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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1983-01-05, Page 6editorial Laciatim Semis,* WeallephillY,, S, IOU—PAP LUCKNI,s, Slimy liermr" SENTINEL 'Neill%'bed 1r3 THOV1 AS A I $OWPs19?d - ALAvernvong AQsfyaag r 598 ARO .1 TZ - direct Pit Q.4WNGSIPO9v - OffiCT ARla swev Ago HUM - Cotnvosoor EUE 97i XNETl - Type9etratT tgammelA, ai d Edizorial ice to pe S2S-2822 A9s� br�yg Acs P.O. Six 41901, o* NOG 2H0 Seretnel CIL-Ns Miaata s aNtrnibeT 084, Sitosteipties nite, SI 2S per year is eldwimere Sevier Olin" F si2..'' pet yew *ft doihrsmee temil Ferelge,,, 506 per ye ka Sr. CIL U.S.A. .00 per year Ile dtidvasee Explain closures The Ontario government has announced plans to close 1 of the 's instikutions for the mentally The masons are two -old: It is now believed that maintaining minded pets in the community ens move humane and it's note economical to operate small local group homes and workshops than large isolated institutions: But the government is making the same mistakes with this procedure as it did when they decided to close active carte hospital beds. Controv+etsy has developed over the proposed five year Oen because rway of its facets we being potty communicated to the affected patents and instils - demo' staff. The government has not consulted with either staff or patents as to which institution should be dosed and this oversight has resulted in patents and staff seeing the decision as arrogant, heartless and based more on comic considerations than on the well-being of residents and their families. Patents and staff' affected by the dosing of the institutions, including the Blue rater Centre at Godetich, have many serious concerns which should be discussed with representatives of the government before the dosing of the institutions takes place. Moving the mentally retarded from price to place in the past, has been viewed as nothing moire than musical chairs. Patents simply do not believe the government is sincere about normalization for the retarded. Communities are afraid to accept the responsibility of a group home for the mentally retarded in their neighbour- hood, even though the prevnding public opinion is against institutional life Carr the retarded. Parents, whose children remain oe the waiting list to enter group homes, are not impressed by the fact that the governmenthas already successfully relocated 3,600 retarded adults in communities. Staff and parents at the Diameter Centre in Goderich have organized a campaign to stop the closure of the Centre because they are concerned residents will be fon e d to live in some of the large institutions which aren't dosing, taking them further from their parents' homes. They are also concerned group homes, supervised apartments and foster homes will not be in place soon enough, for those who no longer need the intensive supervision provided at an institu- tion. These concerns are valid. The government's performance with the closure of hospital beds has resulted in serious problems for the larger hospitals, because the nursing home beds and chronic care beds have not materialized to relieve the strain on the shortage of acute care beds. Parents and staff cannot be criticized for wondering if the closure of institutions for the mentally retarded will take place somewhat less than smoothly. Some believe the province should close the bigger institutions rather than the small because parents remember the deplorable living conditions at these facilities, and the accompanying lack of activity and stimulation f r+ their children. Perhaps the biggest misunderstanding is that admitting a retarded child to an institution is not necessarily a lifetime thing. Until the 1960s, parents were encouraged to consign a their retarded children to institutions and virtually forget they exist. Some parents see the return of their child to the home community as a family guilt trip, as agonizing as the decision to place the child in an institution. Ml but the most profoundly handicapped can be trained to live in near normal fashion in small community residences. The mentally retarded deserve this opportunity to achieve a quality of life they may never know, iii an institution. it is unfortunate that someone in the public relations department of the Ministry of Community and Social Services doesn't know how to implement the plan without antagonizing everyone involved. Appreciate support 9 To the Editor: We would like to express our appreciation to your newspaper and to your readers, for supporting our fund- raising campaign in 1982. It may be of interest to you to know that, as of to -day, December 31, 1982, donations received total 528,001.45. Even though the campaign itself is drawing to a close, donations are gratefully received at any time, and are always recognized with a tax deductible. charitable receipt. Thank you again for your support. Sincerely. Beverley A. Brown. Board Chairman, Town and Country Homemakers. A letter to mom and dad: Why I'rn quitting hockey BMWs tote: The %Boothag letter r is based en the eapealevice aorf diode loran pl4yer, witnessed ib Towage area est by Tomato Star reporter Ball Walther. The plryev, teach acrd parents awne not named, hat the duels are exact. The letter Is flee eudy flag that bale* real -rowed Isopelfellly It wHI wevaer wed to be w r*ttea by tlds bay, sr by thommasto wf ethers who ploy valwor hockey each winter. The lamer aped In the Terento o Staar and misdated ed lone for the hsterest01 root readers. DEAR MOM AND DAD: Wily I'm Quitting Naeadlse ' Don't get excited, I'm not running away or anything. 1 hope you won't be mad that I left you guys this letter, but 1 don't have the guts to say ,all this stuff in person. It's about our hockey team. I was really excited to make the all-star team this year. The uniforms and hockey bags are pretty neat and we get to travel all over the place. But 1 know you are disappointed in me. It started when Dad called our coach after the second game to tell him he was talking me off the team. I know you used to like to tell the guys at work how many goals 1 scored last year in house league. 1 guess you haven't had too much to tell them this year. But after the coach talked you out of taking me off the team, 1 was really nervous to go back. The coach told me he thought 1 was good enough to play all-star and not to worry. He told the other players 1 got sick and they all kept asking me if 1 was feeling better. I know you ly like it when 1 score goals. 