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Second Section - September 11 1996
Group takes the pressure out o
By Brenda Burke
TA Reporter
MIDDLESEX COUNTY - For
years, singles dances have
provided a way for people to
meet. Some great partnerships are
formed through these first
connections and in some cases,
people who meet at the dances
end up marrying.
But for participants of the
North of London Middle Age
Singles, the main goal is to have
fun and make friends through
participating in a broad range of
activities from biking to betting
on horse races.
"With the activities we can
become friends first," said Lucan
resident Lois Johnston. "You just
go with no expectations and then
you're not disappointed."
Johnston founded the group
last spring after attending a
singles dance and realizing some
alternative
activities are
needed to
decrease the
"pairing off'
pressure often
created by what
she describes as
an "intimate"
dance atmosphere
that may lead to
intimidation and
feelings of
rejection.
After sending notices to area
churches, she has seen the number
of participants grow to at least 30
people from areas such as
Ilderton, Lucan, London, Clinton
and Ingersoll. The singles club
now hopes to gain participants
from the Exeter area.
"We've got all sorts of ideas,"
she said of the club that
welcomes singles between the
ages of 40 and 55, "give and take
a few years."
In June the group held a golf
tournament and in August it had a
ball game and barbecue. Activities
will take place once or twice a
month, with the only fees being the
cost of the events, plus the
occasional extra amount collected
to cover minor expenses.
"I'm trying to provide a service
for single people, to get them out of
their house," Johnston explained.
"We now have a nucleus of
people that know each other,"
added Harry Martin of Nairn, a
group participant.
Married for 32 years and being
single for a short time, he said "the
timing for me was right" to join the
organization he describes as
informal.
"We all had something in
common," he said. "We all had
similar needs."
"We're like a little family,"
agreed Gail Manion, of London,
who also benefits from the group.
"You can be yourself and not be
judged."
One challenge the singles face in
the near future is finding an
inexpensive,
licenced place to
meet for socializing
after winter events.
Because it's just
getting off the
ground, the club also
needs to establish
core organizers.
Ideas for
upcoming activities
for the North of
London Middle Age
Singles include a biking excursion,
cross country skiing and a trip to
Los Angeles, which Johnston
explains will be a way for
participants to save money.
"If you organize something as a
group, it's less expensive," she
explained, especially for
accommodations.
Johnston is getting singles
together to participate in Lucan's
Terry Fox Run and join her for a
barbecue afterwards on Sept. 22.
On Sept. 29, a volleyball game is
planned in London. For more
information, call Lois Johnston at
227-0324.
One challenge
the singles face in
the near future is
finding an
inexpensive,
licenced place to
meet for socializing
after winter events.
meeting peop e
u w
3s1`ss
Naturopathy: The healing power of food
This is the first of a six part series that will feature various natural health topics as they are presented each
Wednesday from Sept. 4 to Oct. 9 at the Exeter Town Hall.
By BDarlte
ARepoper
EXETER - "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your
food," read an overhead sheet that was part of Jacinta Willems
presentation on naturopathy last
Wednesday night.
Willems, a doctor of naturopathy,
talked to 46 people about the healing
power of food while they sipped lemon
herbal iced tea.
"If we eat foods that have life in them," oujn
she explained, "then we increase life in our
own body...It's phenomenal, the healing
power that exists in the food that we eat."
Sixty-seven per cent of all deaths are attributable to dietary factors
and food choices, she said, adding a diet low in plant food may be a
root cause.
"What we need to do is listen to the body, respect the body and
understand what it's telling us...It's way beyond vitamins and minerals
these days." She explained our eating habits have worsened over the
past 80 years for a number of reasons. With a decrease in plant
consumption and increase in sugar and meat products, our diets have
become less healthy.
"There's a higher instance of cancer in Huron County than the rest
of Ontario," she pointed out.
According to Willems, Canada's Food Guide is not the only source
available on nutritious eating. An alternative version of the food
groups places emphasis on breads, cereals, rice and pasta as food
staples, followed by fruits and vegetables, then milk and meat. Last on
the list is fats, oils and sweets, which should be kept to a minimum.
"Choose your vice wisely and savor every moment of it..*.There's so
much confusion out there," she said, adding fats provided naturally by
nuts, seeds, fish, olive and flax oil are good for us.
Overall, explained Willems, the less processed food we eat, the
better, for enviroorunental as well as health masons. However, she
added, "there's no one pa evaryeau"
She recommends peoP AMIN gradually.
The w
According to Willems, principles of good nutrition include eating a
variety of foods that are natural, fresh, live, local, seasonal and
chemically free.
She suggests special healing foods include beets, garlic, cruciferous
vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli, soybeans, live culture yogurt,
berries, grapes, green tea, turmeric, dark green leafy
vegetables and flax seeds.
To aid the digestive system, she also encourages
people to increase their intake of herbs and spices.
Next week's 7 p.m. presentation Is
introduction to Nerballsm, by Michael Rayner.
For more Information call 235-4003 or 235-
1644.
361644.
fi<
To begin
the
natural
health
series,
Doctor of
Naturopat
by Jacinto
Willems
gave a
presentatl
on on the
healing
power of
food.
a
The newly -formed London
Middle Age Single group
enjoys a variety of
activities. Clockwise, from
left, time out for the group
at the Clinton Race Track,
Harry Martin shows his
talent at the barbecue and
Bob Wilson shares a bike
with Lois Johnston while
JoAnn Porter gets ready for
a game of Frizbee.
Sportsmanship award
Jots Gouda, Crediton was the winner of the 'Ken Govers
Memorial Award' at the annual banquet for Crediton Minor
Ball. The award Is given out to the mite boy who displays
Sporstmanshlp and Dedication all season long.
i