Southpoint Sun November 28, 2012

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Friday

Leamington OPP warn of fundraising fraudsters

OPP Constable Kevin O’Neil has been putting together the program for the Oldtimers benefit hockey game in Leamington for 12 years and this year is no different.

With the local charity game slated for Feb. 2, Const. O’Neil started approaching longtime supporters in the community. He was shocked when a couple of merchants said they had already given money to someone who called and said they were representing the police for a charity hockey game.

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As reported from Environment Canada www.weatheroffice.gc.ca Harrow AAFC

“I don’t want to say they were fraudulent, maybe they were collecting for a different charity hockey game, but they definately were not collecting on behalf of the OPP Oldtimers hockey game in Leamington,” said O’Neil. “I have never contacted anyone by phone, I always see them in person,” said O’Neil.

O’Neil also reminds people to never give out their credit card information to a phone solicitor. “I just want to put the word out there so people are aware of this. I was very upset to hear this,” concluded O’Neil.

$250,000 loss at Napa Auto Parts fire

At 12:30 a.m. Saturday, November 24, the Leamington Fire Service along with the Ontario Provincial Police were called to attend Napa Auto Parts at 22 Victoria Avenue South in Leamington for a structure fire.

The cause of the fire is undetermined and the building was released to the owner. Thirty firefighters were on scene for four and a half hours. Approximate damage estimated at $250,000 for the building and contents.

Heavy smoke and fire was reported to be coming from the front of the building on arrival. Kingsville Fire Service was called in to assist with manpower and for coverage in event of another call. The fire was contained quickly. Due to building contents, runoff was contained mostly to the building. The road was closed as workers cleaned road surfaces and catch basins.

Proposed

Re-zoning for Ridge School

By Bill Chaplin, Municipal Correspondent

A request to re-zone the old Ridge School has been received by Leamington Council. The site is currently zoned institutional (the school building has been there since 1942). The owner proposes to use this site to house migrant workers and is seeking an A-3 agricultural hobby farm zoning. Since the application

doesn’t conflict with any current use policies, administration has recommended that the application go to a public meeting in January. That didn’t mean Leamington Council didn’t have any questions, though.

The first question raised was by Mayor John Paterson whose concern had to do with tax revenues. He wanted to know if the requested re-zoning would have the effect of artificially reduc-

ing the property tax revenue that the building could generate for the municipality. He pointed out that the desired change had nothing to do with growing crops, but rather with housing people, so various zonings in theory could apply, and he hoped that by the time the public meeting had occurred administration would have some kind of recommendation on the tax income effect of any zoning.

Councillor John Jacobs wanted to know if the number of residents could be limited. This was similar to a question later asked by the Deputy-Mayor Charlie Wright. The planner answered that the building code contains minimum area requirements for bedrooms, and an agreement with the Health Unit through the migrant worker committee would address living space requirements.

Regardless of the comments raised, including ones about the preservation of the building itself as an example of Leamington heritage, the public meeting was scheduled for January.

Public Meeting hears objections to re-zoning

A public meeting was held Monday, November 26 about potentially re-zoning two businesses on the Wheatley-Tilbury Town Line. One is a dry storage facility for fishing equipment and nets. The other is a mink farm.

By coincidence, both owners came into the municipal building to ask for permission to expand on the same day and both were told they could not since they are what is called “legal non-conforming uses”. That means they can continue to operate and to replace damaged or deteriorating structures, but they cannot expand. (In fact, that designation anticipates that, in the fullness of time, the uses will be replaced with something more compatible with the area.) So, they submitted a joint application for rezoning on their abutting properties. If approved, each would receive an individual site-specific re-zoning, but the fact that the public meeting was joint made for a bit of confusion.

All of the objections were about the potential expansion of the mink farm because it is occasionally the source of unpleasant smells. The owner of the farm, Wayne Hodgson explained that he wants to change to a state-of-the-art manure handling system that will cost him in the range of $300,000, and to finance that he needs to expand the operation. His dream is eventually to grow from his current 3500 breeding animals to around 5,000. (With changes in Provincial Regulations governing his kind of operation he doesn’t know if this final figure is even achievable, but as things now exist it is a reasonable goal.) Opposition is centered on the smells that are an inevitable consequence of feeding the animals fish and animal processing wastes, the manure they produce, and the disposal of the carcases after the pelts are harvested.

Administration will bring a report to a future council meeting with their recommendation about whether or not council should or should not rezone.

Bevel Line, Point Pelee Drive Sewers

A report has been prepared for council “To inform Council of the impact of consolidating the Bevel Line Sanitary Sewer Extension initiative and Pelee Drive Sanitary Servicing initiative under one consultant and one Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA); thereby moving toward a “shovel ready” project.” The idea behind this is to improve the chances of getting substantial financial assistance provincially and federally. There is a price tag attached, however.

Since the Bevel Line part of the work was not required to have an environmental assessment, and since 90% of the environmental assessment needed for the Point Pelee Drive sewer has been completed, one might think that combining the two would be rather easy. Not so. According to the report, “combining the two projects under one Class EA and revising the analysis of alternatives will require the following tasks:

• Additional Inventory of existing Terrestrial, Aquatic, Cultural and Social Environments for Bevel Line study area, if necessary,

• Re-evaluate alternative solutions,

• Identify recommended solution,

• Public, Agency, First Nations Consultation,

• Select and refine Preferred Solution,

• Completion of a Phase 1/ Phase 2 Class EA Report,

• Analysis of the previous design and flow contributions for Bevel Line,

• Confirm flow allocations and flow conditions for the Bevel Line pumping station and sizing,

• Confirm preliminary design assumptions for both systems and confirm loading conditions,

• Complete a comprehensive cost estimate for all options previously considered for both servicing systems using the same unit costs for all infrastructure, [and]

• Establish an acceptable uniform servicing cost allocation model.”

All this will cost an extra $78,500.

Construction of the Bevel Line project has been estimated at about $1 million, and the Pelee Drive sewers at about $4.5 million. If funding becomes available, and if the combined project can be made ‘shovel ready’, and if support can be found, the project will still have to be phased over several years, and could not begin before 2014. None the less, Leamington Council voted to go ahead with this revised plan as the best option to make progress toward better sanitation and freshwater stewardship in the Point Pelee area.

Local woman’s story appears in ‘Chicken Soup’ edition

By Bryan Jessop

Finding her faith has allowed a short story by Darlene Butts to make the front page of ‘Finding My Faith’.

Butts, who lived on Seacliff Drive between Leamington and Kingsville until moving to Windsor two months ago, brought an idea to life through an online blog that now appears in ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul: Finding My Faith’. It wasn’t until she picked up a copy of her own that she discovered her three-page story beginning on Page 1. As a long-time fan of the ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ series — she owns 15 different editions — Butts was overwhelmed by her story’s success.

“It was such an honour just to have it appear in the book at all,” she said. “To find out that it started on the front page is unbelievable.”

Butts’ story, dubbed ‘Finding My Faith at the Run For The Cure’, is written in two parts. The first half is based on the final conversation she had with her sister Debbie Pugh, who died of lung cancer 10 days later in September of 2010. In it, Butts recalls asking her older sibling if she was angry with God for having put her through the illness after she had survived breast cancer. In response, her sister said “I would never have made it through this without God. How could I be mad at Him?”

In the second half, Butts reflects on the Run For the Cure cancer research fundraiser held in Burlington in October of 2011 — the first of its kind for her and her family without Debbie. As her sense of faith began to waiver, she described a renewed sense of hope brought about by her family, friends and the unrelenting faith of her sister.

A blog she started about a month earlier was supported through waves of positive and encouraging feedback and led to the idea of Darlene’s story. Earlier, in 2009, she met Chicken Soup for the Soul co-creator Mark Victor Hansen during a trip to New York City. Hansen explained to her that he and Jack Canfield were always looking for new authors and suggested she keep an eye on the ‘Chicken Soup’ website to discover when and if the duo would be requesting stories based on a topic she was interested in covering.

A few weeks after starting her blog, she checked the Chicken Soup website and read about the publication’s plans to release a faith-based edition. She

submitted the story in January of this year and was told in July that it had made the short list. A month later, she received notice that ‘Find-

ing My Faith at the Run For The Cure’ was one of the 101 stories selected for print among more than 1,000 entries. It began selling last

month.

Butts is no stranger to taking on a role as a writer.

In 2009, she completed her first book, ‘Lessons From the Depression, Eliminating Debt the Old Fashioned Way’.

Backed by 23 years of experience as a financial advisor, Butts wrote a fictional story about a family in financial trouble who acts on the advice of their grand-

mother. It was during that year when Butts quit her job as a financial advisor to become a writer and professional speaker.

Last month, Butts’ second book, ‘The Promise’, was released. Based on her own spiritual crisis that followed the death of her sister Debbie, the story is based on a woman’s conversation with God and its impact on her life.

Book signing at Setterington’s On Dec. 19, Setterington’s Gifts and Books of Faith at 13 Russell St., Leamington will host a book-signing by Butts of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Finding My Faith and The Promise.

For more information on the works of Butts, visit www.darlenebutts.com

The pressures of teen life in 2012

Wow, am I ever glad I’m not a teenager! Sometimes I think “I wish we had cell phones when I was in school” or “I wish we had internet or Facebook or iPods when I was in high school”.

SHEILA McBRAYNE

McThoughts

But after listening to guest speaker Melissa James last week from the Essex County Diversion Program, I’m glad I’m not a teen in 2012! I had no idea how caught up today’s kids are with technology. Seventy-five percent of kids have a cell phone and one in four have taken or received a nude or partially nude picture via cell phone. What!? The topic at the parent information night last week was about sexting and bullying, which seem to go hand-in-hand. For those not in the know, sexting is sexually suggestive texts or photos that teens are apparently duped into doing.

The very sad story of Amanda Todd (and a surprising number of other teens) who took her life because she was relentlessly bullied after she had sent a picture of her breasts to a stranger who then sent them to all her contacts was told. She spread her story via YouTube with a series of cue cards. She’s not alone. There are many, many cases of sexting and the emotional fallout that happens when nude pictures of kids are circulated. These are kids taking pictures of themselves and sending it to a boyfriend or friend who then (like kids do) decide they don’t like that person anymore and sends it viral!

Letters to the Editor

If

The smartest statement of the evening was “don’t give your password to anyone”. Your best friend may not be your best friend tomorrow and your boyfriend at 14 just might not be your forever mate. Before you text a picture or message, think to yourself – “would I want my mother to see or read this?” If the answer is no, you probably shouldn’t send it!

They paved paradise and put in a parking lot...

James told the story of a girl who sent a nude picture of herself at age 14 to her boyfriend. Five years later the ex-boyfriend hacked into her computer and sent it to all her contacts. While searching for a job, the photo proved to keep her from the position she wanted. The lesson here is that even though you delete a photo, it is still out there in cyber space forever!

In 1701, the French explorer Cadillac described the Windsor/Detroit area as being “so fertile, and so beautiful that it may justly be called the earthy paradise of North America.” In 1812, Sir Isaac Brock described the Windsor area as “the Eden of Upper Canada.” Back then, the area boasted wildlife, forests, the country’s best farmland, and clean air and water second to none. Brock said, “the country presents a forest of blossoms, which exhale the most delicious odours.” The fact that Stephen Colbert even thinks to call Windsor the Earth’s rectum is one thing. (That was certainly not the same “odour” Brock smelled.) But even more so, the fact it’s even become a debatable subject is truly sad.

I guess the biggest lesson to learn is this – don’t take naked or partially naked pictures of yourself and definitely don’t send it to anyone! Why the need to photograph yourself? If you think this stuff doesn’t happen in Leamington, think again. It has, it does and it will! It’s scary stuff!

We had bullies in school, but we also had friends that helped stick up for one another. We had neighbours and siblings that would step in. And when we went home, we were safe. With cell phones and Facebook, sometimes kids can’t escape from the cyber bullying… What’s interesting too, is that many parents have no idea that their child is being bullied. The speaker told parents that it has to become their business to know their child’s business. Most parents pay for their child’s cell phone and have every right to check it from time to time to see what they’re texting about. I’m sure you won’t be popular with your teen, but you won’t be ignorant about their lives…

So is Colbert’s comment [Windsor is the Earth’s rectum] really unjustified? Jump ahead to the present. Unlike in Cadillac’s or Brock’s time, today there is hardly any wildlife left in and around Windsor. The forests have dwindled to a negligible percentage of the land. The water is polluted and beaches are often closed to swimming. Smog alert days crowd the summertime calendar. Asthma and cancer rates have soared.

