The Voice of Pelham, June 7 2017

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bilko@rgcmail.com bilko@rgcmail.com Vol.21 Vol.21 No.10 No.10

Wednesday, Wednesday, June June 7, 7, 2017 2017

FREE

Moving from Me to We

Column Six

Hamming it up on the air

Spencer West talks compassion and community service

In the Internet Age, amateur radio still offers unique rewards

BY NATE SMELLE

The VOICE

Me to We motivational speaker Spencer West was in Pelham last Monday morning to share his inspiring story with the students and faculty at E.L. Crossley Secondary School. Grade 7 and 8 students from Winger Public School were also invited to listen to West speak.

Despite being born with a genetic disease that resulted in having both legs amputated from the pelvis at the age of five, West has not let the obstacles he has faced stand in his way of achieving his goals.

As a child, West said he and his parents were told by his doctor that because of his condition he would never be able to do anything himself, nor would he become a contributing member of society. After joining the cheerleading squad in high school and hearing another student ask why he was on the team when it wasn’t a team for students with disabilities, West said he realized that no matter what he did in life some people would always treat him differently. Rather than give up to depression, West decided to follow his dreams, despite what others may think.

“I think what we have to look at is that we are all different, but that's what makes us so amazing,” said West.

“If we were all the same, it would be so boring, right? What we need to realize is that we are a global community and we all live here together, and we affect the world both posiSee ME TO WE back page

BY KAITLYNN MATTATALL

Special to the VOICE

H Pride Niagara celebrates LGBT Pride month Local events among those across Canada, the U.S. and the world celebrating gay, lesbian, transgender identity

BY NATE SMELLE

The VOICE

Across Canada and here in Niagara June is being recognized as LGBT Pride month. Last Saturday, Pride Niagara kicked off its 6th annual weeklong celebration of the region’s LGBT community.

Hosted by Empress Claudia Silva and featuring the musical stylings of DJ Lady Bunny, the launch party was held at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines. Chair of Pride Niagara, Enzo DeDivitiis, said the event has been growing every year since it began in September 2011. Year after year, attendance numbers are increasing. This year, advanced ticket sales have tripled.

“The best way to encourage people to unite is in a social, celebrative atmosphere,” said DeDivitiis.

“It shows everyone the common bonds between each other and how strong we are in the Niagara Region community.”

Another sign of Pride Niagara’s expansion, DeDivitiis said, is the increased participation of local municipalities. To show their support for the LGBT community, St. Catharines, Grimsby, Welland, Niagara Falls and Fort Erie, along with two new municipalities in 2017 — the Town of Lincoln and Port Colborne — hoisted the Rainbow flag as part of the annual flag raising ceremony on Monday, June 5. Next year, DeDivitiis said he

hopes to see the Town of Pelham come on board.

(Asked for comment on Pelham's absence this year, Mayor Augustyn replied, "As far as I know, the Town has not been requested to participate. Other groups that want recognition or participation by the Town ask for that.")

“It represents the diversity of our communities and the diversity of our country,” DeDivitiis said.

“We have a huge, wonderful community here and we have an amazing group of allies. The City of St. Catharines specifically is extremely proactive. They are enSee PRIDE Page 12

DEBBIE PINE

AV E YOU EV ER been driving down the road and spotted another vehicle or a house with antennas all over it?

Or what about those license plates that start with “VE3”, “VA3”, or something similar. Whether you knew it or not, you may have just seen an Amateur Radio operator, a.k.a, a “Ham.” I know what some of you may be thinking, “Okay, so what is Ham or Amateur Radio?”

The exact date when “Amateur Radio” as a category was first defined is not known but a good estimate would be around 1909, when the “First Annual Official Wireless Blue Book of the Wireless Association of America” listed 89 Amateur Radio stations across Canada and the US. Since then, many individuals who have had a desire to experiment have involved themselves in the world of Amateur Radio. Being an Amateur Radio operator allows you to use radio equipment to See COLUMN SIX Page 17

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Page 2

The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017

PUBLISHER’S CORNER Climate of denial: When #45 pulled the US out of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement last week, news reports regurgitated the same tidbit—that only Syria and Nicaragua were likewise non-signers—yet failed to tell us why. Syria, as you may have heard, has been locked in a bitter civil war for the past five years, presumably leaving little time to bother with saving the world, even if so inclined.

And Nicaragua—weren’t they also some sort of bad guys way back when? Sandinistas and revolution, and Ronald Reagan funding Contras... But what a difference a couple of decades makes. The reason Nicaragua didn’t sign the Paris Agreement is that it didn’t go far enough. It was too weak! In 2013 a World Bank report cited Nicaragua as a “renewable energy paradise.” The country already obtains over half of its energy from non-fossil-fuel sources, and intends to see this climb to 90% by 2020…

Le Tour de Haist: Confidential from the Arbor Gang to Mr. EE, “We challenge you to a road race—helmets required!”… Losing time: Have you or yours lost a watch?

It’s been found. See page 16… Chocolate-covered bargains: Sweet Thoughts and Le Village hold their annual Sidewalk Sale this coming Saturday on Canboro at Effingham. There’s always something to see, not least the attire of those who turn up. Check out “Chile” Bob O’Hara’s wares, too…

IN THE NEWS

Sobeys transit stop reinstated

by Dave Burket

The Day After: Remember the 1983 TV movie about nuclear war breaking out? The one that scared the bejesus out of anyone with sense?

Ham radio operators were key to the story. For a more optimistic take on the hobby, see this week’s Column Six… Filed and buffed: Why are so many nail salons run

by Vietnamese, I asked Heidi, the friendly owner of the newly opened Nails Plus in Fonthill Marketplace.

“Because English isn’t required,” she said, sensibly.

Its a job that newcomers can do without needing the language… Pumping iron to hip hop? Strange de Gym noted the 50th anniversary last week of the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper album and wonders what soundtrack gym-goers will be working out to in another 50 years. “Will Justin Bieber and Katy Perry be the millennials’ ‘nostalgia music’?” … Decaying plates: No, not dentures but the ones on your car. Sure enough, ours have suddenly peeled like crazy, possibly useful for avoiding 407 tolls (that’s not an endorsement!) but generally ugly. Now we learn it’s a manufacturing defect and illegal (story this page).

I would very much have liked to beat all of you to the Fonthill ServiceOntario queue, but I’m not free until later in the week, dang it!…

Targeted needling: News that’s sure to drive certain Town Hall occupants to distraction—coming soon to downtown Fonthill, a tattoo parlour. Break out the rubbing alcohol!

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degraded. The purpose of the project is to correct the problem amicably by prompting motorists to take their degraded plates to a ServiceOntario centre for replacement. If the lamination on the plate(s) is peeling or bubbling, motorists are asked to visit a ServiceOntario centre to get them replaced. In many cases, the plates will be replaced at no charge. Ontario licence plates are covered by the manufacturer-warranty for up to 5 years under normal wear and tear. Otherwise, there is a $57 fee to replace them.

Police say that they will address the issue in three phases. In Phase 1, police will stop motorists at spot checks and those with degraded plates will be informed of the need to replace them. Starting in July, Phase 2 will see the issuance of written warnings. Then in August, Phase 3 will see enforcement begin. Non-compliant drivers who have already received a written warning in the Warning Phase will be ticketed if stopped subsequently. The fine for driving with obscured plates is $110 and has no demerit points. Drivers stopped for the first time in this phase who have not previously been given a written warning will be issued a written warning and given ten days grace to replace their plates. If they are stopped subsequently, they are also subject to being charged with the offence.

