VOL. 174, NO. 39~ PRESCOTT, ONTARIO ~ September 29 2004

Town will seek share of federal cash injection

Eastern Ontario awaiting details of how $10 million is going to be distributed

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ Town officials are hoping to gain access to some of the $10 million in economic development funding for Eastern Ontario announced by the federal government in the days leading up to the June 28 election call.

Prescott's planning and development committee has reviewed proposals dealing with downtown revitalization and a review of the town's official plan. On Monday morning, the committee selected three sets of proposals for further consideration. Interviews with representatives of the four consulting firms associated with those proposals are to take place next week.

The $10 million is expected to be channeled through Prescott-based Grenville Community Futures Development Corporation and similar federally-funded organizations in Eastern Ontario. Funding criteria have yet to be announced. However, it is believed the timelines will be tight; applications will have to be made later this year and the projects have to be completed by the end of March 2005. Application forms have yet to be made available.

"The government has not produced the document to lead us through that," said Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn, who added the two projects being considered by the town are "critically important" to the future of the community.

The town will seek federal funding to cover the cost of completing the plans. It was noted Monday one firm opted not to submit a proposal because the project was contingent on the municipality receiving federal grant money.

The companies to be interviewed next week are the Ainley Group and Commonwealth Historic Resource Management Limited, Novatech Engineering Consultants Limited and IBI Group Architects. Three of the four firms are based in Ottawa; the other is from Perth.

Councillor Suzanne Dodge, who also serves as planning committee chair, told The Journal the proposals are in the range of $60,000-$80,000.

Representatives from Prescott BIA and the District Chamber of Commerce are being invited to assist the town with the selection process.

Prior to the funding announcement in late May, the town had indicated its intention to conduct a review of the official plan. Downtown revitalization had also been identified as a priority.

THIS WEEK

Boutilier's name added to national honour roll

OTTAWA ­ A member of the Grenville County OPP detachment has been added to the national Memorial Honour Roll for police and peace officers who died in the line of duty.

The names of six officers ­ including Constable Tyler Boutilier ­ were added to the roll at a ceremony held Sunday on Parliament Hill. Boutilier, 32, died of injuries he sustained in a two-vehicle collision that occurred near Seeley's Bay in May. The constable, a member of the region's emergency response team, was responding to a call in that area at the time of the crash.

A contingent from the Grenville detachment attended the ceremony in Ottawa.

The last Sunday in September has been proclaimed Police and Peace Officers' National Memorial Day.

Caucus vice-chair post goes to Gord Brown

OTTAWA ­ Leeds-Grenville MP Gord Brown has been named vice-chair of the Ontario caucus of the Conservative Party of Canada, it was announced Monday.

Brown defeated incumbent Liberal MP Joe Jordan in the June 28 federal election. Twenty-four Conservatives were elected in Ontario.

"Our job will be to lay the groundwork to increase that number at the next election," Brown stated in a news release.

The House of Commons resumes sitting next Monday.

Riverside marks official opening this Saturday

PRESCOTT ­ The official opening of Riverside Pontiac Buick's multi-million-dollar new dealership on Development Drive just north of Highway 401 at Edward Street will take place this Saturday, Oct. 2.

The ribbon-cutting will take place at 3 pm. Throughout the day, there will be special activities and hot dogs for the kids as well as a hip of beef lunch, door prizes and a trip giveaway.

The new facility, which opened for business this summer, combines the operations of the former dealership at Edward and Henry streets and the used car centre on County Road 2 just west of Johnstown.

Parishes celebrate special day in honour of priest's milestones

Father Appelman marks 70th birthday, 45 years in priesthood, 30 years in Canada

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ Sunday was "Father's Day" in the local Catholic community.

A capacity crowd gathered at St. Mark's Parish Centre Sunday to honour Father Johannes Appelman, who is marking his 70th birthday and 45th anniversary as an ordained priest.

People from Appelman's former parishes in Eastern Ontario were among the hundreds of people who attended the dinner.

Appelman is in his seventh year at St. Mark's; he is also in his third year serving the Sacred Heart parish.

"Daily, we have seen the dedication with which you have carried out Christ's work in the community," said Jack Bradley, chair of St. Mark's finance committee.

The dinner was hosted by the local World Youth Day 2005 group. Tony Jozefowicz, master of ceremonies at the dinner, said one could look around the room and see how much parishioners of all ages admire and respect the guest of honour.

"Father Appelman's love for his flock is unmistakable," Jozefowicz remarked.

Cards made by local youngsters were plastered on the walls of the parish centre. The placemats at the tables were made by students at St. Mark Catholic School.

"They did it from the heart," St. Mark Principal Kathy Laushway told Appelman.

Debbie Zabloski, principal of St. Joseph Catholic School, referred to the parish priest as a "people person" and "a vibrant member of the community. It's a rare Wednesday when Father Appelman doesn't brighten our hallways," she added.

In addition to a congratulatory message from the bishop, Appelman also received well wishes from the Catholic Women's League and Knights of Columbus as well as Sacred Heart parish. Appelman said he was overwhelmed and flabbergasted by the response from well-wishers.

Since being ordained in 1959, the native of Holland worked as a missionary in Uganda before coming to Canada. The local priest is also marking 30 years of service to the Archdiocese of Kingston, including early stints in Kingston and Brockville before moving to Chesterville. After 10 years there and 12 years at Wolfe Island, Appelman came to Prescott.

In noting he does not actually turn 70 until Sept. 30, Appelman jokingly told audience members they were too early, adding they would have to come back Thursday.

As for turning 70, Appelman said "you can really begin to count your blessings." He was 10 years old when he decided to become a priest.

When he raised the subject of retirement, Appelman indicated he has no plans to do so. "As long as the Lord gives me good health and satisfaction," he remarked.

However, Appelman noted he might become an inventor if he decided to hang up his collar. His first invention: mouse-flavoured cat food.

Getting the job done: Augusta road construction to be finished this week

MAYNARD - The favourable weather of the past two weeks mean Augusta's road repavement projects are slated to be done by this Friday, Oct. 1

"We've had great weather and a great crew - we're right where we want to be," said Augusta's Director of Public Works, Ken Dickson. "The contractor started and he just hasn't stopped."

Dickson added the Maynard subdivision and Skakum Road is totally finished, and that John Street and Sarah Street in Maitland were to be completed yesterday. Thus, the only road paving to be completed is the 3.7-km of the Lords Mills Road , which Dickson is confident will be paved by this Friday.

Augusta Councillor John Fischl is pleased the road maintenance is going so well. "I would definitely say it's good work on the part of the public works director and the contractors," he said.

Autumn studio tour will be colourful

See local artists in action this Friday and Saturday

SOUTH GRENVILLE - The Seaway Autumn Colour Studio Tour will be ready to reveal some of the hidden artistic talent of the area this Friday and Saturday throughout South Grenville.

The tour will run from 10 am until 5 pm both days and feature the works of 18 artists from the region at 11 stops along the route.

This is the second year for the tour, which will feature a wide variety of types of art, including quilting, water colours and pottery.

The first stop on the tour will feature the works of Vivienne Cudlipp and Adam Walasek at Blue Heron Inn B&B at 1648 County Rd. 2.

Marilyn Ramasra White and Christina McCarthy will have their works of art on display at Hawethornes Studio at 1662 County Rd. 2.

J. Allison Robichaud will display his work at 584 Jessup St. in Prescott.

Walker House at 623 King St. W., Prescott will offer a rest station which will feature refreshments and demonstration of quilting and embroidery.

Wendo Van Esson will have her works on display at 812 Zaire St. in Prescott.

Woodcarver Ronald Landry will be showing off some of his carvings at 14 Reilly St. in New Wexford.

Thelma Cameron will be at the Crystal Rock Art Room at 3098 County Road 44.

Pat Lemaire, Bonnie Lemaire, Robert Westall and Linda Potter will all be showing their works at Lemaire's home at 32 Mary St. in Johnstown.

Mary Scott will have her works on display at 2119 County Rd. 2.

Marianne Leeck and Millie McLaughlin will be displaying their crafts and artwork at Leeck's home at 1519 County Rd. 2.

Alan Cathcart and Margi Laurin will have their works on display at Cathcart's studio at 3038 John St. in Cardinal.

For more information call 925-3987, e-mail purplepatch@sympatico.ca or visit www.seawayautumncolourstudiotour.com.

Collision leads to unwanted increase to in-town traffic

PRESCOTT ­ Getting in and out of the Prescott area took longer than usual for much of last Tuesday afternoon and evening.

A crash in the construction zone on Highway 401 at about 2:45 pm left thousands of motorists seeking alternate routes for the rest of the day.

As eastbound traffic slowed on the hill just west of the Highway 416 turnoff, one tractor trailer rear-ended another. The drivers sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the collision. An air ambulance was dispatched and then cancelled.

Eastbound traffic began backing up as a result of the collision.

Constable Holly Howard, community services officer at the Grenville County OPP detachment, said the eastbound lanes were not closed right away. However, many trucks started exiting and other vehicles appeared to follow the lead.

