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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2008-02-27, Page 1818 Times -Advocate Wednesday, February 27, 2008 Masons support hospital campaign Support from Masons —The Exeter Masonic Lodge is supporting South Huron Hospital's $1.6 million capital campaign with an $11,000 donation.The Lodge says it is proud and grateful to make the donation to the Hospital Foundation. In a statement, the Masons say they "realize how important it is to support `our Hospital' and want to help in the campaign to renovate the ER department and X-ray department. From left are Bill Haskett, Don Webster, Don Bender, Don Easton and Mike Brintnell. The South Huron Hospital Foundation Capital Campaign recognizes the following generous donations: Friend • Independent Order of Oddfellows — Exeter • Pride of Huron Rebekah Lodge — Exeter and area • T. Harry Hoffman and Sons Supporter • In memory of Kay Elder • Peter and Esther Warner • Edna Kleinfeldt • Ghislagne Whydoghe • Peter and Sally -Lou Raymond • Edith Brintnell • Coldwell Banker of Canada — Exeter Contributor • Tom Creech — London • Elson Lynn — Exeter • Laverne Hamilton — Exeter • Allan and Isabel Gascho Provider • In memory of Patricia Deary — Exeter • Bill and Gladys Talbot — Exeter • Marjorie Mills — Exeter • Barb and Ben Dietrich — South Huron • In memory of Donald Osborne — Shirley, Cynthia, Eric and Nicholas Soprano comes to Exeter United EXETER — If you're looking for a way to beat the winter blahs, plan to come out for an afternoon of music at Exeter United Church. Exeter United is hold- ing a Carolyn Joles con- cert Sun., March 2 at 2 p.m. Joles is a 16 -year- old soprano from London who has been singing since the age of eight when she played the role Carolyn of Ngana in a high school production of "South Pacific." Since then she has sung in concerts and recitals and at pri- vate events throughout Ontario and northern Michigan. She was the guest soloist at Trivitt Anglican Church's "Lessons and Carols Service" last December with her rendition of "0 Holy Night," and she also sang at the Helga Hoffmann concert at Exeter United Church. Joles was the Royal Conservatory silver medalist (top student in Ontario) and is studying music with Frances Reimer of London. She recently won Honourable Mention in the Ontario Music Festival Provincial Finals. She has also sung in First St. Andrews Church Concert Series in London. The proceeds from the concert will go towards the United Church camps (Camp Bimini near Stratford and Camp Menesetung near Goderich). These camps benefit many young people and families who attend in the summer. Tickets are available by calling the Church office at 235-0860. Tickets will also be available at the door. The cost is $5 for stu- dents and $10 for adults. Joles Exeter arts program EXETER — Parents looking for a way to pry the controller from their child's clutches and explore the world of imagination will have an option soon through the Lawrence House Centre for the Arts and the Exeter Lions Youth Centre with the After School Art Program. The eight-week program for ages 6-12, begins March 6 and provides the opportunity to become a painter, printmaker or sculptor. The program will be led by instructor Chris DeLuca Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m at the Lions Youth Centre in Exeter. To register for the program or for more information, contact the Lawrence House Centre for the Arts at 519 33-0507, at www.lawrence- house.ca or contact DeLuca at 235-2793. South Huron has seen a few economic setbacks SOUTH HURON — South Huron has seen a few set- backs in regard to economic development this year. The announcement of CanGro was shocking, but our optimism still runs high as time ticks away. The little news we do hear seems to be encouraging. Another piece of shocking news we learned about was the total ban on leaded gasoline and the devastating results it would have on a business in South Huron. The good news is Environment Canada has given a one-year reprieve on the total ban until Jan. 1, 2009. This is good news and bad news. Drag racing depends on leaded fuel and industry experts say a total ban might kill the sport in Canada. I understand that the lower horsepower engines can use alternate fuels and do use an alternate to the leaded fuels. I also understand that engines with 600 horse- power or more need the lead for lubrication. They have been working on an alternative to lead but just can't seem to find a solution for those engines yet. The owner of the Grand Bend Motorplex feels the ban will probably see the end of his business. Approximately 20 percent of the fuel burned at that complex is leaded fuel, and the machinery that uses that leaded fuel is what draws the majority of