Blackstock Truck & Tractor Pull
July 14, 2009 by MikeD · Leave a Comment
This is Scugog Township´s biggest and best Tractor and Truck Pull. And this year’s two day event featured a Big Truck Show & Shine on Saturday.
This was my first time at a Tractor Pull, and had a really great time. Saturday evening featured regular Pick-Up Trucks, Vintage Tractors, Super Stock 4×4 Trucks, the ProStock Tractors and Highway Tractors. You have no idea how loud these tractors are until you are in the stands watching the event. The roar is deafening. Literally.
The banter between the track announcers is worth the price of admission. Mark and Joyce, members of the Central Ontario Tractor Pullers’ Association, really have it down pat. They seemed to know all the drivers, their families and the stories behind the tractors. Not an easy job to do, and they make it look easy. You can hear some of their lines on the video.
Unfortunately, a little rain storm put a damper on things for a while, and the track had to be “scraped off” to remove the water and mud before re-starting again. I don’t know how late it went on Saturday, but on Friday night, they went on till past midnight! You gotta love it!
Thanks to the local organizers, Phil Mcleod, Gerald Kelly and Janice Beechey for putting another great event in Blackstock.
For those of you interested in this event, the next local Tractor Pull will be at the Port Perry Fair, on Saturday, Sept. 5th.
The upcoming Blackstock Fair will also have a demolition derby on Saturday, August 29.
“Beauty and the Beast” is amazing!
July 11, 2009 by MikeD · 1 Comment
“WOW!”
“It blew my away!”
“Amazing!”
These are just some of the words patrons used after last week’s matinée performance of “Beauty and the Beast.” And it truly is an awesome show!
From the sets and costumes, to the performances and the music, Cadenza Productions is putting on a great show, and just have to see it. You’ll think you are on Broadway and not at the Town Hall in Port Perry!
You can feel the magic from the cast. Mallory McGrath as Belle and Carlos Finch as the Beast lead a cast that is chock full of great performers and performances. And the music… They actually removed the front row of seats to make room for a 10-piece orchestra. Led by Carol Salamone, the Founder and Musical Director of Cadenza Productions, the musicians, the harmonies and the singing come together to create an “enchanted” atmosphere that will keep you mesmerized for over 2 hours.
Congratulations to all the cast and the production hands behind the scenes. Your hard work has really paid off! And thanks for putting on such a great show in Port Perry!
But don’t just take my word for it. Have a look at the video to see the cast and their costumes, as well as some reviews from some of the patrons. If you’ve been to the show, or are part of it, leave us some comments. We’d love to hear from you.
Get out there and support local theatre!
Canada Day Celebrations
July 6, 2009 by MikeD · 2 Comments
Canada Day in Port Perry is always a great event, and this year’s was better than ever! More events, more activities, more displays and more vendors… and great crowds all day long.
The day started off with the “Support The Troops” parade along Queen Street, and it’s always a crowd favourite… especially with the kids! It’s a great way to salute and say thanks to both our veterans and present day service men and women as they march along. We have captured the parade on tape and hope you enjoy it. Should keep the kids busy for a few minutes anyway 
Then it was the official ceremonies at the gazebo in Palmer Park. And “Show Me The Money!” was the theme this year.
From Town Crier Bill McKee’s opening to Bev Oda’s big cheque presentation - $4 million for Scugog’s Infrastructure - and John O’Toole’s promise that his “cheque was in the mail,” you couldn’t have asked for a more impactful ceremony. It was also announced that the Nestleton Community Hall would receive $140,000 for their expansion. This proves that hard work and dedication to a cause really does pay off! Right Nestleton! Bobbie Drew did a great job hosting and I also understand she was instrumental in getting all “officials” to attend the ceremony.
A great big shout out to everybody who had a hand in putting the day together: all the staff from the Township or Sugog, Rik and his team at The Scugog Standard, The Port Perry Star, our Veterans and all the volunteers who come together to ensure that such an event is a success. You really raised the bar this time, and look forward to next year’s Canada Day.
Happy Canada Day Scugog!
Durham Walk for ALS
June 29, 2009 by MikeD · Comments Off
The Durham Walk for ALS was held in Port Perry last Saturday (June 27), and what a great day it turned out to be. Heather Moore and her team are to be congratulated for all their hard work in hosting the event in Port Perry.
It really was a great day. From the pre-walk musical warm-up, to the live music performed by the Port Perry Music Department, and the BBQ lunch put on by the Blackstock Lions Club, walkers participating in the event were well taken care of. And a special thanks goes to these walkers who put on a great effort in raising over $30,000 for clients of ALS Ontario in the Durham Region and for ALS research in Canada. It was an exceptional day!
