Attention Readers!

For our first two editions of the Shelburne Free Press in 2023, we're taking our readers through all the highs and lows of 2022 for our annual Year in Review. 

The first half of our 2022 Year in Review, which highlighted significant stories from January to June was published last week in the Jan. 5 edition of the newspaper. This week we're publishing the second half of the 2022 Year in Review, from July to December.

Now, without any further ado, here's a look at the year that was!

July

• Intimate outdoor concert upcoming with Jim Cuddy: Juno-awarding-winning musician Jim Cuddy will be taking to the stage locally later this month for the 17th Anniversary Jim Cuddy Jamboree. The intimate outdoor concert will take place at Lyric Pond in Honeywood on July 24 with the proceeds raised from the event going towards Dufferin Community Foundation (DCF).

“We feel honoured to be the recipients of the Jim Cuddy Jamboree this year. Not only are we big fans of the event, but we're big fans of Jim Cuddy and his music. For the proceeds to be going to the Dufferin Community Foundation is a real privilege for us,” said Michele Fisher, executive director for DCF.

 Started in 2005, the Jim Cuddy Jamboree has served as more than just an annual concert with the intensely local event holding a long history of helping raise funds for environmental and community-based initiatives.

The proceeds from this year's concert will be going towards two of the Dufferin County Foundation's permanent funds – the Environment Fund and the Arts, Culture and Heritage Fund. “These were chosen by Jim Cuddy because they're two things that he obviously believes in deeply,” said Fisher. The income earned every year from the two permanent funds will be used to provide grants to help local environmental initiatives and promote arts and culture. Fisher said the Dufferin Community Foundation expects to be allocating grants from the Environment Fund starting next year and for the Arts, Culture and Heritage Fund by 2024. 

• Winners of 2022 Dufferin Rising Star Competition announced: Winners of the 2022 Dufferin Rising Star Competition presented by Music In the Hills have been announced. The 2022 Dufferin Rising Star Competition was created around this year's Music in the Hills initiative to support programs for youth in Dufferin County. The competition, which ran from April 20 until May 20, saw 18 bands, solo acts, and duos enter. The winners were announced by the Music in the Hills Committee on June 24.

Shelburne-based band, The Matlockes, took home the first-place title and $1,000 in grand prize winnings. The band features members Steven Thompson, Cole Barber, Colt Fawcett, Evan Harley, and Dylan Lillie.

Second place went to Madelyn Byham, also known as Maddie, who was awarded with a $250 prize donated by the Township of Mulmur. Third place went to “The Black Atom” duo Matthew Mammoliti and Paul Mammoliti, who received a $200 prize donated by Go With Crowe Real Estate.

• Shelburne athletes added to Brock University rugby team: Two Centre Dufferin District High School athletes have been added to the Brock University Badgers women's rugby team. Jordan Smith and Taylor Pate, are joining the team after competing in the provincial program and Rugby Canada's Development Academy. The Badgers have received commitments from both women for the upcoming 2022 Ontario University Athletics season.

Jordan captained her high school rugby team at Centre Dufferin District High School (CDDHS) to winning its first Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations provincial medal. She will be attending Brock and studying Concurrent Education.

Taylor joins the Badgers with experience as a centre and winger. She helped CDDHS win district championships for volleyball and basketball, and a bronze medal at OFSAA. She will be studying nursing at Brock.

• Headwaters Hospital temporarily closes emergency department over weekend due to staffing shortage: Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) temporarily closed its emergency department overnight this past weekend in response to a staffing shortage. The local hospital issued a notice on Saturday (July 16) saying it made the “difficult decision” to redirect all non-life-threatening situations at the emergency department to surrounding hospitals from 7 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. Kim Delahunt, president and CEO of Headwaters Hospital, said the redirect was due to an unprecedented shortage of nursing staff and sick calls from staff members in the emergency department. 

“This was a last resort and the decision was made after all other options and mitigations were exhausted,” wrote Delahunt in an email. “The decision was not taken lightly and required a lot of communication with our team, first responders, physicians, and leaders.”

