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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2005-05-11, Page 5News Elliot Moose on the loose at St. James during Catholic Education Week By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor As a child who spent most of her time drawing with crayons and playing with a toy monkey and teddy bear as her imaginary friends, children's author Andrea Beck says it's only natural she'd end up writing about the adventures of a stuffed moose and his toy friends. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if toys really could come to life? It would be the most fantastic thing," the author of the Elliot Moose books told students at St. James School in Seaforth last Friday. Beck spoke about the importance of literacy and encouraged students to keep listening to their imaginations as young writers and illustrators. "Literacy is a big scary word and you can look at it from a practical point of view that it's about being part of the world and getting a job. But, the other side is all about stories and books and movies. And, if you don't have reading, you don't get to be part of that fun world," she said. Beck told students she grew up in a small town north of Montreal where she lived on the edge of town, away from other children her age. She said she spent the long winters drawing and playing games of imagination with her toys like house, school and emergency. . "When you do that, you're making up a story. Even when we're this big, we're making up stories. That's the thing about us humans - we need stories," she said. As a little girl with a lot of imagination, Beck encouraged students to tell their own stories. "The writers of the world listen to their imaginations. As we grow, we get busy but writers keep listening and grabbing onto their ideas," she said. Because she had a hard time learning to read and also watched her son, who is now a screenplay writer, struggle with reading, she urged students to keep trying. "Even if you just love listening to stories, you're a story maker," she said. Beck's first job was as a toymaker and she shared that her imagination used to work overtime when she was in a Above, Wade Barker, Grade 3, Renee Robinson, Grade 4 and Fred Logan, Grade 4 play the roles of publisher, author and Imagination while at right, children's author and illustrator Andrea Beck shows students how to draw her well-known character Elliot Moose at St. James last Friday. room of toys and she thought she could hear the toys whispering. After raising her children, whom she loved to read to, Beck decided to begin to write about what she knew best - toys. "I thought toys are big in my life - maybe I should be writing about them. And, Elliot came to me with his name - I could just see a little stuffed toy standing in the doorway," she said. She encouraged students aspiring to be writers to keep a notebook nearby to be able to capture their ideas on paper. "Imagination is like a big satellite dish always absorbing ideas but ideas have a funny way of evaporating if you don't write them down," she said. She said beginning with a character and getting to know all about him or her is the best way to begin a story. "Think about who he or she is, where does he live, what's his favourite food. If you looked under his bed, what would you find? If he is standing right in front of you, what does he look like? How do his clothes fit?" she asked. "When you start with a character and get to know him, a story starts to come out of it," she said. Beck suggested writing columns of characteristics to begin exploring a character. Then, she said the character needs a problem to solve. "Your story has to build towards something or no one will want to read it," she said. She walked students through the editing and publishing process, describing what happens as a story builds through the Council rejects request regarding Papple's rezoning By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor A request from Seaforth Food Market owner Steve Delchiaro that Tyler Papple be asked to pay into a parking fund to make up for the lower commercial assessment of his produce stand was rejected by Huron East council last week. Seaforth Coun. Joe Steffler told council he was approached by Delchiaro last week after Papple's Garden Centre received approval for rezoning to bring the business into compliance with the town's official plan. "I told Steve that I would bring it forth and make the motion but I'm not going to support it," said Steffler. "I don't think it's right to find another way to increase his fees. I don't think it's right to go in the backdoor that way." Part of the agreement to rezone the property that houses Papple's Garden Centre was a site plan agreement which requires 10 parking spots for the 4,000 "square foot retail area. If the requirement is not met, provisions can be made to pay into a parking fund instead of providing the spaces. Deputy -Mayor Bernie MacLellan said council can't say the parking is inadequate when Papple has met all of the guidelines of the site plan agreement. "If he's met all the rules and regulations, I don't think we have a leg to stand on," he said. Steffler agreed, saying, "We shouldn't refuse his site plan just to get more assessment out of him." Tuckersmith Coun. Larry McGrath suggested that with the rezoning, a reassessment might increase the commercial taxes Papple pays. "Maybe we're jumping the gun here," he said. But, Seaforth Coun. Lou Maloney questioned if Lobb wins candidacy From Page 1 peppered with "smash and grab" style politics rather than peace, order and good government. Ralph Kreutzwiser, a farmer and the Mayor of South Bruce, said the government must invest more money into military spending. He also. stood firmly against same-sex marriage and the ongoing bureaucratic bungling associated with the gun registry. "The local member and his government has to go," he said. "This is not the time for abusing power or taking shortcuts. This is a time for honesty and integrity." Papple had parking spots that customers would use. "Nobody will use them," he said. editing, the illustrating the design process. "An author has to write a story 20 times before she gets it right. And, then the editor sends the story back to the writer and it goes back and forth about five times," she said. "The next time your teacher hands you a story back with comments, think of me," said Beck. and THE HURON EXPOSITOR, May 11, 2005 - 5 Looking Glass 4 Main St.. Seaforth 527-1783 0 Reflexology *RAT Atuxlr Ther,1p1 *Ear Candling In H.rmc Jrrruc, r(01 !JCL/ r; lft l 'er of icates -\Iattatit< Jennifer McClinchey ml3uL xtua •Vnryl Letters d Graphics •Rarscrl Lepers Al' •t3.,', ''. •.d.. i '.'. Fr..t,c 169 GODERICH STREET WEST 527.1 802 FARM EQUIPMENT SEAFORTH 527-0120 EXETER 235-2121 www.teamvincent.com i CASE lit Church Services You are invited to attend these area churches St. Thomas Anglican Church A Congregafon of the Parish of The Holy Spint Jarvis St. Seaforth Fr. Michael Atkins Parish Office 527.1522 Sunday, May 15" at St. Paul's, Clinton, Day of Pentecost - Joint Parish Service followed by Barbecue and Yard Sale. Please note this is the only service In the parish today. For a ride contact 527-1522 by Friday, May 13. Sat. May 14- Kristin's Fund Meeting, 10pm and Parish Council at 11 a.m. Bethel Bible Church An Associated Gospel Church 126 Main St. Seaforth 527-0982 Sunday Worship Hour 11 am Sunday School 9:45 a.m. NORTHSIDE UNITED CHURCH 54 Goderich St. W. Sun., May 15, 2005 Sunday School Adult & Youth 9:30 a.m. Junior 11:00 a.m. Worship 11:00 a.m. Rev. John Gould Becoming Who You Are. Catholic Church St. James RC Church 14 Victoria Street, Seaforth 527-0142 Weekend Masses: Sat 5:15 pm Sun. 11:00 am St. Columban RC Church Saturday Mass at 7:30 pm Father Lance Magdziak Egmondville United Church Sunday, May 15 10 a.m. Sunday School 11 a.m. Worship Steve Hildebrand - Lay Pastoral Minister in Training Annual Pork Chop BBQ Wednesday, May 25 EVERYONE WELCOME First Presbyterian Church Goderich St. W., Seaforth Rev. Henry Huberts Sunday, May 15 Worship: 11:15 a.m. Sunday School & Nursery Provided May 14 - Plant Sale & Garage Sale 8am - Noon FREI..! 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