By Pepper Parr
September 30th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
One of the three female members of city council is a birthday girl today.
Can you figure out which one?
Lisa Kearns
Marianne Meed Ward
Shawna Stolte
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September 29th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
Several months ago the Gazette published a piece on a program called the “Post Promise”, which is a self-declaration that a business is working to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Make the promise today: Click HERE. Businesses who make the promise will be able to use and prominently display the POST Promise logo which is a nationally recognized symbol of a business’ commitment to doing their part to protect their customers’ and employees’ health and safety as COVID-19 restrictions ease. Participating business can also purchase a kit which will include additional communication tools like window decals, posters and tent cards which can be used to further build awareness of their commitment within their place of business. Businesses that want to apply for some of the grant money that is being made available ($2500 per grant) will not be eligible unless that have made the POST promise. I have yet to see one of these decals on the window or door of any restaurant or commercial establishment. The program is free – and for me and the circle I travel knowing that a location is safe and is prepared to go that extra distance to ensure that I am kept safe while I am in their establishment is something I look for.  The weather has been great – the traffic on the patios has been good. What happens when the weather chills on us? The hospitality sector is looking for all the help they can get including financial support from the city and the Region. The want help from the federal government as well. They are in a very tough sector. When the restaurant business is good it can be great – but it can also be a grind. You take all the problems home with you. I don’t understand why these decals aren’t on every front door and every print piece a restaurant has. Put it on the menu – tell me that I am going to be taken care of. The hospitality sector is, unfortunately, close ground zero for the huge spike in infections. Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said in a prepared statement that “Consumer confidence to participate in the economy is still very low, and hopefully this will help the public feel more comfortable visiting their favourite local shops. Photo-ops of the Mayor in a restaurant that has the Post Promise decal on their front door would help.
September 26th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
 A silent protest. There they were. Set out ever so neatly within Civic Square – more than 230 pairs of shoes. They were part of a silent protest about what we are not doing about climate change. It was billed as a climate strike inviting everyone in Burlington to join in demanding that all levels of government act immediately on the urgent climate crisis. The social distancing rules had to be respected. How do you do that? The people who organized the event identified two places where the shoes could be dropped off. The Rolling Horse Community Cycle in Aldershot and a private home in Millcroft. Participants were invited to insert a note inside their shoes to convey their message about why urgent action on climate change is important to them. This was a silent protest. There were no opportunities for speeches or public announcements or political leader photo ops. After the silent protest the shoes were collected and returned to hosts or donated to a local charity that will distribute them to those in need.  Many of the shoes had notes in them – setting out the wish, hope, aspirations and dreams of those who had walked in those shoes earlier. Similar Shoe Strikes were to take in Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills; those situations didn’t work out very well. Oakville found that their plans were upset with the COVID-19 rules on how many people could gather in a group. Milton ran into bureaucratic problems – the need for a permit and the need for insurance. Fridays for Future will be co-coordinating similar Climate Strikes throughout Canada. Locally, organizers come from a cross-section of groups: Burlington Biodiversity Team, Students for Change Halton, BurlingtonGreen Youth Network, Burlington Citizens Concerned about Climate Change (BC4), and local residents.
September 25th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
There will be short duration rolling road closures in Burlington from Monday September 28, 2020 at 10 p.m. to Tuesday, September 29, 2020 at 5 a.m. There will be eight trucks in the convoy – the biggest will weigh 320,000 lbs, the smallest 50,000 lbs.  Three of the eight trucks in the 8 vehicle convoy. The trucks are taking the load to a ship in Hamilton that will sail to France and offload there. The job done consists of huge frames with lots of pipes for fuel processing. Nearly 2 years in the making, from design assistance, route surveys, feasibility studies and a multitude of meetings, finally on Monday evening, September 28th the convoy will start their engines. More than 70 third party contractors were involved in getting a convoy with varying overall dimensions up to 125’ x 26’ x 24’4” and gross weights from 260,000 to 320,000 lbs, will start out on a journey from Burlington, ON to the Port of Hamilton. These rolling closures are for a Superload Project move from the Town of Oakville to the Port of Hamilton. There are seven loads moving in convoy with support vehicles including utility trucks and police escorts. The following roads will see temporary road closures on the night of the move to ensure a safe passage of the convoy, please refer to the attached map: • Michigan Dr – road closed on both directions from 10:00pm to midnight  Eight trucks transporting heavy equipment to a ship in Hamilton. Please note that travel times may vary according with conditions on field. Emergency vehicles passage will always be maintained. If the move is unable to commence the night of Monday, September 28, the contingency dates for the move through Halton Region are Tuesday, September 29 to Wednesday, September 30, 2020 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The move is being conducted and managed by Precision Specialized Inc. based out of Burford, Ont.
