The Citizen - February 2, 2024

2 • Climate change 8 • Sports 16 • Finances 20 • Heart & Stroke

The

THIS WEEK

Citizen

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Friday, February 2, 2024

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Volume 40 No. 5

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Roof tender accepted

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

Anatomy of a haggis Rev. Dwight Nelson of the First Presbyterian Church in Seaforth, centre, is no doubt explaining the origin of a haggis, traditionally encased in a sheep’s stomach, here rather than discussing how full everyone would soon feel after the church’s Robbie Burns Night meal.

Either way, it was a nice night for the church, which

celebrated the noted Scottish poet last Saturday night with a special meal and all of the traditional accents, including the piping in of the haggis and the recitation of Burns’ “Address to a Haggis”. Janice Nelson, left, helped by carrying in the googly eye-adorned haggis while Shayne Ward, right, provided the requisite bagpipes. (John Stephenson photo)

Heat teams heading to Devilettes tourneys

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen This weekend, three Huron Heat teams will be heading to London for the annual London Devilettes Tournament.

The U13 C, U15 BB and U9 HL Heat teams will all be in action beginning on Friday, Feb. 2. The U13 C Heat open their tournament with games against the St. Thomas Panthers and the Mount Forest Rams that day, while the U15 BB Heat will play the Mississauga Hurricanes and the host London Devilettes and the U9 HL team will play the London Devilettes and Parkhill on the first day of the tournament.

The next day, Feb. 3, the U13 C Heat are scheduled to play the Owen Sound Ice Hawks in tournament play, while the U15 BB Heat will play the St. Catharines Junior Badgers and the U9 HL team will play the Yellow Dragons.

In regular season action, the U11 C Heat will play the Central Perth

Predators in a special exhibition game to be played at Budweiser Gardens, the home of the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights.

The U9 B Heat will play the South Huron Sabres in an exhibition game in Clinton, while the U15 C Heat will welcome the Chatham-Kent Crush C team to Seaforth for a playoff game.

The next day, Feb. 3, the U9 C Heat will host the Woodstock Wildcats C team in Seaforth and the U13 HL team will play the Wallaceburg Lakers HL team in a playoff game in Goderich.

The U11 HL team will also host a home playoff game, this one in Seaforth, against the Mooretown Lady Flags HL team.

The U18 BB Heat will be on the road to play the Stratford Aces and the U13 BB Heat will play the Wildcats in Woodstock, while the U11 C Heat will play a playoff game with the Lambeth Lancers in Seaforth.

On Sunday, Feb. 4, the U9 C Heat will play the St. Marys Rock C

team in Clinton, the U9 B Heat will play the Cambridge Roadrunners on the road and the U13 BB Heat will play the Lakeshore Lightning, also on the road.

The U9 HL team will play the South Huron Sabres HL team in Clinton, while the U11 BB Heat will play the Lambeth Lancers on the road in an exhibition game.

The U11 HL Heat will play the Lucan Irish in the playoffs on the road, the U13 BB Heat will play the Lakeshore Lightning, also on the road, and the Senior team will welcome the Upper Maitland Mustangs to Hensall.

The U13 HL Heat will play the Lucan Irish in a playoff game on

the road that night and the U18 C Heat will welcome the Sarnia Lady Sting C team to Seaforth for a playoff game.

On Monday, Feb. 5, the U18 BB Heat will play the Ice Hawks in Owen Sound ahead of a quiet week that only picks up again on Saturday, Feb. 10 with eight games on the schedule, three of them playoff games, for the Huron Heat teams.

Looking back, on Sunday, Jan. 28, the U13 C Heat won their playoff game in Clinton over the St. Thomas Panthers by a score of 3-1, while the U13 HL team tied its playoff game with the Lucan Irish Continued on page 12

Huron East Council is moving ahead with the replacement of the Seaforth and District Community Centre roof at a cost of $1,172,000, which, while costly, is signficantly under the $1.6 million budgeted.

Council accepted the tender for the new roof at its Jan. 23 meeting, based on the recommendation of Director of Community Services Lissa Berard. She recommended the tender from Danval Construction Company for a total price of $1,192,627.20 ($1,172,000 plus non-recoverable HST).

The tender was also the lowest of the four received, with the other three coming in at $1,481,400, $1,498,000 and $2,150,990. The Danval project will take 90 days to complete, while the others were anticipated to take 115, 52 and 40 days, respectively.

Berard reported to council that nine contractors had been invited to submit and five attended the mandatory site meeting in Seaforth, with four ultimately submitting tenders to the municipality.

“Garland Canada Inc. (the company retained by the municipality to prepare and issue the tenders for the project) has reviewed the tender submissions and supports the recommendation to award the tender to Danval Construction Company,” Berard wrote in her report to council.

“Danval Construction Company has over 15 years of experience in roofing projects and Garland Canada Inc. has worked with them for many years and have found them to be an excellent contractor to work with.”

Berard added that there is a 10 per cent contingency applied to the project in the event of overages.

She also told council that there will be some additional costs related to the removal and replacement of an HVAC unit that were unknown at the time of her presentation, but that, regardless, the project would still be completed well below the budgeted amount of $1.6 million.

At the meeting, Berard also told council that the new roof will come with a 30-year warranty.

Community mourns Riddell As Huron County Council met on Wednesday, Jan. 24 in Goderich at the Huron County Courthouse, the flags flew at half-mast to honour the passing of Jack Riddell, a sixterm Liberal MPP and former

Minister of Agriculture and Food.

John “Jack” Keith Riddell passed away at Exeter Villa Nursing Home in Exeter on Jan. 23. Born in London, Ontario in 1931, Riddell was 92 years old.

He was predeceased by his wife, Anita (Morta) Riddell, on Sept. 16, 2023, while, left to mourn are his children Deborah and Hiram Thompson of Lucan, Wayne and Continued on page 6

PAGE 2. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024.

Shoreline hazards evolving with climate change

Living on the edge Maitland Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) Planning and Regulations Supervisor Patrick Huber-Kidby sat down with The Citizen to discuss the Coastal Resiliency Project, shoreline erosion and potential funding opportunities. (Scott Stephenson photo)

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen For the past three years, the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) has been using new technology and innovative modeling techniques to create an accurate hazard map of a sizable section of Lake Huron’s shoreline.

Hazard maps have a multitude of uses, including assessing looming threats to properties and infrastructure in areas where the environment is changing, such as the flood and erosion zones along the lake. With the aid of top-notch technology and dedicated consulting teams, the Coastal Resiliency Project (CRP) has grown into an early leader in the battle to understand the effect climate change has had, and will continue to have, on the local lakeshore landscape.

The Citizen went to Wroxeter in the middle of a January morning rainstorm to the MVCA headquarters in search of a scienceminded individual who could offer an update on how the watershed environmental project has been going, and where it hopes to go in the future.

Planning and Regulations Supervisor Patrick Huber-Kidby, was kind enough to take the time to offer some much appreciated edification on the importance of hazard mapping, shoreline resiliency, community engagement and whitefish.

When considering this kind of shoreline mapping, it’s important to understand the scope of the project - how does an organization embark upon an endeavour as ambitious as creating a map that depicts the nature of the past, the dangers of the present, and the possibilities of the future? The same way that anybody undertakes any epic journey - one step at a time. HuberKidby believes that one of the most important first steps for the MVCA is knowing what they’re dealing with. “It’s essential to figure out the impact of all those environmental changes, those storms, those hazardous events, we need to know what’s actually going to be affected now, and in five years, and in 100 years.”

Of all the identifiable pieces of

the puzzle, climate change is one of the biggest. Despite that fact, climate change has rarely been factored in while drafting hazard maps. That’s what sets the MVCA’s project apart. “The critical gain we’ve had in terms of our hazard mapping update has been the climate impact piece,” said HuberKidby.

“We’ve had hazard mapping previously, and the way that that has always been done is purely by looking backwards in time - first, ask ‘what did we see before?’ and then it’s ‘ok, let’s carry that into the future.’” For a long time, the assumption that the environment will continue to change in a slow and predictable fashion was the best guess available. As various natural and man-made factors continue to accelerate planetary climate change, predicting the future of any environment grows more and more difficult. This is especially true when dealing with a highly dynamic landscape like the shoreline of Lake Huron, which can change dramatically year after year.

“That assumption holds increasingly less water, if you’ll pardon my pun,” he joked. “Eyes have been on the shoreline for a couple years now - people are interested!”

Many factors are contributing to the changing of the shoreline, and there are many homes and cottages along that shoreline - some of which are in imminent danger, others are soon to be at risk. In order to assess that risk, the CRP has been collecting a great deal of data from land, from sea, and from air. That data is being used to create a more accurate perspective on what the future really holds for the little slice of paradise that so many citizens of Huron County call home. “It’s really important to get as clear a sense as we possibly can as to what is actually at risk…. To say really - ‘what are the structures, whose homes are we talking about over the next 100 years along this lakeshore?”

That’s where the ‘resiliency’ part of the project comes into play. For Huber-Kidby, “resiliency is about defining what we want to preserve or retain in the face of storms, hazardous events, the changing

climate. What do we not want to lose? Having defined that, how do we preserve that, or conserve that how do we defend that against the changes that we will inevitably see?”

The CRP’s mapping efforts have made it much easier to keep track of the impending changes to the lakeshore.

Huber-Kidby is tremendously pleased with what his team has been able to accomplish.

“What we’ve been able to do with support from our shoreline municipalities, as well as federal funding, is get some really awesome consultants to do the dayto-day mapping… we’ve been

extremely privileged to work with the folks we’ve worked with - it’s been out of sight! One of the consultants we worked with, DHI, has developed just an incredibly detailed surge model for Lake Huron - its basically a 3-D mesh that covers the whole lake, and, based on various factors (largely wind), that model will take that data and figure out how those events will push the water of Lake Huron onto the land. Every time I look at how tight the mesh modeling is next to the shoreline, it blows my mind - it’s so detailed!”

The CRP is hoping to spend its foreseeable future working towards a very significant continuation of its crucial work. “We’ve made an application to Natural Resources Canada through a program called The Climate Resilient Coastal Communities Program. There’s also another funding stream that was announced this past month here that’s due in February, and that’s through Environment Climate Change Canada, and that’s the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative…hopefully what we get out of that will be a commitment of federal dollars for four years to push ahead with this work. Not just kind of moving beyond the planning stage, but piloting some of these works, developing actual guides and tools for the

municipalities, developing and actually trying to implement projects like sediment to pathway restoration around the port in Goderich, for example. I’m hoping 2024 is the confirmation that we’re going to be able to continue making these efforts.”

Lake Huron’s resiliency isn’t just the business of shoreline landowners and cottage renters - it’s also home to numerous native species, many of which are essential to both the ecosystem and the Indigenous communities in the area. Huber-Kidby continued, “Whitefish is a species of great significance to our First Nations communities, and part of the habitat they need is related in part to the ice cover that we, historically, have had on Lake Huron. Trying to improve the lake to support that species is very important.” There are many other species in Huron County that depend on a healthy ecosystem.

“Personally,” Huber-Kidby said, “I’m a sucker for seeing herons fly overhead…They’re such big birds, you’d think they glide forever.”

The trend towards milder winters is one of the most identifiable climate issues. “What we’ve been able to do is build in some very significant trends that we have quite a lot of certainty on. A big one of those is less ice cover.” People Continued on page 3

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THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024. PAGE 3.

Funding may help continue Coastal Resiliency Project

Continued from page 2 living along the shoreline have confirmed their findings. There has just been less ice in recent winters, and less ice means less protection for the shoreline.

One thing Huber-Kidby feels is important for landowners to understand is that they are no match for the power of nature. “There really is no mechanism to mitigate that long-term erosion. There really isn’t anything on an individual level that a landowner can do - even if they were to invest millions and millions in some elaborate engineered structure, with 200 feet of frontage, which is a lot more than most have, that structure will get flanked, and cease to function anyway. The lake is too powerful and too persistent. Recognition of that is very important.”

Even if an individual could somehow stop erosion, HuberKidby doesn’t recommend it. “The other really critical thing to think about when talking about shoreline erosion,” he said, “is that if things don’t erode in one area, they can’t accumulate in another area.”

Accumulated erosion might not sound so great, but without it, Huron County would miss out on one of its primary sources of enjoyment and tourism-driven revenue - beaches!

“If you don’t have that material being eroded away from the land, there’s nothing to create, feed, keep and maintain beaches. That’s a huge part of the Lake Huron identity.

Erosion, as much as possible, really should be thought of as just a natural process that informs a lot of different things. It shouldn’t be assumed that it is desired to halt it.

But if you’re concerned, keep in touch with us as much as possible.”

In the world of rapidly eroding real estate, Huber-Kidby knows that knowledge is power. “All our hazard maps are online and available to the public, anytime, they can go online, look in, zoom in and out, and see exactly where those hazards are. Most of all, I am hoping that that ease of access to information informs people, particularly people looking to buy along the shoreline who may not know or understand some of the significant processes and hazards that are there. I always tell people that I see far more ‘For Sale’ signs

at the end of the cottage roads on Highway 21 than we get calls for buyer’s reports. A lot of people buying properties in that area, who never talked to us before they purchased, end up picking up the phone or sending us an e-mail asking what the deal is with these hazard lands? These maps are a tool for those folks to get information as they plan for investments in their future.”

The relentless and inevitable advancement of Lake Huron will someday consume much of the land that we’ve become accustomed to standing on, but Huber-Kidby is not afraid, even though he’s seen a bona fide map of the future of the shoreline.

“If we can figure out what we want in the future,” he explained, “we can figure out a way to get there.”

No stone unturned Glimpses of the Past with Karen Webster

T

he hardy people who came to carve out their homes in the primordial forest used all the resources available. The soil produced crops for sale and food to eat. The forests provided building materials and fuel used to heat homes and to power machinery.

Even the stones in the ground were employed. When properly cut, granite stones were solid building materials. As one looks around the rural landscape in the 21st century, many fine examples of stone houses can be seen several decades after their erection.

Of course, when stones were used in construction, a material was needed to bind the elements together. That material was mortar.

The basis of mortar is lime (calcium carbonate CaCO₃) which is produced from limestone.

Limestone is a sedimentary rock containing the minerals calcite and aragonite. Limestone forms when these minerals precipitate out of water containing dissolved calcium.

Over millions of years, these layered materials form rocks.

For a description of the limemaking process, we turn to the July 7, 1938 issue of the Seaforth News, which carried an article about Jane Sclater, the wife of William who once operated a lime kiln. Jane reminisced that limestone was quarried along Silver Creek on the east side of Seaforth on the property which is now the Seaforth Lions’ Park. The Sclater kiln was located across the road from the quarry on the north side of the Huron Road (now Highway 8). The kiln was dug out of the hillside and faced with stones with a door at the base. The kiln was filled with limestone from the quarry and below the chunks of limestone was a fire pit.

