Officials suspect arson
Evidence suggests fire that gutted education centre was
no accident
By David Dickenson - Journal Staff Writer
DOMVILLE - The Ontario Provincial Police are investigating
a fire which demolished the South Grenville Environmental Centre
Monday, July 29.
The fire is believed to have been deliberately set, with evidence
on the scene indicating an off road vehicle and a motor vehicle
being involved.
The Augusta Fire Department were on scene for several hours
Aug. 30, helping in clean-up efforts and ensuring no embers were
still burning at the Barton Road site.
"We could find no logical accidental cause," commented
Augusta Deputy Chief Lindsay Penney.
"It remains a fire of suspicious origins and have drawn
it to the attention of the Grenville County detachment of the
OPP.
"It must have been a very intense interior fire as all
combustibles inside and under the patio were vapourized making
it extremely difficult to figure out," according to Penney.
The fire is believed to have been set Monday evening or night
and burned unnoticed until Tuesday at approximately 9:15 am when
Rob Ross of the Grenville Land Stewardship Council arrived to
open the outdoor education centre for a children's camp which
was supposed to run three consecutive Tuesdays.
Damage to the building is estimated more than $20,000.
"The doors were locked and there was virtually no wood
in the building to prevent events such as this," explained
Grenville Landstewardship committee member Bob Gollinger. "Whoever
started this seems to have taken a lot of trouble to do so.
"Virtually all of the materials and things inside were
donated and the centre was just starting to grow into what we
thought it could be; it's a terrible loss to the community."
The centre was built on a piece of land owned by the Ministry
of Natural Resources in a joint community effort between South
Grenville District High School and the Grenville Land Stewardship
Council.
The building was erected about two years ago by a group of
volunteers, primarily students of South Grenville as part of
a school project.
"It was not just a loss to the school but the entire
community," says South Grenville District High School Principal
Brenda Ramsey. "Our community had been tremendous in donating
the resources and money towards letting our students volunteer
their efforts."
Ramsey feels the efforts by the high school and its students
won't stop now that the centre has been lost.
"I've already been talking with a teacher who has been
heavily involved with the project and we talked about how the
school could help to re-build," explained Ramsey. "It
takes more than a fire to keep the school and its student volunteers
away."
The centre was a nature centre for people and community groups
to visit and in the past year acted as a popular field trip location
for many area schoools.
The OPP had no suspects as of late last wee. Anyone with information
on the fire should contact the OPP's Prescott detachment at 925-4221.
Belgian group thanks Canadian war vets
Second World War liberators honoured at local tour stop
By Tim Ruhnke - Journal Editor
PRESCOTT A group of Belgians was in Prescott last Thursday
to say thank you to some of the people who helped liberate their
country nearly 60 years ago.
Fort Wellington and Branch 97 of the Royal Canadian Legion
hosted the visit. The group consisting of about 40 people and
20 military vehicles is taking part in remembrance ceremonies
in several communities in Ontario and Quebec to acknowledge the
effort made by Canadian soldiers during the latter stages of
the Second World War.
A parade involving Legion members, air cadets and other service
people marched from the Legion Hall on Henry Street to the cenotaph
where a wreath-laying ceremony took place late Thursday afternoon.
The liberation of Belgium was preceded by the Allies' participation
in D-Day in June 1944. Canadian forces landed in northern France
and proceeded to cross the Seine river in late August and advance
through France and into Belgium. A hard-fought Canadian victory
against the Germans opened up the Antwerp harbour to sea traffic,
creating a major supply point through which the Allied campaign
against the German heartland could be maintained.
Cis Daniel, a member of the "Thank You, Canada"
Tour group who spoke at the ceremony, noted her generation heard
about the war "...from our parents who lived it." Kids
today do not have the same opportunity, according to Daniel.
The old military vehicles act as "a living museum;"
they are taken throughout Belgium to get young people interested
in what their country went through more than half a century ago.
"It needs to be known Canadians did so much" for
Belgium, according to Daniel.
She told the gathering about how one boy in her village described
a veteran as an old man who wears nice medals and stands in the
cold and rain each Nov. 11.
