June/July 2015 - Community Connections

Transcription

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
Community Connections
SERVING THE AREA FROM KANEHSATÀ:KE TO ROSEMÈRE
2,500 COPIES
Volume 16 / Issue 3
June / July 2015
ESBL Launches Video and You Tube Channel p. 2
Deux-Montagnes Canada Day Celebrations - July 01. p. 19
LTM Titans vs Firemen p.16/17
Great Honour Bestowed on Rosemere artist. p. 21
Photo: By Gerrit Schuldt
Page 2
Message from the Mayor
Dear Fellow Citizens,
Summer is fast approaching and a
host of activities are available to enjoy the warm season.
On May 23, the City held its traditional Horticultural Day, where hundreds of flowers and perennials were
handed out to beautify our environment.
New this year: On Saturday, June
6, ‘’Neighbours’ Day”: The principal
objective of Neighbours’ Day is to take
June / July 2015
people who live in the same neighborhood and bring them together. This is
quite the original idea – since Neighbours’ Day is organized and hosted by
the residents themselves, it is an opportunity for them to play an active
role in developing a sense of cordiality and solidarity in their
community. This year, the city councillors have decided to introduce this
type of activity and will organise the
Neighbours’ Day in their respective
districts. So be on the lookout for signs
and invitations for this gathering and
come join the party. (Free activities,
hot dogs and refreshments, courtesy
of the City…)
On July 1, citizens from here and
elsewhere are invited to take part in
Canada Day celebrations, which will
take place in Central Park. A parade,
singing of the national anthem, games,
entertainment and fireworks display
will all be part of the programme for
everyone to enjoy!
Also new this year: On July 10,11
and 12 “Deux-Montagnes en Fête”
activities: These activities offered by
the City of Deux-Montagnes will start
on the evening of Friday the 10th with
an outdoor movie in the school yard
at Saint-Jude School. Saturday the 11th
at 11:00 am will see the festivities’
opening address followed by a Cardio Fit session, family geocaching,
treasure hunt 2.0, and entertainment
and adventures for people of all ages
including a street craftspeople exhibition and symposium, activities offered by the Deux-Montagnes Merchants Association, inflatable games ,
face painting and much more. On Sunday the 12 th , the ‘’Défi Deux-Montagnes” races of one, five, and 10 km
with a on line registration now available at www.inscriptionenliigne.ca/
defideuxmontagnes.
Finally, on a completely different
topic, I would like to take a moment to
congratulate two Deux-Montagnes
citizens who were recently awarded
the Governor General’s Medal, namely Mr. John Francis Hutchison, the Senior Medal awarded for sustained voluntary action at a community and
social level, and Mr. Simon Goyetche,
the Caring Canadian Award for Quebec students who are changing the
world. Congratulations to Mr.
Hutchison and Mr. Goyetche, as well
as to the many volunteers who daily
contribute to improving the quality
of life of our citizens!
On that note, have a great summer!
ESBL Launches Video and YouTube Channel
By Elizabeth J. Saccà
Table of Contents
Members of Équité santé BassesLaurentides celebrate the world
premiere of their first video and the
launch of ESBL YouTube channel on
Sunday, April 12. To view it, go to
this site: https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=28_BMFJhYKI.
In this video recorded and edited by
Paul Goyetche (aka ‘2MoPaul’), Nel
McChristie says it is the obligation of
the Quebec government to correct the
under-funding of healthcare in the
Lower Laurentians.
Ms. McChristie, who is now 88
years old, has seen the healthcare
system
in
Deux-Montagnes
deteriorate in the 58 years she has
lived in this area. She said that her
family and many others moved to this
region for better quality of life, but
because the funding for healthcare in
the region has remained stagnant,
there is a lack of family doctors, and
waiting times in the Lower
Laurentians are much longer than the
Quebec average.
As a member of Équité santé BassesLaurentides, Ms. McChristie has been
working with other citizens to bring
attention to this issue with the objective
of achieving equity for the region.
Message from the Mayor 2
Around the House
3
LTM vs Firemen Hockey 16/17
Lion‘s Den
12
A Look at Rosemere
21
Church Snoop
24/25
Paravie
31
4Korners
13
Sue Chef
27
Ron‘s Corner
26
Sports Rap Opinion
29
Announcements...
30
June/July 2015
Around the House with Paul and Karen
Is your deck showing signs of aging?
Wood decks may begin to crack, turn
gray, and rot. This is rapidly accelerated if a deck has not been properly
maintained with routine staining,
cleaning, and sealing. Composite
decks can fade and stain over time as
well.
In many cases the life of a deck frame
will outlast the life of the decking because the floor is exposed to the direct
effects of the sun and weather. Before
you begin replacing your decking you
must inspect the existing frame. Old
decks may not have been built to code
or may be damaged. Do the joists,
beams, and posts appear in good condition free from rot? Was the ledger
board properly installed with flashing and bolts? Are the joist hangers
and hardware rusted or missing fasteners? What is the joist spacing? If
the joist spacing is more than 16" on
center you must install new intermediate joists. Stair stringers should be
16" on center for wood decking and 12"
on center for most composite
decking. If the deck frame is in poor
condition it may be easier to tear
down the entire deck and rebuild it
from scratch.
Did you check your air conditioning back in the spring? Of course you
did! But just in case, here are some
things to check to get your air conditioner ready for summer. You know
that as long as it’s in good working
order, it should take you through the
hottest, stickiest days of summer and
reduce your energy costs! Check the
fan belts on the condenser and the fan
itself. Are they a bit frayed-looking?
You can easily replace them; just make
sure that when you install the new
ones, you adjust the tension to allow
about half to three-quarters of an inch
slack when you press on the belt with
your finger. Don’t make them too tight
otherwise you can damage the shaft
bearings. And if there’s an adjustable
pulley on the fan, check that it’s set at
the smallest diameter to move as
Page 3
By Paul Beatty
and Karen Burrell
much cool air around as possible or
do what I do: call a trusted repairman!
Replace or clean the filter at least
once a month. This is what catches
dust, pollens and other allergens, preventing them from entering your
house. And if it’s choked with dust and
pet hair, it slows down the cold airflow, makes the system run harder
and longer. Keep your windows closed
in hot weather with the blinds tilted
so that they block direct sunlight; and
open your windows at night to allow
the cooler air to circulate in the house.
Take a look at your walkway. Fix
any cracks you may have as they are
now a potential tripping/safety hazard, as it is all too easy to trip on a
walkway that has uneven sections.
For your own safety, you should get
this repaired as soon as possible.
Send us your questions or tips and
tricks at
[email protected]
Page 4
June/July 2015
Mountainview Moves to Demystify Islam
By Gordon Wetmore
s t i l l
impressed
by
the
enthusiastic
curiosity of
the students.
“They had
tons
of
questions,”
Ms. Ward
said.
Mr.
Parents who spoke to Mountainview students K o u z a y h a
about Islam: Left to right, Samer Kouzayha, r e c o u n t e d
how
the
Elysia Ward, and Sara Abdallah-Kouzayha. The s t u d e n t s
little one is Ms. Ward’s daughter, Maryam.
f i r s t
submitted
When parents of Islamic students at questions to teacher Katherine Jones,
Mountainview Elementary accepted to who reduced the number to 77. Using
talk about their religion to grades 5 and these as a guide, he spent at least 12
6, the students were so interested that hours preparing a Power Point
the presentation carried on past class presentation “all from trusted sources”
time and through recess.
to explain what the Qur’an, the holy
“The parents presented Islam and book of Islam, actually says.
debunked many myths,” Principal
Their plan was to take 20 minutes
Darlene Miller said about the March 27 for the Power Point presentation, 20
meeting between 75 Cycle 3 students minutes for explanation, and 20
and husband and wife Samer minutes for questions. However, the
Kouzayha and Sara Abdallah- material sparked so many spontaneous
Kouzayha, Ms. Elysia Ward, and Ms. questions that the timing went out the
Vicky Constandinou.
window.
Ms. Miller explained that the
The students were mainly concerned
presentation fit into the provincial about Muslims’ attitudes about helping
Ethics and Religious Culture course. She others – would they help anyone or just
requested that the parents speak to the other Muslims, for instance – and about
students to counter negative attitudes treatment
of
expressed by many members of the animals and the
public toward people of Muslim faith rights of women.
and inaccurate assumptions about the “It showed to me
faith’s values.
h
o
w
At an interview with three of the compassionate
parents (Ms. Constandinou could not they were inside,”
attend) nearly a month after, they were Ms. Ward said.
Mr. Kouzayha explained that it is an
obligation in Islam for a Muslim to give
help to anyone who needs it and also a
value that is embraced by most
Muslims. Animals are to be treated
humanely and not mistreated. Mr.
Kouzayha said that even if an animal is
to be slaughtered for food, “you cannot
even show it the knife.” Any animal
that was not treated properly cannot
be eaten, he said. Ms. Ward added that
the way animals are dispatched in
North American slaughterhouses is the
main reason that she does not eat meat
at all.
Mr. Kouzayha said that they dealt
with the question of women’s rights in
Islam. Many students were surprised to
learn that the Qur’an states that a woman
cannot be married against her will. Men
must work to support the family but any
money a woman earns belongs to her
alone. Women and men alike must pray
five times a day.
According to the Qur’an, he said, the
hijab, the wrap that covers a woman’s
hair and chest, is obligatory, but veils and
other coverings that obscure the face are
at the discretion of the woman.
The Qur’an and Muslim teachings
stress basic human values that shouldn’t
be unique to any particular group, Ms.
Ward said. “A lot of what people think is
confused by culture.”
June /July 2015
Petition to improve the DeuxMontagnes commuter train.
BENOIT CHARETTE SEEKS
FAIRNESS FOR USERS
Like many users of the Deux-Montagnes line, MNA Benoit Charette
wants the Quebec government to intervene to ensure the upgrade of the
commuter train service that carries 7.5
million passengers annually, or 31,000
daily.
line by dissatisfied customers pressing the government to act. It was particularly noted that since its modernization in the summer of 1995, the busiest line of the Agence métropolitaine
de transport (AMT) train network has
been suffering from a variety of problems. They include overloaded parkand-ride facilities, overcrowded passenger cars, delays and departure cancellations, all of which undermine the
patience of customers.
There are disturbing similarities
between the underfunding of healthcare in our region and the neglect of
our commuter train. With significant
population growth, Quebec must take
full responsibility and act immediately.
Remember, a petition was posted on-
Local organization volunteer on McHappy
Day at the McDonalds in Saint Marthesur-le-lac
Sebastien Lauzon, Jean-Christophe
Lambert political attachés for MNA for
Mirabel Sylvie D’Amours, with Prismie
coordinators- Marie-Perle Brunet and
Marie-Eve Girard volunteering at
McDonalds in Ste Marthe sur-le-lac.
I believe that it is
not necessary to
invest more money
to improve the situation. The money
is poorly invested,
particularly in
structures that do
not provide direct
services to users.
Investing essential
funds does not necessarily mean additional funding.
Page 5
Moreover, it would be untenable for
the Transport Minister to allow rate
increases under the pretext of financing improvements. New lines and
new cars have been allotted elsewhere, while no substantial investment has been granted for our train
in 20 years. We are not asking for the
moon, we simply request fairness!
The petition is available, in French,
until July 24, 2015, at the following address:
https://www.assnat.qc.ca/fr/exprimez-votre-opinion/petition/Petition-5323/index.html
Should you like to share a situation
that worries you, please do not
hesitate to contact me.
