The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-09-09, Page 17L Int 1,4 e stan Heads up! The stands were crowded all weekend at the Labor Day Weekend Fastball Tournament despite the dubious weather. Gord's Sports won the B championship and Lakeport Steel took the consolation. (Photo by Cath Wooden) Sarah Parker had a better time playing in the sand under the stands on the weekend than Watching the fastball tournament action on the field in Ag Park. (Photo by Cath Wooden), • kid contains all the ingredients of a future major league pitcher. Just look at that form. 1,ittle Trevor Seip of Witighain was watching his dad play in the fastball tour- liar—T-10ff airtirr weviteird. r• Photo bytath Woodern t e d erlch T 133 YEAR -36 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9,1981 SECOND SECTION Betty Beclaiclis thinking positive. • MeIhvain Homestead site ofkids' group home BY CATH W.00DEN It is appropriate that the old Mcllwain Homestead on Highway 21 four miles south of Goderich be the site of the new Homestead Group Home. -It •is a pioneer spirit that seven people be taking through the doors with them, leaving an old life behind for one that doesn't promise suc cess. -I'm a positive thinker," Betty Bedard says of her goal to make the Homestead (;roup Mule a successful ,venture for herself, Pat Gabbert, and Roberta Stemp, and for the disturbed children who the three hope to set on a path to a happier life. think that sometimes when kids live in an institution, it • feeds into their problems. This environment should feed them positively. I know it. sounds . idealistic, but 1 believe in this type of setting although it isn't always economically good." • It has taken Betty a year to cut through the Ministry red tape to get her group home lieensed.and funded through Family and ('hildren's Services Children's Aid). It is a very intense procedure which, under new regulations, group home operators. will have to go through every three years. Betty has been a child care Worker for 10 lears, and .alsohas her own ,play therapy practice in London. Her -other full-time staff at the Homestead 'will be Pat Gab- bert. who originally comes frOm .West Virginia. Roberta Stemp, a teacher at St. Mary's Separate School in Goderich, will be a part time Staff at the group home and live in one of the three cabins when' renovations are completed. Betty will live in the main cabin with the children and Pat livesin . ' • The group homecan handle four children at a time, ranging in ,age from four to 14. ,There is already one ten -year- old boy living there, and Betty says the home should be full by the end 'of the • month. The children may come .to the home fromany part of southwestern Ontario through referrals . from. Children and. Family Serices which' pays $43 a day for each child.: Out of thiscomes the staff's salaries, clothing and food for the children, andrent for the Homestead. The staff is prepared to deal with a wide variety of problem children who will at- tendschool either. -at Victoria, St....Mary's. or Holniesville. However, Betty explains that there are, children. such as fire - setters, who for obvio.usrea sons would not ' • be acceptable at tie gib up, home. The treatment program Is 'geared towards the rustic setting of the tioniestead.. TN -Web chores and other respensibilities, they learn the inter- dependency of people.- Through. ganies, Fromleft. Roberta Stemp. Betty Bedard. and Pat Gabbertstaff the new Homestead Group Home situated' on Highway 21 south of Goderich,. on the old Metlwain Homestead.. The six -acre site -in- sports. andcrafts, they discover their own best qualities.. The .gable of Roberta's rabiala„..Will be, turned into a play therapy , room yvhich will help a disturbed child deal with inner conflicts. and to express him- self. Betty feels that the childrenwho coine to the .group home will he there for up to five '.ears. - She encourages parental- in- 'volvement • if there are parents). en- courage a lot of contact. After all. the child is still a part of that family and will go home sonietime.