September 21st, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
A Shoe Strike What is a shoe strike. First it is taking place on Friday September 25th. Why? WHAT: A unique youth organized climate strike inviting everyone in Burlington to join in demanding that all levels of government act immediately on the urgent climate crisis. HOW: Due to social distancing, the climate strike will be held in a representational manner, with the community invited to share a pair of their SHOES to represent their participation. Shoe Strikes have been effective in several locations and countries around the world. Participants are invited to insert a note inside their shoes to convey their message about why urgent action on climate change is important to them. Youth organizers will summarize the notes and relay them to local political leaders. NOTE: This will be a silent protest. There will be NO opportunity for speeches or public announcements or political leader photo ops.
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 25 – Shoe drop off from 10am to noon. Silent Shoe Strike display from 12 noon to 2pm. After 2pm shoes will be collected and returned to hosts or donated to a local charity that will distribute them to those in need. WHO: Similar Shoe Strikes will take place in Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills on the same day, approx. at the same time. Fridays for Future will be co-ordinating similar Climate Strikes throughout Canada. Locally, organizers come from a cross-section of groups: Burlington Biodiversity Team, Students for Change Halton, BurlingtonGreen Youth Network, Burlington Citizens Concerned about Climate Change (BC4), and local residents.
September 20th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
After a bumpy six month period during which Parks and Recreation had to shut down everything they normally do while the province was put into a lock-down mode – they are now operating an interesting COVID (abundance of caution) program. Registration started yesterday at 9:00 am. The youth fall recreation programs will be available for online registration starting Sept. 19 at 9 a.m. at burlington.ca/fall. Programs available are for youth ages 0-18 years, school breaks and individuals with disabilities. Programs are available for viewing now at burlington.ca/fall. Program Information Programs will run for three sessions, each three weeks long, starting on Oct. 13, 2020, and include: • Pre-school (0-5 years) – Offering parents an opportunity to play and create with their little ones, while using both indoor and outdoor space. These programs will give parents and their tots the chance to run and play with our gym equipment, and to create their own works of art. Pre-registration and COVID-19 screenings are required for all programs and participants must attend with a parent or caregiver.  Different artistic expressions • School-Age (6-12 years) – Looking for some fun after school? Whether you want to play a sport casually or let your creativity fly, we have a program for every interest. Learn to play pickleball and disc golf as we make the most of our gyms and parks. If art is more your jam, then join our staff as we explore different artistic expressions. Pre-registration and COVID-19 screenings are required for all programs. • Teen (11-18 years) – Haber welcomes back No Socks for Ivan on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Youth can come shoot hoops and listen to music.  Tansley Woods Community Centre There will be limited space in the gym and staff will be monitoring the capacity at all times. Participants can still drop-in for free but must complete a COVID-19 screening prior to accessing the program. If sports are not for you, we have a creative program at Tansley Woods Community Centre on Wednesday evenings. This is a paid program and participants will need to pre-register before attending. • Individuals with Disabilities (4 years+) – New this year! Welcome to our new opportunities for families to partake in physical activity and socialization at our Brant Hills Community Centre. Play a game in the gym using our equipment or enjoy some passive activities in our program rooms. Pre-registration and COVID-19 screenings are required, and participants must attend with a parent/caregiver or support worker.
Recreation Fee Assistance For more information or to apply, visit burlington.ca/feeassistance. You can also leave a confidential voicemail message at 905-335-7738, ext. 8501 and our staff will return your call to assist you. Chris Glenn, Director of Recreation Services touted the new program saying: ““Recreation and socialization in a positive environment have significant impacts on kids of all ages. Our redesigned programs will give them opportunities for creativity, socializing and physical activity in a safe, welcoming environment.”
