Twenty years ago this week, the lead story in the Voice of Pelham was the 6th Annual International Silver Stick Finals, with teams coming in from as far as San Diego, Fort Wayne, Houston, and, for some reason "all over Florida." (The Florida kids were looking forward to the unique opportunity to play "pond hockey," something understandably unlikely in the semi-tropical Sunshine State.)
The most interesting story, however, was about young Alannah MacDonald, age 11, butterfly collector and tagger. What did the Grade 5 Glynn A. Green student see herself doing as an adult? Becoming an entomologist—an expert in insects—is mentioned.
So where is Alannah MacDonald now, age 31? Excellent question. In this instance the internet seems promising, but you won't be getting any spoilers today. Check back next week for an update, we hope from the young lady herself. Alannah, contact us here!
And now, some 2005 butterflies:
The flight of a single Monarch butterfly
By Sarah Gibson
Voice Staff
Back in the summer of 2002, when Alannah MacDonald first began tagging Monarch butterflies, she imagined one of her butterflies would be found, and used to help science. Last week, however, the Grade 5 Glynn A. Green student received some interesting mail. A certificate from the University of Kansas confirming a butterfly found in El Rosario, Mexico was tagged and set free in Fenwick—one of Alannah’s.
“I was really excited,” said Alannah. “I’ve been waiting a while for one of mine to be found, I never thought it would though.”
Alannah, now 11 years old, was always collecting caterpillars, and when her dad, Bill, told her about a program he took part in as a child, said she wanted to do the same thing. Bill went online, and was surprised to find the program still existed, albeit at a different university.
Allanah signed up, and was accepted into the program, run by the University Kansas. Since then, she’s spent her summers collecting and raising caterpillars and tagging the butterflies they become, as well as capturing Monarchs to tag before releasing them.
In 2003, Alannah tagged about 30 Monarchs, including a butterfly she tagged on Aug. 22. That butterfly, which Alannah believes she raised from a caterpillar found at her grandparent’s home in Burk’s Falls, was found on March 3, 2004, more than 2,000 miles away, in Mexico.
Most of the Monarchs we see in Canada and the U.S. migrate to Mexico each year, converging in the millions in a single spot near El Rosario, where Alannah’s butterfly was found.
“I was surprised at how far it went,” said Alannah, quick to ask her dad if any of his butterflies were found in the 1970s, and if hers went farther. It did. As a child Bill tagged butterflies for the University of Toronto, and one of his Monarchs was found in North Carolina, a significantly shorter flight than his daughter’s butterfly.
Bill said he can’t get over how far the butterfly went, noting any number of things can happen to the delicate creatures on their journey south. When Bill was tagging butterflies, the main goal of the program was to find the Monarch’s winter home. Now that scientists know they all head to El Rosario, Mexico. The program's goal is to track the migratory path and the overall health of the Monarch population.
Alannah says she didn’t tag any butterflies in 2004 because she simply couldn’t find any, with Bill explaining there was a bad winter storm in Mexico and there weren’t any butterflies to be found. This summer, Alannah is looking forward to tagging more butterflies, and waiting to see if another of her Monarchs is found.
Still interested in bugs of all kinds, the praying mantis is her favourite, Alannah says she might become an entomologist and study insects as an adult, adding it is pretty exciting to know her work in Fenwick has helped scientists know more about Monarchs. Bill added it’s a wonderful program for children to take part in, adding he’s learning a lot himself.
Now on to some letters to the editor. First up happens to be our current 2025 Pelham Town Council reporter's mother, who 20 years ago was none too pleased about poop:
Please don't leave garbage
Most dog owners are responsible, but there are exceptions.
Someone has been dumping their dog poop bags at the entrance to the cemetery at Daleview and Moote Lane. Come on, there is no poop fairy, you have gone to the trouble of scooping it, take it home and dispose of it. The garbage bins were taken in for good reason, come spring they are overflowing with dog bags, not a pleasant sight or smell. Don't spoil it for everyone by leaving your garbage behind.
Joan Chick
Fonthill
In other letters, it's back to the simmering debate about marriage, prompted by the Supreme Court of Canada's decision in December 2004 (i.e., a month before this edition) ruling that same-sex marriage was constitutional, while at the same time upholding the right of religious institutions not to perform them. You'd think that this would satisfy even the creakiest dinosaurs of the time, yet...
