The Paris Independent for Saturday June 18th, 2022

ENTERTAINMENT: CATCH A NIGHT OF ONE-ACT PLAYS - Page 19 NEW THIS EDITION: READ YOUR HOROSCOPE - Pages 26-27

Your Community Newspaper

The Paris Independent Saturday, June 18, 2022

THIS WEEK In Community

Proudly Serving Paris & Area

PDF Emailed $3.99/month

TRUTHFULLY SUSTAINABLE

GIRL GUIDE LEADERS WANTED!

Pages 6-8 In Sports

PDHS HONOURS TOP ATHLETES Pages 11-13

In Community

INTERGENERATIONAL BONDS!

Pages 16-18

The fashion industry is one of the biggest pollutants in the world as well as the second largest consumer of water worldwide. Paris resident and entrepreneur Renia Pruchnicki aims to change that through her innovative company that offers sustainable vegan fashion belts. The newest product line features belts made from cactus, which make a great sustainable fashion statement! See her story on pages 4-5.

Photo submitted by Renia Pruchnicki

Are you ready to make a Move ? Contact me, Your Experienced Local Realtor!

County Offices Closed

The Paris Independent

2

June 18, 2022

COMMUNITY CALENDAR FOOD TRUCK NIGHTS- At Sojourn Church (112 Scott Avenue) from 4:45 pm to 7:30 pm on June 21, July 19th and August 16th.

GAMES IN THE PARK Sunday, June 26th, 2-4 pm (King’s Ward Park), light refreshments provided. Hosted by St. Paul’s United Church.

PARIS CRAFT CRAWL- Saturday, June 25&26th at the Paris Fairgrounds, rain or shine.

Get ready to explore the absolute best creatives, the talented handmade and incredible solo musicians. Come for the amazing shopping, stay for the food, and cheer on our talented musicians. Tickets are $10 and are only sold at the gate.

MONSTER TRUCKS IN PARIS – July 9 and 10th at the Paris Fairgrounds. Tickets on sale now – buy your tickets now and save $5. Available online at www.ticketscene.ca/events/39965 MEMORY LANE MARKET– Saturday and Sunday, June 25/26 downtown Paris! Grand River St N between William and Mechanic Street will be closed to traffic for the vintagestyle market featuring local businesses and over 40 vendors from Ontario and Quebec. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/events/32515641645 5431/327136446257428/

The Paris Independent

3

June 18,2022

COMMUNITY CALENDAR YEAR OF THE GARDEN EVENT TODAY– .

Saturday June 18 at South Dumfries Community Centre in St. George, from 12 pm to 3 pm – celebrate National Garden Day with family friendly activities. Presented by County of Brant Library, Equal Ground Community Gardens, St. George Garden Club & Paris Horticultural Society.

FREE SWIMMING–For the month of June the Paris Community Pool is hosting free swim times. For a complete listing visit Brant.ca/June *Weather permitting. Call (519) 442-7311 for updates. DADS SWIM FREE! June 19th 12:30 -4pm!

LET’S TALK ABOUT PRIDE SERIES– Tuesday, June 21 at 7 pm hosted by the County of Brant Public Library. Join Dr. Christopher

Owen (Inclusivity Development Manager, Manchester Pride) as they give meaningful advice on how to talk to your kids about gender, sexuality, and acceptance.

Register today at ow.ly/CBpL50JocVe, or connect with your local branch and sign up with staff.

The Paris Independent

4

June 18, 2022

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Paris woman behind new sustainable, vegan-friendly belt line Made from cactus and designed to easily adjust!

By Carolina Saenz When it comes to fashion, many people know the importance of supporting sustainable and ecofriendly products. The fashion industry is one of the biggest pollutants in the world as well as the second largest consumer of water worldwide.

Truth Belts, a proudly local and innovative company, aims to change this by creating cool vegan fashion that is sustainable and eco-friendly. Founded by Renia Pruchnicki in 2001, Truth Belts now offers a wide range of belts for the whole family in a variety of styles. Their next big move? A belt made from cactus, making it a completely renewable and sustainable fashion statement - and the best part is that you can help bring this belt to life!

Pruchnicki founded Truth Belts with the goal to create highquality vegan fashion, while making a difference in the world.

With a background in product design, her passion for creating has grown into what Truth Belts is today. What began in her downtown Toronto apartment has

evolved to now offering their vegan products internationally through amazon, their website www.truthbelts.com, independent retail stores, and trade shows.

Some of their most popular products include flat-stretch belts made from polyester and elastic, as well as their virtually indestructible belts made from seatbelt webbing and coated with a special vinyl.

Rave reviews of these belts share just how long-lasting, beautiful, and comfortable they are. And true to their core values, every belt purchased on their website plants a tree through the One Tree Planted non-profit organization. More than 1,700 trees have been planted through this initiative so far, making it easy for consumers to feel that they are make a difference to our planet, in a small way.

“Cactus is a new material in the market.

It is renewable, sustainable, and eco-friendly. It just makes sense,” shares Pruchnicki. “There’s a lot of reasons to go away from using leather. Each year more and more trees get cut down in the Amazon

forest to make room for cattle.

So, this is something new that’s even better than using animal skins, vinyls and polyurethanes because it’s something from nature that grows back,” she adds.

Only the mature leaf of the nopal cactus is harvested and will grow back. It’s transformed into a material that looks and feels just like leather. Cacti requires hardly any water to grow and can grown in the hottest climates where no other plant can survive. This material is produced by the Mexican company Desserto, but the belts will all be made in Kitchener, Ontario. The top and bottom layers of Truth’s Cactus belts are made from this new ground-breaking material. And just when you though this belt could not get more spectacular than it already is, the inside layer consists of recycled tires. This is wonderful because car tires are just sitting around in a dump, so turning something old into something new is a must considering the state of our environment.

