Tripping in Cuba to celebrate a special birthday

By Sharon Weatherall

Have you ever kissed a dolphin – it’s quite an experience.  Just to touch their rubbery skin is something you will never forget.  I had the opportunity to get to know one up close just a couple of weeks ago on a family trip.

My mom and siblings (save one older brother) and three of the older grandkids vacationed in Cuba recently – a special trip to celebrate my mother’s 80^th birthday. It was a lot of fun considering we had never really gone away in a large group like that before.

Located on the stunning beachfront of Cayo Santa Maria, we stayed at the all-inclusive Hotel HUSA Cayo Santa Maria resort. It was a massive place with 1368 rooms, 21 buildings, four pools, medical services, a spa, eight restaurants and seven bars - as well as bar fridges in your rooms.   We were allowed three a la carte dinners during our stay. The hotel had just added new menus to these restaurants featuring Seafood, Italian, Spanish, Cuban, French, Asian, Mexican and Peruvian. In fact we celebrated mom’s birthday dinner at the Italian a la carte and management went out of the way to make this a very special evening complete with birthday cake and champagne.

Aside from the a la cartes unfortunately we had to suffer buffet dining options offering anything but the delicious international culinary experiences they boasted. In truth the food sucked, but we survived and I for one did not gain any weight on the trip like I usually do at all-inclusive get-aways.  When people tell you “Cuba is Cuba” when it comes to the food - believe them and only go to places that have been tried and true. The Cubans are simple people who prepare simple menus – but at Husa the cooks could take a few culinary lessons for sure. I mean I am not a picky eater and just about anything will satisfy my grumbling tummy but there are times when I draw the line. I lived on fresh bread and buns - which were warm and tasty, BBQ turkey and pork at the lunch buffet for the most part. In the morning grilled ham and cheese sandwiches hit the spot better than cold eggs and greasy uncooked bacon and tasteless sausage.  Dinner was the same thing day after day – a lot of rice, pasta and minced meatballs.

There - that’s the worst I have say about my Cuba vacation – the rest is pretty positive.

The place had nightly entertainment featuring lively theatrical productions, and close by a business centre, spa and nightclub were located in the small village of Pueblo Estrella – just a short distance from the resort. We went there twice to a market place they hosted with local venders during the daytime. They also had a really good pizza place where you could enjoy a pizza for four Cuban paseos and a cigar store where they rolled them right in front of you. My nephew enjoyed the night club twice so it must have been ok.  The Pueblo La Estrella was inaugurated in December 2009. People who wanted to visit could get a shuttle ride or walk there.

Hotel HUSA Cayo Santa Maria is 90 minutes to Santa Clara Airport, 30 minutes to Caibarien, and 10 minutes to Pueblo Las Estrellas. The ride along a giant causeway with over 40 different bridges is nice to see in the daytime but at night when we arrived it was pitch black outside. They were selling beer on the bus so we had to make one ‘natural’ toilet stop and everyone one got off the bus to pee on the side of the road with warnings not to step too far to the left in case you fell into the water! It was funny to see the shock on people’s faces – but hey when you gotta go, you gotta go.

The ultimate and most beautiful part of the vacation was the magnificent beach – miles of powdery white sand along the sparkling shoreline. The water was crystal clear multi-coloured shades of aquamarine - calm on some days and with foamy wave tops on others. It is 100 percent the number one draw to this destination and people couldn’t seem to keep away from it. I know I walked the beach every morning and swam at least twice a day. Where else do you find tepid water you can peer through from waist deep and see the colour of your toe nail polish as if you were looking through a magnifying glass?

The HUSA Cayo Santa Maria is located in the central sector of Playa Santa Maria which is the main beach on the island. There is a shared service between the Beach and the Colonial sides which were sold under one name ‘HUSA Cayo Santa Maria’ and share services. Depending on the occupancy rate, one section might be closed which was the case when we were there – the Beach was closed and we stayed in building number 27 of the Colonial section which was close to the pool, the ocean and the lobby. The original project was apparently four hotels: Beach, Colonial, Caribe and Tropical. Caribe and Tropical (former Barcelo) are administered by Blue Diamond Hotels & Resorts a division of Sunwing Travel Group under the name of Memories Paraiso Azul Beach Resort. Memories is a short distance from Husa.

