Stratford Times October 10, 2025

STRATFORD

Warriors to retire Indigenous logo after pushback

AMANDA MODARAGAMAGE Times Reporter

After community members voiced concern over the return of an Indigenous-themed logo on one of their 50th anniversary jerseys, the Stratford Warriors will retire the design, according to an email obtained by the Times.

The local hockey team unveiled a throwback lineup earlier this season, featuring jerseys from their past –including one bearing an “Indian Warhead” logo. The decision drew swift criticism from several residents, who called the imagery culturally insensitive.

In an email to the Times, one community member wrote, “Many groups feel these logos are disrespectful and promote cultural appropriation. Many sports teams are removing this offensive logo. Why is the Stratford … hockey team returning this logo to their uniforms?”

Local advocate Loreena McKennitt also reached out with her concerns after speaking to several local Indigenous community members.

“I am interested to learn what the thinking was behind this decision, who made it and could it be reconsidered?” wrote McKennitt. “What I am aware of is that a few individuals who identify as Indigenous in this area were not aware of this decision and were taken aback by something which many thought had been settled as per the Ontario Human Rights Commission.”

Mayor Martin Ritsma said that once he became

GALEN SIMMONS Regional Editor

Having just been announced as the Stratford Festival’s next artistic director, Jonathan Church is looking forward to immersing himself fully in the festival and getting to know its artists and audiences before he officially takes over the role from Antoni Cimolino in November 2026.

carry forward the Stratford Festival’s mission of creating worldclass theatre for both Canadian and international audiences.

“It’s simply one of the greatest theatre festivals and theatre complexes in the world,” Church said of the Stratford Festival. “When the job came up, how could I resist putting my hat in the ring? I’ve run a few companies and, although I currently run an independent theatre company, the thing that I realized I missed … is two things; it’s the sense of family you get working within a building, and that family is both the staff and artists working in the

Members of the Wills and Prior team gather for a photo after taking part in the 2025 Stratford 5K Run/Walk. See the story on page 11.

(AMANDA MODARAGAMAGE PHOTO)

Jonathan Church

forward to getting to know Stratford Festival and its audiences as artistic director

building that you work with year in, year out, and also the connection with the audience.

“I think I discovered that what I missed most – and I sort of knew this when I was running a theatre, but it was only when I didn’t that I recognized what was so powerful about it – is that sense of conversation you have with an audience. And that’s amplified when you have four venues and the number of plays to put on (that the festival has), because that conversation is very varied, very rich. Over the years, you build artist reputations, you sense what an audience is excited about, you can surprise them, you can introduce them to new things, they can tell you they don’t like things. That conversation, I genuinely felt, is what got me up in the morning for so many years.”

A dual British-Canadian citizen, Church has directed more than 50 productions, including repertory, West End, touring and international plays and musicals. His

work as a producer and director has netted him 45 Olivier Award nominations and 12 wins, 12 Evening Standard Award nominations and five wins, and six Tony Award nominations.

He has held key leadership roles at major U.K. institutions, including artistic director of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre and the Chichester Festival Theatre, a sister theatre to the Stratford Festival. In his time at Chichester, a total of 48 productions had extended lives through tours and West End runs, including a critically acclaimed production of Macbeth, directed by Rupert Goold and starring Patrick Stewart, which moved to the West End before transferring to BAM in New York and then Broadway.

Church, who is no stranger to the Stratford Festival, having attended regularly since 2008 and directed the 2002 U.K. premiere of Timothy Findley’s Elizabeth Rex, a Stratford Festival commission, says he is excited to take the next step in his career in Canada. Not only does this give him a chance to reconnect to his childhood – part of which he spent in Canada – and his Canadian heritage, it also gives him the opportunity to explore the works of William Shakespeare away from the reputation of the

and playwrights are most passionate about, and what they believe should be produced for that season. In the meantime, Church said he will use the 2026 season as an opportunity to learn how a season of theatre in Stratford comes together and how it operates, while dipping his toes into that longstanding conversation with Stratford Festival audiences.

“This next set of conversations will, I’m sure, bring me my best ideas,” he said.

While leading the Chichester Festival Theatre, Church was credited with transforming the theatre’s fortunes, nearly doubling its audience and overseeing a £22-million redevelopment, accomplishments that set him up to further the work underway by Cimolino and executive director Anita Gaffney to recover from the pandemic shutdown and its aftermath.

“To discover a new set of voices and a different perspective on the world is a challenge, but a great opportunity,” he said. “ … Because we have the RSC in England, a lot of the companies I’ve run have not majored in Shakespeare because we have a national institution that does it, arguably, bigger and better than anybody else. I’ve been fortunate enough to produce and direct some Shakespeare in my time, and the opportunity to work more deeply with him as a writer and that rich set of texts again as an artist and a producer is both a challenge and an exciting opportuni-

Church said he is equally eager to continue the Stratford Festival’s tradition of fostering the creation of new plays and bringing new works to Stratford that audiences may not have ex-

While he said he has only just begun dreaming up what might make up the playbill for his debut season in 2027, he admitted nothing can be set in stone until he meets with the festival’s creative team and gets a feel for what plays Stratford’s directors, actors

“It’s been one of the great success stories, what Antoni and Anita have achieved, because the growth post-pandemic has been pretty impressive,” he said. “This last season has been incredible and the confidence to extend the season this year, the confidence to bring back a hit like Something Rotten next year … my job is to keep building on that. There’s lots of strands of how one might continue to do that, but I honestly believe the best thing you can do is create the work that is so in demand and so wanted that you grow the audience. I think that is the most simple way to create additional revenue. We’re in a great revenue place now, but finding some ideas that might do that is a good focus.

“Sometimes that might be about an artist you attract, sometimes it might be about rationalizing a length of run. … One of the successes in other theatres I’ve run, both artistically and for revenue, has been to take work beyond the theatre elsewhere. … If you can create a revenue stream through the brilliant work here being seen elsewhere, wouldn’t that be fantastic? … But you’ve got to make great work in the first place, so that’s got to be the priority.”

Church has been signed for an initial term of five years. He will begin with the festival initially as artistic director designate as he continues to support projects currently underway with his commercial production company, Jonathan Church Theatre Productions. He officially assumes the role of artistic director on Nov. 1, 2026.

“I’m incredibly proud to be the custodian of (Stratford Festival) theatre,” Church said. “ … An artistic director is here for a relatively brief space of time – Antoni is the exception. If most artistic directors might be here for a decade, then I see the artistic director’s job is to nurture an organization for the people who really own it, and that is the audience, the staff, the sponsors. … If I can pick it up from the amazing place it’s in … not drop the ball and pass the baton to the next person in the future in at least as good, but hopefully better condition, then I’ll have something nice to write on my tombstone.”

Jonathan Church has been announced as the next artistic director of the Stratford Festival, officially taking over from Antoni Cimolino in November 2026.

(STRATFORD FESTIVAL PHOTO)

John be nimble, John be quick … John is reminding you to blow out your candlesticks

though, to keep drilling into us the things we already know, so that habits form. We’ll get there. It’ll just take repetition and time.

As covered in the last edition of the Stratford Times, it was Fire Prevention Week this week, with the theme of “Charge into Fire Safety.” Local fire departments, and departments across the country for that matter, urged residents to think twice about the lithium-ion batteries in their homes and to know how to properly handle and recycle them.

It’s important to keep in mind this week and beyond. I think each of us have read news stories of major fires being started by people doing something we’ve all been guilty of in the past. I’ll admit, it’s been a struggle for me not to go to bed and find my phone charging under my pillow the next morning, even when I know I should be avoiding that at all costs. I think that’s the point of the week

I was thinking about my dad this Fire Prevention Week. Some of you may know ole’ Johnny yourselves. He’s a fire alarm technician for a regional company and does a lot of the testing for organizations in Stratford. If you’re ever at Stratford General and they’re doing their alarm tests, it’s probably him you should be complaining about (though you shouldn’t – regular testing is important for everyone’s safety).

Every once in awhile dad and I will be able to get lunch when he’s in town – or he’ll ask me to pick up his lunchpail that he accidentally left in some forgotten broom closet where the alarm panel is. It’s nice, though it’s a far cry from how it used to be. I can still hear him now, a former army vet drill-

Letter to the Editor

I was disappointed to see The Stratford Warriors exhume a team logo that draws upon Indigenous iconography for their merchandise and team jerseys. Many consider this practice cultural appropriation and feel it had been dealt with years ago.

In a 2015 Justice Murray Sinclair, chair and chief commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission commented that sports teams with offensive names such as Redskins and cartoonish aboriginal-looking mascots “have no place in a country trying to come to grips with racism in its past,” saying “it’s time to get rid of offensive Indigenous mascots which would never be tolerated if they targeted any other cultural group.”

A May 2019 letter from the Ontario Human Rights

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

Publisher

Stewart Grant • stew@granthaven.com

Editor

Connor Luczka • connor@granthaven.com

Times Reporter

Amanda Modaragamage • amandajanewriter@gmail.com

Graphic Design / Sales Inquiries

Sarah Cairns • stratfordtimes@gmail.com

Business Development

Heather Dunbar • heather@granthaven.com

Billing Administrator

Cindy Boakes • boakescindy1576@gmail.com

Contributors

Galen Simmons, Spencer Seymour, Julia Schneider, Gary West, Paul Knowles, Emily Stewart, Lisa Chester, Fred Gonder, Sheila Clarke, Irene Roth, Lee Griffi, Stuart Lender, Sydney Goodwin, Alex Hunt, Julia Paul, Patrick D. Burk

36 Water St. St. Marys, ON, PO Box 2310 N4X 1A2 stratfordtimes@gmail.com | 519.655.2341 | granthaven.com

ing “One man, one kit!” to me and my sister when we were young and forgot something of ours somewhere. Oh, how times have changed.

As you can imagine, fire safety is something Johnny’s particularly passionate about, and something that my sister and I heard a lot about growing up. We always had fire alarms and extinguishers, ready to go and tested, in the home. At one point we even had two industrial extinguishers just outside on the patio that he insisted to my mom was just a temporary measure while he figures out where to store them at work. I still think that was a ruse. He just wanted them close by. Afterall, they followed us for half a decade, through two moves no less.

When any batteries or electronics were out of juice, he collected them in his workshop and recycled them appropriately. He was

Commission’s to municipalities addressed the harmful impact of Indigenous-themed sports logos. and how sports are intended to be “drivers of social inclusion; bringing communities together and to help youth develop their self-esteem.”

It underscores one of the purposes of Ontario’s Human Rights Code the “creation of a climate of understanding and mutual respect for dignity and worth of each person so that each person feels a part of the community.”

In a September 30 StratfordToday.ca article, local Anishinaabe knowledge carrier Christin Dennis (Aamjiwnaang First Nation) suggests there may be a better way to share the history of the jersey, by “putting a jersey in a

always aware of burn hazards in the house, kept on top of the carbon monoxide testers and always kept a charged water hose ready in the backyard when having a fire late at night.

When I moved out for the first time and he spotted my kitchen alarm had the battery pack popped out, he reminded me why its there and why I shouldn’t leave it like that in the kitchen of all places, pointing to my gas stove and my dish towels hanging off the rack. Sorry dad!

I’m very grateful that he instilled such fervent responsibility in me, even if I’m still not at the level he would like me to be. But like I said, we’ll get there. Repetition and time.

So from Johnny to me to you, remember fire safety beyond this Saturday when the annual week ends. I know I will. Johnny won’t let me forget about it, and nor should he.

glass case and write a story about that part of the team’s history.” Dennis, also a member of a local community-based Indigenous collaborative Kaswentha-Two Row Now, proposed that the team include “a disclaimer that they didn’t know better at the time and that this is not the appropriate way now.”

In the spirit of respect and cultural harmony, I would encourage the Stratford Warriors management to reconsider its use of the Indigenous graphic. Many in the community would be grateful for this act of recognition and reconciliation.

Loreena McKennitt CM, OM, CD, LL.D. and D.Litt Stratford, Ontario

DUE TO POSTAL STRIKE

With the ongoing Canada Post strike, delivery of subscriptions has unfortunately had to pause. As we did last time, we will be adding one week to your subscription expiry date for every week that the strike continues.

We apologize for the inconvenience and truly appreciate your understanding. Scan the QR code to find pick-up locations near you and stay connected with the good news!

Thank you for your continued support.

CONNOR LUCZKA

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Imagination takes centre stage at Trophy X Dream Weavers event Warriors to retire Indigenous logo after pushback from locals

An afternoon of imagination led kids and adults alike to the Grand Trunk site for the Trophy X Dream Weavers event this past weekend.

