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Huron Expositor, 2007-01-10, Page 2Page 2 January 10, 2007 • The Huron Expositor News Girls played 'great' in front of Ford, recalls Shaw From Page 1 President as he was wel- comed by throngs of people lining the street. "Our first reaction to the invitation was disbelief," said then -principal of Seaforth District High School Bruce Shaw, in a let- ter written to the board of eduction upon returning. "But we decided to go -ahead. The girls were at their best," he added. In a phone interview last week from his home in Exeter, Shaw recalled standing on the sidewalk as the President's motorcade slowly made its way down the street, coming to a stop in front of the girls' band as they performed. "It was really exciting. He stopped and smiled and waved to the girls," recalled Shaw. He added that leading up to the performance, band- master George Hildebrand was very nervous about per- forming in front of the President. "Just being in the same vicinity (as the President) was a big deal. But the girls played great," he added. As George Hildebrand was sweating out the hours lead- ing up to the performance, the rest of the band's mem- bers - if at all - were sweat- ing from the warm tempera- tures. Donna Arts (Reid), of RR 4 Seaforth, was 17 at the time and a member of the band's colour guard, which placed her front and centre for the performance. "We could see him and it was a big dea but we were young - politic wasn't high on our radar," sh recalled. U.S. President Gerald Ford waves to the crowds that Tined the streets of Fort Myers, Florida in 1976 to welcome the President, who made a brief campaign stop to address the crowd and be entertained by the Seaforth All Girls' Marching Band. -Both photos on this page come from Hazel Hildebrand's collection and were originally published in a Fort Myers newspaper after the celebration. y z, Do YOU MEED A PAMILY PHYSICIANS Orphan Patient Clinic begins... Commencing January 15, the family physicians of Seaforth and the Huron community Family Health Team are pleased to announce that an Orphan Patient Clinic will be scheduled one day and evening weekly. Orphan patients are those residents currently without a family physician. The Orphan Pptient Clinic is in response to the large number of residents calling the Medical Centre and the Family Health Team for an appointment. Former patients of Seaforth physicians experiencing medical problems will be given first preference and are encouraged to call the Seaforth Medical Centre at 519-527- 1770 for an appointment with the Orphan Patient Clinic. Others requiring medical attention will receive appointments as time allows. Other residents currently without a family physician are encouraged to register separately with the community Family Health Team at 519-440-6020 if they have not already. Their names will be added to the Team waiting list and will receive appointments with a physician or nurse practitioner as soon as possible, in order of waiting list registration date. Any residents needing emergency medical treatment are encouraged to visit the emergency departments of nearby hospitals for quickest service. Physician members of the Huron community Family Health Team are: • Dr Dan Rooyakkers • Dr Heather Percival • Dr Carolin Shepherd • Dr Jason Datema Jane Falconer, executive director Huron community Family Health Team Administration: 79 Main St South Seaforth 519-527-2431 Orphan patient registration: 519-440-6020 Seaforth "Politics is big in the U.S., but it didn't have the same resonance with us," she added. If anything, noted Arts, the girls were more impressed by the level of security that surrounded the President's motorcade and kept a close eye on him from surrounding rooftops. "The security was at a level we had never experienced before," she added. Hazel Hildebrand, who accompanied her late husband on the trip, recalled the warm reception the Seaforth girls received not just from the President, but from the estimated 75,000 spectators that attended the three-hour parade to close out the cele- bration. "(My husband George) was pretty proud of them, and proud of the fact they per- formed in front of the President," she said. Over the years, Hazel has kept all of newspaper clip- pings, pictures, letters and just about anything to do with the band's trip to Florida. And.at the centre of her collection, is a framed cer- tificate of appreciation sent to her husband after their visit, signed by the late President. "It didn't seem like a big deal at the time, but it was quite the honour," said Hazel. The Seaforth All Girls' Marching Band marches down the streets of Fort Myers, Florida during the Pageant of Light's finale celebration.