Lanark, North Leeds & Grenville - Hometown News April 2022

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Vol. 9

No. 4

YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER - LANARK, NORTH LEEDS & GRENVILLE

APRIL 2022

Smiths Falls family firm reaches 100-year milestone

In 2022 J. Quattrocchi & Co. reaches a significant milestone: a century in business. The company began with this grocery store which opened in Perth in 1922. Photo credit: Town of Smiths Falls.

Smiths Falls - Chris Must editorial@pd gmedia.ca Smiths Falls is home to a family business that has been around for as long as anyone can remember. In fact, J. Quattrocchi & Co. Ltd. has been around even longer than that: this year the company, founded in Perth in 1922, is 100 years old!

Although the siblings who run the company have no special plans

to celebrate this milestone, office manager Fran Quattrocchi said this week, “We’ve reached 100 years by having great staff over the years.”

Family patriarch Joseph Quattrocchi opened a grocery store in Perth 100 years ago. As the business grew, the family decided to establish a warehouse in Smiths Falls, due to the town’s status as a railway hub with the potential to

distribute fresh produce throughout Eastern Ontario.

The initial decision to locate in Smiths Falls was made, said Fran, because the warehouse was located directly beside the rail line.

“Trains would come right beside our warehouse.”

Although grocery distribution had switched to from trains to transport trucks by the early 1980s

and the original rail line has been decommissioned, said Fran, Smiths Falls continues to be a prime location for distribution, being halfway between Kingston and Ottawa, and just 30 minutes from Brockville.

Today J. Quattrocchi & Co. distributes food throughout the Ottawa Valley. In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, the company delivers food such as frozen fish, poultry, frozen food and other groceries.

In addition to office manager Fran, family members involved in running the business include her brothers Vince (grocery department and dry goods); Joe (frozen foods and fresh meats); Jim (purchasing produce in Toronto); and cousin Joe (purchasing produce from local producers). The business employs about 45 people, some of whom have been with the company for 30 or 40 years.

Over the past 100 years, and in spite of the financial ups and downs of the marketplace, one world war and a major fire in 2002 that destroyed a portion of the Smiths Falls warehouse, nothing has dampened the commitment of the Quattrocchi family, states the history section of the company website. In fact, throughout their years in business Quattrocchi has managed to not only keep pace with marketplace trends, but to excel above their competition and expand their business.

Continuing to operate a family business for over three generations in the face of large competitors has been possible, said Fran, because “We’ve always tried to give the best products and the best service.”

Quattrocchi’s competitive edge in the food service industry stems from its commitment to providing quality products, excellent customer service and a competitive price structure. As a food distributor whose products must travel thousands of kilometres every day, Quattrocchi is a business that never sleeps, and a drive by the Smiths Falls warehouse at any time of the day or night will reveal a warehouse bustling with activity.

Quattrocchi operates five-and– a-half days a week, taking Sundays off, said Fran.

Over the years, the family business has not neglected to give back to the community. Fran noted that Quattrocchi supports the hospitals in Smiths Falls and Perth, as well as its next-door neighbour, the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario.

Another former Smiths Falls business, Davidson’s Bread, reached a similar milestone – a century in business – around 1990. That company, now the site of Davidson’s Courtyard, was once the largest commercial bakery in Eastern Ontario.

Perth Festival of the Maples is back April 30 Perth - Chris Must editorial@pd gmedia.ca The Perth & District Chamber of Commerce has announced that the Festival of the Maples, an event which has drawn thousands of visitors to Perth since 1974, will be back in 2022.

Held virtually during the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers are planning for a return to the in-person event that attracts over 20,000 visitors annually, Saturday, April 30.

In a news release, chamber manager Tracey Raycroft said, “This free yearly event is really the grand finale of the syrup season. Our local producers are proud of their products and

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Groceries Produce Fresh Flowers

can’t wait to share them.”

In addition to maple syrup producers, the festival features a wide array of artisan and food vendors, farm products, retail and community and charity exhibitors from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Raycroft said more than 100 vendors had registered by the April 1 deadline for registration.

This year for the first time vendors will be set up along Foster Street as well as Gore Street.

