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The Voice of North Grenville

Vol. 8, No. 50

December 16, 2020

Salvation Army kettles in desperate need of donations

Salvation Army Director, Calvin Wong, with one of the kettles in their thrift store donations. “The kettles are

by Hilary Thomson down about 70% this year, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter so we’re really nowhere near reaching our goal at Like every holiday this point,” he says.

COVID-19 has tripled season, Salvation Army kettles have been placed the number of people usin stores throughout the ing the food bank with the Municipality to give the Salvation Army serving community an opportuni- over 100 people every two ty to support the Kempt- weeks. Usually the fill-aville Salvation Army food bag donations last them bank during the season of throughout the entire year; but 2019’s donations only giving.

Due to the COVID-19 lasted them three months pandemic, this year’s ket- once COVID started. This tles are not manned by year they did not do the volunteers, which Sal- fill-a-bag campaign, so vation Army Director they are having to rely Calvin Wong says has on individual donations caused a dramatic drop in and funding to fill their

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shelves. “People have been dropping off donations and there have been various other food drives that have brought in some, but we’re basically having to purchase everything at this point,” Calvin says. “We did receive some government funding, which has helped, but we are essentially purchasing everything now in order to fill the demand.”

The Salvation Army kettle campaign is the only fundraising effort that the organization does throughout the year. With government funding up in March, Calvin is worried that if they don’t raise enough with the kettles, they will have to scale back the service they provide to the community. Right now, they are able to provide fresh fruits and vegetables as well as extra food to make sure the people they serve have the nutrition they need. “I think the level of service will just not be able to be what it is now if we don’t have the extra income,” Calvin says.

Kettles are currently set up at Canadian Tire, Wal-Mart, LCBO, Food Basics, Independent, B&H and at the new Salvation Army Thrift Store. This year, donors have the option to drop cash into the kettle or tap their debit or credit card on the tap-togive sign to donate $5 to

the cause.

The services that the Kemptville Salvation Army provide are a lifeline for many families in need in North Grenville and the surrounding area.

“They rely on us for just the basic necessities of food, so it really is essential for them just to be able to get them from paycheck to paycheck,” Calvin says.

Calvin also notes that the new Salvation Army Thrift Store across from B&H is now open with extended holiday hours.

They are not taking donations until the new year, but it is a great place to shop for presents or any other holiday needs. “All the money that is generated at the thrift store stays local and 100% of that goes back into the community,” he says.

The Salvation Army kettle campaign will run until December 24. If you see a kettle while you are out doing your Christmas or grocery shopping over the next two weeks, consider making a donation.

“We’re just asking people if they can spare $5 or if they can throw something in the kettle, we could really use the support big time this year,” Calvin says.

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The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Sweet Scrub offers three new holiday scents and gift packs

This holiday season needs to be different.

The safest way to celebrate indoors is only with the people who live in your home. People who live alone can get together only with one other home.

Gatherings with friends and extended family can carry an increased risk of getting and spreading COVID-19. Consider celebrating outdoors or virtually with others that are not part of your household.

developed even more scents, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter created a logo and found professional packaging for her products. Back in SepThe young owner of tember she had sold over 200 local business Sweet Scrub jars of Sweet Scrub through has created special holiday family and friends, and descents for the Christmas veloped five distinct scents: season. strawberry, pineapple, coffee Thirteen-year-old Pay- vanilla, pumpkin spice and ton Cory started making apple cinnamon. The scrubs and selling hand scrub back are made of all-natural ingrein June, after she made a dients, with a base of coconut batch for her mother for oil and sugar and are a great Mother’s Day. With the help way to soothe dry hands from of her grandparents Payton extra washing and sanitizing.

by Hilary Thomson

Know the gathering limits in your area before you choose to entertain with family and friends indoors.

Indoor gatherings are not permitted in regions in Grey- Lockdown.

The Food Corner

For all gatherings with anyone you do not live with:

by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville Every family appears to have its own recipe for Fruit Cake. Of course, this is the season where fruit cake is particularly welcome. However, we seem to forget all about this delicious dessert or snack as soon as the festive season has flown. In our family, we keep right on partaking till Easter rolls around. On a Sunday afternoon with a cup of tea, nothing goes down nicer. Some folks even like to have a piece of auld cheddar alongside. So, if you haven’t put up your Fruit Cake yet, give this recipe a whirl!

• maintain 2 metres physical distance • wear a face covering • avoid potlucks or shared utensils

White Fruit Cake

• ensure everyone washes hands regularly, including before and after meals

Ingredients: 1 pound of raisins ½ pound of maraschino cherries, drained, or glace cherries, cut in half, half red, half green ¾ pound of diced glace pineapple in red, green and yellow ½ pound of diced mixed peel or all citron, if preferred ½ cup of orange juice 4 tablespoons of white rum 1 ½ cup of fine granulated sugar or fruit sugar and 1 cup of butter 5 eggs 1 cup of enriched cake flour 2 teaspoons salt ½ cup buttermilk ¾ cup all-purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ pound of sliced almonds Preparation: On the night before the cake is being baked, prepare fruit, add liquid and let stand overnight, stirring a couple of times to mix liquid into fruit.

Next day, make batter by creaming sugar and butter well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each egg. Add cake flour, salt and buttermilk. Beat until flour disappears.

Add all-purpose flour to the fruit mixture, which has been standing overnight. Mix nuts into the fruit mixture. Then, add the batter. Mix well. Pour into a greased springform pan. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 325 degrees for 3 or so hours. Place a pan of water in the oven while the cake is baking to maintain humidity. If the top of the cake browns too rapidly, lower the heat or cover with a piece of aluminum foil. Check that your cake is done by inserting a toothpick to see if it comes out clean.

Once out of the oven, let cool for several hours, then wrap in cheese cloth. Baste the cake right over the cheese cloth – generously – with white rum and wrap first in saran and then, aluminium foil until ready to serve. Periodically, unwrap and re-baste with the rum.

Kindly let me know if you tried this recipe and how it turned out.

I’m at pcormier@ranaprocess.com.

Self-isolate if you are sick, even if your symptoms are mild and ask guests to stay home if they feel unwell.

Follow provincial and local public health advice to keep you and your loved ones safe this holiday.

Stopping the spread, starts... with you.

Visit ontario.ca/celebratesafely to learn more.

Paid for by the Government of Ontario

December 16, 2020

For Christmas, Payton has created three special scents, candy cane, gingerbread and cranberry. She says she picked these scents because they all remind her of Christmas with cranberry sauce always on the holiday table and the tradition of giving candy canes as little gifts.

“I always bake gingerbread with my grandmother,” she adds.

Payton is offering gift packs for the holidays which include two 4oz jars for $10 or three 4oz jars for $15.

Shoppers can pick their favourite scents and Payton will gift wrap them for free. While she is featuring her holidays scents, all the rest (except for pumpkin spice) are also available in 8oz jars for $7 or 4oz jars for $5. Payton is willing to organize either pick up or delivery for those in the North Grenville area.

Get your orders into sweetscrub9@gmail.com as soon as possible to ensure that your order is ready to be put under the Christmas tree.

2

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BACKYARD ASTRONOMY

A Great Conjunction

by Gary Boyle The Backyard Astronomer 2020 will be a year that will never be forgotten. For the past months, the entire world has suffered a high level of stress and anxiety from this pandemic. Normal routines of going to work, school, restaurants, concerts, sporting events, and movies came to a screaming halt. Other than reading, playing games, or binge-watching TV, people began looking skyward, some for the first time. And why not? Astronomy is the oldest of the allied sciences, and the night sky has been the place of deep relaxation for thousands of years. We also have the means of learning science as it plays out in the cosmos.

This year, we desperately needed a distraction, and then came Comet Neowise. It had put on a fantastic show throughout July, as it was seen with the naked eye even in the moonlight. This allowed millions of people around the world to observe and

photograph this interstellar visitor. Neowise is now on its way back to the icy depths of space, only to return about 6,800 years from now.

The first week of October saw Mars at its closest approach to Earth since 2003. Our two worlds swing close to each other every 26 months, but every seventh return is deemed the closest.

Mars is still seen overhead for most of the night, appearing high overhead as a bright orange object. Over the weeks and months, Mars dims ever so slowly as our distance increases with each passing day. We now end the year with two more celestial events that will entice people to look up once again – a grand meteor shower and a great conjunction of two planets.

Like ping pong balls on a table, the planets lie on the plane of the solar system with the Sun at the centre. Over months and years, the planets revolve around the Sun at dif-

ferent speeds. On occasion, two planets will optically come close to each other in the sky, called a conjunction.

Brilliant Jupiter (887 million km away) and Saturn (1.6 billion km away to the upper left) are now visible low in the southwestern sky, will appear extremely close on the night of December 21, which also happens to be the Winter Solstice. A typical Jupiter-Saturn conjunction occurs every 20 years or so, but this year, they will appear as a double planet with a separation equal to 1/5 the width of the full moon. This will give telescope owners a rare treat of seeing these gas giants and their moons in the same field of view. This extreme close approach plays out every 397 years.

Many are associating this to the Star of the Magi, which was the close conjunction of the two brightest planets, namely Venus and Jupiter. On the night of June 17, 2 BC, they appeared to touch each other, which was deemed a sign. This is the closest astronomical event at the time, as Halley’s Comet was seen ten years prior in 12 BC, as recorded by the Chinese.