This led to increased traffic on major routes in and around Prescott. Vehicles were bumper-to-bumper in the eastbound lane of King Street in downtown Prescott. Eventually, officers were dispatched to the corner of King and Edward streets to provide traffic control.

The eastbound 401 was closed early Tuesday evening. Traffic was rerouted until about 11:30 pm.

Charges are pending in connection with the collision.

VON volunteer appreciation follows Drive Wise

PRESCOTT ­ Local VON volunteer drivers are invited to attend a "Drive Wise" seminar this Friday, Oct. 1 at 9 am in the Prescott Health Centre auditorium.

The driver education seminar for senior citizens will be conducted by the Ontario Provincial Police on behalf of Canada's Association for the Fifty-Plus. The 45-minute refresher course will include driving tips and strategies aimed at improving road safety and helping older people preserve their right to drive. Admission is free.

Drive Wise will be followed by a volunteer appreciation session at 10 am. The VON asks those who plan to attend to RSVP by today (Wednesday) so refreshments can be planned. Call 925-3731.

MERC AGM is coming up

MAITLAND NEWS by Jane Fullarton

The Maitland Education and Recreation Centre is holding its annual general meeting Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the MERC Hall. An election of executive positions as well as the appointment of board members will take place. All Maitland residents are welcome and encouraged to attend.

The MERC Board has worked hard this summer drafting a long-range plan for MERC. Specific recommendations of the plan focus on more policies and procedures so that there is more consistency in the MERC operations, better and frequent communication with the community, volunteers, local government and agencies such as the United Way, Chamber of Commerce and service groups, and more detailed record keeping so that activities can be duplicated year to year with clear budgets and activities defined.

Another main focus of the plan is the recruitment and nurturing of a volunteer pool, with a list of skills, talents and interests of those who wish to help.

The long-range plan also defines rules for board meetings. The plan suggests limiting meeting length to one and a half hours maximum with Robert's Rules of Order used to conduct meetings.

Geoff Noyes, who was instrumental in developing the plan, reports that MERC is running a small surplus this year and things have turned around from last year.

However, with the resignations this fall of both long-time president Moira Taylor and active board member Marilyn Cybulski, there will be important jobs to fill and new blood is desperately needed by the organization.

Noyes challenges residents to come to the meeting and join MERC and see how things have changed.

Freddy Fusion science show will be magic

PRESCOTT ­ Freddy Fusion returns to Prescott this Friday, Oct. 1.

The entertainer will perform his science magic show in Gym C at South Grenville District High School beginning at 7 pm. The show is a fundraiser for the St. Mark Catholic School council.

For tickets, call the school at 925-3581 or 925-1628.

St. Lawrence Lodge construction will produce new, modern facility

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

BROCKVILLE - When St. Lawrence Lodge was first built in 1970, it was designed to house retired residents requiring a minimum of care. Today, the facility is so badly out-of-date a totally new St. Lawrence Lodge is being constructed.

The official sod-turning for the new home took place last Tuesday.

The total cost of the project - including construction of the new building, landscaping, and demolition of the existing St. Lawrence Lodge facility is $34.5 million. The new facility will include 224 beds - 21 of which are designated for Prescott-area residents. There are also 64 beds set up for residents of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville (including Augusta and Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal residents). The current facility houses 19 Prescott residents, nine Augusta residents and 11 Edwardsburgh/Cardinal residents.

Over a 20-year period, Prescott has committed $3.03 million to the capital costs of the project. The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville including Augusta and Edwardsburgh/Cardinal have pledged $9.26 million to the project.

"It wasn't feasible to upgrade the building to current standards," said Mike Kalivas, chair of the St. Lawrence Lodge Committee of Management, adding the lodge doesn't meet current standards for care set out by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

The groundbreaking ceremony attracted many local politicians and dignitaries, including Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob Runciman, Gananoque Mayor Jim Garrah, United Counties of Leeds and Grenville Warden Herb Scott, and Brockville Mayor Ben TeKamp. In addition, Edwardsburg-Cardinal Mayor Peggy Taylor attended the event.

Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn also attended. He mentioned "It's (St. Lawrence Lodge) an important place for our elderly people." Lawn added the town of Prescott has been a partner in the lodge since it was first opened.

Although the new facility is down slightly in number of beds - having 16 fewer beds than the current lodge - St. Lawrence Lodge Administrator Tom Harrington emphasizes the quality of life for both residents and staff will be much higher at the new facility.

He said the current building is ill-equipped to handle its older and frailer population. "As hospitals become more efficient, more and more people are coming to long-term care facilities," he said. "And as people age, more and more of their systems fail. It's the changing nature of people."

The new facility is being constructed by Thomas Fuller Construction of Ottawa and will occupy a total of 161,700 square feet, more than the 125,000 square feet of the current lodge. The total contract with Fuller is $26.22 million. The project is being managed by Tiree of Kanata, a project management firm.

Harrington stated one of the largest differences in the new building is the way the living areas are set up. He mentioned the new building will feature seven resident home areas (RHAs) that will be equipped with a variety of single and double rooms and have their own dining areas, living rooms, courtyard space, activity areas and quiet rooms. Each RHA will have 32 beds.

Harrington says a major improvement of the new building is that each bedroom has its own washroom. "Currently, depending on which part of the building you are in, washrooms are shared by three or four rooms," he said. "(In the new lodge) privacy of the individual will be greater."

The lodge is being constructed on the northwest side of the current St. Lawrence Lodge property east of Brockville in Elizabethtown-Kitley Township, and is estimated to be completed by November of 2005. Construction started at the beginning of this month, and it's estimated the entire site will be completed - including the existing St Lawrence Lodge teardown - by June of 2006.

Prescott council to decide on games bid Monday

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ A motion to support Prescott's participation in a bid to host the Ontario Senior Winter Games in 2007 is to be put to town council at its meeting next Monday night.

Prescott, Brockville, Gananoque and Athens have been asked to take part in a joint bid to host the games in Feb. 2007. About 1,500 participants from across the province would come to Leeds and Grenviile to take part in nine different activities. The proposal put to Prescott council earlier this month calls for some of the hockey and curling to be played at facilities in the town.

The town has been asked to underwrite what would be its share of the games as well as to cover costs associated with ice time at the arena and additional staffing costs (an estimated $5,000). Separate arrangements would have to be made with the board of the Prescott Curling Club, which is not owned by the municipality.

The request was discussed at a town committee meeting Monday night. Councillor Jo-Anne Beckstead said she could support the proposal philosophically, calling it "a wonderful idea."

However, she and Councillor Chuck Street noted there are other municipalities in Leeds and Grenville that are not being asked to participate, even though they also stand to benefit from the games coming to the area. "They (the bid committee) should broaden their support," Beckstead said.

Proponents of the games argue the event would bring tourism money and showcase the area as a year-round attraction. Supporting an active lifestyle could also be a plus when marketing the region as a good place to live.

Even though the games are more than two years away, bids to host the 2007 edition must be submitted early next month.

Town seeks more details before approving donation to Food For All Food Bank

PRESCOTT ­ Town council will ask Food For All Food Bank officials for more information before the municipality donates more than $8,000 in unused grant money to the non-profit organization.

Council indicated earlier this month it is interested in giving the Prescott-based food bank the money, which represents the town's share of a transportation-related grant the Leeds and Grenville social services department did not award to a specific project.

In noting it wants to address the problem of hungry children and the need to provide clothing to the less fortunate, council asked the food bank for an outline of how it would spend the money. The food bank submitted a one-page proposal to the town; the submission was discussed Monday night at a meeting of Prescott's community and protective services committee.

The proposal states $2,500 would be allocated for high-protein food items such as meat products and peanut butter. An additional $1,500 would go for formula, diapers and baby food to be distributed by way of vouchers.

An allocation of $2,000 would provide winter apparel for children under 12. An additional $1,000 would be used to provide emergency transportation to food bank clients. The remaining $1,000 would cover administrative costs.

Although town officials are receptive to the donation premise, some councillors indicated Monday they have concerns about allocating $1,000 to administration. The town will ask the food bank to provide a breakdown of how that portion of the donation would be spent.

Councillors also noted the food bank serves Augusta and Edwardsburgh/Cardinal, which would also have received their shares of the unused transportation grant. It was suggested councils in those two municipalities consider donating some or all of that money to the food bank.

The money must be spent by the end of the year.

Windmill closed for repairs

PRESCOTT ­ The Battle of the Windmill site will be closed to the public while major repairs are made, Parks Canada announced Monday.

Cracks along the mortar and masonry interface of the windmill at the national historic site located east of Prescott are getting worse. There is also corrosion in the upper part of the structure; water damage has been caused by sealants that have failed in some areas. Parks Canada is committed to the repair job and protecting the cultural integrity of the site, according to a news release.

Construction is set to begin this week and is expected to continue until mid-October. The repair contract was awarded to AJV Masonry Limited.

The not-for-profit Friends of Windmill Point group operates the site on behalf of Parks Canada.