A pop-up village of canvas tents aimed to make attendees feel as though they were listening to stories in a cozy cocoon, where storytellers shared tales reflecting the heart of the region – its turning points, quiet awakenings and bold aspirations meant to inspire the listener.

Playful drop-in activities for children were also available around the site, including chalk painting, games, puppet making and shows.

The event was presented in partnership with the Provocation Ideas Festival, Trophy, the City of Stratford, investStratford and SpringWorks, in collaboration with the Pathways to Poetry Festival and the Stratford Writers Festival. It was part of Ontario Culture Days. To hear more about the event, read guest columnist Jack Nahrgang's account on page 23.

aware of the growing concern in the community, he too reflected on the issue and stated that if it’s an issue for residents, it’s a municipal concern that should also involve the city.

“If it's part of our community, it has to be part of a municipality,” he said. “Is this directly connected to the municipality? No. However, the hockey club does operate out of a municipal building.”

In other municipalities across Ontario, hockey associations have banned the use of such logos and offensive terms; however, in Stratford, this does not appear to be the case.

In a 2019 complaint that led to a mediated settlement involving the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) and the City of Mississauga, a requirement was imposed to remove Indigenous-themed mascots and imagery from city-run arenas.

The OHRC has continued to urge municipalities to review and, where appropriate, remove Indigenous-themed mascots, names and imagery used by non-Indigenous groups in city facilities.

In a return email to McKennitt, Stratford Warriors president Nick Aroutzidis noted that he believes one of the historic mistakes made by western society is the tendency to make decisions for Indigenous peoples rather than with them.

“We are committed to doing better,” Aroutzidis wrote. “As soon as we became aware of these concerns, we began reaching out to Indigenous leaders in and around our community. We believe that listening and engaging in meaningful consultation is the right and necessary step, and we will respond and act accordingly based on those discussions.”

He then wrote, “We sincerely appreciate you bringing this matter forward, and you have my assurance that we take these concerns very seriously.”

Following that statement, a representative of the team informed McKennitt it will retire the jersey featuring the “Indian Warhead” logo.

The Times attempted to reach Aroutzidis and the Stratford Warriors for comment, though did not hear back in time for publication.

AMANDA MODARAGAMAGE Times Reporter

Beatrice and Caity Everitt create colourful chalk art during the Trophy and Dreamweavers festival at the Grand Trunk site on Saturday afternoon.

Aws Alta’eh and Ali Al Teah face off in a friendly game of chess during the Trophy and Dreamweavers event held at the Grand Trunk site.

A screenshot of the Stratford Warriors' website, featuring the "Indian Warhead" logo.

A view of the canvas tents set up for the Trophy and Dreamweavers festival at the Grand Trunk site, part of Ontario Culture Days.

(AMANDA MODARAGAMAGE PHOTOS)

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Stratford’s first women's “netwalking” event coming this month

AMANDA MODARAGAMAGE

Times Reporter

Fresh Idea Collective and Inspired by Fitness, two local women-owned businesses, are collaborating to offer women a chance to connect and network through light-hearted movement.

The first of its kind, the “netwalking” event will take place on Thursday, Oct. 30, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Inspired by Fitness’ new location at 400 Huron St. in Stratford.

“We're always looking for unique and engaging ways to bring women entrepreneurs together,” said Kerry Ramsay, founder of Fresh Idea Collective. “This is a great chance for the Fresh Idea Collective community to get to know a new business and to hear Sherry's story.”

The event will begin at the fitness studio, where Sherry Kresky, owner of Inspired by Fitness, will share her insights into the highs and lows of being a woman in business. This will then be followed by a guided, 30-minute walk along a safe, scenic neighbourhood route.

“This is a really great way to network with other women and also get your steps in,” said Kresky. “Sometimes it can feel intimidating to walk into a room of busi-

ness owners and be expected to network; we’re taking the heat off by making this a fun and light-hearted event instead."

The fully accessible walk will take attendees around the local neighbourhood, with a brief stop in front of Avondale United Church, where a short stretch and light activity will be included, followed by a walk back to the studio.

“It’s meant to be a way to connect with each other in a new way,” said Ramsay. “We're always looking for ways to stimulate conversation and to make everyone feel welcome, whether they're an introvert, an extrovert, someone who loves networking, or someone who doesn't like networking at all. This is a chance for us to move our bodies and to get some exercise, get some steps in while networking.”

Healthy and delicious snacks from the Little Kitchen on York Street with non-alcoholic beverages provided by Pretty Gutsy, founded by Stratford-native Nedia Flis, another women-owned business.

There will be changes to win door prizes, share business cards and get to know other women in the community.

“This workshop is for women entrepreneurs, business owners and community builders who are ready to move beyond surface-level networking and create

Eighth annual vendor and craft show Oct. 18 at Avondale United

The eighth annual vendor and craft show will be held Saturday, Oct. 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Avondale United Church, located at 194 Avondale Ave.

The event will feature 50 vendors

spread across five rooms, with Ken’s French Fries and an apple fry truck outside. A bake sale and penny raffle are also planned for the event.

Proceeds will support the church’s outreach programs, including its food shelf and community meal services.

There's no entry fee, but donations will be taken at the front door.

something more meaningful, more sustainable and more impactful,” said Ramsay.

To learn more or to get tickets to this event, please visit www.freshideacollective.com.

City wants your thoughts on new park concepts

STRATFORD TIMES STAFF stratfordtimes@gmail.com

The City of Stratford has presented two concepts for its new Countryside Park being developed beside the Stratford Rotary Complex.

As a result of earlier public workshops and a survey, the concepts were developed to include features that gained the most interest from participants, while staying within city budget and planning criteria.

The two concepts are:

• The Path: This design focuses on creating

a natural space with meadow and reforestation areas, nature trails and a variety of spaces incorporated throughout.

• The Hub: This design features more open lawn areas and uses a diagonal path to divide the central hub of activity into two halves. A ring path encircles the central hub with a strong geometric form.

For more information and to view the Countryside Park information panels, please visit Engage Stratford at https://engagestratford.ca/countryside-park.

A final report is expected to be before city council in December of this year.

AMANDA MODARAGAMAGE Times Reporter

This year's volunteer organizers for the annual vendor and craft show at Avondale United Church. From left: Susan Wigan, Cheryl Schmidt and Barb Bode.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Sherry Kresky, owner of Inspired by Fitness and Kerry Ramsay, founder of Fresh Idea Collective are teaming up to bring networking and fitness together for a women's 'netwalking' event this month.

(AMANDA MODARAGAMAGE PHOTO)

The City of Stratford wants to hear your thoughts on these two concepts for its new Countryside Park, located in the green space just beside the Stratford Rotary Complex.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Thanks to Home Suite Home, St. Marys youth has her first affordable home

CONNOR LUCZKA Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

With rental prices continuing to skyrocket, Paige Noel, a 20-year-old St. Marys-native, was doubtful she would be able to stay in or near the town she grew up in.

Now, thanks to Home Suite Home and the wider community, Noel is doubtful no more.

On Oct. 3, Noel picked up the keys to her brand-new tiny home from Vicky Devocht, executive director of Home Suite Home. The plot of land is 10 by 10 metres and the whole building is six by six, complete with a kitchenette, living room, bedroom and full bathroom – and a porch sitting area to boot.

As Noel said, it was a surreal moment.

“I could never imagine having a place like this for myself,” noel said. “I could never do it on my own and I'm so grateful for everybody who's put the work in to make this happen for me. … I'm so happy that I get to stay in St Marys. … A lot of people end up going to these bigger places. But even in bigger places, it doesn't make it more affordable. Finding affordable housing like this is – it's hard.”

Noel’s new home is the first tiny home built by the non-profit Home Suite Home. Construction finished just a little more than a year after the organization had announced its intention to build affordable tiny homes for the community across Perth County, including in Stratford.

“The community stepped up,” Devocht said at the key-handing ceremony. “From day one, we said, ‘Let's rally the community.’ … And that's what got the ball rolling so quickly. We were able to do this (in) just a little over a year.”

Devocht explained that the reason this home was the first to be built was simple. The family which owned the property, Noel’s family, was the first to reach out.

The family explained their situation, which involves multiple families living under one roof and not enough bedrooms to house everyone. It was so cramped that Noel’s mother was sleeping on the couch, having given up her bedroom for her family. Devocht said that once they heard of the predicament, that Noel was working but still couldn’t afford the high cost of an apartment, they knew it was a project Home Suite Home should get involved in.

They leveraged partnerships with various organizations, contractors and advisors –such as Teahen Construction Ltd., Hive Design Co., Zelinka Priamo Ltd., Project Tiny Hope and the Ontario Building Officials Association – to permit and build the home, creating a 10-year lease agreement from the

property owners for only a dollar. They rent the home to Noel for only $500 a month, which recoups some of the cost it takes to keep the home.

“This isn't feasible without the community,” Devocht said. “For example, it costs a lot for insurance. You think it's a tiny home and you wouldn't have to pay all this insurance, but you do. We don't make that much money, but, you know, it's helping somebody else. We feel through our fundraising initiatives and the community stepping up, doing monthly donations, all that, it's working.”

Devocht, along with general manager Jeff Murton, thanked their collaborators for making the home a reality.

“It’s not about Jeff and I, really,” Devocht said. “We are the facilitators of this all,

yes, but it’s the community … Home Suite Home is the community.”

Noel’s situation is not unlike other young people in the region and abroad. Brogan Aylward, the deputy mayor of St. Marys, is also in his 20s. He told those that gathered for the key-handing ceremony the Town of St. Marys has worked with the province to make sure that the housing crisis is being properly addressed locally, which means making it easier for creative solutions like tiny homes. He also highlighted that he is in the same boat as many of his peers.

“I’m the deputy mayor out of my mom’s basement,” Aylward said before addressing the tiny home he stood in front of. “I think it’s a fantastic thing … I can’t wait to see more of this in the future.”

Stratford Mayor Martin Ritsma agreed.

“We know that housing, affordable, attainable housing, comes in many shapes and sizes and through many different ways and means,” Ritsma said.

Tiny homes may be on the horizon for Stratford. Adam Betteridge, the city's director of building and planning, said there are no policies preventing this type of dwelling.

"The Ontario government now permits backyard suites on a permanent, as-of-right basis.," Betteridge said. "This means any property that meets certain criteria – including being outside of a regulated floodplain and containing a single-detached, semi-detached or townhouse dwelling – is eligible to have both a basement/interior unit and a backyard suite."

Devocht advised the community to visit Home Suite Home’s website at https://homesuitehome.org/ for more information – and for updates on upcoming projects. She noted that its next project will be an “agri-village” of four tiny homes on a rural property in the county. Construction is expected to start in the spring of 2026.

Paige Noel, a 20-year-old St. Marys-native, holds the key to her new affordable tiny home, courtesy of Home Suite Home, a Perth County based non-profit.

Brogan Aylward, deputy mayor of St. Marys, Perth-Wellington

MP John Nater, Vicky Devocht and Jeff Murton of Home Suite Home and Paige Noel stand behind Stratford Mayor Martin Ritsma – and in front of Noel’s newly-built tiny home.

Vicky Devocht and Jeff Murton thank the community for stepping up, during the unveiling of Home Suite Home’s first tiny home.

(CONNOR LUCZKA PHOTOS)

Multicultural Association of Perth Huron collecting sleeping bags and blankets for area homeless

Regional Editor

The Multicultural Association of Perth Huron (MAPH) recently announced it has begun collecting sleeping bags, blankets and financial donations to help keep unhoused residents of Stratford and St. Marys warm over the winter in lieu of a permanent homeless shelter.

Following an unsuccessful bid by MAPH executive director and Stratford city Coun. Geza Wordofa to have the City of Stratford establish a permanent homeless shelter for men either at the Stratford Rotary Complex or another location in the city, Wordofa announced on Oct. 3 that the multicultural association and its volunteers – many of whom are newcomers – would be making this small effort to support those at their most vulnerable as the weather turns colder.

“As a small first step, the multicultural association has started handing out blankets and sleeping bags,” Wordofa said. “This is only a stop-gap measure, but it is a start. The city is doing a wonderful job – (social) services, the housing department – and that’s very necessary. A homeless shelter would be a place to go to sleep. … This is a human right because they have a right to live.”

Wordofa was joined for the Oct. 3 announcement at the association’s Stratford office in the Falstaff Family Centre by several of his volunteers, some of whom told local media they felt compelled to assist MAPH with its efforts to support local homeless after the community helped them resettle in Stratford and the surrounding area when they first arrived in Canada.

