By Steve Blight

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Spring has sprung, and for woodland wildflowers, spring is by far the peak of the flowering season. There is an explosion of life under the canopy of the tall trees once the snow has melted and the forest soils begin to warm up. Many early flowering woodland plants have made a remarkable adaptation to their normally shady environment. Known as spring ephemerals, their strategy is to make as much use as possible of the direct sunlight streaming through leafless deciduous trees in early spring to do all of their flowering, seed production and growth for the year.

Once the trees have completely leafed out by mid-May and have begun starving them of light, they wither and return to their dormant stage underground, waiting for the warmth of the following spring to go through the cycle again – much like tulips.

This week’s column is intended to help readers identify several showy woodland wildflowers that bloom in early spring in area forests. The next column will highlight another group of pretty flowers that bloom a little later in spring. Please remember that woodland wildflowers very rarely transplant to gardens successfully and many don’t survive being picked. The best way to make sure they are there year after year is to enjoy them where they are growing.

HEPATICAS:

Round-lobed Hepatica, showing previous year’s leaves, Photo: William S. Justice @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Among the first flowers to bloom are the hepaticas. There are two species of hepaticas in our area – sharp-lobed and round-lobed. The round-lobed tends to grow in acidic soils, for example soils found on granite under oaks and pines, whereas the sharp-lobed is more likely found in alkaline soils (i.e. soils with more calcium from limestone or marble) under maples and other shade-tolerant hardwoods. Hepatica flowers are blue-lavender, pink or white, about ½ -1 inch wide (1.5-2.5 cm) with 6 petals, and flower in mid to late April before the new leaves unfold. New leaves persist throughout the growing season and stay green through the following winter.

BLOODROOT

Bloodroot flower and fully opened leaves

is a low-growing member of the poppy family that has a single daisy-like white flower with a yellow central disk. The flowers first appear above the unopened, clasping leaves in late April or early May. They are found growing in moist to dry woods and thickets, often on flood plains and near shores or streams, on slopes and are rarely found in disturbed sites. Once the flowers have finished, the leaves can persist well into the growing season.

VIRGINIA SPRING BEAUTY

Virginia Spring Beauty showing slender grass-like leaves. Photo Jennifer Anderson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

is a delicate woodland ephemeral native to eastern North America. It is a low growing, trailing plant with slender, lance-shaped leaves. The candy-striped white or pale pink flowers are about ½ inch (1.5 cm) in diameter, with five petals, appearing in late April and early May. A true ephemeral, spring beauty completely disappears by about the end of May.

 

DUTCHMAN’S BREECHES

Dutchman’s Breeches flowers and leaves

is an interesting little woodland ephemeral whose common name derives from their white flowers that look like tiny white pantaloons. The flowers are about ½ inch (1.5 cm) long, and are borne in late April on flower stalks 5-10 inches (12-25 cm) long. Their delicate leaves are finely divided, giving them a feathery look.

TROUT LILIES (or dog-toothed violets)

Trout Lily flower showing its mottled leaves

are spring ephemerals with mottled green and maroon leaves and a nodding, backward curved yellow flower with 6 petals and dark brown anthers. Trout lilies are a colonial member of the lily family that can sometimes be found in huge patches, with often only a few plants flowering.

In the next column we’ll take a closer look at another five showy flowers that bloom a little later, typically beginning at mid-spring

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Please feel free to report any observations to Lorraine Julien at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or Steve Blight at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

by Steve Blight

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It’s midwinter in the Land O’ Lakes. Around this time of year, the human residents of the area who haven’t flown south for the winter along with most birds normally begin seeking signs of life away from the woodstove. One creature that can be counted on to provide a little entertainment is the red squirrel.

This fiery little rodent (full name American Red Squirrel) is very common in our area. Although primarily a creature of coniferous forests, the red squirrel also inhabits deciduous woodlands and can even be found in suburban and near-urban areas throughout their range. Their adaptability in terms of both habitat and food sources has made them remarkably successful.

