Toonies for Seniors
by Marguerite Boyer
Over the past few weeks, you may have spotted jars appearing on counters at local business es. They’re part of a new ef fort that’s close to my heart, a campaign by Shalom Small Homes, Kemptville to help provide affordable housing for seniors right here in North Grenville. Anyone who lives here knows how limited our se nior‑housing options are. We have very few dedicated affordable units, and most are managed regionally through the Leeds & Gren ville Housing Corporation and Grenville & Prescott Housing. That means our seniors are competing with people from across the en tire region for a very small
number of subsidized homes.
Meanwhile, the num bers simply don’t add up. A basic apartment in Kemp tville often costs $1,600–$2,000 a month, while many seniors rely on CPP, OAS, and GIS, usually $1,600 to $2,200 a month in total. It’s heartbreak ing to think that many are spending 60–80% of their income just to keep a roof over their heads. And pri vate retirement residences? Wonderful places, but at $3,000–$5,000 a month, they’re out of reach for most.
That leaves a painful gap between independent living and full‑service care, a gap that too many se niors are falling through. Without more affordable options, we risk seeing seniors pushed out of the community they helped build. We risk more hous ing insecurity, more pres sure on local services, and more people aging in homes that are no lon ger safe or accessible. And perhaps the hardest part: increased isolation and a diminished quality of life.
That’s why the work of Janne Ritskes means so
much. For years, she has poured her heart into mak ing sure seniors have a safe, dignified place to live. Last year, thanks to her leader ship and the generosity of volunteers and donors, four new units were built, an incredible achievement. Now, Janne and her team are dreaming even bigger with the Million Toonie Challenge. Their goal is to raise $2 million to build 12 to 16 more homes. It’s a bold vision, but one that feels possible when the whole community comes together. They’re inviting families, friends, and busi nesses to request or make their own jar and drop in a toonie each day. It’s such a simple act, but when thou sands of us do it, it becomes something powerful. And if you’re hosting an event, a family gathering, a wed ding, a community cel ebration please consider placing a jar there too.
Every toonie is a small gesture of kindness that adds up to real change. Be cause at the end of the day, this isn’t just about hous ing. It’s about honouring the people who shaped this community and making sure they can continue to call it home.
Personal, Business, Farm, Estate Taxes & Bookkeeping/Payroll Services
James W. Ellwood Bookkeeper / CPB
781 Van Buren Street, Kemptville 613.258.2454 jwekemptville@hotmail.com
Marketing / Sales CONTACT marketing@ngtimes.ca 613.215-0735
The Voice of Our Community www.ngtimes.ca
Ah Cappella performance appreciated by a sell-out crowd
by Mary Moore
A fine sampling of performers entertained an appreciative audi ence at the third an nual Ah Cappella per formance on April 26. The show opened with a beautiful unaccompa nied piece by Pat Moore, followed by a cappella vocal jazz (Cuppa Joe).
It Takes a Village!
Thanks to the generosity of our Businesses and Residents Community Living North Grenville raised $24 863.
To support adults living with an intellectual disability to live rich full lives within our community.
We extend a special “Thank You” to our sponsors & auction contributors.
GOLD SPONSORS
Jansen Law
McDougall Brown
AUCTION DONATIONS
Rideau Auctions
Jansen Law
Ardron Landscaping
Atel Air
Mid Mountain Performance
Main Street Clothing Co
Hex the Mess Cleaners
Dan Bennett & Diane Dewing
The Great Adirondack Chair Co
The Rideau Glen Golf Club
Grahame’s Bakery
eQuinelle Golf Club
Greely Sand & Gravel
Heather & David Tolton
Kemptville Animal Hospital
Brigadoon
The Village Cake Lady
BRONZE SPONSORS
Ardron Landscapes
Bell Park Financial
D. R. Howell Electric
Giant Tiger
Grahame’s Bakery
Harvex Agromart
John & Patricia Evans
McGahey Insurance
Solution One Financial
Walker & Associates
Professional Corporation
FRIEND SPONSORS
Brooks & Cryderman
Yazdani Dental
Next, a piece of intrigu ing tap choreography was presented by The Workshop Dance Stu dio. After intermission, Pat Moore sang a tradi tional song, ‘The Parting Glass’, followed by cho ral a cappella pieces by Village Voyces – medi eval to modern. The joy ful and energetic drum
ming from the big bang drumming group took the floor, then the lusty sea shanties of Happy Crap. The show closed with the entire house singing ‘Lean On Me’.
I originated the ‘Ah Cappella’ concept as I am a member of three of these groups, and foresaw that this presen
tation would have ap peal. Not only that, but I wanted to use the op portunity to raise funds for a meaningful cause. We raised just over $3,500.00 for House of Lazarus, Kemptville Hub! This could not have been achieved, however, without the help of our community minded sponsors: Ven ue sponsor Geraldine Taylor Realtor, Produc tion sponsors Walker & Associates and Solution One Financial, Perform er and media sponsors B&H Family Grocers, Challenger Assessment and Associates, the Kemptville Folk Club, and Anne Nagy. In kind sponsors include NG Times, Cedar Lane Studio, and Jamming Around Productions. Thank you to all – it was a fun and heart warming afternoon!
Upcoming big baNG concert
by Heather Lance “big baNG”, a West Afri can drumming group from North Grenville District High School will present their year end concert on Friday May 8 at the Urban dale Theatre in the North Grenville Municipal Cen tre. The concert will run from 7 8:30 pm with doors opening at 6:30 pm.
Admission by dona
tion at the door. This is a fundraising concert for Beth Donovan Hospice and the big baNG drum mers.
Pictured is the group following their perfor mance at the Capital Re gion Music Festival in Bar rhaven on March 8 at where they received a unanimous GOLD standing from all three professional adjudi
cators. They sang, danced and drummed for these adjudicators with pieces from Cuba, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. This perfor mance was followed by an outstanding clinic by one of the adjudicators.
“big baNG” is excited to present their repertoire to the community, fam ily and friends on May 8. Hope to see you there!
Village Voyces perform at the Ah Capella gig
Funding support for Buskerfest
by David Shanahan
The annual Kempt ville Buskerfest is hap pening next weekend, May 15 17, and is one of nine Festivals and Events around the region to re ceive new funding from the Province’s Experi ence Ontario program. Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds Grenville Thou sand Islands and Ride au Lakes announced at the beginning of May that the government is providing Buskerfest $20,000 as part of the 2026 Experience Ontar io program. This is part of a more than $20 mil lion government invest ment to help municipali ties and event organizers
deliver high quality pro gramming and experi ences for people of all ages.
Kemptville Busker fest, presented by Ur bandale Construction, is a free, two day cel ebration of street per formance in the heart of our historic downtown. Enjoy live music, com edy, jaw dropping acts, unique vendors, and fun for the whole family. Free parking is available at the North Grenville Municipal Centre, with a shuttle service running to and from the event. It was further an nounced that there will be a new funding pro gram, a Capacity Build
Buskerfest returns May 15–16
Kemptville Buskerfest, presented by Urbandale Construction, returns to Downtown Kemptville on Friday evening, May 15, and all day Saturday, May 16, bringing a vibrant mix of street performers, live entertainment, hands on activities, and family friendly fun to the heart of the community.
The weekend begins Friday night with Kemptville Buskerfest: The First Act, held from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the North Grenville Curling Club. Guests can en joy a rotating lineup of performers, hands on busker training, glow tattoos, and a BBQ canteen hosted by the local Girl Guides. At 8:00 p.m., the atmosphere shifts as black lights come on and the DJ takes over to carry the night forward.
On Saturday, the festival expands into the histor ic downtown, filling the streets with music, comedy, acrobatics, magic, vendors, and interactive activities for all ages. With performers stationed throughout the festival zone, visitors can expect a full day of sur prises, laughter, and memorable moments. Attend ees are encouraged to explore downtown between sets and return for more entertainment.
Free parking is available at the North Grenville Municipal Centre, with a shuttle running to and from the event throughout the day.
“Kemptville Buskerfest is one of the most exciting weekends of the year,” says Sierra Jones Martel, Chair of the Kemptville Buskerfest Organizing Committee. “It brings thousands of people downtown, supports local businesses, and showcases incredible talent from across the region.”
