Six years ago there was no food bank serving South Frontenac, but there were a number of programs available to residents in different communities. Different churches gave out food, the Loughborough Christmas and Emergency Relief Committee and the Community Caring Centre in Hartington also helped people access food.

“We saw that there was a lot of effort but a lack of co-ordination, so we started up a service at that time,” said David Townsend, executive director of Southern Frontenac Community Services (SFCS).

The SFCS Food Bank was set up in 2011 and has been up and running ever since, working closely with the churches and the other groups that were already active in the township.

The food bank co-ordinator, Vickie England, has a half-time position with the agency. She works with almost 25 volunteers, who sort the non-perishable items; shop for meat, vegetables, eggs and milk; gather fresh vegetables from the SFCS community garden program in season; and prepare baskets for pick up.

In Sydenham, pick up is at the Rural Visions Centre on George Street on Tuesday & Wednesday afternoons and Friday mornings, and in Verona it is on the second and 4th Tuesday of the month.

Food bank use increased steadily over the first two years that the food bank was open and has remained steady since 2013.

“It is a concern to us that we serve so many children now,” said Vickie England. “We serve a lot of families, including some pretty large blended families.”

The statistics that she keeps bear out her impression. For example, last month 59 baskets were given out, serving 171 people. Of those, 71 (41.5%) were children, by far the largest cohort. Children receive, in addition to their share of the family-sized baskets, food for school and weekend snacks, including yogurt and cheese, extra fresh vegetables and fruit.

In terms of geography, last month 38% of those who received food came from Verona; 31% from Sydenham; 9% from Harrowsmith; and there were recipients from Perth Road, Hartington, Inverary, Battersea and Godfrey as well.

So far this year, 539 food baskets have been handed out, which is on track to match or exceed the total of 718 from last year. While use has been steady in the range of 50-55 baskets per month all year long, there have been unusual months, such as June (70) and August (44).

“We had no way of predicting that June would be that busy and August that quiet,” said England.

Eligibility for food baskets is determined by a means test. Baskets are stocked with a 5-7 day supply and can only be accessed once a month.

“We have 159 families on our eligibility list,” said David Townsend. “Those are people who have accessed the food bank within the last six months.”

The food bank is an un-funded program of SFCS, which means it only survives courtesy of food, and, most importantly, financial donations.

“We had $16,000 in the food bank account bank at the beginning of our fiscal year on April 1,” said Vickie England. “By the end of September, we had $9,000.”

The Christmas season is crucial to the food bank because it is the prime fundraising season and the SFCS Food Bank has a number of events scheduled in the coming weeks.

The first is the annual Vision Soup event on Saturday, November 28, 11:30am - 1:30pm at the Grace Centre, on Stagecoach Road in Sydenham. For a $20 ticket plus a food donation, people can purchase a pottery bowl filled with soup from local restaurants. Tickets are available in advance at the Rural Visions Centre, Sydenham Chiropractic, Trousdale’s General Store, and Sydenham Veterinary Services.

Also, at the Sydenham Santa Claus parade on the same day, members of the Sydenham High School football team will be holding a food drive for the food bank.

Next Tuesday, December 1, the South Frontenac Food Bank is holding an Open House as part of the National “Giving Tuesday” event (a response to the Black Friday – Cyber Monday craze). From 2-5 pm, the food bank will be open to the public, providing an opportunity to see how the food service works and how important it is to the local community.

Giving Tuesday will also mark the start of a major fundraising drive by the South Frontenac Food Bank. Donations of a basket for a single person ($40), a family of two ($60) and a family of four ($100) are being sought as part of the campaign. The goal is to receive donations of 150 baskets by the end of December through the campaign.

“We need to average about $5,000 a month in donations to keep the food bank afloat,” said David Townsend. “From June to September we raise about $300 a month, so you can see how important this season is to us.”

While we all understand that death is inevitable, we mostly keep that aspect of life at a distance until we are confronted with it. But along with death comes bereavement and the need for community support for those dying and their families. For palliative care providers, death and dying are a daily matter, requiring coordination, planning, and a willingness to engage fully in the difficult process that death is.

South Frontenac Community Services, based in Sydenham, includes hospice and palliative care under its purview and, as coordinator Corry Schutt explains, their services reach South, Central and North Frontenac, serving clients 18 years of age and up.

"The goal of palliative care is to care holistically for the person rather than trying to cure disease. It's emotional, social and psychological support for clients and their families."

