The Voice, February 12 2020

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Vol.24 No.6

February 12, 2020

FREE

Column Six

Michael Jacques, Citizen of the Year

Colon cancer Who, me?

No way.

BY ANONYMOUS

T

2019's Kinsmen Citizen of the Year, Michael Jacques, at home in Fonthill.

BY JOHN CHICK

Special to the VOICE

The Fonthill and District Kinsmen have selected Michael Jacques as their 2019 Citizen of the Year.

The 28-year-old Pelham resident’s inspiring story has become well-known in the past year with the publishing of his book, “Can’t Read, Can’t Write, Here’s My Book.”

Jacques is autistic, and produced the tome using talk-to-text speech technology.

“Michael's courage, determination and commitment to volunteering makes our community a better place,” the Kinsmen’s Kevin Twomey said. “His passion to help others makes our world a better place and motivates us ordinary people to do more.”

Jacques works part-time at the Fonthill Sobeys, but spent much of his time in 2019 volunteering and speaking to students around the province about his experience as an autistic adult.

“Probably over a hundred presentations around Ontario over the last 12 months,” Michael’s father, Marcel, told the Voice.

In addition to meeting luminaries

JENICA HRYSKO

such as Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell and daytime talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, the year saw Michael named to the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, a global organization that highlights young adults making a difference in their communities across the 53 Commonwealth countries. He was also

his is my story. I make no apologies for my words or the contents. My facts are not gory or gruesome, merely facts. So, pull up your socks, sit back and read my story, if you dare.

The life you save may be yours or that of someone you dearly love. I challenge you to read it to the end.

I was born in 1932, in my grandma’s house on Killaly Street, Port Colborne, in the bed where my mother slept as a girl. As a young married woman about to have her first baby, she returned to that same single bed, and, with a midwife’s help, I was born.

I was told that from the beginning my father carved very small suppositories from soap to help his baby daughter learn a most important daily ritual. And so, my “cranky colon” began.

For years I experienced irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, flatulence, constipation, distention and pain.

This conflict with my colon became part of my lifestyle as I sought for sage advice

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Page 2

The Voice, February 12, 2020

More sex assault charges for Duncan

PUBLISHER’S CORNER

by Dave Burket

Corrections at the top: We got the story right, but not the headline. Niagara Region Councillor Diana Huson is still on the NPCA board, but failed in her bid to remain vice chair. When Huson emailed to request the clarification, we took the opportunity to ask for her view on climate change. As you’ll see, there’s a tart letter to the editor this week, taking her to task for supporting the previous NPCA chair, who denies that climate change is primarily human-driven. Alarmingly, Huson started out by sayPuzzler winner Jim Vandering that she is not a “climate hoek.

SUPPLIED change expert” and that such science is not her “area of expertise.” Oh, jeez. Textbook climate change denier evasion. Few among us are astrophysicists, but we’re pretty much in agreement that the earth is round, sans a ride into space to “prove” it. Fortunately, Huson went on to say, “I do believe climate change is predominately man-made and is one of the most important issues of our time.” Whew!... We have a winner: Jim Vanderhoek, who works at Beamer’s Hardware, has solved the Puzzler, which asked, “If you increase backwards and remove the hex, what do you get?” Noting that once again the “solution is before your eyes,” Vanderhoek prowled the paper and detected pairs of characters “in the crease” of most pages, near the bottom (they are still there this week), correctly guessed that they were in hexadecimal notation, and presented backwards. Thus, “53 70 72 69 6e 67 20 69 73 20 63 6f 6d 69 6e 67,” translates as “Spring is coming.” The Puzzlemeister offers congratulations, and the promise of a new Puzzler to come...She’s set to speak: Former Town Treasurer Cari Pupo says that the Town has agreed that she may make a presentation before Town Council, at their March 2 regular meeting. However, those hoping for an expose of the previous council’s financial fumbling may be disappointed. Pupo says that while she intends to address such issues in the future, her immediate interest is in following up on the illegal duplex on Emmett Street that she and her neighbours say the Town has not properly dealt with...If you thought last year was bad: We are reliably informed that a survey of Pelham trees has conSee CORNER back page

Voice

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Five women now accuse retired doctor of misconduct

BY VOICE STAFF In a statement released last Tuesday, the Niagara Regional Police Service announced that further investigation has led to additional charges being laid against former Fonthill family doctor Charles Duncan.

Three more female victims, according to police, have been identified. They range in age between 54 and 64, with the alleged offenses occurring over a 24-year period between August 1994 and September 2018.

There is no statute of limitations for bringing sexual assault charges in Ontario.

The 76-year-old now faces an additional four counts, on top of four counts filed in November 2019. The earlier counts related to two incidents involving a 16-year-old female, and a 39-year-old female, while Duncan was still running his family practice in Fonthill. In total, Duncan faces eight counts of sexual assault, and an additional two counts of sexual exploitation.

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Charles Duncan, centre right, with his sons, and his attorney Michael DelGobbo, left. JOHN CHICK Already scheduled to appear related to pre-trial motions in the earlier cases, Duncan arrived at the Robert K. Welch Courthouse in downtown St. Catharines last Wednesday morning, gaunt but well-dressed, buttressed by his two somber-looking sons and lawyer Michael DelGobbo.

His matter was sand-

wiched between other cases on a lengthy docket, the courtroom packed with observers. From the rear row of the gallery, a woman’s wheezing drowned out much of the legal proceedings from the bench. In the front row, a young man with low-slung, baggy pants sat with his head down, emanating a strong body odour.

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After the brief appearance, Duncan exited the courtroom to confer with DelGobbo. He then left the building with his sons.

Duncan is due back in court March 31.

DelGobbo declined a Voice request for comment.

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The Voice, February 12, 2020

JACQUES

continued from Page 1 appointed to the Ontario government Minister’s Advisory Council on Special Education, a group that provides direct advice to the provincial Education Minister.

“They recognize Michael has a very strong voice, and he wants to make his community better — an inclusive community,” Marcel said.

His father added that the local honour in the form of Citizen of the Year means just as much to Michael.

“He’s so delighted,” Marcel said. “As soon as he found out he was smiling and he wanted to share the information with his family and friends.”

Despite not being able to read or write, Jacques’ journey with his book began by simply recording a journal on his iPad. When his sister, a graphic designer in Toronto, discovered what he was doing, the idea for the book was born.

The near-six-year process culminated when they self-published the story, but a big hand came from Michael’s employer along the way.

Fonthill Sobeys franchisee and Pelham Town Councillor Ron Kore — himself a former winner of the Kinsmen’s Citizen of the Year –—found out about the book and began selling it at the Highway 20 supermarket.

“A couple of weeks later we got a call from Sobeys head office saying, ‘We’d really like to sell Michael’s book in all our stores,’” Marcel said.

The company even sent Michael on a signing tour to its outlets across Ontario and Eastern Canada last summer. That, and social media promotion, is why the approximately 17,000 copies it has sold is an impressive number for a self-published book. Portions of its profit have been donated to Special OIympics.

“I can’t say enough about Sobeys,” Marcel said.

“First, they hire individuals who have challenges — every store that we’ve been to — and they support Michael.”

Kevin Twomey said that Michael’s story is a heartening example of not what we can’t do as community members, but what we can do.

“He’s just an exceptional citizen of the town, and we want to spotlight his abilities and courage,” he said.

Jacques will be honoured during the Fonthill and District Kinsmen’s Citizen of the Year Dinner on March 3, at the Old Town Hall. Tickets for the event are available at Sun Life Financial on Highway 20.

Page 3

Kinsmen celebrate 100 years of service Council designates Feb 17-22 Kinsmen and Kinette Week

BY JOHN CHICK

Special to the VOICE

Like many others of his generation in the early part of the 20th century, Hal Rogers spent part of his teenaged years locked in unimaginable horror. But from the trenches and killing fields of Europe in the First World War, something positive grew.

“We think of the devastating hardship of trench warfare, and we think, how can this lead to anything good?”

Kevin Twomey, of the Fonthill and District Kinsmen, said of Rogers ahead of the 100th anniversary of Kin Canada, the service club he later founded.

“Hal would rely on camaraderie, and also the love of his native Canada to survive the trenches.”

Rogers returned to his hometown of Hamilton after the war ended in 1918, and tried to join the local Rotary Club — of which his father, who was a plumber, was a member. However, at the time, the club forbade two people from the same business joining.

Looking for that camaraderie and an opportunity to

serve his community, Rogers wouldn’t be outdone. On February 20, 1920, he founded Canada’s first Kinsmen Club.

One hundred years later, the Kinsmen and Kinettes have about 500 clubs and 7,000 members across Canada. Among other achievements, the organization has raised about $47 million for cystic fibrosis research and treatment.

To mark a century of service, the Town of Pelham has designated the week of February 16-22 as Kinsmen and Kinette Week.

“You can’t measure how much goodness, even in terms of dollars, and how the communities have benefited from Kinsmen and Kinette clubs in their area over a hundred years,” Twomey said.

