Machin Messenger

Serving Minnitaki, Eagle River, Vermilion Bay

And surrounding area

Volume 20 issue 12 December 6, 2018

Mayor’s Message I would like to thank the voters for their support and their help in the municipal election. I would like to congratulate the candidates who were elected to council and thank those who took part in the democratic process. I also thank those who have served. It is a huge commitment, not only for those elected, but also their families, that from time to time see public service interfere with their private life. I look forward to the term ahead, as I feel there is much to do, and after speaking to the elected councilors, I am confident we have a team to make a positive impact on Machin. The work has already begun. One area that needs improvement is the flow of information from council as to what is being worked on and why. At this time on behalf of myself and council, I would like to wish all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Gord Griffiths, Mayor

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Mayor, Council & Machin Staff

MACHIN COUNCIL AND STAFF HAVE APPROVED THE FOLLOWING

HOURS OF OPERATION OVER THE 2018 CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR’S

PERIOD AS FOLLOWS:

Municipal Office Closed December 24, 2018 to December 28, 2018 Open December 31, 2018 Closed January 1, 2019 Public Works Department Will operated their regular hours but will be closed on the following: December 25 (full day), 26 (full day) , 2018 and January 1, 2019 (full day) Woodland Arena Woodland Arena will be closed to the public from December 24 2018 to January 1, 2019 inclusive, but will accept private rentals upon request, ad the Manager’s discretion Landfill Sites (Vermilion Bay and Eagle River) The Landfill Sites will be closed December 25, 2018 and January 1, 2019 Eagle River Rink To Be Announced, depending on ice conditions.

Property Owners in Vermilion Bay with Aqua Flow units are

reminded to turn them on to prevent your water from freezing. Please ensure that they remain on until the mid-dle of April. Should you have any questions please call Shawna Alberts at 227-2064.

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MESSENGER DEADLINE

Submissions for the Machin Messenger must now be in by the LAST WEDNESDAY of the month, by noon. Since the Messenger is published on the first Thursday of the month, the deadline will change if the 1st is on Thursday. We will put reminders in the month before. The deadline for the January Messenger will be Wednesday December 26th. Drop submissions off at the Municipal Office or email to pilmar@sympatico.ca, subject line “Machin Messen-ger”. Ads will need to be pre-paid prior to insertion in the Messenger. Please note that there are price changes for ads. Call

the Municipal Office for details.

MESSENGER ADS

If you wish to advertise in the Machin Messenger, please

call the Municipal Offices at 227-2633 to find out the

charge for your ad. Ads will need to be pre-paid.

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Thumbs up to people who brought their kids

to the Remembrance Day service and to young

people who attended on their own.

Thank you

to all who supported

me in the past

Municipal Elections

I will work hard on

all your issues & all others.

Garry Parkes

Get your skates sharpened!! Public Works is working on the Eagle River Rink and if all goes well we hope to have it open for everyone before Christmas.

Stay tuned for more info on our Facebook page.

Thank you to everyone who supported

me in the recent Municipal election. I

look forward to working with the new

council, and fellow Machin residents,

to continue to make our community a

great place to live.

Ray Pilkey

I would like to thank everyone who voted for me and I will do my best to represent you in council for the next 4 years. Thank you again, Dennis Peterson

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HOLIDAY SAFETY TIPS Christmas Tree:

When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label "Fire Resistant." Although this label does not mean the tree won't catch fire, it does indicate the tree will resist burning and should extinguish quickly.

When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green; needles are hard to pull from branches and when bent between your fingers, needles do not break. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.

When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Because heated rooms dry live trees out rapidly, be sure to keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of foot traffic and do not block doorways.

Tree disposal after the holidays: When you’re ready to get rid of your tree, please do not burn it in the fireplace or wood stove. The rapid burning and excessive heat can damage the firebox and chimney creating a serious fire hazard.

Lights & Electrical:

Indoors or outside, always use CSA approved lights. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections, and throw out damaged sets.

Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.

Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.

Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other firm supports to protect the lights from wind damage. Use only insulated staples, not nails or tacks, to hold strings in place. Or, run strings of lights through hooks (available at hardware stores).

Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.

For added electric-shock protection, plug outdoor electric lights and decorations into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). Portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased where electrical supplies are sold. GFCIs can be installed permanently to household circuits by a qualified electrician.

Decorations:

Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or non-leaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.

Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down and are out of reach of children.

In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid the child swallowing or inhaling small pieces, and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.

Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with spun glass "angel hair." Follow container directions carefully to avoid lung irritation while decorating with artificial snow sprays.

Holiday Entertaining:

Test your smoke alarms and tell guests about your home fire escape plan. Ensure they are aware of all exits in your home.

Keep matches and lighters up high in a locked cabinet.

Stay in the kitchen when cooking.

Ask smokers to smoke outside. Remind smokers to keep their smoking materials with them so young children do not touch them.

Provide large, deep ashtrays for smokers. Wet cigarette butts with water before discarding.

Don't drink & drive or let your guests drink & drive. Make sure you plan ahead and have a designated driver, arrange for a cab or other alternative transportation.

Fireplaces:

Do not remove fireplace embers or ash, or if you do, place them in a metal container with a lid and cover them with water. Do not place them in a plastic or paper bag or other container that is not fire-resistant. Do not dispose of them indoors or close to your home or another structure.

Use care with "fire salts," which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten. Keep them away from children.

Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

Never burn boxes, cartons, or other types of packing in the fireplace. They burn too rapidly and generate far too much heat.

Don't hang Christmas stockings from the mantel when the fireplace is in use.

Always use a screen in front of the fireplace to protect against flying sparks.

Never use gasoline or any other flammable liquids to start a fire.

Use only seasoned and dried wood.

Never leave the fire unattended or let it smoulder. Clean the ashes regularly. Place the ashes in a metal container and store outside away from flammable materials. Don't use Christmas trees for firewood. The rapid burning and excessive heat can damage the firebox and chimney creating a seri-ous fire hazard.

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MACHIN SENIORS ON THE GO

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SENIORS BUS WILL NOT BE GOING TO DRYDEN

ON DECEMBER 25, 27, 2018 AND JANUARY 1, 2019.

WE WILL RESUME REGULAR TRIPS ON JANUARY 3, 2019.

THE BUS COMMITTEE WISHES EVERYONE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND

ALL THE BEST IN THE NEW YEAR.

CALL CHARLENE AT 227-2633 EXT. 28 PUTTING YOUR NAME DOWN OR MORE INFORMATION.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all the staff of

Machin Medical Clinic/Points North Family Health Team

Dr. Yvon Gagnon, Eileen, Elaine, Jessica, Nicole, Brenda, Stephanie and Jennifer

May the Christmas season fill your home with joy and laughter and may the year ahead

be full of good health and joy.

We will be closed December 24th, 25th, 26th, 28th, 31st and January 1st 2019

Open December 27th

We will resume regular hours of operation on January 2nd, 2019.

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Lions Lines This has been quite the month for our Lions Club. Thank

you all for your support during the disastrous event with

the stolen 4-wheeler. A big thank you to the anonymous

person who came forward and purchased the new 4-

wheeler so we were able to continue our raffle without

any worries about dipping into the trust money’s set

aside to give away during the budget year. The Vermilion

Bay Lions Club gives approximately $30,000 per year to

various charities and without your help it would have

been cut in half next year. Thank you to all who buy tick-

ets for birthdays, stocking stuffers and for family your

support is greatly appreciated. Watch for members selling

at Canadian Tire, Co-op and around town.

Congratulations to Lion Carol Anderson, Betty Ollerhead

on receiving a Melvin Jones award at the District Gover-

nor night. Along with Lion Gary Hutchison Progressive

Melvin Jones award, Lions Nancy Macklem, Susan Mann,

and Gord Dingman received Hope Medals. The District

Governor Joanne Ogden from Emo was very impressed

with our Centennial Pavilion, playground equipment at

Machin Park and the work done at the Lions Hall.

December 17 is our annual Music Night 7:00 at the Lions

Hall. Come on out for a good time and listen to the chil-

dren of Migisi Sahgaigan and Clint Dutiume play the fid-

dle and joint us signing Christmas Carol’s and having

cookies and a warm drink.

Our new service project is making lunches Monday and

Fridays at the Lillian Berg School. We are having fun see-

ing all the children’s happy faces while serving the com-

munity at the same time.

The Zone meeting was held at the hall on November 24.

The Lions from Red Lake, Ignace, Dryden, Kenora, Ear

Falls and Sioux Lookout gather together to give their

ideas and gain new information about our District.

We continue to be offering the community the Adopt a

Chair program. So far over 60 chairs have been pur-

chased. Thanks to all who have paid for a chair. A

plaque is being put up in the hall with all the names.

From all the Lions members to you and your family, we

wish you a safe and Merry Christmas and all the best in

the New Year!

