DRUM ROLL PLEASE!

The final tally for the Bayfield Lion’s Walk for Dog Guides is in. The event held on June 4 raised $11,894.75. Lion Karen Scott, one of the Walk organizers, extended her thanks to everyone who helped in any way to make 2023 their most successful year to date. (Photo by Jack Pal)

ARTIST GUILD

Bayfield Artist Guild members from l-r:: Laura Browne, Reid Kinnear and Trisch Pemberton working en plein air in The Village Bookshop garden. (Submitted photo)

The Bayfield Artist Guild members will be hosting an Art Exhibit and Sale of their works inspired by The Village Bookshop on Saturday, July 8.

The iconic Main Street building and grounds are captured in beautiful impressions by these local artists’ visions. The event will be held at 24 Main Street North, home to the bookshop, the artists’ works will be on display and for sale in the garden from noon to 4 p.m.

In the event of inclement weather, the artists will move their exhibit to the Community Room at 1851 Bayfield Landing located across the street at 21 Main Street North.

VETTEFEST

Bayfield Vettefest is back for its 15th year this coming weekend!

Things kick off in Clan Gregor Square on Friday, July 7, when vette enthusiasts are invited to gather for a cruise – vehicles will depart the park at 7 p.m. They will return to the park on the morning of July 8, for the car show where visitors can get a closer look at what is under the hood starting at 8 a.m. until 2 or 3 p.m.

FIREMEN’S BREAKFAST

Firefighters with the Bayfield Department will be up bright and early on the morning of Saturday, July 8 to prepare for their first Firemen’s Breakfast since 2019.

People are sure to be lining up in advance of the 7 a.m. start in anticipation of pancakes with real Bayfield Maple Syrup, Metzger’s bacon, Bayfield Foodland’s own sausages, potatoes, toast, juice, coffee  provided by Shopbike Coffee Roasters and chocolate milk donated by the Dairy Farmers of Huron County.

Breakfast will be served until noon at the Bayfield Fire Hall, located at 4 Municipal Road in the village.

The cost for the breakfast is adults, $15; and children under 12, $5.

PUZZLE COMPETITION

The Bayfield Branch Library is looking for the fastest team of puzzle makers around as a Jigsaw Puzzle Competition will be held there on Saturday, July 15.

People are invited to assemble a team of two to four members ready to go head-to-head against other teams to see who can assemble a 300-piece puzzle the quickest! Registration is required and there will be a limit of eight teams allowed. The competition will run from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Puzzles generously donated by the Rotary Club of Goderich.

Please call 519 565-2886 or email bayfieldlibrary@huroncounty.ca to register.

The Bayfield Branch Library is located at 18 Main Street North in the village.

ENTER THE HAGGIS

“Enter the Haggis” are l-r: Rose Baldino, Brian Buchanan, Trevor Lewington, Caroline Browning, Bruce McCarthy and Craig Downie. (Submitted photo)

“Enter the Haggis” will be performing a rare Canadian date at the Bayfield Town Hall on July 19. 

Tickets to the performance by Enter the Haggis are selling for $40 and are available now via Ticketscene: Get Tickets.  The doors of the town hall will open at 7 p.m. with the concert commencing at 7:30 p.m. 

The evening is sponsored by 1851 Bayfield Landing, Stone House Brewery, MacEwan & Feagan Insurance Brokers and Firebrand Entertainment. 

CELEBRATION OF LIFE

Melisse T. Kurtz (Submitted photo)

The time has arrived for the family of a former village resident to host her celebration of life and a long-distance invitation is sent to those who knew her.

Melisse T. Kurtz, 96, formerly of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania (PA),  entered into rest on Thursday, Feb. 23, at Heather Court Assisted Living, Northumberland, PA.

A service for Melisse  will be held on Saturday, July 15 (what would have been her 97th birthday) at the last pastorate of her late husband Rev. Gordon F. Kurtz – First Baptist Church, 51 S 3rd St, Lewisburg, PA. The service will begin at 11 a.m. followed by a reception.

For those who have an interest but are unable to attend the service it will be recorded and made available for viewing on the First Baptist Lewisburg YouTube channel at a later date.

FOOD BANK

The numbers of people reaching out for assistance from the Bayfield Area Food Bank (BAFB) continues to grow with 83 clients receiving help during the month of June. The BAFB is only able to help their clients due to the continued generosity of the community providing donations and financial support.

At this time the BAFB inventory is low on such items as soup, crackers and gluten free products.

The BAFB phone number is 519 525-8286. People can also contact the food bank via email at bayfieldareafoodbank@gmail.com.

Collection boxes for donations can be found at the Bayfield Branch Library on Main Street as well as Trinity St. James Anglican Church (outside the entrance to the Parish Hall off the parking lot). There is also a special grocery cart at Bayfield Foodland to welcome donations.

