River Valley Sun Vol. 1 Iss. 1 February 15, 2019

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FALLING IN LOVE WITH A SMALL TOWN

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HOOP DREAMS TO LAST A LIFETIME

Nackawic: This little town with a big heart is helping an entrepreneurial family achieve their dreams.

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Woodstock: Years of growth and memories. Revisiting WHS Lady Thunder’s basketball legacy.

Serving to Better-Connect Communities in New Brunswick’s Upper St. John River Valley Volume 1 Issue 1

RIVER VALLEY SUN February 15 to March 15, 2019

FREE ONLINE @ www.rivervalleysun.ca

CELEBRATING OUR DEEP NEWSPAPER ROOTS By Jim Dumville

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n an era of 24-hour cable news, corporateowned media empires, and ubiquitous social media, the role of locallyowned community newspapers is not as clear as it once was. In launching the River Valley Sun, I wanted to begin our journey by picking the brains of those who were at the heart of community newspapers during what was arguably the industry’s heyday in the second half of the 20th century. Five people who were at the forefront of the industry in the Upper St. John River Valley gathered at the L.P. Fisher Public Library in Woodstock on a cold January afternoon to reminisce about years gone by and share their unique expectations for the future. David Henley is a former owner of Henley Pub-

lishing, whose small chain of local papers included the Bugle in Woodstock. Don Calhoun is a former operations manager of the Bugle and began his career as a teenager in the press room. He eventually worked his way through the system to become a valuable righthand man to Henley in the operation of the paper. Carleton MLA Stewart Fairgrieve’s family owned and operated the Observer in Hartland for several decades. Woodstock’s Wayne McCallum worked for the former Woodstock Sentinel. He joined the paper right out of vocational school in 1945 and worked his way up to be an editor before it closed in the 1960s. Beth MacFarlane’s father, Jim Morrison, and her uncle, Bob Morrison, were media pioneers in

Woodstock, starting radio station CJ109 and the Bugle. All agreed the newspaper industry underwent remarkable journalistic and technological changes during their era, and not always for the better. After a career in national media, Henley ventured into community newspapers in 1976. “I ask why every day,” he joked, before explaining what brought him to Woodstock where he still resides. Henley said he started with the CBC in Halifax before moving to Toronto where he worked for several publications, including Time Magazine. A friend who owned community newspapers convinced him to get involved. “I picked Woodstock, which if I was going to do it, was a pretty good deci-

Passion for Print: (l to r) David Henley, Wayne McCallum, Don Calhoun, Beth MacFarlane, and Stewart Fairgrieve reminisce about the newspaper business. (Theresa Blackburn photo.)

sion,” Henley said. Calhoun was already working at the Bugle in 1976 when Henley bought the paper. “I went to work at the Bugle right out of high school in 1973,” he said. At the time, Calhoun said the paper’s main office was on Main Street, with the press room located down over the hill near the river. “They hired me to

catch papers off the press,” he said. “I think within three months they put me in charge of the press and it kind of took off from there.” Fairgrieve’s introduction to community news began as a child when his father Gordon purchased the Observer in 1966. He worked there with his dad before heading off to university. The paper’s roots date back to 1905.

Fairgrieve said he started full time with the paper after getting married in 1983 and remained until the paper was sold to a Dartmouth-based company in 2000. The company then sold it to Irvingowned Brunswick News Inc.(BNI) and soon after merged with the Bugle when BNI bought the paper from Henley in 2001. Continued on page 2

NEW NEWSPAPER, NEW VISION

INTRODUCING THE RIVER VALLEY SUN: LOCALLY FOCUSED, COMMUNITY DRIVEN By Theresa Blackburn

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RVS Managing Editor Jim Dumville (left) with publishers Stephen Chisholm and Theresa Blackburn. (Photo by Ashley Marie Photograpy.)

elcome to the River Valley Sun – an ultra-local community newspaper serving the Upper St. John River Valley. Our philosophy is simple: to connect communities and share interesting stories while providing a cost-effective communication platform for not-forprofit organizations. While the future of

traditional newspapers seems bleak, our future is bright because we take a non-traditional approach. The River Valley Sun is a free publication, in print and online. With few wanting to pay for information, and some unable to afford a newspaper subscription, the River Valley Sun’s business model fills our region’s information gap. Operating as a nonprofit, the River Valley

Sun will rely on our readers for stories, ideas, and event information. Our core focus is community, not our bottom line, and we believe this will be the key to our success. We get to see our dream become a reality because generous advertisers trust and support our vision. Providing non-profit organizations with an affordable fundraising tool is at the heart of the River

Valley Sun’s mandate. Eligible non-profits can use the paper as a fundraising tool, helping us sell ads that will accompany their campaign or event story. Half of all ad money collected for their page will be donated to the cause (minus the sales tax). The initiative is our way of saying thank you to the communities who continue to support our local publications. The pro-

motion also gives us the chance to directly help the neighbours and causes we care about. The River Valley Sun is passionate about reader engagement, providing a variety of viewpoints, and informing and connecting the wonderful people who live here. We love what we do, and we think it shows. Our motto is caring through sharing, because that’s what good neighbours do.

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Celebrating deep newspaper roots Continued from page 1

McCallum’s career in the business began with the Sentinel in 1945. “I had the interview on Friday and went to work on Monday,” he said. Over the 24 years he spent there, McCallum said he witnessed a lot of changes and did a lot of different jobs to ensure delivery of the paper each week. One of his first jobs as a young reporter was to go down the railway station and interview people arriving in town. In addition to reporting and later editing the Sentinel, McCallum said he did a variety of jobs, including working the press and operating the linotype machine – a hot-metal typesetting system that cast blocks of metal type –which was a printing mainstay at the time. MacFarlane said she was introduced

to community newspapers when her father helped start the Bugle. “My family, along with other shareholders, started at the radio station CJ 920 back in 59-60,” she said. “My uncle Bob was always a kind of a visionary, dreaming up these schemes and ideas and decided we should have another newspaper although the Sentinel and the Observer were still very popular with the readers.” She said her father, Jim Morrison, took charge of the paper. In the early days, MacFarlane said they printed the paper in Fredericton. When the papers arrived from the city, she said an assembly line would form in the kitchen of their Woodstock home, where they’d label and package the papers.

Jim Morrison eventually took his editing talents on the road, moving to Saskatchewan where he became editor of the Regina Post. He later returned east, and to the paper he started when Henley hired him as editor of the Bugle. “I was lucky to get him,” said Henley, “and he taught me a lot.” Technological advancement was a constant in the industry. While devastating fires destroyed both the Sentinel in 1950 and the Bugle in 1984, Henley and McCallum agreed the flames helped speed up the technological advances. In both cases, modern machines replaced destroyed equipment. Over the years, Calhoun explained, the Bugle went from hot lead to punch tape, and eventually computer pagination. While the papers competed against each other, it was a friendly competition, explained Henley and Fairgrieve. Fairgrieve said the greatest competition was for the additional publications which helped pay for the presses. Even after the Bugle fire, Fairgrieve said the paper didn’t miss an issue because his Observer press printed it for them. Community newspapers are on the decline, and Henley is bothered by larger companies absorbing smaller papers. “The ethical standards of that company may not fit the community it serves,” he said. Fairgrieve said in the heyday of community newspapers, most print operations owned a press. The biggest obstacle for a paper today, said Henley, is finding a cost-effective way to have it printed. While all accepted that more people are getting their news online, MacFarlane said there is still some who crave the feel of a newspaper. All were united in their belief that the key to any community newspaper’s success is maintaining its connection to the community it serves. All wished the River Valley Sun success in working to achieve that.

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Support the Woodstock Volunteer Fire Department 50/50 Lotto Your participation allows us to purchase the best equipment to help keep you safe! PURCHASE TICKETS AT Murray’s Irving, Connell Road Kojax Petro Canada Brennan’s Home Hardware The volunteers thank you for your continued support!

Let Music Cure Your Winter Blahs

Well Inked: Don Calhoun (left) and Murray Pratt in the old Bugle Observer press room, circa 1973. The building was located behind the Woodstock Post Office, circa 1973. (Photo submitted.)

Monday: Country Connection at the Woodstock ‘Y’ @ 7 p.m. Tuesday: Carleton County Fiddlers at the AYR Motor Centre @ 7 p.m. Wednesday: Music at the Millville Legion @ 7 p.m. Thursday: Music on the Monquart at the Bath K of C Hall @ 7 p.m. Friday: Country Jamboree at the Florenceville Kin Centre @ 7 p.m. Saturday: Music at the Triple ‘C’ Centre on Rockland Road @ 7 p.m.

Congratulations to the River Valley Sun – another independent New Brunswick newspaper ! The River Valley Sun is a free, editorially independent monthly newspaper serving the Upper St. John River Valley of New Brunswick. “Our mission is to share feature stories, a variety of viewpoints, and information about local community events, minor sports, and municipal news that isn’t always covered by mainstream media. We believe a community is stronger when people know and understand their neighbours.” Editorial Policy: The River Valley Sun welcomes letters on subjects of interest to our readers and prints columns on a variety of topics. Use of any material is at the discretion of the editors, and we reserve the right to omit or edit letters to meet space requirements, for clarity, or to avoid libel or invasion of privacy. Letters and columns published do not necessarily reflect the editorial policies of beliefs of the newspaper.

River Valley Sun

Box 1000, Woodstock, NB, E7M 0E9

(506) 325-2552

PUBLISHER/DESIGN: Theresa Blackburn (506) 324-5700 PUBLISHER/DISTRIBUTION: Stephen Chisholm (506) 324-5711 MANAGING EDITOR: Jim Dumville (506) 325-8523

www.rivervalleysun.ca

ISSN # 2562-3893 Canada Post Mail Agreement # 43021515 The River Valley Sun follows the Canadian Press Style guidelines.

