elmiratheatre.com
Written by April 25th to May 10th Douglas E. Hughes, Thursday, Friday, Saturday Marcia Kash Doors open 8:00pm
Directed by Sunday doors open 2:30pm
Mary Ann Kennedy Tickets start at $19 All Performances Held at 76 Howard Ave., Elmira
04 | 12 | 2014 VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 15
OCTOGENARIAN STILL MAKING A SPLASH SPORTS PAGE 14
COMMENT PAGE 8
ELECTION SHOWS QUEBECERS NOT SO DIFFERENT
Weather dampens turnout, but not spirit of the sap fest WILL SLOAN The Elmira Maple Syrup Festival celebrated its 50th year on Saturday – an age when many people succumb to a midlife crisis. For Ken Jessop, chairperson of the festival committee, the anniversary marked the end of an era for Canada’s largest oneday syrup festival … and the beginning of a new one. “We put a business plan together two-and-a-half years ago with our vision of where we were going leading up to and past the 50th,” said Jessop on Wednesday. “Flap Jack, our mascot, was an initiative we were envisioning for the 50th. Those signs that we replaced on the north and south end of town, that was another vision.” As the committee begins preparing for 2015 and festival number 51, it will now contemplate the tricky task of evolving and expanding a time-honoured tradition. “We always want to keep the tradition alive, and EMSF 2014 | 7
An off-planet look at what it takes to succeed Astronaut Chris Hadfield offers a unique perspective to Home Hardware dealers in St. Jacobs
Canada’s most famous astronaut was the keynote speaker at Home Hardware’s annual spring market in St. Jacobs, applying his experience as captain of the International Space Station to business management on Earth. [WILL SLOAN / THE OBSERVER]
WILL SLOAN When Chris Hadfield was nine years old, he watched Neil Armstrong land on the moon and, like millions of kids, decided to become an astronaut. Alas,
he faced an obstacle: Canada did not have a space program. “I was setting my sights on something that was impossible,” Hadfield said at Home Hardware’s annual spring market on Tuesday.
“But even then I realized, ‘Well, y’know, just look at what happened today on the moon – impossible things can happen. The only thing you can really control about impossibility is getting yourself ready.’”
Hadfield’s social media presence while in orbit made him the most internationally famous Canadian not named Rob or Justin. On earth, Hadfield is using his experience as captain of the interna-
by May 15 & Save
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tional space station to offer advice on leadership and teambuilding at corporate events – including Home Hardware’s 50th anniversary market in St. Jacobs. HADFIELD | 4
Order online th
LOCATIONS
www.OBSERVERXTRA.com
10
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www.StoneLandscapes.ca – click ‘ ’ Kitchener: 68 Webster Rd. (behind ToysRUs) 519.894.9997 Waterloo: 650 Weber St. N. @ Benjamin 519.888.9992