1 Advocate JanFeb 09

Transcription

1 Advocate JanFeb 09
The Paisley Advocate January/February 2009 Page 1
P roud of Our Co mmunity, P ro ud of Our He ritage
Paisley & District Chamber Of Commerce
January/February 2009 - Volume 77
Sandra Blodgett snapped this picture of Canada’s Game being played at the Mennonite School on County Rd. 11
Book Release
T
he Paths of Paisley, 2nd Edition,
was given an appropriate launch
amid the Victorian décor of the Ivy
Tea Room on December 13th.
Deputy Mayor Mary Cumming
and Paisley Ward Councilor Jack
Riley congratulated the group that
undertook the project, Tamara &
Mark Pasley, Marguerite Caldwell,
Bob Cottrill, and Lewis Coffman.
The booklet, which was four years
in the making, is dedicated to the late
Eric Parker who compiled the original
edition in 1978.
“Eric loved Paisley, and was so
proud to have come from here,” said
Shelley Parker, Eric’s widow, “He
would be very pleased.”
This new version is expanded
from 22 to 36 pages. It covers many
more points of interest around the
village, and includes lots of excellent
old photographs. This time, the
locations are identified by street
number rather than the current
occupant of the building to make
navigating the route a little easier.
The 2nd Edition of Paths of
Paisley is available at the following
Paisley businesses: The Ivy Tea
Room, The Elora Soap Company,
McNamara's and Nature’s Millworks.
The price of the book is $5. Books are
also available from members of the
book committee.
According to Lewis, there are still
plenty more information and photos
that could be included, which begs the
question, when will we see a further
expanded 3rd edition?
Pictured above are Marguerite
Caldwell, Tamara Pasley, Shelly
Parker, and Lewis Coffman.
Craig Budreau
That’s One Big Beaver!
O
n January 15th, I had a call from
a Paisley resident who had
spotted a large beaver on the far side
of the Teeswater River across from
the old water treatment plant. When I
arrived a few minutes later, he was
still there (both the resident and the
beaver) and yes, he was a big one (the
beaver.) He looked to be as big as a
medium-sized dog.
Without regard to the extreme
chill of the day, the beaver sat calmly
on the ice on the opposite bank of the
river keeping an eye on me as I
snapped pictures. His whiskers were
caked with ice (and after a few
minutes so were mine) and he spent
most of the time with his tail beneath
him, his front paws resting on it and
the end of it sticking out in front of
him.
Eventually we both got cold and
bored with looking at each other. He
slipped into the relative warmth and
safety of the river and I headed back
home for the same.
Thanks to the resident who called.
I won’t mention his name since he
was supposed to be working at the
time, not looking for beavers.
Craig Budreau
Page 2
The Paisley Advocate January/February 2009
No News is…?
T
he Paisley Advocate is again on
the move. This month we see
Beth and Wilson Gregg, along with
the ir dau ghter Nancy GreggBou drea u , an d gran d dau gh ter
Danielle Boudreau enjoying the paper
in Victoria, B.C. while at High Tea at
Empress Hotel.
Send you Around the World photo
to [email protected] with a
brief description, or drop off to
Paisley Pharmacy.
The Paisley Advocate is published 11 times per year:
mid-January, then the start of each month from March to December
by The Paisley & District Chamber of Commerce
A
nother year goes by. Another day in court just leads to another day in
court.
They say no news is good news, but for the never-ending-story of the
Paisley Inn, it’s just that. No news!
Actually that’s not fair. There was progress made on the site this year.
Owner Burke Maidlow removed the municipality’s rented Refugee-Camps-RUs wire fencing from around the building and replaced it with a tidy wooden
fence.
CB
1800 copies are distributed Free of Charge to Paisley and its Rural Routes, R.R. 1 &
2 Dobbinton, R.R. 2 & 3 Chesley, R.R. 1 & 2 Cargill, & in stores in the Paisley Area
or by Paid Subscription ($26.00 per year).
Editors: Craig & Mary Ellen Budreau; Staff Writers: Diane Eaton, Sandra Blodgett;
Advertising: Jen Harris; Distribution: Tamara Pasley.
The Paisley Advocate,
P. O. Box 579, Paisley, ON. N0G 2N0,
519-353-5707 (Craig), or email: [email protected]
For Advertising call or fax 519-353-1805 (Jen) or email [email protected]
High winds at the end of December toppled this tree on Ross Street North taking
the top off one utility pole. A number of area residents lost power.
Support Our Troops Day
W
e all know that Saturday,
February 14 is Valentines Day.
Did you also know that it’s Support
Our Troops Day at the Paisley
Legion?
The Ladies Auxiliary is holding a
bake sale starting at 1:00 P.M. Baked
goods from all Legion members will
be gratefully accepted.
Lee Grant will be entertaining in
the bar area from 3:00 P.M. to 7:00
P.M. and there will also be a mini
meat roll. Food will be available for
purchase.
All proceeds will be contributed
to the Support Our Troops Fund.
Come join us and show how much we
care.
These events will be held on the
main floor of the Legion.
—————
As a fund raiser for the Paisley
Legion Branch, tickets will be
available soon from Legion members
as well as at the branch.
• 1st Prize is a 50" Panasonic
Plasma Big Screen TV (on
display in bar area)
• 2 nd Prize is a Panasonic
Surround Sound System
• 3rd Prize is a Nintendo WII
system
Only 1000 tickets will be printed
and sell for $5.00 each or 3 for
$10.00. The proceeds from the sale of
these tickets will go toward the
purchase of a Big Screen TV for the
Branch.
"Love is the answer, but while you are waiting for
the answer, sex raises some pretty good
questions."
- Woody Allen
The Paisley Advocate January/February 2009 Page 3
So, What’s Happening at the Health Clinic?
“W
hen’s the clinic going to be
running?” “Is there anybody
up at the clinic?” These seem to be
the questions on Paisley people’s lips
these days. “There are never any cars
up there.” The term “White Elephant”
has been heard to describe the clinic.
So, what’s the truth?
The truth is, the clinic is most
definitely up and running, although,
perhaps not at the capacity we hoped
for at this time.
Osteoporosis
"Break Through"
on Tuesdays 1 - 2:30
starting Feb. 3rd for four weeks
at the
Paisley & District
Health Clinic
Pat O'Neil CK, Kinesiologist
Brockton & Area Family Health
Team
519-507-2021 Ext. 21
[email protected]
Unfortunately, like all areas of
health care, staffing of the health
professionals has been a challenge.
We have been “plagued” by maternity
leaves, which has left us wanting in
several of the key positions. At this
time, two of our four allotted nurse
practitioners are out on maternity
leave, not expected to return until late
this year. As you can imagine, with
only about 500 nurse practitioners in
all of Ontario, finding a temporary
replacement is a daunting challenge.
Our third position is held by a
young lady who has completed the
course, but is not yet certified. She
expects to be certified by the summer.
At this time, she is able to fulfill the
functions of a nurse practitioner, but
only with a physician on-site. And,
our fourth nurse practitioner was
already on staff with the Durham
Clinic which joined the FHT last fall
along with the Chesley Clinic.
One of our RN’s has just returned
from maternity leave, and has jumped
right back in planning educational
programs. Our chiropodist left us a
few months ago, and again, a
replacement has been difficult to find.
In the interim, however, we do have a
nurse who is doing basic foot care on a
part time basis. Also, with foot care,
sterilization of the equipment has been
a roadblock to setting up clinics at the
satellites. However, we’re hoping that
once our autoclave is in place, we’ll be
able to arrange some foot care clinics
at our Paisley Clinic.
So, what do we have? Well,
Rotary Hosts Annual
Grade Two Christmas Party
R
otarian Gary Colley welcomed fourteen grade two children and their
parents to the annual Rotary Grade Two Christmas Party held at the
Paisley Legion on December 2, 2008.
Entertainer Dickie Bird, shown above, was a huge hit with the children and
after delicious pizza and cupcakes for supper, Santa took time out of his busy
before Christmas schedule to drop in for a visit. Each child received a gift and a
bag of candy to end a very delightful evening.
G. Chesterman
Clinic Donation
M
cIntee Realtors of Port
Elgin donated another
$250 to the Paisley Health Clinic,
a charitable donation they make
on behalf of their clients, this
time for Andrew Traplin who
purchased a home in Paisley
Pictured here are McIntee
Broker Trish Bernhard and Clinic
Committee member Mary Ellen
Budreau (missing was McIntee
Sales rep. Ron Brown).
presently we have a dietician at the
clinic every second Friday seeing
patients and running educational
events. We have a nurse checking
b lo od pres sures an d ru n n ing
educational clinics. We have a social
worker in house on a weekly basis.
What about your blood work? Can it
be done here yet? Well, not quite, but
it’s getting closer. We have managed
to obtain a means of transporting the
blood to the hospital lab (biologics can
only be carried by a certified courier),
so we now just have to hire a
phlebotomist (the person who takes
your blood) which we are hoping to
have in place by next month. We are
also working on some exciting news,
which I hope we’ll be able to
announce for the next issue. Until
then, be assured we are working
diligently on your behalf, and still are
optimistic the Paisley Clinic will be
fully staffed on a full time basis later
this year.
They say “Patience is a virtue”
and “Rome was not built in a day”,
and “A journey of a thousand miles
begins with one small step”, and all
those other clichés, but perhaps my
philosophy could best be described as
“There is no such thing as a failure –
there is only success or quitting. I’m
not a quitter.”
Mary Ellen Budreau
Page 4
The Paisley Advocate January/February 2009
Led Zeppelin:
F
orty years ago the British rock group Led
Zeppelin was formed. They went on to become
a supergroup and one of the most influential groups
in the history of rock music.
This influence was largely due to the group's
original and unique sounds and musical style.
