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Get ready, members of Canada’s Dragons’ Den. Derrick Jansen, Brett Fodey, Liam Adams and T.J. Barnhardt may only be in grade six at Iroquois Public School, but they already have serious entrepreneurial plans, and an eye to saving the environment at the same time.

The four students of Madame Chantal Lacroix have entered the Innovation, Creativity, Entrepreneurship competition sponsored by the Upper Canada District School Board which will take place on May 1, 2015. They could take home a $500 prize in the junior category should they win.

The challenge set by ICE: How Can You Change the World?

Working on computers, paper,  and the classroom SmartBoard, Derrick, T.J., Liam and Brett have designed a unique web page. Every Monday, following research and planning, the site posts a new environmental challenge. By accepting and acting on the challenge, consumers could actively affect their community.

“Something like global warning is just too big for us to deal with directly,” explained Derrick. “We decided to centre on our own community.”

“As part of our page, we put up quotes which show people how they can change their own environment one step at a time,” said Liam.

For example, the challenge issued two weeks ago on the page had to do with shopping habits. “When you go to the grocery store,” Brett explained, “pick up at least one thing to put in the Food Bank Bin. That directly helps people in this area.”

“Another week, we challenged people to choose a different way to go to work,” said Derrick. “The point is to find a new way to look at the scenery and to rediscover our local area. That will make you happier, and nicer to be around, and you will get more done at work.”

“Brain storming, problem solving, this whole project is student driven,” said Mme. Lacroix. “All the teacher can do is assist the students.” 

To win the May 1 competition, the four students must go on stage alone before a judging panel. On stage they must “make a (personal) pitch.” While they have access to a projector for PowerPoint, a microphone, and the right to bring in prototypes or product samples, the boys must directly address  the audience, and the judges. 

They have two minutes to set up on stage, and 10 minutes to present. Following their presentation, they must respond to questions from the judges, just like the format in Dragons’s Den. Later, they will learn if their pitch has been successful.

“We are really nervous,” T.J. said, “but we are working on our script and we will practice a lot.What we want is to get noticed, to get people to pay more attention to their environment. We’ll really have to know our stuff.”

The four boys and their teacher travelled to a special planning day, on March 26, held at Kemptville Municipal Centre where they took part in an ICE workshop involving inspirational videos, planning and presentation, and goal setting. 

“We really focussed on the different parts of making a pitch,” said Derrick.

The students have already gone themselves into the community to connect with local businesses and with the media to develop awareness of their project.

At this point, the IPS website is only on FaceBook and Twitter.

“We want to create an Application,” said Brett. “The junior prize would allow us to launch an App.”

These young Iroquois  student entrepreneurs are definitely planning to be noticed in the board competition on May 1.

[…]

 

The Thousands Islanders, a vibrant a cappella chorus, centred in Brockville, held two days of dynamic vocal workshops in facilities arranged at the McIntosh Inn and Conference Centre in Morrisburg, April 17-18. Flown in as guest instructor was Steve Scott. Scott, a noted American voice and musical coach, is a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Kansas, and currently working on his Phd. in vocal pedagogy. The Islanders choir, led by director Stuart McMartin, front row left, includes two South Dundas residents, Wendy Gibb, second row, right end, and Karen Koivumaki, second row, third from the right. The choir is currently in final rehearsals for the 2015 Area Contest and Convention held in Alliston on May 23. At this event, choirs from all over Ontario will compete for musical gold. Instructor Scott, who worked extensively over two days with the choir, quartettes and individual singers, feels that “people are natural born musicians: to be human is to be a musician. I have the opportunity to coach and encourage that unique inner singer.”

[…]

April 6, 2015, at approximately 5:30 p.m., SD&G OPP officers responded to a report of a break-in in progress at a residence on County Road 16, South Dundas. 

Investigation indicated that the owner had returned home and observed two males running from the residence and fled the area in a small silver passenger vehicle. 

The males were described as being in the mid 20’s to early 30’s. One male was wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans, the second had curly hair. A quantity of cash was stolen.

