The Citizen - October 20 2023

4 • Editorials 8 • Sports 10 • Citizens of the Year 19 • Entertainment

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Friday, October 20, 2023

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Volume 39 No. 42

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Tractor collision causes major damage in Seaforth

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

Hanging in the balance Just after 8 p.m. last Friday night, a large tractor struck a historic building on Seaforth’s main street, causing major structural damage to it, reaching up to its roof (right). The machine remains wedged under the building with the wheels now in motion to determine what comes

next, how the tractor can be safely removed and if the building, a fixture of Seaforth’s historic main street, will be lost as a result. As of press time, the Ontario Provincial Police had not laid any charges and, miraculously, no one was injured as a result of the crash. (John Stephenson photo)

A large tractor remains wedged beneath a historic building on Seaforth’s main street after the machine struck the building just after 8 p.m. on Friday night.

The collision at the corner of John and Main Streets resulted in a visible crack in the brick at the top of the building and extensive damage to the ground floor of the building, which had housed a business. A residence was located in the upper level of the building.

The residents were home at the time of the collision, but were uninjured.

Ontario Provincial Police have identified the driver of the tractor as a 23-year-old resident of Huron East, who was uninjured as a result of the incident.

The tractor remains wedged underneath the building and police say it will only be removed once it is safe to do so.

A road closure - Main Street (County Road 12) from Highway 8 to Gouinlock Street - remains in effect and the building in question will remain fenced off, according to Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan, until the situation can be properly and safely addressed.

However, pedestrian traffic is being allowed in the surrounding area so people can access local businesses and traffic can reach Main Street via Crombie and Coleman Streets.

“We do not want the building falling down and hurting anybody.

So, we’re going to keep the barricades up, or some agency will, Continued on page 2

Status quo for campground amid cost-saving talk

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen North Huron Council, in its continued pursuit of a reduced operating budget, has turned its attention to the Blyth Campground.

Director of Public Works Gregg Furtney presented a report at a regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 16 that included three possible options for the future of the campground to be considered by council as councillors prepare for the 2024 budget season.

The first option presented was to stick to the status quo, which is a hybrid model of special event and transient camping. This option would have no reduction of expenses or new projects to promote growth. The 2024 budget would still need to consider requirements like proper staffing, a controlled entrance, washroom, lighting and electrical upgrades.

The second option was one of growth and investment, in which North Huron would take the lead in marketing and operating the site as

a transient and seasonal campground. The campground would be treated as a municipallyled business venture. Furtney’s report contends that to properly operate and manage a campground, additional operating and capital budget allowances would need to be approved by council, and it would likely take several years before the campground became revenueand cost-neutral.

Considerations would need to be made for the Huron Pioneer Threshers and Hobby Association, which owns the buildings located at the campground. An estimated minimum investment from North Huron of $500,000 would be needed to make it a full-fledged seasonal and transient campground, and additional seasonal campground staff would need to be hired.

The third option presented was a decrease in the campground’s functionality by transitioning it into a special-event-only campground.

Campsites would be isolated to a smaller space and would only be

used for special events. This would potentially limit the site’s availability to the Blyth Festival during its theatre season. A cost analysis was not done, but presumed reductions in administration and operating costs would be expected. Capital upgrades would also be decreased, and use limited.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Blyth

Festival General Manager Rachael King advocated for the campground’s continued development with support from council. “I encourage council to consider that location’s contribution to both tourism and culture in the township, which are key elements of North Huron’s Strategic Plan,” she stated. “In 2021, with a land use agreement in place with North Huron Council

and financial support from individual donors, and the federal and provincial levels of government, the Harvest Stage was built.”

She reminded council that the Blyth Festival has brought over 20,000 audience members from across the continent to the campground over the past few years. “The site, as it currently Continued on page 20

Alumni Day spans generations

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Alumni Day for the Wingham Ironmen was one to remember, according to President Wayne Johnston, who says it was a perfect way to celebrate the organization’s 50th anniversary season.

The big event went ahead on Saturday at the North Huron Wescast Community Complex with two alumni games ahead of a regular season game between the

current squad and the Mitchell Hawks, which ended in a 4-1 win for the Ironmen. This came before a special concert by local band Weekend Never Ends and a chance for everyone to relax and spend some time with one another.

Johnston said it was great to see a lot of faces he hasn’t seen in a while back in Wingham.

Johnston estimates that each of the four alumni teams that played the two exhibition games before the main event had about 11 or 12

former players on their rosters, meaning that between 40 and 50 players from the past were in attendance for the celebration and willing to strap on their skates and wear the blue and gold once again.

He was also impressed with the range of players who were there.

There was a player from the firstever team in one of the games, all the way up to a player from a team just two years removed from the Continued on page 8

PAGE 2. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023.

MacLellan praises swift action of staff, firefighters Continued from page 1 until that issue is addressed,” MacLellan told CTV on Sunday.

With a large, visible crack in the building, there are concerns among residents and members of Huron East Council that the building will not be able to be saved.

“This was a beautiful building,” MacLellan told CTV. “You can still see the artwork in the brickwork.

It’s unfortunate. And, if we end up losing the building from the corner, well, that would be really unfortunate.”

Provincial Constable Craig Soldan of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says that the investigation is ongoing and more information will follow, though no charges have yet been laid.

At Tuesday night’s Huron East Council meeting, MacLellan commended several members of staff for their swift action as a result of the incident, which he said was the result of a “traffic accident”, which he said not many people

were understanding and that was unfortunate. The cause of the collision, however, has not yet been verified by the OPP. He said that Chief Administrative Officer Brad McRoberts was quick to call together the municipality’s emergency management group and take charge, as he made a note of saying that McRoberts, not him, is in charge of such a situation.

MacLellan then commended the public works staff and local fire departments, including Fire Chief Kent Readman, who he said was at the scene until well into the morning hours of the next day.

Tasks that MacLellan didn’t even consider, he said, were turning off the gas and hydro to the building to prevent further catastrophe. The public works staff was quick to block off the area and divert traffic, he said, which was appreciated.

Now, he said, everyone is just in wait-and-see mode. “We don’t know the end result, but we will find out in time,” he said.

Citizen of the Year night set to return Time will tell After Friday night’s collision in Seaforth, a tractor remains wedged under a historic building on the town’s main street, which sustained heavy damage as a result of the collision. The next steps have still yet to be determined. (John Stephenson photo)

After the success of events in 2018 and 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic put an end to in-person Citizen of the Year Award celebrations, but this year, it’s back!

On Thursday, Nov. 23 in Blyth at Trinity Anglican Church, beginning at 7 p.m., this year’s Citizen of the

Year Award winners will be celebrated and everyone is invited to attend. Not only that, winners from 2020, 2021 and 2022 will also be recognized that night after inperson events weren’t able to be held in those years.

North Huron Publishing will Continued on page 3

Upco p ming Eventts in H Hurron East

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. PAGE 3.

County council reflects on communications at meeting

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Huron County Council wants to improve the lines of communication between the county and its residents - a discussion spurred on by a presentation from Jim Seale regarding the ongoing Libraries Transforming Communities project.

Seale spoke to council at its Oct. 4 meeting, reflecting on the progress made in 2023 and looking ahead to what’s still to come.

He told council that the project really began to take shape between 2017 and 2020. However, the final stages of the project were stopped in their tracks by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.

He told council that returning to the work was “imperative” and that meant that the library system in Huron County needed to better focus on the aspirations of those in the community, which meant a shift from a reactive model to a proactive one.

This year, Seale said, the project initiated 10 community conversations, nine of which took place in library branches throughout the community. The last one took place virtually and over

100 people took part in all of the sessions.

Seale told councillors that it’s clear that the role of libraries in communities have transformed drastically in the last 20 years, moving from providing books to the community to becoming sort of a hub for residents for everything from services to internet access, though supplying reading material to residents remains one of its core activities.

Stemming from the discussions, Seale said, one of the most consistent themes being heard was that there was a lack of communication throughout the county on everything from services to community events. He added that there is also trouble attracting volunteers among the younger generation of residents, people missing local services and a distrust of government, while also providing a welcoming, safe, vibrant and inclusive community.

He said the county needs to be intentionally welcoming newcomers and create an “organization of organizations” to further foster collaboration and the sharing of information.

Since the sessions, Seale says he and the rest of his team have shared

the information gleaned from the sessions with the community and departments throughout the county, in addition to using it to inform the writing of the library system’s new strategic plan and to inform library programming and policy updates.

He told council that there are two ways to move forward, to either focus on specific communities or on a specific topic, because doing “everything” throughout the county would be impossible to do effectively. He said the project is unable to focus in-depth on any one community and that the project needed to ensure that it was not spreading itself too thin. He also said there are challenges in ensuring that diversity is being represented.

Seale added that it’s important to bring community members in to be part of the process and that it’s “crucial” to ensure that diversity is being represented throughout the process.

Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn thanked Seale for the report and stood by the project’s findings on communication. He said that throughout the most recent municipal election, as he connected with residents, again and again he heard that people didn’t know about

‘COTY’ night on Nov. 23 Continued from page 2 celebrate Huron County Citizen of the Year Wayne Clausius, Blyth Citizens of the Year Joe Gahan and Megan Lee-Gahan and Brussels Citizen of the Year Award winner Roxane Nicholson (see pages 10 and 11 for full stories on this year’s three winners) that night and present them with their plaques.

Also being honoured that night will be: 2020 winners, Annie

Sparling in Blyth and the late Bob Kellington in Brussels; 2021 winners, Zoellyn Onn in Brussels and the late David Cartwright in Blyth, and the 2022 winners, Lissa Kolkman in Blyth, Margaret McInroy in Brussels and Karen Webster from the Wingham area, the first-ever Huron County Citizen of the Year Award winner.

The event will feature several presentations detailing the work

and volunteerism of the winners and some light refreshments.

Everyone is welcome to come and celebrate volunteerism within Huron County with The Citizen.

The Citizen has been handing out Citizen of the Year Awards for nearly 40 years. Winners are nominated by members of the community and then chosen by a panel comprised of the past five winners of the award.

certain actions by council, community initiatives or more.

He said that while his municipality, as well as the county, have worked tirelessly to communicate with residents, there is no silver bullet, even going so far as to say that some residents were missing information that was mailed directly to them with their tax bills - seemingly the most failsafe method.

He suggested that the county consider the creation of an ad-hoc committee to consider a new “onestop shop” for communication for all things throughout the county that residents can trust, spearheaded by the county. He said it’s imperative that the county “gets this figured out” to better communicate with residents.

Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan concurred. He said things were easier when each community turned to its local newspaper, but with the internet, social media and the fragmenting of the local media landscape, it’s now much more complicated to reach people effectively.

Goderich Mayor Trevor Bazinet agreed, suggesting town hall-style sessions as a potential starting point

to further connect with the community on this topic.

Bluewater Mayor Paul Klopp, however, disagreed, saying the county can only do so much in regards to communicating with residents and that people needed to do their fair share as well.

He said it was right there in Seale’s report that people were not as engaged in volunteerism and their communities as they could be.

Perhaps if they were, more information would flow and, furthermore, people would feel more welcome in their communities as well.

Klopp also lamented what he perceived as a shift in new focus using a farm-focused newspaper as an example. He felt there used to be fact-based articles, complemented by opinion pages, but that opinions had seeped into the supposed factbased articles, making such coverage more difficult to trust due to political slant.

He said he didn’t think a special community was warranted.

However, when discussion shifted to a staff report on simply how to better communicate with residents, he said he was in favour of it, as was the rest of council.

Why? (Arthur Pink) Instead of a river, God often gives us a brook — which may be running today, and dried up tomorrow.

Why? To teach us not to rest in our blessings — but in the blesser Himself.

“Hold me up — and I shall be safe!” Psalm 119:117 “So do not fear — for I am with you! Do not be dismayed — for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand!” Isaiah 41:10 A Grace Gem Submitted by: Immanuel United Reformed Church, Listowel, ON 519-492-1359

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Autumn + Orchard + Equines Tony McQuail takes visitors on a horse-drawn wagon ride at Meeting Place Organic Farm near St. Helens on Saturday, Oct. 14. Meeting Place was one of the destinations on a “Farm Crawl” tour organized by Eat Local Huron. Other participating farms included Firmly Rooted in Belgrave, Capella Meadows in Brussels and Cedarvilla Angus Farms in (John Stephenson photo) Zurich.

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PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023.

Editorials & Opinions

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

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Look hard - the good is there If ever there were a time when keeping up with current events could be considered an occupational hazard for a news organization, this is it.

It’s hard to watch a news broadcast without being bombarded by heartbreaking images of war across the world. From the Ukraine to the Middle East, the average internet surfer or television watcher is inundated with the most heinous acts that humans inflict on each other over territory and religion, leaving us feeling helpless. Even after passing the headlines, the news is usually about catastrophes, crime and political upheaval, which moves us into a state of hopelessness.

But not all news is bad, and, even if you have to look a little harder, there are still people out there trying to spread a message of hope.

Take for instance, Jane Goodall, who at 89 years of age, made the news last week as she landed in Toronto to speak her message of hope in the face of a loss of biodiversity amid climate change. She works with youth to spark their hope for a better tomorrow and to inspire them to create the change needed to protect the earth and the life that needs it.

After decades of work in conservationism, she continues to tour the world 300 days a year, spreading her particular brand of optimism.

Light-hearted pieces are needed to break up the monotony of tragedy in the news. It’s always been important to balance the headlines, but now more than ever, community newspapers can provide a reprieve with stories on community champions, organizations, events and sports. Our mental health relies on good news stories to stem that hopelessness. – DS

The art life On the weekend of Nov. 3-5, members of the U11 Rep Blyth Brussels Crusaders will be in Goderich to play in the Ryan O’Reilly Tournament - a chance to compete in that most sacred of Canadian sports in the name of a Huron County native who won the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2019 with the St. Louis Blues.

What a day it was when O’Reilly brought the cup to Goderich, Clinton and Seaforth, so local players and fans could lay hands on hockey’s Holy Grail (and the handiwork of Blyth’s late Ernie Phillips).

It aspired to convince the hockey-playing youth of today that they could be the Stanley Cup winners of tomorrow.

This is the same work being done by the Huron County Museum in bringing a George Agnew Reid painting to Goderich - but for the art students of today. To see the work of a world-renowned artist, who was born in the Wingham area, shows the young artists of the community that there is a non-traditional career path waiting for them if they choose to follow their passion and work hard to achieve their goals.

While work has been done to immortalize the work of Nobel Prizewinning author Alice Munro, who was born in Wingham and lived much of her life in Clinton, frankly, it’s hasn’t been nearly enough. The young writers of Huron County should be engaging with her work.

So, thanks to the museum for bringing this work of art to Huron County. The plans to build programming around it are promising. We can only hope that such work continues to expand. As the Marian Wright Edelman quote goes, “You can’t be what you can’t see.” – SL

Ready for our close-up Now that the Hollywood writers’ strike is over, Eastern Ontario’s leaders are pitching a bold vision: a $25 million annual commitment from the provincial government to reinvigorate the local economy by strategically investing in film and television production in their region.

The plan revolves around the creation of a South Eastern Ontario Production Accelerator Fund, with the expectation of economic growth and job creation. Lights… Camera… Belleville.

The successful example set by Northern Ontario serves as a guide for its southern counterparts to follow. The province has prioritized developing cultural industries in the north, propelling it to become one of the country’s busiest film and television production hubs, complete with incentives that lure creative professionals. Production of the hit TV show Letterkenny, based on a fictionalized version of Listowel, has thrived in Sudbury due to those incentives. Plans are in the works to open new studios to increase Northern Ontario’s capacity for making movie magic. The future’s looking very bright for “Hollywood North, North”.

