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Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-02-04, Page 5Winterfest in funfornit e e family to enjoy make it there." Whether it's trudging through snow and ice to catch a pop -fly, tempting tastebuds with a variety of chilies, or taking in an afternoon of theatre, please see page 11 for a complete list- ing. According to Keith, the whole rea- son for the seasonal festival is to draw out the community so everyone can take advantage of the snow together. "The purpose is to help bring people together and offer events that community puts togetheritself," she said. "Goderich is so blessed to have so many people taking part." 1 Oiihuie Fiu'thtiu'e AuetioIl ,..,.441010 H tit -W i1e dk of ho\sToorn. sa. m pies & floor; models \ ill •[ (-- reduced ‘ve(k1y! Febrithq 1- Februaty 28 S�-FTAI� 10`o�itariosfur�iturevillage.com D �> FTNE FURNffURE • • Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, February 4, 2009 - Page A5 Dandadque1lburn signal -star staff 'There is so much to see and do this Winterfest weekend, they're starting a day early. According to special events and festivals coordinator Wanda Keith, the unofficial 26th anniversary. of Goderich winter fun celebration is touting something for absolutely everyone, and the fun is set to begin Thursday, Feb. 5. Although the exact origins of the annual Winterfest celebration have been disputed, organizers like Keith say that since it's inception, roughly 26 years ago, the wintertime embrace has been a hotly -anticipated relief of the 'winter -blahs' with its staple events, including the Snow -Pitch tournament and sizzling chili cook -off compte- tion. This year, so many community members and businesses have added their names to the hot -spot agenda, that the festival officially kicks off a day earlier than normal as the West gymnasium at Goderich District Col- legiate Institute hosts a badminton Photo by Gerard Creces A number of people came out to fashion their own style lantern Sunday at a CPR station workshop just in time for the Candlelit winter walk through the Maitland Woods. Above, Kim Payne and Karen Melady. open house Thursday evening. "The thing that makes Winter - fest really for everyone is that even though it's a celebration of the season, there art events sports and activities that keep you warm indoors, too," said Keith through the froggy -throat of a winter cold. There are a number of new items on the Winterfest menu in 2009 that Keith is bravely waging war against a viral takeover to take part in. Last year, she said she was particularly impressed with tumout to the Goder- ich Youth Darts open house, and this year, it's the allure of the Nintendo Wii gaming system that is peaking interest. "I'm not really familliar with the Wii, but I've heard a lot about it," she said. "That's why I think that it's great that the Goderich Library is host- ing a Winterfest Family Fun day on Sunday that will let kids and parents play around with the system, as well as board games. I really hope I can Board, teachers strike agreement w Si;Dt_ for the signal -star A four-year collective agreement between the Avon Maitland District School Board and the local chapter of the Ontario Secondary School Teach- ers Federation (OSSTF) has been ratified by both sides. Teachers will receive three per cent raises in each of the four years, running through Aug. 30, 2012. But on the elementary side, negotia- tions have only just resumed, a single day ahead of a Jan. 31 deadline that provincial union president David Clegg warned would have left members of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (EFFO)-with "no option but to initiate strike votes, which will be the precursor to job .actions. " . "Local school boards ... have been stalling because they have been wait- ing for a provincial agreement," Clegg said in a Jan. 8 news release, referring to an earlier Nov. 30 deadline defined by the Education ministry, aimed at securing so-called Provincial Discus- sion Tables (PDTs) as templates for local deals. ETFO was alone among Ontario teachers' unions (public and Catholic; secondary and elementary) in rejecting all PDT offers. "Now that a provincial agreement is off the table, we will not accept any more foot dragging by the boards. Meaningful and constructive contract negotiations must take place at the lo- cal level." At a regular board meeting Tuesday, Jan. 27, Avon Maitland trustees ratified the local OSSTF deal. In keeping with the PDT, the deal will provide three per cent raises each year. But it wasn't until Jan. 30 that board negotiators got back to the table with ETFO. And, in keeping with the Edu- Great Cars. Great Rates. Now available with winter tires! Call or visit us today! Highway 21 south of Goderich at Hyundai of Goderich. 519-524-1795 • arlib7tal A Licensee of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. or its Oka. " cation ministry's warnings about fail- ure to agree to a PDT, they've been in- formed that there will only be enough funding made available for deals of two years in duration, and with annual raises of just two per cent. "We know that the province has told (the boards) that there will be fewer re- sources to work with, and that's not go- ing to cut it. That's not going to satisfy us," said Iocal ETFO president Merlin Leis, -contacted at the local chapter's Seaforth offices. Leis confirmed that the local chapter is in support of the provincial union's warnings about job action. He stressed, however, that he hadn't yet seen what the local board will offer, and asked to reserve judgment. "We haven't yet seen what they want to bring forward, and once we do, we'll have to determine where to go from there." L in Manufactuu ', Rebates Save up to 300 \\'i\(;.�� 1.( )i:AYI":\k Beauty that is blinding Energy efficiency meets design innovation. Duette* Architella" shades transform the way your home looks and feels. The patented cell -within -a -cell design significantly reduces heat loss through the window and can cut heat loss by up to 50% or more — and that means lower heating costs. UFE,>IE GUARANTEE,OF COURSE. factors atfp& °I1 Ar I fabric wMdow 417e M CONSERVE ENERGY WITH DUETTE` ARCHITELLA HONEYCOMB SHADES For your complimentary In-home consultation Paul & Finola MacGinty 519-524-5773