Contrary to what many may think that a rodent normally eats, red squirrels are omnivores. In addition to nuts, seeds, bark and fruit, they are successful predators on bird's eggs, nestlings, frogs, salamanders, insects and even mammals such as voles and young rabbits. In spring they will feed on maple sap and the buds of both coniferous and deciduous trees. They won’t turn their noses up at a good feed of carrion, and they harvest mushrooms, often lodging them in the crook of a tree branch to dry. In a nutshell (pun intended), they will eat almost anything.

One way red squirrels have adapted in order to survive winter is by caching food. For example, piles of spruce cones or other nuts and seeds found in sheltered places on the ground are likely to be red squirrel food caches.

Young red squirrels are usually born in April through to early May. Tiny and naked at first, the typically three or four youngsters grow quickly and within a month are almost fully furred. A fully-grown red squirrel weighs about 250 grams (a bit more than half a pound) and will likely live somewhere between two and three years if it has a bit of luck avoiding its main predators, which include owls, fishers and foxes.

Red squirrels are legendary acrobats when it comes to food. Anyone with a bird feeder in red squirrel country knows how adept they are at getting past the defences we put up. I have seen a red squirrel travel down a long clothesline, upside down and commando-style – hand-over hand – to successfully mount a raid on a feeder stocked with sunflower seeds. I have monitored the daily progress of a red squirrel as it slowly conquered a “guaranteed squirrel-proof” bird feeder. I suppose it didn’t read the fine print. And I have watched a determined red squirrel launching itself through space from an overhanging branch to get to a difficult to reach bird feeder mounted on a post. Not every launch resulted in success, but just as surely as night follows day, this little fellow would scurry back up the tree and launch itself again until it successfully landed on the feeder and claimed its reward.

They are perhaps equally well-known for their pugnacious behaviour. Some dogs (like ours) completely forget everything they ever learned at obedience school when they see a squirrel. Owners of such dogs know what it’s like to console a frustrated dog sitting at the base of a tree looking up at a noisy scolding squirrel. And one great story I read on-line described how a woman watched a red squirrel riding on the back of a gray squirrel and repeatedly biting its head. The gray squirrel was running with difficulty, trying to shake the smaller animal from its back, with no apparent success. Talk about feisty!

So while red squirrels may cost us bird feeding types a little extra seed, I think many would agree that their antics are entertaining. Some days it even makes it seem worthwhile to be here in the Great White North for the winter.

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 Please feel free to report any observations to Lorraine Julien at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or Steve Blight at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

by Lorraine Julien

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Photo of two Jays bickering by Heather Bashow.

Making suet cakes for wild birds is actually quite easy and you can use a wide range of ingredients, most of which can be found in your kitchen cupboards. Birds require the high energy available in fats, seeds and nuts and suet cakes can provide these nutrients.

Pure suet is raw beef fat from around the cow’s kidney area. Rendering the suet can be a stinky and time-consuming chore but you can substitute lard, shortening and even leftover fat from cooking beef or bacon. Simply melt the fat until it reaches an easy-to-pour consistency; then mix in a few ingredients and pour the mixture into a mold.

In addition to fat, you can use ingredients such as: black oil sunflower seeds, millet seeds, oatmeal, cornmeal, raisins, apples, peanut butter. Depending on the type of feeder you have, the suet cakes can be molded into various sizes and shapes.

Many ordinary items can be used for molds; these are just a few ideas:

• Re-use the plastic container when you buy a ready-made cake

• Mini bread loaf pans

• Muffin tins

• Pine cones

• Birch log (with drilled holes to contain suet mixture)

• Baking pan (8x8 size works well)

You can also make suet cakes into round balls, by hand, once the mixture has cooled, and hang them in mesh onion bags. These make great Christmas gifts for a bird lover.

Birds love peanut butter but it is so sticky it could cause problems for the birds if fed on its own. Stickiness can be reduced though by mixing with cornmeal, rolled oats and/or cracked corn.

As long as you stick to a certain ratio of fat to other ingredients such as seeds, fruit, etc., you can use various combinations to make a cake. A basic recipe calls for equal amounts of shortening or suet and commercial bird seed. (It’s preferable to use black oil sunflower seeds as they are higher in nutritional value and fat content)

On my first attempt, I got carried away by probably adding too many goodies to the fat. The result was very crumbly but still usable in an onion bag. Birds are not that picky! I didn’t have raisins on hand but chopped up apple pieces are a welcome treat. I don’t know whether it is much cheaper to make your own “suet” cakes but it is really gratifying when the birds like it as much, or more, than the ones you’ve bought.