We flew to Cuba  via Sunwing and had no problems with the flight except the times were late – we didn’t arrive at the resort until 11 p.m. our first night and the flight out on the day we left was delayed by two hours. So after leaving Husa at 6:30 p.m. we arrived at the Santa Clara Airport to wait three more hours and then boarded just before midnight. We were going through customs at the Toronto Airport at 3 a.m.  – good job we had booked into the International Plaza for the night.  This was where we had left our car for seven nights and  I tell you there are no more comfortable beds at any place I have stayed in the city than at that lovely place.

During the holiday through our Sunwing representative we booked a fun and relaxing catamaran cruise on the crystal waters of the Caribbean Sea. This was my gift to my mother who enjoys being out on the water and it was a full day excursion for her enjoyment. The only one who couldn’t go with us that day was my brother who had gotten too sunburned the day before in the Husa pool enjoying a few too many brews. Luckily he got his money back the next day with no questions asked.

On the catamaran cruise we let the wind catch our sails gliding us out to the sea. As it sailed east, beyond the coast of Cayo Santa Maria, our catamaran made three main stops throughout the voyage, where we enjoyed exploring in crystal clear waters along a sandy shore and environmental area,  a lobster lunch and interaction with dolphins at the dolphin center, snorkelling at the Coral Reef Barrier. We also enjoyed a well-stocked bar onboard, sun decks for basking in the sun, and comfortable shaded lounge for breaks from the sun. This relaxing voyage was a great way to work on our tans and enjoy the stunning beauty of the Caribbean. The seafood lunch was the best food many of us had eaten since arriving in Cuba and well worth the money.

As mentioned above the  dolphinarium in Cayo Santa Maria was a huge hit. Located near Cayo Ensenachos a few kilometers from Cayo Santa Maria, it is operated by Gaviota Marinas. Prior to it’s opening in August 2011 customers who wanted to swim with dolphins had to go in the neighboring province of Cienfuegos - a trip of over three hours including a city tour of Cienfuegos. The largest in all Latin America, the dolphinarium is quite impressive. Cubans have put a lot of effort into this successful  project which features  pools  of 2.400 m2 on average where the dolphins can swim happily. The project will someday include an aquarium and a lobster breeding farm from which many will supply the restaurant! In total there will be six pools for a total of 21 dolphins, a dolphin entertainment area with 260 seats that features two shows per day and also a special area for sea lions giving two shows per day.

There were other excursions available from Husa including going on a jeep tour into the countryside, driving speed boats/motor bikes or hopping a small plane for Havana and much more to do if you wanted. Some of the excursions were full day and some were half and the cost varied. But if you didn’t want to go anywhere you could just sit back and relax at the resort around the pool or spend the day down at the ocean.

We had a great time just being together. After spending long days out in the sun then meeting for meals in the evening some of us didn’t last long enough to attend the shows, while others hit the sack immediately after. We intended to go to the club one night but in all honesty we were just too tired to get there. It operated from 11p.m. until 2 a.m. so it was hard to stay awake.

Between cleaning up at the end of the day and actually having dinner – we sat in a breezy lobby and were served drinks and chatted.  The service here was good but a little on the slow side at times. The Cubans do not really like people going up to the bar to order and in some cases will let you stand for quite some time before they get you a drink. It’s better to find a table and wait for a server. Order a couple of drinks at a time to make sure you don’t run out before she/he comes back. 

 

As far as cleanliness the place was ok. We heard some people complaining about their rooms, bugs and maid service etc., but in our case all of that was acceptable – we had clean bedding, clean towels and a fridge stocked with beer, water and pop.  We even had a happy gardener who worked hard to keep the grounds looking great and monitored a family of small kittens outside our building.  The colourful gardens of Husa were beautiful and in full bloom when we were there.

