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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-10-21, Page 4PAGE 4--GODER1CH SIGNAL, -STAR, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1987 The cart, laden with landscaping tools that jostled'precarioulsy out of position with the negotiation of every bump, ap- proached at great speed. The driver, a burly man with weathered hands and face, smiled while propping his hands up on the steering *heel, providing a resting place for his chin.' "I've been watching you. You handle yourself pretty good out there you know,'• he said in matter of fact fashion while shifting his weight on the seat. "It's been a longtime since we've seen a guy with your kind of abilities and well, fact of the matter is, we could use a man of your talents to get things prepared for the professionals," he sugggested. " You swing a mean rake, but then, you had a bit of practice today, didn't you. You're looking pretty smooth, your fundamen- tals are sound and your follow-through is great. With a little work you could do solinvimmosamiaimame DAVE SYKES some great things." Last week I hauled out my sporadic and, at times, erratic, golf game and at- tempted to ply it on the fairways I er, that should read rough, very deep, ball- consurrung rough ut Glen Abbey, the of- ficial home of the Canadian Open Golf ('hanipionship. And as 1 was completing my round with three colleagues, 1 fully expected the greens superintendent or, at the least, an official member of the Royal Cana- dian Golf Association, to offer me a prestigious position with respect to the care and maintenance of sand traps. Had anyone connected with the maintenance of the course been witness to my exploits on that venerable golf course, they would have begged me to lay down the writer's pen and pick up the sand trap rake. I damn near raked every sand trap at Glen Abbey ( some holes have as few as 10 fairway and green traps I but left each one in superb condition after blasting my way free. I played in more sand that day than the Goderich beach can ever hope to see over the next several decades. 1 used the sand rake more than most of my middle irons during the round. However, the fact that a sand rake is deposited in each cart at the first tee, should have served as an ominous in- dicator that 1 would spend a good part of the day at the beach." Rather than place the rake on the cart, the marshall should have piaced it in my golf bag, right next to the chainsaw. For several years I have walked every inch of Glen Abbey while watching the game's top professionals apply their talents to the treacherous track that Jack Nicklaus designed. But watching simply doesn't satisfy the avid golfer. Since our first meeting I have been lusting to hit the ultimate eight iron over menacing traps, tight to the flag off her manicured fairways. And I had further envisioned myself gently rolling in a lengthy putt on one of the many slick, un- dulating greens. Those things came to pass, in a fashion, in our first meeting last week, except that the crisp eight iron was tight to the lip of the trap and that lengthy putt was the third one on the green, needed to salvage a double -bogey. Golf can be such a cruel game. My first affair with Glen Abbey was punctuated with many sand shots and after saving par a few times out of the sand, and boosting my ego to lofty heights, the course reached out and reminded me who was in command. A trap larger than Grand Bend beach with tentacles extending hundreds of yards, refused to relinquish my ball until three swipes had come to pass. Two putts later and I had registered an 8. Overall, the card suggested 1 shot bogey golf, an 18 -over par 91. But there will be next year, Glen Abbey. You just wait. 0 inion THE NEWS PORT FOR GODERICH & DISTRICT SINCE 1848 P.O. BOX 220 HUCKINS ST. INDUSTRIAL PARK GODERICH, ONT. N7A 4B6 IE3T ALL ROUND COMMUNITY NEMIEPAPER IN CANADA Gothede r1C1 ;(c.. 4 uonClaes 35L 4SD01C C N A BetterNeweoa0er Combats 1984 � SIGNAL -STAR PUBLISHED BY SIGNAL -STAR PUBLISHING LIMITED Founded in 1848 and published every Wednesday at Goderich, Ontario. Member of the CCNA and OCNA, Subscrip- tions payable in advance 523.00, (Senior Citizens $20.00 privilege card number required) in Canada, $60.00 to U.S.A., 560.00 to all other countries, Single copies 60c. Display, National and Classified advertising rates available on re- quest. Please ask for Rate Card No. 18 effective October 1, 1987. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with the reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for but that balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a. typographical error advertising goods or services at a wrong, price, goods or services may not beesold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell, and may be withdrawn at any time. The Signal - Star is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduc- mg purposes. Qeneral Manager Editor Advertising .Manager SHIRLEY J.' KELLER DAVE SYKES DON HUBICK FOR BUS I►lESS..OR EDITORIAL-QIFEICE...please phone1519)524-2614 Second class mad registration Member: . CNA number 0716 .10 Vital to elderly This week is Huron County Town and Country Homemakers' week. A seven day period set aside to pay tribute to a group of people.who devote a good portion of their time helping the` elderly live a more comfortable life.' Bev Brown, co-ordinator of home. support programs