The Citizen - April 7, 2023 - sample issue

Drama queens (and kings)

Last week and through the weekend, Blyth played host to the annual National Theatre School Drama Festival at Memorial Hall and satellite locations like Trinity Anglican Church. The provincial theatre extravaganza welcomed 140 students from Listowel District, South Huron District, F.E. Madill, Owen Sound District, St.

Michael Catholic, Stratford District and St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary Schools to the village to learn, act and create. In the end, it was St. Anne’s that won the Spirit of the Festival Award, in addition to individual awards for some of the students. The school’s award-winning play will be on stage at St. Anne’s on April 13, 14 and 15. (John Stephenson photo)

On Tuesday night, Huron East Council received an update on the ongoing renovation and expansion of the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre, which has seen a number of unforeseen issues resulting in cost overages that will deplete the $280,000 contingency for the project.

Chief Administrative Officer Brad McRoberts prepared a report for council which he was due to present at Tuesday night’s meeting. Coverage of the meeting will be included in the April 14 issue of The Citizen, as it will be held after this week’s deadline. However, McRoberts’ report outlines a number of the issues.

“The project has been posed with unforeseen challenges, due to either unknown and undocumented existing conditions or undocumented construction methods used in the existing structure,” McRoberts wrote in his report.

He outlined five outstanding issues for council.

First is the exterior storm drainage lines, which have cost the project an additional $104,527.

“Early on in the project, it was

U15 Rep Crusaders make provincial quarterfinal

By Shawn Loughlin

The Blyth Brussels U15 Rep Crusaders made it to the quarterfinals of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) Championships over the weekend in Barrie - an impressive showing and a heartbreaking end to a successful season for the team.

The locals won their first game of the tournament on March 31 by a score of 2-0 over the Norwood Hornets, followed by a 4-1 victory that night over the Tillsonburg Tornadoes.

The Crusaders finished first in their group with their two wins, which earned them a game against the Ilderton Jets, who won their play-in game against the Durham Crusaders on April 1 by a score of 3-0. The Crusaders would open the scoring in the second period, but the Jets would pull even in the third period.

The two teams played through three scoreless overtime periods, making for a 75-minute game, and the Jets would win in a shootout,

ending the tournament for the locals.

The Jets would go on to lose in the semifinals to the Essa Eagles, who then played Six Nations in the final - after Six Nations defeated the Walkerton Capitals in their semifinal match-up. Six Nations took the title with a 3-2 win.

Blyth Brussels Minor Hockey Association President and team

coach Brett Fischer said losing in a shootout after so much evenly-

played hockey was gutting. No one, he said, wants to lose a game that way, especially after the season the Crusaders have had.

It was around the Christmas holidays, Fischer said in an interview with The Citizen on Monday, that he and the rest of the coaching staff felt the team had greatness in it and set a goal for the players and the parents to end their season at the OMHA Championship tournament. He said

the players’ work ethic, raw ability and enthusiasm for doing “the little things” that progress teams and win hockey games made the coaches see something special in their team.

Then, after that conversation and setting that goal, they saw gameover-game improvement that they hadn’t seen in previous seasons.

When the team would fall behind in a game, he said, the players always seemed to find a way back to salvage something from the

contest, whether it be an all-out win or a tie that would earn them a point. There was just no quit in the team, he said.

So, when the Crusaders booked their ticket for Barrie for the tournament, he said he wasn’t surprised and knew the team had a good chance of winning some games there, perhaps even going all the way.

The support from the community

NH budget passes despite crucial concerns

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen

The Municipality of North Huron Council passed its 2023 budget at a statutory public meeting on Monday, April 3, despite the noted absence of Director of Finance Chris Townes, who was out sick.

Councillor Chris Palmer motioned for the statutory budget meeting to be deferred until April 17 due to Townes’ absence, saying that “if there’s an error we find, it

only takes one person to answer that, and they’re not here.” This comes after council learned at its most recent budget meeting that over $180,000 in salaries and benefits had been left out of the recreation budget, a gaffe that has since been dubbed by Palmer as “Salary-gate”. The motion was seconded by Councillor Mitch Wright. Councillor Lonnie Whitfield joined Palmer and Wright in voting in favour of deferring the statutory public budget meeting, but

the motion was defeated, and the meeting continued as planned.

Chief Administrative Officer Dwayne Evans stood in for Townes and read the Powerpoint presentation of the revised budget aloud, but was unable to answer several specific questions raised by Palmer and Wright about cuts to the recreation budget and the controversial use of funds from the Westario reserve for the Howson Dam decommissioning project. At the previous budget meeting,

council instructed staff to investigate other ways to pay for the dam’s demolition. Evans, reading the report, stated that, “staff investigated and feels that this is |the most appropriate reserve to draw from.” Wright expressed displeasure about the lack of an explanation regarding the use of Westario reserve funds for the project, an issue he brought up at the budget meeting on March 27 with the expectation of receiving an

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

The Citizen

Oudshoorn elected provincial Junior Farmer president

Passing of the... bear

The Junior Farmers’ Association of Ontario presidency wasn’t the only thing passed on as the organization elected its new executive in late March, so too was Gordie the bear handed off. The legend goes that Gordie is meant to assist the current president in not losing the historical president’s pin. (Photo courtesy of Doug van Wolde)

By Shawn Loughlin

The Citizen

Late last month, the Junior Farmers’ Association of Ontario elected Jolande Oudshoorn of the Auburn area as their 80th president. This comes exactly 20 years since the last Huron County resident, Mary Feldskov, was president of the provincial organization.

Oudshoorn said there was a question-and-answer period with the two candidates and she was quite nervous. She went into the evening prepared to let her name stand for president and, ultimately, take on the job if the membership was willing, but felt her nerves strike during that portion of the proceedings. However, she said she was pleased that she “didn’t blank” when answering questions, which she admits is something that’s happened to her before.

However, her nerves didn’t stop her and she was elected to the position. She said it was thrilling and surprising to hear her name called and she’s looking forward to the one-year term ahead.

To prepare for the heightened level of responsibility, Oudshoorn says she’s stepped away from certain high-level responsibilities in her home club, the Huron-Perth Junior Farmers, in addition to some other boards and committees on which, until recently, she had served.

She says the position will essentially be a two-year commitment, first as the president and then as the past-president, both of which she’s ready to tackle headon.

County resident to serve as the provincial president, after Mary Feldskov in 2003 and Jim Phelan in 1979. There have been two presidents since 1944 from Perth County: Claire Belluz in 1972 and Paul A. Nairn in 1991.

She has succeeded Jamie Schultz of Renfrew County, the 2022 president. The process included the traditional passing on of Gordie, the iconic stuffed bear that is given from president to president that is said to be done to keep the current president from losing the historical president’s pin.

This continues an impressive run in the Junior Farmers organization for Oudshoorn, who has steadily rose up the ranks since joining in 2019 as part of a natural progression from her extensive 4-H involvement, from which she aged out, but stayed on as a leader. At the end of her first year with the Huron-Perth Junior Farmers, 2019, she was elected vicepresident. In 2020, she won the Junior Farmers’ Association of Ontario Novice Outstanding Member Award for 2019, one of the association’s President’s Rose Awards.

Oudshoorn was nominated anonymously for the position (nominations can come from clubs throughout the province as well as members of the executive, but they are kept a secret) and let her name stand, after spending the last year as a member of the executive, serving as the provincial group’s director of finance. However, her ascension to the province’s top position was not a slam dunk, as she was opposed by a member of the Oxford County Junior Farmers, triggering a proper election.

Oudshoorn said she has a bit of an idea about what awaits her thanks to her year as the director of finance. She knows there are a lot of internal and administrative tasks, but she hopes to delegate some things and get as many people involved as possible.

In an interview with The Citizen,

According to the Junior Farmers’ Association of Ontario website, Oudshoorn is just the third Huron

The next year, Oudshoorn and Lauren Bos, her fellow Huron Perth Junior Farmers member and Auburn-area resident, were named co-winners of the association’s President’s Rose Award for Most Outstanding Current Member. It was the first time that two members had been awarded in the same year. In that same year, the local club was named Agriculture Club of the Year for its “Who Let The Hogs Out?” fundraiser.

from the

Wingham plays host to youth tournament

Swept up

Thirty-two teams from across Ontario competed for glory from March 30 - April 2. (Scott Stephenson photo)

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen

This past week was a big one at the Wingham Golf and Curling Club, as it played host to the Provincial Elementary School Curling Championship from March 30 to April 2. The tournament saw 32 teams of Ontario’s most talented rock-throwing youngsters showing off their skills on the ice. The teams came from elementary schools far and wide to compete, leading to a memorable weekend on and off the sheet.

The Wingham Golf and Curling Club, founded in 1950, had been trying to host this event since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Event Chair Jennifer Elston and event organizer Kathy Waechter were happy to see things finally come to fruition after three years of waiting. “We’re glad to finally host it,” remarked Elston.

The venerable venue’s four-end rink and dual-level observation spaces likely helped secure the bid to host this long-delayed tournament. Waechter said another advantage is the meticulous ice management of Don Wilkin, who looks after sheets at curling clubs in Wingham, Palmerston and Listowel.

On the upper level, the observation deck allows a bird’s eye view of the action. The concession stand offered an eclectic mix of Ontario-sourced craft beverages, soft drinks and crowdpleasing snacks. Bedecking the wall behind the raffle prize table was a historical rainbow of shirts from each previous tournament, each one telling its own part of the story of the event - from classic, cozy 90s

sweatshirts (please, bring back the curling mascot from this era!) to the slick black windbreakers of this year’s event.

The lower level fluctuated between relative calm during matches and unfettered overflow in the in-between moments. The teams gathered there before the opening ceremonies, full of anticipation and spirited energy. Even though it was extremely close quarters, there was nothing but good-natured chatting between teams, coaches and parents.

Local, provincial and federal dignitaries spoke at the opening ceremonies. Morris-Turnberry Mayor Jamie Heffer welcomed the crowd with enthusiasm, saying “It’s just great to have such an event in Morris-Turnberry… it’s exciting!” He went on to encourage visitors to

“take the time to make new acquaintances, new friends and enjoy the sport.” Member of Parliament for Huron-Bruce Ben Lobb and Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Lisa Thompson were also on hand, and spoke about the importance of giving young people the opportunity to discover the sport of curling. Top-notch bagpiping was provided by Huron County’s own Gary Martin. The entire weekend was packed with curling action, as parents, volunteers and friends gathered to observe the intense competition. On the top deck, a phalanx of hushed onlookers from across the province watched each throw with rapt attention. A good throw was met with quiet, and a great throw was met with almost silence.

Elmira coaches Neil Miller and Theresa McLachlan took a moment from their pregame preparation to comment on the three things they think matter most at this elite level of competition. “Be safe, have fun, try your best,” said Miller. The championship game came down to the final throw, and the team from North Perth Westfield Elementary School in Listowel was declared Ontario champions. The celebrating victors cheered for their opponents, and one smiling player attributed their win to trying their best.

In the end, Westfield won it all this weekend, but something was made evident over the course of the tournament - curling isn’t about winning or losing, it’s a game for life.

Governmental support

Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb, left, Morris-Turnberry Mayor Jamie Heffer, centre, and Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson, left, join the fun. (Scott Stephenson photo)

It’s elementary, my dear curlers

Let the games begin

Bagpiper Gary Martin at the opening ceremonies for the Provincial Elementary School Curling Championship at the Wingham Golf and Curling Club on Friday, March 31. (Scott Stephenson photo)

Wonderful are the effects when a crucified, glorious Saviour is presented!

(Letters of John Newton)

“Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You!” Psalm 73:25-26

There is nothing that I desire more, than frequent, lively, and heart-affecting views of Jesus; who, like the brazen serpent of old, was lifted up on the cross—that we, beholding Him by faith, might live; even though the old serpent has so often stung us and filled us with the baneful, painful poison of sin!

Wonderful are the effects when a crucified, glorious Saviour is presented... by the power of the Spirit, in the light of the Word, to the eye of faith!

This sight of the crucified, glorious Saviour... destroys the love of sin, heals the wounds of guilt, softens the hard heart, fills the soul with peace, love and joy, and makes obedience practical, desirable and pleasant.

If we could see more of Him—we would look less at other things. But, alas! Unbelief places a veil before our sight, and worldly-mindedness draws our eyes another way. Some vain hope, or vain fear, or vain delight—comes in like a black cloud and hides our Beloved from our eyes.

A Grace Gem

Submitted by: Immanuel United Reformed Church, Listowel, ON 519-492-1359

The winning team from North Perth Westfield Elementary School in Listowel. Back row: from left to right, Assistant Coach Gavyn Harwood, Head Coach Jamie Weishar, Noah Schneider, Sofia Reinhardt, Brooke Schaefer, Reid Harwood, Clark Harwood. Front row: Ice maker Don Wilkin, left, and Event Chair Jennifer Elston, right. (Scott Stephenson photo)

Editorials Opinions

A universal milestone

Founding Publisher: Keith Roulston

Publisher & President: Deb Sholdice

Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Scott Stephenson

Advertising Sales: Brenda Nyveld

info@northhuron.on.ca

The first Canadian and first non-American to fly to the moon will be Jeremy Hansen, a CF-18 fighter pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), as part of the Artemis II flight crew. The project, planned for November of 2024, is the next phase of United States’ commitment to send a manned spacecraft to land on the moon in 2025. While Hansen won’t land on the moon, he will be flying to the dark side of the moon and back, flying deeper into space than any other astronauts have.

Canada has earned this seat through its contributions to a space station that will orbit the moon and by building a lunar rover that will look for water on the surface.

Canadian scientists have been quietly contributing to the space exploration program through partnerships with NASA and now, by sending an astronaut to the moon, we are bringing this work to the forefront, inspiring generations of future scientists, astronauts and explorers. – DS

Commander in cuffs

While many have questioned if charges against former U.S. President Donald Trump will be worth the paper they’re printed on and if anything will stick to the second “Teflon Don”, it certainly is historically noteworthy that Trump has become the first-ever former U.S. President to face criminal charges. Meanwhile, the pontificators in the media are wondering if these charges will hurt Trump’s chances of a run for the White House in 2024. It’s incomprehensible for some to think that Trump will be living in any house but The Big House for the next few years, but there are some real nuggets of truth in Trump’s 2016 comment, “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any voters, okay?” Side note: only someone as devoid of morality as Trump would boast of such a thing.

