The Lindsay Advocate - September 2024 by Fireside Publishing House

SOUND SOLUTIONS FOR A CLEAR TOMORROW

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WE ARE A FULL SERVICE HEARING

Having on-site audiologists is essential for personalized hearing care. We provide regular check-ups, tailored treatment plans, and care to enhance your overall well-being. Our dedicated professionals at Lindsay Ear Clinic ensure your hearing health journey is prioritized and personalized.

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MISSION

Fireside Publishing House is the premier print media company in Kawartha Lakes through its family of magazines and all-local weekly newspaper. We believe that community-based media can bring people together and change lives for the better through the power of storytelling, reflecting local culture, and creating informed and engaged citizens. Our commitment is to deliver high-quality and relevant content that reflects the diverse voices and experiences of our communities. We believe in the transformative power of local media to inspire, educate, and empower.

Publisher: Roderick Benns

Editor/Business Development: Rebekah McCracken

Online Editor: Ian McKechnie

Contributing Editor: Trevor Hutchinson

Contributors:

Keely Ross, Lisa Hart, Ginny Colling, Aliyah Mansur, Kirk Winter

Art Direction + Design: Barton Creative Co., Christina Dedes

Photographers: Sienna Frost, Evan Aube

Web Developer: Kimberly Durrant

Printed By: Maracle Inc.

Cover image: Gord and Gladys Masters.

Photo: Evan Aube.

Please send editorial inquiries to Roderick Benns at roderick@lindsayadvocate.ca or by calling 705-341-1496.

Please send advertising inquiries to Rebekah McCracken at rebekah@lindsayadvocate. ca or by calling 705-328-5188, or to Cara Baycroft at 905-431-4638.

The LEX is bigger and better than ever feature 12

Get ready to celebrate the LEX, one of the best agricultural fairs in the province.

The IPM is A-OK as an economic boost to city.

Dementia care providers want more assistance as demand grows.

MEDIA SPONSOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL PLOWING MATCH. OCT. 1ST TO 5TH, 2024

In 1855, The Lindsay Advocate was the very first newspaper in town. Now, more than a century and a half later, we have been proud to carry on that tradition in our city since 2018. As your local ‘paper of record‘ in magazine format, we take this responsibility seriously. Thank you for putting your trust in us as we work with you to strengthen our community.

to the editor

Reader mystified by lack of patios

I just read the article, ‘Lack of riverside patios a missed opportunity,’ (Benns’ Belief, August edition).

The writer outlines a subject that has baffled me before and since moving to Lindsay. This town clearly has much to offer, but the leaders have or refuse to see the benefits of such ventures.

Lindsay, like any growing town, has its shortcomings. However, if that is all that is seen, then that is all we will have and will get. We are not just a bedroom community.

To our council, remove your blinders, open your eyes and redirect some funds towards our town’s future growth and development.

— Cherie Farnsworth, Lindsay

Help with observing birds needed

What a great article by Keely Ross and fantastic photos by Susan Mooney, Teresa Middleton and Michelle Bassie Brown, about the pleasure that can be derived from our avian friends: seeing a lifer, identifying it, then moving on to observing the habits of individual species.

Kawartha Field Naturalists welcome all enthusiasts, whether newbies or experts, to share their experiences and join outings. Some members are also involved in the latest bird research that your readers may not be aware of.

The 3rd Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas is currently in it’s fourth of five years of observations. There remains an entire year of observing birds that needs to be carried out in 2025 by volunteers. If readers want to participate or just learn more about the project, they can check out birdsontario. org. Attend a meeting of the KFN (find us through search engines) and learn how you can add your observations to the database.

— Anne Barbour, Coboconk

Send us your thoughts to be featured here!

“A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding.”

— Marshall McLuhan

Life is short – feed a chipmunk

I am responding to the city, warning Teresa Messina to not feed little critters in her backyard. Well come on! Really? I feed the occasional little chipmunk a peanut. He does not knock on my door for more. I leave him a nut and watch him stuff his expanded cheek and scurry away. He survives quite well without me when I am not at my cottage for months. He knows how to forage and does not rely on me.

He may look for me, but he moves along if there is nothing. What little pleasures do we have in life?

Everything else around us is a controlled, fast, rule-driven world with wars and climate changes and crazy politicians at the helm. Let us find more important things to control or worry. Life is short. Let us enjoy simple things.

— Eve McGuffin, Kawartha

Lakes

Original lilac gardens ruined by park refresh, says reader

Lilac Gardens was a one-of-a-kind, volunteer-built legacy in Lindsay. Writer Lisa Hart only skimmed over the demise of the celebrated lilac gardens. Council failed in consulting and communicating with the people that worked tirelessly to create the famous gardens along the Scugog River.

I, as well as the founding volunteers, am still very upset about council’s decision to do a park refresh and proceed with eradicating the renowned, original lilac gardens. And now our mayor blames the wet weather for all the weeds. Volunteers never let that happen. If Mayor Doug Emslie agrees that the lilac gardens are an important part of Logie Park then why were more than 500 dug up, shifted (to a local nursery) with most ending up dying?

There were 140 memorial lilacs planted, with stones, plaques. A disgrace of high order to the loved ones.

I would really like to see the answers to this council faux pas, in print, for all taxpayers to read.

— Brian Paradoski, Bobcaygeon

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 roderick@lindsayadvocate.ca. Keep your letters to 200 words or less.

Fireside brings back traditional newspaper to Kawartha Lakes

By Roderick Benns Publisher

Since Metroland stopped publishing their Kawartha Lakes This Week print edition last fall, the pressure to bring back a weekly paper has been persistent. We have consistently heard that you love your monthly Advocate but that you still missed the weekly paper.

This tells me at least two things. One, that big corporations clearly cannot be trusted to serve the public interest on their own. And two, that our communities love print and are not eager to depart from their weekly paper habit. And that’s why, dear reader, we have brought your weekly paper back –the all-new, all-local Kawartha Lakes Weekly.

Fireside Publishing House (that’s our business name) produced its first edition of Kawartha Lakes Weekly for delivery to 25,000 homes across the city on Aug. 15. By now, you will have seen a few editions delivered right to your home by Post Media, with flyers inside, each Thursday. There are also boxes across the city where you can pick up a copy.

You told us you missed knowing what’s going on in the community; you told us you liked local sports; that you wanted to know about interesting people; that you wanted to follow city council news; that you liked the classified section; that you valued the obituaries. In short, you wanted to feel more connected to your community.

A fall 2023 study from the non-profit organization, Two Sides, showed that consumers prefer to read the printed version of magazines (72 per cent), and newspapers (55 per cent) over digital options. More consumers believe they gain a deeper understanding of

the story when read from print media over online news sources.

