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Volume 20 No. 45
Inside this week
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11 Stories for bird
Li, lovers
1.. Majestic WI
pg.
Pg. iv celebrates 65th
a Belgrave Kinsmen
17 collect for food bank
Pg. 22 New lift at
Maple Villa
N. Huron
discusses
weddings
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
Whether or not civil ceremonies
will be conducted through North
Huron's administrative office is
pretty much going to be the decision
of the township':s. clerk-
administrator. _
At the Monday, night meeting of
council John Stewart said he had
attended a training ceremony in
Hamilton as council had suggested
at a previous meeting.
Now, he said, council can opt in or
out: bylaw has to be passed which
would restrict where and when civil
ceremonies will be performed.
Stewart would be able to marry
people in any place across the
province and could also appoint
anyone within the municipality to
perform ceremonies as well.
He explained that one reason the
justices of the peace were not
Continued on page 7
NH hit
with
big bill
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
North Huron council got some bad
news at the Monday night council
meeting when they learned they
have to make a retro-active
insurance payment of just over
$10,000.
The retro assessment reciprocal
insurance dates back to 1998, 1999,
and 2000. In June of this year, the
ROMA Insurance Board approved
retro-assessment billings to all
current and previous members of the
ROMA Reciprocal insurance
program. The former East
Wawanosh Twp. was among these.
North Huron opted out of the
insurance after 2000.
Director of finance/treasurer
Donna White told council Monday
that after several meetings it appears
"there's no way out. We are
definitely going to have to pay it so
we might as well pay it sooner than
later."
Though three options were
presented for payment over a three-
year amortization plan, the money is
available now for North Huron in
the former East Wawanosh reserve.
Asked about the potential for
getting hit again with another
payment, White said she believed
that was possible.
Councillor Archie MacGowan
wondered if a letter could be sent
with the payment stating that
council would not make any further
retroactive payments for claims.
"This can't go on forever and ever
amen. The whole thing leaves a bad
taste in my mouth."
White said her understanding was
that until all claims are settled there
could be more retro-payments.
Clerk-administrator John Stewart
said that the problem as he
Continued on page 7
Thursday, Nov. 18, 2004 $1 (93c + 7c GST)
To remember
A Brussels Cadet stands solemnly at the cenotaph as members of the Legion, the Cadets, the
Scouts and Guiding groups, participated in the annual Remembrance Day service on Nov. 11.
(Bonnie Gropp photo)
Christmas Bureau meeting needs of families
By Elyse DeBruyn
Citizen staff -
By donating a gift or non-
perishable food item at any local
Christmas Bureau location, you'll be
bringing a smile to someone's face
this holiday season.
The annual Huron County
Christmas Bureau is asking for
everyone's help to make this
Christmas special for every child in
Huron County.
For almost 40 years the Bureau
has been a driving force in
supporting community efforts to
make sure all children from
disadvantaged families have a merry
Christmas.
Joan Van Den Broek from the
volunteer services at the Huron-
Perth Children's Aid Society, said
"we'd be poor as a community if we
didn't open our hearts and
pocketbooks to those in need at
Christmas time."
"Would you want to live in a
community where people didn't care
about their neighbours?" said Van
Den Broek.
She said some of the Bureau's best
donators were "on the receiving end
at one point."
Van Den Broek said the Bureau is
"highly confidential" and parents
who wish to use the Christmas
Bureau services are asked to call the
Christmas Central office after Nov.
22 and before Dec. 8 to make an
appointment.
She said the appointment is to help
the parent find the closest Bureau to
them, to determine how many
children are in the family and their
gender.
"It's very confidential. We have to
be very responsible when dealing
with families going through rough
times," said Van Den Broek. "We
don't know what goes on behind
closed doors, so be careful not to
judge someone because everyone
has a struggle. It's better to look in
the positive side of things and help
those in need."
The only stipulation the Bureau
has is that the family must live in
Huron County and that the person
registering the children is the
custodial parent.
For many families, the Bureau is
their only contact with the
Children's Aid Society.
She said the Bureau is generous in
its presents. Each child, age
depending, would receive a clothing
outfit, stocking stuffers, socks, mitts,
underwear, scarves, a toy (or if the
child is older a recreational gift) and
the family would receive food and
food vouchers.
Van Den Broek said the Bureau
needs a lot of cash donations too
because there is always a shortage of
items in certain categories,
especially in gifts for children from
ages 10 - 14.
"At this age these kids are out of
the dinky cars and Barbie dolls
stage. They would want a more
recreational gift.
She said the Bureau has never run
out of gifts for families because if
they do, a volunteer will go out and
buy something, which is where the
cash donations are desperately
. needed.
"We never want to be in the
position that we can't meet the needs
of those families."
The Bureau has designated
shoppers who know who is coming
in to collect the gift donations and
what they need. This way these
shoppers know what is missing and
can replace it by using the cash
donations in case another item of the
same sort doesn't come in.
Van Den Broek said she can't even
begin to guess how many volunteer
hours have gone into making this
food and gift drive possible.
"There are so many volunteers I'll
never have the opportunity to
thank," said Van Den Broek. "There
are some people who have given a
tremendous amount of time and
money over the years. Those are the
unsung heroes."
The Bureaus this year are hosted
by the Clinton Christian Reformed
Church, the Precious Blood Roman
Catholic Church in Exeter, the Knox
Presbyterian Church in Goderich,
the Egmondville United Church and
the St. Andrew's Presbyterian
Church in Wingham.
The churches manage the five
Continued on page 6