Hometown News

Perth Weekend Guide: November 25 – 27

Check out the weekend guide below to find out what is going on in your community.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25

The Memory Project

10:30am
The Perth & District Union Public Library will be hosting a Memory Project speaker on Friday, November 25th at 10:30am. Please stop by to meet this World War Two veteran to listen to the stories and lessons he has to share. For more information on the Memory Project, visit http://www.thememoryproject.com/
The Perth & District Union Public Library
613-267-1224

Perth Community Foundation Christmas Gala.

7:00pm – 11:00pm
The Perth & District Community Foundation hosts its annual Christmas Gala. For many, this is the most splendid event leading up to the holiday season — a posh night of mingling (in formal attire) with friends new and old, of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, music and laughter. New this year is the Glass & Glitter Bar. For an extra $25, you can get the VIP experience, but only 75 tickets are available so you’d best act quickly. There will be a live auction and music by St. Jimmy’s 4. Tickets are available through Tickets Please. Cost: $110
Best Western Plus Perth Parkside Inn & Spa
82 Peter St.
613-326-0295
pdcf.ca

Perth Blue Wings vs. Brockville Tikis

7:00pm
THE PERTH BLUE WINGS take on the BROCKVILLE TIKIS at the Perth Arena.
2 Beckwith St. East
www.perthbluewings.ca

River City Junction

9:00pm
Live Music.
O’Reilly’s Pub
43 Gore St. E., Perth
613 267-7994
www.oreillyspubperth.com

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26

Festival of Good Cheer

9:30am
Festival of Good Cheer VIP Shopping Event begins with registration at the Crystal Palace at 9:30 a.m. Come and pick up your VIP Christmas bag filled with promotions, gifts and coupons. Listen to Christmas music as you shop in downtown Perth and visit the various stores offering promotions. Jump on the horse drawn wagon and travel through our heritage downtown. Book a dinner at your favourite restaurant and then stroll through the downtown under our Christmas trees filled with 10,000 sparkling lights. Experience a magical celebration in beautiful downtown Perth!
Crystal Palace
63 Gore St. E.
613-267-3311
www.perth.ca

Yuletide Fair

10:00am – 1:30pm
St. Paul’s UCW presents YULETIDE FAIR 2016 on Saturday, November 26th, 10am to 1:30pm (25 Gore St. W., Perth). Hot lunch served from 11am-1pm, homemade soup, sandwiches, pies $10, children 10 and under $5. Delicious Bake Table – including gluten free and Christmas puddings! Crafts, jewellery, calendars and agendas, handmade items, Christmas decorations and more…..”touch and take” surprise gifts. Frosty’s Room – children’s secret shopping. For information call 613-267-2973. Accessible building, Sunday parking rules apply.
St. Paul’s United Church
25 Gore St. West, Perth

Annual Christmas Bazaar

10:00am – 2:00pm
Help us spread Christmas Cheer! Come to the annual Christmas Bazaar, sponsored by “His House, the Perth Hub Drop-in Centre”, Saturday, November 26 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Hall, corner of North and Drummond St Perth. Please access elevators from rear door at parking lot (off Foster St) or use side entrance at North Street to lower hall.
St. Andrew’s Church
Corner of North and Drummond St. Perth

Midnight Makers Holiday Market

10:00am – 3:00pm
30 creative local creators. Swag bag to first 30 shoppers. Cost: $2 sugg donation
Old Perth Shoe Factory
1 Sherbrooke St. W.
www.midnightmakers.com

MERA Christmas Fair

10:00am – 4:00pm
One-of-a-kind items from local vendors featuring fine handmade creations: handweaving, pottery, jewelry, chocolate, handsewn items, home preserves, beeswax candles, and much more.
MERA Room with items made by MERA members including beautiful hand-painted cards by the MERA Arts Circle Christmas decorations and many other items made by the Fibrearts, Weaving, Knitting and Pottery groups and Baking donated by our members from which MERA receives 100% of sales.
Wizard’s CAFE will be open all day so you can enjoy a light lunch and other goodies throughout the day. All sales from the cafe go to MERA.
MERA Schoolhouse
974 9th Concession A, McDonalds Corners
meraschoolhouse@bell.net
613-278-0388
www.meraschoolhouse.org