The study also showed that 46 per cent would be more likely to take action after seeing an advertisement in a printed newspaper or magazine than they would if they saw the same ad online. The results reveal that most consumers do not pay attention to online advertisements and 57 per cent do their best to avoid them. (This does not surprise me. We are tired of how busy and top-heavy the online world has become.)

A fall 2023 study from the non-profit organization, Two Sides, showed that consumers prefer to read the printed version of magazines (72 per cent), and newspapers (55 per cent) over digital options.

A 2018 Kantar study found that news magazines in print form are the most trusted source of news, with a 72 per cent positive rating, followed by TV news, radio updates, and national newspapers.

Trust is essential for local democracy to function. And print engenders trust, partly because it shows a true investment has been made. Editors, writers, advertisers, a printer, a delivery team – all in this shared enterprise to bring a carefully curated product to you each week. (Or, in the case of the Advocate, each month.)

It may take us a little time to grow the weekly paper. We can do this only with the help of our small business advertisers and with your continued, constructive support.

with the camera on

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C.H.E.S.T. Fund grants create opportunities

The Lindsay Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund has been an ongoing gift to the town.

The funds stem from former hydro electric commissions and are used to benefit citizens of the geographic area they serve. It offers financial assistance to non-profit, community-based organizations providing programs, projects, services, or activities that improve the quality of life for Lindsay residents in health, arts, culture, leisure, heritage, education, and the environment.

The committee will hold an information night on Wednesday, Sept. 11 from 5-7 p.m. at Carnegie Hall meeting room in the Lindsay library branch. Committee members will answer questions and provide information to those interested in applying for 2025 grants through the Lindsay Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund. The application deadline for 2025 is Oct. 25, 2024.

“The Lindsay Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund is designed to help non-profit community-based organizations fund projects that enhance the quality of life for our residents. Your project could range from a drinking fountain at your local park to a new heating and cooling system for your building. If you think you might qualify for a grant, please contact us for more information,” said Peter Blenkin, Lindsay C.H.E.S.T. committee chair in a recent media release.

There are many examples of past recipients with worthy causes, such as a new vehicle for the Kawartha Lakes Humane Society, installation of a solar panel system at A Place Called Home, and renovation of the Lindsay Little Theatre facility, among many others.

This is a great opportunity for community groups and individuals to make the case for their own worthy causes. Interested attendees should RSVP to LeAnn Donnelly at ldonnelly@kawarthalakes.ca.

Visit the grants and funding page on the city’s website and look for the Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund tab to learn more about the program.

This is an opportunity for worthy groups to benefit from a program that has long been giving back to the Lindsay community.

Dearth of patios in Lindsay should be remedied

I agree with Roderick Benns (Lack of Riverside Patios a Missed Opportunity, August Advocate.)

This summer a friend and I went for lunch at the Lakeview restaurant’s outdoor patio in Port Perry. While enjoying our lunch, we also enjoyed a beautiful view of Lake Scugog and after lunch, a pleasant stroll through the lakeside park. We then strolled through some downtown streets and noticed several intriguing shops.

Yes, we are missing this opportunity in Lindsay. We have a number of lovely parks overlooking the Scugog river that would attract boaters as well as car tourists. And local people would enjoy the outdoor patios as well.

— Patricia Teskey, Kawartha Lakes

Big city burnout: Soul-recovery in a small town

By Aliyah Mansur Contributor

In January of this year, I moved to Lindsay after living in London, UK for three years. Or more accurately, I crash landed in Lindsay after a tumultuous and disheartening year, trying desperately to make that big city dream work. From bad flatmates to a never-ending internship, a breakup that left me trekking to a friend’s place an hour out of the city at midnight, and the eventual loss of my job in February, it was one heck of a return to my home country. Last year I felt stuck at every turn as the city swirled around me. I had drifted along the current of somebody else’s life.

I cried most nights. I had no friends in Lindsay and for months it felt like the world had left me behind.

Fast forward to today and I’m writing this, my second piece for Fireside Publishing House. I’m in more alignment with myself than ever before, feeling connected, grounded, tuned-in, and limitless.

But Lindsay is not my hometown. Born and raised in Toronto, Lindsay was just a place my family moved to while I was overseas. I’d visited, but that feeling of home was missing. I always preferred falling asleep to the sound of bustle outside my window and having the world at my fingertips. Or so I thought.

Landing at Pearson, it took four hours to drive through the snowstorm that welcomed me back. Oh Canada.

I cried most nights. I had no friends in Lindsay and for months it felt like the world had left me behind. The city had chewed me up and spat me out. But I’m a city girl! How could this happen? Even with some key successes early on in my stint abroad, nothing made me feel like my time there wasn’t a complete failure. I was burned out. My health had rapidly declined and the only thing lower was my self-esteem. Then in February I joined a Pilates class at Sweat Happy. I loved it and started going regularly – the affordable, small class sizes and warm, welcoming instructors helped get my physical health back on track.

Spring came, so I started walking to Kindred and spent a few hours every week reading things I enjoyed purely because I enjoyed them. The baristas quickly learned my regular coffee order, and this became another spot where I could see familiar faces.

Summer hit, and family-friends became friends. In the city, public transit and dense traffic constantly got in the way; now, I live down the street from everyone and feel connected to the community like never before.

After six months, I felt it deep in my core, down to the soles of my feet – I had finally come home. This little town helped me find myself. And it was all through simple things, interactions that didn’t feel rushed or transactional. Fear and isolation dissolved, literal wide-open spaces allowed me to find my own current, my own path. I’ve learned that big-city bustle can help you explore who you are but it’s the small-town stillness that lets you find who you are.

The LEX at 170

Ontario’s fourth largest agricultural fair ready to welcome thousands

By Keely Ross

It’s fair to say this is the event so many families look forward to each year.

As the fourth largest agricultural fair in Ontario, the Lindsay Exhibition (LEX) is one of the most anticipated events in the community. This year, celebrating its 170th anniversary, it’s being held from Sept. 14 to 22.

Shanice Sproule, the general manager at the Lindsay Agricultural Society, says they will be hosting a party to celebrate their anniversary on Saturday night of the opening weekend.

“The 170 LEX is promising to be a fair to remember,” she tells the Advocate. The party will be a unique addition to the fair that not only allows us to truly embrace our theme — Harvesting Heritage — but brings a new dimension of fun to opening weekend for exhibitors and visitors alike.”

Being one of the largest agricultural fairs in Ontario, the LEX needs a great deal of support. To put it together they rely on about 400 volunteers and six permanent staff. They also have thousands of exhibitors and about 290 sponsors who all help to make it happen.

That includes Lisa Bowen, the chairperson of the agricultural products committee. She says her work begins as early as spring.

“I meet with my committee and LEX staff in the early spring to review the ag products prize list book and make any changes to classes,” says Bowen. “I confirm the judges for the various

ag products classes. I answer any questions that exhibitors might have about entry requirements and processes.”