Today, we
hear and feel their influence
everywhere, so much so that they are now part of
our mainstream culture. We hear their musical style
almost everywhere, including movies, children’s
cartoon shows, and most definitely on rock radio
stations and in modern rock bands. Without a
doubt, the impact of this legendary band has been
astounding, and their cultural influence is still felt
today.
a rock band that made
an astounding impact
Recently a Led Zeppelin fan, Frank Reddon
published a book called, Sonic Boom, the Impact of
Led Zeppelin in which he documents over 40
interviews of key people who were impacted by Led
Zeppelin.
Gord Cottrill from Paisley was one of
them.
In the mid 1960's Gord was a guitarist in the
Owen Sound blues and rock band, the Rembrandts.
He was an admirer of English guitarists Jeff Beck
and later, Jimmy Page, who eventually went on to
form Led Zeppelin. These musicians were the first
to develop the aggressive, fast, overdriven guitar
sounds now familiar to everyone. The Rembrandts
grew in popularity and were invited to perform
nationally on the Canadian Bandstand show in
1967, were they performed several songs popular at
that time and in particular numbers by the British
band, the Yardbirds, whose guitarists were Beck
and Page. Canada was thus somewhat introduced to
a new kind of sound - one that was about to become
popularized by Led Zeppelin.
Gord liked Led Zeppelin because they were
inventors, not duplicators or followers. He said,
“They influenced us to be creative.” He added,
“Their high volume, speed playing, and distortion
laid down the foundation for modern rock as we
have come to know it.”
“Back then nobody expected that style to
become as popular as it did.” Gord said. “We never
dreamed that that guitar style would become so
mainstream in our music culture.” Even the guitar
brands used back then became popularized. The
Gibson guitar model can be seen on beach
umbrellas and beer cartons. This is all a spin off on
the guitar playing of the sixties.
Without a doubt, Led Zeppelin has been like a
sonic boom in our society. Frank Reddon is making
his 700 page book available to libraries and research
institutions and on-line at www.enzepplopedia.com.
Gord Cottrill of The Rembrandts
Diane Eaton
Community Health Q&A Forum
Q: I no longer have a family
doctor as mine has left the area for
another job. How can I get
another one? I am currently using
the services of the orphan clinic but
wo u ld p re fe r to h av e my
own doctor.
A: Finding a family physician is
difficult right now, not only in Grey
and Bruce Counties, but in all areas of
Ontario. The best resource is the
Doctor Search service on the College
of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
website. www.cpso.on.ca/docsearch
This search engine allows you to
search for physicians in your
community who are accepting new
patients. If the search comes up with
no matches for your town of
residence, try neighbouring towns.
Alternatively, you can call your
local family practice medical clinic to
see if they know of any physicians in
the area accepting new patients.
Submit your question to be
a ns were d by SB GHC :
South Bruce Grey Health Centre
Attn: Communications Coordinator
21 McGivern St. W.,
Box 1300, Walkerton, ON
N0G 2V0
or [email protected]
Answers will be published
monthly. We look forward to hearing
from you!
Osteoporosis
"Break Through"
on Tuesdays 1 - 2:30
starting Feb. 3rd
for four weeks
at the
Paisley
& District
Health Clinic
Pat O'Neil CK, Kinesiologist
Brockton & Area Family Health Team
519-507-2021 Ext. 21
[email protected]
Or contact
Mary Ellen Budreau
At Paisley Pharmacy
The Paisley Advocate January/February 2009 Page 5
Local Furniture Store Offers what the Chain Stores Can’t
N
o matter how many times you
travel south through Paisley, you
are probably always captivated by the
design on the north wall of Thompson
Brothers’ Furniture Store – those bold
images of happy shoppers carrying off
with their wares. Owner Don
Thompson painted that wall himself.
You probably also admire the stone
wall that he restored and the adorable
little antique-looking windows that he
inserted.
Twenty four years ago Don
Thompson and his brother Rob bought
the building from the Co-Op. It
needed a lot of work. “It only had two
windows,” said Don. Over the years
Don has added in 44 windows,
including the front picture windows.
He has done extensive renovation and it looks great! The multilevel
building with its 8 landings totalling
12,000 square feet is visually
appealing both inside and out.
What is more remarkable than the
look of the building is the success of
the business. According to Don, it has
been steadily improving over the
years. His customer base is mostly
within a 35 mile radius. However,
many customers come from greater
distances, like Tobermory, Kitchener
and Toronto. Some of them formerly
lived in Paisley and they keep
returning. Some are on their way to
their cottages.
Why do people come to Paisley to
shop for furniture when there are so
The north side wall of Thompson Bros. Furniture on the village s quare combines
proud elements of both past and present
many big chain stores around? Don
thinks it’s because of the way he runs
his business. Some people prefer the
small town business. Don mainly
stocks furniture built in Canada and
the US.
The customers who purchase
locally manufactured upholstered
products can also request orders of
the same fabric for curtains, pillows,
or to upholster their favourite old
chair. “You can’t do that for off-shore
products,” said Don.
Don tries to include extra touches.
Sleeping Like a Baby
Safe and Sound
O
ne of the first things parents of a
new baby will purchase is a crib,
bassinette or cradle. Cribs are the
recommended choice as cribs must
meet rigorous safety standards. The
same is not true for cradles and
bassinettes.
No matter which s leep ing
environment you choose, there are
safety concerns to remember when
purchasing and using. Ensure that any
bases are properly secured; bases
should be wide to lessen the
possibility of tipping. Any wheels
should have locking devices. Screws
and bo lts shou ld be checked
frequently to ensure they are tight.
If handles are present, make sure
the baby can not get access to them.
Some handles are made of rope-like
products and may be a strangulation
hazard. Decorative bows or ribbons
should be trimmed short.
The mattress needs to be firm and
fit snuggly against the sides of the crib
frame; no gaps should exist. Do not
use bumper pads. The mattress cover
needs to fit tightly over the mattress
so it cannot be dislodged.
The spaces between spindles
should be no larger than 2-3/8 inches
or 60mm.
No matter what the sleeping
environment, always put your baby to
sleep on their back and the back onlyunless you have been instructed to do
otherwise by your baby’s doctor!
Never place the crib near a
window, blinds or drapery cords.
Never use strings to tie or hang
objects, mobiles or toys on or near the
crib. Mobiles should be removed by
the time your baby is five months old
or begins to push up on their hands
and legs.
Do not put soft plush toys in the
sleeping area or use fluffy blankets,
quilts, or any pillows.
Keep the room at a comfortable
temperature. If it is comfortable for
you wearing a short sleeved shirt it is
ok for baby. Keep the crib in your
bedroom until the baby is at least 6
months of age.
You’ll sleep better knowing your
baby is sleeping safe and sound.
For further information, call
Public Health at 519-376-9420 or 1800-263-3456, or visit our website at
www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca
He removes old furniture free of
charge, even though dump fees keep
getting steeper and steeper. He
provides free delivery, and spends a
lot of time on the road.
On January 9-12 Don attended the
yearly furniture show in Toronto.
That’s mainly where he learns about
the trends.
Don said, “What sells best are
mattresses and upholstery products,
because they wear out about every 1015 years.” Then he added, “People
want change more often than in past
years.”
When it comes to financing, Don
offers some good advice. He believes
that the buy-now-pay-later finance
plan you see advertised is not as good
as it sounds. Sure, you can have what
you want right away, but you end up
paying a lot more than you expect.
Although this method of finance is
p op u la r a mo n g t h e y o u n ge r
generation, Don still believes that it is
better to finance through one’s bank.
Without a doubt, Thompson
Brother’s Furniture has been and will
continue to be an attraction for
Paisley; and that is something we all
benefit from.
Tha nk you to D on a nd
Thompson’s Brothers Furniture.
Diane Eaton
Page 6
The Paisley Advocate January/February 2009
January is International Crime Stoppers Month
GREY BRUCE PROGRAM
REACHES MILESTONE OF $30
MILLION IN SEIZED DRUGS
AND STOLEN PROPERTY
E
ach year Crime Stoppers
programs around the world
celebrate Crime Stoppers Month in
January to highlight success and
pro mote t he ir cr ime f igh t ing
initiatives.
In 2008 Crime Stoppers of Grey
Bruce Inc. reached an impressive
milestone as they surpassed the $30
million mark in seized drugs and
stolen property since inception in
1987.
Crime Stoppers International, the
umbrella organization for Crime
Stoppers programs throughout the
world, has established itself as
reputable force in the battle against
international crime
A s a n o n - g o v e r n me n t a l
organization, CSI is lending its
expertise to the United Nations Office
on Drugs and Crime and has partnered
with the UN to help combat human
smuggling and terrorism.
Gary Murphy, the president of
Crime Stoppers International is not
only amazed at the success of the
program but is also pleased with the
expansion of more than 1,200
programs in some 24 countries
worldwide. Cumulative totals of the
1,200 programs have also resulted in
the seizure of drugs and recovery of
stolen property totaling in excess of $9
billion.
Crime Stoppers is a civilian
community organization devised to
acquire information that assists law
enforcement agencies in the resolution
of crime. Crime Stoppers pays cash
rewards up to $ 2 ,0 00.0 0 for
information leading to the arrest of
criminals, recovery of stolen property
and/or seizure of illegal drugs while
maintaining total anonymity to the
caller and complete confidentiality of
the tip.”
The Crime Stoppers Program is
made up of three essential elementsthe community, the media, and law
enforcement.
The community is
involved through its local Board of
D irect o rs an d th ro u g h t ho se
community members who provide tip
information and funds for the
maintenance of the program. The
media publicizes case re-enactments
or details about a case not yet solved
or a person wanted on a warrant. Law
enforcement receives the anonymous
tip information from our office staff
and follows the information through to
its conclusion
In Grey and Bruce Counties the
local program was formed in May of
1987.