The festival will open with a pancake breakfast at the Perth Legion from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The annual Classic and Antique Car Show takes place on Foster Street. Live entertainment will continue throughout the day on the festival’s main stage at

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Fresh Deli Fresh Fish

Bakery Salad Bar Butcher’s Counter

the corner of Herriot and Gore Streets, and there will also be roaming entertainers. Another highlight of the day will be the Maplefest “sap tapping” and “wood cookie” challenge as two-person teams test their skills by drilling spile halls for sap buckets and compete to see who can saw through a log in the fastest time using old-time band saws.

New activities are planned for the Tay Basin this year. The Perth Firefighters Association will be offering demonstrations of their Fire Dawgs sports programs for children. There will be a play park featuring bouncy rides, a rock-climbing wall and zip-line run by Ry-J’s Climbing Adven-

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Lanark County is known as the maple syrup capital of the world. Maple syrup producers from across the region will be well represented at the 2022 edition of the Festival of the Maples in Perth, set for April 30. Photo credit: Lanark County Tourism

tures as well as pony rides, a petting zoo and Korny Klown.

The chamber is offering free

parking at the Perth Campus of Algonquin College with a shuttle service running to Gore Street.

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April 2022

Page Two

CANDYLAND PREPARES FOR EASTER - 1960

PART OF THE DISCOVER COMMUNTIY NETWORK

Hometownnews

Chris Moskos (pictured above) operated the Perth Tea Room from the early 1940’s to 1960. This popular meeting place boasted a soda fountain, large cases of homemade candy and a full sized restaurant. In 1960 Chris sold the Tea Room and moved his candy business, Candyland (pictured left), two doors down. Candyland sold all of the same candies as the Tea Room as well as cigarettes and magazines, fishing tackle, guns and ammunition. Chris died in 1964 and Mrs. Moskos kept Candyland going with the help of her children until she retired in 1970. The photos came from Peter Moskos book “Chris Moskos: A Memoir”.

Photo courtesy of Peter Moskos and Perthremembered.com.

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Sopwith Camel model unveiled

Photo credits: Brian Turner.

Carleton Place - Brian Turner editorial@pdgmedia.ca On Saturday April 2, members of the Hackberry Men’s Shed unveiled their Sopwith Camel half-scale model at the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum. The project was two years in the mak-

ing and involved 20 members of the Men’s Shed.

Along with the model, the Museum has displayed a wide array of memorabilia and items related to Carleton Place native Roy Brown, a storied WWI pilot credited with shooting down Baron Manfred Von Richthofen, aka the Red

Baron. The display will be on site until April 29. The Museum is located at 267 Edmund Street in Carleton Place and is open Wednesdays to Fridays from 1 pm to 4 pm and on Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm. Admission is free but new and renewed memberships are always welcome.

Hometown News is available at Your Independent Grocers across the region. Pick up your copy at these locations: Andress' (Smiths Falls) • Barnabe's (Perth) Mitchell's (Carleton Place) • Patrice's (Almonte) PLEASE SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES.

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April 2022

community Community rallies to help SFDCI stock the shelves Smiths Falls - Shannon Mclellan editorial@pdgmedia.ca The Smiths Falls community has once again shown heart, when just weeks ago they quickly rallied to help stock the shelves at Smiths Falls District Collegiate Institute. This generosity was in response to an online plea on the school’s Facebook page, where it was stated that donations for their food program had depleted.

SFDCI’s office administrator Debbie Reid spoke with us about the food program which receives funding from Food for Thought, a company that provides additional funds to support SFDCI’s nutrition program which helps to top up monies that are collected through fundraising efforts and community donations.

The food program provides healthy food options for students. The program is available to any student regardless of their situation, who may have forgotten a lunch, didn’t have time to eat breakfast, or who simply do not have money on hand to buy something at the school’s cafeteria. Hun-

ger can make it difficult for kids to focus on their work, puts them at risk for illness and missing school, and can cause low self-esteem and lack of energy. These daily impacts can add up and have lifelong effects.

Reid told Hometown News that with the growing need for the program, and with the cost of groceries, the money can quickly run out. The program spends an average of $1100-1200 a month on food.

“I’ve never seen anything like it happen so quick.

Within 36 hours [of sharing the news online] we received $10k combined with bags of groceries and monetary donations. It was just incredible,” Reid told us during her interview with Hometown News regarding the community’s rapid response to help restock the program. The fridge is once again fully stocked with fresh food options and the shelves with dry goods.

