There are a few things about the Verona Car Show that set it apart from other car shows.

One of them is the variety of activities the Verona show offers for the entire family. Aside from up to 300 vintage cars, it includes performances by Elvis impersonator Berry Chumley and country star Jaydee Bixby, a Kidz Zone, a craft show in the Lion’s Hall, and the Lion’s canteen featuring both breakfast and lunch, among other attractions for the entire family.

Last year after running in conjunction with the Cattail Festival for 20 years, the car show was launched as a stand alone event, and thanks in part to a prize package for participating vintage car owners that includes a trip to Las Vegas and tickets to Barrett Jackson, the world’s largest vintage car auction, the show drew over 250 cars and attracted a large, appreciative audience to the Lion’s Park and Hall on Verona Sand Road.

This year there is more, including something that local mover and shaker Linda Bates has been trying to attract to Verona for a long time, a Pinty’s NASCAR Series Black #43 race ready car. The car will be on show with a specially designed trailer from NASCAR and audience members will be able to look under the hood. Show organiser John Nizman said that it is very difficult to get a NASCAR race ready car to a show, and it is a tribute to Linda Bates tenacity and the car show’s success that the car will be one of the features of this year’s show.

“The closest location where you can see a real NASCAR car this year is Oshawa. There is no other one between Cornwall and Toronto except in Verona,” he said. “When we went to them last year with our plans, they wanted to see if we could draw enough vintage cars and enough of an audience, and when we did, that they came through for us this year.

In addition to NASCAR joining the car show, the OPP will be involved this year in a bigger way. Roop Sandhu from the Frontenac detachment was on hand last year with his modern cruiser and was talking about community policing, and he will be back this year, but so will a 1987 vintage OPP Classic Car 7-500 cruiser, on loan from the OPP museum in Orillia. It will be an opportunity to see not only how the style of vehicles has changed over 30 year but the technology of police cars as well.

South Frontenac Fire and Rescue will also be at the show, demonstrating how they use the Jaws of Life to extricate car crash victims.

Bry the Magic Guy will be in among the crowd doing sleight of hand tricks again this year, and new feature is local Rob Fenwick, who will be doing drone demonstrations. Last year Rob used one of his drones to take overhead pictures of the car show, and this year he will be doing demonstrations.

The summer craft show in the Lion’s Hall has been fully subscribed by local artisans. The Kidz Zone will keep the little ones busy with face painting, balloon animals and rides on the Verona Racers as well as Mini Putt and Kub Car making – all unlimited with the purchase of a $5 armband – the only fee that is charged at the show, which is free to the public, is parking. There will be donation jars at the show as well.

There will be 18 classes with trophies awarded including Production and Modified Car and Truck classes as well as Special Interest Vehicles, Foreign Vehicles, People’s Choice, Best in Show and Kids’ Pick. And don’t forget the 50/50 draw. Last year the winner took home $940.

All proceeds from this event go back into the local community through Verona Community Association (VCA) sponsored events and programs. Some examples of such programs are Christmas in the Village, K&P Trailhead Project, Flower Barrel Contest and maintenance of our village signs and kiosk. Visit veronacarshow.com or Like us on Facebook for more information.

The Verona Car show runs this Sunday, August 13 from 8am-3pm at the Verona Lions Hall – 4504 Verona Sand Rd.

Free Admission for Spectators. $10/car registered The Verona Community Association is hosting the 22nd Annual Verona Car Show.  

Last Saturday, SLCC competitive paddlers, Sydney Hausen, Madelaine Wood, Grace Swinton, Clare Swinton(left to right), of the Sydenham Lake Canoe Club, competed in the Annual Carleton Place Regatta to place fourth in their Girls U15 K4 event. Twins, Mathieu & Nicholas Symons came 1st in their K2 U15 Boys event.

