News

 

The Kid’s Help Phone and Dundas County Food Bank were the big winners at the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF District 26–Upper Canada) Family Fun Day held at the Morrisburg Waterfront Park on Saturday, June 1st. 

OSSTF collected donations of non-perishable food items for the Dundas County Food Bank and members purchased 50/50 tickets to raise funds for The Kids Help Phone.

By the end of the day, all 170 in attendance had enjoyed a wonderful Lake St. Lawrence Cruise on the Sea Fox II (1000 Islands and Seaway Cruises), great entertainment provided by Trevor Walsh, and a superb BBQ catered by The Roasting Man. 

By 4 p.m. a van full of food was ready for delivery to the local food bank and a cheque for $2,172.50 (proceeds from the 50/50 draw plus a donation from the District office) was ready for presentation to the Kid’s Help Phone.

Local food bank officials were thrilled to receive these food items. 

This donation comes at a time of year when food donations typically decline, while the need does not. 

Because of donations like this, local food bank shelves remain in fairly good shape.

OSSTF members and their families attended the event from Almonte to Alexandria and as far west as Gananoque.

[…]

 

South Dundas’ Iroquois Firefighters took home top honours at the 101st Eastern Ontario Firefighters Association Convention hosted by Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Fire Department in Spencerville over the weekend. 

This ends a long drought for one of the most successful teams in the history of the EOFA.

The field day competition featured a series of races, with points awarded for each race. In the 11 races, Iroquois finished first in six and second in one giving them an impressive points total and the championship. 

Iroquois won the five man lose hay wet race, the five man bunker gear ladder climb, the five man efficiency, the eight man bucket brigade, four man hose couplin, eight man hose coupling and bunker gear relay race.

Iroquois’ outstanding performance amassed them 41 points, for first place. Second placed Augusta had 29 points and third placed Mississippi Mills had 26 points.

“I’m just so pleased,” said Chris McDonough, fire chief for South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services. 

Participating and competing in this event is a long-standing tradition with the Iroquois firefighters, a tradition that those firefighters with the Iroquois station are happy to continue.

“I couldn’t be prouder of these guys,” said McDonough. “They work hard at this. They have been practicing for weeks.”

Historically, the Iroquois Fire Department was hugely successful at the field day, winning the games for 19 consecutive years, through the 1980s and beyond. “The last time we won was 1997,” said Phil Thompson, Deputy Chief with South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services. He participated in the games this year, and has for many years. He said this year, when he looked down the line in the chief’s race, we was looking at a lot of younger faces.

“We’ve undergone a lot of changes in the last five years. We have a lot of younger guys now, and that helps,” Thompson said.

The team has been practicing two nights a week for six weeks. “The guys put a good effort into it, and it showed. Things seemed to go well for us. The guys did a great job. They worked hard and ran hard, and it showed.”

[…]

 

 “To raise and train a guide dog for service to deaf, blind or special needs people, takes months of intensive schooling. The cost per dog is $20,000, but the dogs themselves are presented to the people who need them at no cost at all,” said Bill Dixon, past president of District A Lions, and special guest at the Iroquois-Matilda Lions dinner held on Monday, June 10.

“That is why the efforts of these two Junior Lions to raise funds for my Pennies for Pups campaign are important. I am here to honour two young women who have done something special for our cause.”

Iroquois-Matilda Junior Lions, Sarah MacDonald and Larissa Ettlin, raised $330 at their high school, Seaway DHS, to present to the program. “We decided we wanted to get our community and our school involved,” Sarah and Larissa said. “We did the organizing ourselves and set up a competition for home rooms to see which one could raise the most pennies. We worked on the project for close to three months.”

Lion Doug Peters originally brought the campaign, Pennies for Puppies, to the attention of the Iroquois-Matilda Lions. “Sarah and Larissa took up the idea and ran with it,” he said. “I am very pleased that they are being honoured tonight with special certificates.” 

In his address to the club, Dixon, whose  daughter has multiple sclerosis and works with a guide dog, stressed the immense difference a trained guide dog can make in the lives of the people who receive one from the Foundation.

