To the Editor,

Thank you for your amazing  support!! The 20th Annual “Gardens of Uxbridge” Tour was a tremendous success, raising awareness and needed funds for Community Care Durham-Uxbridge. With the financial support we received from our event sponsor, Investors Group, as well as the generosity of the local business community and our volunteers, we were able to cover most of the expenses associated with the day. This means that proceeds from ticket sales can be used to further our work in the community. Our Home Support services allow adults who have needs, related to aging, physical ability and mental health concerns, to remain as active members of their communities.

 In total, 310 visitors came out to enjoy the day and support a good cause! Visitors came from as far away as Toronto, Orangeville, Lindsay, and Aurora. Some of our visitors have attended all 20 years and a great many were out for the first time. On average, most people were back for their third or fourth year. The winner of the Early Bird Draw, dinner for two at the Tim Mill Restaurant, was won by Koit and Anne Linkruss of Uxbridge. Winners in our Garden Art Raffle include: Custom Bird House by Wayne Luke Designs: Angela Sciberras, Sparks Will Fly: Eva Stiller, Dog Bite Steel: Catherine Conrad and C. Harding, Wind and Rain fabric sculpture by Trish Webster: Mary Mahon, Stained Glass Garden Art by Rebecca Gower: Louise Ro, Picture by Grace D’andrade: Sharee Mitchell, Papyrus Gift Basket: Joy Freemantle and Wood Sculpture by Frank Ditomaso: anonymous. Thank you to the following supporters of Community Care Durham – Uxbridge’s 2016 Gardens of Uxbridge: Investors Group, Blue Heron Books, Uxbridge,
Branching Out, Port Perry.

Thank you Terry and thank you Vos' Independent!

"Give a little, Help a lot" - The United Way of Durham Region thanks Terry Vos and all of the customers of Vos' Independent for their support. Your contributions during this period of the campaign will indeed be "helping a lot".Helping build a better community for all by helping those less fortunate is at the core of the United Way mission. Community contributions support a broad range of services and assist families, seniors, and children alike. From food insecurity to those in vulnerable housing and from children's programs to support for seniors, Helping a lot is precisely what the customers of Vos' Independent will be doing in the coming weeks. Thank you tremendously.

Cheryl Henderson
Campaign Manager
chenderson@unitedwaydr.com

Residents of Kawartha Lakes and Durham Region recently received some positive news regarding affordable housing.

In the Kawarthas, Council announced that the City will be participating in the 20,000 homes campaign, a nationwide initiative which aims to house 20,000 of Canada's most vulnerable homeless people by late 2018. The Kawartha Lakes Council plans to house 24 of those by the end date of July, 2018.

The Region of Durham also took the next step towards affordable housing in late June, with the approval of the terms of reference for a affordable housing task force.

Regional Chair Roger Anderson has been an active advocate for bringing more affordable housing to the Region, stating in his address to the Scugog Chamber recently that “nobody should have to go to bed without a roof over their head.” He stressed it is not just southern cities and towns like Oshawa that need affordable housing, it is just as necessary in North Durham as well.

Scugog Councillors recently heard a presentation, at the June 20 meeting regarding a draft housing plan, which would include affordable housing.

According to the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), Scugog housing values are currently sitting at over $400,000, with some houses in the Township selling for much more.

Most view the homeless as those who have made a wrong decision that has cast them out on the street. However, there are many other factors, including devastating fires, the constant increase in the cost of living, and company downsizing.

The Canadian Press estimates that about 235,000 people in Canada are homeless each year.
According to an online statement by North House, “unaffordable housing is strongly linked to poor health and poor educational outcomes for children.”

It is heartwarming to see that much is being done by the local and regional governments to combat this crisis.

Hopefully in the future, nobody will have to go to bed without the safety and security of a roof of their own.

To the Editor,

Greenbank United Church Community hosts its 41st Beef Barbecue on Friday, July 29, 2016, 4:20 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 19991 Hwy 12, Greenbank.

This event continues to be supported by many community volunteers in the preparation work bees that happen Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It is followed by clean up Friday night and Saturday morning (9 a.m.).

Homemade pies and other yummy desserts are donated by community families. Take-outs are available. Tents and the Ianson Park picnic shelter provide shade as you pick up food and eat. You may bring your own dishware or use what's provided.

Musical entertainment is ongoing till dusk, with the “Wolfgang Brothers” of the Woodville area entertaining this year, so bring a lawn chair, linger and enjoy.

Close to 1000 people have attended, the last several years. We hope to see you there.

For tickets call Rodd at 905-985-8298, Greenbank volunteers please call Dianne at 905-985-3745.

