Gardens abuzz for youth project
Young gardeners invited to join Pollinator
By Tamara Botting The Haldimand Press
TOWNSEND/DUNNVILLE—Aspiring gardeners are being invited to give their green thumbs a workout as Haldimand-Norfolk REACH is once again expanding its pollinator gardens.
“We’re trying to connect kids with nature, as nature is a really great way to help kids to self-regulate,” said Nancy Schuur, Group Services and Prevention Worker, who is spearheading the Pollinator Pals initiative. This is the second year for this targeted prevention program within the agency.
“Gardening is such a great tool to keep the mind busy with focusing on the flowers, they’re not thinking about their worries or anything else,” Schuur said.
Last year, two pollinator-friendly gardens were installed: one at HN REACH’s 101 Nanticoke Creek Parkway, Townsend location, in partnership with Grand River Home Hardware in Caledonia and the Haldimand Horticultural Society; and the other at 110 Ramsey Drive, Dunnville, in partnership with GrandErie Home Hardware and Dunnville Horticultural Society.
“Every year, we’ll be adding to these gardens,” Schuur said.
There are two planting days scheduled, on June 5 in Townsend and June 19 in Dunnville. Both sessions will run from 4-5 p.m. and are open to any youths ages 7-11 years old.
“Every child that joins will help us plant some flowers; they’ll also help us create some water vessels for insects and birds,” Schuur said. She added that pollinator gardens are import-
Hagersville Library & Active Living Centre to break ground this summer
By Mike Renzella The Haldimand Press
HAGERSVILLE—The long-in-development Hagersville Library and Active Living Centre got a big update last week, revealing July as the scheduled start date for construction on the multi-use facility originally spearheaded by former Ward 4 Councillor Tony Dalimonte.
Mike Evers, Haldimand’s General Manager of Community and Development Services, gave a comprehensive overview of where the project currently stands, and a timeline of what residents of the area can expect next: “(It’s) nearing the finish line from the desktop, design, and planning end of things. We’re very close to being at that point where we enter into the ground-breaking and construction phase of the project.”
He said that staff have been busy over the past year and a half.
“That includes completing all of the architectural building plans, that was a milestone achieved in early May. The site plan process and the civil engineering plan have been completed. The site plan has been approved. That was also in early May,” said Evers.
“As a team we’ve done a few facility visits to start to generate ideas and figure out some opportunities as it relates to
programming for the active living centre in particular. Those visits will continue over the next few months.”
Evers noted that the building permit application has been submitted, calling it a significant milestone in the process.
“We’re hoping to get the tender out in the next one to two weeks. That really wraps up the design stage of the project,” he continued. “Once the tender is awarded, which we’re hoping to do in July, that’s when the real fun starts to happen.”
Once the ground is broken and construction is underway, residents can expect that process to last through to roughly October 2025.
“That gives you a good sense of the construction timeline. It’s lengthy, but it’s a big project with lots of complexities to the site and the inner workings of the facility,” Evers concluded.
A staff report provided further information on the many wheels spinning behind the scenes to bring the project to fruition, noting that the community fundraising campaign has accumulated $1.7 million in raised/committed funds.
It also notes that occupancy of the site is anticipated to be, at earliest, late summer 2025. Program development usage schedules for the facility, which will also host private events in addition to offering community services, will be factored into the 2025 operating budget.
Stay tuned for more updates as they develop.
“This teaches the kids to not only be conscious of themselves, but also the environment around them.
Nancy Schuur, group services and prevention worker
ant because “right now, we are having a crisis with our bee population. And actually, southern Ontario is in the migrant pathway for the monarch butterflies, which also need a lot of help. These gardens can act as landing spots for the monarch butterflies in their migration, but they also create pollinator places for bees where they are safe and they can pollinate and hopefully flourish.”
By teaching participants about the ecological role pollinators fulfill alongside a lesson about the importance of self-care, Schuur said, “This teaches the kids to not only be conscious of themselves, but also the environment around them; to be sustainable in their mental health is to be sustainable within the environment.”
Schuur said the hope with Pollinator Pals is to get participants to come out each year, while also adding new gardeners to the group.
This year, as a special gift, participants at the planting sessions will receive a crocheted bee, made by Sam Overholt from HN REACH’s Youth Mental Health Alliance.
Continued on Page 10
CALEDONIA—In an unexpected outcome from her Haldimand Press feature, Doris Young can now officially say she’s a high school graduate at age 100. See the full story on Page 10.
River experience survey out now
To The Haldimand Press
HALDIMAND—Haldimand County is developing a Lower Grand River Visitor Experience Strategy.
As part of the consultation, Haldimand is inviting community members to participate in an online survey to gather insights that will shape the strategic direction of tourism development in the region.
The experience strategy aims to unlock the river’s potential while ensuring that we are mindful of local ecology and are in alignment with the needs of the public.
The online survey is currently open and closes June 7, 2024. It can be accessed at businesshaldimand.ca.
was made possible with financial support from various partners.
As the Lower Grand River Visitor Experience Strategy begins to take shape, it’s clear that a collaborative effort lies at its core.
The Grand River is woven into the fabric of Haldimand, having served as an artery for commerce and recreation, and holding a deep connection to the area’s cultural heritage.
Celebrating its 30th year in 2024 as a recognized Canadian Heritage River, the Grand River stands as a testament to the rich tapestry of Canadian history.
“We are committed to ensuring that the tourism developments in Haldimand County are inclusive, innovative, and environmentally sustainable,” stated Lidy Romanuk, Manager Economic Development and Tourism Division. “The communities’ contributions will play a key vital role in shaping a tourism framework that shapes Haldimand’s vision for tourism and the Grand River moving forward.”
The development of this strategy
“The Grand River represents significant potential for Haldimand County’s tourism sector, drawing responsible visitors and creating unforgettable experiences. It’s through our collective efforts that we can maximize its allure and ensure sustainable growth for the region,” said Joanne Wolnik, Executive Director, Southwest Ontario Tourism Corp. For more information on the survey and to contribute to the Lower Grand River Visitor Experience Strategy, visit businesshaldimand.ca or contact: tourism@haldimandcounty.on.ca
Haldimand Press wins BNC awards
By Haldimand Press Staff
HALDIMAND — The Haldimand Press has won three first place, two second place, and two third place awards at the Ontario Community Newspaper Association’s annual Better Newspaper Competition, which shines a spotlight on notable journalistic efforts in the province.
Haldimand Press reporter and assistant editor Mike Renzella managed to beat his second-place achievement from 2022, being recognized this year with top honours as the Reporter of the Year. The award was won based on his articles:
topped the podium twice in this year’s BNC awards.
He achieved first place in the Health & Wellness category based on the October 13, 2022 article “All in a day’s work: A look at Haldimand’s innovative Community Paramedic program, featuring Tanner the wellness dog.”
This article saw Renzella tag along with one of Haldimand’s canine employees as they visited patients across the county to support health and happiness.
November 17, 2022 piece
“Killman Zoo responds to World Animal Protection report on ‘roadside zoos’” in the investigative news category and The Press’ annual Farms Harvest edition for special section.
“Retired Afghanistan vet MCpl Berk ‘Sago’ Sagocak on service, PTSD, and overcoming mental health stigmas in the military”, published November 10, 2022; “Allegations of improper care launched against All for the Dogs”, published April 27, 2023; and • “Unlicensed cemetery on private land highlights need to protect local history”, published July 27, 2023. Other work by Renzella
Additionally, his June 1, 2023 article “Cayuga farmer runs successful farm while entertaining millions online” took home first place in the Best Rural Story category. This article featured Cayuga farmer and TikTok celebrity Hayden Fox for his efforts to bring ag awareness to the masses online.
The two second place awards for The Press were for Best Community Website – Circulation Under 9,999 (haldimandpress.com) and the In-House Promotion category, based on our “How It’s Made” special feature detailing the steps of making the newspaper each week.
The final third place awards came for Renzella’s
This year’s BNC ceremony also included the induction of five “extraordinary individuals” to its Hall of Fame. Among those individuals is The Haldimand Press’ publisher emeritus Bob Hall, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 82 after a lifetime working with newspapers.
“Bob Hall was born with ink in his veins and naturally followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather into the newspaper industry. His parents, Gordon and Marion, purchased the Haldimand Advocate in 1931 with Bob coming along in 1937,” reads his OCNA biography.
“By 16, he was already maintaining the paper’s linotype machine and, after his father’s death in 1965, took over as the paper’s editor and publisher. Ten years later, he amalgamated the Advocate with The Hagersville Press to form The Haldimand Press, which he owned and led until he retired in 2014.”
Current publishers of The Press, Kaitlyn Clark and Jillian Taylor, are grateful for all of Bob Hall’s work. It is thanks to his tireless dedication and community vision that The Press thrived and grew under his leadership, paving the path for its continued success supporting our community.
See the full history of Bob Hall’s legacy at ocna.org/bob-hall-formerowner-publisher-thehaldimand-press. The Press thanks all of our subscribers and advertisers. While recognition is great, it means nothing if it’s not in service to our readers, and it would not be possible without your support.
Bob Hall, Publisher Emeritus
New drug and alcohol strategy targets drug,
and cigarette addiction in the community
By Mike Renzella
The Haldimand Press
HALDIMAND—Haldimand Norfolk Health and Social Services (HNHSS) is behind a new community drug and alcohol strategy that will utilize a four-pillar approach toward reducing the harmful impacts of substance use in the region.
According to Jackie Wood, HNHSS Program Manager of Planning and Evaluation, the new approach is well-needed within Haldimand and Norfolk. In 2022 there were 6,500 naloxone doses provided, and 19 opioid deaths with fentanyl present in 60% of those deaths.
“As we look back at the impact of opioid deaths in our region in the last two decades, we can see an increase in more toxic opioids and an escalating number of fatalities,” said Wood.
On alcohol, Wood noted 557 ER visits in 2021 “entirely attributable to alcohol,” while noting that Haldimand has had the “highest self-reported rate of consuming seven or more standard drinks in the past seven days” in the province as well.
“Altogether these statistics are very concerning, but the last is the most severe, as this indicator represents the highest risk on the health risk continuum used by Canada,” said Wood. Next up was smoking, which Wood at-
tributed to 201 deaths, 763 hospitalizations, and 1,824 ER visits in an average year in Haldimand. Further, Wood said those stats account for 18.1% of all deaths, 9.3% of all hospitalizations, and 4.2% of all ER visits.
On cannabis, Wood said the number of ER visits for cannabis-related poisoning per 100,000 people has risen 55% since 2021.
“The harms of cannabis should not be underestimated. As such, the HNHU is working with the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addictions to promote the pediatric cannabis poisonings toolkit,” said Wood, noting that Haldimand’s rate of youths aged 0-12 who experience cannabis poisoning remains higher than the Ontario average after sitting on top in 2021.
She added, “This toolkit conveys the important message of keeping cannabis and edibles stored out of reach of children in the same way we do for other dangerous household items.”
She said a big part of the new strategy is about starting at the root.
“The root causes of substance use include a complex mixture of biological, environmental, and social factors,” said Wood. “No one can completely predict who will have a substance abuse disorder, making substance abuse a complex problem requiring a comprehensive approach.”
The new strategy touts an “evidence-based approach.… It provides a
By The Numbers
Substance use in Haldimand Norfolk
Smoking
In an average year:
• 201 deaths
763 hospitalizations
1,824 ER vists
• 18.1% of all deaths over age 35
Opioids
Alcohol
557 ER visits related to alcohol in 2021
Highest self-reported consumption of 7 or more drinks in 7-day period
In 2022: 6,500 doses of naloxone distributed 19 opioid-related deaths
• Fentanyl present in 60% of opioid-related deaths
framework for action, bringing together partners from across sectors to work towards common goals, including reducing substance use prevalence, improving access for services, reducing stigma, and enhancing community safety.”
Wood explained the four-pillar approach using a river as an analogy.
“Imagine a river running through our community representing the challenges of substance use. There’s a risk for people falling in the river and being swept away.”
Using the strategies’ approach, education would be the first tool used to help steer at-risk people away from the edge of the river: “We will educate youth about the risk of substance abuse…. This includes enhancing school-based interventions, prevention programs, and community awareness campaigns.”
If someone does end up in the river, the next step is helping them swim to shore by focusing on “providing accessible, evidence-based treatment services for substance use disorder. This includes increasing access to counselling, medication-assisted treatment, and residential treatment programs.”
Wood said for instances where the river is too dangerous to go in after someone, harm reduction becomes the focus, calling this step a crucial component of the strategy focused on reducing the harms related
to substance use: “This includes distributing naloxone kits, provisioning sterile supplies to lower blood-born infection rates, and support programs.”
The last pillar is community safety, which Wood analogized as “keeping the people safe by making the river harder to access and punishment for anyone pushing people into the river” by addressing the “crime and social disorder related to problematic drug and alcohol use.”
Toward that goal, the strategy calls for increased collaboration between health and social services and law enforcement, including “implementation of diversion programs for low-risk offenders and exploring safer options.”
She concluded, “These pillars create a comprehensive approach to substance abuse, ensuring the wellbeing and safety of all residents in our community.”
Councillor Stewart Patterson asked Wood where the stats used as the basis for the strategy came from.
“All of the data used for this presentation came from either national or provincial reputable data sources,” said Wood.
