March 2023

#EmbraceEquity

International Women's Day 2023

Women in Business profiles

Road trip: Advocate's designer on working her way across Portugal

Women in underrepresented jobs

Divorces, by their nature, are very complex. This is especially true for hardworking farm families, as these divorces involve dispersing land, livestock, and machinery that cannot be easily divided. You need a firm that has experience in dealing with divorces involving the division of farm land and equipment. The Riley Divorce & Family Law Firm knows how to guide you through marriage dissolution so that you can protect your children and minimize your legal and financial risks.

Cragg’s Box Lunch article brings back memories

My sister said I should check out the article on Cragg’s Box Lunch (February Advocate). This article brought back so many memories. My dad, Harvey Wallace, who worked for CNR for many years did frequent the lunch counter. I can remember going there as a kid. If my memory serves me right our family became part of the Cragg family as friends. It was great spot to eat. I loved the article.

– Fay Martindale, Manitouwadge

Lindsay downtown:

Hallmark beautiful, too bad about the cars

The letter to the editor in the February edition of the Advocate by Wayne Medford, outlining a visionary plan for getting rid of parked cars in Lindsay’s downtown was inspiring. Medford suggested to “go with one lane of traffic in each direction. Add a central boulevard of trees and benches. Widen the sidewalks and plant many trees.”  I have lived in Minden since 1968 and Lindsay has always been a ‘destination’ for many locals of this area. Interestingly, when I was in Lindsay recently, I commented that Lindsay downtown buildings have an inviting ‘Hallmark' appeal, but too bad, so sad about the state of the sidewalk snow removal. (Minden is exemplary with regard to downtown snow removal.)

I followed this with my major complaint for years, with cars blindly backing out of angle parking which makes it undesirable for us to even drive down Kent Street, let alone park. Lindsay does have a great collection of parking lots nearby that help. Getting rid of the parking on Kent Street would be amazing and visionary.

Wayne Medford’s plan was inspiring. Lindsay is special in different ways than Port Perry, Bobcaygeon, or Fenelon Falls. We like them all but have often avoided downtown Lindsay because the parked cars make the entire downtown feel ‘user unfriendly.’

– Bernie Davis, Minden

Environmental columnist appreciated

Ginny Colling, thank you for your many informative and insightful reports. Apparently because you do not live in a cave and kill your own food with sharpened sticks, some people don’t think you qualify for this role. Please carry on, keep driving your electric car past the naysayers, and ignore the infantile schoolyard finger pointing. This will fade into the background as the rest of us get on the bandwagon to find real solutions. Every contribution to a cleaner and greener world is an incremental step forward. It may be a long journey, but we’ll get there, thanks to your help and many others who share your vision.

– Richard Procter, Brockville

Unions must remain strong

Re: Benns’ Belief on unions in the February Advocate.

I agree with you! We must remember that people fought hard and some even lost lives in their efforts to create unions. There were and still are reasons why it remains important that they remain strong. Just look at the medical profession like nurses, RT’s and teachers to name a few who made great strides with their unions over many years of negotiation. RT’s and teachers to name a few who made strong movements to make great strides with their unions over many years of negotiation.

Now the corporations and the governments are trying to break these unions by refusing to sit down and negotiate a deal until there is a resolution on both sides and pass bills to be forced back to work. I say keep unions strong to keep a voice for workers in all professions and trades.

– Ron Sutch, Lindsay

Keeping the little guy in

his place

Re: Benns’ Belief on unions in the February Advocate.

Great article Mr. Benns. Since the dawn of time this has been going on –trying to keep the little guy in his place. Thank you for your great magazine!

– Frances Moore, Kawartha Lakes

The Advocate welcomes your letters. We do not publish anonymous letters unless it’s a matter of public importance and/or someone risks harm by writing us. We publish under strict guidelines & only if we can verify the person’s identity. Simply email kawarthalakespublisher@gmail.com. Keep your letters to 200 words or less.

Re: Benns’ Belief on unions in the February Advocate.

Excellent piece. I find it completely baffling that Kawartha Lakes would ever vote Conservative given the demographics of this city. The labour unions are what has expanded the middle class. People seem to forget that private companies and corporations are in business to make a profit for the owners and shareholders. Profit is achieved by efficiencies and lower costs. Both factors are achieved at the expense of the worker.

A corporation or private company’s objective is to pay the workers the least and demand the most. The Conservative Party supports this model. They demonize labour as being too strong or being ‘controlled' by the union bosses. Their main objective is to get rid of unions so the corporate and private owners can have cheap labour. The current provincial government, represented locally by Laurie Scott, cancelled the basic income pilot program. They froze minimum wage; they pay health care workers a shameful wage. They also hate regulations aimed at protecting workers and providing safe working conditions.

The union movement is there for the workers. It has provided reasonable wages, safe working conditions, health benefits and often a decent pension. Unions need to be strong to counterbalance the political and corporate philosophy of maximizing profit at the expense of the worker.

– Wayne Medford, Lindsay

Unions needed more than ever

Re: Benns’ Belief on unions in the February Advocate.

Great article Mr. Benns. For decades the corporate world has effectively been permeating propaganda that unions were once needed but not any longer. It has caught on. I think that there can be a good case to bring forward that unions are needed more than ever. Over the years fewer companies provided defined benefit pensions, or employee benefits such as prescription drug coverage. Now, there’s also less job security. The list goes on.

– Barry King, Lindsay

Given this is March, the month of International Women’s Day, we want to take this opportunity to honour all the great women who contribute their time and energy to the Advocate. These women make us better for all our readers.

Rebekah McCracken – Editor-at-Large/Business Dev.

Nancy Payne – Writer-at-Large

Denise Waldron – Lifestyle and Features Writer

Lisa Hart – Writer-at-Large

Ginny Colling – Environmental Columnist

Sienna Frost – Photographer

Robyn Barton – Graphic Designer

Christina Dedes – Graphic Designer

Kimberly Durrant – Web Developer

“Like locks of hair, letters encapsulate some essential element of the personality of whoever holds the pen.”

- Charlotte Gray

Labour unions expanded the middle class

Women make strides at city, as three new female directors hired 75th anniversary celebrated by Lindsay Skating Club with special Olympian guests

The balance of male to female directors in the municipality is shifting. With the recent hire of Cheryl Faber, director of human services, Sara Johnston, chief of paramedics and Sara Beukeboom, director of corporate services, one third of the municipality’s 10 departments are now led by women. Faber, who joined the city in September of last year, brings with her experience from a variety of sectors, having worked in upper and lower tier municipalities, for the province and with federally funded programs. Faber lives in Muskoka with a seasonal property in Haliburton County.

Johnston has served with Kawartha Lakes Paramedics for 20 years, holding positions of primary care paramedic, advanced care paramedic, commander and most recently, deputy chief. She was instrumental in launching the community paramedicine program. Johnston was born and raised in Kawartha Lakes and took over as chief at the beginning of this year.

Beukeboom is a key member of the senior management team for the city, overseeing corporate administration, business, finance, people services, technology and strategic planning. She was also born and raised in Kawartha Lakes and has spent most of her professional career working for the municipality. Her role started in late January with the city.

The Lindsay Skating Club is celebrating a major milestone with some Olympic-level talent.

In honour of their 75th anniversary, the club will hold a gala featuring Olympic skaters Kristen Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro.

Established in 1961, the Lindsay Skating Club has been a long-standing fixture in the area, teaching children and adults the basic and advanced art of skating, and to encourage skating for sport and pleasure.

To commemorate their diamond anniversary, the club is celebrating with a showcase demonstrating local talent. As well, special guests Kristen Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro, Canadian international pairs medalists and Olympians in 2018 and 2022, will also perform on the ice.

The ice show will take place Sunday April 2 at 1 p.m. Tickets are available through the Lindsay Skating Club at lindsayskatingclub@gmail.com; adults $15 and children

6-12 are $5.

The Lindsay Creative Quilters’ Guild is holding a quilt show on May 26-27 at the Lindsay Curling Club.

The non-profit organization’s majority of work done is for local charities, with this year’s funds from the sale going to Five Counties Children’s Centre.

The guild’s quilt show takes place every other year. Tickets are $8 per person per day. There will be vendors, door prizes, and a tea room, and attendees can enjoy light refreshments.

About 800 people typically attend from around the area.