Youthful, yet up and coming paddlers Kiera Wilson, Charlotte Wilson, Isaac Merchant, and Parker Friendship stayed afloat and proudly came 8th in their Mixed U11 K4 event. There was no bickering to be heard from any of these boats as they knew that they must work together to succeed. The ten young paddlers, who competed in the event, will have an opportunity to put their team spirit to the test in the final U15 competitive event of the season held on their own home turf.

Sydenham will be hosting the Eastern Ontario U15 Championship Regatta on Saturday, August 19th. The Regatta should prove to be an exciting event with over 100 paddlers and their families coming to Sydenham to compete in multiple canoe and kayaking events. Sydenham’s nationally sanctioned regatta course is highly regarded in the paddling community for its fine water quality and line of sight visibility. Since Sydenham didn’t host a regatta last summer, out of town paddlers will have their first opportunity to enjoy the newly restored Point facilities and accessible pathways. 

Now in its twentieth year, the Sydenham Lake Canoe Club is an established part of the region’s sprint racing canoe kayak tradition producing a number of notable paddlers despite its small size. Sydenham kayaker and Team Ontario member, Genevieve L’Abbe recently qualified for the Canada Summer Games that take place in Winnipeg during the first week of August. She is following in the footsteps of canoeist Natasha Ostopovich who qualified for the Games as a part of Team Ontario in 2005.

Along with the competitive and lesson program, SLCC offers a Canoe Kids Day Camp. The camp follows the progression outlined by Canoe Kayak Canada’s Canoe Kids program. Paddlers earn bronze, silver and gold awards of achievement on completion. Any U15 paddler who has registered for a week of the Canoe Kids Camp or Lessons over the 2017 summer season is eligible to compete in the Sydenham EOD Regatta.

Program registration is ongoing throughout the summer, so it is never too late to sign your children up. For more information, please go to www.sydenhamlakecanoeclub.com .

MPP Randy Hillier was on hand, along with Mayor Vandewal and Mike Howe, Chair of the SF Recreation Committee, for the celebration of the revitalization of The Point in Sydenham. Hillier represented the Provincial Government’s role in providing a $77,000 Canada 150 grant, which the Township matched.

Howe praised Tim LaPrade, the Township’s Recreation Director for his quick action in applying for the grant.

Vandewal also recognized the Lions’ gift of money for benches, KFL&A Health Unit’s new water bottle filling station and the attractive new bike stands designed and welded by SHS students. 

Neil Allen, chair of the township’s Accessibility Advisory Committee, confirmed that all the improved facilities at the park are fully accessible.

Several members of the Sydenham and District Women’s Institute sat in the seats of honour; without the foresight of this group there would be no public access to Sydenham Lake today.

In 1947, when the former Mace’s Point and traditional village swimming hole on McCallum’s farm came up for sale, members of the WI and the now long-defunct Sydenham Board of Trade put up money from their own pockets to place an option on the property. (It took until 1955 and an uncounted number of bake sales to finally pay off these personal loans.)

In 1971 the Township accepted ownership of the property from the WI which had named it Loughborough Memorial and Recreation Centre, as a living memorial in perpetuity to local men who died in the wars. The official name remains, although old habits die hard, and the area is still affectionately nick-named “The Point”.

Keeley road Break-in For the second time this year there has been a break-in and theft of Township property at the Keeley Road Public Works department, according to South Frontenac Public Works Manager Mark Segsworth. Until recently, there has been no need for a security system at the site, says Segsworth, “But unless someone comes forward with information, it may now be a necessity.”

No time wasted – fire hall ground breaking tomorrow Just a week after giving final approval to the project, South Frontenac Township will be holding an official ground breaking ceremony for thenew Station # 6, Perth Road Fire Hall on Friday July 28 at 10:00. The location of the New Hall (and Ground breaking) will be on the West Side of Perth Road north of Wilmer Road but South of Perth Road Crescent.

Those to be in attendance include Mayor Vandewal, Councillors, the Contractor Bill Anglin, the Architect Ron Awde, Fire fighters, and staff. On Tuesday July 18 Council approved the construction of a new fire hall. The contract is for $1,465,569 and construction is anticipated to be complete in spring 2018.

