For many it is the local Santa Claus parades that mark the start of the Christmas season in these parts and the numerous parades that took place in North, South and Central Frontenac are always welcome and exciting events, especially for youngsters and the young at heart. This year's parades seemed especially festive with a plethora of colourful floats courtesy of the numerous businesses, organizations, service clubs and individuals, who despite the bustle of the holiday season took the time to put together their unique parade offerings. This year it seemed there were more colourfully clad youngsters, more live animals and more live music than in parades past. Whatever the reason, here are just a few snap shot memories from the parades that took place in Sydenham, Harrowsmith, Sharbot Lake, Tichborne/Parham, Northbrook and North Frontenac.

Sharbot Lake

Elsa waves from the Northern Frontenac Community Services' Disney inspired “Frozen” float

 Denbigh

It was a crisp evening for the Santa Claus Parade in the village; even still, a good number enjoyed the lights and sights. Mr & Mrs Claus had a warm welcome for everyone at the hall, as hotdogs, hot drinks and goodies were gobbled up. The children took their turn making their requests to the Man in Red, followed by a festive program presented by the Rec. Committee. Congratulations to the LCBO on winning people's choice for favourite float with their entry decorated in gingerbread and sweets.  

 North Frontenac

The North Frontenac Christmas parade took place on November 29, starting at the township offices in Plavna and finishing at the Ompah hall.

Photos courtesy of Michelle Ross. At right: the Plevna Pioneer Club’s float proclaims “Jesus is the sweetest gift”. ton Cottages float

A senior's exercise program is offered free of charge through the Sharbot Lake Family Health Team, and on December 8 participants attended the final week of classes for the fall session. Judging by the 65 seniors who just wrapped up the program, local seniors know well that one of the best ways to stave off the negative effects of aging and to stay healthy is to be active.

“Exercise at any age is beneficial,” said Ashley Williams, the new occupational therapist at the SLFHT, who sparked off the eight-session program, which began in October 2014. The one-hour classes were held at the community room at the Sharbot Lake Medical Centre and included a cardio component with walking and other aerobic exercises; upper and lower body strength training; exercises for the core and also balance and coordination exercises. The program includes an educational component and every few weeks a health care professional spoke to participants about a specific health-related topic. The fall session included a visit by the SLFHT's registered dietician, who spoke about appropriate sizes of meal portions, protein shakes and more.

Williams outlined the benefits to seniors of regular exercise and how the fitness classes help improve cardio-vascular performance, over-all strength, balance and coordination, which together can help minimize falls. The social benefits are also worth mentioning and the classes offer seniors the chance to meet regularly with friends, form new relationships and have fun while exercising.

Williams said that participants have spoken about having increased strength and overall health as a result of the classes, with some being able to perform tasks around their homes that they had been unable to perform prior to the classes.

The 2015 winter session will begin on January 19. Classes take place on Mondays and Thursdays. Participants should wear rubber-soled shoes and loose clothing. For more information, contact Ashley Williams at 6132-279-2100 ext 128.

After months of rehearsals, North Frontenac Little Theatre presented the play "Aladdin" last weekend, from November 27 to 30

Kudos to the cast and crew, who pulled off what will be remembered not only as the inaugural musical extravaganza at Granite Ridge's cafetorium but also as a production that enraptured theatre goers of all ages, who came out in the hundreds over a four-day run.

The cast included a number of young thespians who made this production sparkle. Nick Alarcon played Aladdin with confidence and swagger. He not only saved the day by stepping into the lead role at the last minute, he did so with grace, mastery and modesty, making his first foray as the play’s leading song and dance man one to remember.

His love interest, Princess Jasmine (Joelle Parr), was both picture and pitch perfect as the sweet and sassy Jasmine who helps Aladdin win the day. She was assisted by her loyal maids, expertly played by Sidney Drew and Savannah Gosse. Emma Brash, who played Aladdin's neighbour, was a delight, as was the beggar Tom Christensen, who was miraculously transformed. Barb Matson as Aladdin's doting mom was hilariously expressive, as was Aladdin's sister Neela, deftly played by Ellie Larocque.