But don’t laugh at Windsor. Most North American towns and cities are heading in the same direction. We are all taking the amazing land and water we’ve inherited, from the people who fought and died for it 200 years ago, for granted. We are spoiling it. Instead, we should be keeping it up and passing it onto the future intact, as they did to us. This has to be our highest responsibility.

Maybe this is a wake up call for everyone. If “Paradise” and “Eden” can now be referred to as the Earth’s rectum, that’s pretty sobering stuff. Maybe Windsorites, and we who live on its outskirts, should think of ourselves living at ground-zero and stop trashing the land and water. Stop building on the country’s best farmland. Stop removing the few trees remaining for mega-roads. Maybe it’s time to reverse direction a full 180 degrees. Let the future become ‘The Time of Restoration.’ Restore Essex County to its former glory by planting more trees and let nature return and “rectify” (pun definitely intended) the situation. If so, perhaps Stephen Colbert did a good thing. Maybe he woke us up. I hope so.

Tom Omstead Author of The Red Wing Sings http://www.facebook.com/TheRedWingSingsBook

Neuts talks of bullies and being nice

By Sheila McBrayne

Fifteen years after Mike Neuts lost his ten-year-old son Myles to elementary school bullying, he continues to deliver his message of acceptance of all people and non- violence.

As part of Anti-Bullying Awareness Week, Neuts, along with Constable Kevin O’Neil, Community Relations Officer with the Leamington OPP, and Melissa James, Essex County Diversion Program Co-ordinator, were guest speakers at a Leamington parent information night held on Tuesday, November 20 at the Portuguese Club.

On February 6, 1998 tenyear-old Myles Neuts was found unconscious, hanging from a coat hook in the boys washroom at his Chatham Catholic elementary school. Six days later he was taken off life support. This very high profile case made a community ask tough questions, like could 11 and 12-year-old kids really be capable of murder?

No charges were laid, but a Coroner’s Jury Inquest was held in 2001. The Inquest lasted five weeks and produced 24 recommendations, 13 directly related to children’s safety in school.

Neuts created the nonprofit charitable organization Make Children Better Now or MCBN (also Myles’ initials – Myles Casey Benson Neuts); he was instrumental in ensuring that standard coat hooks were removed from schools and replaced with the collapsible Henkel hooks, and he has traveled to thousands of schools to talk about bullying, and more importantly, about being nice.

“Time spells love… The simple solution – spend time with your kids,” said Neuts. “There have always been bullies and probably always will be bullies. Instead of belittling and berating, let’s encourage respect and acts of kindness. And it all starts with us, with parents... Time spells love,” said Neuts. Neuts described most bullies as being victims of bullying themselves or just trying to get attention any way they can, usually in a negative way. “I’m trying and trying hard to change the behaviour. I might not change it, but I promise you they will think; I’ll make them think,” said Neuts to the small group of parents who attended the parent information night.

“I’m disappointed with the turnout. Such great speakers, I wish more could have heard these messages,” said Constable O’Neil.

Neuts is confident that the culture, the mentality about bullying can change.

“Mothers Against Drunk Driving changed people’s habits. Smoking restrictions and bans have made change… teachers used to smoke in the school at one time… We can change this,” said Neuts. “It has to be do as I do, not do as I say. Show them how to act,” said Neuts.

Constable O’Neil shared a story about an anti-bullying presentation he did a few years ago with Neuts at Cardinal Carter Secondary School. When Neuts asked if anyone in the crowd was a bully, one student raised his hand. O’Neil said he thought the student was going to cause trouble as he approached Neuts after the presentation but to his surprise he shook Neuts’ hand and said “I promise I’ll never bully anyone again.”

CUSTOM PICTURE FRAMING THE

Wreath making 101

From left to right, Evangeline Yetman, Kathleen Yetman, Allison Ware and Trudy Ware create their own Christmas wreaths during an annual wreath-making event organized by the Leamington Horticultural Society and hosted by Leamington United Church on Saturday, November 24. The annual function began at the old Leamington Arena on Erie Street North in 1995. Members of the society spend the prior week preparing for the event by cutting branches, collecting ornaments and natural decorations and making picks.

(SUN Photo)

Show me Your Toonies! Girls Hockey Team supporting Breast Cancer research

By Sheila McBrayne Members

of the Southpoint Lions Club Intermediate girls hockey team will be collecting Toonies in honour of one player’s mother who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

“Show Me Your Toonies” began when

team trainer Kelly Dries and her husband and team coach Greg thought is would be a nice way to show the family the team’s support and raise money for breast cancer research.

As this year’s hockey season started in September for 16-year-old Brycelin Mullins, her mother Jeanne Mullins, 52, was diagnosed with breast cancer – again. It was eight years ago that Mullins was first diagnosed with breast cancer. Although the mass was missed during a mammogram, it was found in an ultrasound. Mullins had a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. “I have very dense breasts, like many women do, so it didn’t show up on the mammogram, but it did on the ultrasound,” she said. “I knew something was wrong; I had spots that had changed and the ultrasound found the cancer,” she said.

Again, a cancerous lump revealed itself on an ultrasound image around the scar tissue from the past lumpectomy. As this was the second mass found in the same breast, Mullins opted for a double mastectomy. “I’m going to the Cancer Centre today to see what the treatment will be this time; they can’t do radiation a second time on the one side, so we’ll see,” she said on Wednesday, November 21 from her Cottam home. The girls hockey team has players 15 to 21 years old. “I think it’s wonderful that they’re doing this and bringing it out into the forefront. It’s so important for these young girls to be aware… The rates are so high – I think it’s one in four will be affected in their lifetime. The more people are aware, the more we can raise… Any money raised is wonderful and I’m very thankful for the generosity of the public,” said Mullins. Players have Mason jars decorated with pink ribbons and are collecting as many Toonies (or other change) as possible to support this worthy cause. The top three contributors will each win a prize! The contest runs until December 1st, 2012. The change will be converted to bills and donated to the Canadian Cancer Society. Watch for their jars and support this worthwhile cause in any way you can.

An Evening with Erin & JildaWinter Songs

Jilda Farias, Joanna Shultz and Erin Armstrong performed a fundraising concert at The Bank Theatre and Meeting Place on Friday, November 23. The concert was called “An Evening with Erin and Gilda, accompanied by Joanna Shultz - Winter Songs. The Friday Night Music Series continues Friday, December 7 at 7:30 p.m. with Generation W performing. (Photo submitted)

Council renews IOU with Essex Powerlines

Leamington holds an Essex Powerlines Corporation promissory note for just over $2.1 million. Administration is recommending renewing the note for five years at 4% interest with an option to draw down the debt up to 20% annually beginning in the second year.

Leamington Council had no problem extending the loan, although there are many demands for capital investment in the municipality. In the words of CAO Bill Marck, it forms a sort of ‘rainy day’ emergency fund that is accruing interest at a better rate than any other investment could at this time.

IT’S FLU SEASON!

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We respect your time. An appointment booked with us is a promise that you’ll be present for treatment and we’ll be here to serve you — punctually.

Personalized care. We take the time to get to know you and really listen to your concerns Convenient location. We’re centrally located in Leamington, Ontario within walking distance to downtown.

A FREE GIFT for you!

We offer complimentary polishing to any current patient who is getting married! Just call the office for an appointment the week of your wedding. This may be the only wedding service you get for free!

Mission Statement

Dr. Karen Archer Dentistry Professional Corporation strives to deliver quality dental care and promote optimal oral health in our practice community.

We are committed to ensuring our patients satisfaction in our services and are dedicated to lifelong learning through continued education.

Dr. Karen Archer

Karen E Archer, D.D.S was born in Chatham, Ontario and graduated from Kingsville High School, in 1991 with honours, and a Centennial entrance scholarship to Wilfrid Laurier University. At WLU, she completed her B.Sc in Biology with Honours. From there she went on to the University of Western Ontario School of Dentistry, receiving several awards throughout the 4 years. In 1998 she graduated top of her class, receiving the “UWO Gold Medal in Dentistry”.

From 1998 to 2003 she was an associate dentist in both Ridgetown and Kingsville, and in 2003 she bought her own practice, where she remains today.

Dr. Archer has been married since 1999. Scott, her husband is described as her partner, best friend and inspiration. They have 3 amazing children, their daughter born in 2003, first son born in 2005 and another boy in 2008.

Our staff is a dedicated, experienced, and professional group of caring individuals working together to accomplish the goal of providing our patients with the highest quality care. All our staff regularly attend courses to keep abreast of changes in Dentistry and maintain CPR certification.

We take care of your happy smile!

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— Kathy M. Patient of 7 years.

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Hickson a Trees Ontario Green Leader

As you head to the back 40 of Joe and Joyce Hickson’s property, located just outside of Wheatley, you are surrounded by unique topography, original forests and newly planted trees. The Hicksons make it difficult to believe you are in Essex County.

Mr. Hickson is the latest Ontario landowner to be recognized as a Trees Ontario Green Leader. This program recognizes landowners who have taken part in the Ontario government’s 50 Million Tree Program, which aims to plant 50 million trees in southern Ontario. The program, administered by Trees Ontario, provides subsidies and technical support to landowners who wish to plant trees on 2.5 acres or more of land.

Joe and Joyce Hickson have supported Trees Ontario’s mandate to increase the forested landscape of Ontario’s private lands. They worked with Trees Ontario’s local partner, the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA), to plant 23,450 trees on their 88.5-acre property located in the Muddy Creek watershed within the Municipality of Leamington.

“Using traditional and alternative afforestation methods, we were able to plant many native tree species including tulip, sassafras, black gum, American chestnut, American beech, cottonwood, sycamore and red cedar,” said Robert Davies, Forestry Technician for the ERCA. Davies and other ERCA members including Kate Arthur, ERCA’s restoration biologist, helped Mr. Hickson with on the ground professional help and technical expertise at every step of the project.

The Hickson property, a farmland that was previously used to support him and his family through the Great Depression, enjoys a long history in the Hickson bloodline starting with his great-grandfather. Joe’s father initiated planting efforts with Lands and Forests in the 1930s and since then, Joe Hickson has had a passion for trees. Upon retiring from a long farming career, Joe decided to do what any steward of the land would do, restore it to its natural state.

“The 50 Million Tree Program is successful because of landowners like the Hicksons who are looking to reforest all or some of their property that may no longer maintain the necessary conditions for crops, or areas that are no longer being used to their full potential,” noted Rob Keen, CEO of Trees Ontario. “We encourage other landowners to take advantage of the available subsidies to plant trees and restore their lands.”

The benefits that Mr. Hickson has noticed, as a result of the planting program, have been the return of diverse local wildlife including foxes and wild turkeys, increased dragonfly populations, prairie grasses and wildflowers. His efforts have also contributed to the restoration and delisting of the Muddy Creek watershed from being an area of concern.

“Planting large numbers of trees helps fight climate change, cleans the air, increases wildlife habitat, and prevents flooding,” said the Honourable Michael Gravelle, Ontario Minister of Natural Resources. “The Hicksons should be recognized for their outstanding contribution to enhancing forest cover—they truly deserve the title of Trees Ontario’s Green Leaders.”

Mr. Hickson is a real and life-long steward of the land. “I want to leave it better than I received it,” he said. His advice to other landowners: “Go ahead – it is a great hobby. It is a lot of work but it’s worth it. I love trees and I enjoy watching the forest mature.”

With this much history, so many fascinating stories and a large-scale planting endeavor, this Hickson property will live on and provide many benefits to Joe, Joyce, their growing family and so many of us in Ontario.

For more information about the government of Ontario’s 50 Million Tree Program and local planting workshops to help you get started, visit: http://www. treesontario.ca/programs.

Ruthven Public School to close

On Tuesday, November 20 the Ruthven community heard the news they had been fighting to prevent - Ruthven Public School will close after this year. No definitive solution has been reached, in fact, there Board is looking at three different scenarios.

The options include:

• Move Ruthven students to Jack Miner Public School in September 2013, and eventually have a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 ‘super school’ built on an undetermined site.

• The construction of a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 school on the Jack Miner school site, with the Grade 7 and 8 students filling some of the empty student spaces at Kingsville District High School.

