Community Columns - March 31, 2022

Mar 30, 2022

These columns from our community reporters are updated every week.

Table of Contents

• Arden
• Battersea/Storrington
• Cloyne - Northbrooke
• Denbigh
• Godfrey
• Harlowe
• Harrowsmith
• Henderson
• Inverary
• Maberly-Bolingbroke
• Mississippi
• Mountain Grove
• Ompah
• Parham-Tichborne
• Perth Road
• Plevna
• Sydenham
• Verona

Arden
by Wanda Harrison

Thought spring was here! Guess we’ll have to wait a bit longer for daffodils and tulips.  At least the maple syrup makers are happy, so it can’t be all bad.

Loonstruck Creations, from Arden, will have a booth at Northbrook’s Spring Market Extravaganza, Saturday, April 2, 10:00am to 2:00pm. Loonstruck will be featuring new handcrafted products that haven’t made it to their website yet, along with some of their more popular items.  Drive on over to Northbrook and introduce yourself to our new local crafters.

RFCS invites you to join them in their outdoor programs Mondays in April.  Registration is required and the locations are April 4 Gould Lake, April 11 Meisel Woods and April 25 Kennebec Trails.  Register at www.keyon.ca or for more information.

Come out and support the North Frontenac Food Bank, April 9, 10:00am to 3:00pm at Mike Dean’s in Sharbot Lake; the popular Stuff the Cruiser Event.  Come out and meet some volunteer and members of the O.P.P. and Auxiliary.  Some of the items in need are pasta, soups, peanut butter and hygiene products.  The group will accept most canned goods or money if you choose.  The Food Bank’s need keeps growing so any donation would be appreciated.

The Arden Legion, Branch 334 will be holding their Annual Executive Elections April 23.  Members are asked to attend this important meeting.

Morality is doing what is right, regardless of what everyone else is doing.

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Battersea/Storrington
by Amanda Pantrey

It’s back! The Pumpkin Pie Coffee House Music Series proudly presents The Gertrudes on April 30^th at 7:30pm. The event is hosted at the Battersea United Church Hall, tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased at Ormsbee’s Mercantile or by calling 353-2889 / 353-2904 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Bring some extra cash to purchase a slice of homemade pie!

The Battersea Pumpkin Festival organizing committee is coming together on April 20^th to start discussing the 2022 event. All are welcome! Call or email me if you’re interested in joining us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 613-353-6653.

The Storrington Lions are looking to host euchre nights in April, they’ll likely be on Wednesday evenings at $5 per week. Contact Mark at 613-929-7377 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information and to get onto the email list.

Does February like March? No, but April May.

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Cloyne - Northbrooke
by Nancy Skipper

The Lions Club’s Spring Market Extravaganza is here this Saturday, April 2, 2022 from 10:00am to 2:00pm at the Lions Community Hall in Northbrook. Get in a little bit of local shopping just in time for Easter. There are two levels of vendors and prizes to be won! So much to see and buy!

You know we are coming into warmer weather when the Garden Club is about to meet! All meetings will take place at the Barrie Community Hall in Cloyne the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7:00pm.  All are welcome. On April 13^th the guest speaker Bonita Ford will be talking about Embers of Hope - Embracing Life in an Age of Ecological Destruction and Climate Chaos.

LARC is once again partnering with the Land O' Lakes Garden Club to provide an exciting special event in Northbrook! Within our regular Northbrook Playgroup setting, we will be creating beautiful centrepieces for the holiday season and beyond. We will also have stories, games and more.

If you would like to join us, please register with Morgan by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling 613-336-0125.

EASTER EGG HUNT AT MYERS CAVE RESORT on Thursday, April 14, 2022. Come for a fun couple of hours. There will be 2 rounds of egg hunt: Below 6 years from 4:00 - 4:30pm 6-12 years old from 5:00 – 5:30pm. Easter games from 5:30 - 6:30pm (parents can play with kids).

Soccer is coming back for the 2022 season. The North Addington Soccer Association is partnering with Timbits for this upcoming soccer season. Keep tuned for more details.

The Denbigh Diner’s Club is coming back on April 4, 2022 at the Denbigh Hall from !2:00pm to 1:00pm. The cost for the meal is $10.00. Please RSVP Shelby at 613-336-8934 extension 229. Community Services are looking for homemakers in the Denbigh area. If you are interested in doing house cleaning, give Shelby a call.

