This antique doll dates back to the 1890s and resides in the parlor at the Cloyne Pioneer Museum. It was a gift to Ora Wickware from her parents, Philip and Mary. She is a "Flora Dora" doll, made in Germany near the turn of the century. The Wickwares were able to purchase such items during the years that they owned a general store in Cloyne as they had access to an assortment of catalogues. We have a photo of the young Ora standing proudly beside her doll displayed for you to marvel at on your visit. This dear little doll sadly required eye surgery in 2012, as her eyes had sunk into the back of her head and would not come down. She was transported to a doll hospital in Prince Edward County, where a specialist restored her vision and now she is happily back with us. The attending doctor reminds anyone storing an antique doll to lay it on its stomach to prevent this happening. The doctor knows best! More information is available in the museum and on our website cloynepioneermuseum.ca. Please visit!

Saturday, July 23 was a first for the Ompah Community Centre Association. President Marily Seitz welcomed members to the first ever Annual General Meeting. The usual AGM reports were made along with reports from the committees: Communications, Birthday Bash Benevolent Fund and Wall of Memories. Then the members present voted to accept and approve the new by-laws. Previously there were no written rules governing the operation of the community centre but under the new by-laws there are now clear and transparent procedures in place.

With the passage of the by-laws, two new executive positions were created: vice-president and director-at-large. These positions are to be elected on even years. The remaining three executives (president, secretary and treasurer) will be elected on odd years. Linda Rush, returning officer, took over the meeting for the election of officers. By acclamation Rob Harris, vice-president and Stacey Couture, director-at-large were welcomed to the executive of the Ompah Community Association.

Upon receipt and approval of the financial statement, treasurer Edith Beaulieu announced that she would be resigning the position of treasurer due to health reasons. President Marily Seitz reluctantly accepted Edith's resignation and thanked her for her many years of dedication and service to the community and community centre. Secretary Betty Kelford presented a thank you gift and a dozen red roses to Edith, accompanied by a rousing round of cheers and clapping. According to the new by-laws, the executive will appoint an interim treasurer to fulfil the remainder of the term (one year).

An enthusiastic gathering of committed community members then went to work brainstorming ideas to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday in 2017. Under the guidance of Cille Harris, an exciting and wide range of activities and events were suggested. Many names were collected of folks interested in helping plan and carry out events. The meeting was adjourned on time but members stayed around to chat, share refreshments and clean up together.   

This portrait of Queen Victoria oversees the schoolroom exhibit. Victoria is often referred to as Canada's queen. She was the ruling monarch when Canada became a country in 1867. The portrait is comfortably surrounded by old wooden school desks, with their glass inkwells, wooden rulers (in inches), straight pens, and spelling and reading books. You will find hand-written attendance records; possibly a name or two is familiar or related. Reading some of the "letters to the teacher" may make you smile.

Also on display is an 1889 photo of the SS#1 School just south of Cloyne. We have the sign from the school and also the water jug, used daily by students, to fetch water.

Many grandparents and great grandparents tell of walking to school three miles, uphill, in summer, barefoot - in four feet of snow during winters. For sure, the tales become somewhat embellished with time but we know the students of yesteryear had never seen a school bus, ball point pen, calculator, computer or smartphone.

When you visit the classroom you will get a glimpse of some of the hardships young people hurdled to get an education. You can also visit our website cloynepioneermuseum.ca or contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Ompah Community Library has been operating for three years now, and while well patronized by summer visitors and its faithful Ompah readers, it would love to have more visitors. Operated completely by volunteers, it provides a little bit of a different experience than the public library that it has replaced. No membership is required; no overdue notices will ever be sent out. Everyone is simply invited to choose whatever books, DVDs or audiobooks they might fancy, and bring them back whenever they are done with them. Although the space is small, anyone wishing for a comfortable place to sit and explore some of the collection will find what they are looking for. There is a comprehensive collection, with Mystery, Fiction, Science Fiction, and Non-Fiction sections all well stocked, and all from donated materials. Continuing donations ensure that new materials are constantly available. Only new-ish (not more than 5 years old) and excellent condition donated materials are accepted. There is a computer available if you need one, and wifi connection is being improved so that this link will also be possible. So come on in and enjoy! It’s Local, it’s Free and it’s Easy! Summer hours are Fri, 10–12, Sat 12-2 and Wed 10-12.