Why isn’t Western Ontario knocking on the same door? The opportunity is here, the blueprint is set and the potential for growth is vast. The pioneering success of Goderich’s Faux Pop Media shouldn’t be an anomaly in this area; it should be a building block. Canadian independent film director Matt Johnson, an ascendant talent on the verge of conquering Hollywood, has said that he would like to edit all of his future films in Huron County. Huron County should want that too.

The landscape of Western Ontario is extraordinarily beautiful, the workforce is dynamic and dedicated, and creative talent is available in spades. It’s time to step into the spotlight, make the investments, and ensure Western Ontario becomes the star, not the audience. – SBS

Looking Back Through the Years October 20, 1966 On Saturday, Oct. 15, friends and family gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Wheeler to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.

The celebration began with a delicious turkey dinner and a threetiered wedding cake for the immediate family at 5 p.m.

Later in the evening, relatives came together to play cards.

Mildred and Jack were presented with numerous lovely gifts and expressed their gratitude for the warm wishes and generosity.

“Canada’s Country Gentleman” Tommy Hunter, kicked off the second season of his own show on CBC Television. The program was now broadcast in colour with Hunter joined by Pat Hervey, The Rhythm Pals, Jim Perrie, Al Cherney and Bert Niosi’s orchestra.

The engagement of Mary Louise Harman, the elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William George Harman of Brussels, to Clifford Dawson Lamb, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Alfred Lamb of Hertfordshire, England, residing in Port Credit, was announced. The wedding ceremony was scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 12 at 4 p.m., to be held at Knox Presbyterian Church in Bluevale.

October 20, 1976 The Huron County Library system was projected to exceed its budget by an estimated $15,000 to $20,000 by year-end. Librarian Bill Partridge explained that this overspending could be attributed in part to a carry-over deficit of $58,800 from 1975. Additionally, the rising costs of books, with an increase ranging between eight and 10 per cent, was identified as another contributing factor.

Grace and Charlie Procter, a

recently married couple, were honoured guests, as around 30 friends and neighbours gathered at the Procter residence on the evening of Friday, Oct. 15. The gathering was to warmly welcome Grace, a native of Paisley, Scotland, into their community and extend congratulations to the couple on their recent marriage.

Following a pleasant social hour, Robert Procter delivered an address and Howard Wilkinson presented the couple with a lovely mirror as a gift. The evening concluded with the neighbouring ladies serving delicious refreshments.

The Auburn baseball banquet took place on Thursday, Oct. 7, where 160 players, coaches and parents gathered to share a potluck supper. Rev. St. Jean led the Grace before the meal.

After the dinner, Mr. James Towe, who served as the chairman of the recreation committee, expressed his gratitude to Mr. Glen Webster for his dedicated efforts in organizing baseball activities for the village during the past season.

October 21, 1998 The Kindergarten students at Walton Public School focused their studies on the letter “I”. As part of this learning experience, they created delicious ice cream sandwiches using chocolate wafers and ice cream. Additionally, they crafted insects using pompoms, pipe cleaners and googly eyes.

On Oct. 18, at Duff’s United Church, Brian and Brandon McGavin took on the role of greeters. Rev. James Murray extended a warm welcome to all attendees and initiated the service with a call to worship.

During the service, the junior choir of the church performed

“Come Lord Jesus” with sign language.

Following the resolution of negotiations with secondary school teachers, modifications were implemented to class schedules, leading to the cancellation or consolidation of some course sections. At F.E. Madill Secondary School in Wingham, Principal Wayne Tessier noted that no day school classes were canceled during the first semester, but two co-op sections were merged.

Early Sunday morning, OPP officers responded to a vehicle theft in Brussels, with sirens breaking the quiet around 4 a.m. A 1991 GMC Jimmy was reported stolen from Main Street. The chase led to a power u-turn in Brussels, where the vehicle broke down, and a 16year-old male was apprehended around 6:30 a.m.

The young offender faced charges, including theft of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property, dangerous driving and failing to stop for a police officer.

October 17, 2013 During the final Brussels Farmers’ Market of the season, Brussels United Church conducted a bake sale to generate funds for the church.

Over the weekend, the Wingham Ironmen secured wins against the Kincardine Bulldogs and the Mitchell Hawks.

On Saturday, the Blyth Scouts were highly active. They began by selling apples throughout the village and later engaged in treeplanting at Gary Courtney’s residence on Scott Line.

North Huron Council approved the purchase of a new four-wheel drive utility tractor for Blyth at a meeting held on Oct. 7.

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. PAGE 5.

Other Views

We pay a price for less democracy

A

s Canadians struggle to come up with a just, and civilized, position on the current war between Israel and the Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip, one of the things that may trip the balance is that Israel purports to be a democracy, while the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and all of the neighbours of the Palestinian states, pay no attention to democracy. Of course like most countries, Israel plays the democracy card, while often not being very democratic.

Democracy got its beginning in the region in ancient Athens, Greece, where the name comes from as a form of government in which one man in every 10 was chosen to take part in making decisions. Such democracy is hardly ever seen today. In Canada, we have systematically reduced the participation of the general public during my lifetime.

When I was a child, we had a local school board for every rural one-room school and local men (it was seldom women in the 1950s) took turns sitting on the boards of these schools. My father took his turn, not because he was anxious to participate, but because it was a responsibility that you owed to your community. We didn’t even have an operating schoolhouse anymore. Our school board, when my father was a trustee, purchased transportation to take us kids to the big school in Lucknow.

I was in high school in the 1960s when the provincial government decided that the oneroom elementary schools would be closed and each township would have a central school for kids to attend. There would be one school board for the entire township, reducing the need for local people to sit as trustees.

I was a young reporter in the early 1970s when the government whittled down participation in school decision-making to

Keith Roulston From the cluttered desk county school boards, reducing the sense of responsibility for our schools. Later, Huron and Perth Counties were linked in one board and our sense of “ownership” of our local schools was reduced even further (to the point we had no control when the board combined schools in Blyth, Brussels and East Wawanosh in a new school in Wingham). There have been persistent rumours about a board representing four counties, but, so far, it hasn’t happened. If it does, few of us will feel any control over our schools. Democracy in our schools will have died.

Regional government had been much slower to arrive - often beaten back when earlier proposed. But the Mike Harris government finally imposed reform two decades ago, reducing governments for villages like Blyth and Brussels to larger governments, involving fewer local decision-makers.

I had covered both Blyth and Brussels Village Councils (and now and then township governments in Morris, East Wawanosh, Hullett and McKillop). I saw the way people participated, the sense people had that they were a vocal part of the decision-making process. Now, they feel isolated, that running their community is not part of their duty anymore.

I saw how the old system worked because I covered councils, and because I was active in

the community. I had been impressed with Blyth Memorial Community Hall almost from the first moment I came to the village, having seen a concert there when I sought to impress people with the photos we could easily include in the new printing process we would use.

I was astounded by the building, which had been constructed by the community as its memorial to the community’s soldiers who had died in World War I. By the 1970s, the hall had deteriorated and most of the activity was confined to the basement meeting room. I began lobbying to make the theatre active again, dangling the possibility in front of Paul Thompson of Theatre Passe Muraille before it was decided that the entire roof would need to be replaced before the upstairs hall could be used again. After much discussion, with the support of the local Legion and Women’s Institute, Blyth Village Council decided to go ahead with the new roof. The very next summer, in 1975, the Blyth Summer Festival began.

If the same decision faced Blyth today, would a distant council in Wingham be persuaded to make the immense decision to invest a significant amount of money in a building that was little used? Certainly North Huron Council invested a lot of money to help a Blyth committee renovate the Hall a decade ago. But since then, it has given management of the hall to the Blyth Festival, which has reduced use of the building from a community possession to the Festival’s home base, refusing to host concerts that now find a location in Wingham’s town hall, with a loss to local Blyth businesses.

Whether we know it or not, we’ve paid a price for the loss of democracy. Big wars can show this loss, but so can smaller decisions at the community level.

Summer: A time for traditional traditions

T

he Integrity Commissioner’s Report on whether The Pumpkin is actually just The Chaff is complete and provided in its entirety below: Investigating Officer: Dervid Hamson Executive Summary: This report delves into the complex interplay between The Pumpkin and The Chaff, a seemingly ludicrous expedition into the realm of newspaper columns. Our primary objective is to dissect the perplexing origins, authorship and the inexplicable transformation leading to the emergence of The Pumpkin.

Introduction: The inception of this inquiry was spurred by a surge in public conjecture. A significant portion of the populace has put forth the notion that The Pumpkin is an incongruous offshoot of The Chaff. The persistence of these claims prompted our intervention. This peculiar narrative commences on Sept. 22, 2023 when Scott Stephenson’s column, The Chaff, curiously invited the Devil to comment on the phenomenon of autumn tree colour change.

Subsequently, an enigmatic sequence of events unfolded, culminating in the creation of The Pumpkin, allegedly authored by a nervous young demon from Hell named Ignatius Grimwort.

Findings: Existence of The Chaff: Our investigation definitively affirms the existence of The Chaff as a newspaper column authored by Scott Stephenson. Known for its unconventional and idiosyncratic approach to diverse subjects, this column predates the advent of The Pumpkin.

Existence of The Pumpkin: Contrary to the assertions made by The Pumpkin that it has always been the exclusive column, our inquiry challenges this narrative. It appears that The Pumpkin is a relatively recent addition to the newspaper landscape, with no verified

Scott Stephenson / Igantius Grimwort The Chaff and/or The Pumpkin existence preceding the events leading to its emergence.

Identity of Ignatius Grimwort: In the course of our investigation, we have unearthed substantial information pertaining to Ignatius Grimwort. He emerges as a figure endowed with knowledge and capacities that defy the norms of human comprehension. His role in the transition from The Chaff to The Pumpkin is an essential revelation.

Transformation of Scott Stephenson: Our inquiry suggests a transformation so surreal that it transcends conventional understanding.

It is believed that Ignatius Grimwort assumed control of Scott Stephenson’s body and identity, resulting in the creation of The Pumpkin. The precise mechanisms governing this transformation remain an enigma.

Investigative Process and the Unveiling of Ignatius Grimwort: Our investigative process involved a scrupulous analysis of historical records, column archives and interviews with individuals intimately connected to both The Chaff and The Pumpkin. The process included a comprehensive examination of the language, style and content of both columns, highlighting disparities and parallels that confound conventional logic.

The turning point in our investigation materialized during an exclusive interview with the Devil himself. The Devil, while maintaining his characteristic cryptic demeanour, significantly contributed to our

comprehension of the situation. He was also quite hilarious and very, very charming. Really cool guy! After the interview, we just hung out and chilled for, like, three or four hours.

Recommendations: Clarification of Authorship: To alleviate the bewilderment surrounding the column’s origins, we recommend that those responsible for The Pumpkin provide a lucid and transparent account of its authorship and editorial structure. This measure is imperative to dispel any misconceptions.

Further Investigation: Given the convoluted circumstances, the involvement of the Devil (shout out, bro!) and Ignatius Grimwort, and Scott Stephenson’s transformation that eludes comprehension, we strongly advocate for an extended investigation. This is essential to substantiate the claims and plunge deeper into the depths of this baffling scenario.

Collaboration on The Chumpkin: In an endeavour to reconcile the absurdities brought to light through this investigation, it is recommended that Scott Stephenson and Ignatius Grimwort collaborate on a column, tentatively titled The Chumpkin. This unusual collaboration may provide an opportunity to unravel the mysteries that surround their respective columns.

Conclusion: The mystery enveloping The Pumpkin and The Chaff endures. The circumstances of their creation, Ignatius Grimwort’s involvement, and Scott Stephenson’s transformation are as confounding as an abstract artwork. Further investigation is warranted to fathom the deeper layers of this inexplicable situation. In the spirit of co-operation, the recommendation for a joint column, The Chumpkin, is extended in the hope of unraveling the mysteries that underlie this peculiar narrative.

THIS IS THE END… OF REPORT

Shawn Loughlin Shawn’s Sense

National Hate League

B

ack in March when a handful of hockey players said they would not be wearing Pride-themed jerseys, there was a fair bit of debate. As a result, the National Hockey League (NHL) brought in a wholesale ban on any themed jerseys, including Pride jerseys.

At the time, players cited their allegiance to a higher power (God for Christians who use religion as a vehicle to hate people, Vladimir Putin for Russians who think that trash bag is awesome) and freedom of speech as reasons to not wear the jerseys. Now, however, players who want to have the freedom to adorn their sticks with Pride-themed tape are out of luck.

The NHL has informed its 32 teams that Pride tape is not to be used on players’ sticks.

In March, when I (on behalf of our editorial board) wrote to denounce former Maple Leaf goaltender James Reimer for pulling the Jesus card as a way of telling a certain kind of person to hit the bricks, I received letters saying that Reimer was free to express his belief on the matter and that he did so with humility and respect. This religion-based bigotry came, as it often does, with a smile, along with an assurance that the writer most certainly stood by the letter, but asked it not be printed.

The point was made that no player should have to celebrate something they themselves didn’t believe in. Now, players who do believe in something aren’t allowed to celebrate it either - on the strict orders from the league.

No doubt we’ll see more letters about how, somehow, this is the right thing to do. Just let them play hockey - keep politics out of it.

Reimer should be happy too. Now playing for the Detroit Red Wings, he won’t have to stare at those awful, hurtful rainbow-taped sticks scoring three-and-a-half goals per game on him. And while this may satisfy a few members of North Huron Council, there has been backlash among people with solid footing in reality and no hate in their hearts. Many organizations have decried the move and some players have said that they’ll do as they please.

Professional sports leagues are among the final frontiers for inclusion when it comes to the LGBTQ community. Sports have often been described as the ultimate meritocracy - an idea that echoes in the famous “You Can Play” initiative, which launched back in 2012. If you can play, so it goes, you can play. However, gay players in men’s professional sports are almost non-existent. Publicly, anyway.

Four per cent of Canadians identify as being a member of the LGBTQ community (Statistics Canada). There should be dozens of gay players in professional hockey, baseball, basketball and football leagues. Not so much.

The backlash from closed-minded sports fans, sponsors, teammates, coaches and owners is enough to keep players from living their life to its full extent and the NHL has finally had the courage to pull the curtain back and show the world just how homophobic it is.

Critics of inclusionary practices have often said that the world, especially North America, is inclusive. Everyone has the same rights, they say, so why make a big show of it?

That couldn’t be further from the truth. The minds of many are closing off to the world around them. In Canada, crime against the LGBTQ community was up 64 per cent in 2021. Crimes based on religion (Muslim and Jewish faiths were singled out by Statistics Canada) were up 67 per cent. All hate crime is up 21 per cent. Don’t spew this garbage any longer. People do not feel welcome and moves like this are a huge part of the problem. Just let them play hockey? That’s all people want to do. But, bigots are standing in their way.

PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023.

At the Branch

Competitions coming

In the name of safety For Fire Safety Week, area fire departments held special open houses events in Wingham, Blyth and Brussels, above. Firefighters were on hand for demonstrations, games and giveaways to spread the word about fire safety and all the volunteer firefighters do to help their communities. (John Stephenson photo)

Gardening through history A NOTE FROM BETTY

By Betty Graber Watson Call 887-9231 A poem on the back of the program for “An Afternoon of Music” covered the reasons people came to Melville Presbyterian Church on Sunday. Those words connected rhythm and spirit, cheer and connection with music; a needed friend.

The planners kept that in mind as swing, spiritual, nostalgic and barbershop were but just a few of the selections offered. Each offering was well received. Thanks to the planners: Shirley, Mary, Jim, Margaret and Alex, and especially the talented participants, including the Seaforth Harmony Kings, for sharing their gifts for a lovely afternoon.

