Photo: Steve Lloyd presents his guitar to 8 year old Ethan BrownOver 200 family members, friends and supporters gathered at the Verona Lions hall to offer their support to the children of Roseanne and Greg Brown. Greg, the father of Ethan, Will and Lindsay, and son of Bonnie and Willard Brown, passed away last year in a tragic accident.

The event was spearheaded by Steve and Penny Lloyd, who wanted to hold an event to help raise funds to start an education fund for the three young Brown children. By the end of the evening, which included a silent auction, a meal and top-notch live entertainment by a host of talented performers, over $10,500 was raised. One of the most moving and fitting moments of the evening came towards the end of the evening when Steve Lloyd announced the winner of his cherished autographed guitar, which he raffled off and which alone raised over $4,000 for the cause. The very fitting winner of the cherished guitar was eight-year-old Ethan Brown, eldest son of Roseanne and Greg, who came forward beaming with delight to collect his prize.

Steve Lloyd said later, “It seemed the perfect thing to happen, that young Ethan took home that guitar. The evening couldn't have ended up better than that.” A second surprise followed later in the evening when a last-minute donation, a Daji miniature dirt bike donated by National Small Engines, was raffled off. The winning ticket, which was drawn by young Will Brown, was won by Greg's father Willard. Roseanne Brown was visibly moved by the overwhelming support and generosity of the community and felt the evening was a great representation of everything that Greg held dear. She wished to thank all of the volunteers who helped out and donated their time. “It's truly amazing how much a small community can do for those in need. It makes you feel very good, that's for sure.” Many thanks from the Brown family and the Lloyds to the Verona Lions, all the entertainers, volunteers, donors and the guests who gave their time and energy to make the evening such a memorable one for the entire family.

Anyone still wishing to donate can contact Steve Lloyd at 613-376-7688.

The new Ontario “rurality index” grades community health care needs primarily on the basis of population density and their distance from hospitals and other medical services, and will likely put doctor recruitment campaigns in places like Verona at a disadvantage.

The new index is slated to streamline the system for determining what kinds of funding programs communities and clinics will be eligible for. It replaces a rurality index that was established in 2004, as well as the 40-year-old “under-serviced area” designation, which “does not make sense at all any more” according to Andrew Morrison, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health.

According to a Ministry of Health media release, “The government is proposing a financial incentive program designed specifically to attract physicians to northern and rural communities. This program would combine existing physician recruitment and retention funding from the Incentive Grant and Free Tuition Programs into a single fund.”

In order to qualify for some provincially-funded incentive programs that can help communities pay bonuses to doctors and medical students they are trying to entice into their communities, a minimum score of 40 is required on the new index. Verona scores a 25 on the index, while Sharbot Lake scrapes through with a 40 and Northbrook scores 56.

John MacDougall, a member of the Verona Doctor Recruitment Committee, takes issue with the geographic boundaries that were used to come up with the designations. South Frontenac as a whole was considered.

“Sydenham might be 20 minutes from KGH, but Verona isn't,” he said, “and the Verona clinic serves patients from Godfrey and beyond who are not well served by the new index.”

Lynn Wilson, the administrator for the Rural Kingston Family Health Organisation, which includes clinics in Northbrook, Sharbot Lake, Tamworth, Verona, Newburgh and Sydenham, also takes issue with the new index, but she acknowledges that the system it is replacing was seriously flawed.

“When the rurality index popped up in 2004, it became clear that it was difficult to determine what a rural grading might be for any township. Some of the scores that were assigned made little sense. Sharbot Lake was only one point higher than Verona and Northbrook was lower. One good thing that has happened with the new designation is that Northbrook is corrected to where it should be,” she said.

The winners in Frontenac and Lennox and Addington County, Northbrook and Sharbot Lake, are also the communities whose clinics are or will become Family Health Teams, which carry a significant provincial investment, and an improved range of services, all of which are seen as helpful in doctor recruitment. This is all in addition to doctor recruitment funding that will likely flow from the rurality index.

The news is not as good for the clinics in Verona and Tamworth, both of which are staffed by doctors who would like to retire in the coming years.

“It's not going to be easy for Tamworth or Verona,” said Lynn Wilson, “but then again in Verona's case the clinic has never been eligible for many rural benefits because it has always been on the borderline of the designations. But now it will not be eligible for any at all.”

The other two rural clinics north of Kingston, in Sydenham and Newburgh, are in a better position because their doctor situation is more stable at the moment, according to Wilson. “It can become even more difficult when you consider that the majority of the family physicians coming into the field are mothers with children. They tend to want a practice with a roster of 1,200 to 1,300 patients, not the 2,400 patient rosters that retiring doctors often have. So it can take two doctors to replace one who is retiring.”

