WellesleyIs…
July/August 2015 WELLESLEYIS.CA
SERVING: Bamberg
Crosshill
Dorking
Hawkesville
Heidelberg
Kingwood
Linwood
Macton
Paradise Lake
St. Clements
Wallenstein
Wellesley
March
For Jobs,
Justice
& Climate
A Small Step
ABC Festival
Turns 40
Dr. David Suzuki
at climate march
100 Women—
A New Charity
Amish Auction
Was a Mud Bowl
Silence is Golden…
But Not in my Garden
Green Party Now
In Kitchener-Conostoga
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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B
In Kitchener-Conostoga
ob Jonkman was born
in the Netherlands. As
he applied for Canadian
citizenship, the judge impressed
on him the importance of civic
engagement. That, she said,
was the purpose of becoming a
Canadian citizen.
Bob took these words to
heart, and after years of engaging
in Canadian politics, has decided
it is finally time to put his name
forward and run for office.
In 2007, when the Ontario
government held a referendum
on electoral reform, he joined
Fair Vote Canada, and has been
politically active ever since.
Bob is on the Executive Board
of the Fair Vote Canada Waterloo Region Chapter, and was a
founding member of the Pirate
Party of Canada.
He is a computer consultant, providing technical support
and training to large and small
corporations. Several clients are
social justice organizations, and
Bob is active in the Free Software
community, encouraging the use
of software that respects computer users’ freedom.
Bob has advocated for copyright
reform, transparent government,
and freely available Open Data
from government and business.
Bob lives in Elmira with his
wife Laurel. Elmira has been the
subject of several environmental
issues such as the groundwater
contamination discovered in
1989, and the construction of a
biogas plant.
Bob served on the Elmira
BioFuel Citizens’ Committee, appealing the Ontario government’s
decision to locate the plant in the
middle of town. Bob and Laurel
are the proud parents of one son,
Willem, a student at the Univer-
Bob Jonkman
sity of Toronto. The Green Party
of Canada is pleased to have Bob
Jonkman as their candidate in
the riding of Kitchener—Conestoga to help build a sustainable
future for Canada.. ❖
http://bobjonkmangpc.ca
Harris and Sister Were Subjects for 4-H Commemorative Painting
M
PP Michael Harris and his sister
Stephanie were subjects of a 4-H painting that was done between the fall of
1991 to the spring of 1992 by Grey County artist,
Gary Mclaughlin. Michael was age 12 at the time
and Stephanie was 14. Mclaughlin, who lived
down the road from the Harris family, had been
commissioned by 4-H Canada to do the drawing
for the commemorative plate being issued for
the 75th anniversary of the 4-H in Ontario. Michael and his sister were the ages he was seeking.
Michael lived on his family farm in Egremont Township, Grey County and was a member of Grey County 4-H, but belonged to Wellington County 4-H calf club, so he could show
at the Mount Forest fall fair.
Michael joined the 4-H at age 11 and was active for more than six years. His grandfather had
been a leader; his father and uncles were cattle
showmen. ❖
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Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
Wellesley is…
Page
Climate March
Ten Thousand made
their way to Toronto
on July 5, for the citizen’s march on Jobs,
Justice and Climate.
Wellesley Is… was
there too. We now see
the light, but is it the
end of the tunnel or is
it a locomotive?
2 The Green Party Now Has a Candidate Here
2 Mike Harris 4-H Painting Revisited
4 100 Women Who Care—A New Charity
5 NDP Have Been Canvassing in Wellesley Village
6 Editorial: Global Warming? Not in this Election!
7 Silence is Golden… But Not in My Garden
9 Photos: March for Jobs, Justice & the Climate
12 Motorcycle Accident Sends One to Hospital
12 Don Green Tournament Finishes 32nd Year
13 Junior Farmers Celebrate 100 Years
14 Photos: Mud a ‘Feature’ at 20th Amish Auction
17 Waterloo Region Councils Supports Blue Dot
18 Take a Look Around Wellesley this Summer
19 Readers Talk Back About Scarecrow Theft
20 ABC Festival Celebrates its 40th Anniversary
22 World Class Piper, Ed Neigh, Dead at 70
23 Photos: Wellesley­—New Employees, Storm
23 Wellesley Needs Rec Board Volunteers
24 Liberals Would Invest in Culture
25 Baden Corn Fest is in the Yellow!
25 Canada Day Soccer Tournament Scores
26 OASA Championship Held in St. Clements
Scarecrows Stole
27 Toxic Dumping Cleared But Change Needed The
the Show! Who Stole
Scarecrows?
29 The Scarecrow Chronicles: Tales of the Script Thisthe
is the 2nd year
that the Fall Fair has
30 Exuberant Scarecrow Calls for Levity
Wellesley Is… is HYPERLINKED!
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Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
9
14
Amish School Fund
Auction Was Muddy
MUD! It would have
been a kids delight,
and it likely created
a few headaches,
but it didn’t change
the mood. It was still
a great event.
20
ABC Festival Hits 40
It started a long time
ago in a sleepy little
village called Wellesley. We talked to a
few of the people
who started the festival that put Wellesley
on the map.
held a scarecrow
contest. So who’s
been stealing the children’s scarecrows!
29
ABOUT THE COVER
As Jobs, Justice and Climate marchers
were assembling on the lawn at Queen’s
Park, Dr. David Suzuki was giving an ad hoc
interview to a roving TV crew. His passion for
and sense of discouragement about solving climate issues were a serious reminder
of how little we have done to save this
planet. It’s time for our politicians to step up
and be counted. We need action now.
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3
O
100 Women Who Care Chapter
Starts up in Wilmot/ Wellesley
by Nancy Silcox
ne hundred women x four meetings a year @
60 minutes each = $10,000 for local charities!
Welcome to the world of 100 Women who
Care.
Small towns and big cities alike love the concept of
100 Women who Care. Chapters are springing up across
Canada—Wilmot and Wellesley Townships included.
Each meeting, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. SHARP, close to
100 women from Wellesley, Baden,
New Hamburg, Mannheim, New
Dundee, Petersburg, Phillipsburg
and St. Agatha will come together to
support local charities near and dear to their hearts.
They’ll witness firsthand the power of women to make
a real difference to their communities.
Here’s how 100 Women who Care works:
• Every member has the opportunity to nominate 2
local, registered charities for financial support.
• All nominations then go into a hat. 3 names are drawn
before each meeting.
• 100 Women meeting night sees the nominator (or
representative from each of the charities “on tap”)
giving a 5 minute pitch to members. They’ll indicate
how the donation will be used.
• Each 100 Women who Care member votes on
which charity they’d like to support with their $100
donation. •Junior members get a full vote like adults.
Their commitment is only $10.
• Votes are counted, and the top vote getter is
announced.
• Each member writes a cheque for $100 to the not-forprofit/charity chosen. • They’ll receive an income tax
donation for this.
• Charities that aren’t chosen this time out will go back
into the hat for another chance.
The greater the membership, the greater the charitable donation. London with its 380
Women who Care, generates $38 000
for the charity selected and Kitchener-Waterloo at 275 members see $27,500. Not bad for a five
minute “pitch.”
The first meeting was held August 26 and was attended by almost 90 women and junior members. More than
$8,000 was raised for the selected charity: National Service
Dogs.
