News

 

 Several local residents celebrated some significant membership milestones this past weekend.

Legion Branch 48 held their annual awards night dinner on Friday, November 4th in Morrisburg.

The evening got underway with a delicious meal prepared and served by the Ladies Auxiliary.

Speeches and awards presentations followed immediately on the heals of dessert.

Ladies Auxiliary Zone Commander Rose Phillips began saying, “we’re all proud of you and the work you do on behalf of our veterans.”

South Dundas Mayor Steven Byvelds said, “on behalf of the township, thank you for all the work you do. Thank you for all your efforts and congratulations to all the winners tonight.”

After a brief “Poppy Push” from Legion President Maurice Praine, awards were given to women of the Ladies Auxiliary. Member Michelle Brooks took the podium to announce the awards while President Rita Fowler handed over pins and medals.

Ladies Auxiliary – 10 Years

Receiving 10-year pins were Elaine Baker, Brenda Fyke, Florence Merkley, Diane Trudeau, and Loretta Kennedy.

Ladies Auxiliary – 25 Years

Kim Murphy was the lone recipient of the 25-year pin.

Ladies Auxiliary – 35 Years

 Donna Dowson was the sole recipient in the 35-year pin category.

Ladies Auxiliary – 50 Years

The sole 50-year pin went to Ruth Rice.

Ladies Auxiliary-Life Member

Inez Bilmer received her Life Membership pin while a congratulatory card from Barbara McIsaac was read aloud.

2011 Branch Service Pins

Following the LA presentations, Praine retook the podium to single out the “Years of Service.”

5 Years of Service

Recipients included: John Hitsman. Marcel Hubert, Mary Ellen Merkley, Donald Nesbitt, Geoffrey Peters, Susan Peters, Maurice Praine,  and Kevin Spencer.

10 Years of Service

David Baldwin, Philip Jamieson,  and Lewis Tomlinson earned their “10 Year” pins.

15 Years of Service

Recipients included Lawrence Belmore, Eleanore Belmore, Jeff Cassell, Melanie Cassell, Arlene Darrach, Robert Darrach, Lori-Anne Davies, Nancy Davies, Michele Dumaresq-Watt, Jeffery Lowe, and Elwin Woolsey. 

20 Years of Service

James Caldwell, Kevin Keyes and Michael Robertson achieved twenty years of service.

25 Years of Service

“25 Years of Service” pins were given to Gord Dillabough, Mark MacDonald, Anna Nicolier, and Sydney Smith.

30 Years of Service

Recipients included John Falardeau, Jane Gale, E. Hamilton, Brian Howald, Glen Howald, Mary Meher, and Gwen Phelan.

35 Years of Service

Recipients included Larry Jardine, Cecile Millar, Anne Carruthers, and Bob Henophy.

50 Years of Service

George Dowson was the lone recipient in this category.

55 Years of Service

Sydney George was the sole recipient. Unable to attend, Ray Boucher accepted on his behalf saying George and his wife “hope to make it for the 60th.”

65 Years of Service

Charlie Eamon was on hand to receive his pin for 65 years of service. Keeping it short, he said, “I’ve really enjoyed my 65 years being here. It’s been a long time and it’s been worth it. Thank you very much.”

Life Members

Barry Holmes, from Branch 108 in Winchester, introduced the two life member award recipients, Beverly Beck and Tom Beck. 

The Becks were former members of the Winchester branch before transferring to Morrisburg, where they now live. 

Before their transfer, Branch 108 had been planning to bestow the honour on the couple, but were unable to make it happen in time. 

Branch 48 worked in conjunction with Branch 108 to make the awards for the couple a reality with the former making the recommendation and the latter offering the financial backing. 

The award is given to those who have put in a substantial amount of volunteer service, both inside and outside the Legion, over a significant number of years. 

Holmes was accompanied by 11 other Winchester members.

Service Bar Medals

Branch Service Medals and Ladies Auxiliary Service Medals were introduced in 2010 “to recognize the significant volunteer and service work accomplished by members.” 

This year the recipients included Steven Coligan, Donna Dillabough, Rita Fowler, Elsie Guindon, Anna Nicolier, and Bill Shearing.

[…]

 

The Friday, November 18, Sustainable Dundas Community Forum to be held at the Christian Reformed Church in Williamsburg is fast approaching. 

The forum will provide the community the  opportunity to add its voice to the initiative to create a better future for our rural communities. 

The forum is sponsored by the House of Lazarus, Linking Hands Project and local municipal councils. Social service agencies will be at the table, along with representatives from local churches concerned about increasing poverty in rural Dundas. 