According to the school’s website, the food program has existed for several years, originally starting as a breakfast program at the former SFDCI site by Mrs. Cathy Pickup. Since

Serving our Community since 1997

moving to the new site on Percy Street in 2005, the program has expanded to include breakfast, snacks and lunch free of charge for all students. The program has been supported over the years through partnerships and organizations such as Food for Thought, Breakfast for Learning, Breakfast Clubs of Canada, and St. John’s Anglican Church. It currently feeds approximately 200 students daily, with this being the first time it’s seen a drastic depletion in funding.

The program is now spearheaded by Michelle Tones, Kelli Hudson, Mor-

gan Jansen, Gabrielle Hanna and Jenna Breakspear. These five dedicated educational assistants work tirelessly to ensure that nutritious food is purchased, properly prepared and readily available for the students.

“We are really looking at the future of the program a bit more now so we aren’t in this situation again,” Reid stated.

The students and staff want to thank the community for their gracious help and support. Anyone who is interested in partnering to sponsor the food program can reach out to Debbie Reid at: debbie.reid@ucdsb.on.ca

Photo credits: Debbie Reid SFDCI

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April 2022

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Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston provincial election candidates Regional - Brian turner editorial@pdgmedia.ca Yes it’s election time again. On Thursday, June 2 Ontarians will go to the polls to choose their next MPPs. Hometown News

has contacted the major party candidates (PC, Liberals, NDP, Greens) to get their take on the issues of importance facing Lanark Frontenac Kingston residents. We’re happy to pro-

vide their views in their own words. We encourage readers to contact these candidates for their positions on other topics to help us all make informed decisions on the ballot.

Liberal: Amanda Pulker-Mok

I’m a mom, a partner, a teacher, and a former municipal councillor in Mississippi Mills. I currently reside in Carleton Place - the fastest growing community in Canada.

We’re seeing exponential growth in Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston, and I’m committed to navigating this growth in a measured and sustainable way. As a municipal councillor, I championed upgrades to community infrastructure.

As a teacher, I understand the importance of small class sizes and special education support. I ran in 2018, I am running again because I believe in publicly funded services that work for and support diverse communities.

Three Top Issues Facing LFK Residents As I’ve been knocking on doors across the riding, I’m hearing great feedback from people across LFK. The following three priorities are key themes of my campaign, and I know they’re top of mind for you too: 1.

Affordability –

Things are getting expensive. Housing, fuel, groceries, and childcare.

People across the riding are worried about paying bills, putting food on the table, and paying their rent or mortgage. I’m worried about these things too! The Ontario Liberal Party has a plan to address all these worries by implementing $10 a day daycare, providing an electric vehicle tax credit, and addressing the inflation that’s causing sticker shock at the grocery store and edging many families out of the real estate market.

Together, we can invest in affordable housing, living wages, and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

2. Access to the digital community – The pandemic highlighted existing inequalities to accessing the digital community. Access to reliable cellular coverage and unlimited, affordable high-speed internet is not a luxury – in 2022, we need access to the digital community for our students to engage, for our agribusiness community to grow, and for our businesses to thrive. We cannot continue to discount rural cell and internet coverage at the expense of big city development. When I’m driving across the riding, my cell service drops off in Arden, in Clayton – imagine this happening in Toronto?! We need access now!

3. Healthcare – We have some of the fastest growing

communities in the country – but our infrastructure and our planning to attract and retain talented doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners can’t keep up with current demands. We need infrastructure that can keep up, we need a plan to recruit and retain healthcare professionals, and we need access to services close to home! How many people have moved to LFK recently and must keep a family doctor outside of their community, simply because none are available here? Frankly, that’s unacceptable and we need a plan.

First and foremost, to accomplish what I’ve outlined above, we need to restore trust in our elected officials. I am committed to restoring sound leadership in our riding and ensuring everyone feels welcome to participate.

I believe in the power of people and that our greatest strength in LFK comes from the wonderful and diverse people who call it home. I will lead with integrity, compassion, transparency, and accountability. As your next MPP, I’ll work for you - together, we can make LFK a vibrant and age-friendly place to live, and an economically and environmentally sound place to do business. You can reach me at www.pulkermok.ca, by email at info@pulkermok.ca or by phone at 1-855-663-3010

NDP: Drew Cumpson

I grew up in Frontenac County, at the lake and spent my summers swimming and doing water sports. I worked in recreation and hospitality. In high school and university, I was involved in student government and even got graduation changed from October to September.

