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Obituaries

Hank van Dodewaard

 

A resident of Iroquois, Henk van Dodewaard passed away peacefully at the Cornwall CareforHospice on Wednesday, December 10th, 2014. He was in his 85th year. 

Henk was the dearly beloved husband of Agnes van  Dodewaard. He was loving father of Arie (Ineke) of RR 3 Williamsburg, Marja (Marcel) Smellink of Iroquois, Henry (Brenda) of Iroquois, John (Janis) of Iroquois, Erik (Donna) of Brockville and Peter (Debra) of Iroquois. 

He was dear brother of Corrie van Dodewaard of Holland, Coby (James) Maida of Malawi and Arie van Dodewaard of Holland. 

Henk was predeceased by two grandsons Michael and Daniel. He will be sadly missed by his 19 grandchildren and five great- grandchildren. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. 

Henk was born in Heteren in the Netherlands, the second oldest of four kids.  He married Agnes in 1957, and they celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary on November 27th, 2014, at the hospice surrounded by their family. 

As a blacksmith, Henk made some beautiful “artwork”. One piece was a rooster which he helped make, and place on the top of a church in Holland. He also made two cradles for his grandchildren. 

Henk had different jobs; he drove an excavator for a couple of years, one of them was built on the back of a truck which he built himself, He was also a tool and die maker and machinist.

Henk and Agnes had five boys and one girl. The last couple of years in Holland, he had his own business, and sometimes he made 36 hour “days” welding buckets, and everything else in steel, like scaffolding and soil testing equipment for Venezuela.

In 1976, Henk decided to take a look in Canada, and when he returned, he just said to his family “We are moving”. So  in July  1977, when Henk was 47, he moved his family to Canada. A time a lot of us are going “We need to slow down”, but not Henk, he kept working. 

In the early 80’s, Henk and his sons started their own business, a welding and repair business that did repairs and made buckets. D and S Manufacturing was born. He worked until he was 75, and even after that he had to check up to see if the boys were doing all right.

He loved making little kids laugh, especially his grand kids and great-grandchildren. He was a kid at heart. 

Pa/opa was a great husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather and great-grandfather, and he will be sadly missed. 

Friends called at the Marsden McLaughlin in Williamsburg, on Friday, December 12, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.  Funeral service was held at Dixon’s Corners Community Christian Reform Church on Saturday, December 13, 2014 at 11 a.m.

Special thanks go to Dr. Saad Abbud and his staff, the staff of J. W. MacIntosh Seniors’ Support Centre-Assisted Living, and the doctors, nurses and other staff at the Cornwall Carefor Hospice.

Donations to Carefor Hospice would be gratefully acknowledged by the family.

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Opinion

Perspectives by Rev. Sue McCullough

 

Singing a New Song…

Well, my friends, as many of you know I have retired. My ministry with the Parish of Morrisburg, Iroquois and Riverside Heights came to an end on December 28th, 2014. Now it’s time to prepare for what God has in store for me next.

On the first Sunday after Christmas in our church the Gospel reading told of Mary and Joseph taking their infant son to the Temple for presentation according to their custom.

Two significant figures were there in the Temple at the time – Simeon and Anna. When each met the family, both offered a song to God; Simeon a song of departure and Anna a song of praise and thanksgiving.

Music, in my opinion, is one of the best ways to express ourselves. It can tell stories of joy. It can tell stories of sadness. Music can set our imaginations and hearts free in ways that words alone cannot. Needless to say, singing is one of my favourite things to do.

The music that has been my ministry with the people of the Parish and the community of South Dundas has for the most part been sweet. There have been the odd sour notes or the odd time when things were a tad off key – that’s normal in any unrehearsed musical composition. But the music always had God as director. 

Today, I begin singing a new song. The other voices that join in will be different. Who knows, the tune might be different and the words the same or vise versa – or both could be entirely different. It doesn’t matter. What does matter is that God is still the director.

Thank you to all of you who have been faithful readers of this column of Perspectives. Thank you to the editorial staff at the Leader for your patience with an amateur writer. May God continue to bless you richly in 2015.

Cheers, Rev. Sue McCullough

 

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Sports

Novice B Lions lose two in a row

 

Holiday hockey hasn’t been the best for the South Dundas Novice B Lions who lost a pair of matches in the last week to the Akwesasne Wolves and the Kemptville Panthers.

