The Voice, August 4 2021

Back from break, council marathon

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LANDING BOLTS Jason and Kathryn Walloschek with their children Jules, Warren, and Harrison at the Pelham skateboard park on Sunday. The family is from Port Weller in St.Catharines, but make the trip regularly to Fonthill. "It's a great park," said Kathryn.

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The Voice

A August 4 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

IN THE NEWS

PUBLISHER’S CORNER

THE VOICE POLL RESULTS Welland Ward 3 By-election

by Dave Burket

The living language: Given that we are 21 years into the 21st century, and that sexism in English has long been identified as detrimental to gender equality, I’m generally pretty confident that we do a good job at the Voice in presenting the news in an essentially gender-neutral way. The archaic assumption that males are the default human being—as reflected in “fireman,” “policeman,” “gentleman’s agreement,” “righthand man,” “poster boy,” etc.—rightfully belongs on the ash heap of history (where, no doubt, Don Draper is flicking ashes from his Lucky Strikes). Not that such linguistic practice can be taken for granted. Constant vigilance is required. In just this issue we’ve copyedited “mankind” to “humanity,” “cavemen” to “cave dwellers,” and “frontiersmen” to “frontier explorers.” (Not to mention “Native Americans” to “Native tribes.”) Yet just as I got comfortable on my middle-aged, white male butt, along came a polite email last week from reader Monique Mulder-Wallace, who pointed out that in our story about repairs to Pelham Street north of Highway 20, we used the term “manhole cover.” This is true. We did. Entirely blind to the possibility that any other term existed, this one slipped past my squinty Boomer eyes.

“The correct term in 2021 is maintenance hole covers,” wrote Mulder-Wallace. Sure enough, there is a small but growing movement out there to replace manhole with maintenance hole. Said movement has not yet reached Pelham, however, as Public Works Director Jason Marr confirms to the Voice that “manhole” remains for now in official municipal documents and terminology. Berkeley, California made the change in 2019, and the Associated Press stylebook did so in 2020. (Our various newspaper associations periodically send out such advisories, but so far neither manholes nor their covers have featured among them.) It’s easy to roll your eyes and mutter “woke nonsense” to these sorts of changes, but not if you’re a member of the affected group, in this case female—which, in Canada, by a 1.5 percent margin, is in fact the majority group.

So hello maintenance holes, long may you reign...Speaking of those mean streets: Remember the reader letter that ran a few weeks back, lamenting the lack of speed bump visibility on Haist Street? Well, it looks like it sparked some action after all. Mayor Junkin tells the Voice that the bumps (literally and poetically called “sleeping police” in Indonesian and Malay, by the way) are set to get a coat of bright, durable paint sometime this autumn...Woofing walnuts, yapping yews: Pelham Town Council returned last Monday from summer break, and in John Chick's customarily superlative reporting (p. 3), we find the Mayor musing about public transit problems: “Once this governance comes in...we’re probably going to be barking up a tree nobody is listening to." That, my friends, is a classic Junkinism. Long live those talking trees! See you next week.. unless the Mayor and his combine get to me first. ◆

Voice

Margins of error cannot be calculated for self-selected onling polling.

Connor, 6%

Gladman, 23% Mastroianni, 33% Soos, 25% Thomas, 4% Undecided, 7%

Safeguards are in place to eliminate multiple votes, but results will not match those of a formal random survey undertaken by a professional polling firm.

John Mastroianni leads, with Soos and Gladman rounding out the top three. The number of undecideds, however, suggests that any of the three could end up winning.

Big LOTTO win

Jasmine Milley of Welland, pictured above, won $500,000 in the June 22 LOTTO MAX draw. She also won $8 on her ENCORE selection, bringing her total winnings to $500,008.

"I was enticed by the large jackpot, so I purchased a ticket," Milley said, through an OLG media release.

"I logged into my account and thought I was dreaming," the 30-year-old recalled. "I saw the prize amount and was so confused. I thought there is no way this is real. I messaged my dad and it took him some time to process it too." Milley plans to save for her future, put some aside for travel, buy a new gaming setup, and decorate her home.

Falls road sign damage

The Niagara Regional Police are investigating road signs damaged in Ni-

agara Falls. In total, some 50 signs were damaged from July 9-12. The suspect/suspects are removing the signs and throwing them. The City of Niagara has replaced the signs. The Niagara Regional Police Service is seeking the public’s help in identifying the suspect/suspects responsible. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 905-688-4111, ext.

1002200.

航 搜索

In early July, 1 District uniform officers from the Niagara Regional Police (NRPS) initiated an investigation after an adult female in her teens reported an alleged sexual assault.

The investigation was assigned to the NRPS Sexual Assault Unit. As a result, according to an NRPS statement, it was deter-

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mined that the victim had been an employee at Two Guys Liquidation, located on Grantham Avenue in St. Catharines. A suspect was identified and determined to be an owner in the business. The sexual incidents are alleged to have occurred at the business in June and July of 2021. On July 21, Mountaserbellah Alhamad-Alhariri, 30, of St. Catharines, was arrested and charged with the criminal offence of Sexual Assault – Sec. 271 CC. Alhamad-Alhariri was held in custody to attend a video bail hearing. As a result of the investigation, detectives have a concern that there could be more victims. Anyone with more information may contact detectives at 905-688-4111, 1009450.

Workplace sex assault arrest

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The Comfort Maple myth

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Wednesday, November 30, 2016

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Column Six

Growing up British

BY JULIE MANNELL

Special to the VOICE

W

BALLOONING INTEREST Grade 6 student Jinja Shepherd explains her experiment on static electricity at the Glynn A. Green NATE SMELLE PHOTO Public School's annual science fair last Friday. See story, page 3.

Public meeting tonight on school issues

BY VOICE STAFF As questions continue to mount regarding an email that Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn quietly sent to a District School Board of Niagara trustee last summer, Augustyn has agreed to address the issue at a public meeting scheduled for this evening, Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Fenwick.

Nancy Beamer, speaking for “Names Matter,” a Pelham citizens group lobbying the DSBN to reverse its decision to rename a local public school, confirms that the meeting will be held at Fire Station #2, known locally as the Fenwick Fire Hall, starting at 7:00 PM. While the Mayor has agreed to ap-

Under pressure, Mayor to address email revelation, other E. W. Farr matters pear, says Beamer, DSBN officials associated with the school-naming process have either declined to attend or have not yet responded to the group’s invitation.

DSBN Chair, Dale Robinson, to whom Augustyn’s email was addressed last June, has declined to appear, says Beamer, asserting that she would be

“on holidays.” The Voice was unable to independently confirm Robinsion’s intentions. She did not respond to repeated requests for comment on E.W. Farr-related matters before presstime.

Beamer, whose group maintains an email list of some 580 residents, says that all members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend the meeting.

“We would especially welcome parents and children who are unhappy with the name change,” she says, referring to the contentious decision by the DSBN to consolidate two Pelham See MEETING back page

HEN I WAS young, my father and I would go for long drives along the rural routes of Pelham. We’d blast George Thurgood and roll down the windows because we loved the smell of the breeze, the sensation of crisp Niagara wind beating our cheeks and tangling our hair against our summer-kissed skin.

My father was not a sentimental man. He worked in factories and had a Gordon Lightfoot mustache and never shed tears over injuries.

Yet something about the Pelham landscape, the hilly backdrop to his childhood and the childhoods of our ancestors, drew him in. He’d stop by a farm or a gathering of woods and, surrendering his manly veneer, tell me a story about the town.

This place is precious. This is the earth that granted us life. Here is the place where we happened upon love or here is a site of devastation.

On one particular drive sometime in the late ‘90s we stopped at a tree with a plaque.

“This tree looks dead,” I said to my father.

“It sure is getting there, Julie.”

The Comfort Maple is supposedly Canada’s oldest See COLUMN SIX Page 14

Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation

Vol.20 No.32

BY VOICE STAFF

A construction error was discovered following the opening of a traffic calming chicane on Haist Street north of Hwy 20 last Monday that prevented large vehicles from passing through.

One resident living in the neighbourhood said he contacted the Town after seeing a small schoolbus get stuck as it tried to get through the new traffic calming measure. Later that day while driving behind a cement truck, he said that he became concerned for the public’s safety when the truck had to turn around because it couldn’t get through.

“If a small school bus and a cement truck can’t make it through what about a fire

BY HEATHER McLAREN ROHRER

Special to the VOICE

A

Repair measures underway last week to correct a construction error in the chicane. truck or an ambulance?” he said.

While waiting for the contractor to return to fix

the mistake, the Town has taken measures to temporarily allow passage for vehicles through the neigh-

VOICE PHOTO

bourhood in the short-term.

Manager of Public Works Ryan Cook said that after discovering the issue with

the chicane the morning it first opened, the Town See CHICANE Page 5

Petition-inspired changes coming to 2017 Summerfest

BY NATE SMELLE

The VOICE

Representatives from the Pelham Summerfest committee Candy Ashbee and Bill Gibson presented council with a final report on the 2016 Summerfest at the Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 21.

Prompted by a story in the Voice in August about a merchant petition to move Summerfest from Pelham Street, in September Town staff met with various stakeholders to hear their complaints, promising at the time that changes in the way Summerfest was mounted would be con-

sidered.

The main concerns identified during the community engagement process were security, parking, ensuring customer can access all businesses in town, and liability for damages. How to get all Pelham Street businesses to participate and finding ways to make it beneficial for them to set up a booth were also determined to be of high priority for the committee as they plan for next year’s event.

Gibson told Council that the committee is addressing these concerns in a variety of ways. To improve parking, they intend to create bet-

ter signage for out-of-town visitors to designated parking areas and shuttle services. To make participation in Summerfest more enticing to local businesses, they plan to implement a tiered-charge for booths. Under the new system, Pelham Street business owners will be charged the least, other local businesses will pay a slightly higher fee, and vendors from outside Pelham will pay the most. In response to more specific issues for individual businesses, they will also slightly alter the footprint of the event and make adjustments to security.

