News

Backed by overwhelming community response, a committee of volunteers, loosely associated with the Dundas County Hospice, is bringing world renowned speaker on topics relating to the care of the dying, Maggie Callanan to Winchester for a one-day workshop on Saturday, September 24.

“No one likes to talk about death and dying,” says Jan Clapp of Winchester who is co-chairing the Hospice Day Committee with Linda Johnston, an Oncology Nurse at Winchester Hospital. “This workshop is to increase comfort and awareness and is geared to people (in addition to professional caregivers) who perhaps have a loved one who is dying.”

Maggie Callanan, who is located on the American east coast, became a hospice nurse in 1981. She has since studied, taught and written about death and dying. She delivers practical no-nonsense answers to difficult questions tempered by humour, wisdom and compassion.

She has authored two books: Final Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness Needs and Communication of the Dying and Final Journeys: A Practical Guide to Care and Comfort at the End of Life.

The campaign to bring Callanan to Winchester began after Clapp’s Book Club read Final Gifts.

“I’ve been in Palliative Care for a longtime,” says Clapp who is the facilitator for the Dundas County Hospice Course. “It’s absolutely the best book I’ve ever read.”

After reading the book Clapp noticed a contact on the back cover. She e-mailed the website not expecting anything to come of it, but less than two hours later she was contacted by Callanan by telephone.

“We are of the same vintage, and we connected well.”

When Callanan said she would be interested in coming to this area to speak, Clapp says she was excited about the possibility, but a little hesitant due to the cost of bringing her here.

The cost was too much for the Dundas Hospice to commit to and as a result a committee was formed with Clapp and Johnston as the co-chairs. Nellie Leightizer and Betty Guy came on board as representatives of Hospice, and Winchester United Church Minister Christine Lowson, Joanne Notman, Michel Renaud (an oncolocy nurse) and Bea Warren all stepped up.

“Diane Crummy and Doris Baker are our food folks,” says Clapp. “They contacted 16 area churches for help, and all but one, which had another commitment, are helping us with our lunches. That’s a wonderful statement of our community.”

“The whole thing is just meant to be. The spirit in this community is just so special. We have good people here.”

In addition to the committee volunteers, both North and South Dundas councils have committed $400 to the workshop, Annette Angus has donated accommodations at her bed and breakfast Terrace Green at Winchester and Gib Patterson at Cloverdale Links has donated air miles.

Clapp stresses the event is not a fund raiser. “Our first goal is education and awareness. It’s not set up as a fund raiser, but if there is extra money we will donate it to Dundas County Hospice.”

The workshop based on the novel, Final Gifts, will provide a wonderful opportunity to all those who provide palliative care in a professional capacity and especially to the public in general.

To be able to make a donation the committee is hoping to sell out at 200 participants at $25 per person.

The workshop will be based on Callanan’s novel Final Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness Needs and Communication of the Dying. It will take place at the Winchester Community Centre on Saturday, September 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Registration can be made at hospiceday@gmail.com and should be made as promptly as possible as spaces are limited.

[…]

The days are getting shorter, the leaves are turning colours and the pumpkins are in the fields.

That can mean only one thing.

The 20th annual Fall Harvest Festival is coming to Williamsburg on Friday and Saturday, September 23-24, and everyone is invited to come out and enjoy two days of fun and excitement.

“This is a real community event,” said David Lapier, president of the Williamsburg Community Association, which organizes the two day celebration. “We really couldn’t do the Harvest Festival without the support of many groups in our community, our sponsors, area churches, scouts, firefighters and businesses. No doubt about it, team work makes everything happen.”

Lapier says that there will be some new events at this year’s Festival.

“In our noon parade, we will have a marching band from Cornwall, a first for us. Also new this year is an ATV group ride, which will take place at J.C. Whitteker Park Saturday morning. That should be a lot of fun. And I think kids of all ages will enjoy the visit from Maple the Cow especially since there will be free ice cream bars. For adults, Jed the Mechanical Bull, will be coming to the Saturday night dance at the Matilda Hall where Landmark will be performing. As in other years, we’ll be running a bus from Williamsburg to and from the dance.”

Lapier points out that all the popular activities from previous fall festivals will also be returning.

The entire village will be decorated in a Hillbilly fall theme this year. Children are invited to come out in their best Harvest-themed costumes on Saturday morning for the judging. There are many activities for youngsters including colouring and poster contests, pumpkin carving, biggest vegetable contests, ball hockey, face painting, mini-putt and a petting zoo, Tribeck Inflatables and water games with the Williamsburg Fire Department.