Falling in love with a small town By Karen Howell

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little town with a big heart is allowing one couple to live their dream. Tatiana and Peter Cole, owners of the Big Axe Brewery, have called Nackawic, a small town with just over 1,000 people, their home since the fall of 2004. They love the town nestled along the St. John River. But the river isn’t the only thing that attracted the Coles. They also fell in love with the quiet lifestyle and the residents who live there. “We liked the fact that this small town has a very big heart and is very giving,” said Peter. Peter grew up in St. John’s, NL, but eventually made New Brunswick his home, working as a manager in a consulting company. Tatiana did similar work, and the two met when Peter was travelling for work in Ukraine. One common interest they shared, both grew up close to the ocean. “Finding a home by the water had always been our dream,” said Peter. They first considered living in Keswick but liked Nackawic when they visited some friends in the area. “We’ve always been intrigued with Victorian style homes and renovat-

The Big Axe Brewery Family: (l to r) Vasyl, Olga, Tatiana, Peter, and Nevada the dog. (Karen Howell photo.)

ing,” said Peter, explaining why they fell in love with the older style home which now houses their bed and breakfast. “Tatiana and I moved to Nackawic in September 2004. Tatiana was working in Fredericton, and I was working in Hartland. Nackawic was a geographic decision at first, but the area grew on us almost immediately,” he said. “We fell in love with the Nackawic lifestyle,” said Peter. “The cottage lifestyle with all the amenities of a city.” Both are huge outdoor enthusiasts who love hiking, boating, skiing and more. The town’s waterfront became the deciding factor in opening a craft brewery and bed and breakfast along the river. “We were always passionate about craft beer

and decided to start our research on starting a small craft brewery. The “Corey House” went on the market and seemed to be a perfect spot to start a small brewery along with a B and B,” Peter explained. Eventually, Tatiana’s parents moved from Odessa, Ukraine, a city of two million people. Olga and Vasyl Vasylyev arrived in Canada during the summer of 2013 but returned to Ukraine to look after Olga’s mother. They made a permanent move in May 2018. Vasyl said moving to New Brunswick was a big change. “We were used to living in a big city but enjoyed the quietness of New Brunswick. The fresh air, openness, less traffic, the dynamic is different,” he said. Vasyl said they are en-

joying the bigger space as they lived in an apartment in Odessa. They happily joined in on the venture to help renovate the beautiful house into a bed and breakfast. Tatiana and Peter had a small one-barrel brewing system in the back. Over the years they have met many tourists who make a pit stop in the town. They once had a movie director from California stop at the brewery and stay a night at the B and B. They’ve also had visitors from all over the world, including Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and the USA to name a few. Their business has grown a lot in five years. The Coles expanded the brewery to a 10-barrel system with 20-barrel fermenters in a 5,000 square foot cedar log building. “We hoped that it would get bigger, but it still blows me away,” said Peter. Their business employs eight people, with plans to hire more as they expand both businesses. Olga and Vasyl would like to add a gourmet food service to the bed and breakfast. “Something with a small menu,” Vasyl said. Tatiana said some people thought they were crazy for opening a busi-

RIVERVALLEYSUN.CA ness in a small town, but three years later the Big Axe Beer Festival has made a name for itself, drawing many visitors to the town of Nackawic. The inaugural festival sold 600 tickets. Last year it expanded to 1,000 tickets and sold out. “When someone said you’ll never get a thousand people to come to Nackawic, I saw it as a challenge,” said Tatiana. This year’s beer festival has 1,200 tickets and is about 70 percent sold six months before the big event. Meeting people is one positive aspect of the business, but Peter enjoys learning how to make different types of beer. They want to expand their business to include different lines. The couple said they built the brewery to allow for expansion later. Currently, they work with local farmers to come up with different flavours of specialty craft beer. For example, they make Stone Maple Ale with local Stone Maple Syrup harvested just outside of Nackawic at the Pokiok Sugary. These specialty beers are offered in season only and are in limited supply. They also have plans to improve the dock so that bigger boats have a place to tie up. And in the winter they love seeing snowmobilers stop in.

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Tatiana said they are considering different events like hosting some four-on-four hockey games on their recently completed outdoor rink. The project is part of their desire to give back to their community. All four are happy with their decision to call Nackawic their home. “Both of us are from the city. But both of us grew up visiting the family cottage, so it was an easy adjustment to move to Nackawic,” said Peter. But he’s had to learn some of the New Brunswick slang. “Going to the camp. I was confused when I first heard this. I brought my tent to my first invite to the camp,” Peter laughed. In the meantime, the Cole and Vasylyev families are enjoying their cottage lifestyle and making a name for themselves in the craft beer industry in a small town along the beautiful St. John River.

A lover of animals, Karen Howell is a writer and an educational assistant at Nackawic Middle School. She’s been married for 27 years to her high school sweetheart. They couple have four awesome sons.

Canterbury Fire Department fundraises for power bill Chief wants province to help fund local EMO warming centres By Theresa Blackburn

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t was a record turnout for a Canterbury Community Centre Canteen Night in mid-January. The local fire department, which maintains the building and pays its utility bills, organized the fundraiser. The event took in nearly $1,000 for their power bill, which can run as high as $600 in the coldest months. The building is a designated regional EMO warming centre, equipped with a generator. “It takes a lot of our re-

sources,” said Canterbury Fire Chief Clifton Furrow. “Some of the members are saying, why aren’t we raising money for the department?” Furrow wants the province to start supporting designated emergency centres, especially in rural communities. “We’re in charge of the building, but it serves an entire region. It would be nice if the province could help out with some funding. It would allow us to concentrate on our department’s needs.” This summer, the Canterbury Fire Department

is hoping to expand their existing station. “The village had some money left in their budget a year ago, and we earmarked that for the expansion. Right now our rescue truck sits outside.” The truck, which usually carries the Jaws of Life, is a used, three-quarter ton, five-passenger Ford with an eight-foot box and slide out. “When the cold weather came, we couldn’t leave the equipment in the truck, so it was moved into the equipment van,” said Furrow. In the spring, the de-

partment will move the Jaws back into the truck, but Furrow admits the situation isn’t ideal. Their van doesn’t have sufficient space, and the lack of a slide out means firefighters remove the heavy Jaws by hand. At the end of January, department members met with a local contractor to discuss expansion plans. “Right now we’re trying to figure out if we add on to the current station, which isn’t in the best location,” explained Furrow, “or decide if we want to add a piece on to the community centre.”

The contractor is expected to meet with firefighters at the end of February.

“We’ll likely get an idea of what we can do when they come back with their figures,” said Furrow.

Canterbury firefighters line up orders on Canteen Night. Chief Furrow says his department wants to thank everyone who supported the event. (Theresa Blackburn photo.)

SPOTLIGHT ON PLASTICS For information on recycling, including pick-up days, visit the Western Valley Regional Service Commission Website, www.rsc12.ca, or download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

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RETR SPECT

Historic Treasures from the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick

The Carleton Sentinel and Family Journal CARLETON COUNTY FIRST: The artifacts are on microfilm at the Provincial Archives in Fredericton. The front page (left) is the 12th issue, dated Tuesday, August 29, 1848. In poor condition, some text is illegible. Stories range from an overview of organic matter found in local soil, the arrival of the Royal Mail Steamer ,Britannia, in Halifax, and “English Items’ detailing a court case about an uprising in Ireland. The ads (right and below) are from three different issues of the Carleton Sentinel in 1848.

VALUABLE REAL ESTATE FOR SALE: The Premises at present occupied by Mr. Joseph Harvey Sear,; consisting of a Fine, Large Commodious and Well Finished Dwelling House, and convenient Store with two large Barns and other out buildings, (illegible), a short distance from the Works of the York and Carleton Mining Company. The House and OutBuildings would be a desirable stand for an Hotel, and the Store for a Mercantile business. Apply to L. H. Deveber, Esq, at St. John, W.J (illegible) & Co., Fredericton, or to the Subscribers here, R. English, L.P. Fisher, Trustees of the Estate of Mr. Joseph Harvey. Woodstock, June 27th, 1848.

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RIVERVALLEYSUN.CA

How my roots were planted in Woodstock

My Thoughts Exactly By Jim Dumville

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n the summer of 1992, I rolled into Woodstock. It was my first visit to the upper St. John River Valley shiretown. My goal was simple -- find an inexpensive apartment where I could establish roots for the next two years while I studied journalism at NBCC Woodstock. It never crossed my mind those shallow roots I planted in Hospitality Town would, a quarter century later, be so deeply anchored in the rebranded First Town. After growing up and graduating high school in a small rural community on the Gaspe Coast of Quebec, followed by 20 eventful years in the small, but growing, city of Moncton, N.B., I never envisioned Carleton County to be the setting for the next, and possibly, final chapter of my life story.