There are loads of recipes on the internet if you have access to a computer. The following peanut butter “suet” cake follows another basic ratio, i.e. one part of fat to one part peanut butter, one part flour, three parts cornmeal and one part other ingredients such as nuts, seeds, berries and fruit.

Peanut Butter “Suet” Cake

1 cup shortening or lard or leftover fat from cooking

1 cup peanut butter (some recipes call for “crunchy”)

3 cups cornmeal

1 cup whole wheat flour

½ cup rolled oats

½ cup bread crumbs

1 cup peanut pieces (or substitute raisins, chopped apple or bird seed)

Line an 8x8 pan with wax paper. (Crinkle up the wax paper first so that it will conform to the shape of the pan more easily). Melt shortening in a saucepan over low heat. Meantime, crush or chop your peanuts or fruit.

Once the shortening has completely melted, stir in the peanut butter until smooth. Then mix in the flour and cornmeal and remove from heat. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and pour mixture into the pan, smoothing the surface with the back of a spoon. Place in the refrigerator to set.

When the cake has solidified, pull it out of the pan and flip it over on a plate wax paper side up. Peel off the paper, cut the cake into quarters and wrap each piece in wax paper. Store in the freezer or refrigerator until you are ready to pop them into your suet feeder.

When I first made my own “suet” cakes, I watched to see if the birds would sample the goodies. In only a few minutes, all of my regulars were taking turns.

Fortunately or unfortunately, we usually have various critters roaming around at night here at the lake so we take the suet feeders in each evening and put them out again in the morning. Two of the feeders are near the back door so this only takes a few seconds.

Once warm weather arrives, do not put out suet cakes as the fat will begin to melt and turn rancid. The softened fat will also attract unwanted visitors. If you have any leftover cakes just store them in the freezer until fall. At the rate my cakes are being eaten, I won’t have to worry about leftovers.

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Please feel free to report any observations to Lorraine Julien at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or Steve Blight at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The water was warm. It was a balmy day on the lake. Great costumes, back flips - it was all there for this year's Central Frontenac Heritage Festival Polar Bear Plunge. There was an Olympic theme going on with several of the Plungers, including Anne and Hilary Howes, dressed in Olympic costumes. Anne, by the way, was a torchbearer in the 1988 Calgary Olympics. The event was emceed by our dynamic Town Crier, Paddy O'Connor, with assistance from Mayor Janet Gutowski. It was a great group of Plungers and a very enthusiastic audience and generous supporters.

Art Holloway raised $1,320; Mark Montagano raised $1,290. They thought they were battling it out for the most funds raised and then Jeremy Neven came roaring up the middle with $1,926. Several other notable fund raisers were Connie McLellan of RBC with $640, Richard and Vickie Struthers at $530, Heather and Kevin Rioux at $490 and Janine Falk at $405. All in all, $10,137 was raised for three worthy organizations: The Child Centre (unfunded programs), GREC School Council and the Alzheimer Society. In the last four years the plunge has raised over $32,000 for various causes.

Karen McGregor of St. Lawrence College, a long-time supporter of the plunge and the Heritage Festival, supplied the trophies, sound system and the services of Jesse Mills, our videographer who is on a work assignment with the township. The trophy for the most funds raised went to Jeremy Neven; the youngest plunger was Samantha Kempe and the best costume went to Shane Steeves, who dressed as a coureur du bois and put on another very athletic and creative performance. The indomitable Karen Burke was our most senior plunger and also managed to raise $460.

Richard, Gill and Dawn had the marina ready for the event. The EMS team, led by Chief Bill Young, was on the grounds and in the water to keep us safe. Cox Bus Lines provided a bus to keep the Plungers warm while they were waiting to plunge. Jesse Mills, our videographer, is putting together a video of the event and it will be available in the next few days.