Book Signing: Claudia Smith

1:00pm – 3:00pm
New book: By Word of Mouth — Sleigh Bells and Snowdrifts, a collection of winter and Christmas articles written by Claudia, over the last 26 years, for the Lanark Era.
The book launch will take place on Sunday, November 13 from 2 to 4pm. Come by the Middleville Community Centre to meet the author and enjoy some refreshments. There will also be book signings at the Book Nook in Perth on Saturday, November 26 from 1 to 3pm, and at Mill Street Books in Almonte on Sunday, December 11 from 1 to 3pm. All proceeds will go to the ongoing work of the Middleville Museum.
The Book Nook
60 Gore St. E.
thebooknook@bellnet.ca

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27

Perth Farmers’ Xmas Market

10:00am – 3:00pm
Local artisans, bakers, farmers.
Crystal Palace
63 Gore St. E.

Christmas Lunch and Fashion Show

12:00pm – 2:30pm
Lunch at Maximilian Restaurant. Fashions provided by Streve Designs, Jewel’s, Cosmic Ties. In support of Lanark County Support Services. Tickets $25.00 each. Fantastic Door Prizes to be won!
Maximilian’s Restaurant, 99 Gore St E., Perth
www.lanarkcountysupportservices.com
613-267-6048

Advent Procession with Carols

4:00pm
Advent Procession with Carols at St. James the Apostle Anglican Church
St. James the Apostle Anglican Church
12 Harvey St. cnr Drummond, Perth
stjamesperth@superaje.com
613-267-1163
www.stjamesperth.ca

CP Holiday Train

Finch
Location: Tracks adjacent to James Street between Williams Street & George Street
Arrival: 2:30 PM
Event Time: 2:45 PM – 3:15 PM
Performers: Dallas Smith and Odds
Merrickville
Location: 103 East Broadway & Count​y Road #2. ​South side of crossing near Bay Street
Arrival: 4:45 PM
Event Time: 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Performers: Dallas Smith and Odds
Smiths Falls
Location: Smith Falls Train Station, 63 Victoria St.
Arrival:6:20 PM
Event Time: 6:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Performers: Dallas Smith and Odds
Perth
Location: Railway Crossing on South Side of Wilson Street
Arrival: 7:40 PM
Event Time: 8:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Performers: Dallas Smith and Odds
For more info visit their website:
www.cpr.ca

The Perth and District Collegiate Institute (PDCI) Blue Devils won the Eastern Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association (EOSSAA) basketball championship last night (Nov. 17) with a 60-21 victory over the Opeongo Wildcats from Renfrew.

It’s a back-to-back EOSSAA win for our junior girls basketball program, said Coach Kevin Bellamy.

PDCI hosted the Eastern Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association girls’ basketball championship.

Perth Weekend Guide: November 18 – 20

Check out the weekend guide below to find out what is going on in your community.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18

Book Sale Fundraiser

10:00am – 9:00pm
YAK Youth Services and Community Living Lanark will be having a Huge Book Sale Fundraiser. Adult books $2.00; Kid’s books-5 for $2.00; Teen Books-3 for $2.00. All proceeds support life & employment skills programs at YAK and Community Living Association (Lanark County).
1 Sherbrooke Street East, Perth (Old Perth Shoe Factory)
613-264-8381