Tickets are available from members as well as at the home show in Lindsay and the Lindsay Square Mall.  Newcomers, whether beginners or experienced, are welcome to join the guild, which began about 36 years ago by a number of local women.

For more information about the guild’s show, or to get involved, contact Norma Gorrill at normagorrill@gmail.com or at 705-953-9619.

Olympic skaters Kristen Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro.

Tickets are

Cheryl Faber, Sara Johnston, and Sara Beaukeboom are all recent hires for the city.

MEALS ON WHEELS

For only $7.50 you can have a hot meal delivered to your door. This includes a soup, entrée, bun, dessert and delivery! You can also order a wide variety of frozen meals online.

I still remember telling my Grade 4 teacher, Nancy Graham, that I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. The Queen Victoria teacher was nothing but encouraging and always gave me positive feedback on my short stories. In Grade 5, I informed my teacher Paul Steffler that I was, specifically, going to be a poet. He gently suggested a more employable form of writing to make a living, such as journalism. Notwithstanding a few poems that found their way into Poetry Canada Magazine, I took his advice. (Turns out the $30 I made from those free verses just wasn’t enough to fund my original dream, as he wisely counselled.)

Aside from my mother, who was always a rock for my younger brother and I growing up, those elementary teachers (and many educators after them) are as responsible for this magazine as I am. At our five year mark this month I acknowledge and pay tribute to them. For as Joseph Campbell once said, “The job of an educator is to teach students to see vitality in themselves.”

Graham and Steffler helped me locate the spark within myself that would one day ignite my career. To see vitality in oneself can lead to creating something that hopefully others find vital, too.

Almost every day I get a call or a note from a reader telling me how much the Advocate means to them. We seem to be making something that is more than a magazine or a media outlet; we are making meaning in people’s lives.

By Roderick Benns Publisher

I can’t express how good that feels, to be doing something others find so worthwhile. A huge thank you to our writers, editors, photographers, and designers for being such a big part of our success.

Five years ago, several small businesses took the plunge with us in our first issue. Some, like Thairapy, Mackey’s Funeral Home, the Pie Eyed Monk, Community Care, and the City of Kawartha Lakes, still regularly or occasionally work with us to this day.

Since then, we have grown a great deal and both businesses and non-profits across the city work with us regularly, trusting us to get their message out. We couldn’t do what we do without them. Regular readers will notice we consistently tie in our March magazine to International Women’s Day, which also falls in March. We do this because we still have a long way to go as a society when it comes to gender equality, a fact that continues to astonish me. Our articles in this month’s edition cover this topic, including the inimitable Trevor Hutchinson in his Trevor’s Take column.

If you have a moment, wish us a happy 5th birthday by letting us know, specifically, what you love about the magazine, or even what we could do better. I can be reached at kawarthalakespublisher@gmail.com.

Thank you for being a part of the Advocate’s journey.

International Women’s Day matters

It’s a global celebration, but it’s local, too.

International Women’s Day began in 1910, when Clara Zetkin, a German women’s rights activist, proposed the idea of an international day at a conference. The first such holiday was celebrated in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Switzerland, and Germany. But it didn’t go international until 1977, when the United Nations adopted March 8 as a worldwide day of recognition.

It hasn’t always been easy for women to get the recognition they deserved over the past century, whether in medicine, science, literature, or politics, despite their obvious accomplishments. Women have also helped lead great movements in civil rights, the labour movement, children’s rights and much more. International Women’s Day is a great opportunity to recognize all these successes.

The Advocate’s local history writer, Ian McKechnie, has chronicled the lives of many impressive Kawartha Lakes women from our past, including Omemee-born Lady McCrea Eaton. Through our stories we’ve given shout-outs to Eudoxia "Ma" Tozios, Eleanor McQuarrie, Catherine "Kay" Hawkins, Brenda O'Keefe, and Winnifred Ethel Hardy, among others.

In all cases, these were women who pushed the boundaries of the time and place in which they lived.

It’s fitting that this year’s International Women’s Day theme is Embrace Equity, as we shared on our front cover of this edition.

Women are still paid less than men and yet pay inequity is critical since earnings are a key determinant of economic well-being. According to the OECD last year, for full-time employees, there is a 16 per cent difference between annual median earnings of women and men. In its ranking of countries, Canada has the eighth worst gender pay gap.

And women who graduate university with a bachelor’s degree earn an average of $69,000 annually, recent Statistics Canada figures show, while men who graduate with a bachelor’s degree earn nearly $98,000.

So, in 2023, let’s embrace equity fully. The Advocate takes this opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of local women and we look forward to seeing all they will achieve in the years ahead.

Cost of living: Keeping people alive is expensive

By Dr. Michael Moreton, a retired physician living in Lindsay.

There is understandably an increasing amount of discontent with the health care system in Canada. What used to be an outstanding aspect of Canadian life is degenerating. The recent COVID pandemic has strained a system that was barely coping into one that's failing.

Low voter turnout: The market is rejecting what's on offer

Low voter turnout is clearly a long-standing and ubiquitous problem. But is it really a problem? If the city was a company and the councillors were products, the market is saying they don’t like what it is selling. God bless them for stepping up but the candidates are old(er) cookie cutter cut-outs.

They aren’t going to address, much less solve the problems that Kawartha Lakes millennials and Gen Zed’s are facing. Talk of bringing change to council is the talk of neophytes who don’t understand that councillors have zero power and just one vote.

There have been many studies of the causes of low turnout. To most people, it just doesn’t matter who gets voted in while they’re scrambling to get the kids to school and to get to work on time. Development still happens where people don’t want it because of MZOs. Power is centred on the mayor and CAO.

To speak directly to council means taking a day off work because its meetings are during the day. The list goes on. It’s the nature of the municipal beast and people instinctively know little will change so why bother voting?

– Frank Morris, Port Perry

I practiced for years in a system of which I was very proud and must point out two of the problems that have led to the present situation. Those are: the increasing expense of new medical advances and the greying of the population. Both have put immense burdens on the system.

When I was an intern in the early 1960s, a heart attack was an easy admission. I would get a call from the emergency room (ER). Usually, an older man was in the ER complaining of chest pain. When I arrived, the electrocardiogram technician was already present and busy getting an ECG reading. I examined the patient and the ECG, ordered a chest X-ray and enzyme studies and gave the patient a shot of morphine for the pain into his arm and a shot of heparin intravenously.

Then he was admitted to the ward and for the next three weeks he spent the time on total bed rest. There was little treatment except ‘resting the heart.’ In spite of this, many patients died.

Within a few years it was realized arrhythmias, abnormalities of the cardiac rhythms, were causing many of the deaths. Continuous cardiac monitoring, cardiac intensive care units, and one-on-one nursing was introduced. Many lives were saved but the increase in the cost of care was enormous. Keeping people alive is expensive.

Some older people would get osteoarthritis of the hip. They got three things then: a walking stick, hip pain and a limp for the rest of their lives.

Then after the pioneering work by Dr. John Charnley, hip replacement was developed, which was followed by rehabilitation. Not cheap.

In obstetrics, my world, the introduction of fetal monitoring, epidural anesthesia, caesarean sections, and the advent of neonatal intensive care units led to safer births, healthier babies and a reduction in the neonatal mortality rate – but at a massive expense.

Other patients developed cataracts. They had the cataract removed and were prescribed Coke-bottle thick glasses and were often then legally blind. Now they have more extensive surgery, the lens removed and a plastic one inserted and full vision is restored. More expense.

Truly the advances in medical care have been staggering in the last 50 years but with them has been an equally staggering cost to health services. In the 1940s the life expectancy was about 68 for males and 71 for females. Not a lot of post retirement care was needed. Now we are living into our 80s or 90s with many chronic illnesses.

The amount of medical care increases with age and this burden is stretching the system to near breaking point. If we are to continue advancing in medicine through technological breakthroughs, extending our lives, then quite simply we must be prepared to fund it adequately.

There is talk of encouraging more private medicine to fix our system; that is a cop out. It would be akin to abandoning one of the things that makes us Canadian. It’s time to improve health care, not sell out.

Road trip Portugal

Advocate designer puts magazines together while exploring European nation.

By Christina Dedes

Advocate graphic designer, Christina Dedes, put together most of the February issue and some of the March edition on the road while travelling in Portugal. She reflects on what it was like for a young woman in business to meet her deadlines while travelling.

