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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1997-09-17, Page 23Inswismorg Whiriffainigs-vimair Empties needed for diabetes The bottle drive will be held Satur- day, September 27 with every Beer Store across Ontario collecting.... Dear editor; 1 I am writing this letter to introduce myself to your I readers and to encourage them to support, a Worth- ' while event that will be taking place in their com . imunity in a few weeks. My name is Jim Kennedy and I have diabetes. I ' am also a Beer Store'employee. • Later this month, I will be participating in the an- nual fundraising bottle drive, entitled "A Case for a Cure", hosted by The Beer -Store for the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA). The bottle drive will be held on Saturday, September 27 with every Beer Store across Ontario collecting empty beer bottles and cans donated for this important cause. Why am I doing this? Eight years ago 1 was -diag- nosed with diabetes. As a result, my lifestyle changed considerably. I began to watch more care- fully what I ate. I began to exercise regularly. And I had to begin monitoring my blood sugar level. It was shortly after I was diagnosed with diabetes that I began my quest to learn as much as I could about the disease that is estimated to affect more than 100 million people by the year 2,000. That's when 1 joined the CDA. To my delight, I •found that the Association was an invaluable resource. The As- sociation provides individuals with advice from- doctors romdoctors specializing in diabetes. It conducts re- search and is up to date about new improvements being made in the fight to control the disease and to one day find a cure. - Educating the public about the disease is also an important function for the Association. In this day and age almost everyone knows someone who has diabetes. While many think diabetes is less serious "than other diseases, it is not. Diabetes doubles the chance of heart attack and stroke. It increases the risk of kidney disease and is the leading cause of adult blindness and amputations. On top of alt these services; the Association also helps reduce the financial strain for those who have the disease and who are on a fixed income or don't have a medical plan: Supplies to.control this disease can be costly. The Association provides many sup- plies like syringes at'a reasonable rate. I am telling you all this because I am asking for your support. You can contribute in a painless way by saving up those beer empties and donating a case or two to the CDA on September 27. at your local Beer Store. Each of the 428 Beer Stores across On- tario will be collecting empties in an effort to raise $200,000. To meet this goal we need over two mil- lion beer bottles and cans to be returned. I also want to add that I am proud to work along- . side employees and for a company that takes seri- ously their commitment to the community. In addi- tion to the CDA, The Beer Store and its employees support other worthwhile causes throughout the year. For example, our Coin Box Program has raised more than $150,000 in the first six months of 1997 for groups that include the Canadian Cancer Society, Variety Village and the.Ontario Communi- ty Council on Impaired Driving. By participating in the "Case for a Cure" bottle drive, you will also be helping to protect the envi- ronment. Those two million beer bottles and cans collected and donated will be reused and refilled. At The Beer Store we estimate that we have diverted more than 60 billion beer bottles away from landfill sites over the -past 70 years - enough to stretch to the moon and'back 13 times. Thank you for this opportunity. I urge local resi- - dents to drop by their local Beer Store on September 27 and to donate a case or two of beer empties to help us in our "Case for a Cure" campaign. - Sincerely Jim Kennedy Changes for the PUC ...it is not in the best interest of the, Exeter PUC customers to have staffing levels reduced." Dear Editor: In regards to the article in your paper September 10, 1997, on internal restructuring. The elimination of two clerical and two linemen and create a combi- nation works superintendent/utility, manager report- ing directly to the town CAO would be a great dis- service to the customers of the Exeter PUC. After spending 32 yearstas a commissioner for the Exeter PUC I feel confident in expressing an unlim- ited concern about the safety and the decline in ser- vice that this change would create. The municipal ' council seems to have,forgotten that a move in this direction has cost London Hydro customers com- plete chaos and a great increase in water costs and probably necessary increases in electric costs in the near future, plus great hardship for it's employees. In March of 1976 and again during 1995 Exeter was hit with storms that caused great workloads for the employees which were dealt in an efficient man- ner because of the staff levels. Storms of this nature will be a great hardship to deal with if staffing levels were to be reduced. The Exeter PUC has well trained staff throughout the organization and it is not in the best interest of the Exeter PUC customers to have staffing levels reduced. My opinion on this matter is do not try to fix a utility that is not broken. The confusion that you will cause will only be detrimental and costly to the peo- ple of Exeter. Sincerely, M. Greene 'Bowlers/receive 'awards "This award is