By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

After close to four decades, nearly 25,000 guests, and countless memories shared inside one of Haliburton County’s iconic architectural landmarks, Don and Jessie Pflug have closed the doors of the Stouffer Mill Bed & Breakfast.

For 37 years, the Pflugs welcomed 24,968 guests at their unique residence in Algonquin Highlands. And if it wasn’t for Father Time, the couple would have likely continued along with hosting visitors from afar. Don will celebrate his 89th birthday on July 29, the exact same day the couple is scheduled to pack up and move to Minden.

“Age and the property is a lot of work,” Don explained when asked when he knew it was time. “We don’t have any employees, we do it all ourselves, and I keep the road open in the winter, and I look after it in the summer and everything. And Jess is a little younger than me, but, you know, she has the brunt of the bed and breakfast because she’s doing breakfast every day.”

The building itself was a local wonder in the Highlands. It is a dodecagon, a symmetrical, 12-sided structure that was built 50 years ago by original owner Elgin Stouffer.

“He built it out of his head,” Don recalled. “There are no plans. I didn’t get any plans with it.”

Each wall contains a heavy steel rod, leaving the entire upper floor suspended from above. The foundation is just as sturdy, featuring a massive central tank in a full basement with a poured concrete floor thick enough that the owners used to seamlessly drive their car in a full circle around it.

“So the house is not going anywhere,”

Don said with a laugh. Don and Jessie’s venture into the B&B business started by accident, essentially. In 1989, the couple was working in real estate when the housing market suddenly tanked. Left with few options, they took a leap of faith on the unique property, which sat on 136 acres of forest featuring five kilometres of trails, which Don had carved out.

The idea for the business came simply on a quiet morning overlooking Halls Lake.

“We came up one morning and looked out at the lake, and it was absolutely beautiful,” Jessie said. “Don said to me, ‘You know, Jessie, we should be sharing this.’ And I said, ‘well, why don’t we start a bed and breakfast?’ We said, ‘okay, let’s do it.’ That was the amount of thought we put into it.”

For nearly 40 years of operation, the three-bedroom B&B generated staggering statistics with 37 years in business and 25 consecutive years of visits from a single group of friends.

When Stouffer Mill first opened, the internet as we know it did not exist. The Pflugs built their reputation through physical guidebooks, local word-of-mouth, and expensive radio advertisements. Their breakthrough came via a snail-mail invitation from a new website called BB Canada. Don and Jessie signed up immediately.

Decades later, that adaptability saved them during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the hospitality industry took a massive hit, Don researched hospitalgrade disinfectants, bought a fine-particle paint sprayer, and carefully sanitized every railing and surface. They divided their dining spaces into three isolated areas, turning their rural property into a muchneeded refuge for isolated city dwellers.

“People from the city, if you were in a condo, you had to get away,” Jessie recalled. “They could come here, walk the trails, and just breathe. It gave Don and me a purpose through COVID.”

As for saying goodbye, the announcement of the closure was met with tears, hugs, and an outpouring of messages on social media from around the world. Over the decades, the mill hosted everything from standard road-trippers to international weddings, including a memorable winter wedding on New Year’s Eve and a ceremony where a bride’s parents flew in directly from Shanghai.

So what’s next? The 12-sided house is transitioning into a private residence, and Don and Jessie are downsizing to Minden to stay close to their church and friends. They have zero plans to slow down. Don is already eyeing a return to the curling rink, and both intend to find new volunteer roles.

“I just like to thank them all for finding us and adding to the quality of our life,” Jessie said of the nearly 25,000 past guests. “It was always like opening a Christmas present when a guest came to the door. We cherish every one of them.”

The County of Haliburton handed out its first-ever accessibility awards during a ceremony before a May 27 council meeting.

Coun. Jennifer Dailloux, on behalf of council’s joint accessibility advisory committee, said, “today marks an important milestone for our County as we recognize the people, businesses and organizations within Haliburton County whose actions help make our community more inclusive, welcoming and accessible for all.”

She added, “accessibility is about more than removing barriers. It is about creating spaces, services and opportunities where everyone can participate fully and with dignity. These awards shine a light on leadership, compassion and commitment that helps move us forward together.”