Continued on page 5

The Paris Independent

5

June 18, 2022

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT The number one complaint about belts is that orders are expected to be delivered in November, people are “in between the holes”. Taking this making it a perfect time to get Christmas-ready! into consideration, the new cactus belts use an innovative buckle design where no holes are required, making the belts completely adjustable.

The belts will fit any body type and can be adjusted just 1mm. The metal used is nickel-free.

To bring this attractive new design to life, Truth Belts needs your help. Through their Kickstarter campaign, their goal is to raise enough funds to place their first order of cactus leather and recycled rubber to begin production of the belts.

By backing their campaign, you can become one of the first people in the world to own a belt made from cactus!

What is Kickstarter?

Kickstarter campaigns help creators raise funds to begin projects and develop new products.

Participants are able to vote by donating or pledging funds to projects they believe in.

In order for creators to receive the funds, they must meet their fundraising goal. In other words, creators who do not raise the minimum goal set to begin their project do not receive any of the donations made. It is truly the consumers deciding the viability of new ideas and projects.

Truth Belts’ Kickstarter campaign is live now thru July 13th. Through the campaign, donations are welcome and options to pre-order cactus belts at a discounted rate of 30% are offered. There are two different styles to choose from: the Caz (casual black belt with antique buckle finish) and the Nopalini (dressy black belt with satin buckle finish). A slim wallet, also made from cactus leather, is also available for pre-order through a belt and wallet combo. And there’s also an option for retailers to be the first to carry cactus belts in their stores.

Maybe we’ll see some of these cactus belts in our lovely stores in downtown Paris this fall! All

“I want people to know that times are changing.

And Kickstarter is a perfect example of how things are changing. It’s a platform where citizens of the world are deciding what will come to life.

And as a small business owner, with so many things going on in the world, I must take action.

Citizens can make a difference through their choices. We are the ones creating our world through our choices and actions, we can’t just sit around waiting for governments to create our world for us,” explains Pruchnicki. “That is why Kickstarter is so amazing – it fuels creativity and empowers the people who fund the various projects. This new cactus material has so many benefits. It’s renewable and eco-friendly. No trees were cut down and no animals were harmed. It’s a no brainier!”.

To learn more about Truth Belts, visit https://truthbelts.com/ To support their Kickstarter campaign, visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/truthbelts/ cactus-belts

The Paris Independent

6

June 18, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS GIRL GUIDES: Empowering girls and building lifelong friendships Local volunteers and leaders required to keep units open

By Casandra Turnbull You probably know someone who’s moved up through the ranks in Girl Guides. Maybe it’s a neighbour, a friend, your child or perhaps even you!

The organization has had a strong presence in Paris for nearly 100 years. It provides girls ages 5-17 with opportunities to try new experiences, challenges and builds their confidence in a safe, nurturing environment.

Volunteers help deliver a unique program that encourages girls to build life skills in outdoor adventure, financial literacy, mental health, advocacy and more.

Volunteers are the glue that holds the organization together. Without dedicated leaders, young girls would lose out on the opportunity to participate in girl-driven activities where lifelong friendships are formed and fundamental core values are

The 5th Paris Brownies unit celebrated the end of another successful Guiding year with a two-day camping excursion to Camp Impeesa on June 11th – 12th.

Photo credit: 5th Paris Brownies

developed.

Locally, there were over 100 girls who participated in various levels of Guiding last year. At one point there were 2 Sparks units, 2 Brownie Units, 2 Guide units, 1 Pathfinder unit and 1 Ranger unit.

“That’s pretty amazing for a smaller town like Paris,” said Corrinne McClure, Girl Guide leader and Paris’ Community Guider.

However, those numbers are dwindling because there are not enough volunteer leaders to keep units open and operating at full capacity. Five dedicated leaders have moved away from Paris in

the past four years and a few more leaders are stepping down this year, however, they hope to pass the torch along to up and coming leaders.

McClure is grateful that two women have stepped forward recently to take over one Brownie unit, and if it weren’t for them, that Brownie unit would have folded in Paris. With fewer volunteers that means fewer units, and McClure predicts there could be a lot of disappointed children on wait lists this fall.

Continued on page 7

The Paris Independent

7

June 18, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS “There has always been a need for leaders/volunteers in Guiding,” said McClure. “Some females join when their daughter registers, most often, those moms finish their Guiding career when their daughter leaves Guiding.

On occasion, Guiding catches hold of one or two of these moms and they become crazy dedicated to the organization.”

At present, she added, there are seven to eight Guiders that have been in the game for 20 years or more!

Volunteer/Leader Annette Wight is one of those 20-year veterans, although her journey really started as a child when she moved through the ranks herself.

“I enjoy getting to know the girls and watching them grow into the

young ladies they become in life,” explained Wight on why she enjoys leading. “Also, you form a bond with them that they remember later in life. They say hi when they see you out and about. It makes me feel great that they remember me after all these years,” she said, pointing out it truly encompasses the Girl Guide motto that Guiding is a sisterhood and when you work with leaders you will always have sisters and friends for life.

Wight has spent the last few years helping out with a Brownie unit, while maintaining her leadership role with the Pathfinders too. Next year she will focus solely on Pathfinders, leaving a vacancy in the Brownie unit.

Fellow guide leader Julie Junge, who’s spearheaded the 5th Paris Brownie unit for the last five to six years, even after her own daughter stopped Guiding, will also step down this year. It was an emotional year-end camping weekend at Camp Impeesa June 11-12 for the unit as she bid farewell to the girls she watched grow over the years.

Heather Fair is the third leader in that Brownie unit, and she too will be stepping away from her role as she shifts her focus to her busy career. It was a tough decision to make because ‘seeing the smile on the girls faces and feeling the love in their embrace’ is something she will always remember.

