Dorset artist Elizabeth Johnson has made it one of her life’s missions to promote and showcase the “paradise” she calls home.

Throughout January, the painter spent approximately six hours each day outdoors recreating landscapes of some of the village’s most iconic landmarks. She submitted her collection for consideration in the 2023 Strada Challenge, which encouraged artisans from across the globe to kick off the new year by immersing themselves in nature and creating new works for each day of the month.

“I’m an outdoors person, so this program really spoke to me,” Johnson said. “The village is well-known and loved in the summer, but people don’t really know much about its beauty in the winter. I felt winter in Dorset needed to be painted and celebrated.”

Since moving to the area in 1981 with husband, Brad, Johnson has sunk deep roots in the community. After raising their four kids here, the pair has operated the seasonal Pizza on Earth restaurant on Clan MacKay Road for 14 years. Johnson also maintains a gallery at the site.

She painted her first scene overlooking Shoe Lake on New Year’s Day. For the next week, Johnson spent each day moving a kilometre closer to town, culminating in a visit to Robinson’s General Store Jan. 8.

“I ran into the store to get permission to paint the village from its roof. One hour later, the store closed its doors,” she said. “This is when painting Dorset became a serious mission for me. Over the years, Dorset has suffered from so much loss – the lands and mines office, the school, the Frost Centre, the community centre, our churches, and now, the hub of our community… I wanted to take a stand.”

Robinson’s reopened March 31, with brothers Ven Komina and Satya Jyesta taking on ownership. The pair also own and operate stores in Baysville and Kirkland Lake.

She set herself up at various spots across the downtown, completing paintings of Robinson’s, Trading Bay Dining Company, the gas station, the lumber yard, and the post office. Many in the community took to visiting Johnson, dropping off warm drinks and other treats to keep her going.

She posted her finished works online each evening, which generated a tremendous response.

“Some said the paintings made them cry from the memories they evoked. It was quite overwhelming to see how much of an impact my works were having. That’s what gave me the determination and vision to push forward – without them, I don’t know if I could have finished,” Johnson said.

An exhibit showcasing the collection, which also included pieces featuring scenes on Kawagama Lake, Paint Lake, and Rabbit’s Bay, was held at Johnson’s gallery March 18. She said it was the best art show she’s ever hosted, with people attending from as far away as Toronto and Barrie.

Most of the works have been sold, with 10 still available for purchase. All are set in handmade Canadian maple frames produced in Dorset.

Reflecting on the experience, Johnson said it was the biggest challenge of her artistic career but well worth the effort.

“It really was the best way to spend January. It gave me purpose,” she said. “And it was nice to see the community come alive and support me. There was real interest in the work. I’m quite proud of how this all turned out.”

A good time was had by all April 1 as the Haliburton Highlands Outdoors Association (HHOA) brought its traditional wild game dinner and auction back after an enforced four-year hiatus.

The event is a major fundraiser for the HHOA, usually bringing in around $5,000. Sold-out this year, the Haliburton Legion played host to more than 180 locals who were treated to a buffet-style dinner featuring a wide range of wild game, including bear, venison, moose, elk, boar, and buffalo. There were also salmon and rainbow trout dishes to enjoy, with lead organizer, Dan Johnson, saying there was a little bit of something for everybody’s taste.

“It was a real treat for us to bring this dinner back to the community, we’ve really missed hosting it over the past four years,” Johnson said

Johnson noted this was the 28th wild game dinner held in Haliburton.

While a final fundraising total is still being calculated, he said the event had done “very well.” On top of money generated through ticket sales, there was a 50/50 draw, silent auction, and donation bucket beside a complimentary photo booth.

Johnson said he was blown away by the public’s ongoing support. HHOA offered to honor all the tickets purchased ahead of the planned 2020 dinner, which was cancelled nine days before it was to run due to COVID-19, but many supporters paid again.

“They said to treat that money [paid for tickets in 2020] as a donation… a lot of people offered to do that, which I think says everything about this community,” he said.

The money will be used to fund ongoing HHOA operations, which includes running the Haliburton fish hatchery. Since 1998, the organization has raised and stocked more than 800,000 fish in over 50 local lakes.

HHOA president Dan Smith said he expects to stock between 25,000 and 30,000 fish this year. Due to ice conditions, he said work will likely begin later this month. He’s unsure which lakes will be targeted yet, with that typically dictated by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

Johnson noted Saturday’s event served a dual purpose, with HHOA recently celebrating its 30th anniversary.