But a veteran is much more than that, according to Daniel.
Soldiers experienced the horror of war; they saw death and destruction,
but they also saw the smiles on the faces of the children they
liberated.
"We forget that behind each of these veterans is a human
being," Daniel said.
The Canadian veteran is a man "...you can look up to,"
Daniel said. She concluded by offering thanks and "all our
respect."
Prescott-area resident Bob Nuttall served in Italy and Belgium
in the Second World War. He and several other Canadian veterans
who saw action in Belgium in the 1940s were on hand last Thursday
to meet the Belgians and accept their sincere thanks.
"It is pretty hard to describe how you feel," he
said of the experience. "I was overwhelmed."
Nuttall added the comradeship shared by the visiting Belgians
and their Canadian hosts in Prescott is unlike any he has ever
seen.
He noted group members raised the money to ship the vehicles
and themselves to and from Canada.
In addition to the placing of a pair of wreaths at the base
of the cenotaph, the ceremony included the playing of the Canadian
and Belgian national anthems as well as a firing by riflemen
working at the fort.
The parade and wreath-laying ceremony were followed by a dinner
at the Legion Hall.
The convoy was to have arrived in Prescott by 1 pm when the
vehicles were to go on display at the fort. The motorcade left
Montreal that morning and travelled at about 60 kilometres per
hour, arriving about three hours behind schedule.
However, the public still got a chance to take a closer look
at jeeps, motorcycles, personnel carriers and an ambulance brought
over from Belgium for the thank you tour.
Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn said it was "an exciting and
special day" for the town. The mayor thanked the veterans
for their wartime efforts and the Belgians for highlighting a
significant event in Canadian history.
In noting it was "a tremendous honour" to participate
in the visit, Leeds-Grenville MP Joe Jordan acknowledged the
Belgians for giving Canadians pause to reflect on the contribution
made by Canadian soldiers and the freedom we enjoy.
"Sometimes we forget or fail to learn," said Jordan,
who added Canada can be proud of its veterans.
In terms of the overall visit to Prescott, Nuttall said it
was "the most fabulous event" he has seen in a long
time. Much of the success can be credited to Libby Pilon of Fort
Wellington and the Legion executive who worked together to present
what Nuttall described as a unique experience that touched the
local veterans who served in Belgium.
"I consider myself very fortunate."
Veteran Bob Nuttall
Historic Military Tattoo set for Fort Wellington
this Sunday
PRESCOTT The St. Lawrence Valley's earliest military
history will come to life at Fort Wellington in this historic
riverfront town Sunday, Aug. 11, when a Historic Military Tattoo
takes place featuring re-enactors from such historic regiments
as La Compagnie Franche de la Marine (1683), The 78th Fraser's
Highlanders (1757), and the Fort York Guard (1812).
The two-hour Tattoo, which gets underway at the picturesque
fort at 2 pm, will feature marching and musket drills, cannon
firing demonstrations, pipe and fife and drum bands and period
Scottish dancing. La Compagnie and the Olde 78th are from the
Old Fort on St. Helen's Island in Montreal and the Fort York
Guard garrisons Fort York in Toronto during the summer months
and represents the period in history in which Fort Wellington
was first constructed.
La Compagnie Franche de la Marine was the first European army
to serve in this area. It was founded in France in 1683 and sent
to Canada to protect the valuable fur trade and French settlements
against attacks by the British army and the Iroquois. They were
posted at Pointe au Baril (Maitland) to protect the ship building
yards, Fort la Presentation in Ogdensburg, N.Y., and Fort de
Levis, just east of the Ogdensburg-Prescott Bridge. All three
settlements were captured by the British during General Amherst's
sweep down the St. Lawrence River on his way to Quebec City in
1759.
The 78th Highland Regiment, commonly called Fraser's Highlanders,
was raised in Scotland in 1757 for service in North America,
and played a major role in battles against the French, including
the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. The regiment was disbanded
in Quebec in 1763, the only Scottish regiment ever to be disbanded
on foreign soil.
Both regiments were revived in the early 1960s in preparation
for EXPO '67, and have performed at Montreal's Old Fort every
summer since that time. They both took part in the first historic
tattoo in Prescott in 1969, one of their first appearances outside
the Quebec.
