West Lincoln Community Care; Wall of Fame

A cheque for $700.00 and 5 turkeys has been donated to West Lincoln community Care from Branch 393 Royal Canadian Legion Ladies Auxiliary. Monies were raised from their Craft and Bake Sale held earlier along with the Ham and Turkey Raffle. Pictured here, Garry Warden, WLCC Program Manager. Kathy Putman, President Br 393 Ladies Auxiliary. Joan Packham, Secretary Br 393 Ladies Auxiliary and Murray Packham, Board of Directors West Lincoln Community Care.

The Guitar Loft wants to thank all those who supported this year's Christmas Concert at Smithville United Church. The concert was very well received for it's fourth annual show with about 200 people in attendance. This year's program raised $1850.00 for West Lincoln Community Care. West Lincoln Community Care thanks the concert supporters, the musicians and the Guitar loft for hosting this great event. Pictured Brock Edwards of the Guitar Loft presents Garry Warden WLCC with a the cheque for $1850.00

The Royal LePage office, 107 Griffin St, in Smithville donated 8 turkeys along with toys and personal donations from Randi Killins of $30.00 and $50.00 from Susan Armstrong. Pictured here is Susan Armstrong making the presentation

St Martin of Tours School, Smithville, children hosted a Baby shower for Mary and Jesus last week. They donated all the gifts to West Lincoln Community Care Picture back row: Cindy Biss, WLCC. Teacher Nancy Hanc and Nancy Falovo Front row left to right: Reece Martineau, Luca Santostephano, Olivia Roberts, Reid Brown, Isla Ridland and Kamryn Perry.

Knights of Columbus Council 4917 members make a donation of 48 new coats for children of West Lincoln. Pictures are Brother Ray Richard, Lecturer, Grand Knight, Vern Dell, Garry Warden, Program Mgr. WLCC, Janet Zantingh, Chairperson WICK, and Bill Amodeo, District Deputy, Area 6

The Smithville Christian Preschool presented WLCC with a cheque for $675 and boxes of food donations. The food was donated by the families at our school and the money was raised when we sold Lamontagne products (Christmas cards, wrapping paper, etc) Front to back and left to right. Jacob Melo , Matthew McBlain (stripes) Elora Goguen, Viviana Volpatti, Rachel Sills (pink) Alayna Dinga, Hannah Dinga (girls hugging), Ruhanika Verma, Kinga Bigda (middle pink), Michael Earle, Aaron Ruigrok, Andrew Renieris, Thomas Prestney, Mckenzie Rainey, Isabella Zenone Ryan Boychuk, Melanie Felvus (teacher), Garry Warden (WLCC), Cindy Biss (WLCC), Joanne Verbeek (teacher)

The Poultryfest Car and Truck show last Saturday in Smithville was a great
success for West Lincoln Community Care. Food donations have a history of
falling off during the summer months. Brian & Sandra Vanderlip, organizers
of the Car and Truck Show made the donation of non perishable food items to
West Lincoln Community Care part of the entry fee. For those participants
who did not bring food they were given the option of making a cash donation.
They collected 700 Lbs. of food and made a cash donation of $530.00.

Pictured here making the donation on behalf of the Car and Truck Show are,
on the left, Sandra Vanderlip and Ruth Dmytryshyn from Woodstock, ON. To her
right.

Madeline and Mekala Flevus conducted a Food Drive in their neighbourhood in Smithville and are shown here as they present the food to West Lincoln community Care

We are happy to report that Loblaws has chosen KidSport as their charity of choice again this year for their "Give a Little Help a Lot" campaign. KidSport believe that no kid should be left on the sidelines and all should be given the opportunity to experience the positive benefits of organized sports. KidSport provides support to children in order to remove financial barriers that prevent them from playing organized sport. Every penny raised at the Grimsby store will eventually come back to be used 100% in the Grimsby / Smithville area. West Lincoln Community Care is delighted to partner with KidSport in providing assistance to families in need. Pictured is Garry Warden in the back row with KidSport volunteers left to right Carly Morrison, Taylor Sagar and Rae Lamen, at the Thunderzone Video Dance held at the Smithville Arena on Friday June 10. Carly, Taylor and Rae are looking for others to join them at the Real Canadian Superstore Fundraiser at Grimsby during the last week in June. To volunteer call Garry at West Lincoln community Care (905) 957-5882

Locsheart is a Christian Ministry headed up by Rodica Anton. They are dedicated to supporting the less fortunate members of our community as well as International efforts such as drilling a well in The Republic of The Congo and sending missionary groups to St Lucia. Pictured here is representative Shirley Stouck of Locsheart as she presents West Lincoln Community Care Program Manager, Garry Warden with a cheque for $200.00 along with a trunk load of groceries.