One hour meetings will follow in November, February and May allowing three other charities to earn a lovely
windfall.
Wellesley women we want you! Wellesley charities
need you too!
Please forward any inquiries to either Nancy Silcox
[email protected] or Joyce Stankiewicz [email protected] ❖
The first meeting of the
100 Women Who Care
Wilmot steering committee met at Phidellia’s in New Hamburg in
early June. The group
had grown to almost
90 members by its first
meeting in August.
The charity is seeking
members from Wellesley Township. The group
(l-r) is Joyce Stankiewicz, Donna Robinson,
Wanda Cakebread,
Marilyn Sararus, Nancy Silcox and Cheryl
Gordijk.
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Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
NDP’S Villeneuve
Does Early Canvas
In Wellesley Village
N
DP candidate for Kitchener-Conostoga, James
Villeneuve and his team
were out early August 8, canvassing homes in Wellesley Village.
James was born and raised in
Kitchener and has decades experience
as a small business manager, industrial
worker and union president.
He has spent more than 20 years
as a sheet metal worker and has a tireless commitment to defending worker’
health, safety and rights. He is now
serving his second three-year term
as president of Sheet Metal workers
Union Local 562.
James has been an active volunteer, has been married to his wife Sigrid for 25 years. They have three adult
children and six grandchildren. He is
a strong Mulcair supporter. ❖
http://jamesvilleneuve.ndp.ca
Above: Canvassing for the NDP along
Schweitzer Road were: (l-r) Shayne
Sangster, Sigrid Villeneuve, James Villeneuve and Riley Annand, the youth
representative.
Right: Sigrid Villeneuve was sporting
NDP colours, with orange sandals and
matching toe nail polish.
Wellesley
Seniors’ Lunch Club
Helping Seniors & Others Live Independently
Community Centre, 1000 Mapleleaf St.
Lunch at 12 Noon
October 21, 2015
Register by 10 a.m. Oct. 19 at 519-664-1900
Cost: $6.00
(3rd Wed. Sept. to June)
MEALS ON WHEELS — Hot and frozen meals delivered to your home
COMMUNITY MEALS — Combine food, fellowship, info & entertainment
TRANSPORTATION — Rides for medical, shopping & other needs
DAY PROGRAMS — Day of activities, lunch & a chance to meet people
HOMEMAKING — Help with light household tasks, cleaning and meals
HOME
INSIDE AND OUTSIDE MAINTENANCE
FRIENDLY VISITORS-LUNCH DATES—Socialization for isolated, lonely seniors
HOME AT LAST — Support to transition from hospital to home
www.communitycareconcepts.ca
Registered Charitable
No. 10822-1540-RR 0001
929 Arthur Street South
Elmira, ON N3B 2Z2
519-664-1900 FAX 519-664-1944
Toll Free: 1-855-664-1900
Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
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Linwood
Seniors’ Community Dining
Linwood Community Centre, Ament Line
Lunch at 12 Noon
October 28, 2015
Register by 10 a.m. Oct. 26 at 519-664-1900
Cost: $11.00
(4th Wed. Sept. to June)
WILMOT LUNCHES OCT. 7 & OCT. 22
5
Wellesley Is…
ISSN: 1920-2571
5341 Wilmot-Easthope Rd.
RR1
Wellesley, Ontario N0B 2T0
CONTACT INFORMATION
Ph: 519-656-2292
E-mail:[email protected]
Web: http://wellesleyis.ca/
Wellesley Is… Magazine is published
monthly by Spell Bound Publishing.
PUBLISHER/EDITOR
Larry Kryski
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ADVERTISING
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COPYRIGHT
The contents of Wellesley Is… Magazine
are copyright. Permission is granted for
its use for personal, non-commercial
purposes, as long as the material is not
changed or distorted in any way that
alters the meaning or intention of the
original article(s) or photograph(s).
Credit should be given to Wellesley Is…
Magazine.
Individuals or companies interested in
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purposes, contact Larry Kryski in writing or via e-mail at the addresses listed
at the top of this column.
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LETTERS
Letters to the Editor are welcome and
must contain the writer’s complete
name, signature, address and telephone
number. E-mail submissions should also
include the writer’s full name, address
and telephone number. Address and
phone numbers are used for verification
purposes only and will not be published.
Writer’s name will not be withheld.
Wellesley Is… reserves the right to edit,
condense or reject letters for matters of
good taste or legal issues.
We Are Losing Time Playing Politics!
Why Do We Pretend Global Warming Doesn’t Exist?
I
bumped into Kitchener-Conostoga MP Harold Albrecht while he was
standing in line waiting to get his meal at the Baden Corn Fest. Harold
is a very likeable person and easy to engage. He has a warm, disarming smile. Harold attends a lot of the functions that I cover for Wellesley
Is… so we frequently have an opportunity to chat, and this instance was no
different, except that we were just a few days into the Federal election.
Back in my April-May issue, I published seven pages on global warming
and its potential effect on
climate change. I extracted
the global warming information into a stand-alone
document which you can
get here:
http://bit.ly/1B9Z1mL
This article came from
my own search of verifiable information available
on the web. Because I have
Larry Kryski
done the work of locating and reading this information, I have moved
from the position of global warming being a
“ho-hum” issue to we should be “lighting a fire
under everybody’s backside as fast as possible”
issue. But we aren’t, are we!
MP Harold Albrecht
So back to Harold…
As we stood chatting, I told Harold that my sole focus in this election will be
global warming. Had he read my April/May issue? He said yes and that he agreed
with most of it, but there were a few points with which he disagreed. He did not
elaborate on them. Well, I asked, could we arrange a time to discuss this?
(What you may not know, is that Harold is: The Chair, Standing Committee
on Environment and Sustainable Development, House of Commons. He is the
obvious person—as well as being my MP—to speak with.)
Harold responded with his usual friendly smile, ‘Could we do it after the
election? He’s too busy with the election to do it now.’ — Too busy to talk about
real issues during the election???
Come on, Harold! There are NO other issues. Metaphorically, one doesn’t
stand on a railway bridge trying to figure out what colour shoes you should be
wearing while a train is bearing down on you at full speed!
But that is what we are doing in this election. We hear debates about the
economy, about human rights, about how we are losing money because of the
low cost of oil shutting down the tar sands… ad nauseam.
Well, here’s the truth: None of the traditional parties—Conservative-Liberal-NDP—with their current platforms, is any more relevant than the other, nor
more or less capable of solving these ordinary issues. They are really just wasting the electorate’s time and money unless we integrate climate in a big way.
Global effects are here NOW! So why aren’t we focusing on it in this election? Here is the greatest threat to our ecosphere, and it is growing daily. It is not
patently obvious to the average person, so we have to use our intellect to perceive it, to understand it and to solve it. Will you do it Harold, or Tim or James?
e-mail: [email protected]
6
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Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
Silence is Golden…But Not in My Garden
O
HOME
The Plight of the Pollinators and How You Can Help
ver this season, we have experienced a
profound reduction of pollinating insects
on our property. The f lowering plants
at my place are usually crawling, buzzing and
f luttering with a wide range of critters that I love
as much as the f lowers. This year they have been
eerily silent. I am worried.
