The Huron Expositor, 1995-11-08, Page 22-T141 HURON EXPOSITOR, November e, 1$$5
Community
Making Christmas special for all
BY DAVID SCOTT
Expositor Editor
Christine Behnke is planning
to make Christmas a special
time this year for those who
n Christmas Spirit the most.
T e Seaforth restaurant
owner is hosting the first ever
Christmas dinner and party at
her business, Christine's Cafe
for the North Huron Big
Brothers Association on Mon-
day, Dec. 4. Staging an event
like this is nothing new for
Behnke. This will be her 1 lth
Christmas dinner for the Big
Brothers organization; the
previous 10 being held in
Stratford.
North Huron Big Brothers
provides service in Seaforth,
Clinton, Wingham, Goderich,
Lucknow and surrounding
communities. Not only are big
and little brothers in North
Huron welcome but unmatched
tittle brothers, their families,
board members and volunteers.
Aside frodt the dinner, a
party will be\ held complete
with a visit from Santa Claus
to give gifts to the children.
Behnke is hoping to make the
seasonal event a success here
as she has for 10 years in
Stratford. She's asking the
communities involved for
donations to help fund the
event. Gift and food donations
will also be accepted at
Christine's Cafd located on the
first floor of the Queen's Hotel
in Seaforth on the northeast
corner of Main and Goderich
Streets.
Behnke says she tries to
guarantee there's presents for
all the children who attend.
iil+m' u MON AID HM103
PROM ALL Of VS AT SIG !MOTHERS
1za '
BIG THANK YOU - Christine Bei Enke and her son Jesse,
14, hold a giant thank you card Christine received for orga-
nizing last year's Big Brothers Christmas Party in Stratford.
Jesse has also helped with each of the past 10 dinners.
"1f sEven-year-old Johnny has
a five-year-old sister Sarah, try
explaining why Santa doesn't
have a present for her," she
says.
Because of Big Brothers'
zero violence policy, toys such
as G.I. Joe's, toy guns or tanks
can't be accepted.
Aside from organizing din-
ner, donations and the party at
her restaurant, Behnke is still
helping out with the prepara-
tion of dinner for the Stratford
Big Brothers Christmas party
which will happen shortly after
the North Huron event in
Seaforth.
She is hoping for 100 guests
in total. Last year in Stratford,
close to 200 people enjoyed the
dinner and party. Betty Kittar,
owner of the Queen's Hotel,
has agreed to open her doors to
help accommodate the party if
there's an overflow of people,
said Behnke.
This is no ordinary dinner
that's being prepared. Tables
will be decorated in white linen
Seaforth Community Hospital
Hospital looks at
cost-saving initiatives
Seaforth Community Hospital
is continuing in itsefforts to
seek cost-saving initiatives and
shared services with area hos-
pitals.
Hospital CEO Bill Thibert
and representatives from the
Board of Directors have recent-
ly held a number of special
meetings with neighbouring
hospitals, according to a press
release issued at the hospital's
recent board meeting.
Meetings have been held with
representatives from Stratford
General Hospital in June and
October of this year and with
representatives from the
Clinton and Goderich hospitals
in October and early Novem-
ber.
"It is the intent of our Board
of Directors to continue this
open dialogue and to keep the
Seaforth community informed
of progressive initiatives estab-
lished between the hospitals,"
states the press release.
A number of shared services
and co-operative initiatives
between hospitals and with
other health care providers 'in
Huron and Perth Counties
presently exist. These include:
shared laboratory system,
library system, laundry and
linen service, Hospital -in -the -
Home project, I.V. contract
negotiation, diabetes education,
needle disposal service and
sharing of various supplies.
In addition, there are a whole
host of other shared ventures
that are in place between
Huron and Perth. A few of
these include: common elevator
maintenance contracts, shared
educational seminars, shared
purchase and use of an I.D.
badge system between area
hospitals, provision of a home
oxygen program, shared provi-
sion of laboratory after-hours
on-call services between hospi-
tals.
and crystal. Jellies will be
shaped like snowmen, potato
salad like Christmas trees.
Servers will be wearing their
best whites. Everything is done
with a special touch.
"It's done because kids,
through no fault of their own,
don't get to experience a din-
ner like that. It's a lot of fun to
do," she said.
Behnke first became involved
in the Christmas event 11 years
ago when she was selling
tickets for a friend involved in
Big Brothers in Stratford. She
accidentally lost some of the
tickets she was supposed to
sell. An opportunity arose for
her to make up for the incident.
Somehow, the Big Brothers
board of directors forgot to
arrange for dessert for the
Christmas party. Behnke spent
an entire afternoon baking and
preparing treats.
She arrived with dessert and
saved the day too by helping to
serve the meal. She did such an
excellent job Big Brothers
Tractor stolen
On Oct. 11 or 12, unknown
person(s) stole a farm tractor
and bucket loader from
Vincent Farm Equipment
north of Seaforth. The tractor
is a 1994 Case International,
4X4, red in colour with roll
bar, model #5230, serial
#JJF1034260. The loader on
the tractor is black in colour,
model #660, serial #8657.
The value -•of both items is
approximately $52,000.
If you have information
about these or any other
crimes call Crime Stoppers of
Huron County, 1-800-265-
1777 and you could receive a
reward of up to $1000.
phoned her the next year and
offered her the chance to
organize the dinner.
"It's a really worthwhile
thing. I've seen the party grow
in Stratford. I'd like to see it
grow here."
Behnke still has a way to go
to reach the $2,000 mark she
estimates will be the cost to
host the event. Her friends in
the restaurant business and
family will volunteer their time
for the event.
Behnke thinks Big Brothers
is a great organization. She's
seen the program help her
friend's son. The North Huron
Big Brothers Association is an
agency that works with young
boys between the ages•of 6-16
years. The goal of the organiz-
ation is to match little brothers,
who have no male role models
in their lives, with big brothers.
For more information on
becoming a Big Brother or for
donations to help host the first
Christmas party, please call
(519) 524-4361.
"Everybody deserves to have
a good Christmas," says
Behnke.
Are you berg hurt by your
husband of'boyfriend?
Do you feel trapped
or scared?
Wife assault
is a crime.
You can
get help.„
Qntaa
Women's Shelter &
Counselling Service
of Huron
1-800-265-5506
or 519-524-5333
NOVEMBER IS WIFE ASSAULT
PREVENTION MONTH
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SO
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TREE DEDICATION - A dedication service was held
recently at the Moms Dam Conservation Area near Exeter
in memory of funerals held at Dinney Funeral Home and
Box and Smith Funeral Chapel, Seaforth. (From lett) Rev.
Cordell Parsons; Christopher Smith, of Box and Smith;
Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation Chair Fred
Dobbs and William Dinney. (photo submitted)
Box & Smith holds tree dedication
Box and Smith Funeral
Chapel of Scaforth recently
participated in the second
annual dedication service at the
Morrison Dam Conservation
Arca near Exeter.
Box and Smith was the first
funeral home in the arca last
year to make a contribution to
the newly established Ausable
Bayfield Conservation Founda-
tion Commemorative Woods
A
Program.
Five conservation areas under
the ABCA were selected for
the tree plantings which arc
done as a living memorial to
family and fnends of the
deceased.
Since its inception last year,
21 commemorative trees have
been planted at the Morrison
Dam site by Box and Smith.
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For more information please call your local newspaper or 519 527-0240.
This advertisement is sponsored by your community newspaper.
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