A week before the December 21 grand conjunction, the Geminid meteor shower will peak on the night of December 13/14, producing 120 slow-moving meteors per hour. There will be a few

fireballs that can light up the ground. This is one of the best showers of the year and moonlight will not interfere.

Till next time, clear skies.

Known as “The Backyard Astronomer”, Gary Boyle is an astronomy educator, guest speaker and monthly columnist for the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

He has been interviewed on more than 50 Canadian radio stations and local Ottawa TV. In recognition of his public outreach in astronomy, the International Astronomical Union has honoured him with the naming of Asteroid (22406) Garyboyle. Follow him on Twitter: @astroeducator or his website: www. wondersofastronomy.com.

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The Great Americano Giveaway It's the Great Americano Giveaway at Bubba & Bugs Coffee Bar! Thursday, December 17th only, everyone who orders an Americano wil receive it free of charge compliments of wonderful folks at WGP Professional Corporation!

Christmas Greetings from St. John’s United Church, Kemptville.

Christmas will be different this year given the realities of the Covid-19 pandemic. We will miss being together in person in the sanctuary. An invitation is extended to all to join virtually for the Advent and Christmas services. https://www.kemptvilleunitedchurch.org/news/daily-updates St. John’s has been busy developing creative ways of delivering our Christmas message. Our traditional cantata, recognizing Covid-19 restrictions, will be a part of our December 20 online service.

Christmas Eve worship will be online as well. “Pippin the Christmas Pig”, used with permission and shared by our youth and young families, is a heartwarming story of hope, wonder and the true Christmas spirit.

May the music, messages and prayers during Advent and Christmas convey to you the hope, peace, joy, and love of God’s abiding love.

613 258-2782

Blessings, Your friends at St. John’s United.

Bubba & Bugs, 146 Prescott Street, Kemptville December 16, 2020

3

www.ngtimes.ca

Editorial

The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Who knows where the time goes?

by David Shanahan Time plays strange tricks on us. Last week, without warning, it struck me that it has been forty years since John Lennon was murdered. How can it be that long since we lost such an amazing and complicated individual? It also means that he would be 80 years old today, had he lived so long. That may seem hard to imagine, but think: the other surviving Beatles are also up there. Ringo is 80, Paul is 78, and George, the youngest, would have been 77. That may not mean a lot to anyone born in the last three or four decades, but, believe me, your time will come too. One day, you’ll suddenly realise that, no matter what your head says about how old you feel, your body does not agree.

But that’s another story.

Today, with the insight, hindsight, and out of sight age brings, I have to look

back and see what a really odd time it’s been, long before covid and Brexit and Trump. In my lifetime, to choose just a few at random, I’ve seen the murders of John Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, and Bobby Kennedy; and that was just the Sixties. Imagine that.

On December 6, we marked the 31st anniversary of the massacre of women at the École Polytechnique in Montreal, where 14 students were murdered because they were women. The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women is marked on that date each year, and, each year, there are yet more deaths to remember and mourn. This pandemic has only increased the number of acts of violence against women and children. Imagine that.

It is simply astounding that we have become used to hearing about mass shootings, murder-suicides, mas-

sacres of ethnic or religious groups. But, hopefully, we have not become immune to the shock and the horror and the rejection of such things.

It can be hard to know how to respond to such barbarity. It can seem impossible for us to do anything about them. But there are things we can do. Imagine that.

Although they were complex, imperfect people, it is an odd thing that the victims of the most famous murders, people like Lennon, King, the Kennedys, and others, were people who inspired. They may not have been perfectly consistent in living their vision, but they tried to break down barriers, to teach a better way for us to live together. The women of École Polytechnique were breaking down barriers too: as women moving into professions and workplaces traditionally closed to them.

Ironically, for all of these individuals, it was that very attempt to give a different vision of what life could be

that provoked others to kill.

Imagine that.

We can learn from this.

It can be complicated, and it can sometimes be simple. I often think that the man who wrote the most wonderfully poetic Strawberry Fields Forever, could also put vital lessons in such simple words: All we are saying is Give Peace a Chance. What would that mean, I wonder?

I think, in this world, there are those whose work is to share a vision, no matter how impractical or impossible it may seem. The work of the rest of us is to find ways to bring the vision to pass. Think of the numerous women who worked for decades to bring some form of political and social equality to their gender.

Think of the generations of Blacks who believed in freedom and equality and civil rights, were beaten, attacked by dogs, and murdered, by what seemed to be all-powerful forces working against them. And things

changed and continue to change as the struggle goes on. Imagine that.

Don’t get me wrong: I do not believe that humanity can be perfected and that we can enter an age of universal peace and love. I am a child of the Sixties, and I know our limitations. But we try.

As we approach Christmas, we can think about another who preached peace and love, equality and dignity for all. The one verse of Scripture everyone knows at this time of year is: “Peace on Earth; goodwill towards men”. [It is enlightening to see the actual verse] This is a time when we are, in theory at least, inspired by Jesus’ birth to consider others more. We give presents, we donate to food banks, we smile and wish each other good things. We look hopefully to a new year and promise ourselves to be better next time.

Of course, it has become more of a secular excuse for indulgence and excess,

but, at its core, we remember the original intent and inspiration. Someone who preached love and forgiveness, whose coming was a promise of a better world and better people. And they killed him too.

But, some of us believe that this is not the end of the story. There was death, but there was resurrection too.

But this is Christmas, and it is a time of giving and sharing and caring for others in a way we don’t usually do at other times of the year.

The food banks really need your help. The homeless need shelter. The isolated need contact and care.

In this Time of Covid, all of this is more so than in any other time. We can do things to make a difference.

Now is the time, so that the results can reach people before its too late. In the words of that lost leader: And so this is Christmas; and what have you done?

the Municipality of North Grenville to inquire about the possibility of building a new house on the back of my parents farm. We were granted approval from RVCA, and figured we would also be granted permission from the municipality. After meeting with the municipality we were told that because the land is deemed agricultural, we would not be granted permission to build our house.

We weren’t looking to build a subdivision, rather a 1500 square foot home, on no more than 1 acre of land. The municipality advised us that this wasn’t a municipal rule, rather a provincial one.

Now the province is coming into our town, and where are they constructing their

nice new jail? Literally on the most “agricultural” piece of land in the entire municipality.

As it is, and always has been, when it comes to governments, of any level, it is “do as I say, not as I do”.

Pathetic.

Sincerely, Christopher A McGahey

We tried to befriend it with some water and a different treat, but it maintained the two-metre distance. We called the cat sanctuary, the vet, the local radio station, to post a PSA about a lost cat on their Facebook page, researched tips on Google, but nothing worked. Still the cat remained up there.

The following day, someone left a different kind of cat treat, but it was gobbled up by another “creature of the night”. A neighbour across the street in the upstairs apartment tried to coax it down with a laser light. Alas, the black cat was not in a playful mood and would not chase the red spot. It was a hot topic at Geronimo’s Coffee Shop. Still the cat remained up there.

By about Day 5, the cat was not eating or drinking, and the night temperatures were in the single digits. So, we contacted the Fire Department. (Hey, you never know!)

Luckily, things over there were quiet, they had a new employee in need of training with extending the ladder

on the fire truck, and, more importantly, a sympathetic cat lover who took our request.

Unbelievably, they never had a request like this before…it only happens in the movies. The North Grenville Fire Service came to the house and managed to get the huge truck into our driveway (an amazing feat in itself). Once the ladder was extended, and with everyone wearing masks, a firefighter even climbed the tree trying to befriend the poor cat. The black cat was having none of this and climbed even higher to maintain the social distance.

Finally, after almost an entire week up there, our next-door neighbour told me the owner of black cat had dropped by early on Sunday morning, and was able to get the cat down in a couple of minutes. The cat had found its “social bubble” at last, and was carried safely home.

J.A. Doxey

Letters to the Editor Dear Editor, I would like to share some goods news, at least for me. While walking along the Rail Trail, my glasses slipped out of my jacket pocket. I left my contact information with the local optometrists, as well as the establishments where I walked by, in case someone found them. Indeed, a cyclist found them and gave them to his sister, Elaine, on Reuben Street. She, in turn, called Dr. Eamon’s office and left her contact information should someone be looking for them. After a few days, the glasses were safely back in my hands. Since one good turn deserves another, I contributed to the local food bank at the Salvation Army.

All is well, that ends well.

The North Grenville Times is published weekly by North Grenville Times Inc. Marketing Gord J. Logan gord@ngtimes.ca 613-258-6402 December 16, 2020

The kindness of strangers is much appreciated.

Name withheld by request Dear Editor, I have read with interest over the past several weeks the many letters to the Editor regarding the new proposed jail for North Grenville.

While I am not informed enough to speak of the down falls or benefits of a jail in our town, I do find the chosen location of the new jail to be suspect to say the least.

Surely there is a better place to construct the new jail, where it wouldn’t be infringing on current property owners, schools, and Churches.

A few years back, my wife Paula and I approached

Dear Editor, During the summer, when all was quiet due to COVID, we encountered a cat that carried “social distancing” a bit too far. Sometime around June 8-9, a black cat was stuck in our old maple tree.

His howling got our attention. We tried coaxing it down without wearing masks, but the cat insisted on maintaining a two-metre distance.

We tried offering food, to no avail. We built a ramp for it to climb down, with a treat at the bottom of the ramp. No luck.

The cat remained up there.

