October 12, 2026
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Happy Thanksgiving to all our family and friends near and far! Several families gathered over the weekend, and we wish everyone safe travels wherever you go!
We enjoyed another week of beautiful weather and some stunning sunsets too! Hopefully, someone saw the Draconid meteor showers in the skies overnight, they were to be quite the show.
Another fun fact this past week, Oct. 10 was World Migratory Bird Day for all those birds that travel millions of miles for their winter habitat - such as killdeer, herons, and many different water and grassland birds. The mornings will be a little quieter, perhaps, when you are doing your chores!
Again, there have been lots of folks with birthdays already this month - Brian Johnson, Bruce Aitken, Lynne Wilson, Ian MacDonald, Lillian Logtenberg celebrated her 90th birthday last weekend with family, and Mildred Griffith celebrated her 100th birthday at the Kincardine Legion, Saturday! Happy Birthday wishes to all of you, from your friends and family in the Grove!
Celebrating their wedding anniversaries in October, are Becca and Thomas Farrell, Dan and Madison Martin, Bren and Harvey de Leeuw, Ken and Agnes Logtenberg, Bruce and Deb Aitken, Irene and Joe West, Shirley and Lloyd Kuntz, and Sandy and Sasha Bridge!
We extend our sympathy to the family of Paula Tadla who passed away recently. Family, friends and neighbours gathered at the farm, Saturday, to acknowledge this wonderful lady who loved horses and dogs. Many Ripley-Huron Community School students remember Paula as one of the best bus drivers they ever had! We also remember Tim Willis of Wingham, a fine retired teacher from F.E. Madill Secondary School in Wingham, and Wally Motz of Point Clark, and his love of nature, and involvement with the fish hatchery and beach associations.
There are still fairs going on during Thanksgiving weekend. Thanks to the Erin and Rockton Agricultural Societies for the great weekend of fun, food, music, parades, cattle, horse, sheep, goats and small animal shows, tractor pulls and demolition derbies and, of course, exhibits in the halls!
Congratulations to the Kincardine and District Chamber of Commerce for hosting the annual Community Achievement Awards at Ainsdale Golf Course, Thursday evening! The chamber has been active for 40 years and is consistently encouraging and recognizing the many people, businesses and organizations that make our community so special! Congratulations to all the winners and nominees of these awards, and to all the sponsors who support these awards and achievements! It was a most wonderful evening!
PURPLE GROVE WOMEN'S INSTITUTE
President Bren de Leeuw welcomed members and guests to our October meeting held at the Purple Grove Community Centre, Wednesday evening. Hostess Marilyn Reid decorated the centre for Thanksgiving. After opening the meeting with the Ode, Mary Stewart Collect and land acknowledgement, the Roll Call was answered with your favourite fruit or vegetable, with the answers ranging from traditional apples, raspberries, and carrots to interesting cucamelons and ground cherries.
Our guest speaker for the evening was Olivia Haufe of the Bruce Botanical Food Gardens in Ripley. Olivia is pleased to be at the gardens for the second year as garden manager. She explained the objectives of the gardens in addressing food insecurity, educating people in growing and cooking food, crafts, saving seeds, growing Heirloom plants and providing a garden for the community.
The food gardens have been growing for 15 years and depend on volunteers to help maintain them, as well as donations and grants to cover the costs. Organizers also do several fund-raising events during the year. They are looking forward to recognizing their volunteers at a dinner next week! Olivia explained their mission and the work she loves at the gardens - especially having young people come in to experience the gardens and how, what and why they are needed.
The food gardens send extra produce to the Kincardine Food Bank, the Women's House Serving Bruce and Grey, and Food Share with the apartments in Ripley. Olivia encourages people to get the word out about the gardens, become involved as a director or volunteer, be a donor, and support the fund-raising events. She appreciates all the interest in the gardens, and the people she has met, and looks forward to next year and the growing season.
Convener Fran Farrell thanked Olivia and presented her with special "worm" socks and a quillow.
We had a brief social time with tea and lunch, set up by Diane Clifford and Bren de Leeuw, and resumed our meeting. Heather Finnie of the Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation fund-raising team was on hand for a photo with the group's recent donation in support of the Kincardine Hospital redevelopment and the MRI machine.
Members of the Purple Grove Women’s Institute present a donation to Heather Finnie (left) of the Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation, for the redevelopment project at the Kincardine Hospital
Back to business with adopting last month's minutes and reviewing the Ripley-Huron Fall Fair muffins and coffee in the social room - we had great community support! Thanks were also extended to all who helped out at the IPM. We received a thank you from the Grey-Bruce 4-H Judging Competition committee. A motion was made to donate $100 to the Grey-Bruce Alzheimer Society. A brief report on the Grey-Bruce Area Convention was submitted and eight members are planning to attend the Bruce County District meeting, Oct. 22, in Chepstow - the theme is "2026 - the Year of the Woman Farmer."
More news was shared from the Federated Women's Institutes of Ontario (FWIO) and Federated Women's Institutes of Canada (FWIC), with conventions coming up in 2027.
Appreciation was expressed for another fun and informative meeting!
Our next meeting is Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m., at the Ripley-Huron Legion. Our speaker is Ripley-Huron Legion president Susan Reeves.
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