Fire chief dished out smiles to the community

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March 21, 2021

JQ - Doug Bowen tribute - 1 — The Highland Grove community mourned district fire chief Doug Bowen March 10 after he passed away due to cancer. File photo.

Whether fighting fires, plowing roads or getting kids to school on time as a bus driver, Highland Grove district fire chief, Doug Bowen, was continually serving his community.

His daughter Mary Rutledge said he was her first hero – and was a selfless individual. “He loved to be around people,” Rutledge said.

“He just really got a kick out of making people happy … He made a point of making everyone feel welcome and part of the community.”

Highland Grove came together March 10 to mourn the 68-year-old Bowen after he passed away March 5 due to cancer. He received a service at the St. John Vianney Catholic Church, including a firetruck escort for his body.

“It’s very comforting to know the community saw the person we saw as well,” Rutledge said, thanking the community for its support.

Bowen entrenched himself in Highland Grove, taking on several different roles as a municipal employee. He worked as a mechanic and a plow driver for many years, before taking on bus driving in retirement.

Local Ralph Baehre said he also regularly volunteered and helped at community suppers.

“He was the main ‘maitre’d’ for the meals, willing to talk to anybody at any time and offering that welcome smile and hospitality,” Baehre said.

That affability made him well known around the area, according to Bowen’s fellow firefighter Gary Burroughs. He recounted visiting an antique store with Bowen and feeling like he was next to a celebrity.

“He dished out smiles to the community and it brought smiles from the community,” Burroughs said. “People are just surprised by the community life that’s here and Doug brought that out.”

“My dad knew everyone and loved to talk to everyone,” Rutledge said. “Just a really positive influence.”

Bowen was one of the first firefighters at the local department according to Burroughs. He helped build it up, eventually becoming chief. He became a tireless advocate for the local hall, going to bat for it at times when the community feared the municipality might close it.

“Whenever there were words to think they’re going to shut it down here, Doug was on fire,” Burroughs said. “He grew up with it. Built up the fire hall.”

“Doug was relentlessly passionate about Station 2, its firefighters and the community they served,” Baehre said. “Doug was truly a person of humility and dedication.”

Through it all, Rutledge said Bowen was a good family man. He said his grandchildren became the highlight of his life and he would always want to spend time with them in the summer.

“They were his everything,” Rutledge said. “He would have done anything for them.”

Burroughs said even with Bowen gone, the firefighters there intend to protect their fire hall in the future. He further said the chief was someone special.

“He’s just like an icon.”

County puts driver on economic development bus

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Lisa Gervais

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March 20, 2021

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JQ - Businesses re-open - 2-web — Downtown Haliburton. File photo.

County committee of the whole gave approval March 10 for a mandate for a new economic development position.

The role was recommended in a service delivery review and included in the 2021 budget. When approved, the new position will include creating an updated community profile, identifying gaps in the workforce, business retention and expansion, marketing assistance and developing a concierge service to help potential new businesses.

Coun. Cec Ryall said Highlands East’s economic development department has had its struggles in scope. He said the County department should help address that.

“What we found was our voice was nowhere near strong enough, nor were we capable of handling the scope of some of the things that need to be done,” Ryall said. “I know there’s going to be governance issues, I know there’s going to be jurisdictional issues, but I think this is going to be one awesome beginning.”

CAO Mike Rutter proposed the position have an approximate compensation of $96,500 to $118,830. The County has budgeted $100,000, taken from provincial safe restart dollars.

Rutter also recommended a tourism and economic development committee to oversee the department, replacing a disbanded tourism advisory committee. Rutter suggested it would be made up of councillors from each municipality, to implement the County’s Destination Management plan. Rutter also said two departments would be needed to connect with the public for consultation in both sectors.

Coun. Carol Moffatt questioned the governance structure and said economic development and tourism committees should be kept separate. But she added having public input separate from a committee structure makes sense.