Proceeds from this event, planned by the Greenbank United Church Board of Stewards, support local youth programs, the April/16 Guatemala Team, Charities, local needs, etc. The Stewards are appreciative of all who support and attend.

Mary Jean Till  
Greenbank

To the Editor,

The Care & Share Community Permaculture Garden volunteers are back at it this summer growing food for Operation Scugog! We are following the principles of permaculture (earth care, people care, and fair share) as we learn together. With a focus on nourishing the soil naturally, conserving water, and growing nutritious food, we hope to contribute to the well being of our community.

Thanks is extended to many individuals and groups for their ongoing support. Special thanks goes to Karen Giles of Sunlife Financial (for her generous donation toward the rainwater cistern), and the Port Perry Agricultural Society (for providing the space for the garden, donating straw for mulching, and including us in the Port Perry Fall Fair). We also want to thank Vivian Foster, Kathy Kiiskinen and clients of Community Living North Durham for their ongoing interest and involvement in the garden. Also to Joanne and Tyler of Homestead Furniture for the generous donation of the lovely adirondack chairs and table.

We hope that the community will understand, but the garden is not equipped to accept or manage excavation fill, pet waste, pet hair, wood scrap donations, old Christmas trees/wreaths, or dead ornamental potted plants. As you might expect, we want to ensure the cleanest conditions possible for growing fresh vegetables in the garden. Also please note that the black containers are for compost only and are not to be used as a waste receptacle. Starting in September of 2016, we will, however, gratefully accept shredded, bagged fall leaves. Please feel free to visit our website at caresharegarden.ca for further information on the evolution of the garden, and opportunities for involvement.

Lynne Chase on behalf of the Care and Share Community Permaculture Garden

Police could have a new tool in the fight against people driving while high.

The Task Force on Marijuana Legalization and Regulation, is suggesting requiring drivers to submit to a roadside saliva test, to test the amount of drugs in their system. The suggestion was made in a paper published on Thursday, June 30.

Being under the influence of drugs can have the same effect or more on drivers, than does drinking, on those who drink and drive.

How the process would work is, police would first give drivers a breathalyzer test, and if a person passes that, they would, then, be required to provide a saliva sample to be tested. The test would determine if the person has smoked any drug in the past few hours or even few days.

This motion is receiving support from current MP and former Toronto police Chief Bill Blair. As a former cop, he knows the need for more tools for the police.

According to a 2010 study, over 36 per cent of drivers killed in motor vehicle accidents tested positive for psychoactive drugs. This would be the first step to making the streets safer for everyone, especially those who don’t have as much driving experience.

Canadians recently saw a startling result from a recent Statefarm survey. 44 per cent of people, using Cannabis, thought being high had no affect on their ability to drive. Science and practical sense says otherwise.

Roadside saliva testing is already done by countries such as Australia, successfully, and would add a tool here, that could be used, to remove those from the road, who are too impaired to drive.  

Lets hope this testing regimen is implemented by police, so we can make our community roads safer, for all drivers and pedestrians. Stay safe everyone.

The battle between the Township of Scugog and Greenbank Airways continues to escalate. In the latest turn of events, Greenbank Airways has decided to sue Scugog for $10 million dollars, citing that Scugog allegedly breached a contract with them, for refusing to grant a new fill permit, to import fill at their site at Hwy. 12 and Hwy. 47. As the months go by, it seems more and more likely that Greenbank Airways is doing everything they can to keep buying themselves more time. It is a little ironic that Greenbank Airways is suing Scugog, considering it was Greenbank Airways that violated the terms of their contract with Scugog, first.

It is the role of local government to ensure environmental standards are met, and that is what Scugog Township has done. Greenbank Airways has been given ample amount of time to clean up the mess on their site. A remediation deal to clean-up the site was approved by Council, but Greenbank Airways never signed off to have the work done.  

Speaking to The Standard last year, DL Services, the company tasked with cleaning up the contaminated soil on the site, said that it would be an easy task to complete. To date, no remediation of the contaminated soil has taken place. Greenbank Airways says it will only comply when Scugog allows them to bring in even more soil onto the already contaminated land. The atrocity that is the Greenbank Airways site, is also allegedly bringing down the value of homes in the surrounding area, negatively impacting Scugog, yet again.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there. The contaminated soil is on land within the area of the Nonquon Watershed. It is unlikely that the soil will affect the groundwater. However, it has been there for over a year since the Township found out about the contamination.

Let’s all hope that the courts figure out a way to terminate the contract between both parties or, better yet, force Greenbank Airways to follow the remediation deal that is already in place.