RESCHEDULED TOURNAMENT PLAYED UNDER SUNNY SKIES

PHOTOS BY JACK PAL

The Bayfield Lions Club-Albion Golf Tournament was held on Friday, Sept. 20. Winners of the scramble event with an impressive 10 under par were Nate Ferguson, Ryan Shelton, Kyle Williams and Jason Cook.

On Sept. 6, the Bayfield Lions Club made the hard decision to postpone the 36th annual Bayfield Lions-Albion Golf Tournament due to anticipated foul weather. Rescheduled to Sept. 20, everyone sat back and hoped for a sunny day. When the day finally arrived, beautiful sunny skies prevailed and 72 golfers set out to enjoy a most memorable time on the perfectly groomed Bluewater Golf Course.

Lions President, Ian Matthew, said it was a relief that the tourney sold out even after five groups had to withdraw with date conflicts.

“It just goes to show the love for this local tournament,” Matthew said.

The event continued back at The Albion Hotel with a delicious dinner presented by Jeff and Leigh Graham and their staff.  Those who attended gave their hosts a warm and loud thank you.

Winners of the scramble event with an impressive 10 under par were Nate Ferguson, Jason Cook, Ryan Shelton and Kyle Williams. Longest drive for the men was won by Eric VanWyck and for the ladies Krista Jefferson.

A Silent Auction table allowed the golfers to bid on many items donated by local vendors, golf courses and individuals. A highlight of the night was the Live Auction which offered two items: Nashville versus Buffalo NHL game tickets, with a meet and greet with Ryan O’Reilly post game donated by his mom, Bonnie O’Reilly. The O’Reilly’s have been very supportive of the Lions over the past years. The second item was a cooler of adult refreshments which was well received. It was donated by Lions Richard Dusk and Bonnie Neely.

The Lions wish to express their sincere appreciation and thanks for the donors and sign sponsors who make this tournament a financial success every year. All proceeds of the event are reinvested in the Bayfield and area community. The tournament reached over $100,000 in revenues over the past five years. Over the past 10 years the Bayfield Lions Club have invested over $500,000 locally.

The newly named mascot of the Lions, Dandy Lion, made its inaugural tourney debut at the Bluewater Golf Course and the Lions look forward to many more appearances in the future.

“Thanks to all for your support and participation!” concluded Matthew.

TENTH VOLKFEST FEATURES THREE MUSICAL ACTS AND LOTS OF VWs

Clan Gregor Square will be the backdrop for the 10th Volkfest on Sept. 29. (Photo by Melody Falconer-Pounder)

Clan Gregor Square will be the location for the 10th Annual Bayfield Volkfest on Sunday, Sept. 29.

Visitors to the park can look forward to seeing a wide array of vintage and classic VWs, shopping at an Arts and Crafts Makers Market and indulging in treats from Food Truck vendors all while enjoying live music by the Bayfield Ukulele Society, The Honey Sweethearts and the Cherry Garcia Band.  The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For VW owners there is a $20 entry fee to Clan Gregor Square with the first 200 vehicles getting a welcome bag.

For more information please contact Ryan Somers at bayfieldvolkfest@gmail.com.

KNOX CHURCH HOLDING FUNDRAISER

Lois Kacsandi assisted a customer with the purchase of a puzzle during a fundraiser held at Knox Church, Bayfield earlier this summer on July 6. A second similar fundraiser has been set for Sept. 28. (Photo by Melody Falconer-Pounder)

Save the date! Knox Presbyterian Church in Bayfield once again will set-up on the lawn in front of the church to host their “BBQ, Baking and Book Sale” on Saturday, Sept. 28.

The event will get underway at 11 a.m. at the church located across from Clan Gregor Square. Funds raised will go towards accessibility efforts underway at the church.

“It is our desire to do what we can within the constraints that we have, because accessible spaces and services will allow everyone to enjoy their experience at our little church with a great big heart!” said Teresa Steel, representing Knox Church.