Mayor Shelley Ann Bentley concluded the discussion by thanking HNHSS for their work: “I know this is very important for our community and I look forward to seeing what your four pillars can do to help us out with our crisis here.”
HALDIMAND—The above chart depicts the scale of substance use.
—Photo courtesy of Haldimand Norfolk Health and Social Services.
Fibre artists invited to World Wide Knit in Public Day
By Tamara Botting The Haldimand Press
HAGERSVILLE—“I just don’t have the patience to do that.”
If they’ve heard it once, Debbie Allan and Sandra Croley have heard it a thousand times from someone who has spotted them knitting or crocheting out in public.
It’s too bad that people dismiss these activities, the pair say, because they just might be missing out on something highly beneficial.
“It’s important to have something to slow you down,” said Croley, who tends to prefer knitting.
Allan, who leans toward crocheting, agreed. “I find it very relaxing.… You get in a zen mode.”
Croley said in many ways, society in general is driven to seek instant gratification, and activities like knitting and crocheting are good ways to practice patience.
“It’s not about getting that sweater in the end; it’s about the journey,” she said.
Allan added that these activities are a great way to keep your mind sharp.
“You can always learn something new, even if you’ve been knitting and crocheting for years,” she said.
Croley agreed, adding, “You can always improve.”
Both women started with fibre arts from a young age, and now have over 50 years of experience each under their belts.
Allan’s grandma was an avid crocheter, so when Allan fell sick with pneumonia at age 12 and couldn’t leave the house, her grandma taught her how to make a dresser scarf with cotton thread in a pineapple stitch.
After that, “I just kept doing the fine crochet,” Allan said, adding that she didn’t start making granny squares, a staple in the crochet world, until she was pregnant with her daughter many years later.
Lately, she spends a lot of her crocheting time as a volunteer pattern tester for UK creator Laura Sutcliffe of Laura Loves Crochet. Many of Sutcliffe’s designs are for amigurumi, which are stuffed 3D creations that are knitted or crocheted; these may be toys, or they may be made purely for aesthetic purposes. Allan’s efforts have centred around Sutcliffe’s mice-themed series.
Croley said she learned how to knit when she was quite young, and it was a skill set she carried with her into adulthood.
“I did a lot of sock knitting as a hockey mom,” she said.
Croley appreciates skills like knitting,
crocheting, and quilting – which both she and Allan do as well – because they’re “something that gets passed on through the generations.”
Of course, technology has made these skills even more accessible for those wishing to learn.
“YouTube is huge,” Croley said. “That’s how my one son learned how to knit.” She and Allan also noted that there are many patterns available online, suggesting ravelry.com in particular as a resource they’ve both used. Whether someone is just learning how to knit or crochet (or tatting, spinning, macrame, etc.), or they’re a seasoned expert, Al-
lan and Croley are inviting everyone to join them in Sgt. Andrew Harnett Memorial Park at 13 Laidlaw St., Hagersville near the pavilion on June 8 from 1-4 p.m. for World Wide Knit in Public Day. Bring your own lawn chair or blanket to sit on, and – of course – your project to work on.
This will be the third time Croley has taken part.
“I have a group of three or four friends, and we get together and knit. It’s pretty casual,” she said. In 2022, she suggested the group participate in World Wide Knit in Public Day, and three people showed up. Last year,
she posted about the gathering ahead of time on social media, and about 15 people came. She’s hoping even more people will come out this year.
“There could be women or men sitting at home thinking it would be a nice afternoon,” she said, and participating in an event like this is a great way to “feel like you’re part of something bigger,” since knitting and crocheting can often be solitary activities.
Besides the camaraderie, the June 8 event will be a chance for participants to win some door prizes, as The Wool Pirate, an online yarn store based out of Norfolk County, has confirmed it will be stopping by.
For those who are unable to make it out on June 8, Allan and Croley encourage local fibre artists to check out the Haldimand County Public Library’s social knitting clubs, which take place in Caledonia (second and fourth Tuesday of the month from 5-7 p.m.), Dunnville (Thursdays from 1-4 p.m.), Hagersville (Thursdays from 6-7:30 p.m.), and Jarvis (Thursdays from 2-4 p.m.).
And even if fibre arts aren’t your thing, Croley encourages everyone to try different activities, like reading, baking, woodworking, etc., until you find one that sparks your interest: “It’s good to have a passion for something,” she said.
HAGERSVILLE—Local fibre arts enthusiasts (l-r) Debbie Allan and Sandra Croley are inviting other knitters, crocheters, etc. to join them in Sgt. Andrew Harnett Memorial Park in Hagersville June 8 for World Wide Knit in Public Day. —Haldimand Press photos by Tamara Botting.
OPINION
If government sets the stage, young people can perform
By Bobbi Ann Brady MPP, Haldimand Norfolk
For far too long, the skilled trades have been undermined in our educational institutions and by academics alike. Today, there’s a race to usher as many young people into the trades as policymakers claim a shortage in many sectors. Many still believe college and university are the only options beyond high school. However, I learned lately Ontario has much to do to get skilled trades and apprenticeships on track.
At the beginning of May, the Ontario Government introduced new policy to attract more young people to the trades, including adding a new apprenticeship pathway and an online job matching platform. This new pathway is Focused Apprenticeship Skills Training (FAST). FAST will allow students in Grades 11 and 12 to participate in more apprenticeship learning through additional co-operative education credits while completing high school. These initiatives are designed to promote the skilled trades to youth and workers and help set them on a path to rewarding, well-paying careers as electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and other skilled trades.
I hope this results in some positive outcomes because what I have heard lately is concerning and contradictory. Locally, I’ve been told certain trades, like builders for example, are experiencing a lull and their business is the quietest it’s ever been. Some have had to seek other employment to supplement their income.
I have told the Premier on more than one occasion the environment to build in Ontario doesn’t exist today. Some contractors have told me they cannot compete with those undercutting who pay under the table, or who don’t offer benefits or competitive wages.
Young people who have been enticed by
the idea the trades is a pathway to success also tell me they are experiencing trouble finding apprenticeships. And yet we continually hear the shortage in skilled trades exists. My suspicion is there are still too many obstacles and red tape for those contractors who would like to give a young person the opportunity to enter the workforce. I would love to hear from local contractors to get the true lay of the land on this.
Getting back to the issue of young people entering the trades, the Workplace Planning Board of Grand Erie hosted Epic Jobs at the Wayne Gretzky Centre recently (see Page 23 for more). This grand-scale event brought together trades employers with prospective future employees in the form of students. More than 2,000 Grade 7 and 8 students from the Grand Erie District School Board and Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk Catholic District School Board attended the event.
Epic Jobs was created to inform students in Grades 7 and 8 about the numerous trade careers available. Organizers say this event is often the students’ first exposure to jobs in the trades. The Workforce Planning Board is one of 26 non-profit organizations in Ontario playing a leadership role in labour force planning.
Touring the event, I was glad to see Haldimand and Norfolk employers showcasing their trade. Other exhibitors extolled the excitement of careers as a firefighter or paramedic while industry representatives talked about what they had to offer.
Together with curriculum changes, the hope is Epic Jobs will influence students into making career choices that will ensure we can build for the future. Government must do its utmost to set the stage and ensure our economy rebounds and create an atmosphere for contractors to offer competitive jobs in the trades. For its part, reducing red tape is within the government’s purview. Once these key factors are in place and interest rates drop, I believe Ontario will be well suited to meet the demands of the future.
THIS WEEK’S LITTLE GEM
One evening shortly after his honeymoon, Tim was busy organizing his golfing equipment, dreaming of warmer days and spending time on the course with his buddies that summer.
His wife stood nearby watching him. After a long period of silence she said, “Tim, I’ve been thinking, now that we’re married maybe it’s time you quit golfing. You spend so much time on the course. You could probably get a good price for your clubs.”
Upon hearing her, Tim’s face turned a shade of green similar to the fairways he’d been dreaming of seconds earlier.
“Darling, what’s wrong?” asked his wife.
“For a minute there you were beginning to sound like my ex-wife.”
“Ex-wife!” she screamed in shock, “I didn’t know you were married before!”
“I wasn’t,” he replied.
The Evers Financial Group
139 Argyle Street North, Caledonia
Phone: 905-765-0265 | Toll Free: 1-800-267-5956
Email: admin@evers-financial.com
Letter to the editor
To the Editors,
I’m not opposed to all loud engines or to fast cars and motorcycles. But has anyone else been wondering why racing fans can’t keep their speed and noise confined to the track at Kohler? What’s up with their screaming along the scenic back roads around Cayuga through whole afternoons and into the
late evening, assaulting the surrounding rural countryside with the sound of their mufflerless, backfiring cars, and bikes? And it’s been getting worse. This past Friday, May 24 was as bad as it’s ever been. Why aren’t they more considerate neighbours?
Creative Corner
Do you have something creative to share? Email publishers@haldimandpress.com with your name and town of residence. Writing should be within 300 words. Publication not guaranteed. If These Walls Could Talk by Roger L. Arnold
Has anyone ever had such an emotional inspiration that you have to write it down? I had this very experience recently after watching a video of Hank Williams Jr. talking about his late father. This inspired me to write this short story passage that I’ve entitled “If These Walls Could Talk.”
Who remembers tuning in to the Grand Ole Opry show every Saturday evening and hearing WSM 680’s George D Hayes: “Welcome ladies and gentlemen to another evening here at the Grand Ole Opry ... Let ‘er go boys!” And the house band would start to play!
Many a legend has graced the stage of the Ryman Auditorium from the earliest beginnings with AP Carter family, Roy Acuff, Kitty Wells, and many many more. When one enters this great auditorium when it is empty, you can almost hear the rafters radiating with the ghostly haunting voice of Hank Williams Sr. and ‘I Saw the Light,’ or Loretta Lynn’s ‘Coal Miner's Daughter’!
So many great talented country music kings and queens has gotten their start standing in the famed circle here at the Ryman, most of these very famous artists has passed on and are playing in Heaven’s Cathedral now with the likes of Patsy Cline, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Charlie Pride, Tammy Wynette, Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton, Lefty Frizzell, Porter Wagoner, and who can forget the Bakersfield sound of Buck Owens or the guitar picking extraordinaire Roy Clark and Chet Atkins, or the melody of piano hits of Floyd Cramer – just to name a few!
My, how the times have changed! This “new generation” of so-called country genre cannot hold a candle to the mastery of the old school country artist of the ‘30s, ‘40s, ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s! The “new” country musicians and songs of today has lost its roots and soul that defines true country music. Back in the late ‘90s, George Strait and Allan Jackson penned the song ‘Murder On Music Row’ that tells the daunting truth about today’s modern country, which basically is artists that couldn’t make it as rock/pop stars and crossed over to “new country” field. In MY opinion this is NOT country music by a long shot!
True classic country tore at one’s heart with songs such as Red Sovine’s ‘Teddy Bear’ or ‘Phantom 309,’ George Jones’ ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today,’ Ray Price’s ‘Heartaches by the Number’, and Gene Watson’s ‘Farwell Party’! These and many many more classics still echo throughout the walls of the Ryman in Nashville, Tennessee, where the spirits of the pioneers of country music that debuted on this very stage forever live inside these walls! If these walls could only talk, they could tell volumes of stories, like how Hank Sr. was fired from the Opry, how Johnny Cash destroyed the footlights in a drug infused stupor, how a nervous Loretta Lynn made her very first public appearance! So many memories are held deep inside this building that it makes chills run down one’s spine! The greatness that sang and played upon this stage is forever mind boggling and the Opry has launched many a career in classic country!
After watching that video of Hank Sr. and Jr. last evening, it felt as if Hank Sr. reached down from Heaven above and literally touched my heart and wanted me to write this as to keep not only his, but all the other talented country artists that have passed throughout the decades, alive and well so they will never be forgotten and will forevermore live within the walls of this great building!
THE HALDIMAND PRESS
KAITLYN CLARK • Co-Publisher/Owner kaitlyn@haldimandpress.com JILLIAN TAYLOR • Co-Publisher/Owner jillian@haldimandpress.com
TAMARA BOTTING • Senior Reporter/Assistant Editor tamara@haldimandpress.com Do you have a story idea? Know of something interesting happening in your community? Let us know by emailing publishers@haldimandpress.com
MIKE RENZELLA • Senior Reporter/Assistant Editor mike@haldimandpress.com
Letter to the Editor and Creative Corner submissions can be emailed, with your name and town of residence, to: publishers@haldimandpress.com
Letters should be within 300 words. Publication is not guaranteed and The Press reserves the right to edit for grammar, length, clarity, and accuracy.
Annoyed by noise in Cayuga
Owen Young, Cayuga
Lawn Bowling Club season open
HAGERSVILLE—MPP Bobbi Ann Brady and David Ward, President of the Hagersville Lawn Bowling Club, pose for a photo at the 117th season opening at the Hagersville Lawn Bowling Club on May 21, 2024. The club is located at 16 Alma St. S., Hagersville. The beautiful weather attracted not only the regular club members, but many new bowlers who wanted to try out the game. Brady spent time talking with those that were there and was coached on the finer aspects of the game, along with some of the other new bowlers, by former president Doug Nopper. Anyone interested in learning more about lawn bowling is welcome to visit the club on June 8 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. where, in exchange for a donation to the food bank, the club will be offering a free barbecue and lawn bowling demonstations. Find them on Facebook for more information. —Submitted photo.
