Marys Independent
Popular YouTuber discovers Super Splash at the St. Marys Quarry
By Jake Grant
St. Marys welcomed a notable visitor and his team on Friday, June 21 at the Quarry where excitement and entertainment were brewing.
Highly acclaimed YouTube star Aaron Esser and his crew made the trip from Watford, Ont., early Friday morning to shoot a water-gun video.
Esser, who boasts an impressive 8.5 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, has been creating water-gun videos for the past six years, specifically featuring Nerf Super Soakers.
Esser’s journey as a content creator began in his teenage years.
“I just started making YouTube vid-
Continued on page 2
Cheers to 50 years! Friendship Centre celebrates 50th anniversary
By Emily Stewart
The Friendship Centre was filled with memories of the past 50 years as well as visitors, volunteers and staff.
The centre celebrated 50 years on June 19 with lots of opportunities to socialize, reminisce and enjoy cake and ice cream. The Friendship Centre also celebrated a 20th-anniversary milestone, as it has been at its current location on 317 St. James St. S since June 18, 2004.
The facility had a memory wall where guests wrote down their favourite memories, a slideshow with photos from over the years and a table full of memorabilia like scrapbooks and photo albums. Guests who were either strangers to each other or friends interacted with one another in the friendly atmosphere.
The Friendship Centre serves adults who are 50 years old and over and people with varying abilities such as those recovering from a significant illness or injury. However, anyone of any age interested in the programming can participate by paying a non-member admission fee.
Alfreda Barron and her niece Jane Cousineau were some of the first guests to arrive at the afternoon celebration. Barron was part of the Dandy Dancers, volunteered and was a tour guide for the day trips. She still participates in the Friendship Centre’s programming when she can and will use their at-home services such as shopping services and Meals on Wheels.
"I don't know what I'd do without this place,” Barron said. “Because, if I tell them that I can't go some-
Continued on page 8
Esser’s team splash into St. Marys. Pictured from left are Casey Guerette, Luke Anjema, Mason Guerette, Mitch Guerette, Aaron Esser and crouched is Kevin Kouto. Photo by Jake Grant
Popular YouTuber discovers Super Splash at the St. Marys Quarry
Continued from page 1
eos randomly when I was a teenager, and one of them happened to include a Nerf gun in it. A few months later, it had 10,000 views, which was viral at the time,” he reminisced. “I kept seeing other videos on YouTube with nerf guns that were getting millions of views, so I knew there was potential for me to build an audience.”
His dedication paid off as one after another, his videos gradually gained traction. As his channel was starting to take off, he realized he could pursue YouTube full time.
“People were starting to become Youtubers as a job and that’s when I got more and more into it and started making more videos.”
Esser innovatively mixed video games with Nerf guns, drawing inspiration from first-person shooter games like Call of Duty. His breakthrough came
with a first-person Nerf shooter video that garnered 1,000 views a day, marking it as his best video at the time.
Graduating from Lambton College in digital photography and working to achieve a degree in electrical engineering, Esser continued producing content on the side.
“During school, I made my biggest series, Nerf Gun Game, which was getting 100,000 views a day within two weekends,” Esser stated.
Within three months, YouTube became his full-time job and he dropped out of school.
“Now we’ve made over 50 first-person videos,” Esser noted. One of his most popular water-gun videos, filmed five years ago, has amassed half a billion views.
Esser’s quest for unique filming locations led him to the St. Marys Quarry.
“We’re always looking for really cool
locations to film. We love inflatable water parks and people love us filming on them – it gives them a good promotion, they’re a great backdrop for our videos and they are a blast!”
After a quick Google search, the team found Super Splash and reached out. The park was thrilled to accommodate them.
The shoot at the Quarry featured a variety of first-person perspectives and numerous Nerf guns, creating an immersive video-game-like experience.
“It’s a mixture of making it look like a video game, showcasing a cool location and showcasing all types of different Nerf guns. Trying to get a fan or kid watching to say to themselves, ‘I wish I could be there; I wish I had that Nerf gun; I do have that Nerf gun.’ Trying to get them to have those emotions is the goal so they can really enjoy the video.”
Esser emphasized the importance of consistency and creativity in building a successful social media platform.
“Just be consistent. Just start upload-
ing and do not stop. The moment I started being consistent was when videos started to take off. You do have to be unique and creative as well, but if you only do that once a year, nobody is going to find it.”
Super Splash owner Patrick Jackson was excited about the collaboration and the park’s new attractions this year, including a second ice tower, a giant spinner and the rocker.
“The new ice tower is a little easier to climb on with better handles. If you’re looking for a challenge, try the old one. The rocker obstacle will be here opening day and the capacity for out on the Super Splash is increasing to 150 people,” said Jackson.
The video shot at the St. Marys Quarry is set to be released before the end of the summer, adding another exciting installment to Esser’s popular series.
“I’m exhausted; but it was totally worth it and a tonne of fun,” Esser said.
You can find him on YouTube @AaronEsser
Betty’s Bookshelf hosts Where’s Waldo Shop Local Scavenger Hunt
By Emily Stewart
Where’s Waldo? He’s hiding throughout downtown St. Marys this summer. Betty’s Bookshelf announced in a social media post June 17 that the bookstore will be participating in the Where’s Waldo Shop Local Scavenger Hunt from July 1-31. The scavenger hunt has been running since 2012, where more than 600 kids and adults have found Waldo in local bookstores and other businesses across North America. Penguin Random House, the distributor of the Where’s Waldo? books and a sales representative reached out to Jan Scott, owner of Betty’s Bookshelf, to see if the store would like to participate this year.
“I think it's a great thing for the town to be recognized as being worthy of doing something like this,” Scott said. “I also think it's great for the kids who live in town to have something fun that's free that they can do throughout the summer."
Up to 25 downtown St. Marys businesses will be participating in the Where’s Waldo Shop Local Scavenger Hunt. The shops will have a seven-inch card-
board cutout hiding in their buildings. Participants can grab a passport from Betty’s Bookshelf at 6 Water St. S, Unit 2, and collect stamps or signatures as they find Waldo in the downtown businesses.
Anyone who brings in a passport to Betty’s Bookshelf with 10 signatures can receive a bookmark offering 10 per cent off all children’s books in the store. A ballot with 20 signatures will be en-
tered in a draw for a Where’s Waldo? prize pack and a $50 Betty’s Bookshelf gift card.
The bookstore will have a Where’s Waldo? party on July 31 with refreshments and Waldo-themed games starting at 4 p.m. to close off the contest and to draw the winning ballot in store. If the winner isn’t present, Scott will contact them so they can pick up their prize at another time.
Anyone of any age, St. Marys resident or not, is welcome to join the contest. "It could be visitors that are here for the day,” Scott said. “It could be out-oftowners who find out about it and are looking for something to do. It could be local kids who come downtown, maybe they try to find four or five Waldos in the course of a week. They could do a few each week for the month of July and then they could come to our party at the end of July, have some treats and snacks, and enter to win the prize."
For more information, call 226-3014391, email info@bettysbookshelf.com or visit facebook.com/bettysbookshelfstmarys.
Waldo will be hiding throughout Downtown St. Marys this July as part of the Where's Waldo Shop Local Scavenger Hunt run by Betty's Bookshelf. Photo by Emily Stewart
COMMUNITY
Holiday hours for town facilities – Canada Day July 1
By St. Mary Independent staff
Please note the following hours will be in effect for Town of St. Marys facilities for Canada Day Monday, July 1.
Closed:
• Administrative offices (town hall and municipal operations centre)
• Adult learning
• St. Marys child care summer camps
• Child-care centre
• EarlyON Centre
• Fire station
• Friendship Centre
• Landfill
• Library
• Mobility services offices (rides must be booked by 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 27)
• Pyramid Recreation Centre including the aquatics centre
• Service Ontario
Open:
• Garbage and recycling will be collected as normal.
• Home support services such as Meals on Wheels and Telephone Reassurance.
• Museum (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.).
• Quarry (11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.); please pre-register online at www. townofstmarys.com/quarry.
• The train station will be open; visit www.viarail.ca for train scheduling.
Traffic closures for Canada Day parade
By St. Mary Independent staff
Portions of James Street South, Queen Street East, Wellington Street South and Park Street will be closed on Monday, July 1 for the St. Marys Canada Day parade.
The parade will leave the Pyramid Recreation Centre at approximately 11 a.m. and proceed to Cadzow Park.
The following sections will be closed from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.:
• James Street South from Mead-
owridge Drive to Queen Street East
• Queen Street East from James Street South to Wellington Street South
• Wellington Street South from Queen Street East to Park Street
• Park Street from Wellington Street South to Tracy Street
Please note that there is no parking permitted on Park Street.
Bravo Boo
We have 2 Bravos this week.
1) Bravo to the Town of St Marys Public Works employees for the speedy and thorough cleanup job of downed trees after the storm on Wednesday night.
2) Bravo to people who let us know at the Independent when newspapers are not delivered correctly. This is the best way for us to know if there is a problem that needs correcting.
3) Bravo to all the drivers at the Queen Street W. and Water Street S. intersection when the traffic lights go out. Keep up the safe driving!
*Please note all Boos and Bravos must be signed in order to be considered.
Quote of the Week
"Showed all year long that we could fight back, even in the most dire situations. Tough to be down three and tough to string four in a row against a good team like that, but we were right there."
Captain Connor McDavid on the Oilers comeback to a game 7 and how they rallied.
Restoring small-town journalism, one community at a time!
St. Marys Independent
Publisher
Stewart Grant • stew@granthaven.com
Regional Editor
Galen Simmons • galen@granthaven.com
Graphic Design / Sales Inquiries
Tyler Carruthers • info@stmarysindependent.com
Business Development
Heather Dunbar
• heather@granthaven.com
Billing Administrator
Cindy Boakes • boakescindy1576@gmail.com
Administrative Assistant
Wendy Lamond
• wendylamond74@gmail.com
Contributors
June Grant, Nancy Bickell, Mary Smith, Nancy Abra, Lauren Eedy, Spencer Seymour, Sarah Cairns, Paul Knowles, Jake Grant
36 Water St. St. Marys, ON, PO Box 2310 N4X 1A2 info@stmarysindependent.com | 519.284.0041 | granthaven.com
Marys
Always remember, walking away from something unhealthy is brave. Without fear, there cannot be courage. Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.
Don't follow the crowd, let the crowd follow you.
and Boos are submitted by community members and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the St. Marys Independent.
We have no Boos this week.
COMMUNITY
STONETOWN STONETOWN CRIER CRIER
As we prepare for the east-wing handover, we want to acknowledge the generous donation made by Bill and Lynne Gray and Perth County Ingredients towards the St. Marys Healthcare Foundation's capital campaign. Thanks to their support and the contributions of many others, we reached our campaign goal of $3 million in November 2023. With the east-wing construction almost complete, we are now ready to start on the west wing. These are exciting times ahead for our local hospital! Pictured, from left, are Scott Graham, Bill Gray, Bernice De Decker and Austin Currah. Photo courtesy of St. Marys Healthcare Foundation
St. Marys Commemorates
RECREATION, CULTURE & LEISURE SERVICES MASTER PLAN
We want to know how you use parks, recreation, and cultural facilities, and how public spaces, services, and programs can improve
Take the survey at townofstmarys.com/rclsmp
Monday, July 1
11 AM - 3 PM | Cadzow Park
Celebrate Canada at this FREE event: ceremony, art, live music, activities, food and more!
