After selling more than 14,000 treats during smile cookie week April 27 to May 3, Haliburton and Minden Tim Hortons’ owners Mike Garland and Paige Chapman said they’re excited to see a chunk of the proceeds benefit Brooksong Retreat and Cancer Support Centre.

The County-based non-profit, located on the grounds of Abbey Gardens, offers in-person and online retreats and programs that executive director, Barb SmithMorrison, said offer rest and renewal, companionship and an introduction to evidence-based practices that benefit mind, body and soul during a cancer diagnosis.

Brooksong received $28,681, with Smith-Morrison stopping by the Haliburton Tims location May 8 to accept the cheque.

It’s the best smile cookie campaign since Garland and Chapman took over as owners of the two franchises three years ago. In 2024, they raised $10,322 for Volunteer Dental Outreach and in 2025 brought in more than $22,000 for area food banks.

“Our goal was to hit $25,000 this year so that we can cover one weekend retreat at Brooksong,” Garland said. “Cancer is something that impacts everyone. I’ve had some aunts who have been diagnosed. I saw what it does to people.”

Chapman added, “once we spoke to Barb and got to see what Brooksong is all about, she sold us right away. Knowing friends who have lost parents, just seeing what they went through. Their whole life unfolds. If we can do something to make someone’s experience a little easier, we want to do that.”

Smith-Morrison said the money would be used to send several local residents to a retreat this year and launch a new monthly support group. The charity provides all its services free of charge.

There will be retreats, which span three or four days, running monthly through November. They’re available to patients with a new diagnosis, their caregivers, and people at end of life. Brooksong also has online programs, a quilting group and will soon be launching a new offering for alumni – those who have benefitted from retreats in the past.

“After people come through here, they take away so much from their experience that they want to stay connected. We know how important it is to feel like you have a sense of belonging somewhere,” she said.

On the new support group, SmithMorrison said Haliburton County Development Corporation has also provided $5,000 to help get it off the ground. A first session will be held at Brooksong May 21.

Without fundraisers like this, Brooksong’s executive director said it would be impossible to deliver programs for free. She estimated it costs around $2,500 to put someone through a retreat.

“We’re committed to doing what we do at no cost because people going through a cancer diagnosis already have so many expenses in their lives. They may be out of work. It’s a gift in such a difficult time,” Smith-Morrison said.

The owners said it was a community effort, with several businesses chipping in to the record-breaking local campaign. On April 29, Sweat Social was at the Haliburton location with members doing a burpee for every smile cookie sold. Garland said the restaurant sold 1,700 cookies in four hours.

“Everybody works together for important causes like this,” Chapman said.

For more information on Brooksong programming, visit brooksong.ca.

In the spring, Haliburton’s Nancy Brownsberger just wanted to dance. Perhaps it was to shake off a long winter, but most definitely to reconnect with joy.

She was aware of a growing movement of women’s dance parties in larger cities and towns and began talking to Melissa Tong about what they might be able to do in the Highlands.

The two came up with The Wildwoods Women: a forest-inspired dance party for women 30 years of age and older.

The dance won’t take place in a forest per se, but in Stone 21 at the Pinestone Resort and Conference Centre June 6, with a forest-inspired aesthetic with candlelight, greenery, earthy textures, and dance floor lighting.

Brownsberger, the owner of Grow Optimism, a counselling, therapy and consulting business, has been watching the movement. Asked what she attributed it to, she said, “the world is a heavy place. We always have these conversations. Is there a way to just bring joy into our lives?”

She noticed the dances were helping women, post-pandemic, to reconnect, and “it just felt fun and celebratory.” She wanted to bring that same energy to Haliburton County.

Tong, of Nuwa Health and Wellness, was a quick ally, thinking, “if you build it, they will come.

“It’s the remembering of who you were before all the restraints of things such as labels, and the idea of getting together and just dancing with your girlfriends. Playing and listening to the music from the 80s, 90s and 2000s; the nostalgia,” Tong said. “To dance with your friends and other women is just a really powerful thing. It’s coming together with the intention of having joy.”

Asked why women only, the two said, “this sacred boundary is central to the experience, creating a container of emotional safety, collective empowerment, and uninhibited self-expression. Within this space, women are free to move without pressure, performance, or the male gaze. Safety, security and playfulness are the goals.”

Importance of joy

The two said people feel helpless and stressed out. They asked themselves what they could do locally.

“We can bring change to our own little world, and I think people underestimate the importance of joy and connection,” Brownberger said.