The Vermilion Bay Lions Club has their own website

www.vermilionbaylions.org. Also like us on our Face-

book page.

Our hall is rented out at reasonable rates. Hall rentals

contact Al Koroniak 220-1107

Use of medical equipment at no charge (donations ac-cepted)- stair climber, hospital beds, walkers, broda chair, wheel chairs for information contact Gary Hutchison 227-2449

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Helping Hands is looking for

high school student volunteers

to help Sunday December 16

in the afternoon, guaranteed 3-4

hours.

Contact Judy at 227-2055 or email

judydennis50@hotmail.com

MACHIN’S 2018 SANTA CLAUS PARADE Just a reminder the Parade will start from the Machin Fire Hall at 3:00pm, there is still time to enter a float and join in the fun please call Sandra at 227-2633 ext. 26 everyone is welcome. There is no charge for entering a float. Watch for insert in this messenger for the Parade route. Don’t for get to check out the Craft Market & Bake Sale at the Lions Hall from 10am to 3pm. There will also be a skate with Santa from 4pm – 6pm at The Woodland Arena. Free hot chocolate and hot dogs compliments of the Municipality of Machin.

Please come out and join the fun!

The Home Support Committee would like to Thank the Harley Party Crew for their continuous support to the Bus Fund Commit-tee, you make it possible to keep “Machin’s Seniors on the Go.”

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St. Mark Lutheran Church

Christmas Services

Advent Services: Wednesday Evenings

at 6:30 pm

December 5, 12, 19, 2018.

Christmas Eve Candle Light Service:

December 24, 2018 at 9:00 pm.

There will be no service on Christmas Day.

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Are there any community

groups in Machin

who would want to do the

calendar?

It would be a shame

to lose this!

Due to the changes within our services we are no longer able to offer the Community Calendars. We would like to thank everyone for all the support they have given us over the past 40 years. Your generosity and has benefited our program

tremendously and we would like to thank you

from the bottom of our hearts. Sincerely, staff, families and children of The Vermilion Bay Nursery School Co-op.

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Stress, depression and the holidays: Tips for coping

Stress and depression can ruin your holidays and hurt your health. Being realistic, planning ahead and seeking support can help ward off stress and depression. The holiday season often brings unwelcome guests — stress and depression. And it's no wonder. The holidays present a dizzying array of demands — parties, shopping, baking, cleaning and entertaining, to name just a few. But with some practical tips, you can minimize the stress that accompanies the holidays. You may even end up enjoying the holi-days more than you thought you would.

Tips to prevent holiday stress and depression When stress is at its peak, it's hard to stop and regroup. Try to prevent stress and depression in the first place, especially if the holidays have taken an emotional toll on you in the past.

1. Acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has recently died or you can't be with loved ones, realize that it's nor-

mal to feel sadness and grief. It's OK to take time to cry or express your feelings. You can't force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season.

2. Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events. They can offer support and

companionship. Volunteering your time to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits and broaden your friendships.

3. Be realistic. The holidays don't have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals

often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. For example, if your adult children can't come to your house, find new ways to celebrate together, such as sharing pictures, emails or videos, skype.

4. Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all of your expec-

tations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they're feeling the effects of holiday stress and depression, too. Stick to a budget. Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts.

Try these alternatives:

Donate to a charity in someone's name.

Give homemade gifts.

Start a family gift exchange.

Points North Family Health Team is pleased to offer

Women Who Think Too Much

Do you stay awake at night worrying about your children’s needs, or strategizing on how to care for your aging parents?

Do you go over and over the career choices you’ve made, and ones you suspect you’ll be faced with in the future?

Do you have trouble getting over losses and setbacks?

If you answered YES to one or more of these questions you might be an over thinker.

Book Club meetings will be one and a half hours approximately, once a week for 4 weeks. Books will be provided and are yours to keep.

Meetings will be relaxed, interactive and confidential; we will discuss the book and share our thoughts on what we’ve discovered and what has helped us as individuals.

Sessions are scheduled to run Thursdays from January 10th

though January 31st

at 1:30 pm in the downstairs

boardroom of the clinic. You do not need to be a patient of the clinic to enroll.

There are only 5 seats available for this program. Once you have registered please come in to get your book at least a

week prior to the start date. Program will repeat if required.

To register or for more information, please call the clinic or Brenda at 227-2675 Individual counseling is also available.