Headwaters Health Care Centre is among a number of hospitals across the province and nation facing staffing shortages. Recently, hospitals in Mount Forest and Alexandria, Ont. both announced overnight closures of their emergency departments as a result of too few nursing staff available. Headwaters' emergency department resumed all services on July 17 at 7:30 a.m.

• Road 2 Recovery initiative makes stop at local Legion: The Shelburne Legion was a pitstop for a group of hikers this past weekend, who are making a gruelling month-long “ruck” to help raise funds to support homeless veterans. The group of five, consisting of Lino Di Julio, Joey Dimauro, Dave Ward, Nathan Desborough, and Noel Grace, arrived at the local legion on Saturday (July 23) following a 25-kilometre day-long trek. The men are hiking the Bruce Trail over 34 days as part of the 9th annual Road 2 Recovery initiative organized by non-profit Ruck 2 Remember. Starting the ruck on July 5, the team is hiking the 900-kilometre stretch of the Bruce Trail from Tobermory to Niagara, stopping at 20 Royal Canadian Legions and are expected to take their final steps on Aug. 6. 

Funds raised through Ruck 2 Recovery trek go towards the Royal Canadian Legion charity, Operation: Leave the Streets Behind, which aims to help support veterans facing homelessness.

August

• Art exhibit for Emancipation Day up at Town Hall: A limited-time art exhibit in recognition of Emancipation Day (Aug. 1) is on display at the Shelburne Town Hall. The Dufferin County Canadian Black Association (DCCBA) unveiled the nine-piece art display, located in the main entrance of Shelburne Town Hall, on Tuesday (Aug. 2).

 “We have this beautiful display here showcasing the rich culture and diversity right here in Dufferin County,” said Alethia O'Hara Stephenson, DCCBA founder and president.

“It is powerfully humbling to have the display here in Town Hall. Just to think that, as a black organization, we're able to have black art in a historically white space – it is humbling and we're very grateful to the town.”

The art show has been called Freedom, and ties directly into Emancipation Day. The display consists of work from Shelburne local artists Dave Ellington and Emily Campbell.

The Town of Shelburne first proclaimed Emancipation Day in the community last year. Shelburne Town Council officially proclaimed Emancipation Day again this year during their July 25 meeting.

The art show in recognition of Emancipation Day will remain on display at Shelburne Town Hall until Aug. 12.

• Dufferin Board of Trade launches new project for local tourism: Dufferin Board of Trade (DBOT) has launched a new project aimed at helping Dufferin County businesses that support local tourism. DBOT announced in a press release on Tuesday (Aug. 2) that they had received funding for a new project, called the Dufferin Tourism Trails. Through the new initiative, Dufferin County businesses will have the opportunity to identify with and receive coaching on important topics that local tourism operators need to stay relevant, compliant, and in-demand. The project aims to attract tourists from outside of the region to the Dufferin community.

Dufferin Tourism Trails, a network of virtual trails across the county, will highlight businesses in nine specific categories including Live + Work Local, BlackOwned, Women-Owned, Pet-Friendly, LGBTQ+ Safe Spaces, Environmentally Responsible, Socially Responsible, Accessible, and Tourism Attraction. The categories of the Dufferin Tourism Trails project were created for tourism-ready businesses in the county and represent “selected target markets with proven spending potential that will benefit the local economy.”

• Shelburne council approves revised smoking and vaping bylaw: Shelburne Town Council has approved a revised smoking and vaping bylaw. During their meeting on July 25, Shelburne Town Council received a report from Clerk Jennifer Willoughby on a revised smoking and vaping bylaw and approved its enactment. 

A proposed smoking and vaping bylaw were originally presented to council at their June 30 meeting. The initially proposed bylaw looked to ban the smoking and vaping of tobacco and other vaporizing substances on properties owned or leased by the municipality including municipal buildings, trails and walkways, parks and parkland, playground areas, outdoor recreation facilities, and special events. 

