HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-06-03, Page 15Weekend walk for ALS first
of its kind in Goderich June 6
Gerard Crow.
signal -star staff
It began as a way to help out a fam-
ily member and soon exploded into an
event expected to be hundreds strong.
On Saturday, June 6, the first God-
erich walk for ALS (Lou Gerhig's Dis-
ease) will take place at St. Christopher's
Beach, raising funds and awareness for
the ALS.Society of Canada.
Nicky Darbyson of Goderich said she
and her sister organized the walk after
a family member was diagnosed with
ALS this January.
"We quickly became aware of what
it was because we haven't heard about
it much," she said. "It's a devastating
disease, so wanted to raise money for
research."
However, with Saturday's walk, Dar-
byson said awareness is the most im-
portant thing being raised.
"It's not necessarily the money," she
said. "We've had a lot of people offer-
ing help. Donations, offering to volun•
-
teer.... Door prizes. Everything really."
After making some initial phone
calls to friends and family, the idea
took weight. While Darbyson said she
•
wasn't sure what to expect, the re-
sponse was great.
"So far, we've had pretty good expe-
riences with the local community," she
said. "Our whole family is kind of or-
ganizing it.
"It's been a lot of work between the
four of us even."
Darbyson said funds raised for the
ALS Society help people in all com-
munities, providing equipment such as
walkers, wheelchairs and bath lifts for
people aflicted by ALS.
The equipment exchange goes a long
way to easing the cost of dealing with
the disease.
"It really helps the burden of the fi-
nancial costs," Darbyson said. "They
are kind of a support group."
The walk is set to begin at St. Chris-
topher's Beach and follow the board-
walk down to the Cove and back.
Darbyson said many local businesses
and organizations donated door prizes
for the event, and a small reception will
follow the walk.
Registration opens at 9 a.m. at St.
Christopher's Beach. The ALS Walk
starts at 10 a,m.
School board survey seeks
answers from Grade 7 students
Stew Slater
for the signal -star
With Grades 7 and 8 students poised
for relocation to secondary school set-
tings — either confirmed or proposed
— in several Avon Maitland District
School Board communities, a survey
about a particular aspect of that tran-
sition has been conducted at Stratford
Northwestern Secondary School.
The survey arose from a request from
board chair Jenny Versteeg, regarding
the potential staggered entrance into
high school settings in some commu-
nities. In particular, Versteeg wondered
what the differences might be in the
experiences of students who arrive at a
Grade 7-12 school in Grade 7, versus
those from surrounding rural areas =
where existing Kindergarten -to -Grade
8 schools remain in use — who arrive
in Grade 9.
Avon Maitland schools in the City of
Stratford moved to a K-6/7-12 format
in 2003. Northwestern. however, also
accommodates students from several
nearby rural K-8 schools. At a regular
Avon Maitland meeting Tuesday, May
26, education superintendent Mike Ash
presented results from a recent survey
of the school's Grades 9 and 10 stu-
dents.
"There were 20 items to which the
students were asked to respond," ex-
plained Ash's report. "Six of the items
showed a statistically significant dif-
ference," between those who entered
the school at the two different phases.
However; compared to some of the
weightier issues covered by the survey,
the six items seemed relatively minor.
• For instance, 39 per cent of the re-
cent arrivals cared strongly about their
school, compared to 52 per cent of those
who had been there since Grade 7. And
a greater number of the recent arrivals
believed the school recognized athletic
achievement, compared to. recognition
for academic achievement among those
who arrived in Grade 7.
"There was no difference in the re-
sponses related to bullying and there
were no statistically significant differ-
ences in the items related to acceptance
at the school," the report noted.
"1'm not going to buy,. my kids an encyclopedia.
.ri IV Jho schtiot1if `I ►" s::
Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, June 3, 2009 - Page A15
Photo submitted
Rising star
KaileyMcMillan a 10, of Goderich recently took the bronze medal at the Ontario
Open Country Singing Contest in Blyth May 21-24. Competirig over three days,
McMillan performed for judges the likes of Tommy Gilham, Travis Teed and
Stacey Lee. This was her first'time performing in a singing competition.
ADA DAY PARADE
2 pm Wednesday, July 1
NAME OF ENTRY
CONTACT ?EN
ADDRESS
TELE
ONE
POSTAL COD
EMAIL
IPTION OF ENTRY (including length,. use of music
ijleaselikach and keep f t' own reference.
'SE BE SURE YOUR FLOAT'CLEARLY SHOWS THE NAM
OF YOUR BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION.
2. route:3must approve of entry
3. Entriesf
;rnais'#nust provide their own means Of;��tAl�
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4. Parade v arl on.Elgin Ave., west of South ' t*
5. You will be phoned or emailed your para
6. Complete this form and mail it to:
adline is June 17, 2009
TOURISM GODERICH, 57 West St., Goderich
OR fax it to 519-524-1466
OR deliver it to Tourist Information Centre,
91 Hamilton Street
OR email the required details to:
specialevents@goderich.ca