Exeter Examiner July 30, 2026 by Grant Haven Media

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Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 30, 2026

VOL. 3 • ISSUE 10

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Report to rank possible Exeter dog park sites JOHN MINER Examiner Reporter

The dog park issue continues to dog South Huron council. At its latest meeting, council received a report from staff on what people thought about locating a dog park in Exeter. A total of 476 responses were received in an online survey run by the municipality from April 23 to May 21. Out of that number, 300 said they were in favour of the municipality establishing a public dog park in Exeter, 143 were opposed, 23 were somewhat in favour, and 10 were unsure. Council has been dealing with the Exeter dog park issue since the idea was first raised by residents in November 2024. The municipality currently operates dog parks in Crediton and Centralia. The Exeter park made it into the draft South Huron budget last fall with the cost estimated at $30,000. But in December, council voted to remove that budget item. Mayor George Finch then used his strong mayor powers to veto council’s decision and put the dog park back in the budget. The reinstatement was short-lived. At its first meeting in January, South Huron councillors overrode Finch’s veto in a 5-2 vote. CONTINUED TO PAGE 5

COMMUNITY SUPPORTS FOREST FIRE VICTIMS

(DAN ROLPH PHOTO)

A local pitch to residents through social media turned into a heartwarming experience as community members showed up in droves in support of northern Ontario forest fire victims on July 19. Donors were invited to bring goods including hygiene products, clothing, non-perishable food, books and more to the Dashwood fire hall to be sent north. South Huron fire chief Jeremy Becker said the response from the community went beyond expectations, filling more than four trailers. From left are Brooke Gielen, Shara Johnson, Jesse Blane, South Huron fire chief Jeremy Becker, Austin Baker, Zach Desjardins, Cole Dorssers and Matt Miller, who were on hand to help collect and pack donations.

Bluewater youth tug-of-war team prepares to return to Europe DAN ROLPH Editor

In Dashwood, tug-of-war has long been a tradition that has lasted generations through Friedsburg Days. That tradition is now helping send a local youth team

overseas to represent both their community and their country. The Bluewater Youth Tug-of-War team is gearing up to compete in the annual GENSB International Junior Tug-of-War Tournament for a second time, which is

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Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Adopt a Turtle fundraiser passes halfway mark EXETER EXAMINER STAFF Staff Contribution

Almost 20 community members have answered the call to donate to a fourmonth fundraising campaign to support habitat enhancement and protection work for our local freshwater turtle species. The Adopt a Turtle fundraising campaign has reached its halfway mark on July 15, 2026. The campaign runs until Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, the day of the annual hatchling release event at Morrison Dam Conservation Area east of Exeter. Rosalind Chang is Healthy Watersheds co-ordinator with Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority. She said the community support for this fundraising drive is greatly appreciated. “We are very grateful to see people caring for the future of our freshwater turtle species and for responding to this call for donations,” she said. “We are very pleased with the progress of this campaign but there is still lots of work left to do.” To donate now, or to learn more, visit the Ausable Bayfield Conservation

events web page abca.ca/events/. You may also donate at the Ausable Bayfield Conservation office at 71108 Morrison Line (2 kilometres east of Exeter) or you may phone the office at 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610. All of Ontario’s eight native turtle species are at risk and all of them can be found in the ABCA watershed area. Adopt a Turtle promotes donations to the Support the Turtles Protection Program to enhance wetland habitat for turtles. There are three tiers of recognition for fundraising campaign supporters: 1) Hatchling Hero ($20 donation); Adopt a Turtle ($50); and Conservation Insider ($250 donation or higher). Donors at the higher levels receive recognition including a turtle-related gift package and a monthly email update following the progress of the turtle hatchlings. Turtles are important links in food webs and provide essential ecological services. Snapping turtles, for example, help to control aquatic vegetation and clean creeks and wetlands by eating algae and dead and decaying fish and oth(AUSABLE BAYFIELD CONSERVATION AUTHORITY PHOTO) er organisms. They also cycle nutrients The Adopt a Turtle fundraising campaign, which helps to enhance wetland habitat for turand spread seeds which benefit other tles, has passed its halfway mark. organisms.

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Exeter Examiner

EDITORIAL

Municipal elections in the age of artificial intelligence Meanwhile, there are also naysayers warning about inflating the promise of AI and cautioning us to prepare for the inevitable bursting of the bubble, like the dot-com bubble in the early 2000s. I’m certainly no expert when it comes to the possibilities that AI presents for the future. What I am, however, is someone who is seeing the use of AI creep into areas of life that I’d rather it stayed removed from. I doubt I’m alone in that feeling. That’s not to say that the technology itself is a problem. I can understand its usefulness, particularly for those of us who may want an extra hand formulating our thoughts in a way that helps us to be better communicators.

DAN ROLPH Editor

The future is now. At least that’s the sentiment we’re hearing repeated like a broken record from artificial intelligence (AI) companies. They say we are entering a new age of advanced technology that promises greater efficiency and innovation, all thanks to this new invention that has become accessible to the world.

As we enter another municipal election season, seeing social media posts from those hoping to represent our communities that are clearly written with the use of AI tools brings me back to something my professors would constantly repeat when teaching about gathering information or interviewing people. “Face-to-face is always best. Using the phone is second. Written communications are your last resort.” I worry that the expanding use of AI is quickly becoming another barrier between us and those who should be accountable to us. Layers of separation usually end up shielding our elected representatives from answering to those who trusted them enough to elect them.

They are rarely a good thing that leads to better representation. But this layer of separation is particularly unique. It’s constantly changing and improving, making it more difficult to discern whether something was truly written by a human or not with each update that’s rolled out to the public. My advice to everyone in our community considering who should get their support this October is simple. Talk to them, and not through emails or social media where you can’t truly know whether you’re speaking to them or the latest model from ChatGPT. Give them a call or ask them questions the next time you see them out in the community. Nothing beats hearing an-

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swers directly from the source. There is no replacement for seeing a candidate’s facial expressions as they’re asked a difficult question. There is no alternative to hearing confidence or apprehension in their voice as they’re challenged. Having difficult discussions is vital to a healthy democracy. It allows us to share ideas, ask follow-up questions and ultimately try to find common ground and mutual understanding as we decide what kind of future we want to build. I don’t think those discussions should be happening with the added input of AI, and I shudder at the thought of what elections will look like in the coming years if we turn a blind eye to its growing presence in our democracy.

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Thursday, July 30, 2026

COMMUNITY

Public asked to comment on plan for Morrison Dam Conservation Area JOHN MINER Examiner Reporter

The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority is asking for the public’s input into management of what has turned out to be the authority’s most heavily used conservation area. Cellphone data collected by Huron County indicates that the South Huron trail, running through the Morrison Dam Conservation Area and connecting to McNaughton Park in Exeter, was visited 91,064 times in 2024, with an average visit duration of 30.3 minutes. The trail hosted 20,877 unique visitors that year, according to the data that was captured through a platform called Propulso. Nathan Schoelier, the authority’s stewardship, land and education manager, said the numbers should be looked at as a minimum number as some people visiting the trail don’t carry cellphones and wouldn’t be included in the data. Before being provided with the numbers, the impression was that Rock Glen Conservation Area was the most heavily visited, Schoelier said. The conservation authority’s board of directors at its July meeting approved a draft master plan to guide the management of the 108-acre conservation area over the next decade, replacing the master plan adopted in 2004. People are invited to provide written comments on the draft master plan in an online survey that is posted on the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority website: www.abca.ca/post/?ID=1685. The survey is open until late August. “We strongly encourage people who value this conservation area to submit their feedback and be heard. We really want to work with the community to shape the future of these conservation areas because that is who uses them,” Schoelier said in an interview. Included in the draft plan are a series of recommendations that include: - Collaborating with the Municipality of South Huron to establish pedestrian crossings where the trail intersects with Morrison Line. - Establishing an accessible access point to the trail from the parking lot of the Morrison Dam Conservation Area administration centre. - Implementing natural playground features adjacent to the trail to enhance youth activities and experiences. - Establish partnerships with local secondary schools to promote youth involvement in the Friends of the South Huron Trail Volunteer group. - Collaborate with the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation, Friends of the South Huron Trail and other community partners to encourage and diversify the

(JOHN MINER PHOTO)

The Morrison Dam Conservation Area has become the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority’s most visited conservation area.

fundraising efforts to maintain and enhance the trail. The draft plan drops an objective set out in the 2004 plan to acquire land, or establish easement agreements, to expand the trail further east of the reservoir on the north and south sides of the river to McTaggart Line. Trail use data does not support the investment that would be required, Schoelier said. The draft plan notes that there are a number of species-at-risk in the Morrison Dam Conservation Area. To safeguard the species from potential threats, detailed information is not included in the plan. “Sometimes there is poaching associated with plants and animals and that might be the reason they are at risk. We don’t want to encourage any sort of harvest of any species at risk,” Schoelier said.

Report to rank possible Exeter dog park sites CONTINUED FROM FRONT

That didn’t go down well with some Exeter residents, who wrote to council offering to put up money for the park. One couple offered $5,000. Pet Valu and Canadian Tire have also offered to pitch in. Council has now asked for a review of possible Exeter dog park locations with a ranking of sites in terms of accessibility and costs. In a recorded vote, Mayor George Finch and councillors Aaron Neeb, Ted Oke, and

Marissa Vaughan supported proceeding with the report. Opposed were Deputy Mayor Jim Dietrich and councillors Milt Dietrich and Wendy McLeod-Haggitt. Before the vote, McLeod-Haggitt warned council to expect other parts of South Huron will push for their own dog park if the Exeter one goes ahead, including Dashwood and Grand Bend. “Keep a mental note of that because it is going to come back,” she said. Coun. Ted Oke asked about the reliability of the online survey that indicated 63

per cent of respondents favoured an Exeter park. Report author Scott Currie, South Huron’s communications and strategic initiatives manager, said it was possible that people submitted more than one response in an effort to skew the results. Currie said he looked for responses with repeated patterns to see if that was happening. His guess is that about eight per cent of responses were duplicate submissions, but it happened on both the yes and no side of things.

Teenager dies in dirt bike collision EXETER EXAMINER STAFF Staff Contribution

A teenager has died after a July 21 collision near Lucan. Police said first responders were dispatched around 4:45 p.m. to Denfield Road between Airport Drive and

Elginfield Road for a report of a serious collision involving an SUV and a dirt bike. The dirt bike’s rider, a 16-year-old from Lucan-Biddulph, was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries, where they were pronounced deceased. Their identity has not been released by police. The driver of the SUV was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

“The end result doesn’t really move the needle,” he said. The online survey also asked people favouring a dog park how often they would use it. 115 said they would use it daily and 133 would use it weekly. As for locations, respondents to the survey did not converge on a single location, the report noted. There were repeated concerns in the responses about avoiding active sports fields, residential areas, and children’s play areas.

Part of Denfield Road was closed as the OPP Traffic Incident Management Enforcement team was on the scene to investigate, though it has since re-opened. Police have not said what caused the collision. Anyone with information about the incident to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or online at www.opp. ca/reporting. They can also contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-84777 (TIPS).

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Exeter Examiner

White Squirrel Watch

Exeter Examiner

Photo Quiz

Who are you looking at? By Judy and Barry Johnson

PHOTO BY PAUL STOREY SPOTTED ON PRYDE BLVD, EXETER

If you would like to nominate someone for Senior of the Week, contact us at info@exeterexaminer.com

Find me on roadsides, in meadows, and along fence rows. My bright flowers growing near the top of 1.5 metre sturdy stems with several large leaves make me easy to spot. My role is important in nature. I am the only host plant for monarch butterfly caterpillars that emerge from small cream or pale green eggs deposited on my leaves. Many other insect species also benefit from me.