“We’re calling this year our 30-plus-one. We couldn’t celebrate our 30th anniversary in 2022, but we wanted to make sure we did something to mark the occasion. It’s an important milestone for us,” Johnson said. “We’ve done a lot of great things in the community over the past three decades, so it’s nice to celebrate that.”

He and Smith noted HHOA is planning a summer-time open house and family event at the fish hatchery, located on Gelert Road.

The Sheer Luck Club wished the Minden Clam Diggers well. The Minden Mommas messaged that they too were ready to play.

According to Paul Vorvis behind the mic, so were “Peter, Pat and her sister Betty.”

Across Ontario and beyond, families, friends and neighbours sat with their bingo cards, tuned in to 100.9, Haliburton’s CanoeFM radio.

It was a Tuesday night, and with the team shout-outs over and done with, Radio Bingo was ready to start at precisely 6 p.m.

“Well good evening and welcome to Radio Bingo.”

Vorvis read the laminated script in front of him, sitting across from Michelle Leigh handling the computer and switchboard and Lillian Hall, next to the soon-to-ring phone lines.

“Proceeds from this session will be shared with CanoeFM and other not-for-profits in Haliburton County.”

With that, Vorvis turns on the bingo ball machine and the game begins.

It’s a tradition that’s ballooned in popularity over the years, particularly during the pandemic. Station manager, Roxanne Casey, said as of April 4 radio bingo had sent more than $400,000 to 42 community groups across the County.

None of it would be possible without volunteers like Vorvis and committed Bingo players such as Lisa Tompkins.

“I kept hearing about it from all sorts of people who played every week. It sounded like fun,” said Tompkins, former executive director of the Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation. “So, we ended up having people visiting and we said, ‘hey, you know what? We should do this.’”

Now she plays every week.

“There’s often a martini involved,” Tompkins said.

At one point, visiting family members requested she send bingo sheets to them in other parts of Ontario.

When someone at Tompkins’ bingo night wins, it’s a big deal.

“You could win $5 a night and it’s like winning a million,” she said. “It’s lots of fun to win… but it’s really not even about that. It’s more about that experience. It’s a connection to the community.”

Community winners

Before Vorvis plucks the numbers, martinis are poured and winners are declared, a crew of volunteers spreads out around the County.

They’re led by Bev Bourne and Pat Barry, two volunteers who know the game inside and out.

“It’s a great way to keep busy to keep your head above water and to keep thinking about other things right and it’s a great way to encourage people,” Barry said.

Bourne schedules the drivers who arrive at businesses from Minden to Wilberforce to Eagle Lake with packets of bingo cards.

Barry said it’s become a smoother process over the years, even as more businesses have joined on as bingo sheet vendors. They started with eight and now distribute sheets to 14.

Initially, Barry said bingo was a “hard sell” at CanoeFM. They weren’t sure how people would respond.

“They had to be convinced, but it didn’t take very long,” Barry said.

The game now sells about 650 bingo sheets each week, with the summer months bringing the tally even higher. Some cards are even photographed, with the pictures zooming around North America or even at one time, Australia.

CanoeFM Radio Bingo has gone global.

Making a difference

Last year, multiple HHSS teens won a fullyfunded trip to the Grand River Blues Camp and tickets to the Kitchener Blues Fest through a contest hosted by the Buckslide Blues Society.

Member Rusty Rustenburg said the “generous” donation from CanoeFM helped make that possible.

You can find the traces of Radio Bingo in the financial statements of most community groups or charitable organizations in the County.

“Our board of directors were thrilled to hear that bingo proceeds were being donated to Skyline Dance Studio,” said Stef Wood, a Skyline board member and fundraising lead in an email. “We were incredibly grateful as we had one big ticket item left to finish our dance space – dance mirrors for [two] of the [three] studios. With the CanoeFM donation, we had the amount we needed to place the order. We are so very proud to have [three] studios that are fully functional dance spaces because the community we live in has supported us at every turn,” she said.

Those stories are a big reason why bingo players like Tompkins enjoy the game.

“It supports the good work CanoeFM does in the community, and it’s a small way to contribute on a regular basis,” she said.

“You get so much back for it just in that experience.”