Walk for Dog Guides raises thousands
HAGERSVILLE—The Walk for Dog Guides at Sgt. Andrew Harnett Memorial Park in Hagersville, hosted by the town’s Lions Club, “smashed last year’s (fundraising) total by leaps and bounds,” said event organizer and club member Mark Dennis. Despite the rainy weather on May 25, 2024, almost $8,000 was raised. Dennis offered special thanks to Linda McKeen, Rob and Valerie Phillips, Lion Rock ‘N’ Ray Michaels, Simington Auto, and Lion Chief Michele Campbell. “We are looking forward to next year, when I will set the (fundraising target) bar at $10,000,” Dennis said.
SNIDER, Ronald Frederick
“Rocket”
It is with gratitude for a long, full life that we announce his death early morning on Friday, May 24, 2024 at Dunnville Memorial Hospital. He was in his 93rd year. Ron will be fondly missed by his family and extended family on Concession 3 Road.
Predeceased by his wife
Lettie Snider (Barber), his daughter Maureen, and his son Rick. Predeceased by his parents, Fred and Nina Snider (Moerschfelder), sister Donna McConachie (Doug), brother Lynn Snider (Pat), and sister Carol Metcalf (Keith). He was uncle and great uncle to many nieces and nephews. Ron was born and lived his entire life in Rainham Township, where he married and raised his two children. He was a hardworking farmer until the day he passed. He loved the outdoors and was an accomplished hunter and fisherman. He was known as “Rocket” on the softball field for his pitching abilities. He worked as a welder, a butcher, was a skilled mason, and had many hobbies, including wood working, playing guitar, and cheering on the Jays and the Leafs. If you had the pleasure of knowing him, you will remember him as a kind, gentle man who was full of knowledge and had many great stories. He will be greatly missed. Visitation took place Wednesday, May 29 from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at JW Hart Funeral Home, 113 Lock St East Dunnville. Funeral and Committal services Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 11 a.m. Online condolences can be made at jwhartfuneralhome.com. A special thank you to the kind and compassionate nursing team and physicians at Dunnville Memorial Hospital.
CALEDONIA—The Caledonia Lions Club hosted its Walk for Dog Guides on May 26. There were 16 walkers and nine dogs, including two dog guides from the Lions Foundation of Canada (pictured wearing red vests); one is trained for hearing assistance, and the other for mobility assistance, said Ralph Krueger, the walk’s coordinator. “The money raised by the walk helps pay for the training of service dogs to assist Canadians with disabilities,” he said, adding a special thanks to the walk’s principle sponsors, Wally Parr Sausages and Pet Valu stores.
DEATH
SMITH, Josephine
—Submitted photos.
WYBENGA, George
June 11, 1941 - May 28, 2024
May 17, 2024 at Margaret’s Place Hospice in Dundas, Ontario, surrounded by her loved and loving family, her husband Frank (Scallan) and children Ciaran, Niamh, Oonagh, and Eilish. Predeceased by her parents, Aidan and Marie, and brothers Philip and Kieran. Josephine will be fondly remembered in Dunnville for her work as a dedicated family doctor for nearly 30 years. She touched many hearts and was broken hearted to leave behind her beautiful grandchildren. A private mass was celebrated and a memorial will be planned for a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations to Seniors Support or the Alzheimer’s Society are appreciated. Arrangements entrusted to BALLARD MINOR FUNERAL HOME, 315 Broad Street East, Dunnville. Friends are invited to send condolences and sign the Book of Memories at www.ballardminorfh.ca.
Beloved husband of 61 years to Betty (Herkimer) Wybenga. Loving father of Tammy and Darin. Son of the late Peter and Pat Wybenga. Dear brother of Henry (Suzanne), Ed (Ettie), and the late John and Sally. Uncle to many nieces and nephews. At his request, cremation has taken place. Arrangements by Hyde & Mott Chapel, Hagersville. www.rhbanderson.com
Local athletes struggle at CWOSSA
By RB Burton The Haldimand Press
HALDIMAND—Although Haldimand high schools qualified the most athletes ever for CWOSSA (Central Western Ontario Secondary School Athletics) track and field competition, they struggled to compete.
With no CWOSSA champions, approximately 80% of Haldimand qualifiers from AABHN (Athletics Association of Brant, Haldimand, Norfolk) failed to make even top five in their event, with only seven athletes placing high enough to advance to the OFSSA West Region meet at the University of Windsor on May 31 and June 1.
Addisyn Nagel of Cayuga Secondary School was second in both of her events, clearing 1.41m in Novice girls high jump and throwing the javelin 26.06m. Unfortunately, the meet conflicted with a previously committed ball tournament, so she had to withdraw from further competition. Her withdrawal from high jump, however, was lemonade for Lotus Drayton, who took her spot and placed sixth at 1.36m.
Caitlyn Thompson of Cayuga dominated her two strongest events, the Senior girls 100m hurdles and triple jump, at AABHN. In the CWOSSA hurdles however, her quick start put her ahead but contact with the fourth hurdle slowed her down too much to recover, and she finished ninth.
She saw another bad day in the triple jump, only managing 10.36m for sixth place.
Overnight, however, she regrouped for her third event, the long jump, and her last opportunity to go on. After her opening mark of 4.92m,
CALEDONIA—Addison Kuipfer of McKinnon Park Secondary competed in the Novice girls shot put at CWOSSA Track and Field Championships, finishing seventh at 9.06m. She was also eighth in the triple jump with 9.27m. —Haldimand Press photo by RB Burton.
Thompson found herself trailing behind only 2023 OFSSA Champion Trinity
Shadd-Ceres of Kitchener. After three rounds, Thompson was relegated to a lower position, but her fourth round Personal Record (PR) of 5.08m left her in second place.
Also qualifying in second spot was
Hagersville’s Abby Martin with a 2:27.88 time for the Junior girls 800m. She was sixth on Day 1 with a 1:03.26 time over 400m, and showed herself consistent in the 200m, stopping the clock in 29.08 seconds for ninth.
Dunnville demonstrated its jumps,
with Jalyn Taylor setting a PR of 1.54m for third in Senior girls high jump, and Kalen McCormack finishing fifth in Junior boys triple with an 11.56m flight.
Roshaun Ducille was top performer for McKinnon Park, qualifying fourth in both Senior boys sprint events. Although qualifying sixth for the 100m final, he chopped three-hundredths from his time in the semi-finals, posting an 11.53-second time. He duplicated the feat in the 200m, qualifying seventh in 23.47 seconds, and producing 23.35 seconds for the final.
Ethan Mehlenbacher produced a bit of an upset in the Junior boys 100m hurdles. Second in AABHN behind McKinnon’s Ronan Cole, he finished the meet as Haldimand’s lone representative in the hurdles. Qualifying sixth with a time of 16.12 seconds, he chopped that time down to a PR of 15.82 seconds to finish fourth.
Several athletes are in the “alternate” position of sixth place, and could advance if one of the automatic qualifiers should withdraw for any reason. They are Crystal County (Cayuga) in Junior girls javelin, Elie Grandin (Cayuga) in Junior girls discus, Reegan Jenkins (Cayuga) in Junior boys high jump, Brookelyn Nagel (Cayuga) in Senior girls high jump, Caitlyn Thompson (Cayuga) in Senior girls triple jump, Austin Fess (McKinnon) in Junior boys shot put, Andrew Spurrell (McKinnon) in Junior boys triple jump, and Ronan Cole (McKinnon) in Junior boys 300m hurdles.
The top four qualifiers from the OFSSA West Region Championships qualify for the OFSSA Championships, being held at London’s University of Western Ontario June 6 to 8.
Their eldest son, Ian, joined the business in 1996. To celebrate 50 years of service in the community, the Coopers hosted a barbecue on Saturday, May 25. Ian Cooper said, “We wanted a way to give back to the community with a family event.” Pictured above (l-r)
“They were very easy to work with.” Mary Jo added, “They are very compassionate people. We saw the compassion they offered families and have experienced (it) personally.” Below right, representatives of the Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice (NHCH) and the Jarvis Caring Cupboard attended the anniversary celebration to collect monetary and food donations. Pictured (l-r) are Crystal Pogson, Tracey Webster, and Anita Priestly of the
has been so supportive.” Up next, the Hike for Hospice takes place on Saturday, June 2 at LaFortune Park in Caledonia. —Haldimand Press photos by
JARVIS—In 1974, Martyn and Brenda Cooper started Cooper Funeral Home in Jarvis.
are Lisa and Ian Cooper, and Martyn and Brenda Cooper. Below left: Ian Cooper (centre) visited with former Jarvis residents Rev. Gary (left) and Rev. Mary Jo Patterson. Gary worked closely with Coopers for 17 years as minister at Wesley United Church. He said,
NHCH. Pogson said, “The community of Jarvis
Sheila Phibbs.
A TASTE OF HALDIMAND
By Marie Fagan Peart | marie@haldimandpress.com
If you have had the pleasure of visiting or calling The Haldimand Press office in Hagersville, then you have likely experienced the smiling face or the warm friendly voice of Rachel Vaarkamp, our Office Administrator. In October she will be celebrating 10 years with The Press. There are many aspects of her work that she enjoys. The detailed work of keeping a set of books, paying the bills, stuffing envelopes, and reconciling a bank statement is work that Rachel finds very satisfying. Even as a young child, her mother encouraged her interest by letting her help with the household bookkeeping. Rachel also has the opportunity to talk with many people through The Press office and this brings her much joy. The added bonus is having Jillian and Kaitlyn as patient and flexible bosses.
Rachel grew up on a beef farm outside of Seaforth in Huron County. It was through Junior Farmers that she met Mark, her husband. In 2013 they married and she made the move to his farm in Oneida Township. Together they have three young children aged 9, 7, and 4.
I had asked Rachel about sharing some of her favourite recipes and first on her list is her mother’s homemade salad dressing. She said her mom, Debbie Haney, makes the best egg salad and devilled eggs, and the secret is using this homemade dressing. Debbie received this recipe from an Amish friend in Millbank. Rachel said she never truly appreciated how delicious it really was until she became an adult!
Rachel enjoys her garden as it provides the basis for healthy food options for her growing family. She also likes to share its bountiful harvest with her co-workers. This year the gardening has proved to be a bit of a challenge with her three children. One needs space for his tractors and excavators, the second needs a quiet place to just sit, while the third needs space to plant her 4-H cut flower seeds! The children also enjoy cooking and baking with Rachel. It provides a fun time to learn and under her direction, they can think things through. For example, one time her daughter was going to add two tablespoons of salt when it should only be two teaspoons. The rhubarb patch is flourishing, so it was only fitting that she offered her rhubarb muffin recipe. This recipe is from the Egmondville United Church Cookbook, which is the church Rachel attended as a youth. As I have heard from many others, church cookbooks are ‘the best’ and Rachel has a cupboard full of them. Enjoy!
HOMEMADE SALAD DRESSING
2 tablespoons dry mustard 1 cup vinegar 1 tablespoon butter 2 cups water 4 eggs
Mix the four ingredients on the left together in a large microwave safe bowl. Then add the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Cook in microwave for a least 5 minutes, stopping to stir every few minutes. Let cool.
If lumpy, puree with hand blender or food processor. Pour into jars.
Makes about 900ml. Keeps well in the fridge.
2
Beat eggs, sugar and shortening. Sift flour with other dry ingredients and add to sugar mixture alternately with milk. Fold in rhubarb.
Fill muffin tins ¾ full. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over muffins. Bake at 400F for 20 minutes.
Community Day
Services Offered:
Resources (Food, Clothing, Personal Hygiene Items, Mental Health and Substance Use Supports)
Computer Support (Wifi, Email, Registering for My Benefits)
Completing Applications (ID, Healthcare, Service Canada) Phone Support System Navigations (Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
Safe and Non Judgmental Space Dates:
Simcoe Library: Every Tuesday from 10:00 – 3:00
Port Rowan Community Centre: May 17, 31, June 14,28, July 12, 26 from 11:00 – 3
Delhi Library: May 24, June 7,21, July 5, and 19 from 10-3
Caledonia SOAR (formerly St Leonard’s Society): June 3, 17, July 15, 29
from 10:30-3
Selkirk Community Centre: June 6, July 4 from 10:30-3
Dunnville Salvation Army: May 23, June 13, 22 and 27, July 11, 18 and 25
from 10:30-3
Cayuga Library: May 30 10:30-3
Rachel Vaarkamp
Hagersville Catch the Ace:
By Tamara Botting The Haldimand Press
HAGERSVILLE—You don’t always know when you’re in the middle of history being made, but as the weeks passed and Hagersville’s Catch the Ace kept on going at the start of 2023, those working behind the scenes of the fundraiser knew they were part of something special.
“When I look back at it, it truly is a milestone we may never hit again,” said Rob Phillips, President of the Hagersville and District Chamber of Commerce.
It was the end of March 2023 when the elusive ace of spades was found in envelope #51, and about a month after that, the bulk of the funds raised were dispersed to local notfor-profits.
Phillips believes part of the success was in where the money was going.
The fundraiser, which ran for a total of 45 weeks, was the result of a partnership between Hagersville Rocks, a committee operating under the chamber, and the Hagersville Lions Club. The two groups split the funds equally, with each deciding where they would donate their portion.