HINT: I am named for the sticky white sap that oozes when my tissues are broken.

This week’s answers are found on pg. 30

Exeter Examiner welcomes new team member

WEEKEND

QUIZ

By Jake Grant

1. What is extracted from the ore cassiterite? 2. How many weeks are there in a fortnight? 3. Who tight roped across the twin towers? 4. What animal is known as the king of the jungle? 5. What company was initially known as “Blue Ribbon Sports”? 6. What is the hottest planet in our solar system? 7. What was the original name of the Boston Red Sox? 8. What is the main ingredient in hummus? 9. Ash Wednesday marks the first day of what? 10. What is the name for the process of electing a Pope? This week’s answers are found on pg. 30

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The Exeter Examiner is pleased to welcome our newest member of the team, Mackenzie Hodgins. Mackenzie is a local photographer who loves capturing real moments and the stories behind them. Over the past few years, she’s had the opportunity to photograph families, couples, community events, and small businesses, and she truly loves getting to meet new people through her work. She’s excited to be joining the Exeter Examiner and looks forward to sharing the people, events, and stories that make our community so special.

Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Huron District Freemasons donate to three hospices

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Executive director of Jessica’s House Cheryl Pfaff accepts the $3,500 donation from Huron District Deputy Grand Master Jamie McFadden.

WENDY LAMOND Examiner Reporter

The role of district deputy grand master of the Freemasons is a prestigious honour to have and one that R.W. Bro. Jamie McFadden took very seriously as he’s finishing his year in the role. As his term comes to a close, McFadden shared that one of his goals was to resurrect and spearhead a chosen charity to support throughout his year as district deputy grand master of the

Huron District Freemasons. What he picked was to raise funds for the three brick and mortar hospices located in Huron and Perth counties. The Masonic Foundation of Ontario topped up the amount raised by 33 per cent, bringing the grand total to $10,500. This amount was split evenly in three ways with $3,500 going to Huron Hospice in Clinton, Jessica’s House Hospice in Exeter and Rotary Hospice Stratford Perth in Stratford. McFadden and Huron District Secretary W. Bro. Cliff Anderson trav-

Huron District Deputy Grand Master Jamie McFadden presents Huron Hospice executive director Willy Van Klooster with a $3,500 donation.

elled to all three locations presenting cheques to the executive directors for the hospices who were all very grateful for the donation. Funds donated to the hospices will help towards the associated costs of running the facilities. The hospices all need to raise a substantial amount each year to keep them going. In 2017, the South Huron district deputy master at the time ran a charity for Jessica’s House. McFadden said if he were to ever take on the role, he would want to do something similar and thanks to the added 33 per cent from

the foundation, McFadden was thrilled with what was accomplished. The Freemasons are a brotherhood of all faiths that focus on making good men better and believe strongly in helping others. The Ontario Masons are made up of 38 districts with the first recorded Canadian member being from the mid 1600s. The Huron District is made up of Stratford, St. Marys, Listowel, Goderich, Carlow, Ailsa Craig, Granton, Mitchell and Exeter. The local club is alive with tradition, service and spirit.

Development charge increase faces appeal JOHN MINER Examiner Reporter

South Huron council has adopted a bylaw to triple development charges on Jan. 1, 2027, but that might not be the end of the story. The charge for building a single-family detached dwelling in the municipality is going from the current $6,467 to $19,131. The controversial increase is based on a Watson and Associates report that calculated the additional money is required to cover the expenses of growth projects, such as adding a new water tower in Exeter and upgrading the sewage treatment system. If the charges weren’t increased, the consultant said South Huron council might have to add the expenses to the property tax bills of current residents. Although the new development charges in the bylaw are substantially lower than in some neighbouring municipalities, developers active in South Huron have vigorously opposed the increase. Submissions to council have said the hike would make homes less affordable and could stall economic development in South Huron. The development charge bylaw was passed in a fiveto-two vote at the July 13 council meeting. Councillors Marissa Vaughan and Ted Oke both said they opposed the bylaw because it increased the devel-

opment charges in one jump instead of phasing them in. In a letter to council, Don de Jong of Tridon Properties Ltd., developer of Sol Haven subdivision on the edge of Grand Bend, advised that they would appeal the bylaw under the Development Charges Act if it was adopted in its current form. Instead of applying the same development charges across the municipality, de Jong argued they should be calculated on the cost of growth-related projects in distinct settlement areas. Under the bylaw, Port Blake housing will be subsidizing new housing in Exeter, he wrote. Former mayor and candidate for mayor in the October municipal election, Maureen Cole has made development charges part of her campaign. In a posting on Facebook, Cole said she intends to use strong mayor powers to bring forward a bylaw to hold the charges at the current levels for the next two years. “During that period, I will work collaboratively with council to develop a more balanced, long term strategy — one that ensures growth continues to pay for growth-related infrastructure while keeping South Huron an attractive place to build, invest, and live,” Cole wrote. Bylaws proposed by mayors using strong mayor powers are passed if more than one-third of council members vote in favour of the bylaw.

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Thursday, July 30, 2026

Exeter Examiner

Stirling Sands Vineyard opens in Grand Bend

Grand Bend Stirling Sands Vineyard held a grand opening ceremony on July 14, cutting the ribbon to the new destination in the community. Opened in the former Dark Horse Estate Winery, the vineyard marks the first expansion for Blyth’s Cowbell Brewing.

DAN ROLPH Editor

The area’s newest vineyard has opened its doors to the public, creating a new place in the community where tourists and locals alike can find wine, dining and experiences fuelled by local products. The 93-acre property next to the Huron County Playhouse, which was formerly Dark Horse Estate Winery, was purchased by Blyth’s Cowbell Brewing earlier this year, creating Grand Bend Stirling Sands Vineyard and marking the first time the business has expanded beyond its flagship location in North Huron. To mark the occasion, a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony was held July 14. “Over the past several months, our team

has poured their hearts into creating a place where exceptional food, local wine and genuine hospitality come together in a beautiful setting,” said Cowbell director of partnerships and experiences Ally Anderson. With the opening of Cowbell’s new vineyard, the company intends to bring many experiences to the community in addition to their new wine offerings, including a full dining menu, tastings, special events and another source for Cowbell products, such as their beers and ciders. The name Stirling Sands aims to honour history and local roots, hearkening back to horses that worked local farmland and representing Lake Huron’s coastline. “This is a place where people come to slow down,” said Cowbell president Natasha Fritzley. “It’s a place where

(DAN ROLPH PHOTOS)

Cowbell president Natasha Fritzley spoke during the grand opening on July 14.

there is exceptional food and drink, where you can watch the sunset over Lake Huron and make memories with your family and friends.” As part of their strategy of operating in the region, Cowbell stated they plan to focus on bolstering the community through local hiring, as well as partnerships and promotions with other partners in the region. “Strong local economies create opportunities for families, support local businesses, generate the resources needed for thriving communities and help ensure that rural Ontairo continues to grow,” said Fritzley. Retired Huron County economic development director Vicki Lass spoke during the ribbon cutting ceremony, describing Stirling Sands as an “economic powerhouse” that combines

the region’s top economic sectors in one entity. “Stirling Sands is a tourism asset contributing to our existing visitor’s experience, but it is also a destination of its own which will enhance the over $320 million in direct tourism spending that was experienced by Sarnia-Lambton and Huron County last year alone,” she said. South Huron CAO Rebekah MsuyaCollison welcomed Stirling Sands to the community during the ceremony, highlighting the importance of tourism in the region. “Tourism is a vital part of the regional economy, providing jobs and growth for our economy,” she said. “We are so excited to have an industry leader like Cowbell Brewing operating right here in South Huron.”

Vaughan pushing for Port Blake beach cleanup JOHN MINER Examiner Reporter

South Huron doesn’t own the beach next to Port Blake Day Park, but Coun. Marissa Vaughan would like the municipality to clean it up anyway. “The fact of the matter is, people are not picking up their garbage and it looks disgusting,” Vaughan told a recent council meeting. The garbage and litter left on the beach hurts South Huron’s reputation and negatively affects the experience of visitors. People do not distinguish between the Port Blake park owned by South Huron and the adjacent beach area owned by the Lake Huron Primary Water Supply System, she said. When she has explained to people from the Port Blake area that South Huron doesn’t own the beach and therefore won’t be picking up the garbage, they just roll their eyes, Vaughan said.

The pushback from people is that if the municipality doesn’t want to take care of the litter on the beach, it should close the access to the beach from the park. “I have to admit from an environmental and stewardship perspective we are aware people go to the beach, we are aware that litter is left there, and I think we ought to do something about it,” Vaughan said. She pointed out that South Huron currently collects $30 a car for parking at Port Blake park. Vaughan introduced a motion to direct municipal staff to implement daily litter collection and cleanup at Port Blake beach for the remainder of the 2026 season. If municipal staff determine that cleanup of the beach area cannot proceed due to legal, insurance, health and safety, or operational constraints, staff should be directed to implement mitigation measures including a one-time cleanup of the beach, signage, receptacles, and public education. South Huron CAO Rebekah Msuya-Collison said a

report will be prepared by staff on the options council can take to deal with the litter. One of the issues that will be looked at is whether municipal staff can legally collect garbage on the beach area owned by the Lake Huron Primary Water Supply System. Jeremy Becker, South Huron manager of community and emergency services, said more garbage receptacles could be added at the top of the hill in the park for the time being in hopes people will bring their garbage back up from the beach. “That’s where the challenge I think lies,” Becker said. On a recent visit to the beach with the CAO, Becker said they observed everything from blankets to garbage, to kids toys that were left behind. Some of that ends up in the water. South Huron is fortunate, Becker said, that there are some good people that take bags down to the beach and collect garbage.

Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Matthew Pearson reappointed as Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley Drinking Water Source Protection Committee chair EXETER EXAMINER STAFF Staff Contribution

The Province of Ontario has reappointed Matt Pearson as the chair of the Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley (ABMV) Drinking Water Source Protection Committee. “It is an honour to be reappointed chair of the committee,” said Pearson. “Over the years I have had the privilege of working with many members experienced in environmental protection who have a passion for the natural environment. My role as chair is to focus their collective wisdom on protecting our drinking water sources by developing policies that are sensible and successful.” Pearson has served on the committee (the first one in Ontario) since it was first formed in 2007. He began as a committee member and representative of the environmental sector. He later assumed the chair’s role in an interim capacity in 2016 and took over the job on a longer-term basis in 2017. A major role of the committee is to provide ongoing information and education

to the public, Pearson said. “Over the past few years this committee has engaged in the production of a series of videos that were well-received in our watershed areas and across Ontario,” he said. He also commended the committee for championing well water sampling by private well owners and well water testing by public health. Pearson is a senior planner at B. M. Ross and Associates Limited. He is a founding member and a past chair of the board for the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation. He is also a member and past officer of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute, and a former member of the Huron County Water Coalition, Huron Stewardship Council, and Friends of the Bayfield River. The Source Protection Committee helps to reduce risk to municipal drinking water sources, including groundwater underneath our feet in aquifers and drawn — for treatment — from municipal wells; and surface water (from Lake Huron) drawn, for treatment, through municipal intakes. The committee does this through the creation and implemen-

AUSTIN & TAYLOR

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Matthew Pearson has been appointed as chair of the Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley (ABMV) Drinking Water Source Protection Committee for the next two years.

tation of policies in locally-developed, provincially approved source protection plans. To learn more about the work of the committee, visit the local source protection website and its committee web

page sourcewaterinfo.on.ca/the-committee/. The appointment of Matthew Pearson as chair took effect on June 19, 2026, and continues until June 18, 2028.