For full event details, performer announcements, and volunteer opportunities, visit kemptvillebusker fest.ca.
ing fund, with funding support specifically de signed for new, first time festivals and events in Ontario. One local festival will be receiv ing $10,000. The newly launched Rideau Canal Nautical Heritage Fes tival celebrates the his tory and culture of the 202km UNESCO World Heritage site, lying right on the border of North Grenville.
"Festivals and events help bring our commu nities to life while sup porting local economies
across the province," said MPP Clark. "I'm pleased our government is investing in organizers who are creating unique experiences, connecting people, and generating jobs and opportunity."
In total, Experience Ontario 2026 is support
ing nearly 400 festivals and events of all sizes across the province, strengthening tourism and supporting local economies while cele brating the people, plac es and traditions that make Ontario unique.
Guest Editorial
Education is a right, not a privilege
by Louise Gabell
I’m writing this not just as an educator, but as someone who sees the re ality of our education sys tem every single day.
In April, the Putting Student Achievement First Act, 2026 was introduced with promises of account ability and improved stu dent outcomes. On paper, that sounds great. In prac tice, it’s part of a much big ger and more concerning shift one that is taking decision making out of our communities and putting it into the hands of people who were never elected to represent us.
Through Bill 33, elect ed trustees at multiple school boards have been removed and replaced with government appoint ed supervisors. These in dividuals are not account able to parents. They are not accessible to families. And they are making deci sions behind closed doors that are directly impacting students.
And here’s the part that needs to be said clearly:
we are already seeing the consequences in our class rooms.
Since 2018, Ontario’s education system has ef fectively lost $6.3 billion in funding when you factor in inflation and enrolment. That’s about $400 less per student in Toronto and $560 less per student in Ottawa. At the same time, we’re dealing with a $16.8 billion repair backlog ag ing schools, overcrowded classrooms, and learning environments that are long overdue for investment.
But statistics only tell part of the story.
In classrooms, the im pact is real and immedi ate. Teachers are support ing more students with complex needs than ever before, but with fewer sup ports in place. Educational assistants are stretched in credibly thin sometimes supporting multiple high needs students across dif ferent classrooms at the same time. That means students who truly need consistent, one on one support simply aren’t get
ting it.
Assessment wait times are growing. I’ve seen stu dents wait months some times over a year for the testing and supports they need. In the meantime, they’re expected to keep up without the tools that would actually help them succeed.
Mental health is anoth er area where the cracks are showing. Guidance coun sellors, child and youth workers, and support staff are doing everything they can, but they’re responsible for hundreds of students each. With rising anxiety, absenteeism, and disen gagement, the system is stretched far beyond what it was designed to handle.
Class sizes are increas ing, including in class rooms with students who require additional support. That makes it harder to give every student the at tention they deserve, and it puts more pressure on an already strained system.
And now, with local trustees removed, families are losing their voice.
What a lotta garbage... but
by Peter Johnson
Greetings North Gremlins, and welcome to what the calendar is calling 'Spring'. On this damp and wet third day of May, it appears as if we are in for more Maple Syrup weather: cold nights and a slight warming each day. The more we complain about the weather, the more it ignores us.
First Up: A Lot of Garbage.
There is a road that people on my United Empire Loyalist Era road take to get into town. There are no houses on this road. But there is lots of traffic on it; one can tell by the amount of garbage that appears once the snow melts. It is concerning that people think it is just fine to toss their garbage out the window on their way home. But, more concerning, is the number of beer cans in with the fast food
wrappers. Is it possible that there are that many people with faulty trunk latches? That many who have beer cans flying out of their trunks when the lids fly open?
One local resident has addressed the situ ation. She was out last week and cleaned up the mess. It took her a long time. There were large, clear garbage bags, stuffed full of the flotsam and jetsam all along the road...a dis tance of a kilometer and a half...on both sides of the road. I'm assuming she then transported the 'environmental embar rassment' to the transfer station on Crozier Road. I don't know who YOU were, but thank you very much. The next day ...more litter was depos ited on the side of the road. Whoever YOU were... yeah, thanks for that. Hey, I got a job for you...interested?
In other strange
More than 100,000 families of children with special education needs have relied on trustees to advocate for supports and help navigate the system. Those pathways are disap pearing. Parents are being shut out of decisions that directly affect their chil dren’s education.
At the same time, new policies like mandatory final exams and linking grades to attendance risk adding even more pres sure, without addressing the underlying issues. Not every student learns the same way. Not every stu dent comes to school with the same circumstances. A one size fits all approach doesn’t support students, it leaves many of them be hind.
Education is a right, not a privilege.
It should not depend on where you live, how much funding your school has, or whether your fam ily knows how to navigate a system that is becom ing increasingly difficult to access. Every student
not Dr. Ford
news: Saginaw State University has con ferred an honourary Doctorate of Humane Letters on Doug Ford. Why? Not sure. Mr. Ford has been on the re cord as not being a fan of 'higher education'. He left high school after completing grade 10. He started a business... out of his car...at night...sell ing pharmaceuticals to nocturnal buyers, some where in Mississauga. Why couldn't they get their Neo Citrin and Tylenol at Shopper's Drug Mart? Not sure. According to the Globe & Mail, his business thrived.
These days, Mr. Ford's business is using his majority to cut edu cation and health care budgets.
Have the people of Ontario sat up and tak en notice? It would seem so. His polling numbers match Mr. Trump's. The Ontario Liberals have
deserves the support they need to succeed. Right now, too many are not get ting it.
The solution here isn’t more centralized control. It’s proper funding, real support, and restoring the voices of the communities that schools are meant to serve.
We need to bring back local accountability.
We need to reinvest in education so supports match student needs.
We need to address the infrastructure crisis in our schools.
And we need to start listening to educators, to parents, and most impor tantly, to students.
Because from where I stand, in the classroom, the message is pretty clear: We are being asked to do more with less and our students are the ones pay ing the price.
This is has to change, and we as parents and teachers have to drive that change.
better numbers! The Party with no leader! Is he worried? Not likely. He's good at saying that he made a wee mistake and then staying away from the legislature.
“As of the return to session on March 23, 2026, the Ontario leg islature was in recess for the first 80 days of 2026.” (CTV News) And how many times has Mr. Ford attended when they did return? Not sure, but I don't think it has been very many. He doesn't take questions very well. Plus, he's been off accepting honours from prestigious Ameri can universities. Does anyone know where to find S.S.U.? He could fly there in his private jet ...oops...he made a wee mistake there. Doctor Doug, the old remedies salesman has come a long way.
Notice of CR 43 and bridge closure
Overnight Closure of County Road 43 Bridge from CR19 to CR44 May 8 to 9.
Please be advised of the upcoming road closure for a portion of County Road 43 at the bridge between County Road 19 and County Road 44 beginning at 8:00 p.m. Fri day, May 8 and ending the following morning, May 9, at 8:00 a.m.. This closure is required for the erection of the Stage 2 Girders for the Kemptville Creek Bridge. OPP Paid Duty Officers will be placed at each end of the clo sure to control traffic as they approach the detour route.
Westbound Traffic:
Travelers will be detoured southward down County Road 19 to Vanburen Street, west to Prescott Street, South to Bedell Road, west to Hurd Street and north back to County Road 43.
Eastbound Traffic:
Travelers will be detoured southward down Sommer ville Road, east across Bedell Road, north up Prescott Street, east on Vanburen Street and north up County Road 19 back to County Road 43.
Please be aware, if work cannot be completed during the night of May 8, there could be a second night of clo sure on May 9 from 9:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.
This work is part of the County Road 43 Widening Project. Find all 43 related public notices on UCLG's project website here: https://countyroad43expansion. com/public notices.
This Emergency Preparedness Week, get your home wildfire-ready
(NC) May 3 to 9 is Emergency Preparedness Week, an op portunity to think about steps we can take in case the worst happens. One emergency that’s worth some extra thought is wildfire. It seems that each fire season in Canada brings with it headlines about damaged and destroyed homes. When it comes to keeping people and property safe from wildfire, pre vention is key, and there are organizations helping Canadians get ready.