The latest municipal news from the Town of St. Marys Contact us 519-284-2340 communications@town.stmarys.on.ca
Campers will participate in different sports each day of the week while learning the basic skills and rules of play for multiple games and activities. Aug. 12 - 16, 9 AM - 12 PM | Lind Sportsplex
townofstmarys.com/campprc or 519-284-2160
This year's Stonetown Heritage Festival takes place on July 12 to 14 and features family-friendly activities, a heritage walking tour, vendor's market, downtown street festival and a fireworks show. discoverstmarys.ca/festival townofstmarys.com/activenet
Thursdays, 9 AM - 1 PM | Pyramid Centre
This program provides free showers to those in need. Showers are private, secure and accessible for individuals of all abilities.
Our senior of the week is Marg Levy. Marg will be celebrating her 84th birthday on July 3rd. She was born and raised in St. Marys. Marg has three children, Debbie, Donna and Danny. She also has two stepchildren Jim and Donna and is blessed to have 16 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren. Marg excelled in sports, especially softball. She currently resides in a beautiful village called Beaverdell near Kelowna B.C. where she is enjoying life and serving her Lord and Church.
If you would like to nominate someone for Senior of the Week, Contact us at 519-284-0041 or info@stmarysindependent.com.
2024 Stonetown Heritage Festival shaping up to
experience for
By St. Marys Independent staff
For both first-time attendees and Heritage Festival regulars, this year’s event promises to be a memorable experience for all!
This year’s festival will see over 40 businesses, vendors and community groups line the downtown streets offering an array of goods and valuable insight into various services within the community.
“Downtown St. Marys will be the place to be on Saturday, July 13,” said town events coordinator Alanna Bowes in a press release. “Local businesses are eager to welcome residents and visitors alike with some exciting offerings and unique experiences this year.”
For those with an appreciation for handmade treasures, the vendor marketplace will display a variety of options from local artisans, crafters, and authors. Festival attendees can experience live pottery demonstrations and the artistry of tattooing with
complimentary temporary airbrush tattoos. Snap a picture at one of the many selfie stations to capture a memorable festival moment.
The Sunset Shack and Anne’s Carmelcrisp food trucks will be stationed downtown all day on Saturday, serving up some delicious dishes and sweet treats. Campbell’s Canteen food truck will join in for the evening.
Refreshments and treats will also be available to purchase at the vendor marketplace throughout the day and a free water-refill station will be located at the Queen Street and Wellington Street South intersection.
Downtown eateries will also be open to dish out local delights and special offerings with something to satisfy every palate.
Experience creativity, community, culture and more at the 2024 Stonetown Heritage Festival! A full festival schedule is available at www.discoverstmarys. ca/festival.
COMMUNITY COMMUNITY
Perth County releases updated draft official plan and project update
By St. Marys Independent staff
Last week, Perth County council approved the release of the updated draft official plan and the next phase of public engagement for the official plan project.
The first version of the draft official plan text was released in December 2023 to provide transparency for the public, stakeholder groups, steering committees and council on how feedback received to date had been considered and implemented. Open houses were held in February 2024 for review of the draft official plan and to receive additional feedback from the public and stakeholder groups. Following the release of the first draft this past winter, significant work has been completed to prepare an updated draft official plan document in response to community feedback.
“Council is pleased with the work that has been done to update the policies based on public feedback,” said Perth County Warden Rhonda Ehgoetz in a press release. “We are confident that the revised document and policies reflects the needs of the community and will support the county’s growth for many years to come. We are excited for the community to see the updated draft and have the opportunity to provide further comments.”
Highlights of the next phase of the official-plan project include four key components:
1. The release of the updated draft official plan policy text
2. The launch of a new online interactive map, Draft Official Plan Map Viewer, showing proposed land designations
3. Additional opportunities to connect with the planning team in local municipal offices
4. The date and locations for the next open-house information sessions
“The official plan project would not be possible without the valuable input from the community. We are grateful for everyone who has taken the time to engage with this project and provide constructive feedback so far,” said county senior policy planner Moira Davidson in the press release.
“This next phase of the project allows residents to see how their input was directly implemented through the updated policy document and mapping for the proposed designations
on their property. We’re also providing additional opportunities to connect directly with the planning team for anyone who may have site-specific questions about the official plan and how it relates to their property.”
The updated draft official plan policy document is available to view on the county’s website at www.perthcounty.ca/NewOP. Along with the updated draft official plan, the county also released an online, interactive map viewer allowing the public to see the proposed draft official plan designations. The Draft Official Plan Map Viewer along with a tutorial video and instructions are available at www.perthcounty.ca/DraftOPMap
On July 22, the county will host two open-house information sessions. The first session is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Perth East Recreation Complex and the second session will be held from 6-8 p.m. at the West Perth Community Centre. Each session will include an informative presentation showcasing a summary of updates made to the text and followed by an opportunity to mingle and connect directly with planning staff and members of county council to ask questions or discuss the project. For those unable to attend, a recording of the presentation will be available in advance for viewing.
If landowners have site-specific questions about their property in relation to the draft official plan, appointments can be scheduled to meet in person with a policy planner at a local municipal office on the following days:
• July 23 – Perth East
• July 24 – West Perth
• July 25 – North Perth
• July 26 – Perth South
To book an appointment, call 519271-0531 ext. 419 or email newofficialplan@perthcounty.ca.
While comments will be accepted up to the day the official plan is adopted by county council, the planning division recommends comments be provided by Aug. 30 to provide staff with adequate timing to incorporate additional comments and feedback into the final official plan document. Comments can be submitted by email at newofficialplan@perthcounty.ca, by phone at 519-271-0531 ext. 419, and by mail to 1 Huron St., Stratford, Ont., N5A 5S4.
COMMUNITY
Cheers to 50 years! Friendship Centre celebrates 50th anniversary
where because I don't feel well, they say, ‘Do you need any help?’ They’re always there to offer to make sure you're looked after."
Cousineau participated in the exercise groups and scrapbooking events, as well as the health clinics. Her mother was also one of the Dandy Dancers and her grandmother was the first Friendship Centre president when it was at Cadzow Park.
"It's a nice, social place to come because they have good meals here and that sort of stuff,” Cousineau said.
Roly Crowder likes to meet new people and joke around with the residents. He appreciates the staff and the volunteers that shape the Friendship Centre.
"St. Marys is one of the luckiest communities in the area to have this facility because other towns have got nothing close to it,” Crowder said.
Jenny Mikita, St. Marys’ senior services manager, has been with the Friendship Centre for over two decades, both in the previous facility and the current one at the Pyramid Recreation Centre. She had a hard time picking just one memory, but fondly remembers the craft shows, volunteer-appreciation events, fundraisers, galas and day-today interactions.
"Some of my favourite memories are with my co-workers and the volunteers that support the Friendship Centre,” Mikita said. “We have a lot of different programs and a lot of differ-
ent events and, in all honesty, usually they're all quite fun."
The Friendship Centre has a variety of programming to match anyone’s interest and hobbies, all with the goal of
encouraging social time.
“It’s important to engage people to reduce social isolation because social isolation is really detrimental sometimes with people's health,” Mikita said. “You become isolated and it's hard to get out of your house. It's hard to keep well. It's hard to keep fit. It's hard to be mentally well, so being socially active through outlets that we offer is a great way to keep fit."
Social isolation was a huge concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially during the lockdowns. Mikita said the Friendship Centre made sure its members were still supported and engaged by running virtual programs on their Facebook page, delivering meals and calling the residents to check in on them. The centre also ran in-person activities within the group size limits when those were enforced.
"If we could run a program, we were running a program,” she said. “So, if it’s in July of 2021 and we were allowed to have 12 people in the same space together, we were running a campfire outside just to encourage people to get out of their home."
More information about the Friendship Centre and upcoming programming can be found by visiting www.townofstmarys.com/en/recreation-and-culture/Friendship-Centre.
Pictured from left to right are Jane Cousineau and her aunt, Alfreda Barron, at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Friendship Centre on June 19, where they reflected on their many memories with the centre. Photo by Emily Stewart
By Galen Simmons
Officer commendations and sophisticated frauds were among the topics of discussion at the June 19 St. Marys community policing advisory committee
During the meeting, Stratford Police Service deputy chief Gerry Foster presented the police service’s monthly crime statistics for St. Marys in May. The total number of calls for service decreased slightly from 231 in April to 230 in May, while charges laid decreased significantly from 42 in April to just 30 in May.
Police responded to four false alarms last month in St. Marys, down from eight in April; one call involving hate/ bias; five mental-health related calls, down from nine in April; and seven domestic-related calls, up from three in April, with no charges laid.
Officers also responded to two assaults, both of which are under investigation, one vehicle theft, four calls related to mischief, two thefts from motor vehicles, one theft under $5,000 and three frauds.
While the number of frauds police responded to in May actually dropped from five in April, committee member Coun. Rob Edney offered a personal anecdote about the need to be wary of more sophisticated attempts to defraud local residents.
“The owner-operators of a short-termstay place received an email from a client that had stayed at their place. … It turns out, the husband had passed away – a musician, pianist – and so the wife is downsizing and they have a baby grand piano that she would like to give away to someone who would care to have it,”
Edney said. “This email was forwarded to myself, to other people in town who I know and we responded we would love to accept this lovely gift – I know a family that would really like this. So, I sent a message to this email saying I know these two students and I think they deserve it and … they ‘won’ this piano.
“Apparently, it’s located in Calgary. It’s free, but there’s a shipping cost.”
Edney told the committee members the person who sent the original email requested an upfront e-transfer of $2,000 plus shipping insurance to send the piano to St. Marys. Though the recipient family researched the shipping company, which appeared legitimate online, they did what they could to verify the story and requested a receipt for the e-transfer once it was sent, their bank ultimately flagged the receiving account as having been used for fraud in the past and stopped the payment.
While Edney noted the family managed to get their money back, he said this story serves as a warning to everyone about how sophisticated frauds can be. “It never ceases to amaze me what
lengths people will go to, to try and defraud people,” Stratford police Chief Greg Skinner said. “It was a legitimate (seeming) email preying on emotions; it preyed on an attachment. People knew this individual, and it was ‘free.’ You felt like you were doing something to help someone who had gone through a tragedy with the loss of a loved one and then having to downsize. All of those red flags are there, but given what you have said, I think there would have been a number of us who would have potentially fallen for that until you get to the upfront shipping cost and the e-transfer for the shipping cost because shippers will usually accept money after the shipment is received.”
While Skinner credited the family’s bank, and banks in general, as unsung heroes in the fight against fraud, he said the best way to avoid being defrauded in this case would have been to call the sender of the original email and confirm the story by voice.
Stratford police responded to five motor-vehicle collisions in St. Marys in May, four of which resulted in property damage only and one resulted in a failto-remain charge. Police laid 11 traffic tickets last month in St. Marys, seven of which were for speeding, two for driving while under suspension and two for driving without a valid permit.
As part of his monthly statistics report, Foster also noted that seven police officers – constables B. Poppe, S. Parkinson,
info
N. Feltz, J. Wardell, J. Serf, A. Knechtel and W. Hughes – received commendations last month related to a weapons call in Stratford involving a person with a machete.
Skinner told the committee members the call could have ended much worse than it did if not for the ongoing work officers have been doing with local crisis-response workers and their emphasis on de-escalation on calls involving people experiencing mental-health crises.