Guatemala Stove Project Fundraising Dance

7:00pm – 11:55pm
Perth Civitan Hall, door open at 7pm. Featuring “Under the Covers”. Silent Auction and snacks. Annual Guatemala Stove Project Fundraising Dance
Come on out and dance for a great cause! On Saturday, November 18 the Guatemala Stove Project is hosting a fundraising dance featuring talented local music scene stalwarts Under the Covers. This band will have you up on your feet and dancing all night.
This annual fundraiser will feature a silent auction of unique items crafted by local artisans or donated by local businesses.
The Guatemala Stove Project, a volunteer-based organization is continuing its efforts to raise funds for the construction of masonry cook stoves for impoverished, rural Mayan families. Over 6,000 stoves have been built so far creating a lasting legacy for rural families in the western highlands of Guatemala. Consider that a single stove extends the lives of each family member in a household by 10 – 15 years and reduces the amount of firewood needed by half which helps to preserve the country’s precious forests.
The Guatemala Stove Project also supports sustainable-development projects in over a dozen communities and issues micro-loans to indigenous women to start small businesses that will help lift them out of poverty. The Guatemala Stove Project recognizes the importance of education in creating opportunity and hope for the future. It provides scholarships to several students who would otherwise not have this opportunity.
You’ve heard about the GSP and maybe you have even made a donation in the past. Now is the time to show your support for the indigenous people in Guatemala. Bring your dancing shoes to the Perth Civitan Club for this fantastic licensed fundraising event! Mark the date on your calendar and get your tickets! Tickets: $20 at Shadowfax in Perth or at the door. Civitan Hall doors open at 7 p.m. Under The Covers starts playing at 8 p.m.
For more information, please call 613-267-5202 or Check us out at http://www.guatemalastoveproject.org/

Perth Blue Wings vs. Winchester Hawks

7:00pm
THE PERTH BLUE WINGS take on the WINCHESTER HAWKS at the Perth Arena.
2 Beckwith St. East
www.perthbluewings.ca

Stephen Fisher at O’Reilly’s Ale House

9:00pm
Live Music.
O’Reilly’s Pub
43 Gore St. E., Perth
613 267-7994
http://www.oreillyspubperth.com/

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19

Book Sale Fundraiser

10:00am – 5:00pm
YAK Youth Services and Community Living Lanark will be having a Huge Book Sale Fundraiser. Adult books $2.00; Kid’s books-5 for $2.00; Teen Books-3 for $2.00. All proceeds support life & employment skills programs at YAK and Community Living Association (Lanark County).
1 Sherbrooke Street East, Perth (Old Perth Shoe Factory)
613-264-8381

Annual Franktown Craft Fair and Luncheon

10:00am – 2:00pm
Homemade baking, candy, sewing, knitting, candles, crafts, gift items and much more. Lunch: Home -made soups, sandwiches, muffins, pie, tea/coffee
St. James Centennial Hall,
152 Church St., Franktown
613-283-3789

Holly Jolly Art Sale

11:00am – 4:00pm
Join us at Algonquin College, on November 19 and 20 for Rideau Lakes Artists’ Association Holly Jolly Art Sale. Sales of our newest artworks will support Mountain of Food and provide a Christmas shopping experience for the local area and beyond. Free Admission and Free Parking
7 Craig Street, Perth
(647) 963-8358

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20

Book Sale Fundraiser

10:00am – 3:00pm
YAK Youth Services and Community Living Lanark will be having a Huge Book Sale Fundraiser. Adult books $2.00; Kid’s books-5 for $2.00; Teen Books-3 for $2.00. All proceeds support life & employment skills programs at YAK and Community Living Association (Lanark County).
1 Sherbrooke Street East, Perth (Old Perth Shoe Factory)
613-264-8381

Holly Jolly Art Sale

11:00am – 4:00pm
Join us at Algonquin College, on November 19 and 20 for Rideau Lakes Artists’ Association Holly Jolly Art Sale. Sales of our newest artworks will support Mountain of Food and provide a Christmas shopping experience for the local area and beyond. Free Admission and Free Parking
7 Craig Street, Perth
(647) 963-8358

The Bells of St. Paul’s in Concert

3:00pm – 5:00pm
The Bells of St. Paul’s will be in Concert at St. Paul’s United Church, Perth on November 20th. In addition to the dulcet sounds of the handbells, we will be treated to the happy listening jazzy rhythms of The St. Jimmy’s Four. This new group is comprised of Peter Woodwark, Val Leavitt, Jim Wright and Rebecca Worden. Barbara Bolte, formerly first oboist with the Kingston Symphony Orchestra, will be playing an oboe accompaniment to one of the bell numbers and ringing bells herself in the rest of the bell selections. Other musical guests include Beth Misener on cello, Angus Edmondson and Oliver Matthews-Hanna on guitars, and vocalists Alyssa Lafrenier and Saige Cunniffe. It’s a great way to spend a November Sunday afternoon! The concert is at 3pm, and there is no admission – just a freewill offering.
St. Paul’s United Church,
25 Gore St W, Perth
For more information, please visit www.stpauls-uc-perth.org
613-264-0338

