Lanark, North Leeds & Grenville - Hometown News Novmeber 2020

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Vol. 7

No. 11

YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER - LANARK, NORTH LEEDS & GRENVILLE

NOVEMBER 2020

Curtain falls on Classic Theatre Festival but Burning Passions will go on

What turned out to be the final curtain call for the Classic Theatre Festival was its 2019 production of the mystery thriller Deathtrap, featuring (left to right) Catherine Bruce, Naomi Costain, Scott Clarkson, Andrew Di Rosa, and Colin Legge. While the Festival has closed, Burning Passions Theatre continues working on new and innovative approaches to theatre to get through the pandemic and beyond. Photo credit: Jean-Denis Labelle.

Perth - submitted editorial@pd gmedia.ca After a decade as one of Lanark County’s marquee summertime entertainment experiences, the Classic Theatre Festival has been forced to close due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic.

The only professional compa-

ny in the Ottawa Valley, which annually brought to town top talent from the worlds of Canadian theatre, television and film to perform hits from the golden age of Broadway and the London stage, the Classic Theatre Festival was a tourism draw that pumped more than $12 million into the local economy.

“Due to the ongoing pandemic that forced the Classic Theatre Festival to postpone our 2020 season, and the uncertainty that extends well into 2021 and beyond, the company cannot sustain this large-scale event any longer,” said Artistic Producer Laurel Smith. “A Festival of our size can no longer operate in this new high-risk en-

who manages the gift shop and has been auxiliary president for the past 12 years.

“This is a really good cause that’s near and dear to the Saumure Group,” said Emily Smith, who looks after leasing arrangements for the company. “It seemed like a good fit.”

The gift shop reopens Friday, Nov. 20 in a location next to the Rotary Hall at Settlers Ridge Centre, and will operate from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday each week. How soon the shop can move back to the hospital will depend on the course of the pandemic.

“With Christmas coming we’re wanting to get some funds to give back to the hospital,” said Staples. Two years ago the auxiliary donated $35,000 to the

Smiths Falls Site of the Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital from gift shop sales and some regular fundraising events, including an auction, bazaar and golf tournament. The gift shop is run entirely by volunteer labour.

The auxiliary also provides every baby born at the hospital with a baby quilt and a crib sheet. The quilts are purchased from a quilting group called Heart to Heart Quilts of Lanark County. So far in 2020, 210 quilts have been provided to the hospital.

In its new location the shop will be offering a variety of items including Christmas decorations, purses, clothing for children and adults, baby gifts, decorative plates, and jewellery.

On Nov. 20 and 21 the shop will mark its reopening with a special

Auxiliary gift shop back in business Smiths Falls - Chris Must editorial@pd gmedia.ca Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the doors of the Smiths Falls Community Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop have been shuttered since March 11. But thanks to a generous offer from the Settlers Ridge Centre, the shop will be back in business just in time to serve Christmas shoppers.

Auxiliary President Jackie Staples recently met with Chris Saumure, president of the Saumure Group which has owned and operated the mall since 2017. Saumure offered to donate space at the mall for the gift shop to relocate.

“We’re so fortunate to have someone like the Saumures that are helping us out,” said Staples,

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vironment, where the long-term planning timelines that are critical to our viability no longer exist.”

The decision to close the Festival was a “devastating” one, Smith says, and came during “the saddest board meeting we have ever attended. Our board was so invested in this project, working as volunteers in Front of House management, as ushers, as cheerleaders for what was a really unique experience.”

The Classic Theatre Festival left a huge cultural footprint in the town of Perth and beyond. Its anchor was its critically acclaimed, award-winning productions on the mainstage (for the last six years at the St. James Anglican auditorium, which was transformed annually into a professional theatre space). But there were many other moving parts to the company that drew tens of thousands of tourists to town, from historic Perth through the Ages walking plays that animated downtown streets in and around Matheson House as well as night-time “Lonely Ghosts walks,” to the sold-out dinner theatre shows in collaboration with Michael’s Table.

The Festival was also lauded as a model of community engagement, from its ability to hire and train dozens of young people each summer (teaching new skills

while also funding post-secondary education!) to its legendary Save-A-Seat program, which opened up thousands of free seats to low-income and socially marginalized community members across Eastern Ontario to attend professional theatre in dignity. In addition, hundreds of volunteers helped usher, paint sets, and host out of town performers and technicians, building deep and lasting friendships that will outlast this gloomy period.

“A key part of our success was also based on the partnerships we built with Perth and area restaurants, accommodations, and stores, enabling all of us together to offer visitors to town a full range of experiences,” said Smith, who in addition to helming the Festival, played a leading role in promoting tourism to Perth through her work with the Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Association as well as local and regional organizations.

While the Festival will no longer operate, Smith takes hope in the words of author Arundhati Roy, whose widely-read essay on the Covid crisis points out that, despite the losses and challenges, the pandemic is a portal to new possibilities. continues on page 10

The Settlers Ridge Centre on Brockville Street will be the new temporary location for the Smiths Falls Community Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop, reopening Friday, Nov. 20. Photo credit: The Saumure Group.

“Scratch and Save Sale.” Customers can buy scratch tickets to win a chance to save between 10 to 50 per cent on various items. The gift shop will be observing Covid-19

protocols, with masks required.

Staples expressed her gratitude for the support of the auxiliary’s volunteers, the hospital staff, and Chris Saumure.

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November 2020

CARLETON PLACE Invitation Only Ceremony at 10:45am. Watch live on Royal Canadian Legion Branch 192 Facebook page.

MERRICKVILLE Short, intimate ceremony at 11am. Public is welcome, must maintain physical distancing and wear a mask.

MISSISSIPPI MILLS Watch a live stream Remembrance Day event on TV with your household; Write a message to a veteran you know; Donate to your local Legion;

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Page Two PAKENHAM Virtual Service anytime after 10:45am. Watch on Facebook: Pakenhamm Cenotaph Memorial or Youtube Info: 613-624-5385 PERTH If you wish to lay a wreath at the cenotaph, you can do so on Nov. 10 or the after noon of Remembrance Day (after intimate ceremony)

SMITHS FALLS Invitation only Ceremony at 10:45am. Watch live on Town of Smiths Falls Facebook page and website Cartoon by Patrick Labelle

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Smiths Falls Red Cross workers out to meet returning troops bringing greetings and treats.

