The Times Advocate, 2008-02-27, Page 44
Times—Advocate
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
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TIMES ADVOCATE
Editorial Opinion
PUBLICATIONS MAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER 07511
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications
Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing casts.
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ana a Deb Lord — Production Manager
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• Scott Nixon — Editor
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t ft The Times -Advocate is owned by
Metroland Media Group Ltd.
Metroland 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850
Media Group Ltd. Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6 • 519-235-1331
Doug Rowe -General Manager, Southwestern Ontario Division
EDITORIAL
Recognition
deserved
Awell-deserved congratulations goes
out to Exeter's Vera Armstrong for
her recent Ontario Senior
Achievement Award, presented to her at
Queen's Park Feb. 15 in a special ceremony
with Lieutenant Governor David Onley and
Aileen Carroll, the Minister Responsible for
Seniors.
The award is the province's highest recognition
for seniors and we can't think of anyone who
deserves it more.
Armstrong is well-known in the area for her tire-
less volunteer work with the Exeter Legion and
the South Huron Hospital Auxiliary, among others.
She's a regular face at community events and any-
one who reads the T -A has seen Armstrong's pic-
ture countless times, although she certainly does-
n't seek the attention.
It's people like Armstrong who hold communities
like South Huron together. Of course, there are
many volunteers in the area, all of whom deserve
thanks and recognition. Unfortunately, there
aren't enough of those people to go around and
it's getting harder and harder to find volunteers to
put on community events and help out with non-
profit organizations.
All of us can do more and we should look to the
likes of Armstrong for inspiration.
Business study
We're looking forward to tonight's first public
unveiling of the `Business Retention and
Expansion Program' at the Exeter Legion. This
study on the local business sector is something
that has occurred in communities across North
America. Locally, the project is called the `South
Huron Alliance for Retention and Expansion
(SHARE),' and it seeks to identify the struggles,
challenges and needs of local businesses, while
designing a vision for the future to help those
businesses thrive and bring in new business.
The study was needed and so is a vision for the
future. To compete and survive, we'll need to pull
together to keep the area vibrant.
Hopefully attendance at tonight's meeting will be
impressive and interest in supporting our local
business sector will be high.
You will be missed
When I first met Jim Beckett, the former pub-
lisher of the T -A, I was just fresh out of
school, having graduated from the
Broadcasting Journalism program at
Fanshawe College.
Now, if you have ever been in a situa-
tion like that, you'll know how difficult it
can be to find your first job out of school.
I was definitely excited to begin my
career, but after getting turned down a
few times, your excitement can soon turn
to, well, just the opposite.
I think for most graduates on the hunt
to find that "dream job" after completing
college or university, they are often disap-
pointed, because finding a place to fit in is
tough.
We've all heard those words, "I can't hire you,
because you have no experience." In which I've
always thought, "How am I supposed to get expe-
rience when no one will hire me?"
It seems like some sort of unfair, vicious circle.
So, when I met Jim, and he actually gave me
the opportunity to work for the T -A, I was once
again excited.
Jim was the first person who gave me the
chance to start, what I hoped, would be a suc-
cessful career in journalism.
And now, about two and a half years later, Jim
has retired after almost 33 years of work-
ing at the T -A and 41 years of working in
the newspaper business.
As I remember it, according to Jim, he
started working at the T -A in his twenties,
although I do have him beat, as I began
when I was 21!
But, I suppose, if it wasn't for Jim, I may
not be working here, period.
I didn't get the opportunity to work with
Jim for long, but in that time, Jim was a
wonderful leader, always offering me
words of wisdom that I will cherish for
years.
I know for a fact that he will be missed,
not only by me, but by everyone else work -
the T -A, as well as many members of the
NINA
VAN
LIESHOUT
KICK THIS
AROUND
ing
Exeter area community.
I've noticed a change already, as things have
seemed way too quiet since his retirement just a
few weeks ago.
We're always used to Jim's
laugh frequently.
A retirement open house, honouring Jim for his
hard work and dedication in the Exeter area will
be held Thursday (tomorrow) between 7:30 and 9
p.m., at the Oakwood Inn in Grand Bend.
at
stories, making us
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