WINGNUTS ANYONE?

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Date Posted: 03/02/2017

Persephone Township is more than just the fictional home to Walt Wingfield, Maggie, Freddie, Jimmy, Don and the Squire. It’s a huge part of who we are in Dufferin County, our local history and our rural sense of humour. After all, we like to take credit for inspiring Dan Needles’ true to life characters based on his days living in Rosemont and editing the Shelburne Free Press & Economist.

Now a local entrepreneur is tapping into the same source to inspire her local t-shirt company, Local Tees. Jeanette McFarlane has deep roots in the County. In the 1880s her great-grandfather Alexander McFarlane established the family farm just west of Shelburne on Highway 89. He raised cattle, swine, and seven kids and helped build the church in Keldon. Jeanette’s grandfather Earl built his farm beside her great-grandfather’s, and that’s where her own dad was born and raised.

Local Tees was born when a visitor wanted a t-shirt that represented “here”.

“That night I designed the Mulmur shirt: the green was a nod to our Irish settlers who first came to this area. The deer represents the wildlife and natural beauty, done in a way that connects us to our agricultural history. Then I thought…what about the other Townships and went to the Museum to do some research….the rest as they say is ‘local’ history.”

The idea behind Local Tees says Jeanette is simple: to share stories and connect people to places. “Our shirts are based on our Roots and Routes: the places we are from and the roads that take us there. Every place has a story...”

In this case, Jeanette has created a limited-edition, Dan Needles-approved t-shirt especially for Theatre Orangeville’s run of Wingfield’s Progress. They’re available at performances or during regular box office hours, Feb. 2-19. Cost is $25 cash, black only, and a portion of the sales helps fund future Theatre Orangeville productions. It’s a great deal for hardcore Wingfield fans.

What else could they be called, but Wingnuts?

-Bernadette