They rejected it the first time and shared their unease with it again two weeks ago. Now, Norfolk councillors will be officially sending their opposition to the strong mayor powers the Province has conferred to the municipality.
Councillors supported a motion by Coun. Kim Huffman to send a letter to Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack with a copy going to Premier Doug Ford regarding the recent decision at Queen’s Park to give the powers to the mayors of 170 municipalities in Ontario.
“I do not support the strong mayor powers. I feel they’re not democratic,” she said in introducing the motion.
It was a sentiment shared by others.
“Why have eight elected councillors sitting around the table if you give the power to the mayor? To me it’s a mockery of democracy,” said Coun. Michael Columbus.
Huffman’s motion originally called “staff to prepare and send correspondence to Premier Doug Ford indicating that Norfolk County does not require Strong Mayor Powers and respectfully request an exemption from the associated provincial directive.”
Coun. Adam Veri suggested a small amendment to remove the word “respectfully.”
Nancy and Larry Lester of Tillsonburg walked in their 27th MS Walk on May 25, joining the 25th Simcoe-Norfolk MS Walk in Simcoe.
This year, soon to be 74-year-old
Nancy projected her fundraising total to be about $9,000, with a chance to reach $10,000. She is nearing the quarter million mark since her first MS Walk.
“At the beginning of this year, it was $233,000,” her husband Larry noted.
“And she wants to make $250,000 by next year.”
“That’s my goal,” Nancy nodded. “I might make it yet this year, it’s hard to say.”
“She’ll be 75 and she wants to retire,” Larry added with a smile.
Donations can be made to Sim-
(CHRIS ABBOTT PHOTO)
Kathy Smith, left, joined Nancy and Larry Lester to walk in the
May 25 in Simcoe.
Simcoe-Norfolk MS Walk marks 25 years
coe-Norfolk MS Walk participants up to four weeks after May 25.
“This is really close to my heart and I’ve got a lot of supporters,” said Nancy, who was diagnosed with MS at the age of 47 and started walking in London because she was first treated there.
“The first year we did this in London, we saw what the top fundraiser had raised,” said Larry. “I said, ‘I think we can do that.’ So we did. So we have been looking for that $10,000 plateau every year.”
In recent years, Nancy and Larry have been walking in the Simcoe-Norfolk event because they have family in the area. On the 25th, they planned to walk the 2-km route.
“Unless I get really energetic,” Nancy laughed. “No, I’m going to say 2km.”
Brenda Walraven, from the village of Boston, captained the new MSing Around team in honour of her son Travis Clarkson, 30, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
“He was having issues with mobility and his ankle, to
the point where he couldn’t even really walk. They did a bunch of testing, thinking it was his spine, narrowed it down… and it was MS. It was a shock.
“It’s awesome here today,” said Walraven at the Legion preparing for the 5-km MS Walk, although she said the 2-km might be a better option. “A lot of enthusiasm in the room.”
“Great energy today,” said David Horton, chair of the Grand Erie chapter of the MS Society of Canada and organizer of the 25th Simcoe-Norfolk MS Walk.
“I know that the dollar value we have raised is getting very close to our target,” said Horton. “And by the end of the day when we finish counting, and in another month, I think we’ll be there.
“The weather couldn’t be better today,” Horton smiled. “Lucky people.”
More than 1,600 volunteers contributed to MS Walks across the country on May 25, said Simcoe-Norfolk MS Walk volunteer Robin Beasley.
“Your energy, kindness and commitment has created the
welcoming and supportive atmosphere that defines MS Walks,” said Beasley.
“You are part of something bigger,” said Alan Duthie, Ward 5 Councillor, speaking to participants on behalf of Mayor Amy Martin and Norfolk County Council. “Almost 25 years in the making, almost $1 million is pretty incredible. So thank you for that.”
Duthie noted the 2025 Simcoe-Norfolk Walk was on track to raise more than $50,000.
“It’s just wonderful. Bravo, thank you for being here. It’s such an important cause and I look forward to seeing the results.”
Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Bobbi Ann Brady also thanked the organizers and all of the participants.
“Thank you! Thank you for putting one foot in front of the other to raise those monies so necessary for the vital research to help slow the progression of MS,” said Brady, “and I am confident that all of this passion and all of this hard work will one day have us coming together to celebrate the cure… and I can’t wait for that day.
“We all have family, friends who are afflicted with MS, and we know how difficult those days can be, not only for that person, but for their family. As they say, ‘it always takes a village’ and coming together and showing that support for the families that we love so much and those 90,000 people across Canada is so very important.
“Almost $1 million in 25 years is indeed something to celebrate, but I do look forward to that day when we can celebrate the cure,” Brady concluded. “Until then, get out there, enjoy the sunshine.”
Chris@granthaven.com
Norfolk reiterates opposition to strong mayor powers
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“We do not want it, we never wanted it. We said ‘no’ once, we’re saying ‘no’ again,” he said.
The strong mayors powers were initially tied with the push to get more housing built in the province and offered up additional funding opportunities for municipalities that took up the offer. More recently, the Province has simply given the powers to several municipalities, though much of the additional power is directly or indirectly tied to the more housing mandate.
Coun. Linda Vandendriessche said Norfolk can achieve its housing targets with or without the strong mayor powers.
Several municipalities have voiced their opposition to the move, and Norfolk also voted to circulate the letter staff draft to towns and cities throughout the province.
The 25th Simcoe-Norfolk MS fundraising total, announced just before noon, was $52,368, and it is expected to grow over the next few weeks.
(CHRIS ABBOTT PHOTOS)
Haldimand-Norfolk
Bobbi Ann Brady
“The role of a leader is not to come up with all the great ideas. The role of a leader is to create an environment in which great ideas can happen.” – Simon Sinek (author) I am like a broken record that there should be no monopoly on a good idea, especially when it comes to ideas that are best for you, and sometimes that means I stand with the government, but I also stand with opposition members as well. A good idea is a good idea… period.
Good ideas coming out of Queen’s Park Government may need to fix Canada Post
I’ll start with the government’s Bill 2, the Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act, 2025, which was before the Finance Committee. Oh yes, I’ve been reappointed to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. As the title infers, this legislation will make Ontario’s economy more competitive and open to trade and investment by removing trade barriers with other provinces and territories. The bill centres on mutual recognition, with reciprocating jurisdictions, of goods and services, the expansion of labour mobility, and the enabling of direct-to-consumer sales of alcohol products. In short, it will allow an electrician in Alberta to come to Ontario and work without all the red tape and duplication. It will hopefully ensure the contents of a first aid kit in Ontario is the same as every other Canadian jurisdiction.
Tearing down inter-provincial trade barriers is something that should have been done long ago; therefore, I
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commend the government on this legislation, and I will be voting in favour of it. I did support four amendments to the bill brought forward by the NDP – amendments I felt would strengthen the bill and make it better for you; however, the government said the legislation is fine the way it is written. We shall see. If we get it right, Bill 2 could be a pivotal moment in Ontario’s economic history.
Part way through the week I supported my colleague Wayne Gates and his call, via a motion, to establish the Ontario Caregiver Support Benefit - a direct monthly support payment for unpaid caregivers. I am hearing stories locally of families struggling and facing financial hardship because they are providing care to a loved one, whether it be a family member with Alzheimer’s/dementia, a physical or developmental disability, or an illness. I have heard from countless families who are not receiving the necessary supports due to government underfunding and labour shortages in certain sectors.
The way I see it, if government cannot fix the critical systems that support Ontario’s most vulnerable, then it is time we change gears.
When homecare doesn’t show up for example, many times a loved one has to call their employer to take the day off work to look after their loved one. If families knew that they had $1,000 coming in per month, they could make financial decisions and would not leave employers in a lurch.
There would be more consistency with work-related time off if families knew what they were dealing with in terms of having a backstop in the form of reliable funding or income.
The fiscal conservative in me appreciates that in this bill every dollar benefitting caregivers adds up to $2.69 in savings in the province’s long-term care budget and would replace 7.8 per cent of the beds in long-term care, which is a savings of $300 million for Ontario.
I am back to Queen’s Park for one last week before we break for the summer. It will be a busy one undoubtedly as the government moves bills through the House, and me, I will continue to table motions, speak up on your behalf, and look for policy items beneficial to you.
Recently, there was a big internet outage in parts of Ontario and Quebec. For a couple of hours over 100,000 customers couldn’t get online to log into their e-mail, do their jobs or read the latest news. The company figured out the issue, rolled back the problem program and things returned to normal.
Two hours may not seem like a long time, but for those who depend on a reliable internet connection, their worlds ground to a halt. Had it gone on for even a couple of days, the government might have stepped in to fix the situation whether the company or its employees thought it was appropriate or not.
Now imagine the reaction if the outage lasted over a month before the federal government did anything to address it. What if, only five months later, the same issues cropped up again? Do you think the government would just stand by and let the company and its workers sort it out? Prime Minister Mark Carney would make a big show of fixing the issue, not to protect the corporation or its staff, but rather to protect the Canadians who rely upon what is an essential part of modern life.
So then why is the government staying hands off when it comes to the future of Canada Post?
There are those who see mail delivery as a quaint anachronism. For many, it represents nothing but bills and junk mail. However, while Canada Post isn’t what
it used to be, to pretend that it’s not a vital part of the country’s informational infrastructure is as wrongheaded as believing that it’s as busy as it was 20 years ago. Canada has large, populated swaths that lack reliable internet service and cannot be economically reached by private couriers. Are those Canadians less important than those who live in more built-up areas? Then there are items – newspapers included – that, even in areas with private delivery options, cannot be affordably distributed outside of Canada Post. Should Canadians be deprived of often their only source of truly local news because they live in rural or remote areas or in multifamily dwellings?
As important as the postal system is, it needs to evolve to deal with economic realities. The newspaper business and all those who work within it have had to adjust to changing times, and Canada Post and its workers need to do the same.
Yes, it would be better for everyone if Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers figured it out for themselves. However, if they can’t, the government must make the fixes needed to ensure long-term stability of the postal system.
Two hours without internet may seem like an eternity, but a bankrupt and collapsed post office would actually be for eternity.
Indigenous art exhibition opens at Lynnwood Arts
LISA TIMPF Advocate Contributor
A multi-layered art exhibition including works by local Indigenous artists and collaborative pieces created with students kicked off at Lynnwood Arts on May 15.
Titled “Tewanhotonkwas: We Open Doors,” the exhibition is the fourth annual Indigenous Art Show, and the event “keeps growing,” according to Chris Rait, Arts Consultant for the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board.
As part of the program leading up to the art show, the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board rented the back rooms of the Lynnwood Arts Centre, then bussed students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 to Lynnwood to participate in workshops led by Indigenous artists. Each of the participating artists conducted four workshops.
“One special thing about this art exhibit is that the students co-create with the artist,” Rait said. “They do a collaborative piece.”
Some of the displays include the contributions of over 100 students.
Dallas Squire, an artist whose workshops focus on traditional Indigenous games, said that he found the workshop participants enthusiastic.
“We discuss who the Six Nations are, and
how the games are connected to culture. It’s very interactive.”
Squire noted that many of the students “already know quite a bit” about Indigenous culture. He added that the response from the students is “overwhelmingly positive - they don’t want to leave. When you combine games with education, it’s a great combination.”
In Squire’s workshops, the students made “peach pit” games as well as bone-and-toggle games. Squire noted that these games show you don’t need a screen or a computer to have fun. Bone-and-toggle devices created by students were part of the art display. Student-created works in other sections of the exhibition included beadwork, ribbon skirts, and paintings.
The exhibition opening included a land acknowledgement and a traditional thanksgiving address.
Norfolk Councillor Doug Brunton, offering greetings on behalf of the County, noted that the exhibition was “more than an art showcase - it’s an opportunity to honour the voices of Indigenous artists.”
Kevin Greco, Superintendent of Education for the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic School Board, said that the We Open Doors exhibition is aligned with efforts to provide a welcoming, affirmative, and inclusive environment that honours Indigenous voices. He thanked Lynnwood Arts for their ongoing partnership and hos-
pitality, and thanked “the artists who make this possible.”