So, after just under 234 years, we have someone who has both held one of the most prestigious offices in the land and faced criminal charges, something many associate with the most problematic corners of society. It’s both hard to imagine and grossly overdue, as far as some are concerned. However, these charges are sure to galvanize Trump’s fanatical base, further emboldening them. If “The Establishment” seeks to punish Trump for doing something wrong, they’ll think, surely he must be doing everything right - kind of like anti-vaccine protestors who interpret a Facebook fact-checking banner as a badge of honour.

Indeed, recent polls among Republicans have shown that support for Trump has grown since February and more than half of Republicans polled support Trump, meaning that, if you were to chat up a Republican voter on the street, odds are they’d want someone facing criminal charges holding the highest office in the land.

It doesn’t seem like that long ago that an extramarital, inter-office affair brought about a near-universal loss of trust in a U.S. President and now being charged criminally is cause for a confidence bump. Strange times, but who knows? Maybe he’ll make jail great again. – SL

Wild and consequential

The race to become the next mayor of Toronto has officially begun and it is sure to be a wild and unpredictable contest. The nomination period for the June 26 by-election opened on April 3, to a crowded field of contenders who have already announced their intention to run.

The unexpected by-election comes at a tumultuous time for Toronto. The city is facing a budget shortfall of $1.5 billion left by the COVID19 pandemic, and both the provincial and federal governments have declined to help fill the hole. Deputy-Mayor Jennifer McKelvie, who stepped in after former Mayor John Tory’s shocking resignation in February, has warned that the next mayor will likely need to oversee rapid cuts to services if additional funding doesn’t come from Ottawa or Queen’s Park.

The city’s infrastructure is also in dire need of attention. Toronto’s state of good repair backlog continues to grow, while much of its critical infrastructure deteriorates.

The next mayor will need to tackle a recent spate of violence on the city’s public transit system that has left many Torontonians deeply shaken. This issue is connected to what advocates have said are underfunded mental health and addiction services, and a lack of supportive housing for those struggling with homelessness.

Whoever takes the reins from McKelvie will also wield the controversial “strong mayor” powers bestowed by the province late last year. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has said the additional authorities will remain in place no matter who is elected.

From a perspective in Huron County that is far removed from Toronto, it is tempting to watch the city scramble to metaphorically extinguish the flames that have figuratively engulfed its political administration. It’s fun too! But the consequences resulting from this byelection will certainly be felt well beyond Toronto’s borders. – SBS

Looking Back Through the Years

April 7, 1966

The law firm of Crawford and Shepherd announced that Alan R. Mill, B.A., L.L.B., joined their team, prompting a change to the firm’s name to Crawford, Shepherd and Mill.

The Huron County Federation of Agriculture organized a farewell event for Florence Elliott. The evening was filled with enjoyable card games and pleasant socializing. During the event, Charles Thomas, the Federation President, presented Mrs. Elliott with a beautiful three-piece luggage set. The evening concluded with a serving of cake and ice cream.

During the usual gathering of St. John’s Guild, members presented Rev. H. L. Jennings and Mrs. Jennings with parting gifts as a token of appreciation for their service in the parish. The Reverend received a set of pencils, while Mrs. Jennings was gifted a brooch. The evening concluded with a pleasant social hour enjoyed by all in attendance.

The Ontario Liquor Control Board (LCBO) declared its plans to increase the frequency of testing for all beer and ale brands available for sale within the province. This announcement followed shortly after Dow Breweries Ltd. shut down its Quebec City plant due to suspicions that two of its brands were linked to several fatal heart conditions.

April 7, 1976

The Blyth Community Centre arena required an inspection by engineers to determine if it met current standards. The Ontario Ministry of Labour had been requesting inspections of older arenas and even closed a few, including those located in

Teeswater, Lucan, and Exeter. Irvin Bowes, Leslie Caldwell, John Nesbit, and Keith Richmond of Blyth, along with Wallace Norman of Wingham, embarked on a two-day tour of the Purina Research Farm in St. Louis, Missouri. Although the trip primarily focused on hog production, the group also explored other areas such as beef and dairy cattle, dogs and horses, while also enjoying a brief tour of the city. Special recognition went to the Ralston Purina Company and Howson and Howson of Blyth, which both helped create an enjoyable experience for everyone.

April 8, 1998

A local student earned top honours by winning first place in the Legion district speaking contest held in Harriston. Shannon Scott, a student at F.E. Madill Secondary School, placed first in the Grade 11, 12, OAC class with her speech discussing the influence of media portrayals of women on public perception.

Scott advanced to the area finals in Alliston on April 19. Meanwhile, Graham Worsell, a student at Central Huron Secondary School, placed third in the Grade 9 and 10 division of the Legion competition with his speech on promises. Although he did not advance through the Legion competition, he and Scott would both participate in the Lions Club contest in Orangeville on April 18.

The annual banquet of the Huron Perth Wild Turkey Association was held at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre. The association raised more than $28,000 through a combination of silent auctions, live auctions and raffles. The evening was graced by

two special guests: Toronto Blue Jays’ right-handed reliever Paul Quantrill and shortstop Alex Gonzales.

The Village of Brussels Council authorized the procurement of two telephones for their office, ending monthly rental payments to Bell Canada for phone usage.

Londesborough United Church Junior Choir was one of the featured performers at the 18th annual Songfest, held on Sunday night. The choir mesmerized the audience with their angelic voices as they sang two beautiful songs: “Kids Under Construction” and “Everyone Makes Mistakes”. July 28, 2011

On March 26, a summit on agrifood was organized by Judy Crawford and Deb Austin at the Regional Equine and Agricultural Centre of Huron, which was attended by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. During the summit, Wynne discussed the future of agri-food and its related industries.

The Brussels Girl Guides were treated to a tour of the Brussels Fire Hall by firefighter James Mitchell of the Huron East Fire Department. The Guides were able to witness firsthand how the equipment worked and learn about what firefighters need to perform their duties.

Hullett Central Public School organized a spirit day where students were encouraged to dress up as their role models. Alexis Bernier and Brody Nesbitt decided to dress up as their beloved principal, Shawn Allen.

Sparling’s Propane Company Limited was acquired by Parkland Fuel Corporation after decades of local ownership in Blyth.

Other Views

OSo much change, so much variety A

ne of the problems of being my age is that you sometimes miss the good things about today because you’re thinking about the good things of times past. That recently happened to me. I was doing research into the 1970s in old newspapers available online because I was documenting the history of the Blyth Festival. In the old newspapers, I was seeing how there used to be men’s and women’s clothing stores on main street, there were two places where you could buy televisions and the latest electronics, multiple places to get your car repaired, and two hardware stores.

Going back a little further, I recall having ancient cars that could make a trip down the rural concession to the farm I grew up on nearly suffocate you, because the road dust that clouded the air inside the rusted-out vehicle. A trip to one of our nearby communities was almost, in those days, like a visit to Toronto these days – a bit of an adventure.

Even when I grew older, we thought twice before venturing any distance. There were still stores in neighbouring hamlets to get groceries, even in communities like St. Augustine. The world has changed. Now, my old hometown of Lucknow doesn’t even have a grocery store left.

So I was bemoaning the losses of the past until I read Scott Stephenson’s search for the perfect ingredients for a superior sandwich in The Citizen’s Salute to Agriculture special section a couple of weeks ago and realized that we’ve lost some things, but discovered others. If you look at things through the foggy lens of the past, we already had an infinite variety of choices. We have, for instance, businesses like Subway that offer all sorts of food we wouldn’t even recognize from my youth. I mean, from

Keith Roulston

From

the cluttered desk

the view of the 1950s in this part of the country, even pizza was a new adventure.

So, when Scott started his search for the ideal ingredients for a sandwich at BRØD bread and pastry in Blyth and Blyth Farm Cheese just south of Blyth it was the beginning of a lesson in the wonderful diversity available in food these days. At BRØD, they got a loaf of the bakery’s orange-veined cheese bread. We had a bakery when I was growing up, but brown bread was as adventurous as I recall being in a white-bread community.

At Blyth Farm Cheese, they chose from a variety of gouda-style cheeses offered by owner Paul Van Dorp and made from sheep’s milk. Sheep’s milk? Our local cheese maker Pine River Cheese made only cheddar from cows when I was young. You wanted variety, you chose from mild, medium or old, depending on how long the cheese had been left to age.

Next Scott and his wife Chelsea were off to Seaforth to The Sprouted Mill and Bakery. Bread made from sprouted grain? When I was young that would have meant trying to salvage grain that had been stored when it was too damp. There they chose a sourdough loaf for their sandwich.

Next they visited 5 Chicks and a Farmer just east of Seaforth for back bacon from their heritage hogs but they also got a plump chicken

breast from their pasture-raised chickens. It was a bit of a hike to the next farm-based business at Meeting Place Organic Farm near Lucknow for summer sausage, one thing familiar from my youth.

In Wingham, they stopped at Homegrown Food Basket for farm-fresh eggs and yellow mustard. Then it was on to Green’s Meat Market, ironically the one sort of place that would have been common in the 1950s and 1960s, except larger and more modern, of course.

From there, they were off to Lucknow to their home in the building that was my church in the long-ago, to put their very special sandwich together.

Their journey for the ingredients, however, shows how different something so essential as food has become over the years. The huge selection at the massive supermarkets of today already gives us more variety than we would ever have thought was necessary from my youth. Then, beyond that, we have tiny, homegrown food suppliers like those Scott and Chelsea explored in their search for the perfect sandwich – itself something that’s so foreign to those of us who were once as young as they are.

You listen to the television news these days and hear endless complaints about the price of food, yet people today spend less on their nourishment than my parents, who survived the Depression and World War II food shortages. I, in turn, lived a far richer, more entitled life than they did, and my kids better than I. Hopefully, my grandchildren will too.

So, although I miss having all the stores we had on main street in the 1970s, I don’t want to do without those that replaced them. Such is our privilege in Canada these days.

Time to get serious with ‘The Chaff’

Welcome to “The Chaff”, a weekly column that is definitely completely serious and totally dedicated to being absolutely and fully serious about all of the most serious and important and serious issues affecting us, seriously, all of the, very serious, time. The level of seriousness contained in this column should be considered alarming to readers. Set your seriositydetecting machines to their most serious setting because things are about to get super, certainly not silly, serious.

I can tell you that being serious all the time is an absolute joy! I mean, who needs laughter and happiness when you can have a furrowed brow and a stern look on your face at all times? I take being serious so seriously that I don't even know any jokes. Never heard any, not interested in hearing any, thank you very much. Too busy being serious.

I wake up every morning and immediately start thinking about all the things that need to be taken seriously. Is the world going to end? Is there a new disease on the horizon? What about the economy? These are the things that really matter, right?

I find that being serious all the time really helps me connect with other people. I mean, who wants to be around someone who is laughing and having fun all the time? That’s just annoying. Instead, I prefer to hang out with people who are always worried about the future and constantly stressed out. It really helps to create a sense of camaraderie and togetherness.

And let’s not forget about the health benefits of being serious all the time. Laughter is overrated. It just causes wrinkles and makes your abs hurt. But being serious? That's good for your blood pressure, right? At least, I think it is. I'm too busy being serious to bother looking up the science behind it.

Scott Stephenson

The Chaff

When I hit the dance floor, I’m all business. I stand up straight, I keep my arms at my sides, and I move my feet with a purpose. Some might say that I look a little bit robotic, but I prefer to think of it as a display of my intense seriosity and dedication to a dour style of dancing.

Of course, this approach to dancing doesn’t always win me a lot of fans. People tend to prefer dancers who are a bit more looseygoosey, shall we say. But that’s just not my style.

Still, I like to think that there's something impressive about watching a person dance with such seriousness and commitment. It’s like I’m saying, “I’m not just here to have fun. I’m here to dance like my life depends on it.”

And who knows? Maybe one day, my serious dance moves will catch on and become the new hot trend. Maybe people will start saying, “Did you see that guy dancing? He was so serious! That’s the way to do it.”

Of course, there are a few downsides to being serious all the time. People might mistake you for being grumpy or uptight. Some say seriousness is a slippery slope to irascibility and cantankerousness. But I say, Walter Mathau and Jack Lemmon were massive movie stars with full sexappeal on display in the Grumpy Old Men movie series. I think all the kids today would agree that if Lemmon and Mathau were still around, they’d look at me and say,

Shawn Loughlin

Shawn’s Sense

little off the top

There’s no chance I was the only one who read over that quote from North Huron Reeve Paul Heffer in Scott’s budget story last week more than once with confusion and, frankly, fear when thinking about what the next four years may hold.

On that note, a few thoughts about the chaotic circus that has made North Huron a laughingstock among other municipal council members and neighbouring residents and anyone who reads this fine newspaper.

“Kid, you’ve got what it takes to be serious all the time. Keep it up!”

In conclusion, if you’re not taking everything seriously all the time, then what are you even doing with your life? Get with the program, people! Let’s all be serious together and make the world a better place. Or, you know, at least a more serious place.

Back to Heffer. “We must remind ourselves that we are here to make the best decisions we can for all of North Huron,” he said. One has to wonder who exactly needed to be reminded of this. As someone who has unabashedly been gunning for the Blyth and District Community Centre since being elected to the big chair, perhaps Heffer is referring to himself? That’s a scary proposition. If a newly-elected reeve, with nearly his whole term ahead of him, needs to be reminded that it’s his job to serve the people of the municipality he was elected to govern, it’s going to be a long four years. But, then again, we have members on that council who are more concerned about gender-neutral language and blocking Pride flags than they are in preserving basic service levels, so I suppose anything is possible at that table. I also got a kick out of Heffer, who declared himself as the unofficial Mr. North Huron in the year’s first chaotic budget meeting when he directed council to look beyond wards and think about the township as one community, later voting in favour of a motion to, basically, keep Wingham money in Wingham. Not-sohot-so from North Huron’s Great Unifier. Now, onto the budget. Again, I can’t have been the only person to get to the end (maybe; with North Huron Council, there always seems to be some unexpected drama lurking just around the bend, in addition to the status of Heffer’s tremendously leading and overly transparent request of a review of township arena costs) of this budget process and wonder what we were all doing here in the first place. Sure, there are ups and downs in all budget processes: start high, end lower, add things, drop other things, please this department, disappoint that neighbourhood, etc. But what residents had to endure this year was a bit much. What a leap it was for us to go from a 21 per cent tax rate increase with no way around it whatsoever, aside from gutting everything that wasn’t a road or a piece of land where a house could be built, to where we are now. (Not in Blyth, of course, where the roads are in a state that’s shameful to the degree of embarrassment. But, right now, my daughter likes playing in all the puddles, so, I guess, keep up the good work - they might be all she has to play in by 2026.) Staff came in with a proposed increase of just over four per cent (which would have been a swing from the laughably-highest tax rate increase to among the lowest in the county), but, after correcting an error, settled at just over seven per cent. How did they get there? Well, it appears they trimmed some things and reallocated others. Sounds like standard, budgets-gonna-budget stuff that perhaps could have been employed before whipping everyone into a frenzy and threatening to snatch from them everything they hold close - but hey, that’s just me. So, not to fly the ill-fated “Mission Accomplished” banner just yet, but it’s nice to see that Heffer and other council members have been reminded (by the sounds of it) by many, many residents that council works for them, not the other way around, and that our money should be spent on the things we want.

