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11 | 29 | 2014 VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 48
KINGS DOMINATE, EXTEND WIN STREAK TO 10 SPORTS PAGE 9
COMMENT PAGE 8
WE CAN LIKELY EXPECT ANOTHER TRYING WINTER
Ross Kelterborn bids adieu to Wellesley politics
Having presided over his last meeting, mayor reflects on his three decades on council at event to honour his service WHITNEY NEILSON As Wellesley Mayor Ross Kelterborn prepares to retire next week, the community he’s served for more than 30 years commemorated his departure with a fitting celebration of short speeches and thoughtful gifts. In fact, the kind words from friends and colleagues from across the region may have been a bit too much, as the usually calm and collected Kelterborn became emotional when asked to speak to the group at the Wellesley Community Centre on November 26. “This might be a little difficult for me but I’ll try my best. This has been my community for 75 years,” Kelterborn said, his voice breaking. Kelterborn served 11 years as mayor, first elected in 2003, after 22 years as a
councillor. He announced his retirement this spring and mayor-elect Joe Nowak will take over on December 1. “I’ve had a blessed life,” Kelterborn said. “My children have turned out very well and my grandchildren have been excellent for me, and I need them right now.” The retired school teacher spoke about his time on council and his hopes for the future of the township at his home in Wellesley earlier that day. He was encouraged to run for councillor in 1973 when regional government was set up. Before that Wellesley was classified as an incorporated village and had fewer than 1,000 people, he recalled. This was before councillors were even given that title. Instead, they were RETIREMENT | 2
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Local volunteers shovel off to Buffalo Mennonite Disaster Service responds to crippling snowfall that hit Western New York
Mennonite Disaster Service volunteers from Drayton and other areas of Ontario shovelled snow off of hundreds of homes in Buffalo from Nov. 21-23. From left are Kervin Horst, Andrew Brubacher and Mark Brubacher. [SUBMITTED] WHITNEY NEILSON A massive blast of winter in Buffalo that saw up to two metres of snow all but paralyze the city didn’t go unnoticed by the local Mennonite community, as members of the Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) headed down to help our
neighbours to the south last weekend. Orlan Martin, who spent November 21 helping people shovel out their homes, said the volunteers who went were given very short notice. “We had lots of guys responding,” Martin said. “On Saturday we had about 60
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people out of Ontario and approximately that many out of the United States. On Saturday we shovelled snow off of 300 homes and then the next day there was another group that went and it was even bigger than Saturday.” They went to many farms similar to ones we see in
Woolwich. Some of the farm buildings had already collapsed with the weight of the snow. By mid-afternoon Sunday, they were pretty caught up with helping shovel what they were assigned. “They respond very well
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