Grey-Bruce Boomers Winter2023

A FREE magazine for adults 50+ 

WINTER 2023/24 — Volume 10, Issue 4 

BUCKET LIST 

MODEL 

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Local man a master 

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COMMUNITY 

Precious 

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Save your loved 

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TRAVEL 

Finding 

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HHV 11.2023

FROM THE PUBLISHER 

Somehow it’s winter again in Grey/Bruce. Each year the holiday season 

seems to creep up on me more quickly. 

While I’m well aware winter always comes after fall, I’m always surprised 

by the first snowfall (which happened on Halloween this year, a cruel 

joke!), leaving me, like many others, scrambling to get snow tires on, finish 

raking leaves, put away patio furniture and then think about the long list of 

Christmas duties that lie ahead. The cold and snow will come, regardless 

of whether or not we are ready, so we might as well enjoy it, check out the 

activities at the local arena, hopefully get the snowmobile out, play in the 

snow with the grandkids or hunker down with a good book or movie and 

wait it out until spring. 

CONTENTS 

Bikepacking • 4 

Prevent falls at home • 10 

Saving memories • 14 

Bucket List • 20 

Cultural celebrations • 26 

Recipe • 30 

In this issue we have a first-hand account of “bikepacking” the Camino 

Frances by May Tettero, who found peace through struggle. We also have 

an informative article about keeping your home safe from trips and falls 

Kevin McKenzie of Ontario Home Health. Our bucket list feature by Doug 

Archer allows us a glimpse into what being a master model ship builder looks 

like. Writer and memory keeper Arlen Wiebe writes about the importance 

of keeping the past alive and recording the life story of yourself or loved 

one. Chandrashekar Tripathi shares an article about cultural diversity in 

Grey/Bruce and how holidays are celebrated in many different ways. 

I hope you have a safe and healthy holiday 

season surrounded by those you love, and all the 

best in 2024! 

Amy Irwin, Publisher 

Grey-Bruce Boomers 

WINTER 2023/24 

Publisher/Ad sales 

Amy Irwin 

amy@greybruceboomers.com 

Magazine Design 

Becky Grebenjak 

Editorial 


Grey-Bruce Boomers welcomes 

your feedback. 

EMAIL 


PHONE 519-524-0101 

MAIL 

P.O. Box 287, Ripley, ON N0G 2R0 

Grey-Bruce Boomers is distributed for free in Grey and Bruce 

counties, and is published each March, June, September, and 

December. Distribution of this publication does not constitute 

endorsement of information, products or services by Grey-Bruce 

Boomers, its writers or advertisers. Viewpoints of contributors and 

advertisers are not necessarily those of the Publisher. Grey-Bruce 

Boomers reserves the right to edit, reject or comment on all material 

and advertising contributed. No portion of Grey-Bruce Boomers may 

be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher.

TRAVEL 

̔Bikepacking’ 

the Camino Frances 

HOW ONE FINDS PEACE DURING AN ARDUOUS JOURNEY 

BY MAY TETTERO 

4 • GREYBRUCEBOOMERS.COM

y May Tettero 

TRAVEL 

I 

’ve been climbing for over two hours and it’s 

been raining all day. My only companion is the 

electronic navigation voice that comes out of my 

phone, which is mounted on my handlebars, and 

now she tells me to continue on for 550 metres. That 

is just over half a kilometre. 

Approaching the Pyrenees 

Mountain Range. 

“I can do that,” I say to myself. My mind is going wild 

with fantasies of what could happen after said 550 

metres. A change in direction? Arrival at a mountain 

village? The top of this mountain? I look up at the 

treetops on both sides of my path and think perhaps 

I’m seeing some light. 

Despite wearing rain gear, my cycling shorts are 

soaked and feel like a huge, wet diaper. I’m near 

the top of my Subjective Discomfort Rating (SDR), 

but the word ‘diaper’ distracts me momentarily and 

makes me think of the three children I have raised 

into adulthood and my four grandchildren as well. 

The youngest grand-daughter, Noora May, is just a 

year old and I can’t wait to see her when I get back 

because she has learned to walk during the five weeks 

I’ve been away. 

It must have been half-a-kilometre by now, and sure 

enough, the disembodied voice tells me, “Now keep 

left, then continue for 1.2 kilometres.” I see I’m at 

another switchback and there is no relief in sight. 

Just as I think I can’t go much longer, suddenly 

I’m entering a hamlet in these French mountains. 

Civilization means coffee, and within a minute I see 

the longed-for café. Under the awning, a collection 

of hikers, or pelerins as they are called here on the 

Chemin de Saint Jacques, are seated at a table. Their 

packs, adorned with large scallop shells symbolic of 

the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, are leaning 

against the wall. Red and yellow rain ponchos are 

draped on the balustrade and make for a colourful 

scene on this dreary day. 

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Program at our Walkerton, Chesley, 

Kincardine and Port Elgin Branches. 

No experience necessary. 

Soon I discover that I have arrived just past 2 p.m 

WINTER 2023/24 • 5

TRAVEL 

by May Tettero 

A Medieval village in 

France (Conques). 

Meseta Central, Spain 

and the café is closed for the much-coveted French 

siesta that lasts until 4 or 5 p.m. No coffee and no 

chance of drying up a bit, so it only makes sense to 

push on, but not before eating half a dozen chocolate 

digestive cookies from my snack bag. 

“Ok baby girl, you may as well continue,” I say 

silently to myself and then chuckle that, at almost 

60, I’m affectionately calling myself ‘baby girl.’ As 

I begin the 12 km descent that will bring me to my 

destination, the plus beaux village in France, I do my 

safety checks. Is my rear red light on and flashing? 

