HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-03-22, Page 14Second section - March 22, 1995
Teen featured in Easter Seals Ad
An Exeter native, Josh Watson, has recently started driving with hand controls
By Heather Vincent
T -A staff
EXETER - A former Easter Seals'
representative has recently started
driving with hand controls. His suc-
cess in overcoming physical chal-
lenges has spurred an advertisement
tor the organization which features
the Exeter native.
Joshua Watson, 17, isa grade 11
student at South Huron District
High School. In 1990 he was se-
lected as the Easter Seals "Timmy"
for the entire province.
The role took him to Tothnto on
45 visits and he travelled as far
north as Parry Sound and as far
south as Windsor. He credits his
parent's support with helping make
the endeavour possible. The ex-
perience has made Watson comfort-
able with public speaking and very
self-confident.
Watson recently spoke to the con-
gregation at his grandmother's
church and found it more difficult
addressing people he knows than
an audience of strangers.
"It's easier to talk to strangers,"
said Watson.
Anticipating the future Watson
family has often managed to keep
one step ahead of public ad-
ministrators. While enrolled in ele-
mentary school, Watson was not
able to use the library until an el-
evating devise was installed by his
Grade 8 year.
Because of difficulties at the ele-
mentary school level, the Watsons
began, while their son was still in
Grade 7, to lobby for an elevating
devise at the high school in Exeter.
The Rotary Club of Grand Bend
took on the project and an elevator
was installed two weeks after
school began.
"'It was our first experience with
them, we were very impressed,"
said Watson.
The Watsons have welcomed as-
sistance from several service clubs
including the Exeter Lions Club
which raised money to have hand
controls installed in the family sta-
tion wagon.
The Lions Club has also been in-
strumental in lending floor plans to
the Watson's when they built their
home. They have also helped by
donating funds for wheelchair.
Watson completed the written
exam for his driver's license in July
of 1994, hoping this would get his
parents thinking about making the
necessary changes to their vehicle.
His plan was successful and now
with his learner's permit, Watson is
trying to find a location to take
driver's education for hand con-
trolled vehicles. At present, the
only place he has found is Thames,
a vocational high school in London.
Driver's Education is a must in or-
der to keep insurance costs down.
The hand controls on the vehicle
Watson uses are not complicated
but he finds driving long distances
tire his wrists.
"It works but it's kind of tiring
until you get used to it," said Wat-
son.
After he received his first parking
ticket, the ad agency employed by
Easter Seals approached him to use
his story for their upcoming cam-
paign.
Watson thought it was a good
idea although his "parents weren't
too sure."
Plans for the future? Besides fin-
ishing high school with OAC cred-
its, Watson is considering applying
for the Travel and Tourism pro-
gram at Fanshawe College in Lon-
don. -
"I think I would like to go to Fan-
shawe and study Travel and Tour-
ism."
In the near future the Easter Seals
organization has mentioned a tele-
vision commercial in addition to
the print ad currently running in the
local print media.
This has been
the best day
in Josh Watson's life.
Josh Watson pill got hot fort!
morns,' hoarse, .I, Yell. U, helprJ hoot gel cart tr''r rr lir Eatter
Seal So,ter3. We ,nrtrrd dor ,o,ts lel installing a irhrel.hatr ramp
to hl, home and assisted in neodi/irng hot parents' mtni.ran
ilFe
114
parking nrkrt. And r% ion u,rr 10 %
ask him. h, ,oulJn't be happier Whit
Berante all of able u•oleld hart lamed t_
tmpotiible to Josh /nit six monlh, ago. YON -
RC Joh a to a wheelchair. And lentil recently.
hr tilt as though hr waleld he toil -mod to his
with thr ,pr.ial hand ,ontrnl worriment froth ntrdti to
V
drtrr urrthnnt Mr use of hn.4gi. Tbr parbtng tuber.'
kiteltr. he rang In hart to pa) for hrmulf.
.......servo. -.«...00w,.....
HCL R AOR DINARY 1(103 DO TMC ORDINARY.
Josh Watson at left, demonstrates the hand controls recently installed in his parent's station
wagon. Above is the Easter Seals advertisement which features Watson. He recently got his
learners driving permit and has already been given his first parking ticket.
• The...
There once was a dollar all crisp and new, spent in a store by someone
like you.
Someone thinking of their hometown. Who wanted the dollars to stay
around.
The store gave the dollar to farmer Brown, who had brought some of
his produce to town.
The farmer's car needed tires and repairs, so.he went to another place
for his wares.
'Course they never kept it but spent it for parts. Do you realize what
this really starts?
This chain of reaction that gladdens our hearts.
•
That Keeps Bouncing Back!
The parts man put it back on its way. For his wife he bought a dress
that very day.
So the clothier was able to fix the store. That kept the dollar going
some more. •
Then the carpenter had something to do. Someone benefited - maybe
you!
For gas or drugs it could have been spent. We'll never know which
way it went.
But here's one thing we know is true. It's terrific what your dollars
will do.
It builds our community everywhere. Can we count on you to do
your share???
424 MAIN ST. EXETER NOM 1S6 • (519) 235-1331 • FAX: (519) 235-0766