The October edition of This Month in Lambton includes the following news, service updates, programs and events:
- One Book Lambton
- Neighbour 2 Neighbour - Rural Lambton County's Biggest Food Drive
- Creative County Applications
- Discover Lambton County Library's new online programs
- Lambton County Library now offering VOX Books
- Teen Zine Submissions now being accepted
- Heritage Sarnia-Lambton Panel Presentation
- LHM Digital Lecture Series
- Online Learning with Oil Museum of Canada and Lambton Heritage Museum
- Safe Travels with Tourism Sarnia-Lambton
- Evacuations
- JNAAG Re-opened to Public
- Upcoming JNAAG Programming
One Book Lambton
One Book Lambton is back with an all new book for 2020-2021. Lambton County Library, in partnership with The Book Keeper, is excited to announce the selection for 2020-2021 is Every Step She Takes by K.L. Armstrong.
Every Step She Takes follows Genevieve, who lives a simple life in Rome until she is sent a package that begins to unravel scandals from her past. As Genevieve tries to make amends with what happened ten years ago, she is caught up in another deadly scandal.
K.L. Armstrong is a #1 New York Times bestselling author from Sudbury, Ontario who also goes by the name Kelley Armstrong. Kelley Armstrong believes experience is the best teacher. To craft her books, she has studied aikido, archery and fencing. Past works include the Otherworld urban fantasy series, the Darkest Powers & Darkness Rising teen paranormal trilogies, the Age of Legends fantasy YA series and the Nadia Stafford crime trilogy. Armstrong still lives in Ontario, Canada with her family.
The goal of One Book Lambton is to unite people from around Lambton County through one book. People are encouraged to read the same designated book and engage in various activities throughout the winter and spring to highlight the themes in the designated book.
Reserve your copy Every Step She Takes today through lclibrary.ca and follow us at onebooklambton.ca and @LCLibraryca on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date on announcements and activities planned for One Book Lambton.
Neighbour 2 Neighbour - Rural Lambton County's Biggest Food Drive
COVID-19 has had an impact on all local residents, organizations and businesses this year, and among the hardest hit are food banks and those who rely on them for support.
Join us on Saturday, November 7 at 12:00 p.m. for Neighbour 2 Neighbour - Rural Lambton County's biggest food drive. It is easy to participate! Volunteers will be collecting donations at drop-off locations and door-to-door in more urban areas.
For more information and updates on dropoff locations and pick-up routes, or information on how to volunteer, visit N2Nfooddrive.com and follow Neighbour 2 Neighbour on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Creative County Applications
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lambton County has modified its annual Creative County Grant Program to support cultural organizations and events that demonstrate innovation in adapting programs and activities to pandemic restrictions and public health guidelines.
The Creative County Committee has adjusted its application criteria for the 2020-21 grant period to allow for the reimbursement of expenses to meet safety requirements that allow cultural events to proceed, or support innovative approaches to ensuring the safe re-opening of cultural destinations.
Under the grant program, the County will provide matching funds for new initiatives, or provide 50% reimbursement of expenses incurred (with proof of purchase) retroactive to April 1, 2020. Eligible expenses include:
- Technology related expenses to support digital engagement or contactless experiences;
- Expenses related to physical distancing measures implemented at cultural sites and events (signs, plexiglass barriers, etc.);
- Expenses related to innovation in program delivery in response to the pandemic;
- Expenses related to other requirements outlined in ‘A Framework for Reopening our Province’.
Applications for the Creative County Grant Program are currently being accepted online through lambtononline.ca/creativecounty. The application period will close on Monday, November 16, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. The committee has allocated an available budget of $35,000 toward this initiative.
Discover Lambton County Library's new online programs
Lambton County Library is now offering online programs including DIY activity kits for kids and adults and online storytime sessions.
Get creative with the library and register for a DIY kit at lclibrary.ca. Registrants will be able to follow along with a Lambton County Library staff member creating the activity through a pre-recorded video. Upcoming DIY kits include: Halloween luminary jar, pom pom cactus, rice heating pad, paper rocket, string yarn card, stained glass magnets, Christmas tree book decoration, and a light-up Christmas card.
Online storytime sessions are open for registration. Kids aged 0-6 can follow along with a Lambton County Library staff member while they read popular children's books. Register using the online program calendar at lclibrary.ca.
Lambton County Library now offering VOX Books
Lambton County Library has added VOX Books to its collection. Vox Books are narrated books for children ages 2 - 7. They capture children's attention by combining picture books with audio recordings. Inside the front cover is a permanently attached VOX Reader device which reads aloud at every flip of a page. Children simply push a button to listen while they read, which has been proven to improve reading comprehension and reading accuracy. Visit lclibrary.ca/vox to reserve your book today!
Teen Zine Submissions now being accepted
Are you a teen who likes to create? Lambton County Library is accepting submissions to their inaugural Teen Zine.
The Teen Zine is a collection of art from teens across Lambton County that celebrates art and culture. It will be digitally published in 2021.