Another way the committee plans

to improve the 2017 Summerfest is by sponsoring and working with the organizers of the Thursday Night Bandshell Concert series to select the artist performing on the first night of Summefest. They also intend to make more use of the smartphone app they launched in 2016.

"We are really going to push it this year," Ashbee said.

“It really helps to get people to see what events there are so they can plan out where they are going.

We will be able to actually help the merchants and local businesses adSee CHANGES Page 5

FTER LUNCH ON Saturday, Mum and Dad had my afternoon cut out for me. Mum had more brass than anyone I knew, and it had to be cleaned. In addition there was the set of silver fish-knives and forks which were never used, but which had to be cleaned and put back in their velvetlined box.

Next was a walk to the newsagents to pay for the daily delivery of the Daily Mirror. As I said, Dad was a printer, but when he was 37 he had been rejected for a job, as being too old, by the printers of the Beano.

For that reason, my favourite comic was not allowed in the house, but while I was paying the papers, the newsagent let me have a 'shoofty' at the Beano. I'd explained my predicament and he understood completely.

Sundays were different again. Dad would play golf on summer mornings and billiards in winter. Then he'd stop for a 'refresher' at the local and would pick up the prawns, cockles, winkles or whelks we'd be having for tea later. Meanwhile, Mum was roasting the 'joint' and potatoes. I got to make the Yorkshire pud, and mint

Wednesday October 12, 2016

FREE

Apple Day comes to Fonthill

See COLUMN SIX Page 14

BY VOICE STAFF

The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and well-rounded individuals

ceives them, enabling youth to have experiences that build character, challenge them, and allow them to try new things. The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and wellrounded individuals, better prepared for success. Apple Day helps to achieve that.”

“Any money raised during Apple Day goes towards improving the Scouting program by providing more outdoor adventures for youth, camping equipment, canoes and paddles, training and many other endeavours that the youth want to experience,” says Marie.

Scouts Canada has some 100,000 members across Canada, and carries out programs for boys, girls

walk/trail is slated to be built between the south side of the road from Timmsdale Crescent to the high school.

Because of the large volume of motor vehicle traffic travelling at high speeds through this area, and because of the necessity for students to tread this path on a daily basis, many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later.

After delivering to Council a petition containing

Many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later the names of 450 students calling for a safer walk to school, Simpson handed the

podium over to Loewen and Williams to plead their case.

Loewen told Council that because there are a lot of students who have work placements and coop placements during the school year, this is the only route for many of them to travel.

As one of the students facing this predicament, Williams said she has had no other option but to walk along the dangerous highway.

www.pennylanesold.com

H EATHER AND P ENNY L ANE S ALES R EPRESENTATIVES

BY JOHN SWART

VOICE Correspondent

and youth ages 5-25. This year the 3rd Fonthill Group, which includes Beavers to Ventures (youth ages 5- 25) will be hitting the streets to drum-up support.

Over the weekend, Scouts will be set up in Fonthill outside Sobeys, Tim Hortons, Target Gas station, Fonthill Shopping Plaza and the Pioneer Gas station at the corner of Hwys 20 and 24.

Town Council approves sidewalk to serve E. L. Crossley

BY NATE SMELLE

The VOICE

Joining their principal, Karen Simpson, at the Sept.

19 Council meeting as part of a delegation from EL Crossley Secondary School, students Abby Loewen and Neenah Williams presented Council with a list of reasons that they should immediately approve the construction of the new sidewalk proposed along Hwy. 20. The asphalt side-

Cell 905.933.3049

T

Second year Beaver with the 3rd Fonthill Group, Russell Letford offers a fresh apple to shoppers SUPPLIED PHOTO in Pelham during the 2015 Apple Day campaign.

A longtime Canadian tradition, Apple Day began in 1932 in Saint John, New Brunswick, when Scouts handed out 21,000 apples as a way to say thank you to the community. In return for their generosity, many people offered them donations. From then on Scouts have reached out through Apple Day to raise funds for their programs.

Office 905.892.1702

Column Six It doesn’t get better than Autumn

Longtime Scouting tradition dates to 1932

While shopping in Fonthill between Friday and Sunday, keep an eye out for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts in front of local stores with bushels of apples.

As part of the annual Apple Day campaign, Scouting youth of all ages will be trading apples for donations.

The yearly fundraising drive is an important way for young Scouts to connect with the communities they are serving, says Leah Marie of Scouts Canada.

“The Apple Day campaign holds a great tradition of being able to have youth interacting within the communities they live in,” she says. “All of the Apple Day donations stay directly within the group that re-

this minute!

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Request made of community still peeved at name change

See DSBN Page 9

Food 111Health Hwy. 20 E., Unit Store 5, Fonthill

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BY VOICE STAFF The District School Board of Niagara is requesting that the Town of Pelham cede a portion of Cherry Ridge Park for use as a soccer field to serve the students of the new Wellington Heights Public School, formerly the E. W. Farr Memorial Public School, in Fenwick.

Currently under renovation and expansion, the new school will combine students and staff from the previous school and Pelham Centre, where classes are being held while construction continues.

Two letters, containing virtually identical text but signed by different authorities, were sent last week to nearby residents of the park, as well as to parents of Pelham Centre students.

“The DSBN is currently building onto Wellington Heights Public School on Alsop Drive,” states the letter. “The size of the school's addition means the existing small soccer field will be eliminated.

The Town and the Board have been discussing the possibility of working together to create a field for both the school and the

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Pined -Sol Pelham’sPelham’s Health Food Store

“I start work at 2:30 PM and school lets out at 2:15 PM so I can’t take any other route,” Williams explained.

“I have had friends, family, teachers and other community members reach out to me in the past about how this is unsafe and how there should be another alternative for us.”

Looking ahead to winter, when she will need to walk this path three or four times See SIDEWALK Page 2

HERE IS NO BETTER time to cycle than Fall. It matters not whether you’re new to the sport, a seasoned recreational cyclist, racer, touring rider or mountain biker; we all have reason to look forward to autumn.

Summer’s heat has faded, and the streams of sweat that ran from soggy helmets into our eyes are now just slight perspiration. Fitness is peaking from lots of saddle time, making those tough climbs of Spring a breeze in Autumn.

It’s hard to beat the feeling of beginning a crisp, cool Fall ride with a slight shiver, knowing your efforts will soon warm you perfectly.

The hues of Autumn are outstanding.

A Pelham route as simple as following our southern boundary is one that would make most Toronto cyclists jealous, especially when our forests and fields are ablaze with colour.

Begin from Harold Black Park, and zig-zag south along Effingham Rd toward the Welland River.

If you’re new to cycling, it’s important to know south is the direction away from any hills.

If you avoid the morning and evening weekday rush hours caused by those travelling through Pelham between Wainfleet See AUTUMN Page 3

8

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The Voice

A August 4 2021

Page 3

TOWN COUNCIL NEWS

Pelham Town Council meets virtually via Zoom on Monday, July 26.

YOU TUBE

After summer break, lengthy agenda results in four-hour marathon

BY JOHN CHICK Voice Correspondent

toEarlyON go chargesCentres closing driving 83 days Fenwick and South Pelham NRPS Raidy Manso (center), Santa Cayo, Cuba!

At impaired

Sue Lough with daughter Tamara, of Fenwick, with new Cuban friend

A four-hour Pelham Town Council meeting came to an end July 26 with its familiar political bloc successfully voting 4-3 to rescind a 2015 decision to transfer responsibility for the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport to Niagara Region.

Ward 3 councillor Lisa Haun, who sits on the airport’s board along with representatives from the aerodrome’s other municipal owners — Welland, Port Colborne and Wainfleet —again led the charge to keep the facility. She was supported by fellow Ward 3 councillor Bob Hildebrandt, Ward 2 Councillor Ron Kore and Ward 1’s Marianne Stewart.

Mayor Marvin Junkin, Ward 2’s John Wink, and Ward 1’s Wayne Olson were opposed.

While not as fiery as discussion last December on the topic, in which Junkin traded barbs with Haun, and Kore berated the Mayor, tensions remained clear.

Olson cited a report stating that cost projections to repair the airfield’s runway and taxiway are pegged at $2.4 million, 18 percent of which, or about $600,000, would be Pelham’s responsibility.

Haun claimed that the data was faulty.

“We don’t know where they got those numbers,” she said. “There’s some figures in there that are questionable at best. You interpret as you want, you’re going to anyhow. Its 9:30 here.”

Haun was referring to council being forced to extend its nighttime curfew to debate the matter.

Junkin chimed in and said he’s been hearing hyperbole about airport improvements since 2014.

“My good friend [former Town Councillor Richard] Rybiak was telling me great things are on the horizon for the airport,” the Mayor said. “Here we are seven years later, same thing again, more promises.”

Junkin then brought up a previously botched paving job at the airfield.

“It’s a fact, Lisa, correct me if I’m wrong, the commission before you spent $180,000, the guy did a lousy job, and it has to be redone because the gravel is coming up and hitting the propellers.”

“The important thing that I think we can agree on,” Haun answered stridently, “is

when you go … and hiring someone to do a major job like paving, you would put it out for tender, wouldn’t you? Think on that one, was it done? So you may have someone sit [in council] and blow smoke … but the big question is, was that job tendered? You guys are throwing this number around at 2.4 [million dollars] without any facts on that.

Why don’t you make it 10.4?”

Junkin reminded Haun that the $2.4 million figure came from a report. Rather than address the point, Haun again made note of the time of evening.

Haun asserted the property value of the airport land has increased.