If the downtown area feels naked, it’s because the overflowing flower

boxes have been put away for the winter. For me, the down side of autumn is tossing the flowers while they still look good. Oh yes, I know the other choice is a mess, but it still makes me a little sad to see the pretties hit the dump. The amount of green garbage that is in our green dump amazes me and it makes me extremely thankful we have a spot for community composting.

As I re-pot the flowers that stay in the house for the winter, I have a good memory time. A plant from Helen Gallop has been rooted many times, shared and lives on. A pretty from Jeanette Boynton is divided and brought in with hope that it will live for a few more years.

And then there is George. A hibiscus given to the Hetherington family in 1986 for Dad’s funeral is well loved. It spends each summer in the flower bed. In October George gets a trim, new earth and it lives on. For a while I was convinced that George knew to bloom on special occasions weddings, anniversaries - now I just appreciate that George lives and blooms for another year.

I found the Kinburn Hall on Sunday. Actually, I had never been

to Kinburn, but to celebrate with Ken Hunking, I found it. Lots of family and friends from 80 years gathered to recount the stories that Ken brought to our lives.

Connections are what make life interesting and, in his 80 years, Ken has made good connections. Now living in Sepoy Manor in Lucknow, connections keep on growing with Ken. Annual meetings are held after the year-end to review the business and plan for the future. The 5 R’s started in the Mitchell building in September of 1991 - yes, 1991 - and so the board is inviting you to its annual general meeting to be held in the Mennonite church on Nov. 29. Check at the store for details, but, if you wish to be a member, you need to buy a membership at least two weeks prior to that date.

The economy of the 1990s was the impetus for our store and is now very relevant again. The new twist for thrift shops is concern for the environment and offers a fun and easy way to reduce our impact on it.

Our 5 R’s theme of the 1990s remains relevant: Reduce, reuse, recycle, reclaim and rejoice.

Bye now. Betty GW

BY JO-ANN MCDONALD The Catch the Ace draw on Friday evening was conducted by Kathy, Deb and Nanci. The lucky weekly winner was Jim Brown and he won $158.99. He chose envelope number 25 and the four of hearts was revealed.

The estimated jackpot could be $5,000. Get your ticket today at all the usual outlets in Brussels.

Friday night was the first of the monthly euchre tournaments at the Branch. There were 38 teams hoping to be the best of the bunch.

The first-place team was Brock and Mitch, second place went to Rosie and Kevin and third-place winners were Rob and Rein. The lone hand prize went to Kaytee and Kansis.

The next euchre is planned for Nov. 3 and the sheet is filling up fast, so call the Branch to reserve your spot. It should be a great night and a lot of fun.

It is fast approaching November and Remembrance Day which means it’s also time for the Remembrance Day poster, essay and poem competition, sponsored by the Royal Canadian Legion. This contest is open to all school-aged children with prize money for the winning entries. There are four division groups: Primary (Grades 13; Junior (Grades 4-6), Intermediate (Grades 7-9) and Senior (Grades 10-12). There are categories for the artist, the writers and even the videographers. Posters can be black and white, 22” by 28” done in pencil. Colour posters, any medium, no canvas, 22” by 28”.

Those who love to write may create a poem, typed, to a maximum of 32 lines, or an essay, typed, on one side of a page. Word counts are: Junior, 350; Intermediate, 500, and Senior,

800. If video is your thing, it can be individual or group and the content has to be “Remembrance Day” themed. The video can be uploaded to YouTube and students from Grades 4-12 can participate.

A registration form is required, completed and signed by a parent.

There are to be no names on the front of entry, with the name, age and grade on the back with the registration form attached with a paperclip.

For more information or a registration form, contact the Brussels Legion at 519-887-6562, Nanci Ducharme, Youth Chairman, at 519-531-1205 or your school.

Entries will be accepted at the Legion until Nov. 9.

Don’t forget Two Broads and a Guitar are at the Branch tonight, Oct. 20. Come on and enjoy the music of these talented ladies.

NEWS FROM BRUSSELS

Brussels Legion 218 Catch the Ace Weekly Winner Winning Ticket: Jim Brown, $158.99 Envelope #25 found the 4 of Hearts Next estimated jackpot is $5,000

Brussels Legion 218 presents

Two Broads and a Guitar Friday, October 20 Come one come all and enjoy the music of these talented ladies.

Downstairs at the Legion from 7:30-11:30 p.m.

HEY SNOWBIRDS! Stay up-to-date on the news at home by switching your regular subscription to our E-edition while you are away

Kings of harmony The Seaforth Harmony Kings were among the musicians who performed on Sunday at Melville Presbyterian Church in Brussels for a special afternoon of music, which was enjoyed by the dozens who took the time to be in attendance. (John Stephenson photo)

Call or email us today 519-523-4792 info@northhuron.on.ca

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. PAGE 7.

Blyth Library to host Story Time Oct. 28 From Marilyn’s Desk

By Marilyn Craig Call 523-9318

Under construction The intersection of County Road 4 (London Road) and County Road 25 (Blyth Road) just south of Blyth is undergoing a much needed make-over to improve sightlines for drivers in an effort to increase safety at the juncture. (Shawn Loughlin photo)

The Reading Web with Cindy Norgate

C

hildhood fears. The recent attacks in the Middle East have caused me to think about fears I had as a child. I mention my childhood a lot because, if I can see life through children’s lenses, then I am more capable of understanding at least a small portion of what they are feeling. Somehow, my hope is, in a sometimes difficult world, I can be a beacon of hope, and so can you.

In 1978, Jim Jones was continuing to recruit members for the People’s Temple. As I walked past our rather large coloured television that sat on our living room floor one evening, I heard Walter Cronkite reporting on this particular travesty. My mind began to whirl in a cloud of confusion. I remember thinking, “I wonder if this man will come and take me away from my parents.” I never expressed this concern to them, however, the fear was real.

A few days after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, I sat in a local restaurant having coffee. I overheard two couples discussing the horrific event. Laura Bush, the First Lady, had appeared on television the night before to offer suggestions to parents which could be used to ease the fears of their children. One of the women at the table said, “Children really can’t pick up on that sort of thing. I don’t know why they spent that amount of time on television for this.” My heart began to hurt because I knew I had a similar fear in the late 1970s; a genuine fear of uncertainty about my well-being.

An article published by the National Library of Medicine in 2016 stated, “Indirect exposure to terrorism acts and threats through the media affects the mental health of children, in both short- and longterm ways that differ completely from the effects in adults.

Children’s vulnerability, immaturity, and developmental

state change their perspective, and the tools used to confront these issues do not affect each child equally.” This week, I want to share a few ways through discussion and literature you can ease your child’s mind and heart when it seems the world is unraveling like a ball of yarn.

One of my favourite pieces of advice I found during my research came from an article entitled, “Children and Scary News Events”

by Dr. Steven Richfield. (2019) It suggests, “Open dialogue is the best internet net.” Having a frank conversation by asking higherorder-thinking questions is crucial to opening the door for meaningful dialogue. If your child heard disturbing news, ask the question over their favourite snack or at mealtime and say, “How did this news make you feel?” or ask him or her to retell you the news story.

Oftentimes, children will retell a disturbing tale that could have been distorted by peers who were trying to reveal the “shock of the day”.

This is your chance to “set the record straight”.

Our featured book this week is All About Worries and Fears, written by Felicity Brooks. (2022) “There can be a lot to worry about when you are little, from monsters under the bed to Monday’s math test, but one person’s scary spider is another’s perfect pet, so how can we learn to stop everyday fears and worries from growing out of proportion or even overwhelming us? This book helps children understand why we have different fears and worries and the physical effects they can have on our bodies.

It then offers all sorts of fun and helpful activities and strategies to help manage and even overcome them.” (dillydallykids.ca) Felicity Brooks is an Editorial Director and writer at Usborne Publishing. Her books have won the TES Senior Information Book

Award, the Aventis Science Books Prize, the SLA Information Book Award, the Sheffield Baby Books Award and Practical Pre-school Gold and Silver Awards according to goodreads.com.

As I leave it here for this week, I want to urge you to sit and think about what fears you had as a child.

Then, whether the fear is a big news story or something as simple as a monster under the bed, I ask you to take the time to look at life through a child’s eyes.

“I spent my childhood learning how to fear and now I spend adulthood learning how not to.” Gemma Troy

Happy birthday to Randy Fraser, who celebrates on Oct. 18; Joyce Craig of Wingham, who will celebrates on Oct. 19; Cliff Snell, who will celebrate on Oct. 22; Kennan MacDonald, who will celebrate on Oct. 23; Carson Lee, who will celebrate on Oct. 24; Chad Haggitt, who will celebrate on October 25; John Nesbit, who will celebrate his 75th birthday also on Oct. 25 and Matt Bromley of Belgrave, who will celebrate on Oct. 26. Enjoy your special day, everyone.

Happy 60th wedding anniversary to Brenda and Mac Brooks, who will celebrate on Oct. 24.

Twenty-eight family members of the Craig family met for a potluck lunch on Sunday, Oct. 15 at the home of Joye (Craig) and Murray Kane in the Fullarton area. Those in attendance travelled from Detroit, Windsor, Chatham, London, Mitchell, Stratford and Blyth. The afternoon was spent reminiscing and updating the family tree.

Come out to Monday Morning Smile at Blyth Trinity Anglican Church for coffee or tea and a cookie or two from 10-11:30 a.m.

Join in the laughter and fun.

Remember that it is Story Time with Ms. Cindy at the Blyth Library on Oct. 28. This month the theme is Halloween.

Mother Nature continues to paint a beautiful colourful fall, as you drive through the countryside the leaves on the trees are still revealing their reds, yellows and oranges. We are lucky to live in Huron County and have all the bushes dressed in their fall colours.

On Tuesday, as I prepared the news for the week, the sun was shining and enhancing the colours of the season. The daytime temperatures are staying relatively warm and the overnight temperature have yet to get down to freezing in this area.

Stay safe and have a good week.

Give someone a call to let them know you are thinking of them.

NEWS FROM BLYTH

ESTATE FIREARMS SPECIALISTS FIREARMS WANTED FOR OUR 2023 AUCTION PROGRAM

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Photography by Sylvia Nonkes

PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023.

Sports

Ironmen triumph in Alumni Day game over Hawks

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen The Wingham Ironmen are now in fifth place in the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s North Pollock Division after a two-win weekend that included the team’s Alumni Day - a cornerstone of its 50th anniversary season celebrations.

The team played both of its weekend games in Wingham, first defeating the Goderich Flyers by a score of 4-2, followed by a 4-1 win over the Mitchell Hawks.

Friday the 13th proved not to be very scary at all in Wingham, as just one penalty - a holding call on Wingham’s Josh Pham at 18:11 of the second period - was called in the game’s entire 60 minutes.

The Ironmen opened the scoring thanks to a Jesse Coombs goal at 6:19 of the first period, assisted by

Keaton VanDerHoek. The Flyers, however, would equalize at 17:14 thanks to Tyson Rintoul scoring his first goal of the season, assisted by Cameron McCarthy and Cohen LeSouder.

Goderich then pulled ahead with the first goal of the second period, scored by Brady Fraser and assisted

by Owen Shore at 2:27 of the frame. However, it was all Ironmen from there, with Noah Wettlaufer evening the score at 11:53 of the second period, assisted by Micah Kraayenbrink and Coleson Fischer.

Jesse Coombs would score the winner - his second of the season and second of the game - for the Ironmen at 12:25 of the third period, assisted by Josh Dales and Brandon Bishop, followed by an unassisted empty-net goal by Austin Becker to put the game away at 19:42 of the third period.

Garrett Golley only faced 19 shots in the Wingham net, stopping 17 to earn the win, while Logan Bromley stopped 33 of the 36 shots he faced as he was tagged with the loss for the Flyers.

Things were a lot more chippy on Saturday night in Wingham as the Ironmen hosted two special alumni games before the main event that welcomed the Mitchell Hawks to Wingham. Nearly an hour’s worth of penalty minutes were handed out - a stark contrast to the previous night’s single penalty.

All the scoring happened in the second period of the game.

Brayden Vosper opened the scoring for the Hawks, scoring a shorthanded goal at 2:01 of the period, assisted by Jonathan Tenhag. The Ironmen would then score four unanswered goals in just over four minutes on the way to victory.

Alumni Day proves popular

Back at it On Saturday, four teams of Wingham Ironmen alumni took to the ice in two different games as part of Alumni Day - a cornerstone of the team’s 50th anniversary season, which is ongoing. Teams from two years ago all the way back to the first team were represented, including charter Ironmen player (and North Huron Reeve) Paul Heffer, who played goal on Saturday, above. (John Stephenson photo) Continued from page 1 ice, spanning the last 50 years quite nicely.

To have that kind of buy-in and enthusiasm for the 50th anniversary season, not just from players both past and present, but from the fans as well, Johnston said, was fantastic and it makes all the work of the anniversary committee worth it.

As the president of the club, however, Johnston couldn’t resist being happy about the on-ice result for the current club that night as well. He said it was nice to be back in the win column (both on Friday and on Saturday) after a four-game

losing streak for the club. It was nice to beat the Mitchell Hawks as well, he said, which is a team that has given the Ironmen fits in recent years.

This was the second big event to help celebrate the 50th anniversary season after a large alumni golf tournament held earlier this year.

This just about concludes any special programming that coincides with the anniversary, Johnston said, though the idea of a few theme nights throughout the rest of the season is being considered.

He says the 50th anniversary committee has been working on

programming for this season since February. The committee was purposely designed to be small, he said, for ease of decision making, but it has resulted in a heavy workload for those on the committee. As a result, he said, it’s been nice to see the events pay off and the community really take an interest in the season.

The Ironmen are away from Wingham for the next two weekends, playing four games on the road before returning on Friday, Nov. 3 when they welcome the Hanover Barons to the North Huron Wescast Community Complex.

Noah Bloemberg was the first to find the back of the net, scoring at 13:36, assisted by Tyson Fischer and Tayt Bramhill, followed by Nigel Kreager scoring his third goal of the season at 15:13, assisted by Coleson Fischer and Tayt Bramhill on a power play.

Austin Becker continued the onslaught with his third goal of the year at 16:34, assisted by Brandon Bishop and Ethan Smith, followed by the fourth and final goal, scored

by Nigel Kreager - his fourth of the season and second of the game assisted by Noah Wettlaufer and Coleson Fischer at 17:52. Both goals were scored on the power play.

Both teams’ goaltenders stopped 22 shots, though Wingham’s Garrett Golley faced 23 and earned the win, while Joshua Jacklin saw 26 shots and accepted the loss for the Hawks.

In addition to his two goals, Nigel Kreager was called for slashing at 9:27 of the first period, followed by two penalties called on Mitchell’s Andrew Gysbers - tripping at 12:02 of the first and interference at 14:47 of the first.

Wingham’s Darcy Scott was called for roughing, also at 14:47 of the first, followed by another penalty for Kreager - a high sticking call at 19:57. Wingham’s Owen Rahn was then called for cross-checking as the period ended.

Isaac Nickel of Mitchell was called for interference at 1:22 of the second period followed by another penalty for Andrew Gysbers tripping at 4:56 of the second period.

Carter Musselman was called for high sticking at 6:51 of the second, followed by a cross-checking call on Mitchell’s Isaac Nickel and a 10minute unsportsmanlike conduct misconduct called on Wingham’s Darcy Scott at 10:58 of the second period. Nickel would then be called for a 10-minute unsportsmanlike conduct misconduct penalty at 11:13, which was served by Ben Medhurst.