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Exeter Examiner

Costs skyrocket for South Huron projects JOHN MINER Examiner Reporter

Upheaval in the world energy markets is hitting South Huron municipal projects, adding hundreds of thousands of dollars to the costs. “As they say, the chickens are coming home to roost. We are now paying the price,” Don Giberson, general manager of infrastructure and development, told a recent council meeting. South Huron had invited tenders for two projects — an upgrade of the watermain in the area of the former Grand Bend Airport, and installation of a sanitary sewer system on Thames Road West in Exeter. The lowest bid for the Grand Bend project came in at $1.49 million, $331,910 more than council had budgeted last fall. The lowest bid for the Thames Road West project was $304,602, $73,843 above the budgeted amount. Giberson said the significant increases over budget were primarily due to what is happening in the Middle

East and the impact on energy costs. Oil is a major component of the PVC pipe that will be used for the Grand Bend watermain upgrade. Higher fuel costs have also increased delivery charges for materials and boosted expenses for running machinery. “The world price of oil has a huge impact on these projects,” Giberson said. Coun. Marissa Vaughan questioned if the projects could be deferred and tendered next year when costs might be lower. The war likely won’t go on forever and prices with gas tend to fluctuate from year to year, she said. Giberson replied that he doesn’t have a crystal ball, but in his decades of experience he has rarely seen prices go down. He suggested the most likely outcome of deferring the projects is that council will be paying more next year or will not get a better price than the current one. Deferring the Grand Bend watermain upgrade would also have serious implications for commercial devel-

opment at the former airport area, he said. “You basically imperil that development.” The commercial development, which has site plan approval from council, is moving ahead based on the understanding fire protection for the area will be upgraded with replacement of the aging 100-millimetre watermain with a 250-millimetre watermain. The Thames Road West sewer project will allow commercial development west of the railway in Exeter. Council voted to award the contracts for the two projects to the lowest bidder for both tenders, Rapid Drainage Ltd. Giberson said he expects work on the Grand Bend watermain will start within a month. Although costs are higher than anticipated, Coun. Aaron Neeb said the Thames Road sewer project is a major benefit for the municipality as it increases the amount of land available for development that creates jobs. There are already some projects underway. “This is still a win,” Neeb said.

Huron Shores Area Transit monthly pass rising to $160 EXETER EXAMINER STAFF Staff Contribution

Huron Shores Area Transit (HSAT) is increasing the price of its monthly pass from $140 to $160, effective Sept. 1, 2026. According to a press release, the increase is being introduced as part of HSAT’s ongoing commitment to maintaining a financially sustainable rural transit system while continuing to provide affordable transportation throughout the region.

Since its launch, HSAT has expanded service, introduced new routes and seasonal services, improved bus stop infrastructure and increased service frequency to better meet the needs of residents, workers, students and visitors. HSAT stated periodic fare adjustments are necessary to support the long-term sustainability of the transit system as operating costs continue to rise. The monthly pass continues to provide exceptional value for passengers who travel regularly, HSAT said. Passengers

making two long-distance return trips each week would pay $192 in regular fares over a four-week month, while the $160 monthly pass provides a savings of $32 (16.7 per cent). Passengers making frequent local trips will also continue to benefit from significant savings compared with paying individual fares. HSAT noted that the monthly pass remains one of the most affordable among comparable rural transit systems in Ontario. In the press release, HSAT said they

continue to provide more service than many comparable rural transit systems, operating seven days a week, including weekends and statutory holidays and operating more service hours per day, while connecting communities throughout Lambton Shores, Kettle and Stony Point First Nation, South Huron, Bluewater, Plympton-Wyoming, Sarnia, London, and Goderich. For more information about fares and transit services, call 1-888-465-0783 or visit HuronShoresAreaTransit.ca.

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Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Huron County Museum welcomes The Witness Blanket EXETER EXAMINER STAFF Staff Contribution

The Huron County Museum is hosting The Witness Blanket. According to a press release from the museum, the blanket is a powerful travelling exhibit from the Canadian Museum of Human Rights that recognizes the atrocities of the residential school era, honours the children, survivors and families affected, and encourages ongoing reconciliation. The exhibit that opened July 20 features a full-scale replica of the original Witness Blanket created by master carver Carey Newman. Inspired by a woven blanket, the original cedar-framed artwork is made of hundreds of items from residential schools, survivors, churches, governments and cultural sites across Canada. Each item tells a story of loss, strength, resilience

and pride. While the Witness Blanket is permanently on display at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg, Man., this reproduction has been created to allow other venues to share the blanket’s stories. In these wood-framed reproductions, direct-printed wood panels take the place of the original artifacts. “We are privileged to host The Witness Blanket and provide our community with the opportunity to engage with this powerful work,” said museum senior curator Elizabeth French-Gibson. “This exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the lasting impacts of residential schools, to honour the experiences of survivors and their families, and to consider the role each of us plays in advancing reconciliation.” The exhibition will be on display at the Museum until Sept. 4, 2026. To further explore The Witness Blanket, the museum is hosting two screenings of

the feature documentary film “Picking Up the Pieces: The Making of the Witness Blanket.” The film weaves the stories of objects in the Witness Blanket with Newman’s personal journey and examines how art can open our hearts to the pain of truth and the beauty of resilience. All are welcome to come together on Sunday, July 26, at 1:30 p.m. or Sunday, Aug. 16, at 1:30 p.m. Throughout the duration of the exhibit, admission to the museum is free for visitors identifying as Indigenous. Admission to both the exhibit and the film screenings is included with regular admission or free for museum members and Huron County Library card holders. Space is limited for the films and filmgoers are encouraged to reserve a seat through our website. For more information about the exhibit, or to reserve a seat for the film screenings, visit huroncountymuseum.ca/temporary-exhibits/witness-blanket/.

(HURON COUNTY MUSEUM PHOTO)

The Huron County Museum is hosting the Witness Blanket until Sept. 4, 2026. The exhibit from the Canadian Museum of Human Rights is a replica carver Carey Newman’s creation

Several area municipal spots up for grabs with less than 30 days left to file LEE GRIFFI Examiner Reporter

There are many good seats available with one month remaining to file nominations papers in upcoming municipal election rates. A University of Western Ontario professor is an expert in the field of local politics and he said there were several reasons why so few people run for office including what he called the incumbency advantage. “Incumbents have a huge advantage at the polls and it’s very substantial,” explained Martin Horak, associate professor and director at the school’s Centre for Urban Policy and Local Governance. “In small places where we don’t have political parties, name recognition matters. A lot of people tend to vote for the folks who are familiar unless they are really unhappy with them.” Horak said the situation often leads to the same people being voted into office for long periods of time and discourages others from putting their hat in the ring. He added it’s also very difficult to get people to run for office and the pay municipal politicians receive also acts as a barrier. “They typically come with small honorariums, people have other things to do, and these days, politicians face a lot of public criticism and even abuse and people know that. It can be really hard to get folks to run for that reason as well.” As of July 23, in South Huron there are three registered candidates for the position of mayor and also one for the

deputy mayor spot. There are three candidates in Wards 1 and 2 each, but none are signed up to run in Ward 3. In Lambton Shores, the slate of candidates is much emptier. Both the mayor and deputy mayor races have a single candidate each. Ward 7 is set to be the most contested ward with two candidates, while Wards 4, 5 and 6 each have one candidate. Wards 1, 2, and 3 lack anyone on the ballot. Bluewater is set to see a two-way race for mayor, while one candidate is looking to become deputy mayor. Though Zurich has two candidates on the ballot, every other ward has a single unopposed candidate, except in Hensall where none have signed up to run. Lucan Biddulph is on track to have races in the majority of its elections. Two candidates are looking to become the next mayor, while the deputy mayor race has a single unopposed candidate. Ward 1 has two candidates, Ward 3 has three, and Ward 2 is set to be an unopposed run for a single candidate. Horak said many smaller municipalities in Ontario and Quebec see incumbents re-elected on a regular basis and they are often acclaimed as no one runs against them. He added anyone attempting to defeat an incumbent may need to get their chequebook out. “It doesn’t matter if (incumbents) spend money or not, they have the same likelihood of winning again. For non-incumbents, the spending can make a difference. It doesn’t necessarily overcome the incumbency advantage but in order to win, non-incumbents do have to spend money and mobilize volunteers whereas those in office can usually coast into re-election.”

Nearly one in every 11 municipal candidates in Ontario was acclaimed in the 2022 election. About 8.7 per cent of all candidates won their seats without opposition, up from 7.2 per cent in 2018, according to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. 32 of Ontario’s 444 municipalities had entire councils acclaimed, meaning no municipal election was required in those communities. They all had populations under 10,000 and 22 were located in northern Ontario. Horak said there are some solutions to get more people on the ballot for municipal elections “You can increase renumeration but people are often reluctant to go down that road. I chaired the Council Compensation Task Force here in London last year and we recommended a significant salary increase, partly to attract really good quality people to run but the public didn’t like it.” He added more people tend to run in places where good local media coverage exists and people actually know what’s happening at the municipal government level. The same can be said in municipalities where a scandal has occurred. “People then sense an opportunity when there is a lot of attention being paid to a race. It brings out not only candidates, but more voters.” Horak noted there are some countries which have made voting mandatory including Australia. Voter turnout during the 2022 election was much higher locally than the provincial average which sat at 32.9 per cent.

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Exeter Examiner

KidVenture Wednesday gets colourful with tie-dye workshop

The Exeter downtown parkette was the place to be to find tie-dying fun on July 22. Hosted by the Exeter BIA, KidVenture Wednesdays brings fun family-friendly activities to downtown Exeter with the support of Exeter Family Eye Care. From left are Lily, Liam and Kathleen Becker, who dropped in the take part in the colourful afternoon.

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(MACKENZIE HODGINS PHOTOS)

Maci Jacobs gets creative with her tie-dye creation during the KidVenture Wednesday event.

Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Car lovers come out for annual CruiseNite at Yohan’s

Jorja Debruyn tries her hand at pulling

The 17th annual CruiseNite and Charity Barbecue was back in town on Friday, July 24. The annual event at Yohan’s Rod and Repair outside of Exeter welcomed classic car enthusiasts for an evening of fun, with proceeds from this year’s event supporting the Bluewater Youth Tug-of-War team, which also held a demonstration during the evening. Pictured is Derrick Leenders as he mans the grill.

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Thursday, July 30, 2026

Exeter Examiner

Beautiful butterflies: Fragile and fabulous winged wonders JUDY AND BARRY JOHNSON Examiner Correspondents

Mid-summer brings a host of delights in this area. Among them are butterflies, delicate flying beauties with intricate patterns and a host of

colours. Their life cycle is usually short and increasingly their very existence is endangered by environmental factors. Find these little gems feeding on flowers, sitting on plant leaves, dancing in the air with another butterfly or two when courting, or the

males performing aerial maneuvers to defend their territory, or simply flitting about on a sunny day. Watch out for “puddling” butterflies sitting on a gravel road or dirt, in a wet spot, or puddle where they uncoil a proboscis, a long tongue that sucks up the nutri-

ents, sometimes stirred up with their feet. These are usually males adding essential ingredients to their diet, minerals, salts, and amino acids for an extra energy boost and for providing the most beneficial start to the eggs their mate will lay. (JUDY & BARRY JOHNSON PHOTOS)

MOURNING CLOAK: The mourning cloak butterfly emerges from overwintering under tree bark or holes. It can live up to a year, cited as the longest butterfly life span. Mimicking tree bark, it has a deep brown/black exterior with a jagged light edge that opens to a lighter rich warm brown with a cream edge topped by bright blue dots. Its name is derived from its resemblance to Victorian attire for the “ordinary” mourning period when a widow could wear light trim like lace collars on her dark dresses

RED ADMIRAL: Fantastic camouflage is a hallmark of the red admiral butterfly. If you see it puddling — getting nutrients from dirt, especially by males to ensure reproduction strength — its open wings are shades of brown each with a bright orange band and white spots on wingtips. Closed wings blend to make this butterfly almost invisible when settled on tree bark. Two generations are in Ontario, adults that migrate here after overwintering in the southern U.S. mate and lay eggs for the next generation that migrates south.

