The coming year marks the 30th anniversary for Southern Frontenac Community Services Corp. (SFCSC). Thirty years delivering on our mission to work with others in the provision of health and social services and to contribute in ways that improve and maintain the quality of life of residents of South Frontenac and rural Kingston.

A large number of our clients are older adults who take part in the many activities and services we offer. Grace Café on Tuesdays, writing clubs, card games, fitness classes, they’re all available. There are also health support programs for the frail elderly, caregiver support resources, in-home services, and day programs for seniors who need enhanced assistance and close monitoring such as those living with Alzheimer’s.

An important part of what we do is to offer affordable and reliable assisted transportation to seniors and older adults with physical and/or cognitive challenges to help them get to where they need to go. Some people don’t have the resources for transportation, they may no longer be able to operate an automobile, perhaps it’s difficult to arrange appointments around family’s schedules or they may not have friends who can help. For some it is not possible to travel alone, carry objects, stand for any period of time or stay alone at a destination.

That’s where SFCSC comes in. We drive people to medical appointments, to run essential errands, to come to the Grace Centre for our social activities and day programs, and we deliver hot and frozen meals throughout the area. Every month we schedule well over 500 drives for people who need our help.

Over the last year SFCSC: delivered more than 8,000 nutritious hot and frozen meals; provided more than 5,600 drives to medical appointments; covered over 150,000 km; and logged more than 6,000 volunteer driving hours

This tremendous effort is only achievable because of our team of dedicated volunteer drivers. Without them we absolutely cannot provide transportation services. Not to mention the myriad other tasks, jobs, commitments and ways our volunteers contribute throughout the organization helping to maintain health and social services that are so valuable to have in a rural community, close to our homes.

There are many reasons people volunteer. To give back to their community, to build new friendships, to share their time and experience, enhance skills or develop new ones. It’s all meaningful and valuable.

We’d love to welcome you to our team and invite you to be a part of things at SFCSC. All of our volunteers are screened and trained, and volunteer drivers are reimbursed for mileage. The first step is to reach out to our volunteer coordinator to talk about your interests and matching you to a rewarding role. Please call us, 613-376-6477 ext. 211 for more info. www.sfcsc.ca

Rhonda Storring

After having retired from the Canadian Forces after 32 years of service and the Commissionaires in Kingston, Rhonda Storring now calls Verona home. Rhonda is a people person and has very much enjoyed being a member of the Verona Community Association for the past nine years. She is a Director on the Board and holds the position of Secretary. Rhonda records, distributes, and handles correspondence for the Association. She volunteers her time to the many activities and events that are sponsored by the VCA. She has participated in the VCA Family Free Skate and was the Chairperson for the event this year. Rhonda assists at the Verona Community Christmas Dinner, the Flower Barrel contest, Music in the Park, the Remembrance Day Ceremony, Canada Day Celebrations in Harrowmsith, and the Verona Car Show.

When not busy as a board member with the VCA, Rhonda also acts as the Secretary for the Verona Car Show and is an active volunteer during the event. Rhonda often assists with the South Frontenac Community Services Diner’s Club as well. She lends a hand with set up, take down, and the serving of meals. Rhonda contributes with the Verona Lions Club breakfast events throughout the year, all while owning and operating her own business in Verona, Restore Esthetics.

The VCA and the community of South Frontenac would not be the same without the hard work and dedication that continues to be shown by Rhonda Storring and her never ending desire to make this area a great place to live.

Alvin Wood

Alvin Wood has been an outstanding member of this community for as long as we have been lucky enough to have him and his family in Battersea. Alvin’s commitment to volunteerism and supporting our community truly enhances the quality of life for all residents. He is an inspiration to all who call South Frontenac home, and his hard work and dedication ensures that we all get to enjoy and celebrate our wonderful community.

Alvin currently sits on the Storrington District Recreation Committee, where he has been an active member for several years. Alvin has most recently acted as Chair of the Committee, going above and beyond to ensure that the district’s valuable teams, associations, facilities, events, and programs are well represented within the Township.

