Vol. 8, Issue 1 Newsstand Price $1.50 per week Thursday, September 3, 2020 Half turned away 75 YEARS OF HARD WORK AND HAPPINESS Heather Wright are still higher than the provin- The Independent cial average. And even more telling is how Half of the people looking for many people are being turned a residential program to kick away. Reaume-Zimmer says drugs or alcohol in Sarnia and they recently started tracking Lambton County are turned how many callers they could away. not find residential treatment That from Paula Reaume-Zim- programs. “We decline almost mer, Bluewater Health’s vice 50 per cent of the callers for president of mental health and residential withdrawal manage- addictions. ment.,” she says. “So with the As the hospital marked over- demand, people are reaching out dose awareness month, Reaume- now, and so it’s really maxing Zimmer says there were fewer out what our capacity has avail- people coming to the emergency able.” room and calling an ambulance Reaume-Zimmer says the because of fears over being statistics underscore how critical infected with COVID-19 at the a new residential program is in hospital. Sarnia. It has been in the hands ER visits dropped 21 per cent of the provincial government over the same time last year and for years. Reaume-Zimmer says ambulance calls dropped 11 per they are still working through cent. Lambton’s emergency de- approvals and hope to select a partment’s opioid related visits site soon. No masks in Dawn-Euphemia Heather Wright Broad told council some The Independent people gave the impression Dawn-Euphemia was “ignoring There won’t be a mandatory the issue...that’s not the case.” mask bylaw in Dawn-Euphemia. With three council members Mayor Al Broad held a special at the meeting passed a motion meeting Tuesday to get the saying council recommended thoughts of council on the issue. wearing a mask and keep their In July, Lambton County physical distance to stop the councillors decided against a spread of COVID-19. county-wide bylaw to mandate Broad, and Councillors Leslea masks to limit the spread of Williams, and Mark McGuire COVID-19. Councillors voted agreed education was the against the idea some citing the best way to handle the issue. advice of the medical officer “Families, out of the abundance of health who said mandatory of caution, are making the best wasn’t necessary at this time decision for their families,” says since almost all of the cases of Williams. COVID-19 could be traced to McGuire says he wears a mask close contact not spread in the but “if someone has a deep community. seated belief or a physical prob- In the wake of the decision, lem wearing them, I don’t think Sarnia, Petrolia, Lambton we should be forcing them.” Shores and Point Edward each Municipal staff added 95 per pass a mandatory bylaw while cent of people coming into the Plympton-Wyoming and St. building have been wearing a Clair turned the idea down. mask. HEATHER WRIGHT PHOTO Wednesday, Sarnia Mayor Broad says he wanted the com- Wilfred Mitchell gives his wife, Betty, a little kiss on the porch of their St. Clair Township home Friday. The Mike Bradley is expected to ask munity to know where council couple celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary Sunday with cake and family; mirroring the celebration county councillors once again to stood and will vote against a they had in 1945 at his parent’s Oil Springs farm. For more on the story see page 2. implement a county-wide bylaw. county wide mask bylaw. for all your back Shop to s hool Localbrought to you by the Petrolia Volunteer Business Groupc needs 2 – The Independent of Petrolia and Central Lambton Thursday, September 3, 2020 Seventy five years of hard work and happiness Heather Wright she went to the Hillman Hotel in than he was in town.” The Independent Petrolia where she worked for $7 a “I had a check in my pocket and week and a room, cleaning rooms I wouldn’t have to pull it out,” In 1942, when Wilford Mitchell and serving at the restaurant six says Wilford. and his friend met Mary Betty St. days a week. Their little family grew to six John and her friend at the Brigden By 1945, just months after Betty children and they worked the Fair, he could not have know he turned 18, they were married. farm together. By 1960, the job would share nearly eight decades Betty wore a light pink dress at Sarnia Bridge ended and they of his life with her. and Wilford a sharp suit to the expanded their farm operation. It was the beginning of many ceremony at the ministers house. Their