The next day, we put up a sign for the owners in hopes they would pass by with all the other COVID walkers.

the north grenville

ISSN 2291-0301 www.ngtimes.ca

TIMES

Editor Marketing David Shanahan Shannon Lever shannon@ngtimes.ca david@ngtimes.ca 613-215-0735

OFFICE 613-215-0735 Accounting Pat Jessop cfo@ngtimes.ca 613-258-4671

Copy Editor editor@ngtimes.ca 613-258-4671

4

Mailing Address P.O. Box 1854 Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 Staff Reporter Hilary Thomson hilary@ngtimes.ca

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The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Municipality to create new design guidelines for future subdivisions

by Hilary Thomson

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

North Grenville staff is working on standardized design guidelines for new subdivisions being built in the Municipality.

The topic came up at the planning Council meeting of December 9, as Council considered two new subdivisions coming to the Municipality.

Council passed a resolution to enter into a subdivision agreement with Westerra Homes for Pelton’s Corners Phase 2 off South Gower Drive and agreed to grant an extension for draft approval for the Comeau Subdivision which is an extension to the Oxford Heights Subdivision off Abbott Road.

According to staff both subdivisions have cash-inlieu of parkland in their plans, something that Council feels should not happen moving forward. At a January public meeting, Council asked the developer of Pelton’s Corners Phase 2 to consider creating a pathway along the stormwater management pond that would connect Athabasca Way to Pelton’s Corners Road. When it was brought to staff for consideration, they raised some concerns, as parkland is not supposed to be tied to stormwater manDear Editor, I see on the back of the first page of the North Grenville Times that the Government of Ontario is recommending we maintain 2m distance and wear a face covering. I am glad to see in the photo on the front page that the auxiliary members are 2m apart.

However in the photo to the community raises $10,000 article the people are not as well as in the B&H photo and the BIA lights photo. There are signs in Merrickville asking visitors to stay 2m apart but very few people do and I was bumped into by a woman on the street in Merrickville, without a mask, and her face was closer to 30cm from mine.

I know that our infection rate is much lower than the US but we want to keep it that way.

David Weston, Merrickville.

December 16, 2020

agement features. Block 21, which is the only empty lot in Phase 2, is meant to allow for the expansion of the stormwater management pond needed to manage drainage of the new subdivision. Staff was also concerned about the winter maintenance and the fact that Pelton’s Corners Road doesn’t have sufficient pedestrian friendly linkages on it. “You’re putting people out onto a road that may not necessarily be safe,” said Senior Planner Amy Martin at the meeting.

It was decided that the developer would give the Municipality cash-in-lieu of parkland, at 5% of the value of the land, that could be invested in South Gower Park.

The staff report also states that parkland in a rural subdivision like this isn’t as crucial with large estate lots that provide ample space for residents to enjoy the outdoors.

Councillor Kristin Strackerjan expressed her frustration at the cash-in-lieu of parkland deal that many developers have gotten in the past. “I think we’ve gone around in circles on this, I don’t know how many times, and every time we think we have a plan in place we get foiled by our own planning process in some way, shape or form,” she said. She also mentioned that having South

Gower Park close by and the fact that there are large lots in this rural subdivision should not be an excuse for a lack of parkland.

While Amy says said she heard Councillor Strackerjan’s comments loud and clear, the dedication of parkland should have been considered much earlier in the planning process, as there is no space for even a parkette in the current subdivision design. “I would be very encouraged to say that if we were to develop some stronger guidelines for developers, creating essentially the handbook as to what we’d like to see in our subdivisions and create that holistic vision, that would be more appropriate moving forward,” she said.

Deputy Mayor Jim McMananaman added that, as the liaison for planning and development, he has been asking for subdivision design guidelines since this council was elected two years ago.

While nothing has happened, the Deputy Mayor said that Amy has now taken on the project full tilt, and he hopes to see a lot coming forward in the new year. “I’m looking forward to an actual design plan for North Grenville when it comes to subdivisions, whether they’re commercial or whether they’re residential, so that developers have a

Dear Editor, I find the excellent letters encouraging as I’m still very unhappy about the proposed prison. This week, they were

by Peter Gunther, Nadia Gray, and Evelyn Lorey. I wish these people were in the Ontario government instead of the puppets and dictator that are presently in power.

Also, excellent articles

by Stephen Harris, Patricia Habberjam and Jim Bertram.

Last, but not least, thanks to our esteemed Editor for “Respect”. “Our council represent the people of this municipality..There should be loud and angry cries from them about the lack of respect, the lack of consultation, and the arrogance shown by the provincial players.”

Thanks to all for your intelligent input.

Kath Piché P.S. Always look forward to the NG Times!

Dear Editor, I was shocked to hear a doctor treating Covid say on the CBC national news that she was looking forward to getting the vaccine so she would not have to worry any longer about taking the virus home to her family.

According to the Moderna Chief Medical Officer Tal Zaks, there is no evidence that the currently approved vaccines prevent one getting or transmitting Covid. It is possible that the Oxford vaccine will do so, but it is not approved yet and is not the vaccine we are getting at this point. The current vaccines will reduce or eliminate the illness symptoms caused by Covid, but may not eliminate Covid. They will leave you asymptomatic but you may still have and transmit the virus. At present, a vaccinated person may be no different than a currently asymptomatic spreader of the virus.

Until there is evidence that vaccines will prevent transmission, it will be essential to continue all current public

guideline that they know way ahead of time when they buy the land exactly what we’re looking for.”

Councillor John Barclay agreed that further discussion about these design guidelines is long overdue. He said that they should be looking at common space in parks or parkettes and also connectivity. “I’d say connectivity is really important to this council in that we want subdivisions to have pedestrian linkages.”

O w n e r o f We s t e r r a Homes, Robert Noseworthy said the North Grenville Home Builders Association is aggressively looking for guidelines when it comes to developing subdivisions in the Municipality. “We want those guidelines in our subdivisions because we want certainty,” he said. “We want to know what we’re getting into before we get into it.”

Deputy Mayor McManaman assured council that the process to get these guidelines in place is underway. “I’m sure Amy is going to do a wonderful job and we’re going to have lots of people involved in the consultations with this with ideas and suggestions, just like we’re doing with the CIP program,” he said. “We’re keeping her busy.”

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UPDATE

UPDATE

For updates related to COVID-19 visit: www.northgrenville.ca/coronavirus NORTH GRENVILLE MUNICIPAL OFFICE HOURS

The Municipal office is open to the public between the hours of 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Residents and businesses can continue to access the Municipal service by phone, email and online.

HOLIDAY CLOSURE

Please note the Municipal Offices will be closed for the holidays on Friday, December 25, 2020 and re-open Monday, January 4, 2021. Please be safe over the holiday season!

UPCOMING MEETINGS COUNCIL MEETING January 12, 2021 While members of the public are invited to attend the meeting, seating has been arranged to facilitate physical distancing and accordingly is limited. Pre-registration at clerk@northgrenville.on.ca is required. Persons arriving without pre-registering will be accommodated where there is sufficient seating capacity to permit attendance while complying with safety protocols. All attendees will be required to self-screen and masks must be worn when physical distancing cannot be maintained. If you require accommodation, please advise the Clerk when preregistering so that we may best assist you.

This meeting will be live streamed at https://www. northgrenville.ca/govern/governance/agendas-andminutes.

health precautions (masks, distancing, washing hands etc) even after vaccination.

Yes, vaccines are a big leap forward in fighting Covid and will save tens of thousands of lives, but the misconception that they are proven to stop transmission may also cost tens of thousands of lives, if it leads to a false sense of security and a premature abandonment of precautions.

Public health officials , doctors, and politicians need to get on this issue right now, but its scary to think there are doctors who themselves don’t understand the potential limits of vaccination. Politicians may want us to think the end of the problem is at hand, but they need to take leadership in sounding the appropriate note of caution until we know if vaccines will prevent transmission.

William Vanveen Kemptville

To make a deputation in relation to an item on the agenda, please provide your comments no later than 2 hours prior to the start of the meeting to clerk@northgrenville.on.ca *NOTE: To facilitate further discussions concerning the proposed building fee schedule changes, this matter has been rescheduled.

Originally scheduled to be heard December 9, 2020, it has been rescheduled to January 12, 2021.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Agriculture and Rural Affairs Advisory Committee Wednesday, January 6, 2021 at 4:15 Heritage Advisory Committee – Thursday, January 7, 2021 at 4:30 Community and Economic Development Advisory Committee – Monday, January 11, 2021 at 1:00 pm Health, Wellness and Fitness Advisory Committee – Monday, January 11, 2021 at 4:00 NEW WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM BEGINS FEBRUARY 2021 Green Bins and the new Waste Management Guide will be delivered to each household in January 2021.

The Municipality of North Grenville

285 County Rd. 44, PO Box 130, Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 Tel: 613-258-9569 Fax: 613-258-9620 general@northgrenville.on.ca Building: 613-258-9569 x130 Fax: 613-258-1441 Fire Services Info: 613-258-9569 x201 Fax: 613-258-1031 By-Law Services: email: bylawinquiries@northgrenville.on.ca 613-258-9569 x211 Police Administration: 613-258-3441 Animal Control: 613-862-9002

www.NorthGrenville.ca 5

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Business profile

The Voice of North Grenville

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The Voice of North Grenville

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Region moved to Yellow - Protect Level from the Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit On December 9, the government of Ontario announced that the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark region will move from the Green–Prevent level to the Yellow – Protect level of the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open COVID-19 Framework. The sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in LGL over the past two weeks means that the region meets the criteria for the Yellow – Protect level, with a weekly incidence rate between 10 and 24.9 cases per 100,000.