On Sunday, December 21st, the Lions were at home to the Panthers for a 2-0 loss, and Sunday, December 27 they travelled to the Wolves home barn where they lost, 4-2.

Gareth Robinson was unbeatable in net on Sunday, December 21st, as the Panthers went to work on the 2-0  win.

They led 1-0 after the first period on a Brandon Taylor goal, and in the second period Rhett McLean made it 2-0. 

Saturday, December 27, the Lions fell behind the Wolves 3-0 in the first period and were unable to recover despite a two goal effort from Ben Radley.

Radley counted in the second period with help from Cooper McCooey and Luke Byvelds, and then again in the third period with help from McCooeye.

The Wolves got first period goals from Kinley Rourke, Myles Cook and Wyatt Landry. Otsirakete Benedict scored in the third period for the 4-0 victory.

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Sports

Junior Lions finish off year with a win

 

After a pair of holiday losses, the Morrisburg Junior B Lions put together a 3-2 win against the Gananoque Islander to finish off 2014.

The Lions lost 9-5, to the Char-Lan Rebels in Williamstown, on Saturday, December 20, and then to the Akwesasne Wolves on home ice on Sunday, December 21st.

After a break for Christmas they were back on the ice in Morrisburg, on Saturday, December 27 to claim the 3-2 win against the Islanders.

The win, their eighth of the season, leaves them five points behind the St. Lawrence Division’s fifth place Char-Lan Rebels and 10 points back of the fourth place Wolves.

The Casselman Vikings continue to dominate the division at 49 points.

The rest of the division, again this year, falls well back of the Vikings with the Alexandria Glens in second with 31, the Winchester Hawks in third with 29 and the Wolves at 26.

Saturday night in Morrisburg, Michael Paquette opened the Lions scoring with an unassisted goal at 9:37 of the first period.

Tyler Murray evened it at 17:48 of the first period on the Islanders’ power play, but Landon Veenstra gave the Lions a 2-1 advantage at 18:27 with help from Eric Evans and Zach Belaire.

The lone goal of the second period came from the stick of Cole Hamilton allowing the Islanders to tie the game, 2-2.

That set the stage for Cole Blanchard’s winner just 1:04 into the third period. Lions goaltender Keiran Weir dug in and the Lions went to work to protect their slim lead and hold on for the 3-2 win.

Providing the help on Blanchard’s game winner were Eric Evans and Justin Lefevbre.

Sunday, December 21 the Lions lost to the Akwesasne Wolves on home ice 7-3.

The Wolves led 2-1 after the first period and 5-3 heading into the third period.

Derik Dionne and Brock Daze had two goals each for the Wolves, and Chris Wert, Tylor Alguire and Jacob Swamp added singles.

Michael Paquette and the Blacksmith brothers, Dakota and Dallas provided the Lions scoring.

On Saturday, December 20, the Lions were on the road where they were handed a 9-5 loss by the Char-Lan Rebels.

The Rebels built a 5-0 first period lead and led 6-2 after two.

Jamie Lepine and Brennan Markell had two goals each for the Rebels and singles came from the sticks of Jackson Thompson, Matthew Gregoire, Jesse Fontaine, Brian Landry and Jayden Lemire.

Jacob Guillot answered with two goals for the Lions and Paquette, and Lefevbre and Ryan Griffin scored singles.

Coming up, the Lions have a busy weekend schedule to kick off the new year.

On Friday, January 2 they are on the road to take on the Alexandria Glens.

Saturday night, January 3 they host the Winchester Hawks at 7:30 p.m., and then on Sunday, January 4, they are back on the road to play the Akwesasne Wolves.

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News

Blok family benefit Jan. 10

A fundraising dance and silent auction is being organized for the benefit of Jessica (Beckstead) Blok and her young family.

Jessica, who is 19 years old, has been diagnosed with stage four cancer, and every cent of the proceeds will go to help her and her husband Dustin as they care for their six month old daughter, Autumn, through these difficult circumstances.

A committee of volunteers and the Iroquois-Matilda Lions Club have held an emergency meeting to organize the event that will take place January 10, 8 p.m., at Matilda Hall in Dixon’s Corners.

Eddy and the Stingrays will provide the entertainment.

Tony Hall, one of the organizers of the event, says Eddy and the Stingrays are donating their time to the event, so that all proceeds can go to help Jessica, Dustin and Autumn.