You have thought about it, talked about it and 2015 will be the year to join us in the tropical waters of Sharbot Lake for the 2015 Plunge. See you there.

The Frontenac Arena in Piccadilly was a busy hub of family fun and games thanks to the volunteers from the Central Recreation Committee of South Frontenac, who held their 4th annual Family Day Winter Carnival there on February 17. Dan Bell, who is a member of the committee and who is also chair of the Portland Recreation Committee, organized the event along with Portland Rec Committee member Pam Morey. Bell estimated the attendance this year to be upwards of 1000 - which is bigger and better than any other year and demonstrates that the event is catching on. Not only was the arena parking lot filled with cars but cars were also spread out all along Boundary Road on either side of the arena. This year two (instead of one) horse-drawn wagon rides took carnival goers on tours of the area and youngsters enjoyed a number of outdoor activities that included games, snow shoeing, a marshmallow roast at the fire pit and an outdoor winter obstacle course. Inside the arena all ages of skaters took advantage of the ice time and volunteers served up a free BBQ lunch. Residents also had an opportunity to nominate volunteers from South Frontenac for a volunteer recognition award, the result of which will be announced later in the week. Over 200 nominations were made.

Bell said the event provides a day for families to enjoy healthy outdoor and indoor winter activities for all ages. “Our goal here is to provide a day where families from all over the township can come out, meet people and enjoy a nice time with friends and family. We felt we needed a winter day event here in South Frontenac and it looks as though this one is definitely catching on.”

 

Perhaps it was the perfect ice, snow and weather conditions that attracted over 120 riders, who came to participate in the 4th annual Sharbot Lake Snow Drags on February 15. The event is put on by the Oso Recreation Committee. It was revived in 2011 after a long hiatus and is a popular annual event for riders from as far away as New York state and Quebec, as well as from all over Ontario including Petawawa, Belleville and Burlington.

 

Organizers have made a couple of changes in the classes year and added a new ice track, a four-stroke single-cylinder class and a vintage class in order to attract more riders. Also new was the addition of a third lane on the snow track, which made for more exciting races both for the participants and the hundreds of onlookers who watched from behind the orange safety fences. Participants were awarded trophies at a special ceremony at Oso Hall after the races. The biggest prizes of the day went to the Kings of the Snow and Ice tracks who each took home a whopping $300 cash prize. A roast beef dinner followed the awards ceremony

 

Over 40 volunteers from various community groups assist with the event and take on the numerous tasks involved, which include preparing and grooming the tracks, manning the start and finish lines, registering the riders and more. Spencer and Heather Robinson donated their time and services to set up the ice track, as did Mitch Cox and Dennis Scott to set up the snow track. Volunteers Jim MacPherson, Spencer Robinson and Art Starkey announced the races. The Sharbot Lake and District Lions provided the on site canteen.

 

Charlene Godfrey, who was manning the registration site along with Cathy MacMunn, said that the event is mostly about attracting visitors to the area. “We will put the extra proceeds we make back into the event but our main goal is to draw visitors to the area, who in turn support our local businesses by gassing up, eating meals here and often staying overnight for the event. Our goal is to put on a quality and well-organized event that is fun and entertaining for everyone who comes out”, Godfrey said. Judging by its ongoing success year after year, the Snow Drags will be bringing visitors and snowriders to the area for a long time to come.

 

This year’s Frontenac Heritage Festival was another success and as it unfolded over the weekend.

At the opening breakfast, guest speaker Eric Wagar highlighted the history of Central Frontenac with a focus on the areas that he knows best. Following his speech Dean Walsh and Janet Barr of Community Living-North Frontenac presented a cheque for $500 to members of the festival committee, Mayor Janet Gutowski and Councilor Tom Dewey. On Friday night the crowds swelled to record numbers for the talent show, which was emceed by Gary Giller and Jim MacPherson. The two presented a diverse line up of local talent and that included many newbies to the Oso Hall stage, including singers Xavier Gomez from Northbrook, Adrian O'Connell from Arden, the comedic hillbilly trio comprised of Megan, Milosh and Mike (photo right), and a impressive selection of young musicians from the area including fiddle virtuoso Jessica Wedden and Lucas and Natalie Reynolds. There were also memorable performances by the Land O'Lakes Cloggers and the St. Pierres.

