Candidate profiles - Huron-Bruce

2008 Federal Election
Candidate profiles
Huron-Bruce

Dave Joslin
Christian Heritage
Brussels
519-887-9337
joslin@wightman.ca

Age: 54
Hometown: Burlington
Status: Married

College: Georgian College, Owen Sound
Concentration: Welder
High School: M.M. Robinson, Gr.12

Employer: Cleaver-Brooks
City/Town: Stratford
Position: Fitter-Welder

Activities: hiking, biking
Interests: philosophy, theology, political theory
Favorite Music: variety
Favorite TV Show: don’t watch TV
Favorite Movie: We Were Soldiers
Favorite Book: The Lord of the Rings
Favorite Quotation or Motto: Contra Mundum

About Me: Kathy and I have been married for 32 years. We have four children and have lived in Grey Twp. for twenty years.
Dave Joslin did not respond to the five questions posed by the Grand Bend Strip.

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Greg McClinchey
Liberal
Exeter
519-297-2047
mcclincheycampaign@rogers.com
www.gregmcclinchey.ca
 
Birthday: April 3
Hometown: Clinton
Status: Married with two children
 
College/University: Fanshawe and Carleton University
Concentration: Alternative Dispute Resolution
 High School: CHSS in Clinton
 
Employer: Paul Steckle, MP
City/Town: Goderich and Ottawa
Position: Executive Assistant
 
About Me: I was born in Clinton and I am a seventh-generation resident of Huron County. While I was raised on a small farm in Hullett Township, I currently live in Blyth with my wife Julie and our two children (two years old & three weeks old). I am an active and contributing member of my community through my involvement in the Blyth Business Association, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and as a Councillor on the North Huron Municipal Council. In addition, I volunteer with the Canadian Cancer Society, the MS Society of Canada and with the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Professionally speaking, I am trained in mediation and alternative dispute resolution and I have 15 years of on-the-job apprenticeship experience working on federal government issues both in Ottawa and locally. Most recently, I published a book and I continue to help manage a home-based business my wife and I successfully operate together.
For many years I have worked to help make Huron-Bruce a better place. Whether via my involvement in the community, church or with local youth groups, I have tried to demonstrate my commitment and belief in the philosophy of neighbour helping neighbour. With that in mind, on election day, I would ask for your support.

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Tony McQuail
New Democrat
Clinton
519-482-1428, 1-866-743-7479
info@tonymcquail.ca
www.tonymcquail.ca and www.ndp.ca/platform

Age: 56
Hometown: Farm outside Lucknow
Status: Married to Fran

Education: University of Waterloo
Concentration: Honours Environmental Studies
High School: Goderich District Collegiate Institute

Employer: Self - Meeting Place Organic Farm
City/Town: Lucknow
Position: Farmer

Activities: Farming and farm organizations, With Fran, I lead couples enrichment workshops and teach holistic management courses.

Interests: renewable energy, hiking, canoeing, holistic management, woodworking, rotational grazing, workhorses.

Favorite Music: old rock and roll
Favorite Book: Small is Beautiful - Economics as If people mattered
Favorite Quotation or Motto: Live every day as if it were your last but in a way that will not negate the future.

About Me: I’m the husband of Fran and we are the parents of two grown daughters. We are members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). We have been farming near Lucknow for 35 years. We have revitalized an uninhabited hilly farm into Meeting Place Organic Farm and have built up a small meat retail business. We have been active in farm and community organizations. We helped start and build the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario. I am a past president of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture and am currently president of Local 10 of the Ontario National Farmers Union. I was elected to three terms as a trustee on the Huron County Board of Education. I served as Elmer Buchanan’s executive assistant when he was Minister of Agriculture and worked with the farm community to develop what became the Environmental Farm Plan program and stable funding for farm organizations. We have worked to make our own farm environmentally friendly and sustainable.