“This is where your tax money goes to,” said North Frontenac Mayor Ron Higgins at the 2017 Essential Services Fair last Saturday at the Ompah Rest Stop.

The idea was to get representatives of the various essential services in one place — police, fire, conservation authorities, public health, community services, etc — to show the public what they do.

“This has been an awareness raiser for me,” Higgins, who used to be a volunteer firefighter. “You know we’ve been trained in disaster management but we’ve never really practised with an exercise.

“I think we should schedule one.” 

Coun. Gerry Martin, chair of the personnel and audit committee, organized the event.

“I almost panicked this morning because some guys were a little slow on our crooked roads up here and there were almost a few no-shows,” Martin joked. “(But) there has been a steady flow of people through here and it’s mostly for education purposes but I think people will see where their tax dollars go.”

“This is a unique opportunity to display our capabilities,” said Director of Emergency Services/Fire Chief Eric Korhonen. “All three stations are participating and we even have a contingent from South Frontenac.”

There was also a bit of PR and recruitment on Korhonen’s mind.

“We are taking applications today,” he said. “We can always use more community support and I’d love for more individuals to apply to become members of the fire department.”

Coun. John Inglis was also in attendance but couldn’t stay long. He was engaged in the Ompah Community Centre Association elections taking place across the street.

“I pay $1 a year and I get to vote,” Inglis said. “It’s very exciting this year because we have four people running for three positions.

“That hasn’t happened for the past two years.”

For the record, Rick Morey, Betty Kelford and Elaine Moffitt won seats on the executive and will be joining Rob Harris and Stacey Couture.

Arden Artisans is Judith Versavel’s paintings and one-of-a-kind jewelry, Joanne Pickett’s pottery and Sarah Hale’s batik art. But for the past couple of years, they’ve added a group show and tea room at the Kennebec Centre. All together, it makes for a rather busy day in Arden with a lot more traffic than your typical Saturday.

“It’s a really good day,” said Versavel, whose Gallery on the Bay witnessed a steady stream of visitors through its doors. “This is just a fun day and it’s really crowded down at the community centre.”

Versavel is the relative newcomer to the Arden art scene, having been in business for 10 years. Pickett has been operating for 38 years and Hale for 39.

This year, Versavel had the rustic furniture of James Hanley line the walk to her studio.

“I really like meeting the people,” she said. “And reconnecting with others. “I like telling the stories behind the paintings and work that I’ve done.

“It’s a lot of work (getting ready for the day) but it’s something to work towards.”

Versavel has an extensive arts background including working for Harrowsmith Magazine and various other stints as art director but this is something she’s always wanted to do.

“I’ve always wanted to have my own gallery,” she said. “But the big thing for me is talking to the people.”

Pickett agreed that that inclusion of the show at the community centre has been a draw.

“It’s a busy day, but it was last year too,” she said. “There are more artists at the hall and the blueberry tea is a big draw as well.”

At 1:30 p.m., Pickett still hadn’t had breakfast.

“No, I haven’t had breakfast yet,” she said. “But somebody did bring me some blueberry cake from the hall.”

Like all event organizers, the committee for the Sydenham Lakes and Trails Festival were hoping for a nice day and a good turnout.

Well, as it turned out, they got a beautiful day and a turnout that exceeded their expectation, so much so they ran out of ice cream, hot dogs and burgers and had to send out for more. They even ran out of registration forms.

“We had 150 people registered by 11 a.m.,” said Ross Sutherland. “It’s been steady ever since.

“We had to get 150 more forms printed up and we registered some people on slips of paper.”

It was a busy day down at The Point on Saturday.

The idea was to show off the lakes and trails in the area along with a guided tour of historic Sydenham.

The day featured a “Paddle” around the lake with the Kingston Dragon Boat Club, the Cataraqui Canoe Club or just paddling around on your own. Kayaks and/or canoes were provided by the Sydenham Canoe Clubbut a lot of people brought their own.