I have had a long-standing
fascination with insects since I
was 13 years old. That summer
my older brother was supposed
to amass a collection of one
hundred species for a compulsory
entomology course he was about
to take at Ontario College of
Agriculture (now University of
Guelph). He was away working
for a farm equipment company
Mavis Kerr
in southern United States so my
mother and I became pretty keen entomologists,
complete with cyanide killing bottles, bug nets,
nighttime moth traps and those long skinny pins
you see in museums to skewer the tiny corpses. I
can still lovingly tongue the names of the Orders
of insects: Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera,
Lepidoptera. My brother came home to an excess of
specimens, which he cleverly sold for profit to his
entomologically challenged classmates. He also came
home to a mother and sister who had become rather
knowledgeably buggy!
Until recently, my Waterloo County country
property (surrounded by agricultural land) had
lots of honeybees (that most folks don’t realize are
not native) as well as a full complement of native
pollinators. That was before the two beehives on
my property had their “colony collapse” a couple of
years back. With my friend who keeps the bees, we
watched the last queen as she died in the hive with
what looked to me like a neurological disorder. Her
struggle was pathetic. At that time the beekeeper
suspected the recently introduced agricultural
pesticides called neonicotinoids. Many scientists
believe these insecticides are destroying the honeybees.
Last year the honeybee numbers were low but still
significant since a couple more hives are tended
on a neighbouring property. Last year there was a
reasonable population of the other native pollinators :
Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
native bees, flies, beetles and butterflies. Not this year!
My first concern arose early. Normally when my
Amur Maple is in bloom, the buzz can be heard from
afar. This year I had to look hard to find the pollinators
that have always flocked to it. It has been similarly
dismaying with the absence of insects on the many
native plants I have introduced and encouraged on
my property. Insect visitors were astonishingly sparse
where they had been plentiful. I have an intimate
knowledge of which insects appear on my blossoms in
which season and a thirty year history on this property
so I am reasonably confident of my observation that
insect populations have been dramatically reduced
here but of course the CAUSE is much harder to be
ascertain. We had a heavy frost very late in the spring
season. Was that a factor? Are the neonicotinoids
accumulating in the ecosystem and having dire
consequences?
As someone with
a postgraduate
course in
Epidemiology
under my belt,
I am trained
in the “proof
of causality”
and know
how rigorous
one must be
before you can
proclaim that A caused B. I also know that there
are vested interests actively creating doubt when the
evidence begins to point to a commercially successful
chemical. If banned, these interests have much to lose
financially. (I suggest the documentary “Merchants of
Doubt” to learn how this has been and is being done in
many fields without care for the greater societal good.)
Embarrassingly, I find myself as an official member of
the Ontario Grain Farmers, belonging to a group that
is trying to delay the implementation of the recently
Continued on page 8…
Mavis Kerr is a retired Marriage and Family
Therapist who was in private practice at Southern Ontario
Counselling Centre — http://www.socounselling.com
— in St. Agatha, Ontario. She has lived in the rural
countryside just outside Wellesley (close enough to hear
the church bells) for more than 30 years.
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7
…Continued from page 7
announced provincial government ban on the use of
these chemicals.
BUT we need to err on the side of safety when
the consequence of extinction of species has such
unknown and potentially huge effects. A significant
proportion of our food sources must be pollinated by
insects in order to produce a harvest for our tables.
Once I became alarmed, I went around my
property turning over milkweed leaves (I have a lot)
looking for the Monarch butterfly larvae or chrysalids
that have been plentiful in years gone by. Where I
would usually be able to locate several I found not a
one. Over the whole summer, the sighting of an adult
Monarch has become so rare it has been cause to call
my family to come see—as if I had spotted a flamingo
at the bird feeder.
My concern has led me to ask others about their
observations. Many reported similar absences of the
usual numbers of insects. A nearby neighbour was
astonished at the lack of insect life on her lavender
plants, which she knows, are usually crawling with
insects during bloom. My city friends report less
problem, which supports the hypothesis that the
decline may be agricultural pesticides, which are,
after all designed to kill insects! I am wondering if the
cities will be the repository of viable populations of
these insects. Can we encourage the city folk to create
pollinator-friendly gardens at the same time as we
rural people do the same?
Pollinator-friendly gardens require forsaking the
manicured clumps of non-native flowers surrounded
by mulch that seems so popular. Many of the available
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A TRADITION OF GREAT SERVICE
at your local Cook’s Pharmacy since 1968
8
flowers have been bred to be very showy but pollen
and nectar free, thus creating a garden that is the
equivalent to a desert (rather than a dessert) to our
bees and butterflies. Insects feed on pollen and nectar
and inadvertently pollinate the flowers they visit.
I have found that often the nurseries are unable to
answer questions about the plants they sell regarding
insect friendly choices. A reliable choice is to favour
native plants or ask your observant friends for which
species of non-natives are favourites of the insects in
their gardens. (My list of popular non-natives would
include false spirea, Amur maple, allium, butterfly
bush, and the many sedum coming into flower about
now.) Mulch prevents the ground-nesting insects from
finding bare soil to tunnel. The insects needs standing
dead stalks to winter in and piles of brush to which
to attach their pupae. As a slovenly gardener I can
justify my approach as “natural”. I can bask in my selfrighteous glory claiming I am “pollinator friendly”, not
just messy and weeks behind on the job. Join me.
A great resource book with excellent science
is “Attracting Native Pollinators” from the Xerces
Society. I borrowed it from the library but now will
purchase it to guide my selection of plants and habitat
creation. “The Ontario Naturalized Garden” by
Lorraine Johnson is another excellent book.
If the problem proves to be agricultural
chemicals, the towns and cities may be an oasis
of insect preservation while we figure out as a
society what needs to change. I feel a strong sense
of sadness and significant anxiety about my little
island of nature that I see degrading. I hope it is a
glitch and not a tide. ❖
1201 Queens Bush Rd.
519-656-2240
Mon.-Fri. 8:30-6, Sat. 9-2
•
•
•
•
•
Complete Diabetic Centre
Free Consultation with
Diabetic Educator
In-Home or In-Store
Prescription consulting
Information & medications
for patients and families
Dosettes & Blister
Compliance Packaging
75 Huron St.
519-662-2640
Mon.-Fri. 9-8, Sat. 9-5
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Wellesley
New Hamburg
Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
T
March for Jobs, Justice and the Climate—July 5
he July 5 march in Toronto,
brought out environmentalist, Dr. David Suzuki, author
Naomi Klein, environmental activist Jane Fonda, other important
environmental spokes persons and
10,000 of us, the people who might
actually benefit from these messages
if our government was wise enough
to start now, to fix the issues of Jobs,
Justice and, the big one, CLIMATE.
Most of the pictures on the next
three pages don’t need captions.
Now, David Suzuki… when we
Continued on page 11…
Elspeth Mathau from N. California
studies Environ. Biology at U of T.
Marc Xuereb, orange, is from KW.
HOME
Nicole Langlois is
with Divest Waterloo
Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
This father cares about
his daughter’s future.
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9
HOME
10
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Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
…Continued from page 9
came upon him, he was being interviewed by a television station. The
young interviewer had asked a question which seemed to raise Suzuki’s
ire. He responded as if the question
was naive and while we didn’t hear the
question, we could hear the answer.