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G & G SPORTS

Box 309 Vermilion Bay

Phone 227-2895

Repairs to most sports equipment

Zipper replacement or repair

Snaps & buckles

Recover ski-do seats and bike seats

Chairs—boat seats

Re-lacing baseball gloves

Skate repair/sharpening

In this area, batteries may be dropped

off at Timbermax in Dryden.

We would like to welcome new individuals to our

Machin area. If you know of anyone who has re-

cently moved to our area please contact Susan

Pelland at 529-4388 or Lori Miles at 221-7667 to

receive your welcome basket.

If your organization or business would like to in-

clude a gift, donation or brochure about your club

or business please contact Susan or Lori so we

can insert your information in our basket.

The Vermilion Bay Co-op would like to let the shoppers know

the following dates for Senior & Shareholder Days as well as

Flyer Days:

Shareholder Discount Senior Days Flyer Days December 7

th – 13

th December 14

th December 19

th

December 21st -27

th

Just a reminder that you can view the Co-op flyer online at www.coopconnection.ca Thank you for your patronage.

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Winter again?

A new season is the best time

for new starts! Want to lose some weight?

Join us Thursdays at 2:00 p.m.

in the Reading Room (basement of the

Municipal Office Building)

We’ll give you the support you need to lose those extra pounds!

Building Permit Applications and general inquiries are available at the Machin Office. Any questions on building, please call our Building Inspector Charles Tarrant direct at 1-709-884-9302

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Copies of the water systems monthly summary, annual reports and the financial plan

are available for viewing at the Municipal Office if any of the general public would like to

review them. Also available at the Municipal Office the public may access the Water Qual-

ity System Policy for the Vermilion Bay water treatment plant and distribution system

which forms part of the Operational Plan. Should anyone have any questions or concerns

please do not hesitate to contact Shawna Alberts at 227-2064.

Machin Council: Monday December10th, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers, Machin Municipal Office. No meeting on December 24th. Meeting minutes are now available online— www. visitmachin.com Public Works Meeting: Monday December 10th, 6:00 p.m., Council Chambers, Machin Municipal Office. Recreation Meeting—TBA Lot Development Committee: Meeting TBA Lions Club—First and third Wednesdays of every month, 7:00 p.m., Lion’s Hall. Happy-Go-Lucky Seniors: No meeting in Decem-ber. Pine Tree Pathways: No meetings until the spring TOPS—Weigh-in at 5:00 p.m.. every Thursday. Short meeting follows in the Reading Room, Municipal Build-ing. Please note that beginning November 1st, TOPS will meet at 2:00 p.m.—same place. AA - Every Tuesday at 8pm. New meeting: Every Sunday at 7pm - Open meeting for anyone affect-ed by Alcoholism. All meetings held in the Reading Room at the Machin Municipal Offices. AL-Anon Family Group: Every Thursday 7:00 p.m., at St. Mark Lutheran Church. For more info call Darlene @938-7061. Sew’n’Sew Quilters— Tuesday December 4th and Tuesday December 11th. . Kinettes—The first WEDNESDAY of each month, 7:00 p.m. in the Bayview meeting room. Community Gardens Committee— TBA Seniors Friendship Club of Eagle River—Second Wednesday of each Month. Community Policing Meeting—TBA Waldhof Wranglers—TBA

Area Church Services

Our Lady of Fatima

Roman Catholic Church Hwy 17 Vermilion Bay

Mass: Fridays at 5:30 p.m.

United Church 97 Spruce Street

Vermilion Bay Services will begin in the spring

Eagle River (Ebenezer) Baptist Church

Services at First Baptist Church

58 King Street, Dryden, Ontario

Morning Worship Service at 10:30 a.m.

St. Mark Lutheran Church

Hwy 17 Vermilion Bay

Services: Sundays 11:30 a.m.

Evangelical Mission Church

55 Willow Street, Vermilion Bay

Services: Sundays 11:00 a.m.

Sunday School—10:00 a.m.

Upper Falls Baptist Church

Hwy 105 North

Worship: Sundays 11:00 a.m.

Sunday School/Bible Study:

10:00 a.m. (all ages)

WINTER HOURS—WASTE DISPOSAL SITES Effective OCT. 2, 2018

TUESDAY THURSDAY SATURDAY

VERMILION BAY 2 p.m.— 6 p.m. Closed 9 a.m.—1 p.m.

EAGLE RIVER 9 a.m.— 1 p.m. Closed 2 p.m.—6 p.m.

Please note time change.

Beginning November 8, we will meet at 2:00 p.m.