At the time, councillors raised concerns on how the drafted smoking and vaping bylaw would affect community attendance at special events as well as whether council was impeding on a level of control by not allowing residents to smoke on sidewalks.

One revision to the bylaw included a change to the definition of ‘highway', which now address the passage of pedestrians and allows for smoking on the sidewalk. The other edit shortened the time frame that special events can get exemptions to have a designated smoking area, from 60 days to 45 days

• Local ball hockey players help team win National Championship: It's been a couple of years since the National Ball Hockey Championships took place, but a return to competition gave two local players the opportunity to compete at a high level and take home a National Championship. 

Shelburne residents' Jackson Davis and Mason Burke play for the New Tecumseth U15 Extreme team and they travelled to Winnipeg for July 28 – 31 to compete for a national title in the Canadian Ball Hockey Association 2022 Junior National Championships. The team qualified a couple of years ago, but the Championship was cancelled and some players left the team. Players had to try out for the new squad.

The Extreme won the championship with a 3-2 overtime victory over the British Columbia Wolverines, scoring 48 seconds into the overtime period. Jackson scored two of the goals in the final game. 

New Tec Extreme National Team head coach, Aaron Walmsley, praised his players for the effort they showed during the tournament. “Jackson was a clutch goal scorer for us,” Aaron said. “He found the back of the net in almost every game, including twice in the gold medal game. His second goal of the final game came with our goalie pulled and one minute left in regulation. Mason was a critical player on our team, playing big minutes on defence, including running the first powerplay unit. He was a quiet leader for our group. Both Shelburne boys have been great additions to our New Tec Program.”

September

• Orange crosswalk honouring Indigenous children approved by Shelburne council: Shelburne Town Council has approved the location for an Every Child Matters crosswalk as part of Orange Shirt Day reflection. During their meeting on Monday (Aug. 29), town council approved the painting of the crosswalk at the intersection of William Street and Main Street, in close proximity to where an Every Child Matters reflection ceremony will be held on Sept. 30.

The idea for a crosswalk commemorating Orange Shirt Day and Every Child Matters came from a presentation to Council by the Dufferin County Cultural Resource Circle earlier this year. Shelburne's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee was tasked with reviewing the installation as part of the 2022 budget. 

The crosswalk in Shelburne is designed based on the one in Orangeville, located at the intersection of Broadway and First Street. According to the report to council, the estimated cost for the crosswalk installation is $1,770.

• Shelburne Foodland opens in new location: Foodland in Shelburne has celebrated the grand opening of its new location. Last Thursday (Sept. 1), doors to the newly upgraded Shelburne Foodland, located in the Emerald Crossing Plaza along Hwy. 89, officially opened to customers and community members. To commemorate the opening, a small ceremony was held with employees, local dignitaries, and key members in the construction and development of the new location.

“On behalf of the staff here at Shelburne Foodland, how proud we are to have this store in Shelburne and present it to our customers, neighbours, and friends; people you all know. I think they'll appreciate it,” said Sandy Bell, owner of the local franchise.

Shelburne Mayor Wade Mills spoke during the grand opening ceremony about the significance of the expansion for the local community. “This is something to be proud of. We've had a lot of exciting days in Shelburne this summer with grand openings, but I have to say this is probably my favourite and looking at the line [outside], I think that probably goes for a large portion of this community,” said Mills. “What's nice about this is we finally have the physical space to match the positive staff team. So to all of you, congratulations and all the best. I look forward to popping in here after work and grabbing groceries on the way home.”

Doors to the newly expanded grocery store opened shortly after 9 a.m. on Sept. 1, with customers strolling up and down the aisles stocked with produce, baked goods, beauty and health essentials, and more.

• Town seeking legal advice on ‘freedom' protests downtown: The Town of Shelburne will be seeking outside legal advice on how to respond to ongoing “freedom” protests in downtown core. During their meeting on Monday (Sept. 12), council unanimously supported the motion brought forward by Coun. Lynda Buffett at council's end-of-August meeting.

