Category: Uncategorized

Linda ( Loughlin ) ‘73 grad, finished her Kemptville College courses in December 1972 and started work at the Pembroke Civic Hospital in January 1973. Kerry and Linda married that summer and moved to Kerry’s family farm. Kerry ‘68 grad worked at Kemptville College after graduation and also continued his studies, completing his degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in ‘73.

In 1984, Kerry took a position as Red Meat Advisor in Kemptville and the family – three children – relocated to Kemptville. Linda started work at the Ottawa Civic Hospital and later went to positions at Royal Ottawa Hospital, Winchester District Hospital and Glebe Centre. At the same time, she started catering, which spanned a 30-year period of events ( weddings, funeral, award banquets, conferences, and 7-course dinner parties ). The catering was a ‘hobby’ while working full-time hours.

While working at the Royal Ottawa, she also managed food service in their five related facilities. During her career Linda was very involved with both Provincial and National Food Service and Nutrition Associations.  She ended her ‘busy’ career life at the Rehab Centre under the Ottawa Hospital. Kerry was also very active at this time when in 1989, he became Ag. Rep. for Ottawa Carleton. From 2000 until his retirement in 2008, he was employed by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Linda retired in 2012 and began her next career as ‘a volunteer’. Recently, she was honoured for volunteer services when she was presented with the Ontario Senior Achievement Award. This award is presented to 20 outstanding seniors across the province.

Linda is presented with her award by Hon. Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and Hon. Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility.

She was also recently honoured to receive the North Grenville Civic Award for Exemplary Work in Community. Linda’s years of dedicated service as a volunteer with Beth Donovan Hospice, Holy Cross Catholic School and Kemptville District Hospital are an inspiration and have made a difference in the lives of so many. Linda will tell you volunteering has given her a purpose. “you get more back than you give when you volunteer.’’

Linda and Kerry also have time for family. Their two sons, Shawn and Kyle, live in the Kemptville area and both work for the City of Ottawa. Their daughter, Amber, is in Petawawa and works for the Federal Government in Veterans’ Affairs. They are kept active with seven grandchildren, the eldest is 16 and the youngest, twins, are 4.

When you are asked to volunteer, remember Linda’s words, “ It is rewarding work, helps others in need and keeps your mind and days filled.” Congratulations on all your accomplishments!

Kim and Graham Link ’69 grads, recently went to Lakeland College in Vermillion AB to visit their grandson Jack. While out west , they went to visit Mac Graham a ‘51 grad, originally from South Mountain ON. Mac and his wife, Marion, were dairy farmers until they sold the farm in 1996. They moved to the Regina area in 2015, to be closer to their daughter Nancy. Their son, Doug, who lives in East Moline, Illinois, is a designer for John Deere. Marion passed away in 2021. Since Kim had on her Kemptville vest, Mac wanted to model his Kemptville sweater that has travelled with him. He enjoyed reminiscing with Kim and Graham and appreciated them taking time to visit.

My Pride Holsteins – Mike Visser – 2002 Grad

“When you love Holsteins and want to own your own farm you have to “think outside the box “ to make that dream come true.”This is a direct quote from Mike Visser, owner of My Pride Holsteins, given to Bonnie Cooper when she wrote an article for The Link Winter 2024 – Holstein Ontario.

Mike is a 2002 agricultural grad from Kemptville College. He is originally from Owen Sound and did not grow up on a farm. 4-H played a large part in his love of cattle. After graduation, Mike worked on the farm with his grandparents and his uncles. He started buying his own cattle and building My Pride Holsteins. When he realized he would not own a farm in Southern Ontario, he made a major life change. In 2012 he moved to Thunder Bay in Northwestern Ontario. He had a connection with Thunder Bay since when he worked for Foundation Sires, he would travel there to sell semen. College classmates also lived in Thunder Bay. Trudy (Aalbers ) Reid , Jason Reid, Johan Huisman, Joel Veurink and Ryan Jaspers ‘03 are all involved in agriculture there. Mike had been thinking about the veal industry and rented a farm so he could raise veal calves. In 2013 he started his sale of veal and in 2015 he purchased his own 30 acre farm. His first year, he sold veal from 15 calves and now he markets over 100 animals a year. His sales are in “red” veal since his animals are fed milk and corn. The picture below shows Mike at the local “County Market “ where he also sells pepperettes, breakfast sausages and pre- made hamburgers. His 20 My Pride Holsteins provide the milk needed for the calves.                             