Then there was a cycling event around the lake (a 21k loop) or for the more adventurous, 32k and 44k guided loops.

Organizers estimated there were at least 50 cyclists involved and the Think First Foundation put on a bicycle safety, skills course, bike repair and helmet fitting clinic.

As well, the library had a number of oversized games and there were several booths and displays.

“I hope this will become an annual event,” said Sutherland. “The weather cooperated — which this year is a ‘miracle.’

“But it showed that people in South Frontenac like to get outdoors when they can.”

An historical walking tour of Sydenham Village was part of the program at Saturday’s Lakes and Trails Festival. It offered a quiet but fascinating change of pace from the variety of paddling and cycling-related events, which drew the majority of the day’s participants.

Like several of its neighbours, Sydenham village had been an important and busy centre from the mid-1800’s all the way into the 1930s and ’40s. But over the years, many of the one-time landmark buildings have burned, been torn down, or, like the high school, lost the features that once distinguished them. The stories, however, remain; passed down, retold, some in danger of being forgotten, others still just whispers, too fresh to be told yet.

The tour was based on an illustrated booklet published several years ago by Ginny Trousdale and Wilma Kenny, written by Kenny.

Participants were provided with a map outlining a walk through the village with storytelling stations where four local storytellers, Peter Hamilton, Joanne Ankers, Christine Kennedy and Ginny Trousdale, entertained the walkers with stories and pictures about the village’s past.

Joanne and Ginny both wore dresses made by Lorraine Lobb of Sydenham in the style of 150 years ago. Christine was in period costume of her own creation, including her grandmother’s apron and a splendidly decorated hat. All four have real theatrical talent and distinctive personalities: their performances were funny, individual and polished. Approximately 40 people of all ages took the tour, and from their comments, had fun and felt they had learned a lot, too.

2nd annual Harrowsmith Car Show is set for this Sunday (July 23) at Centennial Park.

It will feature 150 to 200 cars in 10 -12 catregories. Vehicles from 20’s and 30’s all the way on up to more recent models will be on display. Those interested in showing can register in advance by call the show organizer, Larry Teal at  613-374-2489. It costs $5 per car and there are dash and trophy plaques available at this event.

It is free to the public (a donation jar will be set up) and onsite catering is being provided by Kelly Foods of Kingston.

It was a beautiful Sunday morning in Sharbot Lake when a crowd gathered at Oso Beach for the first ever Ecumenical Service.

For those unfamiliar with the term, ecumenical refers to the efforts by Christians of different church traditions do develop closer relationships and better undertandings.

The area churches cancelled services in their own facilities for the event.

“It’s an opportunity to put aside our different doctrines and come together,” said Rev. Mark Hudson of the Sharbot Lake Pentecostal Church. “It’s encouraging for me to see all of the ministers come together and in the case where the minister couldn’t make it, seeing lay people step up.”

In fact, Hudson said, it was a couple of lay people who more or less planted the seeds for this to happen.

“I’d like to take credit,” he said with a grin. “But I believe it was actually Richard and Lois Webster who came up with the original idea.”

Hudson called the event a “Unity Service” and although it’s not the first time area churches have held joint events, they’ve never done anything on this grand a scale before.

“We’ve done some things at Christmas (and Easter),” he said. “But on such a scale as this.

“And what a great turnout.”

It was indeed a good turnout, rivalling the crowd at the previous day’s Canada Day. It was a Canada 150 event as well.

Hudson said it was also a way to “pool resources” with ministers and lay people from six churches sharing ministerial duties.

For example, Hudson gave the welcome and opening prayer/scripture reading. Father Johnathon Askwith did the offering (which went to the food bank) and Prayers of the People. Pastor Debbie Hudson did a solo. Pastor Ken Walton gave a message.

There were also significant contributions from several lay people.

