By Sonja Alcock (referenced from Wikipedia)

 

It all really started during WWII in England during the “Blitz”, the bombing of the UK by German forces, which destroyed the homes of many people. Therefore they were unable to cook meals on their own. A group of ladies from the Women’s Volunteer Service (WVS) provided and delivered food for those who were unable to provide for themselves. The name “Meals on Wheels” came about by the WVS bringing meals to servicemen.

 

The first home delivery during the war was made in Hertfordshire, England in 1943!! Baby prams were “the wheels” and straw bales or felt hats were used to keep the meals warm during delivery. Eventually the news of what the WVS ladies' “Meals on Wheels” program spread around the world. The program began in Australia in 1952 where the meals were delivered via a tricycle by one lady, until the Red Cross stepped in to help.

 

In 1954 the first home-delivered meal began in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Here most of the volunteers were teens and they were given the nickname “Platter Angels”. These teens would cook, pack and deliver the meals to elderly and disabled people in their town.

 

Eventually it spread across the nation so the organization, “Meals on Wheels Association of America” was established.

 

In 1963, 20 years after the war, seniors in Brampton, Ontario were the first to receive their meals in Canada!! Brampton Meals on Wheels started with delivering six meals a day!!

 

Seventy-one years later the delivery of meals is completely different, but the concept is still the same. Meals, either hot or frozen are prepared by volunteers and delivered to shut ins, seniors, and disabled people all across the land. The program has gone from delivering meals by prams and tricycles to cars; from keeping the food warm by using straw bales to modern containers that keep the food fresh and hot in one, or cool and frozen in another.

 

It has gone from just providing meals to providing companionship as well. Often the only person a senior may see for that day is the one who is delivering them a meal. Depending on the program, some volunteers are paid to drive, but most is done by volunteers. Within each volunteer is a heart for the person to whom they are delivering the meal. They are often the ears and eyes that check on the health and safety of each client, so it goes deeper than just providing a meal; it’s also about providing friendship, support, and care.

 

Here in the Land O’ Lakes area, Land O’ Lakes Community Services is one of those caring providers who have been running the Meals on Wheels program ever since 1997. There are 20 volunteers, from cooks, to drivers providing between 40 to 50 meals per week for about 36 to 40 seniors in our area. (This data will vary from week to week).

 

And to add to our little history lesson about Meals on Wheels, it goes in a full circle. When it first started during the second war, meals were delivered to servicemen. Today one of our delivery volunteers is a retired serviceman!! So when he comes to your door give him a hug for his service to our country, and to our community.

 

If you are interested in getting Meals On Wheels for yourself or a family member please do not hesitate to call Marlene Dacuk at Land O’ Lakes Community Services at 613-336-8934 ext 233; by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The service is for seniors 55 and over, persons recovering from illness, surgery or with physical disabilities. Clients can order a hot meal that is delivered every Thursday. Meals in the south are prepared at Barrie Hall or Kaladar hall by volunteer cooks. The cost is $6 - Northbrook, Cloyne, Flinton, Kaladar, Denbigh

 

 

 

BY J.J. (Red) Emond

As ordered, the sun shone, people brushed off their old clubs, corn was husked, the barbeque was lit and the game was on for the first Land O' Lakes Lions' Charity Golf Tournament. The event took place at Hunters Creek Golf Course where staff readied the grounds, welcomed competitors, supplied all with great food and beverages for what proved to be better than expected tournament. Adding to the excitement was the fine music provided free by John Fradenburgh of Spill the Beanz along with Clarence Berube and Chris Whiteman. The beat was such that normally painful hips were swinging and dancing to the sound of old time favourites.

This event could not have been successful without the generosity of merchants and people living in and out of the area. Games such as putting, chipping and bean bag throwing added to our revenue. Some winners even returned their winnings to help boost our profits over our financial goal of $1,500. That goal was exceed by $363 and will further be increased once we auction off the few gifts that didn't get claimed.