It was a nice holiday and a good experience for my mom who hadn’t been away in many years and had never been to an all-inclusive.  In hind sight it’s we could have made a better choice than Cuba because of the food – but the price was right and it got us away from the snow. The whole time we were gone we had excellent temperatures   and sunshine every day – in fact the heat was often intense. It was a bonus after coming from the worst winter in years.

Next time we will pick Dominican, Jamaica or Bahamas where we know the food is better because we have been there and tried it. Even a different location in Cuba would do as the last time we were in Varadero it wasn’t so bad. But the experience was well worthwhile and the ocean was to die for so we can’t complain. It’s part of life trying out different locations and getting the best experience out of them that you can. Being together as a family in an exotic get-away created some memories we won’t soon forget.

Get ‘in-tune’ with your spiritual side in Penetanguishene later this month

By Sharon Weatherall

If you are interested in connecting with your inner self and learning more about the spiritual world around you, there is still time to join in on an amazing upcoming event. Read this blog to find out how you can become involved!

Another exciting ‘Two Day Psychic Workshop’ including ‘Paranormal Investigation’ is taking place at Centennial Museum in Penetanguishene on April 26^th and 27^th featuring Jackie Dennison and Steve Furlong - international clairvoyant mediums and teachers. Jackie is also co-host of TV's 'Rescue Mediums'.

At Feathers Academy in Northwich, Cheshire England, Dennison and Furlong work alongside other mediums, and fledgling mediums, who have all trained within the academy. Feathers offers psychic and healing services including Personal Clairvoyant Readings, Psychic Development Classes, Past life Regression, Spirit Rescue Work, Reiki Healing & Attunements, Crystal Therapy, Aura Imaging Photography and more.

Next month Dennison and Furlong are pleased to be sharing some of their talents here in Canada. In fact, it’s the third year in a row they have offered this successful retreat in Penetanguishene - the two have generated quite a following.

“It’s always good to connect with people of a likened and opened mind, and to know that there are those returning for a third year to attend our workshops is fantastic,” said Dennison.

“We love the ambience at Penetanguishene Museum, the staff there always go out of their way to make us so welcome, and the spirit energies seem to like us too which is a huge bonus.”  
On Saturday April 26^th  from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.at the Penetanguishene workshop participants will be involved in grounding, protection/opening, cleansing and balancing of Chakras, as well as guided meditation working with spirit guides and angels.

From 8 p.m.to midnight on Saturday, they will be involved in a ghost hunt and paranormal investigation at the museum which harbours several friendly spirits discovered three years ago by Rescue Mediums Jackie Dennison and Alison Wynne-Ryder. It was one of the most exciting paranormal investigations in the series to date, with over eight spirits confirmed on site. One was lumber baron Charles Beck, whose general store/ lumber offices were later donated to the town. Today the museum features an exclusive collection of Beck family and business artefacts which are key to local history.

On Sunday April 27^th, participants will be busy with guided meditation and a past, present and future life workshop, as well as a cosmic ordering workshop.

The cost for the weekend is $360 which includes lunch each day, all workshops, materials and the evening paranormal investigation. To register visit the Feathers web site: www.feathersmediums.co.uk  and go to Events - Retreats - Canadian Retreats - Penetanguishene. On this page you can make a deposit or payment option to ensure you have booked a spot.  

The weekend is action-packed and a good bang for your buck considering the many areas of mysticism you will be touching on.

“This year we have an all new workshop planned that we are very excited about. Starting with the basic foundations of working with spirit before opening the chakras and connecting to spirit guides,” said Dennison.

“During the weekend we will be working with earth energies, spirit guides, the angelic realms and ascended masters which should be a very enlightening and uplifting experience.  A journey into the third eye - which we call 'the vision quest’, is something that we are particularly looking forward to.”

Dennison and Furlong try to bring humour into their workshops, having fun in a practical way, as well as working on a spiritual and psychic level.

“Of course, no workshop would be complete without the ghost hunt and paranormal investigation we have planned for the Saturday evening.  The ladies at the Museum have already been experiencing extra activity around the building with apparitions being seen by a number of people,” said Dennison.

