The Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association returned with its reunion, the first in-person reunion hosted by the organization since 2019. Attendance was good as people were eager to return to familiar events and see friends they have missed over the course of the
Huron County Fastball League regular season action officially wrapped up over the weekend and it’s the Belmore Stingers that sit atop the standings with a record of 16-4 and 32 points.
This, despite the Stingers losing their final game of the season on Sept. 6 when they beat the Fullarton A’s by a score of 13-0 in the first game of a double-header, but then fell by a score of 8-4 in the second game to end their regular season.
The Wingham Hitmen ended the season in a distant second place, with a record of 14-5-1 and 29 points, winning their last two games of the season.
The Brussels Tigers rounded out the top three with a record of 13-7 and 26 points.
The Walton Brewers finished the season in fourth place, with a record of 11-9, followed by the Milverton AW Millwrights in fifth place with a .500 record of 10-10.
The Sebringville Sting finished the regular season with a record
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With the exception of a quick downpour on Saturday, even the weather helped the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association return to its annual reunion after two years of modified events due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Association President Judy Sloan said the event went really well.
“It was wonderful to be able to be out and have people come out to the event,” she said. “Everyone who was here wanted to visit with people they hadn’t seen in a couple years and reconnect with old friends,” she said.
While there were fluctuations in attendance in some programs from 2019, the last year the association could hold a full-fledged reunion, Sloan said that gate attendance was on par with that year. Camping was down to 417 sites being used and participation in some events, like the fiddle and step dance competitions, had dropped a little as well, however Sloan
wasn’t concerned about the change.
“We expected some absences with people’s situations changing over the last three years,” she said.
“We also had some people pass away.”
Other programs went over very well, she said, including a reworked passport program for children which she said was wellreceived, and a new educational program for local schools, Sloan said.
The music programs were also well-attended, Sloan said, especially the Saturday night concert with the Lucky Charms.
“It was out of this world,” she said. “The attendance was huge.”
She said that, on top of the 180 chairs that had been set out for the concert at the Harvest Stage, there were people sitting in their own chairs on the grass and people enjoying the music from their trailers as well.
“It was wonderful and very well received,” she said.
While the concert had been an addition intended to attract some
younger audience members, she said it was an all-ages event with people from every age group enjoying the music.
Other aspects of the music program were also changed this year, with some performances being moved from the main stage to other parts of the grounds, Sloan said, and the effectiveness of the move is being reviewed by the association’s executive.
The dances held in the upper hall of the Blyth and District Community Centre, for example, saw a dip in attendance, she said, but that could have been due to the beautiful weather that had people attending impromptu jam sessions throughout the camping sites.
The association was also pleased to finally unveil, after years of work, the antique cider press in the Memorial Shed, Sloan said. After some initial issues with a green crop of apples, the press was running great later on Friday and throughout demonstrations on the weekend.
“It was very well received,”
Sloan said. “It was tough to find a spot.”
She said there was also a video being produced of the press in operation for those who couldn’t get in to see it.
Beyond that, she said that most of the traditional attractions went forward, including the vendor sales in the arena. One missing attraction was the bean pot, she said, however the association has already found people to run it for next year.
Following up on the food discussion, she said that the food trucks that had been lined up for the grounds didn’t operate as the association thought they would, with some not being able to attend all weekend, so they will look at possibly changing that next year.
“There was a big learning curve there,” she said.
While the number of campers was down, organizer Herman Mooy said the event was still a tremendous success.
“We got a lot of positive comments,” he said. “Some people said they had never been to a fair
that was so well organized.”
As with every year the reunion has been held, there were a number of equipment owners recognized for the efforts put into keeping the antique machinery running. With 175 tractors, 12 plows and seven steam engines on site, the judges had a difficult job.
Awards were as follows:
• The Billy Joe Hallahan Memorial Award (Best Restored Tractor 1951 and up): Wyan Eggles of Goderich for his 1951 Cockshutt.
• The Jack Arthur Trophy (Best Restored Tractor 1910-1930): Charly Roadhouse of St. Marys for a 1912 Rumley.
• The Best Restored Feature Tractor (John Deere): William Pentland for his 1934 John Deere GP.
• The John Ellacott Trophy (Best Restored Tractor 1931-1950) Doug Ross of Wingham for his 1943 Farmall M.
• Steam Engine: Mary and Kevin Forstner with their 1914 17
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The first of up to six murals of the 2022 Huron County Mural Project is now complete. The mural, designed and installed by artist Meaghan Claire Kehoe, can be viewed at the Bayfield Arena, on the wall facing Jane Street.
An unveiling of the mural was held on Tuesday, Sept. 13.
Kehoe is a full-time emerging mural artist and painter based in Oshawa with community connections across southern Ontario. Her public street art pieces can be experienced in Toronto, Kitchener, Waterloo, London, St. Thomas and future work is coming soon to Simcoe, Aylmer, Brooklin and Port Burwell.
“It has been very gratifying to see this first mural take shape over the past week in Bayfield. Most of the credit belongs to the Bayfield Centre for the Arts, which has been spearheading the mural project on the ground in Bayfield,” said Economic Development Officer Rick Sickinger.
“Working with the economic development team, and the representatives from the other five
Central Huron Council has approved a zoning bylaw amendment that will allow for residential, low-density housing at 135 Goderich Street in Auburn, the former Knox United Church.
The church will be converted into a home. The side and rear yard setbacks will meet requirements, but the front yard will be deficient. The current zoning bylaw requires a six-metre setback, but in his planning report, presented to council at its Sept. 6 meeting,
Planner Nathan Garland said the building appears to be between three and four metres from the front yard property line.
He recommended the continuation of “legal noncomplying status”, which was already in place, as well as approval of the application, submitted by Jason Huber on behalf of the trustees of Auburn Knox United Church and Larry Plaetzer.
Garland said that no concerns from staff or associated agencies had been raised and the only comments received were from a nearby property owner who spoke in support of the application.
Council approved the zoning bylaw amendment.
***
Central Huron Council also approved a zoning bylaw amendment for 40193 Blyth Road (the former Emergency Services Training Centre just south of Blyth), submitted by agent Douglas A. Culbert on behalf of a numbered company.
The amendment, recommended for approval by Garland, would rezone the land from community facility to general industrial, as the building is now home to Advanced Block Corporation.
Garland said there were no objections to the rezoning from municipal staff. Concerns were raised by a neighbour to the north,
Continued on page 22
communities commissioning murals has been a great experience,” said Leslee Squirrell, President of the Bayfield Centre for the Arts and member of the local selection committee. “We hope that with Bayfield’s mural now underway, it will help to generate more interest and excitement for the other communities participating in the Mural Project as well as for the upcoming Public Art Trail.”
The County of Huron will be commissioning up to six artists to paint murals as part of the Huron County Mural Project. The goal of this creative project is to enhance the cultural vibrancy of Huron’s communities and support ongoing tourism recovery in Huron County through public art. Additional murals are planned to be installed in Clinton, Exeter, Goderich, Seaforth and Wingham.
The finished murals will become part of a public art trail across Huron County and are expected to remain in place for approximately 10 to 15 years.
To learn more about the Huron County Mural Project and to view progress photos of the works, visit connectedcountyofhuron.ca/ huron-county-mural-project
Continued from page 1 of 9-9-2, followed by the Mitchell Mets in seventh place, also with a record of 10-10, while the Fullarton A’s finished the season in eighth place with a record of 9-10-1.
The Monkton Muskrats ended their regular season with a walk-off win over the Wroxeter Rippers, improving to a record of 9-11 to secure ninth place, while the Goderich Grizzlies ended in 10th place with a record of 5-15 and the Rippers finished in last place with a record of 2-18.
On Friday night, Monkton beat Wroxeter by a score of 11-1, while the Sebringville Sting edged out the Brussels Tigers by a score of 5-4.
On Sept. 8, Wingham beat Milverton by a score of 6-4, while Milverton trounced Goderich the previous night by a score of 15-0.
The Brussels Tigers finished their regular season last week by splitting a double-header with Monkton, above, and a 5-4 loss to Sebringville. (John Stephenson photo)
The Brussels Tigers split a double-header with Monkton on Sept. 7, losing the first game by a score of 7-6, but roaring back with an 11-4 win in the second game.
The Walton Brewers also finished
More than 90 people gathered at Camp Klahanie, just south of Goderich, earlier this month to welcome Ukrainian families who have moved to Huron County.
Since April, at least 12 Ukrainian families have moved to Huron County, many of them hosted by local residents in their homes.
“We were thrilled to see Ukrainians connect with one another and to see children play
with each other, even though many of them have never met before,” said Don Edward, president of the Goderich Lions.
Recent Ukrainian arrivals, host families, and their supporters attended the barbecue, hosted by the Goderich Lions and the Huron County Immigration Partnership. Children painted bird houses, created by a long-time Lions Club member, over the course of the day,
which also included a hike led by a Maitland Valley Conservation Authority staff member.
Local dignitaries, including Huron County Warden Glen McNeil, Goderich Deputy-Mayor Myles Murdock and Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn also welcomed the Ukrainians and their supporters at the event.
“It’s important everyone feels Continued on page 29
their regular season on Sept. 7, shutting out the Rippers from Wroxeter by a score of 6-0.
Four games went ahead on Tuesday, Sept. 6. Goderich beat Sebringville by a score of 15-10, while Walton beat Mitchell by a score of 5-2, Belmore beat Fullarton by a score of 13-0 in the first game of a double-header, while Fullarton came back to win the second game by a score of 8-4.
The Huron County Fastball League year-end tournament will go ahead this weekend (Sept. 1618) at Keterson Park, hosted by the Mitchell Mets.
The Brussels Tigers will look to win their fifth straight title and their sixth in the last seven seasons after triumphing in 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2015. The Wingham Hitmen won the title in 2016 as the only team not from Brussels to be crowned champions of the league in the last seven years. There was no season in 2020 due to the COVID19 pandemic and the Tigers’ victory in 2021 came by way of playdowns due to a modified and truncated season.
For more information, visit the league’s website online at huroncountyfastball.com.
(J.R. Miller)
“Whatever He says to you — do it! John 2:5
How can we know what Jesus says? We cannot hear His voice as the servants at the wedding heard it.
He speaks now to us in His Word, and the reverent heart may always hear what He says as the sacred pages are prayerfully pondered.
He speaks in the conscience that is kept tender by loyal obeying. He speaks in the providence which brings the present duty to our hand. There never is any real uncertainty as to what He says, if we are truly intent on knowing His will.
“Whatever He says to you — do it!” It is the doing which is important. We should never ask questions nor make suggestions, when Jesus has spoken — the one thing for us is obedience. We should never ask what the consequences may be, or what it may cost us — we are simply to obey. Jesus knows why He wants us to do the thing — and that should be reason enough for us.
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” John 14:15
A Grace Gem
Submitted by: Immanuel United Reformed Church, Listowel, ON 519-492-1359
On Sept. 8, the reign of Queen Elizabeth II came to an end when she died at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. A bedrock for many since she came to the throne in 1952, the Queen became the subject of worry for many early in the day when reports surfaced of concern over her health. Members of the Royal Family then began making their way to her side and then, early that afternoon, came the news of her death.
All over Canada and throughout Huron County, Canadian flags flew at half-mast to mourn the loss, while many people in the U.K. have been beside themselves with grief, losing someone who has been part of people’s lives for so long. Many other reactions, however, have been much less complimentary, as people wrestle with difficult conversations about the dark side of the Monarchy.
In the wake of the Queen’s death, many media pundits and networks have sought to examine her legacy in full, honouring the leadership and sacrifice she showed over the course of her life, while also dissecting some of the less celebrated aspects of her legacy. Some members of the Black and Irish communities, for example, were not as quick to lionize the Queen upon her death, citing the Monarchy’s history of violence towards those communities and the history of colonialism, which has largely been eradicated in recent years, but clearly the scars remain.
Aside from historical controversies, England and its Royal Family have had their share of recent scandals, from 1972’s Bloody Sunday in Northern Ireland to Princess Diana’s 1997 death to the more recent accusations levelled against Prince Andrew, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepping away from the Royal Family.
“Queen Elizabeth’s death not a time to ignore her complicated legacy,” said USA Today, while The Washington Post said “The ugly side of Queen Elizabeth’s legacy matters.” Even a column in the Toronto Star carried the headline, “Quiet opposition or colonial complicity? Elizabeth’s legacy as monarch.” Justifications for such think pieces have made the case that it’s fair to examine the full legacy of someone in such an extreme position of power and a representative of a body that has a complicated history with much of the world.
The Queen’s death, especially to many in Canada, is a tragedy. She has represented stability, grace and dignity in the eyes of most. However, that opinion is not shared by all and those voices, and the stories they tell, should be heard in the column inches of history. – SL
The Conservative Party of Canada had a choice to make over the weekend: whether to try and expand its power base through moderatism and give the Liberals and New Democrats a run for their money in the federal arena or rely on their rightest of right-wing supporters and hope a division of the party doesn’t follow. In selecting Pierre Poilivere as its leader, the party has chosen a divisive banner to rally behind, hoping that “Skippy’s” promises of freedom and limited government influence will attract the attention of voters. He trounced his nearest competition, Jean Charest, in the leadership race, suggesting that the Conservative Party isn’t interested in a moderate leader who can bridge a gap between hardright voters and more centre-aligned voters.
Some are looking at Poilievre’s win as a huge step forward for the Conservatives after years of trouble following Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s departure after losing the 2015 election. Harper was followed by Andrew Scheer, who failed to make his party the top in the country. Scheer was followed by Erin O’Toole, who was voted out by his own caucus earlier this year. The big difference between Poilievre and his two predecessors is that each of them required multiple rounds of voting to be installed, while Poilievre was named the winner after dominating the first round of voting, taking 68 per cent of the vote and claiming almost all the ridings across the country. So, while the party may seem to be more aligned than it has since Harper, the politics could lead to a more divided Canada than ever before, especially with Poilievre pandering to disruptive elements across the country with promises of freedom.
There certainly has been a strong contingent of Canadians expressing a desire for “freedom”, like those involved in the illegal rally in Ottawa in February. Poilivere’s platform shares many of the same goals that the rally organizers espoused, suggesting that the Conservative Party, like its counterparts south of the border, is interested in populism as a means of winning political sway. The move, however, could come at the cost of losing undecided voters who are to the right of the spectrum, but not so far right as to support the behaviour drummed up by the aforementioned protests in Ottawa and subsequent regional demonstrations. It could also stop disillusioned Liberal voters from switching sides.
While some are confident that Poilievre could prove to be the Liberal Party’s undoing (and he himself has promised a revolution against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s party), some of have said that his polarizing beliefs could help to galvanize centrist and left-wing voters, creating a difficult uphill climb come the next federal election. – JDS
September 16, 1965
Brevard High School in North Carolina announced it would be naming its new football stadium for the late Dr. Carl S. Plum, the son of Ernest Plum and his late wife, both of Brussels. The gesture was made thanks to Plum’s contribution to the school community and specifically the football team as its trainer.
Wilbur Turnbull and his son, both of Brussels, won the champion boar and champion swine prizes at the Western Fair, in addition to a number of other honours.
Jan van Vliet, also of Brussels, was not far behind, winning the title of reserve champion boar and reserve champion swine, in addition to several other awards.
At the Sept. 8 meeting of the Morris Township School Board, trustees discussed needing a new music supervisor at Brussels School.
September 17, 1975
Blyth Village Council named the winners of a contest to design a new crest for the village. Gary Hull of Blyth won the top prize for his design, while Mrs. Dan McInnes, also of Blyth, earned second place for her design.
The designs were then set to be handed off to a professional designer to incorporate the best aspects of both designs into the final crest to be presented.
The Auburn branch of the Canadian Bible Society held its annual meeting, electing Frank Raithby as president for the coming term.
September 17, 1997
Interest in the municipal election appeared to be rather low in the communities covered by The Citizen
With just over three weeks until
the deadline to file for the Nov. 10 election, only four nominations had been filed for 40 available seats in the Villages of Blyth and Brussels and the Townships of Grey, Morris, Hullett, McKillop and East and West Wawanosh.
Brussels Clerk-Treasurer Donna White said people waiting until the last minute to file their nomination could be explained by a recent change, no longer requiring candidates to collect 10 signatures to fill out their nomination.
The North Huron Municipal Review Committee pushed ahead with a review of municipal operations within the region identified as the 10 municipalities north of County Road 15.
At the time, two scenarios were being considered. One would group all 10 together, with a combined population of just over 18,500, while a second proposed to split the municipalities. That means one group would consist of Ashfield, Wingham, Turnberry and East and West Wawanosh with a population of 9,086, while the second would consist of Morris, Grey, Brussels, Blyth and Howick with a population of 9,444.
The Brussels Terry Fox run raised $4,648 for cancer research, eclipsing the $4,165 that had been raised at the previous year’s event.
September 20, 2012
John Black, the late chief of the Fire Department of North Huron, had been chosen as the county’s top firefighter, winning the Warden’s Emergency Services of the Year Award in the firefighting division.
Elizabeth Brown was the winner in the paramedic division, while there were no police officer nominees that year.
After her first full year as Huron-
Bruce MPP, Lisa Thompson said she had learned a lot, but hopefully handed out some education of her own as well.
While she acknowledged a number of accomplishments of which she was proud in her first 12 months in office, she jokingly said that her proudest moment was not falling off of her horse during the celebrity Boothill Bash at the Brussels Homecoming.
Not everyone was pleased with Thompson’s actions in office, however, as dozens of teachers’ union members protested in front of her office in Blyth to voice their opposition to Thompson voting to limit the striking powers of teachers.