As a Christmas gift, my boyfriend Braiden generously purchased two tickets to Portugal for a three-week backpacking trip. We decided not to plan almost anything and let those three weeks be ours to fill however we pleased.

The only thing I knew for certain was the send-to-print deadline for February’s Advocate issue, which I was determined to complete while on the road. Was it possible? Will it be exhausting? Will I make my work deadline?

Yes, yes and I hoped so. You can work from anywhere these days, right? And am I not a woman in business, just like the theme of the Advocate’s March edition?

We prepared for our trip the only way one should: by watching celebrity chef and travel enthusiast Anthony Bourdain taste his way through our destination on his show No Reservations. We arrived in Lisbon hungry for new adventures and endless bifanas – a traditional Portuguese pork sandwich, slathered in mustard.

After a few hours of exploring, I was already planning to book a massage the moment we arrived home. In spite of my efforts to pack as lightly as I could, my career choices and laptop were weighing on me while on vacation. With sore shoulders and wide eyes, we made our way through the city.

The next few days took us down the west coast in a rental car, to explore the Portuguese countryside. The first hour of our drive took us through acres and acres of cork tree forests. The sunshine was breathing life into everything, and the same word kept coming up to describe it all: lush. How could anyone be sad with cloudless skies all winter long?

Every road we took was more picturesque and winding than the last, and our arrival on the coast felt like a warm hug from an old friend. Apart from a lone windsurfer, the glistening, pristine sand was entirely ours to enjoy. We sat for a long time at this first beach, counting our blessings and looking out into the expansive ocean, as if we were on the edge of the earth. Portugal had my heart from the moment we arrived. We had purchased eSIM cards for our phones, which made it possible for me to chip away at my work while Braiden drove. We could never keep up with the Portuguese locals, who liked to maintain a cool 150 kph, seemingly as a matter of habit.

If you’re susceptible to car sickness as I am, keep some Gravol on hand for a journey like this one. Portuguese roads and their drivers can be unforgiving, especially to passenger-seated backpackers working on their laptops.

And once you get sick of being on the road, Starbucks is your shoulder to lean on. Free wifi, outlets to charge up your devices, and overly priced but delicious bevvies. Plus, the baristas often speak English, which makes ordering much less awkward when you’re using Google Translate to learn Portuguese.

Interestingly, you’ll also find yourself surrounded by other individuals using Starbucks as their travelling office. We stopped at multiple locations during our journey, but the view never changed: almost every seat was filled with people in the all-too familiar human-typing-arduously-on-laptop stance. And I was no exception–I blended in seamlessly with the others, losing myself in my Advocate work and the sea of keyboard clicks.

My final temporary office during our trip was at yet another beach, along the Southern coast where Portugal ends and Spain begins. While my laptop and I overheated under the European sun, Braiden enjoyed a perfect barefoot walk along the shore.

I sent the publisher one last email, waited for my files to upload . . . and boom. The Advocate was sent off to print –from Portugal – no longer mine to worry about. I shut my laptop for the final time on our trip and joined my partner, barefoot in the sand. This woman in business was going to enjoy her last couple weeks on vacation, deadline free.

LA Dedes hard at work in Sintra. Photo: Braiden Patton.

Dedes takes a sip of espresso while working hard on the February and March Advocate magazines.

Photo: Braiden Patton.

Businesses graduating from the Starter Company PLUS Program

have been mostly women-owned

By Diane Steven Steven is the manager of the Kawartha Lakes Small Business Centre

It is always a thrill for us to be able to celebrate the clients of the Kawartha Lakes Small Business Centre (SBC). Acknowledging these dedicated and creative individuals is important; they are some of the hardest working people around and they are working day in and out to contribute to our local economy.

On International Women’s Day we are proud to recognize the incredible women who jumped into the challenge of pulling their time and resources together to start and run their own businesses through the Kawartha Lakes Starter Company PLUS Program. Since 2019, a total of 46 businesses have gone through the program, of which 27 were women-owned businesses, or 59 per cent of the participants.

Part of the fall 2018 cohort, Ally Boothroyd is the owner of Sarovara Yoga studio in Bobcaygeon. Among other things, she is a yoga educator and facilitator of local and international yoga retreats. Her YouTube channel has 117k subscribers and she has over 6,000 followers on Instagram.

Part of the fall 2019 cohort, Tammy Adams is the owner of Silver Lights Senior Services. Offering PSW-like services, she now has 14 part-time employees, has expanded to the GTA, and recently opened a new adult day program for seniors living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in Lindsay.

Kara Parcell was part of the most recent fall 2022 cohort. Owner of Evolve Dental Hygiene, she is a seasoned dental hygienist who took the leap of operating her own practice. Her client-centered approach focuses on providing services in a relaxed, calming and personalized environment. This program started in 2017 with the financial support of our provincial partner, Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. This funding allowed us to expand our services to support new business start ups as they prepare to launch and grow.

We run two small group cohorts per year to provide concentrated coaching support, training, business plan development and access to grants of up to $5,000. During the program, participants take a close look at their business model, as well as their competition. We advise on marketing strategies including branding, digital presence and sales. We help them overcome the challenges that most new business owners encounter. The application portal for our next intake is available in March.

Microloans of $15,000 available to female entrepreneurs

Delia program promotes gender equity in economic advancementrepair

How to set up your new business for success

With the support of The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) and the Government of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation (NCFDC) partnered with Corl, a financing platform, to develop a fintech-driven microloan platform that helps address the access to capital gap for women-owned enterprises across Southern Ontario.

Thanks to the support of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED Canada), DELIA loans are now available across all of Canada.

The DELIA program at a glance

• Microloans normally in the $15,000 range

• Prioritizing diverse, intersectional and under-served women entrepreneurs

• Interest rate: Prime +2% to Prime +4% risk-rated

• Standard 2-year term

• Secured by GSA and personal guarantee, insurance assignment, no collateralization

• No pre-payment charges

• Instant pre-qualification via online application (can be completed in less than 30 minutes)

• Concurrent mentoring, training and development opportunities for select microloan recipients (1:1 advisory sessions, workshops, etc.).

• If the application is approved, a loan administration fee of 1% of the principal will apply (to be deducted from the advance).

(NC) A great business begins with a great idea. But that spark does not mean entrepreneurs magically understand all aspects of running a business. One of the most important parts, and one that can be tricky to grasp, is payroll. To properly establish a payroll system there are several important steps, including:

1. Registering with the government

You’ll need a 15-digit business number that allows the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to identify your business for tax matters. You may also have an obligation to establish additional provincial accounts for workers’ compensation or employer health taxes, depending on where your business and your employees are located.

2. Managing your money

While not a requirement, establishing a dedicated payroll bank account is recommended to keep funds for payroll costs separate from business expenses. This is important because the CRA specifically states that once an employer has withheld payroll source deductions from employees, these amounts are to be held in trust until remittance is due.

3. Creating a compensation model

While there is legislation detailing minimum wage based on hours worked, the method in which employees are paid is completely up to you as an employer. You’ll have to decide whether you want to pay workers a salary, hourly wage or commission.

“Understanding the basics of payroll in the early stages of your business will save you tremendous time and resources in the long run,” says Peter Tzanetakis, president of the National Payroll Institute. “Mastering these basics will enable you to protect your business in the event of audits and ultimately support the health of your business longterm.”

To learn more about how payroll best practices can support your business’s health, you can download a full e-book at payroll.ca/payrollcheckup.

– Courtesy of NCFDC

Ally Boothroyd, owner of Sarovara Yoga studio in Bobcaygeon.

Not just for breakfast. We use a l-local Nesbitt's meat.

HOME OF THE ALL-DAY BREAKFAST

Gluten Free Menu! Now offering gluten-free bread, buns, pancakes and waffles.