The move to the Yellow – Protect level means that strengthened public health measures came into effect in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark on Monday, December 14, at 12:01 a.m. The additional measures include limited hours of operations for certain settings, limits on the hours for sale food and beverage establishments, limits on the number of individuals permitted in certain settings, and formalized Workplace Safety Plans for many businesses and organizations. Full details of the limitations and restrictions for the Yellow – Protect Level can be found on the Health Unit’s website: https://healthunit. org/health-information/covid-19/business-re-opening/framework/ .

Businesses in the affected sectors will be contacted directly; restaurants, fitness facilities, and retail outlets are encouraged to check their email for important information from the Health Unit and contact protec-

December 16, 2020

tion@healthunit.org if they have questions.

“The move from GreenPrevent to the Yellow – Protect level in our region over the past two weeks highlights how quickly COVID-19 can spread when precautions aren’t in place,” comments Dr. Paula Stewart, Medical Officer of Health for the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit. “Our staff are working diligently to follow-up and isolate all people with COVID-19 and their high risk contacts to prevent transmission in our community. We are relying on the residents, businesses, services, and workplaces in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark to follow precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19 in their settings. It is in our hands to protect our communities, and prevent further restrictions at levels beyond yellow.”

Staying home and apart as much as we can is the most important thing we can do. Being safe and protecting yourself means you are protecting your family, friends and co-workers.

Think SMART: S - Self-isolate if you have symptoms of COVID-19.

Consider getting tested M - Mask/face covering on properly when in enclosed public spaces and when physical distancing is a challenge outdoors.

A - Avoid touching your face.

R - Remain 2 metres/6 feet apart from people not part of your household – avoid play dates, and other close social contact. Social circles

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beyond the household are no long encouraged.

T - Twenty (20) seconds for regular hand hygiene. Cover your coughs and sneezes.

The Keeping Ontario Safe and Open COVID-19 Framework categorizes public health unit regions into five levels: Green-Prevent, Yellow-Protect, OrangeRestrict, Red-Control, and Lockdown being a measure of last and urgent resort.

For more information about COVID-19, visit: https://healthunit.org/ health-information/covid-19/business-re-opening/ framework/ or call 1-800660-5853.

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The Voice of North Grenville

MP Michael Barrett recognizes local act of heroism

Earliest pioneers of “Me Too” Movement were American women of colour struggling with effects of sexual harassment in the workplace

MP Michael Barrett and MPP Steve Clark present Marina Clark, Dylan Carbino and Alex Dow with scrolls to recognize their acts of bravery at the Newboro Lock this summer.

MP Michael Barrett presented three local employees of Parks Canada with certificates to recognize acts of bravery last week at a small ceremony at Heritage Hall on the Kemptville Campus August 7 was just a regular day at the Newboro Lockstation for Lockmaster Dylan Carbino, 22, and staff members Marina Clark, 20, and Alex Dow, 20. They were just about to close down the locks for the day when Dylan noticed smoke coming from a small 28-foot boat tied to the dock. Marina and Alex were cleaning the washrooms at the time and another boater alerted them that something was going on down at the docks.

All three of them rushed to the scene to try and help the boaters who were trying frantically to get items off the boat and put out the fire. “When I got down there the female was off the boat on the dock and the man was still on the boat putting what flames he could out and throwing stuff that was on fire over the boat into the water,” Dylan remembers.

Dylan helped the man, who was already badly burnt, off the boat and Marina pulled their dog, who had jumped off the boat in fear after being singed by the fire, out of the water. Alex called 911 and stayed with the woman who had jumped into the water to try and soothe her badly burnt body. “But the problem was we had fish in the water who were trying to eat her,” she says. “So, I spent most of my time keeping the fish away to keep her as comfortable as December 16, 2020

possible.”

The threesome were able to help put the fire out and keep the couple and their dog safe until the paramedics arrived on scene. Dylan says he still doesn’t know how the fire started, but the couple are now safe and well on the road to recovery.

Dylan is a volunteer fire fighter with the Rideau Lakes Fire Station but says this incident felt completely different.

“When your pager goes off and you know you have to do something it’s a totally different mindset,” he says. “To all of a sudden just look up and notice that, I kind of wasn’t sure what to do. I just acted on instinct.”

Marina and Alex both agree that instinct just took over, and that they didn’t do more than anyone else would have done in their situation.

“I think the three of us are on the same page that we just kind of reacted,” Dylan says.

“Personally I don’t consider myself a hero at all, I just acted in a way that I hope anyone would act but I appreciate the honour in being here today.”

MP Michael Barrett was deeply moved when he heard the story and took one of the rare opportunities he has to speak in the House of Commons to nominate Dylan, Alex and Marina for the Decorations of Bravery, Canadian honours officially created by Her Majesty the Queen and presented by the Governor General. “This trio of Parks Canada employees fought the growing inferno and saved the lives of the

did that day.”

While MP Barrett has no influence beyond the nomination on the selection process for the Governor General’s Decorations of Bravery, he wants to drive home the fact that he believes that all three of them are heroes. “As your member of parliament and representing all the citizens of Leeds, Grenville, Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes at the federal level, I am honoured to be in your company today and we owe a debt of gratitude to you.”

Marina is from Smiths Falls and is currently studying Criminology at Carleton University, Alex is from Metcalfe and is studying Architectural Engineering at Carleton University and Dylan is a full time Parks Canada employee.

All three agree that this experience has definitely brought them together as coworkers and they intend to return to the locks this summer.

two souls on board and their dog,” he said in the House of Commons on December 4.

“This selfless act of bravery that these three young people undertook to save the lives of strangers without a moment’s hesitation is as Canadian as it gets.” MP Barrett noted while all the MPs in the House rarely agree, his remarks were met with a standing ovation across the board. “And rightly so,” he added.

MP Michael Barrett along with MPP Steve Clark both presented the three of them with scrolls from their offices recognizing their bravery.

“I’m always very emotional about citizens of the community who rise above their call,” MPP Clark said. “And many who would have been in your positions might not have acted the same way you did. So it’s very very important for MP Barrett and I to recognize your heroic actions and thank you for what you the north grenville

TIMES Gord Logan

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Peter Peers

Advertising Manager

Phone: 613 989.2850 Email: peterpeers@ndtimes.ca www.ndtimes.ca

The Voice of Our Community

8

by Anne-Marie Langan I recently discovered that the MeToo Movement was pioneered by American women of colour well over a decade before we began hearing about the #MeToo movement on the news.

Tarana Burke, a survivor of multiple incidents of sexual harassment and assault, wanted to support other black women who had similar experiences to share their stories.

She started support groups for women of colour that were actually called “Me Too” groups. Ms. Burke also pioneered Just Be Inc. in 2006, an organization that seeks to empower young women of colour to “take root, grow, and blossom”, thereby lessening the chances that they will be targeted by sexual predators.

One of the first activists to advocate against sexual harassment in the workplace (SHIW) as early as 1975 was Carmita Wood, a black woman who worked at Cornell University. She quit her job when she was refused a transfer after complaining about having been repeatedly sexually harassed and assaulted by her boss. She was denied employment benefits because she was deemed to have quit for “personal reasons”. She went on to help found Working Women United, a group that successfully advocated for an anti-sexual harassment clause to be included in the affirmative action amendments that lead to the US’s Employment Opportunity Commission.

In addition, one of the US Supreme Court’s seminal cases about sexual harassment

in the workplace, Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, 477 U.S. 57 (1986), was brought by a black bank teller who had been repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted by the bank manager, along with several of her co-workers.

In this case, the court set out guidelines for determining whether certain behaviours constitute sexual harassment, and recognized that SHIW can create a “hostile work environment” and is an infringement of an employee’s civil rights. The principles outlined by the US Supreme Court in this case closely mirror those applied by our provincial and federal human rights tribunals and the Canadian courts.

These courageous women, who were facing many obstacles other than the SHIW they experienced, including economic barriers, racism, and other forms of sexism, deserve our gratitude for taking leadership on this issue and creating the ground work for the complaint mechanisms that we have in place today.

This article was provided

by The Legal Clinic as part of a public legal education campaign sponsored by The Justice Department of the Government of Canada. As part of this project, The Legal Clinic is offering free workshops about SHIW for employers, employees, and students, and free legal advice and assistance to victims of SHIW. For more information about this project, please visit our website at www.tlcshiwproject.com, or contact the project coordinator, AnneMarie Langan at langana@ lao.on.ca, or 613-264-7153. www.ngtimes.ca

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The Voice of Merrickville/Wolford

Local publishing company Mayor Struthers encourages focuses on highlighting local stories residents to stay “diligent and safe” The diary takes the reader from Duluth, Minnesota where they loaded a cargo of soybeans, to the Dofasco receiving docks in Hamilton, Ontario’s Burlington Bay. The book not only outlines details about the Canadian Leader itself, but also paints a unique picture of the lives of the men who crewed the vessel. “People give it huby Hilary Thomson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter manity,” Bruce says. “And it’s no good without humanity.”

