Created
& Published by Observer Publishing of Port Perry
188 Mary Street - Unit 201, Port Perry, Ontario - L9L 1A2
Phone 905-985-8585 email: focus@focusonscugog.com
JUNE 2023
THUMBS UP – to the individual who returned my wallet with all contents intact. It was inadvertently left in a shopping cart at Vos Independent early in April. So very much appreciated.
THUMBS UP - to the group of volunteers who annually collect the litter from the boat launch, Old Rail Line trail, and parking lots around the Rowing Club. Your efforts are much appreciated.
THUMBS DOWN - to the Scugog Parks Division management who refuse to provide waste bins at the boat launch.
THUMBS UP – On Monday May 15 my husband and I went to fill up our car on the island. The attendant already had $65.00 in our car when we realized that neither one of us had our wallets. We asked if we could do Interac etransfer and they said no. Mr. Richard Holden, a pure stranger who was ahead of us, paid for our gas and let me etransfer the money to him. Thank you so much!
THUMBS UP – to Port Perry Legion Branch 419 for two recent cheque presentations on Tuesday May 16.Port Perry Hospital Foundation received a cheque for $16,750 and Oak Ridges Hospice received $2,496.40. The monies will be used to purchase a blood gas analyzer and linens and comfort kits.
MAY 2023
THUMBS UP – to our very own Focus on Scugog freelance writer, Lynn (Rhodes) Campbell for the launch of her new funny novel titled, You’ll Never Find A Toothbrush With Your Name On It! It is now available on Amazon.ca.
THUMBS DOWN - to the people who use Prince Albert Pine Grove Cemetery like a dog park. It’s private property and there are signs posted everywhere that dogs must be on leash. Yet many owners consistently let their dogs run loose in the cemetery. If you want to run your dog, there is a dog park. Go there. Respect the cemetery and those who have every right to visit and walk there without worrying about dogs running loose.
THUMBS UP – to Spencer Thorn for helping me find my cat that disappeared on Saturday March 25. Spencer found him in the construction site near Union Ave., and kindly delivered him right back to me in the heavy rain.
THUMBS DOWN - to the people who use Edgerton Road, Blackstock as a short cut to speed and throw their garbage out. The ditches are loaded with fast food containers, empty beer cans, cigarette butts, and pop cans. If you are coming up 57 highway from work and stopped to pick up take out, at least take your garbage home. Who do you think will pick up your trash? It doesn’t just disappear on its own. We the taxpayer, have to pay for your inconsiderate behaviour. I just hope your butts don’t cause a fire.
THUMBS UP – to Carlo Camozzola for donating a Toronto Maple Leaf Michael Bunting jersey to Castle John’s to raise money for the Oak Ridges Hospice, in honour of his good friend Jim Smith, who passed away last November. “Captain Kirk” won the jersey and over $800 was presented through Jim’s wife Mary to Christine Vos, Executive Director of the hospice on Friday March 31.
THUMBS UP – to the 1st and 2nd Port Perry Spark/Embers Unit girls, that were out and doing their part for Earth Day by picking up the trash at the fairgrounds on Wednesday April 26. And the Scouts did the same around the waterfront and behind Vos Independent Grocer.
APRIL 2023
THUMBS UP - to the incredibly wonderful people that found my diamond engagement ring in the Walmart parking lot, mid February, and handed it in. My tears of sadness turned to tears of joy! I will be forever grateful and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. What a fantastic community we live in!
THUMBS UP – to Cearra Howey, of Howey Home Décor for holding an inaugural event, North Durham Cat Coalition Cupcake Party Fundraiser, to support four cat rescues on Saturday February 25, at her business location at 64 Water St., Port Perry. The $2500 raised was divided amongst; Barn Cat Co-op, Edwards Animal Sanctuary, Uxbridge Cat Rescue and Uxbridge Scugog Pet Food Bank. Lots of paws up!
THUMBS DOWN - to the person pulling down vines and leaving them on the Waterfront Trail. This causes a serious tripping hazard for walkers and joggers alike.
THUMBS UP - to Mitch Wilton and Robert Wilton who rescued a stranded young driver in the middle of the night in the snowstorm on March 3. Not only did they come to the driver’s aid, they put the person up overnight and pulled the car out the next day! The kindness of Robert and Mitch was deeply appreciated by the young driver’s parents.
THUMBS DOWN - to the people wanting to put another stop light on Simcoe St., at Country Estates Blvd. There is another exit from the community on Coulter St., that is as easily accessed and there is a light there.
THUMBS UP – to the Township of Scugog for the excellent clearing of snow on the downtown sidewalks (March 8), after the largest snowfall in a long time. Many appreciated your efforts.
THUMBS UP – as Volunteer Week falls within this month, we want to give a huge thumbs up to all those of you who take the time to help out, and to know it truly is appreciated!
MARCH 2023
THUMBS UP - to White Feather Country Store who continue to donate eggs and to Wendy’s Restaurant who also donate buns every week. Our clients from Operation Scugog appreciate it.
THUMBS UP - to the six (6) commercial businesses on the north side of Queen Street for clearing away all the snow at the curb after the snowstorms (last week of January). They should be proud of what they are doing for our community. Again, a BIG THUMBS UP!
THUMBS DOWN - to the township maintenance staff for not clearing away the piles of snow from around the litter containers on the main street of Port Perry. Between the sidewalk plows and the roads plows, they bank the snow around the litter containers to the point that one cannot get to them, nor is the collection contractor able to empty them. Does anyone have a shovel to loan them?
THUMBS UP - to Barb Jordan, Christine Ryll, Lori Bolan and Lloyd Greenough for preparing and serving meals to the 1st Port Perry Beavers at camp and to the Scugog Fire Department, Brock Mills, Darryl Pelletier, Chris Young, and Jeremy Malcolm for bringing their fire truck, electrical truck, large bucket truck, tow truck, and farm tractor to 1st Port Perry Beavers transportation camp.
THUMBS DOWN - to the people who do not shovel their sidewalk. It makes it almost impossible for anyone pushing a stroller, wagon or in a wheelchair to pass. Many times this season I have had to walk with young children on the road because I cannot make it through the sidewalk.
THUMBS UP – to Karey Anne Large, Sean Battams, Donna van Bilsen and Kristin Meyer-Creamer of the Scugog Chamber of Commerce for all their hard work on the 2023 Business Excellence Awards evening held Friday February 10 at Great Blue Heron Casino. It truly felt other-worldly!
THUMBS UP – to our Royal Canadian Legion and Ladies Auxiliary Charitable Foundation for the very generous donation of $7,000 to our Port Perry Hospital Foundation. This donation will purchase one of three CADD-Solis Infusion Pumps. (A portable pump used in the delivery of pain and other medications).
FEBRUARY 2023
THUMBS UP – to the business owners at Panorama and Marwan’s Global Bistro, for finding a way to get the curbside snow cleared in front of their businesses (December 30). Must be a secret solution because no others, or the township have been able to figure it out in a timely fashion.
THUMBS UP – Karen Teed of Operation Scugog, just wants to give a shout out of appreciation to our wonderful volunteers at Operation Scugog who generously give their time throughout the year and especially during the very busy Christmas season.
THUMBS DOWN - to the people who put garbage in the blue box located by the community mailboxes at Cartwright Fields in Nestleton. The blue box is for paper only (flyers and unsolicited mail) and is serviced by volunteers. Please show some respect or we will lose this service.
THUMBS DOWN – sure hoping this isn’t a sign of the times, but seems to be more thefts than usual happening these days. Unfortunately so many people losing personal belongings, i.e. trailers, vehicles, snowmobiles, etc., with not much hope of being returned.
THUMBS UP - to all our local shops. I try to shop local for everything I need and very rarely do I go elsewhere. It’s nice to know I can buy groceries, gifts, dine out or take home a meal from local restaurants. It truly is a “one stop shop".
THUMBS DOWN - to neighbours who put out garbage the night before pick up and then we all wake up to the mess of the raccoons and other animals who feast on it during the night. Please wait till the morning!
THUMBS UP - to everyone wearing high-visibility vests and outerwear during the darker winter months. Safety is all our concern!
THUMBS UP - to the young man who saw our driveway needed shovelling and did it. He even came back and salted, and by the time I got my coat on to give him some money, he had left. Not sure who he was, but he always waves to us on his way to school each morning. Thank you to our youth and the parents that are raising them.
JANUARY 2023
THUMBS UP – to the Scugog Chamber, planning committee, organizers, volunteers, participants and spectators for an awesome parade this year!
THUMBS UP – no one was more disappointed than the planning committee that Santa wasn’t able to appear on his float, but for the safety of everyone, the float and reindeer remained in storage. However, a big thank you to Dave Bell for putting together an amazing, safe and comfortable alternative float for Santa at the very last minute.
THUMBS UP – a resident/business owner requested this for all those who are continuing to wear masks, and/or are willing to put on a mask when asked. Protecting those around us from serious illness is so important!
THUMBS DOWN – another angry resident upset with the person(s) who dumped renovation leftover material in the Caesar Cemetery in Caesarea. Little do you know, if you live in Scugog Township, you will pay for this on your taxes as we all do!