“There’s no number to put on it.”

The Fonthill and District chapter opened in 1951 and will be celebrating its 70th anniversary next year. Ubiquitous around town through its service, the Kinsmen have helped local charities such as Wellspring and Pelham Cares,

Kin Dave Ripley and Kin Dave Kuckyt present a cheque to Louis Weasner, with the Special Olympics, last Saturday. The funds were partial proceeds from the Kinsmen’s annual Craft Show.

SUPPLIED while presenting their Citizen of the Year award every year since 1998, and hosting Pelham’s annual Craft Show.

As Kin Canada celebrates its 100th anniversary, the world remains a troubled place, albeit somewhat different from Rogers’ era during World War I. Twomey says that the Kinsmen and Kinettes are still there to help, and that their service is a two-way street — both in assisting the community and providing fellowship for members.

“Many people today are living in their own form of trench warfare,” he said.

“How do we find fellowship and support in our times of crisis? Can we still find time to help others in our deep

valleys? Beyond what you can give, it’s also the camaraderie you can get back, like Hal in those desperate times. When you’re going through a valley in life, you don’t have to do it alone.”

Twomey says that many service clubs are losing members due to demographic shifts, but also suggests it could partly be a byproduct of the almost self-imposed alienation of the digital age.

“I think people have gotten away from camaraderie and fellowship … here, you’re part of a solution.”

The Kinsmen and Kinettes are always looking for new members, and membership is open to anyone regardless of age.

Join a committee!

Now accepting applications for:

Pelham Summerfest Committee Pelham Thursday Night Experience Committee Pelham Active Transportation Committee Apply today!

Applications are due by March 9, 2020.

53

For more information, visit: www.pelham.ca/committees or contact Town Clerk Nancy Bozzato at 905-892-2607 x315 or njbozzato@pelham.ca

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Page 4

The Voice, February 12, 2020

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

OPINION

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

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

COMMENTARY / OP-ED Larry Coté Child poverty on our doorstep

T

he front page of a newspaper or the top story of a newscast frequently reminds us that our society faces many challenges and shortcomings. If you try to count these, you will quickly run out of fingers and toes.

Among these demonic deficiencies, few exceed the malevolence and egregiousness of child poverty.

And make no mistake, it is occurring not only in distant lands but in our own backyard in Niagara. In 1991 the Parliament of Canada unanimously resolved to end child poverty in this country by 2000. Since little progress was being made on that issue, an advocacy group called Campaign 2000 was formed in 1991 to encourage elected officials to keep their promise to Canada’s children.

Unimaginably, this predicament exists in the most prosperous and wealthiest domains on the planet. If it exists in these most bountiful regions can you imagine the extent of the impact this horrid condition has in more impoverished regions such as the Congo or Zimbabwe.

Poverty, especially child poverty, is not always eas-

ily discernible. The poor among us are not preeminent. Many suffer in relative anonymity. Among the visible symptoms that Niagara is contending with one might count the number of

1,340 children in the federal riding of Niagara West live in poverty

soup kitchens, food banks and food drives across the region. Many schools have “breakfast clubs” so hunger pangs will not inhibit their students’ learning.

And why do these efforts to nourish one’s neighbours exist? Fortunately, some good folks and organizations recognized that there were significant numbers of fellow citizens who clearly demonstrated the definition of poverty. Sadly, many of these living in poverty were children.

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A visit to Campaign 2000’s website (https:// campaign2000.ca) reveals that child poverty is a deeply rooted problem in Canada and progress toward eradication is at a snail’s pace.

This particular issue is apparently not a top-of-mind matter within the ranks of the political leadership nor within the general population.

Campaign 2000 reported in 2018 that one in five (544,710) children under the age of 18 lived in poverty in Ontario. Further to that tragic statistic, this advocacy group reported that one in seven families (351,490) with children lived in poverty in this same period.

Likely surprising to most who reside in or near Niagara, the numbers for this part of the province are equally disconcerting in spite of being published in local media. Campaign’s estimates reveal that 1,340 children in the federal riding of Niagara West live in poverty. Nearly 18% of the children in the Niagara Falls riding; almost 19% in Niagara Centre’s riding; and 20% of the children in the riding of St. Catherines live in such conditions.

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

Council is trying to do what we voted them in to do There are many casualties resulting from the opinion letters referring to the library meeting article [Frustration as Mayor, Library Board meet, Jan. 29, p. 1]—civility and reasoned public debate to name two.

Owning a library card seems to have no effect on those two traits. The world's debt load recorded the highest debt-to-GDP ratio before 2019 was even over. Global debt, which comprises borrowings from households, governments and companies, grew by $9 trillion to nearly $253 trillion during that period, according to the Institute of International Finance.

We need to regularly assess every aspect of spending to try and leave our children and grandchildren a world they can afford. I credit our Mayor and council in their continued efforts to pursue this goal. Isn’t that what they were elected to do?

P. Bryant Fenwick

See POVERTY next page

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

The Voice

Letters

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

Mayor of Pelham Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2987 Members of Pelham Town Council Ward 1 Councillor Mike Ciolfi mciolfi@pelham.ca 905-892-0077 Councillor Marianne Stewart mstewart@pelham.ca 289-821-0840

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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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The Voice, February 12, 2020

Page 5

OPINION Port Robinson Road speeds out of hand

More woes at the NPCA?

As the Town of Pelham grows, Town Council and its residents need to take a hard look at the increasing vehicle and pedestrian traffic to properly upgrade our road and sidewalk infrastructure to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for all our constituents.

The GTA is making daily headlines as pedestrians and cyclists are struck and in many instances killed by vehicles/ people engaging in reckless driving behaviors. Congestion is often the root cause of erratic driving as people grow impatient waiting for traffic to clear.

Agreed, Pelham is not the GTA, but our town is growing (fast) and each and every one of us will be be impacted by this growth.

Case in point: our Port Robinson Road neighborhood, between Pelham Street and Rice Road, is looking more like Highway 20 these days versus a residential corridor, as Pelham residents look for alternate routes in and out of town. Excessive speeding, especially by heavy equipment operators along Port Robinson Road and Station Street, is occurring daily. These vehicles pose a real danger to both the full time residents and student populations of this area.

I've lived on Port Robinson Road for the last 15 years and as the population density has increased so has the traffic congestion and erratic driving. With future residential developments planned for this area, it's imperative that the Town proactively address this situation with traffic-calming measures ASAP before it get's too far out of hand.

I've personally approached the Town and discussed implementing traffic-calming measure(s) that could be quickly implemented. I'm happy to hear that the Town has taken steps to look into purchasing additional speed indicator signs and request increased police patrols of this busy corridor.

The real challenge is getting people to obey the 40 - 50 km school zone speed

It is very worrisome that Pelham’s Regional Councillor Diana Huson has come out swinging to back West Lincoln’s Mayor Dave Bylsma in support of his rejection of climate change. There is no shortage of evidence to show that climate change is real. It begs the question, does Bylsma and by extension Huson deny the Holocaust as well?

Are they aligned on gay rights, which the Christian Heritage Party views as a sin? What about abortion?

It wasn’t that long ago that Welland Mayor Frank Campion was caught on camera “sig hailing” at an NPCA Board meeting. Is the NPCA an anti-semitic organization?

The other option isn’t much better.

A Better Niagara, led by now- NPCA-board member Ed Smith, who endorsed Huson ahead of the last election, promoted the protests that were held outside the conservation authority’s AGM. The protesters were holding signs with the Rebellion Extinction

limit from Station Street to Rice Road. A large number of drivers only slow down at the stop sign at Station Street and Port Robinson Road (if at all), and then gradually increase their speed until they hit the lights at Rice Road.

This behavior is most prominent between 7 - 9 AM, and then the exact opposite behavior occurs during 4 - 6 PM, between Rice Road and Station Street. Trucks (mostly pulling trailers), semis and buses are the biggest culprits and pose the most danger to the general public along with being major contributors to the increasing noise and air pollution in this area.

I'm afraid that most people will not change their driving habits easily. Drastic traffic-calming measures will need to be implemented soon to curb this behaviour prior to the population density increasing.

My neighbours and I would like to see the Town take this situation on proactively by devising and implementing strategies to designate Port Robinson Road as a main "residential corridor," that takes into consideration the safety of the students and local residents who access this road and its sidewalks on a daily basis — much like the past situation with Haist Street.

There are plans for a new road currently referred to as "C" road in the master development plan that will eventually "T" into Port Robinson Road between Station Street and Rice Road.

This will provide a timely and cost effective opportunity to either build a traffic circle, or erect a three-way stop sign at this intersection.

I have spoken to my neighbours and they all agree that something needs to be done soon before a fatality occurs, especially with trucks pulling trailers at excessive speeds.

Town of Pelham, please treat this situation as an urgent call for help. Town Council, do the right thing in a timely manner!