In 2016, his veal business received the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence. Moving to Thunder Bay gave Mike the opportunity to own his own farm. He has friends and a community that supports him. Fairs in the area benefit from seeing him show his home bred animals with high classifications. Mike is also able to give back to his community by sponsoring the youth prizes at the Thunder Bay Show. Remembering his 4-H days, he also helps sponsor the 4-H team that shows at the Royal each year. It is nice to see a Kemptville grad achieve his goal and give back to his community. Congratulations Mike!                                          

The complete article, which includes the info on the records of My Pride Holsteins can be found at:

https://www.ontarioholstein.ca/the-link-magazine

This is the Winter 2024 edition. Enjoy pages 32-34. Thank you Bonnie Cooper and Martina Arth for your co-operation.

A new baby has arrived in the MacIntosh – Wheeler family! The picture is in the beautiful log structure at their sugar shack, in front of the large stone fireplace. Warren MacIntosh’s grandfather started the farm in 1927 and in 1986 Warren, a 1986 Kemptville grad, took over the farm. Glengarry Stock Farm has been in operation for 97 years. Warren married Trudy Hughes, a 1991 Kemptville grad, in 1992. Brittany followed in her parents’ footsteps and graduated from Kemptville in 2014. She has been farming full-time since 2020. She was also an alumni board member after graduation. Brittany and Isaac Wheeler were married in August 2022. Isaac works off the farm for Trans Mountain Equipment in British Columbia. With the new family addition, he will become a ‘farmer apprentice” as well as running his own company EYEZYK’s Excavations Services.

In the picture below, Trudy is holding Aida Lynne Kimberley Wheeler.

Standing in front of the fireplace ( left to right ) are Isaac, Brittany, and Warren. It is great that Aida enjoys going to the barn morning and night with Brittany!

On Feb 22, 2024, Governor General Mary Simon invested 61 recipients into the Order of Canada at Rideau Hall. There are three levels of appointments. Ken Knox was inducted as a member which allows him to use C.M. after his name. The Order of Canada was established in 1967 – the year that Ken graduated from Kemptville College. The Order of Canada is how our country honours nominated people who make extraordinary contributions to the nation.

You may view the ceremony by entering the Order of Canada Investiture Ceremony – February 22, 2024. On YouTube, you will see Ken at 1:02.38 and hear his presentation. You can also view, in writing, why he was presented the order on the listing below the YouTube video.

Congratulations Ken. The Kemptville College Alumni Board is proud to see you get this award.

The Kemptville College Alumni recognizes two students who are in their second year, in an accredited college taking an Agricultural or Food related program.

Ethan Booker from Fournier, ON (Prescott County) has been awarded one of the $1,000.00 scholarships for 2024. He is presently completing his second year at Lakeland College in Alberta. Before heading to college, Ethan was involved with the farm’s beef cattle, different aspects of cover cropping the soil and no-till farming. In the community, he was involved with leadership work with primary children at Metropolitan Bible Church, Scouts Canada, and 4-H cooking and crop clubs led by Pat and Gordon Wilson. A highlight for Ethan when at Lakeland was to be on the Dean’s Honor Roll as he studied Crop Technology. He plans to return to farm alongside his parents, Allen and Margit Booker, on their grain and cattle family farm. As well as continuing cropping and expanding the grazing for their purebred beef cattle, there may even be some Boer goats on the Booker farm. Congratulations Ethan.

Jack Link from Winchester, ON ( Dundas County ) was also awarded a $1,000.00 scholarship. Jack is completing his second year at Lakeland College in Alberta. He is taking courses with an emphasis on Dairy Herd Management and Nutrition. Before college, Jack was a full-time milker, and he also helped with cropping. Earlier before the farm dispersal in 2017, Jack worked alongside his parents, Murray and Lori Link, and his grandparents on the family farm. Jack volunteered at county fairs and Dairyfest. He competed at provincial championships in running and curling. A highlight for Jack while at Lakeland, was to be the Nutrition Coordinator of the Student Managed Dairy Farm. Upon graduation, he plans to work on a dairy farm and create a succession plan to have his own dairy farm in Eastern Ontario. Congratulations Jack.

At the end of September, the new Scholarship for 2025 will be on our webpage under Scholarships.