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Dennis Valenta
Independent
Clinton
519-482-5043
dennis@dadlovesyoutoo.com
www.dadlovesyoutoo.com

Birthday: Feb. 18, 1962
Hometown: Clinton
Status: Divorced
 
Education: Finished grade 10
Concentration: Working hard
 
Employer: Little Rock Farm Trucking
Town: Walkerton
Position: Truck-driver
 
Interests: camping, motorcycles (a Harley),watching/learning from people, driving thru countryside, watching thunderstorms from dry place
 
Favourite Music: classic rock, some country
Favourite TV show: don’t have favorite T.V show
Favourite Movie: Enjoy most movies that are based on true stories
Favourite Book: Been awhile since I had time to read a good book other than the Bible
Favorite Quotation or Motto: “Early bird gets the worm” still haven’t figured what I would do with it when I do get it; or “When dealt lemons, make lemonade.”
 
About Me: As Independent, I will be free of party, to work for the constituent. And that folks is how democracy works. Thank you.
Dennis Valenta, your independent choice.

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Ben Lobb
Conservative
Holmesville
1-877-524-6560
ben@benlobb.com
www.benlobb.com

Birthday: September 10, 1076
Hometown: Clinton
Status: Married

College/University: Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee
Concentration: Business Administration
High School: Central Huron Secondary School

Employer: Desire2Learn Inc.
City/Town: Kitchener
Position: Purchasing Manager / Cost Analyst

Activities: golf, baseball, mountain biking
Interests: investing, politics, fitness
Favorite Music: rock
Favorite TV Show: Saturday Night Live
Favorite Movie: The Usual Suspects
Favorite Book: Warren Buffet Portfolio
Favorite Quotation or Motto: Carpe Diem “Seize the day”

About Me: I was born and raised in Clinton, Ontario and currently reside in Holmesville. The Lobb family is a seven-generation Huron County family. I attended Lee University in Cleveland Tennessee on a baseball scholarship and graduated with a degree in Business Administration. I worked at Wescast Industries for seven years and currently work for a software company called Desire2Learn as the Purchasing Manager and Cost Analyst. I also still help with our family auction business Lobb Auction as an auctioneer on the weekends. I enjoy playing golf and outdoor activities.

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Glen Smith
Green
Did not return our questionnaire

Federal election questions: Huron-Bruce

The Strip asked all of the candidates five questions related to federal issues in our ridings.
The Green Party did not return our questionnaire by press time, and the Christian Heritage Party’s Dave Joslin did not respond to these questions.

Huron-Bruce

What is the most pressing issue facing your riding, and what do you plan to do about it if elected?
Greg McClinchey: There is no such thing as one issue that is most important in an election. Elections are never about any one issue. Elections are about Canadians selecting the people who will help guide our nation’s path in the years ahead. Anyone who would try to tell you that elections can be distilled down to a single issue are trying to sell you an overly simplified version of their marketing plan. Elections are a time when citizens should engage in the process, talk to neighbours and discuss issues with those seeking office. Citizens should make their candidates talk about the issues that are discussed in the milk house, around kitchen tables and at coffee shops. It is not for political parties to tell local citizens what an election is going to be about - the flow of information should be running from the constituency to Ottawa and not the other way around.
Tony McQuail: When I first ran federally in 1980 we said we should be using the windfall profits of the oil companies and invest them in energy conservation and renewable energy. We didn’t do it then and we are now heading into a perfect ecological and economic storm composed of three interconnected components - peak oil, climate change and environmental collapse. These are real problems that are shaking the underpinnings of our global casino financial economy. So the biggest challenge facing Huron-Bruce and the rest of the world is to make the transition from the global casino economy to an ecologically sustainable economy that uses our local resources to shift away from oil, reduce our contribution to climate change and manage our natural resources in an ecologically sustainable fashion so that we have secure local livelihoods. During this election I have been “test driving” a rural ride share concept that could let us halve our gas use and transportation costs now with our existing vehicles. If elected I would work with our community to develop local solutions and then work in Ottawa to get pilot project funding and support for local initiatives. I would also support the New Democrats plan to cap carbon emissions, make large polluters pay, and use that money to help communities develop green technologies and green collar jobs. Developing a local economy that will offer secure jobs in a sustainable community can be the result of developing a green economy.
Dennis Valenta: LACK OF REPRESENTATION would be the most pressing issue in this (or any) Riding (except where there is an Independent already) as we are not tied to the party and free to work for the very people whom not only elect MPs but pay their wages.
Ben Lobb: I believe that the most pressing issue facing our riding is the economy. If elected, I believe we need to continue to keep taxes low, keep our budget balance and keep paying down our national debt. I would also fight to keep industry and manufacturing jobs in the riding. Just a few days ago the Volvo plant in Goderich announced that it would be closing doors and heading south of the border. This will leave many people without jobs. We need to invest in retraining these individuals so they can develop new skills to re-enter the workforce.