Since an initial Freedom Convoy protest back in February, Shelburne's Main Street has become a tailgate party for “freedom” protesters every other weekend. While waving Canadian flags and homemade signs, the protesters blare music, cook food, dress up, and entice horn-honking from passing motorists. Despite numerous complaints from local residents and business owners, the protests have continued with little disruption over the months.

Denyse Morrissey, chief administrative officer, said any specific directions from the legal advice resulting in specific bylaws or initiatives would be provided in a follow-up staff report to council for their consideration.

• New courts unveiled in Shelburne for tennis and pickleball: Shelburne residents who enjoy racquet sports won't have to travel as far to play their sport with the recent opening of new courts at KTH Park. The courts officially opened on Friday (Sept. 9), for public use and pickleball enthusiasts were out on them just moments after the new facility opened the gate to allow play. This is a first for Shelburne. The town has never had a tennis facility and most residents had to travel to Orangeville or Alliston to get a few sets in. The courts serve a dual purpose. The lines on the court accommodate both tennis and pickleball. The new courts are a welcome addition to Shelburne's recreation facilities and are expected to get a lot of use during the warm weather months.

• Primrose Elementary School facing serious water issues: Parents of students at Primrose Elementary School are calling on the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) to be more transparent as the local school continues to face water problems.

 “We feel completely disappointed in the school board and we feel like there is a distinct lack of transparency in the communications that they have sent to us and to all parents,” said Karen Kennedy, co-chair of Primrose's School Council. “We have been fighting this for so long and we are fed up that they didn't do what they said they would do when they had the opportunity.”

On Sept. 8, Primrose principal Marianne Millsap, issued a statement notifying families that the decision had been made to close the school for the day “due to water concerns at the school and a lack of available portable toilets.” 

According to updates from the UGDSB on Sept. 14 and Sept. 16, the existing well for the school was determined to no longer be sufficient to supply the water flow needed. A long-term solution of digging a new well was provided to families. In the meantime, the school board said portable toilets and alternative water sources would be utilized as short-term solutions.

While the water problems at Primrose may seem new, the water system at the local elementary school officially showed signs of failure dating back to the previous school year. In May of last year, the school began receiving shipments of clean filtered drinking water due to high sodium content.

 “As a parent, I wouldn't be caught dead drinking it and we were expecting our kids to,” said Kennedy. “It was the result of letters that got us drinkable water because the board must have recognized that this was a serious problem.” 

According to the Primrose School Council, a solution via reverse osmosis at the filtering stations was proposed to the school board in 2019 as a solution to the drinking water problem. “Nothing was done,” said Kennedy. 

During the same school year, concerned parents sent letters, which the UGDSB confirmed were received, regarding the water pressure. Kennedy told the Free Press at the time teachers were reporting having to pour buckets of water in toilets to allow them to flush.

In an email to the Free Press, the UGDSB said an investigation into the water taste and pressure was completed over the summer.

Kennedy said she believes the water issues at the school are the result of the over capacity in students. Built in 1994 with a capacity for 377 students, the school now has 600 students.

• Shelburne Legion Br. 220 holds a memorial for Queen Elizabeth II: It was a sombre moment in time, as the Shelburne Legion Br. 220 held a memorial service in honour of Queen Elizabeth II. Veterans, dignitaries and community members gathered outside of Shelburne Town Hall on Monday (Sept. 19) to pay respect to the late monarch.

“She was a veteran, which we forget sometimes. As a veteran and as our queen, we felt that we should honour her,” said Liz Whitton, president of Branch 220.

A wreath was placed in front of the cenotaph by legion president Whitton and a veteran in memory of the Queen. Attendees of the remembrance service were given the opportunity to place a poppy in honour of Her Majesty.

Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle on Sept. 8, at the age of 96. She was the longest-reigning British Monarch, with over 70 years on the throne. Her funeral was held on Monday (Sept. 19).

