Rev. Karen Hincke led the 130th Anniversary service of the Snow Road Presbyterian Church on June 7 and spoke to a capacity crowd. The service included special musical guests, the Abrams Family, with Wayne, Mary and their son Brian Abrams performing their top notch brand of musical ministry, which delighted the congregation.

Rev. Hincke made many references to family histories in the service, first in her conversation with the children where she spoke of her own personal history with the church and specifically of her great grandfather, a Methodist circuit rider who rode a horse in South-western Ontario, preaching to a number of different communities there. Regarding the Snow Road church's 130th anniversary, Hincke said, “As a church we are born and are identified by our history... and the meaning of that history will be determined by the future, and by where our history is leading us.” In her sermon, the theme of genealogy continued and Hincke said that the purpose of the anniversary “is to look back at the130 years of this congregation’s life, which will give us courage and hope for the decades to come.”

She chose to read the opening 17 verses from the Gospel of Matthew, which are seldom read at a worship service. They speak of the genealogy of Jesus Christ and the 42 generations that led to his birth. She cited the reading as “a genealogy that is the proper beginning of the story of Jesus for two main purposes, since first, it tells the reader who Jesus was and how he fits both into the history of the Jews and the Christian church” and secondly she said that it “shows Matthew's readers at that time, the beginning of their own history.”

The history of the Snow Road church has been celebrated and chronicled in a publication titled “The First Hundred Years - Snow Road Presbyterian Church”, which was put together by Max Millar, Hilda Geddes and Don St. Pierre in celebration of the church's 100-year anniversary in 1985.

I have included here some highlights from that publication here.

The church was built in 1885 at the cost of $1600 by Mr. Snowden, a contractor and builder, on a lot donated by Mrs. James (“Granny”) Millar. The church was opened and dedicated on November 28, 1885. Prior to its construction services were held in a no longer existing schoolhouse in the village. John Allan, who moved to Snow Road from the Perth area, is the individual credited with instigating the building of the church and was its first elder. He also organized its first Sunday school. A year after its construction, the churches of McDonalds Corners and Elphin were transferred to the Kingston Presbytery since the new church was a member and the three remained in the Kingston Presbytery until 1927, when they became a part of the Presbytery of Lanark and Renfrew.

Rev. Alexander McAuley was the church's first minister. The church organ that was played at Sunday's service by organist Lynda Russell was purchased in 1936, replacing an older hand pump organ and in 1968 it was electrified. The church was originally heated by a single box stove, and a second stove was later added. They were replaced first by one and then a second wood-burning furnace, which were installed in the church’s basement. Because the heating system proved insufficient, in 1968 the family of John A. and Blanche Geddes (Hilda, Ralph, Katharine, Eileen and Jim) paid to install electric heating, which was dedicated in memory of their parents. The church was originally lit with kerosene lamps, which were replaced in 1934 by gas lamps. These in turn were replaced by electric lights in 1938.

Many additions occurred at the church over the years. In 1952 an entrance over the basement door was built and in 1956 a vestry was built at the front of the building. New windows were installed in 1962 and in 1967 a privy was built outside at the rear of the church. It has just recently been updated. In 1975 new front windows were acquired and a green steel roof was purchased and installed. In 1980 a sound system was installed.

Over the years numerous gifts were donated to the church, allowing for the purchase of building and other materials. When the church congregation celebrated their 100-year anniversary in 1985, the building was repainted inside and out for the celebrations, which were led by Reverend Linda Bell and took place there on August 4, 1985.

Rev. Hincke concluded the service by saying that this anniversary was an important opportunity for congregants to look both to the past and to the future. “During this anniversary celebration we look to our history...remembering who we are and where we have been as we look to the future remembering what we have been put here to do and where we are going.”

Upcoming will be the 169th anniversary celebration and service at the Elphin Presbyterian Church on Sunday, June 28 at 11 a.m. and on Sunday July 19 the Knox Presbyterian Church in McDonalds Corners will be holding a special 170th celebration and service at 11 a.m.

