The Voice, May 5 2021

Fundraising for Emmett continues

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Skateboarders defy closure

page 11

Niagara opioid crisis demands action

The Voice Z Z

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

page 3

of Pelham and Central Niagara

Published every Wednesday

MAY 5 2021

Vol.25 No.18 

Into the wild BLUE YONDER

DON RICKERS

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Column Six

Fitzy

BY MARJORIE POULI Special to the Voice

T

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS NRC REALTY, Brokerage 1815 Merritville, Hwy 1 FONTHILL, ON

Darcy Richardson, CPA, CA | Broker

all, dark, and handsome; dashing, sophisticated, looking like Desi Arnaz, he was in the orientation line of professors at a small college in Palos Heights, near Chicago. Don had worked as a stockbroker in San Francisco, where he acquired the habit of wearing tweed jackets with leather elbow patches, smoking a pipe, a slight British accent, and a gentleman’s manners. He had just completed his term in the U.S. Army. He decided to go to a college situated on the gracious grounds of what used to be a golf course. Ancient oaks surrounded the main building, and pleasant pathways led to the dormitories.

I was attending the same college. The girl’s dorm was too small, so the last eight girls enrolled were put into a large recreation room, divided by high metal wardrobes with bunk beds between them. This created a crowded, chilly, echo chamber for eight. But there was an unusual problem.

The eight were two transfer students—myself and Cheryl—a nurse from Taiwan, and six disciplinary probation students, fresh from their disreputable experiences in high school.

The Naughty Six were at school for one reason and

STORY PAGE 9

Les McInnis, with his Harmon Rocket on the ramp at Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport.

page 20

See COLUMN SIX Page 14

Page 2

The Voice

A May 5 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

NRPS impaired driving charges ~

PUBLISHER’S CORNER

by Dave Burket

Hitting the bullseye: In his excellent Column Six tale last week, sportswriter Bernie Puchalski devoted 84 words to satirizing urban prejudice, by imagining a standoffish GTA transplant on a Fonthill sidewalk, who fills him “full of lead” in a preemptive, knee-jerk reaction to perceived threat. I suppose not surprisingly, there had to be someone who didn’t get, or pretended not to get, the humour. Spending 379 words to rebut Bernie’s 84, a reader sternly informs us that in Canada, law-abiding handgun owners are not permitted to carry their guns on their persons, with rare exceptions. This will come as comfort to those still residing in the GTA, where shootings in Toronto alone have topped 400 a year for the last five years. The key concept here, of course, is “law- abiding.” If we were all law-abiding citizens, there would be no need for the impaired driving list on this page, nor law enforcement generally. The trouble with mentioning firearms now in apparently any context is that the more fervent gun aficionados out there immediately assume ill intent. In fact, both Puchalski and I have formerly owned guns. Growing up in northern Ontario, Bernie was hunting by the time he was 12, telling me, “I did the right of passage and did a hunter safety course when I was 16, and used to carry a gun around in my golf bag on warm September days on the golf course during hunting season.” And, back when such a thing was possible, at age 18 I walked into a California Sears store and bought a .3030 lever-action Winchester, which saw glorious action on the plinking-of-tin-cans-in-the-Sierras front. Less recreationally, I also owned a .38 revolver much later, after a spot of bother on the US east coast. So let’s leap to no conclusions as to anyone’s presumed attitude toward firearms per se...O ye, of little faith: Actually, considerable faith—this week marks the 100th “Faith Lift” column by retired Pastor Rob Weatherby. Hard to believe it’s already been two years. Thanks, Padre!...She's back: Enjoy Marjorie Pouli's tall tale of a Column Six... Please put the tray table up: As part of his interview with a local private pilot this week, reporter Don Rickers crammed himself into the back of the man’s aerobatic airplane and went up for a hair-raising ride. “At 3000 feet, his voice crackled through the headphones, asking ‘Have you ever been inverted?'” Don reports. “I had an idea what was to follow—and moments later was thankful that I had skipped a full breakfast.” A former commercial pilot, Les McInnis tells Don that his favourite big jet to fly was the DC-10.

I shared that enthusiasm from the passenger side. I would fly a red-eye from US west to east coast back in the day, usually in first class owing to mileage accumulation, and it was like riding in a flying auditorium. Good times...Speaking of travels: The journey, or odyssey, is a building block of western literary tradition, which may explain the enduring appeal of road trip stories. John Swart takes us on an excellent one this week (p.18), with an ending you'll remember for awhile...Snap to it! Don't forget to send in your COVID vaccination selfies! Stay safe. See you next week. ◆

What's That

SIREN Pelham Fire Department Weekly Calls

The Pelham Fire Department responded to two calls for assistance from Friday April 23 to Friday April 30

LUCKY ZAP Drew Campbell, of Fonthill, was struck by the Lightning Lotto jackpot on March 29. The prize had grown to $326,571, said the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) through a statement announcing the winner. The 73-year-old automotive worker, who purchased the ticket at the Giant Tiger on Welland Avenue in St. Catharines, told OLG that he plans to pay some bills and take some birdwatching trips with his winnings. Campbell did not answer his phone, so the newspaper was unable to ensure that he was aware that a Voice membership is an excellent value at $39.95. SUPPLIED

Friday, April 23 Cooking fire, Timber Creek, Fonthill Saturday April 24 Vehicle fire, Effingham St., Short Hills

Niagara vaccination clinics added

BY VOICE STAFF

May 29 – Niagara Falls, MacBain Community Centre According to the statement, clinic dates for Port Colborne at the Vale Health and Wellness Centre on May 23, 26 and 27 will be added to the portal soon as well.

Those 45 or older in 2021 with a postal code starting with ‘L2G’ can also book an appointment through the portal. Pregnant individuals, as well as highest-risk individuals with health conditions, plus an essential caregiver can also book an appointment by calling the provincial booking system.

Eligible residents can book an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination either online through the provincial portal at Ontario.ca/bookvaccine or by calling the provincial booking system at 1-833-943-3900.

Those 40 and older may request the AstraZeneca vaccine through participating local pharmacies.

Through a Niagara Region statement released Sunday, May 2, the provincial government has announced that individuals 55 years old or older in 2021 are now eligible to book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment via the provincial booking portal.

Individuals 50 and older may book appointments starting on Thursday.

The following Niagara Region Public Health clinic dates have been added to the portal: May 9-10 – Fort Erie, Leisureplex May 15-16 – Niagara-on-the-Lake, Community Centre May 16-22 – Pelham, Meridian Community Centre May 24, 25 & 28 – West Lincoln, West Lincoln Community Centre

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Vol.20 No.48

CELEBRATING OUR 20TH YEAR

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

DSBN wants portion of Town park

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The Comfort Maple myth

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Wednesday, November 30, 2016

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Column Six

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Pined -Sol Pelham’sPelham’s Health Food Store

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

Haist Street traffic-calming measure a little too effective

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Column Six

Growing up British

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

Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation

BY VOICE STAFF

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

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

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

BY HEATHER McLAREN ROHRER

Special to the VOICE

A

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

While waiting for the contractor to return to fix

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

VOICE PHOTO

bourhood in the short-term.

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

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

Petition-inspired changes coming to 2017 Summerfest

BY NATE SMELLE

The VOICE

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

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

sidered.

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

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

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

Another way the committee plans

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sundays were different again. Dad would play golf on summer mornings and billiards in winter. Then he'd stop for a 'refresher' at the local and would pick up the prawns, cockles, winkles or whelks we'd be having for tea later. Meanwhile, Mum was roasting the 'joint' and potatoes. I got to make the Yorkshire pud, and mint See COLUMN SIX Page 14

BY VOICE STAFF

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

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

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

After delivering to Council a petition containing

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

podium over to Loewen and Williams to plead their case.

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

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

www.pennylanesold.com

H EATHER AND P ENNY L ANE S ALES R EPRESENTATIVES

BY JOHN SWART

VOICE Correspondent

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

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

Town Council approves sidewalk to serve E. L. Crossley

BY NATE SMELLE

The VOICE

Joining their principal, Karen Simpson, at the Sept.

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

Cell 905.933.3049

T

Second year Beaver with the 3rd Fonthill Group, Russell Letford offers a fresh apple to shoppers 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

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

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

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

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

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

Get

Pined -Sol Pelham’sPelham’s Health Food Store

The Niagara Regional Police Service is committed to reducing impaired driving offences through education and the apprehension of offenders through enforcement programs like RIDE. Impaired driving is still the leading cause of criminal deaths in Canada and destroys thousands of lives every year.

The

BULK

ture!

In an effort to bring further attention and deterrence to driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, the Niagara Regional Police Service reports the names of those people who are charged with an alleged criminal impaired driving offence in the Region.

None of the following charges have been proved in court. In addition to being charged, these individuals are also bound by a Ministry of Transportation 90-Day Administrative Driver’s License Suspension and are prohibited from operating a motor vehicle on a roadway. The public is encouraged to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service Traffic Safety Hotline or Crime Stoppers to report those who are driving in contravention of the suspension. The following individuals have been charged criminally with impaired driving by alcohol or drugs, driving with a blood alcohol concentration above 80 mgs of alcohol in 100 ml of blood, or refusing to provide a breath / blood sample.

Shaylah FYFE, 19, St. Catharines Curtis R. DUPUIS, 30, St. Catharines Pragneshkumar H. PATEL, 27, Niagara Falls Janelle I. GLEN, 29, St. Catharines Michael J. KEEPING, 29, Niagara Falls Michael T. N. PASSERO, 36, Welland Brant P. MUNGER, 46, No Fixed Abode Pricyla J. CARRERA, 24, St. Catharines Trudey L. KWIATKOWSKI, St. Catharines Melinda M. GRUHL, 48, St. Catharines

“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

Indulgence Bakery Mossimo’s Pelham Street Grille Peter Piper’s Pubhouse DeVries Fruit Farm Beamer’s Hardware Pelham Libraries Bob’s Boys Antiques PharmaChoice Pharmacy Fonthill Fitness Fenwick Pie Company McDonald’s Duffin Appleworks Fonthill Legion Semenuk’s Gas Bar Shoppers Drug Mart Tim Horton’s Giant Tiger Fonthill LCBO Zee Lube Express Care Food Basics Minor Bros Stores Avondale Stores A-1 Market Boggio's IDA Sobeys South Pelham Grill on Canboro Shell on Hwy 20 Circle-K

e s d l I m o a o r l T

P D S A W A N M L R O J O J

8

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

A May 5 2021

Page 3

Opening for the Season

Thursday May 6

4 p.m. to Dusk 20 Pelham Town Square

every year. stroys thousands of lives deaths in Canada and deleading cause of criminal Impaired driving is still the ment programs like RIDE. offenders through enforceand the apprehension of offences through education reducing impaired driving lice Service is committed to The Niagara Regional Po-

Pelham David M. GEORGIEV, 36, St. Catharines Andrew DEGRAVE, 22, Welland Allan G. HIPPSLEY, 32, Niagara Falls Michael P. VANHELVERT, 33, Lincoln Richard W. PARRY, 48, Orchard Park NY Jamie HIDALGO, 39, Oakville Justin D. GODDERIS, 33, blood sample. refusing to provide a breath / alcohol in 100 ml of blood, or centration above 80 mgs of with a blood alcohol conby alcohol or drugs, driving nally with impaired driving have been charged crimiThe following individuals vention of the suspension. who are driving in contraStoppers to report those fic Safety Hotline or Crime gional Police Service Trafto contact the Niagara ReThe public is encouraged motor vehicle on a roadway. prohibited from operating a cense Suspension and are Administrative Driver’s Litry of Transportation 90-Day areNow alsothat’s bound by a Miniscruising, charged, Club these individuals Azamara Cruises Book now before this disappears.