- , The f an it ly a tn osphere is a strong one at the -Honlestead Group !Ionic. Betty and Pat, whose families. and friends live in the (;oderich area. have received • tremen- eludes three a big garden, and a dog named Cleo. The staff will handle four disturbed children at one thne. (Photo by Cath Wooden) - dous support'' from. them. "My dad is fantastic:: Betty exclaimed. Apparently, the •homestead required a fair amount of handyworkto make ready and the staff is receiving•it from enthusia Ate families. Betty is setting up a volunteer program at the group home for those . children without families of their own, kind of. a .;urrogate:grandparents 'system: And what would an extended family be without pets? The Homestead even has a big black .dog named Cleo and Betty plans on the oddcat, 'and building some pens for poultry, and other small stock. They also have a.big garden. The third 'cabin on the six -acre Homestead was' moved there from ..St. Joseph's. It is used for storage of sports and crafts equipment as well as absolutely anything that could become dangerous in the hands of a Child: • There' is only one aspect of the Homestead Group 'Home that remains a' question in the minds of Betty, 'Roberta. and Pat. And' that is how they will be able. to cope with living on the job, something none of them have done M their careers of working with children. • "We've talked a lOtabout it," muses Betty. "I don't know how 'it'll be: with us: The only way to find out is to live it. It will be intetesting to see in a year's time how our ideals have changed. "But I'm a positive thinker." Museum receives '8,100 for tomb restoration . BY -JOANNE BUCHANAN The 'Ontario Heritage Foundation has awarded a grant of $8,100 to the Huron County. Pioneer . Mirseurn to assist in. the improvement of Tiger Dunlop's tomb site north of Goderich, a place of scenic beauty and provinical historical significance. The Ontario Heritage Foundation is an agency. of 'the provincial government created to assist and encourage the preservation of theprovince's heritage and culture. . . The foundation grant will be used by the \ mu. eum for. general 'landscaping and, irnpr ving the access to „the tomb of Dr Willia 'Tiger' Dunlop 11792-18481 who used his 'considerable abilities to help develop the Huron Tract a§ a member of the Canada Company. - 1 The 120 -odd rickety wooden steps leading to the tomb wilt be removed and replaced by a nature trail. In past years. the steps have been in constant repair due to vandalism and it is- hoped that the construction of a trail will help t� alleviate this problem, "The trail will be a zig-zagging gravel pathway with sharp corners to prevent bikes from riding up it,`! explains Larry Adams, a student who is helping with the manual labor under the direction of museum caretakers Lee Erb and lits Merrill. "It will provide a more rugged access." Larry worked at the museum during the summer as a craft co-ordinator doing research -and writing essays on rope - making,, candle -making and spinning and weaving. He was then hired on for an extra month. and. a half tis work Mr the tomb - project but on rainy days, he will continue his craft research at 0;2 museum. Larry hopes that by working 'five days a week, eight hours a day. the tomb project • z, can be completed during his extra month and a half of emplOyment. If not, the ° remainder of ,t he work 'will: have to be left' until spring. ''s °'•• ' :4 • .41 (tia, ••• He is also looking forward to help from several Ka Ulna vik project participants who Will be living and working out • of Goderich this yea r The fact that the Ontario• Heritage Foundation has'ima riled a grant fdt the preservation of Dunlop's Willi), is a tribute to the,' great Scot himself. He was broiyht. into the Canada Company by company superintendent John Galt. Galt recruited him because of his reputation as an ad- venturer and an explorer.. Indeed, his nickname developed Worn. a tiger -fighting reputation gained while living in India. Many stories are told aboat Dunlop which show his strange sense of humor and his great persistence. He endured many hardships, including frostbite: to finish the task of developing this area. When DunlofYfirst arrived here, he lived in a smalllog cabin which he referred to as, 'The Castle'. He ,was then granted 440 acres of land on the Maitland River bank where he built his home known as 'Gait -- braid', This home was the site of many public activities a nd social events. The settlers of the Huron Tract owed a debt of gratitude for the ,work Tiger Dunlop did in this area. He was a piopeer in the true sense of the word and his tamb is a tribute to this pioneering memory and' spirit. For more information on this toknini --oeharacter par pa.t. v isit the Huron County Pioneer Museum. 7:4 •11111111111•1111111111W9INIMMIIIMIENIMINNOM• 0411111•11111111111111111.111\ The •Huron CountyPioneer Mveum has received "a grant from the Ontario Heritage Foundation for the restoration Of Tiger punlop's ton h north of Goderich. Stirs leading to •the tomb ill he replaced by a nature trail and landscaping will be done around ,the tomb itself. tarn Ada nts t top left) has_ been hired todo the work with the help and supervision of museum care takers Ross Merrill ( left) and Lee Erb. ( Photo by Joanne Buchanan ) a