November is good a month as any to talk about anxiety and depression.

While many experience the blues at this time of the year, for a number of people the problems are more severe, and the population suffering from clinical anxiety and depression is higher in rural than urban areas.

Patients who suffer from depression sometimes are not aware that this is their problem. They suffer in silence; their families and loved ones are also affected. The ongoing challenge in rural areas is accessing help when it is really needed for both the patient and those around that patient

Psychiatrist Dr. Joe Burley has been serving clients in Frontenac County for a number of years through his association with family health practices, and next week he will bring his expertise to the public in a unique event.

As part of the roll out of a new co-ordinated approach to providing mental health services in Frontenac and Lennox and Addington, the Health Links initiative is presenting a public meeting to talk about anxiety and depression at Trinity United Church on November 26 starting at 7 pm.

Dr. Burley will host the evening, and will be joined by Dr. Laurel Dempsey of Verona, Dr. Jeanette Dietrich of Sydenham and practitioners from Providence Care Mental Health Services and Frontenac Community Mental Health Services.

People who suffer from anxiety and depression and people who live with them are invited to talk and learn more about their situation.

This is the first of a series of public meetings being planned to talk about specific mental health issues in a number of communities.

Allen Prowse, who has just retired from Providence Care, has been hired to help bring all the providers of mental health services together to bring service to Frontenac County. He said that the initial focus on depression and anxiety is deliberate.

“These issues are very common, and people who suffer from them can be helped, so we decided to start by engaging the public to not only provide information but also to hear directly from people about the problems they are facing. This meeting is as much about hearing from people as anything else.”

Prowse added that over several years an integrated approach to mental health services has been developed in Sharbot Lake, through the co-operative efforts of the local Family Health Team, Northern Frontenac Community Services and service providers from Kingston who have been sending resources into the community.

“It was recognised that people from North and Central Frontenac were not in a position to travel to Kingston for some of these services, and that it was more efficient in any event to deliver them in the community. This is the model we are developing for Sydenham and Verona, and that we plan to enhance in Northbrook as well,” said Prowse.

Prowse is hoping that not only will people suffering from these issues and those who support them be able to find a voice at the meeting next week, but also that service providers will learn more about the local community and its needs.

“People are not interested in the way the Family Health Link works and which agencies are involved; they are interested in getting help and that is our focus,” he said.

For details, see the advertisement on page 2.

Holiday shoppers looking to get a head start on their purchases for the gift giving season were treated to an array of possibilities at the recent craft show that took place at Trinity United Church in Verona on November 1. Close to 30 local crafters had on display their wares, which included bead, stone and crystal jewelry; a variety of knit and woven winter warmies including socks, mittens, hats and scarves; numerous comestibles; candles; Christmas ornaments and decorations; hand-crafted wooden pens and pencils; home-made treats for our four footed friends; massage gift certificates and much more.

One table stood out for me – it was laden with cozy and colorful knit booties that their creator, local Verona painter Elaine Farragher, calls Newfoundland thrummed slippers. Typical of Newfoundland they are made from wool and short lengths of un-spun wool fleece. The latter are woven into the knitted stitch, creating a heart-shaped pattern that makes a warm, fleecy inside lining. The slippers are not only unique, they are the perfect footwear for chilly winter days and nights.

Farragher started knitting just three years ago. She said she likes to make the slippers when she is “relaxing in front of the TV on those long winter nights”. She jokingly added that making them “satiates her natural inclination to be obsessive compulsive”. The booties are meticulously made and she began knitting them following a trip to Newfoundland. “I saw them there, loved them and came home and found the pattern on a website called Ravelry”, a free website dedicated to knitters and crocheters. It has thousands of different knitting patterns, including some for thrummed Newfoundland slippers. The slippers cost $40 a pair and Elaine makes them in a number of different colors and sizes for both adults and children. Like a sock, one size can fit many different-sized feet. The slippers take Elaine roughly five hours to make and are a perfect gift. They can also be stuffed with smaller gifts. For those who missed the Verona show and who must have a pair, contact Elaine at 613-374-2052.

photo 2014-Elaine Farragher and her unique Newfoundland-style thrummed slippers at the Christmas craft show in Verona on November 1

Two dances are being held to support Christmas toy drives in Frontenac County, one in Verona at the Lions Hall on November 15, and a second in Sydenham at the Sydenham Legion on December 13.