October

• Weekend transit service suspended by council: Commuters using the Grey Transit Route in Shelburne will need to find alternative transportation for their weekend trips come the new year. During their meeting on Monday (Oct. 3), Shelburne Town Council voted unanimously in favour of suspending the weekend transit service as of Jan. 1. The reason for the decision is due to the increasing cost surrounding the on-demand transit service.

The transit service in Shelburne initially launched in 2020 as a weekday service funded by a $2.3 million grant received by Grey County and Southgate Township from the provincial government. The funding was used to implement service from Dundalk to Orangeville, also known as Route 2, Monday through Friday. The Town of Shelburne does not fund or contribute any cost to the weekday service. In July of 2021, a five-month pilot project to expand the transit service to include weekends was launched, with council approving a monthly cost of $5,000 for the weekend service expansion. The weekend service cost increased to $5,500 per month in 2022.

The agreement with Grey County to provide weekend service is set to expire on Dec. 31 and Town staff said the new cost is estimated to increase to $6,800.

Council was presented with two options, either to continue with the transit service at the increased cost or to suspend the service and have the new term of council consider the cost as part of the 2023 budget process.

According to the report, the suspension of the weekend transit service will be occurring during the months that recorded the lowest usage in 2022. 

The 2023 operating budget is anticipated to be approved in mid to late March. If approved in Council's 2023 budget, the weekend transit service will be reinstated.

• Musical production Matilda Jr. engages local youth: After a challenging couple of years learning to adjust to life amidst the COVID pandemic, arts in the community is finally back. Local theatre group, L.P Stage Productions Inc., has cast youth from Shelburne and Dundalk in Matilda Jr., their latest musical production, based on the delightful dark comedy by Roald Dahl. 

The production's cast of actors range from three to eighteen years of age. The cast and crew are hard at work getting ready for the show, dedicating hours of time each week to prepare a professional and high-quality musical for their audience and they're having a great deal of fun doing it.

According to one of the play group's founders and directors, Alison Port, “I think the kids are having a great time. They are learning valuable skills in singing, dancing, and acting. We focus on team building and supporting each other. We have hard-working kids, who are learning new things about the value of a team in making a show come together.” 

For many of the cast members, this is their first show, or their first involvement with the arts since covid began. Many children were eager to be involved and are thrilled to have something to look forward to and to be excited about.

• Barn destroyed in Melancthon fire, no animals or people injured: Four fire departments responded to a large structure fire in Melancthon that destroyed a barn. Crews from Mulmur-Melancthon, Shelburne, Dundalk and Clearview responded to the call on 3rd Line, between 20th Sideroad and County Road 21, shortly before 8:30 a.m. last Thursday (Oct. 20). Thick black smoke and red flames could be seen overtaking the barn structure while crews worked. Mulmur-Melancthon Fire Chief Mat Waterfield said the cause of the fire could not be determined due to the extent of the damage. 

Dufferin OPP, who assisted on the call, said there were no injuries and that there was no livestock in the barn.

• Fiddle legend and his multi-talented band brining Old Fashion Hoedown to Shelburne: Fiddle legend, Scott Woods is heading back out on the road and is set to bring his toe-tapping old-time fiddle music show to the Shelburne community. 

Woods and his multi-talented band will be hitting the stage at Grace Tipling Hall for two shows (2 p.m. and 7 p.m.) on Oct. 29, with a brand-new show – ‘An Old Fashioned Hoedown'. Known as “The Fergus Fiddler” and “The Flippin' Fiddler”, Woods is a two-time winner of the Canadian Open Fiddle Contest, two-time winner of the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Championship, and Fiddle Entertainer of the Year. In 2018 he was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Association.

The performance in Shelburne will mark the first show in the ‘An Old Fashioned Hoedown' tour.

“Shelburne is like a second home to me, and it has a lot of roots with our background. When we drive into Shelburne, I still get a little tingle in my stomach, almost like butterflies, like I used to when I was competing,” said Woods. “It's kind of fitting that we're doing the premiere of our brand-new show and starting a new tour basically in our home of Shelburne.”

