2 FOCUS - JUNE 2017 WARD’S LAWYERS Correction We apologize for an error on our Index page of our Exceptional Business Leaders, page 41 of our May 2017 issue. Under the category of Legal, we listed Monique Meloche of Wards Layers (PC). This should have read Wards Lawyers (PC). We apologize to Monique and Wards Lawyers for any inconvenience this may have caused. Please send us your letters, maximum of 250 words. Be aware that we cannot publish negative letters about individuals or businesses. Submit to: focus@focusonscugog.com Thanks for your support! Dear Editor A huge thank you to our friends and neighbours who live, work, play, go to school and worship in Scugog Township for so generously supporting Operation Scugog Food Bank throughout the year. A very special thank you for the weekly support from Hank’s Pastries and for the continued support from Vos’ Independent Grocer, Food Basics, Foodland and White Feather Farms. Due to this outstanding community support, your food bank is able to provide an exemplary service throughout the community. A huge thank you as well to the dedicated volunteers who give so generously of their time and caring. Chris Cook, Chairperson on behalf of the Trustees of Operation Scugog Food Bank Hello Port Perry Dear Editor I am introducing two busloads of retired women teachers to our beautiful and exciting town on Wednesday June 7th. They will be arriving in time for lunch around 12:30 p.m. and will be on their way back to Ajax Convention Centre by 3:30 p.m. I would appreciate any ideas from you on how to find your shop or restaurant and not overwhelm your staff. Some may want to eat immediately and others later. I am feeding them a large breakfast followed by a coffee break so they shouldn’t be starving. Some may have mobility issues while others may want to tour your historic building. Some may be looking for a place to sit down and everyone will need a washroom at some point. I would love to make sure everyone has a great afternoon and ask if you have any ideas to share with the ladies, if you could do it before I turn them loose. I am looking for maps, historic information, special deals and an accessibility guide. Later that day at the ACC Shona Stone will pipe in the head table, Bill McKee will deliver a cry and Irwin Smith will entertain them. The following day, Bobbie Drew will bring greetings to the convention on behalf of Chair Roger Anderson. Thank you for your assistance in making this day and this convention a huge success for us all. Almost half of the convention chose this excursion. Congratulations Port Perry! Best Regards, Judy Anderson, Co-Convenor of Retired Women Teachers of Ontario Convention 2017 905-985-4257 ukeladyjudy@gmail.com Watch for turtle crossings Dear Editor Our Scugog community has a wonderful wetland full of new life and colour. There aren’t many of these valuable wetlands left in Southern Ontario which provide a large habitat to support the turtles and many other species. In late May and early June turtles leave the safety of the wetland in search of a good spot to lay their eggs. Female snapping turtles return to their hatching site to lay their first clutch of eggs when they have reached 15 - 20 years of age. Snapping turtles lay 30-40 ping pong sized eggs which takes about an hour. She lays her clutch of eggs, covers them and heads back into the wetland, leaving the sun and warm ground to incubate the eggs. Without her protection, many eggs are eaten. In early fall, young hatchlings are preyed upon or driven over before they have completed their journey to the safety of the wetland. Unfortunately, the ideal egg laying spot is along the gravel shoulders of the roads that run through the wetland. The Nonquon OEE Centre has posted several turtle crossing signs warning people to slow down. Snapping turtles are now listed as a Species of Special Concern in Ontario. The turtles are an important and integral part of the wetland ecosystem and food web. The next time you are driving through the wetland, please keep this in mind, slow down to let the turtles cross the road safely, and help keep our fragile wetland ecosystems intact for future generations. Sandra Churchill, Nonquon Outdoor Environmental Education ...................... More letters on page 4