Goderich Sun August 7, 2025

Goderich Sun

Celtic Roots Festival returns

Musicians from around the world are making their way to Goderich, drawn by the renowned Celtic Roots Festival, and a promise of music, connection and lakeside sunsets.

Goderich’s annual Celtic Roots Festival returns on August 9 and will run to August 11.

The celebration remains a valued tradition within the lakeside community and Cheryl Prashker- artistic director and general manager for the Celtic Roots Festival says the event only keeps growing.

“I hope that people seeing the event for the first time fall in love with the town of Goderich and get to escape for a few hours with the music, the craft and the food,” said Prashker.

“The townspeople are very proud of their history and location; they love volunteering and supporting local events.”

A three-day celebration of Celtic, Irish, Scottish, and Canadian East Coast continues to attract local and non-local musicians from around the world. Prashker says that she’s excited for audiences to experience the line-up of musical talent that will be hitting the stage this year.

The opening ceremony will be kicked off by Celtic Academic Irish Dance Canada. Musical melodies will echo throughout the weekend from the talented

Following a string of seasons that proved difficult to compete in the Pollock Division of the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) and an added struggle to recruit and retain players, the Goderich Flyers Hockey Club decided to bow out for the upcoming season.

On July 24 the Goderich Flyers Hockey Club announced its formal request for a leave of absence from the PJHL for the 2025/2026 season.

Stating that it is not a goodbye but a pause, the Flyers organization has full intention of returning stronger.

According to the hockey club, over the past several

months, Hockey Operations and Executive teams have worked tirelessly to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of the organization.

One of the major goals was focused on player recruitment, with the goal of building a more competitive team.

Unfortunately, due to many factors, including the town’s geographical location being farther from schools and major urban centres, the organization was facing many significant challenges.

Despite best efforts, the organization struggled to recruit, and it was an obstacle that was proven too difficult to overcome at this time.

ALEX HUNT

Sun Correspondent

Goderich Junior Flyers bow out for the 2025/2026 season

The Executive made the difficult but necessary decision to pause operations for the 2025/2026 season, keeping in line with the commitment to fielding a competitive team.

The formal request for a leave of absence was sent to the PJHL, and the league’s Board of Directors will convene to determine next steps for the Goderich Junior Flyers organization.

Players currently under the contract of the Goderich Flyers will become free agents and are eligible to pursue opportunities with other teams.

Sponsors and donors who made financial commitments for the upcoming season will be contacted in the coming weeks to arrange for the return of contributions.

Fans will be kept informed of any developments related to the leave of absence. The organization remains hopeful through continued hard work, community support and successful fundraising efforts, the team will return to the PJHL for the 2026/2027 season.

In an official statement made by the organization, it is stressed that this outcome was never the intention of the current Executive and Hockey Operations staff.

“However, the challenges we’ve faced have proven insurmountable for the coming season,” the statement read.

Hockey has been a strong tradition in this town from the days of the original Goderich Flyers in the 1940s until today.

At one time, Goderich played home for a very successful Junior B team called the Goderich Siftos in the 1960s. This team was part of the Detroit Red Wings system and related to the Hamilton Red Wings Junior A team.

Following those years of the Goderich Siftos, with a long history of junior hockey in the area, Goderich eventually pushed for a new team.

In 2003 Goderich was granted expansion, and the team was named the Sailors. During those years, the Goderich Sailors found some success.

In the 2004/2005 season, the Sailors squeezed into the

fourth and final playoff spot, eventually leading to the semi-finals where the Sailors were swept by the Wingham Ironmen.

In both the 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 seasons the Sailors earned a playoff spot, unfortunately losing in the quarter finals in both years.

From the year 2003 until 2013, the Goderich Sailors lost in the quarter finals of playoffs each year.

It wasn’t until 2014, when Doug Cruickshank played a hand in bringing the Goderich Flyers to fruition, named after the original Goderich Flyers, who won the OHA Junior C championship in 1947.

Once the team was re-organized and re-named as the Flyers, from 2014 until 2025, the team has frustratingly lost in the Pollock Division quarterfinals of playoffs each season.

During many of those years, Richard Madge served as an executive member, coach, writer and in more recent years, as the national anthem singer.

“I will miss the team and hope they can come back, but it has been a difficult time for those who worked so hard over the years to keep the team active,” stated Madge.

This isn’t the first time the organization has taken a leave of absence.

During the span of 1993 until 2003, the team did not participate.

In the 2013/2014 season, the Sailors were granted a leave of absence to try and re-organize.

Despite setbacks and leaves of absence over the years, junior hockey continues to claw its way back to the ice, ready to take on a new season.

Goderich Flyers Hockey Club has stated its intention is to rebuild the program and come back stronger, once again.

Through all the name changes, and pauses, over the years the community has continued to support junior hockey in Goderich.

Despite struggling in the Pollock Division these last few years, support for the Goderich Flyers hasn’t wavered.

According to the Goderich Flyers Hockey Club, this decision isn’t giving up, but a chance to restructure and refocus for the 2026/2027 season.

Celtic Roots Festival returns to Goderich for its 33rd year

CONTINUED

James Keelaghan, along with the famous MacMaster Leahy Family, and the fan-favourite The Kane Sisters. A dance stage will also be featured for attendees to join in on the fun.

Aspiring musicians will have the opportunity to learn from the industry a week before the festival at The Celtic College.

The week-long classes will connect students with professionals from the business forming lifelong connections through their passion for music and education. During this time, free concerts will take place in the square from Monday through Thursday beginning at 7:30 p.m.

“We have about 250 attendees who take classes all day with our musicians. They learn everything from whistling to dancing, crafts, singing, and guitar. There are classes for everybody at different intermediate levels,” said Prashker.

“Through these classes and concerts, lifelong friendships are created, this is very special to the musicians.”

Tickets will be available on the website and at the gate. Along with experiencing various musical numbers from around the world, guests will have the opportunity to indulge in Irish and Celtic dishes that add another layer of immersion in the Celtic culture.

From government grants to local volunteers, Prashker makes it known that the event would not be possible without the two crucial components.

Government grants and support from the townspeople are two of the key aspects that have allowed the festival to thrive for 33 years.

“The local volunteers and the passion they have for the event is absolutely extraordinary,” said Prashker.

“The festival is very family friendly, and it is a listening festival, and people will be hearing incredible music from around the world. Oh, and the beautiful sunsets don’t hurt either.”

Letters to the Editor

Solid fuel barbecuing Dear Editor,

I am reaching out about the announcement that solid fuel barbecuing will no longer be allowed at the beach.

I had seen this announced some time back, but saw no signage or enforcement go in at the beach since that time.

Then the announcement came that it would be effective immediately.

My concern, respectfully, is about the impact that this bylaw may have on our seasonal visitors to Goderich, and more specifically to the equity deserving groups who frequent our beach during the summer seasons.

In my time spent at the waterfront, I would argue that it is almost solely our summer visitors whoa re barbecuing and the

Hopefully the Township will see reason

Dear Editor,

I am a seasonal resident and taxpayer in the Goderich area. My family owns a cottage at Hunter’s Beach, in Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh (ACW) Township, where my wife, our two sons and I have spent many happy summers over the past 35 years.

Part of the pleasure, aside from sunsets and swimming in Lake Huron, has been living among some of Ontario’s richest and most beautiful farmland and enjoying the views and fresh food those farms produce.

Originally, to get to our cottage, we’d drive in from Highway 21 and go past a neighbouring farm which, in 1993, was rezoned as a flea and farmer’s market. Sadly, that operation soon devolved into what can only be described as a haphazard junkyard.

Over the years, it’s gotten much, much worse and today resembles a sprawling industrial wasteland, with hundreds of abandoned trailers, mobile homes, cars and dismantled construction machinery.

Choosing Grace: A New Season of Gratitude Life doesn’t always offer us clarity in the unfair moments or when we are suddenly faced with challenges. Often, it’s only when the storm passes — or when we learn to stand still in the middle of it — that we begin to understand the power of grace.

Years ago, during a season of uncertainty that we all faced, I found unexpected comfort in a quiet lakeside trailer. What began as a modest retreat turned into a sacred rhythm: walks by the water, brilliant sunsets, a

Restoring small-town journalism, one community at a time!

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folks making use of the solid fuel or charcoal barbecues are the ones preparing cultural food.

My concern, again, respectfully, is that the new bylaw and its enforcement will have the impact of making these folks feel targeted in our town, in combination with the incredibly unfortunate sign, which still exists leaving out of town on Highway 21.

I do not feel in any way that this was the intent of the bylaw.

My concern is, again, with its impact.

I have done a cursory search of council minutes and cannot find where reasoning for the bylaw was given.

I would imagine it is to help keep our waterfront clean and tidy.

I would suggest that I have visited other parks where recep -

Also littering the property are disused incinerators, oil drums and tons of rusty shelving, metal cages and miscellaneous scrap, excavation material and broken concrete.

In 2023, the barn on the crowded site burned to the ground and still lies in a large, charred heap. Nothing has been cleaned up.

The entire mess has not only taken out precious farmland but is now encroaching onto the valley. It’s more than an eyesore; it’s become a serious environmental concern.

Now, when we drive in, we try our best to avert our eyes as we go past this massive blight on the landscape. And we are forced to explain to our friends and visitors why an abomination like this, which literally looms over the road, is even allowed to exist.

Complaints to the ACW Township about this problem have so far gone nowhere. The reason? It is my understanding that agricultural properties in ACW are currently exempt from property standards.

This means these properties are not held to the same minimum standards for maintenance, safety and occupancy as

chance to reconnect with myself. In those moments, I wasn’t chasing inspiration — I was receiving it.

Even now, I return to that feeling when the world seems too loud. Sometimes peace looks like a mid-day walk. Sometimes it arrives as a glass of wine by the fire. Other times, it’s as simple as gratitude for a good book, a heartfelt phone call, the perfect phrase for my latest writing project, or the way the light falls across the living room at just the right angle.

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tacles were made available for the disposal of ashes.

I have been down to the beach early on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and have seen the overfilled garbage cans, and the trash left beside them.

I wonder the possibility of having larger dumpsters available for folks to utilize, at one or both ends, like how provincial parks require you to dispose of trash and recycling.

I absolutely love the sights, sounds and smells of our waterfront diversity during summer season, and would hate for any of our guests to feel unwelcomed by this new bylaw and its enforcement.

residential properties.

It is my understanding that townships around ACW, including North Huron, Morris Turnbury, Huron East, Central Huron, Bluewater and Howick, apply standards to all properties equally. ACW does not.

This blanket exemption makes no sense, particularly in cases where the land use is not for legitimate farming or food production.

The Hunter’s Beach Cottage Association is part of a larger community of interest groups and individuals in ACW now calling on the Township Council to remove this exemption.

We’ll be appearing at the ACW Council’s next meeting on August 12 to make our case.

We’re hopeful the Township will see reason and hope others will join and support us or send letters of concern to the Township.

ACW should not be a property standard free zone.

and cardinals that bring us the greatest joy and act as a reminder that someone is thinking about us. Other times, it’s a word from a stranger that lands exactly where we needed it, or a familiar melody that takes us back to something we’d forgotten we cherished.

We don’t need monumental change to feel grounded. The past few years have reminded me that small things — sunsets, campfires, laughter, quiet grace — are powerful enough to shape us. It’s in these ordinary moments that we begin to feel whole again, perhaps without even realizing the healing has begun.

Inspiration isn’t always a lightning bolt. It’s often a whisper. And if we’re paying attention, it shows up where we least expect it.

Sometimes it’s the smallest creatures like butterflies

Grace shows up in stillness. In laughter. In second chances. It reminds us to soften, even when we feel hardened by circumstance. To offer kindness, even when it hasn’t been asked for. To believe, even when the road ahead is fogged with uncertainty.

So today I choose to be grateful. For whatever this new season holds. For the chance to write. For love that’s deepened over time. For lakeside wisdom, spontaneous joys, and the hope that still glows on the horizon.

And I’m excited to share this space with you as we look for light together. Because when we choose grace, we choose a different way of seeing. And from that vantage point, anything is possible.

