“Barking” to be in a Forever Home for Christmas

On February 22, at a special ceremony in Toronto, Charlene Rose, the Continuous Improvement Manager at the Kraft Foods plant in Ingleside, was one of seven employees across Canada to receive a Canadian Leadership of Excellence Award.

The daughter of Ed and Estella Rose of Winchester, Charlene lives with her husband David (Conners) and their two children, Eilish and son Aidan north of Iroquois.

The Award is the highest Canadian award available and is given annually by the Kraft Canada Executive Team to honor those employees whose behavior, actions and results reflect Kraft’s core values and, ultimately, outstanding leadership.

 According to a profile presented at the banquet, Charlene “is a renowned Canadian expert in cheese. Charlene has taken Kraft’s focus on Lean Six Sigma to new heights. Her long term strategy and drive for record productivity, along with her ability to challenge our lean resources and build the culture it takes to implement work improvements has resulted in several big successes in 2011, which set us up for success in the future.”

In the company’s congratulatory release it is pointed out that “the strength of our company is the direct results of the strength of our people. And everyday, employees across Kraft Canada are quietly going about their day, doing what they need to do to help the business achieve incredible results and built their own success.”

“But year after year, there are a few individuals who seem to go the extra mile and continue to demonstrate outstanding leaders. And these individuals are this year’s Canadian Leader Excellence Award winners.”

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MORRISBURG – One month to the day since she mailed two pairs of baby booties, to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, for the royal baby, Prince George, Madeline Carkner received a thank you card complete with a picture of the young family. 

“I’m so excited. When they brought it I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry,” she says of the special delivery to her room at the Dundas Manor in Winchester. “I sent the booties on August 20th, and they mailed the thank you on Tuesday, September 17. I got it on Friday, September 20th.”

Since the arrival of the thank you picture, Madeline’s room has been a busy spot with friends, family and staff at the manor popping by.

“Once I received it, word soon got around. Just about everybody has stopped in to see it, even the CEO [Cholly Boland] from the Hospital [Winchester District Memorial] came right in to see it when he was here. Everybody and their brother has been in.”

“They say that bad news travels fast; well, good news travels fast too.”

The picture includes William and Kate, with Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge, born July 22, in Kate’s arms.

The message on the back reads: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were most touched that you took the trouble to write as you did on the occasion of the birth of their son, Prince George. Their Royal Highnesses have been overwhelmed by all the wonderful messages they have received and send you their warmest thanks and best wishes.”

Madeline explains that she got the idea to knit and send the booties from the director of activities at the Manor. “It turned out the baby was a boy, so I made a white pair and a blue pair. I thought I would likely hear back, but not for a few months.”

Having lived all of her life in the Morrisburg area, Madeline has been at the Dundas Manor for the past 7.5 years. For the last five years, she has been in a wheelchair. She spends much of her time knitting and crocheting, while listening to the radio. She says she keeps up with the news in Morrisburg through visitors, and of course, her weekly Leader.

Her knitted mittens and slippers, made in assorted sizes and colours, are done for the Manor bazaar, which raises money to help offset expenses for various excursions for the residents.

Madeline, who will be 81 in December, has arranged for a two sided picture frame for viewing of both the picture and the message. She invites friends to drop by the manor for a visit and a viewing.  

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A $25,000 suggestion nearly cost the West End Terrace a pavilion and shuffleboard area.

The subdivision agreement for the West End Terrace, a new 17 home subdivision slated for construction at the west end of Iroquois, was brought to South Dundas council at the April 23 special meeting in hopes of expediting the process to get the development started.

The park area of the subdivision was to include a pavilion and shuffleboard area rather than playground equipment as the single-level homes being constructed are ideally suited for seniors.

Township staff suggested that $25,000 be added to the subdivision agreement to help offset the future costs of maintaining the shuffleboard that would become township property upon completion of the development.

Swank, the developers, were not willing to pay the extra, and pulled the idea from the table. They instead opted leave the required amount of parkland vacant.

When council advised Ron Swank, who attended the meeting, that it would be two weeks until an amended agreement could be approved, Swank was angry about the two week delay, instigated by the municipality.

At the end of the meeting, council again discussed the subdivision agreement. 

They decided to eliminate the $25,000 township imposed charge so that the pavilion and shuffleboard could remain part of the development proposal. 

Council also gave the mayor the authority to sign the agreement to expedite the process.

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