Merrickville is the home Bruce does all of the layof an independent publishing out for the books himself, company, focused on high- and then sends them off to be lighting the untold stories of printed in the United States Ontario’s local history. or a by a company called Owner, Bruce Kemp, Friesen Press in Winnipeg. started the Waypoint Press Waypoint Press uses short run four years ago just before he publishing for all its books, moved to Merrickville from meaning that they are printed Kelowna, B.C. “British Co- as needed. “People can get in lombia has a thriving regional touch with me or get in touch history program in terms of with the printer and order one publishing, and they do a to 100 books,” Bruce says. “I great job on it,” Bruce notes. just got called from several “But unfortunately, Ontario bookstores around Ontario. has dropped the ball on that.” They don’t want big orders As an award-winning for Christmas; but they want, writer and photographer him- three, five, ten. So, we’re able self, Bruce saw a niche par- to fulfill those needs.” ticularly around Great Lakes A journalist to his core, history. He published his first Bruce is always on the lookbook with Waypoint, Weather out for new stories to bring to Bomb 1913: Life and Death life. He is currently working on the Great Lakes, in 2017 on a few other ideas including which was about a rare white a series of interviews with hurricane that ravaged the old lake captains who spent area. “Oddly enough that’s their entire lives sailing on still selling very well,” Bruce the Great Lakes, and a book says. on the men who built some His most recent book of the early commercial ships is called The Whales of the on the Rideau Canal as well Erie Canal, which documents as the cottage boats, like maBruce’s own journey in 2000 hogany motorboats and cabin aboard the Canadian Leader cruisers. Bruce also spent – the last of the traditional some time this summer with fore-aft’ers built in Canada. the skilled workers who build

the Rideau Canal lock gates which he hopes to weave into a story for a Canadian magazine. “These guys at the Parks Canada gate-shop, they’re ultimate craftsmen,” he says. “They’re working to tolerances that machinists work with and these things are beautifully crafted and beautifully finished.”

Bruce admits that bringing his ideas to life have been a challenge with COVID-19.

“It’s not a matter of sitting in a library on a Sunday and mining other people’s work,” he says. “This is primary research. We want to illustrate it as well, so I have to go to the various locations and take photographs.”

Up to this point Waypoint Press has only published Bruce’s work; but he would love to work with other local writers who are interested in brining local stories to life. “I have a poet who I have known for a long time and I regard him as an exceptionally good poet,” he says. “As soon as COVID is over I’m going to bring out a book by him.”

Bruce’s two criteria for a book to be published by Waypoint Press is that it has to be well written, and it has to have an impact on local readers. “I think there are so many brilliant writers out there who are not fulfilling their potential for a variety of reasons,” he says. “I mean right now the big mainstream publishers are the biggest proponents of age discrimination. They don’t want to deal with anyone who is over 40.”

Bruce is 70 years old and

teleconference was to inform Local Journalism Initiative Reporter the mayors about the phases of distribution for the COMayor Doug Struthers VID-19 vaccine. The vaccine sat in on a teleconference last will be rolled out in three week with the Province about phases with the first doses the roll out of the COVID-19 going to healthcare workers who provide care in hospitals vaccine.

All 444 mayors in Ontario and long-term care homes. had the opportunity to join the Both the University Health teleconference on Tuesday Network in Toronto and The December 8, which was held Ottawa Hospital were set

by Premier Doug Ford along to receive 3000 doses each with Minister of Municipal early this week, and the vacAffairs and Housing, Steve cines will be administered at Clark, Minister of Health, dedicated inoculation sites.

Christine Elliot, Ontario’s The Province expects to reChief Medical Officer of ceive 90,000 doses of the Health, Dr. David Williams, Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by and Retired General, Rick the end of December, to be Hillier, who has been put delivered to up to 14 hospital in charge of Ontario’s CO- sites in various COVID-19 VID-19 Vaccine Distribution hot spot regions. That being said, they will continue to Task Force.

The main purpose of the prioritize healthcare workers in hospitals, long-term care homes, retirement homes and other congregate settings carit is obvious that he still loves ing for seniors.

By the end of January, what he does. He doesn’t the Province estimates that describe his process as inspiration per se; but he enjoys over 20 hospitals across the watching as an idea catches Province will be adminisfire. “I get to meet people, tering the Pfizer vaccine to wonderful people,” he adds. healthcare workers and to “I don’t want to get into Don- long term care and retireald Trump hyperbole about ment home residents. The the quality of people, but approval of the Moderna these are really great folks. vaccine will allow the ProvEvery time I go see them, ince to expand its reach and I come home, and they’ve as more vaccines arrives, it will be implementing phase added something to me.”

To learn more about Way- two of the roll out – expected point Press and Bruce’s work, to begin in late winter 2021. visit his website, brucekemp- During this phase, the vacphotography.net. Book ideas cination program will expand can also be emailed to way- to include home care patients point@brucekempphotogra- with chronic conditions, First Nations communities and urphy.net. ban Indigenous populations, including Métis and Inuit individuals. Ontario will only enter phase three of its plan once vaccines are available to anyone who wishes to get said that even with their deci- vaccinated, which is still most sion to include himself and likely months away.

Top officials also note that Councillor Molloy on the Committee in the interim, the the roll out may vary dependend goal was always to have ing on the vaccine available. the Committee of Adjustment The Pfizer COVID-19 vacpopulated by the public. “It’s cine has to be stored between great to see that that has come -60 and -80 degrees Celsius, which limits its ability to to fruition,” he says.

Robin, Jack and current travel, and both the Pfizer member, Lorne Walker, will and Moderna vaccines need officially make up the Mu- two doses (21 days and 28 nicipality’s Committee of days apart respectively), furAdjustment effective January ther complicating the roll out strategy.

11, 2021.

by Hilary Thomson

Municipality finds volunteers to fill vacancies on Committee of Adjustment

by Hilary Thomson

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Council has appointed two new members to the Municipality’s Committee of Adjustment.

The Committee is an independent decision-making group that is appointed by Council and established under the Planning Act of Ontario to make decisions regarding variances from any of the Municipality’s zoning December 16, 2020

by-laws. According to the Planning Act, there must be at least three people sitting on the Committee of Adjustment and after loosing two members earlier this year, Council was having trouble finding volunteers to fill the vacancies.

At a previous meeting, Council decided to make Councillor Timothy Molloy and Mayor Doug Struthers sitting members of the Committee to make sure that they

could still address any Committee of Adjustment business while they continue to look for members of the public to sit on the Committee.

Since that decision was made, Council has received several applications from residents volunteering to sit on the Committee. At the Special Council meeting of December 9, Council officially appointed Robin Turcotte and Jack Springer to the Committee of Adjustment. Mayor Struthers

10

Mayor Struthers says that it is important for residents of Merrickville-Wolford to remain hopeful, but realistic about the time it will take to roll out this vaccination program. “There is a roll out, a very purposeful roll out, a very strategic roll out for the general population,” he says.

“It could be late into 2021 until we have that steady, normal vaccine distribution and inoculation process completed. So we do need to keep that in context.”

However, he does want to stress to his constituents how important it is to trust that Health Canada has done its due diligence to make sure the vaccine is safe. “We live in a great country with a great health care system and we can have that assurance when vaccines are available,” he said. “While it may take time, when the time comes please, please step forward, roll the sleeve up and have the vaccine.”

Mayor Struthers encourages residents to be patient and continue to be diligent and safe while the vaccine program is rolled out throughout the Province. Last week, the Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit announced a surge in new cases in the area from 1-2 new cases each day to up to 8 new cases a day. The area also moved from a green to a yellow zone. “Not just with the upcoming holidays, but day to day, it is especially important for residents and businesses to ensure they’re doing everything they can to reduce the spread,” Mayor Struthers says. “Review your COVID-smart precautions to prevent COVID-19. This is not a time for complacency.”

At this point, Mayor Struthers notes that there are no known cases in Merrickville-Wolford and there has been no community spread.

“Our residents by and large up until now get it,” he says.

“So while we know there is a vaccine rolling out, it’s going to take time and so we as individuals and collectively as a community need to continue to do what we are doing, being diligent and safe.” www.ngtimes.ca

The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

A Merrickville-Wolford veteran has been honoured for his service to the community with the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation

Mayor Doug Struthers congratulates Randy Stowell for receiving Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation

by Hilary Thomson

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Randall (Randy) Stowell joined the Canadian armed forces in 1965 and served for 36 years.

Throughout his military career he had 13 postings which brought him and his wife all across Canada, to Germany three times, and to England. “We had a good military career,” he

remembers.

When he retired from the military in 2001, Randy says he was “seduced” into doing some volunteer work at the Merrickville Legion. “One thing led to another and I become quite active there,” he says. From 2010 to 201, he sat on the executive including four terms as Branch President, Chair of the Sports Committee, Branch Poppy Chair, Chair of the Poppy Committee, and served as

system for families while serving and once retired and that’s been a big improvement.” Randy’s work with the NATO Veterans Association has continued throughout the pandemic through Zoom calls and what they call “buddy checks” where they call up veterans to make sure they are doing ok. “For us the buddy check is part of our weekly routine,” he says.

This year’s Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendations were announced on Monday December 7 by Minister Lawrence MacAulay. According to the Veterans Affairs website, the Commendation is awarded annually to individuals who have performed commendable service to the Veteran community and/or individuals who represent commendable role models for their fellow veterans. Randy says he had no idea he was even nominated for the Commendation until he got a phone call from the Minister of Veterans Affair’s office in July. At the time he wasn’t sure who had nominated him; but he has since learned that it was a retired chief warrant officer from the combat engineers who he knew throughout his military career as well as through his work with the NATO Veterans Organiza-

Master of Ceremonies for the Village’s annual Remembrance Day service. As a result of his efforts, the Branch obtained two federal grants to upgrade accessibility and the Legion was able to install an elevator and wheelchair lift in its building. Randy has also spent countless hours performing day to day maintenance at the Branch and was the “chief cook” for four years of monthly dinners.