Grace King * Heather Muir * Maria Bennett * Barb Evans

Alan Gregory * William Steffler * Sandra Scriver

Lauren Drew * Barb Taylor * Peter + Kathy Anderson

Zita Devan * Nanci Byer * Joe + Joyce McGuire

Glenda Morris * Ivory Conover * Jamie Swift

Eileen MacDonald * Ross Smyth * Ross & Susan Beattie

Christine Wilson * Nora Steffler * Linda Friend

Jim Buchanan + Donna Gushue * Neil Campbell

Bruce + Debbie Peck * Maurice + Marie Jackson

Leslie King * Deborah Smith * Cam Finley

Peter + Sandra MacArthur * Catherine Hennings

Janet Smith * David + Margaret Robertson

Leslie King * John + Pauline Hunter * Cordula Winkelaar

David Holloway * Bob & Carol Barkwell

Text talk

For our younger generation, using punctuation can sometimes be taken as rudeness

By Denise Waldron

Tzountzouris says when she is using email, she is usually talking to a teacher or someone like that and uses proper grammar and spelling.

Teacher, Sharon Nielsen has taught elementary school for 21 years. She is currently a teaching and learning coach for the Trillium Lakelands District School Board. She says they teach students in Grade 1 to start sentences with capital letters and end with punctuation. They reinforce this in Grades 2-8. Despite this, she says, “Most students have so much to say and not much patience, and they have developed shorthand’s that don’t support the proper grammar structure taught in schools.”

For students struggling academically for a variety of different reasons, this is reflected in how they write on paper too, says Nielsen. “Especially those who require assistive tech, they may have trouble getting their thoughts on paper because the computer doesn’t understand their abbreviations.”

Do you end your sentences with a period when texting?

While most adults know that texting in full caps equates to yelling, many haven’t gotten the message that ending with a full stop may come across as angry, rude or passiveaggressive.

For many Gen Zed teens and young adults, periods at the end of a text set the tone.

(Generation Zed came right after millennials and are those who are aged nine to 24, born between 1997 and 2012.)

When speaking in person, people rely on tone of voice, volume, facial expressions, and body language for cues. With texting, people are not able to discern these cues.

Gen Z texters have co-opted punctuation and emojis to convey emotion and research backs this up. A team of psychologists at Binghamton University in New York studied this among the school’s students. According to the study, cues such as asterisks, emoticons, punctuation, and letter repetition may play a strong practical role in texted conversations.

When the exchanges appeared as text messages, the responses that ended with a period were rated as less sincere than those that did not end with a period. They found no such difference in handwritten notes. The results strongly suggest that ditching the period is the best course of action in text exchanges.

Avery Tzountzouris of Little Britain, says many friends think periods at the end of a sentence are just silly, but can also convey seriousness. “I am more likely to use one if I feel like I’m in a more serious situation, like a fight or something.” The 13-year-old says you really need to know the circumstances of the situation. “It’s really hard to know what someone means, and that’s why a lot of times there can be miscommunications in texting.”

She feels cyberbullying can happen because of the amount of texting teens partake in and mistaken interpretations.

It’s not just the humble period that has new meaning — the exclamation mark can denote anger or frustration with young texters, “You have to be careful how you use it,” said Tzountzouris.

While some younger adults may mock adults for using emojis, the Grade 8 student says she doesn’t and says it’s a good way to “convey emotion and it definitely helps with clarity over text.” Grammar police and Grade 1 teachers may also cringe at run-on sentences without punctuation or capitals that seem to be the domain of young texters.

While it may be easy to write off the senders as lazy, Tzountzouris says while that is partially true, she and her friends find punctuation and capitalization too formal and whip off quick texts knowing their friends don’t care and will understand what is being said in the messy word salad.

What happens when these texters must email a teacher or supervisor? A local government worker who wants to remain anonymous for professional reasons, recently took a new hire to task for using sloppy texting language and missing punctuation in a work email.

Nielsen says that most local elementary schools ban phones in the classroom to cut down on the amount of texting. They give students caught with their phones in class a warning. The second occurrence sees the phone confiscated.

Tzountzouris says there are other ways to text and says it’s very easy to manipulate adults into thinking that teens don’t text as much as they do.

“Kids text a lot more than people know,” adding a lot of times it’s very easy to hide from adults what they’re texting because of apps like Snapchat (where messages are deleted automatically) and iMessage (where they can manually delete things).

Elder Gen Z student Vanessa Smith is 24 and a third-year Fleming student in Lindsay. She says, omitting full stops at the end of a sentence looks more hostile, but it depends on the context. Because we’re so used to not using periods, so when people do it, it just looks more aggressive. I’m personally not really offended by it.”

Smith thinks punctuation is more of a bother and “it’s quicker to text without it,” but she knows older texters like her mom that do and she does not give it a second thought that the message is confrontational if ended with a period.

Perhaps the good news is that studies from psychologists Gene Ouellette and Melissa Michaud have shown that the poor use of grammar in texting has little to do with how someone will score on spelling, reading, and vocabulary tests.

So maybe instead of disparaging run-on sentences and the lack of punctuation in texts, we should embrace the changing nature of language as it’s been happening for thousands of years.

Knowing when a period might show aggression or insincerity is a start.

Tone Tags

One form of texting that has exploded amongst younger texters is the use of ‘tone tags.’

Tone tags denote clarity in situations where the text sender feels clarification will be needed. For instance, if the texter is poking fun at the text receiver they may use /lh to show it was meant in a lighthearted way. Or a serious statement they want to be sure is taken seriously may be followed by /srs. Other examples are in the graphic below.

TONE TAGS LIST

/j = joking

/hj = half-joking

/ij = inside joke

/c = copypasta

/ly or /lyr = lyrics

/lh = lighthearted

/s or /sar = sarcasm

/rt = rhetorical question

/srs = serious

/g or /gen = genuine

/p or /pl = platonic

/r = romantic

/pos = positive connotation

/neg = negative connotation

Avery Tzountzouris.

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Meg Geratgy – Lindsay

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For more information or to book an appointment, please call Stephanie Welch at 705-928-5113, email steamawaynow@gmail.com or @steamaway

BobcaygeonMus cCounc

Gypsy Jazz and Cover Songs

Saturday March 11, 2023 at 7:00 pm

Conversations with interesting people in Kawartha Lakes

Amy Terrill on broadcast memories, never doing things by halves, and finding her inner author

As it turns out, Amy Terrill and I have a lot in common. We’re both 52. Most of our early years were spent in Kawartha Lakes. We were both involved in theatre early on. Each of us has been involved in journalism or communications in some way throughout much of our lives. We both drink tea. We both had political aspirations and yet are now 99 per cent sure we’d never run for office.

My first memory of Terrill is when we were students at Central Senior Public School in Lindsay. We were in a Valentine’s Day-themed play in the school gym, but she doesn’t remember it. (The only aspect of the play I remember is that she had to quickly smooch me on the cheek in one of the scenes, making her, technically, the first girl whoever kissed me.)

The Olympia is steady when we sit down at our prime window seat. There’s a warm fire to my back as we watch the cold wind hurry people along to their destinations.

“Theatre was a big part of my life from 10 years old to the end of high school,” says Terrill, after I bring up the Central play that we were in. An LCVI alumni, Terrill and I parted ways in school after Central when I attended Weldon.

Theatre wasn’t her only artistic talent. She sang in a choir during her first couple of years at Queens University. At one time, she even wanted to pursue music as a career.

Natalie, our server, takes our orders. It’s soup of the day for both of us with a side Caesar salad for Terrill and Olympia Greek for me.

Although she was born in Vancouver her parents were not long there and they settled down in Kawartha Lakes when she was two. Locally, Terrill is likely best known for her role at CHEX Television, at least for those of a certain age. She says her career at CHEX, which started in her early 20s, was “amazing . . . it was an awesome place to work.”

But she went to university for political science – not broadcast journalism. “I was planning on going to college (after she completed her degree) for media, but I happened to meet Wally Mott, the news director and anchor, through a friend of my parents.”

Terrill and Mott chatted, and the CHEX TV veteran gave her some general advice on colleges that were respected as well as some insight into the industry. “He said give me a call when you’re done with your college program.”

But then Terrill started thinking that would be a long time to wait. “He’ll forget who I am,” she says, remembering her thinking back then.

“So I called him a few months later. I think he had forgotten who I was and just assumed I was coming from broadcasting college – and so over the phone he offered me an internship,” she said with a laugh. She remembers coming to her first day of internship, with Mott showing her the equipment as if she’d know what it all was.

“I didn’t hide anything. I said I’ve never seen anything like this before but I’m a really fast learner. And then his mouth just dropped open.” She laughs again. But she did learn fast. And within weeks she was doing small stories and never did have to go back to school for training or formal education in media.