Craig Edwards Fonthill

A Valentine's poem

BY A READER

To you Thank you for being my Friend Oasis I have done my share of wandering: false turn following false turn— but all of them true…. for in my zig-zag course I’ve known the joy of touching you

A

logo, an organization that has been listed as a terrorist group in many countries.

Richard Walton, former head of Scotland’s Met’s Counter Terrorism Command until 2016, said his investigation into Extinction Rebellion revealed it had a “subversive” agenda rooted in the “political extremism of anarchism” rather than just campaigning on climate change.

He said he had uncovered evidence that XR leaders advocated “revolution” to overturn capitalism, mass protest and law-breaking aimed at achieving a breakdown of democracy and the state — an intent many of its middle class and celebrity backers appeared unaware of.

I am not sure which side of the issue Councilor Huson supports, but I can’t imagine either represents the residents of Pelham.

J. Spencer Welland

R

Town fails to rein-in developers For anyone doubting that the people of Alan Crescent have anything to be concerned about regarding developers, please come and visit Peachtree Park and see for yourselves how variances granted by the Town to original plans for seven detached homes on the Davis Heights site morphed into the most intrusive and inconsiderate blot on the

landscape of our street.

Most of the houses in Peachtree Park were build over 60 years ago and the land behind the north of the street used to be owned by the Town. After it was sold to a developer, residents were told a small number of homes were to be built on the site. However, the developer sold the property on and the current develop-

POVERTY

er applied for a variance to build townhouses. At several meetings, residents expressed concerns about how close, how high, and how intrusive the development was going to be.

All concerns were dismissed and what you can see today is a horrible result for the residents of Peachtree See NOT PEACHY next page

type, earning minimum wage, which will not keep one’s head above the poverty line.

Why should you care? Among other inadequacies, the long-lasting effects of poverty on children is known to retard their development mentally, physically and ethically.

Ultimately, these children will be our future.

If we neglect to properly care for them now we will pay dearly for that disregard in the future.

continued from previous page There is no doubt that part of the problem contributing to such devastating numbers is as a result of economic conditions. The loss of well-paid jobs in the manufacturing sector and sky-rocketing costs of housing are contributing factors. Also, many jobs are known to be of the precarious employment

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Congratulations to the Fonthill and District Kinsmen

Editor’s note: When Councillor Huson contacted the paper last week to request a correction (see Publisher’s Corner), we took the opportunity to ask her to state her position on climate change. Huson replied as follows.

"I wouldn't assume to take a position on a scientific matter that is not my area of expertise. I am not a climate change expert, nor did I agree with the media focus at the recent NPCA annual general meeting. However, for clarity, I do believe climate change is predominately man-made and is one of the most important issues of our time. Engagement on this issue is needed by all municipal partners, and more importantly the provincial and federal government, to attain any meaningful action. I believe, with respect to climate change, we must raise our ambition."

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72

Tickets for the Tuesday, March 3rd Dinner and Award Ceremony are now available at the Sun Life office on Hwy 20, opposite Mossimo’s, 9AM-5PM, Monday to Friday. $20 per person.

Advance sales only.

There will be no ticket sales at the door.

NEWSFLASH Tell us your story!

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

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Deadline to purchase tickets: 12 noon, Friday, Feb 28

NOW ALSO ACCEPTING FICTION— SHORT STORIES UP TO 2000 WORDS!

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Write it down, send it in: publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca

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(You won’t get rich, but you will get paid.)

Page 6

Letters

The Voice, February 12, 2020

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

continued

Pelham High reunion 2020, and a Rungeling recollection Pelham/Continuation/District/ Secondary School was an important part in educating students of Pelham Township and surrounding areas for 52 years. In 1984, ten years after the School was closed, we held our first reunion.

The school was now “private” but we were given permission to hold most of our events there.

The big challenge was letting people know what we were planning. This was well before social media, so we had to employ every device we could think of. Newspapers were our lifeline. The Herald—the local weekly before the Voice started in 1997—was our mainstay, but we also wrote and mailed letters to the editor to the Tribune, Standard, Review and even the Toronto Star. The publisher at the Herald gave us a list of names of all the local papers in Ontario, and we mailed a letter to each one.

When we were able to find addresses of teachers and support staff we sent them invitations.

We asked for people to write back and let us know their intentions and send a cheque for registration, wine and cheese, and the dance.

We started planning in 1983 and we had about 100 people on different committees. It all came together, and 4,000 former students, staff and support staff came to that first reunion.

We set up decade rooms off the old gym and lower floor, had wine and cheese in the new gym, and a dance at the (now old) Pelham Arena. Dr. E. L. Crossley led us in opening exercises and reminded us that “a word to the wise should

The Pelham Continuation School orchestra, 1931. Circled, then-Dorothy Wetherald. Other locally familiar family names include a Stirtzinger, two Farrs, a Metler, Dilts, Rice, Beckett, Swayze, and a Horton.

VOICE/RUNGELING ARCHIVE be sufficient.” Two original teachers, Miss Bonis and Miss Metler, were there also.

We had a great time!

When all the bills were paid, we had $10,000 left. We had no problem in deciding what to do with this money—we set up our Pelham High Alumni Scholarship as a charity. Interest rates in the ‘80s were 18.5%, so our fund appreciated quickly. People contributed in “memory of” or “just because.”

After each reunion that followed, we had money left that went into our scholarship fund.

Since 1985, we have given over $60,000 to graduating students at E. L. Crossley Secondary School.

We are so very proud to know that we have helped so many students further their education. Our alumni still contribute, and so we have enough for four more years. Two

graduating students —one going to university and one going to college—receive $2,000 each.

However, there are not a lot of us left, as the youngest person to have gone to Pelham is in their 60s. So, if any of you are inclined to help us continue this scholarship, please let us know by calling (289) 820-7004 or emailing pelhamhighreunion8@gmail.com.

Receipts are available for income tax purposes.

We are going to have our next reunion at the Legion in Fonthill on July 12, from 1 to 5 PM. We already have over 100 people who have responded that they are going to come. Pelham High has been closed for 45 years, but we still love to get together and shout “Go Panthers!”

We held our second reunion, in 1989, at the Pelham Arena. There

were about 1,500 who came. For this one we made up the “Pnyx Tabloid” and asked people to write down their memories of the time they went to Pelham.

The first memory to appear was from Dorothy (Wetherald) Rungeling, who went to Pelham before the “big” high school was built.

Dorothy lived to 106, passing away almost exactly two years ago, in February 2017. Below are her own words. I hope you enjoy them.

Vilma Moretti Fonthill

I

t seems like just a few years ago that I sat in Pelham Continuation School in Fenwick listening to Miss Bonis patiently teaching her pupils, but no, it has been over 60 years! And it was a different world them.

Up until 1922 any Pelham stu-

dents who wanted to go beyond public school had to find transportation to either Smithville or Welland to be able to attend high school. The train was the usual mode of travel, as the Toronto-Hamilton-Buffalo railway had a station in Fenwick. However the students went, it meant a long day for them, and a high school was badly needed.

It was possible to get instruction in bookkeeping from E. W. Farr after completing his public school “eighth class,” but this was a far cry from a real high school education.

So, in 1922, Pelham Continuation School started in the old portion of Fenwick Public School. Finding a teacher and preparing this See REUNION Page 8

REMINDER:

Parking on any street in the Town of Pelham during the winter season is not permitted at any time during plowing, sanding or salting operations. Parking on the street in any way to interfere with a winter maintenance operation will result in a parking ticket. If snow is in the forecast, play it safe and don’t park on the roads.

www.pelham.ca/winter-operations

THE ACE WAS CAUGHT Proceeds from the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 613 Fonthill’s recent Chase the Ace series went to benefit several organizations, including Young Caregivers, Behavioural Supports Ontario, Distress Centre Niagara, Pelham Cares, Wellspring Niagara, Red Roof Retreat, and Lincoln & Welland 613 Army Cadets. Also on the list, the Fonthill Bandshell Committee’s fundraising campaign for renovations at Peace Park.

From left, the Legion’s Rick Hatt, and committee members Jill Cappa, Brian Baltjes, David Swan, and Carolyn Mullin.

SUPPLIED

NOT PEACHY

continued from previous page Park who were advised they should be happy as they were getting “upscale” homes which would increase property values.

I defy anyone to agree that this development has done anything but reduce property prices and the “upscale” neighbours are already complaining about the “downscale” neighbours’ pets and lights, as the houses are so close all privacy has been lost.

Furthermore, this development resulted in the removal of access to trails and the destruction of a significant number of mature trees, many over 100 years old.

While we have a new town council, the

approach of the Planning Department seems unchanged when it comes to supporting developers rather than safeguarding residents. They will cite legislation passed that requires increased housing density—and this can be done sympathetically, for example the townhouse development on the old Fonthill Public School site. I am definitely not against all development occurring in our town. However, I would like to see a more balanced approach where the existing character of our neighbourhoods are safeguarded and I would like to see this balanced approach championed by our public servants.