Pelham Transit's Sobeys Stop, located east of the Fonthill Sobeys front entrance, is resumed, says the Town of Pelham. As a result, roadside bus stops on Highway 20 (eastbound and westbound) in front of the property will no longer be in use. The stop was removed from the bus route last winter when questions over insurance coverage arose between the Town, Sobeys, and the shopping centre's landlord.

Motorized parachutist okay after all

Last Saturday, at approximately 8:30 PM, the Niagara Regional Police responded to a location in Welland after several witnesses had contacted police when witnessing a male on a motorized powered parachute that appeared to be in distress. Fears were that the operator crashed in a wooded area near Highway 58 and Forks Road. Members of the Niagara Regional Police Service, Port Colborne Fire Department and Niagara Emergency Medical Services attended the area attempting to locate the male. Niagara Regional Police were able to utilize the services of the Erie County Sheriff's helicopter to get an overhead view of the area. While checking the area, police were made aware of a possible involved party to this incident. The information was followed up and police were able to confirm that the member involved had been flying in the area but did land safely at the same location as the take-off point and was not at all in distress.

Degraded licence plates targeted by police

During the summer and fall of 2017, the Traffic Enforcement Unit of the Niagara Regional Police Service will be undertaking a project to address the growing number of unreadable licence plates on motor vehicles in the Niagara Region. There has been a drastic increase in the number of plates that are suffering from peeling, fading, blistering and rusting, rendering them difficult or impossible to read.

Much of the problem is the result of a manufacturing defect that caused plates to prematurely degrade, and although such degradation is not the fault of motorists, the frequency of unreadable plates has made the situation problematic.

Police say that it is important that they are able to readily identify vehicles from the front and back to ensure compliance with the law. But just as important, members of the general public often use licence plates to report vehicles used in crimes. Also, many toll and border systems automatically read licence plates and require a clear image.

As a result, NRP officers will be embarking on a project to induce motorists to voluntarily replace plates that are

I SAID, "WELCOME!" The Fonthill and District Kinettes welcome new member, Alaina Hillier, left, owner of South Niagara Hearing Clinic, in Fonthill. Presenting Alaina with her membership plaque is membership chair, Lola Bronn. SUPPLIED PHOTO

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Column Six

Growing up British Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation

Vol.20 No.32

Wednesday October 12, 2016

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Apple Day comes to Fonthill

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 Public School's annual science fair last Friday. See story, page 3.

NATE SMELLE PHOTO

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

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

Debbie

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Pine

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

See COLUMN SIX Page 14

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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-

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

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-

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.

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H EATHER AND P ENNY L ANE S ALES R EPRESENTATIVES

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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

Cell 905.933.3049

T

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

SUPPLIED PHOTO

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

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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

Column Six

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

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The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017

Page 3

Changes to Summerfest in response to local concerns Petition by Pelham Street business owners spurs Town action for coming event

BY NATE SMELLE

The VOICE

Heeding concerns raised by local business owners at a public brainstorming session last fall, the Town’s Summerfest committee has made several changes to the three-day event for 2017. Issues with the operation of Summerfest identified at this meeting included: the need for better security, adequate parking and access for customers of local businesses on Friday and Saturday, liability for damages which occur during Summerfest, how to increase participation of local businesses, and how to make it financially beneficial for the Pelham Street businesses to set up a booth during Summerfest.

In response to these concerns, Summerfest committee member Councillor Gary Accursi said that the committee proposed four main solutions. First, alter the security tendering process to specifically address the issues identified by the businesses and the Town.

Second, provide better direction to out-of-town visitors regarding parking and shuttle service. Third, establish a tiered charge for the booths, with the lowest fees for Pelham Street businesses, second lowest for Pelham businesses, and the highest fees for outside vendors. Lastly, to develop strategies to help Pelham businesses create creative approaches to participate and benefit from Summerfest – signage, parking, access, marketing and footprint.

After reviewing the suggestions and potential outcomes, the committee implemented the following strategies and procedures for 2017: 1. Survey Pelham Street businesses regarding security issues, and use this feedback, along with concerns identified by the committee to amend their request for security services.

2. Increase the number of security personnel.

3. Narrow the entrances to the festival area to ensure security personnel can adequately assess all entrants.

4. Take measures to improve lighting within the festival area, particularly at all entrances and at the bar area.

5. No outside food or drink will be permitted in the festival area.

6. Investigate potential fencing improvements to ensure that attendees access the festival area through monitored entrances only.

7. Request an increased Niagara

Summerfest 2016.

Regional Police presence.

8. Increase the number of crowd monitors. Provide crowd monitors and bar servers with additional training.

BOB LOBLAW PHOTO

9. Increase the number and capacity of shuttle buses and revise their routes.

See SUMMERFEST Page 6

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Page 4

The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017

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 Let's not Trump the planet The decision by #45 to withdraw from the Paris climate accord may strike a blow to international efforts to reduce the assault on our environment. However, on the sunnier side of this development, climate change and pollution are temporarily at the top of news again.

To paraphrase Shakespeare, there is something rotten in the state of our environment. Almost everyone on this planet can sense that all is not well with Mother Earth. Yet there seems to be confusion as to the causes of this environmental deterioration.

Environmentalists debate the degree to which our land, water and air are being decimated by various sorts of pollution. These experts attempt to root out causes and solutions necessary to reduce and re-mediate these devastating effects on our world.

Most experts concur that the life-sustaining qualities of the land, sea and air throughout the world are in a grave state of decline.

Sadly, there are some areas of the world where these essential life-sustaining elements may be doomed and incapable of resuscitation.

It is now widely held that

the blame for this mortal wounding of these life-giving essentials must be laid at the feet of the people populating this once pristine planet. As much as

...it is absurd to blame the flora and fauna with whom we share this third planet from the sun some would like to lay the blame elsewhere it is absurd to blame the flora and fauna with whom we share this third planet from the sun.

Ironically, unintelligent objects seem to know better than to foul their own nest, yet their supposedly intelligent co-inhabitants ignore such elementary hygiene.

The inescapable conclusion is that homo sapiens are the earth’s enemy, and by extension and as Pogo wisely pointed out, “We have seen

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The Voice

1428 Pelham Street, P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 Office open: Monday - Thursday 8 AM - 2 PM

(905) 892-8690

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca MANAGING EDITOR & PUBLISHER Dave Burket publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca NEWS EDITOR Nate Smelle editor@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADMINISTRATION Lori Gretsinger office@thevoiceofpelham.ca CORRESPONDENT John Swart jswart7@cogeco.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca

the enemy and it is us.”

Sadly, people become accustomed to rather than shocked by advisories not to swim in the lakes and rivers as these are polluted by raw sewage and noxious chemicals. This man-made contamination decimates the aquatic life. What fish remain in these waters are often malformed and unfit for eating. There are abundant warnings about fish laden with mercury and the tragic consequences for people who by necessity eat these fish.

The acid rain that forms from man-made effluents released into the atmosphere falls upon and wrecks havoc on the waters, the trees and fields that produce our food by harming the foliage, roots, and the nutrition these produce. Ironically, to counteract these conditions some growers add more chemicals to the growing medium and these find their way to contaminate the groundwater.

On some hot, humid summer days the air of many communities is overburdened with suspended particulate from vehicle exSee PLANET Page 10

Letters Fabulous thanks from Fenwick Lions As President of the Fabulous Fenwick Lions Club, I would like to thank the residents of Fenwick & surrounding area for their support of our 2017 Parade & Carnival.

It was a great success & the weather held up nicely.

I would also like to thank the Town of Pelham, Fire Station #2 & the Short Hill Fire & Rescue for their assistance.

A special thanks to RedBoss Pyrotechnics for another fantastic Fireworks display on Saturday night.

Thanks to Townsend Amusements for taking over after our previous Midway company, Crown Amusements retired after servicing the Club for many years.