During the night, a fire was kept burning for 12 hours. The resulting fine powder called lime would be “drawn” or removed from the pit the

next morning. Immediately, the kiln would be filled up with more limestone and firewood and the process would be repeated. It was discovered that limestone of the kind to make the best lime did not go deep into the quarry and, after a few years, it was abandoned. Tom Town and his sons had looked after the kiln and later went to Brussels where they operated a lime works for a number of years. In 1885, the Brussels Lime Works advertised first-class lime for sale at 14 cents a bushel at the kiln and 15 cents if delivered.

It appears that there were many small lime kilns in operation in late19th-century Huron County. At one time, Cranbrook had two kilns in its vicinity. The larger one was erected

by Mr. Valentine Gramm. It was 25 feet high and was located on Lot 13.

The smaller kiln, operated by George Beattie, was located on Blind Line on Lots 31 to 35 and operated in the 1870s. In Hullett Township, kilns were located at Harlock (north of Constance) and on the Hogsback, which was “two miles east of the gravel road on the 9th Concession”. This kiln was operated by Hy Livermore.

In Morris Township, a kiln was situated at Bodmin and as well, JJ Downey of Belgrave advertised having lime available to be delivered to Londesborough, Clinton and Goderich. In addition, West Wawanosh had lime kilns on farms located at Lot 13, Concession 9 and at Lot 27 Concession 12.

There were many of these small batch kilns dotted throughout the landscape and not all have been recorded for posterity. They provided a valuable resource for the earliest homesteaders. Lime was incorporated with cement and fine sand to bind stones together to make foundations for barns and sheds.

Lime was used to make whitewash, a liquid that was brushed on the walls of rooms in the homes to brighten them and give them a nice, fresh smell. Barn walls were whitewashed to make the structure more sanitary. Lime was touted as a good additive to soil to amend sour or alkali soil. Unfortunately, without reliable soil analysis, often the application of lime to soil for this purpose did not always remedy the problem. When there were diseases in animals, lime was added to the buried carcasses to contain the spread of disease.

Eventually, access to lime produced in larger industrial settings meant that the small batch kilns were no longer feasible. However, as late as 1949, the Teeswater Lime Works was advertising “lump lime” suitable for whitewashing, spraying and building.

There are a few examples of kilns still in existence. One of them can be found just east of Saltford, near Goderich, beside the Maitland Trail, which meanders along the riverbank. This kiln was likely the one run by Messers Baechler and Baeker and was capable of producing 300 bushels a day. The location is significant, as the limestone for the kiln would be taken from the riverbank.

The limestone bedrock of the Maitland River Valley was a great source of building stone when Huron County was being settled.

Many local buildings were constructed with it, including the Huron Historic Gaol and the foundation of the CPR station in Goderich.

Stories about lime kilns are more examples of the ingenuity and hard work of the first settlers who used all available resources, even the stones, to make their lives more livable.

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Look unto Me... in every trial, for all you need, and in every circumstance.

Look unto Me TODAY, I have blessings to bestow! I am waiting to be gracious to you!

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Believe that I will perform—all I have promised!

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PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024.

Editorials & Opinions

Founding Publisher: Keith Roulston Publisher & President: Deb Sholdice Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Scott Stephenson Advertising Sales: Brenda Nyveld

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A living legend Music fans have been given another reason to tune into the Grammy awards scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 4. Canadian music legend Joni Mitchell will be making her long-awaited debut at the tender age of 80.

While no stranger to the Grammys, with nine wins, including a lifetime achievement award in 2002, and 18 previous nominations, the icon had, surprisingly, never performed at the awards ceremony.

A brain aneurysm in 2015 raised concerns that she would never perform again, but an emotional return to the stage at the Newport Folk Festival, where she recorded her latest album, has led to yet another nomination.

She has appeared only a couple of times in the last year, and doesn’t seem to have any future concerts scheduled, so Mitchell’s legions of fans are grateful to get this bonus opportunity to appreciate the octogenarian.

– DS

Ahead of the curve Technology has always moved too fast to be enforced properly. The early days of the internet, the Wild West of social media before the likes of Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk cleaned it up - alright, not that one, but you get the point - they have all moved at a pace with which the lawmakers and do-gooders could not keep up. And now we have deepfakes and images created by artificial intelligence, the latest and most high-profile victim of which is the one and only Taylor Swift.

To what end, you may ask? You know that quote from broadcaster Don Ohlmeyer: “The answer to all your questions is money”? When it comes to this stuff, the answer to all your questions, invariably, is pornography.

Yes, someone - alleged to be from Scarborough, Ontario - churned out some sexually-explicit images of Taylor Swift and she’s going to try and take him down (in the most legal of ways - indeed, through the legal system). While it’s horrible to see Swift victimized in this way, as one of the most powerful and visible women in the world, perhaps she will be able to affect change and bring real-life effort to stopping this sick behaviour before it really gets off the ground (the White House is talking about it, which is part of the power of Swift).

Today it’s Taylor Swift, but tomorrow it could be your daughter or son, grandchildren or siblings at the hands of a tech-savvy classmate, a bully with an iPad or a jilted ex-lover with revenge on his mind. Rules in place could help them as a result of action being taken right now.

Swift and the police, lawyers, politicians, etc. who come to her aid in this case have an opportunity to kill a lot of ugliness on the vine. If there’s someone with the power to move the needle, it’s Swift. While it may be unfortunate that she has been targeted in this manner, there may be a silver lining that could help others from being victimized down the road. Getting ahead of this, if possible, would be wise. – SL

The unknown future The pocket-sized power tools used every day for modern communication go by many names: portable mobile devices, smartphones, cellular demons. Whatever the name, one cannot deny the enormous impact that these devices have had on reshaping the way we interact with each other in 2024, for better and for worse.

The B.C. government is taking steps to restrict student cell phone usage in public schools. The aim is to reduce some of the threats imposed in the virtual world while on school grounds. Sexual predators, bullies and misinformation are all obvious problems for those tasked with the responsibility of protecting children - a paramount concern for any civilized society. B.C.’s approach should be emulated elsewhere.

Documenting changes and challenges arriving with the application of newer technologies isn’t novel territory for The Citizen. In the early 1990s, founder/columnist/visionary/dramatist/all-around-great-guy and legend, Keith Roulston, criticized the Cable News Network’s (CNN) Gulf War coverage, expressing skepticism at the purported value of footage featuring tanks and explosions that were being beamed onto television sets across the planet. Roulston suggested radio and newspapers as more suitable media alternatives for in-depth and factual coverage of the emergent situation in the Middle East.

In the late 1980s, The Citizen printed a local story detailing the debate on smoking cigarettes in public schools. That subject is no longer up for debate - secondhand smoke has been established as disruptive to cognitive development. How will the debate on mobile devices in schools be viewed in the future?

Huron County’s electronic portal to local newspaper archives is an incredible resource for anyone wanting to have a glimpse at how things have changed over the years, and also how they haven’t changed.

Children left to their own devices are not equipped to navigate the complex challenges posed by modern technology. Let’s help them. – SBS

Looking Back Through the Years February 5, 1969 The highly anticipated “game of the year” unfolded at the Blyth Arena, featuring an intense match between the Blyth Lions and the Firemen. Despite drawing a slightly smaller crowd and generating less revenue at the ticket booth compared to the previous year, the event proved to be a relatively successful undertaking.

The gate receipts amounted to $80.20, with $41.00 allocated to the Firemen and the remaining funds going to support the Lions. Jack Lee made a generous contribution by providing his refereeing services free of charge.

The Blyth Marching Mothers were actively engaged in their fundraising efforts last week for the March of Dimes Campaign. They received a warm and enthusiastic reception from the residents of Blyth. The total collection for this year amounted to $290.30, representing an increase compared to the $259.55 received in the previous year’s campaign.

An event celebrating Mr. and Mrs. Jack Ryan took place on Friday evening at the Walton Community Hall. As part of the occasion, they were gifted with a monetary present presented by Mr. Mac Sholdice, while Mrs. George Love delivered the address.

February 2, 1977 Gordon Hill, renowned for his satirical jabs at politicians and government officials, found himself in the hot seat on Thursday night.

The Royal York Hotel in Toronto witnessed over 650 farmers and members from various political parties gathering to pay tribute to the outgoing president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

Unfortunately, two busloads from

Huron and Perth couldn’t attend due to inclement weather.

The event was promoted as a “roast” of Hill, where he received good-natured teasing along with heartfelt accolades.

The assurance of affordable energy and inexpensive food was no longer guaranteed, warned Professor Norman Pearson during a presentation on food, land, and energy policy to the Porter Royal Commission on Electric Power Planning. Pearson, who shared his research conducted for the Food Land Steering Committee, emphasized that farmers may need to adapt to coexisting with highpower transmission lines. He urged against letting urban areas divert these lines from their urban landscapes onto farmland.

For the previous two years, Seaforth District High School operated without a vice principal, but this situation has now changed.

Harry Scott, the commercial director, accepted the position and would collaborate with Mr. Shaw on matters of discipline, conflicts, and general operations within the school.

Scott was no stranger to his responsibilities, having overseen the school previously when Shaw accompanied the girls’ band to Florida. Born and educated in Seaforth, he later earned his teaching diploma from Queen’s University in Kingston.

With 17 years of teaching experience in locations like Clinton, Bracebridge, and Germany, Scott brought a wealth of expertise.

February 1, 1989 At the annual awards banquet of the Huron County Soil and Crop Improvement Association in

Seaforth, a Morris Township farm family emerged victorious, securing the prestigious Norman Alexander Conservation Award.

Peter and Brian Oldridge of Blyth claimed the award in recognition of their steadfast commitment to conservation practices on their 1061-acre farm.

The Oldridge family earned commendation for their implementation of conservation tillage, no-till planting of soybeans into corn stubble, the establishment of buffer strips along open drains, the utilization of red clover as a cover crop, adherence to crop rotation principles, and other noteworthy practices.

Klaus Henschel, the former owner of Brussels Stockyards, and his wife Kristin briefly appeared in Wingham District Provincial Court to address multiple charges related to their disappearance and the subsequent bankruptcy of the business last October.

A change came to one of Blyth’s favourite eating places as the Triple K Restaurant at the southeastern edge of the village reopened on Feb. 2 as The Classic.

February 5, 2004 Tommy Hunter, Canada’s Country Gentleman, delivered a laid-back and enjoyable performance at Blyth Memorial Hall.

Don and Monique Baan, along with their children Ryan, Adam, and Emma, greeted members of Duff’s United Church on Sunday.

On Jan. 29, the senior and intermediate girls of the Brussels Skating Club showcased their talent in a solo night performance for their families at the Brussels, Morris, and Grey Community Centre.

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024. PAGE 5.

Other Views

Let’s not forget, and repeat, the past

L

ast Saturday marked Holocaust Remembrance Day, and seldom since the end of World War II has the world needed such a remembrance day, even if it was 79 years ago, on Jan. 27, 1945, that the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp was liberated.

The day reminds us that, during the Second World War in Nazi death camps in eastern Europe, some six million Jewish people, as well as 500,000 Roma and Sinti people and many LGBTQI+ persons, persons with disabilities and political dissidents were persecuted and killed by the Nazis.

And yet, there’s something in people that wants to forget, even repeat, those experiences.

Two weeks ago, mass crowds gathered in Germany bearing signs declaring “Nazis, no thank you” and “It feels like 1933, AfD ban now!” to protest the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) which has gained the second largest party status in that country.

It’s understandable that people want to forget an ugly past. Though I never experienced it, I did watch the 1961 American film, Judgment at Nuremberg starring Spencer Tracy as one of the judges at a minor chapter of the Nuremberg trials of war criminals. The film shows Tracy travelling through the devastation of the city by allied bombers during the war. Near the end of writer Abby Mann’s classic movie, authorities want to shut down the trials because Russia, regretting its agreement to divide Berlin, which was within the area of eastern Germany controlled by Russia, tried to force western countries to give up the city by blockading highways leading from West Germany to stop the Allies feeding the city. The Allies started a massive transport of supplies by air to feed the people.

Russia ultimately gave up the blockade, but

Keith Roulston

From the cluttered desk built a wall between Russian and Allied portions of the city when so many East Germans, seeking the enhanced lifestyles they could see West Germans living, sought to cross the border to West Berlin, West Germany and beyond.

Years ago, after the fall of Communist eastern Europe, I watched a show of a number of Germans travelling to visit one of Germany’s Second World War death camps.

Two of the young men, on the train ride home, were totally devastated by what they had seen of what their parents and grandparents had done.

Meanwhile, in Judgment at Nuremberg, the family hosting Tracy’s judge claims they never knew anything about the mistreatment of Jews.

It’s one of the problems of history. In the U.S. now, people like Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida, seek to shut down special programs that deal with the discrimination against Black residents. The horrors of the Black discrimination lasted until the 1960s when the strenuous efforts of the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s under Dr. Martin Luther King and U.S. President Lyndon Johnson broke down barriers.

Movies, TV shows and newspapers used to be the solution to opening people’s eyes to see the injustice of the world. All part of the past.

The Los Angeles Times, one of the elite

newspapers of the U.S., recently slashed its workforce of reporters in an effort to save money. Locally, many of the newspapers I associated with over 50 years are breathing their last breaths.

Who’s growing? In the U.S., Fox News is attracting millions of viewers who see rightleaning stories on it they didn’t get on regular channels. On the Internet you can choose what news to watch and many ignore true stories, reading instead often-distorted versions of what happened and why.

I remember reading, years ago, of the Flat Earth Society, which had enough members that it actually held a convention. These were people who believed, despite the satellite photos and pictures by space travellers, that the earth is not round, but flat. I just checked as I wrote this, and the group still has a website.

Certainly those who forget the Holocaust have some justification as Israel carries out a devastating war against Palestinians living in Gaza, killing thousands. As months edge by, it’s too easy to forget this whole tragedy began with the brutal slaughter of more than 1,000 Israelis in an October raid and the taking of innocent prisoners by the Hamas terrorist group, which also is the government of Gaza.

One thing that’s common to all these issues is hate. The slaughter of millions in Germany during World War II was based on the mystifying dislike of Jews. The Civil Rights movement was resisted because southern states, though they had lost the Civil War, had established discrimination that meant Black residents had different water fountains and toilets and had to ride in the back of the bus.

“Make love, not war” was a popular anti-war statement from the 1960s, but it still holds true for many of the problems of today. We need to understand, not hate, people.

Today, we celebate the ‘Chaffhog’

E

ach and every year, on the second day of February, rowdy rodent revelers roar, whistling whistle pig well-wishers warble, wound-up woodchuck-watching weirdos wail, and great big groups of gritty groundhog gawkers gather to give’r for Chaffhog Day - the mid-winter celebration of The Chaff’s greatest champion and mascot: the Chaffhog.

Today, dear readers, we embark on an enlightening expedition into the eccentric expanse of this whimsical occasion. Buckle up your Chaffhog belts, for we’re about to unravel the rights, rituals and reasons that make this day the epitome of days dedicated to worshipping rodents.

In the quaint corners of Huron County, where the winters are long and the locals have a penchant for the peculiar, the tale of the Chaffhog began its incredible evolution. A hundred years ago, as the Chaffhog legend goes, farmers and folk of this idyllic region noticed something extraordinary happening - a phenomenon that would soon give rise to the creature we now affectionately call the Chaffhog.