EASTERN COMMA: This distinctively marked butterfly is named for the sharply defined white comma on each outside hind wing. Its deeply jagged wing edges are characteristic of the anglewing species. The comma mimics a dead leaf when its wings are closed, a defense from hungry predators. Its diet doesn’t usually include flowers. Its preference includes tree sap and fermenting fruit so in summer you might find one at your oriole feeder enjoying an orange. The question mark butterfly has a white dot close to the comma mark.

MONARCH: Bright orange native butterfly weed is a favourite for the regal monarch butterfly, commonly found here. The butterflies you see in early/mid-summer have an entire life span of only two to six weeks. They eat, court, mate, and lay eggs in that abbreviated time. Late summer/early fall “super” monarchs live seven to nine months. They travel south for two months, a journey of 4,800 kilometres to overwinter. They begin the migration north, mate, lay eggs, and die, passing the migration relay torch to next generations that arrive here.

GIANT SWALLOWTAIL: With a wingspan that can top 113 millimetres, this is the largest butterfly in Canada. Although rare in other regions, it is often seen here in southwestern Ontario. Arguably the most magnificent butterfly we view locally, its caterpillar’s defense is looking like bird poop, an unappetizing meal for predators! When open, the butterfly’s wings are black with striking yellow lines. When closed, it sports light shades of yellow, black edges on its wings and a partial black band with small orange and blue highlights.

RED-SPOTTED PURPLE: There are a wide variety of colour variations in this stunning butterfly of the brush-footed species. They can look a lot like black swallowtails, the difference being no “tails” on their hind wings. Find these intricately coloured butterflies in clearings of wooded areas, and puddling for nutrients on gravel and dirt roads. Medium-sized, their wingspan is about 75-90 millimetres. The closed and open appearance is quite different. The name is deceptive. They aren’t actually purple, but blue/black with iridescence and their spots are orange, not red.

Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 30, 2026

South Huron Hub Important Dates July 30, 2026

Civic holiday, Monday, August 3rd The Municipal Office and Landfill Site will be closed Monday, August 3rd for Civic Holiday. There will be no disruption to garbage and recycling collection. For urgent municipal matters outside regular business hours please call 519-2350310 x7 Exeter Rodeo Returns for 2026! Mark your calendars for some fun with the whole family! August 8 & 9, the RAM Rodeo Tour thunders into town at the Exeter Rodeo Arena. Get your tickets in the Exeter area at Delta Power or Exeter Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram or online at ramrodeoontario.com. SATURDAY, AUGUST 8 2:00 PM – Gates, Vendors and Alberta Premium Saloon; 2:30 PM - Free Kids Rodeo with Paid Admission Hosted by the Canadian Cowgirls 4:00 PM – RAM Rodeo Performance 6:00 – 9:00 PM – Free Entertainment SUNDAY, AUGUST 9 11:00 AM – Gates, Vendors and BUD LIGHT BUCKLE UP SALOON 11:30 AM – Free Kids Rodeo with Paid Admission Hosted by the Canadian Cowgirls 1:00 PM – RAM Rodeo Performance Recycling Rates - Effective March 1, 2026 User Fees and Charges By-Law #77-2025, Schedule D—Environmental Service Fees, has been amended to eliminate residential recycling fees and amend ICI (Institutional, Commercial and Industrial) recycling fees from $47.68/year to $71.40/bin/year.

Monday, August 10th Regular Council Meeting 6:00 PM (EST)* Wednesday, August 12th Committee of the Whole 4:00 PM (EST)*

*South Huron Council meetings are open for in-person attendance and continue to be livestreamed. See our website Agendas and Minutes page or the Municipal Youtube Channel at meeting time to access the livestream video link. A recording of the meeting will be available on the Municipal Youtube Channel following the meeting.

South Huron Votes 2026 - Check you're registered to vote! Check, update or add your information to the voters list at registertovoteon.ca. It only takes a couple minutes. Be sure you're on the list so you can have your say in the 2026 Municipal Election. Reminder: Nomination period is open until 2pm on August 21, 2026 for anyone looking to file a nomination package to run as a candidate in the 2026 Municipal or School Board Election. For more information regarding the 2026 Municipal and School Board Election, check out the Municipal Election page on southhuron.ca, contact the Clerk at vote@southhuron.ca, or drop into the Clerk’s Department at town hall (322 Main Street South, Exeter). 2026 Water and Wastewater Services Rates On March 16, 2026 Council gave third and final reading to By-Law #18-2026 Water and Wastewater Rates and Charges By-Law to repeal By-Law #66-2021. The charges set out in this By-Law are effective April 1, 2026. A full breakdown of the charges can be found on the municipal webpage Water and Wastewater Rates. The base and consumption charges have increased. The debt repayment charge has been reduced. These charges are based on service size, please refer to By-Law #182026. If you have any questions, please contact the Financial Services Department at 519-235-0310 Ext. 233 or go to SouthHuron.ca

Our information is accessible! Contact us anytime if you require alternative formats. MUNICIPALITY OF SOUTH HURON 322 Main Street South, PO Box 759, Exeter, ON N0M 1S6 PHONE: 519-235-0310 ● FAX: 519-235-3304 ● TOLL FREE: 1-877-204-0747 WEBSITE: www.southhuron.ca

Building Services ext. 6 Community Services ext. 222 Transportation, Roads ext. 230 Water & Wastewater, Landfill ext. 230 Afterhours ext. 7

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Exeter Examiner

Newcomer Day at Camp Dashwood’s Zion Lutheran returns to Camp Klahanie Church holds Vacation this August Bible School EXETER EXAMINER STAFF Staff Contribution

The organizers of Newcomer Day at Camp have announced that the event is returning to Goderich’s Camp Klahanie on Aug. 22. Newcomer Day at Camp, which will start at 2 p.m. and run until 8 p.m., is an annual celebration that brings newcomers to Canada, local supporters, and community organizations together for a free day of outdoor fun, food, and friendship. The free event, organized by the Goderich Lions Club and the Immigrant Advisory Council of the Huron County Immigration Partnership, is an opportunity for newcomers to Canada and their supporters to spend a summer afternoon enjoying games, children’s activities, a guided hike and community barbecue. Organized since 2019, this year’s Newcomer Day at Camp will also include a guided hike, games of soccer and volleyball, an African drumming workshop, dance workshops, children’s painting crafts, and a cricket match demonstration. Attendees will also have the chance to meet a farm animal, enjoy a barbecue with halal, vegetarian, and gluten-free options available, and gather around a bonfire complete with marshmallows. Participants are also encouraged to bring a dessert from their own culture to share with fellow attendees, adding a personal and delicious touch to the day’s celebrations.

“The Lions Club has always believed in service that brings people together, and Newcomer Day at Camp does exactly that,” said Goderich Lions Club president Cecilia Fulkner. “Every year we watch new friendships form over a game of soccer or a shared meal at the barbecue, and it’s a reminder of how strong our community becomes when we welcome everyone in.” Newcomer Day at Camp offers attendees the opportunity to meet and connect with other newcomers to Canada, settlement staff from the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario, volunteers from the Huron Welcome Hub for Newcomers, Huron County Library staff, community organization staff, and elected leaders. “Newcomer Day at Camp is one of the best days of the summer, full of laughter, new friends, and a real sense of belonging,” said Immigrant Advisory Council of the Huron County Immigration Partnership chair Pam Somers. “Whether you’re trying cricket for the first time, sharing a dessert from home, or just relaxing by the bonfire, it’s a chance to feel connected to this community. We can’t wait to celebrate with everyone again this year.” Newcomer Day at Camp is made possible through the support of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario, the Goderich Lions, the Huron Welcome Hub for Newcomers and the Town of Goderich.

(PHOTO BY ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH PHOTO)

Dashwood’s Zion Lutheran Church held its annual Vacation Bible School from July 20 to 24 with 49 students attending this year. There were 25 volunteers helping to make the school possible, with this year’s theme being “Emerald Crossing,” a journey through Ireland’s landscapes. The offerings gathered were donated to support the work of a local team who will be travelling to a northern Ontario Indigenous community in August to run a Vacation Bible School for the Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots. Additionally, food was fathered to take to Blessings in Zurich.

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Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 30, 2026

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Buying major home appliances is a significant financial investment that shapes how your household functions for the next decade or more. Whether you are outfitting a brand-new kitchen, replacing a dying washing machine, or upgrading for better energy efficiency, the process can quickly feel overwhelming given the sheer volume of features, tech smarts, and styles available today. Hensall Major Appliance and Mattress Centre is a locally owned and operated family business that has built its reputation on a “customer-first” philosophy. Guided by local owners Josh and Hilary Alexander, the company provides a personalized experience unlike big-box retailers where shoppers are often left to navigate aisles alone. They take the time to understand your lifestyle and budget to ensure you find the right fit the first time. Whether you are outfitting a professional-grade chef’s kitchen or looking for budget-friendly reliability, they offer energy-efficient refrigerators, freezers, gas and electric ranges, cooktops, smart wall ovens, microwaves, dishwashers, wine coolers and ventilation. They also sell laundry products front and top load washers, dryers, laundry pairs, and complete accessories. They have a full parts department including water filters, cleaners and soaps. Coyote Outdoor Living products are also available. Hensall Major Appliance and Mattress Centre specializes in Energy Star® certified products that help homeowners reduce their environmental footprint, and lower monthly utility bills. Hensall Major Appliance and Mattress Centre is a GE Appliance Centre. Thery feature highdemand appliances brands such as Electrolux, Danby, Café, Frigidaire, and Moffat to mention a few. If your sleep set is eight to ten years old it is probably beginning to develop lumps and bumps, losing support, and perhaps beginning to hammock. For a good nights’ sleep Hensall Major Appliance and Mattress Centre features Canadian-made Springwall sleep products, with the latest sleep technologies. They also provide delivery, removal and installation* on all sales. Ask for details. Contact Long Last Major Appliance Repair for in- and out-of-warranty service for most major appliance brands and types, phone 519-262-3654. Josh has years of experience in repairs and service, offered at a fair price. For the best deals we suggest you visit Hensall Major Appliance and Mattress Centre. View their products and special promotions and deals online at www.hensallmajorappliance.com. Like them on Facebook. www.facebook.com/hensallmajorappliance/

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Whether it’s residential, agricultural, irrigation, or commercial clients well drilling is the backbone of rural infrastructure. Your family’s well-being is vital, and having clean, healthy water is a major part of that. Everyone deserves a life supported by water they can trust. Serving Southwestern Ontario since 1944 for 3 generations, Hayden Water Wells is familyowned and operated by Jay Hayden. Jay has over 43 years of experience in the water well drilling profession and can conduct a truly knowledgeable groundwater analysis on your property. Hayden Water Wells prioritizes the proper sizing and design using heavy wall casing and stainlesssteel screens for wells to ensure long-lasting, efficient systems. Their team provides all services required for a new successful water system, including water wells, construction, and completion of the well, and complete installation of the water pumping system whether it is a conventional or constant pressure system. Hayden Water Wells provides servicing of existing wells and pump system replacements along with decommissioning (or abandonment) of older unused wells to the Ministry of Environment regulation Code 903. They specialize in all types of wells ranging from, 6” gravel and bedrock wells to 30” bored wells. Hayden Water Wells takes pride in giving the best workmanship and service for your water needs by utilizing the most up-to-date equipment and experienced technicians. They continually upgrade their equipment and are growing bigger every year. Their knowledge of the water well industry is second to none. Their team’s many years of experience and state-of-the-art equipment, combined with the water well industry’s most knowledgeable and skilled workers, ensure you get the best results. Each year, Hayden Water Wells drills and bores an average of over 200 wells in Southwestern Ontario, and specializes in systems designed to meet your expectations, and constructed with quality components that provide decades of use. Hayden Water Wells provides competitive pricing, great service, and great warranties. They also offer emergency services. Thinking about putting in a new water well pump system or updating your old system, turn your project over to the professionals at Hayden Water Wells, a company we highly recommend. We suggest you contact Office Manager Christine Hayden or Rachel Hayden today to book reservations. Their business is dedicated to excellence, efficiency, and keeping your water worries a thing of the past. Visit the website at www.haydenwaterwells.com for more information or read reviews from numerous satisfied customers. Like on Facebook. www.facebook.com/haydenwaterwells Follow us on Instagram @haydenwaterwells Hours 7AM -5PM.

