River View August 2025 by ViewoftheTides

Three Albert County Brothers Gave the World a Stunning Architectural Legacy

Harvey was a booming shipbuilding community in the mid1800s. William James Reid, a skilled “house joiner” who designed the decorative wood finishes in the architecture of homes, and his wife Lucinda Robinson Reid raised eight children there – three sons and five daughters.

Those three small-town boys – James, Merritt, and Watson – would grow up to provide North America with some of its greatest architecture.

Albert County Historical Society President Dawne McLean recounts in “A Glimpse of Past Days,” that the Reid children received the “sound education” offered by the Harvey Grammar School. The three boys all went on to study engineering

and architecture. James and Merritt attended top universities, including McGill University in Montreal, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, and the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.

Ambition took them further afield when their educations were complete.

Notes McLean, the two older brothers moved to the United States to work for the firm of Boyd and Brickley in Evansville, Indiana. As detailed in “A Glimpse of Past Days,” in 1879 they bought the contracts from the firm and opened their own, Reid and Reid, in Evansville.

The firm would continue for fifty-six years.

Among their greatest commissions were the Willard Library in

Continued on page 3

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: Shelley Garnhum and Dawne McLean are the great grandnieces of the Reid brothers of architectural fame. McLean, President of the Albert County Historical Society, is the author of “A Glimpse of Past Days: A Compendium of Historical Accounts and Heritage Photographs, Albert County, New Brunswick.” They shared with The River View their family knowledge, stories, and photographs from A Glimpse of Past Days to provide the following overview of the accomplished Reid brothers of Harvey. We are grateful to them for sharing these stories and photographs with us and our readers.

Postcard: The extended family stayed connected with a voluminous correspondence which has been archived by Shelley Garnhum. Wedding Announcement: The weekly newspaper The Maple Leaf published this wedding announcement for Watson and Janie.

The Fairmont in San Francisco, like the Hotel Del Coronado, was a great architectural achievement in its time and remains a premier destination hotel today.

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 8

PUBLISHER: Eric Lawson

SALES MANAGER: Brian Lane

DESIGNERS: Rachel Sheldrake & Amy Bennett

Published by A View of the Tides Communications

Distributed free in public buildings, retirement residences, convenience stores, and retail and service waiting rooms from Alma to Salisbury.

Welcome

Welcome …

Yes, we admit it – we have a bit of an obsession with classic cars. We featured them in May, and they are featured again in this issue; no more until next year, we promise.

Our August issue also looks at Acadian heritage in Albert County, the breathtaking architectural legacy left by the Reid brothers of Harvey, and the equally breathtaking summer beauty along Salisbury’s Highland Park Wetlands Trail.

Nursing Home Without Walls (NHWW) provides an alternative to long term care by offering the opportunity for many seniors to stay in their own homes as their need for support increases. We talk to administrators for NHWW about how their service helps seniors to stay in “their place of comfort.”

Our regular columns – Evelyn’s Kitchen, Julie Solbak on fitness, and Gail Collette on books – are also here.

Publisher: Eric Lawson at 506 863 7324 or via viewofthetides@gmail.com

For advertising information, please contact Brian Lane at 506 860 0015 or via lane309@gmail.com

OUR PEOPLE OUR STORIES

There is still a lot of summer left – we hope you have the chance to enjoy it. And, to enjoy your summer reading:

FEBRUARY 6, 2025

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Eric Lawson Publisher

Eric Lawson

Brian Lane

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Taste the Flavours of Parkland

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Evansville, the Cloud State Bank in McLeansboro, Illinois (today the city’s library), the Call Building, the Cliff House restaurant, and the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, the offices of The Oregonian newspaper in Portland (the first steelframed building west of Chicago), and the majestic Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, among other iconic buildings across the American west and midwest.

Initially, youngest brother Watson remained in Albert County. When James was commissioned as the master architect of the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego in approximately 1886, Merritt needed to stay in Evansville to manage what was now a family firm. James called Watson to California.

come to be known. Still in his twenties, he managed a staff of two hundred and fifty and oversaw construction of what would become one of the most famous hotels on earth.

When it opened in 1888, The Del was the largest hotel in the world, with three hundred and ninetynine rooms. Among its claim to fame, along with its size, opulence, and beauty, was that “The Del” was one of the largest buildings on the continent to have electricity, hydraulic elevators, a sprinkler system, and telephone services. In 1904 “The Del” featured the world’s first outdoor, living Christmas tree to be festooned with electric bulbs.

For James and Merritt, America would be their new home.

Watson forged his own path in the architectural world. In 1890 he returned to Harvey to marry his

Watson had graduated from Mount Allison and, at the age of twenty-nine, he became the supervising engineer for “The Del,” as the grand hotel would Continued on page 4

Watson Reid returned home to design many of Albert County’s finest buildings, including Riverside Consolidated School.