The Plant Auction was another success

thanks to the support of local growers ( see our Website) donating their plants & our auctioneer Bill Vanderheide.

Pet Valu replaced Purina as the sponsor of our Dog Walk this year. Thanks to those who participated with their dogs & for the many donations that we received to support the Lions Foundation of Canada Guide Dog program And of course none of it would have happened without the work of the Fabulous Fenwick Lions membership including our Lionesses.

Jeff Pickup President Fabulous Fenwick Lions Club

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-Glanbrook 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 David Augustyn mayordave@pelham.ca 905-892-2607 Ext 317 Councillor Brian Baty 742 Memorial Dr. Fenwick, ON L0S 1C0 905-892-5317 Town of Pelham 20 Pelham Town Square P.O. Box 400 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 905-892-2607

Mayor of Pelham David Augustyn mayordave@pelham.ca 905-892-2607 Ext 317

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Ward 2 Councillor Catherine King cking@pelham.ca 905-658-8599 Councillor Gary Accursi gaccursi@pelham.ca 905-892-5528 Ward 3 Councillor John Durley jdurley@pelham.ca 905-892-5388 Councillor Peter Papp ppapp@pelham.ca 905-328-6008

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Have an Opinion?

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 or legal reasons. 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.

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Letters

The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017

FOLLOW THE MONEY By Jim Pitt

continued

Appreciates the Piccolo style Here at Lookout Ridge we have been impressed with your excellent reported news, particularly the recent Column Six

by Sam Piccolo, a Brock graduate in global politics and soon to be back from Mexico. As senior residents (90 years) here at the Ridge, we are privileged to associate with other residents with interesting stories to tell about World War II and the Great Depression. Thanks for a good small town publication.

Joan and Jack Gray Fonthill

On nuke waste, trust in the system Regarding the recent article on transportation of radioactive material through Niagara Region [Allison no fan of nuke juice, May 31, p. 13], all transportation of nuclear materials in Canada are covered under Transport Canada Class 7 regulations.

It is also covered by regulations under the Canadian

Page 5

Nuclear Safety Commission. Due to the fact that this material is going to the United States to be safely disposed of or processed the shipment would also be governed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

This material is being See TRUST Page 14

That hissing noise you hear is GTA real estate deflating

A

ND JUST LIKE THAT, silence.” These words came from the Director of the Toronto Real Estate Board on May 27. The psychology of a bubble can change on a dime and it appears that it has. Realtor John Pasalis crunched the sales numbers for the GTA and this is what he found: From April 20 to May 20 there was a region-wide drop of 26% in sales. Richmond Hill fell the most, 62%, while the downtown 416 fell 23%.

Pasalis says, "They disappeared. The excitement and euphoria is gone. People are spooked and listing agents are begging for offers. Sellers are freaking out. They already bought something and they need to sell the house.”

Greed has morphed into fear in the housing market and, once it gets started, it becomes a time for some to panic. Some people are walking away from deposits for fear of paying too much and never seeing a profitable return. Some of these deposits can be up to $100,000. Realtors are quickly changing their tune and advising sellers to lower their price. In some areas, for every house sold, 10 are listed. Banks are reappraising houses to make sure that the value of the house squares with the amount of the loan because prices have fallen between 5-15% in the GTA. If you bought at $1 million, put $200,000 down and borrowed $800,000, but the house is reappraised

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at $900,000, the bank will loan $720,000 only. You make up the difference. So what happened?

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Greed has morphed into fear in the housing market

es chased away the speculators who were buying and then renting out until prices rose some more. Others think the collapse of Home Capital spooked the mortgage market. CMHC has reported a 41% drop in loans to new buyers. New rules mean fewer buyers qualify and the subprime market has become very expensive.

Rates there are averaging 13% for a mortgage.

Still others are saying the market had become overpriced. It could be none of these reasons or all of these reasons. The bottom line is: the market has changed.

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Page 6

The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

GET THE CHECK Retired Air Canada Captain and Fonthill resident Pierre Garneau is out raising funds and awareness this month to combat prostate cancer, an easily detectable condition in its early stages. He'll be at Sobeys Fonthill again this coming weekend.

VOICE PHOTO

Summerfest 2016.

SUMMERFEST continued from Page 3 10. Improve promotion of the shuttle service, and provide more incentives to use the shuttle.

11. Change the footprint of the festival area along Pelham Street as follows: a. Friday: 4PM to 12AM - Hwy 20 to Church Hill – no vendor set up south of Church Hill. b. Saturday: 10AM to 6PM – Hwy 20 to College Street. c. Saturday: 6PM to 12AM – Hwy 20 to Church Hill.

12. Increase signage on Pelham Town Square to indicate that businesses are open and can be accesses via Pelham Town Square.

13. Designate parking spaces for affected business on-street near the intersection of College Street and Pelham Street.

14. The Committee has reviewed and approved revised vendor fees for 2017

Ontario Savings Bonds.

Bonds that build Ontario.

BOB LOBLAW PHOTO

which provides for a lower fee for Pelham businesses versus out of town vendors and a further discount for Pelham Street businesses who make application by a set date.

15. Facilitate marketing/ promotional seminars for Pelham businesses.

“It will complicate the setup and security control for the committee but we feel we have a plan which will deal with that,” Accursi said.

“We hope that the increase in shuttle bus availability will improve access and parking. The provision of parking on College Street earmarked for the businesses on Pelham Street should improve their business flow.”

“In planning for the marketing seminar on the advice of our marketing consultant, a pre-consultation See SUMMERFEST Page 13

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017

Page 7

Page 8

The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Stroke by stroke: Crossley rowers win big in finale

BY KERRY KENNEDY

Special to the VOICE

In an awe-inspiring performance, the E.L. Crossley Rowing Team raced with the hearts of lions to deliver big results this past weekend in St. Catharines. They came into the Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Association (CSSRA) Re-

gatta with the firm intention of defending both the Men’s and Women’s Championship Trophies, an honour decided by an average of the team’s top four finish positions in the finals of this pinnacle competition.

The entire team rose to the occasion, supporting each other through three gruelling days of competition.

An outstanding 17 of the school’s entries earned spots in the finals on Sunday.

Before the grandstands were echoing with encouragement and chants of “E-L-C,” the crowd shared a moment of silence recognizing members of the rowing community who had passed away this year, including 17-year-old

Emily Brettell, a member of Crossley’s senior women’s team.

Grateful for the support of the Pelham community for all of the team’s fundraising efforts to enable the purchase of two memorial rowing shells, Emily Rows and Forever my Bow, the rowers were extra motivated to drive with

all of their strength to get their boats across the line with maximum speed.

By the end of the final day the women had earned five gold and two silver medals, while the men took home four gold, two silver and three bronze medallions, a testament to the remarkable determination and perseverance

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of the entire team. After proudly receiving both championship banners, the team lept into the chilly waters of Martindale Pond in celebration of a successful culmination of an extraordinary season.

“The road to success is paved with construction,” quipped John Ruscitti, E.L. Crossley teacher and rowing coach, about the multifaceted effort it takes for student athletes to prepare. Rowers and coxswains train daily throughout the school year to lay the foundation of endurance, strength and flexibility needed to ensure results on the water. Ruscitti encouraged the athletes to remember, “One day at a time, one race at a time, one stroke at a time.”

Three Crossley crews came into the event eligible to earn the prestigious Triple Crown honour, acknowledging the winners of the Stotesbury Cup Regatta in Philadelphia, the US Scholastic Rowing Association of America Regatta in New Jersey and the CSSRA Championships.

The senior women 59kg 4+ succeeded in pulling off the feat, capping off a dominant season.

