Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1983-05-25, Page 2the baron sib; Crposifior Since 1860, Serving theCentmuldty first Incorporating Brussels Post lounded,4872 12 Main St. 527-0240 Published at SEAFORTH, ONTARIO every Wednesday morning Susan White, Managing Editor Jocelyn A. Shrler, Publisher ion **itiFii014 '4.19' Member Canadian Community Newspaper Association, Ontario Community Newspaper Association and Audit Bureau of Circulation A member of the Ontario Press Council Subscription rates; - Canada 517.75 a year (In advance) outside Can 50. a year (In advance) SIn Copies - 50 cents each El SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1983 Second class mall registration number 0896 Let's welcome tourists Although Seaforth does not get a great number of American tourists each summer, many feel the opportunity is there. After all, our town is in the centre of a V formed by the routes to two of Ontario's biggest tourist attractions, Stratford and the beaches of Lake Huron. And our parks, our heritage buildings and the neighbouring Van Egmond House certainly have potential to attract tourists who want to venture a bit off the beaten track. The approach of Western Ontario's big tourist season, traditionally heralded.by the Victoria Day weekend, is a good time to reflect upon a recent experience of another town in the area. An American businessman who visited Listowel recently, (incidentally to investigate the setting up of a firm which would employ from 10 to 20 people), was shortchanged on exchange for his American money by at least three local businesses. A Listowel businessman, outraged at this treatment, wrote a letter to the editor of the local paper, suggesting Listowel "concentrate on improving our first impressions and images." The Listowel Chamber of Commerce has written to the American to apologize. Nothing, as Canadians who've travelled in other countries will agree, makes a visitor more angry than a gyp rate of exchange. And 1.0 per cent, when the banks are paying 22 per cent, is just that. All of us in Seaforth have an obligation to treat all our visitors with consideration and respect. All of us who work with the public need to be alert to that fact. Discourtesy, and that includes not paying fair exchange on US funds, or refusing -to take US funds, another manoeuvre we've heard of, will put an end to any pretensions the town has to becoming a place that tourists might like to visit, faster than any other single factor. It's not enough to call yourself The Friendly Town; we all have to prove it. - S.W. Thanks, Lon Skipphig JUMP ROPE POp HEART was the theme of a skipa-thon at SDHS last Tuesday. The school was divided Into40 teams of six students, or a total of 240 students. One team of teachers also participated In the three hour event in which 14 Huron County schools participated. Pledges will be used for re- search and health education In the Canada Heart Foundation. Five per cent of the $2,500 raised by students will go to the school's physical education program. Students with the highest pledges were Rosie Van Dyke and John Huether. From left, clockwise are: tired Jane Fralser, Mary Jo Ryan, 11PatrIcla Hackwell and Barb Flanagan; Tracy Gowan skip- ping double; Julie Habklrk, Tracey Wilson and Suzanne Jessome. Having a leisurely skip Is geography teacher Don Morton. (Photos by Wassink) Years ago the 24th of May or the Que- s Birthday was ' qe occasion of a big celebration in Seaforth. There would be ball games, a ug of war, races and other events for the kids at the old rec ground:, now the Optimist Park. People would drive in from the country for the day, which also included a parade up Main Street. Those with long memories say it seemed -lik the •whole town, and a good number from townships around, then gathered in Victoria Park where the Seaforth Athletic Association ran a carnival. Games of chance, booths and sometimes a music program from the stage of the bandsheil were enjoyed by all. To cap it all off, ,ytaturally, there was a fireworks display. Then tired parents and cranky kids made their way home, visions of multicolored firewords dancing in their heads. And with enough memories of an exciting Victoria Day to bring them back next year. But that was 50 years or so ago and Seafortb doesn't celebrate the 24th officially any more. Neither do many of the towns around. The big long weekend, official opening of the summer season, has become a camping holiday, a weekend to open up the cottage, or a time to hit the road rather than stay at home. There's an exception in this area though, and it's in the village of Londesboro. There on Monday night the local Lions club and the Hullett Recreation Committee put on their annual fireworks display. It's not a big place, but a lot of people obviously work really hard to continue the24th of May tradition. More power to them. Again this year, hundreds enjoyed the show. The colors were brilliant, the bangs were loud, but likely the best part of the show for most adults was hearing the 000hs and ahhhs chorused by all the children in attendance. After more than half an hour of craning necks and watching the colors burst in the sky over Hullett Central School, a long line of cars snaked through the dark roads back home. Thanks to both Londesboro groups, part of that excitement of years ago still lives on. And kids in the area will now understand what their parents and grandparents mean when they talk about the 24th of May as Fire Cracker Day. -S.W. McKillop honeymoon may start a trend, It's not every weekend that you get to go along on a honeymoon. Yes, I went on one, my own, but as 1 remember, the trip wasn't the highlight of the experience. We had two or three days; we went to hot spots. places like Sarnia and Port Elgin. And when 1 was about seven 1 invited myself along on ahoneymoon to some rather more exotic places, Niagara Falls maybe. That was with my cousin and her new husband. It seemed eminently reasonable to me that they'd like my company on their jaunt. 