Boundary Street Public School: 50 years and counting

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

PRESCOTT - It first opened in November of 1954 in the middle of an undeveloped subdivision in Prescott's north end, and this year, Boundary Street Public School is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

The golden anniversary of the school will be celebrated over two days, starting with the school's fall fair, being held this Friday, Oct. 1 from 4-7:30 pm.

The celebration carries over into an open house Saturday from 12-3 pm.

Boundary Street Principal Wendy Porteous is enthusiastic about the school's anniversary. "Everyone here is excited about the 50th anniversary," she said, adding that all Boundary students are pitching in to decorate and ready the school for the 50th anniversary events. "Some students are making posters to display around the school, and one class is making a large banner for the event."

At the school's open house on Saturday, Upper Canada District School Board Superintendent Helen Lalonde will offer words of welcome to attendees. As well, Boundary will plant two trees commemorating the school's 50 years in Prescott.

Looking back

In the fall of 1953, Prescott ratepayers approved $140,000 to construct a new public school. The Boundary Street site was chosen over another location - the old Prescott fairgrounds located on north Edward Street.

The decision to locate the school there was not free from controversy, according to articles published in The Prescott Journal in early 1954. Although they recognized the need for a new public school, Prescott councillors questioned the validity of locating it in the then-undeveloped east end. Construction had only just begun on the current McAuley Park subdivision, and many other houses and apartment buildings now located in the school's area had not yet been built. Council also wondered if it was prudent to locate the school so far away from the Prescott Park subdivision.

Construction began on Boundary School early in 1954 by General Contractor J. F. Saunders of Prescott. However, the school was not ready in time for the 1954 fall term, so its students temporarily attended Central School while the school was being finished. As well, costs to complete the school ballooned to $200,000, $60,000 more than was originally allotted.

The school opened to students on Monday, Nov. 22, 1954. Its total enrollment on the first day was 201 students. At that time, the school included six classrooms plus a Kindergarten room.

The completion of the school, however, didn't mean the infrastructure around the school was finished. Churchill Road to the west of the school was not yet complete, nor was the Boundary Street extension which led to the school's driveway and parking lot.

All Boundary students were bused to the school by way of Edward Street from Nov. 1954 to Oct. 1956 because the railway level crossing on Boundary Street was unguarded at the time.

An additional six rooms were added to the school by June 1957, at which point the school was officially opened by Minister of Education W.J. Dunlop.

Over the years, many changes have occurred demographically at the school. One of the largest changes, according to Porteous, is the fact 75 of Boundary's 190 students are now bused in from Cardinal, Spencerville, Maynard, and other areas to take part in Boundary's grades 5-8 French Immersion program, now in its sixth year. Prior to this, the school only accepted students from east of Edward Street in Prescott.

Veteran Boundary teacher Jim Powers also saw many changes occur at the school in the 32 years he taught there. "When I first started there, there was one superintendent for the Prescott schools - now there is one for a much wider area." He added he thinks the school sometimes gets lost in the shuffle.

Powers, who retired in 2001, noticed other changes during his time at Boundary. In particular, he identified the modern necessity of two-income families as meaning children have a greater need for strong adult figures in their lives. "Kids today are just looking for someone to do something with," he said.

During much of his time at the school, Powers taught physical education, in addition to Grade 6, 7, and 8 classes. He chuckles as he says "The last couple years I taught I had kids say 'my mom knows you, my dad knows you.' It's special when you teach in one school for over 30 years."

Despite the introduction of new programs and students from further afield, Porteous says the school is still true to its roots 50 years after it was opened. "It's a great school and I'm proud to be here," she said, adding she was a Boundary student when she was a child. "But I won't tell you when," Porteous remarked.

Minister attends official opening of new school in Prescott

Excerpts from Prescott Journal article published in June 1957

With the honourable W.J. Dunlop, Minister of Education for Ontario officiating, Boundary Street Public School was officially opened as the centre for life and learning on Monday afternoon in a ceremony attended by more than 100 citizens.

The school, although in use since November of 1954, has had no ceremonial opening pending the recent completion of the six-room wing, making 13 rooms in all.

Rev. Mr. Payne conducted the act of dedication "To the glory of God and the benefit of his children."

Colin Drever, of the firm of Drever and Smith Architects gave the symbolic key to J.F. Saunders, Contractor who passed it on to Robert L. Armstrong for the board and he in turn relayed it to W.K. Rorke, Principal.

"With such a school as this we of the teaching staff will strive to justify the confidence that is placed in us," said Mr. Rorke in accepting the token key.

Dr. Dunlop, who was introduced by Inspector W.H. Knisley, prefaced his address with words of praise for the school and trustees who had given so much time and effort to its planning.

In thanking Dr. Dunlop, A.C. Casselman, Q.C. MP pointed out that Prescott was doing its share in giving young people the opportunity to learn as three new elementary schools have been erected in the past five years.

Chairman Armstrong amplified this latter statement by pointing out that whereas the teacher population in public schools in Prescott had increased by only three from 1890-1947 to bring the total to nine, 24 teachers were now required in 1957.

This is what one of the original classrooms at Boundary Street Public School looked like in the fall of 1954.

Augusta council to conduct special meeting today to deal with tile drainage

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

MAYNARD - Changes to the provincially-funded tile drainage assistance program for farmers has prompted Augusta council to schedule a special meeting for this morning to pass a new bylaw which will allow farmers to take advantage of the program.

Augusta CAO Sharon Wilkinson told council at Monday night's meeting the "borrowing bylaw" must be passed as soon as possible to ensure Augusta farmers can take advantage of the tile drainage assistance program as soon as possible. She added it will take 28 days from the time the bylaw is passed to when it becomes effective.

She also explained the new tile drainage assistance program differs from the current one in that it allows a maximum of $50,000 to farmers who request the funding. Current funding is capped at $20,000 with a fixed interest rate of eight per cent. The interest rate for the new program has not yet been determined.

Wilkinson explained the program is carried out with the township acting as a "middleman" between the farmer and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and food (OMAF).

This program involves the township collecting applications for tile drainage funding, deciding whether or not the farmer is eligible, issuing debentures to cover the funding which farmers request, and having the work inspected by the township's drainage inspector. If the work is deemed suitable, the township turns over the paperwork to OMAF, who provide the funding to the township. Wilkinson said the township acts as the "agent" for the program, distributing the loans and collecting them.

During the special meeting scheduled for today, Augusta council will decide on the total amount it will allow for the program. Wilkinson suggested they cap it at $500,000, which would allow 10 area farmers to take advantage of the provincially-funded assistance.

Wilkinson emphasized the funding is totally provincial, with the township not providing any of the funding themselves. She added three Augusta farmers have already approached her about obtaining the funding.

Councillor Garry Ferguson is enthusiastic about the new program, saying "We need to help our farmers out - they're losing more and more every day."

Councillor Pauline Cyr agreed, saying "$500,000 doesn't seem out of line to me at all."

Township donation for flood relief acknowledged by mayor

MAYNARD - At the Augusta council meeting Monday night, Reeve John McCrea read a thank-you letter from the mayor of Peterborough thanking the township for its $1,000 donation to aid flood relief efforts in the city last month.

In the letter, Sylvia Sutherland emphasized Augusta's donation of $1,000 approved at an Aug. 9 meeting was much appreciated by the city.

She stressed the money pledged by the township had been matched two-to-one by the provincial government, which meant Augusta's donation resulted in Peterborough receiving a total of $3,000 for flood relief.

Snowsurfers give 4-H members a sporting chance

By Stephanie Connell

There was a new, exciting, fun and very successful club in the 4-H Grenville Association this year.

The Grenville Snowsurfers is a sporting club created by Debbie Connell and Darlene Dillabough, who were the leaders of this club. In this group we, the members, had fun going snowshoeing, skating, playing soccer, basketball, newcomball, volleyball, crokinole, hide-n-seek and card games. We learned about the background of the events. Gathering around the campfire at our first meeting kept us well-warmed while we got introduced to members we were unfamiliar with.

This is what 4-H is about: meeting new people and learning new things. Mostly having fun is the key. It is for anyone from the ages 10-21.

There are a wide range of different clubs from sports and agriculture (animals, plowing) to cooking and fishing. Everyone in this club enjoyed learning to do by doing. Snacks at the end of each meeting were a bonus.

Our appreciation to Debbie and Darlene from all the sporting club members: Eric, Jeffery, Kathryn and Stephanie Connell, Darcy and Lindsey DeJong, Kelsey and Krista Dillabough, Kelsey Dunlop, Sarah Greenough, Micheal and Ronnie Maitland, Bradley and Melissa McLaughlin, Eric OConner, Kyle Ross, Sherry Saunders, Daniel, Katherine, Melissa-Anne and Samantha Sears, Kaitlyn Sellek, Kyle Somerville, Steven Stewart, Julisa Tetrault and Rob Willoughby.

We all had lots of fun and look forward to taking part in the sporting club again next year and maybe meeting you!

Food bank tries to meet needs of community

PRESCOTT ­ Residents of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal, Prescott and Augusta can make use of the resources available at the Food For All Food Bank.

The food bank is located on Henry Street across from the Prescott Legion. The facility is open to the public Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 2 pm.