Joining Woods on stage will be his sister Kendra Norris, a talented singer and multi-instrumentalist, who is also a Canadian Fiddle Champion and a three-time Duet Fiddle Champion with her brother. The show will also feature young step dancer Leo Stock, fondly known as ‘Spaghetti Legs', an 18-year-old singer, drummer and Canadian Step Dancing Champion. Most recently, Stock won the 2022 Open Step Dancing Championship at the prestigious ‘Ontario Open Fiddle and Step Dance Contest' as well as the Canadian Open Championship in Shelburne.

• Shelburne voters elect new council for 2022-2026 term: After months of campaigning, the six individuals who will sit on Shelburne Town Council for the next four-year term have been determined. Votes from Shelburne took to the polls on Monday (Oct. 24) to choose the incoming deputy mayor and councillors. 

Shelburne Mayor Wade Mills was acclaimed as Mayor for another term of council after running unopposed in the mayoral race.

Incumbent Councillor Shane Hall unseated incumbent Steve Anderson to become the next deputy mayor of Shelburne. Hall received 1087 votes compared to Anderson's 952.

Incumbent Lindsay Wegener is returning for another four years on Shelburne Town Council after receiving 1035 votes.

Incumbent Walter Benotto is extending his more than two decades run as a councillor of Shelburne Town Council, receiving 969 votes.

Len Guchardi will be serving his first term on Shelburne Town Council. He received 931 votes.

Dan Sample is making his return to Shelburne Town Council after missing out on being elected as Deputy Mayor in the 2018 election. Sample received 910 votes.

Incumbent Kyle Fegan will be serving another four years on Shelburne Town Council having received 880 votes.

According to the Town of Shelburne of the 5,823 eligible voters, 2,110 voted, meaning there was a voter turnout of 36.2 per cent.

November

• Police investigating a three vehicle fatal collision on Halloween: Members of the Dufferin Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) along with Dufferin County EMS attended a serious three-vehicle collision in the Town of Mono. This past Monday (Oct. 31) just after 12:00 p.m., officers attended Highway 10 between the 10th and 15th Sideroad in the Town of Mono for the report of a serious motor vehicle collision. As a result of the collision, a 59-year-old, male driver and lone occupant of a four-door sedan was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of a mini-van sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported by ambulance to a Toronto area trauma centre. The passenger of this vehicle was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. The driver and lone occupant of a pickup truck reported no injuries. Highway 10 between 10th and 15th Sideroad remained closed for several hours while officers conduct their investigation.

• Jack Downing Park reopens after revitalization project: After several years, Jack Downing Park in downtown Shelburne was starting to show its age. A revitalization project took place to improve the park, enlarge the area to allow for more people, and to make the park accessible and safe. A new gazebo was constructed and funded by associates at KTH Manufacturing. 

The park was re-opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 2.

The park is named after John Robert “Jack” Downing, a local resident who advocated that the Town purchase the vacant land where the park is in 1998. He raised around $34,000 to purchase the land and an additional $59,000 for park development. The parkland was a gas station at one time, before becoming a vacant property. 

A wooden statue of William Jelly, the founding father of Shelburne, was also on site but was removed due to deterioration from the elements causing safety issues. The statue is being repaired, and once completed it will again be installed in the park.

 Improvements to the park include a stable ground surface suitable for canes, crutches, and wheels of mobility devices, an open space for scooters and wheelchairs, and textured and coloured concrete for the visually impaired. 

There is also a new sensory garden, although planting in that area is not yet completed due to the time of year, but it is expected to come alive in the spring when town crews complete the project.

“The community consultation for the redevelopment of this park was quite extensive,” said Shelburne Mayor Wade Mills during the dedication ceremony. “It started in 2019 with the community improvement plan and a separate consultation process that was specifically put out for this park earlier this year.”

• Tribute for Black veterans held on Remembrance Day: Dufferin County Canadian Black Association (DCCBA) paid tribute to Black Canadian veterans with a special Remembrance Day (Nov. 11) ceremony. Community leaders, dignitaries, and residents gathered at Fiddle Park on Saturday (Nov. 12) evening for a small ceremony remembering and honouring Black Canadians who have served our country. 