It’s with efforts like these in communities across Canada, that we might someday eradicate this ultimately fatal neuromuscular disorder that causes the degeneration of a select group of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
In the video, Linda Zwaagstra talks about her Dad, Gerrit Smit, who lost his fight with ALS on May 3rd of this year after surviving for more than 14 years with this terrible disease. You can read more about his courageous battle with Lou Gehrig’s at the ALS Canada web site.
Hope the see everyone again next year!
The Port Perry Farmer’s Market is here!
June 29, 2009 by MikeD · 4 Comments
The Port Perry Farmer’s Market officially kicked-off this weekend, and based on the feedback from everybody involved, it was a great opening day. Located in the Palmer Park parking lot (Mary & Water streets), local vendors featured fresh meat, vegetables, flowers and herbs, baked goods and preserves.
The market will run every Saturday morning, from 8:00 am till noon, and farmers will provide farm-fresh products until Thanksgiving weekend. And as part of their agreement, 70 per cent of what they sell must be grown on their own farms with the remaining items being grown in Ontario.
There is no better way to buy fresh produce and meats, so get out there and support out local farmer’s and growers. Buy local. Eat local.
I will be expanding on the whole “eating local” topic in future posts, as more people are becoming aware of how our food is produced and processed, and how it affects our health. If this is a topic you feel strongly about, please leave us a comment, and share it with the community.
See you at the Farmer’s Market!
Some of the Farmer’s Market Vendors:
Lamrock’s Country Garden
1670 Coates Road W., Port Perry
905.985.5462
clamrock@5ofus.com
Cecil & Marion Lamrock
Lunar Rhythm Gardens
253 Gray Road, Janetville
905.986.9612
http://www.lunarrhythmgardens.wordpress.com
lunarrhythmgardens@gmail.com
Mike Reid & Jessica Foote
Stricklands Perennial Farm
5467 Middle Road, Bowmanville
905.263.2772
stricklands@sympatico.ca
Bob Strickland
Willowtree Farm
975 Durham Road 21
905.985.4973
http://www.willowtreefarm.ca
info@willowtreefarm.ca
Rod & Marlene McKay
Yellowlees Family Farm
4441 Malcolm Road, Nestleton
905.986.0657
Dennis & Karen Yellowlees
Art at the Waterfront
June 19, 2009 by MikeD · Leave a Comment
Port Perry Artists Association
June Haynes
905.985.8005
junehaynes1@yahoo.ca
Epsom Public School host Sick Kids fundraiser
June 11, 2009 by MikeD · Leave a Comment
If your school is having an event like this and would like to be featured on Port Perry Life, just get in touch and we’d be happy to do it.
Have you ever “Canoed the Nonquon?”
June 10, 2009 by MikeD · 5 Comments
This year was the 41st annual Canoe the Nonquon event. It was started in 1969 by Bill and Claudette Brock of the Lake Scugog Historical Society, as a way to raise money for the newly formed Scugog Shores Museum which is on Scugog Island. Since then over $220,000 has been raised. Isn’t that amazing!
It is one of the longest running traditions in Scugog, and one of the longest running races in Ontario. They call it a race, but it really isn’t if you don’t want to race. You can just take your time and enjoy paddling down the Nonquon and Lake Scugog.
There are over 30 volunteers working together to make sure the event is flawless - from timekeepers and radio operators to cooks on the BBQ. It’s a 26 km course, and the river portion is full of twists and turns. This year, there were 96 entries - a combination of canoes and kayaks.
Hope this inspires you to participate next year.
I know I’m planning on it.
Does anybody have a canoe I could borrow?
Community Living Durham North - Family Day
June 5, 2009 by MikeD · Leave a Comment
As Larry Leonard, President of the Board of Directors for Community Living Durham North, put it: “Family Day was an opportunity to thank the community for all their support to both our agency and the people we support.” It wasn’t a fundraiser, but just a great party to say “Thanks Everyone, we appreciate your support over the years.” You don’t see that too often do you?
They had free food, a jumping castle and face painting for the kids, vendor displays for the adults, and great entertainment provided by the The Canadian Rock & Roll Show which features Blue Rodeos Cleave Anderson and Teenage Heads Dave Rave. Do you remember “Teenage Head?” I used to be a big Teenage Head fan, and it was great to see Dave Rave still rocking up in the Palmer Park gazebo… but that’s a different tangent.
After talking with Larry and Cathy Parker, Director of Community Supports, I was blown away not only by the amount work but also the type of work Community Living does for both individuals and families. I feel blessed to live in a community that offers this type of support. Listen to Larry and Cathy and you’ll get the full picture. And if you have some spare time on your hands, they are always looking for volunteers. Hope you enjoy the video clip.