Mitchell’s Ethan Pearce was

assessed a five-minute major crosschecking penalty at 14:41, which was served by Connor Lockhart, followed by an interference penalty called against Mitchell’s Carter Musselman at 19:50 of the second to end the period.

Wingham’s Owen Rahn was called for tripping at 1:36 of the third period, followed by a slashing call against Noah Wettlaufer of the Ironmen at 11:30 of the third period and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called against Mitchell’s Isaac Nickel at 18:08 of the third period.

As for the standings, the Hanover Barons remain undefeated atop the North Pollock Division with a record of 9-0-0-1 and 19 points.

The Kincardine Bulldogs are in second place with a record of 6-2-11 and 14 points, followed by the Mount Forest Patriots in third place with a record of 6-2-1-0 and 13 points.

The Walkerton Capitals are in fourth place with a record of 6-3-10 and 13 points, followed by the Ironmen in fifth place with 11 points and a record of 5-4-1-0, the sixth-place Fergus Whalers with a record of 2-4-2-0 and six points, the seventh-place Mitchell Hawks with six points and a record of 2-6-2-0 and, in last place, the Goderich Flyers with a record of 1-8-0-0 and just two points.

The Ironmen are now on the road for the rest of the month. They’ll play the Mount Forest Patriots on Oct. 20, the Walkerton Capitals on Oct. 21, the first-place Hanover Barons on Oct. 27 and the Mount Forest Patriots again on Oct. 28.

They’re back home on Friday, Nov. 3 when they welcome the Hanover Barons to Wingham, followed by a game with the Hawks in Mitchell on Nov. 4. The Ironmen play again on Friday, Nov. 10, welcoming the Goderich Flyers to Wingham before taking Remembrance Day off and returning to action on Sunday, Nov. 12 in Walkerton for a game with the Capitals.

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. PAGE 9.

Sports

Huron Heat Day proves successful for locals

Hockey Night in Seaforth There were a dozen games on the schedule on Saturday for Huron Heat Day in Seaforth, which proved to be a day-long celebration of all things girls’ hockey. In this game, the U13 HL team won its exhibition game over the St. Marys Rock by a score of 5-0 - one of many Heat victories that were registered that day. (John Stephenson photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Huron Heat Day in Seaforth proved to be a success for the locals, with plenty of wins rolling over the course of the day.

The U18 BB Heat beat the Walkerton Capitals that day by a score of 4-0, while the U18 C Heat tied the West Oxford Inferno C team at two and the U15 BB Heat beat the Cambridge Roadrunners by a score of 4-1.

The U13 BB Heat beat the Windsor Wildcats by a score of 4-1, though the U11 HL Heat lost to the Mount Forest Rams in an exhibition game played as part of Huron Heat Day in Seaforth.

The U11 C team tied the South Huron Sabres C team at two and the U13 C team tied the Mitchell Meteors C team at one.

Also as part of Huron Heat Day in Seaforth, the Senior team played Seaforth in an exhibition game, the U13 HL team played the St. Marys

Rock, the U9 B team played the St. Marys Rock, the U9 HL team played the Ilderton Jets in an exhibition game and the U9 C team also played an Ilderton Jets team, but scores for those games were unavailable at press time.

Also over the weekend, the U11 BB and U15 C teams were in Etobicoke for the annual Pink on the Rink tournament.

The U11 BB team opened tournament play on Friday, Oct. 13 with a 7-0 shutout win over the

Guelph Junior Gryphons, followed by a 2-1 win over the Kanata Rangers.

The U15 C Heat lost their first two games of the tournament on Oct. 13 to the Gloucester Cumberland Stars by a score of 2-0 and then the Nepean Wildcats by a score of 4-1.

On Saturday, Oct. 14, the U11 BB Heat won their third straight game, beating the Etobicoke Dolphins by a score of 2-0 and kept that momentum going with a win over the Gloucester Cumberland Stars by a score of 1-0.

Also that day, the U15 C Heat lost their third straight game, falling to the Kanata Rangers by a score of 30 before tying the St. Thomas Panthers at one.

Only the U11 BB Heat team would play on Sunday, but they fell to the Orangeville Tigers by a score of 5-2.

In other weekend action, the U11 C Heat won an exhibition game on Oct. 13 with the South Huron Sabres in Zurich by a score of 1-0.

Then, on Sunday, Oct. 15, the U13 BB Heat tied the Windsor Wildcats at two at home in Clinton, followed by another 2-2 tie, this time between the U15 BB Heat and the Woodstock Wildcats.

Also that day, the U13 HL Heat beat the Ilderton Jets HL team on the road by a score of 7-0. The U18 C Heat welcomed the South Huron Sabres HL team to Seaforth that night, but a score was unavailable at press time.

On Tuesday, Oct. 17, the U15 C Heat welcomed the West Oxford Inferno C team to Seaforth for a regular season game, but a score was unavailable at press time.

Teams are back in action again this weekend, however, as the

regular season gets into full swing for many of the teams.

The U9 C Heat will host the Central Perth Predators in Seaforth on Saturday, Oct. 21, followed by a game between the U9 B Heat and the Waterloo Ravens and the U11 C welcoming the North Middlesex Junior Stars C team to Seaforth.

The U11 HL team will be in Mount Forest to play the Rams that day, while the U13 HL team will play the St. Thomas Panthers HL team in Goderich and the U11 BB Heat will host the Owen Sound Ice Hawks in Blyth.

On Saturday evening, the Woodstock Wildcats will host the U13 BB Heat and then, on Saturday night, the Owen Sound Ice Hawks will be in Clinton to play the U18 BB Heat.

The next day, the U13 C and U15 C Heat teams will welcome their corresponding Tillsonburg Lightning C teams to Clinton, followed by a game between the U13 BB Heat and the London Devilettes.

On the road, the U11 BB Heat will play the London Devilettes, the U13 HL team will play the St. Marys Rock, the U15 BB Heat will play the Walkerton Capitals, the Senior team will take on Elma Logan, the U18 BB team will play the Guelph Junior Gryphons and the U18 C team will take on the Tillsonburg Lightning C team.

On Monday, Oct. 23, the U15 C team will be in St. Thomas to take on the Panthers HL team, followed by an away game for the U11 B Heat, which will be taking on the Grand River Mustangs.

On Oct. 26, the U15 C Heat will be on the road to play the Central Perth Predators C team just before Continued on page 14

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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!

The thrill of victory After four straight nights of feeling the agony of defeat, the Wingham Ironmen won both of their games over the weekend, including at home for their special Alumni Day celebration over the Mitchell Hawks by a score of 4-1, above. (John Stephenson photo)

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 10. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023.

Gahan and Lee-Gahan win Blyth’s ‘COTY’ Award

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Joe Gahan and Megan LeeGahan, founders of the Blyth Kids Club, have been named Citizen of the Year Award winners for Blyth.

The husband-and-wife team have been working hard this year to both bring programming to the village for its young people and keep the Blyth and District Community Centre busy every night of the week after talk of potential closure dominated the headlines earlier this year. This comes after Gahan had worked to bring soccer back to the village, initiating a grassroots effort to engage young people in The Beautiful Game, working with nets at Blyth Lions Park last year, which is where the seeds for the Blyth Kids Club began to grow.

The club offers nightly activities at the community centre, including soccer, roller hockey, arts and crafts, roller skating and rollerblading, and more as part of its weekly offerings. However, it has since expanded to include monthly disco parties that have been well attended and even movie nights at Blyth Lions Park, which have, recently, included live music, activities, food and more.

The club has worked closely with the Blyth Lions Club, often using the park and its volunteers working in conjunction with one another, but the Kids Club has also attracted the interest and support of just about everyone in Blyth. Service clubs from the Blyth Legion and Legion Ladies Auxiliary to the aforementioned Lions, as well as many businesses and private citizens have donated money to the club in an effort to see it grow - and grow it has.

As a result of this support and fundraising, many of the club’s activities in the late stages of the summer have been free for children, which the pair says has been nice to offer, ensuring that cost isn’t a barrier to children enjoying all that the club has to offer them.

“The whole concept of the Blyth Kids Club is to provide something for our kids in the community, something fun to do, grow their confidence and help them make some friends along the way, all while utilizing the facility we have in this town,” said Lee-Gahan to The Citizen in a story back in April.

“I grew up in Blyth and we moved back after over 16 years [in] Toronto, to give our children a childhood like I had here in this amazing community, and the Blyth

Thinking of the children Blyth residents and married couple Joe Gahan, (back row, far right) and Megan LeeGahan (not pictured) founded the Blyth Kids Club to promote the well-being and community spirit of the area’s youth. The program offers a variety of activities for young people to engage with including soccer, movie nights and disco parties. (Courtesy photo) arena was a huge part of that. The arena was the centre of our community, with dances, banquets, weddings, etc., and some of my core childhood memories are in that building, and we hope to bring back some of that so our children have the same as I did.

“We are running as a fully nonprofit, volunteer-based group, and with that we need as much support from the community, be it volunteers to help run the door or help with the games or donations. If you don’t have time to spare, any monetary donations would be greatly appreciated, with any extra money raised, going to help grow this club offering as many activities as we can get the help to do, while keeping costs down for everyone.”

Speaking to The Citizen in July, Lee-Gahan said that the club frequently welcomes between 50 and 60 young people on its soccer nights and between 10 and 30 young people on other nights. The first disco party saw nearly 120 young people take part (they had planned on 100) and the first movie

night brought about 75 people to Blyth Lions Park to watch The Goonies, though that night represented somewhat of a soft launch for the event.

At the End-of-Summer Party in the Park, which featured a screening of The Sandlot, dozens of families were in Blyth for what many said was one of the best nights of the summer.

Last month, Gahan even spoke to North Huron Council as a delegation in regards to reclaiming some township property in order to establish a proper soccer pitch for the village. Council took his request

under advisement and has yet to report back.

In addition, the pair hope to keep the club active through the winter months, even as the arena will be busy with broomball and hockey.

On Gahan’s side of things, he has become a bit of a local celebrity as Irish Joe, the leader of The Lucky Charms, which has become the goto band for many public events and fundraisers in the area. The band has often played in exchange for charitable donations, more recently using its concerts as an opportunity to raise money for the Kids Club.

North Huron Publishing has been

awarding Citizens of the Year in Blyth and Brussels for nearly 40 years, adding a third category last year to honour someone from throughout Huron County who has made a difference in their community.

Nominations are made by members of the community and the winner is then chosen by a panel of the past five winners of the award.

On Nov. 23, North Huron Publishing will be returning to an in-person Citizen of the Year Award night to honour all three of this year’s Citizen of the Year Award winners, as well as 2020 winners Bob Kellington (posthumously) in Brussels and Annie Sparling in Blyth, 2021 winners Zoellyn Onn in Brussels and David Cartwright (posthumously) in Blyth and 2022 winners Lissa Kolkman in Blyth, Margaret McInroy in Brussels and Karen Webster as the first-ever Huron County Citizen of the Year.

The event will begin at 7 p.m. at Trinity Anglican Church in Blyth.

Past winners of the award in the Blyth area are: Evalena Webster, 1986; Frank and Cenetta Bainton, 1987; Winona McDougall, 1988; Margaret Whyte, 1989; Simon Hallahan, 1990; Dr. Richard Street, 1991; Bill and Maxine Seers, 1992; Margaret Caldwell, 1993; Helen Gowing, 1994; Don Scrimgeour, 1995; John Stewart, 1996; Janet Amos, 1997; Betty Battye, 1998; Robb Finch, Dave Cook, Brent Scrimgeour and Doug Walker, 1999; Murray Siertsema, 2000; Charlie Shaw, 2001; Lavern Clark, 2002; Bev Blair and Thelma Johnston, 2003; Steven Sparling, 2004; Don “Barney” Stewart, 2005; Lois van Vliet, 2006; Janice Henry, 2007; Joe Hallahan, 2008; Brock and Janis Vodden, 2009; Jean Nethery, 2010; Kay Hesselwood, 2011; Steve Howson, 2012; Barbara Bosman, 2013; Marian Hallahan, 2014; Nellie Mason, 2015; Ernie Phillips, 2016; Ric McBurney, 2017; Carl Nesbitt, 2018; Jane Smyth, 2019; Annie Sparling, 2020; David Cartwright (posthumous), 2021 and Lissa Kolkman in 2022.

Shop Local incluudes Local Advveertisiing

Clausius crowned Huron COTY winner

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Wayne Clausius from the Grand Bend area has been named the winner of the second-ever Huron County Citizen of the Year Award, joining Karen Webster of the Wingham area, last year’s winner.

Kristin Crane, Director of the United Way Perth-Huron’s Social Research and Planning Council and the Co-Chair of Poverty to Prosperity (the county’s antipoverty coalition), nominated Clausius for the award on behalf of the coalition. She noted his commitment over more than 12 years to helping low-income households at tax time.

“Wayne is a volunteer tax-filer who files taxes for low-income households and who has been coordinating the volunteer income tax program in Huron County and area for more than 12 years,” Crane wrote in her nomination. “With more than 20 volunteer tax-filers, the program has assisted hundreds of struggling households to file their taxes so that they can get access to their much-needed entitlements in the form of social assistance benefits and income transfers.

“Last year alone, families in the area received over $2.7 million because of this work. As a method Continued on page 11

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County Mark Zuckerberg and Google probably won’t send a photographer to your event or a reporter to interview nterview the chair of your service club or attend five municipal councils on your behalf.

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THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. PAGE 11.

Nicholson named Brussels ‘Citizen of the Year’

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Roxane Nicholson has been named this year’s Brussels Citizen of the Year Award winner, thanks to her extensive work as the co-chair of the Inspiring our Future campaign.

The Inspiring our Future campaign sought to raise funds for the renovation and expansion of the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre. It exceeded its goal of $2 million by nearly $500,000, as of the end of last year, when donations were still coming in. Renovations at the centre, made possible by the federal, provincial and municipal governments, in addition to the Herculean effort by the project’s fundraising committee, are nearing completion.

Several events, including the Brussels Fall Fair and Brussels Lions Club’s Elimination Draw, have already been held in the auditorium, while hockey is scheduled to return to the centre later this month.

Nicholson was nominated nearly a dozen times, including by past Citizen of the Year Award winner Doug McArter (2007), who lauded Nicholson for her countless hours of dedication in keeping the campaign on track - volunteering in the position for more than four years.

Nominations also noted Nicholson’s unwavering dedication to volunteering with the North Huron Community Food Share while maintaining her day job.

Another nomination called Nicholson a “competent, positive and dedicated leader” who has maintained her role at the head of the campaign to ensure that its full vision is realized all the way to the end of the work being done.

“While acting in that important role for the community centre fundraising, [Nicholson] also continued her position managing the North Huron food bank. She

Sensational sum As co-chair of the “Inspiring Our Future” campaign to raise funds for renovations at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre, Roxane Nicholson was instrumental in exceeding an already lofty goal. Nicholson, left, was nominated for the prestigious honour almost a dozen times, including by some past winners. (File photo) spearheads the stuff-a-truck event each year and spends days a week lending her compassionate expertise to fight food insecurity in our community,” read a nomination from Nicole Duquette, a Brussels resident and fundraising professional who worked on the campaign.

“On top of these already meaningful contributions, Roxane

finds time to support participants in a program for adults with developmental differences and in her not-so-spare time last year helped a Ukrainian family find housing and helped them move in.

In addition to all this, she maintains her paid job as a bookkeeper and administrator of a construction and farming business. Somehow, she balances

Tax-filing assistance for low income residents aids in reducing poverty Continued from page 10 to reduce poverty in our communities, there is not much that is more effective than putting money back in a struggling person’s pocket!”