Community member Curtis Eastmure was awarded for his work in helping to get hand railings installed at the Northern Lights Performing Arts Pavilion. Dailloux said a representative of Aging Together as Community approached Eastmure about the need and he took quick action to get it fulfilled.

Sir Sam’s Ski/Ride won in the business category. Dailloux discussed a number of initiatives they have undertaken that makes the hill accessible for everyone, including seniors, and people with physical and intellectual disabilities. Some examples include barrier-free washrooms, a wheelchair ramp, seniors’ rates, and the CADS (Canadian Adaptive Snowsports) program. The program provides support for persons who have physical or intellectual disabilities.

The other recipients were the Haliburton Legion’s Mike and Cheryl Waller. The legion recently installed a lift, ramp, handsfree entrance doors, accessible washrooms and parking. Dailloux called them “champions of access.”

She said all of the winners had made a “meaningful difference” to our community.

The Cardiff food bank has been renamed in honour of one of its longest-tenured volunteers, outgoing Highlands East coun. Cam McKenzie.

The space will be known as ‘Cam’s Cupboard’ in recognition of the decade McKenzie spent working there. He joined the food bank, operated by Central Food Network (CFN), in 2015 when it was operating out of the basement of the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.

Through his 10 years with CFN, McKenzie helped transition the food bank to its current location at the back of the Cardiff Post Office at 2778 Monck Rd., planned volunteer work schedules, arranged bulk food pick-ups and community drop offs and oversaw community shopping days.

He stepped down from his volunteer role last spring after going through some serious health scares. That’s the reason the three-term councillor has also decided to call it quits with Highlands East, confirming on June 15 that he won’t be seeking re-election.

Asked for some of his standout memories from volunteering with CFN, McKenzie said it’s the connections he’s made that he holds close. One story about assisting a family with three growing boys always stands out.

“We helped a lot of people over the years, but this family I especially remember. We used to get a good deal on apples from a local producer, so I told the mom to grab a grocery bag and fill it halfway full with apples for her boys. They couldn’t believe it,”

McKenzie said. “They left the food bank that day so excited because each of the boys would have an apple for their lunch every day that week. That’s the kind of thing this is all about.” McKenzie said he found out CFN was planning something earlier this year. He was supposed to attend a gathering at the Cardiff food bank a few months ago but had to cancel last-minute following a difficult morning health-wise. CFN’s Tina Jackson had arranged for McKenzie’s two children to be there for a surprise unveiling of the new sign, which is hanging by the main entrance.

“I felt bad about missing that one,” McKenzie said. “It does make you feel good, being recognized like this. I don’t think it’s necessary. I’ve had a lot of help over the years and there’s a great team in place now… the food bank is established, where it really wasn’t when I got involved.”

Jackson paid homage to McKenzie at CFN’s annual general meeting, held virtually May 28. She said he “gave so much of himself” to the Cardiff food bank, establishing a reputation that will live on long into the future.

“His compassion, stewardship and empathy for neighbours have created a legacy that will endure,” Jackson said.

An unveiling ceremony for the sign will be held June 30 at the food bank.

Three terms and out

McKenzie was first elected in 2014 as the Ward 1 representative for Bicroft. He was re-elected for a second term in 2018 and acclaimed in 2022.

At 78 years of age, McKenzie said he was following the advice of one of his Hollywood heroes, Clint Eastwood, who in the 1971 classic Dirty Harry said, “a man’s got to know his limitations.”

McKenzie added, “I’ve enjoyed my 12 years on council, but my health is telling me no more.” The outgoing official believes it’s an interesting time to get involved in municipal politics, with the County spearheading a project looking for ways for the four lower-tier townships to work more closely together.

“The new affordability and feasibility review is maybe the most important thing I’ve been involved in as a councillor. The decisions made on that file will impact people for generations,” McKenzie said.

By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As Bookapalooza returns for its annual celebration, literary talent is taking over the County, showcasing the local arts scene alongside major international bestsellers.

The festival is hitting its stride with a soldout exhibit hall on Saturday at the Minden Community Centre and a headlining lineup featuring bestselling authors Bianca Marais and Marissa Stapley.

For Douglas Tindal, a Countybased author and arts council member, Bookapalooza is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the literary community that operates quietly behind the scenes.