Funded by the province through the local LHIN (Local Health Integration Network), a large part of SFCS's palliative care work is volunteer-driven non-medical support to caregivers, who are often burdened with caring for friends or family members at end-of-life, to a point where, without the support of outside help, they have no choice but to place that person in hospital or long-term care.

This is a particular challenge in parts of Frontenac county, particularly further north, where travel times and long distances from medical centers, most notably Kingston (the major care center for the region) pose a particular stress.

"Life has to go on for those caregivers," says Schutt.

While isolation and transportation challenges are significant, rural areas like ours have an asset in community connectedness and a willingness among friends and neighbours to help when they are needed. Still, with a large proportion of an already small population working full-time and managing family and social obligations, there is a relatively small number of people able to take on the time commitment of volunteer work.

Schutt also notes that close bonds form between volunteers, clients, and families, and being so intimately involved in the trajectory of death and the bereavement process can take an emotional toll on those offering their time and skills.

Volunteers are required to take a 30-hour course ahead of beginning their service, which trains them in end-of-life care from a volunteer perspective. Furthermore, they have access to bereavement support, just as families do.

The bereavement aspect of palliative care is given particular attention as the holidays approach through an evening of remembrance called "Light in the Darkness," hosted by SFCS. This year the occasion will be held November 29 at the Grace Centre, starting at 7 pm, and will include music, readings, and refreshments.

"Christmas and holidays are really hard for people who have lost a loved one. This is a safe place to recognize that grief," says Schutt.

The next training for volunteers will take place in the spring, but Schutt invites anyone interested in becoming involved to get in touch at any time. As for clients, a person does not require a medical referral to receive services. Friends, family members, health professionals or even clients themselves can make a referral by contacting Corry, who can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at 613-376-6477 ext 308.

Developer Terry Grant has submitted a revised proposal for his Hartington subdivision, which scales the plan down from the original 47 lots to 13, all of which would be located within the hamlet of Hartington.

Hartington resident Michelle Foxton came as a delegate on behalf of her neighbours, many of whom were present, to express concerns about the current proposal. She thanked Council for their continued willingness to hear the community, and listed some questions which she said still have not been addressed.

Foxton focussed primarily on the ASC assessment of the nitrite/nitrate levels on the property. (ASC is the company hired by the developer to comment on the independently commissioned Macintosh Perry report, which in turn had peer reviewed the original Malroz environmental investigation/assessment of the site.)

ASC says that nitrate levels are high, but “Thirteen lots are proposed within the Hamlet, with the remainder of the property being vacant for the foreseeable future. On this basis and utilizing the full 45 hectare property for nitrate dilution, the anticipated nitrate loading for the proposed 13 lots would be well below the 10 mg/l (MOE) criteria.”

Foxton said that because there was no guarantee that the rest of the property would not be developed in the future, this was not a satisfactory answer, and recommended a maximum of 7 or 8 lots instead of 13. Signs held up by several audience members supported this.

Other remaining concerns included: lot frontages, uncertainty about hydrofracturing - has this been done, and if so, when and where, and what effect may it have had on the groundwater? Why has the provision for parkland been removed? Is there danger of future contamination from the corner of 38 and Holleford Road? Is there any way the community could be consulted about the aesthetics of the subdivision, i.e., the addition of a long stretch of chain link fencing and in one place, a high board fence, neither of which were seen to be compatible with the hamlet?

Planner Mills presented a lengthy revised report with a preliminary list of 27 draft plan conditions for the proposed 13-unit subdivision. He said that he had received more comments that day from Macintosh Perry, but had not had time to read them.

Council members seemed to prefer reducing the subdivision size to 7 or 8 units, and asked for a definitive answer about the question of whether or not fracking had taken place.

Mayor Vandewal reminded them that no matter what Council might recommend, final approval did not rest with South Frontenac, but would be based on the County’s interpretation of the recommendations of the environmental and engineering reports.

“The County will not approve a plan that cannot be defended at the Ontario Municipal Board no matter what our Council recommends,” he said.

Harrowsmith Community Improvement Plan (CIP)

Anne Marie Young, the County’s Economic Development Officer, announced that Harrowsmith had been chosen as recipient of this year’s Community Improvement Plan. Although initiated by the County, the actual program will be carried out by the township, and will begin with public meetings and community consultations. The goal of the program is to provide seed money (total $70,000) which can be issued as matching grants to assist in projects chosen by the community. Last year, Verona used the program to improve facades, signage, and general “sprucing up” of the village. Harrowsmith is seen as the gateway to the Frontenacs for anyone travelling north on Road 38.

