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- Huron County Newsletter #49
Huron County Newsletter
Week of December 1st to 7th, 2024
Good day,
We have officially reached the season of giving, and the season of snow! If you can, help out your local food banks, shelters, and other organizations offering care and support to those in need.
And now, enjoy some local news, and trivia.
Thank you for checking out the Huron County Newsletter and have a great week.
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Avon Maitland District School Board Launches North Perth Boundary Review To Relieve Enrollment Pressures
by Bob Montgomery
Trustees with the Avon Maitland District School Board have approved the launch of a boundary review in the North Perth area.
The process involves examining the current school boundaries at the Board’s schools in Listowel and the surrounding area to determine how the boundaries might be adjusted to alleviate enrollment pressures. Board Superintendent of Corporate Services, Cheri Carter, says they actually did a review in the same area in 2021-22 and at that time the…
Eco Exeter's Community Market A Huge Success
by Bob Montgomery
South Huron District High School's Eco Exeter Team hosted their first Community Market at the high school this past Saturday.
Teacher and Eco Exeter team leader Amanda Keller says they applied for a grant from the Sunset Community Fund and got some help from the municipality of South Huron in organizing the community market. “The idea was that they would have a market that had vendors that were selling eco-friendly and/or locally made products and we had…”
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Photos courtesy of Eco Exeter
Municipality of Bluewater Receives $125,700 Grant From The Ontario Trillium Foundation To Help Support Recreation In The Municipality
by Bob Montgomery
Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson met with Bluewater Mayor Paul Klopp and staff last Sunday to present a cheque for $125,700 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to help support recreation in the municipality.
That money was used to hire a recreation coordinator to develop programming, fundraising and volunteer management plans and increase community access to health, mental well-being, recreation and fitness activities. Denver Boertien was hired as the recreation coordinator. She will be…
Photo left to right: Denver Boertien (Bluewater Recreation Coordinator), Maggie Off (Manager of Facilities), MPP Lisa Thompson, Mayor of Bluewater Paul Klopp, Councillor - Stanley East Peter Walden, Ralph Bast (Bayfield River Valley Trail Association), Sinnan Halton (Huron Area Search and Rescue). Photo courtesy of Municipality of Bluewater
Huron County Accessibility Advisory Committee Announces 2024 Awards Winners On This International Day Of Persons With Disabilities
by Bob Montgomery
The Huron County Accessibility Advisory Committee (HCAAC) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 HCAAC Awards on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
These awards recognize exemplary contributions to enhancing accessibility within the Huron community. This year's honorees have demonstrated extraordinary dedication to facility design, service accessibility, and promoting inclusive practices.
Award of Merit for…
Pictured left to right: Front row: Fern Johnson, Shawn Thomson, Mason, Lorie Falconer, Reeve Paul Heffer, Maia Turland, and Julie Sawchuk.Back row: Michelle Shepherd, Megan Eddington, James Eddington, Mason Eckert, Kate Godwin, Carson Lamb, Mayor Trevor Bazinet, Warden Glen McNeil, Diane Blackall, Mayor George Finch, Stacey Jeffery, Bruce Youmans, and Sahil Kaushal. Photo courtesy of Huron County
Enbridge Gas Teams Up With Bluewater Fire Services To Reduce Fire And Carbon Monoxide Deaths
by Bob Montgomery
Enbridge Gas and Bluewater Fire Services recently announced they are partnering on a project to improve home safety and bring fire and carbon monoxide-related deaths down to zero.
Bluewater Fire Services received 144 combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms through Safe Community Project Zero, which is a public education campaign with the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council that will provide more than 14,500 alarms to residents in 75 communities across Ontario. When properly installed and maintained, combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms help provide the…
Left to right: Dave Erb, Bluewater Fire Chief; Megan Shannon, Coordinator Stakeholder Engagement, Enbridge Gas; Laurie Spence Bannerman, CAO Municipality of Bluewater; Paul Klopp, Mayor; John Becker, Deputy Mayor; Peter Walden, Stanley East Councillor.
Photo courtesy of Municipality of Bluewater
South Huron Hospital Enhances Organ Donation Process
by Bob Montgomery
South Huron Hospital has implemented a new routine notification process to the Trillium Gift of Life Network.
The Trillium Gift of Life Network is responsible for delivering and coordinating organ and tissue donation and transplantation services across the province. This initiative ensures organ and tissue donation consideration following a patient's passing.
Routine notifications will now cover all…
HuronSong Chorus Will Be Performing Two Concerts This Year To Raise Money For The Huron Women's Shelter
by Bob Montgomery
The Director of the HuronSong Chorus says they'll be performing in Seaforth and in Goderich.
Debra Bailey says the HuronSong Chorus is a community chorus of about 75 singers from all over the county from Grand Bend and Exeter to just a little north of Blyth. They started a little more than sixteen years ago, with about twelve singers and for a little over ten years now they have been doing concerts solely as a fundraiser for the Huron Women's Shelter and so far they've raised over…
Search Warrant In South Huron Yields Illegal Drugs
An investigation conducted by the Huron-Perth Ontario Provincial Police Community Street Crimes Unit, Grey-Bruce OPP, West Region OPP Emergency Response Team, and Huron County OPP detachment resulted in the seizure of illegal drugs and offence-related property. Criminal charges have been laid against two South Huron residents.
