The Paris Independent News for Saturday November 20, 2021

SATISFY YOUR TASTE BUDS! EXLPORE PARIS!See story on Pages 8-9 PARIS PAST EXAMINES THE HISTORY OF THE WALKER PRESS BUILDING Pages 12-15

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The Paris Independent Saturday, November 20, 2021

THIS WEEK

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FESTIVE TRADITION RETURNS

In Charity

MCMASTER CHILDREN’S DRIVE Pages 4-5

In Community

SENSITIVE SANTA Page 6 In Sports

OFF TO THE ONTARIO GAMES! Page 10

ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING & JINGLE BELL MARKET. Photos by The Paris Independent’s Michelle Malvaso. More on page 20

County Offices Closed

Page 7

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR Email theparisindependent@gmail.com with your community calendar submission. Help us share community news!

Publisher Managing Editor Advertising Sales Photographer News Reporter News Reporter

Chris Whelan Casandra Turnbull Chris Whelan Michelle Malvaso Carolina Saenz Bailey Zimmer

STATEMENT We are a non profit organization made up of like minded volunteers from our community with the main purpose of providing our community of Paris and area with a trustworthy and reliable source of community news. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of everything we publish, we regret any errors that may occur. We limit our liability to that of printing a retraction upon notification of such errors in the next available publication. Our mail and Email addresses are listed below:

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PO BOX 99900 LA 012 395 STN MAIN PARIS, ON, CANADA N3L 0C3 Email: theparisindependent@gmail.com

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COMING EVENTS FOR NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2021 NOVEMBER 2021

DECEMBER 2021

Jingle Bell Market Thurs., Fri., Sat., November 18th to 20th Downtown Paris Time Thurs./Fri., 10AM to 9PM and Saturday 10AM to 4PM

Drive Thru Christmas Displays at the Paris Fairgrounds December 4th http://www.parisfairgrounds.com/

Paris Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Friday November 19th at 7:00PM Downtown Cobblestone Commons – Donations appreciated Music Festival at the Paris Legion Nov. 20th, 2021. Hosted by Jim Young. 12:30 PM to 7:00 PM www.parislegion29.ca Seniors Walk - Five Oaks 1 Bethel Rd. Paris. Thursday November 25 from 2pm4pm, Register online or by phone. You will be notified if the walk is cancelled due to poor weather. Registration Link: https://fiveoaks.venue360.me/public/events/h omepage?&org=ALL&eventPlan=ALL&sea son=ALL&groupBySeason=false&event=68

Kiwanis Breakfast With Santa November 27th at St. James Parish Hall Rotary Club information session Monday, November 29th at 6:30 PM at Stillwaters. https://fb.me/e/2Dx8JvMQP They ask that interested people RSVP by email to dalejhall@yahoo.ca Sojourn Church Giving Tuesday th Fundraiser on November 30 from 6-9 p.m. Family friendly event includes a sports skills contest and creative building contest with gift card prizes for the fastest sports time and the best builds by age group. To register in advance please visit Onside and EPIC Giving Tuesday Fundraiser Tickets, Tue, 30 Nov 2021 at 6:00 PM | Eventbrite.

Open House Bottoms Up Clothing Boutique December 3rd 4:00-8:00 & December 4th 10:005:00

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FOCUS ON CHARITY FAMILY DRAWS FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE TO ORGANIZE ANNUAL DONATION TO MCMASTER CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL By Casandra Turnbull A local woman and her family are drawing from a personal experience to help enrich the lives of other families who are going through arguably the toughest days of their lives. While most people start Christmas shopping in November, Sarah, James, and Hudson Gurney spend the month organizing a massive donation drive to benefit families who must spend the holidays at McMaster Children’s Hospital. The Gurney’s journey at McMaster started on December 27th, 2015 when Hudson was born with severe Meconium Aspiration Syndrome, which affected his lungs’ ability to function for him. He did not breathe for the first 13 minutes of his life and spent weeks at McMaster Hospital as staff tried to reverse any brain damage and fix his tiny lungs. To complicate matters even more for the first-time parents, Hudson was born with a broken arm. New parents dream about the day they get to take their newborn child home from the hospital. For the Gurneys, this dream was delayed for several weeks while Hudson battled hard to overcome his odds. The Gurneys spent the end of December and some of January at McMaster with other families whose children were battling everything from diabetes to childhood cancer. Continued on Page 13

Pictured above is Sarah, James and Hudson Gurney dropping off a donation at McMaster Children’s Hospital.

