The Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-05-20, Page 4PAGE 4 ---GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 1987
It's easy to cast an envious eye in the
direction of a celebrity when it is ap-
parent they have achieved what many of
us simply idly dream about.
They have a good measure of fame,
security and success in a profession that
looks more appealing than it really is. It
is deceptive.
Sports celebrities, like many of those
who were in town last Tuesday for the
Kinsmen C'lub's Sports Celebrity' Dinner,
excel! at games in which many people
spend a lifetime vainly attempting to
achieve some mediocre, level of proficien-
cy. It simply isn't fair.
Athletes are more than fairly compen-
sated for their toil on the fields, rinks and
playing surfaces of professional sports
but, arguably, their careers are short and
their jobs require a high level of skill,
agility, physical and mental strength and
personal sacrifice.
What the 16 local and international
DAVE SYKES
athletes brought to Goderich Tuesday
was more than passive greetings and
humorous anecdotes. They brought with
there tales of personal sacrifice and ar-
duous dedication and effort it takes to
become a winner.
It's so easy to admire the work of a
hockey player like Wendel Clark, who, at
the age of 20, has enjoyed a good
measure of success in the NHL in his
first two seasons and who can look for-
ward to a bright future.
Clark had something to prove and he
did it in the best hockey league in the
world through effort, through determina-
tion and by employing an exemplary
work ethic that demands physical and
mental toughness. It almost seems that
Clark accomplishes by sheer will alone.
But he has had to prove himself. To
pursue his dream of playing in the NHL,
like thousands of other boys, he had to
leave home at age 15 and endure the -
rigors of the Western Hockey League and
the physical demands of junior and pro-
fessional sport.
That kind of effort and determination
typifies what it takes to be successful.
And each one of the celebrities was quick
to admonish. the youngsters in the crowd
that success comes through confidence,
hard work, determination and goal -
setting.
While the evening was light hearted in
nature, these athletes, all winners and
achievers in their respective sports, were
able to impart sound advice to those in
attendance, especially the youngsters, on
what it takes to succeed.
Father Jack Costello of the Flying
Fathers told the audience that sports
teaches discipline, that it teaches young
people about themselves and that it re-
quires effort and dedication. Leo Loucks
spoke genuinely about the conunitment
required to succeed adding that winning
has its price. Self-confidence and a
positive mental attitude are must ingre-
dients in life, he reasoned.
Western Michigan Hockey coach Bill
Wilkinson fondly recalled.grow ing up in
Goderich and playing hockey in every
available space of the arena. He en-
couraged young people to "have a dream
and go after it" while telling the people
of Goderich they must make the commit-
ment to help youth.
Earnest Byner urged the young people
to respect themselves and to never
underestimate themselves and what they
could achieve through hard work and the
right attitude. He told thein to respect the
school system and their parents.
The words were not hollow ones, but
they were ideas expressed out of genuine
concern for today's youth. These men,
who had made it to professional sport,
did so through work, dedication and
perhaps, with a bit of luck.
What they passed on last week were
words of personal experience that were
meaningful and will positively impact on
the lives of young people. Out of the
photographs, autographs and funny
stories, their messages were the prized
possessions.
Opinion
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The re,cognitloo factor
While the concept may not be unique or novel in any way, the Local,Industry Appreciation
Night sponsored by Goderich Town Council and its, economic development committee
Wednesday was, at least, a noble gesture. ' •
It's no secret that small business and industry, like marry of those -located and doing
business within the town of Goderich, are the backbone of any community.
For it is small business that generates much of,a community's growth and provides•a good
measure of econornic stability. Small business provides jobs and expansion genererated
within a community usually comes from existing business,and industry. •
,Of course, in Goderich we also enjoy the benefit of major,innovative industries like Cham-
pion Road Machinery and Domtar»Sifto-Salt. They anchor the'industrial base and add im-
measurably to the quality of life in a small community.
• But a 'successful community is one with the right blend of business and industry. Growth
in Goderichhas been slow and Mayor Eileen Palmer suggested that the town's mandate is
to pursue growth in a slow, controlled manner.'
As indicated by Robin Stuart,the town's industrial -tourism promoter, the town is open to
suggestions and criticisms on its approach to development and growth. It hopes to follow a.
logical and reasoned pattern.
There have been many -positive developments within the municipality since the recession
of the early. 1980s, developments that are slowly shaping the community and establishing its
course for the future. Planning is essential and today there is no room for short sightedness .
on the part of a municipality or its council. •
The evening also featured guest speakers like Ken Bowden from the Ministry of Tourism
and Trade's regional office in 'London, John Gillespie of the Canada Employment Centre
and Niilo Saari of the, federal Department of Regional and Idustriai Expansion (DRIE).