The non-profit organization that operates the food bank is a registered charity overseen by a board of volunteers. Donations of food, unused personal hygiene products, household items and money are accepted.

For more information, call 925-2444.

OPP ­ GRENVILLE COUNTY NEWS

Stolen car found burned in Ottawa

SPENCERVILLE ­ A car that was reported stolen from a Goodin Road residence was destroyed by fire.

The remains of the blue 2001 Pontiac Sunfire were found Sept. 21 on a snowmobile trail near Nixon Road in Ottawa. The vehicle had been reported stolen the night before; the theft is believed to have occurred sometime between 6 and 9 pm that day.

Constable Mike Lapensee is investigating. Anyone with information is asked to contact the OPP at 925-4221 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Gravel flies after vehicle stopped

EDWARDSBURGH ­ An Augusta woman is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 2 after being issued three offence notices during two traffic stops last Tuesday.

Constable Ozon issued the first notice on Highway 416 northbound at about 11:30 am. He and constables Large and Jarrett were conducting laser speed enforcement at the time. An OPP news release states the driver of the 2000 Mazda sped away at the first stop, causing gravel to fly at the officer. The other officers were unsuccessful in their attempt to stop the vehicle a second time. The car was later stopped by Jarrett near Oxford Station Road.

The driver was issued two additional summonses for careless driving and failing to stop for police when directed to do so.

The driver's name did not appear in the news release.

More paint ball and mail box cases

EDWARDSBURGH ­ Constable Lapensee is investigating a case of mischief that occurred Friday night on Hurley Road west of Spencerville. The complainant's home had been sprayed with paint balls. It is believed the culprits were in a vehicle. Anyone with information is asked to call the detachment in Prescott.

A smashed mail box was reported Saturday on County Road 21 east of Spencerville; Constable Large is investigating. Similar occurrences have taken place in the area the past couple of weeks. Police believe a red pick-up truck might be involved.

Police scramble to find culprits

MAITLAND ­ A home on West McLean Boulevard was egged at about midnight Sunday. Although the area was patrolled, no one was located. Constable Lapensee is investigating.

Local home is featured on straw bale home tour

SPENCERVILLE - The home of local couple Hank and Anita Carr is being featured in a province-wide tour by the Ontario Straw Bale Building Coalition (OSBBC).

The tour is taking place this Saturday, Oct. 2 from 10 am to 4pm. It is the second province-wide tour the OSBBC has organized.

The tour will feature 40 straw bale homes from Ottawa to Windsor. There is a nominal charge for the tour; however, admission is good for all 40 homes on the tour route.

"When a bale building goes up in a community, it generates a lot of interest," says tour organizer and straw bale house owner Julie Bowen.

"This will give people the opportunity to step inside these homes and see how they really work."

All details regarding the homes on the tour and the tour route are available at www.strawbalebuilding.ca.

For more information on the Carr's home and other straw bale homes in Eastern Ontario, call 658-5556.

No-name decision based on safety

PRESCOTT ­ The Grenville County OPP detachment has issued a statement about its policy of not including the first names of officers in news releases.

"This is a detachment-based decision and one that was made at the request of officers," states an OPP release issued Sept. 17. "This is a safety-based decision, not a non-community-oriented one."

The OPP will continue to release the first names of local community service officers and detachment commanders.

The Journal will also continue to publish the first names of OPP officers who were members of the Prescott Police Service at the time of its disbandment earlier this month.

OPP ­ PRESCOTT

Police seek suspect in assault case

PRESCOTT ­ Charges are pending in connection with an assault that took place Wednesday on King Street East. According to the OPP, there was a verbal confrontation involving four teenage girls. Two of the girls requested an adult attend; when she did, she and a 17-year-old were assaulted. The suspect and her friend fled; as of this weekend, police were still attempting to locate the female suspect. Constable Baker is investigating.

Broken window to be repaired

PRESCOTT ­ Constables Kavanagh and Thompson were waved down Friday night at about 10 pm and were told about damage to a window at 556 East St. It was reported a group of males in their late teens or early 20s were involved. The males were located by the officers; no responsibility for the incident was taken, but an agreement was made to fix the broken window.

Literacy, basic skills program seeks local volunteer tutors

PRESCOTT - The T.R. Leger School of Adult and Continuing Education is seeking volunteers to serve as tutors at the Prescott campus.

To be a volunteer, individuals must be willing to either work one-on-one with students or to assist teachers in classrooms.

To be eligible for this volunteer opportunity, tutors must attend a training session either in Kemptville or Prescott. As well, T.R. Leger requires all its prospective tutors have a TB test and police background check.

Training sessions are likely to start by mid-October.

For more information, contact Marjorie Kelso at 658-2207.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Father Appelman's love for his flock is unmistakable."

Tony Jozefowicz, commenting at the dinner in celebration of the Catholic priest's 70th birthday and 45th anniversary of being ordained

Editor's Notebook

COUNCIL SEES THE LIGHT: The recent decision by Prescott council to proceed with crosswalk signals and other improvements to pedestrian crossings at two locations on Edward Street was long overdue. The fact is most motorists do not obey the signs or do not even know the signs are there. Pedestrians usually end up waiting indefinitely for vehicles to stop, leaving walkers little or no choice but to cross the street anywhere they can ­ regardless of whether or not it's at a marked crosswalk.

The fact two of the existing crosswalks are right in front of schools does not seem to have made a difference to motorists who probably are not even aware they are driving in community safety zones in which fines for speeding are higher than in other areas of town.

As Mayor Lawn noted last week, a proper sidewalk on the west side of Edward Street needed to be in place for an upgraded crosswalk at Victor Road to be viable. They said it couldn't be done because of the proximity of Sandy Hill to the street, but that's what engineers are for ­ credit goes to the previous council for getting the sidewalk built.

Credit should also go to the current council for biting the financial bullet and giving proper crosswalks the green light. We welcome the decision to finally go through with a costly but necessary move that will address a chronic public safety issue that was allowed to go unresolved far too long.

VOLUNTEERING ONE MORE TIME: Even though South Grenville is full of volunteers who are making a difference in their community, there are still opportunities to improve on all the good work that is already being done. A prime example of giving to others is through donating blood.

Canadian Blood Services collected 100 units of blood at the Prescott clinic Thursday, but there are a lot of people who could have added to that total. The volunteers at the Grenville Fish and Game Club and the Kinsmen Club of Prescott, in conjunction with the high school where the clinics are held twice a year, make an effort to support an essential aspect of our health-care system. The donors and those who wanted to give but were deferred for whatever reason took the time to attend, but what about the rest of us? There are not many causes more important than ensuring there is a safe and adequate blood supply in this country, and having the clinics come to town is one way in which this community can do its share.

So when the next blood donor clinic is held at the high school in May, we should roll up our sleeves and pitch in ­ just like all the other ways volunteers are making South Grenville a better place in which to live.

Tim Ruhnke

No question in my mind; Jr. B Rangers are the real deal

CLUB HOUSE REMARKS by David Dickenson

With the way the South Grenville Jr. B Rangers have been playing, it has almost made me forget about the NHL lockout or, as I like to call it, the who's a bigger crybaby contest.

While I will still miss watching my beloved Edmonton Oilers play and the Leafs once again tanking it in the playoffs, much to my delight, I really haven't missed it all that much.

I love hockey and I love to watch it played without much interruption of play from dumb penalties or bogus calls from officials who don't know the puck from a hole in the ground. This year, I still get to see some good hockey as I've been at each and every one of the Rangers four wins this year.

With a perfect 4-0 record, the expectations from the area and other teams in the league are high, and rightfully so, but this year's version of the Rangers has something different... staying power.

The team looks quite familiar, but there is a different vibe with the club this year; the kids are another year older and experienced in the game, some of the kids are in better shape this year, but the difference is the kids are all on the same page and excited to be playing together as a team and making this the season of the Rangers.

Under coaches Simmons, Armstrong and Gerow, there is no individual player; they preach a team game, passing the puck, wide open hockey and taking care of their own end ­ which has served to made them one of the more exciting teams to be around locally in many a year.

With each game played, the names on the scoring lists showed a balanced attack and the kids were still getting back in their own end to help out.

It was something that hasn't been present here in a long time, and I have to admit it's been great to see.

It's like the curse of the Rangers has been lifted.

Even the players on the team who have been scratched or have had to miss games for other reasons (like suspensions dating back to last year) have been in the stands cheering on the team and, in general, bleeding Ranger red, white and blue.

Don't get me wrong; they would rather be on the ice playing and making their presence known, but in the stands they're still making a contribution, which is what makes this season's team the real thing.

I would hope that all hockey fans in the area make it out to a game and see what we have here with the Rangers, because it has been a long time since we have had a team like this.

South Grenville player breaks several ribs on opening kick-off

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Sept. 25, 1974

* Three members of Prescott's volunteer fire brigade have completed the provincial firefighter and fire prevention course. Al Warren, Jack Hunter and Bill Lawrence completed 40 hours of instruction on the firefighter's role in protecting the public and all facets of fire prevention and maintenance and operation of equipment.