Denise Evans Fonthill

69

Street parking impacts winter operations, keep the streets clear

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice, February 12, 2020

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Page 8

The Voice, February 12, 2020

Letters

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

HUGHES

continued

REUNION

continued from Page 6 old room for a school took a little longer than planned and it was not ready until late autumn of 1922. Some of the students waited for it to open while others, anxious to start their studies, went either to Smithville or Welland until Christmas and then started in Pelham.

There were seven students in this first year. Classes were not called grades then—they were “forms.”

Form 1 through 4. Miss Bonis was the teacher and soon there were too many pupils for this small room, so the overflow was taken to the Oddfellows’ Hall over the Green Lantern in Fenwick, and another teacher was added—Miss Mildred Metler. This meant that we all had some classes in each location, so during the day we could be seen with books in our arms walking back and forth to classes.

One of the school’s scandals broke out when someone (pupils I think but never really knew) broke into a locked room at the Oddfellows’ Hall and took some gear. This was a very serious matter at the time but was hushed up and eventually forgotten.

In the old portion of the public school our heat was from a wood stove, which had to be replenished several times a day. Drinking water was procured at an

outside well with a pump, near the schoolroom.

Recess and noon were for playing softball. We lined up for “captains” to choose sides. Of course, the better players were grabbed off quickly while those who were not born for sports anxiously waited to be chosen, hopefully, and not to be disgraced by being the last one. Dorothy Beckett was our star hitter. She could send the ball out of the school yard and right on down the road for a home run. All of our fun was self-organized and of course the boys had to play their pranks, as they did when they put a live mouse in Beulah Fry’s desk. After the noon hour, when we were all in our seats, Beulah opened her drawer to take a book out and the mouse leaped out. Beulah took off like a rocket, landing on the top of her desk shrieking— the mouse scurried to safety and eventually all was back to normal. Of course, all the boys kept straight faces.

Students got their exercise without the aid of a gym or track. We walked to school and walked home again, winter and summer. I walked two miles each way, which adds up to around 10,000 miles to get my education.

There were a few exceptions: Pearl Yungblut Beamer and Eva McGlashen had horses and buggies, or sleighs to get to school. One

continued from Page 17

of the boys, Daniel Miller, rode on horseback! The horses were tied up for the day in Mr. Chasses’ barn on Canboro Road, or in the shed of the Disciples Church on Welland Road, next door to the school.

In winter some of us boarded in homes in Fenwick. I boarded two winters, once in the home of Mrs. Garner at the corner of Welland Road and Garner Avenue (Mr. Crossley owned this house some years later) and once at the home of Mrs. Martha Dalrymple.

This meant that when a social event such as a church supper was held, we could participate—a big event in our school lives.

By 1925, students were coming from all over and more room was needed so a new school was planned, the cornerstone being laid in 1926 at the corner of Canboro Road and Balfour Avenue. By this time, Mr. Hicks was our principal. This was to be a huge school in comparison to our cramped quarters and it would have a gym!

As Mr. Hicks watched the construction, he became very unhappy about the architecture. Pulling his hair (his habit when upset), he complained that the belfry looked as if someone had smashed it down with a huge mallet. However, it remained as planned. My high school days ended in 1927, so I did not have the opportunity to enjoy the new school.

Accepting New Patients

Rungeling at the computer, 2001.

By now, the student roll had risen to 72, upper school classes were added and Miss De La Mater was added to the staff.

In 1928, the first extracurricular activities were added and the Pelham Continuation School Orchestra was born under the leadership of Percy Beckett.

Although no longer a pupil, I was invited to play violin in the orchestra and enjoyed every minute. Percy was a very enthusiastic teacher and gave his all.

I’m sure some of the members will remember one of his favourite pieces of advice, “Get back to the basic fundamentals!”

In 1929, Mr. Spencer was the new principal and our school had come a long way in seven years. There has been some pretty good

VOICE/RUNGELING ARCHIVE

material emerge from its doors—doctors, lawyers, judges, teachers, business people, sports and aviation personalities, and our much-needed farmers.

Any of my school mates (1923-1927) who have come to mind have done well in life. I have lost track of most of them but little bits of news I get once in awhile tell me that we were a pretty good group.

P.S. In 1949, I was in the last Grade 1 class at that little school on Baxter. Our classroom was the one in the back. We still had the wood stove and our teacher, Mrs. Milne, would have the fire going. She would let us stand around the stove when we got to class so we could get warm after walking to school.

Dorothy (Weatherald) Rungeling P.C.S. 1922-1929

the Brampton Cup is next and I want to be ready for that. The end goal is for me to turn pro eventually and I don’t think I am going to stick around (as an amateur) for another four years.”

Hughes’s cousin Antonio Napolitano also trains at the St. Catharines club and Napolitano is unbeaten in the pro ranks.

“It’s big for me because he was the first one I know to take that step,” Hughes said.

“He led the way.”

Napolitano is a good mentor for Hughes.

“In the gym, he puts in the work and he works like a dog,” he said. “Anyone beside you working that hard, you have to look up to them.”

Hughes isn’t sure when exactly he will take the plunge into pro boxing.

“The nationals are coming up and I might give that a shot and then we will see after that,” he said. “I don’t want to put anything in stone.”

Hughes trains five days a week at the club and also does his road work every day.

“It’s the love of the game and maybe one day I can hold a world title belt,” he said.

“You never know. I want to see how far it takes me.”

With that goal, comes an epiphany.

“I realize that I have to stop with the too many nights off and going out partying,” Hughes said. “I have to stay in the good books and focus a lot more on myself.”

Next up for the St. Catharines boxing club is the Ray McGibbon Gloves Viva Las Vegas Show on Friday, March 6 at the Optimist Club on Napier Street in St. Catharines.

Monies raised from the event will be used to help send a team of St. Catharines boxers to Las Vegas.

Boxing will begin at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $15 at the door and $20 in person.

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The Voice, February 12, 2020

Page 9

TOWN COUNCIL NEWS Council directs staff to research public parking in Fenwick

The night before a contentious Committee of Adjustment meeting that deferred a decision on a proposed hotel development for downtown Fenwick, Pelham’s Town Council directed staff to look into the feasibility of acquiring real estate for parking in the vicinity.

The motion, brought by Ward 1 Councillor Marianne Stewart during council's Feb. 3 meeting, received no pushback.

“Fenwick for some time now has experienced a severe shortfall in parking spaces, and now there’s so much more development coming into the Fenwick area,” Stewart said. “We need to come up with a strategy for parking so that businesses that locate there can be successful.”

The following evening, on February 4, the Committee of Adjustment deferred a developer’s proposal to convert the old Royal Bank building at the corner of Canboro and Maple into a three-story hotel —in large part due to concerns over a lack of parking.

The existing municipal lot on Maple Street is widely seen to be regularly at capacity now.

Mayor Marvin Junkin agreed with Stewart.

“Anyone that tries to go downtown during supper hour … and try finding a spot, it is indeed a challenge,” the Mayor said. “Hopefully staff

THIS WEEK Saturday at 2 PM

Councillor Marianne Stewart. can do some researching.”

The report is due back in late March.

CCC update

Cannabis Control Committee chair Tim Nohara provided another update to councillors on his group’s work. He described actionable cannabis regulations as two lines of defense: the first being amendments to the Official Town Plan and zoning bylaws, the second being the implementation of an odour nuisance bylaw.

Nohara said Ontario’s existing Municipal Act allows for the latter, given cannabis is not the only industry to create smell, light or noise — it’s just happens to be one that is newly-legalized.

“It’s a cannabis bylaw for sure, but from the experi-

YOUTUBE

ence we’ve had with odour, we’ve learned from other heavy-odour industries like landfill and rendering,” Nohara said.

Council also approved a CCC request for just under $9000 for related initiatives that include participation in the Cannabis Host Communities Network, a collective of municipalities around the province that are on the front lines of addressing legalization disruptions.

Sign bylaw delayed again

Councillor Mike Ciolfi asked for a deferment to May on a long-awaited new sign bylaw, saying that concerned constituents still wanted to discuss it. Councillor John Wink pushed back on the three-month delay. Deferral to April 6 was eventually agreed.

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Page 10

The Voice, February 12, 2020

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Centrespread

Last of their

KIND Niagara's remaining two video rental stores are full of nostalgia

BY JENICA HRYSKO

Special to the VOICE

W

e live in the Age of Streaming.

Anyone with television or internet access can view an unlimited number of TV shows and movies for a fraction of the cost of renting them from brickand-mortar video stores. Blockbuster has long since gone bust. But two independently owned businesses in Niagara have outlived the trend of going digital.

That’s Entertainment, a 14,000square-foot movie and game rental store in St. Catharines, welcomes customers at the door with the smell of popcorn. The black-and-white checkered floor and letterboard sign displaying the weekly top ten rentals is reminiscent of the ‘90s. Though they’ve gone through aesthetic changes since they opened in 1989, That’s Entertainment lives on with the ideology that the experience outweighs convenience.

