HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1998-05-13, Page 7Welcome
Frank Schimanski is the new owner of Betts Funeral
Home, Brussels and Visitation Centre, Gorrie. His wife
Jennie, who runs a catering business, and their two
daughters Ami, eight and Ellie, six, continue to live in
Lobo Twp. while they tie up loose ends The entire family
expects to be settled in in time for the girls to start
Brussels school in September. The business name will
eventually be changed to the Schimanski Family Funeral
Home._
Betts Funeral Home
under new ownership
400 Come and check out our
excellent selection of
• annuals • perennials
• hanging baskets
• roses • planters
• lawn mowers* • BBQs
and so much more
Don't forget
Sat., May 16
HOT DOG DAY
10-2
Come out and support your
local 4-H Club
* lawn mower financing available
Monday - Friday — 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday (Until end of June) 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
County Rd. #25, Auburn 519-526-7262
dawn & Gardea
Koch says budget provides
flat line increase to hospital
Continued from page 1 funding.
Koch of Wingham and District Other areas expected to impact
Hospital said there was nothing for Huron County residents is the $5
the regular operations of hospitals. million to go to long term care ser-
"We have a flat line increase." vices and another $5 million slated
Koch was also concerned about for the Great Lakes Renewal Foun-
the wage settlement for nurses and dation for clean-up efforts on the
the impending two per cent gap in lakes.
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1998. PAGE 7.
Speaker talks evils of alcohol
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen staff
Frank and Jennie Schimanski are
the new owners of Betts Funeral
Home, Brussels and Betts Visita-
tion Centre, Gorrie.
While Jennie and their daughters,
Ami, eight and Ellie, six, continue
to reside outside Komoka in Lobo,
Twp., Frank has been spending
most of his time at the home in
Brussels. Currently in the middle of
some minor cosmetic renovations
the family hopes to have most of
their furniture moved here by the
end of the month.
"I'm a single parent right now,"
smiles Jennie. Self-employed in a
catering business, which she says
has her committed until June, she
expects the family to be settled in
Brussels by September.
While this is Frank's first funeral
home ownership, he has worked for
They came from across Huron,
Perth and Bruce Counties: 58
owners, employees and members of
bars, restaurants, municipalities,
insurance companies, liquor stores,
private business, sport clubs and
community organizations who hold
licensed events. The message from
Professor Robert Solomon, Asso-
ciate Dean of Law (Academic),
University of Western Ontario, to
everyone who serves alcohol any-
where to others, in the eyes of the
law, they are their brother's keeper.
"It is essential under Canadian
law to ensure both the safety and
the sobriety of everyone who
consumes alcohol on your
premises," he said. Measures can
be taken to prevent alcohol related
liability by preventing alcohol-
related injuries.
Using an entertaining blend of
legal facts and humour, Solomon
had the audience alternately
shaking their heads in wonder and
chuckling with amusement. The
numerous cases of law cited
Crowded emergency rooms at
some of Canada's largest hospitals
are causing many health experts
and patients concern about our
health care system. It is especially a
concern for people with specific
medical conditions that need to be
known in an emergency. If a
patient were disoriented, or unable
to speak, emergency physicians
would need extra time to find out
about their specific medications,
allergies or medical condition.
"In an emergency situation, the
right treatment at the right time can
mean the difference between life
and death. When time is critical,
MedicAlert helps us assess the
patient and determine a specific
course of treatment, especially
when dealing with the unknown"
said Dr. Michael Murray, president
of the Canadian Association of
pointed out the need for facilities to
have alcohol-related policies, well-
trained staff and secure premises.
As a follow-up, Huron County
Health Unit and the Addiction
Research Foundation are offering
the Smartserve program, hosted by
Benmiller Inn on June 10. Contact
Marguerite Thomas at 482-3416 or
1-800-265-5184 for further details.
While all drinking establishments
are encouraged to purchase their
own training package, this training
session can introduce those unfami-
liar with the training and offer a job
skill to those seeking employment
in the hospitality industry.
In addition to his talk, "Getting
sued can ruin a good business: The
rising tide of alcohol related
liability," Solomon also offered an
afternoon session on federal and
provincial impaired driving
legislation. The audience, com-
posed of members from Mothers
Against Drunk Driving (MADD),
Ontario Studies Against Impaired
Driving (OSAID), police, lawyers
Emergency Physicians.
That is why services provided by
the Canadian MedicAlert
Foundation are so critical.
MedicAlert can assist in speeding
up diagnosis and treatment if
someone has a medical condition
that should be known in the event
of an emergency.
Everyday MedicAlert can and
does make a difference in peoples'
lives.
For over 37 years, MedicAlert
has been protecting and saving the
lives of its members by providing
health professionals vital medical
information when it's needed the
most — in emergency. MedicAlert
protects almost 900,000 Canadians
24-hours a day, in 140 languages,
anywhere in the world.
Anyone with a medical
condition, drug or food allergy,
and health unit staff were strongly
encouraged to create the political
will to have impaired driving
treated like the crime that it is.
"If my child is killed with a car
by a drunk driver instead of with a
gun, why should the murderer get a
mere slap on the wrist?" asked
Solomon.
He cautioned the audience not to
look to the government for leader-
ship. The laws already in place
need to be more effecti‘ely enforced
and the provinces need to adopt
administrative counter-measures
such as ignition interlock systems,
administrative license suspensions
and vehicle impoundment.
The presentations were co-
sponsored by MADD Canada,
hosted by the Huron County Health
Unit, Huron Addiction Assessment
and Referral Centre and Perth
District Health Unit. Additional
funding was provided by the
Provincial Substance Abuse
Strategy Community grants Fund
as well as donations from area
insurance companies.
special need, personal request or
medication that should be known in
an emergency, should consider
becoming a member of MedicAlert.
When enrolling they automatically
become a lifetime member.
A MedicAlert membership
includes a stainless steel bracelet or
necklet engraved with important
medical information, member ID
number and a 24-hour emergency
hotline number. For additional
protection, members also receive a
wallet card that lists medications
and the names and phone numbers
of physicians and emergency
contacts.
This May, MedicAlert is
promoting the benefits of wearing
their internationally recognized
bracelet and necklet as part of its
"May Month" initiative. For the
Continued on page 22
several years for A. Millard George
Funeral Home in London. He actu-
ally started there in a temporary
groundskeeper's position. A gradu-
ate of economics, Frank was find-
ing only sporadic work in his
profession.
When an opportunity to become
a full-time funeral director came
up, Jennie, who also helped out at
the funeral home, convinced Frank
to pursue it.
Now ready for a change, Frank
heard that the business in Brussels
might be for sale. "We wanted to
get out of Middlesex and Jennie has
an aunt in Clifford so we are famil-
iar with this area. We made a deal
and here we are," says Frank.
The biggest change to the busi-
ness will be the name, to Schimans-
ki Family Funeral Home, though
not until the procedure outlined by
the Board of Funeral Services is
followed. The telephone number
will remain the same.
MedicAlert protects and save lives