This week's Maitland Valley Camera Club Photo of the Week comes from Joan Perrie, who captured this certain sign of spring recently in her garden.

A welcome introduction

Danielle Rosenblum, the community partnership manager with the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides Program, based in Oakville, recently spoke to the Brussels Lions about the program and took the time to meet local guide dog Quinn, who belongs to Brussels resident Ella Vandermeer, not pictured. To read more, see page 19. (Scott Stephenson photo)

At the Branch

Contingency fund depleted for BMG centre project

Continued from page 1 discovered that the roof drains were discharged to underground drain lines that ran along the east and south sides of the building, ultimately discharging to the existing municipal drain on the southwest corner of the property.

As these drain lines ran under the entire area of the proposed expansion, they need to be redirected and rerouted in new storm water drains,” McRoberts noted in his report.

The second issue arose following the removal of the exterior finishes at the east elevation for the proposed opening at the warm viewing area. McRoberts said that those working on the building discovered that the existing exterior wall is comprised of four-inch hollow core, unreinforced concrete block, rather than six-inch reinforced concrete block, which had been specified in the original design drawings, which are dated June, 1977.

In addition, he said that the blocks were fastened to the existing metal siding for lateral support and the existing columns throughout the east elevation are light gauge, cold-formed steel, rather than structural steel columns.

Those columns, McRoberts said in his report, are not structurally sufficient for the proposed opening for the warm viewing area.

As a result, he said, the opening for the warm viewing area had to be reconfigured and redesigned to incorporate web stiffener plates at the structural steel beams in order to support the existing exterior wall assembly.

The cost for these changes, he said, is still pending.

A similar discovery, McRoberts said, was made in the existing

exterior wall assembly at the south elevation. “This was a significant structural concern and lateral bracing was required to stabilize the upper portion of the south elevation wall before work at the south addition could proceed,” McRoberts said in his report.

As a result, light gauge steel stud framing will support the existing four-inch hollow core, unreinforced concrete block at the interior face of the existing exterior wall assembly, secured to the existing roof purlins, structural steel girts and columns and horizontal light gauge steel z-girts.

McRoberts said this will cost the municipality an additional $57,109.

The exterior fill under the proposed expansion was deemed unsuitable to support the expansion structure, McRoberts said in his report, so it needed to be removed, disposed of and replaced with structural fill to the tune of $57,124.

That, in addition to some miscellaneous modifications that will cost an additional $21,685, will see the municipality spend over $200,000 more than anticipated on the project, according to McRoberts’ report. He also noted delays in the project due to both weather and the above conditions. As a result, McRoberts says the contractor is now hoping for completion in the late summer. However, he said that work on the kitchen and the existing lobby area will be undertaken as outlined in the original schedule, because it fits in with reduced need for access to the dressing rooms and ice surfaces during the coming months.

“Based upon approved and pending change orders, to date the $280,000 contingency for the

First Legion fish fry coming to Seaforth

By Jo-Ann McDonald

The general meeting of the Brussels Legion Branch was held on Tuesday evening with nine members present. There were plenty of positive comments on the initiation night held the previous Friday evening. There are still about eight more members to be welcomed and another application was accepted on Tuesday evening. Come on out and join the Legion.

A few highlights of the meeting included information that Huron East had misplaced our application for the summer patio, so it will have to be submitted again. The first fish fry of the season will be on Good Friday in Seaforth. There will be another euchre night on April 14. The Branch hosted the health inspector and there are a couple of small things to improve or replace. New from Huron Perth Public Health are the QR codes that will be placed in all business windows. They can be scanned with your phone and will bring up any infractions concerning the business in question. Elections are held at the next general meeting in April and members wishing to hold a position on the executive should contact the Branch.

The Thursday night darts had 14 darters taking aim at the boards.

Winners were: first, Chris Blake, Paul Willie and Evelyn Hillier; second, John Stadelmann and Sandra Brown; high shots, Steve Hall, 125 and Barbara Cadotte, 102.

Friday night was poutine for pub grub for a good crowd. It was followed by karaoke with Stubby D. It was a nice crowd and some good singers.

Saturday night was the dance featuring the Twist Tops. They

played great music from the 1950s and 1960s for the small crowd.

Those attending made a great time of it and kept the dancing going. All enjoyed the great music and would like to see them return. The entertainment committee will look

into it.

Happy Easter to one and all and we hope to see you at the Branch.

Drop in between Tuesday and Friday from 4-7 p.m. for a visit.

The Branch will be closed Good Friday.

project has been or will be fully depleted,” McRoberts said in his report. “While the project is moving from a stage of integration with existing conditions to one of continuing the build-out as designed, change orders resulting from unforeseen or unexpected issues are likely to diminish in number and cost, we still have fixtures, furnishings and equipment to account for that are not included in the original tender. Items that would be included in this consist of seating for the warm viewing area, furniture, tables and seats for the lobby, equipment for the concession, etc. While generally minor, these will need to be acquired on or before the project is operational.”

McRoberts, in his report, noted that, due to the success of the fundraising committee, raising more than $2.5 million against a $2 million goal, those funds “will need to be used to offset any additional change orders and FFE (fixtures, furnishings and equipment) purchases.”

He noted that $23,000 could have been saved by eliminating an interior masonry wall on the south side of the building. However, after consulting with the building subcommittee, the option was rejected. McRoberts said in his report that there were concerns with the lack of a guarantee that the existing south exterior wall could be suitably repaired and refinished without long-term deterioration of the surface.

McRoberts was due to present his report for information purposes only at Tuesday night’s meeting. The agenda package for the meeting was made public on Friday on the municipality’s website. Check back with The Citizen next week for coverage of the meeting and any subsequent conversation based on McRoberts’ report.

Recreation figures altered, claims Luttenberger

Continued from page 1 answer before passing the budget. Evans said the amount being used from the Westario reserve fund, $10,000, is insignificant when considering the bigger picture, a

reply that did not satisfy Wright. Members of the public expressed dissatisfaction with the North Huron budget process during the public comment period of the statutory meeting. Concerns about a

lack of transparency and limited public consultation were voiced. The vast changes in the budget document from the first draft to the final draft left citizens questioning whether or not council was

Getting creative

Last week and through the weekend, Blyth played host to the annual NTS Theatre Festival, which brought secondary-school students from throughout the region together in the name of theatre. They participated in workshops and rehearsals at Memorial Hall and Trinity Anglican Church to brush up on their skills. (John Stephenson photo)

‘Poetry in the Gallery’ set with three poets scheduled

This year, to complement its return to Memorial Hall’s Bainton Gallery for in-person shows originally scheduled for 2020, the Blyth Festival Art Gallery will be hosting three “Poetry in the Gallery” events in conjunction with its shows.

“This year, the Blyth Festival Art Gallery is bringing the spoken word and fine arts together as we host our inaugural ‘Poetry in the Gallery’ evenings in conjunction with our three professional shows,” reads a press release from the gallery, authored by Gallery President Carl Stevenson.

Lucknow-based photographer Hannah Dickie will open the season with an exhibition of her farmfocused photography between June 16 and July 15. During her show, Nathanya Field will open the “Poetry in the Gallery” series on July 7 at 7:30 p.m.

Field is a poet, playwright and storyteller whose work often explores her “rural and queer roots and all the places they tangle together”.

She holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing, earned at the University of Guelph, a Bachelor of Art (Honours) in Theatre and English from the University of Windsor and is the former Windsor Grand Slam Champion and Slam Team Captain. Field, after spending a number of years outside of the community, has returned home to Huron County.

London-based Blair Trewartha will be the next artist to host a “Poetry in the Gallery” event on July 28 at 7:30 p.m., in conjunction with Rob Tetu and his collection of potters exhibiting Japanese Shino techniques and more from July 21 to Aug. 12.

Trewartha’s debut, full-length

poetry collection, entitled Easy Fix, was published by Palimpsest Press in 2014 and was shortlisted for the Relit Award. He is also the author of three chapbooks - Break In , 2010; Porcupine Burning , 2012, and Human Energy, 2022 - and his poetry has appeared in Carousel, Prism, Event, Existere, CV2, The Dalhousie Review, and Prairie Fire Magazine

While Trewartha now lives in London, he was born and raised on a farm outside of Clinton.

To end the season, Blyth-based artist Kelly Stevenson will bring her work to the walls of the Bainton Gallery from Aug. 18 to Sept. 9.

Coinciding with her show will be the “Poetry in the Gallery” event featuring London’s Joanne Stryker on Aug. 25 at 7:30 p.m.

Stryker divided her time between

Happy birthday to Will Nesbit, who will celebrate on April 8, and Kerry Diebold, who will celebrate on April 13. Happy birthday to both of you and enjoy your day. Happy anniversary to Gerald and Nancy Hakkers on April 7.

Don’t forget to come to the Easter egg hunt on Saturday sponsored by Friends of the Village of Blyth and supported by North Huron.

handling its budget process in a way that respected the public interest.

Palmer said he is deeply concerned about $400,000 in cuts from the recreation department’s budget, which he says amounts to around 20 per cent of the total. “My business couldn’t operate with a 20 per cent cut.” He worried that the recreation department budget is underfunded and the result could be a deficit at the end of the year.

Palmer questioned Director of Recreation Vicky Luttenberger directly about the concerns he had with potential underfunding. Luttenberger revealed that the numbers she had submitted for the recreation department’s budget had been changed by Townes, saying, “the amount that I submitted was cut, it was reduced by Director Townes.”

be quite honest, we’ve already spent it.”

Palmer expressed additional concern about decreases in maintenance for facilities projected to grow in usage. All of these revelations raised further questions about who would be held accountable in the event of the recreation department going over budget. With Townes absent from the meeting, those questions remain unanswered. Palmer summed up his issues on the subject, saying “if there’s a deficit at the end of the year, it’s not the director’s fault that her budget is different from Director Townes’ budget… we know that there’s going to potentially be a problem, and it could be rectified.”

Huron County and the United Kingdom before returning to Ontario to live in London. Her poetry has been published in a number of anthologies and journals and has won prizes both in Canada and abroad.

After, a sequence of mourning poems, was published in Wales and launched in England in 2018. She currently has work in three collections: The Swedish Death Purge, Here/After, and a series of love poems.

The “Poetry in the Gallery” evenings are meant to bring people together in the Bainton Gallery after so many years to take in the art, followed by the poetry events, Stevenson said in the release, and add a new aspect of art to a gallery that has traditionally hosted visual arts.

She went on to point out additional discrepancies between what she had submitted and what was before council. Luttenberger had planned for growth in areas like registration and memberships, a reasonable assumption for postpandemic recreation. “Again, those are not the numbers I submitted for the budget. I had submitted numbers depicting a growth in participation levels… in terms of recreation programs, off the top of my head, I had submitted about $104,000 for projected revenue, and Director Townes reduced it to $95,000,” she explained, which was just one example of the changes made. Palmer found it questionable that projected revenues were being trimmed, and Luttenberger concurred. She went on to point out yet another issue created by this mercurial budget, in regards to the recreation department’s miscellaneous expenses, budgeted at $20,000 every year. “It was for emergencies in the facilities, if we had to do an emergency repair, or replacement of equipment… that $20,000 has been deleted from the budget, and we need to have that $20,000 back in there, because, to

Councillor Wright voiced a similar sentiment, stating “I’m concerned about the process that was used to get here. I think there should be clear accountability with the different budgets… we’re going to be here this time next year, and if people are over budget or under budget, you can look the department manager in the eye and say ‘where did things go well, where did things go wrong?… I don’t know who to hold accountable for the recreation budget.” Wright elucidated the source of his concern, saying “Our Director of Finance is new to the area, I’m not aware of any background that they have in recreation, so what process did he use to come up with the numbers used in recreation to override our department manager on those numbers?” The absence of Townes proved yet again to be a detriment to the proceedings, as he was not available to explain his process. Ready or not, Deputy-Reeve Kevin Falconer motioned to accept the budget as presented, which was seconded by Whitfield. In a recorded vote, Palmer and Wright voted against approving the 2023 budget as presented, but were outvoted by the balance of council.

Sports

Ironmen fall to Patriots in tight game seven

End of the road

Wingham Ironmen captain Kyle Stanbury, right, celebrates the only Ironmen goal scored last Saturday night in Wingham, as the Ironmen fell by a score of 6-1. The Mount Forest Patriots would force a definitive game seven that night, which the Patriots won on Monday night by a score of 4-1. (John Stephenson photo)

By Shawn Loughlin

The Citizen

The season is over for the Wingham Ironmen after a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Patriots in Mount Forest in game seven of their second-round, best-of-seven series on Monday night.

Wingham scored the first goal of the night when Matt Tolton scored his second of the playoffs at 2:02 of the first period, a power play goal, assisted by Jonah Burley and Coleson Fischer. Mount Forest would equalize soon after, however, when Dylan Szymanowski scored an unassisted goal, his sixth of the playoffs, at 8:22 of the first period.

There was no scoring in the second period. It wasn’t until 1:53 of the third period that Dylan Szymanowski of the Patriots scored his second goal of the game and seventh of the playoffs, assisted by Aidan Doig on the power play.

The game would stay that way, with the Ironmen trailing by a score of 2-1, until the dying second of the game when Wingham pulled goaltender Garrett Golley for the extra attacker. Mount Forest would then score two empty-net goals to put the game out of reach for the Ironmen. Brody Leblanc scored at 19:17 of the period, assisted by Elijah Brahaney, and Bryan Richardson sealed the deal with an unassisted, empty-net goal at 19:55 of the period, ending Wingham’s season.

Vance Meyer earned the win in the Mount Forest net, stopping 32 of the 33 shots he faced, while Wingham’s Garrett Golley was handed the loss, stopping 29 of the 31 shots he faced.

Mount Forest’s Brody Leblanc was called for tripping just 23 seconds into the game, while Turner Mckenzie was called for interference at 15:06 of the first.