It is a fully functioning,
registered, incorporated charity. All
of Crime Stoppers activities in Grey
Bruce are paid for by the fund-raising
activities of the Board of Directors,
made up of concerned volunteer
members of our community. The dayto-day activities of the program are
overseen by OPP Constable Dean
Rutherford, who is “on loan” to the
program on a full-time basis as its’
Coordinator.
200 8 us hered in techn ica l
advances for Crime Stoppers as they
introduced “web –tips” which allows
anonymous tipsters to report crimes
anonymously via a secure server on
the internet. The web-site is crimestop
-gb.org
“Drug tips continue to represent
the majority of calls to our program”,
said Rutherford.
“So long as there continues to be
illegal drugs in our community, we at
Crime Stoppers of Grey Bruce will be
there to assist the police in their
investigations”.
Constable Rutherford also added,
“Crime Stoppers month allows us to
publicize the success of
our
program through statistics and also
allows our program to say thank you
to the citizens of Grey and Bruce.
Because we guarantee the anonymity
of callers to our program we cannot
advertise individual success stories by
telling the media that a particular
major crime was solved as a result of a
Crime Stoppers tip. I can however tell
you that over the course of the past
year we have shut down major drug
operations, arrested several wanted
persons and provided police with
valuable intelligence information as a
result of tips to our program”.
If you are interested in having a
guest speaker talk about Crime
Stoppers or wish to learn more about
how to get involved in the program
you can contact the office at 519-3716078 or visit their website at crimestop
-gb.org
Crime Stoppers
of Grey Bruce
Statistics (Since Inception 1987)
Tip Reports
9,696
Rewards Approved
$193,350
Cases Cleared
2,341
Arrests
1261
Property Recovered $3,277,032
Narcotics Recovered $28,045,354
Total $ Recovered
$31,322,386
Ice Dreams 2009
F
ive girls from the Paisley Figure Skating Club, Laura
Blodgett, Alyssa Malisani, Hannah Diebold, Franceska
Kocis, and Sarah Playle, participated in Ice Dreams 2009 on
January 10th and 11th. They ventured out into the wild
weather and travelled to the Beaver Valley Community Centre
in Thornbury for the event.
Ice Dreams is the first highlight of the year for the Paisley
Club. At least ten clubs were represented at the event.
"The best part is feeling like a team and supporting one
another," said one of the girls.
The girls wish to thank their coach, Heather Carmichael
from Tara, and would also like to thank Brenda Blondin for
helping create their programs.
Come and see many students from the Paisley
Club perform by attending the Annual Figure Skating Carnival
at the Paisley Arena on March 7. Hope to see you there!
The photos show, clockwise from top left: in the dressing
room are Laura Blodgett, Alyssa Malisani, coach Heather
Carmichael and Hannah Diebold , and on the ice are Franceska Kocis, Alyssa Malisani, and Sarah Playle.
Sandra Blodgett
The Paisley Advocate January/February 2009 Page 7
Two of the best high water indicators around town are the windows on the brick portion of the old fire hall (left) and
the Queen Street bridge. These photos are from the December 28th, 2008. Compare the view of the bridge with the summer time level (inset).
T
all trees and plenty of snow at the Brant Tract Trails, a great spot to crosscountry ski, snow shoe or just walk the dog.
CB
Page 8
The Paisley Advocate January/February 2009
My Natural History: The
Evolution of a Gardener
a Book Review
Fire Chief’s Report
Carbon Monoxide
e have seen a lot in the news
lately about carbon monoxide
and the possibility of serious illness or
even death should we not have an
alarm installed to alert us of the gases’
presence. Unlike smoke alarms,
carbon monoxide alarms are only
mandatory in most types of new
construction built under the Ontario
Build ing Code. The legislation
unfortunately does not apply to
e x is t in g b u i ld in g s . S o me
mun ic ipa lit ies have made the
installation of carbon monoxide (CO)
alarms mandatory in all homes. CO
alarms are more expensive than
smoke alarms partly due to the fact
that they are not required in the same
numbers as smoke alarms. The
technology is more complicated as
well.
Carbon monoxide
is
a c o lo u r les s ,
odourless gas produced
as a by-product of
incomplete combustion
(burning)
of
hydrocarbon fuels such
as oil, propane, natural
gas or even wood. If the
heating or cooking
appliance is properly
i ns t a l le d
and
maintained, the byproducts are safely
vented to the outdoors
but if a blockage occurs
or if the device is not
operating properly, some of these
gases can remain in the residence.
Since you can’t smell or see the gas,
you have no way of knowing if it is
present.
Carbon monoxide (CO) displaces
oxygen in your blood and basically
causes the cells to suffocate without
the victim realizing it. The symptoms
are much like those felt in the flu.
Although levels of carbon monoxide
as low as 10-35 parts per million
(ppm) can cause problems in the
young, the elderly or in people with
respiratory problems, CO detectors
are restricted by current standards
from alarming at less than 30ppm
unless the condition exists for longer
than 30 days. At 70ppm alarms must
sound within 1 to 4 hours. Only until
the CO level reaches 150ppm will the
alarm sound in as little as 10 to 50
minutes.
W
To reduce the risk of CO
poisoning in your home:
• Ensure all fuel fired appliances
are installed and inspected by a
certified technician annually and
have your chimney inspected.
• Do not run any engines or nonelectric heaters in your house or
your garage for any period of
time.
• Do not store ashes in the house as
CO is released for days or weeks.
Every residence that is heated by
a fuel fired appliance or has fuel fired
cooking appliances should have at
least one CO alarm outside every
sleeping area as a minimum, or better
yet, as in smoke alarms, install one on
every storey and between all sleeping
areas and the living areas.
If the alarm sounds get everyone
out of the house and call 9-1-1. The
fire department has the proper
personal protective equipment and
better gas testers to allow us to see
exactly what the CO level is and
where it’s coming from. Please call
us! I’d much rather respond to a CO
detector alarm than make a medical
call to the residence.
Please do not hesitate to call any
member of your Paisley and District
Fire Department for information or
advice. You can also visit several
excellent websites on the subject:
I
f you are a gardener or you
simply admire beautiful
gardens, you might enjoy a
recently published book called,
My Natural History: The
Evolution of a Gardener, by a
former Paisley resident, Liz
Primeau. This book is not a how
-to manual. It is more like a
collection of personal reflections.
Primeau takes you on a leisurely
walk through her life story. She
intertwines gardening comments
with her life views, and explains
how gardening shaped her from
childhood to her present senior
years. Throughout the book you
are treated with intriguing
anecdotes about gardening trends
in history. As you meander
through her book, you gather up
little morsels of advice.
During some of her early
childhood years, Primeau lived
one mile outside of Paisley with
her family. Later they moved
into town so she could attend the
school. Her Uncle Len, who also lived
in Paisley, inspired her interest in
gardening – mostly by his example.
Gardening was a passion to him.
Gardening helped free Primeau
from a long struggle with an anxiety
disorder. The hobby was like therapy
to her. Eventually, while living in
Toronto, her gardening interests
developed into an adventurous career
- writing about gardening, editing
gardening magazines, and hosting TV
gardening shows.
Among her
achievements is the book Gardening
for Dummies. Her career took her on
trips around the world to see world
famous gardens. And yet, for her,
cultivated gardens and natural
Food and Water
in an Emergency
www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca
www.about.discoverhorizon.com/
carbonmonoxi de.htm
www.cosafety.org/Aboutco.htm
Rob Bonderud
Fire Chief
Paisley & District Fire Dept.
“'Hello, is this the Police
Office?”
“Yes. What can I do for you?”
“I'm calling to report 'bout my
neighbor Jack Murphy … He's hidin'
marijuana inside his firewood! Don't
quite know how he gets it inside
them logs, but he's hidin' it there.”
“Thank you very much for the
call, sir.”
The next day, twelve police
officers descend on Jack's house.
They search the shed where the
firewood is kept. Using axes, they
bust open every piece of wood, but
find no marijuana. They sneer at
Jack and leave.
Shortly, the phone rings at Jack's
house.
'Hey , Jac k! Th is here's
Floyd....Did the Police come?'
'Yeah!'
'Did they chop your firewood?'
'Yep!'
'Happy Birthday, buddy!'
landscape are inseparable. That is
why she includes comments about the
northern forests, the Greenock Swamp
and the natural landscape around
Paisley.
My Natural History is the kind of
book you would enjoy reading on a
warm sunny day while relaxing in
your favourite lawn chair. The book
will heighten your appreciation for
both natural and cultivated landscape.
In it you learn how gardening has
been providing food, pleasure, repose,
therapy, art, creativity, and freedom
for centuries – and still does today.
Ms Primeau lives in Mississauga.
Her book will be available at Nature’s
Millworks in May.
Diane Eaton
I
f a disaster strikes locally, you
might not have access to food,
water or electricity for an extended
period. Taking time now to prepare
emergency water and food supplies
will provide for your entire family and
visitors, should a problem arise.
It is unlikely an emergency would
cut-off your food supplies for greater
than three days. Never-the-less, you
should consider maintaining a supply
that will last at least that long.
You may not need to go out and
buy foods to prepare an emergency
supply. Use canned foods, dry mixes
and other staples you may already
have on hand.
As you stock foods, take into
account your families unique needs
and taste. Food can lift morale and
provide a feeling of security in times
of stress. Try to include foods that
your family will enjoy and that are
high in calories and nutrition. It is best
to choose foods that require no
r ef r ig e ra t io n , wa te r , s pec ia l
preparation or cooking.
Individuals with special diets and
allergies will need particular attention,
as will babies, toddlers, the ill and
elderly. Nursing mothers may need
liquid formula, in case of being unable
to nurse. Canned dietetic foods, juices
and soups may be helpful for ill or
elderly people.