Benoit Charette
Member for Deux-Montagnes
Temporary Committee Chair
Second Opposition Group critic for
Canadian intergovernmental affairs
Second Opposition Group critic for
access to information
Second Opposition Group critic for the
reform of democratic institutions
Second Opposition Group critic for the
Laurentides region
477, 25th Avenue
Suite 230
Saint-Eustache, QC J7P 4Y1
Telephone: 450 623-4963
Facebook : Charette.Coalition
Page 6
Coffee with Colleen: Missing you, Mom
By Colleen Baxter Sullivan
Below is a poem that I
wrote
about
my
mother. The year was
2011 and it was written
during one of the saddest periods of
my life. My mother was getting old
and I was struggling with it.
Acceptance was not an option for me
and now I realize that I should have
handled things better.
I remember when Mom and I would
be in a room full of people and we
would give each other a glance and
somehow, we knew exactly what the
other was thinking. We had a very
special bond … more like sisters,
definitely best friends. Life happened
and she got old on me. There are no
words to explain how livid I was. This
change was unbelievable. This couldn’t
be happening! I want my mother back. I did
not recognize her any more. I soon
went from a loving daughter to a
resentful caregiver. Who was this
woman sitting before me?
She had lost all desire to live. She
became robotic. Oh, how I remember
her laughter! It was contagious. She
would giggle and find fun in the
craziest situations. She did this well
into her late eighties. She had values,
strong values about family and life. I
found myself always asking this small
woman for advice. Sometimes I would
call her three times a day. Now I felt
deserted; I felt alone. There was and is
no word to describe this.
Guilt quickly set in. I seemed always
angry. Even though I was with her
every day, caring for her needs, I
resented it. I resented the loss of my
mother. This person looked like my
mother, but it was not her. Who was
this imposter? Her sparkle and zest for
life was rapidly fading.
There were times that I didn’t want to
visit her. This was not my mother, not
the mother that I remembered … I
desperately wanted my mother. And
for that I feel guilty. And now she is
gone and I would give anything to just
have one more day with her. I feel sad
for disliking the person that she
became. I understand from talking
with others that it was and is part of
life and the circle we live. Aging is
inevitable. It cannot be avoided.
So what I have learned from this heart
wrenching experience, and what I can
pass on to others dealing with an aging
relative? Old age creeps up on the ones
we love. It is just part of life. If you are
June /July 2015
having a difficult time with the
changes and feel guilty for your
feelings of resentment … this is only
natural. But please, talk to someone
about it. I didn’t and felt so alone. My
personal advice would be, accept the
process, however difficult. I would
love to go back and have any part of
her, whether it be the void stare into
space or her fragile state of being. I
just want Mom back.
Looking beyond her wrinkled attire,
Stale odors coming from within her
confine.
Gordon
Papers©
and
clothingWetmore
abound on the
floor,
Crystal that has long lost its shine.
Has she forever vanished in this state
of despair?
Losing hope of what is, by what was.
Searching for the lost one, whom she
so cared,
My heart aches for her unending
cause.
The depth of her eyes tell the story
within,
They have forever lost their forever
shine.
I sat and listened as she pleaded her
case,
Holding hands with this aged mother
of mine
June /July 2015
Laurin Liu
Députée / Member of
Parlament Rivière-des-Mille-Iles
Handouts for the rich, while
middle-class families put on
the back-burner
In
April,
the
Conservative
government, after much delay, finally
unveiled the 2015 federal budget.
Middle class families were expecting
progress on their priorities – steps to
make life more affordable, and to
create more family-supporting jobs,
actual childcare spaces and
affordable housing.
But instead, Stephen Harper
decided to move ahead with measures
like income splitting and doubling the
allowable Tax Free Savings Account
(TFSA) contribution – measures that
overwhelmingly help those who need
it least. This budget also continues
the $700 million loophole for CEOs to
avoid paying taxes on stock options –
forcing ordinary Canadians to pay
more. That means no relief for middle
class families squeezed by record high
household debt, stagnant wages, and
rising costs of living.
Many have called the federal
budget a “reverse Robin Hood”
situation: using tax dollars paid by
all Canadians to finance tax breaks for
the wealthy few.
Here’s what was missing in the
budget:
•
No new investment in
transportation for two more years;
•
No mention of climate change
and reforms that shut Canadians out
of resource project environmental
reviews;
•
Failure to create affordable,
quality childcare spaces for Canadian
families facing soaring costs. Tom
Mulcair’s NDP plan would ensure
access to childcare for no more than
$15 a day.
•
Continued cuts to programs
that Canadians rely on and failure to
restore funding for food inspectors
who keep our families’ food safe.
•
No help for minimum wage
workers who are working full-time,
but still fall below the poverty line.
Tom Mulcair and the NDP would
raise the federal minimum wage to
$15/h and protect workers in
precarious jobs.
•
Caps on health transfers at 3%
per year, despite the ageing
population and increasing needs in
palliative, long-term and home care
in the Lower Laurentians.
Nevertheless, I support some of the
measures contained in the budget:
those that were inspired by NDP
proposals, such as reductions in small
business taxes. I was glad to see the
government act on the NDP proposal
to extend the Accelerated Capital Cost
Allowance for manufacturing
investments in new equipment.
Moreover, I was pleased to see action
to address mandatory minimum
Page 7
withdrawals from Registered
Retirement Income Funds – something
the NDP has called for to ensure
seniors aren’t forced to outlive their
savings. The Conservatives also
adopted the NDP’s proposal to extend
Employment Insurance Compassionate
Care Benefits from six weeks to six
months.
Unfortunately, the
Conservatives failed to address the
restrictive eligibility criteria, so too
many families caring for loved ones
will still be unable to benefit.
Moreover, I was thrilled to see that
my campaign to protect unpaid
internships in Canada has borne fruit,
as the Conservative government
virtually copy-pasted the measures
from my private member’s bill C-636
into the federal budget. For the past
year, I have been asking the federal
government to offer basic workplace
protections to unpaid internships
working in federally regulated sectors
and to put limits on the use of unpaid
internships, which frequently replace
entry-level jobs. It’s about time that
the federal government has finally
ceded to pressure to act on this issue
that affects up to 300 000 young
Canadians across the country.
Please contact me at: Ottawa, Room
784, Confederation Building, Ottawa,
Ontario, K1A 0A6.
Tel. 613-992-7330
Constituency: 172 St. Louis St.,
Saint-Eustache QC J7R 1Y7
Tel.: 450-473-4864
Fax: 450-473-9043
Email: [email protected]
MP Laurin Liu, first time donor in the Deux-Montagnes
Lions’ Club Blood Drive
Page 8
June /July 2015
The Return of Christopher Curtis
By Gordon Wetmore
Montreal Gazette journalist and
LTMHS graduate Christopher
Curtis addresses students at his
alma mater.
These were Christopher Curtis’ opening words to students at his former
high school: “So I was standing there
at a student protest when the guy next
to me threw a Molotov cocktail at the
police.”
The occasion was the annual Lake
of Two Mountains High School’s hockey day. An LTMHS graduate, a Montreal Gazette reporter who frequently
writes about the Canadiens hockey
team, and a nominee for a National
Newspaper Award, Mr. (“Please call
me Chris.”) Curtis was guest of honour.
Not yet 30, he is the only Gazette
writer to be nominated this year for
one of the awards to honour the best
of Canada’s news writing.
Before dropping the puck at the ceremonial faceoff for the game between
the LTMHS Titans and the Deux-Montagnes Fire Department, he spoke to
the students in two hour-long assemblies.
He also stayed talking to interested students for the 20-minute recess
between presentations, remained at
the arena throughout the entire game,
and generally spread good cheer to all
who came near him. Both his face
and the faces of former teachers lit up
when they recognized each other.
Gone since graduating in 2003, it was
obvious that he was fondly remembered.
Rather than take the stage to talk to
the students, he stayed on the auditorium floor at their level, speaking to
them directly, sometimes reading excerpts from his stories. Never
preachy, his tone was like an older
brother recounting adventures. Yet
there were messages for those who
would hear them.
He promised them “something
funny first and then something dark
so you can go back to class convinced
life is depressing.” For the funny stuff,
he asked, “Please laugh and make me
feel good about myself.” They did.
He said that he got into journalism
by catching naps on the couch of the
newspaper club at Dawson College.
To use the couch, the club said he had
to work, and that’s when the writing
bug bit.
Next he went to McGill University
but dropped out. He worked in construction, which he liked in some
ways but ultimately found “soul
crushing.” Then he was accepted by
Concordia University, becaming
news editor of its weekly, The Link.
On deadline day, he would arrive at
the paper at 5:00 am and work
straight through until five the next
morning. He worked 50-60 hours a
week, earned $400 a month – about
half his rent – and lived on Ramen
noodles and pizza while dodging his
landlord.
At the same time, friends of his had
become bartenders dishing up drinks
in a party atmosphere at much better
money, a “cool” job. “They’re still
bartenders,” he said, but “now they
hate their work and hate partying. I’ve
found something I like, they pay me
for it, and I get to do it every day.
“If you don’t like your life, life is
long”.
Excerpts from his articles let
students glimpse why he finds
journalism both an adrenaline rush
and “extremely fulfilling.” In that
student riot, police tear gassed and
then charged the group he was with.
Choking, Christopher Curtis, reporter,
was struck by a police baton and
arrested. “It’s kind of crazy getting
your hands bound together like you’re
some kind of criminal.”
One of the reporters covering the
Lac Megantic tragedy, he recalled
seeing people standing in the dark
watching their houses burn and
realizing how important knowing
what happened was to them. He told
of visiting Mistissini after the fire that
claimed five young men in a hunting
cabin, how deep the loss was to the
community. The deaths in the stories
stay with him.
Sports reporting might not have
the pathos of straight news, but his
account of how Canadiens head coach
Michel Therrien once refused to
answer his question but fixed him
with an icy glare instead made
everybody feel the chill.
Mr. Curtis invited questions from
the students. Predictably most were
about the Canadiens. What did he
think of Andre Markov? “One of the
scariest people alive.” P.K. Subban?
“My favourite player to watch, P.K. is
a super funny guy.” His favourite
player to interview? “Dale Weise.
He’s great to talk to.”
Buried in the middle of his speeches
was how someday he would like to
make enough money to buy a car “that
doesn’t smell like a skunk.” However,
after the speeches, after the game,
after a morning of meet-and-greet, he
cheerfully hiked back to the school to
jump in his mother’s car – the skunky
one was in the shops – and head for
the Gazette and work, looking very
much like a man who liked his life.
Christopher Curtis with his
former teacher at LTMHS
Rhonda Gibson.
June /July 2015
LTMHS News
Page 9
By Gordon Wetmore
Lake of Two Mountains High School
students win an Award of Distinction
Lake of Two Mountains High School students William Eaton and Jacob Goudreau came up with a cheap and practical method to use sunlight to save on heating costs. A box
to fit in a window framet is filled with columns of aluminum cans taped together and painted black, and has vents
at the top and bottom. The boys found that placed in a
sunny window in winter, the tubes heated up enough to
raise a room’s temperature by three degrees. For this
they won an Award of Distinction at the Hydro-Quebec
Montreal Regional Science and Technology Fair at Concordia University March 29-31.
Public Speaking Contest Winners –
Lake of Two Mountains High student Stacy WhitewickDurand, 15, decided to put her lunch periods to good
use. Part of a fundraising group for research into
Crohn’s disease in support of her cousin, Jakob Dion,
also 15 and an LTM student, who has struggled with
Crohn’s since he was eight, she sold fresh popcorn,
chocolate and tickets to Guess the Number of
Jellybeans. In three weeks she raised $115.00. Douglas
Canatonquin is the happy winner of 1732 jellybeans.
See more information about the June 7 Crohn’s Gutsy
Walk fundraiser and the efforts of Jakob’s support
group, The Snakes, in the August issue.
