HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1996-03-20, Page 18Page 18
Times -Advocate, March 20, 1996
e Are They Now? is an extended series on South Huron
High School graduates and their career choices
Pau/ Kristoferson: trlmmlng the trees
WYOMING - "You've got to like to work outdoors," said Paul Kristoferson of his job as a
forestry sub -foreman with Southwest Hydro, a division of Ontario Hydro. "It's fairly physically
demanding."
Working with a crew of four at the Lambton Service Centre in Wyoming, the bulk of
Kristoferson's responsibilities consist of trimming and removing trees along hydro lines in
Lambton County. He is also responsible for customer contracts and job planning. His job used
to include other services such as grass cutting and fence building but with that work now
contracted out, the only extra task he finds himself doing is minor fence repair.
"We just don't have the staff to do those jobs anymore," he said, adding he liked the variety
the other tasks used to offer.
Maintaining trees near hydro lines is a year-round task that involves handling heavy
equipment The chain saw weighs 20 pounds and the pruner is awkward to maneuver.
Technology, however, has insured steady improvement of equipment. For example,
Kristoferson pointed out, 25 years ago, before hydrolic operated lift trucks were used,
Employees were required to be in a tree in order to trim it.
After moving to the Centralia area when he was 16, London native Kristoferson attended
South Huron District High School. His fust job was with the Ministry of Natural Resources as a
summer parks maintenance employee in Terrace Bay.
While considering colleges, he narrowed his choice down to careers in forestry, carpentry or
fire fighting and ended up choosing a two-year forestry technician course at Sir Sanford
Fleming College in Lindsay.
Soon after, although he was accepted to work on a fire fighting crew, he returned to
work with the ministry at a summer maintenance job, this time at Pinery
Provincial Park as foreman of a government sponsored
program for a group of 10 students.
After an oil rig job fell through
in Edmonton, he
worked in
the construction industry during the housing boom in the 70's. In 1978 he was called by the
ministry to maintain Peche Island, a day use park. He also spent two summers working at
Holiday Beach Provincial Park near Amherstburg selling hunting permits and carrying out
duties as park warden.
During one particularly dry sununer, when Northem Ontario was experiencing numerous
forest fires, and when Kristoferson was camp riverside campground foreman at the Pinery, he
was called to Red Lake as a member of an emergency standby crew to set up a fire line.
"Every pore of your body's got soot in it from the fire," he said of the experience, adding
the bugs were also difficult to deal with. "It was interesting but it didn't turn out to be a very
long term thing."
Following additional work at the Pinery and Holiday
Beach, he began his current job in 1981.
Ten years later, he was temporarily transferred to
London to deal with secondary land usage and power
line maintenance as a forestry environment technician
before returning to his sub -foreman work. Although
working with forestry is physically demanding,
Kristoferson likes the opportunity he gets to experience
wildlife.
"We see a lot of different bird life, raccoons," he
said, recalling spotting a tree frog for the first time.
"We get to see a lot of things people normally
wouldn't get to see sitting in their offices working in
town."
Kristoferson lives in Forest with his wife and two
children. In his spare time he enjoys woodworking, golf
and baseball.
Around your community 100th birthday celebrations
Ellmvllle Church held a "Walk Through Lent" with messengers dressed in their favorite
Biblical Fashion. From left, Brad Robinson, Matt Miner,. Mathew Johns and Carolyn
Johns pose in robes and headgear.
The South Huron Recreation Centre Staff kept children between five and eight occupied
during the March Break with crafts. From left, Erin Tordoff, Greg Gielen, Cam and Brett
Oud, Mikayla Skinner, Kendra Smith and Tony Allen show off some of the crafts they
made at the Rec Centre Friday.
Danielle Christmas places
cookie mix on a baking pan
during the March Break Kids
Kookie Kaper at the South
Huron Recreation Centre on
Friday. While the cookies
were baking Rec Centre staff
And volunteers kept the chil-
dren busy by singing songs.
When they ran out of songs
to sing the children were
treated to a special ap06e0-
ance by Barney, Exeter's only
skateboarding dog.
