North Frontenac Township, in conjunction with the Ottawa Valley ATV Association,  hosted the Ontario Federation of All Terrain Vehicles (OFATV) Annual General Meeting last weekend, with great success.

Dave Baker, the OFATV Association President, said that representatives from over 50 associations attended the meeting.

“The venue, trails, accommodations, location, and volunteers were fantastic, and everyone enjoyed a great weekend. Many participants were excited to get more information about the area for future trail-side vacations!,” he said afterwards.

Putting the event on was a community effort involving supporters from across North and Central Frontenac. Lodges, B&B’s and Inn’s from throughout the township held rooms for the guests, who arrived on Friday and gathered at the Ompah hall for a meet and greet, catered by Cota’s Mobile Catering. On Saturday morning the Clar Mill Volunteers stepped up to provide breakfast for the delegates.  The delegates dispensed with some business in the morning and then had snacks prepared by the Snow Road Snowmobile club, before getting down to the more important task of the day, riding the trail network in the vicinity of Ompah. In case they were getting peckish, the Sharbot Lake Raise a Rink Committee prepared a traill lunch for them.

They finished their ride at the hall, another Cota prepared dinner was waiting for them, before they headed to Palmerston Lodge for a bonfire.

On Sunday, after another breakfast, they held meetings until noon, and then wrapped things up with another lunch.

“We absolutely had a great time. I don't want any of the other clubs to be jealous, but this is one of my favourite Annual General Meetings I have attended. Having the meeting hosted in the great outdoors, where we had to ride our ATV's from our cabin to the meeting hall is exactly what ATVing is all about -- now if only we could work on less mosquitos and black flies,” said Dave Baker.

Rose and Denis Bedard of Double S Sports, who co-ordinated the event, said that all of the volunteer efforts made the event a success.

“An event like this just doesn’t happen without the Community getting involved. We would like to thank the Volunteer Groups and Businesses for their help in making this event a success,” said Rose.

Commmunity Living North Frontenac Executive Director Dean Walsh presented a plaque to David Yerxa in recognition of his fundraising efforts. Yerxa recently swam laps at the Perth Pool to raise money for the association, one in a long string of fund raising campaigns that Yerxa has come up with over the years, in addition to participating in agency campaigns by selling raffle tickets and helping out in any way he can. The plaque ceremony took place at the annual Community Living BBQ to mark the end of May, Community Living Month. The free BBQ, which featured Beef on a Bun with fried onions, was well attended by Sharbot Lake office workers and others last Thursday (June 1).

“Yoga is accessible for everybody and every body,” says Jackie Adams, who began her yoga practice “many years ago.

“It was in the ’70s and I liked the clothes they were wearing.”

Adams had her own yoga studio in Kingston where she taught classes for many years.

These days, she’s more into bringing yoga to people in many communities and last Saturday was at Bellrock Hall for a session focused on families.

“People ask me ‘can I come even if I don’t have kids?’” she said. “I tell them ‘no, get some kids.’”

She’s chuckling a bit as she says that but she is serious about it being a family activity.

“We’ll see what happens (as to yoga in Bellrock), what the ladies here want,” she said. “This is a lovely hall, a small community and there’s lots of kids.”

She admits it takes a bit of doing to keep a wide range of ages focused, but that’s OK, she’s been working on it for quite some time.

“You have to look after the 4-year-olds and the 50-year-olds,” she said. “They have different attention spans.

“In a non-family setting, you might hold poses longer and work in more philosophy but I think it’s still important to understand why you’re doing the pose.”

Adams is big on the health benefits of yoga.

“I had serious health issues of my own and yoga has helped with that,” she said. “All yoga is about keeping the joints squishy and the body functioning better.

“You know a sedentary lifestyle leads to stress issues.”

But the obvious physical health benefits aside, Adams said that the mental benefits are equally as important.

“You know, when I first started yoga, I liked the way the yogis treated each other,” she said. “It calms the mind and for a little bit, you’re not thinking about anything else.

“All the chatter in the mind drives us crazy.”

Adams is a practitioner of the the classic Hatha yoga.

For more information about her classes in Bellrock, Verona and elsewhere, contact her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 613-358-9642.

“I’m really happy to show up to deliver yoga,” she said.

