Santa Parade, Morrisburg, Saturday, December 6

Lesley Johansen knows how important fresh fruit and vegetables can be in any one’s diet. And she also understands that good, fresh produce can often be beyond the financial reach of many families in this area.

“About a year ago, while I was working at the House of Lazarus,” Lesley explained, “I was living in a cabin in Mountain. At the time, I found myself in a very tight financial situation where I needed to turn to the Dundas Food Bank. I realized then that Food Banks often don’t have fresh fruit and vegetables on hand.”

Three months ago a plan to help remedy this situation came to her.

“I thought, what if people who gardened planted an extra row in their vegetable gardens, then took what they raised in that row and donated this overflow to the Food Bank? Most gardeners end up with more vegetables than their families can use anyway, and often give this extra produce away. Why not give it to the Dundas Food Bank, or the House of Lazarus?” She contacted both organizations, and organizers are excited about her plan for “Gardening for Groceries,” and very willing to take in all the fresh produce she and the community can supply them.

Lesley would be the first to admit that she is just a novice gardener herself, but she has already started a garden plot in the backyard of her home, and intends, like many more seasoned gardeners, to get her plants in on the upcoming long weekend. She did research for her Gardening for Groceries project, and discovered many sites that provide advice and information for gardeners who would like to help provide healthy, fresh food alternatives to Food Bank clients.

Some local businesses have already donated tools, started plants and seeds for starter kits for Food Bank clients who might like to plant a vegetable garden themselves.

If this project takes off, Johansen has some long term goals in mind. “In the long term, I would like to set up a year-round facility to grow produce locally. I found an amazing company called Freight Farms which actually uses re-cycled transport trailers, which they turn into a hydroponic system, basically an indoor garden in a trailer. This system allows the production of leafy greens, in particular, which can be grown in a 4-7 week cycle, year round. It is totally suited to even our Canadian climate. Such a system already exists in Cornwall called Smart Greens, and they can hardly keep up with the interest.”

Knowing that fresh produce is often not available, or very expensive and outside the budgets of the working poor, Johansen is seeking help to put healthy food on all dinner tables in this area. She knows that Food Bank clients would appreciate food grown locally, by neighbours, rather than products trucked in from thousands of kilometres away. She hopes to make it as easy as possible for gardeners getting on board with her Gardening for Groceries project, to get their overflow produce to those who would most appreciate it.

“People can take their garden produce directly to the Food Bank. If they mention Gardening for Groceries, that food will be weighed and a record kept to gauge how the idea is catching on. I will also be personally arranging for once-a-week pickups, going around the community and gathering fruits and vegetables.”

Her phone number for pick-ups is 613-282-0660. People can also go to gardeningforgroceries@yahoo.ca to find out more about the project, or to make a donation, money which will then be spent in local food markets. Interested visitors can also check out www.facebook.com/GardeningForGroceries.

“The idea of this project is to help the people in our community,” Lesley Johansen said. “We hope to accommodate what is seasonal in our pick ups. And no donation of fresh produce is too big or too small for us. I will be glad to pick up any produce that people want to donate.” 

[…]

Several South Dundas municipal managers will be eligible for retirement in the next five to seven years, so South Dundas officials are now trying to plan for the future. 

The Ontario Municipal Internship Program was developed to address the critical need to attract and train the next generation of competent, well-rounded municipal leaders. 

South Dundas is hoping through the program to bring in a recent graduate for a 12 month internship where they would work alongside the chief administrative officer and other senior staff members.

If South Dundas’ application is successful, the government program would provide 50 per cent of the intern’s salary, up to  $40,000, with an additional $5,000 available to subsidize ancillary expenses.

“At the conclusion of the program, the desired result is the development of a well-rounded, knowledgeable and grounded municipal professional who can ultimately rise to a leadership position in any municipality,” said South Dundas CAO Steve McDonald in his report to council.

“This fits very nicely with where South Dundas is going staffing-wise, with regards to succession planning,” he added.

“This is really a two-way street,” commented South Dundas deputy mayor Jim Locke. “We get someone with up to date knowledge, and they get valuable hands on experience.”

“This is a great opportunity for us to get another staff member and we could certainly benefit from that,” said South Dundas councillor Evonne Delegarde.

“After seeing the benefits of this program at the County level, I’m all for it,” said South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds, explaining that the Counties intern has done a lot of extra work and gathered a lot of extra information for which regular staffers don’t normally have enough time.

[…]

November 25th was a day of celebration for the Williamsburg Non-Profit Housing Corporation.

The morning’s events began with the unveiling of the Tolley Place sign. The Tolley Place townhomes opened in 2009, offering quality housing to younger seniors.

James Kooistra, Chair of the Board of Directors for the corporation, said, “the idea of this started long ago. I was told it was Trevor (Tolley, former Chair of Board) who had this idea.”

Tolley reminded everyone present that he did not do this alone. He listed all of the people and organizations that worked hard to make Tolley Place a reality.

From the unveiling of the sign, the group moved to one of two new sheds recently erected. Here Kooistra informed everyone that the corporation had received a $15,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, which financed the two sheds, two dedication trees, as well as the walkway between Tolley Place and J. W. MacIntosh Seniors Support Centre.

According to a press release from the corporation, due to a 2010 gardening project started by Tolley Place residents, “a garden shed has been placed at Tolley Place and will be available for tool storage. A second shed was placed at the east end of the walkway and will store maintenance equipment.”

As for the trees, Kooistra said, “some years ago the Board said farewell to three board members: Trevor Tolley, Joan Findlay, and Barbara Phifer. They served on the board for many, many years.”

“They were promised that we would plant some trees, one for Trevor and one for the two ladies.”

He then thanked the three again, for their “years of commitment and dedication to the Board.”

A sign dedicating the trees to the three former board members will be affixed to the garden shed.

The walkway, which was completed this fall, finally “links two projects that should always be linked,” said South Dundas Mayor Steven Byvelds.

As Kooistra pointed out, “the walkway was constructed to provide easier access to the services of the Community Support Centre. These services include exercise classes, hot meal programs, health and wellness clinics and educational presentations. The sidewalk encourages regular walking which is great exercise in itself.”

Jim McDonell, MPP for SD&SG, concurred, saying, “the constructed walkway will provide easy access while promoting a healthier lifestyle.”

“We have a plaque here from the Trillium Foundation to commemorate the volunteers,” who, as he later pointed out, “come out and make a difference.”

Catherine MacLaine, representative for the Ontario Trillium Foundation, said “in October of last year the grant review team was happy to support their efforts with a $15,000 grant.”

She said, “we see a group of dedicated staff and volunteers.”

With that said, Mary Salmon, tenant of Tolley Place, cut the ribbon, officially opening the walkway between Tolley Place and the support centre.

Kooistra then said, “you’re now invited to walk the walk.”

Williamsburg Non-Profit Housing Corporation oversees the operation of Tolley Place, Park Drive Villa, County Road 18 Group Home, Schell Street Group Home, as well as the J. W. MacIntosh Seniors Support Centre.

It also provides community support in the way of meals on wheels, adult day services, transportation, respite, foot care, assisted living services, and diners club. 

For more information, contact them at 613-535-2924 or at 613-535-2470. They also have a website: www.wnphc.ca.

[…]