R
ZURICH - Monday afternoon
was party time at Blue Water Rest
Home as the residents gathered in
the auditorium to wish Catherine
Mae Bulak a happy 100th birthday.
Mae moved to the home six years
ago, spent her youth asa teacher
and was involved in the educational
system. Unknown to family mem-
bers, Mae eloped in her 60s to be-
come a bride for the first time. Mae
is an active worker in the Hobby
Room and calls it her job. She also
loves cats and dogs.
Mtie's Special guests for the afterlo
noon included Molly Gowdy, St.
Joseph, friend of family and a vol-
unteer of the home who visits Mae;
Diane Melick (Eula Melick's
(niece) daughter-in-law) Juli Me -
lick and Tracy Melick-Smith,
Diane's dauthers and son-in-law
Craig Smith of Goderich; Bill and
Jean McGregor (nephew), Kippen;
and Peggy and Bill MacLean
(niece) of Exeter.
Gladys and The Merry Makers
played for the 100th party in the au-
ditorium. Gladys played accordion
and piano, Mozart Geliinas Sr. on
banjo and guitar, Harvey McDowell
and Elgin Nott on violin, Miles Ut-
tley on saxophone and LInda Ruth-
erford was guest singer. Irish music
was the theme for the day -
"McNamara's Band, Peggy
O'Neill, The Wearing of the
Green". The residents joined into
the music with some fancy dancing
and the wheelchair swinging. Mae
thanked everyone for the party,
flowers, cards and balloons. And
McBride, sons Allan and Michael,
Cathy Shantz, Jean McGregor and
Peg MacLean helped serve cake
and ice cream to the guests.
Tuesday afternoon Bible Study
was conducted in the Chapel by
Rev. Gani Lazaro, Zurich/
Dashwood United Church.
Wednesday was 'Green day" at
the home and residents and staff
wore their Irish colors. Green tea
was the sample of the day for after-
noon tea in the auditorium with
hostess Gladys Gingerich.
Rev. Art Kruger, Church of God,
Grand Bend conducted Thursday
afternoon chapel service with the
assistance of his wife Evelyn as or-
ganist. Fr. Matthias Wronski, St.
Boniface Church Zurich, celebrate
Mass.
Ann McBride and sons Allan and
Michael called Friday afternoon
bingo.
Corrections
Bryan Negrijn was incorrectly
identified as Ryan Negrijn in a
South Huron Drama Department
photo last week.
in a story about the Exeter busi-
ness Association's plans for a
downtown streetscape a reference
was made about Fred Mommerst.
The correct name is Fred Mom-
mersteeg.
The 'limes -Advocate regrets
these errors.
Condolences to the family and
friends of the late Babetta (Con-
nie) Kunigunda Minderlcin who
passed away at BWRH on Satur-
day March 16 in her 87th year.
Connie and her late husband were
well know in the Zurich area. Con-
dolences also go to the family and
friends of the late Joan Marie Bed-
ard who passed away at the home
on Tuesday March 12. Joan leaves
behind many family members in
the Zurich area and was the sister-
in-law of resident Mary Romanis-
''. zyn.
On Tuesday, March 12 Gertrude
Catherine Fleischauer, an Auxil-
iary volunteer who frequented the
home with carnations for each new
resident along with many other ac-
tivities at the home passed away at
South Huron Hospital, Exeter after
putting in a full day of volunteer-
ism at her church. Gertie frequent-
ly played the role of Santa Claus
for the home and elsewhere and
I •
was an asset to her community.
The residents and staff of BWRH I
will miss her presence. Thoughts +
from her parish and administration
were"We would like to have more
people like Gertie in our parish".
Lioness draw winner
Exeter Lioness members Janet Wunnick and Janet Mason
make the Valentine's basket draw which was won by Trina
Culrain of Huron Park. Recently, the Exeter Lioness club
president Mary -Lou Becker made a donation of $250.00
to Deanna Brock, co-ordinator of the Perth -Huron Branch
of the Palliative Care - Volunteer Program.
Smart Care Clinic
Ed Meldinger of Huron Motor Products Ltd. points out to
customers who attended the Smart Care Clinic on Wednes-
day night some of the advanced technology new models of-
fer.
ffer.