Shelley Garnhum and Dawne McLean, great grandnieces of the Reid brothers, in front of one of Watson’s greatest achievements, the Albert County Court House.

One-on-One Grooming

We take large dogs A Comfort Environment

Continued from page 3

childhood sweetheart, Janie Turner. They returned to San Diego, but Janie was homesick, and she and Watson returned to Albert County once more where Watson went to work for the Honourable Abner Reid McClelan, a Senator and former New Brunswick Lieutenant-Governor, who was married to Watson’s sister Anna.

Says Garnhum, “home called.” She has archived much of the voluminous correspondence between family members at the time, which reflects how close the families were and how determined to stay in touch.

Watson’s first major commission back home was to design and build a new

Andrez Printing Inc. www.andrez.ca Proudly serving Riverview. 801

home for the Senator, which became known as Victoria Manor in Riverside-Albert. Watson and Janie moved to the Senator’s former home to raise their family, which would grow to five children. He would go on to design and supervise the construction of many of Albert County’s most historic buildings – the Albert County Court House, the Riverside Consolidated School, and St. Alban’s Anglican Church. He also built a Shepody Hotel on Water Street which became a hub for visitors or business associates arriving by ship or train, but which sadly burned down.

Janie died in 1909, and Watson moved with his family to Vancouver in 1912, where he lived for the rest of his life, albeit with frequent trips to

Albert County. He remained in the construction industry until his retirement and was a member of the Architectural Institute of Canada. He would live to be 86, dying in 1943. One tribute to him published in a Vancouver newspaper said, referring to Watson’s winters spent in Chilliwack, “in the good old fashioned phrase, he was the salt of the earth and life at the lake will always lack the right seasoning without him.” He returned to Albert County for the last time to be interred in Bay View Cemetery in Harvey, beside Janie.

Together, the brothers who attended Harvey Grammar School gave the continent one of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century’s greatest architectural legacies.

The Hotel Del Coronado was one of the Reid brothers greatest achievements – it was the largest hotel in the world when it opened in 1888, with 399 rooms. It remains one of the world’s premier resort hotels today.

• RECIPES

Ingredients:

Creamy Maple Sauce

• 1 cup of maple syrup

• 1 cup whipped cream.

• 1/4 cup soft butter OR Brown Sugar Sauce

• 1 cup of brown sugar

• 1 cup hot water

• 1/4 cup soft butter

• 1 tsp vanilla

Pudding

• 1 1/2 cup of flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup soft butter

• 1 cup maple sugar or 1 cup white sugar

• 1 1/4 cup of milk

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat oven to

Butter an

Maple Sauce

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to boil, stir for 2 minutes, set aside and keep warm.

Brown Sugar Sauce

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to boil, stir for 2 minutes, set aside and keep warm.

Cake

Mix flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Mix milk, egg and vanilla together. Alternately add liquid mixture and flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture. Stir until smooth. Pour batter into pan. Spoon the warm maple sauce (or brown sugar sauce) over the batter. Bake for approximately 45 minutes until cake is golden brown. Serve hot or cool.

Great with ice cream. Enjoy!

Hodge Podge

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. potatoes, cleaned and cut into quarters.

• 2 cups of carrots, peeled and cut into quarters.

• 1 1/2 cups of green beans cut into 2-inch pieces.

• 1 1/2 cups of yellow beans cut into 2-inch pieces.

• 1/2 cup shelled peas.

• 1/2 cup of butter

• 1/4 to 1/3 cup whipping cream.

• salt and pepper to taste.

• Optional - 4 chopped slices of bacon

• Optional - 1 tbsp maple syrup for a richer taste

Instructions:

Add potatoes and carrots to a large pot that has a lid. Add enough water to cover vegetables. Place lid on pot. Bring to boil on high heat. Remove lid and reduce heat to medium. Cook until the potatoes and carrots are tender and then add beans and peas. Continue to cook for 2-4 minutes until beans and peas are bright in colour. Add bacon. Add 1/2 cup of butter and stir until melted. (Stir in maple syrup - optional). Add whipped cream gradually by tablespoon and stir until vegetables are lightly coated with cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.Enjoy!

BOOK VIEWSBY CATH COLLETTE

Oh William! and The Showman:

Inside the Invasion that Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymry Zelensky are two extremely different books, certainly. The first is a novel about relationships. The second is a nonfiction book that details how a comedian became an effective wartime president that is still fighting for Ukraine’s future. Both are available through the public libraries.

Oh William! is by Elizabeth Strout. This sleepy-paced novel shows a relationship that survives a divorce. Both Lucy and William seek the other’s company after their twenty-year marriage ends, despite the fact that each was unfaithful.

