In May of last year, Anne Howes sold the Rising Bun Bakery to Rachel Hosseini, a construction project manager from Richmond Hill who wanted to move to Sharbot Lake and start up a Subway franchise.

“It took several months to formalize the franchise and do the Subway training, and then there was a delay as the renovations to the building to fit the Subway model took more time. As well, the winter was pretty hard for construction this year,” said Hosseini, who ended up opening the store just over a week ago, on Wednesday, July 23.

The customers were waiting, and the Subway restaurant, which is the first and only fast food restaurant anywhere in Frontenac County, has been busy most of the time since it opened.

The staff of 10 have been putting in long hours over the last week, none more than Hosseini herself, who has been working alongside her employees pretty much from open until close every day.

“It has been a challenge for all of us to deal with all of the work since you only learn so much through training, but everyone has done well. I'm ready to leave them on their own, but it is hard since I am a bit of a workaholic,” she said.

Subway has over 28,000 stores in Canada and the US and over 42,000 stores worldwide, so the brand is drawing some of the crowds into the store from Highway 7.

“I think having the store here will be good for the two other restaurants that are here,” she said, “because not everyone wants a Subway sandwich; people also want fries and burgers and pizza.

The other businesses in the area have been welcoming, she said. The closest neighbouring food business, Jossy, even brought flowers to her on opening day.

Rachel Hosseini was born in Iran, but moved with her family to Toronto in the 1990s, when she was still in high school. She studied Project Management at George Brown College, and then opened a construction company in Richmond Hill.

The appeal of starting up a new business in Sharbot Lake is partially the challenge, and also because she was drawn to the beauty of the village, where she is now renting on the lake, and to the receptiveness of the community.

“I love it here,” she said.

The Sharbot Lake Subway Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 7 am until 10 pm weeknights and 8 am until 9 pm on weekends. The hours may be altered a bit in the winter time.

A number of Central Frontenac area families have been suffering this summer with flu-like symptoms, followed by mouth sores and a rash. The disease they are likely suffering from is Hand Foot and Mouth disease (not to be confused with Hoof and Mouth disease, which only occurs in animals). In a Kingston Frontenac Public Health fact sheet, Hand Foot and Mouth disease is characterized as a “common contagious viral illness that affects mostly children, but adults can get it too.” It is usually contracted in the summer months and nearly all people recover within 7 to 10 days without treatment. It is considered “moderately contagious through direct contact with an infected person”.

Residents have raised concerns that the disease was contracted through the water at some of the local beaches, in particular the Sharbot Lake Beach, but Public Health Unit Officials say that cannot be the case.

“Hand Foot and Mouth Disease is a virus that is only spread through direct human contact, not the water at public beaches,” said Karla Gimby, communications officer with KFL&A Public Health.

Gimby added that the Public Health does not get notified by local primary care physicians or schools about outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth disease, unlike diseases such as influenza, which pose a more serious risk to public health.

The Health Unit does test the water at a number of locations in Frontenac County each summer for bacterial content, including: Arden, Long Lake, Big Clear Lake, Eagle Lake, Crow Lake, Kennebec Lake, and Sharbot Lake in Central Frontenac; Palmerston and Ompah in North Frontenac; Davidsons, Desert Lake and Sydenham Lake.

At this time all of those locations are listed as safe and the beaches are open to the public.

Gary Hawley has been playing the organ at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Sharbot Lake for 65 years and he isn’t stopping now. In fact he is quoted as saying, “As long as I can continue to play and they would have me play, I will.”

Hawley's lifetime of musical service began in 1949 and that milestone was celebrated at a special service and presentation ceremony at the church on July 20. The sanctuary was full of worshipers as the special service and tribute was led by Rev. George Kwari, who spoke of how Gary’s music helps church goers to “enter into the presence of God Almighty and therefore be more receptive to the word of God. This importance aspect of our worship we trust to the church organist.”

Rev. Kwari went on to list all of the important responsibilities of the church organist and how Gary has fulfilled each with his special talent, dedication and a humble heart. He related Gary’s service to the Biblical Parable of the Talents.

Not resting even as he was being celebrated, Gary played throughout the service and was joined on flute by Brenda Luscott. Other special guests in attendance included the Venerable Allan McGregor, Rev. Eric Ruwona of Zimbabwe and Canon David Smith of Perth, who recited the service blessing. Pastor Mark Hudson of the Pentecostal Church gave prayerful thanks at the special lunch reception that followed the service. Congregant Ken Fisher, who helped organize the special event, made a series of special presentations to Gary for the “over 3500 services he has played at the church over 65 years”. These included a letter from Canada's Governor General David Johnston that was read aloud to the guests. Numerous gifts were also presented to Gary that included a memory box, an engraved commemorative plate and a collection of personal stories written for and about Gary by members of the church and the greater community.