“We like to think that our resident ghost Charles Beck is getting rather excited about our forthcoming visit. People who attend our workshops say that they go away feeling richer in knowledge not only about the spiritual but also a greater understanding, about themselves.”

Jan Gadsdon - education/program director at the Centennial Museum, said she is looking forward to the upcoming event and hopes to see the registration jump for this year. The cost of the two day workshop has not increased in three years says Gadsdon, and offers a full agenda to people who are looking to “connect with themself and become more attuned with their own being”.

“People should not approach this with the idea they are visiting a haunted museum because they are coming for much more than that. Building the skill of being able to meditate is beneficial to your mental health and the work shop is a lot of fun,” said Gadsdon.

Past workshops have been very successful attracting people from as far away as Toronto, Parry Sound and Peterborough who travel to the area so they can take part. The knowledge gained through using computer generated aura photography, training your own eyes to read the aura of someone sitting across from you, finding your totem and past life regression are experiences you never forget. It is exercises like these that keep people coming back year after year while also stimulating the curiosity of the new participants.

“We have people registered who attended the first workshop who came with no experience at all,  have built on their own spirituality and are now connecting with the spirit world. Many of those registered have done the workshop for the past three years. We have all built friendships and keep in touch through social media,” said Gadsdon.

Jackie Dennison and Steve Furlong will also be doing some psychic readings. Please email Feathers Academy through the web site: www.feathersmediums.co.uk to inquire about this component which is NOT part of the workshop. Get to the Contact Form through the Home Page roll down. 

Predicting an interesting ‘Girls Night Out’ in support of Villagers

By Sharon Weatherall  

North Simcoe area women will be finding out their future in one of the most relaxing evenings yet.

‘We are the Villagers’ is hosting an exciting ‘Girls Night Out’ complete with a mix of psychic/tea cup readings and professional pampering.

According to Villagers co-founder Julianna Matyas, this is going to be an evening of interesting options.

“We are hoping for 80 participants who will be able to choose from eight packages that each include three services,” said Matyas.

“There are 26 people who are all donating their services and providing an item for the penny auction and door prizes. It should be a fun night.”

Girls Night Out will take place at the Library Restaurant on Sunday March 16^th beginning at 5 p.m. The cost is just $50 per ticket which includes three services, a complimentary beverage and hors d’oeuvres. Package 1 includes paraffin wax/hand massage; mini –manicure; and tarot card psychic reading. Package 2 includes a mini-manicure; head/neck/shoulders massage; and hair. Package 3 includes a foot massage; mini-pedicure; and tea cup psychic reading. Package 4 includes PRMF therapy session; reflexology foot massage; and Di-Cerot Block psychic reading. Package 5 includes Shamanic healing session; dream reader, intuitive Mari reading. Package 6 includes Indian head massage; hair; and Di-Cerot Block psychic reading. Package 7 includes mini-manicure; make-up session; and hair. Package 8 includes healing wraps; reflexology or brain gym; and Di-Cerot Block psychic reading.

To take part in this fun female evening contact Victoria at 705-331-9979 to purchase tickets and book your package.

Girls Night Out proceeds will go entirely to support We are the Villagers. The organization was developed to make a difference in the lives of children and since becoming a Canadian Registered Charity 18 months ago it has raised $110,000 through volunteer and community efforts. The Villager mission is to help families and their children participate in extracurricular activities of interest to them. Currently there are 150 children from the North Simcoe area and further registered in programs including sports, music, art, dance, gymnastics, horseback riding and more thanks to We Are The Villagers.

 “We sponsor children in need so that they may take part in these activities without being restricted by registration fees and equipment,” said Matyas.

“The list is growing. There are 184 applicants to date so we need money. It costs about $1000 per child per year - money is mainly raised through events we put on ourselves and 100 percent of that money goes towards sponsoring kids. We also get help from the community with groups and individuals raising and donating money towards the cause.”