Pictured to the right is Hudson during following his birth in December 2015. He was born with severe Meconium Aspiration Syndrome. Pictures provided by the Gurney family

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“Having Hudson drop off these toys where he started the fight for his little life is the reason we do this year after year.” “We took many walks to take a break and encountered so many little children and teens. You don’t expect to look at a fouryear-old child fighting the biggest fight of their life and they are the one who smiles up at you and asks you how you are doing,” explained Sarah. “We just couldn’t believe the strength, determination, the smiles and the laughter we encountered,” she added. As their stay extended over the holiday season, Sarah and James began to realize how important gifts could be at the end of those children’s hospital beds on Christmas morning. That is how the Gurney Christmas McMaster Collection was born. The Gurneys received their Christmas miracle that year. They held little Hudson for the first time on New Years Eve and as they left the hospital a couple weeks later, they vowed to be back with gifts and much needed items in tow. Hudson eventually made a full recovery and is now a very active, 100 % healthy little boy. In fact, he even helps organize the drive each year, which Sarah refers to as their ‘full circle moment.’ “Having Hudson drop off these toys where he started the fight for his little life is the reason we do this year after year.” During the first drive in 2016, the Gurneys raised $300 worth of toys. They expanded the following year by asking local companies for donations, including James’ employer Priority Mechanical who rose to the occasion. By 2018 donations were exceeding the $5,000 range. One year the Child Life Team at McMaster was in desperate need of pyjamas to fill their clothing stock. Word spread rather quickly and almost $7,500 worth of pyjamas was collected. “I would come home daily to bags of pjs and cozy clothes dropped on my doorstep. Sometimes I knew from who, most days I didn’t,” explained Sarah.

“We are beyond grateful to know so many giving people in our community. I know when we need help with our cause, the people of Paris show up.” McMaster Children’s Hospital Life Team Specialists welcome all kinds of donations from toys, crafts, books and games to personal hygiene sets, cozy clothing and even monetary donations or gift card donations. They can accept only new items (unwrapped) and they must be non-toxic. For storage reasons, they ask that donation items are no larger than the size of a standard pillowcase. To ensure proper infection control measures, they cannot accept fabric items such as stuffed animals, throw blankets and pillows. The Gurneys keep a bin on their front porch for donations. It is emptied daily. You can reach out to Sarah by email at gurneyhelpmackids@gmail.com to arrange a drop off or to schedule a pick-up if one is required. “Hudson will never remember what we as a family struggled through at McMaster, for that, we are grateful. This collection each Christmas allows us to teach him that everyone struggles at some point. When you find your way out, try your best to turn your struggle into something good.”

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C O U NTY N EWS REGISTER AHEAD OF TIME TO VISIT SENSITIVE SANTA MEDIA RELEASE: The County of Brant is pleased to welcome back Sensitive Santa! “Sensitive Santa is for those who would love to visit with Santa but require a quieter, sensory friendly environment,” said Sheena Yarek Snyder, Supervisor of Public Transportation and Accessibility Services. “The lights are dim, there is no music playing and Santa does not wear any bells or speak in a loud voice. Also, there are no line ups that can be challenging for many families on this special day. The focus of Sensitive Santa is to allow children, who have sensory sensitivities, a quiet and calm space to enjoy a magical moment with the big guy.” Sensitive Santa is free of charge and is hosted in partnership by the County of Brant, City of Brantford and Sensity. It is reserved for children in the County of Brant and City of Brantford who require a sensory friendly environment. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, December 11, 2021 located at Sensity, 50 Main St., Paris. If you need a ride, consider booking with Brant Transit (brant.ca/Transit). Please note, those 12 years and older are required to show proof of vaccination to attend. Space is limited so please register early by email to accessibility@brant.ca or at 519-442-7268 ext 3204.

HELP A SENIOR CITIZEN THIS WINTER AND BE A SNOW BUDDY The County of Brant Snow Buddies program is looking for new Buddies to help senior citizens and those who require additional assistance with their basic snow removal needs. If you are interested in being a Snow Buddy, please visit www.brant.ca/SnowBuddies and fill out the Snow Buddy Online Registration Form. For residents in the County of Brant who requires assistance with snow shoveling, visit www.brant.ca/SnowBuddies and fill out the "I am looking for a Snow Buddy" form. For more details the Snow Buddy Program in the County of Brant contact Sarah Dredge, Recreation Coordinator at 519.44BRANT or Sarah.Dredge@brant.ca.

GOT YARD WASTE?

FINAL PICKUP November 22 – 26 PUT OUT ON YOUR GARBAGE DAY

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THERE’S STILL TIME TO APPLY FOR A CHRISTMAS HAMPER The Christmas Hamper program is once again looking forward to helping residents have a great Christmas. Last year we served approximately 165 families in our community. You can still pick up a Christmas Hamper application online or at the County of Brant Paris Customer Service office, 66 Grand River St. N. Monetary donations may also be made at this location where receipts will be issued. Knitted mitts and hats would be greatly appreciated. Non-perishable items and NEW toys may be dropped off at locations in Paris including the LCBO, YN Credit Union, TD Canada Trust, CIBC and the County of Brant Office (Downtown Paris). Once again, our local schools will be

participating in our program by collecting items throughout November and December. Christmas Hamper volunteers will be at the Paris Drive-Thru Parade on December 4th to collect non-perishable and monetary donations. The Fire Department will be at Canadian Tire in Paris on November 25, 26, 27 and 28th to collect new toy donations. Our local OPP will again be assisting in our cause by continuing the "FILL A VEHICLE" campaign which will be located throughout County of Brant at local grocery stores. This program will run December 4/5 and December 11/12. For information regarding "Sponsorship" for families, please contact Shirley Simons at 519-442-3550. Our hampers

will be distributed Friday, December 17, 10:00am to 1:00pm from the Paris Fairgrounds. Please make arrangements to pick up your hamper. On behalf of the committee, "Thank You" to everyone for sharing and making it possible for many happy faces at Christmas time in our community. 2021 Community Christmas Toy and Hamper Program Application