September 9th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
The City is going to host a fifth Telephone Town Hall on September 23rd that will focus on COVID-19 as we head into the fall season. The event will be between 7:00 and 8:00 pm when information will be shared and questions answered. These events have been very useful – it serves as a place for people to go when looking for answers and gives the city a sense as to where the concerns are. That the Director of Education for both the Catholic and the Public Boards of Education are taking part suggests where the serious concerns are. The Mayor will host the event; taking part with her are: Tim Commisso, City Manager at the City of Burlington Members of Burlington City Council will be present and listening. How to Participate 1. Register in advance: Burlington residential phone numbers will be randomly selected to be part of the telephone town hall. Residents who would like to be added to the telephone call list can email getinvolved@burlington.ca by the end of the day on Sept. 22. 2. Join by telephone: Anyone who does not receive a telephone invitation can call 1-800-779-0904 just before 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23 to join the town hall. For those individuals calling in, please be advised more than one attempt may be required due to the high volume of traffic on the phone lines. If the first call does not connect, please hang up and dial the 1-800 number again. Once the call begins, a moderator will provide participants with instructions for how to submit their questions to the leadership panel. Many of the questions not answered during the call will be posted, with answers, to the City’s website at burlington.ca/townhall, along with an audio file and full transcript of the call after Sept. 23.
September 9th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON Burlington’s Student Theatre programs will be returning this fall with opportunities for youth ages 4 to 17 years.  Actors from Burlington Student Theatre Beginning Sept. 29, participating young actors and actresses will be performing at either the Burlington Performing Arts Centre or the Student Theatre building. No experience is necessary to participate. Online registration for Burlington residents opens Sept. 12 at 9 a.m. Non-Burlington residents can register on Sept. 18 at 9 a.m. Student Theatre will meet all the health guidelines put out by Halton Region Public Health, which include lower ratios and capacity, physical distancing, mandatory health screening and enhanced facility cleaning. The final performances will be filmed, edited and played on-screen. There will be no live performances. Burlington Student Theatre Film Festival presents a screening of Matilda and Frozen from Summer Arts Camps. Two films featuring participants from the summer Student Theatre will be played at the Burlington Student Theatre Film Festival at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre.  Rainer Noack – inspirational leader at the Student Theatre Tickets are available online. COVID-19 precautions will be in place for each screening. • Saturday, Sept. 12 – 12 p.m. Recreation Fee Assistance For more information or to apply, visit burlington.ca/feeassistance. You can also leave a confidential voicemail message at 905-335-7738, ext. 8501 and our staff will return your call to assist you. As residents continue to rediscover many of their favourite spaces and activities in the city, City services may look different as we work to stop the spread of COVID-19. The City’s commitment to providing the community with essential services remains a priority.  Chris Glenn, Director of Recreation Services Chris Glenn, Director of Recreation Services points out that “Student Theatre has a great history of working with our youth and giving them not only a fun time, but also opportunities for them to grow. As with every program we’re offering, things will look a bit different but will still be filled with friendly faces and high-quality service.”
September 9th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
They made it work. Despite a downcast day a total of 2,751 cars drove into the Burlington Centre, carefully worked their way through a maze and decided which ribs they wanted, paid and drove home with the sweet smell of freshly charred ribs filling the vehicle.  The flow of traffic was smooth – not even a fender bender. Sami Bogle, part of the operations team at Lakeshore Burlington Rotary Service Club who held their second Drive Thru Rib Fest. The cancellation of the annual fall Rib Fest was a covid fatality but that didn’t stop Rotary.  Volunteers are what make event like the Rib Fest work. From left to right) they are: Meiling Menin – grade 10, Maija Fotr – grade 9, Annika Fotr – grade 11 and Margaret Hayes – Rotary Burlington Lakeshore  This is what was on the menu. Bogle said: “ I’d say it was a successful day! We had great feedback on social media about the choice of vendors, live music, and the change in logistics to ensure that the traffic was kept off of the main roads. The 2,751 cars, was just over the number we had on Canada Day. “Though it was an overcast day, the weather was still great, so we feel very blessed. Our main concern had been the safety of our guests, vendors and musicians if the forecasted thunderstorms had persisted.” Related news story: How it all came about – the big pivot.
