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Ask anyone on the Villages Beautiful committee and they’ll tell you that the idea is to make the entire Township of Central Frontenac more appealing.

As such, they hold a fundraiser each Christmas season, the Festival of Trees, to raise funds that are distributed to the various hamlets and settlement areas to use as they see fit.

Each year, there’s a central theme that entrants adhere to. This year, it was Down Home Country Christmas.

“One of the best things is it’s for the whole Township,” said committee member Sarah Hale. “We all support each other to make the whole area more attractive.”

Doris Campsall, a veteran of “at least 20 Festivals,” said “it was a dream of Rosemarie Bowick along with Mardie Brown from Arden. The idea of using the festival as a fundraiser actually came about because Bill and Rosemarie Bowick had experience in such things,” said Hale. “We’d tried other fundraisers which weren’t very successful.

“One year, after having the Festival the previous year, we tried a dance. There was an outcry.”

Hale said it’s important to connect the winter festival to summer projects.

“We buy barrels and benches and trees and flowers,” she said. “The various committees decide what to do with them in their communities. In Arden this year, we’ll be focusing on the footbridge.”

“In Parham, we focus on ‘the corner’ (of 38 and Wagarville Road),” said Campsall. “And on the fairgrounds. But there are also projects in Tichborne, Mountain Grove and others.”

“But it’s also to mark the Christmas season,” said Hale.

Brenda McKinstry is a relative newcomer to the Festival of Trees community, but she likes what she’s seen so far.

“I was involved a little bit last year,” she said. “I’m amazed at how much detail and effort is put in. There’s a lot of organization involved too — but it’s all good.”

 

 

 

 

 

2019 Winners and the lucky people who drew the winning ticket for them

Large Trees

1st — Memories of Christmas, W.A. Robinson Asset Management – Krista Raymo

2nd — Rustic Cozy Cabin, Township of Central Frontenac – Colleen Steele

3rd — A Rustic Country Christmas, Friday Night Ladies – Laura Wood and Home Made Christmas, Community Living – Ethan Godfrey

 

Medium Trees

1st — A Cozy Cabin Christmas, North Frontenac Telephone Company – Mike Fraser

2nd — “Country Road, Take Me Home,” Lake District Realty – Rudy Hollywood

3rd — A Sharbot Lake Down Home Country Christmas through the Years, St. Lawrence College Employment Services – R. Cook

 

Mini Trees

1st — “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” Pin Point Appraisers – Tim Procter

2nd — Glitter all the way, Rural Frontenac Community Services Youth Hub and Kids Club – Natalie Wotherspoon

3rd — Old Fashioned Christmas, Parham UCC Sunday School – the Herns

 

Anything Goes

1st — Family Gnomes Down Home Country Christmas, Opening Minds Innovation – Betty Ann Blythe

2nd — Owl Be Home for Christmas, Linda Devries – Liz Bonser

3rd — Legend of the Christmas Stocking, Treasure Trunk - Natalie Hickey, and Delicious Traditions, Community Drop-In – Madison Robideux

 

Baskets

1st — A Cardinal Christmas, Cardinal Café – Margo McCullough

2nd — A Homemade Down-Home Christmas, Sharbot Lake Family Health Team & Community Exercise and Lifestyle Program – Shirley Gunhouse

3rd — The Christmas Remedy, Sharbot Lake Pharmacy – Marie Vinkle

 

Gingerbreads

1st — A Down Gnome Country Christmas, Northern Connections Adult Learning Centre – Jenn Clark

2nd — An Udderly Amazing Down Home Country Christmas on the Farm, Whan Family – Jack Mclean

3rd — Christmas Fun in the Country, Sharbot Lake 39-ers – the Giroux’s

 

Wreaths

1st — A Country Christmas at the Farm, Arden Seniors – Mickie ?

2nd — Welcome Home for Christmas, North Frontenac Food Bank – John Lee

3rd — Jingle all the Way, Linda Truchan – Shirley Cuddy

 

Wall Hangings

1st — Christmas on the Farm, Janice Anderson – Chris Parks

2nd — We’ll All be Home for Christmas, Arden Batik – Chantelle Gilpin

3rd — Christmas, Laurie Love Godfrey Grocery – Leslie M.

Published in CENTRAL FRONTENAC

Now in its sixth year, Riverhill Farm just off the River Road in North Frontenac near Ompah has added 20,000 new lights this year, making the grand total on the order of 120,000 lights.

“Walt Disney has deeper pockets than I do,” said owner/operator Greg Ducharme. “We have to move a little slower.”

