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Geoff Dale’s new book The Fine Art of Boxing - No Stooge in the Ring

11/6/2014

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Local journalist and author Geoff Dale read from his new book The Fine Art of Boxing - No Stooge in the Ring to an intimate crowd at the Ingersoll Public Library on September 18, 2014. The book is a fictional biography of Larry Fine. “Larry,” from the vaudeville and comedy act the Three Stooges known as “Moe, Larry and Curly” or “Shemp.” Geoff explained his reason for wanting to write the book: “I’ve wanted to write about pop culture with the mindset to the end of the vaudeville era and the beginning of the film era that’s when they come into play. The interesting part about all that is at that particular time the entertainment world was literally made up largely of Jewish performers even though their names like Jack Carter, Jesse Green don't sound very Jewish they all changed their names.” Due to Geoff’s own Jewish background he had an interest in the Jewish culture especially in entertainment. “What fascinated me about this character this is the guy that no one really looks at, its Larry Fine, the bald headed, curly hair middle guy  who didn’t do much, he was more of a reactor then an actor whose real name was Louis Feinberg.“
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Local Author Geoff Dale with his book The Fine Art of Boxing - No Stooge in the Ring
PictureThe Back Cover of Geoff Dale's Book
Geoff goes on to explain how Louis got into amateur boxing. When he was three years old Louis was in his father’s jewellery store, he reached over to get what he thought was a bottle of soda pop. His father saw him and threw a tool knocking the bottle of acid away but it spilled all over Louis' arm. The doctor’s first recommendation was to cut the arm off but his father wanted a second opinion. Another doctor suggested Louis to take up an instrument and do skin grafting. As a result, Louis learned to play the violin and became so proficient that when he was eight years old he played soloist in a symphony. His arm got better but not good enough. The doctor then suggested Louis needed to have a really active sport. The three choices then was golf, only played by rich people, baseball or boxing. Louis wanted to box. His parents were horrified for they didn’t approve their son fighting in public. The irony was his father watched boxing every Saturday night.

Due to Louis’ insistence though, his father finally relented. However, the deal was Louis could go to the gym to spur, train and punch the heavy bag but he was not allowed to fight in public. Louis got extremely good at boxing that the manager asked him to fight. Louis reported his parents would not allow it but the manager encouraged him that he could change his name like every Jewish boxer. The Champion at that time was Benny Leonard, not his real name. Louis was called Kid Roth. He trained and fought and moved up from amateur to professional fighting. A best friend of Louis’ father mentioned how well Louis was dong in the ring. When his father learned his son was fighting that night he closed his store and watched his son fight his first and last professional boxing match. Louis won the fight. However, his father went to the ringside, grabbed his son by the ear and pulled him out of the ring ending Louis’ boxing career.

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This is where the facts end and fiction begins. Geoff Dale’s book The Fine Art of Boxing - No Stooge in the Ring begins with Louis Feinberg, Larry Fine, winning his first professional fight. The rest of his book is “a what if Larry fought as a professional boxer? I took his life and changed it with different places, with different people and doing things he got to do as a youth but never got a change to do in his early twenties. I put it in context of time; the champion win comes exactly a month before the Great Depression."  A monumental event, Larry has to make a decision. What does he do? You have to read the book to find out.

Geoff’s interest into the Three Stooges goes beyond just about “these guys, it’s about the cultural impact, the vaudeville era, the Jewish influence and the boxing. That’s why I wrote the book, it’s about the underdog; it’s about the little guy that really shouldn’t have made it and hopefully to educate people who really didn’t know these guys. It’s a futile attempt to someone in their sixties trying to say the Three Stooges aren’t so stupid as you think. There is more to them then smacking or poking each other in the eye it’s quite bit more to it than that.” The book is more fiction then fact. “The reality is I basically wrote a fiction based on an awfully lot of non-fiction.” Geoff does not want his readers to know what is real or not. He would rather his readers go out and find out for themselves or they could sponsor him to write another book.

Geoff’s next move is writing a non-fiction on another Stooge, Shemp Howard the Forgotten Stooge.

Click on the words to view my videos on Geoff Dale’s presentation and reading on my Google+ account.

Check out Geoff Dale’s campaign to write a biography on Shemp Howard

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Second Annual Community Health & Wellness Fair in Norwich

11/3/2014

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PictureNorwich Fire Service Volunteers Derek Van Pagee & Joe Panton speak to a group of students from Rehoboth Christian School
Tuesday October 28, 2014 the Norwich Community Centre was filled with people participating in and checking out the various vendors at the Second Annual Community Health and Wellness Fair.  Coordinator of the event AJ Wells reported that similar to last year there were 38 exhibitors who were present. Last year the event was held a week later on Monday November 4th. AJ Wells is the Manager of The Dr. Russell M. Hall Family Health Centre located in Norwich, Ontario and he also sits on the Health and Wellness Advisory Committee which hosted the fair.

Twenty minute information sessions were also available upstairs at the Community Centre which started at 3:00 p.m. and ended at 6:40 p.m. The various topics included the following: Alternative Health Care Options – The Basics of Naturopathic Medicine; Exploring Options and Questions with Senior’s Housing; Falls Preventions and the Use of Assistance Devices; Dealing with Alzheimer’s Early Warning Signs and Symptoms and Using Mindfulness for Pain Management and Depression. Wells speculated that this year the crowd could be anywhere from 300 to 350 similar to that a year ago.

