United Way campaign extended to Jan. 15th

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) is reminding residents to take steps to protect themselves when in areas where Lyme disease-carrying ticks may be found. 

According to the EOHU, Eastern Ontario is seeing an increase in numbers and range of blacklegged ticks that carry Lyme disease, especially along the St. Lawrence River area. 

“Fortunately, simple precautions can help protect against tick bites, and lower your risk of becoming infected with Lyme disease,” states Linda Cléroux, Manager of the Vector-borne Illness program at the EOHU.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks (deer ticks). 

It can cause a rash that looks like a red bull’s eye, as well as flu-like symptoms. Left untreated, Lyme disease can affect the heart, nervous system or joints, but if caught early can generally be treated successfully.

Outdoor enthusiasts and those who work outdoors are at higher risk of being exposed to Lyme disease, especially if they spend time in wooded areas, tall shrubs or tall grass that may be tick-infested.

The EOHU advises those who spend time outdoors and in higher risk areas such as wooded areas, tall shrubs or tall grass to follow these precautions to lower their risk:

Apply insect repellent containing DEET to clothing and on all exposed skin. Read and follow the manufacturer’s directions for safe use.

Wear long sleeves, long pants, socks and closed footwear (avoid sandals or open shoes). Light-coloured clothing is best because it makes ticks easier to see and remove before they can attach to feed.

Tuck your shirt into your pants, and tuck your pants into your socks.

Examine your body for ticks after being in an area where there’s tall grass or shrubs, or where ticks are known to live. Showering after can also help remove ticks that have not yet attached.

Remove any attached ticks with tweezers. If possible, take the tick to the EOHU, where it will be sent away for species identification and, if necessary, tested for Lyme disease.

Pets may bring ticks into the house. Consult your vet about how you can protect your pet from ticks.

Contact your healthcare provider if you develop symptoms of Lyme disease (especially a bull’s eye rash).

For more information about Lyme disease and how you can protect yourself, visit www.eohu.ca. You can also call 613-933-1375 or 1 800 267-7120, and ask for Health Line.

[…]

Michael Harvey, co-founder of the Back to Church movement and author of “Unlocking the Growth”, says essentially, “the heart of the “Back to Church Sunday” movement is to get a movement of invitation going. I’m interested in inviting, which is different than bringing.”  He adds that, “It’s okay for people to say yes or no. The problem is, we aren’t hearing enough invitations.”

Harvey’s “Unlocking the Growth” seminar offers ideas for increasing the number of people at church. It is designed to inspire church leaders and lay people to help their church grow and at the heart of the growth movement are invitations to families and friends to come to church.

“It’s so easy to drift away from church these days,” says Harvey. “One day becomes two days and two days becomes two weeks.” He says that after while it has been so long that people find it awkward to return.

“That is why invitation is so vital.”

According to Harvey, research shows that the number one reason people don’t offer invitations is that they fear the answer will be no.

The Back to Church movement began in 2004, and early results were amazing.

Harvey, who on Friday was in his second week of a three week tour which started in Western Canada with stops in Vancouver Island, Edmonton and Winnipeg, then Toronto, prior to coming to Williamsburg, said of the smaller venue “I’m always delighted to visit places like this.”

He explains that the results of the movement are tracked by having churches register. Last September, he says 14,000 churches in 17 countries took part and 200,000 people accepted invitations.

“You can do the math and it’s only about 14 people per church, but it’s a start. We’ve almost convinced ourselves that people aren’t into church, but it’s not true. The welcome to get them past the threshold has got to be invitational.”

In 2004, Harvey gave up a demanding job in London, England to teach church leaders to see new possibilities within their churches. Since then he has spoken to thousands of church leaders and has challenged churches of all sizes to double their congregation in a day.

In addition to the hosting Lutheran pastors, a number of South Dundas clergy accepted the ‘invitation’ to attend Friday’s seminar along with the general public. 

The Seaway cluster of pastors who invited Harvey to speak at Williamsburg included Pastor Norine Gullons of the South Dundas Evangelical Lutheran Parish of South Dundas, Rev. Jo Barkley-Probst of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Riverside Heights, Rev. Bruce Thompson of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Brockville, Rev. Robert C. Wiesner of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Belleville and Rev. Steve Hoffard of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Kingston.

[…]

“It’s so confusing,” said South Dundas Deputy-Mayor Jim Locke, referring to the opposing sides of the wind farm debate.

Council has decided to postpone rulings concerning the requests made by the South Branch Wind Opposition Group at the December 6th South Dundas council meeting. The group won’t hear anything definite from council until January 2012.

