The Voice, April 22 2020

Pelham council Zooms page 9 Drive-by vigil for Mike Ciolfi page 11 Pelham Window Walks brighten mood page 13 EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

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Vol.24 No.16

April 22, 2020

Published every Wednesday

Pelham greenhouses struggle to find markets

Darcy Richardson, CPA, CA | Broker

DARCYRICHARDSON.CA darcy@revelrealty.ca 905.321.6292

Column Six What's new with you?

Days merge into weeks

BY JANE BEDARD

Special to the VOICE

You: So, What’s new with you?

Me: Hmm. Oh! I bought toilet paper today!

You: Wow! That’s so awesome! Good for you!

Me: Yeah, it’s a good day.

T COVID-19 shutdown hits producers at worst possible time Willowbrook's John Langendoen next to a fraction of his largely idled fleet. The company's sales are down some 70 percent over last year.

BY BRIAN GREEN

Special to the VOICE

While cannabis gets all the attention for good or ill, the greenhouse industry in Pelham is anchored in 2.7 million square feet of greenhouses growing ornamental and food plants. And they have been hit hard by the current pandemic.

Most are reporting sales down by 50 to 80 percent due to the closure

of garden centres which sell their plants. While they have been designated an essential industry and can remain open to plant, water, and care for their plants, they have few options to sell what they produce.

Through several greenhouse organizations, they are actively lobbying the Ontario government to reopen garden centres.

How big is the greenhouse industry in Pelham? According to the

Pelham Greenhouse Growers Group (PGGG) which represents 11 of the biggest operations, greenhouses and field nurseries are a major economic driver, with $42.5 million in sales and a payroll of $10.5 million.

What hurts them hurts everyone in Pelham. They employ 135 full-time workers (64 of whom live in Pelham) and 205 part-time and offshore workers.

John Langendoen, of Willowbrook

DAVE BURKET

Nursery on Victoria Ave., estimates his business is down about 70 percent from normal springtime sales.

His workers were given the option of staying at home or continuing to come in to work, and several staff who are vulnerable or who have family members with compromising conditions chose to stay home, leaving the workforce at about two See STRUGGLE Page 8

his is not the conversation that would have made the headline of my newsreel last month.

Then again, there are a lot of things happening these days that are not what I could have imagined as we are reconditioned—daily— on the new reality of our lives.

For example, I had finally trained my brain to bring my own canvas bags to the grocery store—every time.

On my toilet paper run today (pardon the pun) at the drugstore, I was not allowed to use my own bag. I also did my own scanning and bagging, while the cashier supervised me at her till. It doesn’t alter my experience much and I am grateful that I can still shop, it’s just that it wasn't like this yesterday.

And the day before that, I didn’t have to line up to enter the store. And the day See COLUMN SIX back page

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Page 2

The Voice, April 22, 2020

IN THE NEWS

PUBLISHER’S CORNER

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

by Dave Burket

Leaf them alone: Notice how many brown bags of yard waste were left over last week after the trash trucks had come and gone? That’s because the Region has imposed a new limit on yard waste bags—three (story this page). And if the ones left behind end up ripped and leaking leaves, the Region says they’ll never be picked up...In the mood for Mahmood: The nice man who runs the Shell station on Highway 20, one Mahmood by name, says that his store is available to those who might be in need of retail space, or for whatever other creative use they might have in mind. You may reach him at 289501-2024...Sharpen those blades: Open for business, Pic’s, the lawnmower emporium just over the Pelham line in the other direction on Highway 20 (ad, p. 14), who asks that you observe physical distancing...Never shaking hands again: Anthony Fauci, the Director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, and COVID-19 expert, told the Wall Street Journal recently that life after the coronavirus should see some behaviour changes. “One of them is absolute compulsive hand-washing. The other is you don’t ever shake anybody’s hands,” he said. “I don’t think we should ever shake hands ever again, to be honest with you. Not only would it be good to prevent coronavirus disease, it probably would decrease instances of influenza dramatically….” I’m right there with you, Tony. Nothing personal, folks, but my hand-shaking days are over...Trying to catch up: It’s continued to be a hectic time and just staying even with events has been hard enough. To anyone whose email or phone call I haven’t yet returned, my apologies...Small business help: MP Dean Allison and MPP Sam Oosterhoff are co-hosting a Zoom conference this Friday (ad, p. 13) to help small businesses navigate the support programs available...Feeling the years: According to the birthday list in this week’s horoscope feature (now sponsored by the Pelham Street Grille—thanks, guys!), Valerie Bertinelli is turning 60, and Al Pacino is turning 80. Jaw drops…Speaking of show business: Look a little bit south—there’s a new Puzzler! This has to be the easiest one in years, right?...Still can’t believe it: It’s been a week to the day that we learned of Councillor Mike Ciolfi’s passing, and it still seems unreal. Part of this is the upended reality we’re all struggling through, and part of it is the suddenness of the event. I mentioned his courtesy with me last week, which prompted another reporter I know to say, “He was always kind to me...always made a point of saying hello to me, and always returned my phone calls and emails.

Never once did he point out I was from the ‘not local’ paper, which I appreciated.” The Fire Department organized a fitting tribute to Mike last Tuesday (p. 11), which drew some 300 participants despite short notice. We’re working on a story looking back at Mike's life and legacy. If you have something to share, let us know at editor@thevoiceofpelham.ca. Until next week—stay safe. ♦

ce Voonivacation!

stay-cation!

New limits on yard waste pickup

Effective last Monday, April 13, only three bags or cans of yard waste will be collected per collection day, per eligible residential property (single family homes and apartments with six units or less) in Niagara.

“Residents may experience delays with leaf and yard waste collection so that frontline collectors can prioritize the weekly collection of garbage, recycling and organics,” read a Niagara Region statement released Saturday, April 11.

Anything over three bags or cans will be left behind until the next collection day. Residents are asked to ensure bags stay intact during this period. Ripped leaf and yard waste bags must be re-bagged or placed in another container to ensure material can be collected.

Restrictions also apply on leaf and yard waste at landfill and drop-off depots.

Residents are permitted one trip, every two weeks, to dispose of the following: • Leaf and yard waste, which is still being collected at the curb • Grass clippings, but residents are being encouraged to grasscycle • Oversize brush bundles, tree limbs

Strict COVID regulations for local campgrounds

CannTrust ordered to halt trading

Pelham Fire Chief and Chief Bylaw Enforcement Officer Bob Lymburner says both the Town and the police are ready to enforce stringent COVID-19 regulations placed on local campgrounds and trailer parks.

During the pandemic, snowbirds returning to such facilities from down south may stay at them only if the location acts as their principal residence. Lymburner said both such campgrounds in Pelham — Bissell’s Hideaway and Net Camping Resort — have indicated to him that they do

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have regular permanent residents, an updated list of whom will be given to the Niagara Regional Police.

“Bylaw [enforcement] will randomly perform spot checks to maintain compliance,” Lymburner said.

As with all returnees to Canada since the pandemic began, permanent residents of such parks are required by federal law to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.

Lymburner also echoed a statement from Niagara Public Health that requires the parks to close and lock all on-site washroom facilities indefinitely. In other words, residents must have such amenities available in their mobile units. And, per physical distancing guidelines, neighbouring trailers and people must be spaced at least two metres apart.

“No social gatherings such as camp fires, porch sittings or games,” he said.

As expected, CannTrust was issued a “Cease Trade Order” by the Ontario Securities Commission last Monday, April 13, which will delist the embattled cannabis producer from the Toronto Stock Exchange after the close of its May 6 session.

The official announcement comes as no surprise after CannTrust itself said March 31 they expected to be delisted from both the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges in the wake of filing for creditor protection. Shares will be delisted in New York on April 27.

The banishment of the CannTrust’s stock from two of the world’s major markets is the latest chapter in the rapid decline of the company, whose tailspin began last summer when a former employee blew the whistle to Health Canada —and media, including the Voice — on illegal pot growing at its Fenwick site. The resulting fallout cost CannTrust its growing licence, and most of its executive team their jobs. Multiple layoffs in Fenwick and the company’s other facility in Vaughan followed.

At the time of filing for creditor protection, the company’s share price on the TSX had dropped 94 percent from its peak in October 2018. The New York exchange, meanwhile, had issued CannTrust a delisting warning in December, as all stocks on Wall Street are expected to stay above $1 USD. The company has been bringing in little revenue since its Health Canada licence was suspended, but BNN Bloomberg reported this month that they still had about $145 million in cash on hand.

Backhoe once lost, now is found

A little over 24 hours after the Town filed a report with Niagara Police, the municipality's stolen John Deere backhoe (described by one Facebook user commenting on the Voice’s online story as "a piece of junk anyway") has been found in Hamilton.

"The Town is relieved to able to recover its property," said CAO David Cribbs.

The backhoe was discovered missing last Tuesday morning from the Fonthill Cemetery.

“It was parked beside the maintenance building at the cemetery, and was last used on the Thursday afternoon prior to the Easter long weekend,” said Jason Marr, Pelham’s Director of Public Works.

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The Voice, April 22, 2020

Page 3

HELP REDUCE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 TAKE STEPS TO REDUCE THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19):

Follow the advice of your local public health authority.

Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

SYMPTOMS

Cough and sneeze into your sleeve and not your hands.

Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

Stay home as much as possible and if you need to leave the house practice physical distancing (approximately 2 m).

IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS

Symptoms of COVID-19 may be very mild or more serious and may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to the virus.

Isolate at home to avoid spreading illness to others.

Avoid visits with older adults, or those with medical conditions.

They are at higher risk of developing serious illness.

Call ahead before you visit a health care professional or call your local public health authority.

If your symptoms get worse, contact your health care provider or public health authority right away and follow their instructions.

FEVER (greater or equal to 38 °C)

COUGH

DIFFICULTY BREATHING

FOR INFORMATION ON COVID-19: 1-833-784-4397

canada.ca/coronavirus

Page 4

The Voice, April 22, 2020

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

OPINION

The opinions expressed in submitted commentary and letters to the editor are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Voice of Pelham.

The Voice of Pelham is a 1211858 Ontario Limited publication David Burket, Publisher 2-1428 Pelham St., P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S1E0

COMMENTARY / OP-ED Larry Coté A very vexing virus

A

s of this writing, this damnable COVID-19 virus appears to be winning the battle. The number of hospitalizations and deaths continue to rise at a dreadful rate.

The potential outcomes modelled by the Ontario government and others are stark warnings about the range of mortalities that will result dependent on how we react as a collective. That means we must more than quadruple our collective efforts to eradicate this terrible enemy of the people. We are often admonished, “We are in this together.”

Firstly, we need to single out those people who continue to disregard the measures to reduce the spread of this disease.

There is absolutely no reasonable excuse, nor will there be easy forgiveness, for these ignoramuses to disregard the threat they impose on others in the community. Their incomprehensible behaviour not only increases the numbers who will suffer and possibly die from this terrible virus, but also serves to lengthen the pandemic’s duration. They should not be allowed to impose

their unenlightened behaviour on others with impunity. Fines imposed by some communities for such thoughtlessness will never be enough to compensate for their disregard for others, and especially for seniors and others who have compromised immune systems.

However, those unenlightened people are unworthy of more print here.

