BLUEWATER BABES CELEBRATE ROYAL NUPTIALS 

The Bluewater Babes red hatters held their own Royal Wedding on May 25 at Trinity Anglican Church in Bayfield with members and inductees portraying the roles of the more prominent players in the recent nuptials held for Prince William and Kate Middleton. Taking time out from the festivities for pictures were (l-r): Marilyn Schinbein, of Windsor, the Archbishop of Canterbury; Zib Jones, sovereign's escort; Edie Allaster, The Queen; Alberta Moore, Prince Charles; Helen Collins, Prince Harry; Donna Styles, Duke of Cambridge; and Helen Black, Duchess of Cambridge. (Photo by Dianne Brandon)

STORY BY MELODY FALCONER-POUNDER

The Bluewater Babes red hatters gave a tip of the hat to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at their most recent meeting held at Trinity Anglican Church in Bayfield on May 25. The group held a breakfast wedding reception with club members and inductees taking on the roles of some of the more notable players in the wedding held on Apr. 29 in London, England between Prince William of Wales and Catherine Middleton.

According to Edie Allaster, Queen of the Bluewater Babes, the idea for the event came from she and Vice Queen of the organization, Zib Jones, when they heard about the wedding. They elicited the help of fellow Bluewater Babe Gayle King who performed the role of The Royal Chef for the day organizing things in the kitchen.

“The Duke and Duchess, Prince Henry and Prince Charles were chosen for the roles by myself as they were our newcomers into the Bluewater Babes red hatters and they were being inducted at this luncheon,” explained Allaster. “They did not know they were playing these roles until they arrived and they did a fabulous job adlibbing and showed great Bluewater Babe spirit. Pippa was primping in the washroom the entire time and missed the wedding.”

Allaster, Jones and King prepared the food for the luncheon and friends of the Bluewater Babes, Deb Chartrand and Justine Chojnacka assisted King in the kitchen on the big day.

“Gayle did a fabulous job of helping to make the day a success with her decorating and catering skills,” said Allaster.

The menu included such delectables as Mousse Royale Garnished with a Quiver of Wallies, Kiss Me Kate Wedding Salad and a Delightful Slab of Will’s Gold Chocolate Groom’s Cake.

The day went something like this: Guests arrived at 11:30 a.m. and were greeted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, played by Marilyn Schinbein, of Windsor, ON. The Queen (Allaster) was announced ten minutes later, she made her grand entrance to “Dancing Queen” accompanied by her sovereign’s escort (Jones). Prince Harry (Helen Collins) arrived late, much to the chagrin of the priest and the Queen, who declared to all she was not amused.

Mid-day, photos were taken surrounding a decorated blue convertible Mercedes in which the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Donna Styles and Helen Black) took their rightful places with Prince Harry and Prince Charles (Alberta Moore) in the back. The official photographer for the day was Brenda Wallis.

The Bluewater Babes had a lot of fun "re-enacting"; some aspects of the recent Royal Wedding. Here they posed for pictures with a Mercedes owned by Brenda Wallis and decorated for the day by Dan Wallis. The car represented the Aston Martin The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge left their reception in. (Photo by Olga Palmer)

After the pictures, guests were greeted in a Receiving Line, followed by “Prenips”, the Queen’s speech and a wonderful luncheon. Advice to the Bride and Groom as well as guests’ wedding/honeymoon bloopers were shared during the lunch. The induction of the new Bluewater Babes took place following the Wedding Reception.

Those who attended the party were encouraged to wear a posh wedding hat, to bring their sense of humor and a donation to the Women’s Shelter in Goderich.

“The Bluewater Babes red hatters enjoy fun and friendship, meeting once a month. Our activities take us on bus trips, eating at local restaurants, visits to various activities locally and out of the county,” said Allaster. “Our membership is currently 24. We keep our membership small so that we can all ‘fit’ into one room in a restaurant and a smaller group allows us to get to know each other well.”

Although their membership “rules” allow members from Huron County only, many members have moved and are ‘grandmothered’ in to continue membership with the Bluewater Babes. Currently, members hail from Bayfield, Goderich, St. Josephs, Stratford, Exeter, London and Grand Bend. Allaster and Jones have held their regal positions of Queen and Vice Queen respectively since the inception of the Bluewater Babes in June 2004.

budding scientists bring home bronze medals

Jessie Payne, of Bayfield (left), and Sam Murray, of Brucefield, attended the Canada Wide Science Fair in Toronto from May 14-21 returning home with bronze medals. (Photo by Melody Falconer-Pounder)

Jessie Payne, of Bayfield and Sam Murray, of Brucefield, returned home from the Canada Wide Science Fair (CWSF) with bronze medals around their necks. The science fair was held at the Seneca College-Newnham Campus in Toronto from May 14-21.

