For two columns in a row, I have had to lead off with news of a death in our little community. This week, it is the sad fact that David Viau, son of former postmistress Evelyn Viau and her husband Barry, died suddenly on Sunday, October 1st at the age of 42. Evelyn and Barry live at the east end of the hamlet in the house where they hosted the hamlet’s post office for many years. The couple was also active in the Dunvegan Recreation Association (Evelyn filled the role of treasurer for years) and David was one of the many DRA kids at that time.
As David grew up, his talent as a musician became increasingly evident. Traci Trottier once gave him music lessons in bass guitar and piano and remembers him fondly. “He was talented beyond his years and left an impression on my heart,” Traci wrote in an on-line message of condolence. Likewise, Sean Burgess recalls that David was a rare musical talent. Sean also remembers him “being the first in high school to have the courage to pronounce himself an Ottawa Senators fan, even while the team was in its infancy and wasn’t very good.” Following his time at Glengarry District High School, David went on to study music at the University of Ottawa.
If you wish to pay your respects, the family invites you to stop by the Munro & Morris Funeral Home in Maxville this coming on Friday, October 13th from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Memorial donations to the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated by the family.
My sympathies go out to Evelyn and Barry. The world is truly turned upside down when parents lose a child. As Angela Miller, grief advocate and author of You Are the Mother of All Mothers: A Message of Hope for the Grieving Heart once penned… “My child died. I don’t need advice. All I need is for you to gently close your mouth, open wide your heart and walk with me until I can see in color again.”
A “piebald” Bambi?
Over the summer, Dunveganite Jim Tilker has repeatedly reported seeing a young deer near my neck of the woods that was white with brown spots. At first, I thought Jim was pulling my leg. But his daughter Kate has confirmed the sighting.
When Jim first mentioned it, I assumed the deer was an albino. But, after a bit more research, I think it much more likely that the animal is exhibiting a condition known as “leucism” or piebaldism. More commonly applied to cowboy horses, the term “piebald” supposedly comes from “pie,” another word for multi-colored, and “bald” which is connected to a root word for skin.
Leucistic animals can have varying levels of white on their skin. Some have white splotches. Some are half brown and half white. And some appear nearly all white. Piebaldism may appear to be partial albinism, but it is fundamentally different. With piebaldism, the animal’s skin cells are able to produce pigment, but are just turned off. Whereas, with albinism, the cells are incapable producing pigment. Albinism’s trademark “red eyes” and poor vision are also lacking in piebaldism. Eye pigmentation and vision is normal.
Piebaldism is found in nearly every species of mammal, including mice, rabbits, dogs, sheep, deer, cattle and horses. However, it is exceedingly rare in humans and is completely unrelated to vitiligo (loss of skin pigmentation) and poliosis (loss of hair colouration).
Has anyone else seen this usual specimen while speeding along County Road 24? If so, I would love to hear from you.
Bullwinkle sighting
When heading to Alexandria on Saturday to do a last minute Thanksgiving shop and pick up a steamie from Gaeten’s uninspired yellow shipping container (I preferred the old ‘patates frites’ bus), I encountered a couple of vehicles pulled over on the side of County Road 24.
My first thought was that a fender bender had just ensued. However, as I got closer, I could see that the parked cars were unscathed and their occupants were engrossed with the rare sighting of a large moose on the south side of the road. It was placidly feeding on tender green shoots. Seemingly oblivious to her audience, the moose stood its ground, allowing ample time for us to whip out our trusty smart phones and capture a few post-Kodak memories. Now, this may have been the same moose that Heather Bentley saw down on the 4th of Kenyon a few weeks ago. Or it might signal a return of these ungainly, but impressive-looking mammals to this region. Only time will tell.
Life-changing course might help you
While the Cornwall & District Family Support Group’s Family-to-Family Education Course is strictly for family members — not for their loved one who is suffering from a mental illness — one class did make an exception. A young lady, an ill family member, came with her parents to the final lesson to express her gratitude. As she told the class, “The fact that my parents took the course probably saved my life. Without the education they received, I wouldn’t have called them to help me when I overdosed.”
Because of demand, this Family-to-Family course (usually held just once a year) will also be offered this autumn, compressed over two consecutive weekends: Friday evening, October 27th and all day Saturday, October 28th and November 4th. The course is only $25 and is taught by trained volunteers who have experience dealing with a mentally ill family member. They’ve been there. It’s designed to provide the knowledge families need to help a loved one with schizophrenia, bipolar, depression, borderline personality disorder or other serious mental illnesses.
If you take it, you’ll learn about: living with mental illness and coping as a family; understanding the mental health system; treatment and recovery options; mental illness, addictions and the criminal justice system; how to take care of yourself — and much more. Space is limited. So, to put your name down for a spot, call 613-527-1201.
10 days to DRA Euchre
Please don’t forget that Friday, October 20th is the Dunvegan Euchre Luncheon. For the paltry sum of just $5, you get a delicious lunch buffet of homemade sandwiches and sweets and an afternoon of companionship and light-hearted card play. A 50/50 draw is also part of the fun. All this happiness takes place in the DRA Hall at 19053 County Road 24; starting at 12:00 noon and wrapping up around 3:30 PM. Everyone is welcome. PS: if the weather is cool enough, we may even add our famous soup course to the menu.
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