It all started with a particularly harsh winter, and the farmers, in their attempts to make sense of the weather, began noticing peculiar patterns. As the winds of eccentricity swept through the snow-covered fields, mystical shapes seemed to arrange themselves into odd configurations.

Intrigued by this peculiar phenomenon, inventive minds wove a fantastical narrative.

They imagined a creature, the Chaffhog, a whimsical being with fur as fluffy and white as the snow itself, and endowed with a mysterious ability to predict the unpredictable. It became a local lore, whispered among the farmers and shared, along with sips of beer and whiskey,

Scott Stephenson The Chaff around the hearths during long winter nights.

As the Chaffhog mythology took root, so did the fervor of its followers. Soon, gatherings were organized, and the locals found joy in celebrating the unpredictable nature of their newfound friend. The Chaffhog became a symbol of resilience in the face of the capricious Canadian winters.

Over time, the Chaffhog evolved from a humble folkloric creation into a beloved cultural icon. Its image adorned barns and signs across the county, and the legend spread beyond local borders. Chaffhog Day, originally a local festival, transformed into a mid-winter extravaganza that attracted enthusiasts from far and wide, all eager to revel in the whimsy of the Chaffhog’s unpredictable predictions.

The Chaffhog was depicted in an animated film in 1927 called Steamboat Chaffhog. That version of the Chaffhog just entered into the public domain after a lengthy and expensive legal battle. Producers are already working on a gritty new reboot of the iconic character in a television series called The Chaffhog Chronicles.

And so, the evolution of the Chaffhog, from a fanciful figment of local imagination to a celebrated and adored creature, continues to enchant the hearts of Huron County and beyond.

In terms of actually celebrating Chaffhog Day, first on the docket is the Great Chaffhog

Snow Sculpting Showdown. Armed with shovels, locals sculpt massive Chaffhogs in their front yards that are then judged by a panel of Chaffhog adjudicators.

Food plays a pivotal role in the Chaffhog festivities, elevating the celebration from quirky to downright delicious. At the heart of it all are the legendary Chaffhog Logs delectable pastries shaped like, you guessed it, miniature Chaffhogs. These flaky and fluffy creations are lovingly adorned with edible whimsy, from chocolate sprinkle whiskers to marshmallow tails.

Chaffhog roasts, savoury spectacles that involve slow-cooking meats to perfection, take centre stage in the culinary festivities. Locals gather around communal fire pits, sharing stories and laughter as the tantalizing aroma of Chaffhog roasts wafts through the air.

There are also traditional Chaffhog sandwiches - savoury sensations that combine the finest local ingredients with a dash of Chaffhog charm. Picture succulent pulled pork or tender roasted vegetables nestled between slices of Chaffhog-shaped bread, crafted by local bakers.

The importance of food to Chaffhog traditions extends beyond mere sustenance; it becomes a communal experience. Whether savouring the sweet indulgence of Chaffhog Logs, delighting in the smoky richness of Chaffhog roasts or relishing seductive Chaffhog sandwiches, each bite becomes a nod to the Chaffhog’s enduring legacy.

It’s not just about eating; it’s about embracing the camaraderie and the joy that comes with partaking in the culinary traditions that make Chaffhog Day a feast for the senses and the spirit.

So, buckle up those Chaffhog belts and let the feast begin - happy Chaffhog Day to one and all and to all a good Chaffhog!

Shawn Loughlin Shawn’s Sense

I said ‘more wafers’

J

ust the other day, I was talking to one of our proofreaders about some of the big, juicy columns that I’ve got on the shelf.

There are a few very big picture topics that I hope, one day, to tackle, but that are so big that it might take a long time to write, installments to get my point across or, frankly, the courage (misguided or otherwise) to print them.

We’re talking about some pretty big issues that, for one reason or another, are pretty personal to me, be it through family experience or almost 18 years at this mentally-taxing job or just changes that have been brought about in me as a result of becoming a (two-time) father.

(Eagle-eyed readers will have seen my son, Cooper, in the ‘Babies of 2023’ section in last week’s paper and even greater eagle-eyed readers will know that his first birthday is just one week away.)

One that I mentioned to my colleague was a reassessment of my life growing up in the Catholic Church. While not ever an overly devout Catholic and church-going family, we did observe a lot of the big customs (Easter, Christmas, giving up something for Lent - all the hits) and I took in the Sacraments of Baptism, the Eucharist and Confirmation, mostly through my school, which was Catholic as well. When I went to a wedding in my home church of St. Isaac Jogues in Pickering (it’s still standing, my public school, St. Anthony Daniel, not so much) for the first time in many, many years, I was surprised at how much I remembered. I fell right back into it, knowing when to kneel, when to stand and when the alter boy was going to shake those bells all over again.

I juxtaposed that upbringing and faith within the church with the crushing disillusionment I felt when stories, led by The Boston Globe, began coming out about pedophile priests and the church’s organized effort to protect them. It was a massive betrayal of trust and faith. This betrayal, along with the church’s reluctance to make any kind of progress towards welcoming other types of people into the church, wounded me so severely that I had to walk away.

Worry not, Catholics (hey, some of my best friends are Hallahans)! For that column has been shelved indefinitely. All is good in the world of Catholicism because Pope Francis told a group of Italian wine producers that wine is “a gift from God” and a “true source of joy” for those who consume it. Preach!

The Pontiff must have been brushing up on all of those wine-heavy parts of the Bible. I’ve always found those parts of the Bible more interesting, while others tend to focus on the parts about the God-given rights for Americans to own guns - ah, yes, the gun chapters, love when Jesus had all those guns. I mean, Jesus did turn water into wine after all and he was known to partake. (A quick Google search always true - tells us that the wine Jesus and his Disciples drank at The Last Supper was likely Syrah-adjacent - excellent choice JC!) So, the next time you head on down to the wine cellar and uncork a special bottle that you’ve been saving for just the right occasion, you’re doing God’s work. Oh, maybe not exactly God’s work (I don’t want to get in trouble with the Christian crowd once again), but something that the Pope himself sees as something that God wants you to enjoy.

And, when we were children on Christmas or our birthdays, what were we taught about gifts? It’s impolite not to accept. So, if wine is a gift from God, don’t insult God - I beg you and enjoy your wine. Life is short and, if God is such a big fan of wine, there must be wellstocked cellars awaiting us all in Heaven.

PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024.

At the Branch

South-facing windows installed

By Jo-Ann McDonald The week at the Branch began with the general meeting last Tuesday evening. All Comrades are invited to attend the meetings on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. Comrade President Jamie Mitchell conducted the meeting.

Membership reports 11 members have not paid their dues which means they will be deemed “not in good standing” if not paid by Jan. 31. Hopefully they were in this week and paid them.

There are dart teams going to the

Optimists on ice The Brussels Optimist Club hosted its first-ever recreational hockey tournmament on Jan. 28 at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre.

(John

Stephenson photos)

district competition next weekend.

Senior players are Eric Ross, Bob Richardson, Randy White and Bruce Fischer. Meanwhile, mixed darts will be played this weekend in Lucknow. Good luck to all teams.

The Branch had the new southfacing windows installed this past week and they look great. The committee has been investigating a new electronic sign for the Branch.

More information is needed before making a decision and whether there is any grant money available for it.

Youth Chairman Nanci Ducharme reports that the public speaking competition will be held on Feb. 28. There are two categories: Primary (Grades 1-3) and Junior (Grades 4-6). We invite any child to participate - from North Woods, home-schooled children or those who have received any other schooling.

Call Nanci for the requirements, timing of speech, and to register. It is never too early for a child to learn how to speak in front of a crowd. Call Nanci at 519-

531-1205 for more information.

The Thursday night darts had a great crowd of 20 out to take aim at the boards. The winning pair was John Stadelmann and Sandra Brown. The trio of Randy White, Rhonda Davis and Evelyn Hillier finished in second place. The high shots were by Rhonda with 123 and Sheron Stadelmann hitting 111.

The Friday night pub grub was sausage and sauerkraut and it was good. The Catch the Ace draw was conducted by Kathy, Deb and Nanci. The lucky winner of the weekly prize was Tracey McArter, winning $258. Her envelope choice was number 30 and the seven of diamonds was revealed.

The estimated jackpot for Feb. 2 is $9,500. The pub grub will be fish burgers.

Congratulations are in order for Julena and Jamie Mitchell on welcoming their new daughter to the family. Corah Anna Marie arrived last weekend and will be welcomed home by big brother Ben. Congrats to the Mitchells on their new baby girl!

Volunteer’s efforts contribute to project’s success A NOTE FROM BETTY

By Betty Graber Watson Call 887-9231 Welcome February. It’s the shortest month of the year, though, there are some years in which it feels like the longest. Of course, that’s largely weather-dependent.

The weather matched the mood of the many visitors to the arena over

the weekend. Lots of good comments were heard as the space was open to all, to be appreciated and admired.

Thank you to all the folks who volunteered their many hours to this project over the last few years, that now is our reality. Thanks for your big dream to see this major project complete from dream, to plan, to replan, to fight, to work and now finally to smile. Thank you, you are part of our history.

I’m a keeper of paper bits and need, at times, to edit and toss. My favourite this time around are words of Margaret Atwood, dated March of 2020. The pandemic was just then getting the attention of the

world and much panic and fear was present in our lives. Margaret wrote, “Let’s think of this as a reset button. It gives us time to ponder what sort of world we want to be living in, on the other side of this.”

Now, into 2024, we are living “the other side of this”. We have an awareness now of the realities of how our world works; the jobs and duties we often did not think about.

Are we nicer? Did we defend those who needed it? Did we make the world a better place? Did we respect and love all those on earth in those years? We must keep trying.

This quote from my stash came from a Toronto Star obituary from

June of 2020. “You cannot stop the birds of sadness from flying over your head, but you can stop them from resting in your hair.” Another way of seeing how our thought process affects our every day.

For several years, Ralph and I would head Ottawa-way to see brother Jim and Beth and have a skate on the world’s longest skating rink. This year, it has only been open for one day, so, lots of folks will be missing the fun as well as their mode of winter transportation.

I had a cousin who skated daily to her job in downtown Ottawa.

Another reminder to enjoy the moment and take the chance to do fun things.

Riddell first elected as MPP in 1973 Continued from page 1 Deborah Riddell of Grand Bend, Donna and Daniel Overholt of Exeter, Heather Riddell of Exeter and Brenda Riddell of Seaforth, as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A memorial service for Riddell was held at Exeter United Church on Jan. 27. Pastor Paul Vollick and Mr. Bob Heywood served as the officiants. There will be a private family interment at St. Marys Cemetery, St. Marys, at a later date.

Riddell was a student of the Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph before working as a high school teacher and in livestock sales, owning a livestock barn and serving as its auctioneer before deciding to enter politics.

Riddell was first elected through a by-election in 1973 when he defeated Don Southcott of the Progressive Conservative Party, making him the MPP of the solo Huron riding, as it was known then.

He was re-elected in 1975, 1977 and 1981, when the boundaries were adjusted and the riding became Huron-Middlesex.

Riddell was then re-elected to office in 1985, which is when he was appointed the Minister of Agriculture and Food, a post he retained through re-election in 1987 until 1989 when he chose not to run for re-election.

In 1990, Paul Klopp was elected

MPP for the New Democratic Party under the leadership of Premier Bob Rae. Klopp, who is now the mayor of Bluewater, took the chance to speak on Riddell at the county council meeting, saying that, despite political differences, Riddell was always fair and respectful. Klopp went on to honour Riddell’s family and thank them for allowing Riddell to serve his community for so long.

After leaving politics, Riddell served as the president of the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame Association for the 2003/2004 term before being inducted into the Hall of Fame himself in 2017.

In a statement to The London Free Press, Huron-Bruce MPP and current Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Lisa Thompson honoured Riddell’s impact on the province.

“While I would like to share my sincere condolences with Jack’s family, I feel we need to celebrate him as well. Jack’s career was dedicated to our agriculture and food industry, both at home in Huron County and across the province,” she said in her statement to the newspaper. “I very much appreciate how he championed legislation and programs in the best interest of both farmers and the overall industry while he served as Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture and Food.”

If you’re so inclined, memorial donations in Riddell’s name can be made to the South Huron Hospital (payable directly), Exeter Villa Nursing Home or a charity of your choice and would be appreciated by Riddell’s family.

To read Riddell’s full obituary, visit the T. Harry Hoffman and Sons

Funeral Home website hoffmanfuneralhome.com.

at

Take care of yourself.

Bye now. Betty GW

NEWS FROM BRUSSELS

Brussels Legion 218 Catch the Ace Weekly Winner Winning Ticket: Tracey McArter, $258.

Envelope #30 found the 7 of Diamonds Next estimated jackpot is $9,500

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024. PAGE 7.

The Reading Web with Cindy Norgate

S

kinned knees, bumps, bruises, and a helicopter. I will explain the helicopter later, but the first three words describe a great portion of my childhood.

Playing outside was a daily routine, especially in the spring and summer. My parents could have purchased stock in the Band-Aid company with the enormous amounts that were used on my body.

I don’t remember my parents being fearful of me playing outside or being “risky” with play. It was just life. In fact, when I came indoors with a bruise or skinned knee my parents would clean it up and guess what? They sent me back outside.

Nowadays, I do understand there is an increased danger of children playing alone outside, especially if you are unaware of who your

neighbours are, but this article isn’t about that.

Maria Brussoni, a professor at the University of British Columbia and BC Children’s Hospital - featured in The Nature of Things documentary entitled “The Power of Play” - has spent years researching the benefits of play that have an element of risk.

Risky play for children, she explains, is “thrilling and exciting play where children engage in risk without certainty, and it has proven to have immense benefits.” (2024) On the other end of the spectrum is where the word helicopter comes into play. The term “helicopter parent” was first used in Dr. Haim Ginott’s 1969 book, Between Parent and Teenager, by teens who said their parents would hover over them like a helicopter. Similar terms include “lawnmower parenting”,

“cosseting parent”, or “bulldoze parenting”.

Kate Bayless of Parents Magazine wrote in an article, published in 2022, “Helicopter parenting refers to a style of parenting where caregivers are highly involved in their child’s life. Their intense focus can negatively impact a child’s mental health, self-image, coping skills, and more.”

Ann Dunnewold, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and author of Even June Cleaver Would Forget the Juice Box (2007), says that helicopter parenting is simply over-parenting.

“It means being involved in a child’s life in a way that is overcontrolling, overprotecting, and over perfecting, in a way that is in excess of responsible parenting.”

If being a helicopter parent is a concern to you, then refer to the

most recent findings published by the Canadian Pediatric Society titled, “Healthy childhood development through outdoor risky play: Navigating the balance with injury prevention” (2024, January).

“The 2022 ParticipACTION report card gave Canadian children a ‘D’ grade for overall physical activity and a ‘D−’ for active play. This is affecting the childhood obesity rate as well as children’s mental wellbeing.