* Reverend David Mawhinney will soon conduct his final service at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church before retiring. The minister, who was born in Northern Ireland, came to Canada in 1948 and began serving the Prescott congregation in 1964.

* Two missed conversions cost the South Grenville District High School Giants dearly as they fell 14-12 to Brockville Collegiate Institute in the season-opener of the Leeds and Grenville football league. South Grenville fullback Rick Wallace scored a touchdown for the Giants, who lost flanker Tom Beatty to broken ribs on the opening kickoff.

* The Prescott Kiwanis Angels have reached the finals of the Seaway Senior Girls Softball League. The Angels defeated Roebuck in the rubber match of a three-game series. Susan Beaudoin had six hits in Prescott's victory; Cindy Miller was the winning pitcher. Roebuck had evened the series at a game apiece on the strength of a grand slam by Lynn Kingston. The winning pitcher for Roebuck was Elma Whitehorne. The Angels go on to face Algonquin.

* Advertisement: City of Brockville seeking police constable. "Applicants must be between 19 and 35 years of age. Canadian citizens or British subjects. Minimum height 5'10" weight in proportion. Good physical health, at least Grade 11 education but Grade 12 or better preferred. Staring salary $9,528. Fringe benefits."

* Ontario's minimum wage for general industry will increase from $2 to $2.25 an hour as of Oct. 1. The student rate will be $1.90 ; the minimum rate for construction workers will be $2.50 an hour.

Are elections decided by the undecided or the uninformed?

FROM THE OTHER SIDE by Jeffrey Morris

As we wind down into the final weeks before the U.S. presidential election, both campaigns are targeting the "undecided" vote.

In Canada, it was the "undecided" vote that allowed Prime Minister Paul Martin to make a late surge and win an election that he looked incapable of winning.

But in America, with things the way they are, you have to wonder how anybody can be undecided. And with indecision and even ignorance, we see the ultimate ironic flaw in democracy: everybody's vote counts as one.

One of the biggest differences our family has noticed in living in the United States is how much more passionate Americans are about politics than Canadians are. It is not a compliment to Americans nor is it a criticism. It's just the way it is.

It is also why the media focuses so heavily on political viewpoints. The polarization of the left and right has been an enormous factor in world politics this year, and it is one we have touched upon in this column several times. And as the conservatives swing further to the right and the liberals further to the left, there leaves little opportunity for a common middle ground to exist.

Both sides have accused the media of trying to influence voters in a non-partisan way. The right claims that the media is unfair and unbalanced to the left. The left, meanwhile, claims that certain media are nothing more than barking dogs for the right.

But what neither side seems to understand and acknowledge is that a biased media will reinforce what voters already believe, regardless of what side the message is coming from.

Take talk radio in the United States.

There are very few popular programs that cater to the undecided or to the fence sitter. There are conservatives like Rush Limbaugh, extreme conservatives like Michael Savage, and then there are liberal programs and even liberal networks. Each will accuse the other of using half-truths, non-truths and unfair tactics to influence voters.

But are these extreme shows influencing anybody? Simply put, no.

Chances are that if you are a conservative, you are going to listen to a broadcaster like Rush Limbaugh because he is reinforcing what you already believe. He criticizes liberals, praises conservative viewpoints, and conservatives will listen because they like what he has to say. He will not change the minds of liberals and sway them to the right, because what he says will infuriate liberals. Liberals tend to overreact to conservative opinions and lump them all into one big pot of neo-facism.

Conversely, a Republican or a conservative will not sway to the left after listening to Al Franken interview Alec Baldwin or Michael Moore. The conservative will actually have his right-leaning opinions and viewpoints strengthened listening to the left.

Even the response to this column has brought about some over the edge over reactionary responses. When I lean to the right, I am a neo-conservative. When I lean to the left, I must have my head up my butt.

So where does that leave us? Canada doesn't have a horse in this race between Bush and Kerry, but the Bush administration has certainly had its indirect impact on Canada. Neither the left nor the right can deny that the Chrétien Liberal government did nothing to help Canada-U.S. relations. Luckily for Canada and the Canadian economy, George Dubya has more pressing and urgent matters to attend to than being called a bastard or stupid or whatever by a Liberal backbencher.

So where does that leave us?

Here we are, about six weeks from a huge election. And the outcome will be determined by the undecided voter. I don't think anybody that even remotely follows the news is undecided on what is perhaps the most passionate election America has seen.

It's unfortunate to see, living here, that the undecided voter is the uninformed voter. They are the voters that don't know the difference between Iraq, Iran or Afghanistan. They are the voters who are unaware of the difference between North and South Korea. They are the voters who do not understand why the UN, swift boats, National Guard records or forged fax documents are important in this election. They don't follow or try to understand economic issues.

Many, though, could tell you all about Jerry Springer's special on transsexual lesbian truck drivers, or who should be voted off the island next, or which girl Jesse should have picked.

These voters will determine the outcome of the election, and they will determine the leader of the free world.

That should frighten liberals and conservatives, Americans, Canadians and the rest of the world. From what I've seen living in America, it sure as hell frightens me.

Regardless of how educated a liberal or conservative you are, or how involved in current affairs at the world level all the way down to the municipal level you may be, your vote only counts as one. So does theirs.

And that is the ironic flaw of democracy.

Former editor Jeffrey Morris works in sports licensing and marketing in Seattle. You can also hear him on Inside the CFL, an internet broadcast on www.footballology.com.

SCHOOL SCENE

Benson Public School: Benson recognizes students who rise above normal expectations. For September, we honour students who are polite, thankful and respectful. On Sept. 17, Payton Taylor, Taylor Calhoun, Tyler MacMillan, Shai Kemp, William Myers, McKenzie Allan, Curtis Robinson and Chris Sherman and on September 24th Evan Mills, Ryan Simzer, Matthew Dishaw, Brittany Simzer Taylor Bonvie, Shawn Scharfe, Matthew Gilligan and Sarah Smith were all presented with awards.

Sarah Smith, Shelby Roode, Jennifer Schrader and Matthew Gilligan welcome Brittney Myers, Anne McNairn, Ryan Hopkins and McKenzie Allan to the students council. These students work hard to make Benson a fun school. The council fundraises and organizes events under the watchful eye of teacher Theresa Lepine.

On Friday, Sept. 24, Benson welcomed Ada Baldwin and Helen Robichaud to the school. Mayor Peggy Taylor presented awards to them for their community involvement and volunteer work. Both women are treasured members of our school community.

School pictures are being taken Sept. 29 and 30.

Boundary Street Public School: Cross-country runners will participate in the Iroquois Meet Friday. Mrs. Arthurs and Mrs. Wainwright have been holding practices with the students. Good Luck!

Plan to join us at our celebrations this weekend. On Friday evening, we will be holding our Fall Fun Fair. A Scholastic Book Fair will be held at the library on both Friday and Saturday. Friday evening activities also include bowling, candy apples, and a raffle in the gym. We will also be having a barbecue.

An open house will be held Saturday from noon to 3 pm. We will have a short ceremony at 1:30 pm and plant trees to celebrate our 50th anniversary. Please come out and join us.

Hot lunch this week is subs.

Maitland and Maynard Public Schools: We have had a great start to the new school year. We are pleased to welcome our new students and their families as well as several new staff members to our school community.

At Maitland, Mrs. Jessica Tamblyn is our new grade 3/4 teacher and Mrs. Jennifer Rogers is our new office administrator. At Maynard, we welcome back Mrs. Rebecca Tym to Kindergarten and Mrs. Jennifer Wilson to Grade 4. Mr. Allan Templeton is teaching grade 4/5, Mr. Michael Crawford is in Grade 6, Mr. John Bourne is in Grade 7 and Mrs. Angela Morrison is in Grade 8. Mrs. Pat Farmer is our new special education resource teacher in charge of our grade 7/8 Learning Centre, and Ms. Jennifer Mackey is our new primary special education resource teacher who divides her time between Maynard and Maitland.

We also welcome Mr. Terry Gardiner as our new vice-principal and Mrs. Yvonne Jodoin as our office assistant. We certainly have a great team at Maynard and Maitland!

We had a great turnout for our open house at Maitland last week and our biggest turnout ever at our first Maitland school council meeting of the year. This week, we look forward to our Maynard open house Wednesday at 7 pm. Hope to see you there!

St. Joseph Catholic School: "Blessed are the Peacemakers!" Congratulations to this week's Peacemakers: Courtney Sexton, Brent Timmins, Sierra McGuin and Jason Noonan.

Happy Birthday to Father John Appelman who celebrates Thursday, Sept. 30. May the Lord bless you with continued health and comfort. May you continue to use your talents for the good of the community and may your spirit of celebration live long.

Our open house was a great success. We raised $1,400 to be put towards classroom resources, school activities and events, busing, sports outings, etc.

Our first soccer tournament takes place Friday at Grenville Christian College.

We look forward to the challenge of a great season.

Cross-country runners have been practising faithfully in preparation for the upcoming meets.

