CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS AT A DISTANCE
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FARM FACES BEHIND FOOD
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Serving Tavistock and area since 1895 VOLUME 124 • NUMBER 30
TAVISTOCK, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2020
ONLINE EDITION
CO VID
-19 WEEK 7
MAIN STREET
A Quick Look at Our Town THIS ‘N’ THAT
The warmer temperatures are making the trees bud, the grass turn green and the flowers begin to bloom - there have been some beautiful sunrises and sunsets … plenty of garbage has blown around from the winter months - why not do your part and help clean up in front of your business or residence … Canada’s Covid-19 numbers are at 49,025 with Ontario’s number 15,381 - health officials say that “we are flattening the curve,” but we must keep up with Physical Distancing in our fight against the spread of Covid-19 - please remember to wash your hands often, and to wear a face mask when distancing makes it difficult … thank you is extended to all our local businesses who are working hard to keep our community going with the essentials thank you also to the frontline healthcare workers who are fighting against this virus - all are truly appreciated!
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
Nash Hamilton is 4 years old April 29th; Brady Roth celebrates his 18th birthday … on April 30th Evan Nahrgang is 10; Makenna Bartlett, 16; birthdays also for Connor Shantz; Benjamin Albrecht; and Michael Johnson … Ty Brown is 3 years old May 1st; Chloe Hulcoop, 3; Natalie Flach, 16; and an anniversary for Dave and Susan Wiffen … on May 2nd Simon Cressman is 6; Jorja Hergott, 9; Jaxon Hergott; 12 … Nixon Stahlke is one year old on May 3rd; Alex Murray is 18; a birthday for Lynda Mark … on May 4th Drew Roth is 11; Nicole Wilhelm, 17; Bella Gingerich, 18; Abigail Hallman, 19; Jay Schurink, 19; and a birthday also for Alyssa Habel … Alex Zehr is 4 years old May 5th; Tyler Bond, 10 … Congratulations to all. This year’s celebrations will be for the history books!
CLANG YOUR POTS! in support of our frontline workers Every night at 7:30 p.m.
JOURNEY TO SERVE
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People are looking for some hope right now! - Rev. Leanne Darlington
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n February 16th, 2020, Leanne (Weitzel) Darlington was installed as the new pastor at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Philipsburg. Less than a month later services were suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic, so Pastor Leanne, like so many other pastors worldwide, began to search for better ways to reach their members online. “It’s really hard not to worship together,” she said, “but we are trying the best we can, and there is good news; since offering online services, we have been able to reach a larger audience beyond the walls of the traditional church building.” Zion, Philipsburg is a rural congregation of about 120 members who celebrated their 175th anniversary in 2018. Leanne knew the congregation at Philipsburg having served as a placement student in 2016/17. A lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran in Sebastopol-Tavistock, Leanne grew up in Tavistock attending Tavistock Public School and WaterlooOxford District Secondary School in Baden. She is the youngest daughter of Doris and the late Wilfrid ‘Mike’ Weitzel. Leanne spent two years at Centralia College in the Food Service Management program, and it was there that she met her future husband, Greg Darlington, of Brunner. He is an owner/operator truck driver for Woodcock Brothers, Sebringville. The couple was married on August 28th, 1993 at Trinity by Rev. Bonnie Scharf. After graduation, Leanne worked as a cook at Quehl’s Restaurant and a Dietary Aide at The Maples Home for Seniors. After taking some time off to have their children, she established her own cleaning business, LD’s Cleaning and More. She cleaned mostly homes and apartments around the village as well as doing some painting with her sister Bernice after her retirement. Leanne enjoyed cleaning her clients homes, stating, “it was a great way for me to serve others. I knew that I was making a difference in their
CHRIS EHRAT / CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Rev. Leanne (Weitzel) Darlington at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Philipsburg. lives whether it was cleaning for a family where both parents worked or cleaning for seniors.” She also served as the sexton at Trinity, cleaning and opening and closing the facility for worship services, family events, and funeral services. It was during this time that she began to understand the inner workings of the church and the call of being a pastor. Over the years she also volunteered on most every church committee and was also Vice Chair of Church Council. Leanne enjoyed being a lector, (reading the weekly Scripture lessons) and assisting with communion. “I started receiving comments from some of the ladies at church asking if I had ever thought of becoming a pastor,” she said. “I always smiled politely and said, no! That is not for me.” She had wanted to study psychotherapy and become a counsellor, but the lack of an undergraduate degree held her back. Pastor Richard Brown also encouraged her by asking if she would become a lay leader, filling in for him when he was away on holidays. (continued on page 2)
PHOTO / CONTRIBUTED
Rev. Leanne Darlington with her family: husband Greg, Clayton, Heather and Thomas.