Pamela Clayfield

Nick Jennings Hunter’s Beach

Regards, Mike Bennie Goderich

Menesetung Bridge repairs moving forward

Deterioration of the concrete piers below the Menesetung Bridge was getting too close to the bearing seats, which support the 18-tonne steel girders.

Shortly before Easter, the bridge was closed for maintenance work after the Menesetung Bridge Association (MBA) hired Strat Con Construction of Dublin to complete the repairs of the concrete piers.

According to the MBA, the bridge will remain closed until the work is completed this autumn.

“I have been meeting regularly with John and Ryley Looby of Strat Con, and with our engineers at B.M. Ross,” Stan Connelly, a new member of the MBA board reported.

“Phase one of the project has been completed, on time and on budget.”

According to the MBA, the tops of piers two, three and four have been repaired, and the work will now move to the bottoms of these piers before moving on to pier five.

With current low water levels, there is a good opportunity to place a cuff of concrete at the base of each pier.

Mike Dawson, Treasurer of the bridge association explained that the MBA has received an amazing response from the

community, to help raise funds for this project. From individuals to local businesses and service clubs, the response has been generous.

“We have had great support from our trail partners the Maitland Trail Association and the G2G Rail Trail,” added Dawson.

“The Town of Goderich and the Township of ACW are helping, and we are especially thrilled that the Trans Canada Trail now connects to the Goderich lakefront. They have contributed over $75,000 and this support has been crucial.”

According to Dawson, the project has now reached 90 per cent of its fundraising goal, but the cost of the full slate of repairs will be over $950,000.

Despite feeling disappointment that their application for a Trillium grant was denied on a technicality, the MBA will continue to fundraise for this project.

According to Marian Lane, current Chair of the Association, there will be some extra costs that hopefully will be covered with the contingency section of the budget.

“Our engineers recommended that a sealant be applied to the top of the new concrete surface, particularly near the bearing seats, to ensure this critical area has extra protection,” said Lane.

“We are also due for the five-year en-

gineering structural inspection, and we have the best opportunity to assess the steel components of the structure.”

The Bridge Association welcomes all donations. If you wish to contribute to

to the Post Office Box 443 N7A4C7 or visit the Menesetung Bridge Association website and follow the Canada Helps instructions.

Vicky Culbert elected President of the Ontario Horticultural Association

Elected on July 19, Vicky Culbert accepted the position of President of the Ontario Horticultural Association (OHA).

The OHA has nearly 26,000 members across the province, and documents nearly half a million hours of volunteer time to keeping Ontario beautiful and healthy.

Culbert enjoys gardening, flower arranging, hiking, travelling, fibre arts, reading, painting, genealogy, local history and continues to be a life-long learned.

Passionate, caring and involved are words that best describe Culbert’s personality.

“Being President of the OHA is a continuation of my passion to volunteer at the local level and now at the provincial level and promote the importance of keeping Ontario beautiful,” Culbert said.

Currently employed by D. Culbert Surveying Ltd in the position of Public Relations and Marketing Manager for the company, Culbert is also a board member of the Goderich BIA.

She is also the chairperson of the Municipal Marine and Heritage Committee.

Provincially, Culbert is a member of the Archival and Historical Committee of the Association of the Ontario Land Surveyors and maintains her own Surveyor’s Monument Garden that is open to the public.

“I have many interests and passions that are the motivation for me to volunteer in many different organizations and committees,” explained Culbert.

“It does require me to keep a calendar and lists of goals to accomplish with deadlines. For me it is a case of keeping a balanced life while setting priorities, being prepared and planning.”

For over 20 years, Culbert has been an active member of the Goderich and District Horticultural Society and is a member of three other local societies.

She has filled the position of President for the Goderich Horticultural Society for seven years and secretary for two.

Culbert has served as the District Director for District 8, for five years for the OHA, Southwest Regional Representative for two years, the second Vice President for two years and is currently volunteering as a member of the OHA Executive Board, Finance Committee, Awards Committee, and the Chairperson of the Donation, Fundraising, and Sponsorship Committee.

During the last two years, Culbert visited districts across all of Ontario where she met with many of the association’s members and saw their wonderful gardens and projects. She is an OHA Judge for Horticulture and Flower Design and enters many flower shows every year.

“I find it to be satisfying and an honour to be a volunteer in my local community and in Ontario,” explained Culbert.

“I enjoy providing my time, energy, expertise, and experiences in helping make my community and Ontario a better place to live.”

Culbert was raised in Goderich by a family that had a strong commitment to volunteering in the community.

Both her parents, Joan and Manfred Dierolf were involved in many organizations and clubs in the community, as well as provincially.

“I began my volunteer commitments here as a figure skating coach in Goderich at the age of 13 and it has continued,” Culbert added.

“My true inspiration is observing the growth and development of others and the excitement of continuing to learn.”

Over the years Culbert has developed the skills that have provided her with the ability to think and act as a leader in organizations with grace.

According to the OHA Trillium, Culbert can motivate others by guiding and working with them towards a goal with her excellent communication and problem-solving ability.

Culbert continues to provide leadership and activities for children, youth, public and seniors that make a significant contribution to the quality of life and economic well-being of individuals and families in the ever-changing world.

“This year as President, I hope to provide opportunity for the members of OHA Societies/Clubs to grow, to learn, to share ideas and have a rewarding volunteer experience,” explained Culbert.

“I plan to explore new relationships with like-minded organizations and continue to nurture existing connections.”

Culbert lives in Goderich with her husband Doug where they were both born and raised. They have six grown children and are blessed with 16 grandchildren.

the project, you can send a cheque

KATHLEEN SMITH

Editor

KATHLEEN SMITH

Editor

Phase one of the repairs to the Menesetung Bridge are complete, but the bridge will remain closed until all repairs are completed.

(DALE MATTHIES PHOTO)

Vicky Culbert of Goderich was elected as President of the Ontario Horticultural Association (OHA). The chain Vicky is wearing is of the Ontario Horticultural Association.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Huron Chamber launches weekly podcast to connect community leaders

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Dedicated to connecting community leaders and sharing stories that matter to Huron County’s business community, the Huron Chamber of Commerce recently launched a new weekly Chamber Connect Podcast

The inaugural episode features Phil Main and Ally Campbell-Main from the popular A Life That’s Good podcast and is available now.

Every Friday a new episode of Chamber Connect will be released, highlighting local businesses, community organizations, and the people who are shaping Huron County.

The podcast joins the weekly Chamber Connect Newsletter and the upcoming Chamber Connect Magazine to create three distinct formats to keep Huron Chamber members connected to news, resources, and events across Huron County and beyond.

According to the Huron Chamber, each member has a story to tell, and the Chamber wants to help share those stories.

For those interested in being a guest on an upcoming episode, reach out, or book a time online to have your business or organization featured, to tell your story.

Whether you are a business owner, community supporter, or simply interested in local stories, the Chamber Connect Podcast offers an inside look at issues, opportunities and success shaping the county.

YouTube and Spotify. Tune in each week, share with your network, and join

Local shoppers and businesses embrace new way to support local

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Shortly after launching, the Chamber Perks app is making waves across Huron County.

According to the Huron Chamber of Commerce dozens of local businesses have added perks, hundreds of shoppers have downloaded the app, and new deals are being added daily.

Some businesses are using the app to shine light on existing specials, like JD Lyons, owner of The Park Theatre in Goderich.

The theatre added their longstanding Tuesday night discount to the app to increase visibility and foot traffic.

“It’s something we already offer,” said Lyons.

“But Chamber Perks helps more people discover it. If someone’s on the fence about going to the movies this week, seeing that deal in the app might be the nudge they need.”

The Chamber Perks app was launched deliberately to coincide with Amazon’s Prime Days, offering a local-first alternative to online mega-retailers.

Instead of sending more money to American billionaires, Chamber Perks keeps dollars circulating in local communities and creates real value for local businesses.

In Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh (ACW) the team at Goderich Sunset Golf

Club used the app to highlight an offer from their restaurant – 20 per cent off any menu item for Chamber members.

“The golf scene in Huron County is competitive,” said Jim Kardash, General Manager.

“This is a simple way to offer a little extra value and give members another reason to stick around after a round or stop in just for a great meal.”

Chamber Perks is completely free and available to anyone. It’s a one-stop shop for discovering discounts, bonuses, and special offers from trusted businesses throughout the county, from retailers and restaurants to service providers and professionals.

“This is a great opportunity to raise

awareness,” said Hayley Bettles of Small Town Paralegal in Clinton.

“A lot of people don’t realize they can access licensed paralegal services right here in Clinton, and Chamber Perks helps me reach my neighbours directly.”

Whether a resident, visitor or an employee of a local business, there’s something in the app for all. Chamber members can redeem member-exclusive perks, not just the business owners.

According to the Chamber, if you’re a local business owner who wants to add perks, all you need to do is join the Chamber. There’s no extra cost beyond membership, and perks can be added at any time.

To learn more contact the Chamber directly.

info@goderichsun.com

Canadian rural emergency departments are increasingly experiencing closures, and there are misconceptions regarding the cause of closures.

Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH) is hosting a free webinar on Thursday, August 7 at 12 p.m. on Zoom. The topic discussed is why rural emergency departments must remain open.

The Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians reports that closures are more often systemic, which can manifest in a lack of staff and necessary infrastructure in rural communities.

The Society of Rural Physicians of Canada maintains that local teams are necessary to provide a timely response to life-threatening injuries.

According to Gateway, in 2024, one in five hospitals in Ontario had an unplanned closure, and it is estimated that this sum-

mer would include severe closures in rural areas.

It is projected that 20 emergency rooms were assumed to remain open, in contrast to 52 emergency rooms with estimated unstable or closed operations.

This webinar will provide an opportunity for discussion on the value of rural emergency departments, what are some myths surrounding closures, and what can be done to build a more robust healthcare system.

Speakers during the Zoom webinar will include Dr. Sarah Giles (President-elect of the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada), Dr. Fraser MacKay (Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians’ Chair for the Rural, Remote and Small Urban Section), and Dr. Ken Milne (Gateway CERH Research Chair of Rural Medicine).

To attend this event and future presentations, please register on the Gateway CERH website: www.gatewayruralhealth.ca/lectureseries

Listeners can find episodes on

the Huron Chamber of Commerce as it connects Huron County, with one conversation at a time.

GODERICH

Chamber Connect Podcast tells stories from members of Huron Chamber of Commerce. Episodes are released every Friday.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Goderich officially welcomes Southbridge Care Homes

Southbridge Goderich provides compassionate long-term care built around the needs and preferences of its residents.

Treating residents with dignity, courtesy and respect, Southbridge Goderich encourages its residents to enjoy an excellent quality of life.

On July 18 the town officially celebrated a significant milestone with a ribbon cutting of the new Southbridge Care Homes facility.

According to Mayor Trevor Bazinet, this event marked a new chapter in providing quality care for residents in this area.

“This modern facility not only offers top-notch accommodation and personalized services for our seniors but also has created new job opportunities in our town,” said Bazinet in a statement made on social media.

“It’s an inspiring step forward in building a more inclusive and caring communi-

ty for all. Thank you to several members of our community who worked so hard to make this a reality. Your passion and dedication to serving the betterment of our community are greatly appreciated.”

Southbridge Goderich offers a dedicated team and 24-hour nursing and personal care along with dietary services for each resident’s individual needs.

Residents can also enjoy programs and activities, access physiotherapy, and have opportunities to services from partners in care including dentists, pharmacists, optometrists, and foot care services.

Southbridge Goderich is a six storey, 160-bed facility located at Bayfield Road and Dechert Road.

It consists of five to 32 bed Resident Housing Areas and includes 1,300 square feet of diagnostic space.

Southbridge offers arts and crafts, bingo nights, manicure services, in-house concerts and entertainment, exercise classes, group excursions and outdoor activities, singing, pastoral care, and access to hairdressers and barbers.

Ontario invests in digital growth for Huron County businesses

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The Ontario government announced a significant new investment aimed at supporting small and medium-sized businesses across Ontario to navigate the challenges and opportunities of an increasingly digital economy.

According to the Huron Chamber of Commerce, a $7.5 million in new funding will support the province in expanding its efforts to help local companies modernize.

The funding will also help local businesses improve their productivity and move into a position for sustainable growth.