He looked like he might ‘eat’ the
interviewer (see the front cover) and
he sounded discouraged and seriously
disappointed.
‘I’m an old fart’ he said. ‘Climate
change and global warming will have
no effect on me. I’ll be gone long before that.’
‘But, if grandparents love their
grandchildren, they need to act now.
They have no need to fear government or business but need to act. It is
the children that will suffer from the
climate due to our inaction today.’
It was sobering to feel his emanations of despair.
• • •
Why was David Suzuki distraught?
It was because Earth has the tiniest window of opportunity in which we might
be able to stop making global warming
worse. But it will really require lightning
action at a global level and we can’t even
motivate our federal government to
believe, much less respond! ❖
HOME
The first of two buses from Kitchener-Waterloo starts home. There was a
slight optimism that we may have made a small contribution.
Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
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http://bit.ly/1B9Z1mL
11
P
Single Motorcycle Crash Sends Woman to Hospital
olice and emergency vehicles responded to a motorcycle accident July 25 that took place on a tight curve on
Wilmot-Easthope Road./Perth Road 105. The woman, one
of a group of three riders, left the road at a point on the curve
where the shoulder drops away 10-12 feet to an agricultural field.
The woman experienced a broken leg and possible internal
injuries. A call was put in for an air ambulance, but when it was
discovered that the air ambulance was in Stratford, the woman
T
was transported by ambulance to Stratford where she was then
flown to London.
Loose gravel was on the road in the vicinity of the curve
where the event occurred. ❖
Wellesley Lions Club’s Don Green Tournament Completes 32nd Year
he popular Don Green Tournament
completed its 32nd year, raising $5,000
for the community, said Lions spokesman, Blair Cressman. The tournament is run
in commemoration of Don Green and this year
launched 16 teams in four divisions; one a co-ed
shopping local
is always
inSeason
division. Each division has a winner which
receives a small cash award. All winnings were
donated back to the community, says Cressman.
In recent years, the funds supported the
maintenance and operation of the splash park. ❖
Right: Apple Jack GM,
Bill Grebinski swings
hard but the hit goes
foul. Other Jacks tried
to make up the shortcomings, but still lost
22-17 to the Calibears
Below: Apple Jack, Bill
Grebinski and Darren
Rose of the Calibears
share a good laugh as
they both raced for the
same base and managed to avoid a high
speed collision.
HOME
• Darcy
12
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Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
Waterloo Junior Farmers Celebrate 100 Years
T
he Waterloo Junior FarmSixty-eight years of Waterloo’s
ers celebrated their 100th
past presidents and provincial direcanniversary with a banquet
tors were honoured and President
and dance at the Wellesley ComMike Sproxton brought greetings
munity Centre, August 22.
from the Junior Farmers Association
Subject:
Have
you
herd?
The evening included memorabil- of Ontario.
Date: Monday, August 31, 2015 1:46 PM
ia displays, dinner, and presentations
There was entertainment from
From: Drayton Chop House <[email protected]>
of certificates from Primer
Minister
“Uncle
Willie”, a square dance and
Reply-To: [email protected]
Harper and Premier Wynne.
then a regular dance. ❖
To: Larry Kryski [email protected]
Friday, September 4, 20
Conversation: Have you herd?
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Above: Erwin Hoffman, 91, was recognized for being the oldest member
and for his contribution: Sixty-eight years
ago, Erwin was the 1947 president of
the Waterloo Junior Farmers and a lifelong member of 4-H, as well.
Below: A piece of memorabilia on
display that shows the common
roots of the Junior Farmer and 4-H
organizations.
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Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
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Keep your message brief, friendly, and to the point.
13
Mud Was Predominant Feature
At 20th Amish School Auction
T
he 20th Amish School Fund Auction was held at
the farm of Lorne and Ruthanne Kuepfer, just outside of Milverton. The auction is always held on the
third weekend of July. The auction can cover as much as 20
acres, including parking for powered and horse-drawn vehicles. There is an on-site registration tent for buyers.
The weather was hot, as usual, but this year, a deep layer of mud,
exacerbated by vehicle and foot traffic was the dominant accent.
In the tasty department, more than 600 dozen iced doughnuts were baked the night before, almost double previous years.
It took eighteen 20 kg. bags of flour to complete the job. ❖
A family arrives at the auction.
Buyers register.
The mud was slippery
and it would be easy to fall.
Lots of opportunities to chat.
Many women & children opted
to walk barefoot in the mud.
Nathan Lantz of Durham,
works the kettle corn.
A record gets verified.
A buyer sorts through wool.
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Boys explore the wares at a booth.
14
A father and son stroll
across the mud.
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Large numbers of
plants were for sale
Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
Another quilt is up for auction.
Lunch time was hot.
Quilt buyers are very focused.
Quilts waiting to be sold.
It’s a happy
moment.
Ice cream is a popular when
that temperature climbs.
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Lantz Lawn & Garden Ltd.
9 Lawrence St.
Wellesley, ON N0B 2T0
Ph/Fax: 519-656-2911
Visitors wait at their carriage.
Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
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15
The auction assistant locates the
bidder for the auctioneer to track.
A father ties his daughter’s apron
as she stands barefoot in the mud.
Visitors watch as Ann Pyette of Manitoulin Island takes a horse
she is interested in buying, for a ride around the grounds.
Call us for all your home and
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burglar alarms
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Business suRveillance
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Waterloo, ON
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t: 519-747-2533 1-888-892-9185 f: 519-747-2274
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Residential PRotection
16
Brought to you by
Owned and operated by Michael & Joanne Fritz
Your neighbours in Wellesley
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Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
Blue Dot Gets Commitments from WR Councils
he Councils for the Region of Waterloo, the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo, as well as all
four townships - Wellesley, Wilmot, Woolwich
and North Dumfries—have made declarations recognizing Canadians’ right to live in a healthy environment.
At the Victoria Park Pavilion in Kitchener on September 27
the Waterloo Region Blue Dot group, who advocated for those
declarations, hosted a free community event to celebrate this
milestone success of local environmental leadership. Activities
included performances from local musicians, children’s games,
and free snacks.
“The Blue Dot movement and declaration underscores the
importance of educating the public on their rights as citizens
to a healthy environment,” says Kitchener City Councillor
Yvonne Fernandes.
What does this mean for Waterloo Region? Our council
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Community Care Concepts
5
Cook’s Pharmacy
8
inSeason Home & Garden
12
Chop House Restaurants
13
Lantz Lawn & Garden
15
All Protect Systems
16
Harald Schneider Law
17
Jon Lambert, RE/MAX
17
Parties & Prom Fashion Show
19
Tim Louis Liberal Candidate
24
Lee Horton-Carter Counselling 26
MCC Refugee Appeal
28
members committed to
support, in principle, the
right of all people to live in
a healthy environment, including the rights to breathe
clean air, drink clean water,
and consume safe food. And
they also asked the Premier
and Prime Minister to better
protect those rights at the
provincial and federal levels.
“People we spoke with
were surprised to learn that
Canadians’ environmental
rights aren’t protected at the
national level and agreed
that they need to be” said
Jim Marston
Jim Marston, a coordinator of
the local Blue Dot group. “The municipal leadership in Waterloo Region signing on to this is really reflective of our community values.”