“With the increase in extreme weather events, wildfires are becoming bigger and more frequent,” said Mel Wright, vice president and head of Intact Insurance’s prevention pro gram, which educates homeowners on making their proper ties climate ready. “More Canadian households are at risk, but there are simple steps people can take to protect their homes.”
Here are some tips for preparing your home to better withstand fires:
Maintain your roof. Your roof is the part of your house that’s the most vulnerable to wildfire. Embers and sparks can easily land on it and ignite, starting a fire that’s hard to detect or reach quickly.
Consider replacing flammable roofing with “Class A” ma terials, which include asphalt, metal and cement fibre. These are much less flammable.
Monitor and replace old shingles, especially when they’re curling up. This exposes more openings for embers to accu mulate.
Regularly clean your roof, gutters and any decks or bal conies. Even small amounts of flammable material, such as needles, leaves or twigs, pose a fire risk.
Clear around your home. It’s important to deny fire easy fuel sources that can let the flames get right up to your home.
Create a fire break of at least 1.5 metres around your home by removing combustible materials such as mulch, plants and stored firewood.
Trim low hanging branches up to two metres from the ground.
Remove evergreen trees, such as pines, for at least 10 me tres around your home.
Trim your grass regularly, keeping it under 10 centime tres.
Consider landscaping with low growing shrubs that are spaced apart.
By limiting what a fire can use for fuel around your home’s exterior and choosing flame resistant materials, you can keep your home safer. Learn more about preparing your home for extreme weather and natural disasters at keepitintact.ca.
Processing our food future here at home
by Angela Field, Director, OFA
Last week, Ontario farmers delivered a clear and practical message to decision makers at Queen’s Park: we grow an incredible range of food in this province, but too much of it leaves in its raw form, only to come back to us as a finished prod uct. That’s a missed op portunity for farmers, for rural communities, and for Ontario’s economy.
To put it simply, we want to do more of the val ue adding here at home. Ontarians are asking for local food that is grown, processed and crafted in Ontario. We should be able to meet that demand, but right now, we often can’t because we don’t have enough processing capacity or the infrastruc ture to support it.
Local food processing businesses, from abat toirs and dairies to fruit and vegetable processors and commercial kitchens, are what allow farmers to move beyond prima ry production and into value added opportuni ties. When those options disappear, farmers – and consumers – are left with fewer choices. Products are shipped out of prov ince or out of country for processing, adding cost,
complexity, and risk, es pecially in today’s uncer tain political and trade en vironment. It also means we’re exporting jobs and economic activity that could be staying right here in Ontario.
At the Ontario Fed eration of Agriculture’s Queen’s Park Advocacy Day last week, we asked government to work with us to change that. That means supporting not just expansions of exist ing facilities, but also the development of new ones because in many regions, there simply aren’t enough processors left to scale up.
The solutions are with in reach. We need a mix of tools that help businesses get established and grow, including:
• Access to financing, whether through grants, one time funding, or short and long term loan programs
• Reducing regulatory barriers that make it dif ficult to open or expand facilities
• Strategic investment in infrastructure that sup ports processing, particu larly energy like natural gas, as well as roads and bridges
And it’s great to see some of these projects with a mix of private and public investment already
happening. Here are some examples from Eastern Ontario, where my family farms:
Alinova Canada re cently announced it is building Canada’s first non GMO soymilk pow der processing plant near Morrisburg, supported by an investment from the provincial government’s Eastern Ontario Develop ment Fund.
North American food and beverage co man ufacturer Ya YA Foods Corp. is opening a state of the art beverage pro duction facility in Bel leville this spring, and a new investment is boost ing milk receiving capac ity at Canada’s largest cheese plant, the Lactalis Canada facility in Win chester.
These are all excellent examples of the types of infrastructure that will support local food and beverage processing in our province and in turn, bring jobs and value add ing capacity to Ontario as well as create new op portunities for farm busi nesses.
I’m one of 18 directors on the OFA’s provincial board. We make a point
of regularly heading to Queen’s Park to meet with elected officials from all parties to talk about food and farming and how the issues that matter to farm ers also matter to urban Ontarians.
For me, one of the most encouraging aspects of the day was the re sponse we heard from all parties. Our food system is not a partisan issue, it’s an Ontario issue. There is also a much clearer un derstanding of the sector’s economic impact, which contributed an estimated $51.4 billion to Ontario’s economy last year and supported more than 860,000 jobs, and a shared interest in helping it con tinue to grow.
When we head to Queen’s Park for our ad vocacy day, we talk about policy, but it’s also about making connections. Taking the time to share our experiences, answer questions, and build re lationships is just as im portant as the issues we raise. It helps ensure that when decisions are made, they’re grounded in a bet ter understanding of how they affect farms and rural communities.
Connecting 6,400 Residents to Primary Care in North Grenville
A $2.6 million pro vincial investment – an nounced at Kemptville District Hospital on April 28, 2026, by MPP Steve Clark – will con nect up to 6,400 people in North Grenville and surrounding commu nities to primary care, marking a major mile stone in a locally led ef fort to expand access to care.
“This is a crucial in vestment in the well be ing of our community. It is a reflection of what can happen when we coordinate our efforts and stay laser focused on our shared goal of ensuring every resident has a family doctor or nurse practitioner,” said Mayor Nancy Peckford.
“We applaud the Gov ernment of Ontario for their vision and com mitment, and our lo cal Kemptville District Hospital for leading the way. This new clinic, leveraging the skills of nurse practitioners and our existing fam ily health clinics, will connect 6400 patients who currently do not
have one. Thank you to Premier Ford, the Hon. Sylvia Jones, and our lo cal MPP, Steve Clark, for seeing the merits of this model.”
The successful appli cation was led by Kemp tville District Hospital’s Katie Hogue, with Dr. Colby Burns, on behalf of the new clinic, and supported by multiple long standing, coordi nated local efforts. Since 2022, the Municipal ity has been helping to shape solutions to pri mary care access by:
• Developing a Mu nicipal Primary Care Strategy in partnership with local providers
• Launching a Mu nicipal Physician Incen tive Program that has, to date, helped attract five new doctors, as well as a new Emergency Depart ment Physician Incen tive Program to support hospital stability
• Supporting key health infrastructure, including the introduc tion of a new CT scan ner at KDH, to strength en local diagnostic capacity and physician
recruitment
• Convening lo cal clinics and partners through a Municipal Primary Care Partner group to align recruit ment and planning
• Welcoming medi cal students over the past four years and part nering with the Univer sity of Ottawa to support long term recruitment and better understand local attachment needs
• Investing in region al physician attraction efforts, including mu nicipal funding in the 2026 budget to support physician relocation
• Supporting earlier proposals, including a 2023 application led by Kemptville Health & Wellness
• Advocating consis tently to the Province for team based, com munity driven models of care This new pro vincial funding will sup port the creation of a Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic (NPLC), will be located on the Kemp tville District Hospi tal campus, which will serve as the anchor of a
broader Primary Care Hub. The model brings together nurse practi tioners, local physicians, and a full range of allied health supports, includ ing mental health, social work, dietitian services, and care navigation, to deliver more connect ed, comprehensive care close to home.
If you are in need of a primary health care practitioner, it is crucial that you join the Health Care Connect Waitlist. This list will be used to match patients with nurse practitioners and family doctors as spaces become available. The new model will expand access to care, strength en supports for provid ers, and improve coor dination across the local health system, helping more residents find and stay connected to care in our community.
BUCK'S GROANERS
The population of Ireland's capital city is really growing fast. It's Dublin
73’s Spring Evaluation Camp ramps up roster
by G.J. the sportsguy
Kemptville 73’s held their Prospect Camp for players born in 2006 to 2010, with spots available for 20 year olds and USA imports to fill out the 2026/2027, roster on May 1 to May 3. A four team limitation saw seventy two young men accommodate the requirement, with a breakdown of eight goalies, eighteen defenders, thirty seven offenders, with seven veteran forwards and two defense to enhance the lines. By the time Sunday rolled around, the player count was reduced down to forty the final All Star battle.
Friday at 5 pm to 11 pm with practice and game, the camp set the tide for the task at hand of identifying the future lineup. Saturday was a full day of two forty min ute running time periods with ice time at 10 am to 2 pm, and then 4 pm to 8 pm, to initiate the cutting process for the final All Star Game on Sunday.