In the summer of 2011, while in Peru, I was hit by a rogue wave and suffered a spinal cord injury that left me paraplegic. But I wasn’t

done. I finished my degree in 2016. In 2020, I completed the Rick Hansen foundation accessibility assessor’s course and I help businesses become more accessible.

Three Top Issues Facing LFK Residents Healthcare: I spent 51 months in the hospital after my accident and learned the healthcare system inside and out.

For a generation, government after government has cut healthcare and frozen wages for healthcare professionals.

We need a government that is going to invest in the people who deliver care. That means repealing Bill 124, funding more family physicians, stopping privatization, and funding home care. We need health care where we live, not two hours away. The NDP has a

Conservative: John Jordan

plan to remove profit from long-term care and invest in peoples health.

Housing: https://www. ontariondp.ca/housing I’m hearing from people that they are worried about housing. Young people are giving up on owning a home, all the while rent is climbing and tenants are in a precarious position. Too many families are getting forced out of their communities because they can’t afford housing.

It’s time for a major public investment in housing, that means making it easier for first time homebuyers, making rent affordable, extending the life of the affordable units in the province while also adding affordable units in the next decade.

Climate change: Before COVID-19, climate change was the defining issue of

For the past 21 years, I have played a leadership role in the growth of the North Lanark CHC from a small Community Health Centre with fewer than 20 employees to the current multi-sector organization ConnectWell Community Health with over 200 employees. This experience and my formal education, including a BA in Economics and Executive MBA, make me a strong candidate to represent the people’s interest in the riding of Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston.

I am enthusiastic about this opportunity to address the challenges faced in this

riding. In my opinion the three biggest challenges and my priorities in LFK are the lack of broadband, soaring housing prices and inadequate access to healthcare services.

Lack of Broadband Connectivity The province aims to achieve 100 per cent broadband connectivity after committing nearly $4 billion in 2020 to ensure all Ontarians have access to high-speed internet by the end of 2025. The government says it is the largest single investment in high-speed internet, in any province, by any government in Canadian history.

Soaring Housing Prices The provincial government’s housing policies under More Homes, More Choice: Ontario’s Housing Supply Action Plan are working to increase the supply of the full range of housing options, from missing middle to high-rises and family-sized rentals, to single-family homes.

In 2021, two years after

we implemented More Homes, More Choice, Ontario had the highest level of housing starts since 1987, and the highest level of rental starts in 30 years.

Healthcare Services Access The lack of access to healthcare services is acute in two notable areas; mental health and addictions. Minister Elliott has announced $31 million in additional funding for mental health and $2.1 million for addiction treatment.

Having had the opportunity to work with many partner agencies within Lanark, Leeds & Grenville and provincially, I look forward to the opportunity to bring our rural perspective to the decision-makers at Queens Park.

Born and raised in Lanark County, my wife Brenda-Leah and I are the proud parents of three adult children (Justen, Amanda and Thomas). You can reach me at info@johnjordanlfk.com or 613 485 5757.

Green: Marlene Spruyt

I have worked over the past 30 years as a family and public health physician mostly in rural and/or northern areas of Ontario.

That work involved supporting individuals, families and communities to maintain and improve their health. Over time it has become more apparent to me that the greatest threats to our overall health are poverty and climate change. I realized that to fight those threats, I need to be at the tables where decisions are being made.

Three Top Issues Facing LFK Residents 1. Access to services: Like many rural areas of the province, LFK residents have been left behind when it comes to access to many public services.

Family doctors are hard to find, small hospitals have programs removed and

concentrated in regional centres, homecare support for seniors is more difficult to obtain. Cell service is patchy. High speed internet is limited making it harder to support small businesses or working from home.

Many services have been downloaded to municipalities which have not been provided with sufficient provincial support to provide these services at a level comparable to urban areas.

Greens value our rural areas and I will not let them be neglected.

2. Cost of Living/Housing Affordability: Although inflation is a more complex topic dealt with at the federal level, many things can be done provincially to make life more affordable.

Incentives for electric vehicles and renovations to make homes more energy efficient will make your income stretch further. Our GPO Housing strategy plans to build 100,000 new affordable housing units including supportive and accessible units. We will reduce housing speculation and provide support for renters and pathways to home ownership.

3. Climate Change is happening now. Floods, droughts, heat waves, forest fires, tornadoes and

other extreme storms are happening all around us.