“From our perspective, the MCRRT (mobile crisis rapid response team) program is by far the most beneficial for our officers to have some mental-health expertise as they’re responding to these crisis calls,” Skinner said. “The commendation that the deputy spoke of, I think, is a prime example of that where an individual was armed with a machete and that could have gone totally differently and we could have had lethal force used in that situation and a (Special Investigations Unit) investigation.
“But I think because of the amount of time our officers are spending with professional crisis workers, they now have a better understanding of how to deal with people in crisis and it’s not about the escalation of violence but the de-escalation of the situation to cause people to make the right decision and put their weapons down and be held accountable for their behaviour.”
ARTS & CULTURE
The impact of art education
By James Giles, edited by Alice Rixson
There is no better period in time than the present to be creative. It is the imaginative individuals who are finding success today because they are comfortable with ambiguity and change. Instead of viewing disruptions as threats, they see them as opportunities for innovation and development. Art teachers lead the way by providing the essential skills necessary for students to be successful in this new age.
Longtime art teacher at St. Marys District Collegiate and Vocational Institute (DCVI), Margaret (more commonly known as Maggie) Jorna understands the importance of visual arts more than most. “Visual Arts is important in education because it offers a completely different way of thinking and working than any other subject,” she says. “Students not only learn design principles but they also gain skills for creative problem solving and develop a visual language for expressing themselves. This is particularly important for young adults who may struggle putting their ideas and identity into words.”
Born in 1961, Jorna was raised on a small farm outside Hagersville, Ontario. In 1984, she earned a double major degree in Fine Art and English at the University of Guelph. Immediately after obtaining her teacher’s certificate from Althouse at Western University in London in 1985, she was hired by the Perth Board of Education and devoted her entire 30-year career as an art instructor at St. Marys DCVI.
Jorna believes that, “Art is messy and it doesn't have an easily measurable outcome. There is an element of ‘play’ (involved), and because of that, people who don't understand art may find it frivolous. The role of art in preserving mental health may sometimes seem less important than the subjects that can be measured by the government pundits’ view of formal education.
She shared a poignant anecdote from years ago that still stays with her. “I had a parent seek me out to tell me that art had saved her relationship with her son,“ Jorna recalls. “He allowed his mother to go through his sketchbook. By discussing his
drawings, they were finally able to communicate and understand each other. I realized the role art can play in being able to reach and connect with young people.
“Probably the biggest challenges for art educators in public institutions are the perceptions that art is a frill,” Jorna maintains. This can lead to budget cuts, since – unlike textbooks that can be used repeatedly – art supplies are expendable. Art classes are also more likely to be cancelled because of the attitude that they are of lesser importance.
Many can recall a teacher who helped us overcome a challenge, inspired, even changed life’s course, regardless of the class in which this awakening occurred.
An example of a teacher’s influence is a former
pupil of Jorna, graphic designer and production artist Margaret (also called Maggie) Richardson, another St. Marys area resident. “I honestly don’t know what career path I would be on without Jorna’s [guidance],” attests Richardson. “I will never forget in grade nine art when she told me my creativity was a good thing. She was the first teacher who saw talent in me and fostered it. I gained admission into George Brown College’s design program in Toronto immediately after high school. She not only did Jorna prepare me for that journey but she also taught me skills I use to this day,” she recalls.
“I was beyond lucky to have had a teacher like Jorna who cultivated my love of design in the direction of a career path I could strive for. A career in any applied art field like mine is never stable; you need thick skin, an ability to take all matters of critic, and a lot of belief in yourself and your work to be successful. I am forever in her debt for teaching me those skills long before I understood why I would need them,” exclaims Richardson. After completing a notable design contract with the prominent publishing firm HarperCollins Canada and Harlequin, Richardson is freelancing.
One reason for Jorna’s success was that students were never allowed to say "I can't" in her classroom. “If you say you can't and it turns out you can, you've proved yourself wrong and nobody wants to be wrong. Instead, my students were encouraged to say ‘I'm having trouble doing this’ because problems can be overcome but ‘I can't’ just becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Eventually they learned to identify their problem and ask for help rather than giving up.”
Since her departure from the educator’s platform, Jorna continues to refine her art skills and was featured at the St. Marys Station Gallery in 2021.
In the years following retirement Jorna knows, “There are former DCVI art pupils who became very successful in the visual arts field but my hope is that everyone, regardless of skill level, finds a way to include art in their lives.”
Please send comments and proposed topics for Arts articles to - smindependentarts@gmail.com
Maggie Jorna with a portrait of her son she painted. Contributed photo
Cost of Perth County speed-radar signs comes in under budget
By Galen Simmons
Perth County will pay $166,318.80 to purchase a total of 44 speed-radar signs that will be installed in 22 locations across the county to help curb speeding in those communities.
Along with the cost of installation and the purchase of wooden signposts, Bill Wilson, the county’s manager of public works, said the cost of purchasing these signs from the successful bidder, Cedar Signs Inc. of Cambridge, along with the purchase of wooden signposts and the cost of installation will come in at less than $200,000, well under the $308,000 budgeted for this project with funds from the county’s capital road reserve.
“The sign that they’re proposing is the Traffic Logix SafePace Evolution 15SD, which is the same sign we’re using right now – the ones we’re using to rotate (between high-speed areas of concern),” Wilson said. “It’s a solar-powered device with a 15-inch screen.”
As per Cedar Signs’ accepted proposal, the county will pay $3,779.95 per sign. Wilson said the successful proposal was ranked highest from among six proposals submitted to the county based on sign design, performance, installation, recording and recording functionality, warranty, technical support, references and unit cost.
As part of the proposal, Cedar Signs also included a one-year subscription to Traffic Logix SafePace cloud reporting system which allows for remote viewing of data and sign parameters.
According to Wilson’s report to council, delivery of the signs is expected within four weeks of the county ordering them and the signs are scheduled to be installed in August with preliminary work beginning in July.
Perth County council first gave staff the green light to purchase and install 44 speed-radar signs across 22 locations – two signs in each location – at its April 18 regular meeting. The locations for the signs were selected based on the following criteria:
• the sign must be within a reduced-speed zone along a county owned roadway located in a town, village or built-up area;
• the reduced-speed zone is on a through road where there are no stop controls within or at the end of the reduced-speed zone;
• the speed limit on either end of the reduced-speed zone is 80km/hr;
• the location for speed-radar signs will be within the reduced-speed zone approximately 80-100 metres from the beginning of the reduced zone;
• other installations, location or removal of the permanent speed-radar signs will be at the discretion of the director of public works; and
• the permanent speed radar sign program will be reviewed every 10 years and/or if there are issues with maintenance or the effectiveness of the program.
Based on those criteria, staff identified 22 locations where permanent speed-radar signs will be installed and ranked those locations based on traffic volumes and 85th percentile speeds.
Topping the list of ranked speed-radar-sign locations was Perth Line 72 in Donegal followed by Perth Road 119 in Brunner, Perth Road 121 in Poole and Perth Line 26 in Harmony.
In addition to the 22 permanent signs to be installed across the county, public works staff will still be able to use the county’s four temporary signs as needed to track and control speeding in high-traffic, reduced-speed zones that don’t meet the criteria for a permanent sign including Milverton (Perth Road 131), Dublin (Perth Road 180), Shakespeare (Perth Road 107), Millbank (Perth Line 72), Fullarton (Perth Road 163) and Gowanstown (Perth Line 88).
Data collected by the signs will also
be shared with local police to help guide traffic enforcement.
The full list of locations where speed-radar signs will be installed this summer is as follows:
1. Donegal (Perth Line 72)
2. Brunner (Perth Road 119)
3. Poole (Perth Road 121)
4. Harmony (Perth Line 26)
5. Gadshill (Perth Road 119)
6. Carthage (Perth Road 131)
7. Molesworth (Perth Line 86)
8. Avonton (Perth Road 130)
9. Rannoch (Perth Road 139)
10. Hesson (Perth Road 121)
11. Fullarton (Perth Line 20)
12. Wartburg (Perth Road 135)
13. Millbank (Perth Road 121)
14. Staffa (Perth Road 180)
15. Newton (Perth Line 72)
16. Britton (Perth Road 147)
17. Kurtzville (Perth Line 88)
18. Cromarty (Perth Road 180)
19. St. Pauls (Perth Line 20)
20. Rostock (Perth Road 135)
21. Brodhagen (Perth Line 44)
22. Prospect Hill (Perth Road 139)
Police still looking for leads after inclusionary flag stolen from St. Michael Catholic Secondary School
By Galen Simmons
Stratford police say investigators are still looking for leads after an inclusionary flag was stolen from the flagpole at St. Michael Catholic Secondary School June 10.
In an initial press release issued June 12, police said they obtained video-surveillance footage from the school that showed three suspects arrive at the Stratford school in a white, extended-cab pickup truck believed to be a 2007-2013 Chevrolet shortly after 11:30 p.m. June 10. The suspects then allegedly got out of the truck, walked to the front of the school, cut the flag from the flagpole around midnight, returned the truck and left the area round 12:13 a.m. The truck was last seen travelling on Short Street from Matida Street.
Approved by the Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board (HPCDSB) to be flown at both of the board’s high schools during Pride Month, the stolen flag bears imagery akin to the Pride rainbow as well as the phrase, “We Are All Wonderfully Made.”
“The inclusionary flag of the board was raised at St. Michael Catholic Secondary School in Stratford on
June 10. The inclusionary flag is a flag that was approved by the board to be raised during the month of June at our secondary schools and the Catholic Education Centre to acknowledge our support and solidarity with students and staff who identify with the LGBTQ community,” HPCSB director of education Chris Roehrig.
“Later that evening, a person or persons damaged the newly erected flagpole, brought down the board’s inclusionary flag and took it away. The board is deeply saddened and disturbed by this act of vandalism. The board always stands in solidarity with the poor and marginalized in our community –we categorically reject this act of violence.”
Concerned with the impact this theft might have on LGBTQ students and staff at St. Michael and those in the wider the community, Roehrig said the board deployed social workers to the school to ensure students and staff feel welcome, safe and included.
Roehrig, the school board and Stratford police are encouraging anyone who know anything about this theft to contact Stratford police at 519-271-4141 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
Stratford police are still investigating the theft of an inclusionary flag from St. Michael Catholic Secondary School in Stratford June 10. Image courtesy of Stratford Police Service
COMMUNITY
Who is the St. Marys Memorial Hospital Auxiliary?
By Janis Fread
Who is the St. Marys Memorial Hospital Auxiliary? Meet the Joannes, who have been members since around 2001 – Joanne Pickering and Joanne Winchester.
Once Pickering’s three children had grown up and left home, she decided to look for ways to volunteer and as serendipity would have it, there was a knock at her door. An auxiliary member was doing a membership drive, going door to door looking for volunteers, so Pickering signed up. Over the years, Pickering has served as secretary, treasurer, raffle co-ordinator and one of her most favourite tasks was helping to co-ordinate the auxiliary’s fundraising 2011 calendar, which was similar to the famous calendar girls project. Pickering remains an active volunteer as she enjoys the group and believes “We’re a great community and we need to support it.”
When Winchester retired, she was looking for ways to become more active in the community and chose the auxil-
iary. She became the buyer for the hospital boutique for a few years and did the scheduling for the boutique, which
Hike for Hospice
many times saw her filling in for volunteers at the last minute when they couldn’t make their shift. Winchester
continues to support the auxiliary’s bake sales, assists at various events and provides her extra-long driveway as the perfect venue for the auxiliary’s annual garage sale in August. When asked why she continues to be active in the auxiliary, her response says it all. “It’s for our hospital!” she says.