Matyas says in the recent past $1800 was raised though Cedar Ridge Pops, $300 was raised by Yoga House in Penetanguishene, $1700 by Driven Athletics,  and a recent bonspiel involving the Mayor of Penetanguishene and award winning curler Glenn Howard raised $6000, just to name a few. The Tiny Township Lion’s Club donated $500 as well as many more community donors have supported the Villagers.

Already there’s a list of upcoming dates throughout the year to mark your calendar for with repeats on several very popular events. The 3rd Annual Fashion Show takes place on April 6 – an event presented by Cashmere Blue, Shoes to Boot and Kim’s Boutique. Tickets will be on sale next week.

The 2^nd Annual Pancake Breakfast will be taking place in Penetanguishene on April 27^th with details to follow soon. On May 18^th there will be another Murder Mystery Dinner at the Library Restaurant. On August 10^th there will be a second Pancake Breakfast in Penetanguishene and another Fashion Show takes place on October 5 at the Library Restaurant.  

Some exciting news involves a book that is going to be published by mid-summer which has to do with Villagers sharing.

“The book is filled with informational tips from other Villagers. We have been working on the book for months and now it is finally coming together. It contains everything from knowing how to brush you kids teeth to nutrition – knowing how to buy fruits and vegetables, what’s in season, how to shop on a budget, tips from the fire department and police, etc.,” said Matyas.

“The books are a fundraiser and will be on sale publically so that all Villagers families will get theirs free. By sharing this information we are trying to illustrate to Villager guardians to understand they know more than they thought they did – how to nurture the nurturers in order to really help the children. We hope to be launching the book at one of our upcoming events.”

Matyas says she is constantly amazed by what’s happening in the community because of We are the Villagers. It’s like a ball that keeps rolling and getting bigger in so many ways. Something that has impressed Matyas are the number of parents who have gone back to school to try and get better jobs to take care of their children in future. 

“I find it really heartwarming to see those parents taking the incentive to better themselves. We also see some of the grandparents of our kids trying to help with the costs because they are so thrilled to see them in programs – it is amazing to know we are impacting the family unit and not just the child,” said Matyas.

For more information visit www.wearethevillagers.com or call toll free at 1-855-528-5252. Or go on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WeAreTheVillagers and follow the children of the Village and the progress they are making.

How I Got to Know Rodin

By Sharon Weatherall

Can a newly launched new web site help to authenticate a 130 year old treasure? It will stir up some interest and that's one thing I am sure about.
 
Working on the Villeneuve Statue project has been a highlight in my life and something I am very passionate about. It has also helped me become incredibly knowledgeable about French Sculptor Auguste Rodin – famous for his renowned works ‘The Kiss’, ‘The Thinker’, ‘The Gates of Hell’ and many more exotic pieces. 

During the late 1800’s Rodin redesigned sculpture in his era and for future generations. His work demonstrates a crucial transition between the European academic art of the 18th and 19th centuries and the more conceptual early modern movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.   

The project consists of authenticating a rare bronze-over-plaster female believed by my partners and I, to have been created in Rodin Studio somewhere around 1880. At that time the open-minded Rodin was experimenting in a process called ‘Galvano Plastique’ - also known as ‘electroplating’. Our research has proven this was the exact process and materials used to create the Villeneuve Statue.

The one-third scale nude has been in Neville Hale’s family since 1886 when she came into the hands of his great grandfather, a London goldsmith named Theodore Villeneuve. He accepted the ornate figure as ‘payment of a debt’ and it has remained in the care of his descendants ever since - his great-grandson being the fourth custodian. Sadly Neville passed away in 2010 without seeing the project to completion however he died leaving the authentication process of his rare treasure in competent hands. John Bigelow (the fifth custodian of the statue) and myself, continue working towards this end. We recently completed and launched a web site: www.exiled-rodin.com to make our extensive research public.

The Villeneuve Statue project has been an exciting journey which has taken me to the far corners of the world including trips to Paris France and London England to follow the creative history of Rodin. The research has been very motivating and we now have an impressive photo collection of the master’s works. 