“You can’t do just one thing — that’s what’s caused Jumbo Video and Blockbuster to fold,” says manager Greg Switzer. “They didn’t have new, used, video games, a 30-foot cooler filled with every type of pop you can imagine. Variety is what keeps people coming back.”

Switzer has been working at That’s Entertainment since it opened 30 years ago, when he wore a pager and a South Park tie. He hasn’t noticed much of a decline in business since the introduction of streaming services.

“People spend more time looking for something to watch on Netflix than actually watching something,” he says.

“It’s cool and shiny until it starts buffering.”

Switzer asserts that when services such as Netflix add new titles, they usually remove some of the less popular ones. That’s Entertainment boasts some 8,500 DVD and BluRay movies, some mainstream, some cult classics.

Meanwhile, 30 or so kilometers to the south, Bonanza Video of Port Colborne, formerly a Jumbo Video, still offers their popcorn for free with every rental. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, a display of romantic comedies encourages couples to cozy up with a movie.

But Bonanza has also had to adapt to the changing times. Previously vacant counter space is taken up with gently used knick knacks for sale. Instead of using Canada Post, they keep their customers updated on new releases and deals through their Facebook page.

Manager Samantha Roy says that business has slowed down, especially in the last year, with the introduction of the Android Box and Disney+.

“We have our loyal customers in town,” Roy says. “The ones who will be coming until we close.”

Behind the privacy dividers in the depths of both stores there is another form of entertainment, one that has been largely lost to the internet.

The draw to seek out physical forms of adult video is rooted in both privacy concerns and lack of internet access. You have to purchase these titles though, they don’t want them back after viewing.

The last two rental stores in Niagara have refused to become relics of a dying industry. Whether it is the nostalgia, the staff, or simply adapting to the times, neither That’s Entertainment or Bonanza Video plans on letting the credits roll soon. ♦

Top, a sight that many haven't seen in over a decade: a vista of video rentals, requiring much inspection and deliberation before a choice is made. Movie-themed murals, hand-painted in the early 2000s, hang above, at That’s Entertainment, in St. Catharines. Above, cash on the barrelhead is the offer. Right, in Port Colborne, last week's chalkboard of coming attractions had a distinctly dated feel. Far right, Bonanza Video offers free popcorn with rentals. JENICA HRYSKO

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice, February 12, 2020

Page 11

Page 12

The Voice, February 12, 2020

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

ROAR OF SUPPORT Gayle Baltjes, centre, with fellow members of the Fonthill Bandshell Committee, accept a donation from Eleanor Arbour and Suzanne Rose, on behalf of the Fonthill Lioness., toward costs associated with renovating the popular summer music series location at Peace Park.

SUPPLIED HEY, GOOD-LOOKIN’ Rod “Juicer” Culp got a surprise a little while back when he found a younger version of himself hanging on a wall. The occasion was local artist Mary Powley’s show opening at the Pelham Public Library’s Fonthill branch. Not only that, Culp would eventually get to take himself home, as his niece bought the painting for him as a gift. ROSIE CULOS

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Fenwick's place on the Underground Railroad

What Are Your Burning

Investment Questions?

How much do I need for retirement? How much is “normal?”

How do I take money out of my registered accounts without getting nailed on taxes?

Can I use my house to help fund my retirement?

At my age, should I be investing in a TFSA or RRSP? Our Pelham Community Investment Specialist, Trevor Lagerwerf, PFP, will answer these questions and more on February 26th at 5:30pm, and we’d love for you to join us.

Please RSVP so Kelly knows how much wine to buy.

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BY ROSEMARY CHAMBERS

Special to the VOICE

The people of Fenwick were reputed to be fair and charitable, making the community a safe haven for escaped slaves on the run from the United States from the late 18th into the middle 19th century, through the American Civil War. In local historian Asa Hansler’s, “The First Christian Sects of Pelham Township 1786-1886,” under the heading Fenwick Wesleyan Church 1830-1925, he recounts resident Edith Disher Stokes sharing a story as told to her by her father.

“The Wesleyans had concern for the poor and blacks.

Rev. Haney, who was a local deacon and who took the pulpit when the circuit preacher was absent, made visits to the States for those causes. Sometime in

the 1840s, Rev. Haney returned from the States with the first black families and offered them work on the Haney farms. My father, Little Tommy Disher, said it was through Rev. Haney’s effort that Pelham Township passed a law that said no one could remove a black squatter from their land without just cause.”

Just cause included murder, horse stealing, or immoral conduct.

Mrs. Stokes also recounted that between 1860-1875, another group of blacks moved into Fenwick. They squatted on road allowances, or on local farms, often in the bush or lowlands so as not to ruin good pasture and croplands. The majority squatted on the Nunn, Garrold, and Wright/Bowman farms. They worked as hired labourers on the farms.

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east of the current site of the DeVries Fruit Farm, on Canboro Road, cut hair. It was also reported that there was a camp about half a mile south of Canboro Road, east of Regional Road 24. Living conditions were poor, and food was scarce.

Further recorded history from Robert van Berkum, in 1941, recalled the following from the teachings of E.W. Farr: “[The former slaves] squatted wherever they pleased, as there was a law preventing farmers from driving them away.”

Asa Hansler reported that one man in particular, George Washington, was remembered to have lived “in a dugout on the Wright farm on Canboro Road, and his children would come into the village and sing for food.”

According to Hansler, the families packed up and moved west to join a larger community of blacks who settled in the Chatham-London area.

I am grateful to both Margaret Comfort and Asa Hansler for allowing me to share these historical accounts. We are all indebted to them for the time they spent researching, compiling, and recording the history of Pelham in, “Intertwined Through Time: Fenwick & North Pelham” (Comfort), and “The History of Pelham Township 17861993, Enhanced Version 2005” (Hansler).

Had it not been for their efforts, much of this history would have been lost forever.

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Page 13

Committee defers decision on proposed Fenwick hotel Concerns about infrastructure put damper on plans

BY JOHN CHICK

Special to the VOICE

The Town of Pelham’s Committee of Adjustment voted last Tuesday to defer a decision regarding plans for a three-story hotel and commercial space on the former Royal Bank site at the corner of Canboro Road and Maple Street in Fenwick.

The committee asked that Town staff provide further details about sewage capacity and potential parking solutions for the project, setting local developer Mark Young’s plans back. That appeared to sit well with the full public gallery in attendance, most of whom came to raise concerns about the parking issue.

Young’s vision for adequate parking relied heavily on the public lot on the east side of Maple, just north of the corner site. Virtually no one believed that this was sufficient, citing the lot’s frequent at-capacity status even before a hotel is built.

“I go by there all the time, and if it’s not full, its three-quarters full,” nearby resident Mark Bay told the committee. “I wish your business well, I’m not wishing it any demise whatsoever. But if it does well, it’s going to make that problem worse.”

Foss Road resident Jim Jeffs agreed, recalling that he had ten parking spaces at his former Pelham Street dental practice in Fonthill, which he said were usually filled. “[The hotel parking plan] seems to be going backwards for me,” Jeffs said.

Perhaps not coincidentally, the night before, Town Council approved a motion directing staff to investigate the potential acquisition of real estate in downtown Fenwick for additional parking.

Despite the objections and subsequent deferment however, Young’s original plan appears to be in compliance with existing bylaws. As committee chair Don Cook

pointed out, under the bylaw, a “hotel” requires only one parking space for every three hotel rooms, while a “motel” mandates a spot for every room.

Town Planner Curtis Thompson concurred, saying that the former Royal Bank branch required 12 parking stalls, while the new proposal would only require 10 for eight hotel units.

For good measure, Thompson also reminded the committee that Pelham continues to operate on severely outdated zoning bylaws.

“It’s worth noting that the last zoning bylaw was consolidated in 1987,” he said, echoing a frequent lament of Town CAO David Cribbs.

While most of the resident concerns centered around the parking matter, some of the objections submitted via correspondence included issues with the new building’s height, and whether Fenwick even needs a hotel in an era where accommodation sharing is eating into the hospitality industry.

Young, who has spent most of his life in Pelham, said he believes in his business plan.

“A lot of care has really been taken in respect to the town,” he said. “What this hotel does, is stops people from having an Airbnb in Cherry Ridge.”

Young also pushed back at concerns from the Niagara Catholic District School Board that the frontage of the new building would narrow the sidewalk, creating a danger for schoolchildren.

Yet while he said the footprint of his planned building would fit in the existing bank footprint, the overall plan includes a site variance to increase the lot coverage to 57 percent from its current 40. He explained that would be to accommodate an elevator on the north end of the new structure—i.e., away from the sidewalk

THIS WEEK

2499 73

ea

FONTHILL

Above, centre, developer Mark Young addresses a resident's concern about alcohol sales inside the proposed hotel (none, given that absent on-site staff, there would be no room service). Right, resident Mark Bay speaks to the committee.