Over 170 diners attended the most recent Saturday morning breakfast fundraiser on April 4 at the Snow Road Snowmobile Club (SRSC). Following the meal, the club’s president, Ruth Wark, presented two cheques of $433.50 each to representatives from the Lanark and the Kingston Frontenac Lennox & Addington (KFL&A) Alzheimer societies.

The annual fundraiser was started years ago when a member of the community, the late Colonial St. Pierre, whose wife had passed away from the disease, asked if club members would be interested in raising money for the Alzheimer Society. The SRSC has been fundraising for the Society ever since.

Wark said that the fundraisers have become a focus for the club due to the fact that so many members of the club have had loved ones with Alzheimer’s. “All of us here have had people in our lives who have been diagnosed with the disease and this is our way of giving back to the community.”

Vicki Poffley, executive director of the Alzheimer Society of KFL&A, who was present at the club to receive one of the cheques, said that she and her staff very much appreciate the donation and that community fundraisers are a big part of how they are able to support those affected by the disease in the local community. “About 75% of our budget is raised through events such as this as well as from other fundraisers and donations by members of the community. These funds are used not only for the services and supports we provide but also to raise awareness that the society is here in the neighbourhood to help support individuals and their families.”

Following a diagnosis, the Alzheimer’s Society offers education and supports to individuals and their families to enhance their quality of life and to encourage their continued social interactions.

Poffley explained that the Alzheimer's Society's satellite office, which was up and running in Sharbot Lake from 2008 to 2011, was closed down due to cost concerns. However, the Kingston office continues to service the area. “We found that a lot of the support that we were providing in the community here was home-based so we are continuing with that support even though the office has been closed.” The Kingston office continues to offer a community Alzheimer support group at the United Church in Sharbot Lake, which takes place regularly on the first Tuesday of the month at 1PM. The support group was discontinued for a while but has now started up again. Those looking for more information about the supports that the Alzheimer’s Society provides can call 613-544-3078 or visit www.alzheimer.ca/kfl&a

Cheryl Bingley, a board member with the Alzheimer Society of Lanark County, also attended the fundraiser and received a cheque and was equally thankful for the donation. She stressed the importance of having funds available to spread awareness and support the existing services available at her office. “There is a significant aging population in this area and it is very important that people are made aware of the services that are available to them.” Lanark residents wanting more information about the supports offered at the Lanark office can contact Louise Noble at 613-264-5060.

Organizers of the first ever Ride For Dad snowmobile event in the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs' (OFSC) District 1, which took place at the Snow Road Snowmobile Club on February 28, were thrilled with the turn out. The event is a fundraiser for the fight against prostate cancer and attracted 93 registered riders of all ages from Kemptville, Kingston, Brockville, Smith Falls, and Perth. A large number of local riders participated as well. Among them were five-year-old Cooper and his dad, Philip, of Snow Road, who were participating in their first ever Ride For Dad.

It was also the first Ride for Dad for Dave Burns, a member of the Kemptville Snowmobile Club, who himself is a survivor of prostate cancer. He was diagnosed six years ago and has been cancer free since undergoing surgery and treatment. He attended the event with his wife Heather and three other couples from Kemptville.

The trail ride was a145 km loop (with an optional short cut) that stretched east to Perth, and north to Hopetown, with a lunch stop at the Civitan Club in Lanark. The $30 registration included lunch and registrants were automatically entered into a draw for close to 80 prizes donated by local individuals and businesses. These included a wide range of snazzy riding gear, original stained glass art, a number of gift baskets and more.

The event was sponsored by Crain's Construction, W.A. Robinson Asset Management and the Sharbot Lake Pharmacy. Members of the club put on a spaghetti dinner following the ride for the riders and the community at large.

Junior Snow Road club member Brandon Crain and Shelby Knight initiated and organized the event, which by the end of the day had raised over $5,000 in pledges.

