Sarah Hale
One of my best memories of Jule is at the February Blues Craft Show in Elphin -- hours of listening to blues music and talking about God.  I will miss her honesty and compassion -- her willingness to tackle the hard questions -- her friendship over the years.

Ankaret Dean
When Jeff asked me to write a line about my dear friend Jule and her love for basketry, I realized it was like sadly losing a member of my family.
I think I met Jule back in the 1980s, I had become interested in finding basket makers in Canada who could show me how to make baskets. It was a dying art and I could only find a very few older men from Europe.
Somehow, through the grapevine, I heard there was a young woman who sold willow baskets in the Kingston market. I wish I could remember when we first met, we shared a passion for willow and natural materials.
At that time I was living in Oakville, and we invited Jule to come to Toronto to be part of a basket show at the Museum for Textiles and also to come to our basketry conferences at Harbourfront.
In the early 90s I moved up to McDonald's Corners, we were almost neighbours!
While demonstrating basketry at a fair, an elderly man had stopped and watched her for quite a while. Finally he struck up a conversation and said he had been a basketmaker in England for years and was visiting his daughter in Canada. During his annual visits, Eric Thornton and Jule became great friends and he would teach classes at Jule's house and he would sing and tell stories while everybody was weaving.
Jule grew her own willow, as well as collecting from the roadsides. She made a great variety of baskets, all of them useful for shopping or gathering. She also made very attractive tabletops and furniture using the little pieces of willow like a mosaic.
She wrote several articles for the magazine 'The Basketry Express' which I published until the year 2000, when she took it over for a few years with the help of another basket maker.
One of my wonderful memories of working with Jule was making willow coracles and then sailing them in a regatta on Dalhousie Lake.
It was wonderful to have a friend with similar interests. She was very enthusiastic about my starting a basketry museum and gave me great encouragement. I will miss her gentle smile and passion for willow.

Debbie Lingen
Jule, it is hard to believe that you will no longer be at the other end of my e-mails. Every week we shared messages when I e-mailed my weekly columns to you. You were always there with encouragement and advice for the column. Then we would rant together about the weather and share in the joys and antics of our communities. Your messages portrayed your humour, warmth and concern for everyone your life touched. Your loving touch and expertise were in every detail in the Frontenac News. We would meet in person when you devoted your time and energy at the Verona Cattail Festival to show the children how to make cattail boats and crafts. Verona is a stronger community because you cared. I feel a great loss in losing you as a friend. I will miss you terribly.

Jean Brown
How I enjoyed writing with and for Jule Koch at “the News”. She would take the time to call on the phone for clarification, or send an e-mail of gentle corrections, and of course expressed her interest in all the reporters by hosting a pot-luck luncheon from time to time. Jule safely navigated our news: offering corrections and suggestions that all too often really saved our skin from writers pit-falls of excess wordage, sensitive issues that needed to be abandoned, excess emphasis on our own pet-peeves. I know that Jule was opposed to physician assisted death and spent her final days working on that issue as she herself was dying and in palliative care. A strong Christian woman, Jule will be welcomed into God’s everlasting embrace and into heavenly eternity with loved ones. Let us carry on her hopes and dreams for us and make her proud.

Wanda Harrison
Jule was passionate about her job and strived for perfection with every week’s edition.  When I asked her a question about anything, she dug until she could find the appropriate answer and never let anything stand in her way until she was satisfied.  Then, on the other end, could be full of compassion when it was necessary.  Kind to the end, I will never forget her and miss her terribly.

Pearl Killingbeck
All the communities are so shocked and saddened to hear of the loss of Jule Koch.  Sympathy to her family and to her newspaper family.  She will be very missed.

Chrisine Teal
Sincere condolences to the family of Jule Koch - she was the pillar of the News and will be missed dearly.  We enjoyed working with her in our years as correspondent for Parham/Tichborne as she was so supportive of us when we went through issues a couple of years ago. She was always checking in with us to make sure we were ok and to keep us on the straight and narrow and was a stickler for deadlines. She was driven by the intricate details - times, places and ensuring that we had names spelled correctly.
Rest in Peace dear friend.

