HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2007-11-07, Page 66 Times -Advocate
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Opinion Forum News
Thank a veteran
"Whether regular force, reserve, active or retired, a veteran is someone who at
one point in their life, set all else aside and wrote a blank cheque made payable to
"The Dominion of Canada," for an amount of "up to and including my life.
"That, my friend, is honour and love of country, and there are way too many peo-
ple in this country who no longer understand or realize this." — author unknown.
The next time you are in the presence of a veteran, whether you know
them or not, thank them. And if for some reason you find that difficult
— show your appreciation by wearing a poppy.
A grateful Canadian,
ANNE GOULD-SULLIVAN
Block Parents - get
your new sign
Remember those who
defended Canada
As Remembrance Day looms on the horizon, I find myself reflecting on the past and
seriously contemplating the many challenges of the future. Unfortunately, the past
100 years have not been a shining example of humanity at its finest. Quite to
the contrary, in the past century alone, mankind has engaged in
numerous military conflicts costing us countless thousands of
lives.
That said, the silver lining to the cloud is the tremendous and
proud legacy that has been passed to us by those who served
and by those who serve today. We, who have never known
war, owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to those who spent
their youth in defence of freedom. Their contribution is now
a part of our history and their legacy is part of our collective
heritage. As we approach Remembrance Day 2007, we owe it to
the next generation, our children and grandchildren, to recall the sac-
rifices of our past and present heroes.
This Nov. 11, I urge all Canadians, young and young at heart, to take a moment to
reflect and to remember the gifts that we have been given. The peace and freedom
that we enjoy today, the democratic institutions that we depend on and the personal
security that we cherish, were all purchased with the blood of Canadian soldiers.
Please remember that as you stand in Legions, at Cenotaphs, and on main streets
across Huron -Bruce this Nov. 11. The intent of this exercise is to encourage all
Canadians to reflect and to honour the sacrifices made by our brave and courageous
veterans who defended this country during its darkest hours.
May those who have gone before us have our remembrance, our gratitude and may
they rest in peace.
PAUL STECKLE, MP
Huron -Bruce
Letters
to the
Editor
I would like to thank the local schools, the Municipality of South Huron and the OPP
for the recognition given to Block Parent Week. Your support, along with the dedica-
tion of all of our 210 Block Parents, makes our safety campaign worthwhile. We would
also like to thank the Exeter Lions club, the Exeter Masonic Hall Corporation and the
Exeter Public School Parents Association for their financial contributions to our volun-
teer efforts.
Our distinctive red and white sign has recently been revamped and we are asking all
Block Parents to exchange their old sign for a new one. The new sign incorporates a
number of security features and improved screen policy. We will be notifying you of
how to return your old sign in the new future. Safety and security continue to be the
defining goal of the Block Parent program and we appreciate your continued commit-
ment to displaying your sign whenever you are available to help a child in danger.
Finally, "thank you" to our committee members who give up their time to maintain
and promote the Block Parent program in South Huron. Your commitment is truly
appreciated.
NANCY JANE FINCH, Chairperson, South Huron Block Parent Committee
Promotional video doesn't need
squirrels
As a former Exeter resident I was interested to learn that the white squirrel did not
find its way into South Huron's promotional video (South Huron council rejects sign
proposal, Oct. 24, 2007).
If the video is to be shown to those South Huron is trying to attract to the community
to setup up a business or practice, it makes about as much sense to tell them that you
have a population of white squirrels as it would to tell them you are home to a nation-
al belching champion or to the largest rhubarb patch in the province.
If South Huron intends to be able to compete with other Canadian communities in
attracting businesses and professionals, it is going to have to find a way to effectively
communicate that it has what these people are looking for. Hopefully before the video
was produced South Huron council determined what businesses and professionals are
looking for, and ensured that the video addressed those priorities.
The marketplace is a harsh place. First impressions are formed within seconds of
contact. South Huron cannot afford to inadvertently communicate that it is a 'small
things amuse small minds' community. Council was wise to leave the squirrels out of
the video. They will get over it.
VICTOR G. FULCHER, London
Correction
A letter in last week's Times -Advocate written by Exeter's Jack and Margaret Kraft
concerning the future of MacNaughton Dam contained a typographical error.
The passage from the letter should have read: "We know that the green coat is duck-
weed, which is not harmful to us or our environment. There is no smell and the main
reason it is so noticeable this year is because of the dry hot summer we had. This phe-
nomenon is also being seen in other streams and rivers not just here. The Ausable
Bayfield Conservation Authority has the knowledge to spray the weed and I am quite
sure without harming us or the environment. But is that really necessary?"
