comfort food now available in cookbook form

Two hundred people came through the doors of the Bayfield Town Hall on the afternoon of Feb. 20 to take part in Soups On, Bayfield! The extremely popular event was held as a fundraiser for the Clinton Food Bank. And now just in time for Christmas 2011 the soups served at this event have been dished out in a brand new cookbook, entitled, Soups On in Bayfield. (Photo by Dennis Pal)

STORY BY MELODY FALCONER-POUNDER

Back in February, the Bayfield Town Hall Heritage Society (BTHHS) held a very successful fundraising event for the Clinton Food Bank to coincide with the Family Day Weekend. “Soups On, Bayfield” was guaranteed to provide participants with some comfort food on a cold winter’s day and now those soup samplings prepared by local restaurants, church and community groups can provide comfort all winter long as the recipes have been compiled into a first edition cookbook.

The cookbook entitled, “Soup's On in Bayfield” is said to be a delectable collection of soups from the event as well as village restaurants, friends and neighbors.

The cookbook will be debuted at The Village Bookshop on Nov. 26 and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on that date visitors to the bookshop as well as Bayfield Foodland and Shared Times on Main Street can taste one of the featured soups.

All proceeds from the cookbook will be used for the maintenance of the Bayfield Town Hall as well as cultural outreach by the BTHHS. The book is selling for $20. The Village Bookshop would be happy to accept advance orders.

THREE CHRISTMAS BUREAU DROP BOXES LOCATED IN VILLAGE

Almost 50 years ago, the Huron County Christmas Bureau (HCCB) was organized around the ideal that no child should be forgotten at Christmas.

The HCCB is an independent, community-wide, volunteer organization, but it could not function without the support of community churches and generous citizens as well as such entities as the Huron-Perth Children’s Aid Society. The society provides office space, phone lines, and administrative assistance to help the HCCB operate.

Every year, about 1000 children have a Christmas made merry through the generosity of county residents.

According to Gail Grant, HCCB Central Committee public relations chair, “We can all be Santas! 2011 is a critical year: the economic downturn continues and the widespread damage from the tornado was not just local or physical. Former donors may need to request help this year, a difficult reversal; we hope that anyone in this situation will remember that to give and to receive are both acts of gratitude.”

The HCCB is a county-wide volunteer group that organizes five gift “bureaus” for disadvantaged families. They are located in churches in Clinton, Exeter, Goderich, Seaforth and Wingham. The members of these churches donate many, many hours collecting (each community has drop boxes), sorting, organizing, displaying...then helping clients choose their children’s gifts.

“The Central Committee is so grateful to the volunteer churches and their members. They are the Christmas Bureau!” said Grant.

In Bayfield the drop boxes will be located at Nip N’ Tuck, Bayfield Convenience and Brandon Hardware.

Also local residents with a penchant for reading will be pleased to note that if someone purchases a children’s book for the HCCB from The Village Bookshop the store will match it.

Plus even a haircut can help the bureau! The 16th Annual Charity Cut will be held at Shear Talent Hair Design and Tanning, 45 West Street in Goderich, on Nov. 25 from 3-6 p.m. All proceeds from services will go to the HCCB.

Toys, clothes, non-perishable food and food vouchers are donated, or purchased with cash donations, for which the donor can receive a tax receipt. There is an increase in teenagers in need who are living on their own, so such items as socks, undergarments, feminine hygiene products and toiletries would be especially appreciated.

Custodial parents that need help with Christmas this year should call “Christmas Central” at 519 524-7356 x3271 or 1-800-265-5198 x3271 on weekdays from Nov. 21 to Dec. 9. When parents call, they should have ready the ages and clothes’ sizes of their children. They will be given an appointment during the week of Dec. 12-15 at their closest bureau. They will privately choose suitable gifts for their family at the scheduled appointment.

The five bureaus established for 2011 are: Clinton Christian Reformed Church, 243 Princess Street; Exeter Pentecostal Tabernacle, 70670 London Road; Knox Presbyterian Church in Goderich, 9 Victoria St.; Seaforth Agriplex, hosted by St. James Roman Catholic Church; and St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Wingham, 281 Josephine St.

“This is a very important year for all of us. Our community’s needs are great. The rewards are also great – the opportunity to share the true meaning of Christmas by sharing the joy of the season. A gift to a child is a gift to yourself,” concluded Grant.

