News

Allison Waytowich, a grade 8 student at St. Mary/St. Cecilia Catholic School in Morrisburg, has been selected as a candidate in a First Choice Haircutters online contest to find 10 models for a 2013 advertising campaign.

Allison, 14, “saw the commercial on television for First Choice Haircutters, Be the Face contest, a few months ago, so she decided to enter,” says her mom Lynne.

“There were 9,000 applicants, and we were amazed when she made the top 50!”

Allison is now involved in the second stage of the contest which involves obtaining online votes from the public.

“It would be neat that everyone who reads the Leader has a chance to make a local girl ‘famous’,” adds Lynne.

If Allison makes the top 10, she will win a trip to New York City, and an opportunity to be in the First Choice Haircutters commercial.

The website is www.bethefaceoffch.com. Only one vote per e-mail address is permitted.

The advertising initiative began December 9, with the launch of BeTheFaceofFCH.com.

It invited consumers to upload a photograph and explain why they should be in the upcoming advertisement.

A three person judging panel then narrowed the field to 50 finalists. Ten winners, one from each of 10 different gender and age categories, will be determined through the online voting. 

Winners will be announced June 15 and  will receive a trip to New York City, a hair makeover, modeling training, a professional photo shoot and the possibility of being in the First Choice ad campaign. 

Allison is the daughter of Frank and Lynne Waytowich of Morrisburg.

The community is invited to vote for Allison at www.bethefaceoffch.com. Allison is one of five girls pictured in the 13-19 female age category. She is listed as Allison W.

[…]

Coming up this Saturday, May 26, the Canadian Tire Store in Morrisburg is asking the community to get involved and make a difference in the lives of local kids.

On May 26, the Fourth Annual Jumpstart Day will take place at the Morrisburg Canadian Tire, located on the north side of Highway 2 in Morrisburg. 

The day-long fund raising event is the celebration of Jumpstart’s One Million Red Balls campaign, which, through the month of May, encourages customers to donate $2 in exchange for a red ball – a national symbol for child’s play.

On Jumpstart Day, most Canadian Tire stores across the country will celebrate and raise additional funds for Jumpstart with special events and activities for customers. 

At the Morrisburg Canadian Tire, customers will be asked for a donation to participate in the GoClean car wash, balloon pop and table top games. 

All money raised will be donated to Jumpstart, helping Canadian kids get involved in organized sport. 

Donations to Jumpstart help the one in three Canadian families that cannot afford to enrol their children in organized sports and recreation. 

All funds raised through the One Million Red Balls campaign and on Jumpstart Day stay within the local community to help local children. 

To date, 498 children in Morrisburg have been able to participate in sports and recreation because of Jumpstart.

The local Jumpstart committee is comprised of local people. Through the Jumpstart program financial assistance has been provided that has enabled local youth to play hockey, soccer, to figure skate and to take dance lessons, to name just a few. 

Since 2005, Jumpstart has helped 439,383 kids across Canada by removing the financial barriers that prevent children from participating.

[…]

In Canada, one in three families cannot afford to enrol their children in organized sport or recreation activities because of financial barriers (Vision Critical 2011). 

Ever since she was a little girl, 17-year-old Casey, knew she wanted to play professional golf, but her family’s budget was stretched with a busy household of seven young children. 

“We knew that Casey had extraordinary talent, but we could not afford the expensive membership and green fees,” said Casey’s mom, Julie MacNeil.” The last thing we wanted was to keep her off the golf course due to affordability. She had such big dreams for herself.” 

Kids who are able to participate in organized sport and recreation, outside of school hours, gain many short and long term benefits including increased self-esteem, greater self-confidence, leadership skills, and better grades.

“The benefits of kids participating in sports affects their entire lives, not just their childhood years,” said Dan Thompson, President, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities. “Programs like Canadian Tire Jumpstart are dedicated to removing barriers so financially disadvantaged children can participate in organized sport and recreation.”