In addition to being proved in court. all seven continents lowing charges haveimmerse been yourself in No lines, no hurry, the Region. None of the folon smaller ship’s.

Extended stays offence in port, some overnight impaired driving in with an alleged criminal people included. who are charged tuities Selectlast spirits, wines, Int’l Beers & Grayear! reports the names of those tique hotel at Police sea. Service one cruise at a time araExplore Regional thetime world onboard your bouThis Pelham St., Fonthill 2019—a year to explore the world, alcohol or1400 drugs, the NiagPAST www.niagara.cruiseholidays.com driving while impairedoffi byce@thevoiceofpelham.ca http://www.hooahhvideos.ca/ select voyages Enjoy a and veranda an interior price onyourSanta Raidy Manso (center), attention deterrence toreaders! and we’ll share it for with our Email photoCayo, with aCuba! brief description to BLAST FROM THE DOUBLE UPGRADE EarlyON's Fenwick United Church location.

In an effort to bring further Send us Sue your Lough picture withholding daughter The Tamara, Voice, of whether Fenwick, across with new townCuban or abroad friend

toEarlyON go chargesCentres closing driving planners 83 days instead, sayRESULTS Fenwick and South Pelham NRPS impaired Peace on Earth Existing community facilities toand beAirbnbs used in Pelham At Hoo-Ahh Aerial of theHome Week qr 905.892.7900 THE VOICE POLL: Hotels

Three-year-old Emmett Gervason.

GERVASON FAMILY

Pelham toddler’s ear surgery slated for July Despite report to contrary, fundraising continues for covering family's costs

BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent Amanda and Aaron Gervason knew it would be a daunting challenge to raise the necessary funds — almost a quarter million dollars — to cover their young son Emmett’s ear operation in California in July, along with all the related support, travel, and post-operative care costs.

But they never lost hope…and have been overwhelmed by the generosity of friends and strangers.

To date, the GoFundMe account has garnered over $175,000, which includes a couple recent and significant anonymous donations.

Emmett, who will turn three in June, was born with pediatric microtia in his left ear, a congenital deformity in which the ear is small and misshapen. He also has atresia, a condition in which he is missing the ear canal, rendering him deaf on one side. Emmett has problems

identifying the direction of sounds and coping with noise, and has several learning deficits affecting his speech and language skills. Frustration is a constant companion. The surgery should restore 80 percent of the hearing capability in his ear.

Although Toronto’s Sick Kids Hospital is capable of performing the necessary corrective surgery, Emmett does not qualify for the operation until he turns 10, and his parents are unwilling to see him struggle developmentally and emotionally for seven years in the interim.

An article last week in another Niagara newspaper suggested that all costs are now fully covered, which turns out not to be the case. Amanda Gervason was on the radio last Saturday morning, with Rod Mahood on his 610 CKTB Sports Report program, to clarify that fundraising efforts are

still underway.

“The Niagara Peninsula Children's Foundation is providing some funding through their Pizza Jerry's raffle tickets,” she said.

Additionally, a friend of her father-in-law created a large statue of the Grinch wearing a Toronto Maple Leaf’s jersey, bearing top scorer Austin Matthews’ number.

“Rod Mahood is actually arranging for the statue to be signed by Matthews, and then raffled off,” Gervason told the Voice. Proceeds will be directed to Emmett’s GoFundMe. “Emmett doesn’t really understand that he’s going to have an operation that will improve his hearing, but he understands that he is going on a jet plane ride, and he is very keen on that,” she said with a laugh.

The Gervason’s GoFundMe page is https://ca.gof u n d me .c om/f/a n-e a rfor-emmy.

What to expect when visiting Wear a face-covering at all times unless you have an exception Sanitizer available before entry No handling or sampling of food Maintain a safe distance of 2M Follow the traffic-flow directions

pelham.ca/farmers-market Hey Kids...Register online and join in the fun with weekly market inspired adventures!

Learn, explore, grow!

Junior Growers

Page 4

The Voice

A May 5 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

OPINION

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

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

COTÉ'S COMMENTS Larry Coté

To comply or not to comply

I

t likely surprised many to see the number of protesters who participated in the recent anti-lockdown demonstrations in St. Catherines and in Niagara Falls. Fortunately, these numbers are a small percentage of Niagara’s population. However, what could be frightening about those numbers is that there are this many inconsiderate, selfish people who live in the Region.

The news photos of this spiteful minority show that most were not wearing masks and clearly disregarding social distancing protocols. It might be their privilege to put themselves in danger by ignoring medical science, however, they should not be permitted to endanger others. Such arrogant displays of wrongheaded thinking adds to the fright, unsettling discomfort, and outright danger to the remainder of the population.

Unfortunately, this number of persons at such gatherings overwhelms the law enforcement personnel who are unable to lay charges or ticket many of these lawbreakers. However, a token number of recognizable

personages will likely be apprehended for breaking the lawful conventions.

Realistically, it is nearly impossible to use any sort of rebuke under these cir-

Many of their beliefs exceed even the outermost dimensions of science fiction

cumstances to penalize all of the demonstrators who defiantly deny the realities of medical science.

Perhaps a system might be put in place to require those apprehended to spend two or three days at the bedside of a ventilated and comatose COVID-19 sufferer in an ICU. In keeping with the protesters' preferences, they would not be required to use any PPE. Should that patient succumb to the disease, then the convicted demonstrator

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

would be required to visit the loved ones of the deceased and explain to them what took their cherished loved one from them. At the very least, such visits would serve to relieve the nearly exhausted medical personnel of this gruesome task.

While such measures may appear to be inconceivably extreme to the majority, these should not provoke even a bead of sweat in the irresponsible protesters.

They are convinced that the pandemic is a hoax. They have put forward the notion the vaccines alter the genes of the recipients so as they will be more compliant with the dictums of a malfeasant power. Many of their beliefs, such as this one, exceed even the outermost dimensions of science fiction.

While it is likely true that some of the government’s decisions and measures may have fallen short of impeccability, the pandemic has stretched the limits of many of society’s fallible organizations. Best that people collectively commend measures where they can and curtail condemning best efforts that fall short of See COMPLY next page

Letters One ringy-dingy...two ringy-dingy...

The mice got into the top of my van’s engine parked in our garage during this winter and I realized I had been lax at safely putting poison in our garage to stop mice from destroying my car, etc.

So I dropped by the hardware store here in Fonthill where I usually get the mouse poison blocks. I walked up to the front door and waved at the guy I could see inside. He opened the door a crack and said he cold not serve me and I had to phone an order in as per government lockdown rules.

The phone number was posted on the

door. I walked back to my car and fetched our cellphone and walked back and stood in front of the store where I could see the salesman on the inside and I phoned him.

He answered the phone and said, “Hello.”

I said, “Is this Beamer's Hardware store?”

With a chuckle he answered and I could see he was smiling and he said, “Yes it is.”

So I said, “Can I place an order please,” and he said, “Yes, what is it,” and I said, “A box of mouse poison blocks in the yellow See DIALED-IN next page

7

CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Member of Federal Parliament

Electoral District: Niagara West

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

Electoral District: Niagara West

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

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

Jill C. Anthony Law Office

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, clarity or legal considerations. All material in this publication is protected by copyright. Reproduction is prohibited without express, written permission of the publisher. ADVERTISING: The Voice of Pelham regrets any errors or omissions that appear in advertisements in this newspaper, however, we will not be held responsible for more than one absent or incorrect insertion or for any damages beyond the cost of space containing the error. The Voice is an independent, locally owned and operated publication.

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

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The Voice

Page 5

A May 5 2021

OPINION Sick days votes reveal partisanship at its worst For the 21st time, over 50 Conservative MPPs voted against paid sick days last week.

These MPPs, including Niagara’s Sam Oosterhoff, chose partisanship over the health and safety of the people whom they govern.

This is the behaviour of partisan monsters, not political leaders, and so we should be reminded that the Premier's tears were

never real.

And once again, Ford is outraged that the federal government is not doing his job for him.

The levels of incompetence and cruelty by this government have no limit.

Peter Schafrick Fonthill

Spring's fragrance tainted Awakening to the sounds of birds chirping away as they happily begin their day. Sounds of the world beginning to awaken and the sun rising in the east. Spring is upon us and with it comes the beautiful aromas of flowers and in general “the fragrance of spring.”

It wasn’t so long ago that I recall having spring being able to enter my home. It made the whole house come alive!

Opening the front door this morning only filled my home with “the odour will be fruity... good corporate neighbour...essential service...good paying local jobs...” of cannabis.

Does anyone else miss the old springtime? I sure do.

David Ireland Fenwick

DIALED-IN

continued from previous page box made by, etc. etc.”

He said, “Okay, I have that. When will you pick it up?”

I said, “I live here in Fonthill, can I come and pick it up now?”

And he said, “No problem, call me when you get here so I can put it out the door for you.”

Anyhow, I then called him and amazingly he answered right away and he did not remark on how quickly I had got there and he had my order ready already.

What a great store and what great service.

It pays to shop locally.

Ron Mascoe Fonthill

PELHAM AND COVID-19 Mayor Marvin Junkin

Pelham cases hit record high while Region sees drop

O

ntario’s new COVID numbers are coming down, finally. On Friday 3,887 was the total for new cases, down from 4,500 confined cases one week earlier. Friday was the sixth consecutive day that the Province recorded fewer than 4,000 new COVID cases. The provincial positivity rate is also coming down, being 7.4 percent on Friday compared to 8.8 percent a week before.

New modelling released on Friday suggested that the third wave is indeed cresting, and that case counts could very well dip below 1,000 a day within a month.