THE LISTENING ROOM SERIES with KEVIN HEAD AND MISS V

5:00pm
The next LISTENING ROOM SERIES takes place on Sunday, November 20th, 2016 at 7pm at the Perth Tea Room (Perth Restaurant, 15 Gore St. East) with the music of KEVIN HEAD AND MISS V. Tickets are available at the Perth Tea Room or by calling 613-267-7902. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Perth Community Christmas Day Dinner Association.
613-267-7902

The Perth Civitan Club is proud to announce their sponsorship of the Trillium Lanark County (TLC) Civitan Club. Created for individuals with developmental and intellectual challenges, this is the first Civitan Club of its kind in Canada.

Civitan International is an organization of volunteer service clubs around the world, dedicated to helping people in their own communities with a special emphasis on helping people with developmental disabilities.

There are seven Civitan Clubs throughout Lanark County and they help wherever the need arises in their respective communities. Civitans are also big supporters of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and in 2015/2016, eight participating clubs in Canadian District East donated over $108,000 dollars to Project Stitch.

The idea to build a unique service club with this type of structure in Lanark County was the brainchild of Trish McConnell, a 22-year Perth Civitan Club member and now the Canadian District East Governor for 2016/2017. The idea came after hearing a fellow Perth Civitan Club member, Bob Robinson a 25-year member, recount his visits as he travelled throughout North America in 2013/2014 as Civitan’s International President.

Robinson shared a heartwarming story about a club he had visited that was made up of members that were intellectually challenged. He spoke about how the club had literally changed some of the member’s lives. The club he spoke about was called the “Orchid Civitan Club”. His story had a profound impact on McConnell, and she immediately went to work speaking to the Developmental Support Service Caseworkers at Lanark County and further meeting with several representatives from agencies throughout Lanark County.

They provided her assistance and insight as to what would form a good foundation for a club of this kind and she, along with fellow club builders Robinson and Robinson’s wife, Wendy, set off to develop a club to meet the identified unique needs of its members.

Official notification of The Trillium Lanark County (TLC) Civitan Club was announced on Oct. 28, 2016 with its charter celebration planned for Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016.

The club is made up of a mixture of both intellectually challenged individuals and advisors, with the advisors acting as mentors to members. Since its inception, the club members have had many opportunities to participate in fun activities and been provided occasions to help out in their community.
On Oct. 25, 2016, after their charter elections, where TLC members voted club advisor Scott Bartlett as Charter President, the TLC members began making homemade Christmas cards for 300 seniors that attend Perth Civitan Club’s Annual  Christmas Dinner. The group then helped stuff over 900 goody bags with Halloween candies for the Civitan’s Halloween Haunt on Oct.31.

Members are in the process of organizing their Charter Celebration and are asking people to bring a non-perishable food item in order to fill a box for the food bank.  It is their goal to gather 100 food items in order to meet the CDE Governor’s 100 Things Challenge, an initiative created by the Governor to celebrate Civitan International’s Centennial Year of 2016/2017.

The club meets every second and fourth Tuesday in Perth but has members from different areas throughout Lanark County.

Transportation continues to be a barrier for club members and assistance with drives to and from the meetings would enable more developmentally disabled individuals to attend. We still need the community help in order to provide this opportunity for anyone who would like to enjoy themselves with great fellowship and a desire to help out in their community.