Like the committees who run the LEX, the families who participate are also very busy in the days leading up to it. Volunteer Gen Hayes, on the horse board of the fair and shows, says that they prep their horses all season, keep an eye on what poultry and veggies look good and figure out what competitions they want to enter. She says they love the competition at the LEX. “We love to compete and see what everyone else brings.”

About a week before the fair starts Bowen says that they sort all the agriculture product entries and get them ready for judging.

“The busiest day for me is the Tuesday prior to the fair when all the adults and children bring their ag products entries to the fair. Sorting the entries by class number in preparation for judging, recording the judges’ standings, attaching prize ribbons and then arranging the products on the display stands in an attractive manner for fairgoers to view occupies the afternoon and evening on the day prior to opening day.”

The day of the fair is just as busy as the days leading up to it. Hayes says once it’s time for them to show their products and horses they arrive early in the morning. They make sure to have everything packed and the horses bathed the night before. She says it can be quite hectic.

“It’s basically a week of frenzy, or so it feels like.”

Bringing community together is not the only positive. Sproule says that the LEX strengthens local business.

“The Lindsay Exhibition regularly contributes nearly $800,000 in tourist spending to the local economy. The LEX is the largest festival or event in our region and our facility is the largest tourist draw after the Trent-Severn Waterway and the area’s natural features.”

Among all the craziness that happens in the weeks before, the families who participate in the LEX appreciate the tradition of the fair and a lot of them have been participating for generations. For Bowen, continuing this tradition comes naturally to her.

“My parents’ enthusiasm for helping my sister and I grow and prepare our vegetables to enter in the fair spilled over into my adult life as I then encouraged and helped my three children to prepare entries.”

Bowen continues to be involved in the ag products aspect of the fair and says, “volunteering in this capacity has just been a natural part of my life and something that I look forward to each September.” LA

From the demolition derby, midway, rides like the Ferris wheel, and lots of agricultural showings, the LEX is a premier destination for the region.

Machik’s July 31 free screening of Tibetan film The Sacred Arrow was a great success!

WE ESPECIALLY THANK:

Everyone who attended for their interest and their donations Event sponsors, Kawartha Art Gallery, Lindsay + District Chamber of Commerce and Sheila and Bill at Century Cinemas 3

Rotarian Heather Hebert

Lindsay Rotary Club President Heather Hebert recently presented a $1,500 donation from the club to the Kawartha Lakes Food Source. Heather, here with KLFS volunteer co-ordinator Brittni Wells, has been in the Lindsay club for three years, after moving from Ajax. Upon learning of a severe shortage of food and support due to overwhelming demand this summer, the club readily made the donation to help alleviate pressure on the Food Source.

Classics Rustic Brown

Gord and Gladys Masters are heavily involved in the plowing match. Photo: Evan Aube.

Good things grow

Millions in economic spinoff for area predicted by IPM organizers

By Kirk Winter

For the fourth time since 1922, the largest agricultural show of its kind in North America will be rolling into Kawartha Lakes from Oct. 1-5.

Presented under the auspices of the Ontario Plowmen’s Association (OPA) and organized and run by a local committee and hundreds of Kawartha Lakes and area volunteers, the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM) is predicted to generate about $8 million in economic activity.

Almost 60,000 people are expected to attend, many from outside the area.

That doesn’t surprise Gord and Gladys Masters, who farm on Algonquin Road near Little Britain and who are heavily involved in helping out at the IPM.

Gord is director and chair of the RV park while Gladys is chair of souvenirs.

Gord and Gladys have been farming their whole lives. She grew up in Woodville, while Gord grew up two roads over at a time when farming was a slower enterprise. “I grew up with three horses and a two-furrow plow.”

(Using more than two horses is typical for a two-furrow plow, as the weight of the plow and the effort required to drag it through the soil is considerable.)

At that time, Gord said they had “a hard time getting 15 acres done in a week. Now we can do 15 acres in a few minutes.”

Agriculture, like many industries, has gone through a sea change of technological advances. It’s not only a Canadian powerhouse segment of the economy, it’s also the number

one driver of economic wealth in Kawartha Lakes.

To that end, the Kawartha Lakes Economic Development Department and the local IPM committee have partnered in many ways. This includes offering advice to local businesses and communities that are looking to boost their brand and gain massive exposure for their products and services by becoming an active part of this prestigious gathering.

Millions to be spent locally

Last year, Dufferin County hosted the show and was pleased by the experience. Statistics gathered by the Ontario Plowmen’s Association discovered that the crowd at Dufferin was split into two specific cohorts. There were those who travelled fewer than 40 kilometers to attend the show and those who journeyed more than 40 kilometers to partake in the IPM and Rural Expo.

The OPA said that 72 per cent of the total attendees travelled at least 40 kilometres, and that typically these individuals spent much more than local visitors, as many stayed for part or all the show, requiring lodging and food for as many as five days.

Based on this recent show data, Kawartha Lakes organizers are expecting a similar breakdown in the attendees this October, and are hoping that out-of-town guests spend like they did in Dufferin last September.

Local chair of the IPM, Bob Armstrong, believes that out-oftown visitors could generate as much as $4 million in local economic activity.

Armstrong said in a telephone interview with the Advocate that this money is expected to be spread right across the city when the IPM gates close daily at 5 p.m. and thousands of tourists go looking for an evening on the town.

The OPA estimates suggest that between fuel, accommodations, restaurant meals, groceries, beverages, outside merchandise purchased off-site and money spent on other entertainment and attractions in the area, at least half of the $4 million will likely be spent directly at businesses in and around Kawartha Lakes.

“We want our visitors to get out into the community while they are attending the IPM,” Armstrong said. “We want them to enjoy what the city has to offer…go out for dinner or see a show.”

Armstrong pointed out that local merchants like Globus Theatre are already tailoring their business to these out-oftown visitors, offering a dinner theatre with agriculturally based themes that coincide with the IPM and Rural Expo.

Armstrong is also hoping for strong local attendance to bolster the overall numbers as Kawartha Lakes residents attending the show could put another $2 million into the local economy as they enjoy their daytrip to the IPM.

With educating the public about innovations in agriculture central to the show’s mandate, Armstrong is expecting thousands of local students to attend the show on school sponsored field trips to learn about the importance of agriculture to the province and Kawartha Lakes.

“This isn’t a local family fair,” Armstrong said. “There are no rides. This is an opportunity to become better educated about the new ways of farming. It has always been very well supported by the farming community as a whole and we expect 2024 to be no different.”

“We also have a show budget of almost $1.5 million,” Armstrong said. “That entire budget is going to be spent locally on things like renting the Lindsay Exhibition (LEX) grounds, tents, fuel, construction material and hiring the dozens of local tradespeople we will need to make this show a success.”