Linda Rush
I met Jule many years ago at a craft show, where she was selling these very amazing little dolls she had made. Later, after the death of her first husband, I knew her as a basket maker – one of my very favourite rocking chairs was given decades more life when Jule re-caned it for me. I still sit in it every day. And I remember Jule saying she would NEVER take on such a picky, exacting job again. She was the most gentle, kind and sincere soul, and so very capable at whatever she turned her hand to. I would never have guessed that what she would turn that capable hand to would be as a business manager, but after the death of her second beloved husband, and my friend, Dave Brison, that is just what she did. She became a rock of stability and good sense at the Frontenac News, which had been owned by Dave and then became a wonderful partnership between Jule and Jeff Green. It was in this role that I knew her best, as I volunteered in the office of the News, and then as a correspondent. Always calm, steady, helpful, tolerant and able to quickly problem solve the host of weird and various issues that arise continuously in such an enterprise. I can barely imagine the News without her. My heart goes out to her children and family, and especially to Jeff and his family who will miss her dreadfully. I, too, feel very sad that the earth is no longer a home for her very special spirit.

Marily Seitz
I met Jule often out and about in the community however most of my interaction with her came through the Ompah column. She was amazing. How she was able to keep straight all the dates and events in all of the villages I do not know. I do know that she caught my errors when I wrote a hurried column. She would checked with me quickly and never lost her patience. We are feeling a hole in our hearts with the news of her death. She was our main Frontenac News contact and we shall miss her quiet capable ways. Blessings to her family.

Martina Field
The first time I met Jule, was at a craft show in the early 90's when we first moved to the area. Jule was weaving baskets at that time, beautiful baskets from willow and dogwood.  She worked at it during the entire show, as we all talked with each other and customers throughout the weekend, Jule worked away. At the end of the show, Jule had completed more than one basket and had enjoined in the visiting to boot. Jule never wasted any time. She always had a project, or many, on the go. And she was so eager to share her excitement about whatever it was that she was now up to. Whether it was gathering some native plant to cook up, running a newspaper or re-building an old log house to make her home, Jule went ahead and bravely took on whatever she needed to do. She often would teach herself how do these things by trial and error. And she accomplished so much. Just this past summer, she built a gazebo and a boat shelter and was planning to put up a zip line for her grandchildren.  Jule went about all of this very humbly and quietly, not wishing to attract attention or accolades.  She just did stuff, lots of stuff, had fun doing it and loved sharing her delight in it all. Jule was also one of the most down to earth people I know, wishing for nothing but to live simply and to enjoy the love of her family. And yet, she had such an interest in others that she made us feel that she loved so many of us as if we too were her family.  I will miss the comfort and ease of her love for all of us, her infectious interest in everything, and I can only wish that I might learn through her example

Chava Field-Green
My first memory of Jule is one my first memories. I was 4 or 5, and was helping my Mum and Jule fold Craft Inroads Studio Tour flyers. I remember how strong her basket-making hands were, she could fold 8 or 9 flyers at a time and they would be symmetrical. I could barely do two at a time, and I wouldn't be surprised if someone had to redo my helpful contributions. When I think back on this memory I think about how I must have subconsciously been learning about the power of community and also the power of women’s strength. That many hands made light work, especially with Jule’s hands among that many.
I’ve learned a lot from Jule over my lifetime, she helped teach me the ropes at the Frontenac News, and we spent countless hours driving to and from Toronto talking about life. We never really discussed our different political values, only the ones that we had in common such as our mutual love of re-using materials. When I moved home for a few months last year I worked at the newspaper. Jule had been undergoing Chemotherapy for her breast cancer and she had lost a lot of the strength in her hands. Yet she still managed to build a slide at her house. She had been collecting plastic strapping that hold the flyers to the pallets they arrive on and she really wanted to make something out of them. One afternoon she taught me how to make a basket out of this seemingly one time use material. She guided me with the enthusiasm and love that she bestowed on so many of us as we collaborated at the newspaper and in the community.
My basket is by no means as beautiful as her willow creations, but I’m so thankful to have a memory of our time together. A memory that will help to inspire me to create, to serve and work in my communities, to treat everyone I meet with respect no matter who they are or what they believe. Thank you Jule, for being such a solid human being and role model, you will be missed.