Reflecting on the season, teacher coach Darcy Usborne summed it up saying, “These are terrific rowers, terrific students and terrific kids.”

Pictured are the Junior Women, Junior Men, Senior Women and Senior Men's rowing teams.

SUPPLIED PHOTO

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017

Page 9

Time capsule restoration progresses

BY VOICE STAFF In 1967, students at Thorold/Fonthill High School (presently Glynn A. Green Public School) dug deep to preserve Canada’s Centenary history by constructing a time capsule. The capsule contained archival documents regarding the school, its students, and other material reflecting popular culture of 1967, within a free-standing masonry structure built in the general shape of a maple leaf. The planned opening date was projected to be in 2067 — Canada’s bicentennial year.

Plans were conceived for its construction under the direction of Industrial Arts teacher, Bruce Slater, assisted by faculty and students.

The structure was located in the west yard of the school near the front door entrance.

This is the side of the school flanked by Pelham Street to the immediate west. The accepted design was fashioned to simulate the iconic centennial maple leaf, the symbol chosen nationally to represent the centennial year. Upon completion, the structure was veneered with a single course of common bond buff brick, similar to that used in the construction of the school.

During the past 50 years the brick wall veneer failed and was ultimately removed for safety reasons.

Further, maintenance and grass-cutting contractors removed several of the

Once was a maple leaf—the time capsule. points from the structure for convenience of mobility, making it easier to cut the grass growing around the capsule’s exterior. Having lost its original form, the once patriotic structure now looks more like a concrete ottoman rather than a Centennial maple leaf.

Several years ago, a group of former Thorold/Fonthill High School students formed a committee to restore the capsule to its original form in time for Canada's 150th birthday this coming July 1.

After developing a “plan of action”, the members began the daunting task of collecting the funds necessary to restore the capsule’s exterior. According to Joseph Albanese, one of the members of group committed to its restoration, generating

VOICE PHOTO

these funds has proven to be much more difficult than originally anticipated.

The scope of the original “plan of action” was curtailed due to restrictions the District School Board of Niagara placed upon the committee. For example, citing safety concerns and ongoing maintenance issues, a proposed sidewalk leading up to the capsule, including a garden and several benches was disallowed. The DSBN has approved the cutting down of the trees that have since grown around the capsule and any cosmetic changes deemed necessary to the capsule itself.

To date, Albanese said the committee has collected approximately $6,000 — only half of its original goal. In lieu of a reduced budget and

restrictions by the board, he said the committee has decided to move forward with the restoration.

“Our greatest desire now, is to let our contributors know that the project is moving forward,” Albanese said.

“Their money is not going to be wasted and they are all going to be acknowledged on the capsule. It's just going to be a few months later than was originally planned for.”

Plans now include: removing the trees that have grown around the capsule, covering the capsule with a granite-like paint/paste material, and placing several commemorative plaques onto the structure. One of the plaques will acknowledge Canada's 150th birthday, stating a brief history of the capsule and its purpose. The other plaques will be crafted to recognize the financial contributors who have helped to make the refurbishment of the time capsule possible.

Albanese said most of the $6,000 will be needed to complete this work with the plaques taking up most of the funds.

As a majority of the $6,000 was collected during the last several months with the July 1st deadline looming, he said, unfortunately the project will not be completed in time for the Canada 150 celebrations.

The completion date is now projected to be mid to late summer.

Keep those bees hydrated The local First Lego League team, the Fonthill Nurdles, has released its Bee Hydration Station.

The Nurdles identified the decline in the bee population as a serious problem and learned that one way to help was to provide clean water to bees. Humans depend on bees to pollinate one out of every three bites of food we eat, and a hive of bees needs three gallons of clean, uncontaminated water every day. The Fonthill Nurdles designed the Bee Hydration Station, a pollinator-friendly watering system. They received the FLL Western Ontario Project Award for their research. Their invention also earned the Ontario Innovation Award and was nominated for the Global Innovation Award.

The Bee Hydration Station has a connector which attaches to a rain barrel or hose and the water flows

through micro-tubing and up the PVC “stem” to the plastic “flower” reservoir, where there are multiple landing places for bees. An overflow hole drains away the excess water through a soaker-style hose, which waters the ground below the Bee Hydration Station. The kit comes with paper sheets impregnated with pollinator friendly seeds, which can be planted around the watering station, stakes to hold the soaker hose in place and instructions. The Bee Hydration Station is available at Bloomin' Crazy Garden Centre. Look for it at other garden centres and niagarabeeway.com later this month.

Pictured: Back row from left, Jacob Cheung, Mason Defazio, Alex Rubino, Crystal Coyne. Front row from left, Sarah Schaefer, Vanessa Bilsborough, Laura Schaefer.

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Page 10

The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017

FOLLOW THE MONEY continued from Page 5 I tend to believe that the market just became oversold. Home ownership rates are almost 70%, which is historically high. Prices in the GTA were climbing at a rate of $17,000 per month this past year. In Niagara, prices have gone up 38% year-over-year. This average has jumped from $275,000 in 2015 to today's $418,950. People's income has certainly not gone up that much, not even inside Pelham Town Hall. Interest rates are still low, houses and condos are still being churned out and new developments are still being planned. People are in deep debt and wages are going nowhere for most. This bubble has simply run out of hot air to keep it inflated.

Will it explode with a bang?

Maybe. Will it slowly deflate like a forgotten balloon at a birthday party? Just as possible. No one knows.

If you're a seller, remember this: Your house is not worth what your friends, relatives, co-workers, real-estate agent, Facebook friends or 1-800-soothsayer says it’s worth. It is worth exactly what a buyer is willing to pay. So act accordingly and get ahead of this falling market.

If you’re a buyer, you are back in control.

Wait, look around, shop hard and be firm. Insist on all the conditions you wish. Hire a tough home inspector.

(Here’s how to do it: Ask your realtor which home inspector is always too picky and screws up deals.

Then hire him, or her.) Don’t be pushed around by anyone

and only buy what you can comfortably afford. There are some incredibly pushy realtors out there (how do you think they pay for those billboards congratulating themselves), but you don’t need to put up with their drama.

The rule of thumb for decades was to pay no more for a house than threetimes family income. If your family makes $120,000 per year then shop in the $350,000-$370,000 range.

If you stay in that range you can have a life and not be house-poor like 720,000 other Canadians.

If you're not in the market as either a buyer or a seller, so what? You now have breathing space to work out an effective next move. Not only have individuals been caught up in the mania, so too have governments, including

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

our own wannabe-Mississauga Council and Mayor.

The Community Centre is being primarily financed through the future sale of land and through future development fees. These sales and fees are entirely dependent on a growing real estate market. If the market has turned, where will the money to pay for it come from now?

Will people still move here and pay the Pelham average of $564,469, or even the Niagara average of $418,950? If they can sell their homes in the GTA and want to move here, maybe. But there will be plenty of other communities that are also getting cheaper in which to buy—Ridgeway’s downtown is a little rough but genuinely charming. Or maybe they will just stay put. The locals, that’s you and me, are being priced out of our own town.

Ask yourself—could you, right now, today, afford the asking price of your own house? And would you, with

a straight face and sincere heart, recommend that a relative or close friend buy it from you at that price?

You see the problem. It’s all gotten—to use a technical term—bloody ridiculous. In 2012 the average family income in Niagara Region was $68,400 compared to the Provincial average of $75,000. Let’s give everyone a raise—not a government worker raise, but a real-world raise— and say the average income is now $72,000. This means the average family can afford a house in the $225,000-$250,000 range.

There are currently no single-family detached houses in Niagara at that price, on average. Prices will probably revert to the mean, like they did in the 1990s here, and in the States over the last decade. That could mean a price correction of up to 30% in supercharged markets. This could take a while because accepting the new reality will be difficult if you paid more

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than you should have for a new property or bought in the last 4-5 years. This is all very possible. It happened over the last decade in many parts of the U.S. It is not different here.