What is the biggest environmental issue facing your riding and what will you do to address it?
Greg McClinchey: Greenhouse gas reduction is important but so is the long-term health of the Great Lakes. So often we fail to address the dire need for a national water policy. I am proud that the Liberal Party has identified Great Lakes health as a priority and I eagerly look forward to working to help make certain that the Lakes get the attention that they deserve.
Tony McQuail: Climate change will affect agriculture, tourism and the global economy. The New Democrats cap and trade plan would limit carbon emissions from Canada’s largest polluters and invest in renewable and green technologies to assist the families around the kitchen table to save money and reduce their carbon emissions. For more details see:
www.ndp.ca/platform/environment/
Dennis Valenta: Two things come to mind about the environment: garbage and Bruce Power/heavy water/lake. No I’m not going to promise to get rid of either. I do think federal government should always be watching, not hindering but enforcing regulations to keep our source of power safe for those that produce and use it.
I think we should be looking at incineration, as a practical way of getting rid of our garbage.
Ben Lobb: This riding borders one of the Great Lakes; I believe protecting this freshwater reserve is a concern for many residents in Huron-Bruce. The Conservative government is investing $48 million dollars to clean up eight areas of concern on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes. We will continue to work with our neighbors to the south to protect this natural resource. We have also restated our commitment that Conservatives are strictly opposed to the export of bulk water.
I also believe Canada, along with the rest of the world, needs to tackle climate change. That is why we have introduced tough mandatory targets for industry right here at home. Canada will also play an active role in negotiations to develop a new international agreement on climate change with contributions from all major emitters, including the United States, China and India. We should be seeking to ensure that global emissions are cut at least in half by 2050.

Do you believe your riding needs federal infrastructure funding, and if so, what will you do to bring it here?
Greg McClinchey: I am a local councillor so I struggle with this question each and every day. The answer is unreservedly YES! Infrastructure renewal is one of the most pressing issues we face today. In some communities, such as Hensall, Crediton and Belgrave, people are being forced to pay thousands of dollars from their own pocket just to have fresh water to drink. This reality is bankrupting business and it is forcing people from their homes. This is unacceptable. If the Harper government would stop making foolish choices like cutting the GST (something which offered little help to the average Canadian), perhaps we would have the fiscal capacity to help people update their infrastructure without forcing hard-working Canadians to leave their homes. Infrastructure must be a national priority and must not be shuffled off to the municipalities or to private homeowners.
Tony McQuail: Yes, and also federal funding to support the retooling of existing manufacturing in the riding so that we can produce the emerging green technologies and parts for the small and low- and no-emission cars that we are proposing in our green car strategy. I would work with local municipalities and industries to identify needs and opportunities. I would represent these to Ottawa and seek to find the appropriate programs and departments from which to obtain support.
Dennis Valenta: Yes. Let’s remember, any money that Federal Government has IS OUR MONEY!!! The taxpayer has earned the right to spend their money as they see fit, and I will voice that opinion until we in Huron-Bruce get our fair share. That would be total amount of cash, divided by total number of ridings equals amount per riding
Ben Lobb: I believe that infrastructure is an ongoing issue. Last year the Conservative government implemented the Building Canada Plan. This plan is a $33-billion, seven-year plan to contribute to a competitive economy, a cleaner environment and strong and prosperous communities. Last year alone, the Conservative Government invested money in wastewater treatment and water systems in four municipalities in Huron-Bruce. If elected I will fight to bring more money to this riding to provide cleaner drinking water, safer highways and expanded public transit. This will mean new projects, construction and jobs for the riding of Huron Bruce.