YOUTUBE

along Canboro Road.

Young’s representative, Mark Shoalts, pointed out that the existing bank building is already non-compliant for accessibility, and would require a minor variance even if it were to be renovated.

The infrastructure concerns then turned to sewage, and whether a new building would overtax Fenwick’s existing wastewater system. Earlier in the same meeting, an application to subdivide a rural property ran into roadblocks over sewage pumping.

“I am appalled that this Town is approving residential applications … and everybody is saying we know we can’t get [sewage to the Welland treatment facility], but that’s okay,” committee member Bill Sheldon loudly interjected toward the end of the meeting.

“But what do we do with the remainder? This isn’t China. We don’t put it on our fields.”

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Page 14

The Voice, February 12, 2020

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

DEPT OF FLUFFY BUNNIES

Local youth wins big at Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

BY MAEVE KEATING

Special to the VOICE

Twelve-year-old Sydney Pilzecker, from Fonthill, is still reeling from her multiple wins at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair 2019 Rabbit Show. Sydney took first place in the Judging Competition, first place in the Pet Class category, third place for Showmanship, and sixth place in the Conformation category, with her champion blue mini-Rex rabbit, Nova.

“There were about a hundred people there, just in the rabbit and guinea pig section,” Sydney said.

“It was a long day.”

Sydney is the proud owner of several animals including a dog, three cats, three rabbits (including Nova), and two guinea pigs. Although Sydney has been showing her rabbits for only a little over two years, she felt confident and in her element.

“I wasn’t really nervous because I enjoy doing this. [Shows] test how well-behaved my rabbit is and how healthy I keep him. I really like caring for animals, so I find I like being tested on that.”

“Sydney competed against approximately 18 youth from across the province,” said proud mom, Jen Lizecker, “many coming from families with professional rabbit breeding backgrounds.”

An all-day event, the Rabbit Show at the Royal features anywhere from 400 to 500 fuzzy contestants and their owners each year. Sydney's wins represent her ability to judge good breeding and behaviour in other rabbits, her own presentation skills, and her bond with her furry friends. The champ, Nova, is Sydney’s second mini-Rex rabbit, a breed known for having extremely soft fur.

While the Pet Class portion tested Nova’s behaviour and personality (how he would perform as a pet), the Judging portion of the competition required owners to judge

several different breeds of rabbits and provide good reasoning for their decisions.

“Showmanship is your presentation skills and how well you and your rabbit work together,” said Sydney. “[Your rabbit] sits on a mat in front of you and you go through 12 steps to test the rabbit’s care and how healthy it is. They switch your rabbit with someone else’s to test your skills too.”

Sydney is an active member of the Niagara 4-H Club, where she learned about rabbits and rabbit showing from Rabbit Club leader and neighbour, Lori Mann. From there, she started participating in smaller local fairs, showing her rabbits and learning from others.

Rabbit Club, a social circle for other rabbit owners and showers, typically meets once a month on Mann’s farm. Some 20 dedicated members of all ages get the opportunity to socialize their rabbits, learn how to bond, how to show, and build hutches. Sydney had only participated in three small, local fairs before taking on the Royal. She credits Rabbit Club for the vast majority of her showing education.

“I learn more at Rabbit Club because there are so many great people who had been doing [shows] before I joined. And they were so lovely. They showed me what to do. They made me feel comfortable and welcome and they helped me...The first three shows I did, I was so nervous but now my rabbits are kind of used to it and if they’re calm, I’m calm...I’ve made a lot of good friends there.”

Jen says her daughter was shy when she first began attending Rabbit Club, and never could have guessed that in just two years Sydney would be comfortable competing in provincial, sometimes national, categories at the Royal.

“I have to admit, as a parent, there’s a lot to rabbit showing. I’m

Sydney Pilzecker with her champion, Nova. not sure I could remember all the steps that they have to go through.

They have to do it in a specific order, make eye contact with the judge. There are all these things they’re judged on in these competitions that isn’t just what you would think of with maybe showing livestock. There’s a lot more to it.”

Even as a toddler, Sydney’s love of animals was clear. Be it a dog, cat, horse, or rabbit, Sydney would gravitate to animals with a gentle and caring demeanor, Jen said.

While every kid begs for a pet, every parent usually understands this means taking on the majority of the responsibilities for that pet once the excitement wears off.

Sydney, however, didn’t seem to fall into this pattern.

“She’s 12 going on 20. She is so good at taking care of all her animals. She always was,” Jen said.

“What a great way to teach responsibility.”

All three of Sydney’s rabbits (Nova, Tori, and Miss P-Nut) are litter-trained and well-loved.

When they’re not playing or showing, they have run of their own room and love to chow down on bananas.

“I’ve worked really hard with [my rabbits] and I just love seeing them happy. That’s probably the thing I love most about them.

I love seeing their little personalities.”

When asked what advice she would give to other rabbit-lovers, Sydney maintained that while rabbits are quite manageable, she wouldn’t necessarily suggest them as a first pet. Guinea pigs, she says, are a great alternative for that “starter-pet.”

Sydney’s schedule is all but built around her love for animals. “I’m

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very thankful we don’t live on a farm,” Jen said, “or my kid would adopt even more animals. She’s a busy enough...she kayaks with the South Niagara Canoe Club, works hard at school, and volunteers at Wellwood Juravinski House in Hamilton amongst her 4-H Club activities. She’s an inspiring person and I am really lucky to be her mom.”

The Royal champ, however, can never get enough of working with animals.

“I legally can’t volunteer at the Humane Society yet, but I wish I could.” Sydney said. She hopes to pursue an education in marine biology or veterinary medicine.

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair will take place again from November 6 - 15, 2020. If all goes well, Fonthill can expect to find Sydney and her rabbits there once again.

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Page 16

The Voice, February 12, 2020

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

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Glad Tidings Church of God 1 Pancake Lane, Fonthill

Pelham Evangelical Friends Church 940 Haist St., Fonthill

Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill

Fonthill Baptist Church 1414 Pelham St., Fonthill

Holy Trinity Anglican Church 1557 Pelham Street, Fonthill

Ridgeville Bible Chapel 418 Canboro Rd., Ridgeville

Fenwick Church of Christ 765 Welland Rd., Fenwick

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

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

St. Alexander’s Roman Catholic Church 50 Pelham Town Sq., Fonthill

Fenwick United Church 1050 Church St., Fenwick

Fonthill United Church 42 Church Hill, Fonthill

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FAITH LIFT

continued from Page 19 end he would write 11 novels, three novellas, 17 short stories, and numerous other works.

His most famous novels are Crime and Punishment (1866), The Idiot (1869), Demons (1872), and The Brothers Karamazov (1880).

In these he expressed religious, psychological and philosophical ideas. His themes included suicide, poverty, human manipulation, dreaming, morality and the father-son relationship. His books were translated into more than 170 languages.

Dostoyevsky is often quoted for his insight and wisdom. Here is a sampling…

“The soul is healed by being with children.”

“If God does not exist, then everything is permissible.”

“To live without hope is to cease to live.”

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything? Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.”

“Intelligence alone is not nearly enough when it comes to acting wisely.”

“The secret of man's being is not only to

live but to have something to live for.”

“Only through suffering can we find ourselves.”

“Wealth is the number of things one can do without.”

Latter years

Later in life, Dostoyevsky was asked by the Czar to educate his sons. He received numerous literary honors during his lifetime and many more posthumously. On his deathbed he asked that the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) be read to his grown children. A friend commented, “It was this parable of transgression, repentance, and forgiveness that he wished to leave as a last heritage to his children, and it may well be seen as his own ultimate understanding of the meaning of his life and the message of his work.”

Dostoyevsky died in 1881 at age 59 in St. Petersburg. His life was influential but complicated. He spoke boldly as a prophet to his generation but also realized humbly he was a prodigal in need of forgiveness. ♦ Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor and was privileged to visit Dostoyevsky’s homeland last summer.

E-BIKES

continued from Page 19 had to give up riding a few years ago, is now cycling to coffee again every morning with the girls, a social interaction that without doubt will extend her life. The sales numbers are staggering: 2018 saw a 36% increase in e-bike sales in Germany, to 980,000 units; more than 1,000,000 were sold in Holland the same year; and the European Cyclists’ Federation predicts 150,000,000 will be sold in Europe during the next ten years. North America’s less intense bike culture lags behind, but even so, e-bike sales in the United States last year were 350,000. Canadian statistics are unreliable.

The largest demographic of those purchasing e-bikes

in North America is labelled “older but active,” somewhat nebulous, but much better than the alternatives. Pelham’s aging population matches perfectly.

If your knees and hips don’t function well anymore, your heart wants to avoid exertion, or you simply believe it’s time to slow down, there’s an e-bike for you, and the benefits of riding it will may be significant.

E-bikes can give one the confidence to get back into the fitness game without excessive physical stress.