The pair earned the bronze medal as part of the Junior Excellence Award. This recognition included a $300 cash prize for each of them. It was sponsored by Youth Science Canada. They also both earned a $1,000 entrance scholarship from the University of Western Ontario to be used if they decide to attend that school in the future.

Their journey on this week-long adventure began back on March 30 when they took first place in the Senior Science and Inventor’s Fair held in Seaforth.

The two Grade 7 students from Huron Centennial Public School took part in the event that was open to all Grade 7-12 students in both the Avon Maitland District School Board and Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board.

Jessie and Sam set out to discover if algae could efficiently convert car emissions into wholesome and healthy oxygen.

They concluded that when they filtered the car emissions through the algae in an airtight space, the oxygen levels went up and the chemical or car emission levels went down.
The CWSF brought together over 500 finalists and 500 highly qualified judges from local colleges, universities, and public and private sector labs. The students competed for medals, cash awards, scholarships and other prizes worth $1 million.

Apart from the science, the fair is its own unique experience with banquets, sightseeing tours, special events, dances and more. According to their website, the CWSF goes out of its way to create an exciting cultural experience for all participants. The CWSF is organized by Youth Science Canada in partnership with a local volunteer committee.

Jessie and Sam would like to pass on their appreciation to teacher, Julie Knoblauch-Heimrich for holding the initial Science Fair at Huron Centennial Public School. They would also like to thank Optimist member, Mike Dixon for taking the initiative to get both Stanley Twp. and Huron County pins from Bluewater Mayor Bill Dowson for them so they could trade with the youth they met.

Jessie’s mother, Marj Payne said, “They now have many, many pins from fellow competitors from all across Canada. They also made some very good new friends in Winnipeg, MB; Nelson, BC; and the Yukon just to name a few.”

bayfield lions host walk to raise funds for Dog Guides

To some people, their Dog Guides are their eyes, to others, their means to live independently. On June 5, the Bayfield Lions’ Club will be hosting the local “Purina Walk for Dog Guides” to raise funds so that more Canadians with disabilities may have a dog guide.

The walk will start from behind the Bayfield Arena at 9 a.m. Registration and check-in starts at 8:30 a.m. Participants can also register and obtain pledge forms on-line at www.purinawalkfordogsguides.com or by calling Lion Peter Westwood at 519 565-4533. People do not have to have a dog to take part in the walk. Anyone who would like to make a pledge toward the overall Bayfield total can do so by contacting Westwood at the number listed above. Donations over $20 will receive a receipt for tax purposes.

After the walk, the human participants will be treated to free hot dogs, cookies and coffee while the canines have an opportunity to compete for prizes that have been donated by Purina.

Raising and training a puppy to become a Dog Guide takes a lot of time and costs about $20,000. The “Purina Walk for Dog Guides” is occurring in communities across Canada and all of the money raised goes directly to the work of training and providing Dog Guides. The Lions Foundation of Canada ensures that Dog Guides are provided free to each individual recipient. Since 1983, the Lions Foundation of Canada has provided more than 1,600 specially trained dogs to men, women and children across the country.

film lyrical look at the beauty of the great lakes

Five Great Lakes – one last chance.

The Bayfield River Valley Trail Association (BRVTA) is hosting the award-winning film, Waterlife on June 2 at 7 p.m. at The Bayfield Town Hall, in partnership with the Healthy Headwaters Wetlands Initiative and Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA). There is no charge but free will donations to the BRVTA are welcome.

“We are proud to be a sponsor of this event,” said Dave Gillians, president of the BRVTA. “For the past four years, trail association members have been working hard on our local hiking trails initiative that we hope will make a positive difference for future generations.”

The film features narration by Gord Downie, of hit musical group, The Tragically Hip. There are also views from scientists, First Nations people, anglers and other people who have an interest in the future of “the last great supply of fresh drinking water on earth.”

“Waterlife is thought-provoking and gives us a better understanding about what is happening to humanity’s greatest fresh-water resource,” said Gillians.

He stressed the importance of working together to protect the Great Lakes from pollution.

