Loading...
Times Advocate, 1999-10-13, Page 18CrosH's)'Ir"""o" BEST 6.1.C. RATES Your invert 2313778 1 year 5.2% S6.05% r Eiator 235#68 18 W.dnesdsgr, October; 13, N!! Exeter Times Advocate Ausable Centre welcomes new executive director By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF LUCAN — It's a long way from his native Trinidad, but the new execu- tive director of Ausable Community Centre is working on improving the community. Tony Baldeosingh said he sees the Ausable Centre as something that can make Lucanites feel better about their community and themselves. Baldeosingh started working at the centre in July after moving to the area from Winnipeg, where he worked for Revenue Canada. Baldeosingh saw the job at the Ausable Centre advertised on the Internet and said he decided to pur- sue it since he and his wife, Susanne, had always wanted to move east. The couple also has four children. He said he wanted to lend his expertise to the centre, and help the non-profit organization grow. Baldeosingh moved to Winnipeg from Trinidad in 1980. Clearly, the cold weather was a shock to him, as was the different culture, bill: Baldeosingh says he was forced to adjust to Canada quickly. Baldeosingh, who plans the services and programs offered at the Ausable Centre, calls Lucan Biddulph a "satel- lite" community to London, and sal the Ausable Centre can offer services which residents previously had to go to London for. Instead of going .to London, Lucanites can now enjoy local artwork and visit the job centre at the Ausable Centre. The Ausable Centre is funded pri- marily by the Trillium Foundation and Human Resources Department Canada (HRDC). The Trillium Foundation funds the community, culture and tourism services and the HRDC funds the job centre and train- ing portion of the Ausable Centre. Keeping Lucanites in Lucan instead of going to London to use services there prevents what Baldeosingh calls "rural decay.' He said he wants input from residents on how to fill the empty storefronts on Main Street and make the community a thriving and prosperous place. "We are here to help (the communi- ty) and co-operate ... to make Lucan Biddulph proud." The Ausable Centre is offering sev- eral computer courses this fall and winter, many of which have already been filled. "The response has been phenome- nal," Baldeosingh, adding that with a recent grant from HRDC, the centre has been able to upgrade its comput- ers. The centre will also help people trying to start a new business Baldeosingh is also proud of the recent Family Fun Feast Day, held at the arena. He said the event attracted 130 people and made a profit which will go back to the centre. Baldeosingh wouldn't specify how much money the event made. The Ausable Centre is also planning to move into the former Village of Lucan office, althoughalcteosingh isn't sure when that will happen. The Township of Lucan Biddulph has offered the centre a five-year lease at $1 per year, but all renovations would have to be paid by the centre. Baldeosingh said to suit the Ausable Centre's needs, the building will require hundreds of thousands of dollars of renovations. The building needs to be basically gutted, rewired, made wheelchair accessible and space needs to be realigned for the computers and artwork. Baldeosingh said the centre wants to "work something out" with the municipality so the costs are "doable". Readers of the T -A may know, however, that Lucan Biddulph council is running out of patience and wants an answer from the Ausable Centre by Oct. 19. If the Ausable Centre does move to y Tony Baldeosingh, the new executive director of the Ausable Community Centre in Lucan, says he welcomes ideas and comments from residents on programs the centre should offer. the former municipal office, it will give the centre more room to house meeting rooms family services resources and' more office rooms. The centre will also continue with its arts shows. Before coming to Lucan, Baldeosingh said he had heard it was a quiet bedroom community and while he has met some progressive thinkers in the township, he said many people are scared of change. Since he has been working in Lucan, Baldeosingh says he has been kept busy by meeting with Local artists, implementing the centre's programs and 'raising funds. He says the centre has raised over $12,000 from grants, donations and fund- raisers in the past three months. Baldeosingh encourages people to use the Ausable Centre. It belongs to the community, he says, and resi- dents should feel free to use it. Breast health seminar October 19 EXETER — During October — Breast. Cancer Awareness Month — the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) will urge women to get the facts about breast cancer. There will be an opportunity to do so at a pre- sentation at the Exeter Legion Tuesday, Oct. 19 from 7:30 - 9 p.m. "Breast Health' and You" will feature Dr. Kent Sorsdahl and Jane Sorsdahl of Sebringville. Jane is a mother of two and breast cancer survivor. She discovered a lump while nursing her first child. She is a Canadian,Cancer Society volunteer who facilitates a breast cancer support group in Stratford and provides one- to-one visiting services for women diagnosed with breast cancer. In addition, Jane delivers a breast health message, including specific rec- ommendations regarding the early detection of breast cancer. Her talk will explore the subjects of physical examinations by health professionals, regular breast self examinations and mammography. Dr. Sorsdahl came to Stratford in 1996 to prac- tice as a general surgeon and runs a clinic in Exeter On Oct. 19, he will address recommendations for women discovering breast lumps, surgical options an&treatment for women facing breast cancer, what to expect after surgery and factors to consid- er when making treatment option choices. "We encourage women to talk to their doctors about screening for breast cancer because we know that screening saves lives," said Pat Chovancek, CCS Exeter branch president. "Statistics show that breast cancer death rates have dropped by about 10 per cent since 1986," she explained. "This decrease is partly due to the fact that more women are having mammograms and more tumors are being found at an earlier stage. When tumors are found early, more women survive this disease." The CCS recommends all Canadian women between 50 and 69 years old have a mammogram every two years together with a physical breast exami- nation by a trained health professional. These procedures lead to earlier diagnosis of breast cancer and a signif- icant improvement of survjval. Women of any age with known risk factors should see their doctor regularly. The society also recommends that by 40 years of age, all women practice breast self-examination regularly at the same time each month and continue this prac- tice after menopause. For information on breast cancer, treatment, prevention and support services, call the CCS can- cer information service at 1-888-939-3333. "We encourage women to talk to their doctors about screening for breast cancer because we know that screening saves lives." PAT CHOVANCEK, EXETER BRANCH PRESIDENT, CANADIAN CANCER SOCIETY Dr. Kant Sorsdahl and his wife Jane of Sebringvilie will speak at a breast health seminar next Tuesday in Exeter.