INSIDEEnjoying the winterAlmost every day he is out in the

local woods and fields enjoying theweather. STORY PAGE 2

Port Bruce ReportCatfish Creek Conservation Author-

ity (CCCA) has started activities tohopefully assist in the ice break up thisyear. STORY PAGE 2

Treasure huntersclaim to have foundelusive 'Le Griffon'shipwreck in Lake

Michigan Beneath the cold waves of Lake

Michigan rests an aging shipwreck, itswooden planks encrusted with brown-and-gray zebra mussels. STORY PAGE 3

$4,500 Fine forCareless Hunting

Hunters are reminded to knowtheir target and beyond before shoot-ing at wildlife.. STORY PAGE 4

New U.S. Legislationaimed at keeping out the Carp

Taylor concluded: “We must pro-tect both the Great Lakes and the Mis-sissippi River basins from destructiveinvasive species. STORY PAGE 4

Serving Lake Erie’s North Shore

Friday March 6, 2015

LOOK AHEADCommunity Events Page 6

Classifieds & Service Directory Page 7

Business Roladex Page 4 & 8

Continued On Page 5

Continued On Page 4

Jim TaylorIt’s icily alluringly in this oh so frigid

winter. It’s starkly, coldly beautiful. Itentices us to come and walk on its toowhite pristine surface. Skate on itssometimes-glassy face.

And judging by the crowds of the curi-ous the lure this year is stronger than ever.

Ice and snow have filled Lake Erie.Literally. A rare event.

It’s hard to resist a trek into this pris-tine white wilderness. Visit the PortStanley shore on any given day andyou’ll see crowds ... chilly clumps of thecurious ... wandering out onto the fea-tureless white desert.

Walk to Erie, Pennsylvania anyone?Or maybe Cleveland?

As a Port Stanley native I can relate

And the time a bunch of the village’shockey rink rats, who didn’t have a rinkin those times, were able to have agame of shinny on smooth black ice outbeyond the lighthouse. Every time agoal was scored the game was haltedwhile someone skated after the puckskittering away on the glassy surface.

That was a thousand years ago. Or so.

These days you can’t help but cringewhen you see people walk out from theshore. Far out. Many with their childrenin tow, or gamboling ahead of them.Make that gambling. From a vantagepoint high on the bluffs you can seepatches of open water. Patches thatshift and change. Never the same from

It’s beautiful but extremely dangerous

Andrew HibbertOn February 18th and 19th the

Southwest Ontario Tourism Corpora-tion (SOTC) held their fourth annualSouthwest Tourism Conference at theBest Western Lamplighter Inn & Con-ference Centre in London. More than200 tourism professionals were in at-tendance. The annual conference is aforum for those in the tourism industryto stay up-to-date with current trends,share ideas and network with col-leagues. This is one of the only confer-ences that has programming gearedtoward the tourism operator while stillproviding a big picture view of what ishappening in the tourism industry.

The conference included severalguest speakers. Jim Hudson, ExecutiveDirector, Southwest Ontario TourismCorp. talked about how The Times TheyAre A-Changin! Rob Taylor, President &CEO, Tourism Industry Association of

Even our own Kate Burns Gallagher,Business Development Coordinator forElgin County, wa there to talk aboutyoung entrepreneurs building oppor-tunities in tourism.

As well as speakers the conferencealso included Plenary Sessions andBreakout Sessions such as “5 ThingsYou Need to Know about Managingyour Reputation Online”. There werealso local tours including London’sGrand Theatre, Tobaggan Brewery withlunch for a small additional fee.

The prevailing theme of the confer-ence seemed to be one of optimism forthe coming year. In fact it was sug-gested that hotels, restaurants and

Canada discussed how we need to beSharpening Canada’s Competitive Ad-vantage – to Maximizing TourismGrowth in Canada and Jeff Miller, Pres-ident & CEO, of Travel Portland talkedabout how Portland Oregon, Em-braced its ‘Weird’ Reputation.

Tourism Outlook More Promising For 2015

Above: The bridge brings tourists fromthe U.S. To South Western Ontario.

Left: A regional tourist attraction the Submarine Ojibwa in Port Burwell.

Lake ice on Main Beach in Port Stanleyattracts a lot of visitors.

to that. I recall a day in my youth whena friend and I skated into a headwindon glassy black ice all the way to PortTalbot. Then turned around, openedour jackets like sails, and blew home.Not something I would advise thesedays, but still a cherished memory.Right Keith?

Your ad in the Lake ErieBeacon will reach 6800

Homes, Apartments Farms& Businesses

From Port Burwell to PortStanley and Port Glasgow.

We also Email over 700

PDF’s of the Beacon & are

on Facebook & issuu.com

Call Linda at 519.782.4563

PORTBRUCEREPORTCathy Crane

Page 2 • The Lake Erie Beacon • Friday March 6, 2015

Published by Kettle Creek Publishing Ltd.204 A Carlow RoadPort Stanley, ON N5L 1C5Telephone: 519.782.4563

Letters to the Editor andrew@lebeacon.ca

Follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.comRead Complete Issues of The Lake Erie Beacon at: http://issuu.com

The Lake Erie Beacon is a community newspaper published every second Friday by Ket-tle Creek Publishing Ltd. Over 6000 copies are delivered by Canada Post to homes, apartments and businesses along the north shore of Lake Erie.

The Beacon is also available through Variety Stores, Restaurants, Inns and B&B’s in Dutton,West Lorne, Rodney, St. Thomas, Copenhagen and Port Stanley bringing our distribution to 6800.

The Lake Erie Beacon shall not be liable for changes or typographical errors that do notlessen the value of advertisements or other similar material that has been included in thispublication. We reserve the right to edit all submissions including letters to the editor whichmust be signed and include your name, address and phone number, be in good taste and fol-low the laws of libel and slander. Anonymous letters will not be published. Articles written byfreelance writers do not necessarily reflect the views of The Lake Erie Beacon.

The Advertising Deadline is: Friday Noon Prior to Publication.Distribution Audited by CCNA

Member: Ontario Community Newspaper AssociationMember: Canadian Community Newspaper AssociationMember: St. Thomas and District Chamber of CommerceMember: Dutton/Dunwich Chamber of CommerceMember: Elgin Tourism Services

Publisher/EditorAndrew Hibbert andrew@lebeacon.caAdvertisingLinda Hibbert linda@lebeacon.caDiane Sura diane@lebeacon.ca

Contact Darryl Gratton, Firefighters Association 519-932-0390Renee Simmons, Childcan 519-685-3599Evening Entertainment 8pm-12am

ROY LEBANCMasonic Hall 42073 Fruit Ridge Line, St. Thomas, ON N5P 3S9

(corner of Fruit Ridge and Sunset Drive)Licensed, finger foods will be provided $40.00 per person

to pledge dipper or buy tickets for the evening

http://2015portstanleypolarbeardip.kintera.org/childcan Ad Sponsored by The Lake Erie Beacon

Ministry of EducationOntario is helping parents get more

involved in their children’s educationby supporting local initiatives to en-courage learning and well-being.