Industry and most business people are familiar with some of the government's myraid of
programs but it sure helps to expose local people to this kind of expertise and keep•the con-
tacts within the ministries, both federal and provincial, alive.
Hopefully. the first industrial Appreciation Night was just a beginning. Something that
will recognize the contribution of local industry and help it grow. D.S.
Dinner . had messages
The Kinsmen Club of Goderich started something last week that will hopefully be a part of
this community for many. years.
It was the club's first annual Sports Celebrity Dinner and despite the fact it was -their first
foray into a venture of this magnitude, they turned in a sterling performance under the
direction of,dinner chairman Hob Sherwood. The 16 head table guests, representing local
and international sports, were humorous, provocative, supportive and inspirational.
It was obvious that patr,ons enjoyed themselves and were of the opinion that the event was
full value for the admission price. •
But the dinner was more than just an opportunity for adults to mingle with and talk to
Torts celebrities and it was more than just. an opportunity for youngsters to round up a
number of autographs. -
The speakers brought with them personal testimony of the hard work, dedication and ef-
fort required to succeed both in sports and in life. They admonished young people to work
hard. to respect, their parents and school system, and above all else to respect themselves
and understand that they have the capabilities to be vvhatever they set their mind to.
And those meaningful messages will impact greatly on the young people in attendance
because they respect the people who spoke.
More than just ranconteurs of humorous anecdotes, the celebrities left many people with
something worthwhile to think about. D.S.
No, my &JCC/1 ARE OV5Q ThEPE /
BUT TAKE A L ooK Ar 7'2// 5 /V/FTY
PAH?, — e HAD TO. BUY N/NE op -g-,475
A X424,043 contract awarded to
Toronto company for harbour dredging
25 YEARS AGO
May 17, 1962:
A $424,043 contract has, been awarded by
the 'Department of Public Works to the On-
tario Marine and Dredging Limited of
Toronto for dredging work in the harbour at
Goderich, it was announced Friday by L.
Elston Cardiff on behalf of the Honorable
David J. Walker, minister of public works.
The firm submitted the lowest bid of•seven'
in response to advertising for public tenders
which closed on April 11, 1962. The highest
bid was $515,327. The work is scheduled for
completion in six months. The work con-
sists of redredging the whole of the inner
harbour, including the removaol of Ship
Island, a small obstruction which has
presented a menace to navigation and
hampered the full use of the port. The
removal of the island will greatly increase
the space available in the inner harbour for
the movement of vessels and for winter
storage facilities for a large number of
., boats. The dredging will be to a depth of 23
feet. Line drilling for 13,800 feet also will be
carried out along the faces of the north and
north-east harbour , structures to prevent
undercutting and to present a,smooth face
for future reconstruction work.
The unsightly old board fence surrounding
the west side of Agricultural Park soon will
give way to a new chain link installation.
Financing of the new fence will be shared by
the Town of Goderich and the Kinsmen
Club. Kinsmen Club president Pete Mc-
Cauley stated that the club considered the
old fence to be an eyesore, in rundown condi-
tion and in some places non-existent. He
reported to Kinsmen members, at Monday
night's meeting, that the town had accepted
the club's proposal of sharing the cost,
estimated to be approximately $2,000.
Preceding approval of this project by Town
LOOKING EMK
14/11111111111015111
Council, Mayor E.C. Fisher said that this
was the first time he could recall anyone ap-
• preaching council with the idea of giving
money toward a town project. The new
fence will encompass the park along Eldon
Street, from Blake Street and across the
back' of lots which face on Brittania Road.
50 YEARS AGO
May 21, 1937:
Military orders received by Captain D.H.
Nairn this week advise that a special train
will leave Goderich at 10:20 a.m. Sunday,
June 27 to convey "C" company of the
Middlesex -Huron Regiment to camp at Pine
Hill, near Thedford, for six days of military,
tactics. "C" company will be under Captain
H.A. McIntyre of Clinton and the same train
will pick up "D"company in Seaforth under
the command of Major Thomas. Morgan of
Clinton. "A" and "B" companies from
Strathroy and London will go by separate
trains. Nearly 200 men will represent the
Middlesex -Huron Regiment and about 40
will entrain from Goderich. Camp Pine Hill
is the 2nd Brigade camp of military district
Nd. 1 about itl00 men will encamp there.
Galt Highland Light Infantry,. Kent Wind-
sorof Chatham, the Essex Scots of MY ind-
sor and'the Kitchener Scots Fusilliers will
be the other units at the camp. The four
companies of Middlesex -Huron Regiment
are at present undergoing rigid training
three nights a week: •
The music festival held at Clinton on Tues-
day, May 11 for the schools of Huron County
was a great succcess. Fifty-eight schools
were represented and the entries numbered
233. In fact, the number taking part in the
various contests was so large that the coin -
petitions were not concluded until after mid-
night. The festival was organized by Mr.