THUMBS UP – to Danielle, Mike and Rob, from Great Blue Heron Casino. On Wednesday December 7, they made a special delivery to Port Perry Hospital that included; freshly made sandwiches, cookies, chips, and a drink for all the staff, daytime and evening. They wanted to remind them that they are valued and appreciated. Needless to say, there were smiles all around!
THUMBS UP – to the Rotary Club of Port Perry for providing a fantastic turkey dinner to seniors in Port Perry, which was delivered right to their doors. Also a big thank you to the students at Prince Albert Public School and their teachers for designing the beautiful gift bag and making lovely Christmas decorations. We are so blessed to have such giving caring people in our community.
DECEMBER 2022
THUMBS UP - to The Auxiliary to Lakeridge Health Port Perry as they presented the Port Perry Hospital Foundation with the final payment of $43,030 the first week of November. This completed their $350,000 pledge for the Here for You campaign and they reached this incredible goal in just one year and seven months, much earlier than their original goal of four years.
THUMBS DOWN - to Scugog community, that it does not have easily accessible mental health care for people in the community. Therapy is a very effective, risk free way of treating mental illness and sadly Scugog does not have any funded or subsidized therapy accessible to the public. Hopefully bringing attention to this can spark a change to make improvements.
THUMBS UP - to the yard bag pick up guy, who walked up our driveway to get the bag I had just filled. How thoughtful!
THUMBS DOWN - to the bylaw officer who gave our neighbour a parking ticket for parking on the street overnight. They had just had their driveway paved. Yellow caution tape was up. There was no snowstorm (first weekend in November). Could they have just given him a warning and not a ticket?
THUMBS UP - to members of the Port Perry Angels Ladies Baseball team for volunteering their time on Sunday November 6 to sell poppies at local businesses. Your support is truly inspiring!
THUMBS UP - to Canada Post Community Foundation (Port Perry) on their donation of $25,000 on Monday November 7, to Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Durham. The monies will help BBBSND develop and deliver mental health education. THUMBS UP to the Scugog Men’s Hockey League for their donation of $22,500 raised from their annual golf tournament for BBBSND as well!
THUMBS UP - A resident was very impressed to see the patrons at Canadian Tire coming to a stop on Remembrance Day during the moment of silence. Employees, patrons, etc. removed their hats and took a minute to show their respect for the fallen.
THUMBS UP - Legion members wanted to pass along this thumbs up to Captain George Fish & Chips. During the Remembrance Day Parade, one of our veterans, who was part of the colour guard, had an issue while marching and had to leave the parade. The wonderful staff immediately brought out a chair and water for him. Thank you on behalf of all of us, we are fortunate to have so many caring people in our community.
NOVEMBER 2022
THUMBS UP - to Joanna Malcolm, of Joanna’s Flowers From the Field. On Thursday September 29, Joanna posted on Facebook that all of her $10 bouquets sold, the full proceeds of the sales would be given to Operation Scugog Foodbank. What a wonderful gesture!
THUMBS DOWN - to those that named the subdivision by the fairgrounds and legion “Cawkers Creek”. Cawkers Creek is the subdivision between Simcoe and Old Simcoe with Riverview, Edinborough and Circle Drive and has been for almost 40 years!
THUMBS UP - to the Port Perry Lions for their excellent work diverting plastics from landfill and collecting many used articles to be reused!
THUMBS DOWN - to those on Carnegie Beach Road, who have taken it upon themselves to turn our hay field into their personal dirt bike, ATV and golf cart track. The hay you destroyed is for the 50 cattle next to the field you have taken upon yourselves to rip up and flatten out. Extremely disrespectful especially when you live in a farming community. Inflation hits farmers just as hard. The price of feed and hay has gone up exponentially, which means the food for livestock has gone up. I’m sure you have noticed this in the grocery stores prices. I just want you to think about that when you’re destroying farmers fields. I don’t want to see this next season.
THUMBS UP - I have been the recipient of a free coffee going through the drive through, but never have I experienced the random act of kindness of a free pizza being delivered to the office at lunch time! Thank you so much to the gentleman that did just that!
THUMBS DOWN - to the person(s) who decided that Scugog Line 4 was a dumping ground and left two couches and an entire trailer full of renovation garbage (paint trays, rollers etc.) in the ditch. Please don’t ruin our neighbourhood. Use the dump!
THUMBS UP - to our 1st Port Perry Scouts for another successful apple day, Saturday October 15. Many wonderful comments on how respectful and appreciative these young people were at the various locations around our community.
OCTOBER 2022
THUMBS UP - to Coldwell Banker R.M.R. Real Estate Brokerage for the $9,100 presented to Big Brothers Big Sisters North Durham. The money was raised from their 29th annual golf tournament held this past August.
THUMBS UP - to the two receptionists at Urgent Care for taking care of me when my appointment did not show up on their computer, even though it was registered on my doctor’s computer. Their tenacity was overwhelming and made me feel at ease. If our health care in Scugog is in the hands of people like these two young ladies, we are very fortunate. I also got to see Dr. Wray twenty minutes later. Thank you ladies.
THUMBS DOWN - to the person(s) who dug out a plant in front of a family tombstone in Prince Albert Pine Grove Cemetery (mid July). Shame on you!
THUMBS DOWN - to those who feel the need to speed. Driving 175 km/h in an 80 km/h zone is ridiculous. Good thing charges were laid on the female motorist and thankfully no accident occurred to injure or take a life. Please slow down!
THUMBS UP - to the excellent, friendly and professional staff in the Port Perry Hospital operating room and the Radiation Department of the Durham Cancer Centre.
During recent surgery and treatment for breast cancer, every staff member I encountered was kind, knowledgeable and helpful. I feel most fortunate to be living in this wonderful community.
THUMBS UP - to our three candidates who put their name forward for Ward 5. Best of luck! Unfortunate though, not to have more races in the upcoming 2022 election.
THUMBS UP - Quite some time ago, via my thumbs down submission to this column, re: the painting of the old front door on the Town Hall and also the placement of two lovely lamps, high on the same wall, it worked! I feel as though in some small way, I helped this happen, and now, I would like to say THUMBS DOWN as I plead for the roof topper to be replaced. Where is it? Also, why is the historic plaque face down in the dirt? Surely we need to be proud of this old building and its history.
SEPTEMBER 2022
THUMBS UP - to our very own Brent Herrington, who this week, September 2 and 3, is part of Team Canada at the 2022 World Butchers’ Challenge in Sacramento, California. This is Canada’s first time at this event and we are so thrilled that Brent was chosen for this prestigious competition. Good luck team!.
THUMBS DOWN - to the person(s) who dug out a plant in front of a family tombstone in Prince Albert Pine Grove Cemetery (mid July). Shame on you!
THUMBS UP - to a young teenage boy and his dad in returning my credit card soon after I lost it. They went above and beyond to find me. They searched my name online to find my address, but I had moved. The new owner told them where I lived and I had it back within an hour. Thank you so much dad. You are teaching your son the right thing to do and I am extremely grateful.
THUMBS DOWN - to whoever is responsible for the road work/speed limit signs (60km) that are still standing on Simcoe St. from Castle Harbour to just north of the 12th concession when the work has been complete for almost a month. Restore the original 80km limit; the work is done for crying out loud. (received July 22, 2022)
THUMBS UP - to everyone who was brave enough to try something new with the new Scugog Dragon Boat program this summer. What an amazing way to enjoy our lake and meet new friends!
THUMBS DOWN - to the local gas stations for keeping their prices inflated by anywhere from 8 to 11 cents per litre compared to stations in surrounding communities.
THUMBS UP - to whomever at the Township level that manages our community’s relationship with “Hollywood” and the Hallmark Channel! Having Port Perry and our downtown featured in movie shoots
and appearing in shows and films is a fun thrill.
I think we’re better for it. How else are we gonna meet Andie MacDowell?
AUGUST 2022
THUMBS DOWN - to private home sellers who post their “For Sale” signs on land other than the property for sale. This is against our local by-law in case you didn’t know.
THUMBS UP - to all those who rallied around to help out during and since the Tuesday June 21 fire in Caesarea, where a gentleman, Keith, lost his home and all contents within it. It takes a village and it certainly came shining through on this occasion.
THUMBS DOWN - A reader strongly disagrees with the comment (Thumbs July 2022) on how well the baseball diamonds in Port Perry are maintained. Please drive up to Seagrave and see the one at the park. The outfield is very rough and the infield isn’t in great condition either when we play. We pay the same amount to rent as the other diamonds and in my opinion this diamond is an afterthought.
THUMBS UP - A huge shout-out to Willowtree Farms. I asked if they could make just two pieces of bacon for my Mom in hospital. They did it quickly, and generously made her extra. Please remember to shop local.
THUMBS UP - to two members of the Rotary Club of Port Perry. Ludger Kenny and Bob Almack volunteered their time for two days assembling picnic benches at Camp Scugog. It was a great help to Camp Scugog, as they needed the benches for their campers. Great work gentlemen!
THUMBS UP - A big thank you to the Nutty Chocolatier for having such wonderful staff. When I visited with my granddaughters, ages 5 and 8, to let them experience an authentic chocolatier, two young staff members were so patient with their wants and desires. It took them 20 minutes but they left with big smiles and wonderful memories.
JULY 2022
THUMBS UP - to all the neighbours who lent a helping hand after the Derecho/tornado over Victoria Day weekend. Sharing generators, tarps, extension cords, chainsaws and a sense of humour has been broadly observed, and greatly appreciated!
