Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 2016-11-02, Page 11Wednesday, November 2, 2016 • Lucknow Sentinel 11 'It's a huge honour,' says female Huron County paramedic on receiving 20 years' service award Darryl Coote Goderich Signal Star Marion Taylor was one of four Huron County paramedics hon- oured Sept. 29 for 20 years of excep- tional service as a paramedic. During the 2016 Ontario Associa- tion of Paramedic Chiefs' EMS Hon- ours and Awards Gala in Colling- wood she, along with Huron County paramedics Jeff Horseman, Mark Crawford and William Lewis, and 95 other Ontario EMS personnel, received the Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal. "It's a huge honour," Marion told The Signal Star outside the county courthouse where Huron council marked upon their achievement Oct. 19. However, her road to this accom- plishment was not an easy one, which to her makes the honour that much more monumental. Not only was it difficult for the Grand Bend resident to secure a full-time position as an EMS, spending the first 16 years of her career working three part-time positions (two as a paramedic and one as an emergency room nurse), which don't count towards the 20 years' requirement for the medal, but that she's had to combat public perception that being a paramedic is a man's job. Of the 99 medals handed out for exemplary performance with at least 20 years of service in late Sep- tember, only 17 went to female paramedics. "It's huge, actually. It's really huge because some people still think you're doing a man's job and it's not any more," she said. "It means a lot. I know that sounds hokey but I'm teary. It means a lot." She said that it has been difficult to gain the same respect from the public that it gives to her male counter parts. When she started her career in 1984 she was the only female work- ing out of Wingham, she said, add- ing that there may have been another woman working out of Goderich back then. "It just didn't happen," she said. And because of the lack of females in the profession and the sexism of the time, people did not expect her to perform as good a job as a man. "We had patients that wouldn't talk to us because I was a girl. We had people who wouldn't acknowl- edge you." Even today, after over three dec- ades in the profession, some peo- ple still think she is not fit for the job. "You always get asked, 'do you need help with a lift?' My male partner never gets asked that but I still get asked that. So you're still trying to pave the road and show that you can do that job," she said. However, the perception is changing, and will continue to, as about 50 per cent of paramedics are now women, she estimated. "It is better," she said. "There's more acceptance because there's more women out there now." Her mother, Doreen Taylor, said she is "extremely proud" of her daughter and that she receives phone calls from mem- bers of the public praising her on Marion's professionalism and capabilities. "We are extremely proud, with tears in my eyes," she said, on behalf of herself and Marion's father, Bill Taylor. Since the award was created in 1994 by the late Governor General Romeo LeBlanc only 1,750 Ontario paramedics have received the award. Grey Bruce Health Unit says food insecurity a significant problem Year after year, data from the Nutritious Food Basket clearly shows that low income households do not have enough money to cover the basic costs of living. This year is no different. Results for 2016 reveal that the basic cost of food for a family of four in Grey Bruce is $200.73 per week or $869.16 per month. If that same family of four is on Ontario Works they would have a total of $452.00 for all other expenses after paying for food and rent here in Grey Bruce. This cre- ates a situation of ongoing poverty. Poverty is the root cause of household food insecurity. Food charity is usually a community's first response to food insecurity. Food banks and free meals - although helpful in a crisis situa- tion, they are not effective solu- tions to food insecurity. Food insecurity is associated with higher rates of Diabetes, high blood pressure and mental health problems. One in eight households across the province are food inse- cure. That's about 1.6 million Ontarians. This is a serious Public Health problem. An income response is the only effective solution to food Wingham Golf and Curling Club Christmas Home Tour upcoming NOv. 19 The Wingham Golf and Curling Club Christmas House Tour 2016 is coming up on Saturday Nov 19, 2016. The event runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a Christmas Social at the WGCC from 5-6 p.m., with the stop includ- ing appetizers and draws, which include a set of mens and womens golf clubs donated by the WGCC. Shauna K Powell, personal injury lawyer from Lerners LLP has donated a $500 gift basket for raffle in support of the Wingham Golf and Curling Club, which includes items from The Garage Home Decor & More located in Belmore, which is one of our sponsors for the event. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased at Lewis Flowers, Fin- ishing Touches, Stainton's Home Hardware, Belgrave Co-op, or by calling Jen at 519-357-1186, Karri- Anne at 519-357-4557. Your Hosts for this event are Mary & Greg Crawford, John St. Wmgham; Dr. Yang & Bobbi-jo Liu, Morris Road Brussels; Train Station, Josephine St. Wingham; Joyce & Murray Vincent, Belgrave Road; Doneda and Mike Cottrill; Jordan Drive Belgrave; Wingham Golf & Curling Club, Jamestown Road Wingham. The event is in support the Wing - ham Golf and Curling Club, and as the business winds down its sum- mer season and prepares for winter operations, the staff is reminding members and the residents of Wingham that they are open for business for Christmas parties, meetings or any special event. "Many businesses across Ontario are struggling with rising operation costs and low volume in number of facility users" the organizers said. "So to help our club move forward we are asking for the continued support of our members and the residents of our sur- rounding communities. Our Board of Directors are looking at ways to improve our club with new programs and a forward way of thinking" For more information call 519-357-2179. insecurity. This type of response would be beneficial in four ways: 1. It would address the root cause of food insecurity; 2. It would give all households the means to choose what, when and how to buy the food they want; 3. It would preserve the dignity of people; and, 4. It would ensure the basic right to food which is required for health. I�� iisi iiitht Ksi ii The income response recom- mended by many social and economic experts is a Basic Income Guarantee or BIG - similar to Old Age Security or the Guaranteed Income Supplement for older persons. The Ontario govern- ment is currently planning a pilot of a Basic Income Guarantee. The Board of Health for the Grey Bruce Health Unit supports the posi- tion of the Ontario Society of Nutri- tion Professionals in Public Health Darryl Coote/Goderich Signal Star Proud parents Doreen, left, and Bill Taylor, far right, pose for a photo with their daughter Marion Taylor outside the county courthouse Oct. 19 after Huron council congratulated her and three other local paramedics on their accomplishment. that household food insecurity is a serious public health issue and that an income response is required to effectively address food insecurity. The Board had earlier endorsed a joint federal -provincial investiga- tion into a basic income guarantee for all Canadians and the urgent need to address the financial barri- ers that people living with low income experience in accessing nutritious food.