Hagersville Rocks gave everything to the West Haldimand Hospital and Healthcare Foundation, to benefit West Haldimand General Hospital in Hagersville, while the Lions committed to giving 30% of the total amount raised to the Hagersville Food Bank, and the rest to other community organizations and not-for-profits.
“Those causes, people really got behind,” Phillips said.
Nanticoke resident Richard Marshall took home just over $2 million with the jackpot, and while Phillips was happy the winner happened to be a local resident, “The reality is, the jackpot money could very easily leave the county – could very easily leave the province, even.”
The over $3 million raised for charity, though, is “never going to leave this community.”
Phillips said that’s what really drove his involvement.
“It was great to have the huge jackpot for the winner, but to me, especially in those later weeks, when we were raising $100,000 (and) $200,000 a week for charities – and in the final week, $500,000 – it was really hard to not go another week,” he said. “It was bittersweet when it was over, because there were still seven more weeks we could have continued to build that money for our charities.”
This kind of wild success doesn’t happen by accident; there was significant planning behind the scenes every week, particularly by mid-January 2023 when sales got over $100,000 a night.
“That’s when things started to explode,” Phillips said.
After that point, “The preparation for the next week started at 8:05 p.m. Once that card was drawn and it wasn’t the ace of spades, decisions had to be made.”
Those decisions included how many tickets to order for the next week; whether any updates were needed to security; how many volunteers to bring in, etc.
Phillips thanked Sid Drury and Habitat for Humanity’s Haldimand Chapter for giving them tips at the beginning, making it easier to learn as the event grew – knowledge that would be passed on further to other Catch the Ace fundraisers.
Ultimately, Hagersville Catch the Ace was a result of the whole community buying into the project.
“It was really heartwarming to see,” said Phillips. He hopes the support will continue for the recipient organizations, who still need
ongoing support: “This was perhaps a once in a lifetime injection for them to take on projects that they never dreamed of doing. We can’t forget about continuing regular support of these organizations for the regular programming that they need to do.”
Lisa Hostein, executive director of the hospital foundation, echoed the sentiment.
The $1.4 million they received is the largest donation ever made to the foundation.
“Would we love to see it again? Absolutely, because we have to keep on going. It never ends,” Hostein said, adding that with hospitals, while “the government covers day to day operations it’s up to the foundation to raise the funds for priority medical equipment.”
In any given year, that list of equipment can run up to $1 million. With the special bump from Catch the Ace, “we were able to purchase items that the hospital wouldn’t have really been able to purchase otherwise,” Hostein said.
Soon, the foundation will be holding a public event to highlight the extra equipment it purchased.
Tanya Ribbink is looking forward to seeing the concrete impact of volunteering as an organizer for Catch the Ace.
“Volunteering is always worthwhile, but it’s nice to see the impact that it makes in the community,” she said. “The notoriety of it put Hagersville on the map for something good.”
She reiterated the intense efforts for Catch the Ace, including hours of work preparing tickets in the final weeks, and with Ribbink and her husband shutting down their business on Thursdays to be at the Legion. Each week brought new challenges to solve, too.
Despite it all, “I have a lot of good memories,” Ribbink said, recalling how acquaintances became dear friends through the process.
She wasn’t the only one to experience this sort of social impact from Catch the Ace.
“People loved getting together every week at the Legion and seeing people that they hadn’t seen since high school,” Ribbink said. Some people enjoyed it so much they’re still doing it a year later, said Jack Esselment, President of the Hagersville Legion, which hosted the fundraiser.
“We have a group of people here – Catch the Ace people. They still come every Thursday just to socialize,” he said. Those aren’t the only new regulars to the Legion, which has signed up around 45 new members.
“They weren’t aware they could become members, or they weren’t aware they could just come into the Legion. So that was a positive.”
The Legion never charged a rental fee to Catch the Ace.
“We were very proud to provide the building for it. We never dreamt that it would get as big as it got,” Esselment said.
It was a shock when it was all over, as the Hagersville Lions Club gave the Legion a $50,000 donation for their hospitality.
“Like any building, you’ve got all this infrastructure you’ve got to maintain,” Esselment said. On top of that, there were also some repairs that needed to be made in the wake of Catch the Ace.
“What a lot of people didn’t understand is that it knocked the heck out of the building,” he said – things like wear and tear on the floors, or people filling out tickets on the walls and causing damage.
Despite the challenges, Esselment still looks back on the whole thing fondly.
“It was a great experience.”
While no group has officially asked if the Legion would host such a fundraiser again, Esselment knows their answer: “We’d be silly
to say no. It’s for the community, and the Legion is very, very much part of the community.”
Supporting the community is at the heart of the Hagersville Food Bank’s operations, too.
When the agency received the donation from the Lions Club – just over $869,000 – it in turn gave away $159,500. The food banks in Caledonia, Cayuga, Dunnville, Jarvis, and Six Nations were each given $20,000; the Child Nutrition Network of Haldimand and Norfolk was given $44,500; and Lloyd S King Elementary School was given $15,000 for its breakfast program.
Dave Lane, coordinator of the Hagersville Food Bank, said spreading the wealth like that was “basically following our mission of combatting hunger. We knew that the other food banks were struggling.”
This is because the Hagersville Food Bank itself has been feeling the pinch. Lane said their clientele rates have increased 30% since last year and “donations have dropped off.”
While it’s possible that some of the drop off is due to donors thinking the food bank doesn’t need the support, Lane doubts that’s the only reason.
“Things are expensive also. It’s awfully hard to picture somebody purchasing groceries and attempting to actually handle that (for their own household) and then spending extra on us,” he said.
The food bank team is hoping they won’t have to use the extra cash to sustain their services, instead hoping the money can be a long-term investment for buying a building.
Lane explained that while RF Almas Company Ltd. has been an “extremely generous” landlord at the current location at 5 Marathon Street, “we are tight for space, and it doesn’t allow us to provide any extra programs here.”
The food bank envisions offering community meal programs and cooking classes based on pantry staples, once they can find the right property – located in town for easy access; fully accessible for wheelchairs and strollers; and able to accommodate large deliveries.
On top of all that, the food bank would need to make sure it could cover any ongoing
operations costs.
Lane said the food bank looked at former churches in town, but ultimately determined the modifications and ongoing upkeep required were beyond them. Still, having the money on hand so they can act when a suitable building becomes available is a good place to be.
“The Lions did an excellent job. We’re very thankful,” Lane said.
Dan Matten, Hagersville Lion, said the club was happy to help. He served as the master of ceremonies for many of the draw nights, regularly sharing his fancy socks for a bit of fun. As Hagersville Catch the Ace progressed, “I got an astonishing amount of socks as presents from various people and from the public. I was amazed and grateful, and I do have them; I wear them with pride,” Matten said.
The Lions, similar to the Legion, also saw new members join their ranks as a result of Catch the Ace.
“It was a wonderful secondary effect,” Matten said, noting the increased awareness of the club. “People know that we’re doing good and that we are doing things for the community, through the community, in the community.”
While most of the Lions’ share of the funds has been distributed, there’s still around $240,000 yet to go out.
Matten confirmed, “It will go to the community; we’re looking always for good causes and worthy organizations.”
In the meantime, he said, “There’s nothing wrong with earning a little bit of interest to stretch our resources even further.”
Reflecting on Hagersville Catch the Ace, Matten said, “It was an extraordinary and wonderful event that we had. It went way beyond anybody’s expectation. The success that we had by the participation of the town, the county, and everybody who came, it was nearly mind-boggling. And I’m really glad that I was able to be part of that.”
As with all the other key individuals who helped run the fundraiser, the big question Matten gets asked often is whether he’d do it again, if the opportunity arose. He confirmed that it is something he’s open to, and he’s got a plan: “Should I ever do Catch the Ace again, I’m gonna wear my lucky socks.”
HAGERSVILLE—Volunteering with Hagersville Catch the Ace forged a deep friendship between (l-r) Kathy Meehan, Tanya Ribbink, and Shannon Veri, who continue to give their time in the community with other initiatives, like the local Smile Cookie campaign, as well as celebrating milestones and going on vacations with each other. —Submitted photo.
BioPed Stoney Creek – 905-662-1222
Battlefield Square, 826 Queenston Road, Unit 13, Stoney Creek
BioPed Simcoe – 226-931-5045
West Street Health Centre – Unit 201, 216 West Street, Simcoe Thursdays by appointment
BioPed Hagersville – 226-931-5045
Haldimand Family Health Centre – 75 Parkview Road, Suite 2, Hagersville Fridays by appointment
Live Auction Sale
For Mary Lamb and the Estate of the late Jim Lamb Saturday, June 8th at 10:30 a.m.
Located at 1602 Hwy 6, approx. 2 miles south of Freelton, 7 miles south of Hwy 401, 7 miles north of Hwy 403 (Watch for signs)
Consisting of 1950 Ford Custom V-8 car (redone) – Truck related accessories
– Shop Tools – Horse trailer – misc. farm equipment (etc)
Partial List Only:
– 1950 Ford Custom V-8 car 2 door (approx. 300 miles since redone)
– Royal Tandem 4 horse trailer 18’ x 6’ good shape, 3 P.T.H. wood splitter, 2 – 3 P.T.H. post hole augers, M.F. 5’ rotary mower, QA Fluney manuer fork, INT 530 single axle manuer spreader, water troughs, M.F. 8’ 3 P.T.H. disc, 10’ sheep feeder, as new pony cart, 4’ garden cart, 4’ lawn roller
– Pro-Point Mig-Tig 145 Arc welder, 60 gal vertical air compressor, oxy - acet torches bottles and cart, power hack saw, Silver-Beauty mig welder, 12,000 + 5000 gas generators, Honda pressure washer with 40 gal tank, Floor jacks, 7’ x 5’ steel work bench, double shop ladder and others, Tool boxes, chain saws, Air tools, drill press, Misc. flat steel, angel mesh, tubbing (etc), 2 - 30’ hydro poles and others, chains, 4’ x 4’ wire stacking bins, Generac 3000 p.s.i washer, H.D. vise, New truck seat, misc. truck parts, Large selection of power and shop tools, Air jacks, rolls of insulation, 180 lb antique anvil, misc oil, etc – The Shop is full.
Terms: Cash – Cheque (with proper I.D.) – Interac® – 3% premium on VISA® and MC (Full payment due day of sale)
Owner or auctioneers are not responsible for any accidents or property loss. For Some Photos and Full List Check: www.theauctionadvertiser.com/jmccartney ∙ www.auctionsontario.ca/mccartney
Jim McCartney Auction Service Ltd. − (905) 516-3202 or (905) 689-8778 (Waterdown) Email: mccartneyauctions@gmail.com
Using nature as a tool to help kids to self-regulate
Continued from Page 1
Schuur explained that the committee members are area youths who meet once a month and share their experiences interacting with local mental health systems, which in turn helps to guide the work of HN REACH.
Schuur noted Overholt’s volunteering to make the bees for the Pollinator Pals program was “quite the contribution; we were so impressed with her work and her dedication to it.”
There’s no cost to participate in the Pollinator Pals program, but pre-registration is required. The crocheted bees will be distributed while supplies last. To register, call 519-5872441, ext. 283.
For those who are unable to make it out for one of the planting days, or who are too old, there may still be an opportunity to get involved in the project.
Last year, Schuur took on the care of the gardens after the planting sessions, but this year, “We may be looking at developing some sort of youth group that’s into gardening that would want to do that.”
HN REACH offers a wide range of programs and services for area children, youth, and their families, including for autism, mental health, youth justice, and developmental services. For more information about what’s offered, visit hnreach.on.ca.
‘This is a day I’ll never forget’ says graduating centenarian
By Tamara Botting The Haldimand Press
CALEDONIA—It’s thanks to a Haldimand Press article that Doris Young can officially say that she’s a high school graduate.
When reporter Olivia Snyder was interviewing Young for an article to mark her 100th birthday, Snyder asked the centenarian what her biggest regret in life was. Young said it was that she hadn’t been able to graduate from high school.
One of Young’s daughters, Ruthanne Spence, explained how Young’s asthma was exacerbated by a severe chalk dust allergy. In her final year of high school, Young was out sick the month of January, which she worked hard to make up for back in class, but when she fell sick again in May, and that stretched into June, “she didn’t get caught up enough to write her exams,” Spence said. This meant Young couldn’t graduate.
Kathy Adams, also Young’s daughter, knew her mom didn’t graduate but said, “I never thought it was that important to her” until she mentioned it in the interview.
Once the family realized how much it meant to Young, Spence, a retired teacher with the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board, got to work. Since Spence had spent many years working in the Student Services department, which in part works to remove barriers for students to help them successfully learn and eventually graduate, she was confident something could happen.
“Today, so many stops are pulled out to help students graduate,” Spence said, noting if her mom had been in high school today, she wouldn’t have encountered chalk dust in the first place, and even if she was sick and unable to attend class in person, there would be options for virtual study, and/ or she would be able to sit her exams at a different time.
“I saw an opportunity to fulfill the dream of another potential graduate,” Spence said, adding that age wasn’t a concern.
She contacted her former colleague, Kevin Graham, Superintendent of Education with Grand Erie District School Board (GEDSB), and a short while later, got word back that the graduation was a go.
Spence said when she told her mom what was happening, “this look of disbelief and joy came over her face.”
On May 21 there was a special commencement ceremony held at River Heights Elementary School, which had been the high
school in 1943 when Young was supposed to graduate.