The Flinton Diner’s Club will be meeting on March 29, 2022 at the Flinton Hall from 12:00pm to 1:00pm. The cost is $10.00. Please RSVP Shelby. Both diner clubs require proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

Be sure to stop at Spill the Beanz for a great meal the next time you're in Addington Highlands. John Fraden, Janice Brower and staff serve up a variety of burgers, sandwiches, all-day breakfasts, weekend specials and much more. They also offer espresso drinks, coffee, tea and other favourites that are sure to please.

Meals are available for takeout or dine-in to enjoy a relaxing, informal atmosphere. Find out more: https://naturallyla.ca/.../business.../spill-the-beanz/

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Denbigh
Angela Bright

Do you know a teen 14-19 years of age who knits?  Addington Highlands Public Library has a wonderful new volunteer opportunity for teens that can be done at home, while also earning volunteer hours. Knit a hat and earn 2 hours of volunteer time, mittens for 2 hours, scarf 3 hours, slippers 2 hours and socks for 2 hours. Submit as many items as you wish; there is no limit. For full details, visit addingtonhighlandspubliclibrary.ca.

Denbigh Diner's will be held on Monday, April 4th at the Denbigh Hall, 12 to 1pm.  Cost for the meal is just $10. Please RSVP Shelby Rosenblath at 613 336 8934 ext. 229 at Land O' Lakes Community Services. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination required to attend.

The Denbigh Community Food Bank will be open in April on Tuesday, April 12th, and Tuesday, April 26th. Please call Gail at 613 333 2224 for pick up. The Food Bank serves the communities of Denbigh, Vennachar, Griffith and Matawatchan.

As expected at this time of year, the Denbigh Rink is now closed for the season.  Thank you rink attendants for doing a great job again this year!

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Godfrey
Kelli McRobert

Happy Birthday to: Molly Denton April 1^st; Judy Inglis April 14^th.

The Township of Central Frontenac is looking for input on the Zoning By-law for 2022. Use this link for more details: https://bit.ly/3JGTmtf

The Our Lakes e-magazine is looking to build its subscriber base, and that’s great news for you because you could win one of five amazing prizes just for taking out a free subscription to Our Lakes e-magazine! Win a Click & Grow 3 indoor garden system, a framed, limited edition Northern Lights Ducks Unlimited Print, a framed, limited edition Morning Mist Ducks Unlimited Print, a Brother CS6000i Computerized Sewing, and Quilting Machine, or a Husqvarna 326AI25 Power Ice Auger with an 8-inch blade! Visit https://ourlakes.ca/

Thank you to all the staff and volunteers at the Southern Frontenac Community Services (SFCSC) who continue to support the local programs including Meals on Wheels which celebrated its 20 year anniversary this month.

Rural Frontenac Community Services is back with Thursday Afternoon Stroller Walks..Meet the EarlyON Team in the United Church parking lot at 6689 Highway 38, Verona at 1:30, for a walk on KP Trail.  Pre-register at Keyon.ca

Time to start planning your Pitch-In activity!  Grab a few bags and start cleaning up our roads and ditches!  Dress in bright clothing and wear gloves! Use #PitchIn if you are on Facebook. Celebrating 55 years of cleaning up our neighbourhoods.

The Hartington Community Caring 2nd Hand Store donation shed is now open at 5597 Highway 38. It is located in the parking lot and all monies raised go back to the community. The store itself is open Tuesday and Friday from 10 to 2 where you can grab a bag full for only $5.00!

Thanks to Nicki Gowdy for getting White Lake Road 'partially' scraped to fill in some of the major holes, there are still many washed-out shoulders and sinkhole hazards...use caution coming around corners as many drivers are sticking to the centre lane to avoid being pulled into the deep ditches.....#CentralFrontenacRoadRepairsRequired #TarAndGravelWhiteLakeRoad #AccidentPrevention #RoadWaySafety #AllocateTaxDollars

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Harlowe
Marie White

Thank you. For all the phone calls, sympathy cards with caring verses, from far and near. For the gorgeous bouquets of flowers from employees of the Township of North Frontenac. For the delicious food and flowers brought to the door. For the many sad friends with offers of helping hands.

Many thanks to my sister in-law, Linda, Lee and brother in-law, Dan – Lynn, Aunt Lula, Jan, Kyle, and step son, Rick, my neighbours and the ambulance guys. Pastor Jack Plaisier did a great job on the service. George’s cousins, Bill and Murray White, Sam Jarvis and the pastor all blended their voices and guitars. The music was uplifting and spiritual to the ears and soul. Beautiful. Thank you all for your kind hearts. You made me feel like royalty, but I was still born a farmer’s daughter. God bless you all.

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Harrowsmith
Marilyn Goodberry

No column; check back next week!