Let me be clear that “risky play” in no way means a child should not be properly supervised. It also does not mean that children should be pushed beyond a boundary of risky play with which he or she is uncomfortable. Further, children should continue to use protective equipment such as car seats, bicycle helmets, etc.

What it does mean is to “ease up”

UC AGM coming

By Deb Hakkers Well it’s Groundhog Day! It’s the day that everyone is watching to see how long it will be until spring!

This year, winter has been relatively short, but we are still ready to see spring.

Mom remains a patient of Clinton Public Hospital and is still battling the MRSA infection and issues of mobility as a result. She appreciates the calls, visits and emails that help to fill the time and keep her in contact with the rest of the world. We knew this was going to be a long battle, but none of us realized how long.

This week, we wish happy birthday to Vera Hesselwood on Feb. 4, Mac Brooks on Feb. 5 and Evelyn Caldwell on Feb. 6. I hope everyone enjoys their special day!

The Blyth United Church is holding its annual general meeting following the service at 11 a.m. this Sunday. There will be lunch following the service.

Until next week, take care of yourselves and each other!

Dino-mite!

Blyth’s Tallulah Loughlin, left, was among the youngsters who took in story time with Cindy Norgate on Saturday at the Blyth Library for a dinosaur-themed reading and activity time, followed by a chance to make their own dinosaur craft. (Photo submitted)

MAITLAND M AITLAND V VALLEY ALLEY C CAMERA AMERA C CLUB LUB

Photography by Sylvia Nonkes

on what you allow your child to do and encourage him or her to explore new and exciting adventures? As a parent, use your good judgment as to what is safe and what is deemed as too risky. I want to encourage you to read the article published by the Continued on page 12

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PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024.

Sports Ironmen fall to league leaders in overtime

A tough loss The Wingham Ironmen opened their weekend of two home games with a win over the Walkerton Capitals on Friday, but then fell to the league-leading Hanover Barons on Sunday, above, in a game that went to overtime to find a winner. (John Stephenson photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen The Wingham Ironmen found strength in two straight home games over the weekend, first beating the Walkerton Capitals and then falling to the league-leading Hanover Barons in a game that needed overtime to find a winner.

On Friday night in Wingham, the Ironmen scored two third-period goals to beat the Walkerton Capitals. Micah Kraayenbrink scored his 12th goal of the season at 15:06 of the period, assisted by Owen Rahn and Wade Robinson, which would prove to be the game winner. Rahn scored an empty-net goal, his seventh of the season, at 19:48, assisted by Jesse Coombs, to seal the deal.

Garrett Golley stopped all 18 shots he faced to earn the shutout in the Wingham net, while Vance Meyer stopped 27 of 28 shots for the Capitals in a losing effort.

Walkerton’s Wyatt McNabb was called for hooking at 3:14 of the first period, followed by an

unsportsmanlike conduct call at 6:15 of the period against Wingham’s Garrett Golley, which was served by Damon Murray, and a boarding call against Wingham’s Logan Burnham at 11:46 of the first.

Nate Binkley of the Capitals was called for charging at 3:25 of the second period, followed by a crosschecking penalty called against Wingham’s Logan Burnham at 8:47 of the second and a roughing call against Walkerton’s Owen Troyer at 15:12 of the second.

Markus Grajnar-Ptok of the Capitals was called for boarding at 11:56 of the third period and Wingham Logan Burnham found himself in the penalty box for the third time in as many periods thanks to an interference call at 16:43 of the third.

Then, on Sunday afternoon, the sixth-place Ironmen took the league-leading Hanover Barons to overtime, only to lose by a score of 4-3 in the extra frame.

Wingham opened the scoring when Austin Becker potted his 10th

goal of the season at 6:32 of the first period, assisted by Noah Wettlaufer and Owen Rahn.

However, Hanover equalized at 12:09 of the first period thanks to Curtis Arnold’s 27th goal of the season, assisted by Drayton Howell.

Wingham’s Jesse Coombs then scored his ninth goal of the season at 8:42 of the second period, assisted by Adam MacRobbie and Josh Dales, before the Barons would tie and overtake the Ironmen thanks to two straight goals from Alex McGillivray. First, he scored his 12th of the season at 12:43, assisted by Kyle Maloney, before scoring his 13th at 14:19, assisted again by Maloney and Curtis Arnold.

Wingham would pull even once again at 15:52 of the second when Austin Becker scored his 11th goal of the season, and second of the game, assisted by Brandon Bishop and Tayt Bramhill on the power play.

No one found the back of the net in the third period, sending the game to overtime. There, at 2:52 of the extra period, Kyle Maloney scored his 14th goal of the season for the Barons, assisted by McGillivray, to win the game for his team.

Garrett Golley stopped 32 of the 36 shots he faced for the Ironmen only to be tagged with the overtime loss, while Lander Hartley won the game for the Barons, stopping 36 of 39 shots.

Wingham’s Nigel Kreager was called for slashing at 7:14 of the first period, followed by a 10minute misconduct penalty for Wingham’s Adam MacRobbie for unsportsmanlike conduct.

In the second period, the lone penalty was called against Cam Angst of the Barons for crosschecking at 15:16, followed by a tripping call against Hanover’s Kyle Maloney at 9:53 of the third period and a slashing call against Josh Pham of the Ironmen at 12:47 of the third.

In overtime, the referees refused to stuff their whistles in their pockets and called Wingham’s Coleson Fischer for slashing at 2:19 of the extra period and Hanover’s Drayton Howell for interference at 2:40, just seconds before the gamewinning goal was scored.

The Hanover Barons remain in first place in the North Pollock Division of the Provincial Junior Hockey League with a record of 294-0-2 and 60 points, followed by the Mount Forest Patriots in second place with 52 points and a record of 25-7-2-0.

The Kincardine Bulldogs are in third place with a record of 19-102-5 and 45 points, followed by the

Fergus Whalers in fourth with a record of 15-14-3-2 and 35 points, the fifth-place Walkerton Capitals with a record of 15-15-2-2 and 34 points and the Ironmen in sixth place with a record of 14-16-3-1 and 32 points.

The Mitchell Hawks are in seventh place with a record of 1020-3-2 and 25 points and the Goderich Flyers remain in last place with a record of 3-28-1-2 and just nine points.

The Ironmen are back in action tonight, Feb. 2, welcoming the Kincardine Bulldogs to Wingham before heading to Walkerton to take on the Capitals on Sunday, Feb. 4.

The Ironmen will then host the Capitals on Friday, Feb. 9 before making the trip to Mount Forest to play the Patriots on Feb. 10.

Dog and Cat Boarding and Daycare

Dog boarding $32 Cat boarding $20 Daycare $25 40991 Blyth Road, Blyth ON blythboardingkennel.com Kyla Campbell

226-622-8477

Youth Winter Sports Pages Coaches and parents ~ we need your team’s picture and players’ names 1. Please submit team photo A.S.A.P. 2. Please include players’ and coaches’ names for under the photo.

Deadline March 29

Please help us get ALL the Winter Sports teams published.

The Citizen

405 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4792 info@northhuron.on.ca

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024. PAGE 9.

Sports Crusaders teams heading to Mildmay, Ripley tourneys Thunder on the road by a score of 12-1.

On Jan. 27, the U7 Black, White and Burgundy teams all took on South Huron Sabres teams in Blyth, while the U8 Black and Burgundy teams played a pair of Cyclones teams in Listowel, but scores were not kept for those games.

Also that day, the U9 LL team lost to the Mitchell Meteors on the road by a score of 12-0, the U9 MD team lost to the Listowel Cyclones on the road by a score of 11-1 and the U11 Rep team lost to the Goderich Sailors in Blyth by a score of 4-0.

On Jan. 26, the U7 Black and Burgundy teams took on a pair of Goderich Sailors teams on the road, but scores were not kept for those games, and the U18 Rep team lost to the Bruce Peninsula Predators on the road by a score of 2-0.

One day earlier, the U18 LL Crusaders played the Central Perth Predators on the road and lost by a score of 5-4. On Jan. 24, the U9 MD team lost to the Central Perth Predators in Brussels by a score of 13-0, while the U15 LL Crusaders beat the Goderich Sailors in Blyth

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A close one The U21 Blyth Brussels Crusaders welcomed the Central Perth Predators to the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre on Sunday, but, when the game ended, the home team was on the wrong end of a 2-1 score. (John Stephenson photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen This weekend, the U11 Blyth Brussels Rep Crusaders will take part in the South Bruce Tournament in Mildmay, while the U18 LL team will be in Ripley for its annual U18 LL Tournament.

On Feb. 2, the U11 Rep team will open play with games against the South Bruce Blades and the Huron Bruce Blizzard, followed by games the next day with the Kincardine Kinucks and the TCDMHA Rebels.

In regular season play, the U7 Burgundy team will welcome the Howick Hornets to Brussels on Feb. 2, while the U9 MD team will be on the road to play the Central Perth Predators MD team.

On Feb. 3, the U7 Black and White teams will take on a pair of South Huron Sabres teams on the road, while the U7 Burgundy team will be in Teeswater to play the Kincardine Kinucks and the U8 Burgundy team will play the Hornets in Howick.

The U13 LL team will play the Kincardine Kinucks MicroAge team and the U15 Rep team will play the Saugeen Valley Steelheads, both in Brussels, while the U9 MD Team will play the Mitchell Meteors MD team on the road and the U21 team will welcome the Huron Bruce Blizzard to Blyth later that night.

On Sunday, Feb. 4, the U8 Burgundy and Black teams will play each other in a local game in Blyth, while the U9 LL team will host the Minto Mad Dogs, also in Blyth.

The U11 LL team will play the Goderich Sailors Black team on the road and the U15 Rep team will

play the Walkerton Capitals, also on the road.

On Monday, Feb. 5, the U11 LL team will play the Mid-Huron Huskies 2 team, the U16 Rep team will also play their Mid-Huron Huskies equivalent and the U18 Rep team will play the Huron Bruce Blizzard, all in Blyth, while the U11 Rep team will play the Mid-Huron Huskies in Hensall.

The next night, the U13 Rep team will play the Minto Mad Dogs and the U18 LL team will play the Listowel Cyclones 2 team, both in Brussels.

On Wednesday, Feb. 7, the U11 Rep team will play the TCDMHA Rebels on the road and the U15 LL Crusaders will welcome the MidHuron Huskies 1 team to Blyth.

Then, on Feb. 8, the U15 Rep team will play the Saugeen Valley Steelheads, the U8 Black team will play the Wallace Sabres and the U18 Rep team will play the Listowel Cyclones, all on the road.

The next night, the U9 MD team will play the Mitchell Meteors MD team and the U11 LL team will play the Drayton Defenders, both in Brussels.

Then, on Feb. 10, the annual BBMHA U7 and U8 Jamborees will go ahead, with Blyth playing host to the U8 games and Brussels hosting the U7 games.

On Monday, Jan. 29, the U13 Rep team lost to the Mitchell Meteors on the road by a score of 5-4.

On Jan. 28, the U21 Crusaders lost to the Central Perth Predators by a score of 2-1 in Brussels. The U9 MD Crusaders lost to the MidHuron Huskies in Blyth by a score of 10-1 and the U11 Rep team played the Saugeen Shores Storm D team in Blyth, but a score was

unavailable at press time.

Also that day, the U15 LL Crusaders played the Mid-Huron Huskies 1 team in Seaforth, but lost by a score of 8-3, while the U11 LL Crusaders lost to the Zurich

by a score of 6-1.

The U15 LL team beat the Goderich Sailors on the road by a score of 6-1 on Jan. 23 and the U13 LL team beat the Wingham Ironmen Yellow team, also on the road, by a score of 5-3.

On Jan. 22, the U13 LL team beat the Mid-Huron Huskies 2 team in Clinton by a score of 6-0, the U15 Rep team lost to the Shallow Lake Lakers on the road by a score of 20 and the U18 LL team beat the Wingham Ironmen in Blyth by a score of 7-6.

On Jan. 30, the U13 Rep team played the Wingham Ironmen and the U18 Rep team played the Listowel Cyclones, both in Brussels, but scores were not available at press time.

Then, on Jan. 31, the U15 LL Crusaders played the Central Perth Predators in Blyth, followed by two games to begin February on Thursday, Feb. 1. The U13 LL team was on the road to play the Huron Bruce Blizzard in Ripley and the U18 LL team played the Mid-Huron Huskies 2 team in Hensall, but scores for those games were unavailable at press time.

Wingham: 519-503-5134 Waterloo: 519-503-5134 Belleville: 613-848-9892 apointment@articulatenursing.com www.articulatenursing.com

Have We Got Yo our Nu umber?

Dead dline February 16, 2024 for 202 24 Book

The T Citiizen is now plan nning its 2 2024 Telephone Te Bo ook.

Is your number correct in the recently delivered Bell Canada phone book?

Do you have a new listing since that t book was compileed?

If so, please let us know so we can make our phone b book as complete and usefull as possible.

Call 519-523-4792, email: inffo@northhuron.on.ca

WA W ANT TO ADD YOUR CELL PHONE LISTING INSTE EAD? JUST PROVIDE US WITH THE CORRECT INFO EVERY YEAR.

PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024.

Local producers in Brussels for ‘Samplefest’

Best of the Fest (clockwise from above) Foodland Brussels owner Shawna Pavao; Foodland greeter Angela Ledrew; Foodland greeter Gail Bender; Bee Kind Honey’s Robert and Jackie Glanville; Miller’s Dairy’s Kelly; Wagler Maple Product’s David Wagler; and Hitchhiker Beverage Company’s Brooke McPhail. (Scott Stephenson photos)

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen

Few things in life are quite so sweet as getting a free sample. So, when The Citizen learned that the Foodland in Brussels was hosting an event on Saturday, Jan. 27 called ‘Samplefest,’ no time was wasted in sending out an intrepid reporter to report on all of the going-ons at the local grocery store.

Right when shoppers stepped through the doors, they were greeted by Foodland employee Angela Ledrew, who had been tasked with manning the Frito-Lay sample table. Frito-Lay has a production facility in Hanover, and Ledrew was more than happy to hand out samples of chips and Doritos, as well as full-sized Pepsis and KitKats. “Don’t feel like you only have to take one or the other take one of each!” she exclaimed.

Ledrew normally has Saturdays off, but she made an exception for Samplefest. “They asked me if I wanted to come in on the weekend, and hand out free stuff, and I said ‘why not?’“ The next stand was serving up samples of a quaffable favourite amongst the thirsty folks of Southern Ontario from Guelphbased Hitchhiker Beverage Company.

Co-owner Brooke McPhail was manning the stand on Saturday, handing out samples of lemonade and iced tea. McPhail runs the company with her mother Leanne, but the roots of their lemony empire can be traced back much further, to the All Roads Original Lemonade Co, which used a family recipe from the late 1800s.

Brooke’s grandmother, Doris, is the lady on the label, and she was, indeed, a hitchhiker. “It’s great just to be out and seeing what people think!” she said. “We’re always trying new flavours out to see what people are into. I think I like the cold tea the most, but we’ve also tried things like a maple lemonade.

