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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-07-05, Page 66 Exeter Times -Advocate Wednesday, July 5, 2006 Opinion Forum News Seniors' perspective Continued from page 5 You are looking good, but chances are your joints are not aging as gracefully as you are. Years of wear and tear can sometimes take their toll, leading to injury or even osteoarthritis. The pain of osteoarthritis and other degenerating con- ditions is caused by a breakdown of the smooth cushion- ing cartilage material inside the joints. As a result, movement - especially in the weight bearing joints like the neck, lower back, knees and hips - become sore and difficult. Most pain can be minimized however if you take a few precautions: Keep your joints in good working order. Stay fit with daily moderate exercise to strengthen muscles and increase bone density. Start any activity slowly and always do warm-up exer- cises. Use a kneepad. Combine warm and cold compresses to arthritic joints. Start with heat; end with cold. Eat a healthy, well balanced diet to maintain your weight. Overweight individuals have a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis in the knees. Farm Section: Perth County Federation of Agriculture encourages municipalities to reject sludge. The Perth County Federation of Agriculture is contin- uing its position regarding the use of urban -based sludge by calling on municipalities in Perth to not accept Toronto's sludge. The City of Toronto may need alternative landfill sites here in Ontario to send their de -watered sludge to them if Michigan refuses to continue to accept it. "Ontario's farmers cannot continue to subsidize food production for the rest of the population and then have to be a dumping ground for their wastes as well," says Bob Martin, Perth Federation president, in a press release. "Federal and provincial governments continue to pro- vide dollars and programs to urban areas while showing little acknowledgment to the needs of the farm commu- nity and their rural municipalities. Rural Ontario deserves better than just to be a dump- ing ground for the wastes of our urban neighbours," says Martin. A number of county Federations across Ontario sup- ported the Perth Federation initiative to encourage farmers to stop the use of farmland for the spreading of bio -solids. How We Count: Information from a Handbook for Rural Women & Rural Communities on Poverty! How do women count in our rural communities? Do women still count when they are poor? Why so many women are poor and what can women and communities do about this problem? How can rural communities change their attitudes towards poor women and their children? What Women said about surviving poverty? Women who came to workshops in Grey, Bruce, and Huron & Perth said: They were unprepared for their sudden "plunge" into poverty. They discovered that the social safety net is full of holes and barriers that make it almost impossible to cover basic needs or to get out of poverty. They suffered from discrimination and they became isolated and disconnected from people and opportuni- ties. It was easy to lose faith in themselves and to lose hope for a better future. Women said they need: A clearer understanding of why they have become poor and how they can deal with the problem. Information to be available at one place about com- munity services. To take care of themselves and stay connected to each other and the community. A change in the community attitudes and perceptions of the problem women face. "Being poor sucks! Self-confidence is a huge issue. Women need support." The Dash I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone, from the beginning - to the end. He noted that first came her date of birth and spoke the following date with tears, But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years. (1934 - 1998) For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth... And now only those who loved her know what that lit- tle line is worth. For it matters not, how much we own; the cars...the house...the cash, What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash. So think about this long and hard... are there things you'd like to change? For you never know how much time is left, that can still be rearranged. If we could just slow down enough to consider what's true and real, And always try to understand the way other people feel. And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more And love the people in our lives like we've never loved before. If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a smile... Remembering that this special dash might only last a little while. So, when your eulogy's being read with your life's actions to rehash... Would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash? From My dash to yours Old Geezers: Old Geezers remember the Depression, World War II, Dieppe, Vimy Ridge, the White Cliffs of Dover and Hitler. They remember the Atomic Age, the Korean War 1950- 53-55, The Cold War, the many Peacekeeping Missions from 1945 to 2005, the Jet Age and the Moon Landing. If you bump into an old geezer on the sidewalk, he will apologize. If you pass an Old Geezer on the street, he will nod or tip his cap to a lady. Old Geezers trust strangers and are courtly to women. Old Geezers hold the door for the next person and always, when walking, make certain the lady is on the inside for