In addition to his work with community recreation, Alvin has been on the Battersea Pumpkin Festival Committee since its inception 25 years ago. This festival is a keystone event for the Township of South Frontenac and Alvin has been an invaluable member of the team, always taking on many roles and responsibilities. Without the hard work and dedication of Alvin, the festival would not be where it is today. Alvin also plays a large role in other volunteer pursuits, such as the Pumpkin Pie Coffee House and Blue Skies Musical Festival. He can often be found volunteering wherever is needed in the community, such as one-time fundraising events, church happenings, and anywhere else that needs a skilled helping hand.

Alvin is a tremendous supporter of this community, and there is no doubt that he deserves this award for his outstanding volunteerism. Our community is a much greater place because of all that he does.

Rezoning in Loughborough District

Township Planner Trudy Gravel opened a public meeting concerning a property at the intersection of Eel Bay Road and Charlie Green Road, on Eel Bay of Sydenham Lake. The proposal is to rezone a narrow waterfront property from resort commercial to special waterfront residential and replace three small cottages, a dock and a private but commonly used boat launch site with a single detached dwelling, a shed, a garage, and two docks.

Currently the site is described as “heavily culturally impacted” with an eroding shoreline, beside a Provincially significant wetland.

Gravel’s report states that the redevelopment of this site as proposed with greater setback distances will not have an environmental impact on the water quality of Eel Bay nor on the wetland (marsh) located near the southern portion of the property.

“The proposal provides an opportunity to reestablish (renaturalize) the shoreline vegetation that will both improve the habitat for wildlife species as well as provide stability and prevent erosion in the foreslope areas.” The boat launch will no longer be open to the public.

The only comment from the public was from neighbour David Plumpton, who was fully in support, saying that the heavy public use of this private boat launch in the past has led to overuse, noise, rowdiness, and littering.

Councillor Sutherland questioned allowing two docks, but the owner, Simon Clarke, said the second, smaller dock was in a location where he could back his boat down to the water for launching. (The main dock is down a steep slope which is currently being stabilized.)

Council approved the rezoning by-law.

Dogs Barking: A Noise Bylaw Issue?

In response to complaints from Harold and Lynn Snider about the noise of barking dogs believed to be originating from neighbouring Ben Acres Kennels, Councillor Revill brought a motion that the noise levels at the Snider property should be professionally measured. CAO Orr estimated that fees for such a measurement would be between $1,500 and $2,000 and still would not prove whether or not a township bylaw has been breached, as the bylaws do not reference decibel levels, using only the broad, subjective term “nuisance.”

Council defeated the motion, instead choosing to direct staff to work with development services to draft a bylaw update, perhaps one which would exempt dog kennels. (This is the only complaint about barking that Council has received in the past three years, and no other neighbours have complained: In most cases this type of matter is resolved between neighbours.)

Recreation Committee Restructuring

Council considered a three-part motion that: 1) Council strike a “Recreation and Leisure Facilities Committee” and a “Community Programming & Events Committee” 2) that this structure be put in place for a trial period of 12 months from the date of committee appointments, and 3) that staff be directed to actively advertise for committee appointments to these committees with a deadline of July 19th .

Councillor Norm Roberts made an amendment that a specific date (September 30, 2020) be chosen for the review of the trial period, and Deputy Mayor Sleeth seconded it. Council passed the amended motion unanimously. Sleeth complimented Recreation Supervisor Tim Laprade on his excellent and detailed report which made this possible.

Sleeth also noted a recent example of local volunteer work: in order to bring the Storrington Centre kitchen up to commercial standards, volunteer Rebecca Smith raised the funds to buy a commercial stove by canvassing hall users and potential users.

Morgan Subdivision Update

Following a site visit and staff review of the Sydenham Valleyview (Morgan) Subdivision agreement, Director of Development Services, Claire Dodds reported that “it is staff’s opinion that the paving of driveways and any outstanding seeding/sodding is a matter that is best addressed between the developer and property owners to come to an agreement to complete the outstanding site work without direct involvement from the Township.”

Lot drainage and grading is at various stages throughout the subdivision, and RKR Landholders is responsible for completing work on the road and sidewalk between Rutledge Road and the communal mailboxes before the final approval can be issued. Dodds attributed some of the problems in communications as having occurred as a result of staff changes during the subdivision’s development.

