SD&G Scoop – Your Local Lowdown for Jan 29 - Feb 5, 2026!

Hey there, Cornwall & SD&G crew!   👋

Well… let’s start with the big question 👀 👇

Did anyone else feel that little shake two nights ago?
Whether you thought it was an earthquake, a snowplow on overdrive, or just your dog losing its mind at 2 a.m., you weren’t imagining things - it definitely got a few of us sitting up in bed going “uhhh… did you feel that?”   😅

And if the earth wasn’t moving enough for you, Mother Nature made sure to pile on the snow this week ❄️ Which makes Olga Harhaj’s beautiful (Lancaster local) wintery painting feel extra perfect right now. It captures that quiet, snowy calm we all love… right before we have to grab the shovel again.

Painting by Olga Harhaj

Grab a warm drink, settle in, and let’s get into this week’s Scoop ☕️

WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK
🎉   What’s Happening This Week (Jan 29 - Feb 5, 2026)

📅 Here are a few events you won’t want to miss:

🔸   Moonlight Ski & Snowshoe Walk
📅 Saturday, January 31 | ⏰   Arrive by 6:45 PM | 📍   Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Bundle up and experience winter magic after dark at the Moonlight Ski & Snowshoe Walk ! With minimal light pollution, this is your chance to glide (or crunch) through snowy trails under a sky full of twinkling stars - and yes, stars really do shine brighter in winter. Ski and snowshoe rentals will be available on site for just $10 (or $5 for kids ), and participation is only $5 . Whether you’re bringing the family, a friend, or just your sense of adventure, it’s a peaceful, unforgettable way to enjoy nature at night in SD&G. 🌌

🔸   Learning Techniques in Acrylic Painting
📅   Wednesday, February 4 | ⏰   10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | 📍   Glengarry Encore Building
Ready to get a little creative this week? Join Marion Bebbington for a hands-on acrylic painting session that’s all about building strong foundations before diving into full-on masterpieces. This first class focuses on black and white painting , teaching you how to create depth and dimension using shadows and highlights - a skill that makes everything else click later on. Whether you’re brand new to acrylics or looking to sharpen your technique, this is a fun, low-pressure way to level up your painting skills and get inspired for what’s next. Bonus: this session sets you up perfectly for the colour-focused class coming later in the month.
🖌️ Cost: $20 (+ $10 for supplies)
✨ Come curious, leave confident and maybe a little paint-splattered.

🔸   Community FYI: Exercise Trillium Response   🚨
📅   Jan. 31 – Feb. 1 | 📍   Across SD&G (especially Cornwall)
This weekend, residents across SD&G may notice increased military and emergency activity as the United Counties, alongside local, regional, and provincial partners, conduct Exercise Trillium Response - a planned training exercise designed to simulate a major weather-related emergency and test coordinated response efforts. You may see soldiers and military vehicles , particularly in the City of Cornwall , including activity near the SDG administration building on Pitt Street and the Cornwall Armoury . This is strictly a training exercise - no weapons or ammunition will be used . We’re sharing this simply as a heads-up so no one is caught off guard. It’s all part of ensuring our region is prepared and resilient when it matters most. 💪

🎵   Where’s That Music Coming From (Jan 29 - Feb 5, 2026)

🔸   Live Music Night with The Shiners Duo  
📅   Friday, January 30 | ⏰   7:00 PM | 📍   Jet Set Pub @ DEV Hotel & Conference Centre (1950 Montreal Rd., Cornwall)
Looking for the perfect way to kick off your weekend? The Jet Set Pub has you covered with a live music night featuring The Shiners Duo ! Expect great tunes, easygoing vibes, and all the right energy to slide straight into the weekend the Jet Set way. Grab a drink, bring a friend, and settle in for a fun, music-filled Friday night right here in Cornwall. 🎸🍻

🔸   Live Music with Andy Cook  
📅   Friday, January 30 | ⏰   8–11 PM | 📍   Shoeless Joe’s Sports Grill, Cornwall
Kick off your Friday night with good tunes, great food, and even better vibes! Andy Cook is taking the stage at Shoeless Joe’s Cornwall for a live music set that pairs perfectly with their tasty menu and solid drink selection.Bonus: Shoeless Joe’s runs live music every Friday , so consider this your reminder to make it a habit.

🔸   Confusion — A Tribute to Deep Purple  
📅   Saturday, January 31 | 📍   The Port Theatre, Cornwall | 🚪   Doors: 7 PM | 🎶 Show: 8 PM
Get ready to crank the volume and rock out, Cornwall! Confusion , one of Canada’s top Deep Purple tribute bands , is bringing a loud, live, and legendary night to the Port Theatre this Saturday. Expect all the classic riffs, soaring solos, and high-energy hits that made Deep Purple iconic — think Smoke on the Water , Highway Star , and more. Whether you’re a longtime fan or just love a great live rock show, this is your chance to experience those timeless tracks in an intimate, local setting. Grab your friends, warm up those air guitars, and kick off your weekend the hard-rock way.
🎟️ Tickets available online or at the Port Theatre box office — this one’s shaping up to be a crowd-pleaser!