“They need help with food, with money, with sleeping bags, clothes,” said Mohammad Zoba, who immigrated to Canada

with his family as refugees from Syria. “… The community helped us with everything when we came (to Canada). When I came, the church group sponsored us. After one year of help, I have my business now, my son is going to college to be a mechanic, my other son wants to start a design business. I love Canada. That’s why I give back.”

“I’m 16 years old right now; when I was about a year-and-a-half, my parents came to Canada to start a new life,” added Emre Koch, a Stratford District Secondary School co-op student working with MAPH who immigrated to Canada with his family from Turkey. “I was taken in by my aunt to live with her, so without her, I would have been homeless for a little while until my parents could get on their feet. I just want to say it’s a really awful thing,

a really bad thing. People will sometimes judge them for no reason, but no one really knows what is going on with them. … I think it would be good just to help out in whatever way you can, even if it’s just a couple dollars. Obviously, with the sleeping bags, that would be nice too. Just give whatever you can; show appreciation for these people.”

Police Chief Greg Skinner was also in attendance for the multicultural association’s announcement, speaking at length about the complexity involved in addressing each of the barriers a person might be facing in securing and retaining permanent housing. Whether those barriers are mental health, addictions or difficulty finding stable employment, he said the Stratford Police Service’s role is not to arrest those experiencing homelessness locally, but to

support the local social-services agencies that work every day to help the community’s most vulnerable.

“We have to find solutions for people to be housed long term, not just on an emergency basis,” Skinner said. “ … I recognize that the politicians and social services and Canadian Mental Health Association are making their best efforts to do what they can, and we’re coming together to work as a team, but these are very complex issues and, as a result, they are going to take a lot of time and effort and resources to be able to find the solutions that help the most people who are the most vulnerable.

“So, I applaud what this group is doing. People come to this country and they want to have new beginnings, they want to be safe and secure, they want to be able to provide for themselves and their families, they want to be able to start a new life, and those are all good things. You’ve got great examples here today of people who are doing that, and I am proud to be part of a country that embraces people from other countries … to come here and start again, to be able to contribute to Canada and become Canadian.”

Wordofa said MAPH will distribute sleeping bags and blankets as needed, either based on requests made directly to MAPH by calling 1-888-308-6274 or emailing info@maph.ca, or through those agencies that work on the frontlines of the housing crisis like the Stratford Police Service, Stratford social services and other local service providers.

To support this initiative, MAPH is accepting monetary donations in the form of e-transfer, cheque or bank draft, as well as donations of new sleeping bags and blankets. To arrange a donation, email info@maph.ca. Those who donate will be eligible for a charitable tax receipt.

GALEN SIMMONS

Multicultural Association of Perth Huron executive director and Stratford city Coun. Geza Wordofa announced the multicultural association will be collecting and distributing sleeping bags and blankets to unhoused residents of Stratford and St. Marys this winter.

Multicultural Association of Perth Huron volunteer and Syrian refugee Mohammad Zoba speaks about how, as a newcomer and refugee, he feels the need to give back the community that gave so much to him and his family when they first arrived in Canada.

The Multicultural Association of Perth Huron recently announced it will be collecting and distributing sleeping bags and blankets to unhoused residents of Stratford and St. Marys this winter. Pictured from left are association volunteer Jama Salat, co-op student Emre Koch, executive director Geza Wordofa, volunteer Mohammad Zoba, Stratford Police Chief Greg Skinner and volunteer Hira Dhariwal.

(GALEN SIMMONS PHOTOS)

Heart of Stratford lights up the night at Grand Trunk site

CONNOR LUCZKA

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Is Stratford’s heart one of its iconic features, the Avon River, city hall, the Festival Theatre, the Grand Trunk site or the library? Is it its heritage or its future; a way of thinking?

Now, thanks to a new art installation touring the city, you can have your say on the subject.

The Heart of Stratford launched on Oct. 1 through a partnership between Destination Stratford and the Stratford Public Library. It features a dedicated heart display on the main floor of the library where visitors can post personal messages using heart-shaped sticky notes.

“We're inviting community members to share their reflections, their memories, their thoughts about Stratford,” Brandi Gillet, community engagement supervisor with the library, told the Times. “And to ultimately shape a collective vision of what our community's heart is.”

In addition to the library display, popup heart stations will appear at various locations throughout the city, and an online submission form will be available via the library’s website, ensuring everyone has an opportunity to participate and share what’s in their heart.

“Every community has a heart, a place where its spirit lives and its stories come alive,” said Krista Robinson, CEO of the library, in a media release. “The Heart of Stratford campaign is a chance to celebrate what makes this city unique, through the voices of the people who call it home. I invite you to stop by the heart installation, join the conversation and share what you believe is the heart of Stratford.”

The library display is only part of the Heart of Stratford initiative. Stratford residents and visitors will have noticed Lights On Stratford’s larger-than-life

HEART light art piece that was installed at the Grand Trunk site, serving as a vibrant and symbolic tribute to the heart of Stratford.

“Animating the Grand Trunk site through creative placemaking has been a clear direction from council and the ad hoc committee, and the HEART is a beautiful example of this work in action,” said Emily Robson, corporate initiatives lead with the City of Stratford. “It invites residents to see the site differently – not just as a piece of our history, but as a space filled with possibility and potential.”

The HEART has appeared in several prominent locations across the city, including the Stratford Festival Marquee, Destination Stratford’s Welcome Centre and the bandshell on Veterans Drive. Originally created in 2020 through a collaboration between Lights On Stratford and the Stratford Festival’s Carpentry Department, the HEART was brought to life with the support and expertise of Andrew Mestern, helping transform a shared vision into a powerful symbol of community and connection.

“The HEART light art installation has become a recognizable symbol of Stratford’s community spirit and a reminder of how art and public space can come together to foster connection,” said Zac Gribble, executive director of Destination Stratford. “We’re proud to collaborate with local partners to bring this initiative to life and we invite everyone in our community to share what’s in their heart.”

The HEART installation features a rotating display of colours and will remain at the Grand Trunk site through to Oct. 17. Following its time at the Grand Trunk, the HEART will be relocated to its next installation site at the bandshell on Veterans Drive in preparation for the upcoming sixth annual Lights On Stratford winter festival of lights.

Features rebranding to Chris’ Barbeque and Country Style Catering; Owner thanks customers

EMILY STEWART

Times Correspondent

After owning Features of Stratford for 28 years, Chris Haynes is ready for a new chapter in catering.

Haynes sold the restaurant where Features served many customers grabbing breakfast and lunch over the years and will be rebranding Features Barbeque and Country Style Catering to Chris’ Barbeque and Country Style Catering. Haynes said that he is looking to move in a new direction after developing a passion for smoking meats and recognizing it was time to close the Features chapter. “I love it, but I just needed a change. I got into smoking about three years ago and I really enjoy doing that and I just want to move forward with that now, a new chapter in my life,” he said.

Haynes is also passionate about entertaining the large crowd that comes with catering events and festivals. Recently, Chris’ Barbeque and Country Style Catering was part of Rock the Muse.

"I really enjoy cooking for large amounts of people. It's something new, something different and I'm fairly good at it, so it's where I see myself going in the future,” he said.

He is also grateful for all the support from his customers during his time owning Features of Stratford.

"Thank you to my loyal customers that I've had over the years, my loyal staff,” Haynes said. “I'm sure I'll see everybody here and there in the future at different events and festivals."

Updates on Chris’ Barbeque and Country Style catering can be found online by visiting https://www.facebook.com/chrissbbq.

By Jake Grant

1. Where was Marco Polo born?

2. What is the name of Taylor Swift's newest album?

3. What is the maximum number of bitcoins that can exist?

4. How many U.S. voting members of congress are there?

5. Who directed Casablanca(1942)?

6. Who is the Greek God of food?

7. What brightly coloured monkey is the world's largest?

8. On what island was Jurassic Park located?

9. The Amazon river dolphins are what colour?

10. How many years did the "Great Plague of Milan" last?

The iconic HEART was installed at the Grand Trunk site, one of the contenders for what the heart of Stratford really is – but not the only contender. Through the Heart of Stratford initiative, residents will have an opportunity to give their say on where Stratford’s heart really is.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

DIRECT LUMBER BUILDING CENTER

Stratford's

Order

Over

Adhesives

Everything Adhesive. From Silicon based to Coatings, Primers and Glue.

Starting$5.99/eafrom

Concrete Mix

Cement, Sand, Stone, Concrete Mix and Forms

Starting$6.99/eafrom

Plywood

Plywood and OSB

All your needs for your next building under on roof!!

Delivery provided Call for pricing

Insulation

Rockwool to Owens Corning

We have all your insulation needs. Free Hat with every purchase!!

Delivery provided Call for pricing

Lumber

Building Materials

Every type of lumber your DIY or Contractor needs. Starting$3.79/eafrom

Drywall

At Direct Lumber we have all your drywall products. Our warehouse allows for next day delivery. Call for pricing

Doors & Windows

Canadian Made Doors and Windows

Every style for your next project that you need. Free - Bundle of Shims with door purchase.

Kitchen & Bath

We are proud to offer our own Kitchen & Bath Department. Come in today and speak to our experts about your next design.

Stratford 5K Run/Walk brings in more than $56,000 for the Local Community Food Centre

More than 500 participants and 100 kids took part in the 2025 Stratford 5K Run/Walk in support of the Local Community Food Centre this year, surpassing the committee’s goal and raising an impressive $56,700.

Margaret Smart, executive director of the Local, spoke on behalf of the organization, expressing her gratitude to all involved. She said that last year, the Local served 17,588 meals to the community and harvested more than 5,000 pounds of fresh, local produce from its urban farm. She also noted that the space was used for 72 kitchen skills classes designed to help people learn about and understand healthy eating.

“All of this to bring people around our shared need for access to good food to nourish our bodies and to nourish our lives,” said Smart. “All of this is only possible through the support of our community.”

Mayor Martin Ritsma was also on hand to greet runners. He thanked the Local, volunteers and participants on behalf of the city, noting his excitement for the event and appreciation for everything the Local offers.

“The Local not only feeds the stomach, it feeds the soul as well,” he said. “I've been there a number of times to witness the great work of the organization, the staff and all of the volunteers.”

Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae attended the event and emphasized the educational aspect of the Local’s pro -

gramming, noting that the organization provides healthy, nourishing meals while also teaching people how to prepare them.

Perth-Wellington MP John Nater also took to the mic to extend his gratitude to everyone attending. His daughter, Caroline Nater, wished all racers good luck before blowing the official race horn to start the runners.

Clara Wheaton gave the land acknowledgement to begin the event, and Nikki Wagler, co-owner of Coles and Keys on York Street, sang O Canada before the race started. Emceeing the event for the fourth year was Jamie Cottle from 107.1 CJCS. Hosting the warm-up was Renee Dijk, registered kinesiologist and owner of Ritual Studio, along with her team. The warm-up before the kids’ race was

led by Tom Doan, founder of the Polar Pals Run Club from London.

The presenting sponsor again this year was Erb Transport.

Gold-level sponsors included RBC Wealth Management and VFG Wealth.

Silver-level sponsors were Home and Company, Nesbitt Financial, Camp Out RV, Coles and Keys, Artas Design and Engineering, Buchanan and Hall, Altra Shoes, Runners’ Choice Waterloo and Ten Toe’n.

Bronze-level sponsors were Black Swan, Klomp’s Landscaping, Stratford Home Hardware and Building Centre, Orr Insurance, KDB Law, GoTech, Alexandra J. Bignucolo Law, Malt, OnRush Festival, Ritual Studio, Image Shark Media, Craig and Jess’ No Frills and Rhéo Thompson Candies.

CMHA Huron Perth collecting youth artwork for Portraits of a Hate Free Huron Perth

Young artists can create pieces to showcase what Huron and Perth counties look like without hate and discrimination.

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Huron Perth is running Portraits of a Hate-Free Huron Perth youth art installation. The organization is collecting art pieces that either represent the diversity of Huron-Perth, healing from hate as a community or stopping the growth of hate.

“Rural Ontario is often known for its close-knit communities, its small-town familiarity and friendliness. Unfortunately, this is often not the experience of marginalized populations. Incidents of hate and intolerance are increasing across both counties, particularly against newcomers, visible minorities and the 2SLGBTQIA community,” Sara McIntyre-Roy, CMHA Huron Perth’s anti-hate program educator, said to the Times. “It's important that we take both preventative and responsive action and equip our youth with the knowledge and skills to stand up for themselves and their peers.”

The youth art installation was a popular suggestion among the counties’ young people who were involved in student focus groups earlier this year.