And, I surely don’t wish to exacerbate tensions caused by this pandemic. Better to more earnestly focus our most grateful appreciation for those on the front lines who are fighting the good battle on our behalf. That list of professionals and occupations confronting this incurable enemy do so at great risk to themselves, their families and loved ones. The list of personnel is too lengthy for this space but the range of occupations puts medical professionals and garbage collectors on similar pedestal for our recognition and gratitude. There will likely never be sufficient accolades or adequate compensation to reward these good people for their courageousness, selflessness and commitment on behalf of the well-being

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of all of the others in their community. Thank them often and in every way you can. Those who survive this deadly virus will be forever indebted to these heroes, some of whom gave their lives so their fellows might live.

Hopefully, the efforts of medical researchers will soon develop the antivirals that will eradicate this terrible disease that is reeking catastrophic harm to people all around the globe.

Meanwhile, we must all dutifully follow the measures advised by the medical professionals to reduce the spread within our respective communities.

Let us hope that following this tragic episode that we embrace a kinder and more considerate world.

Also importantly, may this horrific experience result in better and more inclusive health care systems around the globe.

As I write this piece I am mindful of my ever-optimistic wife’s commendation to our children as they encountered one of life’s challenges, “This too will pass.”

Be patient. Be safe. Practice physical distancing.

Listen to the authorities.

Stay at home. ♦

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca EDITOR & PUBLISHER Dave Burket publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADMINISTRATION Lori Gretsinger office@thevoiceofpelham.ca CONTRIBUTORS Carolyn Botari, Colin Brezicki, Rosemary Chambers, John Chick, Larry Coté, Brian Green, Jenica Hrysko, Maeve Keating, Megan Metler, Bill Potrecz, Bernie Puchalski, Don Rickers, John Swart, Helen Tran, Mike Tucker, Rob Weatherby. Proof Sleuth: Julian Fitch NEWS INQUIRIES & TIPS editor@thevoiceofpelham.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca

Fence or "privacy screen"?

Ever think the town of Pelham would allow a neighbor to destroy your property?

Well, prepare yourself folks they are. Some of you might remember the letters to the editor that we wrote last summer and fall due to a neighbor putting in a section of a fence 85 inches when by law stated 72 inches from the ground. While I was in Texas I received an email from a Pelham bylaw officer stating that “the fence issue is resolved.” It took the best part of a year to actually get this done. The 85-inch section has been lowered to at least be the same height as the rest of fence.

However, upon arriving home from Texas, we found that new part was being built on top of the fence, being enlarged by even higher sections. Work was being done on it until dark one night.

I contacted my councillor, Mike Ciolfi, the Mayor, the bylaw oficer, the Fire Chief, and the CAO by email. Mike Ciolfi responded stating he was sure we would be hearing from someone in regards to this. Then the bylaw officer emailed me stating that this was—ready, folks?— a “privacy screen”!

See FENCE next page

CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Member of Federal Parliament

Electoral District: Niagara West

Mayor of Pelham Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2987

Dean Allison, MP 4994 King Street Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 Dean.Allison@parl.gc.ca 877-563-7900

Members of Pelham Town Council

Member of Provincial Parliament

Ward 1

Electoral District: Niagara West

The Voice

Letters

Sam Oosterhoff, MPP 4961 King St. East, Unit M1 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 sam.oosterhoffco@pc.ola.org 905-563-1755 Members of Niagara Regional Council Councillor Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2987 Councillor Diana Huson diana.huson@niagararegion.ca 905-324-3094 Town of Pelham 20 Pelham Town Square P.O. Box 400 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 905-892-2607

Councillor Marianne Stewart mstewart@pelham.ca 289-821-0840 Ward 2 Councillor Ron Kore rkore@pelham.ca 905-933-3805

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The Voice, April 22, 2020

Page 5

OPINION Absent refund or apology, suggests Town edit its values I was pleased to see in last week’s issue that the Town will be spraying twice as many hectares of private property for gypsy moths this year than they did last year.

The difference is that this year it cost $79,000 to spray 90 hectares ($880/hectare) and it comes out of the Town's operating budget.

Last year it cost $77,000 to spray 44 hectares ($1750/hectare) and it came directly out

of the pockets of 294 residents.

The Town has never acknowledged this error and has refused to correct this overcharge.

As a result, the Town needs to re-edit its commitment to the values of “Transparency, Honesty, Respect and Trustworthiness,” published in their 2019-2022 strategic plan.

F.J. Feeley Fonthill

Loss of Mike Ciolfi is a loss for us all When Michelle and I received the news this past Monday of the passing of Mike Ciolfi, we couldn't believe it, especially that someone as robust as he could be taken away.

I really did not know Mike well until after the election, when we invited him, both as a neighbour and now councillor, to discuss a couple of issues over coffee. After meeting with Mike, we felt his sincerity for supporting the rural farming life, not only in Fenwick but in Pelham, plus the challenges of dealing with cannabis, housing development and maintaining our agricultural economy.

We felt the same when our friend, now Mayor, Marvin Junkin took his po-

sition, opting out of council and then running for Pelham's highest office.

I personally would not make a good politician, as I tend to wear my emotions on my sleeve, but somehow Mike, during his short time on the job, seemed to keep level-headed, not waiver from his promises to his constituents and be well-prepared.

I knew this because on more than one occasion after reading an article in the Voice, I would email Marvin and Mike politely stating my feelings, right or wrong. Mike and Marvin always replied and helped keep me grounded.

(If there is one takeaway message to council—when you receive an invitation to comment from the local

media or a constituent, do as Mike did and please reply.)

I also knew that beyond being a sports coach, Mike was involved at Club Castropignano and most everyone knew that there was a relationship between that charitable club, in Port Robinson, and the place where I volunteer, Merrittville Speedway. For many seasons we held our annual banquet there and also club members would cater at the track for special events. To this day, part of Mike's family, on the Iftody side, race every Saturday in two of the competing divisions.

My point is that people like Mike rub off on you.

Mike's likable nature and his sincere conviction and preparedness let you know this person was someone you could also trust.

Like my friend, Marvin Junkin and my neighbour, Mike Ciolfi, you knew when you spoke together and shook their hands there was a high level of sincerity.

Fenwick has lost someone special.

Rick and Michelle Kavanagh Fenwick

TOWN HALL MESSAGE

Mayor Marvin Junkin

Area mayors work together, and a salute to volunteers

S

ince about midMarch, which is about when this pandemic event really started to get serious for most Canadians, the 12 mayors of the Region’s 12 municipalities have been having weekly teleconference calls. Agenda items for these meetings have ranged from when to declare a state of emergency—which 11 of the 12 municipalities did simultaneously—t ransit, property tax deferral, interest deferral, and how each town/city was handling the finer points of the social lock-down, for example, who among us had closed parks and trails, or just parks, and who was doing what with their playground equipment. It is a great forum to bounce ideas off of each other, to hear what is working or not working in an area.

During last week’s call, it came to light that each town/city had unanimously, chosen to keep our planning and engineering departments staffed to the extent that these two departments would continue to process building applications so that when present-day restrictions are loosened, area construction projects will be ready to go. This would give our local economies an instant boost. It was great to hear that though this particular action was done individually, it showed that collectively all 12 towns’ politicians were on the same wavelength.

One area in which Pelham was ahead of the pack was in establishing rules that

allowed our landscaping companies to proceed with their spring work.

In Pelham, this Marvin Junkin is essential, as we have a large segment of homeowners that are in their senior years and therefore they depend on outside help to do the heavy lifting part of their yard work. The Town’s bylaw department met with these companies and established a set of standard operating procedures. Two of these are: they must practice social distancing at all times, which, when you are cutting grass, is a relatively easy thing to do; and no new landscaping construction projects may begin at this time. This is a great example of cooperation between one governmental department and the business community to get ’er done. Other municipalities are following our blueprint in this regard.

This week’s shout-out goes to the Pelham Support Group. Managed by resident Steve Schilstra, this group of 20-25 volunteer drivers services mostly seniors living in the town. With a pool of ten local businesses to choose from, consisting mostly of pharmacy and grocery stores, this support group of volunteers is making over 70 deliveries a week, ensuring that our senior citizens can stay home and stay safe. If you require this service, you can reach out to the Town at 905-8922607 ext. 372.

I would like to end this week’s column by paying tribute to our recently deceased councillor, Mike Ciolfi. Like the majority of the town’s residents, I did not know Mike before he became a councillor, so I have known him for just a year and a half. What an absolute pleasure it was to get

Other municipalities are following our blueprint in this regard

to know this man and to work with him on council.

Every meeting, Mike would make sure to greet everyone around the horseshoe with a, “Hi, how are ya?” He came to each meeting prepared, and took a copious amount of notes during each meeting, to be referenced if needed at a some later date.

His common sense, and sense of humour, will both be greatly missed at future meetings.

His willingness to go that extra mile to solve a resident’s problem, endured him to all who met him.

I would like to thank Mike’s wife, Michele, and daughters Alexis and Jessica, for sharing Mike with us. Your generosity made us a better community. Thank you. ♦

Professional SERVICES Directory The "privacy screen" erected by the letter writer's neighbour.

SUPPLIED

FENCE

continued from previous page There are no by laws on privacy screens. The middle section is nine feet high. The end sections probably another foot.

All this anger from a neighbor because they seem to think we are on their land. We aren't, but they don't seem to be able to accept where our stakes are. We are not liars or thieves as they claim on a sign in their front yard.

We feel very sorry for anyone who carries this much hate and anger in their hearts. We all have problems on a much larger scale at this time over the coronavirus. No one needs more stress put upon them.

Merelle and Marlene Stirtzinger Fenwick

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NEWSFLASH Tell us your story!

Column Six presents tales of personal triumph, adventure, strange-but-true stories, life-changing events, and looks-back at our past.

Did you conquer Everest or kick a bad habit?

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Page 6

Letters

The Voice, April 22, 2020

Pelham, COVID-19, and the magic of small town service clubs

continued

Age of Ontario's youngest MPP irrelevant I found your sunshine listing of Pelham municipal employees interesting and informative. However, I do not see the relevance of Mr. Oosterhoff’s name and age and salary appearing with this group. Granted, he is this area’s MPP, but is not an employee of the Town of Pelham. I feel that he is being singled-out for whatever reason—and why indicate his age when this information was not provided for any of the other employees listed. Just a valid question and observation.

Ruth and Neale Kramer Fonthill

Bail out people, not corporations When people are lining up at food banks, when we have the greatest unemployment in history, and while Big Oil is still grotesquely popular, the last thing the government should spend any money on is a Big Oil bailout.

The money should go straight to funding a permanent Universal Basic Income (UBI), and/or to funding alternative energies, creating sustainable jobs, supporting small business, and building the digital infrastructure needed to support an economy in the post COVID-19 era.

Brandi Jasmine Welland

}

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

These are different times that we are in and the shutdown of most services and businesses to try control the spread of the COVID-19 virus is something almost all of us have never experienced. Social distancing and staying at home is what the world has been told to do while we watch closely for the rate of new COVID cases to slow down and wait for vaccine companies who are working around the clock to develop an effective vaccine.

My family and I have had the wonderful opportunity to live in Pelham for 25 years and operate the Fonthill Shoppers Drug Mart for well over 20 years.

In the last couple of weeks it appears to me that the message to stay home and embrace social distancing is being supported much more than in the first few weeks of the pandemic.

Along with people staying home came the overwhelming increase for requests for deliveries to their homes from the businesses that remain open. I can tell

you that I have never felt unrelenting pressure like this in my many years in pharmacy. There was no way that my drivers could have kept up without endangering themselves and others trying to complete the requests.