“When someone moves to Haliburton, one of the first things you see is the incredible range of musical talent. It’s everywhere. Then you see either the visual arts or the performing arts,” Tindal told The Highlander. “You don’t as readily see the literary arts. Bookapalooza is an event that tries to give the literary arts centre stage.”

Stapley, one of Bookapalooza’s headliners, brings literary starpower to the festival with a personal connection to the County. As the first Canadian author selected for Reese Witherspoon’s book club with her novel Lucky, Stapley fulfilled a dream of buying a cottage in Haliburton thanks to the success of the book.

“My reaction was just like… it did feel like winning the lottery,” Stapley told The Highlander in a recent interview. “It’s so rare. I’m still the only Canadian who’s been a Reese’s pick. It’s such an honour, honestly.”

The success of Lucky didn’t just stop there. Next month, an adaptation of Lucky premieres on Apple TV, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, of The Queen’s Gambit, as the protagonist. When asked about letting Hollywood take the reins of her creation, Stapley said it was like taking a leap of faith.

“Lauren Neustadter, who’s a producer at Hello Sunshine, really describes it well. She calls it a trust fall, and you have to do that,” the author explained. “I think a great adaptation uses a piece of book [intellectual property] as a companion. I think it’s less interesting to me to watch something come to life on screen that is word-for-word and scene-for-scene exactly the same as the book, because the mediums are so different.”

Stapley began her writing career in her mid-teens with her father working at a small-town newspaper as a reporter. At just 16 years old, she began covering assignments and writing columns for him when he took a vacation, .

Stapley said her journalism background saved her “from fear of the blank page.

“That deadline-driven environment… there was so much that I learned about writing and really just actually being a productive writer from journalism,” she said.

Joining Stapley on stage is her close friend Marais, who wrote the buzzworthy book Hum If You Don’t Know the Words, a historical novel set against South Africa’s 1976 Soweto riots.

While the afternoon author Q&A and evening dinner are ticketed, admission to the main Bookapalooza exhibit hall is free to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors will have the opportunity to speak with about 40 local writers representing everything from memoirs and young adult fiction to historical drama.

Stapley offered some parting advice for local writers who may be grinding through their first or second manuscripts, and that is it’s a marathon, not a race.

“Never give up. My mom always used to say, ‘you’re the fastest overnight success. It only took a decade,’” Stapley said. “I feel that no writing is ever wasted. It’s so important to find the joy in writing, even through the disappointments, and the rejections, and the struggle to find time.”

As for Saturday’s Bookapalooza, Tindal’s message to anyone who might be on the fence about attending is simple.

“It’s one day a year. And if you miss it, you’ve missed it. So you don’t want to take that chance, do you?”

By Adam Frisk
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

While a recent string of wet weather has been well-received, Haliburton County’s fire services are standing together with a single message: the wildland fire risk is high across the region.

The long stretch of dry weather has left the forest floor across all four townships vulnerable, leaving municipalities to raise the fire danger level to “high.” Both Highlands East and Algonquin Highlands issued a statement on social media and their websites, warning of the fire threat.

“Please note that the fire rating within the Township of Algonquin Highlands has been moved to high. Daytime burning is prohibited this time of year,” the municipality said in the statement. “If you are burning at nighttime, please take extra caution and ensure your fire is fully extinguished.”

The four townships use roadside signage to indicate municipal burn allowances throughout the year, but not the daily environmental fire hazard ratings that are posted on their websites.

Conditions dryer in southeast of County

“It’s the burn levels. It’s not the fire danger rating,” explained County fire co-ordinator Michael French, who speaks as a unified voice for all four local departments. “It’s your burn opportunities.”

The County is operating under a uniform “yellow” condition, which permits open air burning strictly between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. No daytime burning is allowed anywhere in the County between April 1 and Oct. 31, and grass fires are entirely prohibited.

According to data from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) and the Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services (AFFES), the recent storms brought heavy rain to portions of the County while other areas saw less, leaving the forest floor to dry out at
different rates.

Provincial officials rely on the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index, a system maintained by Natural Resources Canada, to map the risk. Currently, the County’s fine fuel moisture code, which measures the dryness of forest debris, remains in the low to moderate range.

