Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1986-04-16, Page 2Hpo uron F xsitor SINCE 1860, SERVING THE COMMUNITY FIRST BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1985 Incorporating Brussels Pest 10 Main Street 527-0240 Published in SEAFORTH, ONTARIO Every Wednesday morning ED BYRSKI, General Manager HEATHER McILWRAITH, Editor The Expositor Is brought to you each week by the efforts of: Pat Armes. Bessie Broome *Marlene Charters, Joan Gulchelaar, Anne Huff, Joanne Jewitt, Stephanie Levesque, Dlanne McGrath, Lois McLlwain, Bob McMillan, Cathy Melady and Patrick Raft's. Member Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc. Ontario Community Newspaper Association Ontario Press Council Commonwealth Press Union International Press Institute Subscription rates: Canada $20.00 a year, In advance Outside Canada $60,00 a year, in advance Single Copies - 50 cents each SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 1986 Second class mall registration Number 0696 cn OPINION Rafter -hanging is no picnic Prior to moving to Seaforth, I always thought the expression, "hanging from the rafters", was just that -- an expression. I thought the phrase was a, simple exaggera- tion, used to emphasize the Idea that a building was particularly crowded. How naive could I be? .At first, I thought it was amusing as the Seaforth Centenaires progressed into the OHA semi-finals, to see that some people had actually climbed into the beams supporting the Seaforth arena in order to see over the heads of the capacity crowds the team was drawing. For my own part, I had managed to get there early enough to stake out one of the last remaining rink -side seats, from which to view the game and take pictures. Then came the finals. Even arriving,45 minutes before the ove sufficient to seure opening dface-off did not tandingroom spotanywhere but in the lobby of the building. How wasI supposed to know 1,000 p �ee were going too show up for a hockey g which seats only about 800 sardines? Since I didn't expect my editor would be satisfied with photographs of the backs of people's heads, in lieu of hockey action, I decided there was no other solution -- I would have to ascend to the rafters. After locating an open beam and managing to climb onto it with 30 pounds of camera equipment slung around) iy neck, I discover- ed iscovered several rather disturbing facts. While the majority of the space in the arena FROM THIS ANGLE by Patrick Raftis is kept extremely tidy, the rafter area is completely ignored by the housecleaning staff, and 1 was soon covered in an assortment of rafter grime. Another distressing fact of life for the rafter -hanger, is that the beams running along the wall are only about five inches wide. This is not a problem, provided your hands are free to hang onto one of the nearby pipes for balance and provided you don't mind putting your bare hand on a pipe which registers about 30 degrees below zero. However, since photography requires the use of both hands, hanging onto the pipe was pretty well ruled out for me. I began to wonder about the possibility of Workmen's Compensation covering a fall from the rafters and a subsequent beating from the outraged crowd I would presumably land upon. Not a likely prospect, I decided. After a while, my precarious perch began to draw some amused stares and curious comments from the ground -level spectators at the game. Most of the queries concerned the focal -length of my camera lens, and the possibility of it not being long enough to cover the substantial distance to the ice surface. This, however, was not my main concern. One woman passing by did exhibit some semblance of concern for my safety. Aren't you afraid of falling?" she asked, "Yes, ma'm. lam. Thank you very much," I replied. Having gotten to where 1 was, 1 decided I had better get on with my job and began to take pictures. I began to snap away, continuing to do ¢o throughout the three periods. I took five pictures, then 10, 15, 20, 25. Twenty-five? Unless my memory failed me, the roll of film I had put in the camera was advertised to yield only 20 frames. Something was amiss. When it took only two turns of the crank to rewind the film, my worst fears were confirmed. Either the camera itself, or my favorite photographer had screwed up and the film had not advanced. I prefer to think it was the former, but you never know. At any rate, with only two minutes left in the Tuesday night game and no pictures to show for it, I had a pretty good idea where I would be spending Friday night -- back in the rafters. I bet this never happens at Maple Leaf Gardens. Helping hand For the average student, summer. is usually a season for regrouping. A time to forget about the books and indulge in some well-earned relaxation. A time to land a good -paying summer job and accumulate funds for the next semester. • However, one university student from this area, Don Melady, of Dublin, has found -- or rather helped create, a way to spend the summer working hard and helping others. Mr. Melady helped organize a contingent of fellow medical students from the University of Western Ontario into a volunteer task force hoping to make a dent In the rampant disease problem In Third World nations. The project, the brainchild of Mr. Melady and three other students, will see approximately 25,000 Haitians vaccinated against diseases which, while seldom