“These animals give a sense of security and safety to humans. Often the dogs are a calming influence on young children dealing with handicaps. The Foundation relies on groups like the Lions and other service clubs for the funds to raise and train these wonderful dogs. We receive no government funding. Young people like Sarah and Larissa are picking up the torch of service.”

The Iroquois-Matilda Lions voted to add extra funds to the Junior Lions’ collection, to make the total donation to the Pennies for Puppies $500. Dixon is hoping to raise $20,000 for GuideDogs.  

[…]

 

PGA Tour Canada announced Tuesday, at the Upper Canada Golf Course, that PGA Tour professional Brad Fritsch is the Honourary Chairman of the Great Waterway Classic tournament to be played at  the Upper Canada  course this coming, August 19-25.

An Ottawa area native, Fritsch said via teleconference that, “I am pleased to throw my support behind the Great Water Classic. The launch of PGA Tour Canada is great for golf and players alike. The time I spent on the Tour was instrumental to my development as a professional. I am confident the Tour and the Great Waterway Classic will showcase the talents of the players to the many golf enthusiasts across the country and especially in the Great Waterway Region.”

“We are delighted to have Brad throw his support behind the event,” said Brad Parkins, Chief Operations Officer at Canadian Junior Golf Association and Tournament Director for the Great Waterway Classic.

“This is an exciting day for me,” said Fritsch. “It has been a long time since I have been able to be involved in a professional tournament in the Ottawa area. I am excited to support the Great Waterway Classic.”

Also excited to join the game is the Cornwall Hospital Foundation which was named Tuesday as the official Charity of the Great Waterway Project. As the official charity, the Foundation will receive proceeds from supplementary events, a portion of the gate proceeds and proceeds from additional fundraising initiatives.

“We want to thank you for coming to our community,” said Connie Vardy, Executive director of the Cornwall Hospital Foundation. Vardy explained that when she first came to the area she learned that there are two things people really care about. “The first thing people really care about is their hospital. The second thing they care about is their golf. So this is a terrific marriage. We really feel honoured. We appreciate the dollars and we will use them wisely.”

Scott Pritchard, Director, Tournament Business Affairs at PGA Tour Canada said PGA Tour Canada is excited to come back to the Waterway Classic area.

He remarked on the success of the PGA Tour Canada’s inaugural event, the Times Colonist Savings Open played June 3-June 9 in Victoria, British Columbia and won by Marysville, Ohio’s Stephen Gangluff.

The Great Waterways Classic scheduled for August 19-25 at the Upper Canada Golf Course is the seventh tournament on the 2013 PGA Tour Canada Schedule. The schedule began with the Qualifying tournament in Beaumont, California April 7-12. 

Next up from June 17-23 is the ATB Financial Classic in Calgary, Alberta.

PGA Tour Canada is a men’s professional golf tour headquartered in Oakville. It formally started in 1970, and became the Canadian Profession Golf Tour in 1986.

The U.S. PGA Tour took over the operation of the tour last November, 2012, at which time it was renamed PGA Tour Canada.

Over the years, this tour has had many players go on to PGA Tour success including 2003 Master champion Mike Weir and 2005 U.S. Open winner Michael Campbell.

Under the new system, the top five players on PGA Tour Canada Order of Merit will earn Web.com Tour cards and the next five are exempt through to the finals of Qualifying school.

“Our first event in Victoria , B.C. this past weekend was very well received,” said Pritchard. “The players were all happy and we had record crowds and record ticket sales.”

The Tour has raised millions of dollars for charities since its inception.

Pritchard said that fans can expect to see top notch professionals at the Waterway Classic at Upper Canada  and both fans and players will appreciate the all new signage and leader boards.

Under the PGA Tour Canada stamp, players and fans alike can expect a bigger field (than last year’s first Waterway Classic event played at Smuggler’s Glen at Gananoque). Roped and staked tees and greens will provide a more big league feel.

“We have invested a lot into our infrastructure and the level of competition will be unmatched this year,” said Pritchard.

Also speaking at the news conference were Christa Doyle on behalf of the Great Waterway Classic, Allen McNairn on behalf of the Upper Canada Golf Course, and Susan Leclair on behalf of the St. Lawrence Parks Commission which operates the Upper Canada Golf Course.