Members of the auxiliary recently completed the Hike for Hospice and raised over $1,200 for Rotary Hospice Stratford-Perth. The auxiliary also provided a shopping opportunity for Kingsway residents by setting up garments and accessories from the hospital boutique in Kingsway’s common room. Three volunteers from RBC assisted with the sale and were able to leverage their Communities Together Fund to secure a $1,500 donation to go towards the auxiliary.
For updates on fundraising events or to become a volunteer, follow the auxiliary on Facebook at The Boutique at St. Marys Memorial Hospital or email smmhauxiliary@gmail.com.
Delmar Foods hosts first Family Fun Day for Childcan
By Emily Stewart
Delmar Foods Food Factory Outlet will kick off summer with a day full of family fun that will give back to children facing cancer and their families. Delmar Foods Food Factory Outlet will have their first Family Fun Day fundraiser for Childcan. The paywhat-you-can-by-donation event will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 6 at the factory outlet on 25 South Service Rd.
"Family Fun Day is something we came up with just to raise funds for Childcan,” said Cindy McBryde, an employee at Delmar Foods. It's our first annual, so hopefully we'll have more."
The event will have a variety of outdoor activities and games such as cornhole, toilet toss, hula hooping, bubbles, skipping rope, crafts and sidewalk chalk. There will be four superheroes walking around for kids to meet and get their pictures taken with, a balloon artist and live music.
There will also be an artisan market that is youth focused.
"Some of them are crafters who are kids, and some of them are crafters that point towards kids,” McBryde said.
The St. Marys Fire Department will also be at Delmar Foods Family Fun Day with their truck and hoses hooked up to the hydrant.
Guests can expect to have hot dogs from Soloways and pizza from Uncle Dads Meat Pies and Pizza Plus for lunch. Childcan will be at the event, as well as a five-year-old girl from Mitchell who survived cancer three times and her mother.
Delmar Foods Family Fun Day comes ahead of Evan’s Touch the Truck event, an annual fundraiser for Childcan in St. Marys honouring Evan Leversage, who passed away from cancer at seven years old in 2015.
"All of us know of Evan. If not, (we) know him and his family, so Childcan's close,” McBryde said.
Meet the Joannes. Joanne Pickering and Joanne Winchester are two volunteers with the St. Marys Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. Contributed photo
Members of the St. Marys Memorial Hospital Auxiliary participated in the Rotary Hospice Stratford-Perth’s Hike for Hospice and raised just over $1,200 for hospice. Many thanks are extended to those who supported Team Auxiliary’s walk. Follow the Boutique at St. Marys Memorial Hospital on Facebook for more upcoming events planned by the auxiliary. Pictured, from left, are Joyce Mulholland, Janis Fread, Pat Froud, Joanne Pickering, Mary Woods, Arlene Callender, Irene Wortley, Nan Skirten, Joanne Winchester and Jackie Iredale. Photo by Nancy Bickell
BIA - Heritage Festival gold-level sponsor
Feeney, Dan Troyer
Photo courtesy of the Town of St. Marys
The
www.lindsaypickering.ca lindsaypickering22@gmail.com
Young Guys win big at Ryder Cup
By Stewart Grant
What a difference a year makes.
While last year’s Ryder Cup was as close as possible – it ended in a 16-16 tie – this year’s event was a blowout of historic proportions with the Young Guys winning 24.5 to 7.5 to earn back the cup they last won in 2021.
“I thought we had a pretty strong team from top to bottom,” winning captain Steve Hinz told the Independent.
Hinz searched high and low among the St. Marys Golf & Country Club membership to field the best-possible team for the Young Guys, and ultimately added four Ryder Cup rookies to the squad: Ryan Luft, Will Lamoureux, Alex Taylor and Jordan Leyser.
“I would say it worked out pretty good,” said Hinz.
The 17-point margin of victory was the highest in Ryder Cup history, eclipsing the Young Guys’ 22-10 win in 2016 and 17.5-6.5 win in 2004.
Despite the lopsided margin of defeat, Tom Westerveld’s Old Guys team put up a strong fight. Of the 32 matches held over the weekend, nearly half (15) came down to the final hole.
Hinz spoke to the Independent about his love for the Ryder Cup weekend at St. Marys.
“It’s the best event out here,” he said.
“The match play – there’s nothing like playing straight up, head-to-head and rooting for everyone on the team. It’s a different atmosphere.”
Over the years, the age that separates Young Guys and the Old Guys has been a moving target designed to make the competition as even as possible. Since 2004, the Young Guys have edged the Old Guys by a slim 51 per-cent to 49 per-cent margin, but
given this year’s lopsided result, there is an understanding that the age for the Old Guys team will be lowered slightly in 2025, meaning a few of this year’s oldest Young Guys will become next year’s youngest Old Guys.
“This is my swan song year (on the Young Guys team), so it’s a nice way to go out as a winning captain,” said Hinz.
Ryder Cup notes:
• Kyle Heinbuch, who posted a 3-0 record during the weekend, was named MVP of this year’s Ryder Cup.
• Other players who had perfect records this year were Johnny Alum, Ryan Luft and captain Hinz.
• Tristan Dundas was named captain of next year’s Young Guys team. Brian Humphrey will be the Old Guys captain.
• Due to the heavy rains last week, holes 4-6 were closed during Saturday’s Better Ball and Alternate Shot competitions. For matches that went the 18-hole maximum, holes 1-3 were replayed. The St. Marys Golf & Country Club grounds crew worked hard to get holes 4-6 playable by Sunday’s Singles rounds.
Mark Vandenberk patiently waits to hit his approach on #18 while a mother duck and her ducklings finish up on the green. Photo by Stewart Grant
Kellen Fifield rolled in this birdie putt on #17 to win his match during Sunday singles play at the St. Marys G&CC Ryder Cup while Will Lamoureux, Andy Cunningham, and Steve Fisher look on. The Young Guys won this year’s Cup by a score of 24.5 to 7.5. Photo by Stewart Grant
The Young Guys were winners of the 2024 Ryder Cup at St. Marys Golf & Country Club. Pictured above, from left to right, back row: Mark Vandenberk, Will Lamoureux, Evan Bechtel, Kenny Hutton, Johnny Alum, Mike Glover, Kyle Heinbuch, Matt Murray. Front row: Kellen Fifield, Ryan Luft, Alex Taylor, Jordan Leyser, captain Steve Hinz, Jarrett Smith, Scott Kemp, and Tristan Dundas. Photo by Stewart Grant
Lincs host annual golf tournament at River Valley
Pictured from left to right are Jeremy Core, Murray Horne, Owen Penney, and Chad Duchesne. The foursome emerged as the champions of the St. Marys Lincolns Golf Tournament, shooting a 14-under-par score of 51 to take home the green jackets. All four members of the group were quick to call the win a “complete team effort” with Duchesne noting that “someone was always there to bail you out if you didn’t have a good shot.”
Jessica Murray makes a putt during the Lincolns’ golf tournament. Murray was one of several individual winners of awards from the tournament as she claimed the women’s longest drive award on hole 18. Brett Stacey won the men’s longest drive prize on hole one. The women’s closest to the pin award on hole 13 was won by Karen Gibb. David St. Louis claimed the men’s closest to the pin award on hole four.
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Owen Penney chips a shot from the fairway toward the green with his teammates watching on during the Lincolns’ golf tournament. One of the highlights of the day for the eventual winners was an eagle putt by Penney on hole number one. Coincidentally, the winning team also represented the tournament sponsors, Core Fuels Ltd. and Red Cap Propane, with Core himself saying “we’re always happy to support the local team and it’s always a great time.”
Pictured from left are Mike Bannerman, Rick Fifield, and Scott Graham. Bannerman was the winner of the second annual Lincolns’ Alumni Group Recognition Award, presented to an individual who has made significant contributions to the Lincolns. Bannerman spent over three decades as a trainer and bench staff member. The post-tournament banquet also saw Myrt Hearn, the wife of the late Barry Hearn, presented with a lifetime Alumni Group membership. All photos by Spencer Seymour
St. Marys Tennis Club offering week-long youth lessons
By Spencer Seymour
The St. Marys Tennis Club is welcoming local youth to the courts to learn the sport and improve their skills with two upcoming tennis camps run by certified tennis instructor Ross Barnwell.
Now open, registration can be done through the Town of St. Marys at tinyurl.com/yy3ytw44. The cost to register is $100, which entitles kids to participate in one of two week-long camps, the first of which runs from July 8-12 and the second from July 15-19. Sessions take place Monday through Friday from 9-10:30 a.m. both weeks. Kids up to 18 years old can participate in the camps.
Barnwell has been a tennis instructor for 50 years. He has taught both kids and adults and served as a lead pro for four clubs. At one point during his career, Barnwell taught the number-two and number-three junior tennis players in Canada.
"They are designed for all levels of play," Barnwell told the Independent. "If kids have some experience, that's great. If they have no experience, that's great too. We make sure they get looked after no matter what. We introduce kids to as many parts of tennis as we can during the week. We
focus on stroke production, physical fitness and awareness, and the rules and scoring aspects of tennis."
Barnwell added that part of the reason for the camps is to begin cultivating an interest in the sport that kids will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
"We want the kids to grow their tennis experience so that, when they're done, they don't forget about it. Hopefully, they want to actually play some more tennis. Of course, the long-term goal is to have these kids play well enough to feel like they can join and participate in club activities."
The philosophy that Barnwell implements during his camps teaches fundamental skills but, as the accomplished instructor notes, even more crucial is the development of the young players' confidence.
“The technical aspect and knowing how to do a stroke is very important, but just as important, if not more so, is developing confidence so that, in this particular case, the child can grasp and play the sport right away.
The theory of Tennis Canada, which I have adapted, is based on shortening up the court. We've got a big 72-footlong court and for a youngster, having to hit the ball and track it com-
Ask the Arborist
By Joel Hackett | 519 272 5742 | jtsquote@gmail.com
Dear Arborist,
I have a Siberian Elm that my neighbours think is hideous. It is a very messy tree with lots of dead branches and is very tall. I don’t want to remove it. I am a bit of a tree hugger.
Sincerly
Tree Hugger
Dear Tree Hugger,
You may not believe this but I have also been known to hug trees when it’s windy and I am up in the top of one. Siberian Elms were originally introduced to Canada to serve as a hedge. Why someone thought that was a good idea, nobody knows.
Siberian Elms are not really a good choice for a hedge as they can reach 90 or more feet tall. Its probably not necessary to remove it, there are other options to increase safety. Option 1 - trim out the dead wood. Option 2 - reduce the height of the tree. Hope this helps.
Sincerely
The Arborist
Joel Hackett is a certified Arborist residing in the St. Marys area. Currently, he spends most of the year running Joel’s Tree Service. For contact call 519 272 5742 or email jtsquote@ gmail.com
ing back on such a large court can be daunting.
"We make it 12 feet long and the kid now only has to track the ball and direct it back to the same position for that distance so that they can have some immediate success," Barnwell continued. "We can have a young kid who may have never played tennis before and, within a week, because we've shortened the court, they can hit 10-15 balls back and forth to me in a row without missing. That builds their confidence which makes them more likely to keep playing the sport.”
Additionally, techniques are provided that are designed to help what the kids learn really sink in.