No matter the weather, rain or shine, hundreds of Highlanders and more will tune in to 100.9 next Tuesday. Vorvis, or another of the more than 20-person crew, will slip on the headphones and the game will begin.

But those volunteers get in on the action too, when time allows. Barry and her neighbours often gather for spaghetti and bingo. She’s won a game or two, too. How did it feel?

“Amazing,” Barry said

After a difficult few years manoeuvring through the COVID-19 pandemic, operations at Minden’s Walkabout Farm have never been better, says owner Jennifer Semach.

Located on 100 acres along Spring Valley Road, the farm specializes in providing equine-based programming and learning supports to hundreds of Highlanders annually. In 2022, the site registered more than 800 visits, helping people with varying levels of developmental and physical disabilities, mental health issues, and other considerations.

Semach says she’s actively working with around 60 people full-time, with half of those enrolled in the popular therapeutic riding program. She also runs regular recreational activities, peer support for those looking to improve their confidence and learn positive leadership qualities, while also developing ‘working’ schedules for those who want to help around the farm and tend to the nine horses that live on-site.

Now that pandemic-related restrictions have been lifted, the farm has also become a favoured destination for high schoolers looking to complete their volunteer hours.

“It’s been a really amazing year for us,” Semach said, noting the farm received charitable status from the Canada Revenue Agency last spring. “That opened up so many doors, the possibilities for what we can do with this program now are endless.”

After struggling to keep the program – provided to participants free of charge – running for the past five years, Semach said she now has some breathing room, which is enabling her to plan for the future. In 2022, the farm received $107,000 in donations. With operating costs stable at around $85,000 a year, there’s some leftover money to go towards a long-term project that Semach said would be game-changing for Walkabout’s programming.

“We want to establish a welcome centre – indoor accommodations that will allow us to provide accessible programming year-round,” she said, noting that, due to the weather, the farm is usually closed through January and February. “Our friends with intellectual impairments or developmental delays need the routine. When that’s disrupted, they don’t understand why the thing they love to do is being taken away… it causes a lot of stress and anxiety for them.

“If we can regulate their exposure to our programs, and make sure they can get in to work with the horses every single week no matter the conditions, that’s going to be immensely beneficial to them,” Semach added.

She’s pegged initial estimates for a build at between $150,000 and $200,000.

A cornhole tournament held in Norland March 11 raised $2,500, with an online fundraiser coming in May expected to bring the kitty up to five figures. Last year’s event brought in more than $7,500.

Minden’s Tim Hortons franchise announced last month that all proceeds raised locally through its annual smile cookie campaign would go to Walkabout.

“It really takes a whole village of people to support us and support our mission. We’re doing the best we can to make sure this program is successful and viable longterm, because it does so much for so many people,” Semach said.

To learn more, visit walkaboutfarmtra.com.

The Haliburton County Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the John Howard Society (JHS) on a new community engagement program designed to reduce stigma around mental health and addiction.

Launched in January, the initiative has been well received over its first few months according to Natasha James, an outreach worker with JHS. Successful events have been held in Haliburton in January and Minden in March, with James leading seminars about what drug use really looks like in Haliburton County.

“This is a bit of a different approach for us – we’re trying to get different views and different people together from different workplaces and parts of the community to let them know the reality of our situation. Opioid use is rampant here… it’s to the point now that it’s no longer a crisis, it’s a catastrophe,” James said, noting the key difference being a crisis can end, whereas a catastrophe is much more long-term. “That’s where we’re at right now.”

Through the society’s Mapping a Plan (MAP) program, James provides harm reduction and addiction support to around 30 people in the Highlands annually.

“We are helping these people to create goals around their substance use journeys. We recognize that might not mean abstinence; it could mean keeping them safe while they are using,” she said. “That can only come with greater education.”

James said she provides training around safer substance use and the administration of naloxone – a drug that temporarily counteracts the effects of an opioid overdose. Naloxone can keep people alive for up to 90 minutes following an overdose. She said JHL also runs a needle exchange and disposal program.

A large part of the community training across the first two sessions has centred on the importance of naloxone, and trying to make people feel more comfortable responding to an opioid overdose. James said complimentary Narcan – the brand name of naloxone – kits were offered to participants.

Kirstley Dams, community manager at the chamber, felt it was important to partner with JHS on the training. She said many of the participants have been local entrepreneurs, who could see many benefits from taking part.

