The Times Advocate, 2005-11-02, Page 66
Exeter Times -Advocate
Wednesday, November 2, 2005
Opinion Forum News
Seniors' perspective
Continued from page 5
ing, dressing, skin care and grooming, toileting, trans-
fers, assist with prosthetic device, child care, respite
care, help up and down stairs, assist with special care
as directed by health professionals.
Nutrition: Plan, prepare and serve meals, assis-
tance with eating, prepare shopping list and do shop-
ping, encourage healthy eating.
Home Management: Establish household routine,
teach homemaking skills, adapt home to meet needs,
help with money management/budgets.
Housekeeping: Dust and vacuum, laundry and dish-
es, clean kitchen/bathroom, clean appliances - stoves,
oven, refrigerator.
Outings: Escort to medical appointments, personal
errands - banking, drug store. Encourage participa-
tion in the community.
Seniors Exercise Programs:
Physical health and social activities is key to aging
well. Seniors' exercise programs are offered at sever-
al locations in Huron, along with foot care clinics,
health and wellness sessions. L.I.F.E. - Living
Independently through Fitness and exercise program
at the Betty Cardno Memorial Centre in Clinton offers
a seniors' fitness centre, indoor walking club and
other "senior friendly" programs for active living.
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Cheryl Phillips, Community Support Co-ordinator for
Town and Country, Clinton
For more information on any services, please con-
tact Town & Country Support Services in Perth or
Huron Counties. Wingham: 357-3222, Exeter: 235-
0258, Clinton: 482-9264, Stratford, 273-2203 or Toll
Free: 1-800-265-3039
What's Happening November 2005
Nov. 3 "Grand Bend Good Food Box orders due
today" Boxes are just $10 for a single, $15 for a fami-
ly. Boxes are delivered to the Health Centre for pick
up Nov. 16 from 3-4:30 p.m.
Nov. 4th "A Taste of Huron in Black & White"
Oakwood Inn, five course gourmet meal, silent auc-
tion, music and entertainment. Tickets $65. proceeds
to Big Brothers Big Sisters. Call 235-3307 for tickets
and info.
Nov. 4 "Caring With Confidence" an Alzheimer edu-
cation program" This program will run four Fridays
Nov. 4, 18, 25, and Dec. 2. Topics include caring and
communication, strategies facing difficult decisions,
doctor relationship building and more! Call 1-800-
561-5012 to register.
Nov. 3 and Nov. 24 "Public Flu Clinic" Hensall
Medical Centre 5:30-8 p.m. Bring your health card.
Senior and high risk Grand Bend Area CHC patients
call 238-2362 for flu shot appointments.
For more information on any of the events in the
Grand Bend and area, please contact: Cindy Maxfield,
Health Promoter Grand Bend Area CHC (519) 238-
1556 ext.6
Nov. 5 Public Flu Clinic" 9:00-11:00 a.m. Stephen
Central Public School
Nov. 8 "Grand Bend Women's Probus Meeting"
Grand Bend Legion 9:30 a.m. Guest speaker Lynda
Hillman-Rapley, editor of the Lakeshore Advance will
be speaking on Ipperwash. Lynda has researched this
area for years and will provide us with her personal
perspective. Everyone welcome!
Nov. 8th "Public Flu Clinic" 6:30-8:00 p.m. Exeter
Legion
Nov. 8th "Living with Cancer Support Group" 7 p.m.
Grand Bend Area CHC in the Boardroom. Call Pat
Plowright for info at 786-5290. Everyone welcome!
SOUTHERN Baptist minister was completing a tem-
perance sermon.
With great emphasis he said, "If I had all the beer
in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river."
With greater emphasis he said, "And if had all the
wine in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the
river."
And then finally, shaking his fist in the air, he said ,
"And if I had all the whiskey in the world, I'd take it
and pour it into the river."
Sermon complete, he then sat down.
The choir leader stood very cautiously and
announced with a smile, "For our closing song let us
sing Hymn #365, Shall We Gather At The River."
A PASSENGER in a taxi leaned over to ask the dri-
ver a question and tapped him on the shoulder. The
driver screamed, lost control of the cab, nearly hit a
bus, drove up over the cub, and stopped just inches
from a large plate -glass window.
For a few minutes everything was silent in the cab,
and then the still shaking driver said, "I'm sorry but
you scared the daylights out of me."
The frightened passenger apologized to the driver
and said he didn't realize a mere tap on the shoulder
could frighten him so much.
The driver replied, "No no, I'm sorry, it's entirely
my fault. Today is my first day driving a cab... I've
been driving a hearse for the last 25 years.
Beat the flu -Town and Country offers rides
to flu clinics
When it comes to fighting the flu, one of the best
defenses for senior citizens is the annual flu shot.
Town and Country Support Services is encouraging
seniors to get their flu shots this year by offering free
rides to flu shot clinics in Huron County.
In October and November the Huron County Health
Unit is offering flu shots on 14 different dates and
locations. By calling Town and Country Support
Services, seniors can arrange for a free ride to the
clinic in their area through the agency's volunteer dri-
ver program.