Pam Giroux read the children’s story of Noah’s Ark. Ina Turner and Roseanna Redmond sang Great is Thy Faithfulness. Sharon MacDonald read Ephesians 4:1-6, 13. Angelo Dicintio read John 17:20-26. Gilbert Whan did the closing prayer and Turner sang Blessing.

The morning concluded with The Apostles Creed.

“It would be nice to have this again,” Hudson said. “I know a lot of people like it.”

Pat Evans lives in the village of Portland in North Leeds. She has Parkinson's disease and is an advocate for services and patient support groups in North Leeds and Lanark, and now Frontenac, Counties. She is one of the organisers of a SuperWalk fund raising event in Perth this coming September.

A volunteer with Parkinson Canada, she is reaching out to residents of Frontenac County because she has learned since moving to Portland a number of years ago Parkinson sufferers in rural communities face the challenge of isolation as they struggle with the disease.

“When I moved to Portland from Toronto I found there were main advantages to living in the country. Clean air, a better pace of life, and more, but access to services for Parkinson's is more difficult and rural isolation is a major issue,” she said when she visited the Frontenac News offices last month for an interview.

To combat isolation and help provide the kind of information people living with Parkinson’s require in order to live a good life while coping with the disease, Pat got involved with the support group in Perth, which meets monthly. The support group enables people to talk about what they face each day with others who are facing similar issues, and are open to care partners, friends and family as well.

Margaux Wolfe, who works for Parkinson Canada out of Ottawa, said “there are 22 support groups in Eastern Ontario, including one in Kingston. They are generally open to people living with Parkinson’s and care partners, friends and family. They are a safe place for people to  gather information, share daily challenges.  Groups also bring in guest speakers who come in to educate people living with Parkinson’s.

“It is also about hope,” said Pat Evans. “Our people are determined to do better and to feel better, and to gain strength. The support group is really, really important for that.”

Parkinson Canada describes Parkinson's Disease as a “chronic, degenerative brain disease, resulting from the loss of dopamine producing neurons. Dopamine controls a person’s motor functions (voluntary movements) such as walking, speech and handwriting. It also affects non-motor functions such as mood, attention and sleep. When the dopamine producing cells die, Parkinson symptoms appear.”

Parkinson's affects about 100,000 Canadians, and about 7 million people worldwide from all ethnic backgrounds. Since the average age of onset is 60, the number of sufferers is set to rise in the coming years, particularly in Eastern Ontario where the population is older than the rest of the country.

“The number of people who will be diagnosed with Parkinson’s in Canada will double over the next 20 years,” said Alan Muir, of the Ottawa office of Parkinson Canada. “There are four pillars to what we do at Parkinson Canada, we fund research, provide support services,  education, and assist with advocacy efforts.”

The rate at which Parkinson’s progresses, as well as the symptoms people experience is unique to each individual, and individuals react in different ways to treatment as well.

There are a broad range of symptoms including: tremors or shaking, slowness in movement, muscle stiffness, balance problems, drooling, soft speech, stooped posture, sleep disturbances, changes in cognition, depression, change in ability to taste and smell, and hallucinations.

As part of the advocacy work that Parkinson Canada does, they have been advocating to the Local Health Integration Network for Southeast Ontario for more movement disorder specialists in local communities. There are a couple in Kingston, and efforts to bring one to Almonte and Carleton Place and through the Perth Hospital are ongoing.

Pat Evans is also working with a committee to bring the first Super Walk fund raiser to Conlon Farms in Perth on Saturday, September 9 at 9:30am. Information about the walk is available at donate.parkinson.ca/lanarknorthleeds or parkinsonsuperwalk.ca.

A walk is also scheduled for Kingston on the same day at 11am at Lake Ontario Park. To register or donate to the Kingston walk go to parkinsonsuperwalk.ca.

For information about the monthly support group in Perth contact Margaux Wolfe, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 1-800-565-3000 ext.3425
For information about the monthly support group in Kingston contact Diane Newman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 1-800-565-300 ext. 3315