Bill Bowick, chair of the Central Frontenac Canada 150th Anniversary committee, said that it was no coincidence that the committee held its public meeting at the Kennebec Hall in Arden on Monday night, July 10.

He said that thus far the committee that has been established by Central Frontenac Council is over-represented by members from the Sharbot Lake area, at least partly because Sharbot Lake has been the focus of Canada Day festivities in the township over the years. However, the group is working to change that.

“Our goal is to help all of the communities that make up Central Frontenac share in the Canada 150 celebrations. The projects we support will respect the heritage of our communities, establish a legacy, and bring the peoples of Central Frontenac together as a single community.”

The committee is encouraging events and ongoing projects that take place throughout the sesquicentennial year, rather than only on the Canada Day weekend.

“As a group, we are here to facilitate and publicise events, and maybe help with grants, but we are looking for individuals and groups with ideas and the ability to take the projects on as well,” said committee member Linda West.

West, who is the current chair of Villages Beautiful, which has membership from seven of the hamlets in the township, said the group is looking at replacing some of the deteriorating wooden benches they put in 10 years ago with new red steel benches bearing the Canada 150 logo as a small legacy project.

“We are looking for grant money for that now,” she said.

Other ideas that are already being worked on include a heritage-themed geo-caching project that is being organised by Doug Steele, and the Fitness 150 project, an app to help residents track their physical activity towards the Fitness Canada-designated goal of 150 minutes a week.

A project that will be seeking stories and anecdotes for a kind of human history of the township is being worked on by Linda West. It will lead to a series of articles that will be published in the Frontenac News in 2017.

Two new groups indicated they are going to come on board. One is the Kennebec and District Historical Society. Its current president, Sarah Hale, said that the society has chosen the Memorial Park that is being created across the road from the Mill Pond in Arden as its focus for a sesquicentennial project. The project, which is a joint venture with the Friends of Arden, may include historical plaques marking local events or anecdotes and perhaps the red bench for Arden will be located there as well. Hale also said it might be viable to hold an anniversary event in Arden in the fall of 2017.

Brian Robertson, who represented North Frontenac Little Theatre, said the company is considering presenting programming with heritage and local themes next year.

Marcel Giroux also brought an update about Frontenac County’s signature project for the 150th anniversary, the planned completion of the K&P Trail between Kingston and Sharbot Lake, where it can join with the Trans-Canada Rrail.

The completion of an 8 kilometre section of the trail between Tichborne and Sharbot Lake, where the trail runs through 22 different private properties, requires that a deal be struck between Frontenac County and each of the landowners.

Giroux reported that all but one of the landowners have been contacted, and that while only two final deals have been struck, most are in process.

“There are only two landowners who have said no, and even in those cases we feel there may be an opening that we can explore, because the trail is very close the road allowance for Road 38 in both locations,” Giroux said.

He indicated that while he is confident that it will all be done, having the entire trail open by Canada Day 2017, which is the goal, might be difficult to accomplish.

“Things happen pretty slowly in the public sector,” he said.

One of the things that the Canada 150 committee will be taking on is publicity in the run up to 2017 and throughout the year. A Calendar of Events is being planned, and an events page for Canada 150 in Central Frontenac has been set up on Facebook.

Committee meetings are all public. The next one is set for Monday July 25 at 7 pm, and will be held in the board room of the Central Frontenac Housing Corporation at 1096 Clement Road (the building is at the end of the lane and the board room is at the far left). Bill Bowick can be reached at 613-279-3341.