“We need to make sure we have clear-cut expectations and focus on specific outcomes to effect change in the community for the better,” Moffatt said.

Council directed staff to develop a job description based on input and forward the report to townships.

Township economic development uncertain

Ryall said Highlands East has a robust economic development committee. He said they do not plan to fold it but want to ensure the township and County departments can work together.

“I know there is a lot of economic development activity happening already,” Rutter responded. “We need to make sure we don’t duplicate but complement that.”

Coun. Brent Devolin said Minden had its own full-time economic development position but paused on filling it to see the County’s direction. He said communication to the municipalities is needed as the file progresses.

“I know we’re kind of sitting and waiting to see the evolution of what happens here,” Devolin said. “Whether the type of initiatives that we were trying to do at the municipal level will be mainly covered.”

Dysart changing cemetery rules

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Lisa Gervais

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March 19, 2021

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JQ - Dysart cemetery bylaw - 2 — Dysart et al is introducing a new bylaw for Evergreen Cemetery. File photo.

Dysart et al staff presented a new cemetery bylaw March 9 in part to address issues stemming from a conflict between caretakers and a grieving mother.

Council committee of the whole reviewed the draft bylaw for its Evergreen Cemetery, which added rules around gravesite mementos. It came after a viral video from resident, Dulce Acero, in June, where she protested alleged mistreatment from caretakers disposing of mementos placed by the grave of her son Phoenix.

Mayor Andrea Roberts said the memorialization section was made with that June incident in mind.

“We’re trying to take all that into consideration and do our best to ensure that people are able to memorialize their loved ones,” Roberts said. “But also making sure it’s safe for the caretakers, and also keeping within the decorum of a cemetery.”

The new version states the municipality reserves the right to regulate articles placed on plots. It prohibits ceramics, corrosive materials or breakable objects by graves. It allows for loose objects and flowers to be placed up off the ground, on a ledge or in an elevated basket.

The bylaw also states objects removed by staff will be placed at the main entrance, where they must be “picked up in a timely manner” before staff dispose of them. The previous bylaw did not formally address mementos or a disposal policy.

“We aren’t saying people can’t leave things or mementos,” Roberts said. “But they have to be in a certain manner. They can’t be all over the grass and they have to be of a certain material.”

Acero said she is dissatisfied, and the municipality did not seem to change existing protocol.

“It’s essentially the same thing,” Acero said. “There’s absolutely nothing underneath that is sensitive to the multicultural members of our community because it’s exactly the same rules written in a different way.”

Deputy Mayor Patrick Kennedy mentioned the possibility of including a small area by a plot untouched by staff for mementos or flowers, which exist in some cemeteries. Deputy clerk, Laurie Salvatori, said something like that could be included, though added it could make maintenance more difficult.

“Right now, you can take a whipper snipper right up to a granite stone,” Roberts said. “Can’t take a whipper snipper up against a little rosebush.”

Council voted to receive the report as information and direct staff to bring back a revised bylaw at the April 27 meeting. Salvatori said there will be a public notice for a 30-day period before then.

Acero said she would like to see a designated memorialization area as Kennedy mentioned. She said caretakers have left her and her son’s grave alone since she went public in June, but she is not certain that will last.

“I’m not the only one that’s ever had a negative encounter,” Acero said. “I understand there has to be a bylaw and there has to be rules … What the difference is between Evergreen Cemetery and the other cemeteries in the community is maybe the lack of humanity.”

Bettering mental health in COVID

By

Lisa Gervais

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March 19, 2021

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JQ - Grow optimism - 1 — Life coach Nancy Brownsberger is starting a new full-time business to provide more mental health support in the County. Photo submitted.

Mindfulness and cognitive behaviour strategist Nancy Brownsberger said the pandemic has taken its toll on her clients.

The social services worker described the experience as a “globally traumatic event” that will seriously impact mental health and wellbeing in the long-term. She said our society struggled with expressing emotions even before the pandemic began, but the last year has forced people to deal with them in a way that will leave a mark.

