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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-07-28, Page 7MacGregors host exchange want to stay further, it is in Canada is I7-year-oid Seeing the city Don and Kittie MacGregor hosted Nina Simonovic an exchange student from Croatia, left, during the recent Lions exchange. With them on the trip to Toronto island was the MacGregors’ daughter Liz. “Canada is wonderful” says Nina Simonovic, “and I longer.” When questioned apparent everything wonderful for this exchange student from Croatia. She enjoyed the size and international nature of Toronto and its interesting skyline, found the architecture here far more intriguing than the baroque style of her homeland, marvelled at the distance one can travel in a day on our highway system, and appreciated the openness she experienced in the rural setting of her host family. Nina is the guest this month of Don and Kittie MacGregor of the Londesborough area. She and the rest of the exchange students for the Lions Club A-9 area arrived in Toronto on July 2 and have been kept extremely busy for the four weeks of their exchange in Canada. They leave for their homelands on July 30 full of memories. Nina’s homeland of Croatia was, until 1991, part of the former Yugoslavia and borders on the Adriatic Sea in the south. Marco Polo was apparently born in what is now Croatia. Her home town, in northern Croatia, Virovitica, has a population of 24,000. Nina’s father is a radiologist and her mother a lawyer and she has an older sister. Each youth on exchange must pay for their own airfare, contribute some monies towards the transportation at camp and bring spending money. Nina brought her host family a traditional gift, a decorated and painted gingerbread in the shape of a heart, as well as two pictorial books of Hrvatska or Croatia. Nina studies English at school where she is a fourth-year student in her secondary school. This would be equivalent to Grade 12 in Canada. She will enter university following a fifth year. Canada was Nina’s third choice for an exchange; Niagara Falls was the reason.for her choice. Although Croatia has many lovely waterfalls, Niagara interested her. And her visit there was marvelous, she noted. While there the group took a Maid of the Mist tour, visited the Butterfly Conservatory and Floral Clock, shopped on Lundy’s Lane and viewed the falls. Oh Yes, Nina says the shopping in Canada is marvelous, too, whether for clothes or souvenirs. Our dollar is worth five Croatian Kunas. Nina remarked that Canadians have more (Photo submitted) choice when shopping than Croatians and the prices are better here. The third week of their time in Canada, the young people attend camp together. It, too was marvelous apparently. The A-9 district stretches from Goderich to Seaforth, north through Orangeville to Wasaga Beach and west to Sauble Beach. The 24 exchange people reside at the Huron Retreat of Grant Chisholm at Kingsbridge. From there they take daily bus tours to spots of interest. Lions Clubs in the district either host a meal or donate funds for the activities. Another connection to Londesborough is the fact that Erica Horbanuik was asked to take the souvenir camp group picture. During the week at camp, the young folk spent a night at the Lions Guide Dog Training School. According to Nina, this too was marvelous. The last night at camp the youth entertain the guests from the district, 200 or so who come to be a part of the evening, with skits, music, stories, etc. What Nina found fantastic about camp was meeting the youth from all over the world, learning from them and making friendships which, in this day of internet conversation, will continue. The young folk exchange pins, banners and homeland trinkets. There is no baseball in Croatia and Nina wished to see a Blue Jays game. Kittie, Liz MacGregor and Nina enjoyed supper at the Hard Rock Cafe while watching the Jays win a close game. Nina was surprised at the number and variety of activities for young people in Canada to do and experience but she MEETING NOTICE MUNICIPALITY OF MORRIS-TURNBERRY The Council meetings scheduled for the month of August, 2005 for the Municipality of Morris- Turnberry will be held: Tuesday, August 9 at 7:30 pm Tuesday, August 23 