“We want to take a moment to honour the brave black veterans who served in both World Wars, the Afghanistan War and the many peacekeeping missions across the globe, and those who continue to serve our great nation,” said Alethia O'Hara Stephenson, founder of DCCBA. “We honour the many soldiers who are often excluded or missed from history books.”

The ceremony included prayers and poems in remembrance of the veterans and in honour of those still serving. The names of veterans that have been recaptured through historical research were read out by O'Hara Stephenson, Deputy Mayor Steve Anderson, and two local youths. Much of the ceremony's focus was on the No. 2 Construction Battalion, also known as the Black Battalion, a non-combatant battalion formed in 1916.

At the end of the ceremony, a wreath was laid at the No. 2 Battalion plaque, located at the Community Garden in Fiddle Park.

• Local youngster writes and illustrates children's book: A local nine-year-old resident is now a published author. Amaya James released her debut children's book called Afro, No! on Oct. 31. Featuring main characters Emmie and Afro, Afro, No! explores the sometimes complicated relationship that young black girls can have with their hair. It also touches on the beauty, uniqueness and joy that comes with the pain and challenge of getting their hair done.

“When I do my hair it's a little bit of trouble because of all the brushing, and it hurts my head. So, the inspiration was for other little kids, if they have a hard time doing their hair, that they don't feel alone,” explained James.

James initially began writing her children's book in August, and illustrated the entire book as a self-taught artist. Starting with a sketch of the book's cover she eventually digitized the artwork and slowly began to write and draw what would eventually become the 32-page story.

Released on Oct. 31, in its first week of publication, Afro, No!' reached #1 on Amazon in the Beauty category.

Afro, No! is available for purchase at Booklore in Orangeville and online at Amazon. It can also be borrowed from the Shelburne Library Hub, located at Streams Community Hub.

• Electronic patient record system shut down due to cyber attack: An electronic patient record system used by Dufferin County Paramedic Service and other paramedic services across Ontario was shut down early last week due to a cyber attack. Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) said in a press release issued on Friday (Nov. 18) that they were informed that ESO, the third-party platform used to record patient data, was taken offline in response to “unauthorized access”. Headwaters Health Care Centre said that the service interruption would not affect the paramedic services' ability to respond to 9-1-1 emergency calls.

“Patient care is our top priority,” said Tom Reid, Chief of Dufferin Paramedic Service. “We are still providing services and responding to 9-1-1 calls. We are documenting all our actions locally now until the system is back online.”

Dufferin County Paramedic Service uses the platform to gather and share information with hospitals about incoming patients. Part of the system is also used for community paramedicine services and other management functions.

• Royals Junior boys claim District 4 volleyball championship: The Centre Dufferin District High School Royals junior boys' volleyball team are champions after capturing the District 4 title. The playoffs and championships game took place at Westside Secondary School in Orangeville on Monday, Nov. 14. It was a good season for the team. The Royals finished the regular season in second place, winning nine of 12 scheduled matches.

The final had CDDHS and Westside battling it out for the District title. Both teams played well, but the Royals were looking really good with great serving and showing a lot of skill setting up the ball. They won the match 3-1 to claim the District 4 championship.

December

• Shelburne Legion president steps down from role: Liz Whitton, president of the Shelburne Legion Branch 220, has stepped down from the leading role. The Shelburne Legion officially announced the change to its executive in a Facebook post on Nov. 23. Whitten took over the role of president in July of 2021 when past president Lesa Peat decided to step back after nearly half a decade in the position. She previously served as the local legion's president in 2012 and 2013. Taking over as interim Legion president will be Dean Schroeder, Shelburne Legion first vice president and Sergeant-at-Arms. 

“It feels good because now I can do things that hopefully will bring more veterans into the legion,” said Schroeder. “Hopefully everything goes to plan.” 