seen in Canada, are often fatal to residents of underdeveloped nations. Mr. Melady's decision to spend seven weeks of his summer working hard for those less privileged than himself provides a lot of Insight into his appreciation of the opportunities this country affords people who aspire to attain the higher levels of education. So do the words of his classmate, Andy Brockway, who is also Involved in the Haitian venture. "Medicine is going to give all us quite a lot and I see this as a good chance to give something back to people who otherwise wouldn't get this very valuable service," he said. At a time when members of the medical profession are taking a great deal of criticism over their stand on extra -billing, It Is encouraging to see these future doctors turning their talents and education toward an unselfish, humanitarian goal. -- P.R. Obsession with terror The decision by the United States to. attack Libya may have been an Irrational one and one that demonstrates that country's too heavy obsession with Libya as the terrorist mainstay. Certainly the United States must realize, as does the rest of the world, that terrorism today does not stem simply from the Libyan state. History has more than proven terrorism has come from Lebanese and Iranians who follow the Iranian politico -religious leadership, that It comes from Lebanese Sunni Moslems and.Palistinians of several loyalties, all acting on their own. Terrorism comes from Lebanese Christians, Egyptians, and Arabs from the Gulf, all of these with separate political identities and from secular revolutionaires in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and elsewhere. Terrorism even comes from the Irish, the English, the Canadians and even the Americans. Yet the U.S. has seemingly come to accept Libya as the only effective agent behind international terrorism today. And its actions would suggest they believe the only way to eliminate terrorism is to eliminate Colonel Moammar Khadafy. There are a number of reasons for the American attack on Libya, the one officially cited, being there was conclusive evidence that recent terrorism had occurred on orders sent from Tripoli. But perhaps frustration played a bigger role In the decision to launch an attack on Libya - frustration fed by the growing number of attacks on Americans abroad, and frustration caused by the failure of European countries to fight the terrorist threats. It has been no secret the U.S. has harbored some resentment toward major west European governments. They were upset that West Germany for one refused to accept Colonel Khadafy as the force responsible for a recent Berlin nightclub bombing, and they have bean outraged by Italy and France's past deal -making with terrorists. Deal making that has allowed the latter safe passage In exchange for freedom from terrorist attacks. President Ronald Reagan's comment "when our citizens are abused or attacked anywhere in the world...we will respond in self defence" is understandable. Surety the United States has cause to feel targeted by terrorist factions. When terrorism appears to be running rampant it is understandable the U.S.; who it seems is growing to be more and more the victim of these attacks, would feel the time is past when they can sit passively by, and let the terrorist acts continue. It is understandable they would resent that passivity in other nations. The U.S. was upset by the Berlin nightclub bombing, a bombing that killed one American and injured a further 64. That same bombing however also claimed another life, Non -American, and injured another 140 persons who also were not American. By those figures it is understandable the U.S. should feel Germany should be twice as riled as they are. France too, Just recently had a citizen taken hostage by tsiamic extremists in Lebanon to bring the total to nine. Three Britains are also held in Lebanon - yet these countries are doing nothing. But while passivity does not appear to be the answer, neither appears to be the war -like manouevers being etnployed by the States. Is there not a middle ground here? For passivity it is certain will do nothing but leave terrorists the freedom to rule at will - the freedom to form an anarchist state. Yet terrorism countered ., , does not seem to be gaining positive e reinforcement either. ithf„einstead s'eeiris to be evoking More violence and threats of violence than it Is eliminating. Whatever the Solution 10 terrorism world politician's are golfig to have start World War p wrong ItioVe Might be careful in determin their 'res err a to it. One fi Spring clean-up By Patrick Raftis You can't outrun some problems There's nothing like a country drive to clear yourhead., and to put some distance between you and your problems. Unless of course, one of your problems is your carr. Have you ever wondered why everything always goes wrong at the same time, and just when you were starting to get beck on your feet after the last catastrophe? rve been told life is like a voyage across the ocean, constantly up and down. If that's (he cue why is It I always feel as though rm riding the hollow rather than the crest of the wave. rm beginning to feel a bit like the person Murphy's law must've been based on, the one who had to have said, if anything can go wrong, it invariably will, and at the most inopportune times. When 1 headed out Friday night 1 was in relatively good spirita. I had great e1q a - tions for the evening. 