Category Archives: Your Community
Jessica Phoenix Wins Equestrian of the Year
Uxbridge native Jessica Phoenix was named Equestrian of the Year at the 2012 Equine Canada Annual Awards Gala in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
The horse woman’s success started at an early age. At just 13, she won a division in the Ontario Horse Trials Training Championship and has won an award every subsequent year.
The first winner of the Equine Canada Equestrian of the Year Award was Jacklyn Brooks in 1996.
To read more about Jessica Phoenix, take a look at our article published in the October 2011 issue of the Uxbridge Town Talk.
Faces of Uxbridge: Air Marshal Landing
Uxbridge is home to rising stars Air Marshal Landing. The group started in 2008 where the band’s three members, Matt Simmonds, Cory Adrian and Graham Drummond were attending university.
Simmonds and Adrian are long-time friends who first got together to jam in 2005 while attending Uxbridge Secondary School. Upon graduating from USS, Simmonds and Adrian left Uxbridge to attend the University of Western Ontario and the University of Waterloo, respectively. As such, their musical careers were placed on hold while they focused on their studies, only getting together occasionally to play.
While at Western, Simmonds met Waterdown resident and drummer Drummond. Simmonds is keyboard and bass guitar, Adrian is on lead guitar and vocals, and Drummond provides the beat. However, the newly-formed group still had a huge distraction to contend with: school.
“While attending university, we could only get together maybe once a month to practice,” recounts Simmonds. “Usually we only had time to rehearse during the day of a gig,” he adds.
Upon completing their university degrees, the three young men could now focus full-time on their musical careers.
Presently, Uxbridge serves as a perfect place to base their group.
“It’s a nice community in the country with access to the city…a perfect half-way point,” admits Adrian. In addition to that “small-town feel,” and his family living just outside of town, Simmonds adds his parents’ garage serves as an ideal place where they can rehearse.
“We can make lots of noise without bothering any neighbours,” laughs Simmonds. And of course, “money is an issue if we lived in Toronto.”
While their music appeals to teens and young adults, the three agree it first must appeal to themselves.
Their main focus is to produce music they personally enjoy. “If you can’t do it for yourself, then there is no sense playing at all,” explains Simmonds.
One of their keys to success is the ability to record their or jam sessions…with their iPhones!
A big part of their marketing involves social media through Facebook, Twitter, and their official website.
“We’re as social as you can get,” Adrian says. “If you are not on social media, you’re not going to make it,” adds Drummond.
The future for Air Marshal Landing appears to be quite active for these three fun-loving guys. They have a number of performances planned on the university circuit, an appearance at Canadian Music Week slated in March 2012 in Toronto, and their first full-length album to be released in late spring 2012. The band will also perform at the Uxbridge Skate Park Fundraiser on Feb. 18 alongside Whosarmy and Lauren Malyon.
“We also hope to make an appearance at NXNE (North By Northeast, a music and film Festival) in June,” adds Simmonds.
Links:
www.airmarshallanding.com
www.facebook.com/airmarshallanding
Twitter: @AMLband
www.myspace.com/airmarshallanding
Songs are available on iTunes by searching Air Marshal Landing
Where Does The Name Come From?
“Air Marshal is the Batman of air travel. It’s up to him to stop the bad guys. He’s the guy, there’s no one else. But I think that everyone kind of believes that they could be that guy. We all wonder, if it came down to it, would we up for the task? Stories like Flight 93 from 9/11 propel these thoughts, I think we all like to believe we could have taken control of that plane from terrorists and landed it safely.
“So the name Air Marshal Landing comes from some of these ideas. The ‘landing’ part assumes that Good wins in the end. And you know what? It does.” – Matt Simmonds.
Friends of Forsaken Animals: Rescuing Cats
Story and photo by Dana Kenedy
Sonia Trettin is no crazy cat lady. She is the founder of Friends of Forsaken Animals, a cat rescue organization catering to the Uxbridge, Blackstock, Brampton and Orillia areas.
Trettin’s need to care for animals started when she was a little girl during the Second World War. Forced to leave her home in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1940, Trettin and her family fled to the mountains while bombs dropped on her city.
After returning a few years later, large bomb craters filled with rainwater were scattered throughout the city.
“It was common practice to throw kittens in there,” Trettin said. She would do her best to fish out as many kittens as she could and care for them. Even though there was barely enough food for people, she still gave some of her bread to the cats wandering the city.
Moving forward a degree in physics and two patents in silicon solar cells later, Trettin was living in Scarborough as a high school teacher in 1996.
There she stumbled upon Benny, a friendly stray cat, and handed him over to a local cat rescue. She later learned Benny escaped from the rescue centre and devoted eight weeks to searching for him. Thankfully her hard work paid off and she found him. He lived for 18 years, Trettin recalls.
“In the process I noticed how many homeless animals exist,” Trettin said. She also met other ladies who dedicated their time to feeding the stray cats in the area.
Trettin too fed the cats, but took it one step further and began taking them in for spaying and neutering and did her best to find them homes.
Friends Of Forsaken Animals was born.
After her retirement in 1998, she moved the organization to the Uxbridge area with her shelter based in her property in Brock.
“I don’t have a personal life,” she laughs. She and her husband maintain the two heated school portables on her property and care for the older cats that stay in their home.
