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The Times Advocate, 2005-09-14, Page 1(519)235-1115 www.h urontractor.com L1.1 HURON TRACTOR Exeter Fa /AV cje 16 40740 Many HIGH SPEED INTERNET SERVING EXETER & SURROUNDING AREAS For as low as $19.95/mo. (S19)23G-4333 TIMES ADVOCATE Exeter, Ontario, Canada Wednesday, September 14, 2005 .25 (includes GST) Local man hit hard by Katrina By Nina Van Lieshout TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF CLANDEBOYE - The devastation of Hurricane Katrina is almost unbearable. Many do not have family or friends there but are still affected by this tragic event. Clandeboye resident Scott Calamusa has both family and friends in New Orleans and area. "I was really worried. I tried calling and couldn't get through," says Calamusa. "I called the Saturday before Hurricane Katrina hit and didn't find out exactly where my family was until the following Monday which was the day Hurricane Katrina arrived." Calamusa's mother, grandmother and sister along with her husband and children live just west of New Orleans. Calamusa also has friends that live in and around New Orleans that he was worried about. Everyone Calamusa knows was able to get out safely. "My mother and grandma evacuated their homes the Saturday before Katrina struck," he says. "My mother had to convince my grandma to go. When you live in Louisiana, you become a bit stubborn about leaving when a hurricane is coming," says Calamusa. It took them 12 hours to make a five hour trip because of everyone trying to leave. They ended up staying in a hotel for four days in Leesville, Louisiana, before leaving the area for Birmingham to his Aunt's house. His sister and family went to stay with friends in Oklahoma. Calamusa lived in New Orleans for the first 25 years of his life. "I was born there, I grew up there. It's very weird knowing that all of the familiar surroundings you knew for so long are now gone," says Calamusa. Not only did he live there for a good part of his life, but Calamusa also met his wife Johanna in New Orleans. For the past six years they have lived in Houston, Texas until moving to Clandeboye with their son James at the end of May. They will be moving to Exeter in December. Although according to Calamusa many people always feared the big one, not a lot of people were prepared. "I've been through category three hurricanes but this was way worse. You start to take for granted just how bad these types of storms really are," says Calamusa. "My mother and grandma voluntarily evacuated but still only brought a bit of clothing with them. "Nobody knew what to expect. How do you prepare for something you've never been through?," asks Calamusa. Many people have not gotten the chance to return to their homes. "My mother and grandma don't even know what they've lost." Calamusa plans on returning to the South as soon as possible. "I need to go down there and help my family, they're my main focus right now. I want to do whatever I can to get my family back on track, if that's even possi- ble," says Calamusa. When returning Calamusa would like to plan some kind of fundraiser to help the victims of this terrible storm. In the meantime if you would like to make any dona- tions to the people devastated by Hurricane Katrina, there will be trailers leaving from General Coach in Hensall to the southern states all week. Donations can be dropped off at the Credit Union in Exeter, no later then Thursday. Goods such as clothing, towels, bedding, etc. are needed. Food items are not permitted. Clandeboye man, Scott Calamusa stands with his wife Johanna. Scott has family living near New Orleans. He plans to visit as soon as possible to help out. (photo/submitted) Terry Fox Run on Sunday marks milestone By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF EXETER — This Sunday's Terry Fox Run marks a special milestone for the event — the 25th anniversary. Since Fox's inspiring attempt to run across Canada on one leg in 1980, over $360 million has been raised worldwide for cancer research. Locally, runs take place in Exeter and Ilderton. Exeter's run at MacNaughton Park takes place Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and features 2 km, 5 km and 10 km runs. There is also a mapped road route for rollerbladers and bicyclists. The event is also wheelchair -accessible. Organizer Ann DeVries said she'd like to see this year's Exeter run raise $14,000. In total, the Exeter Terry Fox efforts have raised $88,000, and DeVries said she hopes to see the $100,000 barri- er passed. About $11,000 was raised last year in Exeter. The Exeter run was started by Doug Ellison and has been held every year except one, DeVries said, adding that Exeter's Mike Skochinski was actually lucky enough to see Terry Fox during his run in the Sudbury area. This year's Exeter run will also feature five narticinants on Terry's Team, which consists of cancer survivors. There will be free massages and bottled water on site. DeVries also hopes to have special com- memorative Terry Fox T-shirts on sale at the trail. Those interested in donating to the run can do so during the run, at Scotiabank or online at www.terry- foxrun.org As in Exeter, par- ticipants in the Ilderton run can run, walk, bike or rollerblade. The run goes from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Ilderton, starting in front of the Kinn Edward Restaurant. There are 1 Lasting words "Some people can't figure out what I'm doing. It's not a walk - hop, it's not a trot, it's running, or as close as I can get to running, and it's harder than doing it on two legs. It makes me mad when people call this a walk. If I was walking it wouldn't be anything." TERRY Fox - JUNE 1980 km, 2 km and 5 km routes. This is the fifth year Ilderton has held a Terry Fox Run, with last year's event the most suc- cessful — $8,000 was raised. For more information on the Ilderton run, call Paul Manders at 666-2383. More information can also be found at www.terryfoxrun.org For 143 days in 1980, Fox, who had lost his right leg to cancer, ran 42 km every day for 5,373 km, stopping only when lung cancer forced him to. His memory has been honoured with the annual run every year since 1981. In Ontario, over 230 communities partici- pate in local runs. For every dollar raised, 87 cents goes to cancer research, 10 cents goes to fundraising and 3 cents goes to adminis- tration. MORTGAGE INTELLIGENCE TM The SunCoast Mortgage Team Justin Christie, AMP • Keith Walper, AMP 45 Ontario Street South • Grand Bend 519.238.HOME • 866.544.4001 f 1218 More Choices, Bigger Savings. SunCoast. Ca ...Making it Easy Head office: 5280 Solar Drive, Suite 101, Mississauga ON L4W 5M8 • ©2005 SunCoast Consultants Incl• TMTra elligence Inc. • ®Registered trademark of Mortgage Intelligence Inc. de