Crane said that she had witnessed, first-hand, Clausius’ work and wondered how he could be recognized for it, finding this award to be the perfect opportunity.

“Wayne spends most of his time dedicated to this cause and is so generous with his time. Wayne will meet people whenever he can, driving long distances to help people file their taxes all year round. For the majority of the years, he hasn’t had any reimbursement for the expenses he incurred meeting people wherever they are. During COVID, when public spaces were shut during lockdown and he couldn’t meet people indoors, he would brave the elements and have meetings in parks to maintain social distancing,” Crane said in her nomination. “Wayne is truly an amazing person.”

Crane says that not only has Clausius done all of this work himself, but he’s crafted an infrastructure to train others and keep the work going for years to come.

“He has developed and nurtured and co-ordinates an entire team of volunteers. He helps them with difficult questions and challenging cases and does so with patience and grace. Wayne’s commitment to ensuring that people have access to their rights and benefits is reflected in his compassion and understanding of the struggles facing families,” Crane said in her nomination.

“Wayne has created a strong povertyreduction legacy in our county one that deserves to be recognized,

celebrated and continued.”

Clausius began volunteering with The Salvation Army in Goderich in 2009 and his role in the community has only expanded from there.

Clausius is the second-ever winner of the Huron County Citizen of the Year Award. The honour went to Karen Webster of the Wingham area last year for her extensive volunteer work throughout the community.

Clausius and the rest of this year’s winners (alongside the Citizen of the Year Award winners from 2020, 2021 and 2022) will be feted at Blyth’s Trinity Anglican Church on Thursday, Nov. 23, beginning at 7 p.m., marking a return to an in-person Citizen of the Year celebration.

Join in the celebration The Citizen will be hosting an evening to recognize “Citizen of the Year” winners on Thursday, Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. in the Trinity Anglican Church, located at 166 Dinsley Street in Blyth.

all that with being a loving mother, wife and friend.”

According to another nominator, Nicholson is a “very vital members of our community” who has also worked on programs for the Bluevale United Church’s Sunday school program. The nominator said Nicholson has a “caring heart and a ‘just-do-it’ spirit”.

North Huron Publishing has been

awarding Citizens of the Year in Blyth and Brussels for nearly 40 years, this year adding a third category to honour someone from throughout Huron County who has made a difference in their community.

Nominations are made by members of the community and the winner is then chosen by a panel of the past five winners of the award.

On Nov. 23, North Huron Publishing will be returning to an in-person Citizen of the Year Award night to honour all three of this year’s Citizen of the Year Award winners, as well as 2020 winners Bob Kellington (posthumously) in Brussels and Annie Sparling in Blyth, 2021 winners Zoellyn Onn in Brussels and David Cartwright (posthumously) in Blyth and 2022 winners Lissa Kolkman in Blyth, Margaret McInroy in Brussels and Karen Webster as the first-ever Huron County Citizen of the Year.

The event will begin at 7 p.m. at Trinity Anglican Church in Blyth.

Past winners of the award in the Brussels area are: Cal Krauter, 1986; Wayne Lowe, 1987; Jack Bryans, 1988; Ida Evans, 1989; Bessie Johnston, 1990; Betty Graber, 1991; George Langlois, 1992; Howard Bernard, 1993; Joanne King, 1994; Frank Thompson, 1995; Audrey Cardiff, 1996; Leona Armstrong, 1997; Neil McGavin, 1998; Beth Earl, 1999; Lyle and Alice Brothers, 2000; Nelva and Spence Scott, 2001; Jo-Ann McDonald, 2002; Kathy Bridge, 2003; Jeff and Cathy Cardiff, 2004; Clara Blake, 2005; Phyllis Mitchell, 2006; Doug McArter, 2007; Nora Stephenson and Fran Bremner, 2008; Rene Richmond, 2009; Jim Prior, 2010; Cathrine Campbell, 2011; Jim and Lois Lee, 2012; Yvonne Knight, 2013; Dave Stephenson, 2014; Sandra Cable, 2015; Jean Davidson, 2016; Elaine Armstrong, 2017; Doug Sholdice, 2018; Mary Douma, 2019; Bob Kellington (posthumous), 2020; Zoellyn Onn, 2021, and Margaret McInroy in 2022.

Home Cooking for the Holidays Do your friends come to you for cooking advice and ask (or beg) you for your delicious recipes?

Well, we want your recipe too!

Send in recipes for your favourite holiday meals, desserts, appetizers, sides or cocktails, and be featured in The Citizen’s upcoming special section on December 1, Home Cooking for the Holidays. This section will feature tons of delicious recipes from talented readers like yourself, just in time for holiday entertaining!

Mail your recipe(s) to:

The Citizen PO Box 429 Blyth, ON N0M 1H0 or email them to info@northhuron.on.ca Be sure to include your name with your recipe.

Deadline for submissions is November 17

PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023.

Pavao takes over Brussels Foodland ownership

A new beginning Shawna Pavao, a Londesborough resident and Blyth native, is now the proud owner of Brussels Foodland, a move that builds on nearly 20 years of experience in the industry.

She says the store’s place in, and connection with the community are important and she hopes to continue to build on that relationship. (Shawn Loughlin photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Londesborough resident and Blyth native Shawna Pavao is the new owner of Brussels Foodland, taking over the beloved local

grocery store at the beginning of this month.

After working within the Foodland world for nearly 20 years, Pavao is now the owner of a store with a special place in the community, she says, and

she wants to make sure that it stays that way.

The daughter of Deb and Albert Stryker of Blyth, Pavao attended Blyth Public School and F.E. Madill Secondary School in Wingham before studying office

without the vibrant colours of other years.

The Londesborough United Church Women (UCW) met in the church basement the evening of Oct. 16.

Appropriately for an October meeting, the ladies in charge of the program and worship reminded everyone that thanks should be a part of our everyday lives. God’s amazing world and love should never be taken for granted in any month or on any day. Yvonne Hoggart, Marie Bergsma and Helen Lyons reinforced their theme with readings, poems, a prayer and selected hymns. Each of them shared some personal thoughts about Thanksgiving. Psalm 100, a Psalm of Praise, was the chosen scripture passage.

Patrick and Naomi Bergsma attended one of our meetings earlier this year to speak of their work with Wyecliffe Ministries. At Monday’s meeting, Grandmother Marie shared an update from the young couple. Patrick and Naomi are beginning some weeks of intense training for a posting in the Mediterranean area by mid-2024.

President Catherine Allen

conducted the business part of the evening.

The Londesborough UCW is in a healthy financial position and, that evening, voted to make monetary donations to four area hospitals, the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, the Mitchell Resource Centre, Camp Menesetung, the United Church’s Mission and Service Fund and Londesborough United Church.

The young folk associated with the congregation will also receive grocery gift cards. In all, the group made donations of close to $4,000.

In a change from other years, it was decided to find an alternate venue and have the Christmas gathering catered this year. That event will be on Monday, Nov. 20.

If members wish to be included, they should contact Lena Nesbitt or Erin Yantzi by Nov. 5. Donations will be received that evening for the Women’s Shelter and Room2Grow.

There are a number of tied lap quilts available for anyone who wishes to gift a person who would appreciate one. Contact Lynda Horbanuik for more information.

Several other matters were discussed before the repeating of the Benediction to end the meeting.

Anniversary service coming

Licensed Lay Worship Leader Sue Barnett led the morning worship at Londesborough United Church on Sunday, Oct. 15. The scripture passages chosen that day were Psalm 23, read responsively, and Matt 22: 1-14, the parable of the marriage feast.

This coming Sunday, Londesborough United Church will hold its anniversary service. Rev. Jon Forbes of Lambton Shores will be the guest minister and special music will be offered by UKE, the Ukulele Club of Exeter. Lunch and a time of fellowship will follow the service in the Sunday school room.

The following Sunday, Oct . 29, members of the congregation will offer a service of remembering, remembering others in our lives who have passed.

Harold and Doris McClinchey will celebrate their 69th wedding anniversary on Oct. 23. Friends and neighbours might consider giving the couple a congratulatory call, sending a card of good wishes or dropping by for a visit.

In spite of early fall forecasts by the weather people, we have not experienced a great deal of colour from Mother Nature this fall. The trees are actually rather dull in colour. It’s almost as though the leaves are drying up and falling, rather than colouring, which is unfortunate, because all those rainy days were even more depressing

administration at London’s Fanshawe College.

She then took a job as the frontend manager at Wingham Foodland and worked that job for 17 years.

Near the end of her time in Wingham, Pavao began considering shifting her career into the realm of ownership in search of something more.

She worked at the Brussels store for a bit before entering the Franchise-in-Training program through Sobeys before working as the manager at Foodland in Hanover and then, finally, taking over in Brussels as its new owner.

Having been in the business for nearly 20 years now, Pavao says it’s been a relatively smooth transition into ownership and she feels comfortable at the Brussels store and within the community.

Pavao has lived in Londesborough for close to 10 years with her husband Tim. They’ve been together for over 20 years and married for about seven.

Tim has three grown children and Shawna is now “Nanna” to their eight children.

Growing up in Blyth, Pavao was no stranger to Brussels and she says that one of the things that has really struck her about the store is the community spirit and support of Brussels. She says it’s been great to see how the community supports the store and how the store gets involved in the community through relationships with service clubs, the local fire department and others by way of their fundraisers.

Furthermore, Pavao says that supporting other local businesses and producers is a cornerstone of what the store has done in recent years and what she hopes to

continue doing as its new owner, bringing in apples grown near Brussels and honey produced near Walton, for example, as a way to bring local producers to local consumers.

This December, for example, the Brussels Leo Club will repeat its Supermarket Sweep fundraiser, working with the store, which Pavao says is a great relationship within the community.

Right now, Pavao says her focus is on making the store as accessible and stress-free as possible for anyone who shops there, but she does have some plans for the future.

She hopes to one day refresh some aspects of the store, perhaps some new shelving or freezers, but in the more immediate future, she hopes to explore the possibility of home delivery, especially in the winter, which she thinks would be a great service for a community like Brussels.

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THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. PAGE 13.

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Townsend, McIntosh Reserve Champions at IPM Mel Karpenko of the Peel Dufferin Plowmen’s Association is now the provincial Queen of the Furrow. She also won the Miss Friendship title and placed second in the Queen of the Furrow plowing competition.

Jacquelyn Easson of the Haldimand Oneida Plowmen’s Association was named the first runner-up and Annie Watson of the Elgin Plowmen’s Association was the second runner-up, despite placing first in the plowing competition.

Watson placed first in the plowing competition, followed by Karpenko, Easson in third, Shayne Murphy of Wellington County in fourth place and Morgan Rombouts of Lambton County in fifth place.

Huron County Queen of the Furrow for 2022 Luanne McGregor represented the county at the IPM this year, while 2023 Queen Rachel Gras will be Huron’s representative at the 2024 IPM, which will be held next September in the Kawartha Lakes area.

Farm show coming to Goderich in Feb. The next generation Lucas Townsend, left, was one of the coaches teaching the next generation at this year’s Huron County Plowing Match. On his own, however, he would go on to win the title of Reserve Champion at the International Plowing Match, along with Seaforth’s Dugald McIntosh, who was also named the Reserve Champion of his class as well. (File photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen There was plenty for Huron County to be proud about at this year’s International Plowing Match (IPM), which was held late last month in Bowling Green, Duffering County.

In the plowing fields, Blyth’s Lucas Townsend continued his record of podium finishes at provincial and national matches,

being named the Reserve Champion of Class 2 Group 3, finishing just behind Matthew Sterling of Pain Court. Townsend finished with 512 points to Sterling’s 532 points.

Seaforth’s Dugald McIntosh also found success, being named the Reserve Champion in Class 2, Group 1, finishing with 499 points, a mere one point behind Champion Austin McLeod of Cottam and his 500 points.

Brayden and Aiden Hickey of

Auburn also returned with impressive performances, with Brayden winning his class on Saturday, Junior Day, of the match.

The match marked the end of Maranda Klaver’s reign as Ontario Queen of the Furrow. Huron’s Klaver won the crown last September after winning the local competition back in 2019 and staying on for several local matches and IPM cancellations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shoreline Classics and 100.1 The Ranch are proud to announce their partnership in bringing a Farm and Agriculture Show to Goderich.

Building off the success of the Goderich Home and Leisure Show, which saw attendance of over 1,700 people on the nicest weekend in April, the two companies hope to create an event that will draw attendees from Perth, Bruce and Huron Counties and all the surrounding communities.

The show will highlight everything farm-related, from the latest in agricultural technology to animal husbandry and crop management.

“Goderich is surrounded by farm and agribusiness,” said Nick Cadotte, “and we thought it would be great to have something in our community for everyone in the area to enjoy.

“Let’s highlight all the great businesses in our communities and a large economic driver.”

The event is scheduled for Feb. 21-22, 2024, at the Goderich Memorial Arena. It promises to be a weekend filled with educational opportunities, networking, and fun for the whole family.

Cadotte said, “Our company operates the Chatham Auto Dealers Show, Chatham Fall Home Show, Southwestern Ontario Boat and Rec., Goderich Home and Leisure with the hopes to add additional shows in 2024.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with 100.1 The Ranch to bring this event to Goderich,” said a spokesperson for Shoreline Classics. “We’re looking forward to showcasing the best of what our community has to offer in terms of agriculture and farming.”

BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK REPORT For the week ending October 13, 2023 Total Receipts: 1,600 cattle and 680 lambs and goats Tuesday - Fed steers and heifers sold actively at steady prices. Choice steers and heifers $230 – $240.

Second cut cattle $222 – $229.

Aged and medium fed steers and heifers $210 – $220. Holstein steers and heifers $160 – $201.50.

Cows sold steady.

Thursday - Veal sold on a strong active trade. Lambs and goats sold higher. Sheep sold steady.

Friday - Calves and yearlings sold on a strong active trade at steady prices.

Steers: Warren and Marion Becker of Ayton, consigned two head. One limousin steer weighed 1,475 lbs. and sold for an average price of $235.

Heifers: Mike Hern of Woodham, consigned four head. One black heifer weighed 1,320 lbs. and sold for a price of $234.

Cows: There were 275 cows on offer: Beef $140 – $169 Good Holstein Cows $135 – $165 Medium Holstein Cows $120 – $134 Bulls $151 – $190 Veal: There were 165 head of veal on offer.

Beef Veal $235 – $261 Good Holsteins $240 – $251 SL Heavy Holsteins $230 – $245 Heavy Holsteins $200 – $230 Medium Holsteins $225 – $239 Plain Holsteins $210 – $224 Reuben S. Martin of Wallenstein, consigned five head. One blonde steer weighed 995 lbs. and sold for a price of $261.

James Vanderheide of Mitchell, consigned 10 head. One holstein steer weighed 660 lbs. and sold for a price of $246.

Lambs: Under 50 lbs.: $344 – $355 50-64 lbs.: $297 – $360 65-79 lbs.: $306 – $330 80-94 lbs.: $286 – $330 95-109 lbs.: $267 – $295 110 lbs. and over: $248 – $280 Goats: Billies: $300 – $450 Nannies: $50 – $225 Kids: Meat: $400 – $552.50 Dairy: $350 – $527.50 Fear Family Farms of Brussels, consigned six head. Six lambs averaged 82 lbs. and sold for an average price of $330.

Riklend Farms Ltd. of Auburn, consigned 10 head. Two lambs averaged 105 lbs. and sold for an average price of $277.50.

Heny Byler of Belgrave, consigned six head. Three kid goats averaged 59 lbs. and sold for average price of $552.50.

