By Gena Gibson
Era staff

As a small, rural township, Lanark Highlands rarely rates national exposure – but tonight (Tuesday), Rick Mercer will bring the township’s winter carnival to a Canada-wide stage.
Mercer plans to mention the Lanark Highlands Frosty Fling in his shoutout at the end of The Rick Mercer Report on CBC television. Mercer’s researchers search the Internet for interesting events happening in small towns across Canada for the segment at the end of the show, and this weekend’s carnival turned up in their search engines.
Organizer Judy Potter received a call last Friday from a researcher with the show, asking her about the carnival and saying that Mercer planned to do a shoutout tonight.
Mercer often pokes goodnatured fun at the events he highlights, leading some to wonder what he might choose from the Frosty Fling – lunch with Frosty? Around the World on a Dinner Plate? Crokinole? The skating carnival? The pancake-eating contest?
This weekend’s Frosty Fling has plenty of activities, beginning Thursday with regular shuffleboard, along with Wii games and euchre, at the Watson’s Corners Hall, and line dancing at St. Andrew’s United Church hall.
On Friday, young people from ages 11-19 can enjoy pizza and a movie at the Lanark Highlands Youth Centre, while MERA goes Around the World on a Dinner Plate at the Schoolhouse in McDonald’s Corners. A crokinole competition will also take place Friday night at the Middleville Community Centre, with the Old Time Talent Night at the Lanark Civitan Hall.
On Saturday, the day starts early with breakfast at the Lanark Legion, followed by lunch with Frosty at the Lanark Civitan Hall and a balloon show by B-Radical Balloons at 1 p.m. at the Civitan hall.
The doors open for the skating carnival at the Lanark arena at 5:30 p.m., with a free skate at 6:30 p.m. and costume judging, games and races at 7 p.m. Teens will take over the ice following the carnival for a dance on skates, with free pizza and drinks.
The Middleville Community Centre will host its regular euchre party on Saturday night as well.
On Sunday, a pancake brunch at the Civitan hall will segue into the now-annual pancake-eating contest, followed by outdoor games, horse-drawn wagon rides, tobogganing, a bonfire and snowmobile rides. Volunteers will also have hot chocolate and hot dogs available inside the hall for those who want to warm up before heading back outside for more winter fun.
The Tatlock Hall is the spot for a hymn sing at 2 p.m.

A joint effort between the Perth Police Service and the Lanark County OPP led to the arrest of three men in relation to two robberies, one in Carleton Place on Jan. 15 and the other in Perth on Jan. 16.
Officers from the Lanark County OPP investigated a robbery at a Carleton Place convenience store on the early morning of Sunday, Jan. 15. Officers responded to a 911 call at about 1:10 a.m. after two suspects had left the store with stolen property.
Witnesses got a good look at the culprits, with the first suspect described as a white man, 5'10” to 6' tall, medium build, wearing a black zipper-front hoodie, light-coloured T-shirt, flat-brimmed baseball cap, red-and-white mitts, blue jeans, white belt, white-and-black running shoes and a black bandana.
Witnesses described the second suspect as a white man, 5'7” to 5'9” tall, slim build, wearing a white pullover hoodie, black gloves, blue jeans and a black mask.
No one was injured in the incident.
Perth Police received the report of a robbery at MacEwen's Gas Bar on Wilson Street West at about 8:10 p.m. the next day, Jan. 16. A lone man entered the store demanding money, and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.
On Jan. 17, officers arrested two Carleton Place men, ages 21 and 19, and charged them each with two counts of robbery. A 17-year-old Carleton Place teenager was also charged with two counts of robbery.
No names were released to protect the identity of the teenaged boy. All were held in custody pending a bail hearing in Perth provincial court last week.