This Month in Lambton - December 2023

The December 2023 edition of This Month in Lambton includes the following news, service updates, programs and events:

• Prepare for winter travel
• Make your New Year Resolutions easier with Lambton County Library
• One Book Lambton
• Clash of the Classrooms returns for 2024
• Join the Winter Reading Challenge
• Family Literacy Day Festival
• Canatara Cabin Restoration Project moving ahead at Lambton Heritage Museum
• Discover the 150-year legacy of International Drillers at the Oil Museum of Canada
• Lambton County Archives collecting hockey-related memories
• Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery programs and exhibitions

Prepare for winter travel

Winter travel season is arriving and, with it, the need to be prepared for emergencies on the road.

Here are some tips to help you prepare for potential winter weather emergencies before you leave the house:

• Check 511 Ontario before you start your trip. 511 Ontario provides travellers with information on road conditions, weather, radar imagery, and plow routes.
• Always dress for the weather. Bring along suitable clothing in case you have to walk or remain in your vehicle for a long period of time.
• If you encounter inclement weather or reduced visibility, slow down and allow plenty of space between yourself and other vehicles. Turn your headlights on to ensure you can be seen by other motorists.
• If you become stranded, it is often best to stay with your vehicle and wait for help. Make sure you have an emergency supplies kit for these situations. For details on what to include, visit EmergenciesLambton.ca.

Make your New Year Resolutions easier with Lambton County Library

For 2024, make it your goal to read more and experience the numerous benefits of reading such as improved memory, focus, and stress relief. You can easily achieve this by using the Libby app which allows you to enjoy eBooks and eAudiobooks while on the go. Additionally, you can use the Beanstack app to track your reading progress and log the books you're reading and your reading minutes, even if you're not participating in an active challenge.

Learn more at lclibrary.ca.

One Book Lambton

One Book Lambton aims to unite people across Lambton County with a shared reading experience and activities that explore the chosen title’s theme. This year’s title will be announced on January 8, 2024.

Upcoming One Book Lambton programs and events

Books Gone Hollywood Trivia

• Sarnia Library
  Monday, January 15 – 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
• Camlachie Library
  Wednesday, February 21 – 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Gender-Based Violence Panel Discussion

• Sarnia Library Theatre
  Thursday, January 18 – 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Author Talk with Maria Moore

• Grand Bend Library
  Thursday, January 25 – 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Clash of the Classrooms returns for 2024

Registration for the Clash of the Classrooms reading challenge will open on January 8, 2024.

This exciting challenge encourages students to track their reading progress from February 5 to March 8, both at school and at home. The competition is open to elementary, secondary, and homeschool groups across Lambton County and Chatham-Kent.

Participants will have the chance to compete for amazing prizes. Individual classrooms that log the most reading will win pizza prizes, while schools with the most collective reading per capita will receive a cash donation for their library and learning commons. The school with the most reading minutes will be awarded the championship trophy, the Clash Cup.

Join the Winter Reading Challenge

During the Winter Reading Challenges, kids aged 0-12 and teens aged 13-18 can log their reading and participate in activities for a chance to win fantastic prizes.

Registration for the “Where We Come From” Kids Winter Reading Challenge and the Teens “Freedom to Read Challenge” opens on Saturday, January 13 on lclibrary.ca.

Family Literacy Day Festival

Join the celebration of Family Literacy Day on Saturday, January 27 at the Sarnia Library from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and at the Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery (JNAAG) from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The Sarnia Library will host two live shows with Dan the Music Man at 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. In addition, there will be a variety of engaging hands-on activities from community groups, games, prizes and more.

JNAAG will offer family-friendly tours of the Family Palette exhibit, a scavenger hunt, as well as Family Saturday Studio Drop-in sessions.

Family Literacy Day promotes family reading and literacy-related activities. Learn more about the activits planned on the event page on lclibrary.ca.

Canatara Cabin Restoration Project moving ahead at Lambton Heritage Museum

Lambton Heritage Museum is excited to share new progress on the Canatara Cabin Restoration Project. A pivotal phase is now in motion, involving the adjustment of an existing concrete pad on the Museum grounds to align with the footprint of the Canatara Cabin. This phase began earlier in the fall with the reinforcement of the cabin roof which previously rested on the concrete pad. The roof was moved by a crane to a specially built frame where it will remain until the final stages of reconstruction.

After the roof was moved, work began to cut the concrete pad to new dimensions and new concrete footings and blockwork were added to support the cabin’s footprint and features, including a stone fireplace. With the foundation finalized, the tender process for reconstruction and restorative work is expected to move forward in the New Year.