Regards, Shirley Simons Chair for the Community Christmas Hamper program 2021

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FOOD & BEVERAGE DELICIOUSLY LOCAL ADVENTURES AWAIT YOU IN PARIS Behind the Counter with Spicy Jan What is a Tasty Road Trip and who is Spicy Jan? Let's start at the beginning. Many locals have noticed this person with a name tag reading 'Spicy Jan,' popping up downtown Paris hosting guests, indulging in decadence, sipping local beverages and delivering unique local tasting boxes. Yes, that's me, Spicy Jan, owner and travel host with Tasty Road Trips Tours. Now, you may find yourself wondering how did this begin and why Brant? Quite frankly, why not Brant! My introduction to food and beverage tours grew from my experience on a global level of exploring communities through food tourism, meeting chefs, bakers, and farmers who create food experiences for visitors. This concept is a growing global trend and is building communities stronger by creating pathways to meet local makers. It was about four years ago at this time of year when I was doing my own personal weekly shopping of meats, seafood, cheese, bakery, and chocolate when the lightbulb went off.

Left: The Dog-Eared Café, a trendy coffee hub with a built in secondhand book store. Right: The Garden of Hope, an intimate rest stop with a must-see historical view.

I realized quietly to myself as I went about gathering items on my list, "All the elements of culinary tourism are right here in Paris, Ontario. I am walking my own local food tour every week!" This was my 'aha' moment. Now, let's back up a bit further. Spicy Jan is a name I have been known as in the gourmet food sales space. You see, what most people don't know is that I worked a side hustle for over 12 years, working for two national gourmet food companies. I taught people how to cook with ease, save money by dining in,

hosted Instant Pot workshops and because I was often in the 'spice' category, a common question I would be asked was 'Which spice girl are you?' As an independent entrepreneur, I didn't want to take on the persona of Sporty Spice, Baby Spice or even Posh Spice, and one day when being questioned I simply responded with 'Spicy Jan.' It was an instant hit with my customers and to this day, I remain Spicy Jan.

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TASTY ROAD TRIPS SURE TO SATISFY And now you know the rest of the story. Each time you read the Paris Independent and read Behind the Counter, I will share my adventures of deliciously local. The next time you buy a coffee, visit a farmer’s market, dine at your favourite restaurant, drivethru, pick up, or take out, consider the makers Behind the Counter. Each time I arrive in an issue, I will bring you along to discover like a local. Whether you love sweet, heat, bold or mild, join in and tempt your palate with shop local, cook local, dine in local, explore local. Andiamo Let's Go, I'm ready to explore! Nestled in an unassuming location downtown Paris is the trendy coffee hub, Dog-Eared Café. This café with an outstanding view of The Grand River, doubles as a secondhand bookstore with every genre of reading one may desire. Dog-Eared Café offers a rich cup of coffee, a bold espresso, or a blended tea and is a key connector to where the locals begin and end their day with their routine cuppa. Oh, the smell of the fresh-baked small-batch treats one can couple with their favourite beverage. My bevy of choice is the Maple Oat Latte. Its creamy blend with big bold espresso brings me comfort and joy at

every visit. The staff are incredible and show pride in their local workplace. One senses the big city vibe as soon as you walk in the door, yet the simplicity of reading and sipping with the river at a glance are all elements to be discovered at this local hidden gem. As your beverage is nearing the bottom of the cup, do me a favour and save a sip. You will have to trust me on this one. Bid farewell to the good folks at Dog-Eared Café and once outside, head north (right) along the sidewalk. When you come to the end of the sidewalk, follow the brickwork and you will arrive at The Garden of Hope. This intimate garden is a quiet historical point you need to explore. Save that sip until you sit on the memorial bench and stare up at the mural. As you tip the cup to your lips, allow your

gaze to move to the right, seeing the Arlington Hotel and as you follow your sightline back to the mural you will be drawn into the 1800's, downtown Paris. Now really explore the mural, the places, the people, the history. Every time you venture downtown Paris, take a moment over that last sip to explore the details of how things were in our community, back in the day. Spicy Jan is the owner operator of Tasty Road Trips Tours & Business Coach with Create Your Virtual Influence Boutique Coaching Services. @tastyroadtrips @createyourvirtualinfluence The opinions and content are direct from the experiences of Spicy Jan. Photo credits Spicy Jan.