Photo credit: Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum

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Patricia Krotki pmkrotki@pdgmedia.ca

Kathy Botham

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shannon@pdgmedia.ca johnnyfive@pdgmedia.ca

Kathy Botham Sally Smith Chris Must Janelle Labelle Brian Turner Emilie Must John Kessel

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opinion: Am I the only one?

Carrie Wynne

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Contact 613-284-9826 hometownnews@pdgmedia.ca

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Let us not open the border just because Canadians decide they do not want to be Canadians this winter.

Am I the Only One? Seniors want to leave the country and travel to their summer retreats and no pandemic will get in their way. Oh, I get it, summer activities and outdoor fun have come to an end. Winter can be cold and cruel not to mention the white stuff. It gets dark by 4 o’clock and if the sun just happens to be out it is 20 degrees colder. But wait a minute. The Americans were locked out of Canada all summer. They had places to go and people to see too. Why are people

acting so entitled?

As we get older and the world changes around us, we either become more accepting or we get more demanding. Then I remembered Lois.

Lois was my 80-year-old neighbour who had a cute little cottage across the street. She offered no commentary on the neighbours, did not say much about current events or grumble about association fees or the price of groceries or the weather. In fact, Lois never complained. She loved her cottage as much as I loved mine. She would sit at her picnic table and have a beer in the afternoon after she mowed the lawn or swept out her cottage. I told my husband when I am eighty, I want to be Lois. I do not want to be sniveling about a few nickels or snarky with people in customer service or unkind in any way, shape, or form.

Maybe it was Lois’s nature

all along to be quiet and content. Lois had her share of duck soup. She used to share laughs with Ben, her beloved husband, until she woke up one morning and he was dead beside her in bed. When her youngest daughter was pregnant, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and died shortly after giving birth, leaving Lois to raise her granddaughter until her son-in-law was settled enough to take over.

I am sure that when you get to be 80 you learn as Lois did, that life has a way of beating us down.

You either let go or get dragged. Lois rolled with the punches. That is why she influenced me in a positive way, and I have never forgotten her.

Am I the Only One? The opinions stated in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hometown News’ management, staff or writers.

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November 2020

community We already know Covid won’t stop Santa Claus – it won’t stop Sandy Claus either Regional - Submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca The Lanark County Food Bank Stocking Drive is already on. A lot has changed but the need for the support of the community is stronger than ever during this year of Covid-19. It may have been a little harder to find something to give thanks for but for the Food Bank’s clients the list was even shorter.

Looking ahead we know Christmas will also bring special challenges.

And that’s why we are already turning our minds to making merry and starting to collect for the LCFB - The Hunger Stop’s 12th Annual Christmas Stocking Drive.

Sandy Schappert is the spirit behind the Christmas Stockings filled with toiletries. Acting upon a remark made by her late

husband Hank Schappert, while volunteering at the Food Bank, she has sought to fill the need for toiletries for adults for more than a decade, and each year the community responds.

Because clients of the Hunger Stop can only access the Food Bank once a month, stockings start being handed out in the middle of November, so you can see why when we say Christmas is "just around

the corner" we mean it.

Despite all the fall colours, thoughts and actions are underway to ensure that everyone has a Merry Christmas this year. In words of gratitude from the recipients, "It is the only gift I get to open Christmas morning."

If you'd like to donate stockings, toiletries, or even the funds to fill the stockings (receipts available), please drop them off at the

Donations and Deliveries door at the Food Bank’s new location -- 84 Mill Street – or contact Sandra Schappert: sandyhank@

bell.net , 613-492-1006, and our own Sandy Claus will make sure your generosity puts a smile in someone's heart this Christmas.

Local family competes on Family Feud Canada Regional - Chris Must editorial@pdgmedia.ca Charlie and his angels have completed their mission. Although the details of that mission – appearing on the current season of Family Feud Canada – remain shrouded in secrecy, local fans won’t have long to wait to find out what happened.

Charles Nichols and his sisters Kathy Leggett, Susan Perkins, Barb Irish and Michelle Jordan decided to apply to appear on the show a few months ago when they saw an ad on Facebook looking for applicants. In late August they submitted a short video introducing themselves in the role of “Charlie and his angels going on a mission to impress the

people on Family Feud,” Jordan said.

The video must have been well received by the popular game show’s producers, because the five siblings (five out of a family of 13 who grew up together in Toledo) were called in for auditions, consisting of several interviews. In addition to providing some family background “you play a bit of a game to make sure you actually know what you’re doing,” said Jordan.

The Nichols team was informed in the first week of October that they had been chosen to appear on the show, and spent two days in Toronto taping episodes at the CBC studio a couple of weeks later.

Although they didn’t have much time to prepare,

Jordan said, “We played family feud for about a week straight, asking each other questions.”

Jordan said the siblings decided to apply because “we do a lot of things as a family, and we enjoy competition.” They have been watching the show since it first appeared on American TV in the 1970s. Season two of Family Feud Canada premiered Oct. 12 and will see approximately 130 families compete. These 130 were chosen from 650 virtual auditions. Families compete for $10,000 each night and can stay on the show for up to three episodes if they continue winning, giving them the chance to win a total of up to $30,000.

The episodes featuring

the Nichols family will air some time in February, although they have not yet been given the exact dates.

The experience of taping the shows, said Jordan, was “amazing.”

“I can’t say enough about CBC,” she added. “They treat you very nice. It was just great.”

Charles and Michelle live in Toledo, while Barb resides in Kingston, Kathy in Crosby and Susan in North Augusta. The youngest team member was Michelle Jordan at 51, with her sister Kathy Leggett, 66, the oldest.

TOP: Sandy Schappert. Photo credit: Submitted.

LEFT: Xmas stocking box. Photo credit: Submitted.

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666--88--888 schursautomotive@hotmail.ca The Nichols family team which competed on Family Feud Canada. Photo from Facebook.

For Your Information with Kathy Botham

ARI FLEET

70 Church St. E. Smiths Falls

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November 2020

community

Defibrillator installed at the Smiths Falls Public Library

Smiths Falls - Sally Smith editorial@pdgmedia.ca

Scott Reid, MP for Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston, has learned over the years about defibrillators, how they work, and how they save lives. It’s been a long-standing project of his to get as many devices into as many community or civic buildings and police cruisers as he can.

He was at the Smiths Falls Library Wednesday Oct. 15, taking a look at where the library has placed its new defibrillator. Through the years

he has watched how these machines have improved. In 2001, he remembers, when he first suggested getting defibrillators into buildings, they cost about “$8,000 and were not as good.”