Sunday’s All Star contest featured the skills attributes of twelve 2026 Drafts on display, with the veterans and prospects shoring up the rosters. The Black Home Team squad dominated the first forty with a three goal lead and another marker in the second, with the White Visi tors spoiling the Blacks SO to wrap up a successful camp just before the buzzer.
The coach thinks that the future looks bright moving forward with a strong nucleus to build on for next sea son. The unknowns are in play until the OHL selection for some veterans on the 73’s current roster.
Welcome to the family...Anthony D'Arienzo introduces himself to Keenan McArthur while Case Hennessy with Raphael Poulin and Owen Redmond defending during Spring Evaluation Camp.
MPP Steve Clark with partners who supported the Kemptville Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic and Primary Care Hub
Lions Club news
Inquiries: 613 408 0952, piet@pietsatvs.ca, www.pietsatvs.ca
by Willy Heidebrecht
One winner is off to celebrate an April win. The other helps cre ate many more winners through Seniors Com munity Services.
In photo one, Lions Gerald Christie, Wendy Gallinger, Bill Neil, and Rob Stevenson con gratulate Pat Ralph, holder of ticket #38, who received a $1,500 travel voucher. Pat will be planning her trip in consultation with Rafa at Gravitate Travel.
In photo two, Li ons Bill White, Gerald Christie, Dr. Louise Hale, Kathy McCoy, Bill Neil, and Rob Steven son present a cheque
to Frank Rockett, the new Director of Seniors Community Services.
It’s truly remark able to see the impact this lottery continues to have in our community.
We are deeply grateful for the ongo ing support from the Kemptville community through this lottery and our other events.
We’ll soon be launch ing a new series of tick ets. If you’re already a ticket holder, tell your friends. If you’d like to become one, follow the Kemptville Lions Club on Facebook for up dates.
You can also sup port your community
by joining a growing team. Two new mem bers were welcomed to the Kemptville Lions Club on Monday, April 27. If you enjoy giving back and are looking for a meaningful way to get involved locally, we’d be glad to hear from you. Another opportu nity to provide sup port where it is needed. Camp Quality provides inclusive year round programs for children with cancer and blood disorders. Funds are generated through our raffle lottery and we thank this community for its continued gener ous support. The Lions were happy to present a
cheque for $1,790.00 to Camp Quality to con tinue their great work.
For more informa tion, email kemptville lionsclub@gmail.com or call Lion Alan at (613) 406 9976.
Lions Club Cheque Presentation: Jim Ripley, Lion Wayne Vachon, Stephan Laverdure, Lion Rob Stevenson, director of Camp Quality Vinnie Paolucci and Janice Ripley.
Two winners.
When the people around you show up
There are moments in life that divide ev erything into before and after. For our fam ily, one of those mo ments came on a winter day in February, with a phone call no parent ever wants to receive. Our son had been in a serious ski accident. We are still in the middle of that story.
The days that fol lowed were filled with uncertainty, long hours, and decisions. The hos pital became our tem porary home. Life was paused and we’ve been slowly finding our way forward ever since.
And in the middle of all of it, something else happened.The people in our lives showed up.
Our friends. Our family. Our neighbours. Co workers. His teach ers. Not because we asked. We didn’t have to.
Meals began arriv ing at our door, some
one cleared our drive way, and groceries were dropped off without us even asking. At the hos pital, visits came with care that went beyond words, toothbrushes, lip balm, snacks, the best fidget toys, small things that suddenly meant everything. Messages came in steadily. Quiet check ins. Offers of help. Reminders that we were not carrying this alone.
At times, it felt like a lot to take in. But it was the kind of “a lot” that holds you up when everything else feels un certain. That same feel ing showed up in quiet er, unexpected moments too. Both our son and daughter play on the same Royals team. He wasn’t able to be there for the playoff game be cause he was in the hos pital recovering from his injuries, but she went, and we watched it from his hospital room
on LiveBarn. Just be fore the game started, a text came in, a photo of the team’s sticks, each one taped with his jer sey number. We didn’t expect it. It was such a simple gesture, but it meant everything. In that moment, we were reminded he was still part of the team, still seen, still supported.
We felt it. All of it. The care, the thought fulness, the presence of people who stepped in without hesitation. It came from the relation ships we’ve built over time. The people woven into our everyday lives who, when things got hard, they didn’t step back, they leaned in. That has stayed with me.
Because as much as we’ve been carried by
the people around us, I can’t stop thinking about those who might not have that same cir cle. What happens when something like this hap pens, and there isn’t a network close by? When family is far away, or relationships are com plicated, or someone is simply more alone than we realize? Who shows up then?
Who brings the meal, clears the snow, or sits quietly beside some one in a waiting room?
It has made me real ize that compassion isn’t just something we feel. It’s something we choose to do. And sometimes, we have to be more in tentional about it.
It starts with pay ing attention. Knowing the people around us,
even just a little. Notic ing when something might be off. Reaching out, even when we’re not sure if it’s needed. Because one day, any one of us could be the one needing someone to step in.
We have been incred ibly fortunate. In a time that hasn’t been easy, we are being supported and carried in ways we will never forget. Not by strangers. By the people already around us.
And maybe that’s the reminder for all of us.
This story was shared with Compassionate North Grenville as part of a growing collection of real moments of com passion happening right here in our community. We know stories like
this aren’t unique to us. Acts of kindness, big and small, are happen ing every day. Some times they go unseen, and sometimes they are exactly what carries someone through. If you’ve experienced a moment where some one showed up for you, or you’ve been that per son for someone else, we’d love to hear it. You can share your story at compassionateng@ gmail.com
Look around. Check in.
Reach out. Because for some one, you might be the person who shows up when it matters most.
We love our moms year-round, but Mother's Day is the time to really show it by spending some time together, going out for a meal or gifting a thoughtful present. And don’t forget, it takes a village to raise a child and guidance can come from everyone in the community. This Mother's Day remember all the different women who have held you up in life.
Talia’s Take
The village we didn’t know we needed
by @Talia.Hreljac25
It’s been a while since I’ve written a Talia’s Take article, and honestly, it’s because I started ques tioning my voice again. Do I have any right to give advice on parenting when half the time I feel like I’m failing spectacularly? And if I’m doing well at parenting, well then, I feel like I’m failing at my job.
But isn’t that the defi nition of motherhood right now? Expecting to parent like you don’t have a job, and work like you’re not also thinking about soccer schedules, how to increase your kid’s vegetable intake, or won dering if you’re raising mentally strong kids in a world that’s constantly pushing “picture perfect” bodies and moments in their faces.
Oh, and self care, re lationships, family bond ing, and friendships need to be thrown in there too. (Cue rocking back and forth in a corner while pulling on your hair.)
But here’s why I’m back. In my absence, I’ve
had a few people reach out to me asking where my column was, which was extremely humbling, beautiful, and powerful. They mentioned that they missed it, not just because I was giving brilliant ad vice (they didn’t mention brilliant advice once, but I’ll pretend they meant it), but because they felt less alone as parents. They felt a connection. They felt a life line when they, too, felt like they were drowning under all the pressures we’re fac ing, especially when you’re in the sandwich genera tion, caring for both chil dren and parents.
It was a reminder that Talia’s Take has become more than just my version of Carrie Bradshaw’s col umn, albeit with much less glamorous shoes than she had in Sex and the City. It has become a little village
for parents trying to figure life out in North Grenville. And that’s a powerful re sponsibility that I’m happy to carry. So, I wanted to say hel lo again, that you’re doing a great job, and that you have support here through my column. I may not know you, but I can prob ably relate to what you’re going through as a parent in some capacity, and be cause of that, I’m cheering you on. Because, at the end of the day, the more people who feel supported and happy in this community, the better we’ll all be.
And a reminder that ice cream on the really tough days solves everything. On those days, you don’t need to have all the answers. You just have to keep showing up for yourself and your kids, and keep going the best you can.
A Cold Cup of Coffee
A cold cup of coffee, An attempt at self care, Milk-stained pyjamas, Messy un-washed hair.
Busy days, Sleepless nights, Never knowing if you're doing it right.