People are invited to stop by and enjoy a freshly barbecued hotdog with (optional) hot fried onions, cold water and a side of potato chips or “Cheesies”. They can then peruse the gently used soft and hardcover books for sale, and visit the bake table which will feature freshly made cookies, squares, pies, loaves and more!

“We look forward to serving you. All are welcome!” added Steel.

On Saturday, Sept. 21, Elder Judith Roy welcomed Rachel A Sachs (right) from Sachs Law as guest speakers at Knox Presbyterian Church’s “Speakers Series”. (Submitted photo)

Knox Church Bayfield is hosting a Speaker Series on topics of interest to seniors and their families with the most recent instalment occurring on Saturday, Sept. 21.

Rachel A Sachs, an Elder Law and Estates lawyer with Sachs Law was the speaker. Sachs Law is committed to serving the legal needs of older and aging Ontarians across a variety of practice areas. Rachel is an advocate for seniors who runs her own practice that focuses on elder law, estate law and real estate law. She provided an enlightening presentation on “Estate Matters and Power of Attorney for Seniors: What You Need to Know”.  Knox was delighted to host her!

Organizers would like to extend a thank you to Rachel for her extremely informative session.

Another instalment of the Speaker Series will be held on Sunday, Oct 13 at 1 p.m.  At that time, Knox Church will host Ralph Laviolette, Historian and Archivist, who will speak about the history of the Bayfield area and archives. Although there is no cost to attend, a free-will offering would be appreciated.  All are welcome afterwards for coffee, tea and dessert. Seats fill up quickly so be sure to arrive early.

A further instalment of the Speaker Series will be held on Saturday, Oct 26 at 1 p.m.  At that time, Knox Church will host Lori Ver Vermeersch, Huron County Emergency Medical Services. More information to come as the date draws closer weeks.

Sunday services are held at 11 a.m. and are open to everyone.

Knox Presbyterian Church Bayfield is located at 2 Bayfield Main Street North. To learn more visit knoxbayfield.ca or follow them on YouTube – Knox, Bayfield.

“KITTEN PALOOZA” THIS SUNDAY

Java (Submitted photo)

Bayfield’s Forgotten Felines (BFF) continues to be inundated with kittens as summer turns to autumn.

Java is the Adopt a BFF kitten of the week.

This beautiful girl is a Tabico: a Tabby with Calico coloring.  Java is a tiny girl and will likely remain that way.

She was born at BFF. In fact her mother, Cappuccino, was only in care for a couple days before she delivered six kittens. Java is a tiny girl and will likely remain that way.

She is a very sweet girl who loves to cuddle though it sometimes doesn’t show when people visit the Rescue as she is housed with some very pushy, outgoing kittens.

These pushy, outgoing kittens as well as the quiet ones like Java will all be available for viewing this coming weekend as BFF hosts another “Kitten Palooza”. Volunteers encourage anyone who has been thinking about adopting to come see their plethora of adorable cats and kittens.

“It would be so nice if people opened their hearts and homes to these felines. When cats are adopted we have more funds in order to help the ones we currently have and it also opens both foster and shelter spots for more cats who need to come in,” said Deb Penhale, representing BFF.

Kitten Palooza will be held on Sunday, Sept. 29 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 16 Keith Crescent in Bayfield.

Reach out to bayfieldsforgottenfelines@gmail.com to learn more about Java and others. The adoption fee is $250. Adopted cats are vetted, shots are up-to-date and they are also spayed or neutered. Can’t adopt or foster at this time?  Consider donating for medical care and food to the email address listed above via E-transfer or mail financial donations to P.O. Box 33, Bayfield, ON, N0M 1G0.

CONSUL GENERAL VISITS VILLAGES WITH BULGARIAN ORIGIN

Joe Laurie, Mayor of Bluewater Paul Klopp, Brenda Wright, Deb Rathwell, Consul General Velislava Panova and Willi Laurie gather at the village sign where they discussed possible ways to demonstrate the Bulgarian connection to the village. (Photos courtesy of Willi Laurie)

The Consul General of Bulgaria is getting to be a familiar personage in the Huron County villages of Shipka and Varna these days. That’s because both villages have names of Bulgarian origin.