• Close Kingsville Public School as well as Ruthven Public School, and construct an addition to Jack Miner school. This would mean transfering Grade 7 and 8 students from both schools to Kingsville District High School.

With no definitive solution, the Board will continue to discuss the options.

Watch the Southpoint Sun next week with reactions from teachers, parents and the community.

Carly Butler to trace grandmother’s footsteps

By Bryan Jessop

A young woman born and raised in Leamington is about to embark upon a journey within a journey.

Carly Butler is in the planning process of a unique journey that will bring her to England to retrace the steps her grandmother made for the seven months between marrying her grandfather and finally being reunited with him in Leamington following his journey home shortly after the conclusion of World War II. At the same time, Butler plans to chronicle her own journey through a consistent series of blog entries on her website www.lifesletter.com.

Butler, the daughter of well-known Leamington musician Dale Butler, began the blog on Oct. 13 of this year, although it was officially launched Oct. 30 — the 67th anniversary of her grandparents’ wedding. Her upcoming overseas journey was inspired by a collection of letters sent from her grandmother in England to her grandfather in Leamington while she awaited immigration clearance to board the Queen Mary with other war brides and be reunited with her husband — Nick Wiebe — at Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Irene Betty Fineberg, then a resident of London, England, met Wiebe during World War II at a dance hall and unbeknownst to her husband-to-be, slipped a piece of paper with her name and address into his pocket before they parted ways after he walked her home.

Wiebe, now 90 years of age and a resident of Erie Glen Manor in Leamington, served as a tank driver in the Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment. His involvement with the war was met with resistance amidst the mennonite community back home, as representatives of his faith had made successful efforts in Canada to earn exemption from military service.

“What he did was very brave,” Butler said. “I’m so proud of him for what he did for everyone back home during the war.”

Scrapbooks and more than 50 letters written by her grandmother from December of 1945 to June of 1946 were discovered by Butler’s mother Judy Butler while Carly was teaching English courses in South Korea from 2008 to 2010. Originally, Carly’s plan was simply to visit the locations her grandmother mentioned in her letters, but has since decided to take part in the same activities described in the 67-year-old messages such as watching a movie or riding the subway. Now, she plans to visit these places and partake in these activities on the anniversaries of the dates her grandmother did the same.

Using the pictorial feature of Google Maps, Butler discovered that the home from which Irene wrote many of the letters still exists.

“I cheated a bit,” Carly said with a laugh. “I’ll knock on doors and who knows what will happen?”

For the early stages of her journey — Butler plans to leave from her home in Windsor in early January and return home in June or July — she plans to resident with close friends living in London, England and also visit family members she has yet to meet.

“The more I think about it, the more excited I get,” said Butler, who garnered the addresses of many of the places she’ll visit from the sending address on the envelopes of her grandmother’s letters. “I plan to make blog entries three or four times per week, but who knows? I might end up making them every day.”

Butler recalls visiting England along with her grandmother in 1994, when she was in Grade 4 and has since returned on her own numerous times.

“Every time I’m in London, something comes alive in me,” said Carly, who noted that she was always intrigued by the thick accent her grandmother had until her death more than 15 years ago.

Butler, also an avid photographer, hopes to turn her notes and blog entries into a book upon returning to Windsor in the summer of next year.

(Submitted photos)

Parents told to know what their kids are texting

By Sheila McBrayne

“Our kids are smarter with technology than we are, and they know it,” said Melissa James, Essex County Diversion Program. “The problem is they can’t see the future consequences of their actions, like an adult.”

James was a guest speaker at a parent information night held Tuesday, Novem-

ber 20 at the Leamington Portugese Club. Leamington OPP Constable Kevin O’Neil assembled a very informative evening with James and Mike Neuts, father of bullied 10-year-old son Myles Neuts who died in 1998 after being found on a coat hook at his school in Chatham.

“I’ve been working for

nine years in schools and they’re trying everything to combat the problem, but it’s an uphill battle. There always has been and always will be bullying,” said James.

With cell phones and Facebook accounts, today’s teens are exposed to a new threat – cyber bullying. A recent trend with teens is

The Churches of Leamington and District Welcome You

ANGLICAN

St. John The Evangelist

60 Erie St. N., Leamington 519-326-3111

Sunday Worship Services

8:30 & 10:30 am

St. Mary’s Church

East West Road, Pelee Island

1st & 3rd Sundays from June to September at 10 am

Calvary Church

North Shore Road, Pelee Island 1st & 3rd Sundays from October to May at 10 am

BAPTIST

Calvary Baptist Church

475 Bevel Line Road, Leamington 519-326-0876

Sunday Worship 10:30 am

First Baptist Church

3 Fox Street, Leamington 519-326-4372

Sunday Worship 10:45 am

Heritage Baptist Church

555 Talbot St. W., Wheatley 519-300-1400

Pastor Francisco Penner

Sunday 11 am & 7 pm, Wed 7 pm

CONGREGATIONALIST

Faith Everlasting Congregational Church

589 Hwy 77, Leamington 519-322-2994

Sunday Worship 11 am

220 Erie St. N., Leamington 519-322-1644

Saturday Services: Bible Study 9:30 am Worship 11:00 am

LUTHERAN

St. Paul’s LutheranEvangelical Church

311 Sherk Street, Leamington 519-326-3966

Sunday Worship Services

9:30 am (Germ), 10:30 am (Eng)

Sonshine Lutheran

194 Talbot St. E., Leamington 519-398-8179

Thurs. Bible Study 7 pm Worship Sercvice Every Sun.10 am

MENNONITE

Faith Mennonite Church

269 Sherk Street, Leamington 519-326-6391

Sunday Worship Services

10:50 am (Summer 10 am)

Leamington Evangelical Mennonite Mission Church 1408 Deer Run Rd, Leamington 519-326-9734

Sunday Worship Services 9:15 am (German), 10:45 am (English)

Leamington Evangelical Mennonite Church 108 Mersea Rd 3, Leamington 519-322-9915

Sunday Worship 10:30 am

Leamington United Mennonite Church 78 Oak Street East, Leamington 519-326-2727

Sunday Worship 9:45 am

Summer Worship Services 9:30 am (German), 10:15 am (English)

Meadow Brook Fellowship 219 Talbot Street East, Leamington 519-326-3605

Sunday Worship Services 9:30 am & 11 am

North Leamington United Mennonite Church 625 Mersea Rd 6, Leamington 519-326-7928

Sunday Worship 10:00 am

South Point Community Church 55A Talbot St. W., Leamington 519-322-1858

Sunday Gatherings 10 am

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

Iglesia La Buena Semilla 269 Sherk Street, Leamington 519-733-0342

Sunday Worship 6:30 pm

Leamington District Memorial Hospital

194 Talbot St. W., Leamington 519-326-2373, Chaplain’s Office ext. 4443

PENTECOSTAL

FGT Family Church

285 Talbot St. E., Leamington 519-322-2316

Sunday Worship 9:15 & 11 am

Leamington Christian Centre 98 Elliott Street, Leamington 519-322-1504

Sunday Worship Services 10:30 am

English/Spanish 6:30 pm

Templo Christiano De Leamington

39 Talbot St. E., Leamington 519-325-9654

Sunday Worship Services 3 pm

sexting. For those who don’t know what sexting is, it’s sending nude or semi-nude pictures electronically via cell phone or email, and it’s very popular. James went on to explain that the sexting usually begins with a young female taking a picture of herself and sending it to a trusted friend or boyfriend. The problem is, teens break up or fight all the time. A text sent in confidence one day could be forwarded to friends and family the next day.

Mount Zion Full TabernacleGospel

6 Mill Street, Leamington 519-252-0031

Sunday Worship 7:30 pm

United Pentecostal Church

312 Erie St. St., Leamington 519-326-7056

Sunday Worship Services 11 am

PRESBYTERIAN

Knox Presbyterian Church

58 Erie St. S., Leamington 519-326-4541

Sunday Worship Services 11 am

ROMAN CATHOLIC

St. Michael’s Parish

29 Elliott Street, Leamington 519-326-2643

Sunday Masses: 7:30 am.(English)

10:30 am (English/Children’s Liturgy)

10:30 am (OLBS, Wheatley, English)

3 pm (Spanish), 7 pm (Youth)

St. Joseph’s Church

310 Sherk Street, Leamington 519-326-2643

Saturday Mass: 5 pm (English)

Sunday Masses: 9 am (Italian, English) Noon (Portuguese, English)

St. Anthony’s Parish (Maronite Rite)

280 Talbot Street East, Leamington 519-322-2282

Sunday Masses 9:30 & 11 am (Lebanese, English)

SALVATION ARMY

The Salvation Army Citadel

88 Setterington Street

Leamington 519-326-4901

Sunday Worship 10:30 am

UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA

Leamington United Church

9 John Street, Leamington 519-326-9461

Sunday Worship Services 10:30 am

Mersea United Church

1301 Mersea Road 8, Wheatley 519-825-4157

Sunday Worship Services 9:30 am

UNITARIAN

UNIVERSALIST

Unitarian Universalist Church of Olinda

2953 Olinda Sideroad, Ruthven 519-326-4352

Sunday Service 10:30 am

“The simple solution is don’t take pictures of yourself nude or semi-nude,” said James. That’s why her program, MESSAGE (Motivational Educational Sexting Seminars for At-risk Girls Everywhere), focuses on girls. “If you’re wondering if something would be considered sexting – it probably is… If it’s something you wouldn’t want your mother to see, then don’t send it,” said James. James recommends that parents become more involved with their teens. Parents have every right to

know the password and randomly check their child’s cell phone, especially since 95 per cent of parents pay for their child’s phone. She also noted that teens have too alone time with their electronic devices. She suggests laptops, computers and phones be left outside the teen’s bedroom.

The recent story of

Todd, a BC teen who killed herself was discussed. Her depression and problems started because she had sent a picture of her breasts that ended up being sent to every one she knew. She was then bullied at school, and at home via her computer and phone.

Joy filled mission

Why does everyone always tell you ‘change is a good thing,” when in actuality it’s something that happens when you never really wanted it to?

A drawer at home is filled with movies including my very favourite Christmas classics. I anticipated watching these movies over and over every year when I was a child: Rudolph, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town and White Christmas to name a few.

Convenience, something that we all lean towards these days, may in fact be taking the anticipation and magic right up the chimney with Santa. So many of our life’s possessions have become common and unappreciated. That worries me. I fear that today’s children will never know the special feeling of checking out the TV Guide listing for the upcoming Christmas show schedule.

Every year we looked forward to the Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Perry Como, Andy Williams and other specials. I recall the beautiful Christmas sets with huge decorated trees and remember lots of the era’s pop stars and athletes who were guests on these shows. They continued into the 70s with the newest and latest star hosts like John Denver, Sonny & Cher, and Captain & Tennille.

I have watched Frosty melt over and over and my tears continue to melt with him. One wonders how I ever became involved in the greenhouse industry, after being traumatized by witnessing Frosty being locked in one until he became a puddle! The abominable snowman taught me to get over the fear of what lurks in the dark, by just “Putting one foot in front of the other.”

I have never stopped ‘dreaming of a White Christmas.’ With the help of global warming, that may eventually become as unlikely as my kids putting on my favourite Christmas songs or knowing the words to every Christmas carol as I did at their age. What is this world coming to?

An interesting conversation with some young adults this past weekend confirmed my fears. The youth of today are, in fact, “not really into” all those holiday songs that I grew up with and continue to love. No more Bing Crosby or Amy Grant’s Christmas? Now that brings out the Grinch in me!

“We dim the light

We stoke the fire

We breathe the evergreen.

Young ones wait

While the old ones make up

Tales of how it used to be.”

Move over Clark Griswold, I’m not giving up. Instead, I stoke the fire and dig out my old cassette tapes, the ones I have played for the last twenty years while I decorate. These traditions have become a part of my life because I grew up in their midst and I am determined not to let them burn out now.

Mark and my daughter arrive home happy to see our tree being trimmed with all of the ornaments that we’ve collected over the years. My hope reignites as Anna reaches into the container and helps place her favourites on a branch.

Later, while listening to Kenny G’s Miracles I receive a text, a photo from my daughter in Saskatchewan, of their first tree that they have decorated together. A miracle perhaps, but when the messenger brings word of my son decking his dorm room then my mission will be truly accomplished.