THUMBS DOWN - to the individual(s) who stole the custom-built classic 1968 Camaro from a garage here in Port Perry. Heartbreaking that this is happening here.
THUMBS UP - to the township crew that maintains the Carolyn Best baseball diamonds, and other ball facilities around the township. Both the infield and outfield have been in great shape. Thank you.
THUMBS UP - to all of you who don’t jump to conclusions without knowing all the facts and details, and then posting what you heard on social media.
THUMBS DOWN - to Scugog Township and local councillor for not returning phone calls or emails regarding road repairs or salt and sand schedules for road cleaning! Gave up after 4 weeks and messages and emails!
THUMBS UP - A big Thank You to the volunteers; Lindsay Healey, Tish Menzies, Ann Burkholder, Aly Miller, Trish Haak and Brooklyn Burger-Jacobs, who helped plan, organize and coordinate the Hike for Hospice on June 5 in Port Perry. Through their efforts, the event was a big success, raising lots of awareness and funds for our local hospice.
THUMBS UP - It is wonderful to see all the events literally springing to life again after so long. Thank you to everyone for making them happen and in some cases without a lot of prep time.
It certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed.
JUNE 2022
THUMBS UP - to the ‘Seniors Crossing’ sign on the corner of Perry and North St. My elderly mother crosses at this spot quite frequently and this fabulous sign has helped put my mind at ease. Great job Port Perry in helping keep our community safe!
THUMBS DOWN - Most dog owners are responsible people and are respective of other peoples’ property, but thumbs down to the ones who knowingly stand there and watch their dogs do their business on our property. There is a boulevard easily accessible. I am a dog lover, and have had many dogs, so I know it’s up to the dog walker not the dog to show respect.
THUMBS UP - A special thank you to the 1st Port Perry Scouts for picking up garbage around Port Perry as part of their spring clean up. Beavers picked up garbage at the Scout Hall and at Reflection Park, the Cubs found all kinds of garbage at the fair grounds and the Scouts cleaned up the shoreline all the way from Palmer Park to Vos’ Independent. A great job in helping to clean up our beautiful town. Let’s all do our part and keep Port Perry clean.
THUMBS UP - to our hospital emergency nurses for their care and compassion in treating an accident injury, and their concern over getting me home again.
(from a 97-year-old veteran)
THUMBS DOWN - to the man who more than once this spring backed his pick-up truck into the Josephine St. entrance of Prince Albert Pine Grove Cemetery and released numerous trapped squirrels!
THUMBS UP - to Telecon for replacing patches of lawn with the best grass ever. When they left they placed topsoil and grass seed on the spots. This is the best grass seed ever! The minute that the snow was gone, the grass grew fast and thick and healthy even though it was often on the edges close to sidewalks where the area has been scraped by the plow and hit with salt again and again over the winter.
THUMBS UP - This is what small town Canada is all about! After a heavy rain by the lake (end of May), this disabled senior mistakenly ended up in the marsh, instead of the path, which wasn’t quite as flooded. Hence my uber scooter got stuck in 5” of muck, but a Good Samaritan with his cheering section (a lovely lady and her bow wow), pulled my ubee-shoebee-doobee out. Thank you neighbour for the true north Port Perry spirit.
MAY 2022
THUMBS DOWN - to the ice fishermen who put four Christmas trees on the ice at the foot of Pine Point Road on Scugog Island. The trees are now floating down the lake. Respecting the lake should be the first priority of every fisherman. I’m sure most fishermen would agree.
THUMBS UP - to Mayor Bobbie Drew, who gave over 30 years of dedicated service to us, the residents of Scugog. We’ll miss you. Best wishes to you and your family.
THUMBS DOWN - that there are seniors who are unable to drive to get new blue boxes as a result of theirs going missing.
If I can help in offering to pick new ones up for them I would be more than happy to. I can be reached through my office at Sutton Group Lifestyle, 905-985-4300 or direct at 905-260-1568. Thanks Brian Mckinlay.
THUMBS UP – to you Brian on that wonderful offer.
THUMBS DOWN - Why is everyone so sure that being from the City of Toronto makes you rude and ignorant and that small town people are more friendly and courteous? I am so tired of this attitude! References are often made as if small towns consist of saints and angels all around. The truth is that there are people with bad attitudes, rude drivers, people who spit on the sidewalk, complainers, people who butt in lines, park their cars in “no parking zones” etc. I read about this in Thumbs up or down column! References about snobby, unfriendly city people seem to be written by people in small towns. Doesn’t this make the small town folk snobby and unfriendly? There is irony and good and bad everywhere.
THUMBS UP - A reader comments on how wonderful some of our local merchants are in providing amazing gifts of food and support to our Port Perry Food Bank. The overall support is incredible, from those merchants and to all who donate on a regular basis or whenever possible.
THUMBS UP - to the Church Chicks of Port Perry United Church and Ken Koury, owner of The Nutty Chocolatier, for bringing back the excitement of the Easter Bonnet Contest / Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday April 17. We all know you faced tough decisions the last two years, and it was certainly appreciated that you were able to make it happen this year. It was a wonderful few hours of what felt like normal.
Thank you all!
APRIL 2022
THUMBS UP - to our great community who continue to support the G-Moms. In spite of COVID-19, we raised nearly $30,000 to help the Grannies in Africa, as they endured two pandemics. Thank you!.
THUMBS DOWN - to the inconsiderate hooligans who steal blue boxes from driveways in the neighbourhood. There are many seniors who cannot drive to get new ones. This is not why we moved to Port Perry. This town is becoming just as crime ridden as Toronto. Shame on those individuals involved!
THUMBS DOWN - to the Township of Scugog for their recent blitz leaving letters for local homeowners that they could face possible fees and even additional charges on their property taxes for failure to clear the snow on their sidewalks in a timely manner. This was done immediately following the state of emergency issued by the Township for the severe winter weather a few days ago (February 21). Seems like a double standard how Township walkways can simply post a sign saying no winter maintenance but locals get held to a stricter policy.
THUMBS UP - to Brandon Guido who helped me when my van wouldn’t start after an appointment at his salon, Monte Carlo Hair Salon. When we couldn’t get the van going, he drove my three kids and I home. We appreciated his help on that cold Friday February afternoon. We’re so fortunate to have Scugog business owners like Brandon who go the extra mile.
THUMBS UP - as we celebrate Volunteer Week, April 24 -30, we would like to recognize and thank each and every one of you who give your time, talent, voice and support to selflessly help others. It is appreciated by many, thank you!
MARCH 2022
THUMBS UP - to the Port Perry Library workers who have made the lock down easier to handle by allowing books to be taken out. THANK YOU.
THUMBS UP - to Scugog Township for the awesome snow removal in the downtown core, during the very early hours of Monday January 24.
THUMBS UP - to the Good Samaritan who followed us home from the Trading Post (end of January) to return a frozen cannelloni dinner that had fallen out of our trunk. What a great guy!
THUMBS UP - A reader would like to compliment the Port Perry Snowmobile Club for their beautiful grooming on Scugog Island and surrounding areas. They take extra care in making sure steep areas are nice and safe for all of us to enjoy! This season, and many others, we’ve had smooth wide trails! Keep up the good work!!
THUMBS UP - to all who use our winter wonderland for environmentally friendly activities “skating, walking, shinny, kite boarding, cross country skiing”, all healthy outdoor fresh air non polluting exercises.
THUMBS UP - While shopping at Foodland on Friday February 4, I lost a very sentimental gold ring. I went back to the store on Saturday morning and found that a very honest person had turned it in. Thank you to both the very kind stranger and to Foodland, you made my day!
THUMBS UP - from the residents and staff at Port Perry Villa to Dana’s Goldsmithing in partnership with Branching Out Floral Design for their thoughtfulness on a special day. They sent every resident a beautiful African violet for Valentines Day. The smiles on the residents’ faces said it all. What a wonderful community we live in.
THUMBS DOWN - to the cars that park and block the access to the sidewalks. I can appreciate parking can be tricky during heavy snow accumulation, however please appreciate some of us who are not agile, that this is a very difficult task. THUMBS UP to all the merchants who shovel the access paths.
THUMBS UP - recently I was leaving one of our local grocery stores when a young woman with beautiful long hair down to her waist came up to me as she removed a single rose from a bouquet she had just purchased,
smiled and handed me the flower. What a kind gesture! The rose lived for over a week and a half. The memory of her kindness will live MUCH MUCH longer.
FEBRUARY 2022
THUMBS UP - to Rachel Agnoluzzi, CEO of the Port Perry Hospital Foundation, for her time and dedication in making the Here for You campaign to bring a CT Scanner to Port Perry Hospital a success. The foundation board and the community should also be given a big THUMBS UP. With every ones continued support, CT should be in our hospital in the very near future.
THUMBS DOWN - to the group that plastered stickers on business windows against vaccines. Every one has a right to their opinion, but when you decimate other people’s property, how dare you!
THUMBS UP - to Williams & Follows (along with support of our community and businesses) for spreading some joy and love to 171 individuals this past Christmas by delivering Christmas dinners on Wednesday December 22, 2021, making it that much more merrier and yummier too!