“All of a sudden, we’re here holding the bag of, ‘here I am in this situation and I’m not really clear on how to feel better’,” she said. “The slowdown caused a lot of us to really halt in our tracks.”

To help address that, Brownsberger launched her Grow Optimism mental health consulting business full-time in December, after running it part-time since 2015.

She also began a Zoom training program March 6 entitled “Life Hacks for Uncertain Times,” teaching people skills to help alleviate anxiety. She said she is responding to a community need.

“There’s a need in this community for some more folks that offer counselling and emotional wellness supports,” Brownsberger said. She added that she wants to provide that in collaboration with all the existing supports in the County.

Statistics Canada found fewer Canadians reporting having excellent or very good mental health in July 2020 (55 per cent), compared to 2019 (68 per cent). The study also found those reporting poor mental health were more likely to report substance use and that the mental health decline was most prominent amongst youth.

Brownsberger said the toll could extend beyond the pandemic. With people grappling more with their mental health, Brownsberger said they should seek ways to better manage it in the long-term.

“Maybe we don’t return to normal. I think the biggest missteps would be marching back onto the lives we once had,” she said. “Because we’ve all been altered on some level.”

She said we should be aware that we have gone through a collective trauma that will impact people differently. She noted though there will be celebration after the pandemic, there will also be anxieties about returning to larger gatherings.

“Kindness and patience and understanding,” she said. “The experience on a personal level can look and sound very differently for everyone.”

Brownsberger said she is pleased by the reception of her program and business so far. She said people should reach out and connect.

“It’s really important to not feel alone in the struggle,” she said. “If I can just add to the landscape of voices and connections to assist others on their wellness path, then to me, that just feels like a deep honour and privilege.”

The business is available at 705-854- 1189 or brownsbergernancy@gmail.com.

Rogers to bridge regional cellular gap

By

Lisa Gervais

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March 19, 2021

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for web — Left to right: MP Jamie Schmale, Minden Mayor Brent Devolin, County Warden Liz Danielsen, Highlands East Mayor Dave Burton and MPP Laurie Scott gathered at the Wilberforce library for the announcement of the Eastern Ontario Regional Network Cell Gap project. Photo by Joseph Quigley.

Rogers Communications will deliver a more than $300 million public-private partnership project to improve cellular connectivity throughout the region.

The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) announced March 19 that Rogers was the successful bidder for its Cell Gap project. The initiative aims to provide better service in Eastern Ontario, especially in dead zones, over the next five years, with goals of 99 per cent having cellular calling, 95 per cent having coverage for video and applications, and 85 per cent having high-definition video streaming.

Minden Hills mayor and EORN board member Brent Devolin said it is a big win.

“I’m a techie. This is like winning the Super Bowl, the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Indy 500 all in one,” Devolin said. “It is a game-changer.”

Rogers announced it was investing more than $150 million, greater than the $61 million minimum EORN originally proposed for private investment. That is on top of $71 million contributions from both the federal and provincial governments, and $10 million from municipalities.

“We understand this is no longer nice to have, it’s a need,” Rogers for Business and Connected Home president Dean Prevost said. “Our focus is to build true local partnerships as we bring this project to life over the next five years and beyond. I couldn’t be more excited to get started.”

Prevost said the initative includes improved capacity on existing towers and adding 300 new towers to expand coverage.

EORN expects construction to start this spring. But Devolin said the timeline for what areas would get towers first, and when, is still being finalized.

Prevost said besides addressing dead zones, there should also be improved service to urban areas like small towns.

“A larger capacity in terms of the data we can carry, and also it creates a lower-latency environment,” Prevost said. “It’s as much for business, municipalities and towns as it is for its incredible reach.”

Devolin said there should be a complete timeline provided before the end of the year, with improvements happening within 2021. He said board members in the poorest-served areas will push to have those spots addressed sooner.