MEET YOUR NEIGHBOUR
👋 Skye from Hardscrabble Orchard & Gardens

Meet Sky from Hardscrabble Orchard & Gardens

Have you met one of SD&G’s own flower farmers yet? This week we’re shining the spotlight on Skye , the creative force behind Hardscrabble Orchard & Gardens , a charming small-scale flower farm and floristry business rooted right here in South Dundas . Skye started the venture simply as an excuse to grow more flowers on her husband’s historic family property… and what a beautiful idea that turned into!

At Hardscrabble Orchard & Gardens, Skye and her family grow seasonal, locally grown blooms - from roses, peonies and lilacs to winter-tulips ready just in time for Valentine’s Day - and craft them into custom bouquets and floral designs that truly reflect the rhythms of the seasons.

But it’s not just about bouquets! Skye also offers bouquet subscriptions (fresh flowers delivered weekly through the season), hands-on workshops like growing winter tulips or making hyacinth kokedama, and thoughtful floral services for special occasions.

💐   Explore more:
🌸 Website: www.hardscrabbleflowers.com  
🌿 Instagram: @hardscrabblehouse  
📘 Facebook: Hardscrabble Orchard & Gardens

Whether you’re gifting flowers, decorating your home, or just loving nature’s colours, Skye’s locally grown blooms are a lovely way to bring a little extra sunshine into your day. 🌞🌷

SUPPORT THE SCOOP
☕ Keep the Good News Brewing

The SDG Scoop is a free, independent local newsletter built right here in SD&G - by locals, for locals. Each issue takes time, coffee, and a whole lot of love to put together.

If you enjoy reading the Scoop and want to help keep it going strong, you can buy us a coffee (or two!). Every little bit helps us share more good news, highlight local stories, and celebrate the best of our community.

Thanks for the support, friends!

THROWBACK CORNER
📸   A Seat in Time: Cornwall’s Craftsmanship, 1951

Step back to 1951 inside the Beach Furniture Factory in Cornwall , where craftsmanship, grit, and a whole lot of elbow grease filled the shop floor. This snapshot captures workers mid-production, carefully assembling rows of solid wood chairs - each one shaped, sanded, and finished by hand. No automation, no shortcuts… just skill, pride, and the steady rhythm of local industry at work.

Factories like Beach Furniture were more than workplaces - they were the backbone of Cornwall’s economy, providing steady jobs and producing furniture that likely furnished homes, offices, and businesses across the region (and beyond). You can almost hear the hum of machinery and smell the sawdust in the air.

It’s a great reminder of Cornwall’s deep manufacturing roots and the generations who helped build this city - one chair at a time. Do you recognize the style? Or maybe know someone who worked there? We love when these photos spark stories. We would also love to know if any of these chairs are still in circulation in the area!

PET OF THE WEEK
🐾   A Call for Compassion

This week, our hearts are with Rico’s Refuge Cat Rescue and the incredible work Rico is doing to help some very vulnerable cats in our community. In the middle of brutal winter weather, seven cats , including a mom and her kittens were brought in for urgent vet care after being found outside in the storm. Saying no simply wasn’t an option. 💔 ❄️

Each of these cats now needs essential medical care—spay/neuter, vaccines, microchipping, parasite treatments - the basics that give them a real chance at a safe, healthy life. The costs add up quickly (around $200–$250 per cat , and that’s the low end), and Rico is carrying much of this financial burden alone.

We wanted to spotlight this not just to share the story, but to rally our community . If you’re able to help, whether through a donation, sharing the message, or simply spreading awareness - it truly makes a difference. Local rescues like Rico’s Refuge are often the last line of defense for animals who would otherwise be left behind.

💜 Donations can be sent to ricosrefuge@gmail.com
🐾 And as always, a gentle reminder to spay and neuter when possible - it’s one of the most powerful ways to help prevent situations like this.

Thank you, Rico, and thank you to the fosters, transport helpers, and every kind soul who steps up when it matters most. This is community care at its purest.

COMMUNITY WINS
🏆 A Huge Heart for a Powerful Cause!

Photo cred: Maison Baldwin House

This week, we’re sending a massive round of applause to Anna Russell for her incredible fundraising efforts in support of Maison Baldwin House through the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. Thanks to Anna—and everyone who rallied behind her - over $27,000 was raised to support women and children leaving situations of domestic violence, as well as women exiting human trafficking.