“By uploading to the Region, Pelham taxpayers will be paying for two airports, not one,” she said, referring to the Region’s plan also to uptake the significantly busier Niagara District Airport, in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

By this point, political allies Kore and Stewart had come to Haun’s defense.

“It doesn’t make sense after 40-plus years of contributing to an asset to give it away,” Kore said.

“It’s our airport, it’s important to protect our asset,” Stewart added.

While the aerodrome — which does not have a control tower and cannot land aircraft on Instrument Landing System (ILS) approaches—sits fully inside Pelham borders, it is governed by the three municipalities.

Olson’s request to delay a vote until after long-delayed report from the Region on uptake plans fell on deaf ears.

Delays on major erosion projects

Council heard about delays on two major erosion mitigation projects in the town.

Both the long-awaited Sulphur Springs Drive reconstruction, and work in the Hwy. 20/Rice Road area, are at risk of not being completed until 2022 thanks to bureaucratic red tape, and a lack of interest from contractors, respectively.

Public Works Director Jason Marr confirmed than in-water work on the Sulphur Springs matter has been granted an exten-

Discover Pelham as you complete scavenger hunt style missions around town on

See COUNCIL Page 6

Upper Twelve Mile Creek Action Plan 2021 - 2031 Update The 12 Mile Creek Watershed Strategy (NPCA, 2000), the Twelve Mile Creek Watershed Plan (NPCA, 2006), and the work of the Niagara Chapter of Trout Unlimited Canada provided the foundation for this action plan.

Register for your game code www.pelham.ca/summerchill

Action Plan Update Scope of Work 1. Literature review 2. Issue identification 3. Partner engagement 4. Issues and opportunities synthesis

with support from:

5. Draft Action Plan development 6. Draft Action Plan review 7. Final Action Plan 8. Town of Pelham delegation Page 18 of 409

A slide from Jocelyn Baker's presentation on the Twelve Mile Creek Action Plan.

SUPPLIED

Page 4

The Voice

A August 4 2021

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

COTÉ'S COMMENTS Larry Coté

Vaccination visas—Yea or nay?

T

he next big sociopolitical divide in this country, and many others, will be whether a vaccination type visa will be required to enter into or participate in the usual gathering places.

Sports facilities, shopping centres, air travel, restaurants, and a host of other spaces where people gather are such examples.

Canada’s Prime Minister and Ontario's Premier have suggested such legislated compliance will not occur in their jurisdictions. However, many sectors, nationally and internationally, disagree with such sentiments and may convince legislators otherwise.

Many who oppose the introduction of such a visa resist the government’s further intrusion into their lives. At first glance, that might appear to be a reasonable proposition, except that other mandated vaccination programs have been enacted in many jurisdictions, including Ontario.

For example, most schools require students to be vaccinated against a variety of diseases.

Those who advocate for vaccinations point out that

such requisites have almost eradicated specific diseases from our population. The theory behind such requirements demand that the common good overrides individual rights unless there be substantive exceptions not to do so. A number of

Unvaccinated persons will ultimately and continually face significant limitations

vaccines have reduced, or even eliminated, the debilitating effects of diseases such as measles, chicken pox, and polio. These vaccines and others such as the annual flu shot have greatly reduced not only the patients’ discomfort, but boosted general wellness and the country’s economic welfare as well.

Staring in the face of those objecting to the introduction of some type of visa documentation is the fact that over 90 percent of

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca PUBLISHER Dave Burket publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADMINISTRATION Lori Gretsinger office@thevoiceofpelham.ca CONTRIBUTORS Jane Bedard, Carolyn Botari, Colin Brezicki, Rosemary Chambers, John Chick, Larry Coté, Brian Green, Miriam Han, 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

those currently contracting the disease are unvaccinated individuals. Of equal note, vaccinated individuals who contract the virus almost always display minor symptoms that do not require lengthy treatments and costly hospitalizations. It is expected that unvaccinated persons will ultimately and continually face significant limitations in many public and private venues well into the future.

According to some reports, there are preliminary discussions among some nations considering the implications of some form of a visa-like mechanism to accommodate international travel and trade. There is also a growing notion that all fully vaccinated persons will require booster shots if variants are allowed to continue to develop. Such international agreements are complicated, time consuming, and difficult to consummate. Ideally, an international mechanism would help eradicate the Covid-19 virus and particularly before more variants develop resistance to current vaccines. Meanwhile, some mix See VISAS next page

Letters "News crisis" deserves government attention These days, when I open my newspaper I'm always wondering whether it's the last time I'll get to read my favourite column or get a story about what's happening in our community. Due to years of government inaction and the hostility of big foreign players, Canada's news industry is dying.

Here's the thing, though: Canadian storytelling matters. Whether it is on screens or in our newspapers, whether it is about a new initiative to support local businesses or about a new after school program — our stories tell us who we are as a society. So if

7

these stories disappear, so do we. And that’s the crux of my fear. Canadian storytelling is going extinct and the government is simply standing idly by.

An election will be called any day now. I want our candidates to know that my vote comes at a price: if you don't offer substantive solutions to the Canadian news crisis, you can forget about my vote.

I hope my fellow readers will join me in demanding more from our elected officials.

Barbara Rybiak Fonthill

CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Member of Federal Parliament

Electoral District: Niagara West

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

Electoral District: Niagara West

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

Mayor of Pelham Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2986

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Ward 2 Councillor Ron Kore rkore@pelham.ca 905-933-3805 Councillor John Wink jwink@pelham.ca 905-892-4475 Ward 3 Councillor Lisa Haun lhaun@pelham.ca 905-892-5877 Councillor Bob Hildebrandt bhildebrandt@pelham.ca 905-892-5647

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BARRISTER, SOLICITOR & NOTARY LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are welcome. Letter submissions should contain the writer’s full name, address and telephone number. Names only will be published. Names may be withheld if compelling reasons are provided. The newspaper reserves the right to change, condense or reject any contribution for brevity, clarity or legal considerations. All material in this publication is protected by copyright. Reproduction is prohibited without express, written permission of the publisher. ADVERTISING: The Voice of Pelham regrets any errors or omissions that appear in advertisements in this newspaper, however, we will not be held responsible for more than one absent or incorrect insertion or for any damages beyond the cost of space containing the error. The Voice is an independent, locally owned and operated publication.

The Voice is a member of the National NewsMedia Council, a voluntary self-regulatory organization that deals with journalistic practices and ethics. If you have an unresolved complaint about news stories, opinion columns or photos, please visit their web site at mediacouncil.ca or call 1-844-877-1163. If you have a complaint about delivery or membership problems, please contact our office at (905) 892-8690. For a summary of Voice ethical guidelines, see www. thevoiceofpelham.ca/ethics

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The Voice

Page 5

A August 4 2021

OPINION Niagara's natural heritage system It is obvious that Pelham residents appreciate our natural spaces. Even before Covid, the trails and natural areas both locally and throughout the Region were popular and well-used. Our green spaces are not only great places to spend time, they are also vital green infrastructure providing residents with many free services like flood attenuation, summer cooling for our urban areas, erosion control, pollution mitigation and crop pollination.

With development pressures, increasing action must be taken to protect Niagara’s green spaces.

As required by the province, a part of the Region’s new Official Plan will be the Regional Natural Environment System (NES).

An NES should be composed of significant land-based and water-based features, such as waterways, wetlands and woodlands, plus enough land in buffer zones around them to protect them from adjacent uses. There should be linkages between them so that the whole functions as an ecological system that is robust enough to protect the area’s biodiversity into the future.

Regional staff have reduced the options for the NES to Options 3B and 3C for landbased features. The differences between the two may not appear great at fi rst, but for those of us in urban areas especially, they are significant.

Option 3C includes large, medium and small linkages between features outside of settlement areas, and small linkages, if they are in a natural state, between features in urban areas. This is important because a Natural Environment System that

does not link natural areas is not a system.

In contrast, 3B would not require these vital small linkages. As well, Option 3C prescribes mandatory minimum buffers for natural features outside of urban areas, while 3B only “suggests” them. Finally, Option 3C allows for the inclusion of enhancement areas in urban areas (such as small restoration areas adjacent to existing woods or wetlands) where 3B does not.

Niagara Region and its municipalities could go much further in ensuring our natural systems are maintained and functioning, but adopting the best option for the Regional Natural Environment System, 3C, would be a good start.

So, what’s one small thing that you can do to make a difference? Contact Pelham’s Mayor and all Regional Councillors and let them know you that you would like to see Option 3C adopted.

Pelham’s Regional Councillor Diana Huson has been supportive of Option 3C. So far Mayor Junkin has not demonstrated the same support. Regional Council’s Planning and Economic Development Committee will be reconsidering this issue soon, so time is of the essence.

Our children and grandchildren deserve to grow up in a healthy community with vibrant green natural spaces that provide them with all the benefits that we have enjoyed. Please make your voice heard.

Jackie Oblak Fonthill

VISAS

that the Covid-19 virus could be similarly addressed.

This current pandemic has had significant debilitative consequences around the world. That underscores the need for worldwide measures to eliminate this disease.

Meanwhile, the highly contagious nature of the coronavirus requires the wearing of face masks and vaccinations as the only known routes to its riddance from our lives. ◆

continued from previous page of public and private practices will likely be introduced requiring legitimate proof that the client or individual has been given a vaccine approved by such gatekeepers.

Since a number of diseases have been eliminated or controlled through mandated inoculation programs, there is the prospect

PELHAM AND COVID-19 Mayor Marvin Junkin

Forerunner or foolish—jury out on Alberta Covid move

O

nce again, the province of Alberta is taking the lead in Canada as far as ending Covid-19 restrictions. Last week, Alberta’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, unveiled an unusually bold plan to move past the pandemic. The most controversial change is that as of mid-August, Albertans who test positive for Covid-19 will only be highly recommended to isolate, rather than required.

