HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1977-06-09, Page 1Beyond committee's dreams Need money for extras now
Activities add $25,000 to fund
Members of the South Huron
Rec Centre finance committee
are still shaking their heads in
amazement at the success of last
week's telathon and walkathon.
The two events have added
about $25,000 to the campaign
and have enabled the committee
to reach the original objective of
$254,000.
Now all that remains is the
purchase of tables and kitchen
equipment and some funds for
landscaping.. That cost has been
tentatively set at around $15,000.
"We know there are people
who still plan to make donations
and we hope they will do it soon
so the extra equipment will
qualify for Wintario grants,"
commented chairman Ron
Bogart.
The Thursday night telathon
staged over the local cable TV
outlet surprised even the most
optimistic members of the com-
mittee,
It lasted for five hours and
raised over $10,000. Cad Cann
reported this week there were a
total of 236 calls received during
the show, which kept most local
residents glued to their TV sets
throughout the evening,
Many residents said they sat
down to watch the show "for a
few minutes" and ended up not
leaving their chairs. Housewives
left their dishes unattended and
there were several reports of
people becoming so interested
they, cancelled plans to go out for
the evening.
Program hosts JoAnne Dinney •
and Bill Batten were kept busy
answering phone calls for the en-
tire show, and planned inter-
views with some of the people in-
volved in the rec centre had to be
shelved when they were
repeatedly interrupted with
calls.
Rob Grant, Carf Cann and Ron
Bogart ended up with writer's
cramp trying to keep the dona-
tion totals up to date and techni-
cian Dean Baker, of Ex-Cen
Cable TV never had a chance to
sit down while he followed the
actions with his camera.
As the show progressed, a bid-
ding war started on Batten's
beard and he was finally trimm-
ed of his 10 and a half year
growth by local barber Doug
Parker who performed the task
on TV. The beard ended up ear-
ning about $2,300.
Doug Ellison, who had his cur-
ly locks jeopardized when the
bidding started on a brush cut,
escaped the confines of the cable
station in Hay Township, and
despite the efforts of OPP
Constables Frank Giffin, and Don
Mason, he was still at large.
However, Ellison returned to
Exeter on Saturday morning to
lead the walkathon. He had
about $155 per mile pledged for
each mile he could run on the 11-
mile route, and he managed to
Complete the journey to put over
$1,700 into the coffers.
Ellison covered the distance in
one hour and 25 minutes. Fellow
Lion Doug Jamieson escorted
him on the run and reported an
average speed of over seven
miles per hour.
Floyd Westlake, Exeter , also
jogged the entire distance in
about the same time. He finish-
ed the last mile in his bare feet.
He had purchased new shoes for
the outing, and when he could
stand them no longer, he took
them off.
Betty Robinson also showed
her stamina in the test. She pull-
ed her young son in a wagon
around the entire 11 miles.
A total of 365 people par-
ticipated in the walk.
Six-year-old Graham Arthur
was one of the youngest walkers
to complete the course. Walk
organizers were still attempting
to secure the birth certificate of
Councillor Lossy Fuller in their
attempts to find out who won the
honor of being the oldest walker.
Some of the other adults who
completed the walk were South
Huron Rec Centre committee
chairman John Stephens and
finance committee chairman
Ron Bogart. Some of the ladies
who walked included Carol
Arthur, Kaaren Batten, Sheila
Veale, Jean Hem and Betty
Robinson.
Total proceeds from the
walkathon are expected to be
around $15,000 and chairman
Doug Ellison has urged all
walkers to get their money turn-
ed in as soon as possible.
The money will be picked up at
the participating schools, while
adults and pre-schoolers are ask-
ed to take their money to Coun-
try Flowers.
Ellison said some inaccurate
information was given out during
the walkathon and that some of
the totals shown for a few
youngsters were higher than
they should have been.
"There are still many kids in
the running to win one of the
bicycles," he said. One bike goes
to the youngster turning in the
most money and the others will
be drawn from the list of those
who turn in their funds by the
deadline.
A RUNNING DRINK — Doug Ellison jogged the entire 11
Wplkathon, Saturday and raised $1,100 for the South Huron Rec Cen-
tre. Above, Ellison who started out in a lion costume gets a drink on the
run from Lion Doug Jamieson. T-A photo
miles of the
trlefer'ZimessrAbuocale
One Hundred and Fourth Year EXETER, ONTARIO, 'JUNE 9, 1977 Price Per Copy 25 Cents
Politicians' fate
in voters' hands
LION BEING TAMED — Doug Ellison who jogged the full 11 miles of Saturday's walkathon arrived at the
starting line dressed as a lion. Handling the lion taming chores in the above picture are Heather Jamieson
and Elmer Taylor. ' T-A photo
Firefighters threaten to quit
itt unless iqcome tax changed
TENDER TOOTSIES — Floyd Westlake was one of the 364 participants in Saturday's walkathon for the
South Huron Rec Centre and he followed Doug Ellison's example by jogging the entire distance in under an
hour and a half. The area man had bought new shoes just prior to the event, and when they gave him some
problems, he took them off and completed the last mile in bare feet. Lorne Preszcator of the rec centre com-
mittee examines Westlake's feet following the event. T-A photo
Hope to add Elliott property
Town okays park land
Unless , volunteer firemen
across Ontario get a better break
from the income tax department,
there may not be any volunteer
fire departments in the near
future.