Bounty of the County returns for 62nd year

By Bryan Jessop

The Essex County Associated Growers have once again provided an annual hub of advice, ideas and information for the agricultural sector representing the Leamington area and beyond.

The 62nd annual Bounty of the County Trade Show was hosted by the Kinsmen Recreation Complex Tuesday, Nov. 20 and Wednesday Nov. 21 for a combined 17 hours of presentations, speeches, demonstrations and exhibits highlighting the issues and changes facing today’s agricultural sector in Southwestern Ontario. This year’s trade show featured about 40 exhibitors representing businesses and organizations from a few blocks away to others making the journey from Quebec.

Speaker programs though the two-day event covered presentations on field vegetables, wineries, greenhouse operations and fruit-growing operations. Cooking presentations were made by Chef Mimmo Casagrande Bei of Koolini Italian Catering. Bei, who set up demonstrations at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m both days, is also the author of “Through the Seasons with Mimmo.”

The trade show also serves as the meeting place for the Ontario Apple Growers (District 1) annual meeting. This year, the group focused on frost protection for their crops for the year 2013. Early in the spring of this year, apple orchards throughout Southwestern Ontario were devastated by frost damage inflicted after warm weather conditions exposed fruit buds ahead of schedule.

This year’s annual ECAG appreciation award recipient was Leamington’s Jim Founk, who served the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) for more than 34 years. Founk was born and raised on a fruit, vegetable and tobacco farm along Highway 3 just east of Leamington and went on to earn a BSc in biology form the University of Waterloo in 1976.

Initially, Founk worked for OMAFRA’s Fruit and Vegetable Inspection branch and played a lead role in modernizing the grading system for processing tomatoes in the early 1980s. He returned to Leamington in 1983 as OMAFRA’s district man-

ager of Southwestern Ontario. In the late 1990s, he became field manager for Essex-Kent-Lambton before taking on the role of regional information coordinator for Essex and Chatham-Kent.

Founk retired in July of last year and points out that Essex County tops all of Ontario in production of farm cash receipts, for which two-thirds of its revenue is generated by horticulture.

“It’s been amazing to watch the transformation of agriculture in terms of size of operations, adoption of technology and productive capability,” he stated. “Our farmers certainly are resourceful.”

Bounty of the County draws between 500 and 1,000 visitors every year, depending largely on weather conditions. The trade show is attended largely by residents of Essex County and Chatham-Kent, although some from southeast Michigan and Lambton, Elgin and Middlesex Counties also attend each year.

“Nine times out of 10, the feedback we get is positive,” said ECAG office manager and secretary Jillian McCallum. “Some would like to see a different take on some pre-

sentations, with smaller seed companies. Overall, they’re pleased with the show and how it turns out.”

Bounty of the County is organized by ECAG’s board of directors, which ramps up the preparation process from the beginning of August to the start of the program in November. During that time, exhibitors from previous years are contacted to arrange appearances for the upcoming show while others approach ECAG after discovering the annual trade show through word of mouth.

“Once it’s over on Wednesday, we can finally breathe again,” McCallum said with a laugh.

Santa lights up the night at Leamington Christmas parade

TOP LEFT: Royal Canadian Legion Branch 84 of Leamington got things started for this year’s Leamington Santa Claus Parade, which began on Erie Street South at Georgia Avenue Saturday, Nov. 24.

TOP RIGHT: Participants in the Salvation Army entry of this year’s Leamington Santa Claus Parade included entries of all ages.

AT RIGHT: The Leamington Flyers and some of their younger fans stood and sat atop one of this year’s Santa Claus Parade floats

BOTTOM RIGHT: Youth were well represented during this year’s Leamington Santa Claus Parade, which included several entries based on religious themes.

IF YOU WORK IN ONTARIO, THIS IS YOUR FIGHT.

On September 11, 2012, the Ontario Liberal government passed Bill 115, the Putting Students First Act, 2012 Bill 115 is undemocratic, unconstitutional, and unprecedented.

It takes away the democratic rights of teachers and education professionals to bargain collectively. It places the government beyond the reach of the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Ontario Labour Relations Act, and even the courts.

It takes local decision-making away from school boards and puts it in the hands of the provincial government.

That’s why we’re standing against Bill 115. It sets a dangerous precedent for all Ontarians. In fact, the government has already threatened other public sector workers with similar legislation.

As teachers, we teach your children to stand up for their principles. Today, we ask you to do the same.

What can you do to help?

Join us in standing up for democratic rights. Let your MPP know that Bill 115 must be repealed.

November golfing...

Major Midgets win Capitals Cup Challenge

Southpoint WFCU Major Midget hockey team defeated the Belle River Jr. Canadiens to capture the Capitals Cup Challenge this past weekend.

In the championship game, Frankie Ciacelli opened the scoring for the home squad and Ty Scratch followed that with a natural hat trick. Earning assists were Cale Phibbs (2), Jared Adams, Scott Florence, Derek Toews and Ciacelli. Everett Omstead was outstanding in goal for the home team.

WFCU didn’t open the tournament well as they lost to Stouffville Clippers 3-0.

In their second game, WFCU faced the Wallaceburg Lakers, winning 5-3. Phibbs lead the scorers with 2 goals and 2 assists, while single goals went to Jared Adams, Austin Thompson and Deryck Badz. Drawing assists were Scratch (2), Ciacelli (2), Toews and Florence. Tyler Jackson earned the victory in net.

WFCU entered its third game in a must-win situation and they didn’t disappoint, defeating the Applewood Coyotes 4-1. Scoring for WFCU were Ciacelli, Scratch, Phibbs and Badz, with assists going to Florence (2), Ryan Zsebok (2), Brandon Turnbull, Badz and Ciacelli and Phibbs. Everett Omstead earned the victory in net.

In the semi-final game, WFCU downed the undefeated Lorne Park Ojibwa 4-1. Scoring for WFCU were Scratch, Badz, Ciacelli and Phibbs. Drawing assists were Trevor Affleck and Florence. Tyler Jackson was solid in net for WFCU.

RECREATION EVENTS RECREATION EVENTS

Recreation Events from the Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex – Live your life in motion!

One-Day Sales Blitz Wed Nov 28! Only $28 + HST for a 1-month membership – that’s a whopping savings of $30! Start your exercise now in December, before the holidays, and get a jumpstart on your New Year Shape-Up Resolution. Hurry in or phone in! Wed. Nov. 28 ONLY, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., to purchase a one- month membership!

Complex Membership Information and Appreciation Day Wed. Nov. 28. A display will be set up in the Complex lobby highlighting recent facility improvements, upcoming renovations and updates, new programs that have been introduced, new equipment, etc., and we have a quick survey to gather members’ comments.

Christmas is coming and the Complex encourages the Gift of Healthy Living! Wrap up a gift certificate or stocking stuffer from the Complex for everyone on your list. Kids will love a skate/swim/gym pass. Gift certificates come in any $$ increment for student memberships, to meet with a personal trainer, or the ever popular 3-month New Year Shape-Up Special for just $115.

Check out the Complex Weight Room! The elliptical machines, treadmills, StairMasters, stationary bikes and the weight equipment will help you to strengthen and tone your muscles. Come for a tour and meet with a personal trainer.

Rock ’n Swim Fri. Dec. 14 from 7-9 p.m. Bring the family and swim to the sounds of all your favourite tunes. Music sponsored by Dr. K. Archer Family Dental Care. “Within Arms Reach Policy” applies.

Birthday parties at the Complex – children love a Complex party! Swimming, skating or gym time followed by a pizza party for the whole gang!

Book your team party, work party or youth group party at the Complex. Swimming, skating or gym time followed by a pizza party for the whole gang!

The Municipality of Leamington is creating a new Municipal Website:

• We want your best photos!

• We want your input on a survey!

Go to www.leamington.ca to connect to the Photo Contest Rules and/or to answer the Website Survey online.

Reduce your stress and increase your energy this winter! Come exercise at the Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex.

We have something for every...body!

Wheatley Oldtimers Win 2012 Ambassador Cup

The Wheatley Oldtimers were the champions in their first tournament of the 2012-2013 season. The Wheatley team defeated the Tilbury Silverwings in the finals by a score of 5-2 to earn the 2012 Ambassador Cup in the 50+ Division. The winning team also received team jackets. Front row, left to right: Gary Mutterback, Ken Steingart, Gary Hillier, Rick Thompson, Alex Crane, Randy Garant, Gene Biekx. Back row: Todd Stevenson, Wes Wright, Tom Rogers, Terry Wilding, Bill Derbyshire, Mark Ribble, Barry Colenutt, Gary Knight. Absent from photo: Coach Bruce King, Assistant Coach Bob McLean, and Manager and #1 Fan Mary Ann Sherman.

Graham records lowest score so far this year in mini golf

Sixty Golden Years mini golfers managed 104 aces over 36 holes on Thurs. Nov. 22 at Colasanti’s.

Leading the way with 6 aces was Margaret Graham, followed closely by Bill Mayville with 5. Four dropped for Barb Arner, Lloyd Honey, Art Sweet, and Gerrit Vriesen. Sinking 3 apiece were Kathy Bradley, Eunice Cascadden, Eva Kah, Julia Kos, Mary MacRae, Bill Taylor, Doug Vickery, Mary Ann Vickery and John Vlodarchyk. Chipping in with 2 each were Cheryl Allan, Laurie Bolen, Don Bolen, Ken Brook, Madeline Butler, Carolyn Daudlin, Pete Daudlin, Gord Ellis, Winnie Moore, Colleen Pearse, Floyd Johnson, Murray Knox, Angus MacRae, Ray Shore, Barry Sweet, Shirley Thiessen, Bill Ward, Gerald Wilkinson and Donna Wiebe. Sinking single aces were Jim Allan, David Bezaire, Ila Ellis, Ethel Ferguson, Cam Keith, Marie Lasi, Betty McManus, John Murphy, Al Stockwell, Steve Vigh, Bryon Walker, Pat Womack and Shirley Martin.

A low score of 16 for 9 holes was recorded by Barb Arner, Barry Sweet and Marg Graham. Following closely with 17 were Gerry Wilkinson (2), Barry Sweet, Bill Mayville, Marg Graham, Winnie Moore, Gord Ellis, Mary Ann Vickery, Bill Ward and Doug Vickery. Marg Graham recorded the lowest score of the year of 33 for 18 holes, which included 5 aces. Gerry Wilkinson and John Vlodarchyk each managed 35 while Barry Sweet notched a 36. Thirty-seven went to Barb Arner, Ken Brook, Murray Knox, Bill Mayville (2), Marg Graham, Art Sweet and Kathy Bradley.

GARAGES

Taking top spot for 36 holes was Margaret Graham with 70 followed closely by Barry Sweet with 72, John Vlodarchyk with 73, Bill Mayville 74, Art Sweet with 75 and Gerry Wilkinson with 77.

George Friesen

Team 9 took first place with 228 (Marg Graham, Pete Daudlin, Lloyd Honey). Second was secured by team 17 (Kathy Bradley, Carolyn Daudlin, Bill Ward, Frank Lasi). Third and final place went to team 16 (Angus MacRae, Tom Hyatt, Ken Womack).

Remember to join the Golden Years mini golfers every Thursday at 9:30 a.m. at Colasanti’s for some fun and fellowship. It only costs $10 to register and $5 each week for 36 holes. December 13 will be the last outing until after Christmas and will be highlighted by a breakfast buffet.

NHL lockout is a lose-lose-lose situation

As the Journal’s editor Sheila McBrayne presented me with the opportunity to write a weekly sports column, it took very little time to make a decision on my first rant topic of choice. Yup, the current National Hockey League lockout.

Jessop’s Jessop’s Journal Journal

Like millions of other hockey fans, I’ve grown tired of listening to two groups of rich people squabble about money. While I respect the right of others to point accusing fingers at either the NHL or NHLPA (players’ union), I’ve elected to proverbially shake both my fists in anger — one at each side. I don’t care what side of the bargaining table you’re accustomed to, stubbornness is always counterproductive in trying to reach an agreement... especially when it’s coming from both camps.

Even at the risk of being labelled a ‘fence-sitter’, I cannot look in either direction and say “I choose to support these guys.” There’s just too much arrogance and selfishness coming from both sides, neither of which seems willing to admit that it relies on the other.

I can’t side with the NHL because, for one thing, it is led by commissioner Gary Bettman. If the droves of Canadians who loathe him ever decide to form the ‘Gary Bettman Haters Society’, I will throw my hat into the ring to become its president. More on that in a future column, perhaps.