The Artists of Smithville display their donated card designs for our All Occasion Cards – now on sale at The Cabin Thrift store, located at 131 Griffin Street in Smithville. Thank you to the artists: Back row from left to right – Ed Elliott, Shirley Dolby, Sue Hancock, Pat McGuire, Jane Merritt, Debbie Fearnley, Hilda de Roos, Jim Levere and Janet Zantingh – Board Chair for West Lincoln Community Care. Seated from left to right – Margaret McClory, Ann Glasford, Joan DiStefano, Marge English

E.D. Smith donated 2 pallets of jams, sauces and other prepared foods to West Lincoln Community Care. It took 3 volunteers with pick up trucks to transport the food from Stoney Creek to Smithville. Pictured are the students from Smithville Christian High School and community drivers that volunteered to load and unload the heavy boxes. From left to right Wenlu Yu, Micah Vermeer, Rachel Batenburg, Garry Warden WLCC Program Mgr, Murray Packham WLCC board member and Cindy Biss. Missing from the picture are Victoria Traver, Dorothy Brewer and Teacher Marlene Begsma. Our thanks to ED Smith for their generous support and to those that helped us get the food to the Food Depot.

Leanne Tasker and her 2 year old daughter were not at home when fire raged through their little apartment in Smithville. The community was quick to come to the rescue with furniture and household goods as well as cash donations to relocate the single mom in a new home. Mayor of Smithville, Doug Joyner. Donated use of the old fire hall to accumulate Leanne's fresh beginning. Pictured from left to right Brian Whitaker, family friend, Garry Warden. Program Mgr. WLCC, Murray Packham, WLCC board member, Leanne Tasker, Fire Victim and Smithville Mayor, Doug Joyner.

2 year old fire victim Hannah Tasker enjoys her new favourite chair with a good book and her best friend

RBC Smithvillle Branch is proudly displaying their community spirit.
Over the last few weeks they have encouraged both staff and clients to drop off food for the food bank.
They have also supported Community Care by giving others the opportunity to celebrate Christmas.
Through their dress down day they have been able to deliver Christmas gifts to 7 Angels and one family through West Lincoln Community Care's Christmas Program.

Pictures Front row left to right Kim Agnew, Carrie Van Stralen, Jessica Coutinho, Leona MacPhail Back row left to right Heather Mambella, Aleta Rose, Trevor Otterman, Rita Dreyer, R.J. McLaughlin.

Absent is Kristie Kuiper

Melanie Felvus donated $900.00 to WLCC on behalf of Smithville Christian Preschool. The cheque accompanied a large food donation.

Touchdown Willys at the Village Square in Smithville is a great little sports bar and the staff is supporting the WLCC recreation program for needy kids by holding a dress down Friday that generated $395.00 to help sponsor these young people. Pictured here is Cheryl Lynn Duncan, Manager of Touchdown Willys, as she presents Garry Warden, Program Manager of West Lincoln Community Care with the money.

Seen here from left to right are members of the Royal LePage Real Estate Team with their food donation made to WLCC. Shannon Peters, Brenda Walker, Karen Peto, Chris Spoelstra, Obie Spanic. Absent was Randy Killins.

Reverend Ellie Clitheroe-Bell and West Lincoln Community Care program Manager and parishioner Pat Wilson of St Luke's Anglican Church are pictured as St Luke's presents West Lincoln Community Care with their annual gift of $500.00 to help purchase Christmas turkeys. St Luke's raise funds at their annual Turkey dinner held on Thursday, Nov. 18 at the Church Hall.

Attached is a photo of the Grade 8 kids from Covenant Christian School. Under the guidance of their teacher Mr. J Kingma they raised money to go shoppo[ing at the Smithville Giant Tiger store and purchase bags and bags of food that they then donated to WLCC. Back row left to right, Mr Kingma, Jame Slappendal, Mitchel VanHoffen, Hope Scholman 2nd row left to right, Quintin Attema, Brittany Kiers 3rd row, left to right, Braydon TeBrake, Mi9chelle Sypkes. Jessica Buys 4th row, left to right, Eric Vandermeer, Ben Bonsma, Sam Dekker, Meigan Vermeer, Kristen Klompmaker, Julianna Vanderlinde, Stephanie Janssen, Julie Glassbergen 5th row, left to right, John Boerefyn, Alex Kamphuis, Linneah Zwaagstra.

The Smithville Christian High Student Council Executive encouraged the student body this year to be UNSTOPPABLE in their annual Food Drive for West Lincoln Community Care. A gender defender challenge brought in over 1100 lbs of food by the school and was won by the females. From top to bottom: Lucas Stansfield, Colin Bouwers, Jesse Horinga, Tallia Bezemer and Honour Giesbrecht.