The New “Rurality Index” will be finalised soon and will be brought back to Queen's Park. The new incentive program for rural and northern doctors is slated to be in place in 2011, according to Andrew Morrison.

The Verona doctor recruitment committee is planning to announce a new phase in their campaign involving the Verona clinic in the coming weeks.

Gordon & Louise Day at the Verona Tree Lighting Ceremony in November.

It's been 10 years since Dr. Harrison Gordon Day retired from the Verona Medical Centre, but people still talk about how Doctor Day brought medical services to the Verona area.

Doctor Day died on December 27, at the age of 81, and his funeral took place on Saturday morning, January 2 at the Verona Lions Hall.

During his remarks at the funeral, Dr. Day's son David recalled that a couple of days before his death at KGH his father told him to let everyone know that when he came to Verona in 1963 to set up his practice, he had done so in order to serve the community and that intention was what kept him going through his entire career. “Dad did not like OHIP very much. He preferred the days when he got paid directly by his patients, either with money or in kind, with produce or whatever people had,” David Day said.

“Sometimes we got apple pies, and sometimes we never got paid,” recalled Louise Day in an interview a few days after the funeral, “but what could people do? They had to eat.”

Louise met Gordon Day early in 1962 in Kingston. She had come to Kingston with three other friends who were also nurses, and they were all planning to go out west.

“That never happened for me,” she recalls. Four months after they met, Gordon and Louise were married, and they moved briefly to Peterborough, where there was a position for a doctor in a large practice. “We saw a notice that a group in Verona had built a clinic and were looking for a doctor, and Gordon thought he would be of more use there, so we took it on,” said Louise.

Took it on they did. For years Dr. and Nurse Day worked in the clinic downstairs while the children played upstairs under the watchful eye of Helen Cronk.

“The sound of Gordon’s shoe on the bottom step was enough to scare the children into being quiet,” Louise remembers.

Mornings were devoted to house calls, and the clinic was open in the afternoons and evenings, as well as Saturday mornings. Dr. Day also served as the coroner for Frontenac County, and set up a dispensary in his office because he knew many of his patients couldn’t or wouldn't make it into town to pick up the medicines he prescribed for them.

“We had a lot to learn about a rural practice at first, because both of us were from cities,” Louise said. “Many of our patients did not have running water at the time. They never went to Kingston; some had never taken their clothes off for a doctor before, so we had to learn what kinds of treatments would be useful for them.”

In going over his dad's papers, David Day found a handwritten note from a patient, which he thought summed up Dr. Day's relationship with his patients. He read it at the funeral. “Got a headache doc. I feel bad and I've got a dry cough. Get me something to fix me up quick, eh. Send some more in case my kids get it. John.”

“He just loved how direct people were in the country,” Louise said, “but he made sure to keep up his training and keep up to date with new diagnostic techniques and treatments. He did not want to be known as a backwards country doctor, and he made sure that never happened.”

In 1968, Dr. Day decided it was his last chance at a career as a specialist, and he left Verona to take on a residency as a radiologist in Kingston. Six weeks later he was back. “He missed it. He missed his role in Verona, he missed his practice,” Louise Day said.

For the next 31 years Dr. Day continued making house calls, providing cordial, accurate and thorough service to his patients. He was ready to retire by the mid-1990s, but waited until a replacement could be found. He worked for a year with Doctor Laurel Dempsey before selling the practice to her in 1999.

“He liked to fish and more so to hunt at the cottage we built near Sharbot Lake,” said Louise “but really being a doctor was what he loved.”

Gordon and Louise Day have three children, David, John and Susan, and four grandchildren as well.

The Days have been mainstays of the Verona community, being active in the Lions Club and the Verona Community Association.

Some people arrive in a community and change it immediately, so that people wonder how they got along before they arrived.

Doctor Harrison Gordon Day was one of those people.

l-r: Lions Jim Lansdell, Judy Conway, John McDougall, Wayne Conway (President), Phil Perrin (Managing Director Limestone Learning Foundation) and Lion Bazil Gillespie. Photo courtesy of Wayne Conway.

The Verona Lions Club recently donated $30,000 to the Limestone Learning Foundation from their Donna Clarke Memorial Fund.