Check. Do I have my phone, wallet and reading 

glasses? Check. Is my helmet on my head? Check. 

How do my tires respond to braking on the wet 

surface? Check. Slowly I let off the brakes and allow 

myself to gain speed through the many switchbacks 

down the mountain. Up ahead I see the church tower 

of Saint-Come-d’Olt and from the corner of my eye 

I see an impressive stone building with gardens and 

pathways. “That’s a five-star hotel,” I tell myself, and 

fly right by, planning to find a bed in a hostel in the 

village. Or, finally, that coveted coffee. 

The village is deserted, not a single person is out. It’s 

still raining hard and I again find a chair under a café 

awning to take stock of my options. As I sit there, still 

in the same soaked, padded shorts, I look around. 

It’s like I’m in a Grimm’s fairytale, or a gingerbread 

house village. I’m absolutely awed at the ancient 

slate roofs, the medieval stone houses and shuttered 

windows. 

Million-dollar view from the 

Convent of St. Come d’Olt. 

I carefully fish my cellphone out of my Goretex 

pocket and Google the gites (hostel) in town. There 

are two with good reviews and I’m only 80 metres 

from one. I grab my bike and begin to walk in the 

direction the blue arrow indicates. Where the heck is 

this place? I don’t see any signs, there are no people 

to ask, and yet I’m so close. After 10 minutes, I find a 

narrow alleyway, then a tiny walled off terrace and a 

sign. I bring my bike onto the terrace, lean it against 

the wall and enter the three-storey stone building. I 


y May Tettero 

TRAVEL 

see shelves of hiking boots and a collection of hiking 

poles, and then a friendly young man. 

“Desole, pas de place.” 

They are full but he suggests to go back in the 

direction I entered town and look for Anna’s. I get 

back on the bike and slowly retrace my route but am 

unable to find the elusive Anna. Suddenly I see the 

imposing building with the beautiful grounds again. 

“I don’t care if it costs 200 Euros, I need to get out 

of these wet clothes and get comfortable,” I think. 

I ride up the driveway slowly, admiring the rose 

gardens on both sides. I see an arched wooden door, 

not the usual grand entrance of a hotel. I knock on 

the door and an older woman with a mop of curly 

hair and bright green eyes opens the door slightly. 

I’m standing there like a muddy, drowned rat and 

haltingly manage to utter, “Avez vous… la place… pour 

une personne, ce soir?” 

“Would English be easier?” she smiles. “Yes, we have 

room for you.” 

Everything in me relaxes and I smile with gratitude. 

I step inside and Elizabeth gently guides me to strip 

down and hang up my dirty, wet clothes. She informs 

me that I’ve arrived at a convent, Couvent de Malet, 

that has been aiding pilgrims for centuries. She is a 

volunteer who simply loves being there and helping 

out. For 15 Euro, I get my own room, a milliondollar 

view and the loving attention of several elderly, 

Ursuline nuns. 

Pilgrimage is an age-old phenomenon that exists in 

all main religions. It is different from long distance 

hiking (or biking) in that a pilgrimage has as its goal 

‘Share your personal or family story with future generations’ 

• We record you telling your stories and 

transcribe your words 

• We suggest writing prompts to help 

you recall important memories 

• We research your family history 

• We write and edit your stories 

• We publish a custom-made book or 

other creative memory project 

__________________________________________ 

ARLEN WIEBE 

Personal Historian 

at Your Life Stories 

www.your-life-stories.ca 

arlen.wiebe.writer@gmail.com 

226-668-3352 

WINTER 2023/24 • 7

TRAVEL 

Arrival at Santiago 

de Compostela. 

a religiously important place (such as Jerusalem, 

Mecca, Varanasi, Lumbini). The third most 

important Christian pilgrimage site (after Jerusalem 

and Rome) is Santiago de Compostela in Galicia 

province, Spain. The various Caminos leading to 

Santiago are roads and tracks originating from places 

in Europe such as Seville, Paris or Lisbon that have 

been travelled since the 9th Century for a variety of 

reasons, including as a form of medieval sentencing 

for criminals. Nowadays, pilgrims also travel the 

Camino to meditate on an important life question, 

to get a break from their rushed and stressful lives, or 

for athletic reasons. As a lapsed Catholic and in the 

wake of losing my last parent and thereby becoming 

“orphaned,” the Camino as a long-distance route 

called me. 

During the many hours of solo cycling up and down 

mountains, along canals, and through wheat fields 

and vineyards, my mind returned again and again 

to my parents. I felt overwhelming regret at having 

been such a critical and angry child. I feared they 

did not feel sufficiently loved and appreciated by me. 

I yearned to let them know what is in my heart now 

– so much gratitude. Can I reach them now? Do my 

feelings transcend this world? Can they see me as I 

ride this Camino to spend time with them, to seek 

forgiveness, to commune love, to find peace? 

At Cruz de Ferro. 

When I rode past the Alto de Perdon, a high hill with 

an iconic pilgrimage sculpture, tears flowed. Perdon 

– forgiveness. Can I be forgiven? Can I forgive my 

parents for uprooting me from my home country, 

friends and language when we immigrated to 

Canada when I was 13? This is something, I realized, 

that still felt painful. I stopped at the highest point 

on the Camino where there is an iron cross atop 

a five-metre wooden pole, and a small chapel. At 

1,490 metres altitude, the Cruz de Ferro is a place that 

holds emotional and spiritual significance. Pilgrims 

leave notes, photos, rocks or items from home to 

communicate with the dead, to lay their emotional 

burdens down. I climbed the rocks at the foot of 


y May Tettero 

the cross, read messages and looked at photos and 

laid down three ribbons tied to a rock to symbolize 

my mother, father and all other deceased who had 

meant so much to me. Then I walked away and got 

back on my bike for a glorious, flowing descent. 