Rideau Waterway Monitoring

Deputy Mayor Sleeth reported on a meeting between the Cataraqui Conservation Authority, Queen’s, the Ministry of the Environment (and other related groups) that addressed this summer’s plans to monitor the water quality of the Rideau and connected tributaries. The water off Gilmour’s point in Dog Lake is currently being tested.

Quote:

“If you want it to happen, do it!” Volunteer Award recipient Alvin Wood.

Long serving Rural Frontenac Community Services (RFCS) Treasurer Bob Webster was named Volunteer of the Year at the agencies Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on Monday Night (April 29)

“Bob originally came to RFCS to volunteer with the income tax program, where he was recognized as a skilled experienced financial ‘guy’ and quickly recruited for the Board of Directors. It didn’t take long for him to take on the role of treasurer where he has been a vital contributor to the agency,” said RFCS Executive Director Louise Moody as she announced the award.

Moody describe Webster as a “quiet leader with insight and foresight that are both extremely valuable when managing through the minefield of government regulations, funding and bureaucracy.

She also said that his “positive attitude, ability to see all sides of an issue and his unwavering commitment to Rural Frontenac Community Services over the last eight years is remarkable. He is held in high esteem by the board, who all value his contribution and appreciate the opportunity to work with him.”

He has served as RFCS treasurer for 8 years.

In an email to the News on Tuesday (April 30), he said he was “surprised and honoured to be recognized as the Volunteer of the Year.

“In particular, I was humbled to be in the company of so many other volunteers who were in attendance. Whether providing drives for folks to attend medical appointments, delivering meals on wheels, assisting with social activities such as Diners or any number of other contributions, these volunteers cover hundreds of thousands of kilometers, and donate tens of thousands of hours of their time to making life better for their neighbours in rural Frontenac.”

RFCS operates programs for children, youth, adults and seniors. Over fifty of the agencies’ volunteers attended the annual appreciation dinner this week.

Tim Trickey was well known in the Land O’Lakes region for his tireless efforts to to start up and maintain a cadet program at North Addington Education Centre for kids from Addington Highlands and North Frontenac. Even after his cancer diagnosis he continued to work with the cadets and as recently as last month, he led them at the Remembrance Day Service in Flinton. He died on December 17 at the age of 51.

Trickey was the co-ordinator for the volunteer ambulance service in Northbrook in the 1990’s and then served with L&A County Emergency Services as a paramedic for over 14 years. He also served on the Central Frontenac Volunteer Fire department.

Tim was married for 30 years to Darlene (nee Kelford). The couple have a son, Jordan, and a late daughter, Natasha. Tim is fondly remembered by his extended family, friends & co-workers.

Tim's family will receive friends at the Milestone Funeral Center, 11928 Hwy 41 Northbrook on Friday from 2-4pm & 7-9pm. A Celebration of Life & Tribute Service will be in the Chapel on Saturday, December 23, 2017 at 1:00pm with visitation 1hr prior to the service. A Gofundme campaign is underway to help Tim’s family.

Canada Day visitors to Sharbot Lake probably noticed the vandalism that has occurred along the Thomson’s Rock Cut section of the soon-to-be K & P Trail.

The Rock Cut is the connecting link between Railway Heritage Park (The Caboose) and Oso Beach.

It’s been a project of two community groups, the Multi-Use Facility Committee of Central Frontenac Council and the Central Frontenac Railway Heritage Society to both preserve our railway heritage and “look towards the future,” said Gary Giller, a member of both groups.

Giller said the extent of the vandalism was the removal of about half of the ‘delineators’ — posts that are outfitted with reflective tape to mark the extent of walking trail to keep hikers and motorized users of the trail separate.

Giller said there was an initial incident on June 19 when several delineators were uprooted and left at the sides of the trail. A second incident occurred over the the weekend of June 23.

“It’s disconcerting,” he said. “A lot of volunteer hours from two groups have gone into this project as well as a lot of grant money.

“We were hoping to have everything looking good for Canada Day but . . .”

The delineators aren’t cheap. There are 30 of them in total and at $90 apiece the price tag is $2,700 just for the posts. Installation has been extra.

Few, if any, of the delineators have been damaged beyond repair but there are the issues of re-installation as well as the possibility of recurring events.

