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The Times Advocate, 2008-03-12, Page 66 Times–Advocate Wednesday, March 12, 2008 Opinion Forum News LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR • LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR • LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Check your smoke alarms immediately With the shocking rash of fatal fires that have occurred in Ontario this winter, I am appealing to every resident of Huron County to drop what they're doing and test every smoke alarm in their home. Right now. If you don't have a working smoke alarm on every storey and outside all sleeping areas, put your coat on, go out and buy some and install them as soon as you get home. If ever there was a time to take immediate action for the safety of your family, this is it. Tragedies such as these are the reason the fire ser- would seem too many And don't forget to take a few vice takes smoke alarms so seriously and I cannot minutes to plan and practise a home fire escape plan overstate their importance. The law requires • with your family. When the smoke alarm sounds, one on every storey and outside all everyone must know what to do. sleeping areas, but that is just the mini-� Letter It is so sad that it takes the senseless mum. The more smoke alarms you • t0 t S deaths of children to make people take have, the sooner you are alerted to fire he notice, but you're listening now. So and the greater your chances of sur- &I -Ito', please, don't think about it; just do it. viving. Every storey. Outside sleeping areas. For added protection, install smoke Practise your escape plan. alarms inside every bedroom. You may It's such a small cost and effort for a huge also want to consider investing in inter -connect- investment in your family's safety. ed smoke alarms. PAUL JosuNG, This may seem a bit extreme, but believe me, if a fire Huron County Fire Co-ordinator were to occur in your home in the middle of the night In conjunction with Huron County Fire Chiefs and you had no way to reach your children through the wall of smoke and fire, no number of smoke alarms Queensway Retirement Home hosts Spring DaffodilTea HENSALL — Queensway Retirement Home residents started their week off by mailing out invitations to family and friends for our upcoming Spring Daffodil Tea sched- uled for March 19 at 2 p.m. Everyone is welcome and funds raised will go to the Cancer Society. Residents also enjoyed their first Cocktail Party Feb. 29 with a wonderful presentation of cheese spreads and fruit with warm spiced apple cider. Residents agreed this special cocktail party will be scheduled once a month. Retirement Home director Julie Grimminck led a craft group on Thursday helping residents make Easter bun- nies and wooden angels to decorate residents' doors. Staff member Linda Bedard helped residents complete the last minute touch-ups of their project the next day. Friendship Friday finished off the week for Retirement residents with Andy Rau bringing an orchestra of friends entertaining with piano, guitars, violins and even a gentlemen playing the spoons. Residents said, "It was a wonderful evening!" Nursing Home residents enjoyed hosting their guests at the Sunday afternoon tea party, serving delicious Shamrock cookies they made and decorated at baking group. Monday morning found them working off those cookies at Fun and Fitness, led by kinesiologist Nicole. In the afternoon Hensall Legion women provided assis- tance and prizes at bingo. Volunteer Auxiliary members met Tuesday morning to offer their help at various events scheduled in March and the Auxiliary looks forward to welcoming members Rita Van Wieren back when she's finished recuperating and Edna Deitz when she returns from wintering in sunny Florida. Tuesday's church service was led by Rue Brenner of Faith Tabernacle in Centralia with Belva Fuss as volun- teer pianist. Volunteer Kay Mock assisted residents. Donna Smale organized the euchre players Wednesday afternoon with several residents benefiting from the friendly competition. The baking group met Thursday afternoon with volun- teer Krista Ihrig of Hessenland Country Inn demonstrat- ing some creative decorating of the several dozen cook- ies baked by the group. Residents enjoyed sipping on various herbal teas as they visited with Krista and sam- Seniors meet in Exeter for pot luck dinner EXETER – Forty-three members and two guests attended the March meeting of the Exeter Seniors for a pot luck dinner at 6 p.m. on March 4 at the Exeter Legion. Due to the illness of our president Mildred Chalmers, Olga Davis chaired the meeting. She welcomed everyone and opened the meeting with a reading called "The Humble Onion." 