As of last Friday there were 2,201 patients with COVID being treated in Ontario hospitals, including 883 in the ICU, and 632 patients were on ventilators, up 12 from the day before. National death toll was 24,219 as of Friday.

In Niagara, new COVID

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continued from previous page perfection. There are few arrows left in the quiver, other than to trust that medical science will eventually defeat this terrible virus and its variants. These scientists have a proven record of success.

Be kind and considerate of your neighbours and comply with the measures designed to keep this virus at bay and people safe from harm.

Do the right thing. Wear a mask, wash your hands and comply with the social distancing concept. It won’t hurt and might prevent you from hurting others. ◆

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self-isolate at home, with 0.6 percent admitted to the ICU. On Friday there were 82 COVID patients in Niagara hospitals, 28 of these had been transported here from other regions within the province. As of this writing there are 13 patients in the ICU., with no number listed for those on ventilators. As of last Friday the number of residents who passed away from COVID in Niagara was 391. t the last Town Council meeting, which was held April 18, council approved the expenditure of up to $70,000 to correct an erosion problem north of Highway 20 at Rice road.

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NEWSFLASH Tell us your story!

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

Did you conquer Everest or kick a bad habit?

Everyone has a story. Tell us yours!

Cabinetry Showroom & Design Centre 7-200 Hwy 20 East, Fonthill ON L0S 1E6 Open: Mon - Fri 8:30am to 5:00pm Sat 10:00am to 4:00pm Call (905) 932-7069 for a design consultation

NOW ALSO ACCEPTING FICTION— SHORT STORIES UP TO 4000 WORDS! Write it down, send it in: publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca (You won’t get rich, but you will get paid.)

Page 6

The Voice

A May 5 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Letters continued Rainbow benches What does it say about us in the Town of Pelham?

It says that we are a community that is welcoming, not only to LGBTQ+ but to all people. We welcome the diversity that makes up the world. More importantly, it tells our own residents that “You are accepted for who you are.” It is particularly essential for our young people to know this fact. No one should feel excluded, no matter their race, colour, religion or sexual orientation. These benches show that everyone is safe in this town.

We, as a society, have come a long way since the days of making criminals of people for being who they are. So, if we can do our part, even if it is a small one, like a Rainbow bench, then we can move forward by instilling acceptance in our community.

These benches also acknowledge the many in this town who have been bullied, called names and were ostracized, the parents who were worried about the safety of their children. For those of you who have not had to endure such issues, these benches could be a reminder to not forget about the ones who have.

What a difference it would have made to my son’s growing-up years if he had known his hometown accepted him. I know things have changed for the better during these last 30 years, but we still have a long way to go.

I am so pleased to know that there will be two Rainbow benches installed in Fonthill.

Because of COVID-19, they will not arrive until June.

Thank you to our councillors and Mayor Junkin for making the right decision.

Another Rainbow bench has been ordered, so that one can be placed in Fenwick. Again, because of COVID, it will not be available until October. Then, both ends of town will be covered. It should be a no- brainer for council to approve payment for this third one. If they feel it is not the right thing to do, then there are many of us who do, and we will come up with the money to pay for it.

Vilma Moretti Fonthill

Religion more deadly than COVID? First it was Trump and the gullible US evangelicals who fell for his con as he opened the door to half a million dead of coronavirus, then it was the churches in west Niagara who insisted they had the right to continue services (to send parishioners to the afterlife all that much faster), then it was our town’s Mayor David Bylsma and his criminally irresponsible anti-lockdown protest appearances, and now...and now the unavoidable, inconvenient truth that organized religion is at least as deadly, if not more, than COVID-19.

That proof is India.

India’s leader, a devout, far-right religious zealot, allowed religious dogma to triumph over science. Thousands upon thousands of unmasked people, packed together in religious ceremonies. The result as the world sees is catastrophe.

If people want to delude themselves into believing there’s a magic man (or dozens of magic men) in the sky, okay, fine, I agree that’s their right. But their right to be delusional stops when it threatens the health and safety of the rest of us sane people.

You think Islamic terrorism is bad? On 9/11, 2977 people were killed, including the hijackers. That’s about just half of one percent of the 500,000-plus killed by COVID in the US. How many infections and deaths have resulted or will result in Niagara as a result of the Bylsma-featured public demonstrations?

“Love thy neighbour?” Really more like to hell with thy neighbour.

Some say that the pandemic has brought out the best in people. I say that it has shown us who we all really are down deep. The religious fanatics who continue to risk the health of everyone have been literally unmasked as who they truly are. Shame on them, and shame on the police and Ford government for not prosecuting those who endanger the rest of us with their moronic conspiracy theories and willful ignorance of basic science.

L. Janssen West Lincoln

Wake up and smell the filtered air I have thought for over a year now that our response to the pandemic is misguided. The answer as people have known for thousands of years is in in public infrastructure. The Romans built freshwater aqueducts and sewers for a real reason which was to combat plague and cholera which made cities unlivable in ancient times.

We have not really progressed past these Roman solutions for disease even though we have the technology to do so.

I am talking about common methods for clearing indoor air of disease causing pathogens.

These are common air-handling systems equipped with UV light sanitizers and HEPA filters. Recycling the air in a room at least six times per hour reduces coronavirus levels. These systems should be mandatory in every public room in Canada. Have we been retrofitting our schools, offices, restaurants, warehouses and meat packing plants? Why not? This is an obvious control to the pandemic It is quick, easy to install and could make a real difference as the variant strains overwhelm the vaccines.

If the government would look at it as a public infrastructure project, it could happen very quickly starting right now.

Everybody is saying that that this thing is almost over, that vaccines are riding to

JUNKIN

continued from previous page fish habitat located within the stream. A section of the passed motion also called on staff to seek funds from the Regional government, Trout Unlimited, and Upper Canada Consultants. We are hoping the Region will feel compelled to contribute as the water collected from Highway 20, which is a Regionally controlled road,

the rescue. Good luck. A year from now we will likely still be wearing masks, distancing, and waiting for new vaccines.

These systems should be mandatory in every public room in Canada I would say wake up.

To our political class which is composed almost exclusively of people who have never learned how to actually do anything except to craft messages and waste money I say call in some millwrights, some HVAC engineers, some scientific instrument makers, some mask-makers, some quarantine hotel owners. Call in the stakeholders, the bar owners, shopkeepers, the manufacturers. Put all the minds together. Put someone other than yourselves in charge, someone who is actually capable of getting something done and understanding real things and get this done. Now is a time for action and not stupid ideologies. Do it now.

Steve Matthews Ridgeville

makes up a significant amount of the total going into the pond. Trout Unlimited, which is a national entity, has taken the 12 under its wing and in the past several years has completed many restoration projects affecting this stream.

Upper Canada Consultants were included in the ask as they have been involved in Pelham’s ongoing development for many years and it is hoped they will deem this a worthy environmental project to contribute to. Until next time... ◆

PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR HOUSE IS Support the local businesses that keep your community and its newspapers thriving.

The Voice Z of Pelham and Central Niagara

Z

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

A May 5 2021

Page 7

Page 8

The Voice

Your turn is coming soon.

A May 5 2021

MacInnis with his Howard DGA float plane (similar to the famous de Havilland Beaver), at a Burlington dock on Lake Ontario, in the 1960s.

MC INNIS FAMILY

PASSION

continued from Page 9 a vacant seat. He started getting sarcastic with the service crew, and I had to go back to deal with it. The Mexican police handcuffed him when we landed. The guy wasn’t real happy.”

On another occasion, McInnis was in an airport washroom and noticed the man standing next to him was carrying a handgun.

“I alerted the police, and they later told me that the guy was preparing to hijack a flight.”

Age 60 used to mean com-

Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine plan is helping to stop the spread and save lives.

Thousands of people across the province are getting vaccinated every day.

As vaccinations continue, we need to stay the course to protect those we love. Wear a mask.

Wash your hands. Keep your distance.

Find out when, where and how to get vaccinated at ontario.ca/covidvaccineplan or call 1-888-999-6488 for assistance in more than 300 languages.

Paid for by the Government of Ontario

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

pulsory retirement for pilots. Over the years, the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) has challenged this stance through litigation in the courts, then, in 2011, the federal government passed a law forbidding federally regulated companies such as Air Canada from enforcing a mandatory retirement age.

Although commercial pilots and private pilots flying internationally require regular physicals, those with a recreational licence, allowing flights over Canadian airspace with one passenger, only require a self-declaration of medical

fitness signed by a doctor, which has to be presented to Transport Canada every five years. There is no upper age limit to acquire or renew a pilot licence.

McInnis has been blessed with good health during his life, and has enjoyed flying out of the NCDRA for the past few years. But he is thinking that maybe it’s time, as age 90 looms on the horizon, to hang up his headphones and sell his plane.

“It’s getting harder to get in and out of the damn thing,” he said with a laugh.

Pelham Farmers Market opens Thursday

BY VOICE STAFF The Pelham Farmers Market—an essential service provider, under Provincial lockdown rules—will operate for the first time this year on Thursday, at a limited capacity. The market continues operation every Thursday through October 7, from 4 PM until dusk, in the Pelham Town Hall

parking lot.

"Safety and access to fresh local produce are of the utmost importance as we continue to operate the Farmers Market for the second year amid the ongoing pandemic," said Leah Letford, Special Events and Festivals Programmer. "The local vendors are excited to provide their services again this year, and a farm-

ers market is a great way to help support local.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the market has again adopted regulations to keep patrons safe while visiting vendors. These regulations have been approved by Niagara Public Health and are similar to those that were in place during last year's market.

This year, only 13 patrons may be in the market area at any given time (excluding vendors) to ensure physical distancing can be maintained. Patrons are to adhere to one-way traffic flow around the market from the designated entrance and exit point.

All patrons are asked to wear a face-covering at all times in a manner that covers their mouth, nose, and chin, unless they are entitled to exceptions. Hand sanitizer will be provided on site.

Coming soon to Fonthill!

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

Page 9

A May 5 2021

Octogenarian pilot Les McInnis preserves his passion for flight

BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent When Les McInnis and his wife decided to leave Grimsby a few years ago, and relocate somewhere else in Niagara, Pelham was a sensible choice. After all, their new home on Martha Court in Fenwick is only an eight-minute drive from the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport (NCDRA) on River Road, where McInnis, a retired commercial pilot, continues to enjoy his lifelong love affair with aircraft. And it’s been a long affair, considering that McInnis is 88.

His latest winged paramour is a 2005 Harmon Rocket, a sleek monoplane with aerobatic capabilities that McInnis still puts to the test on occasion with loops, rolls, and spins. Prior to that he owned a classic Pitts Special biplane as well as an Ultimate, a scalpel of an aircraft that allows a skilled pilot to slice through the air and make paper-thin changes to his flight profile. The highly maneuverable plane has been a staple at airshow competitions for years, and reacts instinctively to the slightest input of control stick, pedal, and throttle. A pilot needs to be thinking two steps ahead when flying this type of machine.

