Year: 2015

With food bank usage reaching unprecedented levels, the cost of food rising, and the ongoing project to move the Morrisburg location of the Dundas County Food Bank, the new board of directors have turned their focus to increasing donations.

Food bank volunteers stepping down from the positions they held with the food bank, reiterated the fact that donations need to be the boards focus going forward, at the organization’s annual general meeting held March 9, at the Hartford Retirement Residence in Morrisburg.

“I have projected an increase in donations, as the board hopes to encourage more as they go forward,” said Dave King, who will be stepping away from his duties as treasurer.  

Last year, just over $96,000 worth of monetary donations were received by the Dundas County Food Bank.

“I must emphasize the importance of our donor base,” said Alvin Runnalls, in his last report as chair of the Dundas County Food Bank. He too will step away from the DCFB. “Everything hinges on donations of cash and food from corporations, business organizations, service clubs and many individuals. We are extremely thankful for the generosity.”

While the money donated amounted to $96,000, the value of the food that went out the door to families in need was $173,343. 

That food was included in 2,063 boxes of food that fed 6,231 people over the year, 40 per cent of whom are children. 

Of the families who received food items last year, 36 per cent receive disability income, 24 per cent Ontario Works income, and 18 per cent fall into the category of working poor.

According to Judy Hilson, coordinator for the Winchester location of the food bank, the value of food is up about three per cent over the previous year, while the total amount of food distributed was about 14 per cent more than last year.

About one-third of food in the food boxes distributed is purchased from the food budget. The other two-thirds are food items donated to the food bank.

Last year, $60,000 was budgeted for food purchasing, but $73,600 was spent on food. With the 14 per cent increase in food bank visits seen over the last year, the food purchasing budget was increased to $80,000 for 2015. 

The Morrisburg food bank location continues to see its numbers rise at a faster pace than Winchester. About 58 per cent of food boxes were distributed from the Morrisburg location.

Work is progressing on the renovation of the food bank space at the Morrisburg arena. According to Brian Cox, who delivered the building committee report, the move into the new space is likely to take place towards the end of May. The Municipality of South Dundas has arranged an interest free loan for the food bank for the renovations.

“Our client base has grown substantially over the past year and we project the same increase this year,” said Ian McKelvie, DCFB administrator. “If we are to overcome deficits in the future, we need to become more assertive in our fundraising efforts.”

Following the AGM, the 2015 board of directors was elected. The executive includes, Terry Triskle, chair, Jim Millard, vice chair, Celeste Guse, secretary, and Wendy Weagant, treasurer. Directors are Terry Green, Laura Harbers, Bill Steele, James Tripp, Arie Vandodewaard, Jim Wilson and Joanne Havekes.

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The Morrisburg Canada Day Committee is getting ready to have a laugh to support the fun-filled Canada Day event that they are planning for July 1, 2015.

The commitee is bringing back the popular Yuk Yuks comedy show, with proceeds going towards Canada Day 2015 in Morrisburg.

The funds support the general activities of the day, which include a petting zoo, rides and more.

The Yuk Yuks fundraiser was so popular last year that it sold out, so organizers recommend that those planning to attend book their tables, and buy their tickets early.

“It was really well supported last year, so we hope everyone who joined us last year, will do the same again this year,” said Canada Committee member Viviane Martin.

The Yuk Yuks comedy show, headlined by returning favourite Chris Quigley, takes place March 28, 2015, 7 p.m., at the Morrisburg Legion. 

Tickets can be purchased in various locations throughout the community. Entire tables can be reserved by contacting Jim and Viviane Martin at 613-543-0779.

Viviane and Jim Martin are part of the Canada Day Committee, which is a stand alone organization with the mandate of hosting Morrisburg’s Canada Day festivities. It is not affiliated with any other service organization or the municipality.

“We do this strictly to volunteer for this for the community,” said Jim Martin. “This day wouldn’t happen, if it weren’t for these volunteers,” added Viviane.

The committee has recently lost some of its volunteers due to various life circumstances, and is in need of some new members. They welcome anyone willing to join the group, and are open to new ideas. 

[…]

Ontario Power Generation wishes to advise hunters, anglers and recreational boaters on the St. Lawrence River that ice booms will be removed from narrow stretches of the river, starting on Mar. 23, 2015.

These booms, which were placed in the river off Galop Island, in the North Channel, near Johnstown and at Prescott, are chain-and-wood devices used to prevent the build-up of ice during the winter. They ensured an even freeze on the river, helping to improve power generation during the winter months.

All users of the river should take extra care in the narrow reaches where the work is being undertaken to remove the booms.

Ice booms are placed in the same narrow reaches of the St. Lawrence River each November and removed in the spring when the ice has melted, before the St. Lawrence Seaway shipping season commences.