The ever expanding Blue Skies Community Fiddle Orchestra packed the Oso Hall on Saturday (December 10) during the final day of another succcessful Festival of Trees. The orchestra is preparing for their annual concert on January 8th at the Maberly Hall. We will have full coverage of the Festival of Trees in our Christmas edition next week.

The ever expanding Blue Skies Community Fiddle Orchestra packed the Oso Hall on Saturday (December 10) during the final day of another succcessful Festival of Trees. The orchestra is preparing for their annual concert on January 8th at the Maberly Hall. We will have full coverage of the Festival of Trees in our Christmas edition next week.

The Cardinal Cafe in Sharbot Lake is presenting a three hour shopping extravaganza tonight from 5-8 pm. Enjoy the friendly, caffienated atmosphere, music by the most famous floutists in Frontenac County, Toute Ensemble, and experience the main event; works by local and regional artisans and designers.

Mariclaro (recycled leather bags and wallets) Willa Murray designs (belts aprons and more), Silver by Laurel Minutillo (silver Jewellery), Sara Brown of Naptime Creations Studio, Natali Claire, Lonesome Dove Ceramics, and more.

This is a first time effort for Cardinal Cafe.

"It is a chance to expand the use of this wonderful space," said Cardinal co-owner Nancy Moore, "and an opportunity for our customers to look for that perfect one of a kind gift."

Coffee, light refreshments, beer and wine will be available.

It takes a lot of work for the North Frontenac Little Theatre to put on a musical. The casts are large, there are songs and lines to learn, musicians to be found, costumes, and on an on. It's pretty hard to pull all the pieces together in a small community when actors and back stage people need to travel 30 to 60, and in one case this time around, 90 minutes to rehearsals.

Usually the effort is grounded in a script and a set of songs that have been worked out over time through workshop productions, regional theatre, a stint on Broadway and often a movie version before being taken up by the Little Theatre. The company tends to use licensed versions that are specially prepared for amateur theatre companies across North America.

Not so with Turtle Crossings, an original musical written by long time NFLT member Craig Godfrey. Godfrey has been shopping around the idea of a musical for a few years. He wanted to set it in cottage country and he wanted to explore the relationship between permanent and summer residents. Last year Brian Robertson, the current President of  NFLT, agreed drect the play and Godfrey set out to complete the script and write the songs for Turtle Crossings, which is based on his own Novella, The Custodian.

The challenges that come with a new piece of theatre, with unfamiliar songs, is immense. Never having seen the play performed, not knowing if the characters will ever translate to the stage, if the songs will be understood and will move the plot forward, made Turtle Crossings a risk for NFLT to take on.
In the end the production of Turtle Crossings was a success. Performances by a cast that included some talented first time NFLT performers who were able to perform songs in tune and in character, made the play work.

A trio of NFLT veterans (Danielle Quenneville, Sandy Roberston, and Dick Miller) played the urban friends of the lead character Tesah with assured comic timing and physicality. They kept things entertaining as the serious business of the relationship between Tesah and Billy (the custodian) was played out over the 2.5 hour long running time of the play. The crew of young actors who’s skills have been developing over the last few youth oriented productions showed their experience has paid off as well, keeping everything moving and bringing a sense of community to the action of the play.

Danielle Quenneville, Tesah's room-mate Vicky from the City, got the evening going singing the only cover song in the production, Janis Ian's At Seventeen, not an easy song to pull off, in a set designed by Donna Larocque which captured the feel of an urban country bar in the early 1990's. The band, led by musical director Elisabeth Convery on piano, with Gary Giller on bass, Nathan Paul on drums, Martina Field on fiddle, and David Yerxa on percussion, were visible at the back left of the stage. This was particularly effective in the bar scenes, although not so much when the play shifted to the cottage scenes later on. Throughout the night, however, the band did a great job supporting the numerous vocalists.

Quenneville set the stage for Jennifer Argyle, who played the adult Tesah, a music teacher in her late 30's and a regular performer at the bar. Argyle, who performs as a country singer herself, easily slipped into the persona of Tesah as a fun loving teacher who enjoys letting her hair down on evenings and weekends singing and drinking with her friends at their local. The whole scene was pulled together by the antics of John Stephens as the bartender/announcer.