Fort Wellington was named Ontario's "Outstanding Tourist
Attraction for 2001" this year and the well-groomed 11-acre
national park site overlooking the St. Lawrence River provides
an attractive locale for this appearance of close to 100 period
re-enactors. Spectators are advised to bring their own lawn chairs
or blankets.
There is plenty of free parking and admission to the Tattoo
is free, although voluntary contributions will be appreciated.
The Rotary Club of Prescott will operate a refreshment booth
on the site during the afternoon.
THIS WEEK
Bacteria levels remain high at Kelly's Beach
PRESCOTT Kelly's Beach remains off-limits to swimmers,
according to the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health
Unit.
Samples taken from river water at the beach last week indicated
bacteria levels remained high. Elevated bacteria levels were
reported in two previous sets of weekly samples.
Health officials say swimmers are at greater risk of developing
skin irritation, ear infections and gastrointestinal illnesses
when the bacteria count is high.
As of last Friday, five of the 25 public beaches monitored
by the health unit were listed as being closed because of high
bacteria levels.
Kelly's Beach is the only location in South Grenville that
appears on the list.
Bell ringing returns to downtown Prescott
PRESCOTT The familiar ring of the clock tower bell returned
to the Fort Town last week.
The bell had been out of commission for several weeks while
a replacement part was being built. The clock tower bell located
at the corner of King and Centre streets rings every hour and
half hour.
The return of the bell was put on hold temporarily late last
week when the clocks stopped.
Steel band featured at Sunday concert
PRESCOTT The Brockville Lions Steel Band will appear
in concert this Sunday, Aug. 11 at 6:30 pm at the amphitheatre
near the Sandra S. Lawn Harbour on Prescott's waterfront.
Admission is free; donations are appreciated. In case of rain,
the concert will be presented inside the Leo Boivin Community
Centre.
The Sunday evening concert series will close its 2002 season
Aug. 25.
Church music concerts set for Maitland
MAITLAND Two concerts associated with church music workshops
being held in Brockville will be presented in the Maitland area.
Baritone soloist Matthew Zadow, accompanied by Frances Harkness,
will perform at MERC Hall this Sunday, Aug. 11 at 7:30 pm.
Grenville Christian College will host a performance by organist
Wesley Warren Wednesday, Aug. 14 at 7 pm.
Free-will offerings will be accepted at both concerts.
The Eastern Ontario branch of the Royal School of Church Music
is also presenting concerts Aug. 12 and Aug. 13 at Highway Pentecostal
Church in Brockville. For more information, call 342-3124.
Raccoon rabies prevention program expanded as fewer cases
reported
SOUTH GRENVILLE The number of raccoon rabies cases reported
in Leeds and Grenville this year is down considerably from the
same period last year, but health and natural resource officials
remain concerned about the spread of the disease.
The Ministry of Natural Resources reported six confirmed cases
as of July 8. Twenty-nine confirmed cases were on the books in
the first six months of 2001. More than 100 confirmed cases have
been recorded in the region since the first case was detected
three years ago in the Maynard area.
Most raccoon rabies activity is concentrated in portions of
Leeds county west and north of Brockville, although South Grenville
has also experienced some cases during the past three years.
The ministry announced last week the high-risk area in Eastern
Ontario was being expanded to include areas away from the St.
Lawrence River corridor, including the City of Ottawa. Bait and
trapping programs are being continued to prevent the spread of
the disease. The ministry will airdrop 600,000 raccoon vaccine
baits in rural Eastern Ontario later this month. An additional
800,000 fox rabies baits will be distributed in other areas of
the province.
Rabies, an infectious and contagious disease of the central
nervous system, is caused by a virus carried in the blood stream
of warm-blooded mammals.
Rabies vaccine in the form of five needles given over a period
of one month will protect a person exposed to the virus if treatment
is received in time. Once humans show symptoms of the illness,
rabies is always fatal.
Pre-exposure vaccine is available to people whose activities
place them at greater risk of being exposed to the virus. Trappers,
veterinarians, animal control officers and anyone who works with
wildlife or livestock are advised to consider immunization.