She talked about ‘nostalgic reset.’ It is a trending wellness practice where you intentionally consume media from your past, such as music, movies, or books from middle or high school to calm your nervous system and reduce stress. It acts as emotional regulation by triggering comfort, lowering cortisol, and providing a mental break from present-day overwhelm.

“When we’re singing the music from our youth, and we’re in connection with people that are sharing that collective joy, it becomes this unconscious connectivity that helps us come back to ourselves. And it’s not about excluding men. It’s about celebrating this specific age group of women and timeline of music of a Gen X’er or Millennial.”

The two added the night is “rooted in forest energy, sisterhood, and the reclamation of feminine power. More than just a dance party, it is a heartfelt celebration of movement, memory, and magic.”

They are inviting women “to dance freely, laugh loudly, sweat unapologetically, and rediscover the wild, joyful parts of themselves that too often get buried under responsibility and routine.”

The event is June 6, 8 p.m. to midnight. (Doors open at 7 p.m. with raffle opportunities) at Stone 21, Pinestone. Tickets: https://TheWildwoodsWomen. eventbrite.ca Instagram: @wild_woodswomen

By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As the County begins to enter the 2026 fire season, County and provincial officials are calling for a united front against the increasing threat of wildfires in the region.

During a seminar at Sir Sam’s Ski/Ride on Saturday (May 2), the Coalition of Haliburton Property Owners Associations (CHA) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry said that protecting the landscape of the Highlands takes both individual effort and collective community action.

CHA board chair Paul MacInnes said lake and property associations play an important role when combating wildfires and climate change.

“The key for lake associations and property owners’ associations is for them to share information around the lake on what individual property owners can do to protect not only their own dwelling but their neighbours as well,” MacInnes told The Highlander. “It’s a lot of very simple things.”

During the seminar, MNRF fire advisor Ken Cox highlighted the impacts of wildfires in Ontario and how property owners can learn from the FireSmart program to protect their homes and cottages. A primary concern for Haliburton residents is the difficulty of maintaining the program’s recommended 30-metre “extended zone” of fire protection on crowded lakefront properties.

Cox said that FireSmart is a “nice to do,” but not necessarily a “have to do,” explaining that residents should focus on the immediate area around their house or cottage to help mitigate structure loss as a result of a wildfire.

“If you only do the removal of pine needles or leaves or dead grasses right adjacent to the home itself or under the decks… you’re saving yourself about 90 per cent of the time statistically,” Cox said.

The fire advisor explained that property owners should start at the structure and work outward toward the property line, removing the natural forest debris, noting that most yards already provide a natural buffer from the tree line.

Cottage association encourages good septic health

“If you have a shoreline bylaw, for example, or vegetation management, I would recommend folks just look at the intermediate zone, and not to worry about the shoreline so much because of the exact same parameters,” Cox said. “Instead of the forest being all throughout that side of the home, you’ve got a lake, and a fire is not going to come across the lake to you.”

MacInnes warned that the wildfire threat extends beyond property damage, noting the large environmental impact wildfire smoke has on our lakes and rivers.

“As climate change continues to bite harder and harder, this is going to be a bigger and bigger problem,” the CHA board chair said. “It’s pretty serious when your cottage burns down, your home burns down. But it’s also serious for the health of the lake.”

MacInnes urged the community to take action to protect the health of our lakes, with proper septic maintenance, shoreline renaturalization, and combating invasive species in the water basin.

“We need to encourage them to take the simple steps that they need to take. Keeping their septic system healthy, that’s the number one polluter of our lakes. Renaturalizing the shoreline where we’ve lost the natural shoreline. And keeping invasive species out,” he said. “It sounds simple, but it’s not.”

Deborah Renda wiped tears from her eyes as she and husband, Matt, were on hand April 30 for the official unveiling of a new public access automated external defibrillator (AED) in downtown Minden.

The unit was donated in memory of Deborah’s parents, Don and Diane Banks.

Deborah told The Highlander her mom suffered a heart attack six years ago and lived with complications until her death a year ago. Matt’s dad also had cardiac issues.

Deborah added, as owners of Boshkung Brewing, they, “happened upon Minden. We had no intention of moving here, but I think things fall into place for a reason. My dad never got to experience this beautiful town, as he died seven years ago from cancer. My mom lived with us for six years, and she got to experience everything that this town has to offer. If we can give back in some way and have my parents’ legacy be a small part of that, that’s super special to me.”