Anyway, Bettman can’t seem to understand why the players association hasn’t picked up the league’s proposal and given it a big ol’ bear hug, like a five-year-old who just realized that the last present he or she unwrapped on Christmas morning is the one and only thing he/she truly wanted. This proposal, which Santa Bettman points out is “still on the table,” appears to be non-negotiable — yet he criticizes the union for its unwillingness to budge.

At the same time, I find it hard to side with the NHLPA. Sure, they’re the underdog millionaires engaged in battle with the big, bad billionaires and as we all know, the side with the deepest pockets is the villain. But here’s the thing — they’re getting paid those mere millions to play hockey. Not exactly an earth-shattering revelation, but neither is the fact that the factory owner makes more money than the factory worker. I have yet to hear a single NHL player shed a tear for the regular Joe who makes less money than his employer. That’s real life, which practically no professional athlete outside the National Lacrosse League has been forced to live in many, many years.

While my son is still too young to lace up the skates, I can’t imagine many hockey parents feeling sorry for NHL players — not while they’re spending thousands of dollars per season, per kid for registration, new equipment and $1.20 per litre to gas up the minivan for next weekend’s tournament in St. Catharines.

As per usual, it’s the fan who gets hosed. While owners and players depend on each other, both sides depend on the fans. I hate to play the role of pessimist, but I see yet another season being scrapped entirely. While such an outcome would provide Leafs fans with a legitimate excuse for their team to miss out on the playoffs again, it does nothing for the reputation of the sport. As it stands, the lockout is a loselose-lose situation for owners, players and fans alike. Perhaps both sides should be reminded that fed-up fans

have a tendency to strike back. The year after the seasonending Major League Baseball strike in 1994, spectator head counts dropped by 20 per cent. As Americans tend to be more loyal to baseball than hockey, those numbers could be far worse for NHL markets already struggling to fill thousands of empty seats. Whether owners realize it or not, the limb of the tree they’re sawing away at could be the same limb from which they’re dangling. Suddenly, I envision Daffy Duck grasping a branch 100 feet above the ground with one hand and feverishly trying to saw it off at the trunk with the other while wearing a Florida Panthers jersey — keeping in mind that the silly duck doesn’t remember he can fly, of course.

On our own side of the border, it will only be a matter of time before Canada’s hockey diehards get tired of both ‘classic‘ presentations of NHL seasons past (no Pro Line implications here, we all know who wins) and KHL broadcasts before they put down their remotes and make the short trip to the local barn and check out a junior hockey game.

To me, that would be a great example of something positive stemming from something negative, especially when a live game can be seen at a fraction of the cost of attaining an NHL nosebleed seat. Personally, I can’t help but take more interest in finding out the outcome of Leamington versus LaSalle or Wheatley versus Kingsville than Carolina versus Dallas.

On that note, keep in mind that we don’t have to travel to Philadelphia to see a Flyers game or to San Jose to watch the Sharks in action. The last time a fan could bring a 10-dollar bill to pay admission for an NHL game, receive change and then get close enough to the rink to pound their fists on the glass when their team scored, the helmetless players carried the puck with curveless sticks.

C.A. Bailey and Essex tie it up

It was a battle of the 3rd and 5th place Peewee teams, Essex vs C.A. Bailey in Essex.

Essex scored first with 26 seconds remaining in the first period to take a 1-0 lead.

C.A. Bailey’s Ryan Cherneski scored a 2nd period setup by Kelton Bouetin and Trevor Dyck, then 2 minutes later Joep VanGusmon assisted by Santiago Cabberia and Matthew Saad.

Things were looking good for C.A. Bailey until an Essex forward broke loose and beat Kyle Cervini late in the third to tie the game up.

Southpoint Stars weekend action

In intermediate play, the Southpoint Stars Rhine Danube girls solidly beat Lakeshore 4-1. Goals came from Kayla Leipold netting 2, and Kirsten Leipold and Shelby Davison with singles. Holley Taves was strong in net to keep the Lakeshore team at bay.

The Lions Club team travelled to the WFCU to face a gritty Windsor 3 team. Despite strong forecheck and swift defense, stellar netminding by Shayna Augustine and the Windsor tender kept the score at 0-0.

Minor Midgets lose to Tecumseh

After a well played game Saturday in Tecumseh, Bob Dick Farms Minor Midgets lost 3-2 .

Thanks to a goal by Calyn Kir, the first period saw Southpoint leading 1-0.

In the second period, Tecumseh scored two goals and took the lead. Halfway through the period Riley Enns scored, bringing the game to a tie.

Although Bob Dick Farms played a superb third period, they lost with two minutes left to go when Tecumseh scored the winning goal.

In his first game back from injury, Matthew Vanbeekveld assisted both of Bob Dick Farms goals.

Mitch Monaco played well in net and was awarded player of the game.

RFH Novices have good tourney weekend

On the weekend, the Reid Funeral Home (RFH) Novice team played in it’s own Capital Cup Challenge Tournament, kicked off by playing the Grimsby Peach Kings.

The team came out firing on all cylinders and got off to a quick start with an early goal from Kanaan Gale after he picked the puck up in the neutral zone, went in all alone and fired the puck past the Grimsby goalie. Southpoint had several scoring chances and then, as it always seems to happen in this crazy game of hockey, Grimsby would get a chance to move up the ice on an oddman rush and get the equalizer early in the second. The Caps then got into some penalty trouble and Grimsby made good on two of those penalties, taking a 3-1 lead, and then adding one more to win 4-1.

On Saturday morning RFH had to take on local rival Erie Northshore Storm in an early morning game. This game had a great pace and was full of action in both ends of the ice. Dane Price made some key saves in the game and was matched by the Storm’s goalie.

Again, the Capitals outplayed and out chanced their opponent but couldn’t put the puck in the net. The Caps were down 3-0 going into the third when they finally got on the score board with a goal from Mike Church, with assists going to Kanaan Gale and Gerrin Church. This was too little too late for the Capitals as they couldn’t put anymore past the Storms’ goalie, as they lost 3-1.

In the second game of the day, RFH took on the Erindale

CILISKA EXCAVATING

Spitfires and this time they came out a little flat, giving up a goal just 56 seconds into the game. This seemed to wake the team up and they took control of the play, and again they seemed to be snake bitten from earlier in the day by not being able to find the back of the net. The Capitals were holding their sticks a little tighter when given a scoring opportunity. Mike Church pulled the team within one early in the second period with a power play goal. The Spitfires then fought back to regain their two-goal lead.

The Capitals kept pushing and outplaying the Spitfires, but couldn’t get any breaks as the Spitfires found the back of the net two more times in the third to take a 5-1 lead. Church found the twine again for his second goal of the game, with assists going to Nolan Ford and Kanaan Gale. This was unfortunately too little too late as the Capitals lost 5-2.

In the third and final game of the day, the RFH team faced off against the Amherstburg Stars. The Stars came ready to play and were looking to keep their winning streak in the tournament alive as they got off to an early 3-0 lead. The Capitals then found some energy and started clawing their way back into the game as Nolan Ford fed the puck to Kanaan Gale out in front of the net and he buried it to get within two.

The Capitals again found the back of the net early into the second period as Kanaan Gale scored after being set up by Nolan Ford and Robbie Edwards to make it 3-2. Amherstburg restored their two-goal lead just three minutes later, but the score remained 4-2 as the second period ended.

The third period showed the wear and tear of the tough bump and grind hockey that the Capitals were playing throughout the tournament, and the third game of the day started showing its face as the Capitals ran out of gas.

Overall the Reid Funeral Home Novices had a very good weekend, with all the players working and playing very hard. The team just couldn’t find the back of the net, but they definitely out-played and out-shot three of their four opponents. The goalies also had a very good weekend by making some very big and timely saves.

The Southpoint Reid Funeral Home Capitals will next be in action on Sat. Dec. 1 at 1:30 p.m. on the Heinz rink against Kent A, and Sun. Dec. 2 at 3:30 p.m. on the Unico

Peewee girls cap off first half of season with shutout

The Southpoint Stars Rhine Danube Peewee Girls team traveled to West Lorne to cap off the first half of their season on Wed. Nov. 21 and came away with a 3-0 shutout victory. Natalie Edmondson and Cassidy DeGroote shared the duties in net. Goal scorers were Bailey Brown from Bryanna Rodrigues just over a minute into the game. Second period goal was by Charly Demers from Emily Hyatt. Third period goal was by Corinne Jackson, assisted by Abbey Hopper.

The Stars travelled to Kitchener for a tournament this past weekend.

Game 1 vs Lucan Irish: A goalmouth scramble in the second by Kylie Murracas, assisted by Abbey Hopper, started the scoring. It was a tight defensive battle with Lucan tying the score with :31 seconds to go in the third with the goalie pulled. Natalie Edmondson was in net for the 1-1 tie.

Game 2 vs Sarnia Jr. Lady Sting: Southpoint was down 2-0 midway through the first period and kept battling back. Taylor Taouil scored unassisted on a great solo effort to get the team on board. They tied it at 2 early in the third on a goal from Morgan Brown, assisted by Emily Hyatt and Charly Demers. The Stars were down 3-2 with 5 minutes remaining in the third when Corinne Jackson scored from the point, assisted by Bailey Brown. With just over a minute remaining, Bryanna Rodrigues scored unassisted to put the Stars on top 4-3. Cassidy DeGroote backstopped us to the win in game 2.

Game 3 vs North Durham Blades: Halfway through the second period, Kylie Murracas put Southpoint Stars on the board with a rebound in front of the net. Assists went to Corinne Jackson and Connie Wiebe. The Stars scored late in the third to go up 2-0 on a goal by Bryanna Rodrigues, assisted by Bailey Brown and Abbey Hopper. North Durham battled back to make it close, scoring in the final minute, but the Stars held on under heavy pressure for a 2-1 win and first place in the pool. Natalie Edmondson was between the pipes.

Game 4 vs South Huron: The semi-final was a close contest throughout with all the scoring coming in the third. South Huron went up 1-0 early in the third and held on, scoring an empty net goal to cap the scoring at 3-0. Natalie Edmondson was in net.

It was a great weekend of hockey with a great effort by Southpoint.

RFH Novices have busy week

The Reid’s Funeral Home Novice team has had a very busy week, playing three league games, as well as four tournament games in eight days.

On Sat. Nov. 17 the team travelled to Essex. It was a very close game for the first 2 periods, with Dane Price making some very good saves in net for Southpoint. The whole team worked hard, but came up short 7-0 as they couldn’t put the puck past the Essex keeper.

Reid Funeral Home hosted the Tecumseh Eagles AA on Nov. 18. The team came out fired up and had several chances to score early, but couldn’t capitalize on their chances. With less than a minute left in the game, the Eagles put one past Mason Brum, who was standing on his head with an outstanding performance of his own. The defense corp of Gerrin Church, Mitchell Bierer, Matthew Enns and Lucas Ingratta were taking care of business with total domination. The forwards were held off the score sheet, but not for the lack of effort.

Tecumseh scored again in the second period to take a 2-0 lead and the victory. The forward lines of Massimo West, Milana Butera, Kayla Gualtieri, Tyler Heinz, Mike Church, Robbie Edwards, Travis Degroote and AP Massimo Corlett all had their best games of the year, with double duty up the middle to Kanaan Gale and Nolan Ford. The two of them played a very good well balanced game.

Evenings (Fri & Sat) 6:45 9:00 Evenings (Sun-Thurs) 6:45

On Tues. Nov. 20 the team travelled to the WFCU Centre to take on a very strong and undefeated Riverside Rangers team. Southpoint came out hard in the first period but were over powered by the strong Riverside team. Dane Price was between the pipes for this game and made several big saves, as he was peppered by Riverside.

Reid Funeral Home was down 2-0 after the first, then 6-0 after the second. After switching goalies for the third period, Mason Brum also saw his share of rubber as the team wound up losing 10-0.

Sharks blanked by Essex

By Bryan Jessop

Hosting the team with both the best offense and best defense in the league, the Wheatley Sharks came up short on both sides of the puck Monday night, dropping a 4-0 decision against the Essex 73’s.

The Sharks challenged their guests on every play of the opening 20 minutes, although two goals scored three minutes apart gave Essex a 2-0 advantage going into the first intermission. Wheatley gave starting goaltender Marc Tremblay the night off, putting Robbie Vrabel between the pipes for his second game of the season.