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SPORTS LOCAL TEEN SELECTED TO COMPETE IN ONTARIO WINTER GAMES She was one of over 200 athletes competing to make one of eight teams. “I was super excited to hear that I was selected. I will be participating in three AAA development camps and then competing in the Ontario Winter Games,” said Alex during an email interview with The Paris Independent. The Ringette Ontario High-Performance AAA competitive program gives players like Alex the exposure to high-level development opportunities under some of the best performances coaches in the province. Ringette Ontario selected these coaches, including the Team Ontario bench staff, to identify and develop Ontario’s most gifted young ringette players. Pictured above is 15-year-old Alex Barton. She will compete in the Ontario Winter Games in Arnprior, Ontario in February 2022

By Casandra Turnbull Alex Barton learned how to play ringette in Paris. She spent six years playing with the Paris Thunder and developing her skills. Hard work and determination paid off for the 15-year-old who will be competing in the Ontario Winter Games in Arnprior Ontario in February 2022. “I was with Alex when she received the news that she had been selected to one of the AAA ringette teams playing in the Ontario Winter Gams. We both couldn’t believe it,” said Alex’s mother, Jennifer Barton. “We must have read that email five times to make sure we were reading it right.” The good news fell on her dad Ryan’s birthday, so there was double reason to celebrate! Alex’s journey started last fall when information on the High-Performance AAA program circulated through the Paris Ringette Association. There was a series of training sessions online during Covid lockdowns. Then in October 2021 Alex travelled to Waterloo to participate in the tryout camp.

While participating in the high-performance program, her primary focus will be to grow into the best player she can be. “I look forward to learning from some of the best players and coaches in Ringette. I hope to learn new strategies that I can use even after the program ends.” She also said she wants to play the sport she loves for as long as she can. “I would like to go to University and play ringette at a varsity level,” she admitted of her future aspirations. “I am very interested in Trent University’s Forensic Toxicology Program and playing ringette for the Trent Excalibur.” Eventually she would like to give back by coaching and mentoring younger players moving up the ranks like she is doing now.

Alex’s love for the sport sprouted at the tender age of six. Under coaches Kim and Tim Purbrick (The Paris Thunder), she quickly learned the ins and outs of the sport, how to give 110% effort all the time and to never quit. Always having coaches that believed in her inspired her to strive to do her best, she added. In addition to the Purbrick’s excellence in coaching, Alex also acknowledge Mr. Macdonald and Mr. Michealides from SOAR Elite athletics Program at Pauline Johnson Collegiate. “They played a pivotal role in my strength and conditioning training. They have helped me reach my peak as an athlete.”

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U9 TIER 1 TEAM SQUARES OFF AGAINST TILLSONBURG ON HOME ICE Far left, William Balkwill makes a save during last Saturday’s game against Tillsonburg. Balkwill faced a lot of action in net. Colson Boakes celebrates after a goal. He recorded four goals that game. Photos by Casandra Turnbull

The Paris Sports Centre U9 Tier 1 team squared off with the Tillsonburg Tornadoes on Nov 13th on home ice. It was a scrimmage/exhibition game, so no one kept official score, but Paris’ offensive lines played a strong game. Colson Baker led the way in scoring with four goals and Jack Corbett, Kaiden Martin and Brody Farrington had some quality chances but just couldn’t break through the robust Tillsonburg goalie.

On defense, William Balkwill faced a lot of action between the pipes. He turned away many aggressive Tillsonburg shots to keep it a close game. Colson Boakes and Landon Speagle spent most of the game fending off the relentless Tillsonburg attackers. Coach Brad Boakes said the boys “played well and played a strong team game.”

RINGETTE SENSATION SHINES ON ICE This past season, Alex joined the U16AA Burlington Blast team, which has also helped her develop and fine tune her skills on the ice. “Ringette rules make it a true team sport and I enjoy being part of that. I have met so many amazing people along the way.” Alex’s success comes as no surprise to her parents. “She’s always been a determined, hardworking and dedicated athlete,” said Jennifer and Ryan. The proud parents spend a considerable amount of time at the rink. Not only does Alex enjoy the fast-paced game of Ringette, but her younger sister Reese also plays for the Paris Thunder. “It’s so much fun listening to them talk about Ringette,” concluded Jennifer.

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Paris Residents Share Their Memories of the Walker Press Submitted by: Harriett Becken My dad, Lew Broad, was a Forman at Walker Press. We moved to Paris when I was 3 when he took the job in the 1950's. He worked there until he retired. I had several visits, as a child, to watch the big presses work.

Submitted by: Karen Brown Murray I worked there for one day when I was 16. I was supposed to take the books off the line after they went through this huge trimmer thingamajig. A book got stuck and I went to reach to pull it out and this man intercepted and quickly pushed me away and then told me I could have easily had both of my hands cut off. I had no idea. I clearly didn't belong there. And thank you to whoever that fellow was.

The Story Of

Pages 13 - 15 Submitted Wilson

by:

Doug

My dad, Sandy Wilson worked there in the 50’s and 60’s. Started as the truck driver and ended up as supervisor of the trading stamps division which moved to Port Credit. It was called Eureka Specialty Printing. You may remember that trading stamps were a popular customer loyalty program back then.

