STUDENTS RECEIVE ROTARY MEDALS
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4-H COMMUNITY CLUB ‘DREAM TEAM’
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Serving Tavistock and area since 1895 VOLUME 117 • NUMBER 37
TAVISTOCK, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013
1.19¢+.06 HST = $1.25
MainStreet A QUICK LOOK AT OUR TOWN!
THIS ‘N’ THAT
It was beautiful weather this past Saturday for a June wedding - Father’s Day started out with rain but turned out to be a great day by afternoon . . . the Annual Seniors’ Picnic is today, Wednesday, June 19th . . . the official Open House for Tavistock’s Royal Reno is this coming Saturday, June 22nd with lots of activities planned throughout the day - see ad page 3 . . . just one more week left until the end of the school year . . . the Southwestern Ontario Fiddle and Stepdance Competition coming to Tavistock June 28th and 29th . . . don’t forget the Optimist Steak Stag this Thursday, June 20th . . . have you noticed the new signage at the Tavistock Public Library looks great . . . just two more editions before our summer holidays - the Gazette will be closed from July 5th to 21st inclusive - please plan your advertising and printing needs accordingly. No paper July 10th & 17th.
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES
Eliot Dart is 3 years old today June 19th; Brooklynn Lange is 9; anniversaries for Jeff and Jenna MacLeod, 3rd; Bryan and Chantelle McNeish, 3rd; Brett and Lindsay Zehr, 9th . . . on June 20th Henry and Elsie Fullick will be married 71 years; other anniversaries that day for William and Katherine Gunn, 4th; Steve and Laurie Lindner, 4th; Barry and Sharon Zehr, 21st; Jeremi and Supriya Paradis, 15th . . . on June 21st Carling Schlosser is 8; Rebecca Musselman, 15th; Amber Dunn, 20th; a 10th anniversary for Mike and Darolyn Gilmore . . . Alex Baechler is 3 years old June 22nd; Dakota Pletsch, 17 . . . on June 23rd Carter Faulhafer is 5; Jay Churchward, 16; Michael Marshall, 18; a first wedding anniversary for Jacob and Jessica Byers . . . Lucas Hartmann is 8 June 24th . . . on June 25th Taylor Wagler is 17; Shae-Lynn Arbuckle, 16; Quinton Kropf, 20; Jarrett Zehr, 20; and an 8th wedding anniversary for Jamie and Jessica Hergott. Congratulations to all!
J.H. Francis: The man behind the smile. (1912-2013) (see story page 3)
Crossing guard ensuring safety at a complicated corner BILL GLADDING / TAVISTOCK GAZETTE
Lori Snider watches for school children as a crossing guard at the five-corner intersection in Tavistock.
Pedestrian patrol
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or nearly a dozen years, Lori Snider has been helping elementary school children get across the five-corner intersection safely. And since the one-button-stops-all-traffic, affectionately called “the barn dance” crosswalk has been implemented, she says, her job is much easier. “It’s a lot safer for us as pedestrians,” she explained. Even though many drivers still don’t always understand the signals or always pay attention to the no-right-turn-on-red rule, there have been many less incidents. With all traffic coming to a stop, the children can cross in a much safer manner. However, the new angle parking on Maria Street is another matter, she said. “There’s been a few close calls,” she added. Any of her complaints or issues are passed on to the OPP Community Policing Constable Mike Hanna for consideration for improvements to the corners.
“But I wouldn’t put in a roundabout,” she quickly adds. Lori is well-known to the children after all these years having taken over the job from Val MacQueen. Lori is stationed at the Hope Street East, Woodstock and Maria Street corners while Sharon Pye regulates pedestrian traffic at the island on Hope Street West and Woodstock Street South across from the Post Office. Alternate Mary Kropf steps in when needed at the main corner and Bob Brodrecht continues to regulate crossing at the corner of Maria and Adam Streets. Austin Herman is another former longtime crossing guard. Lori knows the corner all too well. As both a driver and a pedestrian, she has lived in Tavistock her entire life. The daughter of Don Wagner of
Stratford, she grew up at 27 Jacob Street in Tavistock with her mother, Muriel, and grandmother Florence Knights. She is the youngest of four children with three older brothers, Jeff and
“I’ve always lived here. This is home.” - Lori Snider, crossing guard wife, Susan, of Tavistock; Randy of Stratford; and Kevin and his wife, Cindy, of Ayr. She attended Tavistock Public School and walked through the intersection every day. She went on to riding the bus to WaterlooOxford District Secondary School in Baden. As a teenager, her first job was babysitting full-time in Tavistock. She then took a part-time job at Quehl’s Restaurant working along with fellow cook Rose Berg in the
kitchen under the management of Steve and Ruth Cahill. She worked there for four years and during that time married Gary Snider, originally from Petersburg. They were married at Grace United Church on July 28, 1990 and took up residence in town. “I’ve always lived here,” she said. “This is home.” Lori has three daughters, Alicia, who works at a cleaning business in Aylmer; Ashley, an aide worker at peopleCare and a personal care worker and medical office assistant in Stratford; Jennifer, at home; and son, Greg, who works at Amkad. She also has three grandchildren, Austin, 11; Leighanna, 10; and Hailey, 3. From 1992 to 1996, Lori worked at Kentucky Fried Chicken in Stratford. In 1999, she started at Subway in Tavistock under the management of Carol Baer where she worked another four years. In 2003, Lori worked as a clerk at Knechtel’s Foodland for Rob Taylor until it closed in June of 2006. She returned to the store under the management of Mike Staffen when it reopened in November of that year as Valumart. She retired from the grocery store on December 31, 2012 to take on babysitting again full time. “It was time for a career change,” she said. “And this way I get to spend more time with my granddaughter.” It was about the same time she took on the crossing guard job with the Township of East Zorra-Tavistock, that Lori was approached by “Tooke” Zehr to join the executive of the Royals Senior A hockey club. Lori had been attending Braves games as a teenager and then started watching Royals’ games. She first volunteered to sell tickets upstairs in the blueline club. After three years, she joined the executive and served as secretary for several years. She now works at the gate during every Royals home game along with Harry Lawry, Byron Kropf and Mike Sullivan. She also volunteered for the first time this year tabulating score cards at the World Crokinole Championship in Tavistock held on the first Saturday in June. Many residents are used to seeing Lori at the corner in the morning and at 3:30 p.m. She is constantly waving to friends and strangers alike, giving directions and keeping the pedestrians and drivers on their toes. Like babysitting, being a crossing guard is a job Lori loves. “I like the kids,” she said. “I have to remind some of them to get off their bikes while crossing.” During her years as a crossing guard, she had stopped for a 3-month period. “I had to go back,” she admitted. Parents and students alike can rest assured that when Lori’s on the job, their safety is her first priority.