1 guess that's why you 'di, d ou'd give me SI for a goal and 25c for an assist. But coach says an assist is as good as a goal. The coach wasn't too happy when 1 told him you give me SI for a penalty t oArgh. r*dtrees 1 try m be more aggressive, like you said„ but the other guys skate pretty fast. You told me to catty the puck more., like Jimmy does, but I can't seem to go fast en ugh to get away front the other guys. You should see me play street hockey though. When they pick teams, 1 always get picked nearly first and I score a lot of goals. The other day 1 hit one of the guys in the elbow with the tennis ball and we couldn't stop laughing for about a year. But before our areal hockey gamest I always get so nervous. You know a lot about hockey Dad, but I just can't remember all the things you tell me in the car on the way to the game. By the time we get there, [always feel sick in my stomach. I don't mind you screaming at the games, 'cause all the parents scream. But don't yell at John to pass the puck more. Hes the best player on our team and without him we'd be dead. After our game yesterday, I felt bad when you yelled at the coach for not putting me on the ice in the third period. It was a dose game and he wanted the best players out theme. The coach is a pretty cool guy really, and he doesn't get any money or anything for coaching us. i know you were both pretty upset after we lost the game. You were surprised when 1 started crying in the car on the way home. It wasn't because of when I got hurt in the second period, like Lsaid lr just couldn't help it. 1 love you both a lot, so I think 1 better quit hockey. It's costing you a lot of money, like you said, and you guys don't seem to enjoy coming to my games any more anyway. I can't go back to house leag'ne, 'cause all the guys would laugh. 1 hope you understand why 1 can't play hockey any more, 1 think it'll be the best thing for you guys. Signed, Your Son. —Toxon y Star. by don campbell Barbara Buchanan was afraid. It was a fear which she had never experienced before, as if she was the lone survivor of some impossible expedition. journeying into the un- kno n. She drove the wagon and team wly down the sixth line in a south by south-east direction which eventu- ally would take her to Weston, then. onwards to Toronto. The sun, setting behind the Caledon hills. threw a shadow of the dense bush across the sandy road. She was conscious of the heat. her clothes sticking to her body and the clouds o insects which persisted in hovering above the front of the wagon. The road was a road of sadness. She had journeyed along that same trail driving that same team with her husbandsick from pneumonia, lying behind her on the wagon floor. Now. she didn't even have his company. and if she was confronted by a human adversary. she was not sure of her course of action. There was the musket beside the seat, but she had no idea how to hold it even if she knew how it was primed and discharged. At one point the road dipped away from her and far in the distance there was a shimmering light where Lake Ontario reflected the rays of the sun's last gleaming. it would soon be dark and she would be obliged to tether the horses by the roadside or in whatever natural clearing she might find. The thought of being alone in the wilderness only added to her fears. All fear must end for tetter or for worse, and the sounds of a galloping horse coming swiftly up behind her, brought a climax of terror to her overwrought emotions. Suddenly the figure of Ewan Brodie flashed past and further down the road he reined his horse, turned and came slowly back towards her. With a silent prayer of overwhelming relief, she halted the team. "Och Mr. Brodie!" she said with a sob in her throat and tears coming quickly to her eyes. "Ye gave me such a scare. 1 didna ken who was acomin' after me!" Ewan Brodie did not reply, but dismounted and tethered his horse to a low branch of a tree. Without a word he went to the front of the team and by a series of not too skillful manoeuvres back and forth. he turned the wagon around on the narrow roadway. Only when he had tethered his horse to the back of the wagon did he approach her. "1 didna hae any sympathy wi ye," he said in a tone of anger. "Ye must be a loony lass tae think ye can gae tae Toronto all by yesel." When Barbara had recovered, she pondered on the impulse which had made him ride after her and was surprised that she was about to be forced to return to Redtrees. "I'm no goin' back tae live on charity," she said, holding her tear stained face with pride. "i've never eked frac a crust of bread in my life and i'll no be startin' the noo." Ewan climbed up onto the seat and gave her a gentle push to indicate that she should rtiove over from the driver's position. He took the reins and urged the team into action. -'1 told ye. I'm no goin' back wi ye," she said in a tone of pretended offence. Without taking his eyes off the road Ewan replied in a soft firm voice. "Ye hae no choice I'm takin' ye back to the cabin, and sae that 1 car live in my ain hoose in a respectable and legal manner, I'm goin' to have to marry yet" A proposal of marriage is supposed to be said in a moment of love and endearment, but by the look on the face of Ewan Brodie, neither of these were in his heart. Barbara noticed too at that moment, his face was coarse and by no means could it be described as handsome. "And ye think 1 shall wed ye just because ye say so. 1 hae no feelin' for ye and ye can never -take the place of such a braw man as my late hus- band." "I'm no lookin' frae affection," Ewan said, still gazing ahead. "All i want is kwoman to bide wi. One who will cook frae me, wash mi clothes and keep mi hoose in decent order. I know I'm not a pretty man. but och, when ye think on it ye are no exactly Mary, Queen of Scots!" They rode in silence for several minutes. No person wishes to be reminded that they are plain and homely. even if it is true, because the truth hurts. "Di ye no ken it is nae good frae a widow in mourning tae wed so soon?" "Aye, and di ye no ken that I'm a widower and also in mourning? Come to ye senses lass. we both need a body for our ain support. 'Twill not be aiife of pinches and kisses. A farmer has little time frac such nonsense. 'Tis food in the belly that we live by, and that's a fact." Whatever was said after that is immaterial. The outcome of the con- versation is obvious, for 1 believe there are still people by the name of Brodie in the Caledon hills.