After 16 days of riding hard, falling twice, getting lost 

many times, getting soaked with rain and sweat amid 

outbursts of tears, I felt completely healthy in body, 

heart and mind. My body felt strong and I had no 

physical symptoms left. Gone was the sore knee, back 

pain, the headaches and insomnia. I did not need any 

medication and was taking no vitamins or supplements. 

I felt a deep, whole-body gratitude and ease. I 

found peace with the losses in my life and with the 

regrets I had been holding on to. I was pleasantly 

surprised that, no matter the circumstance, I was 

consistently kind to myself without trying. I just was. 

I felt vulnerable to the world and held by the world 

at the same time. I discovered I’m good with myself, 

with my past, and able to welcome what’s next with 

a newly open heart. 

On June 27, 2023, the 45th anniversary of my 

immigration to Canada, I arrived in Santiago de 

Compostella – happy, proud, feeling healthy and 

strong. Doing hard and scary things is so rewarding. 

I now know I can trust myself, that I can do hard 

things and that I’m good with myself. I attended 

mass at the cathedral that evening, around my neck 

a tiny vial of my parents’ ashes and deep peace in 

my heart. 

May Tettero, MSW, RSW, is a psychotherapist in private 

practice in Owen Sound. When she is not hiking the Bruce 

Trail, she’s probably riding her bike in beautiful Grey County. 

After riding 600 km in The Netherlands, the country of her 

birth, May rode the Camino Frances from Le Puy en Velay, 

in France, to Finisterre on the Atlantic Ocean, in Spain. The 

Camino route totaled 1,750 km with over 27,000 vertical 

metres of climbing. She did this trip on her beloved Salsa 

Cutthroat bikepacking bike. 

WINTER 2023/24 • 9

HEALTH AND WELLNESS 

Safety First 

TEN TIPS TO PREVENT FALLS IN YOUR HOME 

BY KEVIN MCKENZIE 


Falls are a significant concern, particularly for seniors and 

individuals with mobility issues. In fact, falls are one of the 

leading causes of injuries at home. 

According to the Health Canada, millions of older adults find 

themselves in the emergency room each year due to fall-related 

injuries. In this article, we’ll explore 10 essential tips to help you 

create a safer home and reduce the risk of falls. 

Creating a safer home environment can be done with the right 

planning and guidance. Ontario Home Health recommends the 

following tips to prevent falls in the home: 

WINTER 2023/24 • 11


by Kevin McKenzie 

Declutter and organize – Start by decluttering 

your home. Remove unnecessary items, especially 

from high-traffic areas, to minimize tripping hazards. 

Ensure that walkways are clear, and there are no 

obstacles in your path. 

Secure loose carpets and rugs – Loose rugs and 

carpets are notorious for causing slips and falls. Use 

non-slip rug pads or double-sided tape to keep them 

securely in place. Better yet, consider removing them 

altogether, especially in high-risk areas. 

Install bathroom safety equipment – More 

than half of all falls happen in the bathroom. 

Consider a shower chair, toilet seat riser, and grab 

bars, particularly near the shower and toilet. 

Maintain adequate lighting – Proper lighting 

is crucial to prevent falls. Ensure that hallways, 

staircases, and entryways are well-lit. Consider 

motion-activated lighting for added convenience 

during the night. 

Use ramps for entries and exits – For those 

using mobility aids like wheelchairs or walkers, 

installing ramps can be transformative. Ramps 

provide a seamless transition into your home and 

help prevent tripping on uneven surfaces, particularly 

at entryways and thresholds. 

Install a stairlift – For homes with multiple 

floors, stairlifts are an investment in safety and 

independence. These motorized chairs glide along 

staircases, making it possible for individuals with 

mobility issues to move between floors with ease. 

They eliminate the worry of navigating stairs, 

ensuring peace of mind. 

Keep everyday items accessible – Store 

frequently used items within easy reach. This 

Small changes in your 

home can significantly 

reduce your chances of 

suffering a fall. 


y Kevin McKenzie 


prevents the need to climb on stools or reach high 

shelves, reducing the risk of falls. 

Consider home medical equipment solutions 

– Equipment like walkers, wheelchairs, and bedrails 

can enhance day-to-day safety and facilitate tasks 

that might otherwise pose a fall risk. 

Stay active and maintain strength – Regular 

exercise can help improve strength and balance, 

reducing the risk of falls. Consider activities like yoga 

or Tai Chi, which focus on balance and flexibility. 

Regular home safety checks – Periodically 

inspect your home for potential hazards. Check for 

loose handrails, broken steps, or any other safety 

issues. Address these promptly to maintain a safe 

living environment. 

Preventing falls in your home is not only about 

safety but also about maintaining independence and 

peace of mind. By following these 10 tips, you can 

significantly reduce the risk of accidents and ensure 

that your home remains a secure and comfortable 

place to live. 

Remember, small changes can lead to significant 

improvements in safety and overall well-being. So, 

prioritize safety, and take proactive steps to create a 

safer home for yourself and your loved ones. 

Kevin McKenzie is Rehab and Mobility Consultant at Ontario 

Home Health. For more information, call 1-800-661-1912, 

view the webpage at www.OntarioHomeHealth.ca, or visit 

one of their six locations. 