the crowds. There are three national events in Canada and they draw a total of approximately $29 million to the three areas. Grand Bend is one of the areas hosting a Canadian National Event. That one weekend last summer drew 42,000 people to our area. This is the biggest single event in Huron County and probably the biggest for many counties in Southwestern Ontario. Ken Oke Over the summer, Grand Bend draws approximately 125,000 spectators. Other business in South Huron reap some of the benefits of having this many people in the area. The bad news is leaded gas is not good for the envi- ronment. The good news is the amount of leaded gaso- line the racing industry uses is only 0.003 per cent of all the gasoline used in Canada. It has been estimated that the racing industry uses only 1.5 percent of the leaded fuel in Canada and notice that I said lead- ed fuel and not leaded gasoline. Apparently the aviation industry needs the leaded fuel for their higher powered engines and nothing to my knowledge is being done about that industry. The good news is we can lobby our Members of Parliament about the situation and even ask the government to help research for an alternative for lead in fuel. We don't want the airplanes shut down in Canada and we don't want our racing industry shut down in Canada. If the racing sport is shut down in Canada, it will be just another industry that will be exported to the United States. Principal's message EXETER — On Thursday afternoon of this week we are holding our second annu- al PAWS Day (Panther Active Winter Sports) as part of our goal to encourage healthy active living. Students and staff will participate in a series of outdoor winter games intended to promote active living, teamwork and school spirit. We had a wonderful time last year when we held the first PAWS Day, and we hope it will be equally enjoyable this year. We will run all five classes on Thursday, but will shorten the period lengths so we can start the outdoor activities shortly after 1 p.m. If stu- dents try to tell you we have no classes at all (which some have been known to say in the past) this is your notice that this is not the case. We are encouraging all students to take part, and there will be friendly competitions between classes in each grade level. Students are asked to pay attention to the weather and to dress JEFF appropriately for the conditions on Thursday — boots, hats, winter REABURN coats and gloves or mittens. If by chance the weather should be nasty PRINCIPAL'S on Thursday, we will postpone the event to a more suitable day, but we MESSAGE do want to have snow on the ground for most of our activities. We are looking forward to a great day of activity and spirit -building. On Thursday evening, the Students' Council is hosting a night of video game com- petition. Students will be demonstrating their skills in Halo 3 and Guitar Hero, which promises to be a fun way to end our PAWS Day. Preparations are also under way for the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, which will be written this year in the morning of Thurs., March 27. Students in their second year of high school and those who were unsuccessful last year will be required to write the test. Successful completion of the OSSLT or the literacy course (OLC 40) is a graduation requirement. Students in Grade 11 who were unsuccessful last year have been attending weekly skills workshops to help them be more suc- cessful this year. Soon, these workshops will happen twice a week. Teachers of Grade 10 class- es have been given literacy test preparation activities to use in their classes to help Grade 10 students get ready for the test. Parents of students who have to write the test are asked to ensure that any medical or dental appointments scheduled for March 27 are cancelled and re- booked for an alternate date. Students are permitted to write the OSSLT on the scheduled date only: those who miss it will be required to take the test next year, so it is important they be present on March 27. The Interim Report for Semester Two is scheduled to be distributed Thurs., March 20, the day before Good Friday. Once again this will be an informal report, intended to give parents a "snapshot" of student progress, and to inform them of any concerns teachers may have about student progress. It will not contain a mark but will let parents know how their sons or daughters are doing. Parent- Teacher interviews are scheduled for the following week on March 27, the same day as the Literacy Test. Finally, the deadline for next year's course selections is now past. Any students who have yet to turn in their choices for next year are asked to do so as soon as possible. The process of creating next year's timetable will get under way shortly after March Break.