For adults and the young at heart there are a photo contest, a scavenger hunt, the Allan Doherty Memorial Horseshoe Tournament, a flea market, a farmers’ market and a colourful craft show at the J.W. MacIntosh Seniors’ Support Centre.

“The great thing about our Fall Festival is that everything, with the exception of the food, is absolutely free,” David Lapier said. “There are no admission fees, no fees for games and rides. Everyone can come out and have a good time.”

The Fall Festival weekend will kick off on Friday night with a firefighters’ softball game at 8 p.m. and movie night at the Oddfellows Hall at 6:30 p.m.

“We’re looking for great weather for our Williamsburg Fall Harvest Festival,” said David Lapier, “but it’ll be a good time no matter what.”

For additional information contact 613-535-2264.

[…]

Last Wednesday morning, some 20 plus youngsters with their moms, dads and grandpas and grandmas in tote visited Smyth’s Apple Orchards here, to pick a basket or two and, yes, to even munch on an apple or two.

Fiona Carr, the Family Resouroce Coordinator at the Ontario Early Years Centre in Iroquois, was excited about the great turnout for the annual trek to Smyth’s Orchards which included a tour of the packing facility and the opportunity for the kids to fill their own baskets.

The apple season is in full swing in South Dundas, and Sandra Beckstead says apple lovers can expect good quality and good quantity apples this year.

“The apples are on the smaller side,” she explains. “We didn’t get enough rain this summer  which results in smaller apples.”
Beckstead says that because of the lack of rain the trees are stressed and the apples are dropping. “So it is rush, rush, rush for us to get them picked. Mother Nature has a lot of control over us.”

The Macs, Honey Crisp, Lobo, Wealthy, Cortland, Royal Gala and Spartans are now available

[…]

“You don’t have to go far from home to hear great music,” said Bev Anderson of Brockville, just one of the fans who turned out for the 5th Annual Upper Canada  Bluegrass Festival held at Upper Canada Campground September 16-18.

Hosted by campground owners David and Ruth Wells, with the musical talent organized by Mike Anderson, over 110 campers and  a large number of day visitors came out to enjoy some of the best bluegrass music around. “We had great weather all weekend,” Wells said, “and there are a lot of die hard fans for bluegrass out there. The people who come to these events are terrific.”

Although Wells reported that numbers were somewhat down from other years, due, he thought to the economy and high gas prices, it was an exciting two day event.

“It’s been a great turn-out,” said Terry Joe Banjo, who acted as emcee for the festival, performed with a number of groups and staged workshops throughout the weekend. “We had eight good bands performing. A lot of exciting music here.”

Mike Anderson, who performed with his own band Northwind, organized the musical line-up,  and felt it had been an excellent festival. “We had a lot of support. The workshops in instruments like guitar, banjo and mandolin also drew many people. No question, top performers love to run workshops and share their skills and knowledge.

That’s what’s so great about bluegrass.”

Bands performing included Hard Ryde, Grassland, Dave Nichols & Spare Change, Jan Purcell & Pine Road, Bill White & White Pine, Concession 23, Northwind and Maple Hill.

[…]

The weather was perfect. The apple pies and apple desserts were perfect. And the large crowds were perfectly happy to enjoy games, rides, music and lots of good food during the Iroquois Apple Festival held on Saturday, September 17.

Candace Menges, chair of the Iroquois & District Celebration Festival Committee, which organized the event, said that organizers were “extremely pleased with the day.”

“The only complaint we’ve heard thus far is that there was no where to park,” Menges laughed. “I think I kind of like that complaint, as you don’t hear that too often in the Iroquois Plaza.”

The theme of the 2011 festival was tied in to the 200th anniversary of the McIntosh Apple.

Descendents of the McIntosh family and other guests came from Toronto, Niagara Falls, Ottawa, Cornwall and the United States to visit the community and enjoy the festival.

“We want to offer many thanks to Smyth’s Orchards for providing tours of their orchards and for setting up the McIntosh Apple Visitors’ Centre,” Menges said. “The family was great to work with, and we are very thankful that they have sustained the McIntosh Apple within our community where it originated.”

With members of the McIntosh family assisting, South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds and members of council officially opened the Festival by cutting the red ribbon. Mayor Byvelds praised the work of the organizers. With councillor Evonne Delegarde he presented McIntosh descendents with specially created commemorative coins in honour of the 200th anniversary.

An all day farmers’ market, colourful vendors, Tribeck Inflatables, a petting zoo and lots of fun contests for kid and adults alike were popular at the Festival. Children especially enjoyed the music of H&S Express, while the beat of Landmark rocked the plaza in the afternoon.