As with most decisions made regarding the pandemic, whether they were for enforcing or loosening the restrictions, this decision has split the medical community within the province.

A voice of support for the new regulations came from south of the border, where Dr. Sarah Fortune, chair of the Immunology and Infectious Diseases Dept. at Harvard University P.H. Chan School of Public Health, commented to the CBC, “I think Alberta is taking reasonable steps in the face of having done a good job of bringing the viral numbers down and in the face of good vaccine coverage.”

Dr. Hinshaw also defended doing reduced testing, stating, “We wouldn’t be able to continue to test everyone with just a mild illness and we know that the vaccines we have are highly effective and they really shift the risk that Covid-19 brings to our

population.” The doctor noted that more children were admitted to ICUs during the province’s last flu season than have been for Covid-19.

For comparison’s sake, Florida is currently seeing 66 new cases per 100,000 residents per day, California 20, and Alberta 3. In New York state, which has 57 percent

The Town is now considering declaring the site an emergency

of its population fully vaccinated, cases are up almost sixfold since July 4, but hospitalizations are up only 32 percent, and deaths have kept falling that whole time and are now at five deaths per day, on a seven-day average, in a state of 19.5 million.

Vaccination numbers in Niagara remain impressive, with 70 percent having one dose and 60 percent fully vaccinated. At the MCC, the clinic has been moved from the first-floor gymnasium upstairs to the Accursi Room. The clinic itself has been downsized to eight injection sites, and walk-ins will continue to be taken.

Please watch the Town website for future openings of this clinic. have received several emails from residents living on Sulphur Springs Drive this past week, inquiring when the road rehabilitation will begin. The road has been closed nearly five years now, and last year Town staff awarded the repair work to a local contractor by way of the usual bidding procedure with a starting date of approximately July 1.

Working with an engineering firm, located in Guelph, they have submitted their plan to the NPCA, NEC and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Although told in advance that the federal permit would be the hardest to obtain, that department took one look at the submitted plan and promptly issued the required work permit, stating that the work window would be from July 15 to September 15, 2021. For whatever reasons, the two local government agencies have been unreasonably lethargic in their process to the extent that the Town is now considering declaring the site an emergency, due to the ongoing erosion of the road, which would allow the road repairs to commence without further delay. While we would like to have everyone on side, these residents have waited patiently long enough and the time to act is NOW. ◆

I

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The Voice

A August 4 2021

COUNCIL

Letters continued

continued from Page 3

Clarence Darrow, meet William Jennings Bryan My thanks to last week’s letter writer for encouraging investigation into reading and investigating all reliable sources to come to a personal conclusion about origin [“Genesis, Darwin, creation and evolution,” Letters, July 28, p.6]. I, too, have pondered the question of how did I get here.

With the almost limitless resources accessible from our cellphone a reasonable answer to the question “Where did I come” from can be pursued anywhere there is cell service.

Pascal's wager is an argument in philosophy by the 17th-century French philosopher, theologian, mathematician and physicist, Blaise Pascal. It posits that human beings bet with their lives that God either exists or does not. To get started, you can Google “Mathematical Probability that Jesus is the Christ.”

There are so many respected authors to read, like Lee Strobel, who has a Master in Studies of Law degree from Yale Law School. Lee was an award-winning journalist for 13 years at the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers, and has written at least nine books on why he believes in the Bible.

There is also “Evidence That Demands a Verdict,” which provides an expansive defense of Christianity's core truths and thoughtful responses to the Bible's most difficult and extraordinary passages. It invites readers to bring their doubts and doesn't shy away from the tough questions. As a young man, Josh McDowell considered himself an agnostic. He truly believed that Christianity was worthless. However, when challenged to intellectually examine the claims of Christianity, Josh discovered compelling and overwhelming evidence for the reliability of the Christian faith. After trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, Josh’s life changed dramatically as he experienced the power of God’s love. After his conversion, Josh committed his life to telling a doubting world about the truth of Jesus Christ.

After studying at Kellogg College, Josh completed his college degree at Wheaton College and then attended Talbot Theological Seminary, graduating magna cum laude with a Masters of Divinity. Working with Campus Crusade for Christ and founding the youth outreach, Josh McDowell Ministry, Josh has shared the gospel more than 27,000 times with more than 45 million people in 135 countries. He is the author or co-author of over 150 books, including such classics as More

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Than a Carpenter and Evidence That Demands a Verdict. There is also YouTube for deeper investigation. Many authors like davidjermiah.org are seen on YouTube and can be listened to on the radio or their websites.

There are many faith-based radio stations to choose from online from all over the world. Locally in Niagara there is WDCX 99.5 FM, or myflr. org, heard on 89.3 FM. Additional sources: William Lane Craig, J. Warner Wallace, Dr Phillip E. Johnson, Dr John Lennox, John Polkinghorne, Charles W. Colson, Michael Behe, Antony Flew, The Bible Project YouTube, Viktor Frankl, G. K. Chesterton, John Stott, Dr Jobe Martin, ATP Synthase, Corrie Ten Boom, Dr Russell Humphreys, Warren W. Wiersby, C.S. Lewis, and John Bunyan, to name a few.

“The unexamined life is not worth living” is a famous dictum apparently uttered by Socrates at his trial for impiety and corrupting youth, for which he was subsequently sentenced to death, as described in Plato's Apology. Napoleon Bonaparte is quoted as saying, “I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius?

Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of people would die for Him.” P. Bryant Fenwick Editor’s note: It was nearly 100 years ago, in July 1925, that a Tennessee teacher named John Scopes was put on trial for teaching evolution in a public school classroom—the so-called “Scopes Monkey Trial,” nicknamed after a comment made by prosecuting counsel William Jennings Bryan, a thrice-failed presidential candidate, who complained that students were being taught that humans descended “Not even from American monkeys, but from old world monkeys.” Bryan died suddenly five days after the trial’s conclusion, which historians believe had a greater impact on the decline of fundamentalism in the US than did the court case itself (Scopes lost, though the conviction was later overturned on a technicality). It is a testament to the enduring human desire to wrest meaning from the universe that debate over these issues continues a century later.

sion until Sept. 15 by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, yet remains hung up in regulatory hurdles from both the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) and the Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC).

“They’re pulling their hair out,” Junkin said of the contractor. “The NEC had no feedback at all, then five days before … people start waking up, the NPCA has put another 20 stipulations on the work. And why these questions were not asked back in April, back in May, June, is beyond me—there’s a lot of words I could use. It’s very discouraging.”

In-water work is generally only approved between July 1 and August 31 to safeguard sensitive fish habitats.

Marr attempted to sound positive.

“I feel confident those will be resolved and that we will be able to get into construction—if not on both sites, on at least one site in 2021,” he said.

Earlier in the meeting, Jocelyn Baker, representing the environmental lobbying group Trout Unlimited Canada, had given a presentation on a Twelve Mile Creek ten-year action plan— the creek that has been the cause of the closure of Sulphur Springs Drive since 2016—and, in her remarks, stopped just short of saying the repair work shouldn’t even occur.

“In 30 years, 40 years, 50 years, are we really going to be looking back at today and be upset with our decision, because maybe we were looking for a quick fix?” Baker said. “I’m not going to tell you what I think should happen.”

Junkin added a pragmatic point, telling Baker that fire trucks cannot currently access some properties on Sulphur Springs due to the severity of the erosion.

On the Rice Road/Hwy. 20 matter, a recent report stated that the Town has been unable to find a contractor interested in doing a design/build project to curb erosion north of 20 originating from the drainage pond adjacent to the community centre.

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I feel confident that those will be resolved and that we will be able to get into construction—if not on both sites, on at least one site in 2021 “It’s very disheartening,” Junkin said.

Hildebrandt took the opportunity to make an amendment to conduct further engineering studies.

“I’ve been monitoring that pond myself,” the Ward 3 councillor said.

Marr again said that based on results of a review, the pond — flippantly nicknamed “Lake Augustyn,” after the former mayor whose council shepherded the start of East Fonthill development —is functioning as designed, and that outflow problems would likely be happening regardless.

“Indication was erosion was happening before that pond,” he added.

Only Junkin voted against Hildebrandt’s amendment.

Transit troubles

Hildebrandt also regaled council with his challenges trying to book an on-demand bus online recently, highlighting the flaws in the Regional transit system framework.

“I do not consider this service acceptable,” he said. “I will not be supporting the transit system governance … they’re not responding and they’re not dealing with the issue of not being able to book.”

Hildebrandt’s trouble echoes that of many recently, with Wayne Olson adding that the proposal for a Regional transit governance model may only make things worse.

“We have poor service, and we’re going to have one opportunity to get this right,” the Ward 1 councillor said.

See COUNCIL Page 14

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

Page 7

A August 4 2021

Catalytic converter theft prevalent in Niagara Pollution control devices contain valuable metals, are expensive to replace

BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent Kevin Coyle, owner-operator of Nine Lives Custom Refinishing, has a habit of parking his cube truck in front of his business on Highway 20, in Fonthill. It’s in a high-visibility area, next door to the Legion and a gas station, and across the street from the Food Basics shopping plaza. Safe enough, right?

But in the wee hours of Saturday, July 24, his vehicle lost a precious part: a catalytic converter, part of his truck’s exhaust system that reduces the emission pollutants. He shared the story with the Voice to help create awareness of a problem that is pervasive in Niagara.

“I talked to my mechanic. It'll probably cost me six hundred bucks to replace,” said Coyle.

And in a sense, he got off lucky.

Some vehicles have multiple catalytic converters, based on their exhaust configuration, and replacement can run upwards of several thousand dollars.