Gord Masters says the IPM “brings an amazing amount of money into the community.” He notes that most of the profit from the show is retained by the Kawartha Lakes organizing committee for distribution to local charities in the city, upon the show’s completion. Armstrong, says they are “hoping we will have over $100,000 to put back into worthy causes once we are done in October.”

Economic Development offers advice to local vendors

The city has been a huge booster of the IPM and Rural

Expo since the get-go, and Rebecca Mustard, manager of economic development for Kawartha Lakes, hopes many local businesses and individuals take advantage of this once-in-a-generation gathering of the North American agricultural community here in the city.

“The IPM is a community-wide event that celebrates agriculture and rural living,” Mustard said. “This show brings people from across Ontario and beyond. Council has supported the event since it was first proposed in 2020. The IPM will have a big impact on our economy and foster local pride. It will do a great job of showcasing agriculture as one of Kawartha Lakes’ main economic sectors.”

Mustard suggests that the first decision local businesses need to make is the decision to get involved directly with the IPM and Rural Expo.

“Businesses can participate as vendors in the show, or take an ad in the show guide,” Mustard said. “If you are a local business vendor at the show, use local contractors in your work.”

Mustard said in an exchange of emails with the Advocate

Bob Armstrong, chair of the local IPM. Photo: Sarah Fournier.

that local businesses and communities can promote themselves with IPM visitors when they are here for the show or encourage these agri-tourists to come back again another time.

“Businesses can have IPM themes in their marketing,” Mustard said, “by tagging the IPM in their marketing. Businesses can create special offers for the IPM and Rural Expo and join in community themed events aimed to attract IPM visitors.”

Mustard added that “Kawartha Lakes Tourism is promoting our area to event attendees and if you are in the tourism business, make sure you are in and your listing is up to date in the Kawartha Lakes business directory.”

Mustard expects there will be considerable demand for local accommodations of all kinds.

“Beyond the traditional hotel and motel stays,” Mustard said, “those shortterm rentals that have obtained their licenses can be a part of the action. We are also encouraging seasonal accommodations that typically close prior to October, to consider remaining open (one more week) for the event.”

Mustard encourages those organizing events that might be of interest to IPM visitors to put that event in the Kawartha Lakes Tourism event calendar.

Opportunities to display

Armstrong fully supports Mustard’s supposition that companies and individuals who tap into the IPM and Rural

Expo will likely benefit their corporate bottom lines.

“Those IPM visitors are all potential customers,” Armstrong said. “They will meet thousands of potential customers at the IPM. This is the largest event they will ever sell to in this area.”

Dufferin area politician Chris Gerrits, whose community co-hosted the event last year, told local businesses in his township that “the plowing match is about much more than plowing…it is a celebration of all things rural” and a “huge economic opportunity” not to be missed.

When asked if space still remained for new vendors Armstrong was cautionary.

“Right now, we have plenty of space available because we are utilizing the buildings at the LEX for our vendors,” Armstrong said. “We have had a lot of demand recently, and…have had a number of new vendors come forward.”

He said that the cost of space is based on the size of display area the vendor needs. For example, a 25-foot by 75foot outdoor space will rent for $1,275, a 25-foot by 30-foot outdoor space will rent for $750 and an 10-foot by 10foot indoor booth will rent for $775 if only for display purposes, and $1,475 if used for retail purposes.

For more information about becoming a vendor at the IPM and Rural Expo, email localchair2024ipm@gmail.com soon, as space is limited. LA

Saturday October 12, 2024 10am - 4pm

On Thanksgiving Saturday, bring the whole family for a fun filled day of farm and food experiences across Kawartha Lakes!

For tickets: scan the QR code or visit KawarthaFarmfest.com

Adults $5 Kids under 14 Free

8am-12:30pm October 5th

Fill

Tickets available until October 11 at noon

THE KEN FOUND ART FUND

Ken Found exhibited a robust commitment to championing local artists, manifested through his strategic acquisitions for the Kawartha Art Gallery.

In honour of Ken Found's enduring legacy, his family has planned to perpetuate his support for the Kawartha Lakes Art community.

SCAN TO DONATE

PROUDLY FAMILY OWNED, LOCAL MATTERS

Your ears collect sound, but it’s your brain that actually understands it. With hearing loss, there isn’t enough sound information coming to your brain from your ears, or the quality of that information is too low. This makes it much harder for the brain to orient itself in your surroundings, and focus on what’s important. That’s why good hearing helps your brain stay fit throughout your life.

Orient better in the full sound scene

Focus more clearly on what you choose

Improve your understanding of speech

Reduce the effort it takes you to listen

Improve your memory

The cost of caring

Local care businesses challenged by lack of funding and guidance

By Lisa Hart and Ian McKechnie

Kelly Murphy knows from personal experience the challenges of caring for a loved one with complex needs. After struggling to find care for her own father and finding inconsistencies in the standards between different care providers, Murphy opened Purple House Services in 2022. The name, she says, is derived from the colour universally associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. “We want to support our clients so they can age in place with dignity, respect, and independence,” Murphy told the Advocate in 2023.

It is challenging work. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, “providing care for someone living with dementia takes a tremendous toll on the physical and emotional health of the primary caregiver, yet many caregivers often don’t recognize the warning signs, or deny its effect on their health.”

Here in Kawartha Lakes, this sector includes private providers such as Murphy’s business and Silver Lights Senior Services, which began operations in 2018. Within two years, Silver Lights was providing personal support workers to fill gaps in certain health care services – particularly when families were relocating loved ones out of pandemic-ravaged long-term care homes.

But what about support for those services that are dedicated to supporting patients and those entrusted to their care? A recent letter to the Advocate penned by Tammy Adams and Susan Fisher, owner and managing director, respectively, of Silver Lights Senior Services, raised concerns about what they felt was an ongoing lack of support and follow-through from governments at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels.

Challenges and hurdles

The challenges being placed on families and the health care system by dementia are complex, expensive and – according to the Alzheimer Society – growing. Their researchers project that nearly one million people in Canada will be living with dementia by 2030.

Laurie Scott, MPP for Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, Brock echoes the sentiments of Silver Lights’ Adams and Fisher when she says that the importance of supporting seniors in our community cannot be understated. “They have dedicated their lives to raising families, building businesses, volunteering, and contributing in countless ways to make our community what it is today.”

Susan Fisher of Silver Lights Senior Services, left, chats with a client.

Despite comments by Scott that the Ontario government is committed to ensuring small businesses and seniors alike receive the funding and support they need, local businesses providing support services to our vulnerable seniors and their caregivers continue to struggle.

At Silver Lights, Adams and Fisher say they “keep pushing forward because we have a lot of caregivers and clients counting on us.”

When asked about the disappointment expressed in the recent letter to the editor, Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, Brock MP Jamie Schmale followed his acknowledgment of the various gaps in our healthcare system with a reminder that the problem is not isolated to the local region. Schmale points to the massive shortage of nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals as a contributing factor. He also noted that if his party is invited to form a government, they will initiate “a national testing standard to ensure that foreign-trained professionals who meet Canadian standards will be allowed to practice anywhere in the country.”