With an e-bike, you control the amount of assist the bike provides, and an inexpensive heart rate monitor will help you stay on target so you can gradually increase your exertion.

You still have to pedal, so there is a resistance exercise component to e-bik-

ing, which will strengthen muscles, joints, and bones.

You’re outdoors, enjoying Pelham’s back roads and trails, soaking up Vitamin D naturally. For those wanting to go further, yet concerned about traffic safety, it is possible to cycle from Fonthill to Port Colborne, Fort Erie, Niagara- on-theLake, St. Catharines and return, 150 kilometres along the Greater Niagara Circle Route, on paved car-free cycling trails.

Best of all, it’s almost impossible to be on a rural Pelham road or trail anywhere without meeting another cyclist and sharing a thumbs-up. Spring is just around the corner.

Or, as the latest Pelham Puzzler solution puts it: “53 70 72 69 6e 67 20 69 73 20 63 6f 6d 69 6e 67.” (See Publisher’s Corner for the translation.) ♦

6f

Places of Worship and Events

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

“Baseball is like church.

Many attend, few understand.”

Leo Durocher

The Voice, February 12, 2020

Sporting Green The Niagara

Page 17

Swart gets chargedup about e-bikes

18

The Voice and TheVoiceofPelham.ca | February 12, 2020

The road to the major leagues

BY BILL POTRECZ

BPSPORTSNIAGARA.COM

Katie Mooradian is headed to Iowa by way of Palm Beach.

BILL POTRECZ

Hughes' Olympics bid falls short

BY BILL POTRECZ

6d

BPSPORTSNIAGARA.COM

Boxer James Hughes’ hopes of representing Canada at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo ended with a semifinal loss in mid-December at the Canadian Olympic trials in Montreal.

The St. Catharines Amateur Boxing Club member opened with a unanimous decision victory over British Columbia’s Anthony Varela.

“I handled him pretty easily and I cruised as much as I could so I would have as much left in the tank as possible,” the St. Catharines resident said.

The 19-year-old fighter then lost a split decision to Newfoundland’s Junior Petanqui, the Canadian B champion. Petanqui would go on to lose a close split decision to national champion Wyatt Sanford in the final.

“It was honestly a close fight and I thought after the fight that I had won it,” Hughes said, of the semifinal match. “I went back to the coaches

and told them we had won it, but that’s boxing. A lot of people said I landed more significant shots but he was a little bit busier. It is hard to tell when you are in the action, because you don’t remember much.”

Hughes has been disappointed before when he hasn’t clearly won a fight and left it open to the interpretation of the judges.

“You obviously want to go out there and dominate as much as possible, but it was a tough fight.”

It was another great learning experience for Hughes, who qualified for the trials by winning the 69-kilogram division at the Ontario Silver Gloves boxing tournament in Toronto.

“First of all, I learned not to leave it in the judges’ hands,” he said. “I have to go out and give it my all. When I watched it afterwards, I wasn’t too impressed with myself.”

He also learned to ditch the game plan on the fly and get busy if the fight

is close.

Hughes enjoyed his first Olympic trials.

“Obviously I wanted to win but the experience was James Hughes. awesome.

I BILL POTRECZ had fun when I was there and I got two more fights under my belt,” he said. “All you can ask for as an amateur is experience.”

He also took the loss in stride “I took it as a positive and I wasn’t too bothered,” he said. “I don’t care if the judges say I won or lost.”

His first Olympic trials experience may end up being his last.

“I’m not even worried about the next four years and I am on to the next thing,” the St. Francis alumnus said. “I want to keep the ball rolling, See HUGHES Page 8

Katie Mooradian is living the dream.

The 22-year-old St. Catharines native grew up loving baseball and now is going to collect a paycheque by going to the ballpark every day.

The Sir Winston Churchill graduate recently accepted a position as a Player Development Technology Apprentice with the Quad City River Bandits, a single A affiliate of the Houston Astros.

“I was so excited,” she said, when asked about the opportunity. “After doing my internship last year, that was really exciting for me because that’s always been my dream.”

Mooradian laid the groundwork for the position when she attended Major League Baseball’s winter meetings in San Diego in December.

“I went with a couple of the girls I met at my scout school I went to in October. I had a few interviews lined up and they went really well,” she said. “A couple of weeks later, they called and offered me the job.”

Mooradian will be travelling with the team charting pitches, taking video and keeping score. She leaves for spring training at the end of March for a week of training in Palm Beach, Florida, before heading off to the River Bandits’ home in Davenport, Iowa.

She admitted feeling both excited and a little nervous.

“Definitely both,” she smiled. “I’ve had the experience of living away from home before last year but this one is a little farther away. It’s a ten-hour drive but I feel like it will be easier than last time.”

Mooradian’s love of baseball can be traced to her mother, Rina Rode, a passionate Toronto Blue Jays fan.

“My mom has always been a huge baseball fan. She would take me to games when I was little. We made a goal to go to all 30 stadiums, which we accomplished last summer.”

As Mooradian’s passion for the game grew, she began exploring avenues to work in the sport. She enrolled in the Sport Management program at Brock and then in her fourth year discovered she had an interest in player development.

“I really didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do — I knew I wanted to work in sport — but then I discovered a field in player development and scouting in baseball,” she said. “I feel like player development is the basis for everything for every team. In order to win at the major league level, you have to have a good base at the minor league level so if you’re developing all your players in the minor leagues correctly and setting themselves up for success at the major league level, then the major league team is going to win eventually.”

She acknowledged she still turns a few heads when asked what she is about to do —after all, scouting and player development is a male-dominated field.

“I’ve come across it in my life. People ask me what I’m going to do and I tell them and they say, ‘What do you know about baseball or scouting? You’re a girl, I wouldn’t expect that.’ I explain to them, but in my interviews no one has mentioned anything and everyone has treated me equally.”

Mooradian accepted an internship last summer with the Reading Fightin’ Phils of the AA Eastern League, where she found out first- hand how much she loved working in the sport.

“The internship helped, although it wasn’t in scouting and player development. It was in sales but I still got the experience of working in baseball,” she said.

Mooradian then connected with former St. Catharines Blue Jays general manager Ellen Harrigan while on a trip to Dodger Stadium, where Harrigan works as Director, Baseball Administration, for the Dodgers.

Harrigan gave Mooradian career tips and told her about a scouting school for women in Illinois.

“I went there and learned so much about how to evaluate players and the different tools you use to do so,” she said.

Mooradian can’t wait for her new adventure to begin and is prepared to do whatever is asked of her.

“Everyone starts as an intern,” she said. “I know people who have done four or five internships and are still looking for their first full time position. You have to wait until the right position comes along for you and once you’re there, you can just work your way up from there.”

Page 18

The Voice, February 12, 2020

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

FROM THE HANDLEBARS

by John Swart

E-bikes are trending

W

e all form our opinions in different manners, at different times. My opinion of e-bikes was formed in the blink of an eye years ago.

A genuine e-bike looks almost exactly like a traditional bicycle, and must be pedaled at all times. A small electric motor hidden in the mechanicals of the bicycle senses the rider’s effort, and assists by providing a variable amount of additional power to each pedal stroke.

This pedal assist makes climbing grades and maintaining speed easier, and because rider exertion is less, e-cy-

clists can go farther, faster, and longer.

It was this ability to keep up with our fast-paced riding group that had club member John, from Niagara Falls, so excited at the beginning of a July ride in 2011. He had purchased a new e-bike, and this would be his first chance to take a rotation at the front of the group. John’s bike was governed to a maximum speed of 32 kilometres per hour, faster than he’d ever ridden before.

John was a stout Scotsman, with a fine sense of humour, and wore a heavy knee-length kilt to celebrate the occasion. Our small group set off to

the east from St. Davids, climbed the hill at Brock’s monument, and then rode toward Niagara Falls along the Parkway. Just before the Whirlpool Golf Course there is a slight incline, and John seized the opportunity to power his e-bike into the lead. As he raced passed us, huge grin on his face, the wind caught John’s kilt, Marilyn Monroe style, exposing to all his true Highlander heritage, and more.

Traumatized, I have never allowed myself even the slightest glance in the direction of an e-bike since that day. Until last spring that is, riding the back roads of southern Portugal.

Four of us were enjoying the challenge of the rolling Sierra Do Espinhaco, while being steadily approached from behind, then overtaken, by two riders.

As

the second cyclist rode by, I shouted, “Was that an electric Wilier?” and sped off in pursuit.

Wilier is the Ferrari of bicycles, manufactured and ridden with the same Italian pride-of-performanceat-any-cost culture.

The possibility that Wilier may have begun producing e-bikes was beyond my belief, and when I caught the rider, I felt the agony of a seven-year-old discovering there is no Santa Claus (which of course there is, I hasten to add for the benefit of any seven-yearolds inexplicably reading this). Whether the bike was the $6500 Jena or the $11,500.00 Cento10 didn’t matter, Wilier had capitulated, and produced a topend, racing-style e-bike to join the fastest growing market segment in bicycling. I felt compelled to

Traumatized, I have never allowed myself even the slightest glance in the direction of an e-bike banish the flying kilt from my mind and learn more.