For its 10th year, the Central Frontenac Relay For Life committee (Vicki Babcock, Christine Teal, Penny Cota, Margo McCullough and Liz Norton along with GREC students Sadie Clarke and Samantha Sproule) opted for an indoor venue at St. James Major in Sharbot Lake. Previous incarnations had been held at the Parham Fairgrounds.

“We really didn’t have the numbers to hold it outdoors this year,” said Babcock. “So we decided to hold it indoors — a 10th birthday party.”

So, with a sponsorship from W. A. Robinson Asset Management Ltd. they hired some musical performers and did just that.

Of course there was the traditional Survivors Lap, sponsors and a silent auction, as well as a number of speakers for the opening ceremonies.

“We’re a small community, Kingston is our suburbs,” said Mayor Frances Smith. “But the enthusiasm to get the job done here is amazing.

“We’ve raised a lot of money, helped many people we know and many we don’t know.”

The Central Frontenac Relay For Life has raised about $250,000 in its 10 years, said Babcock.

“Volunteer spirit is the lifeblood of this community,” said Coun. Brent Cameron. “So much is done because people take the initiative and step forward.

“You really do make this a place we can all be proud of.”

Brad Warner, representing the Canadian Cancer Society praised the work of GREC students this year and said Relay For Life has raised about $11 million in Ontario this year.

“Where does the money go?” he asked. “Well, $125 million has gone into the Clinical Trials Group in Kingston.

“For many people, clinical trials is a last resort and it’s some thing people from this area can use.

“It’s also one of the most recognized groups in North America.”

But perhaps the most poignant words came from young Kylie Babcock, who will be an eight-year survivor in September. Kylie was diagnosed with stage 4 liver cancer just before she turned two years old.

“They helped me,” she said. “Relay For Life helped me get to my appointments and they’ve helped a lot of people.”

The Frontenac News is happy to announce that our new website, frontenac-live.ca, a companion site to our popular frontenacnews.ca site, is up and running.

Frontenac Live includes a business directory listing over 450 businesses and counting, to cover every need a resident or visitor to the area might have, from restaurants to electricians and everything in between, listed by community and type of service. Under accommodations, for example, there are 56 options.

Businesses that are not included are invited to fill out a simple online form and get listed without delay, and perhaps opt for an enhanced listing which will bring opportunities for increased promotion immediately, and much more over time, at a low annual fee.

Our events guide is the most complete breakdown of weekly, monthly and one time events, with an easy to access map to the location of every event, and links to articles on frontenacnews.ca about previous years versions of annual events.

Event organisers can also easily list and update events on the site.

The site also includes information about parks and recreation opportunities, markets, museums and more, and sections on local lakes and villages are being built into it.

Frontenac-live.ca is designed to help residents and visitors take advantage of all that the region has to offer.

Check it out sometime soon.

Mike Mckenzie of Seed to Sausage took a risk when he decided to move the popular Day of the Pig event to the Sharbot Lake beach.

The event started back in 2012 as a party at the site of the Seed to Sausage factory and retail store on the May long weekend. Chefs from Ottawa and Kingston were invited, as were local and regional craft vendors and some musicians, and more people came than any one could have expected.

“What just happened?” Mike McKenzie posted on the Seed to Sausage twitter feed on the day of the first Day of the Pig event after the crowds had left and all the meat that had been prepared for sale was long gone.

Four years later, in 2016, it was more than clear that the Day of the Pig had outgrown the Seed to Sausage site.

McKenzie started talking with members of the District 3 Recreation Committee of Central Frontenac about moving the event to the beach at Sharbot Lake, which hosts the Farmers Market and Canada Day each year.

In early February, Central Frontenac Council came on board and the move was official.

Then came the tricky part. In order to turn The Day of the Pig into a real festival, a carnival atmosphere was the concept that was developed. And to make that happen, magician Eric Leclerc, the Blue Mushroom Psyshow circus act and musicians Tom Savage, Marc Charron and the Foley Mountain Playboys were brought in to supplement the restaurants, brewers and find food producers at the event. All of this cost money and instead of being a free event the Day of the Pig cost $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

That, combined with a forecast calling for rain all afternoon made things a bit dicey.

