Loading...
Huron Expositor, 2005-02-16, Page 1Shane Medd, Assad* Bn,krr M.V.A. Appraiser Visit: mis.ca tor inrornwtion of listings In Huron/Perth 1,11 \ 11..'.1,al�u'Ill 1.5 1 9) �27-0560 ALicauuu Mortgage Canada Inc. Joy Finlayson & Sharon Medd Mortgage Consultants "Finally, a company that starts with a discount" Wednesday, February 16, 2005 $1.25 includes GST Doug E CFP. B.Math Finned Romer Grasanot rdnry 15.X105 Mast soil ad *Et .3 choir mint saaaaryrs Best ss'scs Rates 24 " 33.E"- 3.% S°'PD i 1:111:ii1 • i ltiifif•ii•it 26 Main St., Seaforth 527-2222 In brief New full-time doctor beginning at medical centre in March By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor A new full-time doctor is beginning at the Seaforth Medical Centre during the first week of March. Dr. Helen Fry, of London, is beginning a family practice in Seaforth but will not be taking on the orphan patients of any particular doctor, says Dr. Dan Rooyakkers, chief of staff of Seaforth Community Hospital "Like (Dr.) Heather (Percival) and I are trying to do, she'll be seeing the sickest patients first. It will be based on need, not whether or not you've been without a family doctor for the longest period of time," Rooyakkers says. "We're going to function that way until we have enough doctors for the community," he says. Rooyakkers says orphan patients can call the medical centre and ask to be put on the list to see the new doctor. Dr. Fry, who is living in London, has most recently practised in Ottawa and Northern Ontario. While Dr. Ken Milne is still working part-time at the Seaforth Medical Centre, Dr. Sean Amami, who was also working part-time at the centre, is no longer working in Seaforth. Seaforth man, 35, charged with assault A 35 -year-old Seaforth man has been charged with assault after Huron OPP were called over a domestic situation on Feb. 9. A woman told police that the man she was living with had allegedly beaten her. The man has been charged with assault and breaching the conditions of a previous conviction. Winthrop has new correspondent • Ringette has 20th local tournament:.. page 12 Because they're good neighbours, Asketts win 'biggest heart' contest By Jason Middleton Expositor Staff Call them good neighbours or just good citizens. But, whatever they are, the Askett family are the winners of Seaforth's Biggest Heart — a citizenship contest created by the Seaforth BIA. Lori and Gary Askett and their two children, eight- year-old Colin and 11 -year- old Rachel, said they were surprised when they found out they won. "It just takes little things to make a difference for somebody," said Lori. "You don't think you are doing anything special and you obviously do." The family was nominated for the award by their John Street neighbour Grace Corbett who thanked them for all the yard work they have helped her with. Some of the little things that the family has done for their neighbour include raking her leaves, cutting the grass and shovelling snow from her driveway. This past year, Corbett's husband, Don, passed away and the Asketts wanted to help make her life a little easier. "We were just thinking about Grace being alone," said Lori, who works at Seaforth Community Hospital. "It just doubled everything that she needs to do and get done in a day." The Asketts said that before Don passed away they didn't help as much because their neighbours seemed content to do it on their own. Gary, who works as a mobile repairman, said that Lori and Gary Askett stand on either side of nominated them, along with their children Colin, Heart contest. they have "good neighbours." "They're nice people and you want to make sure that you help them stay where they are," said Gary. their neighbour Grace Corbett, who 8 and Rachel, 11 for Seaforth's Biggest In her nomination letter, Corbett said that in the fall of 2002 with her daughter dying, she and her husband came home from the hospital to find all the leaves from Seaforth Block Parents folding at end of March if no volunteer steps up By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor The Seaforth Block Parent program will close down at the end of March if no one steps forward to run it. After trying to find willing volunteers for more than two years, Lauren Rooyakkers is preparing to collect signs from the remaining five Block Parents, take down signs at the town's entrances and inform the OPP and the Block Parents Association that the program is folding. "I feel bad that this program is not going to be running but I've asked for help from school councils at Seaforth Public and St. James School several times and there's no response," she says. As a former president Of the Seaforth Cooperative Children's Centre, Rooyakkers took on the job of finding someone else to run the program when the daycare board decided it did not have enough volunteers to continue the job. The daycare centre had run the Seaforth Block