After a recent presentation to council by Silver Lights Senior Services, Mayor Doug Elmslie explained that there are few funding avenues available for privately-owned companies to receive financial support through the municipality. Elmslie continued by saying that, “Unfortunately, in my experience, a lot of the provincial and federal grants that are out there are for capital money and not operating money.”

Lack of financial support is not the only burden local businesses dedicated to caring for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s face. Murphy explains that navigating regulatory hurdles such as zoning and permit regulations can be demanding. In spite of these obstacles, Purple House is dedicated to working collaboratively with local authorities to find solutions and are focusing on sustainable business practices to ensure their stability and success in providing the highest level of care.

DementiAbility

When debating level of care for those suffering from dementia the term “DementiAbility” will frequently come up. The DementiAbility Method is gaining global recognition as a way of taking care of people by learning about their lives, both from the past and now. Not surprisingly, society has developed negative associations with Alzheimer’s but DementiAbility seeks to change the face of dementia. While the training can be costly, it helps caregivers to better care for their clients by giving their lives meaning and purpose, despite the disease.

To date, Silver Lights Senior Services oversees the only DementiAbility-certified adult day program in Kawartha Lakes – and is one of only six facilities in the province so certified. And Murphy’s business is not far behind, especially as the opening of Bob’s Place – an all-inclusive, fully-secured

home for up to 10 people living with dementia – draws near.

“We are deeply committed to providing exceptional care at Purple House Services and are working towards achieving DementiAbility certification for our facility when it opens,” says Murphy. “This commitment reflects my dedication, driven by the experiences of caring for my parents, Bob and Laurie Dechert, who both have dementia. We strive to make a meaningful difference by equipping our staff with the skills they need to provide the highest level of care.”

Sustaining success stories

Janice Loeb is a longtime Lindsay resident who has seen these skills in action through the work of Silver Lights Senior Services.

Loeb’s mother, Rosaleen, was a skilled athlete who had played competitive badminton, golf, and tennis. An avid gardener, talented baker, and wonderful knitter, Rosaleen was diagnosed with dementia some years ago, and after she moved into a nursing home, the programming offered by Silver Lights became invaluable – for both Loeb and her mother.

Kelly Murphy, owner of Purple House Services, with her father, Bob Dechert. Bob’s Place is a Purple House initiative and will be open soon, named after her dad.

Staff were able to tailor the programming to Rosaleen’s skills and interests, and Loeb herself has been able to take advantage of an encouraging and informative caregiver support group that meets monthly.

“I truly feel that Silver Lights fills a much-needed void in Kawartha Lakes,” says Loeb. “The waiting lists for nursing homes are years long unless you are on a list for crisis placement, and even then, they are months long. Silver Lights offers all sorts of support to keep the client safe and support the caregiver while waiting for placement.”

Yet despite these success stories, the funding challenges are not going away. Silver Lights was successful in receiving the federally-funded New Horizons for Seniors grant in 2022, but has not heard anything since about future funding.

Loeb feels that families who benefit from the sort of services offered by Purple House and Silver Lights would happily support concerted fundraising efforts – but also points out that there are not a lot of families involved with the day program her mother attends, so the pool of donors would be limited. She does wonder, though, if bequests can be made to these businesses following a family member’s death.

Until such time as more predictable sources of funding can be found, however, Murphy, Adams, Fisher – and their teams of professionals – will continue to support those who need it most.

Janice Loeb with her mother, Rosaleen, who receives care from Silver Lights. Tammy Adams, left, is the owner of Silver Lights.

Mayor of Kawartha Lakes, Doug Elmslie.

info@purplehouseinc.ca

705-320-9583

www.purplehouseservices.ca

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There’s no free lunch when it comes to protecting our environment

When my daughter was six, she ate another child’s storebought lunch instead of her homemade sandwich. She then apologized and spent her birthday money to replace the pilfered food.

When we harm others, we should pay compensation. If my tree falls on a neighbour’s yard, I should clean it up. Fair is fair.

For some reason the oil and gas industry doesn’t think like that. They pollute the atmosphere with their products, over-heating the planet, and we pay. We pay in health care costs from higher pollution, heat waves and wildfire smoke. Our municipalities pay to fill more potholes, repair roads washed out by deluges, or to provide cooling centres to protect us from extreme heat. We all pay when wildfires, hail or floods cause destruction. Our fellow creatures pay in lost habitat and lives, too.

The costs of cleaning up after these unnatural disasters have been mounting for decades. Prior to 2008, Canada’s insurance industry shelled out an average of $400 million a year in claims from extreme weather. Since then, the annual average has been $2 billion. This year, Toronto’s flash flood damage alone is estimated at $1 billion. And we don’t yet know the cost of rebuilding Jasper.

For years the fossil fuel industry has followed the tobacco industry’s playbook in denying the harms caused by their products. In the late 90s, with overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the courts ordered the tobacco industry to pay up. Now, attention is turning to the oil, gas, natural gas and coal sector, whose emissions account for over 75 per cent of global climate-warming gases.

Dozens of communities and states are taking fossil fuel companies to court for damages from products they have known for decades were causing destruction. In 1977, Marathon Petroleum’s magazine quoted top scientists who warned that industrial carbon pollution could melt the polar ice caps and “cause widespread starvation and other social and economic calamities.” That same year, ExxonMobil’s own scientists warned of similar consequences of burning their products.

Last fall, the governor of California said, “The climate crisis is, after all, a fossil fuel crisis.” His state launched a lawsuit against big oil and the American Petroleum Institute, arguing they have known about the “catastrophic consequences” of their products for decades. “They covered it up. Suppressed scientific data. Spent millions to cast doubts on climate science. It’s time for them to pay up,” he said. The suit seeks billions in compensation for future climate-related damages.

In May, Vermont became the first state to legislate that oil and gas giants like Exxon and Shell must pay their fair share for damages caused by these more frequent and intense climate disasters.

Here in Canada, Burnaby recently joined five other British Columbia towns in a growing class action lawsuit seeking compensation from fossil fuel companies.

“It is absurd that B.C. communities must pay the price of climate disasters while Big Oil (which is making billions in profit) gets off scot-free,” said Fiona Koza of West Coast Environmental Law, the company coordinating the lawsuit.

We could say the same about Toronto’s flash flood damage, or the fires in Jasper. It’s time for the oil and gas industry to learn what my daughter learned at age six: there’s no free lunch. Time to pay up.

Plowing through time: The IPM in Lindsay

A stroll by the Lindsay Community Gardens, located in the heart of Fleming College’s Frost Campus, will reveal many green thumbed residents quietly cultivating the soil as they tend to their plots. It seems fitting, then, that a little more than a century ago, this site – east of today’s Adult and Alternate Education Centre and west of St. Mary’s Cemetery – played host to the International Plowing Match. Here and in adjacent fields, somewhere between 60,000 and 75,000 participants and spectators gathered to watch furrows being cut through the land.

