Grand Bend, Ontario community newspaper and entertainment events guide. Also serves Zurich, Dashwood, Port Franks, Exeter, Parkhill. Casey Lessard photos.
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Fran Roelands is ABCA feature artist 21st annual Conservation Dinner Thursday, April 15 South Huron Rec. Centre, Exeter Tickets: $50 Phone: 1-888-286-2610 http://www.conservationdinner.com West McGillivray watercolour painter Fran Roelands is this year’s Ausable Bayfield Conservation Dinner feature artist, and is offering her painting, Along the Banks of Mud Creek (above), to this year’s auction. The [...]
Area high school students will hit the stage at the Huron Country Playhouse this summer as members of the chorus of Disney’s High School Musical May 19 to June 5. Auditions for Avon Maitland, Bluewater, Huron Perth and Lambton Kent District School Boards take place this Sunday, February 21 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. [...]
By Casey Lessard Sisters Rachel Michielsen-Gray and Jessica Michielsen are running two hair-cutting fundraisers this month to benefit a charity honouring their father, the late builder Jack Michielsen of Arkona. Rachel, a hairdresser at the Beauty ‘n’ the Beach salon, will be cutting hair this Saturday, February 20 at the salon’s temporary location, 20 Ontario [...]
Sunday, January 31 1 to 3 p.m. – Morrison Dam, Exeter Winter Wonderland snowshoeing event ABCA education staff will be leading a guided hike on snowshoes. Participants will travel by snowshoe on the South Huron Trail while learning about trees and animal life in winter. The cost is $5 per adult to join in on [...]
Caroline Bruce creates exotic accessories at home in Parkhill After spending a couple of years working in Jamaica, Caroline Bruce decided home is where her heart was. The 28-year old recently launched Tweak jewelry (http://www.tweakboutiqueonline.com/), her line of unique hand-crafted accessories made from semi-precious stones, metals and woods. As told to Casey Lessard Photo by [...]
Cooks working for one of Canada’s top chefs are peeling potatoes grown in Corbett Marcus Koenig moved his family to Canada from Switzerland to start Klondyke Farms, just north of Corbett, in spring 1997. Today, the farm is an organic operation that supplies a farmers’ market in Toronto and several restaurants, including renowned chef Jamie [...]
How a day at the beach changed Reagen Robinson’s life Exeter toddler Reagen Robinson’s life will never be the same after an outing to a private beach near Grand Bend in August. Soon after arriving at the beach with his parents Brad and Katrina and brother Jordon, Reagen ran toward an extinguished, but still hot, [...]
Story and Photos by Casey Lessard They may not have won the national championship Vanier Cup, but the University of Western Ontario Mustangs football team continues to win the hearts of boys and girls at East Williams Public School in Nairn. Several of the team’s players are taking part in a mentorship program to help [...]
2008 Federal Election Lambton-Kent-Middlesex Joe Hill New Democrat Sarnia 519-542-2344 joethenewdemocrat@yahoo.ca www.ndp.ca Birthday: April 8,1942 Hometown: Wallaceburg Status: Married High School: Wallaceburg District High School Employer: New Democratic Party City/Town: Sarnia-Lambton Position: Riding association president Activities: running, cycling, triathlons Interests: political activism, cooking, gardening Favorite Music: blues, rock Favorite TV Show: CBC [...]
What is the most pressing issue facing your riding, and what do you plan to do about it if elected? Micheal Janssens: The most pressing issue facing this riding, this country, this world, is the demoralization of western society brought on by the disintegration of the family. We kill our children, trample marriage, ignore the [...]
By Casey Lessard Photo courtesy UWO Libraries in Zurich, Exeter and Parkhill each have a little gem hiding in their DVD catalogue: archived 8mm film from the late 1940s featuring each town and its residents from the era. Stars of the Town is a collection of 85 films profiling towns from across southern Ontario, distributed [...]
