Belmont Community Pond was resurfaced and reopened Jan. 25 after the recent thaw jeopardized the season with bumps and ridges. A small crew braved -15 C weather to ready the ice surface, including Belmont Community Park Trustees Committee Chair Bruce Shackelton, left, Central Elgin Councillor Dave Baughman and his son Nathan Baughman, as well as committee members Dan Cyr and…

Peyton Thiessen of East Elgin Secondary School set up for an arm throw on her opponent during a wrestling meet at EESS on Wednesday, Jan. 14. She placed first in her group of four wrestlers. More pictures are in the Jan. 21 edition of The Aylmer Express. (AE/Rob Perry)

The first annual New Year’s levée hosted by St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston was held at the Horton Street Winter Market on Saturday morning, January 10. among the city councillors attending were Joan Rymal, left, Jim Herbert and Gary Clarke. (AE/Rob Perry)

Bill Reid, left, Cameron Reid, Tanya Reid and Ethan Reid of Aylmer posed for a family picture during a World Junior Hockey Championship exhibition game in London before Christmas. Cameron, the son of Bill and Tanya and brother to Ethan, was drafted to the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League in 2025 and currently plays for the Kitchener Rangers.…

Richard and Karen Auckland of St. Thomas Christmas Care, left, Laura Bos of Victorian Order of Nurses Student Nutrition Program and Penny Hilliker and Marcie Tenk of East Elgin Community Assistance Program’s Christmas Care program received on behalf of each organization a $25,959 donation, for a total of $77,878, from Co-Presidents Bryan White and Jason White and the employees of…

Leah Hearns, left, on a rocking horse handmade by Mark Minor of Aylmer and fellow volunteers Nancy Silverthorn, Linda Stewart, Lauren Silverthorn and Alice Schram sorted through donated toys, games and other Christmas gifts given to the Aylmer Optimist Club Toy Drive. They are to be distributed to 486 children in need in Aylmer, Malahide and parts of Bayham on…

Rainbow Connections is a year-old organization based in St. Thomas dedicated to providing a safe and accepting space for 2SLGBTQIA+ youths in Southwestern Ontario. It celebrated the opening of its first physical space, a Drop-in Hub at 15 Catharine St., Unit 305 (third floor) on Wednesday night, Dec. 3. Among those participating were, from left, Murray-Issac Boyse, Devon Church, Sista…

The Knox Presbyterian Church’s Advent Organ Series wraps up on Dec. 3 and Dec. 10, at 55 Hincks St., in St. Thomas, offering a festive exploration of the virtues of an instrument that made its Elgin County debut in the 1880s. “You don’t have to be looking for a religious experience to come to the organ series,” Knox Music Director…

Van Gorp Drainage and Excavating, of Springfield, has been excavating and installing agricultural drainage and septic systems in and around Elgin County for over 50 years, but on Nov.  22, Van Gorp’s vintage Case tractor rode in the 81st annual Aylmer Kinsmen Santa Claus Parade . Their float, palled by a vintage truck driven by John Van Gorp, was outstanding for the…