Leslie Disheau, a spokesperson for the South Branch Wind Opposition Group, presented council with the requests after giving a very thorough, detailed presentation on why Prowind Canada’s plan to build the South Branch Wind Farm, consisting of about 14 wind turbines, should be stopped or, at the very least, roadblocked.

The project, which could begin as early as next spring, but no later than 2013, officially began in 2008.

Disheau began by outlining “South Branch Wind Opposition group’s points of objection to industrial wind turbines: they have not been proven safe to be sited close to communities – health concerns; they kill large numbers of birds and bats; they devalue non-participant properties; and, there is no reduction in cost to consumers for electricity rates.” 

In 2006, Nina Pierpont, MD, PhD testified before the New York State Legislature Energy Committee, saying “I’m an intelligent person and I support renewable energy. I am not here to shoot down wind energy, which probably has its place, though that place is not near people’s homes or near schools, hospitals, or other locations where people have to sleep or learn.”

Pierpont has a BA in Biology from Yale University, a PhD in Population Biology from Pinceton University, and an MD from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

In September of this year, Cathy Weston, Managing Director for Prowind Canada, told the Leader that there are only two houses in the area designated to be within 600 metres of a turbine. She explained that the rest of the turbines would be situated at least one kilometre from all existing homes.

At the council meeting, Disheau referred to studies that show inhabitants of houses that are less than a 1.4 kilometres from a turbine are subject to negative impacts on their sleeping habits and, in turn, their health.

According to Pierpont, “a setback of 1.5 miles from homes, schools, hospitals, and similar institutions will probably be adequate, in most NY State terrain, to protect people from the adverse health effects of industrial wind turbines.” For reference, 1.5 miles is equal to 2.4 kilometres.

On behalf of the South Branch Wind Opposition Group, Disheau made several requests of South Dundas council members.

The first request asked council to “pass a motion making a request to the Ministry of the Environment, and provincial officials that would place a moratorium on the construction of industrial wind turbine facilities before a third party independent epidemiological study (can be done) determining they pose no risks to human health, the environment, and property values.”

The second request suggested council “pass a by-law that requires wind turbine companies to have equipment and trained Emergency Response personnel to deal with high elevation fires and rescues for turbines over the 200 foot mark. And, council must amend the Emergency Preparedness Plan for South Dundas to deal with ice throw and flying debris from wind blade disintegration.”

In a third request, Disheau wanted council to “pass a by-law, according to the Municipal Act, restricting night time nuisance noise and vibration.” She explained that as per the Green Energy Act of Ontario, 10 p.m. is the stop time for wind turbine installations.

A fourth request suggested that “before any building permits are given to Prowind or any other developer, South Dundas council should conduct an open forum session for all township residents to have their questions and concerns answered.” 

This request is actually being addressed by Prowind Canada itself. Two public meetings, both scheduled for January, will follow a question and answer format. The meeting in South Dundas will be held at Matilda Hall in Dixon’s Corners on January 10th from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

In the South Branch Wind Opposition group’s final request, Disheau pleaded with council to “make an appeal to the Environmental Review Tribunal on the approval of the wind farm project.”

In response to Disheau’s informative and moving presentation, Mayor Steven Byvelds said, “we hear your concerns. I’ve added it to the discussion. There are some options in my mind as to where we can go with this,” however, “here we are less than six months away from people who have spent a lot of money to put something up. That presents challenges.”

During a later discussion, Byvelds presented his fellow council members with three options in response to the group’s presentation and requests: one, take time to review the information and make a decision at a later meeting; two, “take their information under advisement and monitor the progress of the wind farm and if there are any issues, deal with them according to the law; and three, “agree and do as they ask.”

Both Byvelds and Councillor Jim Graham seemed perplexed as to the last minute attention to the project. Graham asked, “It’s been four or five years and this is the first sign of opposition?”

Councillor Archie Mellan agreed, saying “they’re asking us to try to stop it when shovels” are about to dig in.

Byvelds seemed skeptical of the proof behind the group’s concerns, saying “I would find it really hard to believe that the province is relying on poor information.”

With that said, he addressed council, saying “I want to be fair to both sides. I advise council that you read both sides of the story.”

South Dundas council members unanimously chose option one, meaning they will take time to review, research, and  attend Prowind’s January 10th meeting, before responding to the opposition group’s requests. The requests will be revisited and decided upon at the council meeting following Prowind’s January 10th meeting.

Byvelds concluded the discussion on the topic, saying “I know I sound a little closed-minded, but we’ve had meetings with Prowind. They’ve spent a lot of money. We want to make sure we’re right on this.”

Contact information for both sides of the issue are: Prowind Canada via e-mail at info@prowind.ca; and, the South Branch Wind Opposition Group via e-mail at sbwindoppgrp@gmail.com.

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