Your life will be richer with children in tow, That much is true, But now I know,
That motherhood is nuanced in the most crazy way, You love them to pieces, But you hope and pray,
For a minute of peace, For an everything shower, For a meal you have more than five minutes to devour.
For time to cook and have a clean home, And the occasional ability to pee alone.
But that is not the reality with two young kids, No one ever tells you how hard it is.
Even if they did, we would do it anyway, Considering our biological clock is at play.
A cold cup of coffee, A call to come dance, Enough to lift me out of my trance,
A cold cup of coffee, A jump and a twirl, With my baby boy, And my little girl.
Two little people, With lives to create, Ok, I guess hot coffee can wait.
More Than a Sport: A Local Mom Reflects on Karate, Community, and Pride
As a parent of kids in Karate and martial arts, I've come to understand something I didn't expect when we first started: this is so much more than a sport.
Our journey began dur ing the pandemic, when traditional team sports weren't an option. What started as "something to do" quickly became a way of life. Now, like many families in Ontario and Quebec, we spend our days traveling to competitions, attending practices, and supporting our kids as they compete in sparring and forms.
We watch them get kicked, punched, bruised, and sometimes injured. They push through pain, manage disappointment quietly, and show up again the next day ready to work harder. They stay late, arrive early, and give everything they have. As parents, we are right there beside them, tired, but in credibly proud.
And yet, despite all of this, my own kids come home from school and are told that Karate "isn't a real sport."
That it's not the same because it's not a team sport. But what I've seen tells a very different story.
Karate offers the best of both worlds. It challenges each child individually, while building a team that trains, grows, and sup ports one another. In the dojo, they learn discipline,
accountability, emotional control, and resilience. They learn how to win with humility and how to lose with grace.
Perhaps most impor tantly, Karate is inclusive. There are no tryouts. Kids don't have to be "the best" to belong. It's a sport for ev eryone. Athletes of all abil ities train together, includ ing those in para divisions, fostering an environment of acceptance, respect, and genuine sportsmanship.
What stands out most is the sense of commu nity. These athletes don't just compete, they lift each other up. They celebrate each other's wins, support each other through losses, and remind one another to keep going. And as par ents, we become part of that community too.
We cheer for every child, not just our own. We stand together through the tough moments: ice packs, quiet pep talks between di visions, and the long drive home after a hard loss. We also share in the joy of suc cess. The bonds formed within our dojo extend far beyond the training floor. It truly feels like family.
Recently, our team from Douvris Kemptville competed at Provincials, bringing home an incred ible number of medals and earning additional spots at Nationals (every one of our fighters advanced).
Gold (12): Fernando, Sensei Sierra, Sensei Jayce, Sensei Remy, Jairdan, Alex,
Matteo, Thomas, Mazin, Axtyn, Lexi, and Leena
Silver (4): Eve, Zack, Lorenzo, and Rayden
Bronze (4): Massimo, Zane, Bronson, and Lan din
Advanced to Nationals: Hudson, Ian, and Emmett
These are some of the top young Karate athletes in Ontario, and they're right here in our commu nity. Now, we look ahead to Nationals on May 14th to 16th, where these ath letes will compete for the opportunity to repre sent Team Canada at the World Karate Commission (WKC) World Champion ships in Spain. As a par ent, I couldn't be prouder, not just of my own kids, but of every athlete in this dojo. This is more than a sport. This is dedication, resilience, community, and heart.
As our athletes prepare for the next stage, I share this not only to celebrate their journey, but to thank the incredible instructors at Douvris Kemptville, Sensei Earl, Sensei Nicole, Sensei Jayce, Sensei Remy, Sensei Hannah, Sensei Si erra, and the entire Dou vris community of amaz ing Sensei's and fighters whose dedication shapes not just strong athletes, but strong individuals.
We are proud. We are grateful. And we are cheer ing them all the way to Nationals and inviting our community to cheer with us.
Kemptville Farmers’ Market - Opening Day
Sunday, May 10, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 200 Sanders Street
Kemptville, Ontario KEMPTVILLE YOUTH CENTRE is open Monday to Friday from 2pm to 6pm daily for drop-in programming. Ages 11 to 19. Jr. Youth Night 3rd Monday of the month from 6pm to 8pm. Ages 8 to 11. No pre-registration required. All programming at KYC is FREE. Follow us on Facebook to view other scheduled events and programs.
NORTH GRENVILLE PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB: Meets from 7 - 9 PM on the 1st Wednesday of each month (Sept. - June) at Grenville Mutual Insurance, 380 Colannade Dr., Kemptville. Welcoming photographers of all skill levels. Email contact@ngphotoclub.ca for more info.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUPPER at Holy Cross Church Hall 503 Clothier Street West. Suppers are held at 5:30 p.m. on the last Thursday of each month, September to November and January to May. Cost $10 per person, $5 for a child under 12 and $25 for a family.
Kemptville Legion: Fridays 3-9. Free Pool and Darts. Everyone Welcome
LEGION EVENTS
FRIDAYS - OPEN 3PM TO CLOSE
May 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th Come in for free Pool and Darts - Everyone Welcome DROP IN EUCHRE on Fridays starting at 7pm
FOLK CLUB May 12th & May 26th - 7pm-9:30pm
KUKES ay 19th - 7pm-9pm
General Meeting May 20th - - 7:30pm
AC/DC LIVE TRIBUTE SHOW May 30th8pm-11pm advance Tickets $20 or $30 at the door (tickets available at the legion or online at ACDCLIVE.CA)
NG DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB Masonic Lodge 311 Van Buren Kemptivlle, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at 12:15. All Levels of bridge players are welcome. Info call 613-795-7155
YOUNGSTERS OF YORE Held at the Tallman Room of Kemptville Library on Water street.Starts at 2 pm every Thursday, so arrive before to get a chair.
“Mingle with us having a cup of tea and snack after our weekly guest speaks
We welcome All Ages!
May 14 - Debbie Wilson - Grahame's Bakery History May 21 - Roundabout Rules - James Drake May 28 - Gardening for everyone - Angela Donkersteeg
FRIENDSHIP LUNCHES are offered to everyone every Friday. Please join us in our lower hall by 11:30 for a free meal, companionship and fellowship at St. John's United Church hall at 400 Prescott St. and begin at 11:30. There is no charge. A free will offering is appreciated. Everyone is welcome.
NG COMMUNITY MEALS ASSOCIATION Every Tuesday, 4-7 PM Free or by Donation Dinner ( serving dinner until 6:30 pm) Where: Pvt. Blake Williamson Memorial Hall, (Old Fire Hall) 25 Reuben Cres.Everyone is welcome. Bring clean indoor shoes
FRIENDSHIP CAFÉ is open to the community Tuesday's from 10 to noon. All are welcome to stop by, enjoy a hot beverage, a sweet treat and some friendly conversation all at no cost. At St. John's United Church hall at 400 Prescott St.
TUESDAY COMMUNITY HUB hosted by the House of Lazarus All are welcome to drop in. Advocacy, “make a meal, take a meal” cooking opportunities, community services assistance are just a few of the weekly programs. Stop by and visit or contact House of Lazarus directly at 613-989-3830 for more details. Upstairs at St. John's United Church at 400 Prescott St.
MODERN SQUARE DANCING in Kemptville with the Grenville Gremlins Square Dance Club. Monday Evenings 7:00 - 9:30pm. North Grenville Municipal Center County Road 44 For more info call Robert Taylor (613) 853-5634, or email grenvillegremlins09@gmail. com.
NORTH GRENVILLE MEN’S SHED The NGMS provides a safe and friendly environment for men to enjoy coffee and conversation, and do projects that benefit the community. We meet every Tuesday and
Thursday morning, 8:30 to 10:30, at 2 Oxford St. West. Contact Peter Ivay (343-598-1174) : northgrenvillemensshed@gmail.com for more information.
KEMPTVILLE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY meetings are held monthly, except July, August & December. The are held the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm at the Kemptville Pentecostal Church.
NG PRIDE: 2SLGBTQAI+ Seniors and allies meet 2 - 4pm the first and third Sunday of each month at the NG Library. Join us for coffee, chat, cards and shenanigans. Looking to stay connected, informed, and inspired in retirement?