“That’s just fantastic,” said Hall. “Their popularity alone will mean that this could turn into a huge event, and a really big blessing for this family.”

Last week, Hall said that Jessica is not doing well. “We are hoping to have her with us as long as possible.”

If anyone wants to donate items to the auction they can do so by contacting Tony Hall (613-330-1901 or tonythomashall@gmail.com). Tickets for the benefit dance are $20 and available at Mustard’s Variety or from any Iroquois-Matilda Lions Club member.

 

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News

Holiday strain leaves food bank shelves bare

“The strain on food banks is always high at this time of year, but for the Dundas County Food Bank this is unprecedented,” said Ian McKelvie, DCFB administrator.

While the food bank has been fortunate to receive much community support over the holiday season, the generosity hasn’t been enough to keep the shelves stocked.

Over the last several weeks, food is going out the door as fast as it is coming in.

Food bank use has increased by about 15 percent across Dundas County, but McKelvie says that it has increased even more here at the South Dundas location in Morrisburg.

With food going out the doors so quickly, the food purchasing budget for 2014 has been completely depleted. 

DCFB officials estimate that the food budget will be overspent by about $12,000 just to meet demand. “It’s possible that we could have our first deficit since the food bank was established in 1991.”

“We would like to appeal to the community to help us reduce this shortfall,” said McKelvie. 

Right now they are asking that people focus on monetary donations, cash or cheques payable to the Dundas County Food Bank.

Monetary donations allow the food bank to focus on their most immediate food needs, and gives purchasers a little more buying power to buy in bulk to turn the dollars into more food.

The need is immediate. 

Donations can be dropped off at the food bank.  They are open next January 5, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For added convenience, the Municipality of South Dundas and Township of North Dundas have agreed to accept donations for the Dundas County Food Bank at the municipal offices in Morrisburg and Winchester during regular business hours from January 2 on.

Donations are also accepted online at canadahelps.org : search for Dundas County Food Bank.

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News

Mayor Delegarde focuses on the new year ahead

South Dundas mayor Evonne Delegarde is much more interested in looking ahead to 2015, than looking back at 2014, as we head into the new year.

Much of 2014, for her, was focused on the fall election where she ultimately achieved her goal of becoming mayor of South Dundas: South Dundas’ first female mayor.

Speaking with media days after being sworn in as mayor, she had already noticed that things are a lot different as mayor than they were as councillor, a position she held for six years.

“There’s definitely more pressure as mayor,” said Delegarde. “It’s totally different.”

She said that in preparing for a council meeting, she has always been pretty well-read and well prepared for the issues at hand, but she is nervous to be at the head of the table. “Part of the job in this position is to get all the facts. I have to listen to everything so that I can make decisions that are in the best interest of South Dundas. We all have to do that, with every issue,” she said. 

“We have to try to think with our heads and not our hearts. That’s a challenge. We all grew up here.”

As soon as she was elected mayor, she noticed a big difference in the number of comments and inquiries that she is fielding. “On average, I probably get about three or four inquiries everyday. I get more calls now than ever before and numerous emails.”

Despite the increased workload, she plans to continue with her part-time job at the Sears in Iroquois.

Being at the head of the council table, Delegarde says, “I know that I may have to provide more direction for council.” 

She wants the process to be a little less formal than it has been over the last four years.

Delegarde sees the next year as a time to work at mending relationships and opening the channels of communication. 

“We have to get staff, and everyone working together again. That’s a goal of this council as a group,” she said.

She will hold regular office hours open to the public at the South Dundas Municipal Centre in the mayor and council office on the third floor, likely twice a month, the Friday before a council meeting.

“This is not a one pony show. We want people to tell us what they are thinking. As a council there is no possible way we can know everything. We need people to tell us, and to feel free to speak to us about their concerns,” said Delegarde, who will encourage the other council members to make use of the office too. 

Delegarde wants to see the municipality be more proactive than reactive in how they deal with complaints, and the complaints to be tracked to ensure they are dealt with in a timely manner. 

Over the last year council and staff have been working on five draft bylaws, and Delegarde would like to see those drafts dealt with as soon as possible, having already scheduled a special council meeting in mid January. Those bylaws include parking, signs, exotic animals, entrance and sewer use bylaws.

One of the first big tasks or council every year is the budget.

Delegarde acknowledges that the budget will be handled a little later this year than it has in the past, but in the coming years it is her aim to get the budget completed as early in the new year as possible.