That was the warning ,given
Exeter council this week by Ted
Wright. He stepped into the
public gallery to make his
comments as a "taxpayer".
Wright is a member of council
and the local fire brigade.
Similar to many volunteer
brigades in the area, the Exeter
firemen were recently assessed
for back income tax on money
they had received from the fire
area board.
After those assessments were
levied, firemen in Exeter, Clinton
and Goderich took their case to
MP Bob McKinley, who wrote
finance minister Donald Mac-
donald suggesting the tax
deduction for volunteer firemen
be increased to $1,000. It is
presently $300.
In reply to the letter, Mac-
donald said that one of the basic
principles of the income tax law
is that, generally, no deduction is
allowed in respect of personal
and living expenses.
"The tax exemption in respect
S
of volunteer firemen was one
exception to the general rule," he
said.
He said it had been introduced
at a time when the services of
volunteer firemen were very
necessary to communities and, in
some areas, were the only such
services of volunteer firemen are
not as widespread throughout
Canada as before.
Wright argued that the local
brigade still considered them-
selves as volunteers, He said no
one ever asked what stipend was
to be received when they joined
the brigade and he said the
$11,500 paid to the 24 firemen in
one year wasn't even three-
quarters of the cost for just one
full-time fireman,
Wright also explained that the
local firemen do all their own
cleaning at the fire hall, had
undertaken their own
renovations and raised con-
siderable 'Money for charity,
mainly Muscular Dystrophy.
He said firemen drive their own
vehicles several hundred miles in
Couldn't find
dog . . so shots
A series of rabies vaccination
shots for six year-old Leigh Ryan
of Kingscourt Crescent in Exeter
have begun,
The girl was bitten by a dog
while playing on the Exeter
Public School playground,
Saturday May 14.
Despite thorough searches by
officers of the Exeter police and
OPP forces the dog believed to be
a Samoyed named 'Nixie was
never located.
The series of 14 shots began
May 30 and continue each day
until concluded.
Ned Ryan, father of the girl
told the T-A Tuesday, "The shots
are painful for about an hour
after being administered, but,
they are not as bad as we were
led to believe,"
Ryan continued, "We really
appreciate the many hours put in
by the police and the concern
shown by many neighbours and
friends,"
the line of duty and spend
countless hours of their own time
in training practice.
While the local council member
said some brigades may be
getting past the point of being
volunteers, this was not the case
with most.
He said Macdonald is not well
informed on the situation and
doesn't realize the far reaching
results of his actions in not in-
creasing the tax exemption.
Wright indicated that unless
the demands are met, there will
be no volunteer firemen, adding
they were not as concerned about
the dollars and cents as the
principle of the matter.
He also argued against Mac-
donald's note that all federal tax
concessions are publicly financed
because the loss of revenue they
generate must be recouped from
the taxpaying public throughout
Canada.
Wright noted that if com-
munities lost their volunteer
brigades and had to hire firemen -
on a full-time basis it would cost
them $140,000 to $150,000 a year.
He said the cost to the
municipalities wouldbe excessive
in comparison to the tax revenue
being lost at present in income
tax exemptions.
Councillor Steve Pfaff
suggested council should cir-
culate a petition in support of the
firemen, "We owe these people a
lot and they work for peanuts,"
he claimed. "We should stand
behind them 150 percent."
Macdonald's letter said that
from the point of view of equity,
volunteer firemen already enjoy
a tax advantage over other
taxpayers providing volunteer
services.
Please turn to page 3
Five weeks of election cam-
paigning are over today as the
three Huron-Middlesex can-
didates give voters a chance to
voice their opinions at the polls.
'The three candiates agree that
the campaigning has been tough.
"I had anticipated a tough
campaign and intended to make
it that way", said Conservative
candidate Anson McKinley.
Liberal incumbent Jack
Riddell said "there have been
numerous debates this year that
we haven't had before."
Last camfmign there was one
public debate sponsored by the
Federation of Agriculture and
one debate at the high school,
This year there were four high
school debates, an open-line show
with Bill Brady, and two public
all-candidates debates, he said.
NDP candiadate Shirley Weary
said the campaign has been tough
because "I've been working full-
time and that's not the type of
thing one should do."
Predictions for provincial and
local election results among the
candidates varied along party
lines.
Riddell was optimistic for
Liberal victories on the
provincial level and in Huron-
Middlesex.