This tournament was put together quite rapidly to help the Cloyne food bank meet its ever increasing needs. We heard they were desperate, and the community jumped in. The committee elected to forgo giving prizes to the lowest score tournament winners so that cash could be added to revenue. Instead, their names would be published nation-wide. Hence, the foursome led by very capable Heather Machan and assisted by Lois Emond, Bruce Cooke and Dan Myers provided distance and accuracy to card a respectable tournament record of 3 under par. Their names will be inscribed on our yet to be designed golf trophy.

Folks, we were touched by the generosity of all who helped us put this together. You may think you played a very small part; but believe us, that's what is expected from people of such small communities. Together we can make a difference. In this case, you are helping feed the less fortunate and for this we say: Thank You.

Renovations are usually not much fun but for Reverend Judith Evenden of Land O’Lakes Emmanuel United Church, designing and renovating what will be a brand new church is a dream come true.

In 2009, the Harlowe, Cloyne and Riverside Flinton United churches amalgamated and became the Land O’Lakes Emmanuel congregation. In 2011 the members made the decision to sell their three churches (and one manse) and begin the search for a new place of worship.

Evenden said that it was accessibility issues and/or lack of washroom facilities at the three churches that led to the decision to find a new place of worship. “The congregation came at that time to a place of knowing that if everyone let go of their churches and grieved that loss, we could then move forward and start fresh with a new vision and a new sense of coming together.”

Following the sale of the Cloyne United Church in October 2011, the last of the properties to be sold, the task group appointed with the job of finding a new facility decided on the criteria that needed to be met. They wanted a centrally located, accessible, and multi-purpose facility to be purchased outright so that the church would not have to go into debt.

That goal was reached in November 2013 when a three-bedroom bungalow with a three-car garage in Northbrook, which was built 10 years ago by Sandor and Eleanore Kaltner, was purchased. The building is located on a 23-acre parcel of land and is slowly being transformed into the new church facility that Evenden believes will meet all of the needs of the congregation while also serving the community.

The architect working on the project is Bruce Downey of Kingston with local contractor Mike Cumming. The 2900 square foot main floor, which incorporates the former garage space. is wheelchair accessible and boasts a 1600 square foot sanctuary. “The worship space is bigger than any we have had in the past and the plan is to make it completely flexible with no permanent furniture so that we can use it for worship but also for weddings, funerals, yoga, movie nights and other community events,” Evenden said earlier this week.

Also on the main floor are a servery/ kitchen area, three washrooms, a meeting room, main office and the minister’s study. In the main vestibule will hang a panting by Don Wise titled “Church Street”, which depicts the five churches in the former pastoral charge. A verandah that stretches across the entire front of the building will be a place for visiting and Evenden hopes to be able to have numerous walking trails on site. There are also plans that the indoor elevator on site will also be upgraded as well. Some of the old furnishings from the former churches will grace the new building, including the three crosses from the church's sanctuaries, the pulpit from Cloyne, communion tables from Harlowe and Cloyne, the organ from Harlowe, and the piano from Riverside Flinton. Many of the smaller worship symbols were also kept and will be used at the new church. “The aim is to create a safe, beautiful place where people can gather and be in the midst of nature. What we can do here is only limited by our available finances and by people's imaginations.”

The renovations have not come without challenges since as a space of public assembly the building must meet specific health, fire and building codes. “I think people are wondering what is taking so long but a lot has to be done to make sure that everything is done properly and up to code.” While most of the major construction work has been done, the drywall and finishing touches still need to be completed. Much of the work being done and the materials have been donated by members of the congregation and the community. Evenden hopes that the community will also use the space and with that in mind is inviting members of the community at large who support the values of the church to consider donating to the cost of the renovations. Those interested can contact Rev. Judith Evenden at 613-336-2655 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Evenden is hoping that the project will completed by October. “Personally I'd love us to be in here for the World Wide Communion Sunday that takes place the first week in October.” Until that time worship will continue at the Lions Hall in Northbrook on Sundays at 10am.

At the Land O' Lakes Community Services’ annual general meeting on June 16, which was held at the Lions hall in Northbrook, three persons were unanimously elected to the organization’s new board of directors.

