The Citizen, 2018-6-14, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 2018.
New group aims to help Brussels residents
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
The newly -established Brussels
Working Group has its sights set on
making things better in the village,
specifically for those who may need
a little help.
The group first met in March and
includes representatives from Huron
County, the Huron County Food
Bank Distribution Centre,
Community Food Advisers, the
Brussels Ministerial group, the
Canadian Mental Health
Association, the Huron County
Library, Healthy Kids Community
Challenge, Ontario Early Years,
Soup and More 2, the Brussels
5Rs Thrift Shop as well as the
Huron County Health Unit.
Group organizer Patty VanderMeer
said it started thanks to funds from
the health unit's Poverty to
Prosperity initiative. After a July 10
meeting, it will begin meeting at the
Brussels Library on the last Tuesday
of every month, starting Aug. 28 at
10 a.m.
"The meetings are public and we
invite anyone who wants to offer
input," VanderMeer said.
The group has set some important
projects ahead of itself, the most
noticeable of which will likely be
regular village deliveries from the
Huron County Food Bank
Distribution Centre.
"The truck is coming on June 20
and will be stationed at the
municipal parking lot south of the
[Liquor Control Board of Ontario
Making some music
Over the weekend, the Wingham Musical Muskrat Festival
featured a lot of great events including some musical
entertainment provided by Kamden Gillespie, above, who
took to the stage on Saturday. (Quinn Talbot photo)
Obituaries
GLENN COULTES
Glenn Coultes, RR 5, Brussels
passed away peacefully at his
residence on Saturday, June 9, 2018.
He was in his 79th year.
Left to mourn Glenn's passing are
his wife of 53 years Dorothy
(Taylor) Coultes and family Paul
(Kim), Steven (Nicole), Mark (Lori)
and Tim (Mel).
He will always be remembered by
his grandchildren Dallas, Dawson,
Dakota, Alycia, Katherine, Victoria,
Teaghan, Preston, Alex and Troy
Coultes and step -grandson Jake
VanBeek and his family. Glenn is
survived by his brother Bill Coultes
(Muriel).
Glenn was a life-long beef farmer
and served as the 1991 President of
the Ontario Cattlemen's
Association. He was also a long-
term director of the West Wawanosh
Mutual Insurance Company.
Visitation was held at the
McBurney Funeral Home, Wingham
on Wednesday and will be held on
Thursday from 10-11 a.m. A
memorial service will be held at
McBurney Funeral Home Chapel on
Thursday at 11 a.m. Pastor Brian
Hymers will officiate. Final resting
place is Brandon Cemetery,
Belgrave.
Memorial donations to the
Hospice Visiting Volunteer Program
(cheques payable to Huron Hospice
Volunteer Services), Blyth -Brussels
Minor Hockey Association or the
Parkinson Foundation would be
appreciated as expressions of
sympathy.
Online condolences may be left at
www.mcburneyfuneralhome.com
(LCBO) outlet]," VanderMeer said.
"There is no registration necessary
and no name needs to be given. The
truck is coming for those on a
restricted budget, but there will be
no questions asked. The idea is to let
people live their lives instead of
working pay cheque to pay cheque
to cover the basics."
Members of the group will also be
able to organize pick-ups of pre-
loaded baskets, either at the truck or
at a privately -arranged site.
VanderMeer says that one of the
biggest obstacles the group is
working to overcome is the "rose
coloured glasses" through which
many community members view
Brussels, leading them to believe
that services like the food truck
aren't necessary.
"There are people who need this
service in the community," she said.
"We want to educate people to show
them that this is something that is
needed"
She said that services like the
truck are necessary for more than
just people on government
assistance, using her own family as
an example.
After her husband Jason lost his
job at the Sifto Salt Mine in
Goderich last year and had to take a
lesser -paying job, the family has had
to adjust its spending.
VanderMeer explained that,
without benefits to cover medical
expenses like dental and vision care,
budgeting can get pretty tight.
"We're a cavity away from the
food bank," she said. "We are living
pay cheque to pay cheque."
She said she's happy sharing her
story if it helps people know that
there is a need for services like this
in Brussels.
Her family is no stranger to
difficult times, having lost their son
after years of complications with
epilepsy. She said that, as a result of
challenges working with the family's
insurance company, local
firefighters, police and paramedics
were attending their house four
times a week due to their son's
seizures before he passed away.
She went on to say that's why her
husband became a volunteer
firefighter and she became an
auxiliary staff member with the
Ontario Provincial Police.
"We know there is poverty in
Brussels and it's not just those on
assistance," she said.
VanderMeer works three jobs, but
still makes time for her work with
the OPP, saying that she was brought
up to believe community is
paramount and people need to work
to keep it strong.
Aside from bringing the food
truck to town, the group has some
additional projects that they are
looking to implement, including a
cooking class led by Community
Food Adviser Donna Bauer.
VanderMeer explained that the
class is free, and participants need
only bring containers to take their
dishes home. The ingredients are
provided by the Huron County
Health Unit and Bauer will show
participants how to make a meal and
go home with enough for five nights'
worth of meals.
The group also wants to look at
implementing a youth program for
children between the ages of eight
and 14 years old once the school
year starts.
VanderMeer said the group would
provide similar benefits to the
Guiding programs in Brussels, but
be geared towards boys as they
don't have a similar program in
town.
The working group hopes to form
a non-affiliated, secular organization
to welcome youth from all walks of
life.
To help guide future development
of the working group, a survey was
placed at Soup and More 2, an
initiative that serves a community -
minded meal in Brussels, providing
valuable feedback to the group.
For more information, contact
VanderMeer at pattyvandermeer@
gmail.com
A cemetery is a history of
people, a perpetual record of
yesterday and a sanctuary of
peace and quiet today. A
cemetery exists because every
life is worth loving and
remembering - always
Distinctive Memorials of
Lasting Satisfaction
North St. West, Wingham
Mac & Donna Anderson
519-357-1910
HURON PERTH
HEALTHCARE
ALLIANCE
Notice of Annual General Meetings
Clinton Public Hospital
St. Marys Memorial Hospital
Seaforth Community Hospital
Stratford General Hospital
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual General Meetings of the
Members of the Clinton Public Hospital, St. Marys Memorial Hospital,
Seaforth Community Hospital and Stratford General Hospital will be held:
Thursday June 21, 2018
at 7:00 p.m.
Mitchell Golf & Country Club
81 Frances Street W., Mitchell, Ontario
to:
1. Receive Annual Reports of the Board of Directors, including Financial
Statements, together with the Auditor's Report thereon. The Financial
Statements will be available after June 15, 2018 on the Huron Perth
Healthcare Alliance website - www.hpha.ca.
2. Appoint Auditors.
3. Receive the Ad Hoc Nominating Committee Report.
www.hpha.ca
Only members of the hospital
corporations shall be entitled to vote
at the Annual General Meeting
Members of the public are
welcome to attend
11 @hphanews 1101 @hpha_news