On Saturday in Arden, sizable crowds turned out for the Fur Traders’ Camp Re-enactment, which was moved this year from the Crow Lake Schoolhouse to the Arden Hall and featured the old time pioneers Mike Procter, Bob Miller and Ray Fletcher. There was also a wide variety of other attractions, including displays by the Kennebec Trappers Association, and the Kennebec Historical Society, miniature horse wagon rides, children’s games, a BBQ lunch, skating and demonstrations. A number of new events were added to the line up in Arden including demonstrations by chain saw sculptor Robin Deruchie of Cloyne, which proved very popular. Those who headed north enjoyed a myriad of winter games and activities courtesy of the Kennebec Lake Association.

The snow sculpture contest was moved this year to the Railway Heritage Park in Sharbot Lake but only drew one entry, as people probably preferred to create their snow sculptures on home turf.

The Polar Bear Plunge, on the other hand was a huge draw as always. Spectators, who were cozy in their own winter gear, enjoyed seeing others bite the bullet and take the icy plunge into the waters of Sharbot Lake. The plungers did not disappoint. They appeared in colorful costumes that delighted the crowd and together raised $10,137 for three local causes including the Child Centre, GREC's school council, and the Alzheimer Society (see the Polar Plunge article). Saturday night events were also well attended. The dinner and dance at the Sharbot Lake Legion and the Slocan Ramblers at the Crossing Pub attracted full houses. The 17 vendors who participated in the craft show, which was moved this year to St. James Major from Oso hall, would have liked a larger turnout, but those who shopped were appreciative and receptive to the diverse range of products for sale by local makers who create in a wide variety of mediums.

Another popular site, the Fall River Road Pioneer Log Home, which has been restored by Dr. Peter Bell, allowed festival-goers to step back in time. Visitors enjoyed being driven to the building in Bill Lee's horse-drawn wagon and were greeted by the strains of a bagpipe, played by local musician Gordon Wright. Once inside the circa 1840 home, which is filled with museum-quality artifacts, visitors were offered mulled cider and home-made scones. Adding to the heritage atmosphere were artisans Jean Clair demonstrating quilting and Beth Abbott demonstrating spinning.

On Monday runners and walkers took part in the Heritage relay, which drew 34 runners.

The festival's photo contest had as its theme "Frontenac Landmarks" and drew many entries. Congratulations to winners: Andrea Dickinson - 1st , Kyle Cryer – 2nd and Taylor Babcock – 3rd. All the entries are posted at sites.google.com/site/frontenacheritagefestival/home/photo-contest/2014

Hats off to the members of the Heritage Festival committee and to the countless volunteers who continue to make Central Frontenac a destination in February.

 

Legalese - November 2, 2006

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Legalese - November 2, 2006 It’s That Time AgainBy: Susan Irwin,Lawyer

“No”, I assured a recent newcomer to our community, “the gunfire you heard this morning was not the sound of the municipal election getting really ugly. The barrage you heard was merely the opening of duck and goose season.”

I went on to explain that people recently transplanted from the city are often temporarily confused by their first exposure to hunting season, usually at dawn on a crisp Autumn day. Still to come however, is the loud crack of gunfire that heralds the start of deer season. Sounds and sights that can be startling indeed to somebody who expected to enjoy the bucolic fall existence in their country retirement home.

While visions of venison may be foremost in hunters’ heads, from a lawyer’s perspective, the issues that arise from the start of hunting season are far more serious, if no less tantilizing. The use and misuse of firearms is once again a key story in the media and a major “talking point” for our politicians just as our neighbours begin taking their guns out of their lockups and prepare to head for the hunt camp. They should be forewarned that, despite the much publicized talk about changes to the registry laws, the rules concerning the possession and use of firearms have not changed.

Hunters must have their firearms licence with them when they are in possession of their rifles or shotguns. Conservation Officers and the police may ask you to produce the licence. If you do not have a valid Possession and Acquisition Licence (“PAL”) or Possession Only Licence (“POL”), you can expect to have your firearms seized and to be charged.