A representative from RBC, one of the program’s sponsors, also offered a welcome to event guests.
The evening’s agenda included performances by the Six Nations Women Singers and Hoop Dancer Ascension Harjo.
In addition to Dallas Squire, Indigenous artists participating in the workshops and exhibition included Shayde Sandy, whose works focus on identity and experience, stone carver Eric Martin, beading artist Savannah Skye-Smith, mixed media artist Michael Barber, and seamstress and beading artist Lindsay Martin.
There was also a silent auction, with proceeds going to ArtsCan Circle to assist in providing musical instruments and art supplies to Indigenous youth in remote communities.
The exhibition displays pieces by the individual Indigenous artists as well as collaborative works made with students who attended the workshops. The exhibition is wide-ranging, including sculptures, dream catchers, ribbon skirts, beadwork, paintings, and traditional games made from natural materials. There are even hands-on elements, as visitors are invited to try out bone-and-toggle and “peach pit” games.
The We Open Doors exhibition runs until Sept. 13 at Lynnwood Arts, 21 Lynnwood Avenue, Simcoe.
Shayde Sandy's vibrant, sunset-inspired works are created in various media. This collaborative piece, which includes student works, explores identity and experience.
(GINETTE PIEPER PHOTOS)
‘Reach for the Stars’ is among the displays at the Tewanhotonkwas: We Open Doors art exhibit currently running at Lynnwood Arts. Reach for the Stars was beaded by Savannah Skye-Smith.
Carving is one of the art forms included in the Tewanhotonkwas: We Open Doors art exhibit at Lynnwood Arts in Simcoe. This carving is one of several completed by Eric Martin, a self-taught artist.
Integrity commissioner investigations to be launched
LUKE EDWARDS Advocate Correspondent
Photos of confidential documents that appeared on Facebook earlier this year were not leaked by a Norfolk County staff or council member, a joint investigation launched by Norfolk and Haldimand County has found.
CAOs for both municipalities agreed to launch the third party investigation after it came to the attention of Haldimand County CAO Cathy Case that the documents were posted to a Facebook group page in late February during the provincial election.
The original Facebook post said it was a Norfolk staffer who leaked the documents. The investigator concluded that was not the case.
“The emails were printed by someone from Haldimand County,” a report by the investigator said.
Martin thanked both Case and Norfolk CAO Al Meneses for launching the investigation.
“In an era of strong mayor powers you both had the courage to do what is right to ensure the integrity of our municipal corporation was maintained regardless of what those findings may be,” said Martin.
From the start, Martin said she was confident Norfolk staff had acted responsibly.
“I never had a doubt and I want to thank our staff for their dedication and commitment,” she said.
In Haldimand, meanwhile, councillors there voted to request an integrity commissioner investigation based on what the initial investigation revealed. The integrity commissioner reviews code of conduct complaints against members of council, in this case the focus will be on Mayor Shelley Ann Bentley.
The initial investigation concluded the documents were printed by Kendle Columbus, Bentley’s assistant.
However, it failed to conclude several relevant questions, including: why Bentley asked for the documents to be printed; with whom, if anyone, she shared the documents; who took the photos of the documents that ultimately appeared on Facebook; whether they were leaked intentionally or accidentally; and who else had the documents between the time she had them printed until they
Weekend Quiz
By Jake Grant
1. What year did Ontario switch to 4-letter, 3-number license plates?
2. How many World Series titles does the Toronto Blue Jays have?
3. Big Ben is located beside the Palace of what?
4. Which great ruler’s tomb was kept secret by killing the builders and their executioners?
5. What video game character is blue and is a hedgehog?
6. Who could spin straw into gold?
7. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman co-starred in what 1995 film?
Where did pomegranates primarily originate from?
appeared on Facebook.
According to the investigation, Bentley hired a lawyer and refused to answer questions after requesting the results of the interviews so far and a list of intended questions.
Kendle Columbus told the investigator she came forward and volunteered the information so that it wouldn’t look like she had anything to hide.
The social media post included documents that had to do with the merger of health units for Haldimand-Norfolk with Brant County. That merger was approved by all parties late last year, though those involved said the closed-door discussions leading up to the decision were at times contentious.
The February post seemed to be an attempt to paint Martin as having little to no regard for the people of Haldimand, with Meneses saying it included the headline: ‘Norfolk County staffer proving Amy Martin’s disdain for Haldimand County.’
Meneses said his focus throughout remained not on the content of the post but on the potential breach.
“To be clear Norfolk’s concern and my concern with regards to this confidentiality breach focused on the source of this leak,” he said.
“There are clues in the emails which assist in determining where they were printed. The emails were printed by someone from Haldimand County… As such I feel confident that neither Norfolk County staff nor Norfolk elected officials were responsible for the confidentiality breach.”
Those clues included external email warnings at the bottom of email forwards, and interviews with involved parties.
Some in Haldimand weren’t so sure, with new councillor Brad Adams suggesting he thought the investigator’s report was slanted. It was a sentiment not shared by lawyer Woody McKaig, who gave an overview of the investigation to Haldimand councillors at a May 20 meeting. As for the original Facebook post itself, Martin didn’t mince words.
“This wasn’t just a misstep, it was a calculated political tactic. The document was stripped of context, shared online anonymously and aimed at inciting public distrust,” she said. “All of it built on a lie and designed to cast suspicions and sway voters at the expense of the integrity of Norfolk County as a corporation.”
Martin went on to say she never shirked her responsibility to Haldimand while chair of the Board of Health.
“Any insinuation that I wasn’t looking out for Haldimand is unfounded.”
Norfolk councillors also voted to engage the integrity commissioner, a move Martin similarly supported.
“Council should stand fully behind endorsing an integrity commissioner investigation to defend our corporation, to defend our staff and to defend our institution that is local governance, which is closest to the people,” she said.
Gaps remain for county’s seasonal agricultural workers
LUKE EDWARDS
Advocate Correspondent
Without them it would be nearly impossible to plant, tend and harvest many of the crops grown in Norfolk. And yet, despite their importance, there remain gaps in service for the seasonal agricultural workers who call the county home several months each year.
Jennifer Rajasekar of The Neighbourhood Organization presented to Norfolk County council at its May 13 meeting, sharing some findings about the seasonal agricultural workers, temporary foreign workers, as well as the newcomers and refugees TNO supports in Norfolk. She also highlighted an upcoming summit to take place in Simcoe, where similar agencies and organizations from across the country will meet to discuss a roadmap for ensuring these workers have access to the services they need.
“Despite the challenges, migrant workers are the backbone of our local food system. They work long hours in physically demanding roles, contributing to our regional economy, community life and local culture,” said Rajasekar at the May 13 meeting.
Seasonal agricultural workers make up the majority of temporary foreign workers in Norfolk. However, the TNO office in Simcoe also supports a separate program that sees people come for up to two years, working in a variety of sectors beyond agriculture. It also provides support for newcomers and refugees, including those who have fled war torn areas like Syria and Ukraine.
Rajasekar said a recent evaluation found those who accessed TNO services overwhelmingly gained a better understanding of their rights, better understood how to access local resources like legal clinics and health care, and felt more empowered to speak up.
“However, they also identified major gaps in service,” Rajasekar said.
Among the most pressing was transportation.
“They need transportation after working hours and there’s no public transportation available unless it’s provided by the employers,” she said. “That’s become a hindrance for them to seek services.”
Other gaps included health and mental health support, tax help, legal aid and language barriers.
On the latter, TNO has started offering volunteer-led English classes at their Simcoe office.
“Language barrier isolation remained persistent, especially in the rural areas like Norfolk where transportation after hours services are limited,” Rajasekar said.
While the volunteer classes have helped, she said they’re only a stop gap, and a greater need exists.
The upcoming summit in Simcoe will bring together several groups involved with migrant workers, including the TNO’s sub-agreement holders and frontline partners like Bridges Niagara and the Huron Farmworkers Ministry.
Mayor Amy Martin pointed out the various committees at the county, including the agricultural advisory committee, asking Rajasekar if TNO would be interested in helping provide a voice for migrant workers on such committees.
“I think that would be very valuable for the county and I think that’s a gap we’ve experienced,” she said.
Rajasekar told the mayor they’d be happy to facilitate that.
Plans for Windham, Porter bridges considered
Moving old Windham bridge to Marburg Road deemed too expensive
LUKE EDWARDS Advocate Correspondent
A novel approach to placing the Porter Bridge on Marburg Road has been nixed by councillors who couldn’t justify the added cost to maintain a similar historical feel.
However, Norfolk municipal politicians did approve a new pedestrian and cycling bridge for the road, a plan that should come in well under the $700,000 estimated cost of moving the Concession 3 Windham bridge.
At a meeting last fall councillors directed staff to investigate the cost of moving the Windham Bridge, which was planned for reconstruction anyway, to Marburg. The idea was that it had a similar historical feel as the Porter Bridge.
“I will caution that it is an estimate, we did build in a buffer for that but moving a bridge to a new location is not something that you do every day and it comes with lots of complications,” said Andrew Grice, general manager of infrastructure and envi-
ronmental services.
The Marburg Road bridge had been closed for several years due to safety concerns. A fallen tree last year spelled the ultimate doom for the bridge, and it was fully removed.
County staff did present the option of simply not rebuilding a bridge of any kind, permanently disconnecting the road on either side of the creek.
While Marburg is a lightly populated road, councillors liked the idea of keeping that connection for pedestrians and cyclists.
“I’d like to do something here, but I don’t know if it’s for all users,” said Coun. Adam Veri.
Staff did present the option of a new bridge that was capable of handling cars.
“The investment of a pedestrian bridge is reasonable.”
As for the Concession 3 Windham Bridge, reconstruction work there is going to end up costing the municipality quite a bit more. Staff sought a budget amendment to increase the project cost by $615,000.
“The reasons for that budget amendment are multiple but it’s really primarily carried by the fact the geotechnical investigation requires us to expand the bridge and install some helical piles which is increasing the cost quite substantially,” said Grice.
Fortunately, Grice said they’ve had savings in other tenders and will be able to use those to cover the additional cost of the Windham Bridge work.
“So although we don’t like having a project over budget there are dollars available within other projects to fund this request,” he said.
Construction is expected to take place this summer. Responding to a question from Coun. Michael Columbus on how it’ll impact local farmers, Grice said some impact is unavoidable, but they’ll do their best to minimize it.
“We will work with the community as best we can to alleviate their concerns. We do understand that agricultural business is important to Norfolk County and we do not want to impact those users,” Grice said.
Community drop-in project continuing at reduced level
Provincially funded trial served nearly 800 people in 2024
LUKE EDWARDS Advocate Correspondent
A trial project that saw Ontario Works staff go out into the community and engage directly with residents exceeded expectations.
And while provincial funding for the trial is coming to an end, the Community Dropin Project will continue this year, members of the Haldimand-Norfolk Health and Social Services Committee heard.
However, with less funding, the project will have a reduced scope this year, and focus on areas that were identified as high priority.
“We’ll hone in on the areas that we found through our tracking mechanisms that had the most foot traffic, the most need,” said Katherine Donovan, acting director of social services and housing.
Last year the project helped a total of 794 residents access critical services and supports, a report to the committee said.
Among those who received support were “326 participants (who) received guidance or follow-up on their Ontario Works action plan goals, including employment readiness, education, and health pathways,” the report said. Another 189 got help with housing supports, including referrals to emergency shelters, rent/utility arrears
support, or housing stability programs. And finally, the report said the program helped 112 people with their ODSP applications or connected them to a community support worker.
Staff were also able to help people create and update the MyBenefits accounts.
“The project rollout surpassed expectations. Dedicated staffing and increased promotional opportunities for Community Drop-In clinics in 2024 increased public attendance and support provided by the social assistance team by 244 per cent,” the report said.
The clinics also had essential items like clothing, food and hygiene products available. Staff helped people with other issues like ID replacement or training for things like naloxone administration.
Earlier this year there was $14,000 approved to keep the project going, though at a reduced capacity. While that may mean fewer spaces this year, Donovan said they will continue to operate the clinic in places that are safe and accessible.