The Liberal party is rising
nicely to its peak," he said. "We
stand just as much chance of
forming a minority government
as anybody, and whoever wins
the provincial election will have a
minority," he said. Riddell
MILL RATE SET
Exeter's mill rate has been
approved and the figures are
about half a mill higher than
originally reported.
The residential rate is 175.6
mills for public school supporters
and 175.4 for separate school
supporters. The commercial
rates are 201.8 and 201,57
respectively.
predicted a tight race between
the Liberals and Conservatives in
the provincial results with the
NDP finishing a definite third.
McKinley predicted a majority
Conservative Provincial
government and was optimistic
about the Huron-Middlesex
election results,
"It's the first time I've been in
an election like this and I'm
optimistic", he said.
McKinley and Riddell said
Liberal and Conservative support
has been strong throughout the
riding but suggested areas where
they would like to see stronger
support. McKinley hoped his
home area would be
,preaorninantly Conservative.
Riddell hoped that Lucan and
Bayfield, Conservative areas in
the last election, would swing
towards the Liberal party.
Weary predicted a minority
Conservative government and a
doubled NDP vote in Huron-
Middlesex.
The candidates agreed that all-
candidates meetings are a
beneficial part of the election
campaign.
"All-candidates meeting give
the people a chance to see the
candidates in action," said
Weary.
There is nothing educational
about the political advertising on
television because each party
presents its own view of the
campaign, said Riddell. All-
candidates debates provide
people with and opportunity to
weigh both sides of the issues",
he said.
McKinley questioned the role of
all-candidates meetings in
shifting votes but added that "it
lets voters and young people play
a larger role in campaign."
McKinley said all-canctiaates
meetings could be overdone
because of the repetitious debate
over the same issues,
"It's the same old thing for us
but it's not the same old thing if
it's a different crowd," he said.
Exeter council agreed to spend
$6,000 Monday night to expand
Riverview Park and another
$1,800 to protect what is already
there.
Both projects are being carried
on in conjunction with the
Ausable Bayfield Conservation
Authority.
The first project is the pur-
chase of land owned by Mary
Elliott located on, the south-west
side of the Highway 4 bridge in
Exeter.
At council's urging, the
Authority has taken an option to
buy the property at a price of
$25,000, Grants will cover 75
percent of the cost and Exeter
will pay $6,000. The other
municipalities in the watershed
will pay the balance.
The only opposition to the
purchase was expressed by
Reeve Si Simmons. He wanted to
know who was going to maintain
the property.
Councillor Ted Wright replied
that it would be negotiated at a
later date, but indicated the
Authority hoped the property
would be incorporated into the
Riverview Park system and
would be maintained by the town.
Simmons said he doubted it
would ever be incorporated into
the park system.
Wright noted that the price of
the property was "right and
reasonable" and predicted that
TWO CRASHES
The area accident total was low
again this week, with only two
collisions being investigated by
the Exeter OPP,
At 4:30 a.m., Saturday, a
vehicle driven by William
Montgomery, Wonderland Road,
London, struck a bridge barrier
on Highway 83, two and a half
miles west of Exeter.
The driver sustained minor
injuries in the collision. OPP
Constable Bill Osterloo in-
vestigated and set damage at
$2.800.
The other accident occurred at
2:45 a.m., Sunday, when a vehicle
driven by Cheryl Turkheim,
Zurich, struck a tree on Highway
84, about two miles west of
Zurich.
Damage was set at $550 by
Constable Frank Giffin.
"down the road some time,
people will realize it (the pur-
chase) was the right thing to do".
He said councils have been
considering the property for the
past 10 years.
Simmons said the price of the
property was cheap, but
questioned if it was in fact cheap
for council if it was no good to
them.
The Reeve indicated the town
already had parkland not being
looked after properly, referring
to land east of Riverview Park
and along the north bank. He said
the Elliot property would never
be used as parkland because it
war split from the rest of the park
by the. bridge.
"It's part of the town's
beautification," Councillor Lossy
Fuller remarked.
The debate ended when
Councillor Barb Bell said council
couldn't say now what the growth
of the town would be over the next
20 years, but she predicted the
community may regret it if the
purchase was not undertaken.
The other project approved by
council this week was the in-
Please turn to page 3
DANCEATHON FOR A TELATHON — Kelly Geiser presented a $500 check to Bill Batten and Jo-Anne
Dinney on behalf of the Exeter Leo's Thursday. The money was raised during a 24-hour danceathon earlier
this year. T,A photo
OFF IT COMES While most men add to their facial foliage over ti
five hour period, that wasn't the case of Bill Batten on Thursday's
telathon, Doug Parker arrived to shave his beard off, with some in-
sfructions being provided by Jo-Anne Dinney in the background.
Photo by Jeff Carroll
BEFORE AND AFTER —' Kaaren batten admires her newly-shaven husband Bill after a shaveathon Thurs.
day, The ten-year old beard raised $2800 during the South Huron liec Centre Telathon. T-A photo