Lake of Two Mountains High School held its first annual
public speaking contest in May, and the quality of the
speeches from each level impressed the judges. Topics
ranged from addiction, the Oka Crisis, technology, sexual
orientation, prison reform, to religion, generation identity
and animal cruelty, all chosen by the speakers themselves.
The winners (from left to right): Katrina Desnoyers (Level
1), Mason Rost (Level 5), Steven Mitchell (Level 4), Helen
Skalkogiannis (Level 2), and Marion Gagnon (Level 3).
Congratulations to them, to all the participants, and to
the teachers and staff who prepared them well.
17 Artists Show Impact of Oka Crisis.
ONEKWÉN:TARA KANÉHTSOTE - The Red Post, August
1-12, 2015
Art Exhibit for the 25th Anniversary of the 1990 Oka Crisis
17 artists address the impact of the 1990 occupation of
Kanehsatà:ke and Kahnawà:ke on art, culture and
academia.
Location: Rotiwenakehte School, 407 St. Michel,
Kanehsatà:ke Mohawk Terrritory
Webinar July 11th
This is a partnership between Konitnonhstats,
Kanehsatà:ke Language and Cultural Center and
Kahnawà:ke Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa. Sponsors:
Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and the Canadian
Friends Service Committee.
Page 10
Deux-Montagnes Artists exhibit on
“The Main”
lively and well attended by art enthusiasts, and collectors. The artists were
also present. Even pedestrians walking by were attracted inside by the
unique and colourful display of paintings and ceramic work. During the
Vernissage alone, about 25% of the
work sold in a few hours. Over the
next three days of the exhibition, the
red “Sold” dots proliferated with total sales reaching approximately
$8,000.
Diane O’Neill, a resident of DeuxMontagnes for over 40 years and
former graphic artist, has been drawing and painting most of her life. She
has participated in group exhibitions
in St-Eustache, Montreal and Vermont
Bertrand Simard and Diane and was an active member of the Atelier Samir Kachami in St-Eustache.
O’Neill in front of
Although most of her earlier paintLa Galerie ESPACE in Mile End ings were in watercolour, more recentDeux-Montagnes artists, Diane
O’Neill and Bertrand Simard, were
recent participants in a group exhibition entitled “5” at La Galerie ESPACE on St-Laurent in Mile End.
The four-day exhibition (April 912) included the work of five artists:
painters Diane O’Neill and Bertrand
Simard and ceramists Peggy Curran,
Susan Semenak and Catherine Wallace. This is the third time the group
has exhibited together; their previous
exhibits were in the summer of 2014
in St-Albans, Vermont and 2012 at
Espace Neuf Soeurs, Pointe-StCharles.
The vernissage (opening
reception), on Thursday, April 9, was
“Mookie” by Diane O’Neill
“It’s their turn now:”
June/July 2015
By Margaret Fung-A-Ling
ly she’s been concentrating on character studies in pastel.
On display in the gallery window
was “Mookie”; a realistic rendering of
Diane O’Neill’s, 20 year old, mixed corgi. The detailing of his expression; sad
eyes and floppy ear, looking forlornly
through a wire screen, is striking. The
drawing invites you in for a closer
look and offers the surprising detail
of a fly sitting on the screen with paper-thin wings.
Bertrand Simard, trained previously as a commercial photographer
and currently is a graphic artist with
the
National
Film Board of
Canada. He has
participated in
group exhibitions in Montreal and Vermont. The works
in this exhibition
included recent
acrylic paintings, most of
which are larger
scale landscapes.
Bertrand Simard
also designed the
exhibition poster. With its image of a bold “5”
and single hand
covered in multi- “Quiet Time” by
coloured pig- Bertrand Simard
ment in the background, it captured the spirit of the
exhibition.
By Gordon Wetmore
Late April, Deux-Montagnes - Steam’s up,
pipes are down, and the season of
waterworks has begun. The months of
temporary hydrants, hoses and construction
rumble have returned, this time settling along
Marquette from 4th to 7th Avenues down to
Oka. People on other roads who have been
through the Infrastructure Rag can roll
smoothly into their driveways, smile and say
with sincere sympathy, “Ah, it’s their turn
now.”
June /July 2015
Page 11
A Rosemere
Story
Cultural clashes
infiltrating global
news is anything but new. From the
mythical Pyramus and Thisbe
to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and
now to the tragic story of Tony and
Maria, family feuds rooted in discrimination have plagued our societies,
and representations of these disputes
have been present in our stories since
antiquity. When Rosemere High
School brought the parable to its
2014-2015 production April 16 and
17, the West Side Story musical play,
directed by performing arts teacher
Ms. Stephanie Cocking, brought New
York to Quebec.
Layla Drapeau, a secondary five
student cast as one of the Jet girls, described her experiences during the realization of the production in an interview with the Community Connections. Layla, having already starred in
Bye Bye Birdie and gone through the
By Chelsea Chisholm,
RHS correspondent
drama concentration program, participated in this, her second play.
“Initially the song was meant for
the guys,” she said, commenting on
the “Jet Song,” for which she became
the lead voice. Ms. Cocking had tailored the play to accommodate the
extensive cast. Giving the Jet girls a
musical part was one of the alterations to the original play. “The girls
were still important in that time …
and they’re totally forgotten in the
original,” Layla stated. Because of
their overlooked role in that society,
“Ms. Cocking decided to show the effect that women had on men,” she revealed.
West Side Story unearths the taboo
truths of the Twenty-first Century;
segregational biases are home grown.
The satirical nature of the play is perfect for secondary school students, as
the problems highlight conflicts
prominent in society, Layla said. Al-
High School in Space and Time
“Five years is a long time to spend in
high school,” my mother told me.
After experiencing the routine, her
words ring true. Five years. Five
years of immunizing the mind to the
parasitic vices of “real life” and five
years of marinating the muscle for
further use. High school is best
explained by science. Space and time
are independent.
Entering a new phase of life defined
by “what-do-you-want-to-dos” and
“why-that’s” is daunting. Those
questions nestle underneath skin,
incubating, because, despite school’s
effort, real parasites tunnel through
the dermis and not the brain.
Despite the persistent itch of
adulthood, a period of life defined by
time, experiences in the arts and
extracurriculars are defined by space.
Where did I apply effort? How did I
distribute myself with the given
constraints? Writing for the Community
ready sage, Layla wasn’t struck by the
hatred or murder. Instead, the numerous months she spent acquainting
herself with the musical only reinforced her ominous observations of
the population, she said.
For Layla, understanding her character ’s motives, regardless of how
malevolent and misguided, was simple. “I went in her skin and became
her,” she said.
The lengthy production featured
many actors, but the audience does
not see the back stage crew’s labour.
Only the fruit, a pull of a curtain or a
perfectly trailing spotlight, is ever
seen. To this secondary five student,
appreciation of the whole play, setmakers and costume-tailors included,
is essential to her happiness.
By Chelsea Chisholm,
RHS correspondent
Connections has been a privilege
untainted
by
quantitative
measurements. Instead, it is
characterized by contentment.
With my time in Rosemere High
School (almost) completed, two things
can be said. On the road to postsecondary education, I have the choice
to say either, “I survived five years of
school,” or, “I had fun.”
I choose the latter.
Page 12
The Lions’ Den –
By Nancy Ryder
June /July 2015
ments to the citizens that came to the Deux-Montagnes Horticultural day.
Keep your eyes open for our up-coming Hot Dog Days that
will be held from June 11-14. Come and enjoy some great tasting hot dogs at a good price.
We will be serving our famous sausages and beaver tails on
Canada Day.
Once again we are asking for books in good condition( except
encyclopedias and National geographics) to be donated for our
Book Fair to be held on October 17 and 18. Books can be dropped
off at the Maison des Citoyens at 202 Henri-Dunant from 9:00
am to 11:30 am Monday to Friday. Please call Mr Ouellet at 450473-7450 to ensure someone will be there to receive your books.
If you have no transport or the books are too heavy, we can
arrange for pick up. For pick up please call Lion GIGI O’Brien at
450-623-5226 .For information please call Lions Betty or Martin
Hensen at 450-473-1932 or LionDave Byers at 514-602-7054. As
in previous years all the profits generated by the Book Fair will
be used for Charity in our district.
On a personal note, Lion Leader
Dog Kleopatra passed away on
March 30, 2015. She will be truly missed by all those people
that she touched through her
long years of service.
On a happy note, we welcomed a new member, Paul Audet, to our den on April 28, 2015.
We would like to express our
appreciation to all of those who
came out for our annual Bowling for Scholarships. A good
time was had by all.
On April 7, 2015 we held our annual Blood Drive with Hema
Quebec and were fortunate to get 95 donors of blood. Thank
you to all of those who donated towards this cause.
We hope everyone enjoyed our
corn beef and cabbage supper held on
May 2. Everyone
seemed to enjoy the
event.
On May 23, 2015
New Member Lion Paul Audet’s we sold refresh- Gil Docherty, Micheline Groulx Stabile, Laurin Liu
induction
and Yves Carriere at corn beef fundraiser
June /July 2015
Page 13
The State of English-Speaking Seniors
in Quebec– Survey Results
By Kim Nymark
At a Lunch and Learn hosted by 4 Korners Family Resource Center April 8, the Quebec Community Groups
Network (QCGN) presented the results of their research
entitled Building Research Capacity for Quebec’s Englishspeaking Seniors. An overwhelming 835 respondents
completed the survey in eight regions from August to November 2013. Darlene Gargul was the Senior Researcher
for the Laurentian region and she achieved the highest
participation rate in all of Quebec.
Quebec’s English-speaking seniors share many of the same
needs and priorities as their French-speaking counterparts; however, they also have needs and priorities that
are unique within the broader senior population. The
objective of this project was to enhance the evidencebased and decision-making practices of the many groups
and people that shape the experiences of Quebec’s English-speaking seniors. A big part of this mandate was
building research capacity and fostering networking opportunities among seniors, researchers and community
members to promote greater awareness and understanding of the situation. The project set out to build the most
up-to-date and detailed portrait yet of English-speaking
seniors in Quebec.
The 2011 Canadian census figures tell us that there are
1,058,250 English-speaking people living in Quebec and
268,696 of them are 55 years or over. More than one quarter (or 11,529 seniors) of the Laurentian English-speaking
population is over 55 years old. Not only are they geographically dispersed but also there are differences in the
sizes of seniors groups and their demographic weight in
their own communities.
Some of the Findings - There are more English-speaking
women than men in the senior group and senior women
display lower levels of bilingualism. There is a high level
of income disparity among Quebec’s English-speaking
population, that is: high levels of low income (less than
$20k) and high levels of high income ($50k and over). There
are 138,000 English-speaking seniors (age 65 and over)
and almost half are immigrants. They are almost five
times more likely than their Francophone counterparts
to have been born in a province outside of Quebec and
tend to live longer. The Laurentian English-speaking seniors have the highest health status of all the regions and
are one of the most satisfied with their living arrangements. Also, they are the respondents who volunteer the
most of all the regions.
The greatest challenges to the quality of life of Englishspeaking seniors is access to health services in their language and is the number one reason for relocating outside of Quebec. Respondents’ top three challenges when
seeking information from Quebec’s public institutions and
agencies are: forms are not available in English; they
would prefer to talk to somebody rather than read or use
a computer; and they cannot find information in English.
Respondents feel that the number one issue to be addressed is improved access to health and social services.
These are just a few of the findings.
The survey results are presented in a 66-page Power Point
document, a very interesting read that can be found online at: http://www.qcgn-seniors.org.
Ms. Nymark is the Communications Director for the 4 Korners
Family Resources Center.