Can someone help us identify this item? We know for sure that the lectern was hand made for the Northbrook United Church. We would like to know who made it and approximately what year; who the minister was; how long it was in use. Any information would be appreciated.

The lectern is on display in the museum along with the pulpit, on loan, from the Northbrook United Church. In the ecumenical corner we display an antique organ (circa 1901) from the Heyburn United Church, donated by Mr. & Mrs. Brownle of Napanee along with old Bibles and other items from area churches. You will see a painting of the five United Churches on the wall. All five, Northbrook, Cloyne, Kaladar, Harlowe and Flinton once had their own church. In recent years they amalgamated and now share a beautiful building just north of the village of Northbrook.

A few facts about the original Northbrook United Church, which is now the clothing depot that we are so accustomed to seeing as a part of the village. The church was built in 1892 where it still stands. The cemetery was already in use at the time. The church was open full time until attendance at churches began to drop off. For years it became the winter church while the Cloyne United, because of park visitors, was the summer church. It closed entirely in the 1970s. The minister up until 1965 was Wayne Hilliker, who had been in the ministry for 60 years by then.

Please send any information about the lectern to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or to P.O. Box 228, Cloyne ON, K0H 1K0.

Photo by Cathy Hook

Gilmour's on 38 in Harrowsmith is working with Friendly Fires out of Kingston to present a BBQ to benefit Clothes for Kids, which provides snowsuits for children who need them in the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington and Gananoque regions.

The BBQ will take place on Friday, July 8, from 2 to 6 pm at Gilmour's Meat in Harrowsmith. For a $5 donation, staff from Friendly Fires will prepare a hamburger, a sausage, or hot dog on a bun to go with a drink. All of the money will be donated to Clothes For Kids, as Gilmour's is providing all the food and drinks and Friendly Fires is providing the BBQ and all the labour.

“This is something we did last year and it we are happy to start the summer BBQ season of 2016 off with an event like this to help children in Frontenac County and Kingston,” said Nick Gilmour of Gilmour's on 38.

Clothes For Kids is a Kingston-based charity that works with partners, including Northern Frontenac Community Services, to provide snowsuits and other winter gear for children who are in need throughout the region.

Sharbot Lake, Hollowood Branch 425

Here it is the end of another school year for our young folks. Legion Branch 425 would like to congratulate all of them on another successful year. Every fall the students are invited to participate in the Remembrance Day Poster, Poem and Essay contest. We commend all the students who participated, as these posters, poems and essays are much appreciated by all our veterans and military who participate in the Remembrance Day Ceremony. Congratulations to the winners in the following categories:

Poems: 1st, Junior Grades 4-6: Amica Leveque of Granite Ridge; 1st, Intermediate Grades 7-9: Hailey Wistard of Granite Ridge.

Posters – Colour: 1st, Primary Grades 1-3: Hanna Hearns of Granite Ridge; 1st, Junior Grades 4-6, Poppy Limber of St. James Major. 1st, Intermediate Grades 7-9, Amber Minutillo of St. James Major.

Posters - Black & White: 1st, Junior Grades 4-6, Gavin McCullough of Granite Ridge; 1st, Intermediate Grades 7-9, Abigail Beattie of Granite Ridge.

On another note, as Branch 425 continues to celebrate its 70th anniversary, please watch for any announcements of activities that will take place during July and August. We wish everyone a very happy and safe summer!

Once upon a time there was small lake north of Kingston and two people who lived there prompted a group of friends to get together and go for a boat ride and a picnic. While they were boating around this beautiful lake they collected money from everyone they saw with the purpose of sending an Easter Seals child to camp.

Thus the Buck Lake Boatilla was born. It has continued to be a wonderful tradition each year. The results are amazing because of the generous and caring people who reside on the lake. It has become a mission to fund handicapped children and their families to go to Camp Merrywood. Over the past 11 years the Buck Lake Community has raised $162,000 and supported 63 children for 10 days at camp.

The camp has amazing facilities and staff. Children who cannot walk are able to swim, sail, kayak, fish and canoe. They participate in sports, arts and crafts and evening campfires.