And the June incidents haven’t been the only ones.

“We knew the delineators weren’t permanent,” Giller said. “But because there is a walking side to the trail and a wider side for motorized traffic, we wanted to get something in place before the snowmobilers took to the trail last fall for both safety and aesthetic reasons.”

But it didn’t take long for vandals to have an impact and several delineators were uprooted.

This spring, after the Township stepped up putting down rock dust and limestone chips on both the walkway and motorized trail, Giller said they hired Charles Bedore to bury the delineators deeper and things were looking good.

“Charles did a great job,” he said. “It was really looking good.”

Giller said the incidents have been reported to the police but there are no suspects in the case.

“We’re not pointing any fingers,” he said. “We’ve heard some names but you can’t accuse anybody because there are no eyewitnesses.”

Where the Heritage Society goes from here is anybody’s guess, mostly because of lack of funding. They have applied for grants and will apply for whatever comes along, especially with an eye towards permanent pillars of some sort.

“It’s disappointing when this sort of thing happens,” Giller said. “A lot of people worked really hard to do something positive for the community.”

“June is Seniors Month and Volunteers Month,” Central Frontenac Mayor Frances Smith said at a special ceremony Tuesday afternoon at Oso Hall in Sharbot Lake. “We take this opportunity to appreciated them.

“Most volunteers do it quietly, they’re not the kind to go out and hang signs.”

And so they gathered, representatives from each of the districts nominated their choices and the certificates were printed.

First to be so honoured was Kennebec’s Ronda Noble.

Noble came to Arden to retire in 2010 after being an office manager for a prominent law firm in Toronto that included Toronto’s current mayor.

“She’s very involved in the community, as secretary of the Legion, a member of the Heritage Festival committee, and the Friends of Arden steering committee,” said Coun. Tom Dewey. “She drives people to appointments in Perth, Napanee and Kingston.

“And she hates to lose at euchre.”

Mayor Smith presented Olden’s recipient, former Coun. John Purdon.

“John retired to his wife Maxine’s family home in 2001 after a successful career in the civil service,” Smith said. “He’s chair of the United Church fundraising committee, president of the Mountain Grove 51+ Club and is still on the Library Board.

“He plays euchre in Arden and is on the Arden Seniors Slow-pitch club where he has his own cheer.”

She said that since Purdon left Council, she’s had to read the agendas more carefully because Purdon was the one who caught typos, spelling mistakes and errors in arithmetic.

“Why I’m here today basically is because I volunteer,” Purdon said. “And why do I volunteer?

“My late wife knew a lot of people here and I knew nobody.

“She liked to volunteer and so I volunteered with her to get out and meet people.”

Coun. Bill MacDonald presented Oso’s joint honorees, Alvin and Diane Lake.

“Al’s lived in Sharbot Lake all his life and Diane’s been here for 44 years,” MacDonald said. “They are both Sharbot Lake High School grads.”

MacDonald said he remembers Alvin as a great coach of many teams as well as a driver for the Cancer Society and meals-on-wheels. Diane was a Girl Guides leader and active in the United Church.

“What I remember most is the Ice Storm,” he said. “I remember them feeding up to 200 people daily in the gym and making door-to-door checks.

“If there’s such a thing as a fabric of a community, these folks would be a big part of this one.”

“It’s all the community,” said Diane.

Coun. Phillip Smith and Dep. Mayor Brent Cameron jointly presented Hinchinbrooke’s honoree, musician Gord Struthers.

“Gord was born and raised in the Piccadilly area and is a unique individual,” said Cameron. “He was one of the originals at the Piccadilly Jam and never turned down a request to play whatever the cause or occasion.

“His gift is his music and he is putting together a historical and cultural record of songs on Facebook and YouTube.”

Cameron explained that Struthers couldn’t be in attendance for the ceremony because of being diagnosed in April with ALS — Lou Gehrig’s Disease. His daughter Sherry was there to accept the award on behalf of her father.

“Dad took a fall and it is heartbreaking for him to not be able to attend because he has such a gift for gab,” she said. “He spent countless hours picking, singing and yodelling and if people asked, he answered.

“This really means more to him than I could ever convey.”

