gail gavan - youngatheartnewspaper.cah_se… · 2 young at heart september 2013 ... the property...

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September 2013 • Free

Gail GavanThe Valley’s favourite singer & songwriter

MARY COOK’S

Memories of the ’30s

2013 OttAwA HeARinG SHOwSeptember 20 & 21

Youngatheartn e w S p a p e r

OTTAWA AND THE VALLEY’S NEWSPAPER FOR PEOPLE FIFTY AND OVER

2 YOuNG AT HEART September 2013

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YOuNG AT HEART September 2013 3

Elegant Park-Side LivingOverlooking the Rideau River, Strathcona Park and the Rideau Tennis Club, Terrasses Gabrielle is the perfect choice. It is a

walk away from dining and shopping in Beechwood Village. Pick up the bike path outside your front door and cycle downtown to the Byward Market. Browse the boutiques along Sussex Drive or the shops at the Rideau Centre, visit the National Gallery or the National Arts Centre, dine at one of Ottawa’s fi ne res-taurants, or just enjoy a peaceful afternoon stroll by the river. Whatever your pastime, the best of Ottawa living is at your front door.

The Property• Mid size 8-storey building for enhanced privacy and security• Indoor ground level swimming pool• 8th fl oor terrace with loungers and BBQ facilities• Well appointed gym featuring LifeFitness equipment• Personal fi tness trainer available

The Units• Elegant, spacious units with high ceilings• Open concept kitchens featuring: ~ Granite counters ~ Under-mount sink ~ Natural wood cabinetry ~ Slide-in stove with ceramic cook-top ~ Stainless steel appliances• Strip hardwood fl oors by Kahrs in the living areas• Ceramic tile in the entrance and bathroom• Washer and dryer in every unit• Calypso bath with arched shower enclosure• Panoramic windows, most with view of the park and river• Custom blinds• Individual control of central heat and air conditioning• Underground parking• Available maid service

An on-site management offi ce means we are always easily available to address your needs

Luxury Rental Apartments

No Condo Meetings

No CommitteesLet Someone Else Worry About The

Maintenance

Overlooking the Rideau River, Strathcona Park and the Rideau Tennis Club, Terrasses Gabrielle is the perfect choice. It is a

walk away from dining and shopping in Beechwood Village. Pick up the bike path outside your front door and cycle downtown to the Byward Market. Browse

No Condo FeesNo Property Taxes

or Heating Bills

Hassle free luxury urban living without complications of ownership

TERRASSES GABRIELLE www.globegeneral.ca

411 North River Road, Ottawa613-741-4411

www.terrassesgabrielle.com

Sonia BazinetProperty Manager


EDITOR Jayne rooney (613) 421-7989

[email protected]

CONTRIBUTORS mary Cook randy ray

Katharine & eric Fletcher bud mcGinnis

Ottawa public Health Julie Kalan

Heart & Stroke Foundation Woman’s Health Matters

In

sId

e Over The Back Fence ................... 5

Finance .......................................... 11

Travel ............................................. 13

At Home ......................................... 15

Healthy Living ............................... 17 Cover story ........... 7

IT’S A FAcT Q. What is the history behind Labour

Day?A. Labour Day, now a holiday in Canada

in early September, began with the brave stand of the Toronto Printers’ Union, which in the 1860s led the fight for a reduction in the work day to nine hours from 12 hours.

The Nine-Hour Movement began in Ham-ilton, Ont., and then spread to Toronto where its demands were taken up by the Toronto union. In 1869, the union sent a petition to em-ployers requesting a weekly reduction in hours per week to 58, placing itself in the forefront of the industrialized world in the fight for shorter hours, according to the Canadian Encyclope-dia. Its request was refused outright by the owners of the printing shops, most vehemently by George Brown of the Globe.

After the union made demands for change, demonstrated and went on strike, Prime Minister John A. Macdonald took notice and in 1872 passed a Trade Union Act that legalized and protected union activity. Although many strikers lost their

jobs, the long-term effect of their efforts was positive. After 1872 almost all union demands included the 54-hour week.

And the fight of the Toronto printers had a second, lasting legacy. The parades held in support of the Nine-Hour Movement and the printers’ strike led to an annual celebration. In 1882 American labour leader Peter J. Mc-Guire witnessed one of these labour festivals in Toronto and returned to New York where he organized the first American “labour day” on Sept. 5, 1882. Throughout the 1880s pres-sure built in Canada to declare a national labour holiday and on July 23, 1894, the gov-ernment of Sir John Thompson passed a law making Labour Day official. The tradition of a Labour Day celebration quickly spread across Canada and the continent, all thanks to actions of the printers’ union.

Mark Kearney of London, Ont. and

Randy Ray of Ottawa are the authors of nine books about Canada. Their Web site is: www.triviaguys.com

Ever wonder what goes on in your neighbourhood retirement home? You might be surprised.

At Unitarian House, for example, our days are full and not just with the mun-dane routines of staying alive. With the enterprise of truly remarkable staff and board member backing, we are able to pursue a life that enriches our spirits and exercises our brains as well as our bod-ies. Above all, we enjoy a real sense of home. In fact, life is so good that some of us live much longer than had planned for and so outlive our financial resources.

As a non-profit home, incorporating both retirement and independent living, resident volunteers play a crucial role in everything that goes on, contributing thousands of hours every year. This in-cludes fundraising in order to supplement funds for those who need help and to maintain our quality of life. So, we are always on the lookout for new ways to raise money – and this year we found one.

The Naked Truth calendar is purely playful and goes to show that on the inside we’re all just kids, even when we have been around for 64 to 94 years. Organizers even considered calling it “seniors at play.”

This is the perfect opportunity to show your support for a great neighbourhood retirement home by buying the 2014 Na-ked Truth calendar which is available at various Westboro merchants or by calling Unitarian House at 613-722-6690.

– Resident volunteers

Youngatheartn e w S p a p e r

PUBLISHER V.P. SALES

mark rusiecki (613) 526-0651

[email protected]

Please direct all accounting and general enquiries to:

1339 mory Street Ottawa, ON K1t 1C8

tel: (613) 526-0651 Fax: (613) 526-0650 [email protected]

GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION billie macDonald www.facebook.com/billiedesign

The naked truth

We’re Getting Bigger & Better! Now Booking Tours. Our new suites will fill up

quickly. Call today for a tour, 613-267-7000.

Our community in historic Perth is adding 55 new suites in a spectacular expansion. This is a rare opportunity to select from a variety of suite layouts and sizes to suit every taste and budget. Call Diane for more information.

105 North Street, Perth, Ontario K7H 3R1 • www.CarolinaSuites.ca • [email protected]


Twenty-nine years ago on September 3, the city of Montreal was shocked and devastated as a bomb ripped through Mon-treal’s main train station. Police determined the bombing was probably linked to an upcoming and much anticipated visit from the Pope the following week.

Three people were killed and more than three dozen injured, some of them seri-ously.

Sixty-five-year-old Thomas Brigham was arrested when it was determined he had sent threatening letters to the Pope, and after rail officials received a note saying “Kill the Pope.”

Brigham’s son, a Quebec priest, said his father suffered from mental illness and had spent time in a mental institution. He had also threatened President Ronald Reagan.

The U.S. Secret Service had been keeping him under surveillance there, but not in Canada.

Formerly a resident of Rochester, he moved to Montreal in April of 1984, and was the father of eleven children and a veteran of the Second World War.

He lived in a rooming house just a few blocks from the Montreal station, where he spent many hours watching the trains pull in and out.

Brigham died of a heart attack at the age of 73. He had been found guilty of three homicides.

Remember When…

In 1867, Canada’s first self-propelled au-tomobile was demonstrated at the Stanstead Fair in the community of Stanstead Plain, southeast of Montreal. The vehicle, invented by watchmaker Henry Seth Taylor, was steam powered, had no brakes and could reach a top speed of just 15 miles per hour.

Nevertheless, the local newspaper called it “the neatest thing of the kind yet in-vented’’ and Taylor boasted that his vehicle would challenge “any trotting horse.’’

The vehicle’s lack of brakes proved to be its undoing. One summer day, Taylor

lost control as he drove down a hill. Before he came to a stop, the car had turned on its side, its wheels shattered. Discouraged, Taylor put the remains in a barn where they sat until the 1950s when they were acquired by an American industrialist who restored and rebuilt the car.

The vehicle was acquired by the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ot-tawa in the mid-1980s and is on exhibit from time to time, though it spends much of its time in storage where it cannot be viewed by the public.

When someone devotes 60 years to one organization and more than 20 years serving the public, that person can surely be classified as a true volunteer! And Ar-nel Pattemore of Smiths Falls still finds time to donate hours working to preserve the heritage of the town he calls home.

When his mother took ill and became a patient in the Smiths Falls hospital, he was indebted to the excellent care she received and decide to ‘pay it forward’ by becom-ing a hospital volunteer. That was almost 25 years ago. He can be seen at the Smiths Falls campus four days a week, and one week every month he is there for five days.

Linda Bisonette, President and CEO of the Perth and Smiths Falls Hospital sums up Pattemore’s contribution this way: “Arnel is truly a dedicated, loyal gentleman who exemplifies all of the most wonderful attributes one could hope for in a volunteer. He cares deeply about the patients, their families and our staff. He is always here when he says he will be, and is consistently supporting hos-pital patients and procedures. Arnel is a highly respected member of our health care team, having guided thousands of patients to the proper locations, while encouraging them to remain calm. He consistently goes over and beyond the call of duty.”

His volunteering doesn’t end there. He devotes much time to Heritage House Museum and is a member of the Munici-pal Heritage Committee. For eight years he served as treasurer of Trinity United Church, and for eight years served as President of Maple Vale Cemetery. And for sixty years Pattemore devoted hours to Scouts Canada, serving at many levels.

Whatever free time Pattemore has, he likes to travel and add to his collection of more than 200 masks from various countries. Y@H congratulates Pattemore on his many, many years of devotion to volunteering in his community.