Their families report major positive changes in social skills and independence.

Chad has been to camp and been part of the Boatilla family for many years. He has completed high school and is looking forward to college. He loves to speak and hopes to be an announcer. He is delightful and humorous at our event. It wouldn't be the same without him.

Kierra is a young girl who was once very afraid of water. After her camp experience she is like a little tadpole and just loves to swim. She also has an amazing voice and has sung acapella at the Boatilla. Her choice of songs have been "Hear me roar" and "My Fight Song". You can imagine the emotion generated by her beautiful voice.

Izzy came to the Boatilla this past year and was hoping to attend Camp Merrywood in the summer. She was very shy and very concerned about her wheelchair which provides her with the ability to move around. Our guys lifted her and her chair onto one of the pontoon boards and she was able to enjoy the boat parade and celebration barbecue.

There have been many Easter Seals children and families at the Boatilla. It is heart-warming to listen to their Camp stories and share their successes. One year they were offered Seadoo rides and they loved it. Their faces shone with joy and their voices were shouting with glee.

Chad and Kierra have gone on to be Ambassadors for Easter Seals. They are poised and accomplished young people.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that the camp experience has been very enabling for the children. It empowers them with confidence and optimism and helps build relationships with other campers and leaders.

Our Boatilla is an important event that our community has supported in a very big way. Last year there were over 40 boats which gathered at the boat launch and paraded around the lake. It was an inspiring display of community spirit and commitment. We should be very proud of it and it is back again this year.

So dig deep into your pockets and look forward to the July 2 Buck Lake Boatilla. Donations can be made at EasterSeals.org.

visit http://www.easterseals.org/buck-lake-boatilla/.

A landmark in South Frontenac Township is in jeopardy of falling into disrepair if it doesn’t receive a life-saving injection of support.

Located in Sunbury, the Storrington Lions Club needs to upgrade the washrooms, heating system and wheelchair ramp in its community hall. Considered the heart of the community, the Storrington Lions Club Hall is showing its age after hundreds of functions such as election polls, blood donor clinics, hunter safety training, youth dances, weddings and celebrations of life.

The hall has been the centrepiece of the community for more than 45 years. It is owned and operated by the Storrington Lions Club, a popular organization that uses its resources to improve the quality-of-life for residents in Battersea, Sunbury and Inverary.

Attached to a historic limestone building known as Limestone School, the hall was enlarged in the 1970s to include a kitchen, washrooms, bar and stage area. The expansion and a roadside sign were constructed with help from the community.

Grateful for the community’s past financial assistance, the club finds itself in a situation where renovations exceed resources. The club hopes to inspire support for the hall again.

“The Storrington Lions Club Hall has been deteriorating over the last few years and is in desperate need of revitalization,” says Bob Bertrand, President of Storrington Lions Club which has served the community since 1971. “If we don’t revitalize the hall, we could lose this vital part of our community. This would be a tragedy because we will not have an affordable or convenient place for local families to gather.”

The club has set a fundraising goal of $75,000 to complete the first phase of improvements to accessibility, amenities and aesthetics. Members are holding a fundraiser at the hall (a classic country OPEN STAGE) on June 26 from 1 to 4 pm. General donations can be made to the club’s Go Fund Me page and in collection jars at Ormsbee’s Mercantile and Sunbury General Store.

“We want to make the hall great again,” exclaims President Bertrand. “To do this, we need residents to remember the time they spent here and appreciate the value of this facility. It’s been an honour for the Lions Club to serve the community. We need the community to help us now.”

“I think it’s important to save the hall because it’s the focal point of the community,” says Ron Sleeth, Storrington District Councillor with South Frontenac Township.

“It’s the only facility around that is capable of holding a major event. We need to help revitalize the hall the way the Lions Club has helped our community through benefits for families touched by tragedy such as house fires and illness. It’s time for our community to give back,” he says.

“We need to save our hall.”