A catalytic converter contains several precious metals: platinum, palladium, and rhodium. On a perounce basis, they rival the price of gold on the open market. Palladium is currently selling for over $2600 an ounce, with rhodium about $2100, and platinum $1000.

Ken Shorthouse, who owns Elevate Automotive, in Fenwick, used to manage an automotive parts recycling shop, and has been in the industry since 2006.

“It happens all over,” said Short-

house. “Guys will cruise down a street, jack up a car in seconds, and use a battery-powered grinder to remove its ‘cat,’ all in under a few minutes.”

He said that a lot of the thieves are not local, and fence the stolen converters at unscrupulous metal recycling and auto wrecking yards outside the region. They can get anywhere from $50 to a few hundred for the stolen parts, said Shorthouse.

Constable Phil Gavin, a media relations officer with the Niagara Regional Police Service, told the Voice that a large number of such incidents have been occurring in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, and Welland.

“We have had investigative units conduct projects in relation to catalytic converters that have led to arrests and recovery of stolen property,” he said. “We have seen commercial lots and repair shops targeted. Suspects get inside a fenced area, and move from automobile to automobile.”

Thieves often go after vehicles with higher suspension systems, like vans and pick-up trucks, with the added ground clearance allowing the thief easier access to the converter.

A CBC News report in March identified at least 30 automobile owners in Niagara who had recently fallen victim to catalytic converter thieves, but the problem

Kevin Coyle points to a wire dangling from the underside of his work truck, which once connected to the vehicle’s catalytic converter. DON RICKERS exists right across the country.

Gavin said that the good news is that metal recyclers are working with the police to report suspicious persons, and maintain ethical and required business practices, insisting on proper documentation.

He added that some fleet owners have been engraving personalized lettering or numbering on the catalytic converters for identification,

making them harder to exchange for cash. Others have welded metal screens over the converters to make them more difficult and time-consuming to remove.

There are a number of ways members of the public and business owners can deter potential part thieves, said Gavin. Motion-activated lighting systems, surveillance cameras, alarms and

sirens, fences, and simply garaging your vehicle all help. Businesses that maintain a fleet of vehicles could consider security personnel and guard dogs, and regular patrols of the property. Neighbourhood Watch groups on Facebook also can be valuable, keeping community members in touch about crime in the area, and heightening the sense of vigilance.

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The Voice

A August 4 2021

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The Voice

Page 9

A August 4 2021

IN PERSON ONCE AGAIN For the first time since March 2020, the Rotary Club of Fonthill held a non-Zoom meeting, on Wednesday, July 28, with 19 club members and 23 guests in attendance in Peace Park. Eight new members were inducted by President Hugh Graham, who also presented a Charter Member plaque to 30-year member and club archivist, Gail Levay.

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The Voice

A August 4 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Centrespread

NOW THAT’S A W As halfway houses go, this lighthouse at Scotland’s Turnberry golf course is in a class by itself. Perched on a cl and contemplate what’s to come. Turnberry is one of 14 courses presented in the new book Scotlan

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

A August 4 2021

WEE VIEW LADDIE lifftop with expansive views, it offers a place to rest, recuperate, review what just happened on the front nine, nd, Home of Golf, reviewed this week by Voice golf columnist John Piccolo, page 12.

IAIN LOWE

Page 11

eration St Andrean f golf and the town as an artist, illustraown around the accurate portrayal me’s experience and s historical forths due for years.

A August 4 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

ANOTHER ROUND

by JOHN PICCOLO

REVIEW: Scotland, Home of Golf

A

s part of the “End of the

Pandemic will happen Scotland someday” series, here is H o m e of G o l f

a little review of a new coffee table book: Scotland, Home of Golf. First of all, until someone comes up with a coffee table book that actually folds out into a coffee table, I think these books are a tough sell. You look at them once and then they end up in the dusty top corner of the bookshelf.

We’ve got some very cool ones on the Bruce Trail, images from Rolling Stone magazine, something on The Beatles. None have ever been on our coffee table. That being said, if you have a whack of Covid cash (more on the cash part later) and are itching to spend some on a bucket list golf trip to prematurely celebrate the end of the beginning of the pandemic, this book is a good place to start planning your expedition.

The photographers and writer are local Scots—including a father-son team—and mix in just the right amount of historical information with stunning photography of 14 of the most noteworthy Scottish golf links. It is a bit odd they offer up tips on playing certain of the holes. The book is a substantial hardcover and not conducive to being carried around as a pocket guide should you make the trip. This is obviously a book made for avid golfers, so more references to specific memorable shots from specific players during specific British Opens might have been nice. The photos are beau-

Scotland

Home

of

Golf

Photography by Iain M. Lowe and Christopher J. Lowe Text and Illustrations by David Joy

grass down to size, stick a few tin cans in the ground, grab a stick and rock, and you have yourself a pastime.

Also of note, some of the most famous courses in the world started out as 5, 9, 10, or 12-hole tracks.

The 16th hole at "The Old Course," St. Andrews, where golf has been played since the 15th century. IAIN LOWE It’s mostly serendipity that 18 they do not suit the playing of maTroon is £300 for a day ticket. Carholes came to be defined as the jor tournaments, so they fly unnoustie is £220. Kingsbarn is very standard length. der the radar which makes them highly touted, as well it should be Ah, yes, the cost. It might be a much more affordable. Do a little at a (mortgage payment) cost of coincidence that an offer to review £328. If you wish a caddy, which is research and you have a golf buckthis book showed up at a small et list trip without having to bid highly recommended to navigate community weekly that resides in many of these courses, it will set against the space cowboy crowd one of the wealthier postal codes in for tee times. You may not have you back another £55 plus tip. the province, but it also might not selfies from the few holes that Muirfield is private, and you be. These courses are extremely need to get invited by a member. your friends will recognize, but expensive to play. Perhaps the most they don’t want to see the photos Then we have Turnberry, which is famous course in the world is St. anyway. They are just being polite. operated by a certain lunatic forAndrews. In 1980 it cost about $7 Nice book if you have some holes mer US president. That’ll cost you to play. Now the high season rate nearly £400, or close to $700 Ca- to fill on the top left shelf of the is £198 pounds, or about $300, not nadian smacks. If I had to choose book case. ◆ including caddie fees and tip. You between paying 10 cents to that can play from January till March Scotland, Home of Golf, Ian Lowe disdainful collection of primorfor £98, but take note there are a dial scum of a family, or to never Photography, 176 pages, $57 on couple of pictures of the course play golf again, my clubs would be Amazon or www.scottishgolfliwith a decent amount of snow on it. brary.com. heading to kijiji.

St. Andrews is actually at the lowThe thing about golf in Scotland er end of the 14 courses featured.

John Piccolo is a golf instructor is that there are 550 courses and Royal Dornoch, which is my bucket and runs Piccolo’s Custom Golf Shop over 100 that are of the links valist choice along with St. Andrews at Eagle Valley Golf Club in Niagara riety. Many are as good or nearly (see Lorne Rubenstein’s A season in Falls. You may reach him at as good as the most famous. For Dornoch to understand why) runs picgolf@vaxxine.com whatever reason, be it location to £210 per play in the high season. or lack of amenities (or politics),

T

his book is unashamedly designed to

brighten your day; to re-kindle happy memories of previous trips or maintain your desire to visit Scotland with club and ball. We strive to showcase the

selected fourteen links courses, from the air and ground, in a way that is

H o m e of G o l f

e has twenty five ly business. From n photography ekends and during ree in graphic ined the business nsformed it with library and web bring large format ying the business This is his fourth

The Voice

scotland

ver fifty years’ from the ground s shooting Scottish ht all of this experitland: Home of Golf. around carrying es, dozens of rolls mbraced the move hop. The ambition quality of the image, t takes. ne different golf ring re-prints.

Page 12

interesting and captivating. The low sun aiding the understanding of the golfing

challenge and the beauty of the location.

Then there is the history. For this we

look back over some six hundred years

with brief observations of the key occurrences and greatest influencers and players to have walked these links.

All of this supported by hand-drawn

illustrations, an artform that we believe is far better than photography when reflecting on the goliaths of our game.

To these players we will devote more attention, bigger illustrations and

The naturally rolling links land of Royal Aberdeen 6th.

commentary to explain their status in the book.

Low e Low e & J oy

tiful and take full advantage of drone technology. The perspective from the air, however, is sometimes disorienting. It is often hard to tell which holes you are looking at based on the description, and the terrain kind of blends together after a few courses.

The inside book jacket does mention its goal is to put a smile on your face remembering past visits to these courses or spur your enthusiasm to commence upon your first. Indeed it does as it says.

By the way, a true “links” golf course is named as such because it is laid on the dormant land between the sea and the arable land a safe distance away. This land was generally considered waste, as the salt water was not kind to the growth of anything but the native grasses, which happened to work just fine for the purpose of golfing. Add in a few sheep to cut the

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The Voice

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A August 4 2021

Burying the hatchet "Axes Up" fundraiser at Fonthill Legion, Aug 21 Some may wonder to what use the humble hatchet may be put, aside from chopping kindling wood for a backyard bonfire. But Jamie Treschak, and thousands of others, have turned the tool into a recreational sport…even an obsession.

Treschak is one of the organizers of an upcoming event and fundraiser at the Fonthill Legion Branch 613, on Highway 20, called “Axes Up,” a tournament for rookie and veteran axe throwers.

“We ran the inaugural competition last year, and raised $9000 to upgrade the Legion’s kitchen,” said Treschak. “This year, we are providing money to allow the Legion’s mobile meals program to continue operation.”

Since the Covid-19 lockdown started in March 2020, the Fonthill Legion and its scores of volunteers have served some 14,000 meals to Pelham residents, free of charge, who were housebound due to the ongoing pandemic.