If you’ve never been, you take the River Road to 1311 Struthadam Road. From there, you can drive around the grounds taking in several different themed areas. Except on Saturdays, of course. On Saturday evenings, it’s foot traffic only for safety’s sake, but you can take the wagon ride. And there’s still one more visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus (Dec. 21 from 5-8 p.m. and there’s hot fresh donuts available and wagon rides every Saturday night. The displays will be open until 9 p.m. every night until Dec. 30.

“I’m still having fun doing this,” Ducharme said. “Some years are more challenging than others.

“With the freeze-thaw cycle this year, the ground’s been soft at times but other than that . . .”

Even if you have been here before, there’s always something different.

“I like to change things around,” he said.

“But I’m the one that does all the work,” said Stephanie Lemke, the self-appointed “designer, social media director and light-putter-upper.”

Presumably, they both get occasional help from Rhonda Lemke.

But, Stephanie appears responsible for the operation’s in-house FM radio station and this year, she drove down to Pennsylvania to retrieve the new wagon for the Saturday night tours.

“It seats 24 comfortably,” she said. “We did plan to use horses to pull it but they turned out to be too expensive.

“But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Horses tend to jerk to a stop and when starting again so pulling the wagon with a tractor tends to be a smoother ride.”

And while the displays are already impressive, including things like the Grinch and Singing Trees, Ducharme is nowhere near done.

“We have people who come every year and some even book private parties,” he said. “And we’re available for businesses to have their Christmas parties.”

To that end, they’ve fixed up the sitting area, making it more comfortable for more people but that’s not the end of his plans.

“We’re already planning for next year,” he said. “And I’m hoping to build a banquet hall for parties that will have lots of windows where you can have your meal while you look out on all the displays.”

And while they do enjoy visitors, Ducharme said he’s been known to just enjoy it all by himself.

“Some nights, if I’ve had a rough day, I’ll drive around out here or just take a walk,” he said. “It’s very calming and relaxing.”

For more information, check out Riverhill-Farm-Fine-Food or Ompahlights on Facebook or call 613-470-2896.

Published in NORTH FRONTENAC
Wednesday, 18 December 2019 12:36

Christmas Editorial

I guess when you do something for long enough it becomes something of a tradition. And so it is with these end of year messages to readers. I believe this is my 17th. They are written in part to thank our readers, volunteers, staff, and advertisers for all their support over the 50 editions that made up volume 19, and also to wish our readers a Happy Christmas and New Year’s season.

I also like to remind everyone that we take two weeks off over Christmas and New Year’s. I don’t think anyone notices that the paper is missing during Christmas week, but when it does not come out on the first week of January people do start asking me if we have closed up shop for good.

It is indeed a tougher slog for a print-based newspaper at the end of 2019 than it was in January of 2002 when I started working for my friends, David Brison and Jule-Koch Brison, and since they both died just before the final paper of the year, David in 2002 and Jule in 2016, I am thinking of them as I write this. Certainly, it has been and continues to be a struggle to get the paper out ever since Jule died on December 15, 2016, and as she was a devout Christian, her commitment to the Christmas edition each year always gave the paper an extra lift.

There are other challenges facing community newspapers these days of course. Our local advertising base has remained solid over the last five years. Local retailers and municipalities are aware that their customers and constituents appreciate a newspaper that is concerned about the joys, sorrows and occasional controversies of life in their own communities. But our national advertising support has dried up completely, including provincial and federal government advertising, and that has made things more difficult. Not only does this result in a financial hit for us, it also results in an information gap for the public. During the most recent federal election, there were no ads from Elections Canada in our paper, explaining the nuts and bolts of the vote, such as who to call if you don’t receive a voting card, how to find the polling stations, etc. I spend as much time online as anyone, and I did not see that information anywhere. Perhaps it was on social media, or on tv which I don’t watch, but I think there were others who never received that information this time around.

Interestingly enough, the federal government claims to be supportive of the newspaper industry. They have supported subscription-based newspapers through a postal rebate for many years, but not the postage costs for free newspapers such as the Frontenac News. This year they unveiled a support package for newspapers and much of the support went to the two large chains, Metroland and Post Media, companies that, in my view, have decimated local coverage in the papers that they have swallowed up over the last 20 years. The only stream of the support package, that was targeted at small market papers, offered subsidies for newspapers who were willing to expand into markets and cover municipal councils that are not being covered. It is about eliminating ‘news deserts’. There is no ‘oasis money’ for papers like ours that keep the news desert at bay by covering five councils in a rural region.