Despite the financial hardships many Canadian parents are facing, there is a way to get kids into the game, no matter what barrier. By covering the cost of registration, equipment and/or transportation, Canadian Tire Jumpstart has helped 417,835 children like Casey get in the game.

“We couldn’t be more proud of what our daughter has accomplished,” said Casey’s mom. “This year Casey is heading off to Charleston, Southern University on a full golf scholarship, and we have Jumpstart to thank for giving her the opportunity to continue to perfect her game.”

Help kids in your community by visiting Canadian Tire, Mark’s and Canadian Tire Gas+ stores and Pita Pit locations throughout the month of May and on Jumpstart Day, Saturday, May 26, 2012, to donate $2 in exchange for a red ball, with all proceeds going to Canadian Tire Jumpstart.

Visit www.canadiantire.ca/jumpstart to learn more.

[…]

Mark Jarvis is still a little overwhelmed.

“We were definitely not expecting to win the Donner Prize,” he said. 

“We learned in March that our book was on the short list for consideration by the Donner Canadian Foundation, and my colleagues and I were pleased just about that. But when we went to the awards banquet in May and he (Allan Gotlieb, chairman of the Foundation) announced our names, well, it was incredible. 

Actually,” Jarvis (37) added with a ready laugh, “I think we were all just hoping that someone was actually reading the book.”

Democratizing  the  Constitution: Reforming Responsible Government, the book by Peter Aucoin, Mark D. Jarvis and Lori Turnbull was awarded the 2012  Donner Prize, valued at $50,000.

The Donner Canadian Foundation established the annual prize to recognize and reward the best public policy thinking, writing and research by a Canadian. It provides a spring board for authors who may not necessarily be well-known, but who can make a meaningful contribution to policy discourse.

Author Mark Jarvis was born and raised in Morrisburg, a graduate of St. Mary-St. Cecilia, and of St. Joseph’s in Cornwall.

He recently learned that his book has also been shortlisted for the Smiley Prize, named in honour of Donald Smiley, and presented by the Canadian Political Science Association. That winner will be announced in June.

“This has all been a great honour,” Jarvis said. “And in many ways, a true surprize.”

Following his education in South Dundas, Jarvis attended Trent University in Peterborough where he took a degree in sociology. He won his Master’s degree from Carleton University, again in sociology.

Jarvis is currently a doctoral candidate at the School of Public Administration with the University of Victoria.

I asked him how a sociologist came to change his academic direction toward the area of public administration, government ac-countability and public policy.

“Well,” Jarvis said. “It really was a kind of round about trip. While I was taking my sociology degree at Carleton, I was offered a job in public service in Ottawa. My task involved doing research into accountability for a small branch of the government. In the process, I gradually became interested in the whole concept of accountability.”

He published Modernizing Government Accountability: A Framework for Reform (2005) and The Adoption of the Accounting Officer System in Canada: Changing Relationships? (2009) among others.

He also met the late professor Peter Aucoin and professor Lori Turnbull. 

“We found we held a number of ideas in common, and gradually the outline of a book took shape. What we were interested in was some of the dysfunction within our Parliamentary system. In particular, we looked at the specific powers that enable prime ministers to inhibit Parliament from ensuring the government is accountable to the citizens it serves.”

The three first took their ideas, in the form of an opinion piece, to a national newspaper. The paper refused to print the article.

“Peter, highly regarded in his field, already felt very strongly about the issue of power and accountability,” Jarvis explained, “and this paper’s absolute refusal to print our article pretty much motivated us to develop our views more fully and to approach an academic publishing firm with them. They said go ahead.”

Dividing up chapters, and meeting to discuss ideas and to make revisions, took the trio from March of 2009 to the book’s completion in 2010. It came out in 2011.

Sadly, Peter Aucoin recently died, in his 67th year. The book which would win him the Donner Prize was among his last.

What lies at the core of Democratizing the Constitution?