In 2009, the Verona Lions Club received a generous legacy gift upon the passing of one of its very active members, Ms. Donna Clarke. Ms. Clarke had enjoyed a very full and rewarding career as an educator with the Frontenac County Board of Education and it was her wish that her legacy gift be used by the Verona Lions Club for the benefit of local children. The Verona Lions Club Donna Clarke Memorial Fund was established to provide ongoing financial support, through investment earnings, to enhanced learning projects at schools in the Limestone District School Board in the areas of Literacy & Numeracy, Science & Technology, the Arts, and Innovative Practices as determined by the Foundation Board of Directors.

Members of Sydenham's senior girls volleyball team help to unload medical supplies destined for Haiti. Photo Brian Rombough.

A second shipment of medical supplies valued at close to $1 million made its way to Verona on Feb. 12 and once again it was Linda Bates of Verona, her family and a committed group of volunteers, including the coach and members of Sydenham High School's senior girls volleyball team, who helped unload the supplies, which are destined for Haiti.

This is the second shipment that has made it to Verona; the first shipment of $100,000 in medical supplies arrived three weeks ago. Bates admitted to being “absolutely stunned” by the sheer size of the most recent shipment, which was donated by a number of groups including various Emergency Services Teams from throughout Ontario, the Oshawa Shriners, the Kingston Rotary Clubs, Inermar Kingston, the Verona Lions Club and the Verona Community Association.

Bates, who works as an educational assistant at Sydenham High School, is also the coordinator of the International Scout and Guide Fellowship (ISGF). Before the earthquake struck on Jan.12 her role as ISGF coordinator in Haiti had been to set up and rebuild schools and to bring scouting to northern Haiti. After the devastating quake Bates’ role shifted somewhat and as she explained, “The ISGF’s role is now focusing on getting medical supplies into the country to assist those who have been injured in the quake”.

This shipment includes countless regular and specialized wheelchairs for adults and children, wheeled stretchers, various types of walkers, commodes, canes, crutches, plus 65 plastic totes filled with various surgical supplies and dressings.

Bates explained, “Now we’re just waiting for a phone call from a trucking company that will drive the supplies to Miami.”

The cruise line Royal Caribbean has agreed to deliver the goods to Haiti where Bates says they will be divided amongst four key groups: The Help Tammy Help Haiti organization that is working to erect a medical clinic in Cite Soleil, and the medical clinic, orphanage and hospital in Grison Garde. Bates added, “Whatever they do not need will be sent to Port-au-Prince or wherever it is most needed.”

Bates admits that she has begun something that has snowballed beyond her wildest dreams. She anticipates a third shipment to arrive in Verona in roughly two weeks’ time and said, “After that I think we’ll take a break and see where we are at since finding space to store the supplies here can be difficult.” This time around Bates was very fortunate when five local couples immediately offered space to store the supplies.

Bates is grateful to the outpouring of community support she has received and specifically wishes to thank members of the Verona Lions Club and the Verona Community Association, Brian Rombough and the Sydenham Senior Girls Volleyball team, Jeff Ryan, Linda Wolsey, Dianne Kennedy, Ken Dearborn and his sons, Joanne van Luven, friends, family and members of the Verona community.

Bates added that she still requires funds to pay for the shipment of the supplies to Haiti and that donors will receive a tax receipt for any donation over $20. To donate call Linda at 613-374-1307.

A tough budget, in an election year to boot South Frontenac Council met an hour earlier than usual in order to discuss the 2010 budget, managing to review Environmental Services and Roads.

CAO Wayne Orr outlined the challenge facing Council: "This draft budget has been drawn up following Council's instructions [to keep taxes at an absolute minimum]. We are making the budget palatable this year by significantly drawing down our reserves."

As an example, he noted that the Township had to come up with $1.2 million as its share in order to receive $2.4 million in Government grants for capital expenditures on infrastructure (roads, bridges and library.)

In addition to draining township reserves without replacing the money, the draft budget calls for a 4% increase in the levy to ratepayers, which would bringit to $10.5 million.

Public Works Manager Mark Segsworth said he is concerned that reliance on road reserves may sacrifice future years at the expense of this year. Segsworth said the Township's greatest asset was itsroad system.

"What about its staff?"  interjected treasurer Bracken, bringing a moment's relief to an otherwise tense evening.

Segsworth said it's essential to continue to invest in roads if they are to hold their value, and there is little likelihood of receiving much in the way of grants in the coming years.

"At this rate, there will be no more road reserves left in a few more years. And it's 'penny wise, pound foolish,' if we don't maintain our road assets."

Both he and Wayne Orr placed the same dilemma before Council: increase taxes or cut services.

