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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2009-03-12, Page 20The board of directors of RuralResponse for Healthy Children(RRHC) has announced that DougRuhl has joined the team in theposition of ParentEducation/Support Worker-Father Involvement. Ruhl holds a social service worker diploma from Fanshawe College and brings a wealth of experience to the team at RRHC. He has worked in the social services field since the mid- 1960s. “Children are in my heart. Withmy overall experience, I’m hoping Ican be of assistance to them, theirfathers and their families,” statesRuhl.Married with two children, Ruhl willingly shares the fact that he chose to role reverse with his wife to stay at home with his young children while his wife returned to work for a year. “We welcome Ruhl to the Parent Education/Support Team at Rural Response for Healthy Children.Being a responsive community isimperative for children and familiesin rural areas. Ensuring that fathersare included in our program reflectsour holistic, inclusive approach to support families,” emphasizes Dorothy Beuermann, program manager at RRHC. “The Ontario Trillium Foundation has made it possible for RRHC to develop, implement and evaluate our Rural Father Involvement Project. Doug reinforces and continues thework RRHC started one year agowith the OTF funding that reachesout to rural families, fathers andmale caregivers who are managingchallenges in their lives.” Rural Response for Healthy Children has been recognized as a leader in father involvement in Southwestern Ontario by the Father Involvement Initiative of Ontario (FII-ON) and has once again been asked to host the Father Involvement regional workshop onMarch 23 at the OMAFRA office inClinton.“The Father Involvement Initiativeof Ontario (FII-ON) has beenparticularly helpful in providing some of the tools and incentives we have access to. The Father Involvement Research Alliance (FIRA) has also played a huge role in sharing their ongoing research in this important area of parenting,” states Beuermann. PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2009. Students at Shakespeare Public School in Stratford – led by Grade 6 teacher Richard Saunders – have big dreams of turning their building into small-scale generator of electricity. And they’re willing to take their message to all levels of government in order to turn those dreams into reality. As a follow-up to an earlier presentation to Stratford city council, a group of the Grade 6 class’s most skilled public speakers brought the message to the Avon Maitland District School Board on Tuesday, Feb. 24. “Partner with us in promoting this idea,” one student urged trustees. According to Saunders, inspiration for the “green energy” plan came from his attendance last year at a presentation by international aid activist Marc Kielberger, as part of an Avon Maitland professional development day. Kielberger and his brother Craig have been promoting what they call “Me to We,” through which young people can be inspired to take action to help others. After researching alternative energy generation and seeking advice from companies in Kitchener and London, the students settled on the notion of building an “array” of solar panels on the school. The local electricity distribution agency, Festival Hydro, agreed to play its part in accepting excess power onto the grid once the project is up and running. “Maybe Stratford could be a great place for great theatre, a great place for graphic arts (a reference to a recent announcement that the University of Waterloo will establish a new campus in the Perth County city), and also a great place to generate green energy,” one student commented. Some of the finances would come through fundraising. (“They’ve actually started breaking their own piggy banks a little bit,” Saunders chuckled, “and we’ve got $22 so far.”) But the group hopes to see the bulk of the projected $100,000 cost coming in the form of grants or loans from the three levels of government. The loans would be paid back as the 10 kilowatt solar array, over the years, generates not only electricity but also income due to excess power. In addition, one student remarked, “other schools could some to Shakespeare school and learn about energy conservation and generation.” One student read from a letter from Perth-Wellington MP Gary Schellenberger in support of the project, quoting: “this project is an excellent opportunity for our government.”And a letter from MPP John Wilkinson to provincial Environment Minister John Garretson predicted, “I know you’ll be as inspired by these children as I am.” Speaking later in the school board meeting, when the idea of a letter of support was brought before trustees, Stratford representative Doug Pratley said, “I think we need to support these young people, especially when the students are showing the initiative by trying to raise the money themselves. South Huron trustee Randy Wagler, meanwhile, suggested the board – despite facing strict controls over how it spends money – could cover the annual maintenance costs. Citing concerns that the group had not yet brought forward a proper business plan, however, trustees decided to wait until further information could be gathered by Avon Maitland staff before a full commitment in the form of a letter. “They may think we’re delaying but we’re not delaying,”Wagler said. “It’s just that we need to get the right information so we can get the strongest possible letter of support to them.” Social worker joins Rural Response team Business Directory D & J CONSTRUCTION Jim McDonald 519-887-9607 - COMPLETE MECHANICAL SERVICE - COMPUTERIZED TUNE-UPS - TIRES - BRAKES MUFFLERS - VEHICLE INSPECTION STATION DAN'S AUTO REPAIR Owned and Operated by Dan & Heather Snell RR 3, Blyth, Ont. N0M 1H0 (on the Westfield Rd.) 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Excavators, Bobcats, Dozers, Trucking, etc. COMPLETE EXCAVATING CONTRACTOR Derrick VanDriel 519-522-0609 • Gravel • Sand • Stone JAMES BROWN PHARMACY 198 Josephine St., Wingham, Ont. 519-357-1629 Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9 - 6 Sat. 9 - 4 Rear Parking Available Delivery available Benjamin Moore The Colour Experts 148 Wallace Ave. N.,LISTOWEL Phone: 519-291-5715 Town & Country Decorating Come in and see us • Draperies and blinds • In-stock wallpaper • Wallpaper book orders • In-home consultation also available Heartland Realty Independently Owned & Operated, Brokerage For all your Real Estate needs call salesperson Don Allen 519-523-9125 (H) www.rlpheartland.ca INSTANT FAX AS FAST AS A PHONE Send your paperwork by FAX instantly! eg. statements, contracts, auction ads, favourite recipes, obituaries, messages... The Citizen has a FAX machine in our Blyth office that lets you contact any other FAX machine in the world ... instantly. Our FAX number is also your number so if you want to be reached instantly — we will receive your messages as well. The Citizen Call Us Today For Details 519-523-4792 Fax: 519-523-9140 Shakespeare PS students have big dreams By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen HOW DOES ASTHMA AFFECT PEOPLE? • Sixty per cent of individuals with asthma have symptoms that are poorly controlled, which can often restrict their daily activities • Thirty-nine per cent of individuals report limitation in their physical activity due to asthma • Twenty per cent report absenteeism from school, work or social engagements due to asthma • In Canada, there are approximately 10 deaths from asthma per week; however, it is estimated that more than 80 per cent of asthma deaths can be prevented with proper asthma education and management