AJ will be scouring both the venders and the spectator’s feedback to gleam how the fair can be run next year or if an annual event should even occur. It takes a lot of volunteers to organize such an event. For instance, students from the Rehoboth Christian School were Ambassadors for the day, manning the front tables, handing out goodie bags and a home economics class baked cookies and cakes. The students also served tea and coffee.



Barbara Wright is a Representative from DASO (Domestic Abuse Services Oxford Formerly the Women's Emergency Centre). Despite their recent name change, this year DASO celebrated 40 years providing domestic abuse services and programs in Oxford County. Barbara Wright reported that “all events have had an anniversary spin; [SoupStock] will be one of the last events for the anniversary which is a fun and fantastic event.” SoupStock consist of four local restaurants and catering servers in Oxford County who will all make their signature soup that will be judged. Tickets are only $10.00 to support this great cause.

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SoupStock Tuesday Nov. 4th 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at Quality Inn in Woodstock
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Barbara Wright stands beside two signs from the DASO display
New to the town of Norwich is the health food store Inside U that has another store located in Woodstock. This new establishment opened their doors on September 3, 2014 and had a Grand Opening on October 24, 2014. Dr. Jaclyn Perchaluk is the Naturopathic Doctor onsite whose office is downstairs. Dr. Perchaluk reported that the store is run by Lillian who “has twenty years’ experience running health food stores and she is lovely.” A Nutritionist is also available onsite.

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Dr. Jaclyn Perchaluk is the Naturopathic Doctor from the health food store Inside U
Norwich now has two Naturopathic Doctors in town. In June 2014 Dr. Andrea Hornyak opened her practice, Vital Force Naturopathic two days a week on Mondays and Thursdays at The Dr. Russell M. Hall Family Health Centre. A native from Otterville, Dr. Hornyak has returned home after practicing in Burlington, Ontario for eight years. Both Dr. Perchaluk and Dr. Hornyak welcome new patients.

John and Jeanette Kuipers are distributors and certified pole walking instructors who had their Nordixx booth displaying walking poles. Nordic Pole Walking is regular walking using specifically designed hand-held Nordic Walking Poles. The benefits of Nordic Pole Walking strengthen upper body, reduce stress on joints and burns more calories.
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Joyce Henkell learns how to use walking poles from John & Jeanette Kuipers
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Wally Walker aka Lefty
John told the story behind their mascot Lefty. Two years ago while attending a diabetic conference the Kuipers each received a plastic left foot. They decided to get their friend, A. J.'s Creations the Doll Lady to make them a doll. The creation became Wally Walker aka Lefty, a hobbit with two left feet who uses walking poles.

Walking poles could prove to be useful at the Walking Club held at the Norwich Community Centre. For an annual membership of $6.00 the facility is open all year round from Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to walk. You no longer have to worry that inclement weather will keep you indoors. 
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Walking Club at the Norwich Community Centre
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Scary House in Norwich

11/1/2014

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In every community there is always one house that is favoured by every ghost and goblin, or these days by a super hero or a pop star, at Halloween. Whether known for giving out great treats or wearing  amazing and freighting costumes. This holds true in the town of Norwich. For the last six years, Peter Luciani Senior and Peter Luciani Junior have set up their home at 39 Stover Street in Norwich with elaborate Halloween decorations. It usually takes them about two weeks to set up before the big day. Peter Luciani Senior explained that while living in Brantford, Ontario he owned a business, Luciani Fruit Market, where he had a haunted barn. So when he and his family moved to Norwich elven years ago, he used the same decorations. Over the years both Peters kept adding bigger and more elaborate decorations like a ferris wheel and a smoke making machine.
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Peter Luciani Jr. (in front) and Peter Luciani Sr. set up Halloween decorations a week early
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Halloween decorations in front of the Luciani house
PicturePeter Luciani Jr. making final preparations on Halloween

The Luciani duo go all out for all seasons; they have lights set up in their backyard at Christmas and they set off fireworks during May 24 weekend.

Check out the Gallery of photos for the freighting pictures on Halloween night.
Last year the family saw about 400 children. “Cars were lined up; kids were coming in [to get their treats] then going back in the cars and driving off.” Peter Luciani Senior explained. The idea is not to scare the children too much but “figuring out ways to scare the adults” Peter Luciani Junior stated; “it’s all in fun.”

On Halloween night, the finishing touches were made and the extraordinary show was displayed. Sounds effects were also part of the celebrations with the theme song of "Ghostbusters" playing in the background along with spooky sounds of groans, screams and and cackles. They even had shadows of what look like four people slowing crawling at the window. According to Peter Senior,  the effect was done using a projector. Peter Junior stood beside a witch's cauldron were Halloween treats were stored, probably to ensure that Trick or Treaters knew it was safe to stick their hands in to retrieve their goodies.

The Luciani duo go all out for all seasons; they have lights set up in their backyard at Christmas and they set off fireworks during May 24 weekend.


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Pyro display at 39 Stover Street
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Display of pumpkins that lit up in sync with music

Check out the Gallery of photos for the freighting pictures on Halloween night.
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    Heather A. Rennalls

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