Charlotte Hilder, Gillian Hoffman and Annika Putman each perfectly performed their roles as the three exotic genies who were gorgeously bejeweled and who each brought their own unique brand of magic to the show.

Comedy was a big part of this production and the irascible Mason Moore as Alakazam, Aladdin's beloved monkey, nearly stole the show with his clever animated antics; his low down chin/toe/finger tip crawl across centre stage will long be remembered.

Cash Matson as the under-achieving executioner Chop Chop received multiple laughs and thankfully his giant silver sword never met flesh. Cayleigh Matson as the big-headed Ali Bubba also broke up the audience with his chronic whining. The huge dragon created by Mike & Jocelyne Steeves was a wonder to behold and was brought to life thanks to the expert voicings of Rob Moore.

This love story would have fallen short without villains and the production had a cast of evil doers in spades. Martina Field was almost unrecognizable as the evil magician Jammal and she pulled out all the stops as the conniving, singing, mustachioed mischief-maker who kept the plot moving along. Jammal was egged on by his equally evil sister, Halima, played by a darkly demure Donna Larocque with her crystal ball – together the two made much of the play’s mayhem.

Sarah Hale sparkled as always in her dual roles as narrator and the merchant woman. The play’s director Brian Robertson played the thick-bearded, hen-pecked sultan and with Karen Steele as his queen sultana, they amused the audience with their back and forth wife/hubby banter.

Musically the show was a delight and the trio of flute, piano and bass (Sandy Robertson, John Inglis, and Gary Giller) was just what was required. Musical highlights included a duet by Halima and Jasmine, with the two nailing one of the show’s most difficult and beautiful songs. Jammal's song while disguised as a pedlar was pure vaudeville and Aladdin nailed his show-stopping tune with aplomb. He sang the theme song throughout the play accompanied by the lungi-clad young chorus, whose dances were beautifully choreographed.

Visually, this production was stunning, with elaborate, colorful sets that included a beautiful background of far eastern spires and cupolas, curvy props and a plethora of silks and satins that together with the clever lighting made for a rich, textured stage. The costumes were of the highest caliber, each intricate and meticulous, with copious layers of satins and silks, lots of veils, vests and exotic head gear, and sparkling makeup and sequins that reflected beautifully in the gorgeous hues of the stage lights.

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Aladdin (Nick Alarcon) seems to have caught the attention of Princess Jasmine (Joelle Parr) much to the consternation of the Sultan (Brian Robertson) in the North Frontenac Little Theatre's inaugural production at the Granite Ridge Education Centre Cafetorium. The play runs from Thursday to Saturday night this week, and there is a Sunday matinee.

Central Frontenac Public Works Coordinator Kyle Labbett, and Kevin Hawley of Greer Galloway Engineering in Kingston, led a public meeting at Oso hall in Sharbot Lake on November 20.

The meeting was to discuss three options developed by Greer Galloway for the replacement of the bridge on Road 38 that crosses the old CP rail tracks just south of Canon Road. The bridge, which is one of the biggest of the 33 bridge structures in the township, was constructed in 1960 and has been deemed “in immediate need of repair in the next one to five years” following an inspection done by D.M. Wills Associates.

A small group of local residents attended the meeting where Labbett and Hawley explained the plans for the three different options.

The first option is to remove the existing bridge structure, lower the existing grade profile of the roadway and raise the trail by two metres to create a level crossing. In the report done by Greer Galloway, the benefits of this option are that the overall roadway sight lines would be improved and future bridge inspections and repairs would no longer be needed, which would save the township a lot of money in the long term. The disadvantages are the safety concerns that a level crossing poses to trail users, pedestrians and drivers since trail users would have to cross Road 38. Proper signage and /or other traffic mitigation techniques would be required as well as consultation with the trail authority.

Option 2 is to remove the existing bridge and replace it with a pre-cast box culvert. This option would involve lowering the existing roadway by one metre and would be significantly safer than Option 1 as it would keep trail and road traffic completely separate by allowing traffic to continue along Road 38 with no interference from trail users. In addition the sight lines along the roadway would also be improved considerably. The disadvantages are the ongoing costs resulting from regular inspections and maintenance to the box culvert and its inevitable replacement when it surpasses its expected 80-year life span.