The Times -Advocate apologizes for the error.
CAS thanks community
On behalf of the Huron -Perth Children's Aid Society, I would like to thank the many
businesses, organizations and community leaders who supported us during Child
Abuse Prevention Month in October.
Protecting children is everyone's business. The 'Use Your Voice' campaign reminds
us that child abuse isn't always obvious — it's up to a caring community to ensure that
children are healthy, happy and safe. Without support from our partners and commu-
nity, the Children's Aid Society would not be able to protect our community's children.
Thank you to Rural Response for Healthy Children, who acted as our key partner
during the Child Abuse Prevention campaign, and to all the people who wore purple
ribbons in October to show their support for children, including staff at our local
schools, hospitals, police services and social service agencies.
These organizations, and others who have 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 community mem-
bers who share our dedication to children.
TOM KNIGHT
Executive director
Huron -Perth Children's Aid Society
Kudos to Seip
Kudos to South Huron council — and in particular Coun. Cathy Seip — for showing
leadership by hosting the community building event last week.
Former chief administrative officer Larry Brown, one of the speakers at the event,
equated the provision of capacity for business growth (by enhancing services) with
economic development. True, but that is only part of the equation.
The other part is what Seip strove for by organizing last week's event. She brought
together community leaders and inspired them to create a common vision, to work
together for a better and more prosperous South Huron going forward into the
future. It's not as tangible as new water lines, but such efforts are just as essential.
PAUL CIUFO
Principal's message
EXETER — November is a busy month for both staff and students at South Huron.
This week we are preparing for two important annual events: the Christmas Child
shoebox campaign and Remembrance Day.
Students and staff have been asked to put together shoeboxes filled with
small gifts for children in poverty-stricken and war-torn countries in other
parts of the world. The shoeboxes will be collected Thurs., Nov. 8, counted
and prepared for shipping to recipients around the world. We encourage
students and staff to take part in this campaign every year for two reasons:
first, it brings a little bit of joy to children in unfortunate circumstances; and,
secondly, it helps us to appreciate everything we have in our part of the
world.
On Friday morning, we will hold our annual Remembrance Day service,
starting at 9 a.m. in the large gym. Once again we will have representa-
tives of the local Legion in attendance to take part in our service. This is an
important event as we pay tribute to the thousands of men and women
who have served our country and fought for the freedoms we enjoy. In
particular, we pay homage to the young men and women from the South
Huron area who have served our country, especially the 41 young
men who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean con-
flict. In November we celebrate the character attribute "courage," and this is a
wonderful way to emphasize the importance of this character trait.
On Thursday of this week we will be holding a coffee house in support of Habitat
for Humanity. There will be a variety of student performances, starting at 7:30 p.m.
in the drama room. Tickets are $8 and must be bought in advance. Attendees will
be able to enjoy coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and baked goods and some excellent
entertainment. And remember, BYOM (Bring Your Own Mug.)
On Nov. 13, the Avon Maitland District School Board will be holding its regular
meeting in the library at SHDHS. The public portion of the meeting should get
under way at about 7 p.m.
On Nov. 14, the School Council is holding a community forum on drug awareness.
This will be an excellent opportunity for parents and students to get current, accu-
rate information on drug concerns in our area. We will have a representative
from the OPP in attendance to talk about drug trends in our area and the
warning signs parents should know concerning possible drug use. We have
also asked the police to bring the drug kit, which contains examples of drugs
and drug paraphernalia so parents know what to look for. We encourage
parents in particular to attend this session, which is aimed at promoting
greater awareness of drug issues within our community.
On Nov. 16, we will be issuing the Semester One Mid -Term Report Card.
Students will receive their report cards in their Day One, Period One class
where they will be asked to complete the Response Form portion of the
report card. This form needs to be signed by a parent and returned to the
student's Day One, Period One teacher by Nov. 30.
On Nov. 21, we have a special visitor coming to South Huron. Tim Long, a
Panther alumnus and writer for the television show "The Simpsons," will
return to his old high school to speak to the student body. Tim is a successful writer
and his work will be well-known to our students though they may not be aware of
Tim's involvement in the show. "The Simpsons" is a very popular show among our
students, and we are looking forward to hearing Tim speak in his return to high
school after a 20 -year absence.
Finally, in the last week of November grad photos will be taken, and graduating
students are reminded to listen for announcements about arranging sittings with
the photographer. We will be holding our annual Battle of the Bands competition in
that week as well; so, students who plan to take part should start rehearsing their
acts.
JEFF
REABURN
PRINCIPAL'S
MESSAGE