I am forever indebted to Neville who became a close friend and mentor during the near decade we spent working together on this project. It involved many hours of reading, computer writing, emailing letters and seeking out possible connections that would help us. For several years Neville and I got together weekly to compare notes, share new information and strategies. During my travels, we communicated daily through email.

Neville Hale and I met by chance at an antiques road show when I was working as a reporter/photographer. The sleek, black patina statue he was holding caught my eye. When he told me it was a family heirloom, I was interested in writing a story. At the time Neville had only begun his fated journey into the past. As for me, I had never seen anything so unique – her poise and beauty left me in awe.

My story made front page of a local newspaper and generated many comments, but it was nearly two years before I heard from Neville asking permission to use my picture in a book he had written entitled ‘The Rodin Quest’. When it was published Neville contacted me again to write a review for him and I agreed, more than pleased to be involved.

During that meeting I became intrigued by the statue’s history while Neville’s enthusiasm won me over. I wanted to know more. The research he had managed to gather on his family roots and about his “Little Rodin” made so much sense. Ironically the mysterious lady had stood in silence for over 120 years remaining well protected by her guardians. Boasting solid provenance in the Villeneuve family, Neville had also discovered the heirloom was made of materials used by Rodin Studio during the 1880’s and bore strong resemblance to Rodin works of that era. We both knew there was much more to her than met the eye – but proving it would be another story.

During the next six years I became the aging senior’s helping hands and legs in the project, and his wings by travelling abroad to collect information and photographs that expanded our research file and evidence. Meeting John Bigelow and his family, has been a highlight in this adventure and since Neville’s untimely demise, John and I have become dedicated to proving the origin of the Villeneuve Statue.

In dealing with the project over the years ‘our team’ experienced rejection, disappointment and dead ends in some cases, while other leads brought amazing results, fresh inspiration and new direction in helping us connect loose threads. Remaining optimistic, John and I continue to find strength and motivation in the endless research Neville compiled. His legacy speaks for itself and his quest has become ours. In our work we have touched on the intimate love affair between Rodin and his student Camille Claudel – a talented sculptor in her own right and the sorrowful challenges she endured.  Falling prey to his influence led to her ultimate destruction in career and life itself. There is a portion of the web site dedicated to this sad story and details about why we think the young model of the Villeneuve Statue was in fact Camille herself.

Our work is still not done. The goal of www.exiled-rodin.com  is to draw the attention of others who love the work of Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel. Web designer - Dalene Smith, has helped us to achieve this. We are revealing crucial information to try and gain support for this exclusive and believable story. In doing so, we hope to solve it. We want to hear from art experts, museum authorities and Rodin collectors, challenging them to share their views. Please enjoy the web site and share our passion to authenticate the Villeneuve Statue.  One way or another we’ll find out exactly who she is.

Signs from beyond may lead the way to Jake

By Sharon Weatherall

It’s been 15 years since Jake Just went missing and the ‘cold case’ investigation surrounding his disappearance remains in police files with few, if any new leads.

According to reputable psychics there are people alive today who know what happened to the 18 year old on the fateful night he did not come home. While information from psychic/medium sources cannot be used as evidence in a police investigation, after a decade and a half I do believe such details may be pieced together to help his mourning family find closure in a more ‘spiritual’ way. 

In the story that follows, I share some of the information willingly given to me by four mediums who have donated time and efforts toward solving this case and trying to make contact with Jake Just whom they believe died on the night he went missing. 

It was Devil’s Night October 30, 1998 when the Midland Ontario teen attended a party in the Sunnyside area of town which is densely wooded and marshy in some places. Leaving with his friend Steve Hayes sometime around midnight, the two separated on their way home. Steve preferred the street lights to guide him while Jake took a shortcut through the woods and was never seen again. Despite enormous efforts including police interviews of over 200 people, community searches, dredging of marsh areas, hefty rewards and ongoing police grid searches, no evidence as to what happened to the boy has surfaced to this day. 

During the past decade while working for the local newspaper I contacted family members, friends and police to do annual anniversary stories in hopes of stirring a memory or bringing forward new information from the public that might help find Jake. During that time I befriended Debbie Just – Jake’s mother, a lovely lady who lives each day with a burden of sorrow that no parent should have to experience. Her son has been missing now for 15 years and while life goes on, the pain of not knowing where he is remains.