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Paris Past By Chris Whelan History of Paris Graphic Submitted by: Dwight Stanley Through the 1950’s a young William (Bill) J. Stanley turned his hobby of stamp collecting into a business. The stress of working in the textile industry from the young age of 14 had taken a toll on him, and he sought out an alternative to the unsatisfying workload. He became the president of the Brantford Stamp Club and through those connections began to sell some of his stamp collection to local members, as well as a few commercial outlets. These outlets consisted of a few stationary stores and hobby shops. Bill would make consignment boxes of packages of stamps. Requests for other stamp items from these shops had Bill seek out the hobby’s stamp manufacturers and set himself up as a distributor of their products. Bill was advised that he should also get involved into the coin market. He was told that the two hobbies went hand-in-hand, and that usually when the stamp market was soft, the coin market would be hot. The early 1960’s saw Bill’s marriage collapse. Shortly

13 afterwards, with his second wife Nora, Bill acquired a small abandoned Root Beer stand on the outskirts of Brantford in a community called Cainsville. While still supplying a small group of stores with items, Bill and Nora renovated the property to include a retail store, as well as living space for themselves. This store was branded as Stanley’s Stamp and Coin. Nora would look after the store while Bill would travel around southern Ontario servicing old clients and always seeking new customers. His Econoline van was his mobile warehouse for these trips. Returning home in the evenings, it was a nightly ritual to restock the items in the truck that had been sold throughout the day. The businesses continued to grow. By the time the late 60’s arrived, the business was facing a tremendous growth. There were publications at that time which listed prices of stamps as well as others for coins. At that time these were produced once a year, in quantities which often sold out quickly. This left a severe shortage of books for the remainder of the year. Customers kept asking Bill for these books over and over, to the point where Bill thought, “maybe I should print my own books?”. So, to test out if there was a market, Bill purchased a small hand cranked Gestetner press and produced his own handmade booklets. These

November 20, 2021 were just the thing that the stores required. Armed with the knowledge that there was a profit to be found in printing, Bill purchased his first AB Dick printing press. This press allowed him to produce more professional looking publications. This led to even more business, and just in time for that, Bill’s daughter Linda and Nora’s children Lorenda (Laurie), Wendell and Dwight all joined a few others to work together in a family business. Laurie worked as secretary and Linda, Wendell and Dwight in the manufacturing and printing aspects. The 1970’s saw the creation of separate companies for the supplies and the manufacturing. Canadian Wholesale Supply was formed as the wholesale division and Canadian Press Printing was the new manufacturing company. To maintain an ‘arms-length’ operation from CWS, the printing company began to produce items for various other companies. Business cards, letterheads, envelopes, and such were all printed, alongside of the stamp and coin publications. CWS also produced some of its own stamp albums, designed to compete with the U.S. based firms that were all that was available at that time. Continued on page 14

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THE WALKER PRESS BECOMES PARIS GRAPHIC Continued from page 13 Continuing on to the late 1970’s, growth had become so large that Bill no longer could service his routes by himself and had hired more staff and trucks to keep up. The printing production had gotten to be so great that outside sources were found to help produce the items in the quantities needed. A firm called Melrex Limited Printing Company in Paris was called upon to help with the required film and printing needs that Canadian Press Printing could not produce with its two small printing presses. Another company, Brown-Hexamer Trade Bindery would do the finishing work needed for the books and albums. As manufacturing space was limited, and the need for more capacity was evident, Bill arranged for these three companies to combine their efforts. So, in late 1977, early 1978, Bill approached Vern Martin with the news that these companies were seeking a new location. Both Melrex and Brown-Hexamer were currently renting space and operating out of the Walker Press Building. Over the years of the 1960’s, Walker Press had reduced its size and no longer used most of the building. The printing equipment from years previous was still in the building as Walker Press was operating as Kaumagraph Limited, producing t-shirt transfers in the

far back end of the building. An agreement was reached where the building and equipment was sold to Bill and his partners. This allowed the space and equipment to become available for the newly created Paris Graphic Industry Trade Service Limited. The Walker Press building was in really poor condition and needed so much work to get it back to a comfortable and welcoming workspace. Old broken windows and doors were replaced. Much need insulation was added and the whole building exterior was clad in steel siding. The old boiler heating system was replaced with gas fired furnaces. The interior painting was so extensive that there was a painting crew in the building every workday for well over one year. The combining of the three companies meant that Paris Graphic and Canadian Wholesale Supply had almost 70 workers in its early formation. The majority of the employees were in the bindery end of the business. The bindery did a large trade only business for the surrounding printers in the area, including such thigs as books, maps and brochures. The next few years saw Paris Graphic adding new specialized equipment such as folders and large collating and book binding machines. New printing presses were added to the existing equipment which

expanded the capabilities to a massive 38” x 50” sheet size. One of the specialties brought from Melrex was the printing of drafting papers and mylars. This market served almost every company in Canada which used drawings from small architects to the Ford Motor Company. Four colour capabilities allowed Paris Graphic to also produce everything from fine art prints to brochures. Manufacturing advances with electronics and newer processes allowed new equipment to reduce the cost, time and labour required to produce print items. Old process such as hot metal type was replaced with electronic type setting, manual coating of printing plates was automated and time extensive colour separations were done using scanners instead of cameras. As such, the labour force was constantly reduced while production was maintained and, in most cases, actually increased. The 1980’s saw a major recession in Canada. This resulted in the hard decision to abandon the often profit-loosing trade bindery services. The bindery department was always in trouble, trying to deal with other printers’ errors and delays, which usually resulted in extra hours or overtime completing jobs with little ability to change quoted prices. Continued on page 15