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Henderson
Jean Brown

The upcoming April 2 spring market at the Lions Hall in Northbrook, hosted by the Land O’Lakes Lions from 10:00 – 2:00, sounds super duper. Over 20 vendors will occupy both levels of the hall, and along with the food canteen will be yummy in the tummy. I can’t wait to just visit and rock on there.

Set aside Sat, April 9 for a North Frontenac Food Bank fundraiser at Mike Dean’s Grocery store in Sharbot Lake from 10:00 – 3:00, when folks can “Stuff the Cruiser” full of non-perishable food items, thus helping the food insecure. Let’s get behind this event and fill that cruiser to the brim. Perhaps the siren will be turned on from time to time as well!

Our Central township approved the budget and to give themselves a 4.7% cost of living increase- which of course will add to our enlarged debt load and high taxation rate and given all the debt our Township carries seems a bit extreme, as we have the highest taxes and the highest debt load in Frontenac County. As well, Kennebec and Olden districts will not see any significant extra road work, although it has been requested many, many times. We surely appreciate our township road crews who work tirelessly and fantastically, but if the road budget is unfairly distributed, it’s surely not their fault that our roads are full of pot holes! So, let’s give the road crews our full support and leave the blaming higher up. Just as an aside- saying sorry won’t help any of us repair our cars damaged by the road issues, or help us with the increased taxation and high debt load. My Dad, a returned Veteran prone to solving issues with a gun, always sai,d “Sympathy never paid any of my bills!” and now I concur wholeheartedly. The Township might “dodge a bullet” by declining their pay increase and by placing a moratorium on any future plans for the Township Office in Sharbot Lake. Let’s take Councillor Cindy Knight-Kelsey, our Henderson road crew and all move in with North Frontenac Township. We will be welcomed with the Ompah Stomp, the Plevna Pirouette and a 21-gun salute, for sure.

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Inverary
by Judy Borovskis

Pilates on Mondays at 6:15pm & Yoga on Wednesdays at 6:00pm. Inverary United Church Hall.  View the schedule and register at www.nomadyogini.ca or call 613 453 4195.

Reservations open for the High Tea on June 4^th  at the Storrington Lions Club. A Jubilee Celebration!  Cost per person is $20.  To reserve, call Shirley O'Neil at 613-353-2257.  Two sittings, one at 12:30 and the other at 3:00pm. All profit will benefit the non-funded Child Life Specialist Program at KGH which gives support to patients in pediatrics as well as their families.

Umpires Needed for the 2022 baseball season.  If you can help out, contact  Shawn Pearce at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 613-453-2437.   

Learn Self-Defence.  Contact Hamid Nam at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. A two-hour class will be held on a Saturday afternoon at Inverary United Church once there are enough participants.

Call for China!  The Storrington Lions Club is looking for donations of china teapots.  If you have one or more china teapots looking for a great new home – this is the answer!  Call Shirley O'Neil at 613-353-2257.

Euchre, anyone? Mark, of the Storrington Lions Club, is looking for interested participants to play euchre at the Storrington Lions Hall, with a start date in April.  Day and time to be established. For more information, call or text Mark at 613-929-7377.

Food Bank - Next Food Bank Drive is set for April 22^nd.  Drop off at the Storrington Lions Hall between 1:00pm and 5:00pm.  Wish list:  bags of frozen vegetables, blocks of cheese, frozen meat, eggs, milk, canned vegetables, canned fruit, macaroni, rice or pasta sides, pancake mix, maple syrup, fruit, carrots, onions, peanut butter.

Inverary Spring Market!  Don't miss this event.  91 Vendors will be on site on April 30^th from 9 – 5pm at  Ken Garrett Memorial Park.  Definitely something for everyone!

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Maberly-Bolingbroke
Karen Prytula

Spring Line Dancing at ABC Hall – April 8 to June 22, 10am–11am, Beginners are welcome; this is a great way to get a fun workout.  Here are a few benefits of line dancing, a social activity that doesn’t require a partner: brain stimulation, improves balance, burns calories, tones muscles, relieves stress, improves coordination, total body and cardio workout, lifts the spirit and soothes the soul.

Proof of double vaccination is required. For more information, contact Rhonda Aisbitt 613-885-8543 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Tay Valley Community Choir - If there are any readers out there who are a part of the Tay Valley Community Choir who know when or how someone can join it, please let me know because I have inquiries about when it is going to start up again. I will post your information about prices, dates, times, here in this column. You can email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call me at 613-325-1354 and be prepared to leave a message because I never seem to have the phone beside me when it rings – or sometimes I am driving and can’t answer it. Thank you.

