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18 - The Canadian Champion, Frlday, Auguste6, 1999 As October inches doser, the Milton Rotary Festival of the Arts, sponsored by Milton Rotary, Aria Milton and the Milton Champion, is continuing to take shape. Jacqueline Smith, wbo was prof iled in the Champion recently, has applied to bring her award winning highland dancing to -the Festival. Jacqueline is a two time Adult World Champion and she is the only dancer to win the prestigious award outside of Scotiand - twice. She has taught býIgband dancing at ber studios in Tbornbili and Milton. A Capella Showcase is also entered to perform ai the upcoming Festival. Judy Comeau founded the group in 1996, and since then tbey have won international contests and attracted new members. Tbey now have women from ail age groups ranging from 22 to 83. They have been designated Area Tbree in the umbreila group Harmony Inc., witb 2,000 members in North Amnerica. A Capella bas a varied repertoire, wbicb includes barbersbop favorites as weli as Beach Boys and Patsy Clime music. They welcome new members. Any woman wbo can carry a tune is invited to join them. Their rebearsals are heid every Monday night at Milton Alliance Cburcb at 7:30. Aside from making beautiful music, this group bas fund raising events for the Autism Society. ,,lt is very satisfying to know that you are helping people and at the same time having the lime of your life," commented Hilary Flynn, Communications Director for A Cappella. The group has activities ail year round, from their summer concert to their Christmas Carolling. They will be performing at the Milton Farmers Market on August 21 and September 25. As part of their fund raising effort at the Market, they wili be offering baked goods and wiil even sing happy birthday to you. You can also buy their happy birthday tape. Kim DeBruyn is a mixed media artist. She bas ber studio in Glen Williams and lives in Milton. H-er educational background includes collagrapb printing, stained glass, glass blowing. computer drawing, fine arts and the school of Crafts and Design. Her work bas prepared ber 10 produce coilagrapb printmaking/painting and large leaded glass pieces. Her work contrasts dramatically textured black and white coliagrapb prints against emotionally cbarged and colourful oil paintings and drawings. Kim bas exbibited ber art from Milton 10 the Art Gallery of Hamilton. She is a member of the Arlists in Stained Glass and she gives private and group lessons at the Williams Miii Creative Arts Studio. As well, ber work is featured in many private collections. Her work will be juried and we may bave the pleasure of seeing ber work at the Festival. In the next few weeks i will bigbligbt even more of the wonderful artists, artisans and performers that this community wili see ai tbe Festival. Fax your Letters to the Editor to 878- 4943. Use the saine number for Dateline and sports items. Author proposes new theories to shed light on ancient. mysteries By IRENE GENTLE The Champion Man through the ages has been haunted by the quest for the Holy Grail. So it only seemas appropriate that Mann should devote a decade or so to it as welI. That would be Bill Mann, an Oakville resident, planner at of the newly published 'histori- cal chronicle Labyrinth of the Grail. He has spent about eight years penning the 250-page epic that is a smorgasibord of religion, philosophy, art and mathematica. He reins ail these elements in to tackle the notion of history itself. Oh, and on the way, he chal- lenges the meaning of theHoIy *Eki~ WITAP Charley's got it goin' on! Big Screen &13 TV's Play NTN, QBI, or with Satellite en)oy our five Pool to Catch aillTbe the Games à Every Tuesday 25< wings after Spm! Charley's serves -it ail, Burgers, Sandwiches, Failas, Steaks, Pastas, & don't forget our famous Blue Plate Specials! Long considered to be a chaI- ice or material treasure, Mr. Mann contends that the grail is actually knowledge. But others have had different ideas. His story begins with a heretic theory advanced by the Knights Templar in the 1Ilth century, shortiy before the first bloody Crusade. It claimed that a marriage between Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene had created at lest one child. That progeny was the holy bloodline, or, in other words, the living, breathing hoiy grail. A commitment to protecting the grail took the Templar's far afld from Europe. As far, contended Mr. Mann, as Nova Scotia. Long before Columbus stum- bled onto thse Americas, the Knights Templar had anived to set up their own 'heaven on earth,' he suggests. He also wonders if the Templar take on the meaning of the grail had actually been a ruse. "For those people who get hung up on the holy bloodiine, they can't see what the grail really stands for," said Mr. Mann. "'lo me the real activity was the perpetuation of hidden knowledge." Geometry, in particular. it was geometry that allowed the knights to establîsh longi- tude before it was commonly known, said Mr. Mann. "That would have been pure were able to travel to Nova Scotia because they had accu- rate enough mapa." Once there, they would have discovered another reason to keep.the Templar knowledge concealed. "On a non-esoteric level, if you had an unlimited source of minerais and gold, you'd keep it secret, too," said Mr. Mann. While flot completely sold on the idea of a holy bloodline, he bas become convinced that ancestry plays a part in the for- mation of a person's unique persoisality. T'he Marins, as it happens, are steeped in Masonic and miii- tary history. And it was being shown a Masonic ring as a young teenager that ultimately led to this book, said Mr. Mann. The simplified version la this - by putting the design of a Masonic ring on a map, Mr. Mann was able to pifipoint where he believed the Templar 'heaven on earth' stood. Having discovered it in theo- ry, he sallied forth to check it out in reality. Even to bis own surprise, tihe spot held muina. So far, it is anyone's guesa if they are proof that the Knights Templar had once set up shop in Canada. But Mr. Mann is lesa interest- ed in providing answers than he is in asking the questions. "I'm not saying that this is -smm RIDDLE on page 19 .10 Located beside Crowne Hill Pub House Grill (Fn rmerly Belamnys) AUGUST 6 "Larry' s Country Musîc"s SUND AV AUGUST 7th Appearrng Live 3MEN&A DRUM MACHINE 3pm - Spm Vis#t MiIton's Nowest Concept Crowne Hill Pub Ilouse Grill formerly Belamy's 575 Ontario St. (at Derry) 876-1186