“This is the 18th year South Frontenac has had volunteers of the year,” said master of ceremonies Mike Howe preceding Tuesday night’s regular Council meeting in Sydenham. “The first time, in June of 1999, it was a way to do something together as a township after amalgamation.

“Now there are 65 names on the wall.”

Coun. John McDougall introduced Judy Conway as one of four honorees on the evening.

“Retired from teaching and an educational assistant, Judy is very keen on the development and interest of students and due to her interaction with kids, they are always willing to help her out,” he said.

And through the years, she’s needed that help after joining the Verona Community Association in 2002. She made numerous contributions to the yearly festivals in Verona, including managing the waste management system during the Cattail Festival and Verona Car Show, reducing waste going to the local dump and providing public education about the benefits of recycling.

“That’s not a glamourous position,” McDougall said.

She’s also a director of the Verona Lions Club and in charge of maintaining the Hall kitchen.

“I share this (award) with every member of the community who has leant their hearts and hands to make our community a home,” Conway said.

Besides being a wife and mother of two and a nurse practitioner in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Kingston General Hospital, Lynn Newton has found the time to be president of the Frontenac Fury Girls’ Hockey Association for the past 10 years, said Coun. Ross Sutherland.

“She recently created a partnership with the Frontenac Flyers Minor Hockey Association to coordinate development opportunities for our entire hockey community, once again creating a support environment for young players to develop a love for hockey and embrace a healthy lifestyle,” he said.

“My husband and I have had many opportunities to move to larger centres,” Newton said. “But we much prefer to live here and pay it forward.”

Ruth Shannon has made numerous contributions to the agricultural community in South Frontenac, including fundraising for a fellow dairy farmer seriously injured in a farm accident and McKenna’s Dream, the project of a young cancer survivor aimed at helping families like her own through the difficulties of a life threatening disease, said Coun. Ron Sleeth.

“But it has been her volunteer contributions to the 4H program for 40 years that have been a constant in her life,” he said. “I know, because she’s my sister-in-law and many’s the Saturday morning where I’ve been at her house listening as she’s not only taught children to cook and sew, but also how to be responsible, and to help others to realize that few mistakes that are made that cannot be corrected if you only try.”

Shannon has filled many positions in 4h, including being on the executive at the regional and provincial levels and organizing the Annual Pork Barbecue.

Roseanne Gandl Black has been involved with the Frontenac Soccer Association since 2009, becoming the club’s treasurer in 2011.

“Her role as treasurer was only supposed to be two years but you know how these things can go in community organizations and she’s now in her 7th year as treasurer.”

Her role involves all aspects of such an organization’s finances but in soccer it also means assisting with parents and coaches questions, handing out jerseys and collecting equipment .“Rosanne is one of the first to volunteer when there is a need such as offering a short-term camp to create a more competitive soccer opportunity and has been instrumental in assisting with changing how team rosters are developed,” he said.

“I just want to encourage everyone that the next time someone asks for volunteers to raise their hand,” Gandl Black said.

Mayor Ron Vandewal thanked the volunteers for their contributions pointing out the Township motto “Our Strength is our Community.”

“Everywhere you look, somebody is making the community and workload easier for everybody,”

Phosphorus Levels

Victor Castro, a senior aquatic scientist from the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) out of Kingston, made a presentation to Council on Thursday on phosphorus and its effect on the area's water systems. He also provided direction on the best management practices for future development on lakes. Castro explained that phosphorus, and nutrient enrichment, are the primary water-quality concerns for Ontario's inland lakes. An increase in phosphorus can result in algae blooms in lakes as the nutrients stimulate the production of algae.

Phosphorus is found naturally in all aquatic eco-systems but can also come from surface runoff, upstream lakes, the agricultural industry, and atmospheric depositions such as rain, snow, or dust. Sewage treatment plants and septic tanks can also provide a significant source of phosphorous, although technology has improved dramatically in sewage treatment over the years, lessening the negative impact these systems can potentially have.

Castro also told Council that climate change, invasive species, and shoreline development are some of the other threats to Ontario lakes.