Charlie Mckenzie of the Patriots was called for interference 51 seconds into the second period, followed by a hooking call against Riley Torrie of the Patriots at 4:43 and an unsportsmanlike conduct call against Nigel Kreager of the Ironmen and a roughing call against Cameron Lytle, both at 8:50 of the second.

Micah Kraayenbrink of the Ironmen was then called for interference at 18:09 of the period and then again at the end of the period for leaving the penalty bench.

To start the third, Charlie Mckenzie of the Patriots was called for interference at 5:41, followed by the last penalty of the game, a fiveminute major slashing penalty and ejection for Wingham’s Dawson Fahrer at 19:55 when the final empty-net goal was scored against the Ironmen.

Nearly 1,110 people packed the Mount Forest and District Sports Complex to watch the game.

Last week, the Ironmen fought back and pulled even in the series, with each team winning two games each, on March 29 in Wingham, when the home team claimed victory by a score of 5-1.

Captain Kyle Stanbury opened the scoring with his ninth goal of the playoffs, a power play marker at 1:52 of the first period, assisted by Coleson Fischer.

Wingham also scored the second goal of the game when Micah Kraayenbrink scored his second of the playoffs at 18:06 of the first period, assisted by Tayt Bramhill.

Mount Forest would score its only goal of the game at the threeminute mark of the second period when Brody Leblanc found the back of the net on the power play, assisted by Dylan Szymanowski. Wingham’s Nigel Kreager would then score at 9:21 of the period, his

at 12:57 and 17:39 of the period, respectively.

Garrett Golley of the Ironmen was called for interference at 18:17 of the period, a penalty served by Chase Lorenz.

At 19:06 of the period, Aaron McGuirk of the Patriots was called for slashing and then ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct, followed by four penalties assessed to Mount Forest’s Reid Caswell at 19:09two minutes each for instigator and aggressor fighting penalties, a fiveminute major fighting penalty and a game ejection.

The Ironmen would then take a one-game advantage with a win on the road on March 31 by a score of 5-4.

Micah Kraayenbrink of the Ironmen scored his third goal of the playoffs to open the scoring, finding the back of the net at 2:05 of the period, assisted by Noah Wettlaufer and Coleson Fischer.

Mount Forest would even the score and jump out ahead with a goal by Dylan Szymanowski at 13:02 of the period, assisted by Brody Leblanc, and a power play goal scored by Kyle Detweiler, assisted by Leblanc again, at 17:18.

At 19:42 of the first period, Patrick Galloway tied the game for the Ironmen with his second goal of the playoffs, assisted by Kyle Stanbury and Micah Kraayenbrink.

second of the playoffs, assisted by Noah Wettlaufer and Tayt Bramhill, followed by a Noah Wettlaufer goal scored just 13 seconds later, his second of the playoffs, assisted by Micah Kraayenbrink and Dawson Fahrer.

Coleson Fischer then put the game away for Wingham with his third goal of the playoffs at 11:45 of the third period, an unassisted power play goal.

Garrett Golley won the game for the Ironmen in net, stopping 23 of 24 shots, while Vance Meyer was tagged with the loss, stopping 22 of the 27 shots he faced.

Mount Forest’s Matt McLellan was called for tripping at 1:39 of the first period, followed by three Wingham cross-checking penalties: Tyson Fischer at 5:02 and Jonah Burley at 10:52 and again at 15:50.

Burley was called for interference at 2:32 of the second period, followed by a hooking call against Mount Forest’s Kyle Detweiler at 6:47 and slashing and head contact calls against Bryan Richardson of the Patriots at 11:24 and 14:15 of the second period, respectively.

Wingham goaltender Garrett Golley was called for unsportsmanlike conduct at 14:15 of the period, a penalty that Nigel Kreager served, and Turner Mckenzie of the Ironmen was called for hooking at 18:07 of the period.

Things got a little rough in the third period. Mount Forest’s Bryan Richardson was called for head contact at 9:47, followed by a bench/coach penalty called against the Patriots, served by Reid Caswell.

Kyle Stanbury of the Ironmen was called for unsportsmanlike conduct at 11:45, followed by a two-minute head contact penalty and a four-minute head contact penalty called against Jordan Leitch

then scored at 9:30 of the second period, assisted by Kyle Detweiler and Riley Torrie on the power play. Galloway would complete his hat trick with a goal at 2:34 of the third period, assisted by Matt Tolton and Kyle Stanbury. Mount Forest would score again, with Brody Leblanc scoring his seventh goal of the playoffs, assisted by Aaron McGuirk, but it was not enough, giving the Ironmen a 5-4 victory.

Garrett Golley earned the victory for the Ironmen in net, stopping 20 of the 24 shots he faced. Vance Meyer played the first period in net for the Patriots, stopping eight of 10 shots, but Tristan Szymanowski would relieve him for the rest of the game, stopping 18 of 21 shots and earning the loss for his team.

Wingham’s Turner Mckenzie was called for holding at the eightminute mark of the first period, followed by an interference call against Mount Forest’s Matthew Weiler at 8:41. Jonah Burley was called for cross-checking and head contact at 8:59 and 13:43 of the period, respectively, followed by Wingham’s Micah Kraayenbrink serving a too many men on the ice penalty at 15:51.

Wingham would score two goals to open the second period. The first was scored by Austin Becker, his fourth of the playoffs, on the power play, assisted by Noah Bloemberg and Nate Bloemberg. The second goal was also scored on the power play, at 6:30 of the period, by Patrick Galloway, his third of the playoffs and second of the game. Kyle Stanbury assisted on the marker.

Mount Forest’s Jordan Leitch

Brody Leblanc of the Patriots was called for slashing at 1:01 of the second period and then again for boarding at 5:48 of the second. Wingham’s Dawson Fahrer was called for slashing at 8:09, followed by head contact penalties called against Mount Forest’s Aaron McGuirk at 10:49 and Wingham’s Tayt Bramhill at 16:37. Mount Forest’s Kyle Detweiler was also penalized at 16:37 of the second period, but for unsportsmanlike conduct, while Jordan Leitch of the Patriots was called for slashing at 17:45 of the second.

Mount Forest’s Adam Murray

Continued on page 9

High and outside

Mount Forest Patriots’ goaltender Vance Meyer is seen reaching for a high shot on Saturday night in a 6-1 victory over the Wingham Ironmen in game six of their series, while Ironmen captain Kyle Stanbury waits in vain for a rebound. (John Stephenson photo)

OWHA schedules released for Huron Heat

By Shawn Loughlin

The Citizen

A bit of play has continued for several Huron Heat teams in recent days as they work towards the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) Championships in the Toronto area next weekend.

On the weekend of April 14-16, the U11 B, U11 C, U13 C, U18 BB and U9 B Huron Heat teams will be heading to provincial tournaments

and some of the schedules are already set.

On April 14, the U11 C Heat team will open its tournament with a game against the Woodstock Wildcats, followed by another later that day against the Cold Creek Comets.

The U13 C Heat will first play the Kanata Rangers and then the Chatham Outlaws, while the U18 BB Heat will play the Orangeville Tigers and then the Norfolk Hericanes.

The next day, April 15, the U11 C Heat will play the Kemptville Storm, while the U13 C Heat will play the Woodstock Wildcats and the U18 BB Heat will play the Napanee Crunch. If they’re successful, play will continue into Sunday as teams from all over Ontario vie to be the last team standing.

On April 6, the U13 C Heat will play the Upper Maitland Mustangs on the road in an exhibition game, while the U18 BB Heat will also

Fischer proud of U15 squad

On their way

The Blyth Brussels U15 Rep Crusaders earned a win over the Norwood Hornets in Barrie in their round-robin, above, but would fall to the Ilderton Jets in the quarterfinal of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association Championship after three overtime periods and a shootout. (Courtesy photo)

Continued from page 1 both Brussels and Blyth, was fantastic leading up to the tournament, he said, and he could see the players’ elevate their level of play and excitement when in front of a home crowd.

So, when the team travelled to Barrie for the year-end tournament, a change from home games in previous years since the beginning

of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said it wasn’t the same as playing in front of home fans, though those who did make the trip are to be commended for their outstanding support.

He said the change in format, leading up to a year-end, localized tournament keeps teams playing meaningful hockey for the entirety of the season, but what’s lost is

playing OMHA Championship games in front of an arena full of home-town fans. “You always want to be able to fill your barn,” Fischer said. It’s hard to put into words how hard it was for the team, the coaches and the parents to lose in a shootout after a season of so much hard work, but he said it truly is heartbreaking.

Playoff series goes the distance

Continued from page 8 was called for tripping at 3:12 of the third period, followed by a holding call against Wingham’s Kyle Stanbury and a boarding call against Josh Pham of the Ironmen, at 3:36 and 8:54 of the third period, respectively.

Mount Forest would then trounce the Ironmen in game six of the series on April 1 in Wingham, by a score of 6-1.

Brody Leblanc of the Patriots scored his eighth goal of the playoffs at 19:15 of the first period to open the scoring, assisted by Elijah Brahaney and Dylan Szymanowski. There were no goals in the second period.

Wingham’s Dawson Fahrer would even the score at 4:27 of the third period with an unassisted goal, the team’s only goal of the game.

After that, the Patriots would score five straight goals: Austin

Griffin at 5:52, assisted by Jared Rowe and Ben Tenhag; Brody Leblanc at 7:21, a shorthanded goal, assisted by Elijah Brahaney; Dylan Szymanowski at 12:59, assisted by Kyle Detweiler and Brody Leblanc; Bryan Richardson at 18:12, a power play goal, assisted by Kyle Detweiler and Charlie Mckenzie, and Matt McLellan one second later at 18:13, assisted by Aaron McGuirk and Austin Griffin on the power play.

Vance Meyer earned the win in the Patriots’ net, stopping 26 of the 27 shots he faced, while Garrett Golley was branded with the loss, stopping 32 of 38 shots.

Matt Tolton of the Ironmen was called for cross-checking at 4:33 of the first period, followed by Riley Torrie of the Patriots being called for interference and slashing at 17:02 and 19:51 of the first period, respectively.

Mount Forest’s Charlie Mckenzie

play an exhibition game on the road, against the South Huron Sabres.

This weekend, the U13 B Heat will head to Brampton for the Canadettes’ annual Easter Tournament. They’ll open with games against the Lucan Irish and the Mississauga Hurricanes on April 7 and then play the Georgina Golden Hawks on April 8.

On April 2, the U11 C Heat played the Lambeth Lancers on the road, but a score was unavailable for that game, while the U11 B Heat played to a scoreless tie in an exhibition game in London against the Devilettes.

On April 1, the U9 HL Black Heat lost their Western Ontario Girls’ Hockey League (WOGHL) Championship tournament game against the St. Thomas Panthers by a score of 5-2, followed by another tournament loss to the South Huron Sabres by a score of 1-0, while the U9 HL White team lost to the North Middlesex Junior Stars in their WOGHL Championship tournament game by a score of 3-1.

Also that day, the U13 C Heat lost

their road playoff game against the North Middlesex Junior Stars by a score of 5-3. The U15 C Heat lost their playoff game with the Woodstock Wildcats in Komoka by a score of 3-0, while the U11 B team beat the London Devilettes in Hensall by a score of 1-0.

The previous day, March 31, the U9 HL White team won its first two tournament games, beating the St. Marys Rock by a score of 2-1 and the Bluewater Hawks by a score of 2-0, while the U9 HL Black team opened its tournament with a 5-1 win over the Lucan Irish.

On March 30, the U13 B Heat won its exhibition game in Ripley with the Lucknow/Wingham 86ers by a score of 3-1.

On April 4, the U9 B and U18 BB Heat teams played exhibition games with the North Middlesex Junior Stars and the South Huron Sabres, respectively, in Seaforth, but scores were unavailable at press time.

After the OWHA Provincial Championships, try-outs begin for a number of Heat teams in Goderich to be held through April.

was called for cross-checking at 3:41 of the second period, followed by a head contact penalty called against Wingham’s Jonah Burley at 6:29. Mount Forest’s Cameron Lytle was also called for crosschecking at 11:03 of the period, followed by an interference call against Matt Tolton of the Ironmen at 13:02, a charging penalty called against Mount Forest’s Elijah Brahaney at 17:31 and an interference penalty against Matt Tolton of Wingham at 19:36 of the period.

Charlie Mckenzie of the Patriots was called for cross-checking at 6:55 of the third period, followed by a slashing infraction called against Wingham’s Matt Tolton at 14:37. Josh Pham of the Ironmen was assessed two head contact penalties at 15:27 of the period, followed by Wingham goaltender Garrett Golley being called for slashing at 17:01 of the final frame.

Wingham Satellite Oncology Program enables

Oncology registered nurses Justine MacDonald, left, and Laurie Bell are part of a team of five nurses, as well as doctors and administrators, who aim to help Huron, Bruce and Perth County residents facing cancer get help closer to home in the Elizabeth (Betty Zinn) Hlavach Memorial Oncology Clinic at the Wingham and District Hospital. (Shawn

photo)

BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN THE CITIZEN

When locals are going through what is, undoubtedly, one of the most difficult stretches of their lives, there is a place for them to go, full of people who want to help, ease their pain and make their lives a bit brighter.

April is Cancer Awareness Month and Huron County is lucky to play host to its own oncology unit in Wingham. The Wingham Satellite Oncology Program is part of the London Regional Cancer Program, providing chemotherapy for patients in Huron, Bruce and Perth Counties.

The site runs from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday at the Wingham and District Hospital, which is one half of the Listowel Wingham Hospitals Alliance.

The site boasts a five-nurse complement. All oncology registered nurses are specially-trained, proactive guides to help cancer patients navigate the complex maze of cancer treatment and care, according to Cancer Care Ontario. Two of them - Laurie Bell and Justine MacDonald - took some time to chat with The Citizen about their work at the unit and all that it means

to the community and those who utilize its services.

Bell has been a nurse since 1983, working in the local oncology unit for the last 12 years, while MacDonald has been a nurse for the last decade, spending seven years in the unit.

“I enjoy my job,” says Bell, who says that patients are always so grateful to have this level of cancer care so close to home.

There’s the convenience of it, of course, but she adds that really it’s about time for most people. Saving people a drive to Kitchener, London or Owen Sound saves them time and money, and the time they save can be better spent with their families and loved ones.

MacDonald echoes Bell’s sentiments, saying she’s happy to be able to help patients at such a difficult time in their lives and to watch people get better visit by visit.

A typical day in the unit begins when the nurses arrive and they prepare the space for the patients of the day. Bell and MacDonald say there is a lot of communication with London in regards to a patient list for the day and the necessary medication. They then work with the

Loughlin

AWARENESS MONTH

CANCER HISTORY CANCER HISTORY

nearby pharmacy for the medication they need for the day. The majority of chemotherapy agents and cancer medications can be administered at the site, but there are rare instances in which treatment must be sought in London.

