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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1998-03-18, Page 11COMMUNITY Times -Advocate, March 18; 1998 Page•11 Mechanical memories: Jack Triebner retires piaining mechanical problems he's By Brenda Burke solved. T -A. Reporter He mentioned one car that .Always .,. ran out of gas.: EXETER - Twenty-four years • "i woke up •in the middlc.of the night and figured out .what was wrong with it." • - He described a nasty fuel prop= • len of Ralph Webcr's car. ' "1 worked on that thing for a Week (o1'f and on) trying to figure - out what was wrong with it." he said. citing this one as his toughest tided to fix it up.- the 'Since- then. he's Jaok ant; Marg'. !_td., "1 saw that -this. • encoumct.J the owner once told two .tu- • same challenge half dents who interviewed -.beaming Was - a dozen times. . . him - for - an en. closed for nine or • In one case; he ex- trcpeneurial • project. ID years so I de- plained, "the fuel "People •said they cided to ftx it up' lt smelted .funny.,. couldn't make it go hut.. didn't smell right." p 1People said they in this town." �'One of the rarest • --Triebnerremembers COU ldn'1 make it _ *problems he's en - removing snow from the go, but I could in - countered happened garage roof one year — this t " the day before ago. Jack Triebner paid $150 a -month io rent a closed 'up building on the corner. of Highways 4 and 84. it not only turned out' to be a prime location. for developing 'a business, but for collecting Mem- ories.. "I saw that this building was closed for nine or 10 vears so 1 dc - on May 26. He recalls own. the ,. swttchov'cr -from - .Fina to Petro Canada. and can show you the crease in the carpet to prove the old walls were round. He talked *about the niany chat-. lenges of the_ automotive industry.. pointing out detailed . diagrams of amhulanccs be's worked on and ex - Christmas -.one year when he received a -call . from a Vanastra' ct►stomcr shortly atter- he serviced. her ve- hicle. She said she couldn't keep the thing running..Trichncr -arrived on the scene -to find -the vehicle's tailpipe plugged with snow. . Even before opening" (hc garage• on Oct. 8. 1974. foremost in Jack's memories arc the people he's met through his work. At one time he serviced '57 Plymouths and Dodg- es for Fred Dobbs at Dobb's Mo- tors (now the Royal Bank). Hc's worked at Mather% Bros.. (now Ex- eter Cryslcr) where he ran the. hack - shop for nearly 15 years until it was sold. In the. early 60's. he did auto- motive repair and electric welding for Kcn Colquhoun at a Russcldalc garage. Russ Brintncll, Jake Jory and Case Sr. Zeehuisen are others he's worked with. He also serviced Glenn Stewart's 1929 Model A. • .. Specializing in transmission, electronics,. air conditioning and ambulance pans, Triebner has ser- viced regular customers from as far away' as Southampton. He's .also: helped 'out many ambulances. Due to cutbacks, he's been on a light deadline to get these -much needed machines hack on the road: "A lot of them broke down here right at the corner," he explained, adding. " I'd'like to -show you some- day. the wiring (of an ambulance)." Trichncr was sure to mention the . staff he's worked with over the years. including Karen Simpson: .who was employed with the• Tri- ebners. from 1992 O. 1997, when • Business closing. From left, garage owner Jack Triebner, his daughter, Cathy Batten and me- chanic, Ron Simpson: Your Views Letters to the Editor the business gas pumps were given • up. According to Triebner, long-time mechanics Mark Hern and Ron Simpson " both apprenticed here and both got their licenses." He fondly speaks "of pan -timers Jason Glavin, Tammy Davis, Cindy Beaver. Ron Simpson Jr., and Car- rie Simpson. . "We've only had .the five stu- dents over 20 -some odd vc.ars," pointed out Trichncr's daughter. Cathy Batten, who has worked- for the family business since she was 12 years old. "41) used to pump gas, give mom Now time to go do housework. stuff Iikc that," she said. The shop is spacious with lots of windows .and lined with_ C3thy's geraniums and Avon pro ducts. Putting in seven-day work weeks meant her parents relied on baby- sitter Shirley Cam_ phcll. -But Tri- ebner recalls long work days even before opening his own business. He used to bag:fcnilizer in the win- ter and work a summer 7 a.m. to 11 :p.m. shift