by Julie Druker (with files from Wilma Kenny)

Photo: VisionSoup organizers Leslie Reade and Josey Steele with two of their volunteers Lily Chubaty and Clare Cook

Two well-attended fundraisers took place in Sydenham last weekend.

The first was on Nov. 18 at the Sydenham Legion by Southern Frontenac Community Services (SFCS) staff and the Sydenham Legion Ladies Auxiliary. The Legion ladies served up a 100-person turkey dinner that was completely sold out.

Those who missed the dinner had a chance to participate in the live and silent auction that followed, which included a line-up of gift items donated by individuals and businessesin the local area and Kingston. Auction goers had a chance to bid on a Schwinn bicycle, Avon products, chocolates, a trolling motor, artwork, jewelry, theatre tickets, multiple gift certificates and much more.

The auction alone raised $5000, an increase of 32% from last year’s event and together with ticket sales, the event raised close to $6,000. Proceeds will go to the SFCSC seniors programs, which include an Adult Day Program, transportation and foot care services, bereavement counseling, and more.

The second fundraiser took place the following day on Nov. 19 at the Grace Centre in Sydenham, the new home of SFCS.

Close to 150 gathered the 8th installment of VisionSoup, which has become for many an annual Sydenham event heralding the beginning of the holiday season.

Organized by Leslie Reade of Sydenham Veterinary Services and Josey Steele of Sydenham Chiropractic, and staffed by their friends and family, the lunch raised $3,000 this year, which is being divided between the Loughborough Christmas and Emergency Fund, and Southern Frontenac Community Services. The Grace Centre was crowded with lunchers comparing soups from a selection of over 15 varieties donated by various restaurants, individuals and groups. Some took small helpings so they could sample two or three soups; others settled for a big bowl of a favourite. Sheldon Cooke reprised his role as bowl-washer, so everyone had a clean bowl to take home, chosen from ceramics donated by artists Tim De Rose (of Wilton Pottery) Susan MacCrae, Sue Lyon, Maggie Jean Gray and June Lang.

The ticket also included coffee and an assortment of desserts, courtesy of Colebrooke Kitchen. Twenty red-shirted volunteers assisted in serving the soup.

Leslie Reade and Josey Steele were thrilled with the turnout this year. It was the second time that the event has been held at the Grace Centre, which is the perfect location to hold the event due to the large seating space and the full kitchen facilities.

I spoke to SFCSC executive director David Townsend and board chair Joan Cameron, who were in attendance at both fundraising events

“We really have an easy time of it with events like VisionSoup since the organizers have their own team of volunteers to do most of the work,” Joan said. “We make sure we are here to help out, but for us, it’s a pretty easy thing.”

The Grace Centre project continues to boost the fortunes of SFCS.

“It's wonderful to watch the changes that are taking place here and it’s put us in a very visible place in the community”, Joan said.

“We have been able to increase the number of seniors that we serve by more than 20% and the new space allows us not only to expand our current programs like Meals on Wheels but also to consider offering new programs like a hot meals program as well,” David added.

SFCSC has just received an $80,000 Trillium grant that will assist in the ongoing renovations at the centre, which will include upgrading the heating system. The Grace Centre seems to be meeting all of the corporation’s requirements and then some.

“The staff are very happy here and they have put a lot of work into getting the building to the stage that it is at now and as we move ahead we look forward to eventually relocating all of our programs and staff to the new building,” Joan said.

The next special event the SFCSC will be holding will be a heritage event; a wine, cheese and cake reception at the Grace Centre celebrating its 150th anniversary and the building’s recent transformation to the SFCSC's new home. The event will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 7 from 5 – 8 p.m. and will include special guests the Rev. Malcolm Steinburg, Wilma Kenny, Mayor Gary Davison and David Linton. Local musicians Sharon and Mark Alton and friends will entertain with traditional Christmas songs.

