| Jun 27, 2013


Each year at this time, the Arden Glee Club makes a pilgrimage to foreign territory, the Oso Hall in Sharbot Lake. They come to entertain the Seniors of the Year from all four districts of Central Frontenac. And more often than not, it seems, the Kennebec District winner is either a Glee club member or is related to one.

Sarah Hale - Kennebec: This year, the Kennebec winner is a long-time Glee club singer, Sarah Hale. In addition to running Arden Batik for 40 years Sarah has been a long time community activist and volunteer. She wrote the Arden column for the Frontenac News for many years, has been involved with the Arden United Church as an elder and choir member, and has taught Sunday school at the Arden Community & Wesleyan Church.

She has also been involved in local theatre, both at Land O’Lakes Public School and North Frontenac Little Theatre. She was instrumental in the founding of the Inroads Studio Tour and is a core member of the Arden Artisans. She has been a mentor to local artists ever since she arrived in Arden.

Although Sarah was born in Maine, and keeps her New England accent more or less intact in spite of her years in rural Ontario, she is from Kennebec County, Maine. When she moved to the village of Arden 40 years ago with her husband Lorne, she thought she would feel at home. And she has.

Art Barker - Olden: His name is actually William John Arthur Barker, but no one calls him by any other name than Art, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Art Barker was a founding member of the Olden Fire Department in 1972, and he remains an active member of what is now the District 2 Fire and Rescue Team of the Central Frontenac Fire Department. Throughout the years he has served the fire department in many different capacities. He was a key organiser of fund-raising drives, including dances and other events, which helped the department buy equipment in its early years. In the 70s and 80s he became the fire chief for the Olden Department and he currently holds the rank of captain in the Central Frontenac department.

He is also well known locally for his expertise in all forms of mechanical issues and is called upon whenever anyone in the Mountain Grove area has something that has stopped working, be it a car a truck or a tractor.

The other skill that Art is known for is that of square dance caller, which he puts to use from time to time.

Sally Angle - Oso: Sally is a relative newcomer to Central Frontenac, certainly compared to the other winners this year. She arrived in Sharbot Lake only 13 years ago, but has wasted little time ever since.

She can be seen often working in the flower beds at the Railway Heritage Park, or in some other part of the park. She joined the Railway Heritage Museum Committee several years ago and has served as secretary, vice-chair and is now the chair.

A retired teacher, she volunteers on a daily basis at Sharbot Lake Public School. A few years ago she became involved in children’s theatre at the school, and she now works with North Frontenac Little Theatre as house manager during productions.

Sally is also a member of the organizing committee of the Festival of Trees.

An enthusiastic music lover, Sally can be seen at performances throughout the region and beyond and she is also a member of a choir in Perth.

“I feel that if I wake up every day I will fill my day with something, so it might as well be something that makes me feel good, which is family, friends, music and helping make my community a place I want to live in.” – an apt credo for the Oso Senior of the Year.

Doris Campsall - Hinchinbrooke: Doris is one of those ubiquitous volunteers. Whatever the cause or the event is, if something needs to be done, Doris is the one to take it on. She has had more than one stint as the Parham columnist for the Frontenac News.

She also spent eight years as a member of the Parham Fair Board, and many more as a volunteer for the fair. On the board she served as secretary-treasurer.

She has been a member of the Parham United Church since she moved to Hinchinbrooke in the 1960s and over the years she has served on all the church's boards, with a focus on Sunday school youth.

She has been the president of the Parham Happy Travellers. She has also been involved with Villages Beautiful since its inception 13 years ago and is currently the organisation's secretary. She has also been a mainstay of Villages Beautiful’s signature fund-raising event, the Festival of Trees, where she has done just about every job over the years.

But Doris' longest running volunteer commitment has been to the Cancer Society. Every April for 40 years she has gone door to door in Parham canvassing for the Cancer Society. In Parham they say the one sure sign of spring is Doris at their door, asking for money.

And few, if any, say no.

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