Continued on page 8

Whether you’re enjoying camp stories, rock climbing at Camp Impeesa or Camp Teka , or decorating rocks to hide around town on Remembrance Day, there’s never a shortage of fun when you’re involved with Girl Guides. Camp photos courtesy of the 5th Paris Brownie Unit. Rock decorating photo (from pre-Covid) provided by Corrinne McClure. The Paris branch is looking for Guide volunteers and leaders.

8

The Paris Independent

June 18, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS “Stepping away is very hard when you hear things like ‘this is my happy place,’ and ‘this is my safe place,’ and ‘I can’t wait to see you next week’,” said Fair, who felt that career and family obligations made it difficult to dedicate 100 % of her focus and time to her unit. “Being a Guide Leader takes a lot of planning and preparation and of course paperwork! As much as I enjoyed the physical time each week with the girls, juggling the planning aspect was difficult.”

While planning, attention to detail and organization are some key components to a good leader, McClure reiterates there are many qualities to a truly wonderful leader including compassion, empathy, confidence, dedication and the ability to have fun and enjoy the comradery of fellow leaders.

In the past, Girl Guides in Ontario would offer different types of training for interested volunteers, however, the pandemic has changed how that training takes place. Right now, once you register to become a leader, you are given the tools to

access various online courses – and of course you kind of learn on the ‘job’, standing alongside other unit leaders who have experience and lead the way.

One nice aspect of volunteering is you get to infuse your own creativity into the programming.

So, if you like to plan and you like activities, this might just be an avenue for you.

As an example of this type of ‘personal programming,’ one year a unit celebrated a Kiwiana night where the girls learned all about New Zealand. It proved to be successful when on the yearend evaluations, the girls specifically requested it return the following year.

Speaking of popular activities, Girl Guides’ most significant event is always the end of year camping trip, which McClure labels as an absolute must for all branches.

“Many life skills are learned, much comradery is shared over the campfire, and memories to last a lifetime are the fruits of camp,” she said.

McClure has many fond memories from her 46-year

Publisher Managing Editor Advertising Sales Photographer News Reporter Columnist News Reporter

involvement with Girl Guides Canada. While it’s difficult to narrow it down to just a few recollections, it’s the trips with the Pathfinder units to England, Scotland and Wales that stand out the most. Through many worldwide trips, she’s fortunate to have realized her dream of visiting all four World Centres: Pax Lodge in London, England, Our Chalet near Adelboden Switzerland, Sangam near Poona, India and Our Cabana, near Cuernavaca, Mexico.

McClure’s also held a variety of roles with Girl Guides Canada, including District Commissioner, Division Commissioner, Ontario Girl Guide Trainer and Administrative Community Leader. She started her journey in Kitchener in 1976 and became part of the Paris organization in 1982. She hopes to bring in more volunteers, share her knowledge and strengthen the organization locally before she retires in the next few years.

If you’re interested in Girl Guiding, want to volunteer or learn more about it, visit https://www.girlguides.ca/web/-

Chris Whelan Casandra Turnbull Chris Whelan Michelle Malvaso Carolina Saenz Karon Sinning Bailey Zimmer

STATEMENT We are a non profit organization made up of like minded volunteers from our community with the main purpose of providing our community of Paris and area with a trustworthy and reliable source of community news. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of everything we publish, we regret any errors that may occur. We limit our liability to that of printing a retraction upon notification of such errors in the next available publication. Our mail and Email addresses are listed below:

June 18, 2022

9

The Paris Independent

The History of Girl Guides of Canada Photos Courtesy: Girl Guides of Canada

Paris Past By

Chris Whelan It all started with boys in England The Girl Guide movement started in England in 1909. Robert Baden-Powell, a British Army General recently returned from the South African Wars, had written a series of articles on Scouting based on his experiences there.

Click on photo above for video history of Girl Guides Canada

These were published in an English boys’ magazine. Boys started practicing Scouting on their own and in 1908 the Boy Scouts were formed. By 1909 Scouting had become so popular that a rally was held at the Crystal Palace in London. Eleven thousand boys turned up. Great astonishment was caused by a group at the end of the long parade …girls! While their brothers had been busily occupied with Scouting, these girls had been copying them, usually in secret. Girls at that time were expected to be ladylike, doing needlework and art. Their place was definitely in the home, not outdoors dressed in outlandish costumes, practicing stalking, tracking, first aid, stopping runaway horses and rescuing people from burning buildings! Both their mothers and the general public were shocked and horrified at the girls’ escapades and appearance of skirts hiked up, wearing Scout hats, carrying stout broomsticks, hung about with whistles, knives and enormous haversacks decorated with large red crosses.

These daring girls pleaded with Mr. Baden-Powell to be allowed to join the Scouts. He agreed to help them but said that they would be Girl Guides and have patrol names of flowers or birds, not wolves!

He asked his sister, Agnes Baden-Powell, to help

him with a girls’ organization and she became the first President of the Girl Guides. Working together, they produced Pamphlet A and Pamphlet B, outlining program ideas and badges for the girls. Later, an adaptation of Robert BadenPowell’s Scouting for Boys was published: The Handbook for Girl Guides or How Girls Can Help to Build Up the Empire. This remained the standard manual for many years.

By 1910, the Guiding Movement had reached Canada and the first Unit was formed in St. Catharine's, Ontario. By 1912, there were units in every province and many of Canada's most forward-thinking women banded together to form the Canadian Girl Guides Association.

Today, Girl Guides of Canada continues to be a place that sparks the imagination of girls to take their place in the world and take action on what matters to them. As female role models, their adult members support girls to achieve and succeed – through fun, adventures, challenges and international experiences. Guiding continues to play an important role in communities right across Canada.

June 18, 2022

10

The Paris Independent

Paris Girl Guide Camp Tekahionwake (Teka) Photos Courtesy: The Girl Guides of Canada Camp Teka (officially Tekahionwake), is a Girl Guide camp in Paris. Access is not far from downtown, but the camp is surprisingly secluded, being surrounded by expansive forest, a few small lakes and a river, as well as a family of beavers who very much like to build dams.