Deputy Mayor Vandewal said, "We have to at least try to stay where we are: we can't go backward." 

"We'll have to cut services," thundered Robinson, declaring he had no confidence in five-year roads plans.

Councilor David Hahn noted that this year's harder to predict, as it is the township's first amalgamated budget. He also commented that new development, although it means a broader tax base, also means more wear on roads and demands for services. Several councillors seemed ready to refer many budgetary issues as to next year's (new) council.

Budget deliberations will continue at the next Council meeting, March 2nd.

In relation to waste management, Mark Segsworth reviewed Council's earlier agreement with the Sustainability Committee's recommendation that waste disposal costs which are for the public good, should be moved into the general tax base, while collection services which provide individual benefit, would be a separate set charge of $85. per household.

Because Bedford won't have collection until September, their portion of the collection service charge for Jan-Aug will go toward building up their (greatly depleted) reserves for landfill closure.

Verona Medical Clinic

John McDougall, speaking on behalf of the Verona and district Health Services Committee, outlined their plan to purchase the Verona Clinic, with the intent of leasing it back to the new doctors. He asked whether Council would consider underwriting $200,000 as a bond, which the Verona Community Association would repay with interest through fundraising. All agreed that the legal details of such an arrangement would have to be clarified, but council was very supportive of the project in principle, and agreed to discuss it further.

The new Donna Clarke Pavilion in Verona was completed in January

A new structure now graces the grounds adjacent to the Verona Lions Club, which will soon get a lot community of use come the warmer weather. The open concept building named the Donna Clarke Pavilion originally began as a partnership between the Frontenac Farmers’ Market organization and the Verona Lions Club, and its design and location will serve both groups equally well. The building will function as a space for vendors at the Frontenac Farmers Market, and as the new bingo pavilion during the Lions’ annual jamboree and other annual events like the Garlic Festival. It will be also be available to rent to members of the community for family barbeques, weddings and other special occasions.

Years ago Wayne Conway, president of the Verona Lions, put forth the idea of building a permanent structure adjacent to their hall on Verona Sand Road where for years they have been renting a large tent to house many of their outdoor annual events.

Recently that dream became financially viable thanks to two key developments. The first was a generous bequest left to the Verona Lions Club by the late Donna Clarke, a long-time member of the Verona Lions Club and a much-missed member of the community. The second was a $10,000 grant received by the Frontenac Farmers’ Market through the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation, which Conway said, “really helped to seal the deal.”

Once the funding became a reality the Verona Lions set to work and organized a building committee. Conway, along with Lions Frank York and Ken Harper, designed the 30’ x 60’, steel-roofed, open concept wooden framed structure.

A group of Lions and community volunteers assisted with the construction, which began in November when sod was cleared and a gravel foundation laid. In early December the concrete foundation was poured and the wooden structure was assembled. In mid-January the structure was raised with the help of a crane.

The finishing touches to the pavilion will include an electrical system for lights and hook ups for a PA system. There are also plans for a permanent memorial plaque thanking those who made the project possible.

Conway said, "It’s a dream come true.” He wishes to thank the Verona Lions, the Frontenac Farmer's Market, the FCFDC and all of the community members who assisted with the project.

The new building is not only pleasing to the eye but will serve as a valuable community resource for all to enjoy for many years to come.

Volunteers gathered at the Lions Hall in Verona last Friday, March 12 to load up a tractor-trailer with medical supplies destined for rural Haiti.

Linda Bates, who coordinated the collection of the supplies, which she says are “enough to outfit a clinic”, has a history working in northern Haiti. She said the truck, along with a smaller trailer full of supplies was headed for a warehouse north of Toronto, where they will be inspected by Canadian customs. Once that is done, they will be shipped to Miami, where they will be loaded onto cruise ship that will take them to Cap Haitian. “Then they will be distributed to two locations,” Bates said. “The whole trip will take about 3 weeks, so by the beginning of April they will have arrived and will be put to use.”

The supplies, which Bates said are valued at about $1 million, were gathered from individuals and organisations from around the country.

As for the Verona Lions; they were glad to help out, and are also happy to have the back storage room of their hall back now that the supplies are en route.

As for the ever active Linda Bates. She was off to Italy the next morning for an International Scouting conference.

Heather Fox and Nicole Van Camp recently opened their side-by-side retail gift stores in Verona

Newly opened on Main Street in Verona are two side-by-side retail gift stores that occupy what was once the former auto parts store.

The building, owned by Chad and Nicole Van Camp of Verona who also own Rona Hardware, is now the home of "Nicole’s", a home and garden gift store. Next door and also just opened for business is the Main Street Mercantile and Tea Room, operated by Heather Fox of Godfrey.