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Exeter Examiner

SPORTS

Bluewater youth tug-of-war team prepares to return to Europe CONTINUED FROM FRONT

taking place in Switzerland on Saturday, Aug. 29. The tournament is hosted annually by the founding members of the organization: Germany, England, Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium. The team first made the journey across the Atlantic in 2025 to compete when the tournament was held in the Netherlands, where they were the first team ever to compete from North America. The team placed 12th out of 36 teams in 2025, and coach Rob Hoffman told the Exeter Examiner they intend to improve on last year’s performance when they return. “We were happy,” he said. “Of course we wanted to make the top 10, but we definitely want to improve. We want to push harder and train harder.” The team that practices in a facility on a farm just outside of Dashwood got its start organically. When the son of coach Ted Hoffman, Rob’s brother, wanted to pull during his birthday party, they quickly saw an interest in the sport. “All the kids that came to the birthday really liked it, and it just sort of kept happening,” said Rob. “Then we got more serious.” Bluewater has long had a men’s tug-of-war team, but the addition of a youth team has opened the door for youths from ages 12 to 17 to dip their toes in the sport and develop their skills in pulling. “Friedsburg always had tug-of-war. We just remember being little kids, and we couldn’t wait to get old enough to be on a men’s team,” said Rob. “They didn’t even look at you until you were older and you grew.” “I’m almost jealous that these kids get this awesome head start now.” Now in their 4th summer, Rob said the youth team has been picking up momentum, attracting at times nearly 30 young athletes to their practices. He said that momentum is helping to create the next generation of pullers who can carry the torch and compete as adults for years to come. “It’s grown, and it’s brought new life into the senior club,” he said. “It’s a hell of a thing to start a fire without coals.” Rob said tug-of-war is a particularly unique sport that can teach athletes life lessons about teamwork and sportsmanship. “It teaches them all that they can be a successful team if they work together,” he said. “There can be a gender gap or age gap, different sizes and statures.” That same sense of teamwork has extended beyond the rope, as the wider community has rallied behind the team through fundraisers and donations to help cover the cost of competing overseas. “It’s a big financial commitment,” said Rob. “Area businesses have just flat-out donated. It’s been really good. The community’s been awesome. “It takes a village to raise a child.” While reflecting on the experience of last year’s competition in the Netherlands, Rob said the competition will be every bit as challenging as last year as they face a roster of highly skilled teams who are out to win. But even with a heated and tough competition, he said the tug-of-war community shows its strength and unity throughout tournaments like GENSB. “When it’s said and done, though, there’s no fighting,” said Rob. “There’s no arguing like there is in other sports. There’s good camaraderie and sportsmanship.” Rob said they often view themselves as ambassadors for the sport, whether they’re travelling abroad

(DAN ROLPH PHOTOS)

The Bluewater Youth Tug-of-War team will be returning to Europe in August to compete in the GENSB International Junior Tug-of-War Tournament, which is being hosted in Switzerland this year. From left are youth team members Bryce Jeffrey, Harlen Regier, Dakota Restemayer, Carson Vandenbussche and Grant Hoffman

or competing locally, breaking stigmas about the sport that at times may face stereotypes. “We’re kind of strict about certain things, but we’re selling the sport as well,” he said. “We want it to look professional. If we just saunter in and saunter out, people will think we’re just sauntering around. There’s a bit of a stigma that there’s a bunch of big guys and there’s beer involved. We take it seriously. “At the international level, when you’re representing the community and our country, it’s important. You see the pride in the other teams from other countries. It rubs off on you and you realize why.” Danica Jeffrey, a member of the team for 4 years who competed in the Netherlands last year, said she’s looking forward to picking up the rope again in Switzerland. “I’m excited to represent Canada,” she said. Three-year puller Miley Restemayer is also looking forward to competing abroad alongside her teammates. “I’m just ready to pull against all different teams and get the experience of travelling,” she said. With the team well on its way to another successful year, it appears that its future is looking as bright as ever. Rob said they plan to continue pulling for years to come, and they have their eyes on creating a full girl’s team if there’s enough interest in the community. As the team prepares to represent Bluewater and Canada overseas again, the support behind them shows the sport’s future is not only by the athletes on the rope, but by the community rooting for them every step of the way.

Coach Ted Hoffman speaks to the youth team as they pull during practice.

Exeter Examiner

LOCAL SPORTS

Thursday, July 30, 2026

SCRAPBOOK

(DAN ROLPH PHOTOS)

The inaugural South Huron IAW Cup brought soccer action to Exeter on July 19. Organized by the Huron County Immigration Partnership, the tournament saw international agri-food workers play at Exeter’s community soccer fields in the spirit of competition while promoting inclusivity and connection within the community.

Many of the region’s international agri-food workers laced up their cleats to step onto the Exeter community soccer fields for the tournament, with more than 80 players participating in the inaugural tournament.

Following the tournament, members of the community were invited to the South Huron Recreation Centre for a community watch party of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, when Spain defeated Argentina to become the 2026 champions.

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Exeter Examiner

EXETER RAM RODEO AUG 8–9, 2026 South Huron Recreation Centre Rodeo Arena 94 Victoria Street East, Exeter

Event Schedule SATURDAY, AUG 8th

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Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 30, 2026

EXETER RAM RODEO AUG 8–9, 2026 South Huron Recreation Centre Rodeo Arena 94 Victoria Street East, Exeter

Exeter saddles up for 28th annual rodeo DAN ROLPH Editor

A local staple will be back in Exeter next month, bringing two days of rodeo action, entertainment and community spirit to the South Huron Recreation Centre’s Rodeo Arena. Running from Aug. 8 to 9, the Exeter RAM Rodeo will feature all the favourite rodeo competitions, including bare-

back riding, barrel racing, bull riding and more. Laura Goulding of the rodeo committee said the annual event is one that attracts everyone from sports enthusiasts to animal lovers. She said it’s that broad appeal that fills the stands and adds electricity to the experience. “It’s incredible the number of people who come out,” she said. “Each year we’ve had such incredible attendance, and that’s really part of what makes the event so fantastic. People are coming and experiencing this either for the first time or the 28th time. The reason is that it’s a fantastic event.” The Exeter RAM Rodeo has a long-running history in the community, and Goulding said it is one of Ontario’s longest-running rodeos. She said Exeter’s convenient position as a crossroads in the region while being a rural community that understands animals and livestock makes it the perfect place for

Welcome to the Exeter Rodeo! Be Part of all the Excitement!

the event. “It’s long running and there’s a reason for it. It’s highly entertaining,” she said. “We’re the home of the white squirrel, but we’re also the home of the rodeo. That means a lot to a lot of people.” With this year’s rodeo bringing back challenging events like saddle bronc riding, Goulding said the rodeo is always a display of skill from the riders and the animals. She said the trick riders who will be performing during the rodeo are another highlight, combining speed, balance and trust with their horses to put on a thrilling show for the crowd. “Those guys know what they’re doing,” she said. “That communication level between the rider and the horses is just incredible. If it didn’t happen well, people would be falling off horses all over the place. “There’s so much preparation that goes into this.” The gates will open for this year’s rodeo on Saturday, Aug. 8, at 2 p.m. The main event is slated to start at 4 p.m., but attendees will have access to the beer tent and the market with more than 16 ven-

dors as the gates open. Goulding said the rodeo’s market has become a perfect opportunity for local businesses to find their footing and test ideas with the community. “It’s kind of like having a farmer’s market and a rodeo all in one,” she said. The rodeo ring will also see the return of the free kids rodeo hosted by the Canadian Cowgirls, starting at 2:30 p.m. Also returning this year is Seaforth musician Connor Wilson, who will be entertaining crowds at the beer tent. “He’s fun, he sounds fantastic and he plays for the crowd,” she said. The Sunday event is set to be just as exhilarating as Saturday, with the gates opening at 11 a.m. The kids rodeo will start at 11:30 a.m., while the rodeo performance will hit the ring at 1 p.m. Tickets at the gate will cost $35 for adults, $20 for youth and $5 for children 5 and under. Tickets can also be purchased ahead of time at Exeter Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Delta Power Equipment or online at a reduced price. For more information about the Exeter RAM Rodeo, visit ramrodeoontario.com.

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Thursday, July 30, 2026

Exeter Examiner

COLUMNS Hensall: Came late but grew quickly — Part 2

BOB HEYWOOD Examiner Columnist

This writer has in his possession a hard-bound copy of Sutherland’s Huron County Gazeteer – 186970. Exeter at that time boasted a population of 600 souls, several stores and industries with daily mails and stages both to London and Clinton. Heading north, the stagecoach’s first stop would be at Rodgerville, population 80 souls. There, James Bonthron would receive the mail as postmaster and merchant and there may be a traveller who stayed at Matthew Rodger’s commodious hotel, who would board the coach to travel on. The next stop would be at Kippen, approximately two miles north, where the postmaster Robert Mellis would pass the mail bag to the driver, who would then continue north to Brucefield. With its population at 150 souls and having two first class hotels, surely the stage would receive one or two more passengers to take to Clinton and perhaps on to Goderich. It would promise to be a religious experience for certain, if one member from each of the two Presbyterian churches in Brucefield were riding on the same stage, but that’s for another column. Perhaps with this lengthy preamble, if you grew up in this area, you may wonder why the stage didn’t stop in Hensall. And I may wonder

why my prized 1869 Gazeteer makes no mention of a hamlet of that name. That’s because Hensall did not exist, but soon it would in the minds and ambitions of James and George Petty. These two Englishmen, farming and dealing in livestock in the area for the last few years, at first mention of a railway coming north from London, started making plans for a brand-new village on the London to Goderich road. They quickly purchased the 50-acre lot on the north side of what would become the Main Street of the village of Hensall. They then petitioned the London, Huron and Bruce Railway directors to pass through their farm, offering free passage and a plot on which to build the station. Their planning and incentives paid off and with the promise of daily freight trains to London and other urban centres, they built a large and impressive meat packing plant west of the tracks. By the time the first train came through in January 1876, the Petty Brothers had several men in their employ, all needing accommodation along with a commercial village where they could spend their hardearned cash. By October 1877, a town site plan was drawn up. In “The Settlement of Huron County,” James Scott regales that both the Petty brothers and T.J. Wilson were raising homes as quickly as possible. One historian reported that the Pettys sold $6,000 worth of building lots on King and Queen Streets in a single day. “The homes were for sale or rent,” depending on the customer’s ability to pay. The Seaforth Expositor