An ample supply of clean water is
a top priority in an emergency. A
normally active person needs to drink
at least two litres of water each day.
You will also need water for food
preparation and hygiene. Store at least
an additional two litres per person per
day for this.
Store at least a three day supply of
water for each member of your
family. If you are unable to store this
much, store as much as you can. You
can reduce the amount of water your
body needs by reducing activity and
staying cool.
Emergencies come in all shapes
and forms, being ready will allow you
to ride out whatever storm may be on
the horizon. Be prepared, not scared!
For further information, call
Public Health at 519-376-9420 or 1800-263-3456, or visit our website at
www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca
The Paisley Advocate January/February 2009 Page 9
H
Secrets of the Treasure Chest
appy New Year !
Come celebrate Heritage Week
at the Treasure Chest Museum.
The Staff and Friends of the
Museum invite you to “High Tea’ on
Wednesday, February 18, 2009 from 2
to 4 pm. The cost is $5.00.
There will be many delicacies like
cucumber sandwiches, pastries,
scones with homemade jam and of
course cream. While you sip on your
Tea and taste the goodies, enjoy the
readings of excerpts from the new
publication, ‘PATHS OF PAISLEY’.
Please join us in celebrating the
heritage of the Village of Paisley.
Darcy Frook, Kassidy Gregg, and Lauren Maus (left to right) were all smiles as
they enjoyed the annual school skate at the arena on the l ast day of classes before
the Christmas holi days.
ARRAN ELDERSLIE
ATOM LL ICE DOGS
A
rran Elderslie Atom LL Ice
Dogs are having an exceptional
season. With great coaching staff and
a team that plays as one unit, they
have the desire to come out to each
game and have fun and work hard.
They have played 14 games,
winning 10 of them and
tying 2. They have had
three hat tricks and they
keep the fans on their
feet.
The players on this spectacular
team are: Goalies: Brayden Pearce
and Ryan Schriek. Centre: Chandler
Hodgkinson, Cameron Kemp-Welsh,
Dakota Rhody. Right wing: Victoria
Weber, Josh Cunningham, John Elder.
Left wing: Grayce Stephen, Lucas
Catalano, Isaac Blodgett, Spencer
Lovell. Left Defence: Austin Kuhl, JJ
Maxwell. Right Defence: Allie
Leask, Bryce Leask.
Gratitude to the coach,
Scott Catto, assistant
coach, (GOALIE) Brent
Leask and assistant
coach, Dan Neilly and
all the trainers. Without
you volunteering your
time none of this would be possible.
Way to go Ice Dogs! We're looking
forward to seeing the rest of the
season!!!
Jeo-Anne Pearce, parent rep
Snow Blower Injuries
E
very major snowfall brings with
it the risk of snow blower related
injuries.
“We have unfortunately already
seen x-rays of our first snow blower
related injury,” said Dr. Laura
Howlett, Radiologist at Grey Bruce
Health Services, Owen Sound. “I am
always sickened by the images I
receive, and amazed at the persistent
lac k o f sn ow b lower safety
knowledge.”
Canadian statistics are not
available but according to the U.S.
C o n s u me r P r o d u c t S a f e t y
Commission in 2001, there were
4,387 hospital emergency room
injur ies associated with snow
throwers or blowers. The injuries
range from severe cuts, crushed or
broken bones, finger amputations (two
-thirds of the injuries involve fingers),
and even death. Nineteen deaths have
been reported since 1992. Most
injuries are from attempts to clear the
auger or discharge chute by hand,
instead of using an appropriately sized
solid object. Even after the snow
blower engine is turned off, an auger
can rotate unexpectedly when the
cause of a jam is removed.
If your snow blower jams:
Turn it off
disengage the clutch
wait 5 seconds to allow the blades
to stop rotating
• always use a stick or broom
handle to clear snow or ice jams
• never put your hand down the
chute or around the blades
• keep all the shields in place
Manage the risks when dealing
with snow removal this winter.
Concentrate on what you are doing
and remember: safety first at all times.
For further information call Public
Health at 519-376-9420 or 1-800-2633456 or visit our web site at
www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca.
•
•
•
Afternoon Tea
by Marianna Arolia
My copper kettle whistles merrily and
signals that it is time for tea
The fine chi na cups are filled with the
brew
There’s lemon and sugar and s weet
cream too
But best of all their friendshi p between
you and me
As we l ovingly share our Afternoon
Tea.
“High Tea” or Afternoon Tea is
usually associated with the British.
High Tea refers to the high dining
room table at which an evening meal
of meats, breads, and cheese might be
served.
The custom of Afternoon Tea
most likely originated in the 1700’s or
1800’s in England. There are many
ideas to its origin. Here are a couple:
1) “A queen consort” of King
Charles II of England, the Portuguese
Catherine of Braganza, brought her
own tea chest to England. Unlike
Portugal, the drink of choice in
England was ale, which was safer than
water and in good supply. The king’s
consort introduced the English to the
afternoon tea.
2) In the early 1800’s , Anna, the
7th Duchess of Bedford, thought it a
long time between the morning and
evening meal. Being hungry in mid
afternoon, she had her ladies-inwaiting bring her tea and some treats,
thus she started the afternoon tea.
—————
Your tea is only as good as your
water. It is best made from filtered or
spring water.
When the water is near boiling,
pour a little in the teapot and swish it
around as this will help warm the pot.
Then empty the pot and add your tea
either loose or tea bag. One tea bag
per cup goes into the pot and then add
boiling water. Let steep for about 3 to
5 minutes. Then enjoy your tea.
SO J O IN U S A T TH E
TREASURE CHEST MUSEUM FOR
AFTERNOON TEA AND TREATS,
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18,
2009 FROM 2 TO 4 PM.
Friends of the
Treasure Chest Museum
Page 10
The Paisley Advocate January/February 2009
Mary MacKay’s Window on the Past
The County Town Debate
T
he necessary legislation to
separate the united counties of
Huron and Bruce was passed in May
1856 b ut the lon g vexatio us,
wearisome dispute over where to
establish the county town meant that
ten years elapsed before the separation
was completed.
On March 13, 1857 in Peacock’s
Hotel, Southampton, thirteen
men
took their seats in all earnestness and
attempted to fulfill their duties as
newly elected Reeves and DeputyReeves of the various municipalities
of the newly separated Bruce County.
The Chairman appointed was
David McKendrick, Reeve of the
Township of Kincardine (very fitting,
with Kincardine having the first
settlers.) Other members were:
Alexander McNabb, Reeve of
Saugeen; William Riddell, Reeve of
Arran; George Cromar, Reeve of
Greenock; Malcolm McLenan, Reeve
of Huron; William Hall, Reeve of
Brant; John Findlay, Deputy-Reeve of
Brant; Joseph Walker, Deputy-Reeve
of Brant; - Already I see a red flag
here - Peter P. Brown, Reeve of
Culross; John Pervis, Reeve of
Kinloss; Peter McVicar, Reeve of
Carrick; John Gillies, Reeve of
Elderslie; Alexander McKinnon,
Reeve of Bruce. Absent was Nichol
Mc I ntyr e , D e puty- R e e ve of
Kincardine.
Of the two deputy-reeves of Brant,
only one was allowed to sit, Joseph
Walker.
Did you notice no towns or
villages? Of course not, it would be
another year before the first village
was large enough to be incorporated,
(Kincardine in January 1858 and
Southampton on July 24, 1858).
The above named gentlemen
adjourned to meet two days later at
Waterson’s Hotel, Walkerton. There,
George Cromar was elected the first
provisional Warden and William C.
Bruce appointed County Clerk. They
then proceeded to vote on the location
of the county town. It’s kind of
interesting how they went about it.
Greenock Town Plot vs. Teeswater
- tied 6 each (Warden cast deciding
vote for Greenock Town Plot.)
G reen o ck To wn P lo t vs .
Riversdale - tied 6 each (Warden
gave casting vote for Greenock again.)
That must have been difficult,
both being in Greenock Township of
which he was reeve. I’ll bet that cost
him some votes!
G reen o ck To wn P lo t vs .
Walkerton - Wow what a change!
Only one vote for Greenock Town
Plot and 11 for Walkerton. Did they
take that majority and run? No, they
continued on:
Walkerton vs. Southampton Walkerton the winner 8-4
Wa lkerton vs. Inverhuro n again Walkerton the winner 10-2
W a lk e r to n v s. Pa i s ley again Walkerton the winner 9-3
Walkerton vs. Penetangore again Walkerton the winner but losing
ground 7-5
The Governor General was
informed of the result of the voting
and proclaimed Walkerton the county
town.
That was quick, you say. What’s
all the talk about a ten-year battle?
The vote for this coveted honour
seemed to be in favour of Walkerton,
but was not accepted by the supporters
of the other villages or the ratepayers
in general, so when the Provisional
County Council met again in July to
pass a by-law to raise debentures to
erect county buildings, the by-law did
not pass and an amendment was
introduced worded something like
this:
Whereas a great and grievous
dissatisfaction exists on the part of the
ratepayers generally throughout the
greater part of the county as to the
action of the provisional County
Council with regard the county town.
It is moved that no by-law be at
present published for raising money to
erect county building at Walkerton.
The amendment carried 8-4. It
was all off. No county town!
A the next meeting a new idea
emerged. A motion was introduced to
divide the county in two. The southern
portion to be called the County of
Bruce and be made up of Kincardine,
Huron, Brant, Kinloss, Culross, South
Gr e e n oc k a n d C ar r ic k w it h
Penetangore or Riversdale as county
town. The north part to be called The
County of Wallace and comprise
Bruce, Arran, Amabel, Lindsay,
Saugeen, Elders lie, Albemarle,
Eastnor, St. Edmunds and that part of
Greenock north of the line between
Brant-Elderslie.
