HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1976-09-22, Page 4Page 4 -Citizens News, September 22, 1976
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Dear Editor:
The Zurich Lions Club is
again conducting the fund rais-
ing campaign for the C.N.I.B.
as they have been for a number
of years past.
You may never meet a blind
person in the course of your
day, yet in the district above
there are 669 blind Canadians.
Most of them lead quiet
lives, turning to C.N.I.B. from
time to time for occasional ser-
vice. They can do this because
Year View
in the past, sighted Canadians
like you have made contribu-
tions to C.N.I.B.'s annual
campaign.
In todays world there is a
need for mobility training,
recorded reading materials and
new kinds of employment op-
portunities. Special electronic
aids are now becoming avail-
able. These assist the blind
person to keep pace with his
sighted neighbours. Prevention
of blindness services must also
be financed from donor dollars.
In the next week or two our
canvassers will be calling on
dons
Municipal nomination time is just
around the corner and indications are that
there will be several vacancies to fill
within the area.
Under the present legislation, the onus
is on candidates to present themselves.
This precludes the opportunity that existed
in previous years for people to talk their
neighbours into running for office during
those nomination meetings.
However, the changes under which
nominations have been conducted in the
past few years, does not eliminate the need
for people to get together to consider con-
testants they think would serve well on
people in the community to
fulfill C.N.I.B.'s campaign slo-
gan that reads, "YES! YOU
MAKE IT POSSIBLE."
Thanks to the generosity of
the people in our campaign
area, the Zurich Lions Club
has exceeded their campaign
objective in the past years, and
I am confident that this record
will still stand when this years
campaign is completed.
Sincerely,
Claude Gelinas,
Campaign Chairman
municipal councils and school boards.
Many prime candidates are hesitant
about presenting themselves because they
feel they are being too forward. As a result
the potential service of those people is
denied the communities.
Stop and consider the names of some
people you think would make good can-
didates. Approach them and urge them to
seriously consider the challenge. Your en-
couragement may just be the motivation
they need.
It's too late to take action after
nominations have closed and you see the
slate is not as strong as it should be to
operate such important business.
Choice
The distinguishing mark of a free society
involves the word "choice".
What we do, where we go, what we
cat, what we buy—
Choice.
It's a key element in the Ontario govern-
ment's efforts to promote the use of refill-
able soft drink containers and reduce the
industry's contribution to this province's
increasing amount of solid waste—garbage.
Choice.
It'll be there next spring when you're in
the grocery store buying soft drinks. After
April 1, 1977, any non -refillable soft drink
product sold in whatever size, flavor, brand
must also be available in refillable con-
tainers.
Choice.
Between a traditionally less expensive
product in a container that can be reused
from eight to 25 times and the more expen-
sive throwaway.
In recent years, the dramatic rise in use
of the throwaway came to us, not by con-
scious choice, but through a slide toward
convenience packaging reinforced by an
increasing lack of choice on the grocery,
shelf.
hn 1968, throwaways held five to 10 per
cent of the soft drink market. Two years
later -the non -refillable container share was
35 percent and two years after that it had
grown to 70 per cent. The Ontario Ministry
of the Environment's call for voluntary
action by the retail industry to restore the
availability of refillables produced decline
and levelling off in 1975—the first trend
toward refillables in more than a decade.
But more action was needed. Legislative
action to restore the choice.
And while the industry responds to the
gradual shift toward refillables by develop-
ing the necessary distribution and collection
systems, the consumer will have his choice.
But changes won't come over night. As
humans we are creatures of habit and as
consumers we are increasingly creatures of
convenience.
But certainly an ongoing public informa-
tion program by the Ontario Ministry of
the Environment stressing reuse as an
important aspect of resource management
and a coninlon sense alternative to conven-
ience packaging may accelerate the change
so that one day...
The choice may not seen like a choice at
all.
1*rd
by Cathy McKinley
Well, everyone between the ages of 50 and 65 can relax,
you too are going to be innoculated against swine flu. It
seems the government has been able to obtain more serum,
and realizing their counting was a little off in the past, they
have decided to innoculate everyone over the age of 20.
Previously, only those from 20 to 50 and over 65 were
going to be innoculated, the theory being those between
50 and 65 probably have the antibodies against the flu
already in their blood from the 1918 epidemic. However, it
doesn't take a genius to figure out those of the age of 50
to 57 years were not yet born when the last epidemic hit so
how could they be immune? Well, not to worry, they will
have to suffer with the rest of us now as it seems people
can have very severe reactions to this vaccine. It may have no
effect at all or it might land you in bed for a week. With my
luck, I'll land in bed for at least a week.
The government, however, is still against vaccinating
anyone under the age of 20. They say this is because the
serum is too strong for children to handle, but in the next
breath they turn around and say they are developing a spe-
cial serum for those under 20 who are critically ill. Doesn't
it seem a little strange the vaccine is too strong for healthy
children, but not too strong to be given to those children
who are seriously ill to begin with? I'm afraid I for one do not
undertstand their logic, but then maybe that is why I'm here
and not out there trying to run this country.
It seems people will buy almost anything these days. First
there was the pet rock craze, and believe it or not the man
who came up with the idea made a fortune for himself.
Next came the pet piranha, of course it was invisible but
few people would dare to prove it didn't exist by putting
their finger into the empty fish bowl.
Now, for a mere $5 you can buy an apothacary jar full of
shredded money. That's right, you get 8 ounces of beauti-
fully shredded money, and the jars are selling like hotcakes
on the U.S. market. They are advertised as the gift for those
who "have everything or nothing". There must be a lot of
people in this world with more money than brain.
Writing a column can be very difficult sometimes, especi-
ally if I leave it until Monday and Monday ends up being a
dull dreary rainy day, not exactly inspirational to say the
least.
Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I left the space
blank, just the headline on the top and the masthead at the
bottom and left the rest a blank. Maybe I'd finally get some
letters to the editor, something which happens very seldom,
believe you me.
Which reminds me. I saw a copy of the Peanuts cartoon
which has cheered me up immensely. Linus was writing a
letter to the editor and started his letter off with "Dear
Editor of Letters to the Editor, How have you been?" Of
course, Lucy is leaning over his shoulder and after read-
ing his beginning she remarks sarcastically, "HOW HAVE
YOU BEEN? What sort of letter is that to write to an editor?"
Linus replies very seriously, "I just thought she might
appreciate having someone inquire about the state of her
health, and as Lucy turns away in disgust Linus hollars after
her "Editors are sort of human too you know!"
All I can say is Linus, you just made my day—even if it
is a dreary foggy wet one.
Published Each Wednesday By J.W. Eedy Publications Ltd.
Member:
Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association
Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association
40NA
Manager - Betty O'Brien
News Editor - Cathy McKinley
Second Class Mail Registration Number 1385
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