THUMBS DOWN - in response to your “Thumbs up” commending children for being “brave” taking the COVID-19 vaccine, I would like to clarify the definition of brave: ready to face and endure danger or pain. What are we thanking them for, enduring the danger or the pain? It is absurd to allow children to face and endure danger/pain by taking this vaccine, knowing such potential side effects like heart inflammation, as well as there being no long term studies on this injection. Children should not be our shields to protect us.
THUMBS UP - to all the parents weighing the risks before vaccinating their children, knowing there are no long-term studies on this vaccine. Hate to find out in 10 years we have made a mistake.
THUMBS DOWN - to all the people that use donation bins as their own dumping grounds. Recently attended the bin at Redman’s Antique Barn. Stuff all over the ground, couldn’t open bin, after moving stuff I opened bin and put my donations inside. The bin took most of the other stuff. Come on people don’t be so lazy. THUMBS UP to property owners for allowing bins there!!
THUMBS UP - to the nice gentleman with the plow who must have seen us shovelling for hours today (Monday January 17) - he took care of the 4ft mountain at the end of the driveway for us and saved us easily a couple of hours. He wouldn’t even take a bottle of wine as thanks! This is one of the reasons we love this town so much.
Editor’s Note: Now that you have read through the Thumbs, note that these are solely people’s opinions as everyone has the right to express their own thoughts. However, going forward we have made the decision to no longer publish any COVID related Thumbs.
JANUARY 2022
THUMBS UP - We love Christmas very much and enjoy the beautiful Christmas light lawn displays. We appreciate how much time and thought goes into these displays. But we would like to give a THUMBS DOWN to people who leave the lights on all night. Please conserve some energy and turn off when going to bed or buy a timer.
THUMBS UP - A big thank you to the Township of Scugog and the BIA for the beautiful lights and decorations in downtown Port Perry. They make this season feel extra special. I would also like to thank the downtown businesses that have gone that extra mile to decorate and make their front windows and store interiors look so nice. Downtown Port Perry is even more beautiful this time of the year.
THUMBS DOWN - It is horrifying, writes a resident, that we have to fight our own government to save the environment. With the addition of at least 750 new houses in our town, did we think of the environmental cost?
THUMBS UP - A senior resident wanted to thank a young woman for going out of her way to help her on Tuesday November 30. After locking her keys in her car (first time ever), she called CAA and went in to the store to wait for them. The young woman asked if she was okay, she explained she was fine, just waiting and the young woman saw CAA and rushed back inside to let her know. I’m afraid I didn’t get her name, although I did thank her, I just wanted to say how wonderful it was of her to help and thank her again. There truly are good samaritans among us!
THUMBS UP - to all the children who have gotten their COVID vaccine, writes another resident. It’s a brave thing that you guys have done and you are the real heroes for it. Be proud of your decision and know we are all proud of you too.
THUMBS UP - to Stephanie and Matt, owners of Applewood Farm and Winery for being awarded The Durham Region Accessibility award recently. A deserving award in recognition of their commitment to making the farm and winery accessible for everyone; with ramps, accessible port-olet, wider than average doorways to fit wheelchairs and even an accessible wagon ride, so no one gets left behind.
THUMBS UP - to Ken Koury of the Nutty Chocolatier and Carolyn Bookalam for their community involvement and generous donation to the Rotary Club Seniors Christmas Dinner. Also to everyone from the planning committee, church contacts, Community Care, bag decorating (Prince Albert Public School) and the cooking, packaging and delivery volunteers.
DECEMBER 2021
THUMBS DOWN - to the people who think it is okay to blow their leaves and snow onto the roads.
THUMBS UP - to Jeff Redmond Septic Service Ltd.
Jeff’s team works “behind” the scenes (literally) for keeping the porta-potties spotless in Port Perry. Cleanliness is extremely important in these types of environments, and it is obvious that Jeff feels the same way. Clean porta-potties are not top of mind for everyone but let’s face it, when the chips are down, it is nice to have a clean playing surface. I don’t know if this is Jeff or a team member, but I see him at work early each morning and he does a thorough job, which I’m thankful for! (received mid October)
THUMBS DOWN - to the high school students that leave litter along the sidewalks from the school to the downtown area. Your neighbours don’t like having to pick up your chip bags, french fry plates, disposable masks, or having to pull half-eaten pizza slices from their dogs mouths when walking them. Be conscientious - take care to keep Port Perry litter free!
THUMBS DOWN - to Scugog By-Law and council for not enforcing the property standards act! We have a problem in Cartwright that’s been on going for over 8 months and they seem to not want to lay charges or enforce the act! Why?
THUMBS DOWN - after reading about the township survey on tax increases with only 159 replies (which I didn’t even know about) and saying very positive response to raise taxes, these increases every year are getting out of hand. Being a “senior citizen on fixed income and no work pension, my OAS and CPP doesn’t increase each year to cover this!!!
THUMBS UP - to the Nutty Chocolatier of Port Perry for honouring the Brain family by displaying our Grandfather’s legion banner in their storefront display. A display that was even praised by the Lieutenant Governor on her visit on November 11. Thanks for the honour.
THUMBS DOWN - to the individual(s) going to door-to-door selling chocolate bars and saying it was a fundraiser for our food bank. What a scam and please know our Operation Scugog Food Bank is in no way affiliated with these people.
THUMBS UP - to all our local shop owners and their amazing staff. On a recent trip into town to start my Christmas shopping, I was met with holiday greetings and smiles. Some shops were playing Christmas music to set the mood. I think we have a wonderful town and feel very blessed. Thank you Port Perry.
NOVEMBER 2021
THUMBS DOWN - while shaking head to the Town of Scugog. Instead of re-paving (or heaven forbid, repair) one of the choppiest roads in Durham (Middlemarch Rd, enroute to Oakridge Golf Course) they put fresh painted lines over all the potholes and cracks! Go see for yourself, but book an alignment soon after.
THUMBS UP - to the young lady from Seagrave that found my wallet in the parking lot outside of Papa John’s Pizza last Sunday (September 26). She took the time and effort to go out of her way to bring my wallet to my house on her way home with her pizza and refusing any reward and offer to pay for her pizza. There are still good and honest people in this world and I’m sure glad I met one on that day. Thank you again “Kind lady from Seagrave”.
THUMBS UP - to the gentleman who gives up his weekend time and goes to the fairgrounds and cleans up the garbage (cups, bottles, cans and wrappers) that have been left lying around the grounds and the stages from the night before.
THUMBS UP - You may remember that Focus on Scugog published a story on Blackstock’s Kirsten Welsh in November 2019. Well Kirsten made headlines recently, by becoming the first woman to be an OHL linesperson during a game between Mississauga and Guelph, with more to follow. Way to go Kirsten.
THUMBS DOWN - many irate residents voicing their displeasure that Scugog Council and staff are not required to be vaccinated and yet the message to everyone else is to get it! And we as residents, are not allowed in any township buildings, i.e. recreation centre, library, museum, the list goes on. Wherein does any of this make sense?
THUMBS UP - to Johnny & the Generics & Friends who played in front of Bob Prentice Barber Shop on October 1st in celebration of Port Perry’s 150th. When playing and entertaining the crowd with old favourites, they also raised
$1371.55 for the PPHF Here for You CT scanner.
OCTOBER 2021
THUMBS UP - to Judy Anderson who organized the concerts in the park this summer. A great selection of musical entertainment, that was most enjoyable. Let's hope the township encourages Judy to do it again next summer. Thanks Judy!
THUMBS UP - thank you to North Durham Regional Police who are now patrolling various Scugog roads and pulling over groups of cyclists who are not abiding by the rules of the road. Those of us who live on these rural roads and travelling with heavy farm equipment and livestock trailers are at times put in very awkward and dangerous positions when these cycling groups refuse to 'share' the road. Huge Thank You to DRPS.
THUMBS UP - to Andrew and Lynne. These two very kind people came to my rescue when my dog fell ill during a walk. Andrew lent me his son's wagon and gently lifted my dog into the wagon. Lynne took time out from her walk to pull the wagon, so that I could keep my dog calm. These two wonderful people saved the day for my dog and me. I am so very grateful for the kindness of strangers.
THUMBS DOWN - Shame on our farmers that now use airplanes to spray pesticides on their fields. It is bad enough to use these pesticides, but by using an airplane they also sprayed my property. It was all over my car and even going through the car wash, the wipers were still smearing. I had to use laundry detergent to clean the windshield! Who knows how many chemicals seeped into my soil. The Lord said, "We should respect our neighbours and that we are simply tenants of the land." I feel a lot of this land is now contaminated and that only specific genetically altered crops will grow. It seems as though we have missed the Lord's wishes on both accounts.
THUMBS UP - to four hard working employees, Lucy Lee, Madeleine Hardacre-Pearce, Travis Hanson, and Sarah Wynn, that each won a $1000 scholarship from Ginger and Sandy Jackson at McDonald's Restaurant in Port Perry.
SEPTEMBER 2021
THUMBS UP - to the workers at the Durham Regional Waste Facility on Reach Rd for being upbeat, cheerful and helpful. Also for always having treats ready for my two dogs - two big paws up for your generosity.
THUMBS DOWN - to all the people who have old dilapidated house trailers in their yard right out near the street. Totally against township bylaws. Nothing but an eye sore.