What will you do to stimulate the economy in your riding?
Greg McClinchey: The current infrastructure deficit in Canada is about $123 billion. Imagine the economic boom that would take place if the federal government was serious about dealing with crumbling water systems, roads, sewers, etc. Mr. Harper’s cutting of the GST by two per cent cost the federal government about $12-billion per year. Had we put that money towards infrastructure it would have completely renewed our national infrastructure in 10 years and it would have touched off the largest national construction effort in our history. It would have employed hundreds of thousands of people for a decade. Innovate out-of-the-box thinking like this is what our country needs. Not shortsighted policies designed to buy votes.
Tony McQuail: In the post=petroleum economy, we need to stop thinking of “stimulate” and “growth”. These have been the watchwords of the speculative bubble economies of Wall Street and Bay Street. The economic assumptions underpinning these words were made possible by a century spent squandering the planet’s oil reserves that had taken millions of years to accumulate. Wall Street and Bay Street have “stimulated” themselves to economic collapse and “grown” the economy to the point of cannibalizing nature. If we are going to have a future we can be proud to pass on to our children, we need to think about how to stabilize our local economy so that it is durable and frugal and meets the needs of the families around the kitchen tables across Huron-Bruce for now and into the future. I’ve spent the past 35 years of my life helping farmers shift to more ecological forms of farming that offer them greater stability and control of their lives. I’ve also been studying ecological economics and holistic management and would work with the people of Huron-Bruce to do serious sustainability planning. The New Democrats platform includes provisions for improvements to EI and transitional funding to help individuals and communities shift from old employment and technologies into the green collar jobs in the emerging economy.
Dennis Valenta: Bring community college to riding, which helps keep youth in riding. Have schools teach farming/manufacturing/tourism, whatever. Eliminate government red tape so industry can prosper. Look at building better four-lane highway to connect us to major centres.
Ben Lobb: I believe that we need to keep our spending focused, our budget balanced and our taxes down to protect the living standards of Canadian families at a time of global economic uncertainty. We need to keep industry in the riding, attract new industry and invest in retraining initiatives so those that have lost their jobs can develop new skills to re-enter the workforce and hopefully into a higher paying job. To help attract new industry, the Conservative government has committed to reducing corporate taxes and by 2012 Canada will have the lowest corporate tax rate among the G7 nations.

Tourism is an important industry in our readership area. Do you believe the federal government should fund arts and culture projects, and if so, what kind?
Greg McClinchey: The Harper Government recently announced dramatic cuts to arts and culture funding and I feel that this is a tremendously shortsighted policy. Tourism is essential to the survival of places like Grand Bend and Blyth and cutting culture is cutting tourist attractions. Also, tourism is a major industry in Canada - worth billions of dollars. Cutting the arts is yet another serious blow to Ontario’s economy; an attack that we could have done without. The Liberal Party is opposed to any such cuts and would reverse the move without hesitation. Tourism needs to be bolstered - not slashed.
Tony McQuail: Yes. We would restore the arts funding arbitrarily cut by the Harper Conservatives. Increase public funding for the Canada Council for the Arts. We believe in supporting local theatre and festivals and community arts programs. We would also develop a strategy for funding, supporting and preserving Canadian museums, historic buildings and heritage lighthouses.
Dennis Valenta: Yes I do. Only the ones that would draw people to spend their money to see! Government should be run like a business, not in competition with, but like, and it will thrive.
Ben Lobb: I think we should engage Canadians in their communities through the expression and celebration of local culture. The economic impacts of tourism in this riding are important to a strong economy. The Conservative government provides $2.3 billion annually to arts and culture and has increased the funding by eight per cent over the previous Liberal government. The Conservatives have committed $100 million to our national museums and national art centers to address operating and infrastructure pressures. Just recently, the Conservatives awarded almost $100,000 for Southampton’s 150th anniversary celebration, which included performances by local artists and musicians.