Alternative View By Gloria Martin In the Sept. 10 Strip, Casey Lessard made comment that he feared a majority government in the federal election, and that, although he couldn’t quite put your finger on it, he “just doesn’t trust him (Prime Minister Stephen Harper).” I have to admit that I resonate with that fear, but [...]
Devon Weeden Principal, North Middlesex DHS Raised: Kingston Lives: London Experience: Napanee, Strathroy, Glencoe, Saunders (VP), Arthur Voaden (VP). This is first principal position. Coming to North Middlesex It is a big change. I’m looking forward to working with the community and the kids. I’m working on the school improvement plan with the staff. There [...]
Alternative View By Anjhela Michielsen Somewhere between 1500 and 3000 miles (or 2400 to 4800 km) is the average distance your food has travelled to land on your plate (Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa State University). And the numbers are climbing. In our modern era, these may not seem astonishing because we have come [...]
Adoption of land trust concept earns local farm distinction from Ontario government Sunnivue Farm 27093 New Ontario Road, Ailsa Craig Photos and story by Casey Lessard One of Ontario’s most innovative farms is a short drive east of Parkhill, down a dirt road off Highway 7. Sunnivue Farm recently won a Premier’s Award for Agri-Food [...]
The inevitable day has arrived. I had hoped I would be able to continue to provide the Grand Bend Strip newspaper for free indefinitely, but after thinking long and hard this spring, I realize that the only way for the paper to publish this winter is to ask for your support. Like you, I value [...]
Looking for something fun to do with the family? There are several great events happening the weekend of July 12, including the Kettle Point Pow-Wow, which takes place on the reserve Saturday and Sunday. The event features native dance, music, food and crafts in a beautiful park setting. Meanwhile, Saturday July 12, Parkhill hosts its [...]
Dear Casey, I just wanted to let you know how very well received your (wheelchair accessibility) article was, by your readers and by many merchants. I know it can be a gamble when dealing with businesses and I admit it was not always comfortable for me, but it truly has turned out to be such a worthwhile [...]
The old saying about getting your foot in the door is bitter irony for people who don’t have the ability to walk through that door. Inaccessible workplaces make finding work much harder for people with disabilities. But it doesn’t have to be so hard, says Jeff Withers of Strathroy’s LEADS Employment Services. “It all depends [...]
Accentual Hair & Spa owner Tina Davey asked us to reevaluate her business for wheelchair accessibility as we noticed a large front step and no sign saying access at the back. For most businesses, we did look around the back, but overlooked a back entry. Upon reevaluation, here are our results: Partially level entry at [...]
By Casey Lessard It’s appropriate to raise a glass to Twin Pines Orchards and Cider House (left), who we featured for their winery last fall, and to one of our favourite farms, Sunnivue of Ailsa Craig. Both won regional awards for the Ontario government’s Premier’s Agri-Food Innovation Excellence awards. Each won $5,000 for their innovation; [...]
View from the Strip By Casey Lessard “We’re only open two months, so…” “We don’t get a lot of people in wheelchairs, so…” “It’s an old building, so…” These are only three of the reasons Rick Lewcock and I heard from business owners about why their businesses weren’t wheelchair friendly. We made a journey through [...]
By Casey Lessard with Rick Lewcock, member of Lambton Shores accessibility committee 166 Grand Bend businesses surveyed 40% are 100% inaccessible by wheelchair Only 1/3 have wheelchair parking 1 in 5 has a powered door opener Grand Bend’s average mark (on Strip survey): 47% Full results: Grand Bend wheelchair accessibility 53 Parkhill core businesses surveyed [...]
Home Town Memories (Bed & Breakfast) 108 Main Street 519-294-1118 Did not assess Hensall District Co-op (Farm Supply) 192 Main Street 519-294-6252 All Seasons (Automotive) 193 Main Street 519-294-0676 Deuzeman Animal Clinic (Veterinary) 196 Main Street 519-294-0243 Bluewater Counselling Services (Counselling) 197 Main Street HMS Maclachlan (Insurance) 197 Main Street 519-294-6871 The Fisher Corporation (Accountants) [...]