“The community project has demonstrated the power of collaborative, proactive outreach and targeted intervention in creating a more supportive and inclusive environment for those we serve,” added Andrea Personnic, senior case manager, social services.
You are invited to Community Worship and Prayer
Church Out Serving, Simcoe Ministerial event kicks off week of celebrations in Norfolk
Here Ye, Here Ye… Church Out Serving and the Simcoe Ministerial are excited to announce its first ever community Worship and Prayer event, planned for Sunday evening, June 8th at 6 pm.
Hosted at the Simcoe Recreation Centre’s Dogwood Room, 182 South Drive, this will be a public event from 6-7:30 p.m.
“Its been a dream of ours for many years, and we believe that this is the perfect time, a way to kick off the celebrations planned for Norfolk Community Days drawing together people from across our community, to pray for our leaders, pray for our neighbourhoods and give thanks for the abundance we have here in Norfolk, the place we are blessed to call home,” says Erice Haverkamp, chair of both groups, Church Out Serving and the Simcoe Ministerial.
A team of singers and musicians from numerous churches in the area have come together, selected some widely known worship songs, and have been practicing for weeks.
“We hope to see people come out from across Norfolk, whether they are con-
nected to a church or not,” says Haverkamp. “We hope to provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Coffee, tea and refreshments will be provided.
“Come join us… come expecting to celebrate our community and to celebrate God’s goodness, and to pray for his continued favour on our region and our community locally.”
The June 8th Community Worship and Prayer event is being considered the first annual.
“We certainly hope that this would become at least annual,” said Haverkamp. “But we are always open to seeing how it is received, how much interest there is.”
Simcoe Ministerial has an informal, open membership, that gathers monthly, says Haverkamp, in the sense that it is a fellowship that gets together to support and encourage each other. There are approximately 20 churches in Simcoe and the nearby region.
For more information about the upcoming Worship and Prayer Event or any Church Out Serving projects, email churchoutserving@gmail.com or call 226-567-5426.
Adam Veri, Norfolk County Ward 6 Councillor.
Every flower blooms in its own time
It’s amazing what a difference some flowers and a bit of elbow grease can do to improve not only the scenery around us but also one’s spirits.
I’m sure all of us have heard that old saying, “Take time to stop and smell the flowers” to encourage us to slow down and appreciate the simple and beautiful things in life. If you don’t have a green thumb or maybe you don’t have the space to plant flowers you can simply take a stroll right here in Waterford and enjoy the fruits of others’ labour.
The Waterford and District Horticultural Society was established in 1957 and is driven by volunteers and their passion for gardening and civic improvement. They are a member of OHA (Ontario Horticultural Association) and are dedicated to fostering a love for gardening, community beautification and taking care of our environment and surroundings. Their mission revolves around education and engagement, community and involvement, fundraising and support, and environmental stewardship. They host monthly meetings (except July and August) at Waterford United Church, 7 p.m., and host guest speakers, offer tours, flower shows, workshops, farm and garden tours and demonstrations. If you are interested in becoming a member the cost is just $10 per person per calendar year. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of their members they are able to maintain gardens in four different parks around Waterford – Waterford Ponds, gardens on Alice Street, gardens at Bloomsburg and the Bridge Park. Their newest project is at the recently renovated Waterford Public Library. Over the next few weeks, we can watch these gardens flourish and add beauty to our town and surrounding com-
munity.
Future goals of the Society include increased membership, a stronger social media presence, community awards, sustained community awareness/engagement, more events and fundraisers and possible workshops open to the public for such projects as terrariums and seasonal urns. The choices would be varied.
This summer the Waterford Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Horticultural Society in an initiative dubbed ‘Red and White Summer 2025’! It is community project to celebrate our love for Canada. Local merchants have jumped in to show their support and display the redand-white in outdoor planters and window displays. They are also encouraging Waterford residents to plant red and white in
their flower beds and flood Waterford in Canadian pride!
There is also another reason for this initiative… the Waterford Heritage Agricultural Museum (WHAM) will soon be hosting a one of a kind display of hand-crafted red and white commemorative Canada quilts. Check www.norfolkheritage.ca to view any updates for the arrival of the exhibit. You can also stop by the museum at 159 Nichol Street, Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Be sure you have time to check out their current displays while you are there! There is parking available during the Nichol St. construction.
To keep up the beautification efforts of Waterford and District Horticultural So-
ciety funds are needed to purchase plants, flowers, shrubs… whatever is needed. To raise funds, they participated in Seedy Saturdays plant sales and a merchandiser fundraiser. On Sept. 2, they will host their annual Flower Show at Waterford United Church.
The Society moved to a governing committee in 2025. Trudy McMillan is the director, chairperson is Bob Williams, secretary is Hannah Lawrance and treasurer is Sandi Senneker. Their email address is WaterfordSociety@gmail.com. New members are always welcome and it’s not necessary to have ‘a green thumb.’ After all, what could be better or more satisfying than adding colour and life to our already beautiful Waterford landscape?
Waterford & District Horticultural Society branches out
Proceeds go toward supporting local horticultural programs – and there are many.
The Waterford and District Horticultural Society is branching out.
The horticultural society is now offering clothing merchandise by Eric Pond Designs as both a fundraiser and raising their profile in the community. The first round of limited-edition T-shirts, hoodies and crewnecks went on sale May 15-29.
“Eric Pond is the same guy who does all the Norfolk stuff,” said Trudy McMillan from the Waterford and District Horticultural Society, wearing a new yellow T-shirt at the horticultural society’s annual plant sale, May 16 in the Foodland parking lot.
The merch is expected to be available again next spring.
One of the big ones this year is the introduction of a pollinator garden at the newly renovated Waterford branch of the Norfolk County Library with ‘all-new’ soil.
“It’s a multi-year plan,” said McMillan.
There are two parts to Waterford’s ‘Red and White Summer’ plans as the horticultural society partners with the Waterford Chamber of Commerce. Businesses and residents in Waterford have been asked to plant ‘red and white.’ Suggested plants included red cardinal, red columbine, red bergamot, white trillium, sneezewort, red coral bells, white bergamot and royal catchfly. Other suggestions include geraniums, petunias,
fuchia and dahlia, suitable for pots and planters.
“It’s just a way to unify the community, show our pride,” said McMillan.
“The (Waterford) Chamber of Commerce is looking at it as a long-range plan, they want to get lighting and flags and do lots of stuff downtown.”
Waterford and District Horticultural Society is a growing organization with 52 members as of May 16.
“May is our plant sale, and June is our close – we are going up to Whistling Gardens for a potluck and tour.”
Meetings are not held in July and August – they will be back in September.
“Basically, we meet 10 months a year, but we always have activities going on. Lots of community events.”
chris@granthaven.com
BRENDA MOSER
Advocate Correspondent
CHRIS ABBOTT Editor
The Planting Crew - Cliff Lawrance, Hannah Lawrance, Trudy McMillan, Bob Williams, Sandi Senneker, and Daphne Schuyler at the NCPL Waterford branch.
(SUBMITTED PHOTOS)
A Waterford and District Horticultural Society community project.
Ann Thomson, Trudy McMillan and Hannah Lawrance stand next to a table of plants at the Waterford and District Horticultural Society’s successful plant sale on May 16.
(CHRIS ABBOTT PHOTO)
Mottled Duskywing butterfly re-introduced to Norfolk
An endangered butterfly has been reintroduced to a Norfolk County nature reserve.
Mottled Duskywings were released early Thursday, May 29 at Long Point Basin Land Trust’s Stead Family Scientific Reserve.
The release is part of a multi-year, science-based recovery effort led by the Ontario Butterfly Species at Risk Recovery Team and supported by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The aim is to return the Mottled Duskywing to its historical range in Norfolk County, where it disappeared in the late 1980s.
Klara Jones, naturalist, is leading the research and monitoring program, overseen by Jessica Linton of Natural Resource Solutions Incorporated. The Stead Family Scientific Reserve was selected as a release site in Norfolk County due to its oak savanna habitat and dense patches of New Jersey tea, the butterfly’s larval host plant. Norfolk’s last sighting of a Mottled Duskywing was on the same property.
Five male butterflies were released May 29 with nearly 400 males & females planned for the site. Habitat restoration work by Long Point Basin Land Trust and regional conservation partners - including the St. Williams Conservation Reserve Community Council and the Nature Conservancy of Canada - made the reintroduction possible. The site lies within the Long Point Walsingham Forest Priority Place, a nationally recognized biodiversity hotspot.
“This is just the beginning,” said Jones.
“We are going to be monitoring her twice a week, walk the site, to re-site the ones we released. Right now, there are no Mottled Duskywings here. The ones that we will see when we survey will be the ones that we released. That way we can kind of get an idea of its success.
Up to 1,200 Duskywings would be released at other Norfolk sites, as they ‘emerge.’
“We want to get them out in their natural habitat where they can nectar.”
The Mottled Duskywing (Erynnis martialis) is one of over 850 species of lepidatarians (butterflies and moths) occurring in Norfolk County and one of five species of duskywings (Erynnis sp.) in the Skipper Family (Hesperiidae).
It is a small butterfly with a wingspan of 2.5 to 3.5 cm, completely brown on both the forewings and hindwings. These butterflies have a strong mottled pattern with various shades of brown, giving this species its name. The forewing sometimes has a purplish sheen in freshly emerged adults. Caterpillars are lime green with a dark head. The host plant for the caterpillar is New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus), in the buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae), and grows mostly in sunny areas within oak savannas. Mottled Duskywings are widely distributed occur across eastern North America, though it is not a common butterfly anywhere in its range.
One of the first Mottled Duskywing butterflies to be re-introduced in Norfolk County
Many partners made the re-introduction of the Mottled Duskywing butterflies possible in Norfolk County. (CHRIS ABBOTT PHOTOS)
Local change management author ‘sparks action’
By Dick Bourgeois-Doyle ADVOCATING FOR AUTHORS
“I knew I liked teaching,” says Gregg Brown in reflecting on the career path that led to his status as a popular keynote speaker and trainer. “But I also knew I didn’t want to be a teacher.”
Brown, an internationally recognized expert on change management, started developing his communications and mentoring skills in high school. He tutored other students, taught crafts and canoeing as a camp counsellor, and worked as a tour guide at a national museum while in his teens. He thought that a career in early childhood education was in his future.
“I just loved doing that sort of stuff,” Gregg says, adding how much he admires schoolteachers at every level. “But by the time I graduated, I knew I liked dealing with the kids for an hour or two, but not full-time and not for a stretch of nine months or more.”
So, he abandoned plans to be a teacher and supressed his educator inclinations for a while. Then he found himself drawing upon those skills in the late 1980s as part of the team that opened the first wave of Starbucks stores in Canada. The company recognized that he had a talent for training. This led Gregg into formal study and eventually work helping people increase their productivity as a consultant.
“I like helping people improve how they do their jobs and enjoy work,” says Gregg. “We only have one life to live and most of us spend lots of time at our jobs so why shouldn’t we make it as great as it can be.”
As he refined his coaching and mentoring abilities, Gregg found himself working with people at the highest level in Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and international humanitarian organizations. The research and thoughts applied in his training programs have been packaged in contributions to trade publications, magazine articles, and books that include Spark Action: How to Lead Change That Matters.
This book presents tools to help leaders, teams, and individuals engage in new ideas and make changes that help them and their organizations. As the title suggests, the goal is to induce action and have an impact.
“There’s a distinction between selling an idea and actually getting people to act upon it,” says Gregg in describing the book’s content and format. “There’s no point in selling someone on something unless they're going to do
With over 30 years of industry experience, my goal is to work together with you to develop a successful marketing strategy for your business needs.
something with that.”
While Gregg Brown has an impressive portfolio of corporate clients, he also brings his training and motivational abilities to charitable organizations and other volunteer work which has included workshops in prisons and sex education sessions with nuns. The stories around these experiences add texture to Spark Action and make it an easy read that has been lauded by the leadership training world.