Now what about the Town? Is there a Plan B for the new Community Centre, should the markets turn? Well, surprisingly, sort of.

It’s not really Plan B but it was, for a short while, Plan A. In a January 26, 2016 article in The Standard, former Pelham Treasurer Cari Pupo outlined the budget forecasts for the new Community Centre if the taxpayer had to foot the entire bill. It was not pretty. In 2016 we would have gotten a 7.74% tax increase (in fact it was 7.86%). In 2016 a further $5 million would’ve been borrowed, followed by a further $20 million in 2017-2018. Our taxes to pay for this project would have risen to around $107 per-year per-household, on average, forever, for the first $9.6 million.

Doing the math, the next $27 million would have cost another $321 per year, on average, for a total of $428.

This would not have included other Town expense increases, like wages and benefits, road repairs and other such ordinary exSee FOLLOW THE MONEY next page

PLANET continued from Page 4 hausts and other pollutants, making it difficult for lungs to breathe and eyes to see.

‘Smog’ is a relatively new addition to the vocabulary.

Weather forecasters now report on ‘air quality’ and UV risks due to ozone layer depletion. On occasion these extreme conditions in some cities require citizens to wear masks when going about their business outdoors.

These are but a few examples to demonstrate the declining state of the environment and are likely redundant information for most people. Some few, and yet not enough people have adopted measures of conservation and make concerted efforts to reduce the pollution of their Mother Earth.

But there is a solution and yet a perilous reality to this life saga. Unless an increasingly greater number of people, and especially all levels of leadership, take the health of earth’s environment more earnestly, there will be as yet untold consequences. There is a wealth of wisdom in the advisory, “It takes a village.”

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FOLLOW THE MONEY continued from previous page penses. It also omitted the Region and Education tax increases.

In remarkably short order, this plan disappeared and was replaced by the present scheme to sell land and collect development fees. As a Town we have now borrowed $9.6 million, with a further $12 million this month and another $12 million later this year or early next year. If this market is faltering and the bubble has indeed been

The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017

pricked, then there is only one way to pay for this folly. Our taxes will go up and they will go up a lot. As much as 25% or more, depending on the generosity of the Town with its other many pet projects. No doubt there are contingency plans as we speak for the hiring of a Senior Unaffordable Projects Evaluator and Budget Correlation Enhancement Coordinator.

How might we, indeed.

You and I do not have to be silent about this pending train wreck. We can make it a point to attend the Regional Council’s

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Show them that we can not afford this reckless administration any longer.

Show them that this is our town and not the plaything of a Council and Mayor intent on building monuments to their vanity while causing hardship to the most vulnerable and least able to pay. We need to de-

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Page 11

mand an audit of the Town’s books surrounding this entire Community Centre and East Fonthill development scheme. We need answers, and so far the Town has refused to give us any. They say “Trust us,” yet refuse to let us in on the details.

Well, maybe the Region can get the answers so many of us have wanted since this began. Leave the pitchforks at home, but bring your loudest indoor voice.

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The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017

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Pride Niagara's week of LGBT events underway continued from Page 1 couraging us to stand up and connect, and to celebrate the community — not just in St. Catharines but throughout the whole Niagara Region.”

Recognizing a lack of social events for the LGBT community in Niagara, DeDivitiis and a group of friends — Kevin Manninen, Phil Gourlay, Louann Sibbald and Melissa Gray — decided to create an opportunity to celebrate LGBT culture.

DeDivitiis said the main intention of the celebration is to honour the successes of members of the LGBT community and its allies who are making a difference within their communities throughout the Niagara Region.

“We try to focus on the celebratory aspect of pride,” he said.

“Anyone with a sense of pride, anyone with a sense of achievement that has been working towards something — we look at the importance of celebrating their successes. We find that it encourages other people to do the same, to be proactive and give back to the community by acknowledging their work and celebrating it.

There really aren’t any other opportunities for an LGBT social atmosphere of that nature and that size.”

Pride Niagara celebrations carry on this evening, June 7, with the Niagara 2017 UNITY Awards . Held at Amici’s Banquet Hall and Conference Centre in Thorold, the UNITY Awards showcase the important successes of individuals and groups that have made an impact for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender community in Niagara.

Pride Niagara concludes on Saturday, June 10 with the 6th Annual Pride in the Park Festival. Starting at noon and running until 10:30 PM, the all-ages outdoor

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vendors, a fully licensed area with DJs and a dance floor.

Reality TV stars Chi Chi DeVayne and Milk — featured as contestants on RuPaul’s Drag Race — will also join the list of entertainers.

DeDivitiis said the event in the park gives the LGBT community and its allies a chance to see which local vendors and businesses support the LGBT community. This serves to inform the public, and allows people to choose which companies they would like to support.

“These are the businesses that are putting their mon-

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“You know who they support and you know that they are a part of the community.

Then you don’t have to support a business that doesn’t support you or your family, your cousin, your nephew, your best friend. Normally in Niagara we don’t have the opportunity to see that.”

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SUMMERFEST continued from Page 6 meeting was planned and held on May 15. All Pelham Street businesses were invited by hand-delivered notice advising of the meeting, and its goals,” said Accusi.

Businesses were asked to attend and if they were unable to be there in person, they were given the opportunity to provide input by email. Not a single representative from any business attended, nor did any of them provide input by email, Accursi asserted.

Considering the lack of interest in proceeding with the marketing seminar, the event was cancelled.

According to Accursi, many of the changes made were not a direct result of the meeting with the businesses. Instead, he said, they were decided upon from the committee’s own observations and their desire to provide a safe and secure festival.

Chosen as one of the province’s Top 100 events, Accursi said there are several reasons why Summerfest was awarded this honour. Identifying a few of these reasons, Accursi believes Summerfest is an important event for the community because it supports and promotes local businesses, provides economic development and—citing the arches constructed for the first Summerfest— infrastructure. He said it also helps

to raise money for local service groups that return these funds back to the community.

“It has evolved into becoming a homecoming of sorts, with family members travelling to their home town to meet friends and other family to enjoy four fun-filled days,” he said.

“The event is special in that it is sponsored by local businesses and is supported and operated by volunteers,

The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017 service groups and Town staff. The buy-in is across the community.”

There are currently 60 vendors signed up to participate in Summerfest 2017 — 27 from Pelham, 24 from the greater Niagara region, and 10 from outside the region. Despite the committee’s alterations to the event, Accursi said that none of the businesses that signed the petition and were at the brainstorming

Page 13

session have applied to be part of Summerfest in 2017.

“It is disappointing that the businesses that raised concerns that were subsequently addressed by the committee with a good deal of time and effort and at some cost to the event, have not responded in kind

by becoming part of the event,” said Accursi.

“There is little that more that can be done to encourage them to be part of this great event. How often do Pelham businesses have the opportunity to expose their products and services to 30,000- plus people.”

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The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017

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shipped from Atomic Energy of Canada Limited. AECL has had decades of shipping experience using all these regulations and have a checklist of sorts that is performed before any shipment leaves the site.

So unless anyone is dead against any-

thing nuclear then rest assured that there are safety regulations in place to cover these shipments.

Someone will say, ‘Yes, but what if the regulations are not followed?’

Well, we have drinking and driving regulations and all we can do is hope the deterrent will govern our actions.

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Support for Names Matter The Niagara Folk Arts Multicultural Centre is the largest provider of settlement services for newcomers and refugees in the Niagara Region. Our 35 full-time staff and over 200 volunteers provide settlement services to over 1,500 immigrants per year across Niagara from locations in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland. We also advocate on behalf of newcomers and against racism, sexism and discrimination of all forms across the region.

