Final outdoor concert, Rick’s Ride, 1,600 backpacks requested

Morning Coffee – By Aaron Hall

Weather forecast for Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Today – Mainly cloudy. Showers beginning this morning and ending late this afternoon. Risk of a thunderstorm. Wind southwest 30 km/h gusting to 50 becoming northwest 30 gusting to 50 this afternoon. High 26. Humidex 33. UV index 3 or moderate.

Tonight – Mainly cloudy with 40 percent chance of showers early this evening. Clearing this evening. Wind northwest 20 km/h gusting to 40 becoming light this evening. Low 12.

Final outdoor concert tonight in Wallaceburg

The Wallaceburg & District Council For The Arts will wrap up their inaugural season of the Outdoor Summer Concert Series tonight in Library Park.

The finale will feature a beefed up edition of the weekly concert, showcasing three local acts, instead of two.

Wallaceburg’s Travis Laur will play an acoustic set, followed by the Neil Malcolm Band and Vinyl Revival.

The concert gets underway at 6 p.m. and is open to the public, with free admission.

The finale will also be the final week to support Rick’s Ride For Hope with a BBQ benefitting the Ronald McDonald House of London.

Help needed for Operation BackPacks

Operation BackPacks is in high demand this year.

So far, the program has received requests for more than 1,600 backpacks from families in need in Chatham-Kent… with more requests coming in every day.

This is a substantial increase over previous years and the United Way says they are going to be short on supplies.

United Way of Chatham-Kent officials say they are incredibly grateful to those who have already supported this program and are asking for a bit more help so no family in need will be turned away without a
backpack.

In particular, they are asking for individuals who are able to donate the following items:

– Lined Paper

– DuoTangs

– Pens

– Crayons

They may be dropped off at the United Way office at 425 McNaughton Avenue West in Chatham on or before August 25, 2017, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

How can I get a BackPack for my child?

Parents or guardians in need of assistance can request a backpack on or before August 22, 2017 for their children online by following this link or visiting www.uwock.ca.

Registration forms have been sent to all schools. Or, parents can call 519-354-0430 to speak with the Project Co-ordinator. Your personal information is kept private and confidential.

How can I help?

Volunteer

The United Way is actively looking for volunteers to help deliver the backpacks to schools throughout Chatham-Kent. If you’re able to lend a hand, please give Mary Symons, Good Neighbours Program Coordinator at United Way a call at (519) 354-0430 or you can send her an email at goodneighbours@uwock.ca.

Donate Money

The easiest way is to sponsor one or multiple backpacks at $25 each. Sponsoring a backpack allows co-ordinators to monitor the quantity of supplies and ensure each child receives the supplies they need based on their grade level. For more information about how you can become involved please contact Mary Symons, Good Neighbours Co-ordinator at 519-354-0430 or goodneighbours@uwock.ca.

New buses helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions and diesel pollution

As part of Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan, Ontario is investing in a new Electric School Bus Pilot Program designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while giving students a safe, clean transit option to and from school.

School bus operators providing student transportation services in Ontario may apply for funding to purchase an electric school bus and associated charging infrastructure. Applicants will be chosen based on their experience in student transportation, ability to successfully deliver a pilot project, as well as their location in Ontario, type of route serviced, and the size of their school bus fleet.

This initiative is funded by proceeds from Ontario’s carbon market, which are invested into programs that help households and businesses reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money on energy costs, including home energy retrofits, public transit, social housing retrofits, and electric vehicle incentives and infrastructure.

“The electric school bus pilot is another way our government is doing its part to help fight climate change,” stated Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation.

“This pilot program will help us better understand how electric school buses could operate across Ontario. And children riding in an electric school bus will have the added benefit of seeing the possibilities in creating a greener, cleaner environment.”

Fighting climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Ontario is part of the govnerment’s plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.

“Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan and our carbon market work together to support innovative ideas like this electric school bus pilot that will reduce harmful greenhouse gas pollution, help create a cleaner, low-carbon future, and inspire our children in the process,” stated Chris Ballard, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.

More details:

– Ontario is investing $8 million this year for the Electric School Bus Pilot Program.

– The pilot program will run from Dec. 1, 2017 to June 30, 2019.

– Applications must be submitted by Oct. 13, 2017.

– Data collected on the performance of the electric school buses will be used to develop a business case for their adoption by school bus operators, and also a examine their potential within student transportation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.

– The use of electric school buses is growing in jurisdictions, including California and Quebec, with approximately 100 electric school buses currently in use in North America.

– Ontario’s five-year Climate Change Action Plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 15 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020, 37 per cent by 2030 and 80 per cent by 2050.

– Greenhouse gases from cars account for more emissions than those from industries such as iron, steel, cement, and chemicals combined.

Photo of the day

#RicksRideforHope was in #bakingforfamilies! Rick’s #MakeFunMatter fundraising #BikeRide is rescheduled for #Summer2018! @SydenhamCurrent pic.twitter.com/WwTIQ1IKe3

— RMHC Southwestern ON (@RMHCSWO) 21 August 2017