“The concept of accountability is a major personal concern to me,” Jarvis said. 

“I think it is a basic premise of our democratic system that the people to whom we have delegated authority to act in our name, must justly discharge that duty. Individuals have to be held to account for the acts and decisions they make. 

We all want effective government and good outcomes in Canada. This cannot happen without accountability.”

The book has created some controversy over its argument that prime ministers have too much power.

“I am not claiming that prime ministers in Canada are abusing power the way leaders of other countries do. Think of the corruption confronted by Arab Spring. Think of someone like Putin, who practices extreme control and manipulation,” Jarvis explained, 

“But improvement is needed. Prime ministers can retain and use Crown powers resulting in a situation where they have almost unfettered power to make decisions – partisan and otherwise – that limit or negate Parliament’s role in our democratic system.”

Jarvis readily admits that any changes or “improvements” will require re-opening the Canadian Charter of Rights.

“Canadians are very reluctant to do this,” he said. “Every time we’ve tinkered with the Charter in the past, well, the outcome has not been productive. Think Meech Lake. 

We now seem to have developed a kind of national paralysis or great fear of opening the Charter up for revision or a second look. I contend, and this is my opinion, that the current level of power held by prime ministers is too much with regards to parliament.”

The book advances research and specific situations which the authors believe support their point of view. 

What lies ahead for Mark Jarvis, with the Donner Prize on his list of accomplishments?

“With some luck I can now really focus on my (doctoral) dissertation,” he laughed. “I need to defend it sooner or later, and my committee would certainly prefer it to be sooner.”

[…]

[…]

Sari Liem of Dillon Consulting in Ottawa presented the interim report for the South Dundas Community Strategic Plan at the May 15th council meeting.

She reminded council that the process “is very much shaped by the community.”

Liem also pointed out that ideas need to be “achievable, practical and economically achievable” and should “support continuous improvement.”

According to Liem’s report, “we received over 200 community wishes (specific aspirations for the betterment of the community) across the various consultation activities.”

“The community wishes have been grouped into seven topic areas:

• Culture, heritage, tourism and waterfront development;

• Beautification;

• Economic growth, job creation and business support;

• Social supports, community resources and affordable housing;

• Planning and infrastructure;

• Recreation programs and facilities; and,

• Agriculture.”

In addition to breaking community wishes into topic areas, the Dillon consultants were able to summarize community wishes and ideas into common themes, which include:

• Create a municipal identity that will celebrate South Dundas’ rich history and culture;

• Create recreational programs, opportunities and facilities that will attract and retain families, children and youth;

• Strengthen South Dundas’ agricultural sector through partnerships with tourism industry;

• Support business expansion and job creation;

• Sustain South Dundas’ small town lifestyle through appropriate development;

• Implement beautification projects to strengthen our sense of pride and community.”

Liem told council the action plan meetings will be held on May 30th at Matilda Hall in Dixon’s Corners between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. Anyone in South Dundas wishing to have input in making actual plans for moving forward in South Dundas should register and attend.

Participants will be divided into two groups: group A and group B. Each group will tackle three different themes, spending 90 minutes on each planning session.

Following Liem’s presentation, mayor Steven Byvelds said, “I think what you’ve heard is what South Dundas is all about.”

“Hopefully, with appropriate action plans, we’ll get there.”

Following the action plan meetings, Dillon Consulting will create a recommended vision statement and an implementation strategy complete with timeline. 

The final plan, when ready, will be presented to council for approval and then be released to the public.