Where Is It Now? Canada’s First Automobile

If the provincial government keeps a promise it made during last April’s budget, Ontario rural municipalities can look for-ward to a huge boost in provincial govern-ment funding earmarking improving rural roads, bridges and other needed infrastruc-ture repairs.

In that budget, $100 million was pledged to rural Ontario and is to kick in by October l of this year.

Many rural areas are desperately in need of upgrading, especially repairs to existing bridges and roads. Although $100 million sounds like a lot of money, when

it is spread over every municipality in the province it could be spread pretty thin. However, any amount earmarked to upgrade existing roads and bridges is welcomed by local municipal politicians and, no doubt, many are already planning where some of the $100 million will be spent.

The Farm Scene

Volunteer Profile…

This Month in History September 20, 1984

Pope John Paul II held a huge outdoor mass on LeBreton flats in Ottawa before returning to the Vatican after a 12-day papal visit to Canada.

Contributors to Over The Back Fence include: Mary Cook, Randy Ray and Mark Kearney. Please send us your questions and suggestions for future pages.

Arnel Pattemore

Y@H Over The Back Fence...’sY@H

Who Said What…“Canadians have been so busy explaining to the Americans

that we aren’t British, and to the British that we aren’t Americans that we haven’t had time to become Canadians.”

– Helen Gordon McPherson

Q: Are the hats the paraders wear in the Changing of the Guard ceremony really made of bear skin?

A: They are indeed made of real bear skins. In our research we have been told that they are brown to start with from the brown bear, and then dyed to the rich black you see being worn.

The hats used today are very, very old and are kept in repair by Levesque & Se-guin Furriers of Gatineau. For many years the hats were made and kept in repair by the well-known Burkeholder Furriers of Ottawa. And oddly enough back in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s they were actually kept in repair by an Ottawa Valley gentle-man from Macdonald’s Corners in Lanark County by the name of Victor Lake.

The hats’ innards are made of osier, a cane-like substance to which the fur is attached. We were told that the Governor General Foot Guard stores have about 100 on hand.

At one time, when there was a great outcry that genuine bear skins should not be used, an attempt was made to create hats made of a synthetic substance. The hats looked the same and on a good day no one could tell they weren’t genuine bear skin. However, when the rains came, as they are bound to in this part of the country, the hats looked like drowned rats! When soaked, real bear skin retains its shape, so a return was made to using the natural furs.

Those who object to the use of the real bear fur should know that the Ministry of Natural Resources has a culling program in effect. If there wasn’t one, we would be overrun with bears. Some farmers we talked with while preparing this article told Y@H that the bear population is high this year. Bears are not killed to supply the fur for the bear skin hats, rather the fur is taken from those bears culled by people licensed and qualified for the job.

Bombing of Montreal’s train station

Funny You Should Ask …


By Randy Ray

Although death is inevitable, few people preplan their funerals, an oversight that can cause plenty of frustration at a time when the focus should be on grieving and celebrating the life of a loved one.

“Most of us avoid thinking about our final prepa-rations but if you plan now, you can save money, reduce taxes and protect your estate,” says Patrick McGarry, Chief Operating Officer at McGarry Fu-neral and Cremation Services. “Most importantly you can ease the stress and confusion on your family

You have always been there to protect them...

Brian McGarry Patrick McGarry Sharon McGarry

Your Family Matters To Us

Proudly Locally Owned and Operated Since 1925

Call613.233.1143

or visit us at www.mcgarryfamily.ca

Planning your funeral or cremation service in advance is a considerate and responsible thing to do for your family and friends.

With the large number of options and considerations available to you, it is important to speak with someone you can trust.

We are a locally, family owned funeral and cremation service provider that can guide you through the many options and considerations to help you determine the arrangements that best suit your needs. We will help you fi nd a balance between the emotional, spiritual and fi nancial needs of your surviving loved ones after you have gone.

Please contact us for FREE information.

There is no obligation.

2013 Complimentary Seminar SeriesSeptember 17 Funeral and Cremation Preplanning Central ChapelSeptember 26 Executor Duties Brown ChapelOctober 3 Executor Duties Central ChapelOctober 17 Funeral and Cremation Preplanning Brown ChapelOctober 24 Preparing Your Will Central ChapelNovember 7 Funeral and Cremation Preplanning St. Laurent ChapelDecember 17 Holiday Support Program Central ChapelAll seminars from 6:30-8:00pm. If you wish to RSVP for a seminar please email [email protected] or phone 613-233-1143

“Many people think they can preplan on their own but when they use a professional, they are provided with an-swers to all of their questions and additional information they likely are not aware of,” he says. “We ensure consum-ers are aware of all of the options open to them so they can make a fully informed decision. The instructions they give us are theirs alone and can be changed as their life circumstances change. Plus, there is no cost to record your instructions with us.”

McGarry estimates about one-third of his clients preplan their funerals. They have recognized that there are about 100 questions that need to be asked when a person dies and that at least 95 of them can be answered while a person is still alive. So why wait?

In addition to peace of mind, advantages include relieving family members of difficult decisions at a time when emo-tions are running high, assuring their wishes are recorded for the person, such as an executor, who will organize a funeral, and guarding against emotional overspending.

Preplanning takes care of three key aspects that can be a challenge at the time of death:

Registration: when a loved one passes away, it is neces-sary to record a variety of information such as the deceased’s social insurance number, date of birth and the names of various relatives. If the information is pre-recorded with McGarry’s, there is no need for grieving family members to search for the data when they should be focused on more important issues.

The style and format of the funeral service: while still alive, persons can put on paper the type of service they want, where it should take place, whether they will be cremated or buried, who they want to be involved, the type of music they want played, whether they want their organs donated – even the clothes they want to be attired in on the day of the service.

“Executors are responsible for making final decisions at the time of death, therefore it is important that they know what you want beforehand,” says McGarry. “The executor will be asked questions at the funeral. It is much easier for her to say she is following through on the wishes of the deceased. This helps avoid conflicts that can divide a family.”

The cost: to ensure the cost is affordable, it is best to make monetary decisions when there is no pressure to make a snap decision, which is often the case after a death.

“Our complimentary preplanning service can take place at a person’s home or at any of our locations. The meetings usually take about an hour. Once preplanning is complete, the option of prepaying is made available. All packages we offer are inflation proof: we guarantee the cost a client pays today will cover the cost at time of need,” says McGarry, who is part of a team of certified preplanning consultants at McGarry’s. “And we offer flexible payment plans.”

The company, which is locally owned and has been in business since 1925, provides complimentary seminars on fu-neral and cremation preplanning and a variety of other topics including caring for friends and family in terminal illness or bereavement; executor duties; preparing your will and sup-porting family members during the holidays.

All seminars are from 6:30 to 8 p.m. To RSVP for a seminar please email [email protected] or phone 613-233-1143.

For more information, please visit: www.mcgarryfamily.ca

during a difficult time. Preplanning will not relieve any of the emotional impact of a loved one dying, but it will remove the practical things that need to be accomplished so that a family can deal with its grief,” he says.

While it’s tempting to ignore funeral planning until you are approaching retirement, McGarry says it’s never too early to make plans. It is a considerate and responsible thing to do. He suggests that it be done in conjunction with writing up a will. And just as you would use a lawyer to make a will, it is best to use a qualified funeral planner to develop and record your end of life plans.

The benefits of preplanning your funeral


Gail Gavan is probably the most loved and well-known female entertainer in Eastern Ontario. Her long career in the music industry began in Quyon,

Quebec, and has taken her all over the world. Deeply com-mitted to the Ottawa Valley, Gavan talked with Mary Cook about her singing and performing career, and a second ca-reer that many of her thousands of fans know nothing about.

Y@H: You come from a musical background. You also had your beginning in one of Western Quebec’s most famous hotels. What are your earliest memories of Gavan’s Hotel in Quyon?

GG: Mac Beattie and the Ottawa Valley Melodiers played for the opening of The Shamrock Lounge in 1961 – an event my Dad was proud of. The hotel had burned in 1950 and my dad rebuilt it in 1951 and added on a big dance lounge called the Shamrock Lounge. My mom told me that when Mac Beattie was playing during the late 1960s, she would push my crib toward the door of the Lounge and I would stop crying. Later on, I think my first memory was watching from the kitchen as Gilles Roy and Donnie Gilcrest taught step-dancing in the Lounge on weekdays. I would watch all the lessons – I never took any – then when everyone would leave I would practise, in the dark, the steps I had seen.

I also remember when I was about eight that my bed-room was over the Jukebox and the pool table. I remem-ber going to bed to the songs of the Jukebox. Everything from AC/DC, Cher, ZZ Top, John Denver, George Jones and Bob Seeger serenaded me to sleep. One song that is still embedded in my mind from one summer is Don’t Cry Joni by Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn. That song must have been played at least 25 times a night on the Jukebox.

Y@H: Many musicians gathered in that hotel. Is this where you got your first taste for performing?

GG: Whether it was a Saturday night or a Tuesday afternoon, music was always being played in the hotel. Whether it was on the Jukebox or live. From an early age I watched such a variety of musicians perform various genres of music from the kitchen window that was at-tached to the Shamrock Lounge. What intrigued me most was when a performer could totally engage an audience either by having them listen to each word of a song, move them to dance, or make them belly laugh. You could tell when a performer was totally respected by his or her audi-ence. I thought that was so cool.

During the week when the Lounge was closed, I would go on the stage in the dark so that no one would see me and pretend I was putting on a show for a big audience.

The Valley’s favourite female entertainerY@Hconnectingwith

Y@H: You are the youngest of six children. Did any of your siblings go on to singing careers?

GG: No. My sister Marie has a gorgeous soprano voice and has been singing in the choir at church all her life. She sings Ava Maria beautifully, but she has never made it a career in any way. She is a highly respected educator at Holy Cross High School in Kingston, advocating for stu-dents with special needs. My sister Linda was an amazing pianist back in the day and could play very intricate pieces. We especially enjoyed when she played pieces like the Black and White Rag and other ragtime songs.