McNairn and Upper Canada Golf Course superintendant Randy Leclair were commended on the work being completed on the course.

“We are very much looking forward to hosting this event,” said McNairn. “There is a lot of work that has gone into this, and we are continuing with the work.”

On behalf of the St. Lawrence Parks Commission, Susan Leclair, Corporate Marketing and Development officer, said “We are thrilled that our golf course is going to be hosting the Great Waterway Classic.”

Leclair also issued a warm invite to Brad Fritsch, that if he has the opportunity, to come and play the Upper Canada Golf Course, which he admitted earlier he has not had the pleasure of playing.

[…]

 

 The third annual Galop-Canal Bluegrass Festival is breaking out the guitars, banjos, mandolins, fiddles and voices starting this Friday, 5 p.m., up at the Iroquois Point. Whether you’re a long time fan, new to the rich sound of bluegrass, or a front porch performer yourself, Iroquois is the place to be June 14-16.

Visitors are welcome to rough camp right on site as well. 

“Folks don’t need to book a camping spot in advance,” said Gerri Fitzsimmons, representing the Galop Canal Revitalization Project, which is sponsoring the Festival. “People love camping at the Point. And this year, with the tall ships heading for Brockville the same weekend, there might be some incredible sailing ships through the Locks too. I have it on the highest authority (fingers crossed) that the weather this weekend is going to be perfect.

 The performers will be playing and singing on our fantastic stage until 11 p.m every night. Come enjoy one day, two days, or book the full weekend package.”

The Foggy Hogtown Boys, an enormously popular Toronto bluegrass band, will be headlining at the celebration. Joining the Boys over the weekend will be the Ducharme Family, the Dusty Drifters, Hard Ryde, Jan Purcell and Pine Road, the Unseen Strangers, Randy Morrison and the Flatt River Band, HoneyGrass and Darwin Thom and Gilles Leclerc. 

Popular Upper Canada Playhouse artistic director, Donnie Bowes, will act as honorary MC for the Festival opening ceremonies, which take place Friday evening at 5:45 p.m. at the Lions band shell. 

“Mike Anderson, a well known local musician is assuming MC duties for the rest of the weekend,” said Fitzsimmons. “He’ll be terrific.” There will be plenty of other things to see and do at the Point during the celebration.

In collaboration with the Love South Dundas campaign, there will be a delicious free breakfast served up from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. with Sunday admission. 

There’s also going to be a grand old gospel service Sunday morning as well, with Rev. Geoff Howard and his family leading the hymns. “I am very happy about this partnership developing with Love South Dundas,” Fitzsimmons said.

There will be vendors on site, food pavilions, Barkley’s Berries, a psychic and displays of the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Lost Villages with Lyle Van Allen and Jim Brownell. Free workshops on Saturday, led by experts, will be offered in guitar, banjo and mandolin.

On Sunday, the Golden Gears will be rolling onto the site around 11 a.m. with a parade of classic autos. Ontario Power Generation has provided back packs stuffed with information about South Dundas attractions for all visitors. 

“Our sponsors have been fantastic. They made this Festival possible through their fund raisers and donations and by allowing us to use this beautiful park.”

The committee bringing the 2013 Bluegrass Festival to South Dundas includes Mike and Loretta Anderson, Barb and Gerry Gurnhill, Sharon and Dick Piché, Paul and Ruth Robertson and Nathalie Sirois.

For information, contact 613-652-1753 or go on line at www.galopcanalbluegrassfestival.com. 

Bring a lawn chair, a toe to tap and a love of good music, and don’t miss the Galop-Canal Bluegrass Festival, June 14-16.

[…]

 

Customers at Mustard’s Variety in Iroquois quite often drop a little spare change into the containers by the cash register. While they may not put much thought into where those coins are going, store owner Jim Mustard does.

Recently, Mustard, thanks to the generosity of his customers, had collected enough change to donate $1,000 to the Canadian Mental Health Association.

“All the time, when people are buying things they will say keep the change. So, I started keeping these collection jars,” said Mustard. “That money shouldn’t go in my pocket, it’s not my money,” he added.

This is the fifth time that those collection jars have resulted in major donations to local organizations.