The Museum has set a fundraising goal of $100,000 to support the project. With nearly $60,000 raised to date, support is still being sought to help reach the fundraising goal. Donations can be made directly online through the Museum website, or by phoning the Museum at 519-243-2600 and speaking to a staff member. Donations over $20.00 made before December 31 will receive a tax receipt which can be used as a deduction on 2023 tax filings.

Learn more about the Canatara Cabin Restoration Project on the Lambton Heritage Museum website.

Canatara Cabin roof being moved by crane onto specially built frame

Discover the 150-year legacy of International Drillers at the Oil Museum of Canada

Did you know that it was in December around the holidays 150 years ago that the first International Drillers left Lambton County to take their skills overseas? As the oil fields in Petrolia stopped booming and the oil drilling decreased, highly skilled Lambton men looked for work elsewhere. Many were enticed by a high pay and sense of adventure. The first group of men departed around Christmas time from the Petrolia train station and landed in Java on March 5, 1874. Letters home were often published in the local newspaper to the delight of locals in Petrolia. Thus began the export of Canadian skills and talent around the world that helped build the foundations of the interconnected petroleum industry today.

To learn more about the International Drillers and their legacy, you can explore the Oil Museum of Canada’s virtual exhibit at www.internationaloildrillers.ca. Don’t forget to stop in at the Museum in-person and see the display of unique and interesting souvenirs the International Drillers brought home to Lambton County. The Museum is open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday from 11:00a.m. to 4:00p.m. and Thursday from 11:00a.m. to 8:30p.m.

Lambton County Archives collecting hockey-related memories

Do you have amazing memories of hockey in Lambton County? Maybe you played in a children’s league or played pond hockey with friends on Lake Chipican. Beginning in early January, the Lambton County Archives will be collecting submissions of stories and photos related to hockey in our community.

The public is invited to submit their stories using the online form that will be available on lambtonarchives.ca between January 4 and February 29. These submissions will help preserve the history of hockey here in Lambton County and demonstrate what this great game means to our community. Submitted stories may end up being featured in a section of the special exhibit “Hockey”, taking place at Lambton Heritage Museum from July to October 2024.

Anyone with physical media they would like to have considered for the project, such as physical photographs or archival documents, is encouraged to contact the Archives directly at 519-845-5426 or book an appointment online at lambtonarchives.ca.

Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery programs and exhibitions

Youth and Family Programs

Family Saturday Studio Drop-In

Families are welcome to drop-in for a short, all-ages, artist-facilitated studio activity inspired by current exhibitions every Saturday afternoon from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

During December, participants will create Holla-day Celebration Cards inspired by the work of Frances-Anne Johnston in the exhibition A Family Palette: Frances-Anne Johnston, Franklin Arbuckle and Franz Johnston. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Holiday Workshop: Cozy Candle Making

December 21, 2023 - 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Bring your family and friends and celebrate the winter solstice with us by learning an original candle making technique, just in time for the holiday season. This free program is open to all ages, children must be accompanied by an adult.

Register for a half-hour time slot on jnaag.ca. Drop-ins welcome, if space allows.

Current Exhibitions

Visit the Gallery and experience our current exhibitions on Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m., and Fridays & Saturdays  from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 

A Family Palette: Frances-Anne Johnston, Franklin Arbuckle and Franz Johnston

October 6, 2023 – March 16, 2024          

This exhibition brings together, for the first time, the work of Frances-Anne Johnston, Franz Johnston and Franklin Arbuckle – three artists from the same family. Acting as a purposeful feminist recovery project, the exhibition focuses more deeply on Frances-Anne.

Using a feminist lens, the exhibit sheds light on the ways Frances-Anne Johnston and her relatives have contributed to the development of Canadian art.

This exhibition is organized and circulated by Ottawa Art Gallery and curated by Rebecca Basciano and has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada. This exhibition was also realized with the support of the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.

Re View

November 3, 2023 - January 12, 2024

This much anticipated fourth installment of Re View is set to captivate art enthusiasts and curious minds alike with the works of five new artists: B.C Binning, Agnew Depew, Jane Hunter, Rita Letendre, and Walter Tolles. Highlighting the essence of the latest Re View installment are all new audio tours, designed to enhance the visitor experience. Each tour promises a diverse range of encounters from moments of quiet introspection to thought provoking questions crafted to lead visitors towards discovering hidden symbolism within the art.

One of the exhibition’s standout features is the exclusive first-hand perspective audio tour by local artist Jane Hunter. Hunter shares her personal journey, recounting how the changes in downtown Sarnia inspired her watercolour masterpiece in the Gallery’s permanent collection. Visitors are invited to immerse themselves in her narrative, gaining invaluable insights into the intersection of art and urban evolution.