"We also use some strategies for the kids to help them memorize the stroke-production aspect. One of the things that they've discovered is that if you teach somebody something and then tell them to teach it to someone else, within 24 hours, they will have that remembered virtually forever. So, I'll teach the kids to serve almost immediately, I'll show them the motion and everybody can mimic it. They might not be able to do a great serve right away, but they can do the motion. And then I'll say to the kids, 'Go home tonight and teach your mom and dad how to do that.’ Their
brain will lock that in their long-term memory by doing the motion and then teaching someone else to do it."
The reason Barnwell is so passionate about teaching the game is based on his love for it and the fact that it's a sport, from his experiences, you can take it with you wherever you are in the world.
"I love tennis. I'm the number one proponent of this game and can't emphasize how wonderful it is. From a physical standpoint, you're developing your core and it's one of the best sports for improving your cardiovascular system. It's incredible for developing your hand-eye coordination. Tennis is an excellent opportunity for youngsters to develop the joy of playing a game that they can continue to play at a fairly high level for the rest of their lives.
"You can take a tennis racket and go anywhere in the world, find a court, and play a match with somebody even if you can't speak their language," added Barnwell. "I've been in Spanish-speaking countries where I was able to get matches just by showing up with a racket. Tennis is an international sport, and if a kid develops the confidence and desire to play, they can play it wherever they want to.”
Brought to you by your local
Jude White dives down to make a save during the U10 Boys Tier Three Two St. Marys Storm game this past Sunday.
Evee Lamond kicks the ball up the pitch during the U11 Girls Tier Three St. Marys Storm game this past Sunday.
MacLean Ross tosses the ball to first base during the St. Marys Building Centre U9 WOBA Red St. Marys Rockies game last Friday. All photos by Spencer Seymour
Jessica Zwambag flies by a defender to chase down a loose ball during this past Sunday’s U10 Girls Tier Two St. Marys Storm game.
Lauren Pfaff fires a shot from outside the box during last Friday’s U14 Girls Tier Three One St. Marys Storm game.
84 Wellington Street South St. Marys, ON (519) 284-1690
Five SKC students win medals in Waterloo
By Spencer Seymour
A haul of 12 medals was brought home by five Stonetown Karate Centre (SKC) students from the GMA Championships held in Waterloo June 1.
Sensei Jalyne Lorentz headlined the St. Marys contingent with four medals, two of which were golds. Lorentz finished atop the field in the 15-17 girls black belt division's traditional forms and traditional weapons events. She also captured the silver in creative weapons and freestyle forms.
In the 13-14 boys black belt bracket, Fox Houston captured a trio of silver medals in traditional forms, traditional weapons and freestyle forms.
Marieke Van Lierop nabbed a pair of gold medals for the local dojo, including first-place finishes in traditional forms and traditional weapons.
The silver in the 35+ women's novice division's traditional-forms competition went to Morgan Houston. Shannon Campbell, competing in the 35+ women's advanced category, earned the silver in traditional forms plus a bronze in point sparring.
Sensei Jeremy Lorentz was pleased with his students' performances.
"This was another great tournament and comes on the heels of the World Karate Championship national tryouts," Lorentz told the Independent. "Our students understand that being on the mat at these tournaments is the best way to succeed in this sport. We are so proud of every one of these students who come to the dojo, give it their all, overcome fears and attend tournaments to become the best they can be. It is amazing to witness the growth of our students and be part of their successes in karate."
Lincs bolster defence by adding Kalp, Stubgen
By Spencer Seymour
The St. Marys Lincolns may be less than a month into their off season, but the team’s blueline is looking season ready after the team confirmed to the Independent they had signed Julian Stubgen and acquired Owen Kalp from the Chatham Maroons.
Kalp, who turns 19 years old in September, spent the last two seasons with his hometown Maroons. In 45 games last year, Kalp recorded four goals and 20 points for Chatham. Lincs’ general manager Pat Powers called Kalp a very good, two-way defender.
“Owen is an experienced defenceman who defends the blueline very well,” Powers told the Independent. “He has good feet, his mobility is really good and he’s a heads-up puck mover coming out of the defensive zone.”
Initially signed to the Lincolns last year, Stubgen elected to play USHSPrep hockey for Salisbury School located in Salisbury, Conn., for whom he played 26 games last season. The 18-year-old Thorndale native has appeared in 11 GOJHL games as an affiliate player with the London Na-
tionals, during which he had one goal and two assists. In 2022-23, Stubgen suited up for 39 games with the U18 London Jr. Knights and posted six goals and 14 points.
Powers noted that, in addition to his skillset, Stubgen brings important intangibles to the Lincolns’ defence.
“Julian is a smooth-skating defender who makes a good first pass and plays with confidence. We anticipate he is going to be able to run our offence from the back end and help facilitate things at both ends of the ice.”
Kalp and Stubgen join Rowan Reid
and Hayden Barch who officially signed with the team at the beginning of June. The Lincs also have a solid returning base with only two defencemen from the 2023-24 Western Conference Championship-winning team no longer eligible to play due to aging out.
“We have a very deep and diverse defence core that can play with pace, skill, or physicality, or any combination of the three,” Powers said. “I think Julian and Owen will only add to those strengths of our blueline.”
Pictured from left to right are Shannon Campbell, Morgan Houston, Fox Houston, Marieke Van Lierop and Sensei Jalyne Lorentz. The five Stonetown Karate Centre (SKC) students brought home 12 medals, including four golds, from the June 1 GMA Championships in Waterloo. Contributed photo
The aftermath of last week's storm
St. Marys Golf & Country Club had a definite water hazard after Wednesday night's storm. This photo was taken at 8 a.m. Thursday morning. According to reliable sources, St. Marys received almost 4 inches of rain. Photos by Murray Grant
Trillium Crescent received its share of damage after last week's storm. This 7 foot sandcherry tree was uprooted by the wind at the Boreham house and the tree across the road at 34 Trillium Cres. was struck by lightning.
Catching up with Kirkton 4-H
By Melody Weber, Kirkton 4-H
Have you ever heard of 4-H? It is a non-profit organization or program that is run for kids ages 9-21. There are clubs that teach you about things like raising an animal, baking, art, gardening, STEM and so much more. There was a new club in Kirkton called the Sports and Games Club. During the six meetings held last year, members learned a variety of sports and games that you might not have heard of before. Below includes a summary of our first three meetings.
Meeting 1
Our first meeting was held at the curling club in St. Marys. We were greeted by our leaders, April Barker and Catherine Liscomb. For an introduction, we said the pledge and went around saying our name, what grade we were in, what school we went to and what other 4-H clubs we had done.
Making sure that we were wearing a helmet, we went down to the ice, where we got a broom and learned the
basics of how to throw a rock. Next, we split off into smaller groups to learn more about how the game works and worked on our skills. Another thing that we learnt is how to sweep and the positions that there are. There is typically a first, a second, a skip and a vice skip. After learning the basics, we played some scrimmage games just for fun with our smaller groups.
We each ended up getting to do two ends. To conclude our meeting, we thanked our helpers and leaders, Barker, Andrew Zwambag, Catherine and Chris Liscomb, before heading out to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate.
Meeting 2
Our second meeting was held in Ilderton at the Rhythm N Box Studio. We played pickleball on an indoor court. When we first arrived, we got a paddle, a ball and a partner. Once everyone arrived, Richard introduced himself and his helpers, Jeff and Deirdre. Together, they taught us about the basics of pickleball while demonstrating. We either kept the same partner or found an-
other one to be in a group with to play short games. Since there was only one court and there were lots of groups, we only went to five points.
We rotated playing games against each other, learning more along the way. Richard, Jeff and Deirdre helped us keep track of what points we were at and how to play the game as we were playing. After we finished up a few games each, we had a short meeting. During this time, we elected Styn as president, Hayden as vice president, Zach as secretary and Melody as the press reporter. A snack of apples and nuts was given out by the leaders. Once we were done with our election, we ended the meeting, but there was still some time left, so we played a game that involved keeping pylons either down or up. It was boys against girls, and one side either had their pylons down or up. After two rounds and both teams winning one of them, parents started to arrive and the meeting was concluded.
Meeting 3
Written by Liam Barker
Our third meeting was held at the St. Marys Public Library. Librarian Meaghan taught us how to play the game Mahjong.
Mahjong is played using tiles with different suits on them. The four suits are Sticks, Dots, Cracks and Winds. The Sticks are pieces of bamboo, the Dots are dots, the Cracks are numbers written in Chinese and the Winds are north, east, south and west. The goal of the game was to collect certain patterns and an amount of tiles depending on which set you chose.
The first player with four sets completed wins. The game was very hard to understand at first and this was everyone’s first time playing Mahjong. After we finished our games, we had some very good Rice Krispies to end off the night. Thank you, Meaghan!
Pick up your copy of the St. Marys Independent next week to read how the final three meetings of the Kirkton 4-H Sports and Games Club went.
COMMUNITY
Welcome to “rurban living?”
By Lorna Jean Edmonds, guest columnist
Am I mistaken or have many traditionally rural ridings and the counties, cities and communities within them more recently evolved into something different? Look around you – are your neighbours the same? Are the shops the same? Are the services – roads, schools, health care – the same, better or worse? What about the environment and the arable land for farming? What has changed and what has stayed the same?
I am referring to the communities and their ridings which not so long ago were truly rural but are now feeling a shift. These ridings were not caught up in the immediate tentacles of the Toronto, Ottawa, London and their major highway lineal reach that led to widespread developments and urban sprawl. These represent the bastion of rural ridings with cities that garner populations historically of less than 200,000, like Kingston and its riding, Kingston and the Islands, and some without even a city larger than 20,000 population like its neighbor, my riding of Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston. Perth-Wellington, Simcoe North and Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry are other examples and there are many more! In 2020, I moved full time to a rural community in South Frontenac. Quite frankly, I knew very little about rural living and its livelihood. It’s magical yet it too has its limitations. It’s expensive. Energy is costly and, for too many, reliable high-speed internet is still out
of reach. You want to buy local, but food can be pricey. Just buying the basics in supplies and tools I needed to purchase can be arduous unless I (ab) used the luxury of Amazon for even some of the little things. Being a farmer and keeping your farm in the family, or at all, is getting harder and harder. Urban creep is seriously stretching municipal infrastructure – water, sewers, roads and community and emergency services to mention a few.
As many rural Ontario ridings become a mixture of rural and urban-like communities with people who have lived here all their lives to newcomers from near and far, life and their livelihoods are changing. The newbies are commuter families, retired people and tele-workers who choose to reside outside of a major city or move for financial and lifestyle reasons. They are joining families who have resided in rural Ontario for many years, if not centuries. By virtue of moving in together, they collectively bring a new set of wants and needs. The landscape has changed. These ridings are no longer what we think of as traditionally rural and much more of a melange of the rural and the urban.
Just look at the changes in size and demography of a number of our small towns like Carleton Place. Sprawling and diversifying suburbs are surrounding longstanding communities; further redefining the traditions and cultures of predominantly farming, natural reserves, lakes, parks, small towns and villages. As an Ottawa commuter and tele-working city, Carleton
Place, for example, has become bigger and more diverse. It is one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada. Innovation with new businesses and boutiques are drawn to these emerging communities from both a price-sensitive perspective and new families to serve. With the high cost of living of recent years, sadly, the demand for food banks and affordable housing is daunting coupled with the continued inability to access basic health care, rehabilitation and social services in a clinic/centre or at home is typical of rural ridings. This is not to mention the cost to the environment in terms of the use of fossil fuels, loss of arable land and the generation of excessive waste, particularly plastic.