reported in the June 16, 1876 edition, “There is scarcely a train from the north or south that does not bring potential buyers either for private residences or business purposes.” In 1884 Hensall was recognized as a police village but by 1896, it became an incorporated village, such was its growth. In 1880, the Carter brothers successfully drilled for salt and by 1886, George McEwen of Goderich had purchased the Salt Block and with 20 cords of firewood per day, 80 barrels of salt were produced. Ten men were employed in this enterprise. The Hensall product brought home the highest quality award at the World Fair in Chicago in 1893. McEwen went on to establish a cooper shop producing 50 barrels a day to hold salt, apples, oatmeal and flour. Around 1888, he partnered with Owen Geiger in building two 40-foot by 100-foot storage barns for storing and preparing flax for the market. At least twice, once in the 1890s and once in the 1920s, the flax barns were burnt to the ground and were rebuilt. This industry employed many locals both in the field and the factory, adding

to the village’s prosperity. George McEwen was not only an entrepreneur, but he served publicly as the reeve of Hay, the first warden of Huron County and also one term as MP in Ottawa. Donald Urquhart, who came to Hensall in 1879 to work at Sam Rannie’s original mill, soon built an oatmeal mill and at one point was reported to be supplying “one tenth of all the barley exported from Canada.” He was a man of ambition and soon developed a sawmill, cider mill, evaporator, a jelly mill and a hoop factory. With three mills vying for business, the operators became very competitive, sometimes approaching farmers as they brought their crops into the village, trying to entice them into a deal. By 1918 the Mickles of Ridgetown bought out Urquhart’s, while in 1929 the Thompson Brothers of Blenheim bought a small mill from G.C. Petty which grew into a major exporter of beans around the world. Sam Rannie’s original mill was purchased by Henry Cook whose family received and marketed crops for many years, selling out to Gerbro Inc in 1969. The Cooks also branched into

the automobile business in 1911, marketing Hudson-Essex cars and eventually establishing the first Ford dealership in Hensall. Perhaps the Hensall and District Co-operative would have to be recognized as the greatest standard bearer in the community’s history. The co-op displays how a community of resilient and determined farmers can come together as a team, many of whom were willing to serve on the board, and under capable leadership and faithful employees, have become undeniably, a success of unequalled precedent. To tell the entire story of the mill business in Hensall would take a book of its own. With the advent of the automobile and tractor power, another early Hensall entrepreneur’s business was brought to a halt. Thomas J. Berry of the village, crossed the Atlantic 49 times and was touted as the largest importer of “heavy draft horses” in Canada. He is buried at McTaggart’s cemetery east of the village. A plaque on his tombstone tells his story. Robert Bell’s foundry was an early manufacturer in Hensall, which eventually moved to Seaforth and became

well known across the dominion. General Coach and General Homes continue to add employment and notoriety to Hensall. The Welsh family were watching the growth of the village which prompted them to build Hensall’s second planing mill on Richmond Street South and west of the tracks. William Welsh soon built a sawmill to supply the lumber they needed as he and his nephew became contractors, building many houses in the village. Most readers will recall Walter Spencer whose father purchased the planing mill and the Spencers were a presence, selling building products in the same location for many years. In the 1879 Huron County atlas, four years after the first train rolled through in 1876, I count approximately 70 tracts of land in Hay Township between Hensall and Zurich that were still owned by the Canada Company. In the same atlas though, the Hay Township map shows several blocks of village development in the place we know as Hensall, totally non-existent in my 1869 Gazeteer. Ten years made quite a difference!

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

A group of “long dressed ladies” involved in barrel packing dried apples. In the background stands the original Cooks mill. Both buildings were located west of the tracks which has been affectionately known from the early years to this day as “Tinkertown.”

Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 30, 2026

OH, THE PLACES WE’LL GO: “Foodie” quality at sensible prices – amazing dining at Punch Ltd.

PAUL KNOWLES Examiner Columnist

If you have eaten in hotel dining rooms, you will probably agree that some can be really good; many can be ridiculously pricey; some are just run-of-themill or worse… although still often overly expensive. So when Germain Hotels’ France Savard invited us to dine at Punch Ltd., the new restaurant in Le Germain Hotel Toronto, on Mercer Street, I did not know what to expect. I know, though, what I did not expect: one of the finest meals I have ever enjoyed. But that is exactly what we got. Amazing, unique food, in a very elegant setting, with superb service. A perfect experience. Am I exaggerating? Well, at one point during the meal, my partner simply said, “This food is absolutely full of flavour!” That’s the work of executive chef Mandar Kulkarni and his eight-person kitchen crew. Mandar, who is from Mumbai, India, chatted with us and explained that the culinary model at Punch Ltd. is “Modern London… British food with softer Indian touches.” This is not, in any way, stereotypical Indian cuisine; it’s in a category all its

own. Punch Ltd. opened its doors last October, in the hotel that opened in 2003. Le Germain Hotel Toronto was the first Germain establishment outside the province of Québec… although most certainly not the last. Germain hotels now exist all across Canada, still independently owned and operated by the Germain family, who are based in Montréal. Back to the dining table: while you can certainly order individual meals off the menu at Punch Ltd., there are a couple of more interesting ways to dine here. The dinner menu lists the options as “Small Shares,” “Large Shares,” and “Sides”. So sharing is a great way to go. But the advice at the top of the menu is, “Let our chefs take the lead… enjoy a personally curated tasting journey.” Now, I have been in restaurants where a “personally curated tasting journey” costs hundreds of dollars. Not here – that option comes with a very reasonable price tag of $95. In fact, in the holiday months, there is also a “Summerlicious” option – your choice of small share, main dish, dies, and dessert, for $65. That is definitely not a “foodie restaurant” price – but the food will delight the most demanding foodie. One other difference – some tasting menus involve minute portions of a variety of food. The portions at Punch Ltd. are very satisfactory. Our meal? We wisely decided to trust the chef. As well as trusting Lauren Hall, the warm and welcoming Director of Food

The bar at Punch Ltd., with a very enthusiastic bartender

and Beverage, as well as Punch Ltd.’s sommelier. She matched our courses with truly excellent wines. Mandar started us with a unique amuse bouche – a vegetarian version of steak tartare, with beetroot substituting for the steak. Delicious. We were then served Mumbai Chat-Slaw, mixed at the table, an amazing melange of radishes, beets, green apple, pomegranate, boondi (deep-fried chickpea flour), potato straw, crispy leeks and tamarind yogurt. Next came duck sausage, with raisins, in puff pastry, topped with a unique, dark, spicy house brown sauce. Then came what may have been our favourite taste of the meal (except, perhaps, the desserts): Agnolotti (a stuffed pasta) with morels, English peas, snap peas, porcini mushroom broth and maggie butter. This was followed by exceptional Beef Wellington, one of the many house specialties. The menu lists “tenderloin, prosciutto, wild mushroom duxelles, Swiss chard, sunchoke purée and rogan josh jus”. The jus brings that soft, Indian spin to the very British Beef Wellington – again, a perfect culinary marriage. And then came desserts – yes, plural because there were, after all, two of us. One was a Punch Ltd. standard – absolutely luscious sticky toffee pudding. The other involved a surprise. Our server brough a white chocolate mousse with a red fruit sauce, and at the table, poured extra virgin olive oil on the mousse, and added cracked black pepper.

(PAUL KNOWLES PHOTOS)

Beef Wellington with all the fixings – superb!

I was dubious… until my first taste. That dessert included both saffron – the most expensive spice in the world – and cardamom, third most pricey. Mandar explained that both are essential to his recipes, so he insists on them, regardless of cost. Lauren matched our courses with terrific wines from around the world: a Gruner Veltliner from Austria, Cerisier en Fleur from Alsace, a terrific Bordeaux, and a couple more. The wine list at Punch Ltd. covers 10 pages; there are three more for spirits, and that doesn’t include their wide selection of unique cocktails, and beer. The restaurant features low light, pleasant background music, and wait staff in black suits

(GERMAN HOTELS PHOTO)

and white shirts – it all speaks of elegance. But the diners’ clothing tended toward smart casual – no formality, here. I don’t write a lot of articles about any specific restaurant, but Punch Ltd. clearly earned the attention it’s getting, this week. You don’t have to be a foodie to love Punch Ltd. Sure, foodies will love it , but Punch Ltd. is perfect for anyone who enjoys a dining adventure. You will not be disappointed! Paul Knowles is an author and travel writer, and Past-President of the Travel Media Association of Canada. To contact Paul about travel, his books, or speaking engagements, email pknowles@golden.net.

Lauren Hall is Director of Food and Beverage, and also the very knowledgeable sommelier at Punch Ltd.

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Exeter Examiner

ABOUT TIME AND TIMES: Elisabethe and Heinrich

JUDY FINKBEINER JOHNSON Examiner Columnist

It is early May 1884, and Heinrich and Elisabethe Pfaff are in Hamburg, Germany, looking for the first time at the S.S. Polaria, the ship that will take them to the New World. The dock is bustling, crowded and noisy with hundreds of people waiting to board and cargo being loaded. The couple know that boarding that ship means they will never again set foot on their homeland or see loved ones. I can only imagine the emotions they experience, waiting to embark. Many of us have ancestors who crossed oceans to come here, bravely sailing into the unknown for a variety of reasons including religious persecution, political turmoil, economic hardships, or even famine in their “old country.” If we are fortunate, we have heard stories passed down through generations of their struggles and opportunities, of events and decisions in the past that distill our experience of being alive in this place at this moment in time.

S a i l i n g to A m e r i c a 1884 Heinrich and Elisabethe are my maternal great-grandparents. It was in the 1940s when my mother Irene came to Ontario from Manitoba that she first met her grandmother Pfaff. By this time the woman she called “grossmama,” German for grandma, was elderly, a widow living with one of her daughters on a farm near Crediton. She was a quiet, kind, industrious woman often found sitting in a chair close to the window knitting socks. Almost blind, she could catch a glimpse of light and feel the sunshine there. In 1880 Heinrich Pfaff and Elisabethe Schmidt married in Gruenberg, Hessen, Germany. The blossoming industrial age had brought several factories to nearby Lauter, the town of almost 4,000 where Heinrich

was born and became a blacksmith. His father Philipp was a “schmiedemeister,” a master blacksmith who had worked his way up through apprenticeship, being a journeyman (he travelled broadly through the country to learn new techniques of the trade, hence journeyman), to the top rank of his guild. In 1884, both 25 years old, the couple got approval from town officials to emigrate to America and booked passage on the S.S. Polaria. With rail travel expensive, they would have travelled by horse-drawn carriage and a river barge on the Elbe River for the 540 kilometre trip from Hesse to Hamburg to embark for the Atlantic Ocean crossing to New York. The steamship set sail on May 2 and arrived in New York on May 25 after a 23-day Atlantic crossing. They moved to the New World with possessions they could carry including a rope bed, new blouses for Elisabethe and a few dishes. The Polaria arrived at Castle Garden in New York City. The famous Ellis Island didn’t open to accept immigrants until 1892. The din was so loud that people had to shout directly into someone’s ear to be heard. There was a cacophony of languages from the many areas of the Old World. Hundreds of people were waiting to be processed, a jostling mass of humanity. Many were weak from days of seasickness and lack of food. All were eager to being able to bathe and wash their clothing.

S te e ra g e tions

age accommodation. Stats for survival were over 60 per cent for first-class and more than 40 per cent for second-class. Steerage was located below the top deck of the ship. It was crowded with people of all ages whose only commonality was emigrating. Babies would be born on the voyage, people of all ages would die. The air was stale and there was little daylight. Time on deck with fresh air was often limited, food and water was rationed and for a ship that was expected to cross the mighty Atlantic in about eight days or so, undoubtedly scarce during Heinrich and Elisabethe’s morethan-one-month-long voyage. Passengers slept in tiers of bunks. People slept in their clothes, shoes, and even their hats. A single bunk held two, not long enough to stretch out fully, according to first-hand reports. Hygiene in steerage on ships was virtually non-existent. Records of the time show one steerage ship with 700 passengers had only two bathtubs. Of course there was no running water, and fresh water was rationed. Toilet conditions were abysmal. People were seasick for days, often for the entire voyage, adding to the stench. Maladies like cholera, typhus and dysentery ran rampant. Burial at sea was unceremonious; bodies were simply

tipped into the ocean.

