Returns for Leukemia, put your empties to work

 

This month’s meeting of the Helping Hands of Matilda group was held on December 6th and featured the talents of the OPP Auxiliary’s, Coppertones.

Helping Hands is a group of like-minded seniors who meet the first Wednesday of each month. The group’s purpose is twofold: to give people a venue to come together, socialize, and make a difference and, at the same time, to reach out to those who are “shut in.” 

The order of events for most meetings includes discussion of business, luncheon and, then, entertainment.

The group disbanded in September after their last meeting, where there were 24 members in attendance. 

Lorne Strader, recognizing the importance of the group, took it upon himself to bring the Helping Hands of Matilda back together in November, where he welcomed a whopping 55 members to the ‘restart’ meeting.

It was then that the group decided to have a Christmas celebration for their December meeting. 

Members were greeted with music during the morning, which was supplied by Ralph Jollota.

The Coppertones were invited to entertain after the luncheon, which was provided by the Iroquois Legion Branch #370 Ladies Auxiliary.

The Coppertones delighted the group with popular Christmas songs punctuated by a hilarious, if sometimes scandalous, joke between each song. The audience roared with laughter.

Sound like fun? Well, if you are aged 50 or older, you can join the group! Contact Lorne Strader at 613-652-2260. It’s only five dollars for an entire year’s membership.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Helping Hands will be held on Wednesday, January 4, 2012.

[…]

 

Although there has been some growth, the Zandbergen late 1800’s-early 1900’s village, located just east of Brinston, remains a constant source of holiday pleasure to all those who visit the home of Bill and Coby Zandbergen.

In 2006, The Leader featured the wonderful miniature village assembled by Coby, and now five years later, a return finds the village has grown by “one full sub-division”, or, in reality, a third sheet of plywood.

Coby first began to develop her village in the early 1980’s. It began with the purchase of a miniature church, and it started out on her buffet.

By 2006, it covered two full sheets of plywood or about 60 square feet. And it hasn’t stopped growing, as Coby continues the hunt for unique and unusual pieces.

“I’m missing one item and that is the old fire house with the horse drawn water wagon,” says Coby explaining that part of the pleasure she has received in developing her village has been the “thrill of the hunt.”

The hunt has had her purchasing pieces everywhere from yard sales to retail stores to large department stores. She has even managed to persuade salespeople to sell an item or two she has discovered in a display.

“I’m not a shopper, that’s the funny part. But I’m always looking. The toy shoppe, I found at a yard sale. It is so unique,” she says as she points to the couple she has smooching behind a building. “Over behind the trees there, another fellow is proposing to his lady.”

Her hobby now includes everything from the toy shoppe, to the post office, the cheese factory, bakery and of course a town hall and train station. “I have five churches now. They are all different. Some are fancy and some are plain.”

All of her buildings and lampposts light up and that is where Bill comes in.

Coby estimates that if she sticks with it, “it takes me a good week to get it all set up. Once the base is in place, the mountain to the back of the display is added. I work from the back to the front. I set the houses in place and then Bill wires it all.”

“Then I have my famous kitchen tongs. When you have to place something, while balancing on one leg, they come in handy.”

The village and surrounding countryside remains in the Zandbergen’s front porch area until March break, when it is all packed up and put away.

Coby says she has no idea the population of her village. A quick count locates 53 people just in the town square and another 23 children playing in the school yard. The whole layout easily includes several hundred people all busy with their daily lives…skiing, chopping wood, cutting ice from the pond…ice skating…cutting down trees…

For years now the display has been a delight for the Zandbergen family and visitors to their home. “We have 10 grandchildren, all of whom enjoy it. I have one granddaughter who thinks she has to re-arrange everything,” says Coby with a chuckle. “The kids love it in here.”

[…]

 

The fourth annual Jumpstart Day held at Morrisburg’s Canadian Tire on Saturday, May 26, has once again helped to ensure that no kids will miss out on organized sports in Canada.

This year the Morrisburg store, owned by Ninon and Michel Proulx, was able to raise $2,068.11 for the cause.

“All of the money we raise with the Jumpstart program comes back into North and South Dundas to help out our local kids,” said Ninon Proulx. “This year again our entire staff got behind the effort.”

The Jumpstart program, which was supported on May 26 by most Canadian Tire stores across Canada, is designed to help kids get involved in organized sports. Research indicates that one in three families cannot afford to enroll their children in organized sports and recreation in this country. 

With its One Million Red Balls  campaign, Canadian Tire asks shoppers to donate $2 for the purchase of a red ball, the national symbol of child’s play.

“This fund raiser really helps our local kids,” Proulx said. “Many sports cost more than many parents can afford on their own. Some kids would not have the opportunity to take part in sports without these funds.”

The store offered a raffle for a patio set valued at $470, and two beautiful planters. The furniture was won by J. Manneck, the planters by ticket holders Thompson and Adrian.

Tribeck Inflatables were set up to amuse small visitors while parents shopped. Fiona Carr of the Ontario Early Years operated a crafts and colouring area where children could make paper bag puppets, and  take part in other activities. The Morrisburg and District Leos club was also on hand to run a barbecue for shoppers. 

[…]