Today, Canada is among a minority of countries that does
not yet recognize the right to a healthy environment. The Blue
Dot Movement, sparked by the David Suzuki Foundation, is
trying to change that. The aim is to create national momentum
among municipalities to then encourage their respective provinces to strengthen or adopt provincial environmental bills of
rights. The ultimate goal is to amend the Canadian Charter of
Rights and Freedoms. http://bluedot.ca/join-us/
To date, 82 municipalities across Canada have made a declaration recognizing environmental rights. ❖
Harald Schneider, LL.B.
Barrister & Solicitor
51 Francis Street North
24 Water Street
Kitchener, ON N2H 5B4
Wellesley, ON N0B 2T0
T: 519 570 3700
T: 519 656 9853
F: 519 570 3399
F: 519 656 9854
[email protected]
Your Small
Town Agent…
BIG On Service
519
662-4955 519 897-1507
Jon Lambert Sales Representative
RE/MAX Twin City Realty Inc. Brokerage
106 Huron St. New Hamburg ON N3A 1J3
Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
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[email protected]
T
by Jim Marston, Waterloo Region Bluedot Team
17
Wellesley Enjoyed a Mix of Activities this Summer
Wellesley’s First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church on Nafziger
Road, raised $2045.25 toward the accessible playground at their Canada
Day Ribfest. This, in spite
of Pastor Paul Schallhorn’s
warning, right, “Danger Men
Cooking” on his apron. Pastor Paul, was manning one
of the barbecues. He was
visiting from Sarnia.
Katie and Jamie Reid hosted their
neighborhood’s fifth annual street
party at their home at 59 Ferris Drive, which is at the corner of
Ferris and Schweitzer The event is
open to the neighborhood. For the
children, there was organized face
painting, a bouncy castle, a small
trampoline, food tents and three
barbecues. They had about 150
people there “having an amazing
time.”
Marion Abell purchases a pint of
tomatoes at the Wellesley Farmers Market, from Brenda Knechtel,
whose farm is west of Wellesley. The
market had to be set up outside of
the pavilion that day, as the Lions
Club was preparing the pavilion for
use during the annual Don Green
slo-pitch softball tournament.
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18
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Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
Parties & Prom
Past to Present
Our Readers
Talk Back…
Dear Editor:
Last year, the Wellesley –NEH
Agricultural Society started what
we hoped would be an annual
tradition of making and displaying
original scarecrows around town
and surrounding countryside. Some
are very creative and offer a sense of
fun and frivolity. Others reflect the
personality of their owners. All give
entertainment value and enjoyment
to all who view them, and those who
create them. Unfortunately, there is
a Grinch out there!!! One was stolen
last year, and this year, two have
gone missing so far – the Tin Man at
Philipsburg and the girl on a bicycle
at the corner of Carmel-Koch and
Nafziger Rd., all made by children
and their families. COME ON!!!
REALLY??? This should be a purely
fun activity and adds so much to
the countryside, but the Grinch has
decided to steal more than Christmas.
Wendy Richardson, Wellesley
Fashion Show
Friday, October 16th at 7:00 p.m.
Wellesley Community Centre
Fundraiser for Wellesley-NEH
Fall Fair with a portion of the
proceeds going to the
Children/Youth Initiatives in our area
Join us for a spectacular evening as our
own personal local fashions come out
of the closet - (past and present)! We
have collected glitz and glam dresses
over the summer months from our
community, both youth and adult and
are set to showcase them.
Tickets available at Pym’s Food
Market in Wellesley or contact:
Wendy Richardson: 519-656-2961
[email protected]
Tickets are also available at the door
until sold out. Refreshments, door
prizes, raffle and an opportunity to
shop during intermission. To reserve
a table or partial table for your group,
contact Wendy Richardson.
Adults: $15.00 Students: $10.00
Scarecrow Judging Difficult Due to Broad Variety of Designs
T
by Wendy Richardson
hank you to everyone who made a scarecrow. Wasn’t
it fun? And great to see all of them out and about.
There were more than 40 out there and they were all
unique and well done. Judging was very difficult because
the judges were never comparing apples to apples. Unfortunately the Tin Man at Philipsburg was vandalized, but he rose
again in time for the Wellesley North Easthope Fall Fair!
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TRADITIONAL CATEGORY:
1st: Farmer kicking up his feet, 1072 Queen’s Bush Rd., Linda
& Neil Lackey; 2nd: Farmer on a bicycle, 1011 Gerber Rd. (near
corner of Gerber & Moser Young) Mason MacCormick;
3rd: 1005 Queen’s Bush (corner of Queen’s Bush and Greenwood
Hill) Millie Stemmler; Honourable Mention: Family of three
scarecrows, 1126 Henry St., Sophia and Emily Roth.
BUSINESS DIVISION: (Judged by two individual judges)
1st: Wellesley Post Office; 2nd: Karen E. Shantz Massage Therapy
3rd: Cooks Pharmacy; Honourable Mentions: Theatre Wellesley
on Lisbon Rd. and Pym’s Village Market.
CREATIVE CATEGORY:
1st: Minion (corner of Nafziger and Carmel-Koch) Molly Musselman; 2nd: Waldo (58 Parkview) Michelle and Mia Thompson
3rd: Elsa and Olaf (68 Welwood) Valerie Freund and grand
daughter; 3rd: Tin Man (corner at Philipsburg) Jacob Richardson-Cruz.
Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
Creative Category Winner
—Molly Musselman
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19
40
ABC FESTIVAL
th
ANNIVERSARY
Mike Kennedy
Adolph Hafemann
I
by Larry Kryski
t’s unlikely that anyone looked
forty years into the future
when Jim Erb suggested to
the Wellesley and District Board
of Trade that they should create
a festival to celebrate Wellesley’s
countryside charm mixed with
local food and beverages and to
make it a day of fun worth travelling to the village to enjoy.
But, they obviously got the mix
right and it has hardly changed from
its first incarnation, that last Saturday
in September, 1976.
Mike Kennedy was the President
by the time of the first festival, but Jim
Erb took the lead initially. Mike was
the president for 16 years and says that
the people on the festival board made
his job very easy. “They were people
who did what they said they would do,
so things always got done.”
It’s one thing to organize a festival, but it’s another to get people to
come. That was Wib Wagner’s job. He
was responsible for
publicity. He was
the owner of the Wagner’s Garage at
the time and he understood publicity. He reached out to newspapers,
got on the Betty Thompson Cooking
Show and CHCH TV in Hamilton
and spread the word by FM radio in
London.
It worked and they got sell-out
crowds, close to 10,000 they estimate;
there was no food left.
Wib and his wife, Betty created
the characters of Annie Appleschnitz
and Fritz. They would dress up in
costume and welcome visitors.
Mike says the original idea for
the festival, was to make access to the
festival free, so people could come and
enjoy it and not have to spend money
unless they chose to make a purchase.
