Theatre festival set to highlight Leamington area next week
By Mark Ribble
It’s pretty hard not to notice the smile on Corey Robertson’s face around The Bank Theatre these days.
The long-time board member, actor, director and former president at the theatre is the Festival Chair for the upcoming Western Ontario Drama League (WODL) Festival.
WODL encompasses dozens of community theatres across Southwestern Ontario and The Bank Theatre will be at the forefront May 14 through 18.
“I am thrilled that The Bank Theatre is the host for the WODL Festival,” he said. “I’m equally thrilled that the town of Leamington gets to showcase itself to visitors from all over the province.”
Robertson says that volunteers at the theatre
have been busy in recent weeks getting prepared for the festival, which will open with a reception on Wednesday, May 14 at the Best Western Plus.
From set building and painting to ushers and other front-of-house volunteers, The Bank Theatre thrives on its crew of community-minded theatre-loving people.
“Without the volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to host this festival and have the confidence that we can present a top-notch festival,” added theatre manager Michelle Fortier.
“This is community theatre at its finest.”
The Bank Theatre had been chosen to host the festival in 2021, but the COVID pandemic interfered and this year’s festival will be the first in-person festival since then.
LEAMINGTON PORTUGUESE COMMUNITY
Tickets available at:
•St. Michael’s Parish
•Leamington Portuguese Club
•Legacy Auctions ROAST BEEF DINNER & SHOW SILENT AUCTION DOOR PRIZES
All proceeds to support local community members in need through K of C Council #4501.
Robertson says that the festival has been in the works for months with all eyes on Leamington as they prepare for the theatre community’s premier event.
The competitive portion of the festival consists of the top three plays in the region being presented to audiences, with scoring and judging on acting, lighting, set design and many other categories.
Each of the three theatre groups — Elmira, Woodstock and The Bank Theatre — will be allowed access to the stage on the morning of their performance. A crew must unload their truck with the entire set, props, set pieces, costumes and anything else they need and begin to build at 7 am. By 7 pm, the set, lighting, sound and actors must be ready to go as the curtain goes up at 8 pm.
Adjudicating — or judging — will be done on all three plays, including the work of the set crew and technical people for each performance and how efficiently they put everything together.
Some 23 plays across the WODL region asked to be adjudicated, with three requesting to be adjudicated in-festival and the rest out-of-festival.
Out-of-festival means that the plays would be eligible for out-of-festival awards, but not eligible to be included in or performed during the festival itself.
The three plays that have been adjudicated in-festival will be playing
at The Bank Theatre on May 15, 16 and 17. Forever Love written and directed by Michael Grant for Elmira Theatre Company will play Thursday, May 15. Doors open 7:30 pm, show 8 pm. Forever Love is the story of Kyle and Max’s relationship told in their own words. From their first high school dance in the ‘80s through to their relationship years later. Love between teenagers is much different than love between adults and some love is forever and some unfortunately does not stand the test of time. Produced by special arrangement with the Playwrights Guild of Canada.
My Old Lady by Israel Horovitz, directed by Sally Johnston will be presented by Theatre Woodstock on Friday, May 16. Doors open at 7:30 pm, show at 8 pm.
My Old Lady is set in early spring in Paris. The story unfolds over the course of one week. When a down-on-his-luck New Yorker inherits a Parisian apartment from his estranged father, he uses the last of his savings to fly to France so he can collect on his win-fall. Imagine his surprise when he meets the old lady and her daughter who have lived there for years and have no intention of moving. Produced by arrangement with Concord Theatricals.
Halfway There by Norm Foster, directed by Dean Valentino via The Bank Theatre, will play on Saturday, May 17. Doors open at 7:30 pm, show at
8 pm.
There’s no such thing as a secret in Stewiacke.
Vi, Rita, Mary Ellen and Janine are all as close as can be — they are comfortable and coasting. But when Sean, a heartbroken doctor, moves in to take a temporary job and decides to pursue Janine, he tips the Maritime town –that’s famous for being halfway between the North Pole and the equator – off its axis.
Halfway There was first produced by the Foster Festival in St. Catherines in August 2016 and is staged by arrangement with Pam Winter, GGA www.ggagency.ca.