It was the fall of 1922, and Lindsay was at last on the plowing match’s revolving circuit of host communities – the first time since the IPM got off the ground in 1913. Then as now, planning and organizing for an event of this magnitude was an all-hands-on-deck affair. Planning got underway in February of that year – and not without some naysayers. “There are some of our citizens who claim that this event is of very little importance and will mean nothing to Lindsay if the association decided to hold the match here,” noted a Feb. 11, 1922 editorial in the Lindsay Daily Post. Yet, as the editorial continued, “any demonstration or event that attracts people to a town or city by the thousands is worth going after,” and went on to extol the economic benefits the IPM would bring to Lindsay.

Preparations for the event – which took place from Oct. 1113, 1922 – were made in earnest, with multiple committees being formed to ensure that no detail was overlooked. One of the concerns voiced from the outset was over whether

Lindsay had sufficient accommodation for the deluge of visitors expected from all parts of the province. Members of the Kiwanis Club stepped up to organize billets and established an information bureau on Kent Street. Hot meals were served up in the Armoury by the Ladies’ Aid of Cambridge Street Methodist Church, and young women were encouraged to sign up to help with washing dishes.

As with all large outdoor events, so much was dependent on the weather. “Last week it was feared that for really high class work the ground was going to be too hard, but the rains over the weekend have put an end to those fears,” the Post assured local residents. Just about everything was in readiness by Oct. 10.

At 18 years old, Eugene Timbers competed in plowing matches throughout the UK and Europe. He later farmed near Sunderland and competed in the 1970 IPM, held in Lindsay.

Timbers-Warvill.

Photo courtesy Jacqueline

Lauchlin McQuarrie, surrounded by onlookers, competes in the International Plowing Match, held in Lindsay from October 11-13, 1922. Photo courtesy Roz MacQuarrie.

“Everybody was working and the scene was an animated one,” declared a local reporter. “Motor trucks loaded with farm machinery were being unloaded, while tractors were being set up and placed in position for the big demonstration.”

No plowing match would be complete without a turnout of dignitaries, elected and appointed. All of Lindsay’s previous mayors who were still alive and well in 1922 planned to compete, and Lieutenant Governor Henry Cockshutt (himself heir to a famous plow-making firm) put in an appearance.

But the dignitaries were of course vastly outnumbered by the farmers and former farmers who guided their plows along each furrow with their eye on one of the many prizes awarded in various classes. Indigenous peoples numbered among the participating plowmen, including eight from Deseronto and several from the vicinity of Rice Lake. Johnson Paudash, an Ojibwa veteran and skilled marksman of the First World War and a familiar face in Lindsay, was among those who signed up to showcase his skill behind a plow.

People of all ages participated in this plowing match. A pair of farmers from Argyle and Woodville, respectively, entered the class in sod for men aged 65 and older. Both gentlemen were in their eighties, and yet were more than up for the task ahead of them. The contestant from Argyle was described in The Farmer’s Advocate as having “an alertness and spring in his step that might well have been shown by a man sixty years or younger.” (Sadly, it would be his last hurrah, for after loading his plow into his wagon for the return trip to Argyle, this farmer got lost in a rainstorm, came down with pneumonia, and died shortly thereafter.)

Victoria County would host the International Plowing Match again from Oct. 12-15, 1948 – with the festivities being based at Jack Chambers’ farm near Cambray – and again

between Oct. 13-17, 1970. The latter event must have been a welcome distraction at a time when much of Canada was watching with bated breath as the October Crisis unfolded in Montreal. Far from the Front de libération du Québec drama leaving decision-makers in Ottawa on edge, farmers from across Ontario were once more descending on the fields surrounding Lindsay.

Among them was Eugene Timbers, a native of Milliken, Ontario and a longtime participant in the IPM. Timbers, who farmed near Sunderland and eventually retired to Cannington, had achieved notable fame in 1952, when he competed in plowing matches throughout the United Kingdom and continental Europe. At 18, he was the youngest person from Canada to take part in a European plowing contest, where he won a gold medal for horse-drawn plowing. “The Ministry of Agriculture chose him to go abroad and plow,” says Timbers’ daughter, Jacqueline Timbers-Warvill with pride.

And it is with tremendous pride that Lindsay once more plays host to the IPM – the first time since 1992. Plow on. LA

(but we still love doing storytime) D I S C O V E R E X P L O R E B E E N T E R T A I N E D

Discover endless possibilities at the Kawartha Lakes Public Library! This month, dive into the fantastic programs at the Norland and Omemee branches.

Norland Crafters

Norland Branch • Every Thursday, 2pm – 4pm

Whether it is knitting, crochet, or needlecraft bring your own project for a fun afternoon. Everyone is welcome, including beginners and experienced crafters.

Baby and Me

Omemee Branch • Every Friday, 10:30am

Drop in and sing rhymes, play games, and listen to stories together at this group gathering designed for babies under 24 months and their caregivers.

Cricut Crafting

Omemee Branch • 3rd Friday of month at 12:45pm

Join Library staff to create a craft using pre-cut designs made with our Cricut machine. All supplies free! Limited spots, please register at the branch.

Teen Subscription Boxes

Available four times a year!

Did you know that the library offers FREE subscription boxes for teens? These boxes are available four times a year – one per season. Registration will be required as space is limited. Boxes contain a variety of activities, snacks and drinks. Plus, personalized reading suggestions put together by talented library staff. Watch the library’s social media channels to find out when fall subscription box registration will go live. Follow the library on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram: @kawarthalibrary. Register at kawarthalakeslibrary.ca/teens.

There are so many exciting programs happening at all 14 of our library branches. Visit kawarthalakeslibrary.ca for a complete list of offerings.

High Five

pharmacists fill, for short

Type of casino bandit

School syst. ministry

Mountain in B.C.'s Sunpeaks

___ polloi 37 City where Joan of Arc died

"Hello, sheila!"

