The Citizen, 2007-07-19, Page 1The CitizenVolume 23 No. 29 Thursday, July 19, 2007 $1.25 ($1.18 + 7c GST)Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County
Inside this week
Pg. 7
Pg. 8
Pg. 9
Pg. 19
Pg. 20
Local plays for
Toronto Cup
Brussels U-10s
tourney champs
Local athletes off
to provincials
‘Merchant’ at
Stratford Festival
County establishes
heritage fund
After careful deliberation, and
several tours around town, the judges
have reached their decision on who
should take top prize in the Brussels
Beautification contest.
The contest was sponsored by
Doors Ontario in conjunction with
the Brussels Business Group with a
goal of getting community residents
and businesspeople in the spirit of
Homecoming.
“Many visitors will be in town for
Homecoming this month and again
for Doors Open in August.
This was a way of inspiring people
and rewarding their efforts,” said
Kathy Nichol of the business
group.
Anyone interested in competing
could pick up an application to enter.
From the residential applicants the
judges picked the home of Karl and
Penny Knelsen of 680 Ainley
Street.
Judges noted the amount of work
and attention to detail the Knelsens
had applied in decorating. “There’s
even a red rubber boot at the door,”
said Nichol.
The commercial prize went to the
building owned by Agnes and Hank
TenPas where George of Brussels is
located.
“The judges commented that it is
‘very clean, tasteful, just perfectly
manicured,’” said Nichol.
Nichol also stressed that the judges
said making a decision was no
simple task.
“Everyone did such a good job it
was really hard for them to
decide. The judges took it very
seriously.”
The winner each receive $135, the
perfect amount, of course, in
Brussels’ 135th anniversary year.
The Ontario Cattle Feeder’s
Association held its annual meeting
and barbecue in Brussels last week,
bringing a major announcement to
the over 800 people in attendance.
Jim Clark, association executive
director, announced that a new deal
has been cut with Loblaws, putting
the Ontario Corn Fed Beef brand
into 120 Loblaws butcher’s cases
across Ontario.
The Loblaws deal means more
business for the association, but
Clark reiterated that it will not be
easy.
“It’s going to be a challenge.
We’re going to have to ramp it up,”
he said. “We’re going to have to put
the push on.”
Clark said that the association is
producing roughly 500 cattle per
week; a number that has to be
increased by 200 per cent to supply
the demand of this deal.
To prepare for the deal, which will
have the product in Loblaws as of
Aug. 12, 2007, 1,200-1,500 cattle
per week will have to be produced,
Clark says.
This is a significant step, Clark
says. Having Ontario Corn Fed Beef
as the main attraction at 120
Loblaws stores, which are likely to
be dominated by the rural divisions
of Loblaws, like Independent
Grocers and Valu-Marts, is an
opportunity for the association to
show the province and the country
how good their product is.
The full line of Ontario Corn Fed
Beef products will be featured at the
selected 120 stores, meaning the
entire butcher’s case, with few
prepared exceptions, will be full of
Ontario Corn Fed Beef steaks,
sausages, etc.
The association’s higher tiers
aren’t taking this deal lightly either,
meaning they are ramping up
production in the offices while
they’ve asked the farmers to ramp up
their production as well.
The association is currently
working on a breakfast beef project
that they hope to have out soon and
they have also hired AGRANET
Marketing to help get their name out
there and make sure it stays on the
minds of consumers.
Dennis Guy, who was brought on
to help with the association’s
marketing, said the association is in
a good place right now to take
advantage of the market.
“I was brought on to give the
association a bit of help with their
marketing,” he said. “They don’t
need much help, but we’re going to
see what we can do.”
The logo is already a big step and
displays what will accompany the
product when it is featured in
Loblaws stores in August. In
addition to that, all those in
attendance at the meeting were
provided with the inaugural edition
of The News Feed, the newsletter
that will begin with monthly,
expanded editions starting
immediately to those who provided
their information.
In addition, the association’s
website, ontariocornfedbeef.com
will receive a bit of a facelift soon
and will feature audio before long.
Huron-Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell,
who brought with her a statement
from Premier Dalton McGuinty
wishing the association well and
Perth-Middlesex MPP John
Wilkinson were on hand to extend
their best wishes to the association
and to thank them for their
dedication over the past few years.
Special guest John Masswohl of
the Canadian Cattlemen’s
Association and formerly of the
Canadian Embassy in Washington
D.C. gave a lengthy presentation
covering many of the red tape issue
with Canadian beef and its closest
trade partner, the United States.
With several key decisions rapidly
approaching in the U.S., Masswohl
encouraged everyone in attendance
to be active with their local MP and
MPP in order to stay on top of
things.
While the Loblaws announcement
was the highlight of the meeting, it
overshadowed another clearly
encouraging story, the attendance of
nearly 400 more guests than
expected.
With initial expectations for the
meeting being 500, the association
was thrilled when 700 had pre-
registered by the evening of the
show, July 11, not to mention late
additions who were fed at tables
outside of the main arena floor, due
to a lack of dining space.
Attendance at the Annual Beef
Industry Convention has also been
A Blyth man has taken top prize
in the Huron County Art Show,
while another local man received
honourable mention in the
prestigious showcase.
Ron Walker of Blyth’s Huron
Harvest was awarded first place in
the 2007 showing and now will
become part of the Huron County
Art Bank.
As part of the Art Bank collection,
Walker’s painting has been taken in
by the county from a bequest from
the estate of Susanna Lattimer and
owned by the county to display in
various county buildings.
While second place went to
Configuration by Madeline Roske
of Goderich and third place went to
Watermelon Spectacle by Catherine
Weber of Exeter,
Adam Crawford of Belgrave’s
Walking Bridge Over the Maitland
received honourable mention in the
collection.
The exhibit is now on display to
the public at the Huron County
museum in Goderich. It features 51
paintings by 32 different artists
throughout Huron County and will
be open from July 14 to Sept. 16.
The exhibit is available during
regular museum hours, Monday-
Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and 1-
4:30 p.m. on Sunday. Regular
admission rates to the museum will
apply to this special exhibit.
Winners
The winners of the Brussels
Beautification contest have
been chosen. Karl and Penny
Knelsen, above left, took top
honours for the residential
category while Hank and
Agnes TenPas won the
commerical prize. In selecting
the Knelsens, judges noted
the attention to detail, while
the TenPases were
complimented for the clean,
tasteful, well-manicured look
to their commercial property.
(Bonnie Gropp photos)
Big news comes to cattle feeders
Judges
choose
best in
Brussels
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Continued on page 10
Blyth
man
wins
art
show