“Many youth expressed a desire to contribute to anti-hate efforts, but most didn't feel comfortable engaging in activities like public speaking,” McIntyre-Roy said. “Art has always been a powerful form of personal expression, while allowing the individual as much or as little anonymity as they prefer.”

So far, there have been about four sub -

missions sent to the Portraits of a Hate Free Huron-Perth, but McIntyre-Roy would like to see at least 20. To participate, youth and their caregivers can reach out to CMHA Huron Perth and then they will be provided with art kits and supplies for their work. Any submitted art pieces, using the supplied art materials or their own, will be collected until Nov. 27 and will be featured in a gallery at the Stratford Public Library.

Anyone with questions about registration can contact McIntyre-Roy at sara.mcintyre@cmhahuronperth.com.

Racers take off from the starting line at the beginning of the 2025 Stratford 5K Run/Walk in support of the Local Community Food Centre.

The Stratford Volleyball Club U15 Force team poses with their coach after running the 2025 Stratford 5K Run/Walk in support of the Local Community Food Centre.

(AMANDA MODARAGAMAGE PHOTOS)

EMILY STEWART Times Correspondent

L’Arche Stratford’s Be Belong Become Campaign nears reality with upcoming Walk ‘n Roll event and successful community golf tournament

Stratford’s community are welcome to join the Walk ’n Roll event to support Be Belong Become capital campaign and supporting the construction of a new 15,000-square-foot community hub at 426 Brittania St.

With $14,700 raised during the summer’s annual community golf tournament and the Walk ‘n Roll coming up on Oct.18, L’Arche Stratford continues the momentum to finish their building project.

“We’re aiming to raise $15,000 from our tenth Walk ‘n Roll event, all the funds raised will go towards the Be Belong Become Campaign to support the new building at 426 Britannia, which will make a world of difference and will mark a generational change for people with developmental disabilities,” said Wendy Gray, fundraising leader at L’Arche Stratford.

“We’re still quite a ways away from our goal but the board of directors is confident enough with what we’ve raised to begin the construction of the building.”

L’Arche Stratford will host the Walk ’n Roll on Oct. 18 at 10 a.m. at the Bandshell of Upper Queens Park and surrounding area. The walk itself will only take roughly an hour, with beverages provided, but the donation period will take place over the course of the entire month.

The building, which will have eight living units and additionally office space for core members, is due to open its doors in fall of 2026, according to chair of the events committee at L’Arche Stratford, Christopher Cantlon.

The new building will grow the operations of the organization, which is supporting individuals with developmental

delays. Not only will the new building include housing units and office space but there will be more room for engaging activities and programming that residents and outside supported individuals can participate in.

“Everything is much more contained and present to what’s going on in the community and it’s also going to be a

very beautiful building. We got the foundation laid and it's sealed, the masonry work has started, and development is well underway,” said Cantlon.

Cantlon said that this project is about promoting awareness of L’Arche’s work, as well as bringing all people together and making an environment where everyone is comfortable, seen, heard and valued.

“The community has been very helpful and really supportive. We have fantastic donors and everything helps,” said Cantlon. “We have also been hugely supported by government agencies with all sorts of grants and funding. We have been able to raise enough money from the community to get this project going.”

Cantlon says that programming covers a range of different activities from art, music, games, cooking and other social activities, which will be enhanced through the new building space.

“Beyond the building, we want to keep going and I think this will be a real inspiration for people beyond the L’Arche community,” said Cantlon. “Our contributions will become more visible from just being present, it will also help other communities and services that provide help for people who are needing it, increasing the human level for Stratford and beyond and helping people to be better people.”

For more information on how to register for the Walk ‘n Roll, call 519-271-9751 or email admin@larchestratford.ca.

College support staff take their picketing to MPP’s office

After nearly a month of picketing in front of Conestoga College, local members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) have started to line up at Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae’s Stratford office.

Carol Schlievert, strike leader on the picket line, told the Times on Oct. 2 they are “fighting for student supports.”

“Colleges are looking at contracting out a lot of the support systems that our students rely on, and we are the workers that supply that service,” Schlievert said. “Now, our fear is that when they source it out, they're going to be taking money out of our local economies, because when they source it out, it could go overseas, it could go anywhere, and our students are not going to get the quick responses that they would get if we had internal people that know the systems.

“… We thought it was time for Stratford to notice,” Schlievert went on to say about why they wanted to picket in front of Rae’s office.

“There is some foot traffic on Erie Street at (Conestoga College’s Stratford) location. But more often than not, when people stop,

they're questioning, ‘What are you doing here?’ They don't even know. So we're figuring here we're going to get more visibility.”

More than 10,000 OPSEU members –which include registrar workers, librarians and technology support staff – went on strike across the province on Sept. 11, after

negotiations that started in June fell through. For local members that was a particularly unstable time. Conestoga’s new campus at 60 Erie Street had only opened at the beginning of September.

Although not privy to the contract negotiations, Rae said that he was aware of the

picket line in front of his office that day.

“I appreciate the work that our college support staff do to keep our colleges a welcoming place where students can learn,” Rae said in an emailed statement. “Students make an incredible financial and personal investment into their education. It is imperative that faculty, staff, unions and institutions remember this when negotiating.

“The Government of Ontario is not party to this collective bargaining process; I hope that both sides come to the table and find a resolution that puts the best interests of our students and their education at the forefront.”

OPSEU representatives say the union is concerned about job security and program cuts. In response, the College Employer Council (CEC) says that the union’s demands are “fiscally impossible” when college enrolments and revenues are down so drastically.

“A complete ban on campus closures, college mergers and staff reductions could force colleges into bankruptcy,” said CEC’s CEO Graham Lloyd in a bargaining update on the eve of the strike. “CEC has repeatedly advised OPSEU that these types of demands simply can never be agreed to.”

As of press time, no agreement has been reached.

ALEX HUNT Times Correspondent

Christopher Cantlon, chair of the events committee at L’Arche Stratford, stands in front of the grounds of the long awaited 426 Britannia St. building project.

Ashley Nelles, Dean Burdett, Mike Davis and David Stevens, local members of OPSEU, at the picket line in front of MPP Matthew Rae’s Stratford office on Oct. 2.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

CONNOR LUCZKA Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

(CONNOR LUCZKA PHOTO)

From software to suds, Stratford local launches beer shop

Stratford is continuing to be a destination for beer lovers. End of Times Bar and Beer Shop, which opened on Oct. 8, offers rare Ontario brews not available in other retailers.

“I had the idea for the beer shop around two years ago and a lot of that was trying to raise money, just because everyone was telling me no until my friend and his dad said yes,” said Jordan Haynes, owner of End of Times Bar and Beer Shop. “It was pretty much me doing a Dragon’s Den pitch to everybody for the longest time.”

Jordan Haynes didn’t develop a taste for beer until he was 25, when he tried his first IPA. His interest grew, leading him to home brewing and eventually earning certification as a beer judge through the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP).

At 30, Haynes embarked on a beer pilgrimage across Europe, visiting Austria, Germany, Belgium and England. His decision to open End of Times Bar and Beer Shop was partly inspired by seeing respected breweries such as Half Hours

on Earth, Shacklands, Riverroad, and Barncat Ales close, in part due to challenges selling through the LCBO. He has a particular appreciation for breweries

that cultivate their own beverages.

Some of the beer brands available in his shop are SKLEPNIK Pale Ale as well as Cactus Juice Prickly Pear Sour and

Grand Valley Original Lager.

“I just want my customers to walk in knowing that they’re getting the best beer in Ontario that they definitely can’t get in other retailers,” said Haynes. “They will notice a noticeable difference in the quality of beer, the beer in Ontario is absolutely phenomenal.”

The shop’s Al Fresco program will also allow customers to purchase a beer and enjoy it outside by the river across from its 51 York St. location.

“I was a software developer, and I worked at IBM for four years, then a smaller tech company and I decided not to pursue software development anymore in a nine-to-five setting,” said Haynes. “The only challenge with starting this business up was money but with some help and advice I was able to secure starting this business.”

Haynes, born in Stratford, says that he’s looking forward to doing something that he enjoys for a living which is running this beer shop.

The shop will be open from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. running Tuesday to Sunday. Pastries and other treats will be available in the shop provided by a local baker.

ALEX HUNT Times Correspondent

Jordan Haynes, owner of End of Times Bar and Beer Shop, in front of his shop on 51 York St.

(ALEX HUNT PHOTO)

STRATFORD SPORTS

Warriors stung the Kilty B’s but miscues cost the Warriors in Fort Erie with a 3-2 loss

Stratford Warriors

MICHAEL WILLOUGHBY Times Correspondent

The Stratford Hunter Steel Warriors played their first cross-conference games of the season against the Hamilton Kilty B's on Oct. 3 and the Fort Erie Meteors on Oct. 4.

On Oct. 2, the Warriors made a move to add depth to the goaltending position by acquiring Noah Bender from the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The 19-year-old, Waterloo-native was drafted in the 12th round of the 2022 OHL priority selection by the Oshawa Generals.

Bender made his debut between the pipes the next night against the Kilty B's. In a tightly contested matchup, the Warriors beat the Kilty B's 1-0. Bender saved all 13 shots and recorded his first win and shutout as a member of the Warriors. Grady Murphy scored the lone goal late in the second period, his first of the Greater Ontario Hockey League (GOHL). After the game, Bender was impressed with the defensive effort by his new teammates.

"The boys did a great job tonight clearing everything out in front of me," Bender said. "That always makes my night easier when I can see everything, and when they're just straight-up shots from outside, these are always easier to save than the high percentage."

Murphy says he enjoys playing with linemates Dominic Marshall and Coen Galbraith and hopes to continue the success this season as the team's key specialist line neutralizing the opposition.

"Me and Dominic, we played together in U16, and now U18, and then Coen just fits in good with this play style of ours," Murphy said. "Hopefully, it keeps it up on the ice."

Warriors head coach Dave Williams was pleased with

the overall performance. However, he wants to see the team capitalize more on the opportunities in front of the opposition despite the performance from the Hamilton netminder, Kayden Newton.

"I thought we played a pretty solid game. I thought we had some other good scoring opportunities we just didn't capitalize on. I think some of that is a credit to their goaltender. I thought their goaltender had a good effort," Williams said.

"But I thought our first and third periods, we were really after the puck. I thought we got off to a good start to night. I didn't feel like we'd gotten off to a good start in the first two games here at home, but I thought that was our best start so far. We're moving our feet again on top of pucks. A bit of a nail-biter we had to grind right to the final buzzer to win."

Williams also commented on the performance from the newly acquired netminder, who he said stepped up when needed to in the final period.

"I thought he had a solid game. I know he didn't have a lot of work, but in the third period there, he had a couple big saves there that could have changed the momentum of the game," Williams said.

for Stratford less than 90 seconds later. Stratford endured a tough second period and the early stage of the third period, as they conceded two goals on the penalty kill, putting the Warriors at a 3-1 deficit. Quinn Kipfer scored his second of the season with 2:31 remaining to give the Warriors a chance. But their effort in the closing seconds was not enough as they left the Fort Erie Leisureplex with their first regulation loss since the season opener in London and ended their four-game point streak.

Williams was encouraged despite the loss but noted that the team's game plan needs improvement in both offence and

"I liked our start. I liked our first period. We may have ran out a little bit of gas as the game went along, but obviously the special teams were a big difference," Williams said. "I think we definitely need to be better on both sides of the special teams and fiveon-five. We need to do a better job generating offence."

"I think the group is really confident with the goalie of his ability back there. It probably makes everybody, you know, feel a little more confident on the ice when you know you've got a goaltender of his calibre back there to stop."

Stratford travelled to Fort Erie the following night for their second and final cross-conference game of the week against the Meteors.

Fort Erie struck first at the 7:20 mark of the opening period, but Colin Slattery's second goal of the season tied the game

At press time, the Warriors are ranked second-worst in the GOHL on the power play and fifth-worst on the penalty kill. However, the bright spot for the Warriors is their defence and goaltending play, as they have the fewest goals allowed with 15, and tied with Elmira and St. Marys for the lowest goals-against average in the Western Conference at 2.50.

Next up for the Warriors is welcoming the rival Listowel Cyclones at the Allman Arena on Oct. 10 and travelling to Chatham for a big test against the Maroons on Oct. 12.

For Slattery and team captain Haden Frayne, it is about getting better and executing the game plan in the big week ahead of the two crucial games.

“I think us all as a group, we're hoping to put some more goals for the scoreboard,” Slattery said.

“Just got to really stick to our game. We know that every team is going to be a competitive team in this league, and we just got to really, like I said, stick to what we know and just execute well,” Frayne said.