“That's the fun stuff,”
Gregg says, adding that, nevertheless, his book is intended to be a practical resource as illustrated by the exercises and bullet-point summaries throughout. The book’s success as a No. 1 Amazon Best-seller attests to the effectiveness of its format, the value of its content, and the author’s inherent ability to engage and communicate.
Gregg has lived in Ottawa, Vancouver, and elsewhere and could pursue
his career from a base almost anywhere in the world. But for close to two decades, he has been coming to Norfolk County and settled here permanently with his partner well over a decade ago, first in Normandale and finally in a home overlooking the lake in Port Dover.
“We wanted something that had more amenities and was walking distance to restaurants, the theater and shops,” Gregg says noting that he later learned about a family connection to the village. “Long after we moved here, my father-in-law told me that his own dad is buried in the Port Dover cemetery, lived here for a long time, and used to work at Erie Beach flipping fish back in the 60s.”
Gregg continues to be in demand as a speaker and trainer and will no doubt be busy sharing his knowledge and skills for many years to come. But he does not plan to write another book for a while.
“It’s a long process for me… I started in 2021 (with Spark Action) then after you get the manuscript in, it's a good solid year of copy and content editing, production and all the sales planning,” says Gregg. “I’m going to take a break.”
In fact, he admits to being more comfortable talking to people than writing.
Stressing that all writers have to find a process that works for them personally, Gregg says that he found it helpful to engage the services of a writing coach to brainstorm, get his ideas down on paper, group them, and create a structure for his book.
So, while Gregg Brown’s early experience as a teacher helped him in his career as a speaker and trainer, it was his experience with a teacher that helped him as an author.
CELEBRATING LOCAL AUTHORS
For the full podcast interview, visit doverwrites.blogspot.com.
NEWSPAPER PICK UP LOCATIONS
SIMCOE__________
• Annaleise Carr Aquatic Centre
• Aspira Cedar Crossing Retirement Living Barnyard Patio & Pub
• Barrel Restaurant
• Bubbles Laundry Canadian Tire
• Cedar St Food Market
• Food Basics Ferris Funeral Home Limited
• Harmony Pastry Shop & Cafe
• Joy Bakery Cafe McDonald's - 77 Queensway East
• McDonald's - 160 Queensway East
• Norfolk County Archives
• Norfolk County Library
• Pharmasave Clark's Health Centre
• RE/MAX Erie Shores Realty Inc
• Real Canadian Superstore Queensway East
• Riversyde 83
• Robinson Chevrolet Buick GMC Simcoe Inc
• Roulston’s Pharmacy
• Royal LePage Trius Realty
• Ru ins Pet Store
• Shoppers Drug Mart
• Simcoe Convenience
• Simcoe Little Theatre
• Simcoe Recreation Centre Simcoe Seniors Centre
• Sobeys
• Tim Hortons - White Horse Plaza
Tim Hortons - Queensway East
• Walmart Supercentre WATERFORD_______
• Belching Barista
• Esso
• Foodland Waterford
• Kerry’s James St. Eatery
• Minor Bros. Country Living
• Tricenturena Waterford Arena
• Waterford Heritage & Ag Museum
• Waterford Home Building Centre
• Waterford Pharmacy and Health Food DELHI___________
• Ca ery Hardware & Electric Limited
• Canadian Tire
• Circle K Crompton Home Building Centre
• Dave’s Variety
• Delhi Community Arena Roulston’s Pharmacy
• Tim Hortons
• Wilkinson’s YIG
COURTLAND_______ Courtland Bakery Ltd.
• Courtland Variety & Café
LANGTON________
• Langton Food Market
• Langton Pharmacy
SCOTLAND_______
• Scotland Food Market
Gregg Brown is a popular keynote speaker and internationally recognized expert on change management and the future of work.
(SUBMITTED PHOTO)
Holy Trinity show features cars, trucks, tractors, bikes
ABBOTT Editor
There was more to Holy Trinity’s annual car show than classics, modern muscle and import/tuners.
Plaques were also handed out on Friday, May 23 to trucks (classic, muscle and 4x4), tractors (antique and modern), and motorcycles (offroad, sport, cruiser).
Doug Eighteen brought his 1970 Pontiac GTO from Port Dover, a classic muscle car he has owned since 1974.
“Didn’t know it would be a classic, I just knew it was cool… and it was fast,” Eighteen smiled. “That’s what I was looking for, something powerful and fast. I decided to keep it - I had extra garage space so I tucked it away in there (in 1989), and then after about six years my wife said, ‘What are you going to do with that?’ I said, ‘I think I’ll restore it one day.’ She said, ‘You should do it, free up the garage space.’’
In ’96 he started a five-year restoration project and had it back on the road in 2001.
“I’ve been happy with it ever since.”
It was Eighteen’s first HT car show – he
had planned to come in 2024 but it was threatening thunder storms.
“I like to walk around and see every car, talk to the owners, and I’ll hang around my car a little bit and talk to people if they’re interested.”
Wearing overalls and a western cowboy hat, HT student Blake Numan drove his family’s blue 1957 Fordson Dexta antique utility tractor to the show from Jarvis, a distance of approximately 16 km depending on the route, and parked it next to a blue New Holland tractor.
“Just under an hour,” said Numan, who has been driving tractors on his family farm since he was seven.
Numan chose the Fordson, which is still active at their pig-and-cash-crop farm, over his family’s John Deere 9RX, ‘because it’s older.’
“I feel more people would reminisce about it… they’d appreciate an older tractor.
“The diversity here today is nice, especially the year difference between them,” he said as an even older antique Ford automobile was leaving the parking lot.
Rain contributed to a smaller turnout on the 23rd, and organizer Clark Chernak said they are considering moving the 2026 show back one week to May 29.
“Hopefully we’ll have better weather on the last Friday of May. We’ve had the show about seven times and we’ve had some great shows. We had a really good show… then it got soggy a couple times.
“My goal for the car show is for me not
to run it. I try to delegate – we form a committee and start planning a couple months before the show. We break it down so that one student has to do one job, and if they need it, I’ll help. Today, it ran smooth as silk. Many hands make light work.
“The goal is to get kids excited about transportation and my program – my program here is very strong,” said Chernak. chris@granthaven.com
Blake Numan drove his family’s 1957 Fordson Dexta to the Holy Trinity Car Show on May 23.
Shamarkiey McKee displayed motorcycles from McKee Sport and Garden in Delhi at Holy Trinity’s annual car show.
Mel Goodwin showed his 1968 Chevelle SS convertible, nicknamed Black Widow, at the Holy Trinity Car Show. Goodwin, from Selkirk, has own the classic since 1970.
Doug Eighteen brought his 1970 Pontiac GTO to Holy Trinity’s annual car show on May 23.
CHRIS
The Barrel celebrates 38 years in Simcoe
“When it’s fresh, it’s fresh,” says Nick Kokkoros, General Manager and Partner at The Barrel restaurant in Simcoe, which features authentic pizza, pasta and traditional Italian dishes.
The concept for The Barrel started in the mid-70s, said Kokkoros, when two brothers – George and Tom Daikoscame to Canada and opened their first Barrel Pizza and Spaghetti House. The business grew, but in the mid-80s they were looking for something outside of the Toronto area. A quieter lifestyle, similar to their roots in Greece.
“A real estate agent said, ‘Why don’t you look into Simcoe?’” said Kokkoros, Tom’s son-in-law. “They came here to settle down to a nice rural community where they thought they could build roots, raise their young kids.”
The second generation, led by Kokkoros and brother-in-law Nick Zographos, is building on the same concept, adding some tweaks and modernizing it.
Today’s menu includes many original recipes. The casual Italian restaurant specializes in gourmet pizza and pasta, but so much has been added over the years. It includes seafood, oven-baked specialties, chicken and veal, sandwiches, soups and salads, and more.
“It’s evolved. It’s more of a sit-down, dine-in, whereas the original concept was more takeout and delivery. The wine menu has been expanded to include some local wines, local beers. We’ve added Thai Chicken, we’ve added Stuffed Chicken Marsala… So we’ve tweaked the menu, expanded it to give more options to the customers, but the main concept - the staples - are still there.”
They still make homemade sauces, and they still come in every morning to make everything from scratch.
“That’s kind of been our signature, and we’ve kept that. It’s very hard to continue that, but we’ve kept that concept, that we’re going to make it inhouse, that we’re going to come here in the morning, make our sauces from scratch.”
The olive oil comes from a family farm in Greece, which they also sell in small quantities at the restaurant, along with in-house made sauces and salad dressing, also in fresh, small quantities.
As an independent, they have flexibility to source locally whenever they can.
“I can buy local asparagus… tomatoes, potatoes. I have the freedom to that. That’s also our signature.”
Kokkoros is proud of the entire staff for helping to enable their restaurant vision.
“We work together with them, and we’re owner-operators. We’re actually here. Either one of us (Kokkoros or Zographos) is always here, so we can deal with an issue and make a decision right away.”
Because they grew up in the community, and the community has been good to them, The Barrel tries to support ‘anything local’ in arts, sports (especially youth connected), organizations, church groups, and events.
“We’re here, we’re in this community and we want to support this community.”
Over the years, they have served three generations of customers.
“It’s a lot of years,” Kokkoros smiled. “We have people who say ‘I came here as a kid, now I’m bringing my kid’ or ‘I used to work here as a high schooler and now I have a high schooler wanting to work for you here.’
“Nick (Zographos) and I, we’re totally invested in it. We just have that work ethic – we grew up in the industry. It’s just ingrained in us to be here, and luckily we’ve had great staff to help.”
Technology has transformed the restaurant, and they actively engage on social media, but they still offer personalized services like phone takeout orders and deliveries.
“We can accommodate an order to cater anywhere in Norfolk. We’re the only ones that deliver anywhere within a 30-minute radius. We’ll deliver to Port Dover, Waterford, Delhi, and we’ve always done that. A lot of people don’t realize that. We want to serve our customer base and our customer base is not just Simcoe.”
The Barrel (barrelrestaurant.ca) is located at 131 Queensway West, Simcoe. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram and X. They can also be reached at 519-426-0068 or email info@barrelrestaurant.ca.
Adam Tafferner prepares a pizza takeout order at The Barrel in Simcoe.
(CHRIS ABBOTT PHOTO)
Fit, Active and Healthy Seniors
Senior Support Services offers a range of programs
LISA TIMPF Advocate Contributor
In 2021, 32 per cent of Haldimand-Norfolk residents were over 60 years of age. While that percentage is eye-popping, it’s projected to increase. The median age in the area is 48.8 years, compared to a provincial median age of 40 years.
Part of the reason for that difference, says Holly Mann, Program Manager for the Simcoe office of Haldimand-Norfolk Community Senior Support Services, is that our area is seen as a retirement destination.
Whether for long-term residents or newcomers, Senior Support Services provides a variety of programs for people 60 and over. One of the most popular, Meals on Wheels, is a program that delivers a hot meal to seniors daily. A frozen meal option is also available. Meals are prepared by various facilities in Norfolk, and delivered by volunteers.
Senior Support Services also helps seniors with transportation needs get to medical appointments, errands and shopping, and social activities. An accessible van is available for those who need it due to mobility issues, while other clients are driven to their destination by volunteers.
The Home Maintenance Program acts as a central point linking seniors who need services like cleaning, yard work, or handy-persons with people who pro-
vide those services. The Hospice Volunteer Program arranges for specially trained volunteers to spend time with people who are living with life-limiting illnesses, while the Telephone Reassurance Program arranges for daily checkins with seniors to make sure they are okay.
Diner’s Club runs once per month, aside from July and August. This program offers a family-style meal at the Simcoe Legion, along with entertainment and a speaker.
The “Friendly Visiting” program is a free program that arranges for volunteers to spend time visiting with the client at the client’s home. Mann notes that they could use more volunteers for this program, and adds, “Social contact is important. It helps alleviate isolation and loneliness.”
Mann says studies have shown that loneliness and isolation can have almost the same negative impact on one’s health as smoking and obesity. Even contact with one person once a day can help with social isolation, a problem that one in four older people experience.