“We’d love to know all the answers today, but it’s just not possible yet,” Devolin said. “It’s never going to be fast enough for all concerned.”

EORN also has a $1.2-$1.6 billion proposal to bring one gigabit-per-second internet speed throughout the region. It has asked for both provincial and federal funding for that. Provincial Minister of Infrastructure Laurie Scott and federal Minister of Rural Economic Development Maryam Monsef both said there would be news to come.

“We’re taking their proposal very seriously,” Monsef said. “Our communities are counting on us and there’s immense economic potential to be unleashed.”

“From businesses to our economy to schools, it just means everything to all of us,” County Warden Liz Danielsen said about the cell gap project. “It’s truly a good day for Haliburton County.”

Library’s Covideos are a pandemic smash

By

Lisa Gervais

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March 19, 2021

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by Caroline Alder

If you follow Haliburton County Public Library on Facebook, you’ll have noticed a lot of videos this past year.

It started last March when the library closed due to the pandemic. Normally at March Break children would attend story and craft hour at either the Dysart or Minden branches, where they would sing and listen to stories read by program and outreach coordinator, Nancy Therrien, and do a craft. Not wanting to disappoint the children, Therrien made the program available online.

“I remember the Saturday when we realized the programs couldn’t happen,” she said. “Immediately we took the content we were going to provide for March Break and tried to create videos. It was hard at first because none of us had done the online videos before.”

The first story time video consisted of celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday, reading Green Eggs and Ham and then conducting a science experiment with staff member Noelia Marziali by making a green egg out of baking soda and dropping it into cup of vinegar.

Since then, more than 120 more online story time videos have been created. Some feature Jamie Bilodeau with her daughter Holly, who read a story and do a craft together. Some have Rob Muir as host. He sings, reads a story, tells some jokes with his Lobster friend and finishes by checking on his cats.

Muir also hosts Tech Time where he answers viewers ‘how to’ questions regarding the internet.

Other video series include the twice weekly Maker Break with Nicole Dolliver and Jamie Abbs. These hosts either do a craft or an easy-to-follow recipe. Some of the crafts have also been available in free grab-and-go craft bags in order for the viewer to follow along.

“The grab and go bags do not cost a penny,” said Therrien. “We are not charging for any of the materials or supplies so affordability is not an issue.”

Therrien said continuing the videos is important, even a year later.

“People like to see our faces, even now while we are doing curbside (and reopened March 16). It’s a way for us to connect and for them to leave their comments. Anything we can do to provide the content people are looking for we will, but I think what makes our programs unique is the passion that each staff member puts into their program.”

The newest video series is Story Studio with Lindsey Hobbs, which is a story time geared to adults. The current novel is The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

Therrien believes the video series are here to stay.

“When we are able to go back to in-person activities, I imagine a lot of these things will continue on a smaller scale for those who aren’t able to attend. Some of the activities will continue in a positive way such as having take-home craft kits available after children’s story hour.”

All videos are available on the Haliburton Country Public Library Facebook page and You Tube channel.

Next year’s Katie’s Run will be the last

By

Lisa Gervais

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March 19, 2021

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There’ll be no Katie’s Run for 2021 and the Woudstra and Pogue families have announced that the 2022 run – the 10th – will be the final.

In a news release, the families said that after much consideration, it was with great sadness that they decided the 10th run will be the last.

“Due to COVID-19 and Katie’s ongoing health struggles, the event will be postponed this year with the hope that it can be held in Haliburton one final time in 2022,” they said. “As difficult as this may be, we know this is the right decision for our families.”

They thanked the community, saying the run had become a platform to raise awareness for epilepsy and to provide much-needed funds for epilepsy research.

“It is our utmost desire that others will pick up where we leave off to keep the momentum going,” they added.

To date, more than $373,000 has been raised through Katie’s Run. However, it is their goal to reach $500,000 before they close the book on the event.