Gary was visibly moved by the accolades and spoke emotionally following the presentations, paying tribute to the all of the church communities he has been associated with over the years with the words, “How more could one person be blessed?” He also paid tribute to all of the singers at the church. His smiling and ever humble face while cutting his special cake said it all.

Those attending the Sharbot Lake Farmers Market and others enjoying Oso beach on July 19 likely noticed some unusual sights hovering overhead. Two drones operated by Alex Wright, owner of the Toronto-based business Drone Depot, were part of a special presentation he gave at the market. Wright set up a booth from where he piloted two of the Chinese-made drones he sells. Onlookers were invited to view a screen that showed the real time recorded images of the market venue from the drones’ cameras hundreds of feet overhead.

Wright gave demos of the larger Octocopter drone (which I did not get a chance to see) and also the DJI Phantom 2 drone, a white, four propeller 1.5 foot long drone that he flew using a remote control. Demonstrating the control possible with the drones, he made the Phantom 2 hover just feet from his face and then launched it into the sky over Sharbot Lake, informing onlookers that it has a range of 1500 metres.

The images received from the Phantom 2’s camera were clear, stable and fascinatingly picturesque, offering market goers and vendors a chance to see themselves, the venue and the surrounding landscape from angles that they most certainly have never seen before nor will ever see again.

Wright's business not only sells a wide selection of the DJI drones, which in Wright's words, “are the leading makers of consumer drones”, but also all the necessary technology to go along with them. He trains buyers to fly the drones at his Drone Depot Flight School and also offers service and repairs. Wright had nothing but good things to say about the DJI drones. “These have flight controllers that make these drones extremely flyable, stable and level. You can fly them around like a camera track in the sky because they have 3D stabilization in them. Before these, you had to fight to keep the drone in one position. Now you can release the controls and the drone will hover in one single spot.”

His demonstartions brought his point home. Both the Phantom 2 and the Octo-copter flew like things from a sci-fi movie - precisely, smoothly and with a soft beating hum. These drones use DJI Light Bridge technology, which allows Wright to send a 1080 P digital video downlink from the drone to a smart phone or TV screen.

Wright is often hired to film special events and recently he used the drones to film the Tim Horton's Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival on June 21 and 22. “We had TVs set up on the beach so people could watch and had live digital broadcasting that also went out to viewers on CTV”. Wright was also recently hired by the owners of the Sumac Centre in Central Frontenac to film their extensive property for promotional purposes. Wright said that filming and broadcasting has become a big part of his business. Transport Canada requires drone pilots of commercial flights to acquire special permission and a special flight operations certificate. Wright also said that presently commercial drone flights are not allowed in the US yet. In Canada currently there are no regulations on recreational drone flights, something that Wright does not agree with. “I think there should be regulations and training. Personally, I train a lot of my clients especially with the larger units like the Octo-copters. It just takes just one idiot flying one around an airport like the recent incident that happened in Vancouver to create huge problems and if that happens enough times, Transport Canada could ground everyone, which would be terrible for the industry.”

Wright said that the DJI drones he sells have a special no-fly zone feature that causes them to auto land if they fly within 1.5 kilometres of an airport. Wright opened his business in November 2013 and said that the business is going “gang busters”. “We're getting into major retailers and I am piloting for large scale events like the Lake Ontario 300, the longest fresh water sailboat race in the world.” For more information about Drone Depot contact Alex Wright at 1-647-302-0072 or alex@dronedepot.com

Judge Peter Wright delivered his final judgments at the Sharbot Lake Criminal Court on July 21, wrapping up a 15-year stint there.

Wright began his service in Sharbot Lake in 1999 and has been happy serving the small rural community. “It seems like yesterday that I started coming up here,” Wright said on his final day. He recalled when he first heard about the quaint community hall/courtroom in Sharbot Lake with its “curtained stage, and the wheel-out dais”, but he said, “It was a delight to be here”.

The Sharbot Lake Criminal Court was the last satellite court of Kingston to be set up. Established in 1999, the court was set up to address a backlog in the Kingston courts. Ottawa was called in to address the Kingston backlog and Wright, who at that time was serving in Ottawa, was asked by the regional senior justice there to take on the position in Sharbot Lake. Wright recalled agreeing initially to take the position for one year. “I didn't know what it would be like out here and here I am 15 years later.”

