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The Citizen, 2009-09-10, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2009. Brianne Wheeler of Brussels spent two weeks of her summer vacation lending a hand at an orphanage in Kenya. Through a grant she received through her high school in New Hampshire, Wheeler was able to name a trip she would like to take in order to do some good in the world. While in Kenya, Wheeler worked at Great Mercy Orphanage, teaching English and math as well as helping take care of the children during non-school days. She was there over a week of vacation for many of the children. There were some, however, who had no family to return to, who stayed for the week and spent more time with Wheeler. “When I first showed up to the orphanage, there were all of these little hands reaching up to greet me and before I knew it, they were holding my hand while I was taking the tour,” she said. Wheeler made it to Kenya just intime for exams, which she said wasinteresting. She says she enjoyedseeing how the students prepare fortheir exams.She wasn’t alone during this trip, however, as three other students were there helping out. One student, with whom Wheeler really connected, was from England. It was, however, the teaching that Wheeler found most interesting. She is still in high school, and initially wasn’t considering a career in teaching, but after this experience, she says it’s something that she would definitely consider. "I have no background in teaching, so I just taught like I had been taught throughout my schooling,” she said. “It was different though, their methods are different there.” She said she didn’t have any problems with the students though, that they were attentive and eager to learn from her. She also said they loved to play games and they loved to have their picture taken. “The students were very attentive and very competitive in a way,” she said. “They all wanted to answer questions and they all wanted to get them right.” On occasion, however, Wheeler said she found her new teaching position strange. In some classrooms, she was teaching girls who were as old as 17, just a few years younger than she. It was with her friend from England, however, that Wheeler was able to explore Kenya on her own and branch out further than the orphanage would allow. When they would travel into town, they would use a internet café, or spend time with the locals. Wheeler said that the locals were all very friendly. They got looks, she said, because they clearly weren’t from the area, but she said they could spend most of their time shaking hands and greeting peopleon their way into town.It was a meeting the volunteershad with some of the older girls atthe orphanage, however, that left alasting impression on Wheeler. She said that she loved hearing the girls’ stories and that it really made her appreciate the life she has here in Canada a lot more after hearing them. “There was a 15-year-old girl who was at the orphanage because she was promised to be married and she ran away,” she said. “Her older sister was in an arranged marriage and it wasn’t going well, so she just left.” Wheeler is currently touring universities in the U.S., and thinking of attending a psychology program. She says this visit to Kenya, however, has opened her eyes to the rest of the world. She says that she would love to go back one day, but that in thinking about helping children, there are several other countries who have children who need help, including Canada. The trip has inspired her to look into helping youth in Canada or working with some children affected by HIV and AIDS and to possibly consider more travel in the near future. Wheeler said that she was supported on the trip largely by her parents and grandparents as well as the Brussels Lions Club and the Brussels Optimists. Local lends a hand at Kenyan orphanage Puzzling Brianne Wheeler, of Brussels, spent most of her time in Kenya last month with the children of Great Mercy Orphanage. She spent time teaching math and English as well as helping the children complete some puzzles, which she brought with her from Canada. (Photo submitted) Huron East council has gone against Huron County planner Carol Leeming and its official plan in defending a severance application by one of the municipality’s residents. In a recorded vote, council voted 8-4 against following their official plan to allow the severance of a home from surplus agricultural land. The owner wants to sell the home currently on the land to its current occupants, the landowner’s tenants. In going against the municipality’s official plan, councillor Les Falconer suggested that perhaps it was time to re-evaluate the official plan, something that was done just last year. Deputy-mayor Bernie MacLellan, who voted to deny the severance, said that Huron East is one of the most progressive municipalities in Huron County when it comes to severances and he didn’t want to start making exceptions to the municipality’s rules. Councillor Larry McGrath went against the recommendation of Leeming, saying that it’s homes that earn Huron East its tax base, not land. “Not everyone wants to live right in town,” he said. In going against the recommendation of Leeming, council has now taken the issue out of the hands of the planning department. The issue will be brought to Huron County council at one of its committee of the whole meetings, where Huron East can send a delegation to explain why its council voted the way that it did. After the delegation makes its presentation, Huron County council will inevitably decide on the severance application. You've got the news The Citizen now offers electronic subscriptions If you have access to the internet you can get the news the same day you do at home, at no extra cost ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD T h e C i t i z e n No more waiting days for delivery: You can access the full edition of The Citizen on the day it’s published No exorbitant postal costs. The same local subscription price of $34.00 applies. Excellent idea for those who live far from home. For more information call: The Citizen 519-523-4792 ZAP! Go on-line to: www.northhuron.on.ca and click on to subscribe today! Construction Ph.:519-523-9354 Cell:519-525-8615 Custom 5" seamless eavestrough in aluminum or steel N e w By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Huron E. council disagrees with planning department By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen 1. Butt out. 2. Work out. Just two things you can do to reduce your risk of cancer. Learn more about healthy lifestyle choices. Call the Canadian Cancer Society Cancer Information Service at 1 888 939-3333 or visit www.cancer.ca.