E. Pauline Johnson, c. 1885–1895

The name “Tekahionwake” was selected through a contest held in 1952. The word means “laughing waters” and was chosen in memory of Pauline Johnson. The camp opened in 1950, on 17 acres near Paris, north of Brantford.

Renovations and construction

The camp has become known in the area for its giant barn-red building. Relax in the shade of a tree, sing at the many campfire pits, reflect in the memorial Guides Own area, or hike and explore the 11 acres of land during your visit.

projects took place throughout the 1960s and 1970s. In 1998 a fire devastated portions of Camp Teka’s permanent infrastructure.

The Grand River Conservation Authority advised that developments in the surrounding area could encircle Camp Teka with subdivisions and gravel pits.

Relocation of Camp Teka was considered, but it was decided to remain at the Paris location.

In 2007, the camp received a Trillium Grant, which allowed further renovations to upgrade the existing structures.

The Paris Independent

11

June 18, 2022

S P O RT S

PDHS honours top athletes

Left to right Ben Zondag, Maddison Burr, Alex James, Ariel Saulnier, Serena Gambacort, Lucas Balog and Patrick Weldon – all top award winners at PDHS’ athletic banquet this past week.

Photo by Garth Chivers

Students and staff at PDHS recognized its athletes, award winners and team accomplishments this past week during the annual awards banquet.

They also thanked retiring teacher Lisa Graham for her extensive contributions to athletics, particularly volleyball.

She started coaching both the boys’ and girls’ teams at Paris High in 1997. She stepped into the role of league volleyball convener in 2004 and has hosted

many invitational tournaments and CWOSSA. She’s been at the helm of five CWOSSA titles and has brought five teams to OFSSA.

Finally, the Hannah McCosh & Athletics Council Awards, designated to the top female & male who exhibited sports leadership and athletics, went to Serena Gambacort and Lucas Individual award winners went to Balog Ben Zondag and Madison Burr as Junior Boy & Girl Athlete of the JUNIOR TENNIS Year. Alex James and Ariel Junior Tennis Award – Madison Saulnier were Senior Boy & Girl Burr; Coaches Award – Trudeau Athlete of the Year. Female Gulati Unsung Hero titles went to Cara Woods and Patrick Welton, while Continued on page 12 Lucas Balog received Volunteer of the Year.

The Paris Independent

12

June 18, 2022

S P O RT S Kolesar Most Valuable Lineman of the Year – Player – Ryan Jake Huggins Burroughs JUNIOR BOYS SENIOR BOYS BASKETBALL VOLLEYBALL Most Valuable Player – Team Player – Ethan Ben Zondag Lawrence Coaches SENIOR BOYS Award – Alex James BASKETBALL CROSS COUNTRY Coaches Award – Most Outstanding Martins Odigie Female Athlete - Kelly Coaches Award – Alex Mantel; Most James Outstanding Male JUNIOR GIRLS Athlete – Dylan VOLLEYBALL Campbell AABHN Champions: Kelly Most Valuable PlayerSENIOR TENNIS Mantel - Senior Girls Mya Padusenko Senior Tennis Award - Division Dylan Coaches Award – Kayla Tomas Oviedo; Campbell - Senior Boys Korber Coaches Award – Carly Division SENIOR GIRLS Halsey JUNIOR FOOTBALL VOLLEYBALL AABHN Champions: Offensive Player of Team Player – Payton Tomas Oviedo & Year – Alex Bowlby; Streets Coaches Award Carson Brown - Boys' Defensive Player of – Marissa Padusenko Doubles Year – Ty Parsons; GIRLS HOCKEY GOLF Most Valuable Player – Ben Zondag; Lineman Most Valuable Player, Most Valuable Golfer – of the Year – Alex Madison Burr; Most Ben Guta Parkinson; DeGroote Dedicated Player, VARSITY GIRLS Award – Aidan Bryans Emma Ahlberg BASKETBALL AABHN Champions: SENIOR FOOTBALL Emma Ahlberg, MVP – Ariel Saulnier Offensive Player of Brooklyn Boer, Hannah Coaches Award – Faiqa Year – Jack Kelly; Boer, Madison Burr, Anjum Defensive Player of Carly Halsey, Olivia JUNIOR BOYS Year – Adam Floto; Hymers, Petra Keefe, VOLLEYBALL Most Valuable Player – Claire Livingston, Andrew Kozbor; Sadie Oliver, Naren Coaches Award – Max AABHN Champions: Madison Burr - Girls' Singles Trudeau Gulati Boys' Singles Adelaide Schiedel & Graycee McLaren – Girls Doubles AABHN Team Champions: Madison Burr Alexander Champagne Matthew Clement Charlotte Gloade Trudeau Gulati Owen Lawrence Graycee McLaren Adelaide Schiedel

Parker, Emmalyse Ristau, Adelaide Schiedel, Maddison Smith, Madysen Tate, Olivia Worrall BOYS HOCKEY Most Valuable Player, Simon Otaki; Coaches Award, Thomas Kitchen JUNIOR BADMINTON MVP – Harper North; MVP – Bianka Kruschat SENIOR BADMINTON Coaches Award – Georgia Elliot; Coaches Award – Serena Gambacort GIRLS SOCCER MVP – Halley Sprowl MVP – Adrianna Vanderlaan BOYS SOCCER Coaches Award – Ethan Lewis; Coaches Award – Cale North; Tanner Sabila-Azzopardi Memorial Award – Brendan Smith Continued on page 13

13

The Paris Independent

June 18, 2022

S P O RT S VARSITY GIRLS RUGBY

Going the distance!

