The Citizen, 2011-11-24, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2011.
Tough economic times have
resulted in a St. Thomas contractor
winning a bid for Clinton Public
School’s massive renovation project.
Janet Baird-Jackson,
superintendent of business and
treasurer for the Avon Maitland
District School Board (AMDSB),
brought forward a recommendation
Oct. 25 to have the board approve
Elgin Contracting and Restoration’s
tender of $1,648,670 for a daycare
addition and school renovations at
Clinton Public School.
The joint project between the
AMDSB and the County of Huron
Early Years Centre will include an
almost 4,000 sq. ft. daycare
addition. The addition will include
an infant room, toddler room, play
room, servery, washrooms, office
space and meeting rooms.
Renovations to Clinton Public
School will include electrical,
ventilation, lighting and window
upgrades. The work is in the final
phase in a series of renovations
which began at the school in 2007.
Baird-Jackson said that when
tenders for the project were
requested, eight bids were received.
Some were from contractors the
AMDSB has worked with in the past
and others were from as far away as
Vaughan.
London-area Elgin Contracting
was the lowest bidder, but neither
the AMDSB nor Marklevitz
Architects had previous experience
with Elgin or one of their electrical
The village of Londesborough
was recognized recently at the Royal
Winter Fair at the Exhibition
grounds in Toronto. Claire Fleming
showed in the Large and Medium
Pony Hunter Divisions on Nov. 4
and 5.
“We got a real kick out of hearing
the announcer pronouncing
Londesborough as Claire entered the
ring,” said Claire’s mom, Jen.
Claire showed in eight classes
over the two days and although it
was an exhausting two days, the
results were better than the family
had hoped for. Claire and Mud Slide
(owned by the Cullen family of
London) finished as Reserve
Champions in the Medium Pony
Division. Claire’s own pony, Jovalle,
in his first year of showing in the
Large Pony Division, received
ribbons in every class but one.
The Royal is the national year-end
competition with riders qualifying
from all over Canada. Claire trains
with Judy Henderson at Henderson
Farms in Denfield.
Thousands of people, and myself,
were on hand at the National War
Memorial on Nov. 11 to observe
Remembrance Day services.
Reportedly the numbers of persons
attending this service every
November have been increasing in
recent years. This may be due to the
war in Afghanistan and the
realization that Canada is still
involved on the world stage and our
soldiers need our respect and
support.
We were in place early to watch
the crowds assemble and officials
ready the area. A children’s choir
dressed in red sang several numbers
and later led the crowd in God SaveThe Queen. By the time the paradearrived the crowds were eight to 10persons deep all around the
memorial. Whether everyone could
see the service is questionable.
However, just being there may have
been the objective. Many may have
watched the service on the
jumbotrons.
It was a cold and breezy day but at
times the sun broke through. There
was a picture on the news report that
evening that showed the flypast of
CF-18s and helicopters against a
bright blue sky.
The large number of proud
veterans in the parade were
supported by two pipe bands, an
RCMP platoon, an RMC cadet
corps, a division of each of our
armed forces and groups of air
cadets. And yet, with these large
numbers of people, when the last
post was played, the only noise
heard was the lanyards on the flag
poles snapping. True respect!
The large crowd listened quietly to
the speaker while dozens of wreaths
were laid on the steps of the
cenotaph. The Silver Cross Mother
this year, Patricia Braun, lost her son
David to a suicide bomber in
Kandahar in August 2006. In his
prayer that morning the minister
stated, “Their ultimate sacrifice
inspires us in our own search for a
better world.” It was a very moving
experience.
We spent the afternoon along
Wellington Street doing some of the
usual tourist things and passed by
the memorial more than once.
People milled around the area all
day. Some laid their own wreaths on
behalf of their families or groups or
left bouquets, photographs and
letters. Others, like my sister and me
went back to leave our poppies on
the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Even at 9 p.m. in the evening there
were still people paying respect.