bestowed annually ,to the bowling writers who have most effectively used all branches of the news media..." ,Dear Editor: On June 14 my wife Jean and I received recogni- tion as Ontario Five Pin Bowlers' Association Publicity Chair of the Year Incentive Finalists at the 3I st O.F.P.B.A. Annual Awards dinner at Muskoka's Clevelands House. This award is bestowed annually to the bowling writers who have most effectively used all branches of the news media during the bowling season and who have given an "Outstanding Contribution to Five Pin Bowling in Ontario." On behalf of the Zurich D/C and Bluewater Zone T Bowlers' Associations we thank you for the coop- eration we have received from everyone in your office for their assistance in processing our weekly copy during the 1996-97 season. We sincerely thank you for recognizing our fine sport and look forward to the same friendly, co-oper- . ative communication with you and your always excellent newspaper in the 1997-98 season. Sincerely, Ron and Jean Dann, Grand Bend Donations benefit local hospital "...if a lot of donated articles are leaving our area...it could have a negative impact on our annual spring and fall rummage sales..." Dear Editor: We, the members of South Huron Hospital Auxiliary, have some concerns in regards to the many telephone calls being received by Exeterand area residents asking for donations of household goods, clothing, etc. for other organizations in most- ly larger centres. We are concerned that if a lot of donated articles are leaving our area and going elsewhere it could have a negative impact on our annual spring and fall rummage sales, held in April and October. As most of you are aware, these sales are our big money makers and all the proceeds go to support our local hospital. With all the restructuring and down- sizing in the hospital system, our financial support is needed more now than at any other time in our hos- pital's history. '- We thank you all for your support in the past and look forward to your presence at our fall rummage sale on October 22-23. 'South Huron Hospital Auxiliary Executive More important things to worry about Maybe they should be more wor- ried about people that come out of their businesses doing u -turns. Dear Editor: This past week I received a letter from the town. in the letter l was notified someone complained that ' I have too many yard sales at my residence at 466 Main Street. When I phoned the Town offices they were polite in explaining that there is a limit of two • sales allowed, one in the spring and another in the fall. • The problem that I have is that it seems pretty , petty to me that one or more of the businesses • around me has a problem with my yard sales. May- be they should be more worried about people that come out of their businesses doing u -turns right in traffic, when they see all the kids riding by on their bicycles without the mandatory helmets on and the police officers driving right on by them and not stopping them to at least give them a warning. Then there are all these dogs running around in behind stores and peoples properties without a leash. Then maybe I am being petty to someone, but I think the things I have pointed out just maybe a little more important things to worry about thea ghat I was do- ing. Yard Sale Maniac I Pat Koebel Times -Advocate, September 17, 1997 (EMs TO THE EDITOR Lowering the flags "...at no time did they lower either .of the flags to honor Princess Diana's memory." Dear Editor: What sort of Legion do we have in Exeter? They used to fly the Union Jack flag upside down, but have now taken it down so they can't make that mis- take again. - Page 23 During the mourning period, I noticed that at no time did they lower either of their flags to honor Princess Diana's memory. I think it a shame that an organization that at least used to be tied to the British Royalty, should be so disrespectful, or are they just ignorant? Perhaps they should delete the crown from their coat of arms and take down all flags, since they obviously have no idea how to use them. Yours rather disgustedly, John Sanderson Flag couldn't be lowered' ":..town staff were immediately informed to lower town flags to half staff." - Dear Editor: I am writing in response to Dominique Bonnot's letter in last week's T.A. entitled 'Paying our Respects'. Ms. Bonnot was concerned that the Town of Exeter did not lower its flags to pay final respects to Princess Diana. Upon learning of Princess Diana's death that Sunday morning town -staff were immediately informed to lower town.flags to half staff. The two flags in front of Exeter's Municipal Offices and the flag in the vicinity of the pool were'lowered. The particular flag in question, that'being on the island near MacNaughton Park, cannot be lowered since it is in a stationary position. To ptevent,any future mis- understanding, perhaps one solution is to replace that flag pole with one that will allow the flag to be low- ered.. • Yours truly, Susan Hoogenboom - _ Economy is broken It is time to demand business= like. bookkeeping.... Dear Editor: I grow so tired of governments inability to even conceive that our economy is broken but I despair when they repeatedly say the only solution is to raise taxes or cut services by spending less. Canadi- an histoty (post WWII) indeed offers us a precedent, - real hope for our debt -ridden senior governments and big utilities. - . Our biggest helper can be the Bank of Canada Act of 1935. It