Sledding brings $7.5M to area

November 16, 2023

Neil Vanderstoop, president of the Haliburton County Snowmobile Association (HCSA), says snowmobiling is one of the primary drivers of the Highlands economy during the winter, helping to bring more than $7.5 million of business to the area.

Applying local statistics to a new report released by the Ontario Federation of Snowmobiling Clubs last week, which pegged the industry’s total economic impact provincewide at around $6 billion in 2022/23, Vanderstoop said HCSA posted “impressive” numbers when compared to other clubs within District 6.

The region covers approximately 2,850 kilometres, traversing west from Arnprior to Deux Rivieres in the east, and south from the Ottawa River up to Sharbot Lake, Bancroft and Haliburton County.

“District 6 directly supports 9,307 full-time jobs, generating $160 million for the region,” Vanderstoop said.

He added, “if we break it down and look at direct benefits from people riding on HCSA trails, we saw [last year] $4.5 million spent on food and beverage at stores and in restaurants, $133,000 on recreation and entertainment, and $2.9 million on accommodation. That puts us at around $7.5 million,” Vanderstoop said.

“Snowmobiling is absolutely essential for the Haliburton County economy during the winter,” he added.

After taking over as president of the club in May, replacing the long tenured John Enright, Vanderstoop has been hard at work getting ready for the new season.

He agreed to a two-year term, which he said will allow him to further snowmobiling in the Highlands.

His first priority was to implement succession planning at the club, ensuring those in prominent positions are training the next batch of leaders who can step in when the time comes.

This is particularly important for club directors, who take on designing and releasing the annual HCSA trails map, putting up signs around the County, and grooming trails.

Minden access

Since early October, the club has been working on Trail B112, investing more than $20,000 on repairs. This will provide snowmobilers with easy access to Minden – something that wasn’t always possible last year.

The township of Minden Hills also installed the bridge that enables riders to cross the Gull River on Nov. 13.

“We’ve accomplished an unbelievable amount of work over the past 45 days, and it’s all leading towards a great season again in Haliburton County,” Vanderstoop said.

One feature riders can look forward to, he said, is new greeting stations at key points of trails.

“Volunteers will be out speaking to people, telling them about our club, giving them some tips and pointers of good spots to hit up. We’ll also be driving people towards our towns, so they can see… what Haliburton and Minden have to offer,” he said.

For more information, visit hcsa.ca.

Advocacy group wants Minden ER audit

Mike Baker

November 16, 2023

A Highlands-based advocacy group, fighting for the reopening of the Minden emergency department, has filed requests for Ontario’s integrity commissioner and auditor general to investigate the circumstances behind the hospital’s summer shuttering.

Minden Paper, made up of five local core team members and an advisory group of 10 to 15 others located across Canada, submitted its letter to the provincial watchdog Nov. 14. Spokesperson Jeff Nicholls, in an email to The Highlander, said it was the culmination of more than 9,000 hours of work by group members.

“We’re deeply concerned about Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS) decision to close the Minden emergency department permanently – with six weeks’ notice,” Nicholls said. “We hope to raise our collective understanding of healthcare planning and provision so more people can help ensure key decision-makers understand the socioeconomic repercussions of these decisions, and the need for effective stakeholder consultation and governance.

“We believe the closure of the Minden emergency department serves as a microcosm for what’s happening across Ontario, if not the entire country,” Nicholls added.

The letter calls for the auditor general to investigate former HHHS CEO Carolyn Plummer and the organization’s board of directors’ financial management and decision-making processes, which Minden Paper believes played a key role in the ED’s demise.

The group questioned how the organization’s deficit grew from $220,000 in June 2022 to approximately $4.1 million as of the fiscal year-end March 31, 2023.

In previous interviews with The Highlander, Plummer said the bulk of that money was spent on agency nurses, which were needed to fill shifts and avoid temporary ED closures, predominantly in Haliburton.

The Minden Paper team also believes there are inconsistencies between statements made by HHHS executive and the board, and those of Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP Laurie Scott and health minister Sylvia Jones.