Now, the cost is slightly under $2,000 (of which the Library paid half); and there is a service plan. The AED (Automated External Defibrillator) service plan “relieves” the building patrons of “liability”, Reid says. For instance, the service calls on a regular basis to make sure

batteries have been changed.

Katie Hoffman, Friends of the Library chair, says the Friends wanted a defibrillator in the building “to be prepared for anything that happens,” adding “it’s a normal precaution in a public building.”

Karen Schecter, Library CEO, agrees. So many people of all ages use the Library, “we want to be prepared to handle whatever emergency comes our way. Staff and four Friends of the Library came to the hour-long training.”

Quilts help kids through rough spots

These quilts were made by member Marjorie Graham and represent her 99th and 100th quilts made for the Outreach program of Kemptville Quilters Guild and given to Family and Children’s Services of Lanark, Leeds and Grenville. Photo credit: Submitted.

Regional - Sally Smith editorial@pdgmedia.ca Debi Crozier laughs when asked where the backing for the quilts comes from. She admits all of the sewers in her Guild are quilters, so they have “lots” of material; the batting, on the other hand, is paid for by the Kemptville Quilting Guild.

Last year, close to 150 quilts (142, to be exact) were designed, sewn and delivered to Family and Children Services of Lanark, Leeds and Grenville in Smiths Falls. That’s quite a lot of quilts…

Crozier tries to drop them off once a month from her Guild, and several other Guilds contribute,

too. She has about 25 ready to go now; they “provide comfort,” she says.

There are about 70 members in the Kemptville Guild.

Members donate fabric and panels, Crozier and two other volunteers on the Outreach Committee put kits together and pass them back. Guild members quilt them, return them to Crozier and she delivers them to Family Services. To make things easier for her quilting friends, Crozier has prominently placed a purple bin on her front porch to collect donated material.

Quilts are all sizes — mostly kid sized — but include teens to adults, and Nancy Grundy, program coordinator of the Kemptville Guild,

says some of them are “outstandingly beautiful.”

Steve Orr, volunteer coordinator with Family Services in Smiths Falls, agrees. Child protection workers have a tough job, he says; it’s sometimes hard to build relationships with families so a gift of a quilt is “a lovely treat.” He points out that when a quilt is given to a child, it probably stays with them “forever. It’s great to provide something to families to help them through the bad stuff.”

And when they get through the ‘bad stuff’ and have a moment to sit down, families often send a thank-you card back to the quilters, Orr says.

Kerry McKenna is a Family Services worker out of Smiths Falls; she says the quilts are “beautiful, brand new, and clean,” and the workers take them to homes in the community, to a “family that needs them.” The kids in care get quilts, too, she says. The intention is to make them feel cosy and give them some cheer. And when they go into homes, the quilts become a point of connection between the worker and the family…a peace offering, a gesture of trust that times will get better.

If interested in joining Kemptville Quilters Guild, contributing material or making quilts, call Nancy Grundy at 613-258-1055.

She says they now feel “confident” if they have to use it.

“The machine basically tells us what we have to do — with children as well — and answers any niggling doubts.”

Dave Thornley, Friends’ member, explains that children’s paddles don’t come with the regular AED package so the Library decided to acquire the children’s size; they’re for kids “55 pounds or about eight-years-old [but not under one].” He adds that the adult size paddles give a “higher charge.” It discharges at three capacities — 200 joules, 300 and then 360.

A representative from AED Authority Canada did the installing. He adds to Thornley’s explanation — that the child paddles have an “attenuator which reduces the energy going into the child.” He says that AED Authority Canada makes sure on a regular basis that neither the batteries nor the paddles in the device have expired, and there hasn’t been a recall notice; if that’s all okay, he calls the device “rescue ready.”

He spoke more than en-

Friends of the Library members (from top of stairs) — John Deutekom, Joan Thornley, Dave Thornley and Katie Hoffman, welcome MP Scott Reid to the Library October 15 along with CEO Karen Schecter (front left). Photo credit: Sally Smith.

thusiastically about the program. If, within two minutes, he says, a person is “shocked” by the paddles “there is an extremely high probability of survival.” Technical jargon followed: the machine only treats two kinds of heart rhythm — ventricular fibrillation and supra ventricular tachycardia. The machine will tell you, he further says: if the heart rhythm is not one

of these, the machine will not discharge.

Reid has tried to get defibrillators in all Smiths Falls police cruisers, as well as OPP and RCMP cruisers. With his help, the Legion in the town has one, as do the Station Theatre, the Lion’s Club and the Civitan Club. Reid says the defibrillator he asks to be installed is the “same one as the paramedics use.”

Electric Vehicles; good to go as long as there are recharging stations Regional - Brian Turner editorial@pdgmedia.ca Up until the Covid-19 lock-down earlier this year, electric vehicle (EV) sales in Canada were on a decisive upswing with a market share of 3.8% as of April. Consumers were being drawn into EV stores in record numbers by the promise of never having to stop at a gas station again and minimal maintenance expenses. Extended ranges were also helping to fuel this fire even overcoming the lack of provincial government rebates. The big issue facing our region is the lack of public charging

stations, not just for local EV owners but for visitors as well. But it seems relief is on the way.

EV charging stations represent a unique opportunity in terms of attracting visitors. A Level 2 charging station (the type that most municipalities install for public use) can recharge the average EV within 4 or so hours. This means those drivers and their passengers are rather captive in the communities where they recharge while on a trip, bringing opportunities for area retailers, restaurants, and attraction facilities alike. Last year NRCan announced some funding to assist towns in purchasing or leasing charging stations, but the application rules required a minimum of 20 units, a number that was too high for many mid-sized and smaller municipalities.

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) stepped in and offered to be the lead on applications, giving smaller towns the opportunity to indirectly access some of this funding. Smiths Falls and Carleton Place councils approved this program last

year. Perth recently saw 12 Tesla charging stations installed this year, located just outside the Independent Grocer on Highway 7.

Diane Smithson and Malcolm Morris, CAOs of Carleton Place and Smiths Falls respectively, informed Hometown News that the installations are moving forward (albeit with some Covid-19 related delays) and are expected to be completed next year. In Carleton Place they will be located at the library, Neelin Street Arena, and the Fire/Police station. In Smiths Falls, plans are to install them at the Market Street municipal parking lot, at the rear of the town hall and at the recreation complex on Cornelia Street.

EV drivers will pay for their electricity via a credit or debit card feature and funds received will be used by the towns to offset the leasing costs of the charging stations and electricity used.