September 7th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
Here is what we are getting from the front lines at Rib Fest – taking place at the Burlington Centre (formerly the Mall). Just back from Rib Fest (they let us put up some signage to advertise Terry Fox event), reports Craig Gardner who is heading up the 2020 Terry Fox Run. He faces the same problem the Rotary was up against – their events were cancelled and everyone had to scramble to come up with an alternative. “People started showing up at 9 for RIBS – by time I left shortly after 11 am the lineup was getting rather large. Looks like a great day for Rotary. “Everything is nicely laid out easy to navigate and will hold lots of cars. Appears to be much better lay out than July 1. Another Halton resident sent us a note about her visit to the “Valhalla of Ribs” adding – I attended at about 11:10 by which time 500 or 600 had already preceded me. The volunteers do an excellent job of answering questions and keeping the long snaking lines of vehicles moving toward the Valhalla of ribs. I wanted to get try ribs from two vendors but that’s impossible with the current, but necessary, setup. And how to choose the ribs you want to try? Advice to me, which I followed, was to choose the shortest line.
The entrance is off Fairview – lots of signage – you can’t miss it.
September 7th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
When asked how they were coping with the weather – which wasn’t all that good while the folks setting up the Labour Day Rib Fest at Burlington Centre (formerly the Mall) they came back with: “For now, we are all set up and ready to go. Hopefully the weather cooperates for us. So it is very much a go.” If the Rotarians can do the hustle when things looked doubtful at 7 in the morning – the least the rest of us can do is get into the car and make a point of picking up some of those Ribs.
Entrance to the event will be off Fairview this time – look for the directional signs – they will be everywhere. Jay Bridle, Canada’s Largest Ribfest Co-Chair described the event this way: “We are excited to keep our Labour Day tradition of delivering delicious ribs & fantastic entertainment live during these challenging times” says Brent Paszt, a Past President of Rotary Burlington Lakeshore, and Co-Chair of Canada’s Largest Ribfest. “While the event may look different from what we are all used to seeing, you can still expect award-winning BBQ Teams to be on hand serving the ribs, pulled pork, and chicken that guests have come to expect from Ribfest” added “Canceling our annual long weekend event that attracts upwards of 175,000 guests was a huge disappointment and really impacted our ability to support those charities and individuals who need it most, now more than ever” says Rotary Burlington Lakeshore President, Jay Thomblison; “Proceeds from this event, along with those generated from our successful inaugural Canada Day Drive-Thru, will enable us to continue that support”. Food vendors will take orders and payment (cards preferred) and will deliver each completed order to your vehicle. Gloves and masks will be worn by all staff, vendors, and volunteers. The four award-winning rib teams in attendance will include Camp 31 BBQ, Billy Bones BBQ, Pistol Pete’s Smokehouse, and Silver Bullet BBQ. There will also be food offerings from East Side Mario’s and Blaze Pizza, Twisted Tomato, Tiny Tom Donuts, and Ontario Corn Roasters, ensuring that there’s something for the entire family. The event will also include live music for guests to enjoy while they wait in the comfort and safety of their vehicles. Over the course of 24 years, Canada’s Largest Ribfest, a fundraising initiative of Rotary Burlington Lakeshore, has raised over $4.5 million for local, national, and international charities.
September 6th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
They have been collecting food and passing it along to the agencies that have a client base that needs it. They won’t be open this Monday.
September 6th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON Just a day away. The Labour Day Rib Fest or how a local service club turned a disadvantage into an advantage.  This was the way it used to be – when times were normal. The Rib Fest, approaching its 25th year of operation had to shut down its plans to celebrate the raising of funds for the community and feeding a really large crowd. That wasn’t something they were very good at doing – so they did a big pivot and put on an event on Canada Day that was a success and decided to do it again on Labour Day – that will be Monday, Entrance to the event will be off Fairview this time – look for the directional signs – they will be everywhere.
September 5th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
Thousands of students will be trooping back to school – some will not have a shiny new backpack filled with the things needed at school. Those of you who have been there understand.  This is what goes into 300 Back Packs.