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THE END OF AN ERA Continued from page 14 The bindery equipment was mostly sold off, keeping just a few key pieces needed to produce our own work. Staff was constantly being reduced to maintain the company’s ratios. Bill was able to buy out his partners as they reached retirement ages and guide the companies through this very difficult time. The 1990’s were a booming time for CWS and Paris Graphic. The Canadian Mint released 12 commemorative quarters in 1992 for the 125th anniversary of Confederation. Paris Graphic designed and manufactured a coin card and vinyl envelope for these coins. Demand was so high for this item that additional area printers and finishers were required to help keep up to the demand. Around this time, CWS added machinery to perform vinyl welding. This equipment allowed the company to produce its much-needed vinyl items, including binders, pages and stamp and coin supplies. The vinyl room took over the mostly vacant bindery area and was in use from that period on. Although other releases of coins by the mint were produced in subsequent years, nothing came close to that first multi-quarter issue. The 2000’s saw much of the same previous print and manufacturing industry trends. More specialized and automated electronic equipment allowed the same or more production use less and less workforce. The employee base at both companies declined over the next many

years while production was maintained. New products were constantly being added to the CWS inventory. A full line of Canada, United States and Worldwide stamp albums had been developed in-house and maintained with yearly supplement pages. CWS pioneered the industry with the first full-colour stamp catalog and followed with full-colour Canada and United States Postage Stamp Albums. The rapid increase in internet use allowed CWS to open a retail branch, Collectors Supply House. An online listing of items for sale to the stamp and coin collector proved very popular. As more and more small hobby shops and stationary stores closed, customers were still provided with a way to enjoy their hobby and use CWS products. Over the next two decades more changes to the lithograph printing market saw diminishing orders as companies changed to digital information delivery. Conventional printing presses had come to an end for us with the last of the presses being sold and moved out of the building. The newer digital production printing machines served the company needs for the last few decades. Through all of this time Bill and Nora, along with the family, managed the day-to-day operations of the companies. For almost 50 years, Wendell Stanley had been the General Manager, Linda Stanley was the Plant Manager and Dwight Stanley was the Graphics Manager. Laurie had left the companies back in

the 1980’s to raise her family in Kitchener. Bill and Nora enjoyed the ability to spend winters in Florida since they were in their 50’s. The ability to use fax machines and then the internet allowed them to maintain control and contact with the office and provide direction all the time they were out of the country. An apartment in the building was the Canadian home for Nora and Bill for much of the time. Bill Stanley passed away on December 22, 2020 at the age of 89. He was working right up to this point with no intention of ever ‘retiring’. He would often say, “If I wasn’t doing this, then I would be doing something else. I know how to do this, so why would I stop?”. Paris Graphic was closed. Canadian Wholesale Supply was sold and this business is continuing. Trajan Publishing, who publishes the Canadian Stamp News and Canadian Coin News, is keeping the CWS products available for collectors. The family is proud of this continuation of the legacy of Bill Stanley’s vision of stamp and coin supplies by Trajan. The ‘Walker Press’ building served as HOME for the Stanley’s for 44 years. The Stanley’s are looking forward to seeing the next evolution of the building by Foster & Forge (see future design concept below) .

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COMMUNITY NEWS TICKS ARE WORTH TALKING ABOUT By Carolina Saenz Ticks are often associated with warm weather and rural areas. Despite Paris being located in what is considered a low-risk pocket for Lyme-infected ticks, many residents have recently experienced increasing encounters with these arachnid blood-suckers. Fluctuating temperatures and a late start to winter freezing conditions seem to be the culprits. And a lack of clear information on the matter is leaving residents at a disadvantage and potentially at a greater risk for Lyme disease. Local moms shared their encounters, and opinions, on this important issue that can affect people of all ages as well as pets.

Tara Beaudette, who describes herself as a country girl, is quite knowledgeable about ticks. Nonetheless, it has been surprising to find these so commonly in town. “We are very good with keeping our grass low and free of leaves as that really does help detour them”, Beaudette explains. Yet a couple of encounters with ticks have left her in the process of looking to get them tested. It seems that information on how to prevent ticks is widely accessible. Many residents are familiar with tips such as tucking pant legs into socks when outside, applying bug spray such as icaridin on skin and clothing, keeping pets on tick prevention, and most importantly carefully checking

Spotting and removing Ticks right away can prevent infection

yourself, your children, and your pets after being outdoors. These tips can be easily found online at https://www.bchu.org/LymeDisease