“Despite Jones’ characterization of the closure as a non-financial decision… there is a litany of discrepancies between [her and Scott’s] statements and HHHS board minutes, financial statements, stakeholder accounts, and news coverage, indicating a possible neglect of their oversight responsibilities,” the letter to the integrity commissioner reads.

Nicholls claims a freedom of information act request, submitted by the Minden Paper team earlier this year seeking the business case and decision details leading to the closure, was unsatisfactory. He said the business case was not included, and further claimed the information that was sent was heavily redacted.

“The closure of the Minden ED stands to affect the wellbeing and health of our community profoundly… the patterns reflected [in HHHS financials] and the subsequent closure appear to be symptoms of deeper financial and operational malaise,” the team states.

Officials respond

In an email to The Highlander, HHHS spokesperson Lauren Ernst said the organization is already assisting an ongoing investigation the auditor general’s office is conducting, looking at the state of emergency departments across Ontario.

“HHHS has actively been involved in this audit process… since August and looks forward to reviewing the report this winter,” Ernst said.

Michelle Renaud, spokesperson for the office of the integrity commissioner, confirmed receipt of the letter, but noted an investigation into a potential breach of the Members’ Integrity Act can only take place if a complaint is submitted by another sitting MPP. The commissioner cannot accept complaints or requests for investigation from the public.

Becky Fong said the auditor general’s office “carefully considers” all information when selecting and planning audits, including information submitted by the public, but noted, “we do not comment on specific details of information received by our office, or with respect to any planned or ongoing audit work.” When audits are complete, they are tabled in the Legislature and then made public, she said.

Hannah Jensen, speaking on behalf of Jones, didn’t directly address the Minden Paper group’s letters, but indicated the health minister had no input in the decision to close the Minden ED.

“While the Ministry of Health provides funding to hospitals, hospitals are independent corporations governed by their own board of directors who are responsible for their own day-to-day operations, including the decision of what services are provided in what locations,” Jensen said.

“Our government has worked with the Kawartha North Family Health Team to establish a new urgent care clinic at the site of the former Minden emergency department to continue to connect the residents of Minden to convenient care, closer to home,” she added.

Scott did not respond to a request for comment as of press time.

Algonquin Highlands going green with burials

Mike Baker

November 16, 2023

Algonquin Highlands council has finalized plans for green burials at St. Stephen’s cemetery, with the option becoming available to people in spring 2025.

The township has been working with volunteers from the Haliburton Highlands Green Burial Society for much of the year to iron out details for the proposed site, located on Buckslide Road. A joint committee reached consensus and made recommendations to council in October.

Their plan, approved unanimously by council Nov. 2, called for 180 plots to be set aside on a .31-acre parcel on the north side of the cemetery property. Plots will be 4.5 feet by eight feet and split into 10 sections. They will be accessed by a 12-foot-wide gravel laneway, with each section separated by a four-foot “natural” path made of organic matter.

Addressing council, green burial society chair Terry Moore said this was the culmination of almost five years of work. He and his wife, Shirley, have been advocating for green burials since 2019. Following the passing of their son, Kyle, the Moores realized there were no environmentallyfriendly burial practices available to County residents, so formed the society to change that.

“This is a day our burial society members have been looking forward to for some time. We are quite excited,” Moore said. “In terms of taking care of the environment, we feel green burials are very important… it’s not the greenest option we can possibly imagine, but it’s a much greener option than fire cremation.”

Moore noted around 75 per cent of people in Haliburton County opt to be cremated after passing away.

Explaining how green burials work, Moore said it’s a simple process – bodies are typically wrapped in a biodegradable shroud, or placed in a biodegradable casket, then laid directly into a grave site. The spot remains unmarked, meaning it can be used again in the future.

One caveat with this new section is plots will be sold and used on an as-needed basis, from the back of the property forwards. This means people won’t be able to purchase designated plots, likely preventing loved ones from being buried beside one another. Public works director, Adam Thorn, said this was being done so staff didn’t have to worry about potentially driving equipment over grave sites, possibly damaging or exposing them, when digging out other plots.

Moore said this wasn’t a deal breaker for any green burial activist he’s asked.

“While the ability to be buried beside another family member would be nice to have, the opportunity to be buried in a green burial space with maximum possible naturalized green space was our members’ number one priority,” Moore said.