Grant applications for the 2015-16school year will be accepted until May 19.

In the 2014-15 school year, the gov-ernment funded more than 2,200 proj-ects that helped identify barriers toparent engagement and found local so-lutions to help more parents get in-volved in their children’s education.Projects include:

• Promoting parent engagement intheir child’s learning in areas likemath.

• Providing outreach to parents fromdiverse backgrounds.

• Translating materials into lan-guages used by the school commu-nity.

• Increasing parent engagement inisolated communities.

• Making schools and boards morewelcoming for parents.

• Workshops to show parents why en-gagement is important and howthey can become more involved intheir children’s success at school.

Encouraging parents to get involvedin their children’s education is part ofthe government's economic plan forOntario. The four-part plan is buildingOntario up by investing in people's tal-ents and skills, building new public in-frastructure like roads and transit,creating a dynamic, supportive envi-

Also posted on the CCCA websiteis information on the watershed con-ditions, including advisories andwarnings. Two very important advi-sories for people in flood prone areasare the ‘Flood Watch’ and ‘FloodWarning’. A “Flood Watch’ is whenflooding is possible along specificwaterways or municipalities andthose living in flood prone areasshould prepare in the event of risingwater levels. A ‘Flood Warning’means flooding is imminent or al-ready occurring in specific areasalong the waterway and peopleshould prepare to evacuate. PortBruce residents and those livingalong Catfish Creek are fortunate tohave the CCCA monitoring ice andwater flow conditions.

When CCCA advises of a flood‘watch’ or ‘warning’ the Township ofMalahide is notified and the floodwarning system is initiated. Resi-dents may receive more than onecontact from the township’s flood

Enjoying the winterDavid Harding shown in the photo

above, lives near Port Bruce and lovesthe winter. He says, “I hate to hear peo-ple complain about the cold and snow,just get out and enjoy it”. David is anavid cross county skier who will skifrom the Harding Smith Line six milesto Port Bruce then cross country toSparta another six miles where he visits

friends then back home again.

Almost every day he is out in thelocal woods and fields enjoying theweather and the winter wonderlandfrom four to five hours a day. Davidsays he is 75+ years old but winterdoes not keep him from enjoyinglife.

Continued On Page 7

Applications for Parents Reaching OutGrants Now Open

Continued On Page 7

Ice Mitigation ActivitiesCatfish Creek Conservation Author-

ity (CCCA) has started activities tohopefully assist in the ice break up thisyear. Ice mitigation activities are nowbeing regularly posted on the CCCAwebsite (www.catfishcreek.ca). Theupdate is listed under “News Releases”on their home page. As of February25th, the average thickness of the ice isapproximately 15 inches. Holes arebeing drilled to assist in the breakup,with the flow of the creek eroding thelower surface and weakening the ice.The dragline will also be in operationat the pier to break ice. Watch theirwebsite for up to date reports.

ronment where business thrives andbuilding a secure savings plan so every-one can afford to retire.

QUOTES

“When parents are active in theirchildren’s education, student well-being and achievement are improved —especially in challenging areas likemath. This helps students reach theirfull potential and better prepares themfor a bright future.” — Liz Sandals, Min-ister of Education

“School councils and Parent Involve-ment Committees appreciate this grantprogram as a way to overcome barriersto parent engagement in our own com-munities and help more parents get in-volved. These grants are one of manypractical and innovative tools and re-sources that help foster parent engage-ment in their children’s learning.” —Amy Mack, Parent Involvement Com-mittee Co-Chair, Limestone DistrictSchool Board

QUICK FACTS• Research shows that children do bet-

ter in school when their parents playan active role in their education.

The event is organized by the

Port Stanley Firefighters Association

Minister of Education Liz Sandals

Left: Image of the shipwreck thought tobe the 1679 French ship Griffon taken bydiver Kevin Dykstra.

Below: "The Sailing of The Griffon" WallPanel at the Buffalo and Erie County Histor-ical Society Painted by H. T. Koerner, 1904.

The Lake Erie Beacon • Friday March 6, 2015 • Page 3

Laura Geggel Live Science January 2015

Beneath the cold waves of LakeMichigan rests an aging shipwreck, itswooden planks encrusted with brown-and-gray zebra mussels, that may bethe remnants of a 17th-century shipcalled the Griffon, two Michigan-basedtreasure hunters say.

Le Griffon was constructed andlaunched at or near Cayuga Creek onthe Niagara River as a seven-cannon,45-ton barque. La Salle and FatherLouis Hennepin set out on Le Griffon'smaiden voyage on August 7, 1679 witha crew of 32, sailing across Lake Erie,Lake Huron and Lake Michiganthrough uncharted waters that only ca-noes had previously explored. La Salledisembarked and on September 18sent the ship back toward Niagara. Onits return trip from Green Bay, Wiscon-sin, it vanished with all six crewmem-bers and a load of furs.

Using side scan sonar, the two treas-ure hunters found the remains of theshipwreck in Lake Michigan. Despitephotos from several underwater dives,it's still unclear whether the wreck isthe 1679 French ship Griffon thatFrench explorer René-Robert Cavelier,Sieur de La Salle built in 1679, but waslost in Lake Michigan the same year.

In 2011, Michigan-based treasurehunters Kevin Dykstra and FrederickMonroe found the shipwreck as theywere searching for a $2 million in goldthat, according to local legend, fellfrom a ferry crossing Lake Michigan inthe 1800s, they told WZZM, a westernMichigan news station. Their sonarrecorded a mass below, and Dykstradove into the water to take video. "Ididn't go down there with the expecta-tion of seeing a shipwreck — I can tellyou that," Dykstra told Live Science.

When he and Monroe later reviewedthe video, they realized it might be theGriffon. But other experts aren't con-vinced. Rather, it may be the remnantsof a tugboat that was scrapped after"steam engines became more econom-ical to operate," said Brendon Baillod, aGreat Lakes historian who has writtenscholarly papers on the Griffon. Thewreck's discoverers agree that more ev-idence is needed.

State archaeologists reviewed thefootage, and "They've been very dili-gent to say, 'This is really interesting;these are some neat pictures,'" Dykstrasaid. "Can we call this the Griffon? Cer-tainly not — not without a lot more in-formation — but these are verycompelling." La Salle sailed the Griffonthrough the Great Lakes and crossedinto Lake Michigan in an effort to reachthe mouth of the Mississippi River,Baillod said. But the explorer ran out ofmoney, so he disembarked with theother expedition leaders, leaving theship and its crew to pay off his debtswith a cargo of furs that were loaded innorthern Lake Michigan. The ship waslast seen by natives in the northernpart of the lake.