1 couldn't understand why everybody. laughed when 1 suggested it. Or why they snuck off without me. I've always wondered what it would be like to go on one of those expensive honey- moons. You know, like to Hawaii or the Pocono Mountains. Maybe 1 have a slight idea...the only couple i know who enjoyed the heart -shaped beds, baths and heaven knows what else at a Pocono resort specializing in the honeymoon trade.... were divorced after less than a year of wedded bliss. That has lead me to conclude, probably Showing the way Remember Terry Fox, the one -legged runner who sort of hopped -ran his way halfway across Canada? The British Columbian youth didn't complete his marathon but finally succumbed to cancer. One thing Terry did accomplish was to open the eyes and hearts of thousands, even millions of North Americans in a fight against cancer. The Terry Fox legend will not soon be forgotten. The reason: a movie has been released on the life and times, however short, of the gutsy young man. Television viewers were given a glimpse of the making of the movie, Sunday evening. Judging from the preview, a handful of kleenex might come in handy if you plan to see the show. Wonders never cease as the handicapped overcome their disabilities. In a way, Terry Fox proved that cancer can be beaten. Then we read of a blind sailor who will ride the high seas to Hawaii, alone. The sailor said the three week journey will not be as difficult as when he sails on San Francisco Bay. Closer to home, Atwood native Kevin McMillan is making a career with his voice, singing to cheer the hearts of others. Kevin broke his back In a crippling fall from a silo. In Seaforth, Alfie Dale, a quadrapleglc, Is making a name for himself with his oil paintings. Paralyzed from the neck down, Alf paints with his mouth. Whether their problems are mild or severe, the handicapped have struggled to live. Their accomplishments are amazing. Terry Fox made an entire nation stand up and cheer, even the skeptics. We all know what Terry and other handicapped Individuals go through just to survive. Don't we? - R.W. 2OGi1u @thing O ooy by $119oofi Whiff @ wrongly, that the price. quality and location of the honeymoon has very little to do with the sort of marriage you have afterwards. After the honeymoon's over. The fact that they've come to the same conclusion is probably why two friends spent their Victoria Day weekend honeymoon with us. At our lacksidasical house in the country, with no special celebrations taid on. And with two kids, our daughter and hers. They have some experience in honey- moons, you see. Both have been married before. They know each other well and have for quite some time. They've even shared a house, a family and most parts of their lives for awhile. That's why we were so surprised when they phoned last week and said: "Guess what we're doing on Thursday?" Getting married at City Hall' was the answer. What were we doing on the long weekend was the next question and when we said nothing, the honeymoon plans went into high gear. "You'll go to the cottage and leave the house for them, said relatives when we said, guess who's getting married and coming to our place on their honeymoon? But that seemed sort of silly. Our daughter and hers have a lot of fun together, and while we could have taken the kids and left the love birds alone, they insisted they wanted to visit, not just honeymoon. Outside of the fact that our guest room was decorated with pink streamers. balloons and pink crepe paper bells, the weekend was much like one of their ordinary periodic visits. Oh maybe a few more loving looks were exchanged and we all enjoyed the chatter about the ceremony, who wore what, what his mother had said, what her mother thought and the fact that the best man, who drives a cab. double parked it and ran into city hall just in time to take part. But the kids still woke everybody up at 7:30 a.m., the groom still spent an hour in the shower despite our usual anguished pleas .. about the well going dry. We ate popcorn and played Trivial Pursuit, but with champagne instead of beer. And the bride and groom stayed up later than we did, just like they always do. The bride and 1 and the kids went to the Klompenfeest parade in Clinton. Pretend it's for you, we told her. The groom and the host were canoeing. We had good talks, compared notes on work, kids, family and friends like we always do. A refreshing, low key, charging your batteries sort of weekend, and not just for the bridal couple. All in all. a good honeymoon, from an observer's point of view anyway. Plus who needs Hawaii, when you can celebrate your nuptials watching firecrackers through a' drizzle off -your friend's back deck? Snuley lets the readers have their say If you've anything better ,to do, don't bother reading this column, as it's likely to be feverish and incoherent. Conditions for writing are not ideal, I'm sick. Not ill. Sick. Ladies and gentlemen are ill. People like you and me arc sick. Stuffed with antibiotics and cold remedies, sucking cough drops to prevent me hoicking Op the odd lung, I got bored in bed, went downstairs, was driven back up by the horrible sight and sound of my wife doing the Jane Fonda exercises to a thudding disco beat, and bellied up to' the typewriter to get my mind off my miserable. whining self. With nothing 'n my head except limitless supplies of mucus (where does it all come from. gallons of it?). I'm going to let some of my readers have their say this week. For the sake of space I'll edit a bit. Ralph Hodgson of Waterloo. after agreeing with my comments about the weirdos who handle our tax money. has something else to get off his chest: "Education is becoming too damned expensive for what we are getting. (I agree) "You are an intelligent educator. Bill. but how affective are you and your associates? (Thanks, Ralph. Not