Last year the market rate for public EV charging in Ontario was $2.00 per hour according to OPG, but municipalities are free under this agreement to charge a higher or lower fee.

We will match our competitors tire prices by 5% on the purchase of four eligible passenger or light truck tires (call for details) UP TO $80.00 TIRE REBATE WHEN YOU PURCHASE 4 TIRES

New Tesla charging stations in Perth. Photo credit: Brian Turner

Presents:

SMITHS FALLS LOCAL; OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES NEED YOUR SUPPORT

Smiths Falls - Janelle Labelle editorial@pdgmedia.ca This fall, the Smiths Falls Chamber of Commerce launched a Smiths Falls Local subscription box.

Customers can sign up and purchase a single box, or subscribe to purchase four monthly boxes. Each month, a secret shopper selects items that will bring comfort and joy to lighten a winter of Covid-19. Customers who purchased a subscription by November 5 will receive their first SF Local box on November 15.

It will be stuffed with items from local retailers, each item chosen with care by Kristine Fair.

The contents of the boxes are a surprise, so customers truly treat themselves to a gift with their subscription.

Chamber Manager Leslie Richardson says “the SF Local Subscription Box just made sense to us for a couple of reasons. Our local retailers need our support, and women deserve to treat

themselves. The pandemic has disproportionately affected women and has put immense pressure on them.

Our SF Local Subscription Boxes allow us to simultaneously support local business while allowing women to treat themselves.”

Richardson noted that an astonishing number of businesses have opened in Smiths Falls during this time. The retail sector is blossoming, and SF Local subscription boxes will help introduce consumers to the new shopping opportunities in our community. “During the pandemic we've actually had many new stores open in Smiths Falls (Boomtown, The Lockmasters Taphouse, The Vault, Maitri, Global Culture Trading Post, Zen Cafe, The Arts Hub, Tayboo and Pretty Things). This is in itself very exciting and should be celebrated. Due to Covid-19, many people do not even know about these new stores and this is a great way for us to promote not only the new stores, but

our classic old time favourites as well.”

The Chamber of Commerce is very excited at the town’s response. “There are many people who are simply uncomfortable or unable to enter shops right now for leisurely shopping; and so we will do it for them! For us, this has been a very rewarding experience. We've had the opportunity to browse all of the stores and we have so many wonderful options to choose from. I think we have this misconception that there is better shopping in Perth or Merrickville; but that is simply not true and I believe that our purchasers will be delighted with their boxes when they arrive.”

On November 16th, Shannon from Hometown News will be live online with the Chamber of Commerce to unveil the November box. The subscription boxes are available in two tiers, original and deluxe.

Learn more and sign up at sflocal.ca

Photo credit: https://www.sflocal.ca.

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lifestyle Get active with cardio drumming; go outside and try urban poling

Regional - Sally Smith editorial@pdgmedia.ca

It started with a fitness group, then people with Parkinson’s caught on, and now, with kids learning at home, plus a lot more indoor activity because of Covid-19, cardio drumming is a big hit.

What’s not good about bashing away on a stability ball with drumsticks, asks Nancy Morgan, owner of The Workshop Dance Studio and the ‘drummer’ in online drumming videos.

Kids (and adults!) only need a 65” stability ball “… you can do lots on them,” Morgan grins, over the phone. Put the ball on top of a base like a large laundry basket or pool noodles, something to hold it in a solid position… and bang away at it.

You never know … parents might have another Ringo Starr in the making, or a Cindy Blackman Santana.

Cardio drumming “gets the heart beat up.” A slow walk doesn’t do it, Morgan says with a bit of an eye roll and a sigh (again…over the phone).

“But get the arms going. That gets the heart pumping.” It’s the repetition that does it.

Morgan’s been teaching cardio drumming for three years. It’s basically aerobics

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on stability balls; for her, the target is seniors and people with Parkinson’s, and the drumming is done both standing and sitting. But because of Covid, she’s opened up drumming to kids online, in school (if teachers want it) or after school.

And it’s something that’s done to music…so for the oldies it’s oldies music “from the 40s,” and she’s added some Taylor Swift. “We start slow, build up and then slow down again,” to get the heart rate back down.

Morgan started cardio-drumming in mid-October. It will go on “forever,” and to find it online, go to patreon.com/workshopdance. Morgan adds that if not able to join class on Wednesdays at 1 p.m., she records and uploads all the segments. Anyone can access them through Patreon (the online program). But if you choose the ‘live’ class (which is like a Zoom session), you can chat to her onscreen. At a recent drumming session, she had 22 drummers.

She likes the online classes because, at the moment, the corona virus is keeping people inside which adds stress to their lives. “This (drumming) is their connection to something local and affordable.”

Lynne Morgan drumming at her kitchen table on a cushion with kitchen utensils. Photo credit: Sally Smith.

Dan Woods with his urban poling/Nordic walking group in Stewart Park in Perth. Photo credit: Sally Smith.

Her goal is to keep, or get, people moving.

If interested in cardio drumming, and you don’t have the equipment, don’t worry. “Come and borrow it,” Morgan says. Or, like sister-in-law Lynne Morgan, make your own drumming station with a cushion on a kitchen table-top and kitchen utensils. “The motion of whacking keeps her going,” Morgan laughs.

For more information, call Nancy Morgan at 613868-9062, visit her website at www.theworkshopdancestudio.com or join the drumming group via patreon.com/workshopdance.

She is located at 215 Sanders St. in Kemptville.

to “potentially run the class through winter.”

A bit of a philosopher, and with Covid not far from everyone’s mind at the moment, Woods isn’t averse to classes in the open. Being out in the open air is great for everyone. “We might even have to learn to live outside again,” he says, thoughtfully.

Woods, a senior himself, volunteers because he still can…and he likes it. As well as learning to use the poles properly, class members acquire a skill, make friends, and stay healthy. Besides pole walking, the group is also led in flexibility exercises.

The poles Woods works with are a bit different than Nordic walkers’; there are no

*** But on lovely fall days one of the best exercises is to get outside and do some urban poling (also known as Nordic walking.) Dan Woods, through CPHC, holds a free class once a week at Stewart Park in Perth — poles are provided. (Community Primary Health Care is a senior support service dedicated to improving the lives of seniors through Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, and Kingston.)

At the moment he has a class of 11, and if more are interested, they’re welcome to join. Until early November he intends to keep the class outside; if his class wants, he’ll carry on for another two weeks. After that, again with group agreement, he wants

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Shop Local

Keep your dollars right here in Smiths Falls. From gas to groceries to gifts, we have it all!