The Adult Day Program specializes in assisting people living with dementias and other progressive illnesses, such as Parkinson’s, MS, Alzheimer’s, physical disabilities, and aphasia. The day program is offered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at
Holly Mann, Simcoe Program Manager for Haldimand-Norfolk Community Senior Support Services, stands near the sign at the organization’s Victoria Street location in Simcoe. Senior Support Services offers a number of programs, including Meals on Wheels and transportation to medical appointments, errands, and social visits. Senior Support Services is seeking volunteers to support its many activities.
(LISA TIMPF PHOTO)
Senior Support Services’ Victoria Street facility in Simcoe. Meals and activities are provided. The program provides a social activity for the clients, while offering a respite for caregivers.
Mann notes that transportation and Meals on Wheels are the most highly-utilized programs. Requests for transportation to medical appointments are prioritized when it comes to assigning resources.
While some programs like Friendly Visiting are free of charge, other programs like Meals on Wheels, Transportation, Diner’s Club, and Adult Day Program carry a fee, albeit a relatively modest one. Though Senior Support Services receives funding from Ontario Health, there are shortfalls that need to be met with fundraising and donations. Fundraising and donations also keep program costs more affordable for the users.
Right now, Mann says, the organization’s biggest need is for people power.
Volunteers are needed for all aspects of their offerings, and she notes that it doesn’t need to be an enormous time commitment.
“Someone can volunteer as much or as little as they like,” she says. “For example, if someone wants to deliver meals a couple of times a month, or provide transportation a couple of times a week, we’d appreciate whatever was offered.”
Volunteers go through an application and interview process and must pass a police check. An orientation is provided prior to assigning volunteer work. Transportation volunteers are reimbursed for mileage.
Those seeking support with transportation, meals, or other requirements can contact Senior Support Services, who will meet with them to assess their needs and see what help can be provided. More information about Senior Support Services, both in terms of accessing services and volunteering, can be found at www.seniorsupport.ca.
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The Hearing Aid Trade-In That Helps You and Someone in Need
Local hearing aid wearers are being invited to quite literally change lives, as well as benefit from stepping into brand new highperforming hearing technology, for a significant savings.
Local hearing aid wearers are being invited to do something extraordinary: change someone’s life while upgrading to the latest high-performance hearing technology - with significant savings.
Arnold Hearing Centres, the longeststanding independent hearing care provider in the region, has teamed up with the local charity Friends for Life for a mission to Yamasà, an underserved community in the Dominican Republic
During their trip, a group of hearing care professionals will be testing hearing and fitting donated, professionally reconditioned hearing aids to people who have no access to treatment These trips are life-changing; both for those receiving hearing aids and those delivering them In places like Yamasà something as small as a hearing aid can be the difference between a child receiving an education or being left behind
Physiotherapist stresses the importance of staying active
LISA TIMPF Advocate Contributor
The team hopes to help over 200 people in need of better hearing but they’re short on devices
Arnold Hearing Centres has vowed to help them reach their goals.
To help bridge that gap, Arnold Hearing Centres has launched a special trade-in program Hearing aid wearers are invited to visit their Simcoe location to have their current devices professionally valued
In return, they’ll receive an elevated trade-in credit towards upgrading to groundbreaking 2025 hearing technology Afterwards, their existing devices will be refurbished and donated to someone in urgent need It’s a chance to upgrade your hearing and give someone else a life-changing gift; all while enjoying significant savings
Appointments are now available in Simcoe. If you’d like to get a valuation on your current hearing aids and discover what stepping into new technology - and changing a life - looks like, contact Arnold Hearing Centres today
The physical effects of aging are inevitable. That doesn’t mean we have to take them lying down.
In fact, says registered physiotherapist Kelly McLaren, we shouldn’t take them lying down. Physical activity is important in offsetting the effects of aging, and the good news is that there are things within our control that we can do to proactively enhance our health. Even 30 minutes a day of moderate activity can help keep our bones, joints, and organs healthier.
“With senior clients, I tend to see more osteo arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis,” McLaren says. “Part of the normal aging process is that the neck and back tend to get disc degeneration.”
McLaren says the cartilage in all of our joints wears down as we get older. In addition, after age 30, we can lose muscle mass at a rate of three to eight per cent per decade. This process accelerates after age 60.
Our bones become more brittle and porous, which can lead to osteoporosis. While people in their 20s and 30s can suffer from an inflammation known as tendonitis, older people may get tendonosis, in which the tendons are not only inflamed but scarred up. Our bodies tend to dry up as well, and we can lose some of our flexibility.
Though that list may seem discouraging, McLaren notes that it’s within our control to combat these effects. Proactive efforts can minimize the likelihood of pain and discomfort down the line, while maximizing our ability to retain strength and flexibility.
McLaren points to five key activities to stay healthy: striving for at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, adding in some strength training, paying attention to posture, maintaining a good diet, and staying hydrated.
One important thing, says McLaren, is to “keep things lubricated and flexible.” For a variety of physiological reasons, “movement helps keep the cartilage supple.” This movement doesn’t have to be a full-on high-intensity workout - it can be as simple as walking. Strength work can include activities like vacuuming and gardening, McLaren says.
It’s also important to break up long periods of sitting, such as computer work, with movement. Taking a break every so often to move around can help us avoid seizing up.
When it comes to exercise, “you don’t want to do it to the point of pain,” says McLaren. “Start slow and gradually increase intensity and duration. You don’t want to overdo it.” She notes that it can take six to eight weeks to build strength, so it’s not an overnight process.
Breakdown of muscles and joints can lead to inflammation or pain, so it’s worth taking proactive steps to stay healthy. Not
only that, but weak muscles can also lead to fatigue, which can lead to instability, which can lead to a greater risk of falling. It can be a vicious circle, says McLaren. Exercises that promote good balance and stability can be helpful as part of a well-rounded routine.
It’s also important to pay attention to posture.
“You want to be mindful of slouching, because your muscles can shorten.”
As well, problems with our gait, or how we walk, can contribute to long-term physical problems. McLaren notes that people who walk with a “Trendelenburg gait,” where they tilt back and forth when they walk, may be causing damage to their joints. When her clients have this issue, she sometimes recommends they use Nordic poles or a cane while walking until they are able to return to a normal gait.
McLaren is a fan of the programs offered by GLA:D Canada. GLA:D (Good Life with osteoArthritis: Denmark) offers information and exercises to help with knee and hip osteoarthritis, and is modelled off a successful program in Denmark. Information about GLA:D Canada is available on their website, https://gladcanada.ca/.
McLaren notes that there are many programs in the community that help seniors stay active, citing the Seniors’ Centre fitness and activity programs as an example. VON and other organizations also offer programs for seniors, like chair yoga or chair fit. While daily activity is preferable, even doing some form of activity twice a week will help.
She notes that for some people, group exercise can be beneficial.
“There’s a better adherence,” McLaren says. “People go and it’s a social activity as well, so it’s good for the mind, and more fun.”
People who are experiencing problems with their hips, knees, ankles, or other joints should take steps to address them early. McLaren sees a lot of patients as a “one-off,” where she will meet with them, discuss their issues, and offer some recommendations for programs they can work on at home.
Though McLaren previously met with patients at Simcoe Physiotherapy on Dufferin Avenue in Simcoe, her practice is moving. Effective June 9, McLaren will be working at 381 Cedar St., still under the banner of Simcoe Physiotherapy.
Asked whether there’s one piece of advice she would give for keeping our muscles and joints healthy as we age, McLaren sums it up in one word: “Move.”
“Move - in a pool, or with a walker or a rollator, but keep moving.”
Keeping your circulation going is important, says McLaren, so even those who need to do bed exercises or exercises in a wheelchair can still derive benefits from movement. It’s worth doing, “even if it’s really simple.”
You’re not getting older, you’re getting better
LISA TIMPF Advocate Contributor
Golf is one of those sports where athletes seem ageless.
For example, German professional golfer Bernhard Langer has won PGA Tour Champions events, golf’s senior tour for over-50s, at age 67.
“I hope to inspire other people,” Langer once said at a press conference in California. “Some say, 'Oh, I'm too old, I can't get any better anymore. I still think in your 50s you can still improve, maybe even into your 60s depending on what level you're playing at because golf is very technical.”
The good news is that the agelessness of golf holds true for the rest of us as well. Golf instructor Steve Koncz notes that he hasn’t seen much change in his own game over the years. He believes age can be an advantage in some ways when it comes to golf.
“I know people whose golf game has improved in their 70s and 80s,” says Koncz. “It’s not necessarily technique. It’s the way they manage their game.”
Koncz notes that unlike some sports, golf is also an activity people can pick up at any age. “I have some people just start-
ing in their 60s and 70s,” he says. “You can still learn to enjoy the game.”
It doesn’t necessarily take long to develop the basics to build on.
“In the case of lessons, if they do their assigned exercises at home, they can pick it up in three to five lessons.”
At the same time, picking up the basics of swing mechanics doesn’t mean you know everything about the game. Once you start, Koncz says, “You never stop learning. It adds to the fun.”
As proof that it’s possible to enjoy the game well into one’s senior years, Koncz cites the case of London, Ont. golfer Ed Ervasti.
Ervasti, who passed away in 2015 at the age of 101, played more than 100 rounds of golf each season well into his 90s. He set a record for bettering his age by the most strokes, shooting at score of 72 at age 93 at Sunningdale Golf and Country Club.
One piece of advice Koncz has for older golfers, and that he follows himself, is to stay flexible. Koncz does stretches every night to keep his hips and shoulders loose, and advises that golfers stretch before each game, particularly on cooler days.
“It’s important to warm up the muscles you are going to use,” Koncz notes.
Stressing over outcomes can be an im-
pediment to enjoying the game, Koncz adds, citing W. Timothy Gallwey’s “triangle” theory in The Inner Game of Golf. If we focus on the things we can control - learning and enjoying the experience of what we are doing - rather than stressing over results, that’s when we’ll be at our best.
“Some people are 90 per cent about the score,” says Koncz, and that can interfere with both their enjoyment of the game and their ability to make progress.
In his role as a golf instructor, Koncz has made a few observations any golfer, senior or otherwise, could benefit from.
“Ninety to 95 per cent of golfers end up short on their shots up to the green,” Koncz notes. Sometimes, this might be due to ego, or over-estimating one’s strength. “Even if you play one club longer, in some cases that would improve your game.”
He also advises “Playing to the fat part of the green.”
Another piece of advice is to relax. “So many golfers tighten up,” Koncz says. “George Knudson always said that you relax to play good golf, you don’t play golf to relax.”
“Sometimes people try to hit the ball too hard, at too high a percentage of their strength, and they end up off balance,”
says Koncz.
He suggests golfers should “hold their finish,” or stay in your follow-through position until the ball stops rolling. You should be able to do this if you are in good balance. If you aren’t, that may be a signal there is something amiss with your swing.
Golf equipment has changed over the years, with a much greater range of club lengths, club shaft flexibility, club weight, and so on. Golf balls are also more forgiving. One of Koncz’s skills is matching equipment to a golfer’s swing speed, height, and other attributes.
One service he offers is a fitting session so that golf clubs can be custom-made for the individual.
“I see people every day with ill-fitting equipment,” Koncz notes. “Having the right equipment makes it easier and quicker to learn the game,” as well as enabling better play.
Koncz’s final piece of advice: “If people focus on just feeling gratitude for being out there on the course, and focus less on score, it would change a lot of peoples’ games.” For him, golf is all about fun, exercise, and learning—which maybe is part of its secret to being an ageless sport.
Sabres finish with CWOSSA AA soccer silver
CHRIS ABBOTT Editor
The top two Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk South Division AA boys soccer teams went head-to-head in the CWOSSA semifinals May 29 in Brantford.
Simcoe Composite School Sabres defeated the Holy Trinity Catholic High School Titans 3-1 on a fast, slippery synthetic turf at the Bisons Alumni North Park Sports Complex.
Both teams scored on penalty shots –SCS took a 1-0 first-half lead (Ben Fitzgerald), then Holy Trinity tied it in the second half (Evan Bradacs).
“They (Holy Trinity) took me down in the box, and I let our best penalty taker –Evan – take it,” said Sabres’ ‘finisher’ Wyatt Cowan. “I knew he was going to score.”