The weather held, and the people came. By noon the beach was full, the food was being eaten, the entertainment was getting underway and it was clear the move to the beach was a success.

“The beach is a good venue for all sorts of events, and once this event happens the site setup will be available to anyone who wants it”, he said

Tents were put  up to block the sun or rain while still leaving some open space in front of the bandshell. A second stage was set up facing in from the lake for musical acts and vendors were set up around the perimeter of the park, creating  a spacious, well defined space.

Local food vendors reported their sales were up or at least on par with previous years, and several sold out. Ten pigs, prepared by Seed to Sausage cooks, were served up, along with gallons of beans, cole slaw and roasted corn.

Members of the Rec Committee provided friendly security and the Day went off rather smoothly for a first time event at a new site.

The Seed to Sausage store is set to open in early June, and other local events are getting ready to ramp up for the Summer of 150 in Frontenac County. On June 3rd, it’s Anchors Aweigh Fish Fry Day at the Verona Lion’s Centre. On June 14 the Strawberry Moon Festival will be on at the Frontenac Arena, and two days later the focus will be on the Village of Arden’s weekend festival.  Up in Mississippi Station Back Forty Cheese is holding its second annual Open House and Food Festival on June 24th, and then its back to Sharbot Lake Beach for Canada Day.

For a complete slate of events in Frontenac County, Addington Highlands and Western Lanark, read your Northern Happenings or look to the events guide on our new website www.frontenac-live.ca, which includes maps and details about everything there is to see and do this summer.

MERA is proud to announce that the internationally claimed Celtic duo of Mairi Rankin and Allie Robertson will be presenting a concert at MERA in McDonald’s Corners on Sunday, June 4th at 2:00 PM.

Mairi Rankin brings all the talent and vibrancy of the esteemed Rankin family, with its deep Cape Breton Celtic roots.  She plays fiddle, sings and also step-dances up a storm.

Ailie Robertson is from Edinburgh, Scotland and brings to the duo a wealth of musical experience as a composer, arranger, improviser and clarsach or Celtic harp player.  She is recognized as one of the world’s leading clarsach harpers, as they like to be called.

Together, Rankin and Robertson have won the “Best Group” award at the Live Ireland awards, where they were touted to be “Among the best bands in world”.

Their marriage of Celtic music, song and dance has been rapturously received around the world. They blend fiddle, harp, step-dance and vocals with breathtaking vitality. Their blend of boundless energy and unmistakable joie de vivre has won them a large following around the globe.

Tickets are available for $25 plus surcharge on-line at Ticketsplease.ca, by telephone 613-485-6434 or in person at the Matheson House Museum, 11 Gore St., Perth. Students under 16 are free.

The Day of the Pig, which was initially conceived as a small party to mark the opening of the Seed to Sausage store on Road 38 for the summer season four years ago, is about to become a major event at a new venue.

The beach at Sharbot Lake has hosted weddings, a Karaoke contest, Snow Drag races and is the permanent home of Canada Day festivities in Central Frontenac and a weekly summer farmer’s market, which opens this Saturday. This Sunday will be the first time the beach is being used for a large commercial event, and according to Mike McKenzie of Seed to Sausage, the site is well suited to the purpose.

“I had a designer come in and lay everything out for me and those plans can be used for future events at the beach,” he said.

Central Frontenac Township has come on board to support the event and is not charging rent for the site, but it was left to Seed to Sausage to finance it.

As in past years, a number of chefs have been invited in to help roast ten pigs and provide food for sale at kiosks, along with regional brewers and vineyards and some of the best local food producers from Frontenac and the surrounding region.

But with the new venue, the level and cost of entertainment has gone up, and the hours of the event have been lengthened as well.

In order to fit with Mckenzie’s carnival vision, one of the major acts that will be performing is the Blue Mushroom Psyshow with featured performers Miss BonBon Bombay, Angela Solo, István Betyár, and sword swallower and fire eater The Mighty Leviticus. Magician Eric Leclerc is the other featured performer. Musical acts include the Foley Mountain Playboys, Tom Savage and Marc Charron, who will perform with Jason Leen as the Jaymarcs.

With the event taking on such a new scale, there is an admission fee this year. It is $20 at the door, but advance tickets are $15 and are available through the event website dayofthepig.ca

Anyone under 18 years old will be admitted for free however, making it a family friendly event.

