Grand Bend, Ontario community newspaper and entertainment events guide. Also serves Zurich, Dashwood, Port Franks, Exeter, Parkhill. Casey Lessard photos.
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View from the StripBy Casey Lessard I’ve heard a lot about memories this summer. From tributes to Bill and Helene Regier, to scrapbooking in this week’s issue, reflecting on the past has helped a lot of people in this area, I’m sure.One of the actors I interviewed for Legends, the musical tribute to rock’s icons [...]
Advice from momBy Rita Lessard Laundry problems – I’m sure we’ve all had them to some degree or other.For instance, how is it that we always seem to lose one sock or forget to take things out of the pockets? And how in the drying process do socks and underwear end up in your pant [...]
Keeping the PeaceBy Tom Lessard In 1953, I was having a difficult time at my high school, St. Jerome’s in Kitchener. It was an all boys’ school. My grades were bad. I missed a lot of classes and didn’t appreciate the teachers. I’d rather hang out at the pool halls or be caddying at the [...]
Elinor and Fred Clarke love to share their experiences of life on all seven continents Seventy-four year old Elinor Clarke leads an aerobics class for seniors at the Grand Bend Legion Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays starting at 8:45 a.m., with classes resuming the first week of September. Participants pay $3 per week, regardless of how [...]
Grand Bend teen earns top honours at Canadian championship Fourteen-year-old Dylan Kaelin, who lives south of Grand Bend, swept the motocross racing categories he entered at the Canadian Amateur National Championships in Walton, Ontario, August 15-19. Dylan took home three top-honours and the Bronze Boot award for best all-round amateur rider. As told to Casey [...]
Scrapbookers unite for a full day of cutting and pasting ScrapDay 2007Saturday, September 299 a.m. to 9 p.m. – Grand Bend LegionTwelve hours of scrapbooking, door prizes, raffles. Bring your own supplies. Vendors will have some materials for purchase on-site.Sponsored by Creative Memories, Memory Lane, Close To My Heart, Stampin’ Up, and Studs For Your [...]
Chamber of Commerce summer student Amy Jennison noticed this male cat at the back of the chamber office, hiding under a tree, cold and weak. Executive director Barbara Gare suggested they should take care of the cat, which they believe was in the wild about six weeks. Staff and volunteers have paid for food, upkeep, [...]
StarDust dinner theatre, ParkhillSeptember 8 & 9 – Shania Twin(519) 294-1141 for tickets Story and photos by Casey Lessard With four sold-out shows under its belt, the StarDust dinner theatre seems to have hit on the right combination to attract a nostalgic audience looking for a good meal and a good time.“Really nice,” said Dan [...]
Royal Canadian Legion Branch 49850th anniversary of current buildingSeptember 8, 3 to 9 p.m.3 to 6 p.m. – live music with 5 to 7 p.m. – steak barbecue7 to 9 p.m. – legion-style horse racingOpen to the public125 tickets available at $10 each Story by Casey Lessard “I know most of the people who were [...]
Keep your left wrist (right for lefties) flat at the top Golf TipsBy Cameron Rankin One of the secrets to hitting straighter golf shots more often is the left wrist position (the right wrist for lefties) at the top of the back swing. Assuming your fundamentals are correct, this position can be achieved fairly easily. [...]
Living in BalanceBy Jenipher Appleton Camping isn’t for everyone, but my family has embraced it since our children were very small. Now that they are adults, our sons (and significant others) still share the enthusiasm. The annual sojourn to Algonquin Provincial Park is now an essential part of our well-being as a family. Tapping into [...]
View from the StripBy Casey Lessard It’s fair to say it’s been a tough summer for our community.Most obviously, we’ve had to deal with a murderer taking the lives of two of our own, Bill and Helene Regier. The act and subsequent mystery about the killer’s whereabouts made it difficult to grieve without wondering if [...]