“Digital adoption is no longer just an option, it’s essential for local businesses that want to compete and grow, not just today but well into the future,” said Colin Carmichael, Executive Director of the Huron Chamber of Commerce.

“Programs like these can make a real difference for the independent retailers and manufacturers who are the heart of our local economy.”

At the heart of this new funding is a program designed to guide companies through the process of adopting digital tools and technologies.

The Digitalization Competence Centre (DCC) connects businesses with expert guidance and training, and provides access to targeted grants to help with the costs of digital transformation.

Since its launch in 2022, the DCC has already supported nearly 300 projects in industries such as manufacturing, information technology, and telecommunications, and has built a growing network of Ontario-based digital adoption consultants and vendors.

“Small businesses are

the backbone of Ontario’s economy, and our government is helping more businesses embrace new technologies that will improve their operations, ensuring they stay competitive in today’s digital economy,” explained Nina Tangri, Associate Minister of Small Business.

According to the Huron Chamber, this investment is part of the ongoing plan to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of the provincial economy, especially businesses facing economic uncertainty and rapid technological change.

Another part of the new investment includes $5 million for the Digital Modernization and Adoption Plan (DMAP). Participating companies will work directly with a consultant to identify the best digital solutions for their operations and can access grants of up to $15,000.

Businesses that complete a DMAP project are eligible for further funding through the Technology Demonstration Program, offering up to $100,000 to support the purchase and installation of new technologies.

To be eligible for the DMAP and Technology Demonstration grants companies must have up to 499 employees.

Huron Chamber of Commerce encourages local businesses to explore these opportunities and is available to assist any member interested in learning more about digital adoption or navigating the application process.

By Jake Grant

What instrument does Lizzo famously play?

What is the tallest mammal on Earth?

3. In which country is it illegal to step on money with the King’s face on it?

4. How many squares make up a game of snakes and ladders?

5. Who was the Prime Minister of Canada during WW1?

6. What social media platform introduced “Threads” in 2024?

7. What is the first rule of Fight Club?

8. The process of splitting an atom in two is called what?

9. Who shot the United Healthcare CEO in late 2024?

10. What is the most common type of genetic disorder?

GODERICH SUN STAFF

KATHLEEN SMITH Editor

Mayor Trevor Bazinet and MPP Lisa Thompson (centre) with staff members of Southbridge Goderich at the July 18 ribbon cutting ceremony.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

United Way video draws attention to impacts of high housing costs

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United Way Perth-Huron (UWPH) continues to draw attention to the impacts high housing costs have on Perth-Huron residents.

This summer, UWPH is sharing videos of two Perth-Huron residents who faced challenges with evictions and high rents in the region.

The Workers Need Housing videos profile two workers from Perth-Huron: Emily, an accountant from Perth County, and Victoria, a minimum wage worker from Huron County.

“Rents have gone through the roof, to the point where, unfortunately, many workers simply cannot afford the housing they need,” said Ryan Erb, UWPH Executive Director.

“For minimum wage workers and young professionals alike, working hard isn’t enough when prices and rents are so high.”

Emily from Perth County was evicted at the height of the pandemic and the new unit she found was $1,000 more per month, while being much less desirable.

Victoria and her husband from Huron County pay more than half their income for a small one-bedroom unit.

According to the United Way, the videos

drawing attention to this issue were sponsored by the Four County Labour Market Planning Board (FCLMPB). Research shows that housing is the top barrier to hiring for local employers.

Perth-Huron has chronically low unemployment and a persistent shortage of workers in fields like retail, hospitality and healthcare.

“With a low pool of available workers in our region, employers need workers to fill many vacancies,” said Dana Soucie, FCLMPB Executive Director.

“In order to attract and retain the workforce required, we must address the affordable housing crisis.”

United Way will share these videos on social media so viewers can share their support for increased funding for non-profit housing.

Erb explained that the best way to get workers the housing they need is to provide it directly at a rent they can really afford.

“That’s why workforce housing is a key component of all the projects we’re developing with our new non-profit housing organization, United Housing,” added Erb.

Any person interested can find more information at perthhuron.united.ca/workersneedhousing

Workshop event to highlight importance of connection

GODERICH SUN STAFF

info@goderichsun.com

A workshop event called Belonging Matters aims to build on community belonging and will be held in Clinton at Libro Hall in the arena on October 7.

Led by a community development expert from the Tamarack Institute, the even will feature a film screening, panel discussion, and collaborative planning on how to create activities and programs to strengthen connections.

“We believe the community can identify and build on its strengths to design activities that encourage everyone to get involved and feel a sense of belonging,” explained Heather Keam, event facilitator

from the Tamarack Institute.

“This event is a great chance for everyone to come and imagine how we can build a stronger sense of belonging for all.”

The event is being planned by Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH), the Tamarack Institute, United Way Perth-Huron (UWPH), Gateway Centre for Excellence in Rural Health, and the Huron County Immigration Partnership.

Michelle Millar, UWPH Community Development for Manager for Mid-Huron explains that the event isn’t just a workshop, but an invitation to everyone in the region to come together and define what they want their community to look like.

“If you care about connection, inclusion

and the future of our communities, this is where the conversation starts,” Millar added.

According to 2021 Environics data, three in every four adults in Huron and Perth counties feel a sense of belonging in their communities.

People who live in rural communities were more likely to report feeling a sense of belonging than their urban counterparts, Statistics Canada reports.

Laura O’Rourke, Public Health Promoter with HPPH explains that research reveals that people who feel connected and have a sense of belonging tin their communities have decreased risks of serious health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, dementia and depression.

“On average, people who have strong social connections are happier, healthier and live longer than those who don’t,” O’Rourke reiterated.

Funded with support from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Gateway and the Municipality of Central Huron, the Belonging Matters workshop aims to identify new and existing opportunities for people of all backgrounds to create connections.

Tickets for the October 7 workshop are available online at United Way Perth-Huron. Lunch will be included.

Tickets cost $45 per adult and $30 per student.

For more information visit perthhuron. unitedway.ca

Emily of Perth County.

Victoria from Huron County.

(KRIS VON KLEIST PHOTOS)

AMGH Foundation prepares for long table dinner to kick off campaign for MRI machine

KATHLEEN SMITH Editor

An unforgettable evening awaits, all in support of the Alexandra Marine and General Hospital (AMGH) Foundation.

The Alexandra Rose Long Table Dinner will take place on Sunday, August 24 at the Goderich Municipal Airport, due to construction downtown.

Elegantly dressed long tables, adorned with crisp white linens, flickering candles and soft floral centrepieces will transform the airport into an unexpected yet enchanting venue on a warm summer evening.

According to AMGH Foundation, the event is more than a meal, it is a moment. It is an elegant fusion of community, purpose and joy and with every ticket, toast and tune, guests contribute to the ongoing efforts of the foundation.

Payne believes the dinner has been so well received and supported in the community over the last few years because it is different from anything that has been

done before.

“We have the community support for the hospital,” stated Kimberley Payne, Executive Director of AMGH Foundation.

“It is a fun event, and people are feeling happy and festive. We needed that after COVID, and a way to gather safely, so outside was perfect, and it just keeps evolving.”

Supporting the AMGH Foundation ensures quality care and innovation for the region’s health services.

Where generosity meets glamour under the open skies of Goderich, this dinner in white becomes more than a fundraiser, it becomes a cherished memory supporting local healthcare.

The AMGH Foundation has recently announced its official launch of its Capital Campaign, after months of careful planning and collaboration.

This $6.5 million campaign will fund the acquisition of the state-of-the-art MRI machine, which is an essential step forward in transforming the diagnostic care

that AMGH offers its patients.

With an aging population in Goderich and surrounding areas, there are more people who need hip, knee and shoulder replacements.

It often takes months to see an orthopaedic surgeon and then more months for an MRI that might include a long drive or unusual times because of capacity.

“Having the MRI machine here is another way to serve our community in providing healthcare close to home,” Payne reiterated.

“No long drives, reducing the wait time and getting faster treatment.”

According to Payne, with this advanced technology, the hospital will be able to provide faster, more accurate diagnoses, reduce wait times, and ensure patients receive the highest standard of care right in Goderich.

A dress code is in effect for the fundraising dinner. A white theme as usual, but with a James Bond meets Great Gatsby theme.

Live music from Trash Panda Brass and Jenna Smith and her smooth jazz sounds will add ambience to the evening, and vintage cars and aircraft will be on display.

The evening will also include a silent auction, which is online now, as well as a live auction that evening with Glen McNeil and Ben Lobb.

With the MRI machine being the focus of the dinner this year, according to Payne, the AMGH Foundation hopes to achieve the $6.5 million fundraising goal in 24 months.

“This dinner is quite extraordinary, in the venue, the purpose, to be with friends and colleagues who come together for the hospital, but it really has become a place for conversations and being together as a community,” added Payne.

Organizers of the dinner are limiting the guests to 300, and tickets are selling now.

Tickets for Alexandra Rose Long Table cost $250 per person, and includes a champagne reception, fabulous appetizers and a full three-course seated dinner.

Perfect place to pick up a book Concerned citizens gather to denounce genocide

AVERY BAKER-GREAVES

Sun Contributor

Dog walkers, cyclists, and book lovers alike will be familiar with the many free little libraries spread across Goderich. There are currently over a dozen in town. The free libraries are the perfect place to pick up a book when the library is closed, to share your favourite books with others in your neighbourhood, or to even find a second life for a book that didn't quite meet your expectations.

It's not uncommon for free little libraries to change on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Goderich's newest free little library, located just a few houses down from the Sunset Drive dog park, is a bit different than the rest.

Entitled 'Books & Blockbusters,' this free little library features just that—books and blockbuster DVDs.

As part of being the curators of 'Books & Blockbusters,' I and Hamilton Baker-Greaves, thought that this unique take on a free little library was the best fit for them—both librarians and movie buffs.

The concept is easy enough, ‘take what you’d like, leave what you can.’ The library has been growing in popularity over the last month of its existence—so much so that we ran out of DVDs to stock it with.

That said, thanks to some generous donations of complete DVDs collections, the library is being regularly restocked.

Whether you’re looking for something to tide you over on a rainy day or looking for something to watch on a summer road trip, ‘Books & Blockbusters’ is sure to have something for everyone.

GODERICH SUN STAFF info@goderichsun.com

A group of concerned citizens continue to demonstrate on Thursday mornings from 8 a.m. until 9 a.m. at the Five Points intersection in Goderich.

While the latest announcement from the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney calling for a two-state solution is welcome, this group feels much more action

is required.

Canadian armament companies continue to send weapons to Israel despite the government’s stance against genocide. The group of citizens who gather each Thursday believe a complete arms embargo is needed.

According to organizers of the group, other concerned citizens are welcome to join this group any Thursday morning.

Goderich’s newest free, little library is located just a few houses down from the Sunset Drive dog park.

Members who meet each Thursday morning to denounce genocide include Marion, Mrs. Pella, Mary Gregg, Carol and Brent Bowyer, Andy Ross, Rose, and Jim Vance.

KATHLEEN SMITH Editor

According to Statistics Canada, small and medium-sized businesses account for 99 per cent of all Canadian businesses and employ 64 per cent of Canada’s private sector workforce.

Local businesses remain the backbone of this country and by supporting local shops and restaurants, customers foster a human connection to local business owners while strengthening the local economy.

Supporting small businesses is easy by familiarizing with the small businesses in the area, order directly from the business, and encourage friends and family to support local businesses.

Local businesses are proud of what they offer and want customers to have a positive experience.

By shopping and dining locally, residents can help local businesses prosper, making it even easier to continue shopping locally in the future.

Recently, as part of a new initiative, the Downtown Goderich Business Improvement (BIA) welcomed Firehouse Subs on West Street, and owner Swet Gandhi, to Goderich’s historic downtown.

Firehouse Subs joins the list of other vibrant businesses in the downtown community, further enriching the charm and vitality of Goderich.

Swet Gandhi used to own a Dairy Queen in British Columbia (BC) and when he and his wife Riya Patel bought Boston Pizza in Goderich, the pair moved to town in 2023.

Swet says there is no better place than Goderich downtown to showcase what a sub restaurant can do in the community.