That’s not just a number, that’s real impact . It means safety, support, and new beginnings for people in our community who need it most. Maison Baldwin House does vital, life-changing work every day, and fundraisers like this help ensure those doors stay open and those supports remain strong.

Thank you, Anna, for turning compassion into action and thank you to Maison Baldwin House for the essential work you do. This is community at its very best.

LOCAL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
🛒 Small Businesses - We See You!

Want to get your local business in front of thousands of engaged Cornwall & SD&G readers who love supporting local?

We feature standout businesses, shops, and services that help make our community shine - and we’d love to spotlight you next!

👉 Interested? Reach out to us at https://www.sdgscoop.ca/contact or jared@sdgscoop.ca and let’s chat!

JUST FOR FUN
🎯 Games Corner – Just for Fun!

Did you know that back in 1851 , the village of Martintown was basically a one-stop shop for everything you’d need in pioneer life?

With a population of just 274 people , the town still managed to pack in:

• 6 shoemakers (no excuses for worn-out boots)

• 5 blacksmiths and 2 wagon makers (transport was covered)

• 4 weavers , 2 tailors , and 2 saddlers (fashion and function)

• A saw mill , grist mill , and even a cabinet maker

• 1 tavern (priorities!)

• A free common school — plus 1 female school teacher

• And yes… 1 physician for the whole town

It’s wild to think how much self-sufficiency was packed into such a small community.
👉 Game time: If you lived in Martintown in 1851, which job do you think you’d have—and which one would you least want?

ESTATE & NEIGHBOURHOOD BUZZ
🏡 Vintage Charm in Avonmore

If you’ve been swooning over older homes with real character , this one’s going to stop you mid-scroll. Welcome to 3311 Main Street in Avonmore , a classic 1929 two-storey that blends timeless charm with thoughtful modern updates and yes, it just had a price improvement to $475,000   👀

Inside, you’ll find 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms , high ceilings, original details, and bright, welcoming living spaces. A 2008 addition added nearly 1,000 sq ft across both floors, giving the home plenty of room to grow without losing its vintage soul. The updated kitchen is full of natural light and workspace, perfect for everyday life or hosting friends.

Upstairs, the primary bedroom is a true retreat - complete with a walk-in closet, ensuite, and a private balcony overlooking the deep backyard (morning coffee, anyone?). Outside, there’s space to garden, play, or dream up future outdoor plans, plus a cozy enclosed porch that feels made for a good book and a quiet afternoon.

Add in big-ticket updates like a heat pump and new back-up electric furnace (2024) , a metal roof , and a covered deck , and you’ve got a solid, character-filled home in a peaceful small-town setting.

Old-house lovers… this one’s got the vibes .

📌 View the listing: https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/29125885/3311-main-street-north-stormont-712-north-stormont-roxborough-twp

👉 Got a property for sale or rent in SD&G? Let us feature it in next week’s Scoop - the most-clicked section of the newsletter!

JOBS AND CLASSIFIEDS
📢   Who is Hiring?

CAMP COORDINATOR - The Learning Centre
📍 Cornwall
The Learning Centre is hiring a Camp Coordinator for its Summer Camps located in Cornwall, Long Sault, Iroquois and Winchester.
📧 Apply online: https://www.giag.ca/en/employment-services/job-board-job-posting-form/?jobId=ddb4683a-e5e4-42d1-a424-b3d0f106896e

PROGRAMMING CLERK - Cornwall Public Library
📍 Cornwall
Cornwall Public Library is seeking an energetic, creative, and tech-savvy “Programming Clerk” (not computer programming) enthusiastic about interacting with the community.
📧 Apply online: https://www.library.cornwall.on.ca/about/careers

RESIDENTIAL CARE WORKER FT - Maison Interlude House
📍 Hawkesbury
As a shelter worker, most of your job will involve welcoming and supporting women who are victims of violence, as well as their dependents, with compassion and empathy.
📧 Apply online: https://www.minterludeh.ca/carrieres/postes-disponibles/

CLOSING CALL
That’s a wrap for this week, friends! 👋

Whether you’re heading out to support a local event, staying cozy at home while the snow keeps falling, or still debating if that shake was really an earthquake - we hope this issue gave you a little local joy and something new to discover.

As always, thank you for reading, sharing, and supporting everything that makes SD&G such a great place to call home 💛 If we missed something, spotted something cool, or you’ve got a local gem we should feature next week, our inbox is always open.

Stay warm, be kind, and we’ll see you in the next Scoop 👋

📬 Not subscribed yet? Join the Scoop fam here: www.sdgscoop.ca

With gratitude,
The SD&G Scoop Team