HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2014-01-01, Page 44 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Seaforth
Expositor
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Canacri
editorial
Give United Way a break
OW Agency
Adecision by wind giant
NextEra Energy has
placed the United Way
of Canada into a difficult spot.
Florida -based NextEra is
suing wind activist Esther
Wrightman over altered Nex-
tEra logos that were posted
online. The energy company
says if it wins the lawsuit, any
damages it collects from the
Middlesex County woman will
be donated to the United Way.
United Way Canada - which
is in the business of accepting
and raising money that is sub-
sequently given to various
social agencies - has agreed to
accept the donation, but that
decision has ignited a firestorm
of controversy. Some people
are repulsed that the fund-rais-
ing agency would accept
money from a large corpora-
tion that is taking one of its
most vocal opponents to court.
And there are others who are
suggesting that the United Way
is just another member of the
corporate elite.
Whatever the case, there are
two things to remember here.
Firstly, the United Way's pri-
mary goal is to raise money,
and it accepts donations from
all types of people, all types of
businesses, and all types of
corporations. Those people,
those businesses and those
corporations make their
money doing all kinds of
things, and those activities
might not meet with the
approval of everyone in the
communities served by United
Way.
Secondly, what NextEra is
doing is hardly unique. Wind
energy companies in South-
western Ontario are working to
improve the perception the
public may hold of their
operations and how they make
a profit, and have agreed to
fund various projects and
activities. In Chatham, for
example, it was a wind energy
company that sponsored the
most recent Chatham Santa
Claus parade. And earlier this
year, the same company
agreed to help with some of the
cost of improvements to the
Chatham municipal airport.
What stings is NextEra's deci-
sion to donate its possible
court winnings to the United
Way. They've placed the fund-
raising agency into a difficult
spot, and in doing so, have
over -reached in their public
relations zeal.
The predicament is hardly
new. John D. Rockefeller,
reviled in his day for assem-
bling the largest and most prof-
itable corporation in human
history, responded in 1905 to a
missionary group's plea of
$100,000, but the money was
rejected by the group because
it was "tainted" by the business
practices of Standard Oil.
When the San Francisco
earthquake devastated that city
in 1906, Rockefeller sent large
sums of money to his manag-
ers in San Francisco to be used
at their discretion in providing
aid. One of the managers gave
a number of church pastors
bank orders of $150 each, but
coyly reminded each pastor
that the Rockefeller money was
"tainted?'
One pastor reportedly said:
"The taint wears off the
moment it passes from your
hands into ours."
Another said: "It's the motive
that makes money tainted or
not?'
A third: 'All money is
tainted."
And a fourth: "Tain't
enough?'
www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com
One more trip
around the sun
Another year
has come and
gone, and with
it memories
and experi-
ences that have
shaped who
we all have
grown to
become in
2013.
For me, a lot
of things have changed over
the past year. I graduated
from college, scored by first
job as a reporter - finally
being able to leave the won-
derful world of coffee retail
after eight years - and moved
to Huron County. I've met a
lot of wonderful people and
seen a lot of wonderful
things. I truly believe, beyond
a shadow of a doubt, the past
year has taught me a lot.
I learned change isn't such
a scary thing afterall.
I learned people can sur-
prise you, if you give them
the chance.
And I learned there is
more generocity and love in
the world then I had once
given it credit for.
Outside of my own per-
sonal bubble, the world has
gone through a lot of changes
this year as well.
Terrorism rocked the Bos-
ton Marathon and a typhoon
ravaged the Phillipines; a
royal baby was born and the
Pope even resigned. Not to
mention, Seaforth got its gro-
cery store back.
Column
Whitney South
Huron Expositor
We lost
great people,
and we
learned to
carry on.
Though not
everyday was
a great one,
they were
each just that
- a day. And
each day, no
matter how insignificant it
may seem, is a gift. A few
years ago, feeling time was
flying by too fast and need-
ing to find a way to look
back and what I had
accomplished throughout
the year, I was inspired to
keep a daily photo journal.
I take one photo, everyday
and post it online with the
date and a little caption
describing what I was upto.
It doesn't have to be clever
and it doesn't have to be
ironic, it just has to repre-
sent my day. After two
years, there's nothing I love
more than looking back at
my photos and remember-
ing each and every day -
each and every stolen
moment.
As we head into the new
year, we should all take the
time to look back back on
the good times and the bad.
At what has shaped and
inspired us.
Remember what made
this year special, as we all
get ready to enjoy one more
trip around the sun.
MAKE
ISH®
Canada
Because some wishes
can't wait for someday.
www.makeawish.ca 1-888-822-9474
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