Above Red Hawks senior player Jamie Evans chases down Nicholson Catholic College player Amy Viera during the A COSSA semi-finals on Wednesday May 30 at the Gary G. Brohman Athletic Field in Haliburton. Although Haliburton was shutout and did not advance to the COSSA final where Nicholson defeated St. Paul Catholic Secondary School 2-nil the Red Hawks had reason to be proud by playing with intensity and representing Kawartha and the Highlands well./DARREN LUM Staff

Spring happenings

By Gail Stelter

Survive and thrive: what makes a small town successful? Haliburton Village boasts a beautiful locale on a lake among the lakes of the Ontario highlands. It’s a meeting place a hub for both permanent and seasonal residents. It’s a place where friends neighbours and visitors get that happy feeling of being welcome.  It’s a unique interconnection of cultural recreational and economic endeavours. It is filled with people of good will and good hearts who want to preserve the past and grow the future.

It matters not if you have lived here your whole life or come back home or decided to retire to the cottage this is your hometown and you have a vested interest in helping it thrive.
The Haliburton Village BIA accepts this responsibility and is always looking for new and better ways to support you and encourage you to come to town and get involved in village happenings.

In the months ahead the BIA will engage in discussions and plan new promotions that will encourage and reward our loyal shoppers and grow our businesses. We will look to support and be part of new projects and initiatives. We will continue to support Junction Skate Park. The approaching spring brings a time of new growth and your ideas suggestions and your help would be greatly appreciated. Just as it takes a town to raise a child it takes the residents to raise a village!

We know that many of our permanent residents find themselves among the ranks of the working poor or with low incomes. You have shown your commitment to helping others and that makes this town stand apart. Fundraising for others and for not-for-profit organizations is a way of life here. Each month as I think about and explore local happenings in preparation for this column I am in awe of all the activities that are based in supporting others and also with the sheer number of events that are planned. Each month I like to highlight one or two village happenings. From an open stage to maple fest a Victorian games afternoon and the life of a leprechaun the Haliburton Highlands Museum promises good times for all ages.

The Haliburton & District Lions Club is holding its second annual Chuck Wagon Dinner and County Music Dance on March 19 at the Legion.  And here are a few reminders.
You can support Haliburton Junction Skate Park with your pledge for the Sir Sam’s ski/board-a-thon!
The Dysart 150th celebration planning committee reminds residents (both permanent and seasonal) of an open competition to design a logo for our birthday.

March is ball hockey registration time. For details on all of these please visit the Dysart et al website.
Finally I am looking forward to being home again soon. I have decided that this year I want to get out more and support more of our wonderful organizations and groups. Of course having fun with people of good will works too! My calendar is filling up with my April and May spring fling fun. More about that next month!