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WINTER 2023/24 • 13

COMMUNITY 

Saving your 

Memories 

THE “WHY” AND “HOW” OF SAVING YOUR PRECIOUS 

RECOLLECTIONS BY ARLEN WIEBE 


y Arlen Wiebe 

People have always been captivated by a 

compelling story. Since the birth of language, 

people from all cultures have been telling stories that 

both instruct and entertain. 

Long ago, people gathered around a fire at the end of 

a long day to hear myths, legends, fables, epic poems, 

proverbs, chants, rhymes, and songs. Storytellers 

preserved and passed a community’s stories down 

the generations. 

A big shift occurred when people created written 

language to record spoken words. People weren’t 

completely dependent on a community storyteller to 

preserve the oral stories anymore. With the printing 

press, books could be easily mass produced, and 

more people learned to read. 

Today, another huge shift has occurred. Instead of a 

communal experience around a living fire, families 

now congregate facing a glowing electronic screen. 

The storytelling task seems to be taken over by 

filmmakers and television writers. 

Why are stories so powerful? 

It’s incredibly fortunate that stories are both 

instructive and entertaining. While it might be 

possible to commit bits of knowledge to memory 

if we try hard enough, stories help us engage with 

our history, traditions and values much more easily. 

COMMUNITY 

Stories help us to create order and make sense of our 

lives. They help us appreciate how other people think 

and feel. Stories use language in a way that is unlike 

our everyday way of speaking and writing. Stories 

fashion ordinary words and events into extraordinary 

dramas. 

Should you record your stories? 

Yes! Our personal stories can be extremely valuable to 

ourselves and our families. We can preserve important 

family stories for our children and grandchildren. We 

can gain insight into our struggles and choices and 

share our wisdom. We can find direction for the rest 

of our lives and heal, especially if our lives have been 

shaped by pain or tragedy. We can connect names 

and stories to old family photos or add details to the 

family tree. 

Have you ever thought you’d like to know what your 

ancestors’ lives were really like, in their own words? 

Consider how your own life will be interesting to 

your descendants. Even people that don’t know us 

may be interested in our stories. Many people enjoy 

reading the personal anecdotes, stories and essays 

in the “First Person” section of The Globe and Mail. 

Maclean’s magazine publishes “My Arrival: The Lives 

of New Canadians” on the last page of each issue. 

CBC posts personal stories and experiences in its 

online “First Person” columns. 

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WINTER 2023/24 • 15

COMMUNITY 

by Arlen Wiebe 

I’ve started writing about my own childhood 

experiences and coming to terms with how they have 

affected my adult life. 

A Canadian boy in California 

I could see my boyhood coming to an end when I 

was 12 years old. The curious warmth of springtime 

in Winnipeg had come back like a long-lost relative 

returning from a freezing and miserable journey. 

Light green leaves were budding once more on 

ancient elm trees as I walked south along Arlington 

Street, turned west onto Wolseley Avenue, and 

begrudgingly arrived at my weekday destination, 

Laura Secord School. 

Like all boys of school age should be, I was in a 

terrible hurry for the unbearable monotony of 

the daily academic ordeal to be done for the year. 

I was exhausted from trying to speak and write 

in my teacher’s funny foreign language. Pourquoi 

apprenais-je le français when my forebears spoke 

Plautdietsch, Nederlands, or Russki yazyk and wrote 

in Hochdeutsch? Other kids in my class came from 

families that spoke even more exotic languages. Why 

were we all being forced to learn a language not one 

of our families had ever spoken and likely never 

would? 

And why this inanely prescribed schedule? All this 

writing, reading, presenting, doing, and going here 

and there at the same time every day. Had the 

adults who ran the school given a maniacal villain 

permission to set up a labyrinth of torture? Why were 

we tested for our ability to remember the random 

order of letters in words or how numbers changed 

themselves when they met the funny symbols on the 

page? 

Once the clock on the classroom wall was finally 

persuaded to place a short stingy hand on the 

number three and its longer hand on six, I fled the 

prison and quickly reversed the route I had slowly 

walked that morning. 

Once at home, I put on a blue jersey, white pants, 

and cap and held my baseball glove in my hand. 

I finally felt free of all restraints. My mother had 

mercifully signed me up for a team through the R.A. 

Steen Community Centre, located on the far end of 

the field behind my school. We played our games in a 

sunken double baseball diamond circled by a gravel 

walking and biking path, near Omand’s Creek. 

I tried all the baseball positions in the field but I 

most enjoyed pitching. Standing high on an elevated 

mound. Controlling the start of each play. Deciding 

where to place the baseball to the waiting batters. 

I always held the baseball with the fastball grip. I 

hadn’t been taught how to throw any other kinds of 

pitches. Instead of variety, I tried to throw the same 

pitch again and again, laser focused on the shifting 

strike zone. Sometimes the ball would thread through 

that invisible rectangle between the elbows and knees 

of the cocky boy poised at home plate. Other times, 

it flew out of control, avoiding that rectangle, and 

rolling to the chain link fence behind our catcher. 

Most of my pitches flew past the boys at the plate. 

On the rare occasion when the batter made contact 

with the ball, my teammates organized themselves 

around the ball, stopped it, and threw it to first base. 

Midway through the baseball season, my mother 

got an emotional phone call. My absent father 

lay dying in a Regina hospital. She and I dropped 

everything and immediately drove 600 kilometres 

west across Manitoba and Saskatchewan to visit the 

man my mother had once given her heart to and 

that we barely knew anymore. When we entered 

my father’s hospital room, I saw a sickly, shriveled 

man in a hospital gown. He could barely sit up in his 

bed to greet us. Who was this person? I stood there 

stoically, listening to my parents catching up on years 

of missed time together. 

