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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2007-07-18, Page 4Page 4 July 18, 2007 • The Huron Expositor SEEMS Opinion Proprietor and Publisher, Bowes Publishers Limited, 11 Main St., Seaforth, ON, NOK 1WO MedQuest funding needs to continue As the second year of the MedQuest camp ended in Seaforth last Friday, the benefits of exposing high school students to the large variety of well - paying healthcare careers was obvious. The whirlwind week was packed full of hands-on activities, the opportunity to shadow various healthcare professionals at work in their small town communities and the chance to quiz first year medical students about the intricacies of applying for both university and medical school. And, the 30 Grades 10 and 11 students from throughout Huron and Perth Counties were human sponges, soaking up the experience with enthusi- asm. They reported that not only did the camp either reinforce a career path or rule it out, but MedQuest also demonstrated the value of returning home to a small town setting to pursue a life in healthcare. Several students pointed out that without attend- ing the MedQuest camp, they might still have gone after a job in healthcare but they wouldn't have come back home to rural Ontario where we need them to work. They also said the experience boosted their confi- dence that a healthcare job - even those involving acceptance into the limited spots at medical school - might not be as difficult to attain as they earlier thought. • The observations of Dr. Tom Lacroix that high school and second year of medical school are pivotal times when decisions are made about pursuing family medicine as a career are clear to anyone watching the weeklong camp progress. Lacroix is the assistant dean of the South Western Ontario Medical Education Network (SWOMEN) out of the University of Western Ontario. While it's still too soon to count the number of MedQuest alumni working in local small town com- munities, it seems the next hurdle is continuing funding to run the program. The three-year provincially -funded project that formed Healthkick Huron is coming to an end this fall. We can only hope that as Healthkick applies to the province to continue its programs, the decision makers are equally sold on its potential to help solve the current healthcare staffing crisis. Susan Hundertmark Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 E-mail us at seaforth@bowesnet.com Visit our home page at www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com OUEBECOI: MA Canada EDI JI McouA "We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing costs." Reconnecting with old friends is worth the effort An old friend looked me up on the Internet g couple weeks ago. I'd lost touch with Travis in Grade 10, more than a decade ago. Prior to that we'd been inseparable. We were so young when we became friends that I don't even remember when it was because I can't remember being a kid without being friends with him. Both of us lived outside of town, on 1 rge pieces of property with forests on them. - e'd both been raised by hunters. We had a lot in common. I can remember getting home from elemen- tary school and one of us would call the other, even though we'd just seen each other at school. We'd talk for hours. About what, I have no idea. One or the other of us was constantly at the other's house and we'd be up to some kind of mischief. Camping or shooting pop cans or building lean-tos in the `bush'. We had many quasi -legal adventures about which we observed a strict code of silence. That code is still so deeply engrained it pre- vents me from writing about those adven- tures, but given the kinds of things we got up to, it's a miracle we never got hurt or caught. Then high school hit and we started to drift. I guess it happens to everyone. We made new friends who didn't know each other, our lockers were in different parts of the school and we didn't have many classes together. Then high school ended and we -disappeared completely from each others' lives. Years passed. The next time I saw him was at my cousin's buck and doe in 2003. I was on my way in and he was on his way out. We chatted a minute and that was it until he looked me up on Facebook a couple weeks ago and sent me a message. You could've knocked me over with a feath- er. Our work schedules made it hard to get ahold of each until last Thursday. We talked for more than an hour, catching up on the last 10 years and reminiscing about old times. We made tentative plans to get together and meet each other's girlfriends. Though with him in Kingston and me in Seaforth, we know that might take a while to coordinate. I figure everyone's got a friend like Travis in their past that they've lost track of and wish they hadn't. If you've ever wanted to look up yours, do it now. It's worth it. Ron & Dave Mom says that if I spend the whole summer watching TV, my brain will turn to mush. by David Lacey Gilligan little mud come with Barre„, Put that ; away/ Unice Jed, come quick Granny's hoppin mad Yeah, it's starting to soften up a bit. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: LOCAL - 36.18 a year, in advance, plus G.S.T. SENIORS; - 34.17 a year, in advance, plus G.S.T. Foreign: 36.18 a year in advance, plus $181.48 postage, G.S.T. exempt U.S.A.: 36.18 a year in advance, plus $92.56 postage, G.S.T. exempt Published weekly by Sun Media at 11 Main St., Seaforth. Advertising is accepted on condition that in the event of a typographical error, the advertising space occu- pied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error, advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell and may be withdrawn at any time. The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduction purposes. PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT 40064683 PAP REGISTRATION NO. 7605 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO Circulation Department P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, ON., NOK 1 WO Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association & the Ontario Community Newspapers Association Susan Hundertmark Editor Bernie Pugh Advertising / Office Aaron Jacklin Reporter Maxwell Bickford Composing Dianne McGrath Front office Editorial and Business Offices - 11 Main Street.,Seaforth Telephone (519) 527-0240 Fax (519) 527-2858 Mailing Address - P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario, NOK 1 WO