One source of information has been constant. Initially Debbie received many calls from psychics and mediums sharing stressful accounts of what they felt had happened – in most Jake was dead and the details were too horrific for her to deal with. After a couple of years the calls began to slow down but they did not stop. Because Debbie did not want to turn down any information police continued to look into these calls and tips, going as far as to meet with some psychics in locations they thought may be related to Jake’s disappearance.

While she no longer deals directly with the calls Debbie has continued to keep an open mind and open heart when it comes to communications from beyond.

"Anything that will bring exposure to help solve the case and find out what happened to Jake I am 100 percent for it," said the anguished mother who has never given up hope that someone has information that could lead to finding her son.

Myself, I have to believe that Jake is reaching out from the other side to let us know what happened. He wants to ease his mothers’ pain and find closure for his family by trying to make contact through people with psychic gifts. Throughout my life I have always believed the spirit leaves the body upon death but does not necessarily leave this dimension – some are earthbound for whatever reason.

For Jake and his family, I keep writing anniversary stories containing new angles but mostly old information. This year is different and I hope this information points to new leads. In spring 2011, I believe Jake influenced my friendship with the ‘Rescue Mediums’ and he was foremost in my mind when I heard they were filming a segment of their show on site at the Centennial Museum & Archives in Penetanguishene. I asked the staff to arrange an interview for me with the popular television personalities and was given 15 minutes at the end of the last day of filming. I already knew my last question would not pertain to the Rescue Mediums’ museum visit but somehow I would find a way to ask about Jake Just.

On my way there I had to interview a local business man regarding an advertorial for the paper – he was to call and tell me where we’d meet. A tree cutter, he was busy overseeing a couple of crews and when the call came he asked me if I knew where a particular address was in ‘Sunnyside’ of Midland? The hair stood up on the back of my neck and I knew Jake was somehow giving me a sign. When I got to Sunnyside to meet my contact, his crew was cutting down a tree within eye-view of the house where Jake had attended the Devil’s Night party. Leaving Sunnyside a short while later, I felt strong intuition as I scanned the wooded area he had entered so many years before. I was suddenly hyped for my interview with two of televisions’ most renowned mediums.

Jackie Dennison and Alison Wynne-Ryder were as cheerful and welcoming in person as they were on TV. We had carried out the interview and taken a picture before I ventured to change the subject and ask about Jake. I told them a teen had gone missing 13 years prior – without a trace. “No one knows what happened to him,” I said.

To my surprise Jackie Dennison’s demeanor changed from smiling to serious. 

“There are two people who know what happened to him, Sharon …..a girl and a boy,” said Jackie.

As it turned out, police work was not new to Jackie Dennison who has been involved with criminal investigations in the past by sharing psychic tips and information received through meditative readings. In Northwich England she is head of ‘Feathers Academy of Clairvoyant Mediums and Holistic Therapies’ Cheshire. Jackie gave me her personal email to stay in touch.

It was like somebody pinched me. Not only was I hearing some potential new information but I was getting an open invitation for help. Filled with compassion for the Just family, Jackie and Alison said they would be "willing to help" in any way they could - they understood my need to do something positive for Jake's upcoming 13th anniversary story.

Later that summer using only two police pictures of Jake (one aged 18 and one age enhanced) mediums Jackie Dennison, Alison Wynne-Ryder and Anne Jones meditated on Jake. Their premonitions included rusty oil drums, water and trees, a wooden pier, a long wooden structure near the water, a missing chain, a significant badge or button, concrete and stone rubble – many items that could certainly be in the area or at any waterfront community in Southern Georgian Bay. Sketches of landmarks accompanied the meditation reports. Descriptions and sketches of specific females and males were given by Jackie and Alison, while the same names of several girls and boys were noted by all three women. Likewise all three felt a problem in the throat with choking, and confusion caused by a head injury when focusing on Jake. Two out of three felt that “vagrants” had taken the shoes off his feet.