All of the proceeds from the events will benefit the Verona Christmas Committee and the Loughborough Christmas and Emergency Relief Committee.

Tom Revell, Matt Clow and James Deline of Sydenham have joined forces to put the two events together, and while they will both have the same format, the character of the two communities and different bands will make the events quite different.

On November 15, the doors open at 8 pm and there will be items on display at the back of the hall for a silent auction that will wrap up later in the evening. On stage, three bands will take turns entertaining the audience and filling the dance floor: Bauder Road, the Feral Five, and Ten Cent Hat. As well, some special friends might show up to add to the line up.

Tom Revell, who started organizing these events with his Little Betty band mate Matt Clow ten years ago, said that he was taken with the commitment made by 30 or 40 volunteers of the Verona Christmas Committee.

“They each have a number of kids to shop for and they need to find out about the kids, their ages and interests and then shop just for them. I hate shopping, so I thought I'd play some guitar instead and the dances started happening,” he said.

Last year the Verona dance raised about $3,000 and they hope to do the same again this year.

The dance starts at 8 pm and ends at 1 am. It is a licensed event and tickets are $20, available in advance at Nicole's Gifts and Toppers in Verona. For further information, call Tom at 613-888-2429.

The Sydenham event is still a month off but mark December 13 on your calendars now. The bands that are already booked for that event are Dark Horse, Bauder Road and Still Standing.  

Those familiar with the old children’s fairy tales, like Hansel and Gretel, are in for a real treat thanks to an artful production that continues at Prince Charles Public School in Verona this week.

Written by Steph DeFerie, the play is directed by Doug MacIntyre and produced by himself and Kathy King. It is the perfect piece of community theatre for the Halloween season since it offers up loads of colourful costumes plus a hefty portion of comical characters in all shapes and sizes for young and old alike. The story is not just about Hansel and Gretel; it brings in all the beloved fairy tale characters we have grown up with, and each is generously scripted and given a chance to shine.

That is the case for Meagan Smith, who plays Blossom the Cow and whose three-letter word utterances charm to no end. So is the case for the forest mouse, Alyssa Parks, whose wee cuteness and focused attention to the action is equally charming.

And speaking of charming, Josh Detlor’s dandy Prince was just that, as was Gareth Hewitt's Big Bad Wolf, a character you just love to hate. Similarly Hailey Hickey's mirrored face was a hilarious sight to behold, as were the words she spoke as the bearer of the truth. Stephanie Rowe as both Snow White and Red Hiding Hood was also highly entertaining. The truth – or what we think we know as the truth about these characters - is one idea that the plot closely hinges on in this play and is what DeFerie plays on.

Veteran actors to the community stage did not miss out on a chance to put their talents to the test. Both Astrid Tanton as Gretel and Johnny Parks as Hansel were stellar as the young leads who personalities changed on a dime and whom the audience first enthusiastically wooed then booed. Audience participation in the form of clapping, cheering, and jeering was highly encouraged and was a big part of why this show is so enjoyable for all ages.

Other lead players also had a chance to demonstrate the extremes of their acting chops; Connie Shibley as Brunhilda and Amanita Phalloides, and Beth Freeland in her two opposing sides as stepmother to the lead siblings both showed they have what it takes. Similarly, father Wilhelm (Piotr Rauchfleisch) played his role as an innocent and victimized dad with aplomb and his scenes with Freeland were classic comedy given their polar opposites in both form and temperament. Alison Williams as the Fairy Godmother was a sheer joy to behold, a natural to the stage and who, due to an early wand mishap, gets the classic stories and situations hilariously befuddled. Dick Miller as Inspector Wombat and his sidekick Dalton Hurren as Sergeant Ringworm made a hilarious sleuthing duo. The show’s costumer designer, Debbie Lovegrove, is truly gifted and though this production was no doubt a challenge, she definitely rose to it and brilliantly surpassed the mark, creating some very memorable and clever costumes that added to the cartoonish, campy feel of the show.

The sets by Robert Rowe and Dave King were similarly clever and simple, with turnstile forest trees changing into a cozy indoor hearth and with the actors taking full advantage of the space in front of the stage where much of the action occurred. In the second act the stage opened up revealing the inside of a candy house, a simple and aptly decorated set equipped with cage, stove, witch’s broom, wood pile and a glowing bright fire light.