JOIN THE PROBUS CLUB OF NORTH GRENVILLE a friendly group of retirees who meet monthly for conversation, laughter, and thoughtprovoking presentations. Gatherings take place the third Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church Hall. For details, email n.g.probus97@gmail.com
CAREGIVER COFFEE is a welcoming monthly drop-in for caregivers to pause, connect, and feel supported. Join us the last Tuesday of each month from 1–3 PM at Beth Donovan Hospice. Free, casual, and open to all caregivers.
EUCHRE at Pierce's Corners,Tuesday, 28, May 12, 26, June 9, 23, July 7, 21, August 4, 18. Registration starts at 6:30 p.m., play starts at 7:00 p.m.
BID EUCHRE at Pierce's Corners, Tuesday, April 7, 21, May 5, 19, June 2, 16, 30, July 14, 28, August 11, 25. Registration starts at 6:30 p.m., play starts at 7:00 p.m.
WIZARD CARD GAME at Pierce's Corners, May 3, June 14, August 9. Registration starts at 12:30 p.m., play starts at 1:00 p.m.
SPEED EUCHRE 10X10 at Pierce's Corners April 26, May 24, June 27, July 26, August 23. Registration starts at 12:30 p.m., play starts at 1:00 p.m. 10x10 means you play 10 games with as many euchre hands as you can within 10 minutes per game, for unlimited points. Stick the dealer: if
everyone passes, the dealer must call a trump suit. If you like to take your time when playing euchre, this version is not recommended. For information, send an email to debiar@ymail.com.
KEMPTVILLE UKULELE PLAYERS meet 3rd Tuesday (April 21), Kemptville Legion Lounge, 7 pm. Contact mary.moore@cedarlanestudio.netformore info.
PLANT SALE - Kemptville Horticultural Society will be holding their annual Plant Sale
Saturday May 9, 2026 from 9:00 - 12:00
204 French Settlement Road, Kemptville, Ontario
Donated plants can be dropped off on Friday May 8 between 9:00
THE NORTH GRENVILLE CONCERT CHOIR PROUDLY PRESENTS . . . JUST SOME NICE SONGS
22 May, 2026 at 7:30pm, St. John’s United Church, Kemptville
23 May, 2026 at 3:30pm, The Pews, Merrickville
24 May, 2026 at 3:30pm Kemptville Pentacostal Church, Kemptville
Tickets available at B&H in Kemptville or online at aftontickets.com/ngcc
Adults $25 / $10 for 12 & under (online only) Tickets at the door. https://northgrenvilleconcertchoir.com/
We saved a seat for you!
The Spencerville Agricultural Society invites community members to attend our May Monthly Meeting, open to the public.
This meeting is a great opportunity to learn more about what happens behind the scenes as planning continues for the year ahead. From organizing events and supporting local agriculture to preparing for the Spencerville Fair, this is a chance to see how volunteers work together to support the community.
Attendees are welcome to listen in, ask questions, and get a feel for how the Society operates. This is not a formal join-up meeting, but an open and welcoming opportunity to learn more and see how you can help.
Join us on May 11, 7 p.m. at 22 Ryan St! Learn how the Spencerville Agricultural Society plans events and supports our community. All welcome!
St. John’s United Church is seeking a reliable contractor to provide weekly janitorial services as directed by the Chairman of the Property Committee. The contractor will be responsible for keeping the church building clean, tidy, and accessible for the congregation, staff, and community groups, and will hold valid commercial liability insurances.
Preference will be given to candidates with commercial cleaning experience.
For more information or to apply, please contact the Property Chair at stjohnskemptville@gmail.com.
BIA News
Spring has arrived in Downtown Kemptville, bringing with it a renewed sense of en ergy, connection, and community spirit. As the snow melts away and the trees begin to bloom, the downtown core transforms into a vibrant gathering place where residents and visitors alike can rediscover the charm of small town life.
There's something special about this time of year in Kemptville. It's in the simple pleasures, casting a line off the dock, strolling along the streets, or paus ing to admire the artwork that tells the story of our town's rich history. Around every corner, you'll find reminders of the past blending seamlessly with the present, creating a place where you can step back in time while enjoying all the comforts of today.
Spring also marks the beginning of an exciting season of events and activi ties. One of the highlights is Buskerfest, returning over the May long weekend. This beloved festival fills the downtown with live performances, music, and entertainment for all ages, setting the tone for a summer filled with creativity and fun. And the music doesn't stop there, live performances will continue throughout the summer, bringing energy and rhythm to our streets.
On Father's Day, the downtown core will host a special Car Display in part nership with the Hwy 43 Car Club and the North Grenville Arts Guild. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Riverside Park, visitors can enjoy a showcase of beautiful vehicles alongside local art, making it the perfect outing to celebrate dads and families alike.
Downtown Kemptville is more than just a place, it's an experience. It's where you support local businesses that, in turn, support the community. It's where friendly faces greet you, where stories are shared, and where memories are made.
This spring and summer, we invite you to come downtown, explore, and feel the magic for yourself.
The Food Corner
by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville
I'm pretty sure you folks know how to stuff peppers with a savory mix ture of minced meat, chopped tomatoes and rice. Today's recipe follows up on the sausage series I started a few weeks ago and involves stuffing toma toes, not peppers, with sausage meat to achieve a very tasty result. Once again, this is a simple recipe; if you are looking to train young chefs in the family, this is a great way to get them started. Sausage Stuffed Tomatoes is adapted from Cooking in Colour edited by Norma MacMillan and Wendy James, the 1984 edition.
Sausage Stuffed Tomatoes
Ingredients:
· 8 largish tomatoes
· 1 large onion
· 1 pound of pork sausage meat (sausages without their skins)
· ¼ cup breadcrumbs or Panko
· 1 large egg, beaten
· A couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce
· 1 tablespoon of butter
· 1 tablespoon of oil
· 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
Preparation:
· Pre heat your oven to 350F
· Cut the tops off the tomatoes, keep the lids, scoop out the flesh and chop it finely
· Chop the onion finely and sweat it in a pan with the butter
· Add the sausage meat and fry it until it is well cooked
· Stir in the tomato flesh, breadcrumbs or Panko, Worcestershire sauce and pepper
· Stir in the egg, then press the mixture into the tomato shells; brush the shells with oil
· Replace the tomato lids, place the tomatoes in a roasting dish and bake for 30 minutes
· Don't overcook: you don't want soggy tomatoes
Bring the pan as is to the table and serve with a dish of Basmati rice and/or cauliflower with a cheese sauce. These tomatoes can serve as a main course or to accompany another protein, like a roast of pork. Check your local LCBO for a Gamay Noir wine; Peller Estates has one and this light bodied red wine goes well with a full flavoured meal.
All the best to you now that it's finally spring. Please remember to stay in touch at pcormier@ranaprocess.com.
ACROSS
1. Beige
5. Footnote note
9. Escapade
14. Diving bird
15. Fair attraction
16. Martini garnish
17. Middle class
19. Delineated
20. Aromatic com pound
21. Overcoats
23. Drinks
25. Eludes
28. Cunning
29. A roll of soft bread
32. Channeled
33. Snake like fish
34. Seaweed
35. Anagram of "Care"
36. Washer cycle
38. Deserve
39. Lose traction
40. Half of two
41. January's birthstone
43. East southeast
44. Antiquity
45. Rescinds
46. Bad breath
48. A diagonal path
50. Quickly
54. Legal setting
55. Prenatal
57. Group of lions
58. Abound
59. Sprockets
60. Not outer
61. Slave
62. Type of sword
DOWN
1. River to the North
Sea
2. Whispers sweet noth ings
3. Defeat decisively
4. Coincidental
5. Anger
6. Region's local floral and fauna
7. Blockhead
8. Loathes
9. Settlement
10. Assumed name
11. Pub serving
12. Nights before
13. Bloodshot
18. Complain
22. Post secondary schools
24. Sleeping bags
25. Eliminate
26. Foot coverings
27. Radium discoverer
29. Empty
30. Concur
31. Trousers
33. East northeast
34. Rockets and planes
37. Point out
42. Birdlike
44. Christian holy day
45. Damaged by decay
46. Multitude
47. Melodies
48. Maize
49. Devastation
51. At the peak of
52. Enclosure
53. Apart from this
54. Consumer Price Index
56. An uncle
to last week’s Sudoku
Common Sense Health Baldwin’s Birds
A Quiet Time
This particular mid morning time of day in our garden is very quiet and lacking the usual feeding ac tivities that usually abound every day. The reason for this is probably due to the fact that the past couple of days of warmer sunnier Spring weather has turned the birds’ attention to one another. Yes, it's the time of year when they pair up, mate, and build their nests together in order that they ensure that the propagation of their own particular species is continued and their numbers maintained.