The generous offer of psychic help has extended over the past two years with Jackie and fellow medium Steve Furlong, continuing the work together to find out what happened to Jake. The two gifted mediums have become committed using maps, dowsing with pendulums and other forms of techniques. They, along with an assistant - Edna Dargie, have even gone to the Sunnyside woods to retrace the steps Jake took on the night he went missing. That experience was not only exhilarating but informative. It was as if Jake were there speaking to them and guiding them along the path he took then eventually exited from. Both Jackie and Steve felt that Jake left the woods before he went missing and made it on foot to a nearby road where he was possibly struck by a vehicle – then taken from the area. This would make sense since his body could not be found and searches of the wooded area have turned up no clues. 

It is common knowledge Jake Just received a head injury at the party when kids were playing a game that involved hitting themselves in the head with beer bottles. Bleeding, Jake had asked for a ride and been turned down because the car had “no room”. Witnesses later said they did not think the injury was severe. Jake had also been drinking alcohol. Jackie Dennison and Steve Furlong both felt Jake was drunk and nauseated. When he was walking along the wood path – which was steep and rocky, they believe Jake may have fallen and injured his head a second time making him disoriented and unbalanced. Both mediums experienced a choking sensation as if Jake may have been drowning on his own vomit, blood or water. While in the woods Jackie and Steve felt strongly that Jake had definitely been there, and then left. There were premonitions of a low back truck (possibly red). When we were walking along the road after leaving the woods a red logo’ed truck passed slowly by which Jackie took as a sign from Jake. She felt a red truck may have had some significance in what happened.

In 2012 on the same weekend as Jackie Dennison and Steve Furlong walked through the Sunnyside woods, a meeting was arranged with Jake’s mother Debbie Just and she was asked to bring along some of Jake’s personal belongings. Using the objects as a connection to the spiritual world Jackie and Steve felt Jake in the room and said he was happy his mother was trying to make contact.

“Jake is excited and pleased. He doesn’t know where he is and he doesn’t care. He is in a place where he is helping others and has total connection with animals, people and children,” said Jackie.

“Jake is not bothered (about what happened to him) and loves to help people. He is working as a helper now guiding children from tragic circumstances and helping them to cross over - Jake has no fear of anything.” 

Debbie told the psychics “you are describing my son” - and related in conversation that Jake had always had "too much trust".

“I talk to Jake all the time and feel him with me,” said Debbie.

Jackie told her to continue talking to Jake as he was always close by.

Later Debbie Just said the experience while difficult, had given her a small feeling of closure to think that Jake was passed over but still near her. She says the information that has come forth through psychic meditations from the Rescue Mediums and Steve Furlong has stimulated “raw emotion” taking her back “physically and mentally” to the day Jake went missing and a feeling she had that someone knew where her son was.

“I have always felt that someone knows. When people do wrong they are always worried about the punishment – I have felt that punishment for 15 years and believe it is time to balance to books,” said Debbie.

“I just want someone to let me know  - even anonymously, where my son is and let our family move on. I am not taking it lightly when I say it doesn’t matter to me if they are punished because they have lived with this for 15 years too – that’s got to be hard. We just need closure.”

Debbie says it’s hard for her family to go to the cemetery to see a tree and a plaque while knowing Jake is not there.

“I don’t know where Jake is but my main concern is to find out where my son is! Whether what happened to him was intentional or not or if it was an accident, doesn’t matter now – I just want to know,” said Debbie.

“It has to come out sometime, somehow. It has been quite a few years since there has been a wakeup call like reading this blog brought to me and I think this is the year to make it loud and clear. People need to know that Jake has not gone away - we are still actively working on his case. They need a wakeup call to take them back to that day then maybe they’ll come forward and maybe we will find Jake.”

Jackie Dennison and Steve Furlong are committed to working on the case and meeting with Debbie again at some point in the future. Now that contact has been made with Jake, everyone wants to move forward and find out exactly what happened to him. I hope to be a part of that discovery and that hopefully the knowledge will help Debbie Just and her family find peace.