Roger Varley has been in the news business almost 40 years with The Canadian Press/Broadcast News, Uxbnridge Times-Journal, Richmond Hill Liberal and Uxbridge Cosmos. Co-winner with two others of CCNA national feature writing award. In Scout movement over 30 years, almost 25 as a leader. Took Uxbridge youths to World Jamboree in Holland. Involved in community theatre for 20 years as actor, director, playwright, stage manager etc. Born in England, came to Canada at 16, lived most of life north and east of Toronto with a five-year period in B.C.
Why not try something different?
It is often said of Uxbridge that there is so much going on in our community that one cannot take it all in. I have been known to make the same statement myself.
I try to attend as many events and occasions as I can, but I certainly don't get to everything. This summer alone we have had Ribfest, the Highland Games, Everything Equine, the Fall Fair, the Terry Fox Run, the studio tour, the weekly farmer's market, the motor-cross event in Zephyr, open house at a local alpaca farm, weekly events at the Foster Memorial, the Lucy Maud Montgomery play in Leaskdale, ABBA at the Music Hall, the RCMP Musical Ride and numerous other temptations to entice us out of our homes. I think one would be hard-pressed to name another municipality of our size that offer its residents so much.
There are many people in the township, however, who rarely attend any of the local events. So this is aimed at them.
I know all the excuses for not going to these gatherings, because I've used them myself from time to time: it costs too much; I have something else planned; I haven't the time; I'm tired; I'm working and so on. They are all legitimate excuses. But can anyone really have those excuses for everything that comes along? And if you use those excuses all the time, are you not depriving yourself - and maybe even your children - of the opportunity to experience new delights and meet new people?
There are two events - one big, coming this weekend, and one small, in a few weeks - that I would encourage you to try out.
This weekend will be the Uxbridge Celebration of the Arts' ART Happening Street pARTy in the downtown retail area and if there isn't something there to grab your attention I'll eat my hat. For example, there are nine musical acts lined up to perform for your pleasure. Several restaurants will be offering free tidbits on the street to tempt your taste buds. A number of store owners have pooled their resources to offer a fashion show. There will be all kinds of creative and visual arts and a chance to get hands on. And, of course, there is the opportunity to shop.
If nothing else, this is probably one event you should take the kids to. You know, something different from the video games or television. It will even give you a good excuse to put off for a day the annual ritual of preparing the back yard and garden for fall. The beauty of it is that it won't have to cost you a dime if you don't want to spend. Even better is the opportunity to stop on the street and have a good old-fashioned chat with friends or acquaintances you haven't seen for a while. It's one of the things I like best about our street events.
On Saturday, Oct. 13, there will be another, albeit much smaller, free family event. The Uxbridge Watershed Committee is planning a two-hour walk through the Countryside Preserve with experts on hand to explain the importance of the ponds and streams in the watershed. For kids, there will be stations along the way to pick up eco-stickers and receive a prize.
If you have never wandered through the Preserve, I think you have done yourself a disservice. Its trails lead through quiet woodlands, beautiful wild meadows and to the top of a hill that gives one a wonderful view of the area - and it is all located right behind WalMart. Once again, this is something you should take the kids to. As a Scout leader for many years, I never came across one child who did not enjoy being out in the open, doing something they wouldn't normally do. Even better was to see the thrill in the eyes of a child who had never really experienced the outdoors before. And, believe me, there are many kids who have never hiked a trail or run through a meadow or simply laid back in a tangle of tall grass and listened to the sounds around them.
Wouldn't you like to give your child that opportunity just for a couple of hours? Couldn't your life use a couple of hours of quiet time away from the stress of holding a job and running a household? Wouldn't you like to try something different once in a while?
It seems to me that if too many of us ignore these events and occasions, the volunteers who work hard and long to put them in place might one day throw up their hands and walk away. And if that happened, the township would be the poorer for it.
Tell me, am I wrong?
