Local historian Mark Woermke presented an intriguing look at the curious religious history of Renfrew Country when he gave a talk recently at the Upper Ottawa Valley Heritage Centre in Pembroke. His original research and entertaining anecdotes certainly provided his live audience with new insights but best of all, Mr. Woermke brought that unique 19th Century cultural history of Renfrew County to life as only he could.

Late one summer evening in 1909 twenty-year old William J. Thurston was hard at work, busily stoking the steam engine of a train passing along the north shore of Carson Lake. It was part of the Grand Trunk Railroad running between Ottawa and Parry Sound. But that mixed train of passengers and freight never got more than six kilometres west of Barry's Bay when something happened to end Mr. Thurston's young life. Recently, the tragedy of that train derailment was unravelled and commemorated by Frank Burchat and his friends who all still live on Carson Lake.

Under the able direction of Peter Glofcheskie, The O'Choir Boys sing their hearts out in honour of St. Patrick's Day. Their acapella performance includes a wide variety of religious and secular songs; everything from Amazing Grace to What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor, with 'Danny Boy' and 'The Fields of Athenry' thrown in for good measure!

It's late one night in the Spring of 1933 as the scheduled Opeongo Line train arrives six hours overdue at the old Barry's Bay Train station but that's not the only problem it's six weary passengers will have to face before morning. The Opeongo Readers' Theatre present a local adaptation of Arnold Ridley's 1923 stage hit, The Ghost Train.

The plot thickens as the passengers now face the unimaginable as they hunker down in the old Barry's Bay train station, some more nervous than others.

Our play about what happened one night in the Spring of 1933 at the Barry's Bay Train Station comes to its inevitable if unexpected end.

When Sean Conway, the host of "The Local" got together recently with his old friend, Michael Johnson, the former Chief Administrative Officer of Renfrew County, more than a few great stories were told. There's the one about the gallows in the county jail, and the one about the first female Warden and, of course, the one about when Mr. Johnson nearly drowned while working on the last log drive near Timmins, Ontario.

Four members of the Opeongo Readers' Theatre are here again to help you enjoy the quietude of another relaxing Boxing Day with some stories and verse from places around the world where Boxing Day isn't celebrated but where celebrations by any other name often take place.