“We had a very quick breakdown, a through ball went to Wyatt (Cowan) and he got taken down in the box,” said Holy Trinity coach Vince Suglio. “Caught us off-guard and… it is what it is.”
The Sabres regained the lead with 17 minutes left to play on a Cowan rebound goal.
“It was a cross (from Andrew Fekete via Miguel Ferreira), the goalie missed it a little bit,” said Cowan. “It bounced off my chest and I volleyed it mid-air. Top bin. It was right there for me, I couldn’t miss… I missed one the other game and I had to score that one.”
Simcoe Composite added insurance with five minutes remaining on a corner kick.
“It was a perfect corner kick – right to me in the box,” said Cowan, who jumped up to head home his second of the day. “He placed it right on my head and I finished ‘er.”
With the 3-1 semifinal victory, Simcoe
Composite advanced to the CWOSSA AA finals against Glenview Park later that afternoon. The Cambridge school won 3-2, scoring a late winner. SCS left with CWOSSA silver.
“We had a rivalry with HT all year,” said Cowan, “and we’ve been lucky to beat them. Well, not luck because we put in the work. We knew we had the one-up on them, we knew they would come in strong.”
Simcoe Composite and Holy Trinity had battled to a three-way tie for first in the Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk regular season with Waterford. SCS had edged HT in a penalty shootout to win the South Division championship.
Suglio praised the Titans for their twoday CWOSSA performances, noting some HT soccer players had also played in Monday’s CWOSSA rugby championship on a team that qualified for OFSSA.
“We played awesome - we played fantastic football on Tuesday. And we played fantastic football for the first half (Thursday), 100 per cent. We controlled the entire first half of this (semifinal) game… had multiple chances to score, didn’t finish. It’s kind of been the story of our season all year – we dominate possession and just can’t get it in the final third.
“We had three really good chances inside the box, didn’t hit the net,” Suglio added. “Hit a crossbar early in the second half. The difference in the game was SCS capitalized on their chances and we didn’t. The entire first half was in their end… aside from the PK.
“Credit to them, they (SCS) played well defensively. It could have been a different story if we put our first-half chances in the back of the net.”
The Sabres pushed back in the second half, and trailing 2-1 late in the game, the
Titans were starting to force passes looking for the equalizer.
“I think it’s one of those things, when you keep losing to the same team it kind of gets in your head,” said Suglio. “Just like the Leafs.
“But I am proud of the way we played, and I would say the first 40 minutes we played here today was our best 40 minutes we played all season, start to finish. The ball just didn’t go in the back of the net for us.”
CWOSSA PRELIMINARY ROUND
In Pool B action on Tuesday, May 27, Holy Trinity shut out Our Lady of Lourdes 2-0. Cooper Carter and Fitzgerald scored for the Titans. Holy Trinity tied Saugeen District (SDSS) 1-1 with a goal from Carter. The Titans concluded the preliminary round shutting out Centre Dufferin 3-0. Carter, Nolan Da Silva, and Jordan Pacheco scored.
Holy Trinity finished first in the Pool B standings with a 2-1-0 record.
Simcoe Composite’s Miguel Ferreira passes in the set-up for the Sabres’ CWOSSA semifinal game-winning goal May 29 against Holy Trinity.
(CHRIS ABBOTT PHOTO)
Simcoe Composite’s Wyatt Cowan celebrates the first of two goals in the CWOSSA AA semifinals in Brantford.
In Pool A, Simcoe Composite started the preliminary round with a 3-0 loss to Glenview Park. The Sabres rebounded with a 1-1 tie against Sacred Heart (Bradacs) and a vital 4-1 win over St. David. F. Porteous-Smith scored and Bradacs notched a hat trick in a must-win SCS game. Tied with Sacred Heart in A Pool standings, Simcoe Composite earned second place based on goal differential. The top two teams in each pool advanced to semifinals.
***
Waterford District High School won CWOSSA A boys soccer silver medals. Waterford won Pool B on goal differential. The Wolves won their semifinal, but Woodland Christian blanked Waterford 3-0 in the championship final. Waterford’s Travis Geerts won the CWOSSA A ‘golden boot’ with four goals. Wolves’ Will Harvey tied for second with three goals. chris@granthaven.com
Simcoe Composite School edged Holy Trinity 3-1 in the CWOSSA AA boys soccer semifinals May 29 in Brantford. (CHRIS ABBOTT PHOTOS)
A
‘Grand’ time chasing ‘Muddy’ fish of a lifetime
By Jeff Tribe The Lost Tribe
The 14-pound mudcat had been playing possum, a lazy roll on the surface the most notable punctuation point to the comparatively calm exercise of easing rod tip up and reeling back down.
And then, it saw the boat and the bottom dropped out.
Not the acrobatic tail-dance of a smallmouth nor the line-stripping sizzle of a Lake Erie salmon. Rather, the powerful, primordial and unstoppable reaction of a runaway freight train turning on a dime and going straight down into the Grand River’s murky depths.
“Bigger than I thought,” mused Grand Sportfishing’s (https:// grandsportfishing.com) James Houtby, calmly as ever as I hung on for dear life, rod buckling and drag singing.
“Teenager… low teens,” he assessed a minute or two later, the catfish gently ensconced in his net. “He’s big but not that bigthey get much bigger.
“Most people, that’d be the fish of a lifetime,” Houtby continued, deftly removing the single hook from its mouth and releasing it back into the Grand, turning to smile in my direction. “Kind of get spoiled fishing them all the time.”
My desire to chase channel cats had been formalized years earlier via an encounter with the Muddy statue in Dunnville, at 50 feet, the largest such homage to a channel cat in the world. Houtby came to the river via a childhood along the Welland Canal, enhanced by a move to Jordan Harbour, across the road from the former ‘Pirate Boat’ along the Queen E Niagara.
“That’s where my fishing addiction really took off.”
He and his two younger brothers grew up catching channel cats off the banks of 20-Mile Creek among other species. A millwright by trade, Houtby got married and bought his first house in Dunnville, attracted by affordable prices and the fact Lake Erie’s premier smallmouth bass and walleye fishery was a stone’s throw
away down five miles of Grand River.
Nine years ago with the graduation of the couple’s children from high school, he turned passion into business pursuit with the purchase of a 20-foot Harbour Craft Discovery, rod holders, downriggers and an array of electronics. Houtby’s craft is powered by a 150-HP Yamaha outboard, 9.9HP ‘kicker’ and an electric motor connected to a GPS unit which allows him to both manoeuvre along predestined routes and ‘spot lock’ in place.
“This is my summer job - I do this from April to Thanksgiving.”
A multi-species fishing guide, Houbty offers salmon (April to
October), trout, perch, smallmouth bass, walleye (mid-June to October) - and catfish (April to July) - charters. He takes up to four anglers and features a special youth discount for those under 12.
“Better than playing on a video game,” smiled Houtby, who also supports a June 15th kids catfish derby and a May 24th fishing event in conjunction with Big Brothers Big Sisters. “A lot of memories made on this boat.”
Anglers pursue catfish in other locations including Otter Creek and the Thames River, however the Grand from Brantford to the mouth of Lake Erie is acknowledged as a hub, ‘basically the best spot, more or less,’ says Houtby. We pulled out of Fishmasters Marina at 7 a.m. for a short yet scenic haul onto the Grand. We were just downstream from Dunnville’s downtown, the Hwy 3 bridge visible in the distance, flights of ducks and geese and a lone bald eagle highlighting the area’s natural beauty.
Earlier in the season, Houtby chases cats later in the day when the water has warmed up, but with this year’s warmer waters from early
May onward, they’ll bite all day long, and additionally, fight harder than in colder water. Deeper earlier, they disperse into shallower depths as the water warms. Some remain resident throughout the year but the larger ones head into the lake in July.
“You can catch fish all season long, but you’ll get smaller cats in the fall.”
Smaller cats are good eating says Houtby, firm, white flesh either blackened or battered and deep fried. Roughly one-quarter of his clients are looking to go home with the makings of a feast, the majority there for a catchand-release experience.
Tactically, Houtby uses 40 to 50-pound test braided line with a 30-pound mono leader holding a five-aught circle hook, anchored by two to three-ounce sinkers. A corky spin and glow floater keeps bait eight to 12 inches off the bottom, both for better scent trail dispersion and predator access.
“They can visually see it and just inhale it instead of rooting around on bottom.”
Catfish baits range through chicken livers in a stocking, worms, gobs of worms, raw shrimp, frozen smelt or herring, whatever is available at the grocery store, smiles Houtby. He prefers brined natural baitfish, using cut sucker meat, bones and all, or alternatively, salmon belly repurposed from other charters.
“The fresher the meat, the more bites you’ll get,” he says, consid-
The Lost Tribe columnist Jeff Tribe with a ‘teenager,’ an estimated 14-pound mud cat.
James Houtby uses corky spin and glow floaters in a variety of colours to enhance his bait’s scent dispersion and visibility.
ering 20 to 30 minutes an effective timeframe.
Houtby uses medium to heavy rods with bait runner reels, letting a cat run with bait before tightening the line to effectively set the hook.
“Normally they’re like a freight train when they grab hold of it,” he said. “If you don’t have your rod in a holder there’s a good chance they’ll pop it right into the water.”
That’s the basics, watching Houtby in action contrasts that broad outline with an approach honed by decades of experience. He has a range of spots, marked both by electronics and in his head, typically staying for 20 minutes in any one before moving on if it’s not producing. He indicated ‘cats’, white lines on his side-view sonar, a cluster of fish sheltering behind a log as we passed. But Houtby also has a ‘feel’ for the water, a sense of whether fish may
Most range somewhere between six and 14, but 20-pound fish are not uncommon.
“You get some of the bigger ones on, they put up a battle.”
In practice, there were rod-bending strikes, no-doubters as a cat ran with a bait. There were also more subtle approaches, Houtby running a practiced eye over suspiciously-moving rod tips.
“There we go, getting something on this one - he’s getting ready to rip it,” he might say, or “He’s on there, playing with it, chewing on it.”
Tendencies quickly became apparent. Whatever their weight, cats are ‘heavy’ fish, the wavelength of distinctive head shakes offering a clue to their size: smaller, more abrupt movements a smaller fish,
larger, longer bumps from big brothers and sisters. Powerful on the way in, a significant majority hit the ‘down button’ on a powerful elevator at first sight of the boat. Expect to enjoy each fish, and with larger specimens, be prepared for an extended upper body, specifically arm, workout.
Working two rods, we landed a dozen fish from five to 14 pounds in three hours, not the 37 a father/daughter combination reeled in the previous week perhaps, but steady, enjoyable action. My quest completed, we lingered on the river, I enjoying the experience, Houtby I suspected, looking for that elusive 20-pounder.
“This could be it,” he said, still calmly, as a rod bent and line peeled. “Don’t get off,” he breathed - and I silently repeatedas a battle which began off the right stern continued as he ‘bulldogged’ under the boat, Houtby instructing me to submerge the tip into the water to avoid rubbing the line on the keel, and carefully navigating around the motor to a final conclusion in the back, left corner.
“A little better,” Houtby smiled, his ‘guesstimate’ speaking to a dark-skinned 18-pound male. “Thought he was going to be a little bit bigger yet - but still not bad.” Arms burning, quest satisfied, I had to agree.
Not bad. Not bad at all.
Search YouTube for 'Muddy Mania on the Grand' (www.youtube.com/ watch?v=b0qvp_1qqbs)
How stuffed bagels took Simcoe by storm
A delicious trend from YummyFreeze
WHAT'S FOR DINNER NORFOLK COUNTY
By Ian Milmine
Earlier in May, I had the unique pleasure of witnessing a food trend start right here in the heart of downtown Simcoe and it has taken Norfolk County by storm. If you are one of the few people still left to find out, I’m talking about the famous stuffed bagel found at YummyFreeze located at 56 Norfolk St in the heart of the core of Simcoe.
Recently YummyFreeze has become the talk of our small town with their freeze-dried fruits, candies, smoothies, cold coffee, super sodas and so much more. Their stuffed bagels took them to new heights.