constitutionally allows Ottawa and Ontario to refinance their existing high rate loans with nearly zero per cent loans from our own Bank of Canada. This overlooked windfall of cash is the single biggest solution for our still escalating debt. While Mr. Harris has admirably reduced Ontario's deficit from $11 down to $6 million in 2, years, the overlooked $100 billion debt in Ontario grew sever- al times over savings, by being ignored. We're still spending what we don't have but it is largely going for debt repayment while social programs and infra- structure are being targeted unnecessarily. Let's get real. The biggest "company" in Ontario is our own government, but it's outdated and incomplete ac- countancy is another cause of our provincial debt and deficits. Neither Ottawa nor Queen's Park use capital costing to depreciate government assets (car fleets, runways, buildings...) over their useful life times. "Fixed assets are charged to budgetary expen- ditures as general revenue at the time of purchase and shown on the statement of assets and liabilities at a nominal one dollar" (Canada Yearbook 1,.977 p.22). To quote W. Krehm (1996 Standing Committee on Finance) If Paul Martin's shipping company ' used such non -accountancy - he entered the cost of his ships at $1, his balance sheet would show bank- ruptcy. Secondly, if he tried to put the cost of his , ships on his customers freight charges of a given year, freight charges would hit the sky. That is the source of our Governments both inflationary and deficit follies." , It is time.tb demand businesslike bookkeeping by. senior governments for the first time (billions . saved). It is time to monetize our government debt by paying off private banks and creditors with much cheaper loan rates from our Bank of Cahada (bil- lions more saved yearly)..We did this with incredi- ble success, once. No, it's no longer a spending,crisis.Let's call it what it is --a mismanagemenb•by repeated govern-: , ments. Remember,its all our money, they. only use 9rmisuse it. , As a man of faith and one who believes our chil- dren deserve every hopeful opportunity we had I en- courage you all to speak out. Positive alternatives abound and let's keep our criticism positive too. If dur land is so richly blessed, perhaps we the people are the problem. The deafening chorus keeps directing one to "compete" but my heritage, head and heart demand I "co-operate". We need each oth- er. Patriotically, David Het.: Tribute- to a princess " But now our princess is no more, the world has lost a friend..." Dear Editor: A Final Tribute tq a Princess Few decades past, by happy chance or heaven - blessed design, A little princess came to join an old and noble line, As child vivacious, beautiful, adventure in Her eyes, Mature, she seemed, in family ways, and also world- lywise, As maiden fair, the suitors came, drawn by her name and grace, But when Prince Charming first appeared, she saw no other face, They wed with pomp and circumstance, 'fore nobles, kings and queens, Old Abbey rites and music rang on world-wide vision screens, Her royal duties she discharged, as well as older ones, Her greatest gift to all the world two handsome, princely sons, Her work with charities revealed compassion, warm and quick, She reached out to the tearful child, the old, the maimed, the sick, But now our princess is no more, the world has lost a friend, Her young and useful life has reached a sudden, ,tragic end, But we who hold her memory dear can do our part instead, That hurting bodies, hungry mouths be kindly soothed and fed. Gerry Dobrindt, Exeter Names not mentioned at Rodeo Another point to mention was the missing "Thank you" to the 4K Ranch for their team penning Dear editor; event... At the beginning of your rodeo both days, a brief introduction for the past presidents and some past members of the original rodeo was held. "How come the names of a lot of other people who donat- ed time and labor year after year fr6m the original rodeo were not mentioned"? People such as the late Fred Darling, the late George Beer, Bill Johns, Bill Sims, Bobby Johns, Ron Swartz, Frank Hicks, Ed Brady, Bill Smith, Charles Webber, Bob Baker, Bill Parons, Lloyd Swartzentruber etc., etc., etc. "What harm would it have done when making your preparations, to include all these names, of the past members of your rodeo. You should have searched the records for all these people They dedi- cated their lives, time and effort into organizing the real rodeo, and the people who donated their free time to help every year. The Exeter Rodeo, also known as the Little Cal- gary Stampede, was built years ago by dedicated horsemen, who built it from the ground up. The con- struction of the shutes, pens, the fencing, ring, an- nouncers booth, etc., not to mention the "home- work" done prior to their presentation, was not taken into consideration by the present rodeo com- mittee. Another point to be mentioned, was the missing "Thank you" to the 4K -Ranch for their Team Pen- ning event, which was a big part of your rodeo and drew an enthusiastic crowd. It is just a shame that the event was not given the proper attention for the proper lighting that they were promised to allow the remaining 35 teams to complete competition. I would like to take this opportunity to applaud the 4K -Ranch for a well planned and exciting event, which drew such a large crowd and proves that this sport is growing with competitors and spectators alike. Patti Gebel