very) "The history of education for over 5000 years has had many spectacular results but has also managed to bring the human race to the brink of extinction. (Don't agree. People Sure we 5ug©i cand opo @ by DOH gtin6D@y have brought us there. not education).... Mr. Hodgson says the best -educated persons in his life were his father and his aunt. neither of whom went beyond elemen- tary school. My own parents went as far, or Tess. and both wrote better than most Ph. D.s and journalists. He goes on: "Perhaps I should reft.se to pay my school taxes. How would you like that. Bill? For teaching 195 out of 365 days this year at say 540.000, maybe you are not worth $205.13 a day. (You're right. I'm worth far more. but they won't give it to me). "Seriously. I'm truly concerned at the large number of reasonably well-educated young Canadians who are graduating with such a bleak employment future." (i am not concerned. 1 am appalled). From Frank Somers, a sprightly 76, of North Batticford. Sask. comes a solid suggestion: "Last week I was impressed by your idea of a tax strike...) have an idea along the same lines which would be a boycott of the liquor stores.... "I feel that anyone who drinks or smokes pays an undue share of taxes. I have quit the smoking,habit but my wife, still smokes up a storm -11 has burned me up every time the Finance Minister says 'Let's hit the poor old slobs that like a drink once again'....(Me too.) "So all the members vote in favor of either raising the tax or putting more water in 0. Then 1 suspect that after being so righteous they retire to their chambers. and,having voted Down with Liquor they will proeed to exactly that....(A nice pun. Frank). "So how about a drinkers' union able to lobby and even sacrifice to the extent of going on a non -buying spree. This might make them think about us and would even be good for our liver and pocket -book. The ad could read Boozers and Associates: join ANA — Alcoholics Non Anonymous. Let us stop acting like a down -trodden minority and make ourselves heard. Who knows but we might even he a silent majority?" (Amen. 1'11 drink to that. Frank.) Alex Lebreton of Chatham. N.B., thinks we are headed toward a dictatorship in this country if our elected representatives contin- ue to ignore the wishes of those they represent. He cites the enforcement of Metric as an example. He deplores the futility of the Opposition parties to halt the power of the majority. "1 feel that the only solution is to get tough with politicians and remind them that we would like to be part of a democracy." Mr. Lebreton is thoughtful. concerned, and fed up, like most of us. Ed Stevens of Colborne, Ont., would like to -get together with me about the "incredible financial mess we have allowed our Canadian governments to get themselves into, and your conviction that concerted corrective action by only 9.999 intelligent citizens can correct the situation fascinates me." Mr. Stevens had already begun such a movement. including a constitution (too long for this space), with the general purpose of ordinary citizens getting some kind of handle on such things as the cost of government, the current financial status of the nation, the effects of federal.provincial and municipal debt on the citizen, and the law. in terms of how to effect essential changes. His ideas are sound. The movettent would consist of 20 -member groups (no larger), with each group dedicated to forming other similar groups. something like a chain letter. What I wouldn't give to see such a movement swell and swell until it had changed Canadians' attitudes from the usual individual's shrug, "What can i do about it?" to a collective, "Let's get off our butts — learn — know — act!" need troops to save citizens from themselves "Daddy," she said to me, "1 had a horrible nightmare last night. I'd been watching the news and heard Mr. Reagan say that if the communists weren't stopped in Nicaragua they'd take us all over, then I dreamed we were all communist. It was horrible." "1 told you not to watch those violent television shows before you 'go to bed." 1 told her. "But daddy, do you think the godless communists are really going to take us over?" she asked. "i mean what's the sense spending so much time studying business practice if the commies are going to come and wipe out all the businesses?. 1 might as well sktp my homework tonight." a@[4ond mg,figio b}y aoegh hocuiWow "Don't worry." 1 told her. "Mr. Reagan won't let it happen. And even if he did weaken, Peter Pocklington or John Crosby would keep the devils out of Canada. Besides, the Russians aren't stupid. They've already got a few million square miles of ice and snow. They're only going after the warm countires in southeast Asia. Africa and Central America these days." "But isn't it true what Mr. Reagan said? First they got Cuba, now Nicaragua, and if they don't stop them in El Salvador i1 will be on to Honduras and Mexico and...." "Now dear. J.R. will stop them before they get to Dallas. There's no way he'd let Southfork fall to the communists." Seeing this hadn't allayed her fears I searched further for explanations. "You see Mr. Reagan knows what he's doing in El Salvador. He knows that you have to fight to protect democracy so he's teaching those people to fight for themselves." "But didn't the Americans do that in Vietnam?" "But El Salvador isn't Vietnam. Mr. Reagan's said that a hundred times and presidehts wouldn't lie.- " But ie.""But some kid at school, probably a pinko commie sympathizer, said Mr. Reagan's fighting for democracy in a country that s not a democracy. He says the government in El Salvador is killing thousands of people a month." "Well Mr. Reagan has always believed it's better to be dead than Red so the government is just putting those people out of their misery. See it worked before in Iran...well, for a while anyway. It's still working in Chile Please turn to page 3 1 1 1 iL t