The local theatre community has high hopes for Halfway There and is already thrilled that last fall’s Dracula has also garnered four nominations.
Halfway There, which played here in January, has been adjudicated in and out-of-festival, and so far has three nominations but is eligible for more during the festival and expected to do well in that regard. So far, it boasts nominations for Outstanding Cameo Performance — Brett Hallick (Junior), Outstanding Sound Design and Execution, Katherine Albuquerque, and Outstanding Production of a Canadian Play, Sun Parlour Players.
The festival also includes an opening ceremony, three theatre-related workshops and wraps up with an awards gala, which will be held at the Best Western Plus on Sunday, May 18.
The timeless tale of the world’s most famous vampire was adjudicated out-of-festival and is eligible for all out-of-festival awards.
Dracula nominations include Outstanding Lighting and Design — John Moran.
Outstanding Sound Design and Execution — Corey Robertson and Vee Papadimous.
Special Adjudicator’s Award for Best Prologue or Pre-set — cast and crew of Dracula.
Outstanding Visual Production – cast and crew of Dracula.
Tickets are available for all plays and the awards gala on banktheatre.com. Click on the drop-down menu, then on the WODL Festival and you can purchase tickets there. Or stop in at the box office Thursday through Saturday from 11 am to 1 pm.
While you can buy individual performances, Robertson encourages you to buy the full package to get the scope of the competition between the three plays.
“Local live theatre lovers will not want to miss any of these productions,” added Robertson. “It will be an event to be remembered.”
Corey Robertson and Michelle Fortier at The Bank Theatre. They and their crew of dozens of volunteers are ready to host the Western Ontario Drama League Festival May 14-18. SUN photo
Green thumbs gather at the Grovedale Arts & Culture Centre
By Paul Forman
The annual Kingsville Nature & Garden Show made its way to town on May 3 bringing a multitude of native plants, unique crafts and guest lecturers to those in attendance.
Themed “Every choice is a chance to help nature”, Communities in Bloom’s Carol Dunn shared that this year’s show had a real focus on how native plants act as both a valuable host plant and food
source for many of our vulnerable insects.
The Town of Kingsville and Kingsville’s Communities in Bloom Committee once again collaborated to present the show and were excited to bring in four guests to share their areas of expertise.
Lecturer Rick Gray took the stage first, discussing the importance of growing native plants. Next up was Donny Moore talking about photography that spans the entire year. The
third lecturer was Lesley Labbe of Our Farm Organics speaking about specific ways to enhance a vegetable garden, while Mary Jonsson ended the series with a talk about how to design with native plants.
The Art Society of Kingsville kept the younger patrons amused with a table set up for creating their own nature-themed craft, while Zio Dom’s Pizza was set up outside for those looking for a bite to eat.
Rick Gray is pictured upstairs at Kingsville’s Grovedale Arts & Culture Centre sharing his expertise about native plants and their importance. SUN photos by Paul Forman
Six-year-old Amelia Lariviere was hard at work at the Art Society of Kingsville’s crafts table. She produced a beautiful piece using local feathers and shells that will be proudly displayed in her home.
Sawdust for Sanity was one of the vendors at this year’s Kingsville Nature & Garden Show. Pictured with his handcrafted works of art is Dann Becker along with his wife Mary Lou Parent.
opinion ~ expression ~ and other musings
Wives’ tales, Moms’ tales
At a family Easter function, I was reminded of a saying my mom used to frequently use.
One of the kids came up with a dandelion and it reminded me that my mother always said if you held the dandelion up to your chin and it reflected yellow off your face, it meant that you liked butter.
Now first of all, who doesn’t like butter. Secondly, would the yellow flower not reflect the colour yellow on pretty much everyone?
It got me reminiscing about some of the wives’ tales — or moms’ tales in this case — and how they probably had an origin in fact or something that might resemble fact.
Whoever made up the “butter” thing could have probably picked any yellow food but they chose butter — something that most people like already.
I don’t remember hearing anything like that about lemons or margarine, but if you ask the generation slightly older than I am, they’ll tell you that mar-
garine came home as a big chunk of white with a yellow color packet that had to be kneaded throughout to make it resemble butter.
