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The Huron Expositor, 1999-03-17, Page 1Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 - Seaforth, Ontario March 17, 1999 — $1.00 includes GST Seaforth band funded to June Further funding will depend. on proposed board policy BY SUSAN HUNDERTMARK Expositor Staff The Seaforth District High School All Girls Marching Band will be funded- by the Avon Maitland District School Board until the end of June, said education director Lorne Rachis at . lash week's board meeting: - . • - • But, he said any further funding will be determined -by a proposed policy which will determine how "outsidegroups" such as the band Will be funded. Four delegations and more than 100 band supporters attended lash wee,k's board meeting to find that the proposed policy was not on the agenda. - . "It was our original intention to have a revised draft policy pn the agenda but we weren't ready: to present it tonight," said Rachlis of the motion made Feb. 23 to defer the funding policy to, the board's nextfineeting on March 9. He added 'the policy will be on the'board's March 23 agenda. However, he told the delegates that "given how far, into the school: year we are, we will honor coritmitments for this . school year." and pay the annual budget of $3,700. Rachlis said he told the band executive twp weeks ago that the board would pay only half .of the $3,700 this year. Seaforth Mayor- Dav,e Scott told the board -that the band, .: which could become a Huron -Perth group in the next couple , years because of bandleader Charles Kalbfleisch's intentiohs to recruit members in Perth .County, should be, "more, not less, worthy of funding" thangroups that belong solely to one' school. "It's most disheartening to me that 47 years' worth of trustees and education directors have thought this band was worth supporting. Why don't you?" he asked the board. "This isnorinky-dink pots and.pans musical group: Les an institutiori. well-known and respected internationally and considered to be the top of its class. 1 urge you not to, cut funding." he said. .ShirleyBrugger, president of the band's executive. quoted Ontario Premier Mike Hams who said recently that there's plenty of money, in' the funding formulas for extracurricular activities and asked the board to "reinstate our funds." Brenda Kenny; of Seaforth.. asked the board w "think long and strong before taking the little bit that's left for young women to do in our community" adding that as "small town.' rural Ontario." Huron County doesn't have the fitness and aquatic centres of many cities for young people to go to. , • She questioned some of the expenses of the new board office in Seaforth such as "cappuccinomakers and bottled water," which she said should be cut before the band's • budget. - , Penny Breen and Dianne Duskocy. both executive members of the band. " also asked for the continued support.of the board. "When you reflect' on the value for the money we spend, I find it ludicrous weare even here tonight to fight for the existence of this program." said Breen. ,Hospital is accredited without recommendations BY SCOTT MLGENDORFF Expositor Editor There were no recommendations from the the Canadian Council of Health Services after giving Seaforth Community Hospital its accreditation_. "Certainly • that's * a tremendous statement for the hospital," said Andrew Williams. a vice_president of. the Huron Perth Hospital Partnership- and administrator for Seaforth. An accreditation team was at the hospital in November to thoroughly review the facility s operation. a process hospital's' voluntarily go through in efforts to improve themselves. Generally. the accrediation , team will make. a report with three possible outcomes: recommendations with no return visit, recommendations with a request for a submission to clarify certain issues raise and how ' they've been:, • ttatttlled and-- recommendations with a return visit to ensure they are being followed. • In Seaforth's case, there CONTINUED on Page 2 Dog is woman's best medic'''. Both dog and owner's health better when ^together BY SUSAN Expositor Staff Two days after 84 -year-old Sylvia Parsons was hospitalized with a stroke last December, her son Ken came home to find his mother's dog Silver in mourning. "She wouldn't eat and it sounded like somebody was getting axe -murdered ,with the moan coming out of her. She was so upset;" he remembers.. Meanwhile at the hospital, Sylvia's speech had been affected by the stroke and she couldn't, do anything but mumble, says Ken: • ., Not knowing what else to do, Ken brought Silver to Seaforth Community Hospital