In recognition, Branch 613 recently won a Niagara Region Impact Award.

About 20 entrants are currently signed up for the axe throwing, said Treschak, and there is room for 60 in the tournament, which commences at 11 AM. Competitors are separated into novice and

BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent experienced groups. Lunch is included in the entry cost of $65, and the Legion’s patio will be open for spectators for food and drink. Social distancing rules will be in effect.

A penny raffle and 50/50 draw will also be held.

Getting into axe throwing is an inexpensive proposition.

“I use a basic, short-handled carpenter’s axe from Ace Hardware, with a custom paint job and artwork,” said Treschak. “The serious throwers bring their own axes, but we’ll have an army of axes available on a loan basis to new throwers.”

An active axe man for three years, Treschak considers himself to be “moderately okay” at axe hurling.

“There are people in my league who basically get a perfect game every night—a bullseye with every throw,” he said.

Competitors hurl their hatchets from a distance of 12 feet at a wooden target.

Matches usually involve ten throws per competitor, with the person gaining the highest aggregate score being the winner. The rubric for axe throwing rules is similar to that of archery and darts. A bullseye is five points, the

middle ring is three points, and the outer ring a single point. Every player is guaranteed warm-up time, and two matches with their entrance fee. Prizes will be awarded for the top three placings in both the novice and experienced divisions.

Curious about the physics of axe throwing?

“You just need one revolution of the axe,” said Treschak. “Don't throw it like a baseball, throw it like a dart.”

Axes are some of the oldest tools known to humanity, and date back to the days of cave dwellers. They were popular as both a tool and weapon throughout the Middle Ages, especially by armoured knights and Germanic tribes. Europeans took axes to the New World, and provided them as tomahawks to Native tribes. Axe throwing competitions were held by frontier explorers in North America, although some historians say it was a practise of Celtic tribes as well. Today, axe throwing is still a popular sport among lumberjacks, and has become a popular urban sport in the USA, Canada, Thailand, Australia, France, and Great Britain.

Registration for the event is available online: http://axes-up-fundraising.square. site/

A RIOTOUS TURNOUT Each Sunday through August 29 sees Women’s Place of Niagara holding its “Mystery Box Book Riot” fundraiser, at Apple Self Storage in Niagara Falls. Small boxes are $10, large boxes $20. For categories coming up, see https://womensplacesn.org SUPPLIED

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Page 14

The Voice

A August 4 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

COUNCIL

POETRY

continued from Page 6

My Dog Chum Chum started out as a small brown dog Grew and grew until big as a log Smart as a whip and strong as an ox Hard to believe he came home in a box Chum loved to go for a walk or two Never needing a hat, coat or shoe Leash straight out with me in tow Always knew I was walking too slow Chum sat at the window and looked up the street Who can I bark at, who will I meet Jumped and growled and put on a show Why the big fuss, Chum didn't know Chum always ate everything in his bowl Especially liked chewing on Tootsie rolls If tested for friendship, he wouldn't fail Showed love and devotion with a wag of his tail Chum now is older but still likes to please Moves much slower with sometimes a sneeze Walks are fewer but he still tries his best Please slow down Paul, I need a short rest Chum is now gone, his leash hangs in dust Chum was a great friend, one I could trust Don't cry Paul, you were a great friend too When you get to heaven I will be waiting for you J. Paul Jenter

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“We’re not building the Space Shuttle here, we’re trying to get people to work.”

The Mayor agreed.

“Once this governance comes in and we’re one of [several municipalities], we’re probably going to be barking up a tree nobody is listening to,” he said.

The Town bureaucrat responsible for transit — Director of Recreation, Culture and Wellness Vickie vanRavenswaay —said she had expressed her dissatisfaction with the Region, adding they told her a revised pre-booking system should be available by September.

Hoop house hoopla

Council received a report on “hoop houses,” farm structures similar to greenhouses but less durable. In March, Willowbrook Nurseries’ owner John Langendoen had given a presentation to council on the differences in the buildings, given permit concerns. At the top of last Monday’s meeting, Junkin and Kore declared a conflict of interest on the matter as they had taken campaign contributions from Langendoen.

Later, with Junkin and Kore out of the meeting, Hildebrandt moved to add a multiple-page motion on hoop houses, dealing with matters such as definition and emergency vehicle access. A staff report proposes a flat building permit fee of $263 per hoop house.

The matter is scheduled to come back Aug. 23.

SDUs primed for passage

Council received a report from staff recommending that the matter of secondary dwelling units (SDUs) come up for vote at the next meeting. Minor changes regarding height have been made to the proposed bylaw, specifically that the permitted height of an accessory residential building or structure was reduced to 4.75 metres from 7.2 metres within residential zones.

Haun again brought up the issue of parking. Director of Community Planning and Development Barb Wiens again said that the relevant parking bylaw requires only one parking space per SDU, and again reiterated that street parking is mostly legal throughout Pelham. Haun wanted to ensure that those undertaking Pelham’s long-awaited parking study—delayed by atypical pandemic traffic patterns—were aware of the SDU matter. Wiens said they were.

Nuclear-free Pelham

Adding to the marathon meeting, council engaged in a six-minute exercise to ensure that the Town sends an official letter to Global Affairs Canada calling for the end of nuclear weapons. The original matter came about after Dr. David Nicholson, a Pelham resident and member of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War, See COUNCIL Page 16

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

Page 15

A August 4 2021

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First Presbyterian Church 602 Metler Rd., North Pelham

Holy Trinity Anglican Church holytrinityfonthill.org

Pelham Evangelical Friends Church www.pelhamfriends.ca

Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill

Fonthill Baptist Church www.fonthillbaptistchurch.ca

Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1369 Rice Rd., Fonthill

Ridgeville Bible Chapel ridgevillebiblechapel.com

Fenwick Church of Christ www.fenwickchurchofchrist.ca

Fonthill United Church www.fonthillunited.com

Kirk on the Hill Presbyterian Church 1344 Haist St., Fonthill

St. Alexander Roman Catholic Church www.stalexander.on.ca

Fenwick United Church www.fenwickunited.com

Glad Tidings Church of God www.gladtidingschurchofgod.com

Pelham Community Church (United Church) www.pelham.cc

St. Ann Roman Catholic Church www.stannfenwick.com

FAITH LIFT

continued from Page 19 Pharisees, scribes and priests of his day).

These people were the upper class of that society and loved their positions of power, privilege and prestige. They felt threatened

by Jesus’ teaching and so began to hate him which eventually led to his execution.

But Jesus never backed down in spite of the danger. His language was blunt and direct calling them “white-washed tombs,” “hypocrites,” and “blind guides” (see Matthew 23:27-28 where He takes a strip off them). Obviously, Jesus never took a Dale Carnegie course on “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”

Growing popularity

And, of course, to be “cool” you need to be popular. And Jesus was. As you read through the Gospels it says repeatedly that “great crowds” flocked to see and hear him. They also wanted to see His miracles such as healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, and even raising the dead. This was uniquely “cool” because nobody else

could do it.

Around the world today, about 2 billion people call themselves “Christian” (literally a “Christ one” or “Christ follower”).

With the world population nearing 8 billion, that’s about one in four people on planet Earth. When the Beatles were at the height of their popularity, John Lennon boasted they were “more popular than Jesus.” I guess in Lennon’s mind, Jesus was the gold standard of popularity. By the way, many people didn’t appreciate that comparison and the Beatles’ popularity began to wane after that. Tragically, Lennon was murdered in December 1980 by a born-again Christian who cited the “popular” remark, as well as some of Lennon’s references to religion in his song lyrics, as part of his motivation to shoot the then40-year-old singer.

Even though “religion” may not be very popular in the West today, surveys show that Jesus still is. And that’s why I think Jesus qualifies as “the coolest Person who ever lived.” What do you think? ◆ Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor.

BALANCED LIFE

continued from Page 18 the roof of her vehicle. Post-paddle, Judy 2 needed assistance to load her boat onto her SUV and lash it down securely, so Judy 1 and I volunteered. There was a set of knotted tie-downs to hold the foam block racks to the vehicle, another set with ratchets to hold the boat in place, and a third set with tension bindings to hold everything else tight in case the fi rst two systems failed. All six tie-downs passed through the back windows of the SUV in a maze of straps.

Judy 1, later dubbed Engineer Judy, and I set to work with her in charge of the operation. I never heard a “Do this” or “Do that.” It was always “Try this, what do you think about this, or maybe if we did that.” Within minutes the boat was secure on the SUV’s roof.

Then, in thanks for the assistance and in celebration of a successful paddle, Judy 2 broke out the tailgate goodies —not beer, but a bag of freshly baked homemade

chocolate chip cookies.

Weeks before our trip I’d arranged with George Grisdale, the owner of West View Resort on Georgian Bay, to launch our kayaks from his marina and cottage complex for one of our paddles, but not without effort. George was a conservative guy, his bread and butter were the bigger power boats and cruisers. He hadn’t had kayakers at his marina for years because the last group were slow and talked too much and tied up his boat ramp, etc., but he had relented and agreed.

When our group arrived with seven vehicles, it was easy to read on his face that he was having second thoughts.

Judy 2 jumped in, asked George if he’d share where the best fishing spots in his bay were and which lures to use, and the launch deal was back on.

George even gave us a 25-cent discount on our frozen ice cream bars when we returned.

I began to compare Gayle, Janet, Judy 1 and 2’s pragmatic and generous approaches to those of all the male Kevin See BALANCED LIFE back page

Page 16

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continued from Page 14 appealed to council with a letter as part of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).

Canada hasn’t officially had nuclear weapons on its soil since 1984, when they were the domain of the U.S. military. There are estimated to be 13,100 nuclear weapons worldwide in 2021, down from some 70,000 during the hair-trigger peak of the Cold War in the 1980s. The measure passed unanimously.

