In an effort to reach out to parents and their young children in their catchment area, staff of Northern Frontenac Community Services (NFCS) celebrated the United Way's Success by Six week by organizing a special event at the Harrowsmith Free Methodist Church on May 7.

 The Success by Six campaign promotes the idea of making moments matter between young parents and their children by encouraging healthy, fun and creative interaction between them. NFCS staff, who have received grants from the United Way in the past, organized the event, which was called "Fun with Fairy Tales".

Volunteers Katie Scott, Shelly Sayle-Udall (from Pathways), Zoe Ferland and NFCS staff member Max McLean charmed children by coming dressed as popular fairy tale characters. They were decked out respectively as Snow White, Pooh Bear from Winnie the Pooh, Belle from Beauty and the Beast and Captain Hook from Peter Pan. The volunteers interacted with children at a number of different stations set up in the room.

Children had a chance to make their own hooks with Captain Hook, enjoyed a tea party with Belle, made gingerbread men with Pooh and made apple prints with Snow White. Local musician Glenda Nicol came in to entertain the children with live music and staff also read fairy tales to the assembled group.

Maribeth Scott, who is the manager of NFCS, said she decided to hold the event in Harrowsmith this year to give an opportunity to young families in the south part of their catchment area. Staff also offered free transportation to families from the north who wished to attend. Children and their families enjoyed the event and many youngsters came dressed as some of their own favorite fairy tale characters, which made for a very colorful and cute event for all.

Regular vendors at the Frontenac Farmers Market (FFM) braved a cold and rainy season opener on May 3 at their new Saturday location. The FFM has moved from its long time location at the Verona Lions Hall to the parking lot of Prince Charles Public School in Verona, where it will be holding its regular market from 9am-1pm on Saturdays.

In addition, the market has expanded to include a regular Friday afternoon market that will be held from 3 – 7pm beginning May 16 in Harrowsmith at the junction where the K&P Trail meets Road 38 just south of the village. The moves have been made in an effort to increase attendance by making the market more visible to passing traffic, and the additional Friday afternoon slot hopes to attract weekend traffic as cottagers and tourists head north on Road 38 to lake country.

Debbie Harris, who is the treasurer/manager of the market and also a vendor, hopes the changes will make a difference in the number of visitors who attend. “The short 45 second drive that it takes from Road 38 to the Lions hall is not the real issue; it is more an issue of visibility to local traffic, which we are hoping to benefit from,” Harris said.

Road 38 is a busy corridor, especially in the warm weather months when cottagers and tourists use the road to access cottages and other weekend destinations in the area and further north. The Friday market, according to Harris, will be the only one in existence in the local area.

Many of the market’s usual vendors were in attendance at Saturday's opener including Haanover Farms who sell ecologically raised pork; Tuckamore Farms and Casey’s Cookies who sell seedlings, produce, and home made pet treats; Melody, the Tye Dye lady with her tie-dyed apparel; newcomer Pat and Kate Joslin of Bear Root Farm in Verona who sell seedlings and produce; and Judy of Judy's Jams Jellies and Jarfuls. Also on hand was Middle eastern cuisine from Memories of Alexandria, knitted items from Gina's Warm and Woolies, cards and butter tarts by Sharron Sole, and produce and meats from Sands Produce and Rock Ledge Farms. Interested vendors and shoppers can find out more information about the market and its vendors by visiting www.frontenacfarmersmarket.ca. While Harris said that certain aspects of the old location will be missed, (especially the Lions' breakfasts), she is hopeful that the move and the addition of the Friday market will increase attendance for the 2014 season. The Saturday market in Verona will run from May 3 to October 25 and the Friday market in Harrowsmith from May 16 to August 29.