by Sally Hansen

How can a group or organization committed to a worthy cause attract and retain volunteers? This chronic challenge is becoming a burning issue for many of the organizations that make our communities kinder and gentler and more sustainable. According to agencies that track trends in volunteering, things are probably going to get worse as more worthy causes compete for a shrinking population of volunteers.Seventy-five percent of the Boomers, the “Me Generation”, are telling pollsters they’re not particularly interested in volunteering, and the demographic landscape is changing. According to national surveys in 2004, 55% of people aged 15-24 volunteered time to various causes, while only 32% of seniors did. Admittedly, seniors volunteered for longer periods of time, but by 2031, 25% of us will be over 65, as opposed to 13% in 2001. We’ve tapped into a number of resources to compile a short list of Do’s and Don’ts designed to help you find and keep the kind of volunteers you need to achieve your goals. Our Google search on “attract volunteers” yielded about 1,100,000 results. At the end of our list, we’ve provided two very worthwhile Internet resources you can pursue for a much more detailed discussion of the care and feeding of volunteers.

"In Pursuit of Volunteer Recruits" »

Posted on February 13, 2008 1:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

by Joanne Mitchell

Avid reader Joanne Mitchell has recently been tracking down bookclub members throughout the Valley. Her goal was to investigate how various clubs differ in terms of picking their books, running their meetings, and finding the delicate balance between talking and eating dessert… Here are her profiles of two groups from the Arnprior area.

"A Tale of Two Book Clubs" »

Posted on December 6, 2007 10:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Interview by Kris Riendeau

As part of this year’s Human Rights issue, theHumm interviewed John MacTavish, Regional Coordinator for HIV/AIDS Regional Services (HARS) in Kingston. HARS works with individuals in this area who are HIV-positive, from pre-testing all the way through to death, and then provides after-care to families as well. They also provide information and services to gay men and women or people who are questioning their sexuality.

"John MacTavish: Reaching Out, Speaking Out" »

Posted on March 20, 2006 4:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the January 2006 issue of theHumm, we indicated that one of our objectives was to “provide a forum for alternative-to-mainstream opinions and ideas,” and we encouraged readers to send letters to the editor. Here’s one column that generated a whole lot of talk on the street, as well as three letters in response. Read on, and let us know what you think by leaving a comment on our site!

Are You Part Of The Problem Or Part Of The Solution?

by Glenda Jones

Before the cold weather settles in, I need to get Nellie out of the barn and get on my high horse for a swift ride. I’ve been gearing up for this ride for a while, so saddle up, pardners. We’ve got some ground to cover here. Frankly, I’m “het up.”

I attended a meeting last week with the organizers of all the fun we enjoyed in Mississippi Mills last summer. Not only did everyone agree that the summer was a roaring success, but also, we all lined up to repeat it again next year!! Are we crazy?!? No, just very committed to putting Almonte and area on the map as “festival central.” We are prepared to gather musicians, speakers, thespians, and face painters, barricades, barbeques, banners and signs to entertain everyone in fine fashion at the least expense. We’ll badger merchants for sponsorship, which they will generously donate; we’ll write copious articles for newspapers, we’ll bend over backwards to give our community a full and enriching schedule of events.

Now, here comes the message. It’s a very small band of “we” who do all this work. Every time I attend one of these meetings, I see the same cheerful faces, and every one of these people share the same experience. “We” are burning out as volunteers. Sure, people will tell us what a swell time they had at RiverEdge or Celtfest, but just as quickly they will declare they are “too busy” to give even a few hours to sit on an organizing committee or man a ticket booth. Our town is growing at a phenomenal rate if the traffic at 5PM is any indication, and yet we are not seeing these new residents coming forward to lend a hand. Are you waiting for us to entertain you? Are you shy about sharing your talents? Are you “too busy” driving into the Big City every day, shopping outside our area? Are you happy living what you might call a rural existence without ever enjoying the true nature of rural living, which is to get involved with your community?

"The Great Volunteer Debate" »

Posted on February 8, 2006 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Here’s a holiday treat for you and yours (as long as yours aren’t allergic to peanuts!). These Christmas Kiss cookies are as much a part of our holiday season as trimming the tree, hanging the handmade stockings from Grandma, and… laying out the January issue of theHumm. Don’t forget to unwrap the kisses before the cookies come out of the oven!