Senior Outstanding Player – Maggie Beaudin; Junior Outstanding Player – Hailey Holgate; Coach’s 3D Award – Ariel Saulnier GIRLS SOFTBALL MVP – Olivia Worrall; Coaches Award – Abby Tinnes VARSITY BASEBALL MVP – Ty Parsons; Coaches Award – Jacob Spence

TRACK AND FIELD Most Outstanding Novice – Gavin Stafford; Most Outstanding Junior – Ben Zondag; Most Outstanding Senior – Kelly Mantel AABHN Champions: Kelly Mantel 1500m, 800m, Dylan Campbell - 3000m, 1500m Brantford runner Sarah Kondo earned another 100mile belt buckle, finishing fifth among all female runners at the Mohican 100 Mile Trail run in Loudonville, Ohio last weekend. Kondo, trained by professional running coach and fitness consultant Rick Mannen, finished the trail run with a time of 28 hours, 34 minutes and 2 seconds.

The Western States 100 Mile Endurance Race takes place in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains trails each year on the last full weekend of June. It is the world’s oldest 100-mile trail race and has become known as one of the ultimate endurance tests in the world. The demand is so high to run the race, runners must earn tickets by completing qualifying races and their tickets go into a lottery every year.

Kondo has earned multiple tickets from past events and hopes to see her name drawn.

Photo submitted by Rick Mannen

The Paris Independent

14

June 18, 2022

COUNTY MINUTES

What’s happening in your community?

MARKET STREET UPDATE The reconstruction of Market Street is about to begin and is expected to last throughout summer and fall, confirmed Project Engineer Mark Maxwell.

During phase 1, the County plans to reconstruct Market Street between Silver and Capron Streets. Along with full road reconstruction, the project includes the installation of a trunk watermain, replacement of the existing sanitary and storm sewers and sidewalk and boulevard improvements.

Approximately $4.5 million was ear marked in the 2022 capital budget for this phase of the project.

Maxwell said Phase 2, Broadway St West from Railway to West River Street is tentatively planned for 2023. Coordination of this phase will coincide with scheduled work to be done on Grand River Street North.

There is a public information meeting planned for Wednesday June 29 from 4-6pm at Council Chambers to discuss the project.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

BARKER’S BUSH PLAN If you’d like to send the county your feedback on the Barker’s Bush Master Plan, make sure you visit EngageBrant because

community input is closing in a few weeks. There will be a presentation to council outlining the plan on July 12th. Right now, regular maintenance is being done in Barker’s bush and work will be ongoing. High priority areas that require immediate attention will begin this fall.

WIFI COMING SOON

Electrical work is underway now and the County of Brant’s IT department is reporting that there should be a few WIFI locations running within the next few weeks. The major project to bring WIFI to Lions Park is still a few months away. There were supply PARIS PARKS delays and the County still needs to run fibre from King Edwards Weather delays are to blame for St down to Laurel St, reports delayed unveiling of Dawdy Park Kathy Ballantyne. in Paris’ Northend on Hartley Ave. Director of Parks and Facilities for the County of Brant, Kathy Ballantyne, says all landscape work and court painting will be completed within the next 2-3 weeks. Other activities available at this park will include pickleball, basketball, ping pong, walking pathways and junior and senior playgrounds.

Work on Jay Wells Park is moving along, and the park is on target for an official opening the week of June 27th. Located on Scenic Ridge Gate off Rest Acres Road, this new park will feature basketball nets, playground, ball hockey courts and plenty of trees for shade (61 to be exact). Shade has been a very high priority for residents in the feedback we have been receiving the last couple of years, said Ballantyne.

Fun family activity now available at Juliet Wolverton Park on Arlington Parkway. Bring your own bags!

Photo credit County of Brant

15

The Paris Independent

June 18, 2022

COUNTY NEWS Alternative solutions to affordable housing?

By Casandra Turnbull Communities across Ontario are struggling to meet the demand for affordable housing. Homes are in short supply and Brant County is no exception. All levels of government must work together long term to address the issue, but in the meantime, a solution is required now.

In late 2020, the County of Brant introduced new measures to help band aid the lack of housing by updating its housing policies.

There are now flexible options for additional residential units, called ARUs. They are secondary dwellings on a property and can include an add on to the existing house or can be a detached accessory structure. These come in many shapes and sizes and are commonly referred to as basement apartments, granny flats, coach homes, in-law suites, garage lofts, etc.

Last week, Paris Councillor Steve Howes shared photos of the first completed ARU dwelling in Paris’ Ward 2.

“Our community is in desperate need of new approaches to housing, particularly in the rental category,” said Howes in a social media post that applauded homeowners Avery Moore Kloss and Jason Kloss for their patience in navigating the municipal process to make the dwelling a tiny, yet legal home. “I applaud Avery and Jason for having the vision and the perseverance to bring this to reality,” he wrote, adding that they followed the Ontario Building Code requirements and successfully completed several steps and paperwork involved in getting the necessary approvals from the County.

If you’re interested in learning more about ARUs or how to convert a dwelling on your property, please visit https://www.brant.ca/en/invest-inbrant/resources/ARU/Planning-your-ARU.pdf

The Paris Independent

16

June 18, 2022

SENIOR’S MONTH INTERGENERATIONAL BONDS Building friendships, spreading joy and fostering connections between youth and seniors

By Casandra Turnbull Research has shown that intergenerational relationships are both beneficial for the young and the old. In the 19th century it was very common for multiple generations to live under one roof.

Children could learn from their elders and at the same time elders would soak up the innocence and youthfulness of their grandchildren. Over time that has changed and what has resulted is more segregation between youth and seniors.

To bridge that gap and ignite healthy relationships, many schools are partnering with retirement homes and long-term care facilities to create more opportunities for students and seniors to interact on a regular basis.

This past year, students in Alison Harrison’s Grade 3 / 4 class at Holy Family School have developed some new friendships with residents at Telfer Place.

While the program has been successful in past years, this year has proven even more beneficial because many seniors are still feeling isolated and lonely because of Covid restrictions.