Lionel Pascal
LUNETTERIE F. FARHAT
1908 Chemin D’Oka
Deux-Montagnes Qc. J75 1N4
Page 14
SCHOOL MATTERS
By Gord Wetmore
[email protected]
It was a shock to learn that after nine stellar years at Mountainview Elementary in Deux-Montagnes, principal Darlene Miller
has been transferred to eastern Laval. Ms. Miller brought an
enthusiastic leadership that saw the school incorporate educational technology into everyday class activities from Kindergarten through Grade 6. More significantly, she and her united
staff took the “Mountainview Cares” motto beyond the walls
of the building to the greater community. Mountainview’s annual Anti-homophobia Week promoted acceptance of different
sexual orientations and discouraged bullying for any reason.
Anti-homophobia Week (also known as Week to End Homophobia) led to schools adopting similar approaches throughout Quebec and into Ontario. Mountainview won widespread
recognition, prizes, and was lauded in television, radio, print
and social media. Mountainview students learned research
June /July 2015
techniques, teamwork, leadership skills, public speaking and
presentation skills along with the traditional academics.
We wish Ms. Miller success in her new posting, and we wish
success to the principal who replaces her. The new principal
will have very big shoes to fill. Speaking personally, I will miss
stepping into Darlene’s school and getting swept up in her creative and energetic enthusiasms.
It is June, the last issue before schools close, and I am happy to
take this opportunity to thank the office personnel and teachers
in Mountainview, St. Jude and McCaig elementaries who count
out and distribute copies of the Community Connections to their
students to take home. I am also very grateful to the teachers,
administrators and other school personnel – and parents - who
contacted me to say, “Hey, we have something going on that’s
good. Please put it in the paper.”
Also, I am particularly grateful to Chelsea Chisholm and Robert Marchand, the student correspondents from Rosemere High
School (Chelsea) and Lake of Two Mountains High School (Robert). I have had the great pleasure of working with Chelsea for
two years. An excellent student, talented, insightful and hardworking, she is also a committed and enthusiastic member of
the RHS community. Robert has been the Community Connections LTM correspondent only this year and feels that it’s ending
too soon. When last I saw him, he was busily trying to set up an
on-line news site for staff and students at LTM. High school
journalism is changing. I will miss working with them.
Best wishes to all for a good summer.
Saint Jude Student Receives Governor
By Gordon Wetmore
General’s Award
At the Evening of Champions, a special pre-We Day event,
Grade 6 student Simon Goyetche of Deux Montagnes’ Saint Jude
Elementary School received the Governor General of Canada’s
Caring Canadian Award for his “Socktober” activity to help
the homeless.
The award was presented by Craig Kielburger, co-founder of
We Day and the Governor General’s special representative for
youth, to Simon at a small, private event in Montreal March 23,
the evening before the We Day activities at Theatre St. Denis. A
small number of other recipients from schools across the
province were also honoured with the award. Each recipient
was accompanied by only one person. In Simon’s case, that
person was his very proud mother, Cathy Bobkowicz.
Simon’s project was to collect pairs of new socks to be
distributed in the winter cold to homeless people by the
Montreal benevolent organization Dans la Rue.
The son of Robert Goyetche and Ms. Bobkowicz of DeuxMontagnes, Simon was also honoured at an assembly at Saint
Jude March 30, where he was cheered by his fellow students. In
an interview after, he said that he had been inspired by a You
Tube message from Kid President to find a way to be helpful.
Conducting his own Internet research, he was caught by the
work of Dans la Rue with homeless teens and adults.
He turned October into Socktober, made appeals to all the
classes to donate new socks and then found all sorts of people
who wanted to help out.
The process was a little more complicated than one would
expect. He had to present his idea first to his homeroom teacher,
then to the staff council, and finally to the school’s governing
board.
He received lots of support from “my entire school,” he said.
Students, teachers, his parents – one woman heard of a
company that was closing out its sock division and showed up
with boxes of socks.
At the month’s end, he had more than 300 pairs for Dans la
Rue. “They took up half the car,” he said.
What had he learned from his successful campaign and the
honours that followed? “When you have an idea, follow it
through, make sure it happens,” he said.
Simon Goyetche, a Grade 6 Student at Saint Jude
Elementary, shows his Caring Canadian Award from
the Governor General of Canada that he received
March 23 at the Evening of Champions ceremony.
Simon collected more than 300 pairs of socks for Dans
la Rue to give to homeless people. With him are
teachers Pierre Mousette, Stephanie Abbate, mother
Cathy Bobkowicz, teacher Keena Mann and Christyne
Legault, principal.
June /July 2015
Saint Jude Recognized by WE DAY
Page 15
By Gordon Wetmore
We Day is a very big deal across the country and across
- A food drive for the needy launched at Halloween
the continent. Part of the youth-based trio of Free the
that fed many over Christmas;
Children, We Act and We Day, its direct aid, awareness
raising and educational initiatives are felt around the
- A Remembrance Day ceremony to honour murworld. So when Saint Jude Elementary’s Cycle 3 classes
dered soldiers Patrice Vincent and Nathan Ciril(grades 5 and 6) were given special recognition at the
lo and all soldiers who fought for Canada’s freeMontreal We Day and at the National We Day in Ottawa,
dom; money raised from selling poppies was givit was a great source of pride for the students and staff of
en to Legion Branch 185 for veterans;
the Deux-Montagnes school.
For the Montreal We Day event at Theatre St. Denis March
- A Shoe Box drive that sent 40 boxes of school sup24, the Grade 5 students were given reserved seating, a
plies, socks and hygiene products to war-torn and
“shout out,” and a special mention from the stage for their
underdeveloped countries via the Samaritan’s
generosity and effort.
Purse Foundation;
For its past and continuing contributions, the Grade 6
class was invited to attend the National We Day event
- Bake sales that raised $435.00 for Free the Children.
April 1 at the Canadian Tire Center in Ottawa. Travelling by bus and accompanied by Principal Christyne
In the months since, activities such as a used book sale
Legault, teachers Pierre Moussette, Keena Mann, caretakhave raised money to support a small student based busier Edward Davis and five parent volunteers, they also
ness and for financial literacy training. Saint Jude’s latest
toured the Museum of Civilization and stayed overnight
project was a combined garage sale and fair in mid-May.
at a hotel. Teacher Stephanie Abbatte also helped in the
The Cycle Three classes decided to use the money raised
preparations for the trip.
for Free the Children to buy six goats ($300.00) and 13
chicks ($325.00) for villagers in Ecuador.
The letter by Jakob and Enya concluded: “We are very
proud of all the goals we have achieved and all the different ways we have helped our community and other countries. We are also very proud of how our school community is always willing to support any important cause …
Imagine what we can do in the future!” Imagine.
Students from across Canada filled Ottawa’s
Canadian Tire Center for the National We Day
event.
In February, a well written letter to the We Act team
from Grade 5 students Jakob George and Enya Steczko
documented the students’ activities. Among their accomThe shirts say “We Goat This” but actually villagers
plishments were:
- An ALS Ice Bucket challenge to Ms. Legault that
involved thorough research about the disease, a
collection of water that did not involve drinking
water (a precious resource), and raising money
for research into the disease and for another worthy charity, ($175.00 each for ALS and Free the
Children);
- An initiative to collect socks for the homeless by
Simon Goyetche, who was recognized by the
Governor General of Canada for his achievement;
in Ecuador got the six goats and 13 chicks thanks
to the assiduous money raising for Free the
Children by grades 5 and 6 at Saint Jude
Elementary. The Grade 5s got special recognition
at the Montreal We Day and the Grade 6s were
invited to the National We Day event in Ottawa.
Braxton Gaspe, Selina Lunny and Summer
Hannaberg model the tees. Proud adults who
assisted their efforts were teachers Stephanie
Abbatte, Pierre Moussette, Keena Mann, caretaker
Edward Davis and principal Christyne Legault.
Page 16 / Junel/July 2015
June/July 2015 / Page 17
LTM Titans vs Firefighters
By Robert Marchand, LTMHS Correspondent
For the annual Hockey Day game between the Lake of Two
Mountains High School’s Titans and the Deux-Montagnes
Fire Department April 17, the roar of thunderstix (provided
by LTM’s Leadership squad) filled Danielle Sauvageau Arena.
In pre-game ceremonies, LTM player Jessica Parr received
flowers from the Fire Department for her participation on
the school’s team during her high school years. The only
girl on the team, this was her last game before graduating.
Guest of honour Montreal Gazette writer and LTM graduate
Christopher Curtis dropped the puck at the ceremonial
faceoff, and student Abby Griffin proudly and beautifully
sang “O’Canada.”
On behalf of the firemen, Captain Jonathan
Gladu presents student Jessica Parr, a senior
and the only girl on the Titans roster, with roses
to commemorate her completing her high school
hockey career.
The firefighters scored two goals within the first six
minutes. Even though the Titans were off to a bad start,
student supervisor Sue Bourque wasn’t afraid to show her
faith in the Titans. “We’re down two goals but I think we’re
going to come back in the end and surprise the TwoMountains firemen. We’re enthusiastic, the thunderstix are
going and we’re having fun!” Then the firefighters scored
an additional two goals, but that was followed by a goal
from the Titans. The score at the end of the first period was
4-1 for the firefighters. At the beginning of the second, the
Titans tucked in a goal and started feeling some confidence.
The atmosphere was exiting and cheerful, to a point where
the firemen were caught dancing to the in-game music.
During the game, I spoke with Margaret Lavallée, DeuxMontagnes city councillor in charge of sports and leisure
and the woman behind it all. She regularly organizes
hockey game fundraisers and works with the Fire
Department as well. She said that the first Hockey Day
game was organized four years ago with the Deux-
Dropping the puck at the ceremonial face off for
the annual hockey game April 17 between the
Lake of Two Mountains High School Titans and
the Deux-Montagnes Fire Department is Montreal
Gazette journalist Christopher Curtis. An LTM
alumnus from 2003, Mr. Curtis is a nominee for
a national press award and writes for both the
Gazette’s sports pages and regular news. With
him are Deux-Montagnes City Councillor
Margaret Lavallée (left), LTM teacher and staff
assistant Christine Fiset (right), and team
captains Jonathan Gladu (left, Firemen) and
David Lavoie (right, Titans).
Great save!
Montagnes police, but the two past years the firefighters
played the Titans. She said the purpose of the game was to
show that the firefighters don’t just fight fires but are
also“pillars of the community.” According to Ms. Lavallée,
the annual game is something to bring the community
together and for both teams to show their sportsmanship.
She said that the games have always been a big success and
as long as she is city councillor they will continue every
year.
Laurin Liu, NDP Member of Parliament for the district of
Rivière-des-Mille-Isles, also told me she thought the game
definitely was beneficial for the small community of DeuxMontagnes. “The firefighters are really involved in the
community.” As to whether she approved of “community MP Laurin Liu with LTM correspondent Robert
fusing events” such as the annual Hockey Day, she replied, Marchand
“For sure! Deux-Montagnes is a really good place to live.
People are really involved in this community and feel really
attached to it, so I think it’s really important we have the
events.” She enjoying the game, she said, and was optimistic
the Titans would come back.
The competition intensified through the third period, and
with a last second goal, the Titans tied the score at 6-6.
Physical Education teacher and Titans’ coach André Plourde
called the game “fun, and it was a great event for the school.
I think everybody enjoyed it.” He added that coming back
to tie the score showed the Titans’ character. “They did that
all year long. Everywhere we played it was very close games
and a lot of comebacks.”
Fire Chief Ron Hunt also said the game was fun. It was a
hard game and both teams were able to show what they
had. He added that he was excited for next year’s match. Christopher Curtis pumping up Caelan Taylor
Will there be a game next year? As long as Councillor (left) and Kailey Tye Nicholas.
Lavallée is there, count on it!
Page 18
June /July 2015
Anxiety in Children – How Parents Can Help
Chronic anxiety in a child can cause
harm that lasts for life; but there are
tools parents and children can learn
to reduce anxiety, increase security,
and create an emotionally resilient
adult.