Carl Gray, who was born and raised in Harlowe, practiced as head OR nurse at Hotel Dieu in Kingston before returning to school at Dalhousie University in Halifax to complete his degree. He then worked in Thunder Bay first as a clinical instructor in the OR, then later in the education sector at Confederation College as coordinator and chair of the nursing program there. Gray worked for 10 years at Algonquin College in Ottawa as the coordinator for practical nursing. He has been a board member, has chaired boards and has worked as a volunteer in numerous capacities. Most recently, up until his retirement, he was the Ontario representative for all of the practical nursing programs in the province for the Canadian Association of Practical Nurse Educators. He currently lives on Massasagagon Lake with his partner, with whom he runs a shop on Highway 41 called Schoolhouse of Treasures.

Anne Marie Langan, who lives in Mountain Grove with her husband and children, is a practicing lawyer who works at the local legal aid clinic. The clinic was formerly known as Rural Legal Services and was renamed the Legal Clinic in April this year after merging with similar services offered in Lanark County. Langan works once a week at the clinic’s satellite office in the LOLCS office in Cloyne. She also has a degree in Theology. She worked as a social worker in homeless shelters across the country before returning to school to study law at Queens Law School. She operated her own law office in Sharbot Lake before going to work at the Legal Aid Clinic.

Helen Welburn, who served last year as the appointed member of the board, grew up in northern Quebec and in Arden where her mother’s side of the family (the Pringles) were long-time Kennebec residents. She has two children and six grandchildren. Her husband passed away in 2000 and she has since remarried and moved back to the community. She has been part of the local swim committee in the area and said she understands that the LOLCS requires a strong board in order to provide the guidance and respect necessary to properly serve people in the community.

Regarding other business on the agenda, Ernest Lapchinski raised his concerns, citing “tensions over the last two years” because of the change of holding the LOLCS' regular monthly drop ins in Flinton instead of at the Northbrook Lions Hall, where they were formerly held. Lapchinski put forth a motion asking that the regular meetings return to the Lions Hall as a “complimentary support for the Northbrook Lions Club.” After much discussion about whether the board or LOLCS staff should make that decision, one member pointed out that when the former change of location was made, it was done by the board and not the staff though the staff offered their recommendations. In the end Lapchinski's original motion was amended to state that the issue be referred to the board to make a final decision, after which the motion was passed.

The guest speaker at the AGM was Derek Maschke, director of Milestone Funeral Center. He gave a presentation titled “Looking Ahead”, which informed individuals and families of how best to plan ahead for a funeral.

 

Feature article, July 14, 2005

Feature article July 14, 2005

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Northbrook Ambulance station gets official opening

by Jeff Green

The ambulance base has been occupied by paramedics since July of last year, but with the opening of a brand new base in Napanee last week, Lennox and Addington County Officials decided to have an opening in Northbrook as well.

There is an ambulance stationed in Northbrook, with two paramedics to staff it, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but that doesnt mean they are always at Airport road in Northbrook. The Lennox and Addington ambulance service is an integrated service, and when one rural ambulance gets a call, other ambulances are moved to strategic locations to cover more territory.

So, the Northbrook ambulance is often located up Highway 41 towards Denbigh, or south at Erinsville. There are even times when the Northbrook ambulance is called upon to cover for Frontenac County and moves to a location near Arden, or over to Hastings County to cover territory to the west.

George Mapp is one of 23 paramedics who maintain two 24-hour ambulances at the Denbigh and Norhtbrook stations. He says people dont always realise that an ambulance from Northbrook could end up quite far a-field.

If this ambulance from Northbrook happens to be sent to Kingston to transfer a patient, and is just starting back when a call comes from Kingston and it is the closes one to the scene, it will be dispatched to the scene. When the call comes, we go.

Laura Barnett is a relatively new member of the Northbrook team. She says that in the few months shes been working, shes delivered patients to Renfrew, Belleville and Perth, as well as Napanee and Kingston.

Along with ambulances, there is a helipad at Pine Meadow Nursing Home, which is a stones throw from the Northbrook base, for more grave situations.