While in possession of a rifle or shotgun, you may also be asked to produce proof of registration. Although there is a further amnesty until May 2007 to permit the registration of rifles and shotguns without penalty, it is less clear whether the amnesty provisions will allow their use during the amnesty period. Consequently hunters should be in possession of proof of registration of their firearms before heading out to the field or else be prepared for some legal “fireworks”. Questions on gun registration should be directed to the Canadian Firearms Centre at 1-800-731-4000.

Hunters, in addition to having proof of registration and a firearms licence on their person while in possession of a firearm, must also be able to produce a valid hunting licence or Outdoors Card. Although having the wrong licence or an expired Outdoors Card does not result in a criminal record (the breach of hunting regulations is a Provincial Offence), the consequences of the breach in terms of fines, loss of hunting privileges and even imprisonment, can still be serious. Hunters should be aware that firearms violations that contravene the federal Firearms Act or the Criminal Code of Canada will result in a criminal record and that such record can have negative implications for employment and even travel to the United States.

Hunting, shooting, and the ownership of firearms is an increasingly serious business, and people engaged in these pastimes must keep up-to-date with the rules. Both the Provincial and Federal governments go to great lengths to provide information on hunting and the rules about firearms ownership, so ignorance of the law will certainly be no excuse.

Responsible hunters also know that trespassing is probably one of the most common sources of complaints to the authorities during the hunting seasons. If it’s not Crown Land, and you don’t have clear (preferably written) permission to hunt on land that is not your own, STAY OFF THE PROPETY. Property does not have to be “posted” – the onus is on the hunter not to wander where he or she is not welcome.

We would also advise those hunters who use All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) that they must check in advance to find out the rules for each township they intend to hunt in before they use their ATV on the roads. They should also remember that an ATV is a motor vehicle under the hunting regulations.

Yes, it is that time of year again. Many people look forward to it, and some endure it. Whatever your perspective on the season, let’s all hope that it’s a safe one and one that passes without the need for legal advice.

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Thanks to a grant from the St. Lawrence College Employment Centre, the Frontenac Heritage Festival will employ a new marketing strategy this year and into the future.

Jesse Mills, a graduate of Sharbot Lake High School who has studied film in Toronto, has been engaged to help upgrade the festival's website and facebook page, to help promote the upcoming festival, and to create some videos to create visibility for the festival into the future.

Mills started his one-month contract with the festival late last week, and he began by bringing the festival website up to date, including all of this year's events and plotting the locations of each event on a map.

“The main thing I'm here to do is promote the festival, particularly to a younger group. I'll be running around and filming things for the next few weeks,” Mills said.

This year's Heritage Festival, which is set for the Family Day weekend (February 14-17), features many of the popular events from previous years, including the Sharbot Lake Snow Drags, the Fall River Pioneer Log Home, The Polar Bear Plunge and the Talent Show.

New this year will be a number of events on Saturday in Arden, including displays by the both the Kennebec Historical Society and the Kennebec Trappers, a Fur Traders Camp re-enactment, chain saw wood carving by Rob Deruchie, and more at the Kennebec Hall, the Arden Legion Fishing Derby and the Kennebec Lake Family Fun Day.

One of the events that Jesse Mills is promoting is the revamped Festival Photo Contest. This year there is only one category for the contest, Frontenac Landmarks, and entries, up to three per photographer, can be submitted to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The deadline for submissions is February 10, and there are cash prizes for contest winners, which will be announced on the Saturday of the festival.

Further details are available at the festival website, which is most easily accessed through the Frontenac Heritage Festival facebook page or Twitter feed.

“One of the things I plan to do is prepare a video from previous years' festivals and during the festival I plan to get as much footage as possible to prepare videos for internet release afterwards,” said Jesse Mills.

Mills graduated from Sharbot Lake High School in 2011, and has a sister attending Granite Ridge Education Centre, so he hopes to be able to approach the students and staff at the school seeking volunteers to help out at various festival events.

“I also want to encourage students to participate in the festival this year,” he said. “As I was updating the website I saw how many diverse events there are and I began thinking about how I can let people know what will be happening.”

He will also be looking at promoting the festival in Kingston and beyond through services such as Kijiji and Craigslist.