This is where I need to mention the residents of Pelham, the service clubs of Pelham and the Town Of Pelham. Behind the scenes the Lions Club of Fenwick supported totally by all the other service clubs were setting up the Pelham Support Network, with the aid of the Town of Pelham. Without the Pelham Support Network I do not know how my team would have been able to support our customers the way we have.

I acknowledge that we have let down some customers but it is not because we are not trying and wanting to help. The requests have been nonstop and rightfully so because we have been told to STAY HOME. The Pelham Support Network has kept the disappointments to a

minimum. You call us, Sobeys, and all the other businesses listed on the website, and we put together the order. It is input online to the website and MAGICALLY volunteer drivers show up in the afternoon Monday to Saturday and bring it to the homes. Furthermore I cannot tell you how many residents of the town both male and female have spoken to me to offer their services for deliveries because they want to help.

Pelham residents, I want to applaud you as I realize even more what a special group of people we have here which also makes Pelham a fantastic place (magical) to bring a family up in and retire in. I hope everyone joins me when you have a chance to support the service clubs and especially let them know that their response to this pandemic has been out of the world in our small town.

Frank Sicoli Associate- Pharmacist Fonthill Shoppers Drug Mart

Ability to fish must be restored I am going to start off by saying this may be a minor issue for some, but for my family and I, as well as I am sure I can speak for many families, when I say closing

all the boat launches around Ontario is absolutely ridiculous.

I have a family of seven and fishing for our family is a necessity in order to

reduce our grocery bills and allows us to spend money on other essential needs. That being said, there are reports that “an immediate and drastic” impact on Canadi-

an meat supply may come as many meat producers have been forced to shut down or limit production.

See FISHING Page 8

Notice of Request for Comments

Proposed Cannabis Policies and Regulations for the Town of Pelham Please provide your input by email to Shannon Larocque, Senior Planner (slarocque@pelham.ca), Tim Nohara, Chair of Cannabis Control Committee (timnohara@gmail.com) and Nick McDonald, Planning Consultant (nick@meridian-vaughan.ca) or in writing to: Town Clerk, Nancy J. Bozzato, PO Box 400, 20 Pelham Town Square, Fonthill, Ontario L0S 1E0 by May 5th, 2020. It is anticipated that Council will receive a recommendation report respecting the Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments on June 1, 2020.

The Town of Pelham Cannabis Control Committee is requesting comments on its proposed amendments to the Official Plan (File no. OP-AM-01-19) and Zoning Bylaw (File no. AM-07-19) under Sections 22 and 34 of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, with respect to cannabis production within the Town.

• Establish guidelines on what setbacks will be considered as a minimum if a cannabis or an industrial hemp-related use is proposed through a zoning by-law amendment which can be increased or decreased based on the merits of an individual application.

The Draft Official Plan Amendment proposes to: • Establish a cannabis overlay for lands designated Good General Agricultural where new cannabis and industrial hemp-related uses (indoor and outdoor) are permitted, subject to certain criteria being satisfied, including policy guidance for the establishment of appropriate setbacks to avoid, minimize and mitigate adverse effects.

• Establish the requirement for a zoning by-law amendment to establish a new cannabis-related use or industrial hemp-related use in the Good General Agricultural designation.

• Indicate that Site Plan Approval would also be required for such uses.

• Require an Official Plan Amendment, in addition to a zoning by-law amendment, to permit new cannabis and industrial hemp-related uses within the Specialty Agricultural designation.

• Identify the studies that are required to support the establishment of a cannabis or industrial hemp-related use to ensure that all potential adverse effects are studied in advance. Required studies include an Odour Emission and Dispersion Modelling Report, Contingency Odour Mitigation Plan, Light Mitigation Plan, Contingency Light Mitigation Plan, Agricultural Impact Assessment and Traffic Impact Study in addition to other required studies typically submitted as part of an application for re-zoning. The results of these studies are intended to establish the minimum setback from sensitive land uses to be included in the required site-specific zoning by-law amendment and may establish a maximum facility size for the use, if it has been determined that the siting of the use can be supported. These studies will also establish minimum separation distance between cannabis and industrial hemp-related uses, as required.

The Draft Zoning By-law Amendment proposes to: • Add definitions for indoor and outdoor cannabis and industrial hemp-related uses as well as sensitive land uses; • Establish Agricultural - Cannabis (A-CAN) and General Industrial-Cannabis (M2CAN) zones with regulations for minimum setbacks, lot area, frontage and coverage requirements.

• Rezone properties containing existing cannabis – related uses site-specifically to recognize existing operations.

Copies of the draft Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments as well as an explanatory report are available on the Town’s website at: www.pelham.ca.

Note: written submissions and comments form part of the public record and may be publicly released.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make a written submission to the Town of Pelham on the Planning Act matters before the proposed Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments are adopted, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. Further, the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal unless, in the opinion of the Tribunal, there is reasonable grounds to do so.

If you wish to be notified of the decision regarding the proposed Zoning By-law and Official Plan amendments, you must make a written request to the Clerk of the Town of Pelham and such request must include the name and address to which such notice should be sent.

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice, April 22, 2020

Stop the Spread COVID-19 can be deadly.

Stay home.

Save lives.

Visit ontario.ca/coronavirus Paid for by the Government of Ontario

Page 7

Page 8

STRUGGLE

continued from Page 1 thirds of normal, with half of the company’s normal intake of some 100 offshore workers.

Willowbrook grows wholesale shrubs and evergreens for stores like Canadian Tire, Home Depot, and Sobeys, with customers across Canada and some business in the U.S. Langendoen points out that garden centres in almost every other province have been allowed to open, and says he is on conference calls every day with his counterparts to lobby the Ontario government to place garden centres on the “essential” list.

On a much smaller scale, Jason Wierenga, of Fern Fascination on Balfour St., estimates his business is down 40 percent for this time of year, but acknowledges he is lucky since his business is not dependent on the two

OBITUARY

ROBINSON, Beverley Esther Joan (nee Stewart) Died peacefully at Lookout Ridge Retirement Home on Tuesday evening April 14, 2020 in her 90th year. Predeceased by her husband Clarke (2006).

Mother of Kelly (Michael) of Fonthill, Scott of London, Jennifer (Glenn) of Knoxville, and Tim (Sue) of Milton. Cherished grandmother of Liam and Nathan Gojmerac, Olivia and Nicolette Robinson, and Rian Currie. Bev grew up in the Ottawa Valley, and though an only child, was part of the large and loving Gervan extended family.

She worked for BOAC (now British Airways) as a young woman and got to travel the world before that was even a thing. She raised a family later in life (also before that was a thing), worked for a time as a real estate agent in the Niagara Region, and was a long-time member of Fonthill United Church.

She was a social butterfly who also tried to live by her social values, however imperfectly. The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the staff at Lookout for their compassion while Bev was in their care. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be arranged for a later date in Fonthill; a private burial will be held at Rosebank Cemetery in the Ottawa Valley. As an expression of sympathy donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation (www.heartandstroke. ca). Online condolences may be shared at www. pedlarfuneralhome.ca

The Voice, April 22, 2020 biggest days of the year for plant producers: Easter and Mother’s Day. Still, most of his business is concentrated in May and June, and garden centres like Canadian Tire are his main customers, so he has tried to cut back and open up new, non-traditional outlets for his ferns.

Some local businesses that have remained open like DeVries Fruit Farm in Fenwick have agreed to sell Wierenga’s hanging baskets, but they can’t move the volumes that his business depends on.

Elbert Groeneveld, of Greenfield Gardens, says that he has to make daily decisions about whether or not to plant his bedding plants.

“Do I plant today and hope to sell in two weeks?

Do I invest the time and labour and materials now and then throw it all away if I can’t move it? It’s cheaper not to plant at all!”

Selling a perishable product like bedding plants puts Groeneveld under pressure, especially during May and June when he does 80 percent of his business. At present, he has seven offshore workers and is actually trying to hire some local labour (he had four interviews set up last week and not one candidate showed up) but admits that he may have to lay them off within weeks if retail garden centres remain closed during his busiest period. In the meantime, he has a wagon at the front of

his Balfour Street operation selling flowers curbside.

Ed Slappendel, of Slappendel Greenhouses on Maple Street, estimates that he is doing about 30 percent of the business he did last year at this time. Selling mostly tropical plants, which are in demand year-round, he still notes that about half of his business takes place in the spring. He has tried to cut back his bedding plant operation and has reduced his staff by half, but still has had to plant a large volume in the hope that garden centres will reopen—yet, like Elbert Groeneveld, Slappendel may have to simply dump the plants if they can’t be sold.

With 95 percent of his gerbera production going to wholesalers who sell to the U.S. and Canadian garden centres, Will Van Vliet is scrambling to find new outlets for his products.

“I’m beating Facebook and Instagram to death,” he says, and trying to sell the gerberas and his strawberries out the door of his Highway 20 greenhouse.

Diversification has paid off for Van Vliet since he began selling year-round greenhouse-grown strawberries several years ago. Strawberry sales are up at grocery stores like Pupo’s and specialty retailers in Toronto, though they can’t compensate for the devastating decline in his staple gerberas… and Mother’s Day produces his biggest sales.

United Floral Distributors

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

is another major player in the local greenhouse industry, their trucks taking the produce from local producers to markets across North America. Owner Al Elmers estimates their business is down about 65 percent and they have reduced their employees from a peak of about 150 to half that. Some took voluntary leave, while others were uncomfortable continuing to come in to work so were laid off.

Elmers says that any who want to return when normal business resumes will be welcomed back.

With his finger on the pulse of the process of shipping plants to market, Elmers has noticed that it is the potted plant growers who are hardest hit, since about 80 percent of their product goes to the U.S. Still, he notes that there are areas far worse hit than Niagara.

Most carnations and roses are imported from growers in South America and their business has completely dried up— some have already closed permanently.

Elmers has praise for Canada’s politicians.

“They have never been in this position before. It’s 101 for them and they are doing everything they can,” and notes that the spirit of cooperation between provincial and federal governments is a welcome change.

John Langendoen of Willowbrook Nursery advocates for his industry at the local and provincial level.

He maintains that “staying

at home to stop the community spread of COVID-19 is showing to be effective.

However staying at home does not equate to having to stay inside. Getting outside, into your own yard and gardening can be done safely without interactions with others from outside your home.”

He points out that gardening is proven to be an effective activity to lessen mental stress, and gardening not only beautifies the home but can provide home produced food.

“Ontario nurseries not only grow trees and shrubs,” he says, “but also many of the starter plants, vegetable plants, fruit bushes that contribute to an aesthetic and functional food-based garden.”

Langendoen says that he has been through tough times before, especially in 2008 and 2009, so to some extent his Willowbrook Nursery was better prepared for the current crisis and able to act quickly by cancelling orders and reducing production.

“I am a person of faith,” he says, “And that is what is carrying me through these unprecedented times.

Doesn’t mean I don’t have stress and I don’t always get a good night’s sleep, but it does give me encouragement to keep on plugging away during this crisis.”

Meanwhile, the owner of the business is pitching in by mopping floors and taking out the garbage.

FISHING

continued from Page 6 How on earth are we supposed to feed our family healthy, proper meals if we can no longer go fishing, and will be at a hit-andmiss for meat in Canadian stores?