Jeff Denys and Willi Laurie both addressed the crowd with speeches, with their comments bringing on shouts of “shame” from those in attendance.
Douglas Barrill, an economic development specialist with Huron County, was in the midst of working on a county-wide business retention and expansion study that he hoped would be complete by January of 2013.
After the original 10-year bequest from Susannah Lattimer to create the Huron County Art Bank was stretched for 12 years, Huron County Council made the decision to continue the Art Bank program. Council opted to make the show part of its annual budget, meaning it would continue until a decision was made to end it.
Before that decision had been made, however, the Huron County Museum in Goderich hosted a special retrospective exhibition, looking back at some of the best pieces in the Art Bank collection from the past 12 years.
The lavish attention paid to the death of Queen Elizabeth II this past week had the perverse result of making me think about the loss of many others I have had the fortune to know on a more personal basis.
Don’t get me wrong, the loss of the Queen who reigned over this country and much of the world for all but the first few years of my life was significant. Among my earliest memories is the local celebration of her coronation in June 1953. In my hometown of Lucknow, that took place at the local ballpark and included the cadet corps of the local high school (now closed), and was impressive for a five-yearold.
But the people who have had the most effect on my day-to-day life have been much closer to home. This past weekend, for instance, was the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association Reunion. That huge event would never have taken place in Blyth if not for a group of local organizers who, more than 60 years ago, held the first tribute to the threshing gangs, often operating around steam engines and threshing machines, that travelled from farm to farm harvesting the wheat, barley and oats.
Emblematic of these organizers in my era was Simon Hallahan, who filled the role of secretary-treasurer and often as chief spokesman for the Thresher Reunion in the early years. He was one of those people who was a community leader, also serving as reeve of East Wawanosh Township and active in his church, and he was among the leaders who started a cheese factory in Blyth which eventually became important in the founding of Gaylea Foods.
Nobody denoted community service more than Sheila Richards, even though she was not born to the kind of participation that we were used to in Huron County. She and her husband
Wendell only moved to the Brussels area in the mid-1970s, shortly after James Roy, Anne Chislett and I had started the Blyth Summer Festival. Still, she quickly established a reputation as somebody who got things done and joined the Festival’s Board of Directors. By the time I retired in 1979 as president, she was ready to take over. When I became the first full-time general manager, the days when Sheila made an appointment to come to the office were always times when staff was on edge because she’d have such a busy agenda. Among her accomplishments were the role she played in helping establish the Blyth Festival Singers.
Later, Sheila played an essential part in the creation of this newspaper. She had called me, (who had quit the newspaper business to head the Festival’s administration and then left that role to start a money-losing touring theatre), to worry about how Brussels was ill-served by the fact new owners had amalgamated the old Brussels Post with the Huron Expositor in Seaforth.
I suggested that the newspaper landscape had changed enough that a newspaper for Brussels alone was not likely to survive but a paper that served both Brussels and Blyth (whose Blyth Standard had been incorporated into the Clinton News-Record), might be manageable.
Broke as I was, I couldn’t start a newspaper myself, but with Sheila we sold shares to
members of the Blyth and Brussels communities for the community-owned newspaper The Citizen still is today. Sheila sold so many shares that we later found out we had more shareholders than we were permitted to have under Ontario’s laws, and we had to give money back.
In my job in newspapers and associated magazines, I had an opportunity to meet and interview so many inspiring people. Early on these included the great Doc Cruikshank, founder of CKNX radio and television.
I had grown up in a world shaped by Doc Cruickshank. He started the radio station by building a homemade radio transmitter in the store where he sold radios on Wingham’s main street. After he was reported for sending out radio signals without a government permit, he got official permission to operate a station.
Business grew. Among the people he hired was Harry J. Boyle from the St. Augustine area, who later became a producer at CBC –including of the groundbreaking Farm Radio Forum that changed rural Canada. As well, he wrote several books about growing up in Huron County, among one of which was Mostly in Clover, which was the basis for the first play, and the first hit, at the Blyth Festival. At the time he was chairman of the Canadian Radio-Television Commission, and eventually came to see the show in Blyth, when I met him personally.
Doc Cruickshank eventually also started a television station. Though it is now amalgamated with CTV London, his creativity changed life in Western Ontario.
There are so many others who I’ve met who have made their mark on our way of life. So while the late Queen left an influence, pardon me if her passing reminds me, instead, of others who changed our lives even more.
While the death of Queen Elizabeth is, undoubtedly, a tragedy to those who knew her best, the push by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to designate Monday, Sept. 19 as a provincial holiday, on top of the federal holiday he made it, may be a little frustrating for some people.
And before people start filling my inbox with angry letters about me disrespecting the late Queen - that’s not what I’m at here. I won’t say I’m for or against the Monarchy or the Queen or anyone in the Royal Family… except for Prince Harry. Anyone who risks the ire of his own family to make the best decision for his wife and children is taking a worthwhile stand in my opinion.
No, this isn’t about the Queen’s passing, but about the way we treat other Canadians, specifically those who serve in the military.
Trudeau choosing to make Sept. 19 a federal holiday is one thing, but he went on to say that he wants to work “with the provinces and territories to try and see that we’re aligned” on the move, and that seems a little shortsighted.
Yes, it’s important, as Trudeau said, for Canadians who feel strongly about the Royal Family to have a chance to mourn the Queen’s passing and take in the funeral, but do we really need a holiday for that?
I mean, even to honour our fallen soldiers, we only take off a moment of silence on Remembrance Day in Ontario (unless you’re a federal or Crown employee) and that’s for tens of thousands of soldiers who have paid the ultimate price. Sure, they might not have been royalty, but they were certainly important to the families they left behind.
Federal holidays are only mandated for people who work for federal agencies, like the federal government and Crown corporations. That’s why the post office is closed on Easter
Speaking with Margaret Vincent, who is the president of the Elementary School Fair committee, got me thinking about the pride of showing off my work. She said that one of the things that has always stuck with her in terms of the fair was how proud she was for her parents, neighbours and friends to see her submissions to the fair on display.
Now, growing up in Pickering, we didn’t have a school fair and if we would have, it wouldn’t have had an agricultural focus. To get in touch with agriculture, my parents would usually bring us to the Markham Fair or all the way to the Canadian National Exhibition, which, as I think I’ve written here before, was always bittersweet, as it signified that there were only two weeks of summer left before we had to go back to school.
Furthermore, when we would go to one of those events, I remember being enamoured with the potential to win an underwhelming stuffed animal after flushing a bunch of money down a carnival game (I remember it certainly making sense at the time).
So, for me, it wasn’t about showing off my animals, like Margaret did, but I did connect with her comments about the pride of showing off her school work to her parents.
There really is something about bringing your parents into a world from which they’re essentially removed (aside from the once-ayear parent-teacher night and the occasional vice-principal summoning).
Monday. Remembrance Day is also not observed in four Canadian provinces, including Ontario, as a statutory holiday. So if Trudeau wants to make Sept. 19 a federal holiday, it’s his right to do so. Making it a provincial holiday, well, there are other considerations to be mindful of if that's the case.
Just to change it up, let’s talk about Remembrance Day here. There are plenty of great reasons people have shared as to why we should continue to mark Remembrance Day as we have.
Some people believe that a day off on Nov. 11 would result in people forgetting the importance of the day versus the impact of that single moment of silence. Others may say we have the freedom to go to a service that morning because of the very men and women being honoured that day.
Others still say that keeping children in school for Remembrance Day and having them either attend or even host their own events to mark the occasion will be far more memorable than another day for them to play with friends, watch television and possibly lose the message.
(Personally, I don’t think we give kids enough credit when it comes to those kinds of arguments, but I’m a relatively new parent, maybe I’ll change my tune when I’m raising a teenager.)
Then there are the bean counters who will break down the idea of a holiday to how much it costs the economy. As someone who respects those who protect, serve and have sacrificed for us, I’d like to kindly tell those people to blow it out their rear. However, I’m sure they are a voice that our leaders will heed when discussing whether or not something should be made a holiday.
There are a lot of arguments for and against having Remembrance Day being a holiday, and, aside from the bean-counting ones, they may all hold merit.
Why does that matter? Well, taking a day to remember one person and taking a day to remember tens of thousands of people could be looked at similarly. If people think that Remembrance Day would just become another day to relax and people would lose the message, who is to say that giving the entirety of the country the day off for the Queen’s funeral wouldn’t result in the same behaviour? If all we need is a moment of silence to honour tens of thousands of soldiers who have lost their lives, then surely all we need is a moment to honour the Queen, right? If, however, people feel they need a whole day to remember the Queen, maybe we’ve been shortchanging those memorialized by Remembrance Day. Like I said, I don’t care one way or the other, as long as we’re giving an equal amount of respect to those who deserve it.
I remember taking my parents around our classroom on parent-teacher nights, proudly showing off my desk and where my friends sat. I remember showing off artwork that had maybe been chosen for display in the hallway or the gymnasium, so proud that it had made the leap from my desk and was good enough for those outside of my classroom to see.
To take it even one step further, I still remember the pride I felt when a piece of my artwork had been chosen to be featured in a display at the Pickering Town Centre. Malls, for those of you under a certain age, were the place to be for those of just about every age when I was young. So, if your artwork was up at the mall, it might as well have been The Louvre to me when I was in grade school.
When the Town of Pickering (I don’t think it had crossed over into “city” territory yet at this point) commissioned a new sign at our beloved Brock Ridge Community Park (home to Kirkey Field - my home baseball diamond), several pieces of art were chosen from the surrounding schools, my St. Anthony Daniel Catholic School among them. Mine didn’t make the cut and that always stung, because those pieces were memorialized within the new sign for years to come. I think it’s been replaced now, but that was about as close to being immortalized in stone as we could get.
Seeing my picture on this page or my byline above stories I’ve written has become normal over the past 16 years, but I still remember the pride I felt on that first week, knowing that thousands of people would be reading a story I wrote (it was on the front page that week). To a certain extent, that excitement hasn’t dulled.
- Helen KellerWhether it’s the Brussels Fall Fair or the Elementary School Fair, being able to show off what you’ve accomplished to your friends, neighbours, parents or children is something that should never fade away. Hopefully with the return of these historic events, some new people, young or old, will find that thrill for the first time, whether it’s a new hobby or an established career path, like some of the crop classes, there is always reward in finding a sense of accomplishment.
Best
The executive meeting for August, which had been postponed, was finally held on Sept. 6.
President Jamie Mitchell opened the meeting in the usual manner. The treasurer reports that the financial books are ready for the financial review committee when they can meet. The early bird membership price will be $50 and there will be draws in September, October and November. Members can drop in and pay their dues, send them in the mail, e-transfer or go online and pay through the Ontario Command site.
It sounds like dropping into the Branch is the easy way and we get to see your smiling face! Prices go up in December.
In sports, Comrades Eric Ross and Bob Richardson advanced to compete in the provincial golf competition, set for on Sept. 17 in Clinton.
House Chair Deb Ross is again sprucing up the Branch with a motion passed for new wall sconce lights and tulle and lights for the ceiling as well as some new floral planter boxes for the dart boards and new coloured beads for the dance lights. She has found some new stainless steel plate warmers for a really good price and suggested we pick them up for our catering events. We need to do repairs up high and will need to get a lift. Jamie will look into it. We have three more fish fry dinners for the season. They are all in September and then we can pack up the supplies for another year. The Londesborough Lions usually feed about 600. Lots of help will be needed, so keep Sept. 24 open to help.
It was with sadness that we heard the news that Queen Elizabeth 11 passed away on Sept. 8 at the age of 96. She was the head and Queen of the British Commonwealth of which Canada is a member.
The Royal Canadian Legion supports and respects the Monarchy. Dominion Command of the Royal Canadian Legion passed on the suggestions of appropriate actions to take during this time. Non-essential Legion activities should be postponed. Due to the short notice, receiving the e-mail Friday afternoon, the Branch did hold the Catch the Ace draw, but will be cancelling the draw for Sept. 16, and also the food for the evening, to observe the 10 days of mourning for the late Queen. The
draw will resume on Friday, Sept. 23. Any outside groups using the Legion will be allowed to do so.
The Catch the Ace draw on Friday evening went ahead with President Jamie addressing those watching on the passing of the Queen and Legion protocol. Two
minutes of silence was observed prior to the draw.
The winners were Chad and Crystal McCallum. They chose envelope number nine and found the nine of hearts. They won $163. The estimated jackpot for Sept. 23 could be $1,500.
@Maitside!
23 Orchard Lane, Brussels
Sat., Sept. 24 HRS: 11:00-1:00 PH 519-835-0099
Please order your meal by Friday, Sept. 23
Dinner - $15 Kids - $5
Menu: Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, turnip, peas & carrots, dinner rolls
Self Guided Farm Tour Open 11-4
Pay $5 extra & enjoy your meal right in our backyard! Take a leisure walk through the apple orchard & enjoy the Maitland River flowing through our farm! Bring your children & grandchildren to enjoy the sandpit & playground!!
Stop by our snack booth for a fresh, warm slice of the pie of your choice served with ice cream!! Don’t leave before visiting our farm store for a bag of FRESHLY PICKED APPLES!!
Well, September has landed with action. We know that autumn is here and the summer mood is fading fast.
Our Queen has died. No one, let alone a woman, has held a job, that involves most of the world for 70 years and retained her grace, her dignity and her solid reputation. In the 1950s, when she was landed with this role, working women, especially mothers, were not a routine part of daily life. As the world and her family grew, she coped quietly and did the British thing, took a big breath and “carried on”.
Queen Elizabeth II was a standard to follow, she handled sticky situations and potential crises coping with 15 British Prime Ministers, 12 of ours and a modern world. Decorum is an Elizabeth word. All her life, she offered hope, strength and elegance. Even in her kilt, scarf and rubber boots, she was the Queen.
Julie Harrison has a very big smile on her face. She is just back from Ottawa, attending a ceremony at Rideau Hall recognizing acts of bravery across Canada. Her son Tim was being honoured alongside 38 other heroes. They were each nominated and vetted for their act.
Rideau Hall, a very impressive place, was the site of the presentations and reception and members of the Harrison family were proud to be there to see Tim’s bravery noted.
So, if Julie is smiling, just ask her to tell you what happens when people, well, really Tim, do great things.
The village has been buzzing with Brussels Fall Fair preparations. Coping with change has been one of the challenges for organizations. Instead of the routine of getting the arena ready for the fair, the members of the Brussels
887-9231 A NOTE FROM BETTY Brussels Legion 218 Catch
Agricultural Society made plans to use the downtown area for the event. With the library, the Four Winds Barn and the Brussels Legion working together, this fair will once again show that with a common purpose and good leadership, changes for the better can happen.
We all have our own opinion about death, and when it occurs in your circle of family and friends, you rethink your thoughts. Every life is unique - timings, situations, people involved - so then too, every death is unique. When we hear of a death, our thoughts process the many tidbits that seem important to us. The Beuermann clan are doing a lot of thinking, celebrating and grieving as Neil’s death is dealt with by each one.
Neil lived well. I shared many laughs with him and Joan over the years and so he leaves a good memory here.
Brussels School Principal Ken Scott died this week. He left good memories with many former students. Fun stories involving sports and bathrooms brought smiles as we remember this pleasant man.
In case you’ve missed Agnes Schell being out and about, she is in Wingham hospital doing rehabilitation work after a fracture. A visit to Agnes would be appreciated, as well as to any others who are restricted in activity.
Bye now, Betty GW
NEWS FROM BRUSSELS
theHearts
The Blyth Business Improvement Area (BIA) has made some requests of North Huron Council. However, BIA board member and council representative Councillor Kevin Falconer reminded council they were just requests from taxpayers.
The BIA requested that council investigate putting up flexible speed signs, or speed markers, that are installed in the middle of the road during the spring, summer and fall to deter speeding. During the BIA’s August meeting, the group had said the signs could prevent speeding and requested that council look into them. The BIA board also requested that North Huron reinstate the Ontario West Coast
signage program for the Blyth Campground, given the efforts council had made to market the site.
Reeve Bernie Bailey suggested that council refer the issue to staff to gather information, however Falconer said that council needed to treat the request carefully.
“This is a board recommendation, not a community recommendation,” he said. “This wasn’t brought up by residents to staff, it’s just a board recommendation and it needs to be treated in that manner.”
Falconer went on to say that these requests don’t always align with resident feedback.
“This is just a BIA [request], not someone reporting near injuries or misses,” he said.
Falconer added he had no problem passing the request on to
the county, but warned council that the requests of the BIA don’t always line up with the wishes of the community at large.
He pointed to new stop signs on Gypsy Lane as such a change that may have been requested by a group, but aren’t wanted by the public.
“This is a BIA committee request, not a citizen group,” he said. “This is a business association.”
He added that businesses need to “stick to business and not to community policies.”
Councillor Chris Palmer agreed with Falconer, but said he was in favour of the speed signs, saying they do their job and force people to slow down without proving a serious problem for farmers.
Bailey, however, said that Huron County Council had already turned
them down because they could cause concerns for cyclists. He then said that Bruce County, which both Palmer and the BIA pointed to as an example of having working signs in place, “is a real pain to drive.”
He said people swerve to miss the signs and could hit pedestrians as a result.