Nicola Ransom-Brown, a volunteer of several animal organizations who moved to Uxbridge from England, heard about Friends Of Forsaken Animals two years ago and just had to get involved. The organization thrives because of Trettin, she says.
“I think she’s amazing. She’s a very hard working lady,” Ransom-Brown says. “She’s tireless.”
If you are looking for a new, furry companion, the organization hosts regular adopt-a-thons at Uxbridge’s Pet Valu, 4 Banff Rd., each lasting about a week during the store’s regular hours. However, you can give a friendly feline a new home any time of the year, as well as taking part in a month-long fostering program.
The next adopt-a-thon will be from Jan. 21-29, 2012.
To volunteer, to adopt one of their many cats or kittens, or for more information call 905 852 4286 or email friendsofforsakenanimals@gmail.com.
“Helping animals is the starting point to helping society,” Trettin says.
Holiday Treats for Gift Giving
By Carly Foster
All of these recipes I’ve either received or given as gifts or for cookie exchanges. They’re always a hit, double or triple easily and look pretty in little bags with ribbon.
Chex Muddy Buddies
My next door neighbours have this every year at their Boxing Day open house, and I end up parking myself beside the bowl.
Ingredients
9 c Chex cereal
1 c chocolate chips
½ c peanut butter
¼ butter/ margarine
1 tsp vanilla
½ c icing sugar
Directions
Measure cereal in large bowl. Mix chocolate, peanut butter and margarine in another microwave-safe bowl. Heat high and uncovered for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until mix is smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour over cereal and mix until evenly
coated. Transfer to large plastic container and add powered sugar, then shake to coat. Spread on waxed paper or cookie tray to cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Skor Bars
Elizabeth Acton
Ingredients
Box of saltine crackers
1 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1 pgk chocolate chips|
1 pgk Skor chips
Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment or spray. Layer with crackers, side-by-side. Melt butter and sugar over medium heat then boil for 3 minutes – no stirring. Pour over crackers and bake 5 minutes. Remove and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips, then spread with knife or spatula. Sprinkle Skor chips. Cool in freezer for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to lift off foil and break into pieces.
Maple Popcorn Caramel Crunch
You won’t be able to resist this, so make extra!
Ingredients
10 c of freshly popped popcorn
(about ½ cup/125 mL kernels)
1 ½ c pecan halves, cashews or
walnuts (optional)
1 ½ c of granulated sugar
1 c butter
¼ c maple syrup
¼ c corn syrup
¼ tbs salt
1 tbs maple extract
Directions
Place popcorn in large shallow greased roasting pan. Break pecans in half-length wise; add to pan and set aside. In large heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring sugar, butter, maple syrup, corn syrup and salt to boil over medium heat; boil, stirring constantly, until candy thermometer reaches hard-crack stage of 300 F, 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in maple extract. Pour over popcorn mixture, and stir to coat evenly. Let cool. Break into bite-size pieces. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week. Makes about 10 cups.
Buttery Shortbread Coins
The small size of these bite-sized cookies means a) they have no calories, and b) are super cute. Kids love them!
Ingredients
¾ c unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 c granulated sugar
1 tbs vanilla
1 tbs salt
1 egg yolk
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
Optional add ins: cherries, nuts, chocolate chips, sprinkles, candy cane pieces etc.
Directions
Beat together all ingredients except flour. Gradually stir in flour. Lightly dust counter with flour, then turn out dough. Divide into four equal portions (now is the time to add extras, if desired). Shape into log approx. 6” long and 1 ¼ wide. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour, or up to a week (can also freeze for up to 1 month). Remove dough from fridge and let thaw 1-2 minutes. Preheat oven to 325. Gently saw into 1/3” coins, and spread onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake until edges slightly browned, 14-16 minutes. Cool, and store in airtight container. Makes 60-70 cookies
Homemade Lollipops
This is incredibly simple to do and the results are works of art. Kids love them! Find the sticks at the Bulk Barn, or use plain Popsicle sticks.
Ingredients
4 c colourful candies,
chopped (Lifesavers or Jolly Ranchers)
16 lollipop sticks
Directions
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange 2 tbsp (25 mL) of chopped candies in small piles about 6 in (15 cm) apart on the baking sheet. Place in the centre of a 325 degree oven for 3-5 minutes – just until candies have melted into a soft pool. Quickly remove from the oven and press a stick into the centre of each to make a lollipop. If you work too slowly and the candy hardens, just pop them back into the oven for a minute until soft enough to work with. Let the lollipops cool completely on the tray before repeating with remaining ingredients. Store in an airtight container lined with wax or parchment for up to one week.
Spaghetti Soup
Submitted by Rachel Pavely
My dad is lactose-free and I have Celiac, so this is one of the only soups my entire family can have at the same time. It’s healthy and tastes great with any type of pasta, gluten-free or not.
Ingredients
2 bottles of chicken broth
I can of crushed or diced tomatoes
2 c frozen corn
2 c frozen peas
2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped
Pepper to taste
1 package of Frankie’s Ristorante Spaghetti
Directions
Cook pasta until tender. In another pot, add the chicken broth and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Then add frozen corn and peas (any frozen vegetable will taste good!) Add cooked chicken, and pepper. When pasta
is al dente, strain and add to the soup. Be sure not to put too much spaghetti in; it is a soup not a pasta dish. Stir and serve hot.
