Fresh Start

We’re back after a bit of a holiday hiatus so the first order of business is to wish you all a happy, if somewhat belated, New Year. We hope that you enjoyed a wonderful season surrounded by family and friends.

For some, a new calendar inspires thoughts of change. Personally, I’ve never been one for resolutions since I feel that positive new beginnings are best addressed as the need for them arises. I’m also a terrible procrastinator, and prone to avoiding failure whenever possible. I do have a great deal of admiration for those with more self-discipline though, and we’d love to hear from those of you who followed through with anything that you resolved. Take a moment to comment below and be an inspiration to the rest of us.

Despite my reluctance to that particular type of committal, January does bring a yearning for a fresh start of some sort. This year I’ve been purging the household. While I decided to keep all the members of it, we do come with a ridiculous amount of unnecessary stuff. I’m certain that, if I did the research, I’d find that our family motto is ‘it may come in handy’. Room by room, I’ve been sorting, scrapping and donating. Now I just have to resist the urge to fill up the new-found space with more stuff. When it comes to tossing things to the curb, we do have a bit of Association news. Simcoe County has been doing some filing and sorting of their own, and we received an email asking about the status of our poll regarding a change to our waste collection day. You may recall that we needed a majority vote to make the change and, unfortunately, we didn’t come anywhere close to the required number of responses. Therefore, the County will consider the matter closed and pick-up will continue on Fridays. We remind everyone, especially our cottagers, that raccoon clips are available from the County for installation on green bins and that proper sorting of waste will discourage inspection and destruction by local wildlife.

Although it’s hard to imagine with the amount of snow we’ve been blessed with in recent weeks, it won’t be long before the Association executive meets to organize events for warmer weather. We received great response to last year’s line-up which included a perennial exchange, neighbourhood yard sale, and a bottle drive among other initiatives. Brainstorming new ideas is a great deal of fun for us, but we would also like to hear your thoughts. Perhaps you’ve heard of or attended an event in another community that you would like to duplicate here at home. Maybe you have fond memories of annual occasions you enjoyed in younger years. We can also be of help with communication if you would like to get an organization off the ground – perhaps a snowmobiling club, or a reading group. The possibilities are many and our mission is to offer opportunities that spark community interest so please let us know what we can do for you.

Until then, we hope you’ll find reasons to make the most of our winter wonderland. If you’re a fan of playing on the ice and in the snow, perhaps you could pass along info about conditions in our area such as thickness of ice on the lake or hazardous spots on the trails. We’d be happy to share your observations here. In the meantime, please do be safe, and remember to wear your woollies.

Picnic Tomorrow!

Just a reminder that tomorrow is our annual picnic.  Hopefully the weather reports will be as dead wrong for tomorrow as they were today.

We have a lot of fun lined up for the whole family - races, nail drive, horseshoe and hula hoop competitions. Don't miss your chance to win some great prizes in the raffle or a pocketful of cash in the 50/50 draw, Take home an Orr Lake t-shirt to commemorate the day.  To keep you fuelled up, we'll have burgers and hot dogs on the BBQ and coolers full of refreshing drinks. Finally, don't forget the boat decoration and lip sync contests - show our community how you strut your stuff!

Hope to see you all at the park (2390 South Orr Lake Road) at noon tomorrow!

Picnic and AGM

It’s almost time for another day of tradition and memory making at the OLRA Annual Picnic.  Join us Sunday, August 2, 12:00 noon at Orr Lake Park for an afternoon to remember as you meet or reunite with neighbours and friends. Games and races provide fun for all ages, as well as scrapbook-worthy medals and ribbons, and great prizes too.  We'll have the BBQ fired up and coolers stocked with refreshments at ridiculously reasonable prices.  All OLRA members and their families are invited.  Annual memberships will be available for the low cost of $10 per household, so if you haven't purchased yours yet don't miss this opportunity to enjoy the day, and reap all the year-long benefits too!

Get creative this week and enter the boat decorating contest.  The theme this year is pirate ships, so break out the Jolly Roger and give it your all.  Or perhaps your artistic talents lean more toward the musical.  Put on your dancing shoes and enter the lip sync contest instead. 

