Prime Minister Stephen Harper at Crysler Memorial Service in pictures

Proper nutrition through the inclusion of necessary fruits and vegetables in one’s daily diet, can often fall by the wayside in the hustle and bustle of daily life, with people all too often opting for less nutritious, convenience items.

For a few years, South Dundas has taken the lead role in helping make proper nutrition more convenient for its residents, by offing a green food program. 

The program makes it easy for residents to fill their fridges with fruits and vegetables, without having to take the time to shop for them.

“All you need to get started is $10 and an empty grocery bag,” says Ben Macpherson, recreation program coordinator for South Dundas, who administers the program.

“The green food bag program is for everyone,” he says.

“It’s $10, try it once,” encourages Macpherson. 

“If you don’t like it, there’s no commitment to continue, and if you do like it, it’s very easy to continue receiving the bag each month.”

Currently, the green food program is experiencing a downturn in usage.

“I have no idea why,” says Macpherson. “It’s such a simple and easy way to get a great value for you and your family.”

Last month, only 80 people participated in the green food program. 

Although Macpherson is used to seeing the numbers fluctuate a little from month to month this is the lowest it has been since its inception. 

The program has seen as many as 145 monthly users.

This recent downturn will not have an overall impact on the program. It will continue and the cost will remain the same $10. 

But, when more people use the program, everyone benefits from a greater value, and greater variety of produce, for their $10 contribution.

How to get started

• The first step is the hardest: Drop by either the South Dundas municipal office in Williamsburg or Community Living Dundas County, located on Allison Avenue, in Morrisburg. Tell them you want to order a green food bag and pay $10. If you order/pay before March 8, there will be a green food bag ready for you to pick up on March 20.

• Pick up day: On pick up day, which will be outlined on your order sheet, stop by the Morrisburg Arena anytime from 12:30-3:30 p.m. or 4:30-6:30 p.m. to pick up your green food bag. Take an empty shopping bag with you. When you pick up your green food, a volunteer is on hand to take orders/payments for those who wish to re-order for the next month.

How the program works

Once the order by date passes, Macpherson takes the money collected and a wholesale price list and decides what will be in the next food green food bag. 

“What I do is choose items that are the best prices for that month, so I’m stretching the dollar for everyone,” says Macpherson. 

“I try to include some staples every month, like potatoes and onions, because you can really do a lot with those. I start with the staples, and then I go from there with the dollars I have available. What I try to do is to provide a balance of fruits and vegetables each month.” 

“There’s a core group who have used this program since it started. They love it and they definitely recognize the value it provides,” says Macpherson. 

Most who use the program tend to be parents or seniors, but Macpherson stresses that the program is for everyone. “You can order as many bags as you want, it doesn’t matter who you are,” he says.

Some people have even organized themselves so that one person picks up several bags for them and their neighbours, to add to the convenience of the program.

Macpherson hopes that this valuable program will continue to grow and thrive for the value it provides the residents of South Dundas.

While Macpherson administers the program, there are many volunteers who offer their time to keep the program going. 

They pack the bags, oversee pick ups and orders and one, Neila Fowler, even donates the use of her truck on her day off to go and pick up the order from the warehouse.

[…]

 The volunteer board of the St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage is eager to present its outstanding 2013-14 season.

“This is the first year that we have been able to have our entire concert year planned from the outset,” said board member Derek Hunter. “The financial support we gained this year has allowed us to set up and publicize the full series of 10 performances.”

“I think people are going to leap to their feet cheering for the line-up at the Stage this year,” added board member, Bill Carriere.

The St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage is now an officially registered charity (able to issue tax receipts). Board members are both excited and grateful to have earned the on-going financial support of the municipality of South Dundas, as well as two years funding from Heritage Canada. “Fingers crossed, we should hear any day now from the provincial funding people as well,” said board member Sandra Whitworth. “We have also been utterly flabbergasted at the financial response we have had from our local business community. The sponsorship of area businesses has been priceless.”

 In the 2012-13 concert season, the board saw a dramatic turn around in audience attendance after December. Audiences built to around 65-70 per cent capacity for each show, “very good news for us and for our funders, and for the future,” board members said.