Deputy-Reeve Trevor Seip said the issue wasn’t one for North Huron anyway, since the request was for London Road/Queen Street, which is a county road. He did say, however, there are issues, since the
The annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association was held at the Blyth Campground over the weekend and featured a little something for everyone. Organizers, including President Judy Sloan, right, honoured past-presidents during the opening ceremony. Above, North Huron Reeve Bernie Bailey, flanked by those past presidents, brought greetings from the municipality and helped to officially open the event. (Denny Scott photo)
From Marilyn’s Desk
By Marilyn Craig Call 523-9318Happy birthday to Patricia Daer of London, who will celebrate her half-century birthday on Sept. 17.
Larry Badley will celebrate his birthday on Sept. 20, while Bruce Wheeler will celebrate his birthday on Sept. 21, as will Kelly MacDonald.
Randy Fraser will celebrate his birthday on Sept. 22. Hunter MacDonald will also celebrate his birthday on Sept. 22 and Jeff Norgate will celebrate his birthday on Sept. 23. Happy birthday everyone, enjoy your special day.
Happy anniversary to Blair and
Shannon Bieman of Belgrave, who will celebrate their 20th anniversary on Sept. 16 and Irvin and Linda Pease of Goderich, who will celebrate their anniversary on September 18.
Congratulations to the organizers of the Huron Pioneer Threshers and Hobby Association’s annual reunion on a job well done. There were lots of people renewing old friendships and lots of new friendships made. With the exception of the hiccup that Mother Nature sent on Saturday afternoon with a pop-up rain shower, the weather for the weekend was great. There were lots of exhibits to see all weekend.
It must have been nerve wracking to plan the event after not being able to hold the weekend for a couple of years but from where I was the weekend went as planned.
The farmers will be busy in the coming weeks, harvesting beans as the fields have changed to yellow and are starting to dry out. So far, September has been a beautiful
month for weather, and we had rain come when it was needed. Stay safe everyone and give someone a call to let them know you are thinking of them.
street is already narrow and that it could be an issue in the winter. The BIA, however, had reported that the signs are removed in winter due to road maintenance.
Palmer said it wasn’t that big of a problem because the signs would be placed at the entrances to the village, not downtown, where the roads are more narrow. However, Bailey disagreed, saying that wasn’t always the case.
Council voted to have staff investigate the requests from the BIA.
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two people suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a defective boiler in Mitchell, Ontario. First on the scene, Mr. Eckert found one of the victims in a semi-conscious state. Mr. Harrison then arrived and helped Mr. Eckert carry the man out of the building,” reads the Governor General’s website. “Responding to a radio call about the situation, Mr. Daub and Mr. Vanderhyden arrived at the gasfilled building and ran up to the second level, where they found the other victim foaming at the mouth. Strapping him to a wheeled office chair, Mr. Daub and Mr. Vanderhyden rolled the second victim to the top of the stairs and, with Mr. Harrison’s help, carried him to safety.”
Tim Harrison, right, was one of 38 people honoured by Canada’s Governor General Mary Simon last Friday at a special ceremony held at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. Harrison and three others were recognized for their life-saving efforts in 2016 when two people were facing death as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning and the foursome was able to rescue them and bring them to safety. From left: Tim’s wife Amber Harrison, his sister Patty Vandermeer, his mother Julie Harrison and Tim. (Courtesy photo)
By Shawn Loughlin The CitizenLast Friday, Brussels native Tim Harrison was one of 38 Canadians honoured by federal Governor General Mary Simon with a Medal of Bravery.
In February of 2016, Harrison and three other men saved the lives of two people suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a defective boiler in Mitchell. Harrison received word in 2018 that the four would be honoured for their bravery by the Governor General, but as plans progressed, so too did the COVID-19 pandemic and the ceremony was shelved for several years as a result.
On Friday, however, Harrison was one of 38 people honoured at Rideau Hall in Ottawa by Simon, just one day after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Harrison’s wife Amber and his mother Julie and sister Patty Vandermeer, both of Brussels, were all able to attend the ceremony and see Tim awarded.
“On Feb. 22, 2016, Andrew Daub, Daryl Eckert, Tim Harrison and Trevor Vanderhyden rescued
Brussels native Tim Harrison, left, received Canada’s Medal of Bravery last Friday from Governor General Mary Simon, right, for his heroic, life-saving acts in Mitchell in 2016. He said it was an honour to be recognized by Canada’s first-ever Indigenous Governor General. (Courtesy photo)
NOTICE - Please be advised that work will soon be underway to transform the front entrance of North Huron’s Municipal Office (located at 274 Josephine Street, Wingham) into a fully accessible space with the addition of a mobility ramp and three (3) sets of accessible doors. Due to the construction, the main front entranceway will be CLOSED to the public starting Monday, September 19, 2022 and the work is expected to continue until late-October. During this timeframe, all service to the public will be provided through the south set of doors on the front of the building.
In an interview with The Citizen, Tim said the awards ceremony whole experience at Rideau Hall was amazing, though it took on a rather solemn note with news of the Queen’s death in the air. He said it was a very moving experience that was tough to comprehend at the time, taking a few days to sink in fully, especially when considering the gravity of the Queen’s death in the context of the Governor General’s role in Canada and the historical significance of being awarded by Canada’s first-ever Indigenous Governor General. He said having his wife, mother and sister all there to support him was amazing. Tim would have liked to have his four children with him at the ceremony, but seeing his mother there to support him was something he says he’ll never forget.
Speaking of that fateful day in 2016, Tim said a lot of what he did had to do with instinct. He said he never really considered his life as he and the other three men were in the building, but rather focused on doing what was necessary to get these two people to safety.
He said he couldn’t even really chalk up some of the decisions he made that day to any kind of teaching or training, that a certain level of human nature kicked in and that he and the other three men did what was necessary to save the lives of the two people in the building.
In 2018, when he received the call from the Governor General’s office, Tim thought it was nice that he and the others would be recognized, but it wasn’t until his mother Julie did some research and spoke to him, saying that the medal had only been awarded to about 3,200 people in the country that the importance of the honour really sunk in.
In an interview with The Citizen, Julie said she was so impressed with the level of importance of the ceremony and how well the winners and guests were all treated by the Governor General’s office. She said it was amazing to see Rideau Hall and both the ceremony and the following meal were both excellent. She said she was filled with pride to see her son honoured in such a way, but she was also humbled by hearing the stories of the other Canadians being recognized for their life-saving efforts.
Patty felt the same way, saying that numerous Medals of Bravery were awarded to parents and spouses of people who saved someone’s life, but weren’t able to save themselves. Seeing that level of sacrifice was truly touching, she said. As for her brother, Patty said she couldn’t be more proud of him for what he did.
For a full list of Friday’s Medal of Bravery recipients and descriptions of their heroic acts, visit the Governor General’s website at gg.ca and search for “Decorations of Bravery” to read about the winners of the Medals of Bravery and the Stars of Courage.
on alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages from local craft breweries, wineries and distilleries.
food from local restaurants and caterers.
the music of the Janna Leduc Band.
Only 500 tickets being sold!
Tickets: $30 in advance at: www.eventbrite.com/e/huron-harvest-2022-tickets-321437356787 or $33 at the door (cash only)
887-6570
It has been a sad week across our area, across the country and across the world. The death of Queen Elizabeth shocked the world. She celebrated her 70th year on the throne in June, serving from 1952 until 2022. Tributes have poured in commemorating her remarkable tenure of service. A true example of a woman who gave her life to serve, even during World War II, had a successful marriage, children, and became a loving grandmother. She showed style and grace, loved horses and corgis, had a great sense of humour at times and a beautiful smile. God Rest the Queen.
Our area lost a well-known and remarkable man in Ken Scott. Ken was well known in the community spending 74 years in Hullett Township. He will be lovingly missed by his wife Laura and his children B.J., Christy and Shannon and their families.
He had a life-long career in teaching and spent 19 years as principal of Brussels Public School and another 10 years in East Wawanash to finish his career. He loved music and sports, playing in bands in early years and having his own band with his brother. He loved to play sports all his life and was part of a baseball team which played in the senior games until his 80th year.
Ken was always soft spoken. We had many great conversations over the years at the dances, when he came for a haircut, at the fair or wherever we would meet. Ken was a wonderful man who will be missed by his family and friends.
Our condolences to all.
Our village of Brussels lost a popular and well-liked man in Neil Beuermann. He will be missed by his loving wife Joan and his children Brad, Randy and Josh and their families.
Neil was a hard worker and for many years was a “cement monger” by his own words. He was known by many as “Nimmer”. This was a nickname he was given when growing up; his dad was known as “Nimrod”, so he became Nimmer. He worked alongside his sons and watched as they came into their own in the cement business.
He enjoyed farming and he worked for Millstone, mostly in Walton, and was well liked by all his farming friends he met. He loved a good time, his good friends and it seemed he loved to laugh and smile. A community-minded man, even in his passing, Beuermann has asked that donations be directed to the Inspiring Our Futures Campaign for the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre renovation project. Our sympathies are extended to the Beuermann and Stephenson families.
Time for some happy news. A very lovely engagement party was planned on the long weekend. Little did the guests know, it was actually a surprise wedding. Pat and Cathy Melady, along with the bride and groom, Shayna and James Whitely, put together a wedding in just five weeks, and kept it a secret from all but a small group. It was held in the backyard at Cathy and Pat’s and approximately 100 guests didn’t suspect a thing, until entering the backyard and seeing the chairs set up. They held the dinner and reception in the shed and had special guests attending from Ireland and Germany because they were in Canada. The couple resides in Goderich. Congratulations to Shayna and James!
It was a combination of happiness and sadness on Sept. 8 last week for many family and friends of the late Heidi Schlumpf, who would have
Huron East Council will return to fully in-person meetings next month with no option for hybrid participation.
Council discussed the change at its Sept. 6 meeting, which was held virtually via Zoom. Council had decided to hold its first monthly meeting virtually and its second inperson at council chambers in Seaforth. However, at the time of the decision, council opted to revisit the topic on a monthly basis.
Councillor Ray Chartrand spoke in favour of the return to in-person meetings, saying much was lost in a virtual meeting and that much of the world had moved to fully inperson meetings and events.
Deputy-Mayor Bob Fisher concurred, saying he wanted to return to in-person meetings as well.
Councillors Alvin McLellan and Dianne Diehl, both from the Grey Ward, the geographically-furthest ward from Seaforth, supported the decision, but did speak towards moving in the direction of allowing for hybrid participation in the case of illness or poor weather conditions.
Chief Administrative Officer Brad McRoberts said the current council chambers is not well equipped for a hybrid option, but he
turned 35 that day. She passed away a month ago after a 16-month battle with cancer. She was not one to give in and lived her life to the fullest with her husband and four children.
In 2021, she began her project of random acts of kindness to spread joy and bring happiness to someone. Family and friends continued her legacy again this year by urging people to do a random act of kindness and post it to Instagram. I myself received two acts of kindness from two parents, a bouquet of flowers and a tasty treat. The note said “you’ve been hit with kindness! Enjoy your gift in honour of our friend’s heavenly birthday and keep the kindness going for Heidi”.
Any act of kindness, such as a kind word, holding the door for someone, even a smile will continue this project. A gift can also be a donation to the London Health Sciences Foundation for Research into IV Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Fundraising events have
raised $122,250 to date. Be kind today and every day.
It was 21 years ago on Sept. 11 that the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked by terrorists. There were over 3,000 victims of the tragedy. We remember and pray that it never happens again.
The farm season is moving along and the white bean and soybean crops will be coming off the fields. The first white beans were combined last weekend, as well as a field of soybeans. Usually once it begins and the weather co-operates, there will be many farmers hard at it over the next couple of weeks. That will mean more slow-moving traffic on the roads, including combines and tractors and wagons. Slow down and drive carefully.
Celebrating birthdays this past week were Tim Fritz, Katrin Godkin, Brenda Linton, Karen Carter, Jaden Shortreed, Lisa Stevenson, Brian Alcock, Anne Ryan, Kevin Dunbar, Rosanna Grobbink, Foster Blake, Mason
was hoping to include some audio/visual upgrades in the 2023 budget that could make that an option, better positioning the building to host hybrid council or
Continued on page 26
The Walton Brewers claimed the fourth spot in the Huron County Fastball League as the league’s season finished last week. The squad put themselves above a number of teams closely clustered in the middle of the leaderboard with a 6-0 win over the Wroxeter Rippers on Sept. 7, Walton’s final game of the regular season. (John Stephenson photo)
other schools in Avon Maitland District School Board, but this appointment is her first as a principal.
Many of you will remember that Lori is the daughter of Bonnie [Snell] Jewitt and was raised in Clinton.
at Hullett Central this fall.
Along with a new principal, the children will be taught by a few returning teachers and many new faces. The newest children to the school, the Kindergarteners, will be introduced to formal learning by Crystal Moir and Jim Bell.
while Lori Cole has a full Grade 5 class and Alana McNaughton has a Grade 5/6 class.
throughout their marriage.
The thought for this week is, “I will take today slowly and easily. If a struggle develops, I will cherish it. It means growth.”
Good luck with that! That is something very difficult to do, as we always just get caught up in the moment without the benefit of time or reflection.
Licensed Lay Worship Leader Sue Bennett led the morning worship at Londesborough United on Sunday, Sept. 11.
The morning worship on Sun., Sept. 18 will happen at the Ball’s Chapel on Base Line Road at 10 a.m. The trees have just started to change colour, so the setting/service will come with great scenery.
The following Sunday, Sept. 25, Rev. Jan Aylward will offer communion. Jan has to make a trip to England and will not be home for World Wide Communion on Oct. 2, so the Londesborough congregation will observe that event a week early.
The ladies of Londesborough’s United Church Women are reminded of their September meeting on Monday Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.
In spite of the noise and excitement of the Thresher Reunion, I found last weekend to be unsettling. Thursday, the news of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, although not entirely unexpected, saddened the whole world. And then Sunday was the 21st anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Both events cause one to pause and reflect on the state of our world and how things will shake out in the months and years to come.
And, of course, that was the first week of the new school year, which causes a certain amount of chaos and, sometimes sadness, in homes across the area. But, if you are having a down day, just park in the area of Hullett Central Public School at a recess or lunch time and take in the noise, excitement and joy of the children. Those are the sounds of life that those of us need on the other end of the scale.
Lori Stevens is the new principal at Hullett Central this school year. Lori is actually returning to those halls, having taught at Hullett some years ago. Since then she has taught and served as vice-principal in
Her first newsletter of the school year to students and parents began with the very familiar African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child.” And, as you are part of that village on one of the farther out concentric circles, I like to keep readers informed of events at the school. Incidentally there are over 250 children
In the Primary classes, all but one room will house a split class. Christa Haggitt teaches the full Grade 1 class. Tina Taylor will instruct Grade 1/2, Melinda Ireland has a Grade 2/3 class and Alison Plumsteel manages Grade 3/4. Grade 5 pupils are split among three classrooms. Leanne Middleton has a Grade 4/5 room,
Senior pupils are in split classes as well. Morgan Fairweather teaches a Grade 6/7 class and Nicole Dundas has Grade 7/8. Craig Caldwell, who this year has moved from the Primary hall to the Senior hall, will teach Grade 7/8.
Perhaps fittingly, Ken Scott, whose career was in education, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Sept. 6. Ken came to Hullett Township when he was 10 to the farm on Hullett-McKillop Road where he farmed with his parents and where he and Laura lived
Former Goderich Mayor John Grace was memorialized on Saturday with performances, a special presentation and a parade, shown above. Grace passed away earlier this year in a boating incident and has been mourned extensively by residents, among them his former colleagues Huron County Warden Glen McNeil and Chief Administrative Officer Meighan Wark. (Denny Scott photo)
Ken enjoyed being on the farm and educating children in elementary schools in Huron County as both a teacher and principal. Also, Ken was a member of the original staff at Hullett Central when it opened back in 1966.
As a teacher, Ken recognized that learning is a life-long process and was eager to try every new experience that came to him through his family’s activities and lives. Moreover, his battle with cancer for those years was a lesson in resilience and acceptance for all those he left behind.
Music was also a big part of Ken’s life. It was another outlet for his “joie de vivre” for the enjoyment of others. Ken played guitar and, along with his brother, Jim, formed a small band, which played at dances, musical functions and local long-term care facilities. Many in the area will have memories of dancing to Ken’s music.
Ken liked to share a joke and those of us who knew him will remember his hearty laugh. Here is a correction to an item from last week regarding Ann and Ralph deWeerd. The couple did not celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, but have been married for just 42 years.
However, a celebration was held at the Londesborough Community Hall for Ann’s parents, Jack and Corry van Vuuren of Barrie, who celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on Aug. 28. A dinner celebration was held for family, with the Londesborough United Church ladies catering the event.
The delicious dinner was enjoyed by all.
Long-time Scout leader and church volunteer David Cartwright won the 2021 Citizen of the Year award for Blyth and surrounding communities posthumously. Pictured from left, The Citizen Publisher, Deb Sholdice presents the award to Shari Cartwright and family.
Each year a committee chooses an outstanding citizen from each of the Blyth and area and Brussels and area communities to receive an award for contribution to the community. If you know someone you think should be honoured, please fill in the form and send it in. You may attach a longer explanation of why you think your nominee should win, if you like. If you have nominated someone before and they didn't win, we encourage you to submit again. Emailed submissions can be sent to Shawn Loughlin at editor@northhuron.on.ca
Citizen of the year for I feel she/he deserves this award because________________________________
There are so many people out there who do so much to improve their community. This is your opportunity to show your appreciation for all they do.
Past,
Wednesday, September 21, 2022 in Belgrave
tradition. Robert won most points for boys for a number of years. In 1988, Margie gave the speech to open the fair after receiving most points and received a coin set from our MP.