We remain dependent on our advertisers, our ability to develop web services that are useful for the business community, our recreation guides, visitor guide and phone and services directory, and, over the past couple of years, ongoing support from our readers. In the new year, we will make a pitch for that support once again, but for now I would like to thank those who have supported us financially over the past two years.

As the world changes, our role as a news source has to change as well. Our rural communities are attracting new investment as people keep building and renovating houses throughout this readership area, within commuting distance from Kingston and further out as well. At the same time, as climate change becomes a political and lifestyle reality, it is becoming harder to see how we can adjust our lifestyles accordingly. Out of economic necessity we live in a one adult, one vehicle world, which is not the way people live even in small and medium sized cities.

We also have political challenges as the limited capacity of our municipalities squares up against the growing needs of our aging communities. This is only underlined by a growing unease in the relationship between Frontenac County and the City of Kingston, where so many of our services are based.

In 2020 and beyond it will be our job, as a news service, to articulate some of these issues while adjusting our business model to remain financially viable.

But all that is for another day.

Published in Editorials

For the first time in its 27-year history, the Verona Christmas in the Village tree-lighting ceremony was held indoors.

“With the weather this year, we thought we’d hold it indoors rather than have everybody have to dress up to go outside,” said Verona Community Association president Wayne Conway.

For years, the tree lighting was held at McMullen Park in downtown Verona but it turned out that the lights were killing the old Christmas tree in the park so it moved to the Lions Hall a few years ago.

But, Conway said, the Association is re-evaluating.

“The VCA will look at and assess the possibility of going back to our roots,” Conway said. “We’re looking at enhancing the program for next year and maybe even ways of returning to McMullen Park.”

Holding events at the Lions Hall does have advantages. For one thing, the kitchen is available and the Lions provided a nice spread including chilli and hot dogs, along with the popcorn and goodies.

“This is the second year the Lions have become more involved,” said Lions spokesperson Doreen Morey. “Last year we did it and this year we’re doing it together as a shared event.

“We’re very happy to join together as a community and by doing so, it maximizes the number of volunteers available.”

This year’s event featured the music of Jessica Weddon and Jon McClurg and the group Vocal Legacy.

Published in SOUTH FRONTENAC

The North Frontenac Little Theatre production of ‘A Christmas Story’ captured much of the irreverent humour that has made the 1983 film of the same name such a popular Christmas classic.

The play is based on the movie, for which the characters and scenario are all lifted from the 1966 novel “In god we Trust, all others pay cash” by popular radio host/humorist Jean Shepherd.

Although fictional there are elements that are taken from Shepherd’s upbringing in northern Indiana. He had a brother Randy, there were kids named Shwartz and Flick registered in the school he attended as a kid, and in his radio broadcasts he sometimes referred to his father as ‘the old man’

The narrator or adult Ralph, in both the movie and the play, has a similar persona to Shepherd’s on the radio.

The success of the movie, and the production by the NFLT, hinged on creating a sense of nostalgia tinged with wit rather than caramel sweetness. The lead character Ralph, played by Llachlan Hammond, really, really wants a Red Rider BB Gun. He’s not a really good or a really bad kid, a really smart kid or a really heroic kid, he is just a kid who wants something specific for Christmas.

The production featured mostly young performers, supported by only three adults, Kelly Meckling, who played Ralph’s mother and also directed the play, John Stephens as the Old Man, and Brian Robertson as adult Ralph/narrator.

And, as so often happens, the kids stole the show. Although it was sometimes s struggle to get out the entire name of the rifle, Llachlan Hammond did a good job as Ralph, which was difficult because he was in most every scene and the play revolved around his quest. His friends, Schwartz (Bradey Merrigan) and Flick (Tristan Hammond) did fine work supporting his quest while dealing with their own concerns, which included submitting to Scut Farkas (Sloane Putnam) who was the picture of a nasty bully. The two girls, Helen (Anne Wooby) and Esther Jane (Jocelyn Tryon) were charming. Ralph’s brother Randy (Carmen Tryon) had a lot of opportunity for physical comedy throughout the play and took full advantage, and as the teacher Miss Shields (Hallie Hearns) did well to keep the students at bay during the classroom scenes.

Among the adults, Kelly Meckling was the voice of reason in the home as Mother, portraying a role that required much tolerance for both her husband and two sons. John Stephen had a great time portraying the Old Man as bombastic and foolish in equal measure, and Brian Robertson relished many of the double-edged lines in the narration.

