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The Citizen, 2012-07-19, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012. YMCA clashes with Clinton gym over programs School holds year-end talent show Columnist spends time in England The sympathy of the Londesborough community is extended to the family of Bob Peel who passed away on July 3 after a short stay in hospital in London. Bob and Mary farmed just north of the village for many years until they moved into Clinton and their two sons, Allan and Fred, took over the farm. Keeping the family in your thoughts will help them come to terms with their loss in the coming weeks. If you think perhaps Joanne Lyon is listing a little to the left these days it’s because she is sporting a cast on that arm. Seems she tripped on a curb in Blyth and snapped the same arm she broke 50 years ago. Bert is chief cook and bottle washer as a result these days. My ‘roses’ event for this week happened on Sunday, July 1. My sister and I surprised a second cousin in England by showing up to help her celebrate her 75th birthday. The other three relatives were aware we were coming and enjoyed her surprise as well. Their pleasure at seeing us made the flight worthwhile. During our two days with them we had a great reunion, dined out, had tea and toured the countryside around London. Our Monday trip took us along part of the Olympic cycling course and past rowers practising on the Thames. The banners along the route for the Olympics had us puzzled. They come in a variety of colours but the modernistic design on the bottom took some thought as to what it was. It turns out that it is 2012 in odd blocked numbers. You might like to ‘Google’ the banner and see for yourself. Do you know what the English call an ATM? A hole in the wall. As in, I went to the “hole in the wall” for some cash. Why is it that the weeds continue to do well in the gardens but the plants and grass aren’t during this current dry spell/heat wave? A meeting between the Clinton YMCA and local gym Curves did not go well for Curves, according to Central Huron Councillor Dan Colquhoun. At Central Huron Council’s July 9 meeting, Colquhoun told councillors that an earlier conflict between the two fitness centres over offering Zumba classes currently sits unresolved and several councillors felt it was time they step in. While Curves had been offering Zumba classes before the YMCA, Colquhoun said, representatives from Curves were told the YMCA would continue to offer the sessions despite the perceived competition they bring to the sessions Curves offers. Immediately Councillor Alison Lobb suggested that representatives from the YMCA come to the council’s July 26 Committee of the Whole meeting to discuss the conflict and council’s perception of the contract it had signed with the YMCA last year. “I thought we were fairly clear that [the YMCA] was not going to run something that was already being run,” said Lobb. Councillor Burk Metzger said that while a non-competition clause had been discussed at the meeting with YMCA representatives, it was not officially included in the agreement. Looking back on the minutes of that meeting, Metzger said, the only mention of a non-competition clause was one comment where a representative said the YMCA would not duplicate services currently offering in the Clinton/Central Huron area, but that it was not included in the final agreement. Councillor Alex Westerhout felt the comment was enough to be clear about the YMCA’s intentions and felt council was all on his side. “I thought we all heard that fairly clearly,” Westerhout said. “The next question is what are we going to do about it?” Metzger, however, was quick to ensure that council didn’t blow the issue out of proportion, saying that nothing had been decided for certain and it was well within the realm of possibility that a solution could be reached without issue. “We don’t want to make it sound worse than it is,” Metzger said. The municipality signed a three- year agreement with the YMCA to provide services at the Central Huron Community Complex, and Metzger suggested council meet with YMCA representatives to discuss the issue and iron it out. Colquhoun said it is very possible that the representatives who met with Curves are different than those who met with council last year and the solution could be as easy as getting all of the YMCA representatives