with the Town and Country Homemakers, explained that the Homemakers was established 10 years ago in an effort to enable the elderly to remain at home longer. At the fall rally for area seniors in Holmesville last week, she told the 175 seniors who were representing 16 groups, that the Homemakers now have 200 people who are "caring. people and will provide understanding, support and scr•urity." These workers see approximately 560 clients per week. Thanks to services like Town and Country Homemakers, the age of those entering old age homes has risen from 76 to approximately 84. As well as helping the elderly do those tasks which have become to difficult for than, the Homemakers also assist with babies and children. Another facet of Town and Country Homemakers is a handyman service. This service will provide a person with someone who will put your storm windows on for you or clean out your eavestrough. Other services include heavy house cleaners who will look after those projects which are too difficult and a means of transportation to take those.who cannot drive from one place to another. As Ms. Brown explained, no one need fear these people coming into their home or getting into the car with them as they are all screened before being hired. Another program which has proved successful in places such as Bayfield, is Meals On Wheels. This program provides a home cooked meal at the community centre. During the winter, four restaurants have agreed to host the event. These are only a few of the programs offered by the Huron Country Town and Homemakers. All of their programs are vital to the elderly who want to stay in their home as long as possible, especially if relatives are not readily available to assist. As the saying goes, "You don't get something for nothing' and a fee is charged for these services. For more information, contact the Huron County Town and Country Homemakers. by Anne Narejko. Unselfish gift THE KE�.CS In recent days, the media has shown us several examples of ordinary people giving unselfish),' of themselves to help others. The many people who spent hours and days helping to extracate an 18 -month-old baby from a dry -well in Midland Texas and the Ontario couple who donated the heart of their brain-dead infant for a transplant that saved the life of inother newborn child are only two. While these people gained national recognition for their heroic actions.. their are many others who's gifts are just as vital, yet less dramatic and they therefore go unsung. Giving blood to the Red Cross is one way that nearly everyone can be part of a life-saving ex- perience. It takes little time and is easy to do. The I,ondon Red Cross unit is holding a donor clinic at Goderich District Collegiate In- stitute on Wednesday. Oct. 28. With the aid of local volunteers and the co-opetation of the Goderich Lions and Kinsmen Clubs, they are hoping to collect 300 units locally. You can help. Why not be there'. After nearly one year's instruction Godench woman gets pilot's licence 25 YEARS .AGO October 25, 1962 The second Goderich woman to recieve her private pilot's licence, at Sky Harbor ,Air Services, Mrs. J.K. Sully, completed her final tests during the past week under the supervision of instructor, and airport owner, Keith S. Hopkinson. The flight tests, a test of ability to navigate aircraft, came at the completion of nearly a year's construction. Mrs. Sully hopes to make use of her licence purely for the pleasure of fly- ing. She and her husband are no novices in the art of air travel, sharing flights to"dis- tant points in Canada and the U.S. Mr. Sul- ly, a former wing -commander in the RCAF, is himself an accomplished flyer. He served as commanding officer of 162 Squadron, based on the east coast of Iceland during World War II. Mrs. Sully expects to revive her husband at the con- trols during their frequent pleasure flights. A planter or garden -like area in which to plant flowers, etc. is to be located in front of the Municipal building on West Street. Town council on Friday evening gave ap- proval to the plan. It is also possible that next year; flower boxes will be placed below the windows to give a dash of colour to the aastere front of the building. New steps to the main door are now being com- pleted. A humidifier is to be placed in the Town Offices to prevent warping of the new wood panelling work. The Halloween theme in Goderich will be highlighted by the Young People's LOOKING BACK Societies of all local churches in a combin- ed effort to canvass the town in aid of UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund.) Tuesday night, October 30, has been set as the night of the blitz. On that night, teenagers from the church groups will call on homes throughout the town soliciting coins in their accredited collection cartons and wearing identification tags. 50 YEARS AGO October 27, 1937 Several days work on the part of a gang of workmen has resulted in the establishing of some order out of the chaos of junk and dirt in the old "National" building on Newgate street which is being taken over as an armory by the Dominion Government. Huge masses of scrap iron have been removed, clearing the floor space, 109 feet by 40 feet, and separate groups are at work filling in windows not needed and preparing the balcony for the installation of several rooms. The entire interior will be painted white and a cement floor will be laid. Underneath the