Local business owners, members of  service clubs or community organizations, and concerned residents, are all invited to attend this very important forum. 

The Forum will take place on Friday, November 18 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Christian Reformed Church in Williamsburg. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. 

Registration forms are available at the Township offices in North Dundas and South Dundas and from the House of Lazarus, or online from linkinghandsdundas@gmail.com. Call 613-989-3830 for more information. 

The House of Lazarus Linking Hands Project is sponsoring the Community Forum in Dundas County in partnership with municipal councils, local churches, social service agencies, businesses, and community groups to develop some community-based sustainable strategies to make our communities more resilient to increasing rural poverty,” says Nanda Wubs who is a co-chair of Linking Hands with Pauline Pratt.

“Working groups created at the Forum will begin some community projects to address the specific rural issues and gaps in service we are facing in Dundas County.” 

Some areas of concern are: economic and entrepreneurial development and training; transportation and access to jobs and services; access to nutritious and local food; geared-to-income housing for families; emergency shelter; literacy, including financial and digital literacy; community awareness of and access to services, community health and wellness.

[…]

 

By-laws are introduced at almost every South Dundas council meeting and most pass without much fanfare.

At the November 1st meeting, however, Fire Chief Chris McDonough brought two proposed by-laws to the table, both of which were passed and both of which produced a fair amount of discussion.

The first by-law, number 2011-78, establishes set fees for specific services provided by the South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services Department. 

Requested inspections for things like day care homes, day nurseries, homes for special care and so on now cost $50. A requested industrial inspection will cost $75 for a half day and $150 for a full day.

The following will be charged according to Ministry of Transportation Ontario’s current rates: false alarm charges (after three calls in one year); burning without notice, unattended, unapproved or oversize fire; ice and water rescues, and motor vehicle fire and collision response.

McDonough relayed that it’s “fairly common practice for these general items.”

Mayor Steven Byvelds wanted to ensure that discretion is used and that first time offenders for “burning without notice” be given warning and “the second time, lay the hammer down.”

McDonough said, “what we need to do is educate the applicants.” 

He brought up the possibility of a community round table information session in the new year to which the mayor agreed saying, “we want to make sure that everyone is on the same page.”

The second by-law, the Carbon Monoxide By-Law, requires “the installation and maintenance of carbon monoxide alarms in all single family dwellings or attached residential occupancies containing fuel fired appliances and/or having attached garages.”

McDonough reported that “carbon monoxide is something you can’t identify: you can’t see it or smell it.”

“We’re going to promote it with our smoke alarm program.”

He told council that there are many detectors to choose from, but they can be purchased for as little as $30 and it’s “a valuable tool.”

“I would hope that people already have them for the most part,” he said.

McDonough believes it is very important to get the message out to people. He advocated educating the public on the by-law.

He told council that, unlike smoke alarms, only one carbon monoxide detector is needed per home, specifically in or near the sleeping area. “It migrates through the house,” he explained. “It’s an unusual gas.”

Mayor Steven Byvelds agreed that “it is well worth the effort.” 

[…]

 

It’s been said that a little bit of recognition goes a long way.

At the November 1st South Dundas council meeting, Councillor Evonne Delegarde suggested that the township be recognized for its contribution to the 50/50 grant projects, the Morrisburg Lion’s Pavillion and the South Dundas Dog Park.

“I just think there should be some recognition that the township of South Dundas was involved in these projects.”

Chief Administrative Officer Stephen McDonald agreed saying “that’s a good idea actually.” He went on to say that many people don’t know or realize that the township made such a significant contribution to these projects.

Councillor Archie Mellan suggested having a clause put into the 50/50 grant application requiring the group to acknowledge the township’s contribution.

Mayor Steven Byvelds commented that it’s common practice for people to be recognized for their contributions and so, “adding that to our policy would certainly make sense. It’s fair.”

[…]

 

South Dundas has handed in their homework to the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry.

At the November 1st council meeting, Manager of Planning and Enforcement for South Dundas, Don Lewis, presented the final report documenting agreed-upon amendments to the settlement boundaries for all of South Dundas.

He informed council that “last Thursday (October 27) the Counties and I went to each of those sites” in question from the October 25 special meeting. They included “the area north of Iroquois, Elma, Stampville, and Mariatown.”

Councillor Archie Mellan inquired as to the status of the land south of Hainesville.

Lewis replied that it is “prime agricultural land and (there’s) absolutely no way” to include it. He continued, “we weren’t successful in quite a few areas.”

Mellan pointed out that South Dundas has a “low county average” and, in terms of growth, it’s “lagging.”