Another thing that my mom said was if your tea had bubbles floating on top, you were coming into money. I think pretty much every cup of tea has bubbles on top so I’m still waiting for my financial windfall because Deb and I drink a lot of tea — well, at least she does.
Another moms’ tale was when you see a robin in the spring you have to lick your thumb and grind it into the palm of your hand. I think that was for good luck. So that was probably more of a superstition than a wives’ tale.
If you knocked over the salt shaker, you had to throw it over your shoulder to avoid bad luck.
Funny, she never said anything about life being like a box of chocolates.
Some others were quite macabre.
If a bird flew into our window, it was a sign of
death, and it was also a sign of death if someone was sick and the cat left the room — I don’t know why.
Speaking of cats, that whole thing about cats sucking the breath out of a baby? Yeah, I heard that too.
When my oldest son Chris was born, my mom was worried that our cat would smother him in his sleep, so we had to keep an eye on that. Chris will be 40 in October.
How about, “No swimming until an hour after eating because you’ll get cramps and drown.”
In fact, for me being the baby of the family, my only trip to the beach by myself occurred in June of 1974, just before we moved from Point Pelee. My mom decided that because I was 13, I was old enough to go for a swim on my own without her hovering on the beach.
Among her instructions were “don’t go out past your waist”, “don’t step on any dead bodies” and “you have 15 minutes to get there, swim and be back in
How old cars make us feel young
I was born on Monday, May 4, 1942 and am now 83. In a frantic attempt to feel younger, I switched those numbers around to 38! And when I see that number, I think of the ’38 Ford convertible I saw on Ouellette Avenue in Windsor in 1958 when I was 16.
THE OLD CAR DETECTIVE
Bill Sherk
I was going one way and it the other way in heavy traffic. No room to turn around and chase after it. But it was the only ’38 Ford convertible I had ever seen.
Now fast forward to 2013 when we took our family car for servicing at the Chrysler dealer in Leamington and that’s where I met fellow car guy Bob Taylor. He grew up in Windsor and often went to the Hi-Ho Drive-In restaurant. On a wild hunch, I asked if he had ever seen a ’38 Ford convertible. Yes! His brother-in-law owned it and his wife found the photo you see here 55 years after I saw this car. I’m not any younger but I now feel younger!
Advertising guidelines
the yard.”
My mom had an unhealthy fear of dead bodies covering the bottom of Lake Erie for some reason. I guess she’d heard a lot of stories as a child and expected to step on some unfortunate soul every time she went in the lake.
There was a path almost directly across from our house that led through the bush and to the beach on the west side of Point Pelee. It was at least a five minute walk each way, so it only left me five minutes to actually swim.
I wasn’t a great swimmer, so I went reluctantly, wondering what would possess my mother to allow this.
“Wow maybe this means I’m a grown-up,” I said to myself.
As I tiptoed into the water, carefully feeling with my toes for dead bodies, I heard something behind me.
It was a low growl. I looked back toward the forest and the trail I arrived on. There was a shaking of the bushes, followed by another low growl.
I came out of the water looking a lot like Jim Thorpe clearing hurdles in the Olympics and hardly hit
the hot sand with my bare feet all the way home.
I was a slow runner by 13-year-old boy standards, but that day, I think I set a personal best as the strange unknown animal in the bushes sent me straight home before my shorts were even wet. Actually, they may have been wet, but not from the swimming.
Mark Ribble
As I stood shivering at the front door telling mom what happened and how some mysterious beast was lurking in the bushes at the beach, she started to laugh and pointed to the trail.
There was my dad exiting the trail with the biggest grin on his face that I’d ever seen up until that point in my life. There was that Ribble prank gene shining through. And mom had a bit of that on her side as well.
They were wonderful parents, and I think my siblings would all agree.
My mom doted on everyone and left us with loads of memories when she died in September of 2001.
As Mother’s Day approaches, all of these memories come sailing back and I can’t help but think about
how much I miss her ways. She had that Sovie mischievous sense of humour that resonated with everyone she knew.