La Salle never saw the Griffon again.La Salle returned to the area in 1682, totry again to locate the Mississippi'smouth. But members of thePotawatomi tribe brought pieces of theship to the explorer, including somemoldy beaver furs and a pair of sailor'sbritches, said Baillod, who translatedLa Salle's journal from French to Eng-

plan to return it tothe state, said DeanAnderson, the statearchaeologist forMichigan.

About 1,500 ship-wrecks have beenfound on the bottomof Lake Michigan,Anderson said, andit's unclear whetherthis one is the Grif-fon. "It's very diffi-cult to access a wreckbased on photo andfilm footage," Ander-son said. If the stateunderwater archae-

ologist were to look at the wreck, hewould look for artifacts that could bedated, such as ceramics or glass.

lish. The NativeAmericans toldLa Salle the crewplanned to sailtoward the Straitsof Mackinac instormy weather."The [American]Indians told thecaptain not to sailout, to wait thestorm out, but hewouldn't listen tothem," Baillodsaid. The captainlost control of theship as strongwinds blew itaway from shore,southward, toward islands in the dis-tance. "They lost the ship from sight,"Baillod said, "and that's the last any-body has ever seen of the Griffon".

About 30 adventurers have claimedto have found the Griffon, usually byhappenstance, Baillod said. "They'relooking for something else, they find anold ship and they've heard of the Grif-fon, so they pronounce it the Griffon."Moreover, Baillod said he hasn't heardof anyone looking for the Griffon nearthe Beaver Island archipelago, which islikely the area mentioned in La Salle'sjournal. But the latest finding, madepopular again by Wreck Diving Maga-zine in its latest issue, holds a numberof clues about the ship's past.

"There was no rudder on the boat,"Dykstra said. "That was kind of tellingto us that the ship probably weathereda storm; otherwise, there would proba-bly be a rudder on it." They also founda part of the ship that they said couldbe a mussel-covered Griffon, the myth-ical beast carved onto the ship's bow.Zebra mussels cover what may be aGriffon on the bow of the ship.

On a subsequent dive, Dykstra tooka magnet with him to help determinethe metal composition of the ship. Un-expectedly, a nail attached itself to themagnet, and the treasure hunters onlydiscovered it later, once they wereabove water. "When we had it lookedat, they [the archaeologists] could tellthat the nail was very old," Dykstrasaid. "It was a hand-forged nail, whichhelps date it back to that time period,we feel."

The state of Michigan has rules stip-ulating that artifacts found on stateland, including the land at the bottomof the US side of the Great Lakes, arestate property. The two men did notbring up the nail on purpose, and they

HealthTalkLittle Ones with Broken Hearts

February was heart month. Retailers cramtheir shelves with chocolates, paper hearts, cardsand a variety of stuffed creatures singing “wildthing’. (Yes nothing says I love you like commer-cialized rubbish) It’s also a time to think aboutour own heart health. I’ve talked before abouthealthy eating, exercise, quitting smoking, blah,blah blah. Some people take my advice ‘toheart’ whereas others choose to ignore it. We’reall adults and these are the choices we make.But what if heart health wasn’t a choice? What ifyou were born with a broken heart?

A congenital heart defect (CHD) happenswhen the heart or the blood vessels near theheart don't develop normally before birth. It oc-curs in 1 in 100 births and represents the mostfrequent birth defect in newborns. In mostcases, there is no clear cause why. Sometimes,things like viral infections or drug or alcoholabuse during pregnancy, or genetic conditionsare the culprit. The defects may be detectedduring pregnancy, after birth or even once theperson has reached adulthood.

CHD can be managed in a variety of ways de-pending on the type of defect. Non-invasive pro-cedures where a small tube (catheter) iscarefully guided to the heart from the groin orleg can be used to repair holes in the heart or to

open closed blood vessels. In some instances,more invasive surgery is required and in somecases, a series of operations may be required. Inmost cases, medications which we commonly use inadults need to be specially made in a form that achild can take (liquid, gummy bear, suppository).Careful dose adjustments are required as the childgrows to adulthood and an entire team of doctors,nurses and pharmacists are involved in the care.

Previously, less than 20 % of those with CHDmade it past their teens but now, thanks to advance-ments in surgical procedures and medications,more than 95% will reach adulthood. While thesestatistics are heart-warming, they pose a problem— resources need to be available to follow theseadults, and further research is required to developthe best guidelines for these adults. Also twice asmany children die from congenital heart defectseach year than from all forms of childhood cancercombined, We have come a long way to combatCHD, but there is still more to go. Take care ofyourselves and each other. For more information,check out our blog:yurekpharmacy.wordpress.com

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Treasure hunters claim to have found elusive 'Le Griffon' shipwreck in Lake Michigan

Unsolved Mystery Baillod said he is "99 percent sure"

that the wreck is not that of the Griffon.The figurehead likely isn't the remainsof a Griffon, he said, but a "big encrus-tation of zebra mussels," on burnedwood. He noted that the wreck is nearthe western Michigan coast, not nearBeaver Island, the area mentioned inLa Salle's journal. But Dykstra andMonroe said they'll wait until they hearthe final word. They're not going backto the wreckage for a while, so theydon't make the site vulnerable to othertreasure seekers. In the meantime, theduo plans to continue their hunt forthe gold bullion. "It's a mystery shipthat got in our way," Dykstra said, "andnow, we're going for the gold".

New Griffon BookA recently

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Page 4 • The Lake Erie Beacon • Friday March 6, 2015

THE LAKE ERIE BEACON ROLADEX

day to day.

And even though the lake is almostcompletely covered, twice in the pasttwo weeks large freighters were spottedfar offshore slowly, very slowly, plowinga path up the lake, led by ice-breakingtugs.

The lure of the ice is irresistible andcrowds of the curious seem to ignorethe dangers, wandering further and fur-ther from shore. Sometimes out towhere there was open water just a day

before. A Port Stanley form of Russianroulette .... with fluid, shifting odds.

It’s beautiful, it’s awesome but noone should ignore the fact that it’s ex-tremely dangerous. An offshore windor subtle rise in temperature the lakereturns to, well, a lake.

So come to the village, go to thebeaches, even walk out on the icypier. I know I do.

But remember sometimes beautycomes with a bite.

It’s beautiful but extremely dangerousContinued From Page 1

Lake ice on Main Beach in Port Stanleyattracts a lot of visitors including manywho venture out on the pier.

The Arthur M. Anderson, left, is seenstruck in the ice on Lake Erie, nearConneaut Harbor, Ohio, on Thursday. (Canadian Coast Guard Photo)

Ministry of Natural Resourcesand Forestry

A Tillsonburg area man has beenfined $4,500 for careless hunting.

