HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-10-14, Page 21133 YEAR -41
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SIGNAL -8T.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1981
Fire PreventionWeek:
SECOND SEC'T'ION
Local fire fighters give extracation demonstration
on old car to crowd of curious on -lookers
BY JOANNE BUCHANAN
Accident victims trapped in vehicles can
now be rescued by using special ex-
tracation equipment . to pry damaged
vehicles apart. A demonstration of this
life-saving equipment by Goderich fire
fighters at the Suncoast Mall parking lot
on Saturday topped off Fire Prevention
Week in town and drew awcrowd of curious
on -lookers.
An old car donated by Len Jenkins was
disassembled using approximately $4,000
worth of extracation tools which the
Goderich Fire Department has been able
to purchase with donations from various
service clubs and individuals. While fire
fighter Fred Armstrong explained the
procedures,; first ' the windshield was
removed, then the doors and finally the
roof. The steering column was also hoisted
up to show how a person trapped under it,
could be freed.
Three Goderich fire fighters have at-
tended a week long course in' the .use of
extracation equipment and are . now
passing on their knowledge to other
members of the department. They have
been practising Sunday mornings on old
cars in Len Jenkins yard.
The new extracation equipment has not
been used in a real-life situation yet but if
it has to be, Goderich fire fighers will be
prepared.
A film and display of various pieces of
fire fighting equipment was also set up
inside Suncoast Mall Thursday, Friday
and Saturday in conjunction with Fire
Prevention Week., The message was: Let's
work'together. YQU can play a big part in
reducing the danger of .fires by keeping
aware of the safety procedures.
The windshield is removed first
(Photos by Joanne Buchanan)
Gregory Young, 3, was
a curious spectator
Harold Leddy and Bill Fritzley
emove the door
Jon Ginn starts taking off the roof
John Hogan of Benmiller will have coat racks like this for sale at Colborne Township's 16th
annual Christmas Country Fair next week. Mr. Hogan, who suffered a stroke two years ago,
says his wood carving hobby was a major factor contributing to his recovery. (Photo by
Joanne Buchanan)
Christmas Country.
Fair Features:
Wood carver John Hogan
BY JOANNE BUCHANAN
• Two years ago John Hogan.of Benmiller
suffered a stroke which .left his right side
paralyzed and also caused him to lose his
'speech.
With physiotherapy and speech therapy, '
Mr. Hogan has regained 85 per cent use of
his right arm and leg and speaks with only
a slight • impediment. But, he says, the
major factor contributing to his recovery
has been his love of wood carving. Not only
does it give him immense enjoyment and
satisfaction, but it also helps to sup-
plement his pension since he can no longer
work' in his profession as a travelling•
chetnical salesman.
"I consider it more of an avocation now
than a hobby," he.explains.. .. -
Mr. Hogan says. he first took up wood
carving while at sea with the navy .during
World War II. ..r
"Just out of, a sense of boredom, I
started carving nautical -type things out of
wood •with a" pen knife, .Much to my sur-
prise, the officers.. would buy them from
me to take back home as souvenirs."
After the war, Mr. Hogan picked up the
routine of civilian life again by finishing
high school and then going on to univer-
sity. The only carving he did at this time
was some pipes for the Brigham pipe store
in Toronto. •
"That was the end of my carving days
until years later. I just ran out of time.
between business and my family and
travelling,' he says.
About six years ago, Mr. Hogan, his wife
Sheila and their four children moved to
Benmiller from Shel'burn so that Sheila
could help care for her parents, •Mr. and
Mrs. Jack McLaren. They were only going
to stay for six months but the children
liked school,hereand the whole family
enjoyed the area. .
"Besides, I feel that if you 'are a good
enough salesman, you can move anywhere
and still•carry on with your work," says.
Mr. Hogan.
He had had some experience in
rebuilding old farm houses including
wiring., plumbing and carpentry work so
he .labored hard on the little yellow cottage
which his' family moved into beside the
Mciarens.
Tragedy struck though. First. Mrs.
McLaren died and then. three years ago.