2016 Budget Report

Treasurer Louise Fragnito reported on some budget details that would need Council approval before the final draft budget is brought to the December 1st Council meeting.

Six items have been put on hold pending follow-up reports to Council in early 2016: radio communications, baler (for recycling), playground equipment for Bowes Park, Storrington Centre, Fermoy Hall and Glendower stairs. Fragnito assured Council that these projects, representing a total of $586,000, are included in the budget so they can be completed once Council has further information.

She also listed ‘updates and additional information’ that will provide the funding necessary to establish a SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) reserve with an initial amount of $40,000, as requested last week by the fire chief.

The adjusted budget now represents $28,061,653 in reserve transfers and $16,534,642 to be raised from taxation, for operating and capital expenditures. “These adjustments align with Council’s direction and amount to a 2.0% or $26.22 impact on the average phased-in residential property.

Saturday, December 12 in the villages of Sydenham and Verona

Christmas is just around the corner. This holiday, you can make a difference and help make this time of year special for all! On Sat. December 12, 10 am to 3 pm, OPP Auxiliary Constable Jennifer Robertson, along with fellow officers and SFCSC volunteers, will be parking OPP cruisers at Trousdale’s Foodland in Sydenham and at Reid’s Foodland in Verona.

Help fill the cruisers with non-perishable food items! The food collected will support the food bank operated by Southern Frontenac Community Services Corporation.

This year, Southern Frontenac Community Services (SFCSC), a charitable non-profit organization, celebrates its 26th Anniversary. SFCSC is the sole provider of health support services and social support programs for seniors in South Frontenac and rural Kingston, north of the 401. The agency also provides financial and food security support for low-income families. SFCSC’s food bank operates with the assistance of over 20 local volunteers, receives no government funding and is entirely supported by donations from local churches, schools, organizations, and the general public, and through events such as Stuff the Cruiser!

The food bank is currently being accessed by an average of 55 households a month. The items that are in high demand are peanut butter, Kraft dinner, canned tuna, pasta sauce, canned tomatoes, canned vegetables, cereal, school snacks, crackers, rice, and canned soup, just to name a few. The food bank assisted over 700 families in 2014; this includes 1,248 adults and 673 children. Children are the most vulnerable people we feed, representing over 41% of the people we serve.

The SFCSC Food Bank is able to provide five to seven days’ worth of non-perishable and perishable staples to 100 adults and 60 children on average per month. Upon eligibility approval, the SFCSC Food Bank may be accessed once a month. Pick-up dates are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Contact: Jennifer Linton 613-376-6883, SFCSC at 613-376-6477 or Jennifer Robertson at 613-384-1774

As mentioned in previous South Frontenac council reports, there is a long-standing controversy about a small strip of sand

beach on Canoe Lake beside the James Wilson Road. James Campbell who claims the beach is on his property, has applied to
sever three neighbouring lots. As a condition of severance, South Frontenac Council suggested that public access to the beach be secured by taking a small portion of adjoining land to provide off-road parking.

Letters and delegations to Council have addressed both sides of the issue. Five members of the Campbell family and eight others have opposed the continued public use of the beach, citing a number of concerns such as; danger from a submerged hydro line, loss of property value, danger from traffic, noise, vandalism from swimmers, and fear of large beach parties. Three have mistakenly assumed ‘the taking of parkland’ means a large portion of land will be developed at taxpayers’ expense with playgrounds, picnic tables, etc.

One blames the threat of a park for costing him the sale of his nearby cottage.

Seven letters and three delegations have spoken in favour of maintaining this small piece of land as a public access to Canoe Lake. Council members viewed the controversial site on November 7, while on their road tour.

A notice of motion proposed by Councillor Sutherland Sept 20 was brought forward at this meeting. It recommends that the Township “secure a public beach/park on Canoe Lake on James Wilson Road at the west end of the causeway between Canoe Lake and Eel Lake in the severance process of the adjoining land.”

Speaking to the motion, Sutherland said that he and Councillor Revill had, with Mr Campbell’s permission, gone on the beach
and measured out the road allowance and had marked out a small additional amount of property, less than the amount of parkland the Township would be permitted to take, which would, if added as a strip to the road allowance, secure the beach for public use.

He also said a hydro sign on the site only warns against digging or driving stakes: a hydro representative confirmed this, saying
the cable was buried three feet down and no danger to walkers or swimmers.