Elderly and individuals with chronic diseases are adversely affected by an increasing number of heat waves. Those living in flood prone areas see increasing costs of maintenance and insurance. Support to protect our homes and our municipal infrastructure is essential. Farmers face more weather extremes making crop failure more frequent.

While doing everything we can to reduce our carbon footprint and minimize the negative impacts of climate change, Greens also plan to support families and businesses with Climate Adaption Funds.

As a representative of the Green Party of Ontario I value people, not big business. A vibrant economy is important and we need healthy people, and a healthy climate to keep our economy functioning.

I will work to find solutions for the complex problems that challenge us and reduce the divisiveness that exists in the provincial legislature. A Green vote is not a wasted vote as some may think. The more Greens are elected the more we can keep the government accountable. I can be reached at marlenespruyt@gpo.ca.

our generation. It still is, but we haven’t been talking about it. In Rural Ontario, it isn’t always front of mind but its effects are even more acute, impacting our daily lives, dealing with extreme weather, changing cycles of flooding, droughts, even invasive species.

Andrea and the NDP have a plan, marked by a shift to a cleaner, sustainable economy, rooted in equity, affordability, and

reconciliation that won’t penalize rural Ontario.

I have experienced life both able-bodied and disabled, which gives me a unique view on life and government. I learned to fight for what I needed from the system, because of that I am able to fight for others, whether that’s the people of Lanark Frontenac Kington or people with disabilities province wide.

I have faced the same struggles, have the same concerns and am just like everybody else, I have learned how to fight for what I need and for others and have made a difference doing so. I want to make a positive impact and create representation of the disabled community at Queen’s Park. You can reach me at election@ drewcumpson.com or by calling (343) 363-6507.

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April 2022

lifestyle opinion: Am I the only one?

Carrie Wynne

we are women

I have always been interested in social issues.

However, everything is upside down. After a enduring a long lasting pandemic, the war in Ukraine is now weighing heavily on people’s hearts. Addiction and poverty are crippling so many people. Alcohol deaths and suicide rates are up. As my interests meander in the world I see many markers of a society in peril. We have lost trust in our institutions. I see a lack of appreciation for the progress that’s been made regarding bigotry and racism in Canada. The virtuous trilogy of diversity, equity and inclusion insist that meritocracy should not and cannot exist because of our racist and discriminating past. I don’t think an honest person can stand

before you today and debate that a gay person or a black or brown person is worse off today than they were three or even four decades ago, yet we have a media culture and government obsessed on it.

I see a society fixated on gender and race.

Maybe it’s okay that the word woman is becoming unclear and controversial but I worry about women’s rights. We clawed our way to get where we are. New York City’s chief medical officer has referred to us as birthing people instead of mothers. This makes me sick as I just lost my mother. We aren’t vulva-havers, chest feeders or bleeders.

We are women. We stand on the shoulders of giants who have helped pave the way before us. You don’t get to tell a woman she isn’t a woman anymore. History is full of preposterous ideas.

This is just another one.

All the distractions and noise are making us dumber. It’s an advanced form of tribalism enhanced by echo

chambers and not good for our brains or for society.

Group-think has propagated into full on cult-like ideologies. Even the calm, rational voices of those who dared to argue for softer lockdowns is considered right-wing and, of course, tied to white supremacy. Then there’s the right-wing that claim that tyranny and overreach may equal loss of civil rights and free speech. The unprecedented access to information is destroying our ability to think for ourselves.

We all want similar things. We just have different views on how to get there. While I understand that a small minority are the loudest, perhaps the great reset won’t be that bad after all. A population this obsessed with labels and malarkey and foolish noise can only be improved upon. 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.

Food & Drink

Brian Turner

Let's Eat Thruway Restaurant: A family-owned institution for all tastes and appetites

Many restaurants, even those backed by international chains, fail and close their doors after as little as a few years. Independents as a rule often have less success. So when a family-owned facility is approaching its 45th year in continuous operation, you have to ask, what’s the secret to their success?

The Katsoulis family first opened their Thruway Restaurant in Carleton Place in July of 1977, and then completed a major expansion in 2002. Bill Katsoulis, one member of this very energetic team, stated they saw the expansion of the community coming and knew it would be best to prepare. Today they have seating for up to 180 people, including a large but intimate dining room for 35-40 guests, just perfect for a visiting hockey team or a large family gathering.