[…]

 

Branch 370 news by Shelley Cumberland

With one Remembrance Day ceremony held this past Sunday, in Iroquois, there is one left that falls under the auspices of our Branch at the IL (Iroquois Legion). The Matilda Township ceremony will be held Friday, November 11th at 11am. Sgt-at-arms Ralph Martin is looking for more members to volunteer for the colour party for this event. There is no need to sign up, just show up at the Branch at 10a.m.

The annual Honours and Awards Banquet was held at the IL this past Saturday night, celebrated with a potluck dinner. Congratulations to Comrade Steve Merkley who was chosen as this year’s Legionnaire of the Year.

Veterans Service Bureau Officer John Morrison will be visiting the IL during the week of November 14th.

There will be a Turkey Dart Shoot on December 10th, starting at 11a.m. Cost is $2 per round and there will be a blind draw for teams.

It is Legion dues time! The Early Bird special is $30 until November 30th. After that, dues go up to $40 until December 31st. So stop by the bar and pick up your new card.

There are sign up sheets posted for a couple of sporting events at the IL. Zone Cribbage will be held in Morrisburg, this year on November 26th. So, you need to sign up ASAP! Zone Euchre will be held at the IL, on January 28th.

Hot lunch this Friday will be chicken stew with dumplings, with cranapple crisp and custard for dessert. Wing night gets going at 6 p.m. that evening. 

Have a good week everyone! Cheers.

Thought of the week: Although no sculptured marble should rise to their memory, nor engraved stone bear record of their deeds, yet will their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honoured. Daniel Webster 1782 – 1852.

[…]

 

The Dunbar Recreation Centre was consumed by fire during the early hours of Saturday, October 8th leaving devastation and charred remains.

At the November 1st South Dundas council meeting, Clerk Brenda Brunt provided council with a brief update on what’s being done to clean-up the site.

“It’s quite a process to deal with an insurance company after a fire,” said Brunt.

She reported to council that the insurance company had wanted the township to send bids for the demolition job to the two companies affiliated with the insurance company.

Brunt and staff, however, insisted on bringing in bids of their own and it was one of these, Lloyd McMillan Equipment Ltd., that won the job with the lowest bid of $7,500 plus HST.

The demolition process includes the removal of debris, trees, and anything else left behind from the fire.

[…]

 

Guy Lauzon – MP Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry

OTTAWA – You may have heard our Conservative Government recently introduced the Safe Streets and Communities Act. It was part of our campaign platform. As a matter of fact we promised to pass it within the first 100 sitting days of Parliament if we were given a majority government. Canadians gave us a majority government and now we are delivering.

Many components of the Act have been debated repeatedly in past Parliaments. Every time we got close to putting this legislation into law, the opposition parties would put a halt to it. They claim to be tough on crime but when “push comes to shove” they always vote against tougher laws. Our Government was given a strong mandate to keep working for the safety of Canadian families and we will. We will continue to stand up for victims rather than criminals.  

This Act entitled C-10 includes components like:

– increased penalties for sexual offences against children.

– tougher sentences for organized drug crime.

– ending house arrest for serious crimes.

– providing victims with the right to attend parole hearings.

– eliminating pardons for serious crimes.

– increased protection for vulnerable immigrants from human trafficking and exploitation. 

– Sebastien’s law: to better the public from violent and repeat young offenders.

In addition to remaining focused on the economic recovery and the safety of Canadians we are also moving forward with other key legislation that prevents human smugglers from taking advantage of our immigration system. We are improving Canadian democracy by upholding the principle that every vote cast should be of equal value through seat redistribution, and finally after many attempts blocked by the opposition parties, we will at last get rid of the long-gun registry once and for all. 

I am proud of our record since receiving our Majority mandate in the May 2 election. We are getting it done!

Guy Lauzon 

Member of Parliament

Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry

[…]

 

”What a great day,” said Leslie Disheau, chair of the Seaway District High School parents council on Sunday, November 6, when Sears Iroquois and River Rat Treasures sponsored a fund raising show for Seaway. “The fashion clothing was just stunning and all the models looked amazing.”

The fashion show, which featured vendors as well as several door prizes and a 50/50 draw, earned $1,393 at the door. This amount will be matched through the generosity of the Morrisburg branch of the Scotia Bank, whose employees turned out to help with the event.  “We will probably be close to $3,000,” Disheau said. Monies are still coming in from vendors and expenses are still being determined.

The fashion show was organized and staged by local Iroquois businesswoman, Candace Menges, owner of the Sears outlet, Candy’s Hair Salon and River Rat Treasures. Annually, Menges and Sears Iroquois present fashion shows as a fund raisers for local charities and organizations. This year, she was approached by the Seaway parents council for help.