Christmas Kisses

about 60 Hershey Kisses
1c white sugar
1c brown sugar
1c butter

wet stuff:

1c peanut butter (allergy alert!)
2 eggs
4 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

dry stuff:

3.5c flour
2 tsp baking soda
dash salt

Preheat oven to 375F, put on seasonal music, and start unwrapping kisses.
Cream sugars and butter, combine and add wet stuff, mix well. Combine and add dry stuff, mix well. Shape into balls (about 1 inch in diameter). Roll balls in white sugar and bake for about 10 minutes (until light golden) on ungreased cookie sheets. Push kisses into the middles as soon as they come out of the oven. The kisses take longer to cool than the cookie part, so don’t stack them until the chocolate is firm.

Happy holidays from theHumm!

Posted on December 21, 2005 10:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

theHumm’s December issue is full of specific gift suggestions for folks on your list — all of which can be found in small towns in the Ottawa Valley. We would like to thank all participating merchants for taking the time to send in their suggestions, and to thank our readers for shopping locally and thereby supporting both the shops and theHumm! Here are two of the many categories — pick up a copy and find the full list of local gift ideas.

Gifts for Art Lovers

Etchings by Franc vanOort, Riverguild ($80–250)
Etchings by Helen Stewart, Maclean Young Picture Framers ($125 & up)
Framed Print of Québec City, Elisabeth deSnaijer Antiques ($45)
Vintage pictures and frames, Curiosities ($10 & up)
Carolyn Shuttle Fused Glass Platter, Keffer Gallery / Café ($135)
Beautiful Works by Local Artists, LUX Photographic Services ($100 & up)
Affordable Fine Art Prints & Photos, Philip K. Wood Gallery (various)
Fused Glass Panels by Craig Angus, Bridge St. Gallery ($650)
Shaker Oval Boxes, Nordic Star ($30 & up)
Paintings by Keith McQuay, Treefrog Gallery ($600–1000)
Silver & Gold Hand Mirror Wall Sculpture, Kehla Design ($910)

Gifts for Cooks

Stainless Steel BBQ Spatula, Don’s Meat Market ($20)
Wildly Delicious Fig Balsamic Vinegar, Ground Waves ($13.99)
Tea Towels, Oven Mitts, Dish Cloths, Jen-Bar ($5.99 & up)
Handmade Bowls by Violetta, Fabulous ($18 & up)
Cookbooks from Yesteryear, Curiosities ($10)
Ancho Gold #5 Sauce, Kincades Fine Foods ($6.95)
“Canadian Living Everyday Favourites”, Valley Bookshop ($39.95)
Cuisinart 12-cup Retro Coffee Maker, Equator Coffee ($119)

Posted on December 6, 2005 5:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So glad you asked! theHumm is a free, monthly, independent newspaper covering Arts, Entertainment and Ideas in the small towns and communities of the Ottawa Valley (so far it can be found in Almonte, Arnprior, Balderson, Burnstown, Carleton Place, Carp, Dunrobin, Lanark, Maberly, McDonald’s Corners, Pakenham, Perth, and Westport, with a smattering in Kanata). Circulation ranges from 5000–7000 copies, depending on the season.

The paper is now in its eighth year of publication. It is designed, edited and published by Kris and Rob Riendeau, but its contributors and columnists come from throughout the Valley. They are talented individuals who are dedicated to promoting and enhancing their communities. Here’s a list of names and columns:

• Bill Buttle — Artbeat Cartoon
• Carolyn Ciccoritti — Notes From the Place (Carleton Place)
• Ian Doig — Theatre News in Our Area
• Susan Fisher — theHumm Dispatch
• Sally Hansen — Art and Soul (Artist Profiles)
• Glenda Jones — The Reaver Report
• Euphemia Lark — Arts Council A La Carte (Mississippi Mills)
• Ray Parchelo — The Information Sideroad
• Rob Riendeau — The Green Scene
• Steve Scanlon — Westport Wonders
• Miss Cellaneous — Hanging Around the Valley (Visual Arts)

In addition to the paper version (which is delivered to shops, restaurants, libraries, community hang-outs and visitor attractions in the above-mentioned towns), we also maintain a website (but you know that — you’re already here, you clever thing). If you want any other information about us, feel free to send an email!, or read on…

"What's theHumm?" »

Posted on November 1, 2005 10:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

We’d love to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment on any article on this site (click on the word “Comments” below the article. We moderate everything, so it might take a day for your comment to appear.).

To send a letter to the editor, inquire about advertising, submit an article for consideration, send us an idea for an article, let us know about something that we should cover, tell us how we could make the paper or this website better, or just drop us a line you can:

Send an email to editor (at) thehumm.com.

Give us a call at (613) 256-5081

Send actual paper letters to:
theHumm
PO Box 1391
Almonte, ON K0A 1A0

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The deadline for advertising is always the 22^nd of the month prior to publication (eg. ads for the February issue must be in by Jan. 22).

Posted on November 1, 2005 12:00 PM | Permalink