Despite our seeming lack of birds in the garden, some of my friends and not living immediately in our vicinity have been seeing some. A couple of them have mentioned seeing Northern Flickers on their proper ties, a bird I have been waiting to catch a glimpse of myself. They are of the Woodpecker family, but are mainly ground feeders. They are a very striking bird to see, with a red cheek marking, a black bib on their chest, and spotted markings on their belly and back feathers.
Another friend, living near the river, has mentioned seeing Swans, too. His observations of them have been oddly of a singular nature and not in any sort of num bers. He has observed them in amongst the Canada Geese flocks, where they tend to stand out quite dis tinctively, being a lot bigger than the geese in body size.
One of my friends to whom I recently gave a Birdie Block Feeder, has today excitedly informed me that she has got Goldfinches already feeding from it, so things are looking good!
Yet another friend has mentioned that he gets to see Meadow Larks and Bobolinks where he lives on quite a large property. Whether or not this was just a random statement, or of a recent sighting, I haven't confirmed, which I should have done! They are two birds that I haven't seen with my own eyes for many, many years, and I have often wondered why they have disappeared from the fields around here, because they are such beautiful birds. Of course, destruction of their habitat due to different farming methods is probably a major factor for their from the scene, so I don't suppose we are going to see them back in the area anytime soon!
On that rather thoughtful and somber note, I'll close and let you go to see the birds that we still have close enough for us to observe and enjoy. Stay safe and well, Cheers, John Baldwin.
The easiest thing to fix in a struggling healthcare system
by Diana Gifford-Jones
No country has it perfect. But a few give us envy. Swit zerland combines universal health coverage with rapid access and strong patient choice. People are required to buy private insurance, but the system is tightly regulated, and wait times are generally far shorter than in Canada by comparison.
The Netherlands is another standout. It has univer sal coverage, strong primary care, and insurers compete within strict public rules. It ranks high for patient satis faction and access. Germany is praised for its social in surance model – broad coverage, quick specialist access, and a large hospital network. Singapore is admired for ef ficiency and outcomes. It spends far less of GDP on health care than many Western countries while maintaining ex cellent results, though its system relies more heavily on personal savings and individual responsibility. Among Nordic countries, Denmark is praised for integration and digital health systems, while Sweden is respected for qual ity but can struggle with wait times.
Canada adheres to the principle of universal access. No one should go bankrupt because they got sick. But universal coverage is nothing to celebrate if you can’t see a doctor. And Canadians are frustrated by access delays, and increasingly, by service quality too.
In the U.S., money talks. Those with means can get world class care. For those without insurance, and there are many, it’s a lot harder and the statistics tell a grim story.
Regardless of where in the world, or socioeconomic status, no senior citizen should wait 14 hours in emergen cy with a fractured wrist. No individual with chest pain should sit in a hallway because there are no beds. No one should have to wait eight months to see a specialist, only to be told they need another referral because the original one expired while waiting.
We hear promises of “transformational reform” when parts of our systems break down. Yet patients continue to experience delay, frustration, and the sense that no one is in charge.
What’s the one thing we could easily fix? That would be communication.
What drives people to frustration is often not the ill ness itself but feeling invisible inside the system. Even when right in the middle of it. Medicine has become highly technical, but healing still begins with a person looking you in the eye and explaining what is happening. Patients want two things from a physician: competence and caring. They hoped for the first, but they remem bered the second. And caring means diligent communi cation, in both directions, with give and take, until there is a common understanding.
Hospitals measure everything: wait times, readmis sions, staffing costs, infection rates. All important. But do we measure whether families are actually informed? Whether discharge instructions are understood? Wheth er patients know who is responsible for their care?
Imagine if every emergency department had one per son whose sole role was to keep patients and families in formed. Not to provide treatment, but to explain delays, next steps, and realistic expectations.
There is an old saying in medicine: “Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always.” We seem to have forgotten the last part. Comfort is not a complex concept. It is clar ity. It is dignity. It is the assurance that someone sees you not as a chart number, but as a human being who may be frightened and trying to make sense of what comes next.
Can communication alone fix health care? Of course not. But if we are looking for the easiest place to start, it may be right there. For a lot of things in life, it might help to lay it out. “Here is what is happening, and here is what happens next.”
This column offers opinions on health and wellness, not personal medical advice. Visit www.docgiff.com to learn more. For comments, diana@docgiff.com. Follow on Instagram @diana_gifford_jones
Christine Parker (Nee Rennick)
July 15 1958 April 29 2026
It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved Christine Parker (Nee Rennick) on April 29th, 2026.
Loving wife to Paul, devoted mother to Trevor (Brittney) and Tyler (Haley), and proud grandmother to Olivia, Spencer, Charlotte, Ronnie, and Emery.
Loving sister to Elizabeth Charbonneau (John), Heather Tzakis (late husband Michael), Catheren Fachnie (late husband Kirk), Robert Rennick (Terry), Steven Rennick (Phil), David Rennick (Lyne), Kimberly Rennick, Cynthia Rennick.
Her family was everything to her.
Christine was truly one of a kind. She was honest, straightforward, never afraid to speak her mind, and you always knew exactly where you stood with her. But more than that, she had a generous heart and would do anything for the people she loved.
Her presence, her strength, and her unwavering love will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
We will carry her memory with us always. Her life will be celebrated with details to come
Gathering at 2:00 pm Service at 3:00 pm Cornerstone Wesleyan Church 6556 Prince of Wales, North Gower, ON July 6, 1937 May 2, 2026
Junco
Chipping Sparrow
Habitat Gardening at Oxford-on-Rideau School
by Fred Schueler, Fragile Inheritance Natural History
In the summer of 2023, the first ‘footprints' of the Habitat Garden in Cro zier Park were established by the Habitat Garden ers of North Grenville, led by Phillip Fry. Gener ally called "pollinator gar dens," they are denomi nated "habitat gardens" in recognition of their broader function of re storing native plant spe cies and promoting popu lations of the pollinators that visit them.
In October of 2023, Grade 6 students at Oxford
on Rideau Public School visited Crozier Park. The diversity of native plants and the benefits they of fer to pollinators and the environment piqued their interest, prompting them to request a footprint in the Habitat Garden. The project had to comply with the Ontario cur riculum and the aims of the Upper Canada Dis trict School Board's Real World Learning Program. The Habitat Garden Proj ect weaves a broad canvas of botany, ecology, and the symbiosis of nature with practical hands on experi ence. The first school foot
print was inaugurated in 2024, followed by another in 2025. Each year, a pol linator mascot is selected: in 2024 it was Bees and in 2025 Butterflies.
In the fall of 2025, hab itat gardening was taken up by the Grades 5 6 and Grades 1 2 classes. Their first visit to the Habitat Garden in Crozier Park last Fall was to collect seeds. Grades 5 6, Grades 1 2, and Kindergarten were shown how to collect the seed pods and heads into recyclable paper bags, and thirty one bags in all were filled. Throughout the school year, the classes
continued to work togeth er.
At the Environmental Action Advisory Com mittee's meeting on April 27, the students presented their annual report, and, in what follows, the quot ed text is borrowed from their PowerPoint presen tation.
"Expanding the Gar den – Who: Grade 5/6, Grade 1/2 and Kinder garten. What: A Habitat Garden Footprint. Where: Crozier Park. When: Fall 2025 – Spring 2026. Why: To help Pollinators. How: Growing native plants and planting them."