Perhaps, it best I share a bit of the backstory which led me to a mid-life career change and the life-changing decisions which brought me to this place and time. Frankly, my interest in a journalism career began more than two decades before I took the plunge. Even as a student at New Richmond High School I followed the news with interest. I loved writing. Give me an essay question, and I’d ace the exam. A teacher once pointed out how well I did when allowed to elaborate with some fact-based BS. Studying journalism at university was impossible due to financial restraints and a desire to hit the workforce as soon as possible. So upon graduation I followed two of my five siblings to Moncton, enrolling in a one-year business program at the then small, but focused Oulton Business College. The next 20 years rolled by as I worked at variety of jobs, mostly in retail sales and management. Regrettably, and I swear through no fault of mine, more than a half dozen of the companies I worked for closed operations. I take it as a positive reflection that each time a company closed, another contacted me, immediately asking I bring my skills, real or perceived, to their firm. The ups and downs of life moved quickly. I married young. Nine years later I divorced. Meanwhile, I developed an extensive network of friends and family, and it appeared my roots were firmly entrenched in the Hub City. Perhaps because of the ever-changing work settings or a fast-approaching mid-life crisis, the

work I once loved grew less appealing. It was a heart-to-heart talk with my sister which sparked the courage to pursue my long-held dream. “If you had to do it over, what would you do?” she asked. I told her I would have pursued a journalism career. “Well, do it now,” she responded. At first, it seemed an outlandish suggestion. The encouragement of my four older sisters, older brother and even my mother provided the strength needed to make such a drastic change. As the youngest of six children, I was always my mother’s little boy. Heading off to school seemed like a natural progression to her, even at 38 years of age. I enrolled in NBCC’s print journalism program, and despite being older than most of my instructors, I graduated in June 1994. That would have marked the end of the Woodstock chapter of my life if not for Bugle publisher David Henley and editor Deanna Bradley. They offered me a job and the rest, as they say, is history. Over the next 24 years, I had the honour of sharing the stories of the people and events in Woodstock, Nackawic, Hartland, Florenceville-Bristol and the many smaller communities in Carleton and northern York counties. Although the hours were often long, it never felt like work, because the job allowed me to meet people -- many of whom I now proudly call friends. They make the region such a special place to call home. They are the people who anchored my

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roots in this area. In May of 2018, when my career at the Bugle-Observer came to an end, it was the reaction of these same people who confirmed my long-held faith in the community. The outpouring of support was overwhelming. I will forever carry with pride the wonderful comments, gifts, and honours bestowed upon me by people who I hold in such high esteem. I have been lucky enough to win journalism awards, but it’s the certificate of appreciation presented to me by Mayor Art Slipp at the New Year’s Levee in 2016 and another given to me on the main stage of the Dooryard Arts Festival last summer which I hold as special honours. It’s the kind words and presentations from a special reception last summer at Connell House which I will carry in my heart forever. It confirmed why I love this community. It’s that love of community which fuelled my decision to join River Valley Sun publisher Theresa Blackburn in her vision to launch of paper entirely focused the people and places which make this region such fertile ground for establishing roots. This place is my home. And for Theresa, Stephen and I, what you’re reading is our Valentine gift of love and appreciation to the people from Beechwood to Nackawic who share our home. Jim Dumville is a resident of Woodstock, a passionate journalist, and the managing editor of the River Valley Sun.

Local project provides relief to caregivers

Woodstock’s Carleton Manor hosting adult day centre pilot project three days a week By Jim Dumville

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he Carleton Manor in Woodstock is currently hosting a pilot project aimed at providing support and relief to caregivers looking after loved ones at home. “One of the most exciting new programs enriching life at Carleton Manor was the opening of our Adult Day Centre in November,” said manor public relations spokesperson Carolyn Brown in an email to the River Valley Sun. She explained the mandate of the pilot project, currently funded through the Department of Social Development until March 31, 2019, is to give a break to caregivers who are feeling stressed or

fatigued. “Our goal is to have the pilot deemed to be a success and to continue in our home,” Brown explained. She said transportation is presently the responsibility of the families of participants, but arrangements can be made at an additional cost. Currently, she said, the Adult Day Centre is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., adding participants are welcome to come any one of those days or all three. “They will engage in all the meaningful activities and programs offered by Carleton Manor on a daily basis,” she said. Brown said planning of activities and

programs can be further individualized based on the particular needs of the participants in the Adult Day Centre program on any given day. She said participates are also welcome to use the Hair Dresser’s Salon, state of the art tub and shower, foot care services and rehabilitation services. Brown said nutritional meals and snacks are provided as well as creative

activities to engage participants both mentally and physically. Brown said the centre has been well received since opening with available spaces filling up quickly. “If you or someone you love could benefit from this program, please contact Stephanie Smith, Day Centre Coordinator at 325-2577 for information,” said Brown

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Guardian Financial Planning... we’re here to help. Carleton Manor’s Adult Day Centre participants enjoy the knitting club. (Photo submitted.)

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’ TAKONUTOMAKONUWAL

(Maliseet word meaning ‘their stories’)

News and Features from Woodstock First Nation

Kolowot-kolusuwakon/Kələwət-kəlosowakən

Mother Tongue By Anatasha Lyons

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ne of my most prized possessions sits on the desk beside me as I type. At nearly three inches thick, the heavy, burdensome book is worth its weight in gold. The binding is starting to fray from years of use, searching for verbs, nouns, proper conjugations for certain sentence structures. The book is the Passamaquoddy-Maliseet

Dictionary by David A. Francis and Robert M. Leavitt. It was a gift from my husband on our fourth wedding anniversary. Only a small number of them were printed in 2008. There are currently three offers on the book from third-party sellers on Amazon.ca starting at $792.98. Linguist and University of Southern Maine professor Dr. Conor McDonough-Quinn said we should be concerned about the current state of the Wolastoqey language. “Your language is lying on the side of the road, bleeding out and dying,” he once told me. The United Nations lists our language as severely endangered. We have 550 speakers above

WFN Skigin Radio

In Conjunction with 95.7 The Wolf in Fredericton Have a story to tell, or a talent to share? Maybe you’d like to volunteer? Woodstock First Nation Skigin Radio is looking for people to be part of their regular broadcasting. Listen for regular weather updates, or tune in to their Sunday morning programming at 9 a.m. If you are interested in becoming a broadcaster, or have programming ideas, get in touch! Email skiginradio1077@gmail. com or call Valerie Chisholm at (506) 328-3303 ext. 576.

ciation. The sound is represented by letters such as (but not limited to) the a in above, the e in event, or the o in potato (BearNicholas, 2015). In 1970, the Leavitt alphabet was created by linguists who rearranged the Teeter alphabet to enable the typing of Passamaquoddy-Maliseet text on a typewriter. Many typewriters weren’t equipped with the schwa, so certain letters in the Teeter alphabet were swapped. The schwa(ə) for o, the o for u, and the kw for q (BearNicholas, 2015). Learning the Teeter alphabet first enabled me to pronounce words in my mother tongue, allowing me to later transition to using the Leavitt alphabet. To show respect for users of both alphabets, I will provide the spelling of each featured word in both Teeter and Leavitt, to be inclusive.

the age of 50, based on a 2006 Census. A recent estimate indicates only 60 fluent speakers in the valley, all above the age of 65. Many believe this new information should raise the Wolastoqey language categorization to “critically endangered” – last category before extinction. Prior to 1960, there were no official Wolastoqewi alphabets in use despite previous work done by Montague Chamberlain and William Francis Ganong. There are, however, two alphabets used in Wolastokuk. Most new speakers like myself, who have taken the Adult Maliseet Immersion Program through St. Thomas University, learned the Teeter alphabet, while some fluent speakers use the Leavitt alphabet. A linguist named Karl V. Teeter travelled to Wolastokuk in 1960 to collect and record stories from elders. He developed the alphabet system using an upside-down e, or schwa, with the standard English alphabet. Dictionaries commonly use the schwa for pronun-

Anatasha Lyons is a wife, mother, Wolastoqey language teacher, and is involved in language revitalization efforts in Wolastokuk.

torical significance. The images of nature appearing in the performance of flowing water directly reflects the flow of the music. Arnold captures the music of slow flowing water, swift rapids, and wide embankments all glowing with the green fullness of nature. In our conversation, Arnold was brimming with information about the river’s history, talking about the Meductic rapids that existed before the creation of the Mactaquac dam. More than just images of nature, the presentation provides a connection between the music and the history of the river. A picture of a bell appears during the performance with an astounding lineage. It is a bell donated to the Maliseet people by the court of King Louis XV of France in 1717. The bell has its own astounding history here in New Brunswick. Unfortunately, it was damaged in a fire, melted down, and made into smaller bells after 1904. The Fantasia even

alludes to this history with the use of Tubular Bells to mimic the original bell accompanying an Indigenous tune, the thunderstorm that destroyed the bell, and then several small tea bells ringing out to the same song. Arnold’s excitement for the topic is energizing, bringing this history to life, even using the steamship culture and commerce that used to flourish on the river as a major theme. Captain Donald F. Taylor, a former steamship Captain who Arnold knew personally, wrote three books on steamships. Arnold explained how a steamship called the ‘Antelope’ was well-known in the area for reaching Woodstock 40 minutes ahead of its nearest competitor. The music imitates the swishing of the paddle wheel and the ‘whoop’ of the steamship horns. Arnold says the motivation behind the research, creativity and hard work was to “tell the story of the river, as it was.” “Too often,” Arnold ex-

Words of the Month Good Word Kolowot-kolusuwakon/Kələwət-kəlosowakən Phonetically: Gul-UH-wood gul-LOOZ-zoo-WAH-gun Good/Beautiful/Bountiful River Wolastoq/Wəlastəkwey Phonetically: Wool-LUST-tookw Maliseet territory on or along the St. John River Wolastokuk/Wəlastəkok-Maliseet Phonetically: Wool-LUST-tuh-GOOK Maliseet Wolastoqewi/Wəlastəkwewi-pronoun Phonetically: Wool-LUST-tuh-GEW-wee Citation: Bear-Nicholas, A. (2015, May 8). Professor Emerita. Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

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The Wolastoq Fantasia, a river with history By Paul J. Graham