Look for more about the Heritage Festival in these pages over the next two weeks. A flyer will be included in next week's paper in many communities, or go to sites.google.com/site/frontenacheritagefestival/

For most people January is the time of year to slow down after the Christmas rush. And for Leslie Myles, a Sydenham resident who is a franchise owner for four Body Shop stores in Kingston and Belleville, it is usually inventory time. But not this year.

On Monday afternoon, Leslie flew out of Toronto, bound for Tanzania and Mount Kilimanjaro. She left her business, and her husband and teenage children to fend for themselves for a couple of weeks, and will be joining 11 other women who will make the five-day hike and climb to the summit of the mountain, the tallest in Africa.

For Leslie Myles the climb combines two passions: the great outdoors and community service.

“I love the outdoors and the challenge of taking something on,” she said when interviewed from her home just before leaving for Toronto. “I'm also really looking forward to meeting the people at the Amani Children's home, which is located right at the base of the mountain.”

The staff and children at the home will be looking forward to meeting the 12 women climbers as well, and to receiving a donation of over $60,000 that they will be bringing with them.

The “Kili Climb for Kids” is an adventure and a fundraising event, and Leslie and the other women have all been collecting sponsorship money to donate to Amani house in Tanzania, as well as to the Limestone Learning Foundation.

The Amani Children's Home provides a safe haven for street children in the cities of Moshi and Arusha in Tanzania. The subservient position of children in Tanzania, in conjunction with the scourge of AIDS, is what motivated the Amani home to begin working with children. Workers at Amani offer support to children on the streets, and provides refuge for them, but a major goal of the home is family reunification.

“Although Amani is a happy and healthy place, our ultimate goal for each child is for them to eventually find a placement with relatives or village members - to be brought up in a family context rather than an institutional one,” says the Amani home website.

Amani was founded in 2001, and is entirely funded by donations. In the first two years of its existence the staff at the agency worked without pay. To date 290 children have been helped by the agency.

Until three months ago, Leslie Myles knew nothing about Amani, nor is she an experienced mountain climber, although fitness and the outdoors are a major part of her life.

It was through a conversation in October with Hugh Wiley, who Leslie knows in Kingston, that she learned about Hugh's sister Alison and the “Live out Loud” adventure company in Toronto, which organizes trips to Kilimanjaro. Alison, who is a guide and an accomplished triathlete, is also the president of Friends of Amani Canada. It was through this contact that Leslie was hooked up with the expedition.

“I've never met any of the women with whom I will be climbing,” Leslie said, “but I expect that we will share a bond after this intense experience over the next couple of weeks.”

Climbing Kilimanjaro does not require major mountaineering skills, but issues of concern are the changing ground temperatures that the climb brings, from the African heat at the base to glacial snow at the top, and more pressingly, the thin air at high altitudes that climbers must adjust to.

To get ready for the climb, Leslie said, “I have been very committed, being diligent with my training. I made sure that I ate well and stayed in training. I have been working out twice a week with Jimmy Latimer from Sydenham High School and once a week at 'Kingston Body Management’”.

But from her conversations with people who are familiar with the mountain, Leslie has learned that the final summit can be difficult. “We are scheduled to climb it in five days, and we will be doing the final summit overnight on the fifth day. It will be quite lonely, just looking at the feet of the person in front of you, in the dark, step after step. The plan is to hit the summit at sun up. That should be quite a thrill.”

Although Leslie has never climbed a mountain or visited Africa before, this trip will resonate with one she took 17 years ago to Cuba. She met her husband there on a diving trip, and they ended up getting married underwater and moving back to Canada to settle in Sydenham. “I've been under water in a big way, and now I'll be at the top of Africa.”

Meanwhile, her husband, who works as a machinist, will spend the next two weeks keeping the home fires burning for the couple's two children, Emelia (16) and Cia (14), who attend Sydenham High School.

There are still opportunities to support the fundraising effort that is part of the climb. Checks made out to “Leslie Myles – Kili Climb” can be sent to 1046 Brawley Lane, Sydenham, ON, K0H 2T0. Charitable receipts will be issued.