Photo: Verona Lions Don Lawson and Louise Day present a cheque to David Townsend of the SFCSC

In an effort to place much-needed funding into the hands of those who know best where it needs to go, Verona Lions president Louise Day and treasurer Don Lawson presented a $1500 cheque on behalf of the Verona Lions Club to Southern Frontenac Community Services Corporation's executive director David Townsend on Nov. 2 at the Verona Lions hall.

The Verona Lions, who focus their fundraising efforts on hearing and vision programs in the community, often receive numerous requests for other types of community support. “We get requests for all kinds of different things; everything from medical supplies, wheelchairs, to disaster relief, as well as funding for accident victims, so in the hopes of avoiding the duplication of services, we decided to make a donation to the SFCSC since they know best where the funding needs to go,” Louise Day said.

David Townsend was thrilled to receive the donation and said that it was not the first time that the Verona Lions have made a donation to support the various important community services the SFCSC offers. “This donation helps to demonstrate the fact that the services we offer are meeting the community needs and that people are starting to know where to turn to get the help that they need. Partnering with the Verona Lions and with other groups in the community means that there is a much greater chance that we can help serve more people and these kinds of donations do add up,” he said.

He gave a concrete example of where these particular funds might be headed now that financial assistance that was once available through the Winter Warmth program to rural dwellers who heat solely with wood, is no longer available. “While there are still financial aid packages in place for those who heat with hydro, natural gas and oil, there is nothing now for those who heat 100% with wood and unfortunately these people might easily fall through the cracks. So the SFCSC will be definitely considering using these funds for that purpose.” Townsend said that at this time of the year, many people are often struggling just to meet their basic needs due to difficult economic circumstances. “People who have should know that there are many opportunities to support those who don't by donating to various local community service groups like the Lions and various local churches in the area, who are partnering with the SFCSC to help members of the local community get the services they need. We have formed some very strong relationships with various community groups and churches, many of whom will offer charitable tax receipts immediately upon receipt of a donation.`

Anyone interested in making a donation to the SFCSC or the Verona Lions can call 613-376-6477 or 613-374-2821 respectively.

Photo: Sydenham's Golden Eagles soar out of the Panthers reach

Sydenham’s and Sharbot Lake’s junior girls basketball teams squared off in Sharbot Lake on Oct. 20, with the Golden Eagles giving the Panthers a run for their money. Sydenham took an early lead and maintained it throughout, never once giving the Panthers an in, though there was lots of action at both ends of the court. The Panthers played a great passing game but failed to get the ball in deep when it counted and by the end of the first quarter Sydenham was up 10-0. In the second the Golden Eagles’ leading scorers Emily Bennett and Katie McNicols shone bright and scored multiple points, increasing their team’s lead by 19 points. Sharbot Lake’s Anna Baker put the Panthers on the scoreboard late in the quarter for the first time and the quarter ended 23-2. In the third, Sydenham scored another 13 points, widening their lead, and the Panthers scored 4 more, ending the third 34-6. In the final quarter the Panthers turned it on, penetrating the net and scoring six more points, their best in any one quarter but it was too little too late. The Eagles took the game with a final score of 38-12. Panthers’ coach Ben Moser has struggled in the past to get players out for the junior girls’ team, and said he was thrilled to have 13 young and enthusiastic players this year. “We have a very enthusiastic team who are very excited to play. Right now we are working on our offense and while winning is not our focus, the main goal of the year is to improve at every game.” The Panthers, who have yet to win a game this year, are definitely improving and Thursday’s game was in their coach’s estimation “by far their best defensive game to date”.

Sydenham’s co-coach Mark Richards said his team is having a great season so far. Mid-way through the season the Golden Eagles have won 6 and lost just 2. Richard said the team’s strength is their speed and defense and he is currently having the players focus on their fast breaks. High scorers for Sydenham on Thursday were Emily Bennett, who scored 12 and Katie McNichols who scored 8. Richards says he hopes the team improves every game and is working hard to get the Golden Eagles ready for the playoffs.

Photo: Students on the high ropes course

“Leadership camp is a place where preconceived ideas about leadership and other barriers are broken down”, said Sydenham High School teacher and leadership camp staff supervisor, Kim Kippen.