1.1 was going babe a long put off mission of ftiendshilrnatnety visita- tion. Well, thank goodness for grandparents Bring along nmy route of travel. Friday night marked the second, or is it third, time since my affiliation With the automobile, and my move to Seaforth, that rve wound up sad faked at their door, minus car, but. a tripped with a tale of woos. 'that tale of woe prompted full gray ar ental treatment. 1 was immediately wished into the house, made to sit down, then bombarded with ceps of tea, some Htreo Thompson &athlete, then a couple dozen of my'favorite cookies (gaga promise of more to take back to Seaforth with me - if I ever got SWEATSOCKS by Heather Mclwraith there.) My grandfather even routed through a stack of newspapersto find me the comics, which he insisted read to raise my spirits, Grandparents are great!, They even allowed manner,me to take out My frustrations in usual throughh repeated attacks on the piano. Well, my mission started and ended at my grandparents. When I learned the little Honda beast was not going to take me any further than that, unable to abandon it (what loyalty I have) I did something t haven't done in along, tong time, i settled in to spend the night with my grandparents night). but ft was great visiting my grandparents, rd forgotten what early risers they were. Here it was my weekend off, finally, and they had porridge, and toast and eggs and juice....ready for me to eat, at the unthink- ableSaturdaymorninghour of7 a.m. Hut, no problem: I adapted., slowly, and all the time anticipating a nap come the afternoon. Several hours later, after a three-hour sit down at the local mechanic's shop, my car was pronounced roadworthy once again, and I was heading back to Seaforth. Maybe 1 should have said Sebringville, because that was about as far as I got before 1 was once again facing technical difficulties. Well, technical difficulties and all 1 kept on driving until i made it back to Seaforth where I immediately deposited of my car, and sought solace in my apartment. That solace was short lived. Eventually I had to face the fact Thad to go out and face the world, whether I had an automobile to do so in, or not. I was quite willing to do that, until, of course i lost a contact lens and was almost forced to do the unacceptable- wear my glasses for an entire day (of course without my lens I couldn't see to find myglasses, so iwas really out of luck.) Thank goodness for cool, calm and collected neighbors. The kind, who can hold their wits about them, when everyone else's is deteriorating rapidly and the kind who can finds needle in the haystack, or in this case a contact lens on an apartment floor (before someone steps an it). And though she offered, this same neighbor just didn't have the same knack when it came to finding the trouble with my car. There is a happy ending though - my car is now in working order, and although 1 don't plan on doing any fancy driving in the near future, it's nice to be - on the mad again. Demise of a fiery competitor 1, like all those Who knew him, was shocked and deeply Saddened by the sudden passing of Gary Gray last Sunday evening. The Seaforth Indust sal Hockeyr League mourns today for it Vrea fre, thintrgh ouatireless hs who helped effort, tears end pain, e league in 1968. A Trey competitor, he served in virtually avert' qty dining the formative years arid he was r . _ edtome ood, high u it see the LH./..beco g- . finality otEianrtahon. Notonly was he a fine hockey Player but it tidbit ideate retard statisti s and keep the players andfoliowere of the league abreast of all the Shadayillight hapeenktfis by wring a rood that appeared m The Htiroir Expositor each week. ewes hishiswot►derful ttm8forthegame and league he loved that het, . • generate such a huge following dnzaag ,.,< year . it was not unelininwn to see as manyas 200 fana oat to watch the Industrial Hockey l:ue thiel. He told tie years Tater that the 1973 -final overtime game between the Kings and Blues was not only the greatest LII L genie he had seen but one of the beet 0140 in any CORNUCOPIA by Dave Broome Ieague. I also had the pleasure of being a tearonate of his on the 19"72 Champion Stars club. The Seaforth Industrial Hockey League owes him an eternal debt of gratitude. Herter -ed at the end of the 1974 season at the tender age of 27. The Cent aie s he fowled the following year directed his energies into the new Junior 1) testis When the club struggled on the ice and at the box office it was with his generous giving that helped pmt the team from going tinder during those dismal years. He actually borrowed money one year so that the Centea>iiresWeld buyhod ystit . Heft *eat man whose Oaken for the game of hockey was matured by none and who had forgotten more than most people knew about the sport. His untimely death this week at the age of 33_is a poignant reminder of mankind's frailty and forces all of us to come to terms with our own mortality. He leaves behind the legacy of the Industrial Hockey League and the Seaforth Centenaires who are on the verge of their first Ontario Championship. He, sadly, won't be he to see them win, but i ;mow he is watching and content that the seeds he planted have finally beared fruit. 1, will miss this intelligent, dedicated, caring man. 1 am glad that i can say I knew hitt. Good bye, Gary.