HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-09-27, Page 13THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012. PAGE 13.
Journey through the past
When the Blyth Christian Reformed Church celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this month,
several faces from the church’s past were in attendance to help mark the milestone. The
church’s pastors through the years were in Blyth for the special event, including the church’s
first pastor from 1962, Pastor Raymond Sikkema, second from left. From left: Chris Sikkema,
Pastor Raymond Sikkema, Pastor Adrean VanGeest, Jean VanGeest, Helen Klumpenhower,
Pastor Gary Klumpenhower, Hinke Quartel and Pastor Jack Quartel. (Vicky Bremner photo)
Drive Away Hungercampaign returns
Writer weighs in on local fire controversy
THE EDITOR,
BDO Canada LLP, in co-operation
with Farm Credit Canada, is proud to
support Drive Away Hunger, a
unique food drive concept that
focuses on fighting hunger in rural
Canada.
The first Drive Away Hunger tour
took place in 2004 when an FCC
employee drove an open-cab tractor
trailer around Ontario for eight days,
collecting almost 60,000 pounds of
food. The campaign has evolved
over the years and this year will take
place across the country from Sept.
24 to Oct. 19.
Farm Credit’s goal this year is to
raise two million pounds – one
million pounds of food and
$500,000 nationally. One dollar of
cash is equivalent to two pounds of
food for the weigh in. BDO’s goal is
to raise 350,000 pounds of food to
help less fortunate individuals
nationwide.
We encourage you to join us in the
Drive Away Hunger campaign
locally. Please bring food and/or
financial donations to our office at
47 Alfred Street West, Wingham,
between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Monday to Friday. As well, several
businesses and offices have agreed to
place collection containers at
their places of business for
non-perishable food donations
only so watch for those places
where you can leave your food
donations.
Food donations received in our
office will be divided between the
North Huron Food Share and the
Salvation Army Food Bank.
Cheques can be made to the food
bank of your choice and tax
deductible charitable donation
receipts will be issued for donations
of $10 or more. All donations stay in
our community.
Yours truly,
Partners of BDO Canada LLP
Local contact: Doris Taylor.
THE EDITOR,
Locally, we have an all-too-
common situation – neighbouring
municipalities at loggerheads over
the cost of services. What is needed
is a good dose of objectivity in
discussions between the
Municipalities of Morris-Turnberry
(MT) and North Huron (NH). While
dwelling on “cause” and “fault”
might be a gratuitous response for
some, the entire discussion is
invariably derailed by injurious
charges of past malfeasance. Throw
in a bit of inflammatory emotion and
it all goes up in smoke. Mission
defeated.
There is nothing to be gained and
much to be lost by the obstinate
refusal to examine a more equitable
alternative to the fire protection
issue. After listening to discussions,
it becomes clear that the tired
references to past failings of the
former “area fire board” say more
about personalities and process than
about potential and benefit. It’s not
that hard. Does the solution lie in
bad attitudes, or in open minds? Is it
surprising that MT (and others) want
input and equity in a fire protection
service when they fund about 50 per
cent of its budget? High costs
inevitably force the purchaser of
services to explore other options –
and they are out there.
Some have ill-advisedly accused
MT of “freeloading” on NH
services. Really? When MT users of
those services pay 1.5 times the
“local” rate after paying the costs of
connection? And then bring many
more dollars to main street NH? And
subsequently, is main street North
Huron comfortable with the NH
council’s openly adversarial attitude
toward their neighbouring
customers? Or is NH comfortable
with its growing image as a high-
cost centre? Further to the
discussion, why is it that the public
never hears about MT/NH
agreements that favour North
Huron? And is talk of amalgamation
not merely asking for transfusions
without first staunching a
hemorrhage?
In the absence of growth, raising
taxes and asking for more help from
neighbouring municipalities (of
limited population) will only put off
the inevitable day of reckoning.
Society has developed a large
appetite for the unaffordable. The
piper is now submitting his bill, here
and everywhere. Furthermore, our
community is paying the steep price
of growth-stunting, egocentric
decisions made as far back as many
can remember. Are we going to
continue down this path of self-
destruction, or can we adopt a long-
term outlook and develop a plan that
encourages growth? Since the
present obstacles block any progress,
can these two municipalities focus
on their respective long-term goals
and work back from there, forging
steps that will hopefully come
together on common ground?