We have critical needs in basic public infrastructure and a changing population of aging people with disabilities, and Indigenous communities and those with young families. Farming is essential to our livelihood as is welcoming new immigrants. Our economy and tax base must grow to support these changes by investing in innovation, jobs and supporting new residents, and it needs to do so while navigating the mitigation of climate change, food and housing security, and sustaining our agricultural lands, parks and natural resources. The fabric and landscape of these distinct communities across Ontario have changed.
Recognizing this, how do we wish to move forward? A key step is to relook at who and what we are and call it what it is – the fusion of ruralites with urbanites into the “rurbanization” of
these regions and communities. Perhaps it’s no longer rural but “Rurban Living.”
If so, then new thinking and leadership strategies with a rurban framework is needed. I love living here, but unless we speak loud and clear to our new reality, our livelihood will, in time, come at a price. No plan is a plan and inaction will result in some grim realities. Let’s start to advocate even more than we are now for critical investments that align with our rurban needs and will sustain and enhance the richness these ridings must continue to offer. Where we live is pretty special!
Let’s start a conversation about your thoughts about “rurban” living?
Please take a moment to complete this three-minute survey by visiting https://tinyurl.com/LJEDMONDS, and stay posted for future posts about rurban living!
About the Author: Lorna Jean Edmonds is a fulltime rural resident in Hartington, Ont. She was a senior university executive and global influencer. She has worked extensively across the disciplines in academic and development administration and external and international relations. With over 30 years of experience in Canada, the United States and internationally, her career has led to partnerships and collaborative projects all over the world. Since moving to Hartington in 2020, she has been connecting with local communities and is committed to bringing more attention to the realities and needs of life and living in rural or rather “rurban” Ontario.
HISTORIC ST. MARYS: Renovating the town hall
By Mary Smith
After half a year of major renovations, the interior of the St. Marys Town Hall is once more open to the public – just in time for summer events that frequently include tours of this historic building. Municipal staff who work from the town hall must be glad to be back in their comfortable, upgraded workspace. The council chamber has been redesigned to make it more accessible for delegations and to improve video broadcasting of meetings. Soon the St. Marys Community Players will be able to return to their beautiful performance space in the third-floor auditorium.
Mayor Al Strathdee said in a recent interview with the St. Marys Independent that “no one was really sure when they did the last renovations.” That statement, of course, is only partially accurate. Major renovation projects often involve government grants. That means considerable publicity when they are completed. For example, accessibility renovations in 1994-1995 included relocating several offices to the ground level and installing an elevator. The federal, provincial and municipal governments each contributed one-third of the cost. On March 9, 1995, St. Marys residents were invited to a ribbon cutting ceremony with both MP John Richardson and MPP Karen Haslam in attendance. Several supplementary pages in that week’s Journal Argus advertised the event and included photographs showing municipal staff at their new workstations.
But Mayor Strathdee is right that it is hard to pinpoint the exact date of many previous renovation projects because changes within the building have been constant. In its 133-year history the town hall has always contained council chambers and office space for municipal business. But at one time or another, the building has also been home to the public library, the town police department (equipped with two small jail cells,) a garage for the fire department’s hook and ladder wagon, the public health nurse, the recreation director’s office, and space for a regular magistrate’s court. As the town hall incorporated these functions within the building and then, as they were accommodated elsewhere, office spaces changed, walls were moved, old furnishings discarded and new ones acquired, and rooms given entirely new purposes. Through the years, as these renovations occurred, the building was redecorated according to the tastes and fashions of the times.
Before our current town hall was built in 1891, a two-storey, frame building stood on the site. It contained the council chambers, various offices, and several indoor market stalls. The second storey was an auditorium for public
In 1994, council chambers featured green, floral wallpaper and curtains to match. That year, members of council were (back row) Midge Jewson, David Cunningham, David Mahaffy, Kerry Campbell, Heather Goad. Mayor Jamie Hahn is in the front row with councillor Frank Doyle on the right. Treasurer Janice Hensall and Clerk Ken Storey are also at the table. Second from the left in the back row is Deputy Administrator Terri Moreau. Photo courtesy of the municipal archival material stored at the St. Marys Museum.
meetings and entertainments. Various sources report that the building’s exterior was painted yellow, a rather startling colour choice to the modern eye. Quite possibly the plaster on the interior walls was white-washed but never painted. Contemporary descriptions of this municipal building also indicate that no one was proud of it. Critical observers felt it might have been an adequate structure to house municipal functions in 1857 when St. Marys was still a village. But after St. Marys was elevated to the status of an incorporated town in 1864, the building fell far short as a symbol of progress and prosperity.
When Perth County historian William Johnston arrived in St. Marys in 1859, his first impression of the old town hall was that it was “a rookery.” And through the years, it may have deteriorated. Johnston further wrote in his 1903 History of Perth County: “Its exterior aspect, uncouth though it was, scarcely indicated the conditions of the interior arrangements as far as colour or odor was concerned. It was a useful structure, and within its filthy walls were located mayor’s office, town clerk’s office, jail, several butchers’ stalls, and various repositories for hides whose redolent effluvia would have indicated a splendid subject for investigation by our present board of health.”
When the old town hall was destroyed by fire in September 1890, Johnston considered it the “merciful interposition of Providence. He very much approved that “on this spot was erected
the splendid municipal building which is an ornament to St. Marys as well as a testimony to the taste and public spirit of those gentlemen who controlled the municipal destinies of the town at that particular period.” The records of the construction of the new town hall in 1891 are informative. They include tenders from various trades: masonry, carpentry, painting and glazing, plastering, tile and slating. The architect was 30-year-old George Gouinlock who had been born in Paris, Ontario, apprenticed in Winnipeg and who had recently joined a firm in Toronto. He was paid $550 to prepare plans and elevations and to make regular inspections.
The tender for painting was awarded to the highly experienced John Willard who had learned his trade in England. He would have stained and then used graining tools on the interior woodwork (likely pine) so that it would look like the more expensive walnut. This was a very popular practice at the time. The plaster walls were painted, probably in greens or browns, also very common for public buildings. The original plasterer – another Englishman, Fred Patterson – must have done very good work. Although the paint certainly would have been refreshed on a regular basis, wallpaper was not hung on the walls for the first eight decades of the building’s existence. The St. Marys Museum has a number of formal photographs of mayor and council, taken through the years, at the time of their inauguration. Black and white pictures from the 1950s show councillors posed
in front of dark, grained woodwork. One also shows an ashtray conveniently placed for those councillors who were smokers.
In the early 1970s when George Ball was mayor, there were major changes to the main floor. The mayor’s office had been in the southwest corner: this room became the clerk’s office. (Following the recent renovations, the mayor is back in this corner.) Space on the west side of the corridor for the public health nurse was assigned to administration and public health moved out of the building. An office for the recreation director was created in one of the rooms on the east side of the corridor along with new storage space for stationery and office supplies. This space held the first municipal photocopier. The graining on the woodwork was painted over, and wallpaper was placed on the council chamber walls. This week’s photograph, taken in 1994, shows wallpaper with a light-green, floral pattern. The woodwork is also light green with darker green accents. The curtains on the windows repeat the wallpaper pattern – rather busy for current taste.
When the Ontario Provincial Police replaced the local police force, they left the lower level of the town hall and moved to the post office building. This resulted in the 1994-5 renovations and created much needed additional office space, accessible from Church Street. The newly installed elevator in the southeast corner took over office space that had been used by the building inspector. Both the public works and building departments had new quarters in the north section of the basement level. Treasurer/tax collector Janice Hensall chose the colour scheme for the new offices – rose and grey. There was no wallpaper. The renovation spirit soon moved up to the main level and within a few years, the patterned wallpaper was gone from that area as well. The newly swornin councillors in 2001 were posed for the traditional photograph in front of a very neutral-coloured wall with matching window blinds above a highly varnished, light-coloured, wood wainscotting. Mayor Jamie Hahn was seated at a desk that matched the wainscotting. The paint colour on the woodwork after the recent renovations is blue. As Mayor Al Strathdee said, blue was chosen “to be on brand with the town’s official colours.” He was pleased that while making the space “more modern and functional,” the contractors were able to keep “that heritage-building feel.” When everyone is finally settled in, the mayor has promised an open house. We will be able to see for ourselves how the interior of this wonderful old building has been adapted to modern use.
Thorndale News
Plastic recycling event for garden containers
By Nancy Abra
Plastics are everywhere. They are part of our daily lives, in food packaging, electronics, clothing and household goods.
They also play a major part in the horticultural industry. Now that most of us are finished with our planting, what do we do with all those plastic pots, plant-cell packs and trays? Even though there are recycling programs, the plastic containers used in the horticultural industry sometimes can be hard to get recycled properly as not all municipalities can recycle all plastics.
Heeman’s Greenhouses, together with London Environmental Network (LEN), is hosting a plastic-recycling event Sept. 6-8. As part of their commitment to sustainably, Heeman’s will be collecting, sorting and recycling applicable horticultural containers brought in by the gardening public.
LEN is an environmental charitable organization based in London with a mandate to protect the en-
vironment and build a more sustainable community by offering environmental programs and climate action opportunities. For more information, visit www. londonenvironment.net.
Before dropping off containers at Heeman’s that weekend in September, make sure all the soil and growing medium has been dumped out or removed from the containers. Paper and other foreign material must also be removed from the packaging, but the adhesive labels on the pots are okay.
The staff at Heeman’s and volunteers that weekend with help sort containers brought in properly with what can be recycled through this program. All proceeds received from selling these plastics back to the producer will be donated to LEN to continue its work protecting the environment and building a more sustainable community.
For more information and guidelines on this plastic-recycling event, check out www.londonenvironment.net/heeman_s_plastic_recycling_event_2024.
Heeman’s Greenhouses is partnering with the London Environmental Network to host a garden plastics recycling event Sept. 6-8. Photo courtesy of London Environmental Network
Fundraiser for 4H Beef Club successful
By Nancy Abra
Last Friday, June 2, Thorndale Farm Supplies (TFS) hosted a barbecue lunch at their facility for the Thorndale 4-H Beef Club fundraiser.
TFS supplied the burgers, sausages, hotdogs and pop with Pat and Jane Elliott supplying all the buns and the chocolate milk.
Approximately 200 area residents and the staff of many local businesses came out to purchase their lunch in support of the 4-H Beef Club. The club also had available a table of baked goods and sweet treats for people to purchase as well.
The Thorndale 4-H Beef Club, which began in 2014, consists of 20 members, ages 9-21. This club is part of the multiple 4H clubs in Middlesex County that provide a platform for young people to
unlock their potential, learn by doing, develop lifelong skills and cultivate the community leaders for the future. For more information, visit https://4-hontario.ca/association/middlesex-4-h-association/.
“This barbecue is a major fundraiser for our club which will help support our educational program in the beef industry and in the broad agricultural industry as well,” said 4-H Beef Club volunteer leader Paula Chowen. “This has been a great turnout.”
“We’re happy to support the local 4-H club as these members and their families are an important part to our agricultural community,” added Meghan Williamson of Thorndale Farm Supplies, who organized the barbecue fundraiser.
“We look forward to seeing these 4-H members showing their calves at the Thorndale Fair in September.”
Thorndale Farm Supplies hosted a fundraiser barbecue June 2 in support of the Thorndale 4-H Beef Club. Photo courtesy of Thorndale Farm Supplies
HOSTING UKRAINE: Dear residents of St. Marys
By VJ Knutson
The day after the wedding of Tanya and Mat, Sonia Waind held a gathering for the ladies of her Tuesday conversation circle. The occasion would also serve as a send-off for one of our beloved Ukrainians, Vita.