Further information revealed a break-in also occurred nearby at a residence on Haddo Road, South Dundas between 2:30 – 4:45 p.m. on April 6, 2015. A television and recording device were taken.

On April 5, 2015, between 4 – 8 p.m., a residence on Webb Road, South Dundas was entered. Inside, a laptop computer, Playstation, Nintendo Wi, Ipad Air, Acoustic Guitar and a television were removed.

Since these break-ins, four more have been reported to police.

April 8, police responded to four reports of break-ins at South Dundas residences.

Homes on Hutt Road, Irena Road, Branch Road and Rowena Road were forcibly entered during the day, Wednesday, April 8. Computer and electronics were targeted. 

At the Branch Road incident, a Stihl MS260 chainsaw, white/orange in an orange storage box, was stolen. 

A vehicle was captured on surveillance camera (pictured below) described as a four door Pontiac G3 Wave, red/orange.

Investigations continue on all of the above incidents.

Residents are encouraged to call OPP immediately (1-888-310-1122) with as much detail as possible if suspicious vehicles/persons are observed.

Since then, two more break-ins were reported, April 14, to residences along Broken Second Road, near Iroquois, in South Dundas. Assorted tools were taken.

[…]

 

LL – The pet overpopulation of Ontario has reached crisis levels, according to displays in the Cornwall shelter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The result: thousands of dogs and cats are ending up on the streets, or roaming the countryside, abandoned, abused, often hungry and frightened. 

For many, the SPCA, like the one in Cornwall, constitutes their very last hope. They must turn to dedicated people, working together, who try and provide the loving care these animals need. 

The head office of the SPCA is in Newmarket: all Ontario SPCA branches are managed from there. Investigators and professional shelter staff are salaried employees, who undergo extensive training, which is updated yearly. There are also independent humane affiliates which operate in larger cities like Ottawa or Kingston.

Working along side these professional employees are committed volunteers of all ages. 

During interviews on February 25 and March 5, Carol Link, branch manager of the Cornwall SPCA, discussed the role and responsibilities of the SPCA in SD&G/Prescott-Russell. 

“One of the saddest reasons we must take in some pets occurs when cats and dogs (often senior citizens themselves) must be left with us by their elderly owners,” Link said. “It is really heart-wrenching to see this separation. But often a no-pet policy exists at retirement homes, nursing homes or long term care facilities. If no family members can take the pet, many seniors do the only thing they can: they bring their old friends to us.”

“In the same way,” Carol Link, explained, “many people these days are facing job losses. Money is suddenly very tight. No matter how much a dog or cat is loved, there may no longer be spare funds for food or vets. These families are deeply concerned for the well being of their pets: surrendering  them to our care is often the only solution they can see.”

Sadly there are other reasons why many animals must be rescued by the SPCA.

Strays are brought in regularly.

And animals suffering abuse and neglect must be removed from those situations as soon as possible. Trauma for an abused animal can be devastating even  after it has been rescued.

The SPCA for Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry/Prescott-Russell employs two full time, trained investigators. They look into  harmful reports involving any kind of animal from livestock to birds. Since these inspectors can lay charges,  under the OSPCA Act, they must also spend a great deal of time in court.

“It is important that the message get out to people, that they must be accountable for their actions,” Link said. “The inspectors also educate people on changing laws and what is, and is not, acceptable animal treatment. And we absolutely want people to call 310SPCA if they see or suspect cases of abuse. It is always better to act, to alert us to look into a situation, and to help us to prevent an animal’s suffering.” 

There are varied and long term demands on all humane societies. Where does funding to support safe, warm buildings, to feed and house animals, and to provide veterinarian care, come from?

There is no government funding. The shelter in Cornwall, for example, operates through donations and fundraising. 

“We ask for a donation if an owned animal is left with us,” Link said, “but ours is also an open-door policy: if people cannot afford a donation, we take the animal anyway. When a family decides to adopt a pet, we ask $340 for a dog and $180 for a cat. This includes neutering, first vaccinations, de-worming, flea and tick control, the insertion of microchips and six free weeks of pet insurance.” Responsible neutering remains the surest way to prevent over population and potential abuse or abandonment.