As far as a tax increase, she is not making any solid predictions, although she was quick to point out that the cost of the South Dundas Municipal Centre alone means that six percent more is needed. But, acknowledges there have been significant savings in other areas that help offset some of that cost. 

“We want minimal increases, but it’s hard to do with no increase,” she said.

For her, village roads are a priority.

In the coming year she says that council will decide whether or not open question and answer sessions will become a part of the regular council agenda.

She plans to stay on top of landfill issues and succession planning, as staff retirements are likely over the next four years. 

Areas for review, according to Delegarde, include the rehabilitation of the Morrisburg Plaza, an inventory of municipally owned buildings and land, and the whole user fee system.  

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Opinion

Perspectives with Rev. Clarence Witten

 

Cancer at Christmas

Years ago I read a Christmas story that both broke my heart and blessed it. It was about a three year old boy named Cameron, who discovered six weeks before Christmas that he had cancer in his brain. He had it before, but eighteen months earlier the doctors operated and were confident that they had removed it all. Now it was back.

Since the doctors didn’t want to try another surgery, it meant their only option was radiation.

For six weeks dear mom took him for his treatment. The little guy became weaker and slowly started to lose his hair. Christmas hardly seemed like Christmas that year. 

Each day on the way into the hospital little Cameron begged to see a Santa they drove by, but mom was far too busy and stressed to bother. Finally one day Cameron nagged to see the guy more than usual, so mom agreed to make a visit to the mall to see the Santa there.

He jumped up all excited to sit beside Santa on his sleigh when it was finally his turn to talk to him. Santa asked about the hair loss and his mother called over that he was going through radiation for a brain tumour. 

At that point Santa did something rather unexpected. He called mom over and asked that she come join them on the sleigh. And he asked if he could pray for them.

“You know,” he said, “that after the doctors have done all they can with their technology, the ultimate healing is up to the Lord.” He added that he himself had a serious brain problem and was healed. So with a crowd gathering and wondering what was going on, he prayed for healing for little Cameron.

I don’t know how Cameron is doing today, but the last I read, he carried on for years not entirely cancer free, but able to live a full and happy life.

That story puts Christmas in perspective for me. All our usual Christmas festivities and traditions are great. It’s fun to enjoy Santa and presents and all of those kind of things. But as happy as all this can make us, it doesn’t really meet our deepest needs, nor address our most urgent concerns. It has no answer for cancer, or violence, or death.

For the serious problems of life we need what that Santa in the story pointed to. We need the one who in love came to our world to be born in Bethlehem’s stable. The one who one day would die for the sins of the world that we could be saved and reconciled to God.

I wish you all a wonder-filled Christmas. Good times with family and friends. Feasting and festivities. Reaching out to those in need or lonely. 

But I especially hope that we realize our need of the one whose birthday we are called to celebrate: Jesus. For the really big stuff in life, only he has the answer. He is the answer. Turn to him, trust in him. And you’ll have the best Christmas ever.

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Sports

Lions, Panthers tangle in tournament final

 

The South Dundas Bantam C Lions scored some big results at the 10th Annual Holiday House League tournament played at the Bell Sens Plex on the weekend of December 12-14. In fact, the Lions went all the way to the championship final before they lost out to the Kemptville Panthers, 3-1.

On their way to the final, the high flying Lions scored 19 goals, while goaltender Brett Froats gave up just three goals in four games and collected a pair of shutouts.

The Lions got it rolling on Friday, December 12 with a 4-1 win over the West End Dingoes. Then on Saturday, they put up a 6-0 win over the West End Scorch and a 7-0 win over the South End Moose Head.

Their undefeated record put them in the semi-final game against the Kanata North Stars, and in this game the Lions had their work cut out for them.

After the game ended in a 2-2 tie, two periods of overtime were required before the Lions were able to claim the win, on a goal scored by William Dejong, unassisted, on their power play.

That put them into the championship final against the Kemptville 73s who skated to a 3-1 win.

The Lions got rolling in the tournament against the West End Dingoes. They led 1-0 after the first period and had a 3-1 edge after two.

The scoring was provided by Max Garlough (from Brody Smail and Kendrew Byers), Smail (from Trinity Hanes and Noah Keeler), Kurtis Markell (from Garlough and Hanes) and Hunter Wells (from Byers).