“Unless we learn from our past mistakes, our lasting legacy may be the unintended consequences of pollution.”

Ray Letheren, of Bayfield, will introduce the film and at the conclusion of its presentation a short question and answer session will follow.

After viewing the film’s lyrical look at the beauty of the Great Lakes and the ecological problems these bodies of water face, there will be a short presentation on phragmites. Jim Fergusson, will speak to his experience with control of this invasive plant as former area weed inspector for Oxford County. Plus ABCA’s Tim Cumming will share some ways local residents can protect and improve water quality.

For more information on this thought-provoking event visit brvt.huronstewardship.on.ca or abca.on.ca.

festival of song to commence this weekend

The Bayfield Town Hall will once again be filled with the sound of world-renowned musical talents when the fifth annual Bayfield Festival of Song returns to the village for concerts on the first two weekends of June.

The Aldeburgh Connection Artistic Directors Stephen Ralls and Bruce Ubukata are offering up a variety of unique experiences for music lovers.

The celebrations begin with Schubert on June 3 at 8 p.m. The concert entitled, “Schubert: The Miller’s Lovely Daughter” features Tenor, Colin Ainsworth, accompanied by Ralls on piano. Ainsworth has been described as one of Canada’s finest tenors. This is an opportunity to hear a masterpiece by possibly the world’s greatest song-writer.

The ever-popular Coffee Concerts featuring piano duets by Ralls and Ubukata will kick-off with “AN ENGLISH MORNING” highlighting music from the homeland of the Aldeburgh Connection. Visiting artists will also perform at this concert to be held at 11 a.m. on June 4.

The Celebrity Recital scheduled for June 4 at 8 p.m. is sure to be a treat for all who attend. Soprano Lucia Cesaroni and Ainsworth will be featured with Ralls and Ubukata at the piano. These two dazzling singers, after conquering audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, will be performing their favorite songs, arias and duets in this concert, before preparing for their lead roles in Vancouver Opera’s new West Side Story.

“Embraceable you!” is the title of the concert set for June 5 at 2:30 p.m. Young performers: Rebecca Collett, soprano; Julia Barber, mezzo; Graham Thomson, tenor; and Geoffrey Sirett, baritone will be accompanied on piano by Ralls and Ubukata. They will sing songs of love. The audience is sure to enjoy a party with the performers following the show. Enthusiasts who are unable to attend the June 5 concert will have a second opportunity to do so as a repeat performance will be held on June 12 at 2:30 p.m.

The very real educational side of the festival includes the June 9 Masterclass, an event introduced at last year’s festival. This event brings the audience into close contact with the creative act. Four singing students preparing for their careers will perform, then benefit from the wisdom, expertise and encouragement of one of Canada’s leading singers, Catherine Robbin. The Masterclass will be held at 4 p.m. on June 9. Following the lesson, the audience is invited to join in a special three course menu prepared by the chef at The Little Inn of Bayfield. The Bistro Night will begin at 7 p.m. and is $35 per person (exclusive of beverages and gratuity). Space is limited, to make reservations please call the Inn at 519 565-2611, or contact Darren@littleinn.com.

Also, between the two festival weekends, Ralls and Ubukata will tour with the four young artists, Collett, Barber, Thomson and Sirett, to schools across Huron and Perth Counties, performing for some 2,000 students under the auspices of the Foundation for Education. For the performers, this is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the Festival and they are delighted to be able to visit so many smaller communities across the countryside.

Allyson McHardy, mezzo, is fresh from triumphs as Rossini’s Cinderella with Glyndebourne Opera. The audience will enjoy her “sumptuous mezzo tone” during the Celebrity Recital to be held on June 10 at 8 p.m. McHardy’s “radiant sensitivity” has been praised across North America and Europe. She is to be accompanied by Ralls on piano creating an evening to remember!

Visiting artists will join Ralls and Ubukata in celebration of “Schubert in the Morning”. One of their favorite composers, Schubert will be saluted during a second Coffee Concert on June 11 at 11 a.m.

Also on June 11, Glamorous Night will feature the music of Ivor Novello and Noel Coward. Lindsay Barrett, soprano, and Peter Barrett, baritone, a talented young couple, both rapidly rising stars, perform some of the best-loved and most effervescent songs of the last century. Accompaniment for this concert, set to begin at 8 p.m., will be by Ralls and Ubukata.