Snooker ensured that mentions are made and sponsors recognized. “A HUGE thank you to everyone who volunteered at St. Christopher’s this week and at the backpack program today. We prepped over 300 backpacks to help kids be ready for heading back to school! Thank you also to everyone who donated backpacks, school supplies, sanitizer, masks, toys and general good vibes! “MASSIVE thanks to community partners Open Doors of St. Christopher’s, Food4Kids Halton and Compassion Society of Halton.” A special shout out to Mike McMillan for his donation of over 70 hand sanitizers this afternoon! And a huge thank you to Bill Leggitt and the Rotary Club of Burlington North who gave us a very generous donation which we used to fill the gaps in needed items.  These are the ‘packers’ – some spent most of the day getting the job done. “Thanks to Corrine Batchelor for the donations of toys and games for the JK/SK/Gr1 bags. And thanks to Lisa Kearns for the donation of 300 masks and for stopping by with delicious treats for the volunteers. “Thank you to Wellington Square United Church and Burlington Food Bank for sharing your backpack donations with us. Thank you to the Women’s Giving Network for the amazing hygiene kits. Thank you to Umicore Autocat Canada and RCAP Leasing for very generous donations of Walmart gift cards, backpacks and supplies. Thank you to Staples Canada store #14 for your donations of backpacks and supplies! “Special shout outs to Christina Mulder for rocking this program, Julie Lansley who helped us ALL DAY today, volunteers Nick, Andrea & Danny, Adria, Melanie, Jess, Christine, Lisa D, Jackie B (all day!!), Lisa F, Marie, Gwen, Carmela, Sandi, Judy, Sandra, Michelle, Charlene, and Nick. I’m so sorry if I’ve missed you, it was a long day! “As usual, NONE of this could have been accomplished without YOU, so my eternal thanks for your community generosity.”
September 1st, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
They are referred to as service organizations. Lions, Optimists, Rotary – and several others. They are clubs whose membership gets together to do things for the community they live in. Some are international organizations. Burlington has four different Rotary clubs. Twenty five years ago John Thorpe and Bob Penning came up with the idea of bringing a Rib Fest to Burlington. The two had seen several in the United States and thought it might work in Burlington. The growth of the Rib Fest was phenomenal – there are now Rib Fests across the country – but there is only one CLR – that stands for Canada’s Largest Rib Fest – and large it is. When Covid-19 knocked everything off the calendar – Thorpe and Pennington kept hoping that the province would open things up in time for them to hold their 25th annual event. These two don’t give up very easily. They came up with the idea of holding a smaller event – made it a Drive-Thru and convinced the people at Burlington Centre to let them use the parking lot for Canada Day. If you looked around there was still some sitting room. The weather was close to perfect and the music was good – great way to bring a summer to a close – that was in 2017 Close to 3,000 cars later and a lot of cash in hand – they didn’t rest on their laurels – they wondered – could they do it again on Labour Day. They can and they are going to. The Rotary promotional people got into gear and everyone had something to say. The public is invited to stop by the Burlington Centre parking lot, at 777 Guelph Line from 10am to 7pm to experience the fun and flavour of Canada’s Largest Ribfest in a safe, socially-distant way.  Looks like an obstacle course – it’s the only way to get great ribs on Labour Day. “We are excited to keep our Labour Day tradition of delivering delicious ribs & fantastic entertainment live during these challenging times” says Brent Paszt, a Past President of Rotary Burlington Lakeshore, and Co-Chair of Canada’s Largest Ribfest. “While the event may look different from what we are all used to seeing, you can still expect award-winning BBQ Teams to be on hand serving the ribs, pulled pork, and chicken that guests have come to expect from Ribfest” added Jay Bridle, Canada’s Largest Ribfest Co-Chair. “Canceling our annual long weekend event that attracts upwards of 175,000 guests was a huge disappointment and really impacted our ability to support those charities and individuals who need it most, now more than ever” says Rotary Burlington Lakeshore President, Jay Thomblison; “Proceeds from this event, along with those generated from our successful inaugural Canada Day Drive-Thru, will enable us to continue that support”.  John Thorpe and Bob Penning – brought the Rib Fest to Burlington 24 years ago – this was to be the 25th anniversary. Guests are asked to enter Burlington Centre from the Fairview Street entrance and to remain in their vehicles for the duration of their visit. Food vendors will take orders and payment (cards preferred) and will deliver each completed order to your vehicle. Gloves and masks will be worn by all staff, vendors, and volunteers. The four award-winning rib teams in attendance will include Camp 31 BBQ, Billy Bones BBQ, Pistol Pete’s Smokehouse, and Silver Bullet BBQ. There will also be food offerings from East Side Mario’s and Blaze Pizza, Twisted Tomato, Tiny Tom Donuts, and Ontario Corn Roasters, ensuring that there’s something for the entire family. The event will also include live music for guests to enjoy while they wait in the comfort and safety of their vehicles. Over the course of 24 years, Canada’s Largest Ribfest, a fundraising initiative of Rotary Burlington Lakeshore, has raised over $4.5 million for local, national, and international charities. Where does all that money go? Rotary has a scholarship program that really helps a lot of graduating high school students get to college or university. And the community sees a lot of that money work its way into the small organizations that makes Burlington the city it is.  Some of the organizations in Burlington that have received financial support from the Lakeshore Rotary.