Alice Gilchrist, a member of the club, who also participated in the ride, said that it was a huge success. “Frontenac and Lanark counties have gorgeous scenery and great trails with lots of hills and turns and riders always comment on how great the trails are here.”

Scott Buckley, governor of the OFSC District 1 and also its current president, said that District 1, which is home to 26 clubs and stretches from Napanee to Calabogie and east to the Quebec border, offers up 4000 kilometres of trails and is the largest of the 16 districts in Ontario. Buckley was pleased to see the event take place in the district, which he said is home to over 10,000 permit holders and hundreds of volunteers. "It's nice to see the event taking off here and we're very happy to be able to offer organized snowmobiling in the area,” he said.

Buckley cited the dedication of the hundreds of volunteers who put in thousands of hours to sign and groom the trails and said he is also very grateful to the many private landowners whose generosity allows for the amazing network of trails in the area.

“There is no way that the OFSC could afford to pay for all of the free help that we get through volunteerism,” Buckley said.

submitted by Snow Road Snowmobile Club

The Telus Snowmobile Ride For Dad raises money for prostate cancer research and awareness. Prostate Cancer is the most common Cancer in Canadian men. One in seven Canadian men will develop prostate cancer during his lifetime. The event is national in scope but funds remain in the host community.

You have an opportunity to participate in this first ever snowmobile Ride for Dad locally on February 28 at Snow Road Snowmobile Club, 1106 Gemmills Road. Registration or donations can be made online at RideForDad.ca or the day of the ride from 8am to 10 am. Donuts and coffee will be served at the SRSC Clubhouse. The planned trail ride covers approx 150km through the scenic trail network of the K & P Snowmobile Trails Association. Lunch will be provided at Civitan Club in Lanark. Prizes will be handed out at the close of the run at SRSC. Supper will be available following presentations. Trail ride begins at 10am; event cost is $30 (includes HST); free registration for riders collecting $100 or more in pledges. Therefore you are encouraged to get busy and line up your pledges.

Volunteers and staff at the Snow Road Snowmobile Club (SRSC) seem to know the best way to attract riders and non-riders alike to their club. The club's regular bi-weekly Saturday breakfasts have long been popular with both snowmobilers and non-snowmobilers, and on January 24 volunteers served up no less than 170 breakfasts to early morning diners. Some came from the local area and some from as far away as Kingston, Smiths falls, Clayton, Perth, Westport, Carleton Place and Almonte. The breakfasts consists of a hot and hearty serving of eggs (as you like them), bacon AND sausages, beans, home fries (with or without onions), toast, juice, coffee or tea plus a wide selection of homemade dessert treats to boot. At a cost of $8 for adults, $4 for children ages 8-13 and free of charge for kids ages 7and under, the breakfasts are a real deal and they run on alternate Saturdays from 8-11am. The next one takes place on Sat. February 7.

Club president Ruth Wark said that the club, which formed in 1976, depends on the regular breakfasts for its regular upkeep and to help support ongoing renovations. The clubhouse has undergone numerous changes over the years. In 1979 a new addition was built. In 1992 a new kitchen and new bathrooms were added and in 2011 the club received a $60,000 Trillium grant, which together with the $24,000 that the club fundraised themselves, allowed them to expand the building and put in in-floor heating as well.

Club members are currently raising funds to put in automatic doors in the washrooms and entrance ways, change tables in the washrooms and a new dishwasher in the kitchen. The club not only serves snowmobilers from all over Ontario but also acts as a gathering place for locals.

Upcoming on Sat. Feb. 28 will be the SRSC's first ever Ride For Dad event. The event, which is a fundraiser for prostate cancer, invites riders from near and far to take part. Registration costs $30 but is free for participants who have raised upwards of $100 in pledges. Riders can either register online or on the day of the run at the club from 8-10am.

The 160km ride begins in Snow Road and runs through Hopetown, Middleville with a lunch stop in Lanark (location to be announced). The scenic four to five-hour ride continues on through Perth and Silver Lake and ends back in Snow Road. Riders can enjoy free coffee and donuts at the start of the run and the club is offering up free prizes plus a spaghetti dinner afterwards, with proceeds going to the club. Riders are reminded to stay on the trails at all times. The Snow Road Snowmobile Club is located at 1106 Gemmills Road in Snow Road.