For both ladies the businesses represent a dream come true and a foray into the retail gift market, which judging by the steady flow of customers last Saturday afternoon is attracting the attention of many local shoppers.

The stores share an entranceway and are connected through a side door. They offer shoppers an eclectic array of old and new world giftware.

Nicole has filled her store with new home and garden items that include garden décor, tools and planters, a line of gourmet food items by Rootham‘s and Summer Kitchen, as well as local crafts and a selection of gift ware that includes alpaca throws, functional ceramics, picture frames and other gifts perfect for every occasion.

Prior to opening the gift store Nicole had been working with her husband Chad at Rona Hardware. She said, “This new business is something we had been thinking about for a while and it is really much more my cup of tea so when the lease here ran out here I thought- now is the time to make a go of it.”

She admits there are challenges that come with starting up any new business and says, “Finding the things that people really want will be a challenge and I also hope to sell items by local artisans which will keep things fresh and new.”

Next door Heather Fox is tending to her customers amid her collection of antique gift ware and furniture that she has been acquiring at auctions for over a decade.

In the centre of the store are two tables set up for customers who might want to enjoy a hot beverage, a snack of homemade soup or chili or a yummy dessert.

Prior to taking on her own business Heather worked at Jitterbugs in Verona for two years and sold her collectibles on commission there.

Now Heather has a place to display her entire collection, which includes a wide array of antique colored glassware, teapots, ceramics, teddy bears and dolls, baskets, used books and various antique furniture pieces including hutches, dressers, side tables, and china cabinets.

For Heather it is her “dream come true. “I have been collecting items from auctions for years and was running out of room in my house. So this is just perfect for me.”

The two are planning an official grand opening on Saturday, April 24 where they will be offering door prizes and snacks. Until then their doors are open for business.

Members of the Verona Community Association and the Verona Festival Committee held an important meeting at the Verona Lions Hall on March 16 and it was apparent that both are working hard to pump some fresh energy and new ideas into what will be the 15th Annual Verona Festival. The festival will take place this year on August 6,7 and 8.

Through a grant received from the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation, the VCA hired Jan Bonhomme, a consultant for small-town festivals, to suggest possible new ideas for the festival’s upcoming 15th anniversary.

After an initial meeting with the festival’s general manager Wayne Conway and a tour of the festival site, Bonhomme met with the steering committee, and at the March 16 meeting Wayne Conway shared some of her suggestions.

The idea of branding the festival with a new original name was discussed and later brought to a vote with the VFC deciding to adopt the name “The Verona Cattail Festival”, which will be the only Cattail festival in all of Canada.

In adopting the name, festival committee members are hoping to brand the festival and tie together the festival mascot Cameron the Bog Lemming with other aspects of the Verona site and the event itself.

Festival manager Wayne Conway is excited by other changes that the new name might inspire for the upcoming and future festivals.

“The new name will easier explain what the festival is about, where it is located, and will introduce cattails, which have a fascinating number of interesting uses as food, medicine, water purification, and floatation among other things. We are also considering making a walkway through one of the Verona bogs and hope to incorporate it as a nature walk during festival time.”

A possible new site location is another aspect that Bonhomme brought up, which the VFC will also be seriously considering. According to Conway, “I think that the festival is outgrowing its original site location so we are considering relocating in order to accommodate that growth.”

Other News- Debbie Lingen will be the VFC’s new chair and new president of the festival steering committee, taking the reins from last year’s festival chair Doug Lovegrove.

There are still a number of festival positions that need to be filled, namely parking, the marketplace and advertising. Jan Bonhomme will be making a special presentation on Tuesday March 30 at 7pm at the Verona Lions Hall and everyone is welcome to attend.

At the same meeting the Verona Community Association held their Annual General Meeting and various members made reports. Last year’s Verona Festival generated a profit and rentals of the new stage also generated income.

John McDougall gave a report for the Verona Medical Group, which is heading up the campaign to hire a new doctor to work with Dr. Dempsey as a partner. The group is also raising funds to purchase the medical centre. Their goal is find a doctor in 2010, and to raise $200,000 to purchase the clinic. The group has decided instead of developing a public campaign to do a direct ask with private individuals.

The Verona Tree Lighting, Free Skate, and the new Music in the Park events were all successful and will be ongoing for 2010.

Anyone interested in joining or volunteering for the VCA or the Verona Festival Committee can contact Wayne Conway at 613-374-3807.