The set design, by Brian Robertson and Jeff Siamon, and artistry/decoration overseen by Carol Pepper was very effective and versatile, helping to keep what is a rather long production to about 2 hours in running time, with a 15 minute intermission.

Published in NORTH FRONTENAC
Wednesday, 11 December 2019 12:39

20th Annual Rock’n’Roll Toy Drive sold out

For the first time in its 20-year history, the Rock’n’Roll Toy Drive has been sold out before the night of the event.

“All of the 250 tickets have been sold,” said Tom Revell, Verona-area musician who’s been instrumental in bringing the event to fruition for more than two decades. “We’re really happy.

“We sold out last year too but the last of the tickets were sold at the door that night.”

The Rock’n’Roll Toy Drive is an evening of music and silent auctions at the Sydenham Legion Dec. 14. Doors are open at 7:30 p.m. with the music starting at 8 p.m. unlike previous years when it started at 9 p.m. This year’s bands include Little Betty, Still Standing, Project 29 and Bauderroad.

“We’re starting the bands earlier this year because even though it goes to 1 a.m., people start to leave about 12:30,” he said. “But as people go, others can come in.

“The folks at the door will deal with that.”

All proceeds go to the Sydenham Relief Fund and Christmas for Kids.

Although this is ‘officially’ the 20th such event, Revell said they actually held a couple of similar events before getting the current incarnation going.

“We actually started in 1994, I think, with Little Betty,” he said. “I think we did a couple but then took a couple of years off. Something like that.”

Revell acknowledged he didn’t organize these things all by himself.”

“Jamie Deline did much of the organizing again,” he said.

And, he said, they wouldn’t be able to do it without some corporate sponsors.

“Ryan Rose at Century 21 has helped us every year with a $250 donation to get things going,” he said. “Our other corporate sponsors who helped pay for the event are BDK Insulation and Cataraqui Cabinets.

“And Foodland Sydenham and Findlay Foods have been great.”

Published in SOUTH FRONTENAC

We have 2 special highlights this month. The Geminids , arguably the best annual meteor shower, makes its annual appearance on the night of December 13/14. It is a truly spectacular shower that is viewable from December 4th to about the 17th. It peaks in the very early morning of the 14th.There may be as many as 120 meteors per hour. Unfortunately the Full Moon occurs just 2 days earlier and that waning gibbous Moon lies in Gemini, the constellation that contains the radiant. The radiant is high in the south just above the star Castor. Luckily it’s best not to view the Geminid meteors by looking directly at the radiant since the meteors are coming at you head on. This means that their trails will be very short. Shield yourself from the moonlight and look about 30 to 60 degrees away from the radiant. You will be rewarded with nice long trails and some protection from the Moon’s brightness. This will increase the number of meteors you can observe. The second shower is the Ursids. The radiant is above the dipper portion the asterism called the Big Dipper that is part of the Ursid or Bear constellation. The Ursids peak on the night of December 22/23. Fortunately the Moon is a thin crescent and its light will not be a hindrance. Although the Ursids are considered a smallish shower, this year a surge in its numbers is expected that might push its hourly rate to as much as 30.

Venus, Jupiter and Saturn are low in the southwest with Venus being quite bright as usual. Mars is small in the southeast in the morning. A crescent Moon sits 9 and 6 degrees above Mars on December 22nd and 23rd respectively. On the early evening of December 10th Venus slips 2 degrees south of Saturn. A visual treat occurs about an hour after sunset in the southwest on December 28th when a thin earthlight bathed crescent Moon rises up below bright Venus.

Winter solstice occurs at 11:19 pm EST on December 21st. It’s all downhill to spring now but keep your long johns close. There’s still January, February (brrrr) to get through.

December 10th: Venus passes 2 degrees south of Saturn about midnight.

December 12th: Full Moon. This Moon is known as the Full Cold Moon or the Full Long Nights Moon. December brings long cold nights. Hauling in wood to my fireplace leaves me pretty muscle bound by the end of March! Well, sort of…

December 14th: Geminid meteor shower peaks.

December 18th: The Moon is at perigee – 368,115 Kms.

December 21st: Winter solstice. Yahoo, the days start getting longer!

December 22nd: The Moon slides 4 degrees north of Mars at 9 pm EST. The Ursid meteor shower peaks.

December 26th: New Moon.

December 28th: The Moon passes 1 degree south of Venus at 9 pm EST.

That’s a wrap. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Keep looking up!

“The Beginner’s Observing Guide by Leo Enright is an invaluable companion for adventures in the sky. It also contains useful star charts. It can be ordered from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada at www.rasc.ca/publications. A subscription to our very own excellent Canadian astronomy magazine “SkyNews” can be arranged at the RASC website as well.

