PROUDLY SERVING PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY SINCE 1830
The Picton Gazette INSIDE
THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014
VOLUME 1 8 4 , N O . 1 5
THIS WEEK
Matthews break ground on dream home
Municipality to resume destination marketing
Habitat build project gives family chance for a fresh start in own Picton home
ADAM BRAMBURGER STAFF WRITER
ACCOLADES PECT production earns praise at EODL awards brunch PAGE 3
APPETITES
Williams Family Diner prepares for national TV spotlight PAGE 4
ACTION
Panther Hoops leagues bring 110 students onto basketball court PAGE 20
SECTIONS
Looking back.......6 Weather.............6 Editorials.............7 Letters....................8 Sports....................20 Puzzles.................22 Classifieds.............25 CANADA’S OLDEST COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Cole and Hannah Matthews had a pretty good idea how their mom Connie would react the first time they had company at the property they’ll one day call home. As a group of about 30 friends and well-wishers gathered for the ground breaking of their Habitat For Humanity project on York Street just a stone’s throw from the stage door of the Regent Theatre, Matthews couldn’t help wipe away the tears from her face. She told her community that her children had bet her she couldn’t get through her speech without crying and acknowledged she was overcome with emotion before being welcomed to share her feelings. In August 2011, Connie lost her husband Corey at the young age of 35 and she and her family were left not only with deep sadness, but also the reality that their lives would be greatly changed in the future. “Our lives were irreversibly changed and the dream of owning a home seemed unattainable,” Matthews related. One of Matthews’ friends, however, felt the family would be perfect candidates for a Habitat For Humanity project and with a little prodding, Connie decided she’d start the process going to see if the charitable organization might agree with that assessment. The Matthews family spent more than six months meeting with Habitat officials and Connie noted there were times she wondered whether the process would be fruitful. Last September, she recalled, that all changed for the better. “The application process has its ups and downs and I cried buckets of tears, believe me,” she recalled. Then, there was a lady standing at her door with balloons and smiles and it sunk in that something special was happening. “I stood still, I didn’t know what to do,” Connie said, adding she started to shake and cry in the aftermath of the news. Following Connie’s speech, Cole, 12, and Hannah, 10, already showing their own community spirit
IT’S TIME.....
PRINZEN FORD
Bloomfield 613-393-3318
CHAD IBBOTSON
STAFF WRITER
TURNING SOD From left, Hannah, Connie, and Cole Matthews took part in a ceremonial ground breaking for their Habitat For Humanity home build project at 7 York Street in Picton. Their home will be built this summer. (Adam Bramburger/Gazette staff)
with the Kings and figure skating jackets on, dipped shiny bronze shovels into the earth and turned the soil for their project. Connie said her family is eager to get to work to build their home, something she believes represents far more than just wood, nails, paint, siding and finishing. “This home, to me, is my dream. It is being built generosity, caring, community pride, compassion, and — most of all — love.”
P U L L - O U T
SPRING SERVICE SPECIAL
Taste the County to cease operations
R E A L
The build, which represents the 15th project for Habitat For Humanity Prince Edward-Hastings for 16 families, is expected to move forward toward completion in August as site supervisor Charlie Poisson will keep crews of community volunteers and friends on track with construction. The Matthews, along with their friends and family members, are responsible for 500 hours of service, either on the build or in fundrais-
E S TAT E
ing for Habitat. Habitat For Humanity president Bob Clute looked over the groundbreaking ceremony and stressed it is important that people realize the family has a very important role to play. “I don’t want anybody walking around saying they’ve got a free home out of this,” he said. “They will pay for it. We give a hand up, not a hand out.”
See BUILD, page 10
S E C T I O N
Taste the County will be winding down operations as the municipality looks to take over destination marketing from the organization. In a notice circulated to the organization's membership on Friday, Taste the County chief executive officer Lynn Sullivan explained the move and outlined the upcoming transition. The move was announced at the organization's last annual general meeting following council’s adoption of the community development strategic plan on March 11. Council approved a new community branding package and visual identity at Tuesday’s regular meeting. The community development strategic plan recommends several steps aimed at attracting visitors and businesses to invest in Prince Edward County. One of the main recommendations involves the municipality taking control over the coordination of all County destination marketing, branding, and messaging. “What does this mean? For the tourism sector, a centralized marketing function that will enable a stronger and wider message to be broadcast on all levels for Prince Edward County,” the notice says. “As we know there are limited dollars businesses can afford to contribute co-operatively for effective tourism marketing. By working with the municipality, we can ensure that the County message is heard loud and clear while individual stakeholders can direct their own marketing budgets accordingly.” As per Sullivan's notice, the organization will be taking the next few weeks to work with the municipality's community development department to smooth the transition. The contracts for the interim CEO position and office staff will end on April 30 and as of May 1 a volunteer staff will be installed under the guidance of the board of directors to ensure the transition is completed by the end of this year.
See TASTE, page 11
I N S I D E !
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ProAlliance Realty, Brokerage
Elizabeth Crombie
Sales Representative OFFICE — 104 Main St., Picton 613-476-2700 Fax 613-476-4883 Toll Free 1-877-476-0096
E-Mail: elizabeth.crombie@sympatico.ca Website: www.pictonhomes.com