My brother Kerry would never ever sing in public, but he knows all the words to all Clancy brothers songs. We often sing together at family functions. I love to harmo-nize to his rich, deep voice. He has inherited the love and the meaning of the lyrics, but don’t ever ask him to sing outside the house.

Y@H: Your father Lennox Gavan was invested into the Country Hall of Fame in 1992. You too were honoured by the Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame in 2010. Was that the greatest honour you received as a performer?

GG: It was an honour to be chosen to join the Hall of Fame. To be recognized by your peers is quite gratifying. The people that have been inducted into the OVCHF are the pioneers of this area who blazed a musical trail through the Valley and the Hall of Fame committee should be thanked for preserving this rich heritage that otherwise might be forgotten.

Y@H: You have won many awards as an entertainer. Could you name one that means the most to you?

GG: It is gratifying to be awarded and I so appreciate those who have voted or chosen me. It is nice to see that people realize what you are doing. But honestly what means the most to me is that people still want to come out to our shows. To look out into a crowd and see joy on people’s faces, watch them mouth the words to the songs, or watch the music move them into dancing is the greatest feeling. When I sing at St. Pat’s home on St. Patrick’s Day and I watch the faces of the seniors as we sing old Irish songs, I see tears of joy, tears from laughter and I know there are magical moments of memories taking place. It is really the connection of the human spirit that is so elating.

The Bud Country Award in 1991 was quite a challenge because after I won the local prize for Eastern Ontario at The Gatineau Clog, I had to beat out 26 other contestants at the National level. I made the Top 10 and then the winner was chosen after we performed live on CBC on a Saturday night in Hamilton. It was similar to what American Idol is like now. I did not win but what a phenomenal experience!

Y@H: You have opened for such legends as Charlie Pride and Merle Haggard. Is that nerve-wracking?

GG: NO! It’s fun. These guys are legends and to be on the same stage as them is exhilarating.

Y@H: Speaking of nerves, how do you overcome

stage fright in front of a huge audience?GG: I pray!

Gail Gavan will be performing on the opening night of the carp Fair on Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. For more details visit www.carpfair.ca

continued on page 8


Y@H: What was it like singing the National Anthem in front of our Queen in 2010 on Canada Day?

GG: I was star-struck! I had already met Queen Elizabeth at Rideau Hall in the early 1990s and was fortunate enough to shake her hand at that time.

This time I sang O Canada for a special break-fast at Rideau Hall and was humbled by her gra-cious yet powerful spirit. When you look at her you are looking at years of amazing history. She has been through so much in her lifetime. She is inspirational in that she carries herself in such a dignified way, even at her age. She shook my hand and thanked me in a formal line-up. It was a special moment for sure.

Y@H: Do you write most of the songs you sing?GG: I have written a lot of songs but most of

the songs I sing live are songs that I personally love and I hope most people find enjoyable when they go out for an afternoon or evening of classic country and Ottawa Valley music. I want to sing songs that are upbeat and fun or classic ballads that are timeless.

Y@H: Are there any CDs available of you per-forming?

GG: Yes, I have four CDs available. I have re-corded a series of CDs entitled For the Love of the Valley –Vol.1, Vol.2 and Vol. 3. They are a compila-tion of a variety of songs that I have been singing at fairs over the last few years. They include songs that I have written, songs that are representative of the Ottawa Valley and songs that people have requested to have on CD. Volume 3 is entitled For the Love of the Valley Irish which includes as the title implies, songs of a more Irish flavour. It also includes the song that many people ask about that I wrote for the infamous Ottawa Valley establish-ment, Fred’s Hotel in Chapeau, Quebec. I also have a CD for sale entitled Gavan Sings Griff, which is a combination of a few songs that I wrote and beauti-ful ballads by famous Canadian singer/songwriter, Ray Griff. Ray has written songs for the likes of George Jones and Crystal Gayle. I recorded that one in Nashville, TN.

I also have a Christmas CD entitled What A Miracle which is a departure from country music. The songs on this CD are performed in a classical style, with music by the Canadian Army Band and choral music by the Ottawa Children’s Youth Choir.

We can transer your old and new photos and slides onto “easy to use” DVD.

Video cassettes of 8mm can also be transferred. Audio cassettes and 331/3 rpm records

can be transferred to CD-R.

Transfer your Photos onto

CD’s and take those memories

out of the boxWe can transer your old and new photos

For more information, call Jerry Nudelman at 613.301.4919

These CDs are available online on my website at www.gailgavan.com or at CD warehouse on Merivale/Clyde Avenue in Ottawa.

Y@H: Have you gone beyond Canada’s borders to perform?

GG: Yes, I have performed in Ireland several times on tours, as well as in Bosnia (former Yugo-slavia) for the Peacekeepers in 1998 after the war. This experience was the highlight of my career. A lot of people can say they went to Disneyland, but not many can say they saw the inner guts of the cities of war-torn Bosnia. To see the raw remains of life after war is something that I will never forget.

What struck me most was people of all ages wandering the streets with no place to go, and buildings left that had no windows and were full of bullet holes. That is still so haunting.

I also performed in Boston at an Irish festival, in Nashville as part of a Canadian Artist night at Printer’s Alley and in Mexico as part of a tour with Local Band Racoons on Ice, Gary Parns and Michael O’Reilly formerly of Chez106. I also per-formed on a few Caribbean cruise ships with artists such George Jones, Tim McGraw, Tanya Tucker, Marty Haggard and Charlie Pride.

Y@H: You really lead a double life. There is Gail Gavan the performer, and then there is Gail Gavan the teacher. Tell me a bit about your two careers and do they complement each other?

GG: My dad always emphasized to all six children that getting an education was important. So I went to McGill University in Montreal and became a teacher. I taught at private schools in Montreal so when I moved back to Ottawa I im-mediately sought out the private schools. I have now been teaching at Elmwood School for Girls in Ottawa for a few years. I love it there. I now teach French and I do a lot of it through songs, drama, poetry and action games. So the two careers complement each other quite handily. When you are in a classroom you need to engage students and get them excited about learning and make the lesson highly hands-on and interactive. When I sing I love to get the audience involved as well and make them feel a big part of what is going on.

Y@H: How do you find time to relax and

spend time with family?GG: I have the evenings and some weekends to

spend with family and friends.My immediate family is spread across Canada. But the one

time we get together every year is during the summer at the cottage. It is here that we reconnect and share old memories as well as make new ones. With my nieces and nephews having all their wonderful babies, our family is growing bigger and makes the cottage time even more special.

Our son Connor plays competitive hockey. As a “Hockey Mom” I love going to his hockey games, which are quite often in one week. There is quite a social network of parents who have been together for many years now. So it is like a family in many ways. There is a lot of travelling involved and we have a lot of fun together!

One favourite part of my morning is walking our dog Askim in the forest near the house. I find that therapeutic for the body, mind and soul. I also love to dance so I often invite friends over for a glass of wine and put on some great dance music. Latino, Salsa, Classic rock’n’roll, or even ‘80s Disco will do the trick. I love playing tennis and I have a core group of friends who try to get out as much as possible to play at local courts. I find it really a stress reliever and a good workout.

connecting With continued from page 7

The highlight of Gavan’s career was performing for canada’s Peacekeepers in war-torn Bosnia in 1998.

I also head back to Quyon every couple of weeks to meet up with the people I grew up with. I have lifelong friends there and it is always a blast. For a small town there is always something going on there.

Y@H: Have you any advice for those who are just starting

out as a performer?GG: Do what you love to do! Perform because you love

to perform. Sing because you love to sing. Don’t do it to be “famous” or a “star.” Be persistent. Keep at it. Find who you are and what type of music really reflects your true personal-ity. That way you are authentic. It shows.

Don’t let people tell you that you are wasting your time. If you love it keep doing it. Surround yourself with good people. Find people who have different strengths to create a good team to work with.

At the same time have something else to fall back on. My father and mother insisted that I get an education and a sub-stantial job so that I would be able to stand on my own, no matter what happened.

Love life, it’s short!


By Mary Cook

“It’s a horse. See?” My sister Audrey raised her arm to the sky and pointed. “I even see its tail.” Well, I certainly couldn’t see a horse! And besides, after searching for less than a minute, the cloud had changed into some-thing else entirely.

“I see an old man. He’s lying down and his feet are in the air,” I offered. Audrey agreed. The white foam-ing cloud above was indeed an old man.

We were stretched out on our backs in the very far reaches of the backyard, where it sloped down and met the water and the rise to the West Hill. This was our favourite spot to cloud-watch. Of course it had to be a sunny day, with lots of floating white clouds and a slight wind to keep them moving across the Renfrew County sky.

This pastime also had to be on a Sat-urday well after all the house chores had been done. I was usually the one who would point out to my sister that this would be a perfect day to cloud-watch. And I was aware that Audrey would much rather be doing something else than lying in the grass with a much younger sister looking at the clouds. But she knew how this was one of my favourite pastimes and she would say in a stern voice, “Oh, alright. But just for a few minutes. I have other things to do.”

And we would head out to that special spot, lay down in the soft grass on our backs, and watch the clouds roll across the Renfrew County sky, going into their magic forms, only to be whisked away as another group of clouds took their place.

I loved the soft white clouds. And I loved more the stories my sister Audrey made up about them.

She told me they were really chariots. And they carried unknown angels who scooted across the sky to bring good will to all those who behaved and remembered to say their prayers. And the only time I doubted her was when she said those par-ticular angels frowned when a younger sis-ter, such as I, didn’t obey someone like her who was so much older and wiser! I doubt-ed that was the case, but I certainly didn’t want to take a chance on doing some-thing to upset angels in white chariots!

chariots in the skyAdults & Zoomers at the Soloway JCC – Your Centre for Engaged Learning

For prices, further course details and other course choices please consult our fall program guide, the SJCC website at www.jccottawa.com or Roslyn Wollock,

Adult Program Manager, [email protected]

British Stones in the Israeli LandscapeBritain’s Role in Developing the Land that Became the State of Israel

October 21 – November 25 – Monday 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Instructor: Dr. Charles Moore

Rebels, Radicals, and Rabbis: Greco-Roman Judaism (334 BCE-315 CE) with Phd. Candidate Andrea Lobel who has designed

and taught course curricula at both McGill and Concordia Universities. Principal of Temple Israel Religious School.