Family educator Laura Young’s information packed, audience friendly
workshop “Anxiety and Children:
How to Help” delivered this message
to very interested parents April 9 at
the 4 Korners Family Resource Center’s facilities in Deux-Montagnes. The
presentation was sponsored by the
Panda BLSO Association and the 4K.
Anxiety, Ms. Young said, is a normal feeling that can motivate us, help
us make decisions and protect us from
danger. When fear continues without a clear cause and a child cannot
shut it down, then it becomes a chronic problem of over-arousal. An overly anxious child can see danger everywhere, anticipate worst case scenarios, and develop avoidance behaviours.
It is best, she said, to deal with anxiety when a person is young to allow
him or her to grow to an adult able to
deal with emotional adversity. “We’re
not raising kids,” she said, “we’re raising adults.”
About 20 percent of the population
suffers from an anxiety disorder:
phobias, panic disorder, social anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder
(OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder.
Getting professional help is advised but it is not always possible. It
may be unavailable, hard to reach or
unaffordable. Nevertheless, there are
ways parents can help their children,
and as children learn, parents and
children can work together, she said.
Ms. Young, always willing to listen to the parents’ input, described
different symptoms, ages at which
they appear, and a number of techniques for dealing with them.
She said that separation anxiety,
the most common disorder in children, usually shows up between ages
6 and 9. School anxiety can often be
separation anxiety. Distress in leaving parents, in new places, nightmares and trouble sleeping are among
its manifestations.
Specific phobias about animals,
storms, doctors, the dark, etc., show
up between 2 and 6 years. Children
usually “freak out” rather than talk
about what’s bothering them. Parents
will have to play detective.
Panic attacks can suddenly show up
for no apparent reason. Symptoms
include hyperventilating, dizziness,
trembling, shortness of breath, heart
palpitations and sweating; fears of
dying, losing control, going crazy; the
fight-or-flight syndrome.
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
causes difficult functioning in day-today life. A continuous anticipation of
something negative produces sleep
problems, irritability, muscular tension, fatigue, difficulty concentrating
and agitation. Signs in younger sufferers can be a desire to be in control,
persistent questions and repeated
checking and rechecking of answers.
Sometimes GAD may be confused
with attention deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD).
OCD’s symptoms – often ritualized
behaviours such as checking, repeating cleaning, counting, hoarding, etc.,
to chase way intrusive thoughts or
images – usually begin in teenage or
early adulthood. They begin with little things that grow bigger as kids age.
People who felt helpless when suffering or witnessing a traumatic experience may develop PTSD with
nightmares, flashbacks, trouble sleeping, withdrawal, irritability and hyper vigilance.
Persistent “What if …” or “Yes, but
…” responses to reassurances are a red
flag that an anxiety problem is
present, Ms. Young said. Children easily pick up a parent’s anxiety, such as
a fear of snakes, and parents need to
be careful not to pass on their own
fears. Over protecting can reinforce
anxieties, she warned.
Ms. Young explained that some children may be more genetically disposed to develop anxiety than others
but all can benefit from positive approaches. “Praise, praise, praise and
encourage. And just talk – that communication is priceless.”
Sleep is very important. “Kids need
a lot of it,” she said. “Do you have to
wake them in the morning? Put them
By Gordon Wetmore
to bed earlier.“ She advised having a
routine for bedtime, and no electronics - TV, phones or computer - before
bed or in the bedroom. Keep light to a
minimum. All are good ideas for parents, too. “If we lack sleep, we lack
patience.”
Learning how to belly breathe
deeply, to tighten and relax muscles,
and to practise yoga is helpful. Sustained and regular physical activity,
getting outside every day, playing
with a pet will encourage production
of endorphins. Eating well (avoid kid
menus), eating together and talking
(including about bad things) are opportunities to reinforce what is good,
she said. Cook together.
Help children to understand the
body’s cues and develop words to deal
with them. One way is to give feelings a name. They can say, “So&so’s
back again.” This gives them a way to
talk about complex feelings. Do relaxing breathing with them, she advised.
Focus on silver linings, model positive
behaviour, and embrace “mistakes” as
learning opportunities. Help children
associate errors with learning to succeed.
Ms. Young suggested creating a
worry box. As things crop up, write
them down and put them in the box.
Take some time at the end of the day
to discuss the worries. Do not feed
the worries outside this time – and
don’t skip the worry time either, she
said.
Parents suggested methods that
worked for their children. One described
having her daughter blow her anxieties
into a balloon. When the balloon was full,
they took it into the yard and emptied the
worries into the air. Another taught deep
breathing by giving his son a straw and
having him blow a cotton ball slowly
across a table.
Ms. Young revealed that she had anxiety as a child. Thus she can testify that
things that work for children also work
for adults.
Ms. Young has worked with Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board teachers in the Laurentians and
in Deux-Montagnes with the Fun Friends program to develop emotional resilience in elementary children. Through her company, Parenting
101, she teaches parenting and runs a popular
playgroup for youngsters in Sainte Agathe.
June /July 2015
Page 19
The 44th edition of Canada Day in
Deux Montagnes
By Tom Whitton
Canada Day celebrations are a longstanding tradition in Deux-Montagnes. Annually, more than 10,000
people from the region descend upon
Deux-Montagnes to enjoy the day, and
2015 will be no exception. In fact, this
year’s event will be the 44th edition of
the Canada Day celebrations in DeuxMontagnes. And as the premier Canada Day event on Montreal’s North
Shore, these festivities were finally
recognized last year as being the official Canada Day celebration representing the entire MRC Deux-Montagnes, a region which spans from
Saint-Placide to Saint-Eustache, a
population of over 100,000 people.
Our celebrations start on Wednesday,
July 1, at 11:45 am with a parade down
Oka Road to Central Park (13th Avenue field), stopping at City Hall for the
singing of the national anthem at
noon. The parade will feature the honourary Parade Marshall for the 2015
festivities, former Fire Director Mr. Ray
Mills, who proudly served DeuxMontagnes residents for more than 30
years before his retirement in 1996.
The opening ceremonies kick off at
12:45 pm at Central Park. Children’s
races, inflatable games, a horseshoe
tournament, bingo, and lots of other
games and activities will be held for
both kids and adults alike. Food and
beverages are available for all. A special activity will be held in the afternoon to help honour the 50th anniversary of our Canadian Flag.
More than 100 community volunteers will be on hand to make the day
special for everyone. Throughout the
day, live bands will play right up to
midnight. Our headliner for 2015 is:
The Blushing Brides
(http://theblushingbrides.com/),
North America’s foremost Rolling
Stones tribute band. And of course, our
spectacular fireworks display will be
set off at 10:15 pm in front of thousands of people.
The Government of Canada, the
City of Deux-Montagnes and Caisse
Desjardins de Saint-Eustache-DeuxMontagnes are official partners for the
event. The day could not be possible
without their support.
Come one, come all to Central Park
and celebrate Canada Day.
Page 20
Award for Community
Service
June /July 2015
Moments to Remember
at the Heritage Social Club
By Harold Rauchwenger,
Concerts Plus, April 15, 2015
On May 3, Frank Hutchison was presented with The Lieutenant Governor’s medal for Community Service.
The ceremony took place in Ste. Agathe-des-Monts. His family and
friends are very proud of him for his
many years of commitment to his
community. The Community Connections sends congratulations to Frank.
Winning author-
Congratulations to Brianna Fasoli of
St. Jude Elementary for winning first
place in the Grades 3 & 4 category of
the Laval Families Young Author’s Contest with her short story “Nora and
the Secret of the Crystal”. Open to students from the North Shore, Lower
Laurentians and Laval, her category
had more than 1300 entries. Brianna
also illustrated her story.
On April 11, in Deux-Montagnes the Forever
Young Theatre Group produced a show
called Moments to Remember. It was a touching
community stage experience that connected
personal life stories to a song. Music can
easily be associated with positive
memories, such as those of the one we loved,
or the things that were happening to us at
that moment.
The Theatre group brought back other
memories too, such as those for Sandra
Tremblay who told the sentimental story
of her parents love and sang “The
Anniversary Song.” Her parents watched
on, and shared a tissue.
Other members of the group had their
thoughts and feelings described by song,
bringing to the audience the feeling that
their lives too, could be punctuated by the
songs that ruled their lives. The show was
a truly warm event that brought people
together to share a community experience
of personal stories and feelings that are
awakened by the inspiration of the sounds
of music.
June /July 2015
A Look at Rosemere
By Marge McCord
Pat Bailey
turned 100
years on St.
P a t r i c k ’s
Day, March
17. Still in
good health,
she plays
bridge and
still hand
m a k e s
beautiful
smocked
dresses for
little girls that sell like hot cakes and
can be bought at the Rosemere
Volunteer Services Gift Boutique in
the Memorial Community Centre.
For the occasion of her 100 th
birthday her family hosted a party
with friends and family at the
Memorial Community Centre, with a
toast, a buffet luncheon and of course
a special cake. Pat has three sons plus
grandchildren
and
great
grandchildren, all present for the
party. Our very best to you, Pat, in
the coming years. Pat is now a
resident of Dollard des Ormeaux to be
closer to family.
June 21 is Fathers’ Day. If you are
buying a gift, don’t buy a tie. Get a Tshirt to wear for relaxation in summer
months. That would be better. If your
granddad is still around, don’t forget
about him. Happy Fathers’ Day to all
you dads.
The schools will be closing for the
summer. Some kids will be going to
day camp. With swimming lessons,
tennis lessons and other activities, the
Rosemere Curling Club offers a very
good day camp. The town offers day
camps as well.
On May 22, the Rosemere Volunteer
Services held their Annual General
Meeting. After the regular business,
lunch was served. Their boutique also
closed for the summer months but will
open again in September.
Rosemere lost one of its remarkable
volunteers. Jean Rivard came to
Rosemere in 1956. He was involved
in minor baseball and hockey,
charitable organizations like Meals on
Wheels, Entraide Rosemere, and
Manoir Hubert Maisonneuve, to name
a few. He participated in guided tours
of Rosemere and contributed to the
drafting of our history book, summer
concerts, the painting symposium
and so much more. The parish of
Sainte-Francoise Cabrini also
benefited from his loyal services. He
served as parish warden for 16 years,
earning the medal of the Bishop of St.
Jerome.
He was proud of his achievements.
In 2014, the town submitted his
candidacy for the Lieutenant
Governor of Quebec’s medal for
seniors – a well deserved honour. The
town invited him to sign its Golden
Book and handed him a key to the
town as a symbol of his deep
commitment.
As a final greatly deserved tribute,
Mayor Madeleine Leduc presented a
plaque in his honour. The parish will
install it in plain view – a reminder of
the
great
Rosemerite and his
influence on the
development of the
community. He
passed away in
February of this
Page 21
year. Our sympathy goes to his family.
Marge Costello, long-time resident
of Lorraine and President of Rosemere
Volunteer Services for some years, left
to take up residence in Brome Lake
with her family. We wish her all the
best in her new endeavours and hope
she will come back from time to time
for a visit.
Norm Phelps, long-time resident of
Rosemere and a veteran of the Second
World War, serving in England in the
Royal Canadian Air Force, in a ground
crew capacity, recently was cited by
the
Federal
Government’s
Department of National Defence by
Cabinet Minister Erin O’Toole, and
received a Certificate for his good
work for which Canada is very
grateful and with one of Canada’s 75th
year silver medals. Prime Minister
Stephen Harper also sent a note of
thanks. The Town of Rosemere invited
Norm, with his family, to sign its
Golden Book. Congratulations Norm,
you deserve it. We here in Rosemere
are very proud of you.
