About 75 cyclists and their 20 support staff spent the night on the Frontenac Arena grounds last week as part of their Sea to Sea, Cycling to End Poverty tour. “Everybody’s having an awesome time, morale is high,” said tour director Ed Witvoet. Their goal is to cycle from Vancouver to Halifax in nine weeks, raising awareness and funds as they go. “We’re trying to end the cycle of poverty,” Witvoet said. Sea to Sea grants funds to nonprofits along the route, in riders hometowns and globally through World Renew and Partners Worldwide. Riders pay a $500 registration fee and are expected to raise $3,000 per week or $12,000 for the summer.

“We’ve already raised $1.5 million,” Witvoet said. “One guy has raised $72,000 alone.” They do about 100 kilometres a day with rest stops at 25, 50 and 75 kilometres. Two vans carry support workers, riders’ gear and food. “We we stop for dinner, everybody has a chore to do,” he said. Witvoet said he expects there will have been 135 cyclists taking part with 52 going the entire nine weeks. Riders can sign up for parts of the tour or the entire route. “We’ll gain a number of riders when we hit Ottawa,” he said. And speaking of Ottawa, that was the goal when they left Piccadilly last Saturday morning. The plan was to ride Westport Road to Westport and then on to Perth on County Road 10. “We chose this (Piccadilly) as our stopping point between Peterborough and Ottawa,” he said. “We’ve been trying to take as many back roads as we can, avoiding Hwy. 7.”

The route has even dipped down into the U.S. running from Grand Rapids, Minnesota along the south shore of Lake Superior to Sault Ste. Marie. They also took a jaunt along Manitoulin Island and rejoined the mainland at Tobermory. This is the fourth year for the annual trek which has also included routes from Seattle to Jersey City and Los Angeles to New York City “The communities we’ve visited have all been great,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of media and we’ve even had great weather.”

Mayor Vandewal, Lion Roy Wilkinson and Neil Allen, chair of the Township’s accessibility committee, cut the ribbon on one of the two new benches donated by Sydenham Lions and installed by Public Works.

Both benches are accessible from the path down through the Point park in Sydenham. Lion Wilkinson spearheaded the fundraising and acquisition processes.

Southern Frontenac Community Services is running its 2017 fundraising campaign in the month of June, with the theme of being “Up to the Challenge.”

Statistics Canada recently made headlines by saying that for the first time in Canadian history, Canada has more seniors (65+) than kids (0-14), and in fifteen years, seniors are expected to make up 25% of the population. That statistic is reflected in

Frontenac County, with an even higher proportion of seniors. With this new reality, come many challenges around sustainable health care, living at home, transportation, food security, and more.  

Says Executive Director David Townsend: “This trend is reflected in the day-to-day work that we do: Our Adult Day Program is at its maximum capacity and we have a waiting list for the first time ever. More seniors are using our weekly Hot Meals on Wheels service and there is increasing demand to add a second day. An increasing number of single seniors are accessing our Food Bank and housing supports, as occupancy costs outpace income.”

Although many of SFCSC’s programs and services receive core government funding, and support from the United Way KFL&A, fundraising is still needed to keep programs affordable.

“One of our primary goals to allow seniors to love at home as long as possible, so we must keep program fees at a level that doesn’t financially burden seniors, and enhances their quality of life,” says Townsend.

For the month of June, SFCSC is making an appeal for donations to support these programs and services. In particular, SFCSC is encouraging online donations through the Great Canadian Giving Challenge campaign, where every dollar donated online during the month of June gives them the chance to win a $10,000 donation through Canadahelps.ca.

To donate, go to www.sfcsc.ca/donate or contact Andy at 613-376-6477, ext. 205.

This last February after seven hours of continuous skiing, Dave Linton completed a 51 km x-country ski race, as he has been doing every winter for 17 years. Thanks to generous sponsors, his efforts netted over a thousand dollars this year for the SFCSC (Southern Frontenac Community Services) Food Bank’s Healthy Snacks for School program.

“You’re under more pressure when there’s money on the line, and you push yourself harder,” says Dave; “My 76 year old body is now complaining, and it suggests that there might be a less strenuous means of fund raising.”

So this year to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday, Dave is launching a different one-man fund raising project which he hopes will bring pleasure to all who participate.

It involves sharing another of his passions; music. Piano music, to be specific. Dave is a familiar musician at community events in and around Sydenham, and is one of the volunteers who plays piano for the Adult Day Program at SFCS’s Grace Centre.

Here’s how his new project would work: in return for a donation (the amount is up to you) to SFCS, either the Food Bank or the Adult Day Program, Dave will bring his full size keyboard to your home or other venue (within a 35 km maximum distance from Sydenham) to play and sing. He’d be happy to share memories in song and story of the one-room school he went to, or the 100 acre rock farm where he grew up. Or he’ll play soft background music for dinners, club gatherings or family celebrations such as milestone birthdays or anniversaries. The choice is yours, and your donation will be tax deductible, as long as it’s over $20.