together to implement what had been discussed with council. Councillor Marg Anderson suggested YMCA representatives be invited to a meeting, rather than any other extreme measures be taken. “Maybe the people running the programs are going by the agreement,” she said. “We wouldn’t want to make any hard feelings.” Lobb said she felt Anderson’s direction was a good one, but that council had to be firm with the representatives from the YMCA, saying that council had a very clear understanding on competition within the town. Representatives from the YMCA will be invited to the July 26 Committee of the Whole meeting, which begins at 1 p.m. at the Regional Equine and Agricultural Central of Huron (REACH). Area children are already into their third week of summer vacation after a busy June of activities. In June this column included results from Hullett Central’s in-house annual track and field meet. On June 6 winners from the Hullett event from Grades 3 to 8 participated in the regional track and field meet at Seaforth. I was unable to verify results from that meet. However, I have been through the results from the AMDSB divisionalmeet held at Stratford Central PublicSchool on June 21. Hullett was oneof 42 schools involved that day. Ethan Scrimgeour won first place in three events – PeeWee boys 200- metre run, PeeWee boys 400-metre run and PeeWee boys long jump. Ethan was second overall in his division. Michaela Rodges was second in the PeeWee girls shot put. Kaleb Wilts won points for the junior boys 1500-metre run. Parker Gibbings placed in the Junior boys long jump. Also participating for Hullett Central were Sydney Hunking, Connor Driscoll, Taylor Oesch, Jeremy Wilts, Emily Wilts, Jason Wilts, Nick Aitken and Mary Kate Allen. Congratulations to everyone who participated. On the last day of the school year, June 28, Hullett Central held itsannual talent show, a chance formany pupils to show theirclassmates their other side and a chance for them to hone their performing skills. Mdm. Maver and Mrs. Gilroy were the organizing teachers and the afternoon was hosted by Grade 8 graduates, Brooke Middegaal, Paige Gibbings and Catie MacDonald. Barb Bosman was on hand to offer accompaniment. Trivia music questions were considered between the various acts. Did you know that the highest note on the piano keyboard is a C? Or that the piano was invented in 1698? Or that there are 12,000 parts in a piano? Teen heartthrob Justin Bieber was born in Stratford and Carrie Underwood’s career as a country singer took off after she appeared on American Idol.The entire audience showed itstalent when the Grade 8 grades ledthem in the bird dance. Many piano students entertained by tickling the ivories. Catherine Fielding, Elianne Kreuger, Kiara Driscoll, Avery Boven, Alex Fielding and Chloe Elliott played piano solos and piano duets were played by Laurie Steinson and Elianne Kreuger and sisters Sydney and Sara Hunking. Performing dance numbers were Garrett Whyte and duo Kayley Kuntz and Catherine Fielding. A skipping demonstration was given by Shayna Hunking and Sadie Squires. Solos were offered by Naomi Filiatrault, Brianna Graf and Chloe Elliott. Shannon Dale, Aaly Broda, Emily Wilts and Mary Kate Allen led the audience in a camp song to close out the program. Kudos to everyone who was brave enough to perform in front of their peers. Seems there are folks who like to play cards even on a hot Friday the 13th. The Londesborough Happy Gang Seniors hosted 13-and- a-half tables of euchre players at the community hall that evening. Two ladies, Geraldine Johnston and Gloria McEwing, won first place with a score of 72; second, Bob and June Thomas, 71; third, Stu Wilson and Alex Townsend, 69; most lone hands, Mae Ritchie and Lillian Appleby, seven. The seniors will hold their next card party on Aug. 13. •Fast Unloading •Trucking Available Please contact us for pre-harvest Roundup on wheat Howson & Howson Ltd. SEED, CROP PROTECTION, FERTILIZER, GRAIN ELEVATORS, CUSTOM APPLICATION BLYTH, ONTARIO 519-523-9624 or 1-800-663-3653 www.howsonandhowson.ca Elevators 1 1/4 miles east of Blyth on County Rd. 25 then 1/2 mile north. Ontario Wheat Producers We are now ready to receive your 2012 Wheat Crop NEWS FROM LONDESBORO By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen HG Seniors meet BUY? SELL? TRY CLASSIFIED By BRENDA RADFORD Call 523-4296 PEOPLE AROUND LONDESBORO