HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-12-02, Page 11Page 10 - Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, December 2, 2009
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GROOMING
SALON &
BOUTIQUE
C'aats
9u/eaters
Derated Cookies
Treats
mss' O( Toys
Dom L7esyner Collas
enyrav-able Jays
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17 Albert St., Clinton, Boutique Hours: Fri. 9-5 Sat. 9-3
.
Festival of Trees put on hold
The annual line-up of festively
dressed artificial evergreens at the
Goderich Place (GP) Retirement
Community has been replaced this
year with a Snowflake Bazaar,
On Tuesday, Dec. 1, the
retirement residence was filled
with goods and goodies galore as
a host of vendors set-up shop from
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
After a five-year run, GPs
Festival of Trees has been put on
hold in 2009 after a slow finish in
2008.
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GODERICH CHIROPRACTIC
•
WE ARE PLEASED TO INVITE YOU TO OUR
PATIENT APPRECIATION
OPEN HOUSE AND OUR
6-
)/1/M -THANK YOU 1 -OR YOUR SUPPOil r!
HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTRE
DECEMBER 5, 2009 • 1-3PM
FOOD & BEVERAGES WILL BE SERVED
34 KINGSTON STREET, GODERICH
T 519.440.5071
www.goderichchiropractic.com
Huron County Health Unit 111
519-482-3416 or 1-877-837-6143. HURON
www.huroncounty.calhealth COUNTY
H1N1 and SEASONAL FLU SHOTS
Thursday, December 3 from 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
GODERICH Royal Canadian Legion, 56 Kingston Street
Monday, December 7 from.3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
EXETER Precious Blood Parrish Hall, 200 Sanders St. West
Most doctors' offices and family health teams are offering vaccine for their
patients. Check with your health care provider if you are unable to come to a clinic.
Some children under 10 years of age need two doses of vaccine 21 days apart.
Talk with your family health care provider.
Please call the health unit for an appointment if your child cannot receive their
second dose before the final scheduled community clinic.
Both vC ccole c
logelbe r if you rhnn c,,
Mink you have the f u? Not sure what to do? Take the self-assessment questionnaire at
"There wasn't a whole lot of
interest," said event coordinator
Dawn Smith. "We ended up giving
trees away."
The Festival of Trees was designed
to allow sponsors a chance to
give back to the community by
donating a decorated Christmas
tree which would then be turned
over to families in need of a
little extra holiday cheer.
Smith was unsure if the
Festival of Trees would
return in 2010.
Bureau phone lines open this week
Gerard Creagan
signal -star staff
Phones have started ringing at the Huron
County Christmas Bureau, as families begin
registering for a helping hand this Christ-
mas.
No child should go without. That is the
raison. d'etre of the Christmas Bureau, and
the driving factor behind county residents'
continued generosity.
Last Thursday, training was beginning for
phone staff to handle correctly
the soon-to-be influx of calls
from parents who need help
bringing the holidays home.
It was an encouraging scene:
Volunteers poke their heads
through the door shyly to sur-
vey the room.
"Come in," says Joan Vanden-
Broeck, the volunteer coordina-
tor for the Christmas Bureau.
They do. Others follow. The room fills up.
Before long, the table is filled with women
who will be giving of their time to help. get
families the help they need to keep Christ-
mas at home.
They all say they appreciate the chance to
"give back to the community" and most of
them are returning volunteers.
It's no easy task to deliver Christmas to
the entire county, however, the volunteer
spirit is tremendous behind the doors of the
Childrens' Aid Society.
But why do they do it?
"We care."
Those two words encompass a roomful of
volunteers who rose to the call of the Christ-
mas Bureau.
"This is for the working poor," says Sha-
ron Kirkey - longtime volunteer. "This is
for that person who is fighting to make ends
meet."
Times are tough now. Times have been
tough before, and as always, the Christmas
Bureau is there to mitigate the sense of loss
many families will be dealing with in the
wake of Huron's dramatic manufacturing
layoffs.
The spirit of giving is not limited to vol-
unteers, however. VandenBroeck said all
across Huron County people are finding
ways to give the gift of Christmas.
In Exeter, the Hawks are organizing a ted-
dy -bear toss for their next hockey game.
In Clinton, Cookies for a Cause is collect-
ing for the Bureau at the raceway.
In Wingham, the heritage theatre folks are
spreading the message and
here in Goderich, high school
students will be out canvass-
ing for food in a little less
than one week.
Families who once relied
on the Bureau are now among
their greatest contributors,
adding to the notion of pay-
ing it forward.
It doesn't matter which cor-
ner of the county you live in
- the Christmas Bureau has a long reach and
VandenBroeck said when times are tough,
historically, people have supported more
than ever.
"The last recession, we had more kids
than ever before," she said. "And our reve-
nues went up. It's like the community senses
the need and steps up."
Parents have to make the initial contact
with the Burueau, as well as an interview,
and arrange for transportation from the de-
pot. The rest is all handled by volunteers.
The Bureau can be reached at 1-800-265-
5198.
Host churches are North Street United
in Goderich, St. James Roman Catholic in
Seaforth (distribution centre at the Ag-Plex),
Exeter Christian Reformed, Sacred Heart
Roman Catholic in Wingham and Clinton
United.
Families can call between November
30 and December 11 and all donations are
asked to be delivered to host churches in the
week of December 7-11.
The Huron County
Christmas Bureau
can be reached at
1-800-265-5198