But a common question amongst residents is what to do when a tick is found? Rebecca Redka has had three tick encounters, and as she is currently pregnant, so she is especially careful and aware of the risks. “I would love to see clearer messaging and education around staying safe in tick season. How to prevent, what to check for, etc”, she says. While a vague guideline of what to do when a tick is available on the Brant County Health Unit website, many questions are left unanswered. Amanda Burkhart, who lives just off Rest Acres Road, has experienced this uncertainty first-hand. What began with finding a live tick on her dog and later an embedded tick on her mother-in-law, has developed into a lengthy and stressful journey. Burkhart’s mother-in-law was able to remove the tick herself. Advised by her family doctor to submit the tick to the Brant County Public Healthy Unit, she contacted them only to find out they no longer test ticks for Lyme disease. . Instead, they were referred to an online resource that helps identify ticks. Continued on Page 17

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COLDER TEMPERATURES WILL PREVAIL

Continued from page 16 Though a quick google search had already helped them identify the ticks as deer ticks, they used the resource to confirm this anyways. To get the ticks tested for Lyme and other pathogens, friends suggested sending the ticks for testing at Geneticks. The process was simple and efficient. Burkhart sent both ticks via Canada Post and although it took about six days for the ticks to arrive, the turn around time for results was quick. Geneticks reports are thorough and determined one tick tested positive for Lyme and both ticks were only partially engorged and attached for less than 24 hours. Because it was no longer possible to identify which out of the two ticks had been embedded on her mother-in-law, she was prescribed Amoxicillin as a preventative. The cost of postage and

testing came to $67 out-ofpocket. However, just a few days after these encounters, Burkhart found another tick embedded on her son’s neck. Failing to remove it completely, they rushed to the Willet. They were quickly seen, and a doctor successfully removed the head of the tick, though the process was quite traumatic for a 10year-old. He was then prescribed an antibiotic for Lyme prevention, which caused severe nausea. Overall, a tough process for a child to endure. The doctor insisted on sending the tick for testing through the public health system, despite Burkhart’s concerns that they would not test it for Lyme. Ten days later, test results indicated it was a deer tick but just as Burkhart feared, no further testing was done. With no other way of knowing if the tick was positive for Lyme disease or other pathogens, Burkhart is left upset and very concerned. Especially considering her son did develop what looked like a bullseye rash, commonly associated with Lyme, a series of blood tests are the only option left to determine her son’s condition. Hoping for the best, Burkhart urges the Paris community to learn

about this issue. “I think it is so important for people to be aware of how small these bugs are, how they can get them in residential areas and that if they are unsure how to remove it, they shouldn’t attempt to”, she explains. And in a growing community such as Paris, both long-time residents and newcomers can benefit from tick awareness and prevention. “I have never looked so forward to the winter months, less than four degrees consistently seems to be the trick for defeating these bugs so bring on the cold!”, Burkhart concludes. With winter finally setting in, the opportunity to educate ourselves and continue this conversation should be a priority.

Preserving History

War Memorial Posters are available at the County of Brant Office downtown Paris

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TRAVEL TURNING UP THE HEAT WITH COOKING LESSONS IN MEXICO Anyone who knows me, knows I signature BBQ sauce) and pork love to cook. So why not take tenderloin with a Dijon cream sauce. cooking classes in Mexico?! Next week is chicken. First up was candied bacon. Emmanuel’s restaurant is just Emmanuel explained this can be outside the main area of Ajijic and is used as an appetizer, or for a fine dining restaurant only open on sandwiches. Most important is to use Friday and Saturday evenings. thick sliced bacon. This will prevent During the week he offers cooking any burning or uneven cooking. The classes. Limited to 3-4 students, this bacon is laid out on a foiled-lined class was more like a cookie sheet and seasoned with fresh demonstration than a participation ground pepper. To achieve the class but is extremely informative. candied effect, he liberally sprinkles Subsequent classes do involve hands light brown sugar up and down each on cooking. slice of bacon. Then each slice is Emmanuel is a 27-year-old chef, generously drizzled with maple having studied in high school and syrup. “You must use both of taken gastronomy courses in these to get the right effect,” said university. In high school here, he Emmanuel. Only adding the sugar explained, “there are three makes it too dry, only the maple choices when you enter: mechanics, makes it too soft. administration or cooking. I thought Now on top of this, he is cooking would be the easiest,” he again adding freshly ground pepper chuckled….no! He has been cooking from the pepper mill. The pepper and apprenticing in restaurants since inside is definitely not your average he was 15. black pepper corns; and, as I am not As with most restaurants here in a spicy eater, I was a little Ajijic, this one is very open to the concerned. You can see black, red outdoors, but what is different with and white pepper corns inside. He this one is Emmanuel and his family explained that each pepper has its also live here. We were treated to a own distinct taste and encouraged us short visit of his newborn son to try each one individually. (Daniel) and his wife, Alejandra. Mmmmmm, maybe not me! If you Also in residence is Emmanuel’s want it spicier, you simply add more father, Rafael. Recently widowed, of the ground pepper. Rafael runs a lunch counter from the Now it’s placed in a 250F oven for front of the outdoor patio, with a about 20 minutes, turning once separate menu. This halfway through. The sugar and facility sports an outdoor grill and a maple turn to a lovely caramel and smoker. he uses this in sandwiches. Today we would be learning candied The back ribs were a more involved bacon, baby back ribs (with his process, but once learned he assured