Over 20 vendors took part in the first ever “Get Ready For Christmas” craft show and bake sale that took place at the Snow Road Snowmobile Club on December 6. Over 100 enthusiastic shoppers visited the club house in a steady stream throughout the day and greatly appreciated the wide array of festive offerings created by a host of talented local and from-away artisans and makers in a variety of different mediums. Up for grabs were tasty holiday treats including gorgeous and delectable cakes and cup cakes home made comestibles, as well as truffles and chocolates. There were hand crafted quilts and a wide assortment of hand sewn, knit and crocheted items, plus photography, fine art, Arbonne wellness products, and more. Hanne Quigley of Silent Valley Alpaca in Ompah was one of the participating vendors and had a wide range of cozy, wearable winter items created from alpaca wool, which included shawls woven by Ompah weaver Ellen Good, hats knit by North Frontenac knitters, Canadian-made socks, and alpaca yarn that comes from Quigley's own herd.

As well, members of the snowmobile club offered up a delicious lunch menu, which many enjoyed.

The event was organized by president of the Snow Road Snowmobile Club, Ruth Wark, and club member Alice Gilchrist and they were very pleased with the turnout for the first time event. In order to get feedback, they offered a survey to the vendors to find out if they would be interested in participating again next year and judging by the smiling faces of the vendors and buyers alike, it looks as though this festive holiday show may indeed become a regular annual event in Snow Road.

Visitors to an open house at the Snow Road Fire Hall in North Frontenac on October 11 learned a few new things about the best ways to prevent and respond to house fires.

North Frontenac fire chief Steve Riddell along with deputy chief Sandy Ryder, fire fighter Gary Fleming and North Frontenac fire prevention officer Eric Korhonen were on hand educating guests about smoke alarms, chimney fires and also giving live demonstrations on the proper technique of putting out a fire using a fire extinguisher.

The event coincided with the last day of Fire Prevention Week, which was from October 5-11. Korhonen said the main aim of the open house was to underline the importance of homes being outfitted with properly working smoke alarms. “In a nut shell, working smoke alarms save lives,” Korhonen said. He explained the two different types of smoke alarms, both of which are recommended for use in homes since together they can provide adequate time for occupants to escape a house fire, whether it is a flaming fire or a smoldering one.

The first type of smoke alarm is an ionization smoke alarm, which can detect flaming fires sooner by detecting ionized fire particles. These are the smaller and less visible charged particles released from a fire. They are best installed in kitchens near stoves and in basements near furnaces and or wood stoves.

The second type are photoelectric smoke alarms, which are triggered when the larger, more visible particles released in a fire interfere with and reflect the alarm's light beam, which in turn triggers the alarm. These are best located in bedrooms and landings in the upper reaches of a home where smoke will collect.

Korhonen also stressed the fact that smoke alarm batteries should be checked on a monthly basis. In front of the hall fire fighters set up their fire extinguisher training device and taught guests the PASS method of putting out a fire with an extinguisher, i.e. Point, Aim, Squeeze the trigger and Sweep at the base of the fire. “This is a great opportunity for people to get a chance to use an extinguisher before they might need to. Sometimes using one for the first time can be a bit startling. It is helpful to be familiar with the device and to know how it operates prior to having to use one in a real emergency situation.”

Korhonen reminded wood stove owners to only burn seasoned wood, and to clean their chimneys regularly once or twice a year. He had on hand a product called Chimfex for extinguishing chimney fires. It looks similar to a road flare and contains a chemical compound that can be activated by opening the container and then placing it in a stove where a chimney fire is occurring. “Chimney fires occur from the build up of creosote in the chimney pipe and you can often tell when one is occurring from the sound it makes. Often there can be a rumbling noise from within the stove, or in other instances the pipes will be glowing red.”