It's about the children
I would like to add some food for thought to the correspondence concerning same-sex marriages. Although unattached to any religious organization, I favor the liturgy for marriage contained in the old Anglican book of common prayer. It makes the procreation of children and the primary objective of marriage. I go for that. Can anyone not go for that?
Accordingly if couples desire to cohabit in a childless home for company, convenience, or because it is the most economic form of indulging in the pleasures of copulation, I respect their democratic right to do so, but can such sterile arrangements be dubbed marriages?
What amazes me is that within today's formula, marriage, the most vital productive human activity, can be entered upon without any research into whether the parties concerned are properly equipped for parenthood. I can't have a car license until I have satisfied the authorities that I am fit to drive and that the car is roadworthy; but any couple can get a license to manufacture a new life without any form of monitoring to ensure that they are fit enough in body and mind and economically able to give the new baby proper care and a healthy start in life. Ridiculous!
It appears that the rubrics of the traditional form of marriage have been voided by contraception, which ensures sexual pleasure without the fear of unwanted pregnancy. That being so, why not scrap the marriage license and replace it with a reproduction license setting out responsibilities and rewards of parenting. That should help to ensure healthy, happier children in the delight of family life, of which this father of four contends, there is nothing more rewarding or holier in this earthly life.
Name and village redacted
I've redacted the writer's name here to spare his descendants—should any remain in the area— the embarrassment of being associated on any level with the boneheaded bigotry on display. I will say that the writer was born in the early 1900s, studied theology before going into teaching (pity those students), and died two years after writing this, at age 97. So, yes, his was a perspective that was regrettably not uncommon during the 20th century, yet no less repulsive for being so. "He was just a man of his time" is a rationalization we've heard repeatedly from apologists seeking to minimize historical misogyny, racism, homophobia, et al., a rationale that always manages to gloss over how others of the same era were pushing back and campaigning against such antediluvian attitudes.
In any case history does march on, usually to a younger melody, and nicely keeping the beat is none other than Fenwick's most famous and possibly only drummer, Jim Casson, along with Crossley student Laura MacLean, weighing in on the same topic with their own letters below. Incidentally, I was delighted to find on that page, cozily nestled underneath these letters, the florist's ad which you see here. I offer a time-travelling high-five to whoever decided to put it there—if you know, you know.
Marriage is simply about love
In reference to all the letters condemning same-sex marriage, I offer a definition. Marriage is about love. Two people who love each other and want to spend their life together. Whether those people are a man and a woman, two men, two women, two people of different race, two people of different religion—it is all about love. And isn't that what Christ is all about —love? I can't think that any religion that is about His true message would condone the persecution of people simply because they love each other. I suggest that the people that continue to try to quash the happiness of people in love in the name of someone who taught us to love each other should reconsider what it's really all about, and not what keeps them comfortable in their narrow view of the world. As the wise men said, "Love one another", "Love conquers all", and "All you need is love.”
Jim Casson
Fenwick
Chance to make change
In response to [a letter from the previous week]: I do not in any way want to offend [the writer] or reject his opinion. I respect it. I'm merely asking him to consider mine. I think that any marriage, no matter who it is joining, is a marriage. It is simply unethical to deny someone of living a happy life just because they are "not the same as us.” Even though these people are not like us, it does not give us the right to deny them something they rightfully deserve. Was slavery right? Denying Black people of freedom? Was the Holocaust acceptable? Killing innocent Jews because they were different? As the old saying goes, history has a way of repeating itself but that does not mean we can't try to end this horrible cycle of intolerance. In case of past events we have learned that everyone is different and we can't expect to change people because they are not like us. We are the way we are and why not respect that some people are gay and that's not going to change. Put yourself in their shoes. Is their marriage going to hurt you? That's what I thought, so why deny everyday people happiness?
Laura MacLean, Grade 9 Student
E. L. Crossley Secondary School
Resident of Fenwick and strong supporter of change
Deeper into the paper we find some standalone photos, including this one of the Fenwick Lions looking positively youthful:
Here are some fundraising tots at Glynn A. Green, helping in the relief effort following the horrific Boxing Day 2004 tsunami in S.E. Asia, which to date remains the worst natural disaster of the 21th century:
And here we have some winners in another type of fundraiser, a cash lottery benefiting Welland Hospital, with one of the lucky recipients apparently also 2005's tallest man:
Finally this week, more tsunami relief fundraising, this time at E. L. Crossley, and involving pies. I'm sure you'll share my profound disappointment in our journalistic failure to provide all the facts, namely, for the love of all that is holy, what kinds of pies were they?