On an average day they’ll see seven or eight patients. The unit is equipped with eight chairs and a room with a stretcher, if someone needs to receive treatment while laying down or will be there for a lengthy amount of time (treatment times range from one to eight hours, depending on the patient).

Bell says the unit is set up to convey a friendly atmosphere, with the chairs facing one another to allow for conversation, with televisions and WiFi for entertainment and chairs for spouses or loved ones to come and keep patients company as they’re treated.

In addition to the nurses getting to know their patients over time, it’s not unusual for patients to get to know one another, with some of them being on similar treatment schedules.

There is a screening process to assess symptoms, progress and any changes that have occurred since

their last treatment. This not only informs the nurses for the day, they say, but it also provides historical data that can be consulted on a longer timeline to see how patients are faring with their treatment over months and years.

After the assessment, the nurses take a patient’s vitals and a blood sample and, once everything is looking good and cleared to go, treatment can move forward. That’s when the nurses will communicate with the pharmacist and get the necessary medication ready for the treatment ahead.

In addition to the very capable nurses, if necessary, there is a dedicated doctor available to the unit every day, in addition to other medical professionals from throughout the hospital.

Both Bell and MacDonald say they find their work in the unit very fulfilling, though it can be challenging at times. As some patients will improve and eventually leave the unit cancer-free, others are not so lucky and will pass away when cancer gets the better of them. It is a challenging aspect of the job, but one that comes with the territory. But, to see people have their pain

Seaforth ~ 519-527-1331

Email: brian@wightmancpa.ca

relieved and conditions improved can be very rewarding, the pair agrees.

The Elizabeth (Betty Zinn)

Hlavach Memorial Oncology Clinic is located just to the right upon crossing through the main entrance to the Wingham and District

Hospital. For more information, visit lwha.ca/care/oncology/ or call the unit at 519-357-3711, extension 5220.

Care close to home

The Elizabeth (Betty Zinn) Hlavach Memorial Oncology Clinic at the Wingham and District Hospital is home to eight chairs and one stretcher station for those in need of cancer care in the area, saving time-consuming and costly trips to London, Kitchener, Owen Sound and beyond. (Shawn

Loughlin photo)

The St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary School concert band was awarded a gold standing last week in Orillia and now has punched its ticket to the national competition, which will be held in Niagara Falls this May. (Courtesy photo)

After three years of competitive hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the St. Anne’s concert band made its return to competition on Thursday, March 30 at

St. Anne’s band claims gold at MusicFest 54

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

In 2022, Huron County paid 48 of its employees over $100,000, putting them on what’s casually known as the “Sunshine List”. This is a decrease from 2021, when 54 employees were on the list.

This marks the first time the number of names on the list has decreased in recent years, rising from 49 to 54 in 2021, 39 to 49 in 2020 and 30 to 39 in 2019.

Treasurer Michael Blumhagen presented Huron County Council with the list at its March 22 meeting. There was no discussion on his report.

Chief Administrative Officer Meighan Wark was the county’s top earner last year, being paid $198,930, followed by Treasurer and Director of Corporate Services

Licensed Lay Worship Leader Sue Barnett led the morning worship at Londesborough United Church on April 2, Palm Sunday in the church calendar. Appropriately, the senior choir, under the direction of Barb Bosman, sang “Jerusalem”.

The scripture readings were Psalm 31; Matt. 21: 1-11, which is an account of Jesus entering Jerusalem riding on a donkey, and Matt. 27: 11-54, the story of Jesus' crucifixion at the hands of Pontius Pilate.

During the children’s time, Sue read a story titled, “Humphrey’s First Palm Sunday”, the story of a donkey foal that was part of Jesus’ entourage into Jerusalem. Before she gave each of the children a palm branch to wave, Mrs. Barnett shared this bit of trivia. A palm

MusicFest Regionals in Orillia.

The 27-member band performed two pieces of music and were awarded a gold standing, along with an invitation to compete at

Michael Blumhagen, $158,593.84; Director of Operations Steven Lund, $158,385.96, and Director of Planning and Development Sandra Weber, $157,675.64.

The rest of the list is as follows: Homes Administrator Angela Steadman, $156,571.87; Registered Practical Nurse Kimberly Mostrey, $153,124.72; Director of Social and Property Services Barbara Hall, $152,014.86; Librarian and Director of Cultural Services Beth Rumble, $151,181.42; Director of Legislative Services Susan Cronin, $146,762.27; Director of Human Resources Lara Vanstone, $144,851.15; Registered Nurse Margie Lougheed, $144,141.75; Director of Economic Development Victoria Lass, $142,039.05; Homes Administrator Dana Mellor, $136,567.61; Emergency Services Superintendent David Wagner,

MusicFest Canada Nationals, which will be held in Niagara Falls in May.

Elianne Kreuger received special recognition with an Honour Award

$136,133.85; Emergency Services Chief Jeffrey Horseman, $131,912.80; Information Technology Manager Kimberley Reid, $131,553.14; Child Care and Ontario Works Manager Cheryl Patience, $131,525.93; Senior Planner Denise Van Amersfoort, $127,326.88; Registered Nurse Pauline Basinger, $122,393.64; Emergency Services Superintendent Brad Watters, $120,627.19; Professional Standards Deputy-Chief David Campbell, $116,632.07; Operations Deputy-Chief Robert Taylor, $116,141.76; Emergency Services Manager David Clarke, $115,515.25; Human Resources Senior Manager Jane Anderson, $115,211.50; Housing Services Manager Christine Hoffman, $114,999.24; Personal Support Worker Punita Singh, $113,839.36;

tree/branch stands for victory, triumph, joy and peace, making it appropriate for the people to wave along Jesus’ way.

Included in the service were two prayers, “Prayer on the Way to Jerusalem” by Ian Cowie and “After the Palms and the Parade” by James Hart Brum.

Rev. Jan Aylward will offer the Good Friday service on April 7. And she will offer the Sacrament of Communion on Easter Sunday. That service will also offer official Confirmation for one of our faith community’s young persons.

The ladies of Londesborough United’s United Church Women will meet at 7 p.m. on April 17. All women are welcome at these meetings. Why not check us out?

Staying with the religious theme this week, Catholics around the world will be relieved to learn the Pope has been discharged from hospital in time to lead his followers through this Holy Week. Which brings me to another trivia fact: the cassocks worn by priests in former days had 33 buttons – one for each year Christ lived on earth.

My tulip sprouts are visible these last few days and the lilac bush

for her dedication to the music program and the concert band. As a fifth-year student, she is the only student in the band to experience band before, during and after the pandemic. Her commitment to music was recognized by festival judges, her bandmates and Mr. Josh Geddis, band teacher.

Prior to the pandemic, the St. Anne’s concert band was made up of over 50 students, half of whom were senior music students with between three and four years of playing experience. During the pandemic, with significant restrictions on playing, many students dropped out of band and stopped taking music.

“When the year started, we had 16 students in the band, that number has grown to 27 now. What makes this band particularly interesting is that five of the band members are in grade nine and have only been playing their instrument for six months! Our senior students had an extremely shaky two and a half years of limited playing due to Covid. When you hear this group, they play like a band with twice the experience, and sound like a group

Registered Nurse Kara Daw, $112,010.25; Patrol Foreman Gary Pipe, $111,837.59; Technical Services Manager Jeff Kerslake, $111,245.06; Primary Care Paramedic Sean Gelber, $110,190.20; Public Works Manager Cameron Harper, $109,697.60; Primary Care Paramedic Karen Rollins-Beneteau, $109,408.88; Network and Security Architect Mike Mason, $108,994.73; Primary Care Paramedic Melvin Andrews, $108,304.01; Registered Nurse Laura Schutten, $107,948.50; Senior Accountant Mark Mathers, $107,611.88; Deputy-Treasurer Annette Fletcher, $106,781.20; Primary Care Paramedic Joel Siebert, $106,673.83; Primary Care Paramedic Mitchel Homuth, $106,421.54; Registered Nurse Dawn Powell-Parker, $105,540.18; Senior Planner Craig Metzger, $104,445.01; Provincial Offences Manager Lavonne Maize,

down the street is in bud. Snowdrops seem to be everywhere as well. Perhaps there is hope that spring is on the way.

Just a reminder, April is Cancer Month. Wear your lapel daffodil throughout the month in support and remembrance of all the people in your world who have been touched by this disease.

twice their size. I am incredibly proud of these young musicians for bringing band back to St. Anne’s. Going from 16 to 27 members and a gold standing in less than a year is a very fast turn-around,” says Geddis, who teaches music and directs the concert band.

The St. Anne’s Band will head to nationals in Niagara Falls, where it will compete alongside approximately 175 of the best school ensembles from across the country in May. Band members are also looking ahead to their annual “May Melodies” concert which will be held on Thursday, May 4 in the St. Anne’s gym at 6:30 p.m. This concert will feature the Concert Band, Jazz Band, special guests and a performance by the Huron Perth Catholic District School Board Huron County Honour Band, which is made up of over 40 Grade 6-8 students, playing alongside members of the St. Anne’s Band.

“May Melodies” serves as a fundraiser for the music program. Admission is a suggested donation of $5 or more. Children under 12 are free.

$104,395; Primary Care Paramedic David Bisback, $104,364.58; Museum Curator Elizabeth FrenchGibson, $104,293.27; Primary Care Paramedic Jennifer Randell, $104,060.74; Primary Care Paramedic Savannah Johnston, $101,788.95; Primary Care Paramedic Inna Nikonorova, $101,253,37 and Primary Care Paramedic Kevin Gorman, $101,185.56.

Total receipts for Brussels Livestock for the week of March 31 were 1,870 cattle and 1,688 lambs and goats.

On Tuesday, fed steers and heifers sold fully steady. Choice steers and heifers sold $205 to $219. Second-cut cattle sold $194 to $204; aged and medium-fed steers and heifers, $194 to $204; holstein steers and heifers, $140 to $185. Cows sold steady.

On Thursday, holstein veal sold actively at easier prices. Beef veal sold fully steady. Lambs and goats sold steady and sheep sold higher.

On Friday, calves sold actively on a steady market with quality considered. Top quality yearlings

sold steady. Second-cut yearlings sold on a easier market.

Noah and Neil Weppler of Ayton, consigned 14 head. Three black heifers averaged 1,542 lbs. and sold for an average price of $217.

Elam W. Martin of Harriston, consigned 11 head. One bwf steer weighed 1,510 lbs. and sold for a price of $219.

There were 300 cows on offer. Beef sold $110 to $149; good holstein cows, $105 to $139; medium holstein cows, $95 to $105 and bulls sold $131 to $197.

There were 185 head of veal on offer. Beef veal sold $195 to $248 with sales to $260; good holsteins, $190 to $206; SL heavy holsteins,

$185 to $216; heavy holsteins, $150 to $190; medium holsteins, $175 to $189; plain holsteins, $120 to $180.

Jim Maw of Forest, consigned three head. One blue steer weighed 895 lbs. and sold for a price of $248.

Robert Hess of Ayton, consigned six head. One holstein steer weighed 775 lbs. and sold for a price of $216.

Lambs under 50 lbs. sold $415.75 to $435; 50 - 64 lbs., $385.50 to $406; 65 - 79 lbs., $361 to $390; 80 - 94 lbs., $299 to $340; 95 - 109 lbs., $270 to $295; 110 lbs. and over, $253 to $282.50.

Goats: billies sold $150 to $450; nannies, $50 to $150; kids: meat, $400 to $530; dairy, $250 to $400.

Mike and Nick Masse of Zurich, consigned 45 head. Thirteen lambs averaged 80 lbs. and sold for an average price of $350.

Tony Howe of Walkerton, consigned 13 head. Seven lambs averaged 61 lbs. and sold for an average price of $395.

Top quality stocker steers, 400499 lbs. sold $332.50 to $360; 500599 lbs., $295 to $335; 600 - 699 lbs., $284 to $319; 700 - 799 lbs., $268.50 to $302; 800 - 899 lbs., $271.50 to $289; 900 - 999 lbs., $248.50 to $262; 1,000 lbs. and over, $244.75 to $259.

Top quality stocker heifers, 400499 lbs. sold $265 to $315; 500599 lbs., $250.75 to $295; 600 - 699 lbs., $239 to $285; 700 - 799 lbs.,

$226 to $262; 800 - 899 lbs., $231 to $254; 900 lbs. and over, $212 to $242.75.

Chad, Tanner and Steve Simpson of Goderich, consigned 25 head. Ten charolais heifers averaged 754 lbs. and sold for an average price of $262.

Stewart Farms of Douglas, consigned 78 head. Nine charolais heifers averaged 843 lbs. and sold for an average price of $252.75. Nine charolais steers averaged 827 lbs. and sold for an average price of $289.

Steve Pastoor of Kerwood, consigned 62 head. Seventeen charolais steers averaged 996 lbs. and sold for an average price of $262.

Lobb, Thompson consult Huron farmers at forum

The issues of the day

Huron County Federation of Agriculture President Murray Workman, centre, welcomed Huron-Bruce MPP and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Lisa Thompson, left, and Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb, right, to the organization’s annual politicians’ forum on March 31, held at the Holmesville Hall. (Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot photo)

By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot The Rural Voice

The asks and thanks kept HuronBruce MP Ben Lobb and HuronBruce MPP Lisa Thompson alternating between smiles and serious nods at the Huron County Federation of Agriculture’s MP/MPP and Local Politician Forum on March 31 in Holmesville.

There were demands for more processing facilities in Ontario and wishes for more funds via the Risk Management Program. At the same time, commodity leaders were vocal in their thanks to Lobb and Thompson for their commitment to agriculture. Lobb was praised as his private member’s bill exempting Canadian farmers from the carbon tax on natural gas and propane used to dry crops and heat livestock had just passed.

There was a convivial atmosphere and this event, held annually, gave agricultural commodity leaders a chance to share their successes, concerns and needs with Lobb and

Thompson. The two listened, then shared their own successes, concerns and needs. It’s evident there is a long-standing respect between all, but that didn’t stop some leaders from urging the pair to do something about the lack of processing capacity in Ontario.

“In the last couple of months and years, we have lost a lot of processing capacity to Quebec and the United States,” said Philip Van Raay, representing the Huron County Pork Producers. “We could keep that money in Ontario if we kept the pigs here.”