Firehouse Subs was founded by brothers and former firefighters Chris and Robin Sorenson in 1994, starting with a single restaurant in Jacksonville, Florida.

The brothers, drawing inspiration from their firefighting background, created a restaurant concept focused on hearty,

flavourful subs with a unique, firefighter-themed atmosphere. They emphasized quality ingredients, steaming meats and cheeses to enhance flavour, and generous portions, all while maintaining a commitment to public safety through their foundation.

Swet explains that he and Riya realize the firefighter in town works voluntarily and there is nothing in town to showcase their work, dedication and what they do for the town.

“We got an opportunity to work with the brand who supports all first responders, and we can make our whole restaurant interior is dedicated to the Goderich Fire Department,” said Swet.

According to Swet, Firehouse Subs has a foundation called the Public Safety Foundation of Canada and is dedicated to improving the lifesaving capabilities of first responders and public safety organizations in communities served by Firehouse Subs by providing funding, resources and support.

So far, the foundation has donated more than $5 million to 391 first responder and public safety organizations.

Firehouse Subs raises money for the foundation by asking for donations when customers make their orders. The sub shop also sells pickle buckets for a price of $3, and all proceeds go towards the foundation.

“As a Canada registered charity, our mission is to impact the lifesaving capabilities and the lives of local heroes and their communities,” added Swet.

Between their two local restaurants, Boston Pizza, which takes on event sponsorship and makes donations to the community, and Firehouse Subs, raising money for first responders, Swet and Riya provide unique dining experiences.

Dining locally at Firehouse Subs can help make a difference for first responders, while supporting a local restaurant and strengthening the local economy.

Visit Firehouse Subs in downtown Goderich at 38 West Street, and for more information search for Firehouse Subs Goderich on Facebook.

you may need

Boutique

Record involvement at the Discovery Healthcare Camp

healthcare workforce.

In partnership with Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, the Goderich Lions Club and the Huron Health System, Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH) held Discovery Healthcare camp from July 7 until July 11.

Held at Camp Klahanie just south of Goderich, the camp gave 26 high school students an immersive, hands-on experience in the world of rural healthcare.

According to Gateway, the camp is designed to inspire and prepare the next generation of rural healthcare providers, the camp offered students exposure to a wide range of healthcare careers, practical skills training, research opportunities, and personal mentorship from real professionals in the field.

Three Western medical students ran the camp with fun and engaging activities and acted as a great resource for the campers.

“I grew up going to camp, I was a camp counsellor in my teens, and now getting to lead this camp is so inspiring to see how passionate the campers are to learn and pursue healthcare,” said Allegra Ferrara, a third-year medical student.

“I love being able to give them the knowledge and resource that will help them succeed in the future.”

The week began with welcoming comments by dignitaries including the Mayor of Goderich, Trevor Bazinet, and MPP of Huron-Bruce, Lisa Thompson, both expressing full support for the program’s mission to build Huron County’s future

During the camp students participated in hands-on healthcare skills training, guided by local professionals.

Under the direction of Dr. Tiffaney Kittmer (general surgeon), students learned how to suture, Dr. Ken Milne (emergency doctor) taught the fundamentals of casting, and Tanya Thompson (RN and Diabetes Educator) walked the students through taking blood sugar readings.

Simulated activities gave the students the opportunity to learn how to draw blood, listen to normal and abnormal heart and lung sounds, and deliver a baby on a simulation model. These simulated activities were done because of equipment provided by Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry.

The camp also featured a variety of speakers to share their passion for rural healthcare and their personal journeys in the field.

Speakers included Mike Beazley (pharmacist and researcher at University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy and Gateway research chair), Brent Meyers (social worker), Dr. Alex Peel (geriatrician and Gateway research chair), and Dr. Shannon Natuik (family doctor).

Each healthcare worker, rooted in Huron County, spoke on the fulfillment they find in rural medicine and encouraged the young students to pursue healthcare careers in their own communities.

“I actually attended a similar program to the Discovery Healthcare Camp, and it really opened my eyes to the different careers in rural healthcare,” reflected Dr.

Goderich Sun

Alex Peel.

“It also gave me the experience and the skills that eventually helped me get into medical school.”

Throughout the week, the camp had a theme of One Health - the idea that animal, plant, and human health are all interconnected.

On Friday, the campers presented their research poster based on this idea that they had been working on throughout the week.

After the presentation, the Goderich Lions hosted a barbecue lunch for parents, grandparents, and partners of the program.

As Gateway CERH looks ahead, the Discovery Healthcare Camp is becoming a cornerstone of our youth programming. According to Gateway, rural students often face unique barriers to entering healthcare fields like limited access to mentorship, financial constraints, or misconceptions about their ability to succeed. This camp breaks down these barriers by offering hands-on experience, meaningful connections, and a clear pathway forward.

The camp will run again next summer, reaching more students and continuing to break down the barriers that may prevent them from reaching their goals.

Pick Up Locations

GODERICH SUN STAFF

Jade (left), Miles and Logan (right).

Goderich Lions Club individuals.

Discovery Healthcare Camp attendees, camp leaders and Lisa Thompson, MPP of Huron-Bruce.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS)

Goderich Rotary Annual Golf Tournament tees

at new venue in support of youth wellness

to follow.

The Goderich Rotary Club’s annual Charity Golf Tournament is set for Friday, September 12 and this year comes with a new backdrop – the beautiful Woodlands Links Golf Course.

Proceeds from this tournament support The Well Community Collective and its new youth wellness hubs launching in Huron County this autumn.

These innovative hubs are designed as one-stop-shops, where young people can walk in for safe and timely support.

Servies include health, social and community resources, peer programs and system navigation, all aimed at helping youth access the support they need, when they need it.

Locally, one of these wellness hubs will open at the Kinsmen Centre in Goderich and is expected to be up and running by the time students return to school in September.

It’s a significant step toward building a more accessible, appropriate and effective youth support network in the community.

The tournament format is an 18-hole scramble with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m., complete with carts, on-course challenges, prizes and a steak barbecue dinner

Early bird registration is available until August 15 and is $150 per golfer or $600 per team. After August 15, the fee is $175 per golfer or $700 per team.

Woodlands Links members receive a $20 discount per player.

To register, sponsor, or learn more about how to support this cause visit goderichrotary.ca or email contact@goderichrotary.

ca More information on The Well Community Collective and the services they provide can be found at thewellcc.ca

Goderich Sun

Tee up for a great cause

Club aims to raise funds to support the purchase of this life saving equipment.

Bayfield Lions Club will host the 37th annual Bayfield Lions/Albion Hotel Charity Golf Tournament on September 5 at the Bluewater Golf Course.

This year’s proceeds from the tournament will help purchase a new AED defibrillator for the newly restored Albion Hotel.

Additional funds will support Goderich and Clinton hospitals, Huron Hospice and the local women’s shelter.

Each year, the Lions Club raises more than $50,000 through a variety of events, including the golf tournament, the Home and Lifestyle Show, a fishing derby, the Lions Breakfast, and Turkey Bingo.

The fundraisers hosted by the Lions Club aim to support health and social services within Bayfield, Goderich and surrounding areas.

This past year the Lions Club contributed $30,000 to the Bayfield Food Bank, and with this golf tournament, the Lions

According to the Bayfield Lions Club, one of the highlights of the golf tournament this year is the incredible lineup of auction items from local businesses.

One featured prized include a memorable evening hosted by Lions members Richard Dusk and Bonnie Neely, complete with a foursome of golf, cocktails, and appetizers at their Hidden valley Lane Tiki Bar, a gourmet surf-and-turf dinner, and a round of Texas Hold’em poker with a $50 prize. This all comes with complimentary transportation home for a stylish end to the night.

The Lions Club is calling on local businesses, artisans, professionals, and community members to get involved and donate an auction item to the tournament. Each contribution helps the Lions club celebrate the spirit of Bayfield and ensures that no one supported carries the load alone.

For more information or to join the festivities on Friday, September 5, visit bayfieldlions.ca/golf-tournament

GODERICH SUN STAFF

ROTARY CLUB

The Rotary Golf Tournament will tee off on September 12 at Woodlands Links Golf Course in support of youth wellness.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Varna bench dedication at Varna Cenotaph

GODERICH SUN STAFF

info@goderichsun.com

Bulgarians and Varna residents gathered on July 29 to dedicate a new stone bench brought to the Varna Cenotaph and park space through the efforts of the Console General of the Republic of Bulgaria.

The dedication ceremony was opened by the Consul General Velislava Panova, who has made many trips to Varna and Shipka, forming relationships with their residents.

Varna, Ontario is one of three places in Ontario that has a name that hearkens back to Bulgaria. The other towns are Shipka, in South Huron and Plevna in eastern Ontario.

When Varna was first founded as a

hamlet in 1854, it was comprised of only a log school with a dirt floor, and a tavern across the main intersection where the Cenotaph now stands.

That same year, the government tasked Josiah Brown Secord, great nephew of Laura Ingersoll Secord, to open a post office there.

At the time, the Crimean War was fully engaged and with the first widespread use of the telegraph, news from the war reached all corners of the world.

Coming from a long line of military men and British Empire Loyalists, the new postmaster named the fledgling settlement in Huron after Varna, the Bulgarian port that served as the British headquarters of the Crimean War.

At the bench dedication ceremony on

July 29, Panova thanked Varna, Mayor Klopp and the entire community for their support, cooperation and warm welcome.

“This partnership is a wonderful example of how strong community spirit and mutual respect can build bridges between cultures,” noted Panova.

“It is no coincidence that the first Bulgarian bench in Canada is in Varna, Ontario. This town bears the name of our beloved Varna, Bulgaria, the beautiful sea capital and it serves as a connection to our homeland. A symbol of memories, nostalgia, and pride that the Bulgarian spirit lives on here as well.”

The bench will remain at the Varna Cenotaph not only as a place to rest, but as a symbol of the community, friendship, and Bulgarian roots.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS)

The construction of the bench was made possible by the generous donation of Mr. Sedat Kerim and his company GTA Cut Stone Ltd. Kerim is of Bulgarian extraction and attended the dedication.

To facilitate the project, the Municipality of Bluewater also extended the cement base around the Cenotaph to include a space for the bench.

The event concluded with a social gathering that featured Bulgarian breads, meats and cheeses along with refreshments.

It is fitting that the name of Varna came of the Crimean War, and the bench that now sits at the monument in Varna, marks those residents who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the First and Second World Wars.

Bottom

Left: Consul General of Bulgaria, Vesislava Panova, with several Varna residents who spearheaded the bench project – Debbie Rathwell, Brenda Wright and Willi Laurie.

Middle left: Bluewater Mayor Paul Klopp and the Consul General of Bulgaria speak at the dedication of the bench.

left: Cutting the ribbon on the new bench is Mayor Paul Klopp, Consul General Velislava Panova, Debbie Rathwell, Brenda Wright, Sharon Chuter and Willi Laurie.

SPORTS Goderich Sun

Successful weekend at fourth annual Goderich Seahawks Lions Centennial Tournament

The fourth edition of the annual Seahawks Girls Fastball Tournament was held on the weekend of July 19 with 30 teams descending upon Canada’s Prettiest Town to show their skills at Bannister Park, John O’Keefe Field and Goderich Public School.

With game play going strong on the four diamonds within a large town, one block radius, the neighbourhood was abuzz with cheering and activity throughout the three-day event.

The tournament featured five divisions this year with the Seahawks teams playing in the U9, U11, U13, U15, U17 divisions.

All six Goderich teams represented their town very well throughout the weekend with three of the five playing into championship Sunday.

In the U9 division, the Lucan Ilderton Athletics ran the table winning five straight games. The A’s claimed the U9 Championship Banner with a 6-2 victory over the Mitchell Hornets 1 team.

The U11 division saw the Seahawks place first in their pool setting up a Sunday semi final versus the Exeter Extremes.

The Seahawks battled to the very end but were eliminated in extra innings by the Extremes.

The other semi final was just as much of a nail biter with the lower seeded Mitchell Hornets narrowly outlasting the South London Tigers with the Tigers stranding the tying run at third base to end the ball game.