During the ceremony, Spence noted that for a high school graduation, “May is a little bit early in most situations,” however, “in this case, it’s about 80 years late.” Young, clad in the blue cap and gown that her fellow scholars wore, said, “I never thought they’d go to all this” as she took in the crowd of well-wishers, the balloons, and her diploma. “The right person got working on it, I guess.”
Young said that while her life had its ups and downs, “I’ve got lots of good memories; that’s all that matters now.… This is a day I’ll never forget.”
She added that she hoped her graduating at the age of 100 would encourage those who are still in school now.
“Get your education; it’s far more important now,” she said.
When presenting Young with her diploma, GEDSB Director of Education JoAnna Roberto said, “Doris, you have exemplified what it means to have many accomplishments in life.”
She noted that when students graduate, it’s common to wish them the best for their future, but in Young’s case, “Your future is here; you’re surrounded by your children, your grandchildren, your great-grandchildren.”
Susan Gibson, Chair of GEDSB, added that Young “exemplifies the value of lifelong education.… Your journey inspires us all.”
HALDIMAND—Local youth Sam Overholt volunteered to crochet bees for participants in the Pollinator Pals planting sessions, taking place in Townsend and Dunnville on June 5 and 19 respectively. —Submitted photo.
CALEDONIA—Grand Erie District School Board Director of Education JoAnna Roberto presents Doris Young, 100, with her diploma. —Haldimand Press photo by Tamara Botting.
Drug investigation leads to charges by street crime unit
To The Haldimand Press
DUNNVILLE—Three individuals have been charged following a drug trafficking investigation and the execution of a search warrant.
As a result of the investigation, prohibited weapons, quantities of suspected fentanyl, cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and a quantity of Canadian currency was seized. The approximate value of the items seized was over $5,000.
A 15-year-old from Scarborough has
Members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Haldimand/Norfolk Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU) began a drug trafficking investigation in early spring of this year. On May 23, 2024, a traffic stop was conducted on Broad Street in Dunnville, and all three occupants of the vehicle were placed under arrest. A search warrant was later executed at a residence on Main Street in Dunnville.
been charged with the following offences:
Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking (two counts)
• Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000
A 17-year-old from Brantford has been charged with the following offences:
Unauthorized Possession of Weapon
Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking (two counts)
Possession of Proceeds of Property Ob-
tained by Crime Under $5,000
Failure to Comply with Release OrderOther Than to Attend Court
• Breach of Recognizance
A 38-year-old of Dunnville has been charged with the following offences:
• Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking (two counts) All accused are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Cayuga on later dates.
Walk for Alzheimer’s supports local programs, services
JARVIS—Though the skies were grey and the rain came down, about 200 participants made the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s in Jarvis a big success on Saturday, May 25, 2024. Michelle Lewis, CEO of the Alzheimer’s Society of Brant, H-N, Hamilton, Halton (ASBHNHH), told the crowd, “Events like this are so important to help us keep our programs and services local.” According to Alison MacKenzie, ASBHNHH Community Development Specialist, the event raised more than $47,000 to support Alzheimer’s Society programs in Haldimand and Norfolk. She shared, “We are really appreciative of all our supporters despite the weather. It shows their dedication to their family members living with dementia and others in the community living with dementia.” Pictured (l-r) are “Anson Angels,” staff members at Anson Place Care Centre in Hagersville: Jessica Barber, Barb VanMil, Elizabeth Marinelli (Director of Care), and Amanda Weaver.
with de-
and memory loss who are experi-
responsive behaviours. We are a good support for people.”
JARVIS—Shown at left enjoying the lunch provided to participants of the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s are Marilyn and Christine Rohrbach of Fisherville alongside Mia Irwin of Georgetown. The three were walking on in support of Raymond Rohrbach, Marilyn’s husband and Christine’s dad.
JARVIS—Taking a break from the rain under the shelter of the park pavilion were (l-r) Helen Krawec of Niagara Falls, Lisa Punch and Carol Benoit of Stevensville, and Darlene Hatcher of Dunnville, all walking in support of Hatcher’s husband Leonard.
—Haldimand Press photos by Sheila Phibbs.
JARVIS—Gail Tomaselli (centre) posed with Haldimand Norfolk MPP Bobbi Ann Brady (left) and Haldimand Mayor Shelley Ann Bentley. Tomaselli is with Behavioural Supports Ontario, whose funding comes through the Alzheimer’s Society. She said, “We provide services for people
mentia
encing
Local Beaver Scouts celebrate 50th anniversary
By Jeff Rooney The Haldimand Press
CALEDONIA—On the first day of June, 200 Beavers from Haldimand, Norfolk, Hamilton, Brant/Brantford, and Niagara will descend on the Caledonia Fairgrounds to celebrate a 50th birthday.
Not the animal of course, but youths who are members of Scouts Canada Battlefields Council, Beavers Colonies.
Amanda Mitchener, the birthday event lead, explains, “Beavers will be hosting a nationwide campfire and at 2 p.m. will live stream across the country sharing songs and activities celebrating 50 years of the creation of Beaver Scouts in Canada.”
The history of Beaver Scouts Battlefields Council aligns with the broader history of Beaver Scouts in Canada and the changes implemented by the Scouts Canada organization. Beaver Scouts, part of Scouts Canada, is the youngest section within the scouting family, intended for children ages 5 to 7. The section was first inspired by the Beavers that began in Northern Ireland in 1966.
The program focuses on outdoor activities, creative learning, and community involvement, nurturing young scouts in a supportive group environment called a colony.
The motto for Beaver Scouts is “Sharing, Sharing, Sharing,” and through Beavers youth develop a respect for nature and others while exploring the world around them.
Learning by doing is the main method and Beaver Scouts participate in numerous fun and exciting activities. Beaver Scouts like to spend a lot of time outside.
WHAT TYPES OF ADVENTURES DO BEAVER SCOUTS DO?
Nature walks and short hikes
Campfires
• Sleepovers
Learning to prepare a simple meal
Learning simple first aid
• Constructing a Beaver Buggy Building quinzhees
Community projects, such as food drives and park cleanups
Helping others is an important part of being a Beaver Scout. Whether it’s helping
to keep a park tidy through a clean-up project or helping a friend try something new, it’s all about teamwork and cooperation. Beaver Scouts are always there to lend a hand. Mitchener, when asked what were some of the benefits of being involved as a Beaver, said, “The lifelong memories, real-life skills such as cooking and learning to communicate, and add in the fun of activities such as the annual apple drive and of course ‘The Beaver Buggy’ car races.”
So on June 1, look for the campfire and listen for the joyous (and possibly off-key) singing as Beaver Scouts across the county and country come together to create lifelong memories with friends they will fondly remember until the 100th birthday campfire.
By Mike Renzella The Haldimand Press
HALDIMAND—Last month, Haldimand County received a letter from Six Nations Elected Chief Sherri-Lyn Hill asking for support in her efforts to urge the Ontario government to refrain from issuing consultation directives that contradict the policies endorsed by Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Council.
An excerpt reads, “Six Nations of the Grand River, the most populous First Nation in Canada, continues to be challenged to uphold the rights of their community specifically when it comes to engagement on the part of municipalities and development proponents regarding the duty to consult.”
“Given the challenges we are currently facing and our shared commitment to addressing them, I am reaching out to formally request your support for Six Nations of the Grand River’s Consultation and Accommodation Policy.”
A preliminary draft motion from the County responded, “Haldimand County Council supports the Six Nations of the Grand River and demands that the province of Ontario cease to issue consultation directives that are contrary to policies endorsed by Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Council.” Haldimand’s councillors expressed dis-
satisfaction with that draft wording of the motion.
“I’d like to know what I’m voting on as far as the contents of the letter that was received from Six Nations…. I’d be voting blindly on this,” said Councillor Stewart Patterson.
Councillor Rob Shirton took issue with the motion as well, saying, “I thought we had a discussion that we were only going to talk about things that impact our municipality. I know they’re next-door neighbours to us, but this is more of a provincial and federal matter. Why are we sticking our nose in it?”
Shirton’s question prompted a response from Mayor Shelley Ann Bentley, who shared her thoughts on how the issue impacts Haldimand and surrounding areas.
“This does impact us. In fact, Councillor Patterson and I sit on the LPRCA (Long Point Region Conservation Authority) and they just paid $3,000 to the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI). This affects us greatly, because every development in Haldimand County, they have to contact HDI. Sometimes they have to pay. Most times they have to pay.”
LPRCA rep Jessica King clarified to The Press that the $3,000 payment was for “consultation on a project in our watershed.”
In April, 2021, HDI declared a moratorium on construction on any land within the Haldimand Tract – 10 km (6 miles) on either
side of the Grand River – following the occupation of former development site McKenzie Meadows in Caledonia, now redubbed Land Back Lane by the protestors who continue to occupy the land to this day.
In February 2023, former Six Nations chief Mark Hill issued a statement, warning the province to stop dealing with the HDI and instead consult with the elected council on issues related to development.
The issue was the focus of a meeting at this year’s Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference, where a delegation consisting of MPP Bobbi Ann Brady, members of Haldimand County staff and council, including CAO Cathy Case and Mayor Bentley, and former Chief Hill pressed Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford for a clear answer as to whom they should be consulting with regarding new development along the tract.
While Case noted at the time that the County was hopeful their concerns would be “addressed by the provincial government expeditiously,” several months later, no such guidance has been issued.
Bentley asserted, “If our government doesn’t tell us who to negotiate with, or who they negotiate with, then there’s a problem.
The province should say we negotiate with HDI or we negotiate with the Six Nations Elect…. Six Nations Elected Council are pret-
ty furious about people negotiating with HDI.”
Councillor John Metcalfe, who was also at that meeting, added, “We got the runaround from Indigenous Affairs Minister Rickford. We’ve tried to meet with him numerous times. Each time it’s been all about him and nothing about Haldimand…. This is far reaching. It goes all the way from a subway station in Toronto to an apartment building in Niagara Falls.… I think everybody, municipalities and developers, are getting frustrated at who they deal with and who they’re being told to deal with…. It’s all over the map.”
Despite council members, including Marie Trainer and Dan Lawrence, agreeing with the principle of the County’s motion, they requested more information before making a vote on whether to send a letter of their own in support.
“Make it very clear, if possible,” said Trainer.
Lawrence added, “It needs to be black and white, written in stone, that we negotiate with Six Nations Elected Council and not HDI.”
County staff will create a report with more information to help Council make an informed decision, with the intention of getting that report on the floor ahead of Council’s upcoming summer recess.
“We will attempt to get it back by June,” concluded Case.
and
By Mike Renzella The Haldimand Press
PORT DOVER—Each year, Lighthouse Festival Theatre’s summer season offers the community a passport to laughter with a heaping portion of heart, and that is the perfect description of this year’s season-debut, ‘Doris and Ivy in the Home’, written by renowned playwright Norm Foster and directed with sure hands by Lighthouse stalwart Jane Spence.
The play introduces us to Doris and Ivy, two women of a certain vintage, who find themselves sparking up a friendship together after meeting one day in the garden of the retirement village they both call home.
With biting humour, the pair slowly help each other untangle the pile of regrets amassed throughout their lives, while Ivy attempts to fend off the romantic advances of Arthur, another resident of the home living with a terminal cancer diagnosis.
The show marks the Lighthouse debuts of Ian Deakin as Arthur and Brigitte Robinson as Ivy, while Doris is played by Melanie Janzen in her fourth appearance on the Lighthouse stage.
All three have great chemistry together, with Janzen’s Doris displaying an abrasive, but charming, lack of social awareness colliding head on with Robinson’s Ivy, a disgraced Austrian athlete who has spent her life attempting to outrun her failures on the field.
Deakin imbues his character with a gentle vulnerability, making no attempt to hide
as
in
his desire to experience true love one more time before shaking off his mortal coil.
Spence directs the play with a light touch, allowing her performers to take centre stage. The story takes place over the course of a year, with light changes to the set and lighting relaying the changing seasons effectively.
“This play is a heartfelt exploration of friendship, courtship, resilience, and unyielding spirit,” said Spence on what drew her to the material. “Norm Foster’s writing, rich with humour and poignancy, reminds us of the importance of seeking out meaningful connections at whatever stage of life we find ourselves.”
The show is something of a spiritual sequel to another show Foster penned in 2015, ‘Jonas and Barry in the Home’. He shared, “I had so much fun writing that play, that I decided to write another play with the same setting. Only this time, the two leading characters would be women.”
While the two stories are not connected, they share thematic similarities – namely, they are both about “people who care about other people. And how that care can affect each of their lives.”
‘Doris and Ivy in the Home’ is playing at Port Dover’s Lighthouse Festival Theatre until June 8. From there, it will move to Port Colborne’s Roselawn Theatre, running from June 12-23.
For tickets and more information about the show, and Lighthouse’s upcoming exciting summer season of shows, visit lighthousetheatre.com.
Caledonia Lions host successful Quarter Auction
CALEDONIA — Friday, May 24, 2024 saw the first return of the Caledonia Lion’s Club “Quarter Auction” since Covid. About 100 people bid on various products supplied by the numerous vendors. All had a great time and are looking forward to the next one, date to be announced.
Right, Lions Erene da Silva, Jennifer Kerr, Scott Brownell, and Craig Peters pose with the ticket drum.