Vita’s daughter, Alona had messaged me asking if I could include a letter from her mother in the column. “She wants to say she was very happy in Canada, but she needs to be in Ukraine with her husband to celebrate the Victory. It’s coming,” Alona wrote.
“Dear Residents of St Marys,” Vita writes. “I have been living in your beautiful town for a whole year. The level of my English doesn’t allow me to tell you how much I am grateful to you for this fabulous year. I want to thank everyone who was present in my life during this time. I really hope not to forget someone, because I constantly feel your support and help for us.
VJ was the first to open the door of your town for us. She became, for all of us, our second mother. We always felt her care.
June and Murray Grant opened the door of their home to my children back in 2022. They not only helped them get back on their feet and find a job, they also helped them put down
roots and integrate into the local community. They have been watching us with care and patience all the time and came to our support in difficult moments. June and Murray are our guardian angels and we consider them family.
As for me, personally, the first person who gave me a helping hand was the manager of Gilly’s Pubhouse, Miguel.
I am grateful that he hired me without knowledge of English, without work experience, and took care of me like a small child for the first time. And then he placed me in the capable hands of
my favourite cook, Cosmo. At the time, he was the only one among the locals who could understand me.
Working with him, now, is a pleasure for me. I go to work with joy. Cosmo, I thank you very much for everything you have done for me!
Unfortunately, my English does not allow me to remember the names of all my colleagues. Please know that I am grateful to everyone and would like to hug you all.
I fell in love with Sonia’s classes. Sonia spends her personal time offering English classes for free. These class-
es are a part of our lives and a place for pleasant conversation. I will miss these lessons at home in Ukraine.
I don’t even know the names of the people who gave me the bicycle (Doug Betteridge). It really helped me to see the beautiful places of St Marys and fall in love with them even more.
We have the best neighbours in the world. They helped us so much in our life that we can’t even remember everything. Please know your kindness and patience were boundless. I will always remember it.
With love and gratitude, Vita.”
Vita’s last day will be July 7. We shall miss her. Alona adds how proud of her mom she is.
“She learns the language, attends events and classes, goes to the swimming pool. She definitely has something to tell her friends in Ukraine.” Safe travels, Vita. We look forward to your next visit.
On another note: Watch for the opening celebration of ODB Gluten Free baked goods on Saturday, June 29. Join Vira and friends after 11:00 a.m. outside Troyer’s Spices at 110 Queen St E.
Until next time.
(Reach me at english.knutson@gmail. com)
Sonia's Celebration. Contributed photos
COLUMN
By Lauren Eedy
After last week’s heat wave and desperately trying to keep most indoor heating elements off, here are some dishes to assemble that are light, refreshing and require minimal time slaving over a stovetop that are also perfect for Canada Day celebrations.
Honey ricotta peach crostini with crispy pancetta
Prep: 15 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Serves: 16 16 baguette slices
2 tbsp olive oil
4 oz. thinly sliced pancetta
1 cup whole milk ricotta (or burrata)
1 tbsp local honey
2 large peaches, thinly sliced ¼ cup balsamic glaze
¼ cup thinly sliced basil
Method:
- Prepare the crostini: lightly brush both sides of baguette slices with olive oil and set aside.
- Preheat the grill: grill bread on each side (1-2 minutes) until golden and
crispy. Transfer to a platter and set aside.
- *An alternative to the fresh peaches would also be to grill them.
- In a small skillet, cook the pancetta over med-high heat for 3-4 minutes and continue to cook until crispy. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and allow to cool.
- Spread 1 tbsp ricotta mixture onto each crostini. Top each crostini with a few slices of peaches. Divide crispy pancetta evenly among crostini.
- Drizzle with balsamic glaze, sprinkle with thinly sliced basil. Serve immediately.
Watermelon strawberry caprese salad
The best summer recipe that kids will love. Nice side for a barbecue and features both the colours of Canada!
Total time: 20 minutes; Serves: 4
2 cups sliced strawberries
3 cups cubed watermelon
1 cup chopped fresh mozzarella
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ cup torn fresh basil
Method:
- In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, watermelon and cheese. Drizzle with
olive oil, toss gently. Season with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with basil and serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Strawberry cream cake
Connotations to strawberry shortcake often served for Canada Day, minimal baking time for the cakes; ready in only 30 minutes. I’m thinking the weather this week will be more forgiving than last.
Serves: 12-16
Basic Two-Egg Butter Cake:
1 and 3/4 cup white spelt flour (low in gluten)
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ c unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs at room temperature
Whipped Cream Filling: 473 mL whipping cream
2/3 cup confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Strawberries:
1 pint of local strawberries, use as many as you want!
Method:
- Preheat oven to 375° F, butter two eight-inch baking pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds, butter lightly and sprinkle with flour. Tip: Dollarama
sells parchment rounds.
- For the cake: sift all the dry ingredients together and set aside. Combine milk and vanilla.
- Cream the butter until light and gradually add the sugar, scraping the bowl once and continuing until light and fluffy. Add the eggs individually and beat well.
- Slowly mix in with dry ingredients in thirds with milk and vanilla in between. Beat until just smooth, trying not to overmix. Use spatula to scrape the bowl and fold everything together.
- Divide the mixture in half into prepared pans. Rap on the counter three times so bubbles come to the surface. Place pans in centre rack of oven and bake for 22 minutes, or until cakes pull slightly away from the sides and tops are springy.
- Cool the cakes in pans on wire racks for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of each pan and invert cakes onto the wire racks. Gingerly remove parchment paper and turn cakes right side up to finish cooling.
- Whip the cream until it just starts to thicken. Add the vanilla and gradually sprinkle in confectioner’s sugar. Continue whipping until its thick and spreadable with a soft consistency.
- Cut washed strawberries in halves or into thick slices.
- To assemble: Use a little more than half the cream on the top of the first layer, starting about an inch away from the edge. Add strawberries. Add the second layer, repeat the same as first layer with more strawberries. Enjoy!
This Strawberry cream cake is perfect for Canada Day. Photo by Lauren Eedy
Riddles
Why did the cowboy die with his boots on?
Because he didn’t want to stub his toe when he kicked the bucket
What did the fireman’s wife get for Christmas?
A ladder in her stocking
What lies at the bottom of the sea and shivers?
A nervous wreck
What do you call an American drawing?
Yankee doodle
Have you ever seen a man eating tiger?
No, but in the cafe next door I once saw a man eating
chicken
What do cannibals eat for breakfast?
Buttered host
What do you call a cat with eight legs that likes to swim?
An octopuss
What is the best way to communicate with a fish?
Drop it a line
What do you call Rodents that play Hockey? ‘
Rink Rats’ Why do Hummingbirds hum?
They’ve never learned the words
Riddle Kid
CANADA DAY IN ST. MARYS
TONS
Just like in winter, when freezing temperatures can be harmful to your dog’s paws, searing-hot pavements also pose a threat. You can test the temperature of the ground by carefully placing the back of your hand on it. If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for him!
COLUMN
OH, THE PLACES WE’LL GO: Fresh lobster, thump
By Paul Knowles
Every visitor to Petty Harbour – well, every Canadian music lover, at least – wants to know which of the houses in the Newfoundland coastal community was home to Alan Doyle. Every guide and every local resident will point to the white and green house.
But if that’s all you come to Petty Harbour for, you are missing a terrific day in a charming and vibrant community. There is actually a surprising amount of choice in a community of less than 1,000 inhabitants – everything from hiking and zip-lining to shopping and heading out on an ocean excursion.
My time in Petty Harbour was divided between a sea voyage and eating, and then shopping in a venerable gift store, and eating, and making a thump mat out of a lengthy piece of rope – and eating.
Petty Harbour is home to a nonprofit social enterprise called Fishing for Success, headquartered right on the water in the Island Rooms of Petty Harbour.
These rooms, by the way, are cabins located all along the
harbour used for everything related to fishing – twine stores, salt stores and more. There are also stages – roughhewn outdoor docks where fish are processed.
In this case, the rooms occupied by Fishing for Success are used for crafts, equipment storage, educational sessions and food preparation (did I mention I ate?).
Kimberly Orren is co-founder of Fishing for Success, an organization with a number of goals. One is to give Newfoundland children hands-on experience around fishing and the crafts that go with it. She laughs that their program may involve taking kids out on the ocean in small boats, and then giving them knives to filet the fish.
“But kids need risky activities,” she says.
I tell her I agree.
Kimberly, a former teacher, and her colleagues, including story-loving Captain Leo, also offer programs to tourists and other visitors, individually and in groups, and the income from those events fund the educational programs for kids.
And I can tell you firsthand that those events are terrific. We suited up in warm coats and life jackets and headed out to sea in a small boat called Grace. On the ocean, we followed a lobster-fishing boat and watched the two-person crew haul up lobster traps and display their catches.
They also had smaller denizens of the sea in the traps and since we were close at
hand, they tossed them to us to examine before we returned them to the water. So, I can say I caught a sea star – although it was in the air, not the water, when I caught it!
We returned to the Rooms, where Kimberly showed us how to make thump mats – a decorative rope creation that was once of very practical use, used to protect the decks of ships.
As we wove, the Fishing for Success team brought us food – crab salad, fish chowder, homemade partridge berry muffins and, finally, large chunks of the very same lobster we had watched the lobster fishers catch an hour or so earlier. Amazing!
I also visited Herbie’s Olde Shoppe, a general store in Petty Harbour that was built in 1933 and has operated continuously ever since. Today, RhodieAnne Woodland is a co-owner. Between serving customers, she works at her beloved rug hooking and tells stories about the late founder and the Petty Harbour community she loves.
Everything in the eclectic shop is made by Newfoundlanders including models and stainedglass images of the famed Newfoundland Mummers. Mummering is the Christmas-time tradition of visiting neighbours in disguise.
And I believe I mentioned food? On a second visit to Petty Harbour, we dined at the popular Chafe’s Landing Seafood Eatery where I sampled the excellent fish chowder, but then moved on to another Newfoundland
mats, mummers and a linguistic lesson
staple. I mowed down a mooseburger accompanied by a local beer, since Newfoundland is now replete with craft breweries.
And you can’t visit Petty Harbour without spending some time strolling along the harbour capturing pictures of the boats named for family members, the colourful rooms and the green hills rising high on all sides.
Petty Harbour is less than a 20-minute drive from St. John’s, but it’s an entire world away. Both communities are well worth visits. I’ll be writing a lot about St. John’s in subsequent weeks but to get a feel for traditional Newfoundland, conveniently near the capital, Petty Harbour is ideal. It is still a working fishing centre with fishers catching lobster, crab and even cod during the food-fishery season which al-
lows each boat to catch up to 15 cod.
Oh, and in Petty Harbour, I learned that when a Newfoundlander refers to fish, he or she doesn’t mean any random kind of fish. Fish on the Rock is cod and nothing but cod. Everything else will be called by its proper name –halibut, for instance.
And if you are after trout in the streams of Newfoundland, you aren’t fishing, you are “troutin’.” Ah, you gotta love Newfoundland and Labrador, and Petty Harbour is a great place to get very near the heart of this island province.
Paul Knowles is an author and travel writer, and President of the Travel Media Association of Canada. To contact Paul about travel, his books, or speaking engagements, email pknowles@ golden.net.