If you know someone who you think would benefit from being a member of the TLC Civitan Club, please contact trishmcconnell@live.ca or 613-253-2269 or Wendy or Bob Robinson robinwr@bell.net (613-267-6104)

Please visit us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/trilliumlanarkcountycivitanclub/

Perth Weekend Guide: November 11 – 13

Check out the weekend guide below to find out what is going on in your community.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11

Remembrance Day Parade

9:00pm – 12:00pm
The Perth Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion organizes an annual Remembrance Day Parade, making its way from the Legion to the Cenotaph, located at the Great War Memorial Hospital
Downtown, Perth Ontario
613-267-3311

Death + Taxes the Musical

7:30pm – 9:00pm
Perth Community Choir presents DEATH + TAXES, the Musical by David Jacklin. The funniest, tuneful-est, toe-tapping-est, hand-clapping-est musical ever, absolutely NOT written about Perth!
Presented at the Mason Auditorium at P&DCI. $20; $18 Srs, $15 Students, $10 kids 12 & under.
613.485.6434

Evening of One Act Plays Festival

7:00pm – 10:00pm
Studio Theatre (Perth) “The Real Inspector Hound” by Tom Stoppard
Studio Theatre
63 Gore St. E.
613.267.7469
Studiotheatreperth.com

Perth Blue Wings vs. Prescott Flyers

7:00pm
THE PERTH BLUE WINGS take on the PRESCOTT FLYERS at the Perth Arena.
2 Beckwith St. East
www.perthbluewings.ca

TOM WATSON at O’Reilly’s Ale House

9:00pm
Live Music.
O’Reilly’s Pub
43 Gore St. E., Perth
613 267-7994
http://www.oreillyspubperth.com/

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12

The Lanark County Quilters Guild’s Bi-Annual Christmas Sale & Luncheon

11:00am – 2:00pm
The Lanark County Quilters Guild’s Bi-Annual Christmas Sale & Luncheon. Shop for wonderful Christmas gifts, see beautiful quilts, & have a delicious homemade lunch ($5)! Wheelchair accessible. We need lots of donations of items for the sale, and donations of sandwiches and squares. More information as the year goes on. We also need volunteers to work that day including a group of members to run the Luncheon, lots of information can be provided.
Glad Tidings Pentecostal Church
160 Wayside Drive, Perth
613-267-3311

Death + Taxes the Musical

7:30pm – 9:00pm
Perth Community Choir presents DEATH + TAXES, the Musical by David Jacklin. The funniest, tuneful-est, toe-tapping-est, hand-clapping-est musical ever, absolutely NOT written about Perth!
Presented at the Mason Auditorium at P&DCI. $20; $18 Srs, $15 Students, $10 kids 12 & under.
613.485.6434

Evening of One Act Plays Festival

1:00pm – 3:30pm
Studio Theatre (Perth) “The Coffee Shop” by Leon Kaye.
Studio Theatre
63 Gore St. E.
613.267.7469
studiotheatreperth.com

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13

Evening of One Act Plays Festival

10:00am
Awards Brunch. Tickets are $20 for each of the three sessions, and $30 for the Awards Brunch. Save $10 by purchasing the Festival package of three sessions, plus the Awards Brunch, for just $80!
Studio Theatre
63 Gore St. E.
613.267.7469
studiotheatreperth.com

Death + Taxes the Musical

2:00pm
Perth Community Choir presents DEATH + TAXES, the Musical by David Jacklin. The funniest, tuneful-est, toe-tapping-est, hand-clapping-est musical ever, absolutely NOT written about Perth!
Presented at the Mason Auditorium at P&DCI. $20; $18 Srs, $15 Students, $10 kids 12 & under.
613.485.6434

Perth Blue Wings vs. The Alexandria Glens

2:30pm
THE PERTH BLUE WINGS take on the ALEXANDRIA GLENS at the Perth Arena.
2 Beckwith St. East
www.perthbluewings.ca

Perth Weekend Guide: November 4 – 6

Check out the weekend guide below to find out what is going on in your community.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4

Death + Taxes the Musical

7:30pm – 9:00pm
Perth Community Choir presents DEATH + TAXES, the Musical by David Jacklin. The funniest, tuneful-est, toe-tapping-est, hand-clapping-est musical ever, absolutely NOT written about Perth!
Presented at the Mason Auditorium at P&DCI.
613.485.6434

Evening of One Act Plays The Real Inspector Hound

7:30pm – 9:30pm
The Real Inspector Hound – An off-beat comedy-murder mystery by Tom Stoppard. Plus another fine play to be selected
Studio Theatre
63 Gore St. E.
613.267.7469

