HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-11-08, Page 66
Times–Advocate
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Opinion Forum News
Children's Aid thanks community
On behalf of the Huron -Perth Children's Aid Society, I would like to thank the
many businesses, organizations and community members who supported us during
Child Abuse Prevention Month in October.
Protecting children is everyone's business. The purpose of the
'Use Your Voice' campaign has been to remind people in
Huron and Perth counties that abused children are often
unable to act as their own advocates, so caring community
members must use their own voices to speak for children.
You can't assume that someone else will speak up — we
must all use our voices for children.
The stores, churches, hospitals, local businesses and other
organizations that supported the 'Use Your Voice' campaign this
year have demonstrated their commitment to the well being and safety
of children in Huron and Perth counties. Thank you to them and to all other com-
munity members who share our dedication to children.
Economics over humanitarianism?
Your front page picture on the Nov. 1 issue of the T -A (a group of smiling officials
breaking ground for the new ethanol plant) has left me feeling uneasy.
Some time ago Exeter's Fred Knip reported on his six month stint as International
Relief Manager distributing emergency food aid from the Canadian Food Grains
Bank (CFGB) in drought -stricken areas of Kenya.
../01111.171
I quote the following sentence: "Many children rely on the school feeding pro -
Letters gram for their meals; and we were in many areas where the United Nations
to the World Food Program started a feeding program, but had to stop because they
Editor did not have any more supplies."
At least irony is not dead ... In North America obesity is becoming a real
problem. In Africa every five seconds a child dies of hunger. In North
America we convert a precious food source into a product that will add more pol-
lution to an already poisoned environment. And our only concern is the noise and
the smell associated with ethanol production.
Is there perhaps a moral dimension to this venture?
Are profit motives again trumping humanitarian concerns?
Are we part of the problem rather than the solution?
TOM KNIGHT
Executive director
Huron -Perth Children's Aid Society
Principal's message
EXETER — I would like to start this week by reminding
parents and students that the first official report card is
scheduled for distribution Nov. 17. This report will be
the mid-term report for first semester classes,
and the marks will be based on student
achievement for the first half of the semester.
Students taking either Civics or Career Studies
will receive their final marks for these two half -
credit courses. No marks will appear for year-
long courses in Grade 9: there will be a follow-
up report, which will report those marks, in
early December.
Next week the Student Services Department
will be holding two important sessions on JEFF
"Financing Post -Secondary Education." The REABURN
sessions will examine the costs of post -sec -PRINCIPAL'S
ondary education, various methods of financ-
MESSAGE
ate for this month, as we hold our annual Remembrance
Day service to honour the courageous men and women
who have served Canada during times of war and in
peacekeeping operations, and to recognize those who
continue to serve our country. We hope our service will
play some small part in helping our students to appreci-
ate the courage and sacrifice, not only of those
whose names are inscribed on our Honour Roll for
having made the ultimate sacrifice, but also the
many others who returned from war and who have
served and continue to serve our country in times
of need.
Courage comes in many forms and we hope to
encourage our students to demonstrate this
attribute, perhaps by finding the courage to stand
up for something they believe in, or by standing up
to the schoolyard bully, or by intervening when
they see someone else being bullied. It takes
courage to resist the temptations and pressures to
do things we know are not right, and often it takes
more courage to stand up and do the right thing.
Hopefully, we, as adults, can model this behaviour and
through our actions and examples inspire young people
to be courageous and to follow our lead as positive role
models.
We all have a role to play in helping our young people
to develop the positive character traits that will help
them to become positive contributing members of our
society.
ing the costs, scholarships and bursaries and budgeting.
These sessions will be informative and useful for stu-
dents planning to go to college or university and their
parents. There will be an afternoon event for students in
fourth period in the cafeteria, and an evening session for
parents and students starting at 7 p.m. in the school
library.
For the month of November our character development
program will focus on courage, which is very appropri-
Fundraiser — Big Brothers Big Sisters South Huron successfully concluded five years of combining fine dining with
fundraising Nov.4 at Oakwood Inn in Grand Bend with the final Taste of Huron dinner. Fred and Christina Godbolt are
shown deciding what they will bid on for the silent auction, which raised $12,000. (photo/Jim Beckett)
L. DE HAAN
Exeter
Panther Profile
EXETER — Did you know a group of
kangaroos is called a mob? Well there
you go, I have provided you with another
piece of completely useless information.
Let's see what's up this week, hmm .. .
looks like a French trip to Toronto and I
think it's Friday. Sometimes I can't read
my own writing; it's a real problem, check
with Mrs. Black on that one but if you're
going, you probably
already know.
Our Remembrance Day
assembly is Friday. The
focus this year will be on
the Korean War and
peacekeeping veterans.
On Nov. 14 there will be
a speaker visiting the
school to talk about
financing post secondary
education. The meeting
for students will be at 2
p.m. and another session,
open to everyone, will
run at 7 p.m. Sounds like a good opportu-
nity to learn some valuable information.
Hey, do you like quests? I know I do —
more than anything I want to go on a
quest, so if you're like me, then you'll be
glad to hear about Science Quest! It is for
elementary school kids, but you can help
out if you're in science; just see Mrs.
McCowan. Science Quest will run all day
Nov. 14.
Are you low on money? Are you tired of
losing money to your `buddies?' There
will be an anti -gambling assembly in the
small gym at 2 p.m. Nov 15. I bet you that
you can't sit through the whole presenta-
tion and pay attention the entire time!
Come on, I'll give you two to one!
Attention all graduates, or rather grads
to be; grad photos will be taken the week
of Nov. 27, so get ready for that. Also I'll
give you a heads up on the flu shot — they
will be done Nov. 30. Forms will be sent
home and will be available in the office.
Waterloo University will visit Friday,
Fleming College will visit Nov. 13,
Redeemer University will visit Nov. 15,
Algoma University College Nov. 16.
Remember to sign up for any presentation
you wish to attend. Sign-up sheets are in
the Guidance office.
One last thing — a reminder that year-
books and diplomas are available for
pickup. If you have not picked yours up
yet, get to it. That's all this week, keep
rockin'.
Coming events
Nov. 10 — French trip to Toronto
— Remembrance Day assembly, 9 a.m.
— Waterloo presentation, 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 13 — Fleming College presentation
at 10:15 a.m.
Nov. 14 — Speaker on financing post-
secondary education at 2 and 7 p.m.
— Science Quest, all day
Nov. 15 — Anti -gambling presentation
at 2 p.m. in the small gym
— Redeemer University College
presentation at 1 p.m.
CRAIG
SKOCHINSKI
PANTHER
PROFILE