John O’Keefe Field was extremely loud and lively during these two elimination games. The championship trophy was presented to Exeter U11 winning 12-3.

In the U13 division, the Blyth Gritty’s had a flawless weekend going 5-0. With solid pitching, the Gritty’s were all business in disposing of the Elma Express in the semi finals before beating a good Exeter Extremes 2 ball club in the championship game.

The U15 division saw two Goderich teams competing as the Lemons and Limes were in a tough pool along with a strong Elma ball club.

Both seahawks teams went 1-2 during pool play with the Limes moving on courtesy of a lower runs against stat line.

In the semi final, the Express took care of business, eliminating the Limes.

On the other side of the bracket, the Merlin Mavericks defeated Exeter to earn a spot in the final, which was a very exciting game with a bit of an edge, as both Elma and Merlin really came to play in this one.

When the dust had settled, the Merlin squad claimed a 12-9 victory and were named U15 champions.

The U17 division was an interesting one, which didn’t see the final playoff spots settled until very late Saturday night.

The local Seahawks needed to score three runs in their last at bat to walk off the Mitchell Hornets 1 club, which qualified them for Sunday play eliminating the Wyoming

Lady Wranglers in the process.

In the semi finals, Goderich battled hard all game long versus the Elma Express before falling 12-8.

In the other bracket, the Mitchell Hornets 2 upset the top seeded Merlin Magic easily to reach the final.

In the finals, the Hornets continued their momentum blasting the Express to claim the U17 championship Banner.

With the weekend weather cooperating, the fourth annual event was a huge success.

Organizing this 30-team event is a huge undertaking and would not be possible without the many volunteers who help to ensure the different roles get filled.

A huge thank you to the local businesses and community leaders who supported this tournament, as well as a big thank you to the Town of Goderich Parks and Recreation Facilities staff who worked throughout the weekend to ensure the games were played smoothly at the three venues.

To the game officials, whoa re often overlooked after an event like this, thank you. Your dedication and work ethic to allow these games to occur is crucial in the development of youth sport.

Finally, a big thank you to the Goderich Lions Club for their ongoing support of this tournament and the girls’ fastball program in general.

Mark the calendars now for the fifth annual Seahawks Tournament on July 17 until July 19, 2026, as it is sure to fill up very quickly.

U14 Clinton Soccer

Huron County Fastball League Goderich Grizzlies 2025 Schedule

**Friday, August 8 vs. Monkton Muskrats @ 8 p.m.

**Sunday, August 10 vs. Brussels Bangers @ 2 p.m.

Thursday, August 14 @ Belmore Stingers @ 8 p.m.

**Sunday, August 17 vs. Elmira Expos @ 2 p.m.

Friday, August 22 @ Brussels Bangers @ 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 28 @ Milverton Millwrights @ 8 p.m.

** denotes a home game for Goderich Grizzlies

Friday, August 8 vs. St. Thomas SC Reds @ 8 p.m. Bannister Field

Sunday, August 17 vs. London Dinamo FC @ 7 p.m. Bannister Field

Sunday, August 24 vs. Strathroy United FC @ 7 p.m. Bannister Field

Sunday, September 7 vs. Southend United SC Fusion @ 7 p.m. Bannister Field

Ontario government launches Skills Development Fund training stream

info@goderichsun.com

The sixth round of the Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream was recently launched by the provincial government.

With this launch, the government is committing another $260 million to projects that support the hiring, training, and upskilling of workers in sectors such as manufacturing, health care, construction, automotive, and skilled trades.

“Our government is protecting Ontario by training the workers we need to keep building, no matter what global challenges come our way,” explained David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

“Through this $260 million investment, we’re funding results-driven training to build the strong workforce we need to support workers and their families and keep building Ontario’s economy.”

employers in Huron County and comes at a critical time.

According to the Huron Chamber of Commerce, the region continues to experience the lowest unemployment rates in southern Ontario. This presents a challenge for local businesses struggling to find and retain the skilled employees needed to grow.

Colin Carmichael, Executive Director of the Huron Chamber of Commerce explained that employers across Huron County are telling the Chamber the same thing. The number one constraint on growth is access to a skilled workforce.

“Our unemployment rate is consistently among the lowest in Ontario, which means local businesses need more tools to skill up the workers who are here and attract new talent to our communities,” Carmichael said.

The SDF is designed to support projects that address real challenges faced by employers, like the challenges experienced in Huron County.

With labour shortages hitting several sectors, this funding can help local employers create and expand training initiatives that build the workforce the region needs.

For Chamber members, this is an opportunity to access government support to attract and upskill workers, address skill gaps, and ensure businesses can continue to grow, even in a tight labour market.

Huron County’s employers face unique challenges, and this funding offers a way to address them.

If your organization is looking to hire, train, or upskill employees, here is how to access this new round of SDF support.

Who can apply?

Eligible education partners may apply as co-applicants.

What types of projects are supported?

Projects that address hiring, training, or retention challenges, initiatives to attract, train and retain workers or apprentices, collaborative training partnerships to build local capacity and address regional demands, capital investments to upgrade or expand training facilities.

How to apply?

Applications must clearly show how the project meets occupational and regional workforce needs and supports in-demand and key growth sectors.

Applications are submitted online. Deadline to apply is October 1, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.

For more information, download the full application guidelines from the Ontario government website.

Members of the Huron Chamber of Commerce are encouraged to contact the Chamber with questions or for assistance connecting with potential partners. GODERICH SUN

This investment has a direct impact for

“Investments like the Skills Development Fund help employers meet these challenges and keep Huron County competitive.”

Employers in Ontario, non-profit organizations, professional, industry or employer associations, trade unions, municipalities and service managers, and hospitals.

‘Powers and Gloria’ revived at Blyth Festival nearly 20 years later

KATHLEEN SMITH Editor

Nearly 20 years after its original premiere, ‘Powers and Gloria’ returns to the Blyth stage.

This revival is both a celebration of playwright Keith Roulston’s legacy with a fresh opportunity to revisit a story that continues to resonate in a world with a growing community of senior citizens.

Seeing ‘Powers and Gloria’ return to the Blyth stage offers an opportunity to see some of Canada’s finest actors tackle a story everyone can relate to, a story that will touch hearts, open minds and have you cheering for community.

“This is world class theatre in your very own Huron County backyard,” remarked Rachael King, General Manager of Blyth Festival.

“It’s amazing to consider that these masterful performances happen in a rural village of 1,000 people where combines trek down the highway as audiences from across the continent mill about at intermission.”

Roulston, who is one of Blyth Festival’s original founders, has a storied career as a journalist, playwright, and passionate chronicler of rural life.

He has spent decades telling the stories of this region with wit, warmth, and insight.

“Roulston’s works have been woven into the fabric of the Blyth Festival from its earliest days, shaping a distinctly local voice on the Canadian stage,” said Keith Tomasek, Director of Marketing and Digital Strategies.

‘Powers and Gloria’ follows Edward Powers, who has built a successful furniture business and is proud to provide his

employees with honest work and a decent living.

Meanwhile, his son James wants to go global and maximize profit over people.

When Edward falls ill, James seizes power, leaving the old tycoon to depend on Gloria, a sassy home-care worker hired to get him back on his feet.

It soon becomes apparent father and son are fighting about something deeper than their business interests.

Against all odds, it’s Gloria whose fierce wit and contrary views open Edward’s mind, and his heart, wider than ever.

“Roulston’s storytelling captures the quiet drama of rural life with a remarkable blend of humour and heart,” added Tomasek.

Directed by Peter Hinton Davis, a Member of the Order of Canada and former Artistic Director of the National Arts Centre’s English Theatre, this production of ‘Powers and Gloria’ marks his much-anticipated Blyth Festival debut.

Randy Hughson, who directed the original 2005 production, now steps into the role of Powers, facing off with Gloria, a whip-smart home-care work played by Madeline Elliott Kennedy, also making her Blyth Festival debut.

“It’s you’ve ever wondered what comes after the health scare, after the succession plan, after the storm, ‘Powers and Gloria’ has something to say,” added Tomasek.

“It’s hilarious, heartfelt and hits close to home.”

‘Powers and Gloria’ debuted on Thursday, July 31 and will have shows between August 8 and August 30. Tickets on sale now.

Visit Blyth Festival’s website for show times, or to purchase tickets.

Blyth Festival adds limited second run of ‘The Wind Coming Over the Sea’

KATHLEEN SMITH Editor

Blyth Festival announced an extension of The Wind Coming Over the Sea, the acclaimed new folk musical.

Written by internationally renowned author and playwright Emma Donoghue (Room, The Wonder), this production will be extended with additional performances from September 25 until October 5 on the Margaret Stephens Stage.

After a sold-out world premiere engagement, The Wind Coming Over the Sea was met with overwhelming enthusiasm from audiences and critics.

All performances in its initial run are now sold out, prompting a wave of public demand.

The play was developed by the Blyth

Festival as part of its ongoing commitment to the creation of original Canadian theatre.

For over 51 years, the Blyth Festival has championed Canadian theatre, producing works by more than 300 Canadian playwrights.

Through commissions and new productions, Blyth has helped launch plays that have toured widely and become Canadian classics, including Quiet in the Land by Anne Chislett, playing in Blyth until August 23.

The Blyth Festival currently has 26 new Canadian plays in development under the creative guidance of Gil Garratt, Artistic Director.

For more information on what is playing at Blyth Festival or ticket prices visit blythfestival.com

Shelayna Christante, Masae Day, Michelle Fisk, and Landon Doak (Set and lighting design by Ken Mackenzie, and costume design by Meghan Choma.

(LYON SMITH/BLYTH FESTIVAL PHOTO)

Madeline Elliott Kennedy who plays Gloria, and Richard Comeau in ‘Powers and Gloria’ at Blyth Festival.

(LYON SMITH PHOTO)

Kati Durst: Huron County’s Canadian Idol

Kati Durst always loved performing. Ever since the age of seven when she sang backup with her sister Kelly for their singer/songwriter mother, Joanne Durst, she knew music would be a huge part of her life.

In the summer of 2006, Durst's passion for performing shot her to the summit of Canadian pop culture as one of the top ten finalists on Canadian Idol and made her the pride of Huron County.

Born in 1979 and raised in Colborne Township, Durst's parents, Jim and Joanne Durst encouraged their daughter's artistic pursuits.

Once, as a child, while watching performers on the Grammys, her mother said, “you can do that too.” It was encouragement that Kati took to heart immersing herself in the local arts community.

Durst recalled, in a recent interview, that she was “really grateful” to have grown up in such a vibrant local arts community. The late guitarist, Jeff White, asked her to perform with him at local coffee houses and the Commingles.

After an uneventful year at the University of Guelph and a brief stay in Vancouver, Durst returned to her Huron County home where she got a job detailing cars at McGee Motors.

Durst was playing in a band called Young and Foolish which performed at the old Taylor's Corner schoolhouse when she decided to audition for season four of Canadian Idol.

Ironically, she had never seen an episode of the show because the farmhouse that she was living in lacked cable.

On April 22, 2006, Durst arrived at a Kitchener shopping mall where auditions were held in 'unglamourous' trailers behind the mall. She almost did not get to an audition because she arrived late but was allowed to sing because she had travelled such a long distance.

After hearing her version of Peter, Paul and Mary's “Leaving on a Jet Plane”, the judges invited her back the next day to sing before the television judges.

The next day, Durst sang two songs which were deemed 'lacklustre' by judges Sass Jordan, Farley Flex, Jake Gold and Zack Werner.

Partway through her second song, Werner was acting “grumpy, wheeling around in his chair” and seemed “totally bored” when Durst stopped midway through her performance thinking there was no point in continuing, the judges asked her to continue but sing “Jet Plane” again.

Durst's performance won over the judges, even Werner said, “you are it!” She received the coveted Golden Ticket allowing her to advance in the competition along with 211 other contestants. Durst said it was both exciting and stressful because the competition's results had to be kept secret or face disqualification.

In the Mississauga Convention Centre, the 200 potential idols were reduced to 22 contestants. Durst recalls it was

an intense, grueling competition. Each day, the contestants were assigned a new challenge.

One night, they were tasked with choosing their own groups of three to four other contestants and a song to perform before the judges the next morning.