us was very simple. First up, making his BBQ sauce. This required Guajillo (Gua heelo) peppers. Largish, long, red peppers that I had noticed his “sous” chef softening/steaming in a frying pan and then cleaning out the seeds. Right there I was more than a little terrified. He assured me these peppers “were not spicy” and while they provided taste, they mostly supplied the thickening and red colour for the sauce. Having been fooled before and staring down the skin of a large, red, Mexican pepper, I was a little skeptical, to say the least. A finely diced combination of garlic and onion are sautéed in butter until just clear or Continued on page 19

Emmanuel preparing food in his restaurant in Ajiic, Mexico

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FEAR NOT – MEXICAN CUISINE IS NOT ALWAYS SPICY! slightly golden, being careful not to burn the garlic. “Once you can smell the sugar from the onion and your eyes don’t cry,” he explained, it’s done. Now we are ready to combine the ingredients in the blender. The softened peppers, garlic, onion and enough water to help the blender, all go in. Instead of salt, Emmanuel uses generous pinches of Knor chicken stock. He is a great fan of Knor and sprinkles a grated pork version over the ribs. So, into the blender also goes a couple generous pinches of the stock powder. Then the blending commences. Once it’s emulsified, this is now pushed through a strainer. This is a very important part of the process, “as no one wants to get a piece of pepper skin in their mouth”, explained Emmanuel. So now the moment of truth! Emmanuel gave us each a small ramekin with a dollop of sauce in it to try. Well, I’m here for the experiences….so what the heck, why not. It was delicious! Not hot spicy, just flavourful. Wow! Mexico continues to amaze me. Spicy food was one of my biggest concerns about travelling here and it has never been a problem. If you want spicy, you ask for it. So now it’s on to the pork. While it is preferable to remove the membrane from the back ribs, sometimes simply slicing into the meat along each rib also works. The added bonus of this process allows the sauce to penetrate right into the meat. Each rack is seasoned with the fresh pepper, covered with the sauce and then he grates a Knor pork cube over each side of the meat. Now comes something I’d never seen…each rack is cut into 3-4 rib portions and placed

in a sandwich-size, ziploc baggie, add to this a dollop of over-thecounter smoky BBQ sauce, seal the bag and squish it all together. Next the filled, sealed baggies are place in a manual pressure cooker on the stove, sealed in and he says, are left to cook in their own juice for 2-3 hours. The process vacuum seals the meat in the bags and prevents any water from getting to them. Added note, I made these in the instant pot following the class and while they were very good, fall off the bone, I had a couple issues. I was unsure of the time and the amount of water. I did them for 45 min on high pressure, with a 10-minute natural release. On opening, the baggies had opened and somewhat disintegrated. Next time, I’d use a freezer baggie, and lower pressure. Emanuel explained the instant pot has more distributed heat than the stove top pot, which could explain it. Water should just about cover the baggies. Emmanuel had also pre-cooked the back ribs, so we were able to each enjoy a rib while he moved on to the tenderloin. The Dijon cream sauce consists of butter (1 tablespoon), grated garlic (1 tablespoon), heavy cream (about a 1/4 cup) and generously sprinkled chicken stock powder. Start by sautéing the garlic in butter over medium heat until fragrant, whisk in remaining ingredients, bring to a gentle boil and cook until reduced and thickened. None of the ingredients are given in exact amounts but it is kept on the smallish side, prepared in a small/medium non-stick fry pan. The amounts given are my guess-timates. Once thickened, add in a teaspoon of

butter. The pork tenderloin was done different to anything I’d tried before. Emmanuel stressed that while the tenderloin is a delicious meat, it is very easy to over cook. He took a medium sized piece of meat and diagonally sliced pieces off it about 1/4 in thick, brushing each piece with olive oil and Dijon mustard. In a medium size frying pan he melted about 1/2 cup of butter, sprigs of fresh Rosemary or Thyme (today was thyme) and 2 crushed garlic cloves. The cloves are not pealed, simply crushed whole with a large knife and added to the butter with the thyme. Melting the butter over a medium heat preserves it and allows you to use it for multiple preparations. He will prepare this dish for a 4:30 sitting, 5:00, 5:30, etc. Only adding to the pan when needed or replacing the garlic when it becomes too browned. The meat is also seasoned with pepper, chicken stock and cooked for a little more than a minute or 2 per side. Then left to rest for 3-5 minutes. Top with the cream sauce and the result is a melt in your mouth tenderness. The whole class took about 2 hours, and the cost was $400 pesos, ($25 CAN). We definitely plan on reserving a table at Emmanuel’s before I leave! Photos & article submitted by local resident Karon Sinning, as she adventures through Mexico

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JINGLE BELL MARKET PARIS BUSINESSES WELCOME HOLIDAY SHOPPERS