THUMBS UP - in late July, three boys were biking near the library on Old Rail Lane. I was bringing my husband home from hospital. He was sitting on his walker and slipped off the seat. I was not able to move him back. I called to the boys and they came running and successfully helped me get him back onto the seat. I called the ambulance and they helped him into the house. Thanks fellows for your quick response.
THUMBS DOWN - to those who continuously speed through residential areas, at all times of the day and night. Please SLOW down before someone is seriously injured or tragically killed.
THUMBS UP - to Port Perry's 150 committee! This hard working committee is made up of business people and residents who have volunteered countless hours to celebrate this momentous occasion, to showcase our town and reflect on our history through events and celebrations. A THUMBS UP as well to those who stepped up to organize and run some of these events. It is certainly not over yet, the fun continues through this month with a final celebration on October 3.
THUMBS UP - to Carol at Never Enough Wool for helping me complete my first "Knitted Knocker" for my cousin who had just had a mastectomy. I had questions about the pattern so I called the store and went through it with Carol and was able to finish knitting it. Also I did not have any polyester fill to stuff the knocker, and due to COVID, ordering on-line would have taken time. Carol was kind enough to give me some fill from her personal supply so I could finish the knocker and present it to my cousin. Thank you so much Carol! We are very fortunate to have people / shop owners like you in Port Perry!!
AUGUST 2021
THUMBS UP - to our Pet Valu and Paulmac stores for their support of the Walk for Dog Guides. During the campaign end review with all the different walk sites via Zoom, the Lions Foundation singled them out as outstanding supporters. They were on the leaderboard for the largest contributors. We can all learn from them. Thank you Pam and Scott.
THUMBS UP - from a reader to all the wonderful people that were in the dollar store by the Walmart on June 22 at 11 a.m. I was in the back of a long line up and the people in front of me overheard me mention my break from work was over in a couple minutes. So without me even asking, they all told me to go ahead of them so I would not be late for work! They were all so very nice and I really appreciated it, thank you.
THUMBS DOWN - to all those that lash out at our local businesses by posting a complaint on social media, without giving owner or manager the opportunity to discuss an issue. In most cases, issues can be resolved before damage is done. Please give them the opportunity and consideration, as most are short staffed and doing the best they can during these uncertain times. These are also the people that sponsor teams and donate to so many fundraisers. They deserve a chance to talk before being steam rolled.
THUMBS UP - to our garbage collectors doing hard physical work in all kinds of weather with cheerful good humour. One day I was standing in the back of my truck on Alma Street looking around for a neighbour in sight to help me with a large, heavy load. The approaching garbage truck driver waved at me and I returned his wave, and they picked up our load and started off. Suddenly the truck stopped, reversed and the tail rider asked me if I needed a hand! He came, and in a minute had solved my need of an extra set of hands. We all owe a debt of gratitude to these essential workers. To be so thoughtful and generous with their time was extraordinary!
THUMBS UP - to each and every person who continually gives to the many, many fundraisers throughout Scugog. There are so many to mention that we choose not too, in fear of leaving anyone out. Thank you Scugog!
JULY 2021
THUMBS UP - You can buy lovely homes and can hire talented landscapers, but you can't buy good neighbours. We are so blessed with ours. During a difficult time for us, our neighbours have gone above and beyond; cutting grass, trimming branches, offering everything from transportation and medical help to topsoil and homemade muffins.
What a wonderful neighbourhood. Thanks to all of you.
THUMBS DOWN - to the drivers who do not slow down and/or yield to traffic on their left, before entering the roundabout at the library/Water St. area. The yield signs are plainly obvious. I have noticed a few close calls due to this practice, this is not a four way stop! It is a traffic circle to allow vehicles smooth passage through the intersection. Please yield left to traffic already on the circle then proceed with caution.
THUMBS DOWN - Ever notice the lack of garbage and recycling bins on a construction site? The environment is not their problem. Some day your new dwelling's garden will push up a name brand coffee cup with cigarette butts in it.
THUMBS UP - to a very good Samaritan! On May 28 one of our Focus clients was out doing some errands and misplaced a cheque he had written for us. He reached out by messenger to let us know and had said maybe whoever found it might pop it through our mail slot. Lo and behold, that person did. Thanks from both our client and ourselves.
THUMBS UP - to all our restaurants and retail shops that once again rolled with the punches in order to swing open their doors and their patios safely on Friday June 11. There certainly was a wonderful buzz of electricity in the air.
Now if only we can get our hair/nail salons open!
THUMBS DOWN - to some tenants living above our businesses on Queen St. for putting their garbage out on non-pick up days. Please keep in mind that garbage is picked up early on Tuesday and Friday mornings.
MAY 2021
Publisher's Note:
As some of you may have seen our newsletter in April, this is a compilation of those and others that were emailed in to our office after the deadline.
Due to not publishing a June issue, we have also included a few more in this issue and hope to be back to our regular schedule in July.
THUMBS UP - Remember in our March 2021 issue, we had a story on the Queen of Butter Tarts? Eleanor Bailey had a goal to bake and deliver (with her husband Ralph as chauffeur) 5,500 butter tarts from last Easter until this Easter..... well they blew it away, 6298 in one year!
WTG, big thumbs up!
THUMBS DOWN - to the Ontario Ministry of Health as to why our funeral directors are not considered essential (as of April 15, 2021). They are in direct contact with people that have died from this horrible disease, in nursing homes, private residences and hospitals and with their families who have been exposed. Should have been on the front line list, and finally on May 3, they were included!
THUMBS UP - A local gentleman wanted to give a thumbs up to the person driving a burgundy Hummer through McDonalds drive-thru in early April. I hope you see this as you absolutely made my day by paying for my coffee.
THUMBS DOWN - to the commuters that transit Old Simcoe Road and continue to litter the ditches with beer cans, liquor bottles, cigarette packages and a host of other garbage. It's hard to fathom what kind of people would feel this was acceptable behaviour. But the real shock, today, was finding a severed goats head on the side of the road. That clearly is a new low.
THUMBS UP - to artist Hildy Smith, who presented Port Perry Hospital Foundation Here for Your campaign, with a cheque for $5000 on Tuesday May 11. The printing costs of Hildy's painting titled, 'Port Perry Winter Waterfront' was covered within the first day of sales and all sales since that day have been donated to the campaign. The print is still available at $65 (all donated) and The Framer's Gallery is offering a 50% off special on framing it as well.
THUMBS DOWN - Undeniable that construction industry should bear responsibilities for causing global warming. Activities related to building are responsible for 35% to 45% of CO2 releases into the atmosphere. The fresh air of Port Perry is being impacted. Yet, a subdivision builder gets rewarded for builder of the year.
THUMBS UP - to Medical Associates of Port Perry for the efficient communication and rollout of their vaccination clinic, and to our medical community for their continuing and heroic commitment to local health services throughout this challenging pandemic.
THUMBS DOWN - Volunteers wanted to give a great big thumbs down to the person who stole their extra-large recycling bin when it was left full on the west side of Old Simcoe Rd. north of 8th Line. People were picking up garbage in their commitment to the "Adopt a Road" program in celebration of Earth Day. They went to get it right after they had finished collection, and it was gone. They are hopeful that the thief will at least recycle its contents.
THUMBS DOWN - to the people using the Skateboard Park at the Scugog Community Centre that refuse to use the garbage can. I took my little guy there today and the grass was covered in garbage. It took an hour to clean it all up.
THUMBS UP - and a mega one at that, to the two unknown gentlemen who on April 30 prevented a steel platform full of potted plants from falling on me. As I was walking past the display, the incredible wind somehow dislodged the platform. I was unable to push it back nor could I let it go for fear of it falling on me. They together were able to get it back in place. My sincerest thanks to them. It could have been a disaster.
APRIL 2021
THUMBS UP - A reader sent in her sincerest thanks to our local Rotary Club and our local Library Board for their pandemic initiative named 'HOMEBOUND BOOKS'.
I recently found a paper bag full of pocket novels, from HOMEBOUND BOOKS, on my front porch. I'm a senior who lives alone and these books will bring me many hours of reading enjoyment. Thank you HOMEBOUND BOOKS!
THUMBS UP - to North End Fitness for working so hard to bring new and exciting exercise classes paired with super sweet and motivating tough instructors to keep us mentally and physically sane. As if that wasn't enough, they have already made such a mark on this community with their North Week: working with local businesses to provide free classes and prizes for donations to Operation Scugog.
THUMBS UP - to everyone who has donated to the Port Perry Hospital Foundation 'Here for You' campaign thus far. Also, to all the businesses that have stepped up and are offering a portion of their sales to go towards this cause. Times have been tough and yet this town just keeps on ticking and giving!
THUMBS DOWN - to those that insist on "light jumping" at Simcoe St. turning east on to 7A. Vehicles trying to jump the green light, advanced or not, and make the left hand turn, cutting off oncoming traffic. This seems to be a regular occurrence and it's a bad intersection with very limited visibility. Please be considerate to everyone on the road.
THUMBS UP - to the 100 Men of Scugog who so far have collected $3500 for the Port Perry Walk for Dog Guides fund for a Scugog resident, and to the owners of our local Pet Valu and Paulmacs and customers, who continue to raise funds all year round!
THUMBS UP - Another mention(s) to John Mackey for having continually kept the ice rinks cleared this past winter on the lake. Many people enjoyed it and made some unique memories.