Guests who visited were given a number of gift items and door prizes and enjoyed a free barbeque lunch. Youngsters had a chance to explore numerous fire vehicles while getting to know their local fire fighters. With the weather turning colder, now is the time to ensure that homes are fire safe and properly outfitted with the tools that have been proven to save lives.

For more information about fire safety visit the

Fire Marshall's website at www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca

Seniors in Snow Road have been keen to stay active and healthy, and four members of the community took the initiative and have been running regular seniors fitness classes at the Snow Road Community Hall.

Recognizing their initiative and in an effort to serve the residents in their western North Frontenac catchment area, the North Lanark Community Health Centre recently trained the four local residents in their seniors fitness instruction program. Sheila Kittle and Carolyn Jarvis recently completed their senior fitness training through the NLCHC and are now holding one-hour classes at the Snow Road Community Hall. The classes take place there on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:30 -10:30am.

On September 8, Kara Symbolic, a community health promoter with the North Lanark Community Health Centre, attended the first official Monday class where 16 seniors were participating. She congratulated the four trainees, two of whom, Sue Sworowski and Laurie Ryder are just finishing up their training and will also be instructing the classes.

The NLCHC serves a large rural population and until now have been serving residents mostly in North Lanark. Symbolic said the NLCHC is unique in that it sends community health promoters and community developers, who work with community members on the root causes of illness and ill health. “We do a lot of health promotion and illness prevention by running programs like fitness classes, cooking classes and mindfulness-based stress reduction classes. We do a lot to help people build their own capacity to prevent sickness and disease from happening,” Symbolic said.

The classes and programs are free and are open to all members of the community. Participants do not have to be clients of the health centre. “People on fixed and low incomes often find it difficult to participate in community life so we have a strong commitment to being able to offer accessible programming for all members of the community,” Symbolic explained. Symbolic is delighted that Snow Road community members are stepping forward to make a healthier community. The classes at Snow Road are geared to seniors and older adults and incorporate a short warm up, 20 minutes of cardio vascular exercise, a cool down, 20 minutes of strength training and some flexibility and balance exercises. Those with specific injuries or particular health issues are welcome and can be easily accommodated in the classes. For more information contact Carolyn Jarvis at 613-278-0696.

It was not only the brothers, John and James, but three generations of the Abrams family who entertained the capacity crowd at the John Thomson Hall in Snow Road at their concert on August 24. The brothers' grand parents, Wayne and Mary Abrams, opened the show and were joined by their son Brian (father of the brothers); together they demonstrated the family's musical heritage, which is probably a huge part of why the Abrams brothers are such apt musicians and also two fine young gentlemen.

The concert is always a stellar musical treat and one immediately gets a sense that the family enjoys putting on the show as much as the audience revels in it. The music is old style country/ blue grass/gospel with John on vocals and guitar, James on fiddle and vocals huddling around a single microphone, each member of the band edging in carefully, making perfect harmonies and with the instruments taking their solo turns showing off their incredible skills.

The brothers and family were joined by accomplished banjo player Glenn MacDonald, who also contributed back up vocals, and later in the show by bass player Jason Mercer, both of whom are talented and solid players.

The brothers are truly amazing musicians, James more wild and wily on the fiddle, John more grounded and straight ahead on the guitar but with the two together demonstrating how growing up as the fourth generation in a musical family definitely can have its benefits and rewards. They put on a great show and judging by the applause in the hall their performance was more than well received.

In the second half of the show they introduced a special guest, Catherine Helferty from Kingston, who goes to church with the family and is the music director there, and who sang several stellar pieces.

I spoke to the brothers during the break and both said they love playing to the home town crowd. John said “It is completely relaxed and a great opportunity to get back to our roots and to play exactly how we started playing music in the first place.” James added, “We love to be able to play with three generations of the family and love the community here and the sense of family it brings.”