The two find comfort and safety in the other’s company. Lucy and William tend to sink into dark moods at times.

Lucy’s sadness is due to her stark upbringing. She carries loneliness from being ignored by her parents and shunned by the small town because of their poverty. Even though Lucy is an award-winning author and reads to welcoming audiences, she feels invisible. She fears that others can smell the neglect and poverty of her early years.

William has night and sometimes day terrors of his deceased mother hovering over him still.

Lucy says that his mother was “vibrant” and “filled with light”. To William, she was intense with a “quietly ferocious love.” William says, “She was so needy.” Together Lucy and William discover the reason for his mother’s clinginess.

When Lucy and William do have an argument “… whoever became the loneliest first would give in.” Lucy’s favorite flowers are tulips. She learned of William’s affairs and felt like “… a tulip stem inside me snapped … it never grew back.”

Throughout the meandering novel, Lucy often says, “Oh William!” to her self-centered friend. Later Lucy says, “But when I think Oh William! don’t I mean Oh Lucy! too? Oh dear Everybody in this whole wide world….”

This novel is a good example of an empathetic novel which is great to read before bed or to get back to sleep.

The Showman: Inside the Invasion that Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky is by Simon Shuster

During the five years that Ukraine’s eastern regions were being attacked by Russia, Volodymyr Zelensky was entertaining the Russian speaking world with comedy. He began a “… naïve charmer … brave to the point of recklessness….”

As Zelensky became

more popular as a comedian, his jokes became “more overtly political.”

He was among many that felt the attacks in the east were far away, until he entertained the troops in the war zone with his comedy company. Zelensky said, “They are protecting our future.”

He was no longer content to just be a comedian.

Pressured by his parents, Zelensky had earned a degree in law earlier. In the election for president of Ukraine, the other candidates “… had been wealthy oligarchs …” with power and resources. Zelensky had the backing of one man; the billionaire owner of the TV channel that featured his comedy show.

The author states that

when Zelensky entered politics the political class in Kyiv was full of corruption. Early in his presidency, Zelensky received the now infamous phone call from Donald Trump that led to Trump’s first impeachment trial. Trump wanted Zelensky’s government to investigate Hunter Biden for corruption. Joe Biden’s son had a seat on the board of a Ukrainian company that was known for its wrongdoing.

When Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, he “… counted on at least part of Ukrainian society to welcome his troops.”

Instead, when President Zelensky asked the citizens to “… stand up and join the fight …” in any way possible, they

did just that. “Citizens acted as spotters for the military…” and were “… facing down tanks with Ukrainian flags and improvised barricades.” One elderly man decided that he could feed some of the troops as his part of the national effort.

Zelensky focused on inspiring Ukrainians and “… pressuring the west to help.” Zelensky called European Union leaders while “… holed up in a bunker.” They offered “… to help him escape along with his family and his staff.” He sent his wife, Olena, and two children to safety by train with a team of body guards and one suitcase.

Early in the war, Zelensky had contacted Russia in hope of a “… negotiat -

ed treaty to end the war.” When he met Putin, he realized there was a lack of humanity there….

The author, Simon Shuster, states, “The battle of Kyiv… had a greater impact on the course of European history than any since the end of World War II.”

Zelensky asked soldiers near the front lines if they needed anything. “They didn’t complain. All they wanted was victory.”

The novel Oh William! and the nonfiction The Showman are opposites in most ways. However, both books show the reality of a human experience and lessons learned. Visits to a public library are a nice addition to summer schedules.

Community Comes Together for a Sizzlin’ BBQ Fundraiser!

SubmittedByChrisMacAdam

Get ready for a delicious day as CC Packing and Eagles Pools and Spas team up to present the inaugural BBQ fundraiser for PRO Kids on August 20th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Caseley Park in Riverview.

This event will raise funds for Pro Kids of Riverview while bringing the community together for a fun and delicious BBQ.

Come hungry! The

BBQ menu will feature charbroiled hot dogs and hamburgers prepared by your local business owners and the Lions Club of Riverview. Volunteers will be firing up the grills to ensure a delectable experience for all attendees.

“We are thrilled to kick off this new annual tradition to support Pro Kids of Riverview. Everyone is invited to join us for great food and even

better company.”

Do not miss this opportunity to indulge in great BBQ this summer while making a difference in the community. Bring your family, friends and neighbors and help us make this fundraiser a memorable success. All proceeds will directly benefit Pro Kids of Riverview.

Let us eat, support PRO Kids, and have a great time together.

Open, and ready to help you! Open, and ready to help you!

Whether you’re camping, hiking, hitting the beach, ﬁring up the grill, or just enjoying some downtime - we hope this beautiful summer season gives you a chance to relax and recharge your life’s batteries.