GIFT OF healthy eating comes wrapped in a Good Food Box 

The Huron Good Food Box (HGFB) is teaming up with the Huron County Christmas Bureau (HCCB) this holiday season to provide fresh, healthy food to those in need.

“Huron County is one of the largest agriculturally productive counties in Ontario, but many individuals and families in the county go without food on a daily basis,” said Brittany Fry, HGFB coordinator. “One in 11 Huron County residents, 50 per cent of which are children, live below the poverty level.”

Fry added that many low-income families have limited access to fresh, healthy foods due to the high cost of those items.

The HGFB is a volunteer-based program that provides a monthly box of healthy food items to Huron County residents for $15. One of the goals of the program is to increase access to fresh, healthy and locally grown foods.

“The Christmas Bureau is very excited about the new partnership with the HGFB,” said Barb Hogan of the HCCB. “Providing fresh food through the HGFB is an excellent way to support families in need this holiday season.”

Anyone interested in donating a HGFB to a family in need is asked to visit their neighborhood host site and provide a cash donation for a single box ($15) or more. HGFB donations for the HCCB will be available until Dec. 2 and will be provided to families in the form of a gift certificate to be redeemed when they need it most. Donations will be kept within each community or to the closest Christmas Bureau location.

In Bayfield the neighborhood host site is Trinity Anglican Church, 10 Keith Cres.

The program encourages individuals and groups (churches, schools, service clubs, etc.) to donate funds for one month or more to provide families in need with a variety of nutritious foods that they may not have access to otherwise.

The program also encourages all Huron County residents to get involved in the program, not only because it increases fruit and vegetable intake, but also because the larger the customer base, the more self-sustaining the program becomes.

The HGFB program has distribution sites throughout Huron County including: Bayfield, Blyth, Clinton, Ethel, Exeter, Goderich, Grand Bend, Hensall, Seaforth, Wingham and Zurich. Details on ordering and pick-up information can be found by searching the Good Food Box at www.huroncounty.ca/health or calling 519 482-3416 ext 2244.

Orders for next month’s box are due Dec. 2 and can be picked up Dec. 15. There is no obligation to order every month but organizers encourage customers to try boxes over a two or three month period because box contents vary according to season and local availability. To make things more convenient, the HGFB program is now allowing people to pre-pay (with cash or certified cheque) for three, six or 12 month periods.

In addition, the HGFB recently created a Facebook page.

“The page will remind fans of order and pick-up dates, item updates, recipes, food preparation techniques and more,” said Fry.

HGFB gift certificates are also available for those who want a unique gift idea this Christmas. Fry added that gift certificates can be purchased at neighborhood host sites one month in advance and will be mailed to that host site for pick-up the following month.

For more information, please like the HGFB on Facebook or contact Brittany Fry, HGFB coordinator, at 519 482-3416 x 2244 or events@huroncounty.ca.

"home for Christmas" to nourish both body and mind

On the afternoon of Dec. 18, The Bayfield Town Hall and The Village Bookshop are teaming up to present a unique family Christmas event where people can share in some Christmas cheer and help feed those who may otherwise go hungry over the holidays.

“Home for Christmas in Story and Song” will be held at the Bayfield Town Hall starting at 3 p.m. The event will feature a reading of Jan Brett's new Christmas book, "Home for Christmas" combined with music by The Glee Sisters. The readers will be village residents, Mary Wolfe, Judy Keightley and Erin Roy.

Those who plan to attend this afternoon should plan to come early as the first 20 families to arrive will receive a free copy of “Home for Christmas” due to the generosity of local friends of youth, the Optimist Club of Bayfield.

Tickets are available now for $5 for adults and children under the age of 12 years are free. Please call The Village Bookshop at 519 565-5600.

A monetary donation or non-perishable food items will also be accepted at this event as all proceeds and donations will be shared between the Huron County Food Bank Distribution Center (HCFBDC) in Exeter and Bayfield’s Trinity Anglican Church locally based outreach program known as Feed My Sheep.

United Communities Credit Union and the Optimist Club of Bayfield are the sponsors of this event.