For anyone who would like to support BAFB with a monetary gift, there are a few options available. Cheques can be mailed to: Bayfield Area Food Bank, 10 Keith Cres., Bayfield, ON, N0M 1G0. An e-transfer can be made through BAFB’s gmail account listed above or a donation can be received on-line through the www.canadahelps.org website.

BRVTA

For the month of July, the Bayfield River Valley Trail Association (BRVTA) have planned two hikes.

On July 8, learn more about the history of Bayfield on the “Admiral Bayfield Walk,” led by local historian David Yates.  The author has written five books on Bayfield history, including “Admiral Henry Wolsey Bayfield, Master Chart Maker of the Great Lakes and St Lawrence River”.  Participants will walk the Heritage Trail which makes its way along the village streets. Participants are asked to meet at Clan Gregor Square by the playground at 10 a.m. The walk will last approximately 90 minutes.

On July 22, there will be a guided tour of Hullett Marsh at the Hullett Provincial Wildlife Area, east of Clinton. This is a major wetland habitat with a variety of unique flora and fauna. The hike will begin at 10 a.m. Participants are asked to meet at 80602 Wildlife Line, in the parking lot at the start of the Blue Trail. This is the first parking lot on Wildlife Line going north from Clinton. Hikers are encouraged to bring bug spray, sunscreen and to wear long pants (due to ticks).

The hikes are free and open to the public without pre-registration. The schedule is subject to change, so always check for updates in the Bayfield Breeze, the BRVTA Facebook page or the Municipality of Bluewater events calendar. People can also contact the hike coordinator, Ralph Blasting, by calling 519 525-3205 or emailing rjblasting@gmail.com.

LIBRARY FRIENDS

The Red Table Book Sale offers a good variety of adult fiction and non-fiction books as well as children’s books. Payment is by donation. (Photo by Janet Vogelsang)

The Friends of Bayfield Library (FOBL) Red Table Book Sale is now underway at the Bayfield Branch Library. Visitors to the library will find the Red Table inside the library just in front of the window. Book sale times are during normal library hours from now to Aug. 31.

Unlike the two-day book sales held in previous years, this one will be running continuously until the end of August. That means two whole months of book browsing and lots of great reading!

The Red Table will be regularly stocked with books while supplies last. Payment is by donation. All funds raised through the Book Sale will help to support the Bayfield Library and community programs such as “Saturdays at the Library” speaker series, “Coffee & Chat” groups, and Gingerbread Decorating as well as other fun events throughout the year. The generous support of the community is so appreciated!

FOBL sincerely thanks everyone who answered the call for book donations to make this special book sale possible.

LEGO CLUB

Talented Lego builders showcased their story telling abilities at the June meeting of the Bayfield Lego Club. (Photo by Melody Falconer-Pounder)

Families with an interest in Lego design and creativity are invited to come and further “their love for the brick” again this month when the fourth meeting of the Bayfield Lego Club will be held next on Saturday, July 15.

The club’s fifth session will take place from 10-11:30 a.m. in the Parish Hall at Trinity St James Anglican Church and will be sponsored by the Optimist Club of Bayfield.

Bayfield Lego Club is open to all children ages four and up accompanied by an adult. Bricks will be provided for use at the meetings and participants will be encouraged to build a creation of their own accord or based on a monthly theme. Following a time on display in the Parish Hall the projects will be broken down by volunteers to make the bricks available for use at the next meeting.

Trinity St James Anglican Church is located at 10 Keith Crescent in Bayfield.

CRAFTERNOONS

Come and get creative with a variety of fun craft supplies on Tuesday afternoons at the Bayfield Branch Library.

“Crafternoons” will be held for one hour starting at 4:30 p.m.

This is a drop-in program with no registration required – just show up and start crafting!

ANGLICAN CHURCH

Trinity St. James Anglican Church hosts two services a week that members of the community are most welcome to attend.

Services are held on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. and Sundays at 11 a.m.

The Rotary Club of Grand Bend has been sending school supplies to Rotary Clubs in South Africa who distribute the supplies to rural schools who have almost no supplies or teaching resources. Trinity St. James is currently collecting basic school supplies as well as children’s books in new condition in support of the club. This collection will run until July 30.

Trinity St. James Anglican church is located at 10 Keith Crescent in Bayfield.

YOUTH READING CHALLENGE

Calling all Bayfield area tweens and teens! The Bayfield Public Library (Bayfield Branch)  is challenging youth ages 12 to 18 to read at least one book a month from January to December 2023 for a chance to win some amazing prizes. Are you up for the challenge?

For every book a youth reads, their name will be entered to win one of the prizes listed below.  Early bird draws will take place at the end of each month, and all entries will be entered into a grand prize draw at the end of the program. The Bayfield Branch has a tracking form which can be picked up from the branch during regular hours, or can be completed by downloading a form at: Bayfield Teen Reading Challenge Form.