Tesah's past intervenes early on as she reveals that her estranged father has left her the family cottage. Tesah tells her friends that she spent each summer at the cottage as a child and then attended High School in the country after her father decided to move the family to the cottage, much to the chagrin of her long suffering, alcoholic mother.

The scene shifts to the cottage during Tesah's youth, and for this transition a simple yet effective technique was used. Arglye stood still, facing the audience, and Ellie Larocque, who played Tesah as a child, came onstage and stood behind her, facing the back of the stage. The two actors spun around slowly until Larocque was facing the audience, and Argyle left the stage. Back in the early 60's, Tesah and Billy (Bailey Paddick) an older local boy who does maintenance at the cottage, are helping baby turtles get from the driveway where they have hatched, to the water. The relationship between Billy and Tesah, which is central to the play, is set in this scene. The play shifts back and forth from the past to the present (which is 1993), as Tesah and her friends are preparing to visit the cottage on Canada Day Weekend. Gradually more and more of the past is revealed. The teenage Tesah is played by GREC student Emma Douglas, who did a great job singing and playing and also showed the depth of character as Tesah deals with her parents marriage disintegrating, her mothers breakdown, and the transition from seasonal resident to high school student in small town. Kids do a lot of growing up between grade 9 and grade 12, and Douglas did very well showing the effects of that on Tesah.

Kora Kamps Sissons, who teaches at North Addington Education Centre, plays Tesah at age 18, the crucial period in her life when her mother Mrs Carter (Connie Rennebarth) suffers a break down, and the push pull between her feelings for Billy (now the custodian at the high school) and bad-boy rocker Zepper (convincingly portrayed by Tom Asselstine) are played out. Connie Rennebarth delivered a moving performance “It isn’t fun here anymore” in this section of the play, and this was followed by Kamps Sissons equally powerful performance of “Are you Still There”. Plot twists that could have strayed into melodrama were brought to life with these two performances. They were highlights of the evening.  The first act ends at the High School Prom. Tesah is there with Billy, and her music teacher, Mrs. B. played to comic effect by Marcie Asselstine, calls out “You're Pregnant”.

In Act 2 Tesah returns to the cottage, and finds, after a twist and turn or two, that her life has been waiting for her to return and take it up, which she ultimately does. There are  some convenient plot elements at play, this is not unusual for musicals, which are really all about the songs and the singers and big emotions, the 2nd Act provides Jennifer Argyle the opportunity to develop her character fully. It also provides comedic fodder for Dick Miller, Sandy Robertson and Marcie Asselstine. Derryk Monsour, who plays the adult Billy, becomes the play’s anchor, making sure everything will work out in the end.

Other performers who should be mentioned included Greg Morris (Mr. Carter) Cash Matson (Young Eddie) and Jessica Wedden (Jessie) who also performed some fiddle solos in character, Pam Giroux (Nokomis), Makenzie Drew (Macca),  Amber Asselstine (Lori), Gillian Hoffman (Julie) Sidney Drew (Danielle) Tim Drew (adult Eddy)  Carol Morris (Nana), Donna Larocque (Bar Patron) and Ken Fisher (Bar Patron).
Craig Godrey did a good job capturing the way people speak and carry themselves in this neck of the woods. The underlying issues at play, the restlessness of youth, the pressures people face in the city and in the country, are all very real.

Turtle Crossings had its flaws. A scene or two could have been trimmed and the pacing could have been quicker, but basically the production worked, no small feat for a musical in its first incarnation. The efforts of the set designer and construction team, and particularly stage manager Marc Brown, who came before and left after everyone else and made sure everything was in place, and lighting director Jeff Siamon cannot be over-stated.

Brian Robertson had the vision, and put in the effort to bring Godfrey's story to life, providing an opportunity for a new crop of talented performers to shine. Finally, a nod to Kathy Bonsal, Craig Godfrey’s sister, who put up with him, and everyone else as the play’s Producer.

It was an accomplishment for all of them.

(L to R) Emma Douglas , Jennifer Argyle, and Kora Kamps Sissons play the lead character Tesah Carter at three stages of her life in the original musical Turtle Crossings by Craig Godfrey, which will be   by North Frontenac Little Theatre from Thursday to Sunday at Granite Ridge Education Centre in Sharbot Lake. The three of them were photographed while waiting back stage at the dress rehearsal on Tuesday night as a 4th Tesah, Elly Larocque, was on stage. For details about performance times and where to purchase tickets, visit www.NFLT.ca

Massive insurance savings through joint insurance RFP.