Fundraising is essential to the survival of the SPCA. 

National Cupcake Day, originally organized in 2014 by 85 societies and animal rescues, has proven to be a very positive fundraiser. This year, on February 23, individuals,  area businesses, schools and service groups were invited to bake and sell cupcakes, and then to donate the proceeds to the SPCA of their choice.

“We had an overwhelming response to Cupcake Day this year,” said Carol Link. “In 2014, we raised $5,000 for our shelter, but I think the local totals (funds are still coming in) will be even higher this year. And the money raised in our area, stays in our area. People were also able to go on line this year to support us.”

The SPCA sends representatives out to schools, clubs, day cares and church groups, anywhere they are asked to go, to make presentations and talk to people about the ongoing need for the humane society and the work it does in a community. If possible, representatives will take shelter dogs to an event. The hope is to encourage more organizations to help with funding.

“We welcome the community getting to know where funds are going, and being able to ask us questions. And it’s especially nice,” Link added, “when an animal needing a home is adopted at one of these presentations.” 

Recently the Royal Canin company has come in as a partner with the SPCA to provide food for shelter animals. But the SPCA must rely on the public for many necessities including such things as bedding, blankets, cat litter,  and other food stuffs. The need for volunteers and for steady financial support is on-going at every Society shelter.

Fostering is another way the public helps the SPCA.

“We foster to adopt,” Link said. “Animals who are too young may go to a loving home for a time until they are old enough to neuter and be offered for adoption. Fostering cares for nursing mothers, or simply gives a nervous or timid dog time for socialization, to make it readier to share a new home.”

“We have no time limits on how long an animal can stay at our shelter,” Link said. “ Pets are evaluated their first five days at the shelter before they are available to adopt. If a pet is not finding a home with us, we can transfer it to another shelter, where it may have more success. If an animal comes to us desperately ill, or so badly injured that recovery is not possible, then we must sometimes make the humane decision.”

But the goal of the SPCA is to find loving, forever homes for all the animals in care. “If people need a pet, we’re the shelter to see,” Link said. 

The SPCA, however, stresses responsible adoption. People should always think long and hard before they adopt; they need to assess their family life styles and to ask tough questions. Possible adopters should study the breed they are considering, its characteristics and needs. An animal is a living, loving creature that should not face abandonment or cruelty because people have made a bad decision. 

“Adopt-A-Pet is a website that  might help families find dogs that best suit their personalities and lifestyles,” Link explained. “People can pull up the page on our site and match up colour coded charts featuring animals in our care. For example, green might indicate a busy, active animal, while purple could indicate a more laid back, placid dog. It’s lots of fun, and in no way limits an adopter’s choices.”

Not even the gentle and understanding care provided by SPCA staff and volunteers can truly compete with a forever home, and a loving family, for a dog or cat.

The ultimate goal of all SPCAs is to find themselves with empty cages and pens: they want everyone to have “gone home.” 

Phone the shelter at 613-936-0072. Visit the shelter in person at 550 Boundary Road, Cornwall. 

[…]

Never in the history of the South Dundas Chamber of Commerce Home and Trade Show have all the vendor booths been sold out so quickly.

That early sell out has the South Dundas Chamber of Commerce Trade Show committee extremely excited about the event that will take place Friday, April 17 (4 to 9 p.m.) and Saturday, April 18 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at the Morrisburg arena.

The committee, chaired by Tracey Veinotte, includes Grace McDonough, Shaun Telfer, Clark Perry and Geraldine Fitzsimmons.

Fitzsimmons says that the committee has brought a number of new ideas and enthusiasm to the 2015 show.

“I don’t think we’ve ever packed more vendors into one show,” said Fitzsimmons.

Other years have boasted over 60 vendors exhibiting their services and wares. This year, the that number has climbed to over 80.  

Not only will the trade show floor be filled to capacity with vendors, so too will the entire arena lobby area.

Along with an increase in vendors, McDonough is anticipating great crowds for the trade show. 

