As a crowd gathered around the Queen Street cenotaph Friday evening, the anticipation and excitement for the 33rd annual stroll was evident.
Outside the Court House, candles were purchased and eager participants were entertained with carols sung by Debbie Whitehouse, accompanied by the Salvation Army band, a tradition of the popular event organized by the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce.
Inside, Ceto Reid took centre stage, honoured to be a recipient of funds from the sale of candles. He and others who would lead the stroll met in the warmth of the Lord Mayor’s office, where a small reception was held before the event.
Reid is a migrant farmworker who was injured while riding his bike in St. Catharines Oct. 6, the day before he was to complete his eight months of work on a NOTL farm before flying home to his family and his own farm in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica.
He was returning to NOTL with a load of clean laundry on his bike, when he was hit by a car on Carlton Street. His hip was badly injured, requiring surgery in Hamilton, and he is staying at the farm where he worked until it has healed enough to travel.
Reid told The Local that Jane Andres and Julia Buxton-Cox, both advocates for farmworkers, have been looking after him, dropping off food and making sure he has everything he needs. “They take care of me,” he says. “Anything I need, they look after it.”
He is in a lot of pain from his hip and knee, and on crutches but not able to put any weight on his leg, which makes it challenging living in a two-storey house, or even just heating up a meal and getting to a place where he can sit and eat it.
He has a friend and co-worker, Dwayne Edward, who was able to extend his work permit and is still at the farm. Edward is out all day, but is able to help Reid in the evenings after work.
Edward said he wishes he could do more, but at least he can help Reid get upstairs to his room for the night. “It is difficult. I assist him with some things he can’t manage. Everything is very complicated for him.”
Fortunately, says Reid, his physiotherapist comes to the house twice a week.
He had been hoping to get home to his wife and adult children in time for Christmas, but it’s not looking good, he says. He has a doctor’s appointment Dec. 14, when he will learn what comes next, and when he might be able to travel, but he expects that won’t be until January.
He said he was very honoured and grateful for all the support he was being shown by the organizers of the Candlelight Stroll, although he was a little nervous about his role in it. But, he says, “I’m also very excited. I really commend them for giving me this opportunity. I very much appreciate this whole experience.”
As Reid and those at the reception made their way outside, Town Crier Tom Pekar gave a short history of the stroll, which was started by local residents Arthur Nieuwdorp and his wife Irene. Nieuwdorp came up with the idea in 1988 during the lead-up to the Calgary Winter Olympics, when he watched the Olympic torch relay as it travelled across the country.
He was inspired to create a community event that would reflect the spirit of giving and the beauty of a NOTL Christmas, and that first year, the funds raised from the sale of the candles were donated to a little girl with cystic fibrosis. This fundraising tradition continued into the subsequent Candlelight Strolls.
NOTL Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Minerva Ward described the stroll as “one of the town’s most cherished and heartwarming traditions organized by the chamber,” and explained that half of the funds raised would go to Reid.
The migrant farmworker program, she said, is important to the agricultural and wine industries, and plays a role in food security across Canada. “They are part of our Niagara-on-the-Lake family, and we extend our love and care for them just as we would our next door neighbour.”
The other half of the funds raised will be divided equally between the NOTL Palliative Care Community Service to assist those who want to remain in their home and be cared for by volunteers passionate about supporting individuals at a crucial time; and to The Farm-worker Hub, which supports migrant farmworkers by providing basic supplies at no cost.
Buxton-Cox, founder of The Farmworker Hub, said she was honoured to be “part of the team that serves the hardworking men and women who come here from all over. We are so grateful to them. The people who feed you need you,” she said. “Let’s continue to serve this part of the population who care for us. Let’s care for them. Thanks for the funds from tonight to help us carry on our mission.”
She asked for warm clothes and pots and pans, and suggested checking out www.thehubnotl.ca/donate.
Reid, with an enthusiastic welcome from the crowd, issued them a warm welcome, thanked them for their support, and repeated his gratitude and appreciation to the community, “especially Jane and Julia.”
He wished those in attendance “all the best for the holiday,” before taking on the most important role of the evening — the lighting of candles, made difficult by a strong breeze — and then heading off in a Sentineal horse-drawn carriage to lead the stroll.
Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa spoke of attending the stroll with his wife when they had their first son — he slept through it wrapped up warmly on a sled — he said this was a lot of fun, with a crowd that seemed energized, enthusiastic, and “in grand spirits.”
He saw lots of locals participating as he walked the route, and lots of young people from town.
It’s a great kick-off of for the season,” he said, giving credit to the organizers, and to Sentineal Carriages.
The rain stopped just in time, the weather co-operated, and it was good to see people out again, going into local stores and restaurants. “It all worked out great.”