Robert and Lori’s childrenRobbie, Jefferson and Clarissawere the fourth generation to exhibit. During the transition to the new school, Clarissa opened the fair along with Lauren Stainton in 2012.
Then Clarissa was the ambassador and opened the Elementary School Fair in 2014. Clarissa was the first student to open the fair twice.
Then Margie and Matt’s children - Axel and Revel - also fourthgeneration exhibitors, participated in more recent years.
Jim also participated in the fair by preparing many exhibits. However, he had another talent as well. The Belgrave School Fair managed and controlled the very successful music festival from June 1945 until 1969. Jim won first for boy’s solo aged nine and under in Belgrave and then went to Goderich on May 12, 1954, where he won first for the song “Little Prince”, receiving the Tiger Dunlop Women’s Institute Trophy. Jim and Doris’ daughters Trisha and Sherry also exhibited. Trisha opened the fair in 1989 and in 1990, Sherry opened the fair.
The family of Lawrence and Margaret Taylor has been a staple of what is now the Elementary School Fair, with four generations of the family taking part in the storied fair. This year, the fair marks its 100th anniversary, which is a milestone for any volunteer group, and this family has been there since the beginning. (Courtesy photo)
BY RUTH GORDON
The family of Lawrence and Margaret Taylor have been participating in the Belgrave School Fair for four generations.
Lawrence was 10 years old when he exhibited in the first School Fair, held on Oct. 5, 1920 at the Forester’s Hall, which held most of the exhibits. In 1923, Lawrence won a trophy for the best colt. Joyce (Taylor) Thompson still has the trophy.
Lawrence served as President of the Fair in 1948-1949.
We must not forget the important job Margaret performed. She not only supported her children in exhibiting, but served delicious, hot, country-style meals to the
judges for many years.
Their children - Ruth, Jim, Joyce and Doreen - followed in their father’s footsteps.
Ruth recalls winning first prize for her made-from-scratch chocolate cake on Sept. 11, 1957. In those days, the judge for the home economic classes was the home economics teacher from Wingham and District High School. Also she remembers very vividly practising
marching for days before the “big day”. Hats were made from bristol board with the name of the school (S.S. #9 East Wawanosh) on the hats. Each student was required to wear a white top, with girls wearing a black skirt and boys wearing black pants. It was a must that children march in unison and not be out of step.
Ruth and Bob’s children, Robert and Margie, continued the family
Joyce recalls vividly how each day she would work a little bit to prepare the sheaves. The ribbons to tie each sheaf had to be two inches from the top, second in the middle and the bottom one two inches from the end with the bottom being even. Getting vegetables ready, making crafts and getting pets washed were a part of getting ready for the “big day”. Joyce rode her pony “Leo” out to the fair. She also remembers competing against her sister Doreen in some of the categories. Joyce and John’s girls - Michelle and Danielle - competed too.
Michelle clearly remembers the number of hours it took to prepare the sheaves for exhibiting and going with her dad to get six corn stalks for silage, six for field corn and six corn cobs to be displayed on a plate. Now Michelle and Derek’s children - Kaileb, Hayden and Layne - help their grandmother pick the corn.
Danielle reports that when she hears pipers playing the bagpipes, it brings back memories of the fair parade. The fair was a learning experience in how many varieties of flowers there are and how to be selective in choosing uniform fruit and vegetables. Danielle and Richard’s children - Harper, Janssen and Finn - join in the excitement that Danielle experienced.
On May 27, 2022 Harper Watson was named Ambassador of the 100th Anniversary of the Elementary School Fair after giving her walk-down-memory-lane speech.
Now there is a fourth-generation cousin competition.
Doreen reports that Belgrave School Fair was always an exciting time of year for her as a child. It started in the spring with planting of vegetable and flower seeds. There was always a lot of excitement getting exhibits ready for the arena. Mom and Dad were great supporters of the fair, encouraging us to enter exhibits.
Fair day meant a day off school, a parade to march in and a fun day with friends. The process of entering in the fair taught her about family support, community involvement, working hard to complete projects and life skills that she still uses today. Having practised exhibiting and being competitive led her to enter into the Lucknow Fall Fair, which she has been involved with for many years.
When we first started reminiscing about the fair exhibits, we all said how we remember spending hours preparing sheaves that had to be three inches in diameter at the centre band, not the five centimetres as is the case today. Doreen recalls how mother would save ribbons (red, white and blue) from one year to be used the next.
One other memory shared by all was the boring speeches by the dignitaries before everyone could run into the arena to see what they had won.
Lawrence and Margaret instilled in us the importance of community involvement and participation. This family trait has been passed down for four generations.
prizes. Current classes include modern technologies, school work, fruits, vegetables, grains, hay, crafts and livestock. As part of the 100th Fair, we are including some classes from the original 1920 prize list.
At the beginning, each school section contributed a levy of $15 to assist with funding of the prize money. This levy continued until 1947 when it was increased to $18 and then $20 in 1949.
The Elementary School Fair has a rich history, going back just over a century to when it was established in 1920. Few people knew this better than the folks above, who, in 1990, participated in the 70th anniversary of the fair. The group were participants in the original 1920 fair and got together to mark the platinum anniversary of the fair. (File photo)
BY ALICE MCDOWELLThis year, the community will be celebrating the 100th Elementary School Fair (previously known as the Belgrave, Blyth, Brussels School Fair), a major milestone for the last remaining school fair in the province. This comes after the anniversary fair had to be cancelled
in both 2020 and 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Ontario Department of Agriculture began school fairs in Ontario in 1920. Mr. S. B Stothers, the Agricultural Representative for Huron County, met with a small group of school trustees in 1920 and organized the
There were plenty of great pumpkins on display at the diamond anniversary of the Elementary School Fair, then called the Belgrave, Blyth and Brussels School Fair. Produce has been a long-time feature of the show. (File photo)
original Belgrave School Fair.
The first fair took place on Oct. 5, 1920. Although the name has changed and the territory covered has expanded, to our knowledge, this is the only remaining school fair in Ontario that is open only to exhibits and school work created by local students and not associated with an agricultural society.
The only year that the School Fair was not held was 1937 during the polio epidemic when all fairs in Huron County were cancelled.
In 1920, the fair included students from nine schools across Morris and East Wawanosh Townships. Over the next few years, more schools from East Wawanosh and Turnberry joined the fair. At one point, 21 schools were participating.
A number of buildings in Belgrave, such as the Women’s Institute Hall, Orange Hall and local churches were used to house the students’ entries, which included everything from cross stitch and milk stool building to home-churned butter. The fair is now held at the Belgrave Community Centre and surrounding grounds.
Some of the special competitions held were hitching a horse to a buggy, public speaking, music and class marching. Today, marching into the fairgrounds is still a major part of our day and the winning grades are awarded with special
Then, school area boards came into being and the Belgrave School Fair had to adapt to change. The Morris School Area Board contributed $220 and the East Wawanosh Area School Board contributed $200 in 1950. The School Fair Board discussed a more equitable way of financing the fair and asked the School Area Boards for $1 per pupil in 1951. This amount fell short of the amount of prize money paid out, therefore, in 1952, the Fair Board asked for $1.25 per pupil. Donations were also solicited from the township councils, funds were raised from admission fees to school fair concerts and music festivals and selling advertisements in the prize list booklet. Advertisements and sponsorships in the prize booklet are still used as forms of fundraising.
The Ontario Department of Agriculture provided seeds for the students from 1920 until 1932, when the government budget for agriculture was decreased, meaning a decrease of $50,000 for agriculture representatives’ work. Therefore, they could no longer supply the seeds (one package of vegetable seed and one package of flower seed to each child) for school fairs. No seeds were supplied in 1933 or 1934, but in 1935 and 1936, the Department of Education financed the purchase of the seeds, the produce of which was to be shown at the fair. Since 1936, the School Fair Board has purchased the seeds for the children from the school fair funds.
The fair has always begun with a parade of dignitaries, including the School Inspector or Director of Education, the reeves of the townships, the members of the Provincial and Federal Governments for this riding and, until the mid-1980s ,representatives from the Agricultural office in Clinton.
In 1967, local one-room school houses were closed and amalgamated into the Blyth, Brussels and East Wawanosh Public Schools. It was feared that this change could be the end of the fair, but a small group of people rallied together and
ensured that the fair continued.
They met with the Huron County Board of Education and convinced them of the value of the school fair in the children’s education and the board granted the fair $700. It was at this time that the name changed to the Belgrave, Blyth and Brussels School Fair. In 1970, the new Board of Education began an $800 annual grant to the fair and, in 1987, raised the grant to $900 annually. Sometime after 1994, this grant was discontinued.
The agricultural representatives and assistant representatives from the office in Clinton have given an impressive amount of support to the School Fair. They gave freely of their time to come on fair day and judge the produce and livestock, provided suggestions for showing prize fruit and vegetables, etc. When this officially ended, some of them continued to volunteer as judges for the fair on their own time.
In 2012, with another amalgamation and a transition to the Maitland River Elementary School, F.E. Madill, and Hullett Central Public School; a new group, which included grandchildren of members of the 1967 group, came together and with the continued support of the community and our amazing students, the newly named elementary school Fair continued the tradition.
In 2016, there were further changes, as the students of Sacred Heart Catholic School joined the Fair. The eligibility to participate has also been further expanded and now includes all Elementary Students in the catchment areas of the Maitland River Elementary, F.E. Madill, Sacred Heart and Hullett Central Public Schools. All homeschooled students and elementary students from other schools in the described area are also welcome to participate.
In 2019, there was further expansion to include the students in the Brookside Public School catchment area.
Throughout the history of the school fair, community members, teachers, principals, and government officials have all contributed to making this event a memorable learning experience for all students involved.
as well as many homeschooled children and others from throughout the community at large.
Vincent said she stepped up at that time, wanting to be part of the group that kept the fair alive, in order to help preserve the magic of the fair for future generations. She remembered back to that anticipation and excitement she felt as a student and the family history she has with the fair and wanted others to have that opportunity.
While the fair was set to celebrate its 100th anniversary during the COVID-19 pandemic, clearly that wasn’t possible to organizers, especially if they wanted to celebrate as a community. The organizers were then required to pivot and plan for the future, which led to this year’s anniversary fair.
However, during 2020 and 2021, the committee remained active, engaging with students and community members remotely and through social media. Vincent was instrumental in that work, though she said it was important to strike a balance between sustained engagement to keep the fair and its work active in people’s minds versus burning people out at a time in which so much was happening remotely and it was easy to become overwhelmed.
Margaret Vincent, at right back in 1994, has a long history with the Elementary School Fair, but she’s just the most recent part of her family’s legacy with the century-old event. As the president of the Elementary School Fair Committee, she will be opening this year’s fair. (File photo)
By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen
To say Margaret Vincent has a long history with the Elementary School Fair only tells half of the story. Her family has been involved with the fair since it began over a century ago.
Vincent is the president of the Elementary School Fair committee and has been volunteering with it on the executive side for the last 10 years. When the fair rebranded in 2012 to the Elementary School Fair after the closure of several area schools, Vincent served as the vicepresident of the organization under President Steve Hallahan.
Vincent had shown at the fair when she was a student. Some of her most fond memories of the fair involve that time, when she remembers producing school work, creating items or entering into agricultural categories like crops and showing animals and the anticipation of seeing what her neighbours and friends would be showing that year.
Growing up, Vincent’s family had dairy cattle. In the summer, Vincent said, if her parents didn’t know where she was, they always knew where to look first. She was out with the calves, working with them and trying to hone her craft of showing them ahead of the coming school fair. She said she always felt tremendous pride showing animals or exhibiting her family’s crops or her school work at the fair. She wanted her parents, her friends and her neighbours to see what she and her family had accomplished over the past year.
While Vincent very fondly remembers her years as an elementary school student showing her work at the fair, it was when she was first asked to return as a judge that she learned more about the
organizational side of the fair and became interested in becoming involved.
Her participation follows in a long line of members of her family being involved behind the scenes of the fair. Her grandfather and greataunt both exhibited at the first fair and then both of her grandparents and her uncle have been presidents and her parents have been heavily involved in the fair in recent years. In fact, one of the members of the Vincent family was the president when the fair was first amalgamated years ago when many of the one-room school houses closed and merged into larger, regional schools. So, it was only fitting that Vincent was part of the picture when the fair rebranded 10 years ago.
With the closure of the three participating schools - Blyth, Brussels and East Wawanosh Public Schools - there were real concerns in 2012 that the fair would cease to exist after decades of history and memories. However, a dedicated volunteer group formed after a public information session and the Elementary School Fair was born, welcoming students from the newly-created Maitland River Elementary School in Wingham.
The fair has since continued to expand, welcoming children from Sacred Heart School in Wingham,
Earlier this year, finally, the committee was able to return to inperson events, hosting what served as a bit of a kick-off to the anniversary year in Belgrave. There, 10-year-old Harper Watson was crowned as the Elementary
School Fair Ambassador, taking over for Bryn McInnes, who held the title for several years through cancelled events due to the COVID19 pandemic.
The event served as a bit of a “birthday party” for the fair, in addition to the ambassador ceremony. Really, it was meant to kick off an important year for the fair, starting a months-long countdown to Wednesday, Sept. 21. For this year’s fair, the programming has certainly expanded, Vincent said, with the committee really wanting to put its best foot forward in such an important year.
There will be displays or demonstrations from the local fire departments, the Ontario Provincial Police, local robotics classes, a reptile show, the Huron County Museum, the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority, the Huron County Beef Producers and more.
Vincent just hopes that everyone who attends has a good time and that perhaps some people attending the fair for the first time get to experience what she has over the years, starting their own family history with the fair that will continue to develop over the many years to come.
She said the fair’s slogan, “past, present and future” is much more than that and it really is what the fair is all about - building on the community’s history, celebrating the present and looking towards the future - and the more people who get to experience that, the better.
is also looking at inviting more junior students as well.
Over the years, there have been a number of positive influences McDowell has met through her various roles with the fair, including Joan Vincent.
“She has been an absolute mentor for so many things,” she said, adding that Vincent helped her children participate with the 4-H program both through encouragement and through helping them find animals to show, often from the Vincent family farm.
McDowell said the fair is an important tradition to continue, but it’s also a tradition that needs to reflect the current day in order to keep it relevant.
She continues to be involved because of the fact that the fair
offers a unique learning opportunity for all local students that they might not get otherwise.
“The other reason it’s so important is because it is the only fair, and it might be the oldest, but it’s the only fair that I know of that’s completely volunteerdriven,” she said. “It’s not related [to any community group] and all of its funding comes through fundraising and donations.”
She said that’s what makes it such a unique opportunity for students.
“My involvement started out with my kids, then continued as an educator and a volunteer and now I’m a grandparent and I think our kids need to have the opportunity to understand the past and present in ways that are so unique to the community.”
Alice McDowell, left, has been part of the Elementary School Fair for just shy of 30 years, having first attended as a parent in 1994. Since then, she has taken part in the fair as an educator and now is a long-time volunteer dedicated to making sure the event continues on. Above, she cuts a cake at the 2015 fair. (File photo)
By Denny Scott The Citizen
The McDowell family has strong ties with the Elementary School Fair, previously the Belgrave, Blyth and Brussels School Fair, and retired Principal Alice McDowell carries on that tradition..
McDowell, who married her husband Ron and moved to the area in 1986, didn’t know much about the fair at first, but was intrigued by it. When her children started attending it, however, she really got involved. That started in 1994, and McDowell took her children there until 2009 and then took her students from 2009 to 2013 before retiring.
“My kids showed all those years at the fair, and I was an educator by that time as well,” she said.
In 2009, when her children aged
out of the fair, McDowell moved to Blyth Public School as principal, where she stayed until 2012 when it closed. She was then the principaldesignate at Maitland River Elementary School and, as part of that job, McDowell had to figure out what was important to all the students from the schools that had closed that were feeding into the new Maitland River Elementary School.
“One of my roles as principaldesignate was leading consultation of the schools and going to the communities and finding out what was important,” she said. “I had been involved with the fair board on the principal level, and it became very apparent that, for families of East Wawanosh Public School and the Belgrave community, the school fair was something they didn’t want to lose.”
The families featured in this special section, like the McDowells, represent a small number of the families that have been making the Elementary School Fair happen for decades. Other families who have participated and volunteered for generations include:
Procter
Vincent
Coultes
Haines Gordon Thompson Hallahan Campbell
Freiburger Shiell Nixon Taylor Scott Robinson Pletch Cook
Higgins Dunbar VanCamp Michie Hopper Walden Black Walker
She said that, as the closure of East Wawnosh, Brussels, Turnberry Central and Blyth Public Schools took effect, the fair board began looking at how the event could continue with McDowell’s help.
At first, she said, there was a small group of very dedicated volunteers under President Steve Hallahan, including Laura VanCamp, Joan Vincent, Erin Gaunt, Rob Gordon and Anne Procter.
“The group started to meet and develop, or re-imagine, what the fair would look like going forward,” she said. “The first thing was that a new name was needed as the Belgrave, Blyth and Brussels School Fair wouldn’t cut it.”
She said the idea with the naming of Elementary School Fair was to open it up to any local students. The group also started thinking about an ambassador competition, but didn’t have time to develop a process for the first year.
“That first year, each school designated someone from their school that would speak, and the ambassador program would start the next year,” she said.
After retiring from teaching, McDowell became heavily involved with the group, holding different executive positions and a variety of responsibilities.
She said the fair itself evolved as the group did, including inviting more schools, like Sacred Heart Separate School in Wingham and students in Grade 7 and 8 from F.E. Madill School.