In 2015, Randy joined the NATO Veterans Organization of Canada and became President in 2016. The goal of the organization is to advocate for long term care for veterans and their families across Canada. In his role, he meets regularly with senior Veterans Affairs officials and rallies parliamentarians to advocate on behalf of veterans and their families. He says his experience working with Veterans Affairs has been a good one, and that he is happy to see that the military is doing more to support the families of veterans as they transition out of military life. “When I left the service in 2001 there was very little being done for families,” he says. “The military has developed a very good program for transitioning military people out. The military has a strong support

tion. “That’s actually the thing that impressed me the most,” he says. “It doesn’t happen too often that a big tough chief warrant officer would sit down and put pen to paper to recognized someone. And he’s an engineer and I was artillery so we’re not in the same parish. That was actually pretty nice for me.”

Mayor Doug Struthers is thrilled that one of the Village’s dedicated Legion volunteers is being recognized with this national recognition. He says he has known Randy for a long time, meeting him first along the walking trails in Limerick Forest. As Mayor, he got to know him more in his role as President of the Merrickville Legion. “He was always quietly and unassumingly thinking of and helping others,” he

says. “How fittingly appropriate that an officer from a different corps submitted his name to receive the Minister’s Commendation.”

This is the second award that Randy has received over the past few years for his volunteerism. In 2018, he was awarded Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers from Governor General Julie Payette.

Randy says it is very nice to be recognized in an official capacity by the Minister of Veterans Affairs and he will be wearing the bar proudly on his uniform along with his other medals of service.

“This commendation is limited in its distribution and I’m amongst a group of people who have all tried to do something for veterans,” he says. “Recognition is always nice and it’s a great honour.”

"We are open for your convenience during these troubled times" Monday - Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

The North Grenville Photography Club

THIS CHRISTMAS

SHOP LOCAL

'It was thrilling to view the migrating Snow Geese in Chesterville on Wednesday while they rest and feed in the agricultural fields. At times the sky above was filled with birds arriving and slowly sailing down to join the flock. When you’re close to one of these flocks you can’t help but get caught up in the excitement. Photo by Bernice Sheppard.’

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CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1. Anagram of "Wort" 5. Not the sciences 9. A satirical comedy 14. Protagonist 15. Large open farm wagon (archaic) 16. Of a pelvic bone 17. With your identity concealed 19. African language 20. Ancient Greek unit of length 21. $10 bills (US slang) 23. A group of women collectively 25. Unassisted 28. Genus of macaws 29. A law enforcement agency 32. Seal 33. A late time of life 34. Aspersion

35. Cut down 36. Elbow 38. Emanation 39. Family lines 40. Dowel 41. Yield 43. Eastern Standard Time 44. Which person?

45. A type of keyboard instrument 46. Men of great strength 48. Eye disease 50. Influence 54. Ridges of sand 55. Record player 57. "Smallest particles" 58. Border 59. Spanish lady 60. Compacted 61. Whip 62. 365 days

DOWN 1. Not that 2. Lease 3. Killer whale 4. Flutes and similar instruments 5. Barley bristle 6. Lifted 7. Moon of Saturn 8. Flurry or blizzard 9. A bone of the lower leg 10. Exclamation expressive of regret 11. A building for skating 12. Felines 13. Anagram of "Cue" 18. Crystal-lined rock 22. Adjoined 24. Figure of speech 25. Habitual practice 26. Vetoes 27. GMan 29. Chimneys 30. Charred 31. Angry 33. It comes from a hen 34. Store clerk 37. Relating to a newborn 42. Choose by voting 44. Hogfish 45. Anagram of "Rustic" 46. List components 47. Aqualung 48. Adorable 49. Shortly 51. Double-reed woodwind 52. Forearm bone 53. Rip 54. Daddy 56. Greatest possible

How would you treat your own mother?

Professor Edward D. Churchill It was 1949 and I was making rounds at the Massachusetts General Hospital with Professor Edward D. Churchill, an original thinker who taught medical school students and residents the importance of science in surgical practice. The X-ray showed a small mass in one lung in a very frail elderly lady. If it was a benign lesion, an operation might kill her. If it was malignancy and we did not operate, it might end her life. After much discussion, Professor Churchill asked a question I’ve never forgotten, “How would you treat your own mother?”

I told this story to Diana while discussing the number of people dying in seniors’ homes due to COVID. What treatment would we want for our family members?

It’s reasonable to expect more infections in seniors’ homes this winter. Vaccines are on the way and, hopefully, they will help end this nightmare. But, in the meantime, loved ones will die.

So, prevention must be practiced, including refraining from gatherings, wearing face masks, and complying with social distancing rules. There’s no guarantee to evade the virus, but these steps will decrease risk.

Yet, for loved ones in these group residences, this is not enough. In addition to these structural defences, we should help them ensure that their natural biological defences are as robust as possible. Unfortunately, this first line of defence has not received due attention.

There’s an avalanche of information about fighting the virus from pharmaceuti-

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December 16, 2020

Medium

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cal companies, institutes of health, university-based labs, and expert researchers around the world. We are counting on these groups to make breakthroughs in medicine that will cure diseases and protect us from future pandemics. But where are the common-sense messages about good oldfashioned prevention and protection that come naturally from our immune systems?

In fact, you can find the ingredients for a strong immune system if you go looking. But there are no megamillion-dollar budgets to push this information to you on the nightly news or in commercial advertising.

COVID-19 is caused by a viral infection. So, look at the research on the prevention of viral infections for guidance on how to care for your loved ones.

Doctors of orthomolecular medicine specialize in nutritional supplementation to maintain health. They deserve attention for two reasons. One, natural remedies don’t kill people, and if these approaches show results, then they should be a priority in treatment. Two, research by these scientists, including published clinical trials, continues to prove the efficacy of natural supplements for both the prevention and treatment of disease.

So, how do we protect

our loved ones? Dr. Damien Downing, a British allergist, has written on vitamin D deficiency in relation to viral infections. He recommends 4,000 international units (IU) daily for three months, and then 3,000 IU daily, in order to reduce risks of contracting viral infections and to prevent disease from becoming severe, leading to death. This is because vitamin D enhances immunity, decreases inflammatory responses, and acts as an antioxidant.

Other research shows that the addition of zinc 30 milligrams (mg) daily also beefs up immunity and eases inflammation. Magnesium at 400 mg daily eases the constriction of arteries caused by viral infections.

Finally, don’t forget vitamin C, 1,000 mg three times a day. Split the dose, because vitamin C is water soluble and some is lost in the urine. It has been shown for decades to be a potent antiviral agent.

So, for our loved ones, we would insist that these four safe, inexpensive vitamins and minerals be given. After all, you can’t replace your mother.

Sign-up at www.docgiff. com to receive our weekly e-newsletter. For comments, contact-us@docgiff.com.

Follow our new Instagram accounts, @docgiff and @ diana_gifford_jones.

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Ontario begins rollout of COVID-19 Vaccine

The Ontario government has developed a three-phase implementation plan to receive, store and administer COVID-19 vaccines to Ontarians as soon as they are received. Phase One began on Tuesday, December 15, with a pilot project in Toronto and Ottawa which will include the vaccination of over 2,500 health care workers with the Health Canada approved Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

"We are ready to receive these vaccines as soon as they become available thanks to the excellent work of our health care officials and General Hillier and the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force," said Premier Ford. "We have one of the most robust and comprehensive plans in the country and I am confident that all the necessary security measures and the advanced logistics systems are in place.

The progress we are making is a welcome sign, but we must continue to be vigilant and follow the public health guidelines until vaccines are widely available."

As part of Phase One, Ontario will be participating in a COVID-19 vaccine readiness pilot in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada and Pfizer-BioNTech.

Two pilot sites at University Health Network in Toronto and The Ottawa Hospital will receive doses of the Pfizer vaccine to be administered to health care workers who are providing care in hospitals and long-term care homes.

This pilot will help inform

the province's preparedness plan to receive larger vaccine quantities as it moves forward in Phase One, providing the opportunity to test the logistics of delivery, reconstitution of the vaccine, clinic management, and post-vaccine surveillance. The pilot also affords the opportunity to learn from the experiences of those being immunized so lessons learned can be shared with sites that will receive the vaccine in the coming weeks and months.

The two locations were selected for the pilot because this will test the travel logistics in two different regions of the province. In addition, these sites already have the equipment necessary to safely store the Pfizer vaccine at -70 degrees and the trained staff to handle the vaccine.

Since this vaccine cannot be transferred beyond the initial delivery location at this time, vaccinations will be administered to health care workers in high-risk areas such as long-term care and critical care units in the Toronto and Ottawa regions.

"Keeping everyone safe is our top priority and this vaccine is Health Canada approved and ready to be administered," said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. "By vaccinating and protecting people who provide essential care in hospitals and long-term care homes, we will decrease the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks in these settings. As we continue to receive more doses, we will ensure that every

person who wants a vaccine will receive one."

The province’s decision to identify key populations to receive the vaccine first is based on the advice of medical experts and ethicists, recommended by the Ministers’ COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force and aligned with the National Advisory Committee on Immunization’s recommendations.

Phase One will continue with the following key milestones: Based on per capita allocations, an expected 90,000 Pfizer-BioNTech doses received from the federal government will be delivered to up to 14 hospital sites in Grey-Lockdown and RedControl zones in December, to vaccinate health care workers in hospitals, long-term care homes, retirement homes and other congregate settings caring for seniors.