Enjoy a Patio this Fall Many restaurant have heated patios. Bring your own blanket and enjoy a local patio.

Order Take-Out or Delivery

Most restaurants offer take-out and some offer delivery. Check out Valley Eats for more delivery options!

show your love for SMITHS FALLS

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straps, and there’s a ledge on each pole to rest the side of the hand on. The ledge adds stability. When used properly, it “helps activate the upper torso,” Woods explains.

As recently as January/ February this year Woods worked with a 50-student class, and then Covid hit.

Classes are smaller now.

If you are more than ‘just’ interested in urban poling, there are lots of good reasons to join: fresh air, social distancing is easy, it’s quick to learn, there’s a good instructor, the price is right (free), and you can do it anywhere…

For information, email Kim Ducharme at kducharme@cphcare.ca or call 1-888-465-7646.

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Food & Drink

Brian Turner

Let's Eat Bistro Polo; when going for Polish cuisine, get the real deal

Carleton Place won the lottery in terms of authentic Polish cuisine when Bistro Polo opened at 14 Bridge Street in late September. Run by the Drezler family (father Cezary, mother Aleksandra, daughter Sara and brother Patrick) this food gem crafts and serves the real deal with made-from-scratch dishes based on traditional family recipes from the homeland. The Drezler team has been involved in the food business for years, working in restaurants and diners around the globe with extensive backgrounds in a wide variety of cultures, cuisines and nutritions. They were drawn to Carleton Place because of its small-town charm and beauty which reminded them of their own hometown in Poland.

On a recent Friday evening I picked up some delicacies as part of our own pandemic tradition of ordering dinners from local restaurants at least once a week. We sampled the pierogies, cabbage rolls,

their now famous schnitzel sandwich, sauerkraut salad, and Polish potato salad.

First, once you try Bistro Polo’s pierogies, you’ll never go back to the frozen or mass-produced variety again.

The cheese stuffing was plentiful, the dough tender with just the right amount of crisp from the pan, and they’re served with mouthwatering caramelized onions adding a sweetness that reminds your taste-buds of a desert. The generously sized cabbage rolls were stuffed with a perfectly seasoned pork and rice mix. These alone are reason enough for return trips.

The schnitzel sandwich happens to be an early favourite with Bistro Polo diners and my son, who is usually reserved in his dinner opinions, gave it an enthusiastic thumbs-up. The Polish potato salad will redefine your expectations for this once-humble side dish.

It was loaded with pickles, eggs, peas, onions and apples, all working together to

Photo credits: Brian Turner.

give you a side that stands on its own. And if the sauerkraut salad gives you a uniquely Canadian flavour, it’s because it’s blessed with a drizzle of maple syrup.

My feast for 3 hungry adults came to an extremely reasonable $40. And before you ask, yes they have kielbasa!

Besides the mains and sides, Bistro Polo has a wide selection of soups, either served up hot or in handyto-reheat at home glass jars.

Those, too, are on my growing list of things to try next time in. Sara spoke fondly of the support and encourage-

Beer, Wine and Spirits This fall has been horrible for pretty much all of the winemaking regions in California, Oregon and Washington. Wildfires are burning in each of those states and pose considerable danger to this year’s harvest and to the vineyards and the people living and working in those regions.

British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley may face risk as well.

The physical danger posed by these fires is very real and our hearts go out to all those affected; they are in our thoughts and we are sending up our wishes for their safety. Oregon, Washington state and California together produce about 90% of all U.S. wine. The true impact on the $70 billion industry will not be known for months as the typical wildfire season is only just beginning.

This year’s fires were so large (among the largest in

California history) and so many grapes were potentially affected, that the laboratories that test for smoke taint are facing massive backlogs.

This has created a complication for growers that sell their grapes to outside winemakers if those producers attempt to reject potentially tainted fruit. Will 2020 bring smoke taint? Prolonged exposure to smoke in significant concentrations can lead to “smoke taint” and winemakers that have tasted wines affected by smoke taint have described it variously as “licking an ashtray”, “wet cigar”, “medicinal” and other variations on smoky. Quality producers will not allow tainted wines to reach the market.

My first recollection of California wines and anything to do with smoke was when Robert Mondavi in the late 1960s took Sauvignon Blanc

which had traditionally just been fermented in stainless steel tanks. Taking a cue from the Sauvignon Blanc-saturated region of Pouilly Fume in France, Mondavi labeled his wine Fume Blanc and used that name for his own which was dry-fermented and aged in oak barrels. Fume Blanc typically sees a bit of oak and displays rounder, richer, more melon-like flavors. Sauvignon Blanc aims to bring out the grassy and sharper citrus aromatics of the varietal. Today it remains a popular wine: LCBO Vintages#221887 Robert Mondavi Fumé Blanc ($22.95) described as intense with rich mouthfeel, featuring toast, vanilla and roasted fruit tones along with ripe, bright apple, melon, lemon zest and tropical notes. The addition of roughly 15% Semillon adds a welcome silkiness to

es and this still wouldn’t be enough. So check their website for specials and updated hours. They’re mainly set up for take-out presently, but do have a small number of tables for those wishing to eat in. Sara and Patrick schedule pick-up times to maintain physical distancing.

There are several steps up to the main entrance. You can reach them at 613 250 8868

or check them out online at bistropolo.com or via Facebook at facebook.com/bistropolocanada.

Their website and social media presentations will have your tastebuds dancing before you ever step in through the door. If you’re a fan of authentic Polish cuisine this is your place, and if you’ve never tried it before, what’s stopping you?

Wildfires in the Vineyards

The Travelling Sommelier

ment they’ve received from customers and neighbouring businesses alike since opening, much like the close community of family and friends they enjoyed in Poland.

The Bistro Polo is expanding their hours as they progress and as demand dictates.

Judging from early indicators of their popularity, they could be open nonstop to feed the local craving for their dish-

the texture. It is versatile and will work equally well with Thanksgiving turkey dinner or grilled fish/lightly smoked salmon on the BBQ. Meanwhile over in Oregon, Hanson Vineyards in picturesque Willamette Valley have been hit hard. Hanson said, “With the dense smoke that we’ve had at the ground level for so long now, almost everything has to be affected or damaged. I have a yearly fight with the birds. This year I’ll just let them win.”

British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley had some terrible fires in August of this year.