Lambton County Library is looking for submissions of all types of art including, but not limited to:
- Visual Art
- Photography
- Digital Art
- Creative Writing
- Short Stories
- Poetry
- Comics
Submit your art at lclibrary.ca/teenzine
Heritage Sarnia-Lambton Panel Presentation
Join Heritage Sarnia-Lambton on Wednesday, November 11 for their panel presentation "Home and Away: Sarnia-Lambton at War".
Panelists will be exploring the history of Lambton County's men and women in global conflicts, discussing both the sacrifice and hard work of our military members overseas and the contributions of local residents on the home front. This presentation is a great opportunity to participate in a virtual celebration of our men and women in the military this Remembrance Day.
The presentation will be held on Wednesday, November 11 from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m., and pre-registration is required online through Zoom.
Dana Thorne, Lambton Heritage Museum will be moderating the event. Panelists include: Erin Dee-Richard, Oil Museum of Canada; Nicole Aszalos, Lambton County Archives; Laurie Mason, Moore Museum; Kailyn Shepley, Sombra Museum; Glenn Stott, Arkona-Lions Museum; Gord Mackenzie, Plympton-Wyoming Museum; David McLean, Forest Museum.
LHM Digital Lecture Series
Delayed due to the closure of Lambton Heritage Museum in March, the feature exhibit Capturing the Moment: Photography in Lambton County has now re-opened to the public. To support this exhibition, the Museum is hosting a digital lecture series focusing on a variety of photography-related subjects.
The art and science of photography has captured people's imaginations for over 200 years. The Capturing the Moment exhibit highlights artifacts and prints from Lambton County's early photography studios and shows how technology has evolved over time, along with the photographers and the reasons we take pictures.
Lectures will be held the second Thursday of each month through Zoom, and participants can register using the links below. Each lecture requires separate registration, so participants can register to attend one, some, or all of the lectures that are of interest to them.
Preserving Your Family Photos |
Nicole Aszalos Learn the tips and tricks of how to save your family heritage for future generations from Nicole Aszalos, Archivist/Supervisor at Lambton County Archives. This introductory preventative conservation workshop will teach you how to spot various types of photo damage and basic preservation strategies for multiple types of photos, including proper storage for photo collections. |
Iconic Photographers |
Port Franks Camera Club What inspires your photography? Join members of the Port Franks and Area Camera Club as they explore some of the iconic photographers who inspire their work, including Ansel Adams, Yousuf Karsh, and Thelma Pepper. |
History of Photography |
Eugene Pruski Follow the history of photography from the 1700s to the present as Eugene Pruski from the Port Franks Camera Club surveys the major developments from non-permanent images through early daguerreotypes to the invention of film and finally digital media. |
Lambton Heritage Museum is currently open to visitors through timed-ticket entry. Pre-book your time to visit the Museum online at heritagemuseum.ca/tickets or by calling 519-243-2600. If visitors do not have a pre-booked appointment, they will only be accommodated as space and time allow.
For information on Museum hours, COVID-19 requirements and precautions, and exhibit information, visit the Lambton Heritage Museum website.
Online Learning with Oil Museum of Canada and Lambton Heritage Museum
Attention educators and caregivers!
A key aspect of the Lambton County Museums mandate is to provide educational opportunities to local schools, organizations, and the general public.
To support this mandate, Lambton Heritage Museum and Oil Museum of Canada have developed online learning resources including virtual museum tours, webinars, and Ontario curriculum linked lessons. Check out the Online Learning page to explore educational offerings and subscribe to the page to receive a notification when new programs are added.
Safe Travels with Tourism Sarnia-Lambton
SAFE TRAVELS Sarnia-Lambton is a retail and hospitality safety program created in partnership by Tourism-Sarnia-Lambton, Tourism Industry Association of Ontario and World Travel & Tourism Council to help businesses prepare and navigate through the various stages of COVID-19 reopening. Through providing resources and signage, the SAFE TRAVELS program ensures residents and visitors that Sarnia-Lambton is a safe place to visit, shop and experience.
Every Sarnia-Lambton business has the shared interest in reopening our County for residents and visitors and it is only through the joined effort of all organizations that we can ensure the long-term health and safety of everyone while continuing to support local businesses.
Research points to the fact that people want to know a destination is taking safety precautions before traveling and will research how the destination and/or its businesses are managing COVID-19 before their next leisure trip.
SAFE TRAVELS is a world-wide hospitality safety program courtesy of Tourism Sarnia-Lambton, Tourism Industry Association of Ontario and World Travel & Tourism Council. Participating businesses commit to following the SAFE TRAVELS guidelines which were developed with guidance from Lambton Public Health. You can find those guidelines and other information about COVID-19 at lambtonpublichealth.ca.
All Sarnia-Lambton area businesses are encouraged to participate in this free program. To join, view the information package, sign the participant pledge and return it to BHorodyski@tourismsarnialambton.com.
Evacuations
An evacuation is often initiated when it is more dangerous to stay in place than it is to leave. The threat forcing an evacuation could be a fire or a potential explosion.