Richard Helsdon pleaded guiltyand was fined $4,500 for discharginga firearm without due care and atten-tion for people or property. He is pro-hibited from hunting for one year andmust successfully complete the On-tario Hunter Education Course beforehunting in the province again. Hisfirearm was also forfeited to theCrown.

Court heard that on December 3,2013, Helsdon was hunting in a partyengaged in a deer drive in the CarsonSide Road area of Norfolk County. Hesaw a deer running through a fieldand shot in its direction. The shotmissed the deer but hit a member ofthe hunting party in the leg. NorfolkCounty Ontario Provincial Police andconservation officers with the Min-istry of Natural Resources and

$4,500 Fine for Careless Hunting

The Port Stanley Promotional BrochureIn the early spring of this year, 2015, we will again be publishing and distributing the Port Stanley Map Brochure.

This tourism brochure is delivered to US/Canada border crossings from Port Huron to Niagara. To Information standsalong the 401 from Toronto to Windsor as well as in Hotels andMotels in London, Brantford and Hamilton. The brochure alsogoes to every other information stand in Southwestern Ontario.

If your business would like to be part of this advertising campaign please contact

Linda at 519-782-4563This is the only stand-alone brochure that promotes Port Stanley

Forestry conducted a joint investiga-tion into the shooting.

Justice of the Peace Donald Dudarheard the case in the Ontario Court ofJustice, Simcoe, on February 26, 2015.

Hunters are reminded to knowtheir target and beyond before shoot-ing at wildlife. A conservation officermust be notified as soon as practica-ble if an injury requiring treatment bya physician is caused by the dis-charge of a firearm while hunting ortrapping.

For further information on hunt-ing regulations, please consult theHunting Regulations Summary avail-able at ontario.ca/hunting.

To report a natural resources vio-lation, call the MNRF TIPS line at 1-877-847-7667 toll-free any time orcontact your local ministry office dur-ing regular business hours. You canalso call Crime Stoppers anony-mously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

The Canadian PressThe Canadian Press reported that

near the end of February two Cana-dian Coast Guard icebreakers freed aU.S. freighter stuck in the ice for dayson southern Lake Erie.

A spokeswoman for the CoastGuard says the S.S. Arthur M. Ander-son had been trapped in the ice nearConneaut Harbor, Ohio, about 75kilometres northeast of Cleveland,since Tuesday.

Carol Launderville says two Cana-dian Coast Guard Ships, the Griffon

Marc Gaden Great Lakes Fishery Commission

ANN ARBOR, MI—The Great LakesFishery Commission lauded U.S. Sen-ator Debbie Stabenow (MI) and Rep-resentative Candice Miller (MI) forthe introduction of bi-cameral, bi-partisan legislation aimed at prevent-ing the migration of invasive speciesbetween the Great Lakes and Missis-sippi River watersheds throughcanals in the Chicago area. The bill,entitled “Defending Our Great LakesAct,” is motivated by the relentlessmovement of Asian carp toward the

Canadian Coast Guardfrees U.S. freighter from

Lake Erie ice

New U.S. Legislationaimed at keeping out Carp

and the Samuel Risley, created a trackthrough the ice north of the Andersonin order to free it.

Launderville says that the Griffonhas moved on to help escort an oiltanker to Nanticoke, Ontario and theSamuel Risley is now escorting theAnderson to the Detroit area, whichcould take a day or more depending

Great Lakes region, but it would also ad-dress many other species that threatenthe Great Lakes and Mississippi Riverbasins. The bill directs the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers to work with otherauthorities to take immediate steps atthe Brandon Road Lock and Dam, atJoliet, IL, just outside Chicago — a suit-able location for invasive species control— while continuing to drive towardlong-term, permanent solutions to thewaterway as a vector.

Last year, the U.S. Army Corps of En-gineers released the “Great Lakes Missis-sippi River Interbasin Study” (GLMRIS),

Continued On Page 6

Continued On Page 6

The Lake Erie Beacon • Friday March 6, 2015 • Page 5

sector in SW Ontario

• It is the largest employer of youth byfar (especially important whenyouth unemployment is twice theoverall national average)

Jen Moore,�Marketing Manager forSOTC added to what Jim was sayingabout the lower loonie — there is also astrong possibility for more Canadiansto travel within Canada. You may havenoticed a bit of a trend in the mediawith ads promoting savings to “offsetthe Canadian dollar”.

Areas to focus onI asked Jim what areas or promo-

tions our local tourism operators andmarketers should be concentrating on.He answered with the following.

• Marketing to the U.S. (see below)

• Understanding the “sharing econ-omy” and how it may impact us posi-tively or negatively e.g. Airbnb, Uber

(Airbnb is a website for people to rent outlodging and Uber is that somewhat con-troversial taxi service)

• Managing online marketing andreputations e.g. TripAdvisor, Yelp, etc.

• Partnering opportunities e.g. withother tourism operators to createpackages or itineraries, especiallythose leading to overnight stays

• Don’t underestimate the value of at-tractions in our own backyard e.g.Ojibwa submarine in Port Burwellwhich was named Tourism Innovatorof 2014 for all of Canada; our grow-ing winery and craft beer sectorsand don’t forget to advertise totourists who live locally

The Southwest Ontario Tourism Corpo-ration operates as a non-profit organization,working to promote tourism as a vital eco-nomic driver. The regional tourism organiza-tion has offices from Windsor to Cayuga inHaldimand County.

Tourism Outlook MorePromising For 2015Continued From Page 1

tourist attractions should be gearingup for a busy season that’s expected tobring more Americans and Canadiansto Southwestern Ontario.

“It’s upbeat. It’s an industry that’sreally in flux, but in a good way,” saidJim Hudson, executive director of theSouthwest Ontario Tourism Corp. Hewent on to say, “I’m very optimistic, ex-pecting the rate of growth for tourismexpenditures in our region to exceedthe average of the last few years.”

I asked Jim what signs would indicatea better year for 2015? He replied, “I ex-pect a strong improvement because:

• The number of Americans withpassports has tripled to 120 million

• The U.S economy is strong

• Outbound tourism from the US toall countries set a record last year

• The loonie is lower

• Gas prices are lower and we are a“rubber tire market”, meaning thatmost Ontario tourists come by car.

• I expect the Canadian governmentto realize its earlier error and getback into the US market through itsfunding of the Canadian TourismCommission; locally we plan to sub-stantially increase our focus on thatmarket as well

Other Thoughts coming out of the conference

Many people underestimate thevalue of tourism

• Tourists spend over $1.75 billion ayear in our region

• Over 18,000 people work in the

Karen Vecchio Executive Assistant Joe Preston, MP

Elgin families, residents and visi-tors will soon benefit from CatfishCreek Conservation Authority (CCCA)Rehabilitation and Promotion Projectto federal investments to expand andimprove snowmobile, all-terrain vehi-cle, off-road motorcycle and non-mo-torized recreational trails from coastto coast to coast.