Obviously when people are located in more remote areas, we cant offer the response times like they can offer in cities; but we do a good job for a rural service, says George Mapp. I got a call a while back from the end of the Hughes Landing road over on Sheldrake Lake. It was 26 minutes from Highway 41, so there was no way we could get there is 13 minutes, but we do the best we can.

Mapp is also licensed to deliver six drug therapies, including nitroglycerin (cardiac) glucacin and glucacell (diabetes), ventolin (lungs), Epiphinephren (allergic reactions, and ASA.

The Northbrook crew uses one of the larger ambulances, which has two stretchers and two extra seats, so it can do multiple transfers.

We cannot transfer two code 4 (the most serious cases) at one time by provincial regulations, but we can do a code 4 and a code 3 transfer, Mapp said.

The ambulance service also works hand in glove with the volunteer firefighters and the OPP.

Firefighters that are trained for emergency medical service are great in accident and fire situations, said Laura Barnett, You can imagine how hard it is to do CPR non-stop for an hour.

Also available from the Northbrook base is an Emergency Vehicle staffed by the base supervisor, who generally works weekdays. The Emergency Vehicle can go out to calls and stabilize patients while waiting for the ambulance to arrive to take them to hospital.

The Northbrook ambulance base was previously located on Highway 41 between Northbrook and Flinton, and there was more drive in traffic at that location than on Airport Road, but people are welcome to come to the new base. Its still best to phone 911 however, because the paramedics are not always stationed at the base.

Feature Article - April 20, 2006

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Feature Article - April 20, 2006

Bethel celebrates 72 years

Between April 30 and May 28, Bethel Pentecostal Church in Kaladar is hosting special events both in their Sunday morning and evening services. The month long event begins with Jews forJesus doing a ‘Christ in the Passover’ service at 10:30 a.m. This 45 minute presentation will re-enact the Passover meal explaining the significance of it to Christians. The evening of April 30 will feature John Reid and Eagle Band in concert at 6:30 p.m. John has recently returned from a missions trip to Egypt . Pastor Vernon Scott will be doing bass guitar that evening.

May begins with Pastor Tom and Anne Kernohan returning to Bethel for the 10:30 service. In 2003, Bethel Pentecostal Church , Kaladar and Northbrook Pentecostal Church in Northbrook joined together to form one regional ministry centre, with a vision to effectively minister to our whole area. Tom and Anne were one of the last pastors to serve the Northbrook assembly. Since leaving our area, they have started a new church in Lakefield. On Sunday, May 7 at 6:30 p.m. they will be joined by their music team from Lakefield. Bethel has supported this new church financially and with prayer since its inception.

Sunday, May 14: Gordon Krause, who pastored Bethel in the ’80s and now is a teacher in a private Christian school, will be preaching in the morning and evening services. Gordon is a gifted musician and will be singing in the evening.

Our Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada District Presbyter Reverend Terry Pitt and his wife Ellen also pastored in Kaladar in the ’80s, and will be returning to Bethel on May 21. At the evening service they will be joined by a music team from their present church, Evangel Pentecostal Church in Kingston .

Rev. Lindsay MacPherson began preaching in a tent May 10, 1935, two weeks at Henderson , two weeks at Elm Tree and two weeks at Kaladar. This 91 year old will return to where he started out on Sunday, May 28, 10:30 a.m. The month long event will be concluded with a Gospel Sing done by the people of the area in the evening service.

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Feature Article - April 6, 2006

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Feature Article - April 6, 2006

How ugly is your bedroom?Interior Zone celebrates 10th Anniversary

by Jeff Green

To celebrate its 10th Anniversary, The Interior Zone in Northbrook will be giving away $2,500 worth of decorating products and/or services to one lucky homeowner.

But in order to be lucky, the homeowner must be unlucky enough to sleep in a very ugly bedroom to begin with.

To enter the contest, it is only necessary to fill out a simple form and include a picture of the ugliest bedroom in Eastern Ontario .

The Interior Zone will work with the winner to turn ugly into beautiful using decorating know-how and products from the store.