In March, Shelagh Mulherien of our
town passed away. She was a talented
folk artist and avid golfer, playing at
Rosemere and then Royal Montreal.
Her husband Conrad and her son
Jeffrey predeceased her. She is
survived by her daughters Jennifer
(William Summers), Cynthia of
Rosemere, Diana (Stephen) of Calgary
and Andrea ( John Flintoft) of
Vancouver, and 10 grandchildren. Our
sympathy goes out to them.
A great honour was bestowed on Rosemere’s talented artist, Gertrude Barwick. Her oil painting King
of the North, (six feet by four feet), was just chosen
by the Architect and Memorabilia Committee to hang
in the new Shriners’ Hospital at the new MUHC Hospital. Our congratulations go to her.
Page 22
June /July 2015
Plantar Warts (Verrucae Plantaris): Causes, Symptoms,
Treatment and Prevention
By Dr. Martin Scutt
Plantar warts are a very common viral skin infection especially in children
and teenagers. Plantar warts are
transmitted by a virus called the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), when an
individual walks barefoot through an
area where the virus is lurking. The
virus penetrates through the skin and
may often enter through traumatized
or damaged skin or areas that are under repetitive stress. The HPV virus
usually prefers a warm, moist environment making such areas as a communal locker room, pool area or bathroom a perfect hiding place.
Appearance
Plantar warts appear as grainy lesions
with well defined boundaries (commonly grey or brown in colour with
one or more pinpoints of black ) usually on the sole of the feet where the
feet feel the most pressure. Warts can
be present in clusters (mosaic) or alone
and can grow to an inch or more if left
untreated. They can be very painful
and are often mistaken for corns or
calluses, which are layers of dead skin
that build up to protect an area which
is being consistently rubbed or irritated. The wart, however, is a viral
infection.
Treatment
It is important to note that warts can
be very resistant to treatment and
have a tendency to reoccur. On occasion, warts can spontaneously disappear after a short time, and, just as
frequently, they can recur in the same
location. Since warts are often resistant to treatment, it is strongly recommended to consult a reputable and
experienced podiatrist to ensure a
correct diagnosis, and appropriate
and effective treatment. Our skilled
podiatrists employ the most effective
methods to treat plantar warts including the application of acid, injection of medication using a needleless
system or wart extraction (minor
surgery) using a local anesthetic. We
recommend to it best to consult when
any unusual growth or eruption is detected on the skin of the
foot in order to ensure a
correct diagnosis and
treatment
Prevention
Check your children’s and teenagers’
feet regularly.
Do not ignore any unusual growths,
infections, irritations or eruptions on
the skin of your feet.
Visit your podiatrist as part of your
annual health checkup.
Our clinics have been proudly built
on honesty and integrity.
Our team of experienced and bilingual podiatrists (including colleagues,
Dr .Darrell Bevacqua and Dr. Marc Antoine Dion), have an excellent reputation for providing quality care with a
reasonable fee schedule which allows
an increased accessibility to our services. We are very proud of the fact
that the vast majority of new patients
are referred to us by health professionals and our patients themselves.
Our greatest compliment is the distance patients travel to access our clinics. We often see patients from across
the province and beyond. Services
and treatment options include biomechanical examinations, custom, quality orthotics, surgery (ingrown toenails, bunions, hammertoes, flat foot
(Hyprocure), corns, Morton”s neuroma), laser therapy for fungal nails,
MBS therapy for pain and other foot
conditions, plantar fasciitis and heel
pain assessment, digital xrays,
plantar warts and much more!.
Wear footwear at all
times. It is especially
important to avoid
walking barefoot in
public areas that are
moist and warm (bathrooms, pools, locker For more information about a foot
rooms).
problem or to take an appointment,
please call our Rosemere office at
Wash your feet daily
(450) 979 0303 or Laval at (450) 937and keep them dry.
5055.
Change your shoes and
Thank you for your trust.
socks every day.
Avoid direct contact Dr. Martin Scutt, podiatrist and cliniwith warts (on any part cial teacher at UQTR
of the body).
June/July 2015
Page 23
ACDM’s “Welcome to Spring” and Coming Events
By Michele Bourlard; photos by Nicole Cloutier
A Welcome to Spring workshop for children to celebrate
the arrival of warmer weather took place at The Little
Yellow School House in Deux-Montagnes on March 29.
More than 20 children participated, learning to make
different crafts, masks and paintings with an Easter
theme, and after enjoyed the antics of Carmella the Clown.
These free workshops given by the Association Culturelle Deux-Montagnes are well attended and very enjoyable. The ACDM invites you to sign up for the next one
for Hallowe’en in October.
Also, the ACDM would like to announce a students’ exhibition showing all the hard work they have done during their courses. You are invited to meet the artists in a
vernissage at 1:30 pm Saturday, June 20, at The Little YelMichelewatercolours,
Bourland drawlow School House. Glass,©
paintings,
ings, sculpture and music will enchant your eyes and ears
throughout this magical event. Everyone is welcome.
The ACDM has been very busy this year and will host
the Cité des Arts on July 11 as its part in the Deux-Montagnes en fête festival.
Seeds for change
By Michael Kanentase Rice
“So long as you have food in your mouth, you have solved all
questions for the time being.” Franz Kafka
While listening to the news about the rising costs of food
this winter, I thought about the coming budgets being
handed down by the provincial and federal governments.
I asked myself, what could we do to help reduce the impact
of these costs? The thought that came to mind was
community gardens. Yours may be as small as a 10’ x 10’
plot in your yard, where you could grow vegetables to
help offset the cost of your grocery purchases. I have
been planting gardens for a few years and last summer
started my first in Deux-Montagnes. I noticed that many
people here have beautiful flower gardens but few have
vegetable gardens.
The advantages to you are: you exercise, fresh air, fresh
veggies and the satisfaction of knowing you produced
your own food and saved some money in the process.
The vegetables that you cannot eat can always be shared
with friends and family and/or preserved. These
resources can be put away for the winter when the price
of certain vegetables like tomatoes, beans, and squash are
more expensive.
Deux-Montagnes has an annual competition for flower
gardens. Why cannot this competition be opened up with
a new category for vegetable gardens? In this competition,
if folks have extra vegetables they can exchange with their
fellow citizens in a farmers’ market. With the amount of
good soil in Deux-Montagnes, we could help beautify the
town and reduce our dependence on imported fruits and
vegetables, even if for a few months. The best thing of all
is we save money in our pockets that has no affect on our
taxes.
I leave you now with this food for thought and go to
clean up the leaves and branches in my yard and garden.
Onen
Page 24
June /July 2015
The Church Mouse
by Eric Painter
Message from the Church Snoop
CHURCH OF GOD
Now that summer really seems to
have arrived, one only has to glance
at the trees to see the great difference.
A few short weeks ago they looked so
sad, and yes, so dead! Now they stand
in glorious splendor, with the most
beautiful lilacs and leaves, along with
flowers and vegetables in our gardens. All of these amazing things
make us feel very aware and grateful
to our God, who blesses us with All
Things Bright and Beautiful, as the old
song goes. As we enjoy His gifts, let
us always remember to thank Him,
and share our joy with others.
815 Rockland St.
450-491-6873
Services, Sunday
evening 6:30 pm
“Then sings my
soul, my Saviour
God to thee; how
great thou art!”
The familiar words of this old, yet glorious hymn, reflect the gratitude of
our soul for what the Lord has done.
Within the last month, we have seen
significant answers to prayer, which
cause us to stand in awe of God’s power
and love. At least five people have testified to being healed by the power of
God in and through the ministry of
the church. We were blessed to welcome Evangelist Daniel W. Poulin from
Granby, for a special service in April,
and also were blessed by the ministry
of Pastor Alan MacInnes, of DeuxMontagnes. Through the healing
touch of the Lord, people who were
living with pain, are now pain free,
and giving glory to God! If you need
healing, please come for prayer on
Sunday evenings at 815, Rockland
Street, Deux-Montagnes, near the
Grand Moulin train station. Our services are at 6:30 pm, and we always offer prayer for the needs of those
present.
Pastor and Mrs. John Thévenot.
The Community Connections volunteer staff join me in wishing you all a
beautiful, restful, and safe summer,
with those you love. We look forward
to being with you again in August. Till
then, may every blessing be yours.
Eric.
Christ Church United
214-14 Avenue, Deux Montagnes
www.christchurchunited.com
Worship Sunday
at 11:45 am. everyone is welcome.
“Out to Lunch” for all residents of the
area. Come and join us for a free lunch
at Christ Church, Tuesdays from 12:30
pm. until 1:15 pm
N.B. Children must be accompanied
by an adult. All donations will be
greatly appreciated.
Volunteers welcome. For more info
please contact Christ Church 450-4734784 or
Stella Cox 450 623-5192
EVENTS
June 19
Dominoes and Laughs
June 20
BBQ Fundraiser – For Out
to Lunch Program
Entertainment and fun for all.
More details to follow. Tickets are
$10.00 per person.
starting at 8:00 am in the church parking lot, or in the Hall, depending on
the weather. Reserve a table for only
$ 15.00. 450-473-9541
June 25/July 30
Holy Communion
service at Les Cascades 10:30 a m
June 29 to July 3 Bible Day Camp
10:00 am to 3:00 pm. for elementary
school aged children.
July 11 Strawberry Social 2:00 pm
Quebec Strawberries, REAL cream,
lemon fruit scones, Coffee or Tea,
Price: $8.00 (5-12: $5.00)
Info:450-473-9541
or [email protected]
Recently renovated rental space (kitchen
and hall) available for group meetings
and activities Phone Jerry East 450-6234929
PEOPLE’S CHURCH
370 5th Ave, Deux Montagnes
Sunday service’s
and
Sunday
school 11:00 am
Thursday Bible
Study 7:30 pm
Summer is coming.
With the warmth of spring now upon
us, it is a clear reminder that summer
is just around the corner. I remember
as a child growing up, my two favourite months of the school year were July
and August. I’m sure the Lord has a
special place in his heart for summer,
All Saints Church
also, because here at People’s Church,
248-18th Ave. Deux Montagnes
we offer a summer program called vaTelephone: 450-473-9541
cation bible school (VBS) for children
where they learn about the Love of
Sunday services, 11:00 am.
1st
Sunday – God found in Christ Jesus.
All are welcome (ages 5-12)
Morning Prayer
2nd / 4th Sunday
– Holy Commun- But Jesus said, “Let the little children
come to Me, and do not forbid them;
ion
3rd
Sunday – for of such is the kingdom of
heaven” Mathew 19:14
Family service (Morning Prayer)
Come at 10:30 – to meet friends over
Vacation Bible School
coffee, tea, juice, and snacks.
The Two Mountains Community July 27-31, 2015
Youth Group, open to all high school 9:00 am- 12:00 noon
aged teens, meets every Friday from ages 5-12
7:30 – 9:30, except for every 3rd Friday, which is SPAM (Sports night At
Church Snoop cont’d
Mountainview).
p. 25
June 13 Annual Flea Market,
June /July 2015
The Church Mouse
Cont’d from p. 24
ROSEMERE MEMORIAL
CHURCH
St. James Anglican Church per person.
328 Pine St. Rosemere, QC
Tel: 450-621-6466
[email protected]
200 Grande Cote, Rosemere
Kanehsatà:ke United
Church
209 rue des Anges, Oka.
Information for both churches –
450-437-5560
June 13, Military Whist, 1:00 pm., Admission $8.00, with prizes, and refreshments.
June 24, - Drop In Centre - last date for
the season, and will re-open 9 September at 10:00 am.
July 1, - Canada Day Pot Luck Supper
from 4:00 pm - bring a dish to share,
wear red and celebrate Canada
Are you looking for a large venue to
hold special meetings for your organization, or for your private parties. We
have the space you need to rent. Please
call us for more information.