Part mystery, part mockery and a full-on high jinks tale with many unseen twists, the play was one of the best I have seen to date by Doug MacIntyre, who never fails to put his heart and soul into every show that he stages. Hansel and Gretel is one of his best and those who missed the first two performances have no fear. There are two more this coming weekend - Sat. Nov. 1 at 7pm and Sun. Nov. 2 at 2pm. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children 12 years of age and under and are available at the door or at Verona Convenience Store, Verona Drug Mart, Verona Hardware and Asselstine Hardware.

There is probably no better guide to lead a tour of the universe than celebrated Canadian astronomer, Terence Dickinson.

Dickinson, who resides in Yarker, was invited to Prince Charles PS in Verona by Laurie Swinton, former chair of the parent council, to give an evening talk about the universe on October 2 to listeners of all ages with curious minds.

Dickinson, who became fascinated by the stars at age five, has made an admirable career as a renowned astronomer and has authored 15 books on the subject including “Nightwatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe”, “The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide” and “Exploring the Night Sky”. For years he edited the magazine Astronomy and in 1995 he founded and is still editor of the Canadian astronomy magazine SkyNews.

Over his career he has held numerous posts as staff astronomer at such places as the McLaughlin Planetarium in Toronto and was assistant director at the Strasenburgh Planetarium in Rochester, New York. He has won numerous honors and awards including a honorary PhD from the University of Trenton. He was also awarded the Order of Canada and has had an asteroid named after him. However, it is his passion for his subject and his ability to deliver information in understandable terms for all ages that made his appearance at PCPS such a treat.

Dickinson used models to demonstrate the magnitude of the universe, inviting one youngster to hold a yellow golf ball representing our sun and inviting another to hold a second white ball representing the next nearest star system, Alpha Centauri. He informed the second youngster that he would have to take his white golf ball all the way to Winnipeg to give a true scale representation of its distance from our sun. Understanding the scope and size of the universe is a daunting task even for the most nimble minded. It is estimated that there are roughly 100 billion galaxies in the universe with each on average having 100 billion stars, which brings the estimated total numbers of stars in the universe to 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars (or 10 to the power of 22).

While listeners were awed by what they heard, Dickinson also accompanied his talk with a slide show of equally awe-inspiring photos. One, a view of the earth as seen from the moon was particularly breathtaking.

Following his talk he invited guests to view the moon on what thankfully was a perfectly clear night. He explained that with the strength of present-day telescopes, viewers that night in Verona could actually see the moon as close up as the astronauts who orbited it in space had seen it.

He spoke of what a shame it is that in Toronto one cannot view the sky as he was able to as a boy in suburban Toronto so he is glad that in the more northern towns like Verona and those even further north, people are still able to enjoy dark skies and are doing their best to preserve and promote them.

Dickinson hopes that his passion might ignite a flame in the young minds of local students and he will be returning to Prince Charles later in October to speak to the students about the subject he loves and knows best.

By the way, those who have played the board game Trivial Pursuit have Terrence Dickinson to thank for most of the astronomy questions and answers found there.

Photos-

2038-famed Canadian astronomer Terence Dickinson awed listeners at his talk “A Tour of the Universe” at Prince Charles PS in Verona on October 2

2042-a slide in his presentation shows earth as seen from the moon  

Ilana Landsberg-Lewis, the daughter of Stephen Lewis and co-founder and executive director of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, inspired listeners at an information session that took place at Trinity United church in Verona on September 27. She was joined by Graham Coultas, director of the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign, which since its inception in 2006 has seen more than 240 grandmother groups form across the country. New groups are still forming all over the world and fundraising efforts to date have reached $21 million. The money has gone directly to grassroots organizations run by and for African grandmothers, who have been left to single handedly support and care for millions of African children orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The Verona event attracted members from the local Grandmothers-by-the-Lake chapter as well as members from grandmothers groups in Belleville, Kingston, and Quinte. Landsberg-Lewis, who is a labour and human rights lawyer and who actively advocates for the rights of women, is someone who understands first hand the challenges facing African grandmother groups. Her in-depth understanding stems in part from her eight years working at the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) where she worked as an advisor for the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). She has traveled the world assisting grassroots women’s groups to stop female genital mutilation as well as other forms of violence and discrimination.