T

he love of nature has inspired many classical compositions throughout the centuries, Beethoven’s Pastoral symphony being a much-loved favourite. Woodstock musician and ecological activist, Sam Arnold, has contributed his own unique arrangement to that storied tradition. Arnold’s ‘Wolastoq Fantasia’ premiered on January 13 at the Imperial Theatre in Saint John as performed by the NB Youth Orchestra. This single movement work of approximately 30 minutes is a tribute to the positive life and culture surrounding the Wolastoq River for more than 100 years. The Wolastoq River is the Maliseet’s original name for the St. John River. The name changed after the arrival of Samuel de Champlain in 1604. There is now an initiative by the Wolastoqiyik people to return the river to its original name. Arnold’s love of nature and rivers started when

he was a young boy growing up near the Tapiracuay River in Paraguay. He mused about having to be on guard for piranha by noticing ripples on top of the water. At his home in Woodstock, he showed me a painting of the river near his childhood home. And yet it is living and working in Woodstock over a lifetime where his affinity for music connected fully to his love of nature, resulting in the Fantasia. Although his inspiration comes from the river, the work also includes a rich history and culture, influenced directly by folk songs from Native, French, and English sources. He also gained insight from indigenous songs recorded from wax cylinders from 1913, now available more widely in modern formats. The premiere of the work at the Imperial Theatre included a large screen behind the youth orchestra for displaying images of the river, nature, and objects of his-

plains, “we only talk about it when it hurts us,” referring to recent spring flooding. Rather than thinking in this way, Arnold’s work is meant to inspire us to think of the Wolastoq River in a more positive way – the way it sustains us, physically and emotionally, the way it provides

us and nature with our needs, and especially, the call to the next generation of youth for protecting the future of this great river. Paul J. Graham is from Bear Trap Point, N.B., but now lives in Woodstock. A graduate of UNB and Dalhousie, he is a librarian at Yorkville University.

Sam Arnold with his nature inspired orchestral arrangement for the Wolastoq River. (Paul J. Graham photo.)

RIVERVALLEYSUN.CA

WELLNESS

7

Your Guide to Healthy Living in the St. John River Valley

Canada’s new food guide: mere mortal perspective

Mere Mortal

By Kathy Sherwood-Orser

H

ealth Canada finally delivered the longawaited changes to Canada’s Food Guide. The guide’s most extensive change is its focus. If you thought the food guide would tell you chips and pop are now good, you’ll be disappointed. Instead detailing specific amounts of food, the new guide advises us to eat a variety of healthy food every day. It describes the benefits of

eating fruits and vegetables, recommending everyone try making half of their plate vegetables and fruits. It encourages us to choose different textures, colours, and shapes to fit our tastes. These are the same words we used when explaining the old guide. So, fill your plate and your appetite with something green, something yellow, something red and something crunchy, something soft. The new food guide describes how to choose your fruits and vegetables when buying fresh, frozen or canned, which is new and pertinent advice. It states clearly, for example, that fruit juices and processed fruit snacks should be limited. I also loved their ideas on how to add fruits and veggies to your diet – like adding pureed squash or carrots

or cauliflower to sauces or casseroles. Since the food guide no longer uses the four food groups, we find information about other types of food in different places. Dairy or milk products are included when the guide talks about proteins. Protein foods, including plant-based proteins, are an essential part of healthy eating. Include foods such as beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, lean meats and poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, lower fat milk, and lower fat dairy products. Again, it provides excellent suggestions about the choice of proteins and ideas on how to get good sources of proteins into your diet, including tips on how to choose the best quality and best ways to prepare your proteins. There are great choices described and many ex-

cellent cultural foods mentioned. Focus area three deals with processed foods. It directly says we should limit the processed foods we eat. Those include sugary drinks, chocolate and candies, ice cream and frozen desserts, fast foods like French fries and burgers, frozen entrees like pasta dishes and pizzas, bakery products like muffins, buns and cakes and processed meats like sausages and deli meats. The food guide goes even further, using the words obesity and type 2 diabetes. I know many experts don’t like the negative words, and perhaps they don’t necessarily trigger lifelong changes, but pretending our eating habits are not killing us hasn’t worked either. I love that the new guide focuses on the mindfulness of eating. It encourages us to be aware of how we eat, why we eat, what we eat, when we eat, where we eat, and how much we eat.

Being mindful can help you make healthier choices more often, enabling you to make positive changes to your eating routine, and reconnect to the eating experience by creating an awareness of your feelings, thoughts, emotions and behaviours. Along with mindfulness comes a suggestion that we need to enjoy the process of cooking, eating with others and learning to enjoy our food. Sounds ridiculous when I reread these suggestions, but, seriously, we have forgotten the amazing process of making meals, smelling foods, truly tasting the food and spending time socializing around food. Often the community meets over food. We sit with others in restaurants but are we truly present? Are we focused on the sights of the amazing food in front of us? Are we in tune with the smells of the food presented or are we more focused on our phones, our watches or our schedules?

Do we sit down with our families and eat? Do we join our colleagues to eat? Or do we choose to eat in front of our screens? I love the fact that a healthy eating guide recognizes and make suggestions far beyond the food we are eating or the serving sizes. The food guide does not give specific details on how many servings of any particular food, but does recommend using our brains to make healthy choices. It points us back to a time when we enjoyed planning, shopping, preparing and eating. I love how the new guide states, without being wishy-washy, that juices, pop, candy, and processed foods are bad! If Health Canada won’t take a stand then why should we? Kathy Sherwood-Orser is the Western Valley Wellness Network Co-Chair and Wellness Champion who lives with her family in her childhood home in Hartland.

The River Valley Sun wants to start a healthy recipe series. If you have a great recipe to share, get in touch! Email theresa@rivervalleysun.ca

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 558 Main Street, Downtown Woodstock O O (506) 325-2829 www.riverrestaurant.ca O O O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Delicious Food Exceptional Service

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Newnham & Slipp Pharmacy

Shoppers Drug Mart

Ryan’s Pharmacy

Free Local Prescription Delivery, Home Health Products, Orthotic Supports & Braces, Mastectomy Products with Certified Fitters and Fitting Rooms, Hallmark Gift Shop, Birkenstocks, Cosmetics & Lotto Tickets!

Online Prescription Refills, Expanded Health Care Products, Luxury Beauty Products, Wardrobe Accessories, Fragrances, Fresh and Frozen Grocery Items, Household Products, Cleaning Supplies, and PC Optimum Points!

Prescription, Travel Clinics, Custom Compounding, Friendly Caring Staff

604 Main Street Woodstock 325-2000

370 Connell Street Woodstock 328-8801

Health Care in Your Community Since 1970! 135 Otis Drive Nackawic 575-2075

8

POTPOURRI

(... paying homage to late, local radio personalities Bruce Smith and Walter Tompkins)

A Roundup of Interesting Photos and Events

Fun at the WFN outdoor rink All Smiles: Children from Woodstock First Nation having a fun after-school skate at their new outdoor rink. The ice surface and warming shed were constructed for the community with funding from the band council. Clockwise: Dennis Harrigan helping Rowan Tomah; Noel and Alivia Bear; Kale Polcies and Alleigh Kennedy. (Photos by Terri Paul.)

Dedicated volunteer recognized The 2018 Ron Berube Volunteer Award was recently presented to Sharon Morrison of Rossville by Nackawic Mayor Ian Kitchen. Morrison is a retired school teacher, and has a long history of volunteering in Nackawic. She’s lent her time and talents to the curling club, golf club, community schools, the Nackawic Area Wellness Committee, and her church. The award was presented at a monthly seniors lunch (which Morrison also volunteers with) hosted by the Kirk United Church. (Photo submitted.)

Literacy Day: favourite things Literacy Day Events in Florenceville-Bristol focused on prized possessions with their theme, Favourite Things. One of the more popular events was a presentation of quilting techniques, and a talk on the history of quilt making by Suzanne Hunter of Stickney. (Photos submitted.)

Johnville author launches book Ann Brennan’s new book, The Faery Chronicles: Anglebert Crosses the Great Water, was unveiled to a packed house at the Andrew and Laura McCain Art Gallery during Literacy Day celebrations in Florenceville-Bristol. Published by Chapel Street Editions, it is the first in a series. Illustrated by Leland-Wong Daugherty, the first book is a fast-paced adventure novel about an Irish Faery who, on impulse, but with a sense of destiny, travels with a human visitor to her farm and forest home in New Brunswick. Visit chapelstreeteditions.com

(Theresa Blackburn photo)

(Rayanne Brennan photo)

MARK YOUR CALENDAR Some Notable Events Taking Place in Your Community

BENEFIT BREAKFAST Feb 16 8 to 10 a.m. Woodstock Baptist Church BY DONATION

For Jaxson, newborn son of Vanessa Phillips & Ben Rideout

Moonshine & Moonlight Snowshoe Feb 20 6 to 9 p.m. Starting at AYR Motor Centre, you’ll be transported by bus to a trail, then sample Moonshine creek products. Register at AMC – $25 pp.

BENEFIT BREAKFAST Feb 23 7 to 11 a.m. Northampton Rec Hall

SHOWSHOE TOUR

Meduxnekeag Valley Nature Preserve Feb 28

BY DONATION

9 a.m. TRANSPORT TO TRAIL FR. AYR MOTOR CENTRE

who is undergoing cancer treatment

$15 Spots limited Lunch provided.

For Richard (Dickie) Montieth

NORTHAMPTION BREAKFAST

KIDS WHO CARE ONE-DAY CAMP

MAR 2 7 to 10 a.m. Northampton Rec Centre

Mar 5 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All proceeds go to centre upkeep $9 Adults $6 ages 6-12

AYR MOTOR CENTRE

For kids who want to become more involved in their community

$25

RIVERVALLEYSUN.CA

SUNNY-SIDE UP

See more cartoons at www.missnackawic.com.

