News

 

Upper Canada Village is devoting the entire weekend of June 22-23,  to a celebration of ‘all things fibre’ at the Fantastic Fibres and Quilt Show. 

Quilt guilds from across Eastern Ontario will gather at the Village to showcase an amazing array of contemporary works in the Family Activity Centre.

 A special selection of quilts from Upper Canada Village’s museum collection, some dating back to the 1800s and some of which have not been on display for many years, will be featured in various buildings throughout the site.  

Upper Canada Village’s 50th anniversary quilt, made in 2011 to mark the Village’s first 50 years, will also be on display.  This quilt is made up of squares representing patterns from quilts made each year by Village quilting staff from 1961-2011.

 Judy Lyons a specialist in the appraisal of traditional and non-traditional quilts will be at the event as both a speaker and as a certified quilt appraiser. 

Judy will speak on the subject of “What Quilts have survived from the period of 1800 – 1825” at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. 

She will be available to appraise quilts at half hour intervals from 10 a.m. until noon, 12:30– 1:30 p.m., 3-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. It is recommended that appraisal times are reserved in advance by contacting Margot Dixon at 613.543.3704 extension 2332 or margot.dixon@parks.on.ca.

 Thirteen entries in the 2013 Quilt Challenge commemorating the Bicentennial of the Battle of Crysler’s Farm will be on display in Christ Church as well as a quilt by Upper Canada Village’s Margot Dixon.  The quilt named “By Plunder of the Enemy”, was inspired through research done by Dixon into civilian losses due to the War of 1812.  

The 2013 Quilt Challenge is sponsored by International Textiles Limited of Richmond, BC. All event entrants will receive a package of fat quarters from Judie Rothermel’s Civil War prints in the Marcus Fabrics collection.

At Christ Church, the Ontario East British Home Child Family will have a quilt on display to commemorate British Home Children. Loucks Farm will be the venue for a Fibre Artists display.

A crowd favourite last year, the ‘Knit-a-Bit’ Challenge will return. 

Knitters of all ages and skill levels are invited to participate in a timed competition to produce a length of plain knitting. Knitting needles will be provided for participants. 

Three age categories are under 12 years of age, 13-18, and 19 years and older.  Sign up and you can compete anytime between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. 

Other areas not to be missed include the Woollen Mill where you can see wool transformed from fleece to blankets.

The Asselstine Mill is the only operating 19th century woollen factory in North America.  In the McDiarmid House, flax will be transformed into linen – a time consuming process, but well worth the effort as it produced a durable household fabric.

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A real black beauty!

 Blackie is a beautiful young lady, just over one year old Black Lab mix, looking for a forever home. Real loving nature like most Labs. She has a most wonderful, kind disposition, although it is suspected she may have been mistreated. Healthy girl, not spayed…looking for a family to love.

 

 

South Dundas Animal Shelter Name: Ginger. 1-2 year old mixed breed female (possibly some Rottie), not spayed. Very mild mannered, calm. Hi folks. The volunteers here at the South Dundas Animal Shelter have named me Ginger in deference to my beautiful ginger-like colouring. They have been oohing an aahing over my beautiful colouring. I am a mid-sized young woman. Nice compact girl. I am very calm and quiet and grew up in an apartment, so I am house-trained and eagerly looking forward to a new home. I am still a young gal, so I would benefit from some manners training and the gals here at the shelter have been working on my leash training. 

 

 

Interested in 

adopting? 

Call Kevin at the South Dundas Animal Shelter 

613-913-1476

 

[…]

 

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.

[…]

 

Churches everywhere, including those within South Dundas, are struggling but the churches in South Dundas do something special every year to demonstrate to the community that churches are still relevant and still have an important message to share, a message of love.

“Love South Dundas is our way of presenting it,” says Rev. Clarence Witten of the Community Christian Reform Church in Dixon’s Corners. 

Together, every church in South Dundas is behind the Love South Dundas initiative.

This is the fifth year for Love South Dundas. 

This year it starts June 9, and runs through June 23, when it culminates in a large children’s fair. 