And I can’t help but think that she put my dad up to that prank at the beach that day 51 years ago, although it was never spoken of again. That would have been her way of saying “no little boy, you’re not swimming on your own just yet. Mama has control.”
Next month — June 11th to be exact — she would have turned 100 years old. She died at 76, but if she had lived to become 100, she’d have been a chain smoking, feisty, swearing, coffee drinking — but absolute loving — centenarian who would have adored all of her great-grandchildren – the ones she already knew and the ones that came along after the fact. We all miss you, Betty Jean. Happy Mother’s Day to all moms out there. If you still have yours, cherish that. As I’ve said many times before, you only get one.
Helen was Reddy for the big time FLASHBACK RADIO with
Essentially, growing up in the 1960s and ’70s, at times I later thought we had an advantage over those listeners who followed us in the 1980s and ’90s. But really, looking back now, whichever era you grew up in, there are many great acts in each of those time slots. Everyone has had a great list of stars and groups to choose from.
My first favourite acts were Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers and Neil Sedaka in the late 1950s and early ’60s. That was followed by the Beatles in 1964, along with many other acts like the Four Seasons and the Four Tops in the same era. But really, when you think about it, the list is unlimited as there are many more new acts coming out in recent years, too.
Stepping back into 1971, there was a talented female singer by the name of Helen Reddy who hit the air waves with a song called “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” from the Rock Opera Jesus Christ Superstar. It reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the spring of 1971. However, Helen’s next two songs, “Crazy Love” and “No Sad Song”, released in 1971, failed to reach the top 50.
Helen Reddy was born on October 25, 1941, in Melbourne, Australia. Her family was in show business and Helen made her stage debut at the age of four and had her own TV series in
the early 1960s. The family migrated to the U.S. in 1966, and her big success finally arrived in 1972 with her release of “I Am Woman” on June 24.
The song was co-written by Helen Reddy and Ray Burton. But hitting #1 in America took quite a while as it fell off the charts three weeks after its debut and didn’t return until September 16. Apparently, females outnumbered the male’s reaction and the song made its way up the charts, not reaching that spot until December 9. And what a hit it was, winning a Grammy award in February of 1973 for top Pop, Rock and Female Vocal Performance.
However, in her thank you speech, Helen mentioned her record company Capital Records, her husband and manager Jeff Wald “because he makes my success possible, and God because She makes everything possible.” That, of course, shook up the audience and received the approval of the feminists and shock from religious fundamentalists who wrote letters to her expressing their disapproval.
Helen’s success continued with many more hits. “Delta Dawn” reached #1 in September 1973, while “Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)” hit #3 in early 1974. “You And Me Against the World”, which featured a short-spoken dialogue from her young daughter,
Chuck Reynolds
Tracy, also made the top 10. Her next release, “Angie Baby”, also reached #1 in the last week of December 1974.
After that, Helen only had two more single hits, “Ain’t No Way to Treat a Lady”, which reached #8 on Billboard’s Hot 100, while her next single, “Somewhere in the Night”, was the last one reaching the top 40 at #19. It was a great career for Helen Reddy, who retired for a decade before returning in 2012. She explained that she had retired and stopped singing when she was shown a modern American history high school textbook. It had a whole chapter on feminism, which showed Helen’s name and her lyrics in the book. Sadly, in a statement released on the afternoon of September 29, 2020, Helen’s daughter and son, Traci and Jordan, said: “It is with deep sadness that we announce our beloved mother, Helen Reddy, passed away on the afternoon of September 29, 2020, in Los Angeles. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother and a truly formidable woman. Our hearts are broken. But we take comfort in the knowledge that her voice will live on forever.”
1938 Ford convertible seen in 1958.
PUBLIC SAFETY EVENT IN WHEATLEY
Chatham-Kent Fire and Rescue, along with the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, teamed up with the Village Resource Centre in Wheatley on Saturday, May 3 to present a Public Safety Event. Community members were invited to enjoy a BBQ and meet members of Chatham-Kent’s first responders and emergency crews. A fire truck and ambulance were on display outside while informative booths were set up inside the Resource Centre. In the photo on the left, Emergency Management Coordinator for Chatham-Kent, Allison Phillips, was kept busy having conversations with residents about various emergency-related topics. In the photo on the right, young Declan Robinson of Wheatley got to experience the inside of an ambulance, as C-K EMS paramedic Dylan Wheeler helps him out.