On May 24, 2016 the DSBN imposed a name associated with racism on E.W. Farr (Memorial) Public School in Fenwick. E. W. Farr was an esteemed educator who made large contributions to education in the Fenwick area from 1904 to 1938. The new name was Wellington Heights, named after the Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley. It is our understanding that this name was not the first choice nominated by students or the community.

Arthur Wellesley was a notorious racist who was anti-Semitic, anti-Catholic and failed to recognize British promises of Indigenous land rights after the war of 1812.

Wellesley also participated in the advent of the Residential schools system. While his beliefs and actions may have been reflective of some of the more racist views of his times

they do not reflect the values of inclusion, diversity and reconciliation that Canadians share today. While his triumphs on the battlefield may belong on a war monument, his name does not belong on a public elementary school in Canada in 2017.

We support the resolution put forward by Names Matter to the Trustees of the DSBN at its meeting of April 25, 2017 to reconsider the use of the name "Wellington Heights" on the school. We ask that the DSBN respect the will of the majority of the community and fulfill their duty to “commit to the principle that every person within the school community is entitled to a respectful positive school climate and learning environment free from all forms of discrimination and harassment."

There are dozens of names of Niagara heroes that have done remarkable things and many that have fought for the principles we are trying to teach our children. In addition to inclusion and acceptance, the ability to admit when you are wrong, to be open to criticism and to reconsider your position are important lessons to teach our children. We ask the DSBN to set a good example.

Jeff Burch Executive Director

School Board's "final response" to Names Matter effort On behalf of the Trustees of the District School Board of Niagara, I am writing to provide [Names Matter] with the Board's final response to your group on the issue of Wellington Heights.

The Board has heard your concerns. We accepted a delegation from residents opposing the renaming. Trustees have received electronic and written correspondence from your group. Many Trustees have also spoken with members of your group, at length, about this issue.

On June 27, 2016, the Board of Trustees declined to revisit the renaming. We consider this matter closed. Allow me to explain why.

Students proposed the name, Wellington Heights. The idea for the name came from the students' research using various internet sources and the Pelham Historical Society's website. Students liked the connection to the proposed fort for the Pelham area.

In particular, they appreciated the idea of heights, which can refer to a physical elevation, or to "reaching for the heights," which the students felt would inspire others to reach for lofty goals. Students find the name, Wellington Heights, meaningful. They find it inspiring. They feel it calls them to reach for excellence. As such, it is a fitting name.

Any attempt to misrepresent the name of the school as something nefarious is completely at odds with the facts, and insulting to the good intentions of the students who proposed the name. The naming of Wellington Heights Public School is in no way an effort, directly or indirectly, to honour the Duke of Wellington, who was Arthur Wellesley at the time. The new school name is not connected to Wellesley's views, actions, or any statement he is purported to

have made. We have affirmed these facts with the community organizations who contacted us initially disagreeing with the name; they have since rescinded their opposition.

As adults in the community, we all need to support our young people. As Trustees, our role is to support our students. We need to lift them up and celebrate their contributions. They rose to the challenge during the school naming process and their efforts resulted in Wellington Heights becoming the first name of choice. Attempting to cast aspersions on the efforts of students is completely unacceptable, and beneath the standard of conduct we should all hold ourselves to.

We fully understand that your group does not support this name. However, what you are proposing is unnecessary and would be disruptive to students who have come together under the Wellington Heights name since September 2016 and have embraced their identity as Wellington Heights Huskies.

The Board does recognize the significance of the E.W. Farr name. In the coming school year, we will be dedicating the school's learning commons in Mr. Farr's honour, ensuring his name will endure in the community.

The DSBN stands for inclusion and acceptance. We strive to ensure all students feel welcomed and respected at our schools. The time has come to move past the naming of the school and focus on what matters, supporting the needs of our young people. We invite your group's positive contribution in that regard.

Dale Robinson Chair of the Board

Names Matter replies Well people, there it is! The District School Board of Niagara ( DSBN) has given us a letter with their official stance.

The board said they heard our concerns, but did they listen?

All they seemed to hear was the fact that the community was upset with the name change.

Did they listen to our concerns of racial ties, British colonialism and poor treat-

ment of Indigenous people and Residential Schools?

Did they hear when we told them that more students chose the name E. W. Farr than Wellington Heights? As it says, they refused to reconsider the naming on June 27, 2016. End of story!

See REPLY Page 18

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017

Page 15

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Places of Worship and Events Bethany Christian Reformed Church 1040 Balfour St., Fenwick

First Presbyterian Church 602 Metler Rd., Fenwick

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

Pelham Community Church 461 Canboro Rd., Fenwick

St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church 834 Canboro Rd., Fenwick

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Page 16

The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017

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Dear and loving mother as the second run on the year is of Gayle Seddon (Darryl Miller) and Gregg Seddon (Angela Seddon). Cherished grandmother of Corrine, Matthew, Tori, Sarah and was event. born in It adline thisLannie. years Mary exciting Wingham on December grounds. 13th, 1926 she married in 1952 and moved to Kitchener to raise her family and moved to Fonthill in 1998. Mary loved hertaking summers in Kincardine petitive ride place on Sept. where her and her husband ara and support the Walker sailed for many years Famfrom the Kincardine Harbour. In keeping with Mary’s wishes, cremation has taken place.

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The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017

COLUMN SIX

when needed and for free.

Why? That’s just how we do things. Whether we are helping during an emergency situation or simply providing communications making sure a parade runs smoothly for the area’s youngsters, you can bet that every Amateur Radio operator involved in the event is doing this straight from the heart.

So, you’ve read this

continued from Page 1 broadcast your voice and as well as pictures, around the world. Yes, anywhere in the world that someone has a receiver, and all without the use of wires. This broadcasting, or “transmitting,” is done by using a transceiver radio set to one of the different “modes” that are available to you to use.

These “modes” will include what’s called Morse code or “CW”, “SSB” or voice, and “Digital” for messages typed on your computer. Oh, and remember the antennas I mentioned earlier? Depending on the antenna you use, you may just be able to talk to the astronauts on the International Space Station.

So, the question at the beginning was… Amateur Radio, what is it? And the answer, simply put in one word is, “FUN!” Forget the Internet. Forget cellphones.

If it wasn’t for hundreds of dedicated individuals, with many of them being Amateur Radio operators, the Internet, cellphones, and the like wouldn’t even exist.

Here we are, back in the early '70s... Pulling into a strange driveway, I look out the windows of the car and soon realize that the safety of my mom is about to end.

You see, we had just arrived at my new babysitter’s house. It was a nice-looking home in southern California, except for a few, not so small, things. They were huge, tall “things” and I was curious, very curious.

Well, curiosity got the better of me and I slowly got out of the car and held my mother’s hand.

I was introduced to the lady standing there with her husband.

Jackie was her name and that was all I remember hearing as I stood there, staring up into the sky at the closest one of those “things”. Jackie noticed my interest in those tall, steel “things” so she

Page 17 far. Thank you. What I want to accomplish here is to pique your interest in Amateur Radio, the fun of the hobby, and the fellowship that exists amongst us operators.

Life does not have to be full of stress. Get certified to operate, get on the air, and sit back and make new friends. You have the whole world at your door with the hobby of Amateur Radio. ♦

The

Upside down umbrella frame? Nope. It's a "hexbeam" ham antenna. knelt and began to explain.

She said, “Those are towers and on them are antennas.” Both Jackie and her husband, George, were avid radio operators. Well, that little bit of information was all that was needed to get me, the scrawny little nerdy kid, asking hundreds of questions. Since then, I can’t remember a day when radio wasn’t a big part of my life.