The following parents will be on the St. Joseph Catholic School council for 2004-05: Paul Bernier, Maureen Crawford, Sharon Crozier, Colin Dalrymple, Angie Dukelow, Cindy McNally, Tracey Sexton, Pearl Visser, Mary Whalen and Stacy Zahn.

St. Mark Catholic School: On curriculum night, we launched our "Together We Learn, Together We Care" theme of the 2004-2005 school year.

As part of our building professional learning communities, our year has been divided into five sections with each section having a theme. The theme of September and October is "kindness and caring." This has become a central point of discussions, songs and acts of kindness in our school. Our students have been learning and practising this in their classrooms, at assemblies and on the yard.

We have an upcoming school council fundraiser with Freddy Fusion this Friday, Oct. 1 at 7 pm in Gym C at the high school. Tickets are available by calling St. Mark school at 925-3581.

Our All Star Reading Strategy is Book Awareness: Which Way Did You Go?

South Edwardsburg Public School: Welcome back. We are very excited to once again have an exemplary staff to serve the students of South Ed.

We would like to welcome a couple of new faces, and we are very lucky to have them join our team. Lydsay Pilling joins us as our new grade 1/2 teacher in the mornings, and Pamela Seaman has come on board as an educational assistant. Angie Brown has also returned to continue her great work with our French program and is now also our special education resource teacher.

We invite any feedback at any time, so please feel free to drop in and say "hello."

Enjoy the rest of this wonderful weather, and we look forward to seeing you at the Terry Fox Character Walk this Friday at 1 pm.

Congratulations to our cross-country team that competed in the Kemptville meet yesterday.

Our hot lunch program begins next week (Oct. 6); pizza will be served.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Cannot see the forest for all those weeds

The Editor;

I am writing in response to Mrs. Elliott's letter to the editor dated Sept. 22.

Take heart, Mrs. Elliott; you are not alone. I have myself taken the time to write a similar letter a year ago. I am assuming that you are not just referring to personal properties around town but our "wonderful" Millennium (dog) walking path. My letter last summer concerned the chest high weeds, and grass that had grown wild over the course of the summer (not mentioning the dead and dying trees that were just planted). According to articles and letters that followed, we were assured that it was let grow wild because it was natural beauty, and an environmental habitat for animals (mosquitoes? maybe). Interesting that when the property in question was maintained by Parks Canada, it was cut on a regular basis, and the animals, or insects, didn't seem to suffer greatly.

I, on the other hand, have another opinion as to the reason the walking path has been allowed to grow wild. It is much better to look at chest high weeds than dog feces. Since its creation, it has been used by bicycle riders, joggers, walkers and some (not all) inconsiderate animal owners who think poop and scoop is for other people. I still believe properly maintained (mowed) and with the flower beds as Mrs. Elliott suggested, the Millennium walk would be a beautiful attraction for Prescott.

If we as homeowners let our property grow weeds of such a height as on the Millennium walk we would be cited by bylaw enforcement officers. I, as a homeowner, ask the town to cut the walk and keep it in the condition they would expect property owners in Prescott to maintain their property. If they cannot lead by example, they have no right to dictate to homeowners the condition of their property. It is not a "do as I say not as I do" situation.

Keep the faith, Mrs. Elliott; you are not alone.

Kevin Badmueller
Prescott

It was a fair to remember for Little Miss and her mom

The Editor;

On behalf of my daughter Emily Meilleur, winner of the Little Miss Pageant at this year's Spencerville Fair, we would like to acknowledge and congratulate two special ladies ­ Janet Perras and Carol Cole ­ and pageant sponsors and the judges who all contributed their time and gifts to make this event a night to remember for my daughter.

Janet and Carol did a wonderful job looking after all 14 contestants (10 girls and four boys) from the time they started interviews until the late hours of the evening. Janet's husband ran pizza delivery for the children and parents to enjoy before the pageant got under way.

Specifically, Emily and I would like to acknowledge the judges for their time, the sponsors that contributed gifts and the lovely tiara and flowers she received as winner of the pageant. As well, the gifts all the children received for entering the pageant were truly wonderful.

This was our first entry in the Little Miss Pageant, and on Saturday Emily enjoyed the whole day at the fair by going on rides, having her picture taken and handing out the prize ribbons in the horse show events.

It truly was a wonderful day, one she will remember for a long time.

Sue Meilleur
Cardinal

WALKER HOUSE NEWS by MARNIE LIPPIATT

This Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm, Walker House will be part of the Seaway Autumn Colour Studio Tour. The artists to be featured at our "studio" will be exhibiting and demonstrating quilting and bunka embroidery. Guests will also be able to view and example of the work of each artist on the tour. Ballots for a draw will be available at each studio; the grand prize will be on display here. Treat yourself to a lunch and tea and coffee.

I really appreciate everyone who helped with the historical house tea Saturday.

Board members are reminded of their meeting Oct. 4 at 10:30 am.

Card game winners: Monday bridge ­ 1st, Kitty Wormington; 2nd, Doris Mossman; door, Harry Nesbitt. Fun bridge ­ Glen Morris. Wednesday night bridge ­ 1st, Nancy Coligan; 2nd, Janet White. Thursday night euchre ­ 1st, Dora Cook; 2nd, Jean McCrady; 3rd, Micheline Cook; door, Jeannine Marion.

Child ID display at grocery store

PRESCOTT ­ Information on child identification kits will be available this Saturday, Oct. 2 at O'Reilly's Your Independent Grocer.

OPP Constable Gary Sluytman will be at the store from 9 am until about 1 pm.

Bank closure conjures up memories for daughter of former manager

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

JOHNSTOWN - For some people who have history with the Cardinal branch of the TD Canada Trust the planned closure brings back a lot of memories.

For Johnstown resident Peggy McMullen, the bank represents something more than another Cardinal establishment closing down; it represents a lot of memories which have contributed to her writing her family's history for her children.

McMullen's father, S.J. Wesley Clarke, was promoted to branch manager of the Toronto Dominion bank in Cardinal in 1921 and lived upstairs in the building with his wife Lela and 18-month-old daughter Peggy.

McMullen remembers the apartment above the bank had previously been a lodge hall, with the rent being taken as part of her father's salary. The apartment included a three-piece bathroom and two small rooms on the east side of the long hall which ran from the back of the building to the front room.

She explained her memories of the apartment involved always being a little cold.

"It wasn't really insulated much back then," explained McMullen. "There was a register in the dining room which ran from the furnace in the cellar which was the only heat."

McMullen explained she hasn't been back to the branch since her father was transferred in 1934, and she still has no plan to return.

"It's changed so much now," said McMullen. "The doors aren't even in the same spot. It wouldn't look at all like I remember."

She added the teller's cage was directly ahead as you came in the door, where a waist-high wall went from the cage about three-quarters of the way to the back where a door led to the stairway to the second floor apartment. The vault was at the back, then a short hallway and a bedroom for the teller in the back east corner. There was a washroom behind the vault.

She remembers when the building was bought by the bank, the old broken and worn linoleum floor was replaced, and a new addition was an adding machine on a pedestal so all could use it; an electric light bulb on a long cord beside the vault door was kept lit all night to discourage robbers. McMullen explained even a gun was issued to all branches, which really upset her father.

While McMullen is no longer a patron of the bank, she still sees its impending closure as a big blow to the community she once called home.

"It really is a problem for a lot of the elderly people in the village," said McMullen. "They don't want to always have to ask their neighbours for help running them to a bank."

McMullen continued, "For these people, they want to deal with the people they deal with all the time. They want someone they know and trust that they could ask about finances if they were unsure about something. This isn't a good thing at all."

ECBA brings public up to date on quest to retain Cardinal's bank

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

CARDINAL - The Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal Business Association (ECBA) had a meeting last night aimed at bringing the public up to date on efforts to keep the TD/Canada Trust bank in Cardinal from closing.

ECBA President Bill Laberge told The Journal Monday the meeting would be used to brief the community on what has been done to date and to show the public the presentation which was made to bank representatives in hopes of getting them to reconsider.

Laberge indicated the association is hoping to get some input and ideas from the public and to run through some "do's and dont's" to help put pressure on the bank to stay in the village.

"The business association is the only entity that we feel can put the pressure on the bank to stay and we want to work with the residents," said Laberge. "This village is our bread and butter. Without a bank in Cardinal, it would be extremely difficult for businesses to survive. After all, people who bank out of town shop out of town."

Laberge added other pieces of strategy in dealing with the bank will be discussed including the more that 125 letters written to TD/Canada Trust requesting the bank stay and notices of the branch's closure being returned to the bank stating people will move their accounts to another bank if the branch closes.

"As the business association, we want to tell the people exactly what went on at the meetings without any of the bank's spin," said Laberge. "It should be a good dose of reality."

It was also noted interested parties such as a credit union in the area would be attending the meeting to gather information, but Laberge indicated no attempts to lure another banking service would be started by the ECBA until feedback from an earlier meeting with TD/Canada Trust representatives is received.

New children's choir to sing about Canada at dinner

CARDINAL - The Canadian Children's Choir of Cardinal is being formed in order to perform at the St. John's Dinner Show in November.