McInnis downplayed his competitiveness as a small-plane acrobatic flyer, but other pilots at the NCDRA said he was one of the best around in his prime.

He grew up on a farm in rural Chipman, New Brunswick, and did his flight training in Fredericton, located about an hour away.

“I got my private pilot licence in 1959, and my instructor’s rating and commercial licence in 1962,”

said McInnis. “I worked as a flight instructor for the Moncton Flying Club for a while, then joined EPA [Eastern Provincial Airways, serving Atlantic Canada] and flew the ubiquitous DC-3 airliner and PBY Canso [a “flying boat” longrange patrol aircraft, also called a Catalina] all over Newfoundland and Labrador, with the occasional flight to Greenland.”

McInnis sometimes flew the Canso on water-bomber missions to extinguish forest fires.

In 1964, McInnis joined Canadian Pacific Airlines (CPA), and flew jets with them out of Vancouver before making the jump to Toronto as a DC-8 captain in 1971. CPA was eventually absorbed by Canadian Airlines, which itself was later acquired by Air Canada. McInnis spent 27 years with Canadian, retiring in 1991.

The McDonnell Douglas DC-10, a wide-body airliner introduced in the early 1970s and a bit smaller than the venerable Boeing 747, was McInnis’ favourite commercial jet over the course of his career. The plane was built to haul 300 passengers and crew on transcontinental flights.

“Yeah, it was beautiful,” he said.

“The DC-10 had an engine on each wing, and another on the tail, generating about 15,000 horsepower. It carried lots of fuel—you could fly that thing 13 hours across the Pacific to Tokyo.”

McInnis primarily flew longhaul flights to Europe, Asia, and South America. His favorite destination?

“Probably Rome,” he said, noting the classic architecture and ancient history of the city.

It carried lots of fuel— you could fly that thing 13 hours across the Pacific to Tokyo

Seniority gave McInnis his pick of the prime routes.

“Pilots worked about 70 hours a month of flying time,” he said.

“Rome, to Athens, to Tel Aviv, and back to Canada might log about 20 hours…so after a few long-haul trips, I’d quite often have 15 days off.”

Aside from some occasional fog, high winds, and poor weather, McInnis had few close calls while flying commercially.

“We had a few engine shutdowns, but nothing catastrophic,” he said. McInnis looks back on his career with satisfaction, but acknowledges that today’s fliers have to deal with more safety and security restrictions, which “probably makes it less fun to be a pilot.”

He has a vast collection of stories involving the antics of passengers.

“One fellow apparently had a habit of purchasing the cheapest ticket for a flight, then would skulk up to first class and occupy

McInnis, in the 1980s, as captain of a Canadian Airlines DC-10.

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The Voice

A May 5 2021

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New Business FOCUS

Financial consultant helps families hit home runs Keith McConkey has a passion for baseball, community, and serving clients

I was supposed to work a qualifier tournament in June for the Tokyo Olympics

BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent Before his family and financial services career came along, it’s fair to say that Keith McConkey’s primary passion was baseball.

Born in Toronto, McConkey moved with his family to Thorold as a child, and has lived in Niagara for some 30 years. He currently resides in Welland with his wife, Kerri (a Welland native), and their two daughters. He attended Brock for his university studies, and then at age 22 headed to Florida for baseball umpire school, thereafter spending six years in the minor leagues as a professional umpire.

“I started in the New York-Penn League in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.

From there I went to the Midwest league with teams in Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. My next stop was the Florida State League, followed by three years in Double A in the Eastern League, covering Maryland all the way over to Ohio. The Umpires Association moves its people around a lot, in order to give umpires a varied experience at several levels of play.”

Ultimately, the stressors of professional baseball, especially the long periods living in hotels away

from home and family, convinced McConkey to transition into a new career in financial services.

He spent four years with CIBC as a financial advisor, then took on a management role with PenFinancial Credit Union. The appeal of running his own business led him to the Investors Group over a year ago, and he now offers a full array of financial services to his clients encompassing debt management, savings, estate planning, wealth protection, and tax minimization strategies. McConkey has earned Professional Financial Planner (PFP) and Responsible Investment Specialist (RIS) designations.

McConkey is still active as a baseball umpire, officiating games in the Intercounty League, an amateur league in Southern Ontario, featuring teams like the Welland Jackfish. He has also represented Canada internationally as an ump at a few World Championships and the Pan Am Games.

“I was supposed to work a qualifier tournament in June for the Tokyo Olympics, but COVID travel restrictions have curtailed that,” he said.

As an active member of the Fonthill Rotary Club, McConkey is eager to engage within the Pel-

Financial planner Keith McConkey with daughters Abigail and Madison. ham community. He and his family enjoy the Farmers Market and Bandshell concerts on Thursdays during the summer at Peace Park, along with Summerfest activities.

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DON RICKERS

He has enjoyed his move to IG Wealth Management.

“It’s been great. I achieved an internal performance award, and have made plenty of client intro-

ductions. It’s a relationship business, so you really want to meet people face to face to develop a sense of trust, which is so critical.

Zoom meetings are currently necessary, but just aren’t the same as in-person conversations.”

IG places an emphasis on planning for clients, said McConkey.

“I'm a firm believer that you don't become a client until we've done some planning for you. I need to know the direction that you want to go, so that I can make recommendations on the solution side.

Investments and insurance and all the other financial services are just solutions that fill gaps in a financial plan. I will recommend early solutions that people need, but I'm never going to be product-centric, I am always going to be client-centric.”

McConkey is working from home during the pandemic, rather than at the Investors Group office on Lincoln Street in Welland. He can be reached by phone at 905788-1356 (office) and 905-347-2251 (mobile), or by email at keith.mcconkey@ig.ca

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The Voice

Page 11

A May 5 2021

Halfpipe lockdown doesn't stop some skateboarders Seriously, dudes, the park is closed

BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent It’s time to chill at the Isaac Riehl Skatepark, located at Marlene Stewart Streit Park in downtown Fonthill.

A worrisome rise in COVID-19 cases prompted the Ontario government to issue a declaration of emergency and province-wide stay-at-home order, effective April 8. It is still in place. The coronavirus and its variants are spreading among unvaccinated populations, and a growing number of younger people have been infected—the majority of new infections are now among those aged 39 and younger, with 584 currently active cases in Niagara in teens and children, as of this writing.

The Town of Pelham has closed most recreational facilities, including the outdoor skatepark, but that hasn’t stopped hardcore boarders from climbing over the temporary fencing to practise their kickflips. Those who ignore the signage declaring the park closed risk fines of $750 per person.

“We started out putting signage up, and [the skateboarders] just ripped it down,” said Fire Chief Bob Lymburner. “Orange road closure barriers were set up, and we've added snow fence and more signage.”

No lawbreaking skateboarders have yet been apprehended, said

Lymburner, because they tend to scatter when the authorities arrive. Local bylaw and fire prevention officers are making more frequent visits to the skatepark, as are Niagara Regional Police patrols, he said.

“On a nice warm sunny day, [the boarders] will be out in droves. Our COVID new infection cases right now in Niagara are predominantly 20 to 39 year olds. The young people are still congregating, getting together to party…and they're taking it home to their parents, who take it to work and give it to their co-workers. It seems that some kids just don't care,” said Lymburner.

It’s not just kids, of course.

Skateboarding draws from a wide demographic, and many adults enjoy the sport. But young people appear to be the core of the skateboarding transgressors, at least locally.

“Hopefully, the barriers up now will really get their attention, and they'll smarten up a bit. If we make it difficult, they'll eventually stop,” said Lymburner.

Though less likely to be hospitalized or die because of COVID-19, some young people develop severe and lasting symptoms, particularly if they are obese, diabetic, or have high blood pressure or hypertension. Many young

Snow fencing, signage, and a traffic barrier indicate that Isaac Riehl Skatepark is closed as part of the Province's COVID restrictions.

DON RICKERS adults work in health care, food and hospitality services, and other essential employment such as public transportation. These occupations are at high risk for exposure to the coronavirus, as are students attending college and university.

Since young people are less likely

to have severe cases of COVID-19, it appears that many have developed a false sense of security, and feel that mingling in large groups, attending parties, not wearing face masks, and ignoring community pandemic guidelines will not seriously endanger them. But medical experts insist that safe person-

al behaviors make an enormous difference. Mask-wearing, physical distancing, hand hygiene, and self-monitoring for coronavirus symptoms are especially important for those living with vulnerable household members including the aged, chronically ill, and immune-compromised.

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NEW! The Angles, from left, Samantha, Kevin, Heath, and Laurie.

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Beautiful from any Angle

BY VOICE STAFF The latest recipient of the Pelham Beautification Committee’s Thank You Card initiative is the Angle family, on Sawmill Road.

Heath and Laurie, along with their children, Kevin (Grade 9, at E.L. Crossley) and Samantha (Grade 8, at St. Ann Catholic School), enjoy all the aspects of country living that Pelham has to offer, according to a statement released last week by the committee.

Heath’s maternal grandparents, John and Hazel Moyer, homesteaded the land, clearing 200 acres and planting the many trees and flower beds that are still thriving today. The Angle family live on the retirement severance of the farm. Laurie enjoys the flower gardens, while Heath tends to the large vegetable garden, planting a variety of vegetables, including several hundred garlic plants. The committee said that there are some protected plants that the family strives to preserve, such as yellow moonflowers and prickly pear cactus.

Kevin and Samantha are active in the Niagara 4H Club. The 4H motto is “Learn to

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do by doing,” and Kevin and Samantha have been doing just that, said the committee.

This spring, Kevin and Samantha joined the provincial group for Maple Syrup. During March, they tapped the backyard black walnut trees and were able to boil down the sap to create syrup.

“Congratulations to the Angle family for their beautification and environmental achievements,” the statement continued. “It is heartwarming to see, during this time of crisis and virtual learning, that families find ways to participate in green initiatives while enjoying the outdoors.”

The Pelham Beautification Committee is an advisory committee to Pelham Council.

Their monthly ‘Thank You’ card initiative is one of the committee’s efforts to inspire the Town’s businesses, organizations and residents to exemplify ideals defined in the committee’s Terms of Reference. Individuals are encouraged to submit potential recipient recommendations to the committee at beautification@pelham.ca

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Page 12

The Voice

A May 5 2021

Lukey lands in Pelham

It's been a long time in the hockey world, especially in Ontario.

I'm excited to get going.

BY BILL POTRECZ bpsportsniagara.com Timing is everything.

