Ladies auxiliary gives medical centre a boost
The fundraising efforts for Asphodel Norwood’s new medical centre received a boost recently. The small but mighty ladies auxiliary from Royal Canadian Legion Branch 300 presented the township with a donation of $1,000 to help purchase furniture and equipment for the new facility. Joining the ladies to accept the cheque was Asphodel-Norwood Mayor Pat Wilford.
Norwood Badminton Club
New opportunities for fellowship and a little exercise continue to evolve in the Norwood community.
The Norwood Badminton Club was started late last year by local resident Sherry Scott. Sessions have been running every Monday night from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Norwood District High School gym. They have proved to be very popular, with 60 registered members. There is a $50 charge for the 22week long program. It is open to all from Grade 9 through to adult. There are no set teams, so members are not obligated to attend every session, allowing them to come and go as they like. Equipment is minimal, requiring only a clean pair of running shoes and your own racquet.
Any money left after expenses (such as rental of the gym) is donated to charity. This year alone the club was able to present Hospice Norwood with a $1,000 donation.
Badminton fans need not dismay as the success of the club’s inaugural year has inspired Sherry to already make plans to run the program again in the fall (September to April).
Public speaking
The ability to speak in public is an important skill in society. The Royal Canadian Legion hosts an annual public speaking contest to help promote and encourage young people to learn and hone their abilities. Legion branches host local competitions from within their designated area, winners then move on to compete at the zone level (a considerably larger area), then district level and finally the provincial level.
Students from Asphodel Norwood have traditionally placed very well in the competition over the years and 2024 is no exception.
The Norwood legion branch competition was held in February, with the winning orators earning the right to compete in the zone level contest in Coe Hill last week. Congratulations to St. Paul’s Norwood student Lucy Christie, who once again placed first with her speech titled My Trip to Cedar Park in the Grade 1-3 category (Lucy is in Grade 3). Congratulations also go to Daniel Ross, who also attends St. Paul’s, for his winning narration about “Les Misérables.” Daniel placed first in the Grade 4-6 category (he is in Grade 5).
Speeches at this level are expected to be extremely well presented, so it is not an easy task to deliver a winning performance. Both Lucy and Dani will now move on to the District Level Competition on April 6 in Wellington, Ontario.
Antique show and tell
The Asphodel-Norwood Cultural and Heritage Committee (ANCHC) will not let the grass grow under its feet. Following its successful Homage to influential Canadian Woman event in March, members are preparing to host their next event on April 16 at Norwood Town Hall, 2357 County Rd. 45. All are welcome to attend an antique show and tell from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
This free event will be Asphodel-Norwood’s version of an antique road show, so if you have an interesting item or a story to share bring it along. Local antique experts will be on hand to help identify items. Unlike the television version, there will be no valuations, only information. The committee will also be showcasing several interesting items and sharing a few stories to start off the evening.
Barrels of Rain
In an effort to help the local gardeners or environmentally conscious individuals and to help fund their community betterment projects, the Norwood Lions Club has brought back its popular rain barrel program for 2024.
It will be offering for sale adapted plastic barrels for garden use. The containers are 220 litre (55 gallon) food-grade plastic barrels. They include a lid, a leaf and mosquito filter basket, a spigot/tap, overflow adapter and overflow hose. The cost varies from $60 to $120 depending on the chosen barrel. Additionally, some colours or models may be in short supply, so ordering early is encouraged to better your chances of getting the one you want. Orders and payment can be made online at RainBarrel.ca/Norwood.
Order and payment deadline is Monday, May 6. Pick-up will be at the Norwood Fair Grounds on Saturday, May 11 from 9 a.m. to noon. Any questions, please contact Lion Barry Walsh at 705-639-1212 or Lion Andrew Greaves at 647-2682724.
Hospice toonie auction
Hospice Norwood’s fundraiser toonie auction is Saturday in the Millennium Room at the Asphodel Norwood Community Centre. The doors open at 12:45 p.m. and the auction starts at 1:30 p.m. Auctiongoers can purchase tickets on a wide variety of items, the more tickets bought on a particular item will increase your chances of getting the item.
All funds raised will support the growth of Hospice Norwood. The committee extends a special thank you to all who have graciously donated items for the auction and for their continuing support of fundraising efforts.