In this course, we will survey the tumultuous history that led to the emergence of what we now know as Rabbinic Judaism.

October 3 – November 21 – Thursdays 10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Love is All You Need: A Poetic Journey of Love Poems with Professor Anthony Berman

Read, discuss and share your thoughts about poems written by some of Canada’s most distinguished poets.

October 16, 23, 30, November 6 – Wednesdays 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm

The Voice — Improve Your Voice QualityLearn how to take your voice out of the shower and into the community/audition stage

October 2 – November 6 – Wednesdays 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Instructor: Meredith Matthews, Certified Master Teacher, Estill Voice International

HEBREW AND SPANISH LANGUAGE COURSESDaytime – Level 1 Modern Conversational Hebrew

October 3 – November 21 – Thursdays 9:30 am – 11:00 am

Biblical Hebrew October 2 – November 20 – Wednesdays 9:30 am – 11:00 am

Instructor: Mina Cohn (for both Modern and Biblical)

Evening – Level 1 Modern Conversational HebrewOctober 2 – November 20 – Wednesdays 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Evening – Level 4 Modern Conversational Hebrew October 1 – November 19 – Tuesdays 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Instructor: Miriam Litman (levels 1 and 4)

Spanish – Level 1October 2 – November 20 – Wednesdays 9:30 am – 11:00 am

Spanish – IntermediateOctober 2 – November 20 -Wednesdays 11:30 am – 1:00 pm

Instructor: Laura Gutierrez (Level 1 and Intermediate)

Half-Day Charcoal Drawing Workshop – Shades and ShadowsUsing charcoal to draw from observation, students will apply the basic techniques of shading.

Each student will create one in class project that will embody what has been learned. Sunday, November 3 – 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Instructor: Tami Ellis

Inspired by the Masters – Dare to DrawOctober 3 – November 21 – Thursdays 9:30 am –12:15 pm

Instructor: Tami Ellis

Drop In Art StudioSeptember 30 – November 25 – Monday 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Chinese Brush Painting/ Watercolour with Rowena TolsonSeptember 30 – November 25 – Mondays 9:30 am – 12:15 pm

The Soloway Jewish Community Centre21 Nadolny Sachs Private

Located one block south of Carling and Broadview.

And so I was pretty well stuck with doing whatever my sister wanted of me.

Sometimes, when Audrey did indeed have better things to do and it was a Sat-urday, I would have to cloud-watch on my own. Even at a very young age, I had Satur-day chores, like everyone else in our family of five children.

Mine, however, were much simpler than Audrey’s. I had to crawl under the beds for puffs of dust, wipe the window sills in the kitchen, and every Saturday I had to churn the cream into butter.

If my sister was still at her chores, or she did indeed have better things to do, and the sky was perfect, I would go to that special spot in the backyard and watch the clouds on my own. My vivid imagination saw forms I was sure no one else could see. I could see faces as clear as day. Sometimes they even looked like someone I knew!

And when, for some reason, a white cloud would be replaced with one slight-ly darker, I could see bad Marguirite. Never did she appear in a foamy white cloud. Not Marguirite, my nemesis from the Northcote School. There she would be, getting darker by the minute, glaring down at me ... and she too would change form and fade, and I would be glad to have seen the last of her!

And one of the things that intrigued me about cloud-watching was learning one day that somewhere, and not too far away, someone else could be lying in the grass and seeing the very same clouds. They might be in Douglas, or even as far away as Arnprior. I couldn’t fathom the vastness of the sky and the very same clouds I was watching, or that somewhere someone else was watching just like I was at that very minute.

But it had to be true. Hadn’t my older and much wiser sister told me so?

What a simple pleasure was cloud-watching. And I could let my imagination run wild. I was sure I could see angels ... I was sure one of the biggest clouds was indeed a chariot.

This pleasure had no price tag. All I need-ed was a clear blue sky with soft white clouds and a gentle wind to push them along.

I was too young to truly appreciate the beauty of the Renfrew County sky but, at that time in my life, I could live for a few cherished minutes in a fantasy world created solely by the cloud forms gently scooting high above our Northcote farm, creating and changing, pausing and going on to another place and another time.

Y@Hmemoriesofthe’30s

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per nightBy May B. Nutz

The young man, muscular, tanned, showing rippling abs, opened the gym door for me. He didn’t look at my brand new bag with the logo of a well-known sports brand blazing across the front of it. He looked at me square in the face, and with a look that bordered on a mixture of pity and concern, said, “Ma’am, the entrance to the Nursing home is just around the next corner.”

Now, how is that for inspiration for my first day at the local gym?

I want you to know that going to the gym was not my idea. In fact, I went in with both feet against the door jams. But my doctor – female, Black Belt, hockey player, champion swimmer, and who runs marathons just for the hell of it – said if I wanted to stop my creaking bones from becoming fused like soldered pieces of steel, I better get moving.

My first stop was the sport’s store, and I should have known when I walked in the door that this was no place for someone of my vintage. All the salespeople looked like they had been ironed! Flat as pancakes, tall, and wearing form-fitting black pants and tops that reeked of “fitness.”

I snuck around the store, trying to keep my head lower than the racks. This wasn’t going to work. I needed help. Badly. The young salesgirl looked me up and down, noticed I was panting for breath and of-fered to get me a chair. Several hours later … she took two coffee breaks and had her lunch … she narrowed the stock down to what she felt would fit me. She assured me I could exchange it later, after I impressed upon her that I had absolutely no intention of trying anything on in a fitting room that wasn’t as big as my laundry basket!

And so that took me to a local gym a few days later. After practically mortgaging the house for membership, promising to change my “outdoor” shoes the minute I walked in the door, wipe off every piece of equipment I came in contact with, and not hog the machines, I was ready for my first workout.

On my doctor’s advice I paid extra to have a “trainer” figure out what I needed to do to keep out of a wheel chair. All the warning signs were there. But I ignored them. But the thought of spending the rest of my days whizzing around the mall on four wheels made me decide to at least try to put some spring back in my step.

Well let me tell you about this trainer. I immediately got the feeling she lives on energy drinks and the odd pep pill. “Are we ready to start?” she sang. No! I am not ready to start! I want to go home! Back to my back deck with a good book and an-other cup of coffee. But Miss Fitness was having none of that!

The first machine was something called a treadmill. I had never seen one in person before in my life! Oh, I’d seen them on television. But those walking, who looked

like they were on a mission, were bone thin and looked more like they needed a good tonic than a treadmill.

Thank God it was stopped when she helped me onto it. Yes, I needed help to get one foot and then the other onto the thing. She pressed a button and before you could say “Get me off this thing,” I was moving on this black corrugated belt. She didn’t tell me I HAD TO WALK ON IT OR TO KEEP MOVING! She was talking to another svelte young fitness guru, so I was planted immobile, and then I was careening backwards at a great clip. I grabbed the bars at the front and propelled my feet, a movement that had me going head-on into the screen that told me I was clocking fifty miles an hour … and had burned zero calories!

The only thing that saved me from an instant skull fracture was that the machine automatically quit when I accidentally pressed an emergency stop button I didn’t even know was there.

Miss Fitness saw my dilemma and eased me off the treadmill and, with clipboard in hand, led me to another torture apparatus that had me straddle a leather seat, place my feet in floor stirrups and hang on to two steel rings over my head.

“This isn’t going to work,” I said. “I’m getting cramps in my legs, and my arms are too short, causing my rear end to leave the seat.” I felt like I has hanging from a glider.

“My personal trainer” got me onto sev-eral other foreign looking contraptions that pulled me lengthwise, sideways, and up and down, then looked at her watch and said the session was over, assuring me I could do it all on my own on my next visit.

What next visit? Is she mad? I walked back to my car, crab-like,

thankful I was able to park close to the front door. When I got home I found the gear I was wearing was glued to my body, the tights had worked their way up to a place I only go with toilet paper, the sports bra (yes, I bought one of those too) was around my neck, and I had to cut it off with the kitchen shears!

Will I go back? Would I stand under a tall maple tree in the middle of a severe electric storm? Would I jump off a moving train?

I have decided there is an easier way to get fit than going to a gym where I am probably the oldest member they have ever signed up, and probably the most unfit. I am going to walk around the block ... once to start with … and try to work up to at least going around four times a day. I bought one of those gizmos you attach to your waist-band which tells you how many steps you take in a day. Your goal is to reach 10,000! Right! I hope to start walking tomorrow.

I attached it to my waistband yesterday morning, and took it off when I went to bed last night. I had clocked an astounding 452 steps ... that’s a long way off 10,000. But hey, it’s better than no steps. And it’s a lot cheaper and a lot less embarrassing. Maybe tomorrow I will clock 500!

A day at the gymY@Hitonlyhurtswhenyoulaugh!


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on their quarterly statements. Therefore, if you compare the cost on the quarterly statements from both countries, the Canadian number will always look higher because the U.S. number doesn’t include all of the costs.

Are fees higher when they are charged sepa-rately?

The research found that many U.S. investors who pay for advice separately are paying more than they used to pay when the fees were included in the total charges. First-time investors and small to medium investors are likely to pay much more for advice when it is charged separately, rather than as part of the product package.

The existing Canadian model serves investors well because they can easily identify their total costs and easily compare costs across funds.

Do separate fees mean more – or less – advice?Unbundling of fees may lead to what experts call

a “serious advice gap.” A survey of more than 2,000

adults in Britain found that charging separately for advice was prompting many people to stop seeking advice.