My father had three brothers. His brother Jake, from 


y Arlen Wiebe 

COMMUNITY 

B.C., came with his wife and two kids to visit in 

the hospital. Once his daughter, Shalom, had seen 

my father and left the room, she started to sob in 

the hallway. I watched her from my dad’s bedside. 

Why was she so upset? It wasn’t her father dying, it 

was mine. If anyone should be worked up, it should 

be me. I looked inside myself to find something 

that matched my cousin’s emotion but there was 

nothing there. 

We returned to Winnipeg and the baseball season 

continued. A few weeks later, there was another 

difficult phone call. We buried my father beside a 

little country church on the Saskatchewan prairie. 

Soon after, my mother was very surprised to receive a 

large payment from my father’s life insurance policy 

that had been kept active. This set the gears in motion 

for my mother’s next step. She had always dreamed 

of studying to become a pastor and now she had the 

money to do it. She wanted to study at a seminary in 

California. All that summer, my mother prepared us 

to move. I was devastated. I didn’t want to live in a 

foreign country without friends or anything familiar. 

In late August, my mother and I boarded an airplane 

that took us from Winnipeg to Minneapolis, then on 

to Los Angeles. We crossed that huge airport to catch 

a tiny airplane to take us to Fresno. We moved into 

a small apartment on the campus where my mother 

would study the Bible and theology. 

I would attend school as a light-skinned Canadian 

among a sea of black and brown faces. I would 

travel to Yosemite National Park, San Francisco, and 

Hollywood. I would be forced to adapt to many new 

things as I started Grade 7. My Canadian boyhood 

had come to an end in California. 

Route 1 

Route 2 

Highway 10 

Owen Sound to Dundalk 

Highway 10 

Dundalk to Orangeville 

MON to SUN 

MON to FRI 

Book Your Ride 

BOOK 

Grey.ca/GTR 

Route 3 Highway 26 

Owen Sound to Meaford 

Route 4 Highway 26 

Meaford to Blue Mountain 

CALL 

Highway 6 

1-226-910-1001 Route 5 MON to FRI 

Owen Sound to Wiarton 

MON to SUN 

MON to SUN 

WINTER 2023/24 • 17

COMMUNITY 

by Arlen Wiebe 

to hear you telling your stories with your own voice. 

Would you enjoy hearing stories told in the voices of 

your ancestors? 

Books – A book can be narrative only or it can 

feature photos, documents, and other illustrations. 

Books can be paperback or hardcover, simple or 

elegant. 

What all is involved? 

Recording your personal stories is a way to connect 

generations and preserve memories. Sometimes 

called a personal history, it could be a memoir, a 

tribute, a life story, a family biography, an oral history, 

a legacy letter, or ethical will. 

If you work on your own personal history or that of 

a loved one, your only cost is your time and expenses. 

If you hire a personal historian, the cost will range 

in price from a few hundred dollars (audio and/or 

transcripts for oral history), to thousand dollars (a life 

story with photos), to tens of thousands of dollars 

(longer or more complex projects). 

What format does personal 

history take? 

A childhood 

photo of 

Arlen and 

his Mom. 

Personal histories can be recorded in many ways. 

Here are some areas in which personal historians 

may have expertise. 

Audio recordings/CDs – Recording your stories 

electronically in an audio file or a CD allows your 

children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren 

Art books, scrapbooks, handmade books – 

These are one-of-a-kind products that can include 

written stories, photos, drawings, scraps of fabric, 

pressed flowers, jewelry, and any other kind of valued 

memento. 

Photo books, collages, calendars – These 

products are mostly photos or drawings combined 

with very few written words. You could create a 

beautiful photo book, a poster-sized collage, or a 

photo calendar with pictures of family members 

included on their birthdays, anniversaries, or other 

important dates. 

Photo videos – You can use photos, home movies, 

slides, videotapes, and other memorabilia to create a 

memorable video set to music. 

DVDs – You can capture a person’s voice, personality, 

gestures, and spirit for posterity on video. This 

kind of project can be simple or complex, include 

individual or group interviews, and range from short 

tribute to TV-style biography. 

Ethical wills or legacy letters – An ethical 

will or legacy letter is a statement of your personal 

values, beliefs, life lessons, and a message you want to 

convey to your family, friends, and community. 

Legacy planning – Legacy planning helps 

you preserve your values and heritage for future 

generations. Tasks might include taking care of 

historical family documents and photos, creating 

an archive, preparing material for an obituary, or 

memorial service planning. 


y Arlen Wiebe 

COMMUNITY 

Family websites – It’s becoming increasingly 

popular for families to create a website to preserve 

and share family stories and information. These 

sites might include a family tree, genealogy, photos, 

letters, stories, videos, and sound files. 

Unique products – Some people enjoy being 

creative with their precious memories. A special 

quilt could be made of valued fabrics or decorations. 

Inspiring images and music can lead to a painting, 

drawing, mural, collage, memory box or multimedia 

presentation. Valued recipes could be collected into 

a family cookbook. What else could you imagine? 

Tell your story 

People now recognize that reminiscence and life 

review are important life processes. Working through 

our memories to find patterns, meaning, and values 

are key to a fully examined life. Many of us think 

about interviewing our aging family members but 

put it off until later. When we finally find the time, it 

may be too late – the loved one could be too frail to 

tell their stories, or their memories may have faded. 