E.C. Beacon, public school inspector for
West, Huron,, to whom congratulations are
due for its outstanding success. Mr. Roy.
Fenwick, supervisor of music for the Pro-
vince of Ontario, was the adjudicator. In his
remarks while announcing the awards, he,
said he was agreeably surprised at the
quality of the singing he had heard. He sug-
gested, in view of the difficulty in hearing so
many competitors in one day, that it might
be better to divide the county into two or
three districts for the holding of future
festivals.
70 YEARS AGO
May 17, 1917:
On Tuesday, bread' advanced locally to 12
.cents for a 24 ounce loaf. There is the pro-
bability that it may go as high as 15 cents.
Milk is 10 cents a quart.
Good progress is being made at the Na-
tional Shipbuilding Company's plant. Men
and material are being assembled as quick-
ly as possible and this week the plant com-
menced running night and day with a double
shift. The boiler also is now being operated.
A number of men have come in from outside
points and more are coming.
On Monday evening, the millinery class of
the industrial school closed for the term
with an exhibit in the basement of the public
library of the work done by the young ladies.
The work displayed much skill and taste on
the part of the pupils who were under the
direction of Miss Blanche Knox. A large
number of visitors, were present during the
evening and many favorable comments
were heard.
Not quite 2,000 years ago r Yes, even
before Ronald Regan was horn r a fellow
who lived in the general area of the globe
we now• call the Middle -East, a
philosopher of sorts, made some state-
ment's about "turning the other ,cheek,"
as a way of handling potentially violent
situations.
Now, although this particular
philosopher had ( and still has ) something
of a following — pehaps owing to his
knack for party tricks like turning water
into wine and raising people from the
dead -- it seems far more people in posi-
tions of power have choose to base their
actions on the "eye for an eye, tooth for a
tooth," position, which is outlined in n
separate chapter of the same book.
i11 the Years since then, a great many
people and organizations hax,o made ap-
peals for global peace based on a variety
of sound principles. suer as the value of
human life, the horrors of combat and
the depressing natur" of nightly
newscasts during wartime. Nobody much
has listened, hence we have had two
World Wars and uncountable more
localized armed conflicts throughout
history.
Perhaps these appeals have failed to
get through to world leaders because
they have not been put foward in the
form of rhetorical, incomprehensible
logic which pervades most communiques
which circulate at their level.
Allow me to remedy this situation.?
Dear Mr. (Reagan, Gorbachav, Hus-
sein, Khadafy, etc. Pick one):
Due to continually advancing
technology and accompanying infla-
tionary fiscal considerations, war is no
longer a cost-efficient method of settling
our differences.
For example, the single Exocet missile
which was inadvertantly (These things
apparently happen?) fired upon the
American frigate Stark over the holiday
weekend, managed to kill only 28 people.
The cost of this missile is reportedly
around $170,000. This converts to cost of ,
$6,071 per individual death.
As you well know, no country in the
.finacial position of (the USA, Soviet
Union, Iraq, Iran, Libiya, etc. pick'one)
can much longer afford such a high cost -
per -kill ratio.
In light of these costs, it seems almost
ridiculous to continue to support the idea
of using armed forces to ensure the safe
delivery of a product (in this case oil)
which currently occupies such an
unstable place on the world market.
Our commission recommends an im-
mediate end to the production of such ex-
travangant anti-personnel devices as the
Exocept missile, all Nuclear weapons,
and most other forms of firearms.
The Geneva Convention regulations
should be rewritten to preclude the use of
most modern weaponry in favor less -
costly, but still lethal, arms such as blunt
objects and sharpened table spoons.
from
this
angle
Patrick Raftis
Weapons like these, have effectively been
used, at greatly -reduced costs, by in-
mates of penal institutions for years, with
favorable results.
Under our proposal, the only explosive
devices allowable in "declared war"
situations would be 1971 to 1974 Pintos,
and some types of 1.5 litre soft drink
bottles.
Implimentation of the above policy
would greatly reduce the fiscal strain of
armed conflict on the engaged nations,
and would probably be a politiely expe-
dient movement for your government to
get behind.
Current world arms spending, if
diverted to other channels would allow
governments to institute a number of
voter sympathetic programs, such as
feeding the entire population of the globe.
' To gain a clearer picture of the true cost
of the arms race note: US and Soviet
arms spending for one month alone,
would keep both Brian Mulroney and Im-
elda Marcos in shoes for a year.
Think about it.
Sincerely
Rafters Royal Commission
On Modern Military. 'Lunacy