Down the drain

View from the Strip
By Casey Lessard

It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but – like it or not – Grand Bend area residents will soon be tying into a municipal sewage system. Many people aren’t aware of the impending costs that are associated with the process, but with figures in the tens of thousands of dollars, they need to start planning now. Perhaps you’re one of them.
Crediton faced this crisis two years ago, and the fallout still has residents talking. Just recently, they faced a deadline to pay cash (about $10,000 per lot plus hookup costs) or face mandatory financing at more than five per cent for 20 years; many thought the day would not come, and missed an opportunity to reduce their costs by finding private financing on their own.
While you can’t stop the provincially mandated process that is well on its way, if you live in the area affected by the proposed sewage system (Grand Bend, St. Joseph, and Dashwood), you can start saving your pennies and talking to your bank. The cost isn’t set yet, but you can bet (based on other communities’ experiences) it will be in the five-figure range for most. Do you have that kind of money underneath your mattress? Didn’t think so.
The situation is worst for the residents of Dashwood, who will have to pipe their waste into Grand Bend, and it’s quite a distance. The cost to do so will be between 20 and 30 per cent of their home values for many.
Home values will increase accordingly, residents are told. Tell that to homeowners in Crediton, where home values haven’t changed much and the home sales market is flooded. Don’t be surprised if you see the same situation in Dashwood some day soon.

John Mason’s Last Stand

The Dashwood resident isn’t eager to tie into Grand Bend’s sewage line. Are you?

Story and photo by Casey Lessard

Sewage collection system information session
Tuesday, September 30
7 to 9 p.m. - Grand Bend Public School

Standing in front of a lagoon that currently services the sewage waste of 1100 residents, John Mason wonders how these same lagoons east of Grand Bend will hold the waste of 11,000 in 2031. Yes, there will be a new sewage treatment facility at the site (once the tri-municipality consortium of Lambton Shores, Bluewater and South Huron approves it), but the Dashwood resident questions the decisions that are leading to the future he fears.
“People are upset,” Mason says. “I had a neighbour come over the other night crying; she can’t afford to keep going right now, let alone have a $26,000 sewage bill to tie in. Then there’s the $150 monthly cost. Mother Nature is doing it for free right now (Dashwood is on septic). They’re just putting undue hardships on everybody.”
Since the Walkerton E. coli tragedy, wastewater at all Ontario lagoons (Grand Bend’s was installed in 1979) must be treated through a treatment plant. Following Crediton’s and Hensall’s lead, Dashwood, St. Joseph and Grand Bend must now convert from septic to sewage with a plant at the present lagoon site on Mollard Line.
“Last year in Hensall, the costs that were presented to us then were $26,000 for each lot in Dashwood to tie into the system,” Mason says, “but that’s at today’s rates and we might not tie in for 10 or 12 years. Who knows what the price will be then.”
Mason is concerned that not everyone in the project’s zone is aware of the fact that they’ll be paying big money to tie in.
“Along the lake it’s $24,000 each to start,” he predicts. “A 3,000 gallon tank is $5,000. The other tank is $5,000. Plus they have to tie in from the road, so all told it’s about $40,000 per lot from St. Joseph to the Pinery.”
Lambton Shores community services director Peggy Van Mierlo-West says she can’t confirm a projected per household cost because the firm handling the project, Dillon Consulting, is not finished its proposal and has not set a cost estimate.
“They are working on that right now,” she says, “so I don’t know where people are coming up with those numbers.”
Mason figures that with Dashwood home values in the $150,000 range, it’s not a stretch to suggest that most families there will have to refinance their homes or move.
“We recently put my mom in a home, so we have her home for sale. It’s 30 years old, brick with a full basement on an acre lot. Double-car garage. We got an offer on it the other day for $147,000. A house just like it just sold in Exeter for $349,000. Wait until we get assessed for sewage, and we won’t be able to give this house away.
“Dashwood’s the last teepee standing, where we can live cheaply. Where are our poor people going to live? The Bible says, ‘The meek shall inherit the Earth.’ Where are we meek going to live?”
Mason has some solutions that could help pay for the project. They include making such infrastructure expenditures tax deductible; offering government loans at the prime rate; and canceling the project by diverting the affluent to fertilize trees at the Pinery.
The public input phase for the tertiary plant is complete, Van Mierlo-West says. Promoted as a superior environmental alternative, the new facility would use top of the line technology, including UV radiation, to purify water and eliminate not only bacteria but also nitrates and phosphates, along with any toxic materials residents put down their drains. Solar, wind, and geothermal technology would help power and heat the plant.
The lagoons on Mollard Line currently drain into the Shipka Drain, which feeds the Parkhill Creek, which takes the water to Lake Huron south of the pier. While the new system will manage 10-times as much water, Van Mierlo-West says it will reduce the amount of waste that goes into the lake – by a long shot.
“It doesn’t eliminate the risk, but it reduces it most drastically. Very low actually,” she says. “We’re sizing it for that capacity, and we’re looking at a method that will have the water treated by UV light before it’s released.”
The September 30 meeting is a chance for residents to tell Lambton Shores council which system they want to transport the waste from their home to the plant. The two options are: gravity to a municipal pumping station; and privately powered pumps that force the water into the main pipes. With the first system, small buildings with control panels will be erected in strategic locations; with the second, each homeowner will pay hydro to pump the waste out.
“We haven’t made a decision yet on which method we’re looking at,” Van Mierlo-West says, noting the cost for each will be presented at the meeting.
After receiving more than 100 comments from the last public meeting, Van Mierlo-West is eager to see a strong community turnout; community associations in Southcott Pines and Huron Woods, among others, are encouraging residents to attend the meeting.
“A lot of people are going to be showing up for this meeting,” she says. “It’s nice to know there’s interest in this project. If there wasn’t, I’d be worried.”

