The Citizen, 2015-02-19, Page 11THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015. PAGE 11.
Hullett students enjoy special snow, holiday events
February is the shortest month of
the school year and snow days and
extra-curricular activities have made
fewer than normal actual days in
class for pupils at Hullett Central
Public School. And, of course, there
were no classes on Monday, Family
Day.
Early in the month classes spent a
fun day near St. Mary’s snow tubing.
Then last Wednesday others, in
Grade 4-8, chose a day on the ski
slopes. It was a pleasant weather day
and they were excited about their
adventure.
Last Friday in keeping
with Valentine’s Day pupils
came to classes dressed in pink,
red and white.
During those snow days I have it
on good report that much work was
being done on stories and speeches.
Hullett will hold their in-school
public speaking contest beginning
shortly after the morning bell on
Monday, Feb. 23. The community is
welcome to be present that day to
hear what is piquing the interest of
children today as revealed through
their speech topics.
Report cards will be going home
today, Feb. 19.
The senior volleyball teams will
participate in the regional
tournament at CHSS on Thursday,
Feb. 26.
This week the Student Advisory
Committee (SAC) met to solidify
plans for this year’s auction and
carnival night. The school council
has many plans for outdoor additions
with the monies realized through this
their only major fundraiser each
year. Keep an eye on this space for a
firm date and ways you might be
able to help.
This coming Sunday, Feb. 22, as
you head out the door for church be
sure you have packed some lunch.
There will be a time of potluck
finger food and fellowship following
the morning service. It is hoped
everyone will stay for lunch and the
annual meeting that will follow.
Attending this meeting is a great
way to hear about the great things
that happened at Londesborough
United in 2014 and to be a part of the
plans for 2015 and the future of our
faith community.
Then the Sunday school invites the
congregation to their ‘soup and
sandwich’ fundraiser following the
morning service on March 1.
Londesborough United is giving
advance notice of some events so
you can mark your calendar and be
in attendance. On March 22, a
special segment of the morning
church service will be set aside for
the Covenanting Service for Rev.
Terry Fletcher.
Choir director Barb Bosman is
busy lining up acts and setting the
stage for Londesborough’s annual
Songfest scheduled for the evening
of April 19.
Gerald Daoust, who lived in the
former home of Beth Knox for the
past seven years, left the village the
end of January. He moved to
Listowel and is living with his son.
The village wishes this quiet, gentle
man well.
The trailer very quickly became
home to Shawn Reinink. We
welcome Shawn to the village and
trust he will enjoy life here. Shawn
was raised in the area.
By BRENDA
RADFORD
Call
523-4296
PEOPLE AROUND
LONDESBORO
NEWS
FROM LONDESBORO
Sweet treats
Hullett Central Public School’s Hailey Wain wanted to make sure she appealed to the sweet
teeth of her classmates on Valentine’s Day and brought in some sugary cupcakes to help with
that goal. Shown enjoying the sweets are, from left: Braden MacDonald, Ian Driscoll and Wain.
(Denny Scott photo)
S. African health care varies
Health Care in South Africa is like
everything else in South Africa – a
system of extremes.
If you have money and can afford
to buy health care (which is
expensive), you will have access to
world-class, state-of-the-art medical
care and technology. The first
successful heart transplant ever
performed in the world was done in
Cape Town at the Groote Schuur
Hospital by Dr. Christiaan Barnard;
South African trauma surgeons are
considered some of the best in the
world and are highly recognized as
pioneers in their field (sadly they get
lots of experience due to horrific
motor vehicle and farm accidents
and the high incidence of violent
crime in South Africa); and, a highly
developed nursing system turns out
excellent nurses whose role expands
well into providing primary medical
care.
If you are poor and have no health
insurance, you must rely on the
“State” hospitals. As with the
education system, the condition and
management of these facilities
varies widely. Some make a decent
attempt to provide what care they
can under a system that is hugely
underfunded, understaffed, under-
equipped and overextended. Sadly,
at best the care provided by these
facilities is usually minimal (and I
do mean minimal) and at worst …
you wouldn’t want them treating
your sick goldfish.
If you are living in a remote,
black, tribal community, you still
rely on your local “Sangoma” (Zulu)
or “Amagqirha” (Xhosa) medicine
people. (Each tribe has its own name
for them). Actually º calling the
medicine people is a stretch as these
tribespeople are extremely
superstitious and often still believe
that illness and disease are
manifestations of witchcraft or bad
spirits. Nevertheless, this is the
system of “health care” that they
subscribe to.
A visit to the Sangoma is as much
a spiritual and ritualistic exercise as
a healing one. “Cures” and remedies
usually involve rituals and potions
passed down through generations.
Sadly, they are often steeped in
misinformation and fallacy and
include such beliefs as that AIDS is
a disease inflicted upon the black
man by whites and that eating South
African potatoes will cure AIDS.
Even if these tribespeople were
aware of modern medicine, had
transportation to get to medical
facilities, and could afford to pay for
good healthcare, chances are you
would have a tough time convincing
them to seek it out. They are far
more likely to believe what their
local shaman tells them than
anything an outsider tells them and
the logistics of navigating a big city
would be absolutely overwhelming
to them. And so it continues
that so many suffer and die
needlessly.
AIDS remains a huge drain on the
South African health care system
and there is little sign that this will
change anytime in the near future. In
fact, in my opinion, it will become
even more of an issue for them. In
North America, most transmission
of AIDS is lateral transmission -
blood-to-blood, partner-to-partner or
intravenous drug users. In Africa,
there is also a huge problem with
vertical transmission – mother to
child.
In the past, children born with
AIDS had a very short lifespan, but
modern drugs now being made
available have greatly increased the
lifespan of those who do seek
medical treatment. This has seen
these young people live well beyond
the age of sexual maturity. In a
culture which promotes promiscuity,
encourages multiple partners/wives,
and does not embrace the use of
condoms, how can this not escalate
the spread of this disease? (White
people in South Africa are only
allowed one wife by law but black
tribal law protects/encourages
blacks to take more than one wife.
The current president of South
Africa has six wives.)
One of the professional fields
hardest hit by the exodus of skilled
people from South Africa is the
medical field, as these people are
highly sought after and they are
welcomed on staff by hospitals
internationally. This has left those
professionals who remain severely
overburdened and with a great
concern for succession planning.
Who will replace them as they
retire? How do they encourage
young people to study medicine with
a commitment to remain in South
Africa when the rest of the world is
so available to them? How do they
overcome years of misinformation,
superstition and tradition in order to
care for their people? Not easy
questions, but I have no doubt they
will tackle them head-on with the
same resilient, get it done attitude
with which they pursue all things in
life.
You made history last year
Tell us about it
Join all the other couples who were married
last year in
The Citizen’s Parade of Brides
on February 26.
Simply send or bring in a copy of your
favourite wedding photo and the following details to
The Citizen by February 20
along with your payment of $25. (includes HST)
Name of Bride ___________________________________
Name of Groom __________________________________
Bride’s Parents___________________________________
Groom’s Parents _________________________________
Date of Wedding _________________________________
Location of Wedding ______________________________
Cost ~ $25.00 (must be prepaid)
Deadline ~ February 20
...................................
The Citizen
Box 429, Blyth
N0M 1H0 519-523-4792
or
Box 152, Brussels
N0G 1H0 519-887-9114
email ~ info@northhuron.on.ca