Currently the brothers are recording a new CD in Toronto with producer Gavin Brown who also produced The Bare Naked Ladies, The Tragically Hip, Billy Talent and Metric among others. John said the new record will be all originals with a focus on roots but also fused with pop and rock elements. The brothers have been touring steadily for the past two years in the US and have played also in the England and in Europe. Both are also studying at Queens University, James, biology and John, English and film. They will be playing on August 29 at the Canadian National exhibition (CNE) in Toronto. Funds raised at the concert will benefit the All Creatures Great and Small Animal Rescue, which was recently taken over by Tanya and Brian Abrams.

After the Snow Road concert there was a surprise event - an Ice Bucket Challenge that doused Brian, James and John, except that this bucket was no small cooler of water but the huge bucket of Dale Gemmill's front end loader.

For more information about the Abrams Brothers visit theabramsbrothers.ca

Photo: The Abrams Brothers at The John Thomson Hall in Snow Road.

The Abrams Brothers packed their family owned John Thomson hall in Snow Road for their annual concert/fundraiser on August 21.

The brothers, John, aged 20 and James, aged 18, have been playing together since 1999 and have won recognition both at home in Canada and abroad. In 2005 they were the youngest Canadians ever to perform at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry. That same year they were named emerging artists of the year at the Canadian Bluegrass Music Awards and one year later were presented with the Daniel Pearl Memorial Violin, which is presented to especially gifted young musicians for a year.

Prior to taking the stage on Sunday listeners were first treated to a few fine tunes by the brothers’ grandparents Wayne and Mary Abrams. Next up, elder brother John introduced his friend Alex, who accompanied John on keyboards for a few covers and sang “The Cabin”, an original she and John co-wrote.

The second half of the show was all the Abrams Brothers band, who have never sounded better and who are back home after a very busy touring year that included their third trip to Israel and as well as an unforgettable gig in Brooklyn, New York, where they opened for the Courtyard Hounds, made up of sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Robison who are 2/3 of the all-time top-selling female US-based band, The Dixie Chicks.

With many more hours of stage shows under their belt, the band is hotter than ever. Both brothers now share more of lead vocals and with James on fiddle and John on guitar the two also appear in very fine soloing form. As usual their harmonies are tight as only siblings who have been singing together since they could walk can sound. Cousin Elijah was having a ball on the bass and joining him was Sharbot Lake-raised drummer, Cam Giroux, whose light but precise touch meted out a sure and steady beat. The foursome mixed up their set with a number of classic old country favs, like “City of New Orleans”, the always fast and furious “Orange Blossom Special” and “Big Mun”, each played all out, full throttle with nothing held back.

The brothers have just put out their fifth CD to date. Titled “Northern Redemption”, it is the first all-original material album put out by the band and was inspired by the Canadian wilderness that has surrounded them all of their lives. They sampled a few from the new CD during the show including the slow lament titled “Window”, written and sung by James and inspired by older Simon and Garfunkel tunes that the brothers have been harmonizing to for years. They also played the new tune, “While You Sleep”, a rollicking mellower tune that also showcases their spot-on perfect harmony. The two are thrilled to have an album out of all original material and equally pleased at the positive reception it has been getting, including ample air time on CBC Radio.

“We've gotten great reviews and people are really gravitating to it which is really encouraging since it is our first all original album,” said John Abrams. The brothers love returning every year to Snow Road to play for close friends and family who have not only followed their rise to fame over the years but who have grown up on many generations of Abrams family music. Fittingly the show closed with all three generations of the family getting together for a heartfelt rendition of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” led by dad Brian and by the end of it, the entire hall was singing the final chorus.

This September will be a busy one for the boys, who will both be studying arts and science at Queens University. They also have 120 bookings lined up for this year alone. Their new CD “Northern Redemption” can be purchased on-line at i-tunes, or through their website (abramsbrothers.com) and also at Chapters, Indigo and Coles.

This year the free will donations collected from the Snow Road audience totaled in excess of $3,000, and the proceeds are being donated to the Sharbot Lake services of the KFL&A Alzheimer’s Society, which is based at the Seniors’ Centre in the former United Church manse.