Pelham Panthers owner Tim Toffolo began to develop a relationship with Chris Lukey about five years ago and felt the 52-year-old St. Catharines native would be a good candidate to coach the Panthers at some point.

“I’ve had my eye on Chris for quite some time,” Toffolo said. “We’ve had conversations through the last so many years and a lot had to do with timing for him at one point and timing for me at certain times as well.

It was a matter of time before we hooked up and figured things out. Last year, I stepped in and it was all about timing. It just wasn’t the right time with the pandemic and everything that went on. I knew then pretty well that eventually Chris was going to be brought in.”

Lukey, who recently retired after 28 years as a fi refighter, was thrilled to be offered the position.

“I’m extremely excited,” said

Lukey, who last coached in 2019 when he was behind the bench of the Welland Junior Canadians.

“Tim and I met about five years ago. We’ve always kept the relationship and always kept in touch with each other.”

Toffolo reached out to Lukey a few weeks go with the offer to step behind the bench in Pelham.

“I appreciated that and was flattered,” Lukey said. “It’s been a long time in the hockey world, especially in Ontario. I’m excited to get going.”

Toffolo met Lukey when he was head coach of the Niagara North Stars U18 in 2016-17 and 2017-18.

“I think that Chris runs a very professional show, he’s proven that in the past,” Toffolo said.

“I’ve watched him and see the depth of his proposals and his planning. He wants to works towards centralizing common goals. I’ve seen that in Chris and that has intrigued me over the years.”

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Chris Lukey.

BILL POTRECZ

Lukey began his coaching career with a pair of stints as an assistant with the St. Catharines Falcons in 1993-94 and again in 1996-97. He moved to Fort Erie as an assistant in 2015-16 before taking the job in Welland.

The Junior Canadians struggled that season with only five wins, but Lukey doesn’t regret accepting the chance.

“It was a great experience,” he said. “I can’t let our record diminish the fact what a learning

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experience it was. Obviously, I wish we would have done better, but on a personal note as a coach there were a lot of good takeaways and a lot of good learning opportunities. It was a great opportunity for me to learn the league and what it takes to be in the league. There’s a lot of good coaches and a lot of good players, which I was impressed with.”

He also quickly picked up the difference between coaching at the junior level compared to minor hockey.

“There was the age gap and you’re dealing up kids up to 20 now,” he said. “There was a lot of deal with in regard to billets and kids living away from home and going to college or university. Just a few more things to deal with but I love the pace and intensity level. It was highly com-

petitive and a lot of these kids are on their way to creating a path for themselves to go NCAA or go to college or a career for themselves so it was great to be able to help them with those opportunities.”

Lukey will be joined by assistant Craig Slack, skills coach Ed Kirsten, and goalie coach Glen Baraniuk.

The Panthers have ice booked for spring and summer sessions, but are at the mercy of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have all the plans in place,” Toffolo said. “We’re just going to have to ride by the seat of our pants, not really knowing what’s going to transpire. We’re just going to have to see. Nobody knows. It’s all we can do during these times we are in right now.”

Before turning to coaching, Lukey played in the Ontario Hockey League with Kingston and Windsor before turning pro for a season with the Hampton Roads Admirals of the East Coast Hockey League.

His son, Dawson Lukey, played last season with Gilmour Academy of the United States High School Prep League in Ohio, where he collected 32 goals and 61 points.

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Pedestrians and cyclists share the trails. Cyclists, use your bell, horn or voice to let pedestrians know you are close by.

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The Voice

MASS_NRG_B_Bleed_Mask_Op2

Page 13

A May 5 2021

Watershed

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do some rt h good for the ea Come

April 17-June 1, Find out more at: rotary7090.org/Stories/great-lakes-watershed-cleanup For more information visit https://rotary7090.org/Stories/great-lakes-watershed-cleanup

Pelham Art Festival and Fonthill Rotary Club celebrate the Great Lakes Watershed Cleanup Local students design posters highlighting environmental efforts

BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent The online 2021 Pelham Art Festival has embraced the latest project of the Fonthill Rotary Club, that being the Great Lakes Watershed Cleanup (GLWC) taking place April through June. The festival’s theme

is “Our Planet, Our Future.”

Festival organizer Natalia Shields and Rotary project lead John Cappa put their heads together and came up with the concept of a poster contest for schoolage children and teenagers.

Youth were encouraged to create posters to advertise the GLWC, and the efforts

by Rotarians and their volunteers in being good stewards of the environment.

The posters were scored by art festival staff and local Rotarians.

First place went to Emily Shatford, while Sara Ewing took the silver, and Natalie Anderson the bronze. All three attend E.L. Crossley.

The top three posters are

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being used by Rotary District 7090 to promote the watershed cleanup among clubs in Western New York and Southern Ontario.

All three participants were provided with a GLWC T-shirt, and a monetary award ($100 for first, $50 for second, and $25 for third place) made possible by a donation from Rotary

The winning posters by (from left) Natalie Anderson, Sara Ewing, and Emily Shatford.

FONTHILL ROTARY District 7090 Governor and Fonthill Rotarian Frank Adamson.

Young people were also encouraged to participate in the Pelham Art Festival’s Youth “Our Planet, Our Future” art competition, and their work is showcased online throughout May at the festival’s website www.pelhamartfestival.com.

Shields, a retired teacher, said that “the intention of the art challenge was for students to choose an issue that was close to their heart, something that mattered to them about the environment.”

She noted that the festival is working to attract more students and encourage young artists to participate.

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Page 14

continued from Page 1 one reason only— to catch a guy. On the first formal day of college, we left the dorms and strolled down the pathways to the main building to register and pay tuition.

There, sitting among the accountants and professors, was Don, every girl’s dream.

After returning to our dorm room, the girls, over-excited, hormones raging, filled the room with their screams and chatter.

“Did you see the yummy professor? Isn’t he sexy and handsome? He makes me swoon,” said Marian.

“I checked and he didn’t have a wedding ring. He’s mine. I saw him first,” interrupted Nancy.

“No, I am better suited to him. You’re too short. I’m tall like he is,” yelled beanpole Elaine. They noticed my silence. “Aren’t you interested in him too?”

“No, not really,” I replied.

“Not really. The guy looks good, but I’m not interested.”

They had already decided I was weird because I was a serious student. Now they were convinced. The next day they found out he wasn’t a professor. He was a student who helped the business office on orientation day. Their discussion got even hotter. Now he was even more accessible. Who could have thought?

Very good at remaining aloof, pretending to be deep in study, nothing Don did or said discouraged the girls.

Even rudeness didn’t work.

When pear-shaped Linda (whose shirtwaist dresses usually hid her very large posterior) came by wearing shorts, he muttered, “All women’s shorts should come equipped with rearview mirrors.”

Don was also my brother — my very dear, brilliant, slightly eccentric, and just occasionally a wee bit superior, older brother. I planned to keep this private as long as I could. That he

was my brother, that is. He could take care of his superiority all by himself. When ditzy Nancy learned his last name, she challenged me, “Why do you have the same last name?” She did not like me; she didn’t want her dream guy tarnished by being related to me.

“Because he’s my brother, Nancy.”

“No way! You don’t even look alike. He is tall, dark and dreamy, handsome and yummy, and you are blond, sort of tall and, well…. Anyway, you don’t look at all like him. You can’t be his sister. No way!”

“Okay, Nancy, you’re right. We aren’t related. We happen to have the same last name. It happens.”

“I knew it, I knew it! I knew you couldn’t be related!” she shouted, delighted.

A week later, she came back to me. “You lied. You’re his sister.”

“Well, yes, I am, but you wouldn’t believe me.” “But you can’t be.”

On she went again until I said, “He is my cousin.”

Again, she went away happy until again she came back to challenge me.

Tired of the game, I said, “I could tell you I am adopted, but I’m not. I give up.

Don is my brother. If you don’t believe me, that’s your problem.”

N

ancy was actually sweet, not too bright and incredibly gullible. One day in the cafeteria, lingering over coffee, a small group of students, including Nancy and Don, talked about names.

Don, bored and looking for entertainment, said, “Marjorie has a weird middle name.”

“Don,” I said. “My middle name is not weird. It’s just boring.”

“What is it, Don. What is it? Come on. Tell us.” said Nancy, ignoring my response.

“Her middle name is Fitzy,” said Don. “Don. Please …,” I protested.

A May 5 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

OBITUARY

OBITUARY

TRIANO, Wayne Joseph

DUGUAY, Edmond Joseph

1943 -2021

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our dear father and papa, Edmond, on April 21, 2021 at the great age of 96. He will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his three children, Clarence Duguay, Claire (Rick) Rabian and Doris Mannell (Gord), his much- adored grandchildren, Julie and Stephen Mannell, and his only surviving sister Diana (Maurice) Hébert. Edmond is predeceased by his six brothers and six of his sisters, and his son-in-law Gary Mannell (2002).

Born on July 4, 1924 in St. Isadore, New Brunswick, Edmond became a man of many talents, hobbies and sporting passions, and most significantly, a proudly decorated veteran of the Royal Canadian Armed Forces, for which he served his country from 194346. Edmond received medals of bravery for his service in England, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. He would later become a treasured member of both the St. Catharines and Fonthill Branches of the Royal Canadian Legion; always in attendance at the local Remembrance Day tribute.

Following his war efforts and service commitments, Edmond brought his love for Maritime music, dance, lobster and king crab to Ontario. In 1955, he married our beloved Mother and Nanny, Rachel Côtė. It was here that he put his knowledge and love of automobiles to great use, working as a certified auto mechanic until his retirement. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of classic cars, and, even in his latest years, Edmond would regale his friends and family with specifications of classic cars, including, his own 1955 Robin Egg blue Chevrolet.

Never one to “idle”, Edmond spent much of his retirement enjoying vegetable gardening, carpentry, fishing and cheering on, or cursing at the Toronto Maple Leaf’s.

Our family would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to the staff at Shorthills’ Villa, who treated dad like “part of the family.” We would also like to thank the many medical professionals of the Niagara Health System who helped dad live such great, long life. À bientôt Papa!

In lieu of flowers, remembrances of Edmond may be made through a donation to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 613 (Fonthill) via e-transfer to br613rcl@cogeco.net.

Due to current Covid-19 restrictions, a private Funeral Service will take place. Online condolences may be shared at www.pjdartefh.ca

It is with profound sorrow that the Triano family announce the passing of Wayne Joseph Triano on April 29, 2021 at 77 years of age.