Tickets are available locally by calling Gail Grant at 519 565-2435. They cost $25, Saturday mornings; and $35, Saturday evenings, Friday evenings, Sunday afternoons. The Masterclass on June 9 will cost $15. There is also a subscription price: if buying tickets for more than one concert, please deduct $5 from each ticket.

The Bayfield Festival of Song is proud to have as its honorary patron the distinguished writer, Alice Munro. The Festival was inaugurated in June 2007 with a weekend consisting of four concerts at the town hall. It now spans ten days and is presented by the Aldeburgh Connection, a concert organization based in Toronto, which Ralls and Ubukata founded in 1982.

The Aldeburgh Connection gratefully acknowledges the support of The Ontario Arts Council, Foundation for Education, RBC Foundation, Bayfield and Area Chamber of Commerce and many individual donors.

motorcycle rally

For the second year in a row, members of the Sarnia Section of the Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Groups will be riding to Bayfield on June 5 for their out of town Vintage Motorcycle Rally.

The club is a non-profit organization aimed at promoting the use, restoration and interest in older motorcycles and those of historic interest.

The event is hosted by Bayfield bike enthusiast and owner of the Albion Hotel, Kim Muszynski, who said he is looking forward to seeing the old bikes back on Main Street once again.

Visitors to Main Street may see such brands as the British classics Ariel, BSA, Norton and Triumph; German icons BMW and Hercules; Italian Ducati, Moto Guzzi and Moto Morini; Japanese Honda, Bridgestone and Hodaka; as well as early American Indians, Harley and Henderson.

In addition to the Sarnia group, members from the Grey-Bruce, London and Essex-Kent clubs are also expected to participate in this event.

Registration at the Albion Hotel begins at 10 a.m. and is free to owners of all makes and models of motorcycles.

bayfield believers

On June 6, the Bayfield Believers Relay for Life Team are inviting supporters to an evening of hot Latin dancing in support of their efforts to raise funds for their participation in the Canadian Cancer Society Goderich Relay to be held on June 17. It’s ZUMBA time!

ZUMBA instructors Alison de Groot and Lorraine Dietz are sure to get participants moving for the cause. The event will be held at Bluewater Shores starting at 7 p.m.

The cost is $10 per person. Participants are asked to come early to get signed in and set up. They should also wear comfy workout type clothes and shoes and bring a water bottle.

For info please contact Kelly Gerger at 519 441-7386 or email
mama_gergs@hotmail.com.

toastmasters

Dorothy Griffith, of Bayfield, is an enthusiastic member of the Clinton Communicators and she would like to invite others in the community to join this local branch of Toastmasters.

Toastmasters is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to assist members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills in a supportive environment. The Clinton Communicators has members from Goderich, Clinton, Seaforth and Bayfield.

In an effort to spread the enthusiasm the club will be holding an open meeting at 7:30 p.m. on June 7 in the meeting room of the Children's Aid Society, 413 MacEwan St. East, Goderich. All are welcome to attend.

For more information please contact Griffith at 519 565-2879.

optimist club

Looking for something fun to do with Dad over the Father’s Day weekend? Why not treat him to a round of golf and help out the local kids in the process.

The 5th Annual Albion Hotel and Bayfield Optimist Golf Classic - Texas Scramble is set for June 18th at the Bluewater Golf Course.

The day will include 18 holes of golf and dinner. There will be a shotgun start at noon and dinner will be served at 6 p.m. Participants will try for hole in one and closest to the pin prizes. Tickets are $40, members; and $55, non-members.

For tickets call Kim Muszynski at 519 565-2641. To reserve a cart call the Bluewater Golf Course 519 482-7197. Profits from the event will go toward friends of youth oriented events conducted by the Bayfield Optimist Club.

barbecue

Varna United Church will host their annual Pork Barbecue on June 15 at the Stanley Complex in Varna. It is not unusual to serve 1,000 meals at this event that has on the menu baked potato, Metzger’s smoked pork chops, baked beans and homemade pies.

The meal will be served from 4:30-7 p.m. Tickets cost: $14, adult and $6 child. Take-out is also available. Tickets are available from Willi Laurie, 519 482-9265 or drop by the Bayfield Garage and ask for Jim Kirton.

film society

There is one show remaining in the Bayfield Film Society’s spring series. “Incendies” will close out the series on June 16.

The film will be shown at the Bayfield Town Hall starting at 7:30 p.m.

