Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Of course Thanksgiving is not just for 3 days out of the year, but most of us can be thankful for many things all year round, especially in the beautifully colourful season of Autumn. Mind you, I don’t like thinking about cold but then one must be thankful that many of our flowers and trees need the cold to produce their bounty in summer. We here in Uxbridge area can also be thankful just now that we don’t live in Manitoba or Alberta, and no doubt Saskatchewan, because of the storm. Our thoughts and prayers go out this week to the 2 men who were so horrifically injured in the house explosion in Zephyr. Darryl McFarlane was a Zephyr fellow, his mother was Marj McFarlane. He grew up there and just recently went back to work after spending years assisting his parents, and now fixing up his boyhood home, just across from the church, which now has been demolished. Reports say over 48% of his body was burned. His friend D’Arcy Stephens was a young man with 3 children from Bowmanville, and was burned even more extensively. Both are in induced comas and will require multiple surgeries. The Udora-Leaskdale Lions have a started a Gofundme for Darryl and the United Church will also be collecting. There is also a Gofundme for D’Arcy if you would like to help. Birthday wishes go out this week to Mayor Dave Barton, Nan Hill, and Lynn Rhodes Campbell. Hope it was a great one for all of you and many more. There are two very important events for the Sandford Church this week. On Friday evening, 7:30 p.m. the 16th Annual Musical Gala will be held at the church. We have some fantastic entertainers coming such as Carol Gibson and Jennifer Neveu-Campsall, Bella Nove, Bethany McGillivray and Lee Collingwood, Alayna and Emma Mathewson, Casey Spencer, and Terry Paul. Tickets are $20 at the door. Two hours of great music! On Sunday October 20th, the church will be celebrating its 168th/120th anniversary. That is 168, as a presence in the community, first as a Methodist congregation and later as a United congregation meeting in our 120 year old building. Guest minister is Dr. Alydia Smith. Carol Gibson and Nancy Wolfe are our esteemed musicians while the Pine Ridge Chorus will also be on hand to entertain us. Please come at 11:00 a.m., and celebrate with us as we acknowledge some of our older congregants. Many of our local people have been doing some far-flung travelling. Dianne Bennett spent some time in Ottawa at a birthday party for her 100 year old aunt, who is still painting and has exhibits in the art gallery. Yvonne Harrison has returned from one of her exotic jaunts, this time to Thailand, a place she loves. Bruce and Tanis Smith have returned from a 2 week trip to the west, visiting Tanis’ siblings in Lethbridge and the Peace River country. While doing so, they encountered a great deal of snow in Alberta and flying home saw that Manitoba was a sheet of white. George, Jenell and baby Mia, of Okotokes, Alberta, visited his parent for a few days and spent some time with grandmother Barbara in hospital. Pat and Bev Molloy have returned from a great trip to France where they visited Paris and saw many of the various tourist sites it has to offer. Ken Welsh has been doing some plane trips too, as he made a flight to Sault Ste. Marie and back in one day then flew off to London England where he was signing autographs and enjoyed visiting many of the old churches. Thanksgiving was celebrated at church Sunday, and it was also White Gift Sunday where a number of articles for food banks were collected. Carol O’Neil was our worship leader with Nancy Wolfe at the organ. On October 27th, Zephyr will be celebrating their 143rd Anniversary, at 11:00 am. Rev. Carol Baggett-McKinley will be the worship leader, with Nancy Wolfe and Ruth Baker as the musicians. Erin Blackstock will be guest entertainer. Erin has really been making a name for herself in the world of music lately, along with several others of our local young ladies. The Uxbridge Genealogy Group will meet on Thursday, October 17th, at the Lower Hall of the Library, at 7:00 p.m. The topic is Brick Walls, and a couple of problems have already been submitted for discussion. On October 22nd, the Theatre on the Ridge will present another production. This is a stage reading group but they do it so well you can imagine what actions are being taken. Starting time is 7 p.m. at the Museum. On the 23rd, the Historical Society will host a talk by Glen Kerr with his snapshots of the Great Wars. This too will be at the Museum . The museum is hosting several other events over the next few weeks . Check with the website to see when and what exciting things are happening. On October 26th, the Lucy Maud Montgomery Day will be held at the historic Leaskdale church. Official application day has past but no doubt there is still room. Check the website and call. It is $50 for the day, including lunch. In the afternoon there is an event at Blue Heron Book store in conjunction with the LLMS.
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