Turns out, e-bikes have opened the world of cycling to millions of new riders, and brought the joy of bicycling back to many who believed their riding days were finished. Every segment of cycling has been turned upside down by e-bikes.

Mountain bikers no lon-

ger possessing the stamina to climb, yet still craving the thrills of quick single track descents can now ride for hours.

Road riders without the capacity to “go long” unassisted are easily doing 80 kilometre rides on their e-bikes.

Bike tourism is experiencing a renaissance, as fit and less fit partners are now equally capable of pedaling along the Danube or exploring the bike paths of Holland and canals of France.

Realistic bike commuting distances have increased, and cargo e-bikes are shuttling kids and packages all over inner cities without exhausting their pilots. Our friend’s 84-year-old mother, Betty, in the Netherlands, who See E-BIKES Page 16

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155 HWY 20 WEST

may have you feeling the stress, and you may not be putting your best self forward.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, a passing comment rings true to you this week and commands your immediate attention. You do not want to let any opportunities pass over the next few days.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Learn how to count the small blessings in your life, Capricorn. Doing so will help you overcome a challenging issue that may pop up shortly.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 You may need to look inward and make changes before you start suggesting others make their own modifications, Aquarius. Be honest in your personal assessment.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 There are a few things you are still trying to uncover about a new person in your life, Pisces. Keep digging because the reveal is worth it.

SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. Pah 4. Spa 7. Aga 8. Clasp 10. Erns 12. Pasta 13. Leno 14. RPM 16. Sic 17. Leahy 19. AAR 20. Eira 21. A shot in the arm 25. SAE 26. VCR 27. Stob 29. Pies 30. Lat 31. Roe 32. Man of few words 39. Scab 41. Pad 42. Aware 43. Lek 44. Pea 45. Eden 46. Arica 48. Dias 49. Panic 50. Are 51. MGD 52. Lys

ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Align yourself with the movers and shakers, Aries. Sometimes it’s not what you know but who you know.

Find a solid team and stick with them.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, if you’re already running on fumes, it may not be possible for you to tackle any additional tasks this week. Make some hard cuts and you’ll be better for it.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 You have several weeks to understand how recent changes will affect you, Gemini. You may need to get a few new friends in your circle of supporters.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, don’t be surprised when someone from your past approaches you for some advice. You may not have all the answers, but you can help guide this person in the right direction.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, some new information has put you in a better position to make an important decision. These details have come just in the nick of time.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, you may need to make some important decisions regarding your finances in the days ahead. It’s now or never to square away your short- and long-term budget.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 An important relationship is on the cusp of reaching a milestone, Libra.

Enjoy this special time and make every effort to commemorate it in a unique way.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Find a way to cool your jets for the time being, Scorpio. Extra pressure

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The Voice, February 12, 2020

Voice

FAITH LIFT

by Pastor Rob Weatherby

CROSSWORD

F

later, however, he was arrested for belonging to a literary group suspected of supporting reforms and critical of the Czar. He was sentenced to death by firing squad.

At the last minute a letter of reprieve arrived. Instead, he was sent to a Siberian prison camp for four years. He barely survived.

He was only allowed to read the New Testament and he began to focus intently on Jesus. After his release, he would remain under police surveillance for the rest of his life.

Productive years

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Dostoyevsky, Russia's prodigal prophet yodor Dostoyevsky was a Russian novelist, short story writer, journalist and philosopher. Many literary critics consider him to be one of the greatest psychologists in world literature. He even- tually became one of the most widely read and highly regarded Russian writers.

Albert Einstein called him a great religious writer who explored "the mystery of spiritual existence.”

Sigmund Freud called his opus The Brothers Karamazov, "the most magnificent novel ever written.” And Albert Camus remarked, “The real 19th century prophet was Dostoyevsky, not Karl Marx.” So, who was this literary giant?

Page 19

twice. His first marriage to Maria was unhappy. After she died he married Anna (25 years his junior) who bore him four children (the first dying in childhood). At age 41 he traveled around western Europe, visited other writers, developed a gambling addiction and suffered financial hardship. His personality was described as intense and melancholic and his views as conservative and pacifist.

Several affairs were alleged.

During this time Dostoyevsky returned to his real passion — writing. In the

married

See FAITH LIFT Page 16

Early years

Dostoyevsky was born into a Russian Orthodox family in Moscow in 1821. He was the second of eight children. His father (Mikhail) was a military doctor who became a minor noble. His mother (Maria) used the Bible to teach young Fyodor to read and write. He would later say that his imagination was brought alive by nightly readings by his parents.

As a child, Dostoyevsky had a fragile physique but a personality his parents described as “hot-headed, stubborn and cheeky.” He suffered from epilepsy. His mother died of tuberculosis when he was 15 and his father died of a stroke three years later.

At first Dostoyevsky studied engineering but didn’t like it. After his studies he became a military engineer and for a while enjoyed a lavish lifestyle of concerts, operas and gambling. He began his writing career at 20 and published his first novel at age 25. Three years

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

Weekly Word Search

6e

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

AL DENTE BASTE BRAISE BROWN CARAMELIZE CHOP

CUBE DASH DICE DREDGE DRESS FILLET

FOLD GLAZE GRATE JULIENNE KNEAD MARINATE

POACH PUREE ROAST SEAR SIMMER STEW

ANSWERS ON PAGE 18

Page 20

The Voice, February 12, 2020

CORNER

continued from Page 2

cluded that we have enough gypsy moth egg sacs to supply tasty omelets for every man, woman, and non-binary person in town. Spraying to eradicate all of them is ballparked at $800,000.

That’s a lot of zeroes. Now the question—how, if at all, to pay for it? Divided by 7100 homes, that’s about $112 per household. Personally, I like my trees. I’d prefer to keep them—and the value of our house. I could forgo a bottle of scotch or two to keep both. Just saying... A trea-

sure chest of goodies: Many thanks to Audrey Williams, of Williams Plumbing, for dropping off old papers and historical calendars— they've already sparked some ideas...Ways to save: Starting this week, seniors save 10% at Peter Piper's on Tuesdays, and the Voice now offers free classifieds for birth announcements, 50th wedding-plus anniversaries, and 90, 95, and 100-plus birthday notices. Get them in!...Well-deserved: Another excellent choice by the Kinsmen—Michael Jacques for Citizen of the Year. Congratulations, Michael! Enjoy that dinner! ♦

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on how to at least control the culprit. Food, too, was my enemy, and everything I ate or drank could cause an attack. Going out for dinner and entertaining became a challenge. Sadly, two of my children inherited my affliction. And so, the years passed, and I accepted my health issue as others accept hay fever or rashes or gout.

We all have some medical issue that, while perhaps not life- threatening, is lifestyle-altering. I did see doctors. I did have tests.

I did have ultrasounds. I did have fecal occult blood (FOB) tests. The FOB reported blood in three-day samples and led to a colonoscopy in 2017, when a pre-cancerous node was removed. Following the procedure, my blood pressure shot sky-high and my A-Fib kicked in. It was determined that future colonoscopies might be a bit dangerous.

In November 2019 I re-

ceived a sudden and urgent phone call from my sister in Florida, a call I never expected, a call that saved my life. My sister, five years my junior, beautiful, talented, well-educated, well-loved, and very, very bright, who had never been in a hospital except to have three babies, had just been told November 3 that she was “full of cancer” and no surgery could be performed.

She had had a swollen belly, loss of appetite, thought it was indigestion, and had finally gone to her doctor. Tests revealed the cancer had invaded most of her abdominal organs. She died 18 days later, November 21, 2019. But…before she died, she made me promise to have a CT scan and a colonoscopy.

Through my efforts and that of my family doctor and my wonderful surgeon, both were arranged. I hastened both by speaking directly with the hospital. I had the scan and a month lat-

This benevolence was possible because I listened to my dying sister's words

er the scope, and nine days after that the colon cancer surgery. Nearly half of my bowel was removed, as were 24 lymph nodes and a t4 tumour. Soon it would have closed the opening.

I spent 11 days in hospital. I am home now with my family. I have all kinds of support from Care Partners, Home Instead, Community Support, Pelham Cares, LHIN and my distant families in the USA, B.C. and parts of Ontario. I have a surgeon and his staff who care deeply about this little old lady and friends far and near who email or call. I am truly blessed.

This benevolence was possible because I listened to my dying sister’s words. I hope you will listen to mine. If you have any symptoms of bloating, weight loss (I actually gained), poor appetite, pain, a “gut” feeling, and if you are over 50, take the newly available fecal immunochemical test (FIT), which is now recommended as a far less intrusive means of early detection than a colonoscopy. You poop, you scoop, you send it off. Get one from your doctor.

I have written this article because I care, about my family, about my friends and about you, my Pelham neighbours. ♦

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