Audiences are coming from the broader SD&G region, as well as from Cornwall, Ottawa and even from as far away as southern Ontario. Family groups are putting the Stage on their schedules: once introduced to the quality of the performers at the Stage, many young people are returning to other concerts, a trend the board is pleased to see. “We have an incredible mixture of shows scheduled, shows which will appeal to a wide range of tastes and ages,” said Whitworth.  “The St. Lawrence Stage is for everyone.”

“I think there is a confidence in us now,” Carriere said, “a confidence from the public that we are going to put on good shows. We have a predictability in the level of talent we present: the performers are outstanding. People really know that they will be attending first class shows.”

There can be little doubt that a first class line up of artists is coming to the Stage.

Opening the season on September 14,  is the phenomenal Shane Koyczan, who literally electrified all of North America and the world with his stunning piece in the opening ceremonies of the Vancouver Winter Olympics.  “We have funding from the Eric Baker Family Foundation to thank for our ability to bring Shane here to Morrisburg,” Whitworth said. 

Singer/songwriters Ian Sherwood and Coco Love Alcorn are bringing their exciting show to the Stage in October. “They play multiple instruments, including horns,” said Carriere. “They have a great, great sound!” 

Artist Garnet Rogers will light up the stage in November. Rogers is regarded as one of the major folk talents of our time. He will be joined later in November by the big blues sound of the 24th Street Wailers, an explosive force on the North American festival scene, and recently featured, August 2, in the Ottawa Citizen’s Arts & Life section. In January look for the outstanding fingerstyle guitarist, Antoine Dufour, the Juno Award winning banjo playing of Old Man Luedecke in February and Chic Gamine out of Manitoba in March. With their Motown sound, and incredible four part harmonies, Chic Gamine was among the closing acts of the Vancouver Olympics. In April the band, Digging Roots, will bring the joyful energy of their hip hop, folk, reggae and blues sound to the Stage.

In keeping with their philosophy of giving up-and-coming artists a professional venue in which to perform, the St. Lawrence Stage will also present two Intimate Acoustics concerts in December and May, featuring future stars. 

As they continue to bring extraordinary music and talent to South Dundas, the board is going through a bit of a re-orientation itself. Whitworth, Hunter, Carriere and Tony McCadden have been in conference with Peter MacDonald, manager of Chamberfest in Ottawa, “who worked with us on thinking through issues and ideas to ensure that we continue to exist and to grow. Even though we remain made up of volunteers, we are putting together a more professional approach to the Stage. We hope to attract more people to the board who may have different kinds of expertise.”

Currently, the sale of season’s passes for the St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage’s 2013-14 season has been extended to August 17. Check at www.st-lawrencestage.com to learn of exciting ticket options, and to book concert passes. 

It will be a great series.

[…]

After 40 years, Ross Video begins their “Ruby” Anniversary with an updated look that includes a new corporate logo and new tagline – ‘Production Technology Experts’.  

The updated logo and tagline are designed to better represent the reality of the new Ross Video – and its dramatically expanded product portfolio and global footprint.

“We are very proud of our past, and the original Ross logo,” said David Ross, CEO, Ross Video. 

“With our new logo we wanted something bold and fresh while still immediately recognizable as Ross.  The logo was evolved from the original with the Ross name remaining front and center. My father and Ross founder, John Ross, signs his name with an underline, and the stroke under the logo represents his signature as well as the forward momentum that began back in 1974 when he sold his airplane to raise the seed money to start this amazing company.”

The original Ross logo and distinctive analog cross-fade “X” (a basic production switcher function) was a relevant design when Ross only made video production switchers.  

As Ross has grown and its product portfolio evolved to encompass a full array of video production technology and services, a new logo made sense. 

“Ross is a leader in so many areas of production technology now,” continued David. 

“We are known for graphic systems, automation, control systems, infrastructure products, robotic camera systems, social media management, newsroom systems and most recently, mobile video production with the acquisition of Ross MCP. It was time to recognize all these changes with an updated look – while also recognizing a big milestone – Ross’ 40th anniversary.  We took our time, six years, in exploring what our new logo should look like. Thousands of design samples and refinements later, we finally arrived at something we feel is just right.  It is simple, yet sophisticated – representative of where Ross is at today and where we are headed into the future.  We hope you like it.”

 Ross Video creates leading edge video production technology. 

Ross products are used in demanding environments every day to inform and entertain audiences all over the world.  

The Ross client base includes a who’s who of broadcast, production companies, sports stadiums, government agencies, educators, touring companies and houses of worship.  

[…]