And make purchases they did. The
ABC Festival has become a reliable
earner for the community, putting
hundreds of thousands of dollars into
local projects. The many food booths
in the Queen’s Bush Street mall has
hundreds lining up for pancakes,
sausage and apple fritters as early as
7 a.m. Other revenues came from
vendors who paid a portion of their
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Wib & Betty Wagner
20
Commemorative Plaque in Wellesley Arena Lobby
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Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
Bob Reid
HOME
earnings, all done on an honour basis.
Adolph Hafemann explained how
the ABC enabled the purchase of extra
land adjacent to the Fall Fair’s property and behind Brown Street. They
provided $30,000 for the purchase.
This land is now a very heavily used
sports field.
The current chair of the ABC,
Bob Reid, started a mere 35 years ago,
taking over in promotions when Wib
Wagner stepped down after five years.
When Mike Kennedy left after 16
years, Co-Chair Larry Roth asked Bob
if he would take over as Co-Chair.
Bob did and has been at the helm ever
since. But, Bob admits that he has just
turned 70 and says “perhaps it’s time
he stepped down.”
“It’s a young, but experienced
group,” he adds, “It would probably go
well.” He said he would be happy to
continue for awhile as a co-chair or as
a mentor.
But, don’t expect much to change,
under a new chair. It’s unlikely they
would change a winning formula.
There is a very good chance that at
the 80th anniversary of the Wellesley
Applebutter and Cheese Festival, you
would still recognize it for all its food,
style and entertainment. ❖
Photo courtesy of the
New Hamburg Independent
Above: This photo is the original 1976 ABC committee, taken in 2000. Front row
(l-r) Lloyd Jantzi and Phyllis Kitchen-le Leu; Middle row: James Herb, Nigel Dezell,
Irene Jutzi, Larry Roth, Wib Wagner, and Harold Leis; Back row: Bill Dietz, Gord
Ludington and Adolph Hafemann. Mike Kennedy is not in the photo.
1976 — Organizing Committees 40 Years Apart — 2015
Below is the 2015 Festival organizing committee. Seated (l-r)—Derek Brick, Mike
Barker, Bob Reid, Larry Kryski, and George Poole; Standing—Theresa Bisch, Ron
Bisch, Ann Marie van der Maas, Orin Erb, Verna Metcalfe, Terry Brick, Kelly Deneka, Wanda Schultz Poole, Katie Reid, Fred Heimpel, Jamie Reid and Tim Leis.
Missing: Alecia Henderson, Cory Kittle and MaryAnne Perry.
www.wellesleyabcfestival.ca/
Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
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21
The pipers that came to play at Ed’s funeral.
—Photo by Gordon Black, Pipe Major, Port Dover-Paris Pipe Band
Former Wellesley Resident & Internationally
Renowned Piper, Ed Neigh, Dead at 70
A
Ed Neigh
former 20-year resident of Wellesley, Pipe Major, Ed Neigh died August 8 at Toronto Western Hospital. He was 70. He was born in Galt and
spent his early years in Stratford. He received a degree in history from Wilfrid
Laurier University. He taught English and
History at Northwestern Secondary School
in Stratford and later was a teacher-librarian in Listowel. He had four children.
Ed began to study bagpipes as a student in Stratford, under Jack Skinner, then
Gord Tuck of St. Thomas. He also studied in
Scotland under John MacFadyen and Donald MacLeod. He was a world class player
and won many prizes. He became the Pipe
Major of the Guelph Pipe Band, frequently
winning first or second. He was instructor
for the Paris Port Dover Pipe Band.
Ed’s friend and piping student Jim
McGillivray described him this way: “Ed
was a Master Player. He had music, he
had technique and he had style. Some of
the prizes he desired the most just barely
eluded him. But he never let that diminish
him. He was a fantastic player….
Ed was a piping scholar. He was
studying tunes from manuscripts long
before it was fashionable to do so. And not
from the Internet, because there wasn’t
one. He traveled to libraries in Scotland
and photocopied them by hand. He read
all the available literature — books I’d
never heard of — and produced countless
articles in the piping press on any number
of esoteric piping subjects. He gave a
paper at the prestigious Piobaireachd
Society Conference. He could talk about
anything piping.
Ed was a Pipe Major, and the best
pipe major I ever played for. What he did
with the Guelph Pipe Band in the 1970s
was one of the great piping journeys of
my life. Our band did not have its pick of
good players. We were striving for the top
of Grade 1 with players more suited to the
top of Grade 3.” ❖
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Ninety-five pipers played ‘Amazing Grace’ as Ed’s
casket left Knox Presbyterian Church, Waterloo.
22
American Fire Fighters and Pipers, Ivan Browning, left,
and Michael Skidmore, right, came from Maryland
and Mark Boesmilles, centre, came from N.C. for the
funeral. They have been studying pipes under Ed for
5-10 years.
ADVERTISERS INDEX
Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
Wellesley Village
Needs Rec Board
Volunteers
by Peter van der Maas
W
Wellesley Township has two new employees: Tim Schwartzentruber (left), has
been hired as the Plans Examiner/Building Inspector, effective August 4,
2015; and Eric Johnston is the By-law Enforcement Officer, part time, effective July 27, 2015.
An angry August 2 storm rolled through Wellesley Village resulting in high winds,
rain and hail. The image above shows the view over Wellesley, from the northwest corner of Wilmot Township. The photo below was taken at virtually the
same moment by Bill Gladding, publisher of the Tavistock Gazette, looking
west along Schweitzer.
ellesley needs your
help. The village needs
someone to serve as the
chairperson for the recreation services board. The services board is a
volunteer committee whose purpose
is to build and foster relationships
with community partners by serving as liaison between Wellesley
Township Council and Wellesley
residents. The service board will
support community organizations
and engage the community members
in meaningful dialogue through
planning, making decisions and
creating an effective delivery process.
The committee chair has recently
retired due to other obligations and
a replacement is needed. Current
projects include the upgrading of the
current tennis courts to allow wider
use. Especially important is providing services for seniors and youth.
If you need more information,
please contact Peter van der Maas at
[email protected] or call
519-503-0618.
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Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
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23
A
Liberal government will invest in
cultural and creative industries
across Canada, growing the
economy, creating middle class jobs, and
strengthening our Canadian identity, said
Justin Trudeau, Leader of the Liberal Party
of Canada in a prepared release.
“Whether living in the heart of
Kitchener-Waterloo or in Wilmot, Wellesley
or Woolwich, Canadians know that our
cultural industries are an intrinsic part of
our national identity,” said Liberal candidate
for Kitchener-Conestoga, Tim Louis, a
professional full-time musician himself.
“Canada’s cultural and creative
industries are a vibrant part of our economy
and our national identity. Our artists,
producers, composers, and technicians are
world leaders in their fields and undeniable
Canadian assets,” said Mr. Trudeau.
“With more platforms available to share
our Canadian content, now is the time for
targeted investment that will grow local
economies, create jobs for the middle class,
and help Canadian artists share our stories.”
A new Liberal government, says the
release, will reinvest in our cultural and
creative industries:
• We will invest $150 million in new
annual funding for CBC/Radio Canada,
a commitment that reverses Harper’s cuts
and goes even further to ensure that our
“I ask for the chance to
demonstrate that politics can
be about debating ideas rather
than attacking opponents.”