Parents pmg'ram since 1996. Seaforth Public School council chair Lisa Campbell says that while some parents have said they'd be willing to help, no one want to take over responsibility for the program. "We're still looking for a lead person but short of going door to door. there's rio one who wants to nin it." she says. "I would hate to see the program fold but it's so hard to find people who aren't spread thin." Lisa says the next school newsletter will make a final attempt to find a volunteer with a "last call" notice. Brenda Campbell, co-chair of the St. James School council, says her school is also having no luck finding someone to take over Quoted 'I feel bad that this program is not going to be running but I've asked for help from school councils and there's no response,' -- Lauren Rooyakkers the Block Parents program. "We've put it out there but there's no response," she says. "I think it's a program that's really important for the safety of the kids but there's a little group in town that seems to do everything. In such a big community, it'd be nice if more people pitched in," says Brenda. While Rooyakkers took on the job to do police checks on the Block Parent participants in Seaforth last year. only five of the 15 were willing to go through the process since a more stringent screening process recently began requiring everyone in the family over age 12 to be photographed and screened by police every two years. Only one of those five is along the route to the schools in Seaforth. The other four are in Egmondville and Harpurhey. "I don't like to see the program half running the way it is now. To close it down is really a technicality right now," she says, adding , that no active recruitment. See VOLUNTEER$, Page 2 • their front yard raked and piled at the curb for pick-up. Corbett also mentions in the letter that last spring, when she couldn't start her lawn mower, Lori cut the grass twice. "You want to make somebody's life just a little bit easier day to day," said Lori. "If you can do little things that make things smoother (for someone else), then it makes your day go better, too." Lori explained that they are trying to teach their children, who both attend St. James school, the importance of helping others. "It's just something that we were taught and it's just in us to do," said Lori. "It isn't even something we think about doing." "The kids seem to come up with ideas quicker than us sometimes about things to do and how to help," said Lori. Corbett said that during the holiday season, Rachel and Colin dropped off a special gift for her. "A lovely surprise for me was when the children came to my door before Christmas to wish me a Merry Christmas and gave me a card that they had hand drawn and coloured," said Corbett in her letter nominating the family. Rachel, who drew the card at school, said that doing things like that make you feel good inside. During the winter, Corbett said in the letter, she has gone outside to find her car cleaned off of snow and the front of her driveway shovelled by Gary. The Asketts admit that they have been blessed with good neighbours and that they are just trying to do their part. "We like to just pass it on when we can," said Lori. Come Home Festival launching website and Internet invitation By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor An internet chainmail invitation and a festival webpage will this week launch the Come Home to the Country Festival happening July 29-31 in Seaforth. "We want people to make sure they save that weekend on their calendar to come to Seaforth," says organizer Maureen Agar. "It's time for Seaforth to strut our stuff and we know how to throw a party," she says. A chainmail e-mail invitation will be sent to former Seaforth residents, who in turn will be asked to send it on to their friends and family. "Remember Homecoming '95? Wasn't that a party? Well, it's time to come home to the country again!" says the invitation. As well, a Come Home to the Country website will be located on the Town of Seaforth website at www.townofseaforth.ca/homecoming.php. On the website, an itinerary of events will be listed for Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the event. So far, Friday night will offer the BIA Moonlight Madness, an outdoor dance featuring Fresh Horses and fish fry at the Seaforth Legion, a summer carnival at the Agriplex, an United Church food booth at Tucker's corner. Saturday's schedule includes sidewalk sales downtown, a flea market at the Van Egmond House, tours of the Cardno Opera Hall, a hospitality tent at the Legion offering Legion tours, a Legion barbecue from noon to 6 p.m., a Seaforth District High School reunion from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. featuring different decades of graduates )changing on the half hour and local talent. "We're still looking for local' talent. For anyone who's See ITINERARY, Page 2