Providing Readers with a Challenge, a Chuckle, and a Smile

BY COUCH LMPRY MP CHRIS HELGRSOH

"v al e h t ih e s pay "

River Valley Sun Crossword Puzzle #1

Find the answer key at www.rivervalleysun.ca

RVS SUNSHINE KID CARLETON COUNTY

Colloquialisms By John Morris

fair t’ middlin’ \’fare tuh ‘mid-lin\ adj/adv - Average, OK, satisfactory. How ya doin’ this mornin’?...Oh, fair t’ middlin’. yestidee \’yes-t-dee\ noun - Yesterday. Did you fellers get out t’ the Legion yestidee? *See also: tamarrah.

Hear how these words are pronounced at www.dooryard.ca.

TONGUE TWISTER

Seth in Salisbury sells thick socks.

SUNSHINE SMILE: Meet nine-year-old Samantha Montgomery of Richmond Corner. She is the daughter of Scott and Amy Montgomery, and little sister to Katie Antworth. Samantha is in Mme Burtt’s grade four french immersion class at Meduxnekeag Consolidated School and is an active member of the Countryside 4-H Club. She loves to paint and draw, and enjoys singing and dancing with friends. Samantha wants to be an artist when she grows up. (Photo submitted.)

DID YOU KNOW ?

* Forest fires move faster uphill than they do down. * The dot on the top of the letter i is called a tittle. * In cards, the King of Hearts is the only king without a mustache. * Isaac Newton invented the cat door.

LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THE RIVER VALLEY SUN BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE: WWW.RIVERVALLEYSUN.CA

9

10

NEIGHBOURHOOD NEWS Information and Updates from Your Towns, Villages, and Local Service Districts

Florenceville-Bristol

Hartland

Woodstock cont’d

Nackawic

Looking for local input

Demo of new sport

Sliding Party

Shrove Tuesday

The town of FlorencevilleBristol is trying to improve communications and is looking for input. Submit why you love the community on their Facebook page or by email for the chance to win a bag of goodies. Email administration@florencevillebristl.ca. Winner will be announced Feb. 28.

Hartland recreation will host a speed-skating demonstration at the Hartland Arena on March 10 from noon to 4 p.m. Participants will have a chance to watch skaters, and try with some speed skates they’ll have on hand to borrow.

Enjoy a night of night of sliding on the Woodstock Golf and Curling Club Hill Saturday, February 23 at 6 p.m., weather permitting. The hill will be lighted, there will be a bonfire and free hotdogs and hot chocolate will be served. Sponsored by Greg MacPherson (Manulife Securities), the Woodstock Volunteer Fire Department and Woodstock Recreation.

Newcomer online pkg The town of FlorencevilleBristol has put together an online package for potential residents and businesses, outlining what the town has to offer. The resident package is available online at florencevillebristol.ca/move-here. To see the business package, go to florencevillebristol. ca/doing-business-in-florenceville.

Curling bonspiel The annual outdoor curling bonspiel returns to the natural ice on the Tracy ball diamond beside the Hartland Arena from Feb. 21 to Feb. 23. Cost of team registration is $100. The event is sponsored by the Covered Bridge Community Lifestyles Inc.

Winter activities

Check out their website or Facebook page for Family Day Feb. 18 and Spring Break activities, including a week long March Break camp for kids from 6 - 12 years.

There will be a family snowshoe event along the trails at the Covered Bridge Golf and Country Club on N.B. Family Day, Feb. 18, from 1 – 3 p.m. Bring your own snowshoes. A public skate will be held at the Hartland outdoor rink on March 1 from 6 –8 p.m. Helmets required.

Juniper

Woodstock

Community Centre

Bowl for Kids

Visit the Juniper Community Centre every Saturday for breakfast served from 8:30 – 11 a.m. After breakfast, shop in their used clothing store, or visit the library. Enjoy musical entertainment with Melissa White and Friends on Feb. 16 from 2 - 4 p.m.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Carleton-York is looking for teams ]for the annual Bowl for Kids taking place on Saturday, March 30 at the Woodstock Bowlacade in Jacksonville. For more information call Mary Beth at 328-2094 or email bbbscy@nb.aibn. com.

Family fun events

(506) 392-6763

florencevillebristol.ca

She Shines Women from Woodstock and surrounding area will be recognized next month for exceptional contributions to the community. The She Shines Awards will be held March 8 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Best Western in Woodstock as part of the third annual Woodstock International Women’s Day. The award recognizes women who contribute to their community through work, volunteerism, or from within their own households. Recognition can come from family members, coworkers, and friends. Luncheon tickets are $20. Funds raised are going towards a scholarship for a Woodstock High School female graduate who exemplifies the ‘She Shines’ persona. To nominate a woman or for tickets to the event email sheshinesawards@gmail.com today. Tickets are limited. Nominations for the She Shines award close end of day on Monday, February 18.

(506) 375-4357 town.hartland.nb.ca

Anglican Parish of Prince William is hosting a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper on Tuesday, March 5, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the St. Clement’s church hall in Dumfries. The cost is $10 for adults and $7 for children, with a family rate of $25 for two adults and schoolaged children. They hope to see you there!

Picture Perfect: The Countryside 4-H Photography Club on a recent outing in Woodstock. (l to r) Vanessa Harris, Emma Craib, Gemma Hames, Elizabeth Campbell, and Mackenzie Taylor. (Becci Taylor photo.)

Nackawic celebrating Family Day Feb 18

Come and enjoy sliding, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the tennis courts. There will be a snow maze and families are encouraged to build snowmen anywhere and everywhere. Warm up with cards and board games at the Nackawic Lions Centre. Hit the trails for snowshoeing between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Cross-country skiers can head out along the bypass or behind the Nackawic Middle School. Enjoy a lunch of soup and sandwiches at the Lion’s Centre from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. with face painting and balloons, followed by story time and crafts. Other activities include Little Rock curling at the Nackawic Curling Club. The fire hall is offering side-by-side rides from 12 to 3 p.m. There will be ice fishing by the dock, and a free family skate at the arena from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Join us for the activities!

Corey Ford is Valley Trusted for its dedication to customer service. Stop by and shop their selection of new and used vehicles. Call 328-8828 Visit their website @ coreyford.ca Connell Road, Woodstock

(506) 575-2241 www.nackawic.com

(506) 325-4600

www.town.woodstock.nb.ca

Meet Frank & Gail Lipsett

The feeling of home in an active retirement community. We take care of everything! Call Brad at (506) 325-7501 to arrange a tour!

In the spring issue of agelessNB Magazine, Frank & Gail share how Riverside helped them cope with Frank’s health challenges.

RIVERVALLEYSUN.CA 11

Leaving faith and friendship at my door

My Big Fat Life By Theresa Blackburn

M

y response to the sound of our doorbell ringing on Saturday mornings will never be the same. For nearly 10 years, Joyce Wright, a Jehovah’s Witness from the nearby community of Temple, was a regular visitor to our home. Committed to her faith and its mission, she dutifully knocked on thousands of doors throughout her life, right up to her 87th year. Joyce’s knowledge of the bible was remarkable, but it was her dedication, kindness, and warmth that stayed with me. Some mornings we would talk for a half hour or more. Even when my time was tight, I was careful not to rush, knowing how much each verse and passage meant to Joyce. I was listening, truly, to each word, and she accepted my undi-

vided attention like a precious gift. Being naturally curious about people, I was interested in learning about her life, and particularly her faith. I asked her many questions over the years. She always rewarded me with interesting stories. We got to know each other quite well over a decade of porch visits. Growing up in Halifax, I had friends who were members of the Salvation Army and the Mormon churches. Some of my girlfriends were Anglicans; others were United. My only understanding of Joyce’s faith came from my grandmother, who thought Jehovah’s Witnesses were people to avoid. As a young child, I remember one particular sleepover where our morning activities included closing Nanny’s curtains and hiding from the people who were going door-to-door in her trailer park. We were told to be as quiet as mice until they left her doorstep. After meeting Joyce, I couldn’t imagine pretending I wasn’t home, or sleeping late. In hearing some of the doorstep language and door slamming she had endured over the years, I better understood the depth of her faith She knew I was Catholic and had no intention of converting, but she also knew I accepted her as she was, just as she took me as I am. We had mutual respect and stalwart convictions, but I always felt Joyce was the stronger one. I’m not sure I could darken doors like she did, knowing not

everyone would be kind. She often left me with reading material, and in return, I regularly gifted her with my own ‘pamphlet’ in the form of our magazine, agelessNB. Joyce took a bad fall in September of 2016 and became housebound. Our visits ceased, and I found myself genuinely missing her. I reached out twice last year, but never had the chance to visit before her passing last month. She would have been 90 years old this April. Her daughter Dana told me she never stopped sharing her faith, often ministering to her caregivers. I wouldn’t have expected anything less. Dana stopped in for a visit recently to break the news. I was a mess as I stood in my doorway; tears flowing, nose running, my old housecoat wrapped about me, and my hair an unruly mop. I couldn’t get my words out. I didn’t realize how much she meant to me until I wasn’t able to tell her. I have tears as I type. She loved to share the beauty of her faith, and over the years she blessed me by sharing stories that highlighted the beauty of her life. She had a close-knit family and kept busy, which kept her mind sharp. She adored her daughter and son-in-law and missed her late husband, Vincent. In her later years, she felt blessed to be able to get to the Kingdom Hall and still profess her faith door-to-door. We once had a wonderful conversation about her childhood, sparked by a five-generation

Joyce and Vincent Wright, just before their wedding in 1950. (Photo submitted.)

photo in our magazine. A few years ago I asked Joyce for an interview. She declined. Ever humble, she said she didn’t want any attention for doing a job she felt her God, Jehovah, called her to do. She was an influential teacher. She taught me tolerance and understanding, and that one should never assume to know a book by looking at its cover because Joyce was so much more than her ‘cover.’ Her death taught me a sharp, painful lesson – regret. I’m sorry I didn’t tell her how much she meant to me, and I’m heartbroken I wasn’t able to witness her inspiring faith one last time. Theresa’s big, fat, busy life includes a firefighter husband, three children, a greyhound, a cat, volunteering, and her family’s growing publishing business.