To participate in this 150th birthday celebration fund raiser, call 613-376- 6883, and ask for Dave or leave a message.

“Our community is so fortunate to have SFCSC and the programs they offer,” Dave says, “I’ve provided music for their wonderful day program for seniors and I want to do what I can to support it even further. Caring staff and volunteers have created a very special place where seniors can spend an enjoyable day. This helps to delay or deter the need for seniors to enter a long term care facility by providing a few hours respite for caregivers (usually a son, daughter or spouse). A combination of government funding cutbacks and increasing need for seniors’ services means community fundraising is necessary to fill the gap, so programs such as this can continue.”

We had another successful windup to the Snow Road Snowmobile Club breakfast season with three fundraisers for local charities.  Each year the club dedicates three end-of-season breakfasts to support charities in both Lanark and Frontenac.  This year, breakfast proceeds and donations collected has provided another boost to these charities.  $1,547.50 was raised on behalf of Alzheimer’s Society; and the Canadian Cancer Society benefited with $1,324 for the Wheels of Hope campaign, and $1,356.00 for Melanoma.  

The executive and members of the club want to thank everyone who has supported their fundraising breakfasts and other activities throughout the season, as well as the dedicated volunteers who make them happen.  

The club is already preparing for their annual Canada Day breakfast/bake and yard sale on Saturday, June 24th and are happily accepted donations for the yard sale or the bake sale.

Contact Ruth Wark at 613-278-0477 or Alice Gilchrist at 613-278-1020 for information.

While trying to decide what to do with a number of toys she hadn’t used in years, Girl Guide Meghann McKinstry got an inspiration — could they be donated to a thrift store? Or, what if they collected toys from other guides as well as the community, organized a sale and gave the proceeds to the Food Bank.

McKinstry ran the idea past her mother, Guider Joanne, who ran it by Guide Leader Kim Deline.

It turns out that sort of fundraising isn’t really within the purview of the Girl Guides but seeing that it was Earth Day, and the idea of recycling toys fit in and the Food Bank always needs funds and it was spring cookie season  . . .

“We call ourselves Friends of Guiding,” Joanne McKinstry said. “We organized, well Kim did most of it, she’s amazing, and collected donations and the Grace Centre graciously donated space.

“And here we are. The donations are still coming in and you might be amazed that some of the toys for (re)sale are brand new.

“One gentleman even brought in a a brand new radio-controlled car and said he just wanted to contribute.”

Before they knew it, they had the first Earth Day used toy sale, complete with coffee and hot dogs for sale by the Friends of the Food Bank and a booth for the Guides to sell their cookies.

(By the way, for the uninitiated, there is no universal Cookie Day. Local troops are free to set their own spring and fall dates to sell cookies. In the spring, chocolate and vanilla cookies are for sale and in the fall, it’s chocolate mint.)

“It was slow at first,” McKinstry said. “The cloudy weather was likely to blame but it’s really picked up.

“One lady, who runs a day care, came in and emptied the Lego table

“We gave her a deal.”

McKinstry said even though it was her daughter’s initial idea, it was really Deline that made the whole thing work.

“Kim was here well into the night doing food prep and every other little thing that came up,” McKinstry said.

“I thought this was a great idea to promote community service,” Deline said. “And to celebrate Earth Day  . . . and to sell cookies.”

On Wednesday, March 29, volunteers from the Sydenham Food Bank will be hosting a spaghetti dinner for the community, to help raise funds for the food bank.

The Community Spaghetti Dinner will be held from 4:30 to 7:00pm on Wednesday, March 29th, at Grace Hall, 4295 Stage Coach Road in Sydenham. Tickets are on sale now, at $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12, and are available at Southern Frontenac Community Services office, and are being sold by food bank volunteers.

“We wanted to do something fun for the community,” says Janet McComb, a food bank volunteer, “so we thought a pasta dinner would be a simple, good idea.” The dinner includes choice of spaghetti or penne, meat or marinara sauce, salad, bread, desserts and beverages. Says McComb: “We’ll even have take-out available so you can take the night off from cooking.”

As well as being a low-key night out, the Spaghetti Dinner is a way to raise profile and funds for the food bank. Food Bank Coordinator Vicki England says; “the food bank serves about 50 families each month. Our community is terrific at supporting it with donations and food drives. But there are other costs to operate the food bank.” Funds raised from the dinner will be put towards construction of an accessible ramp.

“One of the big challenges we have now that the food bank has moved to its new location at the Grace Centre site, is having an accessible entrance to allow clients and volunteers with physical barriers the ability to access the service. A ramp is also helpful for loading food donations,” says England.