Summer is a great time to explore our communities, support local businesses, as well as visiting all the fun festivals and events happening around Albert-Riverview. From Salisbury, to Riverview, Hillsborough, Alma and all points in between, let’s celebrate all that summer has to oﬀer - right here in our own back yard.

With the heat sticking around as well, let’s all remember to stay hydrated, check in on our neighbours, and keep safety top of mind.

We hope you enjoy every moment—and if you need anything, our oﬃce is always here to help. We are open throughout the summer to serve you.

If you have concerns about roadways, bridges, or other infrastructure issues, we will make sure that the proper department addresses those issues. If you need help navigating government programs - or just don’t know where to turn, we are ready to try and help you access all the resources available through the diﬀerent government services.

A view from Hopewell Rocks in summer.

Highland Park in Salisbury in Summer

Nursing Home Without Walls helps seniors stay in their homes

The Kenneth E. Spencer Memorial Home in Moncton has been added to the list of nursing and longterm care homes in New Brunswick participating in Nursing Home Without Walls (NHWW). The newly launched Spencer Home program will serve Moncton, Riverview, and Salisbury and brings the number of participating facilities in New Brunswick to twenty-seven.

The Forest Dale home in Riverside-Albert has been a member of the program since 2024. There is also a participating Shannex facility in Moncton.

Nursing Home Without Walls is a joint program of Healthcare Excellence Canada, the New Brunswick Department of Social Development, and the Université de Moncton Research Centre on Aging. It is administered via nursing homes across the province to help seniors remain in their homes as their need for assistance increases with age.

The program began as a trial in 2019, featuring four nursing homes in Port Elgin, Lamèque, Inkerman and Paquetville, reflecting the rural nature of much of New Brunswick and the need to provide innovative health care solutions in small communities.

Nursing Home Without Walls was created by Dr. Suzanne Dupuis-Blanchard from the Université de Moncton, based on her research into the importance of “healthy aging in place,” allowing older adults to access

services and care while remaining in their homes.

Jolene Graham-Dyer is the Director of NHWW at the Spencer Home. She describes the application process as simple. It starts with a call or email to their office.

“We serve people who are sixty and older in our communities who are not already living in a nursing home. Once someone reaches out, we meet with them. We talk through what their needs are and how we can meet those needs.

“It is not a difficult process at all.”

Services offered by the program range from in-home health support, assistance in accessing provincial health services, nutrition and wellness support, help with co-ordinating transportation, social check-ins, access to senior-focused events and programs, and even hair and foot care, along with other services as an individual’s needs evolve.

Graham-Dyer points to the many benefits of allowing seniors to remain in their own homes. Doing so has the practical effect of reducing demand for long-term care beds in nursing homes but also provides emotional and mental health benefits.

“I spoke to a senior who told me that she could find everything in her home if the lights were out and it was completely dark. That is her home, her place. It was a description of just how comfortable she is in her home. She knows where

every step is. Staying in their own homes gives seniors the comfort of being able to be in a place that has happy memories.

“It is more than just a physical thing. Emotional stability is given to them by saying, ‘this is where I raised my children, this is where I enjoyed my life. As long as I can I want to keep those memories here in this place that I love and enjoy and know every crevice and corner of.’

“To put it another way, if you were to have a meeting of seniors and were to ask, ‘how many people want to move out of their homes today?’ you would have no hands raised. Everyone wants to stay in the place they call home. That place where their heart is at rest is where we try to help them to stay when possible. It is not for everyone, but if it is something that they are able to do, safely, we try to help.”

About seventy-five seniors are enrolled in the Spencer Home’s catchment area. The Spencer Home received its grant in March and officially launched its NHWW project in July.

Graham-Dyer also notes the importance of caring for caregivers. “Caregiver burnout is a challenge. We try to help with respite service, even if it just to allow a caregiver to have a few hours to go for a walk or have a coffee or just take a nap, we try to find someone who can sit in with their loved one for a while.

“It is a service not only

for the client but also for their caregivers.”

The program also addresses social isolation by providing seniors with community connection. At the Spencer Home, one such program is the Thursday Morning Mingle held at Upland Baptist Church.

Those who work with the program also benefit. Says Katherine Mollins, the NHWW Administrative Assistant at the Spencer Home’s program, “there is a lot of fulfillment in this job. There is a palpable sense of relief that participants exhibit when you go into someone’s home and are able to help them. There may be just one small thing that needs to be addressed, or they may be going into a home.

“They have that sense of relief that someone can help them. A few months later, when they are still in their home and are happy and have social contact, it is a great

feeling to know that you have helped.”