Following a lengthy battle with Lewy Body Dementia, Wayne passed peacefully surrounded by his family at Royal Rose Place in Welland Ontario. He will be forever missed by his high school sweetheart and wife of 56 years Elizabeth (nee Liebhart), his loving children Martin (Janice) and Kara (Jeff), his 5 precious grandsons Parker, Connor, Cooper, Merek and Griffin, brother Barry (Shirley) Triano and his sister Melanie (Ron) Wiggins. Wayne was predeceased by his parents Muj and Jennie Triano of Fonthill and his daughter Leane.

Born in Welland and later moving to Fonthill, Wayne worked at Atlas Steele and then Niagara College where he taught accounting for 30 years. After his retirement from Niagara College, Wayne took on a second career as a financial planner. Wayne enjoyed his retirement years and with Liz by his side, they travelled the world with their dear friends. Wayne had a lifelong passion for hockey and golf. He was a proud member and champion at Lookout Point Golf Course for 58 years.

Wayne was most proud of his 5 grandsons and all they have accomplished. They brought him endless joy and he spent countless hours teaching them the game of golf, watching them play hockey and telling stories. Wayne was forever a family man and leaves behind a legacy that we will treasure always.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to the staff at Royal Rose for their excellent care and compassion. A private visitation and service will be held for close friends. Those that wish to watch the funeral via live stream may do so by going to the PELHAM FUNERAL HOME Facebook page on Wednesday, May 5th at 10:00 am. As an expression of sympathy, donations can be made to the Steve Ludzik Foundation. Online condolences may be shared at www. pelhamfuneralhome.ca “Fitzy! What a weird name! Where does it come from?” asked Nancy.

Don, a master of faux authenticity, could spin out specific details in his stories faster than anyone I knew.

“Well,” he said, inventing on the spot, “in 1463, our Van Drixel clan in Holland was persecuted by a strange sect called Goede Knoploze Mensen. In English, that means Good Buttonless

Folk. I know that’s odd, but remember, it was the 1400s.

They considered us heretics because we had buttons and because we didn’t believe a man could be perfect in this life. We were more realistic about perfection. We liked to keep our pants up.

We refused to change our beliefs. They held power in the area, would not do business or associate with us, and became increas-

ingly nasty. They began to snip off our buttons for minor infractions, like racing our donkeys through town or emptying our chamber pots out of the front windows instead of the back.

We were afraid more significant penalties, like being put in stocks, imprisoned

or tortured, may follow. We could even lose our homes or land.”

Nancy interrupted, “What does this have to do with the name Fitzy? And what was the name of the buttonless people?”

Don answered, “I can’t tell you their name, in case

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$10 gift card someone here in the college is their descendant. And hold on, my dear. I’ll get to the name Fitzy in a minute.”

While I glared at him for being condescending, he resumed the story, his audience in his hands.

“The clan decided it was best to move away. Everyone grieved at leaving their homeland, and boarded a ship called Groot Dik Varken. The ship was loaded—food, water, cows, pigs, chickens and goats, seeds, tools and all the personal things they could load. Since we Van Drixels like our creature comforts, I imagine the ship was overloaded.”

(The ship’s name got a grin from a professor nearby, who knew the words translated to The Big Fat Pig.) Leaning back in his chair and automatically reaching into his jacket for his forbidden pipe, Don looked frustrated. But then he continued.

“The ship sailed through a brutal, howling storm, which took the lives of two sailors, five pigs, 17 chickens and destroyed one sail. Many possessions were tossed overboard to keep the ship from sinking.

The ship sprang a leak —even the seasick had to bail water. It was a frantic time, but finally, crippled, sails torn, and filled with desperately seasick people, the ship landed safely on the coast of Scotland. There, in a rich pastured stretch of land, encircling a bay full of fishes, they planned to live in freedom.”

Don stopped here and got up. “Hey, you can’t stop now! Nancy said, “Don’t keep us in suspense. What about Fitzy?”

Don calmly went to refill his coffee cup, coming slowly back to the table. I figured he was recharging his imagination. He sat down, and on he went.

“The clan enjoyed their newfound freedom, the fertile soil and the abundant fishes. They built a village and prospered. But after nine months, a dreaded warlike clan moved nearby—the Fitzbiggons. Yes, Nancy, you can hear the “Fitz” in their name.

And it was Fitzbiggons, not Fitzgibbons.

The Voice Z

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LIBRARY WORKSHOP to the last man. AndPELHAM so it started.

Intense CARD MAKING Phone Tom Deamude at 289-241-4767. fighting went on forMake weeks, one with side, fall themes, learning 35 years of experience. Materials sixfirst cards a construction variety of techniques. then the other advancing. Bloody bodies provided.

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CUSTOM MILL Van Drixels won, killing all the Fitzbiggon Tues., Sept. 16 10 – 12:30. $10. Please register ahead. Visit www.pelhamfighters and razing their village. All the sawmill service. library.on.ca call 905-892-6443 for Portable more details. men, women and children were or slaughI will come to your home or farm and custom mill your logs. tered. It was terrible. It was brutal. It was Firewood & lumber also available. Call Rob Patterson, horrible. It needed to be done. At last, no FABULOUS FENWICK LIONS FISH FRY905-401-4948, more fighting. But upon returning to their riverwood@primus.ca village, they found aTasty surprise.

Anwith unusual treats funds heading straight back into the community. Haddock, surprise.” french fries and much more. Runs Sept. 9 from 4-7 p.m.

“What? What did they find? Was their FOUND village destroyed? Were their families Set of keys at the bike path area of Port Robinson, near the Ferry okay? What about their animals?”

PELHAM MINOR HOCKEY EQUIPMENT SALE “Hey, Nancy! What’s with all the interTerminal on Sunday, April 18. Phone 905-892-8921.

Buy,tellsell tradeexused equipment at the Pelham Arena. Aimed to provide ruptions? Let the man hisor story,” claimed Elaine. cheaper options for players in this upcoming FORseason.

SALE Runs Sept. 6 from “Yes, have patience, Nancy. Their village, 9-12 the morning. families and animals wereinfine,” said Don. Golf lessons offered by World Golf Teachers Federation top 100 “But they found the surprise in one of their teacher. All ages and all skill levels. Lessons held at Brock Golf huts — a baby girl. Cute as a bug. Her FitzCourse. Call Doug at 905-327-1492.

MUDFEST biggon mother mustPELHAM have hoped her baby might be spared when sneaked intowill a be back in the mud as the second run on the year is Mensheand women hut and put her there. One of our ancestors held at Bissil’s Hideaway. adopted her. The clan made a new decree.

‘In perpetuity, each generation of our Van Drixel family will give the middle name REGIONAL EXHIBITION Fitzy to a girl child NIAGARA to honour the bravery of the Fitzbiggon clan.’

We have always fol-live entertainment headline this years exciting event. It Rodeo, games and lowed that decree. Marjorie was the lucky runs from Sept. 11-14 at the Welland Fairgrounds. one in our generation.”

Don sat back with a satisfied smile on his face.

BIG MOVE CANCER RIDE “Don, you may be a good storyteller but The Big Move Cancer Ride is a non-competitive ride taking place on Sept. you are also just plain loony,” I groaned.

“Oh Marjorie, you don’t need to be em7. Proceeds for the Big Move stay in Niagara and support the Walker Fambarrassed. Just think!” said Nancy, who ily Cancer Centre. didn’t think very much, and, who probably still thinks Fitzy is my middle name. “Just think. You carry the names of two brave CLUB warrior tribes. Wow!WALKING You are so lucky.”

Well, I was luckyInterested to have my brother in Pelham? Join them Tuesdays at the Pelham Arena in walking there. We had a good year, and my middle from 9-10 am and Thursdays at Fonthill Bandshell for 9-10:30 am. There name is Ann. ◆

is no fee for this program. For more information, please contact jcook@ pelham.ca or call 905 892-2607, ext 329.

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The Voice

A May 5 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

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PLACES OF WORSHIP

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Bethany Christian Reformed Church www.bethanycrc.ca

First Presbyterian Church 602 Metler Rd., North Pelham

Holy Trinity Anglican Church holytrinityfonthill.org

Pelham Evangelical Friends Church www.pelhamfriends.ca

Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill

Fonthill Baptist Church www.fonthillbaptistchurch.ca

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

Ridgeville Bible Chapel ridgevillebiblechapel.com

Fenwick Church of Christ www.fenwickchurchofchrist.ca

Fonthill United Church www.fonthillunited.com

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

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

Fenwick United Church www.fenwickunited.com

Glad Tidings Church of God www.gladtidingschurchofgod.com

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

St. Ann Roman Catholic Church www.stannfenwick.com

FAITH LIFT

OPIOIDS

on! (okay, I added that part). Clarke concludes, “Each of you must identify your mistakes and bad behaviour and work to change. You must focus on the only person in the universe you can change — you!”

opioid overdoses 84 times in March 2021, representing a 31 percent increase from February. It’s a grim record for a single month.

“The key messaging in the pandemic is ‘stay at home,’ but that brings huge risks for a solitary drug user,” said Mako. “Among the drug-user population, we are telling them to make sure someone knows where they are, to inject with others present, and to have a cellphone nearby in case of an emergency.”

The presence of fentanyl is particularly concerning to Mako, who said that with less of the substance coming from the US due to the border closure, drug dealers are resorting to making their own, which makes the supply more unpredictable and deadly.

“Another issue we're trying to address is the stigma associated with drug use and mental health, to make

continued from Page 19

Foundations

The last book referenced in this devotional is Fierce Marriage by Ryan and Selena Frederick. They ask a crucial question: “What is the foundation of your marriage?” Is it your own ideals of love or feelings of happiness, which can shift like sand in the storms of life?

Or is the stable ground of God’s promises in His Word?

They honestly share how they began with the former and moved to the latter. They write, “We desperately needed God to rebuild our foundation on solid ground.”

I hope some nugget of truth from these various authors has struck a chord and will make your marriage a little stronger. We all need God’s strength and wisdom in this pandemic period with its added stress on our lives, marriages and families. ◆ Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor who’s been married to Birgitta for 36 years and still feels sometimes like he’s in kindergarten.

continued from Page 20

people feel that there is nothing wrong with reaching out when they need help,” said Mako. He noted that EMS interventions have been implemented, including the formation of a street outreach team, with paramedics trying to build relationships with at-risk communities.

“We’re not just waiting for the 911 call to happen, and are proactively visiting encampments where people are living, in an effort build trust,” said Mako.

Locally, the Facebook site for Pelham Neighbourhood Watch has been abuzz recently with news and accusations of drug-related thefts in the area, discarded hypodermic needles found at the St. John’s Conservation Area and other sites in town, and an allegedly comatose drug user being treated by EMS when found in a Ridgeville agricultural field last Friday and initially assumed to be deceased.