He explained that when pigs get shipped south for processing, it can cost farmers an additional $25 per animal with the carbon tax, in addition to worries about African Swine Fever (ASF) making its way to Canada from the U.S. and how hard it is on farmers to have pigs (which keep growing) crowding in barns and potentially being euthanized if there isn’t space to process them.

Beef farmers feel a similar pinch

and want to see increased investment in programs that support meat processing capacity and infrastructure, along with the training, recruitment and retention of meat cutters and butchers.

Keith Todd, representing Ontario Sheep Farmers District 3, also chimed in saying in order to grow the sheep industry, they need more grocery space and a place to process lamb. “We need a federal processing plant,” he stressed, citing the closure of TruHarvest in Toronto, a farmer-owned packing plant that suspended operations in January.

Dairy farmers are also worried, said Huron County Dairy Producers spokesperson Lorenz Guntensperger. “We are as concerned about the lack of processing as the others. In the dairy sector, we are processing at 100 per cent capacity. When something goes down, we are in a pinch,” he said. Guntensperger also spoke to the insensibility of a government

concerned about the carbon footprint while milk is being shipped from one end of the province to the other to be processed. “We want to figure out options for processing on this side of Toronto, in Huron and Perth County,” he said. “It was great to see in the budget there is money being allocated for this issue because there is a great demand for protein and we have an abundance of milk, so hopefully this will spur more processing and get something figured out to keep the money in Ontario.”

Ethan Wallace, a dairy farmer and Ontario Federation of Agriculture board director, said processing is key to the agricultural industry and a requirement for strong communities. “Being able to process the commodities we produce in this county will add exponential dollars to our tax rolls and economy,” he said.

The lack of processing for meat and dairy has been vocalized for many years at this forum and Thompson was pleased to report that a $10 million efficiency program for processors has been created to modernize existing processing facilities. She has toured the Lactalis Canada dairy plant in Winchester and seen its plans for expansion. “I thought, wait, where is Southwestern Ontario in this plan?” said Thompson. However, she said the plan was “phenomenal” and that the company and local municipal council have worked in tandem to create this opportunity. “If we want to attract value-added processing, we need to think about where the opportunities are and how we can be shovel-ready to bring processors to farmers.”

Lobb said the need for more processing is more important than ever in order for Canada to be a sovereign nation. “Food is a sovereign issue,” he said. “We need energy sovereignty, food sovereignty and sovereignty within our borders. We do not have that. When we hear issues with abattoirs and processors and the fact that we do not make baby formula in this country, well that is unacceptable.” For many years, Canada has looked at off-shore production, but it’s time to look at home, he said.

A processing plant in central Ontario would add to the country’s gross domestic product, create jobs and protect Canada from “country of origin” labelling issues. Plus, it would be better for the environment, explained Lobb. Lobb was praised for his success in having Bill-C-234 passed in the House of Commons in March. “To have a private member’s bill passed in direct opposition to the leadership of the day is almost unheard of,” said Wallace.

Lobb was thanked by many agricultural leaders, including Thompson. “Ben is humble, but I want to echo my thanks. We need smart policy that is not driven by ideology, because we need to be competitive,” said Thompson. “The biggest thing driving up food on the shelf right now is the carbon tax.”

Speaking for the Farm Finance committee, Rob Vandenhengel wished the carbon tax “would come off everything.” In particular, he mentioned the tax is an issue for commercial dryers and elevators, but the bill does not cover them. “It would be great if there was an amendment in the senate to include them.”

Lobb wasn’t alone in being appreciated and praised. Thompson was thanked for increasing money to the Risk Management Program (RMP) by $50 million for an annual allocation of $150 million though it isn’t enough, said some. “The

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GERBERS FIREWOOD SERVING you for over 15 years. Your number one source of quality slabwood and bodywood. Delivery available. No Sunday calls. 519-274-1236, 519441-2085. 01-50p

Coming events

A COME-AND-GO AFTERNOON in honour of Brittany Weber on her forthcoming marriage to Chad Foxton will be held on Saturday, April 29 in the Belgrave Community Centres from 1 - 4 p.m. A gift card from Home Hardware or Amazon would be appreciated to celebrate the couple’s occasion. For further information please contact Joyce Vincent 519-357-8481 or Anna Vincent 519-389-8105. 14-2p

WINGHAM COLUMBUS CENTRE’S

Famous Fish Fry is Friday, April 14 from noon to 6:30 p.m. We are offering Eat-in and Take-out this month. Eat-in $20: choice of battered or grilled white fish and a buffet of garden and caesar salad, french fries, baked potato, mashed potato, gravy, dinner rolls, also coffee and tea. Takeout $18: fish, potato, coleslaw and dinner roll. We also do chicken fingers for the “non” fish lover. Butter tarts $2 or homemade cheesecake and other desserts, $5 each. Kids are half price. Taxes are included. Call early to book your fish as we tend to sell out. 519357-1270. 14-1

WINGHAM HOSPITAL RUMMAGE

Sale at the Wingham Legion, Wednesday, April 19, 2 - 6 p.m. and Thursday, April 20, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Seasonal clothing can be dropped off Wednesday until noon at the Legion. Pick-up of articles, call Lois 519357-3326. Articles we need are seasonal clothing, small household items, books, toys, puzzles, etc. No furniture or electronics please. Support your Wingham Hospital Ladies Auxiliary. 13-3

BROMLEY. In memory of Bev who left us on April 6, 2019.

Fond memories of you Bev still bring tears.

To us you were the very best, Too soon you went to eternal rest, It was such a blessing to have a son like you, Bev we will cherish you all our lives through. Silent thoughts of time together, Will hold memories that will last forever.

– In loving memory, always missed and always loved, Linda and family and mom and family. 14-1p

In memoriams Tenders

CHESTER. In memory of Ange Chester, a granddaughter who is sadly missed and loved, who left us on April 4, 2017.

Ange, sad are the hearts that loved you, Silent our tears still fall, Going through life without you, Is the saddest part of all. Our hearts are filled with memories, We will treasure them with care, For the way you had to leave us, Will always seem unfair. But what you suffered was known by many, You didn’t deserve what you went through.

– Sadly missed and always loved, Grandma B and family. 14-1p

WALLACE. In loving memory of Bev Wallace, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, February 28, 1934 - April 8, 2020. We close our eyes and see your face, Smiling at us from a beautiful place, You tell us you are never far away, And that we will meet again some day.

We ask if you can stay a while, We miss your laughter ,we miss your smile, Then you whisper sweetly into our ears, I never left you 1’m always here. – Missed dearly by wife Helen and children Debbie, Nancy, Susan, Mark and families. 14-1p

ARE YOU EXPERIENCING AN unplanned pregnancy? Are you a young parent? Do you feel overwhelmed and have questions? We have answers and we’re here to help. Our services are free and completely confidential. Contact Room2Grow at 519-6060046 or visit our website: www.room2grow.info e6w

NOTICE – TREEBELT SERVICES is retiring from lawn care this spring. Thank you for many years of customer support. – Don Blake.13-2

CUSTOM CLOVER SEEDING with GPS, $2.50.acre or $3 for pasture. Seed available. Call Kurt Beuerman 519-525-0538 or 519523-9234 (home). 09-9

INCOME TAX PREPARATION –farm, business, personal. Stephen Thompson, 519-482-3244. 07-10

Tenders

The Corporation of the Municipality of Huron East

FORM 6

SALE OF LAND BY PUBLIC TENDER

Municipal Act, 2001

Ontario Regulation 181/03, Municipal Tax Sale Rules

Take Notice that tenders are invited for the purchase of the lands described below and will be received until 3:00 p.m. local time on April 12, 2023, at the Huron East Municipal Office, 72 Main Street South, Seaforth Ontario.

The tenders will then be opened in public on the same day as soon as possible after 3:00 p.m. at the Huron East Municipal Office, 72 Main Street South, Seaforth.

Description of Lands:

1. Roll No. 40 40 160 031 03700 0000; 27 Quebec Rd., Clinton; PIN 41180-0235 (LT); LOT 37, PLAN 131 TUCKERSMITH AND PART BLOCK L, PLAN 131 TUCKERSMITH ASCLOSED BY HC7148 & HC7159 DESIGNATED AS PART 2, PLAN 22R-4192; MUNICIPALITY OF HURON EAST; File No. 21-01

According to the last returned assessment roll, the assessed value of the land is $ $91,000 Minimum tender amount: $25,984.39

2. Roll No. 40 40 160 031 18700 0000; 33 Regina Rd., Clinton; PIN 41180-0198 (LT); LT 187 PL 131 TUCKERSMITH; S/T R119875; MUNICIPALITY OF HURON EAST; File No. 21-03

According to the last returned assessment roll, the assessed value of the land is $ 100,000 Minimum tender amount: $19,826.40

3. Roll No. 40 40 440 006 00200 0000; 350 Turnberry St., Brussels; PIN 41338-0147 (LT); PT LT 3 PL 192 BRUSSELS PT 1, 22R1110; MUNICIPALITY OF HURON EAST; File No. 21-12

According to the last returned assessment roll, the assessed value of the land is $ 156,000 Minimum tender amount: $27,277.91

Tenders must be submitted in the prescribed form and must be accompanied by a deposit of at least 20 per cent of the tender amount, which deposit shall be made by way of a certified cheque/bank draft/ money order payable to the municipality.

Except as follows, the municipality makes no representation regarding the title to or any other matters relating to the lands to be sold. Responsibility for ascertaining these matters rests with the potential purchasers. The assessed value, according to the last returned assessment roll, may or may not be representative of the current market value of the property.

Pursuant to the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act, S.C. 2022, c. 10, s. 235 (the “Act”), effective January 1, 2023, it is prohibited for a non-Canadian to purchase, directly or indirectly, any residential property, as those terms are defined in the legislation. Contraventions of the Act are punishable by a fine, and offending purchasers may be ordered to sell the residential property.

The municipality assumes no responsibility whatsoever for ensuring bidders/tenderers comply with the Act, and makes no representations regarding same. Prospective bidders/tenderers are solely responsible for ensuring compliance with the Act and are advised to seek legal advice before participating in this sale.

Transfers of properties that contain at least one and not more than six single family residences and are transferred to non-residents of Canada or foreign entities, are subject to the Province’s Non-Resident Speculation Tax (NRST).

This sale is governed by the Municipal Act, 2001 and the Municipal Tax Sales Rules made under that Act. The successful purchaser will be required to pay the amount tendered plus accumulated taxes and any taxes that may be applicable, such as a land transfer tax and HST.

The municipality has no obligation to provide vacant possession to the successful purchaser.

A copy of the prescribed form of tender is available on the website of the Government of Ontario Central Forms Repository under the listing for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.

For further information regarding this sale and a copy of the prescribed form of tender, visit: www.OntarioTaxSales.ca or if no internet access available, contact:

Sherrie Oliver Deputy-Treasurer/Property-Tax Clerk

The Corporation of the Municipality of Huron East

72 Main Street South P.O. Box 610 Seaforth ON N0K 1W0 519-527-0160 Ext 22 propertytax@huroneast.com www.huroneast.com

Tundra swans gone as quick as they came: McDonald

By Jo-Ann McDonald Call

They were here and now they are gone. The week of March 20, there were hundreds of tundra swans to be seen. In my cross-township

driving, field after field would have small, medium and large flocks. This past week, only the very odd swan was spotted. They have carried on with their journey to the north for the summer.

The month of March went out like a lamb I think and now we can concentrate on spring! The snow has mostly disappeared and I can see the signs of spring in my flower beds. Daffodil and tulip bulbs have sprouted from the ground with the sun. An unexpected sign of spring was a motorcycle on the road on Sunday.

We hope everyone has an enjoyable Easter with family with Easter egg hunts, Easter baskets and food, food and more food. Enjoy! It has been a week of sadness for many local families this past week. Our sympathies are extended to the Finlayson family on the passing of 90-year-old Laird Finlayson. He was the husband of the late Ruby and the father of four daughters, who are deeply saddened. They are Sharon Carnochan and Brian, Susan and Ed Van Miltenburg, Sandra and Doug Dietz and Shelley

An annual visit

As noted by Walton correspondent Jo-Ann McDonald above, the tundra swans were here and now they’ve gone. Recently, Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot, the editor of The Rural Voice, captured this picture of some tundra swans near Carlow. (Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot photo)

Obituaries

On Sunday April 2, 2023, Patricia Bailey-Beer of Wingham, as she imagined and prayed for, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at her home in her 89th year. The devoted wife of the late Renus Bailey (1991) and Harry Beer (2012), Pat was the loving mother of Cheryle and Brian McGregor, Bernie Bailey and Angela Cowley-Bailey, Jim and Carol Bailey, Laura and Tom Visser, Pamela Bailey and Renus and Genevieve Bailey. She was the devoted grandmother of Melissa, Ronnie; Patrick, Crystal; Jessica,

Mark, Michelle, Amber; Jennifer, Laurie, Tommy; Michael, Tashina; Morgane, Madeline and the cheerleader of 15 greatgrandchildren. Pat was the dear sister of Dale Osmond, Sheila Sherman and Wayne Brown.

Pat will be lovingly remembered by Harry’s children: Lynda Keats, Gordon and Donna Beer, Robert and Theresa Beer, Larry and Angela Beer and Beverley Gilvey and their families. She will also be missed by her faithful companions, Muffy and Marcie.

Pat was predeceased by her parents Archie and Dora (Clapp) Brown, daughter-in-law Grace Bailey, son-in-law Robert Keats, sister Doreen LaRoche, and brothers Reuben, Clarence and Carman Brown.

Over the years as her family members grew, she held them as a priority, but that was not all. She co-owned SunRise Dairy, was one of the first women on municipal council (councillor and deputyreeve), a champion of quality daycare, the library in Wingham and women’s equality. She had grit, ambition and did not shy away from putting herself in tough positions, especially when advocating against injustice.

Family, neighbours and friends

and Brian McGavin. He was loved by 16 grandchildren and 30 greatgrandchildren. He was a devoted family man and will be missed by all who knew him. Our condolences to the Finlayson family.

Our sympathies are extended to Mabel Glanville on the passing of her brother Grant Westlake of Exeter. He will be missed by his three children and his nine siblings. Grant was a very nice man and a hard worker who loved to dance. Our condolences to the Westlake families.

Our sympathies are extended to a former Walton family on the passing of Jim Clark. Jim was the son of Bruce and Pam Clark. He will be missed by his three sons: Taylor, Jackson and Remington. He will also be lovingly missed by his parents Pam (Kevin) and Bruce and his brother Greg. Jim had been battling heart disease for a number of years. Jim loved to be outdoors and he loved sports, including baseball, broomball, hockey, fishing and hunting. He began his adult life working for the Ministry of Natural Resources fighting forest fires near Sioux Lookout. He decided to make a career change and became a police officer in Kasabonika and then at Lac Seul Police service and Kenora. He eventually joined the OPP in Kenora. Our condolences to the Clark family on their loss.

