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Home My WebLink AboutThe Times Advocate, 2005-12-21, Page 13Wednesday, December 21, 2005 Exeter Times–Advocate 13 Learning to deal with loss during the season Queensway Nursing Home in Hensall had a guest speaker recently.Volunteer co-ordinator of the VON Perth -Huron Palliative Care Volunteer Program Karen Lehnen spoke to a full room about people experiencing loss and how to cope with it particularly during the holiday season.(photo/Nina Van Lieshout) By Nina Van Lieshout TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF EXETER — An information session was held at Queensway Nursing Home in Hensall on dealing with bereavement during the holiday season recently. The guest speaker was volunteer co-ordina- tor of the VON Perth -Huron Palliative Care Volunteer Program Karen Lehnen. A full room listened as Lehnen spoke of not only losing a loved one and learning how to cope with it during the holiday season but also about losing a job, friends, dreams and more that can affect the holidays. Lehnen explained there is no right or wrong way to deal with loss during the holidays "It's up to the individual." She says some people can't hold on to tradi- tions done in the past and others don't want to change them. Participants in the group discussion, includ- ing Queensway employees spoke of some of their personal experiences. Queensway director of programs Carol Gascho says it's a good idea to offer ongoing educational opportunities such as this one on bereavement for staff, volunteers and resi- dents. Gascho says many of the staff have palliative care training which helps them provide sup- port and care to palliative care clients but they still deal with feelings of loss when residents they've developed relationships with die. The VON Perth -Huron Palliative Care Volunteer Program provides many programs and services including volunteer visits to clients facing life-threatening illnesses and/or those who are bereaved. Lehnen says bereavement consultant Kim Winbow just wrapped up a support group for bereavement at the beginning of the month in Zurich but another group should start in Exeter next spring. A group will also begin for children coping with loss in Exeter called "Rainbows" in March. Both Lehnen and Winbow will also talk to anyone in need over the telephone. Kennedy praised for Rural Education plan By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE DORCHESTER — In what's being praised by one-time opponents as a "change in thinking" about rural education, the provincial govern- ment announced the Rural Student Success Program Dec. 12, in the heart of a school board which only recently received a consultant's report recommending it close dozens of small-town and rural facilities. "We are thrilled today, to say the least," proclaimed West Elgin resi- dent Grace McGartland, who chairs a grouping of over 20 repre- sentatives from school councils and community groups in south- western Ontario and northern Ontario, under the banner of the Coalition for Small Schools. Just before the official media announcement at Lord Dorchester Secondary School in Dorchester, Coalition members received a briefing from government officials. In an interview after the announcement, McGartland said the provincial government has now acted upon four of the five recommendations submitted by the Coalition last year. In particu- lar, she suggested the new Rural Student Success Plan acts on rec- ommendations to utilize communi- ty partnerships, and to develop an integrated rural plan involving not just education but also community development and economic sus- tainability. New initiatives in the announce- ment include $10 million for between 25-50 out of the 144 high schools identified as serving rural areas, in a so-called "Lighthouse Program" aimed at implementing programs which might attract or maintain students. Education Minister Gerard Kennedy, in a question -and - answer session with a group of about two dozen senior Lord Dorchester students during the event, noted this initiative stems from the government's goal of raising the "school leaving age" to 18. The key to that, he suggested, is "making sure that you stay because of the programs." Flexibility will be added to the provincial curriculum, allowing school boards to create specialized pathways for students to follow en route to graduation. "We're trying to make sure there is a match between small schools and the surrounding communities they serve," he told the gathering of students, chosen from a variety of programs within the school