Top Quality Stocker Steers: Under 400 lbs.: $424 – $527 400 – 499: $412.75 – $474 500 – 599: $413 – $462 600 – 699: $354.50 – $385 700 – 799: $318.75 – $364 800 – 899: $302 – $330.25 900 – 999: $302.50 – $316.50 1,000 lbs. and over: $291.50 – $298.75 Top Quality Stocker Heifers: 500 – 599: $305.50 – $368 600 – 699: $304.50 – $354 700 – 799: $291.75 – $320 800 – 899: $282.25 – $311.50 900 lbs. and over: $261 – $307 Mike Lyons of Londesboro, consigned 56 head. Nineteen charolais heifers averaged 485 lbs, and sold for an average price of $394. Twelve charolais steers averaged 507 lbs. and sold for an average price of $462.

Henk Pastoor of Kerwood, consigned 18 head. Ten charolais heifers averaged 894 lbs. and sold for an average price of $311.50.

Andrew MacDougall of Kirkton, consigned 67 head. Nine charolais steers averaged 859 lbs. and sold for an average price of $330.25.

Ervin and Amsey Martin of Holyrood, consigned 41 head. Twenty charolais steers averaged 941 lbs. and sold for an average price of $313.50.

BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd.

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

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PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023.

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

Articles for sale 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 -------------------------------------------CUSTOM APPLE CIDER PRESSING! Drop off your apples, pick up your fresh apple cider when completed! Bring pails or buy our jugs. Maitside Orchards, 23 Orchard lane Brussels. 519-835-2228 -------------------------------------------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, GT Mini Mart in Seaforth, Fincher’s in Goderich, Goderich Victoria St. Shell and The Citizen Blyth.

HIRING GENERAL HELP Seeking for someone to be a Service Gas Station Attendant. Apply in person at 38527 Blyth Road Auburn, ON N0M 1E0 --------------------------------------------

Part time flexible General Shop Worker Responsible for assembling parts, shipping, receiving.

Must be self-motivated, able to work independently.

Location Walton Please send resume to shipping@rtmnorth.com

In memoriam

Card of thanks The Belgrave Community Centre Board would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the community members and local businesses who made a donation towards our Silent Auction for our 3rd Annual Vendors Market on October 15th. It is because of the generosity of our community that we are able to maintain our facility for all to enjoy. We would also like to thank anyone that came to support the local vendors and/or made a donation to help make this event such a success. Your patronage is very much appreciated and we hope everyone enjoyed themselves. It is gestures such as these that make us appreciate the community we live in.

A huge Thank you to Dana Weber who organized this event to make this event a success again. The Belgrave Community Centre Board.

Coming events

LOWE - Wayne Lowe passed 15 years ago on October 21, 2008.

I dream of you, dear loved one, And see your smiling face, And know that you are happy, In our Father's chosen place.

Remembered by wife Hope, and stepchildren Tim and Donna Prior and Deb and Steve Rathwell and families.

Personals Post Abortion Healing. Are you suffering from the emotional aftermath of an abortion? For support and healing please call Project Rachel at their confidential number 1-888-355-1110. eow

“SWAP SHOP” ad

• 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.

Call 519-523-4792 or email: info@northhuron.on.ca FOR SALE - Four winter tires on Ford Escape rims, 235/70R 16, $100; Four summer tires P255/70R 16, $200; John Deere walk-behind snowblower, $500. Phone 519-8879615.

42-3 -------------------------------------------FOR SALE - 8,000 lb. electric winch KEW8000. Brand new still in box. $600. Call (after 5 p.m.) or or text 519-525-1803 42-3 --------------------------------------------FOR SALE - Twenty-two ton Split Master woodsplitter. Asking $900.

Call (after 5 p.m.) or or text 519-5251803 42-3 --------------------------------------------FOR SALE - Antique Brunswick snooker table. $995. Call (after 5 p.m.) or or text 519-525-1803 42-3 --------------------------------------------FOR SALE - Perennial Kings Crown (fritillaria) bulbs. Plant now for early spring. Orange lily-like blooms.

Bulbs help deter rodents, Ten bulbs for $5.; Ever-bearing red raspberry canes. $1. each. 519-523-4711 42-3 --------------------------------------------FOR SALE - Honeywell humidifier wicking filter (HAC504) Antimicrobial. Type A. Fits HCM350 series, HCM-710 and HCM-315, HEV312 humidifiers. $5. 519-3573204.

41-3 --------------------------------------------FOR SALE - Weather Tech floor mats from Jeep Patriot. $45 519-9121658.

41-3 --------------------------------------------FOR SALE - Two Freeman loader subframe arms that fit under tractor chassis. Fit 9N to 4000 Fords and similar models of other makes. $25.

519-357-8901.

40-3 ------------------------------------------FOR SALE - Older chainsaws in working order. Stihl, Pioneer, Homelite, Poulan. $150 - $275 each; 5000 watt, 220 amp heater. $50; crane for pickup truck. $300.

519-526-1012.

40-3 ------------------------------------------FOR SALE - Bench with wood seat and steel ends. $40; medium dog or cat carry cage. $10; chain with 2 hooks, $2 per foot. 519-526-1012.

40-3 ------------------------------------------FOR SALE - Hand painted ceramic grandma and grandpa, cloth bodies, approximately 30" tall. $200 for pair. text 519-441-7619 for photo. 40-3 ------------------------------------------FOR SALE - Baby gift baskets.

Embroidered crib quilt and knit hat.

Assorted supplies, body wash, shampoo, onesie, socks, etc. $25 ea.

Text 519-441-7619 for photo. 40-3 ------------------------------------------FOR SALE - Approx. 65" television with or without fireplace console. $500 for all. 519-606-4965.

40-3 ------------------------------------------FOR SALE - Invacare Matrx P5 wheelchair. Model Helio A7. Make an offer. 226-523-4039 40-3 ------------------------------------------WANTED - Used 8 ft. roll-up garage door. 519-357-8304.

41-3 ---------------------------------------------

Ethel Community Hall Annual Turkey Supper, and all the fixings!

Sunday October 29. Two sittings: 4 and 6 p.m. Adults $15, youth $10, children $5. For tickets call 519887-6153 or 519-887-9642.

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

In the game On Saturday, as part of Huron Heat Day in Seaforth, the U11 C team played the South Huron Sabres to a 2-2 tie.

(John Stephenson photo)

Continued from page 9 the U18 C Heat head to West Northhumberland to play in that team’s annual Halloween Havoc tournament.

Action for the U18 C team begins on Friday, Oct. 27 with games against the Brockville Angels and the Timmins Falcons, followed by Saturday games with the Napanee Crunch and the Clarence-Rockland Lightning.

Also on Oct. 27, the U13 BB Heat will host the Lakeshore Lightning and the U15 BB Heat will play the Stratford Aces, both in Seaforth.

On Saturday, Oct. 28, the U13 BB team will again play the Lakeshore Lightning in Seaforth, followed by

dueling home games for the U9 C and HL teams against two Lambeth Lancer teams, also in Seaforth.

The U13 HL team will be on the road to play the Wallaceburg Lakers HL team before the U11 HL Heat welcomes the St. Thomas Panthers HL team to Seaforth and the U11 C Heat plays the Twin Centre Hericanes C team, also in Seaforth.

Also that day, the U15 C and U13 C teams will both be in Tillsonburg to take on their corresponding Lightning C teams, while the U18 BB Heat will welcome the Waterloo Ravens to Clinton and the U9 B team will begin play in the Central Perth Hocktoberfest tournament in Milverton.

Hockey returns to BMG Centre This week, regular season play began in yet another Blyth Brussels Crusaders season - marking the official arrival of fall and the inevitability of winter in these communities.

On Tuesday, Oct. 17, the U15 LL Crusaders took to the ice in Wingham to play the Ironmen in their first regular season game of the year. Then, on Oct. 20, the U15 Rep team was in Central Perth to take on the Predators.

On Oct. 22, the U18 LL Crusaders will be in Arthur to play the Vipers 1 team, while the U11 Rep team will welcome the South Bruce Blades to the Blyth and District Community Centre.

On Oct. 25, the U11 LL team will be on the road to play the Howick Hornets Gold team, followed by two games on Oct. 27 - the U18 LL Crusaders will be in Mount Forest to play the Rams and the U21 team will host the South Bruce Blades at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre, marking a return for that newly renovated and expanded arena.

On Saturday, Oct. 28, there will be a full slate of games on the schedule for the arena, welcoming residents back for hockey action for the first time in a while.

At 11 a.m., the U9 MD Crusaders will play the Mid-Huron Huskies MD team, followed by a game between the U15 Rep team and the Shallow Lake Lakers and the U18 Rep Crusaders and the Walkerton Capitals.

Also that day, the U13 Rep team will play the Goderich Sailors in Blyth, just ahead of a game between

the U21 team and the Shallow Lake Lakers.

The next day, the U11 LL team will be in Hensall to play the MidHuron Huskies 2 team. The U9 LL Crusaders will host the Goderich Sailors that day, followed by a game between the U11 Rep team and the Saugeen Valley Steelheads D team, both in Blyth. Later that day, the U13 LL team will be in Wingham to play the Ironmen Blue.

On Oct. 30, the U11 Rep Crusaders will be in Seaforth to play the Mid-Huron Huskies D team. The U15 LL team will also be in Seaforth that night to play the Mid-Huron Huskies 2 team.

On Nov. 1, the U15 LL team will welcome the Listowel Cyclones to Blyth, while the next day, the U18 LL Crusaders will be in Wingham to tangle with the Ironmen.

On the weekend of Nov. 3-5, the U11 Rep Crusaders will be in Goderich to play in the Ryan O’Reilly Tournament. Then, on Nov. 4, the U13 Rep team will welcome the Walkerton Capitals to Blyth, while the U9 LL Crusaders will be in Mitchell for a game with the Meteors. The U18 Rep team will host the Goderich Sailors in Brussels and the U21 team will play the Mid-Huron Huskies in Clinton.

To round out the weekend, the U13 LL team will be in Hensall to play the Mid-Huron Huskies 1 team, the U9 MD team will host the Mitchell Meteors MD team in Blyth, the U18 LL team will play the Listowel Cyclones 2 team on the road and the U13 Rep team will be in Shallow Lake to take on the Lakers.

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. PAGE 15.

‘Great Canadian Road Trip’ delights Wingham crowd PEOPLE AROUND WALTON

By Jo-Ann McDonald Call 887-6570

Fall has really moved in with the cool and, sometimes, wet weather.

Sweaters and coats, raincoats and boots and umbrellas are all standard equipment when heading out in the morning to cover what may happen during the day. Welcome to “unofficial” fall.

The wet weather has cancelled the harvest for now and we need some warm, dry weather to get the machinery back into the fields. Lots of soybeans are waiting to be combined. A few early birds have done some dry corn, but that too is on hold. Silage corn is being worked on by many. Harvest is a long season!

We extend our sympathies to Rhonda and Doug McArter on the passing of Rhonda’s mother, Ethel McMichael. She will be missed by her family of Janice, Karen, Judith and Rhonda and their families.

Ethel was a lovely lady. She was the loving wife of her late husband Ron, and an active farm wife and partner at their farm in Wroxeter.

She was a devoted mother who

found time to volunteer with various groups, take her children to music or dancing lessons, baking for her church and many other community acts. A lovely lady with a lovely smile, she will be missed by all.

The Walton Coffee Chat had about a dozen enjoy coffee and snack on Saturday morning. The next one is Oct. 28, so come join us from 9-11 a.m. The Walton Hall will also be hosting a drive-thru Turkey dinner at the end of November. Contact Jo-Ann or Margaret for tickets.

The McClure families of the area have had a visitor from the west for a couple of weeks. Ray McClure has been here and has spent time with his siblings. Ray lives in Forestburg, Alberta.

Besides visiting with siblings, he met up with old friends and enjoyed dinner at Rick and Margaret McInroy’s.

We hope everyone had a good visit.

We send our get-well (or fasthealing) wishes to Carman Bernard.

He has had a hip replacement and we understand he is getting along well. We hope to see him out and about very soon.

The Wingham Town Hall Theatre was the place to be last Wednesday evening - at least many folks thought so. A fantastic show was enjoyed by all. It was the Great Canadian Road Trip concert by Doc Walker, Michelle Wright and Jason McCoy. It was a very “intimate” show with the three performers

being on stage together and taking turns singing their songs and talking about how the songs came about, their lives and the music business.

Michelle Wright sang her hits, like “He Would Be Sixteen”, “Nobody’s Girl”, “Take It Like a Man”, “Everything to Me” and others. Jason McCoy sang “Mud”, “I Lied”, “Born Again in Dixieland” and some other original songs and Doc Walker sang “It’s a Beautiful Life”, “She Hasn’t Always Been This Way”, “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” and “I Feel a Sin Comin’ On”. It was a great show.

The theatre was full, but we did manage to see Gord and Dale Finch, Bill and Marion Sellers, Bruce and Rhonda Fischer, Murray and Marlene Fischer, Joan Beuerman, Donelda Swartzentruber, Dwayne and Jacquie Waechter, Kim McArter, and our showmates, John Lowe and Krista Nesbitt, among the many Brussels residents who were in attendance. It was a great night and a great show.

Seaforth was put on the map on Friday evening when a tractor plowed into a storefront on Main Street. There is major damage to the building and we project it will take quite a while to resolve the damage.

The children on the bus were all glued to the windows when we made it into town to catch a glimpse of the damage and tractor.

Neil McDonald has been here for

Obituaries Sandra, Tom and Annette.

The funeral service to celebrate Larry’s life will be held in the McBurney Funeral Home chapel on Friday, Oct. 20, at 11 a.m.

Interment will take place in Brandon Cemetery, Belgrave.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations made to the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated.

WALTON LARRY DALE COOK It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Walton Larry Dale Cook on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023 at the age of 85.

Larry was born on Jan. 18, 1938 in Wingham. He was a plumber, sheet metalist and gas fitter. He loved sports, especially hockey and baseball, and music.

Larry was predeceased by his mother and father, Harvey and Grace Cook, his siblings Fred, June, Faye and Hugh, and nephew Richard.

He is survived by his sister Dorothy and her husband Jim Carter and his children Lylah and her husband Kevin Amaral, Dale Cook, Jason Cook and his partner Carey and her daughter Hailey.

Larry will be fondly remembered by his grandchildren, Justin Amaral and his wife Annie, Nicole Amaral, Zach Cook and Genevive Cook.

Larry was an uncle to Marnie, Terry, Barb, Judy, Christine,

JOHN BRUCE DONALDSON At Seaforth Manor on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, John Bruce Donaldson of Wingham passed away at the age of 78.

John was the only son of the late John and Shirley (MacLean) Donaldson. He was the cherished brother of Nancy and Ralph Campbell of Blyth and the loving uncle of Heather and Dan Snell of Blyth, Cheryl and Mike Wolny of Golden Lake and Kevin Campbell of Londesborough.

John was the great uncle of Rachael and Nathaniel McCormick, Joel and Emily Snell, Jonathan Snell and Morgan, Wyatt, Jackson

and Braxton Campbell. He was the great-great-uncle of Jacob and Mackenzie McCormick.

Visitation was held at the McBurney Funeral Home, Wingham, on Oct. 18, followed by the funeral service.

Interment will take place at Wingham Cemetery. Reception followed at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church or the Wingham and District Hospital Foundation Oncology Unit would be appreciated.

Online condolences at www.mcburneyfuneralhome.com.

week were John Lowe, Sadie Van Driel, Lisa Glanville, Jim McDonald, Owen Taylor, Randy Fraser, Sarah Grobbink, Jessica Kelso, Mary Helen McLachlan, Eleanor Stevenson and Chase Grobbink. Happy birthday to all!

almost two weeks and has since returned to Vancouver. The day he left, our nephew Mike arrived from Calgary and has been here now for a week. He was here to take his daughter Sydney to have a scope on her injured knee in Strathroy and to consult with the surgeon on the upcoming surgery, which has been booked for December.