As a result, many advisors in Britain are focusing on serving wealthier clients. Some experts predict that up to 5.5 million investors — 11% of the popu-lation — will not have access to advice as a result.

Why is financial advice important?Credible research shows that having an advisor

causes people to be more disciplined about their sav-ings. This produces much better financial results for the investor. The difference can be as much as 2.5 times more wealth for people with advisors, com-pared to people that do not receive investing advice.

Without the discipline to save that is reinforced by having an advisor, people will save less, and they may not have enough for retirement, leaving them dependent on government programs. Average and small investors will be affected the most.

– News Canada

The truth about mutual fund feesY@Hfinance

A recent study by two highly respected research firms shows that owning mutual funds costs about the same in Canada and the U.S. In both countries, the cost (excluding taxes) is around 2%.

This research is significant. In the past, comparisons between the two countries did not recognize some key differences in how the costs are packaged. In Canada, the costs of the product and of the advisor’s time and support are all included together in the “Management Expense Ratio,” which investors can find on their quarterly statements. In the U.S., many investors pay a separate fee to their advisors, and this fee-for-advice is not included in the so-called “total expense ratio” shown

Direct deposit of federal cheques is ideal for seniors

More than 90 percent of Canadian seniors currently receive their federal government payments by direct deposit so why are the remain-ing 10 percent holding out? Perhaps because of fear of the unknown, misconceptions about how the process works or they may simply be unaware the service even exists.

The federal government is phasing out cheques for all of its pay-ments, including Old Age Security (OAS), Canada Pension Plan (CPP), and the Guaranteed Income Supplement to name a few so any seniors who have not enrolled yet should do so as soon as possible.

Here are some reasons to sign up:• There is virtually no risk of a payment being lost, stolen or dam-

aged due to a postal strike, for example.• For those who like to travel, there is no need to stay home in order

to be able to pick up the mail when cheques come in each month. • For people on fixed incomes, automatic deposits provide assur-

ance that their money will always be there when they need it, on the day that it is due.

• Eighty percent of payments are already made to Canadians by direct deposit.

If seniors find it uncomfortable doing their business on the Internet, they can still visit their local bank branch and make the necessary ar-rangements in person. All they have to do is fill out a form, which the bank can help them do. Once the form is processed, payments from that point on will be deposited directly into their bank account.

Direct deposit will help save you time and puts money in your pocket faster and more reliably. For seniors, you don’t need to have a computer and you can still go to the bank and pay your bills in person and update your bank book; the only thing that changes is that your money is deposited electronically directly into the bank account of your choice.

For those who are online, or who have a trusted advisor or care-giver, the direct deposit enrolment form can be found at www.direct-deposit.gc.ca.


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By Bud McGinnis At the close of every ABCs of Fraud

article we comment on the availability of Rotarians to make presentations to in-terested groups. Our objective is to help members of those groups become “Tough Targets for Fraud.” It’s been several years since we’ve given any indication of what could be expected in such a presentation. Accordingly, this article will outline for readers what they can expect.

Arrangements for a presentation usually follow a similar pat-tern. First the organizer for the requesting organization dials our contact number, 613-564-5555, and leaves a message. Next, a Rotarian picks up the message and calls back to confirm receipt, and to get further information, especially the name and address of the organizer and the name of the organization. The organizer then receives a “Request for Presentation” form from the ABCs of Fraud coordinator. This form requests more information on the type and location of the facility along with further informa-tion on the expected audience – number, age, whether male, female, or mixed, and the type of residences occupied. These details allow us to match more closely the material in our pre-

How a fraud presentation worksY@HtheABCsoffraud

sentation to the circumstances of the audience mem-bers. Finally, about a week before the event the lead presenter contacts the organizer by phone to confirm details and assure there are no last minute surprises.

A presentation usually lasts between forty and sixty minutes. Most often we work in pairs and try to arrive 15 minutes in advance of the scheduled time to get set up. After the organizer introduces us, we provide a short introduction to the program, who and what we are, and what we’re trying to do. The program was developed in Toronto with emphasis on seniors, and was launched in 1996. Part of the success resulted be-cause the trained presenters were seniors themselves; because we and audience members have shared the same segment of history, we have immediate credibil-ity. In 2001 the Rotary Club of West Ottawa brought the program to Ottawa with the full support and en-couragement of the Ottawa Police Service. Since then we’ve made well over 500 presentations and spoken to a total audience of almost 17,000.

We then move on to a discussion of why seniors are a target group for frauds and scams. It’s also pointed out that despite the embarrassment associated when one is victimized, it’s important to notify the police. Failure to do so allows the con artist to carry on with his criminal activities without fear of capture.

We also use simple little skits to show how the honest citizen can be persuaded to enter into an ar-rangement that will cost him or her money. One of the presenters is the “bad guy” (con artist) and the other is the “good guy” (victim). Often the “good guy” loses out and then we interact with audience members to get their views on what happened. We ask if any of them have had similar experiences. What happened to them? How did the matter end? Based on the experience, what advice do they have for the rest of us? Involvement of the audience in discussions of this nature is basic to any successful presentation.

There are a great many scams and frauds in mod-ern day society, some old and some brand new. As a beginning, and there are many others, we deal with telephone fraud, mail fraud, identity theft, investment fraud, internet fraud and credit card fraud. And within each category there is a broad range of schemes, each designed to provide the greatest financial return to the criminal. Throughout our presentation we try to have audience members identify those comments and offers that are indicative of trouble ahead. One such indication is when the offer sounds “Just too good to be true!” An-other comment, “We need your decision now!” should also turn on the warning light. Pressure is being applied here to encourage you to sign on; criminals can only take your money if you accept their offers. “We’ll double your money in six months, guaranteed!” or “Let’s keep this a secret!” These are also indicators of trouble ahead. We call them “Red Flags” and list a number of them on a large banner that sits at the front of the room during the presentation. Before concluding the presentation we review each of these Red Flags with the audience, again pointing out that by recognizing the warning signs in advance we can significantly reduce the likelihood of our becoming victims.

All presentations are free and are arranged to suit the convenience of the requesting organization. Whenever possible a police officer participates and adds first-hand experience to the discussion. To start the process just pick up the phone, dial 613-564-5555 and leave a message and your contact number. We will call back to commence arrangements.


By Katharine Fletcher

Where to go to revel in our region’s internationally renowned tapestry of fantastical fall colours? This year, test drive the Rural Ramble where tours of Ontario and Quebec reveal Valley traditions, events and attractions.

The brainchild project of the Ottawa Valley Tourism Association (OVTA), this much-anticipated annual event showcases various circuits which are eminently suited for you to explore by car, paddle, bicycle, or on foot.

Rambles are sorted into four themes: Adventure and Exploration, Agriculture and Food, History and Heritage, Arts and Culture.

The OVTA is an organization which promotes tourism businesses in both the Ontario and Quebec portions of the Ottawa Valley, extending from the Pontiac region of West Quebec to Ontario’s Haliburton Highlands, Lanark, Rideau Heritage Route and other spectacular regions.

OVTA members include more than 240 tourism busi-nesses, including attractions, events, accommodation, dining and retail establishments, rafting companies and outfitters, artists and galleries and more – like the annual Rural Ramble tours.

Where is the Ottawa Valley, anyhow?Good question – it’s hotly debated! The OVTA website

tells us it’s “cradled between the Ottawa River and Algon-quin Provincial Park in Ontario’s Highlands.”

But the OVTA also embraces members from the Pon-tiac, located in the Outaouais (West Quebec), where traditions, landscape and cultures extend the reach and definition of what constitutes “the Valley.”

Where to go and what to do?There are so many options! Visit the website to plan

your own Rural Ramble. However, here are four sugges-tions, one Ramble chosen from each of the four themes mentioned above.

Adventure and Exporation:

Bonnechere Museum Fossil Hunt

& Geology Trail ToursWant to visit the Ordovi-

cian Fossil Capital of Cana-da? Grab your partner, child or grandchild and head to the Bonnechere Museum in Egan-ville. Maps, details are online.

What will you learn? Discover how fossils were formed in the Ordivician Era, a time in Earth’s develop-ment which lasted about 45 million years, “extending 488.3 million years ago and ending 443.7 million years ago,” according to the University of California Museum of Paleontology.

This was an era of the great oceans when most of the Earth north of the tropics was covered by seas. This was a period of growth for marine invertebrates – and, after seas receded, continents shifted, and epochs of glaciers and other geophysical phenomena came and went, their remains are now seen in the fossils we discover.

Enter the Bonnechere fossil hunt, where we can join a guided tour of fossil sites right here in the Valley.

Info: bonnechere.caTip: Investigate nearby Bonnechere Caves’ under-

ground dining (bonnecherecaves.com).Agriculture and Food:

Coronation Hall and Cider Mills: Free taste tests and tours

Do you crave the crisp crunch of apples? Do you like freshly pressed sweet cider – or enjoy refreshing alcoholic cider? And, would you like to take a tour of a genuine cider mill and reward yourself with apple pie or other sweet temptations?

Waste no time! Head to Pontiac, West Quebec, one of our region’s most spectacular natural areas where sparkling lakes, whispering pines, lovely meadows and expanses of wide open skies await your exploration.

While there, don’t miss visiting the 1930s dance hall which your hosts the Graham family have renovated. It’s the site of community plays, as well as summertime’s truly fantastic Under the Pines music festival.

Info: coronationhall.com

Y@Hactiveadventure

Explore Ottawa Valley’s Rural Ramble

Photo: Ottawa Valley Tourist AssociationFall driving tours in the Ottawa Valley.

Photo: Renfrew County PlowmenRenfrew county Plowing Match.

Photo: Ottawa Valley Tourist AssociationGiant Pumpkin Weigh-off at Hugli’s Blueberry Ranch.

Tour beautiful Ottawa Valley during this annual autumn event

History and Heritage:September 14

Renfrew County Plowing MatchOttawa Valley horsemen are renowned for their ability

to coax their teams into ploughing farmland into aston-ishingly straight furrows. Happily, these old traditions are being kept alive and thankfully, we can all watch the teamwork between the teamster and their horses during the annual Renfrew County Ploughing Match.