Sebringville Sting grind through elimination bracket to capture 2025 Ontario Challenge Cup title

STRATFORD TIMES STAFF

stratfordtimes@gmail.com

The Sebringville Sting are champions of the 2025 Ontario Challenge Cup after storming through six straight elimination games to defeat the previously unbeaten Waterdown Hammer 9-5 in extra innings Sunday at Victoria Park in Ingersoll.

The Sting were bolstered by the addition of three players from the 2025 HCFL Champions, Brussels Tigers: Ty Sebastian, Andrew Baker and Dennis Dewar. Baker was a defensive force behind the plate, catching seven of the eight games played throughout the weekend.

Clinging to a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth, Blair Bender sparked the rally with an infield single. Tyler Sager followed with an RBI single to extend the lead before Ty Sebastian launched a three-run home run to break it open. Sebastian, who pitched all nine innings and struck out 15, earned his seventh win of the weekend, capping a tournament performance that saw him named both Top Pitcher and Most Valuable Player.

The Sting opened the tournament Friday with a 7-0 win over St. George Aces, as Sebastian fired a five-inning no-hitter with 13 strikeouts. Sager had a double while Cole Bender chipped in with two RBIs along with Cody Bromley who also had an RBI.

Their only loss came Saturday morning in a 7-6 battle with Saugeen, despite a big day at the plate. The Sting were kept in the game thanks to excellent pitching from Dennis Dewar. Dewar also went 3-for-3

with 2 RBIs, Will Schlotzhauer was 3-for4 with an RBI, and Brett Pfeifer added two hits, a walk and an RBI.

Sebringville rebounded with a tight 4-3 win over New Hamburg. Sebastian went the distance with 17 Ks, while Sager went 2-for-3 with a double and scored twice, Aaron Waugh added an RBI, and Pfeifer contributed a double and RBI.

They followed that with an 8-0 mercy win over Durham. Sebastian struck out 17 again and hit a home run. Pfeifer went 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs, and Dewar added two hits and an RBI.

On Sunday morning, Sebastian fanned 18 in a 3-0 shutout of Georgian Bay Giants. Sager went 3-for-4 with a double and RBI, Cole Bender drove in two, and Phil Schmitt doubled and scored.

The Sting then knocked out Saugeen with a 3-2 win, powered by Pfeifer’s threerun triple in the 5th inning, with Sebastian tossing another complete game, striking out 12.

In the loser bracket final, Sebringville edged Highgate Rock 5-4 in eight innings. Pfeifer and Waugh each drove in two runs, and Schmitt’s walk-off double sealed the win, while Sebastian struck out 15.

The championship win over Waterdown capped a run of six straight do-ordie victories. Sebastian finished with five complete-game wins, over 80 strikeouts, a no-hitter and the title-clinching homer.

With the win, the Sting secure a paid berth into the 2026 ISC World Tournament hosted by Bear Creek Sports & Entertainment in Chippewa on the Thames, Ont.

$359,900 $675,000

NEW LISTING

Welcome to 5 MacDonald St. an all brick bungalow with attached two car garage in one of Stratford’s most sought after neighbourhoods! This 4 bedroom, 2 bath home with finished basement and so much more awaits you, so call your REALTOR and come check this beauty out MLS# NEW

Country style living minutes from the city in this quiet well cared for area. Lots of renos and so much to offer. Call today to check it out. MLS# X12365748

190 COLBORNE STREET, LONDON

$525,000

duplex fully rented and close to the amenities in London in an up and coming area! Good investment opportunity! MLS# X12287461

J. Gorse

Back row, left to right: Aaron Bald, Trevor Wilhelm, Phil Schmitt, Will Schlotzhauer, Blair Bender, Cody Bromley, Scott Ernest, Ivan Taylor (coach). Front row, left to right: Cole Bender, Ty Sebastian, Aaron Waugh, Tyler Sager, Chad Fink, Brett Pfeifer, Andrew Baker. Absent : Dennis Dewar.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Mike’s Bowling Lanes High Scores

Sept. 29 – Oct. 5

Pin Pals

Cody Medeiros -122

Gregory Jones – 101

Bowlasaurus

Dominic Rowe – 119

Graham Cassidy – 96

Evangeline Bontrup – 86

Henry Barclays – 65

Bantams

Coen Everett – 202

Roland Rains – 168, triple 411

Scarlet Illman – 243 double

Ell MacDonald – 99

Joey Cassidy – 88

Emerson Augruso – 80

Waylon Peterson – 69

Juniors

Brianne Bauer – 213

Myla Douglas – 209

Peyton Keating – 204

Hugo Black – 201, triple 468

Anna Ward – 188, triple 491

Lauren Furtney – 177, triple 478

McKenna Morris – 174, triple 444

Sydney Shillolo – 170

Brent Louwagie – 169

Hayden Martin – 156, triple 443

Austin Janmaat – 150

Real Estate Broker

email: sherrieroulston@royallepage.ca

Direct: 519-272-3578

A Passion for People

Seniors

Zachary Clarke – 313, triple 710

Carter Bage – 272, triple 567

Jake Sippel – 250, triple 567

Alex Ward - 233, triple 567

Owen Martin – 228, triple 634

Dominic Keating – 225, triple 631

Payton Kainz – 223

Payton Petrie – 212, triple 580

Claire Turner – 206

Austin Bauer – 201, triple 401

Austin Martin – 181, triple 486

Sydney Smith – 179, triple 484

Hayden Martin – 156, triple 443

Adult Leagues High Scores

Men’s High Scores

Brent Furtney – 335

V-ettes

Janice Wick 213

Tuesday Night Mixed

Robert Anderson – 202

Autumn Stadtlander – 209

Sydney Smith - 272

Send in your sports reports

Coaches and/or parents are invited to send in your sports reports and pictures to the Stratford Times to let Stratford and area know how your teams are doing throughout the 2025/26 season (and to create some great scrapbook material to be reflected upon in future years). Game reports should be kept to a

All veterans and First Responders are welcome at the branch Tuesday mornings 10:30 to noon for a social visit at the Buddy Check Coffee.

The Branch Chaplain can provide Mental and Moral support. Veterans and spouses are entitled to CF1 cards which provide discounts at various locations. Veterans are also entitled to an identification card “NDI75” which can be used to indicate that they have served.

Please contact Branch 8 - 519-271-4540 email: StratfordLegion008@gmail.com or the Branch Service Officer Steve Zurbrigg - 519-305-1125 email: SteveZurbrigg@gmail.com to arrange an interview. 804-B Ontario St., Stratford N5A 3K1 stratfordlegion008@gmail.com

maximum of 100 words. Please include a brief description of what happened during your games, including the names of those who scored and any special efforts made by your players.

Please have all reports and pictures in by the end of the month by emailing stratfordtimes@gmail.com.

Logistics Specialist – Food Ingredients NA

possibilities are endless? Want to sink your teeth into this opportunity and grow together?

JOIN US AT FNF!

FNF Ingredients is a full-service marketing organization and supplier for various feed and food ingredient producers. Our goal is to become a lifelong partner for end-users in the US and Canadian food, feed, and cosmetics industries. We achieve this by fully supporting our customers with the procurement and total delivery of quality products at competitive prices.

Within North America, we connect our customers with reliable manufacturers through exclusive agencies, consignment stock, and other attractive terms. We provide end users with prompt deliveries, eliminate their risk of price fluctuation, and solve their supply chain challenges. We are the ultimate partner for our customers — and help them succeed!

Over the past eight years, we have experienced tremendous growth globally, and we are continuing this expansion in the US and Canada. As an FNF Logistics Specialist, you will be an important part of building our shared future.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

Coordinate logistics with carriers, customs brokers, and warehouses to ensure smooth product distribution.

Serve as the main contact for customers, providing updates and support.

Source, negotiate, and book freight as needed, while tracking shipments globally.

Manage sales orders, purchase orders, invoicing, and cashflow tracking within our ERP system.

Collaborate with our warehouses and China team to streamline logistics processes.

Support regulatory and customs documentation requirements.

WHAT YOU OFFER:

Experience in logistics, supply chain, or international trade.

Strong organizational and communication skills with attention to detail.

Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, global environment.

A proactive, solution-driven mindset and team-oriented approach.

WHAT WE OFFER:

Full flexibility in working hours and location — we value a healthy work-life balance.

No fixed cap on holiday leave.

Laptop, smartphone, and full reimbursement of business expenses.

Opportunities for travel and participation in global industry events.

A collaborative, growing company that welcomes your ideas and invests in your career.

LET’S BUILD THE FUTURE TOGETHER!

Join us at FNF Ingredients, where collaboration and entrepreneurial spirit fuel success in an ever-evolving marketplace.

For more information, contact:

Brad Wittig, Managing Partner, Canada bwittig@fnfingredients.com | 1.519.274.2365

Stratford Concert Choir’s new artistic director excited for upcoming season

LISA CHESTER Times Correspondent

The Stratford Concert Choir’s new artistic director, Alexander Cann, has programmed an auspicious season of concerts sure to delight the audience. The 2025/26 season features four concerts that collaborate with other arts communities for a fullness that enhances the experience.

Cann is a well-rounded conductor, musician and teacher that brings a wealth of choral experience to the position of artistic director. He started playing piano at the age of five and attended Royal St. George’s College, a choir school in Toronto, at 11.

“It had a boys’ choir so that was really where I was exposed to choir music. I studied choral music at McGill University and that’s where I came into contact with Iwan Edwards. He was a great choral conductor and pedagogue and he conducted choirs at McGill and taught conducting, so I was lucky enough to learn from him,” said Cann.

He then did a master’s degree in Choral music at McGill, which is one of the few opportunities to learn at that level. Being able to conduct opera, symphony, choirs and now his own choirs brings a wealth of experience to Stratford.

“It involves ordinary people in the choir and because of this it links people to classical music, and you can engage with audiences and singers. You’re making a connection about the necessity and the power for that music for the people. Audiences respond and the singers respond as you guide them in their own journey. You learn from them much more than they learn from you. Iwan Edwards really opened my eyes to that,” said Cann.

His vision is to serve the composer and their vision and that requires a certain standard where the ensemble can effectively serve the composer’s vision. He believes in doing good concerts that have merit, so excellence is important. There is the joy of it as well.

“In my work it is important that people are comfortable and happy enjoying it. That has a big impact on the performance and that ability to achieve artistic heights which

brings people along for new experiences, more difficult music and creative ideas. So that’s really important generating that sense of fun and joy in rehearsal and performances, and also focus,” said Cann.

The program for this season is ambitious with collaboration with the Stratford Symphony Orchestra and other soloists. This year, to Cann, the outstanding event will be Mozart’s Requiem, as this is to him a bucket list piece.

“If you have not seen the Mozart Requiem, then you must come and hear us perform it with the Stratford Symphony Orchestra. This is one of the great pieces of literature of all time. Audiences have loved it since it was first written as it speaks to some pretty elemental truths about ourselves as human beings and choirs love singing

it because it’s so brilliant. It was written at the height of Mozart’s power, just before he died. It’s a big deal for Stratford, this is the full orchestration with the full symphony and top-notch soloists which will be fine indeed,” said Cann.

The first concert is A Canadian Christmas on Nov. 29 and is choir focused, showing the community who they are in their own right. It is familiar Christmas material arranged by Canadians. It also includes readings that are taken from archives and letters that feature Canada at Christmas time from the early 18th century to today. It focuses on how Canadians lived and the experiences they had. It is a storytelling event.

Second will be Handel’s Messiah with the Orchestra on Dec. 13 and 14.

“This is the biggest Messiah the choir has put on in a long time. It’s hard to be able to put together a big production in Stratford and the only reason we can do it is because it is a co-production with the symphony. They have so graciously agreed to do this because they know that it is a draw. People want their annual Messiah so we’re going to do it bigger and better than ever before,” said Cann.

The third concert is Mozart Requiem on March 21 and finally, something unlike Stratford has experienced before, is Sing Opperetta on May 23.

“This is a show which will feature excerpts of lighthearted stage works pulled from European, American and British stages, focusing on the choir and three soloists. It is an opportunity to hear this up close in a more intimate venue other than say on an opera stage, and it’s great fun, it’s high comedy and it’s very light-hearted and it’s lots of laughs,” said Cann. “It’s outright satire and silliness.”

With such an appetite for the arts in Stratford, Cann intends to develop a premier choir and audience outreach.

“Come and hear us, It’s all about enjoyment. Our season is pretty uncomplicated and enjoyable, which is what choral music ought to be,” said Cann.

For more information and for tickets to the concerts, visit stratfordconcertchoir.org.