Raccoons, skunks and foxes are the species that carry the
so-called raccoon strain of the virus.
The public is not permitted to trap and relocate wild animals
for fear of spreading diseases such as rabies. Dogs and cats
should be vaccinated against rabies and prevented from wandering
at night when nocturnal animals are out and about.
The ministry recommends adults encourage children to steer
clear of wild animals or stray pets. Anyone who is bitten by
an animal should seek medical attention and advise the local
health unit of any bites or scratches.
MNR has spent more than $6 million in the past three years
to control the spread of raccoon rabies.
The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit has more
information about rabies on its Web site: www.healthunit.org.
101 cases in Ontario since 1999
Ministry of Natural Resources
Heritage site visit could lead to getaway
ST. LAWRENCE REGION - Take a trip back in time and win a trip
in the St. Lawrence and 1000 Islands region as part of the History
Alive Weekend Getaway Contest.
Numerous heritage sites between Cornwall and Kingston are
participating in the program. Fill in a free entry form at any
of those sites or most tourist information centres in the region;
getaway packages include a VIA Rail pass for a family of four.
The contest closes Sept. 15; winners will be announced and
contacted by Aug. 30.
For more details or to obtain form, visit www.historyalive.ca.
Register now for Wonderland
BROCKVILLE - Residents of the Prescott area are being invited
to take part in St. John Bosco Parish's seventh annual trip to
Canada's Wonderland.
The trip for families and youth is set for Tuesday, Aug. 27.
Motor coaches will leave Brockville at 8:30 am and arrive at
the theme park by noon. Participants will enjoy eight to nine
hours at Wonderland before heading home.
Early registration is recommended. To register, call 342-5095.
For more information, contact Joanne Pillar at 925-5339.
PC In-house offers in-home computer repair
and sales
PRESCOTT - Gabriel DeRapp is one computer doctor who makes
house call.
The Prescott resident is owner/operator of PC In-house, a
home-based business located on Churchill Road that opened at
the beginning of July. DeRapp will go to the customer's home
or office to deal with computer repairs and hardware replacement.
Using his laptop computer, DeRapp can show information about
product lines and other services available from PC In-house.
PC In-house also does software upgrades and Internet and e-mail
connections.
"It's something I like to do," he said. "I
really enjoy my work."
DeRapp has plans to open a store in Prescott once a customer
base has been established. The business will be hiring once the
store opens to expand in-house services, he noted.
DeRapp has been planning to get into the computer business
for two years. In addition to taking courses and studying computers,
he is a recent graduate of the Self-Employment Benefits Program
offered by Prescott-based Grenville Community Futures Development
Corporation on behalf of Human Resources Development Canada.
For more information, visit PC In-house's interactive Web
site at www.pcin-house.com or call 925-1925.
OPP BRIEFS
Save 9-1-1 calls for emergencies
SOUTH GRENVILLE - The Grenville County detachment of the Ontario
Provincial Police is reminding the public to dial 9-1-1 in emergency
situations only.
Officers are becoming tied up with "prank" 9-1-1
calls; while the officers are are responding to those calls,
other incidents are being left waiting.
All 9-1-1 calls are taken seriously, it is noted in an OPP
news release. Calls that are not legitimate could result in Criminal
Code charges against the callers.
"Remember, it could be your family involved in something
while officers are busy responding to false 9-1-1 calls."
Power tools removed from local business
SPENCERVILLE Sheet metal power tools valued at about
$10,000 were taken from a local business late last month, the
Ontario Provincial Police reported.
The break-in took place during the overnight hours of July
28-29 at Mulder's Machine and Welding Shop on Centre Street.
The suspect or suspects broke through a door.
Personal property was also taken from a vehicle parked outside
a neighbouring residence.
Constable Brad Price is the investigating officer.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Grenville County
detachment at 925-4221 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Three lawn tractors stolen this summer
AUGUSTA A third lawn tractor has been stolen this summer
in Augusta Township. Police received a report Aug. 2 that a riding
lawn tractor was stolen sometime during the weekend of July 26-28
from a Limerick Road property. The 12-hp Mastercraft is grey
in colour. OPP Constable Runciman is the investigating officer.