Cooking local, seasonal fare

Photos and story by Casey Lessard

If you’re thinking of eating local food, but don’t feel like cooking, the seven area restaurants that are dining partners with the Grand Bend Farmers’ Market can help.
The farmers’ market’s Simply in Season dining partnership is halfway through its second year, and diners can enjoy a meal including seasonal items with produce from the market. Among the partners are F.I.N.E. A Restaurant, The Schoolhouse Restaurant, Aunt Gussie’s, The Colonial Hotel, Back ‘n Time Diner, Paddington’s, and Hessenland. Each restaurant will feature at least one recipe from the Simply in Season cookbook published by the Mennonite Central Committee three weeks this summer.
“We want as many people as possible who prepare food to think local,” says market manager Christine Bregman. “We want the consumer to be both the customer and the professional preparing the food.”
“This year I changed it a bit to something I could give in our breadbasket,” says F.I.N.E. owner Erryn Shephard, whose restaurant is next featured August 27 to September 2. “I did strawberry soup from the book, and a lemon thyme bread so people could get a sampling from it.”
When possible, restaurants are asked to purchase their raw materials from the farmers at the market. For F.I.N.E., it’s an extension of a policy to aim for local food whenever possible.
“We get our meats from Metzger’s, a great butcher,” Shephard says. “It’s an old German family. It’s an awesome place. This summer, Metzger’s has a cold-smoked pork chop, and we’re selling the heck out of it, with caramelized onions and pineapple salsa. Then we get our perch and pickerel just down the road here from Forbes, where we get our corn, too.”
Being able to access large quantities of local food is a challenge for Hessenland, which increasingly relies on the banquet business.
“It’s challenging to source a lot of stuff locally because of quantity and consistency,” says Frank Ihrig. “When you’re cooking for 200 people, I can’t say I can necessarily get potatoes for that many people from someone’s backyard or garden.”
Both restaurants enjoy easy access to special items at various times of the year.
“As the season comes, tomatoes will be on soon, and we’ll be making chili sauce and canning it for sale,” Shephard says.
“I can almost walk (to Mike Masse’s pumpkin patch) and pick up my pumpkins and squash for soups and salads,” Ihrig notes.
“We use honey from Ferguson’s for desserts and for sauces because honey has a more intense sweetness and is more rounded. It gives a nicer transition from salty to sweet.”
And the sweetness translates into local suppliers’ wallets, too.
“If we can get it locally, the quality is higher because it’s not traveling as far,” Ihrig says. “If we can keep the money in our own community, there’s an economic spin-off as well.”