Since then, McDowell said, the board has invited students from Brookside and Hullett Central Public Schools and is excited to have them participating. The board
While activities have come and gone at the Elementary School Fair over the years, some have stood the test of time. Of course, exhibits of fruits, vegetables, flowers and school work are annual favourites, but activities like the sack race always entertain, like the one from 2019 shown above. (File photo)
After the Elementary School Fair was renamed and rebranded in 2012, organizers set their sights on having an ambassador. Then, in 2013, their vision became reality and Grace Caldwell was chosen as the fair’s representative.
Caldwell paved the way for the ambassadors that have come after her, like Clarissa Gordon (2014), Emily Bieman (2015), Austin Bieman (2016), Abigail Peel (2017), James Speer (2018), Bryn McInnes (2019) and now Harper Watson (2022).
Steve Hallahan, president of the Elementary School Fair committee during its transition in 2012 and beyond, said he was really impressed with Caldwell’s public speaking skills at the time and that was what elevated her in the competition.
“She looked out at us the whole time. She had her whole speech memorized,” Hallahan said to The Citizen in 2013. “It was a close vote, both girls were good [Laura Stainton was the second girl vying for the title that year], but Grace really impressed me.”
In 2013, Caldwell said the fair had been important to her since she was in Kindergarten as the third generation of her family to take part in the fair.
Caldwell took the fair’s new slogan “Make it, Grow it, Show it” and crafted her speech around those three ideas that have been so vital to the fair over the years.
For “Make it”, Caldwell told the story of she and her siblings running around scrambling at the last minute with her grandmother to find fruits and vegetables that they could exhibit at the fair. She said that was a memory that remained close to her heart.
She said that when she thought of “Grow it” she could recall planting seeds with her family the same day they received the fair’s annual book. One of the seeds she always remembers planting is a sunflower. It was Caldwell’s hope, she said, to grow the biggest sunflower at the fair one year.
When it came to “Show it”, Caldwell said that she didn’t have any firsthand experience showing animals at the fair, but that seeing her classmates show their animals was always one of her favourite parts of the fair.
It was her family history with the fair that made Caldwell want to vie for the ambassador title.
She said it had always been a big part of her father Ian’s life when he was a student at Blyth Public School, so when she began attending as an East Wawanosh Public School student, it became just as important to her as well. She would create crafts and other school work for the fair and then, when the committee announced it would be hosting an ambassador competition, Caldwell gave it serious consideration.
In an interview with The Citizen this week, Caldwell said she remembered being very nervous as she waited to give her speech, just wanting to get it over with in a way. However, the speech would go on to impress the judges at the small event. (Caldwell also remembers that the ambassador night was a much more modest affair back then, compared to this May’s large celebration and ambassador night.) She clearly remembers
representing the fair and visiting classes full of students to encourage them to attend the fair. She said she loved that aspect of the position and felt a sense of pride when she saw little children from the community at the fair, knowing she may have had a hand in bringing them there.
In the years since winning the competition, Caldwell says being the ambassador has shaped her life in a number of ways. First, she has continued to be involved with the fair in the years since, but it has also given her confidence and improved her public speaking skills.
Caldwell is currently in her third year of studying to become a social worker at Wilfrid Laurier University. She hopes to continue her education, eventually earning a Master’s Degree and returning to Huron County to work as a counsellor for mental health and addiction.
When several local schools closed and the new Elementary School Fair was born, it was East Wawanosh’s Steve Hallahan who took on the president’s role in 2012. (File photo)
By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen
By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen
Harper Watson of Wingham is the 2022 Elementary School Fair Ambassador. She was crowned in late May at the Elementary School Fair birthday party, which served as a kickoff, leading to this September’s 100th anniversary fair. The Wingham girl has been exhibiting at the fair since she was five years old, continuing a family legacy that dates back to her greatgrandfather, Lawrence Taylor, who was just 10 years old, the same age as Watson, when he began exhibiting at the fair all those years ago.
The Maitland River Elementary School student said that being part of the fair, for her, feels like a tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation.
Harper Watson, left, will carry on the Elementary School Fair Ambassador legacy on Sept. 21 when the 100th fair is celebrated in Belgrave. She earned the title last May at a special birthday party for the fair, which marked the history of the fair, while also crowning the new ambassador. Bryn McInnes, the 2019 Elementary School Fair Ambassador, right, did the honours upon Watson’s win. (File photo)
Lisa Thompson, Huron-Bruce MPP and the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, has helped open the Elementary School Fair a number of times, and often reminisces about her own time at the event.
Thompson, who grew up in the area and attended the fair as a child to show off her own exhibits, says that the event is a perfect way to celebrate tradition, modernity and look to the future of agriculture by encouraging students to participate in growing and learning.
“When I think of what’s coming down the pipeline [with the fair], it’s something that we can all celebrate,” she said.
For her, the fair brings to memory the late Ross Taylor, who had been at almost every school fair for nearly a century before he passed away in 2018. She said that sense of connection, of drawing people back long after they participate in it, shows just how important the fair is.
Huron-Bruce MPP and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Lisa Thompson, seen above at the 2014 Elementary School Fair, has a long history of the fair. As an East Wawanosh native, she remembers participating as a student years ago. (File photo)
Thompson grew up going to the fair, and her parents spent 35 years helping their children participate in the program. Thompson’s father also participated in the fair when he was a school-aged student.
“Being at the fair gives everyone a chance to reflect on their own
Continued on page 18Heading into the May 27 Elementary School Fair birthday party, Watson said she felt she had a chance to earn the title of ambassador, but admitted to being very nervous as well.
Part of that feeling was the fact that, due to the pandemic, it had been more than two years since Watson had last done some public speaking, so she admitted that there were some butterflies as a result.
However, Watson spoke about her family’s history with the fair and her “past, present and future” with the event, tapping into the fair’s slogan, and she felt her words resonated with many who were in attendance that night.
In the time since, Watson has worked tirelessly to promote the fair and encourage her fellow students to attend and exhibit at the fair.
The fair would then expand to include students from other schools, as well as home-schooled children, in addition to members of the local community.
Despite his eagerness to get involved 10 years ago, he was relatively unfamiliar with the fair. He and his siblings attended Sacred Heart School in Wingham, which wasn’t a regular attendee for the fair when he was a student. It wasn’t until his children began attending and contributing to the fair that he really got to experience it and saw how important it was to the community.
He saw the event as being great for neighbours and for the children of the community and did his part to ensure that it kept going.
Hallahan, however, says that while he oversaw a lot of the work,
as the president, it was many of the other volunteers under him who did the bulk of the work to ensure the fair continued on.
When he sat in the president’s seat, Hallahan said he and the committee made a number of small changes, including bringing in the Huron County Beef Producers to make beef on a bun sandwiches, giving patrons a reason to stay longer, and changing the parade route to Jordan Drive, so the children no longer had to cross Highway 4, one of the busiest thoroughfares in the area.
As he got to know the fair better, he said he really grew to appreciate the appeal for adults, spending time with their neighbours and friends and watching the children of the community show animals and exhibit their school work.
Now, for the fair to be marking its 100th anniversary, Hallahan says it’s a real milestone for any volunteer organization to reach and he thinks that shows how much it has meant to the community over the years.
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since I was the ambassador for the 95th school fair,” she said. “It may not have been the 100th, but it was a big milestone and that was definitely exciting.”
She said she was happy to represent a school fair that had really helped to fuel her discovery of the world of agriculture.
One of her primary responsibilities, aside from opening the school fair, was to spend the year she held the title educating students and the community at large on the fair and agriculture in general, and she said that definitely helped her hone her skills for later in life.
Emily and Austin Bieman served as the Elementary School Fair Ambassadors in 2015 and 2016, respectively. They remain the only brother-sister duo to both hold the position thus far. Above, the Biemans were part of a special Ambassador night in 2019, during which Bryn McInnes, right, was crowned Ambassador. From left: Emily Bieman (2015), Austin Bieman (2016), Abilgail Peel (2017), James Speer (2019) and McInnes (2019). The only past Ambassadors absent that night were Clarissa Gordon (2014) and Grace Caldwell (2013). (File photo)
By Denny Scott The Citizen
Siblings Emily and Austin Bieman, who grew up near Belgrave, each claimed the
Ambassador title at the Elementary School Fair in 2015 and 2016, respectively, setting an early record for family excellence.
The Ambassador program was still in its infancy when Emily won
in 2015, being the third to earn the sash. She told The Citizen that, at the time, she was ecstatic to follow in the footsteps of Grace Caldwell and Clarissa Gordon.
“I was really excited, especially
“Being the Ambassador gave me more confidence to be where I am today,” she said. “It’s definitely encouraged me to stay in agriculture and participate in 4-H clubs and help younger 4-H members and fair participants to take part.
“I definitely learned a lot about public speaking and the ability to be confident when talking to people,” she said.
Earning the sash was just one step into other opportunities, she said, as she went on to win the Brussels Junior Ambassador title at the Brussels Fall Fair in 2017..
“Winning the school fair ambassadorship gave me the confidence and kind of drove me to want to run for the Junior Ambassador program,” she said.
She also learned leadership abilities through the Ambassador
program, which led to her being able to confidently tackle roles like Junior Leader in 4-H.
“Having those experiences with the fair kind of showed me what it’s like to be a leader,” she said.
Taking part in the program is definitely worthwhile and a great opportunity, she said, especially for people passionate about the fair.
Emily passed the title and sash on to Austin, who said it was a unique experience opening the fair and talking in front of the hundreds of students who attend.
“It was neat, getting to talk about my experience around the fair, and how I grew up around the fair my whole life,” he said. “Getting to march in the parade with the sash and all the dignitaries was a pretty good feeling, and getting to do a speech in front of the school was fun.”
Like his sister, Austin said that the Ambassadorship and the Ambassador program helped him with his public speaking, giving him ample practice time. He said both also made him more comfortable meeting new people and talking face-to-face. Also like Emily, he said the Ambassador program helped him tackle similar experiences.
As far as people looking to take part in the program, Austin said that keeping calm and trying hard are the keys to victory.
“You can’t stress about it,” he said. “You just have to go up and do your best.”
Clarissa Gordon, above in blue, served as the Elementary School Fair Ambassador in 2014, an experience she said led to her educational path, among other things. (File photo)
Belgrave’s Clarissa Gordon was the second Ambassador of the Elementary School Fair after it was relaunched in 2012, setting a strong precedent for the ambassadors that would follow.
With the closure of East Wawanosh, Blyth and Brussels Public Schools, the Belgrave, Blyth and Brussels School Fair was rebranded as the Elementary School Fair, and organizers felt that an ambassador program would be a good addition. Gordon was the second to win the title after Grace
Caldwell in 2013. As a third-year student at the University of Waterloo, Gordon says she knows the program and experience made a big difference in her life.
“The ambassador program definitely made an impact,” she said. “It was a good way to get started with volunteering in the community. It was a great first step.”
Winning the competition and becoming ambassador led to a number of changes for Gordon, she said, as she worked through public
school and high school.
“I got into more volunteering and won an award at the end of my high school career,” she said.
“The experience helped me prepare to apply for scholarships for university as well. It’s definitely something that has carried through over the years.”
The fair even played into her education, she said.
Gordon is studying psychology and therapeutic recreation, and said the school fair focuses on a lot of recreational skills. She said it also helped her decide to work at Camp Menesetung as a councillor after volunteering there, which further helped her focus on what she wanted to do for the future.
As for how she came to hold the ambassadorship, Gordon said that focusing on the fair, whether you’re new to it or have a family history going back years like her own, is a good place to start.
“When I was writing my speech for the competition, I was really trying to focus on my family’s history in the fair,” she said. “But really, it was about the importance of carrying the fair through to the future.”
She said she talked about her grandmother and greatgrandparents and how they participated in the fair and helped continue its tradition.
“I think that’s one of the core values: linking our past, present and future to connect with our history,” she said.
She said that embracing the values of the fair - which include learning new experiences with hands-on events - is important as well for anyone hoping to be ambassador in the future.
“A lot of the skills we use for some of those competitions are things you don’t necessarily do
Continued from page 17 history and important traditions,” she said.
Learning about horticulture is a big part of the fair, Thompson said, and has been since she was a student. “I always looked forward to picking up seeds to grow them,” she said.
The seeds grow into flowers or vegetables which are then exhibited at the fair, Thompson said, giving a lesson in growing. That lesson is important, she said, because it helps
every day, but it is a way to embrace our local heritage,” she said.
Finally, the fair is a way to connect with family and friends, she said, and anyone participating needs to see it as an opportunity to make new friends and practise speaking to their entire community.
people connect to where the food they eat every day comes from, even if they don’t live on a farm.
Thompson also said that the fair itself, even among similar events, is unique, possibly nationally.
“The fair is one of the longest running independent ones,” she said. “It’s unrelated to agriculture organizations and there’s nothing like it in Ontario, or maybe across Canada. I hope that parents see the opportunity it offers and get involved so it carries on.”
Alice McDowell, a long-time volunteer with the event and former educator, said that, as of this year, there have been five generations of McDowells who worked on the family farm to prepare for the Elementary School Fair, starting with her husband’s grandfather, Norman McDowell.
“This is just a really unique year,” she said. “If this happened two years ago, we wouldn’t be here yet, but now we are.”
The farm that she and her husband Ron live on is a century farm, and a century-family farm, she said, and Norman prepared for the fair when he was around 12 to 13 years old.
“He would have been in Grade 7 or 8, when the school fair started,” she said. “He would have been right at the top and he would have shown in the fair.”
The McDowell family will mark five generations of participation in the Elementary School Fair on Sept. 21 when its youngest members enter their work into the fair for the first time. This is a milestone for the family and the local fair that not many others have been able to reach. (Courtesy photo)
By Denny Scott The CitizenWhile there are a number of families who can trace their lineage back through the Elementary
School Fair, not many can claim that five generations have been there from the same farm.
The McDowell family, from outside of Belgrave, has sent five generations of students to the event
as of this year. All five generations have grown and created at the same Belgrave-area farm, which provides a great place to grow unique learning opportunities alongside crops.
She said, after consulting with family members, the McDowells are sure he took part, just like her father-in-law Gerald was involved and did more than just participate.
“He was involved in the community, grew up here, and did a lot of work for it, including helping out with the fair,” she said.
Ron was also involved, and his Kindergarten class was the first to participate in the fair.
“When my husband started school, he was in the first Kindergarten class at East
Wawanosh Public School,” he said. “They were then involved in the school fair.”
From there, her own children, Johnathan and Michael participated and became heavily involved in the event, followed by her grandchildren, Johnathan’s Finn and Michael’s Lucy.
“Our kids have kids who are both in Senior Kindergarten this year,” she said. “They have grown flowers and vegetables and are entering those things in the fair. They grew them here on our family farm.”
She said having that kind of history with the event gives her family a unique and different perspective when it comes to the fair.
While the house has changed over the years, the farm is where all the generations have lived and farmed, McDowell said, which makes it and the family’s participation in the fair unique.
That history isn’t lost on the youngest McDowells either, with both Finn and Lucy deciding to take advantage of their unique heritage by submitting photos to this year’s photography contest showing three of the five generations of fairgoers in the family: their respective fathers, their grandfather and their great-grandfather.
McDowell said she was ecstatic to be a part of the fair and happy that her family will continue to be a part of it.
arrived. One of the judges was Don Pullen from the local Ministry of Agriculture office. Once the items had been judged, that’s where the volunteers came in recording the winning entries and putting the stickers on the tickets.
A highlight for Ross was the opportunity to be present for the cutting of a celebratory cake for the 95th School Fair with Ambassador Emily Bieman. He was so proud to be recognized at the 95th School Fair; it was quite an honour.
I believe there were only two fairs he had missed over the years; one
when he had to combine wheat late in season and one for a funeral of his brother-in-law. In later years, due to health, he was unable to help at the fair, but he always wanted to go to the fair. We would be sitting in the car at the very south end of the parking lot listening to the speeches from the platform.
When Dad died in July, 2018, we requested donations to the fair, as it was dear to his heart.
Ross had over 90 years of going to the Belgrave School Fair and enjoyed participating, volunteering, seeing the exhibits and visiting.
“It started off with Dad, Ross Taylor, being a baby. He was born on June 11 and was entered into the baby contest at the first Belgrave School Fair, winning first place. Dad told me his grandfather Taylor said “I knew he would
win.” What a proud grandfather! This was the beginning of a long history of involvement with the local school fair for Ross Taylor.
As a student at S.S. #13 East Wawanosh on the 6th Line, Ross competed at the fair and marched in the fair parades along the streets of Belgrave. His involvement with the
fair continued after being an eligible student.
Dad volunteered at the Belgrave School Fair, covering the corn, grain and hay sections for numerous years. He would make sure the entries were entered in the right classes and make sure everything was in order before the judge
The Law Enforcement Torch Run to benefit the Special Olympics made its way through Blyth last week, as is tradition, on its way to Goderich. The enthusiastic group was met with cheers and waves as they made their way down the village’s main street. (Denny Scott photo)
Local schools are reporting relatively stable enrollment numbers this year with a number of new staff members joining the ranks.
Hullett Central Public School is under new Principal Lori Stevens, who is very happy to be returning to the school and to the area, having deep ties to it.
“I have lots of links to the community, which I love,” she said. “My roots are definitely here.”
While she grew up in Clinton, she had relatives in Londesborough and spent time there, even being married in the village.
Stevens has been a vice-principal for seven years, having spent the last three at Goderich Public School, and has now moved into the role of principal. She said she was making good on a promise she made to herself years ago by returning to the school.
“I taught here early in my career and, interestingly, when I first became an administrator, I said, someday, I want to be the principal of Hullett.”