Capital gains concerns

Also unanimously, council voted to endorse letters from Fort Erie, Port Colborne and other municipalities calling on the federal government to not apply capital gains taxes on primary residences. The letter from Fort Erie baselessly claimed that the feds are “currently looking into” the controversial measure in order to cool down runaway housing prices, when in fact the only public support for the idea appears to come from RBC economist Robert Hogue, who floated the idea in March. In any event, such a decision would wipe out billions of dollars of Canadians’ net worth.

The Voice Z

FONTHILL BANDSHELL PRESENTS DE TEMPS ANTAN of Pelham and Central Niagara Burke’s Masonry 2003, Éric Beaudry, André Brunet and Pierre-Luc Dupuis have THE VOICE Since IS 100 PERCENT Bricklaying, tuckpointing, been exploring and performing time-honoured melodies from OF the PUBLICATION stompCOMMUNITY-OWNED CELEBRATING 25 YEARS step repair, granite ing grounds of Quebec’s musical past. Using fiddle, accordion, harmonica, coatings, brick slices guitar, bouzouki and a number of other instruments, our three virtuosos 905-682-7061. blend energy with the unmistakable joieREPAIR de vivre found only in “From my perspective as boundless a former finanMASONRY FLOORINGP18-28 cial planner … putting capital gains tax on traditional Quebec music.

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MILLVisit www.pelhamabout a consultation he attended regarding strengthening accountability for municipal library.on.ca or call 905-892-6443 for Portable more details. sawmill service. council members. Kore asked Olson if imI will come to your home or farm and custom mill your logs. peachment came up as a form of punishing FABULOUS FENWICK LIONS FISH FRY also available. Call Rob Patterson, elected officials for breaking various codes Firewood & lumber of conduct.

Tasty treats with funds heading straight back into the community. Haddock, 905-401-4948, “Impeachment precisely did not come up french fries and much more. Runs Sept.riverwood@primus.ca 9 from 4-7 p.m. in that matter,” Olson replied, adding that sentiment favoured voters retaining the ability to vote out, at the next election, repPELHAM EQUIPMENT T-SHIRTS SALE resentatives in whom they had MINOR lost confiHOCKEY dence.

Buy, sell or trade used FRIENDS equipment at the Pelham Arena. Aimed to provide OF THE STEVE BAUER TRAIL T-SHIRTS ASKING FOR  Council unanimously passed comcheaper options for players in this season.

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6 from mencing a Pelham mental health walk-in DONATIONS OFupcoming $20 -15 by Pelham Tree Conservative Society.

Call clinic for youth. Thanks $5,000 dona9-12toina the morning.

Mike Jones, 905-658-3330, or pelhamtreeconservationsociety@ tion from local service clubs, a one-daygmail.com to order sizes. per-week walk-in clinic will be scheduled to start Sept. 28 at the MCC. PELHAM MUDFEST  Fire Chief and Chief Bylaw Enforcement Men and women will be back in the mud asFOUND the second run on the year is Officer Bob Lymburner reported one active case of Covid-19 in Pelham of July 26. held atasBissil’s Hideaway.

Found: a pair of prescription sunglasses in black case. These were found on grass boulevard at corner of Haist and Canboro on

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca “No member of a crew is praised for the rugged individuality of his rowing.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Voice

Sporting Green The Niagara

Page 17

A August 4 2021

John Swart goes on a kayak adventure with the ladies, learns a thing or two 18

The Voice | August 4 2021

Fonthill rower headed to junior worlds Shane Keagen discovered crew in Grade 9

BY BERNIE PUCHALSKI and DON RICKERS bpsportsniagara.com / voice correspondent With on-the-water rowing mostly halted by the Covid-19 pandemic, Rowing Canada had to take a different approach to choosing the athletes it would send to the World Rowing Junior Championships, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, running August 11 to 15.

Interested athletes were told to submit two-kilometre ergometer scores in order to determine who would be invited to the selection camp. That process couldn’t have been a better method when it came to the junior national aspirations of Shane Keagan, a Grade 12 student at Ridley College.

On the resume of the 17-yearold Fonthill resident are backto-back Ontario and Canadian titles in the under-17 men’s 2,000 metre divisions at the Canadian Indoor Rowing Championships, a 2021 Canadian title in the under-19 men’s 500-metre division, and a bronze medal at the 2021 world indoor rowing championships.

Seven males were invited to attend the selection camp at the Ontario NextGen Performance Centre, in Welland, and all seven were told they would be attending the worlds in Bulgaria. Canada will send a single, pair and a quad, that includes Keagan, Adrian Breen of the Don Rowing Club, Giancarlo DiPompeo from the St. Catharines Rowing Club, and Payton Gauthier from the Niagara Falls Rowing Club.

Joy wasn’t the overriding emotion when Keagan heard the news.

“It was big relief because it is a lot of work,” the Ridley Graduate Boat Club member said. “I didn’t expect to ever be selected to go to junior worlds, so even going into the summer I had made plans training-wise and workwise. It was a lot of flip-flopping when they asked me to come out to Welland and train with them.”

The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder admitted to being stressed out with the training.

“It is a whole other level, and it was a big relief to know that I had done it for something,” he said.

“When it was up in the air if we were going, it was, ‘Why am I this tired and why am I training five hours a day?’ at that moment.”

That training has been a boon to his development.

“It is finding that next level. It has been eye-opening training because everyone there is a superstar at whatever club or school they are from. They are putting all of us together and telling us we have to take it to the next level. It knocked me back.”

Mary Rao, who is a local coach for the South Niagara Rowing Club as well as Brock University, is working with Keagan’s crew, in preparation for the world championships.

“The guys have really been coming together over the last few weeks, working to ensure that they hit their speed targets before

we leave for Bulgaria,” she said.

“Shane has been balancing his summer job and rowing training, which makes it even more challenging.”

A graduate of A.K. Wigg Public School, Keagan said his decision to attend high school at Ridley College in St. Catharines, “was very much a last-minute decision, based primarily on the academic program.”

He said that one of his friends from down the street was also attending Ridley, “so it all worked out nicely with carpooling.” Keagan referenced Ridley’s “amazing facilities,” and added that he is often at the school until 9 PM, participating in evening study on campus after his sports commitment is completed.

Rowing is one of the marquee sports at Ridley, whose crews have been competing in the Canadian Secondary School Rowing Association (CSSRA) Championships since 1968, and have won accolades in Canada, the USA, and England over the years. More than a dozen Ridley alumni have competed in rowing at the Olympic Games.

Keagan is looking forward to getting a chance to do something special at junior worlds.

“It is just the opportunity itself and I am really excited that I have the potential to do something.”

Wearing a Canadian singlet and having Canadian flag on his blades will also be thrill.

“Oh, definitely,” he said with a laugh. “You can throw that in there too.”

He hasn’t come up with any specific goals for the worlds.

“I have no idea. I never thought I would even be selected.”

Keagan started rowing at Ridley College in September of his Grade 9 year and the following spring he captured Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Association gold in the junior men’s eight and a bronze in the junior men’s four in Grade 9.

His last on-the-water race came in 2019, at the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta.

“I flipped in the single during the heats,” he said with a laugh.

“I was doing quite well and I was happy with my performance up to about 1,000 metres.”

Keagan’s achievements come as no surprise to Lisa Fucile, a retired Niagara teacher who had Keagan as a student at A.K. Wigg.

“He was clearly very bright, but also had a mind of his own.

He worked tremendously hard, both academically and in his sports. It’s just amazing to see what he has accomplished.”

Keagan is looking forward to a long career in rowing.

“I plan on rowing through university and depending how successful I am there, obviously that will determine where I end up. It would be great to potentially do an Olympics someday.”

Shane Keagan, on the dock at the south course of the Welland International Flatwater Centre.

DON RICKERS

Page 18

The Voice

A August 4 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

THE BALANCED LIFE

by John Swart

Kayaking with women: the Clint Eastwood approach

W

e were setting up our tent trailers in campsites next to one another, when Gayle called out to my wife and me, “Forgot my water hose, I’ll have to use my water jug to fi ll the tank in my trailer.”

“I’ve got one that I never use, you’re welcome to it,” was my response.

When Gayle came to get it, I continued, “I cleaned it out this spring, but you should likely flush it for a minute or two to get the critters and cobwebs out of it.”

As we were leaving four days later, Gayle thanked us for the hose, and left

it on her picnic table. I picked up the neatly looped hose, and was surprised when water didn’t run out the ends onto my shorts or feet. She had attached the hose ends together.

My Dad was the most practical, common sense, just fi nd-a-solution guy I’ve ever known, yet we never had that ritual father-son chat where he explained to me that if you threaded one end of the hose into the other when you put it away, bugs and worms couldn’t nest in it and it wouldn’t drip water for two days into whatever storage area it was tossed.

Without lecture, expla-

nation or typical male wiseass comments, Gayle had educated me.

This kayaking trip to Parry Sound had been offered to all club members.

Six women, myself and one other guy had signed on. My experience is that open-water kayak tourers are a resourceful lot regardless of gender, so the dynamic wasn’t an issue.

A perfect example was our last trip to Charleston Lake Provincial Park, north of Kingston.

Janet’s a “glamper” (luxurious or glamorous camper), roughing it in her 40-foot motorhome. Problem is, she doesn’t have a way to get her kayak from the campground to wherever we might be launching outside the park, unless she unhooks her motor home from her campsite each day.

Petra Norris-Pett, of St. Catharines, makes a kayaking fashion statement during Georgian Bay paddle trip.

JOHN SWART She and Jane struck a deal. Jane could sleep in the camper in return for taking Janet’s kayak from the site to the launches, but none of us knew how Janet was planning to get her kayak to the park.

