Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1987-07-15, Page 11Cranbrook THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 1987. PAGE 11. Private Engel says women in jets okay but shouldn't be in combat Compiled by Mrs. Mac Engel. Phone 887-6645 Return from holiday Mr. and Mrs. John Vanass, Jennifer, Jolanda and Darryl had a week’s holiday in Quebec and Eastern Ontario. They visited Mr. and Mrs. R. Nyssen near Cornwall. Mr. and Mrs. Angus Starr, Alliston, wereweekend visitors with Mr. and Mrs. Don Cotton. Franx and Mrs. Workman, Craig and Peter had a two weeks trip to B.C., Vancouver Island, Edmonton and Calgary. They took in the stampede and visited relatives in Alberta. Mrs. Verna Myers, her daugh­ ter, son-in-law, and two children, of Windsor, visited Mrs. Ida Gordon. Mrs. Myers is the former Verna Hunter, daughter of Irvine Hunter and Flossie Seel, and attended Cranbrook school. The Forester’s were awarded third prize for their float at Brussels July 4. Many local people were in Brussels to help celebrate their 115th birthday and enjoyed Grief is the solution BY LERA RYAN Family Resource Management Specialist The pain of a parent ’ s or a child’s death can be overwhelming. When that happens, our family, friends and community allow us to grieve. Similarly when a family loses their farm, their home and their life­ style, they too should be allowed to grieve. Losing something that is importanttoyoucan affectyour entire life. Most people move through a series of overlapping stages when they are grieving. This is a natural and predictable process that helps a person deal with the past and move on to the future at an individual rate. The first stage is shock and denial. This is an emotional inability to accept reality. ‘ ‘It can’t be happening to me” is a common reaction. These people need to be physically comforted and to be listened to. Asapersonbecomesaware of the loss, emotions will erupt. There is a need to cry and to talk. When the loss of the farm really sinks in, the whole family may experience strong feelings of helplessness, hurt, frustration and anger. Anger may be directed at bankers, government, advisors, neighbors, family and God. “How could they dothistous?” is a common feeling. Physical illness may result from being run down and emotionally stressed. Guilt is another stage. “If only I had done this”, “if only I hadn’t bought that tractor”, “if I wasn’t around thingswouldbe better” seem to be a last chance to wipe out this problem. This is the time to watch for suicide attempts. Accep­ tance and listening is needed rather thancriticism andjudge- ments. Feelings of isolation, self-pity and depression are part of the most difficult stage which is recognition. The task of getting one’s life together again may seem over­ whelming. Eventually some feel­ ings of hope and relief sneak through and indicate the beginn­ ing of a recovery. Recovery may be a long slow process. Support from family, friends, community and some­ times professionals is essential. Grieving is not easy but is a solution to accepting a loss. A loss changes a person, but allows them to reconstruct their life using new strengths. PRIVATE JUDY ENGEL meeting many old friends. The weather was ideal and Brussels is to be congratulated on the success­ ful event. Many hours of planning andworkgointosuch acelebra- tion. Mr. and Mrs. Jack Clark, Stratford, and Mrs. Ron Burdett and Brent, Waterloo, attended the celebration on Sunday and visited Mrs. Mac Engel. We congratulate Marie Perrie, daughter of Mrs. Donald Perrie, on achieving an average of over 91 per cent, the highest in her grade. Marie plans to attend Brock University in St. Catherines. Cranbrookresident, Mrs. M. permitted in close-quarters com- Burghardt died July 7 at Listowel Memorial Hospital, age 66, follow­ ing a period of ill health. Surviving is her husabnd, one daughter Ruth of Oshawa, and son Fred of Syracuse, New Yorkand Johnof Kitchener, and two grandchildren. We extend sympathy to the Burghardt family. Private Judy Engel of Cranbrook thinks that it is great that women in Canada’s Armed Forces will soon have the opportunity to learn to fly the C-18 fighter jets in their nation’s defense, but does not agree that females should be bat roles. “As a fighter pilot you are pretty far removed from the battle,” she explained, “but the idea of women in armed combat does not go right with me, because I think the men you are fighting beside would tend to try to protect you instead of just doing their job.” However, it’s a decision that the 19-year-old Seaforth District High School grad won’t ever have to make, since she has chosen a career with the Canadian Armed Forces as an airframe technician, which means that her skills and training will go towards making her an expert on the complete structure of an aircraft, excluding the engine. It’s a field that few women choose: she was one of nine women among 56 men during her basic training at Cornwallis, Nova Sco­ tia; and is now the only woman in a unit with 11 men as she starts the next six month’s training toward her technician’s certificate at the Canadian Forces School of Aero­ space and Ordance Engineering at Camp Borden. But Miss Engel says she doesn’t see herself as any different than any other recruit in the group, and says has always been “sort of mechanically inclin­ ed.” The new CAF private spent the weekend at home with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Engel, celebra­ ting her first leave since entering basic training at Cornwallis on April 26. On Monday, she went to a postingatCamp Borden, where she will begin a six-month course in skills training in her chosen field. During this period, she will live on the base and work there eight hours a day, but at quitting time each day her time is her own to do anything she wants, and she has every weekend off, so hopes to get home several times over the summer. In mid-January, she will be posted toanotherbase, likely in Canada, since she says that it is seldom that anyone below the rank of corporal is posted overseas during peacetime. However, re­ cruits are given the chance to make three choices as to their next posting, although there is no guarantee that they will get any of them. “It depends entirely upon where you are most needed, ’ ’ Miss Engel says, adding that her choices will likely be Shearwater, Nova Scotia; Chilliwack, B.C.; and Cold Lake, Alberta. Later, the girl who had never before been outside of Ontario beforejoiningthe CAF says she hopes to see some overseas duty, since she most definitely intends to make a career out of the life she has chosen.