Cedarcroft Place celebrates community at resident and staff banquet

STRATFORD TIMES STAFF

stratfordtimes@gmail.com

Cedarcroft Place Retirement Residence was filled with laughter, gratitude, and heartfelt celebration at its recent resident and staff banquet – a joyful evening dedicated to honouring the people who make the retirement home feel like family.

The event, held in the main dining hall, was the inspiration of Stacy Jordan, Cedarcroft’s dedicated lifestyle director. Her vision was to create a special occasion that recognized both residents and staff who go above and beyond in building the spirit of community at Cedarcroft.

“We wanted to shine a light on the everyday kindness, humor and connection that make this place more than just a residence,” said Jordan. “It’s a home – and that’s because of the people in it.”

Highlights of the afternoon included a light-hearted awards ceremony, where residents were recognized with

fun and meaningful titles such as “Bingo Boss,” “Laughter is the Best Medicine” and “Heart of the Home.” These playful honours celebrated the personalities and contributions that brighten daily life at Cedarcroft.

Staff members were also given a standing ovation for their dedication and years of service. Several were honoured for remarkable milestones – including 20 and even 30 years of commitment to caring for the residents of Cedarcroft Place.

The banquet was not only a moment of recognition but a testament to the deep relationships between staff and residents – built on respect, joy and shared memories.

As one resident put it, “It’s not every day you get called a Bingo Boss – but it sure makes you feel special!”

With heartfelt speeches, laughter-filled moments and a strong sense of gratitude, the banquet underscored what makes Cedarcroft Place truly unique: a community that celebrates its people.

Stratford Concert Choir’s new artistic director, Alexander Cann, brings a well-rounded wealth of experience to develop the choir to new heights.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Stacy Jordan, Pat Nilsson and Brenda Laing at Cedarcroft Place’s recent staff and resident banquet, aimed “to shine a light on the everyday kindness, humor and connection that make this place more than just a residence,” as Jordan said.

Pat Nilsson, Heart of the Home prize winner, with Jessica Mills, the activities coordinator at Cedarcroft Place.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS)

Stratford Perth Museum to host first Halloween mask-making workshop

ALEX HUNT

Times Correspondent

Halloween comes alive at the Stratford Perth Museum when it hosts a mask-making workshop inspired by the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain.

Samhain is the origin of the holiday we know today as Halloween, as explained by Hannah Bennett, marketing and media coordinator at Stratford Perth Museum. Halloween originated as an ancient Celtic festival marking a time when spirits were believed to cross into the world of the living. To protect themselves, people would wear costumes made from branches, leaves, fur and even animal heads or tusks.

Bennett said that over generations, this tradition evolved and merged with Christian practices, giving rise to customs like going door-to-door to tell stories or sing songs in exchange for treats. These combined influences helped shape the modern Halloween tradition of dressing up in costumes.

“This is the first time that the museum has hosted the workshop and my first time hosting one as well. I'm very passionate about Halloween, it’s actually my birthday,” said Bennett. “I always like to do something special for Halloween. I’ve always wanted to do something for the

community and since I work there, I now have the space to do that.”

The event is set to take place at the museum on Oct. 26 from 1-4 p.m., with a cost of $10 per person. People can register their spot on the museum’s main website.

Cardboard, hot glue and paint will be provided for participants by the museum. Bennett will be facilitating the event herself acting as guide which comes natural from her art class teaching background.

She will also provide a special presentation on the history of mask making.

“I'm really looking forward to seeing what people end up making. I want to see all the creativity and I want to see people be inspired by the history of the holiday,” said Bennett. “People can take home the masks and wear them for their Halloween costume if they choose.

“This event will give people access to the museum, if they’re painting something and they want to let it dry, they can walk around and check out the exhibits.”

As a painter, Bennett wanted to combine her artistic skills with a spooky Halloween theme, which led her to the idea of a mask-making workshop. Designed for all ages, the event will give participants the opportunity to create their own masks while learning about their historical origins.

“I’m very excited, I have a lot of passion for all things spooky, especially horror movies. I’m looking forward to meeting my audience and if I sell out, I will probably host another event.”

Bennett says that she mostly enjoys 80s B-movie slasher, noting some of her favorites to be Critters and Reanimator. Alongside balancing her duties at the museum, Bennett is also a professional actor partaking in productions in Toronto.

Where art meets afterlife: Gallery Stratford’s Delectable Encounters brings Day of the Dead to community

A taste of Mexico is coming to Stratford this month as Gallery Stratford hosts Delectable Encounters: Art, Food and the Day of the Dead, an illustrated talk and culinary experience celebrating one of Mexico’s most cherished traditions.

“The day will feature a lecture by art historian Janet Dawson, who also did a lecture last year. She and her husband are Canadians, and they spent the majority of the year in Mexico,” said Robert Windrum, curator and art director at Gallery Stratford. “She has been doing these lecture-related fundraisers for women’s health organizations in the community in which they live.”

Delectable Encounters is a fundraiser that will support Tepos Roza, a women’s health project that works to lower breast and cervical cancer mortality rates among women in Tepoztlán, Morelos in Mexico. Portions of the proceeds will also go towards funding ongoing operations at Gallery Stratford.

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican tradition that combines Indigenous Aztec beliefs with Spanish Catholic customs to honour and

remember deceased loved ones. Families create altars, or “ofrendas,” decorated with photographs, food and flowers to guide spirits home for a brief reunion.

“I think the most interesting thing about it is just the awareness of how different Mexican culture can be from ours approaching death, that they celebrate and commune with their lost loved ones,” said Windrum. “They are very

present and engaged with the celebration as opposed to our traditional mourning the loss and pushing them way too far off.

“Death is very much a part of the cycle of life and cycle of the world versus something that isn’t talked about and that’s feared and avoided, it’s celebrations and a recognition and connection to our past ancestors and loved ones.”

The fundraiser will take place on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. at Gallery Stratford with tickets at $30 per person that people can purchase at canadahelps.org.

Windrum says the gallery has taken an entrepreneurial approach this year, with strong revenue growth from sales, registrations, participation and fundraising. Following the annual general meeting in early September, several new members joined the team that brings expertise in marketing, fundraising, event planning and financial management. He says the added skills and enthusiasm are expected to help propel the gallery forward in the months ahead.

Registration is still open for the Casual Collective Collage which forms from 6-8 p.m. every Tuesday evening. Admission is $20 per session, or $10 for youth under 18 and those with limited resources. Discounted four-week passes are also available.

Additionally, the gallery offers an open studio life drawing time, which is a self-directed figure drawing studio every Wednesday from 7-10 p.m. Participants are asked to bring their own materials. Warm-up poses range from three to 10 minutes, followed by longer poses in the second and third hours of evening.

Hannah Bennett, marketing and media coordinator at Stratford Perth Museum, getting her mask ready for the spooky workshop this month.

(ALEX HUNT PHOTO)

ALEX HUNT Times Correspondent

Robert Windrum, art director and curator at Gallery Stratford, Eric Dimock, gallery assistant, and Rachel Powell, gallery volunteer.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Mayor Ritsma, city hosts career fair for local youth

STRATFORD TIMES STAFF

stratfordtimes@gmail.com

Youth voices were at the heart of Your City. Your Future, an engagement event hosted by Stratford Mayor Martin Ritsma and City of Stratford staff.

Over 500 Stratford Grade 10 students gathered at the Stratford Rotary Complex’s community hall on Oct. 2 for the inaugural event, a gathering which was designed to bring young people together with local leaders, civic staff, community organizations and a selection of businesses.

The event was in partnership with local schools and was intended to not be a typical career fair. Instead, it invited meaningful conversation, bold questions and shared dreaming between generations, according to organizers.

“This was about more than just information,” said Ritsma, who opened the event with a challenge to both youth and adults to be brave, curious and creative. “This day was about listening – really truly listening – to young people and helping them see themselves as vital contributors to our community’s future.”

Students explored two interactive pods.

In the Community Engagement Pod, over fifty local organizations, businesses and civic departments hosted booths where students could ask questions, discover opportunities and make connections. Not only did they gift their time, these organizations also donated door prizes for the youth.

In the Youth Voice Pod, students participated in small group dialogues with civic leaders and responded to different reflective prompts to share their experiences of what it is like to live in and around Stratford as a young

person. A “graffiti wall” collected hundreds of creative responses and bold dreams for the future of Stratford.

The response was overwhelmingly positive, organizers said. Students expressed excitement at having the chance to speak directly with local leaders, and many noted how valued they felt being listened to.

As one student wrote on the graffiti wall, “Thanks for asking us what we think. It actually means a lot.”

The Huron Perth Catholic District School Board noted in a media release that students from St. Michael Catholic Secondary School had overwhelmingly positive things to say about the experience.

“I like that they wanted to hear what we had to say and what we thought. It was good to get ideas about where I could go in the future,” Brooke Hahn noted.

Community partners and city staff were equally inspired by the respectful, thoughtful conversations with Stratford’s next generation.

“Today reminded us that youth are not just the future. They are valued fellow citizens right now,” one volunteer is quoted in a media release. “And when we create the right space, they rise to the occasion and they have important ideas to share. We should be listening closely.”

Ritsma reflected, “This event was an experiment – and it worked. The energy in the room, the creativity of the students, and the willingness of leaders to listen and engage all came together in a way that felt hopeful for Stratford’s future.”

Organizers will prepare a report collating the feedback from students, which will be shared back with participating organizations, city staff and community partners. The report will help support future planning and ensure that the voices of youth are not only heard, but influence

the future of Stratford. The hope is that Your City. Your Future will not be a one-time experiment, but the beginning of a new collaboration by creating an opportunity where Stratford’s youth and community leaders connect, dream and build the city’s future together.

It’s 2025, and greedy tycoon Ebeneezer Scrooge has bought up every feedmill from Windsor to Tobermory, Lake Huron to the Ottawa River. With billions in the bank and Ontario’s farmers under his thumb, Scrooge sits on his riches and refuses to give a dime to help those less fortunate… but on Christmas Eve, he is visited by (yep, you guessed it) three ghosts! Chock full of live music by local songwriter John Powers. A Hilarious Haunted Holiday tradition.

Opinions

Moose Basin Vacations offers a unique experience

Catching a 40-plus-inch pike on the first night is a good indicator of a good fishing spot.

This was a surprise beginning to a trip to Moose Basin Vacations. I won the trip at the Ruffed Grouse Society dinner in Courtland the year prior and was looking forward to it for a year. Renovations on the cabin on Allan Lake, west of Kapuskasing, were recently completed.

Prior to settling in, owner Jim Donaldson took fishing companions Marian Chelu, Angelo Dumitru and I for a tour of Allan Lake, the Opasatika River and Zadi Lake. This river eventually empties into the Moose River and Hudson Bay. We were shown the best spots for fishing in Allan Lake in early July but told the Opasatika and Zadi Lake may be better spots.

“That lake is very productive fishing in the spring when the water temperatures are low,” Donaldson said. “When the water temperatures go up, the fish seem to flood into the river.”

He said Allan Lake is ideal for hunting, with moose, bear and grouse mentioned. Dumitru and I couldn’t wait to hit the water the first night while Chelu elected to stay back. We fished the river and tied into some walleye. The action wasn’t fast and furious like I have seen in the past in the north but was steady. There was an occasional smaller pike mixed in to make things interesting.

Though there are some cottages on Allan Lake, we didn’t see another boat on the water, but did see a bald eagle. We were drifting along the shore of Zadi Lake and Dumitru seemed to catch on bottom, but

then it moved.

“I’ve got a big one,” he said. I scrambled for the net and quickly discovered we had forgotten to grab it on our way out in haste. I offered to help, but Dmitru said he had it. Watching him land a 43-inch pike with his bare hands was a site to behold. An amateur taxidermist, he opted to keep the fish to mount it.

The cabin on Allan Lake is one of three

that Donaldson owns. He has been gradually renovating them and starting to rent them out. His plans are to open the cabin on Kapuskasing Lake in 2027 and the one on Saginash Lake in 2028.

The renovation job on the Allan Lake cabin was impressive. The cabin is finished with pine boards on the interior, has electricity, indoor running water and a porch overlooking the lake. An outhouse/shower

building is a few steps away, and although it’s an outhouse, it’s nicer than most.

Besides the cabins, Donaldson offers day fishing trips from his home base in Kapuskasing. Prices range from $350-$800 and vary from kayak tours to small boats and larger 18-foot boats. The Allan Lake cabin is $300 a night.

An ardent angler, Donaldson started weekly walleye fishing tournaments in Kapuskasing. He has a store attached to his house and bases the tournaments from there.

The three of us went back to the spot the next day. We caught a few walleye for supper, and some smaller pike. Zadi Lake was a target that evening and we found a ridge that seemed to hold walleye both that evening and the next morning. Chelu discovered the hot lure was a Berkley Flicker Shad in fire tiger colour. It showed up well in the stained water.