“Our attendance has consistently been on the rise. It’s been a long, hard winter, not only for us, but for our businesses. What better opportunity to shake off the winter, than to come on out to the trade show, enjoy some great food and some great company, and see all the variety that is offered by our business community,” said McDonough.

For the businesses, McDonough says, “the trade show provides them with a great opportunity to remind people about their business and to showcase all that they have to offer.”

“The public will enjoy the tremendous variety of exhibitors that will be at this year’s South Dundas Chamber of Commerce Home and Trade Show,” she added. “Best of all, admission is free!”

Doors open a 4 p.m. Friday. The evening features a Morrisburg and District Lions Club chicken barbecue, which starts at 5 p.m.

Opening ceremonies take place at 6 p.m. in front of the Canadian Tire vendor booth. Timothy Christian School choir will sing O Canada, and a couple of other songs they have prepared especially for the event.

About 6:30 p.m., County Road 44 will perform some live, toe-tapping, hand-clapping music to give the crowds a taste of what will be offered at the Galop Canal Bluegrass Festival that takes place June 18, in Iroquois.

A Beau’s Brewery beer tasting will take place Friday evening, getting underway at about 6:30 p.m.

Saturday morning, a pancake breakfast is available on site. 

A fashion show is scheduled for 10 a.m. on the main stage, which this year will be located in the arena lobby. This year’s fashion show is being staged by Timmy’s Place, a thrift shop in the Morrisburg Plaza that offers a huge variety of used items.

A line-up of experts are scheduled from 11 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. The public is encouraged to drop by to meet an expert and ask them for some free advice. 

Experts will include a golf pro, representatives of Smokey Ridge Winery, a North Dundas area winery, Canadian Tire representatives offering up tips and advice on deck care and maintenance, Morrisburg Physiotherapy staff discussing chronic pain management, smart gardening and warming up for golf, injury prevention, Doggy Style reps discussing pet nutrition and a home inspector discussing what you should know when buying a home.

[…]

 

 Leisa Way is completely unabashed about her feelings for Canada. 

“We are the greatest country in the world. This is a simply a fantastic place to live. And we really are a nation of caring. I’ve travelled all around the world as an entertainer, and I’ve found that other countries absolutely embrace Canada.”

So it should come as no surprise that Way is throwing those sentiments, and her renowned talents as a singer, an actor and a producer, into the new show which will open the Upper Canada Playhouse 2015 season. The premiere of Oh, Canada, We Sing For Thee, is a celebration of Canadian music and Canadian artists through the last six decades. From Paul Anka to Bachman Turner Overdrive, from Buffy Sainte-Marie to Gordon Lightfoot, from Leonard Cohen to Michael Buble, Leisa Way and her fantastic Wayward Wind band are drawing from a rich heritage of Canadiana. And with Canada’s 150th anniversary a bare two years away, Oh, Canada, We Sing For Thee, has a very timely air about it.

“Upper Canada Playhouse is clearly way ahead of the curve,” Way laughed. “With all the celebrations coming up in 2017, everyone is going to be incredibly proud to be a Canadian, and we are excited to be part of that energy with this new show.”

Leisa Way is no stranger to the work involved in mounting a major musical, and no stranger to audiences at Upper Canada Playhouse. She brought Sweet Dreams (Patsy Cline), Rhinestone Cowgirl (Dolly Parton), Country Jukebox and Wichita Lineman (Glen Campbell) to the Playhouse, playing to packed houses and rave reviews. For Oh, Canada, she has researched the musicians and the music of nearly 60 artists, the events and the passions that inspired their work. “I love this kind of research,” Way said, “finding meaningful information about a writer and artist to use in creating the show. The biggest challenge for me is finally having to cut some great music.”

This exciting new show looks at Canadian artists “that people will know and enjoy”, loosely fitting the music into several ‘themes’. The rock n’ roll segment will feature Paul Anka, the first Canadian ever to have a number one hit on the R&R charts, and groups who heavily influenced the rock n’ roll scene like the Four Lads and the Crew Cuts. Folk is reflected in the work of Ian & Sylvia, Gordon Lightfoot and Joni Mitchell. When it came to rock, “I decided to ask some ‘authorities’,” Way laughed, “Norm Foster (who was a radio host), my husband David, and my mother. They gave me ideas about the iconic rock stars and bands. Basically, if they knew a song and loved it, it’s in the show.” 