The Christie Mountain fire affected much of the South Okanagan and sent up terrible amounts of smoke, but there have been fewer fires and the BC wine harvest looks very good. As of the middle of September, the major fires in BC are out. Fires

raging in Washington, Oregon and even as far as California are sending smoke up to the Okanagan and that could be a problem for the reds if it lasts. The whites are starting to come in and so there is much less risk there because the skins (and smoke) are discarded after the crush.

Here is hoping first for the safety of the people affected and then for the chance to be able to enjoy the fruit of their labours. As if 2020 had not done enough already!

On the local scene we are lucky. I was able to find one winery that you should get out to visit, aptly named, 'Smokie Ridge Vineyard' over at Mountain just east of Kemptville where Paul 'Smokie' Leblanc, his wife Debbie and their family grow cold hearty hybrid grape varietals and make a wonderful range of wines (see an earlier

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article I did on them in our website archives). Paul's handle "Smokie' originated from his days as a paratrooper in the Canadian Forces and 15% of Soldier's Pride series wines goes to Wounded Warriors with over $4 thousand donated to date! He is also President of Eastern Ontario Wine Producers consisting of 16 producers covering all of Eastern Ontario. They are working with the Ontario government for designation as 'Cold Hearty Hybrids Region', and with Tourism to develop a wine map for the region which will also reference and partner with Quebec wineries in the Outaouais. So don't worry about smoke tainted wines; these are very good and there will be at least a few whites or reds that you will like! Check out: http://www. smokiesgrapes.com.

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November 2020

Senior Series

Snowbirds - They all saw the first snowfall

Regional - John Kessel editorial@pdgmedia.ca

‘Anger. Frustration. Fear.

Defiance. Confusion’ Snowbirds are experiencing the gamut of emotions as they attempt to make up their minds whether they’re headed south for the winter, which some have done for decades. They all ask the question: is it worth the risk of catching Covid-19?

Hometown News has talked to almost a dozen couples who until this year headed to the warmth of southern climes; to Arizona, Florida, Mexico, Myrtle Beach, Jamaica and Panama. Some had already booked their flights, some decided to ride out the winter here, and others decided to wait and see what more the Coronavirus can throw at them before they decide what to do. More than half the couples talked on the record.

Glen and Melanie Kerr of Rideau Ferry were the most defiant. Until this year they drove annually to Ft. Myers, Fla. in their RV. With the U.S. border still closed, not this year. They’re flying down after having bought a double-wide mobile home this spring. They have enough friends there to supply them with groceries and booze for their two weeks

of self-isolation. They say they’re not throwing caution to the wind despite knowing Florida is one of the hardest Covid affected states.

They’ve taken out Covid insurance. “My mom doesn’t want us to go,” says Melanie, who says she offered to take her mother with them, but the answer was a big “no.”

Glen, who along with Melanie hates the cold, says, “Who can resist seven miles of beach. We’ll do a lot of walking, reading and swimming” and spend some time at a Beach pub where they serve “ice cold beer and daily sunsets.”

Almost polar opposites of the Kerrs are Brad and Carol Reynolds, regulars to the Rideau Lakes, even more so this past summer because they live in a town home in Ottawa’s Barrhaven. They’ve stayed with Carol’s sister in Rideau Ferry along with their three grandchildren because they’re not as close to the surging Covid numbers in Ottawa.

They didn’t say “no way,” when asked if they were headed south. Their words were coarser.

The retired couple, not even avid golfers, normally head to Myrtle Beach. “We love the atmosphere, the cost of living, food is cheaper, gas

is cheaper, and the friends we’ve made,” says Brad.

They’ve been going for 13 years “because we hate the cold.” They even figured out a way around – fly to Baltimore where one of their daughters lives, rent a car and drive to Myrtle Beach.

But they don’t want to chance Covid. They still have to go home and see their other daughter and grandchildren.

“We’re not prepared to sneak down,” says Carol.

Sitting on the fence of indecision are Rick McMullen and Judy Grayda who have been flying to Negril, Jamaica for 35 years. When they return, you can hear the Jamaican patois. “It would be a shame to miss this year. We’ve been down 29 times in 35 years,” says Rick.

At first the couple would go for a month, then two months and finally six months.

They love the culture, the people and yes, the marijuana – even better now that it's legal there.

Judy says they’re undecided, but points out that their regular rooms “are on reserve.”

Rick says, “We’re a meal ticket for those people.” In other words, tourists are their livelihood. “I know four generations of people now with all the years we've been there.”

Knowing that one is alone (a physical state) is not harmful, but feeling as if one is alone (an emotional state; loneliness) is harmful.

The difference between the two is the awareness of emotional connection with friends and family.

Since connection is the vital difference, how do we reach out to one another, particularly to seniors, and connect in this time of increased isolation?

The answer is obvious, but it is sometimes hard to do: stay in touch. Call and talk on the phone. Make it a video call if you both have the technology, but an audio call is fine. Ask questions, and take time to listen. Share your feelings, and inquire about theirs. Ask for advice about a problem, or pass along a funny joke you’ve heard recently. If you are feeling awkward about making that first call, remember, it doesn’t have to be a lengthy call; even a short check-in can build emotional ties. Calling to have a brief chat a few times a week will strengthen your relationship and benefit your health. If hearing loss or other issues prevent telephone calls, write letters. Write often, send newspaper clippings or fun-

ny cards, send photographs.

Whether you’re feeling lonely or you suspect someone else may be, reach out and stay in touch.

If you are experiencing increased loneliness, remember to be kind to yourself. You are your first best friend, so speak to yourself in the encouraging, loving way you would speak with a friend.

Remember that everyone is

Seven miles of white sand in Ft. Myers, Florida. Photo credit: Glen Kerr.

Judy smiles when Rick says she would drive him crazy if they had to spend the winter couped up in their Rideau Lakes Township home.

The couple headed to Panama do not want to be named as they’ll be leaving their home empty. They’ve been travelling there for 15 years. “My arthritis can’t stand the cold.”

Before they fly, they’ll be required to show negative Covid tests in order to get on the plane to Panama City and they’ll be tested again when they get there. Instead of flying Air Canada, which has cancelled flights to Panama City, they’ll be flying Copa Airlines, that country’s national airline. She says it seems like the government there is encouraging winter residents, especially Canadians. Her advice to those willing to take their Coronavirus chances is to contact Foreign Affairs with departure and return dates, use a travel agent to book flights and hotels and don’t take any chances by following the mask, social dis-

tancing and no-crowd rules.

“We live in a gated community there. We know pretty well everyone,” she says.