HOLY FAMILY PARISH
1001 Ch. d’Oka, DEUX -MONTAGNES,
Tel. 450-473-2163
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website: www.holy-family-dm.ca
Sun. June 7, 11:00 a.m. - Heritage Service in Ste. Therese United,
24 rue Saint-Charles, Ste-ThereseThe last service, before the buildings
are taken over by new ownership.
Sun. June 21, 11:00 a.m. - Both congregations will meet again, this time to
celebrate Aboriginal Sunday at Kanesatake United Church.
Our other services (in June and July)
will be held at both churches at 11:00
a.m.with Rev. Kurdyla alternating locations and Skype for the other.
There will be no services during the
month of August.
Page 25
Masses:
Wed – Friday at
9:00 am. Saturday’s 5:30pm.
Sunday’s 11:00
am
Please come and join us, one and all.
Worshiping always continues and
never takes a break, so we hope to see
everyone weekly.
First Communion for the children of
our Parish will be on Sunday, June 7,
2015 at 11:00 a.m.
We are organizing a Golf Tournament & steak BBQ supper on Saturday, June 20. Tickets for golf are $60.00
Steak dinner only, is
$25.00 each (Steak, baked potatoes,
salad and dessert). For information
please call Neil MacDonald 450-4739801 or Donna Gautreau 450-491-3829
or Lynne Fougere 450-473-2163.
Summer is a time for kicking back
and enjoying the warm weather. Let’s
take the time to relax and smell the
flowers, and listen to the birds. We
sometimes forget to appreciate the little things in life.
May God bless you and yours.
For companies wishing to advertise
in our Parish Bulletin, please contact
the office, Monday, Wednesday, or Friday 9:30 to Noon
HOLY CROSS PARISH
ROSEMERE
Ste. Francoise Cabrini Church,
210 Rue de L’Eglise, Rosemere
Parish Centre: 555 Lefrancois,
450-621-2150 Fax: 450-621-9080
www.holycrossrosemere.com
SUNDAY MASSES: 9:00 am St.
Francis Cabrini
Church, 210 de
L’Eglise, Rosemere
SATURDAY MASSES: 4:00 pm Parish
Center, 555 LeFrancois, Rosemere
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Sunday, May 31, Confirmation Ceremony at 2:00 pm, St. Maurice Church,
388 de Chapleau, Bois De Filion.
Sunday, June 7, First Communion
Ceremony at 2:00 pm, St. Maurice
Church, 388 de Chapleau, Bois De Filion
Sunday, June 21, Fathers’ Day Mass
at 9:00 am St. Francis Cabrini church,
Rosemere
Page 26
DOESN’T ANYONE
CARE ANYMORE
By Ron Kesseler
Well spring has sprung…the grass has
begun to grow, as well as dandelions, crab
grass, and kinds of weeds we can’t
pronounce!
Years ago, it seemed to me that people
took pride in maintaining a beautiful lawn
and garden. Then a few years ago we
were infested by “WHITE WORMS”, and
all the scenery changed!
I remember we had companies come
to our homes and spray pesticides and
insecticides to take care of the weeds and
creatures that would cause “ugly yards”,
but then a number of years ago, the
Quebec government passed a law which
banned all residential usage of these types
of products for environmental purposes
and of course, health issues.
Then I had a conversation with a
specialist at one of the local farm product
stores who mocked the government,
stating that a mere 15% of all of these
products were residential and a
whopping 85% were used by farmers and
golf courses (who are exempt from these
restrictions).
Now what has this done…well, for
one, it has turned once attractive areas
into barren lands. Some people just let
the weeds take over and threw in the
towel when the white worms came in like
a storm. They planted clover, or some sort
of green weeds to cover up the areas killed
by the animals and birds who feed on the
worms.
So, should you drive through an area
expecting to see well groomed lawns and
parks...think again. Now you will see
fields of yellow flowers and weeds. It
seems to me that it has become an eyesore
compared to what we once knew.
I realize there are modifications needed
to these products to make them safer for
our children and pets, but somehow there
has to be some way to bring back some
beauty to our area.
Somehow, maybe for those who
choose to use these products (excluding
toxic insecticides), to beautify their
properties should have some sort of
permit which could even be bi-annual, to
allow trained applicators only, to apply
products in a hope to improve the visual
pollution in all of Quebec’s municipalities.
I realize that there will be many who
read this and say, “Are you nuts? Who
cares if you have a
yard
full
of
dandelions or white
worm damage? At
least we are safe.”
Well, to those I
respond, should we
remove
every
product on the
market that is
actually unsafe for us?
Breakfast, lunch and
supper would take on
a whole new look! I
do not condone the
use of products that
can have a certain
health issue, but I
believe that should we
regain our pride in our
e n v i r o n m e n t ’s
appearance. Pressure
should be put on the
major manufacturers
of these products to
make them “people
and pet friendly.”
June /July 2015
Once again, to those who don’t agree
with me, go to any hardware store and
go to the “locked” counters where you can
get products that are toxic, in small spray
bottles for hand applications. Be real, these
are the same products that we used to
have professionals spraying in a “diluted
form,” only now they are “concentrated”
for better results. WHAT?!
Municipalities are letting their visual
attractions such as parks, medians, and
properties look more and more like
abandoned lands, so maybe they should
be assisting in finding a solution with us,
so all could be proud as we drive home
and think, wow, is this ever nice!
Some of you, like me, resort to picking
out weeds by hand, re-seeding, and doing
the best we can with what we have, but
please be aware that the problem is
becoming alarmingly evident in the way
we, as citizens, look at a visually attractive
place to raise our families.
These are my thoughts, what are
yours? Until next time,
Ron
What a service!!!
By Martin and Betty Hensen
Recently, we once again experienced
the advantage of living in a small town.
My wife needed some medication from
the pharmacy, and as she is allergic to
many medications, the pharmacist, Mr.
Sarwat Tobia, of Brunet Pharmacy is
very careful to ensure that the medications have little or no contraindications.
During a test at the hospital in Montreal it became apparent that Betty was
allergic to a certain medication which
had been prescribed by the hospital
.The hospital was able to counteract the
dangerous situation. When my wife
came home she called the pharmacy to
make sure that the contra indication
was put on her file.
To our surprise and delight Mr. Tobia,
the pharmacist and co-owner of the
Brunet Pharmacy came to the house to
see if my wife was all right and brought
some medication to further counteract
her symptoms. It felt so good to receive
such excellent service and genuine concern from a pharmacist that we could
not let such a good deed go by unnoticed.
If you receive service beyond the call
of duty from a merchant in the community please do advise the editor of
the Community Connections, and we
will publicize your letter.
June /July 2015
Sue Chef
Hi again! These lamb
skewers are very easy
to prepare and are excellent when cooked on
the BBQ. The other
dishes are best prepared on the stove top
and in the oven. The
potato and leek dishs
can be kept in a warm
oven while the lamb is being BBQ. A
nice start to this dinner would be a
platter of sliced cucumbers, tomatoes,
Kalamata olives and thinly sliced red
onion with crumbled Feta cheese on
top. Then just drizzle with a little olive oil and red wine vinegar. Sprinkle
with a pinch of dried oregano and it is
ready!
Menu
Lamb Skewers with Spicy Cream
Cheese Dip
Hash Brown Potatoes
Leek and Parsnips au Gratin
Banoffee Pie
(Serves 4-6)
cheese, oil, chopped mint, one crushed
garlic clove and the lemon juice. Season and stir in the chopped green onion. Set aside.
Divide the lamb mixture into eight and
shape each into a sausage shape
around metal skewers. Grease BBQ
grill and heat to high. When grill is
hot, reduce temp to medium high.
Grill the lamb for 8-10 minutes, turning frequently. Serve right away with
the cream cheese dip.
Hash Brown Potatoes
6 Boiled potatoes, diced and
placed in fridge to cool.
¼ cup Olive oil
1
tbsp Butter
1
Onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
Page 27
½ cup Gruyere cheese, grated
Salt and pepper
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degress. Melt
butter in a heavy saucepan over low
heat. Add the thyme and garlic and
sautee for about 5 minutes. Turn up
the heat and add the leeks, mustard
seeds and wine. Cover and simmer for
10 minutes. Place cooked parsnips in
a casserole dish. Pour the leek mixture
over the parsnips. Bake for 15 minutes. Pour cream overleeks and mix
well. Bake for another 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with grated Gruyere cheese
and place under the broiler until the
cheese is nice and bubbly. Watch
closely while dish is under the broiler!
Banoffee Pie
2 oz
Butter
9 oz
Digestive cookies, crushed
3
Bananas, sliced thinly
1¼ cup 35% Cream
1 tsp HoneyToffee
4 oz Butter
3½ oz Sugar
2
tbsp Golden corn s yrup
7 oz
Condensed Milk
Melt butter and mix into crushed cookies. Line 8“ pie plate with mixture,
pressing firmly.
Heat butter and sugar in a saucepan.
When sugar has dissolved, add syrup
and the condensed milk. Bring to a
boil, then lower heat and simmer 3-4
minutes, stirring constantly. It will
thicken and turn to a toffee color. Cool
slightly then pour into the cookie
crumb base. Chill 1 hour.
Arrange banana slices over the top.
Whip cream and honey until nicely
thickened. Top the pie with whipped
cream. Garnish with shaved chocolate! Serve chilled.
Heat the oil with the butter in a large
skillet over medium heat. Add the
onion and sautée until the onion has
softened. Add the cold diced potatoes.
Cook, stirring often, until the potatoes
are heated through. Using a spatula
press down on the potatoes to flatten
slightly. When golden on the bottom
turn the potatoes over. Repeat, pressLamb Skewers with Spicy Cream
ing and flipping until the potatoes are
Cheese
crispy and golden on both sides. Sea1 lb.
Lean Ground Lamb
son with salt and pepper. Serve right
1 tsp
Cumin and cayenne pepper away, or keep in a warm oven until
2 tsp
Ground coriander and
remaining dishes are ready.
turmeric
3
Garlic cloves, crushed
Leeks and Parsnips au Gratin
½ lb.
Cream cheese, softened
6 Parsnips, peeled, cooked and
2 tbsp Olive oil
sliced into rounds ½“ thick.
Handful Fresh mint leaves, roughly 4 Leeks, med, trimmed and thickly
chopped
sliced
Juice of one lemon
2 oz
Butter
2
Green onions, chopped
1 sprig Thyme, or ground thyme
2
Garlic cloves, chopped
Mix the lamb with the spices and two 2 tbsp Mustard seed
crushed garlic cloves. Set aside in the 1 cup
Dry white wine
As always, I hope you enjoy!
fridge to chill.
1 cup 35% Cream
Sue Sanders
Make the dip by mixing the soft cream
Page 28
Understanding Balance
Most people have a fear of falling – and
for good reason. Every year one in
three people over age 65 will have a
fall.
Sedentary individuals
experience a loss of muscle
at a rate of 0.5% to 1% per
year or about 7 to 10 lbs.
This results in significant
loss of muscle mass and
strength, and difficulty
with performing daily activities. At the same time
there is a decrease in bone
density of about 2% to 3%
per year in post-menopausal women.
A decrease in bone density can cause
osteoporosis, which can lead to a
stooped posture and will alter a person’s sense of gravity and stride.
There is also a loss of neurological control of movements resulting in slower
reflexes and reaction time.
Muscles called ‘fast twitch Type2
muscle fibres’ are increasingly lost
through aging. Our muscles lose size
and shrink, but that’s not the end of
the story. Every muscle has a nerve
called a motor nerve that enervates it
or causes the muscle to fire up. This
nerve can enervate many muscles at
one time by sending messages off in
branches much like power lines do
with an electrical current. A motor
nerve and all the muscle fibres it enervates are called a motor unit. As we
age, our motor nerves and muscle fibres die off at an increasing rate.