52 Toronto's ___ Centre (theatre bought by Sony)

55 Page-turner?

57 Game where birdies fly

59 Oneness

62 Kind of city or circle

63 "The Way," to Confucius

64 Fleetwood Mac's Christine or John 65 Backcomb

66 Emblazoned with a maple leaf, say: Abbr.

67 Way to play with no score

1 "Spare" serving at a barbeque

Aspirin letters 3 Raffi song about a whale

Fieldtrip fundraiser, maybe 5 "___ See Clearly Now" 6 Hillsides, to Burns 7 Not too far left, not too far right 8 Blob of Bubbilicious 9 Stationery buys for recipe boxes

10 Homes for Juan and Carlos 11 Santa ___ (California winds)

12 Marilyn's beauty spot

13 Founded, as a townsite: Abbr. 19 Hosiery hues

21 Dog tag info

23 Once-jailed media baron Black 24 Low tie

28 It "burns, burns, burns," to Johnny Cash 30 High-speed hookup, for short 31 Handy memory stick 32 "Hubba hubba!" 33 Walt with a World 38 "Stop!", to Spielberg 40 "Mad Men" workplace, e.g. 43 Heavily burdened 44 Make ___ cheque

48 Much-shared internet images

50 TV tube gas

52 Passing info?

53 "Citizen" played by Orson Welles

54 ___ Krabappel of "The Simpsons"

56 ___ down (simplify)

58 Commuter syst. to Yonge and Bloor

60 Acapulco aunt

61 Yokel's you're

by Barbara Olson

Ensuring that injured, ill and disabled workers are protected in the workplace is everyone’s responsibility. It requires education, awareness and commitment from workers, unions, employers and the community at large.

Prevention Link’s high-quality and dynamic training has been developed by experienced advocates who bring their commitment, diversity and hands-on knowledge to our programming. Participants gain the necessary skills, confidence and community-building to benefit their workplaces and the workers they represent.

We can provide training just for your members, staff or workplace! Contact us to schedule at your convenience.

Local resident wins Miss Personality Canada 2024 award

By Keely Ross

At the 2024 National Personality Pageants Competition, Emilee Schevers was crowned Miss Personality Canada. Schevers is a 22-year-old from Omemee who has been legally blind her entire life and is an advocate for the disability community.

Schevers has been determined to win this award for the past few years. She says that as someone with a disability, she never thought this would happen.

“This title has been a dream in the making over the past three years. I never thought there was a place for me in the beauty and fashion industry as a person with a disability, so this is not just a win for me but a win for the entire community. It truly feels so surreal and I am immensely grateful.”

Led by a certified Seniors Fitness Instructor, our exercise classes focus on cardio, strength, balance, and flexibility. These sessions encourage participants to stay functionally fit longer and decrease the risk of falls. www.ccckl.ca/wellness

Schevers is a role model for the disability community by not only being part of the beauty and fashion industry but also by creating an online community for individuals with disabilities. In 2018, Schevers and her sister, Hannah, created a website called Tru Faces. It’s for people to be able to connect and share their stories.

She says they were inspired by their childhood to start this project.

“Growing up in a rural community, we often did not have the opportunity to engage with other people with disabilities. When we were able to attend programs at the school for the blind in Brantford. Meeting other people with similar conditions inspired us to create Tru Faces online where everyone could join in and experience connection.”

Since the beginning of Tru Faces it has gained more than 250 entries, they’ve created an advocacy apparel line and have spoken internationally about their campaign. While breaking down barriers and challenging misconceptions, Schevers hopes to inspire people with disabilities to step outside their comfort zone.

“Take the leap and try something new even when people tell you, you can’t or even when you’re unsure how it will turn out. I never thought I’d win a national pageant title in my life and here we are. Anything is possible if you are willing to work for it.”

Miss Personality, Emilee Schevers.

the MARKETPLACE

Local Services & Offerings SERVICES

the MARKETPLACE

lawn care

Local Services & Offerings In Memoriam

Free battery installation at BTW. Lifetime warranty available. We’ll take out your old battery and install a new one in most vehicles. 418 Kawartha Lakes County Rd. 36 (across from Tim Hortons.)

SERVICES

Free battery installation at BTW. Lifetime warranty available. We’ll take out your old battery and install a new one in most vehicles. 418 Kawartha Lakes County Rd. 36 (across from Tim Hortons.)

Camryn’s Painting Free Quotes. References available. Call 705-887-8868

The Lindsay Rotary Club welcomes inquiries from local residents interested in getting involved with an active, rewarding service club. Call 705-328-0469 for more information.

Losing Heat through your Windows?

Cracked or steaming up? May only need your glass replaced. Call Harold 705-887-6608

Losing Heat through your Windows?

Local Services & Offerings

It's Haying Time

John Deere Mower Conditioner

630 Moco $38,000. John Deere Silage Special Baler 459 (bales 1647) $55,000. John Deere 2955 Tractor 2 wheel drive (6708 hours) NEW PRICE $30,000. Please contact Ken at 705-277-2950

Burns’ Snow Removal & Lawn Care Ltd.

FOR SALE Obituary

It's Haying Time

John Deere Mower Conditioner 630 Moco $38,000. John Deere Silage Special Baler 459 (bales 1647) $55,000. John Deere 2955

Tractor 2 wheel drive (6708 hours) NEW PRICE $30,000. Please contact Ken at 705-277-2950

If you're reading this, you know the Advocate's Marketplace page works! A study shows magazines like the Advocate are read, re-read, and trusted – and 78 per cent of readers also trust the advertisers inside. Advertise in the Email Rebekah: rebekah@lindsayadvocate.ca

Droptine Maples Ontario maple syrup. Available for bulk sale or by the bottle/case. 1L, 500ml, 250ml. Call 705-879-1144

Grass cutting, Fall fertilizing & trimming. Snow contracts now available. Commercial & Residential. Fully insured. Call David E. Burns 705-324-8154

Burns’ Snow Removal & Lawn Care Ltd. Grass cutting, Fall fertilizing & trimming. Snow contracts now available. Commercial & Residential. Fully insured. Call David E. Burns 705-324-8154

Hector Greig McNeill

Hector Greig

20’ Ocean Containers

Droptine Maples Ontario maple syrup. Available for bulk sale or by the bottle/case. 1L, 500ml, 250ml. Call 705-879-1144

20’ Ocean Containers

McKenzie’s offers all aspects of outdoor maintenance. -interlock -lift and re level -fencing -gutter cleaning -lawncare -snow removal Call 705-934-4333 Free estimates.

WANTED

McKenzie’s offers all aspects of outdoor maintenance. -interlock -lift and re level -fencing -gutter cleaning -lawncare -snow removal Call 705-934-4333 Free estimates.

WANTED CLASSIC & VINTAGE Cars & Trucks

Cracked or steaming up?

May only need your glass replaced. Call Harold 705-887-6608

Ron’s Scrap Car Removal Cash paid!! Free pick-up Call/text 705-328-4543 rrl62cars@yahoo.ca

New one-trip available in Lindsay. Beige, grey or green. Extra vents for increased airflow and lock-boxes for added security. $3500.00 + Delivery Jeff 647-722-0044 Balanceequipment@gmail.com

Ron’s Scrap Car Removal

Barr Construction Ltd.

