WHITEWATER REGION (Beachburg) — Passionate about people and the outdoors, married into a multi-generational family farm, and a father of three, a Beachburg man is hoping to be a councillor for the Township of Whitewater Region.
Jim Butterworth and wife Angela (Stone) moved to Whitewater Region five years ago, after living in Laurentian Valley and Bonnechere Valley townships. Mr. Butterworth grew up in Kitchener but his wife grew up in Micksburg. Living for two years in Haley Station, the couple have settled into a home in Beachburg for the past three years.
Mr. Butterworth’s main job is being a stay-at-home dad to the couple’s three children – Ava, 5; Shayne, 3; and Nathan, 2.
“I go to Toybus, library, I’m the crazy dad who bikes around with three kids, one in the backpack and two in the trailer,” he said.
He teaches wilderness medicine through Canadian Wilderness Medicine, which means travelling throughout the country and teaching for various organizations, including Environment Canada, Algonquin Park, Transportation Safety Board, doctors and scientists.
When he’s needed, he helps out on the Stone farms in Micksburg and Cobden.
Raising the next generation of Whitewater residents, Mr. Butterworth said, “Whitewater is an incredible place, which is why we chose to live here. The community has been very kind to us.
“I want to see that it continues to be the incredible place.”
He wants to be a strong voice for the community bringing ideas to the table, but, he also wants to listen to the people.
“I may be very passionate, but I can put myself in a lot of people’s shoes because of the multitude of jobs I’ve had,” he said.
Mr. Butterworth believes there are three areas of importance in the township that can be lumped into one: tourism, recreation and farming. All three have something in common, and that is ensuring people remain healthy, he said.
“Overall the region is doing well,” he said. “We’re focusing on tourism, recreation and farming. Whenever I looked at politicians from years past, spoken to neighbour Jim Labow and Art Jamieson, I’ve come to realize that everything in those three areas have something in common, they are preventative therapy, whether it’s recreation or tourism or farming, we’re trying to help people have a good life.”
If the people in the community are healthy, and that can be achieved in various ways, then you can have a great community, Mr. Butterworth said.
“Going to the brewery is healthy in a way, it lets off steam, or going to the fair, or hockey, you get to talk to people and have fun, so meld it all together,” he said. “Healthy people have a better quality of life.”
Mr. Butterworth realizes there are issues facing the municipality, and is a staunch believer that “If you don’t stand for something, you stand for nothing.”
He stands for healthy people.
“If you have healthy people in your community, tourism increases, because it means you are bringing in healthier options for everyone, which increases tourism, recreation and immigration,” Mr. Butterworth said. “People are coming to Whitewater because they realize this is the place to be. If you want to feel great, in touch with nature, this is where you are going to find the chiros, therapists, farmers, and whoever else is providing something that is helping us in our health.
“We have a lot of folks who have a common goal,” he continued, “we want to live longer, we want to live healthier lives.”
Mr. Butterworth also realizes that the history of the area is important, so along with talking to people, he’s been reading books about the township and minutes from past meetings.
“History plays a key role,” he said. “Some people may look at it as a weakness that I’ve only been here five years and not multi-generational, but I’m the guy who will work hard to learn what I need to learn, reading whatever I need to read. I don’t assume things.
“Either I ask the right person, or I read, but asking is a lot more fun,” he said.
Mr. Butterworth said while he has three children, he’s used to juggling life around, so being a councillor is just one more thing to juggle.
He also stressed, “I have family support.”
While the children hang out with him 90 percent of the time, there are times when extended family helps out. During the summer months, Angela doesn’t work so is around more, but during the school year, she’s busy during the day as a teacher.
Mr. Butterworth knows it will be difficult to get out and meet everyone, so he’s using social media. For those wishing to meet him through facebook chats, he will be online each Thursday in September from 8:15 to 9:30 p.m. Look for Jim Butterworth For Whitewater council live event.
There will be three facebook chats with a focus on who is Jim and an opportunity to chat. These dates are Friday, Aug. 31, Thursday, Sept. 13 and Thursday, Sept. 27.
The chat on Thursday, Sept. 6 will focus on tourism; Sept. 20 is recreation and preventive health care; Thursday, Oct. 4 starts at 8 p.m. and the focus is why vote for Jim Butterworth.
“If you don’t like Facebook I would love to meet you,” he said. “I will be walking around Whitewater Region and visiting during the week.
“I’ll be the guy with a giant backpack on with a kid in it,” he said with a chuckle, adding, “I’m a big, friendly giant, come up and talk to me.”