protection. Correction An incorrect date appeared in South Huron District High School principal Jeff Reaburn's column last week. The high school will be open until Fri., July 14. Heartfelt thanks to our special volunteers Thank you for making Heart Month 2006 one of the best ever. The time that you gave in February will help the Heart and Stroke Foundation advance vital research and health education programs in Huron, Perth and Oxford counties and the surrounding area. It will serve to protect the health of millions at risk - today and for generations to come. Heart Month 2006 was a milestone year that has already made history within the local Heart and Stroke Foundation. In early February, we hit our goal of recruiting over 1,200 dedicated canvassers and captains Playground is back EXETER — We are back and ready to get another summer of fun rollin'! To finish off this week of International Excitement we will explore several countries. We will put our own spin on traditional activities such as Hawaiian leis, Japanese oraga- mi, and Mexican maracas. Starting the week of July 10, we will celebrate a Festive Fever theme. We will partici- pate in festive traditions including decorating Valentine's treats and dyeing Easter eggs. We even have a costume parade July 13 for Halloween, so children are reminded to come prepared for this event in the morning. We are very excited to get off to a fun and fresh start this summer. We look forward to welcoming familiar and new faces this season to join in our activities. We would like to remind those attending the Playground pro- gram to come prepared with sunscreen, a bathing suit and a towel everyday as water games are a must on these hot summer days. MAGGIE MILLER EXETER PLAYGROUND LEADER for our door-to-door campaign. Their efforts resulted in raising over $161,000 which contributed to the $4,000,000 raised across Ontario. The London area office also wishes to thank their dedicated volunteers in North Middlesex and Lucan Biddulph for their amaz- ing efforts towards the HEART month campaign. That cam- paign resulted in over $200,000. Your support has helped make us a lead success story and no longer just a footnote. We truly appreciate it and look forward to your ongoing involve- ment in the Heart and Stroke Let to Edi Foundation's Heart Month Campaign. To join our team for next year and help build on this year's campaign success, if in Huron, Perth or Oxford counties please contact us today at 519-273-5212 or 1-888-287-7775 or email Vickie at vharkness@hsf.on.ca. If in North Middlesex please call 519-679-0641 or email Colleen at cquinn@hsf.on.ca. This year 42 projects will be funded in our area at local hospitals and universities in London's world class research communi- ty. Once again, thank you for your ongoing support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation and for helping us find answers for life. Sincerely, NANCY BoMAsurr, JUDY RYAN, CHERYL CURTIS , COLLEEN QUINN ters he tor To be competitive in today's market, use the Internet EXETER — To be competitive in today's job market, you can use the Internet to your advantage. From electronic resumes to online job searches, the Internet can help you plan your career by helping you answer the follow- ing questions. What career is right for you? Do you have what it takes to become a dentist? A welder? A medical receptionist? The Internet can help you learn about different careers, growth industries, and job prospects in various areas of Canada, including average salaries. To find out more, check out the following sites: • Service Canada at servicecanada.gc.ca • National Job Futures at jobfutures. ca • MazeMaster at mazemaster.on.ca • Career Navigator at jobsetc. ca/toolbox/quizzes/quizzes_home. do?Zang=e Do you have the right education? You can use the Internet to find out the educational requirements of your chosen career, and you can find out which schools offer the courses you will need to take. You can also learn about study -abroad programs and volun- teer programs designed to help you build experience. Some sites you may want to check out are: • Canada Career Consortium at careerccc.org • career -college. com • youth.gc.ca How do you find a job? The Internet can help you research possible employers, prepare a hard copy and online resume, look for job post- ings and learn how to succeed in interviews. The Internet has thousands of Websites designed around these topics. Check out: • The Canadian Careers Page at canadian- careers. com • youth.gc.ca • Jobs, workers, training and careers at jobsetc. ca Online resumes are different from their hard copy predecessors. There are many places you can create and post an online version of your resume. Some companies even provide a blank resume for you to fill out when applying for a position. Accessing the Internet You can access the Internet from a variety of public places in this area, including the Service Canada Centre for Youth (SCCY) in Exeter. We are located at 349 Main St. S. Our phone number is 235-1711. Please note our office hours have changed. We are now only open Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; however, for assistance on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, you may contact Tom Pettigrew at the Goderich SCCY by calling 524-8342, ext. 232. The Exeter SCCY will close July 19, but the Goderich office will remain open until Aug. 25. KATIE MMRICH MMER PLOYMENT FFICER E su EM 0