The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutThe Times Advocate, 2005-07-27, Page 1dkich lam' JOHN DEERE (519)235-1115 www.hurontractor.com HURON TRACTOR Exeter MORTGAGE INTELLIGENCE A GMAC Company 519.238.HOME Making it easy... SunCoast. ca TIMES -ADVOCATE Exeter, Ontario, Canada Wednesday, July 27, 2005 x.25 (includes GST) MS Bike Tour raises a record $500,000 Nine hundred bicyclists took part in the RONA MS Bike Tour last weekend, rais- ing a record $500,000.Among local participants were, from left, Jean Vanderlaan, Scott Halpenny and Steve and Kate Brawn. (photo/Scott Nixon) By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF PORT BLAKE — Last weekend's RONA MS Bike Tour raised a record $500,000 for multiple sclerosis. Nine hundred bicyclists took part in the 150 km round trip from Port Blake to London. Cyclists left the Port Blake Conservation Area Saturday morning for London, spent the night at the University of Western Ontario and returned to Port Blake Sunday for a barbecue. MS Society fundraising senior manager Lori Anne McNulty is pleased with this year's Bike Tour, the most successful of its 15 years. "It's been a great day," she said, adding that this year's 900 cyclists was a signifi- cant increase over last year's 664, who raised $420,000. While bikers had a wet ride back to Port Blake Sunday morning, McNulty said it was a pleasant relief because they encountered hot temperatures the day before. Exeter participants included Steve and Kate Brawn, Jean Vanderlaan and Scott Halpenny, all of whom said they felt fine after the Bike Tour. Vanderlaan has been involved for seven years and has raised more than $2,000 each year. She said she first started because a friend of hers was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. "It's fun," she says of the bike ride, adding the tough part is the fundraising. The Brawns have been participating for five years and have acted as tour leaders for the last two. Kate Brawn said she and Steve started the Bike Tour to see if they could complete the trek. Once they got involved, they began to know of more people who suffer from MS and they decided to keep participating. Kate and Steve have raised over $5,000 in their seven years of involvement. Halpenny, whose wife Denise has MS, has been involved with the Bike Tour for the last two years, raising about $2,300. "This is something more I can do," he says, adding he intends to keep partici- pating. McNulty credited the more than 100 volunteers who make the MS Bike Tour possible. "We couldn't do it without them," she says. Bikers on the weekend came from all over southwestern Ontario, although McNulty said one family flew in from Brussels to take part. Think twice before swinuning By Stephanie Mandziuk TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF LAKE HURON — Signs remain posted at some of the beaches on the Lake Huron shoreline warning swimmers about high levels of E. coli bacteria. Beaches recently sampled include Grand Bend and Highland Glen. Lambton County's Medical Officer of Health is advising swimmers that fol- lowing a heavy rainfall the water at area beaches may be temporarily pol- luted for up to 48 hours. Also, if water becomes cloudy due to wave activity, bacteria from the bottom may become suspended and can increase the risk of illness. Water quality information is available 24 -hours -a -day, seven days a week by calling The Beach Water Quality Information Line at 1-800-667-1839, Executive director and health centre "part ways" By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF GRAND BEND — The Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre (GBACHC) and executive director Dan Steinwald have had "a parting of the ways," health centre director and treasurer George Shaw confirmed Monday. Shaw said the board made the deci- sion last Thursday after meeting with Steinwald. Reading a statement from board chair David Bannister, Shaw told the Times -Advocate, "Dan's talents and contributions were particularly valu- able and appreciated in the develop- ment and the building phase of our new CHC and we sincerely thank him for his commitment to the organiza- tion. Now that we are moving forward in a new direction of management at the centre, we have agreed that the centre would be best served by a new executive director." Shaw said the search for a new executive director will begin immedi- ately and he expects the process to take two to four months. In the mean- time, a management committee formed from members of staff and the board's executive committee will oversee the health centre's daily activities. Asked if Steinwald was fired, Shaw said, "we just decided to go our own ways." Steinwald, who has been executive director for the last five years, will receive a settlement from the health centre. Shaw said Steinwald was exactly what the health centre needed during its quest to build a new $3 mil- lion facility, which held its grand opening in May 2004. "Now what we're looking for is to go ahead in an operational mode," Shaw said, adding that a different type of person is needed for the health cen- tre's new direction. "We've had some concerns that obviously precipitate something like this but ... Dan has done a great job for us and we hope the best for him in his future." Steinwald declined to comment. Grand -Bend Area - Community Health Centre The Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre is looking for a new executive director after announcing it has parted ways with former executive director Dan Steinwald, who had been with the health centre for five years. (photo/Stephanie Mandziuk)