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- Huron County Newsletter #37
Huron County Newsletter
Weeks of September 8th to 14th, 2024
Good day,
Welcome to our new subscribers. We’ve had quite a surge in subs this week, and we’re very grateful. If you like what we’re doing and you’d like to continue to support local news in your community, check out our Support Us page. There are a number of ways to contribute that don’t cost any money. We really appreciate your help.
We’ve got a wide variety of stories for you this week, from all across the county, plus our weekly trivia at the bottom, complete with answers to last week’s special Terry Fox trivia. Let’s get into it.
Thank you for checking out the Huron County Newsletter and have a great week.
This week’s Huron County Newsletter is brought to you by:
 Seaforth Golf Club |  Tuckersmith Communications Co-operative |
The Director Of The Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board Has Announced His Retirement
by Bob Montgomery
Chris Roehrig announced last week that he will be retiring as the Director of Education for the Huron-Perth Board on February 24 of next year.
He was appointed Director of Education in 2019. He had previously held the same position with the Brand Haldimand Norfolk Board since 2012. Roehrig says he leaves with a…
Chris N. Roehrig - Director Of The Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board
Valuing Ontario Libraries Toolkit Highlights Impact Huron County Library Services Have On Community
by Bob Montgomery
Public libraries are critical cultural and social infrastructure for the communities they serve and new findings released from the Valuing Ontario Libraries Toolkit show that every dollar invested in the Huron County Library generates $4.66 in social return on investment.
Huron County's Librarian and Director of Cultural Services Beth Rumble says that toolkit was developed by the Ontario Library Service in collaboration with the NORDIK Institute, which is based out of Algoma University, to help Ontario libraries measure their value and impact within their communities. The toolkit specifically measured the…
Christine’s Clothes Closet Pledges $15,000 To CT Scanner Campaign
by Bob Montgomery
Christine McGrath, the owner of Christine’s Clothes Closet, and her team have pledged $15,000 to the Wingham & District Hospital Foundation’s Caring Together campaign to fund a new CT Scanner for the hospital.
McGrath has been operating the casual women’s fashion boutique since 1989. The shop has become a staple of the community and she's no stranger to giving back to the community as a long-time supporter of the hospital. Christine’s Clothes Closet has been hosting annual spring and fall fashion shows for…
L to R: WDH Foundation Chair Dayna Deans, Kerri Dunn and Christine McGrath of Christine’s Clothes Closet and WDH Foundation Executive Director Nicole Duquette-Jutzi. Photo courtesy of Wingham and District Hospital Foundation
Goderich Residents Make The Switch From Garbage Bags To Wheelie Bins This Month
by Bob Montgomery
Goderich residents will be trading in their garbage bags for wheelie bins later this month.
Goderich Mayor Trevor Bazinet says residents will be receiving their organic wheelie bins and their waste wheelie bins this week. After September 23rd bag tags will be a thing of the past. Bazinet says people will be able to put a wide range if things into the organic bin and that will…
The President of Bluewater Recycling Association Has Announced His Retirement
by Bob Montgomery
Francis Veilleux came out to Huron County to sell the Blue Box program to local municipalities in the spring of 1989.
At that time there was no such thing as a blue box program, even in the cities and certainly not in Huron County. The following spring, a reporter came out to Huron County to report on what people like Francis were doing and the friendship has lasted that long. Vielleux says he had to sell the Blue Box program but local municipalities in Huron County were anxious to be part of it.
Veilleux says two years before that…
Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health Hosts Forum On Health In Huron County
by Bob Montgomery
The Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health presented a live launch of this year's Lecture Series at the Huron County Museum on Tuesday.
Gateway hosts a series of virtual lectures each month but President Gwen Devereaux says they wanted to launch the season with an in-person presentation. Devereaux shares part of the discussion is around the differences between healthcare in urban and rural communities. She says that difference has always been there, both in funding and issues around health care.
Devereaux points to the fact that…
Huron County Museum And Historic Gaol Announce Museum And Culture Strategic Plan
by Bob Montgomery
County Librarian and Director of Cultural Services Beth Rumble says the strategic plan brought the Huron County Museum, Historic Gaol and Cultural Programs together.
Rumble says they conducted a six month public consultation that included an online survey, in person focus groups and some activities at the Museum over March break. The strategic planning team included staff from…
Nominations Now Open For Chamber's 2024 Spirit Of Success Awards
by Bob Montgomery
The Chamber of Commerce for Goderich, North and Central Huron has announced they're now accepting nominations for their Spirit Of Success Awards for 2024.
The deadline for nominations is September 29th. The annual event celebrates the achievements of businesses, individuals, and community organizations in Goderich, Central Huron, and North Huron, recognizing their positive impact on the community. The awards span 14 categories ranging from a thriving business to a dedicated individual, or a standout event. The awards recognize the excellence in the people and organizations that help make our region a great place to live and work. The first Chamber Spirit of Success Awards Night was held in 2006.
