Monarch Point Conservation Reserve

If you haven't heard about this wonderful news yet, here is your chance to catch up with the newly created conservation reserve on Prince Edward County’s south shore - Monarch Point. Here is the link to the web page we have created where you can find the press release and links to the media coverage we have been attracting: https://www.ssji.ca/monarch_point_conservation_reserve

In celebration of this great news we have been engaging in several activities this summer. We have shown an awarded documentary by Kim Smith - Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly. The film was shown virtually to school children and individual viewers. Outdoor educator, Cheryl Chapman has visited 10 local classes to talk about Monarchs and engage the students in Monarch themed exercises. Classes were encouraged to complete Monarch quizzes and tasks. We are very thankful for a grant from the Stark Family Foundation, which made these activities possible.

In keeping with the Monarch theme, the 2023 SSJI T-Shirt is emblazoned with Gerry Jenkison’s Monarch Life Cycle drawing. The T-shirts are available for sale online and at SSJI events.

 

Big thank you to our volunteers!

Carole Falkner and Cheryl Anderson in front of the SSJI tent at the Eddie Farm Market (photo Rob Legge).


In addition to selected pieces from Art Extravaganza we are selling birdhouses and feeders, SSJI Monarch Life Cycles T-shirts, SSJI bucket hats and Tree (Tea) Towels. Thank you to the Committee members Carole Falkner and Kathy O’Connell who have conceived and are executing our Art Extravaganza.

We are grateful for the dedication of our volunteers who help us to promote SSJI's mission. Many thanks to Lori Borthwick, Tom Falkner, Nancy Griffin, Rob Legge, John Lowry, Pauline Morisette, David Phillion, Lea and Dale Smith, and Marilyn Toombs!

Our tent at the Eddie is staffed on Saturdays (with the exception of July 8) by SSJI volunteers. Drop by and say hello.

 

Events Updates

Our First Fundraising Dinner - Saturday October 14, 2023, 6 PM
North Marysburgh Town Hall

Join us for an evening of good food, fun and music.

There will be a delicious dinner by Chef Tomas Crossley of Kaleidoscope Catering. 

Comedy duo Lenny Epstein and Gavin North will entertain us - get ready for some improv!

Musicians MaryKay Morris, Mark Despault and Michelle Found will perform some good old time favourites. Suzanne Pasternak will join us to reprise one of her and our favourite compositions. Local musical and belly dancing sensation Jenica Hammett rounds out our entertainment evening. A cash bar will feature County wine and beer. Add your name to our growing RSVP list and make sure that you leave us an email address so we can get in touch with you once we have ticket and dinner menu options. RSVP HERE

Art Extravaganza

The South Shore Joint Initiative Art Extravaganza has been a successful fundraiser with 8 artworks already being sold. This initiative provides an opportunity for artists to support SSJI and to display and sell a piece of their work. Approximately 30 local artists have provided pieces of their work representing the shoreline, nature or biodiversity of Prince Edward County. Pieces are in a range of mediums and are available from $300 to $500. 

SSJI returns 30% of the sold price to the artist and issues a tax receipt for the remaining 70% of the sale price. Art is also offered for sale in The Blue Sail Restaurant in Picton and at the Wellington Farmers’ Market at the Eddie throughout the summer. The art can also be seen online on the SSJI website. There are two more pop-up art shows on July 8 at Milford Town Hall and July 22 at Bloomfield Town Hall.

Don't miss your chance to own the original artwork! For more information and purchase options please contact Cheryl Anderson at [email protected] or call 613-849-7743.

South Shore Strolls

The next South Shore Stroll will be to Simpson Road on September 2 – register here

Dark Sky Event

Even though the night was cloudy Steve Burr gave us a comprehensive overview of the reasons to create a Dark Sky Area in South Marysburgh and showed us his wonderful photos of planets and constellations. Steve is pursuing this SSJI initiative with PEC planning department.

 

Eco-footpath Update

by Geoff Craig (published in The Shoreliner, June 2023)

One of our critical strategies to achieve a vision of a permanently protected South Shore is a “point to point” footpath. This initiative was previewed in February’s The South Shoreliner and has only picked up momentum since then. We had a very well-attended Zoom call in April where progress was updated and we had guest speakers from the Bruce Trail Conservancy discussing Landowner relations. Lyndsey Wilkerson, Landowner Stewardship Coordinator, and Klari Kalkman, Landowner Relations volunteer from the Niagara section gave fantastic and inspiring presentations with invaluable information. The net effect was a very tangible feel of what the footpath could look like when it is complete and tips to get us there. Read more here

 

Presentation by John Brebner

John is a photographer and filmmaker specializing in nature, geology, architecture and historical imagery. In his presentation, John describes his adventures photographing Prince Edward County from the window of a Cessna 172 flying at 1000 feet above the ground and shares some techniques for making high-quality images. You can view this insightful presentation on SSJI’s YouTube channel:

 

 

 

 

This newsletter can be also viewed in pdf here.