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Mississippi
by Pearl Killingbeck

Part of this week’s news should have been put in the week of March 17^th but I was not in any shape to write it out.  I was too shaky.  So some of this news is from last week and some is from this week.

On March 15^th, Harriett, Elaine and I went to Verona to celebrate Elaine’s birthday.  We went to Mom’s Restaurant and had a great meal.  It was lots of fun and just great to be together. On Friday, March 18^th, Olive and I had our usual date with Chuck at Palmerston Marina.  It was a wonderful surprise and so nice to have Sharon, Amber, Shawna and Hudson come for a visit with me.  It was March break. 

Thank you so much to the ladies at Sharbot Lake Pharmasave for all they do to help with my drugs, my shopping needs, etc.  They get my things packed up, they cut up my pills if they need to be halved, they take tops off containers that I cannot open and so many other things.  They are so appreciated and I don’t know what I would do without their help. 

Get well wishes to Ruth Drysdale of Northbrook.  Sympathy to the family and friends of Harvey Jackson who passed away on March 21^st .   RIP Harvey.    Sympathy to the family and friends of Rowat Cooper of McDonald’s Corners who passed away on Thursday.  Also condolences to Dave and Teresa Smith of Snow Road on the passing of Dave’s sister and to all others who have lost loved ones. 

Happy birthday and anniversary greetings to everyone celebrating in March that I haven’t heard about.

I hope everyone is doing well with their maple syrup season. 

Special thank you to Alice for all the grocery shopping she does for me and for taking me to all my doctor appointments.  She drives me to in Perth, Smiths Falls and Kingston.  She is taking me to 3 more appointments this week -  Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.  You are irreplaceable.   What would I do without you?  Alice  - your heart is as golden as your wings. 

Thank you, Valerie, for the wonderful relish – it goes great with everything (yum).  Thank you Rick for the KFC and Tim Hortons donuts.  Both were finger-licking good (double yum).

We had a great visit with Chuck and Penny on Friday and I had a great visit on Sunday with Harriet and Elaine. It is so great to laugh again with my friends.  I enjoy that so much.  I love my friends to death.

My thought for the week:  When there is a hill to climb – don’t think that waiting will make it smaller.

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Mountain Grove
Marilyn Meeks

No column; check back next week!

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Ompah
by Linda Rush & Marily Seitz

This just came in from Janice:  Hello, bridge buffs or wannabes,  the Ompah bridge club is going to restart on Friday April 8, 1pm (as pre Covid), at the community centre.   No masks will be required, just a willingness to restart those neurons firing.  Lots of hand sanitizer available, but no other precautions, just kindliness and common sense.

Signs of spring:  I saw my first purple finch at the feeder.  A flock of red winged blackbirds have cleaned up under the feeder.  I also saw 8 robins in the open grass area of the lawn and have heard several flocks of geese going over.  I've bottled up my second batch of maple syrup.  It looks like I'll get a few days off from the sugar shack as it is cooling off for a few days. 

Congratulations to our Women's Curling team who won bronze at the World Championships.  Also congratulations to our Men's Soccer (football) team who have qualified to play in the World Cup.  Well done, all.

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Parham-Tichborne
by Elijah Abrams

Hey, Spring? Where you at? The hands are still cold, and the wood stove is still choochin’ away. Old man winter is still hanging on, that’s for sure. If you remember, a couple weeks back I had mentioned that someone ended up in the ditch across from my house on Buck Bay Rd. I’m pretty sure that ditch is magnetic, because a 4-wheeler ended up in there last week. It reminds me of the old adage my father always uses: ‘for every mile of road, there’s two miles of ditch’. Be careful out there! 

The North Frontenac Food Bank is having a Stuff the Cruiser food drive and fundraising event in conjunction with the OPP located at Mike Dean’s in Sharbot Lake. Be sure to bring non perishable food items or money on April 9th. Thanks to Janice Anderson for organizing this event.

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Perth Road
by Peter Bird

In-person services continue - Sundays at 10am, 5614 Perth Road Crescent. Capacity limits for gatherings have been lifted as of March 1st. Everyone is welcome to attend. Masks are still required and Covid-19 protocols are still in place. The mask requirement may change after the 21^st of March.

We are now in the season of Lent and will once again have our Lenten Challenge.  Please bring either peanut butter or canned meat or fish during this time to go to the Food Bank. If you have your Lenten "containers" for the Mission & Service Fund from before, please bring them in with your 'spare' change whenever you are able.   Any container will do - just make sure your envelope number is on it.