The reeves of the northern
mun ic ipa lit ies were in d ignant.
Albemarle and Amabel had few
settlers and had been attached to Arran
only the previous December. St
Edmunds and Lindsay had no settlers
at all for several years after this date.
The amendment to the motion was
very biting in its expression :
“That it’s only a few weeks since
the united counties of Bruce and
Huron have been separated by Royal
Proclamation; it is uncalled for,
impudent, and illegal to ask a separate
separation and divide an infant county
as it would be contemptible in the eyes
of the infant community.”
Any discussion?
I imagine there was!
The amendment failed.
The original motion passed .
Off went another proclamation to
the Governor General. A motion was
passed to authorize a by-law to raise
money to build county buildings at
Penetangore and Southampton and to
take steps to have a Bill passed by
legislature to confirm the steps taken
by the Provisional Council.
At the next county meeting in
October of the same year, the whole
idea of dividing the county and issuing
debentures was revoked and a motion
was presented to ask the Governor
General if he would choose either
Penetangore, Riversdale, Walkerton,
Paisley or Southampton after each
place was allowed to present their
several claims.
This motion failed. Thus ended
the first year of the provisional County
Council: no nearer to having a county
town than when it started.
Norman Robertson, in his book
“The History of the County of Bruce”
comments: “The vacillating course
pursued by the provisional county
council throughout the year shows
what adepts at log-rolling and wirepulling existed in those days.”
Where did he get those big words
and how many of the readers in 1906
knew what they meant?
Vacillating I know means
wavering back and forth. Webster’s
dictionary says it means to fluctuate in
opinion and actions.
Log-rolling - I had never heard of.
It means ‘the practice of exchanging
favours, especially in politics; Webster
says ‘the practice of exchanging votes
to mutual benefits. (you know; “you
vote for me this time, I’ll vote for you
next time”). Is it any different today?
Wire-pulling - I hadn’t heard of
that expression either.
Webster’s
dictionary says a wire-puller is one
who exercises influence behind the
scenes especially in public affairs.
Norman Robertson was dead on!
That’s exactly what the provisional
county council did for eight more
years, sorely trying the patience of the
ratepayers who were subjected to three
O
ne of our readers sent in this
minute-by-minute report of the
current extreme weather conditions
on Vancouver Island, BC :
6:22 a.m. Temperature plunges
to -5 C. Word spreads that a Comox
r e s id e n t f i n d s ic e o n h is
windshield!
Curious neighbours
gather to watch him scrape it off with
a credit card. One motorist, a former
Albertan, claims use of mysterious
"defrost" switch on dashboard can aid
in process.
9:30 a.m. Hardware stores sell
both of their snow shovels. Islanders
begin cobbling together implements
made from kayak paddles, umbrellas,
plywood, cookie sheets and boogie
boards.
10 a.m.
Golfers switch to
orange balls. In Victoria, Beacon Hill
Park cricket players, anxious not to
repeat the ugly "snow blower
incident" of the Blizzard of '96,
switch to orange uniforms.
Noon: Word of impending West
Coast snowfall tops newscasts across
Canada. Edmonton hospitals report
epidemic of sprained wrists related to
viewers high-fiving one another. BC
residents not worried as street
people will move back to Alberta .
1:20 p.m. Elementary schools
call in grief counsellors.
Grief
counsellors refuse to go, citing lack
of snow tires.
2:30 p.m. Rush hour begins an
hour early as office workers come
down with mysterious illness and
bolt for home. Usual traffic snarl is
compounded by large number of
SUV four-wheel-drives abandoned by
side of road.
2:50 p.m.
Airplanes
are
grounded and ferries docked. No
way to travel between Island and rest
of the world.
Times Colonist
head line : "Ma in la nd c ut off
from Civilization."
plebiscites. In 1863, Paisley attained
1,652 votes. Kincardine came in
second, Walkerton a close third and
Southampton fourth. Invermay and
Riversdale each got one.
Prior to this, in March of 1859, the
ratepayers were asked to vote to
approve spending 6,000 pounds for
the purpose of building county
buildings . The result of this vote was
considered invalid by the Attorney
General and another vote was held in
July.
I wonder what the Governor
General thought when before he had
granted one request, along comes
another to disregard all previous
requests and for him to chose the site
of the county town.
The second time the request came
in to divide the county, it passed two
readings of the house but for some
unknown reason not the third. Even in
those days the government was
‘politically astute’ enough to know
better than touch that with a ten-footpole!
Written by Mary MacKay
for the Paisley Advocate
3:22 p.m. Prime Minister Harper
announces Canada 's DART rapidresponse team can be on the ground
within six months. “We can't leave
the Ottawa area to deal with a mere
225 centimetres of snow,” he tells the
new Mayor of Comox. “Um, that's
two to five centimetres, not two-twofive," replies the Mayor. The Prime
Minister hangs up.
3 :3 3 p.m.
P rovinc ial
government responds to crisis by
installing slot machines in Nanaimo
homeless shelters.
4:10 p.m.
At behest
of
Provincial Emergency Program,
authorities begin adding Prozac
to drinking water.
4:15
p.m.
Fears of food
shortages lead to alarming scenes of
violence and looting.
Grocery
shoppers riot in Victoria , except in
Oak Bay,
where residents hire
caterers to do rioting for them.
4:30 p.m. Bracing for the arrival
of snow, the Island is gripped by an
eerie stillness reminiscent of Baghdad
on the eve of the invasion.
Searchlights comb darkening sky for
first sign of precipitation.
4:48 p.m. Panic ripples across
the region as words come in that the
first flakes of snow have fallen on
the Malahat. False alarm! "Flakes"
turn out to be nothing more
than anthrax spores released by
terrorists. An uneasy calm returns
to the area.
5:40 p.m. Television reporter,
Ed Bain, shaking uncontrollably, tells
viewers that snow warnings have
been extended.
This weather
p a t te r n
c o u ld g o o n f o r
days. Mercury plummets to Calgaryin-August temperatures. Martial law
is declared. Victoria-area politicians
announce plans to establish an
e mer g e nc y c o mma n d ce n t re
aboard
HMCS Regina once it
reaches Oahu .
The Paisley Advocate January/February 2009 Page 11
Mary Ellen’s Healthful Hints
EWWW! WHAT’S THAT
ON YOUR FACE!
I
t never fails. You have a big event
coming up this weekend. Here it is
Monday and you start feeling that old
familiar tingling and burning on your
lip. You know that by the weekend
you’ll have a full blown, red, ugly,
painful cold sore on your lip.
Groan…..why now? You haven’t had
one of those in a long time.
Cold sores are an infection caused
by the Herpes Simplex virus type 1.
Most people have this virus in their
system by the age of 20, and up to
80% of people by age 30, although
many people may never show
symptoms. The virus
remains in the nerve
tissue of the face, but
in some people certain
triggers can reactivate
the virus to produce the
classic blisters we’ve
come to know so well.
The first symptoms begin with itching,
tingling or burning on the lip,
followed in about 2 days with the
development of skin lesions around
the lips, mouth and gums. There may
be small raised blisters, often filled
with a clear, yellowish fluid. The
blisters may break and ooze, and then
a yellow crust forms which eventually
slough off to reveal pink, healing skin.
This process takes about 7-10 days.
Why now? Well, the virus can be
t r ig g e r e d b y a n y t h in g l i k e
menstruation, sun exposure, illness
with fever (why they’re also referred
to as fever blisters) or stress.
So, what’s the big deal? It’s just a
cold sore. Yes it’s just a cold sore, but
cold sores are extremely contagious.
They can be spread to fingers or other
areas of the body by simple direct
touch, or they can be spread indirectly
by using a glass or utensil that has not
been properly washed.
Razors,
towels, and other shared articles
should be cleaned in very hot water
between uses.
A n d , y e s , t he re c a n b e
complications. Although generally the
symptoms run their course in 1-2
weeks, occasionally there can be
enlargement of the lymph nodes in the
neck or groin, and there is
a possibility of generalized
infection.
So, prevention is the
best option. Minimize risk
of spread by washing all
clot h in g/ linens/ute ns ils
used by the infected person
preferably in boiling water. Always
wear a lip balm with sun screen to
avoid sun exposure even in the winter,
as the sun reflecting off the snow can
be just as dangerous. And, obviously,
avoid kissing anyone who has active
ulcers.
Well, okay, you’ve taken all the
precau t ions , b ut y o u’ ve st ill
“blossomed” up with a “beaut”. You
don’t want this ugly thing on your face
for a week….you have social events to
attend! So, what’s the fastest, easiest
way to get rid of this thing? Well, as I
Arran Elderslie
Bantam Rep Team
T
he first game of the playoffs was on Sunday, January 10. It was very fast
and eventful. It was held in the Mildmay Community Center and although
the Arran Elderslie Bantam Rep Team did not win, it was reported to have been
a "very fun game". In the group picture are: Back: Jordan Calhoun, Justin Weis,
Brock Tanner, Calvin Robinson, Cadon Benninger, Mitch McLeod, Derek Dick,
Wyatt Borton, Jacob Darlington, Brad Davis, Brett Posthumus, Braydon
Thompson, Tyler Mole; Front: Carson Blodgett, Paul Campbell, Valery Monk,
Trevor Egles, Max Struder.
said there is no cure….the virus will
stay in your system no matter what,
but you can “nip it in the bud” so to
speak. There are oral antivirals
available through prescription where,
if you take these medications starting
when you first notice the tingling
feeling, you can often stop the virus in
its tracks, or at the very least,
significantly shorten the course of the
lesion. If you don’t want to bother
your physician for this type of
medication, there are several OTC
products that can be used. Most
contain Lidocaine (a skin numbing
agent) or benzyl alcohol which might
relieve some of the symptoms.