After time as a junior reporter Terrill would soon coanchor the 6 p.m. news with Mott. She also produced and anchored the 11 p.m. time slot. Later, she kickstarted CHEX’s 5:30 p.m. show and hosted it for about two years. In total, she was with the station for about nine years.

Many people in the region have fond memories of Terrill’s time at CHEX, her face beamed into living rooms each night. Many felt she was destined for larger networks but that was never seriously in the cards for her, by choice.

“I just felt like I had exhausted my opportunities at the station,” she says, as to why she left. And with young kids at the time (her two daughters, now 25 and 23) she just didn’t want to work in Toronto at another network and then have to commute.

(The irony of that thinking isn’t lost on her, she said, noting that later Toronto jobs would see her doing just that.)

But in the meantime, after leaving CHEX Terrill was hired as the general manager of the Lindsay + District Chamber of Commerce. Never one to do things by halves (which she mentions at least twice), Terrill later immersed herself in the world of small business by taking a position with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce for four years, where she began a commute from her home north of Pontypool that she was trying to avoid earlier. When she left, she held the position of vice president of communications and marketing.

It was her opportunity at Music Canada that would see her continue in Toronto with a career that would last another nine years.

For a young girl who seemed intent on pursuing music as a career at one time, it was interesting to Terrill to end up in the music industry on the business side in the position of executive vice president of the organization by the time she left.

“When you’re young and you love music, you think about coming to it as a performer if you’re thinking about a career. It’s always the performance side. But there are so many careers related to music behind the microphone,” she says, something that was brought home to her during her time with Music Canada, the trade association for the major Canadian record labels.

“It could be a lawyer specializing in entertainment law, or an accountant who specializes in helping musicians. There’s so many avenues to be around music, even if someone doesn’t have that secret sauce to be a successful solo artist,” she says.

Knowing Terrill is too modest to name drop, I encourage her to do so as she thinks back to her time at Music Canada. I am certain that she must have met some big Canadian talent.

“I did have the opportunity to meet Anne Murray,” says Terrill, her face more animated. “When you and I first met in Grade 7, Anne Murray was my favourite artist back then. I aspired to be like her.”

For a moment I was sure I could glimpse the Snowbird songstress in Terrill’s face and hear the singer in the timbre of Terrill’s voice.

Turns out Terrill met Murray at the Junos one year “which was exciting.”

“I had a little conversation and played fan girl for a moment.”

Amy Terrill has been executive director of BGC for four years now. Photo: Sienna Frost.

Amy Terrill during her CHEX TV days.

Other singers she mentioned included Michael Bublé and country artist Brett Kissel.

“I didn’t brush shoulders with a lot of artists unless they were involved with advocacy. Like Brett Kissel – he’s fantastic,” she says about the country artist from Alberta. He helped Music Canada’s advocacy work by spending time in Ottawa, presenting to committees. Terrill tried to bring in artists, like him, to share their perspective to help advocate for the Canadian music industry. Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo fame was one of Music Canada’s earliest advocates, she says.

Terrill says her best experience in the job overall was leading the concept and development of “music cities.” Essentially, it was work that helped show municipalities how they could create an environment where music thrives and how that impacts other things, like economic development. She had a chance to travel internationally and speak to people in other cities to see what they were doing. “It was groundbreaking. Others are doing it now and carrying it on in different countries around the world, including Canada.”

When she left Music Canada four years ago, Terrill said she was relieved to give up the commute and have a better work-life balance.

She took on the role of executive director of the local boys and girls club, which rebranded just under two years ago to BGC Kawarthas.

BGC offers young people a laundry list of programs — too many to mention here — but that cover everything from cooking skills to literacy to leadership development. And that barely scratches the surface. Not to mention the club provides a safe space for students to hang out.

While Terrill has already been in her “new” position for four years, she has often been asked if she will pursue a political path.

“I have thought about it,” she says. “But it’s not in the cards right now. And I don’t think it’s going to be part of my journey.”

She says the older she gets the less she believes she will do it. At one time Terrill thought she might be interested in provincial politics, although now she is quite happy not to be working in Toronto. While with Music Canada, she did a lot of advocacy work with the province and ended up being a close observer of politics, including watching politicians’ behaviour in the legislature. She didn’t like what she saw.

“I am not a fan of the partisanship.”

Then why not mayor? There are no political parties in municipal politics. “It’s a huge amount of responsibility. In my view, you have to be very knowledgeable about a lot of aspects of municipal affairs to run. And my personality means that I would need to dive in fully,” she says.

Terrill says that immersion is fully focused on BGC, so it’s hard for her to consider anything else.

If anything is catching her eye and her attention outside of BGC these days, it’s the written word; Terrill has started writing a book.

"It’s historical fiction, and it’s really exciting. If I look beyond BGC, maybe I’ll be a writer – that’s where my passion is at the moment. "

The inspiration is a family history written by her great Aunt Frankie which was published when Terrill was about 18 or 19.

“My book tells the story of a (First World War) suffragist who is trying to figure out how far her colleagues will go to obtain the vote, unearthed by her present-day great niece who’s wrestling with her own political ambitions.”

(There’s more than a little of that description that seems autobiographical.)

The working title is No Secrets Among Sisters. She’s hired an editor and is serious about finding a publisher. She doesn’t see this as a passion project only – she’s looking for readers when it’s all done.

Terrill’s excitement for this written work is palpable – just one more thing we seem to have in common. As she leaves the Olympia, out into the cold wind, it occurs to me we may never see MPP Amy Terrill or Mayor Amy Terrill. But public service’s loss may be literature’s gain.

What do you look for in a book? How about one with magic, murder, mystery, historical fiction, and romance all wrapped up in one thrilling fantasy novel? If this piques your interest, give A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske a try.

This book was selected from the Kawartha Lakes Public Library’s NextReads Newsletters. Register to receive monthly or bi-monthly e-newsletters with enticing book suggestions.

www.kawarthalakeslibrary.ca/nextbook

Amy Terrill has started her first book, a memoir inspired by her great aunt. Photo: Sienna Frost.

Trappers, golf pros, and tire and automotive repair

Local women thriving in non-traditional roles

By Denise Waldron

In the 2016 Census, male-dominated occupations in Ontario had less than a 5 per cent share from females. The good news is women are entering trades where they have been historically underrepresented, according to Statistics Canada.

While Stats Canada does not have a breakdown for local women in non-traditional trades in Kawartha Lakes, it is easy to find women not only involved, but thriving and owning their own businesses, including Sienna Frost. You would be forgiven if you met her and assumed she was an Instagram influencer in the beauty or fashion realm. She is tall, stylish and sports long, swishy blonde hair and onpoint painted nails with intricate art. When this mom of four heads to work most days, she has a rifle and a hefty trappers kit to haul sometimes kilometres into the bush.

Frost lives on about 40 hectares (100 acres) in the Cameron area with her partner and children, along with chickens and cows. When she trained to be a trapper four years ago, she was the only female both in her class and to write her license after taking the Fur Harvest, Fur Management and Conservation course.

She and her partner soon secured a contract with Canadian Pacific Rail to remove beavers and their dams across Ontario. Dam building can cause track flooding, which leads to soil erosion and collapsed embankments that can drive train derailments.

While beaver pelts are no longer in demand, Frost utilizes all parts of the animal. The castor sacs, which are in the anal area of the animal, are used to produce high-end perfume. She sells the meat to raw dog food manufacturers, and fashions the pelts and skins into mittens, hats and accessories. “We are all about using everything we can.”

Frost says not all trapping involves killing animals. “We work with local Kawartha resorts to remove dams and relocate the beavers.”

She also live-trapped and relocated a pair of foxes who decided her chicken coop was an all-you-can-eat buffet. Soon after, she discovered their kits. She kept them wild, bottle fed them and moved them onto a diet of beaver meat before being relocated near their parents.

They use humane traps when killing is necessary. Older style traps are outlawed. “Years ago, offset traps would not instantly kill an animal. Now, it’s instant, with no pain or suffering.”

When she is not trapping and hunting animals, Frost shoots people — with a camera — as a professional photographer. She is The Advocate’s main photographer, and her talents are in demand for portraits and weddings as well.

