Photos by Mark Girdauskas. Share the Passion Hair & Fashion Show was presented at the East Elgin Community Complex, in support of mentoring programs for Big Brothers Big Sisters this past Thursday (February 23, 2012). Jointly hosted by First Impressions Hair Designing Team (Aylmer) and BBBS, the show featured beautiful clothing and a night out with wine, cheese and chocolate.

Many attractions bring the public to the newly renovated St. Thomas Public Library. Now they will be also drawn in through the front entranceway by a vibrant Laura Woermke painting.  

The Library celebrated the unveiling of “Lake Margaret #7” on Tuesday afternoon (February 21st). The piece was acquired through the generosity of the McGregor Morris Fund of the Elgin-St. Thomas Community Foundation. St. Thomas Alderman Lori Baldwin-Sands was on hand to express the appreciation of both City and Library.  

Laura Woermke is a local artist, and is currently the Executive Director Curator at St. Thomas Elgin Public art Centre. Her work will be on permanent display at the Library.  

The McGregor Morris family fund is dedicated to supporting Art in Public Places. Find out more about the services provided to the people and communities of Elgin County through the work of the Elgin St. Thomas Community Foundation and the generosity of its donors.  More…

Family Day in Sparta

Monday February 20th was a statutory holiday in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario. In this province it has been designated Family Day and merchants of Sparta invited families to visit the for free family fun with colouring, games, and free draws at participating businesses. The Sparta Tea Room also offered a free hot dog to children whose families stopped into the restaurant for lunch.

The third annual “Soup’s On” event in support of the Heart & Stroke Foundation took place on Thursday (February 9) at St. Anne’s Centre in St. Thomas. The well attended event has become a popular lunch-time February getaway, one in which a host of community members come together in aid of a good cause. Eleven local restaurants and businesses competed for the coveted People's Choice Award for their soup with the proceeds supporting Heart and Stroke Research. (Photos by Mark Girdauskas) 

The Cause – The Heart & Stroke Foundation

February is Heart Month. Heart and Stroke take 1 in 3 Canadians before their time. A recent ad campaign centred on the “Make Death Wait” slogan has many people taking pause to consider prevention and donating toward research and education. Find out more at http://www.heartandstroke.ca/.

Larry Smith ended the “Larry Smith’s Kitchen Party” at the St. Thomas Elgin Public Art Centre by thanking the audience for coming out to listen to live music. The audience in turn seemed very appreciative of the chance to hear an evening of high-calibre music in a small, casual venue. Opportunities like the one Saturday evening (January 28, 2012) are now being made possible by the Art Centre’s on-going music series.

The Kitchen Party’s Peter Robertson (fiddle) and Larry Smith (guitar) were joined by friends Sandy MacKay (drums) and Larry Ernewein (bass). All fine musicians, they carried the audience along as they wended from blues to country to jazz, sprinkled with “a hint of maritime sea salt”.