The estimated costs of both Options 1 & 2 are approximately $600,000 each, and Hawley said that a large part of the expense in both cases results from the fact that while construction is underway, traffic would have to be diverted. Regarding Options 1 and 2 there is a grant that the township has applied for, which would cover 90% of the costs of construction; however, the grant is not available for option 3, which is to repair the existing bridge at a cost of approximately $300,000 -$400,000.

A repair would involve regular bi-annual inspections, future repairs as well as an inevitable complete bridge replacement once the repaired bridge is eventually deemed no longer safe.

While the expense of traffic diversion for a bridge repair costs less since one lane of the road would always be left open during construction, the long-term costs of a repair that will not last was questioned. Hawley said that option 3 is the least expensive in the short term, but he called it “a band aid solution” with long term costs. Labbett agreed, stating, “Everyone seems to be in agreement that repairing the existing bridge (Option 3) is not smart financially in the long run so we're basically looking at Option 1 or 2 more seriously right now."

Most of the residents who attended the meeting seemed to support Option 2, the box culvert option and Sharbot Lake residents Bill and Barb Wilson stressed the safety concerns that Option 1 would pose to motorists, trail users and pedestrians alike. “Safety concerns are paramount and I think that the box culvert seems the safest option,” Bill Wilson said.

The majority of the residents I spoke to at the meeting were in agreement. Staff at the township will find out in February 2015 whether their grant is successful and will likely make a final decision when the new council resumes later this year, and no doubt well before the required five-year deadline.

If the grant is successful and whether council opts for either the level crossing or the box culvert solution, there is good chance construction could begin in the summer of 2015.

Sharbot Lake and District Lions, l-r Ron Hollywood, Bill Zwier, Coleen Richter and Candy Claessen served up a hearty all-you-can-eat breakfast on November 22 at Oso hall to close to 100 guests. Proceeds from the event will support the Salvation Army's annual Christmas Basket drive, which will benefit and brighten the lives of many local families during this upcoming holiday season.

Upcoming for the Lions is their Country Christmas Jamboree, an afternoon of music and dancing that will take place on Sat. Dec. 13 at Land O'Lakes Public School in Mountain Grove beginning at 1pm. The event will be hosted by Fred Brown with musical entertainment featuring Lisa Hart, Mitch Barker, Jessica Wedden, the Old Habits, the Fred Brown band and with special guest Steve Piticco. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by contacting Dave Hansen at 613-375-6318 or Linda Zwier at 613-335-2053.The Lions welcome donations of empty beer and liquor bottles all year long at the Crow Lake dump site on Wemp Road in Sharbot Lake.  

A new granting program, the Canada-Ontario Jobs Grant (COJG), provides an opportunity for employers to invest in their workforce.

“This granting program is designed to provide new schools for existing workers,” said Karen McGregor of the St. Lawrence College Employment Centre in Sharbot Lake. “The Job Grant will provide direct financial support to employers to purchase training for their existing and new employees with a plan to deliver short term training for up to 52 weeks to cover skills gaps.”

The grant will pay up to 2/3 of training costs, up to $10,000 per person, and employers will be required to cover the other 1/3. Small businesses may be eligible for an in-kind contribution to cover their share of the costs. The definition of small business is generous, up to 50 employees. The training must be provided by a qualified, third party trainer.

For information, contact Leslie Pickard, employer liaison with the employment centre at 613-549-3949 extension 1686.

Online applications are available at www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/eopg/coig/index.html.

Other programs that are available at the center include

the Youth Employment Fund (YEF) for youth between 15 and 29 to learn on the job skills. The center can provide incentives to employers to help cover the cost of wages and training for new hires in job placements from 4-6 months in duration.

As well, the Ontario Self-Employment Benefit is a program to promote the start up of new business ventures. Participants in this program must be in receipt of Employment Insurance benefits and meet eligibility criteria.

Second Career is a program for recently laid-off workers for which long term skills training is the most appropriate intervention to transition them into high-demand occupations in the local labour market. EI claimants, EI Reachback or non-EI eligible workers can apply.  

The market is closed for the season and will not be back until late May, but it is never too early to plan ahead, according to interim manager Mary de Bassecourt.

