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Lakeshore Advance, 2013-03-27, Page 44 Lakeshore Advance • Wednesda , March 27, 2013 opinlon www.lakeshoreadvance.com tlkosboro Advents PUBLISHED WEEKLY P.O.BOX 1195 58 Ontario St., North Grand Bend ON NOM 1TO phone: 519-238-5383 fax: 519-238-5131 email: Iakeshore.advanceesunmedia.ca SUNMEDIA A Quebecor Media Company 44t— NEIL CLIFFORD Publisher/Advertising Manager neil.dlffordesunmodia.ca LYNDA HILLMAN-RAPLEY Editor iakeshore.advanceOsunmedia.ca MARK STEPHEN Advertising Sales mark.stephen©sunmedia.ca JULIE HARRISON Typesetting/Classl(leds lakeshore.ads@sunmedia.ca www.lakeshoreadvance.com SUBSCRIPTION RATES ADVANCE: Regular $42.00 (40.00+ 2.00 GST) Online subscriptions svalable—same rates Publications Mall Agreement No. 40064683 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO LAKESHORE ADVANCE CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT P.O.Box 1195 58 Ontario St. North Grand Bend ON NOM 1 TO For any non -deliveries or delivery concoms: phone: 519-238-5383 e-mail: lakoshore advanceesunmedia,ccs Changes of address, orders for subscriptions, and undoliverable copies (return postage guaranteed) are to be sent to LakestrornAdvance at the address Indicated hare. Advertising Is accepted on the condition that In the event of a typographical error, the portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous Item together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertise- ment will bo paid at the applicable rates. We acknowledge the financial support oldie Go ernntent of Canada through the Canadian Periodical Fund ((:I'1+) for our publishing activities. Canada Mamba ol the CanadianCommunityAOCIa NewIR)"p" Asnoclatton end the Ontwlo Community *movers Aeeacietton editorial Saying so long to our friend Barbara Maybe it was when 'I'V actress Barbara Wheeldon hosted the fashion show and opening ceremonies for Winter Carnival. Maybe It was the many plays she wrote and performed, or maybe it was the work she did as a council member. One thing is for sure- if you knew Barb Wheeldon- you would remember. For any of us who were fortunate to have had her in our lives, we were blessed. Barbara, born December 25, 1939 died in Oshawa on St. Patrick's I)ay and she would have thought that very social day -appropri- ate. It is difficult not to smile when you think of Barb- she was one funny, talented lady. Barbara made her first visit to Grand Bend and the I luron Country Playhouse In 1981. She was a Toronto resident and had never heard of Grand Bend. It was love at first visit. By June of 1990 she lived here. She jumped in feet first by man- aging the 11CPI1 children's drama workshop. She also joined the Grand Bend Iiorticultural Society. She also began direct- ing plays at the I ICPI-1 and played Marilla in Anne of Green Gables. She wrote a fundraising murder mystery for the Grand Bend Library, raising $1,250 for that project. Les Barr, her good friend used to say when Barbara was around, there was a guarantee of fun and laughter. Reading her eulogies on Facebook, one fellow entertainer saki she could still see her singing "Big Spender" in a celebrity Kara - oke fundraiser at the Grape Vine pub. Barbara was the organizer and supporter of Jesse's Journey when it carie to (:rand Bend. She organized the Grand Bend Jingle Bell Walk with donated coats and blankets going to the Sarnia interval Home. She was behind many children's work- shops for art and writing and was an organizer for Grand Bend's celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Ausable Cut. When 1 wrote Trading Places -Grand Bend's history she was given a special credit for her incredible support. She was also a member of the Grand Bend's Parks and Recreation committee. Many will remember "As the Bend'llurns and the sequel As the Bend Returns;' a soap opera written and directed by Barb for the 1991-1992 Winter Carnival? Those recollections have to be enveloped in smiles. A professional actress who thrived on challenges, Barbara she cane to Grand Bend in 1990 she became busier than she ever was In 'l'oronto. When she was asked by then carnival Courtesy of Dave Sheppard Barbara Wheeldon In 2011 chair and long time friend Dave Sheppard to write the play for the winter event, she didn't think she was able to but took up the challenge and within five hours had the out- line done. She gathered information for the soap opera by visiting Grand Bend council meetings. "I had no idea who these council members were," she said in a 1994 Lakeshore Advance interview," So I had to get a description and could not believe how dead on I was." She always admitted she had a "sick sense of humour" and the play's hilarity was proof of that. She directed a cast of 20 including Peter 1 laiste, Paul Gunning, Shirley Platt and Barb Smitts. She loved being a part Of politics so much, she ran in the 1994 Grand Bend municipal election -and won. She topped the councilor votes garnering 529 with the next being the mayor (Cain Ivey) with 632 votes. They both pledged to continue the process of positive change. She promised to be the voice of Grand Bend residents. Communication between ratepayers and council was her top priority while beautifying the village, enforcing bylaws, establishing a centre for youth and senior citizens and reprioritizing use of tax dollars were issues she said she wanted dealt with. Barb said she was so happy she moved to Grand Bend as it was always changing for the better. She moved from Grand Bend in the early part of the 2000s, but visited when she could. 1 ler memories live on for so many people, for so many reasons. Barb's son Frank has created a tnemoty book in Barb's name. Visit this link. http://www.legacy.con/guestbooks/thestar/guestbook. aspx?n=barbara-wheeldon&pid=163739871 &cid=full LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Lakeshore Advance welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must include the writer's full name, address, daytime plume number and signature (for verification. Anonymous letters will not he published. We reserve the right to edit all editorial submissions including letters for clarification, style and length. Letters must he signed and he In good taste and follow the laws of libel and slander. letters to the editor Do the right thing; take a stand regarding wind energy To the Editor, ..� It would be very interesting or maybe mini -boggling, to have tracked the amount of information read and the number of meet- ings attended by the majority of us regarding the pros and cons of wind energy. Thomas Jefferson said: "truth is great and will prevail" 'the majority of us here in rural Ontario as well as around the world now realize our governments and big wind energy compa- nies have been telling us anything but the truth. 'Things are heating up! Lawsuits are becoming a regular occurrence! Ontario municipalities are listening to their citizens and object- ing to the turbine invasion by passing bylaws, which have already landed a number of then) in court with a lengthy list to follow. MY POINT -- at this stage of our fight and having real strength in numbers (the majority), I find it hard to comprehend how a few of our surrounding municipal councils continue to sit on the, fence. You are failing at your duty, to represent the majority of your constituents. During the next municipal nicipal elections these councils will (earn, as did the Liberals, you rust defend and depend on the majority of your citizens to he re-elected. Do the right thing, get off the fence and take a stand! Dave Griffiths