The Rendas were joined by Minden Hills councillors and staff, EMS personnel, and members of the public at the unveiling.

Mayor Bob Carter acknowledged the Rendas’ “generous contribution.”

He said, “I actually have been present when one of these was put into use to save somebody’s life, so I know how important these units are.”

He added the downtown location, in the kiosk across from the post office, is ideal “for the health and safety of everybody in this area.”

Matt spoke to his dad having had multiple heart attacks, and the fact the Minden community is aging.

“If there is, God forbid, a heart attack in town, there’s immediate access to a lifesaving device. We hope it never gets used, but if it does, we know it will be used in a great way.”

Matt said they have the same model of AED at the brewery and they are easy to use.

EMS reminded people to ring 911 in emergencies

The township of Minden Hills has released details on its community clean-up following recent flooding.

The municipality said residents can use sand from sandbags on their property. Empty sandbags can be disposed of with regular household waste, and are not recyclable. If you can’t use the sand, you can bring sandbags to the curling club (50 Prentice St.) and place them in the drop off area on the pallets provided. In Irondale, sandbags can be deposited at the Irondale Community Centre (1004 Line Drive Rd.).

Roadside pick-up of sandbags started May 5. People are asked to move the sandbags to the roadside (not on the roadway). They can be placed at the curb on: Invergordon Avenue, Bobcaygeon Road, McKnight Drive, Anson Street, Orde Street, St. Germaine Street, Prince Street and Water Street. If you can’t move the sandbags, or are outside of the areas, email flood2026@ mindenhills.ca or call 705-286-1260 ext. 500.

“We will be working with community volunteers to assist residents in removing sandbags from their properties,” the township said.

If your home or business was impacted and you have flood-damaged items and materials you need to dispose of at the Scotch Line landfill, the township has an application process to request relief from waste disposal fees. The program is intended for those who are not making a claim through insurance. Go to https:// forms.mindenhills.ca/Application-forRelieffrom-Waste-Disposal-Fees. Paper copies of the application will be available at waste facilities, the administrative office, and the S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena. Requests for extensions or exceptions can be emailed to flood2026@mindenhills.ca or call 705-2861260 ext. 500.

The township will have a limited quantity of 50 clean up kits available, suitable for general household cleaning only, and not to be used for mould remediation. Kits will be available for pick-up at the Minden Community Centre (55 Parkside St.) upper level; available on a first come, first served basis. Pick-up dates and times are May 11, from 5-7 p.m., and May 12 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The township added Lakelands Public Health has important information related to flooding on their website https://www. lakelandsph.ca/health-topics/emergencypreparedness/flooding/.

The township has information sheets with details on the clean-up at www.mindenhills. ca/flooding2026.

Dysart et al coun. Pat Casey believes financial pressure felt within the County’s four townships has more to do with continued downloading of necessary services from the Ontario government than local mismanagement.

Addressing County CAO Gary Dyke at Dysart’s April 28 meeting, Casey asked if the province provided money to support social service, childcare, housing and health programming that have been handed down to the lower level.

Dyke, who had been presenting about a new governance and affordability study County council has commissioned, indicated they do but that it’s rarely enough to cover the full cost of delivery.

“Traditionally when services are downloaded, some money may come with it but it’s not enough for ongoing maintenance. It’s like buying a brand-new truck. You might have enough money for the truck, but you can’t afford new tires or brakes when they’re needed. We’re kind of in that position right now,” Dyke said.

The CAO said that’s why the County review is so important.

“We need to look at how we’re spending every dollar right now to ensure we can augment and support… those gaps we have to fill,” Dyke said.

The County currently pays the City of Kawartha Lakes (CKL) around $3 million for childcare, housing and social services, with CKL chosen by the province to act as service manager for the region. That’s one of the areas the County has seen the biggest increase in costs, Dyke said, with some programs up anywhere from 20 to 40 per cent in recent years.

With policing costs also climbing – capped at 11 per cent the past two years – Dyke said all councils in the County have had to make some difficult decisions.

“You’re being forced into taking extraordinary steps to mitigate the tax rate increase – by reducing or deferring capital money, which moves the ball down the road,” Dyke said.

Casey said Dysart is feeling the impact.

“We have 20 bridges coming up and we’re looking at our infrastructure gaps and wondering how we’re going to handle this. So many costs have been downloaded on us with no clear way to cover the gap, unless we drastically increase taxes,” Casey said.

