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The Lucknow Sentinel, 1979-08-15, Page 1Farmers help clean up after tornado Fifteen Ashfield farmers took a day from their fields at a busy time of the.year to help with the Cleanupin the Woodstock area, foUovving the .tornado August 7, Organized . by Clete. Dalton president of the Ashfield Federation..of Agriculture, the farmers worked on the farm of Howard Algae near Oxford Centre, four miles ' northeast of Woodstock, Mr. and Mrs: Algae and their two children survived the tornado unharmed, but their farm was destroyed, 0 -The Algae farm of.300 acres had a house; barn, shed;a'herd of 30 cows and 'a crop of corn. Within 'eve =minutes .the tornado destroyed the buildings, the crop, .trees and three of the cattle. The family was in the barn when Mrs. Algae and the two children went to the house to .close the upstairs windows. When she saw the tornado coming,. Mrs. Algae took the children to the•basement. Mr. Algae laid on the barn, floor. The Ashfieldfarmers were supplied with two trucks to clean up lumber, trees, boards, steel and a nearby ;bush that was. topped. Snowmobiles, • motors`. and bicycles were: wrapped around trees. One of the Ashfield volunteers commented they couldn't believe what :they saw. The tornado was fickle in its destruction. Mrs. Algae found a plastic 'bag containing; their wedd * g and family pictures still intact. The nearby town. of 'Oxford Centre was almost completely destroyed. Forty houses, the church, school and store are gone. The tornado's path was one-half to one mile --wide and everything in its wake was destroyed or just vanished, . Ashfield fanners who volunteered, includ- ed nclu4d .ed Clete Dalton, Ted Martin, Tole Hogan, Mike Courtney, John Howard, Mike. Dalton, Bill Taylor, Bain MacLennan, Art Simpson, $ric Drennan, Ben H; Iviiltenburg, Ben A. Miltenburg,. Allan Gibson, Tom Helm and Vince Austin. eci:atflsns to clear rubble Equipped with six chainsaws, 10 area men went to Oxford County on Monday to help clear rubble from last week's tornado. Doug Scott, Marvin Scott and Martin Scott of Ashfield, Gerald Duston, Brian Smith, Jamieson Ribey, Frank Scott, Michael Scott, Donald Scott and Bert Scott of Colborne, assisted in the cleanup operations on. a New--Durhamarea farm. Two crews of Mennonite farmers, which included one man from the St. Helens area, worked through the day picking up debris on the same farm. All buildings on the. farm were destroyed. After the day's ork, the farmer and his wife. served: soup rid sandwiches in their debris -strewn yard, near what had once been their home. The area farmers said the people in the three counties, hit by the. tornado, are astouned by the help that 'has come in from. all over. They are pleased that some have. thought to send food and they appreciate the help. 1 .36 PAGES WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 1979 Kingsbridge Single Copy 25c -The sm mer playground being operated at St. Joeph's.Community School, Kings- bridge is benefiting the community as a whop,according to the school's community cor-ordinator. The children who are participating are enjoying the activities says Denise Dalton, co-ordinator of the community school's programs and . activities. • It is not compulsory that a child attend. every. day. They can attend as many days a week as they choose ..or just come on days !i • when special activities in which they are interested ,are. planned. About 20 .children come to the program on an average each day and over 50. children are registered in the. summer 'long program. • Supervisors Joanne Agnew, Lucknow and Francis Van'Rooy, Ashfield, have planned.a varied and .interesting program says Ms; Dalton. They play games, make crafts, swim Turn.to Page 5' Tanya Satherland, Malmo,' left, and Nicole Cote, Ashfield jmnnch on popcorn which the children at the ,Kingsbridge Slimmer Playground enjoyed as a snack one afternoon last week. The -children have been'participating In a program of aetivitles,it St. Joseph's School which is benefiting the whole community, a eordltg to community co-ordinator, Denise Dalton. (Sentinel Staff Photo] ed olun.teers Huron CountyEederation of Agriculture is asking area farmers to take a day and assist with the tornado cleanup in the. Woodstock area; It's a busy time of the year for local farmers but if they can spare one day; they can help with .the cleanup. One day work crews are being organized through the federationoffii a in Vanastra. Three things are required to assist the counties, struck, by the tornado August 7. Immediate help and'chain saws are required to clear the : rubble. Later in ' the week, carpentry help will be required' to assist with, the rebuilding. Those willing to work onthe cleanup can call the federation office in Vanastra between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 482-9642. The office is in contact with relief centres in the Woodstock area. • The federation has also set up arelief fund and cash donations will be accepted by writing the - Huron County Federation of Agriculture Relief Fund, Box 429, Clinton, Ontario. Elmer Farrish has written a book about the changing times in Ashfield and Howick Townships. Born in Ashfield in 1899; 'he lived there until. 1930 and the farm where he was born is still in the Fairish family. He has kept a diary since 1952 and has been writing his memoirs for a number of years. His book . notes that the biggest change of his lifetime has been .mechanization. See story page' •19.'.. ions exchange .Four Lions exchange visitors, stay- ing • in the Lucknow 'area think . :•Canadians like to party a great deal. .While they :were staying in Ontario, • Wingham had its centennial celebra- tions and Teeswater . held their Old Boys reunion; These .two events were staged. on top.of. the various barbe- • .ques, beach parties 'and. wiener_ roasts local folks" enjoy in the sum- mer. If they visited 'during • the winter;. they would '.understand why- ' we know how• to enjoy our summers. Story on page 2. Aspiring journalist • . Lise Gunby; formerly of. Ashfield, is studying journalism . at Durham College in Oshawa. She has worked • for the summer with the weekly • newspaper in Seaforth . and says' she • has been surprised by how interest- ing even the smallest stories have been. While attending Durham last year, she interviewed. Bob Stanfield and had several meetings with Globe and 'Mail columnist, Robert Need- ham. Story on page 18. Black Donnellys The Donnellys ride into town August 21 with barn-burningsand fisticuffs.: Theatre Passe Muraille's production about the Black . Donnel- lys of Lucan' opens at the Blyth Summer Festival next Wednesday. Were they villains or victims? Picture and story on page 25.