Town and Country's transportation program is an
important service to people of all ages in Huron
County. Last year more than 7,200 rides were offered
by volunteer drivers and through the mobility van
program, which now has three fully accessible vans
available.
Helping people to maintain their health is an impor-
tant goal of Town and Country Support Services,
especially with senior citizens.
The Huron County Health Unit notes that in Huron
County there are 10,430 people over the age of 65,
and that it is particularly important for anyone over
the age of 65 to get a flu shot as they are at a higher
risk for health complications from the flu. In the
elderly, the flu shot prevents complications such as
pneumonia in about six out of 10 people and can pre-
vent death in more than eight out of 10 people,
reports the health unit.
For more information about flu clinic dates and
locations, contact the Huron County Health Unit at
482-3416 or 1-877-837-6143. To book a ride to a flu
clinic in your area, call Town and Country Support
Services at one of their three offices: Wingham 357-
3222, Clinton 482-9264 or Exeter 235-0258. For
more information contact Shelley McPhee Haist, Town
and Country Support Services 357-3222
Grand Bend Golden Agers Bus trips:
Bus Trip on December 12. Go to Acorn Theatre at
Wallaceburg, enjoy a lunch and a show. Then on to
Sarnia for free time to shop before you have a guided
tour of the "Celebration of Sarnia Lights". Pick up at
Exeter, Grand Bend, and Ailsa Craig.
Call Marjorie Love 243-4036; Marlene 263-6503, or
Wilma at 293-3508 to book your seat and pricing
information.
Bus Trip to Branson Missouri on November 19 to
25. Contact Marjorie Love at 243-4036 for more infor-
mation.
Need to deal with
council administration
Dear Editor:
South Huron Council recently decided not to support a resolution put forward by
the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). This resolution was designed to
inform MPP's that municipalities were not in favour of a bill cur-
rently tabled in the legislature to ensure more open gov-
ernment. Not supporting this resolution was a
good gesture by council but an empty one if it is
not followed up with a letter berating the AMO
for even attempting such an attack on democra-
cy. If this resolution is passed by other munici-
palities it will be mistakenly assumed by the
Ontario Government that the people these
municipalities represent are not in favor of more
open government. It would also help if someone on
our council made a motion to send a letter of support
to the MPP who is tabling this bill as he will need all the help
he can get.
If we are truly going to move this municipality towards democracy we need to deal
with the council administration and their attitudes toward those they are hired to
serve.
At the next council meeting on November 7 at 7:30 p.m. it will be interesting to see
who, if any, of our councillors are really interested in open government.
Yours truly,
DEAN DucIIAR.ME
Huron Contractors Inc.
Letters
to the
Editor
n
Writer feels council
blindsided the village
Dear Editor
The Bluewater Council has purposely blindsided the village in the hope that it
would derail our endeavors to restructure the village of Hensall.
Following our request tabled at the Oct. 3 council meeting a resolution was passed
to have our committee present our plan at the Nov. 21 meeting. The clerk -adminis-
trator called me and indicated what was necessary for us to send to her for the
council package and a time was given to me which was Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m. and we
would be allowed approximately three quarters of an hour.
Why would this even be on the agenda for Oct. 17 for discussion? Our committee
was NOT informed that there would be a discussion.
Were the members of council sleeping when the item was brought forward? Or
were they simply absent like our local representative? Or perhaps had they already
decided on a well rehearsed script that would scuttle our efforts long before the
council meeting? I am totally dumb -founded at the lack of insight shown by the
council members in their response to the criteria laid out by the minister.
The minister's words were "while there is no legislation process currently in place
that would allow for the de -amalgamation of municipalities, I am willing to consider
locally agreed upon restructuring proposals that would contemplate an alternative
governance structure. However, any such proposal would have to be approved and
submitted by municipal council." The minister has also stated that he would expect
any restructuring proposal from a municipality council to clearly demonstrate a
detailed level of analysis supported by substantive evidence and the consultation
that such an issue warrants.
This is just one more clear signal that the village of Hensall will never be treated
with anything but disrespect. The credibility of this entire council is now in question.
Because of this travesty we are unable to reach the final criteria set out by the
Ontario government...approval of the business plan. It is my hope that the Ontario
government will not be so close minded when we take our case to them, which we
will.
It must be noted that this plan was deemed not worthy of even considering. How
would one know what was in the plan without looking at it, but then that's not what
happened here. They decided not to examine the detailed level of analysis supported
by substantive evidence and the consultation that such an issue warrants. Perhaps
the ministry of Municipal Affairs is using unfamiliar words in their letter sent to the
clerk administrator on Sept. 22 and signed by Pearl Dougall from the London Office
of Municipal Affairs.
Just a footnote -the municipality sent out a notice that there would be no leaf pick-
up this year. This is the same notice they sent out last year. They know we have
been picking up our our leaves for the past year and will continue to do so. Please
know that thanks to the generosity of the Hensall Kinsmen and the Hensall
Canadian Legion as well as our hardworking volunteers, the leaves will be picked
up if you leave them on the boulevard, not in the gutter.
KAY WISE
Committee for the new Village of Hensall