The price of fish in grocery stores and local fish stores is very expensive to buy let alone feed a family of four or more. During these times being able to afford fish is going to be next to impossible.

Fishing for some may be for pleasure but for families around Niagara Region we go out to put food on the table and make sure there is food in our freezers.

For decades people that are not commercial fisherman have relied on fishing for food and now families like myself have to stress and hope there will be meat in the stores on my oncea-week grocery trip. This causes stress to the stress that we as a country are already facing on a daily basis.

I will be writing every paper, news channel and whoever will listen until something is done. We are not needing an extra $200 a month for groceries that we will have to pay tax on again. We are needing our fishing rights back that for generations we have relied on to feed our families.

Sarah Fish Welland

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice, April 22, 2020

Page 9

Town Council Zooms into new reality Physical distancing shapes the conversation

BY DON RICKERS

Special to the VOICE

Monday, April 6 saw not just another council meeting, but the start of a new reality.

Teleconferencing had replaced face-to-face interaction. With only Mayor Marvin Junkin and Clerk Nancy Bozzato in council chambers, councillors and senior Town staff were virtually present, talking heads on large video screens positioned around the room.

It wasn’t a perfect inaugural execution. There was some variation in signal strength and audio quality, depending on whether people were using desktop computers, laptops, iPads, or cellular phones. (Council members are provided with tablets.)

At one point, the Town's computer system went into sleep mode. It’s an energy conservation default, when the servers to do their own routine maintenance.

But on balance, CAO David Cribbs thought it all went successfully.

“It was our first time using the technology platform, Zoom,” he said. “We think we have the minor

issues resolved, and expect something a lot smoother for the April 20th meeting.

There is no perfect technology. I'm not here to sing the praises of one piece of software over another. But Zoom does allow us to scale for many participants.”

Zoom is a Silicon Valley-based communications technology company that has seen impressive growth since its founding nine years ago, due primarily to its cloud-based software program used for teleconferencing, online chats, and distance education.

Dramatic increases in customer usage of Zoom during the past several weeks are attributed to the need for business and social connectivity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Zoom’s stock has double in price since the start of 2020, and the company has a current valuation of $42 billion. It is a key videoconferencing competitor for Cisco’s Webex and Microsoft’s Skype.

“From my perspective, the meeting was functional,” said Cribbs. “Was it perfect? No. But the bottom

line is that we got the technology at a very good price, which has allowed us to carry on the business of this $23.5 million dollar corporation that the community is heavily relying on, now more than ever.”

The teleconference added another layer of responsibility to Clerk Nancy Bozzato’s role during the meeting.

She controlled the console that regulated the audio and video components of the new system, in addition to her normal duty of recording the council minutes.

“The technology has pro-

vided a way to ensure the business of the municipality continues, keeping everyone safe and healthy, and focusing on public access to meetings of council,” said Bozzato. “We will always look for ways to improve.”

The Zoom tech aside, Pelham’s Manager of Information Technology, Mike Guglielmi, gave the Voice a technical tour of the how the Town’s new video system inside council chambers works. He has been with the Town since 2010, See TECH next page

Top, at the start of the most recent council meeting, on April 6, only the Mayor and Clerk are physically present. Above, Manager of Information Technology Mike Guglielmi makes a final system check before the meeting begins.

DON RICKERS

Page 10

The Voice, April 22, 2020

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

IN THE NEWS continued from Page 2 The stolen machine was ten years old. The replacement cost of a new backhoe is around $100,000.

Marr said that the Town’s operator would not have left the keys in the vehicle, which is emblazoned with Town of Pelham logos.

One might think that pilfering a 15,000-pound backhoe (about five times the weight of an average car) would be difficult, especially since its maximum speed is only about 30 kilometres per hour. Hardly a getaway vehicle of choice. But theft

of heavy equipment is not uncommon on construction sites, said Marr.

Backhoes are frequently used in smash and grab thefts of public-access ATM machines, and to enter hardened structures where expensive machinery is housed.

"While the backhoe may be past its prime,” said CAO Cribbs, “it continues to provide reliable service and is entirely satisfactory for the purpose of digging six feet into the ground. As I’m sure is true for most residents, we are eager to learn more details as to how this large

piece of equipment was relocated to Hamilton with no one being any the wiser."

Cribbs said that Hamilton police were of the opinion the machine was undamaged. It has been taken in for forensic examination. Once released, it will be up to the Town to pay for its return to Pelham.

"Given the Town’s increased operating costs as a result of the coronavirus," said Cribbs, "this was a particularly difficult time to potentially lose a valuable capital asset. We thank law enforcement for its diligence in recovering our property."

Sam Oosterhoff MPP Niagara West

Town CAO David Cribbs attends the meeting from his office, a few feet from chambers. DON RICKERS

TECH

continued from previous page and has seen firsthand the electronic evolution of Pelham’s council meeting system.

“Nancy [Bozzato] does her magic from here,” said Guglielmi, pointing to the control console at the Clerk’s desk.

The system inside chambers—not the Zoom system— involves automated live switching, so that when councillors turn on their microphones to speak during a meeting, a camera activates and zooms in on them. A blue light on the microphone indicates to the speakers that they are live. The image of the speaker is then presented on projection screens and on the live YouTube channel feed.

Multiple cameras provide different angles and perspectives (the old system had only one camera, mounted security cam-style at the back of the room). At the start of a council meeting, when all present stand for the national anthem, the system defaults to a birds-eye, wide-angle view of the entire room.

“The beauty of this system is that the Clerk can override the default settings, and manually choose the camera to pinpoint what she wants on the viewing screens,”

said Guglielmi.

On the control console, the Clerk can present PowerPoint presentations to the physical audience in attendance and the viewers at home. All meetings are recorded to a racked automated system housed in a closet behind the council desks. Think of it as the Wizard of Oz behind his curtain.

A USB backup preserves data in the event of an internet glitch, or, as Guglielmi refers to it, a “network connectivity anomaly.”

Power outage? No problem. A backup system kicks in automatically for up to an hour.

The cost of all this magic? $63,000.

Design Electronics of Niagara Falls installed the custom-designed, state-of-theart system last December. Trial runs and user training were conducted early in 2020.

“The company came in and demonstrated the system for us. We made a few changes, such as implementing a password so nobody can just walk up here and start streaming live,” said Guglielmi. “The entire council chambers was rewired. We were on an old VGA [analog] connection, but now we're all HDMI [digital] and 4K.” Guglielmi said that the system is easily upgradable with new components as they are developed, but expects it will be five to eight years before any significant enhancements are required.

Over the past weeks, many across the communities of Niagara West have stepped up to serve with tireless dedication.

To all of our first responders, healthcare workers, and essential workers: THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts!

To all residents: you can find considerable information to keep you and your families’ safe at: www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus Although my office is not open for in-person meetings at this time, my team and I stand ready to help wherever possible via email, phone, mail, or social media.

If you need any help, please email us at

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The Voice, April 22, 2020

Page 11

Drive-by vigil for Mike Ciolfi The Pelham Fire Department’s drive-by vigil in honour of Pelham Town Councillor Mike Ciolfi, who died overnight Sunday, April 12, saw a huge turnout of participants on Tuesday evening, April 14.

Starting from Fire Station #2, a long line of vehicles proceeded along a route that took them to the Ciolfi family home near the intersection of Church and Sumbler, in Fenwick.

Neighbours told the Voice that starting shortly after 8 PM, a steady stream of cars

started passing, and was still going 40 minutes later. Mayor Marvin Junkin, and MPP Sam Oosterhoff were among those paying their respects.

Some 300 vehicles stretched all the way from Sumbler and Church, to Canboro, and along Canboro all the way east to Cream Street.

"Awesome night, huge turn-out. What a tribute to a gentle giant," Fire Chief Bob Lymburner said.

PHOTOS BY BRIAN GREEN

Town of Pelham Notice TALL GRASS AND WEEDS MAINTENANCE Pursuant to the TOWN OF PELHAM Clean Yards By-law, as amended, please be advised that: Every owner of property in the Town of Pelham shall cut, trim or remove the grass and weeds whenever the growth of the grass or weeds exceeds two hundred (200) millimeters (8 inches) in height except on land used for agricultural purposes.

Prior to taking any remedial action, a By-law Officer will give the owner notice, which is deemed to be good and sufficient service, by ordinary mail, registered mail, email or hand delivered to the address of the owner according to the last revised Assessment Roll of the subject property. The notice may also be posted at the subject property, and such service shall be deemed good and sufficient service.

ONLY ONE WARNING NOTIFICATION WILL BE ISSUED PER CALENDER YEAR FOR EACH PROPERTY THAT IS IN VIOLATION OF THE BY-LAW. FOR EVERY SUBSEQUENT VIOLATION THEREAFTER, THE PROCESS WILL PROCEED DIRECTLY TO THE TOWN ARRANGING THE CUTTING OF THE PROPERTY WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE. The following Administrative Fees, Penalties and costs can/will be charged against a subject property depending on the remedial action taken by the Town: 1) All contractor costs for cutting the subject property 2) Administrative Fee - $175.00 3) Initial Inspection Fee - $95.00 4) Re-inspection Fee - $95.00 5) Violation Notice Mailing Fee - $25.00 6) Administrative Penalty - $250.00 per day for each day the violation exists.

Complaints and inquiries should be directed to the By-law Enforcement Division at 905-892-2607 x201.

Pelham transit shifts to Dial-a-Ride service only during COVID-19 pandemic As of April 14, 2020, Pelham Transit will operate as a Dial-a-Ride service until further notice. Dial-a-ride service is available 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday All rides are to be booked with at least 48 hour notice. If booking a ride for Mondays or Tuesdays, please call the Friday before. Dial-a-Ride is a door-to-door transit service that picks up and drops off anywhere within Pelham boundaries and to the Seaway Mall/ Niagara College in Welland. There will be no fares required by our customers during this unprecedented pandemic.

All rides can be pre-booked by calling Karen Blake at 905-892-2607 x347. Phone calls will be answered Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

If you are booking a ride for Mondays or Tuesdays, please call the Friday before.

Rides must be booked at least 48 hours in advance.

www.pelham.ca/transit

Page 12

The Voice, April 22, 2020

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

COVID-19 e≠ect on Niagara jobs 50th Earth Day this week

BY MEGAN METLER

BY MEGAN METLER

Special to the VOICE

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the economy and many families during this difficult time. Some 11,000 people in Niagara have lost their jobs from February to March of this year.

However, the Canadian Government is providing various aid measures to help families, students, employees and businesses cope with the current situation.

In his April 9 COVID-19 update, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the unemployment and financial impacts that have been a result.

“That’s no comfort if you’re out of a job, if you’re having difficulty making ends meet. You need real support. So we’re doing our best to help you bridge to better times,” said

Trudeau.

The unemployment rate in Niagara has increased from 5.6% in February to 8.4% in March and continues rising. Many more workers are experiencing decreased hours and reduced wages.

With these recent changes, Trudeau announced modifications to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and some six million people have applied since applications opened on April 6.

CERB is for those who have lost their income due to COVID-19 and provides those accepted with $500 per week for up to 16 weeks.

Wage increases for essential workers who earn less than $2,500 a month and those working in longterm care facilities for the

Special to the VOICE

elderly were announced to be included in the most recent CERB regulations.

The government is also working on ways to help employers keep workers on the payroll and on updated loan programs for business owners.