[…]

Amidst all the beautiful blooms in the Garden Centre at the Canadian Tire Store in Morrisburg on Friday, there was a little Christmas gift-giving going on. Pictured above, centre, Canadian Tire’s Ninon Proulx (left) and manager Christine Thompson present a cheque for $570 to Dundas County Food Bank board member Brian Cox, left, and vice-chair Terry Triskle (far right). The very much appreciated donation came about as a result of gift card stocking holders that were sold at the store for $2 apiece during the Christmas season. This comes at a great time said Triskle in thanking the store and the customers who supported the campaign. “Pretty much, anytime from February through May, we don’t have a lot coming in. Food or cash is always welcome,” he said. The Dundas County Food Bank has locations in both Morrisburg and Winchester and collection boxes for non-perishable food donations in various locations in both South and North Dundas. Cash donations are always most welcome and are used to purchase perishable food items that are included in the food boxes, along with regular items when the Food Bank stock runs out.

[…]

Fresh out of the garden and fresh off the farm, Sheldanna Farm will be sharing freshly-made goods at several local farmer’s markets this spring and summer.

Ann-marie and Sheldon Hollister of Ingleside started their farm as a hobby several years ago. It wasn’t until recently that they decided to make this a full-time ‘job.’ In fact, running the farm is a family affair with the couple’s three children helping out as well.

The 22 acre property includes five acres of gardens with sheds and pasture for an assortment of wildlife, two trails through forest which includes a tree house in an actual tree, and, of course, a home.

The Hollisters have called Sheldanna Farm their home for seven years. According to Ann-Marie, “we started out with just chickens and a garden. I just kept adding.”

Currently, the Hollisters have an assortment of projects on the go as well as a list of things they want to try.

With several fields filled with gardens and a new outdoor greenhouse and indoor greenhouses, the couple is preparing for an abundance of fruits and vegetables this year. In addition to selling their fresh produce, the Hollisters will use some to make jams, jellies, and preserves.

In addition to the abundant plant life on the farm, there is quite an assortment of wildlife, including goats, pigs, chickens, hens, roosters, ducks, rabbits, pigeons, turkeys (soon), and, of course, a cat and a dog.  

Not all animals on the farm will become meat for the table. Some of the goats will produce milk, which will then be used to make butter, yogurt, cheese and even soap. 

Another goat, the first of its kind to come to the farm, will produce wool, which Ann-marie intends to “learn how to spin, but that’s a winter project.”

Sheldanna Farm has two kinds of pigs, pot belly and the average meat pigs. The two pot bellies are rescues who live on the farm for no other purpose than just ‘to be’. 

For now, the three meat pigs, soon to be joined by three more, will be able to live happily in a field of their own in amongst the trees, not far from the garden fields.

As a “big animal person,” Ann-marie has gone out of her way to ensure that all the animals will live their lives in clean, happy conditions. According to the Sheldanna Farm brochure: “We take great pride in our animals and believe that they should live the best life they can before it is their time to give back to us.”

The meat chickens are permitted to grow naturally, rather than being rushed as so many others are in similar situations. They’re given the room and space to live and grow without being confined like most chickens bred purely for meat.

The laying hens, who had originally been permitted to roam the property freely, have recently been penned up in a large area due to unauthorized hunting by local foxes.

Of their almost 50 chickens, the Hollisters lost 25 to the hungry foxes. On May 10th, Ann-marie and Sheldon picked up an additional 15 hens and are expecting to get another 20 in the very near future. They buy their hens as day-olds to prevent them from being de-beaked, a common practice that Ann-marie believes is inhumane.

Due to the recent fox activity, the Hollisters secure all of their animals in their pens at night.

The laying hens are not the only birds laying eggs right now. Sheldanna Farm is also home to several different kinds of ducks, two of which are staying close to their nests. 

In addition to meat chickens and laying hens, the couple have decided to add six turkeys to the mix. If all goes well, they’ll probably continue farming turkeys.

In addition to your average farm animal, Sheldanna Farm is home to a new pair of pigeons who, according to Ann-marie, mate for life. 

There are also a hand-full of rabbits. Some are from a line originally raised for meat, while others are from a line of domestic pets. 

Ann-marie has also bred her lionhead rabbits, a domestic rabbit, for their babies, which were in turn sold to pet stores.