Nominations are open until September 29th, and Chamber Executive Director Colin Carnichael says they encourage the community to submit nominations for those who have made a difference over the past year. The winners will be revealed at their highly anticipated gala, which will take place on Friday, November 8th, at the Columbus Hall in Goderich. Tickets for the event are available now and can be purchased on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/2024-spirit-of-success-awards-gala-tickets-1012355321017?aff=news
A complete list of award categories can be found here.
United Way Looking To Make Taylor Swift Fan’s Wildest Dreams Come True
by Bob Montgomery
The generosity of Dr. Erin and Mike Heisz has paved the way for United Way Perth Huron to support an initiative of the United Way's United Housing initiative.
Thanks to Doctor Erin and Mike Heisz, the United Way is able to announce a charity raffle offering two tickets to see Taylor Swift live in concert in Toronto on November 23rd. The proceeds from the raffle will support United Housing, the region's first non-profit housing organization dedicated to developing and operating mixed rental units…
Changes Coming to Suncoast Mall In Goderich
by Bob Montgomery
The Suncoast Mall in Goderich could have a very different look by next year.
In fact, the changes are already very visible. Goderich Mayor Trevor Bazinet says all of the stores now have an exterior entrance, with the exception of Food Basics. The stores that have the exterior entrance now go back and occupy what was the middle of the mall.
Another addition, that required a zoning change, was approved at this week's council meeting and will allow three drive-through restaurants to open along the front of the property, close to Highway 21. Bazinet says it's a big parking lot there that has been under-utilized and there are three restaurant chains that want to set up shop there so it made sense approve the zoning change that allows that. Bazinet says they're not able to announce the names of the restaurants at this time, but it will be happening.
Bazinet says he's hoping the work can be completed in the new year and he's excited about the new look.
Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre Announces New CEO
by Bob Montgomery
The Board of Directors of the Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre (GBACHC) has announced a new Chief Executive Officer.
Ralph Ganter assumes that responsibility on Octover 28th. He is well known in provincial health care, having been CEO of the Erie St. Clair LHIN, executive director of Assisted Living Southwest Ontario, and most recently, executive director of the Central Lambton Family Health Team. He brings a wealth of proven experience working with the Ministry of Health, Ontario Health and Ontario Health Teams. In addition to his Master of Science in Administration and Master of Business Administration, he is currently completing his doctorate, focusing on improving patient processes and outcomes.
As the new CEO, he will focus on advancing the GBACHC’s mission to provide exceptional healthcare services to the community. His leadership will be instrumental in guiding the GBACHC through advocacy work and ensuring it continues to meet the evolving needs of patients, clients and the community.
Huron Soil And Crop To Host Cover Crop Planting Demonstration Day at Huronview Demo Farm On September 20th
by Bob Montgomery
Huron Soil and Crop is hosting a Cover Crop Planting Demonstration Day at Huronview Demo Farm, south of Clinton, on Friday, September 20th.
The demonstration starts at one o'clock and includes a demo of cover crops planted by modified sprayer and drone. The Huronview Demonstration Farm is located at 77722 London Road, behind the Huron Perth Public Health office at the Huronview complex. The demonstration farm is owned by the County of Huron and managed by local farmers from Huron County Soil and Crop Improvement Association. Event Organizer, Alan Willits, says the the cover crop planting demo day is a great opportunity for people to learn about the benefits of cover crops and about new technology and different planting approaches…
United Way Kicks Off Campaign In Huron East
by Bob Montgomery
United Way Perth-Huron will launch their annual campaign next Sunday.
They'll mark the beginning of their fundraising year in Huron East with a campaign launch concert with local band Jellybean Blue, at Seaforth First Presbyterian Church on Goderich Street West on Sunday, September 22 at 7 p.m. United Way Manager of Community Development for North Huron and Huron East, Lisa Harber, says they're looking forward to kicking off the campaign in Seaforth. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to share stories about how…”
Weekly Trivia Questions
Huron’s population boomed in the 1840s, growing from 5,224 in 1840, to 20,450 in 1848. Most of the new settlers came from other parts of Canada (7,400 to be exact). What country did most (5,832) of the other settlers come from?*
a) Scotland
b) Ireland
c) Germany
d) England
The McCormick reaper was the first commercially successful machine to help farmers harvest grain. It was developed in the early 1800s by a Virginia-born inventor named Cyrus Hall McCormick. After what year did it make an appearance, and become common, in Huron County?*
a) 1810
b) 1820
c) 1830
d) 1840
*According to The Settlement of Huron County, written by James Scott
Answers to last week’s questions:
Where was Terry Fox born, and in what year?
a) Toronto, 1955
b) Windsor, 1959
c) Halifax, 1953
d) Winnipeg, 1958*
During Terry Fox’s 143 day Marathon of Hope run, how many kilometres did he run per day, on average?
a) 38
b) 55
c) 49
d) 41*