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The Citizen, 2001-08-29, Page 1NORTH HURON PUBLISHING COMPANY INC Inside this week a 5.2 Girl returns from Australia exchange u oft Brussels business 6. gets new owner Pg 15 McKillop farm has • a-maze-ing sight New play premieres Pg. 1g at Tom Patterson Theatre Sequel delights Pg. 19 Blyth's opening night crowd Stolen bike leads to good deeds, ideas By Bonnie Gropp Citizen staff Sometimes it takes something bad to make something good. On Aug. 19, 13- year-old Megan Jones of Brussels, who suffers from cerebral palsy, left her three-wheel bike unlocked outside her parents' Turnberry Street business. "In a matter of a few hours, it was stolen," said her mother Shelley Campbell, who with her husband Rick, decided to place an ad over CKNX offering a reward. Shelley said she also spoke with some local youths about the theft promising that they wouldn't press charges if the bike was returned. CKNX called the Campbells asking them to go on The Talk Show to discuss the situation and other issues such as vandalism and what they see living on main street in Brussels. "Before we knew it the phone was ringing with people offering us bikes," said Shelley. "That wasn't what we had wanted." For this reason most of the people were thanked, but refused. However, Shelley said one gentleman from Fordwich was particularly insistent. "Finally, he said we could borrow it if that was better. He said it was just sitting around his garage." Describing the man and his wife as "wonderful people, Shelley said however that Megan felt bad about taking someone's bike. "I reminded her how she feels when she does something nice for someone and that maybe this man would be able to feel like that too because he was doing something nice for her." The day they picked up the bike, Megan handed him some flowers and a note she had written. It bad a deep impact on her new friend who brought the story, to The Citizen's attention, but asked that he remain anonymous. "This is not about me. It is important that people know about this little girl." he said. And this little girl is not going to let his good deed go unanswered. Reminded by her mother about the movie Pay It Forward in which a young boy tries to change the world by doing a favour for someone, who must in turn do a favour for three others and so on, they went and helped a local businessperson do some scrubbing. "So hopefully we can get that started here," said Shelley. Also, the family has decided to start a club, Wings of Hope, for "young adults" between the ages of 14 and 25. They will meet every Monday night, with the first meeting having been this past Monday. Their first project is to rebuild the town gazebo which was destroyed by vandals. Shelley describes the club as -cool" and for youths who want to be "successtu' and paint brighter futures for themselves and the town." About eight have expressed interest thus far. Meetings are held at the Brussels Country Inn at 9 p.m. No alcohol will be served. Megan Jones and pal For me Anthony Vader was delighted with his take from the Brussels Legion Branch's Family Fun Day picnic on Sunday afternoon held for members, their spouses and children. Anthony is the son of Mike and Lori. (Vicky Bremner photo) e Citizen Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Volume 17 No. 34 Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2001 75 Cents (70c + 5c GST) Great day for Huron County plowers Vets, HU, host low-cost anti-rabies clinics Huron County veterinarians and the Huron County Health Unit are once again hosting low cost anti- rabies vaccination clinics throughout the county on Sept. 12 and 15. At the clinics, the cost for a rabies vaccination for your dog or cat is only $15. When a dog or cat bites someone, the animal must be quarantined for 10 days to watch for any symptoms of rabies. If the dog or cat's anti- rabies vaccination is current, the odds are that the pet will be healthy at the end of 10 days. Proof of rabies vaccination must be shown to the public health inspector who is investigating the biting incident and quarantining the dog or cat. Failure of the owner to provide proof may result in a charge being laid and a fine of up to $5,000 for the pet owner. Ontario Regulation 567/90 says that ALL dogs and cats three months of age or over must be immunized against rabies. People who have had direct contact with an