The Citizen, 2017-05-18, Page 10Jir
PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2017.
Josling set to honour father with third ride
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Riding again
The Fire Riders, a Blyth -based Ride to Conquer Cancer team that now features a pair of local
firefighters, is set to take part in the ride once again this year. Jeff Josling, second from left, is
still serving as the team's captain. He is seen here at the finish line of last year's ride alongside
his father, the late Paul Josling, former Blyth fire chief, and his teammates, some of whom will
take part in the ride again this year. Jeff says he's drawing on honouring his father to
participate in this year's ride. From left: Paul Josling, Jeff Josling, Shanann Josling, Shawn
Loughlin, Kelsy Long and Michael McDowell. (File photo)
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Blyth firefighter Jeff Josling is
again participating in this year's
Ride to Conquer Cancer — his
resolve now stronger than ever after
the death of his father.
Josling's father Paul passed away
earlier this year after a lengthy battle
with cancer. Josling served for
decades on the Blyth Fire
Department and the Fire Department
of North Huron, many of them as
chief, before retiring several years
ago.
While Jeff had already signed on
for the 2017 ride literally at the
finish line of the 2016 ride, this
year's event means so much more to
him now with all that has transpired.
Jeff says he plans on riding this year
as a tribute to his dad, but he hasn't
always thought that way.
Jeff admits that after his father's
death, he considered not doing the
ride, but those feelings were quickly
replaced with a desire to honour his
father with the ride and make him
proud.
Josling is riding with fellow
firefighter and member of last year's
Fire Riders team, Kelsy Long, as
well as Shanann Josling, who has
been a member of the team since its
inception three years ago.
When talking about this year's
ride, Jeff says it was a story in The
Citizen last year which he returned
to that strengthened his will to
complete the ride again.
Although Jeff knew his father was
proud of him, when he read a story
False police report leads to probation
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Four Wingham residents were
placed on probation for six months
each in Wingham court last week as
a result of filing a false police report.
Donna Beattie, Margaret Beattie,
Brian Fryer and Julie Fryer all pled
guilty to a single charge of public
mischief each in association with an
incident on Jan. 11, 2017.
Crown Attorney Jonny Melo
spoke to the incidents, telling Judge
R.G.E. Hunter that one member of
the group called police that day and
reported that a Wingham neighbour
had trespassed into their residence
and slapped one of the women in the
face.
According to both Melo and Scott
Cowan, a defence attorney who
acted on behalf of one of the
defendants, the police quickly
suspected that the event never
happened and didn't investigate it
much further.
"The police figured out the
malarkey pretty quickly," Cowan
said to Hunter.
Cowan told Hunter that while he
wasn't excusing the foursome's
actions, he said their reasoning was
that they felt the neighbour had
called the police falsely on them and
was looking to pay the gesture back.
Hunter found all four defendants
guilty and gave them conditional
discharges and six-month terms of
probation.
Brian Fryer had also been charged
with one count of mischief to
property in relation to the event, but
Melo said the charge was being
handled by way of restitution in the
Addressing the crowd
Princess Margriet of the Netherlands was in Goderich on Sunday as part of a royal tour of
Canada this week. She spoke to thousands gathered at Liberation Park after a morning in
Stratford and then moved towards the Greater Toronto Area this week. The princess was
greeted by, from left: Goderich Mayor Kevin Morrison, World War II veteran Bill Andersen,
Huron -Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson, Huron County Warden Jim Ginn and Huron -Bruce MP Ben
Lobb. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
amount of just over $40 and once
that was paid the charge would be
withdrawn.
Annette Klaas of Wingham pled
guilty to one charge of unlawfully
being in a dwelling in association
with an incident on March 20 in
Wingham.
Melo said that Klaas went into a
neighbour's house through an
unlocked door and stole a bottle of
whiskey. She then proceeded to
drink from the whiskey, he said, and
returned the bottle at a later date.
Klaas was charged with breaking
and entering and committing theft,
Continued on page 12
in The Citizen about the ride and
read his father's quotes, the reality of
the situation really hit home for him.
Jeff read that his father was proud
of the team and that it felt great to be
in Niagara Falls at the finish line to
cheer them on. Paul also said that he
hoped he'd be well enough to be at
the finish line in 2017 to do the
same.
After reading that, Jeff said, the
reality of his father's condition really
hit home. He realized it was
possible, he said, that his father
might not be at the finish line.
"For me, I never thought he
wouldn't be there," Jeff said.
With Josling passing away earlier
this year, he won't be at the finish
line this year to cheer the team on,
but Jeff knows how important it is to
do the ride for his father and that
he'll be there in the hearts of his
loved ones.
The ride is set for the weekend of
June 9-11. The team will begin the
ride in the south end of Toronto and
travel to Niagara Falls over the
course of the weekend, stopping to
rest on Saturday night in Hamilton.
The team is hosting a fundraising
barbecue on Sunday, May 28 in the
parking lot in front of Scrimgeour's
Food Market in Blyth to help raise
funds for the ride. The barbecue will
run from 12-2 p.m. and the draw for
the team's annual Beer for a Year
ticket fundraiser will take place at 2
p.m. Tickets are currently available
from any team member or at a
number of businesses throughout
Blyth.
For more information on the ride,
or to donate to the team, visit the
ride's website at conquercancer.ca
and search the "Fire Riders" team
under the "Ontario" ride section of
the website.
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