Starting out with simple combinations, the OG was a garlic butter with cheese stuffed bagel. The pizza bagel is exactly as advertised – a pepperoni and cheese stuffed bagel. There is bruschetta and a top fan favourite, The Dilly stuffed bagel. Dessert bagels are now available and new stuffed bagel specials. Simcoe and Norfolk County cannot get enough of these epic creations. They even have social media followers making suggestions for stuffed bagels.
Owners Shannon and Alex Miranda did not anticipate the explosive response when they first introduced their stuffed bagels, but they’ve embraced it wholeheartedly.
Shannon, the culinary force behind YummyFreeze, has had a passion for food since she was 16. Determined and driven, she
started her journey in the early 2000s as a line cook at the beloved D and D’s Diner in Jarvis. Through hands-on experience and in-house mentorship, she worked her way up to head cook, helping shape the comfort-food legacy D and D’s became known for. Eventually, Shannon stepped away from the kitchen to pursue further education, but the seed of her culinary passion had been firmly planted.
In 2019, Shannon and her sister convinced their mother, Audrey O’Marra, to open a new kind of business in Dunnville: Art Rocks & Healing Yoga & Nomastay Café - a wellness destination that fuses yoga, creativity, and café culture in a calming, restorative space. Audrey, a self-taught artist and certified yoga instructor, brought her vision to life, creating a haven for the mind, body, and spirit.
By 2020, Shannon was already settled in Simcoe with her fiancé Alex and their young son. When the pandemic lockdowns hit, Shannon found herself at home full-time, navigating the challenges of raising a child with unique sensory needs - especially around fruits and vegetables. Determined to support her son's nutritional needs, she took a bold step and purchased a freeze dryer, hoping to make nutrient-rich foods more accessible and enjoyable for him.
What began as a personal mission quickly evolved into a grow-
ing venture. They discovered an untapped market for freeze dried goods, and with rapid expansion and production, expanded beyond fruits and veggies to snacks, candies and more. They landed a spot in the Market at the Norfolk County Fair and that catapulted them into their first storefront on Colborne Street.
From there, the momentum didn’t stop. As the business grew, they began importing international beverages and developed their
own line of hot and cold drinks. With a rapidly expanding customer base and a need for more space, YummyFreeze made a move to their current, vibrant location at the corner of Peel and Norfolk Streets, where they continue to thrive.
Today, YummyFreeze is far more than a sweet treat destination - it’s a symbol of innovation, resilience, and community spirit. From their now-legendary stuffed bagels to their freeze-dried cre-
ations, Shannon and Alex have built something truly special in Norfolk County. Whether you're a regular or planning your first visit, one thing is certain: this is one food trend that’s here to stay. ***
Ian Milmine is the Facebook administrator at What’s For Dinner Norfolk County. To share your feedback on his monthly Norfolk food column - or ask him questions – email Ian at imilmine@hotmail.com
The quest for Norfolk’s brown trout
SOUTHWESTERN
ONTARIO OUTDOORS
By Jeff Helsdon
The brown trout is a fish of beauty, with the bright colours of its spots setting it aside from other trout and salmon species.
It’s known to be a scrappy fighter and to inhabit everything from small streams to the Great Lakes in Ontario.
It’s also one of few species of fish I haven’t caught.
I began thinking about changing that last fall. I had fished for rainbow trout and salmon in British Columbia, and cod, Atlantic salmon and sharks in Newfoundland, but the brown trout is practically in my back yard and I haven’t landed one. To be fair to my angling abilities, I hadn’t tried to catch a trout in a stream in decades, preferring to have a boat under my feet when angling.
Yet, I had seen the photos of brown trout on Facebook and wanted to fill that void. I turned to Dave Simeays, who I went to school with and is the most dedicated stream angler I know. I had seen his photos of browns on Facebook, and had a little bit of brown-trout-envy. He agreed to
take me out.
There are many cold-water streams that flow across the Norfolk Sand Plain. These waters are well known to hold migratory rainbow trout (steelhead) that anglers catch in Lake Erie, which create a spectacle when they line up for spawning and jump the smaller dams. But the trout of smaller tributaries are a guarded secret, and include native speckled trout and brown trout introduced decades ago.
Simeays and I headed to one of these tributaries – remember they are secrets and I can’t reveal its whereabouts – a few weeks ago. We discussed equipment briefly, and he advised taking a 10-foot rod instead of the 6’6” rod I use in a boat, saying it would come in handy reaching the holes without getting too close to the water.
I had visions of my youth, trying to navigate the woods of Norfolk County with friend Mark VanHooren after speckles, and remembering the challenge of steering seven feet of fishing rod through the bush, but took
Simeays’ advice.
Heading into the bush along the creek, he stopped at a log jam with a deep cut in it. Kneeling down, he said this was essential so the fish don’t see you. I began to see where the longer rod was important.
“Browns don’t get big by not being smart,” he said, mentioning this is where the longer rod helps.
Simeays told me how he fished the streams and rivers of Norfolk and Oxford Counties since he was about six. His father was a devoted trout fisherman and he followed in his footsteps. Nicknamed ‘Stick’ when he was in high school, I always figured it was because he was tall and skinny. But ‘stick’ is also a slang name for a fishing rod, so maybe I was wrong?
After about the third hole, something hit my dew worm, adding a little excitement to the frigid morning. It ended up to just be a sucker. Simeays also caught a few fish, but his were a mix of chubs and suckers.
“This isn’t thick enough,” he said, pointing to the cover surrounding the creek. “Brown trout like it when there are bushes hanging over the creek with undercut banks.”
We continued on for a while longer, and he tangled with another chub, this one larger. We talked about where the brown trout in Norfolk County came from, as brown trout are native to Europe. Simeays believes they are fish of German origin that were first stocked here in the 1850s. He also explained the difference between
the lake-run browns, which generally tend to be larger, and the ones that remain in the tributaries throughout the year.
There was also some reminiscing about Glendale High School days, and the dreaded talk that seems to be part of more conversations these days: the aches and pains of getting older.
We finished the morning without catching a brown trout, but I was wiser about the ways of stream anglers. Brown trout is still on my list – maybe I will tie into one on Lake Erie this summer as I did catch a blue walleye which is also rare, but that’s a story for another day.
Or maybe I will find a top-secret brown trout honey hole, and won’t be able to tell anyone. Only time will tell.
It's never too late to discover purpose, joy, community
ALEX HUNT
Advocate Correspondent
After more than two decades of volunteering at the Simcoe Seniors’ Centre, Anne Smith educates on the value of getting involved and showing kindness to others.
Smith, 86, who has spent much of her time volunteering around the Simcoe community, says she was a shy and reserved individual until she joined the centre at its original 89 Pond Street location at the age of 63.
“Before joining the centre, I didn’t know I could do the things that I do - I was very shy,” said Smith. “My whole personality did a huge turnaround when I became a member here. Now I wear odd socks and I love to have fun.”
Smith started as a member and joined the singing group in 2002. Before long, she found herself volunteering in the kitchen. Shortly after joining the board of directors, Smith was named Head of Special Events and would play a key role in organizing fashion shows and high teas.
The special events opportunity allowed Smith to demonstrate her creativity and volunteer alongside her late husband Don who played the keyboard before passing away a
year ago. Smith said that her extended family at the seniors’ centre was a wonderful support system after her husband’s passing.
The programming has expanded since her early days of commitment to the centre. What started as a couple hundred members has now risen to over 1,300.
Smith remembers it took some time for her to adjust to the centre’s relocation from 89 Pond Street to the Norfolk County Recreation Centre, with its designated operating hours, in 2023.
“I want to encourage people to be involved, it’s good for you,” said Smith. “You meet people, you learn to control your emotions and make allowances for others. Just be nice to people.
“One of my fondest moments was when I got a life membership for volunteering. To be a life member you have to volunteer for 10 years. You have to be there and always be doing stuff, which is what I do. I like volunteering.”
After 23 years of laughter, service and compassion, Smith continues to be the heart of the Simcoe Seniors’ Centre, a reminder that it's never too late to discover purpose, joy and community.
Veteran stream angler Dave Simeays demonstrates the best way to approach trout holes on area creeks. He recommends staying low and kneeling, so any fish in the hole won’t spot the angler.
(JEFF HELSDON PHOTO)
Anne Smith, 86, continues to be an inspiration to her community at the Simcoe Seniors' Centre.
(ALEX HUNT PHOTO)
Turtlefest promises something old, something
Tillsonburg Turtlefest 2025 on June 13-14 combines old favourites with new experiences.
Some things are old and some things are new in the newly announced plans for the 12th annual Tillsonburg Turtlefest in downtown Tillsonburg.
The town’s signature downtown street festival includes many of the activities which have attracted tens of thousands of visitors in the past and the addition of new experiences as well.
“The Turtlefest Organizing Committee is always looking to make Turtlefest bigger and better,” said TOC chairman Mark Renaud. “Every year we review the previous Turtlefest and suggestions from the residents to see how we can improve it going forward.”
Activities on Friday, the 13th, include the ever-popular Ninja Turtle outdoor movie on the grounds of Annandale NHS at dusk. New this year is an afternoon art contest and exhibit at The Station Arts Gallery and more music and activities at The Tillsonburg Town Centre.
Activities at Annandale continue Saturday, June 14 in the morning (10 a.m.) with crafts and turtle exhibits and more.
Saturday, the street festival on Broadway from Bridge Street to Oxford/Bidwell begins at noon and ends with the mainstage concert beginning at 9 p.m. New on Saturday is all day music on the mainstage at Broadway and Oxford/Baldwin streets, the Food Truck Fairway on Brock Street, Young Entrepreneur Alley on Ridout Street sponsored by Shaw’s Ice Cream, and an Agricultural Zone in the Town Centre’s north parking lot.
There will be no VIP area this year, but local restaurants will feature patios where patrons can enjoy food and beverages while they listen to the music. Among the favourite returning activities on Broadway are the popular “bouncy castle” inflatables, including last year’s hit, the iconic Turtlefest turtle.
The Station Arts’ Creative Imagination Station is back offering face painting and crafts for hundreds of children. You can get a video of your best dance moves as you dance to the music at the 360 booth. The petting zoo is back, bigger and better than ever and Reptilia returns for year two, this time with a 45-foot trailer where you can see and learn about more than a dozen exotic reptiles. The ever-popular Carver Kings will also be back.
In addition, many of the more than 100 vendor booths on Broadway will offer a variety of interactive activities for young and old.
The main stage will spotlight local performers in a variety of musical genres in the afternoon beginning at noon, followed by a two-time Juno nominated artist. The evening concert is headlined by a popular rock-country band sponsored by TD Bank and Execulink, a slight change from the TurtleFest performers featured in the past.
In response to feedback from last year, a “Food Truck Fairway” will be introduced, a one-stop spot to curb those festival cravings. Enjoy all the tasty treats in one designated place – also allowing the food trucks to be accessible during the evening concert.
Shaw’s Entrepreneur Alley is an area where young people up to 16 years old
TurtleFest, Tillsonburg’s signature celebration on June 13-14, will be filled with fun, entertainment, and unforgettable memories. Promising something for everyone, it’s a weekend that highlights Tillsonburg’s vibrant spirit. Join the shell-ebration in 2025. (FACEBOOK PHOTO)
can showcase their own small businesses and the Agricultural Zone offers residents an opportunity to get up close with farm equipment and experience Tillsonburg’s rural roots.
“The success of Turtlefest is possible because of the participation of many local businesses who sponsor events and activities and more than 100 vendors who set up booths and engage people in interactive activities,” said Renaud. Follow Turtlefest at www.turtlefest. ca and on Facebook for more information.
More than just recreational programs, it's a family
ALEX HUNT Advocate Correspondent
Family, community and belonging.
Simcoe Seniors’ Centre offers something for everyone, whether it be a match of pickleball or a casual conversation with a cup of coffee.
“The programs that are offered at the centre are designed to help seniors with stretching, movement, balance, mobility, and their cognitive function,” said Wayne Inglehart, vice president at Simcoe Seniors’ Centre. “The big thing is social because there are a lot of seniors who have lost someone important to them. These people are all going through similar experiences.”