The contest was the idea of store owner Wendy Thompson, who says that she looks forward to the challenge of transforming an ugly space, similar to what is done on TV decorating shows.

“We’ll work with the winner to get them the bedroom of their dreams.”

The Interior Zone has become a fixture in Northbrook over the past ten years. As more and more people decide to redecorate their homes, and people continue to build retirement and seasonal homes in the area, The Interior Zone has seen steady growth in its number of clientele and overall sales throughout its ten year existence.

An ever-increasing product line, including adding custom kitchens last year, has enabled The Interior Zone to keep up with new trends, always maintaining a focus on a relaxed country style of decorating.

This spring sees the first issue of “Stepping into The Interior Zone”, an eight page newsletter complete with tips on window treatments, a featured home, and information about the “Ugliest Home Contest”.

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Feature Article - July 20, 2006

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Feature Article - July 20, 2006

Local retailers see smoke over HealthUnitCampaign

by JeffGreen

A couple of weeks ago, KFL&A Public Health released a press statement entitled “Tobacco Retailers and Employees busted for selling to youths”.

The statement says that “after a number of inspections by KFL&A Public Health staff, 18 local retailers sold tobacco to underage youths since the beginning of April. With 56 stores inspected, the compliance rate of 68% is disappointing to public health officials, and further proof that programs by the tobacco industry to keep tobacco products out of the hands of kids are full of smoke.”

The main target of Health Unit wrath seems to be the Operation ID program, which is an initiative of the tobacco industry and the Canadian Coalition for Responsible Tobacco Retailing.

“We can’t comprehend how the tobacco industry can advertise a compliance rate of 94% of retailers refusing to sell to youths through their Operation ID program,” said Jo-Anne Peterson, the manager of tobacco control with KFL&A Public Health.

Among the 18 retailers listed in the press release are four that are located in rural Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Counties , including Stop 41 in Denbigh, Northbrook IGA, the Plevna Freshmart and The Sharbot Lake General Store.

The employees who sold the tobacco received fines of $250 and in most cases the retailer received the same fine. But at least one of the retailers, Bob Basra of the Sharbot Lake Retail Centre, felt that Public Health were overly zealous on the day they sent in an underage girl to buy cigarettes.

Bob’s daughter Jaskirn was working behind the counter at the time. “There was a lot going on in the store at the time,” Jaskirn recalls, “there were three or four people unloading stock and the store was crowded. And the girl didn’t look young.”

Bob Basra was not in the store at the time, but was called in when the Public Health supervisor came into the store and informed Jaskirn Basra that the infraction has occurred.

“They were very aggressive,” Bob Basra recalls, “overly aggressive. It’s not as if we haven’t been tested before. They’ve been to our store before, and we never sold them tobacco.”

The News contacted the Northbrook IGA as well, but the manager said she had been informed by her parent company that she should not comment publicly on what had happened at the Northbrook IGA, but when told of what Bob Basra had said, she expressed sympathy for the position he took.

Paula Muis, a Public Health Promoter with KFL&A Public Health told the News that she did not know off hand how many times the Sharbot Lake General Store has been checked in recent years.

She did say, “We try to have is as real life a situation as possible. Our shoppers have all been age tested. We take them to a local mall and ask people how old they look. Basically they look their age. And they carry their actual ID.”

Muis also said that the enforcement officers that enter stores identify themselves. “Unfortunately you sold someone who is underage a pack of cigarettes.” the retailer is told. “The materials have been out for along time now, and the retailers have been well informed. It’s a matter of them remaining diligent at all times. They have the tools. They have to use them,” Muis said.

Muis said that Public Health’s enforcement program differs from Operation ID because it goes one step further.

“Under Operation ID, they send in a shopper, but the shopper does not have ID. When they are challenged, they just leave. We have the shopper present their actual ID, and it is up to the retailer to properly check the date,” Muis said in accounting for Public Helath’s 68% compliance as compared to the Operation ID’s 92% compliance.

According to Bob Basra, it is not retailers who are responsible for most of the underage smoking that goes on. “We sell fewer and fewer cigarettes each year,” Basra said, “People are buying them from the black market, and they are sold to kids of any age.”