Wright is moving to Perth next month and will stand as the resident judge there, replacing Judge Steve March who is retiring this month. The move also entails Wright giving up his Ottawa office. The switch will make it difficult for him to continuing serving in Sharbot Lake and though he said he loves the Sharbot Lake community, he believes it will be difficult to continue working here while also serving in Perth.

The most challenging part of serving in Sharbot Lake, Wright recalled, was not knowing anyone here at first. The other difficulty was the huge backlog of cases. “We had cases that had been adjourned for a year with no set dates and it was hard to put the brakes on those adjournments. It went against the practice that was happening here, which was due to the fact that there was a different judge here every month. Understandably, it's hard to be the tough guy when you are only here for one day.”

Asked if he has regrets, Wright said his time serving in Sharbot Lake has been enjoyable, rewarding and a nice break from Ottawa. Asked about the challenges of moving to Perth, Wright said that locally things always tend to be done a bit differently, “But that is what makes things fun and a learning experience.”

When asked what makes a good judge, Wright said it’s the ability to listen. “We have two ears and one mouth so it's probably important to listen twice as much as you speak. I do not know how you can judge if you do not listen to what people are saying.” Asked if he has always known that, Wright said that when he first became a judge, it was tempting to still be a lawyer, to ask all of the questions and to jump in and argue with people. “That is not the role of a judge. As a judge you have to listen, give people their say and let people tell you their story. If you do not do that then you miss the opportunity to try to incorporate people’s experiences, what they have done and seen, and what the lawyers have to say.” Wright studied law at the University of Ottawa and was called to the bar in 1979. He practiced in Ottawa until he was appointed to the bench in 1993. On his final day in court in Sharbot Lake, both Duty Counsel Doug Caldwell and Provincial Crown Counsel Liz Foxton paid special verbal tributes to him.

On July 13 a puppet show extravaganza hit the stage at the Sharbot Lake branch of the Kingston Frontenac Public Library (KFPL). The two puppeteers, Brenda MacDonald and Sarah Balint, have been on the road touring various library branches for the past few weeks. They performed two classic children's stories. The first was “Strega Nona”, written and illustrated by Tommie dePaola and the second was “Three Little Pigs”. Both books are available to borrow through the branch near you.

At the Sharbot Lake performance the house was packed with children from all around the area, starting from the age of 5 months. The stage was elaborate and circus-themed. One boy, when asked what his favourite part about the stage was, said, “I like it because it's red.”

“Strega Nona” translates to Grandmother Witch, and the story centres around a magical old woman who seeks out the help of Anthony, a boy who is thought to be inattentive, as she is getting rather old. However, Anthony creates trouble when Strega Nona leaves her house under his care for a few days. He does not heed a warning to leave the pasta pot on the stove alone, causing it to overflow and fill first the house, then the entire village with pasta, with terrifying and funny results.

The show was full of comedic moments and stirring suspense.

During intermission one of the puppeteers, Brenda MacDonald, led a song with the children. As some of the kids knew the song, they stood up and sang it out with Brenda, much to her delight. This was followed by a reading of John Burningham's “Mr. Gumpy's Outing” [Editor's note – the best picture book ever written, with the possible exception of Mr. Gumpy’s Motor Car].

The puppet show then continued with a fantastical performance of “Three Little Pigs” which literally had the audience rolling on the floor in hysterics. Brenda and Sarah really understood their audience and clearly love what they do. They were welcoming and entertaining from the get-go. They made sure to credit the audience for their energy; as Sarah said, “They were our best audience all week.”

Sarah and Brenda will be performing again on August 15 at the Sydenham branch at 10am. They will be performing two fox-related puppet shows, one based on the hit song “What does the fox say?” and the other based on the children's story “The Fox and the Grapes”.

by Mike Procter

On August 9 the Procter sisters, Theresa, Becki and Katie will once again swim across Sharbot Lake to raise money for cancer research and to support those living with cancer. Over the past six years the girls have raised over $6,000 and they need your help to make this year’s swim another success.

The girls will jump into the water at the Sharbot Lake Provincial Park at 10 am and swim 3 kilometres to reach land at the Oso beach about 11:30 am. Having grown up in Sharbot Lake, the three sisters are like fish in the water and seem to do the swim with minimal effort, although in past years, high waves have given them a bit of a tough go and water bugs are sometimes unwelcome companions. Becki works in the HR department of an insurance company in Mississauga, Katie is a registered nurse in Toronto and Theresa is an epidemiologist in Woodstock. This may be the last summer all three are together as Katie is moving to Manitoba in September.