September 1, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
Mark your calendar and get ready for a fine feed of not only finger ‘lickin’ good Ribs but you can pick up a bag of donuts and some fresh corn at the Burlington Lakeshore Rotary annual Rib Fest that takes place Monday September 7th, (Labour Day) at the Burlington Centre parking lot. Couple of differences this time – The entrance will be off Fairview – west of Guelph Line. There will be all kinds of signage, The map set out below shows the route you will be taking once you are on the property.
Looks a little daunting – fear not the rate at which the traffic moves will ensure that you are not sitting in your car very long and there will be all kind of ushers to guide you. Opens at 10 – runs until 7. Last years just shy of 3,000 cars came through the parking lot. You’re not allowed to get out of your vehicle – you won’t have to – everyone will come to you. Just have your credit card at hand and you will find yourself on the way home with the sweet smell of those ribs with a side order of corn and some of those tiny donuts to leave you ‘feelin’ fine. They accept cash, debit, and credit, but payment by card is preferred. What’s on the menu? Four ribbers to choose from.
September 1st, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
August 31st, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
How Burlington’s Lakeshore Rotary pivoted when it became obvious that they would not be able to hold their annual Rib Fest event at Spencer Smith Park. is an interesting story. That pivot was succesfull enough for the very small team that made it happen on Canada Day decide to do it again – a bit differently but the same finger lickin ribs along with the sauce of your choice. In June it was begining to look like summer was bound to become the summer of no fun with the cancellation of Canada’s Largest Ribfest, the Sound of Music festival, the City of Burlington’s Canada Day celebrations in Spencer Smith Park, as well as countless events, festivals and concerts in nearby cities.  There were four ribbers at the Canada Day Drive Thru – all winners Canada’s Largest Ribfest held annually on Labour Day weekend is more than just an event the residents of Burlington look forward to, it is the major fundraiser of Burlington Lakeshore Rotary. The funds raised at CLR (short for Canada’s Largest Ribfest) goes to support so many great causes in Burlington and beyond, the team knew we had to come up with alternative ways to raise money in this COVID world. Canada’s Largest Ribfest was born 25 years ago out of an idea that Rotarians Bob Peeling and John Thorpe brought to club after visiting a Ribfest in the USA.  They came from the north –  They came from the south – They brought the idea of a Drive-Thru event to the club leadership – in the typical Rotary way the answer was – why not. Peeling and Thorpe then started working the telephones to make it happen. They called in every favour they could think of. Burlington Mall came on side quite quickly – all they wanted was an opportunity for their tenants to be able to stay open. The team was small. Thorpe describes it this way: – Key people on the committee were – no order other than the old guys are at the start – Bob, Paul, and Bill have all been involved from Day 1.  At a glance it could have been mistaken for a downtown New York City traffic jam – there wasn’t a single bump report from the close to 3000 cars that flowed through. Bob Peeling, John Thorpe, Paul Kadlick, Bill Pittman, Jay Thomblison, Margaret Hayes, Eva Quijano, Karen Matthews and Dean Williams. Peeling and Thorpe have an almost family relationship with the ribbers. The only unknown was – will people show up? People showed up and while the cool breezes off the lake and the smell of ribs being cooked wasn’t in the air the event worked. It worked so well that the Rotarians are going to do it all over again. September 7th – small changes in the way traffic will feed into the location – there wasn’t really anything wrong with the way they did things on Canada Day. John Thorpe on the left and Bob Penning on the right. They were the two that brought the idea of a Rib Fest to Burlington at a time when they were not known by many. Decades later it is the event that closes the summer season. These two determined that there would be an event this September as well. Thorpe explained that ” While it will help replace some of the funds that we would have raised at Canada’s Largest Ribfest, the idea was to also help bring some fun back into summer after months of lockdown, and to help others affected by the shutdowns. As much as Canada’s Largest Ribfest is an important part of the social fabric of the community, it also has numerous suppliers that have been affected. By holding a Drive-Thru, we were able to help the Rib Teams and their employees, we were able to help some musicians that haven’t played in a live venue for months, the sound, electric and special event contractors, the sign makers and many others were helped. Most importantly, we will be able to help local groups that we support from the funds we raised, and we helped create smiles and enjoyment in the 2,688 cars that came through.