It’s discontinued now, but it had a real cult following! People still ask about it.”

Buzzing along to the next stop brought shoppers to the hive of Walton-based company Bee Kind Honey. Owners Robert and Jackie Glanville had samples available of both creamed and liquid wildflower honey for people to try. “We put honey in our porridge and our tea,”

confided Jackie. “Creamed honey is best on toast.” She also confirmed that there are quite a few bees working in their operation.

Foodland employee Gail Bender was also on hand for Samplefest. “I normally work behind the deli counter, and it’s really nice to be out here with the people for a change,” she said.

Bender distributed slices of summer sausage from Metzger’s Meat Products, which operates out of Hensall, and cubes of cheese from Mildmay Cheese Haus, which has locations in both Mildmay and Port Elgin. Both of these family-run businesses have become staples for food fans county-wide. Metzger’s is still making meats that founder Gerhard Metzger would be proud of, and the Cheese Haus has been spreading its cheddar (and many other types of cheese) since 1971.

The Wagler family has been in the syrup business since 1921, which makes David Wagler of Wellesley-based Wagler Maple Products a third-generation maple master. His philosophy for giving people a taste of his family’s syrup and maple barbecue sauce is a solid one. “It just makes sense to me to buy things from the store that go with what you’ve got, right? So I got sausages from right over there, and waffle mix from that aisle there.” His barbecue saucemarinated sausages and syrupsoaked maple leaf-shaped waffles were a big hit with sweet-seeking shoppers.

A little bit of ice cream, courtesy of Miller’s Dairy, was a perfect way to cap off a successful Samplefest.

John and Marie Miller run their glass bottle milk business out of Creemore, but John got his start at a family milk processing business in Goderich, selling milk, cream and butter. Marie was also raised on a dairy farm, near Cookstown, and was involved in 4-H and Junior Farmers. A Miller’s Dairy representative named Kelly was kind enough to work the sample booth on Saturday, giving out generous portions of ice cream and flavoured milk.

The owner of Brussels Foodland, Shawna Pavao, was happy to see people come out to shake off the winter blahs. “It’s good to put a face to the people who make your food,” she said. And who doesn’t love a free sample?

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THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024. PAGE 11.

Seaforth-area farm welcomes winter guests

Party of 5 Chicks and a Farmer Nico (cat), Willow (dog) and John Moylan (farmer) from 5 Chicks and a Farmer near Seaforth opened their doors to guests for a day of tours, treats and activities at “Winter on the Farm” on Saturday, Jan. 27. (Scott Stephenson photos)

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen

On the final weekend in January, many local families came out to the “Winter on the Farm” event at the 5 Chicks and a Farmer farm.

The farmer in question, John Moylan, is the fifth generation to be working the family farm on the outskirts of Seaforth, which makes his four daughters the sixth. Their job at the “Winter on the Farm” event was to direct vehicles that made their way down the slushy driveway towards places to park, and lead them down towards the first stop on the tour.

The family lives in the third house to be built on the property by their family, and the animals live in the same fieldstone barn they’ve been living in for generations.

These days, the Moylan clan is dedicated to raising happy animals, organic crops and producing grassfed, pastured beef, pork and poultry.

Any stragglers who strayed from the tour were hemmed in by Willow - a border collie/energy bomb mix that works the farm and keeps the family company. Willow’s efforts to corral Nico, “Queen of the Farm Cats”, was less successful.

The first stop on the tour was a visit with a paddock full of Black and Red Angus cows. Grass-fed calves hid at first behind their mothers before growing bold enough to shoulder their way to the front of the herd and take a look at the children from Blyth, Clinton

and Wingham who had come by to take a look at them.

The chickens may have gone to their final roosting place for the

season, but the pigs were more than happy to show off their big black ears to all the kids. John explained that those ears assist the Berkshire/Large Black hogs to keep their faces shaded from the sun in the summertime. Several of the younger children had never seen a pig up close before, and you couldn’t ask for more accommodating creatures than the happy hogs of 5 Chicks.

A short and only slightly sloppy hayride led to a crackling bonfire and a veritable farm feast. There were succulent pulled chicken sandwiches, savory chili con carné and hearty bread and brownies from

The Sprouted Mill in downtown Seaforth.

There were also marshmallows available for roasting, which were very popular with the children, despite the fact that they were not locally made. As the fire warmed visitors from the outside in, hot chocolate and cider were available to warm them from within.

On the trip back, the mud made some Stratford students shout that the farm vehicle would certainly get stuck, but this wasn’t the Moylan family’s first farm tour of the day. The winter tours have proven popular, and the family is already in the process of planning

something for the spring.

To close the circle of the farm tour, the families stopped by the farm freezer to pick up meat bundles and bone broth that they’d ordered. The day was a unique opportunity for young people to see all the stages of life on the farm something that has become increasingly rare these days. Too often, the food supply chain remains a mystery to people their entire lives. Perhaps a few of the children at the farm that day were too young to put together the connection between the animals in the barnyard and the delicious beef chili, but at least it’s a start.

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PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024.

Blyth broomball teams ride high after tourney wins After four of eight Blyth Junior Broomball teams - the U12 Bullets, the U14 Boys, the U14 Girls and the U16 Girls - won gold at the Mildmay Tournament late last month, the teams were back in regular season action last weekend.

On Friday, Jan. 26, the U14 Girls and U16 Girls played a local game in Blyth and the Bantam Girls triumphed by a score of 1-0.

The next day, the U12 Silver team lost to Mildmay by a score of 1-0, while the U12 Bullets beat Mildmay by a score of 1-0, both in Blyth. Meanwhile, the U16 Boys were on the road to play Mildmay and won the game 3-1.

This weekend, the teams will be back in action. Tonight, Feb. 2, the U16 Boys will welcome Mildmay to Blyth and the U16 Girls will host Seaforth, also in Blyth.

The next day, the U9 team will play Seaforth in Blyth, the U12 Ice and Silver teams will play a local game, the U12 Bullets will play Mildmay in Blyth and the U14 Boys will play Mildmay in Blyth.

Finding success The weekend of the annual Mildmay broomball tournament was a good one for Blyth, as four of the eight teams the village sent there came back winners.

The U12 Bullets, the U14 Boys, above left, the U14

Girls, above right, and the U16 Girls all emerged victorious.

Now they’re back in regular season action once again with a number of games on the schedule for the upcoming weekend.

(Courtesy photo)

U13 C Heat beat St. Thomas in playoff game Continued from page 1 at one, also in Clinton.

The U9 C Heat won their exhibition road game with the South Huron Sabres by a score of 20, while the U11 BB Heat lost their regular season game to the Ice Hawks in Owen Sound by a score of 3-2 and the U9 B Heat beat the Waterloo Ravens on the road by a score of 3-2. Also that day, the U15 BB Heat lost their regular season game with the South Huron Sabres in Clinton by a score of 3-1.

On Jan. 27, the U9 C Heat lost to the Bluewater Hawks in Seaforth by a score of 6-3, while the U13 HL Heat won their playoff game with the Ilderton Jets in Goderich by a score of 4-0. The U11 HL Heat also won their playoff game with the Mooretown Lady Flags on the road by a score of 1-0.

The U9 B Heat tied the Woodstock Wildcats in Seaforth by a score of 2-2 and the U11 BB Heat

Beyond the helicopter Continued from page 7 Canadian Pediatric Society to help guide you. It can be found at: https://cps.ca/en/documents/positio n/outdoor-risky-play Our reading choice for this week is Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall.

According to Amazon, “Jabari is ready to jump off the diving board.

‘Looks easy,’ says Jabari, watching the other kids take their turns. He needs to figure out what kind of special jump to do anyway, and he should probably do some stretches before climbing up onto the diving board. In a sweetly appealing tale of overcoming your fears, Gaia Cornwall captures a moment between a patient and encouraging father and a determined little boy you can’t help but root for.”

As I leave it here for this week, I want to encourage you to read the article published by the Canadian Pediatric Society and look beyond the helicopter parenting mentality.

You don’t have to buy stock in the bandage companies, but allowing your child to take small risks as featured in the article, will be a great asset you will not regret.

“Play is the highest form of research.” - Albert Einstein

played the London Devilettes in Blyth, but a score was not available at press time. The U15 BB Heat tied the Woodstock Wildcats at one on the road, while the U18 C Heat won their playoff game with the Sarnia Lady Sting C team on the road by a score of 3-1. The U15 C Heat ended their road playoff game with the Lambton Attack B team in a 1-1 tie and the U18 BB Heat beat the Cambridge Roadrunners in Clinton by a score of 5-0.

On Jan. 26, the Senior team was on the road to play Belmore, but a score was unavailable at press time and, on Jan. 23, the U9 B Heat beat the Wolverines in Wilmot by a score of 2-1.

On Jan. 30, the U13 HL Heat played the Woodstock Wildcats HL team on the road and the U15 C team played the Wilmot Wolverines C team in Seaforth, both playoff games, but scores were unavailable at press time.

Playoffs are on the horizon for the locals, though no post-season games are on the schedule just yet.

On-target On Sunday in Clinton, the U13 C Huron Heat beat the St. Thomas Panthers in a playoff game by a score of 3-1. (John Stephenson photo)

NORTH HURON - BIA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS Wingham BIA AGM

Blyth BIA AGM

February 15, 2024 @ 6:30 PM Wingham Columbus Centre Lounge

February 29, 2024 @ 8:00 AM Blyth & District Community Centre

For more info, visit: https://www.northhuron.ca/en/ municipal-government/boards-and-committees.aspx

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024. PAGE 13.

BLYTH Y 519-523-4244

+XURQ7UDFWRU FRP

519-523-4311

www.ruralvoice e.ca

CFIA frustrations boil over with Beef Producers

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen At their annual meeting last week at the Brussels Legion, members of the Huron County Beef Producers urged Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb to do what he can to alleviate pressures within the industry associated with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

Tyler Greidanus raised the issue at the meeting, calling for some common sense in regards to the transportation and inspection of animals within the beef industry.

The conversation began when Corey Campbell from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the evening’s guest speaker, spoke about his work with the provincial ministry and inspection protocol in Ontario.

The Brussels native said he had worked for Green’s Meat Market and others locally before being hired as a meat inspector for the Ministry in 2008. Since then, he’s worked his way up and into the health and wellness division of the ministry, which is where he is right now.

Greidanus and others lauded Campbell, saying that the Ministry has improved significantly while working with Campbell, and yet, the producers identified persistent problems with Campbell’s federal equivalents with CFIA.

Ben Lobb Huron-Bruce MP In his talk, Campbell went over some of the specific issues with an animal that may lead to it being rejected from a sale or an abattoir, adding that he has seen a drastic improvement in recent years in the condition of animals when they arrive at sales. However, the situation does still arise in which animals are turned away or do have to be euthanized at a sale, though they are rare.

Greidanus and others said that provincial inspectors have approached the cattle industry with a common-sensical approach to

certain issues that their federal counterparts appear to be lacking when it comes to certain issues.

One such issue, Greidanus said, is the absence of a CCIA (Canadian Cattle Identification Agency) tag on every animal in a truck. He was not alone in lamenting the incidental loss of an animal’s tag on a long truck trip on the way to be sold and the near-impossible task of finding the loose tag in a large truck that, until recently, had been occupied by animals in the darkness of early morning.

A common-sense approach, he said, would be to understand that all of the other animals are properly tagged and from the same farm, so, it stands to reason that the animal whose tag has come loose has also come from that same farm.

However, in his experience, CFIA inspectors have not shared that opinion and will take things “by the book” in cases like the one he described.

He said truck drivers are now scared to open the truck for inspectors, unsure of what infractions will be found through what he perceived as overlystringent rules and the fines that will be levied as a result.

Greidanus then turned his attention to Lobb, saying he is the riding’s federal member and that he needed to step up and help the industry overcome these roadblocks

Corey Campbell OMAFRA and help them in any way he can.

Lobb said he wasn’t going to pretend to be an expert on the situation and reiterated the importance of attending meetings such as the Beef Producers’ annual meeting, so he could learn and hear the issues being experienced in different agricultural sectors and then return to Ottawa on the hunt for answers.

Greidanus reiterated that this is not a new issue and something needs to be done at the federal level. He pointed out that a member of the Beef Producers has been

bringing a resolution to this effect to the Beef Farmers of Ontario meeting for nearly 10 years and still nothing has changed.

Lobb said that perhaps a good place to start would be to request a meeting with Campbell’s equivalent at the federal level, but Greidanus responded by saying the organization didn’t even know who that would be, citing frequent turnover within the department. He did say, however, that Lobb was right and he would love to have such a meeting.

Campbell said that he couldn’t speak to what was happening on the federal side of things, as a provincial employee, but he did say that he has regular meetings with Dr. Tom Cox, the district veterinarian for CFIA, and he has been working towards bringing the two agencies closer together in regards to policies and expectations within Ontario.

Lobb pledged to look into the situation at the federal level and bring any relevant information to the organization if and when he was able to obtain it.

Furthermore, Greidanus and Ron Stevenson said they would draft a resolution along the lines of the discussion, asking for more CFIA accountability, and have it ready to be presented at the Beef Farmers of Ontario annual meeting, set for late February.

BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK REPORT For the week ending January 26, 2024 Total Receipts: 1,480 cattle and 861 lambs and goats Tuesday - Fed cattle sold actively at prices $3 - $5 higher. Cows sold at prices $10 higher.

Thursday - Veal sold barely steady, with quality considered. Lambs and sheep sold steady. Goats sold higher.

Friday - Calves sold on a strong active trade with steer calves selling $5 - $10 higher and heifer calves $10 - $20 higher. Yearlings sold on a strong active trade with steer yearlings selling $3 - $5 higher and heifer yearlings $8 - $12 higher.

Fed Cattle: There were 90 fed cattle on offer: Choice Fed Cattle: $232 – $241 Second Cut Fed Cattle: $225 – $231 Aged and Medium Fed Cattle: $165 – $216 Holstein Fed Cattle: $160 – $195 Jeremy Sippel of Milverton, consigned seven head. Three red heifers averaged 1,422 lbs. and sold for $236.50.

Neil Weppler of Ayton, consigned nine head. Four black steers averaged 1,541 lbs. and sold for $236.

Cows: There were 290 cows on offer:

Good Beef Cows: $125 – $163 up to $185 Good Holstein Cows: $140 – $155 Medium Holstein Cows: $125 – $139 Bulls: $100 – $120 Balamore Farms of Great Village, Nova Scotia, consigned 10 head. Two charolais cows averaged 1,383 lbs. and sold for $185.

Veal: There were 150 veal on offer: Beef Veal: Too few to establish a market.

Good Holsteins: $238 – $243 up to $247 SL Heavy Holsteins: $220 – $230 Heavy Holsteins: $190 – $215 Medium Holsteins: $228 – $237 Plain Holsteins: $190 – $232 Drop Calves: $460 – $850 / HEAD John Martin of Lucknow, consigned five head. One holstein veal weighted 730 lbs. and sold for $247.