He noted other green burial sections, such as Canada’s first established site in Victoria, British Columbia, and another in Niagara Falls, used the same method.

Mayor Liz Danielsen said this would require the township to update internment rights in the township’s bylaws, which council agreed to do. The mayor noted this was for the green burial section only, with people retaining the right to be buried beside loved ones in the regular section of St. Stephen’s cemetery.

All changes must first be approved by the Bereavement Authority of Ontario before they can be adopted.

There was some discussion about whether staff should maintain the natural pathways between plot sections, with council opting for greenery to be mowed only in advance of a burial, and only up to and around that plot.

Winter burials

Council also provided conditional support for winter burials to take place starting in 2025, but only in the green burial section of St. Stephen’s cemetery.

Thorn noted he still had some work to do to narrow down cost, indicating his preference would be to contract grave site preparation out to a third party. Currently, township staff handle all work for burials at Algonquin Highlands’ four cemeteries. Thorn said without hiring additional staff, he wasn’t sure his team could handle the extra workload winter burials would bring. He was also worried about logistics, given the equipment used to prepare grave sites is also utilized in the winter for road maintenance.

“We have enough staff now to do the work we’re doing. Things like plowing some extra parking lots, we can handle that, but a burial is different. If we have a set timeframe when a burial needs to be done, what happens if we have a big snow event, and we have to divert all our staff to maintain roads?” Thorn said.

“We only have two pieces of equipment that can open graves… they are vital to loading trucks for sanding operations. We’d really be stuck – it would have to be a nice sunny day for us to open and close a grave properly,” he added.

Council directed Thorn to put together a full report on winter burial options to be brought back for consideration.

Taxpayers give $1M to CT scanning

Lisa Gervais

November 16, 2023

County taxpayers are giving the Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS) and its foundation $1 million towards a CT scanner and CT mammography unit.

The donation is conditional, however, on County council having representation on the HHHS board.

Council opted in favour of giving the money, with coun. Bob Carter against in a recorded vote.

Coun. Lisa Schell expressed concern before the vote, saying there had been no public discussion or input into the taxpayer funding.

“While there’s no doubt having a CT scanner in the County would be beneficial, I still struggle to believe we will find the staff to operate it,” she said. “While it might attract some emergency doctors, I would like to remind the community, and everybody in this room, we had a fully-staffed emergency department (in Minden) that HHHS closed, throwing away emergency doctors who’d been faithfully staffing the ED for decades. And now they’re asking for $1 million for a CT scanner to attract emergency doctors.”

Schell said she also struggled with the fact County council has no HHHS board representation, “and little to no say on how health services are delivered to our constituents, even though we provide a significant amount of money.”

However, coun. Murray Fearrey said past councils had given money to Minden and Haliburton hospitals in a similar fashion, and suggested the funding formula was “almost painless.”

Conditional on board seats

At a Nov. 8 meeting, CAO Mike Rutter suggested the money be paid in two equal installments, in January 2024 and January 2025 – including $200,000 in the 2024-2028 operating budgets. He also recommended $300,000 from reserves in 2024 and 2025.

Fearrey said, “if we can’t find $200K in a multi-million budget then I think we’re missing something here.” He said he had similar concerns about staffing, but that’s not the County’s mandate. He added it’s about patient care, with the ability to get a quick diagnosis and fly somebody to Toronto if needed, versus having first to be taken by ambulance to an out-of-town hospital. He said Dysart taxpayers are likely funding 40 per cent due to their population size “but I’m all in. I think it’s very important.”

Coun. Cec Ryall was in favour because it will lessen the impact on the County’s ambulance service, which is taking staff and ambulances out of the County 2,000 hours a year. But he felt the board needed to be more accountable.

Carter insisted the ask should be referred to County budget talks. “Bad planning on your (HHHS) part does not constitute an emergency on my part,” he said. He also questioned if it was the best healthcare investment the County could be making now, suggesting an emergency department in Minden as just one option. “I don’t want this to be looked upon as a shiny trinket that’s distracting everybody from our total healthcare situation here.”