Frost says that hunters and trappers are often animal lovers and contribute to conservation efforts through hunting and trapping tags and licenses. She would love to mentor women in hunting and trapping, as it is a viable job for those who are physically active and love the outdoors.

Like Frost, Golf pro Shana Kelly was the only female enrolled in the Business Administration - Professional Golf Management in 1998 at Georgian College. For the Lindsay mom of two, it was an inclusive program and her teachers thought it was “awesome” to have a woman enrolled. It was a positive experience, earning her the Peer Recognition Award.

Kelly was introduced to golf at 8-years-old, later worked in her parent’s golf store in Bobcaygeon and seriously considered a golf career at 18.

After graduation, the new pro found it more challenging in the male-dominated field than in school. “There was a physical toll I did not expect,” Kelly says. She would lose her voice trying to be heard out on the course and as she got older, “it can be hot outside in the sun.”

Kelly is a member of the PGA of Canada and the Coaching Association of Canada, has been a coach and teacher at several clubs in the Kawarthas and in 2008 she opened Kelly’s Glen Golf Learning Centre in her backyard in Bobcaygeon. In 2019, her family moved to Lindsay, and she opened an indoor studio.

The business owner is also a PGA of Canada evaluator. She gets to evaluate new golf professionals and help ensure they are prepared to teach golf lessons as part of their overall portfolio, towards receiving their Class A certification with the association.

The pro said she became the instructor she wished she’d had. “Male teachers may give the ingredients, but some women need the whole recipe to play,” also noting, that sometimes women say they are more comfortable with a female instructor.

According to Statistics Canada, there were 8,688 new registrations and 4,821 certifications by female apprentices in 2021. This represents some recovery from the significant drops in 2020 but remains well below 2019 levels for new registrations in apprenticeship programs and certifications in the trades.

Sienna Frost checks on a trap.

Shana Kelly says women are vastly outnumbered by men in professional golf.

Photo: Sienna Frost.

Kelly has a waiting list for new clients. She teaches children and adults and says she loves working with people and helping them to better enjoy their time on the golf course. Canadian pro champion, Brooke Henderson has whetted the appetite for women to take up the sport. But right now, there are only 222 women out of 3,500 members in the PGA of Canada  — which is just over 6 per cent, according to Kelly. “When you compare it to the number of women playing the game of golf, we need to get that percentage up so it’s a better representation of the overall numbers.”

In business, women try to break through the glass ceiling. In golf, they sometimes refer it to it as the grass ceiling, with female pros sometimes being mistaken for golfer’s wives or the beer cart operator. Kelly says women need to be entrepreneurs to “break through to the top.”

Nicole Persaud did just that. She landed in Lindsay at 18 and never left, after attending Fleming College for Materials Management and Distribution. She spent 20 years working for a local tire business before starting her own tire and automotive repair shop six years ago.

Persaud started Nix Tire and Auto Repair in Lindsay with the goal of proving to herself that she could succeed, regardless of gender.

The same holds true with her advice for people deciding on a career path, saying it does not matter if you are male or female — you need to follow your dream. “If you have the knowledge, you can either learn or build on your learning capabilities.”

She knew tires when she started her business but knew nothing about the automotive side of things saying she was not a mechanic. “But the more you are around it, the more you learn,” noting you may not have the proper lingo but you can explain things the way people understand it.

She has a good working relationship with her all-male crew.

“It’s fantastic, and I don’t see myself as their boss. We work together as a team.” However, she sometimes encounters challenges with customers who are more used to seeing women in different roles.

“Customers often want to speak with a man, as they are more accustomed to seeing a woman behind a desk rather than in control of the place,” she said.

Women like Frost, Kelly and Persaud prove there are opportunities for women in Kawartha Lakes to thrive and succeed in male-dominated businesses.

I F Y O U H A V E Q U E S T I O N

Nicole Persaud has owned her own tire and automotive shop for six years.

Photo: Sienna Frost.

The Locker at the Falls

Samena Kennedy

Since 2019 Samena Kennedy has been the owner and operator of The Locker at the Falls in Fenelon Falls. She’s also the former owner of The Locker: Cannington and The Locker at Cedarhurst in Beaverton.

Samena finds it an “absolute gift” to meet, serve and support others in the hospitality industry, which she admits can have a difficult reputation at times. “I really love this industry.”

From the fast-paced environment, the chance to celebrate with others while they make memories with family and friends, and the constant need to adapt and shift with the trends, she thrives on the challenges. She also loves to support her community.

As a recognized leader in her field within Kawartha Lakes, Samena says her 30 years in the food and beverage industry in the region has offered her irreplaceable life experiences.

“I have had the opportunity to build some lifelong friendships, engage with my community, support my skilled team and teach the next generation of service industry employees.”

The restaurant owner supports her community through youth sport sponsorship, local charities, supporting and engaging with other local small businesses, the local chamber of commerce and local events. She also tries to mentor the young adults that work with her and can’t say enough about her team.

“They are fantastic. It’s a group of driven individuals from all ages and walks of life. I think of us as a band of misfits that over time have learned to balance a work and social life together.”

Her team even includes family members and lifelong friends.

The last few years haven’t exactly been easy. “We opened the Fenelon Falls location three months before the beginning of COVID. The team has worked together with every challenge by supporting each other with grace, understanding, kindness and respect,” she says. “My success is directly linked to them.”

Samena says she tries to lead by example, give respect, and treat others as she would wish to be treated.

“Don’t be afraid to make mistakes as a leader. Be willing to contribute, listen and be brave.”

Photo by Geoff Coleman.

WOMEN

IN BUSINESS

Photo by Sienna Frost.

She learned to tattoo in Toronto in the late 1990s. Once her four kids were in school, though, she opened a shop in her hometown of Lindsay – which just happens to be celebrating its 10th anniversary this fall.

“We really wanted to bring a bright, open and welcoming tattoo space to downtown Lindsay,” Corrie says, “that is inclusive and respectful.”

She says she loves being a part of the downtown community and “we are always looking for ways to support and promote our fellow downtown businesses.”

32 33

Photo by Sienna Frost.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

With her deep knowledge of home renovations, investment properties, entrepreneurship, sales, and marketing, it was only a matter of time before Janet Di Bello made the leap to real estate.

“It just made sense to finally pair together my years of diverse experiences with this new career. It was a natural transition,” she says. Not to mention she knows the area so well, spending her childhood in the Kirkfield area, her teens in Omemee and her 20s living and working in both Bobcaygeon and Fenelon Falls. “I’ve now settled in Lindsay and am raising my family here, but I’ve always lived in Kawartha Lakes.”

Her sales experience has taught her the value of relationships and how to be empathetic of her client’s needs. “A home purchase can be an incredibly emotional transaction which needs to be nurtured.”

Janet believes in continuing education, and in performing an in-depth needs analysis for her clients, which (for those selling) includes how to identify the perfect buyer. “Knowing who the perfect buyer is helps me target them through my custom marketing methods which can result in a quicker sale.”

Real Estate Agent

Janet Di Bello

Creating memorable experiences is her favourite part of her real estate career for everyone involved. “These are big moments and I do as much as I can to ensure it is a positive experience.”

When COVID-19 hit Ruthie Hayes suddenly found herself with extra time on her hands while her home-based hair salon was shut down. With help from her close friend and mentor, Jennifer, Ruthie took over the reins as the new owner/creator at Kawartha Candle Company.

The candles have given her a new opportunity to work outside her home while attending local vendors markets. “I have had the pleasure of meeting so many other local makers and small business owners.”

Ruthie loves being able to provide quality, affordable candles that proudly display the Kawartha name, with scents like Farmhouse, Citrus + Cedarwood, or her number one seller, Maple Butter.

Photo by Mark Ridout.

Photo by Sienna Frost.

Photo by Sienna Frost.

Kennedy’s Appliances & Electronics

Kaylan Lindsay, Cynthia Walker & Karen Schiarizza

CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMENS’ DAY

Kennedys is a downtown staple in Lindsay, started in 1932 by Earl Kennedy, then owned and operated by Gary, Pat and Dale Kennedy. It’s now owned by Zack Kennedy, in its third generation, one of Canada’s longest running family owned and operated appliance and electronic stores.

Zack acknowledges the three incredible women – Cynthia Walker, Karen Schiarizza and Kaylan Lindsay -- “who have helped shape Kennedy’s.”