Lambs: Under 50 lbs.: $420 – $440 50-64 lbs.: $340 – $387.50 up to $415 65-79 lbs.: $360 – $410 up to $417.50 80-94 lbs.: $357.50 – $400 95-109 lbs.: $335 – $360 up to $370 110 lbs. and over: $220 – $250 up to $275

Paul D. Weber of Wroxeter, consigned 42 head. Seven charolais heifers averaged 904 lbs. and sold for an average price of $297.

Sheep: $170 – $250 up to $310 Goats: Meat Kids: $500 – $602.50 Dairy Kids: $480 – $560 Mature Bucks: $350 – $400 Mature Does: $100 – $200 Allan and Andrew Barfett of Wallacetown, consigned 55 head. Ten lambs averaged 80 lbs. and sold for an average price of $409.

Andreas and Petra Aeberhardj of Neustadt, consigned 15 head. Eight lambs averaged 70 lbs. and sold for an average price of $413.

Lynn Campbell of Mitchell, consigned eight head. Two kid goats weighed 54 lbs. and sold for $602.50.

Stockers: There were 950 stockers on offer: Top Quality Steers: Under 400 lbs.: $411 – $466 400 – 499 lbs.: $382 – $414 up to $427.50 500 – 599 lbs.: $330 – $405 600 – 699 lbs.: $345 – $388 up to $395 700 – 799 lbs.: $297.50 – $326 up to $346.50 800 – 899 lbs.: $296 – $336.50 900 – 999 lbs.: $294.50 – $326 1,000 lbs. and over: $276 – $308.50

Wanda Snobelen Ltd. of Ripley, consigned six head. Five charolais heifers averaged 1,092 lbs. and sold for an average price of $280.

Top Quality Heifers: Under 400 lbs.: $250 – $330 400 – 499 lbs.: $300 – $330 500 – 599 lbs.: $299 – $329 600 – 699 lbs.: $270 – $320 up to $329 700 – 799 lbs.: $266 – $281 800 – 899 lbs.: $260 – $299 up to $336 900 lbs. and over: $260 – $297 Murray Burkhart of Linwood, consigned 25 head. Three charolais steers averaged 613 lbs. and sold for an average price of $395.

BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd.

UPCOMING SALES TUESDAYS

Simeon B. M. Martin Jr. of Clifford, consigned 15 head. Eleven charolais steers averaged 829 lbs. and sold for an average price of $336.50.

Andrew H. Martin of Matheson, consigned 39 head. Seven black steers averaged 1,009 lbs. and sold for an average price of $308.50.

Tim Reckman of Brigden, consigned five head. Three charolais heifers averaged 605 lbs. and sold for an average price of $329.

10:00 a.m.

Fed Cattle, Bulls & Cows

THURSDAYS

9:00 a.m. Drop Calves 10:00 a.m.Veal 11:30 a.m. Lambs, Goats & Sheep

FRIDAYS 10:00 a.m. Stockers Visit our webpage at: www.brusselslivestock.ca email us at: info@brusselslivestock.ca

Call us 519-887-6461

PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024.

Coffee Chat revisits Classified Advertising – RATES – coming events coming events ‘Walton Days 1988’

20 words or less only $8.00 + HST Additional words 20¢ ea. + HST

DEADLINE 2 p.m. Tuesday Phone 519-523-4792 e-mail: info@northhuron.on.ca

Articles for sale To all persons who have any houses, lands, tenements, farms, ships, vessels, goods, wares or merchandises to be sold or let, may have the same inserted at a reasonable rate.

North Huron Publishing 405 Queen St., Blyth for particulars.

-------------------------------------------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 -------------------------------------------WEBWOOD TRUSS WINTER SALE - 10% discount on roof trusses and floor joists. We do residential, commercial and agricultural. For details and/or quote call 519-335-3551 and ask for Zach.

-------------------------------------------REPRINTS OF PHOTOS taken by Citizen photographers are available to purchase. All are in colour. 4x6 – $5.00, 5x7 – $6.00, 8x10 – $10.00. Phone to order 519-523-4792 or email: info@northhuron.on.ca tfn -------------------------------------------THE CITIZEN IS AVAILABLE TO purchase at these locations – Auburn Esso, Belgrave Variety, Blyth Variety, Blyth Food Market, Blyth Ultramar, Brussels Foodland, Brussels Variety, Clinton Convenience, Clinton Foodland, Charlie’s Variety in Clinton, Fogal’s YIG in Wingham, Wingham Mini Mart, Seaforth Foodland, Fincher’s in Goderich, Goderich Victoria St. Shell and The Citizen Blyth.

AUBURN AND DISTRICT LIONS CLUB Valentine Breakfast at the Auburn Community Hall, Sunday, Feb. 11, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Adults $12, Children $6, Preschool free.

Maple syrup supplied by Robinson Maple Products. Eggs supplied by Huron County Egg Producers.

Proceeds for Ronald McDonald House. We Serve.

-------------------------------------------SHROVE TUESDAY, pancake and sausage supper, hosted by the Lucknow Presbyterian Church, 578 Havelock Street; Tuesday, Feb. 13, 5 to 7 p.m. Pancakes, Green's Meat Market farmer's sausage, maple syrup, apple sauce, pie, fruit and beverage. Gluten free available.

Adults $17.50, children 12 and under $8, children 5 and under free.

Eat-in only.

Help wanted Help wanted EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY FIRE CHIEF – FULL TIME Visit the Township of Huron-Kinloss website to view this employment opportunity. https://www.huronkinloss.com/careers

In memoriam Swap Shop MACHAN - In memory of Carman Machan who passed away February 2, 2023.

We think about you always, We talk about you still, You have never been forgotten, And you never will.

We hold you close within our hearts, And there you will remain, To walk and guide us through our lives, Until we meet again.

Love, Sandra, Ross, Jennifer, Shawn, Kiley and Jack.

--------------------------------------------

card of thanks VINCENT - I would like to thank everyone who attended my 70th birthday party. Thank you to my family and to Judy and Tanya.

Grant Vincent -------------------------------------------DODDS. The family of Maja Dodds appreciates the community's kindness and support after her passing. Your presence at her visitation and funeral, along with condolence messages, cards, memorial donations, flowers, phone calls, and deliveries of food have helped us at a difficult time. Thank you for sharing your memories of Maja and for helping us pay tribute to a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Don, Lynne & Ron, Paul& Kathy, Joan & Brookes and families.

KARATE! IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL CLASSES AVAILABLE SCHWEITZER'S MARTIAL ARTS Self-defense, Self-discipline, Selfconfidence GROUP CLASSES FOR AGES 4 TO ADULT Taught by Renshi Becky Schweitzer, 4th Degree Black Belt and 12X World Karate Champion Location Fresh Wind Revival Centre - 21 Lloyd Street, Wingham EARLY BIRD SPECIAL ONLY $105 + HST FOR 10 WEEKS Uniform extra Special ends Feb. 14.

Regular price $125+HST Call 519-580-1418 or e-mail becky_schweitzer@hotmail.com www.schweitzersmartialarts.com --------------------------------------------

Share your memories with a favourite verse and photo

The Citizen Call or email us today for details

519-523-4792 info@northhuron.on.ca

Citizen-To-Citizen

“SWAP SHOP” ad Call 519-523-4792 or email: info@northhuron.on.ca • Free ad up to 25 words, person to person only (no businesses), items valued at $1,000 or less.

Price must be included in your ad.Your ad will run three times unless it sells faster!

• The Citizen reserves the right to limit the number of items or ads per person.

FOR SALE - Donald Sutherland Stamps. Post Office price - $1.05 each. 519-357-1504 5-3 --------------------------------------------FOR SALE - Blundstones brown size 4 1/2, square toe, $75; Foosball table, $50; Storm Door - fits 36x80, 2˝ thick, white, $100. 519-357-4040 5-3 --------------------------------------------WANTED - Used, large chest freezer.

519-395-4211 4-3 --------------------------------------------FOR SALE - Oval table with four chairs, table 64˝ with two leaves.

Made by Kroehler furniture. Good condition. $250. 519-522-1196 3-3 --------------------------------------------FREE - HP laserjet black print cartridge 16A fits 5200 model.

519-523-4792 3-3 ---------------------------------------------

All word ads in The Citizen classifieds are put on our webpage at www.huroncitizen.ca

PEOPLE AROUND WALTON

By Jo-Ann McDonald Call 887-6570

We have just finished another week of questionable weather. Even though it was not wintery or stormy, the change in temperatures resulted in freezing rain, wet slushy roads and fog. Kids had two days off of school and I am sure parents were hoping for a full week of school this week.

I will admit that the back roads were a challenge on Monday and Tuesday, they started to improve Wednesday and, by Friday, were good. We had some sun on Friday and a beautiful rainbow. Also that day, I was able to see three bald eagles.

The ladies birthday club gathered to celebrate the January birthdays last week. The birthday girls included Joan Bernard and Sandra Cable. They enjoyed a meal at JR’s and there were 15 ladies attending.

Enjoying the party were Mabel Glanville, Dona Knight, Jan Hook, Edna McLellan, Merle Cousins, Betty McCutcheon, Alice Marks, Betty Campbell, Rene Richmond, Dale Chesher, Audrey Cardiff, Esther McCutcheon and Nora Stephenson. Happy birthday to Joan and Sandra.

Returning from a trip to Alberta is Jackie Glanville. Jackie went to visit with daughter Joelle and family, which includes her beautiful grandson Bennett, who is almost 18 months old. They live in Blackfalds and Jackie reports she experienced the highs and lows of the weather.

She told me she tried to shovel some snow and her eyelashes were frozen and crispy within minutes.

Jackie also had a chance to visit with brother and sister-in-law Paul and Teresa Glanville and daughter Erica. They live only 20 minutes away from Joelle. It’s always great to have family so close when Mom and Dad are so far. Welcome back Jackie!

Congratulations to Jamie and Julena Mitchell on the birth of a beautiful baby girl for their family.

Corah Anna Mae arrived on the weekend and will be welcomed home by big brother Ben. Doug and Janet Mitchell and Gary and Lori Pipe are excited grandparents.

Our condolences to the McClure families on the passing of Robert (Neil) McClure. He was the fourth son of Harvey and Bessie McClure and was raised on Blyth Road. He will be missed by his siblings, Bill and Sharon, Laverne and Nita, Clyde and Cathy, Rae, Fred and Heidi, Edward, Carloyn and Gerald

Johns and their families.

Neil was seriously injured in a car accident in 1974 when he was only 20, but lived his life and kept a positive attitude. He went to school and worked in the insurance industry. He loved to come home for family occasions and spend time with his nieces and nephews. He loved to travel in the teardrop camper he built with his brothers and he travelled from coast to coast.

Our sympathies are extended to the McClure families.

Neil and Marie McGavin are happy to add a fourth greatgrandchild to the family. James and Shayna (Melady) Whitely are proud parents of baby Oliver Brian.

Happy grandparents of a second grandson are Pat and Cathy (McGavin) Melady.

Congratulations to all.

Saturday was the return of Walton Coffee Chat and the good weather brought out lots of folks.

There were 30 on hand to enjoy the morning and treats. There was great conversation and Neil McGavin brought along some of his tapes of outstanding performances at the Walton Hall. This one was from “Walton Days 1988”. There were lots of the old faces and some very funny performances to see. It was great! Hopefully we can see more in the coming weeks. Coffee Chat is held on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month from 910:30 a.m. Come out and join us!

Today is Groundhog Day and the village of Wiarton and Wiarton Willie will have all eyes on them.

There are also eight other “rodents” or animals that predict the weather so we will have to wait and see who’s right and who’s wrong!

Celebrating birthdays this past week were Brenda McIntosh, Ryan Jacklin, Sheldon Lee, Alexis Beuerman, Phyliss Coleman, Chris Ryan, Jamieson (Blake) Williams, Mark Wilbee, Macklin Bernard.

February begins with Thys DeJong, Sarah Mitchell and John Braecker.

Happy birthday to all!

NEWS FROM WALTON

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024. PAGE 15.

Community mourns the loss of Nancy Allen

News spread quickly through the community on Saturday, Jan. 20 of the passing of one of the village’s most long-term residents: Nancy Allen. Nancy had been battling cancer for a few short months.

Nancy was raised in Clinton and came to Londesborough as the young wife of Keith Allen. They settled into their new bungalow at the corner of Sarah and Trueman Streets and raised their four children - Don, Mark, Drew and Paula - there.

As the wife of someone who was part of a family business, Nancy kept things in order at home,

arranging playdates, organizing sports activities, helping with schoolwork, etc. - all the big and little things that fall to a stay-athome Mom. And Nancy was part of village activities for nearly 60 years.

When grandchildren came along, Nancy was on-call again, willing to watch the children, sit with an ill child, chauffeur, etc. All four children live within 15 kilometres of the family home and that made for many family gatherings, celebrations and visits. Nancy was a loving, supportive and proud mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother who was always encouraging the generations in all their endeavours.

Being a cat lover, Nancy's house was always home to at least one cat.

Nancy’s wonderful, welcoming smile reflected her personality. She would have been pleased by the large number of persons, relatives and friends, who were present to show support to her family when she passed.

Her presence in the village will be missed. Remember to keep her family and friends in your thoughts and prayers as they grow accustomed to life without Nancy.

Flowers on the memorial table at Londesborough United Church on Sunday, Jan 28 were placed by Nancy’s family in her memory.

Rev. Jan Aylward led the morning worship at Londesborough United Church on Sunday, Jan. 28.

During the children’s time, Jan and the children spoke about cell phones and, in particular, the fact that they only work when they have received a charge. Likewise, she told the children, Christians attend church to get their “charge”, a renewal of faith and energy to carry God’s light into the world. They get that through the singing of hymns, hearing scriptures and stories and listening to the minister.

Rev. Aylward’s message to the adults was based on Matt. 1: 21-28.

These verses were an account of Jesus teaching in the temple to a multitude of people. It was a lesson

those Jews would always remember, as Christ was a commanding presence.

His teaching was meaningful and He spoke from His heart. Jan suggested to those gathered that day that they be open to receive God’s teachings in new ways.

The senior choir invites everyone to lunch following the morning service on Sunday, Feb.11.

Donations received that day will be used to add another dimension to the sound system in the sanctuary.

When it comes to climate change, we all wonder what we, as individuals, can do to rein it in.

Moreover, we have all heard it said that even the small things households do add up when taken as a whole to make a difference.

And yet, we continue to hear doom and gloom about the worsening or slow progress in the area of climate change.

On the back page of one of the sections of a Saturday paper, a column that might have been missed, had the headline, “Good climate news - for once”. The various levels of government have been quietly putting various climate policies and regulations in place.

The article states that, without these actions, emissions would be seven per cent higher today and 41 per cent higher by 2030.

It is expected that nearly half of the world’s electricity supply will

come from renewable energy by 2030 - think energy efficiency and heat pumps, etc. Indigenous nations are the largest renewable energy asset owners in Canada. Obviously, they are living their tradition/culture of taking care of the earth.

