This Month in Lambton - June 2023

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

• Connection Cube coming to Sarnia Library
• Celebrating Seniors Month
• Summer Reading Program launches on July 3
• Parks Canada Underwater Archaeology event
• Captain Corbin: Boatload of Fun Pirate Adventure Magic Show
• Rhythms of Lambton – Brothers Wilde
• Used Book Sale
• New permanent exhibit at Lambton Heritage Museum now open
• Quilt Show returns to Lambton Heritage Museum
• Black Gold Fest at the Oil Museum of Canada
• Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery upcoming events
• Emergencies Lambton – Preparing for power failures

Connection Cube coming to Sarnia Library

The new Connection Cube coming to Sarnia Library this summer was tested by Darlene Coke and Greer Macdonell at the Age-Friendly Expo on June 14.

Connection Cubes are a free community resource that provide a private meeting space that can be used for appointments with health practitioners, social service workers, judicial officials, and other community agencies. It will be equipped with telephone service as well as an iPad for online meetings or appointments. The Sarnia-Lambton Ontario Health Team purchased the Connection Cube and Lambton County Library is providing the telephone, iPad, and wireless Internet connection. Lambton County Library will also handle Connection Cube reservations and host the unit on the second floor of the Sarnia Library.

Stay tuned for more details when the Connection Cube is installed this summer!

Celebrating Seniors Month

June is Seniors Month in Ontario, and North Lambton Lodge organized several special events and community outings to help celebrate.

For one of these events, the Lodge invited A Stable Life Equestrian Centre to bring their miniature therapy horses to visit people living at the Lodge. Everyone at the Lodge enjoyed interacting with the horses - Ruth and Butterbean certainly enjoyed their time together!

Summer Reading Program launches on July 3

Read all summer long with Lambton County Library!

Kids, teens, and adults can participate in activities, complete reading challenges, and enter to win prizes! Participate at home, online, or wherever your summer takes you.

To participate, create an account with Beanstack and join Lambton County Library’s Summer Reading Program. Beanstack can be used with a mobile device, a computer, or with the help of library staff at any library location.

See lclibrary.ca/srp for the full list of Summer Reading Program events, activities, and reading recommendations.

Parks Canada Underwater Archaeology event

Explore underwater archaeology and shipwrecks monitored and excavated by the Parks Canada Underwater Archaeology team. On Friday, July 7, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m., join Jonathan Moore from Parks Canada Underwater Archaeology Service at the Sarnia Library Theatre to uncover the mysteries of the deep. Register through the Library’s event calendar.

Captain Corbin: Boatload of Fun Pirate Adventure Magic Show

Don't miss out! See Captain Corbin at the Sarnia Library Theatre on Saturday, July 8 from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. This magical pirate performance is packed with family-friendly fun, exciting pirate adventure, and plenty of nautical nonsense. Register through the Library’s event calendar.

Rhythms of Lambton – Brothers Wilde

This free concert will be held on Friday, July 14 from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Sarnia Library Theatre.

With a vision and a song, brothers Nolan and Ethan Wilde have set out to make their mark in the music industry. Growing up in Kettle & Stony Point First Nation, Nolan and Ethan were raised on being humble, working hard, and a wide variety of good music. The duo was nominated for the 2022 Forest City London World Music Group of the Year.

Register through the Library’s event calendar.

Used Book Sale

Lambton County Library is hosting its annual Used Book Sale on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (or while supplies last) at the Wyoming Fairgrounds, 595 Main Street, Wyoming.

The Used Book Sale features a variety of books, audiobooks, and DVDs in all categories that have been withdrawn from the library collection due to age, low circulation, wear, and other factors. Items are priced to sell at $1 for adult titles and $0.50 for children’s titles. Alternatively, shoppers can fill their own standard-sized shopping bag for $5, with a limit of six bags per person. Only cash payments will be accepted and all proceeds from the sale will go towards offsetting the library’s operating costs.

Building capacity limits will be enforced, please prepare for the weather in case it is necessary to wait in line outdoors.

New permanent exhibit at Lambton Heritage Museum now open

After months of hard work by Museum staff, contractors, and exhibit collaborators, the new permanent exhibit in the Lambton Gallery is officially open for visitors!

The new space is arranged thematically to guide visitors through the County of the past and make connections with the County we know today. New displays, lighting, mounts, and educational activities transform the space and complement an artifact selection that includes favourite items from the previous gallery and objects that have not been on display before. Touchscreens and hands-on activities have been integrated throughout the exhibit, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the history through touch and sound.