All are local women with families in the area. Cynthia Walker is known as a human Rolodex; she knows so many people. She’s also seen technology and prices change in her 40 years at Kennedy’s. When she started, VCRs were flying off the shelves at $700 — $2,086 in today’s dollars. Appliances and electronics have come down in price since.

Cynthia has held many roles at Kennedy’s including bookkeeper, video sales, parts/warranty work, customer service, and cleaning. She was the first female hired outside of family. She has no plans to retire as she says she loves to work with her team.

“Without Cynthia’s dedication, the store just simply would not run as smoothly as it does with her here,” says Zack. Karen Schiarizza has been at Kennedy’s for nine years and is now the manager. She helped lead them through re-branding to Kennedy’s Appliances & Electronics, COVID, and a complete renovation while closed.

Zack says he “needed to hire someone with drive and passion,” and when Karen came into the store with a resume “I hired her on the spot, based on the feeling I had about her.”

He says the Lindsay mom of three has drive and passion and is his right-hand woman.

Busy mom Kaylan Lindsay has been a sales specialist at Kennedy’s for two years and says you can’t get the same experience at a big box store.

Kaylan joined the team two years ago but it feels like she’s been with the team from the start,” says Zack. He calls her “an incredible sales person. Kaylan can help multiple people while still making them feel they are the only ones in the store.” Kaylan is also very involved in the community, and helps a few days a week at the local gymnastics club.

Kaylan Lindsay, Cynthia Walker, Karen Schiarizza. Photo: Sienna Frost.

Photo by Sienna Frost.

Photo by Sienna Frost.

Photo by Sienna Frost.

Kathryn Johnson is a Realtor, but sometimes she finds herself in the interesting position of being a referee, marriage counsellor, decorator and design consultant -- all while separating her clients’ wants from their needs. In the end, the goal is to help them achieve their dreams.

“I certainly attribute good listening and communication skills, along with patience and a good sense of humour, as invaluable assets at times,” says Kathryn, who has been in Kawartha Lakes for 35 years.

Her favourite part of her job is solving problems along the way to successfully negotiating on their behalf, then sharing in her clients’ sense of accomplishment and celebrations. “That part is extremely rewarding. Being the one selected to assist them in Buying or Selling is something I take great pride in because they don’t necessarily know how to get there on their own and nor should they, given I’m the professional doing this every day, not them.”

Kathryn says residential properties have been the main portion of her business focus, since single family homes, cottages, condos and farms are the largest component of properties in our communities. However, she also deals in development properties, commercial buildings, leases and recreational properties as required.

While some may feel this is a tricky year to be buying or selling, Kathryn says in her 30 years of doing this full time there’s one constant: “There are always people buying and selling, you just need to have the ability to adapt to the changes in your specific area.”

Kathryn says although interest rates have increased to a more normalized level form the extreme lows we had gotten accustomed to, “prices have also leveled out to a very balanced level equal to pre-pandemic times.”

“If one takes the time to do a comparison, this actually makes properties more affordable now than when the interest rates were lower because the purchase prices were so much higher.”

That means a lower down payment, less principle to pay off over the life of the mortgage, lower land transfer tax fees for buyers. In the end, it helps sellers, too, who quickly become buyers after.

“So a balanced market is a fair market for both parties, which is an ideal time to buy or sell.”

Find out how Kathryn can help make your home dreams come true, whether you’re buying or selling.

Photo by Sienna Frost.

A Different Kind of Bucket List

I’m just one person. What I do is a drop in the bucket. I hear that a lot when it comes to taking action to reduce climate disruption. Why bother? Who’s going to notice if I choose not to fly? If I ride my bike or walk instead of driving, or drive an electric car? If I cut back on burgers?

For years I was one of the people saying the most important thing you can do is vote for climate conscious governments. They wield the most power, make the biggest decisions affecting our emissions. And they do need to take serious action. On our current trajectory we’re set to blow way past that aspirational goal of limiting global heating to 1.5 C since pre-industrial times. And given the mess we’re in at the current 1.2 C increase, we don’t want to go there.

While it’s true that governments and big business have the most influence, we are not powerless. Far from it. A study that looked at the top, proven methods to curb climate disruption found that individual actions alone could reduce global emissions by 20-37 per cent. And individual actions have a snowball effect. Motivational speaker Jim Rohn famously said we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. Other research shows we are influenced by people we haven’t even met. By the time I picked up my electric car, I knew at least six others who drove EVs. Less than two years after I drove my car home, two friends had purchased newer versions of the same vehicle.

Every new EV on the road, or new electric heat pump installed in a home, means fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the World Resources Institute, the average Canadian emits 19.6 tonnes of GHGs a year. The global average is 6.3. To get to a balanced climate, we’re told we should be aiming for 2 to 2.5 tonnes each.

That’s not going to happen overnight. But we know it’s critical that we reduce our emissions globally by about half in the next seven years, so we need all hands on deck. What can little old me do?

Half of us think recycling is the best way a person can reduce emissions, according to an IPSOS poll of almost 24,000 people in 30 countries last year. As it turns out, that is #60 on the list. The top actions are to:

1. Go car free. (Ok, not so practical if you live in a rural area.)

2. Drive an EV. Not there yet? Drive less and carpool, walk or bike more.

3. Vacation closer to home. Taking one less flight to Europe can shrink your emissions by as much as two metric tons. Sure, the plane may still fly, but your money isn’t funding the growth of air travel.

4. Reduce fossil fuel heating. Turn down the thermostat. Make the house more air tight. Eventually, switch from natural gas to a heat pump.

5. Eat more delicious fruits and veggies and less meat. And talk to your friends about what you’re doing and why.

We may think our actions are a drop in the bucket, but as David Suzuki has said, “with enough drops, we can fill any bucket.”

One hundred years ago, in 1923, the famed (yet nearly bankrupt) financier Sir Henry Pellatt was forced to give up his beloved Casa Loma, in midtown Toronto. Among Pellatt’s wealthy neighbours were Sir John Craig Eaton – heir to the T. Eaton & Co. department store empire – and his wife, the Omemee-born Flora McCrea Eaton. Things had been rough for this family of late, as well; Sir John passed away from influenza in 1922, leaving behind his wife of 21 years and five biological children.

Lady Eaton, as she had been called since her husband was knighted in 1915, went on to become one of the country’s best-known philanthropists. But who was Lady Eaton, a local girl after whom an elementary school in Omemee and a college at Trent University are named? Why should her story inspire us, over half a century after her death in 1970?

Sarah Evelyn Florence “Flora” McCrea was born on Nov. 26, 1879 (some sources place her birth in 1880), at the family home in Omemee. Flora’s father, John McCrea, was a skilled woodworker, as was her brother, John M. McCrea. The youngest of eight children, young Flora spent a happy childhood in Omemee. Later in life, she recalled the baked ham, black currant juice, and homemade butter that were regularly enjoyed around the family’s supper table – as well as the excursions that young people took by steamboat to Fenelon Falls in the 1880s and 1890s.

Writing in Memory’s Wall, her autobiography, Lady Eaton recalled with relish “the unselfishness of the older people who spared no effort to make the outings so completely delightful for all the children.”

This spirit of generosity would inform Lady Eaton’s outlook on life throughout her adulthood. In 1901, she married John Craig Eaton, whom she always called “Jack.” They had met while John was convalescing at the Rotherham House private hospital, in Toronto, where she was working as a nurse. The Eatons were a celebrity couple, and within less than a decade Omemee would see the first of three magnificent gifts financed by its favourite daughter and her husband. Up first, in 1907, was a pipe organ for the Methodist Church. A new parsonage, dedicated in memory of Flora’s father, came along in 1910, followed a year later by Coronation Hall. Built to commemorate the coronation of King George V, it was opened amid the sound of music on Dec. 19, 1911, and the Watchman Warder reported that “Mrs. J.C. Eaton sang a pretty little slumber song, which was encored.”

Not quite five years later, in the spring of 1916, the Eatons were back in Victoria County to present colours (ceremonial battle flags) to the 109th Battalion, for which Lady Eaton was serving as patroness.

Among Lady Eaton’s interests were the well-being of seniors – a passion that was reignited after admiring the accessible design of seniors’ housing in Holland, on a trip to Europe after the Second World War.

