Raymond Cho is our Ontario’s Minister for Seniors. According to a very interesting article in the October issue of Good Times Magazine, he is an energetic 82 year old who says that, “I take my job as a mission.”Minister Cho is from South Korea and has been in Canada about 50 years. He became a politician in 1991.
From the article it is clear that Minister Cho is trying very hard to help seniors and people with disabilities.
There is a note at the end of the article that states that Ontario’s Guide to Programs and Services for Seniors is available on line at: ontario.ca and to search for “guide to programs and services for seniors download. ” – to download.
There are other very informative articles in this issue also such as one on Tinnitus (ringing in the ear), one on writing your memoirs and another titled ” Looking For Work After Retirement.” Very interesting magazine issue.
When we were young kids living in the West end, Pitt Street between Fourth and First Streets was heaven. There were so many places to buy a treat like a wonderful ice cream cone. Mind you, we had to have a few cents to do it but in those days people could litter and a few old glass pop bottles could be redeemed for a few cents at a corner store, like Firth’s at Fourth and York Street.
Just about where the water fountain at City Hall is today was Kennedy’s Soda Shop. Nice big ice cream cones there. Then just down a bit on the East Side near Third was a corner store where we bought our comics. You could get a cone and a comic book.
In the next block you could buy a yummy doughnut with chocolate icing if you preferred at Riley’s Bakery. Looking in the window in those days you could see a big machine which had swirling donuts sliding down. Boy, did they look good! Riley’s Bakery is still in business today after all these years, according to the web site, since 1905. The present owners, Ana and Rob Curran, just celebrated 30 years. Congratulations!! Wonderful delicious food.
Up a bit further at the corner of Second where there is an empty lot today, was the Laura Secord Store on the side of the King George Hotel. Great Ice cream cones there besides a lot of other delicious treats.
In the next block was Woolworth’s and it had a lunch counter. More milk shakes, sodas, ice cream sundaes and cones. Fullerton’s was in that block also and they served the most wonderful Mello Roll ice cream cones. The ice cream came wrapped in little paper and when the clerk stuck the ice cream mellow roll in the cone, they would tap it down further into the cone with the paper. The Mello Rolls were to die for. I don’t know why they don’t bring them back.
Near the corner of First Street, my Aunt Eva Amell had a beauty salon on the second floor of the building on the East side. On the first floor was an ice cream parlour which had tables and chairs outside on the sidewalk. My Dad used to take my younger sister Evelyn and myself to visit Aunt Eva and of course, we got an ice cream cone at that store. Lucky us.
In the evenings in the summer Mr. Spinella used to tour the neighborhoods in his horse drawn cart selling ice cream cones – five cents. Poor Mom with six kids to treat. That would be thirty cents in one shot.
Ahh!! Those were the days.
It was good to read Jamie’s Editorial about Sunday busing. It has been a request of many people for years. I first put an article about it in my third column of September 11, 2012. People were talking to me about transportation on holidays and Sundays.
A few mentioned the fact that Brockville has transportation 7 days a week including holidays. I have a car so it has not been a personal issue but others don’t have cars . People with disabilities would welcome it and, as Jamie mentioned in his article, some people need it to get to work. After my article was published one caller suggested that maybe, if the City could not provide public transportation on Sundays and Holidays, that an entrepreneur might have a chance to start a business which would supply that need. And another suggestion was to just use the small school buses. Even limited service would help and make those holiday weekends easier for some and less lonely for others.
I found this very first brochure which was issued when Mount Carmel House Treatment Center was first opened in the old Bishop’s House in St. Raphael’s, Ontario. After many months of renovation by a group of volunteers, it was opened in July of 1981.
It is especially interesting with the three photos. Linda Rines, Admin. Assistant, is seen sitting in front of the old wonderful fireplace in the reception room which was just on the right when you entered the front door. In another photo, Ray Billard, CEO, is apparently giving a lecture to some people. There is also a photo from their Chapel/ Quiet room. In the fourth photo is an unknown cook in the kitchen.
The center’s purpose is outlined in the brochure:
1) To help free the individual from a dependency on alcohol and /or other mood changing chemicals.
2) To help them regain their self-esteem and personal dignity.
3) To help the alcoholic find hope once again and to set goals that are attainable.
The program consisted at that time of opening of Individual Counselling, Small Group Therapy, An Aftercare Program, Educational Lectures & Films and Spiritual Counselling. Later a Family Program was added.
Folded inside the brochure was a newspaper article on the appointment of Fr. Mac Burke as Program Director in the fall of 1982.
The Board of Directors statement is included on the brochure: “Alcoholism is not a dirty word. It is a disease-pure and simple. A disease that can be treated successfully.” I know it is true. I am still getting hugs from past residents I meet who have many years of sobriety.
The center closed in 1996. Many lives were saved and families restored, thanks to the help they received at MCHTC through their wonderful in-house programs and the Spiritual Program of Alcoholics Anonymous.
For more information on the Disease of Alcoholism, go to Dr. David Ohlm’s website.
Today the Bishop’s House is being renovated by a dedicated group of volunteers, The Glengarry Fencibles Trust. For information on how you can help or to make a donation towards the renovations, please call: Brenda Baxter, President, at 613-931-2022. or Allan Macdonell at 613-525-5410. Mailing address is: 4739 Frog Hollow Rd., Green Valley, ON, KOC ILO. You can also access their web site.
Here is a wonderful photo of the People’s Store Christmas party in 1966, courtesy of Beverly Nadeau.
In the second row, from the rt., 2nd. is Pat Katz, wife of Bob, 3rd. is Bob. Assistant Manager, and 6th. is Jay Nadeau, Beverly’s Mom. In the front row, 4th. from the left is the store Manager, Mr. Laperle. Other names are unknown.
The People’s Store was on the West side Pitt Street, between 2nd and First Streets.
Tiger cat is up for sale again. He is back to waking me in the early am wanting food by almost sitting on my head with his furry tail sweeping my face. What a cat!! I have no photo of it as you can imagine and also, I am not in a good mood to take his picture with his antics when my nose is being tickled with his tail. Cat for sale – again!! Cheap!! ( Just kidding , of course.)
Here is a cute joke from a reader:
A man was telling his neighbour, “I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but its state of the art…It is perfect.”
“Really,” answered the neighbour. “What kind is it?”
“Twelve thirty…”
Have a good week, Dawn
Thanks for bringing back lots of memories of the shops – remember how much I used to like watching the doughnut machine at Riley’s window.