“Technology in the classroom is our fund raising goal this year,” Disheau explained. “The money we raise will be used for SmartBoards, Elmos and science equipment for Seaway High.”

“This is my first time as a fashion model,” laughed Seaway principal Terry Gardiner, “and I will be mainly concentrating on not tripping. I really appreciate this special fund raiser for our school. It reflects visible community support for our 90 per cent graduation goal.”

Sixteen models of all ages showed school, casual, cruise and party wear from Sears. Guests attending the gala also had the opportunity to do a little early Christmas shopping from area vendors. Vendors also donated eight door prizes for lucky visitors.

The 50/50 draw was won by Heather Black and the Cuisinart Single Serve Coffee Machine was won by Lisa Bailey.

[…]

 

 South Dundas residents may be unaware that professional help with mental health issues is much nearer than they may have supposed.

In December of 2010, the Canadian Mental Health Association, Champlain East, established a satellite office in the Morrisburg Plaza. The Morrisburg facility is linked to main offices in Cornwall and Hawkesbury. It has been established to directly serve clients in need in the Dundas area.

The Morrisburg office has two case managers, Linda Lloyd and Stéphane Fortin, on site, to help clients dealing with mental health issues. 

“We are not a crisis centre,” Lloyd and Fortin explained. “If a person or loved one is in immediate crisis, the family should contact the crisis line in the phone book. We have dealt with some crisis calls in the past, but we immediately directed these callers to the right response teams.”

Instead, the Morrisburg case managers work on a wholly volunteer basis. A client must agree to referral to a case manager, and must take the “initial step” to seek help. 

Community support services, like the Morrisburg satellite office, offer client-centred services designed to enhance the rehabilitation, adjustment and community integration of those 16 or older living with a severe psychiatric disability. 

“A client has to volunteer for the services we provide,” Fortin explained. “There are no fees and no contracts in our service, but a client has to make a personal choice to continue the program. We don’t prescribe medicines or counselling or therapy. We are strictly case managers. What we do is connect people to the resources and the professionals who can best help and serve them.”

Case managers like Fortin and Lloyd are funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and have backgrounds in social work. 

“There is a real diversity of educational backgrounds among the 24 case managers who serve the five counties through our four satellite offices,” Fortin said. “Each case manager comes from a different educational background. We have addiction specialists, probation specialists and psychiatric nurses. As a team, we offer a lot of strengths which can provide help to people.”

The training and experience that individual case managers bring to clients often enhances the help they receive.

“I think we sometimes act as a pair of extra eyes for our clients,” Lloyd said. “We sometimes can see an issue manifesting itself, and can then direct a client to specifically discuss it with the doctor.”

CHMA community support services are flexible and portable. They are designed to facilitate maximum client participation and self-determination. 

Case managers provide individualized support and opportunities to learn and practice essential life skills needed for independent living. Because they improve clients’ ability to access services, they may help reduce the incidence of hospital re-admission.

Despite the great improvements in mental health treatments and options, both Fortin and Lloyd are aware that the stigma attached to mental illness has not disappeared.

“The stigma is out there at every age level,” Fortin said. 

“Sadly, I think a lot of mental illness is still pretty much hidden,” Lloyd said. “From my experience, what I often see is people suffering in silence. I find there is a tendency in rural areas to keep silent, to not admit there is a need and to seek help. A number of factors enter into this: lack of resources, transportation problems, few accessible doctors. These can all act as barriers to someone needing help.”

“Of course, people in large communities can also choose to isolate themselves,” Fortin said. “In this area, Dundas county, the public is most definitely under-served. There is no one actually practising psychiatry in this area. Our cases have to be referred to Ottawa or Cornwall.”

Have there been some positive changes on the mental health scene in the last decade or so?

“Well, we’re here now,” Lloyd said. “I think there is a growing understanding of the real need for community outreach. Workshops and educational venues are far more in evidence. I’m an optimist. I believe the situation is getting better. There are some very good people reaching out to those in need.”

“I think we have better educational programs to create public awareness than 10 years ago,” Fortin added. 

“People with mental health issues go to work, love their children, contribute to society,” Lloyd explained. “People with mental health issues are all around us, not locked up in wards and closets. Help is out there. Recovery is possible.”

Clients can be referred to the CMHA   Morrisburg community support office by doctors, health professionals, clergy, friends, or by contacting the office themselves. Appointments will be set up. 

“A client who wants help can always find help. The community medical resources are out there and we help people to access the ones that will serve them best,” Fortin said. 

Visit the web site at www.cmha-east.on.ca 

[…]