HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-09-09, Page 17L
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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),
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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
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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:
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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.
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"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
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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.
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(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.
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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 )
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