Ontario Power Generation would like to remind boaters to take every precaution around its dams and generating stations, and to practice safety on Ontario’s waterways.

To learn more about water safety, please visit www.opg.com/watersafety and www.stayclearstaysafe.ca

[…]

Campers at the Iroquois Municipal Campground haven’t seen a rate increase for seven years, but that will change this year.

South Dundas council approved a 5.4 per cent increase to daily site rentals, during recent budget deliberations.

With the increase, unserviced sites will go up to $22.15, 15 amp serviced sites to $24.90 and 30 amp sites to $27.67.

“We’re low compared to everyone else,” said South Dundas clerk Brenda Brunt. Weekly, monthly and seasonal rates will see similar increases.

The campsite makes money for the money for the municipality. Some of the revenues will be rolled into needed service upgrades, and it has been suggested that surplus could help support the efforts of the Iroquois waterfront committee.

[…]

OPP are in the midst of a distracted driving campaign that includes public education and targeted enforcement.

Twelve distracted driving-related deaths have already been reported this year.

The OPP’s 2015 collision data is shaping up to see a seventh consecutive year in which inattentive driving surpasses impaired driving as a causal factor in the fatal collisions it investigates.  

Both of these fatality categories are dangerous, preventable driving behaviours that result in the senseless loss of life on Ontario roads every year. 

OPP collision data reveals that driver inattention was a causal factor in 12 of this year’s 51 fatal collisions to date. 

In five of the fatal incidents, it was the driver who was found to be driving inattentively who died.  

In two incidents, the driver who died did nothing wrong and was driving properly at the time of the collision.  

Three of the incidents involved a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle. 

Nine of the deceased were males, three were females and their ages range from 33 to 88 years old.

Locally, Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry (SD&G) OPP officers are focusing their efforts on curbing this dangerous habit on area roadways in the Untied Counties.

“Distracted driving is a danger to all road users. Fortunately, these same road users are in a position to help put a stop to it. We want to see everyone develop and maintain a complete intolerance for distracted driving and make it the socially unacceptable driving behaviour that it should be,” said Chief Superintendent Chuck Cox, Commander of the OPP Highway Safety Division.  

What can you do to help?

• Be mindful that distracted driving  poses a significant  threat to the well-being of your family and friends; 

• Start conversations about distracted driving with your family, your friends, your colleagues and shed the negative light on it that it deserves;  

• If you are in a vehicle being driven by someone who is driving while distracted, always speak up. Be firm and say: “Enough! Too many people are dying because of distracted driving.  It needs to stop and you need to stop”. Make this your new attitude every day. 

• If you see someone driving in a dangerous manner while driving distracted, call 9-1-1 to report them.

• Be self-disciplined every time you get behind the wheel; do not allow yourself to be distracted in any way while you are driving. 

[…]

Brian Lynch was re- elected as President of both the SDSG provincial and federal NDP riding associations when the  Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry Provincial and Federal NDP riding associations elected their executive members for 2015 at their joint annual general meetings on March 11 at the Navy Veterans Association in Cornwall.  

Also elected to serve on the 16 member local NDP riding associations’ executives were Carilyne Hebert as vice president; Paul Aubin, recording secretary; Elaine MacDonald, chief financial officer; Madeleine Lebrun, women’s representative; Marc Benoit, youth representative; Trevor Tolley, Darlene Jalbert, Marion Adams, Jack St. Thomas, Patricia Sylvia,  David Mcilveen, Ken Smith, Diane Marshall, Jean Patenaude, and Patrick Burger as members-at-large.  

Brian Lynch and Elaine MacDonald were also elected as the local NDP provincial councillors.

Lynch told the meeting that the SDSG federal riding association’s candidate search committee has done an extensive candidate search in preparation for the federal election set for this October 19.  

Lynch said, “Once prospective candidates have been approved by the National NDP Nominations Committee, we will seek approval of the Federal NDP to hold our nomination meeting this spring.”

Lynch praised Federal NDP leader Thomas Mulcair for putting forward progressive policies to make life better and fairer for everyday Canadians such as a universal child care program, a $15 an hour federal minimum wage, greater support for seniors and veterans, generous transfers for healthcare, initiatives to create good paying jobs in manufacturing and the small business sector, and higher corporate taxes.  

Lynch said, “When the federal election comes, people will see that the Federal NDP under the thoughtful, experienced leadership of  Thomas Mulcair is the real, progressive alternative to the heavy-handed, anti-democratic Harper Conservatives and the arrogant, unprincipled Trudeau Liberals with their lack of policies and record of broken promises.”

At the provincial level, Lynch indicated that the Ontario NDP was working hard at Queen’s Park to hold the scandal-plagued Liberal Government to account, to protect public services that people depend on, and to help create jobs.  

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