Our readers write… Hi Casey,Compliments on your paper in general, and special accolades for this special edition honouring the Regiers.Although I didn’t have the pleasure to know them personally I feel I know Helene and Bill now and what they believed in and stood for through your various interviews with those who knew them so [...]
Visitors to the GrandBendStrip.com website sent their messages of condolence to the Regier family after the murders of Bill and Helene Regier July 23: Todd & Terri Lynn Cornies: With all of our deepest sympathy to all family and friends of Bill & Helene, we are deeply sorry for your loss. Charlene Doak (London): So [...]
Zurich Bean FestivalFriday August 24 starting at 7 p.m.Cruise night, midway and fireworksSaturday August 25 – 7 a.m. to 1 a.m.Pancake and sausage breakfast, midway, car show, beans and pork chop dinner, entertainment all day and dance starting at 9 p.m. Cash crop farmer Randy Regier, now nearing 50, has been growing edible beans in [...]
Bliss StudioGroup ExhibitionOpening August 25, 3 p.m.7617 Riverside Drive, Port Franks(519) 243-3598Featured artists: Tony Miller and Lorraine Thomson (studio owners), Stephen Shellenberger, Tamara Croxall, Sarah Kane and Kim AngeMusic by Joani Paige Story by Casey Lessard “I’ve been walking around here in my pajamas showing people our work,” says Tony Miller in the studio and [...]
Royal Canadian Legion200 Broad Street, ParkhillYouth dart leagueRon Wilcox: (519) 294-6344 Story & photos by Casey Lessard Competitive darts isn’t at the top of the list of things to do for most young people, but area Legions are hoping to change that. The Parkhill branch of the Royal Canadian Legion is hosting one of Canada’s [...]
Advice from momBy Rita Lessard Nurses deserve a lot of credit. They’re doing the best they can. Sometimes I’m sure their patience is stretched with some of their patients. I say, keep up the good work. A model patientSince Tom has been in and out of the hospital for the last five months (eventually losing [...]
Keeping the PeaceBy Tom Lessard About 14 years into my military career – by this point the late 1960s – I was working in the quartermasters stores in Wolseley Barracks as a clerk for the RCR. I’d just come off a court martial, got a $25 fine and was promoted to corporal rank – back-dated [...]
Reverend JonahBlyth FestivalUntil September 1 Southcott Pines resident Paul Ciufo is a financial planner in Exeter by day, playwright by night. His first professional stage production, Reverend Jonah, premiered at the Blyth Festival last weekend to positive reviews.Ciufo’s story-line: “Reverend Jonah is a brand new minister out of seminary. He shows up at his first [...]
Reverend JonahBy Paul CiufoPerformed by Darren Keay, Michelle Fisk, et al.Directed by Marie Beath BadianBlyth Festival ProductionAugust 8 – September 1, 2007 Live! On Stage!Review by Mary Alderson Grand Bend Playwright Paul Ciufo hopes people will consider both sides of the conflict, with his new play that premiered last week at the Blyth Festival. Ciufo, [...]
LegendsHuron Country PlayhouseUntil September 1 By Casey Lessard It’s not too often you get to see 1960s music “legend” Tiny Tim on stage at the Huron Country Playhouse, and quite frankly, I’m not too sure how many people would pay to see him. This is one time you should consider doing so.“I remember watching (Tiny [...]
Legends: A Salute to Musical PioneersConceived, written and directed by Alex MustakasMusical Director Bob FosterChoreographer Gino BertiDrayton Entertainment ProductionHuron Country Playhouse, Grand Bend August 8 – September 1, 2007 Live! On Stage!Review by Mary Alderson The balcony had better be reinforced at Huron Country Playhouse. With the show Legends: A Salute to Musical Pioneers currently [...]
Living in BalanceBy Jenipher Appleton How would you like to dramatically decrease the mosquito and insect population flying about your yard? You could erect a bat house (not popular with those who believe the critters’ll end up in your hair), or…you could try to attract the insect-voracious purple martin to your home.The purple martin is [...]