Members of the South Dundas council were also called upon to judge desserts and pies. (Some had to sample each offering two or three times just to be sure.) The apple pie winner was Lori Link, while Anne Hartle won top apple dessert.

Cutest apple dumpling baby under age one was Addisyn Blanchette while Kacey Claxton took honours in the one to two year old category. Sarah Steward, Mateo Lacroix and Amber Bailey were judged best in the colouring contests in their age categories. Ethel Merkley won the peeling contest with an apple peel measuring 31.5 inches, while Sharron Miller was the winner of the apple trivial challenge. Lynne Jamieson was the 50/50 draw winner. 

[…]

Advance polls open in some locations today. Voters who are ready to cast their vote now can do so.

The Iroquois Civic Centre located at 1 Dundas Street East in Iroquois will be holding advance polls from September 21st through to the 25th.

The McIntosh Country Inn & Conference Centre located at 12495 County Road 2 East in Morrisburg will be holding advance polls from September 26th through to the 30th.

There are also advance poll stations in Chesterville, Winchester, Ingleside, Long Sault, Finch and Cornwall. For more information go to the elections website:  www.wemakevotingeasy.ca.

[…]

On September 18th volunteer fire fighters from the Iroquois, Morrisburg and Williamsburg stations came together as one unit at the Morrisburg fire station.

The stations, no longer separate entities, comprise what is now the South Dundas Fire & Emergency Services (SDF&ES).

Fire Chief Chris McDonough met with the Leader on September 14th to discuss some of the exciting changes taking place at SDF&ES, including the upcoming safety and educational programs coming to South Dundas.

According to McDonough, “the past few months our fire service has been upgrading a lot of our personal protection equipment (PPE) such as self contained breathing apparatus, helmets and boots.”

“Also, along with that Iroquois purchased a new pick-up for SDF&ES as a support vehicle for personnel transport and training.”

He explained that the money required for the purchases came directly from the stations’ fundraising endeavours with each station funding their own purchases.

McDonough feels that “the community needs to be aware of the commitment these fire fighters have for their community.”

With the amount of time each volunteer gives per week, McDonough says that “it’s like they have two full-time jobs.”

In addition to general meetings, fire fighters also meet on a regular basis for training, cleaning of the firehouse and equipment, fundraising, and more.

One of the requirements of becoming a volunteer fire fighter is the willingness to be on call even during the day.

At the moment, the Iroquois and Williamsburg stations are beginning interviews to add a few more volunteers to their rosters. Morrisburg’s numbers are fine.

Each station in SDF&ES has a Deputy Fire Chief as well as officers and fire fighters.

In the next couple of weeks fire fighters will be canvassing all of South Dundas.

During this door-to-door campaign, fire fighters will check to see that each home is outfitted with the correct number of functioning smoke alarms. Should a residence be missing a smoke alarm, the fire fighters will provide and install a new one free of charge.

In addition to ensuring that all homes in South Dundas are equipped with the requisite smoke alarms, the South Dundas Fire & Emergency Services will also be hosting Fire Prevention Week from October 9th to 15th.

Fire Prevention Week will kick-off on Saturday, October 8th with  an open house at each fire station location. The event will last from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

McDonough says they “haven’t done this in a number of years.”

[…]

The Leader met with NDP candidate Elaine MacDonald on September 16th to discuss  the upcoming election on October 6th.

MacDonald got started in politics through volunteering and getting involved in different issues at work. Initially, many of her accomplishments were in defense of women and worker rights.

She pointed out that “systems evolve and sometimes people get lost in the shuffle.” MacDonald felt drawn to help make things better for those around her.

As a founding member of the Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry Coalition for Social Justice, she is a strong advocate for every person’s right to be heard.

In touring Stormont, Dundas, and South Glengarry and talking to constituents, she discovered that the government programs put into place to help people are, in many situations, causing difficulty with unrealistic expectations coupled with a lack of concrete assistance.

Among the many people she has met, there are those who are working multiple minimum wage jobs trying to pay for essentials. They’re “not just treading water, but falling behind.”

She believes that today’s climate “blames the poor” for being poor when, in fact, that is not the case.

When asked how she planned to address the issue of poverty, MacDonald stated that the NDP “platform hasn’t been released yet.”

However, she did share that her party plans to “ensure more affordable housing” which will, in turn, “equate to more disposable income.”

In addition, upon being elected the NDP intend to “raise minimum wage to $11 per hour right away.” MacDonald claims that the NDP will then, “index it to inflation from here on in” with the “same (being done for) WSIB and ONDSP.”