And this doesn’t include the spacious outdoor patio.

Their operating philosophy seems clear: offer great food in generous portions, cooked to perfection, at reasonable prices and served by caring staff.

It seems to still be working today as well as it did when they first opened. More than a few customers, even those who’ve visited multiple times, think the Thruway is just for breakfast.

While their daily starter menu is expansive and extremely popular, the lunch and dinner choices are just as mouth-watering. From fresh loaded salads, to burgers, sandwiches and wrap platters, to traditional favourites like roast turkey and steak dinners with all the fixings, they have it all. Hankering for pizza? No problem, area residents have been getting great pizzas for years from

the Thruway. In the mood for pasta? They have lots of choices including a sampler platter that brings the best of Italy to your table.

Need some apps while you decide on the mains? No worries, the Thruway has a full page of choices, all guaranteed to satisfy. And you really haven’t lived until you try a slice of one of family member Tommy’s legendary cream pies.

I’ve been to the Thruway many times, and my most recent trip was with the family for a Sunday breakfast. As usual, everything was served piping hot and cooked to order.

Their staff is a main reason for this restaurant’s outstanding success. Bill noted that even with the drastic upheaval that the COVID-19 pandemic brought, their team and loyal customers kept them busy. He always has his ear

Photo credit: Brian Turner.

to the ground to keep up with menu trend demands and adjusts the Thruway’s offerings accordingly.

Thruway Restaurant is open 7 days a week from 7 am to 9 pm, offers de-

livery via ValleyEats, and is fully accessible. It’s located at 10432 Highway 7 (north side between McNeeley Ave and Hwy 15) with plenty of parking. You can reach them at 613-257-

5326 and you can find their complete menu online at thruwayrestaurant.ca. Treat yourself and your family to a restaurant that knows how to satisfy any appetite with a warm friendly flare.

April 2022

6

Senior Series

Read the story; buy some tulips

Pat Evans stops for a moment and sits with red tulips, the official symbol of Parkinson’s Disease. Photo credit: Sally Smith.

Regional - Sally Smith editorial@pdgmedia.ca April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month.

Do you know the signs of Parkinson’s?

Some are: tremors, slowed movement, rigid muscles, impaired posture and balance, and speech and writing changes.

Pat Evans knows them.

She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease 15 years ago.

She admits today to slowing a bit but she doesn’t stop. “I just keep on going,” she says.

There are reasons for this: one is she believes it helps keep Parkinson’s at bay and the second is she has lots to do. At 70 — with 80 just around the corner — she has much to get done.

This winter she visited

Cuba — twice. The first time she travelled with her husband, the second time, a return visit, because she had to deliver a ring to a young man; it’s a good story, too long for here, but if you ever meet her…ask.

Now, back at home just outside Smiths Falls, she sits and wants to talk…not about Cuba, not about herself but about the National Roundtable Report put out

by Parkinson Canada.

“Did you know,” she asks, “that Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological disease in the world, and in Canada it’s growing even faster than Alzheimers?”

The Report adds there are more than 100,000 Canadians living with Parkinson’s and that just last year about 30 people a day were diagnosed. It predicts that within 10 years there will be 50 new diagnoses per day.

That’s frightening!

Pat says, with some frustration and a little impatience “…if there had been the same amount of research put into Parkinson’s as there

was into Covid, there would have been a cure by now.”

She continues (almost in the same breath), if a cure for Parkinson’s had been found, it would have been a benefit to understanding other diseases like “Alzheimer’s, lupus, or autism,” because of the many interconnections.

But getting a diagnosis is tough. It’s often another health professional who suggests it could be Parkinson’s, not the family GP. “It’s a complicated illness,” she says. “It’s not just motor — it’s diet, exercise, physio, speech and language.

“So there really needs to be a multi-pronged approach. This keeps people healthier longer, they don’t fall as much, and the caregivers stay healthier, too.”

The clincher, of course, is “it will save money…”

A full Parkinson’s team would ideally look like this: health practitioner, physiotherapist, dietician, massage therapist, speech pathologist, social worker and exercise coach.

“Multi-disciplinary care

would go a long way to what is needed.”

There’s no sure indication of what causes Parkinson; it could be familial, it could be environmental, it could be genetic — or, says Pat, “a combination of a gene plus exposure to chemicals or to a traumatic incident.”