Upping the local levy is problematic, too, Dyke said considering the impact will be borne largely by residential ratepayers. He estimated about 98 per cent of the local tax base is residential.

He told Dysart the study will be completed by late July and presented to County council in August. There won’t be any recommendations for changes, with Dyke saying that will fall to the next term of council. The 2026 municipal election will take place Oct. 26.

“This is not designed to be critical of the manner services are being provided at the County or local level, it’s an economic study making sure we’re doing everything we can to ensure we invest the money we are collecting from ratepayers is being spent in the most efficient and effective way possible,” Dyke said.

Water samples from new locations at the Maple Lake waste disposal site will be analyzed this year to help Algonquin Highlands township understand the extent of landfill impacts to surface water at the site.

Environmental manager Melissa Murray said this was one of the recommendations engineering firm, Cambium Inc., made in its 2025 annual monitoring report, submitted to the township in February.

“We have met one of the trigger mechanisms in place as part of the monitoring process. There are different limits set when a site is developed… to ensure appropriate actions are taken in response to any potential degradation of environmental quality beyond acceptable limits,” Murray said.

According to Cambium, there is an east-west groundwater divide along the southern edge of the waste mound at Maple Lake, with water flowing north and south underground from the divide.

“Discharge to surface is possible for portions of the year, particularly in the autumn… results in 2025 indicated a dilute leachate plume extended to the north and south from the waste mound, decreasing in concentration within a short distance from the mound,” the Cambium report reads.

Murray said the plan for Maple Lake assumes groundwater isn’t discharging to the surface, hence the need for more testing. She said two new drive-point monitors will be installed, costing around $2,500.

“These aren’t dug wells, they’re points that are inserted into the ground to give an idea of the level of water and direction water is travelling underground,” Murray said. “This will allow us to look at the two locations, north and south of the site, to see if groundwater is coming up to the surface – which is possible.”

Cambium said there were elevated concentrations of contaminants in surface water tested at Maple Lake last year, though non-waste sources such as road salt and saturated organic soils were the primary influencers. They said there’s no indication of any adverse impacts to down-gradient groundwater users off-site.

Murray said the township has never mapped out where the watercourse that flows under the landfill goes, noting the additional testing will help “see where the surface water is and whether we have to look at future [permanent] sampling… or if there’s a waterbody that requires monitoring.”

The engineer also recommended the removal of three surface water monitoring points at the old landfill site at Oxtongue Lake, south of Hwy. 60, that had been in place for 10 years.

“Data collected since 2015 indicates stable water quality at these locations and that the historical landfill has not adversely impacted the nearby unevaluated wetland,” Murray said.

Deputy mayor Jennifer Dailloux asked if there was any benefit in continuing to monitor the sites to ensure issues don’t arise in the future, but Murray said it would be an unnecessary cost.

“Landfill waste becomes more stable over time… leachate and other impacts don’t increase if there’s no continued landfilling [which there isn’t in that area],” Murray said, highlighting the Dorset transfer station as another area the township could scale back as “it hasn’t been an active landfill for some time.”

By the numbers

Vehicle counts at Maple Lake increased more than five per cent last year, to 31,769 in 2025 versus 30,147 in 2024, while the number of garbage bags collected went up almost 11 per cent, to 49,797 from 44,927. That accounted to 380 tonnes of waste being landfilled, up from 368 tonnes in 2024.

Murray estimated the landfill has another 50 years of life left, with an anticipated closure date of 2075.

The site also collected 202.59 tonnes of blue box recyclables, 10.75 tonnes of electronics, 84.66 tonnes of scrap metal, 1.03 tonnes of household batteries and 79 CFC appliances.

Oxtongue Lake saw a slight decrease in usage in 2025. Vehicle counts dropped to 4,220 from 4,352 (3.03 per cent) and the number of garbage bags collected fell from 5,555 to 5,465 (1.62 per cent). Murray said that amounted to around 40 tonnes of residential waste.

The site also collected 27.65 tonnes of blue box materials and 5.67 tonnes of scrap metal. There was nothing to report at the McClintock Lagoon, with Murray saying it’s been two years since anyone utilized the facility.

“That’s up to the haulers in the area to decide what facilities they want to use. We do have an obligation to keep the site available,” Murray said. “It’s still being monitored, it’s still available. We keep everything up and running just in case and our monitoring shows we’re not seeing any impacts on the surface water around Fletcher Bay and Harvey Lake Creek, which is always a good thing.”