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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-01-05, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017. Scrimgeour moves $15m in supplies to Mexico The big game A hockey game between Ontario Hockey League (OHL) teams the Eerie Otters and the London Knights was organizes at the Central Huron Community Complex in September. While having the game was lauded as a great experience, the event also served as a fundraiser for local community sporting groups, resulting in thousands of dollars being donated to Clinton, Blyth and Brussels programs. Unfortunately, the Knights, the closest -to -home team, weren't able to pull off a win as Eerie bested London 5-2. (File photo) Continued from page 16 groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 1. A project hatched in the mind of Blyth's Doug Scrimgeour, a former firefighter, had resulted in an estimated $15 million in benefit to Mexican communities through various donations over the previous two years. Scrimgeour began the project by collecting used and expired firefighting equipment throughout southwestern Ontario and distributing it to needy Mexican departments. The project, however, continued to expand and soon it included things like medical equipment, used clothes and training aids for emergency professionals. The countdown to the 2017 International Plowing Match in Walton officially began as the 2016 match in Wellington County finished. For the first time in match history, there was a torch -passing ceremony as dirt from the Wellington match was transported via convoy to Brussels, where it was placed in a vase to help a tree grow. The tree will be planted at the home farm of Jack Ryan, where the 2017 match will be held. The event included a special dinner and a night of entertainment to officially begin counting down to the 2017 match. Hullett Central Public School in Londesborough celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special ceremony that brought together current students and faculty from years gone by. fiz OCTOBER V4EVIEW The Rural talks to Rural (R2R) conference was hailed a success. The first official event held through the Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity brought professionals together from all over the country to discuss and explore a number of specifically rural topics. Project Director Peter Smith said he hoped the centre would again host the conference in 2018. Jean Davidson of Brussels was named the Brussels Citizen of the Year for her numerous activities throughout the community and her work with the Brussels Lions Club. In Blyth, long-time Blyth Lions Club member Ernie Phillips was named Citizen of the Year for the Blyth area. Phillips had served his community for decades through the Lions Club and volunteered his engraving services to countless community awards through the former Blyth Public School and Blyth Minor Hockey, as well as other organizations. A class from Ryerson University's School of Fashion made its way to Blyth and The Garden at Blyth for a special course designed by Jennifer Triemstra-Johnston of the Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity. It was announced that the former Blyth Public School building would be demolished sometime in the coming months. The school would make way for a new building that would house the Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity, set to cost the project $5 million. The kick-off to the Blyth 140th anniversary, that would be taking place in 2017, was hailed a success with plenty to do and see at the event dubbed "Beer and Brats" in front of Scrimgeour's Food Market. Gary Clark, minister for Blyth and Brussels United Churches, announced that he was experiencing a calling and would be leaving the two community churches in 2017. With the closure of Duff's United Church in Walton, some of the church's funds were being dispersed throughout the community. One such donation was made to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank in the amount of over $7,300. Four Walton -area women were the subject of a special makeover episode of The Marilyn Denis Show. The four "biker babes" were Diane Anderson, Cheryl Ryan, Dianne McCallum and Brenda Dalton and they were made over by celebrity stylist Alexis Honce. Warden Paul Gowing honoured a number of locals with the annual Warden's Emergency Services Awards. Winners included Blyth native Tyler Stewart of the OPP, the late Steve Cooke of the Central Huron Fire Department and David Wagner, a member of the Fire Department of North Huron. A non-invasive vaccine developed by Blyth's Grant Sparling was granted its patent approval in a number of countries after an exhaustive six-year process. The Blyth Festival announced its 2017 season, which is set to include three world premieres. The season will begin with Mr. New Year's Eve: A Night with Guy Lombardo, and continue with The Berlin Blues, The Pigeon King and Ipperwash to round out the season. A number of local dancers, including Teegan McGavin, came from the International Dance Organization's World Ballet, Modern and Jazz Dance Competition in Germany with a number of gold medals. Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn was acclaimed as the next warden of Huron County, succeeding Morris- Turnberry Mayor Paul Gowing. Ginn would become the second two - term warden since Huron County Council decided to extend the warden's term from one year to two. Blyth Councillor Bill Knott began a petition calling for traffic lights at the Blyth intersection of London and Blyth Roads. At the same time a group on Facebook was attracting hundreds of supporters and calling for the same thing. Clearing and grading of the Goderich-to-Guelph Rail Trail was underway and those behind the trail were well on their way to having the trail ready and in good shape for the summer of 2017. Rachael King was hired as the next general manager of the Blyth Festival. This came after the Festival Board of Directors chose not to renew the contract of long-time general manager Deb Sholdice. A pig barn fire near Auburn kept firefighters from North Huron, Goderich and Lucknow departments busy in what was deemed the biggest fire of the year for the Fire Department of North Huron. The blaze claimed 640 head of livestock according to best estimates. A wind turbine study being conducted by the Huron County Health Unit was being taken in a new direction, according to epidemiologist Erica Clark. Clark announced the new study and how it would be carried out at a special meeting held at the Health Unit's headquarters in early December. Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan put forward a motion that would see the municipality's designation as an "unwilling host" to wind turbine developments rescinded. The issue was set to be raised later in the month. According to a report produced by Huron County's Economic Development Department and Regional Tourism Organization 4 (RTO 4), Blyth is "booming" and worthy of investment dollars. The report pointed to a number of initiatives both new and ongoing like the Cowbell brewery, Goderich-to- Guelph Rail Trail and Blyth Festival as reasons the community was attracting visitors and investment dollars. Have We Got Your Number? The Citizen is now planning its 2017-2018 Telephone Book. Is your number correct in the recently delivered Bell Canada phone book? Do you have a new listing since that book was compiled? If so, please let us know so we can make our phone book as complete and useful as possible. Call 519-523-4792. WANT TO ADD YOUR CELL PHONE LISTING? If you would like your cell number listed in our listings we can add it if you give us the information. We will only put your cell phone number in our book if you don't have a land line.