The first step in con serving biodiversity is learning the species and their names, which begins with collecting seeds of "Native Plants for the Gar den: Monarda fistulata Bee Balm; Wild Bergamot, Hypericum perforatum Great St. John's Wort, Pycnatheum viginianum –Virginia Mountain Mint, Symphyotrichum novae angliae – New England Aster, Echinacea purpurea – Purple headed Cone flower, Ratiboda pinnata – Grey headed Coneflow er, Helenium autumnale – Common Sneezeweed, Penstemon digitalis – Fox glove Beardtongue, and Aquilegia canadensis Eastern Red Columbine."
Grade 5 6 selected the Ruby throat Hum mingbird as their Mascot Pollinator, and Grade 1 2 selected the Little Brown Bat, as a reminder that not all pollinators are Insects. Grade 1 2 noted that they chose the Little Brown Bat because it is one of eight Bats native to Ontario, is an endangered spe cies, and flies over water to collect insects. Oxford on Rideau School is very close to Kemptville Creek. The students will be build ing bat houses and hope to
Hidden heritage The Kemptville Grammar School, 1843 pt. 2
by David Shanahan
An Act to Amend the Law Relating to Grammar Schools in Upper Canada was passed by the Assem bly in 1853, placing the Grammar Schools under Superintendent of Edu cation, Egerton Ryerson's department and giving the County, not the Governor General, the authority to appoint trustees. The new Act brought in stricter guideline covering all aspects of the school life, staffing and buildings. Pupils were admitted only after passing an ex amination and followed a departmentally assigned curriculum. Teachers had to be university graduates, or certified by a provincial examining board. Strict reporting procedures were introduced, and it is through the subsequent Annual and half yearly reports which started in 1854 that we have de tailed information about the Kemptville Grammar
School.
The first Report, of 1854, gives some indication of the state of the school before Ryerson's takeover. There were 64 students reg istered, of which 30 were unable to write. Only one student was taking Latin, none were taking Greek or French. By the end of its first year under the edu cation department, all 39 students admitted could write, and six of them were taking Latin. There were still no students studying Greek or French, and of the twelve studying His tory, none were exposed to Canadian history. The his tory of Great Britain and Ireland was the sole focus of the History courses. Nor was education yet free for Grammar School stu dents. It cost $1 per month to take Mathematics and Classics, but only half that for English.
In the year of Confed eration, the Kemptville Grammar School had 48
students, 36 of whom came from the village of Kemp tville and the others from elsewhere in the county. According to the Annual Report, all were taking English, Latin, History, Geography and Arithme tic, though only ten of the forty eight were taking Canadian History. Six were studying Greek and four French. Considering there was only one school master in the school, he was han dling a remarkable number of students and courses, for which he was being paid $600 a year.
There is reason to be sceptical about the statis tics in this Report, how ever. Every time the figure "48" is entered for atten dance at courses, the figure "36" is crossed out. Either the out of towners were not originally counted, or there was some fudging of numbers to inflate atten dance, and, possibly, the amount of grant money from the County. In 1865,
the Grammar School Act had been amended to as sign government funding to schools on the basis of attendance, and schools had to have a certain num ber in Latin classes to qual ify for funds at all. The at tendance figures may have seemed healthy, but it was reported to the UCLG the following year, 1868, that the Grammar School in Kemptville has the low est number of students of all five such schools in the United Counties.
In fact, questions about the entire Grammar School structure in Ontario were being raised at the highest levels. In annual to Ryer son in the three years lead ing up to Confederation, George Paxton Young, one of the Inspectors of Gram mar Schools, pointed out repeatedly that the Gram mar Schools were really irrelevant to the normal life of most students, es pecially in the rural areas, where Latin was hardly a
see the Little Brown Bat. Grades 1 2 assembled a mini greenhouse in their classroom to start seeds. They prepared rows for the Seed Garden at the school, because "learning how to grow native plants is a life skill." This Spring's infrastructure project is installing a water tank do nated in 2025 to collect rainwater from the roof of the Crozier Park pavilion. The students have plans for "Promotion and Pub licity, such as a website, QR Code, promoting our Habitat Garden online, Social Media, and "shar ing what we learned with other schools."
To understand our eastern Ontario land scapes, we need to reflect on their entire history since the land emerged from the Champlain Sea. It's hard to imagine how treeless, plowed, and grazed eastern Ontario was in the 19th century, so that even where habitats are now undisturbed by people, many slowly dis persing species are absent, and habitat gardening is an important step in both increasing this under standing and restoring the diversity.
proper preparation for an agricultural or small town career. The majority of students, male as well as female, were not deriving any real benefit from the Latin classes into which they were being put in or der to inflate attendance statistics. This was not only because the subject was ultimately of no benefit to them, but also because it was not being taught in any real depth in the first place. But as the classical education was the raison d'étre of the Grammar School, then it was hard to rationalise the continuing existence of that system of education.
Young's recommenda tions were embodied in a new Act in 1871 which effectively ended the old Grammar School system and replaced it with the new High Schools across the province. These would be bigger schools, with at least four teachers, and classical languages would
be an option, not a require ment. There were other sig nificant changes under the new system, and these will be described elsewhere. In Kemptville, which was by now a separate municipal entity from Oxford Town ship, the change to a High School structure would mean, not only a new system, but a new school building also.
The 1843 school house was sold by the new Board of Education of the Incor porated Village of Kemp tville to Charles Eligh in June, 1878. As a final, and rather comical note on the old Grammar School, the Trustees of the Board had to issue a legal Declaration to the new owner "respect ing title deed to Grammar School Trustees of this lot, being lost, etc. etc.". Quite a fall from grace for the once prestigious institu tion.
Tourism experiences celebrate growth
The 1000 Islands Ride au Canal Waterways is thrilled to introduce Ani mal Adventures, the new est way to experience the region. This exciting ad dition to the established self guided tours invites visitors to explore 10 lo cal farms, sanctuaries, and nature based destinations, offering the chance to meet alpacas, goats, chickens, donkeys, and other ani mals while learning about agriculture, conservation, and animal care.
Tourism businesses and stakeholders gath ered to unveil the 2026 Adventures Brochure and marketing campaign at Bottle & Barrel Adven tures' King’s Lock Craft Distillery and Windmill Brewery in the Township
of Edwardsburgh Cardi nal. The brochure, avail able in both digital and paper copy, highlights over 70 participating locations. It includes a map to eas ily assist visitors in plan ning customized journeys, blending stops at bakeries, gardens, cafés, beverage destinations, and now, fun animal encounters.
“The Adventure Series is an excellent example of businesses and sites col laborating to position our region as a destination of choice. With our iconic Canadian tourism assets of the 1000 Islands and the Rideau Canal, the Tour ism Adventures provide visitors with a way to en joy our culinary delights and immerse themselves in our beautiful scenery while
bringing direct dollars into the Leeds Grenville econo my,” said Warden Corinna Smith Gatcke.
“The program aims to boost visitation, encourage longer stays, and capital ize on the rise in domestic travel. Many local small businesses depend on tour ists, and that’s exactly what this initiative supports,” added Ann Weir, Manager of Economic Development for Leeds Grenville. “There is a shared desire to see the region evolve into a year round destination that at tracts visitors with a vari ety of unique, high quality, and celebrated travel expe riences, and we believe this initiative is a key in build ing that foundation.” said Ann.
Adventures participant
Liz Wheeler, founder of Secondhand Stories agrees.
“Being part of the Animal Adventures program gives us the chance to welcome more visitors to our chick en rescue and share the stories behind the chickens in our care. It offers a fun opportunity for people to connect with animals while also encouraging them to discover more across the 1000 Islands Rideau Canal Waterways region. We’re really happy to be part of a program that highlights places like ours.”
Participating locations proudly display the Ad ventures window sticker or flag, helping visitors plan their route and explore at their own pace. Whether you’re looking for a hands on farm experience, a fun family outing, or a unique rural escape, the Adven tures in the 1000 Islands Rideau Canal Waterways region delivers all the fun and laughter while discov ering and to connecting with nature in region’s ru ral communities.
The 2026 printed bro
chure is available at par ticipating partner sites and tourism locations, or digitally online at www.10 00islandsRideauCanalWa terways.com/adventures . Hard copies are also avail able from the Counties Economic Development Office at 32 Wall Street in Brockville, or call 613 342 3840 ext. 5362. Find up to date content on the region’s social media accounts @1000IslandsRideau CanalWaterways on both Facebook and Instagram.