According to the Canadian government website, the COVID-19 “action plan” includes $3.3 billion dollars to support healthcare, $3.7 billion to support people and jobs, and $10 billion to help people and businesses improve cash flow.

Six billion dollars is additionally being used to briefly delay taxes payments from 100,000 Ontario businesses as well as other payments. Canada Child Benefits will also be See JOBS Page 16

Accepting New Patients

This Wednesday, April 22, marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. The event is an opportunity for some 190 countries to work together to clean their communities and promote positive change for the environment.

More than one billion people globally participate, making it the greatest civic observance in the world.

According to a news release last month, Earth Day President Kathleen Rogers asserted that this will be an historic moment when citizens rise up in a united front to face current challenges.

“From climate change and the loss of species to rising waste in our rivers and oceans, the world today is facing major challenges that threaten lives, livelihoods and the health of our planet,” said Rogers.

The theme for this year is climate action due to the urgency of the issue. The Earth Day Organization describes the problem as a huge challenge with boundless opportunities.

April 1970 was the very first Earth Day, coordinated by environmental activist Denis Hayes. This ecological movement began with 20 million Americans staging rallies and protests to raise awareness of the negative effects on mankind on the earth.

This action led to the creation of new environmental laws in the United States, regulations that other countries later put in place as well.

When Hayes was in charge of the Earth Day Network he organized events in various countries up to the 2000s. To this day, he remains chair of the Earth Day Network.

On the global stage, this day also holds historical significance. In 2016, the United Nations selected Earth Day to be the day on which the Paris Agreement for climate change was signed.

Speaking to the Voice, Mayor Marvin Junkin said, “For the last four years, the Town has accepted donations from interested citizens, and these donations went to the purchasing of trees that Town staff would then plant [for Earth Day]. The last two years the Town has invited our local Grade 4-5 students to come out and assist with the planting, and in return for their help, each student was given a seedling to take home and plant.”

Junkin also recalled that in previous years Town staff organized roadside clean-ups made up of residents and elected officials for this celebration.

The planting and many other Earth Day events are cancelled this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Earth Day Network and participants celebrating instead with the first Digital Earth Day. The global digital mobilization will take place on April 22 to maximize safety during this pandemic.

With social distance measures being put in place all around the world, the Earth Day Network offered challenges for 22 days before Earth Day to help people connect and take action at home.

Rogers explained that no matter where people are in the world, they are all connected to overcome shared emergencies, whether it’s the coronavirus or climate change. The challenges also implemented the Earth Day Network’s 50th-anniversary framework for action: Speak up, Act, Vote, Educate.

“We encourage people to rise up but to do so safely and responsibly —in many cases, that means using our voices to drive action online rather than in person,” said Rogers. “Together, we can make 2020 a year that can help change the course of history,”

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice, April 22, 2020

NEWS FROM THE STACKS

Page 13

Amy Guilmette, Acting Library CEO

Various library resources still available

L

ibraries pride themselves on being one of the few places anyone can go to without being expected to buy something. Although we are currently unable to provide that physical space, Pelham Library staff are working to provide that place online.

We offer a wealth of digital content both to assist students struggling to adjust to working from home and for those of all ages who now find themselves unable to pop out to the store to purchase their favourite form of entertainment.

Ancestry.com is an excellent genealogy tool to explore your roots, provided you're willing to put in the time. Ancestry helps you discover your history, build your family tree, and sometimes even locate long-lost relatives with information including birthplaces and marriage records. The Library has a subscription to this wonderful resource, and while it is normally only available for use in the Library, Ancestry has opened it up for Library card holders to use from home. At this time, they have set the deadline for in-home access to April 30, but we are hopeful they will extend the courtesy while we remain closed.

For elementary students working from home, Pelham Public Library offers

a variety of research options that are safe, age-appropriate, and fact-based.

PebbleGo is a kid-friendly, searchable database for information on animals, science, biographies, social studies, and every kid’s favourite —dinosaurs. Need information on countries or culture? Global Road Warrior is the world’s most extensive country-by-country resource for learning about culture, customs, history, and language worldwide.

Also included are extensive collections of maps, flags, illustrations, and photos.

Want to keep up your French skills? Mango Languages has provided free access during the closure and you can find the link on our website. And finally, for all of us who remember those trusty encyclopaedias that filled up shelves of space but offered accurate information on almost every topic you can think of, Pelham Library has an online subscription to Britannica Library.

While we are closed, we continue to add to our online programming. Mrs. Bennett is busy taping and uploading her storytimes, Ms. Fulop is recruiting teen book reviewers (reviewers can earn three hours of volunteer time while social distancing), and Mel is hosting TGIF crafters meetings online via Zoom. As

we add more programming, you will be able to access it via our events calendar on the website.

Since our last column, we have been busy registering people for new Library cards, updating and renewing ac-

While we are closed, we continue to add to our online programming counts that have expired, and assisting members of our community in accessing resources. We know some of you are finding it difficult to deal with the isolation, and we can help you through this time with resources such as Hoopla, OverDrive and rbDigital. All of these resources have experienced a huge increase in usage since we closed, and we want to help everyone enjoy them. Hoopla now provides each Library user access to ten items per month, and the use of this resource has doubled. As this closure continues, we are listening to your requests and we will be adding additional popular e-book titles to Overdrive. Pelham cardholders

will receive borrowing priority on these titles. Stay tuned to our social media channels and this space and we will let you know when they have been added.

For those of you thinking of starting your first garden, Library staff can help.

We established our seed library, Pelham Plants, in early March, but now that the Library is closed we have taken it to a new level.

If you would like to receive seed packets, visit the Seed Library page on our website, fill out the form, and we will mail the seeds directly to you. Please let us know how your seeds are growing over the next few months and don't forget to try to save seeds from your vegetables to donate back to the Library in the fall.

I would like to finish up with a shout-out to our many volunteers. This week is Volunteer Appreciation Week and we want all of our volunteers to know that we not only appreciate them, we miss them too.

If you would like further information on available resources or how to use any of this technology, please contact us through email at admin@pelhamlibrary. on.ca or call us at 905-8926443 and leave a message.

A Library staff member will answer your email or return your call as soon as we can.

Keep safe! ♦

Dean Allison MP for Niagara West MP Sam Oosterhoff MPP MPP for Niagara West MP

Dean Allison MP and Sam Oosterhoff MPP Will be holding a Zoom on-line information session for Small Business Friday, April 24 from 10:00 am — 11:00 am The topics included in this update will include information on federal and provincial supports Designed to assist small business.

If you are interested in participating, please email either Dean or Sam and details will be emailed to you.

Please note that space is limited.

To Contact Dean

To Contact Sam

1.905.563.7900

1.905.563.1755

dean.allison@parl.gc.ca

sam.oosterhoff@pc.ola.org

www.deanallison.ca

samoosterhoffmpp.ca

SUSAN HENSON

Pelham Window Walks

BY MEGAN METLER

Special to the VOICE

The Pelham Public Library has brought the Neighbourhood Window Walk to Pelham.

Window walks have been popping up all over the country to help keep kids busy and entertained during this isolation period. It also encourages kids to go outside to get fresh air and exercise.

The idea of it is simple: children and adults make crafts for the designated weekly themes and post them on their windows and doors for others to see. Everyone participating are also encouraged to share their creations on social media using #windowwalkpelham.

With warm weather approaching, the themes for this month are all spring related. For each of the following weeks, they are: April 13, chicks, April 20,

birds, April 27, flowers.

Resident Susan Henson told the Voice that her daughter, Isabelle Henson, Grade 6 student at St. Ann Catholic School in Fenwick, decorated 40 unique eggs to put in each of their window panes.

“My daughter’s teacher suggested it to the kids in her class,” said Henson. “Our daughter grabs ideas like this and runs with them. I, like many in the neighbourhood, am out walking these days to stay sane and it is so nice to see little pictures and notes on the windows of houses as you walk by.”

Keep an eye out for artwork posted on windows and doors in your neighbourhood and join in on the fun. Remember to continue physical distancing while participating in the Neighbourhood Window Walk.

WE ARE OPEN! IN FENWICK, AND ONLINE

and

ATTENTION ALL BUSINESSES

Decorated eggs in a window at the Henson Family's home.

We remain open at the farm Monday-Friday 8 AM-6 PM, Saturday 8 AM-5 PM. Closed Sundays

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We also have a nice selection of ferns from our good friends at FERN FASCINATION on Balfour street.

NOW CARRYING HIGHLAND PACKERS MEATS

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Fresh off the Farm Tomatoes , peppers, cucumbers, potatoes, onions, beets, carrots, mushrooms.

We just opened another controlled atmosphere storage this week with lots of crispy apples: Mutsu, Golden and Red Delicious, Ambrosia, Aurora Gold, Ida red, Nicoli, Salish, Empire, Macs, Royal gala, Cortland, Jona gold.

Lots of preserves. Eggs. Apple cider. Frozen fruit.

And much more.

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Page 14

The Voice, April 22, 2020

DECLARE

continued from Page 17 died long before we notified anyone.”

“We were away for the weekend—at Gary’s—and when Dad didn’t answer our calls we came home early.

We called 9-1-1 as soon as we found him.”

“You’re bringing Gary into this?”

“He’ll be cool with it, don’t worry. I know our

OBITUARY

RYBIAK, Sophie After a long fulfilling life, Sophie Rybiak (nee Kasprzynska in Rowne, Poland, February 5, 1925; Veteran, Allied Forces WWll), peacefully passed away on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020 at Woodlands of Sunset, Pelham, at 95 years of age. Beloved wife of the late Joseph Julian Rybiak (2007) and predeceased by her son, Christopher Joseph (2004) (Brenda 2017).

Loving mother of Barbara (dearest friend, Travis Secord) of Fonthill, Richard (Wieske) of Welland, George (Christine) of West Lorne, Martin (Linda) of Edmonton and Paul (Millie) of Sudbury. A Special Grandma//Babcia to many beautiful grandchildren.

Remembered by her family and her cousins, the Krokos family, in Poland.

The family would like to express their utmost gratitude to the many wonderful people –friends - who supported Sophie in every way, especially during the last years of her life, (e.g., the Secord/ Fletcher family; Mrs. Nan Rilstone; Mr. George and Dr. E. Kouros) and medical team (e.g., Drs. Ali and Safranyos; Mr. Tony Pirritano), her PSWs and, of course, her outstanding family at Woodlands of Sunset. Due to the current circumstances, a Catholic Rite of Committal was celebrated privately with Father Chad Grennan and family at Pleasantview Memorial Gardens, Fonthill, with a Funeral Mass at St. Anns Church, Fenwick, to be celebrated at a later date.

As an expression of sympathy, donations to Pelham Cares; St. Anns Church, Fenwick; War Amps Canada; Woodlands of Sunset Recreation would be greatly appreciated by the family.

“Wieczne odpoczywanie racz Jej dać, Panie.

A światłość wiekuista niechaj Jej świeci.”

S

son.” He checked his mirror.

“Shit.”

When she turned to look at the body she saw the cruiser’s flashing lights.

“He’s pulling us over.”

“Us? You’re the one doing ninety.”

“Don’t start, Karen. We need to stay calm here. Let me do the talking.”

She said nothing. Let him do the talking. And the thinking, if you could call it that, and the deciding. Like his dead father, bull-headed and controlling. And now a state trooper to deal with.

All yours, Gerry.

He pulled onto the shoulder and slowed to a stop.