MARCH 2021
THUMBS UP - to Doug Brown and Pharmacy Associates. They truly delivered contactless prescriptions and not insist that we walk through the store to hand in our prescriptions and then wait for them, reducing risk during this time of pandemic. We emailed a picture of our prescription and it was delivered within hours. The driver did ask for the original when he delivered. As always, Doug and Pharmacy Associates put the community first!
THUMBS UP - I have been impressed and grateful at how all the local churches have been working so hard to provide worship resources for all our churchgoers. They have all found ways to reach out by various Internet methods - zoom, video, voice mail, and weekly inspiring written forms of prayer. The clergy, musicians and dedicated parishioners deserve a real 'shout-out' and gratitude that they put their faith and care into action.
THUMBS DOWN - A reader dropped in this note on February 10, asking "When are our streets (Queen & Water) going to be cleaned up"? They are a hazard to vehicles who cannot park properly and pedestrians who have to walk on the street to get to a clean sidewalk. Most vehicles are parked out of the lines, as our parking spaces are partly covered with snow. Maybe our businesses' sales would pick up if people could park and walk safely to get to them.
THUMBS UP - to Trading Post, who as of February 8 has raised $10,000 for the Port Perry Hospital and is well on the way of reaching their goal of $25,000. Thanks to all who have generously donated and we continue to ask that you add to our collection jars.
THUMBS UP - to all of our restaurants who have gone above and beyond in keeping all of us well fed throughout this pandemic. And another thumbs up to all the take out menus for special occasions, i.e. Super Bowl, Family Day, Valentines Day, pop ups and so much more.
THUMBS UP - to Branching Out Florist and "Cupid". The flowers and cards with special messages made so many peoples' day. Thank you for your thoughtfulness, from the residents and staff at Port Perry Villa.
THUMBS UP - My wife and I are avid walkers and runners. In order to maintain social distancing it is sometimes necessary for us to run and or walk on the street. We would like to give a big thumbs up to the drivers in Port Perry. The vast majority will either slow down or move over for us if traffic flow permits. We typically give them a wave of thanks and will usually get a wave back. Thank-you drivers, we appreciate your courtesy.
THUMBS DOWN - I am writing about the park south of McDonalds. Our park has been turned into a snowmobile park, making it dangerous to walk our dogs or families through it. The damage being done is ridiculous; newly planted trees are now two thirds gone or damaged. Taking down and throwing no vehicles signs does not give you the right to endanger the public. Where is our enforcement?
FEBRUARY 2021
THUMBS UP - to Dana and her team at Dana's Goldsmithing on selling out of this year's Christmas ornaments. A record number of two thousand were sold and $10,000 has been donated to Port Perry Hospital Foundation. Over the twenty-year period Dana's has now donated $91,500. Two thumbs up to Dana, her staff and everyone who purchased these beautiful ornaments.
THUMBS UP - to Brent Clemens for his hard work clearing and keeping the skating path for the Williams Point residents in great shape. This selfless act in these unprecedented times, is greatly appreciated by all of us who have been able to get out and enjoy Lake Scugog while getting some much- needed exercise.
THUMBS DOWN - I'm not sure if it's the Township roads people who are responsible for handicapped parking, but I pulled into one of two spots in front of the post office on Saturday, and to my dismay, the snow bank along the sidewalk edge was so high, no one could have gotten out my passenger door, nor could I even assist because it had turned to thick icy banks that one could never traverse. The curbs should be cleared as soon as the plowing is finished in the downtown core, but the handicapped spaces, especially, should take precedence.
THUMBS UP - A reader wanted to give a big thumbs up to the Port Perry Medical Associates for waiving the parking fees during the ongoing pandemic. Every dollar helps these days!.
THUMBS UP - to Regional Councillor Wilma Wotten and Councillor Deborah Kiezebrink for their support of families from Williams Point, Caesarea and Beacock Road. After years of having school bus service, the DSTS has discontinued the routes on these dead end roads making longer walks and dangerous bus stops. With the councillors support on YouTube, we hope that the DSTS will reconsider and provide a solution that will be a happy and safe one for our children. https://youtu.be/__pCVNLsUKk
DECEMBER 2020
THUMBS UP - to Port Perry Beer Store and the many members of our community who donated their empties and made donations in support of Port Perry Hospital Foundation and its frontline heroes. An incredible $5,240.20 was raised that will help our local Port Perry Hospital respond to COVID and other urgent needs. Cheers North Durham!
THUMBS DOWN - to the person feeding seemingly unlimited quantities of peanuts every day to the squirrels in our neighborhood. There are so many peanuts that the squirrels are digging up lawns and gardens in an attempt to bury them. Aside from the damage done by all the digging, peanuts are not a healthy food choice for squirrels and in such large quantities can be harmful or even fatal.
THUMBS UP - to Old Flame Brewing Co. for capturing Gold for their Helles Lager in the North American Style Premium Lager category and Silver for their Hazy Blonde in the Kellerbier/Zwickelbier category at the most recent Canadian Brewing Awards. Coming off their win, the brewery now boasts nine medals over the past five years in the competition's lager categories - making them the most awarded craft lager brewery in Canada since 2015 as per the Canadian Brewing Awards!
THUMBS UP - to the organizers from the Port Perry-Prince Albert United Churches House Tour for their donation of $1000 to Community Care Durham. Although the house tour did not take place in the traditional sense, due to
COVID-19, participants were asked to purchase tickets to support charitable organizations including; CCD, Joanne's House, YWCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters North Durham and North House.
THUMBS DOWN - to the grader operator who last graded Mckee Road and left piles of heavy dirt and gravel all along the frontage of our lawn. This is hard labour to rake (what we can) and not acceptable as a taxpayer. In the spring, we deal with stones flung 20 feet onto our lawn from winter snow plowing, not to mention living with the never-ending dust! Please do a much more considerate job of it.
THUMBS UP - to Port Perry Taxi for offering no charge for rides to and from the food bank.
NOVEMBER 2020
THUMBS UP - to Mark Fletcher, outgoing President, Port Perry Hospital Foundation Board of Directors. Mark has just finished three years as Foundation President, a voluntary leadership role that started just prior to the Port Perry Hospital fire and ended during the challenges of COVID. He's worked incredibly hard through many challenging times on behalf of our hospital and community. Mark now holds the office of Past President. He deserves our gratitude; so if you see him, please remember to say thanks.
THUMBS DOWN - to all the households who have 3 or 4 cars and consistently park on both sides of residential streets, which interferes with the normal flow of traffic and is an eye sore. Use your garage for your extra cars!
THUMBS UP - to the Port Perry Lions Club who collected just over $1,000 during a bottle drive they held this past August. They donated the money to Big Brothers Big Sisters North Durham for the Scout Hall Restoration fund.
THUMBS DOWN - to all the cat owners in Prince Albert who let their animals run wild. These cats are the worst predators of songbirds not to mention chipmunks and bunnies. And just so you know, the pet bylaw does not allow for "pets" to be unleashed when not on your own property.
THUMBS UP - to Kelly's on Queen for selling Canadian made non-medical face masks and donating all the proceeds, $5,000 to the Port Perry Hospital Foundation. That's a lot of masks! So appreciated by everyone.
THUMBS DOWN - to the federal official(s) who granted exemptions to Uline executives for their visit to Canada. (The personnel flew to Canada, did not quarantine, went to its distribution centre and conducted a mass meeting wherein they prohibited attendees the wearing of masks).
THUMBS UP - Kudos to the 'guys' doing the roadwork on Highway 7A to Blackstock/Caesarea. They've done a great job and have been working late into the night (I presume not to disrupt day traffic) and their hard work is appreciated.
THUMBS DOWN - to the scammers and their spoofing. They are putting 985 exchanges on call display hoping people will answer when they see a local number. When you google these numbers many businesses' names appear including, P.P. Medical Centre but with their real numbers. Scammer numbers to name a few are; 985-5957, 4956, 1751. These are desperate characters.
OCTOBER 2020
THUMBS UP - to Community Living Durham North (CLDN) for being so proactive in protecting their staff and residents during COVID. They continue to keep ahead of the wave by being extra cautious around our fragile residents and providing more support, education, and PPE to their front-line workers. They along with the Union, CUPE, are doing morale boosting draws for staff, recognizing the great job they are doing in these trying times. Great place to work and be.
THUMBS DOWN - it is bad enough that my back street neighbor idles a vehicle for more than 30 minutes in the winter. There is no reason to idle for 10 minutes or more in the summer. I love the way the lights from an idling automobile pollute my space at 5 a.m.
THUMBS DOWN - Port Perry is losing a great number of mature trees this year, some to disease, but mostly to rampant construction. Large mature trees not only make the town more attractive and increase real estate values; they provide many other benefits as diverse as reducing energy bills and reducing overall personal stress levels.
THUMBS UP - to the Parks Department of Scugog Township for doing a great job grooming Reflection Park to make it an inviting location in the downtown core. No doubt the many students involved in the Reflection Park Project appreciate your time and care to maintain its beauty.
THUMBS DOWN - to the woman at the grocery store on Friday, Sept. 4th, at around 4:15 p.m. I’m sorry for taking so long at customer service. The ticket reader would not read my ticket, the debit machine would not read the chip on my debit card, neither of which gives you the right to yell at me “Are you done yet?” You are rude and have no patience. In this day and age a little kindness makes all the difference.