The cost for constructing a ramp is estimated to be at least $10,000. “This event will help us raise some money, and we’ll have a 50-50 draw as well. It’s a start,” says McComb, “we hope that everyone will come out and just enjoy themselves.”

As The War Amps 2017 Key Tags are mailed across Ontario, local residents may spot a familiar face in the accompanying brochure.

Leah Neumann, 12, of Tichborne, was born a right arm amputee, and is a member of The War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program. As a Champ, she is eligible to receive financial assistance for the cost of artificial limbs, counselling and attend regional CHAMP seminars.

At the News, we've watched Leah grow up, and along the way new devices, such as new arms as she grew so she could always tool aroud on her bike, and a device she got in 2015 so she can hold a hockey stick and play with the Frontenac Fury. Fund-raising makes all this possible for her.

Each key tag has a confidentially coded number so if you lose your keys, the finder can call the toll-free number on the back of the tag or deposit them in any mailbox and The War Amps will return them to you by courier, free of charge.

The War Amps receives no government grants. Its many programs, including CHAMP, exist thanks to public support of the Key Tag Service. If you have not received key tags, they can be ordered at waramps.ca or by calling 1 800 250-3030.

Last week’s warm temperatures and heavy rain that forced cancellation of an actual snowmobile ride, but unwavering volunteers at the Snow Road Snowmobile Club still hosted their third successful Ride for Dad event on Saturday.    Donuts donated by Tim Hortons and hot coffee greeted participants registering their pledges.  

The 26 registrants collected $6,419 in pledges.  Although Alice Gilchrist, with pledges totalling $1,285, was top pledge earner for the third year in a row, Bob Olmstead and Rob Schippert were close behind and tied in 2nd place with $1,030 each in pledges.  The club wants to thank all the generous sponsors who donated cash or goods or food, those who collected pledges and those who donated, and all the volunteers who worked before, during and after the event.   

Corporate sponsorships exceeded $2,000 this year so the big winner is Ride for Dad with an expected donation over $8,000 to support the fight against prostate cancer.   A lunch of hot dogs and several kinds of homemade soups was enjoyed and followed up by the distribution of awards and prizes.  A number of snow-mobilers arrived in their vehicles, along with other club supporters, to enjoy a great spaghetti dinner.  The Club plans to hold this event on February 10th next year, hoping an earlier date will mean better trail conditions for their Ride for Dad.

The Empty Bowls started off in 1990 as a small project by a group of potters working with some chefs in a town in Michigan to give away bowls of soup and allow people to keep the bowls. All that was requested was a donation to a local food based charity. Twenty seven years later not a lot has changed about how with Empty Bowls work, except it is now a series of small projects in communities throughout North America. It was introduced in Eastern Ontario by Perth area Potter Jackie Seaton who developed it with the help of a number of potters in the Perth, Brooke Valley and Maberly area into an event that raises over $10,000 each year for The Table, YAK and other projects in Perth. Although Seaton has since died, the project remains strong.

Three years ago, Joanne Pickett of Arden Pottery started an Empty Bowls event in Arden, holding it in conjunction with the Frontenac Heritage Festival weekend. In Arden it has taken on a Frontenac County flavour and has grown every year. Last year over 100 bowls of soup were served and carted away and $1,400 was raised. Instead of restaurants making the soup, in Arden it was local volunteers.

“There were some real gourmet soups last year, including venison soup and sun dried tomato blue cheese soup, and in our project the potters serve the soup,” said Pickett, when contacted about this year’s event earlier this week.
The potters who are participating this year include Pickett, who has been potting at her studio on Big Clear Lake for nearly 40 years, Tracy Bamford and Sharon Matthews (Long Lake Potters) and Jonas Bonnetta. Local cooks are going to be supplying desserts and coffee this year and the suggested donation will be $20, in the hope of raising $2,000 for the North Frontenac Food Bank.

“It has been a good fit to hold the Empty Bowls during the Heritage Festival weekend because there are many other events in Arden during the weekend and they all help each other. And with all the help from the local community it is more than just potters who are involved. Everyone in Arden helps out,” she said.

Empty Bowls runs from 10-4 on Saturday, February 18th along with displays by the Frontenac Trappers Council and the Kennebec Historical Society, chainsaw carving by Robin Deruchie, and games put on by the Arden Volunteer Firefighter Association. There will be a pioneer demonstration outside, and weather permitting, horse drawn wagon rides.

For information about Empty Bowls, contact Joanne Pickett at 613-335-2763

2017-02-08: Corrected the date in the headline from "February 21" to "February 18". The article also missed one of the potters who has participated, Aileen Merriam. Aileen has been participating for three years. She will have some of her pots available and will be on hand on the 18th.