatha Duff At the Chatham-Kent Hospice on Wednesday June 9th, 2021, Mrs. Agatha (Aggie) Duff of Chatham passed away in her 97th year. Cherished daughter of the late Harry and Olive (Yott) Urquhart, and stepdaughter of the late Lily (Vester) Urquhart.

Beloved wife of the late William Duff. Loving mother of Douglas and Patty Duff of Kingsville, and Hugh Duff (Margie Schram) of Chatham. She will be lovingly remembered by her grandchildren Greg Duff (Emily), Peter Duff (Ester) and Laura Ellis (Josh), and great grandchildren Sasha, Adrian and Julia. Dear sister of Theresa Bechard, Dorothy Provost (Jim), Harry and Helen Urquhart of Woodstock, and Ken and Maggie Urquhart of Pennsylvania. Predeceased by ten brothers and four sisters, and her granddaughter Candice Duff.

Special thanks to Dr. Mark Tomen, and to the angels at hospice. Cremation has taken place with interment at later date. Arrangements entrusted to the Alexander & Houle Funeral Home, 245 Wellington West, Chatham, 519-352-2710.

Friends planning an expression of remembrance are asked to consider the Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation. On-line condolences may be left at www.alexanderfuneralhome.ca

puzzles on page 11

This week’s answers

Sell your unwanted items in the classifieds! 519-397-2020

THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 19

Classifieds Obituaries With heavy hearts, the family of

Robert Miller

announce his passing at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance on June 8th, 2021 after a courageous battle with cancer.

Dear father to Ryan, Jordan, Joshua and Sarah.

Will be missed by his mother, Josephine (the late John, 1994) Miller, twin sister Jennifer (Darren) Delorme, sister Carolyn Miller and sister-in-law Michelle (the late Daniel 2015) Miller. Loving uncle to Rachel, Sarah, Riley, Zachary, Jacob, and Joshua. Survived by loving aunt Mary McIntyre, cousins Allan McIntyre, Sandy McIntyre, Bradley McIntyre and other local relatives and as well as relatives in North Bay. The family wish to extend a thank you to the VON nurses and the PSWs for all of their caring support during Bob’s final weeks.

Bob was known to be extremely social and made friends everywhere he went. His family will miss him greatly. Cremation has taken place.

A celebration of his life will take place at a later date to be determined. Donations in memory of Bob may be made to Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation. Online condolences may be left at www.mckinlayfuneralhome.com McKinlay Funeral Home, 459 St. Clair Street, Chatham, 519 351 2040

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OBITUARIES Mr. James Patterson 86, Sunday, June 6, 2021 Alexander & Houle Funeral Home

Francis James Webb 68, Tuesday, June 8, 2021 McKinlay Funeral Home

Mr. Michael Danuk 38, Thursday, June 3, 2021 Alexander & Houle Funeral Home

Mary Dinga Friday, June 11, 2021 McKinlay Funeral Home

Mrs. Agatha Duff 97, Wednesday, June 9, 2021 Alexander & Houle Funeral Home

Vianney Martin Sunday, June 6, 2021 McKinlay Funeral Home

Mr. Murray Copeland 80, Thursday, June 10, 2021 Alexander & Houle Funeral Home

William Bailey Sunday, June 6, 2021 McKinlay Funeral Home

Kay Evans 94, Tuesday, June 8 2021 Kendrick Funeral Home

Bob Miller Tuesday, June 8, 2021 McKinlay Funeral Home

Marjorie Louise Brodie 73, Monday, June 7, 2021 Hinnegan-Peseski Funeral Home

Robert “Bob” Smallwood 89, Thursday, June 3, 2021 Life Transitions

Raymond Butler Sunday, June 6, 2021 Hinnegan-Peseski Funeral Home

Jitske “Janet” Savoie Monday, June 7, 2021 Life Transitions

Jean Gleeson 83, Friday, June 11, 2021 Hinnegan-Peseski Funeral Home

Henry Smulders 66, Wednesday, June 9, 2021 Life Transitions

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THE CHATHAM VOICE

St. Angela's Meadow

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021