THUMBS UP - On the weekend (September 5, 2020) we had Jeff’s BBQ out to our house to cater our wedding. Words cannot express the gratitude and thanks we have for them! They went above and beyond their job and provided all of our guests with an exceptional meal. We can’t thank them enough and are so pleased they were able to join in our joyous celebration. We would like to pass on two BIG thumbs up.
THUMBS DOWN - as we all continue to wind our way through this pandemic, wanted to suggest that people stop using Facebook and other social media to take shots at our businesses who are trying their best to keep themselves and everyone else safe, whilst opening their doors for all services, retail and/or patio or restaurant dining. If you are uncomfortable with service or protocols, please discuss with owner/manager face to face, rather than taking it to social media, or stay home until you feel safe.
THUMBS DOWN - to those who pile their donations at donation bins on the ground when the bin is full. Your donations become garbage at that point and cannot be used. If the bin is full wait till it is emptied or in the case of Diabetes Association, call and arrange for a pickup. On top of this, items piled up around the boxes are definitely an eye sore to the community.
SEPTEMBER 2020
THUMBS UP - A reader asked for this inclusion in thumbs (which is appreciated and enjoyed). As a customer, I am grateful and happy that all staff members of our local stores are so kind, relaxed and helpful, while still observing safety methods. Friends in Oshawa and surrounding towns tell me they find much less enjoyable experiences.
THUMBS UP - to all of the servers and staff of businesses and restaurants in Port Perry who are wearing their masks properly.
THUMBS DOWN - to some of the residents of Aldred Drive who had weeds cut from their beach and did not have the courtesy to remove them. They floated over to Caesarea
plugging our beaches. Totally uncalled for.
THUMBS DOWN - How sad it was for me to read the thumbs down comment regarding “not wearing masks”. As a small coffee shop owner, it was extremely difficult to obtain the necessary protective equipment in the frenzied procurement of PPE when our hospitals couldn’t even obtain the correct equipment!! My store followed all guidelines for masks and other protective equipment as soon as they could be obtained in the insanity of Covid-19! And, when they became mandatory, all staff members, even those with medical conditions (such as Asthma), wore and continue to wear masks. We welcome all our customers to speak to us personally regarding any concerns in our store … communicating through Focus with a ‘thumbs down’ is of no benefit to anyone.
THUMBS UP - to Penny’s Mini Mart and how this little community has come together during these hard times and have shone brightly, that’s why we love living in small town Blackstock.
THUMBS UP - to Dr. Steve Russell, Chair, Oak Ridges Hospice for an update (July 31- YOUTUBE) on the progress of our new palliative care residence. Very impressive to see and even more so through the pandemic. Check it out or make a donation:
www.oakridgeshospice.com
AUGUST 2020
THUMBS UP - to the whole Focus team for the determination and hard work it took to keep our “Scugog Lifeline” threading it’s way through our lives and our community over these last several weeks. You have provided us with continuous stories, revelations and announcements and we thank you for that from the bottom of our hearts. We will be happy to have the magazine back on our coffee tables but we want you to know in the last many weeks you went above and beyond to keep your service, information and messages flowing.
THUMBS DOWN - to all the residents, tourists and even our local favourite coffee shop for not wearing masks while walking and shopping at our local shops and even serving coffee without being behind a barrier. Shame on you!
THUMBS DOWN - to business owners and staff in the downtown, who use up precious on-street parking spaces to park the entire day while at work. With a severe lack of parking spaces available, along with a proposal to close Queen St. to vehicles on weekends – eliminating even more parking – it is crucial to keep on-street parking available for customers.
THUMBS UP - During the sweltering heat wave in early July, as I was standing outside in line-up at CIBC, out came an employee offering water to all those waiting patiently to get in to the teller. When I finished there, I walked up Queen St., and noticed that TD Canada Trust had some large umbrellas out for their customers to stand under to help shade them. Very thoughtful!
Thought we would share a few of the past THUMBS UP from a couple of our newsletters, in case you missed them!
THUMBS UP - to Emmerson Insurance Brokers and The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group. They just sent me a pay-it-forward cheque for $100, because of difficult times. How amazing is that? The note along with the cheque from The Commonwell Insurance Group stated ‘we’re paying it forward, so together we can make a difference for our members and our community”.
THUMBS UP - Speaking of The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group, it spurred on the Puckrin & Latreille Real Estate Team to truly pay it forward, once again, as they in turn donated $1000 to Port Perry Hospital Foundation in it’s fight against COVID-19. Tanya Latreille’s message on Facebook, read in part, “together we want to show that we can make a difference as well in our community. We encourage every one to pay it forward and be kind”.
THUMBS UP - to all Scugog businesses that have had to adapt to a completely different way of doing business over the past couple of months – from curbside to take-out, to putting all protocols and safety features in place, in order for all of us to be able to make each and every day as normal as it possibly can be! Thanks to all of you!
APRIL 2020
THUMBS UP - to the kind, off-duty fireman who took the time out of his supper at the Foundry to make sure I was okay after I ingested something I was allergic to. Thankfully I was alright, but this guy brought me a glass of water, went through his emergency checklist with me and made sure everyone knew I was okay. We live in the best town!
THUMBS DOWN - to the person who parked and blocked the snow cleared entrance to a neighbouring business while attending a fitness class and making the other’s customers walk through the snow after the major snowfall (Thursday February 27). Try parking a little further away in the parking lot and not taking up all the frontage parking spaces while you work out for an hour.
THUMBS UP - to the diligent workers who are building the Hospice. They are working through sub zero temperatures and snowstorms.
THUMBS UP - to the gentleman who reminded me to take my money from the ATM at the CIBC on March 2. I was somewhat distracted with all the transactions I had finished doing, and would have forgot, had it not have been for him. This is a wonderful community to be a part of where we still have people watching out for one another.
THUMBS UP - to the lady who drives one of Scugog’s snowplow trucks. We live on Josephine Street in Prince Albert, which has a very narrow and sharp curve at the beginning of the street just at our driveway. This lady is very particular about the snow she plows in that area even backing up and going around a couple of times to ensure the corner is safe....thumbs up for a great job!
THUMBS UP - and thank you to the Piano Café for bringing soup and buns to striking public school teachers.
THUMBS UP - a big shout out, thank you, and thumbs up to the kind lady that stopped to see if my daughter was okay following a minor collision on the corner of Simcoe and 7A. So grateful for our wonderful community!
THUMBS UP - to Brad Martyn, of Martyn Mini Hoe, for doing a fantastic job plowing my driveway after the two-day Snowmageddon at the end of February.
MARCH 2020
THUMBS UP - to John Whyte of Joy’s Candy and Landon Beacock of Landon’s Tree Service, for donating dog dispensers and dog waste bags to our new dog park. Paw’s up!
THUMBS DOWN - to the garbage collectors who throw the bins so carelessly that they block driveways. Twice in the last month, I’ve not been able to get in my own driveway without parking on the side of the road to move the bins first. Show some consideration, please. THUMBS UP - to those garbage collectors who thoughtfully and carefully place the bins on the side of the driveway and off the road. Thank you!
THUMBS DOWN - to those who think it’s a good idea to bring small children and babies to our dog park. It’s irresponsible of you! Please refrain from doing this.
THUMBS UP - After my pug Luna got out of her harness, and ran out onto the street, this wonderful lady stopped her car and gave me dog treats to coax her back. Once again, got to love this small town, anywhere else it could have been a very different outcome!
THUMBS UP - to the local vendors taking away the option of supplying us with plastic bags. Some offer a paper bag option or force us to re-use our own bags. Good on them. I won’t name the two I have noticed recently as I would be missing too many others that do the same. Going to be tougher for the larger stores and supermarkets to address this issue but we need to start somewhere.
THUMBS UP - I went to the Emergency at Port Perry Hospital this past Saturday (February 1) with awful abdominal pain. By the time I was ready to go home that night I had improved from when I walked in. I am extremely grateful for the doctors, nurses and staff there, and all that they do. My most heartfelt thank you to all of them.
FEBRUARY 2020
THUMBS UP - Thank you so much to the stranger who returned my wallet at Vos’ Independent in December. I left my wallet in the cart and was so very grateful to get it back with the $100 that was in it. I love my little town, full of kind, honest people. Thanks again very kind stranger.
THUMBS UP - In early December, my wife was making an $8 purchase at the Dollar Tree store here in town. When the cashier requested payment from her, an unknown woman reached over my wife and gave her a twenty dollar bill and told my wife she could keep the change. My wife initially reused the kind offer, but the woman insisted, saying that she lost her husband recently and he left her with more money than she knows what to do with. My wife accepted the offer and told the woman she was an angel.
A shout out to the Port Perry angel.
THUMBS DOWN - to the ignorant and selfish people who are abusing our new dog park!! (dated Jan 1, 2020). We went for the first time, and had to side step dog crap from every angle. How disgusting that people are ruining the experience for everyone by being too lazy to bend over and pick up his or her dog’s crap!!!
THUMBS UP - Many residents (Focus included) wanted to give a thumbs up to Team Canada Junior Hockey Team and local Ty Dellandrea for bringing home the gold medal!