Deliveries of an expected 35,000 to 85,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine, once approved, will enable vaccinations to be expanded to long-term care homes in the Grey-Lockdown areas.

In early 2021, expansion of additional hospital sites providing the PfizerBioNTech vaccine in GreyLockdown and Red-Control zones, with continued vaccination provided to health care workers and, with the appropriate safety protocols, to long-term care home and retirement home residents.

It is anticipated that by end of January over 20 hospitals across the province will be

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December 16, 2020

administering the Pfizer vaccine.

An expansion of the number of locations to administer the Moderna vaccine would include long-term care homes, retirement homes, public heath units, other congregate care settings for seniors, and adults in First Nations, Métis and Indigenous populations.

When an increased stockpile of vaccines becomes available to Ontario, the province will shift to Phase Two of its vaccination implementation plan, which is expected to begin later in the winter of 2021. During Phase Two, vaccinations will be administered to health care workers, as well as to residents in long-term care homes and retirement homes, to home care patients with chronic conditions.

Ontario will enter Phase Three when vaccines are available for every Ontarian who wishes to be immunized. While vaccines will not be mandated, during Phase Three, people will be strongly encouraged to get vaccinated.

As the province prepares to rollout its phased vaccination program and head into the holiday season, it remains critically important that all Ontarians continue following public health advice to protect our communities and most vulnerable populations, and to stop the spread of the virus.

The COVID-19 pandemic has tested our health-care system in unprecedented ways. The challenges we now face are critical: a backlog of surgeries, growing hallway health care, the need to build 30,000 long-term-care beds after years of neglect, all while providing high-quality care to a growing number of aging Ontarians.

The global pandemic has exposed many of the underlying cracks in a tired and neglected system. Too few nurses and personal support workers, aging hospitals and a growing waitlist for long-term-care beds are all the result of decades of underinvestment.

Ontario families need access to world-class health care.

Doing so requires a renewed partnership between the provinces and the federal government.

When medicare was first established, the federal government agreed to cover 50 per cent of health-care costs. Over time, that funding partnership has eroded, leaving the provinces and territories to cover more than three-quarters of all healthcare costs.

The federal contribution to health care is now just 22 per cent across the country. If nothing changes, that number is on track to continue to decline sharply. In fact, if the federal government fails to increase its share of funding, Ontario will face a $40-billion annual funding gap for health care by the year 2040.

That’s why I’ll be joining Canada’s premiers on Thursday at a special first ministers meeting with the prime minister to call on the federal government to increase its funding share from 22 per cent to 35 per cent through the Canada Health Transfer — still well short of the 50 per cent the federal government originally contributed but a strong step in the right direction.

If the federal government were to increase its share by 13 per cent, Ontario would receive an additional $10 billion in health-care funding every year.

Just imagine the possibilities. That’s $10 billion more that could help pay for seven brand new hospitals, 150 new MRI machines and hospital stays for over 72,200 patients. That’s money that could dramatically expand virtual doctor visits or help improve care for Ontario’s most vulnerable in long-term care homes.

We aren’t asking Ottawa to do anything we are not prepared to do ourselves. Ontario has already stepped up with a commitment of $18 billion over 10 years to build and renovate more hospitals. We are improving quality care for seniors by increasing the hours of direct care for each and every long-term care resident to an average of four hours per day by 2024. Ontario has never invested more in mental health and addictions services.

Ontario stands ready to work with our federal and provincial partners to secure a new funding pact on health care to ensure all Canadians have access to world-class care.

It’s time for the federal government to take this request seriously.

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The Voice of North Grenville

Deal 2 Hybrid Adams Irons 5&6, 28 inch snowblower, auto- HOUSE FOR SALE: At 114 NEW $150 for pair.. Call 613- matic starter, new motor Hagan St Kemptville. Call 614-5730 $475.00 613 215 0625 613 258-2753 or jbleizert@ ripnet.com Blue Lazy-boy $45. Tan sofa Mixed seasoned firewood for bed $65. 613-258-3761 sale, $110 per cord delivered, Hunters Paradise Deer minimum 3 cord order for de- and Turkeys Bow and Snow tires on rims, Altimax livery, Jon 613-227-3650 Bkack Powder Season Call Arctic 225/70 R 16. 5 bolt 613.258.3561WMISCELLA$500.00 613-258-0589 7 pairs of custom made NEOUS drapes,sheers & black 4 Michelin X ice 215/60/16 outs,mint condition. with ANTED on wheels 5X114.3 used one rods, all for $200.00 call 613winter $550.00. 613-862- 215-0884 Looking to Rent Farmland for 9816 Organic Cash Crops Specifi2 Bridgestone Tires 16" used cally looking for land that's one summer $150. Call 613- fallow/overgrown or old 614-5730 hay/pasture. Also interested 13

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New cannabis facility hopes to become trusted member of community

co-CEOs and Founders of Era Cannabis Jimmy and Nick Xidous back to Canada and settling

by Hilary Thomson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter in Arnprior. Their family now owns Steve and Denni’s There is a new cannabis Restaurant in Arnprior, which production facility coming has been in operation for the to North Grenville and its last 30 years. An entrepreneur founders hope to become at heart, Jimmy has been runan integral part of the North ning a chain of supplement Grenville community. stores for the past 10 years.

Nick and Jimmy Xidous “I was in the supplement and first had the idea for Era natural health industry as Cannabis back in 2013, when well, in manufacturing and they started reading about the packaging,” he says. “So that possibility of Canada legal- is going to come in handy izing cannabis in newspapers with the cannabis industry.” and online. “I was like, wait, Nick says their upbringthis is going to be huge,” ing and background has preJimmy says. “I saw so much pared them well to run Era potential.”

Cannabis with care. “Even in Both Jimmy and Nick the restaurant business you started educating themselves have to be very hands on,” about cannabis soon after he says. “You’ve got to know they first had the idea; but everything you are doing to Jimmy says things really get the best product at the end started to get serious in 2017 of the day.” when the government started Nick and Jimmy have to shape the rules and regula- been working with a master tions around cultivating can- grower for the past few years, nabis in Canada. “Before it so that they can really underwas super difficult, you didn’t stand how to cultivate the best really know what could hap- quality cannabis possible. pen,” Nick remembers. “It They have also been working was just kind of like a shot in closely with a whole team of the dark where now there are professionals, like architects actual road maps for how to and engineers, to make sure get where you need to go in that their facility is state of the business.” art and meets all the regulaNick and Jimmy’s fam- tions outlined by Health Canily have roots in Kemptville. ada. They are aware of some Their parents were the origi- of the concerns that residents nal owners of the Kemptville have raised about things like Family Restaurant and Jimmy odour and light pollution and was born in the Town. They Jimmy says they have done sold the restaurant in 1986 their due diligence to make and moved back to Greece, sure that there will not be an where Nick was born, for issue. Nick says it has been a few years, before coming great to see how engaged

Council has been in making sure community concerns are heard and working with them to make sure that the outcome is beneficial for all parties.

Anytime anybody has a questions about something, we get to the bottom of it and clear it up and we make sure that it’s the best positive outcome to make sure that everybody’s happy,” Nick says. “We want the community to be proud of the company,” Jimmy adds.

Nick and Jimmy have big plans for Era Cannabis, as they hope to become a household name in the industry across the country. For now, they are focused on building their facility and hope to get their building permit by the end of the year, with plans to break ground in the spring.

They are planning on hiring as many local tradespeople as possible for the construction of the facility, and once it is operational they hope to hire 15-20 local people to work in the facility. “Eventually down the road I can see hundreds of people employed at this facility,” Nick says.

Era Cannabis will have its hand in every part of the cannabis production process, from cultivating, to processing and packaging, and will not be outsourcing anything outside of the community.

“We’re going to be taking care of all of the logistics, whatever comes to this industry,” Nick says. “So that’s how we’re going to be able to really grow the economy and hire people and create more jobs and opportunities.”

No matter how large the facility gets, Nick wants to make sure that the heart and passion for what they are do-

ing stays intact. “It needs to have a human touch always.

It needs that compassion,” he says. “I believe that’s one of the main beneficial parts of this industry and especially whenever your cultivating, the love that you put in is what you are going to get out.”

Nick and Jimmy also have lots of ideas for products that they would like to bring to market, both for medicinal and recreational cannabis use.

Their main goal is to cultivate the best possible product at reasonable and fair prices.

“Everything that we create and make is going to be for the consumer,” Nick says.

“That’s what we are always going to have in mind.”

According to Nick the pair is looking forward to being a part of this new and growing industry and are very thankful for the support they have already received from the North Grenville community. “We’ve had a lot of residents in North Grenville who have already private messaged the Era Cannabis Facebook page looking for work,” Jimmy says. “There’s a lot of people excited.”

Nick and Jimmy encourage anyone with ideas for the new facility to reach out via the Era Cannabis Facebook page or email Nick at n_xidous@hotmail.com. They would also like to hear from any local trades people who might be interested in helping with the construction of the facility, as they will be going out to tender early in the new year. “It’s communities and people that make things evolve and grow,” Nick says.

613-258-7800 www.kvrl.ca

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TIMES Gord Logan

Marketing Consultant Phone 613 258 6402 Email: gord@ngtimes.ca

December 16, 2020

Maki, Michael Brian

June 25th, 1961 – December 8th, 2020

He was our storyteller, brother, son, father, husband and friend and it is left to us, who listened and lived in his company, to remember and tell his story.

