July 3, 2025

LAST LEG OF JOURNEY NEARLY DID IN KEN ADAMS AT BROWN BAG REUNION THIS AFTERNOON

GRAVENHURST — Ken Adams took a three-hour drive from Welland to Gravenhurst to meet his brother, Ron, at the Brown Bag Reunion.

But it was the last leg of his journey that nearly did him in this afternoon.

With his faithful dog Jersey as his co-pilot he barely got out from behind the wheel and was pushing his walker into Gull Lake Rotary Park when he took a tumble when it ironically collapsed. Landing the 82-year-old temporarily on his keister.

When Ron and several people rushed to his aid, including Pete Davidson — now of Toronto — who co-ordinated his resurrection.

Ken Adams gets some help from Good Samaritans Pete Davidson, Jane Templeton and his brother Ron after the Welland resident’s walker fell apart as he was making his way into the park for to today’s reunion. PHOTOS Mark Clairmont

The Davidsons and Adams’s were neighbours in the Wartime Houses.

So Pete was surprised when he realized just who he was picking up along with other Good Samaritans.

Ken Adams lost his leg foot 65 years ago when he was run over by a train on nearby First Street.

Pete was barely old enough to remember that but over the years learned of the tragic story that eventually cost Ken most of his full leg through various surgeries. And became part of the local lore.

Despite the irony of a sheered off walker limb, he remains with a good sense of humour after a career as a manufacturing engineer involving robotics.

Eventually he was able to make it the final few metres thanks to organizer Jane Templeton who quickly arranged for a replacement walker from the Scout Hall where there’s a local depository of associated aids in a kind of lending library in their basement.

A kids camp worker came over to offer him first aid including a Band-Aid for his deeply scarred right elbow.

Other than that he survived – something he knows a lot about living.

Just another story with a happy ending like many shared among old friends who grew up and went to school in Gravenhurst.

There were many good natured tales as everyone caught up.

**Doug Sympkins sported a swag Taylor Swift t-shirt he won at her concert this year in Toronto.**

Doug Sympkins was wearing a Taylor Swift t-shirt he got when he won “great” tickets to her recent concert in Toronto where he and his wife live in a $900 waterfront neighbourhood apartment near the near Rogers Centre.

Compare that to Gerry Smith’s $10,000 US a month condo the Anglican priest just gave up in Bermuda. He’s just back a month ago after retiring for the third time, which he hopes will be the “charm.” Though he’ll find out late this fall whether he’ll be fully retired at age 74.

He, too, was with his brother Rick and his wife Sherry (nee Bandy).

They live in Aurora and were also just at the Rogers Centre Sunday for a Jays game, where it only cost them “$10 return” to go into the city. Normally it’s even only $18 for seniors.

Their friend Tim Montgomery, of Oshawa, whose wife Bev (Budgeon) died four months ago, said he’s working on her gravesite memorial, which will have a comb and pair of scissors embedded on the headstone along with a Toronto Maple Leafs logo for him when he passes on — hopefully not before his Leafs win the Cup again.

He’s a big Buds fan, having worked at Maple Gardens a host in box owned by GM Bill Waters.

**Tim Montgomery, second left, is always at the heart of any party with long-time Gravenhurst friends.**

It wasn’t hard to find a good story to tell from the annual noon hour friendly gathering of about 40 attendees.

With smiles all around — and helpful name tags to prompt old memories — it was the kind of summer outing many cherish with opportunities to reminisce about the “good ol’ days.”

A few photos brought along made all those years past fade in to happy talk.

“It’s like we were kids again,” many said.

And at least one trip down memory lane Ken Adams won’t soon forget.