SUN photos by Mark Ribble
Naming of trail in Wheatley May 24
The Wheatley Horticultural Society — in partnership with the Municipality of Chatham-Kent — is hosting an event on Saturday, May 24 to officially name the trail along the Wheatley Arboretum and Learning Trail.
The celebration will take place from 10 am to 1 pm and will include a native plant and tree giveaway, mini golf, carnival games, a Zoo-2-You animal meetand-greet and more.
Soli Deo Gloria Singers welcome new director
After taking a season off, the Soli Deo Gloria Singers have announced they have a new director.
Anna Zaidman, of Windsor, is a composer, choir conductor and pianist with nearly two
decades of experience in choral leadership. Holding a dual degree in piano performance and music education from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, she has performed internationally and collaborated with world-renowned musicians.
Originally from Ukraine, Anna began her
musical journey at the age of three and has become a dynamic leader in the Windsor music community, serving as a collaborative pianist at the University of Windsor and as Choir Conductor and Director at Roseland-Trinity United Church. She also runs a successful piano studio and shares her original compositions
with a global audience.
With a deep passion for music and choral excellence, Anna now brings her extensive expertise to her new venture with Soli Deo Gloria Singers, inspiring and uniting voices to create transformative musical experiences.
The Soli Deo Singers under the direction of Anna Zaidman will begin
rehearsals on Monday, September 8 at Leamington United Mennonite Church, 78 Oak Street East at 7 p.m. They invite anyone interested in singing to contact either Sue Andrew or Helen Brown. Their fall concert will be held at Leamington United Mennonite Church on November 23 at 3 p.m.
v Meet with Us
ANNA ZAIDMAN
Annual Run and Roll attracts 700 participants
By Deanna Bertrand
Despite the rain, more than 700 registered participants filled the Leamington Medical Village parking lot Sunday, May 4 for the annual Erie Shores Health Foundation Run And Roll 2025.
A total of 42 teams raised funds to support the Hospice Erie Shores, and Erie Shores Health Foundation.
Many participants wore shirts and hats in memory of loved ones gone too soon, including 63 who were pictured on the Honouree Wall.
The Cinco de Mayo themed event got underway with the recreational 25 km
bike ride at 8:45 a.m., followed by the timed 5 km race at 9 a.m. The 5 km run and roll and a 400 m kids dash completed the day’s events.
Crossing the finish line first in the 5 km timed event for the men was Dylan Morrison of Chatham. Leamington’s Cassandra Sieler Van Every had the fastest time for the female competitors.
Last year’s event raised over $140,000 through the many generous sponsorships and donations.
Organizers are expected make an announcement on this year’s fundraising totals in the coming days.
May
May
May
May 17 - Halfway There (by The
May 18 - Awards Gala Brunch - Best Western Leamington FULL INFO ON WEBSITE
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - perks include AGM vote, enjoying the performing arts and making new friends. $5 membership! EMAIL manager@banktheatre.com
The Kamala’s Krew team included Nathan and Lynne Johns, along with five-year-old Reese and Rylee Johns, there to honour the memory of Richard “Kamala” Youssef. SUN photos by Deanna Bertrand
Cyclists leave the start line for the 25 km recreational bike ride.
Ruby Maillet-Watson stops at the Kids Zone, along with her dad Corey.
Two of the many volunteers handing out goodie bags at the finish line.
519-819-5740
SALVATION ARMY HOLDS VOLUNTEER LUNCH
Salvation Army Leamington gathered all of their volunteers on Tuesday, April 29 for an appreciation luncheon. Volunteer coordinator Veronica Costa hosted the event alongside Majors Judi and Ron Wickens, to thank their volunteers for all of their hard work helping at the church, the food bank and with the Christmas Kettle Campaign. A Colasanti’s Broasted Chicken lunch was enjoyed, followed by some door prize draws and a rousing game of bingo. In the top, Majors Ron and Judi Wickens stand with much of their team as they play bingo. The Wickens are retiring at the end of this month and will miss their Leamington
nections. In the bottom photo, volunteer
Barbershoppers win in Michigan
Essex Vocal Express has once again captured the Plateau II Chorus Championship at the Pioneer District Spring Convention, held the weekend of April 25-27 in Lansing, Michigan, marking back-to-back wins for the chorus in the prestigious competition.