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Authorized by the official agent for Tim Louis
24
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Liberal Candidate, Tim Louis, speaks
with a constituent during a recent visit
to the Wellesley Arena.
national broadcaster is able to fulfill its
mandate—promoting Canadian culture,
identity, bilingualism, and minority
communities across the country.
• We will double investment in the Canada
Council for the Arts to $360 million per
year from $180 million.
• We will increase funding to Telefilm
Canada and the National Film Board,
with a new investment totalling $25
million per year.
• We will restore the Promart and Trade
Routes international cultural promotion
programs that Harper cut, and increase
their funding to $25 million per year.
• We will Increase funding for the Young
Canada Works program to help prepare
the next generation of Canadians in the
heritage sector.
• As part of our historic new investment
in social infrastructure of nearly $6
billion over the next four years and
almost $20 billion over ten years, we
will invest significantly more in cultural
infrastructure. These investments will
include facilities used by communities to
express and promote their culture.
Local Liberal candidate Tim Louis
is running in a tight race in KitchenerConestoga. “The Arts and Culture scene
here in Waterloo Region will benefit
tremendously from this announcement. As a full time musician, I know firsthand how vital it is to be supported and
valued not only by our community but by
our government as well. To the Harper
Conservatives, Arts and Culture are
considered a burden. To the Liberal Party,
Arts and Culture are a source of national
pride and a lever for our economy.” ❖
Contact: Michelle Beaupré
[email protected] 519-616-2433
Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
#3
Another Yummy Year!
W
hat’s a corn festival all about?
You guessed it: CORN! So go
for it! Don’t be distracted by
the live music or the beer garden, or the
Kid Zone or the many vendors. And don’t
let the excellent tours of Castle Kilbride
or the Baden Mill take you off course.
You have to keep your focus on the
corn. Our camera did. Hope you enjoy
what we saw. ❖
Vernon and Viola Erb, left, were in line
awaiting their butter. Above, Richard
and Dorothy Gingrich came all the
way from Guelph to enjoy the corn.
They got the last corn sold before the
evening meal. Right: lots of corn takes
lots of butter and you know you can’t
eat corn without butter, can you?
A
IFA 3X3 Soccer Tournament Played at Wellesley Arena Field
n IFA 3x3 soccer tournament
was held in Wellesley Village
on Canada day. The International Futsal Academy (IFA) commenced
in January 2015 for the Wellesley, St.
Clements, New Hamburg, KitchenerWaterloo and Stratford areas. It is an
alternative for those parents that do not
have their children enrolled in an affordable winter sport yet show a great interest in an indoor soccer environment.
From January to May 2015, we were
able to utilize a local high school’s gym for
skills and development and the turnout
was great! A few chosen players were
selected to enter an outdoor three on three
Chatham tournament And the outcome
was gold and silver for three age levels.
The fall program runs Sept. 26 to Dec.
12 at Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary
School and costs $87. For information
go to: https://www.facebook.com/FutsalIndoorSoccerLeague or contact futsalis@
gmail.com. ❖
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In the game are (l-r) Coach Sharon M, Samantha T, Hannah P, Heidi M, Dylan H and Madison M.
Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
ADVERTISERS INDEX
25
2015 OASA Masters 40+ & 50+ Provincial Fastball
Championship Held in St. Clements
T
he Ontario Amateur Softball Association held its
Masters and Legends championships in St. Clements over the July 17-19 weekend. Nine teams
vied for the age 40+ Masters championship while five
teams fought for the age 50+ Legends top spot. In the
end, the Waterloo Classics were the Masters champions and the Toronto Gators held the Legends title.
During the 30 game series, players and officials took a
break mid-Saturday to induct six members into the Ontario
Masters Fastball Hall of Fame. The inductees were: Rod
Fevreau-player, Cambridge; Mike “Red Dog” O’Hearnplayer, Scarborough; Dana Seiling-manager, Paris; Paul
Clements-player, Cambridge; Jim Trim-manager, Oshawa;
and Sylvia “Sparky” Ryan-manager, Lindsay.
The other ceremony was the presentation of the Gil
Read Coaches Award to Pete Chambers.
The teams participating in the Masters tournament
were: Waterloo Classics, Waterdown Hammer, Ohsweken
Senior Braves, St. Thomas Storm, Kitchener Outlaws, Cambridge Rusty Jiggers, Arthur Merchants, Grimsby Diamond
Kings, and the Fenelon Falls Flyers.
The Legends teams were: Waterdown Hammer, Waterloo Legends, Toronto Gators, Ingersoll Crush, and the
Durham Bulls. ❖
Lee Horton-Carter
The St. Thomas Storm, catching, beat the Cambridge
Rusty Jiggers 6-1 in game #7.
Tournament Director, Mike Goodridge, left, presents the
Gil Read Coaches Award to Waterdown Hammer Coach,
Pete Chambers.
Counselling Services
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is available for:
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Above: Hall of Fame inductees are (l-r): Rod Fevreau; Mike
“Red Dog” O’Hearn; Dana Seiling; Paul Clements; Jim Trim
and Sylvia “Sparky” Ryan.
Below: Each inductee received a custom Hall of Fame ring.
Ph: 519-570-9163
[email protected]
http://www.leehortoncarter.ca/
Home office located
near St. mary’S HoSpital
in KitcHener, on
Some days we need help
to paddle our own canoe…
26
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Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
Looking Back at Illegal
Dumping of Toxic Waste on
Woolwich Sugarbush
W
HOME
hen Kitchener-Conestoga MPP
Michael Harris, joined property
owners Michelle Shannon and John
Weber, Ontario Waste Management Association
CEO Rob Cook, Senior Vice President of Safety
Kleen Ed Glavina and representatives from Waste
Management during the final soil removal, after
the dumping of 24 toxic waste barrels at the
Woolwich sugarbush, it was a relief to Michelle
Shannon and John Weber that the worst was over.
On July 10, following an investigation, Waterloo
Regional Police charged Donald William Hector
with mischief over $5000. “It’s thanks to the good work of the OWMA,
Safety Kleen, Aevitas, and Waste Management,
that this unfortunate situation was able to be
handled and resolved,” said Harris. “However,
the fact is that property owners who are victims
of illegal dumping, like Michelle Shannon and
John Weber, are often further victimized by a
system that often points to the property owners’
responsibility for removal.”
Soon after 24 barrels of toxic waste were
discovered on the Woolwich sugarbush property,
Ms. Shannon’s initial calls to a number of
government agencies advised the property owner
of her responsibility for the barrels’ removal.
Harris noted that he was pleased to see discussions
with the OWMA led to Breslau firm, Safety Kleen
—and subsequently Ayr’s Aevitas, and Waste
Management—stepping up to remove the barrels
and soil, free-of-charge. Shannon and her husband
are still left to pick up the tab for the soil testing
and expenses around filling the hole back in.
“No system will ever be perfect but you want
to ensure it works to both prevent future incidents
through significant penalties and support victims
of illegal dumping so that they are not further
victimized,” Harris noted. “Thankfully the private
sector thoroughly answered the bell in this case,
but I think we have to work moving forward to
prevent these situations from occurring in the
first place, and being at the ready to respond and
support property owners when they do occur.”