After taking out his license he reached for the insurance and registration.

They waited in silence, Gerry staring into the rearview. When he saw the officer step out of his cruiser he lowered his window.

The trooper sounded pleasant enough when he asked to see the documents.

He examined them while asking the routine questions. Where did they live?

Where had they been? How long in Florida? Who’s in the back seat?

“That’s my dad. He’s narcoleptic. It’s an age thing.

We’re letting him sleep.”

“Narcoleptic?”

“Yeah, he sleeps all the time. It’s part of his depression. He’s especially prone in a moving vehicle. I mean prone as in liable—to sleep, I mean.”

Karen stared out her window.

“So, if we can settle this, officer, we’d like to be on our way. Dad gets agitated if

he’s woken up. How much is the ticket?”

“Can I see all the passports please?”

“Sure thing, officer.” He took the documents from Karen and handed them to the trooper.

He examined the photos, then looked in at Karen before returning two of the passports. “Can you roll down the back window please, sir?”

“No problem.” He lowered his father’s window.

“Are you sure this man’s all right? He looks a little grey.”

“That’s the narcolepsy— and his medication. It affects the circulation, especially when he’s asleep.”

“Please wait here, sir.” He walked back to his cruiser and sat inside for some minutes, before emerging again. He handed Gerry the ticket. “You can pay online or refer it to court within twenty-eight days. Go easy on that gas pedal, okay?” He turned and walked back to his cruiser.

“How much?” she asked.

“Two hundred.”

“And points?”

“Not if I pay within twenty-eight days.”

She looked in her wing mirror. “He’s waiting for you to go.”

“I was waiting for him.”

“They like to follow for a while.”

The cruiser stayed with them for a few miles before turning off at the next exit.

She could see Gerry was feeling a little easier now.

He shifted his hands to the top of the steering wheel and held it like he was driv-

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

ing NASCAR. “Tell me again what we do if we get him home.” She resumed scrolling on her phone.

He sighed. “We take him through the garage into the kitchen, then onto the stairlift up to his room. We lay him on his bed just as he is and call 9-1-1.”

“And tell them he died while we were visiting our son in Buffalo.”

“Who’s gonna know otherwise?”

“They’re gonna know at the border. They have a record of us crossing into the US over a week ago and they’ll have another of us trying to come back into Canada tonight. Not exactly an overnight in Buffalo.”

“Gary’ll confirm our story. Home death. What are you looking up now?”

“According to this source, he’ll already be stiffening up by the time we get him home.” She pointed at the sign ahead of them. “I need a washroom. Can we stop here please?”

“Can you hang on? I want to get him home before he starts to smell.”

“With the A/C set at frigid he should be good for a few more hours. But I have to pee. Please, Gerry.”

“Okay, you’ve got five minutes. I need more of those pills anyway.”

“You sure you’re feeling okay?”

“I’m stressed, you know?

Stressed? Like I’m making all the decisions here. So would you stop asking?”

He pulled into a parking spot and killed the engine.

“See you back here in five.”

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Making her way to the washroom, she thought about Gerry wanting to involve their son in the lie.

He was right about Gary. He had his father’s genes, and his father’s before him. Devious, irascible and miserly, the three of them.

She missed Danielle. Up in North Bay now. A teacher, and a good one, but like her mother, she lacked ambition. “I’m happy in the classroom, Mom, it’s that simple.” She would be appalled by what Karen was doing, but having herself been bruised by her father’s intransigence she might understand.

He was pacing at the bottom of the stairs when she came out of the washroom.

He looked more than usually agitated, she thought. Panic-stricken, in fact.

He waved when he saw her and called out. “The van’s gone.” People turned to look at him.

She hurried up to him.

“You’re joking, right?”

“Someone’s taken it. I went to where we parked and it’s gone.” He glared at her like it was her fault.

She suppressed a smile when she thought of the thief finding that he’d made off with a dead body inside the vehicle. “You didn’t leave the keys inside, did you?”

He waved them in her face. She could see the perspiration on his brow, and he seemed almost to be hyperventilating, his mouth opening and closing like a landed carp.

“We have to report it.”

“We can’t. Police find the car they find the body.”

He took a couple of deep breaths. “Okay, wait. We’ll say when the guy drove off Dad must have woken up and had a heart attack.”

He glanced around the atrium as if a better solution might be had at one of the fast-food outlets. Then he started up the stairs.

“Where are you going?”

“The parking lot.”

“What?” She followed him up the stairs and along the pedestrian bridge that crossed the thruway. What the hell he was thinking?

This was becoming more bizarre by the minute. Descending the stairs on the other side she realized what was happening.

When she came out the door he was standing in an empty parking space not far from the entrance.

He pointed at his feet.

“Okay, this is where we parked.”

She shook her head.

“Of course it is. Goddammit.” A couple glanced at

him as they walked past.

“Gerry, can I ask you something?”

“What?”

“If this is where we parked, then why are we heading back to Erie?” She pointed down the exit ramp that led to the thruway.

“What are you talking about?” He turned to look.

“The sign out of here says I-90 to Erie and Pittsburgh.

This side is for cars going west. We’re going east, so we parked in the lot on the other side of the thruway. Identical parking lots, matching ramps. You got disoriented, that’s all.”

He stared into the darkness for a moment, then grunted and went back inside. They found the minivan where he had parked it.

Griffith sat undisturbed in the back seat.

E The lineup at the border wasn’t bad for a Saturday evening. They took their place in a lane.

She watched the drivers on either side inching forward and gazing into their phones or idly checking out the cars beside them. Gerry took a couple of deep breaths and felt in his pocket for the analgesics. He chewed two tablets and took a gulp from his water bottle. She didn’t ask him how he felt.

He spoke without looking in her direction.

“Remember. We tell them the truth—where we’ve been, how long away, all that. You have the passports.

Nothing to declare. If they want to talk to Dad, I’ll handle it.”

“Can you turn off the A/C for a few minutes? It’s freezing in here.”

“No way. We have to keep him cold. Okay, hand me the passports, will you.”

At least the A/C would keep her husband from overheating as well. She sprayed more perfume over her shoulder, then gave him the passports.

When his turn came he drew up to the booth and opened his window. “Evening, ma’am.” He passed the documents across to the customs officer.

She was young. A strong face and steady eyes. Dark hair. She looked a little intimidating, but then she thought that about anyone in uniform. Not to be messed with.

The officer scanned their passports and asked the usual questions, angling her head slightly as she looked at Gerry. He was making an obvious effort to control his voice, breathing audibly between answers. He wiped his forehead at one point,

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice, April 22, 2020

Place these ads for free! 30 words + photo

Page 15

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April 13

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pretending to run his hand through his hair.

This ad is to “What was the purpose of your visit?”

“We took my dad for a holiday. He’d never been to Florida, so we took him. He’s asleep now. Been a long drive back.”

“Can you lower the back window, please, sir?”

He looked straight ahead and pressed the button.

The officer leaned out of the booth as she spoke. “So how was Florida, Mr. Cole?”

Her voice had an edge.

“He’s asleep, I’m afraid.

He has this condition—” “I’m sorry, sir, but I need your father to respond.” She shone her flashlight into the old man’s face. “How long has he been asleep?”

“Maybe an hour. He drops off all the time because of his narcolepsy.”

“He’s narcoleptic?”

“He hardly sleeps at night and makes up for it during the day. It’s why we took him on holiday. Give him a change of scene.”

She stepped out of the

booth and stood by the open peered over bewindow. printed Karen by all participating her shoulder and watched the woman place the back of her hand against the dead man’s face. Then she held two fingers at his throat.

She returned to her booth, scribbled something on a card and held it out to Gerry.

“Please drive your vehicle to that building on your right, sir, and park in front.” She pointed. “Give this to the officer inside.”

He took the card. “Is something wrong?”

“Your father’s dead, sir.

He’s cold as ice and he has no pulse.”

“No, he’s—” “He’s been dead for some time. Please report to the office.”

Karen turned to the front and stared through the windshield. She hoped Gerry wasn’t thinking to make a dash for it. Two cruisers were parked outside the customs office.

He drove up to the building and switched off the engine. An RCMP officer stood

at the top of the steps.

“Okay,papers Karen, we need to Ontario discuss this before we go in.”

“Too late.” She nodded towards the officer now coming down the steps.

Gerry swore, then lowered his window. “Hi.” His voice sounded small.

“Can you follow me inside please? Bring your passports.

We have to impound your vehicle so we can conduct a search.” He held out his hand for the keys.

Gerry gave them to him, then followed him up the steps.

Walking behind her husband she felt herself disappearing again.

The officer showed them into a room where a customs official and another constable were waiting. The officer who had escorted them closed the door and stood to one side.

The customs official spoke.

“Mr. and Mrs. Cole, a doctor will be examining the body in the back seat of your vehicle. You say this was the

father of one of you?”

“Mine. We had no idea…”

“Mr. Cole, I have to inform you it’s a criminal offense to attempt to bring a deceased person into the country without the required documentation.”

“Yes, I realize that now.

You see, my wife and I discussed this….”

Karen interrupted, looking directly at her husband as she spoke. “We wanted to get Mr. Cole home without the delay and expense of reporting his death. It was wrong and we made a bad decision.

That’s all.”

The firmness of her voice surprised her.

“So, you knew he was dead.” The officer was responding to her but looking at Gerry.

“Yes.” Gerry stared at her, his face gone suddenly loose. He was trembling.

“Mr. Cole?”

He moved towards Karen, eyes wide, his face deflating like his skull had shrunk.

Then he clutched his right

arm. It was like a bad charade of what she knew was actually happening to him.

She grabbed him and lowered him into a chair. His face was white and his hand felt clammy. “It’s a heart attack. Can you call an ambulance?”

E

The two paramedics attended to him in the back of the ambulance. He was attached to a respirator and they kept checking the monitor for his vital signs. A New York State trooper sat in front with the driver.

She had called Danielle and Gary to let them know.

Their grandfather had died on their way back from Florida and now their father was critical. Gary lived close to Buffalo General and said he would drive to the hospital right away. Danielle would keep the phone by her. “Are you okay, Mom?” Yes, she was okay. She felt ready for this. It seemed to her to have been inevitable, though she wasn’t sure when she first felt that.

Maybe when she discovered that Griffith was dead in the back seat. Had she imagined then that Gerry, so like his father in so many ways, would be bound to follow?

Or, God forbid, had she wished it? In any case, she felt okay.

She returned from her reverie to realize that the paramedics had been urgently working, then stopped. One of them said something to the driver. He switched off the siren.

The other paramedic looked at her and slowly shook his head.

She had two to take across the river now, and it amused her to think that both men had already gone over to the other side. Crossed the bar, as it were, the Peace Bridge over the River Styx.

Gary would meet her at the hospital, but she would be the one to sign the papers and decide on the arrangements.

After all that, she would be free again.

Liberated at last. ♦

Page 16

The Voice, April 22, 2020

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continued from Page 18 rain isn’t pounding to the ground. And, if there are people around, cross the street or run in the middle of the road.

However, being a socially responsible runner by wearing a mask is tough, as anyone who has tried it understands.

How do I know this?

Because after just a few minutes of running or cycling, inhaling and exhaling deeply through a mucous-saturated mask, dripping with who knows what, it’s really difficult to breathe.

My mask hangs below my chin when there’s no one around, ready to be pulled up when a walker, runner or cyclist approaches.