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5

Death + Taxes the Musical

7:30pm – 9:00pm
Perth Community Choir presents DEATH + TAXES, the Musical by David Jacklin. The funniest, tuneful-est, toe-tapping-est, hand-clapping-est musical ever, absolutely NOT written about Perth!
Presented at the Mason Auditorium at P&DCI.
613.485.6434

Evening of One Act Plays The Real Inspector Hound

7:30pm – 9:30pm
The Real Inspector Hound – An off-beat comedy-murder mystery by Tom Stoppard. Plus another fine play to be selected
Studio Theatre
63 Gore St. E.
613.267.7469

Library Bake Sale for Perth Union Library

10:00am – 3:00pm
The Friends of the Perth Union Library will be holding a Bake Sale, everyone’s welcome !
Perth Library
30 Herriott Street

The Holly & The Ivy Show and Sale

10:00am – 4:00pm
THE HOLLY & THE IVY is an annual vendors’ show and sale. Stock up on local, handmade items for Christmas. Takes place at the Best Western Plus Perth Parkside Inn and Spa, 82 Peter St., Perth
613.326.0082

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6

Death + Taxes the Musical

2:00pm – 3:30pm
Perth Community Choir presents DEATH + TAXES, the Musical by David Jacklin. The funniest, tuneful-est, toe-tapping-est, hand-clapping-est musical ever, absolutely NOT written about Perth!
Presented at the Mason Auditorium at P&DCI.
613.485.6434

Evening of One Act Plays The Real Inspector Hound

2:00pm – 4:00pm
The Real Inspector Hound – An off-beat comedy-murder mystery by Tom Stoppard. Plus another fine play to be selected
Studio Theatre
63 Gore St. E.
613.267.7469

Perth Blue Wings vs. Stittsville Royals

10:00am – 4:00pm
THE PERTH BLUE WINGS take on the STITTSVILLE ROYALS at the Perth Arena.
2 Beckwith St. East
www.perthbluewings.ca

Perth Weekend Guide: October 28 – 30

Check out the weekend guide below to find out what is going on in your community.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28

Scottish Country Dancing

9:30am
Friday mornings. Beginners & experienced dancers welcome.
McMartin House
125 Gore St. E., Perth

THE WADE FOSTER TRIO

7:00pm – 9:00pm
The Perth Legion Ladies’ Auxiliary are hosting THE WADE FOSTER TRIO (Wade Foster, Henry Norwood, Shawn McCullough). Special Guests: The Burnside Sisters. Advance tickets are $15 at Marks’ Cobbler Shop (98 Gore St. East), available in the Legion Lounge or from any Ladies’ Auxiliary member. Light refreshments will be served.
Perth-upon-Tay Branch 244,
Royal Canadian Legion
26 Beckwith St. East, Perth
613-267-4400

Ghost Walk

7:00pm – 8:30pm
Join use on a ghost walk.
Matheson House Museum
11 Gore St E. Perth
613-267-3311

Halloween with Brea Lawrenson

9:00pm
“Her pure, powerful, country-tinged voice is full of soul. With just her and her guitar, she really played with the dynamics of the songs – increasing or decreasing her overall volume to create drama. Her repertoire featured a healthy dose of her original songs along with some tunes by Fleetwood Mac, KT Tunstall, and Cam. Overall, I would say that her solo performance had a much more ‘americana’ sound than pure country.” — Rob Riendeau, Pub Crawling, TheHumm, Oct 2015.
Golden Arrow
71 Foster St., Perth
613-267-4500

Home

River City Junction

8:00pm
Live Music
O’Reilly’s Pub
43 Gore St. E., Perth
613 267-7994
www.oreillyspubperth.com

SATURDAY,OCTOBER 29

THE RIDEAU LAKES ORCHESTRA: A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT

7:30pm
Alex Guerin will once again be conducting THE RIDEAU LAKES ORCHESTRA in presenting an evening of Halloween musical delights, featuring music from the darker side of Hollywood and stage. As well, Brent McLaren will be narrating a timeless classic, Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf.” Other selections include music from: The Day the Earth Stood Still, Psycho, Lord of the Rings, and Dance of the Knights from the ballet Romeo and Juliet, and more!
The Studio Theatre