daughter, Rosemary meetings between the 16 year-old The celebration was small. Betty’s George, says her dad and mom Wilford and 15 year-old Betty as mother had saved her sugar rations worked hard together. she was known. to make a cake to celebrate. They had chickens initially - up The spent time together with Afterward, the couple took to 1,000 of them which kept Betty friends and before long Wilford Wilford’s Model A and headed to busy sometimes until the early was hitchhiking to Petrolia to see a Detroit for a honeymoon at her hours of the morning. show and to see Betty at the Dairy uncle’s. It proved to be a more dif- By 1964, they started buying Bar where she worked. ficult trip than expected, changing cattle raising 300 head a year. Wilford says Betty made an several flat tires along the way. Wilford raised cattle as he had as impression. It was a good time away and the a young man in Oil Springs and “She made a good hamburgs,” Mitchell’s still have the mirror fixed farm equipment with his he says with a slight smile while their uncle made for them as a welding skills. sitting at the table of the Brigden wedding gift. The couple became involved area farmhouse Friday. When they returned home, they in the Lambton Cattlemens’ Wilford kept coming back. Even- went to work on the family farm. Association and were soon HEATHER WRIGHT PHOTO tually, he had his own car to drive. By 1948, the couple decided to travelling around Canada and Wilford and Betty Mitchell share a laugh at their home near Brigden. He would come into Petrolia to strike out on their own buying a the United States on trips for the The couple celebrated their 75th anniversary Sept. 1. The couple take her home to the end of Maude farm west of Brigden. organization. have six children, 14 grandchildren 32 great grandchildren and one Street at the end of her shift. “We had a dollar in our wallet They continued chicken farming great, great grandchild on the way any day now. When Betty turned 16, Wilford when we moved over there...and until 1980 and cattle farming until gave her a ring with her initials en- we had two little ones,” says Betty. 2018 before they retired. Today, the couple still live on Betty still cooks their meals graved on it - BSJ. She still wears Wilford went to work at the Sar- “They were both hands-on one of their farms. and Wilford still appreciates her it on her pinky. nia Bridge Company while Betty farmers,” says George. “Betty Wilford has had some health cooking, although he jokes her They soon realized they shared stayed home with the kids and was a hard worker gathering eggs issues recently spending a week hamburger is not quite as good as the same work ethic. During the worked the farm. every day from their laying hens.” in hospital, but the 92 year-old is it used to be. Second World War, Wilford’s “I had 500 hens west of Brigden Betty was also active in the fine now. Sunday, they had a simple father petitioned to have him stay and I had two cows and I raised Brigden Do-R Best Women’s Their life is not as busy now, celebration - coffee and cake home to work on the farm; Betty veal on my two cows,” she says. Institute. It just dissolved last year. says Betty. They watch Wheel of with family - mirroring that first worked in a munitions factory “He was getting a dollar an hour George says Betty loved music Fortune and then Jeopardy every celebration 75 years ago in Oil in Sarnia making bombs for the and I was getting more money and the couple often went to local night. Then, they play the card Springs when they started their life war effort. After she was laid off, with my cows and my chickens dances and Fiddlers Contests. game SkipBo until 11 at night. together. Staggered start for back to school Heather Wright Tues. Sept. 15. The Independent At the secondary level, Grade 9 students are the first back to school on Sept. 14. 22020 Peettrroolliiaa There will be a few extra days of summer Grade 10 to 12 students will be in class vacation for students in Lambton. Tues. Sept. 15. The Lambton Kent District School Board The first day of at home learning will be CCoommpost DDaayyss and the St. Clair District Catholic School Sept. 14. on Saturdays! Boards have just released the start times “The staggered entry of students in ele- on Saturdays! for the new school year as parents brace mentary and secondary schools will provide WWaassttee MMaannagement Petrolliia ssiittee,, themselves for a school year of pandemic staff with additional time to become more 44448855 Progress Drive protocols.