For those of you who give towards our sponsored child from Bolivia, or new people who wish to give, either place your donations in a clearly marked envelope in the collection plate or pass it along to Lois Johnston.

At present, we are going through the search process to hire a new minister but will continue with Supply/Lay Ministers or personnel until a suitable candidate is found.

Birthday wISHES to those who have birthdays this week.

Leland Helping Hand are looking for new members, please contact Peggy Newport 613-353-2635. Perth Road Crafters meet every Wednesday: 9:30 am – 11:30 am at Harris Park Hall, 5612 Perth Road Cres. Cost is $2.00. If you’re a first timer? Check us out for free, please contact Cheryl Bird 613-353-7303. On April 6, the Crafters will be making Mantle Gnomes. Come join us - a small fee of $5 covers the cost of supplies (provided).

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Plevna
by Rhonda Watkins

Clarendon Central Public School's Parent Council would like to Thank the North Frontenac Township for the Community Grant and the great staff at Lookout Home Hardware for building and delivering two 12' picnic tables for the school to enjoy! Such wonderful news!

Meyers Cave Resort is hosting an Easter Egg hunt on Thursday, April 14th! There will be two rounds of egg hunting; 5 years and under will hunt from 4-4:30pm and ages 6-12 will hunt from 5-5:30pm and then there will be Easter games from 5:30-6:30pm. Parents are invited to play the games with their kids! Sounds like some great Easter fun!

It is a great time of year to start thinking about getting in shape for all of our summer clothes! If you would like to enjoy a fitness class at the hall, don't forget that Holly offers wonderful workouts on Tuesday and Thursday nights at 5:30pm at the Clar-Mill Hall. Holly is considering running a Sunday Morning workout at 9:15am. If you are interested or for more information, you can contact Holly at 613 479-2166.

The Sharing Steps Group invites you to join them for some moving and grooving to music using low impact steps at the Clar-Mill hall in Plevna on Monday and Wednesday nights at 5:30pm. Start time changes to 7pm on April 6th. Contact Donna Crome for more info at 905 925-1552.

Pizza, Pizza, Pizza!! Finnegan's General Store in Cloyne is offering a Pizza Night Combo Special!!  A large 15" 3 topping pizza or Grecoworks Pizza with a 2-litre pop and 2 dips for $29.99! Yumm!

Please visit your local library and fill out the facilities survey about what you like at the library and what changes you would like to see in your library in the next 20 years (if any)! These surveys are very important and really help provide you the patron with what you need in a library. If you prefer online, you can visit www.kfpl.ca to take the survey electronically. If you answer yes to the last question on the survey, you will be entered in a chance to win one of four $50 gift certificates for a local business in our area!

Congratulations, Kelly Watkins, on graduating and receiving your Association's Executive Diploma in Municipal Management. This comprehensive career development program is designed specifically for Ontario's Municipal Management to implement their knowledge and have an integrated and positive impact on any municipal corporation. This is a tremendous accomplishment that Kelly has invested many years into achieving! Our community is very proud of your hard work and great success!

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Sydenham
by Karen Brawley

Wow.. we are such a caring community, sunflower sales were amazing for the Ukraine fundraiser at Memory Lane, Christine is running a second one, by pre order only, order early to avoid missing out.  Bunch of 5 for $25.  All,proceeds go to Ukraine relief. Msg on Facebook or call 613-376-6309. Pickup date is April 6th.  Keeping Ukraine in our thoughts

Want to tap your toes. Line Dancing starts Wednesday 23 March for four weeks! Drop-in fee of $5.00. Upstairs at the Legion. Sign is at 6:45. 

The amount of kindness and respect from our community as we transition back to normal and learn to live with covid is truly a sign of why we are blessed to live here.  Keep it up sydenham.  It’s been a long haul but we have all come this far.

Lots of water in ditches, it’s cold water though, please watch your pets and children, and on the bodies of water.  Before we know it, the boats  will be back on the lake.

How was everyone’s spring?  If this week was any sign.. I think it did a jump right past summer into winter again.

How’s everybody’s garden planning coming?  You know what would be neat to see. More road side stands of fresh grown veggies, even kids can do this, get your green thumb on.  I did my first ever vegetable garden last year and it’s an amazing feeling, and we have some very knowledged staff at silverbrooks, and lots of our local retailers sell seeds, starter garden pots, etc.

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Verona
Debbie Lingen

Style Revival will be open Saturday, April 2 from 10am to 1pm. It will also be open, as usual, Wednesdays from 10am to 1pm. Style Revival, which is located in the Verona Free Methodist Church at 6804 Hwy 38, offers free gently used clothing and footwear for all ages.

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