Harry Stemp was born in Uxbridge in 1934. He started his career with the Uxbridge Times-Journal as an apprentice typesetter at age 14. He soon began writing sports for the Times-Journal and eventually owned 10 community newspapers in central Ontario including the Times-Journal. He started writing his award-winning Stemp’s Stew in 1965. The column came to an end shortly after he sold his newspaper chain in 1989, but was rejuvenated in 2006 when Harry became a regular contributor to The Cosmos.
Stranger things
For over 30 years there has been a wonderful event held in Uxbridge that, I bet, a lot of residents are unaware even takes place. It is the annual visit by special needs adults who are known as the North York Woodchippers. It all started when Len Nicholl, a Past President of the Uxbridge Legion, worked with Lionel Mason at the Toronto School Board. Len became intrigued by a project that Lionel and his wife had been doing with the Woodchippers for several years. He immediately tried to figure a way that Uxbridge and the Legion could work with these people who, despite their afflictions, know how to have fun and enjoy life.
Spring Water Days, a very popular long-running community event, was planning a large parade and Len suggested to Lionel that the Woodchippers visit Uxbridge and take part in the parade. Lionel agreed and they arrived early and enjoyed the pancake breakfast at the Legion, took part in the parade, and then went on to Uxbridge Bowl for lunch and bowling. They finished off their fun visit to Uxbridge with a BBQ dinner in Elgin Park.
The project was so popular that it became an annual event and Uxbridge residents with special needs were invited to take part in the fun day. For the past 30 years the yellow bus rolls into Uxbridge and the fun begins. There is absolutely no cost to any of the participants. All the costs are picked up by the Uxbridge Legion and the volunteers of the North York Woodchippers.
The day starts at the bowling alley where everyone is served lunch followed by two fun games of bowling. Then it’s on to the Legion where they party and enjoy a dinner and dance. Trophies that are provided by the Woodchippers are handed out and the winners take full advantage of the fun bragging rights which comes with their big win. There is also a free draw and organizers have been fortunate to collect enough prizes so everyone goes home happy.
This year the organizers were faced with a major problem. Uxbridge Bowl had closed and it was tough to come up with another form of entertainment. Fortunately they received the news that bowling would be alive and well in Uxbridge as Barry Parrish and Valerie Steptoe were opening Parrish Lanes in time for the annual visit of the Woodchippers. The visitors were treated royally and everyone was impressed with the way the premises had been freshened up and the delicious lunch that the visitors enjoyed.
As always in Uxbridge, there are willing volunteers who climb on board to help a worthy cause. Superman (John Cavers) is often a welcome visitor and over the years Sandra Ingledew, Mike Durham and Eric Vittorini have provided their DJ services for the dance at no charge.
Uxbridge has always been a haven for a needy cause, and we are so fortunate that we have so many residents who see a need and do something about it. May it always be thus.
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Not a huge amount of passing lanes along Hwy 7 so when I came up behind a Volkswagen travelling well below the speed limit I became more than a bit frustrated and annoyed. Then I was puzzled to see a short pole with a strange looking blue ball mounted on the roof of the car. I killed some time trying to guess what it could be. Finally I was able to pass and discover it was a Google mapping vehicle surveying some of the most barren landscape that one could imagine. Those internet maps can be a valuable tool for travellers, but unless this one was mapping lovers lanes for the young, I wasn’t sure who would ever use these areas of heavy bush and swamps. Is it possible that fast forwarding light years population could explode and this barren area turn into attractive but crowded subdivisions? Hard to imagine but stranger things have happened.
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People who have a fun sense of humour have always had a fond place in my heart. My policy has always been ‘laughter is the best medicine’. With that in mind, I would love to meet a landowner just east of Tweed. There is a wide river, visible from the highway, which runs through his property and is a haven for busy beavers. On the drive I always look forward to seeing how many beaver mounds have been constructed and how many the landowner has dismantled. This time I broke out laughing when I saw that the owner had placed a small Canada flag on top of the beaver home along with a TV dish. Appreciated his fun way of entertaining the many travellers along a boring Hwy. 7.
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Most religions can be broadminded as to what parishioners wear to service. They are just pleased to see the pews filled, along with the collection plate, and more interested in your soul than your appearance, so the welcome mat is always out to one and all.
It is not like that in Barbados. I noticed that the Rector of St. Lucy’s Parish Church is putting a ban on funerals where the family request “mourning colours optional”. Reverend Curtis Goodridge became outraged by the provocative and utterly inappropriate dress by some young people at a recent funeral in his church.
“Mourning colours optional is just giving young people leeway to wear what they want, where they want and how they want and it is not for St. Lucy’s Church,” the Reverend informed the local media. As well he has informed funeral directors that when families mention “mourning dress optional”, to let them know they are not welcome to hold their service in St. Lucy’s Church.
Obviously the Reverend and his church are still wide open for the hatched and matched, but have very strict rules for the dispatched. Only in Barbados, you say. Gotta love it.
