Being this year’s recipient of the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association’s (OFSAA) Leadership in School Sport Award wasn’t something Sydenham High School’s Leslie Lawlor was expecting. “I was surprised,” she said. “But I’m really grateful and appreciative.” The award came at the opening banquet for this year’s OFSAA AA Boys Volleyball Championship, which Sydenham hosted. The award is presented annually at each OFSAA Championship to a teacher-coach who has made a significant contribution to their educational athletic program. The recipient exemplifies the values of fair play and good sportsmanship, while promoting enjoyment, personal growth and educational achievement through school sport. Lawlor was a student at Sydenham High school, representing them at OFSAA track and filed and cross country. She went to Queen’s University where…

The holiday season can be joyous and exciting, but it can also be painful for those who are working through grief following the death of a loved one. It can make a person wonder how they will ever survive let alone be able to celebrate the holiday season ahead. We at Southern Frontenac Community Services understand how lonely this time can be for you, and invite you to join us for a service that might help. Our Blue Christmas Bereavement Service will be on Thursday, December 6, at 1:30pm, at the Grace Centre, 4295 Stage Coach Road in Sydenham. Blue Christmas is a special, non-denominational service. We offer a message of hope, meaningful readings, beautiful music and the opportunity to light a candle in recognition…

The Ontario Local Appeals Tribunal (LPAT) has given Frontenac based developer Terry Grant, subject to a set of conditions, approval to develop a 12-hectare parcel of land in the hamlet of Hartington into a 13 lot subdivision. The Hartington Subdivision project was first proposed in 2013. At that time the plan was to build a 49 lot subdivision, within and to the south of the hamlet. Local opposition to the project surfaced from the start, mostly centred on concerns over water supply and drainage in the vicinity, and the planning process dragged on. The planning issues have been further complicated because Frontenac County is responsible for subdivision approval, but South Frontenac Township is responsible for the necessary zoning amendment changes. In the summer of 2015,…

“This is our 12th and it gets busier and busier every year,” said Leslie Reade, who along with Josie Steele, began the VisionSoup tradition in Sydenham more than a decade ago. The concept is simple enough. You buy a custom made bowl (donated by local potters), fill it with the soup of your choice, and keep the bowl. “The proceeds go to Christmas baskets,” said Reade, who also runs Sydenham Veterinary Services. “That’s done through South Frontenac Community Services and the Loughborough Emergency Relief Fund.” The place was packed again this year, as it has been since it started. But things run well. “We have about 25 volunteers,” Reade said. “Again, it’s friends and family who help out so it runs very smoothly. “And the…

The 19th annual RocknRoll Toy Drive is set for Dec. 1 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Sydenham Legion and organizer/musician Tom Revell says they have five bands lined up for this year’s event. “The doors open at 8 p.m. and that’s when the first band will go on,” Revell said. “This year we have Jack and the Boys, Little Betty, Still Standing, Dark Horse and Project 29.” Tickets are $20 each and are available at the Sydenham One-Stop and the Legion. “And if you’re from far away but still want to come, contact either myself or Rebecca Wager via our Facebook pages and we’ll put some away for you,” Revell said. As usual, the evening will feature a silent auction, door prizes,…