Scott Bromley scored on the 73’s’ first shot of the game, a high wrist shot that found the upper right corner of the Sharks net. The game’s only power play goal was scored 3:01 later, when Jordan Brohman took a rebound from a Marco Canzoneri shot and buried it past a sprawling Vrabel. The teams were even in the shots department, each mustering eight in the opening frame.

The only goal of the middle stanza was scored unassisted at 13:54 by Daniel McIntyre from the left side of Vrabel’s crease after the Sharks’ defense mishandled the puck following an Essex line change. The Sharks continued to pressure the 73’s at both ends, but were unable to test netminder Trevor Wheaton in part due to a series of inaccurate passes that prevented the hosts from generating quality scoring chances.

Wheatley’s power play continued to stumble and get cut short with infractions of their own into the third period, where Jordan Ryan finished the scoring after just over two minutes of play. Vrabel blocked part of the sharp-angle shot, but the puck bounced past him with enough momentum to cross the goal line for Essex’s second unassisted goal of the evening.

Final shots on net favoured Essex 27-20, with the Sharks going zero for 11 on the power play while the 73’s managed one for three. The loss was the first shutout suffered by Wheatley since being blanked 2-0 by the Blenheim Blades Monday, Sept. 24.

“The effort was there, but not the execution,” said Sharks head coach Ken Galerno. “We struggled defensively and in goaltending, although with our goalie it was mostly nerves. He only played three-and-a-half periods of hockey. It was about execution and discipline — we can skate with these guys, but we gave up on too many power plays by taking bad penalties.”

On Friday, Nov. 23, the Sharks lost some ground in the race for fourth place, giving up their first overtime loss of the season to the Alvinston Flyers. The teams traded goals through regulation, setting up a 2-2 deadlock after 60 minutes. The Flyers scored the only goal of the first period, although the Sharks replied in the second with a Brendon Anger tally — Kyle Quick drew an assist. The Flyers took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission, but Wheatley replied again in the third, this time with a Jon Woelk goal assisted by Anger and Eric Rivard.

Jake McPhail drove home the game winner against Marc Tremblay 1:37 into overtime, giving Alvinston a three-point lead over Wheatley, who after the Essex contest, held one game in hand.

The Sharks went zero for five on the power play while the Flyers were held to zero for four. Wheatley outshot their hosts 29-28.

The Sharks will start December with a Saturday road game in Mooretown before coming home to host the Kingsville Comets Monday, Dec. 3 with a 7:30 p.m. start.

Atom Minors lose a close one

The Uni-Fab Atom Minor team traveled to Amherstburg to face the #1 A team in the Bluewater League.

The Caps jumped to an early lead in the first frame 1-0. Kannan Gale slipped a pass to a wide-open Jason Daraicha who made no mistake in finding the back of the Amherstburg net.

The Caps took a 2-0 lead in the second as Austin Neufeld banged home the Josh Saad rebound.

Early in the third the Stars drew within one, but Dawson Collison replied just 15 second later with a low-placed shot, beating the Stars goalie. Troy Tiessen collected the lone assist.

This turned up the heat and A-Burg scored 3 unanswered goals, and the Caps would fall 4-3.

The coaches told the team that the Stars did not win the game, but that they lost the game by lack of a full effort. When the team gives that effort for the whole game most of the time it means a win, and if not…

Quick of the Sharks looks for a pointman to receive a pass while being pursued by two Essex defenders during the first period of a Monday, Nov. 26 game against the Essex 73’s. Essex won 4-0.

Bantam Minors defeat Chatham

The Southpoint Capitals Bantam Minor hockey team, sponsored by Jose’s Bar and Grill, had a light weekend with only one game. The team travelled to Tilbury for a regular season game against Chatham, which was holding their annual Teddy Bear toss.

The Capitals got off to a quick start with Luc Ribble potting home a rebound early in the first, bringing on the teddy bears. Zach Dillen continued the scoring when he picked up a loose puck and slid it around the Chatham goaltender

Midway through the third the Caps capitalized on a 2-on-1 break with Evan Loveless firing home a shot from the slot to put the game away.

Chatham finally broke Christian Santos’ shutout late in the third to round out the scoring 3-1. Brett Enns and Dillen led the charge with two points apiece.

Over one period of five days and another of 14 minutes, the Leamington Flyers managed to rebound against the Sarnia Legionnaires.

Five days after surrendering a two-goal lead to fall 3-2 in a shootout decision, the Flyers hosted a rare Sunday game where they avenged the extra-minutes loss to Sarnia with a 4-2 win. On Sunday, Nov. 25 the Flyers started their only non-Thursday home game of the regular season with a fast-paced opening 20 minutes. Leamington outworked, outskated, outshot and outmaneuvered their guests through the first period, although they managed only a 1-0 lead going into the first intermission.

With four seconds remaining in a power play, Dakota Olvin released a wrist shot from just inside the Sarnia blue line that beat netminder Sean Parker, grazed the inner right post and found the back of the net about a minute-and-a-half before mid-period. Assists came from Brett Langlois and Joe Manchurek.

The season-low home crowd of 275 spectators may have thought the teams traded jerseys for the second period, where the Flyers were outshot 8-4 and outscored 2-0. Jason Teschke, having just finished serving a twominute minor penalty for hooking, took a feed from the Sarnia blue line and zeroed in on Matt Mancina for one of a handful of Legionnaires breakaways. Teschke’s backhand shot less than five minutes into the period was the only lone break opportunity to fool Mancina, pulling the guests into a 1-1 tie.

A series of bad passes, incomplete checks and foiled clearing attempts by the Flyers forced Mancina to make several pivotal saves through the final 40 minutes, although the Legionnaires managed to solve him a second time about 10 minutes after their first goal. Josh Kestner took a cross-crease pass and one-timed it past a sprawling Mancina, a shot the rookie goaltender had little to no chance of stopping.

Leamington’s third period, while not as fluent as the first, proved an improvement over the second, as forwards and defensemen alike sharpened their passing game. During a power play, Chris Scott buried a wrist shot under the Sarnia cross bar after taking a pass from Alex Seguin to even the score at two-all. Eight minutes later, Jared Dennis one-timed a point blank shot past Parker after taking a pass from behind the net courtesy of Scott.

Flyers double up on legionnaires

By Bryan Jessop

The shorthanded Legionnaires opted not to pull Parker for a fifth skater, despite having the puck deep in the Flyers zone with about a minute remaining. The non-decision proved a moot point, as Seguin and Nathan Opblinger carried the puck towards the Sarnia net seconds after Mancina was forced to make one of several key saves. Seguin took the pass from Opblinger to bury the insurance tally with 31 seconds remaining, allowing the Flyers to go three for six on the power play. The Legionnaires were held to zero for four.

Leamington outshot their guests 28-24.

“We looked like we were still at the parade,” said Flyers head coach Tony Piroski, referring to his team’s participation in the Leamington Santa Claus Parade the previous evening. “We had a good 20 minutes in the first, but for the last two periods, had too many defensive breakdowns. It was the most disappointed I’ve been after a win. If it wasn’t for Mancina, we would have been beat by

Officials work frantically to break up skirmishes between the Flyers’ Tony Spidalieri and Legionnaires’ Hunter Tyczynski (left) and the Flyers’ Alex Seguin and Legionnaires’ Matt Cimetta during the third period of a Sunday, Nov. 25 game at Heinz Arena. The Flyes won 4-2. (SUN Photo)

four goals. We’ve got to get better, simple as that.”

On Tuesday, Nov. 20, the Flyers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in Sarnia after the first frame, but gave up goals to David Boyer in the second and Bobby King in the third. As five minutes of overtime failed to determine a winner, the Legionnaires claimed two points by scoring twice on three shootout attempts, compared to one by the Flyers. Scott and Seguin scored in the first for Leamington while Seguin was the only successful Flyers’ shootout player amongst himself, Joe Manchurek and Opblinger. The Sunday win allowed Leamington to remain deadlocked with the Chatham Maroons in first place in the Western Conference, where the Maroons have two games in hand.

The next game for the Flyers will be at Heinz Arena, Thursday, Nov. 29 at 7:10 p.m. against the St. Marys Lincolns.

The Rest of the West

On Wednesday, Nov. 21, the Lincolns won 5-2 in LaSalle against the Vipers while the Lambton Shores Predators earned a 2-1 shootout win against the London Nationals. The Legionnaires defeated the Nationals 7-4 the following day, followed by a 6-3 Lambton Shores win against St. Marys Friday, Nov. 23. Also that day, the St. Thomas Stars shocked the Maroons with a 10-4 win. On Saturday, Nov. 24, the Strathroy Rockets blanked the Lincs 4-0. Also on Sunday, the Maroons defeated LaSalle 3-1 while the surging Predators cruised by St. Thomas 6-1. In their six games since Nov. 10, Lambton Shores’ only loss came against the Flyers.

Upcoming Home Games: THURS, nov 29 vs sT. MARYS 7:10 PM Thurs. Dec. 6 vs St. thomas7:10 pm

Upcoming away Games: sat, DEC 1 at STRATHROY7:30 pm WED, DEC 12 at LASALLE7:00 pm

LAC A Signature Christmas Artist Market

Photo left: Ruth Janzen makes some last-minute adjustments to a display of her business “Wired Up” to start the Leamington Art Centre’s ‘A Signature Christmas Artist Market’. The two-day event ran 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24 and Sunday, Nov. 25. Janzen uses aluminum cable wire from service boxes to create trees and other designs. For more information on her business, call 519-733-6278 or e-mail her at ruthjanzen@hotmail.com.

Above photo: Lizzy Love sets up a collection of her paintings and dolls. For more information on Love’s works, visit the website www.oddballartco.com or call 519-995-3666. The paintings, photography, jewelry and other items made by more than 15 artists and crafters were on display through the main and lower floors of the LAC.

Crash results in impaired charge

Kingsville OPP were called to a two-vehicle crash just after midnight on Nov. 23 at the intersection of Division St. S. and Stewart St. in Kingsville.

We know there’s a lot to see and do online. That’s why Xplornet offers high-speed Internet service that is truly high-speed, with packages available as fast as 5 Mbps 2 And it’s also why we offer monthly bandwidth allowances as big as 90 GB 1 That’s a lot. How much is it? It’s enough to stream 198 movies, download 23,040 photos or listen to Internet radio 24 hours a day 3 Because we know that when it comes to the Internet, you shouldn’t have to settle for less. What do you want to do online?

Officers discovered that a yellow-coloured 2009 Ford Focus had struck a 1994 black Jeep Cherokee from behind, causing it to lose control and strike a tree. Both vehicles were heavily damaged. The driver of the Jeep and passenger in the Focus both sustained very minor injuries and were transported to Leamington District Memorial Hospital as a precaution.

The driver of the Focus, a 31-year-old man from Harrow, was arrested and charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle and failure to provide a breath sample.

LAC A Signature Christmas Artist Market

Photo left: Ruth Janzen makes some last-minute adjustments to a display of her business “Wired Up” to start the Leamington Art Centre’s ‘A Signature Christmas Artist Market’. The two-day event ran 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24 and Sunday, Nov. 25. Janzen uses aluminum cable wire from service boxes to create trees and other designs. For more information on her business, call 519-733-6278 or e-mail her at ruthjanzen@hotmail.com.

Above photo: Lizzy Love sets up a collection of her paintings and dolls. For more information on Love’s works, visit the website www.oddballartco.com or call 519-995-3666. The paintings, photography, jewelry and other items made by more than 15 artists and crafters were on display through the main and lower floors of the LAC.

Crash results in impaired charge

Kingsville OPP were called to a two-vehicle crash just after midnight on Nov. 23 at the intersection of Division St. S. and Stewart St. in Kingsville.

We know there’s a lot to see and do online. That’s why Xplornet offers high-speed Internet service that is truly high-speed, with packages available as fast as 5 Mbps 2 And it’s also why we offer monthly bandwidth allowances as big as 90 GB 1 That’s a lot. How much is it? It’s enough to stream 198 movies, download 23,040 photos or listen to Internet radio 24 hours a day 3 Because we know that when it comes to the Internet, you shouldn’t have to settle for less. What do you want to do online?

Officers discovered that a yellow-coloured 2009 Ford Focus had struck a 1994 black Jeep Cherokee from behind, causing it to lose control and strike a tree. Both vehicles were heavily damaged. The driver of the Jeep and passenger in the Focus both sustained very minor injuries and were transported to Leamington District Memorial Hospital as a precaution.