Come and explore the rich history of Lambton County! The Museum is open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Admission is $5.00 for adults, $4.00 for seniors and students, $3.00 for children, and $15.00 for a family.

Lambton Shores Mayor and Lambton County Councillor Doug Cook cuts the ceremonial ribbon at the new exhibit opening with Lambton County Warden Kevin Marriott, Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MP Lianne Rood, and Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey.

Quilt Show returns to Lambton Heritage Museum

Lambton Heritage Museum will be hosting the bi-annual North Lambton Quilters’ Guild Quilt Show from June 29 to September 2. The 2023 show will include dozens of beautiful quilts alongside other handmade items like clothing, wall hangings, table toppers, and quilted accessories. A selection of historic quilts from the Museum’s collection will be displayed alongside the Guild’s creations, highlighting old and new techniques.

The exhibit will kick off with special events on the opening weekend. From 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on June 29, 30, and July 1, visitors can meet members of the guild, view quilting demonstrations, purchase light refreshments from the tearoom, browse vendors selling quilting supplies and books, and shop in the Guild’s quilting rummage sale. Learn more at heritagemuseum.ca.

Black Gold Fest at the Oil Museum of Canada

Black Gold Fest is back for 2023!

Visit the Oil Museum of Canada on Saturday, July 8, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for this family-friendly event celebrating oil heritage with a variety of activities and demonstrations. Children will enjoy button-making, crafts, lawn games, and free face-painting. Experience live music, a historical blacksmith demonstration, and a model pipeline display from Enbridge. Pick up a refreshing snack from one of our food and drink vendors, including Truckin’ Mamas on the Run, Bubbles Ice Cream, and Black Gold Brewery. Don’t miss our special guest, a historical reenactor of Jacob Lewis Englehart, the man behind Imperial Oil!

Admission is FREE. For more information, see the event page on the Oil Museum website.

Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery upcoming events

Family Saturday Studio Drop-In 

Every Saturday afternoon from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., JNAAG offers a free, all-ages, family workshop. Families are welcome to drop-in for a short, artist-facilitated studio activity inspired by the current exhibitions.

During July, participants will create images with pixels in the real world. Using fusible beads, participants will design and create their own pixelated artwork. Children must be accompanied by an adult. 

Learn more on the Family Saturdays page of the JNAAG website.

Summer RAAW Teen Workshops

Summer RAAW workshops are for teens ages 14 – 18. All workshops are free and registration for the entirety of each session is required.  Three sessions are held over the summer:

• RAAW Photography - July 4, 5 & 6, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
  Award winning photographer Sierra Rei Hart will guide participants to create interesting compositions and perfect lighting, and express stories through the eye of their camera.
• RAAW Make It Big - July 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
  In this studio program, participants join Dave Doucette and Elise McDonald to create giant sculptures inspired by everyday small objects using reclaimed materials.
• RAAW Mural Creation - July 17, 18, 19, 20 & 21, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  Join artists Mo Thunder and Kennady Rayn in the art studio to experience the creative process of mural painting from start to finish.

Learn more and register online through the Summer RAAW page on the JNAAG website.

Current exhibitions 

The gallery is open Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Thursday from 11:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m., and Friday, Saturday & Sunday from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Drop in and immerse yourself in our current exhibitions:

Emergencies Lambton – Preparing for power failures

A heavy reliance on equipment like air conditioners can put significant demand on Ontario's power grid during long stretches of hot weather.

Be prepared for summer power outages:

• Store flashlights with fresh batteries in several places throughout your home and check them regularly.
• Consider purchasing an external battery pack for your cell phone or tablet to extend its use and use your device sparingly. It’s also important to remember that wireless service may also be lost during an extended power outage.
• Try to keep your car's gas tank at least one quarter to half-full. Many gas stations may not be in operation during a power outage.

During an outage:

• Listen to a battery-powered or “crank” radio tuned to a local station to find out what is happening.
• Do not call 9-1-1 to report power outages. If you need to report an outage, contact your local electricity provider.
• Cell phone towers may be tied up with calls. You may be able to text friends or family because texting requires less data.
• Do not open your fridge or freezer unless absolutely necessary. Discard any thawed food that has been at room temperature for more than two hours.
• Check on vulnerable neighbours.

For more tips on how to be prepared for an emergency, visit EmergenciesLambton.ca.