As a crowd gathered around the Queen Street cenotaph Friday evening, the anticipation and excitement for the 33rd annual stroll was evident.
Outside the Court House, candles were purchased and eager participants were entertained with carols sung by Debbie Whitehouse, accompanied by the Salvation Army band, a tradition of the popular event organized by the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce.
Inside, Ceto Reid took centre stage, honoured to be a recipient of funds from the sale of candles. He and others who would lead the stroll met in the warmth of the Lord Mayor’s office, where a small reception was held before the event.
Reid is a migrant farmworker who was injured while riding his bike in St. Catharines Oct. 6, the day before he was to complete his eight months of work on a NOTL farm before flying home to his family and his own farm in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica.
He was returning to NOTL with a load of clean laundry on his bike, when he was hit by a car on Carlton Street. His hip was badly injured, requiring surgery in Hamilton, and he is staying at the farm where he worked until it has healed enough to travel.
Reid told The Local that Jane Andres and Julia Buxton-Cox, both advocates for farmworkers, have been looking after him, dropping off food and making sure he has everything he needs. “They take care of me,” he says. “Anything I need, they look after it.”
He is in a lot of pain from his hip and knee, and on crutches but not able to put any weight on his leg, which makes it challenging living in a two-storey house, or even just heating up a meal and getting to a place where he can sit and eat it.
He has a friend and co-worker, Dwayne Edward, who was able to extend his work permit and is still at the farm. Edward is out all day, but is able to help Reid in the evenings after work.
Edward said he wishes he could do more, but at least he can help Reid get upstairs to his room for the night. “It is difficult. I assist him with some things he can’t manage. Everything is very complicated for him.”
Fortunately, says Reid, his physiotherapist comes to the house twice a week.
He had been hoping to get home to his wife and adult children in time for Christmas, but it’s not looking good, he says. He has a doctor’s appointment Dec. 14, when he will learn what comes next, and when he might be able to travel, but he expects that won’t be until January.
He said he was very honoured and grateful for all the support he was being shown by the organizers of the Candlelight Stroll, although he was a little nervous about his role in it. But, he says, “I’m also very excited. I really commend them for giving me this opportunity. I very much appreciate this whole experience.”
As Reid and those at the reception made their way outside, Town Crier Tom Pekar gave a short history of the stroll, which was started by local residents Arthur Nieuwdorp and his wife Irene. Nieuwdorp came up with the idea in 1988 during the lead-up to the Calgary Winter Olympics, when he watched the Olympic torch relay as it travelled across the country.
He was inspired to create a community event that would reflect the spirit of giving and the beauty of a NOTL Christmas, and that first year, the funds raised from the sale of the candles were donated to a little girl with cystic fibrosis. This fundraising tradition continued into the subsequent Candlelight Strolls.
NOTL Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Minerva Ward described the stroll as “one of the town’s most cherished and heartwarming traditions organized by the chamber,” and explained that half of the funds raised would go to Reid.
The migrant farmworker program, she said, is important to the agricultural and wine industries, and plays a role in food security across Canada. “They are part of our Niagara-on-the-Lake family, and we extend our love and care for them just as we would our next door neighbour.”
The other half of the funds raised will be divided equally between the NOTL Palliative Care Community Service to assist those who want to remain in their home and be cared for by volunteers passionate about supporting individuals at a crucial time; and to The Farm-worker Hub, which supports migrant farmworkers by providing basic supplies at no cost.
Buxton-Cox, founder of The Farmworker Hub, said she was honoured to be “part of the team that serves the hardworking men and women who come here from all over. We are so grateful to them. The people who feed you need you,” she said. “Let’s continue to serve this part of the population who care for us. Let’s care for them. Thanks for the funds from tonight to help us carry on our mission.”
She asked for warm clothes and pots and pans, and suggested checking out www.thehubnotl.ca/donate.
Reid, with an enthusiastic welcome from the crowd, issued them a warm welcome, thanked them for their support, and repeated his gratitude and appreciation to the community, “especially Jane and Julia.”
He wished those in attendance “all the best for the holiday,” before taking on the most important role of the evening — the lighting of candles, made difficult by a strong breeze — and then heading off in a Sentineal horse-drawn carriage to lead the stroll.
Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa spoke of attending the stroll with his wife when they had their first son — he slept through it wrapped up warmly on a sled — he said this was a lot of fun, with a crowd that seemed energized, enthusiastic, and “in grand spirits.”
He saw lots of locals participating as he walked the route, and lots of young people from town.
It’s a great kick-off of for the season,” he said, giving credit to the organizers, and to Sentineal Carriages.
The rain stopped just in time, the weather co-operated, and it was good to see people out again, going into local stores and restaurants. “It all worked out great.”
More local news
Browse local flyers
Weather forecast
Find local deals
Browse obituaries
View local webcams