Halloween Party w/Jimmy Tri-Tone Band

8:00pm
“JTTB is James Walters (vocals, guitar, percussion) and Randelle Ashley (bass, keys, mandolin, harmony vocals). James has a fantastic, gravelfilled voice and a really engaging (and slightly menacing) intensity when he performs that is perfectly suited to songs about outlaws, lost loves, and life. Randelle’s piano accompaniments are fluid and suggest that she has spent a lot of time in front of a keyboard. Together, the duo plays a mix of alt-folkcountry originals and rearranged covers that really suit James’ rich baritone. I was really impressed with the songwriting on the originals; there was lots of inventiveness in both the music and the lyrics — like I said, these two work hard.” — Rob Riendeau, Pub Crawling, TheHumm.
Golden Arrow
71 Foster St., Perth
613-267-4500
goldenarrowpub.com

LYNN MILES

8:00pm
LYNN MILES does not need any introduction to the people of Perth! A long-time favourite and stellar live performer, be sure to get your tickets early for this show. Saturday, October 29th, 8pm at Full Circle Theatre. Keith Glass will join as special guest; he is like the icing on the cake! His sublime guitar work is a perfect match to Lynn’s master songwriting skills. Lynn Miles is one of Canada’s most accomplished singer/songwriters. With 12 albums to her credit, the winner of multiple Canadian Folk Music awards (2011 English Songwriter of the Year) and a 2003 Juno award for Roots and Traditional Solo Album of the Year, she has certainly found her strength over time. Advance tickets $25 plus service fees, available at Shadowfax.
67 Foster St. in Perth.
613-267-6817

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30

KRIS KRINGLE KRAFT FAIR

11:00am – 3:00pm
The Lioness Club of Perth is having their Annual KRIS KRINGLE KRAFT FAIR. Lunch available. $20 each to rent a table. One of a kind gifts for sale!
613-267-3587
Lions Hall
Perth Fairgrounds

Anita MacDonald & Ben Miller

7:00pm
Up-and-coming group who are bringing Scottish Gaelic musical tradition into the twenty-first century with respect, energy and a delightful stage presence. Concert tickets are: $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and $15 for registered workshop participants (plus $2 ticketing fee). FYI, also: workshops for interested musicians at 2–4pm, at a cost of $30/person: fiddle and pipe tune playing, in Cape Breton style (combined group), at intermediate to advanced level; and accompaniment styles, for anyone from the strong beginner to the advanced player, on keyboard, guitar or other stringed instrument (bring your own).
MERA Schoolhouse
974 9th Concession A
McDonalds Corners
meraschoolhouse@bell.net
613-278-0388
www.meraschoolhouse.org

The Paranormal Show: Wunderkammer

7:00pm
By all accounts, the show is a unique, mysterious, frightening, and funny experience featuring an assortment of supernatural experiments and a bizarre twist on sideshow feats that will leave you spellbound and mystified. Cost: $33; $28 adv.
Full Circle Theatre
26 Craig St., Perth
613-485-6434

The Perth and District Union Public Library is excited to announce that it has added digital magazines to its collection.

Digital magazines are offered online through the library’s website using a resource called Flipster. Magazines available are The Atlantic, Wired, The New Yorker, Good Housekeeping, Discover, Cosmopolitan, Backpacker, Vegetarian Times, Old House Journal, and Family Tree Magazine.

To access the magazines, all you need is a library card. “The library provides recreational and educational reading resources, and, thanks to donations, we’re happy to be able to expand our online reading material to include magazines”, said Erika Heesen, CEO.

The library also offers a multitude of other online resources, including eBooks, language learning through Mango Languages, research through Britannica Library and more.

For more information, please visit www.perthunionlibrary.ca.

By Sally Smith
sally@pdgmedia.ca

The reasons for talking about co-housing sound idealistic, altruistic, even touchy-feely; so Louise McDiarmid and Susan Samila were cautious in their description of the project now developing in Perth. But even through their cautious, sometimes wary answers, it’s obvious they believe it will work.