T h e Po l a r i a s te a m ship Shipbuilders were kept busy building emigrant ships for the European market. The Polaria was just over 91.4 metres long. Its beam (width at its widest point) was 11.6 metres. The dangers in trans-Atlantic crossings were many — raging storms with winds that could break a mast and sink a ship, high waves that flooded steerage compartments, theft, physical and sexual assault, and deadly illness. The Polaria made the newspapers. Here are two items I found in the New York Times archives: May 27, 1884, headline: MORE SMALL-POX ON THE POLARIA (this was reported only two days later than Heinrich and Elisabethe arrived; small-pox was an issue on their voyage. They were quarantined according to reports of the day); October 30, 1884, headline: CARRYING TOO MANY PASSENGERS - Captain Ludwig Kessall, Captain of the Polaria steamship was found guilty of carrying an excessive number of passengers, in violations of capacity statutes. I doubt this is the only example of ship owners already making profits from crowded steerage conditions looking

to make even more money by carrying more passengers than the law allowed.

O n to Z u r i ch / D a s h wo o d Heinrich and Elisabethe travelled overland from New York to Zurich/Dashwood area where other Pfaff families had settled. Heinrich plied his trade of blacksmithing. Here they raised their young family of three sons and four daughters, one of whom was my maternal grandmother, Caroline (Carrie) Pfaff who married Daniel Gower. Heinrich and Elisabethe later bought 50 acres of land in 1910 that they cleared and farmed. There were hard times, and lots of hard work. The couple’s children remained close their entire lives. My grandmother Caroline who had moved to Manitoba, kept in touch through letters and visits to Ontario. I have many wonderful memories of special occasions and everyday life together with my greataunts and great-uncles. Elisabethe died in 1947, ten years after Heinrich.

N EX T C O LUM N

Exploring the Black Forest where my paternal great-great-grandparents came from to settle northwest of Crediton, Ontario in 1848.

condi-

The Polaria was built in 1882 in England, specifically for transporting more than 1,000 emigrants and cargo from Europe to America. All Polaria passengers travelled by what was euphemistically called third class, commonly known as steerage. The movie Titanic that showed the sinking of that mighty ship on her maiden voyage in 1912 after colliding with an iceberg, provided a glimpse into ship travel by steerage almost three decades later than the Pfaffs travelled. Records for the Titanic show that even with the considerable improvements for steerage passengers, only about only 24 per cent of the passengers lived, managing to escape the metal gates and mazelike corridors of that steer-

The house in Lauter, Hesse, Germany where Heinrich Pfaff was born in 1859.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Mentoring Matters: The impact of mentoring

AMY WILHELM Examiner Columnist

Why invest in Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Huron? The simple answer is that it takes funding to deliver quality mentoring programs. But a better question is this: What impact does your investment make? The answer is powerful. A multi-stage study conducted by the Boston Consulting

Group for Big Brothers Big Sisters found that mentoring delivers a social return on investment of $23 for every $1 invested. In other words, every dollar invested in mentoring generates $23 in long-term social and economic benefits. That is a remarkable return — not just for the child receiving a mentor, but for families, communities, employers, and society as a whole. So, what does that look like in real life? Mentored young people experience stronger outcomes in three key areas: life, community, and work. In life, 98 per cent of mentored youth believe they make good life choices, 81 per cent report strong financial literacy, and 80 per cent pursue healthy life-

styles. In their communities, 87 per cent build strong social networks. They are 50 per cent more likely to volunteer, contributing 30 per cent more volunteer hours, and 13 per cent more likely to donate to charitable causes, giving 20 per cent more than their peers. The impact extends well into adulthood. In the workplace, former mentees are 17 per cent more likely to be employed, earn 13 per cent higher incomes, and 47 per cent hold senior leadership positions. The results of this approach are measurable and far-reaching. Young people who participate in our programs graduate with stronger social-emotional competence, improved mental health and wellbeing, and

greater educational engagement and employment readiness. They develop communication and relationship skills, social awareness, responsible decision-making, self-management, and self-awareness. They experience greater mental wellness, increased social inclusion, and empowerment. They become more committed to learning, use their time constructively, and are better prepared for future education, employment, and life. That is the true power of mentoring. We are not simply supporting children today—we are helping shape confident, compassionate, and successful adults who will strengthen our communities for decades to come. Imagine a Canada

Better Mental Health: The gift of self-compassion

TANYA MACINTYRE Examiner Columnist

We often use the words guilt and shame interchangeably, yet they represent entirely different internal landscapes. Understanding the boundary between them is not merely an intellectual exercise; it’s a vital step in quieting the relentless inner critic, cultivating self-compassion, and initiating true emotional healing. At its healthiest, guilt serves a functional, adaptive purpose. It’s a signal that our behaviour has misaligned with our core values or the needs of our community. Guilt says, “I did something bad.” Because it focuses on be-

haviour rather than identity, healthy guilt can be a teacher. It motivates us to apologize, repair damaged connections, and make conscious choices. Children begin to internalize this social feedback around the age of three as they navigate the boundaries of right and wrong. However, much of the guilt we carry is unearned and unhealthy. It arises when we hold ourselves to impossible standards. Feeling guilty for setting boundaries, saying “no,” resting, or failing to be everything to everyone. These unrealistic expectations are rarely accidental. They’re rooted in early childhood. When a child learns that their acceptance depends on perfection or pleasing others, they suppress their authentic needs to maintain attachment. Instead of fostering growth, this internalized pressure traps us in a loop of self-criticism. But if guilt is about doing, shame is about being. If guilt says, “I did something

bad,” shame whispers, “I am bad.” Shame does not evaluate our actions. It attacks our very worth. It convinces us that we are fundamentally flawed, broken, and unworthy of love, acceptance, or belonging. Because shame develops in our earliest years — and often reinforced by criticism, neglect, or conditional love — it becomes deeply embedded in the nervous system. When we feel fundamentally unworthy, our natural response is to hide, withdraw, or erect defensive walls. Left unaddressed, shame isolates us, convincing us that we are beyond redemption. The antidote to shame is not self-punishment. It’s connection and self-compassion. We can learn to transition from paralyzing shame to healthy disappointment. Instead of concluding, “I’m a terrible person,” we can gently recognize, “I’m disappointed in the choice I made. This mistake is a moment in time. It doesn’t define me.”

Since our deepest wounds are relational — happening in our earliest attachments — our healing must also be relational. Sharing our struggles with trusted allies, counselors, or peer support groups dissolves the secrecy that shame requires to survive. In safe spaces, we discover that struggle is a universal human experience, and that we all deserve the path to recovery and healing. Whenever guilt or shame starts to overwhelm you, practice these three gentle steps: - Catch It: Notice the physical sensation and the self-talk. Awareness is the prerequisite for change. - Check It: Ask yourself whether you’ve made a mistake that needs repairing, or whether you’re simply holding yourself to impossible standards. - Change It: Make amends if necessary, extend compassion to yourself, and commit to making a better choice next time — moving forward with awareness.

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where every child has the support they need to reach their full potential. A future where more young people graduate from high school, pursue post-secondary education or skilled trades, find meaningful employment, and become engaged, giving members of their communities. That future begins with a single mentoring relationship. At Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Huron, we believe every young person deserves the opportunity to realize their potential. With the support of our community, we can continue to ignite that potential — one match, one child, and one life at a time. Together, we truly are #BiggerTogether.

We’re not meant to be perfect. We’re meant to be whole. Our mistakes are part of the human curriculum. Mistakes may shape our journey, but they can never define our worth. Join us for peer-support group meetings: - Every Sunday morning at 11 a.m. - Every Monday evening at 7 p.m. Email for details and locations at redroofrecovery@ gmail.com. Tanya MacIntyre is a Certified CBT Specialist, Mental Health Fitness Trainer, and owner/ operator of Red Roof Recovery (RRR) and its training division Mental Health Fitness Alliance (MHFA). DISCLAIMER: This content is not intended to constitute, or be a substitute for, medical diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard advice from your doctor, or delay in seeking it, because of something you have watched, read, or heard from anyone at RRR or MHFA.

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Exeter Examiner

BACK IN TIME 30 Years Ago July 24, 1996 - M&M Meat Shop owners Joe and Mary Brockman opened the Exeter store on Friday. The grand opening will be celebrated on Sat., July 27 and the Brockmans will host a charity barbecue to benefit South Huron Hospital.

post-secondary scholarship. This is awarded to employees who excel in work and school.

40 Years Ago

Popular singer Tommy Hunter dined and stayed overnight recently at the Hessenland Country Inn.

July 30, 1986 - “This is not one of our happiest days in Grand Bend,” commented Ted Bartlett in readying an announcement yesterday afternoon that the Bell Aerospace plant at Grand Bend was closing. Only nine employees remain at the hovercraft plant at the former Grand Bend air force base. Bartlett said the final blow was the fact that the Canadian Coast Guard this year placed an order with British Hovercraft and didn’t ask Bell Aerospace to bid.

Amy Walper was recently awarded the Exeter McDonald’s

Mrs. Emma Passmore, a resident of the Ottawa East Nursing

The board of directors of Hensall District Co-operative (HDC) is pleased to announce the opening of the new Exeter Co-Op Do-It Centre in Exeter.

Home, will celebrate her 100th birthday.

55 Years Ago July 29, 1971 - The proposed addition to the Exeter arena should be a reality by the time the 1971-72 hockey season rolls around. RAP member Bob Pooley said this week that the new addition to house large dressing rooms and office space would be completed by Sept. 15. Kinsman president Harry Stuart also announced that the new ice scraping and flooding machine would be in operation by mid-October.

and Past Noble Grand of the Pride of Huron Rebekah Lodge was awarded the Decoration of Chivalry at the recent IOOF Rebekah Assembly in Toronto. Susan Cann, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Cann, graduated with highest scholastic standing as a certified nursing assistant at Wingham General Hospital, last Wednesday afternoon.

70 Years Ago

July 30, 1956 - Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Desjardine and family of Grand Bend have developed a private wildlife sanctuary 65 Years Ago on their farm on the Bluewater Highway. They have collected July 29, 1961 - Mrs. James over 100 ducks and geese, deer, Kirkland, a charter member birds, bantams, Municipality of South Huronfish, turtles, St.

Bernard dogs and a Shetland pony. Ward Fritz of Zurich, owner of the service station at the corner of Highways 4 and 83, notified Exeter council he was prepared to go ahead with a lawsuit if council passes a proposed bylaw restricting the hours of operation for service stations.

130 Years Ago July 29, 1896 - D. Spicer was granted the painting of the dome and wood work of the town hall tower. He is to be paid $25 and will provide his own scaffolding. Lucan council offers a reward of $800 for the conviction of recent fire-bugs in the village.