Certainly OTC pain relievers such as
Tylenol™ or Advil™ may provide
some comfort. Even hot or cold
compresses can help relieve the
discomfort. Most importantly, let it
heal!! Avoid squeezing, pinching or
picking at the blister as this will just
make it spread.
So, ugly as they may be, cold
sores are more of a nuisance than
anything. And just remember, they
say “misery loves company” Well,
you’re in good company because the
vast majority of us know what you’re
feeling and cringe at the thought of
when it’ll be our turn next.
I hereby wave my magic pestle,
shower you all with magic pharmacy
dust, and wish you all a happy cold
sore-free winter. Enjoy the snow my
friends, and remember it will go
away….it may not be until April, but
it will go away!
Mary Ellen Budreau
Snow Removal
A job not to be taken
for granted
W
ith all the snow we’ve had,
imagine what downtown
Paisley would be like if none of it was
removed. You would not be able to
get to the post office or the restaurant.
Somebody has to get rid of it. That’s
just what Greg McCullough of
McCullough Fuels has been doing this
winter. At 4 am, while most of Paisley
is sound asleep, he gets his call from
the municipality to scoop away the
snow on the downtown streets. Most
of the work is done by the time people
get up - but not quite all of it.
Greg finds that his biggest
challenge occurs at the variety store
and the Legion corners when hydro
employees are eager to get to the
work. They need to slow down and
proceed with caution during those
times.
Greg’s snow removal service also
clears about 50 private driveways.
“We try to get rid of as much snow as
possib le and also protect the
property.” he said. “That is tricky.
Sometimes, when we cannot tell
where the edge is, we end up doing
some ‘unplanned landscaping’ – no
matter how careful we are.” Greg
offers a word of advice: “One thing
customers could do is put markers at
the edges, so we don’t damage their
lawns.”
Diane Eaton
Page 12
The Paisley Advocate January/February 2009
Cargill Corner
T
hose of you who know me, dear
readers, realize I am blessed with
a good dollop of patience. This gift
helps me through the encumbrances
encountered on the road of life. An
inordinate amount of patience also
comes in handy if you are a Chicago
Blackhawk fan or a Hamilton Ti Cat
fan, as I happen to be. As well, this
virtue helped me immensely in my
career in the field of education over
the years.
However, even those endowed
with this gift are brought to the
breaking point at times. A case in
point, personally speaking, began
Thursday, January 8. As mentioned, I
am a Blackhawk fan and in order to
watch their games Lindy and I
subscribed to Bell Express Vu. I have
been a subscriber for as long as this
option became available and was
elated this year with the news that the
new owner of the Hawks, Rocky
Wirtz, was going to allow all Hawk’s
games to be broadcast. This would be
the first time I was able to watch
every game. So I thought.
For some reason beyond my
limited technological knowledge I
have not been able to receive
Channels 424 and 433. The former
gives you an updated scoreboard of all
the action each night. Channel 433 is
used to televise games. For the past
few weeks the Hawks’ games have
been relegated to (you guessed it) this
channel. I had reached my limit. I
phoned Bell (1-800-SKY-DISH) at
6:00 pm hoping to rectify the problem
before they played the Colorado
Avalanche that evening.
I reached programming and a
chap named Rory. I explained the
problem. He told me to follow a few
instructions over the phone which
included removing and then replacing
the Smart Card. After the procedures
were followed to the letter he said I
should receive these channels
anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours.
When this time passed with no change
in the reception I phoned again, this
time to Bell technical support. I was
connected to India and to a lady I
could understand only after she
repeated everything twice. She walked
me through a half hour of various
machinations with the remote. Lindy
had to call out the numbers that
appeared on the screen for me to
punch in. Nothing worked. Next, she
asked if we wanted to subscribe to the
next tier of Bell programming, which
would offer us forty new channels for
what appeared to be $14.00 per
month. I checked it with Lindy. After
some three way conversation I agreed.
Then, I asked if this would get us
immediate access to Channels 424 and
433. She said it wouldn’t. Our
problem required a Bell technician to
come to our domicile for a cost of
$75.00 bucks. As a bonus we would
receive a three month warranty on
service. At this point I told her in a
rising voice that this was not fair. It
was not our problem that we could not
receive just two out of all the channels
we signed for. The missing channels
were Bell’s fault. She told me it did
not work that way. I told her we didn’t
want the new tier of programming.
Too late, she said. Once you agree to
this new service you cannot go back
to the old programming.
By this time I was so flummoxed
I asked Lindy to talk to the agent. She
told Lindy the same thing. When
Lindy asked when the serviceman
could be available, she put us on hold.
When she returned she said the
serviceman would arrive at our place
Sunday morn and, if for any reason,
we wished too cancel the visit, she
gave us a confirmation number. Lindy
asked her if the serviceman would be
coming from India. Not realizing the
jest, she told Lindy that it would not
be feasible to send a serviceman from
India. We disconnected.
I had one consoling thought.
Sunday eve, we would have the two
channels up and running and I could
enjoy the full NHL packaging.
Wrong! Lindy got a call early
Sunday morn just as she exited the
shower. It was from the Bell
technician. He asked her where
Cargill was. Lindy said, we were in
C he p st ow , near Ca r g ill a n d
Walkerton. "You’ve got to be
kidding," he said. "I am from
Woodstock and I am certainly not
going to drive two hours one way for
the service call. I will phone and see if
I can arrange to have someone closer
take the service call.
Lindy said, "Fine, but you might
just have to send a scuba diver with
your service guy, because somebody
is going to have to fish the receiver
out of the pond in our backyard."
I wonder if Star Choice offers the
NHL package with their Dish
package.
In closing, a quote from Groucho
Marx, "I never forget a face, but in
your case, I’ll make an exception."
Brian Raper
@ Your Library
T
he Christmas Story Hour was a
huge success! Thanks to
everyone who came out in their
'jammies to hear stories and have a
treat. Thanks also to the story readers!
Due to unfortunate events the
Homework Club has been cancelled.
We are planning another Movie
Night at the Legion in February check library for show details.
Hopefully everyone had a
wonderful holiday and that you are
back in shape for reading.
Visions of
Sugar
Plums
Here's a list of some new releases:
Patricia Cornwell - Scarpetta
James Patterson - Cross Country
Glenn Beck - The Christmas Sweater
David Wroblewski - The Story of
Edgar Sawtelle
Stephen King - Just After Sunset
Nicholas Sparks - The Lucky One
Toni Morrison - A Mercy
David Baldacci - Divine Justice
Dean Koontz - Your Heart Belongs to
me
Ellen Kerr
T
he Friends of the Library held their
annual Christmas Bedtime Story Hour
at the library on December 12th. The night
was cold and blustery, but the children were
warm and cozy in their pyjamas as Shelly
Parker read to them. Afterward, they
enjoyed hot chocolate and Christmas treats.
Church
Directory
Presbyterian Church
(Westminster)
260 Queen St. S,
353-6020
[email protected]
Rev. Shelly Butterfield-Kocis
Paisley
Service: Sunday 10:00 am
Glammis (St. Paul’s)
Service: Sunday 11:30 am
Missionary Church
(Immanuel Evangelical)
307 Balaklava St. Paisley
353-5270
[email protected]
Rev. Tony Geense
Sunday School (all ages): 9:30 am
Service: 10:30 am
Lessons for Living: 6:30 pm
Friendship Coffee Break: every 3rd
Tuesday 9:30
Senior's Sunshine Fellowship for
55+: every last Tuesday 12:00 pm
Anglican Church
(The Church of the Ascension)
251 Albert St, Paisley
Rev. Linda Nixon 363-2339
[email protected]
Sunday service time 1:00 pm. except the last
Sunday of the month which is a rotating joint
service with our Chesley & Tara
congregations at 10:30 am. Call 519-3632339 to confirm.
United Church
399 Goldie St. Paisley
353-5278
[email protected]
Pastor Judy Zarubick
Paisley Pastoral Charge United
Church will be worshipping in
Harmony United, Pinkerton
at 10:30 a.m. for December, for the
months of January and February in
Knox United in Paisley at 10:30 a.m.
Baptist Church
288 Church Street, Paisley
Pastor David Cooke
Service: Sunday 9:45 am
with Sunday School during service
Bible Class: Sunday 11:00 am
Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00 pm
www.paisleybaptist.org
The Paisley Advocate January/February 2009 Page 13
T
hese items were compiled from the February
13, 1896 issue of the Paisley Advocate. The
advertisements shown here are for just a few of the
businesses operating in the Village at the time:
James Bone’s Paisley Tannery; W.R. Barnett’s,
tailor shop located in the Flood Block (the series of
storefronts north of the current Elora Soap location);
F. Purdy’s Livery service located behind the Central
Hotel (the Paisley Inn); and Captain Kyle’s,
probably located where the pharmacy is now based on the “opposite the post office” description.
Dick’s Blood Purifier in the See That Off Horse! ad
was available from D. J. Bain Drugstore in the
Apothecary’s Hall building (currently Marty’s Bar
& Grill) - by the way, the off horse is the droopy one
on the right.
The article in the centre is a portion of a much
longer account of David Lyon’s settling in Elderslie.
Note the comment about Simon Orchard’s “dream”.
Do you recognise the fraternal societies that
existed in Paisley in 1896? From top: I. O. O. F. the Independent Order of Oddfellows, C. O. F. - the
Canadian Order of Foresters, I. O. F. - the
Independent Order of Foresters, K. O. T. M. Knights of the Maccabees, and the Ancient Order
of United Workmen. These groups met either at the
Oddfellows Hall (upstairs at the building currently
housing Barbell’s Fitness), or at MacDonald’s Hall
which was upstairs in the old hardware building
(between Midtown and the pharmacy). These
fraternal benefit societies not only provided social
fellowship for their members, but provided an
economical source of life insurance. Some of them,
such as Maccabees eventually transformed into
insurance companies.