While many group members fear for their children’s safety and are dismissive of drug users, others have urged

a more compassionate approach. One such voice is Tillie Clapp, who herself was the victim of criminal tragedy last year, when her husband, Earl, was dragged to his death in a botched attempted theft at their rural Fenwick home.

“L ots of comments that point to the complexity, tragedy, and understandable anxiety of neighbours around the issues of addiction and its consequences,” wrote Tillie. “Some of these comments should go in letters to politicians at all levels, looking for some real answers to this problem. Once addicted, it is a rare individual who can find their way back without resources. Those with money can get into the rare residential programs available. Those with informed and educated families and loved ones have a chance. But how to address the needs of those who have neither?

There needs to be the political will to see this as a disease that is not readily ‘cured’ without community and mental health supports.”

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

Page 17

A May 5 2021

Left, Chris and Jackie Gill’s 1960s clay brick barn, built from reclaimed church bricks. Above, Keith Melick’s mobile protest sign supporting the Cayuga Museum is still ready for action.

JOHN SWART

BALANCED LIFE

continued from Page 18 riding lawnmower nearby, confirm the barn is hers, and ask its story. Jackie Gill says her husband Chris can tell it better than her, and walks to fetch him in the barn.

I’m invited to follow.

I ask Chris to tell me about the barn, and if by talking across the box of his pickup we’re socially distanced enough, or should I put on a mask?

He replies, “We ain’t kissing one another or anything.”

As I return my mask to its pocket, Chris continues, “But anyway, from what Mr. Baarda [the previous owner] told me, what they did was, the roof had blown off the church over there on River Road, they cleaned up all the bricks, and built this barn. They brought them over here, now that’s back in the time when people weren’t afraid to work, so it’s a double-brick barn, and that’s why you see they used the old arches [church windows] and they built the damn barn.”

Within two minutes, I learned Chris was born down the road in Caistorville, the barn was built in 1962, not 52 when he was born, people have asked to buy the barn for its bricks, he and Jackie hand-planted 36,000 trees which he bought in St. Williams and Pontypool and Brantford for five cents each on their 110 acre farm, they hadn’t accepted any government subsidies because then they want control, two deer and a coyote had visited them this morning, he wouldn’t move for $10 million

dollars, that the welfare family who rented the farm before he bought it had pulled out the whole third-story barn floor to burn for heat one winter, and that it was déjà vu when the property became available because as a four-yearold he’d gotten a MacDonald’s Farm toy barn painted with fake bricks for Christmas.

In two more minutes, Chris and Jackie knew my wife’s mother’s maiden name was Baarda, I’d raced motorcycles in St. Williams and Pontypool, my dad was raised in Caistorville before Chris was born, and more.

I took some photos, we chatted a while longer, and I began to thank Chris and Jackie for their hospitality. Chris cut me off with, “Friends are always welcome.” As I pedalled out the driveway, the weight of the world felt lighter.

Ort Road led to Darling Road which led to a rusted pickup truck with huge, hand-painted, “Save Cayuga Museum” signs attached to its box. I dismounted, hoping to learn what someone was saving the Cayuga Museum from, and perhaps even where the hell I was.

Keith Melick explained that his sister lived in Cayuga and some of the councillors wanted to sell parkland along the Grand River that was home to the museum, log cabin, and Haldimand County Administrative Building to finance a new, relocated administration office. The parkland would become a condominium project, and I could call his sister for more infor-

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She explained, “The pilot thought he was still in New York.

He bailed out, landed in the neighbour’s...like you were there, you rode past the manure pile he landed in.” I had seen it, but was unaware it was historically significant.

As we said goodbye, Lorna hoped I had a good phone plan, because it had been a long conversation.

I pedaled past Moote Road Cemetery, at the intersection of Moote, Melick and Stringer roads. The gravestones mostly marked Mootes and Stringers, but also the Allens. Alice Allen had died in her 36th year in 1904, her daughter Annie Elenor in 1895 aged 1 yr, 10 mo & 2 ds, and other daughter Manetta Pearl in 1901 aged 1 yr, 7 mo & 3ds.

Thoughts of homesteading hardships versus how incredibly fortunate my generation is to have been born in Canada when we were shifted as I approached a large herd of Holsteins.

As they exited a cavernous milking barn in their spotlessly clean black and white Sunday best, I pictured them leaving church. Some walked side-by-side as if sharing gossip, others sniffed the fresh air.

A few lay contentedly in the grass, relaxing and munching the fresh bladed delicacies all around.

“It’s the best day of the year, when we let them out into the fields for the first time each spring,” said the owner of De Jong Farms, who

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Plus, the county and municipality had run the local, family owned newspaper out of business for being too critical in its reporting, by withdrawing their advertising and demanding insurance that the paper simply couldn’t afford.

He’d lived in Caledonia and worked for Stelco for 35 years, then had his house moved from Caledonia when developers put in the Zehrs plaza, relocating it to a knoll on the family farm. He was selling his cows because they were too much for him, but he’d keep the goats since they didn’t break down the fences.

Very much information came very fast from Keith, and I lost the details, but they were never the point. I’d showed a genuine interest, and indicated I was a sympathetic audience when it came to the battle between money and heritage, so Keith was simply making sure I heard every chapter of his story.

I did call Keith’s sister, Lorna Walker, to learn more of the museum saga, but of course we got sidetracked. She’d launched a Facebook group called Historic Haldimand in January, and in 1958 a jet had crashed into Keith’s back bush. Lorna’s photo of the debris and the accompanying story had attracted lots of attention to the website.

was walking with his cattle.

I remarked at how beautifully clean the animals were, that the only other place I’d seen such healthy and content looking cattle was in the Netherlands. He explained that clean cattle carried less disease and gave better milk, and it was healthier and more comfortable for them to walk on the soft earth than concrete floors.

These were domesticated animals, more akin to household pets than wild creatures said De Jong. Respect for his herd was apparent in how he cared for them.

I departed 20 minutes later with an invitation to visit again anytime, to come in and see the barn, and a request not to compare his operation to the any of the others I had cycled past that day. De Jong’s graciousness was inspiring.

You never know what might happen when you talk to a stranger. The joy I’d had so far prompted one final stop as I headed home, to talk to an older fellow who was on his riding mower, cutting between the rural ditch and road. I’d cycled past his place for years: three acres, modest house, pond, beautiful coniferous trees all around, the whole acreage in perfect lawn, immaculate four-car shed and garage.

I stopped, he shut off his mower. I said that all his hard work was worth it because I’ve looked forward to riding past his home for years, it’s beautiful and so perfectly kept. By now I could tell from the way he moved his hand to turn off the key, and the way he seemed to be fighting to hold back tears, that something was wrong.

He told me he’d lived on the farm across the road, sold it to start a business, lost his wife a couple of years ago, and just closed the deal to sell his house the day before.

He had Parkinson’s, and couldn’t keep up with the work anymore.

He’d found a granny flat a couple concessions away, and thought he’d be able to see his old place for a few more years yet.

I wished him well, a bit shaken myself, and then he said, “You can still ride by and enjoy it, I sold it to nice folks that’ll keep it up.” My turn to fight the tears.

Yes, riding west of Fenwick qualifies as adventure cycling.

Meeting those willing to share their stories without pretense or guile, to share their humanity, is as good as a bike ride gets. ◆

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Page 18

The Voice

A May 5 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

THE BALANCED LIFE

by John Swart

Adventures west of Fenwick

I

s it desperation when I have a sleepless night deciding if a bike ride into West Lincoln and Haldimand County qualifies as adventure touring? In my mind, any time you ride into the no-persons-land west of Fenwick on a bicycle there is potential for adventure.

The ride plan was that I’d have no plan other than heading west.

No map, use the sun as my compass on roads I’d never cycled before, search for Canfield Junction, Oswego, Moulton Station, and Attercliffe Station, before the Toronto tourist throngs discover them.

I’d exchange the aro-

ma of Pelham’s OG Kush and White Widow pot for Haldimand Holstein plop in a non-judgmental way.

If I was extremely lucky, I might see a rare real estate sign without a SOLD banner slapped across it. When I spotted kids playing and swinging from intricately welded steel pipes in their back yard, I’d guess if it was a Skywalker Sports Geo Dome Climber or an abandoned stock car roll cage.

These country versus urban stereotypes are easy to exploit for a smile, yet I should have known my simple bike ride would expose them for the divisive myths they are, and affirm every-

thing I believe to be great about this hodgepodge we call Canada. Bicycling gives one the time to talk with folks, to evaluate the surrounding reality and recalibrate, decide how different or similar we all are. Simply stated, to realize those kids swinging from steel pipes couldn’t care less how their back-yard gym came to be.

Barren fields were a sure sign that the rural pace is different, a patience tied to nature. Crops will not be sown before the time is right. When nature sends her signal, these farm roads become speedways as custom seeders, fertilizers disguised as monster water spiders, and tractors dragging plows, discs, and harrows race from field to field.

Our urban growing season is dictated by Canadian Tire flyers and Home Hardware

Clean and content Holsteins enjoy outdoor spring grazing for the first time in 2021 at De Jong’s Farm.

JOHN SWART advertising telling us seeds, soil and fertilizer are now on the shelves, ten percent off this week only. Three warm days in late March, and we in Fonthill began to patch and reseed our lawns.

Cloud cover has obscured the sun, my trusty compass, and pranksters or a Haldimand budget deficit have left this intersection unsigned. Perfect. I pass a red-baked clay-brick barn

with rows of church-styled windows, still in use but fighting for survival, and have to stop.

I catch the eye of a woman piloting her See BALANCED LIFE Page 17

V oice HOROSCOPE ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, serving others is important, but it also is essential that you take care of yourself. Set aside time for some pampering or at least to enjoy some moments of quiet.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, it is important that you take a stand one way or another concerning a relationship with someone close. Taking a stand will benefit both parties.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, stubborn minds can cause friction when they interact with one another, but you can be the mediator who steps in. Try to cool tempers and smooth things out.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Expect things to go quite nicely for you this week, Cancer. More prosperity should be heading your way and all in all things will flow smoothly at home and work.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 It is time to get on the same page as others close to you, Leo. This could involve making some minor adjustments to your way of thinking, but it will be well worth it.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Important lessons on balance are learned this week, Virgo.

They involve how much of yourself you are sharing with others.