PORT DOVER— Pictured (l-r) are Melanie Janzen as Doris
Brigitte Robinson
Ivy
a scene from ‘Doris and Ivy in the Home’ at Port Dover’s Lighthouse Festival Theatre.
CALEDONIA—There was a variety of vendors on site. Left, Craig Colbert shows off a selection of fine hand-crafted wooden items up for grabs at the auction. Right, vendor Krystal Lillicrop shows off her drinkware. —Haldimand Press photos by Randy Carter.
CALEDONIA—Participants like those above were happy to take part in the fun, with all monies raised going back into the community.
Celebrating AccessAbility Week by meeting Haldimand’s accessibility all-stars
By Mike Renzella The Haldimand Press
HALDIMAND—With National Access-
Ability Week taking place from May 26 to June 1, there’s no better time to highlight Haldimand’s Inclusive Hiring Initiative.
This program is designed to offer meaningful employment to individuals with disabilities in the community.
Conceived in 2020 and launched in 2021, the initiative draws funding from the tax-supported operating budget to employ four individuals with an intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
According to a County release, the primary goal of the initiative is to provide em-
ployment opportunities to individuals with disabilities and “further the County’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.”
“Through policy, funding, and programs like the Inclusive Hiring Initiative, Haldimand is working to remove barriers so people with disabilities can equitably participate in their communities and be celebrated for their unique strengths,” praised Mayor Shelley Ann Bentley.
Once the four individuals were hired, job duties and orientation plans tailored to their unique abilities were developed in collaboration with organizations like Community Living Haldimand, taking into consideration any workplace accommodations or supports they
Blair King has been a dedicated employee of the County for many years now. Lindeboom said, “You will often hear a kind greeting from Blair as he makes his way through the building to complete his tasks.”
Blair started his tenure at the Cayuga arena, but has since taken a role inside the Haldimand County Administration Building (HCAB) – a personal goal of his.
Blair shared that some of his work responsibilities include dusting, getting the coffee ready, replacing the cream and sugar, taking out the garbage, and cleaning the floors on the third floor. He mentioned that he really enjoys dusting at work and at home as well. When asked what his favourite part about working at HCAB is, he replied, “I like having people around me, that’s why.” Blair is very active outside of work as
well, placing third in a Special Olympics bowling tournament and working as a “lion tamer” for the Cayuga Lion’s club. He is a recent recipient of the Jennie Deagle Dream Fund, which granted him a trip to see WWE Wrestling in Toronto.
“Blair loves being around others,” said Lindeboom. “Like most people, having community and coworkers around him is an important part of his daily life and wellbeing. His job at HCAB has given him the opportunity to work and interact with other staff more frequently and be included in County events. He is currently looking forward to participating in the County’s golf tournament again this summer. As for the future, Blair has expressed an interest in learning more about the inner workings of Building and Bylaw as well.”
might require performing their jobs.
“All four staff members hired as part of the Inclusive Hiring Initiative work within the Facilities, Parks, Cemeteries and Forestry Operations business unit,” read the release.
“The positions provide added coverage in heavily-trafficked community facilities and have helped meet increasing demands for service. Specifically, these individuals provide up to 8,320 hours of additional coverage county-wide, annually.”
Megan Jamieson, Haldimand’s General Manager of Corporate and Social Services, called the program an “exciting step forward” in creating a diverse and welcoming workforce. She added, “In turn, the individuals hired under this program have had a positive
impact on our services and shared organizational culture.”
For AccessAbility Week, County staff provided The Press with a profile of three employees hired through the initiative. Accessibility Co-ordinator Erin Lindeboom shared, “We wanted to highlight staff who are a part of the Inclusive Hiring Initiative to showcase their unique strengths, break down stereotypes, and emphasize the importance of seeing people for their abilities, rather than their disabilities.”
She continued, “Looking beyond someone’s differences and taking the time to learn more about them is something we can all do to create a more inclusive and supportive workplace and community.”
Meet Crystal
“We met Crystal on one of the sunniest days we have seen since spring began,” said Lindeboom.
“The cemetery she was working at was right on the water,” she recalled. “Crystal noted she appreciated it being a ‘quiet and peaceful’ place.”
Touring the grounds, Crystal was excited to show off a black wrought iron fence bordering the cemetery that took her a month to paint.
“It was evident that a lot of time, effort, and pride went into that tedious project,” said Lindeboom.
She continued, “Her favourite part of work is bringing the garbage to the dump with the whole crew. She is a self-proclaimed ‘people person’ and says things like
taking the garbage out with everyone gives her a sense of belonging and community.”
Outside of work, Crystal volunteers with Community Living Haldimand and other advocacy groups for individuals with disabilities.
Crystal wants to share her experiences and stories with others to inspire people to “not let their disabilities stop them.”
Crystal has career ambitions, including becoming a facility operator, and is putting in the hard work to get there, evidenced by the extra attention she takes while doing her current job, like taking care to carefully remove weeds from around headstones after cutting the grass, noting, “These were relatives of people and I want people to feel cared for.”
Tyler, who works as a facility helper at the Hagersville arena, loves that he can ride his bike to work, eliminating a common barrier to employment – transportation.
A bona fide hockey afficionado, the area is a perfect environment for Tyler to call home, eager to share his deep knowledge of the sport and its local history with any and all he encounters.
“Hockey is a big part of his life, and he has the knowledge to prove it,” said Lindeboom.
“Before working with Haldimand County, Tyler was involved with the Hagersville Hawks for the last 12 years and has continued his work with them by selling 50/50 tickets, providing water to the players, and enjoying their games. Tyler has attended over 450 games!”
responsibilities at the arena include maintaining the lawn outside, cleaning the dressing rooms, using the leaf blower (a favourite of his), cleaning the windows, and more. He has expressed interest in learning new skills to help with his day-to-day work, including using new tools.
Outside of work, Tyler continues to pursue his love of hockey, however, due to recent and longstanding events, he changed his allegiance from one team to another. Tyler said he “gave up on the Leafs,” and now displays the team logo of the Vancouver Canucks as his iPhone cover.
Outside of hockey, Tyler loves video games, going to the movies, and camping with family and friends. He celebrates his second anniversary as a County employee this month.
Meet Tyler
Tyler’s
Apply for scholarships through the Grand River Conservation Foundation
To The Haldimand Press
Post-secondary students who are planning a career in an environmental field may be eligible to apply for one of two scholarships offered by the Grand River Conservation Foundation (GRCF).
The two scholarships, each worth $4,000, will support students attending a Grand River watershed university or college and enrolled in programs that focus on environmental science, resource management, or engineering.
The SC Johnson Environmental Scholarship will support a full-time student who has completed their third year or sixth semester of an honours program at a university or college in the Grand River watershed (Waterloo, Guelph, Wilfrid Laurier) or second year of engineering at Conestoga College.
The scholarship is funded by SC Johnson & Son Limited of Brantford, a long-time GRCF supporter.
The Allan Holmes Scholarship will support a graduate-level student focused on applied research in the field of resource management. The scholarship was developed in honour of Allan Holmes, who served as CAO of the Grand River Conservation Authority from 1991 to 2000. Applicants must be registered at a university within the Grand River watershed. Eligible fields of study could include environmental science, engineering, emerging technologies, governance, and/or education.
The application deadline for each scholarship is Friday, July 19, 2024.
Applications and additional details about the scholarships are available online at grcf.ca/scholarships.
Haldimand Horticultural Society May update
By Barbara Wilson, HHS
To The Haldimand Press
The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature.
To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.
—Alfred Austin
Gardeners everywhere are busy choosing plants, planting, and watering during this warm weather we have been experiencing.
Please nominate an outstanding garden in your community for the Haldimand Horticulture Society’s annual “Garden of the Month” recognition. We’re now accepting nominations through the summer for the months of May, June, July, and August. Nominate at haldimandhorticulture.com.
Save the Date: our annual Garden Tour is June 29-30 with nine amazing gardens in the Selkirk area, including some lovely water views.
We will be celebrating our 40th anniversary with a tree planting on Sunday, June 23 at 2 p.m. at the Caledonia Agricultural grounds. All are welcome to attend. A native tulip tree will be planted.
Our speaker this month was Nick from Creekside Growers. They specialize in peonies and dahlias on their farm in Norfolk County. This meeting also showcased our Spring Mini Show. Thank you to coordinator Don Reeder.
Congratulations to all who entered and to Carol Jones for her “Best in Show” peonies. Refreshments and fellowship followed the meeting. Next General meeting will be Thursday, June 27, 7:30 p.m. Guest speaker“Abundance on the 8th”.
If you are interested in becoming a member of HHS or want to know more about what we do in the community, visit us on our website or email us at haldimandhorticulture@ gmail.com.
May Mini Show Results
A. Horticultural Division
1. Allium 1 stem over 3” in diameter: 1st Sharon Slack, 2nd Carol Jones, 3rd Amanda Wagner, 4th Elsie Eubank, 5th Barb Wilson, 6th Barbara Jean Garvie
2. Allium 1 stem under 3” in diameter: 1st Barb Wilson, 2nd Elsie Eubank, 3rd Amanda Wagner
3. Allium 3 stems in blooms: 1st Sharon Slack, 2nd Carol Jones, 3rd Elsie Eubank, 4th Amanda Wagner, 5th Barb Wilson
4. Tulip 1 single: 1st Amanda Wagner, 2nd Sharon Slack
5. Iris 1 stalk: 1st Sharon Slack, 2nd Amanda Wagner, 3rd Barb Wilson, 4th Elsie Eubank
6. Any indoor grown bloom 1 stem: 1st Carol Jones, 2nd Amanda Wagner
7. Any other spring bloom: 1st Elsie Eubank, 2nd Amanda Wagner, 3rd Carol Jones, 4th Sharon Slack, 5th Barb Wilson
8. Flowering shrub or tree: 1st Carol Jones (Best in Show), 2nd Sharon Slack, 3rd Amanda Wagner
9. Rhubarb 3 stalks: 1st Amanda Wagner, 2nd Sharon Slack, 3rd Barb Wilson
10. Herbs collection in water: 1st Amanda Wagner
B. Design Division
1. Tiny Buds miniature design: 1st Sharon Slack, 2nd Darlene Mckinnon, 3rd Barb Wilson, 4th Barbara Jean Garvie
2. April Showers May Flowers water viewing design: 1st Sharon Slack, 2nd Elsie Eubank
3. The Spring Wow Factor mass traditional design: 1st Sharon Slack, 2nd Elsie Eubank, 3rd Barb Wilson
CALEDONIA—Carol Jones shows off the “Best in Show ribbon” for her peonies. —Photo by Barbara Wilson.
Caledonia Fair hosts Member Appreciation Night
By Jodie Easson
To The Haldimand Press
CALEDONIA — Twenty-one-year-old
Jada Dawson of Jarvis has been selected the 2024-25 Caledonia Fair Ambassador.
The competition took place on Saturday, May 25, 2024 as part of the Caledonia Ag-
ricultural Society’s Membership Appreciation Night.
Jada and fellow contestant Harley Lynn Atkinson of Caledonia were interviewed by three judges, delivered a prepared speech about the Caledonia Fair, and answered an impromptu question.
During her term as Ambassador, Jada
hopes to “be a beacon of support and advocacy for the Agricultural Society and all that it represents: promoting further outreach, engagement, and agricultural awareness throughout our community.”
Ms. Dawson succeeds Canfield’s Joyce Fox as Fair Ambassador. Ms. Fox will be representing the Caledonia Fair at the Canadian
National Exhibition Ambassador of the Fairs competition in mid-August.
This year’s Caledonia Fair runs from September 26 to 29, 2024 at the Caledonia Fairgrounds with the theme, “Sew it, Grow it, Show it.” Prize lists for the fair are now available online at caledoniafair.ca.
Haldimand 4-H Conservation Club off to a great start
On April 27, 2024 the Conservation Club of Haldimand 4-H had their first meeting. The meeting was held at Ruthven Park. We started out with the 4-H pledge, and then we talked about pollinator gardens. We even got to plant a garden in front of the gate house. The next meeting was held on May 14. We met at a location on River Road. We did bird banding there. The people set up nets that the birds would get caught in. They would take the birds out of the nets and put a small metal band on them and it would have a special number on it so people would know where the birds went. It has been very fun and interesting being part of 4-H Conservation Club. Shown left are members Delilah Baxter, Amadea Butcher, Audrey Stam, David, Harley Atkinson, and Cassidy Thompson. —Submitted by Audrey Stam.
IT’S A DATE
Send your not-for-profit or charity event to info@haldimandpress.com or submit at haldimandpress.com/post-an-event. Event details are subject to change without notice.
Thursday, May 30
Caledonia Legion Progressing Euchre every Thursday at 2 and 7 p.m. Non-members welcome.
Thursday, May 30
Selkirk Centennial Community Hall Spaghetti Dinner. 5-7 p.m. Takeout available. $15. Ages 7-12 $7. Under 6 free. Info: 905-745-6963. May 31-June 1
DOTS Garden of Quilts with quilt show, raffle, boutique, vendors, silent auction, cafe. Special guest Vanessa Grenier of Quilts for Survivors. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 536 Port Maitland Rd, Dunnville. $10.
Saturday, June 1
Opening of Cayuga Country Market. Face painting, activities, vendors. Bring non-perishable donation for food bank to get draw ballot. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. 8 Echo St. W.