On our last night, we went back near the spot where Dmitru caught the monster pike. We were catching fish to take home and had a couple of walleye and two smaller pike on the stringer. We heard a little splashing on that side of the boat and chalked it up to the pike splashing around on the stringer. Hearing it again, Chelu looked over the side.

“Look at that pike,” he said excitedly. I looked and saw a pike as large as the one he caught previously, or larger. It was chasing after the fish on the stringer. I happened to have my line in the boat and cast out quickly. The monster pike wasn’t interested in my offerings, or what Dmitru or Chelu threw.

Contact Donaldson at 613-362-2943 to book, or for more information on his offerings.

JEFF TRIBE Times Columnist

Marian Chelu shows a walleye caught in Zadi Lake on the Berkley Flicker Shad in fire tiger that proved to be the colour the fish preferred.

Moose Basin Vacations provides aluminum boats and Mercury outboards for anglers and hunters staying at the Allen Lake cabin.

Angelo Dmitru displays the 43-inch pike he caught with Moose Basin Vacations cottage on Allan Lake in July.

(JEFF HELSDON PHOTO)

APRIL 23-MAY 4, 2026

APRIL 23-MAY 4, 2 26 FRENCH RIVIERA

CRUISE AU UST 11-22, 2 26 BALTIC CRUISE AUGUST 11-22, 2026 DANUBE RIVER CHRISTMAS MARKETS NOVEMBER 26-DECEMBER 5, 2 26 DANUBE RIVER CHRISTMAS MARKETS NOVEMBER 26-DECEMBER 5, 2026

COSTA RICA JANUARY 2 – FEBRUARY 2, 2 2

COSTA RICA JANUARY 25 – FEBRUARY 2, 2027 DISCOVER SCOTLAND MAY 23-JUNE 1, 2 26 DISCOVER SCOTLAND MAY 23-JUNE 1, 2026 MARITIMES & CAPE BRETON AU UST 2 -SEPTEMBER 6, 2 26 MARITIMES & CAPE BRETON AUGUST 29-SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

Opinions

FORGIVENESS AND THE MOVIE OF A LIFETIME

STUART LENDER Times Columnist

There’s a movie that hurts. It runs in the flickering light of the machine, in the projector of the brain, over and over again. And each time it plays, the frames race by in blistering heat. Because I know the movie well, I usually don’t freeze the picture and let the light illuminate that one hurt, that one frame over any other, so I can really take a look at it. In all honesty, I don’t want the frame to stop anywhere in front of me – sharp, naked and shameful. But it does sometimes, as much as I tell my brain to “cut it out,” I don’t want to see it. Sure, they’re all valid hurts, they’re all mine. I know them

well. A showing, for one. There are times though, I slow it down to catch a glimpse of the scene, to look at the composition, the meaning of the words which are by now almost fabricated. They change because I can’t remember them clearly anymore, how it all went down. I dwell upon the feeling. Always that – the emotion.

When I do stop a frame, I think things like: I want to tell you how you’ve hurt me in this scene. I want to tell you how much I love you in this one. I want to hold your face and weep for an understanding from you that never came, or I couldn’t give to you at the time. And there’s always that one frame of the movie that stabs me the most – the death of the friend or the death of the parent. All the losses – the divorce, the abandonment, the deception, the forgiveness we couldn’t give each other, the “goodbye,” left unsaid. They all have their place. I run them at the times I feel weak because they justify my weakness, my role as projectionist. And the scenes in some way, confirm my pain as valid. And so, while I might control the times of their showing, I don’t

really allow myself to ever forget the movie. Why would I? It’s part of me.

But as I grow older, I feel the emotional residue of the film wearing thin. Maybe it’s just sinking deeper. Sometimes a frame gets stuck in the sprocket and keeps clicking, like a strobe light on the screen that won’t let me be “right” in the world, the way that I want to be. Then I can’t sleep. I get frustrated because I don’t know exactly what I’m seeing – it’s just a fuzzy flickering light show, and that frustration shows itself in tiny ways that I don’t like. I don’t feel whole somehow, I don’t like myself, and sometimes I hurt others in small ways because of it.

I barely ran the movie when I was younger. I wrote scenes with dialogue that I quickly forgot. But now that I’m older, I remember every scene I wrote. I’ve even tried to embellish that early stuff that happened back then and make each minor thing a bigger plot point in the drama. Stuff about embarrassment, about betrayal. I padded it for the sake of dramatic effect. It helped me sometimes – made things just too big for me to deal with…

so I didn’t deal with them. Maybe I didn’t want to. You can’t be weak I told myself. You can’t be vulnerable. Someone might take advantage.

And because it’s a movie that hurts me, I run it mostly at night, but sometimes in the day too. In daylight it’s easier to forget about it, with lunch or a cup of coffee in a café. Or I work harder, so that nobody knows it’s running. At night, when I’m reading to my little girl before bed, I feel it back there, running all the lines I’ve heard before. It’s the only real movie I know and so I make decisions based on it. I might show it to my little girl when she’s older, like some kind of warning. But she’s in some of the scenes.

Whenever something remotely close to it pops up, I say: “I know this scene, I’ve been here before.” And sure enough, what happens is just like what I thought would happen – my life plays out my movie again, or vice versa. I know there are other movies from other people, but they’re not mine. I don’t know them. I don’t know their stories or whether they’re real at all. Could be fiction for all I

know – so, I catch glimpses of their movies, but I keep them at a distance. Only my movie is the movie.

Sometimes though… I secretly wish I could share it, let people really see it for what it’s worth, step aside and run it in its entirety. But truth be told – I'm afraid. What if they don’t understand it or think it’s a comedy instead of a tragedy? What if they get bored? What a laughingstock that’ll make of my life and all the things in it! That movie is who I am. Isn’t it?

At other times though, I get so frustrated I just want to burn it all up – start from scratch, clean out the projector, throw away pretense. I’m getting old. I want to make a new movie that’s not so heavy, that I can share before it’s too late. Something with a good light. And I think, so often, as it keeps running and running in my head – how can I do that?

UNTIL SOON. LIVE WELL. Stuart is a celebrant and the manager of Rutherford Cremation & Funeral Services. It is his privilege to serve, dispel myths, and give information concerning his field of compassionate service.

As I See It From America: Let them eat cake

So, the time has come. I got an email message from a friend of mine up in Stratford about how things are going and as I am answering him, I am opening up some mail. Now, I know that mail is a tricky issue in your neck of the woods, but I must say we do still have a great mail system for the most part. I know that down here people complain about a stamp costing more than 60 cents and service has slowed a bit, but it still is a pretty good value and our mailboxes for the most part are right outside our front door. That part is slowly changing here and there but I still give a hearty wave to our mail delivery person from time to time.

Some of you may have heard that our government is in a shutdown as I am writing this, which means we have limited services and a bunch of “been there too long” politicians are telling us whose fault it is and what we are all going to lose during the shutdown. In the mail, I received two political notices about the shutdown. Both from the ruling political party and both blaming the “dangerous” left. It is almost comical that when the leader of our country talks about doing what he is doing to benefit Americans and then scoffs and laughs about firing thousands of federal employees and weakening the very departments that serve the American people the most. Not to mention the increase in unemployment and the loss of insurance. So much for the people. Now insurance is another thing. In the mail on Saturday came the notice that my health insurance, at my age mind you, is going to rise in cost incredibly. For those of you that do not know about our system, we pay all of our working careers for something called Medicare that we will receive at the age of 65. It is a somewhat good program but does not cover many things like prescriptions,

vision, dental and partial doctor visit payments, among a myriad of other things. So, as a person over the age of 65, you then can purchase supplemental insurance for all of that other stuff. Where I live in New York State, there are many of these programs that are low cost because of state subsidies. Some are even no-cost.

During the current administration, the federal government is going to phase out support for things like smaller hospitals, access of care, certain medications, preventative measures and others. Because of that the health insurance industry is now increasing payments for health insurance through the roof. Care for the elderly and poor is going to be devastated and medical providers and hospitals are being told that they will have to do it for nothing, which means the general public has to pay more. I WILL PAY more for those less fortunate than myself to get care, but the fact remains that some providers are still going to hold back, and my insurance premium costs are going to quadruple or more, not to mention access is getting more and more limited in many areas.

Now, I admit, am not all that fa-

miliar with the Canadian health system. I do get some information from friends and relatives, some positive and some negative but can you imagine if one day you wake up and you are told that starting next year, you are going to have to pay four times more for this basic need that should be provided for all and the care is going to be worse? Or if you are paying nothing for medical and now you must pay thousands of dollars to have any medical at all. How about your local clinic or hospital is closing, so now you must drive four hours to get any care at all? Welcome to this administration’s health care proposals.

It is interesting that those making this type of decision are not affected by it at all. They get free taxpayer paid health insurance for their entire lifetimes. It never affects them. So, when some stand up to this tyranny, mostly Democrats, and don’t vote for this heartless proposal, the government shuts down. This is interesting because one political party in the United States rules all four aspects of our federal government: the White House, the Senate, Congress and the Supreme Court. So, the Repub -

lican ruling party blames the non-ruling party and the people be damned. This is a modern version of “Let them eat cake.”

We did get in the mail a nice notice of the new artistic director at the Stratford Festival. That was positive news. We also received notices of added performances to the season, making it the longest season ever. This is an amazing thing for the community as it creates more tax dollars for your fair city and allows more families and children to be entertained by the likes of Annie, MacBeth, Anne of Green Gables and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. I could not be happier. We will be taking advantage of the additional performances when we see MacBeth with a group we are bringing up from western New York. From the aspect of a community that needs this support it must be great to see the festival and theatres doing so well. This was a great piece of news that we received. It made me smile.

What was that you said? Sorry, I didn’t hear you, I was chomping down on this large piece of cake!

Please let me know how you feel at burk.patrick1956@gmail.com

PATRICK D. BURK Times Columnist

A storyteller in a town full of stories

This past weekend I had the privilege of being one of ten storytellers for Trophy x Dream Weavers – “Storytelling that Transforms Us.” This two-day, one-evening event saw ten diaphanous tents (tucked next to the bus station on Downie Street) formed into a stunning art installation -- the brainchild of Canadians Sarah Conn and Allison O’Connor. Sponsored by the City of Stratford, investStratford and the Provocation Ideas Festival (PIF), this event was the latest in the 2025 PIF line-up of experiences to build informed and collaborative communities.

In August, PIF had called for community members to submit a story detailing a major change in their lives. Now, I’m not a storyteller by trade (the best told tales occurred in my youth as a boon against parental punishment), but I certainly had experienced a major change in my adult

life. My challenge would be limiting my story to five minutes – a must if the three to four audience members per tent could have the opportunity to sample all ten stories.

While I cannot speak for my fellow storytellers on how they viewed the weekend’s significance, for me it was exactly what PIF had envisioned: provocation that occurs when long-held beliefs and behaviours meet new ideas and risk – all springing from storytelling and reflection.

I related my tale of moving to Stratford in 2023 with my wife, Katherine, intending to bask in a retirement of never-ending theatregoing. But a chance volunteer stint in a breakfast program for Stratfordians facing housing and food challenges had led me to a dishwashing stint at the Local Community Food Centre, and then to volunteering at an emergency foodbank in the city. I concluded my story by informing the audience that in two

65TH ANNIVERSARY

Coin

STRATFORD SCRABBLE CLUB

Way

Anne Hathawy Residence 480 Downie St., Stratford Meets every Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. for 3 games. Check our website for further details stratfordscrabble.ca

COIN SHOW

STRATFORD 62TH ANNUAL COIN SHOW

Sunday October 19th 2025; 9:00 am to 3 pm

Best Western Arden Park Hotel 552 Ontario St. Stratford.

Admission $3.00 (under 16 free). 65th Anniversary Cake Celebration at 2 pm.

BURGER & FRY NIGHT

Thursday Oct. 23

Legion 804 Ontario St B1, Stratford

years I had attended two plays but jokingly quipped that I dreamed of remaking the musical Oliver. In my version, Oliver no longer holds up a bowl to plead for “more” but instead holds out two hands and asks for “some!”

When you spend countless hours paring your story down to five minutes and hours more knowing it cold without benefit of notes, there is a worry about staleness, but that’s where the Trophy creators’ structure shined. Having a focus question to complement a story will certainly involve listeners, but to require those listeners to refine and transfer their ideas to a four-by-six-inch coloured acetate was genius.