He panned the board for a lack of transparency and called for two County council members to be admitted. “This board is making decisions without consulting us, talking, sharing information and it’s probably the most important institution in this County as our population grows and gets older.”

Fearrey replied, “I hear what you’re saying but we can’t keep going back and finding fault. We have to move forward here.”

Coun. Jennifer Dailloux thought the funding arrangement, which included a payback to the County and its taxpayers, is reasonable. However, she agreed with board representation.

Coun. Walt McKechnie said a CT scanner and CT mammography unit will be beneficial and save locals out-oftown trips. He said it will save the ambulance service from transferring patients and attract doctors. He added the funding formula was “not a big hit to anybody right away.”

Coun. Dave Burton also felt it was “not a huge, huge hit to the taxpayers… it’s time for us to move forward, try to get along.”

Warden Liz Danielsen said she had struggled with the ask, trying to separate the need for equipment from concerns over HHHS and re-establishing trust and communications. She also felt the donation should be conditional on board representation. She said in discussions with some HHHS board members, she had been told the change can only be made at next year’s annual general meeting.

Council approved the $1 million conditional on securing two seats on the board.

HHHS and the Foundation

HHHS acting CAO Veronica Nelson told The Highlander, “all donations to the HHHS Foundation are greatly appreciated and have a profound impact on optimizing health and wellbeing in Haliburton County. I look forward to connecting with the County.”

HHHSF executive director Melanie Klodt Wong added they were, “thrilled to have the full support of the County for this vital project that will positively impact health care in the Highlands.”

However, as noted, the support was not “full” with Carter voting against, and the condition of board representation not yet addressed.

Klodt Wong went on to say, “although we still have a long way to go to reach the campaign goal of $4.3 million, this is a big step in the right direction. I look forward to working with the County on the next steps and continuing to work within such a caring community to bring this project to fruition.”

Huskies rebound with big win over St. Mike’s

Mike Baker

November 9, 2023

The Haliburton County Huskies put together one of their most complete performances of the year Nov. 4, dominating the visiting St. Michael’s Buzzers in a 5-2 win that coach, Ryan Ramsay, hopes will kickstart his team’s season.

A pair of goals from Nicholas Lamont and further tallies from captain Patrick Saini, Charlie Fink, and a returning Ian Phillips was enough to give the hometown squad a decisive, come-from-behind victory in front of 527 fans at S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena.

“We played really well… the boys stuck to the game plan and showed what we can do when we’re on it. A big part of that, I think, is having Ian Phillips back. He’s a first line guy that we’ve been missing for some time,” Ramsay said.

Phillips missed 10 games after spraining his ankle during the OJHL Governor’s Showcase in Buffalo at the beginning of October. The Huskies won only three games during his absence, losing six and earning one tie.

The 20-year-old winger rejoined usual linemates Saini and Ty Petrou on the Huskies top line on Saturday. That trio showed signs of what the Huskies have been missing in recent weeks, pinning the Buzzers deep into their own zone and controlling play. They each had good opportunities turned away by Buzzers netminder Jacob Gorinsky in the early goings.

Lucas Stevenson went close to giving the home side the lead midway through the period, beating a Buzzers defenceman in a race for the puck and stretching his stick to try and poke one past Gorinsky, but the effort was well saved. Minutes later, Lamont, flanked by two Buzzers defencemen, skated into the zone and made a smart reverse pass across the Buzzers goal, but there was nobody there to tap it home.

After a Huskies player whiffed on the puck on the blueline, David Green capitalized on the misplay, skating in and going eye-to-eye with home netminder Brett Fullerton. While the goalie made an impressive stop, the Huskies failed to clear and Green made no mistake, beating him seconds later to give the Buzzers a one-goal lead at 14:41.

Lucas Vacca saw his shot from the point tipped onto the outside of the post during a Huskies powerplay late in the period, while Aidan Yarde could only find Gorinsky’s glove on a wrister in close seconds later. Shots at the end of the first were 22-6 in favour of the Huskies.

The home side continued to squeeze the visitors in the second frame but were hit with another sucker punch 12 minutes in; David Elmy, one of the league’s best sharpshooters, scoring his 18th goal of the season.