Looking for ideas of what to read? Explore the Huron County Library’s online catalogue or speak with branch staff who are eager to offer reading recommendations.

Prizes for the Bayfield Branch reading challenge include, but are not limited to: $250 gift card from Forever Furniture; $25 gift card from The Village Bookshop; four, $25 gift cards to The Village Bookshop from Pioneer Park; four, Kids Kraft Workshop gift cards from Crichet Handmade Designs; a selection of graphic novels from Friends of Bayfield Library; selection of gift cards from the Bayfield Optimist Club; Hyacinth Bulb kit from Huron Ridge Greenhouses; Sherpa blanket from the Little Inn of Bayfield; selection of books from the Bayfield Agricultural Society; handmade products from the Bayfield Lavender Farm; Bayfield booklets from the Bayfield Historical Society; and swag from the Virtual High School & Bruce Power.

All completed entries must be returned to the Bayfield Branch or emailed to bayfieldlibrary@huroncounty.ca by the end of 2023.

WESTERN HURON COUNTY ALUMNI

The Dean of Education at Western University is putting the call out to all UWO alum in hopes of starting a Western University Huron County Alumni Chapter. In addition to her full-time position as Dean, Bayfield resident, Donna Kotsopoulos, is herself a UWO alum (M.Ed.’04, Ph.D.’07).

“Last year, I had the opportunity to attend the Elgin County Alumni Chapter event, this group of alumni host events to raise funds for Western scholarships for Elgin County students,” said Kotsopoulos. “I wonder if there is interest in starting a similar group for Huron County?”

Anyone who may have an interest in establishing such a group is invited to fill out this form: Expression of Interest Huron County Alumni Chapter.

BAYFIELD PLAYGROUP

The EarlyON Child and Family Centre is hosting the Bayfield Playgroup at the Bayfield Arena and Community Centre, 4 Jane Street, on Thursday mornings.

The sessions are held from 10-11:30 a.m. and are free to all families/caregivers with infants to children aged six years.

The Playgroup offers indoor, outdoor and virtual program options as well as telephone and email support for parents and caregivers. In addition to the program being welcoming, fun and interactive, they provide parents with ideas of activities to do at home to enhance their child’s development.

Pre-registration is recommended by emailing kkyle@goderich.ca or earlyon@goderich.ca or calling 519 524-9999. To learn more visit www.keyon.ca or follow them on Instagram and Facebook at @HuronEarlyON.

HURON HOSPICE.

Participants in a workshop scheduled for September can learn how to apply Feng Shui and easily create a home or workplace of beauty, harmony and comfort, which feels as good as it looks! (Submitted photo)

This fall, individuals have the opportunity to join a fun and interactive two-day Feng Shui workshop in Bayfield.

At the workshop participants will learn simple and common-sense methods to assess the energy of indoor and outdoor space and how to make changes through placement, color and texture of certain objects. The workshop has been designed for beginners who have little or no knowledge of Feng Shui, just the desire to learn something new.

The workshop will be held on Thursday, Sept. 21 and Friday, Sept. 22 at the Bayfield Town Hall, 11 The Square, Bayfield. The event will run each day from 9-4:30 p.m.

Helen Varekamp will be facilitating the workshop. Varekamp was an instructor for QC Design College, teaching Feng Shui workshops, and had a consulting business in interior design and Feng Shui design. Now retired, she volunteers for several community organizations, and is dedicating her time and knowledge to this event, with all proceeds going to Huron Hospice.

According to Varekamp, Feng Shui is the study of how your environment affects you and your quality of life, how to become aware of the deep relationship you have with your surroundings, and how to better arrange your environment. Feng Shui is not a belief system or religion – you don’t need to believe in it in order for it to work. It has nothing to do with changing your luck, but it will help you create a space that promotes feelings of happiness and wellbeing.

“Have you ever been in a space that feels uncomfortable, but don’t know why, let alone how to change it? This is where Feng Shui can help, often by implementing simple and inexpensive changes,” said Varekamp.

Feng Shui can be implemented in any home, regardless of size or ownership, as well as outdoor spaces, and places of business such as retail, office, or classrooms. Learning and implementing the principles of Feng Shui can help you create a house or garden that welcomes you home. Simply put – when you live and work in a place that feels good, your attitude will likely become more positive, improving your quality of life.

Varekamp explained, “Feng Shui observes the relationship between the seen and unseen forces of nature. You too can learn how to blend harmoniously with a friendly, comfortable and positive environment! There is no need to be a designer, Feng Shui can be practiced by anyone. Once you have learned some basic principles, it can be life altering how quickly and easily you will be able to assess any space.”

A lovely lunch as well as snacks and beverages will be served on both days. Participants will receive a binder with course information, a Feng Shui book, and a certificate of achievement.