Removing trees along a shoreline, or building roads allows water run-off to occur more easily and this can increase phosphorus levels. Castro related this to the benefit that larger waterfront lots can have, because typically, landowners leave more of the shoreline in a natural state, which helps cut down on phosphorus getting into the water system.

Castro explained that a lake is considered vulnerable to water-quality issues if it has over 20 micrograms of phosphorus per litre of water and that the MOE has designed a model to map current water quality as well as predict future water conditions. He explained that they also use the model to predict the current amount of phosphorus in the lake. They then can confirm the model’s accuracy by testing the water and making sure the numbers are consistent. If a lake is under-capacity, as far as phosphorus levels go, the model can predict how much more development the lake can take before it becomes vulnerable.

“Mazinaw Lake,” Castro explained, “you could pound that lake with development and never see a change. You could develop that lake; you could put thousands of cottages on that lake and never see anything. … We've done capacity assessments on the most significant lakes in North Frontenac. We're the only jurisdiction in Canada that will set a limit and say that's enough (development).”

Castro explained a few different ways that a property can still be developed on a “capacity” lake. “If the tile bed of the septic system is set back greater than 300M to the waterline, or the property drains to a non-sensitive watershed, or the land is re-developed with no net increase of phosphorus levels.”

Private Roads Study

Joe Gallivan, the director of Planning and Economic Development for Frontenac County, presented his report on private roads to Council. The report was commissioned by County Council in 2015 after the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) put restrictions on new developments on private lanes across Ontario.

“The results of the study is that we now have the facts,” Gallivan said.

Gallivan spoke about the complexities of private lanes in Frontenac County. The shift to taxpayers becoming permanent residents instead of seasonal residents puts added stress on these roads.

Gallivan explained that of the 981 private lanes, or “cottage roads”, in Frontenac County, 189 of them exist in North Frontenac and that 95% of them lead to water. He also explained that North Frontenac has higher quality lanes than the other three townships in the County.

Gallivan said the study revealed 178 vacant waterfront lots in North Frontenac. He also said the study projects that they will have a need for 380 units over the next 20 years and so the current supply does not meet the projected demand. This included potentially creating over 30 units from infilling and extending some existing private lanes.

Gallivan suggested some potential policies for the township to develop including new private lane construction standards, infilling and extending existing lots, and even the township assuming responsibility over existing private lanes.

The private lanes study offers Gallivan and the County new data to fight the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing on the development restrictions they are trying to put in place. “We've done some analysis and the total assessment of the County is $5 billion,” Gallivan said back in February of 2015. “$2 billion of that is on private roads...[Development] means a lot to the financial stability of the townships.”

“The positions the ministry takes sometimes are blanket positions,” Gallivan explained. “They're applying it across the province the same way and that's just not right.”

“There are a number of things that are happening in Muskoka that might happen here,” Councilor John Inglis said. “Land prices are extremely high, the density on the lakes...It will happen if we don't take steps to prevent it. ..We are going to need help if we want to avoid this becoming a Muskoka.”

“The significant advantage that we have is the amount of Crown Land,” Gallivan said. “Almost 2/3 of the area is Crown Land. This area, relative to other areas like Peterborough and the Kawarthas and Muskoka, is different as it's still going to have that protected area.”

“How do you make sure that the Crown jewels that have lake development are protected?” Gallivan said “because it will be a very unique place 100 years from now if it's well done.”

Council to give $5000 honorarium to consultant

Council, in a recorded vote, decided on Thursday to pay Terry Gervais, a former Napanee Fire Chief, $5000 for mentoring work he did for the township. Gervais acted as a volunteer consultant to Eric Korhonen, the North Frontenac Fire Chief, while Korhonen prepared his Operational Review of the fire department recently.

“I don't feel this is proper,” Councilor Victor Hermer said. “I recall when Eric was hired, Terry Gervais volunteered his services and I specifically asked at the time 'what will this cost the township?' and he said 'absolutely nothing.’”

“I don't really know where this is coming from” Councilor Inglis said. “$5000 is a good amount of money. I'm kind of against it based on its lack of transparency.”

“The reason I put this together was I really appreciate the effort he put into this,” Mayor Ron Higgins said. “This is not being solicited by him. It was lots of travel, off-hour time, more of an appreciation of the volunteer work.”