This time, Mustard decided to give to the Mental Health Association because mental health issues touch everyone in some way. 

“For some, it’s in a minor way, but for others it’s in a very serious way. Mental Health issues are the worst best kept secret out there,” said Mustard.

While Mustard says all he is doing is providing an avenue for people to donate and support community organizations and charities in a small way, he does more than that. Mustard always puts some extra thought and effort into fundraising in his store.

Mustard had a goal of raising $1,000 for Mental Health, which takes a very long time when you are adding it up penny by penny, nickle by nickle, so when a customer came in to donate a huge container of pennies, Mustard started a contest whereby other customers could make a donation to guess the number of pennies for a chance to win a store gift certificate. 

He raised $107 in one month through customers guessing the number of pennies. The huge container of pennies had 12,386 pennies inside. So, those pennies, the contest funds and the store collection jars were all part of the $1,000 donation to Mental Health. 

While handing over the funds to the Canadian Mental Health Association, Mustard was already working on his next fund raising endeavor.

Until July 16th, fundraising efforts within the store are in support of Seaway Valley Crimestoppers. Mustard has been a supporter of Seaway Valley Crimestoppers since its inception. This year, the Seaway Valley Crimestoppers Golf Tournament, which raises funds for the local Crimestoppers program, is taking place at the Iroquois Golf Course.

As an incentive for customers to donate to the cause, those who donate $5 on the pledge sheets will have a chance to win five single scoop ice cream vouchers, a $10 donation gets the donor a chance at  winning 10 single scoop ice cream vouchers and a donation of $20 or more will get the donor a chance at winning an 11.4 litre tub of their favourite ice cream.  

[…]

 

Rusty

South Dundas Animal Shelter Name:Rusty. Four month old mixed, female puppy. Not neutered. Perhaps collie/lab/boxer mix. Not spayed. Hi folks, my name is Rusty and I am a happy go lucky young puppy looking for a loving forever home where I can grow up to become a family’s beloved best friend. I am a very good sized dog for my age, and I need puppy training asap. I would also need to be spayed in the next few months. I am a large, fun-loving, excitable puppy. Like all young puppies I like to chew and play and jump and play and play and play and play. You know how it is. If you would like more information on Rusty or to meet Rusty, please call Kevin at the South Dundas Animal Shelter for an appointment at 613-543-2980 or 613-913-1476. There is no adoption charge for Rusty but a donation of dog food is sure appreciated by all the boys and girls at the shelter. It is a kind of pay it forward system to help the Shelter care for my buddies while we wait for someone to come and pick us as their new best friend. If you do decide to make an appointment with Kevin to come and meet me, don’t forget to bring along a collar and leash so I  can go home with you. The Shelter has also asked us to try get the message out to everyone that appointments with Kevin to meet our dogs are mandatory…this is a necessary precaution to make sure everyone is safe, both perspective families and the dogs. All persons whether looking for their missing dogs or simply wanting to drop off donations are asked to please call and make arrangements with Kevin before stopping by…again just keeping everyone safe. So remember my name is Rusty….and I am a young lady lookin’ for a new loving home.

 

[…]

 

 “I’m telling you, this isn’t over until the fat lady sings,” says a frantic David McGachen (Perry Mucci), at a moment in this comedy when absolutely everything is crashing down around his ears.

“As far as I’m concerned, the orchestra is playing and the fat lady is up on her feet with her mouth open..” his beleaguered partner John Baker (Garfield Andrews) shoots back.

And this is just one of the apparently unending crisis moments in Upper Canada Playhouse’s season opener, the mad farce, Whose Wives Are They, Anyway? playing at the theatre until June 30.

Penned by Michael Parker, author of Hotbed Hotel, The Sensuous Senator, and The Amorous Ambassador, all of which won rave reviews when they were performed at the Playhouse, this current production is just as witty, just as fast paced and just as howlingly funny. “This is a classic farce,” said director Donnie Bowes, “with a tightly written plot, clever dialogue and a wonderful cast that works very fast throughout the production.”

It is actually rather difficult to describe the plot of this show. 

There is one. 

However, it twists and turns and loops around on itself and the characters so often, that you feel you’ve wandered into a kind of literary labyrinth. But that’s half the fun! How could otherwise  reasonably normal characters get into these absurd predicaments, and just how can they possibly get themselves back out?