Under the skilled direction of Steve Pauling, Essex Vocal Express delivered a moving performance centered on a message of unity, combining musical excellence with a heartfelt reminder of the power of community.
During the performance, chorus member Corey Robertson, who sings lead, addressed the audience with an inspiring introduction, highlighting how music brings us together.
“At a time when the world can feel divided, music reminds us that what we have in common is greater than what separates us,” said Robertson.
Essex Vocal Express has long been a trailblazer in the barbershop community. As the first Canadian chapter of the Barbershop
Harmony Society, Essex Vocal Express played a key role in making the Society an international organization. Today, the chorus continues to lead the way — proudly opening its doors to singers of all backgrounds and genders.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the amazing group of singers I stand beside each week,” says Robertson. “Winning is wonderful, but the real prize is
being part of such a passionate, supportive, and talented family.”
Essex Vocal Express will be hosting a special Open House and Celebration on Monday, May 26 at 7:30 at the Essex Christian Reformed Church in Essex. Everyone is welcome to come out, meet the chorus, experience the joy of four-part harmony firsthand, and celebrate their exciting backto-back win.
Corey Robertson with the Essex Vocal Express’s championship plaque Photo submitted
con-
Loren Girardin was the first lucky bingo winner. SUN photos by Mark Ribble
A delightful photograph of an unknown (local) mother and child, taken in June of 1899.
kingsvillearchives@gmail.com
May 1, 1983 - Leamington’s new transit bus takes to the streets of Leamington traveling a circular route from the Bailey Bus Company offices on Seacliff Drive East to Robson Road, then north to the centre of town, then swinging west to the Leamington hospital and back south again, making numerous stops along its route. The route has changed several times and today it runs with two modern buses and routes that cater to each individual’s needs.
May 1985 - One of the most interesting activities of Education Week at East Mersea Public School each year is the annual science fair and this year is no exception. The science fair this year drew a near record number of entries and, according to the judges, some of the best prepared exhibits. Shown above with some winning displays and their championship trophies are this year’s winners. They are, from left to right, Jeff Warkentin, Paul Dama and Brian Cornies. Mr. Dave Robertson is seen with the winners.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
WORD SCRAMBLE
Rearrange the letters to spell something pertaining to building safety.
ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20
Aries, this week you may feel a desire to take charge of your professional life. Trust your instincts, but remember that you may have to go out of your comfort zone at some point.
TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21
Taurus, expect a week of self-reflection. Old emotions might resurface and offer you a chance to grow and heal. If you’re feeling out of sorts, make a plan to hang out with close friends.
GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21
Make sure you are not spreading yourself too thin this week, Gemini. Even though you are eager to connect and socialize, you might want to limit the number of events you attend.
CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22
Home and family matters may occupy most of your time this week, Cancer. It’s good to reconnect with loved ones and spend time with your immediate family.
LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23
Leo, now could be an excellent opportunity to express your ideas and opinions to some of the higher-ups at your place of employment.
VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22
Exercise caution with your spending and investments right now, Virgo. Although you have some financial opportunities on the horizon, it’s best to be careful going forward.
LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23
A fresh burst of energy could be coming your way, Libra. This may provide the boost you need for self-improvement. You may be inspired to make many changes in your life right now.
SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22
Scorpio, you may find yourself reflecting on your mental and emotional well-being this week. Some introspection could lead to a breakthrough that helps you understand the past.
SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21
Expect your social life to pick up speed this week, Sagittarius. Invitations and opportunities to connect abound. Pay attention to your network as it may lead to connections.
CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20
Your hard work is paying off, Capricorn, but you also need to tend to your personal needs right now. This is the week to find better balance and take care of your health.
AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18
Aquarius, you may be feeling more curious about the world around you and could find this is the week for some unexpected travel. It’s a great time to embrace new ideas..
PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20
Your intuition will guide you this week, especially when it comes to romance and other matters of the heart, Pisces. Expect relationships to grow for the better.
FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS
MAY 4 - Will Arnett, Actor (55)
MAY 5 - Henry Cavill, Actor (42)
MAY 6 - Angel Reese, Athlete (23)
MAY 7 Jake Bongiovi, Instagram star (23)
MAY 8 - Enrique Iglesias, Singer (50)
MAY 9 - Mary Mouser, Actress (29)
MAY 10 - Bono, Singer (65)
Clippings from the Wheatley Journal, May 1989
A Look at Leamington’s Past courtesy of C. Scott Holland
The boats could be taken through the placid canal or out into the rougher waters of Lake Erie. This photograph of an unidentified family, standing outside the Cedar Beach Drug Store, was taken in the late 1940s or early 1950s.
Clippings from the Wheatley Journal
Photo courtesy of the Kingsville Archives
Leamington’s Past courtesy of the C. Scott Holland Collection
Danine
Claire
Elfie
Barb
Sue
Reid Funeral Home
By Mark Ribble
It was 1975 when Marianne Neufeld and Barb Hoflick approached the HJ Heinz Company about starting up a ladies golf league.
“We were told that we had a limit of 20 ladies and we had to follow the men’s league,” says Barb Hoflick. “They also expected us to take golf lessons.”
They had to apply for a sanction to allow a ladies league under the Heinz name, but once the five-week golf lessons were complete, they were hitting the links on a weekly basis.
After three years of following the men’s league around the course at Erie Shores Golf and Country Club, they expanded to 25 players and eventually to about 60 players. This year’s roster totals 37 golfers.
The Heinz Ladies League flourished over the years
— and still flourishes, except it now has a different name.
When Heinz closed its doors in Leamington, the ladies were without a sponsor but not for long. Reid Funeral Home — another long-standing Leamington business — stepped up to the tee and took over the sponsorship.
The Reid Funeral Home Ladies League golfs every Monday from May to September at Erie Shores and the golfers all met for the season kick off and registration on Tuesday, April 29 at the Roma Club. They also raised $180 that day, with proceeds going to local food banks.
Barb Hoflick is still golfing in the league and is the only charter member to still be hitting the links with the league regularly. Several others joined in the late
The Reid Funeral Home ladies golf league is celebrating 50 years in 2025. Here are the members who attended the league kick-off at the Roma Club last week. In front, left to right: Carol Bell, Chair of the Prize Committee; Debbie Clinton, Secretary; Marianne Wisternoff, President; Mary Ann Sherman, Treasurer; Marianne McQueen, Special Events Coordinator; Emily Oldenburg, Statistician; Liz Hotz, Past President. Standing from, left to right are Carol Russelo, Mary Hrabets, Paula Ouellette, Anna Lindsay, Mary Hrynewich, Birgit Dressler, Linda Hurst, Rosemary Heisler, Debbie Scratch, Marilyn Ribble, Bev Johnston, Dolores Near, Jo-Anne Smith, Bev Brown, Maryanne Sibbick, Cheryl Rutgers, Barb Hoflick (league founder),
Miehl, Muriel Davey, Hedy Henke, Marlene Alderson, Michele Koop, Kathy Henke, Carolyn Reid, Sharon Robinson. Absent for the photo were
Auffret,
Denomme,
Manery,
McCallum and Shelley Persichilli.
SUN photo by Mark Ribble
U15 Whitecaps drop two games to start 2025 season
The Leamington U15 Whitecaps dropped two games in their opening weekend.
On Friday night, May 2, they hosted the Windsor Expos. Leamington led the game early after Lizzeth Herrera singled, scoring a run. Lexi Augustine, Serena Moracci and Olivia Edwards had hits as well. Whitecaps’ catcher Elise Wilkinson tossed out Expos trying to steal second. Unfortunately, the bats went cold as the Expos surged later
in the game as the final score ended 9-4.
On Sunday, the Whitecaps battled back and forth with Wyoming under miserable weather conditions which caused the game to be called early. Final score was 15-11.
Whitecaps’ offence was driven by smart base running and hustle shown by Hailey Klassen, and good at-bats by Olivia Jones and Liv Edwards. Vanessa Fragoso held her own while pitching in terrible conditions.