Donations can be made online at http://convio.cancer/goto/hopeswim2014 or at Northern Frontenac Community Services. Mark August 9 on your calendar and plan to be at the Sharbot Lake beach at 11:30 am to cheer on the girls.

James (Jim) Webster, who died earlier this winter, left instructions that anyone who wanted to donate money in his memory should put it towards new uniforms for the children in the Central Frontenac Minor Softball League.

The uniforms were on display this week at a game in Sharbot Lake, worn by the team coached by Leslie Merrigan, who happens to be Jim Webster's niece.

Donating uniforms to teams, and gloves and balls to players is something that Webster did for 15 years or more. He was also a constant presence at games, especially when one of his grandchildren were playing, and, because he brought bubblegum for the kids most of the time, he became known as the gum man.

Webster was tireless in his fundraising efforts for the children. One year he raised over $7000 and had Tim Horton’s donate 5 sets of TimBit uniforms given by Ron and Donna Lemke of Plevna, who continue to donate medallions for all five teams year after year.

Jim Webster's efforts to promote ball extended to working to keep up the ball field in Sharbot Lake, which made him a friend to ball players of all ages in the region but not always of the Central Frontenac Council.

About 12 years ago, Jim lined up contractors and donations to do some major work on the field. They were going to build shelters over the player’s benches, build new bleachers and work on the field itself. It was all set to go when Jim and Brett Harvey, who was then the franchise owner of the Sharbot Lake Valumart, went to get the township’s blessing.

It did not go well. The township was concerned about liability, and balked at the building plans not having an engineer’s stamp and the prospect of volunteers from the men's league doing the work. They said no, and the project was stymied.

A few years after the township purchased and installed new bleachers, but the benches at the park remain uncovered. Unknown parties have mysteriously done some work on the park since then, when the township wasn't looking that closely.

Jim Webster never gave up on baseball in Sharbot Lake, and on the Sharbot Lake ball park.

According to his daughter Marcie, when his family was going through his things this past spring, they found records of all the donations he collected, where all the money went, and a number of brand new baseball gloves, waiting to be given to a young ballplayer in need of a glove.

Bytown Storm Triathlon is presenting the Sharbot Lake Kids of Steel Triathlon on Sunday July 27.

The event will be part of a five-race series making up the Ontario Youth Cup, so it will attract athletes from far afield, but organizers are also hoping to attract youth from Frontenac County to take part in the event. Different age groups, starting with the Fun Du for the under six set, can participate in the event, as can 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, and 12 to 13-year-olds, while youth between the ages of 14 and 15 will be eligible for the provincial qualifying distance.

According to the Bytown Storm Triathlon Club website, “The 2014 Sharbot Lake Kids of Steel Triathlon is poised to be one of Ontario’s premier events. It is the centerpiece of the 2014 Ontario Youth Cup. It is also one of only 3 draft legal events in Ontario and promises to bring triathletes of all ages and skill levels to the centre of the province to promote fun and competition.”

Greg Kealey, president of club, says the Sharbot Lake site is “historic and ideal. The proximity of the water, the Trans-Canada trail, and a road that is in perfect condition is hard to find elsewhere, and the connection with Simon Whitfield and his status in the history of Triathlon in Canada and worldwide makes it extra special. We are thrilled to be putting this event on and hope local youngsters are able to take advantage of it.”

For information about the Kids of Steel and to register, go to bytowntriathlon.com or call 613-323-5255. Advance registration is open until July 21.    

The duo Ennis, which features sisters Maureen and Karen Ennis from Newfoundland, had a good time performing to a packed house at the Sharbot Lake Country Inn last year and they decided to include a return gig when they were planning a Canadian tour for this summer. Their audience was waiting for them, none more so than 99-year-old Annie Cahill.

In fact at the break between the two sets they performed last Wednesday (July 2), Annie dragged her two daughters up to the bar, not for a drink but to buy CDs.

Annie, whose great grand-daughter Cadence works at the Country Inn, went to see Ennis last year, partly because her grandfather was an Ennis and so she has roots in the same family. Annie was born and raised on the Wilmer Road near Perth Road Village. She moved to Perth Road proper when she grew up, married and had eight children. She enjoyed the show last year

“Around Christmas time I got a call from Annie. She asked me if the Ennis sisters were coming back any time in the coming year. As it happens they had already booked July 2 , so Annie told me to reserve her a ticket,” said Sandra White of the Country Inn.

The show was a bit of an early birthday outing for Annie, who lives in a seniors' home in Napanee. She turns 100 in September. She said she really enjoyed herself.

When she was introduced to the band, Annie said, “My grandfather was an Ennis.”

“Then we must be related,” said Karen Ennis, “without a doubt.”