That sparked an immediate response – Saini made it a one-goal game at 13:15, assisted by Phillips and Petrou, with Lamont tying things a minute later, finishing off a nice move from Vacca and Fink.

Fink found the go-ahead goal with time ticking down, tickling the twine at 19:12 for his sixth goal in nine games as a Husky, assisted by Lamont and Izayah Luddington.

Lamont made a three-point night late in the third, tallying an empty-netter at 18:50, assisted by Saini and Petrou, with Phillips adding another at 19:54, assisted by Saini, to put some gloss on the final score.

Ramsay hopes this is the start of a Huskies resurgence, with the team currently languishing in 10th place in the East Conference. He’s preparing to welcome back a handful of players in the coming days – Raine Nadeau has missed the last couple of games with a concussion, Ethan Wright and Isaac Lamond have been nursing shoulder injuries, and Noah Lodoen is recovering from a high ankle sprain. Adam Smeeton is also back after finishing a three-game suspension.

“I don’t think our team, the quality we have, justifies their position right now. We have a good team. Now that we’re healthy again, we’re working on getting everyone on the same page and playing the kind of hockey fans are used to seeing,” Ramsay said.

Huskies 2-1 Stouffville

The Huskies recorded their second straight win on home ice Nov. 7, besting the Stouffville Spirit 2-1.

The home side fell behind early in the first, giving up a short-handed goal to Odaro Ewere at 7:53. They got to work in the second frame – Yarde bagging his first goal of the season, assisted by Antonio Cerqua and Smeeton 2:53 in. Petrou secured the result with a smart finish on the powerplay at 7:07, assisted by Saini and Stevenson.

Fullerton was in fine form, shutting the door on a Spirit side that largely dominated the second and third periods. He made 35 saves to earn his second win of the season.

The blue and white will be back in action Saturday when they welcome the Markham Royals to S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena. Puck drop is 4 p.m.

Taking Shindig in whole new direction

Mike Baker

November 9, 2023

The Highlands Christmas Shindig is returning for its 10th anniversary show later this month.

Taking place at the Haliburton Legion Nov. 24, the annual fundraiser will have a different look this year. Drew Allen has come on board as lead organizer, pivoting from the variety show format that has been in place since the Shindig’s inception to something, he says, will allow for greater audience participation.

Ten-piece blues band Adverse Conditions will be the feature act, performing a variety of hits from popular acts like Abba, Shania Twain, Ray Charles, and Aretha Franklin. There will be several other musical guests appearing throughout the night.

“I was a part of the show last year when there were 10 acts on the stage. Most people did one or two songs, and it was great, but there was very little audience participation. We want it to be completely different this year,” Allen said. “Because we’re dealing with one act, the audience is going to be very much encouraged to get up, dance, and be part of the show.”

Amy Brohm and Victoria Bingham will be back as hosts, recreating their popular Marple Syrup and Patsy Pine characters.

The change in venue – from the Northern Lights Performing Arts Centre to the Legion – was done to keep costs down and ensure as much money as possible can be directed towards Fuel for Warmth, the Shindig’s primary beneficiary. The event has raised in the ballpark of $30,000 annually since its inception in 2014.

After founder, Mike Jaycock, moved out of the County and several other long-term committee members decided to pursue other things, Allen said the Shindig was in real danger this year. That’s why he decided to step into more of an organizational role.

“The committee was going to disband, people were saying they didn’t think the Shindig was going to happen this year,” Allen said. “I thought to myself, I’d hate to see this really successful thing, that helps so many people, die… so I stepped in. Now we have a refreshed committee of 12 or 13 people, and we’re really excited about this new direction.”

Tickets go on sale this Friday, Nov. 10 and can be purchased at Up River Trading in Haliburton and Minden. The show will begin at 8:30 p.m. – giving people lots of time to get in the door after attending the Haliburton Santa Claus Parade, which is happening the same night. Allen expects there to be between 150 and 200 people in attendance.

“We’re really hoping for a sellout. Last year’s Shindig, ticket sales weren’t as strong as was hoped. Now that things are back to normal after COVID, we expect this will be a popular event,” he said.