Saturday, June 1
South Haldimand Station 11 Firefighters Vendor Event & Car Show. 283 Haldimand Road 50, South Cayuga. Includes BBQ, bake sale, bouncy castle, fire prevention trailer & more. Free entry. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Saturday, June 1
Walpole Antique Farm Machinery Association Steak BBQ. Serving 4:30-7:30 p.m. and includes steak, baked potato, coleslaw, pie. Tickets available from select members and at Larry’s Backhoe (3018 Highway 6 N, Jarvis). Info: 519-587-2601.
Saturday, June 1
14th annual Hartford School/Arnie Goble Bus Buddies Reunion. 2217 Old Hwy 24, south of Oakland; 1-3 p.m. Cash donations support Hagersville and Simcoe hospitals. Info: Janice 519-755-6875.
Saturday, June 1
Yard sale inside Grace United Church, 174 Caithness St. E. Caledonia from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hotdogs/drinks available. More info at graceunitedcaledonia.com
Sunday, June 2
Second Annual Hike for Hospice to LaFortune Park in Caledonia. 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Opening ceremony at 10:30 a.m. norfolkhaldimandhospice.ca/hike-for-hospice.
June 3, 24
Soup and Sandwich Lunch at Faith Centennial United Church. 28 Main St. W. Selkirk. 905-776-2584. 11:30
a.m. -1 p.m. $15 (eat in or take out).
Monday, June 3
Registration opens for August 1216 Kids’ Camp at St. John the Divine, 37 Ottawa St. N., Cayuga. Ages 4-12. Full day $100 per child for the week. Rita: 905-774-9256. stjohnthedivinecayuga.com
Thursday, June 6
Special guest speaker at Springvale United Church, 2647 Haldimand Road 55, Hagersville. Haldimand OPP Constable Patti Cote on Fraud, Scams and Social Media Safety. 7 p.m. Refreshments following. RSVP to 289-921-1794.
Friday, June 7
Brantford Wrestling dog collar match at Knights of Columbus, 12 Catharine Ave., Brantford. All proceeds support Free Sports for Growth. Doors open 7:30 p.m. $20. Tickets on eventbrite.com.
Saturday, June 8
Hagersville Hawks fundraiser pickerel fish fry. Eat-in only. At Hagersville Legion. 4-7 p.m. Pre-sale tickets only, $25, 905-807-7990.
Saturday, June 8
Cayuga United Church silent auc-
tion, bake table and lunch/tea room. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 27 Munsee St. S.
Saturday, June 8
Wing Ding at St. John church, 37 Ottawa St. N., Cayuga. Country music 4:30 p.m. Dinner 5 p.m. 12 wings $20; 6 $15. All you can eat salads, coffee/tea. Under 5 free. Bring chair. Advance tickets only: Colleen 905772-1248 or sjtd.events@gmail.com.
Saturday, June 8
Hagersville Lawn Bowling Club and food bank “Strike Out Hunger” food drive 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. At Foodland and No Frills collecting food/cash. Free BBQ at 16 Alma St. S. with lawn bowling demos and chance to try. Info: hagersvillelbc@gmail.com
Saturday, June 8
World Wide Knit in Public Day. 1-4 p.m. Sgt, Andrew Harnett Park Hagersville. Bring chair, knit/crochet, and show and tell. All skill levels welcome.
Saturday, June 8
WAFMA Barn Dance. Music by the Don Edwards Band. Doors open at 8 p.m., midnight buffet.
Sunday, June 9 East Seneca United Church anniversary service. 2:30 p.m. Special music by harpist, light refreshments following. 610 Conc. Rd. 1, Canfield. Note: no washroom on site.
Sunday, June 9
Brantford Numismatic Society annual coin show at 238 Brantwood Park Rd. at 9 a.m. Admission by donation. Over 50 vendors.
June 12, 26
Victor Morgado hosts open stage at Caledonia Legion. Bring instrument or just enjoy the music. All welcome. Thursday, June 13 Second Thursday Book Discussion Group. Bring a few books and read the first lines and we will discuss their effectiveness. St. John the Divine church in Cayuga. 1-3 p.m. No charge. All welcome. June 14-15, 22, September 14 Dunnville Community Theatre’s “NEXT” home-grown comedy play. June 14-15 at No. 6 RCAF Dunnville Museum, June 22 at Fisherville Lions Community Centre, Sept. 14 at Jarvis Lions Community Centre. Info and tickets at dct73.com.
Saturday, June 15
Hearts & Soles Annual Hospital and Healthcare Walk at Lions Park, 640 Lock St. W., Dunnville. New this year: exciting colour burst at walk kickoff! (Colour-free start also available.) 2km or 8km. $25 registration includes walk, t-shirt, light breakfast, BBQ. Registration starts 8:30 a.m., walk 9:30 a.m. More details: dhhf.ca or call 905.774.2529.
Saturday, June 15
Cottonwood Victorian Strawberry Social. Savour fresh berries, ice cream, and lemonade, enjoy live music, self-guided walk, or guided tour. By donation. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. cottonwoodmansionmuseum.com
Saturday, June 15
Gigantic Yard Sale at Faith Centennial United, 28 Main St. W., Selkirk. 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., purchase by donation. Proceeds send kids to Ryerson United Church Camp.
Saturday, June 15
Can YOU help save the Monarch Butterflies? Cayuga United Church, 7-8:30 p.m. Info powerpoint, demo & displays, music, drinks, treats, draws. Free admission. Donations for the rescue appreciated.
Tuesday, June 18
Council in Committee at Haldimand County Administration Building. 9:30 a.m. Livestream and more info at HaldimandCounty.ca. Ratifications at Council Meeting on June 24 at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 22
Jarvis Community Christian School Car and Truck Show. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Support the JCCS Transportation Department. BBQ, coffee, treats. Donation based entry fee. Sunday, June 23 Ruthven Park exhibit launch for “The Grand Entrance” Debutantes and Courtship of the 19th century. 2-4 p.m. $35 pp. Special presentation, self guided tour, cream tea. Tickets at ruthvenpark.ca.
Tuesday, June 25
Springvale United Church Strawberry Supper. 4-6 p.m. Takeout only. Adults $25 Kids $10. Includes ham, turkey, salads, strawberry shortcake. Preorder: 905-768-3910. Saturday, July 6 Celebrate life of Queen Elizabeth II at Cottonwood Mansion’s Queen’s Afternoon Tea. One hour dressage show, access to photo op with horses, full afternoon tea meal. Rain date: July 7. 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. sittings. $75 pp. cottonwoodmansionmuseum.com
CALEDONIA—Jada Dawson is the new Caledonia Fair Ambassador for 2024-25. Pictured (l-r): Beth Wise, Homecraft President, Caledonia Ag Society; Harley Lynn Atkinson, Runner-Up; Dawson; Joyce Fox, 2023-24 Caledonia Fair Ambassador; Wendy Makey, President, Caledonia Ag Society.
CALEDONIA—Caledonia Agricultural Society Past President Doug Townson was presented a Meritorious Service Award during the group’s Caledonia Fair Ambassador Competition and Membership Appreciation Night. Pictured (l-r): Wendy Makey, President, Caledonia Ag Society; Renee Hedley, award presenter and member; Dough and Jayne Townson; Allan Hedley, award presenter and member; Beth Wise, Homecraft President, Caledonia Ag Society. —Haldimand Press photos by Sheila Phibbs.
Imperial Oil Nanticoke to be busy for maintenance in fall; now offering emergency alert system for area residents
By Tamara Botting The Haldimand Press
NANTICOKE—There’s going to be a lot more traffic around Imperial Oil’s Nanticoke site over the coming months as the facility undergoes routine maintenance.
Mark Addison, Turnaround Manager, was one of the company’s representatives at a recent public meeting; he discussed the plan, which has been over three years in the making.
HOW TO PLAY:
Addison likened the work to maintenance on a vehicle, where only some work can be done while the car is running. In the same way, “There’s some pieces of equipment here that we can’t maintain while they’re in operation, so we have to first shut them down.… Some of the units will be shut down for that full duration; others, just for short intervals.”
Normally, there would be around 150-200 skilled tradespeople at Imperial Oil Nanticoke; with the turnaround, it will be upward of 600 people. Addison said the heaviest traffic areas will be on Sandusk Road, Regional Road 55, and Concession 2, and the heaviest times will be during the shift changes, which take place daily between 5-7 a.m. and 5-7 p.m.
The company is planning to open additional gates at the site to get people in and out of the parking lots quickly and efficiently; they also plan to remind the workers to be respectful of the posted speed limits in the area.
This communication effort from Imperial Oil with area residents follows a meeting held last September, and is one step in a new communication line going forward.
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.
The 2024 turnaround should be similar to work done in 2017 and 2019; this year it’s scheduled to start right after Labour Day and run through October.
Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line.
To register, go to ImperialOil.ca/Nanticoke, and click on the Everbridge.net link under the emergency contact heading, and fill in your information.
The alert system might be used to let residents know about something like a fire at the site, or to remind everyone when the turnaround is scheduled to start.
Imperial Oil can’t use the system to tell residents to do something like shelter in place or evacuate, as those kinds of instructions would have to come from Haldimand County.
HOW TO PLAY:
At the public meeting, it was announced that Imperial Oil is offering access to a personalized alert system for anyone who wants updates on emergency preparedness and response at the Nanticoke site.
You already have a few numbers to get you started.
Remember: you must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same
“You’ll start to see some ramp up activities in the latter part of this summer, as we bring a workforce to the site to … prepare for the event,” Addison said.
TO PUZZLE NO. 968
The company’s goal is to use the alerts as little as possible – to prevent recipients from disregarding messages if they come too frequently, but also by preventing the need for an alert in the first place.
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.
Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to
Kristina Zimmer, Public and Government Affairs Manager, said registrants can choose how to receive updates, e.g. text messages, emails, phone calls, etc.
“It’s an opt-in system. You will not receive an alert if you haven’t registered for it.”
Large selection of colours, while supply lasts. Proceeds to West Haldimand General Hospital Auxiliary. for sale
SADDLES FOR TOMBSTONES In the WHGH GIFT SHOP - main lobby
HOW TO PLAY: Fill
GARAGE SALE: Woodworking tools, gardening equipment, housewares and much more. 94 Sutherland St. West., Saturday, June 1, starts 7 a.m.
Ryan Lawrence, Fire Chief at Imperial Oil Nanticoke and District Chief for Haldimand Fire Station 12 Fisherville, noted that he and his team are constantly training for a wide range of incidents to be ready to respond should an emergency come up.
On top of that, Lawrence noted, there are many fail safe systems in place throughout the site.
TO PUZZLE NO. 969
“(For a) catastrophic event, a lot of things have to fail – a lot of things,” he emphasized.
GARAGE SALE Saturday, June 8, 2024. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Larger items include: treadmill, full solid oak dining set, file cabinet, stereo and speakers, and more. Come by 12 Horseshoe Bay Road, Dunnville and check it out.
TO PUZZLE
HOW TO PLAY:
SELKIRK SENIORS
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.
On May 27, 24 seniors met for an afternoon playing Hoss. Winners were as follows. Blue hosses: Garry Stroud and Stan Lane with 3. Blue high Tony Touesnard 327, 2nd Don Dennis 327, and special Jean Nixon. Pink hosses Bev Bassindale with 3, Pink high Pat Donald 342, 2nd Barb Fearman 327, and special Leah Lariviere. Lucky chair was Gladys Lynch, no one had the 9s and 10s. We meet every Monday upstairs in the Selkirk Centennial Hall at 1:30 p.m. FISHERVILLE SENIORS
not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3x3 box.
Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started. Remember: you must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3x3 box.
May 23 there were 21 for an afternoon of hoss. Scores as follows. Blue- Hosses Tony T 3, High Annette A 330, 2nd Joann 322, special Marion D. PinkHosses Barb F 4, High Lois A 350, 2nd Joyce C 319, special Gladys L. No one held 9s and 10s. Lucky chair Stan L. We meet every Thursday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. at the Fisherville Lion’s hall. New players welcome.
HAGERSVILLE SENIORS
On Thursday, May 23 we welcomed 10 hoss players to the Hagersville Legion. Our winners were Most Hosses- Bill G, Hi Blue- Doug McB, Lo Blue- Bob R,
Pink- Sharon McB,
Pink- Marion E, Door Prize- Linda E. We welcome all to join in the fun every Thursday at 1:30 p.m.