Neither the country nor the world can afford to reverse or stall in their actions if we want to leave a better world for our children. So, take heart - this may not be a huge leap forward, but they are some small steps. Continue to take those small steps in your household.

NEWS FROM LONDESBORO Remembering your loved one

Honour your loved one by placing their obituary in

The Citizen.

This is a free service provided by The Citizen. We encourage you to share the story of your loved one in a special remembrance of their life.

Cards of thanks can be placed in our classified section, starting at just $8.00.

The Citizen

The more you H2O The Londesborough and District Lions Club hosted a water sampling event on Thursday, Jan. 25 at Lions Hall. In the above photo, Lions Kittie MacGregor and Bert Vandendool facilitate water sampling. Nearly 50 members of the community brought in nearly 70 water samples to the event, which constituted a return of over 50 per cent.

(Courtesy photo)

Obituaries

ANNE BUCHANAN Suddenly, yet peacefully, on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, at

University Hospital, London, Anne Buchanan passed away in her 84th year.

The beloved wife of the late John Buchanan (2009), Anne was the dear mother of Brad (Charity) Buchanan and Brent Buchanan (Tracy Bossence).

She was the loving grandmother of Josh, Chris, Lucas and Katy and the dear sister of David (Gladys) Nesbit, Alice (Robert) Moore, Mary (Ronald) Buchanan, John (Ann) Nesbit and Robert (Kim) Nesbit.

Anne is survived by her brotherin-law James Buchanan. She was predeceased by her sister-in-law Lorna and brothers-in-law Roy and William.

Anne will be lovingly

remembered by many nieces, nephews, extended family members and friends.

Anne was a dedicated member of Holy Trinity/St. Stephen’s Memorial Church.

Cremation has taken place. A memorial service was held at Holy Trinity/St. Stephen’s Memorial Church, London on Wednesday, Jan. 24.

As an expression of sympathy, donations in memory of Anne may be made to London Regional Cancer Program or Holy Trinity/St. Stephen’s Memorial Church.

Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London and Middlesex.

Online condolences may be shared at www.cremationlondon.com.

405 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4792

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One of the most read areas of the paper

SUDOKU Fun By The Numbers Like puzzles?

Then you’ll love sudoku. This mindbending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test!

Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024.

Keep your farm finances safe from cyber threats

Keeping savvy With so much of industry exposed to online threats, farming is not immune and farmers have to be diligent in order to keep their finances safe from threats through the internet. (News Canada photo)

NC - From automated equipment like a programmed irrigation system, to a weather tracking app, to an online database for suppliers or distributors, there are any number of internet-connected parts of a farm that can leave it vulnerable to cyber threats without proper precautions.

Cyber disruptions, such as a breach of confidential employee information, a ransomware takeover that locks you out of your systems and demands a fee, or a technological equipment failure, can cause serious problems for farmers. It can eat into your profits, weaken consumer trust in your business and limit your ability to deliver on contracts.

When the farms that feed our communities are at risk, there’s a lot at stake to protect. Here are three ways to help protect a farm from cyber security disruptions.

Be aware online Unlike many other essential sectors, such as health care, farming technologies are regularly connected to farmers’ home internet networks and personal cell phones.

This means taking standard steps to be safe online is even more important than usual, since a breach on your home network could impact business systems in addition to personal finances. If possible, use a virtual private network (VPN) to access your on-farm digital systems

How to fine-tune your finances NC - Now that the joy of the holidays has passed, you might be facing a bit of sticker shock when your bills start coming in. To avoid the pain of overspending, make this the year you finally get on top of your finances. Here are three things to keep in mind.

Build a budget You’ve likely heard it before, but the only way you can truly understand your finances is to create a thorough budget that tracks all your income and all your spending. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada has a free online budget planner.

Start by adding up recurring fixed budget items, like your mortgage or rent, food, car payments and transit costs, and subscriptions and memberships. Then, create a list of discretionary spending, like restaurant meals, gifts and nights out with friends. Next, tally up all your monthly income. If the expenses column is more than your total income, analyze your budget for areas where you can cut back.

Check your credit report Your credit report is a very important document. It’s used by lenders to determine if you’re eligible for a credit card, loan or mortgage and, if so, what interest rate you’ll be charged. But sometimes the reports contain errors that can negatively affect your credit. You should regularly check yours and report any errors to the two credit reporting agencies in Canada: Equifax and TransUnion.

Both are required to give you a free copy of your report.

Consider consolidating your loans When you’re short of money, it can be hard to know which bills and loans to pay off first. Generally, you’re going to want to pay down the ones with the highest interest rates, such as credit cards. But if you’re really struggling to make your payments, talk to your financial institution about your options for consolidating your

loans. This way, you’ll have only one monthly payment to make and it will usually be at a lower interest rate.

In some cases, you might need professional guidance on how to get out of debt. A certified financial advisor or credit counsellor can help get you onto the path of financial success.

Find more tips and financial advice at canada.ca/money.

instead of using public WiFi. Scammers try to trick people into revealing personal or sensitive information they can use to hold people to ransom, take funds or steal identities. When using e-mail or social media, always be mindful of whom you’re interacting with and what you share. Don’t open links in e-mails or texts from sources you don’t recognize.

Use safeguards Beyond being careful online, a few simple things can go a long way. Up-to-date software, hardware and patches mean the latest manufacturer protections, so make sure to install them regularly.

Backup your information often and to a hard drive, not just online storage - so you can access your data if your network ever becomes compromised.

Use unique, strong passwords and turn on multi-factor authentication for online or digital accounts.

That’s when you must input a code sent to you through a text or e-mail after entering your password online.

In addition to the steps above, make a guide or plan of action. Map out your on-farm networks and digital systems, and the hardware that connects to them, including computers, mobile devices, sensors, servers, automated equipment, environmental controls and financial systems.

Then, identify steps to protect yourself and your business, such as good online safety habits like using a secure internet connection. Make a list of suppliers, information technology service providers and sector associations. Also, identify steps you will take if you face a cyber threat and what you will do to recover quickly.

Report cyber incidents If you suspect that your farm may have fallen victim to a cyber incident, promptly report your concerns to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security’s Cyber Centre.

Find more information and resources to help you stay cyber safe at agriculture.canada.ca/ cyber-security-farming-business.

DONALD A ANDREW ACCOUNTING

Accounting & Income Tax Services for FARMS, BUSINESSES & INDIVIDUALS 296 Ross St., Lucknow

Ph. 519-528-3019 dandrew@hurontel.on.ca

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Contest

The Citizen 2023 PHONE BOOK

What does Huron County mean to you in one photo?

• AUBURN • BLYTH •BRUSSELS • CLINTON • GODERICH • GORRIE • SEAFORTH • WINGHAM

The winner will get the coveted cover spot

on our 2024 phone book (with credit) and a special North Huron Publishing prize package.

Submit your HIGH RESOLUTION digital photo (please email original size - do not crop) to: Citizen Phone Book Cover at: info@northhuron.on.ca Deadline is February 23, 2024

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024. PAGE 17.

From the Minister’s Study

What can we learn from Jonah? asks Todd

By Rev. JoAnn Todd, Trinity Anglican Church, Blyth We recently read from the book of Jonah in church; not a book we read from very often, I have to admit. In some ways, it’s such a familiar story for those who remember it from childhood Sunday school days: Jonah in the belly of the whale, right? And, honestly, that’s probably about all we remember about Jonah!

In most recent and more accurate translations of the Bible, the whale is better known now as a great fish - which makes more sense, as there truly would not have been whales living in any of the waters near the Holy Land. That was an early and incorrect English translation from the original language.

The tiny book of Jonah is found near the end of the Hebrew Bible, what we call the Old Testament. It’s four short chapters - just two pages long in my Bible, and found between the books of the prophets Obadiah and Micah. It’s worth reading the whole book.

The book of Jonah is not your typical Old Testament scripture reading, it’s more like a “folk story”; kind of silly and exaggerated in places and funny at times, yet full of deeper meaning.

And, although the book of Jonah is in the books of the minor prophets of the Old Testament, Jonah himself is never called a prophet in the text.

The story begins with Jonah hearing the Lord telling him to go to the great city of Nineveh and announce God’s judgment against it, because God had seen how wicked its people were. Here’s an interesting wee tid-bit: my Oxford Annotated Bible tells me that the city of Nineveh was built by Nimrod, who was the greatgrandson of Noah.

Anyway, Jonah has absolutely no desire to heed this call from God and skips town, hops on a ship and goes completely in the opposite direction. Now, before we get all judgmental on poor Jonah for running away from a direct message from God, we need to understand why Jonah’s first instinct is to turn and run in the opposite direction... because God has asked Jonah to actually go and preach to the enemy. Here’s a commentator’s explanation: “Assyria, represented here by its capital city (Nineveh), has been a thorn in Israel’s side, ransacking the northern kingdom and overthrowing it, followed soon by (its) complete devastation by Babylon who overtook Assyria.

Evangelical Missionary Church

There is no reason to go to the ‘great city’ to announce a ‘great’ opportunity to repent. As their nearest enemy, (Assyria’s) invasion ended Israel’s existence as a nationstate (1 Kings 17). (So, I guess the better question might be)... why wouldn’t (Jonah) run in the opposite direction?”

Well, that helps explain it; Jonah’s probably scared out of his wits and as he’s looking at it, running for his own safety is the most sensible response! How do you think you would respond if you were in Jonah’s shoes? So, off on a ship he goes, Jonah telling the allGentile crew when he boarded the ship that he was running away from his God. But, as it turns out, he’s really not much safer on the ship, because a massive storm brews up.

Remember now, ancient peoples believed that God ruled the creation, and things like storms and earthquakes were very much of God’s doing, in effect, God’s bounty or punishment for good or bad behaviours. And for some strange reason, Jonah sleeps through this terrible storm; he must

have been a wonderful sailor! The crew, however, is in a panic, and throws all the cargo overboard to lighten the load to try and spare the ship and its passengers.

The captain wakes Jonah up and tells Jonah to start praying to his God to spare them all. But nothing seems to be working, so the crew draws lots to figure out which of them has caused this horrible calamity, this storm to befall them, and the lot falls on Jonah.

Remember also that the drawing of lots was the ancient people’s way of asking God to direct them to the right person. So, the lot falls on Jonah and he tells them he’s a Hebrew, which means he worships the One Lord God Almighty, and that this whole storm business is probably his fault. It appears Jonah has a pang of conscience and doesn’t feel the sailors should perish for his faulty judgment! So he tells them to throw him overboard to save themselves. And after a prayer for safety to Jonah’s God, they comply. So over he goes, and the wind abates, the seas calm and this whole event results in the

conversion of the pagan seafarers to believing in Jonah’s God, the Lord God Almighty.

There is a lesson here, for those with ears to hear, even in this sillysounding bit of the story - our sharing with others the stories of our faith, and how being believers affects our lives, does make an impact on folks and may well help to lead them to faith. And you don’t need to wait for a crisis necessarily to do that!

So, poor Jonah is now at the mercy of the waves, and God provides a large fish, no doubt a whale-sized beast, so large that it

Worship with us at

Brussels Mennonite Fellowship 10:00 am Worship Service 11:00 am Co ee Time 11:15 am Sunday School for all ages Interim Pastor Elwin Garland 250 Princess St., Brussels • 519 887 6388

The Regional Ministry of Hope Come Worship with Us! Trinity Anglican BLYTH 9:00 AM

St. Paul’s-Trinity Anglican WINGHAM 11:00 AM

519-357-7781 • email: revjoann@hurontel.on.ca www.regionalministryofhope.com

Services are live-streamed and can be found by searching “Blyth Christian Reformed Church”

Weekly service live-streamed at 11:00 a.m. on our Facebook page or on youtube @St. Paul’s-Trinity Anglican Church Wingham.

BRUSSELS S

U United Chu ur urch Welcome to o Worship Sunday, Februaryy 4 ~ 9:30 a.m.

Sunday scho ool ages 3 + Come, the invitation is open to all, share in God’s message foor us.

“Games Ti Timee” Fridayy,, February 8 at 1:30 Choice of games, enjoyy a snack and a chat. Bring your friends Contact Alex at ministter.brusselsandblythuc@gmail.co y @g om Website: brusselsandblythuc.ca b brusselsandblythuc ca P.O. Box 359, Brussels ~ 519-887-6259 P.

MEL LV VILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS

Sunday, February 4, 2024 11:00 am - 12 noon We extend a loving welcome to all to join us as Doug Sargent leads us in worship, prayer and praise to Good.

Snacks, coffee, and a time to visit will follow.

Soup & More 2 Join us every Friday from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. for lunch. This free meal is made possible by the Brussels churches and many volunteers working together to serve our community. c All are welcome!

Sunday, February 4 at 10 a.m.

BMG Community Centre (upstairs room) 800 Sports Drive, Brussels Childcare provided for children aged 0 to 4 during the sermon

NORTHERN HURON-PERTH CATHOLIC FAMILY OF PARISHES All are welcome to visit or join with us, and to become disciples of Jesus, sharing in Christ’s mission.

Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday ~ 6:00 p.m.

17 Flora Street

For pastoral care concerns please call 519-524-7512 2

Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday ~ 9:00 a.m.

220 Carling Terrace

Sunday Service at 11:00 am

Isaiah 40:1 Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Annual Meeting following the 11:00 am service Sat. Feb. 24, 10-4 MARRIAGE ENRICHMENT DAY with Pete & Leah Humphreys! ($20)

On-site and online - live.huronchapel.com 119 John’s Ave., Auburn 519-526-1131

Worship and Prayer Time Loving Fellowship Expository Preaching

For additional details please visit: brusselscommunitybiblechapel.ca

Blyth United Churrch

Nursery & Sunday School during worship

o ’s Love God e dures en forever

All Are Welcome

Sunday, February 4, 2024, 10:30 a.m.

Pastor Mike Stanley, "Marriage is for Sanctifying" (1Peter 3; Genesis 3)

can swallow Jonah and he’s in the belly of the fish for three days.

While there, he prays to the Lord, thanking him for saving him. And during his time in this forced retreat, you could say, Jonah has a conversion experience.

“I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead and Lord, you heard me. ... my salvation comes from the Lord.” (2: 1, 9) In the depths of his despair, Jonah’s prayer is heard and he is saved from certain death.

However sincere the message, the Continued on page 18

Listowel: St. Joseph’s Sunday ~ 11:00 a.m.

1025 Wallace Avenue N.

Outreach project for February is the Coldest Night of the Y Yeear e walk Contact Alex at: minister.brusselsandblythuc@gmail.com Facebook: Blyth and Brussels United Churche es blythunited@tcc.on.ca ~ 519-523-4224

Website: nhpc.dol.ca

Telephone: 519-357-2435

PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024.

Jonah’s story is a perfect teaching device: Todd Continued from page 17 whole image is a bit fanciful, to say the least; a man - even if you consider him a minor prophet spouting prayerful poems of praise and thanksgiving from the belly of a giant fish! But it gets the message across in a memorable way.

The story itself becomes a teaching device; God is with us even in our misery, and God will provide a way to salvation, however unexpected it may seem to us!