The Tree of Life Church and Cornerstone Church of Smithville joined with iCare Smithville to raise up enough funds to present West Lincoln Community Care with 36 back packs suitable for ages from Jr. K through High School. Pictured at the West Lincoln Food Bank making the presentation are left to right, Emma Biss, Cindy Biss, Kara and Chris Dalgleish. We are grateful for the kindness and concern that these generous neighbours and friends have extended to the less fortunate families in our community

Chris Dalgleish is a supporter of our Backpack program.

Attached is a photo taken at the Bismarck United Church, They celebrated their Vacation Bible School with the story of Joseph in Egypt when his brothers came to him for food during the famine in their own country. They collected food for WLCC and presented it to Garry Warden Pictured here in costume from left to right,Micah Downing, Hunter Jeffery, Hannah Blagdon, Allycia Jeffery, Victoria Blagdon, Joyce Robb, Hannah Robb and Garry Warden.

In the attached photo we see 11 year old Jessica Radko pictured with her Grandmother Dorothy Brewer the following is her story.

My name is Jessica. I am 11 years old.
My Grandmother has been volunteering at the West Lincoln Food Bank for the past year and one half.
My Grandmother brought me into the food bank while she was babysitting me.
At Gainsborough school I was in Student Parliament.
We were having a dance for the year end and I needed to know where the money would go to.
I spoke up and told them the food bank lately we needed pancake mix, syrup, pudding, jello, juices and condiments.
The things I would use almost every day, though some families would not have.
I also explained my concern to my teacher who encouraged me to go on the announcements and encourage the students to bring in a financial donation.
Well it worked, we raised $100.30. We got a whole box of food and a bag full of the things that we needed.

Tom Singer donating beans and cucumbers from his garden, Food bank volunteers Nellie Dehann and Jan Lungulescu are grateful recipients

Bernie Laidman presents a cheque to Garry Warden in the amount of $602.00 along with 250 lbs of food.
Bernie represents the Classic Car and Truck show and the Sport Compact Car and Truck Show recently held at Poultryfest.

BY JOANNE MCDONALD

Whether suited up as a honeybee to raise money for West Lincoln Memorial Hospital, or dressed in the ceremonial regalia that befits his office as Smithville’s Town Crier, Jim Green is the sweetheart of West Lincoln and it’s going to be hard to say goodbye.

The town crier is leaving town and Tuesday, the community’s finest, his fellow volunteers at West Lincoln Community Care, gathered to wish him well.

Friends and colleagues were buzzing around the honey man – Smithville’s sweetest volunteer, honoured with his wife Charleen this week for their endless contributions to the community through West Lincoln Community Care.

“Jim and Charleen are stalwarts of this community,” Program Manager Garry Warden said of the couple’s more than 20 years as volunteers with the charitable organization that assists those in need.

“You can’t know how many homes you’ve changed and how many people you’ve encouraged because of your work,” Warden told the couple. “We appreciate you so much.”

Green, in his role as Town Crier, announced the official opening of West Lincoln Community Care in April 1984. This week he donned the costume once again for the informal gathering with his neighbours and friends.

His robust voice has been a staple at every major community event and his actions speak just as loud through all his civic activities from PoultryFest to the library committee.

Green is also infamous for his annual “honey money” hospital fundraiser. “Jim and Charleen have done so many wonderful things,” said Community Care board chair Janet Zantingh. Jim worked in the food bank and Charleen took on secretarial duties at the organization. “You’ve both been very faithful,” Zantingh said, telling the couple to enjoy their new lifestyle and spread their goodness over their new community.

The Greens are moving to Dundas and they will be greatly missed judging by the fond farewell. Charleen said the move will put them closer to their children living in the area and the condo, overlooking picturesque Dundas, will remind them of their rural roots in West Lincoln.

So too will the many return trips already on the agenda for community events. “You won’t keep Jim away, he’ll be back,” Charleen said, adding, "my doctor’s here too and I’d never get another doctor like Dr. Amanda Marrone".

Front row from left are: Community Care program manager Garry Warden; Pauline MacDougall; Community Care board chair, Janet Zantingh; Katie Vanderwier and Anita Duggan. Middle row: Cheryl Dell, Femmie Zwaagstra, Jim and Charleen Green, Jan Lungulescu and Jean Acton. Back row: Everett Lampman, Jason Allen, Irene Shrum, Margaret Merritt, Joan Fester, Carol Lowden, Millie Breddy, Kathleen Hall, and Gayle Mathé.

Some kids that brought donations to the food bank

Tim Hudak Making a Donation

Joyce Robb delivered a trunk load of groceries collected at her Mother-in-law's 90th Birthday Party