If you have any pre-1900 issues of the Advocate
you’d like to share with our readers, let me know.
Craig Budreau
Page 14
The Paisley Advocate January/February 2009
Community Calendar
T
h e P a i s l ey Ad v o ca t e ’ s
Co mmu n i ty Ca len d a r i s
available free of charge to non-profit
co mmunity groups. Sub missions
should be made no later than the 20 th
of the preceding month. Contact
Craig Budreau at Paisley Pharmacy,
353-5707, fax 353-5438, or email
[email protected]
Jan. 23 - Lasagne Night at the
Legion from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.
$12.00 per person dessert is included.
A meat roll will follow.
Feb. 3 - Osteoporosis "Break
Through" program on Tuesdays 1 2:30 starting Feb. 3rd for four weeks
at thePaisley & District Health Clinic
contact Pat O'Neil CK, Kinesiologist,
Brockton & Area Family Health
Team 519-507-2021 Ext. 21
Feb. 14 - Valentines Day ♥
Feb. 14 - Support Our Troops
Day at the Legion. Ladies Auxiliary
bake sale at 1:00 P.M. Lee Grant
entertaining from 3:00 P.M. to 7:00
P.M. - mini meat roll. Food will be
available for purchase. All proceeds
to the Support Our Troops Fund.
Feb 18 - Treasure Chest
Museum High Tea on Wednesday,
February 18, from 2 to 4 pm. Cost is
$5.00.
Feb. 24 - Pancake Tuesday.
Church of the Ascension, Anglican,
will be serving pancakes with real
maple syrup, sausage and dessert to
the community. Lunch at11:30 am to
1:00 pm. Supper at 5:00 pm to 7:00
pm. $7. Take-out available.
Feb. 24 - The Paisley Group of
AA will meet at a member's home
tonight only due to the pancake
supper. Address and map will be
posted on the church door or call 519353-5818 or 519-353-5600 for details.
Feb. 25 - Ash Wednesday.
Service time to be announced. Look
for posters in the usual spots closer to
the day. Or call 519-353-5600.
Mar. 7 - Paisley Figure Skating
Club’s annual Skating Carnival
Regularly Scheduled Events
Family Skating at the Arena
Saturday 2:30 to 4:00 pm and Sunday
3:00 to 4:30 pm starting October 13
Free Lunchtime Skate Monday,
Wednesday & Friday 12:00 to 1:00
pm
Seniors Coffee Break at the
Legion every Monday from 10:00 am
to 11:30 am
Legion Euchre Night - every
Monday at 7:30 pm sharp at the
Paisley Legion. Everyone welcome.
Paisley Rotary Club meets every
Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Contact Stewart
Dudgeon for more info.
Paisley Group of Alcoholics
Anonymous meets every Tuesday at
the Anglican Church of the Ascension
hall at 8:00 p.m.
Seniors’ Luncheon is held at the
Missionary Church the last Tuesday
of every month from 12 till 2 pm. All
seniors are welcome
Regular Legion Meeting is held
on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, 8
pm, (Executive meet at 6:30 pm)
Paisley Concert Choir practice
Celebrations
Births
Tanner
Dykstra
at Knox United Church, Paisley on
Wednesdays from 6:30 pm. New
members welcome. For more info.
contact Helen Crysler @ 519-3534017.
Paisley and District Kinsmen
meet 1st and 3rd Thursday each month.
For info, contact Barry McTeer
Legion Ladies Aux. meeting 1st
Thursday each month 7 pm.
Alzheimer Society of GreyBruce Caregiver Support Group
meets 1st Wednesday of every month
at 1:30 at Grace United Church,
Hanover, and the 2nd Wednesday of
every month, at 1:30 at Southampton
United Church. 1-800-265-9013.
A WAN A K i ds C l u b a t
Immanuel Missionary Church every
Wednesday night, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Registration begins @ 6:00 p.m. Ages
5 and Up. For Info call: (519)3535270 or (519)353-5371
Exercise Walking at Paisley
Central School on Mondays &
Wednesdays 7 to 8 pm. Bring indoor
walking shoes.
Support Groups for people with
Parkinson's are held the 2nd Tuesday
of the month in Kincardine, the 3rd
Tuesday of the month in Hanover.
Everyone welcome. For more
information call (519) 652-9437.
Thank You
W
S
H
“u little porker”
appy sweet 16 Wes Tanner
love
all of your friends
A
nd a happy belated birthday
Carl Tanner
cott, Dianne (nee Fullerton) and
Clayton Dykstra of Jarvis are
pleased to announce the safe arrival
of their daughter and sister, Cassidy
Sarah, born November 21, 2008 at
McMaster University Medical Centre
in Hamilton, weighing 7 lbs, 7 1/2
ozs.
Proud Grandparents are Carman
and Barbara Fullerton of Paisley and
Frank an d Ly nn Dy kstra of
Townsend. Cassidy is welcomed by
her aunts and uncles, Robert and Gail
Fullerton, John Fullerton, James
Fullerton, Franciss Dykstra and Scott
Marr, and Diana Dykstra, and by her
cousins Laura and Faith Fullerton.
January Thaw Comes Early
Burns
ith so many wonderful friends
to thank, it’s so easy to miss
one.
So, to the great folks of Paisley
who offered us the love and
friendship of your truly Canadian
Heritage Village, we believe your
own Advocate will deliver our
message best.
A Happy and Prosperous
New Year
Thank You and God Bless
Jean and Jim Butchart
T
he organizers of the 3rd Annual
Paisley Central School Turkey
Dinner would like to thank the
following for making our dinner
another great success:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
P and H Foods - Hanover
Mi dtown Foodmarket
Mary’s Bar and Grill
Paisley Foodl and
Thompson Bros. Furni ture
Paisley Volunteer Fire
Department
Ki ncardi ne OPP
Tanner’s U-Pick - Gord and Reita
Tanner
Arran-El derslie Council
Paisley Ki ds n Us Daycare
Also thanks to community and parent
volunteers and donors:
I
Jeff Dudgeon sent us this picture taken on December 31st 2008. It shows just how
accurate our village fore-fathers were when they named it Water Street. The road
remained underwater for several days while the Saugeen Ri ver was at flood levels
normally seen in S pring.
t's a boy!! Alexander Michael
Burns, born to proud parents
Dwayne Burns and Jeannine
Francois, and loving sister Jasmyn
and brother Brandon. He was born on
November 16th, 2008 at 4:03 pm, he
was 7 lbs and 20 inches long.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Jennifer Harris
Brian and Bernice MacKi nnon
Paul and Sandra Blodgett
Heather Cottrill
Shelley Butterfield-Kocis
Mary Gregg
Vicki Lake
Bruce Leach
Julie McCully
Marguerite Cal dwell
Ann Gartley
Lori Bryce
Organizers
Sharon Yenta
and Amanda Caldwell
The Paisley Advocate January/February 2009 Page 15
In Memoriam
Obituaries
Eileen Anderson
P
assed away peacefully at the
Kincardine Hospital on Monday,
January 12th, 2009 in her 87th year,
the former Eileen Reist of Paisley.
Beloved wife of the late Ralph
Anderson (1991). Loving mother of
Ken and his wife Carol of Paisley, and
Patricia and her husband Bruce
McKechnie of Kincardine. Loving
grandmother of Todd Anderson of
Paisley, Carrie Anderson of Ottawa,
Michael McKechnie and his wife
Natalie of London, Jonathan (Jon)
McKechnie and his wife Bronwen of
Toronto, and Sheri McKechnie of
Kincardine and her fiancé Darryl
Zettler. Great-grandmother of Dylan
and Riley McKechnie of London. She
is also survived by her brother Harold
(June) Reist of White Rock, B.C. and
by her sister-in-law Janet Reist of
Toronto. Eileen was predeceased by
her brothers Donald, and Leslie and
his wife Annie
Eileen was born in Guelph,
Ontario, on October 3, 1922, the first
of four children to Addison and Leona
Reist. She started her education
in Guelph and then she transferred to
a one room rural school outside New
Dundee. It took Eileen some time to
get the hang of farm life and the
different education system in the rural
school. With a bit of extra help from
the teacher, the other kids learned to
accept her as a farm girl.
However, farming was not in the
books for her, and as soon as she
got her education she spread her
wings, back to the big city once more.
Yes, Guelph was calling and so was
mister right. After a year or so of
work, both Eileen and this handsome
young man named Ralph were
working in the same hospital. Things
were progressing nicely when along
came that pesky war and soon date
night was a letter from England. But
all went well and soon the war was
over and the end of the long distance
romance. They were married on
September 1, 1945.
Eileen was the type of person that
loved to be home looking after
the family. It started with Ken in 1947
and P atricia in 19 51. E ileen
kept herself busy with the large house
they bought way outside Guelph
where the Stone Road Mall sits today
just next to the University. But that
was just the start. Next, Toronto was
calling and away the family went
to Scarborough. Here Eileen had a
much smaller war time house so
to compensate for the size she helped
o u t at t he dr u g s t ore t ha t
Ralph managed. Then came the call
from an old war buddy of Ralph’s,
calling to say the drug store in Paisley
was up for sale. So in January 1957,
the Anderson family completed the
voyage from just south of the Paisley
Road in Guelph, to Scarborough, to
Paisley, Ontario.
Life in Paisley in 1957 was just a
tiny bit different than Toronto.
Well, let’s be honest here, the only
thing the same was that fact that the
sun came up and the sun went down
each day, but in Paisley it seemed to
take longer for this to happen. All of a
sudden Eileen realized that her
life was not as hectic. So what could
she do? First there was figure
skating. Watching the kids learn to
twirl and glide and skate. Then, since
they were going to the Presbyterian
Church why not the women’s
auxiliary. Before long she was baking
and helping out at the Rotary Club.
