District

Bring on spring with an abundance of cheery colours found at the Clover Valley Farmers’ Market on McIrvine Road, which is open Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
The first stop to brighten your day is at the “Social Butterfly” booth, where Christine Neilson displays children clothing creations.

There were more winners in the Rainy River District Mutual Aid Association’s weekly cash calendar draw.
Winning $100 for April 30 and May 1, respectively, were R.J. Wilson (Fort Frances) and Adam Johnson (Atikokan).

A local woman is planning a fundraising bake sale and garage sale here this Saturday for a Manitoba family that’s currently going through some tough times.
“I just thought that there must be something I can do,” reasoned Lisa Lee of Fort Frances, who grew up with Erin Brunel in Swan River, Man.

Northwestern Ontario continues to see new fires occurring daily, with six new blazes confirmed, including one about 15 km north of Barwick.
Fort Frances District Fire #9 is a 2.0-hectare blaze burning in a mixture of bush and grasses.
It currently is classified as “not under control.”

A local “Relay for Life” team has orchestrated a new fundraising scheme that residents in town just might find themselves a part of.
Called “You’ve Been Gnomed,” the fundraiser sees a garden gnome moved from yard to yard—only by paying a removal fee.

Resiliency is described as a combination of skills and positive attributes that people gain from their life experiences and relationships.
These attributes help them solve problems, cope with challenges, and bounce back from disappointments.
Parents can help their children develop attributes that enable them to be resilient and that will help them throughout their lives.

Although final figures still are being tallied, some early totals are now in from this year’s Ducks Unlimited banquet, which took place Friday night at La Place Rendez-Vous.
Local DU treasurer Chris Wielinga said $12,830 was raised during the silent and live auctions, which was down from the $15,300 raised last year.

St. Patrick’s in Emo will be holding its annual spring tea and bazaar this Saturday (May 12) from 1-3 p.m. in the church basement.
Admission is $3 at the door.
There will be a good variety of perennials and local bedding plants for sale, along with baking, draws, and more.
This event is sponsored by the St. Patrick’s C.W.L. and all are welcome.

FORT FRANCES—The Rainy River Valley Agricultural Society is planning to start up a tail-gate flea market once a month at the fair grounds in Emo.
“The fair grounds sit there empty for most of the year, so we were thinking up other ways to utilize the area,” explained fair board director Marie Whiting.

The Fort Frances Fire and Rescue Service responded to a house fire on the 200 block of Elizabeth Street West in the early hours yesterday.
Upon their arrival, open flames and heavy smoke were observed.
The fire quickly was brought under control by firefighters, with most fire damage being isolated to the kitchen area.