Regis Yaworski, a regular visitor to Rideau Ferry, has been travelling to equatorial destinations since he retired as a Georgian College teacher more than 10 years ago. “I’ve now done three snow bird winters in Yucatan state on the east side of Mexico and am about to travel for my fourth stay unless the pandemic gets in the way.

“I still don’t like the rest of Mexico. Yucatan is a gem.

The capital city, Merida, is culturally rich and loaded with colonial charm. It is also the safest city in Mexico with a crime rate 50 percent of Ottawa, Regina, and most cities of Canada,” he says. “The (drug) cartels avoid Yucatan although they operate in the 31 other states, often with impunity. One such state, Guanajuato, recorded 3,000 murders in the first eight months of this year.”

He believes it is likely safer there because cartel families

holiday there. Booze, gas, food and restaurants are less expensive than Canada. Realtors and property management companies will eagerly help find the place you’re looking for, he says.

He’s chosen Chelem, a village on the Gulf of Mexico.

It just happens his sister lives there year round.

Lynda Gibson, a retired Ottawa police superintendent who lives near Kemptville won’t be headed to Yuma, Arizona as soon as she’d like this year. She’s recovering from knee replacement surgery and will fly down with her travelling friend Steve Cumming as soon as her doctors say she can fly. They bought a place in a 55-plus community.

“Of the 128 units, 15 to 20 are full-time residents. The rest are snowbirds.” she says.

She’s expecting half the units will be empty this winter because of Covid.

“We’ll take all of the precautions” including Covid insurance and ordering groceries online.

experiencing this pandemic together: although it can feel so lonely, you are not alone in this experience.

Surprise someone with a delivered gift. Pop a treat or knick-knack into a mailbox.

There are many shops and restaurants that offer delivery; you can select a gift and send it to a loved one, or treat your friend to lunch simply by making a phone call, without

ever leaving your home.

Revisit old joys. Re-read books you loved the first time, watch old movies that made you laugh. Release yourself from pressure to achieve something during the pandemic: you don’t have to learn a new language or bake bread from scratch. Surviving your day in this new normal is a hard thing to do, so celebrate your own victories.

Most of all, remember: when you are feeling the bite of isolation, reach out. Reach out and ask someone else how they are doing. They might need to hear a friendly voice more than you know.

The side effects of loneliness are devastating. We can get through this as long as we remember the key fact: we are all in this together, so reach out.

Staying connected is vital to physical, emotional health

Regional - Janelle Labelle editorial@pdgmedia.ca Before the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us had little to no experience with quarantining and isolation.

These words seemed to belong to the pages of history books, before the advent of vaccinations and penicillin.

Now, eight months into a global attempt at managing the pandemic, most of us are intimately familiar with the routines of isolation and social distancing, and not without reason. Social distancing and isolation are the best defense against Covid-19; it is a living virus which spreads from person to person and dies in isolation.

Isolation is a great tool, but it, too, comes with side effects.

Perceived social isolation, a.k.a. loneliness, negatively impacts physical and emotional health. Seniors who experience loneliness are more likely to develop long-term illnesses than seniors who feel that they are a valued part of their loved ones’ lives. Loneliness is also linked to cognitive decline and an increase in making unhealthy choices.

It is important to note that perceived social isolation is distinct from social isolation.

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November 2020

culture Perth Inside Out:

Terry O'Hearn

It was like “Dukes of Hazzard” moonshine-runners in Perth

During the middle years of the twentieth century, high-speed chases in Perth and surrounding townships were not uncommon.

Some of those chase stories became legends, often discussed among police officers, and probably by the offenders as well. Contributing to the seeming excess of high-speed pursuits during those times was that there were no restrictions or guidelines on the police side for calling off a chase.

Also, the modern-day police officer tends to have more conservative driving habits, and many times there will be no pursuit initiated at all.

The narrative which follows, as related by retired Perth Police Constable Richard Dulmage, will give the reader more insight into some driving tendencies of the times. Dulmage likens this chase to one in

The Dukes of Hazzard, the action-comedy TV series that was aired several years later, although he insists the driver was no Bo Duke, and he (Dulmage) was no Rosco P. Coltrane.

“Initially, I was sitting on Gore Street talking to an OPP officer, when a brown 1964 Chev came off Foster Street onto Gore, just roaring and squealing the tires.

He passed both of us, and the OPP cruiser took chase immediately. I had to run across the street and make a U-turn, and by the time I did that, both vehicles were well down Gore Street, and they made a left turn onto Craig Street (Highway 43).”

The wild chase continued through the streets of Perth, with sirens screaming and lights flashing, proceeding on Gore to Isabella and out on to Wilson, but the OPP cruiser had disappeared by that point.

“I thought this strange, but little did I know he had been slowed down by the big tree at the corner of Isabella and Gore. I fell in immediately behind the offending vehicle, and the OPP cruiser rounded the corner behind me.

Meanwhile, we had been on our radios requesting assistance.

“From Wilson Street, we went left onto High-

way 7, and in passing the OPP office, another cruiser pulled in behind me and immediately in front of the OPP cruiser. Daylight was changing to dusk when we made a right turn onto the Lanark road (511), always at a high rate of speed.

“Numerous times the pursued vehicle would go into the opposite lane of traffic and try to force me off the road, and the other cruisers were still close behind. Nearing Balderson, we were clocking 100 mph, and by then it was near dark. At the top of the hill before Balderson, the suspect turned his lights off, but I figured he was going to turn one way or the other at the intersection.

“My hunch was right again, and the brake lights came on very suddenly. I had no choice but to swerve around to the right, and heard a minor scrape while passing, and a boom sound. I immediately made a U-turn, only to find the cruiser that was immediately behind me sitting in the middle of the intersection with the front end pushed back to the windshield.

“Both officers were okay and got out of their cruiser. As I was running from my cruiser towards the suspect vehicle, I looked to my rear and heard a click,

Photo illustration by unknown artist: Dukes of Hazzard Bo and Luke moonshine-runners pursued by Roscoe in a police vehicle, and retired Perth Police Constable Richard Dulmage inset.

click, click, as the cruiser rolled into the ditch. The park gear had failed. I ran up to the door of the suspect vehicle and challenged the driver, who had made a switch with the original driver at some point in the chase. He was cranking on the engine in another attempt to get away, but it wasn’t about to start.

“The only loss I had in the whole mess was a $100 scratch on the left front fender of a 1969 Chevrolet cruiser, a park gear, and my police hat that was flattened

under their left rear tire.

Charges were laid, and they were released by Justice of the Peace Ivan Penfold the next day. The subjects in question of course moved out west immediately, a usual thing those days.

