March is officially upon us, and the Municipality of Clarington is now offering a wide array of March break camps for 2010. If you have kids or know someone who would like his or her children to have something fun to do this March, then these camps fit the bill perfectly.

This month’s trip camp kicks off at the Bowmanville Indoor Soccer Centre, and is open to all kids aged 8 to 14. The trip camp includes field trips to famous places and tourist spots such as the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto’s Hockey Hall of Fame, the Ontario Science Museum, and many more.

For younger kids aged 7 to 12, the sports camp is where the action is at. This year’s camp runs out of the Bowmanville Indoor Soccer Centre, and will feature numerous activities of just about any sport known to man today.

The project is a part of Clarington’s goal of creating recreational opportunities for its residents and promoting healthy lifestyles in the region. For details and information about this year’s March camps in Bowmanville, Clarington, you can logon to www.clarington.net/htdocs/recreation.html.

So what’re you waiting for? Sign your kids up to the program and let them have a blast this March.

Saturday would have been a perfect day for golf had it not been for the cold temperatures that forced golfers to wear double layers of clothing. But the 12 degree cold didn’t stop the 120 players from braving the makeshift golf links situated at the back of Bowmanville High School for the Polar Chili Golf Classic.

The yearly event is a fundraiser that collects donations for The Clarington Project, an effort of Community Living Oshawa Clarington.

While the golfers weren’t in their usual golfing attire—ditching it for layers upon layers of winter clothing—that didn’t keep them from playing all of 9 of the Hula Hoop holes with the use of three different clubs and tennis balls. “Why tennis balls” you might ask? It’s due to the fact that their color is essential for easy spotting in the snow.

According to Cheri Smith, event representative from Community Living Oshawa Clarington, this year’s Polar Chili Golf Classic was by far the coldest, and the first without any snowfall.

And as the event’s name suggests, Chili was served to the golfers to warm them up. Food was prepared by Zante Restaurant, King’s Court Catering, Maddy’s Pub, Chantrelle, and A Stone’s Throw pub. Without a doubt, this year’s Polar Chili Golf Classic was a successful one.

If you’re the type who likes to bowl for fun, then here’s a bowling event you definitely should not miss.

Big Brothers and Sisters of Clarington will be kicking off their annual fundraising event, “Bowl for Kids’ Sake,” later this month at Liberty Bowl, which is situated along Baseline Road in Bowmanville.

The yearly bowling event raises money for a variety of children’s programs under the umbrella of Big Brothers and Sisters of Clarington. Some of these programs and services include student mentoring and counseling, Big Bunch gatherings, as well as one-to-one pairings.

With over $35,000 raised in 2009, organizers from Big Brothers and Sisters Clarington want to set the goal a bit higher this year – at $40,000. According to Darlene Brown, executive director of the group, $35,000 was a good amount, especially with the recession making its effects fully felt during the time. With things looking a bit better today, she hopes to meet the higher goal.

Brown admits that the organization is primarily run by donations. Without events like Bowl for Kids’ Sake, she thinks they’d have to stop offering some of their services to the public for lack of funding.

If you want to know more about the event and organization, logon to http://www.bigbrothersandsisters.ca.

If you’re from around the Bowmanville area and are looking to get your musical fix, then we’ve got a list of mini-concerts and performances happening around town over the weekend and throughout next week.

Many pubs and restaurants in Bowmanville play host to a good number of music-related events. If this is something new to you, then I’m sure you’ll’’ have a great time checking this small list out.

Happening around town:

Located along 70 Port Darlington Road, Bobby C’s plays host to Oshawa native and rock/country artist Nenah Barkley every Friday at 8:30 in the evening. No cover charge.

On the 29^th of January, Maddy’s Pub and Restaurant, located along 7 Division Street, will be featuring Diane Williamson. Performance starts at 6 in the evening.

Bowmanville’s Royal Canadian Legion will be presenting Sweetwater on January 30, at 9 in the evening. Everyone from the public is invited.

If you’re wondering how it feels to perform on stage, then Walsh’s Village Inn has the answer for you. Located along 99 King Street W, the Inn regularly holds open mic night every Monday.