THUMBS DOWN - to those who shoplift! Each and every one of our businesses support our town in many different ways and it was especially sad to hear that a customer of our charity store here in town, saw someone place items in a bag and proceed to walk out the door! This thief is robbing all of us, as all proceeds from the shop go directly to our hospital!
THUMBS DOWN - to people who move to a rural area and leave their bright LED house lights on all hours of the night for seemingly no particular reason; this is light pollution!!!! We enjoy the night sky and the stars. We understand you are proud of your new home but people can enjoy it during the day. Please shut off your lights.
THUMBS UP - to Pharmacist Doug Brown who, following my recent surgery, went to Oshawa on a Saturday night to pick up required meds not available in Port, then made an after hours house call to deliver and administer the necessary injection and returned on Sunday with additional supplies in hand to assist us to do the injections ourselves. Mr. Brown’s kindness was above and beyond and was truly appreciated and needs to be recognized. This is just another example of how people in this small town care for one another.
JANUARY 2020
THUMBS DOWN - Few residents from Port Perry and Scugog Township showed up for a well thought out presentation of potential pedestrian and bicycle routes throughout the town and surrounding area at the Scugog council chambers Thursday evening, November 21. We should be taking more interest in the safe movement of our fellow citizens young and old that don’t rely on the car shuttle all of the time.
THUMBS DOWN - to the individual or organization responsible for taking down several lawn signs during November, advertising for the Port Perry Seniors Club Annual Bazaar, which is a non-profit organization run by its members. How disgusting!!!
THUMBS UP - to Peter Bethlenfalvy and Lindsey Park for clarifying the health regulations and bringing them into the 21st century by allowing businesses the choice of letting dogs in low risk packaged foods locations. This was due to an anonymous malicious complaint against Uxbridge’s
The Second Wedge Brewing Company tradition.
THUMBS DOWN and UP - One resident sent it in just like this: DOWN, due to the fact my seat belt and man bag keep popping my Remembrance Day poppy off and I lose it, people question me as to why I am not wearing one. I have the right not to wear one if I choose not to. So many people jump to a conclusion without justifying their actions. Funny, the poppy stands to honour the men and women who fought for this freedom. The UP side? I had to buy 5 or 6 poppies, so the Legion got more money.
THUMBS UP - to the whiskers and moustache of Devon Smith. Devon has been raising money every year since 2012 for the Movember Foundation (raising awareness of men’s health issues) and this year he raised a whopping $4,999 exceeding the goal he set for himself of $3,800. He raised a grand total over the years of $14,000. Thumbs up to Devon and all those who supported him and this cause.
THUMBS DOWN - to all the dog owners out there who walk their dogs off leash. I am so tired of dogs running toward me and their owners saying, “don’t worry, he’s friendly” and then have these dogs jump on me or lick me. Dog owners need to realize that not all people love dogs nor appreciate them jumping on us. I am certain there is a by-law regarding off-leash dogs, so how about you abide by the law?
THUMBS DOWN - (received Tuesday December 10). I just walked down Queen St. along the Santa Claus parade route from Saturday night and was appalled at the mess left. Piles of candy left on the snow. Coffee cups, cigarette butts. It is not just Queen Street but everywhere.
Please clean up. How can we expect our governments to act on climate change when we can’t pick up our garbage?
DECEMBER 2019
THUMBS DOWN - to Canada Post, for placing a community mailbox on Highway 7A. When getting our mail we have to back out on to Highway 7A in an 80 km zone. Mail delivery personnel and 20 local citizens at risk every day getting their mail.
THUMBS UP - I would like to acknowledge and give a big thumbs up to Deborah Kiezebrink - Councillor Ward 4 for hosting the 2nd Port Perry Brownies and Sparks at the Township. Councillor Kiezebrink planned a fun night where the girls learned all about the duties of the Scugog council and even got to participate in a mock meeting, role playing the mayor and council members. Thank you to the Scugog Council for introducing these young girls to local politics.
THUMBS UP - a number of residents emailed and called our office, wanting to give a thumbs up to the Township of Scugog Recreation Department for updating the playground equipment at Poplar Park. Neighbourhood kids are LOVING it!
THUMBS DOWN - to the traffic lights at 7A between Water St. and Carnegie Rd. Although I don’t cross here too often, I have seen countless vehicles going through the red light and also vehicles making a right turn off Water St. onto 7A, and many times only looking toward the Causeway, not to pedestrians who may be crossing the street.
THUMBS DOWN - to the person who stole my neighbour’s baby stroller from their driveway! This is an expensive item for a new parent to have to replace because of someone’s thoughtlessness.
THUMBS DOWN - to the Township of Scugog for tearing up a portion of Nestleton Road and instead of re-paving it you keep dropping more gravel. Fix our roads Scugog!
THUMBS UP and DOWN - a daughter of a war veteran mailed in this note. Thumbs up to all those in Port Perry wearing poppies during Remembrance Day and a huge Thumbs Down to those who didn’t…. Shame on you! If it weren’t for the brave men and women who served in WWll, you wouldn’t be reading this magazine. So redeem yourself and buy a poppy next year and wear it proudly, you owe it to our veterans because they fought for our Democracy.
THUMBS UP - to the Township of Scugog snowplough driver who saw me struggling to move my snow tires closer to my car from the shed. Once he was finished ploughing our cul-de-sac north of Port Perry, he hopped out of his truck and gave me a hand. Much appreciated!
NOVEMBER 2019
THUMBS UP - to the incredible efforts of Scugog Council for the Arts’ Marion Meyers and Melissa Rada, who along with our amazing local artists donated their talent and their time to bring the Healing Ceilings project to life. And a second THUMBS UP to the many generous donors who sponsored a ceiling tile. So many people came together to add a little beauty to difficult days for the patients at Port Perry Hospital.
THUMBS DOWN - to whoever put traffic cones (presumably the film crew) on most of the parking spaces at the Latcham Centre on Tuesday (October 1) while no obvious work was being done. This is a very busy seniors’ location and many of them cannot walk further to events in the hall. This is only going to get worse in the winter months.
THUMBS UP - to Port Perry’s McMurtry Law and the ‘Amazing Race’ organizers for such a well-organized charity event. Manning the pickleball challenge, we saw 160 participants who were having “a blast” enjoying the whole experience. Great job and hopefully it will continue to be an annual event.
THUMBS DOWN - Queen St. from downtown to Rosa St. is a sea of garbage – wrappers, cans, food containers – much of it on private property. Many properties surrounding the high school have become hangouts and dumping grounds. Groups of youth walk the streets during lunch hour using filthy language and shout it out louder when asked to stop. Being a teen is not an excuse for being disrespectful to people or to the community.
THUMBS UP - to the organizers and their volunteers of the 19th annual Cartwright Fall Festival. Once again this year, it was so much fun and extremely successful!
THUMBS DOWN - to the racetrack from Coates Rd. to Shirley Rd., on Simcoe. How many more fatalities will it take for improved sightlines and lower speed limits? We as homeowners have been given the bird and horns honking long enough. Our kids are expected to go to Purple Woods or Shirley lot for bussing, which DDSB assumes safer walking along Simcoe St. Our condolences to all involved and thanks to emergency response staff, during the fatal accident early October.
OCTOBER 2019
THUMBS UP - to Carey Nicolson and the actors of Theatre on the Ridge. It was an excellent summer ofCanadian and International plays. We are so fortunate to have them here in Port Perry.
THUMBS DOWN - to those who put their garbage out two days before pickup. It’s not only an eye sore, it attracts animals and the garbage is blown onto the property next door. Please have consideration for your neighbours.
THUMBS UP - to all the volunteers who help make our Port Perry Fair such a great success. However,
THUMBS DOWN - to those volunteers who are so eager to finish up that they totally disrupt the final entertainment act by stacking all the empty audience chairs during the performance. How disrespectful to the band!
THUMBS DOWN - to the people that feel they can park as long as they like in the 15-minute parking spots at the Medical Associates of Port Perry. I waited for 10 minutes and not one of the four cars there moved. I decided to stay to see just how long it would take and they were all there for 25 minutes before one person came out. I went into the pharmacy and there was nobody in there, so that made me think they were using it for appointments.
THUMBS UP - a local resident wrote in, “I am literally watching this happen right now” (Tuesday September 4) and made me smile. A man and his little boy are picking up garbage in the Bay and Rosa area. A lot of garbage (beer cans, red solo cups, food wrappers, etc.) were left on our lawns and roads from fair goers. It’s really lovely to see someone going the extra mile to keep our community clean and teaching his young son to do the same. Perhaps a thumbs down to all those that thought it was ok to throw their garbage on the ground.
THUMBS UP - This resident writes ‘a green’ thumbs up for all the lovely planters and hanging baskets on our patios, businesses and lamp posts.They all add to the beauty of our town.
THUMBS UP - to Brent Herrington! Congratulations on being in the top three of the Ontario’s Finest Butcher finals. Please know the whole community is behind you as you compete at the Meat Industry Expo on Friday October 25, in Niagara Falls.
THUMBS UP - Thank you to Durham Region for adding the bike lanes along Highway 57 in Caesarea when doing pipe work and re-paving the road. It shows some forethought for the residents who don’t have transportation’s needs. Now all we need is for the 7A crew to pave the shoulder and make bike lanes so that we can actually get to town safely (fingers crossed).