at the cannery: 'That's when you were making a dollar an hour..:My take-home pay in trade school was $23.75 a week. That's all 1 made: That's why i worked part time everywhere." Acing his mechanic courses at Fanshawe College landed him'a 92 per cent average as well as his in- tcrprovincial license. Triebner glances at a large plc- ture of his wife. Marg, on the wall of the shop above the front door. " Smiling, she poses with a large husky -like dog (which l.am later in formed is part -wolf). Even after Marg died six .years ago. Triebner has "always kept • the (business). name the same." Last year. Triel?ner decided May 1, 199.8 would he his retirement date. "I've been' at it roughly for 42 years, so why lot?" he reasoned. - He looks forward to the numer- ous large woodworking projects (pool tables. fireplaces. bars) scat- tered throughout his Exeter home. .always making things." he explained. He motions to his large fish pond_ in thc hack yard. surrounded by greenery and covered with snow. "1 think 1 have five kinds." he • Saving Seaforth high school "Time is running put...." Dear Editor: • - It seems like only yesterday that thousands of you took time out of your busy lives to visit Scaforth ancl'rekindlc memories of yourtimc at Seafofth District High School. Homecoming '95 -:wasn't that a party! ' Now S:D:H.S. needs your help! The newly amalgamated Avon Maitland District School Board has made a recommendation to close S.D.H.S. and move our students and staff to Central Huron High School in Clin ton.'Thc vote on the recommendation has been deferred until March 31. The Board cites a perceived lack of ability to provide programs as its• main concern. It has clearly expressed a philosophy that "bigger is Netter", when it comes to schools. The repercussions to the -Town of Scaforth and all small rural communities arc far reaching. , Our letter to you at this time has two) main purposes: - 1. We need your moral support and request that you immediately send a letter, e-mail or lax to the Avon Maitland District School Board to tell them of your success in life and the importance of S.D.H.S. in your devel- opment. - - 2. We need your financial support now - to legally challenge the Avon Maitland District School Board. _ - Charlie Smith, S.D.H.S:Alumnus, and President of Boilcrsmith Ltd. in Scaforth, has pledged $5.000 to the fund. Please join Charlie and the friends of Seaforth in our fight against the closure of our excellent high • school. Ourreason or asking for your donation is two -fold: 1. it is our hope thc fund will be used to provide the graduates of S.D.H.S. with awards for their post -'secondary pursuits, and to provide stu- dents with athletic and hand uniforms. equipment and the like. • 2. if however. the School Board persists with their intentions to close our high school. th'e fund will he used to mount a formidable legal chal- lenge. . . Our intention is to set up the fund as a Registered Charity and to issue receipts for income tax purposes. Thai registration is not guaranteed at this time, however. we have every reason to believe that Revenue Canada will • grant us the status of a Registered Charity. Please send your cheque to "Save Seaforth's High School Fund". Box 997, Seaforth, Ontario, NOK IWO. Sorty, cash donations.cannht be returned but will he deposited in the Fund. Any amount will be greatly appreciated. If you send yourdonation by courier. we will be certain to • receive it by March 31. 1998. " .. Our list of S.D.H.S. Alumni is by no means complete. and so we urge you to contact two friends or relatives and seek their support too. Time is running out, so if at all possible; please make your contribution before March 31-, 1998 so we can demonstrate the depth of our commitment to Scaforth District High School, to: the Avon Maitland District School Board at their meeting on March 31, 1998. Contributions will be accepted after this date. Thank you for your support. • Yours very truly, Friends of S.D.H.S. c/o Mau'rcen Agar, Chair, S.D.H.S. School Council Sendvaur letters to: Avon Maitland District School Board Corporate Headquarters, 210 Water Street Stratford, Ontario NSA 3C5 Fax: (519) 271-2324 Phone (519)271-0930 Attention: Ahhy Armstrong, Chair Please accept my donation to help fight the closure of Scaforth District High School and to,support future graduates of S.D.H.S. Make cheque • payable