Along with co-staff supervisor, Don Lalonde, Kippen oversaw a two-day camp for 70 Sydenham High School students on Oct. 18 and 19 at Camp IAWAH, located off the Westport Road, east of Godfrey.

The leadership camp, which has been running for years at Sydenham HS, aims to impart leadership skills to students from all areas of the school by offering concrete examples of leadership through a series of hands-on activities and discussions. Groups of students from grades 9 through 11 were invited by teachers to attend the camp.

The camp is led by four teacher-nominated grade 12 students. The four leaders were Calista Vogelzang, Cia Myles-Gonzalez, David Amos and Shayna Joron, and they were supported by additional grade 12 students who supervised the various activities.

This year’s camp theme, initiated by the four camp leaders, was titled “The Next Step” and it was designed for the students to explore and experience the defining qualities of leadership: initiative, perspective, setting goals, teamwork, overcoming obstacles, setting examples, and self-improvement. The ideas were discussed and also demonstrated through a series of activities that each student had a chance to participate in.

For the segment on perseverance and overcoming obstacles, students completed a relay obstacle course where a pair of students was tied together by one hand, and had no choice but to use their communication skills in order to successfully complete the course. Following the obstacle course students discussed what kind of communications worked well and what did not.

On the high ropes course, students faced a number of daunting aerial challenges that had them working in teams suspended on ropes high above the tree tops. Student organizer, David Amos, said he felt that the participating students benefited greatly from the camp. “One important idea they learn is that they are able to set goals for themselves and they also take what they have learned here back into the community.”

Shayna Joron agreed. “These skills can really help them to prepare to face challenges in their own lives.” “And they come to realize that anyone has the ability to become a good leader, even the quiet students,” Calista Vogelzang added.

Sydenham High School teacher, Beth Barz, who coaches with the Queen’s University women’s rugby team, the national rugby program and also at Sydenham High, was invited as the guest speaker. She shared some of the wisdom she has accumulated while attending a workshop for female coaches of national teams, particularly what coach Melody Davidson of the Canadian women’s hockey team imparted to her.

“I spoke to them about how Melody brought the team to victory, first with thorough planning and also by reviewing their performances.”

Beth Barz feels that the camp gives students something they might not otherwise get during regular school hours.

“Anytime students can get out of the school setting they are able to think a little bit differently. They are able to challenge themselves in different ways and this gives them a sense of autonomy over how and what they learn. We are recognizing more and more that students need that autonomy, which sometimes, academically they do not always get.”

Kim Kippen agreed.

“It's an incredible opportunity for students who may have never had this kind of experience before to reevaluate their own preconceived ideas of leadership and what it means. Each student tends to build on what they already know so while each student’s experience at the camp is different, it always tends to be a very positive and memorable one.”

Student organizer David Amos had the final word and mentioned that what likely makes students so eager to participate is that “the whole camp revolves around demonstrating leadership ideas in a really fun environment, which I believe is what makes the camp so successful.” 

Photo: Tracey Timmerman, Pete Redmond and Emma Redmond

Close to 125 friends and family of long-time farmer, Pete Redmond, whose 100-year-old barn in Holleford burned to the ground on September 10, came out to assist in raising funds to replace it at a silent auction and dance held at the Sydenham Legion on Oct. 15. The event was organized by Tracey Timmerman and Pete's daughter-in -law Emma Redmond. Pete was in attendance and graciously greeted attendees at the door. He recalled being woken up by a neighbour who called him to tell that his barn was on fire. “I remember looking out the window at 2:30am and seeing the barn up in flames. My daughter usually keeps her show calf in there but luckily that night she left it outside.”