From 8:30 a.m. until closing time at 5 p.m., you can watch the action hosted by farm families Austin and Velma Berry, Bob Briscoe and Karen Hoad. Find the farm between Renfrew and Douglas on Highway 60.

What else to do other than admire the horses and their skilful ploughing? Take the children in your life because they’ll love the magic show, pony rides and face painting.

Also, did you know it’s the 100th anniversary of the 4-H Club in Canada? This organization is “one of Canada’s longest-running youth organizations for young people between the ages of 8 and 21,” where young people learn all sorts of skills, from raising cows to de-veloping websites.

Info: renfrewcountyplowmen.caArts and Culture:

Madawaska Valley Studio TourOct 5-6; 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Get your Christmas shopping done ahead of the rush by taking in the 22nd annual Madawaska Valley Studio Tour, while touring this gorgeous part of the Valley. Talented artists welcome you to their home studios where you can view and purchase a variety of arts and craft items from paintings and pottery to woodwork and jewellery.

Website offers tour map, plus details concerning artists, galleries, and other information – madawaskastudiotour.com

What next?Visit the Rural Ramble website because there are many

more rambles to choose. Then? Pick a Ramble. Pack en-thusiasm. Go!

When you go• Ottawa Valley Tourism Association:

ottawavalley.travel • Pontiac Tourism:

tourisme-pontiac.com


By Julie Kalan

Rising above the mystic fogs of the bay, Mont Saint Michel stands formidably against the dreary, grey sky. For a moment I feel as if I have walked onto

a movie set. I expect knights on horseback to come gal-loping into view with swords brandished after a cue of “action.” However, even without armour-clad actors, the scene is surreal. The rocky, granite mount topped by a soaring abbey church resembles a pyramid but instead of desert sands, the mount is almost completely surrounded by muddy tidal flats.

Where northern France meets the English Channel, Mont Saint Michel resides in Normandy, just a stone’s throw from Brittany. Dotting the grassy lands adjacent to the tidal flats are the famous pré salé (or pre-salted) sheep. A local speciality on many menus, these sheep that graze on the salt marsh vegetation are said to possess a unique flavour and tenderness.

Stepping off the shuttle bus and walking to the Porte de l’Avancée entrance, I spot a few people carrying their shoes. At first, this unusual sight puzzles me. Then I see their feet covered with thick, greyish mud. These adventur-ers have just walked along the mudflats.

From the mount’s main gate up to the abbey entrance, Grand Rue is narrow, crowded and lined with souvenir shops. If not for the endless flow of visitors, I could stretch out my arms and in certain places practically touch both walls. Camera-toting tourists browsing postcard stands and buying tiny Mont Saint Michel ornaments are a modern day version of the medieval pilgrims who would navigate this same merchant-lined path in search of religious mementos to commemorate their journey of devotion. The path travels quickly through the tiny town that is home to about 43 full-time residents. Along the way, nestled quietly on the left side of the path, is the small parish church of Saint Pierre.

A true sanctuary from the masses outside, tourists on their singular mission up the mount often overlook this church.

Stairway to HeavenAfter climbing the 350 steps up the Grand Degré, the

open plateau of the West Terrace is a welcome sight. From here you can see the expansive mudflats that are home to the highest tides in continental Europe. The difference between high and low tide can be 15m (49ft) and the tide is said to come in as swiftly as a galloping horse. Before a causeway was built in 1878, pilgrims had to face the perils of the tides and patches of quicksand that lurk in the mudflats.

Looking down at the stones beneath my feet, I notice that the terrace exhibits many stonemason jobbers’ marks. Theses marks (triangles, crosses, swirls, loops, etc.) identi-fied each stonemason’s work, allowing them to be paid ac-cordingly. Moving my gaze up and craning my neck back, I see the gilded copper statue of St. Michael crowning the abbey spire, 168m (550 ft) above the bay.

If you build it, they will comeLegend has it that in 708 the Archangel Michael told

Bishop Aubert of Avranches to “build here and build high.” Drawing over three million visitors each year, the Benedictine Abbey that we see today was built between the 11th and 16th centuries. Reflecting the architectural styles of the time, the church is a blend of Romanesque and gothic designs. The interior is relatively unadorned but this absence of decoration conspires with the soaring columns, plain wooden benches and clear glass windows to draw your focus up. This simple yet dramatic effect must have made quite an impression on the medieval pilgrims that risked their lives to reach Mont Saint Michel. Even more impressive is the skill and ingenuity of the builders who undertook the construction of a church 80m (262ft) long and 80m (262ft) above the bay, on the summit of a rocky mount that was only large enough to support a fraction of the structure. The solution was to create a larger platform by adding crypts around the summit of the mount. Even the cloister, a green oasis 77m (252ft) above the tides, rests atop the roof of a monastery building. Compared to the massive feats of imposing masonry that surround it, the cloister is small and welcoming.

Believe it or notAt dinner, an acquaintance who works in the tourism

industry told me his favourite part of Mont Saint Michel was

the human-sized hamster wheel. I laughed and gave him a “yeah, right” look; surely he was teasing me. He assured me that he was being sincere and I would soon see it with my own eyes. Now here it is before me, in a small room adjacent to one of the crypts. It turns out that this gigantic wooden wheel, a replica of the ones used to raise building supplies during construction, was installed when the abbey was being used as a prison in the early 1800s. Unfortunately, these days trying the wheel is strictly off limits for both hamsters and humans.

Returning the tidesFor more than 130 years a causeway has impeded the

flow of tidal currents. Since 2005, work has been under-way to restore Mont Saint Michel to its natural marine setting. Shuttle buses now take visitors across the new access bridge, linking a new parking area and the mount. Set to take place in 2015, the final construction phase will see the removal of the causeway, allowing the sea to once again encircle the mount at each high tide.

Travel plannerMont Saint Michel is about 360km (225 miles) north-

east of Paris. By car, the trip takes about four and a half hours; travelling by train and bus from the Paris Mont-parnasse station takes just under four hours. Many tour companies also offer single and multi-day tours to Mont Saint Michel.

For more information visit:• www.ot-montsaintmichel.com• www.bienvenueaumontsaintmichel.com• www.franceguide.com

The Heavenly heights of Mont Saint Michel

France’s majestic Mont Saint Michel rising up from the tidal flats.

Village rooftops and distant marsh lands viewed from high atop Mont Saint Michel.

A human-sized hamster wheel used to raise building supplies and provisions.

Photos: Julie Kalan

“Mont Saint Michel is to France what the Great Pyramid is to Egypt.” – Victor Hugo, January 1884


Buying foods that have been grown without persistent toxic chemicals and without the use of GMOs is becoming increasingly important to Canadians. Decreasing exposure to potentially harmful pesticides and other pollutants is now a top priority for many consumers and their families. Today’s shop-pers want healthier and more nutritious choices but do not want to pay more. There are many who believe eating organic can be too costly, especially when feeding an entire family.

To help with this common concern, the Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA), the Canadian Organic Growers (COG) and the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA) have partnered to share the top five simple, yet effective tips for eating organic on a budget:

• Meal plan before you shop – The average household wastes 14% of the food they purchase because it goes bad before they have a chance to use it, especially produce. Planning what you are going to cook before you shop and buying items based on a meal plan will reduce the chances of it being thrown out.

• Look for specials and buy in bulk – There are often specials that can be downloaded from a store’s website or cut out of your weekly flyer. When items are marked down this is a great opportunity to stock up especially on non-perishable goods.

• Buy in season – Purchasing fresh produce when it’s in season will be more cost effective and is a great oppor-tunity to freeze and preserve organic produce so you can eat it all year long.

• Go meatless – Cheese and meats are often the most expensive items, but cooking with beans and lentils are an important and cost-effective protein option.

• Prioritize your produce – Certain produce is much more highly contaminated with pesticides (apples, spinach and tomatoes) while others tend to be lower in residue (asparagus, avocado, sweet potato.) Do your research and make sure to purchase organically grown produce or items low in pesticides.

By Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation

Energy efficiency retrofits can reduce your energy consump-tion, environmental impact and save you money. However, if not done properly, replacing windows, adding insulation and reducing air leaks can have unintended effects on your house, indoor air quality, and, your family’s safety. So before the work is started, have your house checked for pre-existing problems or conditions that could lead to problems down the road. These problems may include high humidity, water leaks, dampness, and mold. Your house may also have stale air, lingering odours, soil gas intrusion, and pollutant emissions from household products. Structural sags, cracks and deflections in the walls, floors or ceilings also represent problems that may need to be addressed first. Undertaking an energy efficiency building en-velope retrofit before dealing with pre-existing problems may make the problems worse and may result in the loss of the time and money invested in the retrofit work.

Sealing air leaks can improve comfort, reduce heating costs and protect the walls, windows and attic because it cuts down on the amount of leaking into and out of your house. But, this can cause the air in the house to seem stale and odours to linger longer. Odours from previously unnoticed sources such as hobbies, pets or stored items may become more noticeable. Measuring the air leakage of the house with a blower door test before and after the retrofit work can give an idea of how much the air leakage of the house has been reduced. If the reduction is significant, it may be a good idea to add a bathroom fan, a range hood, an air exchanger or, bet-ter yet, a heat recovery ventilator. When properly designed and installed, mechanical ventilation is more energy efficient and effective than uncontrolled air leakage.

Reducing air leaks can also decrease the air needed for the safe and efficient operation of furnaces, water heaters and fire-places. Adding powerful or numerous exhaust fans can further increase the risk that fuel-fired appliances will not properly vent combustion gases — a situation known as “backdrafting.” Providing adequate combustion air for heating appliances and sufficient make-up air to balance exhaust fans may be a neces-sary part of a building envelope insulation retrofit project. The safest solution is to convert fuel-fired appliances to direct-vent units or sealed-combustion units. The backdrafting risk can often be assessed by a qualified energy advisor. Mechanical contractors can be consulted regarding make-up air systems as well as direct-vent and sealed-combustion appliance options for furnaces, hot water tanks, and fireplaces.