Continued on page 17

Students at Holy Family School made several visits to residents at Telfer Place this past school year, proving intergenerational bonds have benefits for all ages.

Photo submitted by Alison Harrison

The Paris Independent

17

June 18, 2022

SENIOR’S MONTH

Above, students peer into Telfer Place to wave to friends during a February visit. Top right, Telfer resident Kurt Reichstein holds a welcome sign made especially for the students (Photo provided by Laura Struthers)

“Students were able to spread kindness and joy as our monthly visits provided the residents with an opportunity to watch them play and interact with one another,” said Harrison. Her class visited several times this year and while Covid restrictions made things difficult at times, they became creative with their meetings.

During their first trip in February, the residents watched gleefully as children played in the snow and built snowmen. They even made welcome signs for the students to show their appreciation for their visit, Harrison recalled. “We had so much fun the first visit that we continued to go back once a month. Each time, students walked over as a class and we would make cards to celebrate special occasions, sing songs and

share poems with our new friends,” said Harrison.

As Easter approached Telfer Place residents arranged a special Easter Egg hunt outside in the courtyard.

“I liked doing the Easter Egg hunt and playing in the snow. I also liked watching them be happy when we visited,” said one student named Gabby.

During their last visit in June, the students shared a poem called, “Bubble, Bubble,” and of course blew bubbles and played around as kids do, to the delight of residents. Students wished their newfound friends a ‘scooper’ summer by presenting ice cream themed artwork.

“I liked blowing bubbles and seeing the residents opening the cards that we made for them each time. I also liked drawing chalk

messages on the sidewalk for them,” said another student named Gedi. Classmate Taeden had similar thoughts. He said he liked playing outdoors with the bubbles and “I liked to see people who don’t get to see children because it makes me feel happy.”

Each visit from the youngsters ignites excitement within Telfer Place residents as well. Laura Struthers, Program Manager at Telfer shares, “The residents gathered at the windows in anticipation. The first time they visited we made signs to welcome them,” she added, “when the residents see the kids their whole face lights up. They share memories of their own kids or kids special to them.”

Continued on page 18

18

The Paris Independent

June 18, 2022

SENIOR’S MONTH For resident Linda Tensen, visits from the class bring back fond memories of her occupation.

“I love children. I was a school bus driver for 17 years. It is nice to see kids outside, enjoying themselves and getting along.”

Intergenerational bonding is good for everyone; it helps build stronger communities, nurture children’s respect for elders, helps keep history alive, invigorates and energizes tired bodies and minds, aids cognitive stimulation, reduces feelings of sadness and loneliness and provides an outlet for everyone to learn new skills.

It’s also enabled Harrison’s students to show their faith in action, she said.

“As a student I remember having the opportunity to participate in similar experiences. I hope to continue this new tradition that we have started this school year as our visits relate to our Catholic faith and teachings that we discuss in our religion program,” said Harrison.

Her class’s final visit of the school year took place just days after Canada recognized Intergenerational Day on June 1st. The idea for Intergenerational Day came from a British Columbia teacher in 2009 who was working with his students on projects related to World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The passion for the projects gained so much momentum that Intergenerational Day was born in 2010.

Students Grace & Morgan look for Easter Eggs during an Easter visit to Telfer Place this past spring.

Photo by Alison Harrison

Wise advice!

June is Seniors Month! To celebrate, the County of Brant asked some seniors their best advice for the younger generations. First up, Doreen, who shares her best advice! The theme for Senior’s Month 2022 is ‘Stay Active, Connected, and Safe’. Seniors are encouraged to join various activities offered throughout the community including Pickle Ball, Fitness Classes and stroll the age-friendly trails.

Additional activities include: •Scot-Oaks Seniors •County of Brant Public Library 55+ Programs •Euchre and Tile Rummy •Paris Lawn Bowling Club •St. George Lawn Bowling Club •The Paris Seniors Club 99 •The Brant Pedalers and Paddlers For full event and activity details and for a list of upcoming contests and giveaways, visit www.brant.ca/CelebrateJune County of Brant Photo

19

The Paris Independent

June 18, 2022

E N T E RTA I N M E N T

Four great plays, two nights, one price!

By Casandra Turnbull

Here’s a quick look at the four one-act plays:

If you’re looking for some local entertainment look no further than a weeknight of one-act plays scheduled for June 22 and 23rd at the Rope Factory Event Hall in Brantford.

“Sure Thing,” directed by Nikole Beda, is about a fire date meeting in a coffee shop.

Presented by the Paris Performers Theatre, these shows are fundraisers for the group’s th upcoming 30 anniversary season.

And in celebrate of that milestone they have a huge lineup planned for this fall/winter, starting with the Rocky Horror Show in October.

“Skin in the Game,” written and directed by Martin Smith, is about a very unusual poker game.

“A New York Minute,” is a collection of skits adapted by Director Richard V. Ouellette that showcases happenings in different timeframes in New York.

“Death of the Doorstep Kiss,” directed by Terri Graham, is all about that dreaded end of the fire date where the decision is made to continue seeing each other or not, culminated in that first kiss at the door.

This month’s one act plays will feature lots of local talent from Paris, Brantford and St. George. All four plays will be available at one great price of $25 and can be purchased online at Eventbrite or at the door.

“We chose the Rope Factory because of its eclectic feel, which is great for plays like this,” said Terri Graham, President of the Paris Performers Theatre. “Jamie Stephens has also generously donated the hall for this event. He is an amazing supporter of local events and talent.”

Doors open at 7 pm and shows start at 7:30 pm. Audience members can enjoy pre-show treats from Spool Gourmet Poutine and Mac & Cheese.

(Above) "Skin in the Game", left to right, Anna Carter, Piper J Distel, Kristine Fortner, Keith Chambers and Valerie Harrison -Picture by Martin Smith.