Everyone was up most of the night at the hotel practicing so they could be ready to perform for the judges the next morning. Another challenge was duet night where you and a partner both had to work with each other to perform while recognizing that your partner was also your competition.

Every morning contestants checked out of the hotel because no one knew if they would make it to the next round.

Although Durst sensed that the show's producers were going to put her through, she said it was 'deliberately stressful' competition calculated to create intense television drama.

On the last day of the preliminary competition, 44 contestants were sent back to their hotel rooms to await the fate of their dreams of stardom.

After three hours, they returned to the Convention Centre where their photographs were displayed on two walls. Contestants were instructed to stand by their picture.

One wall displayed the photographs of 22 contestants who would advance in the competition, for the other 22 contestants, their Canadian Idol journey was over.

Durst's photo was on the wall of those who advanced. The judges and producers told the contestants that they were all talented performers, but they were casting for a television show and chosen based on what was best for the program. It took only four days to narrow the competition down to 22 contestants, but it was broadcast over four weeks and secrecy was still paramount.

The Canadian Idol semi-finals were broadcast live from CTV in Toronto beginning June 28, 2006. As one of the top 22 contestants, Durst was given a hair stylist and make-up artist, $150 weekly clothing allowance but all styles had to

McGee Motors before stopping at the Courthouse where the Signal Star reported, “children shrieked with excitement, jumped up and down and waved bright homemade signs” while “adults clapped furiously” and cheered.

Deputy Mayor Ellen Connolly presented Durst with flowers and expressed the town's pride in her achievement. Her parents graciously wrote in a letter to the paper that her 'Success on Canadian Idol Belongs to Everyone.'

Durst remembers that time as a “a real roller coaster” of emotions. 'In some ways,' Durst said, her elimination was a 'relief.' She thought that she wanted that type of fame and success but having had the experience, she learned that it was not the 'path for me.'

After having the opportunity to perform on the national stage, living in Huron County in a place that she 'loves' where she and her husband, Dave Sutherland, raised their two sons with a vibrant artistic community 'is the life that I wanted.'

be contestant lead.

As the numbers dwindled, Durst said the atmosphere became a bit less stressful, and the food got better. There was time for shooting B-Rolls, which created a character for each contestant that could be aired during the broadcast.

Durst's character was “the naive, small-town girl” with big dreams, although she did not see herself that way.

During the semi-finals, 12 more contestants were voted off. Producers told the contestants that their hometowns would be their strongest base of support.

As Huron County's favourite, the area enthusiastically rallied behind Durst. The Goderich Signal Star followed her progress in headlines announcing that “Hometown Idol Going Strong in Nationwide Competition”, “Durst Flies Through Opening Idol Vote” and “Kati Cracks Top 10.”

Dr. Ken Milne and Mark Hussey even handed out Kati Durst Kraft Dinner boxes with Durst's picture on the box encouraging people in the Toronto audience to vote for Durst. There was even a ‘Kati for Mayor' campaign in Goderich.

As one of the top 10 finalists, Durst received a stipend; her own hair stylist and rehearsed with a full band. She also received tips from vocal coach Deb Byrd', which Durst found very useful according to the Signal Star.

The July 18 show was the first top ten contest. The show's theme was “Canada Rocks!' Durst sang the Band's “It Makes No Difference.” She was favoured to go through to the next round as the area prepared to start phoning in their votes.

Yet, a freak storm knocked out the area's power lines at the exact moment that Durst needed the votes. She later learned that she had 60,000 fewer votes than the week before. The storm most certainly was the main cause of the sudden vote drop. It meant that she was eliminated from the competition.

Durst returned home to Goderich with what the Signal Star called a 'Hero's Welcome.' She was paraded around the Square in a motorcade provided by

After Canadian Idol, Durst played in a band “Quarter Mile Lane” with her husband and Craig Harrison.

In the last few years, she has played at Square Brew's Fourth Friday Singing Club. Durst said, “it's not really a club, it's more of a campfire thing” where people come and sing songs with 'no skill required.'

Durst continues to enjoy performing at area venues and believes there is a 'unifying' force.

Recently, Durst and her husband formed a duo called Kati Durst and Dave Sutherland. They have several upcoming performances and will be featured as part of the Goderich BIA's Summer Concert Series on September 4.

Kati Durst may not have earned the Canadian Idol title, but she has certainly earned a place in local history as Huron County's Idol.

DAVID YATES Sun Contributor

Kati Durst performing live on Season 4 of Canadian Idol.

Canadian Idol Promotional photo of Durst (2006).

(KATI DURST PHOTO)

The Fabric that Surrounds Us: Roman Turczyn Featured at the Goderich Co-op Gallery

architectural career.

The Goderich Co-op Gallery is pleased to welcome acclaimed photographer, artist and architect Roman Turczyn as its featured visiting artist for the month of August.

Turczyn’s exhibition, The Fabric that Surrounds Us, brings together a selection of watercolours, digital compositions, and photographs that reflect on the human condition—a lifelong focus rooted in his

The artist explores themes such as The Passage of Time, Spirits Among Us, The Family of Man, and Reflections of Huron County, offering a deeply personal and thought-provoking view of the environments we live in and the lives we share.

A celebrated artist, Turczyn has received numerous awards for his watercolours, including First Prize in the Huron County Art Show.

His professional work as an architect has taken him and his spouse, jewellery de -

signer Libby Smyth, around the world— most notably to the Middle East, where he served as the Director of Research and Design at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar.

Despite this global reach, he maintains strong ties to the region and continues to draw creative inspiration from his surroundings.

The Goderich Co-op Gallery, located on the Square, is open year-round and showcases the work of over thirty local artists. Canadian art is always available.

Despite nearby construction, the gallery remains open. Street parking is currently available in front of the gallery, with additional parking in the lot behind the building (across from the Goderich Public Library).

The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, visit www.gcgallery.ca or follow the Goderich Co-op Gallery on Facebook and Instagram.

CAROL MCDONNELL Sun Contributor

All Flows.

In Dreams.

Scene in Goderich.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS)

Celebrating Bayfield River Flats Natural Area projects

info@goderichsun.com

Residents are invited to an evening to celebrate and support projects to further enhance the Bayfield River Valley Flats Natural Area.

The Bayfield River Valley Trail Association (BRVTA) and Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC) are hosting a meet-and-greet event at Bayfield Town Hall on Wednesday, August 27.

According to hosts, the event will provide chances to mingle and to hear brief remarks from presenters about the history of the Bayfield River Flats and about the trail association and land trust.

“We invite you to attend this enjoyable evening to learn about exciting improvements at Bayfield River Flats, to share fellowship with your neighbours and to show your support,” commented Cathy Lalonde, Chair of the Canoe and Kayak Launch Project Fundraising Committee.

The evening will also provide an opportunity to learn about two projects taking place at the nature area. One is to build a canoe and kayak launch, and another is to protect fish habitat and use

innovative natural means to protect a stretch of riverbank from erosion.

Hosts of the August 27 event explain that a generous and significant donation from a community donor means the canoe and kayak launch is a dream poised to become reality.

The BRVTA fundraising team is asking the Bayfield and area community to help the project reach its $20,000 fundraising goal, to complete the canoe and kayak launch project.

Any funds raised in addition to this goal, will go towards maintenance of the Bayfield River Flats Natural Area.

The Bayfield River Flats Natural Area is permanently protected by HTLTC as a habitat for wildlife and as a recreation destination. BRVTA volunteers maintain the trail at no cost to the public.

To learn more or to donate, visit the Bayfield River Flats website or the Bayfield River Valley Trail Association’s website: https://www.bayfieldtrails.com/

The August 27 event will run from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Bayfield Town Hall. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. There will be a cash bar, and hors-d’oeuvres served.

Ask the Vet: Why is my cat grooming too much?

Cats normally spend several hours grooming every day, but some cats can start licking to the point of creating patches of hair loss. This is known as overgrooming, or ‘barbering’ or ‘fur mowing’.

Sometimes, you may see your cat grooming more than usual, but since cats are very private creatures by nature, they may do their licking out of sight. The only evidence of overgrooming

are patches of thinned or missing hair.

Often, the skin is these areas looks completely normal, although you may see some scabs or irritated spots. Other times, the hair might look normal, but you may realise your cat is bringing up hairballs more frequently or find tufts of hair in places your cat spends a lot of time.

Overgrooming is the most common cause of thinned or missing hair in cats, but some medical conditions can also cause hair loss. The first step in finding out why a cat is losing hair is to make sure that the hair loss is truly due to overgrooming.

To do this, your vet will do a test called a trichogram, by plucking some of the hair from the area and examining it under the microscope.

Hair that is shed either naturally or due to a medical condition will taper to a point at the end of the hair shaft. Hair in an area of overgrooming will have a jag-

ged, broken end.

Once your vet has confirmed your cat is overgrooming, they will begin to look for the cause.

The vast majority of overgrooming cases in cats are caused by itching, so they will probably start by ruling out the most obvious cause of itching by making sure your cat has good flea control.

Even indoor cats can get fleas, and since cats are such great groomers, they may remove all traces of fleas from their body, so it’s an important base to cover.

After that check, your vet will likely do some testing to investigate other causes of itching such as skin mites, other parasites, ring worm, allergies and skin infections.

Sometimes, overgrooming can be a sign of pain, especially if it is focused on one specific area.

Cats tend to lick as a response to irritation, and they’re very good at hiding signs of pain and illness.

If they’re focusing their licking on one part of their body that may be the only sign that they give you that something is wrong.

For example, an older cat licking at his elbow may have arthritis pain. The cat that came in from outside licking her side may have an injury. The male cat licking as his genital area may have lower urinary tract disease.

Incidentally, urinary issues in male cats can turn into a life-threatening emergency quickly, so male cats showing any signs of urinary discomfort need immediate vet attention.

If your vet suspects pain, they’ll work with you to figure out what’s going on and how to help your cat feel better.

Finally, overgrooming can be a sign of stress or boredom. Grooming releases feel-good chemicals in the brain called endorphins, which help relieve anxiety, among other functions.

A stressed or bored cat may

develop a habit of grooming to self-soothe or because they’re not getting enough mental or physical activity.

However, it’s important to rule any underlying medical problem before assuming the issue is behavioural or psychological because many medical conditions can cause stress, discomfort, and behavioural changes.

There are many different reasons why your cat might be overgrooming. It’s always best to schedule an exam with your family veterinarian if you’re concerned about changes in your cat’s grooming habits so that your buddy can get back to ‘feline’ great.

Do you have a question about pet care? Send it to reception@ clintonvet.ca and it may be featured in a future column.

Dr. Sophie Farrell is a veterinarian at Clinton Vet Services in Clinton, Ontario. She practices small animal, emergency, and honeybee medicine.

Low-cost rabies vaccination clinics return for limited time

GODERICH SUN STAFF

info@goderichsun.com

Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) has partnered with Blyth Veterinary Services to deliver three, low-cost rabies vaccination clinics.

Blyth Veterinary Services will host two – one on Friday, August 8 from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m., and another on Saturday, August 9 from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m.

St. Helen’s Community Hall will host

a low-cost rabies vaccination clinic on Wednesday, September 3 from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.

According to HPPH, no appointment is needed for these clinics.

The cost is $30 cash per animal.

In Ontario, all domestic dogs, cats and ferrets are legally required to be vaccinated against rabies from age three months and continuously throughout their lives.

The goal of the low-cost clinics is to vaccinate as many pets as possible for

owners on a tight budget who may not otherwise regularly see a vet.

“Rabies is a fatal disease to humans,” said Patrick Landry, public health inspector for HPPH.

“Though cases of rabies in humans in Canada are extremely rare, vaccination of pets helps reduce the risk of transmission to humans and other animals.”

Public health inspectors review vaccination certificates when animal incidents, such as a bite or scratch, are reported to

the health unit.

“Rabies is still found regularly in the wildlife population in Ontario, most commonly in bats and sometimes in raccoons, foxes, and skunks,” explained Landry.

According to Blyth Veterinary Services, they will also offer a low-cost microchipping service at the rabies vaccination clinics.

For more information visit www.hpph.ca

DR. SOPHIE FARRELL Sun Contributor

GODERICH SUN STAFF

Bayfield River Valley Trail Association has a goal to raise $20,000 to build a canoe and kayak launch.