COME & WORSHIP †
Assembly of Friends (Independent Baptist) 34 Main St. S., Hagersville 905-975-9324
Bethany United Church 180 Carter Rd., Dunnville 905-736-3231/905-774-5238
Bethel Christian Reformed Church 17 Robinson, Rd., Dunnville bethel@dunnvillecrc.ca
Caledonia Baptist Church 401 Argyle St. S. 905-765-4712
Caledonia Congregational Church 97 Argyle St. N. 905-765-4198
Caledonia Presbyterian Church 117 Argyle St. N. 905-765-4524
Calvary Pentecostal Church 1241 Broad St. E., Dunnville 905-774-7232
Canfield United Church 61 Talbot Road 905-772-7194
Cayuga Christian Fellowship 71 Hwy #54, Cayuga 905-772-2522
Cayuga United Church 27 Munsee St. S., Cayuga cayugapcinfo@gmail.com
Chalmers Presbyterian Stone Church (Walpole) 3163 Hwy. 3 E., Jarvis 519-410-1648
Dunn Parish
Oct. 1 - Apr. 30 Christ Church: 37 Lighthouse Dr., Pt. Maitland May 1 - Sept. 30 St. John the Evangelist: 143 Hald-Dunn Townline, South Cayuga Dunnville Free Methodist Church 181 Cross St. E. 905-774-5111
Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church 139B Talbot St. E 519-587-4646/JarvisCRC.com
Faith Centennial United Church 28 Main St. W., Selkirk 905-776-2584
First Baptist Church 114 Broad St. E., Dunnville 905-774-7225
Gateway Church 15 Haldimand 66, Caledonia gw.church /905-765-5407
Grace Reformed Church 514 George St., Dunnville 905-774-6225
Grace United Church 174 Caithness St. E., Caledonia 905-765-2686
graceunitedcaledonia.com
Grace United Church
301 Broad St. E., Dunnville 905-774-4504
Hagersville Baptist Church
59 Main St. N., Hagersville
Hagersville Community CRC 13 Sherring St. N., Hagersville 905-768-5745
Hagersville United Church
34 Main Street South 905-975-9324
The Highway Chapel 1184 Broad St. E., Dunnville 905-774-4884
Highway Pentecostal Church 4501 Highway 6, Hagersville 905-768-5195
Jarvis Community Church 19 Church St., Jarvis 519-587-2915
Kingsway Church 3776 Hwy # 3, Balmoral 905-869-6470
Knox Presbyterian Church 223 Lock St. W., Dunnville 905-774-5970
Lowbanks Community of Christ 2663 North Shore Drive
Maple Creek Community Church 110 Inman Rd., Dunnville 905-774-6410
Morgan’s Point United Church 11430 Lakeshore Rd., Wainfleet 905-899-1218
Maranatha CRC of York 33 King Ave., York 905-765-4114/289-757-4114
Mount Olivet United Church cayugapcinfo@gmail.com
Oneida United Church 914 Second Line 905-768-1241
Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church Erie Ave. S., Fisherville 905-902-1551/905-574-5566
Selkirk Christian Chapel 20 Erie St. N., Selkirk 905-776-2144/gotoscc.com
Selkirk Baptist Church 19 Main St. W., Selkirk 905 772 1318
South Cayuga Baptist Church 3475 Haldimand Road 20 905-774-5803
South Cayuga Comm. Church 6182 Rainham Rd. 905-774-5150
Springvale United Church 905-768-5863
St. Ann’s RC Church 1378 Sandusk Rd. , Jarvis
St. John’s Anglican Church 378 Cheapside Rd., Cheapside 519-587-5565
St. John the Divine Anglican Church 37 Ottawa St. N. Cayuga 905-772-5077
St. Mary’s RC Church 94 Main St. S., Hagersville 905-768-5726
St. Patrick’s RC Church 107 Orkney St. E., Caledonia
St. Paul’s Anglican Church 27 Orkney St. E., Caledonia 905-765-2779
St. Paul’s Anglican Church 65 Talbot St. E., Jarvis 519-587-5565
St. Paul’s Anglican Church 233 Lock St. W., Dunnville 905-774-6005 stpauls@rogers.com
St. Stephen’s RC Church 15 Ottawa St. S., Cayuga 905-772-5314
Sweets Corners Church 5356 Rainham Road 289-308-6818 /sweetschurch.com The Dwelling Place Springvale Be In Christ Church 2602 Hald. Rd. 55 905-768-3465 Townsend Community Church 85 Nanticoke Creek Pkwy., Townsend 519-587-4941 Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church 30 Erie St. N., Fisherville 905-779-3425 York United Church 35 Merritt St., York 905-765-0416
PUZZLE NO. 970
PUZZLE NO. 971
DUNNVILLE
MUDCAT FESTIVAL
By Haldimand Press Staff
DUNNVILLE—The 48th annual Mudcat Festival will soon be upon us, bringing four days packed full of family fun, delicious eats, lively country music, and more throughout the streets of Dunnville.
The celebrations will take place all across the town, from a country concert on Queen Street June 6, to a family movie night on June 7 in Central Park, a car show at Lions Park on June 8, and a kids fishing derby down at the river in Wingfield Park on June 9 to close off the festivities.
This is only a small sampling of the non-stop activities and music that will be taking place over the four days. See the schedule below, and flip to the next page for a breakdown of some of the festival’s biggest and most exciting events.
Whatever your interests, there will be something to watch, join in on, taste, and enjoy for everyone who makes their way down to Dunnville from June 6-9, 2024 at the annual Mudcat Festival.
Parade route & People Mover Map
DUNNVILLE—As shown above, on Saturday, June 8, 2024 the Mudcat Parade will begin moving down Broad Street at 10:30 a.m. at the corner of George Street, just north of Lions Park. It will move east toward downtown before looping back through Tamarac, Queen, and Lock streets to end back at George Street. The map also showcases the four “people mover” pick up and drop off spots, available from 12-6 p.m. to help transport Mudcat participants to the various areas of the festival across town. New this year is an accessiblity bus, ensuring all members of the community can use this transportation service.
Dunnville MUDCAT
By Haldimand Press Staff
Looking
schedule and wondering where to start? Well, if you can, see it all of course!
The Dunnville Chamber of Commerce has been working hard to organize this four-day event, ensuring there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
But with so much jam-packed across those four days, it’s understandable if you’re looking to pick and choose what sparks your interests most.
This year’s festival has a country western theme interweaved throughout.
The whole shebang will kick off with a new Country Concert & Vendor Market from 5-10 p.m. on Thursday, June 6 along Queen Street in the downtown core.
The street will be shut down for families to come listen to some free country jams, enjoy dinner from one of several food trucks or the nearby restaurants, and shop a variety of vendors.
“It’s going to be awesome!” said Chamber of Commerce President Marianne Kidd. “Bring your lawn chairs to enjoy the concert. The con-
cert will include Gary Rothwell and the band Redneck Revolution; both are local and will be doing mostly country.”
On Friday, the cowboys keep coming with a showing of Toy Story 4 at dusk (around 7 p.m.) in Central Park. Test out your best Woody impression, grab some popcorn, and continue to browse participating vendors.
The next day, any Toy Story fans should make their way to the Kids Zone in Central Park for a meet and greet at 1 p.m. with some of the characters. The Mudcat website promises “a day of wild-west fun and unforgettable memories” at this event, which also includes bouncy castles, a shooting range, and other games and activities from 12-4 p.m.
A highlight of the festival each year, this year’s parade on Saturday, June 8 will be decked out in all-things country as well. Kidd added that those watching are welcome to join in on the western fun: “We encourage people to dress country with hats and boots!”
And kids can finish off the weekend getting into the country spirit with a fishing derby on the river at Wingfield Park, beginning at 10 a.m. on June 9. Also at the park that day is a petting farm, RC car racing, and more.
be awesome ... whole family!
Kidd explained they wanted to keep things local, so the day will feature Detour, Levi Passmore (aka Leviathan), State 90, and Evermile. Tickets are $15 at the door, or head over to the website now and save $5.
Teens may be most excited for the return of CJ’s Skatepark at Lion’s Park from 12-4 p.m., featuring a best trick competition and free lesson after the demo.
valuable price.
Two dances will take place Friday evening. Kids in Grade 5-8 can head over to the Optimist Club to dance with their friends from 7-9 p.m. for just a $5 entry fee. Those 19+ meanwhile can dance the night away at the annual Haldimand Fire Station 9 Street Dance featuring the band Undercover; this opens at 7 p.m. with a $10 entry fee and $5 drinks available for purchase.
Saturday is the busiest day in town. Beginning at 11 a.m. is the fan-favourite car show. Kidd noted, “We are super excited about the Car Show this year as we are featuring the Rock ‘N’ Ray Michaels Road Show and then his band the Retro Rockers!” The Bavarian Gardens offers another 19+ only space, open from 12-7 p.m. on Saturday.
At 3 p.m., head to the water in Wingfield Park where everyone can enjoy the Duck Races for a bit of silly, and colourful, competition.
Speaking of competition, there will be lots of bragging rights and prizes on the line Saturday. The Mudcat Games are open from 12-2 p.m., also at Wingfield Park. This includes the Bed Races, with teams required to bring their own four-wheeled bed to sprint down the street, and six-player-teams for a classic game of Tug of War.
Once you’re done watching these athletic feats, head over to Cedar Street where the third annual Strongman and Strongwoman competition begins at 2 p.m. with events like farmers walk/overhead press, car flip medley, and a truck pull. So, where are you headed first?
—Haldimand Press archive photos.
COUNTRY ESTATE ON 50 ACRES!
2378 NORTH SHORE DR. LOWBANKS - $1,999,000
Custom built Victorian-style mansion features 3800 sqft of sophisticated living space including 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, full basement, wine cellar, pool, hot tub, wrap-around porch, double garage with finished loft. Detached 45’x60’ heated/insulated workshop surrounded by 40 acres of workable farmland and 7 acres of hardwood forest with a view of Lake Erie on the horizon. Call Darren for more information or to book a private viewing.
73 ACRE MULTI-PURPOSE PROPERTY
1165 CONCESSION 3 RD., FISHERVILLE - $1,949,000
Exceptional property presents versatility & tranquility. Offers 11 acres of forest with wildlife & 60 acres of
lakeview! Call Darren.
45 HOWARD ST. HAGERSVILLE. $469,000 2-storey former Duplex with R3 Zoning that allows for 4 Units subject to Haldimand County requirements - Buyer to complete due Diligence. No Basement. Home interior has been gutted and in need of major repair/removal. In prime Downtown location on a large 66’x145’ lot with front driveway and road access to the rear of the property by Municipal Laneway. Rare opportunity and conveniently located close to downtown amenities.
LAKE ERIE LIVING!
Epic Jobs gives students first-hand look at trades careers
By Mike Renzella The Haldimand Press
BRANTFORD—Roughly 2,400 Grade 7 and 8 students from across the Grand Erie District School Board and the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board came together May 22, 2024 at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre in Brantford to attend Epic Jobs, where they had the chance to connect with over 50 businesses, trade unions, post-secondary schools, and service organizations centered around a career in the trades.
Haldimand Mayor Shelley Ann Bentley attended and said, “Empowering young people to find local, meaningful careers and connecting them with opportunities can help steer them on a path towards success and positively impact the local economy. There are so many creative, talented, and intelligent youth in our county that have a lot to offer. I thoroughly enjoyed attending Epic Jobs this year and it was great to see local representation from the manufacturing industry.”
Representatives from all major trades industries – including advanced manufacturing, construction, motive power, and service – were on hand as well.
With manufacturers like Stelco and Toyota, large scale employee unions like LiUNA, and institutions such as Mohawk, Fanshawe, and Conestoga College in attendance, the event offered something to appeal to a wide range of interests.
Students had the opportunity to speak one-on-one with professional tradespeople and take part in hands-on activities that introduced them to different job and apprenticeship opportunities.
Sophie Auger, project lead for the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie (WPBGE), said students could try their hand at soldering pipe, operating a crane, stripping electrical wire, using power tools, riding a scissor lift, and putting on safety equipment used by hydro workers, construction workers, and firefighters.
Students could also see heavy equipment up close, including a $1-million piece of forestry equipment; participate in a construction skills competition; or race around a police obstacle course.
“Organizations that employ or train people who work in service-related jobs, from youth worker to hairstylists, also showcased what they do,” said Auger.
She noted that planning the annual event is a months-long process, involving the co-ordination of multiple partners, including both regional school boards, the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) operated by the school boards, and Organized Kaos, a carpentry and automotive shop that operates out of Brantford.
Auger said events like Epic Jobs showcase the trades as “well-paying, rewarding and in-demand – today and for many years to come.”
REAL ESTATE
Direct: 905.928.7880 | Office: 905.575.5478
Email: lynnadams@rmxemail.com www.LynnAdams.ca
paula.coate@hotmail.com
She added, “There’s a shortage of skilled trades in Canada, including here in the Grand Erie region that includes Brantford, Six Nations of the Grand River, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and Brant, Haldimand, and Norfolk counties. Yet, many students, and their parents, aren’t aware of the hundreds of trades-related occupations or that the trades are a career path they should look at.”
For the past five years, Epic Jobs has been addressing that lack of awareness.
WPBGE Executive Director Danette Dalton was encouraged to see that female students were just as engaged as their male counterparts in the day’s activities, “which is great to see because we need more women in the trades in the future.”
“The idea was simple,” concluded Auger. “Open their eyes. Inspire them.”
BRANTFORD—Left, Mayor Shelley Ann Bentley visited Epic Jobs and praised the opportunity for students to get an up-close look at the trades (photo from Mayor Bentley’s Facebook page). Right, a student gets a chance to operate a scissor lift, just one of the many hands-on opportunities for the 2,400 attendees (photo from Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie).
REAL ESTATE
Custom “Keesmaat” home in Cayuga’s “High Valley Estates” subdivision. Offers 2,497 sq ft of Exquisitely finished living space highlighted by custom “Vanderschaaf” cabinetry w/ quartz counters, living room, formal dining rm, 8 ft doors, 2 pc MF bath. UL w/ 4 pc bath, 3 spacious beds featuring primary bed w/ ensuite & WI. The unfinished basement allows for the Ideal 2 family opportunity with ADU potential or to add to overall living space with rec room, & RI bath.