However, the Build Up Index (BUI), which calculates the moisture buried in the forest floor, tells a different story.
“The BUI is primarily in the moderate range across the area, with higher values in the southeast portion of Sector E01, Haliburton’s primary area of fire responsibility,” Evan Lizotte, information officer with the AFFES, explained to The Highlander.

While township fire chiefs have the authority to declare municipal fire bans within their borders, a worsening dry spell could trigger a broader provincial response. AFFES said that should conditions get to a point where any open air fire poses a threat, or if active wildland
fires begin stretching provincial response systems thin, the MNR can step in with a blanket Restricted Fire Zone (RFZ).

“They are implemented by the MNR when conditions are so hazardous that an open-air fire of any kind, no matter how well tended, could represent a real threat to the surrounding area by escaping or spreading out of control,” Lizotte said.

“RFZs are also implemented when there are increased fires on the landscape that may impact our response capacity, and any new fire starts would put pressure on our response system managing existingwildland fires.

Fire bans are imposed by a local municipality within municipal boundaries. An RFZ and a fire ban can be in place at the same time.”

The good news is that for now, provincial officials said the current conditions are well within normal expectations for early
June.

“Periods of dry and wet weather are a normal part of our climate,” Lizotte said, noting that while weather systems can occasionally cause longer dry stretches, “the current conditions in early June are not out of the ordinary compared to the past few years.”

The County fire co-ordinator noted that residents and visitors have been following the rules and that fire calls have not been driven by carelessness.

“We have had a lot of significant bushfires over the last little while, but none are the cause of human error. They’re all natural fires,” French said.

“The majority of them are power lines, but there’s been no fires that have been caused by human error, or people burning outside
the rules, which is nice to see.”

He said that because residents and cottagers are following the rules, local fire chiefs chose to hold off on escalating the County into a “red” condition, a total fire ban, last week.

“We did have the opportunity to put a fire ban on last week,” French said. “We chose not to because we didn’t want to penalize the people when they were following the rules. We had no issues.

Hal High’s Aurora Wesley received “the biggest honour of her life” last week, becoming the first person from the County to win the prestigious Terry Fox Humanitarian Award. The Grade 12 student was one of 15 youth from across Canada recognized, earning a $30,000 scholarship after years of community service, leadership, academic excellence and involvement in sport across the Highlands.

Established in 1982, the award is presented annually to students who embody Terry Fox’s spirit at the grassroots level in their home
community. It’s open to anyone aged 17 to 25.

Wesley said she learned about the award last fall from Brett Caputo, guidance teacher at Haliburton Highlands Secondary School. She was
one of 3,899 applicants.

“It’s kind of a niche award – you have to tick so many boxes, having humanitarian experience along with athletics, some kind of work
background and academics. But you also need to have gone through some kind of hardship in your life, something you’ve had to overcome, like Terry did,” Wesley said.

In her application, submitted in November, Wesley talked about how, when she was in Grade 4, she ran a ‘wig out’ fundraiser at J.D. Hodgson Elementary School that raised $1,000 for cancer research. She said the event was inspired by her godmother, who died from cancer earlier that year.

“I cut all my hair off and inspired four or five other students to do the same,” Wesley said. “We had a huge school assembly… it was
pretty exciting for an 11-year-old to feel like they are part of something bigger.”

Service above self resonates

As a pre-teen, Wesley was also involved in 4-H programming, inspired by her years of growing up on a farm. Once in high school, she joined the Interact club – a branch of Rotary for younger people. She helped with more than a dozen food and toy drives and also assisted with fundraising efforts for Hal High’s sister school – Mahatma Gandhi Sishu Siksha Sadan School in northern India.
The Interact club’s mantra of ‘service above self’ really resonated with her.

“That’s how I’ve wanted to live my life for as long as I can remember. Joining enabled me to work with a team of like minded people to tackle projects at the community, national and international level,” Wesley said.

She was also part of the group who helped bring the outdoor classroom at Hal High to life in 2024.

On the athletic side, she played field hockey and basketball and was part of the school’s wrestling and track and field teams. Away from school, she held jobs at Kawartha Dairy, Heather Lodge and Camp Wanakita.

Last fall, a sudden change at home saw Wesley’s household go from two incomes to one, which made it difficult for the family to make ends meet.