Driver charged for going twice the speed limit
EDWARDSBURGH On July 30 at about 11:30 am, a vehicle
was stopped by OPP Sergeant Dave Springer on County Road 18 just
south of Cedar Grove Road. The 37-year-old male driver of the
BMW was charged with travelling at 60 kilometres per hour over
the posted 60-km speed limit. He is scheduled to appear in court
Sept. 3.
Car in median leads to impaired charges
AUGUSTA Constable David Thompson responded to a vehicle
in the median of Highway 401 eastbound Aug. 3 at about 9:50 pm.
The 37-year-old male driver registered a fail on the roadside
screening device. He was arrested and released on a promise to
appear in court Aug. 30 to face impaired driving charges.
Cabinet ministers to attend fundraiser for local MPP
BROCKVILLE - Three provincial cabinet ministers have confirmed
their attendance at an upcoming fundraiser for Leeds-Grenville
MPP Bob Runciman.
Finance Minister Janet Ecker, Tourism and Recreation Minister
Cam Jackson and Natural Resources Minister Gerry Ouellette will
attend "An Afternoon in the Islands" set for Saturday,
Aug. 17 at the Glen House Resort on the Thousand Islands Parkway.
Runciman has hosted the annual social event for 16 years.
In addition to other special guests, the Cuban band Quineteto
Dela Tova will perform at the get-together. There will also be
boat rides and a roast beef/lobster tail dinner at the event
organized by the Leeds-Grenville Provincial Progressive Conservative
Association.
For ticket information call Des DesRochers at 925-5530 (home)
or 342-1763 (office).
Runciman, who was first elected to the Ontario legislature
in 1981, is the minister of public safety and security.
Diabetes information sessions to be held monthly
at hospital
KEMPTVILLE - Diabetes information nights will be presented
monthly at Kemptville District Hospital.
The first session took place last night. The next one will
be held Tuesday, Sept. 3 from 7 to 8 pm in the classroom at the
hospital.
A presenter will speak for about 20 minutes at each meeting;
topics may include signs and symptoms of diabetes, complications,
blood testing and cooking. Each presentation will be followed
by a question period and then refreshments; this will give participants
an opportunity to meet others who live with diabetes.
"No matter how old, how young, how educated, or how long
the person has been diagnosed, diabetes education makes a world
of difference," stated Brenda Quaile, diabetes nurse educator.
Admission is free. Information sessions are also planned for
October, November and December.
For more information, call Quaile at 258-6300.
Insurance, real estate firm marks 50 years
in business
PRESCOTT - Making the customers' interests and needs the first
priority of business has allowed the owners of Irving H. Miller
Ltd. to increase its clientele by one third over the past three
years.
Co-owner Greg Kenney said he has always believed if the customers
are number one, "then everything else will look after itself.
And that's exactly what's happened."
The insurance brokerage and real estate firm is celebrating
its 50th anniversary this summer, and it continues to build on
the foundation started by Irving Miller himself in 1952.
"The loyalty factor is incredible," said Kenney,
who purchased the business in 1999 with business partner Cynthia
Durant, who had been in partnership with Lorne Durant since 1998.
The loyalty and retention of clients has resulted from offering
the best value possible for the customers' insurance dollar,
Kenney noted.
The introduction of two permanent staff who complete regular
market checks on all policies has in part aided in the increase
in clients from 2,900 to about 3,800 today. "The number
of people who renew with us is extremely good because of the
high service we provide," Kenney said. "Our clientele
is very loyal and we appreciate that, and we really work hard
to keep them.
"Word of mouth is very powerful," Kenney added.
"Our phones are ringing three times as much as they used
to; people know we're working for them. The good news spreads."
Irving H. Miller Ltd. also has a branch office in Cardinal.
The company's territory extends from about Iroquois to Spencerville
to Maitland. It handles all types of insurance needs, including
home, auto, commercial, farm, boat, ATV, motorcycle, life and
annuities.