There are lessons to be found in this homespun tale. At first, Jonah

runs away from God’s call to him, a fear that is, when you think about it from his perspective, completely rational. Who willingly really wants to present themselves at their enemy’s feet, preach to them to smarten up, to recant their evil ways? To decide to do so is to purposely put yourself in harm’s way, which logically makes no sense! But, think for a moment.

Have you ever deliberately chosen what you thought was the path of least resistance while suppressing feelings of doubt; that little voice

Let’s get ‘Seussical’ After a week’s delay, due to the inclement weather and missed school days earlier in January, rehearsals have now begun at Hullett Central Public School for Seussical the Musical, which will hit the stage this spring. June Bromley of Blyth, above at the first rehearsal last week, was among the students who will be featured. (Scott Stephenson photo)

inside, telling you it probably wasn’t the way you should be going? I think we’ve all done that at some point in time in our lives. It might have been a major lifechanging event, or maybe something much less important.

Now consider the bigger picture.

What happened? And how did that turn out for you? Sometimes that little voice is God’s voice. When we run from God’s chosen path for us, we can get ourselves into deeper messes than God could ever intend for us - like Jonah, when he wound up overboard!

However, while on board, you could say that Jonah had a change of heart, realizing he was the reason for the calamity that befell the sailors. He took the leap of faith into the waters of the unknown, and God was with him none-the-less, saving him from the mess he had created for himself, and, sure enough, God provided for him.

Well, in this case, God provided a giant fish, but I think you get the point. Essentially God has saved Jonah from himself!

And God tells Jonah a second time, “Go and proclaim to Nineveh”. So, the whole running away, being saved by God in the fish episode has strengthened Jonah’s faith, and he goes to Nineveh, more confident that God will care for him, but he’s still not too comfortable with the idea of this whole proclaiming the message of repentance thing. He doesn’t proclaim from the rooftops, or the synagogues or the city square, or even tell the Ninevites that he’s a prophet speaking the word of God. No, he takes a more subtle approach and just walks about and cries out “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

The impact of this less than impressive prophecy is amazing miraculous you could say, and everyone repents, and the king declares a fast, a period of repentance - no human or animal is to eat or drink and all are wear sackcloth and ashes, the Hebrew way of showing repentance; a

visual way of indicating that they are asking for forgiveness and wish to change their ways. Everything and everyone in the kingdom animals and people - are to repent from their ways of evil and violence, and ask mercy of the Lord.

Again, the story goes to the ridiculous to make the point. Can you imagine withholding feed and water from animals and covering them up with sackcloth and spreading ashes over them? This is imagery to reinforce the lesson. The point is that, even a seemingly minor action, like Jonah’s less than impressive prophetic proclamation, when it is God’s will, can have major significance in people’s lives.

The story tells us that God saw they had turned from their evil ways and so He chose not to bring calamity

upon the city, as Jonah had foretold.

This is a classical Old Testament lesson. Repent, change your ways, and you will be saved from God’s wrath.

God calls each of us to take part in bringing about God’s kingdom.

We can follow the call, or refuse the call and go our own way. But, as Jonah’s story showed us, we are not abandoned by God, even in our wrong decisions. Sometimes God’s way seems at first the harder or more difficult choice, but as Jonah, and we too, may have learned, God’s way for us really is the better path! Either way, God is always with us, even when we mess up!

Jonah learns yet another lesson in Chapter 4 of his story, but I’ll leave that to you to read on your own.

Something to do on some cold and snowy day - read Jonah’s story!

PEOPLE AROUND BELGRAVE

Please bring your report with you to the annual meeting on Feb. 4. The next meeting follows the church service and potluck lunch consisting of finger foods.

Jim Hess will return as the guest speaker on Feb. 4. Everyone is welcome.

Hess speaks at Knox

By Linda Campbell Call 357-2188

The card results for Jan. 26 were: high gold card, Gayle Neil; second high gold card, Fran Breckenridge; most shoots gold card, Joann Ducharme; high white card, Trudy Thomson; second high white card, Al Webster and most shoots white card, Harry Smith.

Cards will be played again on Friday, Feb. 9 at 1 p.m. at the Belgrave Community Centre.

Everyone is welcome.

On Sunday, Jan. 28, Jim Hess was the guest speaker at Knox United Church, Belgrave. His message was entitled “A Compassionate God, Jesus.”

The annual reports and receipts are ready for pick up at the church.

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Blyth BIA rates to increase

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen The Blyth Business Improvement Area (BIA) met for the first time this year on Thursday, Jan. 25 at the Blyth and District Community Centre. The discussion focused largely on tying up loose ends and making plans for moving forward.

Treasurer David Sparling provided the consortium with an update on its finances. Sparling said the BIA’s bank account balance ended 2023 at $20,552.21.

He also indicated that membership dues will increase by the rate of inflation recorded in December of 2023, or approximately four per cent.

The conversation shifted to the possible replacement of Christmas decorations in the village. The BIA has previously discussed replacing dated and worn-out wreaths on multiple occasions over the past several years. Service club representative John Stewart said the topic originally came up while he was still the BIA’s secretary 12 years ago. Stewart suggested that funds be specifically set aside every year to absorb the eventual shock of the expense to replace Blyth’s aging Christmas decorations. Sparling said around $5,000 is already earmarked to acquire fresh festive decor but that won’t be enough to cover the

entirety of the purchase. Current BIA secretary Rachael King said her research into the matter suggests that each replacement wreath will cost approximately $1,500.

On behalf of the Blyth Festival, King proposed an idea for the BIA’s consideration to help promote businesses in Blyth. King said that pieces of cardstock are included in envelopes when physical tickets are sent out to festival goers. The cardstock keeps the tickets secured in place, but King suggested they could also include a promotional element, advertising options to Blyth visitors from all over Ontario, Canada and beyond. BIA Chair Angela Cullen, amenable to the idea, asked if $1,000 would be an appropriate amount to be included in the BIA’s 2024 budget. King confirmed that that amount would produce an ample supply of promotional cardstock.

The discussion continued around other ways the BIA could support the Blyth Festival’s upcoming 50th anniversary season. Sparling said the BIA should capitalize on visitors coming to town who appreciate the uniqueness of the Blyth Festival. Vice-Chair Shane Yerema offered the idea of possibly organizing a reunion of people involved with the festival throughout the years. King confirmed that many ideas are

already in the works and that the Festival’s goal this year is to grow attendance beyond its peak numbers in 2019.

North Huron Deputy-Reeve Kevin Falconer provided an update from North Huron Council.

Falconer said the budget has been approved in principle, council is now meeting in its new chambers, and a new human resources director has been hired and a new recreation director will soon be revealed.

Stewart promoted events being planned by the Blyth Legion and Legion Ladies Auxiliary including a Family Day breakfast on Monday, Feb. 19 and a St. Patrick’s Day elimination draw on March 16.

Penny Chmilar of Penny’s of Blyth is organizing a fundraiser to be held on Feb. 12 in support of the United Way’s Coldest Night of the Year. Chmilar’s event will be a “Loonie-Toonie Auction” held at Blyth’s Trinity Anglican Church.

Admission is $5, doors open at 6 p.m. and the event begins at 7 p.m.

Cullen promoted the upcoming return performance of local band Jelly Bean Blue, which will take the stage at the Blyth Inn on March 15.

The BIA’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Thursday, Feb. 29 at 8 a.m. at the Blyth and District Community Centre.

Vanastra daycare billing sorted

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Huron East Council has voted to move to pre-emptive billing at the beginning of each month for users of the Vanastra Early Childhood Learning Centre beginning in March.

Director of Community Services Lissa Berard presented her report to council at its Jan. 9 meeting, recommending a phasing in of the new billing model, which will replace users being billed for services at the end of each month.

Berard told council that this change was being proposed as a means of mitigating situations in which families were unable to pay for childcare services and the municipality had to track them down to solicit payment once users had fallen into arrears. The change was due to come into effect at the beginning of the year, but some concerned parents spoke to council late last year, asking for relief because the change brought with it too much all at once.

At council’s final meeting of the year, a parent spoke to council and outlined the delay in bills being received by parents. Chief Administrative Officer Brad McRoberts acknowledged that, due to staffing shortages, billing for the centre had been irregular in the late stages of the year, but, attempted to make the case that parents should know that they owed the money for using the services, regardless of when the bill arrived.

The parent said that, due to the billing backlog, users of the centre were charged for a few months all within a short period and then were hit with a “double-whammy” when they received the letter in midDecember that billing would start in 2024 at the beginning of the month, rather than the end. She said this meant that families had to prepare,

on very little notice, to pay for January’s childcare just days after Christmas, which is another financially-challenging time.

She asked for council to consider relief and perhaps a phased-in approach to help families save and prepare for the change in the billing cycle.

As a result, Berard returned with her report on Jan. 9. She recommended issuing the January bill on Jan. 15 with payment due on Jan. 31, the February bill on Feb. 1 with payment due on Feb. 8 and then the March bill issued on March 1 with payment due within the following seven days. After March, the billing cycle will remain consistent with the March schedule, with bills being issued on the first of the month with payment due within the next seven days.

Berard noted in her presentation that prepayment is a relatively standard practice within the daycare world and that the Vanastra centre was actually one of only a few in the area that didn’t charge families ahead of services being rendered.

She also told council that prepayment will assist with staffing, meal planning and more, as the centre will know when to expect which children and when they plan to be absent. “[The Vanastra centre] does operate with a waiting list through the Huron County Child Care Registry, which currently has approximately 200 families on it, and we want to ensure that families that need care are receiving it,” Berard said in her report to council.

“While Huron East is willing to have conversations with families in extenuating circumstances to assist families with a financial plan to bring accounts up to date, Huron East needs to ensure that the spaces in the centre are utilized by families that pay their invoices in a timely manner.”

She also noted that, by billing at the beginning of the month, the municipality will greatly improve its ability to collect funds in a timely manner, reducing the need for writing off unpaid accounts.

“Currently, [the Vanastra centre] has 12 families that have withdrawn [a child] from the centre with an approximate combined balance of $6,000 owing for child care services already received. In addition to families who have withdrawn from the child care [program], there are also seven currently-enrolled families whose accounts have outstanding balances of three to four months. To ensure that [the centre] continues to operate efficiently and effectively, it must be done with parents who keep their accounts in good standing,” Berard said in her report.

“Moving forward with the advance prepay child care system, once it is in full operation, the Municipality of Huron East will have a significantly reduced risk of having to write off delinquent accounts and will be able to build and maintain strong relationships with families at [the Vanastra centre].”

Council approved the new billing structure and schedule with little discussion.

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024. PAGE 19.

Lights, camera...

Last week, some Hullett Central Public School students began work on Seussical the Musical, which will be produced by the group this spring. Principal Lori Stevens led the group for the first day of work on the project after time was lost to inclement weather and snow days. (Scott Stephenson photo)

RETIREMENT ANNOUNCEMENT ANNOUNCE NT from

After 30 years of owning and managing an electrical business, Brian Buffinga will be retiring on March 1, 2024.

In 2015 Brian Buffinga Electrical Controls joined Gaffney Electrical Solutions Ltd in Mitchell. Both companies shared the same belief of providing customers with top quality workmanship and personal customer service with an ĞŵƉŚĂƐŝƐ ŽŶ ŚŽŶĞƐƚLJ ĂŶĚ ŝŶƚĞŐƌŝƚLJ͘ tŝƚŚ ƌŝĂŶ͛Ɛ retirement, these service standards will remain, and our customers will receive the same quality of service and response time they have come to expect.

For all your electrical projects, please call the Mitchell office at 519.348.0505.

The Gaffney Group wishes Brian a very happy retirement.

We thank him for his dedication, leadership and friendship.

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PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024.

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February is Heart & Stroke Month Stadelmann recounts TIA in ’21 TENPAS DECOR about 5:30 p.m. that night and he was on his way home at 10:30 p.m. that same night.

However, there was follow-up and John was sent to Stratford to meet with the stroke team there and that was when he underwent a number of tests, like a CT scan, an EKG and more. The CT scan yielded some interesting results. The doctor told John that he had had “several” TIAs before this one.

He asked John if he had any memory of them and John said he didn’t and the doctor said he wasn’t surprised, telling John that, very often, TIAs happen when someone is sleeping and go undetected by the conscious mind.

From there, he wore a heart monitor for two weeks and followed up with his doctor. The only precaution that was taken during this time was that John was to refrain from driving over the course of the month.

However, when all was said and done, the doctors didn’t find a reason to be concerned about the potential for further TIAs. John and Sheron Stadelmann of Blyth He returned to taking Aspirin daily, a practice going wrong and they called an

By Shawn Loughlin ambulance to the house, which he had been doing for many years The Citizen John says was one of the most before stopping a few years before On Nov. 3, 2021, Blyth’s John important things they did in the incident, which is something he Stadelmann suffered a mini-stroke response to the health incident he can’t help but feel is connected, (formally known as a transient was experiencing. If they had and has been told he’s quite healthy ischaemic attack, or TIA) and, waited any longer or taken an and should live his life as he had much to his surprise, he soon found alternative route to care, he said, been before November of 2021. there’s no telling what could have This, he said, is a testament to his out that it wasn’t the first. relatively healthy life. He said they Avid darters, John and his wife happened.

The responding paramedics took always eat a healthy breakfast and Sheron settled into their evening routine that night to enjoy a happy John’s blood pressure and then watch what they eat, so he was hour drink and five games of darts hooked him up to an IV before happy to hear that he was, already, on their home board together. John loading him into the ambulance doing much of the right things already for his road to recovery. went to retrieve his darts from the destined for Goderich.

John and Sheron will mark their Once John was on the way to board and then record his score, but the first sign that something was Alexandra Marine and General 52nd wedding anniversary on wrong was when he had trouble Hospital in Goderich, Sheron said March 4 and they have since making sense of the numbers and she broke down and cried - worried returned to their robust travel schedule. John says they have calculating his score for the for what the future held for him.

All along the trip, John said the always liked to travel and do so as round.

He eventually figured things out paramedics, whom he says were frequently as they can, though the and returned to the board, but none amazing, kept talking to him, COVID-19 pandemic put a bit of a of his three darts hit the board on engaging him in conversation and kink in those plans. In fact, they his next turn. Sheron asked John if keeping him talking and paying were soon set to head to Cuba, a he was alright and he said he was, attention until they arrived at the destination they’ve visited over 30 times now and to which they are but, after Sheron told him to stop hospital.

Once in Goderich, John spoke always happy to return. fooling around, John’s speech If anything, John’s brush with a began to slur and Sheron grew with a doctor and then was subject concerned as his condition to a number of tests. He had stroke has encouraged the couple improved, so, from then, John to travel more frequently, so, as the continued to subtly degrade.

She then thought to call their didn’t actually spend much more world has returned to its presensibilities, they daughter, Rhonda Ryan, who asked time in the hospital. He and Sheron pandemic to speak with her father. She figure John began exhibiting have made every effort to do just concurred that something was symptoms of suffering a stroke at that.

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