Revill spoke of a possible alternative beach access that could perhaps be created with some clearing of rocks. He said Campbell had been away and had not had a chance to look at and comment on the area they had marked off. Without Campbell’s support, Revill said he would not support the motion.

Mayor Vandewal suggested deferring the motion to the December meeting, to give Campbell a chance to view the proposal.
Discussion of the planner’s report was postponed until then as well.

After an active two months of meetings, phone calls and community organizing, a group that has been dubbed Welcome Home Ministries, which is made up of parishioners from St. James and St. John's Anglican churches in Kingston and St. Paul's Anglican Church in Sydenham, found themselves waiting at Norman Rogers Airport in Kingston last Thursday, November 5.

The group was eagerly awaiting the arrival of a refugee family, four women, a mother (Alem) and her three daughters (Salamwit, Argawit, and Sarah), whom the group are sponsoring.

“There was anxiety, shyness on the faces of the travelers as they crossed the threshold into the waiting area and then hesitant, unbelieving small smiles as they heard the clapping and shouts of welcome from those who had waited so nervously. There were tears in almost all the eyes, those waiting and those just recently arrived” wrote Patti Black in a Facebook post describing the scene at the airport when the family arrived.

They had driven for eight hours from Port Sudan to Khartoum, followed by 24 hours of flights. The family, who are Eritrean, had been living in a refugee camp in Sudan for many years.

Although Welcome Home Ministries is only just over one month old, they were able to tap in to the DOORS (Diocese of Ontario Refugee Support) of the Anglican Church and were presented with a number of options for families to sponsor.

The group was formed in response to the Syrian refugee crisis, and with the help of DOORS their concern has resulted in a new life for a family from Eritrea.

Since the family has arrived they have been living with the Black family near Sydenham, and getting adjusted to life in Canada. Although they speak only a little English, they can read the language, but they had to learn some things that we take for granted, such as how to turn on a tap for a shower.

Over the last few days they have received clothes, learned much about life in Canada, and Canadian bureaucracy as well, but they now have SIN cards, status as immigrants to Canada, and a family doctor. They have a furnished apartment lined up for the end of November. The youngest daughter, Sarah, will be attending LCVI and the other three will be taking English as a Second Language classes four days a week.

“I am amazed at the services that are available in Kingston, through ISKA (Immigrant Services of Kingston and Area) said Ann Elvins of Harrowsmith, a Welcome Home Ministries member, “and at how much joy they are bringing to us. I think we are getting more from them than they are getting from us.”

For the rest of November, however, they will be living in Frontenac County, adjusting to the weather and the lifestyle, which is a huge change for them.

Some of the new experiences were to be expected. They experienced Canadian fall weather and a tire swing for the first time, but they also kicked a soccer ball in the front yard for the first time because girls do not play soccer where they come from.

In addition to the adjustments they will need to make in terms of culture, language, climate, and the Canadian job market, there are financial issues.

As part of the existing refugee system, they are facing a bill from the Canadian government of almost $11,000 for travel costs, and are expected to begin making payments by the end of November to avoid interest charges. The entire amount is due within 72 months.

Salamwit, the eldest, is intent on finding work as soon as possible, said Patti Black, but the expectation that they can begin paying the government back three weeks after they arrived in the country, not knowing the language or having any belongings, is difficult for the Welcome Home Ministries group to understand

At a meeting they have scheduled for later this week, they will talk about how everything is going for the family, and begin to work on a fund raising plan to help deal with the debt.

“We will not just be giving them the keys to the apartment and leaving everything to ISKA,” said Patti Black. “We all have a connection now and we will continue to help them settle in. They are amazing people.”

About 1,000 people attended a wake at Loughborough Public School on Friday evening, November 6 for Travis Babcock, a 12-year-old grade 7 student at the school who died after a car accident on November 1.

The accident took place at the junction of Road 38 and McIvor Road, just north of Hwy. 401. Travis's parents, Jamie and Leanne, were in the car with him. Leanne suffered a hip injury and broken ribs and Jamie was uninjured, but Travis's injuries were more serious and he was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. He was taken off life support the next morning, after his organs were donated.

The family was headed to the nearby Invista Centre to see a cousin play hockey that fateful Sunday evening.

Karl Hammer, a family friend who teaches at Sydenham High School, said that all the friends and neighbours of the Babcocks have come together, with help from the staff at Loughborough and the Limestone District School Board, to help the family and the students in Travis's grade 7 class.