Lorne Durant, who has worked with the firm since 1958, retains
ownership of the real estate brokerage, managed by Gary Cook
and Graham Hodge. Other Irving Miller employees are Judy Murray,
Tracey Kenney, Tim Cassell and Diane Gallinger.
Irving Miller operated the company for 30 years until his
retirement in 1982. Part owner Cynthia Durant is his granddaughter
and Lorne Durant's daughter. Irving Miller was the charter member
of the St. Lawrence Real Estate Board in 1954. He died in March
at the age of 87.
The company continues to enjoy long-term relationships with
its markets, including Pilot insurance Co. for 50 years and with
Halifax and Economical since about 1971. Insurance is the mainstay
of the company, constituting about 90 per cent of the business,
Kenney said.
When Kenney and Durant took over ownership of the insurance
business three years ago, they chose to retain the original name.
"It's a name that's recognized in the community. It's well-respected
and has deep community ties."
Program helps families cope with disorders
of the brain
SOUTH GRENVILLE - A course for family members dealing with
a relative's brain disorder will begin next month in Brockville.
The Leeds and Grenville branch of the Canadian Mental Health
Association will present the 12-week family-to-family education
program which balances education and skills training with self-care
and emotional support. The disorders include schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive
and anxiety/panic.
There is no charge for the course; course materials and reading
handouts will be provided at no cost. Class size is limited.
Call 345-0950 to register or to obtain more information.
Proper land use among goals of stewardship council
By Connie Mitchell - Grenville Land Stewardship
Council
Even though the Grenville Land Stewardship Council has been
functioning in you community since 1996, we frequently hear comments
such as "What exactly does Land Stewardship do?" or,
"We didn't know this group existed."
Yes, we are definitely throughout Grenville County working
with landowners, organizations and schools helping to raise awareness
and encourage a healthy and viable stewardship of our land. This
column is aimed at explaining who we are as a group and what
some of our work has involved.
Stewardship councils were created in the mid-'90s. The plan
was that each county in Ontario would have a council comprised
of a co-ordinator, who was employed by the Ministry of Natural
Resources, and a group of volunteer landowners, ideally with
a balanced representation from each township. By involving landowners
who were involved with their communities and had great interest
in wise land use, the province felt service to each country would
be more effective.
The council meets regularly and discusses concerns and project
direction. The co-ordinator take his/her direction from the council.
The Grenville Land Stewardship Council has forged many partnerships
with other like-minded organizations and agencies. We value their
extensive wealth of resources in their respective fields. We
also find that by partnering with them, we become more efficient
in getting the proper information out to the public as well as
minimizing duplicate projects or programs.
Our project list is quite extensive. Our first "large"
project was the "Beaver Forum" held in Prescott in
1998. The beaver issue appeared to be an area of concern from
our initial landowners' survey. The work continued long after
the forum as interested landowners met several times to create
a Beaver Information Packet which is available at the stewardship
office.
After the '98 Ice Storm the Stewardship Council members quickly
assembled projects to help landowners with their damaged trees.
Seminars and workshops were held throughout the county to educate
homeowners on tree pruning. Plantation owners also benefitted
from similar seminars specific to their needs. The Ice Storm
clean-up crews for maple syrup producers greatly aided the local
syrup industry in both Leeds and Grenville counties by clearing
bush roads and paths to trees that could be tapped.
The council supports and encourages environmental education
for everyone. We get quite enthusiastic when we work with students
because the young people will be future landowners! Many of our
projects involve student participation.
The Outdoor Education Centre on Barton Road had much input
from the students at South Grenville DHS in both construction
and in implementing environmental programs. It will be a unique
learning area for all students and others. The Grenville Land
Stewardship Council has been involved with several "Schoolyard
Naturalization" projects throughout the county. We have
also encouraged high schools to participate in the "Environton,"
a competition between schools in which teams put their environmental
knowledge to the test in areas of soil, water, forest and wildlife.
With Limerick Forest's transfer from provincial ownership
to the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville there is great
concern about the forest's future. An open meeting held in 2001
attracted many "users" of the forest. All attending
that meeting were surprised at the support from clubs and associations
using Limerick and the willingness to work together.