The Fundy-Albert NHWW program is administered through the Forest Dale Home in Riverside-Albert. Shelly McNaught is the Co-ordinator; the Fundy Albert program began in March of 2024 and has about four hundred and twenty participants, she says.

“We cover from Alma to Lower Coverdale, so it is a large stretch. We do activities in all of Alma, Riverside-Albert, Hillsborough, and Lower Coverdale.”

McNaught emphasizes the importance of activity, mental and physical, in the quality of life of seniors, and the role NHWW plays in the process. She has organized a range of programs that includes walking, games, and social activities.

She notes the essential role community partners play.

“Our walking takes place in the mornings. We have access to church gymna-

siums in Riverside-Albert and Hillsborough and to the Recreation Centre in Riverside-Albert, and to the Activity Centre in Alma. So, we can walk and then have games to keep both their bodies and minds active.

“My goal with Nursing Home Without Walls in Fundy Albert is to help seniors with their mobility and their mind. If someone cannot get out to an activity, we will go their home and play a game or provide a social visit to help. We also help with grocery shopping, doctor runs, even deliver meals.”

Other community partners include Extra Mural and social workers, including at local hospitals. The process functions as a partnership, says McNaught. “It is not all Nursing Home Without Walls. We are all one big team, and we all work together closely.

“When we have our Lunch and Learns, we have people come from

Katherine Mollins Jolene Graham-Dyer

all different communities, which they might not otherwise do. People develop new friendships, and that is healthy.”

On some occasions NHWW in Fundy Albert, and the community, go above and beyond.

McNaught points to one participant who received a stair lift in her home after breaking her leg. One participant ran out

of wood with which to heat his house in the winter; “somebody in our program knew somebody who had wood. By noon that day he had a pile of wood delivered and there were six of us back there piling the wood for him. Everybody helps.”

Fun is also part of the process. “We held a parade in July in Hillsborough. Our float was

Bridget Cosman and Shelly McNaught.

FIRST PERSON - DAWNE MCLEAN, ALBERT COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESIDENT

R.B. Bennett Day Celebrations at Albert County Museum

The July 5th “R. B. Bennett Day” celebration at the Albert County Museum was truly a historical event enjoyed by the community! The event began with the “outdoor” unveiling of the historical church bell that was recently removed from the Hopewell Hill Trinity United Church. This bell was donated in 1937 to the church by the Honourable R.B. Bennett, 11th Prime Minister of Canada, who commissioned the foundry of Gillett & Johnston in Croyden, England to cast the church bell and to ship the bell from London to New Brunswick. The bell arrived at the Hopewell Hill wharf and was transported by horse and wagon to the church to be installed in the belfry, from which its chimes would ring out for many years.

After the Trinity United Church was decommissioned in 2018, Shelley (West) Garnhum and Charlotte (West) Love purchased the church to become the Mount Pleasant event centre. Following their difficult personal decision to sell the building, they generously donated the heritage bell to the R. B. Bennett Commemorative Centre at the Albert County

Museum where the bell will be a special artefact exhibit with its amazing story to be preserved and shared!

The Albert County Historical Society is honoured and grateful to have been gifted this extraordinary

artefact that holds great importance in the history of the community of Hopewell Hill and Albert County.

For the bell to be displayed at the RB Day event, Mark Marcoux constructed a sturdy wooden frame that allowed the bell to be rung by pulling the original rope. Hearing the chimes of the bell was greatly appreciated and inspired nostalgic memories for many in attendance!

The programme in the Community Hall included the presentation of “The History of the Trinity United Church” and “The Story of the Church Bell’’ with a photo slide

show by Janet (Wells) Hoar and Ralph Wells.

Ballet performances by “Pointe Taken Dance” studio performers, Anabelle Porter Audet and Evelyn Mercer were very much enjoyed.

The commemorative finale of the 155th birthday celebration of R. B. Bennett was the cutting of the birthday cake by family members of the late William Herridge, nephew of R. B. Bennett with daughters, Elizabeth Herridge, Catherine Herridge and grandson, James Hayes.

A social time for community while enjoying cake and icecream ended a perfect R.B. Day!

Trinity United Church Members, Clyde Newcomb, Ralph Wells, Janet Hoar, Stephen Holmstrom.

Shelley Garnhum and Charlotte Love donated the bell to the R.B. Bennett Centre

The Hopewell Hill Trinity United Church bell

“We’re all about nature”

With those words Jim Sellars and Sandie Davis describe their corner of paradise, the Riverbend Wilderness Campground on the Petitcodiac River near Salisbury.

“Just come, enjoy, reconnect with nature, your friends, your family, yourself. Slow down your heartrate in nature and just drink it in.”

Jim, a career financial services professional, retired in 2017 and decided the time was right to begin developing the property, located at 423 Salisbury Back Road, as a campground.

