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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2011-09-14, Page 37Wednesday, September 14, 2011 • Signal -Star 35 E TERRY FOX RUN Celebrate small successes to survive OR CANCER RESEARCH working together to outrun cancer pired By A Dream Grounded In Tradition Volunteer -Driven 0 ENTRY FEE NO MINIMUM PLEDGE Walk -Run -Wheel -Ride NDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 1 888 836-978& terryfox.org GODERICH LUMBUS CENTRE eddings • Socials • Dances • Meetings • Bingo, etc. 390 Parsons Crt. 4-1832 Fax: 524-1484 RDINER'S ULCH OULCH ed Mulch sale/Retail bodge St., Godadch AP BOOKS • GIFTs STATIONERY • GAMES • TOY'S Monday - Saturday 8:30an. .9:30pm Sunday 10:00 aim.-9cltlpm. #4*R. loicey Jokey Plastics North America Inc. ISO Mitchell Street Ooderich. ON N7A 4C6 Phone 319-524-9890 Fax 319-524-6114, wwww.joiccy.com IDEAS BY THE BUCKETFUL! 16 The smallest light can help Alr us find a way Katrina Bos Q MI Agency • Finding Successes Amidst Tragedy We are always told to `look for the silver lining', ' to look on the. bright side of life' and all that. But when faced with real devas- tation, loss, and struggle, all of these sayings can be anywhere from cliche to insensitive to downright rude. But what if they actually are our answer to maintaining hope? Last week, Eugene Dufour spoke to us at Trauma Information Meetings organized by th e Family Health Team. Eugene is a coun- selor who has helped people through all kinds of trauma including being sent to help the Canadian families in New York immedi- ately after 9-11. He told us a story about talking to the Search and Rescue Canine Unit whose responsibility it was to look for survivors after the towers fell. He felt quite over- whelmed speaking withthem since they had had no success in finding any survivors at :all. So Eugene asked them how they do it.. Haw do they handle their Job? Last week they had been at a disaster in Japan and this week - New York. How did they stay positive and sane with such a difficult job? They responded that they treated them- selves the same way as they do their dogs. What? They said that every two hours, they dig a big hole in the .rubble and throw in a fire- fighter. (Obviously they get their permis- sion. But it's funnier to say it this way.) Then they put a tarp over the hole and then put more rubble on top to hide it. Then they wait 10 minutes and let the dogs loose. Why? Because If the dogs don't have some 'dud of success at least every two hours, they will become depressed and despondent and. they won't want to continue searching. Wow. Just let that sink in... So, for themselves, they always look for any kind of success - no matter how small. Even if it was consoling someone or being able to help someone in the smallest way. It wasn't being falsely positive or wearing rose-coloured glasses. It was about survival. We all know what going without success feels like. Sometimes it feels like we are never getting ahead, like nothing is ever going to go right. (And we're not just taping about tornadoes here). If we don't find something successful to focus on, we do despair and can easily stop trying. Hope disappears. So where do we go from here? (Person- ally, Person-ally, I think that the idea of digging holes and throwing firefighters in them would cheer me up any time - nothing against fire- fighters - I Just think it sounds like fun). In our case, it might be the good friends and strangers who helped us out, or the hydro and Union Gas crews working around. the clock to get us up and running. Or the trees that fell that didn't hit the house, or the trees that didn't fall at all. Maybe it's a sandwich and coffee brought toyou by a friend or the fact that the sun is shining as you move your belongings to a temporary or new home. Perhaps it is always the small successes that keep us moving forward. They don't change the fact that tragedy strikes. But maybe they are a light in the darkness. And when it's dark, even the smallest light can help us find a way through. goderichsignalstar.com Get all of your news, sports and more. Serving Godench and surrounding area CAS has new board of directors Recruitment attracts 14 members to committee After 11 months of management by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, a new Board of Directors is again' operating the Huron= Perth Children's Aid Society. Over this past spring and summer, an Advi- sory Committee of community members was established to provide advice to the Ministry and recruit a new Board of Direc- tors. After a very successful recruitment campaign, the committee now has 14 mem- bers who will be regular members of the society and ex -officio members of the Board. Their membership as full Board Members will be confirmed upon a vote at our upcom- ing annual meeting. A return to a Board operated agency is an important step in helping the agency return to regular operations. Over the past year, the Ministry has implemented a number of cost savings measures and organizational changes to improve services to families and children in Huron and Perth Counties. As we continue to move forward, the new Board of Directors and the Ministry wilt continue to work closely to further enhance services in our two counties. With the appointment of an interim Board, the agency will now begin the process of recruiting and hiring a new Executive Direc- tor. During this transition period, Larry Mar- shall will remain as acting Executive Direc- tor, while on secondment from the London and Middlesex Children's Aid Society. Mr. Marshall has been the Ministry Supervisor since mid January andhis remaining at the agency will allow for a smooth transition. "OW .a.