Canada’s Polka King Walter Ostanek and his band helped fill the Aylmer German Canadian Club’s Saxonia Hall on Saturday evening, Sept. 30 for a third straight year as the featured attraction of Oktoberfest. Those who chose to attend the entire dinner and dance were treated to a full Bavarian-style sit-down meal with craft beer pairings…
Kira Bilodeau, 7, of the Eden area stopped to look at a beaded child’s regalia belt, top, and a leather vest, traditional clothing that would be worn during Aboriginal ceremonial occasions, part of a Culture Days exhibit at Springfield Library on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 30. The items were made by Chippewas of the Thames First…
At the Horton Farmers’ Market in St. Thomas on Saturday morning, Sept. 30, Cameron Vermeer, 8, left, held two of three bags of apples his family donated to the 28th annual Aylmer Express Thanksgiving Food Drive. Seen accepting the donation was Express employee Vera Unich while Cameron’s mother Christine also posed for the photo. The…
Assumption Catholic Elementary School pupils Taya Lopez, front, led a crew that included Emmeri Geraci, Andrea Sleegers and Jayla Piche-Sviezikas who all headed out in a sprint from their Aylmer school for the annual Terry Fox Run on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 28. Almost all of the school’s 179 pupils, up from last year’s 155, participated…
Grade 3 pupil Elizabeth Voth, 8, rode along the Rabbit Rodeo bicycle training course which was part of the fun of the fourth annual Care2Cycle fundraising event that started at Immanuel Christian School (ICS) in Aylmer on Saturday morning, Sept. 30. In addition to the Rabbit Rodeo for children ages 4-8, the event included a…
Riana Loewen, 14, left, (her face covered in chocolate pudding from a previous game) tried to pass a Lifesaver to Golden Angels teammate Bradley Tupper, 13, using only toothpicks held in their mouths during the annual Eagle Olympics at Optimist Park in Aylmer on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 28. Grade 9 newcomers to East Elgin Secondary…
Eva Trojek netted a large mouth bass from an aquarium after her group of Aylmer McGregor Public School Grade 4 pupils completed the “Seining Fun” activity at the annual MarshQuest outdoor education field trip to Yarmouth Natural Heritage Area (YNHA) located just east of Sparta on Sparta Line. Seining Fun had the pupils play a…
A ceremony was held at Sparta South Cemetery in Central Elgin on Saturday, Sept. 23, to salute two veterans of the War of 1812, John C. Ryckman and James Pickard. They were both privates in that war. A stone was added to Private Ryckman’s grade to salute his service to Canada, but unfortunately the grave…
Grade 2 pupil Bryce Levasseur, 7, enjoyed a slice of watermelon during New Sarum Public School’s after hours welcome back barbecue on Wednesday evening, Sept. 20. The annual barbecue was organized and staged by the school’s Parent Council.
The second annual Aylmer Optimist Club Toy Run that started at the Bargain Shop parking lot at noon on Sunday, Sept. 17 more than tripled the number of riders and motorcycles from its inaugural year. This year there were 166 participants riding well over 100 motorcycles. Those participating in the event were asked to either…
Ezra Goodwin-MacVicar, almost 2, and his mom Meg Goodwin of North Bay hopped onto a mini John Deere all-terrain vehicle during the 12th annual Dingman Antique Plowing Day held on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Doug and Penni MacVicar’s farm on Belmont Road just south of Ron McNeil Line (north of New Sarum). Ezra’s dad Ryan…
Timothy Bylsma, 4, front, his cousin Travis Rozendaal, 4, and sister Katie, 9, were about to be put behind bars, but only briefly, within a jail cell at the Aylmer Police Station during Doors Open East Elgin on Saturday, Sept. 16. Local residents and visitors to the area could take a guided tour through several…