Yorky the wonder cat Meet Hartland’s two-legged feline Story and Photo By Olivia and Stephanie Foster

A

s we sit at the table having dinner, my Dad’s friend Craig leans over to my Mom and says, “Probably not the best time, but I think your cat has worms.” Scuttling across the room, seeking a neck scratch, comes Yorky, the Wonder Cat. Why is she scuttling? It’s not because she has worms, it’s because that’s how a two-legged cat gets around. November 19, 2017, is a birthday my brother Thom will never forget. It marked our emotional introduction to our wonder cat. Following cries we heard coming from under the porch, we peeked through the lattice to see a thin, scared, big-eyed cat laying there shivering. Mom was in the middle of a wild seven-year-old’s birthday party, so it was Dad to the rescue. After some effort on his part, there she was -- wet, cold, bloody and barely moving. It was a terrible sight; my heart broke as soon as I looked into her eyes. We knew we had to get her help. We all jumped in the car with Dad and headed to Florenceville Vet Clinic. Upon arrival, Dr. Shannon Monteith removed her from the kennel and began the checkup. Things didn’t look good. Yorky’s body temperature was so low the thermometer couldn’t read it, and something was terribly wrong with her legs. Another hour or so in the cold and rain, the vet explained, the kitten probably wouldn’t have made it. After her full assessment, it appeared an animal had attacked her, and her back legs were severely infected. They put her on IV with antibiotics and kept a close eye on her.

After a week, we got the news they were taking her in for surgery. They were going to have to remove one back leg for sure, and they would see at that point if they could save the other. They removed both hind legs – her left leg at the hip and the right just above the knee, leaving what looks like a chicken wing. After almost three months in the hospital, Yorky was ready to come home. We were wondering how this was all going to work? When we opened the kennel door, her eyes were like saucers. We knew she was scared. We gently picked her up and sat her on the couch between my brother and me. Yorky pulled herself onto my lap, and I began petting her neck and ears. She started to purr. It was the most rewarding purr I ever heard. In the coming weeks, she got stronger. Her fur grew back from where they had to shave her for surgery. Her eyes became less like saucers. Yorky knew she was home. She knew she was safe. So you are probably wondering how she gets around. Using her front legs, she positions them more under her rib cage; half bent at the elbow as to centre her gravity. Using her tail, braced against the floor behind her she lifts her hind end ever so slightly off the floor and scuttles. She makes quick, short steps, with her ‘chicken wing’ popping out every third step. She isn’t the most graceful of cats, but she gets where she needs to go. And where does she go? Everywhere! It took about two months before she started venturing out of our living room. In six months she was climbing up on the couch, then on the back of

the couch to look out the window. After seven months, up the stairs. By eight months she was on our beds, and now one year after coming home, she is underfoot just like every cat. What do the other cats think of her? Even though cats can be stubborn and territorial (but adorable) animals, ours seem to understand Yorky is different from them. We have a big “Garfield” cat that is always eating, except when Yorky comes to the bowl; he always steps aside and lets her in. There has never once been a hiss or altercation. They give her the space she needs. I wouldn’t call them friends per se, but they tolerate each other. If they get too close, Yorky will give them a little swat (never the other way around), but only when they come upon each other is a small space. The number one question we get as a family -- how does she use the litter box? She scuttles over and climbs in. Leaning against the side of the box, she will

dig her hole, position herself just right and do her business. Now, this is where it gets hard for her because she is a tidy gal, so she has to bury her ‘treasure.’ She balances on one leg, with her hind end propped on the side of the box; she takes care of covering up her deposit. Once finished, Yorky hoists herself up and over the side, sometimes leaving a trail of litter behind her. There is less mess as she continues to get stronger. Yorky is the sweetest of all our cats. When company comes over, she is always a topic of conversation, which leads to lots of neck and ear scratches (her favourite). At gatherings, you always know where she is – in the centre of the crowd. She is a lucky cat for sure, and a wonder to all that meet her. Olivia Foster loves animals and is a grade six student at Townsview School. Stephanie Foster is mother to Olivia and Thomas and wife to Darrin. She enjoys helping her kids achieve their dreams.

12

COMMUNITY CONNECTION Celebrating Inclusion and Diversity

A half-century of dedication MACC seeking volunteers John Wortman celebrates more than 50 years with McCain

I

n 1963, McCain Produce owned MacBan Holstein. That same year a local student, John Wortman, began working on the farm. After graduating in 1968, John became a fulltime employee at MacBan, joining his father, Kenneth. He enjoyed working on the dairy farm and loved travelling to Presque Isle, Maine to show cattle at the local fair. In 1974, when the MacBan Holstein was sold, John joined McCain Produce as a labourer and truck driver. In 1983, he was promoted to his current role as a Chemical Warehouse and Bag Shed Operator. John’s hard work, family values, and commitment to McCain are obvious and noticeable to those around him. “I have worked with John for 20 years,” said sale representative Steven Hunter. “He looks at the company as part of his

John Wortman’s graduation photo in 1968, the same year he started working full-time at McCain Foods. Right, accepting his 50 Year Service Award. (Photos submitted.)

family and is truly happy to see it succeed and grow.” Reflecting on the last 50 years, John emphasizes the incredible technological advancements he witnessed throughout his career. “When I started, you had a 75 horsepower tractor, compared to the 190 to 200 horsepower tractors or more we have today,” said John. “In the past, you would have a two-row harvester and two windrowers digging four rows at a time.

Now, we’re digging ten rows at a time.” Fifty years with McCain is an incredible testament to the knowledge, skills, and loyalty of the company’s employees which makes McCain such a success, locally and around the world. John has no immediate plans to retire, but continues to spend his free time doing what he loves outside of work – reading, fishing, and hunting. Submitted by McCain Foods

Need for people interested in different cultures & experiences

T

he Multicultural Association of Carleton County, or MACC, encourages individuals and families from across Carleton County to get involved. MACC has many ways someone can help build welcoming communities. You can choose to volunteer in MACC’s Friendship Program and be matched one-on-one with someone new to the area to provide guidance and friendship. Invite your new friend to come along and join the fun. Matches are made giving consideration to similarities and compatibility. Share recipes and teach each other how to prepare your favourite dish. Get to know one another while you go for a walk around town. By volunteering in MACC’s Friendship Program, you are helping newcomers to create

meaningful relationships and to become established in their new community. Volunteers can also help newcomers build English language skills through tutoring and conversation. Be matched with someone who would like one-on-one tutoring, or come to our English language activities such as MACC Café and Conversation Partners to be a part of the conversation. MACC hosts a variety

of activities and can always use the extra help. In addition, anyone with special skills or talents can share them in support of MACC. For example, some past volunteers have led knitting groups, taught cooking and preserve classes and yoga. To find out how you can be involved, contact the MACC by calling (506) 328-4690; emailing melissa@maccnb.ca or visiting 645 & 647 Main Street, Woodstock.

Volunteer Elizabeth Boudreau recently led a dill pickle, relish and blueberry jam workshop. (l to r) Rachel Cruz, Cristina Vadureanu, Elizabeth Boudreau, Tania Sepulveda, Liliana Vargas Varela and Lixia Fu. (Photo submitted.)

Choosing the right educational option for your children

HOMEWORK By Sandra Hanson

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ublic school, private school and homeschool – each have their positives and negatives. A child can flourish or flounder with any of these options. No matter what method they choose for their child’s education, a parent will second guess the decisions they’ve made more than once. We chose to homeschool our children. We had several reasons, which included concerns such as bullying and peer pressure, but our primary

reason related to our children’s special needs. We believed the school system would not meet their academic, developmental, or emotional needs. Our oldest has a sensory processing disorder, Tourette syndrome, and joint hypermobility syndrome. Each could impact his ability to function and learn at a public school setting. At the age of five, he wasn’t capable of using public washrooms because of the sound of the dryers. Rooms often had to be darkened because bright lights hurt his eyes. Getting a speck of glue, or sticky apple juice on his hands could leave him in tears. Loud noises, like sudden buzzers, bells or sirens, left him screaming, crying, and paralyzed in fear. He was excessively

loud, unable to modulate his volume. His vocal tics were frequent. He was in constant motion to the point of having little regard for safety. He fidgeted constantly. He was distracted by everything. We used weighted lap pads, blankets, and wiggle cushions to help him. Our home looked like a mini-gym with crash mats, an indoor trampoline, a chin-up bar, and a swing – all designed to help him regulate his dysfunctional sensory system. He still has poor hand strength and would struggle with pain and fatigue when it came to any amount of writing. He had difficulty using scissors, or simple tasks like opening a glue stick, water bottle, or a fruit snack. He couldn’t put on mittens and gloves or zip zippers. Forget about tying his

shoes. Overall, our son’s issues were mild compared to what many others were facing, but we also felt that was part of the problem. They were too mild to warrant the assistance of an aide but significant enough that without support, he would struggle. We took a leap of faith and decided to homeschool our son. Three years later, we made the same decision for our daughter which proved easier as we were starting to see the fruits of our efforts with our son. She had her own set of challenges. Our daughter had a diagnosis of autism and a bowel disorder. While autism was a key factor in homeschooling her, at age five she was also still in Pull Ups, required assistance in the bathroom, and in chronic pain. While

our daughter likely would have qualified for help, we knew having an aide wasn’t enough. An aide wouldn’t protect her from the teasing that an incontinent child could face. An aide wasn’t going to pick her up and carry her to the bathroom when the cramps were severe, and an aide may not be able to build her a tent in the middle of the living room floor and cuddle when she was overwhelmed. While this is how our homeschooling story began, every parent has their own reason for choosing how best to educate their child. Home-schooling isn’t possible for everyone, nor is it necessarily best for every child. At the heart of the decision, whatever it may be, is a parent’s desire to do all they can to

help their child succeed. That desire is the core of this column. Each month, I plan to touch on different educational topics such as understanding different learning styles, warning signs of learning challenges, how neurological disorders like ADHD and autism can affect your child’s learning, tips to help your child read, math, and much more. This column is not explicitly aimed at parents who homeschool, but will instead focus on topics of interest to all parents. Whether we educate our children at home or help them with homework after school, we all play a crucial role in their academic development. Sandra Hanson is a Centreville wife and mother who homeschools her two children.