Syd attends the University of Windsor on a soccer scholarship and suffered a serious knee injury during a game. She has been on crutches since September and, thanks to her friends, she is managing to get to classes. Mom Chris will return in December to be with Syd for her surgery.

Eleanor Stevenson celebrated her birthday after church in Cranbrook on Sunday with some members of her family. There was a light lunch following the service, which was complemented by cake and ice cream, provided by her grandson Dan Blake and family. It was a lovely visit with Eleanor for everyone to help her celebrate her 94th birthday, I believe!

Celebrating birthdays this past

NEWS FROM WALTON

Race raises $18,000 On Oct. 14, the 11th annual Great Hospital Race took place and raised $18,000 to support the purchase of vital medical equipment at the Wingham and District Hospital.

The Amazing Race-style event saw teams of two race on foot, completing five goofy, messy and puzzling challenges, including crazy curling, a hot dog toss, frozen t-shirt melting, scavenger hunt bingo and a ball rolling puzzle.

First place was claimed by The Burgs - Scott Dolmage and Tyler Jutzi - while Shake ‘n’ Bake, comprised of Brad Robinson and

Brett Jarvis, came in second, and Sib Squad, Kendra and Kyle Parkinson, took third. The top fundraising team was The Farmers’ Daughters - Emily Chester and Leanne Marks - who raised $3,350.

All proceeds from The Great Hospital Race go towards the Wingham and District Hospital Foundation’s goal of raising $70,000 for new endoscope processors for the operating room.

This goal will also be supported by the CKNX Healthcare Heroes Radiothon on Oct. 21.

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.

PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023.

Dow grateful for ‘Action de Grace’ in Quebec PEOPLE AROUND BELGRAVE

By Linda Campbell Call 357-2188

In Quebec, Thanksgiving is called “Action de Grace” but many Quebecers don’t celebrate at all.

That wasn’t the case for Elly Dow, who was more than grateful to be able to spend Thanksgiving with her son Ben and family in Levis, Quebec last week.

Her daughter-in-law Emma had to work, as most businesses and stores did not close for the holiday, so Ben and son Harry William brought a traditional Thanksgiving

dinner of turkey and all the trimmings to the table. Luckily, the weather there was better than it was here, so fall colours, bikes and walks were appreciated. The sights and scenery during the 12-hour train ride there and back added to the adventure.

Cards were enjoyed at the Belgrave Community Centre on Friday, Oct. 13. The winners were: high white card, Lynn Rumig; second high white card, no winner; most shoots white card, Judy Hahn; high gold card, Frances Breckenridge; second high gold card, no winner and most shoots gold card, Muriel Taylor.

The next card party is Friday, Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

Pub and wings night was a great success held at the Community Centre as was the third annual Vendor’s Market.

Lisa Harper was the guest speaker at Knox United Church on Sunday, Oct. 15. She gave a most interesting talk on the United Way, telling us about a person who was left with nothing after a fire and experienced homelessness and, during his search for help, he learned about a local connection centre from an outreach worker. At the centre, he found warmth and compassion from the caring staff, food to sustain him and a shower to refresh him. The staff also connected him with a substance use counsellor. Thanks in part to the United Way’s supported program, he’s accelerating his journey out of homelessness and towards a brighter future.

Nearly 170 people are experiencing homelessness in Huron County and one in two Canadians experience a mental health challenge by the time they

are 40 years of age. There are 30 women who participate in community development meetings, consultation events and training opportunities.

The Connection Centre is a housing-based and povertyreduction service helping those experiencing homelessness or who are otherwise vulnerable. Staff collaborate with community service partners to provide wrap-around supports such as trauma-informed care, addiction and mental health counselling along with basic needs including food, clothing, showers, laundry facilities and warming/cooling space. St. Paul’s Trinity Anglican Church is a connection centre.

On Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m., there is an official board meeting for the church in the church basement.

Elwin Garland is the guest

speaker on Sunday, Oct. 22 at Knox United Church.

NEWS FROM BELGRAVE

Wingham Legion to host Diwali event

Vend until the end The third annual Belgrave Vendor’s Market brought the community together in celebration of local commerce at the Belgrave Community Centre on Sunday, Oct. 15.

(John Stephenson photo)

Information session for local employers seeking international workers set for Oct. 24 in Blyth Local employers interested in hiring and retaining internationally trained and educated workers are invited to join a presentation by two immigration experts at the Blyth Memorial Hall on Oct. 24, from 5-7 p.m.

The event will focus on the legal processes that employers need to take to support temporary foreign workers and international students to become permanent residents.

Participants will also have an opportunity to ask the immigration experts questions.

“More and more employers are exploring the opportunity to hire international workers as a key tactic for alleviating the labour shortage. This event can help to provide a roadmap through the process,” said Mark Nonkes, who is manager of the Huron County Local Immigration Partnership, part of the County of Huron’s Economic Development Department. “This offers a free forum for asking questions and hearing answers from two

immigration experts. With a gathering of employers, there are bound to be answers that will benefit everyone.”

Featured speakers are: lawyer Jennifer Roggeman, owner of Jennifer Roggeman Law Office in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, which specializes in immigration law, and Gemma Mendez-Smith, an immigration consultant and owner of Live by Design Immigration Services Inc. based in Paisley.

Mendez-Smith was executive director of the Four County Labour Board and a 20-year veteran of labour market research and workforce engagement before launching her own business in 2021. As an immigrant herself, she took the path of the caregiver program many years ago. She has lived through the experience of the immigration process.

Roggeman was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. She came to Canada as a teenager to complete her BA at University of Guelph and LLB (law school) at University of

Victoria, British Columbia. She started practising law in 2000 and now focuses on immigration law exclusively in Kitchener/Waterloo, where she has resided for over 25 years with her spouse and two children.

The immigration specialists have helped hundreds of employers navigate the legal processes of bringing internationally trained workers and students to Canada and to help secure workers as permanent residents of Canada.

This event is organized by the Huron County Immigration Partnership, Huron Chamber of Commerce, Community Futures Huron, WILL Employment and Huron County Economic Development. It is funded with support from the Government of Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Refreshments will be served.

Cash bar is available. Employers can register for the event at huronemployers.eventbrite.ca/

Wingham and area residents are invited to celebrate Diwali, a festival of lights traditionally celebrated in India, on Nov. 5 at the Wingham Legion.

The event will feature Indian food provided by a Walkerton Indian restaurant and Bhangra dancing, a traditional type of folk dancing from the Punjab area of India. The event is planned from 14 p.m.

“Everyone is welcome to join.

We want to share our culture and traditions with people from Wingham and area,” said Gurpreet Singh, one of the members of the Wingham Community Connectors.

The event is being organized by the Wingham Community Connectors, with support from the Huron County Immigration Partnership.

Tickets are $25 for adults and children 11 and older. Children ages six to 10 can enter the event for $10 while children up to the age of five can attend for free “Diwali is a time for families to

gather, share food, and celebrate with music and dance,” Singh explained. “It is celebrated after harvest. We celebrate with lights to combat the shorter daylight we receive in the fall.”

The celebration of Diwali acknowledges Huron County’s growing diversity through ongoing immigration.

“Our community benefits when people choose to move here and bring their traditions with them.

When we celebrate with people, we learn about their culture and build friendships. It shows people that we are welcoming and accepting of newcomers,” said North Huron Reeve Paul Heffer, who is also a member of the Wingham Community Connectors.

Tickets for the Diwali event can be purchased from Circle K convenience store in Wingham or from any member of the Wingham Community Connectors.

More information is available on the Wingham Community Connector Facebook group.

Planning an Event?

Don’t miss potential guests!

Run your ad at least two weeks prior to the date or deadline to make sure everyone sees it.

The Citizen

info@northhuron.on.ca www.huroncitizen.ca

PO Box 429 Blyth, ON N0M 1H0 519-523-4792

THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. PAGE 17.

From the Minister’s Study

In troubled times, don’t be tempted by idols

BY REV. ALEX JEBSON BLYTH, BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCHES It was wonderful to get back to the farm and see my family over Thanksgiving weekend. To be able to share in stories and laughter with loved ones is a beautiful thing.

However, going back there can also be a dangerous thing, mainly because Mom and Dad are very keen for the children to get all of their stuff out of the basement. (I would use the real phrase they used, but this is a family-friendly publication.)

Part of the “stuff” I dealt with was a bunch of trophies and banners from showing cows back in my 4-H days. In the spirit of humility, I won’t say how many trophies there were. Let’s just say I was surrounded by lots of cow images, golden or otherwise. And, very coincidentally, it reminded me of the Exodus narrative of the Golden Calf incident (Exodus 32:1-14).

You remember the one - where Moses is up on a mountain getting the Ten Commandments from God, and the Israelites, tired from wandering in the desert and feeling abandoned, start to worship a golden statue that Aaron creates.

I’ll be honest, this Old Testament text has me a little bit nervous, with the golden cow idol. Now, to be fair, I wasn’t building these trophies as an “angsty” response to someone hanging out with God on a mountain for what I thought was too long. But that certainly doesn’t mean that I am immune to idols and temptations. Nor are any of us.

Times like these certainly seem like the perfect time for idols to gleam all the more brightly.

When we hear about tens of thousands bowing before a gold bovine, we roll our eyes and think about how silly these wandering Israelites were. But, if you really look at the circumstances, it isn’t that far-fetched. These were a people who had been wandering for decades, trying to place their trust in God, but grew fearful with each new twist and turn. They had no semblance of normalcy since their fleeing from captivity in Egypt.

Though they were free, there was nothing familiar for them.

And Moses, their guide and, in many ways, mediator with God, had disappeared up the mountain for what felt like forever, chatting with God about Temple measurements and Sabbath rules. Feeling abandoned and like their lives were built on quicksand, it’s no wonder they strong-armed Aaron into

Evangelical Missionary Church

Sunday, October 22, 2023 10:30 a.m.

Pastor Mike Stanley, “Praying to Experience God’s Powerful Love” (Eph.3:14-21)

getting a golden calf statue created.

It was something tangible, something physical, something that seemed sturdy and valuable and trustworthy. They were indeed having a cow.

In times of uncertainty, we often cling to the idols that offer seemingly simple solutions or distractions. Whether they are golden cows, harmful attitudes of hatred or individualism, or the almighty dollar, idols are all around us, pretending to lead us to greener pastures, but, in reality, they leave us high and dry. And in many ways, these idols are contributing to the increasing hatred and polarization we are finding in society.

It isn’t surprising that times of uncertainty like these have led to a rise in attacks against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and our Indigenous siblings; demonstrations against these communities reveal that the idols of power and distraction from the real issues in our communities are alive and well. More dangerous rhetoric and actions targeting the marginalized comes into the mainstream.

Likewise, we can turn to the devastating conflict in Palestine and Israel. We simply don’t have the time in a single article to delve into the extremely complex history and context of this conflict. But we can see, in the hundreds of Palestinian and Israeli people killed and thousands injured, golden cows gleaming everywhere. The lures of power, violence, hatred, and the inability to see one another as a neighbour and child of God has led

to great loss. The golden cows of idols gleam in an apartheid regime, a militaristic terror group, and in the responses of many around the world that only fuel further violence. “They have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it…” (Exodus 32:8) But as we grieve and mourn and try to avoid the lures and luster of the idols, we hear a familiar voice beckoning us from the pasture; a voice that can ultimately get us to turn our heads away from the idols.

This is the voice that is not made known in power or status or apathy or any of the other idols that thrive off of fear and keeping communities apart. God’s way God’s presence - is that which calls in the herd, calls out the idols and calls up those to live their lives as a testimony of truth, of the actual love and peace and care that is made known in Christ.

God’s way is completely different from that of the idols. In the Exodus narrative, God is depicted as being enraged by the golden calf, because God’s ways and presence is completely unlike it. God’s presence ensured nourishment and care for people who needed it, not all hoarded into one golden statue.

God’s love was made known in the ordinances offered through Moses and, later on, in Jesus’ ministry, which bucked power and status in favour of blessings and care for the outcast.

God’s grace and compassion allows for people to let go of hurts

The Regional Ministry of Hope Weekly service live-streamed at 10:30 a.m. on our facebook page or on youtube @St. Paul’s-Trinity Anglican Church Wingham.

The Regional Ministry of Hope www.regionalministryofhope.com 519-357-7781 email: revjoann@hurontel.on.ca

Trinity

BLYTH 9:00 AM St. Paul’s Trinity

WINGHAM 10:30 AM

Come Worship with Us!

and apathy, and rejoice together.

As opposed to idols, we are shown in our faith narrative, the work of the Spirit today, and in God’s unending compassion and love the kind of ways that are God’s, and not of the idols. Paul speaks about this in his letter to the Philippians. “…Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8) The idols are broken down though not just in the presence of God, but also in the way that each of us in the herd responds. Instead of following the idols that doubtlessly lead to pain and conflict, we are called to uplift in our own lives the ordinary work and faith that we have in God, countering the idols and helping others to see the idols for what they are. We may not be able to solve the pains of global conflicts all by ourselves, but God’s spirit inspires

idols to be called out and people to be called into love and community, effecting change that ripples outwards.

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, Paul addresses a specific conflict between two early church leaders: Euodia and Syntyche. We don’t know what the conflict was about, but it is likely that some of the idols that take advantage of anxiety and disagreement were wreaking havoc not only on them, but the entire community.

The congregation at the city of Philippi was likewise in idolmaking times, though not for the same reason as the Israelites centuries before. After Philippi had been conquered by the Romans, it was settled primarily by soldiers.

The architecture and culture of the city made the idols of greed, violence and power nearly unavoidable. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to Paul or anyone in Philippi that there would be tensions, disagreements and idols getting in the way of their Continued on page 18

Brussels Mennonite Fellowsship THE MISSION OF BMF GROW – in the teachings of Jessus LIVE – by His Example CONNECT – people to Jesus

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Oct. 29 – Blyth/Brusse els joint worship at Blyth United Ch hurch, Food Grains Bank guest speaker Contact Alex at ministter.brusselsandblythuc@gmail.co y @g om Website: brusselsandblythuc.ca b P.O. Box 359, Brussels ~ 519-887-6259 P.

MEL LV VILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS

Sunday, October 22, 2023 11:00 am - 12 noon We extend a loving welcome to all to join us in worship as Doug Sargent leads in worship, praise, and prayer to God. A time of fellowship to 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!

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

Sunday, October 22 at 10 a.m.

BMG Community Centre (upstairs room) 800 Sports Drive, Brussels **Please note our new location** Childcare provided for children aged 0 to 4 during the sermon

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For additional details please visit: brusselscommunitybiblechapel.com

Blyth United Church Sunday, October 22 at 11:00 am Join us Wednesday mornings for visits in the garden starting at 10 am.

Outreach project for October is the Food Grains Project.

Nursery and Sunday School during worship Join a LifeGroup! huronchapel.com/small-groups On-site and online - live.huronchapel.com 119 John’s Ave., Auburn 519-526-1131

"If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1 Contact Alex at: minister.brusselsandblythuc@gmail.com Facebook: Blyth and Brussels United Churches blythunited@tcc.on.ca ~ 519-523-4224

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

PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023.

Take the bull by the horns says Jebson

A day to remember This year’s girls’ hockey season kicked off in earnest with Huron Heat Day in Seaforth last Saturday, which included a dozen games played over the course of more than eight hours at the Seaforth and District Community Centre from morning to night. Above, the U11 Heat played the South Huron Sabres to a 2-2 tie just after noon. (John Stephenson photo)

Continued from page 17 faith lives together. The herd was at risk of falling to the wayside completely, with idols milking every opportunity to sow division and hatred.