“We perform a couple of medleys,” Way explained, “but I tend to like to hear an entire song, so I emphasize that approach in the show. Keeping it to one song an artist was a real challenge.” She is backed, in this production, by some of Canada’s current top musicians. Nathan Smith, Bobby Prochaska, Fred Smith, Bruce Ley and Sam Cino lend their incredible instrumentation and voices to Oh , Canada, We Sing For Thee.

When I asked Leisa Way where the inspiration for this new production came from, she immediately responded, “From Donnie Bowes. He was the person who inspired me to create Patsy and Dolly, Country Jukebox and Wichita Lineman. His faith and belief in me inspired me to tackle this production as well. He basically said to me, what about a show that celebrates Canadian music and musicians? Donnie Bowes and the venue at Upper Canada Playhouse are the big draws for me. He’s the reason that I feel I have been able to create concerts that entertain and uplift.”

Currently the show is rehearsing at Theatre Orangeville, but is due to transfer to the Playhouse the first of next week. The show runs April 21-25.

“With Oh, Canada, We Sing For Thee,” Leisa Way said, “I believe we are giving people entertainment that reflects us as a nation and proudly tells our stories.”

For information and tickets contact Upper Canada Playhouse at 1-613-543-3713.

[…]

If all goes according to plan, Dundas County Hospice will be re-locating to a new space that will be a lot more like a home.

Dundas County Hospice, which offers a variety of services to anyone suffering from a terminal or life-threatening illness, has long been a tenant at the J.W. MacIntosh Seniors Support Centre in Williamsburg. 

Hospice is a separate entity from the support centre, and has outgrown the office space and common space that it has been renting at the centre.

In order to accommodate the growing need, Hospice has been looking for some time at options to re-locate, and has, conditionally, found a new home.

April 7, South Dundas council approved a zoning amendment that will permit the hospice to operate from a residential dwelling at 4353 County Road 31, in Williamsburg.

Once the zoning change is finalized, the property which includes a house and garage will become the new home for Dundas County Hospice.

Lisa Casselman, executive director of Dundas County Hospice, explained that this new location will suit Hospice and its programs very well. The garage will provide ample space to store the medical equipment that they have for their loan service on site. “Right now, we have two locations that we use for equipment storage, this will allow us to get everything here under one roof,” she explained.

Inside the dwelling, there will be office space and a place for hospice programming. 

Temporarily, Hospice has been hosting many programs at the Williamsburg Christian Reformed Church.

Casselman is pleased that they have been able to find a space in Williamsburg. She explained that Williamsburg is very central to the area served by Dundas County Hospice.

With minimal renovations, Dundas County Hospice should be in its new location this summer (July).

While Dundas County Hospice does periodically hold volunteer training courses, much of what they do on a daily basis involves brining clients to the hospice location to participate in its day programs. “We provide the transportation, bring our clients here so they can enjoy a chat, a coffee and a muffin, participate in an organized activity, which could be a legacy project, or just a game of cards, and provide them with a hot meal before we take them home,” explains Casselman. They have volunteers and an RN on site to ensure they are well looked after while enjoying the day. “What this does is gives the caregivers for these clients a 5-6 hour break,” said Casselman. 

She looks forward to Dundas County Hospice moving into a home of its own, adding that this home-style setting will be ideal for the hospice’s caregiver support group as well. 

All Dundas County Hospice services are free.

[…]

 

 “Actually, we were surprised even to be considered at the board level,” said Jennifer Perry, Crystal Phifer and Tracy Moorhouse, teachers at Iroquois Public School. “So it was exciting and really overwhelming to learn that we had been selected for an award at the Ministry Level.”

The Teacher Learning and Leadership Program award carries with it a grant of $25,900 from the Ministry which the educators will use to develop their project. They will work specifically with teachers at their own school, and within the Upper Canada board, then, if asked, share their findings and skills with other interested boards in the province.