As I entered my teen years, I was finally able to purchase my own radio. This wasn’t an Amateur Radio but what was known at that time as a Citizen’s Band Radio or “CB”.

I talked on it day and night, making hundreds of friends over the next decade. We would usually talk about the day’s events, who and where we had talked to that day, and many times groups of us would get together and meet at a coffee shop and “rag chew,” or simply talk and meet new friends.

As with any hobby that really has your interest, I wanted more.

Fortunately for me, some of my close friends in my other hobby, computers, were also Amateur Radio operators. Here enters Don and Ron into the

story. Many times, we would meet for coffee and the conversation would turn to radio, Amateur Radio, and how I could get certified to operate one of those radios. As I found out, I would need some knowledge of basic electronics as well as the government’s regulations relating to Amateur Radio. Well right away it’s one down and one to go. I already knew about electronics from attending DeVry University. Now to tackle the regulations. As I looked them over, I soon realized that most of them were simply commonsense do’s and don’ts. Studying was my new objective.

Within a few weeks, I was on my way to Hamilton to get my Amateur Radio certification.

I received my “Basic” certification after my first attempt at the examination.

There it was, my dream coming true. I could now own and operate an Amateur Radio.

I immediately found a radio for sale and there I was, “On-The-Air”. Still though I wanted more. So, by the next month, off I went, back to Hamilton, where I received my “Advanced” certification. I was certified

Pelham Puzzler GREG GOEBEL PHOTO

to operate in roughly half the frequencies allocated to Amateur Radio Operators.

After a short time, the government did what is called “grandfathering” to those that had their “Advanced”.

Well that included me. What this procedure did was grant me the ability to use all the frequencies bands designated for Amateur Radio operators.

Getting involved in Amateur Radio gives you the ability to participate in a hobby that stretches worldwide.

Nationality, language, religion, all those parts of life that normally would divide the people of this world, are typically never connected to the hobby. We join together setting aside our differences to create a level of camaraderie unlike any you will typically encounter anywhere.

If disaster strikes, we join together through groups such as ARES, or Amateur Radio Emergency Services, or through local clubs such as NPARC, or the Niagara Peninsula Amateur Radio Club, Inc. These groups serve the communities in the area by providing communication services

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Page 18

REPLY continued from Page 14 Before this date June 27,2016 and before the Names Matter group even existed, the DSBN received two separate letters from different parents informing them of the issue of Wellington's racist views.

Since the DSBN was made aware of the facts, does this mean the DSBN knowingly used an unsuitable name- a name associated with racism for a public school?

All this time, we have given them the benefit of the doubt that they did not know his history but maybe they knew all along! And just didn't care? As soon as ties to racism were brought to the DSBN's attention, common sense should have dictated further research and the disqualification of the name.

Names Matter have brought it to their attention many times and have until recently never received a response. Maybe they thought just ignoring us would make us go away. We, the people who elected them. Next election is only 17 months away and we will remember!

Now the DSBN are hiding behind the students.

They say the students chose the name. Well, we know that 13 students did pick the name: however, what about the 27 students who chose the historically relevant name of E.W.Farr?

Why do the voices of 13 matter but the voices of 29 do not matter?

The DSBN says the word "heights" is meaningful and inspiring for the students, that they will reach for lofty goals. We applaud and support our children in reaching for their highest individual potential, however, we support them with truths and facts, not with proposed places, incorrect numbers and half truths.

The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017 Also, would this not have been a prime opportunity for the teachers involved to teach children about the unreliability of many things found on the Internet and the fact that they should cross check their work? If you check Wikipedia now, you will see that the site has been revised and there is no mention of the proposed fort.

We are being accused of attempts to "misrepresent the name of the school as something nefarious completely at odds with the facts". Well, the researched and historically documented facts are —This man held and was vocal about his very anti Jewish views his whole life.

—He was involved with the British failure to honour promises made to Indigenous people when negotiating the treaty to end the War of 1812.

—He was Prime Minister when Britain gave approval for the school for Indigenous children to be built in Brantford and this school became the model upon which the Residential school system was based.

We are not misrepresenting the facts.

The DSBN and anyone who does not rely wholly on the internet could find these things out if they did their due diligence. The people responsible within the DSBN did not check the whole story so now they are trying to deflect the issue by saying we are "insulting the good intentions of the students."

Do they really feel, that if the students had been given ALL the facts, they would have chosen this name? Kids are smarter than that!

Everyone understands that putting a name on a public building is a way of honouring that name and the person it represents. Saying that it is "no way an effort to honour the Duke of Wellington" is ludicrous.

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

As soon as ties to racism were brought to the DSBN's attention, common sense should have dictated further research and the disqualification of the name

In an letter sent home to the parents from principal Sue Lawrence, on May 26, 2016, she indicated that the "proposed fort was named after the Duke of Wellington". If, as the DSBN now claims, the name was chosen because it would "inspire children" why was that not included in the explanation in this very first letter to the parents from the school administration after the name was approved?

The DSBN says that the school is not connected to his "views, actions or any statement he is purported to have made". How can you use a person's name and ignore what it stands for? You can't!

You cannot pick and choose the parts you want. It is a whole package.

And what about this term, "purported"?

One dictionary meaning of the word is "to claim falsely". Without coming out and saying it, the DSBN is implying that we made up the quote attributed to Wellington "we do not wish Jews to come and settle here".

Once again, the DSBN failed to check before they made this statement. These words were said —not "purported to be said"—on Aug. 1 1833, in a speech Wellington

made in the British House of Lords and his entire actual speech can be read if you go to the speeches of the Duke of Wellington in Parliament at google books.ca The DSBN and the community do agree on one thing and that is the need to support our young people and to celebrate their contributions.

At no time have we thought to "cast aspersions on the efforts of the students". However, decisions should not be made based on incomplete and /or misleading information.

In October 2016, when some of the students realized that they had made a mistake they sent a letter signed by 23 of them to the DSBN asking for the trustees to help them fix it. The students identified a problem, owned up to the fact that they had made an error and took the initiative to try and fix it.

The responses from the DSBN trustees were polite but firm. It is already done. Move on. How is that for listening and showing the students that they matter?

How is that supporting the students and helping them to become responsible citizens?

The DSBN seems to think that it is only our group that does not

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support this name. They refuse to recognize that most of the Pelham community at large is in opposition. For many people, this opposition comes from the fact that the DSBN : —used a name that portrays British colonialism and all it represents —failed to adequately follow the guidelines of the A-09 naming policy —did not provide the students with all documented information —manipulated to the numbers in such a way as to ensure they got the result they wanted —did not share all the pertinent information with the naming committee at the school level —did not clearly inform the community —refused to listen to community input As to the students having come together and embraced the name, we would challenge the Trustees to come and talk with the senior students and find their real feelings about the name.

At this point the main objective now is to be sure that an honourable name is placed on our school building: a name that not only stands for inclusion and acceptance but a name that is free from any hint of discrimination and racism.

Names Matter Supported by: —Val Ker -the Archdeacon for Truth, Reconciliation and Indigenous Ministry for the Anglican Diocese of Niagara-member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte- Wolf Clan —St. Catharines Folk Arts Multicultural Centre —Many local Churches —MPP Sam Oosterhoff —29 local businesses —Over 700 local residents and former students

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The Voice of Pelham, June 7, 2017

Students enlighten audiences with Sisters in Spirit

This week in baseball

BY MELISSA WELLS

Special to the VOICE

BY NATE SMELLE

The Miller Restoration Mosquito Rep team hit the road this week with a tournament in Brantford. The highlight of the weekend was a lightening speed double play initiated by pitcher Matt Oakes to catcher Cam Wells to third baseman Andy Nawrocki against North Toronto. The following inning saw the team's first successful run down with the catcher throwing behind the runner at third base. MVP awards were won by Connor Jolicoeur, Andy Nawrocki and Matt Oakes for stellar starting pitching. Special thanks to Bromac Construction and J Oskam Steel for their support of the team.