The session in Verona included the screening of a new film put out by the Stephen Lewis Foundation titled “African Grandmothers Tribunal; Seeking Justice at the Frontlines of the AIDS Crisis”. The documentary was made at a tribunal, which took place in British Columbia in September 2013, and where six African grandmothers spoke of the specific challenges that face them. The film has been shown to three Canadian grandmothers groups and next month will be made available from the SLF as part of the kit so that other grandmothers groups worldwide can see first hand the importance of the fundraising work they do. The information gleaned from the tribunal was made into a special report that says, “It’s time to recognize that African grandmothers at the forefront of the HIV and AIDS crisis must have their human rights respected and protected.”

At her talk in Verona, Landsberg-Lewis highlighted how far the African grandmothers have come in just eight years as well the shift that is now taking place in their fight. “There is a new dimension of the work that is unfolding right now. The African grandmothers are beginning to work and advocate for their own human rights while continuing to care for the orphans and trying to sustain the communities that support them”, she said.

She also said that on the one hand, while so much has been achieved in the last eight years, there is not only an excitement but also a legitimate fear at this time. “The fear is that just at the moment when things are beginning to turn around, the international community will walk away too soon and the betrayal of Africa will continue and deepen. That would be a tragedy of epic proportions given how much these African grandmothers and their communities have not only risen to that challenge, but have transcended it beyond belief.”

Landsberg-Lewis became visibly moved during her talk and later explained, “On the one hand you feel outrage at the injustice of it all but on the other hand it is also very moving to watch the triumph of the human spirit over such adversity in this way. It's very, very powerful.”

Adele Colby, chair of Grandmothers-by-the-Lake group, was thrilled to host Landberg-Lewis in Verona. “Getting her here was a coup. She is the heart and soul of the Grandmothers’ Campaign and is the one who has all the knowledge and also feels so passionately about it.”

I will leave the last word here with the African grandmothers themselves who addressed the 2103 Tribunal in Vancouver. Only they can say best what exactly they want and need in their fight to sustain the millions of orphaned children in their care and the communities that support them. The following is a excerpt from the report as given on the website of the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

“It’s time to support our organizations fully, and put systems in place to address our needs and the needs of the children in our care....It’s time to recognize our contribution to the survival of our communities, and the expertise we have developed to do so, by giving us our rightful place and voice wherever decisions are being made. We will not let the AIDS pandemic defeat us, nor destroy our communities, but we cannot prevail alone.”

To find out more and/or to see a trailer for the film, visit www.stephenlewisfoundation.org and www.grandmotherscampaign.org

On September 20 the community room at Trinity United church in Verona was handily transformed into a Victorian tea house as close to 70 guests, many of whom were dressed in fancy bustles, petticoats, lace and fascinators, enjoyed tea, fancy sandwiches and dainty pastry desserts at a special fundraiser. Guests were also entertained by the local flute quartet Toute Ensemble and enjoyed the musings of a properly Victorian attired Debbie Lovegrove, who emceed the event and who mused on the era when Queen Victoria, England's longest reigning monarch, held sway over her empire for 64 years.

Lovegrove spoke of the Queen’s epic reign, of her taking the throne at age 18, her marriage to Albert, their nine children and 42 grandchildren, who gave the Queen the title “grandmother of Europe”. Albert’s death at age 42 from typhoid fever sunk the Queen into a deep depression, and she wore black for the remainder of her life.

Lovegrove recounted Victorian times, when “women's fashion surged to the forefront with horsehair petticoats stiffened with cane and padding”, and the popularity of crinolines, pagoda sleeves, hoop skirts and bustles. She cited the “great cultural expansion” that occurred during Queen Victoria's reign and the many advances made in industry, science, communications and infrastructure.

Included in the event was a festive lunch meal that included tea served from shining silver teapots, cheese and cracker appetizers, followed by a vast array of rolled and other fancy assorted sandwiches. Dessert included fine pastries plus scones, cream and homemade strawberry jam. As an added treat, guests were also invited to have their photos taken by local photographers Carl and Sharon Sole.

Numerous members of the church volunteered their time and services for the event and were also dressed to the nines as they served the guests. Noreen Peters, who organized the tea, was thrilled with the turn out and said she plans to hold another Victorian tea party fundraiser again at the church in the future.