The month of April birthdays

starts with “April Fool’s” babies including my old friend Lily Fincham, who turned 97! Matt Lee is also an April Fool’s baby. They are followed by Peter Bennett, Susan Yan Yu-Watson, Carbin McCallum, Krista Shortreed Verkley, Gary Bennett, Nate Fritz, David Baan, Marlene Glanville, Colleen McCallum Bromley, Savannah Bowers, McKinley Janmaat, Donna Hannon, Stephen Gulutzen, Shelley McGavin, Doug J. Mitchell, Janet Mitchell, Wayne Regele and Myer Braecker. Happy birthday to all.

will miss seeing her enjoying her garden, walking her dog and conversations over tea, something she always offered as soon as you entered her home.

The family wishes to extend a special thank you to Dr. Greg Antoniadis for the extra-special care and compassion shown to her during the final weeks of her welllived life. Too, a heartfelt thank you is conveyed to Lincoln and Laurie Dinning who loved her dearly and their actions consistently demonstrated this.

Visitation was held at McBurney Funeral Home, Wingham on Wednesday, April 5. The funeral service will be held on Thursday, April 6 at 11 a.m. The service will be livestreamed and the link will be available on the funeral home website. Interment will take place at Wingham Cemetery.

Following the interment a celebration of Pat’s life will take place at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 180 in Wingham.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to North Huron Community Food Share (her advocacy for equality continues) or to a charity of one’s choice would be appreciated. Online condolences may be left at www.mcburneyfuneralhome.com.

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PATRICIA BAILEY-BEER

Disease, lack of vets concern local farmers

Continued from page 13 support for RMP is greatly appreciated, but the cap does not let us respond to changing conditions,” said Harvey Hoggart, representing the Huron County Beef Producers.

Keith Black of the Huron branch of the Grain Farmers of Ontario said he was also thankful, but pointed out that if all grain farmers were in a claim situation, the amount would work out to only $500 a producer.

Thompson said the government is continuing work on how to “move RMP forward” and that premiums were frozen for two years, which was beneficial to farmers.

Food Summit and Celebrating Being Farmers

Thompson has just returned from the Ontario Food Summit to “create an informed food strategy” to shorten supply chains and fund more research and innovation.

“Coming out of the pandemic, we came to realize there were a lot of vulnerabilities in the food chain,” she admitted. Thompson also said it was high time farmers start beating their own drum and be proud of their contributions. Coming back from a trade mission to Vietnam, she was thrilled to see the faces of Ontario producers on products in the country. “In Vietnam, it is about building relationships and trust and I think they do a better job telling our Ontario story than we do at home,” said Thompson. “We need to put our faces to work and amplify the pride we have as Ontario farmers. We are the breadbasket of Ontario and [have] so much to be proud of but we have work to do. Don’t be afraid to punch above your weight!”

Housing/Underused Housing Tax

Lobb said the underused housing tax “is the goose egg of 2023”. He knows it has irritated a lot of people and is glad the “government of the day” allowed for an extension.

“I’ve had many calls from HuronBruce farmers on this issue and that accountants are charging $700 to $1,000 per document. I’m not here to criticize accountants, but it is unacceptable that the Canada Revenue Agency has done this.”

Lobb said the original intent of the tax was to crack down on people who own five or six properties in

places like Vancouver as a hedge or investment and let them sit empty. “Then it went down the country roads to farmers who have incorporated their businesses.”

Housing in general was discussed at the meeting, as some leaders expressed concern that it is eating up valuable farmland, while others wished housing was moving up instead of out. Thompson said new housing is vital to make space for people to fill the labour market. She praised Huron County Council for identifying settlement areas and their smart land use planning. She recognized that people are resistant to high condominiums and said people need to be educated about the need to grow up instead of out.

Lobb agreed. “Just in Goderich, a six-story condo was slated to be built at the former McGee car dealership and now it’s just dirt with a fence,” he said. “That would be a prime place to add small urban density and it’s not being done.”

Sandra Weber, the Director of Planning and Development for Huron County, said Huron County is definitely in agreement with these lines of thought and is reviewing planning documents to “allow higher density in urban settlement areas to protect prime agricultural land.” The county has also recognized the need for more farm family and farm labour housing.

Supporting Large Animal Vets Hoggart said beef farmers are pleased with support from Thompson to increase funding to train and attract large animal veterinarians to remote, rural and Indigenous areas with a $5 million Veterinary Incentive Program. “We are getting critically low in terms of large-animal vets,” said Thompson. The funding will create a total of 80 new positions. Moreover, a review of the Veterinarian Act is being undertaken, which could respond to urging from veterinarian technicians to expand their practice, explained Thompson.

Lobb said the government should also be lessening restrictions for international veterinarians looking to set up practice in Ontario.

Trade

For years, Lobb has touted trade as an opportunity for Ontario farmers. He had a different tune at

this meeting and admitted that trade deals signed with European countries have “not panned out well for everyone.” He felt it’s time “to hammer away” at getting fair trade deals.

Equality with the United States was an ask from the beef producers in terms of harmonizing livestock transportation rules and rules surrounding Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).

Value-Added

As some farm leaders argued for increased funding for various programs, Thompson reminded everyone that they also have a responsibility to develop valueadded programs for their own products.

“When we had surplus milk in the Dairy Goat Co-operative, we made cheese to sell at higher value and get our money back,” said Thompson. “This is the kind of conversation we need to bring to the table. As farmers, you are sophisticated and innovative… how can we drive value into that food chain?” she asked.

Animal Health Issues (BSE, AFS, AI)

Beef farmers are concerned about BSE; hog farmers about African Swine Fever (ASF) and chicken farmers about Avian Influenza (AI). Rightly so, as each disease can decimate herds/flocks and close borders. Brian Miller said avian influenza “is the issue of the day” for egg farmers and credited Huron County egg producers for their attention to biosecurity. He thanked Thompson for providing education on the issue to the industry.

Chicken Farmers of Ontario representative Ralph DeWeerd said they are encouraging small flock producers to register at familyfoodgrowers.ca to be included in any avian influenza response that does occur. “Biosecurity is an important part of the industry,” he said. Thompson said she admired how the feather industry comes together for emergency preparedness and has amazing leadership.

Van Raay said ASF has decimated hog production in many countries and said Ontario Pork is making plans for dry runs if it happens in Ontario. “Basically, if the U.S. coughs, we get the flu,” said Van

Stuff that bus

Raay. He wants to see more defined rules whereby if one herd gets AI, the whole industry doesn’t have to suffer for it. Labour

Several agricultural leaders commented on the difficulties finding labourers to work on farms. Lobb said there is a shortage everywhere in terms of labour. “We should be rolling out the red carpet for people who want to come here and provide value, pay taxes and pay into our communities,” said Lobb. “We should offer them an invite as Canadians and encourage them to become true Canadian citizens.”

Garland to speak on Easter Sunday

By Linda Campbell

Sandra Cable was the guest speaker on Psalm Sunday, April 2 at Knox United Church, Belgrave. She welcomed the congregation. Mackenzie Wightman at the piano, supplied prelude music and Lila Procter with her guitar, accompanied all the hymns.

The opening hymn was, “He Came Riding on a Donkey” followed by the call to worship read responsively and the opening prayer. Sandra read the scripture lessons from Matthew 21: 1-22, Matthew 26: 14-30 and Philippians 2: 5-11. Her reflection was entitled, “Which Bystander are You?” The prayer of confession was read responsively. Holy Communion was administered with the congregation partaking together. The closing hymn was, “All Glory Laud and Honour”.

Elwin Garland will be the guest speaker on Easter Sunday, April 9. Everyone is welcome. Birthday greetings are extended to Ruth King on April 7.

The Community Coffee Break at the Community Centre is on Tuesday, April 11, 9:30-11 a.m. Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy fellowship coffee and snacks.

We have had a few nice spring days, then we get winter-like

weather again. I think we will soon get milder temperatures that will stay. The snowdrops have been out for a while and the daffodils and crocuses are in bud and the tulips are peeking through the soil. People are getting anxious to get raking and clean up the yard. Some of the golfers will soon be out golfing when the golf course opens. Last year it was April 11, when some of them were out but then it turned cool and wet, so they were delayed for a couple of weeks. Overall, I think they did alright because some golfed over 100 games.

Hopefully everyone can enjoy Easter by getting together with their family and friends or whatever you choose to do. Stay safe and maybe Mother Nature will give us lots of sunshine and milder temperatures.

The North Huron Food Share was the big winner on April Fool’s Day as Montgomery Bus Lines brought its drivers together for a Stuff the Bus food drive at local supermarkets throughout the community, such as Wingham and Brussels, above. From left: Jade Williamson, Tina Toebes and Donna Wheeler. (John Stephenson photo)

From the Minister’s Study

Todd takes a Lenten journey though the Scriptures

By Rev. JoAnn Todd Trinity and St. John’s Anglican Churches, Blyth, Brussels

Throughout these last six weeks of Lent in church, we’ve read some really neat stories about Jesus and how he revealed himself as the Messiah, the one to save us from ourselves, from our sin; first to the devil and then to his followers and his critics. I think it’s worth a review of the highlights of these stories. It will help us to see Jesus more clearly, maybe even bring us closer to Jesus. It seems opportune, in the middle of Holy Week, just before Easter Sunday.

The First Sunday of Lent, we read the story of Jesus’ testing during his 40-day-long “wilderness desert retreat”. In a weakened condition, after a long period of fasting, the devil tests Jesus’ strength and moral fibre with really tempting and exciting, could we call them, opportunities, like turning stones to bread. Imagine how many people you could feed if you could do that? And if Jesus chose, he could prove that God would save him if he jumped off a building. Who wouldn’t want to prove to a non-believer the power of God? And the pièce-deresistance, Jesus could rule Satan’s kingdom if he’d just worship Satan. Ah, to be the boss of the underworld, that’s a lot of power!

As Jesus was tested by temptations to use his gifts wrongly, we too will be tested, we are but human! Where we are seemingly the strongest, we have the potential to be the weakest. But Jesus used the power of God to resist, rather than give into the devil’s temptations. When we go to Jesus for strength in our times of weakness, we know that Jesus will be there for us, strong in the knowledge that Jesus understands our needs and our weaknesses because he’s been there and done that!

The next three weeks, we had incredibly descriptive and deep stories from John’s gospel; stories of light and darkness, of awareness and close-mindedness. First, we heard the story of the Pharisee Nicodemus. He came to Jesus hidden by the dark of night, which could mean two things: Nicodemus didn’t want people to know that he was going to Jesus, or it could also be John’s symbolic way of saying that Nicodemus was in the dark as to whom Jesus really was – or possibly both!

John’s gospel writing is full of symbolism and imagery. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a

leader within the Jewish religious establishment. For him to go and seek Jesus out was to put himself at great personal risk. And yet, something in the signs and wonders that Jesus was performing was clearly speaking to Nicodemus, leading him to Jesus, calling him to act on the beginnings of the faith he was feeling as to who Jesus was –otherwise why would Nicodemus take the risk? Jesus performed miracles as a way to point to God, many of the wonders he did were things only God could do. He did so to reinforce to those who had eyes to see that he was the Son of God, their Messiah, the one who came to be their Redeemer.

Jesus challenged Nicodemus to some out-of-the-box thinking, challenging the interpretations of his years of learning and living as a teacher of the Jewish law. He told Nicodemus that he needed to be born “from above”; in other words, an awareness of the truth of who Christ is, and how that impacts one’s life. True faith does not come from following the rules, from just

acting the right way, but faith comes to us from within us, and is born of the spirit. And so, our actions, our behaviours then are guided by our faith in Jesus, the Christ, and his ways. John uses this story to tell his readers that Jesus is “the Son of Man, (who) will be lifted up (so) that those who believe in him may have eternal life. (3.1415)

The following week, we read the thought-provoking story of Jesus deliberately going to Samaria and his meeting with the woman at the well, and all the implications of that meeting. This was a most unexpected stop for a Jewish rabbi and would have left readers of the time truly flabbergasted that Jesus would deliberately choose the route through Samaritan land! Samaritans and Jews were longheld rivals, since the fifth Century BCE. Jesus asked the woman for a drink, and then promised her water that will quench her thirst once and for all, living water Jesus called it. He reveals that he knows of her difficult personal life, and she

recognizes Jesus as a prophet. They discuss some of the differences in worship between

BRUSSELS

Samaritans and Jews, a long-held source of rivalry. Jesus leads her

Wingham United Church

All are welcome to visit or join with us, and to become disciples of Jesus, sharing in Christ’s

Continued from page 17 further and deeper in understanding, and amazingly reveals himself to her as the Messiah for whose coming both the Jews and Samaritans were awaiting. She is the first person to whom he reveals this information, according to John’s gospel, and this is remarkable, Jesus revealing his Messiah-ship (as it were) to a Samaritan and a woman, no less!

Jesus’ disciples are astounded that he is even in conversation with a Samaritan woman, a total break of proper behaviour for a Jewish man. Who she was didn’t matter to Jesus; Jesus comes to all who are seeking the living water of faith. And we recognized, as the Samaritan woman came to realize, that within all of us is a deep thirst for faith, for a deep experiential relationship with God in Christ. Our thirst will only be really slaked in this relationship, and within that is eternal life.

The following week we heard the incredible miracle of a man born blind receiving his sight. That had never happened before, and was a very telling sign – only a man of God could give sight to one born blind, even the Pharisees who controlled the interpretation of Jewish religious laws had to agree to that. But the Pharisees couldn’t believe Jesus had done it, because the man was healed on the Sabbath, clearly forbidden by their laws, and according to their traditions, only God could heal on a Sabbath. They turned a blind eye; they refused to

see Jesus for who he is. They called the once-blind man back repeatedly, questioned his parents, questioned the crowd who witnessed it, and still they wouldn’t, or couldn’t, believe.

The newly-sighted man, very bravely, stands his ground, challenging the tribunal to open their own eyes and see what has happened. And the religious officials kick the formerly-blind man out of the synagogue – as effective as excommunication.

This man has received his sight, but has lost his community; his family. Jesus hears about it and seeks the once-blind man out.

Finding him, he reveals who he is, and the once-blind man sees Jesus now with spiritual eyes! Jesus understood the implications of the newly-sighted man’s standing his ground against the authorities.