The early bird registration fee is $675 which is HST exempt; after Sept. 1 the fee will be $750. Participants will receive a $500 charitable tax receipt from Huron Hospice. Early registration is recommended, as limited seating is available! This is a scent-free event.

For more information and registration, visit the Event page of the Huron Hospice website at Feng Shui Workshop.

The Bayfield Sailboat Public Art Project is intended to honor the marine history of Bayfield and Lake Huron. The completed project consists of six sailboat sculptures, made of iron and powder coated, with “sails” made of lexan. Late last year the call was put out for artists to apply to be chosen to hand paint the sails. The six artists chosen were Joanne Mackenzie, Lynne Huras, Kathy White, Robert Johnson, Nick La Rocca and Carol Finkbeiner Thomas. Their works depict historic locations, sunsets, marine heritage as well as the natural environment and metaphorical impressions.

The sailboats will be a permanent installation within the village changing “sails” every one to two years. Each boat has a QR code that will take the viewer to a page of local historical information as well as information about the artist and their website if they have one.

The sailboats were designed and handmade by blacksmith Jim Wallace of Sharp’s Creek Forge near Goderich. The design of the hulls replicates specific boats such as the locally renowned schooner “Helen McLeod II” as well as the sailboats manufactured by Bayfield Boat Works.

Editor’s Note: To conclude the series we highlight the work of Blacksmith Jim Wallace. 

STORY BY MELODY FALCONER POUNDER

PHOTOS BY JACK PAL AND WENDY VASCO

Back in 2020 Bayfield won the “FM96 Best Small Town Competition” in the FM96 listening area out of 32 towns participating. The prize for winning this voting competition was a visit from morning show hosts Taz and Jim who would broadcast live from the village. Due to the pandemic the visit was delayed until June 22-23 when Bayfield laid out the red carpet for the duo.

Arriving on the afternoon of June 22, The Little Inn of Bayfield became their home base but they had little time to unpack as they were scheduled to embark on a tour of the village and surrounding countryside. The Bayfield and Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) would like to extend thanks to Jaime McDougall for providing accommodations for hosting the personalities and their team.

Bayfield Ward Councilor for the Municipality of Bluewater, Bill Whetstone took them on a walk along the village’s heritage Main Street where they stopped in at some of the businesses. While checking out Archies Surf Shop, Taz and Jim were gifted with Bayfield shirts which they then wore for the day.

Following the walk they boarded a limo from WAVE Limo and Tours along with members of the BACC Board of Directors for a whirlwind tour. The BACC gives special thanks to WAVE for gifting the limo and driver for the day’s adventures.

“People were invited to meet us at any or all of the stops,” said Secretary-Treasurer of the BACC Terri Louch. “A detailed press release was provided and at each stop in the village the historical info was shared. It was a very busy day with lots of fun!”

During the tour, Taz and Jim did interviews with business owners to be used the next day on the radio broadcast.

First on the agenda was a quick game of croquet at the Bayfield International Croquet Club. This was followed by a walk through Pioneer Park where its origins were explained and they were also provided with an introduction to the new sailboat installations.

Then they were treated to a quick drive to view the marina and beach as well as the new bridge before it was off to their first of six winery or brewery visits. Visits were made to River Road Brewing and Hops, Stonehouse Brewery, Hessenland Inn and Schatz Winery, Bad Apple Brewing, Cornerfield Winery, and Bayfield Brewing Company.

Upon their return to the village they were shown the new Bayfield Mural at the Bayfield Arena and Community Centre – the perfect location for a photo op! A quick drive by the historic Bayfield Town Hall and Clan Gregor Square was also in order.

Taz and Jim enjoyed dinner at the Black Dog Pub and Bistro before taking part in a day ending meet and greet at The Albion Hotel where the public could chat and take selfies with them.

No sooner than heads hit the pillow it was time to get up again as the morning show hit the airwaves at 5:30 a.m. on June 23.  And although this may have been a wee bit early for some of their hosts, all were ready at the appointed hour with the broadcast “booth” set up in front of the Bayfield Branch Library adjacent to Admiral Bayfield Square. Breakfast was provided by BACC.

“Many guests visited to discuss Bayfield and all that is offered here. Taz and Jim spoke with the organizers of the campaign to have Bayfield voted as Best Small Town in 2020 – Tara Heard and Dale Evans. They both did a considerable amount of work to ensure that people were aware of the opportunity and to encourage voting! We cannot thank them enough,” said Louch.

During the broadcast, there were discussions about Main Street Revitalization, why people should visit Bayfield as well as upcoming events in the area.

“The show was extended by 30 minutes to accommodate all that the team had to include about their amazing adventure,” said Louch. “In fact, Taz and Jim loved the area so much that Jim came back for the weekend with his new wife!”

And if that doesn’t express why Bayfield is the Best Small Town in any year, nothing will.