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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1998-01-21, Page 4cn itizen The North Huron Photo by Janice Becker Letters THE EDITOR, When I was a young child, already with big ideas, my mother often reminded me that the best way to achieve many of the most important things in life was not through razzle dazzle programs but by simply asking for help. She said that if I asked with conviction for help in an area that will bring good to many that I would always find- people who would respond — people who dream the same dreams, carry the same hopes, and look forward to the fulfillment of both. Over the past few months of newspaper articles, surveys, meetings, and more meetings it is very evident that both our adult and youth population would love to see a youth centre in place that would meet the needs of our young people. The excitement has come from the youth in our schools, teachers, ministers, churches, businesses and service clubs. Now it is time to see if our excitement and desire to show interest in our youth can become a reality. The youth centre I am proposing would capture most of the hopes that the youth who filled out surveys expressed while also becoming a 'springboard' from Which to address future issues and a place in which to create future opportunities. k would be a safe place for youth ages 11 - 17 to gather at different times to hang out, play some pool, ping pong, or even board games. It would be a place from which activities such as a trip to Canada's Wonderland, Toronto Science Centre, Royal Ontario Museum, and London's Wally World to name a few could be organized. But this youth centre would be much more. As you enter it, there will be a large bulletin board on which the community can post jobs that are available for youth along with volunteer opportunities, all of which can be helpful both monetarily and as far as creating a resume and better ability to work well. The next wall will have a large bulletin board on which youth can advertise skills that they have so that the public on certain days can come in and see these skills hopefully leading to some employment. There would be a third large bulletin board on which would be displayed activities going on and around town that youth might be interested in participating in or helping out with. There will be an area set aside to display health material, along with reading and video material covering a variety of topics that address youth concerns. Of course there will also be a snack bar and chairs and sofas to just flop down on and talk to friends. A computer for games or internet access has already been offered. But there is more — this will also be a place where learning can happen. Already I have placed a proposal before the Ministry of Citizenship and Recreation for a grant to teach a course that will help youth with life skills, stress, and employability. Leadership seminars will be offered. There will also be a mentor program which will allow individuals to teach certain talents to youth who are exploring what they might like to do as a hobby or as a future. Attached to these programs would be opportunities at different times each month for youth to display their talents. For example there may be young people who would like to display their art, writing skills, craft skills, music skills, or building skills. Clinton has a beautiful building that we could lease which has 2,700 square feet of space, with rooms for every activity I have outlined along with a paved area in front that can be used for basketball or skate boarding. I will be describing this facility and answering any questions at a special meeting to be held at the Town Hall on Monday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. After the meeting those interested can come and view the proposed facility. This will be a community created youth centre and therefore here comes the part that my mother used to say: JUST ASK and there will be people out there who will help. dreams come true. We hope to open this centre by April of this year. To do so of course we need sponsorship in the form donations. Tax receipts will be given. My hope is that every business in Blyth, Clinton and Londesboro will be able to donate at least $100 and that individuals in the community will donate whatever they can. Continued on page 6 PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1998. P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. HOU 1H0 NOG 1H0 Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@huron.net Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil VERIFIED CIRCULATION The Citizen Is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable In advance at a rate of $27.00/year ($25.24 + $1.76 G.S.T.) in Canada; $62.00/year In U.S.A. and $75.00/year in other foreign countries. Advertising is accepted on the condition that In the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. Publications Mall Registration No. 6968 The country has a heart Nothing, it seems, can unite Canadians like battling nature. Living in a harsh northern climate we seem to be able to instantly identify with those who have their lives devastated by a natural disaster, and we respond generously. The week of ice storms that created unimaginable dest- ruction in eastern Ontario and Quebec have created groundswell of support from people across the continent. Farmers have shipped off their generators to help farmers left with no power, not knowing if they might need it themselves before they get it back. Service clubs and ad hoc groups have sprung into action to take truckloads of firewood and flashlight batteries and food and all other kinds of help for those still suffering after being without power for two weeks. Hydro workers, the army and volunteers have thrown their all into the work, devoting long days to help the victims. This is the way we have always responded in the face of tragedy in Canada. The floods in the Saguenay region two years ago; last year's Red River flood: tornados and hurricanes — Canadians have always been quick to help out, and generous in their contributions. It has been a trademark of our nation. It's no wonder the response has been so quick and so warm to the plight of those hit by the ice storm, particularly those in rural areas. Looking at pictures of the region, it's easy to realize that this is the closest we've come to experiencing the devastation of war. One soldier called it Sarajevo without the bullets. It's easy to want to reach out and help these people whom we see on television, night after night, suffering in the cold and dark. But perhaps the measure of a nation is not how it responds to the well-publicized disasters, but how it reacts to the suffering that is not part of a huge event. It's easy to see the plight of the people suffering in the cold when television cameras are focusing on them, but what about the individual families who are suffering, not just because of a storm of nature, but through man-made economic storms that leave them unable to pay their heating bills? What about the individuals, turned out of mental hospitals because we've cut funding to the hospitals, who live in cardboard boxes in the streets? Finding the line between building a caring society and one that provides opportunities for people to exploit the system is a hard one. But building a society that shows its heart, not just in times of mass crisis, but in the crisis in the lives of the individual, is the measure of a caring and civilized country. — KR Set the rules first Thankfully, Huron County Council recently decided to postpone the first steps in the adoption of its Waste Management Master Plan (WMMP) until it has been able to reach agreements with the two municipalities it hopes will provide the landfill sites needed to make the plan work. It seemed bizarre that the county was moving ahead with a plan that was predicated on having two zone landfills without having an agreement in place with Morris Twp. and the Town of Exeter, who were expected to provide the landfills. As one county councillor pointed out., it seemed a poor way to negotiate a deal to be backing the municipalities into a corner by beginning the process of approving the WMMP before completing negotiations. Given the fuss that had been raised about the possibility of a county landfill site being set up in townships like Grey, Colborne, West Wawanosh or Ashfield, the public has been very accepting of the use of current landfills for zone sites. Morris and Exeter have been very generous in generally supporting the idea of their sites, which have a long-term capacity, being used by others when their landfills have been filled. The county, and other municipalities in the north and south "zones" that will someday perhaps need to use those landfills, should be going out of their way to deal as fairly as possible with Morris and Exeter. If anything, they should be generous to make it well worth the while of the two municipalities to give up their long-term capacity for the benefit of others. Since Huron spent $1.8 million ($1 million of county money) in a site search earlier and didn't even put a shovel in the ground, it would seem being generous would still be a good deal.— KR E ditorial