The trailer that has toured Canada
this summer with The Portraits of
Honour was on Parliament Hill that
day. Did you know that there is a
poppy on the background around the
faces for every Canadian life lost inany war? It is truly an amazingtribute to the servicemen lost inAfghanistan.
Many of the long-term residents
of the area may have heard of ‘the
fire’, the one in 1939 which
threatened for a time to wipe out
much of Londesborough. That fire
began in a garage operating in a
building right behind the corner
store. The garage, the store, another
private garage and a storage shed
were lost in the blaze.
The garage where the fire started
was operated by Bill Wells. When
the fire destroyed his business here
he moved into Clinton where he
operated more than one such
business and later taught small
engine repair at the high school.His son Doug[las] worked for hisdad while growing up and carsbecame his passion. Doug was in
high school with many of us in the
’60s. Doug often contributes articles
about cars for the newsletters of car
clubs and this summer worked on
one about his Dad’s garages for the
“Niagara Packard Club”. The article
was a real snapshot into life at that
time. If you remember Doug and are
interested in the newsletter, give me
a call.
The Lions Club of Londesborough
will be selling Christmas trees again
this year. Watch this space for
further details and keep this service
group in mind as you start your
holiday decorating.
There were 14-and-a-half tables
of card players at the
Londesborough Community Hall
on Friday, Nov. 11 hosted by the
Happy Gang Seniors group.
Winners were: first, Doug and
Ann Hugill, 86; second, Joann
MacDonald and Dorothy Carter,
80; third, Lorna and Ethel, 74; most
lone hands, John and Edna and Kay
and Adeline, seven.
The group will hold its next
euchre party on Dec. 9.
The Happy Gang Seniors will
hold their Christmas gathering at
the Community Hall on
Wednesday, Nov. 30.
Ruth Long led the service at
Londesborough United Church on
Sunday, Nov. 20.
The senior choir anthem that
morning was “Exaltations”.
Ms Long told/read the children
who gathered at the front for their
special time the Robert Munsch
book, Ribbon Rescue. A young
native girl was waiting to attend a
wedding. She was wearing the
ceremonial dress made by her
grandmother, a ribbon dress. But by
the time she set off for the wedding
her dress was in tatters because she
had used all the ribbons to help
others, as shoelaces, hair ribbons, to
tie a gift and to secure a ring. Ms
Long explained that God would have
been pleased with the little girl for
she saw needs in others and helped
out the best way she could. And as
Matt. 25: 31-46, the scripture
reading, reminded, “if you have
done it unto one of the least of these
my people, you have done it unto
me”, Jesus taught.
“The Checkup” was the title of
Ruth’s message to the adult
congregants. Just as we periodically
visit our doctor for a wellness
physical checkup, the Matthew
passages are a wellness checkup for
our spiritual life. It is designed to
challenge us to discover new ways of
life and attitudes.
This may mean volunteering to
make life better for others in our
community, learning empathy,
encouraging dialogue between
cultures and seeking out the good
news in the world. We are created in
God’s image out of His love for us
and we as God’s children should be
doing God’s work quietly and with
love.
God of the Bible is not a remote
God, He is here in the messiness of
our world. We must find Him in the
form of the homeless, the abusive,
the addict, the mentally ill, etc. Ruth
offered a quote from Zieg Ziegler,
“Give yourself a checkup from
the neck up and get rid of your
stinkin’ thinkin’.” She challenged all
to rethink how they live their
lives and be an example of God’s
love.
The Sunday School of
Londesborough United invites
everyone to a “Cue Card Christmas”
on White Gift Sunday, Dec. 4.
Collections for the Huron County
Christmas Bureau will be accepted
that morning. Everyone is invited to
a time of fellowship following the
service. Bring along your favourite
finger food to share.
The official board of
Londesborough United Church will
meet on Tuesday, Nov. 29 beginning
at 7:30 p.m.
Church reads Munsch book
Local recognized at Royal Winter Fair
Seniors
meet
Contractor tapped
for Clinton project
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PEOPLE AROUND LONDESBORO
NEWS
FROM LONDESBORO
By Rita Marshall
Special to The Citizen
Continued on page 27