Even with no Katie’s Run event this year, they said they will still be making efforts to raise money for the cause. They’re asking the public to create their own fundraising campaigns for the run and research.

“Whether you do this in March, for epilepsy awareness month, or anytime throughout the year, we will be there to help in any way we can.”

They are encouraging people to share their individual fundraising ideas and their next newsletter will highlight some suggested ideas. Email info@ katiesrun.ca

Fitness business pivots with pandemic

By

Lisa Gervais

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March 19, 2021

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COVID-19 may have forced Meghan Cox to pivot Just Movement Fitness but after opening a new home-based studio March 1, she couldn’t be happier.

The pandemic forced her to close her commercial studio in Minden at the end of November. She was shuttered from March to September 2020 and only made about 50 per cent of the revenue moving online. Even when allowed to reopen in September, she said restrictions on the number of clients meant she couldn’t afford the overhead anymore.

She said the decision was heartbreaking as she had been teaching in the space since 2003.

After that, she said she had many discussions and crying sessions with her dad, Wayne Cox, about building a space at her home.

“Because I’m stubborn and hard headed and wasn’t willing to just give up on my passion of helping others in wellness. It really hurt to be faced with closing my business and dream that I have worked so hard for. I just wasn’t ready or willing to do it.”

In the meantime, she was offering classes from her living-room, but said it was an ordeal with studio lights, cameras, screens and computers, and it meant never getting away from work, which was hard on her mental health.

She, partner Cebastian Joseph, who had some experience in construction, and her dad, a contractor, began work on an addition Aug. 22, 2020. They mostly did the build themselves, with only help from neighbours, her brother and a few friends on truss day.

“We worked every single day from Aug. 22 to Jan. 23 to build the addition. and converted an existing small granny apartment into a large beautiful private workout studio,” Cox said.

Cox is running in-studio programs with a maximum of six participants and some of the classes are also offered online. She said they have COVID protocols above and beyond what is recommended by public health to keep clients safe.

With the March 1 opening, she said she, clients, and onliners, are all glad to be back in-studio.

“Now that people are in the studio with me, my online clients have said they love the camaraderie of the group even more than when it was just an online group meeting and I have to agree. I really missed the connection, laughter, jokes and fun of the people and group,” she said.

With almost 100 acres of land, she’s also been offering snowshoeing classes and has more plans for summer outdoor bootcamps and nature meditation and yoga.

With the pandemic lingering, she said, “Fitness has always very much been a part of mental health for many of us … but I think we feel it more now. We see how it makes a difference because we are all faced with stress right now.”

Cox is also offering Mindset Coaching for clients “as it’s been an extremely difficult year for all of us and sometimes we just need help to keep moving forward.

“My coaching program has been amazing and I’m so happy to have this alternative service for wellness that isn’t about fitness necessarily. My passion and purpose are helping others in wellness and this piece allows me to help others with the mental piece of wellness.”

For more see: justmovementfitness.com; email: justmovementfitness@gmail.com or call 705-455-7270.

Moxie Moose to help raise funds for Walkabout

By

Lisa Gervais

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March 19, 2021

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Jennifer Semach wrote three children’s stories 14 years ago.

She said she authored them for her kids because she had a learning disability as a child and wanted to show them that despite the struggles she had, she kept trying her best to overcome those hurdles.

Fast forward to 2021 and Semach has published one of those stories, Moxie Moose Finds a Tail, with proceeds from sales going to her beloved Walkabout Farm Therapeutic Riding Association in Minden.

Semach said she works with children at the farm who also struggle with literacy, anxiety and dyslexia in their Reading Buddies Program.

“It brought back all those feelings of inadequacy, frustration and worthlessness seeing kids today struggling the same way I did,” she said.