In his response, Paul isn’t afraid to call out the idols and divisions for what they are, but did so in a pastoral and compassionate manner. Paul uplifted his own life of challenging the idols, as well as the lives of others within that faith community, as examples of God’s grounding and guiding presence in their lives. Instead of competitors, Paul reminds them that they struggle together, literally “competing together” (synathlein), and that in this life and work together, life and faith are not in vain. Instead of competing for trophies and power, they ought to be companions in living out the ways of love and peace that God calls for, and encourage others to do the same.

“Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.”

(Philippians 4:9) Keep journeying with God, instead of stopping to doubt and build idols. Keep encouraging one another as individuals and communities, refusing to let the idols of hate and greed gleam in our

neighbourhoods. In love, pray for and do your part to help encourage love and harmony in the world, rather than adding to the idols of violence and power.

In times of uncertainty, instead of lashing out or having a cow, have faith instead; a faith that leads us to more right paths, one that brings people together, and refuses to allow the idols that oppress and marginalize to stand tall forever.

Have a faith that, when lived out in our lives, we will have others in the herd turning their heads, and seeing that a life of divine love and presence is far greener than the pasture of the golden calf. Let’s take the bull by the horns on this, friends. Thanks be to God. Amen.

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THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. PAGE 19.

Entertainment & Leisure

Cat Clyde builds momentum, begins headlining tour

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen Southwestern Ontario has produced its fair share of phenomenal musicians over the years, and Perth County-raised singer-songwriter Cat Clyde already fits comfortably into that pantheon, and she’s just getting started. From her 2017 debut Ivory Castanets to her newest album Down Rounder, the young musician has always displayed a skill and confidence well beyond her years.

Clyde’s voice is at times both fervent and haunting, with an ethereal quality that, when combined with her evocative lyrics and rich musicality, truly makes her stand out from a crowd.

The latest stop in Clyde’s international headlining tour was London, Ontario on Sunday night, where she performed to a rapt audience of die hard fans and impressed newcomers. Clyde was kind enough to take time out of her tour preparations to speak to The Citizen just a bit about where she came from, where she’s going, and what music means to her.

Clyde’s childhood brought her all over Ontario, which has a definite influence on her unique sound. “I spent a lot of time as a kid in the fields and forests,” she said.

“Nature has always been my first inspiration. I was born in Sarnia, but I moved around a lot. When I was about 10 years old, I settled in Perth County.” Clyde’s sound is infused with the essence of the countryside, though you wouldn’t call it country music.

Growing up just outside of Stratford was an invaluable experience for the young artist, who started busking when she was 15. “ I really enjoyed doing a lot of busking in Stratford around theatre time. It really became a cool place for me to do my thing and experiment, and just play. I think that was really formative to what I do now.”

For as long as she can recall, music has been a big part of the artist’s life. “I remember singing from a very young age, really loving singing songs. I had a few uncles that played really great guitar and piano,” she reminisced.

“My grandfather also played the fiddle... that was probably my introduction to live music, and I just really loved it, and it was something I wanted to be around.”

A fiddling grandfather or singing uncle is a childhood memory shared by many people who grew up in Southwestern Ontario - it’s a sound infused with the history and heritage of the rural landscape.

What starts out as a simple way to entertain friends and family ends up sparking the spirit of song in the next generation. In the case of Cat Clyde, that spark has grown into a full-fledged fire.

Many different sonic sources have fanned the flames of Clyde’s talent over the years. “I feel like I’m inspired all the time by the music and artists that I listen to.

Growing up, the thing that struck me really hard was blues music. I think initially I really fell into listening to Lead Belly’s music. It really opened my eyes and ears to something that I didn’t know

Life in motion Cat Clyde performs at the Cicada Music and Arts Festival in St. Catharines on Sept. 30, 2023.

(Lauren Garbutt photo)

existed or could exist. It really felt comforting, and made a space where I wasn’t alone.” Other seminal blues artists like Robert Johnson and Howlin’ Wolf also left their mark on her, and started her on a path to discovering great female jazz vocalists like Etta James and Billie Holiday. Folk icons like Woody Guthrie came later, and all those early influences shine through in her songs - they can feel both timeless and brand new, and her deceptively simple lyrics can illuminate complex feelings within the listener.

It’s clear that Clyde is deeply affected by the music that has inspired her over the years - this is perhaps one of the secrets behind her music’s ability to evoke such strong feelings in her listeners. “I guess I hope that my music helps people connect with themselves in a deeper way, and maybe feel inspired. I know when I watch an artist that I really love and feel inspired by, it can kind of feel like it’s a mirror of my own life,” mused the artist. “I think that when we express our truest selves, that’s when magic can happen. That’s a big key to creating.”

Recent years have seen Clyde getting more into collaborative work with other musicians. In 2021, she teamed up with Jeremie Albino for the album Blue Blue Blue - an album that is bluesy, but not strictly blues. “It’s always going to be different when you bring different people and their energy into a room.

But it’s kind of exciting to have somebody to bounce things off of and kind of create a momentum with. It’s different to create momentum yourself versus creating momentum with someone else. It’s really nice when you have powerful energy you can kind of swap with other people.”

Momentum is certainly an important theme for Clyde this year. “I’ve played a lot of amazing

Canadian festivals this year, and met a lot of great people - I don’t think I could say enough great things about this summer in particular!” Her tour has also already taken her to the U.K., and she will soon be travelling through Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal before bringing her talents south of the border to play in New York City, Austin, Seattle and Portland, just to name a few of the stops. She already has an Australian show lined up for 2024.

Being on tour has been a transformative experience for Clyde. “When you’re touring, it’s like being in a different reality.

You’re kind of on this mission - it’s kind of an odd feeling to be in constant movement, but it’s also kind of neat to gain perspective, and see life through a different lens.”

Clyde’s music may be influenced by many musical spirits from the past, but she is still a musician working in our technologicallyadvanced modern age, and experiences all the benefits and drawbacks that come along with that. “It’s quite easy to record, and to experiment with recording. You can even record stuff on your phone that sounds quite good. Also, the ability to use voice memos on your phone to catch things that could otherwise fly away is quite neat also. And then I think some disadvantages would be like, I recently recorded with tape, and I realized that the formula for recording with tape is, for me, the way to record music. I’ve always recorded digitally in the past, and I think that when you record digitally there is so much less space and less time. All the space and time is filled with going back or fixing or tweaking and you can kind of get obsessed, go down some holes, and get into the weeds. With tape, it’s more straightforward. You do your best, you do your takes, and you

move on, and I really like that.”

There are also unique challenges to the financial side of being an artist in the age of streaming.

“These days, it’s also just difficult to make a living and make money from it, because the way we buy music is different now. You have to be your own videographer, your own photographer, your own biographer. There’s quite a lot of extra work.” Some of Clyde’s hits, like “Mama Said” have been listened to millions of times online, but that does not necessarily translate to financial success.

So what are Clyde’s optimal conditions for a great show? “I like smaller venues. I feel like it’s much more comfortable and cozy. And I also love a low stage. I really don’t like high stages. I feel like it creates a disconnect.” London’s Sunday night audience was in luck Clyde’s show was at Rum Runners, the smaller venue nestled atop the London Music Hall. Not only is it both comfortable and cozy - it boasts one of the lowest stages in the city. Clyde was feeling confident in the days leading up to the show. “I have not been back to London for quite a while, and I’m excited to return!”

Based on the energy and enthusiasm in the room on Sunday, London was as excited to have Clyde back as she was to return.

Her performance was an unforgettable one - the space was flooded with Clyde’s powerful voice, clearly capable of overflowing in a much larger space.

There was a sense in the crowd that they were lucky to catch the quickly rising star in such an intimate moment in her ascension. The crowd sang along to the words that moved them, danced when the spirit took them, and shouted requests for their favourite songs. Opening act Joe Abbott was a true entertainer, riffing on the singing cowboy persona, telling tall tales through nifty tunes, with a notable entry into Canadiana with a song about the wild life and death of hockey-

playing coffee king, Tim Horton.

When her tour comes to an end, Clyde is planning to make another big move in her continued search for the momentum she craves. “I’m looking to move to Nashville in the new year… it’s kind of a recent dream. I spent some time there last year and made a lot of great friends.

I feel like there’s a lot of great things, a lot of music happenings, and a lot of opportunities for collaboration that just don’t feel like they are available around here.”

Those opportunities may not be available to a musician with the skills and drive that Cat Clyde has right now, but it is easy to envision a version of where we live that could support locally-grown artists like her. We’ve seen it before with Wingham’s Barn Dance era.

Mildmay’s Owen Riegling’s talents were fostered through Lucknow’s Music in the Fields, and Huron County has a number of beautiful venues new and old that could become standard stops on rural musical tours for all kinds of acts.

Wingham’s recently restored Town Hall Theatre is a stately space full of musical history, while Blyth’s Harvest Stage is a vision of Huron County’s possible future. More people than ever before are coming to the area, and that means more possibilities for collaboration, and the momentum it brings with it.

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PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023.

Books are only just the beginning at HCL

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen

North Huron Council received an update on the Huron County Library program at a regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 16, presented by County Librarian and Director of Cultural Services Beth Rumble and North Huron Branch Manager Trina Huffman.

The library has traditionally been an essential hub in rural communities, and Rumble and Huffman’s presentation was an indication that it still is. Rumble spoke first, offering an informative overview of Huron County’s libraries. “Libraries across the province are very busy spaces,” she began. “They are really a part of people’s daily lives, and they visit their libraries on an ongoing basis.

We’ve been doing some onboarding at the county level with Huron County Council. However, as there are new councillors around the table here, and also because the library service is a partnership with local municipalities, we wanted to make sure that you are informed of what’s happening locally at North Huron branches.”

One of the main takeaways of the presentation - the libraries of Huron County are bustling, busy places.

“In 2022, we circulated over 350,000 materials; we also have over 17,000 library card holders.”

Rumble pointed out that many households often only have one card that the whole family will use, meaning that the true number of library users in the county far exceeds the number of cards held.

“There is broad usership of library services throughout the county,” she concluded.

Rumble also showed a video that highlights the various unique services offered by the library, which stretch far beyond the expected books, newspapers and magazines. “It speaks to all the services our library provides, some of which are not as traditional, like our object library.” Huron County’s Object Library contains all manner of unique and useful items for its citizens to borrow. There are snowshoes in sizes to fit the whole family, ukuleles with instructions

for the musically-minded, and all manner of childhood-education kits. The library also has a seedlending program - borrowers simply take home some seeds, plant them, and watch them grow. Those who successfully end up with some seeds at the end of the season can bring them back to the library. Day passes to a variety of Ontario parks are also available, as are computer education kits. A full catalogue of the library’s objects is available on its website.

Huron County has also received several acknowledgements and awards at local and provincial levels for their efforts towards accessibility like curbside services, innovative programming and digitized newspapers. One of the accessibility improvements being worked towards is the installation of library lockers, which will allow borrowers to pick up books and materials they have put on hold outside of regular library hours.

The positive impact of Huron County’s libraries doesn’t stop at their front door. Through the “Libraries Transforming Communities” initiative, they also strive to turn outward in each community, seeking to discover what aspirations and concerns the citizens have, and how they can help. “We consider libraries to be agents of positive change,” Rumble extolled.

The ongoing success of the library system is made possible by collaborative efforts from all levels of government. Federal and provincial mandates, guidelines and funding are essential. The county provides necessary staff, equipment, materials, programming and furniture, while it is the responsibility of each municipality to provide the building, utilities and maintenance.

Rumble concluded her portion of the presentation by summarizing the library’s core values. “We celebrate diversity, are welcoming to all, we create opportunities for social connections - we really are that free third space… we lower economic barriers through our free services, including being fine-free.

We also offer opportunities for learning and entertainment.”

Council sticks with status-quo Continued from page 1 exists, has been an affordable and desirable place for tourists and visitors to stay overnight while in the village to partake in the world class arts and culture on offer.

Those same folks shop in the village, eat in area restaurants and contribute to the vitality of the community.”

King pointed out that these tangential economic benefits are directly connected to the campground, even if they do not appear on any line of the space’s budget. She went on, saying that “ceasing infrastructure that supports the tourism economy, an economy that brings new money and new interest to town is counterintuitive to growing a strong economy and vibrant community.”

Deputy-Reeve Kevin Falconer agreed with King that the benefits of having the campground greatly outweigh the costs.

Councillor Mitch Wright noted that salaries and wages are one of the most costly factors in campground operations, and questioned whether or not any of the suggested plans would reduce those costs. Furtney noted that there would likely be some reductions in part-time labour costs.

Councillor Chris Palmer spoke in favour of increased use or fees to help cover costs and make up any budgetary deficits the campground may incur.

Councillor Wright also questioned making any decisions on a single project before budget season, without comparing it to all other possible projects to see where their priorities may lie.

The debate concluded with Deputy-Reeve Falconer moving to support the status quo option, which was seconded by Councillor Ric McBurney, and passed unanimously.

Huffman then took over to discuss some of the exciting things going on at North Huron’s Blyth, Howick and Alice Munro (Wingham) branches. “The library is often the first place that folks visit when moving to a small town.

Not only for the resources we offer, but to find out information about the community… A smile, a coffee and a check-in only takes a few minutes, but can have lasting impacts on some.”

North Huron’s libraries have hosted welcome nights to bring together area newcomers with those who have lived here for many years. There are also welcome bags available at the Blyth and Wingham branches, which are put together by the Wingham Community Connectors and library staff. “We continue to work with our local immigration partners to support those new to our communities.”

Augmenting education is also a key to the North Huron Library branches. “We are also delighted to host monthly class visits from public school classes, as well as supporting our homeschooling families in various ways,” said

Huffman. “The library offers a multitude of fun and informative programs. We love it when we can participate in community events and collaborate with our community partners, and those in our community that have a skill to share.” Events have included Sidewalk Days, March Break performances, bingo, craft nights and story times. “The library is also a place for families to just pop-in and play. It’s a free spot for folks to come together for toys, puzzles and games.” The library also provides outreach to local nursing homes in the form of monthly drop-ins.

Huffman has received an outpouring of gratitude from the people of North Huron for all the opportunities for social interaction that the library provides. “At times,

the library sparks an idea, and the community takes it and runs with it.” This was the case with the library’s “Remember When” program. What started as a chance to meet up with other locals to discuss the past has since evolved into a historical society that meets at the Alice Munro Program Room once a month.

If any of these programs, innovations, initiatives or ideas appeal to you and your family, there’s never been a better time to engage with your local library branch, whether you’re new to the area or have lived here for the entirety of your life. And don’t forget - in addition to all the services highlighted in Monday’s presentation, the library has books, too!

Save Big on Selected Books CHRISTMAS TREES In the search for profitable alternative crops, Christmas tree production can be a welcome opportunity. This guide to growing and selling trees, wreaths and greens provides information on choosing tree species, how to grow from seed and more. $17.50 Now $8.75

THE FLEECE AND FIBER SOURCE BOOK This extraordinary reference provides a fascinating look at more than 200 animals and the fiber they produce including the unique characteristics of their fibers. More than 400 pages of information. $45.00 Now $22.50

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The Citizen

ON THE TRAIL OF JOHN MUIR John Muir is one of North America’s greatest conservationists, father of the U.S. Parks system.

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WOOD WORDS: a celebration of forests A collection of stories and poems from 21 Bruce and Grey County writers telling of woodlots handed down generations, of pioneers, about newcomers learning about forests and poets protesting the destruction of trees. $12.00 Now $6.00

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