Canada has a vast network ofrecreational trails, which allow Cana-dians to experience the outdoors andappreciate this country’s naturalbeauty. Thanks to a partnership be-tween the Government of Canada andthe National Trails Coalition, $10 mil-lion has been made available between2014 and 2016 to help expand and re-habilitate Canada’s snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle and non-motorizedtrail system.

CCCA will be receiving $14,000through the Federal National Recre-ational Trails Program to assist withtheir project. Between 150 and 200projects are expected to be supportedacross Canada. The National TrailsCoalition is responsible for selecting

CCCA Trail Rehab and Promotion Project

and approving projects.

“Our Government is pleased to sup-port Catfish Creek Conservation Au-thority Rehabilitation and PromotionProject as part of our efforts to expandand improve recreational and multi-purpose trails across the country”stated MP Preston. “By investing intrail infrastructure, our Government isencouraging job creation, linking com-munities and increasing recreationalopportunities for Canadians. Throughthis commitment, we are continuing tosupport economic growth from coastto coast to coast while ensuring thatCanadian communities remain amongthe best in the world to live.”

Today’s announcement is just oneof many examples of supported proj-ects that will positively impact Cana-dian communities. Projects like CatfishCreek Conservation Authority Rehabil-itation and Promotion Project will con-tribute to ensuring access to Canada’sunique scenery while generating eco-nomic growth and creating jobs.

LtoR: Kim Smale (CCCA); Sally Martyn(Chair - CCCA); Henry Tenhor (CCCA Volun-teer); MP Joe Preston

Page 6 • The Lake Erie Beacon • Friday March 6, 2015

on the ice conditions.

Launderville says none of the shipswere in danger.

In a side note the U.S. Coast Guardreported that the Arthur M. Andersonwas the last ship to be in radio contactwith the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald beforeit sank in a Lake Superior storm in 1975killing all 29 onboard.

Canadian CoastGuard frees U.S.freighter from LakeErie ice Continued From Page 4

New U.S. Legislationaimed at keepingout the CarpContinued From Page 4

which outlined options to prevent themovement of species between the twobasins through the Chicago Area Water-way System, or “CAWS”. In 2012, theGreat Lakes Commission and the GreatLakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiativeproduced a plan (“Restoring the NaturalDivide”), which also contained optionsfor the canal. The Brandon Road Lockand Dam, which is downstream of thecurrent electrical barrier system, is widelyseen as an appropriate point to installsome of the technologies envisioned inGLMRIS and other reports.

“Senator Stabenow’s and Representa-tive Millers’ legislation recognizes that ac-tion consistent with GLMRIS andRestoring the Natural Divide can andmust occur immediately, while there isstill time to prevent an Asian carp inva-sion,” said Michigan State University pro-fessor William Taylor, the Great LakesFishery Commission’s U.S. Section Chair.“Consensus is growing that immediatesteps at the Brandon Road Lock and Damis not only possible, it is also essential ifthe movement of harmful invasivespecies like the Asian carp and snakeheadare to be stopped.”

“The Stabenow-Miller legislation isnecessary to keep the momentum mov-ing forward in our collective efforts to ad-dress invasive species in the CAWS,”Taylor continued. “Most stakeholdersagree that an invasive species inhibitingstructure at the Brandon Road Lock andDam can and should be achieved as soonas possible. This legislation seeks the artof the possible by addressing the mostimmediate opportunities first while noteasing up on the pursuit of innovative,permanent, long-term solutions.”

Taylor concluded: “We must protectboth the Great Lakes and the MississippiRiver basins from destructive invasivespecies. Although Asian carp motivatethis bill, the GLMRIS study pointed outthat the Great Lakes are potentially thesource of at least 22 harmful species thatcould invade the Mississippi River andthe Mississippi River is the potentialsource of at least 10 species, includingthree species of Asian carp, that could in-vade the Great Lakes. The Army Corpsmust address the CAWS pathway to pro-tect the $7 billion Great Lakes fishery. Icommend Senator Stabenow and Con-gresswoman Miller for their unrelentingwork to stanch the tide of invasive speciesthat cost billions of dollars in damage tothe U.S. and Canada each year."

The Great Lakes Fishery Commissionis an international organization estab-lished by the United States and Canadathrough the 1954 Convention on GreatLakes Fisheries. The commission has theresponsibility to promote measures thatprotect and improve the multi-billion-dollar Great Lakes fishery.

The Lake Erie Beacon204 A Carlow RoadPort Stanley, Ontario N5L 1C5Phone: (519) 782-4563

The Lake Erie Beacon is pleased to support yourlocal community events. We will make every effort to post promptly and accurately. If youwould like to have your event posted on this page contact us at:

519 782-4563or linda@lebeacon.ca

F E S T I V A L S & E V E N T S

North Shore Community Events

PORT STANLEY 2015Port Stanley Community Policing Requires volunteers.To help protect your village, call 519-782-3934 or Car-roll at 519-782-7616, email pscp@rogers.com Port Stanley Library 782-4241 304 Bridge St. Mon, Tues, Thurs, 10 - 8:30 Fri 1 - 5, Sat 9 - 1. Children’s Programs Maker Mondays, 6-6:45pm Calling allmakers - Explore the bounds of materials and technology .Please pre-register!Pajama-RamaMondays, 6:30-7pm. Stories & songs for allages. No registration required, please drop in!Pre-School Story Time Tuesdays, 10:15am-11am . Songs,stories & crafts for children aged 0-5 with their caregiver.Please pre-register!Games Night Thursdays, 6pm, Come and meet new friends& get your game on! All ages are welcome - please drop in!Exploring the Alphabet Mondays, March 12 & 26, 11-11:45am, letter sounds & names through songs, stories &lots of fun activities for ages 2 1/2 to 6 yrs with their care-giver Sign up now! Register through the library.March Break Events, Please pre-register for all events! Monday, March 16, Mr. Potato Head 6-7pm Bring a potatoand your imagination....All ages are welcome!Tuesday, March 17, Pirate Party! 11am-12pm Craft, activities& snacks all ages are welcome!Tuesday March 10th Annual bakeoff "Ain't muffin better"Tuesday, March 17, Judging at 11:30am Please bring 1 dozenmuffins to share all ages event!Thursday, March 19, Captain Corbin, 11am-12pmEntertainment with Captain Corbin! All ages!Adult ProgramsCard Making Monday, March 9, 10am-12pm Create some handmade cards with Adriana $5 / per-son please preregister!IttyBittyKnittyCommittee Thursday, March 12 & 26, 7-8pm Come for an informal meeting learn from others &pick up new tricks and patterns All levels are welcome,please drop in!ScrapbookingMonday, March 23, 10am-12pm Bring yourphotos for a creative scrapbooking session | $5 / personplease preregister!We've got game! PLAYSTATION 4 is here! Come and try:NHL 2015, Just Dance 2015, Lego Movie Videogame, &Minecraft NEW Wii GAMES. Recently added: Cars, Lego HarryPotter, Just Dance Kids 2, Lord of the RingsSpecial ProgramsWinter Reading Club. "Once Upon a Win-ter" Now till March 21. Receive a ballot when you check outbooks -1/day Weekly draws for adults! Grand Prize for Kids! Quilting in the LibraryCome on in and try your hand atquilting for a good cause. Everyone is welcome to partici-pate! Thread and needles provided - please bring your ownthimble.Christ Anglican Church Sunday Morning Service,9:30 am with Eucharist. We invite all to join in worshipwith us. Coffee follows downstairs.St. John's Presbyterian Church Tom Jeffrey Pastor.Sunday Worship 10 am followed by Fellowship Hour. TheDoor is always open, why not join us? Sunday Schoolstarts at 10:20 am. Port Stanley United Church Service of Worship at 11am followed by a time of fellowship. Come join us. We arenow wheelchair friendly and barrier free.Port Stanley Youth Group at St. John's PresbyterianSpecial Evening Service, March 15th,4:30 pm, Followedby Supper, Anyone welcome. Serving Shepherds Pie. Call519-782-3971.Port Stanley Village Association meets the third Thurs-day of the month 7- 8:30 pm. All welcome.VON Foot Care Clinic February 26 at The Villa Apts,289 Frances Street 8 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Call 519-782-4089for appointment. Sponsored by Port Stanley Lioness Club.The Port Stanley Lioness will be serving PANCAKESand MAPLE SYRUP every Saturday and Sunday in Marchand the Wednesday of March Break from 9am to 3pmat Palmers Maple Syrup 34308 Lakeline Road Port Stan-ley. All proceeds go back into the community.The Port Stanley Lioness Great Chilli Cookoff, Friday,March 20 at the Port Stanley Legion. 6 pm. Come onout for a fun night. See you there!Al-Anon Meeting, Christ Anglican Church 7:30 pmevery Friday. If there is an alcohol/drug problem of afamily member or friend that is affecting you, the AlanonFamily Groups may be able to help you.Heritage Port will meet March 26th, 1:30 pm at thePort Stanley Festival Theatre. Post Card books Vol. 1 &Vol 2 now available, $90 each, only 1 set remaining.Port Stanley the First 100 Years, $25. Get yours at theLake Erie Beacon, 204-A Carlow Road, side door, 1-5pm. Proceeds to Heritage Port. 519 782-4563.Port Stanley & Community 55+ Club Meets everyMonday 1:30 -4 pm to play Euchre at the Port StanleyArena. For info call 519-782-4801 (John Brenders) or519-685-2101 (Marie Geerts).Port Stanley Legion Branch #410 Summer Hours: Mon. & Thurs., 12-7, Tues. & Fri., 12-10, Wed. 11-10. Sat. & Sun., 12-7,Port Stanley Legion Branch #410 Don’t forget the Legion offers the following:Seniors Bridge, Tues. night, Euchre:Wed. nightLegion Darts Tuesday night 8 pm Men’s DartsSaturday Afternoon Meat Draws 3-5 pmPort Stanley Legion Bottle ReturnsMon & Thurs- Closed, Tues, Wed., Fri, Sat 12-4 pm.Port Stanley Legion Ladies MahJongg, Fridays1:30pm. We are looking for beginners as well. If youlike to play MahJongg come on out! Port Stanley Legion Port Stanley Karaoke, Every 3rd Fridayof the month, 7pm - 11pm. Come for the fun.

The Port Stanley Community Food Bank at Christ Anglican Church

PLEASE!!! We are servicing more clients this year

than ever before!We need you to drop off non-perishable items at

Foodland or call 519 782-3122 for pick-up.

The food bank is open the third week of the month:Tues. 3:30-6 pm Thurs. 10 - NoonFor cheque donations please send to: Port Stanley Foodbank, c/o Christ Church, 283 Colborne St. Port Stanley, On. , N5L 1A9

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PORT BURWELL/VIENNA 2015St. Paul’s Port Burwell /Vienna Sunday ServicesSt. Paul's P.B./Vienna United 11:00 am Port Burwell Trinity Anglican 11:30 am Port Burwell Lighthouse Gospel Church 10:45 amPort Burwell Legion Br. 524 Mixed Dart Tournament,Everyone Welcome. Sign up 10:am Start 11:00am. Teams& Doubles. $40:00 per team.Order of the Eastern Star Areme Chapter #15, OESmeets the first Tuesday of every month, at 7:30 pm at theVienna Community Centre, Vienna. Otter Valley NaturalistsMonthly Meeting is the secondMonday of the month, 7 pm to 9 pm. Please call 519-874-4028 for information. Museum Bayhammeet the 2nd Wednesday of the month7pm, Municipal Office in Strafforville. Call 519 874-4135.Port Burwell - Bayham Horticultural Society,MeetsEvery 3rd Monday, 7 pm at the Port Burwell School, Stra-chan Street. For more Info 519 874-4260.Port Burwell Historical Society meets the 3rd Tuesday ofthe month, 7 pm at the Marine Museum. Call 519 874-4135.Oriental Masonic Lodgemeets the 4th Tuesday of themonth at the Vienna Masonic Hall, 7:30 pm. New MembersWelcome! Call 519 874-4135.Photographers of the Otter Valley (POV)meet the lastMonday of the month, 6:30 pm, Bayham Public Library inStraffordville. All are welcome. Call Bruce at 519 874-1822.Hubbub at the Sub Hub Pub is bubbling back! Join us forimprovisation workshops every Thursday 8-9:30pm at theLighthouse Restaurant. Members free, non-members $2.Have fun, gain confidence, new skills, and friends.www.periscopeplayhouse.ca or marionrogers@prodigy.net.mx

AYLMER 2015Aylmer 50 + Seniors Welcome you to join them for Eu-chre or Bridge Every Monday 1 - 3:30 pm upstairs atAylmer Legion Admission $2.

DEXTER 2015Dexter United Church Dexter Line. Service of Worship at9:15 am followed by a time of fellowship.

DUTTON 2015Dutton & District LIONS famous, full breakfast: Sun-day; March 8, 9 am- 1 pm, in LIONS DEN (behind DuttonDunwich Community Centre) Adults $7.Dutton & District LIONS First Annual “Easter HamBingo”: Friday; March 20, 7 pm, in Dutton Dunwich Com-munity Centre. Admission $1 (Door prize); 50/50 draw &20 games at .25 cents per card, per game.