That got her thinking that maybe she could dust off Moxie Moose Finds A Tail and try to get it published so she could show program participants that, “I know exactly how you feel. I’ve been where you are but I did overcome hardships and did eventually learn how to read and look at this, here is a book I wrote for you and all the children of Walkabout Farm.”

She said while they were at it, she thought why not raise some money to further develop their accessibility to program participants.

“We are just one of many not-for-profit organizations who are trying to survive the COVID-19 pandemic disruption.

We need funding and we’ve really had to think outside the box in these unprecedented times,” Semach said.

She said the book is illustrated by another local, Biljana Banchotova.

Semanch said that “luckily” Kristin Groulx of Tenth Muse Books decided to take her book on, which will assist with distribution and marketing to reach a far greater audience than if she had selfpublished.

“We now have access to people outside our community and country who can contribute to our mission by buying a funny children’s book,” she said.

The book will be released March 20.

It can be ordered through Amazon when it’s released.

Vaccines: why, how, when and where

By

Lisa Gervais

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March 19, 2021

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By Dr. Nell Thomas

Dr. Brent MacMillan, on March 11, issued this plea to anyone uncertain about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine:

“Get the vaccine if you do not want to be hospitalized or die. The vaccine is almost 100 per cent preventative.

Get the vaccine if you want to avoid spreading the virus to your elderly relatives, children, friends and colleagues.

Get the vaccine if you want to avoid passing the virus to susceptible patients and community members.

Get the vaccine if you want this pandemic to end. If enough people refuse vaccination, the virus will continue to circulate and potentially mutate, creating variants that may be resistant to the available vaccines. This could result in a brand-new pandemic wave with death and social chaos all over again. This vaccine strategy is not only about you; it is about your family, community, as well your country and other countries around the world.

Get the vaccine to show respect to the millions who are damaged or deceased because they couldn’t get the vaccine.

Get the vaccine to allow return to normal living – visit family, hug your grandmother, go to restaurants, safely return kids to school, travel locally and abroad.

Get the vaccine to allow the economy to get back on its feet, so that businesses can reopen and financial handouts from taxpayers can stop.

Get the vaccine after a careful and balanced review of available information and science. Ask your questions to settle your concerns. For those who fear potential side effects, keep in mind that our immune systems are challenged each and every day by antigens in the food we eat, the medications we take, the bad habits we partake in and the air that we breathe.

The COVID vaccine is another challenge and boost to our immune system. The vaccine technology is well studied and the evidence is freely available to all. I get that there is a fear of needles. If I offered a pill providing the identical COVID-19 vaccine ingredients, how many vaccine resistors would happily and wholeheartedly accept this alternative? I get that there is a fear of government and “big pharma.” Ask your trusted family doctor or pharmacist for their medical opinions. Ask me.

I care about the health and prosperity of my family, friends, community and country. What is it that you care about?”

What you need to know

HOW: For anyone 80+ or turning 80 in 2021. To book your vaccine, use the following COVID vaccination provincial telephone number or online portal (link): 1-888-999-6488 (Monday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.). covid19.ontariohealth.ca

If you have a non-photo red and white health card, you must use the phone to book your appointment

You will receive a booking confirmation code that you must bring with you the day of your appointment.

WHEN: In Ontario, this phone number and online link are available Monday, March 15. In Haliburton, the booking schedule opens March 18, and we plan to start immunizing our 80 plus population Monday, March 22. This depends on vaccine inventory.

WHERE: Haliburton Family Medical Centre at 7217 Gelert Rd., 2nd Floor. Clinics will run Monday through Friday from 1-6 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please do not show up without an appointment.

Please wear a short-sleeved shirt.

More details at hhfht.com

TIPS: Get a good night sleep, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, and avoid alcohol to keep your immune system strong so you get the most benefit from your vaccination. Immunity develops over time. You won’t develop significant protection against COVID-19 for at least two weeks.

IN THE WORKS: Paramedics may provide in-home immunizations for housebound. Transportation may be arranged with volunteer vaccinated drivers.