She said she is excited to be at the school and that the community has been very welcoming so far.
Stevens said she has some plans to grow on already-successful events and programs at the school, like changing up the library space to make it “a vibrant hub for learning”.
As for the school, its enrollment is at 257 students, which is slightly higher than last year. She did say, however, there had been a significant number of changes before the school year started, which is a little out of the norm.
Cappy Onn and Kev Carney performed at the United Way Perth-Huron’s special event in Wingham on Sunday, which served as a volunteer fair and 2022 campaign launch. It included food trucks, music and activities for children. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
United Way Perth-Huron (UWPH) launched the 2022 campaign on Sunday in Wingham, and announced a campaign goal of $2,289,671 to meet the needs of the northern Huron community as well as across Perth-Huron; addressing #UNIGNORABLE issues such as homelessness, mental health and access to services.
“It’s exciting to launch the campaign,” said Lisa Harper, UWPH Manager, Community Development, Northern Huron. “After two years apart, it was nice to gather together, feel the enthusiasm of the community and share about how we can continue to help support our most vulnerable residents.”
“Northern Huron has really welcomed us and shown how much they care about the work we do in support of local people,” added UWPH Executive Director Ryan Erb, “We’re looking forward to a successful campaign.”
As part of kickoff celebrations, UWPH invited people to a “Concert at the Complex” and volunteer fair, hosted by the Wingham
Community Connectors at the North Huron Wescast Community Complex. Musicians entertained the crowd, people were able to meet with representatives from local organizations looking for volunteers. A portion of proceeds raised from food sales went to UWPH’s work in the northern Huron community.
UWPH’s Northern Huron Community Committee - including Chair Kate Procter, Aaron Armstrong, Nicole Duquette-Jutzi, Diana Finch, Shawn Lawler, Denise Lockie, Roxane Nicholson, Rev. JoAnn Todd and Stephanie Towton - continues working to address local issues, including a focus on people experiencing homelessness, through the planned Northern Huron Connection Centre (NHCC). The NHCC is intended as a welcoming, safe space for the community’s most vulnerable citizens to rest, access basic needs, healthcare services, identification assistance and more.
UWPH is hoping to open the centre in mid-November or early December.
New staff at the school include a Special Education Resource Teacher Ray Ramnarine, Lori Cole in Grade 5, Alana McNaughton in Grade 5/6, Nicole Dundas in Grade 7/8, Dana Thompson providing preparatory coverage and a new Educational Assistant, Keela McIntyre, providing support where necessary.
Stevens said there are still some staffing gaps to be addressed, which should happen this week.
Dree Park, the former principal of Hullett Central Public School, has moved to North Woods Elementary School this year.
He said that enrollment is at 158 students, which is a little higher than even last week when the school started, and slightly up from last year.
New staff include Park himself, Mrs. Purvis providing preparatory coverage, Mrs. Hastings in Grade 1 and Mrs. Cochrane, an educational assistant, helping out in Kindergarten.
Maitland River Elementary School Principal Angela Cowley said this year has been different from previous years, as most of the staff changes are temporary in nature and revolve around filling staff taking leaves from work.
Sandra Murphy will be returning from a leave to teach Kindergarten, and Brooke Senek, who helped to cover Murphy’s leave last year, has been hired on as permanent staff, also in Kindergarten. However, Cowley said some of those assignments could change by the end of the week.
Other new staff include French teacher Haley Doell and custodians Jason Horton and Carolyn Pucker.
Enrollment at the Wingham school is up a little from last year, landing at 450, but is down compared to historic numbers, Cowley said. She said that’s tied to a smaller-than-expected Senior Kindergarten class.
Last year, Principal Michael Huizenga took over Huron Christian School. Huizenga, originally from the Brampton area, and his wife Janessa, the school’s director of Student Services, came to the school after teaching overseas. He said the move is a good fit and Clinton is a great place to land in Ontario after travelling. The couple has three daughters: two attending London Christian High School and one at McMaster University.
Enrollment at the school has increased over last year, he said, landing at 185 and there have been no significant staffing changes over the previous year.
Some of your readers may have seen the recent online Brindley Auction in Dungannon.
Truly a remarkable thing. Fortyfive years of collecting. Literally hundreds of antique tractors, farm equipment and spare parts lovingly acquired and curated over the years. Being a good old Morris Township Ploughboy, I could not resist the temptation to look in on the offerings.
I was immediately drawn to a 1952 Minneapolis-Moline Wide Front Model U tractor. In days growing up on the 6th of Morris, I heard time and time again about the day that my grandfather bought that very tractor at a dealership in Belmore and drove it all the way home to Brussels. In my farm family, we had this rather quaint
Special correspondent to The Citizen as curated by Paul Nichol
habit of giving all of our tractors names like Fergie and JD. Well, “Minnie” was the prize of the pack.
My grandfather adored that tractor like a pampered child. Never let her spend a night outdoors. The first day I drove it, he told me “You’re a man now Son. You’ve driven old Minnie”. And that was a huge ego booster for a 13-year old. But I digress. The bids on old Minnie were quite sluggish and modest. I brought the matter to the attention of my better half, trying to focus on the familial connection. She was somewhat lukewarm to where I was going. “If you bring any piece of crap home from that auction I will leave you!”
Fully aware of my wife’s taciturn position on the matter, I sought out second opinions. I broached the topic with my brother Hugh. He was
typically thoughtful. “It would be wonderful to bring old Minnie back home where she belongs. And how ironic when your wife uses her to run you over,” he said.
I sought an impartial opinion from Rick Demaray, someone who I don’t like much, but he’s at least objective. He admitted that the Minneapolis-Moline was indeed a truly great deal. But he also suggested that so too was my wife. I could not argue with him, as anyone that knows Rick knows that he is always right.
But I still couldn’t help thinking if only she had 50 horsepower, a flywheel and a hand clutch!
The 1952 Minneapolis-Moline Wide Front Model U went to another buyer.
Truthfully Yours, The Kansas Farmer.
“It represented a lot of sleepless nights working,” he said. “I looked back and, just this summer, I had been on 25 flights going to different festivals and different shoots. There was a lot of different work behind that and it feels pretty good to be recognized for that.”
Chaffe, alongside the artists and other Starseed employees, were at the gala event in Calgary on Saturday night when some of the CCMA awards that aren’t broadcast were presented.
“It was a lot of fun and pretty exciting,” he said.
He thought he had a chance to win, but wasn’t 100 per cent sure, so when he did get the win, he was filled with pride.
Looking back on his career, Chaffe said it all started at the International Plowing Match (IPM) in Walton in 2017.
“I met Eric Ethridge, who was opening for George Canyon,” he said. “I asked to shoot a video at his show and he said sure.”
Austin Chaffe, who says he will always call Belgrave home, recently won a Canadian Country Music Association Award for his work with a number of popular Canadian country artists. (Photo courtesy of Corey Kelly)
By Denny Scott The CitizenBelgrave native Austin Chaffe won a Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Award over the weekend for his work with several different Canadian country groups and artists.
Chaffe, who now lives in Guelph, won the Creative Director of the Year Award for his work in managing brands, albums and
singles for a number of big names in Canadian country music, including Dean Brody, The Reklaws and Jade Eagleson. The award, he said, was for his individual work, but it represented the work through Starseed Entertainment, an Ontario-based music label and all the efforts that make them successful.
Chaffe, now a Creative Director at Starseed, said it felt “amazing” to win the award.
The Elementary School Fair has been part of our community for 100 years. The fair began in 1920 and is the only remaining fair open only to exhibits and school work created by our local students.
In 1920, the fair included students from nine schools across Morris and East Wawanosh Townships. Over the next few years more schools from East Wawanosh and Turnberry joined the fair. At one point, 21 schools were participating.
A number of buildings in Belgrave, such as the Women’s Institute Hall, Orange Hall and local churches, were used to house the students’ entries which included everything from cross-stitch and milk stool-building to homechurned butter.
Some of the special competitions held were hitching a horse to a buggy, public speaking, music and class marching.
Today, marching into the fairgrounds is still a major part of the day and the winning grades are awarded with special prizes.
In 1967, local one-room school
houses were closed and amalgamated into the Blyth, Brussels and East Wawanosh Public Schools. It was feared that the change may be the end of the fair but a small group of people rallied together and ensured the fair continued.
In 2012, with another
Continued on page 22
Chaffe sent the video to Ethridge, who was impressed, and asked him to continue to shoot his shows, leading to Chaffe traveling all over to shoot shows on the weekend while working at Blyth Cowbell Brewing Company during the week.
“One of Ethridge’s guitarists called me and told me The Reklaws needed a shooter,” he said. “I said ‘hell, yes’, and went to Kitchener and shot the show.”
He said one thing led to another and soon he was shooting for The Reklaws and other bands represented, at that time, by Universal Music, including The James Barker Band. After that, many of those bands started working with Starseed Entertainment, and he joined as a creative director, then started working for all the acts.
The journey was a crazy one, he said.
While he’s always been a country fan, attending Lucknow’s Music in the Fields events and listening to the music his whole life, it wasn’t until a James Barker Band concert when he began considering it as a potential career path. At the time, he was studying television broadcasting at Mohawk College. He met the videographer for the band at the show, and got talking shop with him, and realized that it was something he could pursue.
After graduating, Chaffe worked in television for a bit, but decided it wasn’t for him, which led to that fateful interaction with Ethridge at the IPM.
Going forward, Chaffe says, Starseed has a number of new artists and he is working on mini documentaries for them to help introduce the artists to the the industry, including music professionals in Nashville. Some of the current artists also have albums on the way, which means album designs and photo shoots, as well as working with different music services to get the songs streaming.
Continued from page 2 he said, regarding traffic, dust and noise.
“Based on the information provided, the level of traffic [is] anticipated to be between three and 12 larger vehicles (trucks) and between 11 and 23 passenger vehicles,” Garland said in his report.
“Staff have reviewed the County of Huron Transport Impact Assessment and Access Management Guidelines and, based on the numbers provided, considered it to be a low-volume driveway (less than 25 vehicles per hour) and below the threshold which requires further evaluation. Staff also note that the future intersection of Highway 4 and Highway 25 will be signalized and therefore further traffic-calming and control may occur through those works. Therefore, staff would be of the opinion that due to the minor nature of the development and traffic created, it is considered supportable without upgrades or amendments to the county road or property entrance.”
Garland then recommended approval of the rezoning, saying it conformed with the Provincial Policy Statement and the Huron County and Central Huron Official Plans.
Council approved the zoning bylaw amendment.
***
Central Huron Council has awarded the tender for the abatement and demolition of the former Bluewater Youth Centre to Budget Demolition. The overall project is estimated to cost $4,226,945 plus HST, which contains an estimated cost of $2,973,800 plus HST as the nonprovisional items bid.
The overall project bid includes several provisional items and the engineering costs for the work plan, project management and contract administration.
In his report to council, Chief Administrative Officer Steve Doherty said that, for the entire project at a cost of over $4 million, there is only $33,042 in contingency funds. As a result, he
said, some provisional items may need to be reconsidered during project implementation in the event that an unplanned cost is incurred.
Council accepted the tender.
***
Jessica Wise of Central Huron and her group will paint a mural in Clinton on Isaac Street, with council accepting her expression of interest for the project.
“The County of Huron has received $100,000 funding to create five murals across the county. The communities of Goderich, Clinton, Wingham, Exeter and Bayfield have been allocated between $15,000 and $20,000 for a mural project. On June 21, 2022, a meeting was held outlining funding and project timelines and the recommended approach. The murals created during this project (as well as existing murals) will be packaged into a digital mural trail by the county,” said Community Improvement Co-ordinator Angela Smith in a report to council.
“We invited residents and community groups to submit expressions of interest for the project. One expression was received from Central Huron resident Jessica Wise. We recommend that council accept the expression of interest. The group may then meet to plan mural ideas and co-ordinate with Huron County for the execution of the plan, hiring of artists and completion of the mural.”
Council approved Smith’s recommendation and accepted the expression of interest.
***
Central Huron Council has reallocated $5,500 set aside in Community Improvement Coordinator Angela Smith’s budget, shifting the funds to the Harvest Fest budget from the Healthy Heart Hustle event.
In her report to council, Smith said the run was held for a number of years until 2019, with attendance topping out at 50 participants. Meanwhile, she said that when Harvest Fest was last held in 2019, over 1,500 people attended. Furthermore, she said over 400 people had already expressed an
Continued from page 21 amalgamation and a transition to the Maitland River Elementary School, F.E. Madill and Hullett Central Public School, a new group which includes grandchildren of the 1967 group, came together and with the continued support of the community and our amazing students, the Elementary School Fair will carry on for many more years.
There were further changes in 2016, as the students of Sacred Heart joined the fair. The eligibility to participate has aso been further expanded to include all elementary students from North Huron and Morris-Turnberry. A map shows the catchment areas, which are now also including Brookside Public School students.
See you at the fair on Wednesday, Sept. 21. The parade will begin promptly at 11:15 a.m. from the end of Jordan Crescent (south end of the village) and opening ceremonies will be held immediately following the parade of schools.
interest in attending the event through social media.
Smith said that, based on the
community response to the two events, she felt the money would be better spent on Harvest Fest.
Council approved the reallocation of funds, as recommended by
Continued on page 26
The Huron Multicultural Festival in Goderich drew hundreds of patrons on Sunday to taste the food and hear the music from countries other than Canada. It served as a successful return to the festival after two years of cancellations. A performance by Tanghetto of Argentina was the headliner to close out the day. The multi-Latin-Grammynominated band wowed audiences with their neo-tango music. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
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Irene Lamont of Belgrave was recently in touch with The Citizen to share her story upon hearing the news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death on Sept. 8.
In 1951, before Elizabeth was Queen, Lamont travelled to Toronto as a teenager to visit a young man she had been dating.
It turns out that it was Elizabeth’s first visit to Toronto and there was a large parade through the city and Lamont was among those who saw Elizabeth pass by.
According to CTV, this was the first time the eventual Queen would visit Toronto, at the time a Princess who was standing in for her father, who had been ill. Some of Elizabeth’s stops on that trip included the Royal York Hotel, Sunnybrook Hospital and the Hospital for Sick Children.
With parents who hailed from England and that chance to see the future Queen live and in person, Lamont said she has always had a soft spot for the Royal Family.
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Total receipts for Brussels Livestock for the week ending Sept. 9 were 1,462 cattle and 423 lambs and goats.
On Tuesday, fed steers and heifers sold steady. Choice steers and heifers sold $179 to $186. Second-cut cattle sold $168 to $178. Aged and medium-fed steers
and heifers sold $145 to $167. Holstein steers and heifers sold $118 to $146. Cows sold steady.
On Thursday, veal sold actively with good quality calves selling at higher prices. Lambs sold higher.
Goats and sheep sold steady.
On Friday, calves and yearlings sold on a very strong active trade at
higher prices, with grass cattle bringing further premiums.
Jim S. Wilson of Kenilworth, consigned seven head. One black steer weighed 1,615 lbs. and sold for a price of $183.
There were 175 cows on offer.
Beef sold $100 to $129 with sales to $135; good holstein cows, $99 to
$118; medium holstein cows, $74 to $98.
Bulls sold $133 to $164.
There were 110 head of veal on offer. Beef veal sold $170 to 201; good holsteins, $175 to 199; SL heavy holsteins, $165 to $175; heavy holsteins, $145 to $186; medium holsteins, $155 to $168; plain holsteins, $127 to $150.
Murray Burkhart of Linwood, consigned six head. One blonde heifer weighed 840 lbs. and sold for a price of $201.
John and Cheryl Bennewies of Bornholm, consigned three head. One holstein steer weighed 685 lbs. and sold for a price of $199.
Alex Witzke of Clifford, consigned two head. One holstein steer weighed 695 lbs. and sold for a price of $199.
Lambs 50 - 64 lbs. sold $273 to $285; 65 - 79 lbs., 277.50 to 302.50; 80 lbs. - 94 lbs., $226.50 to $285; 95 - 109 lbs., $203 to $222; 110 lbs. and over, $172 to $177.50
Sheep sold $100 to $275.
Goats: Billies sold $150 to $450; nannies $100 to $250; kids: dairy, $200 to $405.
Cathy Hendricks of Lucknow, consigned eight head. Two lambs averaged 69 lbs. and sold for an average price of $302.50.
Top quality stocker steers, under 400 lbs. sold $218.75 to $290; 400 - 499 lbs., $279 to $308; 500 - 599 lbs., $267 to $300; 600 - 699 lbs., $257 to $284; 700 - 799 lbs., $236 to $274; 800 - 899 lbs., $235.50 to $245; 900 - 999 lbs., $230.50 to $242 and 1,000 lbs. and over, $220 to $231.75.
The McQuail family at Meeting Place Organic Farm near St. Helens hosted a Field Day for the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario on Sunday, led by Katrina and Tony, front. The day began with a history of the farm and its practices and then the group made its way around the farm to get up close and personal with all it has to offer, with many hoping to learn something to apply to their own operations.
When the Rural Talks to Rural Conference (R2R) rolls into the Brussels Four Winds Barn Oct. 1720, 2022, it will be the fourth biennial conference that the Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity (CCRC) has hosted.
Peter Smith, CCRC Executive Director, says that this year’s theme, “Rural Today/Rural Tomorrow”, recognizes the fact there isn’t enough future-oriented thinking happening for rural concerns and that bringing together rural-based participants and partnering with leading rural organizations will create a network to facilitate those discussions.
Smith, who is known for bringing together creative thinkers from across the globe and setting conversations in motion, says that each day will focus on a different area where global issues will be looked at through a rural perspective.