If the list isn’t sufficient there are always other events in town you can check out by asking around. So have fun, and have a great weekend ahead!

If you’re around the Clarington area this weekend, why not check out an event that adds some meaning to your life?

Taking place on the 23^rd of January is a seminar hosted by Edrick Dunand, renowned author of the book Dare to Succeed with Impossible Speed.

Already, Clarington residents are buzzing about the seminar and are rushing to find out more on how to join. The seminar, which starts from 10 in the morning all the way to 12 noon, is being sponsored by the Clarington Toastmasters Club as well as Clarington’s Kingsway Arms. Those fortunate enough to be part of the audience will be taught strategies on how to perform better in life, whether it be with one’s career, family life, or business.

Since there is no RSVP and only 50 seats available, those interested to join the seminar are encouraged to come early to be seated first. The seminar will be held at the Kingsway Arms office, located at 65 Clarington Blvd., Bowmanville, which is right behind Canadian Tire. Free park will also be available for car-owners.

If you want to know more about this seminar, contact David Oshier at 905-697-8635 for additional details and information.

Shannon Thompson, a student from Clarington, knows that getting an award that recognizes your work is great. But she admits it’s even better if it’s an award coming from her own parents.

And that’s exactly what her mother intended to do, nominating her for the Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year Award, a program under the Ontario Community Newspapers Association. Over 100 youths in the province have been nominated, all of whom will be receiving a special certificate for the nomination.

12 outstanding youths will receive the prestigious award itself, which recognizes their efforts by volunteering to do community service in their respective regions. Past awardees have been honored for helping the community even with a disability, performing an act of heroism, and just being a good community member.

Shannon Thompson on the other hand, began to do volunteer work at the tender age of 4 by visiting each household of her neighborhood to raise awareness for various causes.

Within 3 months of starting high school at Bowmanville High, she already completed her 40 hours worth of community service – something required from all high school students.
The awards ceremony will be happening this spring, taking place at Queen’s Park.

From its humble beginnings as a small program with an equally small team of volunteers that aimed to help newly released patients from the hospital settle back into their homes, Home at Last has undeniably been successful, helping dozens of residents in the Durham Region and the communities under it.

This month the program celebrates its first anniversary of operations.

Home at Last is a non-profit program that helps adults, the elderly, those with special needs, as well as residents living alone, settle back into their homes. This task may be trivial to some, but those who’ve made the transition from the hospital to their home have found it to be difficult, especially after a long stay in the hospital with no relatives or friends to lend a hand.

The program has operated for 12 months, and is under the Community Care Durham umbrella. Assistance is provided to patients by licensed medical personnel and trained personal support workers with no charge at all.

Some of the services the program offers range from volunteers doing grocery shopping for patients, delivering and administering medication, to simple household chores like cooking meals, doing the laundry, and taking out the trash.

And to celebrate their first anniversary, representatives from Home at Last will be setting up booths around the Durham Region, with one to be put up in Bowmanville on January 25.

Foodies in Bowmanville will be delighted to know that a special “food event” will be coming to town next month.

Come the 6th of February, the Association of Hospital Volunteers Bowmanville will be holding its yearly auction and fundraiser dinner with a special Italian touch.

Dubbed a “Taste of Italy”, the annual event has so far raised over $39,000 since it was first established 7 years ago in 2003. Proceeds for the event will be donated to the for Lakeridge Health Bowmanville’s emergency department.

A Taste of Italy will feature a menu consisting of delectable Italian treats like the classic Caesar salad, spaghetti and meatballs, homemade pies, chicken parmigiano , Italian wine, and of course, coffee and tea.

Tickets are priced at an affordable $25. You can purchase them at Lakeridge Health Bowmanville’s gift shop or by contacting these numbers:

905-623-5215

905-623-5206

And remember, all proceeds for the event will be used for the renovation and development of the emergency department at Lakeridge Health Bowmanville. So not only are you dining in style, you’re also doing it for a cause.

So what’re you waiting for? Call the numbers above and get your seats reserved!