The Citizen, 2003-08-13, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2003.
Thanks for the land
In the early 1970s a Girl Guide group from London visited the Eckmier family’s Ethel-area farm
for a camping weekend. The tradition has continued and this year’s visitors enjoyed a tour of
the Grey Twp. firehall during their recent stay. Pictured left is the first group in front of the
Ch Urch. (Photo submitted)
OPP investigate
club break-in
PEOPLE AROUND
ETHEL
By Andrea
Hruska
Call
887-2605
I would like to thank Gary Boyer
for bringing to my attention that I
had caused “hurt” and “angry”
feelings in many people for writing
that the blackout a few weeks back
in Ethel “had nothing to do with the
lights at the ball diamond.” That
sentence was written entirely in jest
and was in no way intended to
offend anyone. To those involved,
please accept my humble apologies
and note that I will be more cautious
about what I write in the future.
A while back it came to my
attention that this year marks the
30th anniversary of an annual event
that means a great deal to a group of
girls from the London areas. Starting
out as a leader (and now a Captain)
Clara May Eckmier was looking for
a way to take her Girl Guides away
from the city for a reasonably-priced
camping adventure. Mrs. Eckmier
approached her mother-in-law, Mrs.
Eckmier of Ethel and asked what she
thought about hosting the troupe
campout at the family farm just
outside of town. Mrs. Eckmier
agreed and 30 years later the
Fight the Bite rolls into Walton
Ontario’s Fight the Bite team will
he in Walton at the Transcan
National Motocross Championships
on Aug. 15 to share information on
how the public can protect
themselves against West Nile virus.
At the Transcan National
Motocross Championships the
Ontario Ministry of Health and
Long-Term Care’s Fight the Bite
team will have a West Nile virus
information booth set up. Residents
of Walton and the surrounding area
are invited to visit the booth to pick
up information.
Fight the Bite representatives and
the local public health officials will
debunk myths about mosquito
repellents and educate the public on
effective mosquito bite protection
including tips on how to eliminate
mosquito breeding grounds in their
own backyards.
This community outreach program
is part of the Ministry of Health and
Long-Term Care’s larger initiative to
combat West Nile virus, which
includes research, new lab
tradition is still going strong.
For one weekend each summer,
Bill Eckmier graciously turns his
property over to his sister-in-law
Clara May, the Girl Guides and the
nurse who accompanies the group
for the campout. Mrs. Eckmier
explained that while the girls are in
town, they have scheduled outings
that focus around earning badges.
This year the group visited the Grey
Twp. firefighters to earn the badge
associated with fire safety. In other
years local farms and businesses
have hosted this group of Girl
Guides for daytime outings. As the
anniversary of the Ethel United
Church falls around the same time as
our visitors come, the Girls
apparently take quite a part in the
service and celebration.
I asked Mrs. Eckmier if any Girl
Guides from past campouts recall
many memories of the trip and she
explained that she will hear fond
stories of visits to local farms, using
an outhouse for the first time and
cooking and sleeping out. Most
often though, the girls will talk about
having to hand pump water from the
well.
Thanks to Mrs. Clara May
Eckmier, Mr. Bill Eckmier and local
community members who make this
positive experience possible.
Many Ethel and area children took
part in end-of-season ball
tournaments this weekend.
Congratulations to everyone who
took part and I hope it proved to be a
fun season. Thanks to the Ethel
capabilities, establishing a new early
warning system, public education
and enhanced surveillance
mosquito control activities,
more information, pleas
www.HealthyOntario.com
and
For
visit
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www.medicalert.ca
1-800-668-1507
Make Your Own
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84 Kingston St.,
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524-2323
Minor Ball Program for providing
this program for the community.
For those interested in theatre, the
Blyth Festival Young Company will
proudly be presenting The Washer at
the Ford and Other Celtic Tales at
the Ethel Town Hall on Monday,
Aug. 25 at 2 p.m. This “thrilling new
offering” is said to be “full of
mischief, magic, mayhem and
music, based on the mythology and
folklore of the ancient Celts.”
As there will be traditional song
and dance, live music is also a
feature.
Any other touring date besides
Ethel lists the ticket price as
$10/seat. In Ethel, the group will
perform for a set, prepaid fee and
then donations at the door. Rather
than $10, people can donate
whatever they can afford.
The donations go directly to the
Young Company. As an added
bonus, the actors and musicians have
agreed to host a question-and-
answer period after the play.
The show is open to a general
audience, so hopefully we will see
many generations of community
members attending. Everyone is
welcome and children are asked to
attend in the presence of an adult.
In writing this Ethel column, I
would like nothing better than to
write what events people want to tell
about. My phone number is posted
by my columns to make it easier to
get in touch with me. Let me know
what’s new and I’ll gladly do the
writing. Have a great week!
On Aug. 8 at 10:15 a.m. Huron
OPP were called to the Wingham
Sportsman’s Association building
located on Royal Road in Morris-
Tunberry over a break-in.
Sometime after midnight and
before 7 a.m. a person smashed a
window to gain entry to the club.
C.O.P.E. at C.H.S.S.
Are you between the ages of 16 and 21?
Have you been out of school for 3 months or more and are looking
for ways to improve your employability skills and/or earn credits
towards your high school diploma? You may be interested in the
COPE program.
Cope is a program for youth and young adults between the ages of
16 and 21 who have been out of high school for a period of 3
months or more and who are looking for a way to improve
employability skills and earn credits towards a high school
diploma. Cope is a 1 year program designed to help those students
currently not enrolled in school full-time, prepare to return to
school full-time or enter into the work world.
Cope students spend 2 days per week in the classroom studying
personal life management, doing group work or correspondence
courses. The remaining 3 days of the week are spent at a work
placement.
To register for COPE this September,
call Student Services at 482-3471
for an application form.
Drowsy Drivers on Canadian Roads
The 2002 Nerves of Steel Aggressive Driving Study, commissioned by
TheSteelAlliance and Canada Safety Council, found that 76 per cent of
Canadians say sleep-deprived drivers are a common problem on
Canadian roads. One out of 10 drivers admitted to falling asleep
behind the wheel in the past year; perhaps dozing off for a fraction of
a second. Over half admitted to driving while drowsy.
Tips to Avoid Drowsy Driving
Drive only when rested. Don’t take the wheel if you feel fatigued, no
matter when or where you are driving. Have some sleep or exercise
first, avoid or delay the trip, or let a rested person drive.
Keep your mind alert. Listen to talk shows or up-temp music. Try to
have company on long trips. Change position frequently, keeping your
head up and shoulders back Chew gum. Actively watch road signs
and traffic.
Find a safe place to stop. On a long trip, every couple of hours or if
you start to feel sleepy, pull off the road for a break, exercise and fresh
air. When possible, spend the night at a motel or park in a safe place
and take a nap. Don’t rely on coffee!
Be careful about what you eat and drink. Coffee, sugar or other
stimulants may wake you up physically but they do not ensure mental
alertness. Drink water, juice or soft drinks low in sugar and caffeine.
Choose high-protein snacks over heavy or fatty foods such as fries.
Avoid alcohol and medications (including cold remedies). If you require
medication, consult with your doctor to minimize effects on driving.
Drive defensively. Be prepared to prevent collisions in spite of the
actions of others - including drivers around you who may be
aggressive or drowsy.
Canada Safety Council
www. safety-council org
Once inside a small amount of
alcohol was stolen.
If you can help solve this crime
call the OPP or Crime Stoppers.
BUY? SELL? TRY CLASSIFIED
rV~l AvonLmJ Maitland
Learning for a Lifetime