Notice of Passing of Municipal-Wide Development Charges By-Law

Municipality South Huron Take Notice that the Council of the Municipality of Southof Huron passed municipal-wide under section Charges 2 (1) of the development charges By-Law No. 41-2026 the 13th day of July, 2026 Notice of Passing ofonMunicipal-Wide Development Development Charges Act, 1997, S.O., 1997 c.27, as amended; and By-Law

TakeNotice Noticethat thatany the Council Municipality of South municipal-wide Take person of or the organization may appealHuron to thepassed Ontario Land Tribunal under development charges No.of41-2026 on the 13thcharges day of July, 2026by under 2 (1) of the section 14 of the Act, inBy-Law respect the development by-law, filingsection with the Clerk of the Municipality of Charges South Huron on or before 24, 2026, and a notice of appeal. Development Act, 1997, S.O., 1997 August c.27, as amended;

A Take Notice of Appeal must: Notice that any person or organization may appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal under • be 14 in of thethe prescribed form of provided by the Ontario Land Tribunal; section Act, in respect the development charges by-law, by filing with the Clerk of the • set out the objection the the24, reasons support of the objection; and Municipality of South Hurontoon orby-law before and August 2026, ainnotice of appeal. be accompanied by the applicable filing fee required by the Tribunal. A•Notice of Appeal must: • be in the prescribed form provided by the Ontario Land Tribunal; Appeals be filed electronically the Ontario Land Tribunal e-file service • set outmay the objection to the by-lawthrough and the reasons in support of the objection; and at: https://olt.gov.on.ca/e-file-service/, at the Office, 322 Main Street South, Exeter, N0M • be accompanied by the applicableor filing feeMunicipal required by the Tribunal. 1S6. Appeals may be filed electronically through the Ontario Land Tribunal e-file service at: https://olt.gov.on.ca/e-file-service/, or at the Municipal Office, 322 Main Street South, Exeter, N0M The schedule of development charges imposed by the by-law, which come into effect on January 1S6. 1, 2027 is as follows: The schedule of development charges imposed by the by-law, which come into effect on January 1, 2027 is as follows: Schedule “B” to By-Law 41-2026

Schedule “B” to By-Law 41-2026

NON-RESIDENTIAL (per sq.ft. of Gross Floor Area)

RESIDENTIAL Service/Class of Services

Single and SemiDetached Dwelling

Other Multiples

Apartments Special Apartments - 2 Bachelor and Care/Special Bedrooms + 1 Bedroom Dwelling Units

Wind Turbines Agricultural Use

Other NonResidential

Municipal Wide Services/Class of Service: 565

1,464

Fire Protection Services

1,111

680

671

455

428

1,111

0.04

0.54

Parks and Recreation Services

Services Related to a Highway

4,471

1,464

2,740

2,703

1,833

1,726

0.03

0.44

Growth-Related Studies Total Municipal Wide Services/Class of Services

897

885

600

0.06

0.72

352

216

213

145

135

352

0.02

0.20

$7,398

$4,533

$4,472

$3,033

$2,854

$2,927

$0.15

$1.90

Urban Services/Class of Service: Wastewater Services

9,157

5,613

5,536

3,753

3,534

3.78

Water Services

2,525

1,547

1,527

1,035

974

1.04

Land Acquisition Total Urban Services/Class of Services

Clarity in Vision, Excellence in Care w w w.e x e t e r f a m i l y e y e c a r e.c a

$11,733

$7,191

$7,094

$4,809

$4,528

exetereyecare@gmail.com

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0.02

$0.00

$4.84

GRAND TOTAL RURAL AREA

$7,398

$4,533

$4,472

$3,033

$2,854

$2,927

$0.15

$1.90

GRAND TOTAL - PARTIALLY SERVICED (WATER ONLY)

$9,942

$6,091

$6,010

$4,075

$3,835

$2,927

$0.15

$2.95

GRAND TOTAL URBAN AREA

$19,131

$11,724

$11,566

$7,842

$7,382

$2,927

$0.15

$6.74

No key map has been provided as the by-law applies to all lands located within the Municipality of No key map hasAbeen as the by-law to all lands located within theMunicipality Municipalityofof South Huron. copyprovided of the complete by-lawapplies is available for examination at the South Huron. A copy of the complete available for examination at the Municipality of South Huron municipal office, 322 Mainby-law St. S,isExeter, Ontario N0M 1S6 during regular business South Huron municipal office, 322 Main St. S, Exeter, Ontario N0M 1S6 during regular business hours (weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) excluding statutory holidays. hours (weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) excluding statutory holidays. th at the Municipality of South Huron Municipal Exeter, Ontario, day of July, Dated atDated the Municipality of South Huron Municipal Office, Exeter,Office, Ontario, this 16 2026 this 16th day of July, 2026 Alex Wolfe, Municipal Clerk Alex Wolfe, Municipal Clerk

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Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 30, 2026

SOUTH HURON COUNCIL BRIEFS JOHN MINER Examiner Reporter

Arena floor replacement picked for grant application South Huron is applying for $1 million in funding from the federal government to upgrade the South Huron Recreation Centre arena floor. Under the Build Communities Strong Fund, municipalities may be eligible to have 50 per cent of the costs covered up to $1 million for projects that build, expand or improve community infrastructure, strengthen community vitality, and enhance quality of life. A staff report noted the concrete arena floor is 48 years old and due for replacement.

Originally, replacing the arena floor was projected to cost $1.2 million, but based on discussions with engineering firms the true cost could be double that amount, council was told. Councillor expenses reported for first half of year Travel, conference and miscellaneous expenses for South Huron’s council have totalled $11,610.66 for the first six months of the year. The breakdown reported at a recent council meeting showed expenses claimed by Mayor George Finch of $776.15; Coun. Milt Dietrich $2,052.11; Coun. Wendy McLeod-Haggitt $3,657.97; Coun. Ted Oke $3,909.43; and Coun. Marissa Vaughan $1,215.00.

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No expenses were claimed in the first six months by Deputy Mayor Jim Dietrich and Coun. Aaron Neeb. Agreement approved to share building official services South Huron council has approved an agreement to share building official services with the municipality of Bluewater. The sharing agreement is intended to ensure there is a building official available at all times to enforce the Building Code Act. The agreement with Bluewater stipulates that it is not intended to create a single building department or provide for joint enforcement. Ladder truck use by Lambton Shores

At the request of Lambton Shores, South Huron has agreed to respond to emergency situations in the neighbouring municipality with its ladder truck. Under the five-year agreement, Lambton Shores will pay an annual fee of $2,500 for ladder truck services and $570.50 per hour, subject to a four-hour minimum, when it is used. South Huron may refuse to supply the ladder truck if it is required within South Huron. Impacts of Bruce Nuclear expansion studied Part of a plan to get communities ready for a dramatic expansion of the Bruce Nuclear site, South Huron has been invited to apply to a newly created Regional Municipal Readiness Assessment Fund. The Bruce

Power fund is for projects, up to $75,000 in cost, that will assess transportation and housing needs, land development, workforce development, and social infrastructure needs, such as education and healthcare. Councillors voted to apply for a grant to assess long-term land needs and infrastructure options for roads, water, wastewater and stormwater in South Huron. If given the final green light, the Bruce C Project is expected to create 18,900 construction jobs and 6,700 permanent jobs. The 4,800 megawatts of generating capacity would provide enough power for 4.8 million homes. According to an Ontario government release, the Bruce C project would transform Bruce Power into the world’s largest nuclear generating facility.

OBITUARY

FORAN: Cornelius Joseph ‘Con’

INGRAM: Pauline Ethel (Rock) of Exeter

With heavy hearts, we announce the unexpected but peaceful passing of our beloved rock, our strength, and the foundation of our family. Con passed quietly in his sleep at home on July 19, 2026, in his 77th year. Loving husband and soulmate of Linda (Dietrich) for 54 years. Cherished father of Christopher Foran, Julie Foran, and Matthew Foran (Kendra). Always waiting and willing to drop everything for his grandchildren; Evan, Shailyn, Kaydence, Olivia, and Kendell. Predeceased by his parents John and Sophia (Kilimnik) Foran, and mother and father-in-law Leonard and Dorothy (Ziler) Dietrich. Dear brother and brother-in-law of Eileen George (the late Harry), Anne Symonds (the late Ted), Frank (Janice), Cathy Drennan (Gordie), Terry, the late Janice Bowland (Gerry), Donna Auger (the late Brian), Rosemary Foran (Jack Martin), Mary Ellen Foran (Gerald Jefferson), Margaret Foran (Rick Govers), Tom Foran (Debbie), the late Kathleen Foran (Mike Purcell), Betty Jane Higgins (Greg), Robert Dietrich (Dorothy), Richard Dietrich (Pauline), Tom Dietrich (late Kathy), Suzanne Davis, Donna Martin (Mike), Len Dietrich (Cindy), and the late Gerald Dietrich. Loving uncle to many nieces and nephews. Through countless hours spent coaching his children, grandchildren, and many young athletes, he instilled the values of hard work, determination, respect, and perseverance. Whether he was behind the bench, refereeing from the sidelines, or simply cheering them on, he was always there—generous with his time, patient with his guidance, and proud of every effort. His greatest reward was never the final score, but watching those he loved grow into hardworking, compassionate individuals. A special thank you to the Huron OPP and Dr. Martin for their care and compassion. A private family funeral mass will be held at a later date. Cremation with interment Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cemetery, Mt. Carmel. Donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation-South Huron Trail would be appreciated by the family. Online condolences may be forwarded through www.haskettfh.com.

Passed away peacefully with family by her side on Tuesday, July 8, 2026, at the South Huron Hospital, in her 88th year. Beloved wife of the late Ray Ingram (1982) for 26 years. Cherished mother of Rick (Barbara) Ingram, Sandy (Pam) Ingram, Julie (Sam) Regier, Kathy (Dave) Delbridge. Loving grandma of Tanner (Meagan) Ingram, Ashley (Shawn) Ryan, Brent (Shea) Ingram, Tara Ingram, Jason (Sarah) Ingram, Tamar (Garrett) Gilbertson, Lindsay (John) Miners, Kristian (Clint) Milmine, Sammantha (Chris) Gorcyzca, Mitchell (Stacey) Regier, Jarrett Delbridge, and Raymond (Erin) Delbridge. Proud great-grandma of 19. Survived by her sister and sisters-in-law Maureen (Ron) Nigh, Donna Rock, Lynn Rock, and Marlene Ingram. Fondly remembered by her nieces and nephews. Predeceased by her parents, Enis and Ilene Rock, by her brothers Glen Rock and Hugh Rock, and by her in-laws Dave Ingram, Bill (Jan) Ingram, and Jean (Al) Crerar. She will be lovingly remembered for her passion for gardening and the beautiful flowers she nurtured, her exceptional cooking, and the many meals she lovingly prepared for her family. Sundays were especially treasured, as they were often spent gathered around the table for family dinners, followed by an evening of cards. She also enjoyed playing cards with her friends at her apartment and never passed up an opportunity to play a game of bingo. Above all, she was devoted to her family and found her greatest joy in spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, creating memories they will cherish forever. A private family service will be held. Interment will take place at Hensall Union Cemetery. Memorial donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or Jessica’s House would be greatly appreciated by the family.

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Exeter Examiner

Pet of the Week Riddles Happy grilling, happy pets!

What has 13 hearts, but no lungs, feet or bellybuttons? A deck of cards. What five-letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it? Short. I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have nobody, but I come alive with the wind. What am I? An echo. What is always in front of you but can never be seen? The future. What starts with a ‘P’, ends with an ‘E’, and has thousands of letters? A post office. Give me a drink, and I will die. Feed me, and I’ll get bigger. What am I? A fire. What breaks as soon as you say its name? Silence. What’s one thing that tastes better than it smells? Your tongue. What word begins with E and ends with E, but only has one letter? Envelope. I have no wings, but I can fly. I have no eyes, but I can cry. What am I? A cloud.

Summer BBQs are fun, but keep pets safe! Hot grills, open flames, and tasty but unsafe foods can pose serious risks. Keep pets at a safe distance from the cooking area, avoid feeding harmful scraps, and provide fresh water and shade.