The show will also be livestreamed online, with the Shindig partnering with local videographer Tammy Rea. Allen said he hopes this will assist with fundraising efforts, as people will be able to donate from the comfort of their living room.

He’s set a fundraising target of between $35,000 and $40,000.

“I didn’t understand the importance of Shindig until last year, when I was able to speak to some of the people in attendance, and people from Fuel for Warmth. I didn’t realize how many families in Haliburton need help buying things like propane, fuel oil, or firewood,” Allen said. “Fuel for Warmth helps close to 1,000 families every year, so this is a really good cause.”

Brohm, who works with the Haliburton County Paramedic Service, added, “So many people in this community are struggling in silence. People don’t know how, or where to ask for help, so they’ll go without. We’ve referred a lot of people to places like Fuel for Warmth just from responding to calls and seeing they’re living in a home without any heating. People would be shocked if they really knew how many people in this community were struggling.”

For more information on Fuel for Warmth, or to donate, visit fuelforwarmth.com.

Full-time creativity at the Cabin Art Studio

Lisa Gervais

November 9, 2023

Todd Byers spent years working for the automotive industry in Alliston, Ontario.

Meanwhile, his wife, Franca, worked as a legal secretary before switching to homeschooling the couple’s son and daughter.

While both passionate about art, the two prioritized making a living and raising their children, squeezing in art where they could.

Until now.

Todd and Franca sold their farm in Cookstown a couple of years ago. They were planning to retire to Nicaragua, when COVID hit. Plan B saw them find some land in Tory Hill, where they are building a log home and have now opened the Cabin Art Studio.

Todd offers custom illustrations, caricatures and cartoons, while Franca specializes in handmade greeting cards.

“It’s a nice arts community up here in the Haliburton area,” says Todd as he and Franca show their art on a table at their home.

Todd studied illustration at Sheridan College, then he and Franca got married and had kids, and it was more lucrative for him to work in the automotive industry, although he concedes, “doing repetitive shift work on an assembly line is soul crushing for an artist.

“I always loved art and did it freelance on the side. I taught in Mexico with another company, Comix35 Media.” He instructed in cartooning, character design and comic book page layout and will be offering upcoming workshops locally and a week-long intensive course in Quebec this spring.

Todd draws and paints in both digital and traditional media.

Franca, meanwhile, did art all through school and studied graphic design in college. But without a lot of jobs at the time, she ended up working at a law firm, married Todd and they had their children. While homeschooling, a friend introduced her to card-making and as she had always been into arts and crafts, it took.

“I started making birthday cards or Christmas cards for family members. I enjoy creating different cards and having something handmade is always more special.”

Todd adds, “we were always artsy kids and then we just ended up doing life.”

They are now coming full circle, being able to make art a priority. They are also finding Haliburton County to be an inspiring location. “Very much so,” says Todd. “I’m a big fan of, especially, the surrounding lakes and the Birch trees. I like the texture and look of Birch trees and often incorporate them into my paintings.”

As for the studio, Todd said he is doing special orders and commissions for illustrations and caricatures. He also looks forward to teaching a cartooning and character design course in the spring of 2024, “for kids to get out, and keep it affordable, for families up here whose kids are interested in the Sheridan Animation and Illustration programs.” He said he helps students from about age 12 and up with their application portfolios.

Todd said many of us stop drawing when we are five years old. “I actually really prefer kids’ drawings over adults because they’ve broken all the rules because they haven’t learned any. They’re very engaging pieces of art.”

From drawing at home after night shift, to being able to do his own art, accept commissions and teach, Todd said it’s shaping up to be a nice lifestyle change. And with no legal secretary work or homeschooling to be done, the craft table is now permanently set up in Franca’s world.

You can reach Todd and Franca at thecabinartstudio@yahoo.com.

Patient News ‘thriving’ in Haliburton County

Mike Baker

November 9, 2023

While he might have recently sold his business’ long-time home along County Road 21, Patient News co-founder and CEO, Wayne Lavery, said he’s never been more invested in Haliburton County.