Ten local artists displayed their unique creations at the second annual Art in the Saw Mill show in Verona on September 7. The venue is perfect for such an event, spacious and roomy and the show attracted a large crowd of art buyers and enthusiasts to the historic old mill. Five painters covered a wide array of subject matter including landscapes, flowers, and wild life and five artisans displayed their more functional wares: gorgeous quilts, metal lawn and garden ornaments, photographs and woolen items. Ted Stewart of Newboro, an award-winning wildfowl sculptor who is self taught and who has made over 1400 bird carvings over his 20-year career was on hand carving a basswood wood duck. His display included numerous wild fowl, including loons, Niska (Canada geese that he carves out of single piece of cedar), pied-billed grebe

Stewart carves mostly basswood but also cedar, tupelo, pine and he paints the carvings with acrylic paints. He taught for 15 years at the Kashechewan school in James Bay and also does archeological work. Stewart has won over 135 awards for his work across Canada and in the United States including a first place award at the 2014 World Championships in Ocean City, Maryland. His work can be seen on his Facebook artists page at tedstewart-art.

Golfers Chad Van Camp, Ken Treadgold, Brad Barton, Mike Hurren, Johnny Knoxx who posed at the hole in one prize offered by Revell Ford Lincoln in Verona were five of the 92 golfers that participated in the Frontenac Minor Hockey Associations Rinks to Links golf tourney fundraiser at Rivendell Golf Club in Verona on September 6. Funds raised from the event will go towards supporting and building the various programs the association runs including their Learn to Skate and Tyke Initiation programs. The association is also hoping to buy new sweaters for their players this year. Following the tourney was a roast pork dinner at the club, which was included in the $100 ticket price. Al Pixley, president of the association, said that they were hoping to raise $6,000 this year and that he hopes to get more local sponsors out this year. “This is really all about supporting the kids in the community, building their confidence, getting them active and healthy and building sportsmanship and team work. “ Anyone interested in sponsoring the association can email Al Pixley at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   

The Verona Lions’ Garlic Festival, which was held on August 30, is also the home of the Eastern Ontario Garlic Awards and according to Garlic Guru Paul Pospisil, it is the bragging rights that accompany the trophies and cash awards that the winners should celebrate most. While both overall champions this year seemed ever humble as the awards were handed out, the certificates and ribbons that now identify them as the best cultivators of the beloved stinky rose will no doubt bring some well-deserved extra attention to their efforts.

This year seven competitors entered the annual competition, now in its 18th year, where judges assess growers in a number of different categories including best single bulb; best display of 12 from a single cultivar; best collection of five different cultivars; and best braid.

This year’s reserve champion, whose displays took home the second highest points overall, was Ali Ross of Swallowtail Farm near Perth, who won the same award last year. The award was tinged with sadness since Ali's husband Glenn Gangnier passed away this past June. Ali was thrilled to receive the award again this year and said she will continue farming and growing garlic.

The first place overall champion award was given to Bill Kirby, whose garlic last year won in the best bulb category. Kirby said that last year’s win encouraged him this year to expand the number of varieties he produces and enter all four categories. Kirby grows primarily Yugoslavian gold, a type of porcelain garlic but this year he also grew silver skin, artichoke, rocambole and glazed purple. Kirby said the win came as a total surprise for him. “The first time you do something like this you really don't expect to win.” He said that the win will encourage him not only to continue growing more varieties but also to enter the competition again next year.

The cash awards, $100 for champion and $50 for reserve champion were provided by the National Farmers’ Union Local 316 and Local Family Farms in Verona and NFU president Dianne Dowling was on hand to give out the prize money. Dowling said that the Eastern Ontario Garlic Awards go “a long way in acknowledging and rewarding local growers who are working hard to produce garlic in our own area.” South Frontenac Councilor John McDougall was also present at the event and he and Dowling congratulated the growers and the winners, and also thanked the public for supporting local food and local farmers in the area.

Close to 40 vendors were on hand for the festivities selling their garlic, garlic-based comestibles and other garlic-related products. Those wanting a taste of the best of the best, can purchase Bill Kirby's award-winning bulbs at the Kirby farm located at 625 Colebrook Road near Harrowsmith.

Paul Pospisil always has good things to say about locally grown garlic and I will give him the last word here. “This year was a great year for garlic and there is just no comparison between locally grown garlic and the sub-standard imported garlic that unfortunately fills our grocery stores.” Pospisil said he wears an apron at home that says, “When in doubt, use more garlic.”

Unfortunately David Hahn of Forest Farm, whose garlic won the first place champion award consecutively for the last four years, was unable to compete this year due to illness.