“One of the most powerful things about the service that was held on Friday evening was the way Kaitlyn [Travis's sister] spoke about her brother,” said Karl Hammer, whose own son and three other boys from Travis's class also spoke at the ceremony.

Travis loved outdoor sports, including fishing, hockey and Eisstock, the Austrian game that has become popular in the Sydenham/Harrowsmith area.

In fact, on the day of the accident he did a little fishing, played Eisstock in the late morning and hockey in the afternoon. He even made the winning shot in the Eisstock game and scored during the hockey game.

Since his death all the sporting communities he was involved with have been reaching out to the Babcock family, delivering food to the door, and checking in with Jamie as he keeps the home fires burning since Leanne is still in the hospital.

“You learn that a group like our little Eisstock league is about more than sports when something like this happens. It really is a second family,” said Karl Hammer.

Scott Morency, principal of Loughborough Public School, wrote to parents last week, “Travis’s death has affected many people in our school community, the Sydenham community, the greater Kingston community, other schools in the Limestone District School Board, and the greater minor hockey community. Our thoughts are with everyone who knew Travis, and we offer our deepest sympathy to his family and friends. School and board staff will continue to watch over our students and ensure that those who might be affected by this tragedy will receive the support they need. Student support will be available as long as needed.”

A Gofundme campaign was started up late last week by Travis's grandparents to help the Babcock family financially.

“In a split second our life changed and our family is broken. Our little hockey player was taken from us. How the days ahead will be handled is yet to be seen but at this time, financial stress is something Jamie, Leanne and Kaitlyn do not need. As grandparents to this special boy, we would be so grateful for any help you can provide. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers as we try to come to the new reality of our lives. We love you Travis and you will always be only a memory away,” is the testimonial on the site.

The campaign had raised $31,000 by Tuesday of this week. It is at this url: https://www.gofundme.com/5k8dyxgs

The accident is the second fatal car accident affecting students in Sydenham this year. In late June an accident on Rutledge Road led to the death of one local youth and serious injuries for another.

Twelve members from the Sydenham and Verona Lions clubs and three volunteers recently completed vision and hearing screening of approximately 200 senior kindergarten and Grade 1 students at Harrowsmith, Loughborough, and Prince Charles Public Schools, and St. Patrick’s Catholic School.

For the past eight years, the local Lions clubs have conducted this screening of the youngest students at the start of the school year in order to detect any vision or hearing issues early. It is estimated that one in six children has a vision problem. For young students, to optimize their learning and school experience, it is critical that vision and hearing issues are detected early.

The vision screening consists of three fun visual stations that check both eyes for distance, depth perception and alignment. Hearing is screened with a sound test of both ears. The child wears headphones and is asked at increasingly lower audio levels to point to various pictures.

The results from both screening tests are sent home to the child’s parents/caregivers the same day. If the child’s results fall below the prescribed level, a recommendation is made that the child have a complete examination by a vision or hearing specialist. Parents are reminded that annual eye examinations for school-aged children by a vision specialist are covered by OHIP.

The Lions screening program is free. The expensive vision and hearing equipment was purchased by the Lions with community fund raising and is circulated to various Lions clubs to conduct screening at more than 50 local schools.

While most of the Lions screening volunteers are retired, the younger volunteers juggle their work schedules to be available for the school day screenings. Many of the Lions are grandparents who themselves have vision and hearing issues and have personal stories of struggling in school due to those problems. They understand first hand the importance of correcting vision and hearing issues early.

Long Closed Session

Council convened at 5:00 for a closed session to deal with several matters concerning litigation, labour relations and property matters. Following this, they came into Council chambers at 7:00 to commence the public part of the meeting.

James Wilson Parkland/ Beach

This is a contentious issue regarding a small patch of beach beside the James Wilson Road which has been used for public swimming for many years. James Campbell, who has applied for severance of three lots, claims ownership of this swim area, although he admits this strip of shore will become part of the road allowance once the road is increased to its allotted width.

Whenever a severance is granted, as a condition of approval, the property owner is required to pay a small percentage of its value (cash-in-lieu) to the Township’s development fund, OR the Township may choose to ask for a small portion (up to 5%) of the severed property as parkland. Most times, the development fund is preferred. However, in this case, Council is considering the merit of asking for a strip of land along the road to create a safer parking area for swimmers.