Mike was a huge man with a big heart. A sense of humour that would fill you with laughter, joy, ease and comfort, all at the same time. He was inspirational to all of us, his wit, his laugh and his off the wall, unexpected, common sense (sometimes) comments would fill you with laughter.

He will be missed by his wife Andrea, three sons Lukas (Kaitlyn), David, Steven (Christena), his mother Helen, his two brothers Tim (Rebecca) and Doug, and his large circle of friends and loved ones.

A celebration of life will be held at a future date when it is safe for all of us to remember Mike together.

As Mike would often say “Hey, look on the bright side”.

Condolences/Tributes/Donations Hulse, Playfair & McGarry www.hpmcgarry.ca 613-258-2435

CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANT

Robert Walker, CPA, CA Bradley Mehlman CPA Dinah Boal Stephanie Turcotte Crystal Lang T: 613.258.3282 F: 613.258.4391 2 - 4 Industrial Rd, Kemptville, South Gower Business Park

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Open For Business Support Local, now more than ever!

Menu #41

613.860.2539 www.dialachef.ca

The 11 Days Of Christmas

NEW STORE HOURS Monday to Friday 8:00am to 7:00pm

Saturday

8:00am to 6:00pm

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613.258.3014

Includes choice of soup or salad and choice of dessert.

Meals come with homemade baguette.

Apple cider onion soup Or Turkey vegetable noodle soup (available after Christmas) Or Hot Bloody Mary Soup *** December 24 & 25: Turkey dinner, includes stuffing, sweet potato mash, carrots, Brussels Sprout, cranberry sauce & gravy.

December 26: Roast prime rib of beef, creamy scallop potatoes, carrots, broccoli, horseradish and le gravy au jus.

December 27: Duck leg confit, Salardaise potatoes, green beans. (limited quantities, order fast).

December 28: Salmon fillet poached in red wine, with mushrooms and glazed pearl onions, steamed potatoes.

December 29: Roasted Cornish hen, orange cranberry sauce, wild rice & vegetables.

December 30: Shrimps, scallops, clams and mussels ragout in a light creamy cari sauce, rice.

December 31: Surf & turf ( Beef tenderloin peppercorn sauce, broiled lobster tail in garlic), croquette potatoes, vegetables.

January 1st: New year day brunch: assortment of croissants and muffin, Cinnamon oatmeal, French toasts, poach egg with red wine mushroom sauce, home made sausages, home fries, apple syrup crêpe.

January 2nd: Roasted chicken with red wine and mushroom sauce, Duchesse potatoes & vegetables.

January 3rd: Slow braised lamb shoulder with winter vegetables and potatoes. *** Chocolate mint trifle, Or Mince meat tart Or Pumpkin cheesecake $42.50 per person, plus HST $5.00 delivery fee.

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Gift Certificates for Curbside meals are available!!

Pork Schnitzel

Crispy breaded pork loin, Spaetzle with warm potato salad and a lemon-caper butter & braised red cabbage & vegetables

Jumbo Mozzarella Stuffed Meatball

Topped w/parmesan and mozzarella cheese on a bed of Marinara Sauce with Creamy Cheesy Pasta & vegetables

Butter Chicken

Marinated tender chicken in mildly spiced, cream sauce, Basmati rice, Curried Potatoes, Chef's Veg Medley, Flat Bread.

Pulled Turkey Sliders with Mac n Cheese

(Ideal for Kids) House-made mac n cheese with 3 cheeses, Pulled Burbre Turkey in a savory gravy with Brioche buns, veggies.

4 Course New Years Eve Dinner

for 2 $65.00 or for 4 $120.00 Please select One Menu Item for your order.

Available Dec 31st 11am - 2pm for Curbside Pick up Soup | Salad | Main | Dessert Sweet Potato & Coconut Soup (GF/DF) Beet & Pomegranate Jewels on Local Greenhouse Salad with Honey Citrus Vinaigrette Slow Roasted Rib Eye with red wine sauce, Yorkshire Pudding, Roasted Potatoes & vegetables OR Crisp Chicken Breast stuffed with Cheese & Prosciutto, White wine herbed cream sauce, roasted potatoes, Vegetables N.Y. Style Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce & Brittle Or Chocolate Ganache Tart with 5yr Rum Caramel Sauce Holiday Entertaining Appetizer Packages (Available Till December31) (5-8 pieces per person Minimal Home Chef assembly required with heating instructions).

Asian Affair Platter for 4 $65.00 Mexican Fiesta Platter for 4 $70.00 Middle Eastern Platter for 4 $65.00 Indian Platter for 4 $65.00 Fun Fare Platter for 4 $65.00 Seafood Lovers Platter for 4 $90.00 Charcuterie Board for 4-6 $65.00

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December 16, 2020

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The Voice of North Grenville

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Blaze a trail this winter

by Sarah Herring, Director, Kemptville Winter Trail Winter ’s shadow is looming longer and darker in 2020, with many people wondering how to cope with increased isolation this winter and desperate for things to do. Kemptville Winter Trail (KeWi) hopes to offer a fun, free, healthy and active winter alternative to isolation and boredom, right here in the heart of North Grenville.

Kemptville Winter Trail is a non-profit corporation run by community volunteers who aim to create and maintain (over time, and in segments) groomed multiuse winter trails in Ferguson Forest Centre, Kemptville Campus, the Waterfront

Trail and Anniversary Park - a vibrant outdoor community space for people to cross-country ski, hike, snowshoe or ride a winter fat bike on 10+ kilometres of groomed winter trails.

Keeping community residents within the community to participate in such activities benefits our community as a whole by boosting our local economy through increased stops at local stores and restaurants. And places that offer outdoor activities tend to draw visitors from outside the community too, with further potential to benefit our local economy.

KeWi has struck an arrangement with Ferguson Forest Centre to create an initial trail sector there this year, received much enthu-

siasm, encouragement and support for this initiative from North Grenville Mayor Nancy Peckford and Councillor Doreen O’Sullivan, and our social media debut (https://www.facebook. com/Kemptville.Winter.

Trail) has garnered great community interest and enthusiasm!

But making the trail a reality requires community support.

KeWi’s goal is to raise the funds by the end of December 2020 for the purchase of a snow-grooming machine (operated through volunteer snowmobile owners this season), and additional funds over the next year toward the purchase of a trail-dedicated snowmobile, allowing us to better

Donate old electronics to help addiction and mental health services

Between now and March 31, 2021, The Phoenix Centre for Children and Families, in partnership with the Champlain Mental Health & Addictions COVID-19 Task Group, which is focused on creating a virtual care service delivery system which has the knowledge, equipment and support to provide effective and efficient services to vulnerable populations in response to COVID-19, are making a call for donations of any unused or surplus electronic devices that you may have at home or in the office.

During this difficult time of COVID-19, The Phoenix Centre and the Champlain MH&A COVID-19 Task Group are working with agencies throughout the Champlain region to make mental health and addiction services accessible to individuals or families needing help through virtual platforms. Unfortunately, not everyone in our various communities has access to mobile phones tablets, laptops, or even reliable internet that is compatible with virtual platforms. Your donation of a device that still works, but is no longer being used, will be put into the hands of a person who is needing mental health and/or addictions support December 16, 2020

during this challenging time.

This project covers children, youth, adults, and seniors in the Champlain Region (which includes Leeds & Grenville, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Ottawa, Prescott Russell, Renfrew County).

At this time, to make sure the devices will be able to assist in the virtual care program in the best way possible, we are asking that your devices meet the following requirements: - Power On - Have a Charging Cord - Be Unlocked (if applicable) - Not Be Blacklisted - Have a functional screen (minor, non function limiting scratches are fine) - Functional Headphone jack - Operating Systems (Not Applicable for non-Smart Phones): a. Smart Phones and Tablets: - iOS 8.0 or newer - iPad OS 13 or newer - Android 5.0x or newer b. Laptops: - macOS X with macOS 10.9 or newer - Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or 10 Home, Pro or Enterprise If you have any questions or are unsure that your donation will meet our requirements, please contact

Jessica Rowsell by phone at 1-613-735-9565, or by email at jrowsell@phoenixctr.com and it will be verified for you.

All device donations will be wiped to the highest data security standards and uploaded with all the required platforms and applications to support the recipient. If you include your name and email address, a tax receipt for your donation will be sent to you if the value is assessed over $20.00. When you are ready to make your donation, reach out to Jessica Rowsell by phone or email to locate your nearest drop off location or to make arrangements for pick up.

By being able to offer more services virtually, and providing the necessary equipment to those who need it, The Phoenix Centre and their partners will be able to offer a sustainable service to all who need it, when they need it.

The Phoenix Centre and the Champlain Mental Health & Addictions COVID-19 Task Group would like to thank the United Way East Ontario and their Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) for being able to provide financial aid in order to support the Champlain Region during this difficult time.

16

coordinate trail grooming and expand the winter trail system.

With your help, we can reach our goal and bring the trail to life!

Donations of any amount are welcome and appreciated, and donations of $100 or more will be prominently and gratefully acknowledged in the following manner throughout our 2020-2021 operating period: $100 to $499 - your company name on our website and trailside signage $500 to $999 - your company name and logo on our website and trailside signage $1000 and up - your company name and logo, along with Platinum Spon-

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sor designation, on our website, and both trailside and grooming machine signage Donation cheques can be made payable to “Kemptville Winter Trail” and mailed to: PO Box 5054, Kemptville, ON, K0G 1J0.

Thank you for your time, consideration, and generous support toward making Kemptville’s outdoor winter landscape a more vibrant and exciting one for the whole community.

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