The first day will examine “Wellbeing” and how health and wellbeing are addressed in rural communities. The CCRC has partnered with the Gateway Centerefor Excellence in Rural Health to invite speakers who will highlight research and best practices for rural health centres.
Day two is addressing a topic that is at the forefront of many headlines in the media today. Conversations around “Attainable, affordable, accessible housing” will seek to address a crisis that, while universal, is especially difficult in rural communities that might not have access to shelters and resources that their urban counterparts have. Smith has lined up speakers who have been homeless, and are now heading up organizations that are developing “attainable” housing projects and speak to the issue in a no-nonsense manner.
Since the third day is focusing on “Climate and Community”, many speakers from across Canada and the United States have agreed to join the conference virtually to avoid air travel.
Conversations around “Future Considerations, Art and the Market” will close out the final day with reflections on scenariobuilding sessions that will have been conducted each morning of the conference. Each day of the conference will be jam-packed with discussions, speakers and activities to provoke discussion. Smith has also arranged for meals from a diverse range of local eateries to highlight all that Huron County has to offer. For the final agenda and tickets, head to the website www.ruralcreativity.org . Senior and student ticket packages are available, as well as a limited number of early bird tickets.
Top quality stocker heifers, 500599 lbs. sold $217 to $248; 600699 lbs., $218.50 to 226; 700 - 799 lbs., $212.50 to $219; 800 - 899 lbs., $189.50 to $216; 900 lbs. and over $184 to $208.50.
Jacob D. Miller of Lucknow, consigned 24 head. Nine grey heifers averaged 752 lbs. and sold for an average price of $219.
Josiah Wood of Clifford, consigned 29 head. Eight gold heifers averaged 883 lbs. and sold for an average price of $216.
Dan McComb of Chatsworth, consigned 67 head. Thirteen black steers averaged 921 lbs. and sold for an average price of $237.
Paul Bowman of Lucknow, consigned 16 head. Fifteen charolais steers averaged 952 lbs. and sold for a price of $238.50.
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2 p.m. Tuesday Phone 519-523-4792 e-mail: info@northhuron.on.ca
GERBERS FIREWOOD SERVING
you for over 10 years. Your number one source of quality slabwood and bodywood. Delivery available. No Sunday calls. 519-656-2057, 519441-2085. 01-50p
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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 519523-4792 or 519-887-9114. tfn
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THE CITIZEN IS AVAILABLE TO purchase at these locations – Auburn Co-op, Auburn Esso, Belgrave Variety, Blyth Variety, Blyth Food Market, Blyth Ultramar, Brussels Foodland, Brussels Variety, Clinton Convenience, Clinton Foodland, Dean’s Valu-Mart in Wingham, Wingham Mini Mart, Seaforth Foodland, GT Mini Mart in Seaforth, Fincher’s in Goderich, Goderich Victoria St. Shell and The Citizen Blyth.
SEPTEMBER TAKE-OUT LUNCH, Trinity Anglican Church, Blyth, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.. Meatloaf with dessert, $12 per person. For ordering/pickup time, call 519-523-9396 or email: mcgregor@ezlink.ca. Ordering deadline: Monday, Sept. 19. 37-1 --------------------------------------------
AUBURN & DISTRICT LIONS
Club Breakfast, Auburn Memorial Community Hall, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. Serving 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Donations at door. Maple syrup supplied by Robinson’s Maple Products. Proceeds for house fire benefit for Heidi Elliott. “We serve.” 37-1p --------------------------------------------
STEVE HANEY TRUCKING, Seaforth is looking for a full-time truck driver to haul agricultural commodities within Ontario. Dump trailer or B-train hoppers, home every night with weekends off, 3 years experience with clean abstract needed. Call Steve at 519-615-2130 or email: stevehaney2@gmail.com 36-2b
The Municipality of Huron East is now accepting applications for the position of
Recreation Facility Operator – Full-Time Seaforth & District Community Centre
The Corporation of the Township of North Huron is recruiting individuals/contractors to fill the role of:
DOG COUNTER/LICENSEE
The Township of North Huron is seeking individuals/independent contractors for the role of Dog Counter/Licensee. This contract will complete canine enumeration in the Township of North Huron, commencing October 2022. This contract entails door-to-door counting of dogs and issuing of dog tag licenses within a pre-defined area in the Township of North Huron. Applicants must possess a valid “G” drivers license and their own vehicle for on job use.
The ideal candidate will possess:
• Secondary school diploma or equivalent
• Previous customer service experience and the ability to deal with difficult situations
• Strong attention to detail
• Strong conflict resolution skills
Qualifications include:
• Ability to work alone with very little supervision
• Strong time management skills
• Valid “G” drivers’ licence, personal vehicle and vehicle insurance all maintained in good standing
• Previous experience working with animals is considered an asset
• Commercial liability insurance with a limit of no less than $2,000,000
This is a temporary contract that will begin in October 2022, and will be completed no later than February 2023. Compensation for this role is $10 per dog tag, plus vehicle mileage.
Interested applicants are invited to submit a letter of application and résumé outlining their qualifications and experience to the undersigned by no later than 4:00 pm on Friday, September 30th 2022.
Attn: Human Resources C/o Clerk’s Department 274 Josephine Street. Wingham, ON, N0G 2W0 hr@northhuron.ca
We thank all applicants for their interest, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted. The Township of North Huron is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection process and work environment. Accessibility accommodations are available for all parts of the recruitment process. Applicants need to make their needs known in advance. Personal information collected will be used in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and solely for the purpose of candidate selection.
The Recreation Facility Operator provides operational, maintenance and custodial services for the recreation facility, including arena, halls, tennis courts, soccer fields and open park areas. Working closely with the Recreation Facility Manager, the Recreation Facility Operator assists with day to day program and mechanical operations, ensuring the facility is maintained in a safe and attractive condition.
Applicants should possess a secondary school diploma and a minimum of 2 years’ experience in facility operations. Applicants should have a working knowledge of basic building maintenance, experience working with computers and customer service experience.
The 2022 salary range for this position is between $22.56 and $26.16 per hour.
Further information including a complete job description is available at https://www.huroneast.com/en/town-hall/employment-andvolunteering.aspx.
Applicants are asked to submit a detailed resume in confidence to the undersigned by 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Wednesday, September 28th, 2022.
Dave Meriam, Recreation Facility Manager
Municipality of Huron East 72 Main Street South, PO Box 610 Seaforth, Ontario. N0K 1W0 c4tharena@huroneast.com
We thank all applicants and advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
LARGE MOVING SALE SEPT. 16 and 17. Some antiques, china cabinet, tea wagon and curio cabinet. 103 Albert St., Clinton. 226-420-2067. 35-3p
ARE YOU PREGNANT AND unsure about your future? Contact Ramoth House. We can help you discover your parenting potential. You can get more information about our services on our website www.ramoth.ca or by phone 519323-3751 or email: office@ramoth.ca e6w
GULUTZEN - She was Classy, Sassy and a wee bit “bad Assy”. Family and friends are invited to a “Celebration of Life” in honour of Paulene Jean Gulutzen (Polly G), on Sept. 17, 2022 from 1-5 p.m. at the Blyth Legion, 192 Dinsley W., Blyth. 36-2p
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On Sept. 12, the Ontario government announced that the new bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster will be available to all individuals aged 18 and over, beginning with the most vulnerable populations.
Health Canada authorized this vaccine on Sept. 1. The bivalent vaccine targets both the original COVID-19 virus and the Omicron BA.1 subvariant, and also generates a good immune response against the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants.
“Staying up-to-date with vaccination maintains our protection against vaccinepreventable diseases,” says Dr. Miriam Klassen, Medical Officer of Health for Huron Perth, “and allows us to safely participate in more activities and safely spend time
with the people we love.”
As of Sept. 12, the following select groups were able to receive a booster of the bivalent vaccine, if enough time has passed since their last dose. The recommended interval at which a bivalent booster dose can be administered is six months after an individual completed their primary vaccine series or received their most recent booster dose:
• Individuals aged 70 and over
• Residents of long-term care homes, retirement homes, Elder Care Lodges and individuals living in other congregate settings that provide assisted-living and health services
• First Nation, Inuit and Métis individuals and their non-
Indigenous household members aged 18 and over
• Moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals aged 12 and over
• Pregnant individuals aged 18 and over
• Health care workers aged 18 and over.
To prioritize distribution to the priority populations listed above, new booster appointments for other Ontarians aged 18 and over will be paused until Sept. 26. However, individuals 18 years of age and older who do not belong to a priority population can start booking their appointments today for later dates. Please note that availability of bivalent vaccine depends on shipment schedules and
supply from the federal government.
What if you already had an appointment?
All previously-booked booster appointments for Sept. 12-25 will be honoured and, if available, the bivalent vaccine will be offered. As of Sept. 26, Ontarians aged 18 and over who are not part of the above groups can receive the bivalent vaccine.
Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) uses the provincial booking system. Individuals may book now for an appointment time when they are eligible.
• Health care workers 18 and over can call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833943-3900 - booking online is
not yet an option for this group
• Pregnant individuals 18 and over can call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900 - booking online is not yet an option for this group
• Adults ages 70 and over can call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900 or book online at https://covid19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/
• Immunocompromised individuals can call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833943-3900 or book online at https://covid-19.ontario.ca/bookvaccine/
• First Nations, Inuit, Métis (FNIM) individuals 18 and over, and their household members 18
Ken Scott peacefully passed away, surrounded by family at Seaforth Community Hospital on Sept. 6, 2022, in his 84th year.
The loving husband of Laura née Scholl for 49 years, Ken was the father of B.J and Daniella, Christy and Tajie, and Shannon. He was the grandpa of Isabela, Amita and Tajie.
Ken was the brother of Jim Scott, brother-in-law of Nancy (Terry) Morrison and Bob (Deb) Scholl and uncle of Judy, Jill, Joanne, Jamie, Julie, Scott, Kelly and Amy.
He was predeceased by parents Jim and Janet Scott, in-laws Bill and Charlotte Scholl, sisters-in-law Donna and Elaine and niece Jay.
Ken was born in Toronto in 1939, but moved to Hullett Township when he was 10, and enjoyed country life on the home farm throughout his years.
In his teen years, he farmed with his mom and dad but made his lifelong career in education. He started teaching in the area in 1963 and served as principal of Brussels Public School from 1967-1986, and East Wawanosh Public School from 1986 to 1996.
He met his wife Laura at an educator’s workshop where he was teaching folk dancing. They shared a love of music and dancing and enjoyed 49 happy years together. He loved being a father and grandfather, and inspired in them his love of animals, nature, and music.
He was known in the community for his country band, which was started by his brother Jim; and for his involvement in sports playing broomball, hockey and baseball right into his 80th year.
Ken loved travel and adventure and enjoyed scuba diving in Thailand, paragliding in Peru, and even last year at age 82 tried and
succeeded at stand-up paddle boarding on Monck Lake.
Ken is admired by his family and friends for his constant positive outlook and determination during all the cancer treatments. He always kept his playful, fun loving zest for life. He will be dearly missed.
In lieu of flowers and as expressions of sympathy, donation to the Londesborough United Church or the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated.
Cremation has taken place.
Family and friends are invited to a celebration of Ken’s life on Sunday Sept. 25, from 2-6 p.m., with a special tribute at 3:30 p.m. The event will be at his home outside of Blyth (40865 HullettMcKillop Rd).
Condolences may be left at riversidefuneralhome.ca
He was a loving uncle to many nieces and nephews.
Neil was predeceased by parents Margaret and Orville, infant brother Gary, brother-in-law Mike Musselman, sister Elaine Stephenson and father-in-law Doc Stephenson.
Neil was a hard worker and enjoyed farming, working for farmers and especially (in his own words) being a “cement monger”.
Neil didn’t mince words and was an honest friend. He adored his grandchildren and enjoyed spending time with them and watching them grow. He will be greatly missed by his community.
At Neil’s request, cremation has taken place.
Family and friends were invited to a come-and-go celebration of life at “The Shop” (42416 Morris Road) on Saturday, Sept. 10.
In lieu of flowers and as expressions of sympathy, donations to the Inspiring our Future Campaign for the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre renovation and expansion would be appreciated. Please make cheques out to the Municipality of Huron East with “BMG Community Centre” in the memo.
Condolences may be left at riversidefuneralhome.ca
and Kylie Good, Avery and Sadie Toll and Lenyx and Korlee Campbell.
Jerry was predeceased by his parents, Charles Smith and Georgina and Archibald MacDonald, sister Gloria Lockridge (Douglas), grandson Paul Jonah and brothers-in-law Fred Stokes (Dorothy) and Don Stokes (Jane).
Jerry was born in Wingham on Oct. 11, 1929 at the family home on Carling Terrace, he later moved to Goderich and then to Chesley as a young boy when his father died. He returned to Wingham in his teenage years and after completing Grade 10 he went to work.
In 1962, Jerry was able to repurchase his childhood home and he and Ruth were very proud to raise their two children there. Jerry was an upholsterer at Fry and Blackhall for many years, with his first project being for his Aunt Marg, who wanted a chair done.
He also worked for John Currie at the furniture store and Jim Currie at Estate Marketing, as well as the Red Front Grocery Store before opening his own business, out of his home, as an upholsterer which he continued for over 20 years with the help of his wife Ruth.
donations to the St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Wingham or a charity of your choice.
Online condolences available at www.mcburneyfuneralhome.com
After a happy and too short a life, Neil Randall “Nimmer’ Beuermann passed away peacefully, surrounded by family at St. Mary’s General Hospital on Sept. 6, 2022, at the age of 68.
The devoted husband of Joan Beuermann (Stephenson) for 49 years, Neil was the father of the late Dan Beuermann (1995), Brad and Cheryl, Randy, and Josh and Patricia.
Neil was the grandfather of Hailey, Brook, Canon, Brett, Logan, and Alyssa.
He was the beloved brother and brother-in-law of Sharon (Bill) McClure, Dale (Ray) Taylor, Val Musselman, Paul Stephenson, Glen (Marilyn) Beuerman, Betty (Ron) McCallum, David (Annette) Stephenson, and Diane (Mark) Bowley.
Neil will be missed by his mother-in-law Nora Stephenson.
Peacefully on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022 at Braemar Nursing Home, Gerald “Jerry” Smith passed away at the age of 92, one month before his 93rd birthday.
The devoted husband of Ruth (Stokes) Smith, Jerry was the loving dad of Rick and Faye Smith of Kitchener and Shari and Kevin Good of Wingham.
He was the cherished grandpa of Jamie Good, Tanya and Bryce Toll and Danielle and Nick Campbell and special great-grandpa of Julie
In his spare time, Jerry taught evening upholstery classes and also taught the boys’ occupational classes on Monday. He was a dedicated member of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, loved to dance and enjoyed skating and playing shinny.
Visitation was held at McBurney Funeral Home, Wingham on Wednesday, Sept. 14, followed by the funeral service that afternoon. Interment will take place at Wingham Cemetery.
Flowers are gratefully declined. In lieu, please consider memorial
Continued from page 22 Smith in her report to council at its Sept. 6 meeting. ***
DS Audio has won the contract for the lighting of the radar screen in the heart of Clinton at a price of $23,669 plus HST.
The company’s bid was one of three received. The other two came from Limbic Media at $10,305.60 plus HST and LAC Solutions at $24,788 plus HST.
Smith recommended DS Audio for the project, saying the business is local and has experience with historic lighting, illuminating the Radome in nearby Vanastra.
The Limbic Media proposal, while less expensive, was “vastly different in its product and installation” according to Smith, using several small lighting units that are then joined by cords that lay atop the ground.
Electrical and base installation is required for the project to go ahead, Smith said in her report to council, at an estimated cost of between $7,000 and $10,000. That brings the total project cost to approximately $34,000, which Smith said is still well within the budget of $45,000 for the project.
She added that no funding from Central Huron is required for the project with Regional Tourism Organization 4 (RTO4) contributing $40,000 to the project and $5,000 coming from
the Huron Heritage Fund.
Council approved Smith’s recommendation and accepted the DS Audio tender for the project. ***
Central Huron has entered into a shared service agreement for dogcatching services with the Municipalities of Huron East and Morris-Turnberry, approving the document at its Sept. 6 meeting.
Central Huron reached an employment agreement with Steve Jansen on Aug. 16. All councils agreed to hours of service between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m., except when contacted by emergency services.
In her report to council, Clerk Kerri Ann O’Rourke said that Jansen had already begun taking dog-catcher calls for Central Huron and would begin doing likewise for Morris-Turnberry and Huron East after council passed the associated motions that night.
Central Huron is expected to spend $13,500 for the year on animal control and O’Rourke said that start-up and employment costs with Jansen are expected to remain within that budget.
Council approved O’Rourke’s recommendation, formalizing the agreement. She did note, however, that municipal staff is still on the hunt for permanent local pound facilities, but stated that Jansen is considering installing permanent pound facilities at his residence next year.
Central Huron Council has approved the installation of an accessible student sculpture garden at the Albert Street Park in Clinton.
In her report to council, Community Improvement Coordinator Angela Smith said the garden will consist of lighted, metal sculptures created by local students and sponsored by various industries and levels of government.
“The sculpture garden will be a permanent installation. We hope to re-offer this project each year. New sculptures will re-engage students and also attract repeat visitors to our main street to view the sculptures and support local businesses,” Smith said in her report to council. “We hope to receive 20 sculptures and install them by the park paths for easy viewing. We have invited all high schools in the region and technical training group classes to participate.