In addition to produce, meat, and animal by-products, Ann-marie makes a line of gluten-free baked goods, freshly made for the day they’re sold. She began this venture after being diagnosed with a gluten sensitivity. And, like most everything else she does on the farm, she learned by researching, reading and doing.

With the production of so much of what the average family would buy at the grocery store, the Hollister’s actual grocery bill is minute. According to Ann-marie, some months they spend anywhere between $200 and $400 per month for five people.

They even make their own maple syrup. Unfortunately, they can’t produce enough to sell, but they do have enough to satisfy the needs of their young family.

In fact, that is precisely why they’ve decided to pursue this lifestyle, said Ann-marie: to be together as a family and to provide for their family’s basic needs. She pointed out that farming on this scale is not a way to get rich, but to cover the basics.

As for how they market their many products, it’s through hard work, persistence, and getting out there and getting known.

At present, they have permits to sell their products at various farmer’s markets throughout the area. On Thursdays, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., they will be in Morrisburg. On Fridays, they will be in Long Sault from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. On Saturdays, they will be in both Iroquois, from 8 a.m. until noon, and in Chesterville, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. They will also sell on-farm on Saturday afternoons from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.

In addition to farmer’s markets, the couple is also part of the North Dundas Community Cooperative, a not-for-profit service whose mandate is: “Linking members of the community with local food producers and artisans, to provide healthy choices and showcase talent.”

Also, Sheldanna Farm is a registered Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. According to the Ontario CSA directory, “CSA farmers receive a set fee (from you – the consumer) prior to the start of growing season. In return, you receive shares (produce) in the farm’s bounty and you also share the risks due to weather and other factors beyond the control of the farmer.”

For those participating in the Sheldanna Farm CSA, baskets can be picked up at all farmer’s market locations or on-farm. Ann-marie pointed out that those who pick up their baskets on-farm have the opportunity to switch out whatever vegetables they don’t like for more of another. 

The Sheldanna Farm CSA serves Ingleside, Long Sault, Cornwall, Morrisburg, Iroquois, Winchester, Chesterville, Ottawa and area.

In an effort to market their farm and its many products, the Hollisters plan to participate in as many community fair events as possible. They were recently invited to participate in Morrisburg’s Canada Day festivities.

To learn more about Sheldanna Farm, the Hollisters invite the public to visit.

Sheldanna Farm is located at 4957 Aultsville Road, Ingleside.

[…]

“This maze will take you through the thoughts, feelings and emotions of our clients who are attempting to secure food, shelter and finances.”

On May 9th, at the Civic Centre in Iroquois, the Dundas Interagency Committee sponsored a Homelessness Maze.

The event was organized to give workers in the social service professions an opportunity to experience what their clients might experience and to provide a clearer picture of the hardships and frustrations they face daily while attempting to secure food, shelter and financial assistance. 

According to Julie Graham, a member of the Dundas Interagency Committee and a health educator and promoter for the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU), this was the second time the committee has run this event. 

“We had hosted our first in 2009 and it was quite the success thanks to the Canadian Mental Health Association. So, we asked them to come out again this year to  host one in South Dundas,” she said. 

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) of Champlain East organized and led the ‘maze’ at the May 9th event.

Kim Height, team supervisor in Cornwall for the CMHA, introduced the idea of the Homelessness Maze to the area four years ago when she created her own version of the maze in Cornwall.

Since then, she has led two maze events in Cornwall, one in North Dundas and, now, one in South Dundas. She was first introduced to the idea at an event in Toronto.

The idea, said Height, is to “instill compassion” in service agency workers and to give them the opportunity “to really experience what it’s like to be somebody searching for those services.”

Some of the agencies participating in the event were: Job Zone, Health Units in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark and Eastern Ontario, T.R. Leger, Ontario Works, the House of Lazarus, various ministries, Cornwall and Area Housing Authority, South Dundas Township, North Dundas Township, United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, the Williamsburg Non-Profit Housing, and the Legal Clinic.