Worse, they may have already passed away. 

If recording your own stories or that of a loved one is 

important to you, take the first step today to making 

it happen! 

Arlen Wiebe is a personal historian, writer, musician, and 

teacher living in Owen Sound. He enjoys helping people find 

meaning and purpose through writing their life stories, memoirs, 

and family history. You can learn more about him at yourlife-stories.ca. 

You can contact him by email at arlen.wiebe. 

writer@gmail.com or by text/phone at 226-668-3352. 

WINTER 2023/24 • 19

THE BUCKET LIST 

A MODEL 

Mariner 

TOM MARCOTTE A MASTER SHIP BUILDER 

BY DOUG ARCHER 

Tom Marcotte, 88, 

goes to great lengths 

to research and build 

model ships. 


At the age of 88, Tom Marcotte spends his 

days designing and constructing three-mast 

schooners, Royal Navy vessels and even warships. 

He has been a master ship builder for decades and 

despite his age, the octogenarian has no plans to 

turn in his tools. 

Of course, it helps that the ships he builds are no 

more than three feet long and four feet high. 

The Saugeen Shores resident fabricates model ships, 

using wood, glue, thread and cloth to craft detailed 

miniature replicas of sea-going vessels – and some 

rather famous ones at that. 

Tom has created small-scale versions of the twin 

ships the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, which were 

captained by Sir John Franklin on his ill-fated 

search for the Northwest Passage. He’s constructed 

a bathtub-sized version of the USS Constitution, the 

world’s oldest commissioned naval warship still 

afloat. He has even built ships of local renown, 

fabricating a scale model of the Nemesis, a schooner 

built and sailed by Captain John Spence, one of the 

men who helped put the town of Southampton on 

the map back in the mid-1800s, and another of the 

HMS General Hunter, a British ship that battled in 

the War of 1812 and now lies beneath the sands of 

Southampton’s main beach. 

In 1845, Captain Sir John Franklin and a crew of 

128 men departed England aboard two ships known 

as the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. Their mission – 

to find the Northwest Passage, a sea route that would 

link the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Tragically, 

the expedition was fated to become one of the 

worst disasters in the history of polar exploration. 

Becoming icebound in Victoria Strait, near what 

is today the Canadian territory of Nunavut, the 

two ships remained trapped for more than a year 

without rescue when the surviving crew members 

abandoned the vessels and set out across the ice for 

the Canadian mainland. They never made it. The 

men disappeared. It would be more than a centuryand-a-half 

before search teams finally located the 

wrecks of the Erebus and Terror. The locations of the 

sunken ships are now protected as National Historic 

Sites. 

Tom blames his passion for model ship building on 

summer camp. When he was seven years old, his 

mother worked as a cook at a YMCA camp, and 

Tom would spend his summers helping her in the 

kitchen by washing dishes. 

“After the dishes were done, I would join the other 

kids in all the camp activities,” he said, “including 

canoeing, taking out the rowboats, and learning how 

to sail.” 

That started a lifelong love of boats, and Tom 

became an accomplished sailor. He took canoe trips 

deep into the wilderness of northern Canada and, 

for a while, he even became a canoeing instructor. 

He also started building tiny ships. 

“My then wife and I ran a bed and breakfast for 

WINTER 2023/24 • 21


by Doug Archer 

many years, and the cottages we rented were always 

in need of repair,” he said. “So I learned to work 

with wood out of necessity. Then, during the long 

winters when our cottages were empty and I was 

bored, I started carving bits of wood and piecing 

them together into miniature ships.” 

He has been constructing model boats ever since. 

While they may be miniaturized versions of the 

actual ships they represent – Tom builds them to a 

scale of an eighth-of-an-inch to the foot – crafting 

these models is no small undertaking. 

“The planning phase alone takes a lot of work and 

time,” he explained. “I do a lot of research on my 

ships.” 

That’s an understatement. Tom haunts libraries 

and museum archives for months before starting a 

new model, combing through books and articles for 

information and photos on the vessel he plans to 

construct. 

“I spent almost an entire year reading everything I 

could find on the Franklin expedition before I began 

designing and building the Erebus and the Terror,” he 

said. “But the results are worth it. My models are 

authentic down to the ladders, cannons and even the 

rigging the sailors used to climb through the sails.” 

Research done, Tom begins to build. Cloistered in 

his basement workshop, he uses knives, planes, drills, 


y Doug Archer 


an assortment of saws and lathes, even a set of dental 

tools for delicate work, to shape his ships. The work is 

time-consuming – building the USS Constitution alone 

took 2,000 hours – but it is a labour of love. 

Often called Old Ironsides, the USS Constitution was 

one of the first warships of the U.S. Army. The vessel 

was over 200 feet long, had over 42,000 square feet 

of sails strung on three masts, carried a crew of 450, 

and, in her fighting days, was armed with over 50 

cannons. Launched in 1797, the ship was sent onto 

the high seas to battle marauding pirates on the 

Barbary Coast in the Mediterranean. Her greatest 

glory, however, came during the War of 1812, 

when the ship and her crew defeated four British 

frigates during three separate battles. The Constitution 

gained the nickname Old Ironsides because enemy 

cannonballs were unable to penetrate the ship’s 

thick oak hull. Now the oldest U.S. warship still in 

commission, the USS Constitution sails the open waters 

six or seven times a year, including every 4th of July. 

“The most difficult aspects of building my model 

ships are crafting the vessels’ steering wheels and 

cannons,” Tom said. “Carving out the spokes on the 

wheels and the muzzles on each of the cannons is 

painstaking work. It usually takes me months!” 