Continuing the discussion on poverty, the Leader questioned MacDonald about the Poverty Free Ontario debate at the Agape Centre on September 15th where she was condemned for her refusal to participate in the Do the Math Challenge, which challenged candidates to eat from a food bank basket for five days.

MacDonald, who admits that she is “a bit plain spoken” told the Leader that: “I rarely commit to something I don’t think I can do.” She believes that “to do (the challenge) honestly, you have to be able to give it some attention.”

“It’s extremely complicated. You have to watch what you eat.” Logistically, she couldn’t commit to giving the challenge the attention and dedication she believes it deserves.

Moving the discussion back to the main issues for people of this riding, MacDonald focussed on jobs, taxes, healthcare and other public services.

She pointed out that “people rely on public services” and government “has to stop rationing them.”

In addition, she brought attention to the fact that “people are falling through the cracks.”

One example: “66 per cent of complaints from people who didn’t get their full wages (worked for) companies that were actually solvent.”
MacDonald points out that in a lot of cases, individual people are being taxed while the corporations are getting the breaks.

“So many of our policies advocate for people in the counties.” These include policies in healthcare, education, and jobs. For instance, MacDonald’s NDP plan will “reward job creators with up to $5,000 per year.”

When asked what voters need to know most about her, MacDonald stated: “I am a progressive woman who wants to see government move in the direction of the triple bottom line: that is that we base our decisions on environmental and social values as well as financial. That is the way to develop a sustainable economy.”

During the interview with MacDonald, she referred to 211. She later expressed concern that people be made aware of the phone number, which connects Ontarians with information and referrals to community and social services in their province. The website is www.211ontario.ca.

Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath visited the riding on September 20th at MacDonald’s campaign office in Cornwall.

[…]

Progressive Conservative MPP candidate for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry,  Jim McDonell “enjoys working with people.”

During a phone interview with the Leader on September 16th, McDonell said that he’s “been involved in community for many years (and he’s) talked to a lot of people.” He admitted that it’s “exciting to get out there.”

He went on to reveal, that people are “not asking (government) to do a lot, just for a fair deal.”

McDonell would like to “encourage people to follow basic principles. It’s the whole basis of Canada – work hard, play by the rules.”

He credits the lack of this attitude in government for pushing him into running for MPP.

It “bothers me that I see things misrepresented (and) things that are not good for the community happening.”

McDonell shared that he  comes from a small town and  he sees that what the government has been doing is “not a smart way of doing things.”

Among other issues, he refers to the decreased service in rural areas, the loss of businesses in rural small town areas, and the migration of rural population to bigger cities in the hunt for work.

McDonell believes that  the main issue  in this area of Ontario is “unaffordability.”

He recognizes that “income is much less in this area. Things are a little tougher around here.”

“There’s a higher percentage of seniors  on fixed incomes. The majority have no pensions.”

“Their children and grandchildren are not getting work locally. Schools are closing because there are no kids to put into them.”

McDonell also sees the apprenticeship program’s current restrictions as an issue for voters in this riding. He believes there will be “a huge shortage of labour in the future but (the current government) is not looking at a program that allows (for the need.)”

McDonell said that the ratio for apprenticeships should be   “1:1 instead of 3:1” for craftsmanship jobs such as electricians, plumbers and brick layers.

He maintains that , for example, most brick layers today are around the 65 year age range.

Discussing how he would make things better for the local constituents, McDonell referred to his party’s plan to remove HST from  home heating. He also mentioned the debt retirement charge, lowering income tax, and income splitting for couples.

In addition to these money saving plans, he also stated that his party plans to “remove a lot of the red tape” from government services. He stated that there is a “target of 30 per cent” and if the party doesn’t meet the target, then “ministers will take a cut in pay.”

McDonell wants to “make government less complicated.” He is “committed to making government more open to the public.”

When asked what makes him the right choice for voters in South Dundas, McDonell stated, “I’m dedicated and committed to our community.”
Also, he “has a practical sense on how to do things.” He refers to his farming background and rural roots, saying that he is “someone who can relate back” to the people in the rural areas of his riding as well as those in the urban areas.

McDonell says that he wants to “stop the withdrawal” from the rural small town communities.

When asked about the issue of poverty, he replied  that he would “focus on getting jobs for a good portion of the population.”

When asked about character, in terms of integrity, responsibility, and accountability, McDonell stated: “I don’t make promises I can’t maintain.”

Tim Hudak joined McDonell for a campaign rally on September 19th at the Ramada Inn in Cornwall.

[…]