animal that may have rabies are given Human Diploid Cell Vaccine through their family physician. To avoid having to receive this, the Health Unit recommends: • that residents do not handle any wild, unknown or stray animals; • that parents teach their childreri to stay away from unknown animals; and • that residents vaccinate their dogs and cats (including those in the barn) against rabies each year. For more information call the Huron County Health Unit at 482- 3416 or your veterinarian. Protect your pet — make a date with your cat or dog to have them vaccinated against rabies at the low cost clinic. By, David Blaney Citizen taff The weather was good and the crowd was large last Thursday and Friday, for the Huron County Plowing Match at the McKillop Twp. farm of Bruce and Marg Whitmore. Antique farm and garden tractors to line both sides of .the Whitmores farm lane. As well as the older tractors, four farm machinery dealers were there to display the latest in farm equipment. There were several displays featuring antique tools, farm toys and the fine old art of making laundry soap by hand. It was fortunate that 50 acres had been put aside for the plowing competition because over 70 plowers entered the competition in various classes. There were even four entrants working the land with horse drawn equipment. For two of the entrants in the masters class it was a chance to revisit their youth. Fifty-one years ago Ken Campbell and Larry Wheatley entered :what was called the schools' competition of the North Huron Plowing Match. At that time the match was held on the Corrigan farm in Bluevale. At the 2001 match they were plowing with exactly the same type of equipment. Neither could remember the exact result. "We were in the money though," said Wheatley. "The person who drove us to the match tried to get a cut for providing transportation." They proved they were still a good team, tying with Don Little of Monkton as overall winners in the master class. One 'of the main features of the match was the Queen of the Furrow Competition. There were six entrants this year including Amy Gordon, Pam Jewitt, Robyn Arts, Catherine Miller, Adrienne Peckitt and Crystal Edgar. After they gave their prepared and impromptu speeches they headed out to demonstrate their talent with tractor and plow. They were cheered on by Becky Versteeg, Huron's current Queen of the Furrow and Amy Holmes, Ontario's Queen of the Furrow from Newton in Perth County. Edgar, of RR 2, Bluevale was chosen the 2001-2002 Huron County Queen of the Furrow. Tied for runners-up were Arts of Seaforth and Miller of Dash wood. Twelve plowers competed in the junior match on Thursday and Nathan Witherspoon of Goderich was named Huron County's Junior Champion. The Reserve Champion was Steven O'Rourke of Dublin who was also awarded the Ross Gordon Trophy for plowing the best crown. On Friday, 48 plowers competed in the regular classes. The class winners were: Class 2, Steven O'Rourke, Dublin; Class 3, David Vanden Hoven, Seaforth; Class 4, Nathan Witherspoon, Goderich; Class 5,- Brian McGavin, Walton; Class 6, no entries; Class 7, Steven Speller, Ailsa Craig; Class 8, Allen Millrrian, St. Thomas; Class 9, Graeme Dougherty, Caledonia; Class 10, Glen Sharpies, Embro; Class 11, no entries; Class 12, Gilbert MacRobbie, Mount Forest; Class 13, Ron Skinner, Mitchell. There was strong support for the two new plowing events this year. The "Masters" class drew 11 entrants. The "team" plowing attracted four entries (16 plowers) with the winning team comprised of Brian McGavin, Walton; Jeff McGavin, Brussels; Paul Dodds, Seaforth and Steven Speller, Ailsa Craig. All members of this team were plowing with Ford tractors. The Huron Senior Champion plower was Brian McGavin, Walton. The reserve champion was Paul Dodds, Seaforth. The Don Dodds Award for high visitor's score was won by Steven Speller, Ailsa Craig. The Edgar Howatt Special for the youngest Huron County plower was awarded to Bill Feeney and Shawn Flanagan, both of Dublin and both 12 years old. The most original restored antique tractor on display at the plowing match was an I-H W-9 owned by Watson Reid, Seaforth, while John Milligan, Strathroy had the most original restored antique tractor plowing at the match. The most original unrestored antique tractor was a John Deere 80 owned by Lorne Glanville, Walton. The closing supper was well attended and enjoyed by all.