Children's choir director Lynn Barkley explained the choir is being formed to help perform as part of the fundraising dinner for the United Church in Cardinal.

"Last year, the theme was European tour and before that it was Hawaii and the Wild West," said Barkley. "This year the theme is Canada and we're hoping to get children to learn songs about Canada to perform."

Barkley indicated the choir will vary in age from children in Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12, with little to no choir experience necessary.

"We're open to any school-aged child," explained Barkley. "From my experience, everyone can sing whether you are four or 94."

Especially with the theme being Canada, Barkley hopes a lot of kids will come out to the choir to learn songs about Canada.

"This will give kids a chance to show their pride in our country," said Barkley. "The U.S. is really good at showing their pride, while Canadians are getting better, but there is still room to improve. We will be strictly singing songs about Canada."

Barkley explained there is a chance the choir might continue after the November show if there is enough enthusiasm and enough kids are interested.

The group will practise Thursday evenings starting this week at St. John's United Church Hall. Practices will run from 7 to 8 pm. There is no charge to take part.

Break-in attempt at the post office

CARDINAL ­ Nothing appeared to have been taken during a recent break-in at the post office in Cardinal, according to Grenville County OPP.

The incident occurred during the overnight hours of Sept. 21-22. The receiving door had been opened, however, it is believed the culprits did not proceed into the building. The alarm was not activated; a worker found the door ajar.

Constable Foley is investigating. Anyone with information on this incident or others in the Cardinal area is asked to contact police at 925-4221 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Character walk in Johnstown to raise money for Fox foundation

South Edwardsburg Public School will lead the way this Friday afternoon

JOHNSTOWN - Those who missed this year's Terry Fox Run will be able to get a second crack at it this Friday, Oct. 1 at South Edwardsburg Public School in Johnstown.

Members of the community are invited to take part in the event and help raise money for the Terry Fox Foundation and cancer research while teaching students at the school about showing character like Fox did nearly 25 years ago.

According to teacher Donna Greenhorn, the school decided to hold a Terry Fox Character Walk - with the theme "One Step at a Time" - as a way to introduce its new character education program and provide a role model with some of the traits Fox possessed such as courage, strength, determination, hope and being goal-oriented and a team player.

The walk will be the culmination of a month-long character education program for students from Kindergarten to Grade 8 that focused on the one-legged runner whose journey across Canada was cut short by the cancer that took his life in 1981.

The school has also assembled a support team for the walk which will include Prescott Terry Fox Run organizer Sharon Spychi, the Ontario Provincial Police, South Edwardsburgh Recreation Association, staff and parents council.

The day will kick off at 1 pm with an assembly in the school's gym to be followed by the walk at approximately 1:30 pm, in which students, staff, parents and members of the community are asked to participate.

At the assembly, members of Terry's Team made up of local community members, staff and students who have had to deal with cancer will be introduced to the audience and will help get the walk started.

The walk through Johnstown will take place with the support of the OPP; participants will return to the school for refreshments.

Following the walk, donations can be made in memory of Terry Fox or in honour of loved ones who have or had cancer.

Footprints will be available for purchase by anyone at the school for a small fee and will be placed on the school's Wall of Hope.

Minister returns to help Johnstown United Church celebrate its 125th anniversary

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

JOHNSTOWN - Members of Johnstown United Church got a treat at the 125th anniversary of the church with the return of Reverend Robert Crooks after 38 years.

Crooks flew in from Nova Scotia to be the guest preacher at a special service Sunday and extend a message of congratulations to the congregation for work helping the church become what it is today.

"It's been wonderful to be back to meet the people I knew in the 1960s when I was a minister here," said Crooks. "I've been renewing a lot of acquaintances and meeting a lot of new people who have come to the church. The changes here since I've left show the church is alive in the community."

Crooks indicated he and his wife Margery had flown in Saturday but planned to stay in the area for a few more days to visit people they haven't seen in a long time.

"I really appreciated the very warm welcome we received coming back, after having been gone since 1966," said Crooks. "I just really appreciated the friendliness and hospitality of the community."

Crooks emphasized how pleased he was seeing the church reach its 125-year anniversary, but expects the next 125 years for churches as a whole to be a more trying experience.

"I think the church as a whole will need to work on a number of things," said Crooks. "Amalgamation of churches which are close to one another would help save some money and cut down on expenses to get more out of the basic activities of the church. This wouldn't be something that would be good for the churches in Cardinal and Johnstown, but more for churches of the same denomination close together in cities or towns."

Johnstown and Cardinal United Church minister, Reverend Arlyce Schiebout, explained Crooks' return for the ceremony has a special meaning for a lot of the parishioners of the church.

"A number of our guests today were baptized or married by Reverend Crooks," said Schiebout.

"He has been a major part of many of those people's lives, and they wanted to come back to see them. This was really big for our church; the community got to see him and to see how the church has changed and the new programs involved here."

As part of the church's festivities to commemorate the 125th anniversary, a new stained glass window and quilted wall hanging were unveiled.

Rangers beat Islanders in battle of undefeated teams

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

CARDINAL - The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers have continued their torrid start to the season with a perfect 4-0 mark, including victories over Brockville last Wednesday and Gananoque Saturday.

The Rangers have quickly made an impression on the league with their two-way play and balanced scoring attack to win by an average of five goals a game.

Despite the good reaction from the quick start to the season, many of the Rangers are quick to point out there is still a lot of season left to play and are taking things one game at a time.

"It's been a huge start for us," said Rangers forward Dustin Swan. "We have a lot of chemistry in the dressing room and a lot of fire power on the squad this year. There is a lot of chemistry for us on the ice as well, our lines are meshing well and we are learning where each other is on the ice. The team has also been doing their part defensively. We've been playing two-way hockey and need to keep it up."

Against the Islanders Saturday, the Rangers managed to hang on for a 6-4 win despite a flurry of 5-on-3s in a game which saw a total of 43 penalties called including five ten-minute majors. Rangers keeper Greg Richardson kept the Rangers in the game late with some key big saves, while a sprawling Matt Bailey iced the game with an empty net goal from his own blue line with only a minute left in regulation.

The Rangers took a 2-1 lead into the second period after goals from Peter Veltkamp and David Lun. Derek Rupert and Brandon Kelley picked up helpers.

In the second, South Grenville continued with it's momentum, as Rupert scored unassisted to the delight of the crowd to take a 3-1 lead.

Gananoque would score to once again make it a one-goal game.

Jason Whelan scored late in the second to restore the Rangers' two-goal lead, with Mark Williams and Alex Rees adding assists.

The Islanders took advantage of some questionable calls in the third period, putting Gananoque on a 5-on-3 to net a pair of third period goals to pull within one goal, before running out of gas.

Craig Reyell and Bailey scored for the Rangers in the third, while Rees and Bailey had helpers.

"We showed a great work ethic in this game," said coach Rod Simmons. "It was a character builder for us. We saw some things we need to work on a little like mental discipline, but the guys really stepped up and answered the call. We need more good hard tough competition under our belts to keep improving."

Swan added, "The victory over (the other undefeated team in the division) Gananoque was a big one for the team. They came out and were really cocky, yelling and screaming, but we just ignored it and showed we were there to play hockey."

Last Wednesday, the Rangers scored an impressive 8-2 win over last year's division champion Brockville Tikis despite being outshot 38-17.

Lawrence led the Rangers with a three point performance including two goals and one assist. Other Rangers' goals came from Julien Francis, Skyler Hoar, Adam Tousant, Bailey, Reyell and Rupert. Ryan Sullivan added a pair of assists, while Hoar, Lawrence, Tousant, Rees, Williams, Rupert, Paul O'Connell, Ben Bowden, Lun and Justin Wiley also added helpers. Tim Potter scored the win in goal.

The Rangers will look to continue their winning ways Friday when they travel to Westport to take on the Rideaus at 8:15 pm before returning home to Cardinal Saturday to take on the Athens Aeros at 7:15 pm.

Giants battle through injuries to post 1-2 record at McGill

Senior boys volleyball team posts perfect 6-0 record

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

MONTREAL - The South Grenville Giants senior girls basketball team had some hard luck as it battled through injuries to post a 1-2 record at last weekend's McGill University tournament in Montreal.

"It was a good learning experience for the girls," explained coach Joe Latham. "We were in every game and we probably could have made the semi-finals."

In its opener, the Giants got off to a good start by scoring a 52-50 win over Glebe of Ottawa in a very evenly-matched contest. Sara Watt scored 14 points to lead South Grenville, while Allison Whyte showed she was ready for the transition to senior girls basketball scoring 12 points. Alex Ward chipped in with eight points.

The Giants' hard luck started in their 59-48 loss to Cornwall Collegiate in their second game of the tournament. The team lost a couple of their key contributors for the tournament as Whyte (knee) and Ward (ankle) went down with injuries.

South Grenville fell behind early, surrendering a 31-7 lead in the first half before rebounding to narrow the lead to 35-22 at the half.

The Giants pulled together in the third quarter, but then weren't able to keep up in the fourth quarter to suffer the defeat. Sam Joudoin led the Giants with nine points.

