🔔 Feeling Charitable This Week?

👋 This Week in NOTL

Here’s what we’re covering:

🌍 Charity & Non-Profit Roundup – Recap of Charities and non-profits in NOTL

💞 Couples Retreat – Grace Cirocco’s Grace Fix weekend intensive

🍦 Avondale Dairy Bar – a Niagara classic for ice cream

🗽 Brock Monument - Closing for restoration efforts this Fall

🎨 Artspace 106 – spotlight on a creative hub in town

Let’s get into it!

Charities

It’s been a busy stretch in town, and we’ve also seen a few charities kicking into gear recently. From golf tournaments to bike rides to community advocacy, here’s a quick look at some of the good work happening close to home.

• Join FIDA-PCH on September 17th at Trevor Falk Farm for When Small is Beautiful II, an evening of food, music, and comedy raising funds to empower Haitian farmers.

• Yesterday, the 25th Annual Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Classic teed off at Royal Niagara Golf Club, raising funds to support local community programs while marking 25 years of giving back through sport.

• The Niagara-on-the-Lake Residents Association works to protect the town’s character and future by advocating for well-being, sustainability, and resident voices in local decision-making.

• On September 14th, the Big Move Cancer Ride at White Meadows Farms saw riders take to the roads of Pelham, raising vital funds for the Walker Family Cancer Centre and supporting local cancer care.

✨ Christmas Gala Under the Rafters

The May Court Club of St. Catharines has been serving the Niagara Region since 1935, raising funds and providing volunteers for community organizations. With a focus on supporting women and children — especially in areas of nutrition, mental health, and family well-being — the Club distributes grants annually to local non-profits making a difference close to home.

This fall, they’re inviting the community to their Christmas Gala Under the Rafters on Saturday, November 29th, 2025, hosted at the stunning Stonewall Estate Winery in Lincoln. Proceeds from the evening will directly support these vital initiatives across Niagara.

Highlights of the night include:

• 🍽️ Four-course dinner with canapés, cocktails, wine & beer

• 🎻 Pre-dinner music by violinist Miriam Cacciacarro

• 🎶 After-dinner dancing with DJ Brittany Rose, Sound of Services

• 🎁 Silent auction packed with unique items and experiences

• 💌 $100 charitable tax receipt with each ticket

Tickets are $225 per person and available online through the May Court Club’s event page.

Events

💞 The Grace Fix Couples Retreat

Looking to reconnect, reset, or simply strengthen your relationship? Niagara’s own Grace Cirocco, acclaimed author of Take the Step, the Bridge Will Be There, hosts a powerful weekend marriage therapy retreat designed to help couples heal old wounds, master communication, and reignite emotional connection.

Open to couples of all ages and backgrounds, the Grace Fix Couples Retreat combines guided exercises, deep conversations, and practical tools to help partners grow together. The weekend intensive runs from Friday evening through Sunday, offering a safe, structured space to rebuild intimacy and strengthen bonds.

Highlights include:

• 💬 Workshops on communication & conflict resolution

• 💖 Tools for emotional healing and reconnection

• 📖 Teaching from Grace Cirocco, relationship expert and author

• 🏡 A full weekend retreat setting, with special perks for early registrants

For details and registration, visit Grace Cirocco’s website.

Food & Drinks

🍦A Sweet Stop at Avondale Dairy Bar

Before the fall chill really sets in, there’s still time to enjoy a cone (or two) at Avondale Dairy Bar. A Niagara tradition since 1955, this family-run spot is famous for its homemade ice cream, made fresh on-site with milk from local farms.

• 40+ rotating flavours, from classics like chocolate and vanilla to seasonal favourites

• Sundaes, milkshakes, banana splits, and more

• Picnic tables and farm views to savour every scoop outdoors

As cooler days roll in, a stop at Avondale Dairy Bar is the perfect way to enjoy one last sweet taste of summer.

Local News

🗽 Brock Monument Closing This Fall

Brock’s Monument at Queenston Heights will close this fall for a $1.1 million restoration by Parks Canada. Built in 1856 to honour Major General Sir Isaac Brock, the 56-metre column now requires urgent masonry repairs to stabilize the structure, address safety risks, and ensure its preservation through spring 2026.

• The restoration includes comprehensive masonry work inside and out.

• Safety improvements will secure visitor access for future generations.

• The grounds at Queenston Heights will remain open during construction.

The site remains one of Niagara Parks’ most visited heritage attractions, offering sweeping views of the Niagara River and trails across the Niagara Escarpment. For additional background on the restoration plans, you can read this article released by Niagara This Week.

Art

Discover Local Creativity at ArtSpace 106

Tucked along Queen Street, ArtSpace 106 has become a hub for creativity in Old Town, showcasing Niagara artists through rotating exhibitions of painting, ceramics, photography, and mixed media. Each visit offers a fresh look at the talent shaping the region’s arts scene, all in a welcoming, community-driven space.

• Regularly changing exhibits featuring local and regional artists

• A mix of styles: painting, photography, sculpture, and more

• Opportunities to meet artists and learn about their creative process

Whether you’re strolling through Old Town for the afternoon or planning a dedicated gallery visit, ArtSpace 106 is a must-stop for anyone looking to experience Niagara’s art culture up close.

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