0' Canada was sung, Olga lead in a prayer for Mildred's health to improve, followed by everyone repeating "The Lord's Prayer". Happy Birthday was sung to Cliff Leybourne, Gladys Bierling, Aldene Skinner and Linda Hokansson Vera Armstrong introduced Brandon Willis who won first prize in public speaking for Grades 4 - 6 at Exeter Legion. Brandon will be going to Seaforth for the Zone Public Speaking. Secretaries report was read and adopted. Treasurer's report by Murray Taylor, Murray asked for a volun- teer to collect the collection at our meetings. Ruth Insley volunteered. Marion Foster spoke on a upcom- ing tour to the Tulip Festival in Holland, Michigan and a fall trip to Agawa Canyon. If interested Marion can be reached through Ellison Tours. Jim Bearss reported on a book that is being complied on medical information from counties through- out Ontario. He read "Love Story" and about "A Son and his Mother." What's ahead Judy Leybourne updated us on the trip to Hill Island Lodge, Sept. 8 - 12; flyers are available now. Reminder from Judy to save our grocery tapes from the local grocery stores. May 26 Pepper Tournament at Exeter Legion. June 12 Senior Games Banquet at Exeter Legion. Euchrama - March 28 at Exeter Legion. Marion Dougall introduced the entertainment for the evening, Jim and Elaine Scott, from Goderich. Jim sang and played the banjo and was accompanied by Elaine on piano. Many old time favourite and humourous songs were enjoyed. Jim and Elaine were thanked by Harry Dougall. Door prize winners - Gerald Dearing, Murray Taylor, Burdene Morgan, Myrtle Pengally and Mary Ellen Williamson. Share the Wealth Winners: Helen Webber, Shirley Kirk, Bev Morgan, Mary Ellen Williamson, Merle McLellan (2) and Mary Baechlar. Olga closed with a Bill Brady poem "Up the Road", followed by everyone repeating, "The Senior's Prayer". pled the delicious cookies warm from the oven. The Tuck and Library Cart saw lots of business Friday afternoon as residents perused the offerings. Suggestions from residents regarding items they would like to see stocked on the cart are welcomed. Manicures, massage and music completed the busy week for resi- dents. Coming events • Thurs., March 13 at 7 p.m., Memorial Service with Rev. Marybeth Wilson; • Sat., March 15 at 2 p.m., St. Patrick's Party with Marie Flynn and the Huron Strings; • Sun., March 16 at 2 p.m., Gospel Music in Retirement Home Lounge; • Wed., March 19, Easter visit from Tinker Tots Nursery School in the morning; • Wed., March 19 at 2 p.m., Retirement Home Spring Daffodil Tea cooking with memories BY DEBBY WAGLER THE FOLLOWING RECIPE IS ONE OF A NUMBER OF RECIPES SENT TO ME BY A READER. IT IS ALWAYS FUN TO HAVE NEW RECIPES TO TRY AND TO SHARE. THIS PARTICULAR RECIPE IS VERY SIMILAR TO ONE WE MADE OFTEN WHILE I WAS GROWING UP AND IS OBVIOUSLYTRIED AND TRUE FOR DORIS TOO. THANKS DORIS FOR SHARING YOUR RECIPES WITH ME. As I TRY THEM I WILL TRY TO INCLUDE OTHERS OVER THE YEAR! 6 LAYER CASSEROLE The following recipe was given to me by a reader of my recipe columns, Doris Bestard. She has sent me a number of recipes over the years and I always enjoy her down to earth cooking. She likes the same things I do, good food, easy to prepare and common ingredients. Enjoy her recipe and be sure to thank her if you know her! 1-1/2 c diced potatoes 1/4 c chopped onion 1/2 cup rice 1 Ib. hamburg 1/2 c. diced carrots 14 oz. can tomatoes Put in greased casserole in order given Sprinkle each layer with salt & pepper Pour on I-1/2 c water Cover & bake 2 hrs. at 325 deg. oven Septic system health is an issue of water protection SOUTH HURON — For those who read my article on sewage effluent last week and said, "thank heavens we are on septic tanks," this week is for you. Ontario's new Clean Water Act, 2006, has publicized the need to rectify issues surrounding the potential contamination of water supplies. It has been an accepted fact that the health of septic systems can have a large impact on surrounding surface and ground water. Some municipalities implemented septic re -inspection programs as early as 1994. To date, approximately 20 municipalities across Ontario have imple- mented septic re -inspection programs to identify septic systems that may be damaged or failing, creating potential environment and public health risks. With the provincial government potentially moving towards the goal of implementing a provincewide mandatory septic re -inspection program, more and more municipalities are adopting their own programs. The Huron County Health Unit introduced a voluntary, non-invasive septic re -inspection program during 2005, targeting areas along the lakeshore. The program was extended to include communities located in floodplains in 2006. In 2007, the program was extended to properties across Huron County for systems at least 10 years old and in need of being pumped. With the help of grants, the inspec- tions in Huron County were free and in 2007, 50 per cent of the cost of the tank pump -out (up to a maximum of $75) was paid for. However, the health unit has found that 25 per cent of the systems inspect- ed had a variety of problems, such as total failure, tanks that had never been pumped and structures or heavy vegetation over the leaching beds. The primary focus of Huron County's septic re -inspection program has been public education. Through public awareness and education, these pro- grams emphasize the importance of regular maintenance and increase knowledge about one's septic system. Septic system health is an issue of water protection, water conservation, and one's responsibility as a rural property owner. One of the decisions county councillors must make in 2008 is whether to continue the voluntary septic re -inspection program or to implement a mandatory septic re -inspec- tion program. I believe it should be mandatory before too long, but I feel it is too prema- ture to implement at this time. We have some problems with urban settle- ments that we have to iron out before we make the big jump to a mandatory septic re- inspection program in our county. Ken 0 ke