Golden Years mini golf report
There were 68 golfers who played 36 holes of mini golf at Colasanti’s Tropical Gardens on Thursday, May 1. They recorded an outstanding 110 holes in one.
Yo, humanoid, Bootsy here. Come closer, I feel the need of some serious belly-rubs. And headbutts, can’t forget those! There’s nothing I love more than a soft comfy place for me to squish my big ole self into...except for belly rubs and head butts of course. Yes, I am just a great big bundle of lounge love. And for some reason they told me to stress the “big” on the bundle...I prefer to think there’s just a lot of me to love! I haven’t yet met a person, big or small, that I don’t like. Having said that, I didn’t
BOOTSY
have a very good experience with the rambunctious toddler in my last home so would prefer a home with older respectful little humans. Speaking of good experiences, apparently I wasn’t a good experience for the resident 4-leggers in my last home. What can I say...they expected me to share the space and the attention and I just wasn’t having it. I have TONS of love to share with my peeps (as long as they only have 2 legs) so will do best as your one-and-only. Because I am considered an ‘underdog’ you can choose your own fee to take me home!
Leading the way with seven aces was Andy Orsini, followed by Walter Balsam with 5 aces; Carolyn Dufour, Bob Tanner, Betty McMann, Debbie Clinton, Bob Springthorpe and Keith Hopper with 4 aces; Moe Sweet, Barb Fick, Theresa Decaluwe, Colleen Pearse, Raymond Foster, Ron Fick, Rosemary Heisler and Denise Munson with 3 aces; Penny McMurphy, Steve Acott, Monique Benfield, Dolores Near, Nancy Springthorpe, Bryon Walker, Jack Bostin, Linda Lavender, Shran Collins, Greg Broome, Grant Raymond, Lloyd Symons, Joanne Law, Bill Ward, Julia Kos, Armand Decaluwe and Barb Haas with 2 aces; and Jane Vandentop, Earle Nash, Anne Bonyai, Kaz Wszol, Laurie Hylton, Bill Gough, Nick Penzari, Bill Taylor, Arlene Fillmore, Lois Hudvagner, Donna Bileti, MaryAnn Sherman, Kathy Bechard, Tom Hyatt, Bill Edwards and David Tonks with 1 ace.
Top score over 18 holes was Bill Ward with 35,
followed by Andy Orsini with 36; Andy Orsini, Tom Hyatt and Bill Edwards 37; Walter Balsam, Bob Tanner, Debbie Clinton, Tony Hudvagner, MaryAnn Sherman, Tom Hyatt, Bill Mayville, and Keith Hopper (2) 38; and Walter Balsam, Bob Tanner, Betty McMann, Nancy Springthorpe, Raymond Foster, Bob Springthorpe, Julia Kos and Nick Penzari, Grant Raymond and Lloyd Symons (2) 39.
Leading the way over 36 holes with 73 was Andy Orsini; Bill Ward and Tom Hyatt 75; Keith Hopper 76; Walter Balsam, Bob Tanner and Bill Edwards 77; Nick Penzari, Grant Raymond and Lloyd Symons 78; Bob Springthorpe, MaryAnn Sherman and Bill Mayville 79.
First place went to Team 12 (Andy Orsini, Ron Fick, Grant Raymond, Lloyd Symons) with 311. In second place was Team 15 (Bill Ward, Julia Kos, Tom Hyatt, Allan Munson) with 319. In third place was Team 17 (Barb Haas, David Tonks, Bill Mayville, Zena Raymond) with 330.
Fun, laughs and also golf will continue on Thursday, May 8 at 10:30 a.m.
The Wheatley Swans recently made a donation to the popular Junior Golf Program at Talbot Trail Golf Club. Accepting the donation is Talbot Trail Golf Club manager Mackenna Simpson (front, left) from Swan Judy Malott. In back, left to right, are Swans Pauline Sample, Geri Vary, Lorna Bell, Katie Richmond, Dale Dierckens, Daria Matheson. The donation was made possible by the Swans working bingos at Chances Gaming Lounge in Leamington.