Harris had sent a letter to the Minister of the
Environment calling on the Minister to “review
Ms. Shannon’s situation immediately and
respond directly as to the penalties [he can and
intends to use], to levy against the perpetrators,
and provide a list detailing Ministry tools
and resources available, to respond to and to
assist victims of illegal toxic waste dumping in
Ontario.” ❖
Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
Twenty-four barrels of toxic waste were dumped illegally on the farm
of Michelle Shannon and John Weber in Woolwich.—Shannon Photo
Above: The final bit of fill replaces the possibly contaminated soil that
had been scooped out after the dumping of the toxic waste.
Below: (l-r) Rob Cook, of Ontario Waste Management Association; Byron Day, with Aevita, John Weber, Michelle Shannon, Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Michael Harris, Luiza Adsett, with Waste Management
and Ed Glavina, with Safety-Kleen worked together to solve the problems of eliminating the toxic waste and underlying soil.
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27
MCC Refugee
Response
What can I do to help? Can I even make a
difference?
Yes, you can make a difference. There are several ways you
can support MCC’s ongoing response to the global refugee
crisis.
1. You can financially support MCC’s ongoing humanitarian
relief efforts and peacebuilding projects. In regions like
Syria and Iraq, MCC is focused on providing emergency
food, shelter, and non-food items.
http://mcccanada.ca/learn/what/relief/syria
2. Your community group, church, or workplace can partner
with MCC to sponsor a refugee family to come to Canada.
3. http://mcccanada.ca/contact
You can volunteer to come alongside newly arrived refugees
to build community and networks of support.
http://mcccanada.ca/contact
What kind of guidance and support we expect
throughout the process of sponsoring refugees?
MCC is committed to supporting communities as they journey
through the refugee resettlement process. You’ll be able to count
on us for support as you plan for the arrival of refugee families,
as well as assistance on how to best welcome refugees from
particular nations. MCCC will to stay connected as you welcome
refugees into your community, and our provincial Refugee
Resettlement Coordinators are available to take your call or
email.
Is resettlement in Canada really the only
option?
For the refugees involved in this initiative, resettlement is the
best option remaining. MCC works in partnership with the
Canadian Government, the United Nations High Commission for
Refugees (UNHCR) and local organizations to select refugees
who are unable to return home and are unable to remain where
they are. While MCC also provides humanitarian relief to areas
of conflict and provides psychosocial care for traumatized
individuals, refugee resettlement is the only recourse those
involved in this project. Your willingness to accept refugees in
your community has an incredible impact on people’s lives.
http://mcccanada.ca/stories/sponsors-needed-syrian-refugees
http://mcccanada.ca/stories/sponsors-needed-syrian-refugees
How does the money work?
In the planning phase, you’ll work with MCC to develop a
detailed budget specific to your community. Generally speaking,
the costs of the resettling refugees depends on how many
members of the family are being resettled. Also, many
sponsoring groups donate good used household items to
significantly reduce the costs outlined below.
Family Size
http://mcccanada.ca/contact
Where will the refugees come from?
HOME
FAQ
MCC is actively responding to a refugee crisis that is truly
global. We believe that God’s call to welcome the stranger from
Deuteronomy 10:18-19 and Matthew 25:35-36 does not depend
on nationality, religion, or geography. Though Syria and Iraq are
centres of incredible refugee need, they are not alone. We invite
you to join us in welcoming refugees from many different
nations who also are facing very real danger and the need for
immediate resettlement.
Additional
Member
12 mos of
Income Support
Start-Up
Cost
Estimated Total
Annual Settlement Cost
$9,800
$2,800
$12,600
$16,800
$4,400
$21,200
$17,700
$5,300
$23,000
$20,000
$7,000
$27,000
$22,500
$7,200
$29,700
$24,500
$8,000
$32,500
$1,550
$1,000
$2,500
For more information, please contact:
Moses Moini
[email protected] | 905-646-3161 x267 | 1-800-313-6226
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x267INDEX
Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
THE SCARECROW CHRONICLES
Stories Fun, Funny or Infuriating from the Straw Trenches
by Mavis Kerr, Fall Fair volunteer
T
HOME
his year the scarecrow count
went up. To promote the Wellesley North-Easthope Fall Fair we
again, for the second year, launched
a community wide competition (led
by Wendy Richardson) to get businesses and families to have some fun,
be creative and advertise the fall fair.
The stories trickled in as the process
proceeded; neighbours talking to
neighbours, folks walking the streets or
taking visitors on a driving tour. This
year our count went up to around 40
registered in the contest. Every one has a
story. Here are a couple.
The winner of the Traditional
scarecrow category (See back cover) was
a jaunty heel-clicking chap in overalls
and rubber boots created playfully
by Linda and Neil Lackey in what
sounded like a very collaborative effort.
Neil reported that being “savers” of
miscellany was an asset yielding many
random items like a coconut shell,
which became a mocking crow that did
not look scared at all. Linda’s academic
anatomy training yielded a physically
realistic chap, which Neil fashioned
using what he calls his “glue and screw”
skills. Regrettably his toes (scarecrow’s
not Neil’s) had to be amputated to get
the boots on, though his exuberant
posture doesn’t give a hint of his
surgery. The poor chap also required
dental procedures to reattach a tooth or
two when glue gun technology failed.
To attach him securely to the ground a
4X4 of wood was buried into the ground
and the stand firmly screwed into it.
I learned the virtues of such stable
support when my own scarecrow bride
proved to have “hinges on her heels” and
was repeatedly found lying on her back
in the ditch after every thunderstorm
with her flower bouquet bleeding dye
into her 1980 wedding dress. Pathetic.
Participants ranged from small
children to the 92-year-old mother-inlaw of Margot Fritsch who helped create
their ethereal bride. This tattered bride
wore the discarded garage curtains –
Wellesley Is… July/August 2015
pale sheers made into a
wispy ghost-like dress but
on a body with no head.
Maybe leave that one up for
Halloween and rebrand her
as Anne Boleyn.
Sadder stories included
the loss of two excellent
scarecrows, apparently
stolen by the sort of folks
who need a decency
implant. They were made by
children who both happen
to be Wendy Richardson’s
grandchildren. Wendy
wrote a poignant letter to
the editor condemning
this local Grinch. The
delightful “tin man” at the
Philipsburg corner managed to win
young Jacob Richardson-Cruz a $25
prize before it was stolen. The girl on
the bike at the corner of Nafziger and
Carmel-Koch had attracted a following
before she disappeared. Neighbours fell
in love with her because she apparently
looked just like their daughter Brenda.
They were about to add a sign that said
“Hi, MY NAME IS BRENDA” and
take a photo of it with their daughter…
when the scarecrow disappeared. Poof.
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Stealing kids scarecrows is NOT funny
or brave and definitely not acceptable.
While we were driving around
getting photos of the scarecrows for this
article, Larry Kryski suggested that we
could take on Meaford in a challenge in
a couple of years. They have an annual
Scarecrow Invasion, their 19th being
Oct. 2 (http://scarecrowinvasion.com/ )
I am quite content to collect the heartwarming stories of fun and friendship
that are spawned by our scarecrows. ❖
29
HOME
Linda and Neil Lackey won first
place in the Traditional Scarecrow
category with their exuberant
farmer kicking up his heels!
30
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Wellesley Is… July/August 2015