“We know that issues such as substance use disorders and mental health stigmas are directly correlated to the local economy and unemployment. To help our businesses in hiring and training, it’s critical that they have a deeper understanding of the problems facing potential employees and the community at large,” she said.

“The feedback so far has been all positive, which is encouraging. We’ve heard from almost all attendees that they were able to identify their own bias and felt much less intimidated around the topic of substance misuse.”

Dams said many businesses in the area are still struggling to find workers. She believes programs like this, and a change in mindset for some local entrepreneurs can help to alleviate the problem.

“These past couple of years have magnified a lot of the issues that were able to exist in secret before. This means we need employers who aren’t judging a potential employee by their mental health, or even their work experience,” Dams said. “Most jobs can be taught to a willing employee, but age, experience and education have long been a barrier for these eager workers.

“If employers remove some of these prerequisites, they will find a much larger pool of employees who are ready to learn, work and grow in the County’s labour market,” she added.

A third community training session will be held in Haliburton in May. For more information, contact James at njames@ jhscklh.on.ca, or visit johnhoward.on.ca/ kawartha.

After three years of operation in Haliburton, the community’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre closed its doors March 31.

Since the onset of the pandemic, the site has been the primary testing location for County residents. First located in the parking lot at the Haliburton Highlands Health Centre (HHHC) on Gelert Road, and relocated indoors last March, the facility has treated 7,692 people since opening March 31, 2020.

Lauren Hunter, communications lead at Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS), said the closure comes following a decreased demand for services at assessment centre sites provincewide. She said the facility in Haliburton was no longer being funded by the provincial government.

Day-to-day operations at the assessment centre were managed by the Haliburton Highlands Family Health Team and Haliburton Family Medical Centre (HFMC). The Haliburton County Paramedic Service was also instrumental in providing staff coverage at the site from 2020 to 2022. HHHS provided support in way of supplies, laundry, lab services, the acquisition and maintenance of the trailer, managing financial reporting, supporting communications, setting up appointments and screening.

Hunter noted HFMC will continue to offer COVID-19 assessments, testing and treatments for eligible patients.

Anyone in the community who wishes to access a COVID-19 test, assessment, or treatment can contact their local pharmacy or primary care provider, Hunter noted. Information is also available at ontario. ca/health811. A list of assessment centres still being maintained by the province can be found at ontario.ca/assessment-centre-locations.

In her report to the HHHS board March 21, hospital president and CEO Carolyn Plummer said, “the COVID-19 virus continues to circulate” locally. A COVID19 outbreak was reported at the in-patient department in Haliburton March 20, and declared over March 27. There were five confirmed patient cases and two staff cases associated with the outbreak.

Thus far in 2023, as reported by Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit, there have been 86 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the County – 55 in Dysart, 21 in Minden Hills, six in Highlands East and four in Algonquin Highlands. This accounts for around 10 per cent of all positive cases since March 2020. There have been ten deaths directly related to COVID since the global pandemic was declared March 11, 2020.

Dr. Nell Thomas of the Haliburton Highlands Family Health Team told The Highlander the actual number of COVID-19 cases locally this year is likely much higher.

“We in the doctors’ office prescribe Paxlovid for COVID-positive patients every day, and these are not registered with the COVID Assessment Centre numbers,” Thomas said. “There are also many, many patients who do not seek medical help, but who have COVID, [after having] a positive swab test at home.”

HHHS has updated its COVID-related visiting guidelines, which came into effect April 3. All facilities, including long-term care, will shift from ‘active’ to ‘passive’ screening for COVID-19 and respiratory symptoms.

This means visitors to the emergency and in-patient departments, and both Hyland Crest and Highland Wood will be asked to self-screen before entering. Rapid tests at long-term care sites are no longer required, though will be made available to anyone who wants to take one.

Masking will remain in place across all HHHS facilities.

After cottaging in Dorset her whole life, Kate Trueland made it her mission to find stable employment in the community so she could make it her permanent home.

It took some time, decades even, but she relocated to the area full-time in April 2022. Now, she’s looking to open doors for others through the launch of Dorset’s first-ever job fair. Taking place April 22 at Trading Bay Dining Company in the village’s downtown, she says the event is an opportunity to bring would-be workers face-to-face with potential employers.

“I have been looking for work in Dorset for many, many years and have found it really difficult to use the existing platforms. Because Dorset is not a central hub, it’s hard to pinpoint on places like Indeed,” she said.

