KEDCO Review

The four members of the public have been chosen for the review of the Kingston Economic Development Corporation.

The city’s nominations advisory committee has selected Heather Ford, Michael Harris, Judith Hay and Debi Wells as the public members of the review committee.

Ford owns Green Acres Inn. Harris is executive director of KEYS job centre.  Hay is a retired teacher and principal and Wells is former president of the Kingston and District Labour Council who served for six years as a member of the KEDCO board.

Also joining the review committee will be KEDCO board members Bo Wandschneider and Judith Pineault.

The appointments have to be approved by city council.

Hotel Dieu – Gold Award

It sounds like Hotel Dieu Hospital is a good place to work.

The hospital has won Gold level honours from the Ontario Hospital Association and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.  A panel of experts says Hotel Dieu deserves the 2015 Quality Healthcare Workplace Award for efforts to improve the workplace in ways that contribute to a quality work life for employees and quality of care for patients.

It scored the highest in terms of health and safety for teaching hospitals in Ontario.

Gerretsen – MP

Kingston’s new Member of Parliament will be sworn in during a ceremony in Ottawa today.

Kingston and the Islands Liberal MP Mark Gerretsen will be joined by his wife Vanessa and their son as well as over 100 people who volunteered during his election campaign in Kingston.

Rideau Trail

The Rideau Trail Association has launched a new website with valuable resources for people who want to explore the trail that runs from Kingston to Ottawa.

The rideautrail.org site has maps of all of the sections of the trail that covers 387 kilometres.

The website also has information on what you’ll need to do to prepare for hiking the trail and alerts with the latest information about the Rideau Trail.

www.rideautrail.org

Fund Raising – Syria

Save a Family from Syria has announced a benefit concert to raise money to bring a fifth family from Syria to Kingston.

The concert at the Isabel Theatre on November 20th will feature Sarah Harmer.

Harmer is donating her performance and Queen’s is waiving the fee for the Isabel Theatre.

Tickets are available through:  www.theisabel.ca

Smile Cookies

The sale of Smile Cookies for one week in September raised over $69,000 for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Kingston General Hospital.

Tim Hortons sold the cookies at its 22 outlets in the Kingston region with all of the proceeds going to the purchase of new equipment.

Over the past four years it has raised a total of over $200,000 for the Neonatal ICU at Kingston General.

Grapes – Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day saw hundreds of people gather in Kingston and across the country for ceremonies.  Several soldiers from the United States attended Kingston’s Civic Ceremony.

The group from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum had been invited to the city’s ceremony.

Hockey Night in Canada commentator Don Cherry laid a wreath during a ceremony at the Royal Canadian Legion on Montreal Street.

Cherry says he was honoured to be able to lay the wreath for his best friend, Mel Price who was ill and couldn’t attend the ceremony.  He was joined by former Boston Bruins star Rick Smith.

Cherry was also to be presented with the 90th anniversary medal from the Legion for his support of Canada’s military.