Those acetates, clipped to a spinning carousel suspended from the interior apex of each tent, gave the structures an ethereal glow when viewed from outside, especially at the evening performance. For me, when each trio of listeners had departed, the echoes of their involvement

fluttered over my head; the collection of responses continued to grow all weekend.

And while there was some discussion following each telling of my tale, when you are restricted to mere dialogue, the latter exchange inevitably pushes out the former. That was not the case with the Trophy Collective’s use of overhead carousels; if an audience member chose to be involved in a story, there was tangible evidence that they had been there, had engaged and left a remnant of their interaction.

So, kudos to everyone who created this public discussion moment. I felt that I was given an opportunity to advance the tale of hungry folks in Stratford whose own stories touched my life to the point where it has changed course. As I left my tent at the conclusion of Saturday night’s offering, I saw the giant colourful heart on the outside of the Grand Trunk site. I hope that will be the harbinger of continued engagement in our city.

LET THE BONE CHILLING FUN BEGIN

It's October, and you know what that means. The ever-popular Skeletons of Vivian Line are back from holiday! The skeletons return for their 12th season of raising money for Operation Smile Canada, kicking off their 13 Days of Halloween on Oct. 18. To see more of their escapades, visit the Skeletons of Vivian Line online on their Facebook page or website, https://skeletonsofvivianline.com/, or visit and donate in person.

Bring your friends out for a fun and tasty evening, supporting your local legion. No tickets needed, just show up! The cost is $13 each or 2 for $25. Take-out is available if preordered from Dave Hartney at 519-703-6544.

OXFORD PHILATELIC SOCIETY CIRCUIT

BOOK FAIR

Saturday, Oct. 25; 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Church of the Epiphany, 560 Dundas Street, Woodstock Ontario N4S 1C7

Free Admission & Parking

Stop in and buy some stamps and meet fellow stamp collectors. About 8 participating stamp clubs.

Contact: Don Eaton dhfe@silomail.com Website: http://www.rpsc.org/chapters/oxford

FRIDAY NIGHT EUCHRE

Friday Oct. 17 and Friday Nov. 21. Legion 804 Ontario St B1, Stratford

Doors open at 6 pm, play starts at 6:30 pm. Register your team of 2 people for $20. Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Call Dave at 519-703-6544, Anne at 519-301-0914 or the Legion at 519-271-4540 to register your team.

JACK NAHRGANG

Guest Columnist

Stratford

Club secretary Darrell Nutt, president Doug Hamilton and treasurer Ron Holm donated $500 on behalf of the club to the United

Perth-Huron. This year is the club’s 65th anniversary and they had a membership drive with commemorative medals and banknotes, which generated the donation.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

OH, THE PLACES WE’LL GO: Taste sensations in the south of Spain

I came home from Spain determined to replicate at least two of the amazing taste treats we had enjoyed there: paella and sangria. I didn’t know what I was setting myself up for.

It goes well beyond paella and sangria; the south of Spain is a cornucopia of flavours, and we had the chance to sample many of them. The sundry small dishes, both hot and cold, served as tapas, either as appetizers or gathered on a larger plate to make up a delicious meal; the fruit and vegetables, especially the citrus fruit; the fresh fish of all kinds; meats, cheeses and olives, olives, olives.

And, of course, wine, especially the very good, very cheap Rioja wine.

But let’s start with paella. Paella is a very common Spanish rice dish. You start with rice and add stuff. Okay, perhaps the recipe is a bit more complicated than that, as ably demonstrated by the chef in Torremolinos who gave us a lesson in making paella.

First point – this ain’t any ordinary rice. This is round rice, or bomba rice.

In our particular case, the chef must have had some of his budget

left over from the previous fiscal year, because he splurged. The ingredients of this particular paella included astonishingly big (and, it turned out, over-the-top delicious) prawns that cost 200 euros, just for this paella. He then added two other kinds of shrimp, mussels, clams, three or four kinds of fish, calamari, onions, red peppers, garlic, saffron – probably more expensive than the prawns – olive oil (of course) and broth, each added at just the right time.

And then – this is one of the tricks of paella – it sits and simmers in the shallow frying pan for a long time without burning.

It was amazing.

And then the sangria. I have always enjoyed sangria, or at least I thought I did, but what I have enjoyed here has been a concoction of red wine, some kind of juice and chopped fruit. Our Spanish

hosts would use this to water grape vines, maybe.

Our young, jovial sangria mentors broke out bottle after bottle, in the end producing utterly delicious and significantly powerful sangria. They use red wine, of course – Rioja, in fact, specifically Anciano Old Oak Tempranillo – Fanta orange, of all things, and then the alcoholic dynamite: generous, 10-second pours of Triple Sec, another of Sweet Vermouth, and perhaps a bit longer pour of a Spanish liqueur called Licor 43. Add four spoons of sugar for each jug and sundry fruits – we had apple, oranges and perhaps some other unidentified species. All we knew, after generous tastings, was that this was sangria to die for and our home-grown, simple recipes would never again suffice!

We brought these recipes home with us, but one highlight of the

trip – a lunchtime repast served in the home of Maria, our Spanish hostess – brought us no new recipes.

That doesn’t mean we didn’t want them, but friendly, jolly, lovely Maria absolutely refused to share her secrets with us. The meal began with a board of cold meats, cheeses, bread, olives and a salad. Second course, an egg soup. The main included pork and scalloped potatoes. Dessert, we called Custard de Maria, because it was wonderful and unidentifiable. And Maria was no help – just as she wasn’t when we asked for the recipe for her amazing cookies, served with coffee.

By the time she had smiled and refused to divulge secrets through several courses, we gave up and enjoyed the post-meal liqueur, a homemade tasty treat made from locally grown quinces. To get

to Maria’s dining room, we had climbed long, cobbled streets in a downpour. We all agreed it was more than worth the effort.

The adventures in cuisine never stopped. We sampled about every citrus fruit known to humanity at the Finca Juanito orchard. We wandered through a market in Ojen stocked with every kind of fresh fruit and vegetable. We tasted olive oil at the Mon Dron Co-op. There are 350 million olive trees in the country. In fact, Spain exports olive oil to, of all places, Italy. And at the Hotel-Retaurant Balcón de los Montes, we started the day with churros, a fried dough pastry which may not sound too exciting, but when coupled with coffee well laced with brandy, are a great treat. Or it may have been the brandy.

As I said, I came home determined to create some of these great tastes in my own kitchen. I started with paella and quickly discovered that virtually no grocery store in this area sells round rice – many, many, many other kinds of rice, but no bomba round rice. I even made several excursions to stores where the internet affirmed the presence of round rice. Nope.

Finally, I found it in a little Portuguese grocery store in Kitchener. I launched the experiment. I did not buy million-dollar prawns, but that didn’t seem to matter, because my paella worked, much to my surprise – and that of my partner.

But for the real stuff, skip my kitchen and go straight to Spain.

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

A typical tapas lunch, this one served in Malaga.

Our chef in Torremolinos with spectacular paella. Carolina, our exuberant sangria mentor. Churros served with coffee and brandy.

PAUL KNOWLES Times Columnist

(PAUL KNOWLES PHOTOS)

Why did the turkey join the band? Because it had the drumsticks!

What do you call a running turkey? Fast food.

Why did the pumpkin pie go to school? Because it wanted to be a smart cookie.

What’s the key to a great Thanksgiving dinner? The tur-key!

Why don’t you put the turkey next to the corn?

Because it will gobble it up.

What do you call cranberries that tell jokes? A pun-kin patch.

Why did the scarecrow win an award on Thanksgiving? Because he was outstanding in his field.

What do you get when you cross a turkey with a banjo? A bird that can pluck itself!

What sound does a limping turkey make? Wobble, wobble.

Why do pilgrims’ pants always fall down?

Because they wear their belt buckles on their hats!

NOLA

Nola is a young mixed-breed pup with energy to spare and a heart full of love. She’s happiest when she’s playing, exploring, and staying active with her favorite people. Though she can be shy at first, once she feels safe, her gentle, affectionate nature shines through. Nola would do best with a patient, understanding family who can help her build confidence and show her the world isn’t so scary. With consistency, love, and plenty of activity, she’ll blossom into the loyal, joyful companion she’s meant to be. Adopt Nola at www.kwsphumane.ca! 123 Waterloo St. S., Stratford ON, 519-305-7387

Sponsored by:

www.purepets.biz | purepetsstratford@yahoo.ca

SPONSORED BY:

Adult Learning Programs of Perth, Upstairs at the St. Marys Public Library (700 Church Street North, St. Marys, ON) | Phone: 519-284-4408 | Cell: 226-374-8231 alearning@town.stmarys.on.ca | www.adultlearningperth.ca | Facebook: @AdultLearningProgramsofPerth

CLASSIFIEDS

Township of Perth South

EQUIPMENT OPERATOR

The Township of Perth South Public Works Department is seeking a qualified Equipment Operator. Reporting to the Operations Manager, applicants will be experienced with the ability to operate and maintain various pieces of equipment, such as road graders, wheel loaders and tandem dump trucks. The candidate will also be required to complete roadside maintenance activities including, trees, signage, potholes, and debris clean up.

Applicants should have road maintenance and construction knowledge, experience in equipment operation and maintenance and a valid “DZ” license. This position is subject to weekend and winter scheduling and some emergency call-out.

The 2025 salary range for this position is $27.19 – $33.99 per hour based on a 40-hour work week.

The Township of Perth South offers excellent benefits and a competitive compensation package. For a detailed job description of this position, please visit www.perthsouth.ca

We thank all candidates for their interest, however, only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

Interested candidates are invited to submit a detailed resume expressing their interest to the undersigned clearly marked as “Equipment Operator” by Wednesday October 15th 2025.

Ken Bettles, Director of Public Works

Township of Perth South 3191 Road 122, St. Pauls, ON N0K 1V0

If

If you are interested, contac t Heather Dunbar at heather@granthaven.co m

Email - kbettles@perthsouth.ca

Information gathered is under the authority of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and shall only be used for candidate selection purposes.

$ Cash Paid $ for your RECORDS and LPs. Jazz, Blues, Rock, Pop, Folk, Soundtracks, and more. Selectively buying CDs, Cassettes, Turntables, and Stereo Equipment. For more information: DIAMOND DOGS MUSIC 114 Ontario St. Stratford / 226-972-5750

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

Fair value offered for your vinyl records, cassette tapes & hifi components. Please contact Sound Fixation, 519801-5421, 4 George St. W, Stratford.

I WILL PAY CASH FOR ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES – Coca Cola Pepsi any pop company, Brewery items Kuntz, Huether Labatts etc. Old radios and gramophones,

Wristwatches and pocket watches, Old fruit jars Beaver Star Bee Hive etc. Any old oil cans and signs Red Indian Supertest etc. Any small furniture. If you are moving or cleaning out stuff please contact me - 519-570-6920.

Hundreds of shade trees, fruit trees, apples, pears, peaches, plums, sweet and sour cherries, apricots, nectarines, blueberries, haskapp grapes, raspberries, elderberries etc. Lots of spruce, pine, cedars for windbreak and privacy hedges. Sizes 1-8 ft. in containers ready to go. Flowering shrubs and much more. Mon-Sat 7:00am to 6:00pm Martin's Nursery, 42661 Orangehill Rd Wroxeter, ON N0G 2X0 (1 Conc. North of Wroexter on Belmore Line) 4101 line 26 Downie, Perth South: Nov. 19, 25 by 4:00pm, Deposit $50,000.00

Tenders are conditional on the severance of the residential portion to the sole satisfaction of the Seller(s). To be Retained:(+or-135 Ac) (MTE Severance Sketch) Workable Ac: (+or-128.5 Workable Ac) tiled 30ft. Call Tom Daum Realtor® Maps & Tender Packages. 519 301 9150 TomDaumRealtor@gmail.com

BUSINESS ROOM AVAILABLE (the spa located near the tracks, downtown Stratford) to rent to any quiet business or RMT. This is on the main floor, which is wheelchair accessible. Please contact thespa@quadro.net or 519-272-1293.

Tuesday prior at 3 p.m. Contact: stratfordtimes@gmail.com

Community Calendar is for non-profit organizations to promote their free admission events at no charge. Event listings can include your event name, date, time and location as well as a phone number, email address or website.

If your event is not free admission or you would like to include more details than stated above, you have the following options:

Events Word Ad in

(50 word max.) - $10 + hst

BUSINESS DIREC TORY

Cozyn's Sebringville

Stratford-Perth

Sobey's

Shoppers

Tim

Stratford

Stratford

A.N.A.F.

Stratford

Stratford

Stratford

Stratford

HH

United

Blowes

Stratford

Coffee

Stratford

The

Dick's

The

North

Annie’s

Avon