August 30th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
Beth Martin Snook, the mother of two who Created Burlington Caremongers – renamed it Burlington Together and went on to attract 8000 people who became part of a group that worked well together. She decided to share some group stats. By working together, donating, and connecting this group has been able to do amazing things! Cannot wait to see what we can do together in the future.  Impressive stats – no matter how you look at them. The people who took part in what started out as a Gazette initiative and soon grew to the point where a team of about 30 people got involved in the cutting of cloth to be made into masks, then making the masks , then preparing them for delivery to various community groups including two city Councillors.
What was particularly interesting was the way in which the design and fabrication of the masks changed as new people got involved and added their skill sets and experience.  Jan Mowbray at her bias binding-making machine stitching together the ties used in early versions of the face masks. City Councillor Shawna Stolte with her daughter wearing masks from the Gazette initiative.
August 24th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
You may have seen some of them – the Terry Fox Posters in the bus shelters around town. There will be some lawn signs and the display case at city hall will include Terry Fox material.  Each of these women had their own reasons for running this race and each ran it in their own way. Hundreds do just that during the Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research The annual Run was to take place in September – but got Covid cancelled. That hasn’t stopped the people who do the fund raising from getting out there and getting those dollars in for the critical research. The medical research community has done some really fine work – tens of thousands are alive today because of that research which has been due directly to the people who raise money and do that run.  For Burlington Terry running through Burlington was the beginning of a 40 year relationship. Burlington has had a special relationship with the Terry Fox Foundation – starting a year or two after the Run ended in Thunder Bay. Craig Gardner, the chair of the Burlington Run this year has been working on every possible way to get people out and doing their Run.  The monument is a Burlington statement – one that the city is very proud of having. He recently told the Gazette that initially before covid-19 he was hoping for $130K which would be their best year ever. Last year was their second best year ever $121K. 2005, the 25th anniversary was the best year at $127K. Then, with covid-19, people told us ½ of last year would be a reasonable target so $60K. Now with four weeks to go and already $24K donated, they think they might hit $100K. There is one bigger event planned for the adidas person Janette Wilson which could bring in $20K or more alone if they can pull it off. The Terry Fox T shirts have run into some Covid bumps as well. When you are out for a walk in Spencer Smith Park and you see the Terry Fox marker – I suspect you do what most people do – you pause and remember when you became aware of that magnificent young man. Let’s not let him down.
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Once completed, a business is provided with the necessary communication and implementation tools to educate employees on the five key steps to workplace safety, which were created to be consistent with what has been recommended by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Shoes can be dropped off in advance at: Rolling Horse Community Cycle (650 Plains Rd E #2) & 2466 Newport St. (a house near Headon Forest Dr.) beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 22nd & up until Thursday, Sept 24th. Shoes can also be placed at the shoe strike location (tent. scheduled at Civic Square, City Hall, Brant Street) between 10am and noon on Sept. 25.
• School Breaks (4 -12 years) – Following the success of our summer camps, join us on days when school is not on! Come enjoy a day of active games, crafts, and awesome activities. Using the same safety guidelines as our summer camp programs, participants will be in small groups with reduced staff-to- participant ratios, and assigned specific equipment and supplies to avoid sharing, and designated areas to maintain physical distancing considerations. Pre-registration and COVID-19 screenings are required.
Burlington Together, a group that is steered by Beth Martin Snooker, pulled together a group earlier today and packed supplies into 300 Back Packs – no small feat.
Connie Price, right and Penny Hersh, left with Lisa Lunski do the handover of the last batch of the more than 3,000 masks that were made.
