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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1981-05-13, Page 2• et ir" • • 1,11' •4' 2 Wan** SeiWadi Weitne04Y, MaY 13i 1981 . • • By Terri Poll% Charlie Buck . sat cross- legged in a straight.hn4et1 chair as he pondered the question. Suddenly his dark eyes sparked and broad mouth smiled, exaggerating the deep lines in his face. "I play my accordian," ,he answered, 'adding he can play anything from "B ti ful Brown Eyes" to "Turkey in the Straw". Charlie always wanted an accordion so he Could play at parties for people. His voice filled with pride as he ex - planed how he purchased the instrument all by himself with money he raised doing raking leaves and shoeling v odd jobs like cutting grass, School conducts individual programs poitable, He recently tried roller skating, and although it was his first time,"I'm p tty good 1. Although he has met a lot of new, friends at the work- shop, , the fability represents much more -than a broader social life. It means a job and training that could enable him to work within the com- munity. Connie Jamieson, work- shop manager, explained the program objective is to grad- uate trainees into the work ing world. This is done through two consecutive • living skills in the main building, and work training Editor's Notes The Flowers of. Hope Campaign is being conducted May 11 - 17. Members of the Wingham Association for the Mentally Retarded will be selling packets of flower seeds door to door and seeds will be mailed out to Lucknow and area residents. The money raised will support the Jack Reavie Opportunity Workshop and the Silver Circle School. Thirty-five per cent of the workshop's operating costs must be earned by he clients through contract work and fund raising events such as the Flowers of Hope Campaign. Thirteen per cent of each child's costs at the Silver Circle Nursery School must be met by the local Wingham Association for the Mentally Retarded, which raises much of its money in the portable next door. There are six clients in the living skills level, which 'teaches cooking, cleaning • and personal hygiene. Inside the portable, nine clients do hand assembly work for local induitries, reweb lawn chairs, make paper flowers for weddings • and make crafts for the annu- al Christmas craft and bake sale. • • , Recently trainees have been working on another through the Flowers of Ircipe Campaign. project that could bring them one step closer to independ- ence through more pro- •snow in the winter," he joked. , • By Toni PolWo Charlie is 44 years old. He is mentally handicapped one of those special people who have to concentrate to accomplish simple tasks that come naturally to most. Speaking in simple terms he explained he moved to the Callander *Nursing Home in 1971 and spends much ofhis time doing maintenance work and deliverying food trays to the residents. During his spare time Charlie goes bowling, swim- ming and travels downtown on his bike. , Last September Charlie began attending the Jack Reavie Opportunity Work- • shop in Wingham. Now he Can go swimming and bowl- ing, "with the gang free' here," he said, while point- ing around the workshop The Golden Circle School, located at the Wingham Public School, has 21 pupils between the ages of seven and 21. They are all mentally handicapped to some degree., Bevan Lindsay, , school principal and teacher, ex plained thatthe studentsare unable to function in a reg- ular or special education classroom, but through train- ing, a little patience and hard work they may be able. to someday enter the regulie school system. The school's instructors Conduct individual programs to help students develop independent living and basic academic skills, including everything from cooking, cleaning and personal safety to mathematics and reading. EFFEN Some can't do mathemat- ics so they use hand calcu- lators. Many can't read so they point to pictures and develop verbal skills to com- municate with instructors and other people. Then there are a few who can't speak at all. These students use charts of symbols, pictures and sign language. Before learning *ate tech- niques, "They couldn't tell us anything at all," said Pat Barnes,. the communications teacher. • In each ease the students •develop.to their potential so they can function as indep- endently is possible within • society. The school; which is totally government 'funded, provid- es up-to-date techniques, • trained instructors• and' equipment necessary to teach these students who need more time and under- standing to learn seemingly • simple tasks. Golden Circle students learn in kitchen, • laundry room and classroom settings, ' .have access to th,e'occiipation area at • F. E. Madill Sec- ondary School, and take ad- , ) vantage of recreationiiifac- ilities such as the Winghani Bowling Lanes. No matter how simple. the exercises might seem, they all point toward ' self help, and the system seems to be working. • Mr.t Lindsay explained that many of the 'students , are • capable of coping on , their -own in. several - situations. Four students gb grocery 1 shopping and get the mail by • themselves; three take PliYn" education with Grade 7; two take, plicsical education with Grades 2 and 3, and one does art work with Grades 2 and 3. • One student, possibly two, will be entering the special education class soon, and 20 - year -old Steve Miller, a Golden Circle student, rec ently won a regional bowling tournament in Kitchener for the mentally handicapped. His • top single was 247 points. But these are some of the success stories. Certainly there are those students. who have not been quite as successful, but they are all trying and taking steps to-, ward developie capabil- ities.they do possess. The Golden Circle School is Weir chance for develop- ment, a place where they can prove their potential. grams, equipment and train- ing - the Flowers of Hope campaign May 11 to 17. The clients aren't working hard for themselves only, but are assembling packets of Miler seeds that when sold door to door on May 11 will help fund other programs for mentally retarded, such as the Silver Circle School, lo- cated in the Chil ren s Day Care building beside the workshop.• The 10 students enrolled at the school also depend on the campaign to help them reach their goal - enrollment into the regular education sys- tem. • • Five mornings a week the youngsters between two and 10 years of age participate at their own speed in individual programs for speech, coord- ination and concentration. They, like Charlie, work hard to rise to their full potential. But they need a chance. Thirty-five per cent of the workshop's operating costs must be earned by the clients through contract work end fund-raising events. Thirteen per cent of each child's costs at the school must be met by the local association for the mentally retarded, which raises much of its money through the Flowers of Hope. Last year the campaign raised $3400. This money is the key t� independence and a place in society for local mentally handicapped individuals. They are individuals like Charlie, who have potential, pride and the stamina to overcome their handicaps. • - • • COLOUR REPRINTS FROM YOUR FAVOURITE COLOUR NEGATIVES "We would like to thank a those who participated in our Grand Opening". The winners ofthe Door Prizes . ARE,:• .• BLANKET Randy Vanderwood • GLASSES Jill Marks •• TRAVEL BAG • Wes Simmons MIXER Joe Brophy • HAIR DRYER • Barry Rogg • 6 FLASH LIGHT Sandra Irwin • a SMOKE DETECTOR • Ralph' Nixon • SMOKE DETECTOR Angie Melvin • 14 PC. WRENCH SET Bob Darling • TESTER Ross Smith' • SET OF FOG LIGHTS Hugh MacDonald • 100 ASST. GREASE FITTINGS, ,Tom Armstrong SPECIAL LOW PRICE ONLY REG. 55C each FIL C110. 12 Ex00811111 • $1.49 . C110 - 20 Exposure - $1.99 C126 - 12 Exposure - $1.49 C126; 20 Exposure - $1.99 C135 N Exposure COLOUR SLIDE FILM 135 -• 20 Expoeu re - $4.49 PrptessingIncluded Lu Elmer rn c • Phcirmacy no • one f; 0 0 0. 0