It’s fair in these times to

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have two personal bests: your usual, and another continued from Page 19 category for masked runs.

THE VOICE OF PELHAM Lastly, decide if you confusion. Many are wondering…How long want to run facing into the Creativego Director will the pandemic on and the social isowind at the start or end of Tarja Barton lation continue?

Will I (or one of my loved your run.

Running into ones) be part emailof those staggering death wind and rain at 6:30 on a stats that are being predicted When this is graphics@thevoiceofpelham.ca spring morning is like divall over (and I survived), will I still have a ing off a dock on the May Director job or will IMarketing get my old job back? What will 24th weekend—you’ll Davenational Burket and global econoTHEget happen to the cold and wet fast, but the my? email pain’s over quickly, and advertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca The Joy of Sunday your run home with the 905.892.8690 The dominant emotion of the first Easter wind at your back will be Approved Sunday (contrary to By: all expectation) was easier. Starting with the joy. When Mary first recognized the risen wind at your back will ease Jesus at the tomb, sadness was replaced you into the run, and once with joy. We read that Mary and the other you’re away from home, women were “afraid yet filled with joy, and you have no choice but ran to tell His disciples.” (Matthew 28:8) suck it up and return into We also begin to see a lot of exclamation the rain. marks in the text. Mary cries out “RabGood thing about running boni!” (or Teacher). She runs back to the in a cold spring rain? You’ll disciples and blurts out, “I have seen the never be tempted to forget Lord!” (John 20:18). your social distancing and Later the disciples tell Thomas, “We have linger too long chatting up seen the Lord!” When Thomas finally sees the neighbour. ♦ Jesus himself he exclaims, “My Lord and

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6, 20, May 4, 18, we have our first meeting in groupsMar. again June 1, 15 and“I 29. went from earning with our family and friends and we realize how good a hug feels, how much we have an income to absolutely Cost Date: missed them, and how much they mean to nothing,” said Beaulieu. $42 per insertion plus HST. us.

“It was down to zero, there on publication It will happen in homes, coffee Terms: shops,Due was no trickling down, no schools, churches, stores and offices. It will a little bit of work here, a happen quietly when we realize deep inside little bit of work there.” what really is important in life and what is There are countless othnot. And believers will feel the ongoing joy ers in similar situations. of knowing that (because of the first EasAccording to StatsCan, ter Sunday) the risen Lord was there all the more that one million jobs time and will continue to be there for us in across Canada were lost in the days to come. ♦ March, and updated reRob Weatherby is a retired pastor.

ports next month are expected to remain bleak.

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The Voice, April 22, 2020

Page 17

FICTION Nothing to Declare

By Colin Brezicki heading into the food court.

“Lower your voice, dammit. Let’s have a coffee and discuss it. I mean if he’s already dead there’s no hurry, is there?”

He slid the side door shut and reached in the front to remove his keys.

Karen sprayed perfume around the minivan before getting out. Gerry was agitated, and when he was agitated he became intractable. But this time she would stand her ground whatever he had in mind. And having lived with him for thirty years she could pretty well guess what that was.

Following him inside the building she felt like she was disappearing. It’s what she always felt whenever she was with her husband and he seemed unaware of her.

They found a table in a corner and sat with their coffees. He reminded her that Griffith had refused to take out travel insurance.

The old man insisted he was in good health and wouldn’t pay the exorbitant fee. “‘Over my dead body,’ he said. You remember that?”

That Gerry seemed unaware of the irony wasn’t surprising.

“Think of the costs. This is America. We aren’t insured for this. An ambulance takes him to a hospital so doctors can pronounce him dead, which we already know. A coroner draws up the death certificate, and we pay someone else to tell us when we can arrange to have him shipped home and God knows how long that will take. Weeks maybe. I’m back in the office on Monday.”

“You’re not thinking we drive home with him?”

“I’m done with thinking—we’re doing it.”

“It’s illegal. They’ll nail us at the border.”

“Worst case, we plead ignorance. How many times in your life do you get stuck with a corpse when you’re on holiday? I mean who does the homework for this?”

She took out her cell. “I’m doing it now.” She swiped

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For a moment she considered calling 911 anyway. But he would make her life miserable if she did.

For him, his father’s death was merely an inconvenience. She felt nothing for the old man either, but that was different. Griffith Cole had treated her like a minion from the day he moved in with them. His death was a blessing. An untimely one, but still. It unsettled her suddenly to think that living with Gerry all these years might one day make her as selfish as her husband.

She carried the empty mugs to the counter and asked to see someone in maintenance.

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“Forget it. We’ve made our decision.”

“You’ve made our decision. I’m finding out what it means.”

She continued scrolling.

“Okay, so legally we’re required to call an ambulance.

They take him to hospital where a coroner confirms the death and prepares the certificate. Police are involved until death is declared to be by natural causes. Then we find a funeral home and they arrange for the body to be released and shipped home. That can take a while.”

“No shit, Sherlock. Which is why we’re doing it ourselves.” He turned up the A/C and depressed the accelerator.

“And if Customs has other ideas?”

“They won’t know. We show our passports at the border, tell them we’ve nothing to declare, and we’re good to go.”

“You hope. And what’s your plan if you get him home?”

“We put him to bed and call 9-1-1.” His voice had an edge now. “Can you hand me my digestion tablets?”

“Your heartburn again?”

“Reflux. Just hand me a couple, will you.”

She took the container from her purse, shook out the last two chewable tables and handed them to him.

“The coroner will know he

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her screen and began tapping.

He snatched the phone out of her hand. “Listen. He’s my dad—was my dad— so I decide here. We clean him up and change him and then take him home. Are you going to help me or not?”

She sighed. “Do I have a choice?”

“You can stay here if you like.” He glared at her for a moment then returned her phone. “I’ll dig out something for him to change into. You go find maintenance and get some detergent, disinfectant, a pail of hot water and paper towels.

Tell them someone’s been car sick.”

She looked at him. “You’re really going to do this.”

“Do I have a choice?” He smiled his one-sided smirk, like a fishhook tugged the

Gerry had already bundled the soiled clothes into a plastic garbage bag by the time she arrived with the cleaning materials. She sprayed more perfume into the van, then stepped inside to help him clean the body.

She gagged twice and nearly threw up. With her perfume deodorizer, the minivan smelt like fresh manure at blossom time. Their struggle to squeeze the dead man into a hoodie and sweatpants reminded her of an episode of Fawlty Towers.

Thank God for tinted windows, she thought.

Together they propped up the body in the back seat and attached the seatbelt.

Gerry reclined the seat so Griffith’s head settled back against the rest. Anyone looking inside would see an old man asleep, he assured her, then left to find a dumpster.

Thinking the old man looked way more dead than asleep, she locked the minivan and went to return the pail and disinfectant.

He pulled up at a pump on their way out. While he was filling the tank she took out her phone and looked up a government website, Death Abroad: Importation of Human Remains. She was scanning through the details when he returned.

“What are you doing?”

He started the engine and pulled away.

“I’m looking up what we should be doing.”

1201905 CN.2

Y

ou’re breaking wind back there, Griffith. Do you want us to stop at this service center?” Karen turned around to check on her father-in-law and immediately sensed that something was wrong. His eyes were closed, and his face looked like it had been injected with cement.

Gerry glanced at the rearview. “Dad? You awake?

Something sure stinks in here.” He lowered the back windows to clear the air and rouse his father. But the old man didn’t stir.

“Gerry, can you pull in anyway? He doesn’t look well. What do you think?”

“I can’t freaking look while I’m driving, can I? I hope he hasn’t, you know….”

“What?”

“Shat himself in his sleep.

He’s done that before.”

He turned onto the offramp and drove up to the service center. After parking some way from the entrance he switched off the engine.

“He’s sure gone quiet.”

“I think he might be dead, Gerry. His face is all grey.

You have a look.”

“He was fine at breakfast.”

He got out and slid open the side door. He stared at his father for a moment then took his wrist. “Jesus.

He’s stone cold and I can’t feel a pulse.” He looked at her. “He must have died miles ago.”

“A heart attack, do you think? Or a stroke?”

“Whatever, it was quick.

We never heard a thing.

Anyway, he obviously pooped himself on his way out, so we’ve got to get him cleaned up.”

“I don’t think we should disturb the body. I’m calling for an ambulance.” She reached for her cell. “It’s 9-1-1 in the States too, isn’t it?”

“Hang on a minute, Karen. Can we talk about this?”

“What’s to talk about.

Your father’s dead, Gerry.

We have to report it.”

Gerry glanced at the people walking past them

Stop in, call or click to contact me today.

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Page 18

The Voice, April 22, 2020

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

FROM THE HANDLEBARS

by John Swart

Running in spring rain showers

T

here are those who say their prayers when they go to bed. During spring, we runners say ours when we’re awakened at 4 AM by the clatter of biblical quantities of rain hammering our roofs, knowing we absolutely must do our run at 6:30 AM before Pelham’s sidewalks and soft road shoulders are congested with dog-walkers, stroller pushers and zombie neighbours.

The alarm sounds at 6:30 AM, and I realize He or She might have been more sympathetic if I’d asked for world peace. It’s still pouring.

I flip on the TV, searching for the latest weather radar images, and am momentarily terrified.

Vast swaths of dark blue are sweeping in from the southwest.

I’m hoping I didn’t hit CNN by mistake and the swath is retribution-minded Democrats from California, Washington and Oregon swarming towards the White House, screaming, “Lock him up, Lock him up!”

Thankfully, it’s the Weather Network, and I’m strangely comforted that the blue represents heavy rain clouds.

Knowing how hard it’s raining is necessary in or-

der to dress properly, but it’s frequently difficult to judge. I use the “drops per square metre” method, although it does cause consternation amongst the neighbours. Standing roadside at dawn, measuring a square metre with a wooden metrestick while counting raindrops, always keeps them guessing. When the metrestick joined the branches and small cars floating down the road this morning, I knew it was a serious rain.

Cotton weighs a ton when it’s wet, so when running in the rain, everything’s got to be synthetic, underwear included. Trying to stay dry is a heartwarming goal, but it’s not going to happen without Gore-Tex or other $250plus garments, so for most of us dressing for the rain is about the constant heat-

loss battle being waged in our running tops and tights.

Those little drops of perspiration wicking their way outward must pass just enough warmth to Mother Nature’s rain drops soaking their way in to provide a wetsuit effect, damp but warm. Mid-weight tights work perfectly at spring’s cool/cold temperatures, lightweight tights with water-resistant panels on the front and venting on the back are good as temperatures increase.

Compression tights, my personal preference, are the ones covered with high-tensile panels and stitching to increase pressure on specific muscles and improve circulation.

They last a long time too, as the stitching to repair holes from trips and falls blends right in.

On top, maintaining core temperature is key. Two layers to wick and insulate, and a wind-resistant shell or vest will suffice.

A peaked cap will keep the rain out of your eyes, yet you want to be able to monitor approaching vehicles. They may be piloted by stressed-out parents rushing to work, or groggy seniors slowly headed to buy groceries during predawn seniors’ hour. Either way, everyone’s a bit testy right now.

As someone who loves running on the soft, damp gravel edges of Foss, Sumbler and Effingham roads— except at Redecan’s shift change—even I’m not shoulder-running when the water’s six centimeters deep. Wet socks can slide off your feet into a soggy mess around your toes, causing blisters. If

you don’t mind cold water washing into your shoes regularly as you run, long wool socks rule. If just thinking about that gives you shivers (or makes your bladder tingle – Masters Class runners), thin socks and waterproof “booties” will keep sweaty feet warm, wetsuit-style.