and asked- if he could take the dog to' his mother. "They'said, 'Sure, that's the best thing you can do, for a stroke patient.' And. as soon as the dog was in her room. Mom said as clear as anything: 'Oh baby. come here. dear,'. he says. • While it doesn't have an official pet therapy program. Seaforth •Community Hospital's policies allow animals to visit patients with a letter from a vet confirming that the animal is in good health. says Carol Hunt:' a nurse and physiotherapy assistant at the hospital., "Animals have a -calming affect on a lot of patients," she. says. "The 'physical sensation of stroking the pet enhances the' feeling that all is well and often brings back childhood memories." Dr. Heathen Percival. of Seaforth: says retovery from strokes or heart attacks can be improved by interaction with animals and that sometimes, patients who are unable to move an arm, for example, will •be able to'do so to cuddle their pets. She says studies have also shown that stroking a pet lowers high blood pressure. "They're really realizing during the past five years or so that therr are a lot of health benefits (to interaction with animals)," says Dr. Percival. Hunt adds that contact With • -a pet is-mt,st -effective- when patients were close to their pets before the event which put them in hospital. Ken says Silver began to, Silver was in mourning when Hospital visits and now visits at owner Sylvia Parson's was hospitalized by a stroke. Seaforth Manor have kept both their spirits up. HUNDERTMARK PHOTO. one of a long line . of American Eskimo Spitz` dogs Sylvia has owned through the years. • Silver. who is 11 and a half years old. gave comfort and companionship to Sylvia's husband before hedied. nine years ago. sleeping' in his room at their Staffa home and alerting Sylvia when he got up in the morning. "This dog is just like a nurse in some ways and she helped Mom care for Dad before he died and now she's caring for Mom," says Keri. Silver was Sylvia's constant companion after her husband'sdeath. accompanying her and Ken whenever they left the know the route to Sylvia's _"Her_dog_seems to really_ room at the hospii!al and help her. It's very often spent several hours comforting to her," she says. curled up with her on her Anderson says Seaforth hospital bed. • ` Manor also has a pet therapy And. when .Sylvia moved into • the Seaforth Manor, • Ken b e gta n bringing , the dog to his mother there as often as possible. "I don't show up without the dog or my name is mud," he laughs. `Animals Have a calming effect on alot of patients' --Carol Hunt, nurse and physiotherapy assistant at Seaforth Community Hospital Diane Anderson. director of care at the Seaforth Manor. says that ,ihjle other resi'det5ls have had their pets brought in to visit before, she's never seen anyone react as positively to a pet as Sylvia does. program, run by St. John's Ambulance, every Monday t'norning which is very popular with the' residents. Ken is also amazed at the difference in his mother with or without her dog. ,"It's like night and day. She's very depressed and house. withdrawn And once. Ken says. without her but as soon as Silver protected Sylvia from the dog's in the room, she an aggressive vacuum just lights up." he says. -- cleaner salesman who stuck Ken says his mother and his foot in the door when her dog had a very special Sylvia was trying to close it. relationship before she "The lips curled up and all suffered the stroke. Silver is CONTINUED on Page 2 Mary Wernham and Steven Seebach, a passenger in Wemham's car received minor injuries in an accident Monday afternoon at Winthrop. They were taken by ambulance to Seaforth Community Hospital. OPP wore still investigating at press time and details of the accident were not available. HILGENDORFF PHOTO Scott no longer seeks Liberal nomination Seaforth Mayor Dave Scott announced last week he is no longer seeking the nomination fot the Huron Bruce liberal riding. Personal reasons and a conflict of interest with his employer have kept him out of the race and at the time of his announcement, left Joan Van den Broeck of Goderich and newly announced challenger Alvin McLellan of RR 3 Brussels in the race. However, McLellan announced Monday his resignation after concerns the riding association executive was backing a third candidate, Ross Lamont of Port Elgin. Lamont's intentions ro run were announced in a press release from the Huron Bruce Liberal Association which updated the list of nomination seekers. The nomination meeting is being held March 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lucknow and District Community Centre.