balcony will be the furnace room and coal bin and probably a target range, with the re- mainder of the floor to be used as a drill hall. It is expected also that for leisure periods, a couple of badminton courts and a basketball floor will be marked off. The balcony at present is 11 feet wide and runs the length of the building. An overhanging walk will be built in front of the rooms, which will include an office for the of- ficers, a lecture hall, store room and lavatory. Arrangements have been completed by Chas Barker, president and members of Branch 109, Canadian Legion for the three big Legion days next month. The first will be "poppy day," Saturday, November 8th when Girl Guides will sell the remem- brance flowers on the streets. The follow- ing day, Sunday, members of the Legion, the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides will march in the annual church parade to•a service to be held at Capital Theatre. Then on Thurs- day, Nov. 11, the Armistice Day Remem- brance service will be held at the cenotaph in Court House Park. 70 YEARS AGO October 25, 1917 The Goderich Orchestra will give a grand masquerade ball in Oddfellows hall on Halloween night, October 31st. This pro- mises to be the social event of the season. Prizes will be awarded for the best lady's and best gentleman's costumes. The dance will start at 9 o'clock sharp. It is announced that Lt -Col E.N. Lewis has recieved the appointment as junior judge of Huron County. Lt -Col Lewis was elected to Parliament as a member for Western Huron in 1904 and was re-elected in 1908 and 1911. After the war broke out, he became active in military matters and. for some time he has been engaged as a special recruiting officer. Some people just can't let well enough alone: For most of the '805 North America has enjoyed, if not overwhelmingly pro- sperous, at least stable, economic times. And yet, just because a bunch of Bulls decided to dump their loads all at the same time, the entire world economic ap- plecart has sunk up to its axels in the muck in one day. Since the closest I get to dabbling in the stock market is when I travel to the local market to stock up on groceries, I can't claim to have much of a personal stake in the "crash" which hit Wall Street, Bay Street and comparable streets in Tokoyo, London and Hong Kong, with unprecedented severity early this week. 1 can't even claim to understand it. Since the economy has been reasonably good lately, what is causing everyone to sell off? Experts ( television screens simply teem with ''experts' every time a crisis arises) claim the uncertainty among in- vestors has something to do with high in- terest rates and the threat of war in the Persian Gulf. This makes little sense, because we've had high interest rates before, in the late 70's they were over 15 per cent, and yet the market didn't crash then. As for the threat of war, I thought there was supposed to be nothing better for the old economy than a good global skirmish. Wasn't it World War II that got people working and the economy moving again after the Great Depression of the 30s? Speaking of depressions, I truly hope we're not about to have one as a result of this baloney between the Bulls and the Bears (sounds more like a scab football game than economic finagling), because I'm finding it easy enough to be com- pletely broke in a strong economy. If things really went bad, well, my father doesn't even own a sawmill like .John -Boy Walton's dad did, so I have no idea how 1 would even survive a depression. One of the many players in the stock market who was interviewed by the media in the wake of the plunge kind of put the whole thing into perspective. "This is just high-class gambling," he said, and I tend to agree. If one looks at it rationally, the price of their stock in the marketplace should really have little effect on the fortunes of a corporation that is making a profit from operations. The trading of stock is a lot like kids swapping baseball cards.One Reggie Jackson might be worth two Mark McGuires to,a kid who's a fan of the veteran slugger. However, that doesn't change the fact that McGuire had a very productive season at the plate, while Mr. October announced his retire- ment in September. Stock market prices are based on trom this angle Patrick Raftis speculation and manipulation, while the economy is, or should be affected only by tangible factors. While I would never presume to offer advice to anyone who actually has enough spare cash to get involved in the market, I am expressing a certain amount of optimism about the situation. I don't think it's time yet to sell the farm and start burying gold bars under the back porch. Perhaps the best thing one could do is corner the market on Kleenex tissues, which I have a feeling will be in big de- mand at stock exchanges everywhere for the next week or so. Other sure investments under the cur- rent cirucmstances might include com- puter screens — many of which will have been smashed in by frustrated brokers and investors in the last two days and will need to be replaced; and wine and spirits, a great deal of which will be con- sumed during the drowning of fiscal sorrows. As for me, I'm going to keep on stuff- ing my life savings into my mattress as I have done for years. While my savings, thus safely enclosed, won't be affected by market fluctuations, I must admit that it's rather difficult sleeping on a bed of pennies.