The driver of the Focus, a 31-year-old man from Harrow, was arrested and charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle and failure to provide a breath sample.

Hunters and anglers – it’s time to renew your Outdoors Card

A reminder to anglers and hunters that it is time to renew their Outdoors Card. Everyone needs an Outdoors Card along with a hunting and fishing license to hunt or fish in the province.

The card is valid for three years and all cards expire on the same date at the end of the three-year term –Dec. 31. If your card has expired or is about to expire, now is the time to renew it.

Outdoors Cards can be renewed:

• Online at ontario.ca/outdoorscard

• By calling 1-800-288-1155

• In person at a ServiceOntario centre or private issuer

Approximately 766,000 Outdoors Cards were sold in Ontario in 2011. An Outdoors Card costs $9.68 for three years. All revenue from the sales of hunting and fishing licenses in Ontario is used for wildlife and fisheries management.

Atom Majors compete in the Capitals Cup Challenge

The HUB International Atoms faced off with the Rochester Rattlers on Friday afternoon, Nov. 23 to open up their Capitals Cup Challenge tournament. The boys came out strong and built a two-goal lead after the first period. Goals went to Brayden Zuidema and Kaleb Tiessen with assists to Colton Ippoliti and Mason Cabral. The Capitals played a solid second period and added two more goals and took a demanding four-goal lead to the third period. Goals in the second were scored by Owen Scratch and Braeden Epp with assists going to Ryan Durocher and Brayden Zuidema. Brady Bunda scored the lone goal in the third with assists to Eric Tavares and Braeden Epp. The boys finished with a 5-0 win and Joshua Cacilhas earned his first career shutout. Next up for the Capitals were the Ajax Knights. The boys fell behind 2-0 in the first period and after two period they were down 3-1 with the goal being scored by Brayden Zuidema and assisted by Owen Scratch and Jed Boisvert. The team came out and dominated the third period by outscoring Ajax 3-1 in the period. The Capitals played an awesome third period and came away happily and determined with a 4-4 tie. Goals in the third were scored by Brayden Zuidema, Owen Scratch and Ryan Durocher with assists to Owen Scratch, Brayden Zuidema, and Kaleb Tiessen. Strong between the pipes was Keagan Chambers.

New Beginnings

Winter is fast approaching – and the holiday season along with it. It’s a time of year that’s always been one of my favourites.

Even with all the hustle and bustle, I always look forward to spending a weekend skiing on the beautiful snow-fallen hills with my family, then coming home to prepare a delicious and nutritious meal for everyone. This is the season for comfort foods that warm us from the inside and provide the nourishment to shiver through the winter’s chill.

For some reason it is also the time of year that game such as Quail come to mind. I am not sure why, maybe it’s that we are searching for bolder with the last harvest. Quail is a small game bird, if cooked properly, is juicy and tender with a slight, pleasant gaminess. The key is to grill or pan sear it for only about 10 minutes to achieve proper doneness while keeping all the juices inside.

If you grill any more than this, you will end up with a dry, stringy, twobite disappointment.

The Capitals had an early Saturday morning game scheduled with the Orangeville Flyers. The team came flying out of the gate and scored three quick goals on the first shift of the game and never looked back. Brayden Zuidema had a natural hat trick on his first shift of the game and assists went to Owen Scratch and Kean Bell. Orangeville came back with one goal of their own in the first, but the Capitals added one more in the second and one more in the third to take a 5-1 victory. Goals were scored by Ryan Durocher and Owen Scratch with assists to Owen Scratch, Brayden Zuidema and Eric Wright. Keagan Chambers played an awesome game in net and stood on his head to help preserve the win.

Saturday night saw the Caps play their archrivals from Amhertsburg in the last game of the preliminary round. The team had a chance to finish first overall in their division with a win, but fell short with a 5-1 loss to the Amhertsburg Stars. The lone goal was scored by Owen Scratch and assisted by Colton Ippoliti. Joshua Cacilhas had a strong game in net.

With this loss the Capitals would face the Amherstburg Stars again Sunday morning in the semi-finals. This was a very well played game and an entertaining game to watch. The Stars scored the only goal in the first and the teams exchanged goals in the second. Amherstburg took a 2-1 lead into the third, but the Caps struck quickly in the third to tie the game at two goals apiece. With huge effort and determination the game ended with a 4-2 loss to Amherstburg. The team played very well and goals went to Braeden Epp and Kaleb Tiessen and assists went to Quinn Rodrigues, Eric Tavares, Owen Scratch. Strong between the pipes again was Keagan Chambers.

Well done, boys, on an awesome weekend of hockey! Congratulations to the organizers of the Capitals Cup Challenge on an excellent tournament. The boys face off against the LaSalle Sabres this Friday night at 8:15 at the Unico Rink. They travel to Amherstburg for a re-match on Saturday night.

An excellent accompaniment to this dish is a sour cherry relish and creamy Polenta or Risotto, which are also excellent comfort foods. If you remember, I spent some time this past summer visiting some of our local produce farms in Essex County. While I was at Nickels Orchards, I learned about their sour cherry crop and thought that these cherries would be great as the main ingredient for a relish. Sour Cherries cook very well, have more bite than regular cherries and the fruity

Of course, all of this talk about seasonal meals makes me think of the big festive events coming up –with New Year’s Eve representing

And there’s no better place to enjoy it than right here at Neros. You’ll enjoy dishes like Alberta Double Cut Lamb Chops, AAA Ontario Corn Fed Beef Tenderloin, and Atlantic Lobster Tail Dou, just to name a few, starting at $89* per person, tax and gratuity not included.

You’ll also enjoy our exclusive valet service at the Riverside entrancethe only steakhouse in town with complimentary covered valet parking!

Reserve your place at one of our tables for this great evening. Please call 1-800-991-7777 ext. 22489. Be sure to log on to Facebook/ CaesarsWindsor to stay up to date with all of our events.

GBM honours 2012 champions

The Grand Bend Motorplex honoured their champions for the 2012 season at a banquet on Sat. Nov. 24.

The Modified ET Champion was Mark Gubinski from Essex in his Expert Auto Glass sponsored 1972 Ford Gran Torino. Gubinski was also the 2012 International Hot Rod Association’s Division 6 No-Box Champion.

LaSalle’s Ed Smith was the Top ET Champ with his Amherst Quarries sponsored American brand dragster. Smith was also awarded the Kendall Hebert Memorial Sportsman of the Year.

Benny Smith and his Lizard Racing dragster was the Extreme 32 Champion.

Other local racers who had top finishes for the year

Tomato Festival Funding

In order to be considered for a federal grant, the Tomato Festival must be able to prove that there is municipal support, so the organizers have applied early for a 2013 grant. Administration recommended to Council the same level of financial and in-kind support as last year, which includes a grant of $13,000.

The recommendation was eagerly moved by Deputy-Mayor Charlie Wright who, in moving it, attached to the festival significant local identity and pride. It was passed unanimously.

include a third place for Ken Hebert in Top. In Mod Paul Garant from Essex finished ninth and LaSalle’s Bill Boucher was tenth. Fifth

place was awarded for both Harrow’s Joe Crosby in Bike ET and Gianni Pizzo from Windsor in the Junior Dragster class.

Comic book and collectibles event to feature wall-to-wall showroom

Comic book and pop culture fans – your wait is over! A Merry Comic Book Christmas Con is taking place Sun. Dec. 2 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at 5030 Howard Ave. (Legion Br. 594) in Windsor.

This one-day event is the first of its kind to be held in this area in decades. A wall-to-wall dealer showroom will feature a ton of comic books, collectibles, movies, gaming, original art, classic toys and more. Guests of honour to include Detective Comics (Batman) artist Jason Fabok, Vampirella artist Johnny Desjardins, The Incredible Conduit artist Tony Gray and The Comic Book Syndicate gang, as well as a costume contest and much more. Legacy Comics Publishing will also be debuting its latest titles for the first time anywhere. There will be full concessions, door prizes and raffles, plus a special surprise guest from the North Pole.

Admission is $3 for adults, children under 10 free. For more information contact Mike Michalski at mikefreelance@gmail.com or 519-919-3694.

CARD OF THANKS

RUTH ST. JOHN

The family of the late Ruth St. John would like to express a heartfelt thank you to everyone for the phone calls, cards, food, flowers and donations during and since our mother’s passing. The love and support shown to our family during this very difficult time has been immeasurable. We would like to send a special thank you to Dan and Lee from Hammond’s Funeral Home for their compassion and guidance, to Barry and his staff at the Car Barn for a wonderful luncheon, to Rev. Janet Brigham-Turowski for her lovely service and to mom’s Meadows of Wheatley family for the times that we couldn’t always be there, you were. We thank you for that. Please know that your acts of kindness and words will never be forgotten and always treasured. May God Bless you all.

Canadian

CrissCross SPONSORED BY

New Hrs: Tues-Fri 9:30 - 5:30, Sat 9:30 - 5 7 TALBOT ST. W., WHEATLEY 519-825-7277 50% off

OBITUARY

Lindsay Peters

Lindsay Scott Peters, 59 years, passed away on Monday, November 26, 2012 at Windsor Regional Hospital, Metropolitan Campus.

Leamington Br. 84 Legion news

By Lisa Cowen-Tehonchuk

The Colour Party participated in Leamington’s Santa Claus Parade on Nov. 24 and did the Branch proud. Way to go!

Dear father of Christopher Scott Thomas, Chad Lindsay Thomas, John Robert Thomas and wife Laura Lamb. Loving grandfather of Karley Shayne Thomas, Harmony Marie Thomas, Autumn Grace Thomas, Cheyenne Church, Raeya Thomas. Dear brother of Yvonne Peters (Garry Moore), Elizabeth Peters-Wenzler (the late Huey), and little sister Susie Peters. Beloved son of the late Grace Peters. Dear uncle of Scott Moore, Nick Wenzler and Liz Wenzler, and great-uncle of Lily-Ann Wenzler. Nephew of the late Wesley, Roy, Violet, Vida and Nyle Peters.

Lindsay was a well-respected elder of the Caldwell First Nation. Lindsay, along with his good friend Bill Beleutz, received the Bronze Medal for Bravery from the Governor General of Canada for saving a life.

With respect for Lindsay’s wishes, cremation has taken place and there will be no visitation or service. A gathering will be held at a later date for family and friends at the Caldwell Community Centre.

Memorial donations may be made by cheque to Pancreatic Cancer Canada Foundation by contacting the Reid Funeral Home, 14 Russell Street, Leamington (519326-2631).

Friends can share memories at www.reidfuneralhome.ca

Ladies Auxiliary: The Ladies Auxiliary has a Canadian Winter theme basket which will be raffled off following the Dec. 22 meat draws. To purchase tickets, see the bartender. Watch for other upcoming Ladies Auxiliary events.

Seniors: The next Seniors Dinner is the annual Christmas Dinner on Wed. Dec. 12 featuring entertainment by Gord Ciliska. You must have a ticket to attend. Tickets are $10 and are almost sold out, so stop by the Branch at 27 Erie St. N. and get yours today.

Sports: Friday night fun darts start at 8 p.m. and only costs $2. Everyone is welcome to join in on the fun. The winners for Nov. 16 were Mark T. and Simp. Paul and Richard were second.

On Sat. Nov. 17, Tim Nantais held a dart tournament and the winners were Richard and Craig. In second were Mabel and Simp, and Betty and Cliff took third.

Junior darts for kids age 7-18 take place every Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. Cost is $2 and includes hotdogs and pop. You do not have to be a member for your child to join the fun. If your child does not have darts, the Branch will provide them with some. For more info, call the Legion at 519-326-0073.

Branch Happenings: The Members Christmas Party is Dec. 15. There will be Honours and Awards given out that day. There will also be a raffle for a 40-inch flat-screen TV. Tickets are on sale at the bar for $2 apiece or 3 for $5. Get your ticket now, before they are all sold out. There are also two Christmas prizes on display that will be raffled off. Tickets are at the bar, 3 for $5.

All are welcome to come out each and every Saturday for the weekly meat draws. The first draw is at 3:30 p.m. and the last one is at 5:00.

The next General meeting is Dec. 5 at 7 p.m.