And she adds two more (particularly for Lanark, Leeds and Grenville) — “both well water and pesticides are high risk factors.”

That’s frightening, too.

So Pat soldiers on.

Here follows a bit of Pat’s credo: “People shouldn’t see Parkinson’s as an old person’s disease, they shouldn’t see it as the end of the road.

They have to see they have influence in determining how fast it progresses.

“I thought I was just lucky doing as well as I am, but then I thought it must have something to do with the way I think. I’ve always been a person to believe that one person can make a difference and that if I set my mind to anything I want to accomplish, I can accomplish it.

“I’m fortunate. I have a good support system, a good husband. I know Parkinson’s is still going to progress until we figure out how to contain it, to halt it, to find a treatment, or a cure.

Your doctor alone is not going to do that for you, she adds.

This echoes one of the conclusions of the Roundtable: Qualified healthcare providers need additional training to allow earlier diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s.

Another is: How to increase the number of healthcare providers available to support people with Parkinson’s.

And the third is: There has to be equal access to care and treatment for Canadians living with Parkinson’s.

“I believe we can do better,” Pat says, stopping, taking a breath.

“We can think outside the box.”

A postscript: This year join a revived Parkinson’s SuperWalk on September 10 in Perth at Conlon Farm.

Stay tuned…

April pole-walk fundraiser for seniors Regional - Sally Smith editorial@pdgmedia.ca “We’d like to see thousands… but — we’ll take a hundred,” Kim Ducharme grins.

She’s talking about a fundraiser she’s helping to organize for Senior Support Services through Community Primary Health Care (CPHC), a non-profit organization which provides services to seniors in Lanark, Leeds and Grenville.

The 5 km fundraiser-walk/run is slated for April 30 in two locations — Smiths Falls and Brockville — when snow has hopefully disappeared and the weather is warming.

Better yet, it’s a fundraiser designed to encourage en-

thusiastic pole-walkers.

Sarah Dodgson is Ducharme’s co-organizer. Yes, it’s a fundraiser, she says, and it’s going to be “fun. It’s been a long two years. It will be nice to get outside.”

Ducharme is a big pole user herself. She explains if you’re not an urban pole-walker yet, and want to be, this is good incentive to start. CPHC, she adds, lends poles to interested wannabes. And Dodgson says poles will certainly be available for those who pre-register and ask for a loan.

“By April, people will want to get out and do something,” Ducharme says, adding the fundraiser polewalk/run will go “rain or shine, any kind of weather.”

She muses a bit that it’s

MARLENE

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the time of year when winter is ending, spring is beginning and everyone is eager to get out from under Covid isolation. People want to get moving.

Better yet, Dodgson adds, if walkers gather pledges, the person who raises the most money gets a prize package which includes a set of poles.

Registration fee is $25. Ask for a pledge sheet by calling Dodgson at 613-342-3693, ext. 2008, email sdodgson@ cphcare.ca. Or, register the day-of, at your walking location: Lower Reach Park in Smiths Falls, or Laurier Memorial Park in Brockville.

Those walking in Smiths Falls will walk along the iconic white path to Murphy Park (where the swans are)

Kim Ducharme, right, gets a head-start on exercises with Bob, Gayle, Hal, Michael and Richard for the pole walk/run set for late April at Lower Reach Park in Smiths Falls (or Laurier Memorial Park in Brockville). Photo credit: Sally Smith.

and back, while those walking in Brockville will walk along the Brock Trail.

Registration is at 9 a.m. at the beginning of the walk or run. After regis-

LANARK-FRONTENAC-KINGSTON

2022 CANDIDATE

If elected to represent LFK at Queen’s Park Marlene will work to build communities that are

AFFORDABLE Including improved access to housing, universal basic income, incentives for energy upgrades to homes and electric vehicles.

HEALTHY Maintain publicly funded health care including expanded access to mental health supports

and pharmacare. Improve conditions in Long Term Care Homes, fair wages for all health care workers.

CONNECTED With better access to cell signal and high speed internet for homes and businesses.

Supports for local community engagement activities (trails, museums, cultural events).

PROTECTED From the impacts of climate change through disaster planning and support for effects

of extreme weather events. Providing incentives to support the transition to a prosperous low carbon economy.