Mrs. Hogan suffered a brain hemorrhage
which has confined her to a wheelchair and
caused her to lcse sight in one eye. A year
later. Mr. Hogan had his stroke,
Mrs. Hogan. with the help of a volunteer
driver. attends the Huronview Day Care
('entre for the Homebound and is also
aided by a homemaker who comes to her
house four days week to help cook and do
chores.
"Stroke care and care for the han-
dicapped are in a very young age." ex-
plains Mr. Hogan. He highly praises the.
volunteers who, help his family but ex-
plains that there is still much to be done for
the welfare of disabled persons.
Mr. Hogan feels, that occupational
therapy is one of the best ' kinds of
therapies there is. •
"I don't , know what disabled people
without hobbies do. They must get very
depressed," he says;
'When the craft -oriented Mrs. Hogan first
came home: from the hospital, • she im-
mediately took up some of her hobbies
again even though she couldn't work." at .
them as quickly. Her husband even built
her a special tool to .aid her in her paper
machier.hobby. •
Mr. Hogan immediately took - up his
wood catving craft when fie regained the
use of his right hand.
"I remember thinking in the hospital
that I really must hope to get the use of my
right hand back because I enjoy carvingso
much," he says.
The Hogan house was soon so full of his
wood carvings that there was no place left
to.put them and his family suggested that
he try selling some of them at 'the flea
market at the Huron Historic Jail.
"Much ' to my disbelief I sold
everything," he says. "Of course I took my
youngest son Mike with me and he's a
great salesman."
Next. Mr. Hogan took' his work to the
Teeswater Fair and then to the Christmas,
Country Fair in Saltford Hall. .
"I took as chance and I sold everything,"
he says. •
In June this, year Mr. Hogan suffered a
heart attack.
"I used to be really active and I've had
to get, used to being very calm and quiet
now," he explains.
But that hasn't stopped, him from
'working like mad' to build up his stock for
this year's Christmas Country Fair next
week.
Mr. Hogan explains that his tools aren't
really very .,elaborate. He has a work
bench, a small lathe, a router, a jig saw
and carving , tools such as chisels and
exacto knives. Since his work room in the
house is small, he moves his equipment
outside to work in good weather.
Mr. Hogan . enjoys carving bird
caricatures.. especially buzzards. At the
fair. he will sell these along with more
conventional items such as coat racks,
knick knack shelves and planters 'which
sold like hot cakes last year'.
Mr. Hogan is also intrigued by Eskimo
carvings and has done one out of soap
stone *just forthe fun of it'.
wish I could do more but right now
I'm only good for about three hours work a
day Bit by bit though I'll become more
productive as my health unproves." he
concludes optui istically
Stone carver Ralph Hotsun
The hobby of retired bank manager.
Ralph Hotsun of Tavistock. is what is call-
ed "bas-relief carving" Which is carving
on stone. He became interested in this hob-
by through his interest in rock collecting
and gem cutting. He says it rs a man's kind
of hobby, needing strong hands and w'rrsts.
plus a bit of lifting power. -
The only tools,a bas-relief carver needs
are a chisel, mallet and sharp awl. Much of
the marble Hotsun uses as imported from
European countries and is purchased
through an area dealer. His carvings on
marble, which he will display at the 18th
annual Christmas Country Fair at Saltford
Hall October 21 and 24, should include
those of birds. animals. flowers etc.
art '', which is being revived by a few ar-
tist's in North America who are attem ting
this rather tedious type of art. Hotsun has
travelled in a number of European coun-
tries. as far as Sicily. ('rete and Greece to
view some of . the work which goes back
centuries before Christ but he emphasizes
that he treats'the art as a hobby.
Hotsun's display should be a w'orthw'hile
addition to this: ear's fair.
Wheat weaving by Katie Kerslake of
H.H." Staffa is another painstaking hobby.
Kerslake well have other items made from
nature as well sucb,,as wreaths and dolls
made from cern hifsks.
There, should he almost a dozen new and
interesting e xhibits this year so the show
will ix, well worth attending. For those
onkl--whoa-kli i•vrovi d;TA4tTeni Ire tri.,.
Bested that the ;attend after 3 p.m. either
day