Currently, the Grenville Land Stewardship Council has 13 members.
If you have any questions or comments please contact the Stewardship
Office at 342-8528.
Editor's note: Fire gutted the Outdoor Education Centre
late last month.
Community showing support for motorcycle accident
victim
SPENCERVILLE - Donation jars have been placed in a number
of locations in the Spencerville area for Dustin Ruigrok, the
16-year old who who sustained life-threatening injuries in a
motorcycle accident nearly two weeks ago.
Laurie McFarland, a consumer service representative at the
Spencerville Branch of the Royal Bank, came up with the idea
shortly after the accident.
"With Dustin in the hospital in Kingston, the family
would spend a lot of money in travel and other expenses,"
explained McFarland. "We just wanted to try to help the
family out an offer our support."
The money collected from the jars is being put into a trust
fund for Ruigrok at the Royal Bank, under the care of Ruigrok's
boss at Home Hardware, Mike MacNaughtan.
"The jars have only been out since Thursday," says
McFarland. "We've had an overwhelming response.
"Since this is such a close knit community, everyone
really wanted to do what they could to help, but didn't really
know how and this gives them that opportunity."
As of earlier this week, Ruigrok remained in intensive care
at Kingston General Hospital.
Rusty Milkers get wet washing cows and calves at farm
By Tristan Jensen
On July 30, the Rusty Milkers met at the Dejong Jersey Farm
for Scrub Day. Scrub Day is when a 4-H dairy club gets together
and you learn how to properly wash, clip and show a calf/cow.
We had a good turnout for Scrub Day, with roughly 20 members
showing up.
We brought cows and calves to the wash station. Then we all
got into groups of two and three to wash the animals. By the
time the calves and cows were all washed, everyone was soaking
wet. We then took a lunch break and went swimming. Afterwards,
we returned to the farm to clip our animals. But first April,
Dustin and Deborah Brown show our group the proper way to clip
a calf. After everyone else was finished clipping their animal
we got to show them off by having a mini-show and getting pointers
from our leaders.
Local VON branch receives grant for seniors
health project
LEEDS AND GRENVILLE - The local branch of the VON is one of
three branches in Canada to be chosen as pilot sites for a wellness
exercise program for seniors.
The Brockville, Leeds and Grenville branch has secured a grant
of $40,000 as part of the Canada Seniors Health Project.
Two part-time staff will be hired to oversee the program.
It is hoped by March 2004 there will be documentation of a marked
improvement in the physical health of 300 seniors who participate
in the wellness program.
The local VON branch is partnering with the Safe Community
Coalition of Brockville and District, Brockville and Area YMCA-YWCA
and the Brockville Police Service.
Young musician had ties to area
WINCHESTER - An up-and-coming musician who died in a car accident
in the United States had family ties to South Grenville.
Daniel Langlois, 19, a guitarist with the band Compromise,
was travelling with his bandmates when their van was struck from
behind near Heflin, Alabama. The van struck a tree; the passengers
were ejected from the vehicle.
Langlois's grandfather, Aldon Droppo, is a native of Finch.
A cousin, Gail Byers, lives in Winchester. She noted Daniel also
had cousins in the Prescott area: Tom and Alanna Whelan and Barbara
Smith.
One of Daniel's bandmates also died in the accident; three
others were injured. The driver of the other vehicle survived;
police in Alabama have reportedly been investigating whether
alcohol was involved in the early-morning crash.
Byers noted Daniel and his friends took part last July in
a Mothers Against Drunk Driving walk.
New angels join CHEO fundraiser
PRESCOTT - A local merchant is looking out for the Children's
Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO).
Garry Barkey of Prescott Jewellers on King Street West began
selling angels last year as a fundraiser for the hospital. Five
dollars from the sale of each angel is donated to CHEO.
At least 60 angels have been sold to date; a new style of
angel has arrived, although a handful of the first set of angels
is still available at the store. The angels can be used as ornaments
around the house, on Christmas trees and in other locations.
Barkey, whose son benefitted from CHEO's services when he
was a boy, said he wants to give something back to the hospital
for all it has done over the years.
"I think it's an extremely good thing to do," he
said.
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