“One of the first things we decided was not to put the sites close together. We offer seclusion. The campground is really a forest-

and-nature-oriented park.” While development has continued since the campground first opened, 2025 marks an important turning point for Jim and Sandie, and for Riverbend.

The campground has developed modern full-service RV sites, while respecting the natural beauty and opportunity for privacy that Riverbend offers.

Says Sandie, “this is a growing trend in campgrounds, this return to more natural settings. For me as a city girl, coming here has been an eye-opening experience. It is rewarding to see it coming together.”

Adds Jim, “people tell me that we could make more money if we jammed in more sites. But that is not what we are about.”

•

A Distinctive Outdoor Experience

The campground is located above where the tide reaches on the Petitcodiac.

Says Jim, “the water is pristine, it is a pleasure to swim and fish, it is a pleasure to look at. Sandie notes, as just one example of how Riverbend connects to its surrounding natural world, that there is a beaver lodge large enough that you could call it a “beaver mansion.”

The two also focus on safety. All the sites, from the wilderness tenting sites to the new, three-service RV sites, are familyfriendly; “it is safe for kids to run, play, and ride bikes here, for families to spend time here. The most dangerous thing you will encounter is an eagle flying overhead.”

Riverbend now features more than 100 sites, including fifty RV sites, all of which are serviced and some of which feature full service, including on-site septic. There are sixty-two camping sites along the river, with four overnight, short-term sites just about to come on stream.

Says Jim, “We know we are doing things right when our campers tell us, ‘don’t change a thing.’”

Making Change One Meal at a Time

Q&A with

DON O’GRADY & CHERYL SCOTT

BY KRISTEN LAWSON

Meet Don O’Grady and Cheryl Scott, a retired couple living in Riverview. Recently, Don and Cheryl were awarded the Rotary Club of Atlantic International Passport’s Community Changemakers Certificate recognizing their volunteer efforts in preparing hot meals every Sunday for the resident clients of Monarch Landing Shelter.

Q:Whatgotyoustarted inyourproject?

Don: I have a family member who is an addict, and he stayed at the Monarch Landing Shelter briefly. Visiting him we realized that there was not a scheduled meal program in place. Residents of the shelter were encouraged to go to other facilities in the downtown core area of Moncton for meals. Most residents of Mark Avenue cannot walk the distance, especially in winter weather.

Cheryl: We cook and serve anywhere from 3060 people every Sunday. It is very humbling for us to have the human contact with these homeless individuals who show such respect, politeness and gratitude for the meal. We do not want to stop this effort, but we are pensioned seniors, and we cannot afford to keep doing this on our own personal funding. As we all know, the cost of food today is overwhelming.

We have a GoFundMe page, but so far it has received limited traction. https://www.gofundme. com/f/sunday-angelshelp-feed-60-at-markstreet-shelter It would be appreciated if readers would contribute to help us reach our goal. Unfortunately, there are so many negative opinions on the homeless situation. They are still human beings. Some of them have health issues, addiction issues, and some are homeless beyond their control and circumstances.

Don: There is a stigma around mental health, addiction and homelessness. What we have observed at Mark Avenue is that they are grateful to have respect shown to them, and a little bit of dignity. You have a connection because of those things. One of the professionals said to me, “The opposite of addiction is connection.”

Cheryl and I, all we want

to do is meet these people on the level. Never above. Never below. Always on the level. Now that we have been helping here for 16 months, their faces brighten right up when they see us. Feeding the hungry is a basic gesture of humanity. They look forward to receiving a home cooked meal on Sundays. Even the dog Moma and her crew of four dogs come running over when they see us.

Cheryl: The dogs know we have treats!

Don: But it is a lot more than that. The residents trust us, and they are not used to getting trust from anyone. We also never say no if they ask for seconds. The longer we have been here, the stronger that connection gets.

Cheryl: In the hot weather we also do Popsicle runs.

Don: I became known as the Popsicle man! I go to Monarch Landing shelter, then I make the rounds on the streets of downtown Moncton, finding desperate people looking

for shade. They often say, “you're a lifesaver.” Just imagine if we saved one life, none of us would even know it.

Q:So,thereisthe physicalaspect,which iseating,butthereis also the emotional and psychologicalaspect ofconnection?Many clientsatsomefacilities aretheworkingpoor, theyarenotnecessarily homeless.

Cheryl: Yes, working poor, some with families and senior citizens too. There are other organizations trying their best to help with feeding and clothing the less fortunate and they are all doing such an amazing job. Unfortunately, there are also other

Don and Cheryl.

Don and Cheryl are recipients of the Rotary Community Changemakers Award.

organizations that due to a lack of funding have had to make the painful decision to close their doors.