Even with the admission fee, McKenzie is not expecting to turn a profit this year.

“I’d like to see this event break even or make enough money to pay for an event organiser to run it next year,” he said.

To get to the Day of the Pig, take road 38 north to Sharbot Lake and look for the cars.

The Cataraqui Region is blessed with an abundance of remarkably unique lakes. Increasingly, the health and long term viability of these important sources of natural habitat, recreation and drinking water is a topic of great importance to those who live near and enjoy these bodies of water.

With this in mind, the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority (CRCA) has organized a Lake Information Event. It takes place on Sunday, May 28, in the Outdoor Centre at the Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area, from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m., admission is free.

Led by CRCA staff, this all-ages event will also be the official launch of the CRCA’s first ever Regional Lake Assessment Report and Lake Fact Sheets. The Lake Assessment Report was created to outline the importance, methods, and results of lake monitoring in the Cataraqui Region. As part of this work Lake Fact Sheets were produced for 45 lakes within the region to provide maps, note physical features, assess water quality, identify invasive species and outline aquatic diversity.

This interactive and informative session will give participants a chance to learn all about lakes including monitoring activities and how we determine the health of the lakes in our jurisdiction.

Check out displays and information from organizations including Watersheds Canada, Lake Partner Program, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters Invading Species Watch Program and others. Try out lake monitoring equipment, learn about the state of Cataraqui Region lakes and your local watershed, discover the strange and wonderful zooplankton universe, learn to identify invasive species, find out how you can get involved to help collect important scientific information, participate in educational games and much more.

The Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area is located on Division Street just two kilometres north of Highway 401..

For more information about the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority, visit www.crca.ca or call (613) 546-4228 x 500 or toll free in the 613 region at 1-877-956-CRCA (2722).

Oso Hall in Sharbot Lake often functions as Provincial Court but last Saturday, it became a slightly different ‘Court’ as the Sharbot Lake Leos Club held its first ever Jail ’n’ Bail to raise funds for the Food Bank.

President Annika Putnam, who also served as ‘judge,’ said the idea came from a brainstorming session where club members tossed out fundraising ideas.

“This one seemed the most feasible,” she said. “We thought it was unique.

“The Mayor (Francis Smith) was the first one we thought of to arrest.

Lion Leslie Smith-Merrigan said the ideas were all from the Leos but “sometimes you gotta shake up the town.

“(But) we try to let them make the rules.”

So, beginning around 10am, prominent local ‘criminals’ started being ‘arrested’ and sentenced to an hour behind bars phoning friends, family and anybody else they could think of to pledge funds and get them out of jail.

At the end of the day, they’d raised about $5,600 for the Food Bank.

They had a lot of help, such as OPP Aux. Const. Nicole Greenstreet and Ilya Medovikov who apprehended the criminals, Brian Robertson of North Frontenac Little Theatre who assembled the ‘jail,’

John Richter who made a special maple and cherry wood gavel and block just for the occasion, as well as numerous parents and Lions Club members who donated to the Leos’ bake sale table and canteen (proceeds of which will go towards funding Leo activities).

Bailiffs were Abby Beattie, Braidey Merrigan, Zack Kaillam, Christian Armstrong and Riley Merrigan.

Smith-Merrigan said anyone 12-18 who’d like to join the Leos can do so by contacting her, and Leo or Lions Club member.

The following is a list of the criminals apprehended and the crimes they commited:

• James MacDonald: Orderly conduct and Driving while under the influence of education
• Tom Corneil: Felony planking, Attempted retirement and Possession of shorts and attempting to wear them year-round
• Wayne Robinson: Generosity in the first degree
• Marcel Giroux: Excessive volunteering and Stalking and contributing to every needy cause
• Connie McLellan: Grand selflessness with excessive positivity
• Robert Moore: Possession of caffeine with intent to sell and Distribution of Community Spirit
• Bill MacDonald: Aiding and abetting aggravated salting of township roads and Attempted assault on an innocent pine tree
• Francis Smith: Attempting honest politics and Break & entering into office
• Dave and Dawn Hansen: Disturbing the peace with the Lions roar and Possession and trafficking of pins worldwide.