Launched originally as a publishing company in 1993, Patient News has grown substantially in the decades since, boasting almost 4,000 clients in the dental industry, distributing millions of newsletters to practises across the continent bi-weekly, and “changing the game” with revolutionary new software that Lavery says tracks data dentists can use to streamline, and improve, their business.

Reflecting on his 30 years in business in the Highlands, Lavery said it’s been quite the ride.

“Patient News is a little bit different than most businesses in Haliburton, being that we’re located in the community but we do almost all of our business outside the County. We have clients across North America, employees working remotely in the GTA, in the Philippines, Romania, and India,” Lavery said. “It’s a long way from the single skew print company we started out with.” In fact, printing, at least locally, isn’t part of the company’s ethos at all anymore. Lavery said he was forced into the difficult decision of shutting down the printing press, which was located inside Patient News’ home hub, in March 2020. When COVID hit, not only was Lavery forced to close his office – 75 per cent of his clients were also shuttered. That made for a “a tough few months,” Lavery admitted.

The company pivoted, focusing more on its digital software, which Lavery said paid off in a big way. Last year, the company got back on track, posting pre-pandemic levels of profit. This year is shaping up to be a record breaking one, Lavery said.

Asked for his recipe for success, Lavery chuckles – crediting what he calls the world’s most valuable resource.

“It’s the people. Our service differentiates us – I hear it all the time,” Lavery said. “We represent Ben Winters, who has the largest social media presence in the world among dentists, with 20 million followers. When I talk to Ben, he never says ‘I love the website you built for me’, he’s going to say ‘I love working with your company. I love my account manager, my sales executive’. It’s the relationships people gravitate to.”

The company currently employees 34 people full-time, with another 15 or so part-time, and contract workers.

Lavery has fully embraced the work from home lifestyle, which is why people may have noticed a lesser presence at the Patient News Building located beside Haliburton Timber Mart. Lavery said he sold the 16,000 sq. ft. building last year, but rents about 5,500 sq. ft. of floor space for those who like working in an office environment. The rest of the building houses the Haliburton County Development Corporation and a selection of other partners under ‘The Link’ umbrella.

That shouldn’t be seen as a sign that Lavery is looking to get out of the printing and digital management business – far from it. He believes Patient News will continue to grow long into the future, and serve as a beacon for how businesses can maintain a local feel even after going global.

“The digital side is going to fuel our growth – print will still be a strong division for us, but we’re adapting our technologies every day on behalf of our clients. There’s lots of room for growth. Dentistry as a whole is a growing area,” Lavery said.

“Patient News is thriving in Haliburton – we’re very fortunate to call this community home, and with the advancements in internet, I can only see more businesses setting up here. Haliburton draws people in and makes them stick around. I think there’s such potential here now to foster and develop a vibrant business community, full of all different kinds of business,” he added.

For more information, visit patientnews. com.

Drumming out PTSD

Lisa Gervais

November 9, 2023

Gayle Crosmaz says she had an “extremely violent” childhood that left her with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

She eventually went through five years of cognitive behavioural training, and says she earned ‘the courage to come back award’ from PTSD from the Canadian Mental Health Association.

A recent transplant to the Highlands, Crosmaz is offering therapeutic drumming for veterans experiencing PTSD at the Haliburton Legion.

“I understand and honour the veterans from across time,” Crosmaz says. “These people didn’t volunteer, most of the time, to go to war. Sometimes they were forced, or conned or coerced into it, so the blame is certainly not on them. They’re innocent bystanders in a manner of speaking.”

But from her own trauma, she says, “I understand the pain, I understand the suffering, I understand the war and the energies of the soldiers.”

She has offered two circles to date but without a lot of registrations. She added she would like to continue but more veterans need to register. She is also happy for them to bring their partners.

“It’s a group therapy circle,” she explains. “We don’t just drum. We share. Each drum vibration and intention we set will trigger an emotion. Then we share; did anybody feel anything? Do you feel comfortable talking about it?”

Crosmaz said former members of the military are often in a mode of fight or flight.

“Their bodies don’t remember how to feel joy… it doesn’t remember how to feel peace because it’s always in survival mode. With the drumming and the sharing, I had two participants say, ‘this isn’t going to work’ and within the hour, they were both grinning from ear to ear and felt peace for the first time in a long time. And it might have only been a microsecond of peace, but once the body starts to remember, we build on that. Just get a microsecond of peace and then the body remembers what that feels like and wants more of that.”