A new addition has been made to the installation in Shipka which honors its connection to Bulgaria. The Bulgarian flag flies aloft and is surrounded by “Shipka” or “Rosehip” bushes at the edge of the village.

Panova also brought along videographer and journalist Martin Georgiev, who happened to be in Toronto for the Toronto Film Festival where a film he worked on, entitled, “The Other Side – On Putin’s Front Line” was being screened. Georgiev and his crew were embedded in the Russian front line for three months documenting the destruction of war and its effects on soldiers and civilians. While on his visit with the Consul General to these two peaceful country villages he interviewed citizens of both Varna and Shipka and filmed the activities of the day.

In Shipka, at the home of John and Cecile Muller, along the road at the edge of the village is installed a lovely garden of “Shipka” or “Rosehips” that were gifted by the Bulgarian Consul. Recently, historical signage about the village and its name was installed at the garden, located directly across from the Shipka Drive-In. A Bulgarian flag proudly flies above the installation.  Members from the village and Mayor George Finch came together for the dedication of this new signage, which was installed using donations from villagers and spearheaded by Cecile.  Some of those present were surprised to see childhood photos of themselves in some of the vintage pictures on the sign!

A visit to Huron County could not be complete without a visit to the village of Varna where Mayor Paul Klopp and others were interviewed about their history and affiliations to the village. Varna was a crossroads settlement as early as the late 1840s but it didn’t have an actual name until Josiah Brown Secord, grand-nephew of Laura Secord, came as postmaster to the village.

A descendant of a military family which came to Canada as United Empire Loyalists, Josiah was loyal to the British cause. In 1854, just as the village needed a name, the Crimean War was being fought overseas. The advent of the telegraph meant that an explosion of news about this conflict was coming across the ocean in a timely fashion. News of the war was top of mind. The British naval centre in the Crimea was the ancient seaport city of Varna. And so, Josiah, a British loyalist from a long line of military men, named the tiny village for that great city. Josiah lived for many years in Varna and was involved in the development of the fledgling community. He built a home which still exists there, a general store and post office, later an upgraded post office, and was involved in the building of at least one of the villages’ five churches. Over time his father, Stephen Secord and his stepmother Alice Moffatt Secord joined him and his wife in the village. When he passed, his body and those of his parents were interred close to the foundation walls of the Varna Presbyterian Church (later Varna United) The family gravestones can still be found in a reconstructed monument on that site.

The Consul General was very interested in a way to commemorate the history of Varna and its connection to Bulgaria in the village. She is hoping to get some feedback on what the citizens of the village would like to see. Signage, or benches at the former United Church site or at the cenotaph have been considered. Other ideas are welcomed. Panova will return to Shipka and Varna in the spring of 2025.

 LEEMING JOINS SOURCE PROTECTION COMMITTEE

Carol Leeming (Submitted photo)

The newest member of a local drinking water source protection committee is Carol Leeming. She is a representative of the agriculture sector on the Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley (ABMV) Source Protection Committee (SPC). The new agriculture rep was named on Sept. 18. She will attend her first committee meeting today (Sept. 25) in Holmesville.

Leeming is a farmer whose farm is called Leeming Farms/Leeming Acres. She is from the Seaforth area. She grew up on a farm in Huron County and purchased her first farm property in 1986 in the Municipality of Huron East, in the former Tuckersmith Township. That farm was at the headwaters of the Bayfield River between Seaforth and Clinton. She now farms about 1,200 acres of land and has a poultry farm (laying hens) and also cash-crops (corn; soybeans; winter wheat; and white beans).

In addition to her farming experience, Leeming is also a retired municipal planner who has more than 30 years of experience in municipal planning with the County of Huron. She has previously served as an accessibility coordinator; economic development program coordinator; in agricultural and community organizations and is a former President of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture.

The new committee member is a Master of Science graduate from the University of Guelph’s Rural Planning and Development program. She also has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from Guelph. In addition, she has completed the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP).

Matt Pearson is Chair of the SPC. He said the new committee member will be a positive addition to the committee.