“We had to turn to the community for help and I’m really grateful for having such a supportive community in Haliburton County that we were able to get help from the local food banks,” Wesley said. “It was kind of a full circle moment for me because I received one of the gifts that I helped bring in for the teen gift drive at Christmas.

“I was passionate about helping before, but kind of felt like somebody on the outside looking in. Now, having gone through that experience, I can really relate more. I connect with others differently and approach service differently… with a level of empathy and understanding that I didn’t have before,” she added.

Surreal moment

Wesley was completing her kinesiology homework one evening in April when she received a call from Vancouver. It was Kirsten Fox, the eldest niece of Terry Fox.

“I was in shock, just started crying right away,” Wesley said, noting she met Fox in Ottawa last week. She spent two days with fellow award recipients, forming connections with some of the country’s top up-and-coming leaders.

There was also a visit to Parliament Hill, where Wesley got to watch Question Period and meet with local MP Jamie Schmale and speaker of the House of Commons, MP Francis Scarpaleggia. There was also a brief interaction with prime minister Mark Carney.

“We didn’t get to talk to him, but he walked by us and called us a ‘well-behaved bunch’.”

Wesley will be attending Western University in London in the fall, taking business administration with a focus in finance for the first two years and then transitioning to an honours business administration (HBA) at Ivey Business School. She’s thinking about going to law school after completing her undergrad, eying a career in health care policy development or hospital management.

Hal High principal Jennifer Mills said Wesley is a credit to the school and deserving of the accolade.

“Aurora is a truly exceptional individual who leads with both heart and purpose… she consistently steps outside her comfort zone to help and make the experiences for others better,” Mills said. “It has been a privilege to watch her grow in confidence at HHSS, realizing her own power to make a difference.”

Wesley said she hopes her win can help inspire future generations of students in the Highlands.

“It’s amazing when a person from a small town wins such a big award,” Wesley said.

Businesses and individuals getting development approvals from the Township of Minden Hills are expected to see improvements in coming months and years. The township, on May 28, endorsed consultants’ recommendations – allowing staff to further develop an implementation plan.

CAO Cynthia Fletcher pitched the review late last June and J.L. Richards & Associates Limited got the job in mid September.

Alison Luoma, a senior planner, and Emily Hazell, principal consultant, delivered their findings last week. They said the intent of the review “is to strengthen and modernize how planning and building approvals are delivered – ensuring the process is efficient, customer-focused, and able to respond to growing development demand.”

The 33-page overview, from a 104-page report, provided feedback that included: “while staff are professional and committed,
decision-making is cautious and sometimes slow, particularly for routine matters.” They were told there is limited clarity around
timelines, expectations, and accountability that contributes to uncertainty. Others said the process is complex and difficult to navigate.

They suggested a good step is to leverage the strategic planning process now underway at the township – to align council’s priorities with the ongoing modernization of planning and building services.

Fletcher said the final strategic plan will be coming to council this summer. Some other suggestions include developing and publishing a consolidated development approvals manual; enhancing digital communication and applicant facing tools, resources, and information;
and undertaking a comprehensive review of development application fees and cost recovery. They suggested phasing in changes, starting within one year, one to three years, and three years-plus.

Fletcher told council, “this review takes a holistic approach, examining not only current processes, but also governance, organizational structure, service delivery, and customer experience. The review incorporates stakeholder input, best practices, and opportunities to modernize tools, policies, and workflows.”

Coun. Ivan Ingram asked if any follow up work would require outside help. The consultant said larger initiatives might require support.

Coun. Tammy McKelvey commented they did not have to reinvent the wheel, and could use practices from other townships, such as Dysart et al. She added that looking at this process is “probably one of the most important things during her term of council.” She requested monthly reports to begin, but Fletcher insisted on quarterly reports, saying there would not be enough to report back on monthly.

Mayor Bob Carter said what was being recommended was “transformational.” He noted pressure on staff, dealing with day-to day requests from the public, on top of the consultant’s recommendations.

He asked J.L Richards if they had experience with other organizations facing similar challenges and how they were able to meet recommended timelines.

The consultant said they collaborated with township staff on the review and felt suggestions were not unreasonable. They
said things were already happening, or being worked towards. They encouraged flexible timelines with a focus on customers.

“Get the foundation work going, and it already is going, and that can lead into some of those larger ones.