It troubles me deeply that two
communities that are so
interdependent and complementary
cannot get past their differences.
Unfortunately for the ratepayers of
North Huron, they have the most to
lose in this squabble. This is a time
for strong, capable governance
instead of threats, bluster and
bravado. So rather than trying to
force a foot into the slipper that
doesn’t fit, it’s time to face reality
and work out justifiable agreements
with surrounding municipalities.
There must be compromise.
Morris-Turnberry shareholders
have vigorously demanded
accountability from their council and
given them a strong mandate to
engage in meaningful discussion
with NH to arrive at solutions to the
present issues. In view of the
blinkered approach taken by NH
council, have we have given them a
mission impossible?
Sincerely,
John Schwartzentruber, Brussels.THE EDITOR,
The North Huron Community
Food Share is need of donations
both of non-perishable food items as
well as monetary donations. As
usual over the summer our reserves
took a big hit. During the summer
months we don’t receive the same
amount of donations from
individuals, service clubs, churches,
schools and businesses that we enjoy
throughout the rest of the year.
At the Food Share’s year-end
meeting in late June, it was revealed
that the use of the Food Share had
increase by a staggering 17 per cent
over the previous year. This extra
demand on resources makes it
necessary to once again make a
public appeal.
Once again this fall we are
receiving donations of fresh produce
from the local community as well as
the Mennonite community. I would
be remiss if I didn’t mention the
wonderful garden that Ms. Emily
Beard (by herself) has behind Libro
and BDO. We are now picking fresh
produce every Tuesday evenings
(more help needed at 6:45 p.m.) to
take over to the Food Share in
preparation for the arrival of the
clients on Wednesday mornings. We
also receive some food once or twice
a month from the Food Distribution
Centre in Exeter. This distribution
centre started about three years ago
and serves all the 11 Food Banks in
Huron County. We are also in
discussion with some local pork
producers who would like to start
making monthly donations of pork
to this distribution centre. We hope
to have some more information on
this distribution centre on our new
website (see information below) in
the near future.
I would like to give you an
example of how many clients we
now service. In June this year we
served 108 households (296 people
served). In July this year we served
94 households (262 people).
However, August this year we served
an overwhelming 142 households
(404 people). These families each
receive about $135 per family of
four (larger families receive more)
so it is easy to see how fast we
go through our supplies. A few
years ago, it was the norm to
maybe have 25-30 families per
month. Not only are we needing
donations, we need volunteers to
help Wednesday mornings at the
Food Share, help pick-up donations
and help stock shelves. If you
would like to be part of our team
and have a rewarding experience
helping others, please contact
Joyce Johnston at the Food Share –
519-357-2277 ext. 4 or myself
Gord Kaster at gdkaster@bell.net or
519-357-4833.
I would like to welcome our three
newest directors to the board. Betty
Bateson and Doug Trenter, both of
Wingham as well as Anne McGlynn
of Wroxeter. I hope this is a
rewarding experience for them and
welcome their input. Also new this
year is our website, thanks to
numerous people (mentioned in
recent news articles) for their
donation of time and expertise.
We have an awesome website as
well as a new computer system
to track our clientele. Please check
us out at: www.nhfoodshare.ca
for all the information you need
about our mission, volunteering,
making donations, etc. or on
Facebook at:
www.facebook.com/NHFoodShare.
Once again, I would like to stress
that the North Huron Community
Food Share is operated entirely by
“non-paid” volunteers – every
donation you make goes directly to
the clients we serve.
Gord Kaster, Chairperson
North Huron Community Food
Share.
Subscribe to The Citizen
and have a monthly chance to
WIN A PIZZA
422 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4303
Once a month we will draw a
name of someone who has
renewed their subscription or
bought a new subscription toThe Citizen to win a GIFT CERTIFICATEfor a LARGE 4-ITEM PIZZA
from
REPRINTS
OF PHOTOS
taken by Citizen
photographers are
available to purchase.
ALL ARE IN COLOUR
4x6 - $4.00
5x7 - $5.00
8x10 - $8.00
Phone to order ~
519-523-4792
or 519-887-9114
North Huron Food Share
welcomes new directors
Read Rhea Hamilton Seeger’s
Gardening column
on the
Huron Home and Garden
Guide
section of our website
www.northhuron.on.ca
BUY? SELL? TRY CLASSIFIED
Letters to the Editor