ACCESSIBLE Identify and remove physical and systemic barriers so every citizen, regardless of race, gender, orientation, ethnicity, age, health status or disability has access to the services they need to thrive.

tration, at 9:30, expect a pole demonstration, and at 9:45 Ducharme will lead a group warm-up in Smiths Falls while Michelle Shepherdson will

lead one in Brockville.

Come out and have fun, both Ducharme and Dodgson say. All money collected goes to seniors in the community.

Marlene and Mike Schreiner’s Green Team are Fighting For:

Improved Mental Health Services Affordable Housing Now Climate Action Now For More Information on Marlene and the Green Campaign

lfkgreenparty.com 88 Gore. St Perth VOLUNTEER DONATE RESERVE A SIGN

Authorized by the CFO of Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston Green Party Constituency Association

7

April 2022

culture Smiths Falls History & Mystery: Hidden killer behind a secret door

by Ted Outerbridge

When we moved into the Keyhole House, we noticed an odd-looking panel nailed to the wall in the second-floor hallway. A few weeks later, we pried off the mysterious board and discovered two small steps descending into darkness. A flashlight revealed that taking a third step would result in a fall through the kitchen ceiling! We had discovered the remains of the servants’ stairs, a common feature in houses built around 1893. During the Victorian era, many middle-class families were able to afford a domestic servant who lived with them. Keeping a servant was an outward sign of respectability and status. Houses of a certain size were designed with two sets of stairs, so that servants could remain out of sight. These back staircases were frequently compressed

into small spaces by ignoring building codes and safe stair layout. Steep, shallow steps of irregular heights combined with a servant in a long skirt, descending the stairs sideways while carrying a heavy tray, could be a recipe for disaster. As a result, these dangerous structures are often referred to as “hidden killers” or “death traps.”

Victorians were obsessed with propriety, from wearing appropriate clothing and extravagant home decor to serving lavish meals and employing servants. Ample funds and the right books on etiquette were important ingredients when climbing the social ladder. In the 1890s, the head of a household employing a domestic servant was often a merchant, manufacturer, or professional.

However, it was also possible for artisans and semiskilled workers to do so as well. In 1892, Joseph Boynton was one of several carpenters hired to build the Keyhole House. His annual wages would not have exceeded $500. However, according

ted@tedouterbridge.com to the 1891 census, Boynton and his wife Adeline had an 18-year-old domestic servant living with them, to help take care of their three children.

In the late nineteenth century, it was most common for a live-in domestic servant in Canada to be a literate, Canadian-born woman. She would speak English or French and have gone through the compulsory school system. Young immigrants often chose domestic service as a way into Canada and its labor markets, but they were a less popular choice with employers. At the time, thirty-eight percent of all women in the workforce had occupations as domestic servants—more than the entire manufacturing sector.

The life of a servant involved long hours, a lack of freedom, and a risk of exploitation and abuse. High turnover rates were the result. Living conditions would usually consist of a small, sparsely furnished bedroom on an upper floor or even the basement. Access to a toilet separate from the owners was also the norm.

Servants had the responsibility of staying out of sight while taking care of all the household chores. Accommodations were usually connected to the kitchen by a back staircase. From the kitchen

they would access the basement where the cold storage rooms, furnace or boiler, and coal rooms were located. We were puzzled as to why the interior doors at the Keyhole House open into the middle of the room and not against the wall. We discovered that it was done intentionally, so that a servant entering a room could withdraw without seeing who was in the room or what they were doing. Victorians had a tendency not to trust their servants, so everything was kept under lock and key, from clothing and books to liquor and linens.

Although everyone lived under the same roof, the masters and servants lived almost entirely separate lives.

Servants have largely been replaced by household technology. Intelligent cordless vacuum cleaners, microwave ovens, and electric washing machines have replaced much of domestic human labor. At the Keyhole House, we decided to transform what remained of our servants’ staircase into a linen closet.

It is concealed behind a special door flush-mounted right into the wall without any visible framing or hardware.

It is known as a “jib door” or, more commonly, a secret door. Queen Elizabeth has

Butler and Maid. Photo credit: Ted Outerbridge..

one at Buckingham Palace, Marie-Antoinette had one at the Château de Versailles, and now we are proud to have one at the Keyhole House.

Ted & Marion Outerbridge are currently restoring a Smiths Falls her-

itage home built in 1893.

They are also being swept away by local history & mystery. You can follow them at on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @ thekeyholehouse or email ted@tedouterbridge.com.

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