All good things come to an end

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 the ability to learn more about the people who live and work in this community. I love meeting you and capturing your memories for the paper. This is what I feel I can bring to this community, and I want to stay here.
I also feel it’s important to bring to light some of the problems that exist here, and the challenges we face in this community. I’m willing to put the work into creating quality journalism here, but I can’t do it alone.
The Strip will continue to be free until the end of the summer, which on most people’s calendar is the Thanksgiving weekend. After that, it will be available only to Strip Club VIP members. Even the website will be restricted to VIPs. I have yet to decide whether the exclusivity will continue next summer.
I promise to make membership worthwhile, and hope you will contribute to surveys to improve the paper, and take advantage of special offers from our advertising clients.
For more information about club membership, please see our subscription page.

Father’s Day - Celebrate weekend with Playhouse stars

If dad enjoys theatre, Brentwood on the Beach’s annual Breakfast with the Stars may be a perfect Father’s Day gift. Guests who book the weekend at the St. Joseph area bed and breakfast for the Father’s Day weekend get tickets to the Saturday evening performance of My Fair Lady and will dine with the play’s stars Sunday morning.
This is the 14th year for Joan and Peter Karstens’ event, and is part of a season-long promotion that earns Brentwood guests a 10% discount on tickets to Drayton’s Huron Country Playhouse performances.
To book your spot for the weekend, contact Joan Karstens at Brentwood on the Beach at 519-236-7137 or beachbnb at hay.net.
For more information, visit www.brentwoodonthebeach.com.

May 3-4 - Grand Bend Studio Tour

The Grand Bend Studio Tour runs this weekend, featuring 25 artists at venues around town. For more details, visit the Grand Bend Studio Tour website. The show runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 3 and from 12 to 4 p.m. Sunday May 4.

Register before May 15: Help keep nursery school open

Grand Bend Nursery School needs your help to raise the money needed to stay open, and is launching an annual golf tournament fundraiser at St. Joseph’s Bayview Golf Club May 30.
The nursery school is housed in the Grand Bend Public School, and lost 2/3 of its government funding, reducing its teaching budget by $7,500 per year. Parents already cover the bulk of the costs through tuition and fundraisers.
“With this cutback, we literally will not be able to keep our doors open if we don’t find something big that we can do to help generate some money for us,” says teacher’s assistant Carrie Grainger, who notes the school has been running for about 34 years. “In order to keep young families coming, the town has to offer something. You have to be able to cater to everybody. When you look at the community, there’s nothing for that age group (from 2-5). For the parents, it is important that they have that free time, once or twice a week. And it’s in a learning environment, so they’re learning to play nice and socialize.”
The fundraiser is seeking golfers, volunteers and sponsors, with each hole available for sponsorship at $100 per hole. There will be a live and silent auction, so any donations are welcome. All funds go directly to the school. To register as a player or sponsor, contact Julia at ELS and Company, at 519-238-2199.

A call to former St. Peter’s parishioners

Are you a previous parishioner of St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church in St. Joseph? Join St. Peter’s 135th Anniversary Celebration! Saturday, July 12th features an evening of local entertainment. An outdoor mass will be celebrated Sunday, July 13th at 10:30 a.m. followed by lunch. Enjoy this opportunity to view historical displays, reminisce, and renew old friendships. There will be various activities for the children. In order to accommodate everyone, advance registration is recommended. For more information and to register call Monique 519-236-7817, Dennis 519-236-4755 or visit www.bluewater.dionet.ca.