And that was just in her spare time
because she still managed to work
every day with Ralph in the drug
store.
Eileen was a person that
loved her family deeply and tried to
help others whenever she could. That
was just her way. It truly made
her happy. Also she was truly happy
when someone wanted to play a game.
Cards, board games, it didn’t matter.
What could be better, by 1983, with
five new grand children to love and to
play games with. By 2008 she had
two gre a t-gra ndc h ildre n.
After Ralph passed away, Eileen
would head to Florida to soak up
some sunshine and spend time with
her brother Les. They would play
poker until the wee hours of the night.
And that was every night. Her jar of
pennies was so big from winning she
had to leave either them or her clothes
behind, because she was way over the
weight limit for flying. Being the
sports person Eileen was, she left
the pennies behind so they would
invite her back on the off chance she
would lose.
The funeral service was
c on d uc te d in We s t m ins te r
P r e s b y t e r ia n C h u r c h o n
Friday, January 16, by Rev. Shelly
Butterfield-Kocis. During the service
rememberances were given by
Michael McKechnie, a grandson,
P atricia McKechnie,
Eileen's
daughter
and Marlene Baulk, a
n ie ce.
A ly ss a Ma lis an i, a
neighbour, sang accompanied by
Diane Eaton.
Pall Bearers were Todd and
Carrie Anderson, Michael Jonathan
and Sheri McKechnie and Darryl
Zettler. Spring burial will be in
Starkvale Cemetery.
Submitted by Mary MacKay
Betty Rae
Eldon Bonnett
I
n loving memory of a dear wife,
mother, grandmother and great
grandmother who passed away 10
years ago, February 19, 1999.
P
assed away at Pinecrest Manor,
Lucknow on Tuesday, January
6th, 2009 in his 80th year, Eldon
Bonnett of Lucknow. He is survived
by his sister Reta Flett of Walkerton,
brother Percy Bonnett of Tiverton,
sister-in-law Mildred Bonnett of
Kincardine and by fifteen nieces and
nephews. He is predeceased by his
parents Samuel and Violet Bonnett,
brother Leslie Bonnett, sister-in-law
Margaret Bonnett, brother-in-law
James Flett, nephews Lawrence
Bonnett and Bob Flett, and by his
niece Alison Woods.
Funeral service was conducted at
the W. Kent Milroy Paisley Chapel
on Thursday January 8th, 2009 with
the Rev. Bob Cotie officiating.
Interment Purdy Cemetery.
Memorial contributions to the
Heart & Stroke Foundation or the
Canadian Cancer Society would be
appreciated as expressions of
sympathy.
A little tear falls from our eyes
We swallow hard and dry not to cry
We thi nk of you so far away
Ten years ago you died today
Still sometimes when we’re all alone
We hope and pray to hear the phone
To hear you say just one more ti me
That we are l oved and you are fi ne
But on life’s road there’s no return
So now we must try hard to learn
To learn to li ve and love and do
The very way you taught us to
But Mother dear remember this
You for all of us are truly missed.
Love Walter, Judy, Bruce, Brenda
and families...
Graduation
Hammell
Donna Hopper
H
OPPER, Donna Elizabeth (nee
McDonald) Peacefully, at the
He n d e r s o n Ge n er a l Ho s p it a l,
Hamilton, on Monday, December 8,
2008, in her 68th year. Donna Hopper,
beloved wife of Murray Hopper.
Loving mother to Darlene Van
Ravenswaay, Aileen Ciach (Ted),
Susan Roth (Norwood), and Cheryl
Mount (Wayne). Proud and loving
grandma to Trevor, Chauntel, Troy,
Cory, Jamie, Kirstin, Amelia and great
-grandson Cole. Lovingly remembered
by her sisters Jean Haddow, Patricia
Baldwin and their families. Daughterin-law to Christina and Lloyd Hopper,
sister-in-law to Dorothy and Ron
Mc Keeman. Predec eased by her
parents Norman and Amy McDonald
and by her sister Joy Robinson and
brothers Jack and Jim.
Memorial Service was held at the
J.W. Hart Funeral Home Chapel on
T hurs d ay, D ec em ber 11t h in
Dunnville.
Memor ia l donat ions to the
Canadian Cancer Society would be
appreciated by the family.
C
andace Joyce Hammell has
successfully completed her
studies to earn her Bachelor of
Communications degree with a
double minor in Business and
Geography from Wilfred Laurier
University in Waterloo.
Candace is the daughter of Leslie
and Vicky Hammell of Elmira, and
the granddaughter of Tom and Barb
Bryce of Paisley. We are all so proud
of you and your sister Crystal.
Classified Ads
Happy New Year 2009 to all our
customers and friends from Gord and
Reita at Tanner’s U-Pick Potatoes
for sale, White, Red and Yukon Gold
in all size containers, 519-366-2493
Plastic Welding auto, ATV,
industrial tanks, farm and more. Call
Aden Martin at 519-353-4055
The Royal Canadian Legion Paisley
Legion Branch 295 Rental –
Auditorium Hall (upstairs) Great for
Parties of 100 People or less
Bartender provided For rental details
call 353-5444
Snow Blowing - Paisley Area Closed Sundays & Holidays - call
Lloyd Shantz at 519-353-7159
1995 GMC Truck, club cab with
cap and boat rack, summer driven,
353-5649, Jerrold
Page 16
The Paisley Advocate January/February 2009
Teacher Reflects on 21 Years at Paisley Central
B
yron Harris, a Paisley Central
School teacher, is a household
name for many around here. Quite
possibly he taught somebody in your
home. He’s been teaching at PCS for
the past 21 years.
Last year’s graduate Maggie
Needham was one of his students. To
her he was a great teacher - which is a
good thing because he taught her for
grade 3, 4, and 5. “He was one of my
favourite teachers,” she says. “He was
easy to get along with. He made me
want to learn. In gym we did a lot of
fun games.”
In 1988 Mr. Harris gave up a 10year career in restaurant hospitality in
Waterloo and came to Bruce County
with his young family. He taught a
special education class for the first
three years. For most of his career he
taught grades 3 to 6, many years in a
portable. (That was back when PCS
had two portables.)
Presently he
teaches the grade 4/5 class.
Some of Mr. Harris’ most
memorable teaching experiences go
back to the time when he taught that
first special ed. class to meet their
learning challenges. The class of
mainly boys would make about 60
muffins a day and then sell them in the
library. He taught them to double and
triple recipes, buy bulk supplies,
manage the money, and save it in a
bank account. They then would donate
the proceeds. One day during a game,
a student in the school broke his
glasses. Because of the family’s
Mr. Harris passes on his guitar skills to student, Jacob Pearson
situation, the cost of new glasses
would have been a hardship. One of
Mr. Harris’ pupils made a suggestion
on his own initiative. “Why don’t we
buy him glasses,” he said. And so the
muffin sales proceeds went towards
the glasses. At another time some of it
went to a family who had lost their
home in a fire. Donations also went to
the library.
Over the 21 years, Mr. Harris has
contrib uted a lot of t ime to
extracurricular activities, such as
coaching athletics, managing sound
equipment, helping stage musicals,
and preparing students for concerts
and plays. For 10 years he helped plan
grade 8 trips.
He spent many years playing
hockey after school with boys and
girls, some who have gone on to
pursue hockey as a life interest - such
as Robert Grant and Steven Shields.
Some of his Paisley students went
on to become Olympic classed
competitors, such as Liam Card,
Adam Kunkel, and Alison Bradley.
For many years Mr. Harris has
been building an archive of musical
recordings he made of student and
community performances. He pulls
them out from time to time. “When
Alison visited our school, prior to her
first Olympic Games” he said, “I
showed everyone a recording of her
playing the piano when she was in Gr.
5.”
Mr. Harris feels that he has had
the closest relationships with those
children who have challenges
communicating effectively with their
peers o r teache rs an d were
experiencing difficulty as a result. “I
would try to make them feel
comfortable. I think that helped them
do better.” This fatherly quality seems
to be part of Mr. Harris’ nature. One
day while I was walking down the
hall, I noticed him encouraging a
distraught little fellow from the
nursery school. The little boy calmed
down when he heard the gentle voice
of Mr. Harris.
Byron and his wife Paige live on
the outskirts of Southampton in a
century home which they have been
renovating for several years. The
Harris’ have two grown up daughters.
Diane Eaton
Paisley Central School Concert
A Focus on Character Traits
L
ast December 17th, Paisley
Central School presented a
concert with an unusual spin on the
holiday season. The theme was
Character Traits – beginning with
cooperation. A rousing band selection
was accompan ie d by a very
cooperative gang of students bouncing
basketballs in rhythm. Then, through
catchy musical selections, each of the
primary classes did their part in
presenting the theme. Their songs
included words about sharing, caring,
kindness, listening, and responsibility.
Through dialogue, drama, and
Power Point presentation, a touching
story about train engines wove in and
around these various numbers. In the
tale, a poor little engine just couldn’t
get over the hill to deliver gifts to
children on the other side.
Some
selfish and proud engines refused to
help; but then a humble little engine
came to the rescue.
Rather serendipitously, the train
theme synchronized with the song,
Believe, from the hit motion picture,
“The Polar Express”. This song was
one of the selections presented by a
group of students who also sing in the
Saugeen Children’s Chorus.
Much gratitude is extended to the
teachers of Paisley Central School,
who themselves exemplified the virtue
of cooperation in preparing the
students for a delig htfu l and
meaningful concert.
The pictures, L to R, show: these
clowns try to convince the big engine
to help the little train get over the hill;
basketballs bounce in sync with the
band; and students from Mrs. Frost’s
Grade 3/4 class play recorder.
Diane Eaton