A drug trafficking investigation in South Huron was initiated by members of the Huron-Perth Community Street Crimes Unit which led investigators to an address in South Huron.
On Thursday, November 28th, a search warrant was executed on…
Goderich Looking For Help In Covering Costs Of Court Security And Prisoner Transportation
by Bob Montgomery
Goderich Mayor Trevor Bazinet says Goderich currently pays for security at the courthouse as well as prisoner transportation to and from the courthouse.
He pointed out to county council this week, the province does cover some of that cost, but Goderich is expected to cover the shortfall. Over the past six years that has averaged out to $188,000 per year. Bazinet points out it is a county courthouse that happens to be located in Goderich, so Goderich shouldn't have to cover all of the costs. Which the costs will be going up now because anyone entering the courthouse will be checked by two OPP officers and a metal detector.
He was hoping that either the…
Lynn Hoy Enterprises Giving Tuesday Big Match Raises $43,165 For The Wingham Hospital
by Bob Montgomery
The Wingham & District Hospital Foundation partnered with Lynn Hoy Enterprises to kick off the giving season on Giving Tuesday – December 3rd.
Lynn Hoy Enterprises offered a $10,000 matching gift to double donations made to the hospital on Giving Tuesday. The community responded enthusiastically and generously and the event exceeded its goal ultimately raising $43,165 for an ultrasound machine.
Fortunately the weather cooperated enough to allow an in-person drop-in event at the Lynn Hoy Enterprises showroom. Donors stopped by to make donations, enjoy some holiday treats, sign the holiday card for hospital staff and enter…
Left to right: Terry Hoy, Debbie Murray and Josh Jorritsma of Lynn Hoy Enterprises. Photo courtesy of Nicole Duquette-Jutzi - Wingham & District Hospital Foundation
Huron Soil And Crop Donates $5,000 To Huron County Food Bank Distribution Centre
by Bob Montgomery
The Huron County Soil and Crop Improvement Association marked Giving Tuesday, on December 3, with a donation of $5,000 to the Huron County Food Bank Distribution Centre.
Huron Soil and Crop made the donation possible, thanks to the work of agricultural producers who volunteer at the Huronview Demonstration Farm and by harvesting and selling…
The Huron County Soil and Crop shown at the Huronview Demonstration Farm, for the cheque presentation, are (left to right) Peter Nonkes, director of North Huron Food Share and HSCIA Vice-President; Sharon Devine, HSCIA Secretary-Treasurer; Mary Ellen Zielman, Executive Director of Huron County Food Bank Distribution Centre; Wim Feddes, HSCIA President; and Rick Kootstra, manager of Huronview Demo Farm.
Photo courtesy of Huron County Soil and Crop
Protect Yourself From Respiratory Illness This Holiday Season
by Bob Montgomery
Winter has arrived in most of Midwestern Ontario. Some of us are happy about that, others not so much.
Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) is reminding all of us that the flu has also arrived. They recently received notice of the first lab-confirmed influenza case for the 2024-2025 season in Huron and Perth. COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae continue to circulate in Huron and Perth counties. They…
Compass Minerals Renews Cornerstone Sponsorship With $10,000 Contribution To The Huron Chamber Of Commerce
by Bob Montgomery
The Huron Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to announce that Compass Minerals has renewed its commitment as a Cornerstone Sponsor with a $10,000 contribution for 2025.
The announcement was made at the Huron Chamber of Commerce Board meeting on December 3rd, where representatives from Compass Minerals, Craig Manz and Amy Boyce, presented the board with a cheque. This marks the second year of Compass Minerals’ partnership with the Chamber, further underscoring their dedication to supporting not just the business community in Goderich, where they are based, but…
Photo courtesy of Huron Chamber of Commerce
Perth County To Discontinue PC Connect Rural Route Service In Early 2025
by Bob Montgomery
Perth County Council made the decision at a county council meeting on December 5th to discontinue the PC Connect Transit pilot project, currently operating as the Rural Route, as of March 31, 2025.
Since it was launched the program has been fully funded through the provincial government’s Community Transportation Grant Program and all funding is scheduled to be utilized on or before the service end date.
Note that PC Connect Routes 1, 2 & 3 offering service between Stratford, St. Marys, London, Kitchener-Waterloo and North Perth are not impacted by this decision.
“Council is pleased at the success of the PC Connect pilot program during…”
Weekly Trivia Questions
What is the subject of Bonnie Sitter’s best-selling book ‘Onion Skin and Peach Fuzz’, which was turned into a play at the Blyth Festival Theatre in the summer of 2024?
a) The Potato Famine
b) The Farmerettes
c) The Ontario Farmers’ Union
d) Two people nicknamed Onion Skin and Peach Fuzz
Who was the first known settler of Colborne Township, purchasing 5,465 acres outright, at a cost of just £2,049 7s. 6d., around 1829?
a) Michael Fisher
b) Benjamin Miller
c) William Colborne
d) Wayne Gretzky
Answers to last week’s questions:
What Huron County village was originally known as Ainleyville?
a) Blyth
b) Bayfield
c) Brussels*
d) Belgrave
What famous plows were manufactured in Exeter?
a) John Deere*
b) Massey-Harris
c) Massey-Ferguson
d) Verity
Trivia questions courtesy of local historian and author David Yates.