Froats registered his first of two shutouts against the West End Scorch on Saturday, with Brody Smail leading the offence with a three goal performance. Singles came from the sticks of Julenea Barnhartd, William Dejong, Kurtis Markell and Max Garlough in the 7-0 victory.

Providing assists were Dejong, Kendrew Byers, Jacob Byvelds, Thomas Rae and Maddy Hummel.

Shut out number two, 6-0, and the Lions third consecutive victory was over the Southend Mooseheads.

Thomas Rae and Brody Smail had two goals apiece in this one, and Williams Dejong and Kendrew Byers added singles.

Max Garlough provided a pair of assists and Noah Keeler, Trinity Hanes and Smail assisted on one each.

The Lions met head on for some big opposition from the Kanata North Stars in the semi-final.

They went up 1-0 in the first period on a Thomas Rae goal assisted by William Dejong and Trinity Hanes.

After a scoreless second period, the North Stars came charging back with a pair of early third period goals for a 2-1 lead.

Midway into the third period, Julenea Barnhartd (from Dejong) found the spot to even it and that is how it stayed.

There was no scoring in the first overtime period setting the stage for Dejong’s winners, unassisted, while the Lions were on their power play in the second overtime period.

For the championship the Lions met up with the Kemptville Panthers.

They kicked off the scoring 5:50 into the second period with a Hunter Wells goal assisted by Smail and Noah Keeler.

They were able to hold on to their lead until early in the third when Regan Hackett struck for the Panthers to tie it.

Two quick goals from Alexander Rusch gave the Panthers the 3-1 win and the tournament championship.

 

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News

Ontario Grain Terminal proposal-Council hears it from both sides

It didn’t take long for the nearly two year old Ontario Grain Terminal issue to land on the table of the newly elected South Dundas council.

December 16, at the first regular meeting of council, among the first delegations to make presentations to council were the concerned citizens of South Dundas who have long opposed the grain terminal proposed by Norag Commodities for the industrial UTI property of Tom Kaneb, located along Lakeshore Drive. 

Immediately following that presentation was a presentation by those who are in favour of the development. 

Both sides of the issue had different spokespeople making their presentations. 

The concerned citizens presentation was by Linda Nowicki, one time South Dundas resident and former mayor of Wawa, Ontario, who plans to return here as a full time resident.

The Ontario Grain Terminal presentation of support was prepared and delivered by former South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds of Bycrest Farms, a 1,000 acre cash crop operation and Warren Schneckenburger of Cedar Lodge Farms, a 3,000 acre cash crop farming operation.

The South Dundas council chamber was filled with over 80 residents, about half from area farming operations, with an interest in the issue.

South Dundas mayor Evonne Delegarde read a statement explaining that there would be no questions or discussion on the matter at the table since it has become a legal matter.

Nowicki urged council to officially take a position on the issue. 

“To date, council of the township of South Dundas has been silent on the matter. There has been no public official endorsement of the proposal by way of resolution, debate or a vote at a public meeting of council,” she said. 

She added that the chief building official is not the one who should be deciding which expert opinion is the most valid. “He is not a planning expert and does not have the authority to decide which report carries the most weight. That is up to council.”

“We are seeking an honest and open process whereby the costs/benefits of the grain terminal proposal will be thoroughly analyzed, discussed in public, and decided in accordance with established municipal council responsibilities, planning principles and zoning requirements applicable in Ontario. We appeal to you to recognize the authority that you have as a council and exercise that authority,” concluded Nowicki.

“South Dundas needs economic  development,” said Steven Byvelds who is in favour of the OGT project.

“South Dundas cannot afford to turn down any new development, especially one with the potential this project has. If council stops this project, it will send a signal to other potential developers that South Dundas is not open for business and they will go where they are welcome, like North Dundas and South Stormont.”

Farmers are unified in their support of the $6 million project, having letters of support from the Dundas Federation of Agriculture, Dundas Soil and Crop Improvement Association, District 14 Grain Farmers of Ontario and the Grain Farmers of Ontario. 

The project would open up a new local market for producers across the region as there are presently no significant end users for soybeans or wheat in the vicinity like there are for corn (Ingredion, Greenfield). 

“One ship replaces 625 trucks going further downstream to Montreal or Sorel,” said Schneckenburger, adding that the terminal is a clean land use. They urged council to allow the project to move forward and to issue a building permit.

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