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Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-01-28, Page 13Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, January 28, 2009 - Page A13 North Street United sends -team to Dominican D.nnxSciQtt signal -star staff Sun, sand, swim. -up bars and drinks with umbrellas in thein may be synonymous with a tropical vacation, but for one group of Huron County residents, this couldn't be farther from their experience. Parishioners from North Street United Church will be heading to the Dominican Re- public for the fourth year in a row, and they certainly won't be taking it easy. The group, part of the Friends of the Orphans Canada (www fotocan.org), will be leaving for their two -week -journey on January 31 and will be heading for San Pedro de Macoris. The group claims members from Goderich, as well as nearby communities like Auburn, Bayfield, Mitchell, Seaforth and Palmerston. Their projects this year will include putting the finishing touches on a secondary school that they laid the foundation for the year be- fore, providing a water filtration system, and helping local. women learn to sew. While the school and sewing programs will provide education and income for the orphan- age and surrounding area, the biggest impact is likely to come from the water filtration sys- tem. The system, which has a one-time price tag of $5,000 will replace the need to have $7,000 of bottled water shipped to the orphanage on a yearly basis. That means that in this year alone, the orphanage will save $2,000, while subse- quent.years will see them with a full $7,000 to put towards other endeavors. They will also be able to share their clean water with neighboring towns. All of the repairs and materials will be pro- vided out of pocket for the group, meaning that, aside from their cost of lodging and trav- el, they will spend $30,000 to $40,000 on the trip on building materials alone. One of the group's prominent members, Dr. Don Neal, explained what keeps bringing him back. "The first time I went was with my daughter [Geneva], and that's what keeps bringing me back," he explained. "It's important that we take these teens. We have about half a dozen coming with us. They see life in the develop- ing world, and it changes things." Dr. Neal spoke proudly of his daughter's ac- complishments on previous trips, saying she connects very well with the local kids, and was on a first -name basis with most the children in the orphanage and surrounding towns. "We get more than we give," he said. "It builds good will between the Dominican Re- public and Canada." This will be the third year in.a row that Dr. Neal and his daughter are on the trip, and the first for his wife Alex. "We never know what we're going to do un- til we get there, but it looks like we'll be finish- ing and painting the secondary school that we laid the foundation for last year," he explained. "We were doing a similar thing the first time we went down He explained that its amazing how one year there is nothing, just foundations and a bare Budget unresolved at BIA table The Goderich Business ImprovementArea (BIA) discussed several pending issues, in- cluding budget, the hiring of a new manager and the upcoming Brochure Swap at their Jan. 22 meeting. The BIA attempted to deal with their budget in its entirety, but had to postpone aspects of it due to lacking information. They did, howev- er, deal with an increase in membership fees. Members were split between the idea of an increase based solely on property evaluations and a percentage increase on top of that evalu- ation. In the end, council decided to increase their budget to $78,000, and each member's fee will be adjusted accordingly to provide the BIA with the funds they need to continue their work. The increased funding will be applied to beautification and promotional drives. The swap, which is being hosted in Goder- ich, provides an opportunity for business and associations to network with each other. The BIA was asked by Tourism Goderich to donate $300 to help with the running of the swap, but decided that since they are a com- mittee of the town, they didn't need to provide the money. They did, however, decide that they would buy a booth at the brochure swap for $50. GMni*smlth Canadian -rade Kitchens QUAUTY•ON 77*W QOMPLETE NORTH STAR Er rorkledrr rarrProrr 1 4004600.200, VINYL wiNaawa AND aaaaa .,,.. , dEntryguar'd DOORS 394 Huron Rd. 40000.0. (across from The Beer Store) TNOOM Goderich, Ontario 9$0010.440 % G Phone (519) 5241520 email: salesebluewatenirindows.ca BLUEWATER Please �� Rau... WII%IDDWB So. DDDB Sales • Service • Installation OVER 20 YEARS OF QUALITY & RELIABILITY FREE ESTIMATES ON WINDOWS, DOORS & KITCHENS ground floor, and the next year it is completely built and ready to be painted. As a doctor, Dr. Neal participates in a variety of activities during his trip, including making networks with local doctors. "I'm beginning to understand what they need to get their jobs done, and at the end of every trip, they give me like a shopping list, and I try to return with as much of it as .I can in the next year," he said. Clinics are also run for the tias, or caretak- ers, of the orphanage by visiting doctors, and out -clinics for surrounding villages as well. "They have no public health system there, and no access to care. They're also very busy trying to get by, so they appreciate the help when we can offer it." Branch 109/Ladies Auxiliary Royal Canadian Legion 56 Kingston Street BURSARY APPLICATIONS for Post Secondary School Graduates Deadline Mar. 31/09 Application forms are available at the Branch. New' This year, for a resolution with real significance, why don't youryc�ommitting to improving your nal finances? It might.help you stay on et toward key goals, such as a co 'rtable retirement. Here are four ideas you nig it want to consider: 1.) Understand your full financial picture: It's important to know where you stand today in terms of your assets and debts. as well as your goals for the future - particularly as they relate to your retirement so you can come up. with an appropriate plan to help you get you where you want to go. 2.) Take full advantage of your RRSP, TFSA and RESP: As part of your retirement planning, don't miss out on the chance to utilize these valuable savings vehicles the government has put in place for you. Make sure as early as possible in 2009 - and every year after that - you make the maximum contributions you can. All three programs have the enticement of key tax advantages. With the Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), you have an attractive structure for housing a portfolio of investments such as stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Your contributions can be deducted from your income, which will help reduce the amount of income tax you pay. In addition, any growth•earned in your RRSP is not taxed as income until finds are withdrawn, meaning your RRSP investments grow tax-deferred so the total value may grow more quickly. You can also save and invest up to $5,000 per year in the new Tax -Free Savings Account (TFSA). You can take the money our whenever you desire and no tax is paid on that withdrawal, and whatever growth occurs within the account does so tax-free. That means the TFSA can be a great supplement to your RRSP. The Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) allows you to save and benefit from tax- deferred growth until the accumulated amount is used for financing your children's education. Although you are not able to deduct your contributions from your income, the money you contribute can generate additional funds through the Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG), a program that adds government-sponsored contributions to your RESP. 3.) Build an emergency fund: You should have some easily accessible cash kept aside specifically for emergencies. If something unforeseen happens, you want to have enough in your emergency fund to avoid relying on your credit cards for the necessities of life. And it's just as important that you not tap into your retirement savings or you could put your retirement plans in jeopardy. So you might find it's a prudent goal. in 2009 to get the equivalent of three to six months of living expenses into an emergency fund. 4.1 Cut your debts: It sounds simple, but it's difficult to achieve. Remember that every dollar that doesn't have to go toward a debtpayment can be applied toward your retirement savings. So in 2009, you might want to commit to borrowing only when necessary, shopping around for competitive rates, paying credit card balances every month, consolidating your investing and banking in one place, and generally looking for ways to cut whatever coast you can while living within your means. Here's one other commitment that might be the most valuable of all - If you don't already have a financial advisor, make 2009 the year you get ohe. A qualified financial advisor can objectively evaluate your situation, suggest appropriate financial strategies for helping you achieve your long-term objectives, and maybe even help you stick to your financial NewYear's resolution. Edward Jones, Member CIPF * Edward Jones does not provide tax or legal advice. Review y ur sPecific situation with your tax adviser and/or, legal plc rfw,ssionall br information Vegan fry or Issues concerningthe mai rf!‘"IgaParticalat trnIstment or taking any other awn. 1