"We had seven girls playing a lot of basketball," said Latham. "They made a great effort coming back, but just ran out of gas late."

In the third game, the Giants dropped a 44-38 decision to Colonel By of Ottawa. South Grenville stayed close throughout the game, but had to play with an even shorter bench after Watt and Shannon Campbell fouled out of the game early in the second half.

Watt led South Grenville with nine points, while Campbell added eight.

Latham was happy to see the hard work and resilience of the team especially after losing two key contributors.

"(Junior player) Jaimie Grimes and Ashley Beaudoin were great all weekend, especially on defence," said Latham, "and (junior) Karrie Neddo was showing she belongs (at the senior level) and Becky Graham showed some improvement."

Kristen Jessome and Stacy Kenney also took part in the tournament.

The Giants started the regular season yesterday (Tuesday) in Rideau and will play Thursday at 2 pm in Kemptville against North Grenville.

KEMPTVILLE - The South Grenville Giants picked up where they left off last season in the Leeds and Grenville Secondary School Athletic Association senior boys volleyball tournament by posting a 6-0 record Thursday in Kemptville.

"We did alright," said coach Kevin Devaney. "The whole league is in a rebuilding mode this year, and we have about 7-8 guys back from last year. We just looked to our leaders Curtis Bucking, Mike Armstrong and Andrew DeDekker to help guide the team."

The Giants managed to rotate their roster throughout the tournament to give experience to their bench players and newcomers to senior ball in the game to help prepare for some tough battles later in the season.

The Giants managed to sweep BCI (25-19, 25-20), St. Mary (25-17, 25-22) and North Grenville (25-14, 25-20) en route to the undefeated mark.

Juniors have rough start

The Giants junior boys volleyball team got off to a tough start to the season by posting a 2-4 record last Thursday at North Grenville District High School in Kemptville.

After splitting games with North Grenville (25-5, 7-25) and BCI (25-12, 15-25), the Giants dropped both of its matches with St. Mary (10-25, 12-25).

Coach Derrick Byrd indicated the team is still learning the game and is going to have to go back to learning the grass roots of the game to be successful.

"They're young and they're learning a system," said Byrd. "They looked a bit confused at times, but I was impressed with a couple of my Grade 9s, Kyle Lavery and Cody Haché, who by the end of the tournament were seeing a lot of court time."

Byrd added the team's setter, Stephen Joudoin, is off to a good start to the season with his strong work ethic and toughness on the court.

Both Giants teams will have two bye weeks, before resuming play when South Grenville hosts its tournament Oct. 14 in Prescott.

South Grenville drops football opener to TISS Pirates 27-0

BROCKVILLE - The South Grenville Giants senior boys football team fell victim to a much improved TISS Pirates team 27-0 last Wednesday in Brockville.

Despite the lopsided score, Giants co-coach Jason Sloan was quick to credit his team for showing a lot of poise and potential rebounding from a slew of injuries and penalties which proved costly.

Despite the tough start to
the season Giants players are keeping their heads high after showing some good potential in the game.

"It was a good game despite a couple interceptions and some bad tackling at times," said Giants receiver Kory Van Hyning. "At the end of the game things got a lot closer and if we pick up where we left off at the end of the game, our next game should be much better."

Giants fullback Sean McKinstry added, "Our offence completed a lot of plays out there. I think we completed more passes in that one game than we did all of last year. We had plenty of good yards, but just couldn't convert."

While not scoring any points in the game Chad Hyland was able to spark the Giants passing game, which has been virtually non existent the last couple of years.

"Our offence played really well despite everything," said Sloan. "We threw for 180 yards in the air and ran for 60 on the ground, but we just couldn't finish things off. Our quarterback Chad Hyland, slot back Matt Alkerton and receiver Ryan Killick really stood out for us and made some things happen."

South Grenville's generally strong defence had trouble keeping up with the offence as TISS was able to come out after the half for a big run to put the game out of reach.

"Our defence had trouble fundamentally on tackling," said Sloan, "and then due to injuries we had all rookies on the field by half time. The score was only 8-0 at the half, but then early in the second half they just killed us."

Despite taking some key penalties which hindered Giants offensive drives, Sloan credited his offensive line for its strong play despite only having worked together for a few practices.

"They looked really strong out there at times," said Sloan. "It's the best I've seen our line look in four or five years."

The Giants will continue its search for victory this Friday, Oct. 1 when they host St. Joseph Catholic School from Cornwall at 1 pm. St. Joseph is new to the league this season.

Prescott rink wins bonspiel

BRAMPTON - The Laura Payne skipped Prescott Curling Club junior girls team captured its first bonspiel of the year Saturday by winning the 2004 Brampton Cash Spiel.

The Prescott-based team consisting skip Payne, vice Lauren Mann, second Megan Aldridge and lead Candace Johnston went undefeated through the tournament, posting a perfect 6-0 record.

In the round-robin, the Prescott rink posted a 3-0 record with wins over Nicki Wilson's rink, Britanni O'Neill's rink and Lesley Pyne's rink.

The Prescott rink scored a
5-3 win over Leslie McCormick's rink in the quarter finals, before scoring an 8-4 win over the Lisa Farnell rink in the semi-final.

In the final, Prescott managed to prevail with a victory
over Stephanie Gray's rink to capture the first bonspiel of the season.

The win puts the girls in top spot of the Ontario Junior Curling Tour girls rankings with 20 points. The foursome only scored 16 points all last year. None of the girls live in South Grenville, but they play out of the Prescott Curling Club.

Peewee Kings open season with a win

SPENCERVILLE - The Rideau-St. Lawrence major peewee Kings opened the season on the right foot with a 1-0 victory over the Nepean Raiders Thursday in Spencerville.

The Kings managed to pull out the 1-0 win over the Raiders in a tight-checking game, with Derek Froats scoring the game's lone goal. Lance Hodgson had the assist.

The Kings continued its season Saturday in Ottawa with a 1-1 draw with the Ottawa Sting. Jordan Moran netted the lone' Kings goal, while Josh Pitt and Froats had helpers. Tyler Gallinger was strong in goal.

On Sunday, the Kings travelled to Kanata and dropped a 4-2 decision to the Kanata Blazers. Dylan Casselman and Casey Crooke scored for the Kings, while Zachary Brandt and Ryan Vincent added assists. Michael Lalande made some key saves for the Kings.

Other members of the team are coach Steve Morden, assistant coach Ritchie Pitt, trainer Larry Gallinger, manager Kim O'Neil, Cody Johnson, Shayne Morden, Michael McGahey, Jayson Harmer Alex O'Neil and Cameron Armstrong.

Edwardsburgh Figure Skating Club season set to start Oct. 12

SPENCERVILLE - The Edwardsburgh Figure Skating Club is getting set to take the ice with its final registration session Oct. 7.

The session will run from 6-8 pm at the Spencerville arena and will feature a number of programs for kids to join, including the popular CanSkate and Skate Canada's National learn-to-skate program.

The CanSkate program has been revamped this year to give children the opportunity to learn their skills through stations. Incorporated into this is a TotSkate program, designed for the younger skater that requires less time on the ice. These programs run Tuesdays and Thursdays and are an excellent way for children to learn the basics of skating in a fun environment.

A novice program has also been added to act as a stepping stone for blossoming skaters which will allow the skaters to share some ice time with junior StarSkaters to help ease their transition from CanSkate to StarSkate.

The relatively new StarSkate program is geared more towards skaters who are looking to learn the in-depth fundamentals of figure skating. The program offers lessons in freestyle, dance and skills and is split into three groups: preliminary, intermediate and senior. Skaters may enter the Skate Canada Test Stream and take tests to progress from preliminary to gold levels.

CanPowerskate is a 22-week program, which will be taught by Spencerville's Allister Brown on Tuesdays. The program is aimed at enhancing balance, power and speed for the hockey player.

Opportunities also exist for a skater to take private lessons through the club's professional coaching staff. They include longtime members of the club Donna Daw and Debbie Seary, as well as Tara Hickman. Jaime Longtin will also be joining the coaching staff.

The season runs Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from Oct. 12 until March 25 and will end with the annual ice show, which is a highlight for most parents and members of the community.

For more information on the club or its programs, contact club President Holly Howard by e-mail at burniefarms@sympatico.ca or Vice-President Sandra McNamara at 258-1646.

Giants volleyball teams hosting fundraising tournament

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Giants volleyball program will be hosting a fundraising volleyball tournament Friday, Oct. 15.

The tournament will run from 5-10 pm and will be open to anyone interested in taking part. Teams are required to have a minimum of four boys and two girls on a team.

Members of the Giants teams will act as officials for the games. All proceeds from the event will go to help offset expenses incurred by the South Grenville District High School volleyball teams.

For more information or to register a team, contact Kevin Devaney at 348-1261.

Let us know about upcoming events in sports and recreation

PRESCOTT - Let The Prescott Journal know about upcoming local sporting events and activities.

If you have information, contact David Dickenson at 925-4265.

All content is copyright 2004 The Prescott Journal. No reproduction permitted without written permission.