Schroeder became a member at the Shelburne Legion Branch 220 just over five years ago and in that time has taken on the roles of Sergeant-at-Arms, chairperson for the Poppy Fund, and First Vice. Schroeder is also a veteran, serving 20 years with Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), with whom he completed two tours in Bosnia as a peacekeeper, and spent 10 years in the reserves. In 2014, he officially retired from the Canadian military after 30 years of service.

The Shelburne Legion will hold its next election for president in April.

• Winners announced in local monologue competition for youth: Streams Community Hub has announced the winners of their 2nd annual Word of Mouth Monologue Competition. Twelve finalists, ranging from ages 8 to 17 years old, gathered at Grace Tipling Hall in Shelburne on Saturday (Nov. 26) to compete in a final performance of the Word of Mouth Monologue Competition in front of a panel of three judges.

The competition was divided into two age categories, 8-12 (junior) and 13-17 (senior), with the finalists performing a diverse work of monologues touching on a variety of topics including discrimination, neurodiversity, identity, bullying, grief, climate change and more.

Nine-year-old Elizabeth Farkas placed first in the junior category with her performance of Marnie McPhee from ‘The Remarkable Flight of Marnie McPhee' by Daniel Karasik.

Centre Dufferin District High School (CDDHS), exchange student Andere Garabieta, 15, placed first in the senior category with her performance of John from ‘The Death of Me' by Norman Foster.

Garabieta was also the recipient of the Fan Favourite award, receiving over 800 votes on her audition submission.

Second place in the junior category was given to Callie Reed for her performance as Ojha from ‘Sultans of the Streets, and second place for the senior category was given to Alexandria Fazekas for her performance of John from ‘Selfie'.

Streams Community Hub also revealed a new award called the Bravery Award, which recognizes the first individual to submit their audition for the Word of Mouth Monologue Competition. Maya Abhimanu was the 2022 recipient of the Bravery Award.

• Local athlete competes at Mens' Softball World Cup: Local softball player, Quinten Bruce, represented the nation as a member of Team Canada at the Men's Softball World Cup, held in Auckland, New Zealand Nov. 26 to Dec. 4. Team Canada made it to the championship game, but lost to Australia in the final, earning the silver medal. Quinten, who lives in Grand Valley, and attended Centre Dufferin High School in Shelburne, is a product of Grand Valley softball, where the sport is taken seriously. He started playing the sport when he was just three years old.

Making team Canada was a process that took several years. 

“2019 was my breakout year, with the Kitchener Cubs,” Quinten explained. “Team Canada has an athlete pool – it's a 40-man roster – and every year the roster changes depending on what guy's commitment levels are, and when they are trying to bring in a new crop of players. In 2019, I was named to the 40-man roster and part of the pool. I got onto bigger and better teams, and this summer after the Canadian championships in St. John's Newfoundland, that's when I was approached by the head coach and coaching staff and asked if I was able to take three weeks off work to go to New Zealand.”

For Quinten, it was the chance of a lifetime to play his sport at the highest level of competition.

• Council proposed with $41,300 allocation for community grants: Shelburne Town Council has created a subcommittee to manage the allocation of their 2023 community grant program, as the Town faces increasing funding asks and budgetary constraints. During their meeting on Monday (Dec. 12), councillors heard from 14 local organizations that had applied for the 2023 Municipal Grant Funding.

Through the 2023 Municipal Grant Funding, Council received a request for a total of $67,800 in cash as well as $18,700 in-kind from the 14 organizations. Last year, the budget for municipal grant funding was $37,300. 

According to the presentation to council, the annual Municipal Grant Funding program is almost approaching 1 per cent ($86,387) of the town's budget in funding requests, based on the 2022 budget.

The community grants subcommittee will consist of Deputy Mayor Shane Hall, Coun. Walter Benotto, and Coun. Kyle Fegan. The subcommittee will meet in January to discuss the applicants and the suggested amount allocated to each organization selected for the 2023 community grants program. The applicants selected will be disclosed during the 2023 Draft Budget process.