Q:Tellmeaboutthe ChangemakerAward?

Cheryl: All that were nominated are directly involved with homelessness and helping the less fortunate in some way, most are recognized organizations, and on a volunteer basis.

At the presentation, the Rotary Club presenter read bios on each nominated individual and their contributions. I found it very overwhelming, humbling, and I was so emotional just to be nominated with the same group of such caring and giving people.

This is inscribed on the award “A Changemaker is someone who has purpose. They are visionaries with the ability to see the impossible as possible. As a Changemaker you are helping to create the community we need for a better future.”

This award has encouraged us to try our best to keep our Sunday meal service a reality for the residents at Monarch Landing shelter.

Q:Isittruethatyouwantto startacommunitygardenat MonarchLanding?

Don: (laughing) Yes. The residents came up with the idea of calling it “Gangsta Gardens –Take Back Your Health.” That is going to catch a lot of people's attention. The residents can paint a small sign as some of them are very artistic. We are hoping that they will get involved and maintain the garden. A sense of purpose so to speak. Several of the residents have already shown a keen interest in the project.

Cheryl: Our goal is simple. Help feed the hungry. Also to show kindness, dignity and respect to the souls in this shelter. Food security for many is such a struggle.

Don and Cheryl serving meals.

Now open

Lucky Rabbit Fine Craft

A thoughtfully curated gallery and shop in Riverview, showcasing fCnely handcrafted, functional pieces by artisans across Canada. Discover quality craft, unique home décor, and lifestyle goods—each selected to bring beauty and joy to everyday life.

Open:

Tues/Wed 10am - 6pm

Thurs/Friday 10am - 7pm

Saturday 10am - 5pm

Sunday 12pm - 5pm

620 Coverdale Road, Unit #7, Riverview (506) 383-7800

'Tis the season ... for car shows. Here, a sample from shows at Caseley Park and Parkview Riverview.

Peter Atkinson of Moncton shows off his 1952 Monarch and 1979 Boler camper at Caseley Park.

Honouring More Than - 300 Yearsof Acadian History in Riverside-Albert

BY KRISTEN LAWSON

Do you know the history of your family, or the land you live on? Wilfred and Paul Savoie were shocked to learn that there had once been a Village des Savoie south of the Petitcodiac. After doing some digging, they found out that their ancestor Pierre Thibodeau had founded

Chipoudie (Shepody) in 1698. By the time the Expulsion of the Acadians began in 1755 there were 77 Acadian families settled in what is today known as Shepody Bay. On their website, the Albert County Museum states that “The Acadians created the groundwork

(literally) for our communities. Acadian settlers converted wetlands and forest into productive farmland.”

They did this by building dykes and aboiteaux, an Indigenous sluice & levee system for draining marshland. Some of their fields are still used for farming today.

After learning this part of the family history, the Savoie brothers decided that there should be a marker commemorating the original Acadian families. “That was our home at one time. People knew a lot about Grand-Pré and Port-Royal, but this beautiful area was almost forgotten.”

Wilfred was not certain if modern day Riverside-Albert residents would be open to the idea but reached out to Mayor Jim Campbell anyway (Riverside-Albert was then its own municipality; it has since been included in the municipality of Fundy Albert, of which Campbell is the

current mayor). Campbell was immediately interested and knew exactly where to put it; Riverside-Albert’s McClelan Park already hosted monuments honouring veterans and early Irish settlers, making it the perfect place for the new Chipoudie Monument.

A joint committee was

Wilfred Savoie and Jim Campbell, co-chairs of the organizing committee, unveiled Le Monument Chipoudie.

formed to plan the project and raise funds, with Wilfred Savoie and Mayor Campbell as the co-chairs.

Dawne McLean, President of the Albert County Historical Society and a retired teacher, played a supporting role for the cultural exchange program for the anglophone students of Riverside Consolidated School in Riverside-Albert and francophone students of École Abbey-Landry in Memramcook. During the exchange visits, students enjoyed fun activities together and became comfortable talking with each other. The Riverside stu-

dents were very excited to take their new francophone friends to visit Fundy Park and Hopewell Rocks. When one of the Riverside students later remarked to the teacher, “They’re just like us.” Bingo! That was the key.”

Unveiled by the committee co-chairs on August 16, 2019, the Chipoudie Monument features a list of family names, a map of homesteads, and an engraving of an Acadian family. The Acadian flag was raised, students from both schools sang the national anthem in both official languages, and former

Premier Frank McKenna spoke as a special guest.

A large turnout enjoyed live music and food at the exhibition grounds afterwards. Dr. Stephen White from Moncton University's Centre for Acadian Studies gave a presentation on the genealogy and history of the Acadian families who once lived in the area.