(JACK PAL PHOTO)

Grey Matters: Staying Well in a Changing World

ANNETTE GERDES,

If the world feels like it's spinning faster these days, you’re not alone in thinking so. Technology changes by the month. News travels instantly, frightening and at times false. Self-checkouts have replaced friendly cashiers at the grocery store.

For many older adults, the world we once knew feels very different from the one we now live in.

As I walk through the halls of our retirement community, I often hear residents reminiscing about simpler times.

“We used to have time for tea on the porch,” one woman told me.

“And now everyone’s rushing.”

That sense of speed and change can feel unsettling—especially if you’re someone who values familiarity and stability.

Routine: The Anchor in the Storm

In this ever-changing world, routine is more important than ever. Daily habits ground us, especially when the outside world feels unfamiliar or overwhelming.

Having a predictable structure to your day can help reduce anxiety, boost confidence, and support both physical and emotional health.

A healthy routine doesn’t need to be complicated. It can include:

• Morning rituals, like enjoy-

ing a cup of tea, stretching, or reading the paper.

• Scheduled meals, which help regulate digestion and energy levels.

• Daily walks or light movement, which support heart and bone health.

• Social time, even if it’s a weekly phone call or coffee with friends and family

• Rest, including consistent sleep and quiet downtime.

One resident recently told me she starts her day by making her bed and listening to the radio at the same time every morning.

“It helps me feel like I have a good start,” she said. “Everything else just flows from there.”

Making a Routine That Works for You:

If you don’t currently have a set routine, try building one gradually. Start with one or two habits that bring you peace or energy.

Write them down or set a reminder until they become auto -

matic. Include a mix of physical activity, quiet time, and connection.

Be flexible. If something doesn’t work, change it. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s consistency. Even small daily habits can have a big impact over time.

Help at Your Fingertips: Ontario Health Connect (811)

Living in a rural area can make accessing health care feel complicated—but Ontario has a free resource many people still don’t know about.

By dialing 811, you’re connected to Health Connect Ontario, a free, confidential service available 24/7. You can speak to a registered nurse who will: Answer health questions, help you decide if you need to see a doctor, and provide guidance on managing symptoms at home

Connect you to local services:

This is especially helpful if your doctor’s office is closed,

Positive shifts for better mental health

When you make the decision to create a positive shift in your life, everything changes.

The world around you becomes a mirror, reflecting the lessons you need to learn. You begin to see everyone as your teacher - even the people who often trigger you the most.

We’ve all experienced those moments when someone says or does something that hits a nerve, causing an emotional re -

action that seems disproportionate to the situation.

Those reactions, or triggers, often come from unresolved pain or unhealed wounds that are buried deep within us.

The natural inclination is to blame the other person and to see them as the cause of our discomfort. But what if these triggers could be your greatest teachers?

Triggers shine a light on the areas within us that still need healing. They bring to the surface the emotions we’ve suppressed, the beliefs that no longer serve us, and the patterns of behaviour that keep us stuck.

Those trigger moments reveal the unhealed parts of yourself, the wounds that need your attention.

When you choose to see these moments as opportunities for growth, you can unlock the power to change your life.

Healing can become easier when you approach the journey

with compassion and curiosity.

When you see every interaction as a lesson - and every trigger as a gift - you shift from being a victim of your circumstances to becoming the master of your life.

The willingness to see everyone as your teacher requires a mindset change. It’s about moving from a victim mentality (where life happens to you) to a creator mentality, where you understand that life is happening FOR YOU. Every experience, whether pleasant or painful, is an opportunity for growth.

"Lady Life" can be a tough teacher because we always get the test before the lesson.

Here are a few ways to make some positive shifts that can help you learn the lessons to pass the test:

Practice Mindfulness:

When you feel triggered, take a moment to pause and breathe - just for a few seconds. That's all it takes. Instead of react-

Goderich Sun

ing, observe your emotions and thoughts - with curiosity & without judgement.

This helps you to step back and see the situation more clearly.

Cultivate Compassion:

Understand that everyone is on their own journey. The people who trigger you are also dealing with their own challenges and unhealed wounds.

Approach them with compassion, both for their struggles and for the lessons they're offering you.

Ask Questions:

In moments of discomfort, ask yourself, “What is this experience teaching me? What old wound or belief is being triggered?”

This inquiry helps you learn how to tolerate discomfort & to dive deeper into your healing process.

Seek Support:

Healing can be challenging and it’s okay to seek help along the way. Working with a ther-

or if you live in a smaller community where appointments are hard to come by.

If you’re unsure whether to go to the emergency room, 811 can help you decide. It’s an easy, practical tool to build into your routine.

A Changing World—But Still Ours:

Although the world has changed, seniors bring a kind of wisdom and steadiness that doesn’t fade with time.

In fact, your stories, your habits, and your lived experience offer a strong foundation for navigating today’s uncertainty.

By embracing a daily routine and learning how to access tools like 811, we can find balance between old comforts and new realities. And maybe—just maybe—the world will feel a little more familiar again.

Annette Gerdes is the General Manager at the Goderich Place Retirement Residence

apist or coach can provide you with the tools and guidance that can help you smooth out your life's path.

Keep seeking, keep learning, and keep showing up for yourself.

Whenever you want some help, I'm here with an ear. Whenever you're ready to create a life, you'll never need to escape from again, book a call. https://calendly.com/mentalhealthfa

Tanya MacIntyre is a Certified CBT Specialist, Mental Health Professional, and founder of Red Roof Recovery & Mental Health Fitness Alliance (MHFA).

DISCLAIMER: This content is not intended to constitute, or be a substitute for, medical diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard medical advice from a doctor, or delay in seeking it, because of something you have watched, read, or heard from anyone at Red Roof Recovery.

Pick Up Locations

Sun Contributor

TANYA MACINTYRE, RED ROOF RECOVERY

Goderich Duplicate Bridge Club Results

On June 10 the club had six and half tables directed by Bob Dick:

1st – Evy McDonagh and Susan White –

62.73%

2nd – Brenda Blair and Pat Lewington –

56.37%

3rd – Brian Reeve and Graham Yeats –

54.54%

4th/5th – Cal Scotchmer and Janet Bloch, Bob Dick and Keith Allen – 54.09%

6th – Mary Lynne Telford and Bill Hansen – 53.63%

On June 17 the club had eight tables directed by Bob Dick:

1st – Graham Yeats and Brian Reeve –

67.56%

2nd/3rd – Garth Sheldon and Laurie Schmidt, Doug Elliott and Virginia Elliott – 61.31%

4th/5th – Shirley Thomas and Tom Rajnovich, Joan Lounsbury and Mary Lapaine – 55.06%

6th – Susan White and Evy McDonagh –

51.76%

On June 24 the club had eight tables directed by Bob Dick:

1st – Brian Reeve and Graham Yeats –64.88%

2nd – Garth Sheldon and John Davies –57.74%

3rd – Brenda Blair and Pat Lewington –55.65%

4th – Joyce McIlwain and Kay King –53.27%

5th – Greg Bowman and Michele Hansen – 52.38%

6th – Evy McDonagh and Susan White –51.49%

On July 8 the club had seven and half tables directed by Rob McFarlane: 1st – Tom Rajnovich and Shirley Thomas – 63.67%

2nd – Janet Bloch and Cal Scotchmer –56.74%

3rd – Linda Kirkwood and Pamela Southwell – 56.09%

4th – Pat Lewington and Brenda Blair –54.86%

5th – Keith Allen and Bob Dick – 53.64%

6th – John Archbold and Pamela Raab –52.51%

On July 15 the club had nine tables directed by Rob McFarlane:

1st – Cal Scotchmer and Janet Bloch –62.04%

2nd – Connie Adams and Doug Elliott –60.19%

3rd – John Davies and Garth Sheldon –

56.71%

4th – Brenda Blair and Pat Lewington –55.79%

5th – Pamela Raab and Tim Rajnovich –54.40%

6th – Greg Bowman and Michele Hansen – 53.94%

On July 22 the club had nine tables directed by Rob McFarlane:

1st – Virginia Elliott and Doug Elliott –64.12%

2nd – Mary Wilkinson and Steve Scotchmer – 59.95%

3rd – Greg Bowman and Michele Hansen – 58.56%

4th – Pat Lewington and Brenda Blair –57.41%

5th – Graham Yeats and Brian Reeve –57.18%

6th – Bob Dick and Keith Allen – 55.79%

On July 29 the club had eight tables directed by Rob McFarlane:

1st – Joan Lounsbury and Mary Lapaine – 65.77%

2nd – John Archbold and Pamela Raab –

62.20%

3rd – Doug Elliott and Virginia Elliott –

60.71%

4th – Bill Hansen and Mary Lynne Telford – 56.85%

5th – Joyce McIlwain and Kay King –

55.36%

6th – Cal Scotchmer and Janet Bloch –52.08%

The Goderich Duplicate Bridge Club is a friendly group which invites bridge players to come and meet its members, learn a bit more about duplicate bridge and share an afternoon together at The Canoe Club located at 39 West Street on September 11 at 1 p.m.

Hope to see you there.

Elvis has left Goderich

Goderich echoed with the soul of Elvis Presley, his swagger and voice brought back to life by three world-renowned, award-winning Elvis Tribute artists from Germany, Canada and the US and it was as close to a real Elvis concert as I will ever come.

Oliver Steinhoff, Hugo Colin and Roy LeBlanc, backed by The Royal Tribute Band rocked the stage at the Knights of Columbus Hall on the evening of July 23 for over three hours of Elvis’s best-known songs spanning the 50s, 60s and 70s.

Hugo, from Ohio, kicked off the night with Elvis’s first hits from the 50s including a replica guitar. Roy, also the owner of A Royal Tribute Productions, followed by bringing back to life the ’68 Comeback Special in head-to-toe black leather no less. Hugo returned with more movie hits before Oliver, who came all the way from Germany, brought the 70s to life with a blue, bell-bottom jumpsuit studded with crystals worthy of The King himself.

Together the three of them sprinkled the evening with humour, included the crowd in singalongs and dancing then joined forces for an incredible encore of Viva Las Vegas and Can’t Help Falling in Love that included the handing out of scarves and leis.

There are few words that can express the sheer awe of it as each brought their own flair to Elvis’s music.

For me, it was more than just a concert. It was the culmination of a journey I didn’t expect to take.

On August 16, 1977, I was on the cusp of turning three years old when the world stopped to mourn the loss of their hero. Elvis Presley changed the landscape of music and is considered the best-selling solo artist of all time. His music was everywhere, and the largest population of his fans are still alive and enjoying his music.

For me, his music blended with all the

other music that was up and coming that I listened to. I knew of him, but I didn’t know him like Elvis fans far and wide knew him. That changed when I met my partner six years ago — someone who lived through the height of Elvis mania and still carries a deep love for everything Presley. Suddenly, I found myself immersed in a crash course on the King of Rock and Roll.

It started with watching some of his TV specials owned on DVD: Aloha from Hawaii, the electrifying ’68 Comeback Special and Elvis Lives, a tribute put together in 2002 on the 25th anniversary of his death that brought back all the original back-up performers. Each performance revealed something new — not just about Elvis, but about the era, the culture, and the emotional pull of his music. When Elvis (the movie) came out on the big screen three years ago and his story came to life for the world to see, I finally understood why he mattered so deeply to so many. I started reading whatever I could find to learn more about this man the world had revered. His life wasn’t easy, nor was it made easy.

That’s what made me wait for the concert with the mixed feelings of excitement and reverence. It wasn’t just a night out — it was a chance to experience the energy and charisma I’ve only seen through screens, to feel the music live and loud, and to share that moment with someone who’s carried Elvis in his heart for decades and who was never able to attend a live concert and regrets that to his core.

For those who grew up with Elvis, this concert was a nostalgic celebration. For those like me, it was a chance to connect — not just with the music, but with the people who love it, even though I’ve already become one of those people.

Sometimes you don’t need to have lived through something to feel its impact. You just need a voice strong enough to carry it—in this case three voices—and a stage willing to let it echo.