at 7:30 pm notes Croatian young people are less restricted than Canadians. This last week before heading home Nina and the MacGregors will visit Grand Bend, Wonderland and the African Lion Safari. On the flip side, being a host family is a marvelous experience, states Kittie MacGregor. She and Don and family have hosted students, 19 in all, since 1991 from all over the world. Kittie claims they have travelled the world without leaving Ontario. The MacGregors feel what their whole family has learned from these young people is PEOPLE AROUND LONDESBORO By BRENDA RADFORD Call 523-4296 On Wednesday, July 20, members of the Cheerio Club met for dinner at the Blyth Cardno Centre in Clinton. Family commitments prevented some of their members from attending. Dorothy Johnston opened the meeting with a reading Grandpa’s Hands. Edythe Beacom read The Ten Commandments for Travel - appropriate for the summer holiday season. Josephine MacGregor won the gift of the month donated by Reta Kelland. Card playing ended the after­ noon. The group will meet again on Aug. 17. The Fellowship Bible Chapel will hold its fifth outdoor service of the summer at their building east on the Londesborough Road on Sunday, July 31 at 7 p.m. Hank Gelling will offer the meditation that evening and the Heykoop family will present music for enjoyment. What a welcome rain that was on Sunday. As opposed to the Saturday previous, the showers here were gentle. The grass will green up now for sure and the flowers and gardens will no longer have that parched look about them. . Graduation KEVIN WILBEE At the June 17, Convocation of Sir Sandford Fleming College, Peterborough, Ontario, Kevin Wilbee, son of Keith and Gloria Wilbee graduated with honours from the Law and Justice * Law Clerk Program. He is continuing his education studying political science, at Carleton University, Ottawa in the fall. Congratulations Kevin! Love and best wishes from your family. ? THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2005. PAGE 7. student nothing short of remarkable. Opening their home is their way of bringing the ends of the earth closer to each other. They became interested in being hosts at the encouragement of former Londesborough Lions Club member, Dave Overboe and his wife, Penny. This summer, Don and Kittie felt it was lime to be camp counsellors as well. They discovered thafkids are kids no matter where they live the rest of the time. Camp proved that all have differences but are also similar. Camp has no politics or religions proving the world can be, as Kittie says. One. On July 17 the Londesborough Lions Club hosted the camp for lunch. At that time, the local club presented Don and Kittie with a distinguished service award for their years of commitment towards the Lions Youth Exchange Program. Congratulations Jeff We are pleased to announce that Jeff Bylsma recently received his Agricultural Diploma from the University of Guelph, Ridgetown College. He was also awarded the Greg Butler Memorial Scholarship. We trust that God will bless you as you take up your place on the family farm. Well done Jeff! Love Dad and Mom (Auke and Chris), Karen, Sheila, Dan and Noah, Adam and Holly and Vicki and Colin. CLINTON PUBLIC HOSPITAL MATERNAL/CHILD PROGRAM MATERNAL/CHILD PROGRAM "A new way of providing service at Clinton Public Hospital" "BABYAND I" PROGRAM DAYS - WEDNESDAYS 10-11:30 a.m. WHERE - CLINTON PUBLIC HOSPITAL CONFERENCE ROOM (Second Floor) WHEN ATTENDING FOR THE FIRST TIME PLEASE REGISTER IN ADMITTING NO FEE PROGRAM TOPICS: Wednesday, August 3 - Infant CPR Choking & Safety Wednesday, August 10 - Infant Car Seat Safety Wednesday, August 17 - Babysitters & You Wednesday, August 24 - Post Partum Depression Video - “Fragile Beginnings" Wednesday, August 31 - Pets & Your Newborn For more info call Veronica Farquhar - 482-3440 Ext. 304 FROM LONDESBORO Congratulations Adam We are pleased to announce the graduation of Adam Bylsma from D'Youville College in Buffalo, New York where he was granted a teaching degree. Adam hopes to pursue his Masters Degree in Applied Health Sciences at Brock University this fall. Weil done Adam and may God bless you in your future goals. Love Dad and Mom (Auke and Chris), Karen, Sheila, Dan and Noah, Holly, Vicki and Colin and Jeff.