Throughout the two weeks, through the Love South Dundas movement, volunteers from all of the churches will be out in the community engaging in service activities and random acts of kindness.

A car wash June 15 at the Iroquois Fire Station, a hymn sing at the Morrisburg Pentecostal Church, a food drive where donations can be dropped off at any church and delivery of baskets of baked blessings, are taking place. Witten says that they too are offering to do chores for seniors and those in need. 

New this year, Love South Dundas will be sharing the love with those attending the Bluegrass Festival in Iroquois on Sunday, June 16.

“We are offering those at the Bluegrass Festival a free breakfast from 8 a.m. to about 10 a.m. It should be lots of fun,” said Witten.

“The whole point is to show love to the community. Love is what God is about. We are giving freely for free,” said Witten.

“We do hope that you’ll come out and take advantage of our service projects, be blessed by some random acts of kindness and will join us at our closing event of June 23.” 

The June 23 event, in Morrisburg’s Earl Baker Park, which starts at 2 p.m. will feature bouncy castles and clowns and new this year, a petting zoo and free pony rides. Supper is at 4:30 p.m. with burgers and hotdogs being served. 

It all ends with a huge outdoor worship at 7 p.m. with guest speaker Ken MacLaren.

This is the third year that the closing event is a children’s fair, and a tradition that Love South Dundas hopes to continue. Two years ago it attracted a crowd of about 400 people. Last year it was rained out. 

For further information, to suggest someone in need of a hand, or to find a way to get more involved with Love South Dundas contact Nancy Blockland at communitycrc@ripnet.com 

[…]

 

May 30, the Ontario Minister of Energy, Bob Chiarelli announced that the province is increasing local control over future renewable energy projects.

This announcement means little to the South Dundas residents who are opposed the pending 10 megawatt wind energy project that will see EDP Renewables erect 10 industrial wind turbines in the Brinston area.

This project already has an agreement in place, with construction expected to start this summer.

“Working with the Ontario Power Authority and municipalities, the province will develop a competitive procurement process for renewable projects over 500 kilowatts. The new process will increase the existing large project stream of the Feed-In Tariff program and better meet the needs of communities,” reads the Ontario news release. 

“It will require energy planners and developers to work directly with municipalities to identify appropriate locations and site requirements for any future renewable energy project.”

Also, as part of strengthening municipal participation and supporting communities, the province announced that they are revising the Small FIT program rules, they will work with municipalities to determine a property tax rate increase for wind turbine towers and through funding will help small and medium-size municipalities develop municipal energy plans.

“From what I have gathered from the announcement, South Dundas and other municipalities will have more say, but the devil is in the details,” said South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds. He plans to learn more about the issue, this announcement and its implications. 

It is the mayor’s understanding that this announcement will have no affect on the South Branch Project.

Leslie Disheau, of the South Branch Wind Opposition Group agrees that this announcement will not apply to the South Branch project.

“Even if these new rules did apply to the South Branch wind project, it is quite apparent that the current South Dundas council is not willing to be proactive, but prefer to sit with their hands tied,” said Disheau.

Commenting on the announcement by Chiarelli, Disheau said, “The central planning still remains firmly in the hands of the Energy Ministry, not municipalities. What the announcement didn’t do was to provide municipalities the power to simply say, ‘we are not willing hosts’, which is what 36 of approximately 90 municipalities have said so far, by passing bylaws proclaiming that phrase.”

“As far as I can read, Mr. Chiarelli still has yet to divulge the real details of just how this ‘revised’ Feed In Tariff program will appease the taxpayers of Ontario and municipal governments,” said Disheau. 

Of the portion of the announcement outlining the province working with municipalities to determine a property tax rate increase for wind turbine towers, Disheau says, “This is interesting as the former Minister of Finance instructed the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation to assess industrial wind turbines at $40,000 per MW, despite the fact that the capital costs per MW were in the $1 million to $1.2 million range. Wind developers have a great financial relationship with the Liberal Government of Ontario and thanks to us, the taxpayers, they will continue to ‘roll in the dough.’”

[…]