PAMELA CLAYFIELD Sun Contributor

Elvis was in the building, at Knights of Columbus Hall in Goderich on July 23. (L-R): Roy LeBlanc, Hugo Colin and Oliver Steinhoff.

(PAMELA CLAYFIELD PHOTO)

OH, THE PLACES WE’LL GO: Halifax has converted its waterfront into a welcoming destination

Fun fact; no point in Nova Scotia is more than 60 kilometres from the sea. And that geographical reality translates into innumerable delights for visitors to this Maritime province.

From Cape Breton – where the Cabot Trail is a must-do for all visitors – to the Acadian Shores; from Digby on the Bay of Fundy coast to Lunenburg, home of the Bluenose on the Atlantic, the sea is an intrinsic part of so many visits to Nova Scotia.

And nowhere is the connection with the sea more beautifully realized than in Halifax, where inspired vision and incredible effort has gone into transforming the waterfront into one of the most visitable destinations in Canada.

Visitors can walk the entire waterfront and it will take a while because there is so much to do here. Major attractions include the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, and the HMCS Sackville, the last remaining “Flower-class Corvette” from World War II, and now a National Historic Site and a naval museum. The Sackville

is permanently moored in Halifax Harbour.

And speaking of boats and Halifax Harbour, a terrific way to get a waterside perspective on the scene is by taking the unique Halifax Harbour Tours cruise. What’s so special about this particular cruise? It truly is unique.

The boat is 105 years old, built in England and once used in Florida’s Everglades. But while it has all of this history, it’s also thoroughly modern, having been retrofitted as “Halifax’s only all-electric harbour cruise.”

Captain Glenn Fraser told us that the retrofit, which was admittedly expensive, has meant the operating cost of each 90-minute cruise is about $1.

The cost to passengers is $40 per adult – in my opinion, quite a bargain when compared to a lot of tourism experiences.

The cruise not only provides wonderful views of the entire waterfront including ships ranging

from luxury yachts to imposing military vessels, it also provides a good look at Georges Island, home to Fort Charlotte. A few years ago, Parks Canada opened Fort Charlotte to the public with its maze of underground tunnels. Guided tours are available and visitors to the island may also encounter the unique, black and white species of garter snake that has evolved on the island.

The harbour tour is really worthwhile, but you will also want to spend time strolling along the waterfront, taking in all the attractions big and small. These will range from unique sculptures commemorating the history of Halifax as the first port of call for immigrants to buskers offering live entertainment along the way.

There are play areas for kids including the iconic and accessible sculpture, “The Wave,” which is continually populated by climbing kids and which gives me the

willies as I wait for someone to fall off the crest. This does not seem to happen, though!

You can find the entire spectrum of dining experiences along the waterfront. There are plenty of pubs and craft breweries, as well as higher-end dining. And there are food shacks selling every variety of fast food, including, of course, beaver tails, donairs and ice cream.

A fairly recent addition to the waterfront is the luxury hotel, the Muir. It’s an attraction in its own right and the development created an amazing waterfront space that includes an event area, sculpture gallery, a vast staircase into the sea and lots of spots for boutiques and restaurants.

One of my favourite shops on the waterfront is the Peace by Chocolate boutique. Peace by Chocolate has an inspiring story – a business founded by Syrian refugees to Canada committed to making a positive difference

in the world, and also to producing some of finest chocolate I have ever tasted! The founding Hadhad family – who still own the business – are based in Antigonish, N.S., the location of their factory, but the Halifax waterfront shop certainly offers all the best of their admittedly addictive products.

The developers of the waterfront had the brilliant idea of making sure every visitor has an opportunity to simply relax. So, there are innumerable chairs provided for lounging with a great view of the sea – perhaps even for napping?

There is a lot more to do in Halifax away from the water: the famous Citadel, one of the most visited history attractions in Canada; the Nova Scotia Art Gallery, which includes the highly decorated home of primitive painter Maud Lewis; and not to be forgotten, the Alexander Keith’s Brewery. But I have a confession to make: during our two-day stay in Halifax, we never actually left the waterfront. We stayed at the Westin Nova Scotia, spent hours and hours at the Museum of Immigration, and the rest of our days strolling, cruising and exploring along the waterfront. It was a wonderful, relaxing visit.

Next time, Halifax, I will try to pry myself away from your amazing waterfront to enjoy everything else in this welcoming city, but it won’t be easy.

Paul Knowles is an author and travel writer, and past-president of the Travel Media Association of Canada. To contact Paul about travel, his books, or speaking engagements, email pknowles@golden.net.

The 105-year-old, now-electric boat of Halifax Harbour Tours.

PAUL KNOWLES Sun Freelance Columnist

The Wave, continually inhabited by risk-taking children!

The HMCS Sackville, the last remaining WWII Corvette of its class.

(PAUL KNOWLES PHOTOS)

Why did August apply for a job? Because it didn’t want to be the “last resort” of summer!

What’s August’s favorite music? Anything with a hot beat!

Why did the calendar break up with August? It needed some space before fall!

What do you call a lazy August afternoon? Nap-tember prep!

Why is August the most confident month? Because it knows summer revolves around it!

What did one August day say to the next? “Hot enough for ya?”

Why do kids bring sunscreen to August?

Because it throws serious shade (and then takes it back)!

Why don’t secrets last in August? Too many fans!

Why did the sun love August? It felt totally in its element!

What do August and ice cream have in common? They both melt under pressure!

FERDA

Age 2. Ferda loves sticking her whole head into ponds and puddles, herding her big brother Belly and she loves playing with her friends at Forest Tails Dog Camp. She cant turn down a game of fetch. She is always ready for a walk. Has the worst bark in the world and the fur of a beaver.

BEACH TIME

COMING EVENTS

BEHIND THE BARS

On Thursday, August 7, Tuesday, August 12, Thursday, August 14 and Tuesday, August 19 from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Huron Historic Gaol.

Interactive tour where visitors can meet in-costume actors portraying real inmates and staff from the past. Purchase tickets at the door: $10 adults, $5 children/ students, museum members are free.

LIVE MUSIC AT THE LEGION

On Friday and Saturday evening from 5 p.m. at the Goderich Legion.

August 8: Rae Melvin

August 9: Bronson Line

WEEKEND EVENINGS SENSATIONS

On Friday and Saturday evenings from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. at Paddy O’Neil’s.

August 8: Tyrone Traher

August 9: Brian Gardiner

BIA FARMER’S MARKET

On Saturdays from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. in downtown Goderich.

The market will run every Saturday until October.

PRACTICALLY PETTY AND FLEETWOOD MAX

On Saturday, August 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Knights of Columbus Hall.

Admission is $39.95, for this 19+ event.

BIA SUNDAY MARKET

On Sundays from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. in downtown Goderich.

The market will run every Sunday until October.

CELTIC ROOTS FESTIVAL

On Friday, August 8 until Sunday, August 10 at Lions Harbour Park.

August 8 from 11 a.m. until midnight.

August 9 from 11 a.m. until midnight.

August 10 from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. For tickets go to Celtic Roots Festival website.

GODERICH ART CLUB SHOW AND SALE

On Friday, August 8 until Sunday, August 10 at the MacKay Centre (10 Nelson St. E.) in Goderich.

Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Free admission and accessible air-conditioned building.

Accepting cash, cheque, debit and credit cards. No pressure to purchase when you attend.

This year the show and sale have 25 artists and over 300 original works of art, in addition to original art cards.

Featured artist is Kim Dumont.

The Goderich Art Club has been going for over 70 years and has 49 members currently.

CREATIVE KIDS

On Monday, August 11 from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. at the Goderich Library.

Ages 6-12. Registration is required.

Children under the age of eight must be accompanied by an adult.

Enjoy crafting, creating and exploring art through fun, hands-on projects.

PENCILS AND PAWPRINTS

On Monday, August 11 and Wednesday, August 13 from 3:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Goderich Library. Ages 8+. Registration required.

Join artist Michele Miller in a two-session drawing workshop to learn how to draw animals. Admission is free.

T(W)EEN TRIVIA AND PIZZA

On Tuesday, August 12 from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the Goderich Library.

Ages 9-15. Registration required.

Join in a fun-filled evening of trivia, laughs, and pizza. Test your knowledge on everything from pop culture and music to sports and more.

Admission is free.

OPEN MIC AND KARAOKE NIGHT

On Wednesday, August 13 and Wednesday, August 20 from 8 p.m. until 11 p.m. at Boston Pizza.

THURSDAY NIGHT CONCERT SERIES

On Thursday, August 14 at bandshell in downtown Goderich at 7 p.m.

August 14: Lyndon John X August 21: Rob Cormwell

CIDER HOUSE REVUE

On Thursday, August 14 from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. at East Street Cider Co. featuring Great Lake Swimmers. Admission is $59.

MEAT DRAW AT THE LEGION

On Friday, August 15 from 5 p.m., followed by a night of karaoke starting at 7 p.m.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST IN CARLOW

On Saturday, August 16 from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. held at the Carlow Masonic Hall.

Serving sausage with pancakes and eggs to order, with coffee and juice.

Adults $12, children from the ages of seven to 12 cost $7, and children under six years old are free. Proceeds will be used for community causes.

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

On Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at Harbour Park in Goderich.

August 17: Stratford Concert Band

August 24: Ayr-Paris Community Band

COMEDY SHOW AT THE TAPROOM

On Wednesday, August 20 from 8 p.m. until 9:45 p.m. at East Street Cider Co.

Admission is $20.

CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

This peer-led group meets once a month at Bayfield Library on Saturdays at 12:30 p.m.

Upcoming dates are September 27, October 18 and November 22.

30TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY AT GODERICH PLACE

On Saturday, September 16 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Goderich Place.

Irish Cowboys will perform, and guests can enjoy food and beverages.

There will also be entertainment for kids including face painting with Snippety the Clown. Games, prizes and giveaways.

www.cbcgoderich.com

Sunsets of Goderich

LINDA DENISE BRUNKARD

Linda Denise Brunkard of Goderich passed away with the love of her family by her side after a courageous battle with cancer on Saturday July 26th in her 78th year. Loved sister of Glen Brunkard and his wife Mary, Nadine and the late Len Jones (2020), Paul Brunkard and his wife Margaret, Nancy and her husband Paul Wagner, Sandra and her husband Bob Wilson, Patricia and her husband Jim Fuller, Nita and the late Stewart Culp (2022), Faye and the late Pete Van Dyke (2013) and the late Bryan Brunkard (1994). Fondly remembered by her sister in law Charmayne Brunkard as well as many nieces, nephews and friends. Predeceased by her husband Mario Tandardini, parents Beverly and Mildred (Schneider) Brunkard and sister-in-law Joan Brunkard.

A Memorial Service of Remembrance will be held at the Trinity Christian Reformed Church 245 Mill Road, Goderich, Ontario, on August 13, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.

A Private Graveside Interment Service will be held at Drayton Cemetery, Mapleton Township, arrangements entrusted to the Heritage Funeral Home, Drayton. www.heritagefunealhomes.ca

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

WANTED

WANTING TO BUY – All collectibles including sports cards, beanie babies, Funko pops and stamps. Highest prices paid. Free appraisals. Are you downsizing or need an estate clean out? We can help. We are at the Pinery Market at Grand Bend every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call or text Stan anytime 519-868-3814.

FOR SALE

Hundreds of shade trees, fruit trees, apples, pears, peaches, plums, sweet and sour cherries, apricots, nectarines, blueberries, haskapp grapes, raspberries, elderberries etc. Lots of spruce, pine, cedars for windbreak and privacy hedges. Sizes 1-8 ft. in containers ready to go. Flowering shrubs and much more. Mon-Sat 7:00am to 6:00pm

Martin's Nursery, 42661 Orangehill Rd Wroxeter, ON N0G 2X0 (1 Conc. North of Wroexter on Belmore Line) CAMPFIRE WOOD Seasoned, bagged and ready for summer enjoyment. $7.00/bag $20/3 bags $30/5 bags Face cords available. Call or text for pick up. Delivery available in the Goderich/Point Farms/Bayfield area. Jim Heckman 519-301-1395

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Goderich on July 27, 2025. Gull with sun shining through its nostril.

(EMSIE WILLIAMS PHOTO)

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