Let me know how your observing has gone this month, especially anything unusual. I enjoy the feedback. If you have any questions or suggestions you can contact me through this paper or email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Clear Skies! Fred.

Published in What's up in the Sky?
Wednesday, 04 December 2019 10:18

Family Math Night at LPS

This sounds like…fun?? It was not only fun, but an up-roaring success, last Wednesday night (November 27) at Loughborough Public School in Sydenham, when the library filled with parents and children from kindergarten to grade 3 enthusiastically playing a variety of card and board games.

It all began with the idea of primary teacher Sharon Isbell, to help teach math and number skills through the use of games. When she approached the Sydenham Lions Club for a donation of $100 and received three times that amount, she was able to buy a lot of games, both modern and old familiar ones like Yahtzee and Snakes and Ladders.

At 6pm, the library was full of tables, each with a couple of games, and a few minutes later the room filled with parents and children. The children already were familiar with the games and keen to teach them to their parents. Isbell briefly described some of the basic skills: number recognition; counting more efficiently; learning simple math shortcuts; sharpening memory; that could be learned and strengthened by playing games involving numbers.

A few times during the evening, everyone changed tables, moving on to new games. Parents learned how playing games could be a way to have fun helping their children with homework, and may have picked up a few ideas for Christmas presents.

Several of the local Lions were also present: Lion Joanne Ankers, herself a retired teacher, said she was surprised and pleased when several people, both adults and children, thanked her as a Lions representative, for helping making this event possible.

It was a happy, raucous, delightful evening.

Published in SOUTH FRONTENAC

“We really recycle a lot,” said Kathy Wood of the Hartington Community Caring Store. “At 10:30, we were swamped.”

The Second Hand Store isn’t usually open on Sundays, but this year they made an exception for their Christmas Open House so as to not conflict with the Farmers Market/Prince Charles Public School event on Saturday.

“It’s been pretty great, a lot of people are Christmas shopping,” said Nicole Kasserra.

“We’ve been getting a lot of donations this year,” said Wood. “Things like these gardening gloves from businesses.

“We’ve been putting a lot of the newer items aside for today. It allows us to have things kids can buy for their parents for Christmas.

“Yeah, we’re a community store and the cheapest ever.”

She said that as a non-profit, everything they make goes back to the community — Christmas for Kids, South Frontenac Community Services, the Food Bank.

“We’ve filled up every little spot the Township’s allowed us to use,” she said. “Just think about how much we recycle and how much we’ve kept out of the landfill.”

One thing was for sure, there were all sorts of clothes, games, toys, household items and you-name-its packed all over the Princess Anne Centre Sunday keeping Wood, Kasserra, Cindy Gordon Judy Martin, Karen White, Kerri Valiquette, Cheryl Kellar and Marilyn Clow hopping to look after everybody.

Published in SOUTH FRONTENAC

It’s still called 101 Nativities but every year it seems to get a little bigger.

When Jean Freeman and Kris Caird started out collecting Nativity scenes for a display nine years ago, they were concerned about reaching the 101 mark. But this year, the count reached 260 as of Friday night as the Cole Lake Free Methodist Church welcomed the community for its annual pre-Christmas celebration displaying Nativity scenes collected from around the world.

“We couldn’t do it without the people who donate their Nativities for the display,” said Freeman. “Plus the people who help putting out the Nativities (like Cindy McMahon) and taking them down.

“Taking them down and putting them back in boxes is actually more strenuous.”

One thing that immediately strikes the viewer is the vast variety of approaches to the standard vision of Christ’s birth.

“There’s no limit to people’s imagination and their ability to stay true to the subject matter,” Freeman said.

For example, there are Nativities made of wood, stone, crochet, plastic, clay, even Kevlar. They come with individual figures or all in one examples. (“The one-piece ones are easier to put out,” she said.)

There are snow globes, clocks, and displays made from twisted banana leaves.

And they come from all over the world, from Canadian First Nations depictions to Rwanda, Haiti, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Guatemala, Peru, Guyana, Puerto Rico, Germany as well as several from Israel.

“And of course the kids get to make their own Nativity Scene,” she said. “That’s very popular.

“But there are so many, you just can’t get them all in one glance.”

Freeman said she’d like to do something special for the 10th one next year but hasn’t decided what that might be yet.

“We have started going more rustic with the shelves in the corner,” she said. “We might go even more rustic next year.”

Published in CENTRAL FRONTENAC
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