Up close and personal with a sea star... which was soon returned to its natural habitat. Photos by Paul Knowles
Kimberly Orren of Fishing for Success.
IN MEMORIAM Mountain
In loving memory of John Mountain (LL.B., MBA) 1956-2018
With so little to be sure of in this world, We had a moment, A marvellous moment!
IN MEMORIAM Smith
In loving memory of David Smith August 22nd 1955 - June 21, 2016
Always loved, never forgotten, forever missed. We will always remember your smile, your laugh and the love you shared with us. You will forever be in the thoughts of all your family and friends.
THANK YOU Frayne
We would like to thank everyone who came out to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary open house. Thank you very much for the gift cards, gifts, messages and cards. A special thanks to our family Michael, Kelly, Mark and Cortney. To our grandchildren Regan (Lucan), Devanne, Brier, Ella and Nora. Everything is so appreciated. All of our Love
Ed and Jean Frayne
OBITUARY
Swainson
Lawrence William “Bill” Swainson It is with profound sadness and love that we announce the passing of Lawrence William “Bill” Swainson, age 76, of St. Marys. Bill passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Saturday, June 22, 2024 at University Hospital, London.
Bill was born in Parry Sound, Ontario, February 14, 1948, son of the late Robert and Isabel (Knowles) Swainson. Beloved and devoted husband to his wife and sidekick of 50 years, Carolyn (Mullen) Swainson. Proud Dad to the late Amanda Swainson and Erin “Turk” Swaison-Brickman (Peter Brickman) and dotting Papa to Brinsley Brickman, his best buddy. Bill will also be greatly missed by his extended family and many friends.
Bill drove transport truck for 44 years and loved it. He drove many years in Northern Ontario, raising his family and living in Sudbury. Later in life, he relocated to Southern Ontario, where Bill and Carolyn then retired in St. Marys.
In his younger years, Bill had a passion for motorcycles, snow machines, water skiing on lake Rosseau, cars, fishing and country music. He enjoyed sports, particularly spending countless hours at the rink with Erin and then at the ballpark with Brinsley. Bill grew to love Standardbred Harness racing and shared a passion for everything about it. He even shared ownership of a race horse with his daughter Erin. He loved to spend quality hours in the barn and helping hay. Bill hardly ever missed a race when Erin, Peter and Brinsley were racing; they have lost their biggest fan.
Bill was one of the funniest people you could have ever met, there was always a “Billism” to be said and a belly laugh to be had. He made friends wherever he went, his laughter and smile brought warmth to every heart he touched. He loved those closest to him with a love and openness that made them better people.
Thank you to the staff and doctors at University Hospital, London for their outstanding care. To the numerous specialists in London that cared for Bill for many years, thank you. A heartfelt special thank you to, Dr. Charles “Chuck” Gatfield who has gone above and beyond for Bill and his family; we are truly grateful.
Family and friends are invited to a celebration of Bill’s life in the Reception Centre of the W.G. Young Funeral Home, 430 Huron Street, Stratford on Sunday, July 7, 2024 from 1-3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Lung Association of Canada, the Diabetes Association of Canada and the St. Marys Memorial Hospital Foundation.
Are You A Newcomer To The St. Marys Area?
OBITUARY
Millson
Ruth Millson (Harding) passed away peacefully on June 21, 2024 at Sakura House Hospice, just shy of her 96th birthday. She leaves her children Pat & Gord Jones, Barb & Lee Jukes, Dave & Sue Millson and Sue & Dave Beaudry, 10 grandchildren and spouses, 18 great-grandchildren and sister-in-law Pauline Robertson as well as many nieces and nephews.
After leaving her teaching career Ruth partnered with her husband, Glen as bookkeeper for his contracting business. Ruth was devoted to her family, friends and church, giving help and support wherever needed. She leaves us all with a legacy of wisdom, love, solid character, generosity, faith and many happy memories. She was loved and respected and will be greatly missed.
Family and friends are invited to the ST. MARYS UNITED CHURCH, 85 Church St. S., St. Marys, on Thursday, June 27, 2024 for visitation from 1pm until the time of the Funeral Service at 2 pm officiated by Rev. Robert Lawson. A video of the service will be taken and posted afterwards on the funeral home website. Interment in St. Marys Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the St. Marys United Church, Canadian Cancer Society or VON Sakura House. Arrangements entrusted to the Andrew L. Hodges Funeral Home, St. Marys (519-284-2820) with online condolences at www.hodgesfuneralhome. ca.
THE WEEK AHEAD
PRC & Friendship Centre events – See the Stonetown Crier on Page 5
St. Marys Public Library events – See Page 29
Friday, Jun 28
- St. Marys Quarry and Super Splash park open for the season – 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Friends of the Library Spring book sale at the Lind Sportsplex – 11 am to 5 pm
- A.N.A.F. meat draw – 6 p.m.
Saturday, June 29
- St. Marys Farmers Market at Milt Dunnell Field – 8 a.m. to Noon
- Friends of the Library Spring book sale at the Lind Sportsplex – 11 am to 5 pm
- Royal Canadian Legion meat draw – 5 p.m. Monday, July 1
- Canada Day parade – Departs from the PUC at 11 a.m.
- Canada Day celebration at Cadzow Park – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
SPONSORED BY: McDonald’s St. Marys 752 Queen St E Founding and
COLUMN
Straight from the Shelves
By Laura McAsh, St. Marys Public Library
Help us celebrate the start of a new county-wide literary event: Perth County Reads! Fill out a ballot at the Library to be entered to win a free copy of this year’s top secret book! Enter up until June 29 and stay tuned for the announcement of the book’s title on July 1. Keep an eye out for upcoming programs related to this book and check out our display of read-a-likes.
This Week’s Recommendation
While we can’t reveal the title of this year’s Perth County Reads selection quite yet, we can whet your appetite by telling you a handful of tidbits about the novel. It is:
• Less than two years old
• Written by a Canadian author
• Adult fiction
• A story that starts with a plane crash
Has your interest been piqued? All will be revealed July 1!
Up This Week
Friday, June 28: FOL Spring Book Sale^ (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Saturday, June 29: Dungeons and Dragons (10:30 a.m.), FOL Spring Book Sale^ (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Monday, July 1: CLOSED
Tuesday, July 2: Cooking Club* (10:30 a.m.)
Wednesday, July 3: EarlyON Play and Read (9:3010:30 a.m.), Mahjong Intro (1-2 p.m.), Mahjong! (2-4 p.m.)
Thursday, July 4: Open 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
*Registration Required
^Held at the Lind Sportsplex “The Quarry” (425 Water St., St. Marys)
LOOKING BACK At the Quarry
25 years ago (1999)
By Amy Cubberley
Nixon, Dr. Karl Weselan and Dr. Reem Amayem
Ph: 519-284-2660 | www.stmarysdentalclinic.com
Jenny McDonald and Sarah Agar of St. Marys are flying to New York to see Canada’s Women’s soccer team play Russia Saturday in the World Cup. The girls saved for the trip for six months and are very excited to be going.
Three youths are facing possible charges after a fire hydrant near the high school was opened last Friday afternoon. Luckily, the fire chief was nearby and was able to quickly seal the hydrant. With the help of an observer and high school staff, three youths were apprehended and are facing possible mischief charges.
50 years ago (1974)
The megalopolis of St. Pauls, population 29, will host the All Ontario Junior Ladies Fastball Elimination Tournament over the next long weekend. Quite a feather in the cap for the sporting village to our north.
TUE – FRI 3PM - CLOSE (approx 5pm
SAT NOON - CLOSE (after meat draw)
SUN & MON - CLOSED
New signs indicating “minimum depth 15 feet” have recently been placed at the local swim quarry. Stonetown residents are well acquainted with quarry depth, but new warning signs certainly seem a good idea insofar as outside visitors are concerned.
75 years ago (1949)
Through the good offices of Brigadier J.S. Lind, the local swimming quarry pool got a real boost forward the past week. The big bulldozer used to clear the Cement Company Quarry floor of tons of rock and rubble was supplied with its driver gratis to the committee in charge of the quarry swimming pool development and as a result, a four-acre patch of rough ground on the opposite side of Water Street from the pool was levelled in a one-day operation. This will eventually be an ideal parking spot for the hundreds of cars which visit the quarry on weekends.
Miss Shirley Cull, a student at the University of Western Ontario, is traveling to Vermont this summer to be a campcraft and nature instructor at Kinni-Kinnie camp.
100 years ago (1924)
New Hamburg and St. Marys tennis enthusiasts held a tournament on the local courts on Monday evening. The results of the singles were in favor of two of the local players. C. Hobbs winning from W. Fox, and W. Graham tying with O.H. Becker.
Mr. Robert Roxborough, farmer of St. Pauls, while sawing wood on Monday was unfortunate in having his hand come in contact with the circular saw, one finger being taken off. Mr. Roxborough is a brother of Mrs. William Frayne, Jones Street East. Sanitary Inspector Gibb has shared that complaints are many in regard to the sewer gas nuisance and if citizens generally do not cooperate with the health department in dealing with this nauseating condition, he will be forced to take action against offenders with illegal cesspools.
Wanted
$ Cash Paid $ for your RECORDS and LPs. Jazz, Blues, Rock, Pop, Fold, Soundtracks, and more. Selectively buying CDs, Cassettes, Turntables, and Stereo Equipment. For more information: Diamond Dogs Music 114 Ontario St. Stratford/ 226-972-5750
Wanted
A working camcorder that will play Hi-8 digital tapes. Phone 519-284-3774
Wanted 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. Call or text Stan anytime 519-868-3814.
Wanted
I will pay cash for antiques and collectibles. Coca Cola, Pepsi or any pop company. Brewery items - Kuntz, Huether Labatts, etc. Old radios and gramophones, wristwatches, pocket watches, old fruit jars - Beaver Star, Bee Hive etc. Any old oil cans and signs - Red Indian, Supertest etc. Any small furniture. If you are moving or cleaning out stuff please contact me519-570-6920.
Trees
Shade trees, Fruit trees, Apple, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Sweet and Sour Cherries, Apricot, Nectarines, Blueberry, Haskopp, Black Chokeberry, Grapes etc.
Lots of Spruce, Pine, Cedars for windbreaks and privacy hedges, Sizes 1 to 6+.
Flowering shrubs and much more.
Come check us out Mon-Sat 7:00am - 6:00pm Martin's Nursery 42661 Orangehill Road Wroxeter (1 concession north of Wroxeter on Belmore Line)
HELP WANTED
ACCOUNTING ADMINISTRATOR
We are a heavy civil contractor looking for an experienced Accounting Administrator to join our team. This is a full time position working in our St. Marys, Ontario o ce
Experience & Quali cations:
• Post-secondary education in Bookkeeping or Business / Accounting required
• 5+ years of bookkeeping experience required
• Experience with unionized payroll preferred
• Experience with Trimble Construction 1 / Viewpoint would be a de nite asset
• Excellent organization skills and strong attention to detail
Duties & Responsibilities:
• Process unionized payroll, Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable transactions
• Responsible for all government remittances (incl. HST, payroll, WSIB)
• Reconcile bank statements and general ledger accounts; Post journal entries
• Assist with month-end procedures, preparation of reports, budgets & forecasts
• Ensure accuracy of all nancial transactions
• Maintain a high level of con dentiality
Salary & Compensation:
• $65,000 to $75,000.
• Bene t package including dental, extended health care and life insurance
Please submit resume to cdeneve@mcleantaylor.com with “Accounting Administrator” in the subject line.