“Three sculptures have already been completed by the Listowel technical training group class. Sculptures will be installed and illuminated with the help of younger students, staff, volunteers and kids from Cornerstone School,” Smith continued. “Visitors will comment on social media to vote for the People’s Choice Awards, garnering posts to entice more visitors. The grand opening of the student sculpture garden is proposed for mid-November and
can also act as a career fair with industry partners.”
Smith estimated that $6,800 would be required for the installation of sidewalks and approximately $1,000 would be needed in preparation from the roads department. She said there are funds in the small projects line of her budget, so no additional municipal funds would be required to complete the project.
Council approved the creation and installation of the new garden.
***
Central Huron Councillor Marg Anderson raised the issue of ball diamond conditions in the municipality
at council’s Sept. 6 meeting.
While the diamonds in Clinton are kept to a high standard, she said she had received a number of calls about the sub-par condition of ball diamonds in Londesborough and Auburn, with residents feeling as though the rural areas of Central Huron were being left behind.
Staff told Anderson that fencing at the Londesborough diamond would be replaced next year and tendered over the winter sometime.
In regards to the Auburn diamond, staff said that because the diamond is used sparingly, weeds have more of a chance to grow at that diamond.
The Huron Multicultural Festival in Goderich on Sunday was a rousing success, with plenty of international music and cuisine to impress just about anyone. One of the day’s final acts was a performance by the Tonantzin Aztec Dancers, who made their way off the stage to end their performance, inviting patrons young and old to join in the fun.
Continued from page 25 and over can call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833943-3900 or book online at https://covid-19.ontario.ca/bookvaccine/
The remaining population (individuals ages 18-69) can book into any available clinic with appointment dates
beginning on Sept. 26.
Individuals aged six months to 17 years can continue to book monovalent vaccines for first, second, or booster doses (based on eligibility) online at https://covid19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/, by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900, or by calling HPPH’s vaccine
booking line at 1-833-753-2098.
HPPH has opened up clinics from now to Oct. 22. Dates and locations are available at www.hpph.ca/getvaccinated.
HPPH is also working with partners to provide bivalent vaccines for long-term care homes, retirement homes and congregate living settings.
Continued from page 9 committee meetings.
Council’s next meeting, scheduled for Sept. 20, was already set to be held in-person, so the next meeting, set for Oct. 4, will mark the official return to full-time inperson meetings for Huron East Council.
***
Huron East Deputy-Mayor Bob Fisher proposed a reduction in allcandidates meetings hosted by the municipality ahead of this fall’s election due to the number of positions that had been filled by acclamation.
Just the positions of mayor and Grey Ward councillor are to be contested next month, so Fisher suggested perhaps just hosting two or three all-candidates meetings, rather than the traditional schedule of one in each of the municipality’s five wards.
This recommendation was quickly shot down by other councillors, however, who said that residents like to attend meetings in their home communities where they can ask
questions about their own ward.
Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan agreed, saying he didn’t feel that move, though it would save money, would best serve the members of the public.
The all-candidates meetings are scheduled for Sept. 26 at the Ethel Community Centre, Sept. 27 at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre, Sept. 29 at Cavan United Church in McKillop, Oct. 5 at the Seaforth and District Community Centre and Oct. 6 at the Vanastra Recreation Centre. All meetings are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
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!
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!
appointments now open(Shawn Loughlin photo)
Psalm 73:3-5 gives us these words: “I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human ills.”
The psalmist, a man named Asaph, has been contemplating life, and he has discovered that things don’t quite work as we would want them to. It would seem fair that people who do harm to others, who get rich on the backs of the poor, who look after only themselves should suffer for their lack of caring of their fellow human beings. Bad things should happen to bad people, we assume, and good things should happen to good people.
That sounds fair, and life should be like that. Unfortunately, that is not the case. There are some pretty bad people who use others for their own gain and who get to live pretty good lives. They are rich and healthy and are never lonely. And there are some people who try hard to do good who have fairly difficult lives.
Increasingly in the western world, we are adopting the concept of karma, in which bad things will happen to bad people and good things will happen to good people. But karma is not always sure. As Asaph the psalmist discovered, sometimes bad people have it very good. We also know that some very good people struggle their whole lives.
Asaph talks about his struggles with what he sees and experiences, and in the second verse of that same psalm, he says that he had almost come to the point that he would stop trying to do what is right. “My feet almost slipped,” he says. “I had nearly lost my foothold.”
He had nearly become disillusioned with life. It’s not fair when those who try really hard to do what is right fail to be rewarded and those who commit violent acts of evil have whatever they want. Realistically, while we may be able to cite incidents in which karma seems to be at play, there are plenty of times when we realize that bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people.
The psalmist almost gave up and he would have, except that at some point he decided to go to the sanctuary of God (verse 17), which, in his time, would have been the temple.
Perhaps he went to God’s sanctuary to confront God about the
Evangelical Missionary Church
Sunday, Sept. 18, 10:30 a.m.
Pastor Ernest Dow, “A Model Life: Protection, Perseverance, Productivity” (2Thess.3)
injustice he saw all around him. We can almost hear him saying to God, “It’s unfair, and you should do something about the injustice. Why don’t bad people get what is coming to them and why don’t you reward those who do good?” It was while he was in God’s presence that he got his answer: there is more to life than what happens between birth and physical death.
Life doesn’t end when we die. Life continues. Asaph then understood that God would make things right in the end. Those who do evil will be punished for their sins, he comes to understand. They are going to have to take what is coming to them at some point.
It almost sounds like the psalmist is saying that karma is still in play, but instead of considering karma to operate only when we are living in this world, we need to think of karma as extending beyond the grave. It almost sounds like Asaph is saying that we will all get what is coming to us: the good will receive their reward, and those who do evil will be punished somehow in what lies beyond the grave. It almost
sounds like that, but there is a little problem.
I don’t know if we all take time to evaluate how we live. Most of us try to do the best we can, but we all know that we could do more.
For example, there are plenty of people in our communities who do not have enough money to make ends meet each month, and they must rely on the food bank to support them. Sadly, the demand at food banks has gone up, and donations are not meeting the needs, at least not fully. Many of us, in spite of the fact that there are hungry people around us, decided to take fairly extravagant vacations in our rather nice cottages and RVs. It’s not that those vacations are wrong, but they do seem to be quite selfish if we don’t first take care of those with needs.
Or, as another example, much of what we buy is made overseas, and while we might argue that those who make what we consume are doing better than they would be if foreign companies had not established factories in their counties, the reality is that we
Weekly service live-streamed at 10:30 a.m. on our facebook page or on youtube @St. Paul’s-Trinity Anglican Church Wingham.
TheRegionalMinistryof Hope www.regionalministryofhope.com
519-357-7781
Trinity St. John’s
BLYTH 9:00 AM BRUSSELS 12 NOON
email: revjoann@hurontel.on.ca St. Paul’s Trinity WINGHAM 10:30 AM
Come Worship with Us!
Church
Worship with us Sunday, September 18
All are welcome Service Time 11 a.m.
Contact Alex at minister.brusselsandblythuc@gmail.com
Website: brusselsandblythuc.ca
P.O. Box 359, Brussels ~ 519-887-6259
BRUSSELS
Sunday, September 18
Welcome back!
Worship is now at 9:30 a.m. for the next year. All are welcome to worship God with our warm and wonderful community.
519-357-5273
In House services resume Sunday at 9:30 a.m. (note time change)
Outreach project collection of lunch box items for food bank
"When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground. May the glory of the LORD endure forever..." (Psalm 104:30-31)
would not want to live on the small wage they receive, and we certainly would not want our children working in often poor and unhealthy situations they do.
When we think about what more we could do, we must admit that we don’t deserve to be rewarded with a good life. Our choices and decisions are not always as much for the benefit of others as they are for ourselves.
The Bible, in Romans 3:23, says that “all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.” What that means is this: if we are going to depend on the idea of
karma to get us into a better place when we die, we are going to be disappointed. The good we do is not good enough to end up in the kind of reward we would hope to gain. If we are entirely honest with ourselves, we have to admit that we don’t really deserve to be rewarded as much as we might like to be.
Romans 3:23 doesn’t end there, however. The verse goes on to say that we have “been justified freely by God’s grace.” That is simply another way of saying that God, who knows our hearts and knows
Continued on page 27
Come Worship With Us
Sundays at 10:00 am All
250 Princess St., Brussels • 5198876388 • Pastor Ken Gazley
Sunday, September 18 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
Worship and Prayer Time Loving Fellowship Expository Preaching
For additional details please visit: brusselscommunitybiblechapel.com
Join us for our 10:00 am and 7:30 pm services
Services are live-streamed and can be found by searching “Blyth Christian Reformed Church”
Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen
Hwy. 4, Blyth 519-523-4743 www.blythcrc.ca
THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH OUR CHURCHES HAVE RE-OPENED. WELCOME BACK.
Brussels: St. Ambrose
Saturday ~ 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street
Wingham: Sacred Heart
Sunday ~ 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace
Listowel: St. Joseph’s
Women’s Bible Study
Contact Alex at: minister.brusselsandblythuc@gmail.com 119 John’s Ave., Auburn 519-526-1131
Sunday ~ 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N. Facebook:
The Huron County Historical Society operates under the charter of the Ontario Historical Society. We at times assume an advocacy role for groups who are championing against that which threatens historically significant sites within the County of Huron. Adding our voice in opposition to the proposed industrial aggregate mining operation on Little Lakes Road is emblematic of our mission.
In 2021, a petition against rezoning gathered 3,000 signatures
and more than 150 members of the community wrote Letters of Objection. As of June, 2022 Van Bree Sand and Gravel had not responded to even one. It was disappointing to learn that they had taken their application to the Ontario Land Tribunal on the grounds that the Township of Ashfield Colborne Wawanosh (ACW) has taken too long to reach a decision. We question the fairness of this, and are concerned that this is a means of cutting the very strong voice of the community out of the process.
The story of Little Lakes Road has its beginning in 1885 when Ball’s Bridge was erected. It is an example of a two-span Pratt design through truss, pin-connected wrought iron bridge. It boasts a design not used since the early 1900s and of which few examples still exist.
In 2006, Huron County Council decided to close Ball’s Bridge but, by Herculean effort, a group of concerned citizens were successful in saving it for future generations.
The group, Friends of Ball’s Bridge, was awarded the Margaret and Nicholas Hill Cultural Heritage Landscape Award by the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario.
Ball’s Bridge may be the heart of the area, but the experience of Ball’s Bridge is not complete without traversing Little Lakes Road. This small, beloved bypass is on the traditional lands of the Ojibwa, Huron and Algonquin. (Royal Proclamation, 1763 and Treaty 45 1/2, 1836) and is part of the Huron Tract, purchased by the Canada Company in 1826-1827.
The Little Lakes area is included in the Maitland Valley watershed and wildlife corridor. It is a varied ecosystem with a wide variety of species of animals, birds, reptiles, flora and fauna.
Follow this road along and past where the proposed pit will be and one encounters the peaceful and vibrant Little Lakes and woodlands designated in the ACW Official Plan as both “provincially and locally significant” and protected
by the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority.
On this small stretch of road, rich in family histories, the 150-year-old stone homes and landscape are reminders of early settlers, farmers, artists, writers and actors who have been inspired to settle, work and create in this area.
One house became the base for The Farm Show , which had a permanent impact on the early Huron County and Canadian theatre scene and inspired Michael Ondaatje’s film The Clinton Special. Also along the road, one can imagine where Blanche Pownall Garrett foraged while writing her quintessentially Canadian recipe book A Taste of the Wild . Walking, you may have met Nobel Prize winner Alice Munro out for a favourite stroll.
Countless artists have produced paintings of these idyllic scenes, while other visitors include birdwatchers, photographers, cyclists, hikers, canoeists and kayakers enjoying the serene waters
of the Maitland River. Generations of families visit to watch the turtles sunning themselves in the Little Lakes and leisure drivers, including those who may not be able to engage in more physical activities, are plentiful.
This letter is not “anti-gravel”, as we acknowledge the advantages that we have through concrete and the other uses of aggregate. We know, for example, that the creation of gravel roads made a huge improvement to transportation during early settlement. The point is that there are other places for gravel extraction that won’t impact so negatively on an important historical site.
This rare and unique landscape is a part of our cultural heritage and should be protected for the benefit of future generations and for the health and welfare of our communities.
Respectfully submitted, Huron County Historical Society, Ralph Laviolette, MBA, PEng (ret) Board Chair.
• Open: Al Widmeyer of Goderich
• The youngest performer was Clerand of Listowel, while the oldest was Alec Aldcorn of Badjeros.
The step dance competition brought out a number of individual and team performers. Winners were as follows, in order of finishing:
• Nine years old and under:
Bill and Maxine Seers, a couple with a history as long as the Thresher Reunion itself, was part of the opening ceremonies of this year’s reunion to help mark the traditions of the event. They are still active members of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association.
Continued from page 1 horsepower George White Steam Engine.
ENTERTAINMENT
Gladys Van Egmond, who is responsible for the entertainment at the grounds, said that music performances and activities across the grounds saw varying degrees of success thanks to the emcees who volunteered their time and knowledge.
From the jam sessions early in the week, run by Albert Walter and Annie Pritchard, to the fiddle workshop run by Bruce Woods, there were plenty of opportunities for people to hone their
skills and enjoy some music.
The fiddle competition on Saturday afternoon brought out 15 competitors. Winners from the event included, in order of finishing:
• 70 years old and over: Richard Sequim of Alban, Ken Huckins of Teeswater and Jim Dolmage of Lion’s Head.
• 50 and over: Janice McGinn from Brantford, Jane McVeigh from Waterloo and Carol Wheeler from Markham.
• 12 and under: Tiffany Clerand of Listowel.
• 18 and under: Brady Medvie from Welland.
Continued from page 27 that we aren’t as good as we should be, decided to make it possible for us to be rewarded anyway. Instead of asking us to take what is coming to us (a negative outcome for bad behaviour), Jesus took all our failings on himself, and he made it so that we can be justified, which is another way of saying, “made righteous”. A righteous person is someone who has done what is right and will be rewarded.
The message of the Bible is this: while no one does what is good enough to be rewarded with good, God offers to us the opportunity to be made good by being forgiven and justified. This happens in the very simple act of admitting that we can’t do enough good to be rewarded as we would like to be and trust that God takes our sins (our bad actions and attitudes and thoughts) away and makes us good and right because Jesus gave his life for us. When we believe in Jesus, our reward is good.
I think if Asaph the psalmist looked at my life, he might wonder
why I have it so good. I am far from perfect. He might also say that I should expect to be punished after my death for the evil I commit today. But I don’t expect that.
I know that although I am not as good as I could be, because of Jesus, I have been forgiven and in God’s eyes, I will receive a reward, not because of what I have done, but because of what Jesus did for me.
Solution
Sibheam Faria from Brantford, Eden Goodwin of Stratford and Lucy Abeid of London.
• 12 and under: Claire Jardine from London, Natalie Dutekow from London and Michael Jardine from London.
• 18 and under: Kensington Ischew from Stratford, Ellie Shantz from Stratford and Julie McEvoy from Stratford.
• 19 and over: Rita Hickey of
Brampton and Janette Dutekow of London.
• Open: Kerry Fitzgerald of Peterborough and Charlotte Clare of Guelph.
• Junior Group: Reel Thunder of Teeswater, Four on the Floor of Stratford and Can’t Stop the Feet from London.
• Open Group: In Step from Stratford and Reel Rhythm of Teeswater.
The Goderich Lions Club played host to a special welcome day for a number of Ukranian families that will now call Huron County home. The Lions are also continuing their work raising funds for the families and more details on that work should be made available later this month. (Courtesy photo)
Continued from page 3 like they belong and have support. Ukrainians and other newcomers to Canada can get support from YMCA settlement workers, take English language classes and get help searching for work from the Centres for Employment and Learning,” said Mark Nonkes, communication officer with the Huron
County Immigration Partnership.
“We were so delighted by this event. The Goderich Lions hope to be able to hold similar events at Camp Klahanie in the future, in support of all newcomers to our community,” Edward said.
Local fundraising efforts to support newcomers from Ukraine are currently underway and being led by the Goderich Lions.
“We hope to step up efforts,” said John Maaskant, chair of a newcomer fundraising committee. “We want to make sure there is money available for newcomers to Huron County to address gaps after all other resources are exhausted.”
More details about the committee’s work should be announced later this month.
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The annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association had a little something for visitors of all ages when it returned this past weekend after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Clockwise from top left: students take in a chainsaw demonstration and take home a personalized piece of wood afterwards; the Memorial Shed was the place to be to find out about hunting and skinning; the indoor vendors had something for all ages from toys to collectibles to handmade tea towels; the antique car show attracts a crowd every year; a group of association members fix a threshing machine just in time for the threshing demonstration and Huron County Plowmen’s Association Queen of the Furrow Luanne McGregor takes part in the daily parade. (Denny Scott, Shawn Loughlin photos)
The Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association pulled out all the stops to make the return of its annual reunion a memorable one over the weekend and, by all accounts, they succeeded. Clockwise, from top left: Blyth Firefighters’ Association members and volunteers host a fantastic breakfast at the Blyth Fire Hall at the north end of the village; the fiddle competition had toes tapping throughout Shed 3; Seth McIntosh of London was one of the competitors in this year’s step dancing competition in the 12 and under class; tractor pulls held throughout the weekend were a spectacle; the annual consignment sale saw some people walk away with new treasures and a new education program put an emphasis on group learning in the log cabin at the grounds. (Denny Scott, Shawn Loughlin photos)