“We want to start talking to gardeners now about how they can participate next year,” she said, in announcing that an information meeting for potential market vendors will be taking place on Wednesday, November 26, between 6:30 and 8 pm at the St. Lawrence College Employment Centre board room on Garrett Street in Sharbot Lake.

“We are hoping avid gardeners will come out, anyone who sometimes has more of some produce than they can eat during the summer and might want to sell some. We will also talk about how to make value-added products such as jams and baked goods from vegetables and fruit that people grow themselves,” she said.

The Sharbot Lake Farmers Market encourages people to try selling without committing to full membership. “We only charge $25 to try it out for one week, and vendors can do that up to three times without joining,” she said.

Full membership in the market is only $100, and the $25 per day is deductible if a vendor decides to join after trying it out, so the risk is minimal.

“Now is the time to start thinking about next year's garden,” said de Bassecourt, “and the market is always looking to encourage people to get involved, and to bring different kinds of products,” she said.

The three-year-old market enjoyed a fourth successful season in 2014. “Sales were down a little bit because of cold weather this summer,” said de Bassecourt, “but we have a good core of vendors and there is every reason to be optimistic for 2015. That's why we want to start talking to potential market vendors in the fall,” she said.

For more information, contact Mary at 613-375-6576.

It was a coup of sorts that took place at the Granite Education Centre in Sharbot Lake on November 7, and kudos to the members of the GREC parent council 's fundraising committee who birthed what might just continue as an annual tradition. The event was the first ever "Ladies Night - Christmas in the Country" shopping extravaganza. The parent council organized the fundraiser to help pay for the school's new $20,000 electronic sign, which advertises both school and community events and was in large part paid for by the parent council. Proceeds from the event will also pay for the recent painting of the school courtyard and help fund other programs and student-related expenses at the school. The $5 entry fee included delicious snacks courtesy of staff and parent council member Anne Howes, and fancy mock cocktails courtesy of senior students Brandi Armstrong, Josh Keefe, and Jake Watson, who served them up with flair. Over 25 vendors lined the halls, offering up a wide array of gift giving options that included tole painted gifts, jewelry, fine arts and crafts, clothing, kitchen accessories, body products, native crafts plus many other holiday treats. Guests could purchase 50 cent tickets to win one or more of the over 45 themed Christmas gift baskets and prizes that were donated by vendors, artisans, local businesses and students and staff from the school.

Cheryl Allen, vice chair of the GREC parent council, said they had hoped to attract “especially the ladies in the local community whose husbands were away hunting”, but the night was well attended by both men and women, who all enjoyed a fun evening of socializing, snacking and holiday shopping.

By Andrea Dickinson

Aladdin and His Wonderful Magical Lamp is a big production that includes music, a large cast with many children of various ages, an elaborate set and exotic costumes. Mark your calendars – November 27, 28, 29 and 30 is when this project comes to fruition...not to be missed!

There are so many factors that must come together to create a few hours of entertainment. For a small rural community like Central Frontenac to have the dedication and talent of actors, director, stage manager, choreographer, wardrobe designer, set designers, lighting director, music director, musicians...is really quite awesome.

I’ve had the pleasure to work with the youngest group of actors in this play – better known as “Chorus #1” which is made up of six young girls. They range in age from six to nine years old and it been such a joy to watch them learn their lines, their dance moves and express themselves onstage. What a fantastic group of talent!

When asked what these girls enjoy most about rehearsing for a play, some of the answers were:

...“being in front of an audience performing makes me happy”, “I like dancing and acting”, “I like being able to act like a different person”, “I like being in a play because it’s so fun to sing and dance”...

It’s not all fun and games! These kids have to work hard and really focus at the end of long school days. Some of the comments in regards to what is most difficult about being in a play were: ...”the dance steps are hard to memorize”, “it’s hard to hit the high notes in the songs”, “it’s tiring when we practice late”, and “staying focused with all the excitement isn’t easy”....

It’s evident that it is a serious commitment for everyone involved in a theatre production and for these youngsters the commitment extends to their parents who diligently get them to practice twice a week. Their dedication will pay off when the audience is thoroughly mesmerized and entertained by this latest production presented by North Frontenac’s Little Theatre Company.