To learn more about tickets for these productions please contact Jane Rowat 519 565-5838 or Lynne Gillians 519 565-5884.

slave lake appeal

Around 7,000 Slave Lake, AB residents had to leave quickly nearly two weeks ago when wildfires ripped through the town destroying 40 per cent of the community.

Bayfield residents will have an opportunity to help people rebuild their lives by supporting the Canadian Red Cross Appeal for Slave Lake Fire Victims.

An evening of dining and dancing has been planned at The Docks Restaurant on June 22 from 7-10 p.m. Music will be provided by Cactus Jam.

All donations will be sent to the appeal and official tax receipts will be issued.

fitness fun

Spring is here and there is still time to resolve to get fit for Summer!

Bayfield residents can join the Zumba craze as classes are now being held in the village. Zumba is a dance fitness class that combines Latin rhythms and easy to follow moves, creating a calorie burning dance party suitable for all ages.

ZUMBA classes continue in the village with Instructors, Alison de Groot and Lorraine Dietz. One-hour classes are held Monday mornings starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Bayfield Town Hall and Thursday evenings at
7 p.m. at the Bayfield Community Centre. For more information contact de Groot at bayfieldzumba@gmail.com.

The following activities are scheduled to run from now until August.

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 will start at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while the men can venture out on Mondays and Fridays at 8:30 a.m. All walks begin from 6 Main Street and poles are provided free for those who require them.

A Yoga Class is held at the Bayfield Town Hall starting at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays. The cost is $3 per class and participants are asked to bring a beach towel. Please note that this class is cancelled for June 7 and 28. 

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 and lessons 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.

Bridge lessons and Duplicate Bridge games are offered in Goderich. Tom Rajnovich is the Goderich bridge contact 519 524-6374.

bridge club

Jan Kuntz and John Kuntz were the high scorers when the Wednesday Evening Bridge Club met on May 25th at the Bayfield Lions’ Community Building.

The club will meet next on June 8. The cards will be dealt starting at 7 p.m. All are welcome to attend.

concert series

Organizers are pleased to announce that Ron Sexsmith will be retuning this summer for another unique and intimate show on July 22.

Tickets for Ron Sexsmith's annual Summer Show at The Bayfield Town Hall are available now at www.ticketscene.ca.

Tickets cost $35 each. The hall doors will open at 8 p.m. with the concert starting at 8:30 p.m. 

Ron Sexsmith is a Canadian singer-songwriter from St. Catharines, ON, currently based in Toronto. He started his own band when he was 14 years old and released the first recordings of his own material seven years later, in 1985. 

bbbsnh

On June 11, area golf enthusiasts can make a difference in the lives of those youngsters involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Huron (BBBSNH) by taking part in the organization’s Charity Golf Tournament.

The event held at the Woodland’s Golf Links, RR 3 Clinton, will raise funds for this non-profit, charitable organization. Bayfield falls within the agency's service area, offering the one-to-one traditional match program to youth in Bayfield and the surrounding area.

For $85, each golfer will receive Golf Gizmos, 18 holes of golf (nine hole option available), a BBQ lunch and the opportunity to win generous prizes, not to mention the personal satisfaction of knowing they have made a contribution to youth services.

Forty of the $85 registration fee will be designated solely to BBBSNH programs and services.

Anyone interested in participating in the Golf Tournament must register with Todd Delmage at the golf course, 519 482-7144 before June 6.

diners' club

Anyone who is 55+ years of age is invited to join the members of the Bayfield Diners’ Club for their weekly Thursday lunches.

The meals are served at noon at the Bayfield Community Centre. The cost for the lunch is $8 per person. Anyone who wishes to enjoy the meal but cannot make it to the community centre is invited to order a take-out lunch.

Participants should call Betty Brodhagan at 519 565-4123 on the Monday prior to the Thursday lunch to inform organizers of their intention to attend or not to attend the luncheon.

Anglican Church

The congregation of Trinity Anglican Church hosts the Bayfield Antique Show and Sale each August. The event coordinators are hoping people will consider volunteering at the event to be held Aug. 5-7 at the Bayfield Community Centre.

The Antique Show and Sale now in its 26th season is a wonderful boon to the village and help from both residents and summer folk would be appreciated. There are a variety of tasks to choose from when volunteering, helping with set up, serving in the tearoom, security and front door admission sales are but a few examples.

To learn more about this great community event please call Joan Cluff at 519 565-2974 or email her at cluffy@tcc.on.ca