FINGAL 2015Knox Presbyterian Church Worship 10 am. Coffee,cookies, fellowship follows: Sunday school/nursery 10 am.For info (519) 769-2157. Come and worship with a warmand friendly group of people, we are barrier free.

SHEDDEN 2015Shedden Library Hours: Tues. 2:30-8:30, Thurs. 2-5,Fri. 10 - 5, Sat. 2 - 5 764-2081.Children’s Programs Preschool Story Time Fridays, 11-11:45am. Songs, stories & crafts for children ages 0-5 with theircaregiver - please pre-register!Games Day Saturdays, 2:30-4:30 pm Drop in and bring yourfamily to play traditional card & board games as well as Wii!March Break Events Please pre-register for all programsTuesday, March 17, Pirate Party, 6-7pm Craft, activities &snacks! All ages welcome!FRIDAY 2nd Annual BakeOff "Ain't muffin better"Friday, March20, Judging at 11:30am Please bring 1 dozen to share all ages!Friday, March 20, Captain Corbin 11am-12pm Enjoy entertain-ment by Captain Corbin! All ages welcome! Thank you to theShedden Truck & Tractor Pull for sponsoring this event!Adult Programs & EventsCard Making Tuesday, March 3, 6pm Create some handmadecards with Adriana $5 / person please preregister!Special Programs & EventsWinter Reading Club 2015"Once Upon a Winter" Till March 21. Receive a ballot whenyou check out books (limit 1 ballot per day) Weekly draws forAdults! Grand Prize for Kids!New Wii Games! Recently added to our collection: DisneyPrincess Enchanted Journey & Disney Pirates of theCaribbean Lego Print, photocopy & fax your resume for free! Sponsored bythe Trillium Foundation which is an agency of the Governmentof OntarioMARCH PICKS See the full list at: http://libraryreads.org/ Thelove song of Miss Queenie Hennessy : a novel Dead Wake : TheLast Crossing of the Lusitania

SPARTA 2015Sparta Stitchers Every Tuesday 1- 4 pm, Sparta CommunityHall. We quilt, tat, knit, embroider, smock, crotchet, etc. Every-one welcome. Cost is $5. session. Come learn a new skill.Sally Martyn (519-775-2292).AA Group Meetings: Tuesdays at 8 pm in the lower hall atthe Community Centre.

ST. THOMAS 2015Abundant Life Fellowship Join us at the Timken Commu-nity Centre - Doug Tarry room (2 Third Ave.) at 6 pm onSaturdays for a free meal followed by our celebration serv-ice. For more info call 519-633-9207 or go to www.abun-dantlifestthomas.ca

Trinity Anglican ChurchMarch 11, 12 pm, Lenten LunchConcert Series, featuring , WILLIAM LUPTON, Soup, Sand-wich, Dessert following Concert, $8.00, 519-631-7000Trinity Anglican ChurchMarch 18th, 12pm, Lenten LunchConcert Series featuring ROBERT TOWERS, Soup, Sandwich,Dessert following Concert $8.00, 519-631-7000 Knox Presbyterian Church, 55 Hincks Street, RummageSale/Boutique, Saturday, March 21, 8:30A.M-11:30A.M.Sunday School serving coffee and cookies - freewill dona-tion. Proceeds to “Keeping A Roof” Y.W.C.A. Program.Central United Church, 135 Wellington St presents TheBroadway Singers, Love is in the Air Concert, Apr 18 7:30 p.m.Adults $15 Children $7.50 519-631-3503, 519-614-3249

TYRCONNELL 2015Backus-Page House Museum, 29424 Lakeview Line,519-762-3072.Backus-Page House Museum Monthly Clubs!New … 4th Tuesday, Family History Club 7pm THS Mem-bers free or $5/person.New … 2nd Wednesday, Textile Arts Club (bring yourown project or hand quilt with us) 7pm THS Membersfree or $5/person

UNION 2015Union United Church, 6008 Stonechurch Rd., Rev. DavidMitchell leads worship with Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. Weare welcoming friendly Family of Faith and are barrier free.For info 519-631-0304 and our website: www.unionunit-edchurch.caUnion and Sparta Community CentresMarch 7th, YouthBaseball Registration, 10 a.m. - 12 noon. For more informa-tion call Donna - 519-631-9455 for Union teams and Sally519-775-2292 for Sparta teams.

VIENNA 2015Bayham Historical Society meets the 2nd Thursday ofthe month, 7:30 pm at the Vienna Community Centre. Allare welcome. Call Bruce at 519 874-1822.

WEST LORNE 2015The Treble Makers Women’s Choir Women 14 and upwho love to sing! Join us for a 3 month FREE trial! Haveyou thought it'd be fun- but didn't want to make thecommitment? Be a part of our group, learn to sing andread music. Sing with us at our next concert! You’re in-vited to join us for rehearsals on Wednesdays from 7-9 inthe WESES music room, West Lorne. For details aboutthis offer, please contact Jane: 519-768-1717.The Arts & Cookery Bank March 10 – Fest-a-Month: Ire-land Dining Experience 519-768-9986, – www.theartsandcookerybank.comThe Arts & Cookery Bank March 12 – The Lost ArtsMakin’ Homemade Marshmallows 519-768-9986 –www.theartsandcookerybank.comThe Arts & Cookery Bank March 16-20-- Culinary BootCamp 519-768-9986 – www.theartsandcookerybank.comThe Arts & Cookery Bank March 16-20-- ShutterbugBoot Camp 519-768-9986 – www.theartsandcookery-bank.comThe Arts & Cookery Bank March 25 – The Lost Arts—Back to Basics…Gluten Free 519-768-9986 –www.theartsandcookerybank.com

Port Stanley Polar Bear Dip, Saturday, March 28 at Little Beach

Registration 10 am, Dip is 1pm. Organized by

The Port Stanley Firefighters Association. Contact Darryl Gratton, Firefighters Association

519 932-0390.There will be an evening of entertainment providedby Elvis Impersonator Roy LeBlanc from 8pm-12mid-night. Location: Masonic Hall, 42703 Fruit Ridge Line,corner of Fruit Ridge and Sunset Drive.

Licensed, Finger foods will be provided. $40/person.

Proceeds to Childcan, Supporting Children andFamilies through Childhood Cancer. To donate pleasego tohttp://2015portstanleypolarbeardip.kintera.org/childcan

Ad sponsored by the Lake Erie Beacon

The Lake Erie Beacon • Friday March 6, 2015 • Page 7

North ShoreSERVICE DIRECTORYFor Businesses Located Near You!

Port Bruce ReportContinued From Page 2

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Allergy season is hereStock up on atomaPharmacistApproved allergy fighting products.