(Left) "Death of the Doorstep Kiss“ left to right, James Diamond and Georgia East Picture by Terri Graham

The Paris Independent

20

June 18, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS

No changes to mask mandate at BCHS Brantford, ON – Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, announced last week that the remaining COVID-19 public health measures, including mandatory masking and directives outlining PPE requirements in healthcare settings would be lifted on Saturday, June 11.

As a hospital, we are entrusted with the care of patients and their families when they are at the most vulnerable. In alignment with our regional healthcare partners, and in the interest of ensuring that our patients are receiving care in the safest possible environment, Brant Community Healthcare System will not be lifting masking requirements for staff, medical staff, volunteers,

patients, or visitors.

Anyone visiting Brantford General Hospital or The Willett, Paris will be given a hospitalapproved mask upon arrival and is asked to selfscreen for COVID-19 symptoms. These measures will remain in place for the foreseeable future as we continue to navigate the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.

Hospitals have the authority to keep requirements in place to support health and safety in our environments. Our priority continues to be the wellbeing of our patients, visitors, staff, and medical staff. We thank our community for their ongoing support and cooperation.

Nice new wheels!

The Paris Community Policing Group and the Paris Optimist Club hosted a bicycle rodeo at the Brant Sports Complex last weekend. The event aimed to educate children on bike safety.

Kathryn McLaren was the lucky draw winner accepting a brandnew bike generously donated by the McNaughton Agency of The Co-Operators in Paris. Pictured above, left to right, is Edith Stone, Chair of the Paris Community Safety Group, Kathryn and Robin McNaughton, the Co-Operators.

Photo provided by Edith Stone

The Paris Independent

June 18, 2022

21

L O C A L S I P S & E AT S

Why not take a Beercation this summer?

Travelling Pint

with

Tiffany Martin

Ready for a Beercation?

Whether for a few days or a lengthy adventure, it’s time to taste what’s brewing across the province. Here are a few tips to help you plan and achieve your best Beercation to date!

Pick a "Beer Town" that matches your interests Years ago, the choices for this were often limited to just big cities. Today though, there are dozens of great options throughout small towns & counties, I'm looking at you Norfolk! This means you can customize your beercation according to what's important to you. For instance, if you like hiking, biking and fresh air then you might want to look at visiting destinations throughout Norfolk County or Kingsville. On the other hand, if you are looking for starry nights and lake swims then heading to explore Northern Ontario may be a better fit.

Muskoka, Thunder Bay or even Traverse City Michigan are all awesome & active beer choices. I always love to mix in some adventure, outings and nature into my beer trips.

Pack an extra cooler bag (or a growler) One of the awesome things about taking a beercation, is that there are going to be tons of special beers that might not be available back home. A cooler is a “cooler” idea than the trunk of your hot car and will keep those beers fresh. A growler is a great way to fill up to take the beer with you and enjoy back at the hotel, poolside or at the beach.

Pick a cool hotel More and more theme boutique hotels are popping up alongside air bnb’s or even beercation packages. With the rising cost of hotels these days it’s a good idea to do your research and perhaps spend the extra few dollars on something memorable that will add to your trip. The Grove Hotel & Inns of Kingsville in Kingsville, ON are great examples.

Or check out the cool glamping tents in Scotland, ONT, on a hobby farm just a short bike ride to both Flux and Meuse brewing!

Continued on page 22

Pick a cool hotel for your Beercation – such as the Grove Hotel pictured above.

Photo by Tiffany Martin

The Paris Independent

22

June 18, 2022

L O C A L S I P S & E AT S Eat ALL the things and eat local!

your residence or hotel or look around for a local Tour Company that will do the driving for Foodie or not we all need to eat. Make sure to eat you! Redback Tours and Ride the Bine are a few something before you set out on your beer tour, local examples. that’s pretty obvious but also make sure to stop for something that fits the local area like tacos, BBQ, or hitting up the local farmers market for local I hope I have inspired you to clear your calendar of treats. Sit at the bar and ask the locals where they worry and work and have as much fun as you can suggest for the best breakfast, lunch or dinner, they this summer on the road. Grab a beer and start know best! Pack a lunch and enjoy it on route or planning! during a hike.

Check-in on social media Tag the destination/brewery or use a hashtag in your social media posts to let others know where you’ve been and to remember yourself. Sharing your experience may convince someone else to join in on the fun and is a great way to help local businesses spread the word. Also, people may see where you are travelling and offer other must-visit suggestions in the area!

Do research before you head out, trust me its easier than organizing your sock drawer. *Shameless plug here* Bloggers like myself, @TravellingPint, do a lot of work so you don’t have to! From my social media accounts to my actual Blog, I have a pile of locations that may catch your eye and am happy to reply to any messages I receive.

So, check out www.TheTravellingPint.com or many others that may be based in the area you are eyeing up to travel to!

Or check out my ’Staycation’ blog here: https://www.thetravellingpint.com/post/2020/ 07/16/staycation-bucketlist Don’t drink and drive!

Have a daily Designated Driver, look into bike rentals (while still watching how much you consume), Ubers, buy beer to go and drink back at

Tiffany is an Ontario-based beer & travel blogger sharing her adventures served alongside all kinds of craft beer. Her love of craft beer is what inspires her travels and her love of storytelling is the backbone of her blog. Tiffany also puts on local pairing events & women only beer events so follow along with her adventures on social or at www.TheTravellingPint.com because the ROI on curiosity is priceless!

23

The Paris Independent

June 18, 2022

T R AV E L Valletta never fails to impress Malta with our English cousins was a very enjoyable experience for me. Back to being a tourist again and thoroughly enjoying all the sights, sun and tastes of the island.

We arrived the day before the cousins and it was good that we did. There were a few household problems like no water pressure to figure out, but they were quickly sorted out and we were all ready.

Our first adventure was a bus trip to Valletta.