Adding insulation to exterior walls, basement and attic can lead to moisture damage if inside and outside sources of moisture are not addressed. Outside, problems due to rain and melting snow can be reduced by ensuring that the roof properly drains water; there are adequate roof overhangs and flashings to protect the walls and window openings below; a “rainscreen” assembly is used on the exterior walls; areas around the house are sloped and eavestroughs catch and drain water away from the foundation; and, the foundation is protected from moisture.

Inside sources of moisture can be controlled by en-suring that there is adequate mechanical ventilation to remove humidity caused by showers or cooking. Installing a vapour barrier (such as a polyethylene sheet or vapour barrier paint) and, more importantly, an air barrier system to reduce air leaks, are critical parts of wall and attic insu-lation retrofits as they will help keep moisture out of the newly retrofitted assemblies.

Eating organic on a budget

Energy retrofits done right

This year Canadians will be celebrating Organic Week from September 21 – 28, a perfect opportunity to stock up on some local organic produce and get involved in many of the festivities that will be happening across the country. To find out more visit organicweek.ca or chfa.ca.

– News Canada

An energy efficiency building envelope retrofit can reduce space heating needs to the point where the existing furnace may be oversized for the house and may not oper-ate as efficiently. If the furnace or boiler is old enough to consider replacing as a part of the retrofit project, a quali-fied contractor can perform a heat loss calculation and determine the right size for the new heating equipment.

Some interior finishes and materials, especially in older houses, may contain hazardous materials, such as asbestos in insulation and siding or lead in paint and plumbing. Rodent and bird waste may also be a problem. Some equipment, such as knob and tube electrical wiring, can represent other safety hazards. When renovating, make sure care is taken to protect workers and your family from hazardous materials.

Retrofitting your home to make it more energy efficient and to reduce your heating and cooling costs is always a good idea. By recognizing and addressing the potential issues associated with any retrofit project, you will help reduce the likelihood of problems occurring after the work is done. Consult a qualified energy advisor, building professional, home inspector or con-tractor before you begin your energy efficiency retrofit to better understand, and plan for, pre-existing conditions and possible unintended effects of the retrofit project. Often, corrective measures can be planned that not only prevent problems but also add value to the overall project.

To learn more about other sustainable technologies and practices that can improve the performance of your home as well as information on owning or buying a home, visit Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s website at www.cmhc.ca or call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642. For over 65 years, CMHC has been Canada’s national housing agency and a source of objective, reliable housing information.

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By the Seniors Health & Caregiver Support Team, Ottawa Public Health

Many people hope to live in their own home for as long as they can. Un-fortunately having a fall can prevent this from happening. In fact, 40% of all nursing home admissions occur as the result of a fall.

However, aging in your own home is possible. The key is to prepare your home so that it will be safe for you as you get older.

Here are tips to keep your home safe:General tips:• Make sure floors are not slippery with

wax or cleaners.• Make sure floors are not wet. Dry any

water spills right away.• Remove things you can trip on like

scatter mats, clutter and extension cords.

• Consider using a cordless phone.

Make sure there is good lighting in and around the house: • Use a minimum of 60-watt bulbs in

all light fixtures. • Use nightlights in bedrooms, hall-

ways and bathrooms. • Put motion sensitive lights at the en-

trance outside your home.

Stay at home longer with these easy tipsMake sure your stairs are safe:• Have sturdy handrails all the way to the bottom on

both sides of your stairs.• Fix loose carpeting on the stairs.

In the bathroom:• Have grab bars installed in shower, tub and toilet

areas. • Use a bath seat and a hand held shower in your tub

if you have trouble standing. • Use a long rubber mat in your tub and put a mat

with a rubber backing outside of the tub. • Use a raised toilet seat if you have trouble getting

on and off the toilet.

In the kitchen:• Keep things you use often within easy reach.• Keep heavier items in lower cupboards.

Outside your home:• Make sure outdoor stairs and paths do not have

holes or loose stones on them.• Put away things you can trip over like garden tools

and hoses.• Clear snow and ice from stairs as soon as possible.• Use lots of sand or salt on your outdoor stairs in

the winter.Making these changes can make your home

much safer. This will lower your risk of falling and allow you to stay in your own home for as long as possible.

For more information on how to make your home safer, call Ottawa Public Health at 613-580-6744, TTY: 613-580 9656, toll free at 1-866-426-8885 or visit Ottawa.ca/health

Adapted from: Smart Moves, Information about fall prevention for older adults, SMARTRISK, 2004.

Harissa Spiced Scallops

Ingredients1 cup (250 mL) thinly

sliced carrots1 cup (250 mL) frozen peas 1 cup (250 mL) diced leeks2 cups (500 mL) sugar snap

peas, trimmed and halved on diagonal

1 pkg (400 g) PC Blue Menu Wild Nova Scotian Frozen Sea Scallops, thawed and patted dry

1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil2 tsp (10 mL) PC black

label harissa spice blend

1/4 cup (50 mL) chicken stock

Half lemon

InstructionsIn a saucepan of boiling

water, cook carrots for 2 min-utes. Add peas, leeks and snap peas and return to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes. Drain vegeta-bles and gently rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Remove and discard small side muscle from scallops. In bowl, toss together scallops, ol-ive oil and harissa spice blend. Heat large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Arrange scallops, flat surface down, in a single layer in pan. Sear for 1 or 2 minutes, depending on thickness. Turn scallops over and sear for 1 to 2 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer scallops to a plate and keep warm.

In same pan, bring chicken stock to a boil. Add cooked vegetables and toss until hot. Transfer vegetables to a serv-ing platter and arrange seared scallops on top. Generously squeeze lemon over scallops and vegetables.

– News Canada


By Randy Ray

If you’re not enjoying life to the fullest it may be time to have your hearing checked and investigate the latest in hearing aid technology.Hearing screenings and an exhibition hall of the latest

hearing technologies will be key facets of the 2013 Ottawa Hearing Show, an event for consumers that takes place on September 20 and 21 at the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre (Formerly the Hampton Inn & Conference Centre Ottawa) at 200 Coventry Rd. near The Queensway and The Vanier Parkway.

Hosted by Davidson Hearing Aid Centres in Ottawa, the show will bring together the leading hearing aid, cochlear implant and assistive device manufacturers for a social and educational event. It runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on both days and parking and admission are free.

“The show is an opportunity for us to thank our patients and to visit with them and chat about their hearing needs,” says Robbie Davidson of Davidson Hearing Aid Centres. “There will be no sales at the event but it is a great way to inform consumers about new products so that when they come to see us or another hearing aid company for a test, they will be armed with the latest information and can ask the right questions,” says Davidson, who expects 1,500 people to attend the two-day event.

Why attend the 5th Annual Ottawa Hearing Show? Because with more than 1.2 million reported cases in

Canada, hearing loss is the most prevalent health problem in the country. The National Academy on an Aging So-ciety says untreated hearing loss can lead to depression, dissatisfaction with life, reduced functional and cognitive health, and withdrawal from social activities. Whether hearing loss doesn’t allow you to hear television programs or music properly or whether you’re often a few steps

behind in conversations, living with reduced hearing capacity is hard on the individual, their loved ones and friends. Communicating is a two-way street but fewer than 15 per cent of people seek treatment, including two-thirds of seniors who could benefit from hearing help.

“People who attend the Ottawa Hearing Show will learn what they will get for their money, why it matters where they purchase a product and what other devices they may want to consider,” adds Adam Fitzsimmons, a Regional Manager of Phonak Canada who’s company will also be attending the event.

“On one hand we are really trying to raise awareness for the hard of hearing community because a barrier to seeking treatment continues to be social stigma,” says Davidson. “When people realize that they are not alone, they are much more likely to seek help. The second function of the event is to educate those with hearing loss as well as their families. Like all technologies, hearing aids are constantly evolving and there are new products being introduced every year, which will help overcome more of the obstacles presented by hearing loss.”

Attendees will learn that today’s hearing aids are smaller than ever and that some are virtually invisible. They will also discover that feedback is much less of an issue than in the past and that they can stream television sets and hands-free cell phones through their aids. In fact,

today’s devices are much easier to use and can be tuned to every individual’s needs, meaning that as your hearing changes, your device can be adjusted.

Not only will there be information provided by exhibitors from across the industry, the event will also include lectures by industry experts. These will range from general infor-mation about how we hear and why hearing loss occurs, to detailed sessions on the latest technology and the difference between various levels and brands of hearing devices.

Another key offering at the show will be complimentary 15-minute hearing screening provided by audiology stu-dents from the University of Ottawa, one of five Canadian schools that offer the masters level audiology program. The screenings will be available from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 20 and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 21. This screening is an ideal opportunity to assess one’s general pattern of hearing acuity and find out what products are available to help improve it.

Now Eastern Ontario’s longest serving hearing health care provider, the Davidson Hearing Aid Centres was found-ed by W.E. Davidson in 1943 and has grown considerably over the years. The company boasts a staff of eight dedi-cated professionals, including audiologists, hearing instru-ment specialists and hearing aid technicians. This mix of staff allows the company to prescribe the best hearing aids for its clients and gives it the ability to service them on-site.

“Not only do we service our hearing aids, we are able to do many at no charge to our customers,” says Robbie Davidson. “We realize that hearing aids are a considerable cost and we feel that our clients should not be burdened with additional fees. For this reason, we offer all of our clients free audiological tests, consultations and service. On top of this, we guarantee our clients’ complete satisfac-tion with every hearing aid we fit. We do so by offering a 90-day trial on all hearing aid fittings to ensure that our clients have the best solution for their hearing needs.” In addition, to offset some of the financial burden for fami-lies that have children with hearing problems, Davidson’s started the Kids Program which waives all dispensing fees for those under the age of 18.