Some of these are fast twitch muscle fibres and are rescued by neighbouring motor units called slow
twitch muscle fibres, or Type1, and
then become slow twitch. The bottom line is the smaller the muscle, the
less force it can produce, and with the
loss of the fast twitch fibres, the slower we become. These fast twitch muscle fibres are also responsible for aiding us to get into and out
of chairs and ascend and
descend stairs. Transfers
from seated to standing
positions with or without
a walker is one of the leading causes of falls in seniors because of a decrease
in power and speed needed for agility and coordination.
Loss of balance is a result of physiological (muscle and bone loss), anatomical (posture) and metabolic (disease) changes that can compromise
stability and coordination. We use
our visual system for balance, with
information about our body position,
where we are and how we are moving. Changes in vision can affect the
ability to perceive or anticipate
changing surface conditions or hazards in the environment. The vestibular system of the ears provides information about position of head
movements. As we age, there is a gradual decrease in hair cells in the ear.
They serve as sensors to head motion
and can increase swaying, particularly if the somatosensory system is distorted.
Our somatosensory system has receptors in our skin, muscles, joints
and feet, and it assists us to keep our
balance by being receptive to touch,
pressure, temperature and position.
The receptors activate specific muscle patterns to stabilize the foot and
ankle joints to keep us balanced. Our
cardiovascular health also plays an
Dale Hammond
Certifié Can-Fit-Pro
Certified Can-Fit-Pro
Spécialste en conditionement
physique pour les ainés
Spécialiste en entrainement personnel
Older Adult Fitness Specialist - Personal Trainer Specialist
Tel.: 450-473-5985 / 514-213-6796
courriel/email: [email protected]
June/July 2015
By
Dale Hammond
important role, as a decrease in cardio health can cause increased fatigue,
leading to a fall.
Fortunately, there are many things
that can prevent these losses and reverse ageing. By regularly walking
30 minutes three to five times a week,
you can improve your cardio health,
increase your endurance and prevent
fatigue. Strength training is one of the
most important things an older adult
can do to reverse muscle loss, gain
strength and prevent falls.
There are specific exercises for this.
The loss of muscle can compromise
balance and stability. Many older
adults have no idea how to start exercising on their own, or are too intimidated to try. You can buy a book on
exercises for older adults, or look on
line for ideas. However, I have found
most people prefer coming to a group
class where they can exercise with
their peers. This is highly motivating
and they adhere to their exercise plan
more readily. Considering that the
loss of muscle mass can reach 50% by
age 80, this is the best possible solution to both counteract the loss and
increase bone density at the same
time.
Studies show that exercise can improve balance and reduce fear of falling. Balance specific exercises to improve body strength, mobility and
flexibility with cardiovascular exercise. This will improve quality of life
and allow older adults to perform
their activities of daily living.
Pre-registration for Older Adult classes for
September is now taking place.
Spaces are limited.
Call Dale Hammond
450-473-5985.
(Classes are given at
The Heritage Social Club
three times per week).
June/July 2015
Page 29
Sports Rap: My Opinion
By Bobby Fordham, Sports Editor
[email protected]
Deux-Montagnes Softball
News
On Monday, May 18, the Rocky Holt Mixed Softball League
started another season of slo-pitch softball at Central Park
in Deux-Montagnes. Playing Mondays and Wednesdays
at 9:00 pm, there are four teams with 10 players on each
team, four women and six men.
The pitch must be within 6' to 12' in height and each
batter starts with a strike. Teams will play 15 league
games with a best of three playoff format. A banquet will
be held in early October.
Umpire in chief is Bobby Fordham. The co-ordinator
is Margie Lavallee, who chairs the rules committee consisting of the four captains.
On Saturday, July 18, there will be the second annual
bats on fence mixed softball tournament at Central Park,
proceeds to go to a heart disease fund.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 7-9, the Rocky
Holt Mixed Softball League committee will host another
tournament at Central and Olympia parks. Between 16
and 18 teams are expected. Proceeds will go to cancer
research. The committee consists of Margie Lavallee, Diane Lavallee, Donna Lavallee, Doug Parr, Alfie Weippert
and Chris Brown.
Come out to support these events and see great action.
Sports fields mostly use fabricated or artificial field turf, which
is extremely hard on the knees of the players. They should
return to natural grass. Easier on the knees, it will also extend
the careers of all athletes, especially the pros. We want to see the
best players perform for a lengthy time to give our teams the
best chance to win championships. They cannot do that if they
require surgery because of the field turf. Most of the players
prefer the natural field conditions. The athletes should be the
priority, not the owners’ decisions to use field turf to make more
of a profit. Just spend the money to maintain these fields. There
is nothing wrong with a wet, muddy football field or a wet soft
baseball field. In Major League Baseball, with grass the bunt
becomes a huge play and always an exciting play, but the health
of our players is the most important factor. Changes should be
made.
That’s my opinion, what’s yours?
Trivia Lovers Alert
Deux-Montagnes will be organizing a sports trivia
competition for men and women 18 years and older.
Entry fee will be $25.00 per participant, although late
entries could rise to $50.00.
Knowledge of all sports will be an asset. We will use
the suit of hearts from a deck of cards to determine the
categories of the questions. Each card drawn will have a
question for a different sport; for example, 2 of hearts (auto
racing); 3 of hearts (baseball); 4 of hearts (basketball); 5 of
hearts (curling); 6 of hearts (football); 7 of hearts (golf); 8
of hearts (hockey); 9 of hearts (soccer); 10 of hearts (tennis);
and Jack of hearts (wrestling).
A percentage of the proceeds will go to the winners
and the rest to cardiovascular disease research and
treatment.
The projected date for this event will be October 2015.
We would require a minimum entry of 50 participants.
Registration will be Saturday, September 12, the location
to be announced. More information will be available on
July 1.
If interested, please contact Robert Fordham at
[email protected] or (450) 974-2179. Thank
you very much and have a great summer.
Annual General Meeting
June 17 at 7:00 pm.
Will be held at
4 Korners Family
Resource Center
1906 ch. Oka,
Deux-Montagnes
R.S.V.P. at (450) 974-3940
4 Korners is accepting nominations for two
new board members until June 7.
To nominate yourself or to
nominate someone else, send an email to
[email protected]
Page 30
June /July 2015
Announcements,Birthdays and Memorials
Birthdays
Don Houston, June 2
Madeleine Huxsel, June 5
Corey Horwood, June 6
Nancy Doucet, June 7
Arthur Glover, June 7
Heather Brown, June 7
John Alexander Green, June 7
Serge Therrien
Raymonde Migas, June 12
Evan Horwood, June 16
Kendra Baldwin, June 15
Fred Parker, June 15
Rudy Neumayer, June 16
Karim Dominique, June 17
Cookie Smith, June 23
Nancy Allen-Ryder, June 25
Sally Warren, June 28
Aiden Benk, June 28
Heidi Klotz, June 30
Wayne Glover, July 2
Heidimarie Benk, July 4
Dave Dubeau, July 6
Ron Kennedy, July 9
Marc Lauzon, July 21
Trish Thivierge, July 23
Sam Carpini, July 24
Ron Kesseler, July 29
Earl Flint, July 31
Jackie Pascal, July 31
Memorials
al Golf Tournament - Starts at 12
noon. Cost $65.00. Oka Golf Course Shotgun – Best Ball Style dinner for
Guests : $20.00 – Reservations needed
Friday July 10: Karaoke - Starts at
8:00 pm.
Doors and Kitchen opens
at 6:30 pm for Hot Dogs and
Hamburgers
Saturday July 11: Deux Montagnes
en Fetes – starts at 1:00 pm on Oka
Road. The Heritage Club will be on
site to promote the club along with
the Forever Theatre Group/Dale
Hammond Exercise Group/Lion‘s
Club.Come support us ! A Great time
will be had by ALL!
Legion events
Father’s Day BBQ June 21st 4 PM.
Hot Dogs $1.00 Hamburgers $2.00
Free hot dogs and hamburgers for
dads!
A New face at
PANDA BLSO
Saturday June 20: Heritage Softball
Tournament starts at 9:00 am
At Olympia Park – we will be serving Hot Dogs and Hamburgers
Come encourage the Teams !
Friday June 26: Karaoke - Starts at
8:00 pm.Doors and Kitchen opens at
6:30 pm for Hot Dogs and Hamburgers
Saturday July 4: Heritage 6th Annu-
I t is with great sadness that we
Predeceased by his wife Jessie (nee
Bowie), parents Carrie (Biggers),
Adam Waldie, siblings Mary (David),
William (Eva), George (Margaret) and
Irene.
Panda Basses-Laurentides Sud-Ouest
Association is pleased to welcome
Mrs. Marie-Josée Trudel to the team
as Coordinator of services for the
Anglophone and Francophone
community.
Heritage
Up Coming Events
Wednesday June 17: Bingo – starts at
1:00 pm Cost: $6.50. Doors open at
12:30 pm
1944 - 2015
announce the passing of John on May
Friday J uly 24:Karaoke - Starts at 8:00 9, 2015 at the age of 70.
pm. Doors and Kitchen opens at 6:30
He leaves to mourn his beloved
pm for Hot Dogs and Hamburgers
children Adam (Frances) & Laura
Legion
(Theo); grandchildren Kelly, Kayla,
Nicole, Tyler, Scott, Jesse and
Branch 185 Naomi,
Anna; nephews, nieces and other
family and friends.
Bill Glover, June 4
Friday June 12:
Karaoke - Starts
at 8:00 pm. Doors and Kitchen
opens at 6:30 pm for
Hot
Dogs and Hamburgers
John Waldie
Mrs. Trudel is bringing to our
orgazination a Master ’s degree in
Educational Psychology and several
years of work in the field of
communications. With her experience
and educational background, Mrs.
Trudel is dedicated to promote the
well-being of people living with
symptoms of Attention Deficit
Disorder
with
or
without
Hyperactivity (ADHD).
The whole team wishes Mrs. MarieJosée Trudel the best of success in her
new position.
Marie Josée Trudel
You can contact Mrs. Trudel at 514 7135353or [email protected].
June /July 2015
Page 31
8 Habits of Healthy Individuals
By Glenda Esguerra, Paravie,
Personal Fitness Specialist
Do you ever find yourself dwelling on
unsettled business issues, or worrying about upcoming projects and
deadlines? It is easy to become overwhelmed with thoughts of how you’ll
get through your week.
Here’s what successful, healthy people do:
1. Never miss a Monday. - Monday always comes, no matter how you feel.
So think and reflect on positive experiences when you start your week.
2. Commit to results. – We make promises to others and to ourselves. Follow
through. Fulfill your commitments.
3. Follow instructions, they are not
suggestions! – Look at your calendar,
and the goals you’ve set. Just get it done
without stressing yourself. Do not reinvent the wheel. Do what has worked.
4. Track your results (but don’t obsess).
– Look at what you’ve done, write
down your thoughts, tally up your
accomplishments. Then don’t worry.
5. Join in events and challenges. – Plan
something fun. Get together with family or friends. Take your mind off
stresses.
6. Eat clean, eat often, stay hydrated. –
Make a healthy
meal and enjoy
some herbal tea. A
couple of glasses of
your favourite Cabernet will leave
you feeling less
energized in the
morning because
alcohol is a depressant.
7. Move more. –
Exercise, sweat
out those toxins that your body has accumulated during the week.
8. Stay motivated and surround yourself
with positive people. – You need to be
around individuals that will keep you
energized, and focused. Stay away from
those who will drag you down, or sabotage your journey.
By doing some or all of these actions,
healthy people are empowered to start
their week off in the right direction.
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June/July 2015 - Community Connections

Transcription

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