“I thought to myself ‘if I’m having these problems, I’m sure many others are too,’ so I decided to do something about it.”

She started with the launch of a new website, the Dorset Job Board, in February. That helped connect her with several local employers, including Trading Bay’s Jenny Balfour. The two spoke often about the difficulties on both ends of the spectrum – people looking to work not being able to find jobs, and employers who struggle to recruit and retain staff.

Trueland has spent time living and working across North America, mostly in Bermuda and the GTA. She spent 10 years working in hospitality and tourism management programs at George Brown and Centennial colleges in the city. There, one of her main responsibilities was assisting with the organization and execution of an annual career fair.

So far there are eight local employers registered – Community Living Huntsville, Community Living South Muskoka, John Bacher Construction, Moorelands Camp, Mountain Trout House Marina, Northern D’Lites, Trading Bay Dining Company, and Zachary’s Restaurant. Trueland hopes more will sign up in the coming weeks.

She said there are a mix of full-time and part-time opportunities available.

“We have places looking for nurses, PSWs, DSWs. There’s construction work available – that’s the point I want to make, it’s not just seasonal work. There are well-paying jobs available that will allow people to work here 12 months of the year,” she said.

Trueland will be offering free resume and cover letter prep for attendees, while many employers will be conducting on-the-spot interviews.

“The community really needs something like this – it’s been a tough go in Dorset for the past 12 months. We’ve seen all the issues with Robinson’s, the health hub is suffering, the future of the pavilion park is up in the air… if nothing else, I feel this job fair is a chance for everyone to come together,” Trueland said. “That’s going to be one of my main focuses moving forward – recreating that sense of community.”

She is in the process of establishing a new Dorset Business Improvement Area, which she hopes to officially launch later this year.

The job fair is taking place April 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. A complimentary lunch and refreshments will be provided. For more information, on Trueland’s endeavours visit dorsetjobboard.com

Demolition of the Wigamog Inn property on Lake Kashagawigamog commenced March 30, with some of the exterior cabins at the site being knocked down.

The resort, located on Wigamog Road, has been slated for demolition for around a year. Owner Aurora Group previously told The Highlander it sourced a contractor to complete the work last September, with initial assessments taking place in January.

Neighbours reported seeing workers on-site last Thursday, with work on some of the outbuildings taking place. An excavator was also delivered to the property. Teardown of some cabins had been completed as of April 5.

There had been some debate over demolition plans, with Dysart et al staff coming close to presenting an RFP for the project to council earlier this year. That came after a month-long consultation between township bylaw officials and Aurora Group over the condition of the site.

Bylaw officer, Robert Mascia, outlined 47 infractions of the township’s property standards bylaw last summer, with issues varying from downed power lines to smashed windows, damaged doors, and collapsed decks.

After being issued several remedial action notices to restore the property, Aurora Group ownership informed members of Dysart’s property standards commitee last August that they intended to demolish the site. They were given two months to present plans to the commitee, but failed to meet an Oct. 3 deadline. Staff have been developing an RFP ever since.

The site boasts a main lodge structure and 36 accessory buildings.

Mascia told The Highlander the township has paused on issuing an RFP after he was satisfied Aurora Group was proceeding with their own plans. He said he visited the site last week and spoke with workers.

Wigamog demolition to take six weeks

“We will hold off unless there are circumstances that require us to move forward,” Mascia said. “The RFP is ready to go to council if needed.”

In the event the township issues its own RFP to complete work, Aurora Group would be billed. Multiple attempts from The Highlander to reach Ravi Aurora, Aurora Group president, for comment on the demolition and subsequent plans for the site have been unsuccessful. In a previous email, Aurora said, “our anticipation is that this will be completed fairly soon, and we can be underway for what new and exciting is in store for future developments for Wigamog…

“Although it has been a bumpy road during rough times of COVID for hospitality, which is the hardest-hit industry, our team at Aurora Group is optimistic and resilient. Aurora Group has extensive plans for both Wigamog and Pinestone (which the group also owns). We hope to receive cooperation from council and the local community for new and exciting plans to come.”

Aurora Group purchased the Wigamog property in 2016. A post on the company’s website outlines plans to build a new residential development on over 40 acres of land at the site, featuring 180-plus units including condos, townhouses, and detached homes.

Mascia said Aurora Group has estimated a sixweek timeframe to complete demolition.