RIVERVALLEYSUN.CA 13

SPORTS

Highlights and Features of Local Athletes and Teams

Hoop dreams to last a lifetime WHS Lady Thunder alumni share NBIAA memories By Jim Dumville

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eing part of New Brunswick hoop history will provide special memories for a half dozen young women who graduated from Woodstock High School in 2018. But beyond their roles in securing Woodstock Lady Thunder’s recordsetting fifth straight provincial title, it will be the special bonds, developed both on and off the court, which will last a lifetime. Six seniors – Sandy Saunders, Tori Ketch, Kaytlin Godin, Lauren Cook, Hannah Hawkes, and Madeline Orlando – were pivotal members of the Thunder’s uphill battle to secure the 2018 NBIAA banner. Saunders, Ketch, Hawkes, and Orlando are continuing their basketball careers at the university level, although Saunders and Ketch are on the sidelines recuperating from serious knee injuries. Saunders is a member of the University of Calgary Dinosaurs and

Ketch is playing for Crandall University in Moncton. Hawkes is playing for Mt. Allison University in Sackville, while Orlando is playing ball and studying at the University of New Brunswick. Godin is attending St. Thomas University, while Cook begins studying at Oulton College this month. As they take their next step in life at college and university, the young women reflect positively on their high-school experience and the everlasting ties they developed in pursuing shared goals. “My favourite memories would be how close we were and all the laughter we had,” said Ketch, who was a member of the 2017 and 2018 provincial champions. Saunders is sitting out the season as she recovers from ACL reconstruction on her knee and studies toward her kinesiology degree. Since making the Lady Thunder as a Grade 9 phenom, Saunders holds the distinction of bring-

ing home the senior provincial banner in all four years of her high school career. Saunders’ hoop brilliance earned national attention, which included catching the eye of scouts for the elite Dinos program. Unfortunately, the knee injury just before last year‘s regional tournament in St. Stephen cost her a chance to play in her final high-school championship game and her first university season in Calgary. “Recovering from ACL reconstruction surgery has been a long haul,” said Saunders, “I’m still not cleared for contact, but I am able to do most other things such as shooting and running.” Although relegated to cheering on her teammates from the sideline at last year’s championship tournament, Saunders said some of her fondest memories are those four weekends at Harbour Station. “Some of the best memories are winning the

Members of the 2018 WHS Lady Thunder Dream Team: Hannah Hawkes, Tori Ketch, Kaitlyn Godin, Lauren Cook, Sandy Saunders, and Madeline Orlando. (Photo submitted.)

championship game and then watching our boys play in the finals with a medal around my neck, getting dressed up to go to the banquet and going to eat at Pizza Hut with my team,” said Saunders. Ketch said deciding to remain on the medical red-shirt squad at Crandall was a tough decision, but it was needed to ensure her dislocated knee injury heals. “Crandall has helped me through my injury with all of their loving support and their physiotherapists,” she said. Godin, like most of her graduating teammates from the 2018 high school champions, is also at university, working toward her bachelor of education. “I do miss basketball, it has been a part of my life

since I was five,” Godin said. She did hit the court as a member of her residence’s intramural team. “It was so much fun. I got to make some new friends, and this reminded me of why I started playing basketball in the first place,” Godin said. Like Godin, Cook, who is heading to Oulton this month to begin studying to become a paramedic, is also getting used to life away from basketball. “I miss the closeness of the team, the intensity and the way that (coaches) Dana and Tara (Lawrence) pushed us to be even better than our best. I miss being in the locker room before our games and the emotions before stepping onto the Harbour Station floor,” Cook said.

All the girls praised Lady Thunder co-coaches, who led the team to the five straight provincial titles. “I think what makes Dana and Tara so successful is their passion for the game and their love for us,” said Godin. “They know how to prepare their teams mentally and physically for the whole season,” Ketch said. “Dana and Tara taught us things not many people learn at such a young age,” Cook said. “They teach you mental toughness, to care for your teammates and people around you, leadership, and respect for authority. If I were not a part of this basketball team, I wouldn’t be the same person I am today.”

Sparking joy in your home with local arts and crafts

ARTiculate By Victoria Hutt

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ike any mom worth her salt, I rang in the New Year binge watching Marie Kondo’s new Netflix series, “Tidying Up”, and daydreaming about ‘Konmarie-ing’ my husband’s t-shirt collection. Kondo is by no means the pioneer of curating your house to only contain items that spark joy. Textiles designer and social activist William Morris transformed my purchasing. He philosophized in the 1860s that we should “have nothing in our houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” A reaction to the industrial revolution and the poor lifestyles of urban factory workers, this ideology would become the Arts and Crafts

movement. This movement valued traditional craft techniques and believed people should be surrounded by and producers of beautiful, purposeful, well-made things. What sparks joy for me in my home, or gives me the happy Kondo ‘Ping!’ when I see it? When making coffee, I am greeted by beehive and salmon lino prints by Craig Smith Dow. A Colin Smith drawing of students clamouring over a museum dinosaur makes me laugh. And I can almost hear the ‘Ping!’ when my son pulls a found stick-turnedsword from the little leather frog on his belt which was custom made by Hammerthreads. A small metal artwork titled ‘Boulder’ by Joss Richer hanging in my entry gives me joy. It depicts a pregnant belly. It warms my heart that my daughter prefers to play with her beautiful handmade doll by Denise Violette Michaud (pictured right), and the most welldressed bunny hand knit by Stella Bella Critters. As a bonus, the makers of

these things, actual people in my community, did little happy dances when I made these purchases! The Shinto roots of Kondo’s methods are that every item and place has ‘kami’ - a spirit or essence. I get this, especially when using an object that has lasted over time and generations. While I am listening to my children practice their scales on our old piano, I often wonder how many other little ones have learned on the same instrument. Did they do so begrudgingly at their tired mother’s request, or enjoy making up their own songs? (My littlest boy does both of these!) I have a wing-back chair that was re-upholstered by my grandparents. I picture a younger version of them figuring this out in their pre-Google era! In a time where skills and knowledge were passed down verbally from someone in your own community, I wonder who they went to for advice. Walking into Upcycling Junkies in Jacksonville or The Gathered Cottage

on Main St. Woodstock, you feel the essence of vintage pieces that were built to last. Many have been lovingly restored and are ready to be ‘reloved’. There you’ll also find a neighbour who can show you how to take on similar projects. Sparking joy in your home is not just culling possessions, but carefully considering what you bring into your home in the first place. It’s an intentional curating of your surroundings. Buying handmade can also be an ethical decision - using our dollars as a way to vote for workers’ rights, supporting sound environmental practices and materials use, and a rejection of mass-consumption and our throwaway culture. The “Story of Stuff” (a 2007 short film) points out that somewhere along the manufacturing line, someone pays for that low price on the massproduced item. It might be a worker who pays with lacking rights, wages or benefits, or the envi-

ronment pays, through unsustainable but cheaper materials harvesting, or sometimes both. Many resist clutter, in their homes and environmentally, by spending money on experiences rather than things. This philosophy was part of the original Arts and Craft movement as well, that finding joy in labor is integral to a happy lifestyle. If you are looking for a craft that fuels you, check out the nearest gallery. Many offer fantastic workshops throughout the year. Local options include the River Art Centre and Second Wind Music Centre in Florenceville-Bristol, O’Toole Gallery in Grafton, and Creek Village Gallery & Cafe in Woodstock (which also fuels you literally, with delicious home-cooked food). Our local libraries also do a fantastic job of offering hands-on workshops. Hands-on growth and accomplishments are the cure for all that ails you - from building self-esteem to deflecting screen addiction and avoiding

loneliness and inactivity. As this goes to publication on Valentine’s Day, in heart month, I’ll raise my glass, er - hand thrown mug, to you discovering that which sparks your joy!

