On Friday May 24, students from local schools, along with members of the community, gathered in Clock Park in Wolfville to protest climate inaction, as part of the Fridays for Future climate strike movement founded by Swedish teen Greta Thunberg, asserting the need for “massive and immediate action on climate disruption due to our dependency on carbon-based fuels for energy.”
A Memory Shared While Hiking for Valley Hospice Submitted Long-time Valley Hospice Foundation supporter Janet Ness first became involved in Hospice through her work with the VON Annapolis Valley, where she met Valley Hospice Foundation Coordinator Dale Sanford. Janet, whose mother died in a hospice in Grimsby, Ontario, says the Hike for Valley Hospice fundraiser does more than raise money and awareness. “The hike also gives those of us who’ve had loved ones experience the care and comfort of a hospice setting the opportunity to share their memories with others,” says Janet. Janet’s mother was diagnosed with cancer at 92…
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Mike Uncorked: Neil Simon Classic Comes to CentreStage Theatre By Mike Butler There have been some incredible and unforgettable stage couples in history. From musicals to stage plays you can find pairings that remain as fresh today as when they were first performed. It’s been 55 years since the ultimate odd couple, Oscar Madison and Felix Ungar, graced the stage on Broadway, but the hilarity and poignancy of their friendship and their story is still as top notch as ever. Written by Pulitzer-Prize winning master playwright and humourist Neil Simon, The Odd Couple is making its way to Kentville for…
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Vineyard Spotlight: Lightfoot & Wolfville Established in 2009, Lightfoot & Wolfville is now known for producing handcrafted, small-lot wines in certified organic vineyards. With a focus on classic Burgundian-inspired Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Rieslings and other German-styled white wines, as well as traditional method prestige cuvée sparkling wines, the winery has over 35 acres of vines on two sites. They practice biodynamic viticulture, and focus on the grapes that work best within the Annapolis Valley’s unique microclimates. Both sites are within view of Cape Blomidon and benefit from the Minas Basin’s moderating impact on climate. Another shared aspect of the…
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Art Spot: Peter Martocchio WHO: I am a retiree who is delighted to paint using the time that used to be devoted to my professional career. WHAT: My medium is traditional watercolour. My style is loosely realistic. The uniqueness of my work is that I portray landscapes in different light, stressing either reflections, strong sunlight, shadows, or clouds. This exhibit, “Scenes from Around Here,” that runs between June 1-30 at the Wolfville Library, is a collection of plein air and studio work. WHERE: In the summer I paint outside in plein air. In the winter I paint in my studio…
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KVRC’s Fourth Annual Volunteer Leadership Symposium a Resounding Success Submitted Over 80 participants were present at NSCC Kingstec for the Fourth Annual Volunteer Leadership Symposium on Wednesday May 15, hosted by Kings Volunteer Resource Centre (KVRC). The day-long conference welcomed keynote speaker Danny Graham of Engage Nova Scotia, and followed up with eight concurrent morning and afternoon workshops, each focused on helping both volunteers and community-based organizations increase their capacity for the incredible work they do in community. Lisa MacDougall, executive director of Valley Restorative Justice, summarized her experience, calling the event “an exceptionally well-planned Volunteer Leadership Symposium. I thoroughly…
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Who’s Who: Jordan MacPhee By Mike Butler Professional makeup artist Jordan MacPhee’s work literally makes me green with envy! I met Jordan last fall when I was preparing to play The Grinch for the CentreStage production of How The Grinch Stole Christmas. It was a daunting task to transform my above-average good looks into the green, mean, furry mass of unpleasantness that is the iconic Grinch, but with Jordan behind the brush, we pulled off something brilliant and enjoyable. During the 45 minutes of sitting through the makeup application, we chatted and I learned a lot about this very talented…
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Brigadoon’s 5th Annual Wine & Dash Wine & Dash is Brigadoon’s signature fundraising event. Participants run or walk a 5k or 10k through the Gaspereau Valley, making stops for wine tastings at some of Nova Scotia’s finest vineyards. This year, they will also have the option of foregoing the dash, and can instead book a seat on the Magic Winery Bus for a guided tour of the four participating wineries. To date the event has had over 1,500 participants and has raised over $300,000 for Brigadoon’s camp programs. To find out more about the Wine & Dash, we asked past…
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Valley Family Fun: Wine Tasting Parties By Laura Churchill Duke Sometimes the adults in the family need to have some fun too, so it’s not always about the kids! Consider hosting a wine tasting party! Here is an easy step-by-step on how to run your own tasting parties. Create an invitation using Evite. I like using this program, because it keeps track of who is coming, the system sends reminders, and you can ask guests to bring things. Make a list of wines you would like to test and have each of your guests sign up to bring one of…
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New Research Winery in Kentville Late in February, Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, officially opened a research winery at the Kentville Research and Development Centre that will help grape growers and vintners hone their production techniques to take full advantage of the province’s unique soils and growing conditions. The $1.8 million winery will allow researchers to investigate how locally-grown varieties, growing conditions, and vineyard practices affect the chemistry of the grapes, which in turn influence the finishing characteristics in the wine, including taste and aroma. “Nova Scotia is one of Canada’s great emerging wine regions. This new research…
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