For $45 a year, individuals over the age of 50 have access to an assortment of activities offered by the seniors’ centre at 182 South Drive, Simcoe. Program options include pickleball, darts, billiards, cards, strength training and many other physical and non-physical activities.
“It's a social activity, you’re not staying in your home by yourself, you're getting out and you have over 1,300 other people that you can socialize with,” said Linda Cumisky, president at the Simcoe Seniors’ Centre.
Whether it's over a cup of coffee, during exercise or just sitting down and having a conversation, there is something for everyone.
From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. running from Monday through Saturday, members have access to multi-purpose rooms, a coffee space, billiards, a library and a cemented recreational pad for pickle ball and the popular Walkabout.
Debi Inglehart, space and program allocation coordinator said membership enrollments keep rising which had been leading to participant overload in some of the programming.
“Sitting at just over 1,300 members, we are running out of room for people,” said Debi. “In an ideal world, we would have our own separate building but it's not happening, we can’t afford our own building. We only have spaces during the operating hours.”
Cumisky said that the centre is currently accommodating members all the way up to their 90s along with a woman at the age of 100 who visits to play cards.
“People of all different fitness levels are welcome to our programs,” said Wayne. “The whole point is socialization. Getting out of the house is important, you don’t want to be isolated. You are not forced to do everything all the way throughyou can have a coffee, sit and watch, you don’t have to participate.”
The Board of Directors plans to open a swimming program in September where members can enjoy one hour of pool time with a focus on water aerobics.
The centre will continue to operate and innovate senior fitness in the future. Led by dedicated volunteers, the team shows no signs of slowing down and will continue accepting enrollments and expanding their family.
DAD JOKES
What kind of shoes to frogs wear? Open-toad sandals.
Why do crabs never volunteer? Because they're shell-fish.
What did the bison say to his son when he left the ranch? Bi-son.
I had a quiet game of tennis today. There was no racket.
Who won the neck decorating contest? It was a tie.
Where do rainbows go when they've been bad?
To prism, so they have time to reflect on what they've done.
Dogs can't operate MRI machines. But catscan.
How many storm troopers does it take to change a lightbulb?
None, because they are all on the dark side. .
PET OF THE WEEK
JINGLES
Meet our Pet of the Week:
Jingles is a 3 1/2 year old domestic shorthair, who loves to be outdoors catching birds and exploring the backyard.
He likes to cuddle and play and always comes when treats are offered.
Submitted by Sarah Leavoy
Word
HAPPY
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
THURSDAY, JUNE 5
FREE CONCERT
7:30 p.m
Featuring the Haldimand Norfolk Concert Band. Come and enjoy great music in the beautiful acoustics of the church sanctuary. Light refreshments will follow.
St. Peter's Lutheran Church, 155 Colborne St. N. Simcoe
Board Game Nite
6 p.m - 9 p.m
The Norfolk Game Group welcomes all adults and supervised children to join in on the fun!
Norfolk County Public Library
Simcoe Branch - 46 Colborne Street South Simcoe
FRIDAY, JUNE 6
Trivia Night at Riversyde 83
7 p.m
Café open until 9:00 p.m on Fridays. 83 Sydenham St. Simcoe
SATURDAY, JUNE 7
Edisonfest
9 a.m - 4 p.m
For more information visit https://www.elgintourism.ca/events/vienna-edisonfest/ Vienna Memorial Park, 6226 Plank Rd, Vienna
SUNDAY, JUNE 8
COMMUNITY-WIDE WORSHIP AND PRAYER EVENT:
6 p.m - 7:30 p.m
Co-planned by the Simcoe Ministerial Group and Church Out Serving. As part of Norfolk Community Days, we invite our community to join together to celebrate God’s goodness and our Norfolk Community. For more info, email churchoutserving@gmail.com.
Simcoe Recreation Centre on South Drive.
MONDAY, JUNE 9
Connecting through words
1:30 p.m - 3 p.m
Embark on a journey of self-awareness and healing! Our Connect Through Words program will explore topics like hope, nature, and connection to promote well-being, resilience, and connection. Spaces are limited and registration is required
Norfolk County Public Library, Simcoe Branch 46 Colborne Street South, Simcoe
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11
Teen Art Club
4:30 p.m - 5:30 p.m
Grow your portfolio, expand your skills, and connect with other teen artists!
Norfolk County Public Library
Delhi Branch - 192 Main Street of Delhi
THURSDAY, JUNE 12
Board Game Nite
6 p.m - 9 p.m
The Norfolk Game Group welcomes all adults and supervised children to join in on the fun!
Norfolk County Public Library
Simcoe Branch - 46 Colborne Street South Simcoe
JUNE 14 & JUNE 15
Yard and Plant Sale - Simcoe and District Humane Society
8 a.m - 2 p.m
Treasure hunters can shop the yard and plant sale, and enjoy a BBQ lunch from 11am to 2pm. The shelter will be open for those looking to meet the adoptable pets in care from 11am to 3pm. Accepting donations of cans and bottles.
24 Grigg Drive, Simcoe
Two women rescued a mile off Turkey Point beach
a rescue vessel into the lake to pick up the stranded beachgoers, who were “extremely cold” but otherwise unhurt, Sgt. Ed Sanchuk said in a video posted to social media.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18
Teen Social Night
4 p.m - 5 p.m
Looking for a fun way to hang out, get creative, and game with friends? Whats in store?Squad up in Minecraft, Roblox, and Dungeons & Dragons - Dive into epic tabletop games & creative challenges - Chat about your favourite books & anime - Meet new people, have a blast, and pick next months theme!
Norfolk County Public Library Port Dover Branch - 713 St. George Street Port Dover
THURSDAY, JUNE 19
FREE CONCERT
7:00 p.m
Featuring the Haldimand Norfolk Concert Band. Come and enjoy great music in the beautiful acoustics of the church sanctuary. Light refreshments will follow.
Riverfront Park, Harbour St. Port Dover OUTDOORS - bring your own lawn chair weather permitting
FRIDAY, JUNE 20
Riversyde 83 Friday Fun Nights presents: Chocolate BINGO
7:00 p.m
No cost to play. Chocolate bingo prizes. Special chocolate beverage and treats at the café! Don't be choco-LATE!
83 Sydenham St. Simcoe
SATURDAY, JUNE 21
Science Saturday 1 p.m - 1:30 p.m
Each week, we'll explore cool science topics like physics, chemistry, biology, environmental science, astronomy, and more.
Norfolk County Public Library Waterford Branch - 15 Main Street South Waterford
A fun trip to the beach at Turkey Point almost turned fatal for two women from Brampton on May 17.
Police in Norfolk County say the two visitors were relaxing on the water around 1:40 p.m. on Victoria Day weekend when their floaties started to drift further from the shore.
Before they knew it, the women - who police say were not wearing life-jackets and did not know how to swim - were about a mile offshore, clinging to their floaties as the waters of Lake Erie churned around them.
Fortunately, someone on the beach saw the pair in obvious distress and called police.
The OPP marine unit chugged into action, sending
“The great news out of this - there were no injuries,” Sanchuk said.
Authorities urge anyone venturing into the water - regardless of their swimming ability - to wear a personal flotation device or a life-jacket.
“If you can’t swim and you enter the water, make sure you wear a PFD or a life-jacket,” Sanchuk said. “That little piece of safety equipment could save your life.”
J.P. Antonacci is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter based at the Hamilton Spectator. The initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
Hundreds of shade trees, fruit trees, apples, pears, peaches, plums, sweet and sour cherries, apricots, nectarines, blueberries, haskapp grapes, raspberries, elderberries etc. Lots of spruce, pine, cedars for windbreak and privacy hedges. Sizes 1-8 ft. in containers ready to go. Flowering shrubs and much more. MonSat 7:00am to 6:00pm Martin's Nursery, 42661 Orangehill Rd Wroxeter, ON N0G 2X0 (1 Conc. North of Wroexter on Belmore Line)
WANTED
WANTED – Royal Albert bone china dinner sets, also Johnson Brother dinner sets, and Roy Riemen magazines from the late 1900’s, Country, Reminisce, Farm & Ranch Living. Call 519-580-0630.
MULTICULTURAL FOOD FESTIVAL - Saturday, June 7th, 11 am - 3 pm - Located at the Delhi Tobacco Museum & Heritage Centre 200 Talbot Rd Delhi. Featuring: Korean, Filipino, Jamaican, Mexican, Indian, Hungarian, Ukrainian, German food and European desserts. $5 admission, Children 12 & under free. Debit & Cash payment. Take out or Dine in. PROMOTE YOUR
Deadline: Monday prior at 3 p.m. Contact: info@simcoeadvocate.com
Share them with your local community.
Let us help you honour and celebrate every chapter of life –from anniversaries to obituaries, and everything in between. Commemorate the moments that matter in the
Let us help create a meaningful announcement: info@simcoeadvocate.com
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Lighthouse Festival presents The Hound of the Baskervilles
Second production of the 2025 Summer Season opens June 18 in Port Dover
The game is afoot at Lighthouse Festival as The Hound of the Baskervilles takes the stage as the second production of the 2025 summer season.
Running from June 18 to July 5 in Port Dover and July 9 to 20 in Port Colborne, this riotous adaptation of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle classic promises non-stop laughs, jaw-dropping transformations, and a spine-tingling mystery with a decidedly ridiculous twist.
Written by Steven Canny and John Nicholson, this brilliantly funny take on one of literature’s most iconic detective stories, trading fog for farce as three actors take on over a dozen roles. Directed by Derek Ritschel, Lighthouse Festival’s Director in Residence, The Hound of the Baskervilles stars a powerhouse comedic trio: Jonathan Ellul, Sweeney Macarthur, and Andrew Scanlon.
“Theatre should entertain, surprise, and leave your cheeks sore from smiling, and this show delivers all three,” says director Derek Ritschel. “We’ve taken one of the greatest mysteries ever written and turned it into a night of organized chaos, breathless quick changes, and endless hilarity. These actors are fearless, and the audience is in for a howling good time.”
“Steve and I had a great time writing this adaptation - nearly 20 years ago now. It’s also been a pleasure to come back to the script almost every year since to update it, in response to new productions,” says playwright John Nicholson. “Since its West End run in London, the show has travelled all over the world, and we’re thrilled that it has now landed at Lighthouse Festival. We know you’re in for a good time!”
Jonathan Ellul, taking on the role of the infamous sidekick Watson, says “What I love about my character is that I get to be
the ‘innocent’ in the story because Watson is always trying to figure out the next piece of the puzzle, but also, there is a lot of stepping in and out of character which, in our version, contrasts with everything about the ‘character I’m playing’.”
“I think anyone who is looking for a real escape is going to love this show; anyone looking for the opportunity to slip away into a world of mystery and intrigue and rollicking laughs, says Andrew Scanlon. “I think fans of Sherlock Holmes will love this adaptation, which plays very cleverly with all the creepy twists and turns of the classic story. But if you’ve never seen a Holmes mystery in your life, this is the absolute perfect comedic entry point!”
From lightning-fast costume changes to laugh-out-loud dialogue and a few howls in the night, The Hound of the Baskervilles is a perfect blend of classic storytelling and madcap comedy. Whether you’re a die-hard Holmes fan or simply love a good laugh, this production is sure to be a highlight of your summer.
Tickets are available now at www.lighthousetheatre.com or by calling 1-888-7797703.
About Lighthouse Festival
Lighthouse Festival is a charitable organization devoted to the development and production of new and existing Canadian plays. Lighthouse Festival strives to be artistically excellent, support and encourage local and regional artists, and be a source of enjoyment and pride in local communities while promoting local tourism. Located in two beautiful towns on Lake Erie, our theatres operate on a central policy of hospitality, inclusivity, accessibility, and affordability for all.
From left are Jonathan Ellul, Sara Allison (Assistant Stage Manager), Daniele Guillaume (Stage Manager), Derek Ritschel (Director), Andrew Scanlon, and Sweeney Macarthur at rehearsal for Lighthouse Festival’s 2025 summer production of The Hound of the Baskervilles.