“A lot of cigarettes are obtained by youth through family and friends that are of age,” said Paula Muis, acknowledging that retailers are responsible for a minority of the cases of underage smoking. “We can not quantify the black market, but it is a huge source.”

The retailers that have been fined will have to be vigilant in the future. A second conviction within a five-year period carries a six-month prohibition on the selling of tobacco.

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Feature Article - July 6, 2006

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Feature Article - July 6, 2006

Too many ice fishing lines

Three anglers from Lennox and Addington County have been fined a total of $1,250 for ice fishing violations. Ross Tryon, 37, and Jamie Lavoie, 35, of Northbrook , pleaded guilty to angling with four lines and were each fined $250. Lavoie was fined an additional $200 for angling with illegal equipment. Martin Racine, 37, also of Northbrook , pleaded guilty to angling with 10 lines and was fined $550. The court heard that on March 27, 2006, a Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officer checked anglers ice fishing together on Govan Lake . They were discovered to be fishing with a number of extra lines. Justice of the Peace Cathy Hickling heard the case in the Sharbot Lake Ontario Court of Justice on June 21, 2006.

Call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free anytime to report a natural resources violation, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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Feature Article - August 10, 2006

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Feature Article - August 10, 2006

LocalFare

byChava Field-Green

During the summer months, the Frontenac News will be profiling local restaurants. This week’s profiled community is the busy village of Northbrook

Captain John’s Fish & Chips Restaurant

Set in Downtown Northbrook beside the Bank of Montreal and across the street from the Hotel, Captain John’s serves the finest fish and chips in the region.

Specializing, of course, in Halibut Fish and Chips, served fresh with coleslaw and dinner roles for $8.00, the menu also includes southern fried chicken and “the best burgers around”.

Owners John and Jane Berry are pleased to announce that Captain John’s Fish and Chips restaurant has just celebrated its 10th anniversary, quite a feat for a semi-retirement business. The couple has worked in or owned six different restaurants in Toronto and brought their restaurant expertise up to Northbrook in the form of Captain John’s. 613-336-3038

Kellar’s Kountry Kitchen

Set just a mile south of Northbrook on 41 Highway, Kellar’s Kountry Kitchen strives to provide healthier adaptations of the classic Canadian meals.

The menu includes an all day breakfast, daily lunch and dinner specials and kids and seniors menus. Dinner specials include liver and onions and roast beef. Prices range from $3.99 to $20 with a special of chicken fingers on a bun with fries and coleslaw ringing in at $7.99. But the real specialty of Kellar’s is its delicious baked goods, including homemade pies, butter tarts and pre-ordered birthday and celebration cakes.

Owners Brian and Sandra Kellar cater to the older and younger generations. With cholesterol free oil and a lots of diet foods they try to look out for everybody. Sandra makes it clear that they are very excited to hear good reviews back from many of their clientele.

613-336-9903

Loafer’s Pizza

Located right on Highway 41, two minutes from Northbrook , Loafers Pizza prides itself on providing great service at an affordable price.

Specializing in Pizza, Loafer’s menu includes wings, garlic bread and meat balls. The pizza menu includes the famous Mexicali pizza made up of mild salsa, seasoned ground beef, mozzarella and cheddar cheese and nacho cheese, with pizza ranging from $9.50-$31 for a party pizza.

Owners Fawn Holmes and Derek Vandebelt are pleased to offer great pizza to their community. 613-336-9333

The Northbrook Hotel

Located on 41 Highway, right beside IGA, The Northbrook Hotel Restaurant offers 6 menus to cater to its diners, including seniors and kids menus.

Daily lunch specials include roast beef, soup and fries for the affordable price of $4.95. The dinner menu includes chicken alfredo, hot sandwiches and steak for between $5.99 and $13.95. One example of the dinner special is a 6 ounce strip loin served with choice of potato, vegetables and coleslaw and a light dessert for $5.99.

Owners Brian and Susan Armstrong are pleased to have the Northbrook landmark open once again. It provides a lovely family restaurant in a nostalgic atmosphere.

613-336-2727

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