“Carol brings many strengths to her new role as a Source Protection Committee member,” he said. “Her experience in farming, local government, and the volunteering sector will complement the diverse skills and insights of the committee members. We look forward to working with Carol on our mandate to protect source water supplies.”

The new SPC member says she is honored to be one of the two agricultural representatives on the committee.

“I look forward to working with the entire committee to implement locally developed, provincially approved source protection planning policies in an effective and practical way,” she said. “On my own farm, I have planted windbreaks and practised crop rotation to reduce wind and soil erosion. I have used best practices in application of fertilizer and nutrients to increase organic matter and fertility of my soil while also reducing the potential for nutrient loss.”

In addition to the SPC Chair, there are 12 members of the source protection committee. Four SPC members are from municipalities. There are four reps from the economic sector: two from agriculture; one from industry; and one from commerce. There are four SPC members from other interests: two from the environment sector; one property owner representative; and one public-at-large member. There are also non-voting liaison members from local public health; source protection authorities; and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP).

A vacancy existed on the SPC after the passing of former agriculture rep Bert Dykstra in March of this year. A Notice of Call for Applications and advertisement were issued on May 30 with a July 5 deadline to apply. Interviews with candidates took place in August of 2024.

To learn more about source protection and the SPC visit the webpage: Source Protection Committee.

TAYLOR SWIFT CONCERT TICKET RAFFLE IN SUPPORT OF UNITED HOUSING

Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Erin and Mike Heisz, United Way Perth-Huron (UWPH) is excited to announce a charity raffle offering two tickets to see Taylor Swift live in concert in Toronto on Nov. 23. The raffle supports UWPH’s United Housing (UH) initiative, the region’s first non-profit housing organization dedicated to developing and operating mixed rental units.

“We are so appreciative of Erin and Mike for providing these two tickets,” said UH Director, Kathy Vassilakos. “We are thrilled to offer local Taylor Swift fans the chance to experience the Eras Tour while supporting a cause that directly impacts our community. Every ticket purchased helps us continue to build on our mission to provide affordable housing solutions for those in need.”

“United Housing is a cause that our family passionately supports, recognizing the immense value it brings to our community. We have experienced in our own families and workplaces the difficulties obtaining safe and affordable housing in Perth Huron and also Grey Bruce, where we both are originally from. We are so happy that 100 per cent of the proceeds will help advance this local initiative,” said Dr. Erin Heisz. “By making the raffle tickets affordable, we hope to give every Taylor Swift fan the chance to experience an unforgettable concert while also contributing to a truly meaningful cause!”

The two seated floor tickets are in section C3, row 10, and are part of the “Karma is My Boyfriend” VIP package including four Taylor Swift prints, a commemorative Taylor Swift/Eras Tour VIP tote bag, pin, sticker and postcard set, souvenir concert ticket, and special VIP tour laminate and matching lanyard.

United Way and United Housing would like to extend thanks to all the businesses selling raffle tickets across Perth Huron: Blowes Stationery, Juno, Junction 56 and the United Centre, all in Stratford; BK Brand Name Clothing and Gifts and Bakelaar Jewellers, both in Listowel; Wuerth’s Shoes and All Around the House, both in Goderich; Wuerth’s Shoes in Exeter; Sun Rayz in St. Marys; Annette’s Treasures and I Want That Bag Consignment, both in Wingham; Blooms N’ Rooms in Seaforth; and Penny’s and the Pine Café and Bistro in Blyth. Tickets are $10 each. The draw will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at Junction 56 Distillery in Stratford, 45 Cambria Street, starting at 6:30 p.m. The winner will be notified. Individuals must be 18 years of age or older to purchase tickets.

Across Perth Huron, there are people experiencing homelessness, people escaping violent home situations who can’t afford an apartment, workers who can’t afford to live in the same community as their jobs are located and seniors having to leave their homes who don’t have enough to afford anything in the rental market. UH aims to help address the crisis and work toward a vision of everyone living in housing suitable and affordable to their needs by 2050. To learn more about UH’s work, and to sign up for the newsletter, visit United Housing.