Five delegates spoke to Council and a number of letters have been submitted on both sides of the issue. Some speakers made pleas for cooperation in keeping the access to Canoe Lake open to the public, while one illustrated the degree of bitterness in the dispute by speaking of “gross, scary-looking people”, and making verbal attacks on individual councillors, and against several of the individuals who had supported keeping the lake access open to the public.

Referencing the principles of English Law that protect the commons, Robert Lovelace spoke as an area resident and a local Algonquin of the importance of protecting the public’s common use to resources such as air and water, asking for ‘mutual respect of our varied needs.’

Last Saturday, Council members had viewed the area in dispute during their fall road tour. They had no questions for the speakers, and there was no discussion: Mayor Vandewal said they would address the issue further at the next Council meeting.

Firefighters’ Equipment

Fire Chief Chesebrough asked Council to consider setting aside reserves for replacement of the fire department’s self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). The department has 45 of these units all purchased in 2005, and warranted for 15 years. However, there have been significant changes in this line of equipment, and already it is becoming difficult to obtain replacement parts for the current SCBA’s. Total cost of 45 new units with their air bottles is estimated to be close to $500,000. Chesebrough suggested $40,000 be set aside in the 2016 budget as an initial step.

Sydenham Triathlon

For the past five years, the Township has partnered with Somersault Events in hosting a successful and popular Triathlon at ‘The Point’ in Sydenham. However, Tim LaPrade, Recreation Supervisor, is calling for a much more detailed agreement between the Township and the organizing group, clarifying conditions and responsibilities, before proceeding further with the partnership. LaPrade has outlined such an agreement for next year’s event, at which the 2016 and previous events will be evaluated, and recommendations made to either enter into a longer term agreement or issue a Request for Proposal for future events.

Budget Marathon this Saturday

CAO Orr handed out sturdy looking budget packages to Councillors, in preparation for this Saturday’s all-day budget-setting meeting. This document will be available on the South Frontenac website (under ‘civic documents’) by Saturday.

Council then went back in-camera to complete unfinished business from their earlier meeting.

For those looking for a real fright on Halloween night, Sydenham was one place to be. For the last five years, members of the McNeill family, along with the help of numerous relatives and friends, have been scaring the wits out of Halloween revelers in an old barn located just behind their historic home on Rutledge Road.

The barn is where the close to 25 volunteers spend all year planning and preparing for the well known, free, annual Sydenham event, which the family have been offering simply because they “love Halloween”. On Saturday night hundreds of costumed trick or treaters lined up just outside the barn’s front door, where Cathy mcNeill Richmond, dressed as a witch doctor, greeted the patiently waiting visitors with shrunken skull in hand. Cathy grew up in the house and her mother still lives there. Mom is also a member of the haunted barn cast.

Cathy warned them of the strobe lights and fog machine inside but gave no other clues about what lay ahead, though multiple shrieks and bumps could be heard from within.

The theme this year was an “old-fashioned Gothic haunt” and the first scene to greet visitors was a family of four vampires, one lying in a coffin, seemingly dead and with a large bloody knife protruding from her chest. As the scary, dramatic organ music played and when the unsuspecting visitors were near, the dead person suddenly rose from her coffin and hissed.

Asked what in her opinion was the scariest scene inside, Cathy said, “For me it is the shadow in the maze”. Cathy said she her sister take the hobby of Halloween haunting seriously and both are members of the Canadian Haunters Association, a group that shares ideas about what works and what doesn't when if comes to getting the biggest scream. She said that she and her team spend a whole year designing and creating the horrors. “When we first started doing this five years ago, it was kind of hodge-podge and make-shift but since then we've started building solid walls and creating permanent structures, which is why it takes us a whole year to get ready”. She said the crew would begin redesigning the barn the very next day for Halloween 2016.

Themes in years past have included a zombie wedding, an asylum and a Heaven and Hell theme and judging by the hundreds who attended the Haunted Barn this year, it seems as though Cathy and her team know exactly what it takes to frighten folks. While the goal is to scare people, she said that she and her cast would tone it down when younger guests come through. She added that while no visitor has experienced a serious health issue resulting from a scare, she did admit that one visitor one year did pee their pants.

The event attracted Halloween revelers from as far away as Kingston and Amherstview. I spoke with Saskia Richardson from Kingston, who brought her mother Theresa along, who was visiting her from Slovakia. “We don't really celebrate Halloween in Slovakia and I wanted my mother to see this kind of thing first hand.”

Sydenham's Haunted Barn is on Facebook and if you missed it this year you can visit there to see what you missed.