Central Frontenac has cut its insurance cost by 2/3rds through a joint request for proposal for insurance services that was undertaken by the four Frontenac Townships and Frontenac County, with the help of a consultant. Insurance companies were asked to quote on providing a single policy to cover all 5 entities, and to quote in each individually. In the end, by choosing the lowest individual offers, each of the townships and the county have realised savings. But none as much as Central Frontenac. Aon Insurance offered to provide “as good or better coverage than we had in the past” said Treasurer Michael McGovern, “at a greatly reduced price.”

Council agreed to sign a three year contract, to cover 2017 and 2019 with Aon at a price of $129,628 each year. In 2016 the township paid over $300,000 for insurance.

“The savings are about $175,000 this year, and when I saw the numbers I looked over the policy very carefully to make sure I wasn’t missing anything,” said McGovern. He said he also received assurances from the consultants, Cameron and Associates, that the policy was sound.

Money to be set aside for Arena Floor

Council decided to follow the advice of the Frontenac Arena Board and will set aside $50,000 to go towards a new floor when the time comes to replace the 40 year old floor at the arena.

Councilor Brent Cameron, who is on the Board, said that the “floor does not need to be replaced this year, or next year or even the year after, but it will need to be replaced, and it could cost up to $700,000.”

The arena supervisor will be proposing that the board do an in-depth analysis of the floor as part of the 2017 budget to determine how long it will last and how much it will cost to replace.

The estimated share of the cost to Central Frontenac is $287,000, so $50,000 would help mitigate against financing costs when the time comes. South Frontenac Township is also committed to creating a $50,000 reserve over the summer, but as they move towards finalising their 2017 budget this month, that commitment is in danger of being lost in the face of other budgetary constraints.

Holiday closure – The township office will be closed on Friday, December 23rd at 4:30 and will not re-open until Tuesday, January 3 at 8:30 am.

New approval process for waste sites

Interim Public Works Manager Mike Richardson, who said he will be leaving the township’s employ at the end of next week ( note - he’s said that before) encouraged the township to employ Golder and Associates to complete some site plan work on the Olden Waste site in order for the site to comply with a new approval process. In place of the Certificate of Approval Process that has been in place for years, a new process, the Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) process. Richardson said that making the change is voluntary for now, but will be mandatory soon. Council agreed and Golder will begin working next month with the expectation of completing the new approval process by February.

Engineering work for 4th Depot Lake Road Culvert Replacement

Council has contracted with Greer Galloway to the tune of $8995 to engineer and administer of a large culvert replacement on 4th Depot Lake Road.

Canada 150

Bill Bowick, and his sidekicks Rose Marie Bowick and Ray Fletcher brought an update about the activities of the Canada 150 committee. Bowick said that plans were proceeding for events throughout the centennial year, starting with a New Year’s Eve Dance in Sharbot Lake and a New Year’s Day levee in Arden. Other events that are planned include a heritage costume dance, a writing project by the United Church Women, a sharing circle by the Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation, and special events at the Frontenac Heritage Festival in February, Canada Day, and at the Parham Fair in August.

At the Festival of Trees that’s held each year in early December, there is a lot of money collected, so where does it go? Who get’s it. What do they do with it? Who are they? And well you may ask.

The “they" are volunteers and the "Festival" is the event held each year to earn money to give back again to the community. What’s this? Yes the money goes back to the various villages in the area to buy flowers to make the villages beautiful each year, and the name of the group of volunteers who arrange all this is "Villages Beautifull". The group keeps only enough money over from year to year to fund the next Festival. All of the rest of the money is given out to the volunteers of the villages each year to buy flowers and containers and sometimes trees. The Festival is coming soon.

In a cooperative effort between the Salvation Army and other agencies, Christmas Food hampers will be made available to individuals and families in need. The distribution effort in Central, North and parts of South Frontenac is coordinated by staff and volunteers of Northern Frontenac Community Services. Every attempt is made to make a hamper available to those who need one.