Cash paid!! Free pick-up Call/text 705-328-4543 rrl62cars@yahoo.ca

Conventional & ICF basements. Residential, commercial, agricultural additions and floors. Call for a free quote. 705-879-1144

Barr Construction Ltd. Conventional & ICF basements. Residential, commercial, agricultural additions and floors. Call for a free quote. 705-879-1144

FOR RENT

For Rent 1 and 2 bed units from $1,600 & up. Heat, hydro & water included. Adult Building in Lindsay. Call 705-324-9381

New one-trip available in Lindsay. Beige, grey or green. Extra vents for increased airflow and lock-boxes for added security. $3500.00 + Delivery Jeff 647-722-0044 Balanceequipment@gmail.com

Treasures on 35 Antiques. Collectibles. Decorative. Over 30 local vendors. 3921 Hwy 35, Cameron. 705-300-1544 facebook.com/treasureson35andmore

Treasures on 35 Antiques. Collectibles. Decorative. Over 30 local

Please call Mark 613-360-2699

WANTED

Please call Mark 613-360-2699 WANTED

CLASSIC & VINTAGE Cars & Trucks

We Buy Vintage... Vinyl Records, Comics, Costume Jewelry, Glass, China, Pottery, Toys, Sports & All Types of Collectibles. We Make House Calls Cash Paid. Robert & Penny 705-324-2699 www.howlingdog.rocks

We Buy Vintage... Vinyl Records, Comics, Costume Jewelry, Glass, China, Pottery, Toys, Sports & All Types of Collectibles. We Make House Calls

Hector passed away peacefully on June 6, 2024 at Ross Memorial Hospital at age 90. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 33 years, Lois McNeill (nee Squires) and was predeceased by his wife Daphne McNeill (nee Stephenson). He was a proud father to Heather and Peter (Marla), stepfather to Brian (predeceased), Lisa (Spencer predeceased), Lori (Casey), grandfather to Alexandra, Tess, Halle, Will, Ben, Mya, Brody, Chloe and Thomas, great grandfather to James and Lily.

Hector passed away peacefully on June 6, 2024 at Ross Memorial Hospital at age 90.

He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 33 years, Lois McNeill (nee Squires) and was predeceased by his wife Daphne McNeill (nee Stephenson). He was a proud father to Heather and Peter (Marla), stepfather to Brian (predeceased), Lisa (Spencer predeceased), Lori (Casey), grandfather to Alexandra, Tess, Halle, Will, Ben, Mya, Brody, Chloe and Thomas, great grandfather to James and Lily. Hector began his life in St. Anthony, Newfoundland along with his sister Lois and brother Curtis.

Hector began his life in St. Anthony, Newfoundland along with his sister Lois and brother Curtis.

Retired from the former North York School Board after a 35-year career in education as a principal, he was a conservationist at heart and loved the outdoors, travel, birds and boats of all kinds.

The family would like to thank the staff of Ross Memorial Hospital and Caressant Care Mclaughlin who ensured that Hector was well cared for during his residence.

Retired from the former North York School Board after a 35-year career in education as a principal, he was a conservationist at heart and loved the outdoors, travel, birds and boats of all kinds.

On the 23rd of September 1977, Jesus created someone so special and unique he said to the angels in heaven I call her Heather Leah Cole. She was a gift to the world and had the best laugh, the best smile, and the biggest heart. This year you would have been 47 but to me you will always be 44. It saddens me that you didn’t get the chance to come over to Australia and meet your future in-laws.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Mackey Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life will take place on July 19, 2024 from 2-5pm at Celebrations 35 Lindsay Street North (705) 341-7872. If you so wish, donations can be made to the Ross Memorial Hospital or Boys and Girls Clubs of Kawartha Lakes in Hector’s memory.

The family would like to thank the staff of Ross Memorial Hospital and Caressant Care Mclaughlin who ensured that Hector was well cared for during his residence.

It breaks my heart that I can’t call you and say Happy Birthday Heather, but I know you are in heaven. Happy Birthday in heaven.

On-line condolences at www.mackeys.ca

I love you Heather Cole. RIP sweetheart. Your hubbell, Ben Serhan.

Heather Leah Cole

Hospital pressures no laughing matter, Premier Ford

Last month, at the grand opening of a 60,000 square foot animal hospital north of Toronto, Premier Ford joked, “by the looks of it we know where we can send the overflow patients now for MRIs and CAT scans and everything else,” as quoted by the CBC and other news services.

Political advisors of every stripe would agree that that was an ill-advised joke. But underlying the suggestion that those waiting for health services could use a hospital meant for cats and dogs is the plain truth that our health services are underserved and underfunded.

While I don’t think our premier really wants me to be lying in a bed next to Fluffy, it appears that, based on funding priorities, Ford and his ilk want us to access more and more care outside of public hospitals. The $1.2 billion health care increase announced in February sounds impressive, and the government certainly trumpeted it. Thing is, this 1.5 per cent increase is really not near as much as it sounds when you take into account population growth and inflation. But private clinics? They are doing well, according to the Ontario Health Coalition, which analyzed independent government figures. Private health facilities received a whopping 212 per cent funding increase. So while I may not be in a bed next to Fido, it’s clear someone is in bed with someone else.

Ontario funds its hospitals lower per capita than any other province, and most of us would agree we see that locally. The last time there was a grand opening for a major expansion at Ross Memorial Hospital (RMH) was April, 2005. For historical context, that was the month when the first YouTube video was uploaded.

By Trevor Hutchinson Contributing Editor

And just like YouTube, RMH is busting at the seams.

Since 2005, the population of Kawar tha Lakes (which is only part of the catchment area of the RMH) has grown by an estimated 10 per cent. And ac cording to our mayor, the population of Lindsay alone will double in the next 10 years.

Thing is, this 1.5 per cent increase is not near as much as it sounds when you take into account population growth and inflation. But private clinics? They are doing well, according to the Ontario Health Coalition.

But population growth is not the only stressor on our local hospital. An aging population that is living longer requires more complex medical care. A shortage of family doctors means that people are using hospital emergency services because they don’t have a family doctor. As is the super jail population. And the growing mental health, homelessness and drug problems in our society lead to more hospital usage.

Granted some of the stressors could be reduced with other proactive policy measures, by, I don’t know, perhaps actually addressing homelessness and mental health. But based on population growth estimates alone, we should be expanding the RMH or building another hospital now. Not in 10 years when the growth has already happened. But from our leaders? Silence. As a classic Far Side cartoon once riffed on silence, ‘somewhere in the distance, a dog barked.’

Celebrate agriculture and rural living at the 2024 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo.

The Match offers 100s of vendors and exhibitors highlighting agriculture, food, lifestyles, and more.

Experience the past while checking out the antique and historical displays. Daily plowing competitions showcase plowing techniques ranging from the antique to the modern. Relax and take in the fabulous variety of talent and entertainment that will take place on various stages throughout the Match.

October 1st to 5th, 2024 at the Lindsay Fairgrounds For

Become a sponsor or exhibitor and promote your products and services to thousands of potential new customers. Volunteers for a wide variety of roles are welcomed too.