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Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2004
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IMrri i Ista ngiss
ain St. Seaforth ' ;
527-0794
Iii brier
Blood
donor
clinic today
at Seaforth
community
centre
aiming
for
190 units
By Susan Hundertmark
Expositor Editor•
Canadian Blood
Services is hoping to
collect 190 units of
blood at its Seaforth
blood donor clinic
today (Wednesday,
Dec. 29).
"Seaforth has always
supported this clinic,
it's always a very well
attended clinic," says
Erin Bryden, of
Canadian Blood
Services.
While last year's
clinic was held on
Boxing Day, Bryden
says the change of date
to Dec. 29 shouldn't
affect the turn -out.
"It's a great
Christmas thing to do
and it doesn't matter
what day it is in
Seaforth," she says.
Because donations
are increasing in Huron
and Perth Counties,
Canadian Blood
Services is offering an
increasing number of
clinics locally, with
chances to donate
throughout the area at
least once a month.
Seaforth's three
clinics in 2004 will be
increased to four
clinics in 2005. Clinics
are also increasing in
Clinton and Mitchell.
Bryden says she's
encouraged by the fact
that many young
people are beginning to
follow their parents'
lead and become blood
donors.
"I've had young
people tell me they
can't wait to be 17 so
.they can start
donating," she says.
Today's clinic at the
Seaforth C ommunity
Centre from 1:30 to
8:30 p.m. is part of the
province -wide More
the Merrier campaign
that aims to collect
20,000 units of blood
across Ontario before
Jan.14.
Inside...
Local fans
miss NHL...
page 3
Local
snowmobilers
ready
for season ...
Pig
Jason Middleton photo
Roger Lee, manager of GT Mini Mart in Seaforth, contemplates the necessity of covering up his cigarette display if
proposed provincial smoking legislation is passed.
New smoking legislation will
be 'a pain' for shopkeepers
By Jason Middleton
Expositor Staff
Local business owners are reacting after the Ontario
Government announced legislation that would prohibit
smoking in all workplaces and ban countertop cigarette
displays at all retail outlets.
The proposed legislation would limit the sale, distribution
and use of tobacco products, including stricter measures to
ensure only those 19 years of age and older can buy
cigarettes.
Mohammad Farhan, Macs Milk operator, said that the
legislation would just make extra work for his employees.
"Even if you're going to take the displays down, it doesn't
matter. They're still going to come and ask for their
cigarettes," said Farhan.
"The only problem is going to be for us when we have to
bend under the counter to get the smokes."
Karen Martin, manager of Seaforth Shell, said that the
legislation would be a pain for the customers.
"I think us having to put the cigarettes away isn't going to
help because people want to see what you have," said
Martin.
According to Farhan, close to 30 per cent of all
convenience store customers purchase cigarettes.
"For anybody who smokes it's not an impulse. They feel
an urge at home and they want a smoke," said Farhan. "They
think, 'I'm getting out of smokes' so they come to the store.
Their mind is already made up."
Farhan said that in the six years he has been running the
See SMOKING, Page 5
Skate
park
could
soon
become
ice park
By Susan Hundertmark
Expositor Editor
A downtown outdoor
skating rink could be ready
for use behind town hall by
the new year, says organizer
John Ryan.
Ryan, of Egmondville,
who organized the Seaforth
All -Wheels Skate Park with
a cement pad and ramps
behind Seaforth's town hall,
is trying to have the pad
flooded for winter use now
that the ramps have been
stored for the winter.
"It will be a nice pad for
15 or 20 kids to `skate
around," said Ryan.
Ryan took the idea to the
Seaforth recreation board
recently, who told him to
enlist a local service club to
help with the outdoor rink
project.
Before he could ask a
service club for help, Huron
East Public Works
Coordinator John Forrest
volunteered to flood the
surface if Ryan could
remove a wooden fence on
one side of the skate park.
"It wouldn't take anything
at all to do it. You'd just
need to clean it off, set the
snow back into banks and
put a water sprinkler in the
middle. I don't think it
would be hard," said Forrest.
"You just need some cold
water and some ambition,"
he said.
Ryan said he initially
See RYAN, Page 2
Northside Christmas Day dinner draws
small but cheerful group to 'lovely meal'
By Susan Hundertmark
Expositor Editor
Whether they were having
a tough Christmas or
couldn't get together with
family members living far
from Seaforth, a small but
cheerful group enjoyed the
first ever Christmas Day
supper at Northside United
Church on Dec. 25 at noon.
"It's very convenient," said
Wayne Walmsley, of London
who grew up in Seaforth and
returned to visit with his
mother Geraldine Fraiser.
"It's just Mom and me this
Christmas and we didn't get
a big bird," he said.
"It's a lovely meal," agreed
Fraiser.
"We're having a downer
Christmas so we saw this and
phoned up to help," said Jane
Hoggart, of the Londesboro
area.
"We're out in the country
by ourselves this Christmas
and this takes us away from
eating alone out there," she
said of herself and husband
John.
Delphine Dolmage, of
Seaforth, attended the
Northside dinner with friends
Charlie and Perkins.
Her son, wholives in
Kirkland Lake had invited
her to spend Christmas with
him but she said she wasn't
up to the trip this year.
"I just didn't want to do it.
1 don't like the four-hour
wait at the Toronto airport,"
she said.
"This is a nice break isn't
it and nice company," added
Perkins.
Harold Kumm, of Seaforth,
said he would have spent the
day alone if the dinner had
not been held.
"It's a good meal and I'm
really glad to have it. It's not
Christmas anymore without
family around and this makes
it better. I don't know all the
people here but this feels like
a family," he said.
Johannna and George
Goodman, of Seaforth,
attended the Christmas
dinner at Northside because
without a car they were
unable to visit family in
London.
"We're in town for the day
and this is a good meal," said
Johanna. "It's nice to have
something like this when
there's no family around."
Organizer Susan Campbell
said she was pleased with the
turnout of four tables of eight
people and added she had to
turn away both food and
volunteers for the dinner.
"We got far more than we
could ever use. The
Susan Hundertmark photo
Wayne Walmsley and Johanna and George Goodman fill up their plates at the
Christmas Day dinner at Northside United Church.
outpouring was
overwhelming. We tried to
use everybody who wanted to
donate and we'll maybe send
everyone home with some
leftovers," said Campbell,
adding tb'd church members
of every congregation in
town donated.
Still, she had to direct
some turkey donors to the
local food bank.
"We were given one very
large turkey and had to turn
away two more" she said.
Many of those who
attended the Christmas Day
See DINNER, Page 5