Kids Helping Kids

Synagri is investing $5 million in a new, state-of-th-art fertilizer pant in Chesterville.

Synagri and North Dundas officials held a press conference last week in Chesterville regarding the project that will see the company hire 10 new employees.

Construction began in late September 2014 in Chesterville, and the new site will be fully operational by the spring 2015.

“An investment of more than $5 million was needed to address the needs of our current and future clients in Eastern Ontario,” said Sylvain Lavoie, general manager of Synagri in a media release.

The new facilities will handle all products sold by Synagri; fertilizers, seed and crop protection products. “Benefiting from the railway system nearby, we will reduce our cost of product manufacturing, storage and transfer to benefit our clients.”

New systems, and increased warehousing space are marquees of this major project. Involved in the agricultural crop inputs for nearly 50 years, Synagri’s team includes 160 full time employees and 400 workers in peak periods across the Synagri network, which includes 30 service outlets in Ontario and Quebec, including one in South Dundas, near Iroquois.

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South Dundas seniors are finding they have a bit more leisure time on their hands now that the J.W. MacIntosh Senior Support Centre summer student is out and about helping them in their homes/apartments and gardens.

For close to 20 years, the Centre has employed a summer student to roll up his/her sleeves to help seniors with tasks around their home.

This can mean anything and everything from mowing lawns to pulling weeds, to washing windows and performing housework  to a bit of painting.

This year’s student is Sherry-Lynn Harbers, who has just completed her first year at Brock University in St. Catharines where she is studying Recreation and Leisure.

“I heard about this job through my parents, and I thought it would be a good experience because I might work with seniors later on,” said Harbers as she completed some gardening Friday morning at the home of Lillian Noon in Morrisburg. “I also like working outdoors, so it was appealing in that way too.”

A graduate of Seaway District High School, Harbers is hoping to develop her social skills. In addition to dealing one on one with her clients, she works in a group setting at the Adult Day Program which runs on Wednesdays at the Centre in Williamsburg.

“It is nice that what I do is helping them to be on their own in their homes,” says Harbers.

“We’ve had a real variety of students over the years,” says Janet Levere, Executive Director of the Williamsburg Non-Profit Housing Corporation. “Many use the opportunity to gain experience in their selected careers. We’ve had nursing students and some who were studying to be teachers.”

Levere explains the student position is made possible, thanks to a partial government grant and by a donation from the Park Lane Crafters that helps to cover travel costs. “Our student services all of South Dundas, so there is a bit of travel. As well, there is a small charge to the clients of $8 per hour.”

“Gardening tends to be high on the list of seniors’ needs,” says Levere. “But they might want help cleaning out a garage or a basement.”

“We have received some really good feedback from our seniors over the years. In fact, before Sherry-Lynn started in mid-May, we were getting calls asking if we would be having a summer student this year.”

“Sherry-Lynn is a good worker, and she is learning quickly. She is very pleasant, and we always advise our students to leave a little time for a visit or a little chat with the client.”

Now, just a few weeks into the job, Harbers has contacted the seniors who made use of last year’s summer student. She has introduced herself at the Centre’s Day Program and at the Community Meal Program.

Seniors living in South Dundas, who may be interested in getting help with their chores in their homes and/or gardens, are invited to contact Sherry-Lynne at the J.W. MacIntosh Senior Support Centre in Williamsburg at 613-535-2924.

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 Two minutes after she stepped on to the St. Lawrence Stage on Saturday, February 25, Lynn Miles made it crystal clear why she is the winner of numerous music awards, including a Juno, and one of Canada’s best regarded singer/song writers. The Morrisburg audience loved her voice, loved her music, loved her show. 

Backed by the inimitable Keith Glass, singer and guitarist from the renowned group Prairie Oyster, the Lynn Miles concert ended much too soon. We could have listened to her rich voice all night. 

Miles’ voice, described by Jeanne Ward of the St. Lawrence Stage, in her introduction, as “utterly beautiful,” can surprize as well as delight. Miles has an incredible vocal range. Sometimes  she sings softly with a deep sense of melancholy, sometimes her vocals are upbeat and jazzy: and sometimes she simply belts out good old rock and roll. 

She and Glass shared the stage with the ease of professionals who have worked together long enough to be completely comfortable with each other. The banter between them, at times, seemed as much a part of the concert performance as the music.

“It’s really lovely to be back here at the St. Lawrence Stage again.” Miles told the crowd (she performed here in 2009) with a grin, “but I have to tell you that we had to drive all the way up from Collingwood in that snow storm yesterday. When we left, I had black hair.” 

“When we left, I had hair,” Glass shot back as the audience roared its approval.

Miles performed a wide range of music at Saturday’s concert. She  definitely cannot be fitted into any one “category” or genre. The strong country sound of Three Chords and the Truth was followed by the soft, almost romantic approach of Everybody’s Given Up On Me.

In an earlier interview with The Leader, Miles said that she primarily sees herself as a song writer, one for whom words, and the feelings and images they create, mean a lot. 

She said that while she often writes about difficult or challenging themes, she sees her role as an artist to take such issues and “turn them into a kind of beauty, and to touch people in the process.” 

In Love is Red, she sang “I wish I could take it back/fix this broken side walk crack…You loved me, I loved you/We said things that were not true..”

Miles poignant reflection on domestic abuse touched the audience as she sang “Love doesn’t leave its mark on you/Love doesn’t leave you black and blue/Love doesn’t push you down in the dirt/Love isn’t mean and love doesn’t hurt.”

Earlier in the day, Miles gave a song-writing workshop for nearly 20 aspiring students. 

“The workshop was fantastic,” said Francine Leclair, who came down for the workshop and concert from Ottawa. “It was great to hear her philosophy. I remember most that Lynn said ‘you have to live your life as an artist.’ 

She shares so much of herself with you when she works with you.”

Sandra Whitworth, on the board of the St. Lawrence Stage, also attended the workshop, and said she gained “such insight. You learn how an artist composes, how she handles challenges. Lynn’s advice really helps.”

“I’ve written about 680 songs,” Miles laughed. “Three are happy.” Then she proved her point with an unexpectedly sweet little piece “Never the grey sky/Never the gloom…Open the windows/ Put your joy on display/ It’s time for the sun to have its day…”

Throughout the entire concert, Miles was beautifully accompanied by Keith Glass both on vocals and on guitar. 

Her musical insights, her sense of humour, her powerful voice made Lynn Miles’ performance at the St. Lawrence Stage an evening of pure joy for a very appreciative audience.

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