The 2019 Acadian World Congress (August 10-14) brought visitors from as far away as Louisiana to Albert County, including Mélanie Joly, then Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie.

Recognizing the shared history of the area is meant to bring people closer together and start dialogues. Since the creation of the monument, residents are more aware of the local Acadian history. Acadians are also more aware of presentday Riverside-Albert, and the efforts the community is making to be more welcoming.

The Savoies stay connected with their fellow committee members, continuing their friendships beyond the project.

Paul worked to create the Historical Road Guide of the Acadian Settle-

ments in the Three Rivers and Northern Beaubassin, containing maps of all the Acadian villages on both sides of the Petitcodiac.

In an interview, Wilfred told The River View, “the erection of this monument will show the rest of the province how both language groups can work together to accomplish great things.”

Campbell explained “It is building relationships. I have always said that if we could all work together in this province, we would be one of the strongest in Canada, because everybody has their strengths.”

Some people have said that the Chipoudie Monument project put Riverside-Albert on the map. Well, the monument is marked with an Acadian flag on the Fundy Tourism map. Visitors from across the Maritimes and Quebec now stop at McClelan Park.

McLean shared the story of a woman who was seen at the monument in tears. She had had no idea that her family was from Chipoudie. “It was very emotional for her. Everyone seeks to know about themselves, their family, and their roots.”

THE TRUTH ABOUT MOTIVATION:

HOW TO CREATE IT

(Even

When You Do not Feel Like It)

We have all said it:

“I just need to get motivated.” When it comes to health, fitness, and self-care, motivation often feels like the entry ticket; something we need before we can start. But is motivation even real? And more importantly, do we need to wait for it?

The truth is, motivation is not magic. It is not something you either have or you do not. In fact, relying on motivation alone is poor planning. That is because motivation almost always follows action, not the other way around.

Think of it like this; the more consistently you take small positive actions (like walking daily, stretching, or preparing healthy meals), the more motivated you feel to keep going. This builds a

positive cycle. On the other side, the more you avoid action, the easier it becomes to stay stuck, and the harder it is to get moving, creating a negative cycle.

So…. how do you break the loop?

Instead of waiting to “feel ready,” focus on building habits. Motivation may show up once in a while, but habits are what carry you through the tough days. Start with a clear plan, one that fits your lifestyle and feels doable. Then take action, even when you do not feel like it. Especially when you do not feel like it.

Having a goal or a “why” is helpful — whether it is to feel stronger, sleep better, manage stress, or keep up with your kids. But those goals alone will not create motivation out of thin

air. You still have to do the work. The “work” means the actions or the little changes you will need to start adding into your life in order to work towards building the bigger goals.

The good news? You can create your own motivation. With the right support from a coach, a friend, or a group to stay accountable and a realistic, consistent plan, you will begin to look and act like one of those “motivated” people you admire. And that’s not because motivation struck you out of nowhere. It is because you created it.

Julie Solbak, BscKin, CKA Owner, Just Fit Fitness Center and Just Move Health Studio

So much more than a service station

Tank up at Point Park Petrocan, but don’t forget our many other services!

Good food, including:

• U-Bake Lasagna, Fresh Pizza, & U-Bake Pizza from Vito’s

• Fresh subs made daily

• Hot dogs Tuesdays and Thursdays

• Even fresh-baked cookies

• Along with popular snacks and drinks

And, our friendly staff will even have a treat for your pup!

We also have available: air for your vehicle’s tires & an RV dumping station

Point Park Petro-Canada

Mark and Irene Knowles, Owners/Operators 506

387 7208

Father’s Day!

Four Year Sweep!

For the fourth year in a row, Riverview Guardian Pharmacy has been voted the Platinum Winner in the Pharmacies and Drug Stores category by Community Votes Moncton.

Here, Jonathan, Lucy, Ruth, and Mariah display Riverview Guardian’s championship plaques from 2022, 2023, and 2024, and the notification that the pharmacy won again in 2025.

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

GAME 1

GAME 2 GAME 4 GAME 3

ANSWERS:

GAME 1

GAME 2

GAME 3

GAME 4

GAMES

Nature’s masterpieces and local flavours await. HOPEWELL ROCKS

The tides have been sculpting masterpieces for thousands of years - with more than twenty free-standing sea stacks peppered along two kilometers of shoreline, no Atlantic Canadian vacation is complete without experiencing these icons.

Connected to the Community

Working with our local partners

During our annual staff training we welcomed area business partners to tell us all about what they do, their services, and how we can work together as ambassadors of Fundy and New Brunswick. Meals and snacks over the two days were provided by local restaurants, cafes, and take outs. Our staff use this knowledge to provide personal recommendations to our patrons as they continue their holidays in our area.