According to Graham, the day began with groups meeting outside the Iroquois Civic Centre  where they received their information package. 

Each group, whether it contained four, five or six members, received one package with details of the “character” they would be playing. 

Graham’s group of five were “pretending” to be a woman with two small children.

Height explained that the “characters” were chosen from the vulnerable sector or the high-risk population.

The maze portion of the event required each group to navigate through the various agencies as the character (client profile) they were given. 

In order to replicate the difficulty faced by those attempting to access help from one agency to another, barriers were set up. Finding and even getting to each station was a challenge.

In addition, there could be significant wait times, mimicking the reality many of their clients face daily.

“We’re making it difficult for them,” said Height of the participants in the event. “We’re asking them to work as a group and then come back and talk about their emotions.”

“If they’re experiencing this within an hour, then imagine someone living with this,” she said of the frustration some of the participants were exhibiting.

Graham pointed out that “it is not clear-cut, there’s lots of red tape. It’s not easy to acquire the basics that a human being needs.”

Mark Snelgrove, CMHA employee in charge of this year’s Homelessness Maze, pointed out that “we get as many of the real service providers – actual people with the actual knowledge – as possible.” 

He was referring to the many stations set up throughout the maze, including the food bank, Ontario Works, the landlord, the legal clinic, social housing, the bank, the resource centre, and the detention centre.

Snelgrove said “there’s a detention center for breaking the rules.” Graham had already been to the detention center once for breaking a rule.

Following the maze, which took approximately two hours, the participants were given the opportunity to come back together to discuss their experiences.

The main question they addressed, said Graham, is “What are some of the issues our clients are facing?”

Participants were given “the opportunity to suggest some potential changes to make it a bit more user-friendly,” reported Graham.

“It’s all about feeling the real experience that our clients would experience,” said Snelgrove. 

“It’s to remind people of the human side: everyone who comes through has a story and everyone is an individual.”

As to the success of the event, according to Graham, “this one exceeded the first.” 

Height added that “as for the comments I’ve been hearing, it’s working as successfully as it did the first time.”

Ben Macpherson, representative for the Township of South Dundas, said, “I was one of many who helped put the day together and also participated in the event.” 

“We had a very good turnout of 64 people across a variety of agencies. It was a great way to see the difficulties and frustrations that people face when dealing with the organizations that were represented,” he added.

After receiving the information package and before beginning the maze, the May 9th participants were treated to a one hour presentation about the 211 Ontario service.

According to their website, www.211ontario.ca, 211 Ontario “provides information and referral to community and social services in Ontario.”

[…]

“We just try to fill in gaps and respond to needs as they arise,” said Cathy Ashby of the Glengarry Inter Agency Group Inc (GIAG).

The Ontario Early Years Centre (OEYC), with locations in Morrisburg and Iroquois, is a government funded program that falls under the ‘umbrella’ of the GIAG.

“It’s an umbrella organization with a volunteer board,” said Ashby. GIAG is based in Alexandria, but has expanded outward to include other areas in Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry.

According to Ashby, GIAG “applied to be the lead organization for that (OEYC). We became involved in child care helping out the Morrisburg District Cooperative Preschool.”

“Instead of cancelling the Iroquois School Age program, we’ve carried on. The Learning Centre now has four school age child care programs.”

According to their website, GIAG was established in 1976 as a “non-profit community organization” whose goals include increasing visibility, excellence, continuity, and program development.

Some of the services offered under the umbrella of the GIAG are: the Ontario Early Years Centre for SD&G; the Learning Centre for SD&G; various youth programs in Glengarry and Dundas; employment services for Glengarry; and, seniors’ programs for North and South Glengarry. “It is an unique agency whose programs span a lifetime.” 

“People across SD&G and the GIAG are truly ‘Together on life’s journey,’” commented Ashby.  

[…]