The fire department was quick to respond and managed to keep things under control, remaining on the scene until the next afternoon and returning three successive times to douse the still smoldering bales. The fire totally destroyed the barn and the 3500 square bales stored inside. Formerly his grandfather’s farm, Pete has resided there since he was 10. He ran the farm first with his dad. He is currently in the process of rebuilding and said he hopes to have the new 34x 50 foot building finished, for a cost of about $60,000, before the snow flies. Presently he keeps 60 head of beef cattle Supporters who attended the event were treated to a silent auction with a wide variety of items donated by local businesses and individuals and danced the night away to the music of Cory Tucker. Members of the Frontenac Cattleman’s Assoc. provided beef on a bun and by the end of the night over $2800 was raised for the cause.

Photo: Courtesy Cathy Reynolds.

Throughout the month of September students in the JK/SK class at Hinchinbrooke Public School have been learning about the life cycle of the monarch butterfly. In addition to reading information about monarchs, the children have also had the opportunity to witness the various stages of the life cycle first hand.  When school began. Five monarch caterpillars were living in a large cage in the classroom. Over the course of the month the students were able to witness each caterpillar's amazing transformation from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. Once each butterfly was able to fly, the class released it. This proved to be a very moving experience for the students and their teacher, Niki Putnam.

Watching these life cycle stages first hand helped the students to understand the information they were hearing in the books they were reading and songs they were singing.  They are now eagerly demonstrating their knowledge of the life cycle through drama, music, visual arts and writing activities.

Photo: Grade 10 students insert plants for the new butterfly garden.

An eco-auditing contest run by the Kingston Sustainability Centre's "Youth Mentoring Youth" program has awarded Sydenham High a butterfly garden as a reward for the school's environmental awareness. Exactly what does a newly-awarded butterfly garden look like? In this case, it comes as bags of soil, compost and mulch, a lot of pots of plants, shovels, trowels, gloves and water pails. This week, members of the International Society for Conservation Biology (themselves biology students at Queen's) demonstrated planting techniques to two grade ten classes. The garden plot had already been worked up in a sunny spot at the front of the school, and within an hour, the plants were all tucked into the garden, watered and mulched. Western 

Landscape services of Elginburg donated the supplies and initial digging. The plants chosen were native or naturalized ones that will attract butterflies with their leaves, nectar and colour. 

Because this is SHS's garden, the flowers will all be red or yellow, the school colours.  

Photo: Auxillary Constable Jeremy Saunders in Sydenham

Auxiliary Constable Jeremy Saunders was at Sydenham’s Foodland, taking food and cash donations to add to the donations shelved at the Southern Frontenac Community Services Food Bank located at the SFCS Centre at 4419 George St. in Sydenham. Donations from the Sydenham area drive totaled $1700 in food and $260 in cash donations, which Jennifer Linton, chair of the food bank, said will go a long way in assisting families in need in their catchment area. “The response has been wonderful”, she said. “Jeremy asked us beforehand what we were especially in need of - which these days tends to be mainly children’s lunch food items, tinned fish and meats. Parents these days are having trouble finding protein-rich foods to put in for their children’s lunches, with peanut butter being banned in most schools.”

A similar drive took place in Sharbot Lake and Verona for the Sharbot Lake food bank, which raised $1200 in food and cash donations combined. Jeremy wanted to thank all of the students who assisted by making the signs for the event. Thanks to Laurie Adams’ grade1/2 class at St. Patrick’s Catholic School in Harrowsmith, Leslie Smith’s, grade 8 class at Prince Charles Public School in Verona, and Aaron West's grade 5/6 class at Sharbot Lake Public School.

Photo: Matt Rennie, Stephanie Laurin, Cindy Woodcox, Mickayla and Kelly Green-Meadus and Karl Hammer

Now in its third year, the Sydenham Tackles Cancer fundraiser once again fulfilled its aims of raising awareness, funds and remembering two very special young men, Andy Green and Mike Woodcox, both former Sydenham High School students and football players who succumbed to cancer years ago.