of around 580 pupils. Examples might include co-oper- ative education programs geared towards agriculture, or what Kennedy referred to as the "bundling" of several courses in a specific discipline which could assist students in pursuing a par- ticular career path. This is one area where the part- nerships come into the plan: for example, through business involvement in co-op programs, or through agreements to have 4-H achievements recognized for high school credits and possibly high school achievements recognized for post -secondary credits. There's also $3.5 million for pilot projects in "e -learning," or Internet -based courses which pro- vide the potential for rural school boards to expand on the availabili- ty of specialized programming when only a small number of stu- dents at each school express inter- est. This, of course, is an area of importance to the Avon Maitland District School Board, which has established itself as a leader in e - learning. "I look forward to the dividend we're going to get" out of improve- ments in distance learning, Kennedy told the news conference. "Out of the $200 million we're putting forward, I'm most excited Two males arrested for stolen property EXETER — On Dec. 13 Huron OPP were on general patrol on Anne Street in Exeter. The officers observed fresh footprints in the snow leading up to several parked vehicles. The police followed the prints and located two males hiding in some bushes. Arrested and charged is an 18 -year-old male of South Huron Township and a 14 -year-old male of Bluewater. The 18 -year-old male will appear in Exeter Provincial Court on Feb. 23 for trespassing and prowling near a dwelling house and having possession of property obtained by crime under $5000. The 14 -year-old will appear in Goderich Provincial Youth Court on Jan. 11 for the same charges. SH business break-in SOUTH HURON— Huron OPP responded to an alarm Dec. 8 at the Hensall Co-op on Kirkton Road in South Huron.Officers attended to find unknown parties had attempted to gain entry into the business. about this." The $200 million he referred to wasn't all in last week's announce- ment. Much of it has been announced in the past, and that total instead approximates the amount of money targeted specifi- cally to rural schools, over and above basic education funding, by the Liberal government since 2002-03. "We have a Rural Affairs Minister (Leona Dombrowsky, who was in attendance) and a rural caucus which is very emphatic that we tailor all our policies not to dis- criminate against rural communi- ties," Kennedy explained. He sug- gested that means making allowances for rural needs when creating funding programs. Asked about last month's release of a consultants' report recom- mending the Thames Valley District School Board close 61 schools — many of them rural — over the next 15 years, the Education Minister argued the report was commissioned before much of that $200 million was rolled out. He also suggested 15 - year projections tend to be more prone to error than what the gov- ernment requires from school boards — five-year projections. "I have some concerns about the dramatic nature of that report," he said. And though he carefully explained he doesn't blame the board for seeking out such projec- tions and recommendations, he added Thames Valley officials "were conditioned for 10 years to search around in the couch for pennies. I don't believe that's still the case." Speaking about the fear in com- munities about school closures, Kennedy said, "so many parents in the room have had to focus on a defensive mode ... With this announcement, we hope to have parents, students, teachers and administration working on a posi- tive approach." $.1> MUNICIPALITY OF BLUEWATER 6AYFIELU HAY- NENSA«. STANLEY. ZURICH 2001 –NOTICE & WARNING– MUNICIPALITY OF BLUEWATER NO PARKING IS ALLOWED ON ANY ROAD ALLOWANCE BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 2 A.M. - 7 A.M. DURING THE PERIOD OF NOVEMBER 1 - APRIL 1 FOR SNOW REMOVAL PURPOSES VIOLATORS WILL BE TICKETED THE COUNCIL HAS PASSED A MOTION PROHIBITING THE PLACEMENT OF SIGNS, PLANTERS, POP MACHINES OR ANY ITEMS THAT WOULD INTERFERE WITH SNOW REMOVAL ON SIDEWALKS OR BOULEVARDS DURING THE PERIOD OF NOVEMBER 1st TO APRIL 1st 0 TIMES - ADVOCATE GIFT SUBSCRIPTION CANADIAN SUBSCRIPTION RATES ne Year - $38.00 + 2.66 GST = $40.66 Two Year - $70.00 + 4.90 GST = $74.90 ORDER BY PHONE, FAX OR EMAIL WITH VISA OR MASTERCARD,, TIM S -ADVOCATE (GIFT CARD INCLUDED) 424 MAIN ST. EXETER, ONT. NOM 1S6 (519) S6(519) 235-1331 • FAX (519) 235-0766 email: srollings@southhuron.com 110-7