This part of the story for me is so absolutely wonderful and reassuring.

And, then the biggest miracle story ever – the raising of Lazarus –after being entombed for four days.

According to the prophets ,when the Messiah came, lepers would be cleansed, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the blind see, and the dead would be raised. This story is literally central to John’s theology of Jesus – it’s actually smack dab in the centre of his gospel.

Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha, were cherished friends of Jesus. When Jesus received word that Lazarus was deathly ill, he didn’t leave to go to Bethany right

away, he deliberately waited two more days. The disciples at first thought it was because when he was last in Bethany, the people tried to stone him. But Jesus tells them no, this illness “will not be the death of Lazarus; (but) this has happened in order to bring glory to God, and it will be the means by which the Son of God will receive Glory.” (11: 45)

Now, why would Jesus have tarried until Lazarus was dead for four days? The common belief of the time was that the spirit of one deceased hung around the body until three days after death and then departed. By waiting until the fourth day, there would be no question that what Jesus was about to do would be something that only God could do.

Jesus is met along the way by first Martha, then Mary, both of whom say to him, “My brother wouldn’t have died if you’d been here, but God will give you what you ask of him”. Even in their grief, they have faith in Jesus as Son of God, the Messiah. Martha and Mary both understand who Jesus is. An interesting aside to make here as well, “…women make more and better theological statements in the Gospel of John than their male counterparts.”

And how does Jesus respond to the grief that is around him? He is deeply moved. “Greatly disturbed in spirit,” John tells us that, not once, but twice. And Jesus too cries, which tells us so much about Jesus. He knew he was going to

raise Lazarus from the dead and that there would be great rejoicing over that, but still Jesus felt their pain, and grief and it touched him. And he shared that pain and cried with them.

Jesus orders the stone to be rolled away from the tomb, and prays aloud and orders Lazarus to come out! And Lazarus walked out of the tomb, still bound in his burial linens, restored to life! Who else but God can raise the truly dead?

Our Lenten journey through the scriptures thus far has given us an amazing picture of Jesus. Jesus is the one who understands what it is to be tested and tempted, understands our struggles to stay on the right path. Jesus is the one who seeks us out, who can slake our thirst for a living experience of a full and deep relationship with our God. Jesus is the one who challenges us to see the hand of God in our lives in different ways, and then comes to us when we’re learning to adjust and live our lives according to The Way, the ways of Jesus. Jesus is the one who understands hurt and sorrow, grief and anguish, and is with us during those times, sharing them with us, and then is able to bring healing to us through the pain.

This is the Son of God, the light of the world, who wants nothing more than for us to be in relationship with him. And this is what gives us eternal life, a life with Christ and in Christ, living in the ways and teachings of Christ. This is Jesus, the Christ who gave

his life for us, and calls us to come to him, so that we may live in him and he in us.

Thanks be to God for the gift of the risen Christ. Amen.

To prepare for the Blyth history book that will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the village, a group of people is researching the businesses on Queen Street for the period of 1977 through to 2027. We would welcome any stories and memories that readers of The Citizen could share with us.

In particular, information is needed for the property, 402 Queen Street, used as a restaurant, that was owned by Frank Gong, Skip McMullen, Mr. Watson, George and Dorothy Oster, Valerie Dale, Pauline Webster and a Mr. Volland. As well, information about former owners and operators of the site at 408 Queen Street, where Lisa Thompson’s office is now located, would be appreciated. Thank you,

Pat Hunking Box # 351 Blyth, N0M 1H0

Margaret McInroy mcinroy.margandrick@gmail.com

Brussels Lions Club hosts dog guide fundraiser

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen

March went out like a Lions Club with the Brussels chapter hosting an event to raise money for the Lions Foundation of Canada (LFC) Dog Guides Program. The Lions hosted a turkey dinner at the Brussels Morris and Grey Community Centre on March 30, featuring guest speaker Danielle Rosenblum, the program’s Community Partnerships Manager.

Rosenblum sat down with The Citizen to talk about the program. “We’re an organization that serves individuals with disabilities through dog guides. We’re helping Canadians all over the country to live a better life.” The traditional understanding of a service dog would be an animal assisting the visually impaired, and that was the original purpose of the LFC Dog Guides initiative when it was founded as Canine Vision Canada in 1985.

The great success of that early program led to explorations of other ways that animal assistance can aid human associates. Currently, LFC has a number of unique educational training avenues for guide dogs, from autism assistance to seizure response. This kind of work is a natural evolution of one of humanity’s oldest relationships. Man and dog have always grown together, developing strength and skills from needing each other in the early days of domestication. The understanding of human love is framed, at least in part, by the

ability to feel emotional attachment and connection to a different species.

Rosenblum was impressed with the efforts of the Brussels Lions Club to support this worthy cause. “This event is pushed for by locals and by the club - they really have that passion,” she said, which is the key to a successful community event. LFC Dog Guides is currently raising funds for a new, expanded dog training facility in Oakville. The program handles all aspects of preparing a dog to be matched with a human compatriot. They even have their own breeding program, through which they raise poodles, Labradors, and retrieversall breeds considered to be the best options for service dogs. Each potential service dog is carefully monitored in the early stages of development, and the most promising animals are selected to continue training. “Not all dogs are cut out to be service dogs, and that’s okay,” explained Rosenblum. As for the pups that don’t pass muster? They get adopted out to other homes to live out the rest of their lives.

Life has changed a lot since the early days of sitting by a crackling fire, sharing roasted mammoth meat with our half-tamed, lupine brethren. Our society has become a lot more complex, and with it, our need for canine assistance has grown more nuanced. Many people, especially young people, struggle with less obvious disabilities, such as extreme anxiety. Service dogs can be trained to understand

Going to the dogs

The Brussels Lions Club hosted a dinner and fundraiser to benefit the Lions Foundation of Canada’s Dog Guides program on Thursday, March 30. From left to right, Blyth Lion Fred DeBoer, Auburn and District Lions Marinus Bakker and Travis Teed, Lions Foundation of Canada’s Dog Guides Community Partnerships Manager Danielle Rosenblum, and Brussels Lion Perry Pearce. (Scott Stephenson photo)

emotional distress, and to take action in the event of a crisis.

A pair of attendees at the dinner who exemplify the benefits from the human/canine connection were Ella Vandermeer and her English Golden Retriever, Quinn. Vandermeer is a Brussels-based teenager who has been afflicted with intense anxiety for most of her young life, making every day tasks difficult for her. At the height of her childhood difficulty, Vandermeer often had to miss school due to her anxiety. Quinn is her service dog, trained to recognize signs of anxiety and gently guide her into a safer place, both emotionally and physically. With Quinn by her side, Vandermeer’s life has begun to resemble that of a normal teenager.

“Just having her with me is a huge anxiety relief,” explained the young person. “Another thing that comes with my anxiety is dizzy spells and panic attacks.” These incidents cause Vandermeer’s heart rate to spike, which causes Quinn to take action. “She’ll nudge me, she’ll put her paw on me to sit down,” said Vandermeer. If the situation worsens, Quinn will try to direct Vandermeer into a safer position, like up against a wall.

Vandermeer’s family couldn’t be happier about the work the two have done together. Her mother, Brussels Lion Patty Vandermeer, has been thoroughly impressed with the process. “We started this with her doctors, and she’s made amazing progress… her doctors didn’t think she’d get to this point… it’s given her what we take for granted.”

Quinn is unusual in that she was trained not by a professional service, but by Ella herself, with the help of her family. Now 15 years old, Ella has been working with three-year-old Quinn since she was a seven-week-old puppy. Training a service dog is an enormous amount of work, and, under normal circumstances, is not something an average adult can handle, let alone a 12 year old. But Ella is not an average 12 year old, and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was a time of unusual circumstances. And not just any dog can become a service dog, but Quinn is not just any dog. In the early days of the pandemic, Ella worked hard to imprint herself on baby Quinn, ensuring an inseparable bond. When Quinn has her service vest on, she only has eyes for Ella, and anticipates her every need. The two of them do what humans and dogs have always done - they’ve learned what they need most from each other, and, in meeting those needs, have enriched both of their lives. If you are interested in supporting the Lions Foundation of Canada’s Dog Guide program, you can volunteer or donate online at www.dogguides.com.

Ella Vandermeer and her support dog Quinn are seen above. With Quinn by her side, Vandermeer is better able to manage her anxiety, allowing for more participation in traditional activities associated with being a teenager. (Scott Stephenson photo)

Farmacia Health Bar now open in Lucknow

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen

If you’ve been to Lucknow in the past week, you may have noticed a grand opening banner over a storefront on Campbell Street. The new shop, Farmacia Health Bar, is Lucknow’s brand new health and wellness spot, and it has already attracted a lot of positive energy from locals.

But what does a health bar do? Farmacia’s mission is a simple one: to help the community live a healthier, longer life. How do they do that? By selling healthy drinks, dried herbs used in traditional medicines and pantry items, as well as offering detoxification programs. There’s coffee enriched with ginger and turmeric, smoothies loaded with energy-boosting ingredients, and a fridge full of technicolor juices, elixirs and sodas. Detoxification programs are tailored to suit each person’s individual health needs.

On the Saturday after the grand opening, the shop was bustling with young mothers maneuvering strollers between tables as they

Farmacia Health Bar owner

healthier

(Scott Stephenson photo)

tried to decide what drinks to get.

Abby Scott, a Blyth native who now calls Lucknow home, went with the “Yoga Warrior” smoothie, commenting that Farmacia will be good for the town, especially because there is nothing else like it.

Lucknow resident Alex Martin

Campbell, left, and Bradley Campbell, right, participate in the ‘Stuff the Bus’ food drive in Wingham on April 1 in support of the North Huron Community Food Share. (Scott Stephenson photo)

came for the “Dreamsicle” smoothie, and stayed for the establishment’s “welcoming vibe”. Scott’s daughter Jasmine and Martin’s daughter Kaylee both had “Sanna Banana” smoothies, offering thumbs-up gestures and

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By Scott Stephenson The Citizen

Beavers have been causing a great deal of trouble for the MorrisTurnberry drainage department as of late. According to a recent report presented to council by Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk Trevor Hallam at council’s March 21 meeting, the department has had to allocate a significant amount of time, resources and funds to deal with the persistent presence of beavers in the area.

The report detailed the costs of various municipal drain maintenance projects completed in 2022, with a number of them citing, "beaver trapping and dam removal" as necessary components of the work completed. In fact, this issue has become so pervasive that it affected seven out of 13 municipal drains on the list, causing headaches and frustration for the department.

At the meeting, Hallam described

the uptick in beaver activity. “There were quite a few beaver dam removal and trapping activities, they seemed to be very active last year,” he said.

Mayor Jamie Heffer said, “What stood out to me, Trevor, when I read through that was just the beaver issues we are having.

[Drainage Superintendent Kirk Livingston], does it look like that could improve or do you think that’s a trend we are going to be stuck with for a while?” Livingston responded, “It’s still ongoing. We’re working on four beaver dams right now.” Heffer replied, “They do a lot of damage in a short period of time. I guess the best we can do is just keep on top of it as we are made aware.” Livingston described some of the costlier beaver dam removal projects being undertaken, with Hallam clarifying, “The costs are borne entirely by the landowners that are assessed into that watershed.”

enthusiastic nods of approval when asked for a review.

Owner and Toronto transplant Steve Sanna took some time out from blending smoothies to chat with The Citizen about the new venture. Sanna said he has always had a keen interest in helping people, and considers Farmacia to be a “new age pharmacy”. Lucknow’s store is actually the second Farmacia, the first being located in Toronto’s Beaches neighbourhood.

Sanna got his start foraging when he was just six years old. He went on to study biochemistry at Seneca College, then worked as a wilderness canoe guide and personal trainer. When training clients, he began to use his knowledge of traditional medicines and nutrition to aid them on their fitness journeys. The natural next step? Opening his first "health bar" at a hot yoga studio in Toronto. Farmacia in the Beaches opened in 2014, and quickly became a neighbourhood staple. He met his partner Krysteen Perkins 10 years ago, bonding over

an enthusiasm for healthy living. They bought a property in Bervie four years ago, and since then they’ve been looking for a single location where they could respectively open a health bar and a Kundalini Dance and Yoga studio. The studio is currently under construction, but should be up and running soon.

Kincardine’s Crystal Young spotted Farmacia while bringing clothes to a nearby consignment store. "I didn't even know this was here… it’s great for the community.” Lurgan Beach’s Jade Bowman was shopping at Everlastings Flowers & Gifts across the street when she noticed Farmacia. She said, "I love this for the area because there are not very many healthy options."

Currently, Farmacia Health Bar is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you mention learning about Farmacia from The Citizen when you go, Sanna says you will receive 15 per cent off a three-day personalized detox program. Stay healthy, Lucknow!

pre-packaged food. $11.99

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF DINOSAURS AND PREHISTORIC ANIMALS

A stunning encyclopedia about the incredible world of prehistoric life. Suitable for home or school. $19.95

Newly established as the parish’s first female pastor, Aleda struggles with feelings of inadequacy and questions the relevance of her ministry as she faces all the characters and challenges, large and small, that define village life. What happens when the strawberry social is threatened, and when a tragedy shakes the village to its core? $20.00

COOKING WITH HONEY

One of over 200 titles of Storey’s Country Wisdom Bulletin, this 32 page bulletin contains information on the versatility of honey. Honey can enrich most any food. From cooking tips, beverages, dressings, etc. this bulletin covers it all. $5.95

A TRIBUTE TO QUEEN ELIZABETH IICommemorative Edition (1926-2022)

The life and reign of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. When Princess Elizabeth of York was born, she was never expected to rule. Regardless, she went on to become the longest-reigning British monarch. $22.99

THE VEGGIE GARDENER’S ANSWER BOOK

This handy guide provides answers to every gardening question you’ll ever ask, and solutions to every problem you’ll ever face. Information on seed starting, planting and pests and crop by crop information. $19.95

GRANNY GET YOUR GLUE GUN Don’t panic! This book is your guide to hours of creative fun with your grandchildren. You don’t have to be a grandmother to want to get started creating crafts and recipes with this amazing book. $14.95

BUILDING BETTER BATHROOMS

This book will guide you through design criteria for each primary accessible component of a washroom and change room. You will see what “better bathrooms” look like, how they measure up and, most importantly, you will learn why doing it right really matters. $45.00

COWS GO TO HEAVEN

tells the often funny story of her

who was born near Stratford, trained at Ontario Veterinary College, and practiced veterinary medicine in Grey County for many years. $14.95

EVEN

Linda Knox

father Melville Knox