In the recorded vote, councilors Hermer and Inglis voted against the $5000 and Councilor Gerry Martin, Deputy Mayor Fred Perry, and Mayor Higgins voted for it. The motion was carried.

Senior of the Year

“I do what I do because I like doing it,” Eileen Flieler.

Eileen Flieler was presented with the Senior Of The Year Award by Mayor Ron Higgins to a full house of family and friends at the June 30 council meeting in Plevna.

For the 18th time, Central Frontenac Township marked the month of June, seniors' month, by handing out certificates to Seniors of the Year from each of its four districts. With Mayor Frances Smith away in Northumberland County fulfilling some of her responsibilities as Frontenac County Warden, it fell to Deputy Mayor Bill MacDonald to preside over the ceremony.

MacDonald, who was the mayor of the township between 1998 and 2006, said, “It was always my favourite meeting of the year when we took the time to recognise people who contribute in so many ways to the fabric of our community, and it's an honour to step in for Frances this year.”

He then introduced Councilor Tom Dewey, who presented the first award to the winners from Kennebec District.

“It was impossible to acknowledge one person without recognising the other in this instance,” said Dewey in announcing the award winners, Judy and Terry Kennedy.

The Kennedys both were school principals in Toronto. They purchased some waterfront property on Kennebec Lake in the 1970s for $4,000 and eventually bought the adjacent property and house. They moved to Kennebec Lake when they retired in 2003. Terry has been the president of the Kennebec Lake Association for the past 11 years, and Judy hosts the annual Canada Day Flotilla barbeque for association members. They have both been active members in the Friends of Arden, a group founded by Dorothy Proctor, and were instrumental in the Arden sign installation, the development of the Matson Mile trail, and the annual Arden cleanup day. On a township level, Terry has been involved in developing a mandatory septic re-inspection program and a Safe Properties Bylaw. Judy also volunteers at Circle Square Ranch and is a member of the Kennebec Recreation Committee.

In receiving the award, Terry said, “I was tempted to decline when offered the award because I'm not big on awards, but Judy set me straight. It is important to be supportive of the township's efforts to support volunteers.”

Councilor Jamie Riddell then presented the award in Olden District to Arlene Uens. Before presenting the award, Riddell said that nine years ago, when he was out of work and Arlene was working as an employment officer with Northern Connections, “She really helped me get into my current career.

Arlene Uens is responsible for the flower gardens, signs, and murals that grace the Village of Mountain Grove, an effort that continues to develop year after year.

“It's a labour of love, digging in the village, and mostly I transplant flowers from my sister's garden, so she deserves a lot of the credit,” said Arlene. “All the communities in North and Central Frontenac are becoming more and more beautiful because more people are getting involved in this effort.”

Councilor Philip Smith introduced Colleen Steele, this year's winner from Hinchinbrooke ward.

“Everyone knows Colleen, since she worked at Goodfellow's store and the Foodland in Parham for all those years. She is also an elder in the United Church, and a supporter of the recreation committee, always running the canteen and preparing desserts. She does the Earth Day cleanup, runs the children's games at the Parham Fair, and I just found out she has been a member of the Oddfellows and Rebekahs for 46 years,” said Smith.

“ A true volunteer never looks for rewards or credits. They give so that everyone in community can benefit. I thank you for this recognition,” said Colleen.

The award for Oso District was given to Wayne Robinson, who was not available to receive it because he was away. Robinson was the founding director of North Frontenac Community Services, the founder of Pillar Financial, and has been involved in community projects for decades. Recently he has been working with Frontenac County on the completion of the K&P Trail.

“He is a contributor to any and every project going,” said Bill MacDonald.

Finally, a special award was handed out on behalf of the provincial government to Marcel Giroux, whose name had been forwarded by the township and was selected by the Government of Ontario.

Giroux has spent over 60 years in the township and was involved in the founding of the Frontenac Arena and St. James Catholic Church's building project, among numerous other ventures. He was also the chair of the 9-1-1 committee, the Kingston Frontenac Public Library Board, and other institutions.

Before the awards were given out, the Arden Glee Club entertained the winners and their families with a 20- minute concert. The ceremony was followed by refreshments prepared by township staff.