If local authorities advise you to leave your home due to a chemical emergency, it means there is a potential or existing threat to your safety, so please take their advice immediately. Listen to your radio and follow the instructions of local emergency or municipal officials.
Sign up to receive public alerts through MyCNN and visit EmergenciesLambton.ca for some simple tips to keep in mind should you or your loved ones ever need to evacuate.
JNAAG Re-opened to Public
Staff and volunteers are thrilled to welcome back visitors to experience two new exhibitions at the Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery - Ode to the Inside Out Questions by Z'otz* Collective and Group of Seven: Their Visions Revisited 100 Years Later.
To allow for proper physical distancing, the Gallery is implementing timed-ticket entry. Visitors are required to book their appointment in advance. If visitors do not have an appointment, they will only be accommodated as space and time allow. You can book your visit online at jnaag.ca.
Group of Seven: Their Visions Revisited 100 Years Later |
October 2, 2020 - August 22, 2021 Fragments of historic ephemera guide you down a century-old path to uncover early connections between the iconic Group of Seven painters and the beginnings of the Sarnia Women's Conservation Art Association and the Sarnia Art Movement. A selection of paintings and drawings from the gallery's permanent collection are partnered with archival photographs and handwritten notes between members of the Group of Seven and the pivotal community members who contributed to the cultural shift in our community. To enhance the experience, a selection of paintings produced by female artists originally overshadowed by the Group of Seven, are included in the exhibition. Paintings by Emily Carr, Paraskeva Clark and Anne Savage join the conversation alongside Franklin Carmichael, Lawren Harris, A.Y. Jackson, Franz Johnston, Arthur Lismer, J.E.H MacDonald, F.H. Varley, A.J. Casson, Edwin Holgate and L.L. FitzGerald. |
Ode to the Inside Out Questions |
Z'otz* Collective Taking its name from the Mayan word for “bat,” Z’otz* Collective consists of three artists with Latin American roots: Nahúm Flores (Honduras), Erik Jerezano (Mexico), and Ilyana Martínez (Mexico/Canada). For over fifteen years, these artists have worked collaboratively out of a shared Toronto studio on drawings, paintings, collages, sculptures, and site-specific installations. Z’otz* Collective has exhibited widely, participating in over 25 solo exhibitions and 40 group exhibitions in Canada, Mexico, the United States, Serbia, and China. |
Upcoming JNAAG Programming
While the Judith and Norman Alix Art Gallery is not currently offering in house art-making workshops or lectures, we remain committed to creating connections between art and our community. Learn more about upcoming programming below, or view the upcoming program poster.
Art & Ideas |
November 19, 7 p.m. Visit Z’otz* Collective’s Toronto art studio virtually. The discussion will focus on the Collectives evolution and dive into their collaborative art practice. Z’otz* Collective consists of three artists with Latin American roots who also maintain individual practices: Nahúm Flores, Erik Jerezano, and Ilyana Martínez. For over fifteen years, they have worked collaboratively out of a shared Toronto studio on drawings, paintings, collages, sculptures, and site-specific installations. |
Make Art Kits |
Registration required, quantities limited Create art with us from the comfort of your home, on your own schedule. Each Make Art Kit contains essential fine art materials from the art studio for two people to participate. Each kit is inspired by an art work from the permanent collection or current exhibition. We help you explore the art work with questions and details then help you learn a number of beginner techniques which lead to a final project. Follow along with included directions or with our instructional videos on jnaag.ca, Facebook or YouTube. November - Clay Coils: Hand Building ClayTake a closer look at a Z’otz* Collective sculpture and explore the ins and outs of three dimensional art. Join area potter Chris Snedden in our videos, where he will demonstrate hand building techniques. Learn the trick to rolling a perfectly even coil and how to build it up. Mask your coils to build smooth strong walls and embellish your sculpture with small pieces of shaped clay. Finally, see what things you might have around the house to add texture and detail to your sculpture. This Make Art Kit will include selfdrying clay and a few items to help you shape and sculpt. December - Think Big Draw Big: Mixed Media DrawingMake a date with someone in your bubble and explore drawing randomly and intuitively, together. This time we are inspired by the mural created by Z’otz* Collective on the third floor of the gallery. Use a mixture of drawing materials to add to one another’s drawings—or even draw over one. Play with symbols, pattern and shapes. See what magic happens when you share in creativity. This Make Art Kit will be filled with big pages of paper, some conventional drawing materials and some items to help you complete your drawing that might surprise you. |
Looking Ahead
9:30 a.m., November 4, 2020 - Lambton County Council
9 a.m. & 11 a.m., November 18, 2020 - Committee A.M. & Committee P.M.
9:30 a.m., November 25, 2020 - Lambton County Council
Agendas and minutes for Committee and Council meetings are available on the online Meeting Calendar.
Open Sessions of Lambton County Council and Committee meetings are streamed live and are available for archival viewing for a period of one year by clicking on the Live Stream link below. Council & Committee Agendas, Reports & Minutes Meeting Livestreams