Attendees filled the gym at Sydenham High School on September 23 for an evening of live music, courtesy of local bands Bauder Road and Still Standin’, a silent auction, and, in between musical sets, the first ever “Chuck-a-puck” contest. In attendance were event organizers Stephanie Laurin, Matt Rennie and Karl Hammer, numerous friends of Andy and Mike and, of course, members of the Green and Woodcox families. Mike's Mom, Cindy Woodcox, took a break from greeting guests and spoke to me of the importance the event holds for her and her family. “This of course is a very special event for us and it is really great to see so many of Mike and Andy's friends from years ago. Though Mike was a pretty shy guy until you got to know him, he was also a real people person and I know he would be very proud of this event and what it stands for,” Cindy said.

Mickayla Green-Meadus, Andy's niece and a grade 10 student at SHS, was also on hand selling bracelets to augment the ticket sales and she recalled her hero, Uncle Andy, who was like a second father to her. “He had a amazing sense of humour, was always smiling and never believed in the word 'can't' and always showed incredible strength and courage throughout his battle with cancer,” she said.

Andy's sister Kelly spoke of the two families’ decision this year to use the funds raised to support patient care at KGH. “Not only is facing the disease difficult, but financially for Andy and our family, it was also not easy. Not only are you battling the illness and undergoing surgeries and treatments (Andy had three major surgeries and numerous chemotherapy treatments), but because Andy owned his own home and worked in a family business and had no health benefits, it made things even more difficult. People don't realize that there are a lot of costs that many families find difficult to afford, so this year we decided to donate the funds to help patients and families get the services they need.”

Karl Hammer, who spearheaded the event three years ago and who teaches in the School to Community class at SHS, remains steadfast in his goal to create awareness and support for those in the community affected by cancer, as well as his goal to keep the memory of Mike and Andy alive. “I played football with both of them. Both were pretty quiet guys and amazing athletes and the thing that struck me most is the sad fact that cancer takes anyone. So with this event we are not only celebrating their lives and their courage but are also aiming to help others in the community who are facing and battling cancer and are in need of support.”

Funds raised this year totaled over $5,000 and together with the donations made in the last two years, which were matched 9:1, the total raised to date is roughly $75,000. Anyone who would like to donate can do so by contacting Karl Hammer at SHS at 613-376-3612, ext. 332.

Photo: Three generations of the Revell family; Harry, Betty, Nathan and Larry, at their 75 year anniversary celebration in Verona

Three of the four generations of the Revell family were on hand at in Verona on September 17 celebrating their family's 75-year-long history in the car business.

Harry and Betty Revell, son Larry and his sons Nathan (25) and Josh (23) were all present greeting customers and members of the community who came out to enjoy the live music, a BBQ lunch and an impressive display of classic Fords.

Included in the line up was a classic 1936 Ford, which was the very same year that Harry Revell’s father Wesley opened up the Verona franchise. Wesley, who first was in the grocery business, learned the retail cars sales ropes from his brother-in-law, who owned a Parham franchise before it closed down.

Harry recalled, “It was at that time in 1936 when my uncle gave up the Parham franchise that representatives from Ford came out and asked Dad if he would be interested in opening up one in Verona, and he said of course, yes.”

That was 75 years and many Ford models ago, and the rest, as they say, is history. The Saturday event demonstrated not only how families tend to grow but also how much cars have changed over the years. Lovers of the classics had a chance to peruse a number of impressive models including a 1940 Mercury convertible, a 1961 Thunderbird convertible, and a 2012- 302 Mustang and many more.

Larry Revell said he felt a celebration was in order to recognize the family’s 75 years in business but more so to thank the community for their ongoing support. “We're so fortunate that my granddad started the business here and are also very fortunate to still be here. We have great customers and great employees, both of whom have been with us for a long time. I think what makes it work for us is that we really enjoy dealing with people.”

Many of those customers have been purchasing cars from Revell’s for years and the Revells are grateful for their loyalty. “We are very thankful for them, “ Harry said. ” If we didn't have them, business would nowhere be as good as it is today.” Joining the celebration was Marco Dodara, Ford parts and service dealer sales manager, who made a special trip out for the occasion. Numerous door prizes were given out though out the day and the event followed on the heels of an employee BBQ celebration that took place earlier in the week.