The following weekend, be sure to attend our Annual General Meeting at Orr Lake Golf Club Sunday, August at 1:00 pm.  It’s your chance to hear what the OLRA has done for you during the year, and to voice your concerns. There are several executive positions up for election this year, and we are in desperate need of reliable, conscientious people to fill those roles.  Please consider throwing your hat into the ring, or nominating someone that you believe would serve our community fairly and objectively.  If you are unable to attend the meeting, you can still volunteer by contacting us at olra@live.com.  We realize that we ask for help each year, but it is especially important this year. Without this kind of assistance, it is unlikely that there will be enough resources for the OLRA to continue to be active in the coming year.  We look forward to seeing you there.

We hope that you have been enjoying this beautiful summer, and spend the rest of it safely as you vacation and visit with family and friends.

Garage Sale and Golf Tourney

The gardens are in, spring cleaning is behind us, and the kids are ready to burst out the doors on the last day of school.  It’s the perfect time to gather up items you can no longer use and earn some extra cash by taking part in the Orr Lake Community Garage Sale.  On Saturday, June 27 just set up in your own driveway between 8:00 am and 2:00 pm and let the OLRA do the advertising.  At the end of your sale, if you prefer not to tote everything inside again, why not donate your unsold items to the Seasons Centre for Grieving Children for their garage sale in August?

Let us know if you plan to participate so that we can better publicize on your behalf.  Provide your address via email to orrlakeratepayers@gmail.com, text 905-716-2571, or call 705-322-7568.  To arrange pick-up of your leftover items, call or text 705-725-4120 or email the above address.

Once you’ve decided to hold your sale, follow these tips to make it successful.

Start gathering the week before the sale.  If you leave it until the last minute, you’ll be far too rushed to make sure you have the time to earn top dollar.  Ask friends and family members to join you with their things if you feel you don’t have enough items to draw customers.

To make your sale as organized and as appealing as possible, group like objects together (glassware/kitchen items in one place; toys/children's books in another; and tools/lawn equipment in still another, for example).  Hang up items for maximum visibility and so people can go through "your racks," just like they do at the store. 

Place large items near the street to grab attention and, if possible, include items that will appeal to both men and women.  Once you’ve drawn customers in, keep them interested. If you’re selling dishes, set a small table with flowers and a cloth.  Create a reading nook for browsing books.  Offer muffins and coffee, or cold drinks on a hot day. 

Make sure items are clearly priced.  Nothing turns shoppers off quicker than having to ask a price for every item they pick up. Always mark chipped or cracked items "as is" so buyers know the price is for the item, flaws and all. Whatever the condition of the items, make sure they look their best—press the linens, wash and wipe dry glasses and china, etc.

Be ready to haggle.  Your browsers aren't looking to spend a fortune at your sale. Be ready to negotiate by pricing items slightly higher to leave room for price-haggling. When you set prices, factor in price breaks of about 20 percent to 30 percent off the price you'd like to receive.  Have plenty of change on hand in a safe location, and provide boxes or bags to pack sold items.

Offer freebies.  Pick out a bunch of things that you never want to see again and place them in a box that says 'free’.  This way shoppers and browsers alike can pick out what they want from the box and everyone wins. Place this free box near the curb so passersby will be more inclined to see what else you have for sale.

Once you’ve cleared some clutter and earned some cash, why not spend it on a day of fun and prizes by reserving a spot in the upcoming OLRA Golf Tournament taking place at Orr Lake Golf Club on July 4^th?  For OLRA members the cost is just $38 for nine holes, $48 for non-members.  Enter individually or recruit a team.  Call or text Susan Eccleshall at 705-725-4120 to reserve a spot. 

We are still looking for volunteers to help with canvassing for memberships, and for the Annual Picnic in July.  Contact us using any of the options mentioned in this article to offer a bit of your time.  We do provide community hours for students, so let your kids and grandchildren know how to reach us as well. 

We hope you are all looking forward to the break from routine that the summer holidays provide and wish you a safe and happy season.