She made several return trips to her old stomping grounds over the ensuing decades – sometimes to her own embarrassment. In the summer of 1939, Lady Eaton drove up to Omemee for a day, completely forgetting about a luncheon engagement she had already committed to in Toronto.

Flora McCrea Eaton was certainly not one to rest on her laurels. “My life has been a busy one,” she wrote in Memory’s Wall. “Occasionally I have had deep flashes of conviction that bringing up six children must always be a full-time job for any woman. At the same time I have been aware that the person must not be totally submerged in the mother; a woman should have opportunities to extend her knowledge of the world and events, and to widen her interests and develop her talents.”

Among Lady Eaton’s interests were the well-being of seniors – a passion that was reignited after admiring the accessible design of seniors’ housing in Holland, on a trip to Europe after the Second World War.

“If the Netherlands, with its comparatively tiny land area can take action of this kind,” she wrote in 1956, “surely we in Canada could find the space, the money and the heart to take special thought for our needy elder citizens.”

In everything she did, Lady Eaton valued teamwork above all. Being part of a team, she said, “is not only stimulating – it can broaden contacts and deepen respect for our fellow men and women.” She sought to instill these values of teamwork and philanthropy in her grandchildren, whom she adored and who still hold special memories of her. “I was the first grandchild that she had, and I could do no wrong,” recalls John Craig Eaton II, who now summers on Sturgeon Lake, north of Lindsay. “I always thought of her as being very kind, but strict. She was just very good to us.”

Together with his brother, Fredrik, John spent summers at Eaton Hall, the 72-room mansion their grandmother maintained in King City, north of Toronto. Among Lady Eaton’s herd of first-class Holsteins, John says, was one cow that could give up to 40 gallons of milk a day. Lady Eaton’s prowess on horseback at Eaton Hall was well-known, too. “In her 60s, she would still be going over the jumps,” John recalls of his indefatigable grandmother.

Asked to summarize his grandmother’s life in a sentence, John Craig Eaton II is quick to answer: “She loved music, she loved her church, she loved her family, and she loved her country.”

Lady Eaton on horseback, 1947. Courtesy of Toronto Public Library

“She Loved Her Country”

Remembering Flora McCrea Eaton

Lady Eaton celebrating her 80th birthday. Courtesy of Toronto Public Library

MINESTRONE SOUP

As the end of winter nears, access to delicious fresh vegetables can become a challenge. This vegetarian minestrone soup is affordable and adaptable, using winter storage vegetables like carrots and onions, as well as your choice of frozen and fresh vegetables. Serve with bread or buns if on hand.

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 carrots, sliced

2 tbsp olive oil

1 6 oz can tomato paste

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 15oz can white kidney/cannellini beans

1 15oz can chickpeas

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

4 cups vegetable broth

1 tbsp parsley

2 cups greens (fresh or frozen spinach, kale, or chard)

2 cups vegetables (fresh zucchini, potatoes or squash, frozen green beans or peas)

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add carrots, onions and garlic and saute for around 5 minutes, until onions are soft.

2. Add tomato paste to pot and saute for 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn it.

3. Rinse and drain kidney beans and chickpeas, then add to pot with diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning and broth. Also add longer cooking vegetables such as potatoes and squash.

4. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add quicker cooking vegetables such as zucchini and frozen beans and peas, then simmer for 10 minutes more.

5. Finish soup with greens, stirring until wilted, as well as parsley and salt to taste.

Puzzle With a Punch by Barbara Olson

© ClassiCanadian Crosswords

Across

1 Forster novel "___ With a View"

6 Watch part with hands

10 "Gotcha"

14 Singer Joy with the megahit "Riptide"

15 Jai ___ (Basque court game)

16 She played Jennifer on "WKRP in Cincinnati"

17 "___ kick out of ..."

18 Beckon the butler

19 Dominates, slangily

20 "___ boy!" ("Good dog!")

21 Miami's state: Abbr.

22 Failed to as yet

24 More tacky

26 Pilferer's crime

27 Seat of conceit

28 It crawls the walls

29 End for Joseph or Paul

30 Sue Grafton's "___ for Outlaw"

32 Work in an old pool

34 Fiercely protesting

36 "The wearin' ___ green"

38 Garfunkel's partner

40 Transit map lines: Abbr.

41 "Mad Men" glasses style

43 Apiece

45 "Follow me?"

46 Gravy maker's cube

47 Pit stop additive

48 Oilers' city: Abbr.

51 Many Clearasil buyers

53 Resident of LaSalle or Laval

55 Hardly a hard-nose

56 Funeral parlour vessel

57 Nessie's swimming hole

58 Yours, to Yvette

59 Turn off suddenly

61 Just by chance

62 R. & B.'s cousin

63 Olympian's sword

64 Plied with pinot

65 "Come, Cujo"

66 Nada, to a poet

67 "Raison ___"

Down

1 Be a member of the Snowbirds, e.g.

2 Like a motley crew

3 Start of a sequence

4 Group of maids a-milking

5 "Do ___ favour, ..."

6 Iconic novelist Mowat

7 "Are you calling me ___?" (reply to a doubter)

8 Ask to clean out one's desk, maybe

9 Part 3 of the sequence

10 Conceder's comment

11 Knocked to the canvas ... and this puzzle's theme

12 Lickety-split

13 General idea

21 Part 2 of the sequence

23 "Two owls and ___, ..." (limerick line)

25 Gravestone letters, perhaps

29 TSX debut

31 Deflating sound

33 Japanese cabbage?

34 Speaker's space fillers

35 Rainbow, e.g.

36 Words of understanding

37 How slugging boxers stand

39 Tweeter's "Here's what I think"

42 Rice-A44 Perp alert to all cops

47 Simon Fraser University's city 49 Hit maker?

50 Bad half of a Stevenson tale?

52 One of twelve, in Scrabble

53 Part of LGBTQ

54 J.R.'s mom on "Dallas"

55 Miss Universe accessory

60 U.S. air care org.

61 Pass on, as an email: Abbr.

Presented by Spon o ed by

A news magazine program that speaks to you w th stories that ce ebrate ife in our commun ty but also exam ne our cha lenges

Men: We must be better humans

By Trevor Hutchinson Contributing Editor

Guys. Boys. Bros. Men. We have to get our sh*t together. We have to collectively and individually change what we do and how we do it. It literally is a matter of life or death. We have to be allies in making the world a better place for women and girls.

And I’m not talking about some performative action on International Women’s Day. Wearing a ribbon isn’t enough, although demonstrating solidarity is always a good thing.

Us men must change the way we think and live. We must be better humans.

It’s not like we don’t know about the sad state of affairs in our country and world. The numbers don’t lie.

A woman is killed by their current or former partner an average of every six days in Canada. In 2022, there were 184 women victims of femicide: killed because they were women. Approximately one in five of those victims were Inuit, First Nation or Metis women. Almost 70 per cent of police reported family violence is against women and girls. Twenty-five per cent of women in North America will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime.

Think about that. At least one out of every four women or girls you know has been, or will be, sexually assaulted. And for a lot of connected and disturbing reasons, only six out of a 100 of those crimes will be reported to police.

It’s not just about physical violence. Misogyny can be economic as well: The gender pay gap still exists in Canada, where women on average earn less than a man.

But how do we be an ally for women fighting for a safer world that affords equal participation for women? For men, we can start by shutting our cake holes and just listen and learn from the lived experiences of women and girls. Being a father or son doesn’t give us any special voice in these issues. It’s not about us.

But it is about men changing. We can call out sexist behavior or language when we see it. We can stamp out toxic masculinity. The stories out of Hockey Canada are a snapshot of our brokenness in this regard.

We should argue back when anyone is spouting myths about sexual assault. We should continue to fight for equal pay for equal work. We should elect more women locally, provincially and federally and possibly advocate for mandated gender parity in all of our institutions. We should shut down the trolls who attack women politicians.

We should fight for reproductive choice and keep religion out of women’s healthcare and away from women’s bodies.

Locally, we can financially support the Women’s Resource Centre.

These are just a few things we can and must do. And we must do this, and more, now.

Home is where the heart is.

FLATO Developments is a residential and commercial real estate builder in southern Ontario committed to giving back and supporting the communities where they build and operate. To learn more about FLATO’s past and future developments, community commitment, and philanthropic support, visit flatogroup.com.

We are excited to be part of your community!