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warning system. The first may be altering homeowners of the ‘watch’, orpossible flooding, and then if neces-sary a ‘warning’. If you would like tohave your name added to the contactlist, or change contact numbers, emailaddresses etc., please contact theTownship of Malahide office at (519) 773-5344.

Further Throughout a flood event, the

CCCA will continue to monitorweather, ice, and watercourse condi-tions, and provide technical advice tomunicipalities to prevent or reduce theeffects of flooding. The ConservationAuthority is also responsible for theprovision of a flood damage assess-ment once post flood damage has beenassessed.

• Since 2006, the government hasawarded more than 15,000 ParentsReaching Out grants to schoolcouncils and more than 568 re-gional grants — a total investmentof more than $24 million to helpincrease parent involvement.

• Recent Education Quality and Ac-countability Office (EQAO) resultsshow that 72 per cent of Grades 3and 6 students are mastering read-ing, writing and math skills. This isup 18 percentage points comparedto 2003.

• In 2013, 83 per cent of studentsgraduated from high school, upfrom 68 per cent in 2004.

• The Parents Reaching Out grantssupport the four key goals of thegovernment’s renewed vision foreducation in Ontario: achieving ex-cellence, ensuring equity, promot-ing well-being and enhancingpublic confidence.

See more at: www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/reaching.html

Applications forParents ReachingOut Grants NowOpen Continued From Page 2

North Shore Community Classified

Serving over 7000 Homes, Apartments, Farms & Businesses

LOOKING FOR A “FOREVER HOME”!!!

Animal Aide Association333 Talbot St. St. Thomas519 6 33 - 3 788

to explore and come to Pat for attention. Who knowswhat next week will bring?

Animal Aide is running a special, The SophisticatedSoulmate Special, for March where any cat 5 years oldand over can be adopted for the lower price of $100,including Flash and Luna.

Reminder for those of you suffering withdrawal symp-toms due to a lack of Garage Sales, Animal Aide cangive you some relief Saturday March 7, 2015 starting at8am, 60 West Avenue St. Thomas.

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Luna and Flash were both surrendered to Animal Aide.Five year old Luna came to us January 5, 2015 from asituation of neglect. Luna had developed an ulcer onher upper lip. Since she has been treated, her lip hasimproved considerably but, will probably never look"quite right". Luna is a light, orange tabby with faintstripes and white toes. She is playful, friendly andlooking for a loving home. Eight year old Flash cameto us January 27, 2015 because of allergies. Flash is abrown tabby, declawed, petite boy who has not takenhis abandonment well. It was decided that he may be happier at our store, Tabby's Treasures and although he hasonly been there for a week or so, he has made great strides and is starting

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Port Stanley Public School Activities March 2015

AdvertisingSales Reps

•For St.Thomas area • For Western Elgin area•Must have own car•Experience preferredbut will considerqualifications.

Please reply to519-782-4563

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HELP WANTED

Please join us to Celebrate Flo Litt's 90th Birthday at:

Christ Church Port Stanley March 28th 2015 from 1-3 pm.

Best Wishes only.

FLO LITT’S 90TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

350 Carlow Rd., Port Stanley, Ontario, N5L 1B6Phone: 519-782-3983Principal:Ms. Sheila Pinder Secretary:Mrs. Debbie Sutherland

March Break 16th-20th

A Full colour book by authors Bob Burns andCraig Cole. Book size 8.5” X 11”

$15.00 A Heritage Port publication

Port Stanley, The First 100 YearsNow Available at the

Lake Erie Beacon office

To place your business card in the Roladex

call Linda at 519.782.4563

Reaching over 6800 Homes, Apartments Farms & Businesses

Now on Facebook & issuu.com

Marg’s Accounting & Tax ServicesP.O. Box 175190 Currie Road,Dutton, OntarioN0L 1J0Phone (519) 762-3070Fax (519) 762-2579marg18@golden.net

Margaret Gruenbauer, CMA519-782-5505 www.brenjohnston.com208 Main Street Port Stanley

Centre City Realty Inc.Brokerage Independently owned and operated

Brenda Johnston BrokerCall me Direct 519-495-4532brenjohnston@rogers.com

Thinking of Buying or Selling a Home?

David G. MarrIncome Tax Services

Tax Planning and Preparation

346 High Street, Port Stanley,Ontario, N5L 1J8

Tel/Fax: 519-782-3836Email: dgmtax@rogers.com

261 Talbot Street St. Thomas www.mistertransmission.com

Offer valid at this location only.519-633-2800

OPEN: Mon-Fri 8-5 Sat. 8-Noon*SOME RESTRICTIONS APPLY. CALL FOR DETAILS

One coupon per customer. Present coupon at vehicle drop off. May not combine with other discounts or offers.

Residential • CommercialInstallation and Service

Port Stanley, OntarioContractor Licence ECRA-ESA #7001912

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Page 8 • The Lake Erie Beacon • Friday March 6, 2015

1207 Talbot St.

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STORE HOURS: Mon.- Fri. 10 am - 6 pm Sat. 10 am - 5 pm Sun. 11 am - 5 pm

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Home Of The 12 Minute Drive Thru Oil Change

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519 782-5144Pager: 1 888 504 4869Opening & Closing Cottages

Kitchen & Bath Repairs, New InstallationsElectric Eel Drain Cleaning, Natural Gas & Propane Piping for BBQ’s, Fireplaces,Dryers & StovesWe provide complete water services,including installation of the water meter, from the road to your home.

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you want to work on and have a goodtime visiting with your fellow stitchers.Call Sally Martyn (519-775-2292) formore information or just show up. Ifwe’re not at the hall we’re at theChurch Museum 6073 Quaker Road.

Beavers Tuesdays 6:30 to 7:30,CubsWednesdays 6:30 to 8:00, Scouts Thursdays 6:30 to 8:00. Call Pam Helmer 775-2265 for moreinformation.

Qigong every Monday from 7:00 till8:30. Call Christine at 519-775-2748.

Sparta Community Society

Please come and join us for our reg-ular meetings on the fourth Thursdayof March, May, September and Novem-ber at 7:30 pm.

Community Society Executive

President: Pam Helmer (519-775-2265). Vice President: Barb Burns, Secretary: Christine Lundy, Treasurer: Ron Molyneux, Directors at Large: Dr. Robert Burns,Ann Slobod

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March 25 at 7:30 pm at the SpartaChurch Museum. Tammy will be shar-ing with the group all the differentthings one can do at her Spa in Sparta.A light lunch will follow. Everyone iswelcome to attend.

Regular Events at theCommunity Hall

Sparta Stitchersmeet every Tues-day from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at the hall toquilt, knit, crochet, tat, smock, embroi-der, etc. Cost is $5.00 per session. Comelearn a new skill or just bring whatever

SPARTAREPORTSally Martyn

Learn about Tammy's SpaThe Sparta UCW is hosting an in-

formation evening on Wednesday,