Jane Andres, best known in Niagara for her work helping offshore workers, says although she has spent her entire life in Niagara, “I possessed only a few dusty facts regarding the history of the U.S. side of the river. I had vague recollections of the story of the Tryon house, but it wasn’t until I spotted it from the Niagara Parkway close to Queenston in March 2020 that I … [Read more...] about Seldom-heard story of Tryon’s Folly
Couple cross Niagara to minister to local farmworkers
It wasn’t what they expected when they moved to Niagara. It has only been a year and a half since Antonio Illas first set foot on the most fertile soil in Canada, but it feels like he has had a decade’s worth of life-changing experience crammed into that short time. Although Christ Church McNab began reaching out to the Spanish-speaking farmworkers in 1988, it began … [Read more...] about Couple cross Niagara to minister to local farmworkers
Time to think about welcome kits for farm workers
This year will always be remembered as a year of extraordinary challenges. In Niagara-on-the-Lake, it will also be remembered as a time when a caring community shone brightly. The delivery of more than 560 welcome kits to farm workers was a success because of the growing support of the people of this town. It has been a joy to meet so many locals who provided welcome … [Read more...] about Time to think about welcome kits for farm workers
Kids connecting through love of reading
It’s no exaggeration that this past season has been fraught with unforeseen challenges for everyone. There were also many times this past summer when a bright sunbeam would slip through a fissure in the dark clouds of uncertainty. Meeting Lane Smith was one of them. Amidst all of the challenges of curtailed summer activities, 11-year-old Lane began thinking of ways to make a … [Read more...] about Kids connecting through love of reading
Library books for kids heading to Jamaica
In February, 2012, Jodie Godwin, her 12-year-old daughter Leah and I had the opportunity to visit Jamaica. The purpose of the trip was to meet the families of the men who worked on farms in our neighbourhood back home. It had been a whirlwind tour, and after 10 days we arrived in the parish of St. Mary. Slightly disoriented after a dizzying day of traveling on … [Read more...] about Library books for kids heading to Jamaica