The newspaper story at the time was not able to convey the drama involved in the incident, and there was only a brief paragraph in the August 8, 1972 edition of The Perth Courier: “As a result of a high-speed chase and an accident involving two police cars and

a car driven by … Two local men have been charged with criminal negligence, dangerous driving and operating a vehicle without a driver’s licence.”

Stay tuned for next month, when another highspeed chase is described, this one coming from the east. The suspect was arrested and would later make a daring escape from the second storey of the Perth courthouse.

If you have any comments or suggestions, please email me at: terry@pdgmedia.ca

Curtain falls on Classic Theatre Festival but Burning Passions will go on Perth - submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca Continued from page 1 The new possibilities are to be found in the Festival’s parent company, Burning Passions Theatre (BPT), which has a quarter-century history of theatrical practice under its belt. Before the Festival was founded in Perth in 2009, BPT was a highly

active company working both in Toronto and around the province on a variety of projects engaging professional artists, community groups, and schools. When the company was launched in 1998 in Toronto, words of praise were received from the likes of Margaret Atwood and then-NDP leader Audrey McLaughlin. The company developed and staged new works (a tradi-

tion which continued over the past five years with both the Listen Up! Youth theatre project in Lanark County and the Festival’s walking plays), provided opportunities to produce classics like the acclaimed “Shaw in the City” series, and served as a platform for mentoring and training new generations of theatre artists.

“Until we can return safely to the live stage, our plan is to

work virtually with theatre artists across Eastern Ontario,” says Smith. “We have begun planning for a new play development program, reflecting voices and stories that are often untold or under-represented. We will also be developing a new training/mentorship program for Eastern Ontario theatre artists to hone their skills across the full breadth of theatrical production (playwriting,

acting, design, production).

At the same time, we will be exploring new opportunities to return to live audience performance once it is safe to do so.”

While Festival audiences will miss the annual trek to Perth, Smith is confident that the show will go on, but in different forms and in new stories, in the years to come.

“It’s been quite the journey, and while words cannot

express the depth of our sadness, we also know that tears can nurture the seeds of new growth and new beginnings, and we plan to be ready for those possibilities when we can all fully emerge from this difficult, challenging time,” she concludes.

Those interested in following the work of Burning Passions Theatre can learn more at www.bptheatre.ca

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November 2020

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Smiths Falls - Janelle Labelle editorial@pdgmedia.ca Pretty Things opens at 18 Russell Street this week in Smiths Falls. It is a small shop with a world of fantastic purchases inside; it has a cool vibe with quirky finds at a variety of price points.

It is a great place to find unusual delights: from Snot Bad handkerchiefs to beard balm, from fashion rings to throw pillows to unconventional socks, there really is something for everyone.

Pretty Things is an extension of owner Leslie Lentz’ great taste and appealing aesthetic. Her soft felt hat and big glasses evoke effortless coolness with a 1970s flavour. “There’s a lot of Volkswagen stuff,” she smiles, “probably too much.

We’re part of a big Volkswagen-loving community.

We’ve got lots of guy stuff, lots of girl stuff - lots of unusual stuff.” The shop is full of great finds and unexpected items that beg to be purchased and shown off. Unique home accents, like miniature cacti and raven-print, fur-lined oven mitts, are on display along with artsy jewelry and unexpected clothing.

Opening a business is a challenge at the best of times. With all the complications added by the Covid-19 pandemic, there was “a daily tension. Are we

going to be allowed to open?

Are we prepared to pivot to an online shop?” Yes, Lentz smiles, answering her own question, “we’re ready for either.” When the store space became available on Russell Street, Covid-19 notwithstanding, Lentz jumped at the chance to open her dream shop. “We love what’s happening with Russell St. It’s a great location, there’s lots of interest,” she enthuses. “People walking past have been popping in to ask what’s up,” adds daughter Zofia, who is visiting from Montreal to help with the last-minute setup, along with her friend Gracie MacNamee.

Lentz credits her close circle with making it all possible: “I’ve got the support of an amazing family.”

She explained that her children helped out extensively: Zofia Lentz, Jacob Greer, and Ronin Lentz have been cheering her on and offering their labour from the dream stage onward. Her partner Cameron Greer built the cash counter with boards from his family’s barn; the barn boards also feature as a stunning wall shelf in the back of the shop. He credits Lentz as the driving force behind the shop: "She's a mover and a groover,” he grins.

Groove on over to Pretty Things on Russell this week and explore for yourself.

Owner of Smiths Falls cannabis store has ‘dedicated my life to the science’ Smiths Falls - Chris Must editorial@pdgmedia.ca Think of it as a no-frills convenience store for the cannabis consumer.

“Our whole guiding principle is we’re trying to save our customers money,” said Nathaniel Morris, owner of T Cannabis, a retail store recently opened at 4 Russell St. East in Smiths Falls. Although he will generally steer customers toward the best value for the money, and even teach them to grow their own products, Morris said he is also able to meet the needs of cannabis “connoisseurs.”

T Cannabis has been open for business since Oct. 30, but won’t be holding an official opening until exterior signage receives official approval from the town. The store is offering a number of edible products – only recently legalized for sale in Canada - including gummies, chocolates, gel caps and cannabis-infused drinks, produced locally

by Canopy Growth.

Morris said his personal favourite product is “dabs,” which are the

Photo credit: Chris Must.

highest quality of hash concentrate, refined “to the point that you can see through it.”

Dabs are “the fine wine of cannabis,” said Morris.

Dabbing, which requires the use of specialized “dab rigs,” has become a kind of subculture of its own.

Morris himself is a native of Toronto who spent a decade in California beginning in 2001 as a cannabis researcher and scientist. At that time he started an experimental farm in the northern part of the state, attracting considerable media atten-

tion. He was featured in programs on PBS and a Discovery Channel show called Weed Country.

“I’ve dedicated my life to the science,” said Morris, adding, “We’re passionate about the products we sell.”

Morris has been planning to open a cannabis retail outlet in Smiths Falls ever since the product was legalized in Canada. “It’s been a multi-year journey for us,” he said. The actual approval process for the Russell Street store took about seven or eight months. An applicant first

receives a licence to open a retail outlet, then the actual location has to be approved. Morris plans to open a chain of T Cannabis stores in smaller communities, with the Smiths Falls store being the flagship location. A second location has already opened in Beamsville, Ontario, near St. Catharines.

Customers must present ID proving they are 19 or over. The store is open daily, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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