The company has three locations in Ottawa plus clinics in Brockville, Cornwall, Pembroke and Renfrew.

For more information, please visit the Davidson Hear-ing Aids website at: www.davidsonhearingaids.com or call: (613) 233-4374.

Y@Hhealthyliving

Learn the latest in hearing aid technology at the Ottawa Hearing Show hosted by Davidson Hearing Aid centres

Meet with audiologists and hearing industry experts in the exhibition hall.

Attend informative seminars on hearing loss and the latest hearing aid technologies.

September 20 & 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Free admission, free parking.Everyone who attends has a

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More Canadians are surviving strokes due to advances in awareness and medical services but a new report by the Heart and Stroke Foundation reveals that more than one-third of Canadians mistakenly believe that the recovery period is limited to a few months.

Stroke recovery is a journey that can continue for years or a lifetime, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation 2013 Stroke Report, which outlines the importance of fam-ily caregivers in the process. A poll carried out for the report reveals that half of Canadians are directly touched by stroke and even more striking, that one in five Canadians have been involved in the support and care of a stroke survivor.

“Our poll confirmed what we have long suspected – that stroke touches the lives of many Canadians, and family members and friends play an important role in the recov-ery journey,” says Ian Joiner, Director, Heart and Stroke Foundation. “Obviously the best story is when a stroke is prevented, but we need to pay more attention to every aspect of stroke – prevention, recognition, treatment, and rehabilitation and recovery.”

315,000 Canadians are currently living with the effects of stroke and this will increase

Fifty thousand strokes occur in Canada each year and 315,000 Canadians are living with the effects of stroke. As the population continues to age this number will increase – as will the number of Canadians caring for loved ones post-stroke. Now, 60 per cent of people who have a stroke report that they need help afterwards and 80 per cent have restrictions to their daily activities.

The economic cost is also high; stroke costs the Cana-dian economy $3.6 billion a year in physician services, hospital costs, lost wages, and decreased productivity.

“Combine these factors and a complete story of stroke emerges,” says Joiner, adding that advances in awareness and treatment mean deaths from stroke are actually declin-ing. “More Canadians will be living with the effects of stroke. Recovery can continue for years, and many Canadi-ans find themselves supporting stroke survivors through that recovery journey. The urgency and need for action is clear.”

Rehabilitation and caregiver support are essential in the stroke recovery journey

Rehabilitation is a key part of the stroke recovery

journey and rehabilitation research and enhancements to services and access will be more important than ever.

“We need rehabilitation research to better understand the dif-ficulties someone is having after a stroke and then develop the treatments to help them get better,” says Dr. Sean Dukelow, a physiatrist at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute Faculty of Medicine, an assistant professor at the University of Calgary and a Heart and Stroke Foundation-funded researcher who uses robotics to help stroke survivors recover. “We use a robotic model – a large robotic chair – that helps measure a patient’s improvement over time and helps deliver therapy. It can require tens of thousands of repetitions of a particular movement to relearn how to do it after stroke and the robot can help us determine the type and intensity of the rehabilitation needed for a patient to relearn how to use his arm. We can use this information and turn that into a plan to treat the patient more effectively.”

The role that relatives or close friends of stroke survi-vors carry out is essential to the recovery journey. They help survivors relearn routine activities, regain abilities, cope with challenges and frustrations and do things the survivors cannot do for themselves. They also become navigators of the healthcare system and advocates for services and follow-up.

Other results from the Heart and Stroke Foundation poll reveal that not all Canadians have a clear picture of how strokes can be prevented. According to the poll, less than two-thirds of Canadians are aware that most strokes can be prevented and nearly one in six believe that once a person has recovered from a stroke there is nothing they can do to prevent another one. And the fact is that up to 80 per cent of premature heart disease and stroke can be prevented.

Canadians are optimistic about the outlook for stroke survivors and the possibilities of life after stroke. In the Heart and Stroke Foundation poll, more than four in five respondents said they believe that people who survive a stroke can be treated, recover and live meaningful lives.

There is life after strokeRecovery can continue for years, with survivor family and friends playing essential role

Heart and Stroke Foundation poll

According to a new poll by the Heart and Stroke Foundation:• One in two Canadians report having a close friend

or family member who is a stroke survivor.• One in five Canadians report being directly involved

in the support and care of a stroke survivor.• Fewer than two in three Canadians believe that most

strokes can be prevented.• Nearly one in five believe that most strokes are fatal.• More than four in five believe that people who

survive a stroke can be treated, recover and live meaningful lives.

• Nearly one in six Canadians believe that once a person has recovered from a stroke there is nothing they can do to prevent another one.

• One in three Canadians believe that once a person survives a stroke there is an initial period of a few months of recovery. After than they are unlikely to recover any further.

Advances mean hopeThe story of stroke is not over. Stroke is preventable.

Stroke is treatable. And recovery from stroke is possible. For stroke survivors and their loved ones, continued ad-vances in rehabilitation and recovery mean real hope for a better future. There is life after stroke.

For the full report, videos of researchers and survivors, resources for stroke survivors and caregivers, and calls to action for Canadians, government and healthcare profes-sionals visit heartandstroke.ca/strokereport2013.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation, a volunteer-based health charity, leads in eliminating heart disease and stroke, reducing their impact through the advancement of research and its application, the promotion of healthy living and advocacy. Healthy lives free of heart disease and stroke. Info: Heartandstroke.ca

The Foundation is asking all Canadians to Make Health Last by taking action today to give themselves, their friends and families longer, healthier, fuller lives. Take the Heart&Stroke risk assessment today at makehealthlast.ca.


By Patricia Nicholson, Women’s Health Mat-ters

It’s not just about bone density anymore. Guide-lines from Osteoporosis Canada stress the impor-tance of fracture risk over bone mass. They also give women the opportunity to be proactive about their bone health.

For several years, doctors had been focusing on treatment of low bone mineral density (BMD). BMD was the key to diagnosing both osteoporosis (bone loss causing weak and fragile bones) and osteopenia (low BMD that is not as severe as osteoporosis).

The recent guidelines shift that focus to iden-tifying risk for fragility fractures – fractures that occur when weakened bones break without serious pressure or trauma to the bone.

“We’re moving away from the terms osteopenia and osteoporosis, and really thinking about people that are at low fracture risk, people that are at moderate fracture risk and people that are at high fracture risk,” says Dr. Sophie Jamal, a scientist at Women’s College Research Institute and one of the authors of the new guidelines. “Those fracture risk classifications do take into account bone density, but they also take into account other fac-tors that could influence bone quality.”

The big three While some aspects of these guidelines focus on

your doctor’s role, there is also plenty of information for women who want to optimize their bone health.

“The big thing is maintaining good bone hy-giene,” says Dr. Jamal. The three biggest elements of bone hygiene are:• Calcium: 1,200 milligrams calcium daily from

diet and supplements.• Vitamin D: 800 to 1,000 IUs daily from supple-

ments.• Exercise: 20 minutes, three to five times per week.

The amount of calcium has actually decreased from earlier recommendations. “Too much may not necessarily be helpful, and in fact may be harmful,” Dr. Jamal says.

“Vitamin D really cannot be obtained from food sources, so most women need to take a vitamin D supplement,” she adds. If you take a multivitamin, check to see if it contains vitamin D, and how much. Some contain 400 IUs (only half the rec-ommended amount), but some of the formulas for

people over 50 contain 800 IUs. “You really have to read the label,” says Dr. Jamal.

Weight-bearing exercise is the third key to good bone hygiene. To maintain healthy bones, you need 20 minutes of weight-bearing exercise three to five times a week. “It can be as simple as walking,” Dr. Jamal says.

Other ways to encourage good bone hygiene:• If you’re over age 50 and have never had a bone

density scan, talk to your family doctor about having one.

• If you’re under age 50 and take steroids (pred-nisone), talk to your family doctor about having a bone density scan.

• If you smoke, give it up.• Drink alcohol in moderation.• Drink caffeine in moderation.

What your doctor needs to know Tell your family doctor about any fractures you

have. That may sound obvious, but it can be easy to overlook.

For example, if you slip and fall from standing height and break your arm, that would be consid-ered a fragility fracture. But it’s very common to have a broken wrist treated in an emergency room, urgent care centre or a hospital’s fracture clinic – not through your family doctor. Your family doctor has no way of knowing about the fracture unless you tell her about it. Make sure she knows, because it’s relevant to your future fracture risk.

“There’s no such thing as a ‘normal’ fracture,” Dr. Jamal says. “A fracture is never appropriate or a good thing. If you have had a fracture, you need to tell your doctor about it. Because a fracture can lead to further fractures.”

Also tell your doctor if you’re shorter than you used to be. Loss of height may indicate vertebral compression fractures – bones in the spine that have become weak, broken and compressed, shortening the spine.

“If you’re noticing a significant amount of height loss – two centimeters or more – you should talk to your doctor about having a spine X-ray,” Dr. Jamal says, noting that these fractures often have no symptoms. “In about one-third of women, they don’t even know they’ve had them, and the way they will often present is with height loss.”

Dr. Jamal describes the revised guidelines as a new paradigm for clinicians.

Bone up on bone health: guidelines from Osteoporosis canada

“Before we really relied com-pletely on bone density and bone density testing,” she said. “Now we think about whether you’re at low, moderate or high fracture risk, and that can be influenced by age, whether you’ve had a previous fracture, et cetera.”

But clinicians can’t care for your bones without you.

“Consumers need to be proac-tive,” Dr. Jamal says. “You need to take responsibility for your bone hygiene, and you need to ask for a bone density test.”

Women’s Health Matters is a di-vision of Women’s College Hospital,

Ontario’s first and only independent ambulatory, teaching hospital af-filiated with the University of To-ronto. The hospital is focused on the delivery of superior coordinated care, including specialized clinics and surgical suites that combine prevention, treatment, research and education to advance the health of women. For more information visit www.womensheathmatters.ca

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