CPH Auxiliary holds "Gift of Light" fundraiser 

For many Bayfield residents Clinton Public Hospital (CPH) is their choice for healthcare and therefore the work of the Auxiliary to the CPH should be of interest.

The Auxiliary to the CPH met at Huronview on Nov. 14 with 34 members and guests attending. Barbara Springhall, administer of Huronview was the guest speaker. Auxiliary President Ann MacLean introduced her to those gathered. Springhall gave a brief history and shared some facts about Huronview. She thanked the Auxiliary members for coming and bringing the community into the residence.

The current fundraiser being organized by the CPH Auxiliary is the sale of Gift Of Light tickets. CPH will be supported by the purchase of a light to make the Christmas tree glow brightly during the holiday season. Receipts are available for purchases of $10 or more. Nov. 25 is the date for the Tree Lighting Ceremony that shall begin at 6:30 p.m. on the lawn of the hospital.

The next meeting of the Auxiliary will be held in the CPH Conference Room on Dec. 5 at 9:30 a.m. A Silent Auction will be held at this meeting. New members are always welcome to attend.

 A PEARL OF A DONATION

Duncan Jewell, representing the Goderich and Area Disaster Relief Fund, accepted a cheque for $1,000 from Judith Keightley (left) and Louise Sygrove from the Bayfield Town Hall Heritage Committee recently. This amount represented half of the proceeds from the Bayfield Town Hall Heritage Society fundraiser, The Black Pearl Murder Mystery Dinner, held on Oct 29 and organized by Keightley and her committee. (Photo by Linda Jewell)

optimist club

The Bayfield Optimist Club will be holding a Holiday Raffle featuring special toys for a boy or a girl this festive season. The two prizes offered are sure to fill someone's wish list this year when the draw is made Dec. 11.

The club is holding a raffle on a hand painted wooden doll cradle that can also double as a child's stool. This will be the perfect bed for "Sandie" an 18" Our Generation Doll who is sure to be the best-dressed playmate a child could ever have. She comes with nine hand knit outfits (including a Santa's suit) and four beautifully sewn ensembles as well as a number of accessories - even clothes hangers! Her cradle will also be a cozy place to sleep with handmade bedding. The combined creative efforts of Jan Kuntz, Mike Dixon, Joan Schilbe and Reid Kinnear have made this prize possible.

An amazing remote controlled Chevy SSR will be raffled as second prize.

Tickets are available now from Optimist members and at the Bayfield Village Inn.

The Holiday Raffle tickets are $2 each or three for $5. The draw will be made at Breakfast with Santa on Dec. 11. This fun family event will be held at the Bayfield Village Inn from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is 12 years and up, $6; five to 11 years, $3; four and under free.

ratepayers' association 

Ainslie Willock is the new president of the Bayfield Ratepayers Association (BRA) and she would like to encourage village residents to come and observe the monthly BRA meetings.

“I'll make time on the agenda for visitors to bring up any issues they would like us to comment on,” she said recently.

The BRA meets on the first Saturday of the month at 9 a.m. at the Bayfield Lions’ Community Building with the exception of their next meeting. It will be held on Saturday, Dec. 10.

The BRA does not meet in January. So their first meeting of 2012 will be held on Feb. 4.

Reminders of the monthly meetings can be found on the Post Office Notice Board and on the BRA website: http://bra.camp8.org/.

open house

The Bayfield Historical Society Archives and the Bayfield Library have for many years shared their space and so it is fitting that they would co-host a party!

On Dec. 4, the Bayfield Historical Society and the Friends of Bayfield Library (FOBL) will hold an Open House from 2-5 p.m. at the Archives and Library Building on Main St.

Visitors are encouraged to drop by and check out the new archival acquisitions and publications along with the display of Metcalfe library prints. In the library, those who attend can watch demonstrations for using eBooks and accessing a variety of databases such as, Tumblebooks for children and Naxos for music.

In addition, “a taste of Christmas” in the form of refreshments will be served.

The FOBL has been created to promote the library as essential to the community’s quality of life. As enthusiastic supporters, FOBL intends to enhance the profile of the Bayfield Library and to advocate for library services and programs. To become a member of the FOBL, please send an email to friendsofbayfieldlibrary@hotmail.ca or call Clair at 519-565-2135.