Of course, stitching together sails is no easy 

undertaking, either. Especially when you don’t know 

how to sew. 

“When I first tried my hand at it, I asked my then 

wife to teach me,” he said. Then, with a smile, he 

admitted, “But the answer I got was, ‘I learned how 

to sew on my own, you can, too.’” 

Now an accomplished seamstress, Tom uses needle 

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and thread – and sometimes an old Singer sewing 

machine – to fashion sails, rigging, and rope ladders 

for his model ships. He does admit, however, that 

despite his sewing prowess, he still accidentally jabs 

himself with needles on a regular basis. 

“It’s one of the hazards of the job,” he laughed. 

Even after decades of building ships, it is still an allconsuming 

passion. When Tom is working on a ship, 

he becomes so engrossed that he often loses track of 

time. 

“I’ll be down in my basement workshop and suddenly 

realize that I don’t know if it is day or night,” he 

admitted. “The hours just fly by and I don’t notice. 

It sometimes gets so bad that my partner has to drag 

me out of what she calls my dungeon for meals.” 

He wouldn’t have it any other way, though. He thrives 

on coming up with ideas for model vessels and then 

using his hands to make those ideas a reality. 

There is no shortage of ideas for Tom, either. 

They come from the extensive reading he does on 

naval warships and marine merchant ships, and 

from documentaries he watches on explorers who 

ventured onto the seas to discover different parts of 

the world. Or from the fact that he was one of the 

volunteers who, with shovel in hand, helped unearth 

the HMS Hunter on the Southampton beach some 

two decades ago. 

A veteran of the War of 1812, the British warship 

HMS General Hunter was captured by the Americans 

in 1813. Put to work for the U.S. Army, the ship 

spent years transporting supplies up and down the 

Great Lakes – until a fateful day in August 1816. A 

ferocious storm swept across Lake Huron, driving 

the vessel ashore just south of the Saugeen River. 

The crew escaped, but the ship met its doom. Unable 

to be rescued, the Hunter was set afire by the U.S. 

Army. The vessel’s remains lay hidden for 185 years, 

until April 2001, when timbers from her frame were 

found poking through the sand on the Southampton 

beach, like whale bones. With the help of countless 

volunteers, the ship was exhumed; it was studied 

and catalogued by archaeologists; then reburied to 

preserve it. Today a plaque on the Southampton 

beach marks the final resting place of the ancient 

warship. 

While innumerable people have offered “big dollars” 

to buy Tom’s model ships, he has never been able 

to part with one, except for his model of the General 

Hunter, which is currently on display in the Bruce 

County Museum & Cultural Centre. As he tells it, 

he builds the vessels for pleasure, not reward, and 

he wants to hold onto each of his handcrafted ships. 


y Doug Archer 

“Having this passion keeps me going. Even at my age, 

it is still wonderful to get up every day and go to work. 

Then seeing the finished product after years of effort, 

and being able to say, ‘I built that’, is beyond words.” 

Tom said he’ll continue to create his model ships 

so long as his hands remain steady. Holding out his 

hands he says, “And right now they are steady!” 

Doug Archer is a local writer who enjoys celebrating the multifaceted 

lives of the 50-plus generation. He is also the author of 

three locally set mystery-adventure novels. Learn more at www. 

coldcasekids.com or email archer@bmts.com. 

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WINTER 2023/24 • 25

COMMUNITY 

LOVE, PEACE, AND UNITY 

in troubled times 

CORE MESSAGES OF CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS ARE UNIVERSAL 

BY CHANDRASHEKHAR TRIPATHI 


y Chandrashekhar Tripathi 

Amidst the ongoing global 

turmoil and strife, the 

search for messages of love, 

peace, and unity becomes 

increasingly crucial. This article 

explores how diverse winter 

festivals celebrated in Canada 

offer a beacon of hope during 

these challenging times. 

Through the lenses of Christmas, 

Hanukkah, Eid, Bodhi Day, and 

Diwali, we discover that, despite 

their cultural and religious 

diversity, the core message of 

these celebrations is universal – 

oneness (vasudhaiv kutumkam 

– whole world is one family), 

acceptance, and the spread 

of goodwill. These festivals 

inspire us to transcend chaos, 

discover common ground, and 

collaborate for a brighter future. 

In Canada’s multicultural 

landscape, the celebration of 

diversity is fundamental to society. Canadians firmly 

believe in ‘unity in diversity,’ where individuals from 

various ethnic backgrounds coexist harmoniously, 

contributing collectively to the nation’s progress. 

This inclusive spirit is beautifully demonstrated in 

multicultural festivals that introduce people to new 

cultures, languages, cuisines, and traditions. For the 

past 18 years, these festivals have been a consistent 

force in fostering unity and understanding among 

communities. 

Major local employers like Bruce Power play 

a significant role in bringing together diverse 

populations, significantly transforming communities 

like Kincardine and Port Elgin into diverse hubs, 

exemplifying the success of multicultural integration. 

The festivals celebrated also play a pivotal role 

in unifying people, promoting forgiveness, and 

spreading the message of love and understanding. 

Christmas – One of the most important festivals 

of Christians, Christmas is observed on Dec. 25 and 

celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is characterized 

by exchanging gifts within families and friends and 

gifts brought by Santa Claus. Christians wear new 

clothes and attend special prayers in the church and 

light the candles. 