John Baker and David McGachen just want a weekend of golf at the stately Oakfield Golf and Country Club before assuming new jobs with the Ashley-Maureen Cosmetics Company, under formidable take-over boss D. L. Hutchison (Mary Ellis). (“What’s the D.L. stand for?” David finally asks.  “Dragon Lady, I should think,” John replies.) Their wives, Karly (Viviana Zarrillo) and Laura (Erin MacKinnon) are supposedly off for a New York shopping trip. Everyone is happy.

What could be more innocent? 

What could go wrong?

In this play, just about everything.

Wilson the Club handyman (Bruce Tubbe), who suffers from a bad back, a bad spleen, carbunkles, arthritis, chronic hip joint displacement, a hernia, flat feet…(I lost track here), swiftly introduces massive comic confusion into the plot as he tries to “fix things”. Mrs. Carlson, the manager, (Brenda Quesnel), whose Puritanical suspicions would do credit to the Inquisition, is stalking the hallways. And Tina (Kate Gordon) an otherwise rational, pleasant desk clerk, unfortunately falls foul of champagne, and loses her inhibitions along with large chunks of her costume.

Misconceptions and mixed up identities abound. When John plaintively exclaims “Am I me, my sister, your wife or my own mother?” the audience is as hysterical as the characters.

Did I mention that none of the phones at the Club work properly and that Laura and Karly unexpectedly appear just in time to…

No matter.

With Whose Wives Are They, Anyway? audiences should just sit back, take it all in, and get ready to laugh loudly, long and often. 

The production runs at Upper Canada Playhouse until June 30. For information and tickets contact 613-543-3713, 1-877-550-3650 or go on line at www.uppercanadaplayhouse.com.

[…]

 

Since 1948, the SD&G Highlanders have been holding an annual reunion. June 7, 2013, veterans of the Glens and members of the Regimental family made a special excursion to sites along the St. Lawrence where significant battles of the War of 1812 took place. The Glens have been awarded three 1812-15 battle honours. Here  56  reunion guests visit the battle of Iroquois Point. WWII veteran, Major William Whiteacre, awarded a 1945 Military Medal, studies battle plans at Crysler’s Farm Memorial at Upper Canada Village.

[…]

 

“We thought that perhaps many children aren’t really being taught bike safety, even though more and more kids are out on bikes these days,” said Marja Smellink, a member of the Optimist Club of South Dundas, organizers of the Bike Safety Rodeo held at Matilda Hall on Saturday, June 1. “And we thought that it was important for our local kids to get some proper training before the bad habits set in. Canada is a little behind in this area. In Europe, bike safety is strongly emphasized.”

The 23 members of the Club, under president Peter Biemond, called on the O.P.P. and the RCMP (club member Hugo Desrochers is a member of the force) for help in putting the rodeo together. 

Constable Darren Hawkins and corporal M.J. Homsy of the RCMP, along with O.P.P. constable Theresa Lauzon and acting sergeant Bryce Fournier, with the SD&G Auxiliary, were all on hand to assist. 

Several volunteers on site helped with the training and with the food (milk was donated by the Dairy Farmers of Ontario.) The Iroquois Branch of Scouts Canada also came out to lend support. Traffic signs were loaned by the Snowmobile Club.

The bike course was laid out to teach young riders how to use hand signals and to safely manoeuvre through intersections. Youngsters saw a training film and were able to take a short written test (which gained them points towards special gifts) as they learned the rules of the road.

“We had over 20 kids go through the training this morning,” said constable Lauzon. “We really believe that education is the key to safety, especially when it is presented in a fun way like this. I expect some of the parents here are also picking up some information.”

Hannah Biemond and Ella Desrochers were the lucky winners of two bikes donated to the rodeo by Morrisburg Canadian Tire. Canadian Tire also donated bicycle bells for every participant.

A real highlight at the Bike Rodeo was the arrival (with Hawkins and Homsy) of two recently retired members of the RCMP Musical Ride. Horses Sherif and Rocomo drew many young admirers, at the same time reminding everyone that horses were around even before bikes.

[…]