Co-housing is not a new concept – you can find it in Europe, Scandinavian countries, the United States, and throughout Canada. There are 21 established communities in British Columbia, two in Ottawa – urban to agriculture, seniors to mixed-generations, modest to elegant – and now Perth.

The concept is of a deliberate community where members commit to a mutually supportive lifestyle; in real terms, neighbours live in modest-sized apartments, enjoy a healthy social life and share common spaces, amenities and activities. The community is generally planned, owned and managed by its members.

Members don’t want to be looked after, they want to look after themselves; they want to be independent (as long as they can); they want to be socially engaged to the community, and they want their environmental footprint lessened. This is their wish list. Co-housing can make it a reality.

In Perth, the idea was bandied about by friends until one said “Let’s do it!” The first meeting was June 4, 2015 and the group meets every two weeks on Thursday nights at McMartin House, to hammer out opinions, nail down suggestions and saw through a lot of in-depth information many thought they wouldn’t be doing in their mid-60s and early 70s. But it’s coming together – slowly.

The two women say there will be individual senior units (modest in size), attached or separate with common facilities for gathering for meals and/or events. Common facilities might include a laundry area, gardens, a workshop, maybe a studio; McDiarmid says the Perth co-housing initiative will be “small, with many multi-purpose rooms.”

Samila cautions that they are still in the “informing” stage and so both are circumspect about stating definitively what will, or won’t, be included.

What’s different about co-housing than, say, apartment living, or living in a co-op? In neither of these do you own equity. Co-housing units are “built, designed and managed by people who live there,” says McDiarmid. But it’s much more than that. Co-housing living, says Samila, is a “place where people have a sense of, or a longing for, community in their living situation.”

As we grow older, community living is an answer to isolation, a practice of natural, mutual support; it bestows a sense of connectedness, while at the same time strengthens a desire to remain independent.

At the moment, the group is 20 strong; they are always looking for new members. There is a proposed name – Tay Commons Cohousing; there are committees (or circles) looking at different aspects – property, legal, design, publicity, outreach.

The plan is to secure an acre of land to build 12 units (attached or apartment-style) depending on the site. The group has consulted lawyers, builders and developers. They are looking for land and have several properties in mind. Most critical, says Samila, is the land must be “within walking distance of downtown Perth.”

And while building their own small community might seem exclusive to the rest of Perth, both McDiarmid and Samila say the future senior community wants to be connected in dynamic ways to the town and people of Perth.

The hope of the co-housing initiative members is to have it up and running in three years, but they caution once again, and laugh a little self-deprecatingly that “we’ve never done this before – we’re learning as we go.”

Why not get in on the ground floor? For information, contact Susan Samila at 264-1196, ssamila@storm.ca or Louise McDiarmid at 264-8590, louise_43@sympatico.ca. Go to the website at www.perth-cohousing-intiative.com

Photo Caption: An interested group of ‘co-housers’ exploring a possible site for a 12-unit development. Photo Credit: Submitted

By Jane Hobson
jane@pdgmedia.ca

The Fieldhouse restaurant in Perth was busy the night of Wednesday, Oct. 19 as Perth locals dined out to support Restaurants for Change.

Restaurants for Change is a one-day nationwide fundraiser across Canada that raises money to support programs that bring people in low-income communities together to eat, cook and share healthy food.

“Fourteen cities participate across Canada – and one kick-ass small town!” says Ramsey Hart, referring to Perth. Hart is the executive director at the Table Community Food Centre in Perth. “It’s great to have the Table as a local connection,” he says.

The Table provides free meals to anyone in the community three times a week.

O’Reilly’s pub in Perth also participated in the fundraising event. “It’s thrilling to have local restaurants partic
ipate,” Hart says.

Hart says funds raised on Oct. 19 are split between the Table and Community Food Centres Canada.

Photo by Jane Hobson:  Jane Dugdale poses for a photo with friends on the patio of The Fieldhouse restaurant in Perth on Oct. 19, 2016. The Fieldhouse participated in a one-day nationwide festival called Restaurants for Change that raises money for community food centres across Canada.