Marion and Bill were great sports about the bus, but as the week and the heat progressed, we were all happy to use the ecabs app and take taxis. Ecabs is a fabulous app here in Malta, allowing you to book, track, change and pay for your ride all from your phone. I’d be leery of taking an Uber, especially out of country or on my own, but this is a very professional service.

Valletta hasn’t failed to impress any of us and it was no different this time. Arriving at the big square outside the city gate the fountain was fabulous. Europeans certainly know how to make impressive fountains. Walking into the walled city you take a footbridge over an ancient moat, now converted to a park area. We went down to the sea wall and viewed the Three Cities on the other side of the bay.

Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua, known as the Three Cities of Malta, are pieces of living history kept alive by hundreds of years of preservation.

The fortified cities sit like a trio of villages in the heart of Malta's historic centre, directly across the Grand Harbour from Valletta. Of the 3, Vittoriosa (or Birgu) has the best-preserved Medieval architecture and is home to many interesting sites.

Continued on page 24

Above, Victoria Gate is the only surviving gate within the fortifications of Valletta and below Valletta during the evening.

Photos by Karon Sinning

The Paris Independent

24

June 18, 2022

T R AV E L

Above left (photo by Roy Bennett), a must-see site in Malta, The Blue Grotto. Above right are Karon, Roy, Marion and Bill on horse drawn carriage ride through Mdina.

Wanting to get our bearings and see as much of the city as possible, we chose the little sightseeing train. This proved to be a great experience and one we would repeat in other locations throughout the week.

At €6, it was a reasonably priced way to save our feet and see a lot of the area. From our little tour, we picked the Victoria Gate, St. John’s Cathedral and the Barrakka Lift (elevator) to visit.

Victoria Gate is the only surviving gate within the fortifications of Valletta, since all the other fortified gates were demolished between the 19th and 20th centuries. It is a beautiful stone structure.

Unfortunately, the Cathedral was closed the day we visited but it’s on my list for another day. It houses many works of art within

the museum. Valletta is a town of stairs and hills, many, many stairs…so discovering the Barrakka Lift was the perfect ending to our day in the city. A quick 20-second ride to the top brought us close to the footbridge crossing and back to the bus.

Our next outing was in Mdina.

The history of Mdina traces back more than 4000 years.

According to tradition it was here in 60 A.D. that the Apostle St. Paul is said to have lived after being shipwrecked on the Islands. Lamp lit by night and referred to as “the silent city”, Mdina is fascinating to visit for its timeless atmosphere as well as its cultural and religious treasures. Originally the capital of Malta, it was replaced by Valletta which was deemed more defensible.

I had briefly been for dinner here one evening with Sarah and her friends and definitely wanted to return. Using the Blue Hop-on Hop-Off tourist bus, we had a great tour around the northern end of Malta and were able to spend a couple of hours in Mdina. This time instead of little trains, Mdina offered horse drawn carriages and this is what we chose to start our tour with. There is plenty of shade here for the horses as the streets are narrow with towering walls keeping it relatively cool. The tour was not long (about 30-35 minutes) but allowed us to step off for pictures and view the magnificent countryside from the highest point in Malta.

Continued on page 25

The Paris Independent

25

June 18, 2022

T R AV E L It also drove past the restaurant where I had previously eaten, so we returned for a great lunch!

Friday had us wanting a more relaxed day, so we headed to the beach. There are not many sandy beaches in Malta, as it really is a big rock, but there are a couple.

St. George’s Bay was our choice as it is close to us and was recommended by the Tourist Information Center. The day was hot and breezy, perfect for a lazy beach day! You are able to rent umbrellas and chairs for a reasonable price and we spent the day just enjoying the sea, weather and relaxation.

Next up was a trip to the Blue Grotto…a must see in Malta.

This is a boat ride into the grotto, which is always an adventure for my constitution.

But it was well worth it! The Blue Grotto refers to a number of sea caverns on the south east coast of Malta. The location of the caves lead to the seawater reflecting shades of blue on the cave walls and ceilings. The beautiful turquoise waters were filled with jellyfish during our tour.

Following the Grotto, we went to one of the Three Cities, Vittoriosa. Another touring train

ride gave us an overview of the ancient area of Vittoriosa. Beautiful medieval buildings, harbours and great views of Valletta from the other side of the bay were worth the trip.

We ended this week with a delicious dinner in Valletta at Papannis Italian Restaurant.

Travel column and photos submitted by Paris resident Karon Sinning as she travels across Europe

The Paris Independent

26

ASTROLOGY

June 18, 2022

The Paris Independent

27

June 18, 2022

ASTROLOGY

Did you enjoy these horoscopes? Would you like to learn more about Tina and the services she offers from Full Readings – Tarot – Energy – Medium to Animal Readings and Cleansing of Homes, visit her online at https://www.facebook.com/Tina.Graziano.Energy.Reader/?ref=page_internal

The Paris Independent

28

June 18, 2022

Showtimes for Galaxy Cinemas Brantford For Saturday June 18th, 2022 Jurassic World Dominion Standard 11:20a.m. 11:40a.m. 2:50p.m. 3:10p.m. 6:50p.m. 10:15p.m.

3D 6:30p.m. 10:00p.m.

Lightyear Standard 11:10a.m. 12:30p.m. 1:50p.m. 3:20p.m. 4:30p.m. 6:40p.m. 9:20p.m.

3D 7:10p.m. 9:50p.m.

Top Gun: Maverick Standard 11:50a.m. 3:00p.m. 6:20p.m. 7:00p.m. 9:30p.m. 9:40p.m.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Standard 12:40p.m. 3:50p.m. 6:10p.m.

3D 10:10p.m.

The Bad Guys Standard 1:20p.m. 4:10p.m.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Standard 4:00p.m.

The Bob's Burgers Movie Standard 7:20p.m. 10:05p.m.

Scoob!

Standard 11:00a.m.