to: "Save Seaforth's High School Fund". Name: Address: Graduation year: Donation: To transfer funds directly into the "Save Seaforth's High School Fund", use the following: . T.D. Bank, Seafonh Branch Transit No. 3656, Account «401; C.I.B.C. Scaforth Branch Transit No. 06752, Account #0592838 Raising money for Chernobyl children "Thank you for helping us get the word out." Dear Editor: • Thank you so much for printing thc story "Host families needed for . Chernobyl children" in thc February 4 edition of Exeter Times Advocate. The story generated an overwhelming response. The Huron County group has grown to a total of 27 members. Those 27 members now face the challenge of raising $21,000 so 21 children from Belarus can enjoy the fresh air and produce of Huron County. One half of this total needs to be raised before March 31. Perhaps some readers felt they would like to help but hosting a child was not an option. A very capable committee has organized a letter writ- ing campaign, the sale of chocolate covered almonds, New Orleans Pizza card sales, a walk-a-thon and a Belarussian Tea Room and Bazaar to be held on Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donations of baking, crafts, items for a penny sale, a silent auction or a rummage sale are wel- corned. Or maybe you would like to sponsor a walker, purchase a pizza card, purchase chocolates, or make a monetary donation. Feel free to call Lcesa Marlene at 228-6861 or Shelley Bender at 236-4270 for more infor- mation. Monetary donations can be sent to Canadian Relief Fund for Chernobyl Victims in Belarus, Huron County Group, P.O. Box 64, Exeter, Ontario, NOM 1 S6. Tax receipts are issued for amounts of $10 and over. The Exeter Legion has very generously donated their hall and kitchen facilities for the tea and bazaar. The organizers of the Goderich Home and Garden Show have generously donated a booth so the group.can set up a display. Thanks to the staff and students at Huron Centennial School in Brucefield who are sponsoring a hot dog day and a sock hop with the pro- ceeds going to the children of Chernobyl. . Thank you for helping us to get the word out. Judy Renner, Member, Huron County Group for Children of Chernobyl • said of the fish, later leading the dormant until he can put them out way to a shed where the fish he "side in the spring. Waiting for spring. Jack Triebner looks forward to en- joying his back yard fish pond when he retires on May1. 1990. Marg Triebner, Ron Simpson and Jack Triebner. MPP announces additional funding WINGHAM - From - a 550 million fund set up by the Ontario govern- ment. Huron County received and additional 51.348,422 in 'funding for - highways in a recent presentation by Helen Johns. MPP for Huron. "This funding will ensure that Huron County and other affected munici- palities across our province have the resources they need to maintain their local highways," said Johns. "The money is part 01 a 550 million fund that our government has set aside to help municipalities look after highways that have been transferred." • "Huron County now has control over local highways and the funds need- cd to make that transition easier. The, province will be able to focus its re- sources on highways that serve the broader provincial interest." The $50 million fund enhances the amount Of compensation previously announced for bridge construction requirements. enriches the bonus for municipalities receiving a disproportionate share of highway transfers and includes an additional two-year maintenance allowance. The government has provided 5385 million in total compensation to mu- nicipalities. enabling them to address the additional responsibility. "When Huron raised concerns about maintenance needs, the government and myself listened and made sure those concerns were addressed." said Johns. "This announcement is good news for Huron County." Jazzing it up Flying solo. The South Huron District High School Senior 'Black' Jazz Band won gold medals at the recent London Music Fest Canada Regional competition. Pictured are the band's soloists and tythym section: pianist Julie Darling, flugal hon/trumpet player Marcy Swance, bassist Cam Dougall, tenor sax player Darryl Romphf and drummer Dave Robllliard. The South Huron senior and intermediate con- cert bands and intermediate jazz band also picked up silver medals at the competition. .