Eid al-Fitr and Eid a-Adha – Often abbreviated 

to Eids, these are Islamic holidays. Eid al-Fitr is a 

feast-breaking that marks the end of Ramadan, the 

month of fasting (austerity for goodness), which is 

observed on the 10th day of the last month of the 

Islamic lunar calendar. Eid a-Adha is celebrated to 

commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his 

WINTER 2023/24 • 27

of Lights. It is regarded as the most important Hindu 

festival of the lunar calendar and is celebrated with 

great excitement across India (Bharat) and by Indians 

living abroad. Celebrations continue over a period of 

five days, each of which has its own significance. The 

days are named as Dhanteras, Narak Chaturdashi, 

Lakshmi Puja, Padava and Bhaiya Dooj. Before the 

start of the festival, spring cleaning is undertaken to 

welcome the goddess Lakshmi (the giver of wealth). 

Traditionally, rows of clay lamps filled with oil were 

lit, but now candles are used and the celebration 

starts with prayers, sweets, songs and fireworks. This 

practice symbolizes the vanquishing of ignorance 

(darkness) by knowledge (light) and celebrates the 

victory of good over evil by driving away the evil 

spirit. 

son at the behest of God. It is also called the ‘Festival 

of Sacrifice’ or ‘Greater Eid.’ The celebrations start 

after the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Families 

celebrate both Eids by spending time with friends 

and relatives, exchanging gifts and attending services 

at mosques. 

Bodhi Day – In commemoration of the 

enlightenment of the Buddha, Bodhi Day is 

traditionally celebrated by Buddhists on the eighth 

day of the 12th lunar month, so this year it falls 

on Dec. 8. It celebrates how Siddhartha Gautama, 

who was born in a Hindu family in India, became 

the central figure and founder of Buddhism. It 

is said Gautama lived a life of extreme discipline 

and abstained from indulgences, while continuing 

meditation under the Pipal tree until he was able 

to find the cause of suffering and how to achieve 

liberation from it. Families celebrate this important 

moment in their religion by hanging up multicoloured 

lights and lighting candles, meditating and 

snacking on rice and milk called Khir, which is the 

first meal the Buddha ate after his enlightenment. 

Diwali – Originating from the Sanskrit word 

‘Deepavali,’ Diwali literally means rows (avali) of 

lights (deepa), which is popularly known as Festival 

There is an exchange of gifts and the distribution 

of sweets, which symbolizes the dispelling of the 

bitterness of the past and renewal of friendship for 

times to come. It also means to drop the regrets of 

the past and the worries of the future and to live in 

the present. 

In Hinduism, Diwali marks the return of Lord 

Rama to his kingdom of Ayodhya after defeating the 

demon king Ravana, in the epic Ramayana. It also 

celebrates the slaying of the demon king Narakasura 

by Lord Krishna. Both signify the victory of good 

over evil. In Jainism, Diwali marks the attainment of 

moksha by Mahavira in 527 BC. In Sikhism, Diwali 

commemorates the return of Guru Har Gobind 

SinghJi to Amritsar after freeing several kings 

imprisoned in by the Emperor, Jahangir. 

Diwali is also the day on which Emperor Vikramaditya 

ascended the throne, and when many Hindu start 

their New Year (Samvat – started 2,080 years ago). 

As we embrace the lessons from each festival, we 

find inspiration to rise above the turmoil and chaos 

that plague our world. The message is crystal clear 

– let’s work together for a brighter future, where 

love, peace, and service prevail. These festivals serve 


y Chandrashekhar Tripathi 

as a unifying force, fostering understanding, and 

acceptance. By embracing these principles, we can 

transcend the strife and create a world where peace, 

love, and unity flourish. 

I have taken the first step by greeting my neighbours 

during their festivals and sharing our traditions with 

open doors and warm smiles. I extend an invitation 

to you to join us in spreading the message of love, 

peace, and service. Together, we can build a more 

harmonious and compassionate world. 

Chandrashekhar Tripathi, a holder of a PhD in environmental 

engineering from the University of Toronto, has recently retired 

from Bruce Power. Apart from his professional achievements in 

the environmental field, he passionately champions principles 

of diversity, inclusiveness, and community service. He actively 

promotes holistic wellness and the pursuit of life goals through 

a balanced lifestyle. 

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WINTER 2023/24 • 29

FOOD & DRINK 

Cabbage 

meatball soup 

Preparation Time: 30 minutes 

Cooking Time: 55 minutes 

Servings: 6 

INGREDIENTS 

1 lb lean ground beef 

¼ cup fine dry bread crumbs 

1 egg, beaten 

¼ milk 

2 tbsp onion, finely chopped 

3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped 

½ tsp each salt, pepper and dry mustard 

2 tbsp vegetable oil 

6 cups (1 medium head) savoy or green cabbage, finely 

chopped 

2 onions, sliced 

5 cups beef broth 

1 can whole tomatoes, undrained 

1 tsp dried thyme 

Pinch sugar 

1 bay leaf 

½ cup macaroni, uncooked 

Instructions 

In large bowl, stir together beef, bread crumbs, egg, milk, onion, 1 tbsp 

parsley, salt, pepper and dry mustard. Shape into 1-inch balls. In large 

saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat and cook meatballs in batches, 

turning, for five to 10 minutes or until browned on all sides. Drain on 

paper towels. 

In same pan, cook cabbage and onions over medium-low heat for five 

minutes, stirring often. 

Stir in stock, tomatoes, thyme, sugar and bay leaf. Return meatballs to 

pan, bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, adding 

macaroni for last 15 minutes. 

Serve in heated bowls, garnish with remaining 2 tbsp parsley. 

*Recipe courtesy of Foodland Ontario 


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