To learn more about becoming a member of the Bayfield Historical Society visit their website: www.bayfieldhistorical.ca.

book launch

Area playwright, Paul Ciufo's celebrated play, “The Killing Snow” is now in print. The Village Bookshop will host a book launch on Dec. 4 at 5 p.m. The event will feature a reading from the book by Paul Ciufo, Eric Coates and Duncan MacGregor. There is no cost to attend this event and refreshments will be served.

historical society

What's it like to sail on the largest ship on the upper Great Lakes, the Paul R. Tregurtha?

On Nov.28, Phil Gemeinhardt will be describing "the trip of a lifetime" that he and his wife Ilse, recently took on the Paul R. Tregurtha, as it made a round trip from St. Clair, Michigan to Deluth, Minnesota and back, delivering a cargo of 64,000 tons of coal.

Find out why the captain and crew presented Phil with an “honorary lifering” at the end of the voyage.

This talk is apart of the Bayfield Historical Society Speaker’s Series and will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Bayfield Lions’ Community Building.

Salvation army band

On Nov. 25 the Bayfield Town Hall will welcome back the London Citadel Salvation Army Band for their sixteenth annual Christmas Concert.

Their appearance on the town hall stage is a holiday tradition for many and should not be missed. In case of inclement weather the concert will be held on Dec. 2.

The London Citadel Band got its start in 1883. By the early 1900s the band was in demand and performed in such cities as Windsor and Detroit. In the last 128 years the groups’ horizons have broadened considerably and they have traveled to England twice as well as the west coast of Canada and parts of the USA.

Bandmaster John Lam, a native of Owen Sound, joined the band in 1985. Ten years later he became Bandmaster and that year he brought the band to the town hall. Since then they have returned annually except for one year when they were “snowed out”.

Show time is 8 p.m. and tickets are selling for $10 per person. For tickets call Charles Kalbfleisch at 519 565-2244 or Pat Langley at 519 565-2894 or online at ticketscene.ca.

Coincidentally, the Salvation Army began in Canada in 1882, the same year that the Bayfield Town Hall was built. All proceeds from the concert will go to The Bayfield Town Hall Heritage Society for the maintenance of the hall.

fitness fun

The time has come to get back into the routines of autumn and fitness for both mind and body is once again a focus. One Care is sponsoring several programs for both men and women to stay fit over.

Dancefit and Toning classes are held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. The cost is $40 for four months or $3 per class. The Sit and Get Fit classes are offered on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:15 a.m. The cost is $1 per class.
Both of these fitness opportunities are held at the Bayfield Community Centre.

For the more adventurous among us, there is Pole Walking. Walks for women are scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays while walks for men are held on Monday and Friday mornings All walks begin from 6 Main Street and begin at 8:30 a.m. Poles are provided free for those who require them.

A Yoga Class will be held at the Bayfield Town Hall starting at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays. The cost for is $3 per class and participants are asked to bring a yoga mat. Starting on Nov. 1, a time of quiet reflection and meditation will follow the yoga class starting at 11:15 a.m. All in the community are invited to take part.

Indoor badminton is played on Monday evenings at 7 p.m. at the Varna Complex The cost is $3 each and no experience or equipment is required to play.

Call 519 565-2202 for more information on the above exercise opportunities.

For those people looking to exercise their minds, Women’s Bridge is played every Wednesday at 1 p.m. No partner needed to play the cost is $1.50 per game. For more information call Brenda Blair 519 565-2881.

Mah Jongg games are also offered on the first and third Mondays of the month starting at 1 p.m. Call 519 565-2468 for more information.

Both Bridge and Mah Jongg are played at the Bayfield Lions’ Community Building.

Are you ready to dance yourself into SHAPE? ZUMBA is a Latin inspired, easy to follow, calorie burning dance fitness party and participants say it is so much fun. ZUMBA classes are held Wednesday evenings at the Bayfield Community Centre from 7-8 p.m. Drop-ins and beginners are welcome. Drop in rate is $11 or you can purchase a Ten Pass for $90. Please contact Alison de Groot at bayfieldzumba@gmail.com for more information.

bridge club

The Wednesday Evening Bridge Club will meet next at the Bayfield Lions’ Community Building on Nov. 23. The cards will be dealt starting at 7 p.m. All are welcome to attend.