So far, I’m not seeing a lot of runners wearing masks, rain or shine. Remember, they’re designed to protect others, not us. If you’ve got your GPS or Fitbit strapped to your wrist, and your speed is being dictated by these electronic masters, there will come a time when you’re gasping deeply and spewing droplets well beyond two metres. A mask will stop or slow down those escaping droplets which the See HANDLEBARS Page 16

Voice

HOROSCOPE

ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, reach out to someone who can help take some tasks off of your shoulders and help lighten your load.

Realize you don’t have to do everything yourself.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, you might not be able to balance your budget this week, but you can still create a big picture analysis of where you want to be financially in the weeks ahead.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Your confidence and power of persuasion are elevated this week, Gemini. Any self-doubt will disappear so you can focus on things you want to accomplish.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, you are erecting a protective shell around yourself. There doesn’t seem to be any conflict on the horizon, so let your guard down and let others in.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 You have a strong magnetic force about you this week, Leo. If you are looking for love and romance, now may be the time to attract someone new or reignite a preexisting spark.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, you may not have realized that you have been hibernating away, but it is time to greet the world again.

Focus on invites to any and all social events.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, this is a good week to put into practice the “work smarter not harder” mantra. Figure out what needs to get done and then put the people best suited to the jobs on it.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 It has been some time since

you’ve let your hair down and had a good time, Scorpio. Push responsibilities aside for the time being and throw caution to the wind with friends.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 You may need to clear the air with someone close to you, Sagittarius.

Try to figure out a good time to have a heart-to-heart discussion in the next few days.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Focus on the people who lift your spirits, Capricorn. These people can help you get through tough times and reinspire the self-confidence that has made you such a success to date.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 The spotlight is on your finances, Aquarius. Looks for ways to grow your savings so you can achieve some of your goals. It may take a few months to see real progress.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 It is time to update your brand, Pisces. That means reinventing yourself. Refresh your résumé and revamp your wardrobe.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS APRIL 19 James Franco, Actor (42) APRIL 20 Miranda Kerr, Model (37) APRIL 21 James McAvoy, Actor (41) APRIL 22 Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Actor (54) APRIL 23 Valerie Bertinelli, Actress (60) APRIL 24 Joe Keery, Actor (28) APRIL 25 Al Pacino, Actor (80)

SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. Ablate 2. Reaper 3. Camper 4. Hubris 5. Sami 6. Pedaled 7. Os 8. UT 9. Silos 10. Evan 13. Ad 14. Testate 15. Endures 20. En 21. CG 22. Tars 23. Ism 27. Boas 29. TA 30. RBI 31. Sis 32. CA 33. Ara 34. Antwerp 35. Reenter 36. Anew 37. Bed 38. AB 40. SANA 41. Acetate 42. MH 44. Tel 45. Dilate 46. Elixir 47. Noting 48. Trysts 50. Saber 51. TB 52. AI 54. Pase 55. Aced 57. Ho 61. Lo 62. YD

CROSSWORD ANSWERS

SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. Arch 5. Spouse 11. Beau 12. Aestivate 16. Lamb 17. MD 18. Laden 19. Appreciation 24. SD 25. Teeing 26. Lass 27. BTU 28. Errs 29. Term 30. Roar 31. Scads 33. Abate 34. Arabia 38. Arises 39. Nenes 40. Samba 43. Teed 44. Tach 45. Dent 49. WNW 50. Sene 51. Tailor 53. ET 54. Palatability 56. Rehab 58. AC 59. Axis 60. Proselyte 63. Tint 64. Eroded 65. Ergs

From our family to yours...stay safe.

We look forward to serving you again soon.

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice, April 22, 2020

Voice

FAITH LIFT

by Pastor Rob Weatherby

CROSSWORD

E

The Sadness of Friday

The first Good Friday was an incredibly sad day for Jesus and His disciples. Early Friday morning after Peter denied His Lord the third time, we read that Peter “went outside and wept bitterly.” (Matthew 26:75) After Jesus died on the cross, the people who had witnessed it “beat their breasts and went away.”

(Luke 23:48) All of the Gospels record that Jesus’ mother and closest women followers were present at the cross when Jesus agonized through a long, torturous death. It’s obvious what emotion they were feeling.

This year as the world struggles to comprehend and contain the coronavirus, there is also a lot of sadness. So far, over 128,000 people worldwide have died prematurely because of it. And the number grows each day. That’s a lot of families who are grieving their loved ones.

Some of you reading this will know someone firsthand whose life has been cut short. I do. And to make matters worse, there is a lack of closure since mourners cannot meet to-

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The emotions of Easter

aster celebrations were quite different for most believers this year. Instead of worshipping in groups in churches, we observed this meaningful season in our homes using our televisions, laptops or just being together as families.

On the first Easter weekend almost two millennia ago, three main emotions were experienced by Jesus’ early followers. In an extraordinary way, they are the very same emotions that are being experienced today by many people around the world (believers or not).

Page 19

gether with family and friends for funerals and memorials which have been delayed.

The Uncertainty of Saturday

The main emotion on the first Easter Sabbath (or Saturday) was uncertainty mingled with confusion. The Gospels are silent about this day. No work was allowed on the Jewish Sabbath other than worship.

But we know from the disciples’ reaction the next day what their mindset must have been. Besides the deep sorrow and grief they felt, they were filled with questions about what

had just happened and what their future would hold. Jesus hadn’t met their Messianic expectations in spite of Jesus’ repeated attempts to prepare them. And so they wondered…Were they the next ones to be crucified?

Without their Rabbi and Master, what would they do now? Had they just wasted the last three years of their lives following this man?

I doubt very much that any of them slept very well on those Friday and Saturday nights.

Today we feel the same emotion of uncertainty and See FAITH LIFT Page 16

Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

Weekly Word Search

Find the words hidden vertically, horizontally, diagonally, and backwards.

ALLITERATION ALLUSION ANAPEST ANAPHORA ASSONANCE CAESURA

COUPLET EMPHASIS END ENJAMBMENT EPIGRAPH FOOT

IAMB LINES METER METRICAL POETRY PUNCTUATION

QUOTE REPEAT RHYME SYLLABLES VERSE WRITING

ANSWERS ON PAGE 18

Page 20

The Voice, April 22, 2020

COLUMN SIX

continued from Page 1 before that I could pay with cash. And the day before that I could buy three cans of soup in one outing. And… you get the picture.

Ours is a very private family, not unfriendly, but fairly insular on a good day.

We do so many things together during our free time that I’m not sure our children realize that we have been social distancing for the past four weeks. Our euchre tally is creeping up to one hundred games. Crazy Eights has picked up steam.

The poker chips are coming out tonight, so we’ll break out games of blackjack and poker. Perhaps now is the time to start learning craps, a game that has always baffled me at the casino when I look on and try to figure out the rules. I’m always looking for new ways to throw my money away. And thank goodness for Pizza and Survivor Wednesdays.

We record the Masked Sing-

er on the same night so we have something to watch on Thursday.

We’ve managed what little social interaction we usually have through online games with other families. Ellen DeGeneres has a fantastic app called Psych!, which we play with participants from across the room and around the country. We also joined a 3D euchre group to revive the competition between our extended families. A friend has organized Trivia Night with a Zoom room of contestants.

Our Easter gathering was also a Zoom event, with 20 people attending via technology—we were a few hours away from 21 as my nephew tuned in while awaiting the arrival of his new daughter at the hospital. At least I won’t have to fret about making vegetarian and gluten-free additions this year for those who are so inclined. And no one has to pretend to like my over or under-cooked main course.

My house is not exact-

ly clean, but it is definitely clean-er than it would have been after winter hibernation. I am wearing a T-shirt today which has a hole in the front and I don’t care because it matches my sweatpants.

Like so many others, we’re losing some income, but we’ve found that we’re also unexpectedly saving on so many things. We’ve put the brakes on petrol bills and car repairs. Entertainment is sold out. Eating out is off the table. Gym memberships and sports requirements are now out of bounds.

Instead, our fitness is improving as we walk and familiarize ourselves intimately with our surroundings, examining each road and trail in our neighbourhood. We comment on how lucky we are to have left Toronto a few years ago as we appreciate the space around us. We finally met our new neighbour—from a safe distance—who was out washing his car. A friend sent me a 30-day home fitness rou-

tine, and I’m finding it difficult to come up with an excuse not to follow it. Perhaps I’ll get back to Duolingo and brush up on my Español. One of my sons is teaching himself the guitar so Sgt Pepper is our new background default noise.

Our kids began their online courses last week. I am dripping with sarcasm when I tell you how much they are enjoying this challenge.

How do they still find time to fit in six episodes of Family Guy, a slew of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and binge watch Community for the third time as well as work out for a few hours? Honestly, I don’t envy them. Self-discipline, self-motivation, time-management—these, among others, are skills our students will have to master in a hurry. It’s sink or swim time. At the same time, I’m trying to learn online marketing for my book. When I type in my question in the “help” bubble, I get a reply which looks like this: Simply navigate to your ksdjh-

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca fakdjhdkweiu page and click on the xncvjisdhfa3i78rh4, which will ask you to click ‘Allow.’” I’m not sure what I just did, but I may have sent 342 people my credit card information. Please delete.

I’ve stopped listening for breaking news throughout the day because it breaks more frequently than the Jenga block tower with which we’ve been playing.

I’ll take the highlights at the beginning of each day and avoid the end-of-day wrapup, otherwise I’ll never sleep again. There are only so many times a day a person can hear those “un” words: uncertain, unprecedented, unpredictable, unprepared.

It’s become utterly...unbearable.

It’s surprising how quickly we can all adapt to this ever-evolving way of being.

It’s amazing how we are able to internalize the hourly deconstruction and reconstruction of our world when the only thing we can consistently rely on is change itself. I heard yesterday that we are expected to maintain our current level of distancing (hopefully without an increase in intensity) for at least the next three months.

We are lucky for the arrival of spring, which always brings with it a sense of hope and rebirth, despite living in the shadows of the growing walls around us.

We are thankful for blue skies, for food on our table, for our good health, for the internet, for the people working for us on the front lines, trying to keep the enemy at bay. We cheer for those who are finding creative ways to weather the storm. And we pray for those who are experiencing hardship.

I just revisited Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, on a whim, and was reminded that in these circumstances, specifically for those living alone, the very basis of that pyramid (physiological needs) is on shaky ground at

best. Every level above feels a slight tremor with each passing day: safety, love/ belonging, esteem, self-actualization.

Despite the gloominess of this realization, it also brings to the forefront the many stories of kindness and compassion that are circling the globe. So many people, putting aside their anger, selfishness, and privilege, are finding ways to bring calm to the chaos, to support the sick and weary.

We are bringing food, medicine, patience, understanding, concern, and a friendly (from six feet away) face, even though sometimes it feels like a hug is what we want—and want to give— the most.

You may have already seen Kitty O’Meara’s viral poem, but it’s worth repeating as we try to find some grace beneath this global blanket, feathered with more questions than answers: And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced.

Some met their shadows.

And the people began to think differently.

And the people healed.

And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.

And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.

The state of humanity has changed drastically, even since I began writing this column earlier today, which brings me back to the question.

What’s new with you? ♦

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