WDMH helping patients live well with cancer

With Prowind Canada’s submission of their final report to the Ministry of Environment (MOE) drawing closer, the South Branch Wind Opposition Group (SBWOG) is still hard at work trying to stop the project from moving forward.

On March 18th, at the DC Community Center in Dixon’s Corners,  the opposition group held a fundraiser, “Patty’s Delight Fundraiser,” to help subsidize legal fees for their appeal to the Environmental Review Tribunal.

Following the event, group representative Leslie Disheau reported: “Our group had great support today for the afternoon of music, desserts, and silent auction.”

“Everyone enjoyed themselves. We ended the day with a grand total of $1,827.”

“I am very happy with our fundraising event,” continued Disheau, “and proud of the work done by our members.” 

In addition to fundraising, the group has also been busy lobbying for help from local MPP for Stormont, Dundas, and South Glengarry, Jim McDonell.

According to his Executive Assistant, Marilyn McMahon, McDonell “has agreed to attend and help set up a format with other MPPs for an open discussion with both sides.”

Disheau said that “we have no firm date yet from Jim’s office but it looks like around the first of April.”

“SBWOG is still busy. We have placed our newsletter, Breaking Wind, in seven locations for people to take and read,” she said. 

The newsletter, Breaking Wind: Demystifying misconceptions about Wind Power, sheds light on a few myths and defines some wind power terms like ‘low frequency noise’ and ‘infrasound.’

One of the myths presented is the often heard: “It’s just in their heads.” According to the opposition group’s newsletter: “People complain wind turbines make them sick… it’s not just in their heads! Evidence exists that if wind turbines are placed too close to residents, they can cause harm to  humans.”

In a passionate appeal to the general population, Disheau pleaded: “People in the community need to wake up and realize that as tax payers there are 149 houses directly affected by this project and each of us will be appealing our property assessments to MPAC (Municipal Property Assessment Corporation) for devaluation.”

“Guess who’s picking up the lost property taxation? Residents of Morrisburg, Iroquois, and Williamsburg areas. Our township is small and we don’t have enough industry to help pay the tax base so everything once again falls on homeowners.”

In addition to answering questions by phone, 613-658-1236, the South Branch Wind Opposition Group is creating their own dedicated website.

[…]

The Morrisburg and District Leo club has never done anything special to acknowledge Remembrance Day, so one of their members, 14 year old Dawson Clouthier, had an idea that he shared with the club.

“I saw an ad on the TV about V.E.T.S. Canada, so I checked them out on Facebook,” said Dawson. 

He supported them himself by liking them on Facebook, and thought that maybe the Leos could do something to donate to the cause.

V.E.T.S. Canada (Veterans Emergency Transition Services)provides aid and comfort to transient and homeless Canadian veterans by providing the essentials in emergencies, and assisting those at risk.

“I am into helping vets. I want to be army,” said Dawson.

The staff at Scotiabank, Linda Robinson who coordinated the bake sale fund raising event for the Leos and Lisa Lewis who supervised the Leos bake sale at the Morrisburg arena were all happy to help Dawson and the Leos contribute to the cause.

[…]

An air show is planned for Iroquois, this summer–A Miniature Air show.

Members of the Ottawa Valley Zone of the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada, were thrilled to have discovered South Dundas’ municipal airport in Iroquois.

Ken Park and Brent Norman of the club which flies radio controlled miniature jets, both electric and turbine powered, requested the use of the Iroquois airport facility to host an event the weekend of July 4, 2015. 

“The airport manager John Ross gave us a private tour, and we were truly blown away as this location has everything we could think of for a possible successful event,” said Park.

For them, for a first time event, they hope to attract at least 20 pilots and planes.

South Dundas council unanimously approved the use of the airport for the club, which carries its own liability insurance, looks after its own crowd control barriers and takes responsibility for all safety measures.

The event would be open to the public and free. 

Oftentimes, flying will be stopped for a short time to allow the public to see the models up close, and ask questions of the pilots.

Organizers expect those pilots participating in the event will like the proximity to the Iroquois Municipal Campground to the airport.

The site plan and logistics will be fully detailed when the organizers come back in May for another site meeting.

The plan is for all flying to take place south of the airstrip. The airstrip would be closed to other air traffic that weekend. This miniature air show takes place two weeks before the annual fly-in breakfast.

[…]