If you need a hamper, please call 279-3151 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, or come to Northern Frontenac Community Services Office 1020 Elizabeth Street in Sharbot Lake. The deadline for referral is December 8, 2016.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to support the Christmas Hamper Program please call 613-279-3151. Charitable receipts are provided.

Pam and Marcel Giroux of Sharbot Lake were having dinner last Friday evening at the Maples Restaurant when they met 2 girls in their 20's who had very large backpacks. Pam, never one to be overly shy, struck up a conversation with the girls. They turned out to be sisters Sarah and Catherine Jackson who come from Edmonton.

Sarah traveled to Victoria over a year ago, and from there she has been walking the Trans-Canada Trail. Catherine has been attending university and has joined her sister from time to time on the long trek, and is with her for the final section. They intend to keep going through the winter until they reach the end of the trail in Newfoundland.

They travel between 30 and 35 kilometres per day, and were going to camp out before heading south to Harrowsmith to join the Cataraqui trail when they met Pam and Marcel.

“We invited them to have a shower and stay the night at our house, and they were really delightful company,” said Marcel, who took the picture of Catherine, Pam and Sarah the next morning as the sisters were on their way, after Pam made them a pancake breakfast with Frontenac Maple Syrup and fresh fruit.

Sarah has a website where she describes the trek. By the time she reached Toronto on October 20, she had traveled 7,585 kilometres.

She told the Edmonton Journal that she took on the trip because she wanted to go on a long hike after graduating from the University of Alberta last year. She was seeking adventure and a chance to meditate on what she wants to do with her life. While she considered hiking either the Pacific Crest Trail or the Appalachian Trail, the idea of seeing Canada took hold, and even though the Trans Canada Trail is not complete she decided to take it on. She took some time off at Christmas last year but has been on the trail the rest of the time, even in winter.

In her blog she has made some interesting observations about the reaction of people to seeing a single woman hiking alone. Essentially, while she does feel scared at times, she says that this is what it is like to be a woman in our society at all times, on the Trans-Canada Trail or on a city street.

“So when people ask whether I am ever scared on the trail, whether I ever feel unsafe because of my gender, I am so frustrated. The answer is an unequivocal yes. For so long I struggled with how to answer this, because how I feel on the trail is an almost perfect reflection of how I feel in everyday life,” she wrote on her website sarahrosewalks.wordpress.com.

As she said, no one would ask a male hiker the same questions.

The trek has been more about seeing the country than living in fear, however, and as Sarah and Catherine set out from Sharbot Lake on a brilliantly sunny November morning last Saturday, they had a spring in their step.

There will be a few people at the Treasure Trunk Wine and Cheese fundraiser next week at 12795 Road 38 who will be poking around the building and grounds to see what the new home of the Treasure Trunk is all about.

“That's ok, we do want people to see the new building, to see our new home,” said store manager Janet Barr.

The Treasure Trunk is closing its current location on the day of the fundraiser, Friday November 25th, and will be opening at 12795 Road 38 eight days later, on December 3rd.

The Wine and Cheese fundraiser, which will go towards new signage at the Treasure Trunk, is taking advantage of the fact that the new building has been renovated and is still empty, not yet full of clothes, furniture, toys and household items. The silent auction will include a number of special items, including a print based on an original painting of a Tragically Hip Concert, two loads of gravel, a stained glass welcome sign, a hand made wooden clock, original oil paintings and artist reproductions, a cooler/stereo, and much, much more.

Admission to the event costs $10. It runs from 4-8 pm and there will be a large number of door prizes given out throughout the evening. And what is a little wine and cheese without music. The jazz flute trio Toute Ensemble willl perform as will Brian Roche.

A ribbon cutting with Central Frontenac Mayor Frances Smith and Town Crier Paddy O'Connor is set for 5:00 pm.

“We are very excited about the new space and the opportunity to celebrate with all of our friends and customers next week. It is 21/2 times as big as the old space and we were very fortunate to have Kevin Rioux and Glen Moase make the transformation happen,” said Barr of the building, which had been used as a metal shop by the most recent owners, Drapeau Fire Protection.

For further information, call Community Living-North Frontenac at 613-279-3731 or the Treasure Trunk at 613-279-2113.