The Pelham Medical Associates team has an exciting week, winning their tournament semi-final game against the Welland Mustangs. Clinch hitting by Will Baltrusiunas and an infield hit by Lucas Grant kept the Panthers in the game. Fielders Nate Girling and Cole Townson were on their game with three fly catches to save extra base hits. Pitcher Jake Passmore came in to hold the middle innings and register the win with lefty Ethan Wells coming in to secure the save. The Panthers will face the Niagara Falls Majors in the tournament final in coming weeks.

The Fonthill Dental Midget Braves win 20-9 over Port Colborne!

Great pitching to start the season by Bobbie Pieroway, Josh George and Ben Mann.

The pitching staff combined for 16 strikeouts over 7 innings. Hitting highlights from Ayden Janas, David Papineau and Ryan Dykstra combined for 9 runs on 7 hits and 10 stolen bases. Fantastic defence demonstrated by catcher Matt Leppert, short stop Brock Pellow and first baseman Dale Vernelli. The Braves followed up the blow-out win with another 16-6 win against Fort Erie. Stellar pitching by Ryan Dykstra and Brock Pellow combined for 10 strikeouts over 5 innings.

Hitting highlights from David Papineau, Matt Leppert and Bobbie Pieroway combined for 6 runs on 7 hits and 11 stolen bases. Tremendous defence demonstrated by

Page 19

The VOICE

Pelham triumphs over Welland Mustangs in semi-finals.

BETH GRANT PHOTO

third baseman Ben Mann, left fielder Connor Davis and centre fielder Andrew Avolio.

The weekly "This Week In Baseball" articles overview the activities of various Pelham Minor Baseball Association teams. Teams span from T-Ball to Midget age with several rep teams representing Pelham across the region. Please watch for some familiar names throughout the season.

Since 1980 thousands of indigenous women and girls in Canada have gone missing or been murdered.

A cast of student actors from Centennial Secondary School in Welland have been working to raise awareness of this issue in front of audiences throughout southern Ontario.

Under the guidance of their drama teacher and director Max Ingrao, these young artists have collectively created an extraordinary play entitled, Sisters in Spirit. Bringing to life the true stories of MMIWG, they have been diligently perfecting their performance through conducting extensive research on this issue and devoting countless hours to rehearsing the play. Ingrao describes the experience of collectively creating the play with his cast as fundamentally transformational.

Throughout the process of producing and performing the play, he said they have strived to honour the memories of MMIWG and their families on and off the stage in every way they can.

“This is an extremely sensitive topic, so integrity and respect have been the guiding principles for the project,” Ingrao said.

“It all started with reaching out to the in-

digenous community. The school board’s indigenous education department helped to connect us with elders, traditional teachers, knowledge keepers, the community centre and the Fort Erie Friendship Centre.

By making these connections we met some incredible elders who have had a huge impact on all of us — spiritually, emotionally and mentally.”

As part of their research, Ingrao and the cast visited the Woodland Cultural Centre, a former residential school in Brantford that was previously known as the Mohawk Institute. Reflecting on their visit to the former residential school, Grade 10 student and cast member Sarah Cann said the energy was so powerfully sad on the premises that she had trouble describing what it felt like to be there.

“There was such a spiritual presence you could feel it. This is a place where thousands of kids have died. We got to walk behind the school where they use to bury the kids. Seeing the building, seeing the trees it was very eerie. I would recommend everybody go to a residential school at one point in their life. It really opened my eyes. It' s very tragic."

Considering the young women she and her friends were portraying in the play were so close to her age,

Cann could attest to this as well.

“My friend chose to portray an indigenous girl who was 14 and at the beginning of the production she herself was 14,” she said.

“It really impacted us because we saw that a lot of these girls were the same age as us, and it could happen to one of us if we were in a different position.”

After one of the performances, Cann said there were two young girls and their grandmother who stood up and told the cast how their mother was murdered.

“When you see people stand up and tell their stories, it's just awful. Before it seemed like a concept that's just happening somewhere else. Then you talk to someone who has had it happen to them, and it becomes more personal for you because you see it. " Cann said recently they had the honour of being invited to perform Sisters in Spirit in Six Nations.

"It is such a great honour," she said "The whole cast is ecstatic that we were invited.

We're just over the moon.”

Before the school year wraps up Ingrao and the cast will be giving a performance of Sisters in Spirit at Centennial Secondary School in Welland on Tuesday, June 13. Doors open at 6:30 PM and the show begins at 7 PM sharp.

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ME TO WE continued from Page 1 tively and negatively. We all have the ability to choose how we affect the world. It's about recognizing that choice and doing something about it, and realizing that it is not just about us here in our own little bubble, but what we do affects the world in a positive or a negative way. I think it's finding that and then how we act and do that.”

The audience of some 900 gathered in the E.L. Crossley gymnasium listened intently as West explained how over the years he has continued to defy the odds. West traveled to Kenya in 2008 with Me to We to help build schools and improve the quality of life for people living in the villages where the schools were located.

Every summer since then he has returned to continue his work with these communities. In 2012, West took his mission to spread compassion and inspiration to another level, when he and a small group of friends climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. Using only his arms and a wheelchair when the terrain allowed, West pushed himself to the limits and eventually reached the summit.

West described his time in Kenya as “life changing,” and said it has helped him to see the world in a new light. Through his experiences there, West said he has seen how education can help people and communities break free from the cycle of poverty. He recalls one experience in Kenya that opened his eyes to the power of education.

A few years ago, West said the

Whether it's forced or not, I don't care because it still works

teachers wanted to start environmental and health and safety clubs at their schools. One of the first things the kids learned was how important that is for them to wash their hands before meals and after they go to the washroom. Seeing how that simple lesson echoed through the community inspired him.

“I remember coming that summer after they instituted some of these clubs and community members were like, 'Spencer, Spencer' our kids told us about the importance of washing our hands and now we are washing our hands at home, so it's trickling down to the families as well,” West said.

“If we look at the bigger things — most kids were getting married after Grade 8 and having families and now a lot of kids are pursuing secondary school. We've got two all-girls high schools and we've just opened an all-boys secondary school now, so these kids have other options instead of just a Grade 8 education.”

Traveling throughout Canada and around the world to share his message of hope and compassion, West has spoken with countless

From left, Science Program Leader Sharon Keller, Spencer West, and Tessa Piccolo.

students, activists, corporate leaders and not-for-profit organizations. His busy schedule had him speaking before another crowd that night in Niagara Falls, and another in Thunder Bay later that week before boarding a plane to Vancouver for another event. As an American, West said the one thing he has noticed about Canada is that there is a bigger emphasis on service and charity than in the U.S..

“Obviously here in Ontario, with the idea that it's part of

your graduation requirements.

I think everywhere should have that requirement. I've noticed that the level of compassion and wanting to give back is bigger here. Whether it's forced or not, I don't care because it still works.”

The philosophy of Me to We encourages people to live their life compassionately in service of others, explained West.

“That's the idea—that they take it out into the world and continue to foster that. It creates that ripple effect. What I think is

NATE SMELLE PHOTO

also important to note about that is that we as adults are not off the hook either. A lot of times, people will say how can we raise compassion in kids. I'm not a dad yet, but working with youth for the last 10 years, we have to lead by example, and we have to be the ones that say we are doing it too.

It's not just the kids who need to make a difference—corporations, adults teachers, administration — we all have to lead by example.”