The collaborative proposal created by the three teachers entitled Growing with Math and Mind was first submitted to a committee of supervisors at the UCDSB: chosen with one other submission to represent this particular board, the Iroquois teachers’ proposal was examined by the Ministry, along with proposals from every other board of education in the province. 

It was a very significant honour for the three elementary teachers  and their school to learn that the Ministry Teacher Learning and Leadership Program ultimately had chosen their proposal for implementation.

Their proposal examines ways to break a “mind set” which has become perhaps all too common among students, their parents and among teachers over the last few years.

It is a mind set which says “I can’t,” rather than exploring ways to say “I can.”

“The idea is to teach children to accomplish goals through hard work,” Jennifer Perry explained. “It is not necessary for a person to somehow be ‘gifted’ in a subject  to succeed, to think that you can either ‘do math,’ for example, or you can’t. Many people think that intelligence is pre-determined. Our premise is that effort and practice can create success. Neither kids nor teachers should give up. There is no such thing as “math” or “non math” people: the basis of success is the work you are willing to put into a subject, or a project, anything.”

“We see kids give up too easily,” said Crystal Phifer. “We based our study on math because there is so much negative thought associated with math. Kids need to understand that getting a wrong answer, even several times, is not the end.”

“We are trying to make students (and teachers too) understand that you have to find another way, different approaches to any problem,” said Tracy Moorhouse. “You have to get over mind sets. Too many kids have never learned that you can actually grow out of mistakes, even failure. It doesn’t mean an end to trying.”

“We ultimately want kids to leave school believing that they can always learn, that it is better to learn from mistakes, rather than to just sit back and never accept any kind of challenge,” said Jennifer Perry.

A prominent educator and psychologist whose work has had a profound effect on the three teachers is Dr. Carol S. Dweck, of Stanford University. Her book, Mindset: How we Can Learn to Fulfill Out Potential has been inspiring educators to break out of long held, even cherished, mind sets. 

“When teachers and students focus on improvements rather than on whether they are ‘smart’, kids learn a lot more,” Dweck has written. “I have always been deeply moved by outstanding achievement and saddened by wasted potential.” 

“We need growth out of these mind sets,” the Iroquois teachers explained. “You can learn to do anything. Of course someone may be better at something than you, but you can still succeed. You have to keep trying, exploring other ways to learn.”

EQAO results in math led the three to feel that there was an opportunity to grow in math, to make a change.

In their proposal, the Iroquois teachers wrote that “a school culture that develops and promotes a growth mind set in students and teachers will increase students’ learning. Our goal is that all adults will believe that hard work and learning from errors will allow all students to succeed in learning at any level. Teachers will facilitate flexible number sense strategies to increase the understanding and ability to solve early algebraic problems.”

Accepting and learning from mistakes, exploring  new ways, or different approaches to a challenge can have long term positive effects in fields far beyond math. Despite failures and frustrations and sometimes years of setbacks, research into the problems of cancer, for example, cannot be derailed by what Dweck would describe as unproductive mind sets. 

Making mistakes should never signal an end to trying, as teachers Jennifer Perry, Crystal Phifer and Tracy Moorhouse hope to prove through their award winning proposal.

“There is a quote from Henry Ford that I like to draw on that I think sums up the problems with mind sets,” said Jennifer Perry. “He said, ‘Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.’” 

[…]

Hydro One crews are continuing work on a multi-year infrastructure investment taking place along County Road 40 and 16.

Costing about $1.5 million, the two year project is expected to be complete this month, according to Tiziana Baccega Rosa, senior media relations advisor with Hydro One Networks Inc. 

“This work will improve reliability and increase local capacity,” she said.

Higher poles have been installed to accommodate a new line from the Morrisburg Transformer Station, which is located along Flagg Road in South Dundas.

For this project, composite poles are being installed, rather than wood, due to the significant woodpecker damage found while planning  the project.

South Dundas residents have experienced various power outages, some more localized than others to accommodate this project.

[…]