Crosmaz said the key is often finding the right drum, and beat, that resonates with the person’s vibration. This goes hand-in-hand with the setting of healing intentions.

In some cases, the veterans will work with other veterans, drumming for each other.

Haliburton Legion president Mike Waller took part in one of the sessions. He said he was leery at first, but by the end found the experience “amazing”

“There’s different therapeutic drum beats she uses with the rhythm of your body, your heartbeat. It was amazing to feel the vibration. I’ve done drum circle at the Rails End and that’s amazing too, but this was amazing because it was a different feeling. The way it made your body feel, made my body feel, the way it took you. It’s like a meditation, where you let your mind float too. Where it takes you is kind of really interesting. It was really good.”

Crosmaz offers her therapeutic drumming in seven countries. She’s already booking up from February to midMay of next year.

The Haliburton Legion sessions are free and held on Sundays. People interested in registering should contact the Haliburton Legion.

Change at the helm at County

Lisa Gervais

November 9, 2023

The County of Haliburton has a new CAO.

After more than eight years at the helm, Mike Rutter is retiring and his replacement, Gary Dyke, has been announced.

Rutter told The Highlander this week, “it has been a privilege. I grew up here watching local politics. I’ve always been fascinated by local politics. My mother worked in the business and so I saw that. And I have loved being the CAO here. I really, really have.”

Rutter said early in his career, he realized the job was not about him, but taking councils as far and as fast as they wanted to go. “I feel like I have met their expectations, or at least I hope I have in that regard.”

He said he had no regrets, although there were projects he would have liked to have seen progress further and faster. He cites public transportation and the service delivery review as examples.

However, he said there are exciting things in the works.

“The work is never done, so there’s never a perfect time to step away.”

He hinted at a partnership to redevelop the Wee Care property in Haliburton that may have some housing and daycare benefits. However, he said there were still some closed session items scheduled for the Nov. 8 meeting. He expects the news to go public at the next meeting or the one after that.

He is also keen about communal servicing giving a boost to housing, particularly in rural areas.

Rutter said he does not find it frustrating working with councillors. Rather, he finds it an interesting challenge to get to know politicians and what makes them tick.

As for the future, Rutter said he has had interesting conversations about board work.

“It’s no secret we need to do more in the housing area. I love some of the more social issues things… and so maybe I can help make a difference coming at it from a different perspective rather than from this seat. The nice thing about this job is we are involved in so many different things. You see the challenges in workforce development and health care, in housing and there’s all kinds of volunteer opportunities.’

He said he’s also had talks about interim CAO work. With 32 years experience, he said he could help with transitions.

For now, he may do some volunteer work with his daughter and spend some time with family.

County warden Liz Danielsen said the County had been “extremely fortunate” to have Rutter manage its affairs for the past 8.5 years.

“Born and bred in Haliburton, Mike has truly always had our best interests at heart.

“He has guided us through a number of contentious issues and challenges over the past two terms, including, but not limited to, the shoreline preservation bylaw, the draft short-term rental bylaw as well as the ongoing service delivery review,” Danielsen said.

She added, “aside from his outstanding work ethic and attention to detail, Mike has been a pleasure to work with, and will be missed by all. We wish Mike well in his retirement and what will likely be his future endeavours once he has had a well-deserved sabbatical from municipal affairs.

New CAO

Danielsen also announced Dyke as Rutter’s successor.

She said he has more than 30 years experience in the municipal field, holding senior roles with a focus on operations, strategic planning, and legislative services.

Dyke has served on the board of directors for the Ontario Municipal Administrators’ Association (OMAA) for 10 years, as president from 2017-2018; the AMO board of directors as secretary-treasurer 2020 – 2022; the International City Managers Association (ICMA) ethics committee; and as a municipal advisor to the World Council on City Data.

“We are fortunate to have Gary join our team as the new CAO. His demonstrated commitment to community services, municipal efficiencies, organizational skills, and proven successes as a leader will serve our community well,” the warden said.

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