You may need to slightly scale back the helping hand.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, if you feel like you’re not gett ing the attention you deserve at work, you may need to plead your case to a new audience. See if you can move up the chain of command.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Your mind and energy levels are on an even keel this week, Scorpio. You have the perfect combination to get big projects done. Tackle as much as you can.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, it is alright to be a bit more selfish than usual for the next few days. You probably have tasks that have been put off for some time. Now is the time to get them done.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Your desire to get things done is only hindered by the free time you have. This might be an opportunity to take a personal day and catch up on your home life, Capricorn.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Give yourself some self-healing time, Aquarius. You have been juggling a lot of different things lately, which may have crowded your mind. Sort it all out.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Leave worries at your doorstep, Pisces. This is a week when the sun is always shining and everything seems to fall in place.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS MAY 2 David Beckham, Athlete (46) MAY 3 Eric Church, Singer (44) MAY 4 Lance Bass, Singer (42) MAY 5 Adele, Singer (33) MAY 6 George Clooney, Actor (60) MAY 8 Enrique Iglesias, Singer (46)

SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. ERMINE 2. BAPTISM 3. BPL 4. SHOO 5. COLD 6. ANON 7. ESKIMOS 8. NUANCE 9. GELA 10. SYNC 11. COUNTIES 12. LIEF 14. SCAD 15. MORASS 18. LIRA 20. LOADER 24. XXII 26. DELTAS 28. SALARIES 30. DEET 32. SECOND 34. VIOLIST 35. DIRE 37. HONOREE 38. ARENAS 40. DESK 42. SIBYLS 43. STAT 45. MIAS 47. TINY 49. ESTE 50. KEEP 51. STAB 55. HNY

CROSSWORD ANSWERS

SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. EBBS 5. CAEN 9. GRAPHS 11. CONSUL 13. EMPLOYS 15. MOLOKAI 16. LIT 17. ON CLOUD NINE 19. ANIL 21. CAIRN 22. MCF 23. ESOX 25. DRAT 26. DOE 27. MAXS 29. ASIDES 31. DIAS 33. SEEL 34. VEILED 36. SETH 38. AIR 39. ACID 41. TAOS 43. SRO 44. ROREM 46. SNIT 48. TELEKINESIS 52. OBI 53. ANISEED 54. KATHRYN 56. TASTES 57. SANELY 58. STEP 59. BYES

Enjoy our Take-out Fish & Chips Fridays!

From our family to yours...stay safe

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

Page 19

A May 5 2021

FAITH LIFT

by Pastor Rob Weatherby

Gleanings for your marriage

R

ecently I read a great little devotional called, “The Marriage Tuneup.” Just like your car needs regular care, maintenance and tune-ups, well so does your marriage. Each day focused on an insight from a good book on marriage.

Here are a few things that I’ve gleaned…

Patience

Tyler Ward talks in his book Marriage Rebranded about the importance of patience as young couples work things out in their new relationship. He tells the story of one couple who shared in a small group that they had been married five years. An older lady replied in her southern drawl, “Five years of marriage?

It’s like y’all are in kindergarten!” A good marriage is a “work in progress” that takes patience and a teachable spirit.

tening skills in his book, Happily. He believes that no one is born a good listener and offers five steps to improve: stop talking, stop preparing your response, desire to know your spouse’s opinion, listen with your ears and your body, and ask if you heard correctly (by restating what you think they said). He gives two great examples of good listening: a grandfather straining to understand his grandchild’s broken sentence, and a high schooler talking to a crush on the phone for the first time. His conclusion: listening well is loving well.

Change

Dr. David Clarke authored I Don’t Want A Divorce.

In it he states that “selfishness is the root cause of most marital problems.

A selfish spouse sees no need to change.” He calls it the “blame-it-on-yourspouse” strategy and it goes back to our very first ancestors. When God asked Adam about his disobedience, Adam blamed Eve. When God questioned Eve, she blamed the serpent (see Genesis 3 for the full story). And, finally, when the serpent was confronted, it didn’t have a leg to stand See FAITH LIFT Page 16

Laughter

Ted Cunningham in his book Fun Loving You points out that laughter should be part of a healthy marriage and family. He recommends jumping on a trampoline with your child even if you feel (and look) a little foolish. He writes, “Self-deprecating humor goes a long way in building intimacy in your marriage.”

Compliments

Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott co-authored the book Making Happy. They stress the value of looking for the positives in your partner.

They write, “In short, be on the lookout for any chance you have to pass on a compliment, show appreciation, or let him or her know you noticed something positive they did.” Pretty simple advice but easily overlooked.

Listening

Kevin Thompson writes about developing good lis-

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

Word Search: Police Talk

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

ACCESSORY AGGRAVATION ALIAS ARREST BURGLARY CAUSE

CITATION COMPLAINT COUNTY COURT DISORDERLY LAWS

MISDEMEANOR MUNICIPAL NEGLIGENCE NEIGHBORHOOD POLICE POSSESSION

RADAR SEARCH SHIFT SPEEDING TERRITORY TRAFFIC

ANSWERS ON PAGE 18

Voice

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Page 20

The Voice

Voice

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

4

Cinco de Mayo Eggs with Chorizo

Cinco de Mayo celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Though it is considered a relatively minor holiday in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo celebrations elsewhere are significant. The holiday has now become a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-heritage populations. This recipe for “Eggs with Chorizo” from “The Complete Mexican, South American & Caribbean Cookbook” (Metro Books) by Jane Milton, Jenni Fleetwood and Marina Filippelli makes for an ideal breakfast on Cinco de Mayo.

Eggs with Chorizo Serves 4 In Mexico there are two types of chorizo, one that is freshly made and served loose and another that is packed in sausage skins and airdried. This recipe calls for the loose variety.

2 11⁄4 3 2 1 1⁄2 1⁄2 2 1 1 6 2 1⁄2 1⁄4

tablespoons lard pounds ground pork cloves garlic, crushed teaspoons dried oregano teaspoon ground cinnamon teaspoon ground cloves teaspoon ground black pepper tablespoons dry sherry teaspoon caster sugar teaspoon salt eggs tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely diced small onion, finely chopped cup milk or light cream Fresh oregano sprigs, to garnish Warm corn or flour tortillas, to serve

Melt the lard in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pork mince and cook until browned, stirring frequently. Stir in the garlic, dried oregano, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. Cook 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the sherry, sugar, and salt to the pork, stir well and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the flavors are blended. Remove from heat.

Put the eggs in a bowl. Beat lightly to mix, then stir in the finely diced tomatoes and chopped onion.

Return the chorizo mixture to the heat. Heat it through and pour in the egg mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the egg is almost firm.

Stir in the milk or cream and check the seasoning. Garnish with fresh oregano and serve with warm corn or flour tortillas.

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A May 5 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Opioids in Niagara "out of control" Advocacy group pushes for remediation

BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent Glen Walker isn’t apologetic about sounding the clarion call.

As Executive Director of Positive Living Niagara, Walker is responsible for staff and volunteers who provide support, education, and advocacy for individuals affected by a number of blood-borne infections such as HIV and Hepatitis C. The organization’s deep involvement with A IDS-r e l ate d drug users has spilled over to opioid addiction and overdose, which is currently at a critical juncture in Niagara.

Glen Walker. BROCK UNIV. In an April 7 CHCH-TV report, Walker acknowledged the scope of the problem.

“It really is out of control,” he said of the opioid crisis. “We continue to see escalating numbers of overdoses, and have had a 45 percent increase in the number of naloxone kits [a medication used to block the effect of opioids] that were reportedly used during February and March. There's a surge of extremely tainted heroin coming into the region…we're really in a terrible state of affairs. According to the coroner's data, during last year, we had the second highest death rate in the province from opioid overdoses— only Toronto exceeded us.”

From January to March this year, there were 203 suspected opioid overdoses to which Niagara Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded, according to Niagara Health data. In 2020, there were 625 suspected opioid overdoses handled by EMS, with 75 percent involving males, and 63 percent dealing with individuals aged 25-44. Almost 50 percent of EMS calls related to suspected opioid overdoses occurred in St. Catharines, and 25 percent in Niagara Falls.

St. Catharines has the largest popu-

lation in Niagara, and the most overdose deaths, but there really is no set pattern, said Walker.

“It's really a regional problem.”

He said that some drug users think they're injecting straight heroin, when in fact, it’s been mixed with fentanyl, which is much more powerful.

There were 533 opioid-related emergency department visits in Niagara hospitals from January to September of 2020, which resulted in 69 opioid-related hospitalizations, and 123 opioid-related deaths. Fentanyl was present in the blood of 52 percent of the deceased overdose victims, followed closely by another opioid, carfentanyl.

“People have no idea what they're getting—there’s no quality control,” said Walker.

Naloxone is distributed through Ontario pharmacies, community health centres, methadone clinics, detention centres, and addiction treatment facilities. During January and February 2021, almost 1100 naloxone kits were distributed through all sources in Niagara, of which 190 were reportedly used. In 2020, 5885 naloxone kits were distributed, with 1210 usages.

Walker said that Niagara Positive Living distributed 634 free naloxone kits in March, and 152 were used in emergency overdose situations.

“It’s important to have naloxone readily accessible to drug users, because by the time someone calls 911 and EMS arrives, it could be too late to save them,” he said.

According to Walker, only about 20 percent of the drug users supported by his organization actually call 911, due to a fear of the police and potential incarceration.

“Criminalization of drug use is really feeding the crisis. And of course, with COVID, the message to isolate yourself is really counter to drug overdose safety. The number of deaths that have occurred as a result of lone users has increased dramatically during COVID.” More “boots on the ground” are needed to provide additional community outreach with the under-housed and homeless, said Walker.

“There's so much more we could be doing, but simply don't have the staff,” he said. Niagara Positive Living has two vans that go out each night to deliver supplies, and has two outreach workers on the street. The organization operates a safe injection site and treatment service, which sees upwards of 150 people per month.

In Walkers eyes, decriminalization is a critical component of the way forward. He said users won’t go to the police due to worries about being encumbered with a criminal record, which would make it difficult to find employment, and thus destine them to a life of poverty.

“This terrible cycle happens because we criminalize substance use instead of treating it like an addiction,” he said. “The drug use has come from either trauma or physical injury.

We’ve got to get past this whole idea that people are using because they're criminals, that they're terrible people.”

Another key to reducing the spate of overdoses is to regulate the supply of drugs, so as to stop people from buying tainted, poisonous substances, said Walker.

“By connecting with a doctor, they’d be getting a prescription and the proper dosage, and a better chance to enter a treatment program,” he said.

Niagara Positive Living receives funding from a variety of sources, including the Niagara Region government.

“The local United Way pays for our naloxone training and mobile outreach van drivers, and we receive the occasional Trillium grant,” said Walker. “Even the St. Catharines Downtown Association is provided us with some money to pay peer workers to go out into the community. We do receive some provincial funding, but nothing from federal coffers at this point in time.”

Marty Mako, the commander of Mobile Integrated Health for Niagara EMS, shares Walker’s concern, and sees firsthand the ravages of drug use on Niagara’s streets. He said that Niagara EMS responded to suspected See OPIOIDS Page 16

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