W. Gibb–Leader staff,

IROQUOIS – The bronze plaque, inlaid on a boulder, which marks the start of the hiking trail in the Two Creeks Forest Conservation Area signals Don Graham’s contribution to his community.

 Don Graham Trail Dedication

In recognition of Mr. Graham’s role in preserving the natural state of Two Creeks Forest for the use and enjoyment of all.

A large group of friends,  committee members and officials gathered at the Two Creeks Forest Area on Saturday, November 3, to honour Don Graham, whose efforts to preserve this forest region guarantee that generations of area residents will be able to enjoy it for years to come.

“This Trail is a real jewel in South Dundas,” said Lawrence Levere, chair of the South Nation Conservation Authority. “You were right there with me, Don, when we took ownership of this former Domtar forest and began our dreams. We set up the trail, got the bridge built and groomed the route for everyone. Without you, Don, this trail would not be here.”

Several speakers echoed Levere’s words. 

“Don is a passionate guy, especially about conservation,” said John Pollack, chair of the former Diamonds group, the organization (of which Don was a founding member) that determined to preserve and develop the Two Creeks Area. “We took our name, Diamonds, from the belief that there were a lot of ‘jewels’ along the St. Lawrence River that needed to be preserved and protected. We also wanted to do something for our community that was sustainable.

Don was always a strong advocate of hiking trails, and he is a very persistent guy. He got the support and the concessions he needed to get this project going. He remains a real force in this community.”

The Don Graham Hiking Trail, like the Two Creeks Forest, is jointly under the aegis of the South Nation Conservation and the Township of South Dundas. 

Mayor Steven Byvelds stressed the township council’s indebtedness to Don Graham for ensuring that the councillors all saw the merit in the conservation project, and got behind it.

“People like Don offer councils like us imagination,” Byvelds said. “They help us to think outside the box. Don was instrumental in presenting us with a vision for our area, and his persistence meant that this Trail come to exist. It is really fitting that today it be named after him.”

For Don Graham, the dedication ceremony was “most satisfying and exciting. A trail like this is linked to conservation, to recreation and to education. I know that schools are planning to use this site in their studies,” he said to the audience. 

“With this trail, we wanted to recognize the past history of our region, and to acknowledge that this forest is a valuable piece of property for the future.”

He thanked the many people and organizations who had made the Forest preserve and the Trail possible. “And my family,” he added, “has been right in the forefront with their support and ideas.”

The Trail is closed to any kind of motorized vehicles and to hunters. 

Everyone is welcome to hike its four kilometres, taking in the region’s unique forestation and wild life. The parking lot will be kept plowed in the winter, and the South Nation Conservation Authority will ensure the maintenance of the property. 

“We welcome people to get involved, to themselves undertake the stewardship of this area,” Don Graham said. “We have built this place: now we want to see people use it.”

[…]

 

There will be a stellar line up of new and emerging stars coming to the St. Lawrence Stage on Saturday, May 25, for the Stage’s final concert of the season.

“We’ve got a really nice mix of musical genres scheduled for this concert,” said Sandra Whitworth, on the board of the St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage. “We are presenting local musicians Don Tuttle from Iroquois, Ewen McIntosh from Lyn, just west of Brockville and Roxanne Delage from Cornwall. From a little farther afield are the Musettes, a trio from Ottawa, Donna Drifter, coming in from Bancroft accompanied by Patricia Liverseed and Jim Eadie, and Jenny Berkel, who is coming to us from Winnipeg, by way of France and Switzerland.”

It promises to be night of musical excitement since the performers will run the gamut from country, celtic and blues to rock and folk. Along the way, audiences can enjoy extraordinary voices, outstanding harmonies and first rate musicians. 

The Musettes told me that they “don’t like to limit ourselves to one particular genre. We just let the music go where it wants!” The trio performs an “eclectic blend of folk, rock and pop. Our music is infused with vocal harmonies and instrumentation…that complements the genuine, heartfelt nature of our songs.”

Don Tuttle of Iroquois feels that he “was drawn to country music because I felt it was in my heart. I learned a lot in Nashville, and I met a lot of people that helped me along the way. As far as my writing goes, God writes my songs. (I think) people will be refreshed and full of hope and light after I sing my songs.”

Jenny Berkel, who has an album, Here on a Wire, out, revealed that “poetry has always been very important to me both as a reader and a writer…I eventually realized that I could try shaping poetry into songs. My musical style has been characterized as ‘haunt folk’, dark, sad and often hushed…yet how there is always a shimmer of light somewhere. I (try) to step outside of myself and write what I see instead of just what I feel.”

Donna (Drifter) Leclair, described to me as terrific blues singer, revealed that she preferred to talk about blues “as an influence. I am also heavily influenced by Appalachian Folk and Bluegrass.” However, she added that “Blues speaks to common people and gives a voice to oppressed people…It gives a place for people to tell each other about their lives, joys, loves and hardships. It can be polished and sophisticated or gritty and raw. It’s all about feeling for me, the mood you create with the Blues.”

Roxanne Delage, who is returning to the St. Lawrence Stage, has recently released her first CD, The Way I Am. Her music has sometimes been described as ‘cross over.’

“I grew up in a country loving home, but was exposed to a wealth of styles…rock, celtic, pop, jazz, classical and Broadway. As a result, my original music seems to be quite impossible to categorize. One reviewer wrote that my ‘music is contemporary folk, with eclectic elements of blues, country and jazz, creating a fusion of sound that could easily have been on FM radio in the ‘70’s. I’ll take that.’

Thrilled to be returning to the Stage, she will perform (accompanied by three back up musicians) numbers from her new CD.

Ewen McIntosh, according to Sandra Whitworth, is a very seasoned performer. His sound is a mix of Celtic, folk and rock and he has played for years with bands like Glengharry Boys and the Crofters. He will performing as a solo artist at the Stage on May 25.

Audiences can look forward to variety, excitement, and an evening of really wonderful music as the St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage welcomes its final artists of the 2012-13 concert season. 

The concert on Saturday. May 25, begins at 7 p.m. at the Morrisburg Meeting Centre. 

All tickets are $10, and can be purchased at the Basket Case, Morrisburg, Strung Out Guitars, Cornwall, or on line at www.st-lawrencestage.com.

[…]

 

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.

[…]