Essex Soil and Crop Improvement Association to hold annual meeting

The Essex Soil and Crop Improvement Association (ESCIA) is having their 2012 annual meeting on Thursday, December 6, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. An interesting and informative schedule has been planned that will benefit both full-time and part-time farmers.

The meeting will be at St. John’s Hall in Woodslee with an admission of $15, which includes refreshments and lunch. Current issues in agriculture will be the emphasis of the meeting with displays from various government organizations,

STARTING SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 - The Leamington Rotary Club annual Christmas tree sale. Balsam and Fraser fir trees will be on sale at Leamington Canadian Tire, 262 Erie St. S. Proceeds will support Leamington Rotary Club projects i.e. L.D.M.H. Women's CentreDigital Mammography, yearly bursaries for LDSS, Cardinal Carter and UMEI, Southpoint Minor Hockey and Community Living.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 - Homemade Christmas Cookies and Squares will be on sale at Knox Presbyterian Church, 58 Erie St. S., Leamington. 9:00 a.m. until sold out. Come and choose for yourself the baking you would like from a large selection. Cost: $4 a dozen. The easiest way to do your Christmas baking.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 - Leamington Recreation Complex E-Waste drop-off depot, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Sponsored by Computers for Kids and CAW Local 200. Bring your used items (working or not) i.e. TVs, computers, electronics, print cartridges, etc. to the E-Waste collection at the Complex parking lot. For full details visit www.cfkcanada.org.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 - SpEqTRa Spaghetti & Meatballs Benefit Dinner, sponsored by Wheatley Optimist Club at Wheatley Legion, 27 Erie St. N. Cocktails at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. Barbershop Quartet, raffles and fun. Tickets $10 at Bowman Feeds, 127 Talbot St. E., or by calling 519-322-2463.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 & SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2 - 1:00 - 4:00 pm – English Christmas Tea with Scones at Olinda-Ruthven United Church, 1907 Queen Blvd, Ruthven. Display of creative Christmas Memories, Cookie Sale, Quilted items, and Christmas Gift Boutique. Tickets $7.50. We are Wheel Chair Accessible. Support persons for people with Special Needs ~ FREE.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2 - Everyone welcome to Christmas Concert with gospel group “Connection” (Brad, Brian and Lynn Bailey,

agricultural suppliers, local retailers, and equipment dealers. Guest speakers include Peter Sikkema, University of Guelph, and Horst Bohner, OMAFRA. Updates will also be provided on Essex County Corn & Soybean Trials and the Conservation Farm Award winner for the year 2012.

The meeting will conclude with the nominations and elections for 2013 ESCIA Directors Committee. For further information contact Michael Dick at 519-776-5209 ext. 369.

Darrin Manley, John Moran, Kim Sykes, Janis Willan), at 3 p.m., First Baptist Church, 3 Fox St., Leamington. A variety of Christmas selections. Freewill offering to benefit local Salvation Army Food Bank and Leamington Pregnancy Centre. Info: Brad or Lynn at 519-326-4825.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 3 - Food & Fellowship Supper, 5:00-6:00 pm. Leamington United Church, 9 John St., welcomes all those who are alone or having trouble making ends meet. No Charge.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5 -Give a Holiday Miracle on SHERK STREET. Over 98,000 donations of blood needed to help hospital patients. Participate in “A Miracle on SherkStreet” this holiday season by donating a life-saving gift of blood at your local clinic. Between December 3 and January 2, 230 donations are needed in the town of Leamington. Start your holiday miracle at the Leamington donor clinic, (249 Sherk St.) Wednesday, December 5 F.T. Sherk Recreration Complex, 249 Sherk St. 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. WALK INS WELCOME. Call or book online: 1888-2-DONATE (1-888-236-6283) or www.blood.ca.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6 - In the event of a disaster are you prepared to protect yourself and your family? Learn how by participating in a Personal Preparedness Workshop presented by the Canadian Red Cross from 7pm – 8:30 pm at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 220 Erie St. N., Leamington. This is a free workshop. For further information contact: Donna Girard 519944-8144 ext. 225.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8 - Annual Christmas Baked Goodies by the Pound - $6.50/pound. 11:00 am – 1:00 pm at St. Andrew’s Church hall, 6425 Main St. Comber. Lunch cafe (sandwiches & beverage) will also be available from 11 am - 1 pm as well. Fruit pies - $8 each - blueberry, cherry, rhubarb, apple; and turkey pot pie - $3 each.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8 - St. Nick’s Marketplace, an open house craft fair, will be held at Leamington Court Retirement Home from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Craft booths and vendors from all over the county.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8 - Talbot Trail Theatre Company Auditions for “I am the vine”, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. 47 Talbot St. E. Wheatley. Actors ages 16+. Please be preapared to deliver a short spoken piece (memorized or read). Performance date: Thursday, March 28, 2013, 7:00 p.m. Rehearsals begin January 3. For more information call Susan at 519-8257433.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 10 - All you can eat pasta dinner (includes soup or salad) from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Jose's Bar and Grill in Leamington. Adults $13, kids $6. $5 from adult meal goes to local Scouts who are raising money for the Canadian Jamboree.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14 - Guatemala Hope Fish Fry, 4:30 to 7:00 pm at Holy Name of Jesus Church Hall, 146 Talbot St. Essex. Tickets $12 for 1 pc. dinner (includes dessert & coffee) 2pc. fish, cabbage roll & child's dinner tickets available at the door.

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JANUARY 31, 2013 Help! We’re in need of an identity! Logo Contest. Prizes: $50 cash, founding membership in ACAK, framed plaque and bragging rights! Complete contest rules at: www.kingsvilleartandculture.ca. Arts & Culture Association of Kingsville, Carnegie Arts & Visitor Centre, 28 Division Street S. Kingsville, ON N9Y 1P3. Contact us: contest@kingsvilleartandculture.ca, 519-733-0902. THE LEAMINGTON KIWANIS CLUB IS A SERVICE ORGANIZATION. Meetings are held twice a month, the first and third Thursday. If you are a non-profit organization and would like a meeting place on weekdays, or if you are interested in learning more about our organization, please contact Leo at 519 325-0953.

PLUMBROOK MANOR APARTMENTS

SOUTHPOINT SUN

Security Building Fridge & Stove Utilities included For viewing please call 519-322-1924 tf

JACK RICCI ANTENNA

SPECIALIST - HDTV antenna systems, satellite dishes, aiming & accessories, specialty and non-denominational free religious programming. TBN 3ABN 7th Day, etc. on G19 satellite, burglar alarms, telephone, paging, intercom and background music systems. Sales and service. Prewire your new house. 519-326-8973, ricci@mnsi.net. no7-ja30

UPCOMING AUCTION

SALE - Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012. Held at Cedar Springs Auction Centre, 8583 Water St., Cedar Springs. Complete household items, antiques & furniture & appliances. Glass, china, clocks, tools. New mattress sets, boxed lots & many more items too numerous to mention. 519-676-8185 for info. Auctioneer Morris Kikkert. SEE NEXT WEEKS PAPER FOR FULL LISTING no28

LEAMINGTON

The Corporation of the Municipality of Leamington PUBLIC WORKS – LABOURER / OPERATOR

We will receive resumes for the above noted position. Under the direction of the Public Works Supervisors, this position is employed in an outside work environment, exposed to all weather conditions. Physical work is required of this position involving heavy lifting, shoveling, digging, walking, use of hand and power tools and operation of municipal vehicles and heavy equipment. Valid Ontario DZ Driver’s Licence is required. For complete details regarding this position’s duties, qualifications and wage rate please visit our website at www.leamington.ca

APPLICATION DEADLINE is: 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 5, 2012

- Take Off Pounds Sensibly. Weigh in from 6 pm - 6:45 pm, meeting from 6:45 pm - 7:30 pm every Monday at Wheatley United Church. Call Cheryl at 519825-9194 or Ellen at 519326-0730 or visit website: www.TOPS.org. Everyone welcome. tf

DIANEʼS HOUSE OF CLEAN- House cleaning, grocery shopping and run errands. Experienced, reliable and honest. Police clearance available. Call Diane Mallat, 519-322-2206. no28

PRINTING: Business envelopes, invoices, flyers, business cards, custom print jobs, whatever your printing needs, call Mallory at The Wheatley Journal for quick and economical service. 519-825-4541. tf

QUALITY GUITAR REPAIR by Reese. Will service all stringed instruments. Over ten years experience, custom work available as well. Next day pickup upon request. Cell: 226-344-1142 Home: 519-825-4707. ma30-tf

ELECTROLUX SALES & SERVICE: Complete line of vacuums and shampooers/ floor polishers. Will provide free estimate on Central Vac installations. Contact Dan Bailey. 519-825-7698. tf

PLEASE RECYCLE!

licensed drivers to run the U.S. Premium mileage rate. Home weekly. New equipment. Also hiring Owner Operators. 1-800263-8267

Vehicle buyers are ONLY protected by OMVIC and Ontario consumer protection laws when they buy from registered dealers. There’s no protection if you buy privately and you risk becoming victim of a curbsider. To verify dealer registration or seek help with a complaint: www.omvic.on.ca or 1-800943-6002.

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EMPLOYMENT OPPS.

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THE YUKON NEWS is seeking an experienced editor. We are located in Whitehorse, Yukon, are independently-owned and publish twice weekly. Salary begins at $75,000. Please see www.yukon-news.com/editor for details.

JOURNEYMAN AUTOMOTIVE SER-

VICE TECHNICIAN. Hanna Chrysler Ltd. (Hanna, Alberta) needs a few more good people. Busy, modern shop. $25.-$31./hour + bonus, benefits. Great community. Inquire or send resume. Fax 403-854-2845; Email Chrysler@telusplanet.net.

HELP WANTED

DOG LOVERS! Enjoy a healthy, profitable career as a professional dog trainer. Government accredited program - student loans + grants available. www.wonderdogs.ca 1-800-9616616 STEEL BUILDINGS

REALLY BIG BUILDING SALE...

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STEEL BUILDINGS/METAL

BUILDINGS 60% OFF! 20x28, 30x40, 40x62, 45x90, 50x120, 60x150, 80x100 sell for balance owed! Call 1-800-457-2206 www.crownsteelbuildings.ca

VACATION/TRAVEL

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St. Clair College has launched its second annual Christmas CD campaign with the release of “Almost Christmas”. The college has partnered once again with talented Canadian musicians Jody Raffoul and Jeff Burrows (The Tea Party) with proceeds benefiting Camp BUCKO Burn Camp for Kids and St. Clair’s new firefighting program.

“Almost Christmas” is a compilation of traditional Christmas music such as O Holy Night and The First Noel, combined with some familiar rock classics such as George Harrison’s My Sweet Lord, The Beatles’ All You Need Is Love and The Association’s Never My Love and more.

“Because some of the songs are very traditional Christmas hymns and others wouldn’t be considered Christmas music at all, we thought the name of the CD was perfect!” said Jody Raffoul. “All of the songs have great messages of hope, peace and love which we think will put you in the holiday spirit.”

Since last year’s CD release of “A Time For Joy”, this group of some of the most talented musicians in the area have been coined The S’AINT’S. Now together for a second year, the band includes Jody Raffoul (lead vocals, guitar), Jeff Burrows (drums, percussion, vocals), Wes Buckley (guitar, vocals), David Cyrenne (bass), Kelly Authier (keys, vocals), and Kelly Hoppe (harmonica, sax).

The campaign will end with concerts on Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. at the Chrysler Theatre in Windsor, and Dec. 23 at 7 p.m. at the Capitol Theatre in Chatham. The S’AINT’S are hoping to pack the house, with all proceeds going to Camp Bucko and St. Clair College.

Camp BUCKO is a registered charity that supports the pediatric burn survivors of Ontario. The camp provide a fun, safe and caring program free to kids ages 7 to 17 with burn injuries. The residential setting encourages campers to participate in a variety of social, recreational and therapeutic activities that promote self-esteem, the development of leadership skills and personal growth. At Camp BUCKO, kids have a place where they can be themselves without feeling different or alone.

St. Clair College is the largest educator of nurses, paramedics, firefighters, personal support workers, med lab professionals, dental assistants/hygienists and pharmacy technicians in Ontario. This concert is dedicated to all the students, faculty, and alumni of St. Clair College who devote their careers to providing emergency services to communities across North America.

For more information about the campaign, to listen to the music, purchase the CD, find a retailer, and get information about the concerts, visit www.almostChristmas.org