On arrival, Janet carefully backed her huge rig into the tightly wooded

campsite, making sure that there were no trees directly behind. She then placed a step ladder behind the motor home and went inside.

The rear emergency exit window popped open, and a 16-foot sea kayak gradually emerged from inside the rig, one end balancing on the window sill while

the other slid along the top of the step ladder. No big deal.

Judy 2 arrived at our paddle launch from her cottage an hour away the fi rst morning, and she and Judy 1 removed her kayak from temporary racks on See BALANCED LIFE Page 15

V oice HOROSCOPE ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, feelings of nostalgia may come over you this week, prompting you to look at old family movies or thumb through photo albums. Enjoy this trip down Memory Lane.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 It is good to remain positive and keep an open mind, Taurus.

Maintain your optimistic attitude and others will soon gravitate toward you.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Take heart that many people around you are experiencing extreme emotions this week, Gemini. Help them work through the situation and your efforts won’t go unnoticed.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, stand up and defend yourself when the need arises.

Your reputation is beyond reproach, and for good reason.

Others can be relied on to support you.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, others appreciate your straightforward, no-nonsense attitude. You’ll find support by being honest at all times, so keep up the good work.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, you often like things to be orderly and fact-based.

However, this week you may find yourself clouded by emotions. You may have to go with your heart this time.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Reach out to others for help with a sticky situation, Libra.

Only by letting others know that you may need some support will you get friends and family to come to your aid.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, you can’t always assume that people will be in tune with your needs. You may need to advocate for yourself if you want help along the way.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Don’t jump too quickly into making decisions this week, Sagittarius. Take some time to consider a situation and then form your opinion.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, don’t avoid emotional topics right now, even if you’re tempted to run in the opposite direction. Facing a strong challenge will make you much stronger.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 To reveal the truth about something, tap into your psychic abilities, Aquarius. It may cause others to be a bit uncomfortable, but it is important to clarify things right now.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, when dealing with powerful, opinionated forces, including your own, it’s best to keep a level head and remain patient.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS AUGUST 1 JJ Hannon, Singer (20) AUGUST 2 Kevin Smith, Director (51) AUGUST 3 Martha Stewart, Entrepreneur (80) AUGUST 4 Daniel Dae Kim, Actor (53) AUGUST 5 Jesse Williams, Actor (40) AUGUST 6 Robin van Persie, Athlete (38)

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Enjoy our Take-out Fish & Chips Fridays!

From our family to yours...stay safe

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

Page 19

A August 4 2021

FAITH LIFT

by Pastor Rob Weatherby

Who is the coolest person?

L

anguages are living. They morph and change over the years. Just compare a King James Version (KJV) Bible with a New International Version (NIV) and you’ll see the difference that 400 years can make. Some words have changed their meaning or completely disappeared.

In more recent decades, words have also come and gone. Remember the word “groovy” from the 1960s?

For a while it was the fad and everybody said it. Then it faded into oblivion and no one says it anymore. The word meant “cool” which brings me to this four-letter word which began in the 1930s and is still with us today. It just never became obsolete or “uncool” to say.

And that brings me to my title— “Who is the coolest person who ever lived?” This is, of course, very subjective and there will be many different answers. Some may reach back in history and name Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great. Others may not go back so far and think of Marco Polo or Sir Francis Drake. And some may stick to recent memory and choose John Kennedy or Steve McQueen. Well, who do I think is the coolest person who ever lived? I’m glad you asked.

has about 17,000 of those books which is far more than any other historical person (and twice as many as second place, Shakespeare). Jesus even — El Salvador (The Savior)! But being important or influential doesn’t necessarily mean “cool,” which refers more to one’s character or personality.

dalized some high society people by associating with those considered immoral or unclean. I’ve always admired how gentle and gracious Jesus was to those with humble, seeking, sincere, repentant hearts. He didn’t ignore their sin but He showed great love for the sinner (see John 8:1-11 as an example).

Jesus hung around all kinds of people, including those on the lower fringes of his society. He was even criticized for being a “drunk” and a “glutton” (see Luke 7:34). He scan-

On the other hand, when Jesus saw hypocrisy, pride and selfishness, His attitude changed. This made him enemies in high places (the

Gentle and gracious

Bold and uncompromising

See FAITH LIFT Page 15

Jesus of Nazareth

You might have guessed it, right? But hear me out. I have a few reasons for my choice. First, He impacted human history like no other. In fact, his birth is used to divide human history — BC (before Christ) and AD (“Anno Domini” or “in the year of our Lord” in Latin).

Not a bad start.

An estimated 187,000 books have been written about Jesus in 500 languages. The Library of Congress

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!

Word Search: Summer Days

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

BEACH CAMPING COASTAL COOLING FAN HAMMOCK

HAZY HOT LAZY OUTDOORS RECREATION SEASIDE

SHADY SUMMER SUNSHINE SUNTAN SWEATING SWIMMING

SWIMSUIT TEMPERATURE TOWEL TRAVEL UMBRELLA VACATION

Voice

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The Voice

BALANCED LIFE

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O’Leary-wanabees in our campground, who were suffering from a tinge of RV envy.

The Kampgrounds of America (KOA) marketers have these guys nailed.

After you decide whether you and your rig warrant a 15, 25 or 50-amp service (generally required for trailers that have two air conditioners), you can upgrade to a pull-through site so no one will know you can’t actually back the thing up, or a patio site with masonry decking, flower pots, Jimmy Buffet patio lanterns, and a permanent BBQ for $100-plus per night.

Then you park your motorcycles or ATVs in front of your spotlessly polished dually pick-up truck and wait for the awards committee to choose a size-matters and largestnumber-of-toys winner.

The next day we knew this was all to no avail, and egos would be crushed, as my wife and I followed a magnificently masculine truck and trailer into the KOA after a paddle. The trailer commanded the full width of a highway lane, plus a bit of the shoulder, as a black 4 x 4 pickup with massive tires dragged it pitching and swaying toward the park. The balding, grey-haired driver descended from the truck’s cab as we passed. The matching polished ebony trailer was longer than a railway car, had six gleaming chrome wheels, and three air conditioning units on the roof.

Grown men turned away as it passed through the park, silently trying to hide their tears. When the owner got the rig situated, then lowered the rear door of the trailer and backed out a dune-buggy styled, side-by-side, all-terrain vehicle—glossy black, of course—many of the guys returned with gifts to proffer the new king. Attila the RV Hun had subdued the hordes without drawing a single arrow from his quiver.

The next lesson came after a rigorous paddle amongst the granite islands of Georgian Bay. Faced with the choice of a 3.5 kilometre post-paddle hike, or beer and/ or ice-cream at the marina where we launched, no one needed to prove how tough they were. The ice cream was sweet and flavourful, the beer thirst-quenching, and both were cold.

The discussion around our socially distanced table was anything but. No shrinking violets here, these women had stories to tell. Voices rose as each sought to be heard above the other, until the subject of Mark Harmon mysteriously came up. The table went quiet, and Linda admitted she’d had a crush on him since St. Elsewhere in the ‘80s. Engineer Judy agreed, with the others escalating the positive and earthy opinions about Harmon and a few other male actors unknown to me.

As the conversation continued, I realized that it wasn’t totally Harmon’s acting skills that were being praised, and innocently queried, “Thinking like that about movie stars is just a guy thing, isn’t it?”

“Reality check!” was the kindest response I remember amongst many immediate replies and giggles.

The other guy on the trip was a Clint Eastwood, Fistful of Dollars type, complete with broad-brimmed hat and scruff y beard but minus the poncho, who didn’t say much. For the remainder of the trip I adopted a similar approach, squinting into the sun or campfi re, mouth shut, following the action and learning the ways of the world. ◆

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Voice

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

4

Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars Backyard barbecues beckon and poolside entertaining reigns supreme every summer.

After guests have had their fill of fire-licked grilled burgers, hot dogs and chicken, a refreshing dessert that won’t have summertime hosts sweating preparation can make for the perfect culinary capper.

“Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars” marry tangy cream cheese with sweet and velvety banana pudding atop a cookie crust. They’re easy to prepare ahead of time and easily sliced when the dessert bell beckons. Double up the recipe if you’re expecting a crowd or want to have a few leftovers — they’re that delicious. Enjoy this recipe, courtesy of Lena Abraham, senior food editor and stylist at Delish.

Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars Yields: 9 servings For crust 1-1⁄2 cup crushed vanilla wafer cookies 5 tablespoons butter, melted 2 tablespoons sugar Pinch sea salt For filling 1-1⁄2 (8 ounces) blocks cream cheese, softened 1⁄2 cup sugar 1-1⁄2 cup whipped topping 1 3.4-ounce package instant banana pudding mix 1-3⁄4 cup whole milk For topping Whipped topping 1⁄2 banana, sliced 9 vanilla wafer cookies 1. Line an 8-inch by 8-inch pan with parchment paper.

2. Make crust: In a medium bowl, combine crushed wafer cookies with butter, sugar and salt. Press in an even layer into the prepared pan. Place in freezer while making filling.

3. Make cheesecake filling: In a large bowl using a hand mixer (or in a stand mixer), beat cream cheese until fluffy and no clumps remain. Add sugar and beat until combined. Fold in whipped topping and set aside.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk.

Let pudding stand for 3 minutes in the refrigerator, until thickened. Fold into cheesecake mixture until well combined.

5. Pour filling into prepared crust and smooth into an even layer. Freeze until bars are firm, at least 6 hours and up to overnight.

6. When firm, remove from freezer and slice into nine bars.

Top each bar with a dollop of whipped topping, a slice of banana and a vanilla cookie before serving.

Note: If banana isn’t your favorite flavor, replace banana pudding with lemon pudding and use a thin lemon slice in the whipped topping dollop as a garnish when serving.

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