Victoria Hutt photo

Victoria Hutt is an artist and freelance graphic designer in FlorencevilleBristol, NB. Former gallery director and curator, Victoria is a NSCAD design graduate and sits on the ArtsNB Board of Directors

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Love conquers damaged bridge

By Doris Kennedy

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race woke early and made her way to the window. It was Tuesday, April 6, 1920, and it was still raining. It had been raining for the last 24 hours, but still, she smiled. It didn’t matter as she was getting married to her handsome beau in the most stunning church tomorrow. The congregation of her church had moved from hall to hall to hold their services over the years. They purchased land in 1917, and now had a beautiful church, Their Reverend, Nicolo Franchetti designed the Trinity Anglican Church. It had taken a year to build, and Jim and Grace

would be the first to be married in the beautiful Gothic-style religious structure. It stood with great prominence on the hill in the newly incorporated Town of Hartland. Rain would not ruin or dampen her spirits. In the meantime, Jim was preparing the farm for his future bride. Jim’s parents, Robert and Agnes Pratt arrived from England just before the war on April 11, 1913, and bought and settled on a farm in Rockland 10 days later. Agnes, a nurse, became very ill in England and was told by her doctor to move to a dryer climate to live. Jim joined the army in

1915 and began his training in November. In late September 1916, he got the call to serve overseas. He joined the 26th Battalion just before Vimy Ridge and landed there by Easter. After Vimy, Jim fought in several battles: Hill 70, Passchendaele, Amiens, Arras, and Cambria. He got extremely ill in Brussels and took a bullet during a battle. It would have killed him if not for the little New Testament Bible tucked in his pocket. When he returned home to Rockland Road, haying and farming became his medicine for recovery. Jim applied to the Soldier Settlement Board in 1919 to buy a farm, and by Thanksgiving was plowing his fields. That September Jim asked Grace Neales, a young woman from Somerville, to go to the Woodstock Exhibition on Island Park. After their first date, they saw each other often. One evening, after a party in Hartland, they rode home across the Hartland Bridge in his rig. Under a bright full moon, before the horse got to the top of the bridge hill, they were engaged. The Tuesday morning before the wedding, word quickly spread that the

ice was breaking up. The heavy rain was adding to an already high level of water in the river. By 9:30 a.m. large ice chunks, some 8-10 feet thick, started moving while the water was rising. High water levels during spring breakup happened many times over the years. Each spring, freshets made the locals hold their breath until the ice went out of the river. Every year their bridge remained, even though it had been close a few times. Just a short distance below the bridge the ice got jammed, and the backwater threatened destruction. The river rose six feet in less than 10 minutes. People hurried to rescue and secure their animals, such as horses, pigs, cows, and fowl. Basements full of stored goods were damaged or ruined. The jam broke, and the ice and the backwater rushed forward taking everything within its reach including two western spans of the bridge and one pier. Communication was impossible – no telephone, no markets, and no mail could get across the river. The bridge had only just recently reopened af-

The big move Story and photo by Ellen Culbert-Johnston

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s a little girl, I spent my summers visiting my grandparents, Alice and Leo Culbert, in Newburg. It gave me a first-hand look at country living. In addition to spending time with family and friends, I enjoyed picking strawberries, driving the tractor, and attending all the activities of Old Home Week. Harness racing was one of my favourite events. My husband Marty and I were childhood summertime sweethearts. As we grew up, our ambitions took us on different paths. Later in life we reconnected and married 18 years ago, spending most of these years travelling between Massachusetts and New Brunswick. Why did Marty and I live apart for so long? I plan to share that story in a future issue of agelessNB. After some serious soul searching, I decided to relocate to Newburg this past September. I resigned from my teaching position in Worcester and made the big move to little Newburg, located off Route 105 between

Woodstock and Hartland. The change was stark. I lived in the heart of Worcester, a big industrious city, surrounded by schools, colleges, hospitals, grocery stores, and shopping centres. People say change is good, so my situation should be great. There are so many changes I don’t know where to begin! Coming from city lights and the ability to see your neighbour’s house on the darkest of nights, my adjustment to country darkness proved a bit scary at first. Now, when I have to run out to the car for something, I question whether I can find my way back to the house! On the other hand, I can see the stars shining brightly in the night sky. Locating the Big Dipper and various constellations is easy. I find myself looking up at the beautiful night sky, instead of wondering what my neighbour is doing. While I experienced Newburg in the summer often, I’m now seeing it from a whole new seasonal perspective. The

Anna (left) and Elsa named for the movie Frozen, a result of the cold weather Ellen has endured since making the move.

arrival of fall kindled my desire to experience the country lifestyle by making apple jelly. I picked some nice little apples from an old apple tree on our property, and I went to work. The results were disgusting! The juice I drained from the apples was cream coloured and foul smelling. A call to my good friend saw her drop everything to take a run out to the Burg! (Run out to the Burg is new lingo for me, meaning, I will come to your house and help you!) My friend explained I used the wrong apples to make jelly, as well as the wrong type of cooking pot. Suffice to say I got crab apples and a new pot. The second time around, my pretty coloured crab-

apple jelly turned out delicious! I was so proud of my jelly-making skills I went on to pick wild cranberries and make tasty cranberry jelly. A not-so-pleasant change I’ve seen in Newburg was, of all things, traffic related. I was surprised to witness pulp trucks driving by our home, up to 15 times a day. Quiet walks along the gravel road with my older dog Callie, admiring the beautiful foliage, while listening to the birds chirping, were frequently interrupted by the sound of a big truck coming up behind me. I would rush to keep Callie safe, but couldn’t help but feel nervous anytime I walked the dog. It surprised me how much wood they truck from the

ter a year of renovations, and six horse teams and rigs were on the bridge at the time, but all escaped injury. The damaged bridge ruined Jim Pratt and Grace Neale’s planned wedding in the little Gothic Church. They were on one side of the river while Rev. Franchetti and their new church were on the other. It took a better part of a day to drive by horse and wagon for a return trip via Woodstock. The remedy was in Rev. Franchetti hands. Though it would take a day, he took the train from Hartland to Woodstock and hired a horse and buggy to complete his route via sleigh to Somerville. Though it was beyond the set time of their wedding, Grace Neales and James Pratt were married on April 7th in the home of Grace’s parents. The brother of the groom, Thomas, was the best

man, and Elizabeth, the sister of the bride, barred witness. The knot was tied, and they settled into their new home on the farm in Waterville. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on April 7, 1970, no doubt remembering the eventful day and their unexpected adventure in the spring of 1920.

Newburg area. The heavy wood harvest has left its mark on the Newburg landscape. I can’t help but wonder how the wildlife will survive the winter, with little food and shelter. I began to look into the woodharvesting process in the area and discovered, according to the Carleton County Wood Producers, the price of lumber has decreased. This makes me wonder if tree harvesting, to the point of clearcutting everything in sight, is profitable The constant traffic of large log and pulp trucks is also taking a toll on gravel roads in and around Newburg. As small potholes grow bigger, I surmise by spring the roads will be in terrible condition. Is watching your road being abused by large trucks daily, the norm for living in the country, I wonder? Change, I’m sure, happened in the city as well, but it didn’t bother me as much. Maybe I now have time to notice the change, plus I have a strong feeling to protect the place of my childhood memories. The season’s abrupt and quick change from fall to winter also took me by surprise and delivered a new series of challenges.

The first snow in Newburg was Oct. 23 – a week before Halloween. As the temperature plummeted, I learned to plug the car in at night. My latest winter lesson came just recently when I didn’t put the windshield wipers up to ensure they didn’t freeze in place. As a result, I ruined them. To keep me from getting bored while expanding my rural experience, my brother Johnny encouraged me to take care of two of his heifer calves. The daily chore of watering, graining, and feeding hay to Anna and Elsa has been a connection to country living that I thoroughly enjoy. Despite the challenges, rural life has proven interesting and fulfilling. This new chapter has been filled with new hobbies; baking, cooking, snowshoeing, looking for constellations, writing, volunteering and, through it all, enjoying the rural community of Newburg. I’m glad I made the big move!

(Photos submitted.)

Doris Kennedy is a retired nurse, writer, and historian. Married with four children and 11 grandchildren, she owns the Covered Bridge B & B in Somerville and is the author of five books.

Ellen Culbert-Johnston is inspired by people who overcome obstacles and succeed. She loves to read, teach, travel, and walk in the woods with her dogs.

RIVERVALLEYSUN.CA 15

Kitchen Talk

with Jim Lawrence

Kitchens: Resurface or Replace? Let’s face it, it’s time to resurface or replace your kitchen. It makes sense that refacing would cost less. One should give this decision careful thought. To make refacing work, it is important that the kitchen layout remains the same.

AFTER

Typically, refacing and adding new counters will be half of the cost of all new cabinets. The math is simple – if you relocate one appliance it adds approximately 25% to the cost. So you can see that in two moves you are at the cost of a whole new kitchen! If your kitchen cabinets are wood colour, it is much easier to stay on budget if you move to a painted finish. With painted cabinets, they simply remove the doors, fill the hinge holes and paint the rails, trim, and end panels with a high quality paint. Once new factory finished doors with hidden hinges are applied along with a new kitchen counter and updated handles, you have created a kitchen with a bright, open, airy feel.

Contact Avondale for Professional-at-your-home No-charge-kitchen design.

If it’s within your budget, there are many advantages to new cabinets. With new, we can offer a different layout, and on the hidden side, you get better drawers, adjustable shelves, and maintenance free interiors. On a really low budget, if you use some of your own sweat equity, in a week or a weekend, you and a friend (or you can hire a student to help) can pick up a couple of gallons of high quality paint and replacement handles and do it yourself. It doesn’t take long to transform your old kitchen. Making some basic cosmetic changes can really update your look. Of course, if you’re thinking of a major resurfacing job or renovation, it’s best to get a kitchen professional to review your project and give you firm quotes. Typically they can offer you a firm budget for both resurfacing and new cabinets. This allows you to make informed choices. Along with this service, many offer useful ideas that you may not have thought of to create the best kitchen for your needs.

- Jim Lawrence, Kitchen Designer

BEFORE To see the many beautiful Avondale Kitchen makeovers that make Avondale one of the the most sought after kitchen renovators in the province, visit their website, or the showroom in Jacksonville, N.B.

AVONDALE KITCHENS

1-800-561-4112 www.AVONDALEKitchens.com

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Getting away is

than you think

“Enjoy a perfect little slice of nature.” - TripAdvisor

#EXPLORENB Mount Carleton Provincial Park