Bottle Drive

Just a reminder that we are holding our bottle drive this Sunday, May 31 in support of community events planned for the duration of the season.  Beer and liquor empties may be dropped at the park entrance on South Orr Lake Rd between the hours of 10 a.m. and noon only.  Alternatively, you may leave them at the end of your driveway for pick-up if your property is within Orr Lake boundaries.

We appreciate your support, and look forward to your participation in the summer fun your contribution will help to provide.

Coming Events

We hope that everyone enjoyed the summer kick-off weekend known as May 2-4, and the Orr Lake Ratepayers have planned a season packed full of events to help keep the ball rolling.  We welcome our neighbours in Elmvale and Hillsdale to join us for any or all of the events coming up. Invite family and friends, and mark these dates on your calendar now:

Sunday, May 31, 10 AM to noon - Bottle Drive.  Drop off empties in support of community events at the park on South Orr Lake Rd or, if you live within the borders of the Orr Lake community, leave them at the end of your driveway on Saturday evening for pick-up.

Saturday, June 13, 9 to 11 AM - Perennial Exchange.  Meet us at the park on South Orr Lake Rd with whatever you have too much of and pick up something new.

Saturday, June 27, 8 AM to 2 PM - Community Garage Sale.  Just display your items in your own Orr Lake driveway and we’ll take care of the advertising at roadsides and in area papers.  Don't want to deal with leftover items?  Donate them, or your proceeds, to the Seasons Centre for Grieving Children for their garage sale in August.  Call or text 905-716-2571 or email orrlakeratepayers@gmail.com to arrange pick-up.

Saturday, July 4, 9 AM - Golf Tournament.  Come on out to beautiful Orr Lake Golf Club for fun and prizes.  Only 72 spots available. $38 per person including cart for OLRA members, $48 for non-members.

Sunday August 2, noon to 3PM - OLRA Picnic.  Admission is free to OLRA members (includes extended families), or $10/family for non-members.  This year, in addition to races & contests with prizes for all ages, and BBQ treats at low prices we invite you to decorate your boat with a movie theme and cruise by for your chance to win.  Also new this year is a lip sync contest, open to individuals or groups of all ages. Contact Susan Eccleshall at 705-725-4120 to volunteer time, or prizes for raffles & events, and don’t forget to bring your Young Naturalist booklets (see below).  

Sunday, August 9, 1 PM – Annual General Meeting.  Topics at this year’s AGM will include healthy shorelines and septic re-inspections, with presentations from many of our partners and associates.  This is your opportunity to volunteer your time, which is desperately needed, and voice your concerns.  We hope to see you all at Orr Lake Golf Club for this important meeting.

Young Naturalist Program.  Geared toward children aged 9 and under, this program provides seven booklets of fun and educational activities covering the topics of  wetlands, mammals, birds, herptiles (amphibians and reptiles), insects, plants, and fish. Collect and complete all seven, then bring all the booklets to the annual picnic to receive a Young Naturalist Certificate.  If this program is well received, we will create a Junior Naturalist program for older kids. Check the board at the park approximately every two weeks for a new booklet. On the board, we also have an "I spotted a _____" clipboard. Write down all of the animals you have seen.  In conjunction with this program, have your kids enter our photo contest.  They can snap shots in three different categories - landscape, summer fun and wildlife.  Email digital copies of photos to orrlakeratepayers@gmail.com.  A prize will be awarded to the winners of each category.

We welcome volunteers for membership drive, clean-up, and picnic.  We are also looking for a volunteer naturalist and artist, and if we are able to enlist the volunteered help of local musicians we would love to host a musical event. Contact us via phone or text to 905-716-2571, 705-725-4120 or email orrlakeratepayers@gmail.com. 

July is a busy month for our handful of volunteers but we’re trying to arrange another event or two so check this column regularly and also visit our blog at orrlakeratepayers.blogspot.ca.   If you scroll down, you’ll find a link on the right that will allow you to have interesting and important updates delivered right to your email inbox.  Meanwhile, be safe and happy as you enjoy our lake this season!